That night, I went to visit Steyza. I jumped her, like always because I just couldn’t knock and use the door like a normal person.

“You’ll make me die young, Eric,” she complained, then went silent.

“What you up to?” I made some small talk whilst dropping my fat ass on the couch.

“Well, uh, I was just about to go to bed.”

“Oh, that so? Guess I’ll see ya in the morning.”

“Stop! Wait, d-don’t go. Can you, stay over tonight?” she asked meekly. My mental hands were rubbing each other like a pervert, and so were Donna’s. In fact, that miserable queen came out and walked up to Steyza with the most apathetic face I’d ever seen her make, then suddenly slipped behind the elf. Donna’s hands groped those gigantic mounds shamelessly. Steyza tried to slip away, but Donna had Aug’s enchanted rings on as well, making escape impossible.

“We’ve fantasized about this for a long time, Steyza,” Donna prowled like a lioness in heat. I know, I know, they don’t prowl in heat, but you get my point.

“You’ve fantasized about it,” I corrected her. “I’m a happily married man.”

“That you are,” Donna agreed. “But who said anything about you doing her? You’ll be doing me.”

I opened my mouth, ready to disagree, but a quick recalculation made me accept her logic. “Fair enough.”

That was my intention. Really, it was. But life is strange. I woke up the next morning sandwiched between those two. “Did I really–”

“Yup,” Donna confirmed.

Our chitchat probably woke Steyza up. Her lips puckered and pecked me on the cheek, then she got up to ready herself for work. I sat up and palmed my face. What the hell am I doing here? I decided right then, after doing Steyza her favour in the Mirage Festival and helping Phoenix find those special feathers, I’d get the hell out of Jynnak and return to my wife.

“Let’s get to work,” Donna encouraged, feeling my lethargy through our connection. I got out of bed and ate breakfast with Steyza.

“You alright? Pretty quiet,” she commented. “Is it,” her arms went a bit weak, “because of last night?”

“Hmm? No, no. I was thinkin’ about the festival. Have you ever seen a wraith?” I asked her. Our original plan was to wait until one of the performances involving magical creatures started and use Mind Break to send the creatures a bit bonkers. But that wouldn’t mean they would actually go out of control and fight. The wraith was a better choice because of their volatile nature, but it would definitely be the first time I intentionally tried to bring one into reality. Wraiths, by definition, were just distorted mana.

“I’ve, never personally seen one. But you hear about a wraith occurrence every couple centuries. Don’t tell me…”

“It, just might work. Either way, if it doesn’t, we’ll just fall back on the old plan,” I chewed on a bagel and some bacon. Elven food wasn’t the greatest thing, so I often fed myself.

“I see. So, um,” Steyza twiddled her fingers a couple times but stopped when she realised that I noticed and instead chose to comfort herself with a gentle rub of her arm, “are you alright, with it?”

“Hmm?” I feigned ignorance. This, roundabout and contrary as it may seem to my personality, wasn’t something I wished to discuss. “Of course, I’m alright with it. If the Genuks chose who got SMCs, it’d be a big issue.” I had to add that context, to ensure she knew what I was thinking about.

“Oh. You’re… right,” she forced a smile.

“Is that how you wanna go about it?” Donna questioned me. What exactly was I supposed to do?

Can’t exactly welcome her with open arms.

“You entered a shared relationship, buddy. So, tell me, do you not approve of her?”

I grunted in slight frustration. It’s, not that, Donna.

“I know it isn’t. You’re just being a coward because you think Anjali would be upset. Well,” she sighed a bit in defeat, “I suppose that’s the right way to go about it. Until we get Anjali’s permission, let’s keep it platonic.”

Exactly! And, to be honest with you, I get a nasty feeling thinking about developing feelings for any other woman besides you and Anjali.

“Because Dawn was the main woman. I can understand that it feels like you’re disrespecting her. This may sound harsh, but Dawn is dead, Eric. You can’t allow yourself to be tethered to her. You can’t deny your own happiness because of a dead person.”

Fucking hell Donna. Did you have to put it that way? That really was harsh.

“We need to hear harsh stuff sometimes.”

I looked at Donna, then at Steyza, who at this point was quite suspicious of our silence. Donna also placed a scrutinizing peer onto the elf. “Can you two, read each other’s minds?” Steyza asked. Her hesitance in asking showed that she was well aware of how jarring and stupid a question it was; but not in our case.

“Were we that obvious?”

“By the phoenix!” Steyza clasped her mouth and leaned back, eyes wide open. “It really was true!”

“That’s not important. Steyza, I’m going to ask you a question. I know you usually avoid these types of conversations but I’d like you to be as candid with me as possible.”

She nodded, getting noticeably uneasy and clearing the hair from her eyes. I waited until she looked me in the eyes again before I asked, “Do you like me?”

“S-sure?” An answer she very clearly wasn’t sure if it was correct. “In, what way?” she found something on the table to look at, then some insect flying back. Anything that could prove a distraction would get her attention.

I stood up tiringly and went to her side. Gently, I manoeuvred my hand around her cheek and made her face me; that move was ridiculously effective. At this point, I’d say something like “you know what I mean,” but I wished to leave nothing to chance. “As a partner. A romantic partner. A sexual partner. A lifelong partner. Do you like me in that way?”

She became a deer in headlights. I know what you’re thinking – cars weren’t invented in Codex’s time setting, so how do I know about it? Well the author wanted to use that metaphor and he clearly doesn’t care about setting. So anyway, Steyza’s eyes were the only busy part of her body, jumping from side to side, looking at me in mine eyes with discombobulation afoot. She avoided my question with her own. “W-what about you?” she looked away even after I put her on the spot, “Do you see me that way?”

“I do.” I rested a hand on the table’s edge and the other on her chair’s backrest to put my face even closer to hers, forcing her to look me in the eyes again. “Steyza, I want you.”

Yet again, she averted her eyes. What a tough nut to crack. “Can you, give me some time to think about it?”

I stood upright. “Of course. There’s just one issue. After we take care of the bill, I’m leaving for the other countries in Jynnak. And after I have my share of adventures in each one, I’m going back to my home. I wanted your company on those adventures, and also back home. In a few days, I won’t be here.”

She didn’t react at first, but a few seconds after her eyes were glued to me. Her silence told me there wouldn’t be anymore of this conversation at the moment, so I left her there with Donna; my interests laid elsewhere for now.

The day was young, so I committed to completing the important stuff – fooling around. I left for Tyrr’s largest port. Containers, barrels, parcels and huge apparatus probably made by the Cey family lined the entire place. A wispy projectile magic zoomed toward me whilst I floated about and hit my arm; at least I let it hit me. Elves did marvels when it came to utilisation magic. Heck, this stuff is exactly the kind of magic Ulanos would die to have. But when it came to magic fit for battle, they were rather lacking. Guess centuries of peace would do that…

A few others came in a barraging group. I dodged where I could and used Magnet to let those I couldn’t avoid – or was too lazy to – fly through me. “This is restricted airspace! You are not authorised to be here!” the security yelled at me. Other guards quickly nested below me.

“You might want to start with that next time! You know, instead of shooting spells at me!”

“Get! Down!” they all armed spells. I wasn’t there to fight or anything, so I complied. They had my hands bound with magic restraints in their little booth. In a couple minutes, two people arrived and one of the voices were rather familiar. Bingo…

I was tied to a column, my back facing the room’s exit. “Ms Tuvos,” I said in a deep theatrical voice, “welcome, to the great and evil lair of Eric Archibald! But I must warn you! Your trial will not be easy.” I cast Dispel and turned around talking, “Sorry ‘bout the leg by the w…”

I stopped when I realised it wasn’t the hot-headed girl I stuck onto the wall in that over-the-top lighthouse. A look of shock was smitten over my face, but not before the man and woman who entered. Not before the security that bound me to the post.

“Who, did you mistake me for?” the woman asked. The man next to her increased the pressure on that question by the gentle tap of his foot.

“How did you break out?” the guard armed some type of spell.

A few seconds of silence later, and the Tuvos I thought had entered, finally did just that. A gasp befell her upon watching the scene. The Morrhiggan fella strolled in afterward, raising a brow at the situation but giving a hearty laugh after. He folded his arms and waited patiently for whatever this was, to play out.

“Answer my question!” the woman repeated.

“Okay. I thought you were her,” I pointed at the familiar Tuvos. “You two sound the same.”

“You broke my dau…” instead of asking me that, she turned to her daughter, “Daria, he broke your leg?”

“And healed it back,” the impetuous Daria wasn’t so impetuous after all. “And before you explode with the fury of a thousand men, know that hindering him will do no good for our family in the near future.”

Daria’s parents both looked at her strangely. “So, you made contact with the human under strict instruction not to and he injured you, then healed you back? You let him disgrace our family like that?! Return home immediately! You’ll be dealt with later.”

She sought to answer her mom, but we could all feel that ‘fury’ from a mile away and it seemed to petrify her. The Morrhiggan rested his hand on her shoulder, “Breathe,” he gestured with his hand, “breathe. Overcome.”

She followed his instruction and steadied her breathing, then glared at her mom with the eyes of a predator. “No.”

“Pardon?”

“No. I’m not going anywhere.”

Her mother activated some spell and Daria immediately reeled in pain, an agonising scream filling the air. She nearly slumped to one knee, but did her utmost to stay standing. I would’ve intervened, but seeing that the Morrhigan simply spectated, I decided to stay uninvolved. But that was before I used Life Perception. Daria’s life essence was waning, and although it wasn’t my business, I wouldn’t watch while someone went through an ordeal like that.

Fire Blast burnt a bit of her mother’s clothes. The guard immediately assaulted, but his spells simply travelled through me and toward Daria’s parents but they employed a small field of protection. The guard’s spell ricocheted off the defensive spell.

“Calm down!” Daria’s father boomed. “All of you!” he commanded, even eyeing his wife. His piercing eyes gave a mystifying contrast to his calm demeanour, “Daria, I sense you are about to make an irreversible decision. I pray to the great phoenix’s heart that your choice helps in seeing you through to a happy and meaningful future. Morrhiggan,” he turned to the young elf and encroached, whispering something in secret. He turned around effortlessly, looking as if he was sliding as he moved, “As for you, human. Why, did you let yourself be caught?” his suspicion was spot on.

“Figured it would attract a Tuvos. Say, mister, would you be able to help my find something?”

“Hmm?” he folded his arms.

I glided toward him and whispered in his ear. His eyes popped, but he soon caught his emotions before they fell out of him. Unlike most people, he used a staff as his mana conductor. That staff was offered up to me as he knelt before me, pledging his loyalty. “The Tuvos family will gladly submit to you, great mage. But you must see to it that we are spared.”

No one was expecting that. Not me, not the Morrhiggan guy, and especially not Daria’s mom. “I cannot guarantee your safety, so do not kneel to me. The best thing you can do is offer what you took and deeply apologise.”

“What of the other families then?” he asked, dusting his knee off. “I’m certain each of them has at least one.”

“Aye, that they do. I will be taking them back myself anyway.”

He eyed me up and down, then shrugged a little, “Why inform me? Why come here to warn me of such a disaster?”

I stretched my hand up and pinched Daria’s cheek. That hothead literally bit me and chewed on my hand a little afterward. Is she a dog? I chuckled mentally. “To apologise to her. I was a bit harsh after all. Anyway, can I depend on you to let the other families know? Maybe you’ll all be spared if you prostrate yourself enough. If you think your daughter’s a strong-willed person, you haven’t met him.”

I turned and simply left, going to one of the Tuvos’ residence, where I sensed Phoenix’s special feather. The Morrhiggans, Tuvos, Genuks, Ceys, and Rizts all had one of their own, and when I told the head Tuvos what Phoenix planned to do, he begged me to spare his family. The five families may not like each other generally, but it was an irrefutable fact that they all depended on each other. If one was gone, others would suffer.

That day, I collected four feathers from the families and Phoenix already had the feather I found at the Genuks before. Two were found in separate secret bases, albeit both bases were abandoned. Two more were located in the core of the largest mountain. Thank Hydra’s ass for Avatar of Fire; or should I say Phoenix’ ass? It made fire’s effects on me nil. A total of nine feathers were then handed over to Phoenix that night.

After talking to him about not incinerating Tyrr, I paid Steyza a visit. She jumped as I passed through the walls as usual and stamped her foot in frustration.

“Eric, I have to talk to you.”

“Wow, you made your decision already?”

“Huh? N-no!” she denied, “That’s, not what I wanted to talk about. I mean, I’ll get to that later. It’s,” she exhaled, then took a deep breath, “about my father…”

Fenral Rilas? Interesting. “Well, let’s hear it,” I encouraged and got cosy with her. She was a bit nervous about talking about him. Her many abrupt pauses made it obvious that Fenral wasn’t someone she liked talking about. “I was able to visit him today,” she revealed, and let out a big sigh, almost as if she didn’t want to visit him in the first place.

My ears were primed to receive stories about her father, but it was more so of her late mother than her old man. And only the best of the best things was spoken. “She brought our family together when dad was too busy or when I grew distant from him. She kept us together.” Her mom seemed like a really swell lady. So, what was this sombre tone she spoke in? Ah, of course. The grim atmosphere heralded the part of the story that Steyza most hated, her mother’s death. “I came home one day. The house was a mess, so I called out for mom but there was no answer.”

Poor girl, I thought, massaging her scalp as the goddess of life did for me. She faced away from me, resting her head on my legs. Something soaked through my leg, and her curling toes would add to the realisation that she wept. She found her mother’s body, mangled and lacerated, bloodied and beaten. “The TEA never solved it. Father began avoiding me, visiting only seldomly. For decades I wondered why my mother of all people had to die. For decades,” I could feel the heated exhale of ire filter through her nose, “I wondered how exactly she got those wounds. And now today I learn, my own father killed her.”

My fingers froze, hardly believing what she just told me. “Your father killed her? Fenral?”

“Yeah. He admitted it today. That was why he left home when she died. He couldn’t bear to be around me; his guilt wouldn’t let him. Stupid, huh?” she grew weak. “Hey, Eric. Father is apparently the man-wolf of legends. Father is a murderer.” She looked up at me after turning her body to face me, “What do you think I should do?”

I’d fucking kill him, I think. Shit… I don’t know!

I sighed, twirling my fingers about her cheeks. “I don’t know what I’d do in that situation. But from somebody that’s not in your shoes, I’d probably give him a chance. It doesn’t make sense that he’d kill her, at least not like that.”

She huddled closer to me, her words’ vibrations tickling my stomach and making me shiver with laughter. “Are you saying he couldn’t control himself?”

After my involuntary titter, I answered seriously and hoped she didn’t think I was a fool. “Doubt it. He’s fighting his bestial side, not embracing it. That’s why he’d go so far as to stage a kidnapping.” My eyes went somewhat lacklustre as thoughts warped about my head, “If I knew…”

“No. You did the right thing. Let’s go to bed. The festival starts tomorrow.”

~

“Please, sir! I’ve been ordered to keep you safe at all costs!” the man pleaded with me to follow him.