Lexy rushed to the mansion, Varikin shortly behind. She made it just an hour before sunset. Lexy stepped cautiously through the large front doors of the mansion. Varikin Followed her and did not display any fear. Lexy however, was terrified. After taking a few steps inside Lexy sighed, relaxing her shoulders.

“What's wrong, did something happen while you were in the forest?”

Lexy screamed and almost dropped her box of knives. not expecting Thokath to be by the door,

“Oh my gosh, don't scare me like that. I thought you were away doing your job thing again, but no I just got carried away again sorry I’ll try not to do that again”.

Thokath softly chuckled,

“It's quite alright Lexy, I two used to find sanctuary in that forest. Tell me did you see the white-tailed deer? They are very breathtaking are they not?”

Lexy gave a soft smile and scratched the back of her neck,

“yah me and he did see the deer”

Thokath eyed the box in Lexy’s hands,

“what’s that?”

Lexy gave a sheepish smile and held up the knives,

“it’s a box of knives I wanted to see how they did it’s also why I was out there so long, sorry”

Thokath shook his head.

“don’t be sorry I am your guardian. I know with a little guidance you can achieve anything you put your mind to”

Thokath ruffled Lexy’s hair,

“Now let’s go eat. I believe they're making macarons. I think you will enjoy them.”

*****

The next day Lexy woke up to Varikin barking at her door,

“I’m coming” with that she gets into a gray hoodie and black cargo pants. She grabbed her knives and put them in her side leg pockets on her pants. With this, Lexy walked out of her bedroom and looked to Varkin “alright let’s go I’m skipping breakfast.”

Lexy then made her way out of the mansion and out into the woods. Lexy leaned over to Varikin and put a hand on him while she began to think of the desert and the doorway to the rebellion base. Lexy opened her eyes when she felt sandy winds against her skin. She looked to the doorway and went through with Varicin shortly behind. The two made their way through the stone town where people were going about their day.

Lexy and Varikin entered the base to see Alcore coming up to the two “hey are you two coming?”

Lexy nodded and Alcore smirked. Alcore quickly rushed away in a blur and then came back with a cloaked figure behind him along with an extra cloak. Alcore handed the extra cloak to Lexy. Lexy eyed the cloaked figure with them while she put on the cloak. She couldn't see any features besides that their whole cloaked looked wet yet no water was dripping from them.

With that, the four left the base and headed for the city. When they enter Lexy could see the crowd that has gathered around the hallows and the slummers. Upon entering the square Lexy could see the huge line of slummers better.

The slummers consisted of mothers, children, and men of all ages. Their hair is matted and even from here, she can count their bones. They had bruises littered on them like smallpox. Blood and dirt caked on so much it looked like it was a part of their skin.

Lexy could see their hopeless faces. Their eyes were dim in life and their heads low. Alcore turned to Miko,

“make sure she doesn’t stop me.”

Alcore said, referring to Lexy. Lexy looked at Alcore confused,

“Wait Alcore, what are you” but it’s too late and he disappeared into the crowd.

Lexy’s attention was then brought to the guards upon the gallows coughing to get the crowd's attention.

“attention you are about to witness the hanging of these scum who have refused to be a part of our community and serve our great king any who try to stop this shall be “

He was suddenly interrupted by Alcore saying with utmost confidence,

“Excuse me.” The guard stops and everyone looks at Alcore.

The guard turned sharply,

“what?”

Alcore smirked, “I have a proposition if I do not die on the gallows then you have to be released every single summer here on death row.”

The guard along with a few others burst laughing. “oh, you must be joking?”

Alcore shook his head. “no, I mean it, you can hang me here and now.”

The guard smirked “alright looks like we have a jokester here let’s see how happy you will be when you die. I accept your proposition.”

With that two other soldiers grabbed Alcore and brought him up to the gallows and placed a noose over Alcore’s neck woven with barbs. The guard smirked and stepped off the drop platform and nodded to the executioner.

Lexy’s eyes widened and went to shout but were stopped by her feet being suddenly covered in ice and Miko covering her mouth. To Lexy’s surprise, Miko’s hand is grey, wet, and webbed. Lexy looked from Miko to Alcore just in time to see the trap door underneath Alcore open and Alcore be hanged.

Tears had begun to escape her eyes. Lexy turned her head to see some of Miko’s face and a soft smirk on him. She feels left out here how he could be smiling when their friend just died.

The guard chuckled,

“Not so cocky now, dead man?”

Alcore smiled,

“eh I think the noose could be comfier, but beggars can’t be choosers. It’s kind of fun though not standing. I’m doing fine, how about you, you're looking rather pale?”

The guard was in fact pale and he staggered back “what kind of magic is this? Not even a dragon-blooded man survives being hanged!”

He exclaimed with shock.

Alcore’s smirk grew,

“good for me I’m not a dragon blooded.”

Lexy heard this but didn't believe it. Her eyes were still wide and mumbled

“how?” along with the crowd who is just as confused.

Alcore gripped the rim of the platform and pulled himself up. The guard just staggered back terrified,

“Just what are you!”

Alcore stood up on the platform and pulled out the barbed noose from his neck. Holes from the barbs began to heal while he turned and faced the guard,

“I'm not a ghost or a demon, I'm only human.”

This sent the crowd into an uproar and two other guards came up to the first,

“Sir what do we do?”

Alcore chuckled,

“I can tell you what to do, you uphold your side of the bargain. I didn’t die so it’s only fair, otherwise good luck stopping me and my friends.”

The guard’s eyes widened “there’s more of you?”

Alcore smirked deviously and placed his hand on his hip,

“Oh of course there are many of us hidden around and they aren’t nearly as kind as me, but I bet they will be far more willing to let you go if you hold your side of the bargain.”

The guards look at each other terrified as Alcore nears the three. “w-we will not need for violence. I've heard stories of what happens to those who don't side with humans.” And he quickly turns to his two other companions,

“you heard the human go!” and the two quickly scrambled to get the chained slummers free.

With that Alcore hopped off the gallows and the crowd parts like the seas.

The expression on Lexy's face immediately changed from sadness and shock to frustration when Alcore gave her a quick bow.

'Do you enjoy it?’

He only received a slap to the face,

“Jerk what the hell is wrong with you!” her voice was in an angry hushed tone.

Alcore rubbed his cheek,

“ok yeah, I guess that’s deserved.”

Lexy huffed and her gaze narrowed,

“You guess? I thought you died up there, I cried!”

Alcore smiled,

“oh, so you care?”

“Yes, I care. I care for your mental health.” Lexy nodded painfully. “Is this the first time you've done this?”

Alcore smiled at the thought of the situation “no, it's not the first time I've done something like that for them but for this particular city, yes, it's the first time.”

Lexy shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“you’re hopeless.”

Alcore chuckled,

“Well, I like to think of myself as hopeful and with that out of the way I need your help getting these people to the base. I don’t think it would be good for them to stay in the city. But I’ll let that be their choice.”

Lexy glared at Alcore “ugh fine but next time tell me at least.”

Alcore smiled and nodded “ok fair enough I’m sorry.”

Lexy snorted and rolled her eyes, “apology accepted.”

With that Alcore turned on a dime and headed to the growing group of freed slummers. “Excuse me but just curious, do any of you have places to stay?”

Some of the slummers shook their heads while others just stayed quiet. “all alright if any of you would like me and my friends can take you to our place and give you food and decent clothing in return for some simple labor of course.” The slummers glance at each other and then one after another they all step up.

Alcore gave a kind smile and began leading the group of slummers. He now joins back up with Miko, Lexy, and Varikin with the large crowd of slummers behind.

Lexy gazed back at the crowd watching for any unwelcome pursuers when they entered the desert. To her surprise, Alcore’s tricks must’ve really scared the townsfolk more than Lexy was willing to give Alcore credit for.

She looked to Miko,

“So why does Alcore do this? Freeing people from death is nice and all but he does it in such a crazy way.”

Miko looked at her and uncloaked his left arm and there was a device clipped onto his wrist that had a keyboard on it. Miko typed on it and then a message popped up above it.

“He’s looking for the guardian sent by a god.”

Lexy raised a brow,

“Really which one?”

Miko shrugged and typed again,

“I don't know if the story is so old. Plus a lot of people typically argue that the God who sent the guardian was Tethys or it was Orien. but in some of the older versions of the story, there’s mention of a third god. But It's just a story.”

Lexy glanced at Alcore and then back to Meko,

“Must have been a good story.”

Alcore quickly helped the four and the slummers settle into their new surroundings, while Lexy smiled when she watched her friend helping the slummers with their children.

When suddenly her attention was caught by Jackson coming up to her,

“Hi Jackson, how is your face doing?” concern laced in her voice.

Jackson shrugged,

“It is fine but not the point. I am going to have to cancel combat lessons today and I need your help with something else.”

Lexy smiled and nodded,

“What do you need help with?”

Jackson huffed “I can’t honestly describe more of, show you, Follow me.” With that, he brought her back to the training area, and she saw some other members training but that’s not what caught her eyes.

They're running and smiling without a care in the world going “we!” was a little beast-blooded girl with fluffy pigtails, brown hair, and bear ears. She was dressed in a pink fluffy skirt and a t-shirt. The little girl was half a foot smaller than Lexy

Jackson huffed,

“This is what I need help with. Kuma gave her sugar before he left and now, she’s well you can see”

A surprise-filled expression occurred on Lexy’s face: “I didn’t know Kuma was a father, and uh, please remind me who Kuma was again?”

Jackson raised a brow,

“He's the guy who transformed into a bear when you met Alcore the second time.”

Lexy blinked,

“oh ok.”

The little girl shifted her gaze from Jackson to Lexy, the little girl locked eyes with Lexy and then ran up to Jackson hiding behind him from Lexy.

Jackson turned to the little girl,

“Kanki this is Lexy be nice okay? Lexy this is Kanki”

Kanki eyed Lexy and tilted her head to the side causing her ears to flop. “What are you? you don't look like a Beast-blooded? Did someone cut off your ears and tail? Because you just look weird”

Jackson frowned “Kanki what did I just say be nice.”

Lexy just smiled nervously “it's ok, no I’m not beast-blooded.”

Kanki stepped up to Lexy “Then what are you? I know you’re like mister Alcore, a human, are you his daughter?”

Lexy raised a brow “no I’m not his daughter and I’m human as for your other question. But how do you know what a human is?”

Kanki hummed softly and smiled, “Oh, that’s what Alcore called himself, but hey, how about you play with me? It's been so long since someone has played with me.”

Kanki looked at Lexy with wide eyes and her hands in a begging position.

Lexy did to be rude, she went to talk but was suddenly being dragged by the hand by this little girl. Lexy gave a pleading look to Jackson.

Jackson shook his head “oh no I’m not doing that. You haven’t seen her angry, it's not pretty.”

Lexy sighed out of frustration and Kanki smiled. She then walked over to a corner where she had a few stuffed dolls and a little bag that had a few more and sat down.

The little girl had begun to brush Lexy’s hair,

“You know your hair reminds me of my mommies’ hair, but her hair was long and had flowers in it. She would tickle me with it two and she would let me braid it.”

Lexy looked at the little girl who was smiling,

“oh do I? where is your mommy actually?”

Kanki hummed,

“I’ve asked daddy that, but he refuses to tell me. He just ignores my question and goes to something else. I haven’t seen her since we moved to this place.” The way it was said didn’t sit right with Lexy, but she decided not to press any further.

Kanki then hugged Lexy and gave out a yawn “I’m tired can you tuck me in as mommy would?”

Lexy blinked “uh sure but where is your room?”

Kanki smiled and led Lexy past Jackson and Varikin to a room that was covered in flowers and plants. In the room were pictures and at the corner is a bed made from giant flowers.

The little girl laid on the bed and looked to Lexy,

“So what kind of magic can you do?”

Lexy shrugged,

“eh, nothing much besides going to the veil.”

Kanki’s eyes widened,

“Wait, you can go into the veil! The other world without getting hurt. Wow!”

Lexy nodded,

“Yeah that’s about right.”

Kanki furrowed her brows,

“So does that mean if I open my eyes really wide that I can see the other world with the pretty flowers?”

The little girl then opens her eyes as wide as she can,

“See! Will I be able to see the other world now?”

Lexy chuckled, “I don’t think that’s how it works.”

Kanki shrugged when she nuzzled into the flowers,

“Maybe someday I will.”

With that, the little girl fell asleep and Lexy left the room.

The blond-headed back over to Jackson,

“So Jackson I was thinking what if I brought some seeds and started working on a food supply.”

Jackson nodded and looked over her a little bit and then back to her,

“Did Kanki fall asleep?”

Lexy smiled,

“Yes so, Jackson, what do you think of my whole plant idea? I can get all the seeds and the soil, and then we could make pots out of clay.”

Jackson hummed,

“you would probably have to ask Katie. She handles food, but I like it if a farm could really help with low supplies. But you need to practice more if you want to fight against Talo and make it out ok. Just because you agreed to combat where the opponents don't kill each other doesn't mean that she can't severely injure you.”

Lexy raised a brow,

“Ok, what kind of training will I be doing?”

Jackson smirked,

“Not smashing my face, that's for sure. Today I'll take you out to the fields to fight Meko.”

Lexy scrunched her face when she remembered the entry in the book Callum had given to her that was on dragon blooded when she looked at Jackson,

“So dragon blooded uh, they can turn into dragons, or do they just look like it?”

Jackson nodded,

“Yes, dragon blooded can turn into dragons. Some are stronger than others. Now come on”

Lexy followed while she thought for a moment Varikin shortly behind,

“What happens when a child is both dragon blooded and something else.”

Jackson shuddered briefly while he leads her out of the training room and out of the building,

“Believe it or not the king is part dragon blooded.”

Lexy raised a brow,

“how do you know that?”

Jackson looked to her while he slowed in his pace,

“Well, the last king was half-dragon blooded and half wizard. So it would stand to reason that his lazy son is part dragon blooded.”

Lexy raised a brow,

“Why do you guys always call the king lazy?”

Jackson let out a huff,

“Because he is the whole reason the kingdom went into the hell abomination it is in now. He instilled in the council to do half of his job while he has his siblings do the rest of his job. He’s downright despicable and lazy. Because of him, there's the child tax.”

Lexy narrowed her eyes when she remembered her promise to Niph. Lexy looked to Jackson,

“Do you know why he did the child tax?”

Jackson’s eyes widened as he continued to lead Lexy out of the stone town,

“Oh, right you're not from around here. Ok, so the royalty of Anawrath have always been protectors of the people. In which they literally would go and fight on the front lines to defend the colonists and mines in the ten constellations Anawrath has in its grip. Thus this led to over the years a low need for a huge military. Because the royals were enough. But this all changed when the lazy bum became king. He has never once defended the kingdom”

Lexy’s eyes widened,

“So then if a lazy king came in and didn't fight, that would mean a high need for a large military.”

Jackson nodded and stopped when they got out far in the fields and there was Meko with a bamboo staff.

“Thus the child tax. Alright, Lexy this is Meko, Meko this is Lexy. You two will be sparring against each other. Not trying to kill just till first blood. Varikin will not aid you in this.”

Lexy looked to Jackson while Varikin went to the dragon blooded,

“We've already met but got it.”

Jackson blinked and took a couple of strides back while Varkin followed him,

“Oh, alright. Well, I'll just take a few steps back now. Start at three. Alright one”

Lexy looked at Meko and pulled out two throwing knives, one in each hand.

“Two.”

Miko tightened his grip on his staff.

“Three”

Lexy immediately threw a knife at Miko. Only to be surprised when instead of Miko blocking with his staff. Water had risen up and frozen the blade in place. Lexy’s eyes widened,

“Oh boy”

Miko made more water rise around him and with a swift motion of his staff into the ground ice spikes began to erupt out of the earth. Lexy ran from the freezing water and grabbed another throwing knife from her pocket. She then sharply turned around and leaped back just enough to doge the next ice spike. Lexy stabbed the still rising spike of ice with her two knives and used this to push herself into the air while she pulled out the knives. This sent Lexy heading straight for Miko.

Lexy quickly threw one of the two knives in a different direction while she held onto the other. Miko had his attention on the knife she threw, not entirely her. His eyes widened when he saw the knife hit the ground and quickly he whacked her with his staff just in time. This sent Lexy flying and landing on the ground.

Lexy wheezed as she felt her head go light and her air leave her lungs. She laid there for a bit letting herself catch her breath. Lexy felt warm liquid seep from her side along with sharp pain. She looked to her side to see a large cut that had gone through her hoodie, her t-shirt, and into her skin with blood seeping from it.

Lexy got back up and smiled at Meko,

“You're really good. Thanks for sparing.”

Meko silently nodded while he walked up to her and her surprise she watched as he moved water to her wound and her injury came back together but there still was a thin cut remaining. Jackson came up to her with Varikin by his side,

“Alright, I think that is good for today. If you try and keep going you'll reopen that wound.”

Lexy nodded,

“Thanks, Jackson. I think I'll talk to Kaite before I go.” And with a wave, She and Varikin left the fields and walked back to the rebellion's main building.

Lexy walked into the building and headed into the cafeteria. She walked to the food serving area to see no one there. Lexy looks to someone passing by,

“Excuse me?”

They looked to her,

“Yes?”

Lexy glanced at the empty food serving area,

“Do you know where Katie is?”

The person blinked,

“oh Katie she headed home you'll have to come in the morning tomorrow.”

Lexy sighed,

“oh ok, thanks anyway.”

The person nodded and walked away. Lexy then looked to Varkin who only stared at her,

“I guess it would be best to go home now.”

Varkin gave a quick yip in response and Lexy smiled,

“Alright, let’s head home.”

Lexy then walked out of the building with Varkin by her side and headed out to the stone streets of the base until they reached the doorway to the desert. Lexy stepped through the doorway with Varikin. She leaned over and touched his scruff when she began to think of the mansion and Thokath.

Lexy opened her eyes to see she and Verkin were once again in the lush greenery of the forest. She smiled and began to walk to the mansion. Once Lexy reached the mansion, she opened the front door and walked up to one of the butlers,

“Tell Thokath I'm heading to bed.”

The butler only nodded and with that Lexy went to bed.