She spends the entire night staring at the rusted metal fan on the ceiling. Following the wood cranes and bears she's carved when she was younger, dangling off it and clanking in the autumn wind. Darting her eyes between them and the cog shaped clock hanging above the dresser to watch the hour hand slowly crawls past. Listening to the customers depart, Killian closing up the shop, hopping in the shower and passing out cold in his room. He's still snoring when the minute hand finally turns from 4:59 to 5:00 am. But it's enough to bolt her straight up to beeline for her closet.

She already knows what she's going to wear. Her cutest hoodie, the navy one with a faded white cat print on it, and checkered red plaided skirt. Excitedly, she gets dressed and pops herself before the vanity table. Brushing through her spiraling dark locks, falling to her waist. Before securing a red ribbon that Killian's given her on her last birthday, onto the crown of her head to set her bluntly cut bangs in place. Although, he should've known her favorite color is green by now. It'll match her eyes better. But she doesn't think he truly cares, considering his fashion sense is abysmal when he's not in work clothes.

When she hears the car pull up outside, she quickly slips on her sneakers and rushes out the corridor. Tipping toes around Killian's bedroom and flinging herself down the flight of stairs. Grabbing her axe, that's still crusted with last night's kills, on her way out. Very gently, she closes the doors behind her and spins around to greet Rosemary.

She's leaning out the window, giving her a friendly little wave in her rustic vehicle. It's still dark out so the glossy black hood is unable to reflect the grey clouds in the skies, instead, the golden trimmings around the fenders catches the slightest of lights in a sharp glare. Lilith is examining the little lion ornament between the headlights as Rosemary pushes a button to retract the car's white Targa roof to make space for her axe to awkwardly stick out at the top.

Once she's seated, Rosemary reminds her to buckle up before she takes off.

Lilith likes car rides. To feel the wind in her hair as they cruise down the cobblestone roads. Weaving past the oncoming horse carriages and watching the steam train on the other side speed past them in the opposite direction. She likes to wave at random strangers who exchange curious glances at her. If she was with Killian, he'd ask her to stop drawing unnecessary attention to herself. But Killian hardly goes anywhere so she doesn't get many chances. Miss Rosemary is nice, she simply laughs at her antics and puts a song on the radio. The music style's too old school for her likings, and the lyrics too complex to understand. So instead, she's focused on glancing her surroundings, far as her eyes would take her.

In the distance, an airship has just docked in the mooring tower. She squints to see ropes being thrown in the air to secure its landing. Although she'd always imagine they'd be too feeble to actually stop the thing from drifting off. At the same time, the banner of the Felmane guild unfurls at the clock tower beside it. It's of a golden lion atop a burgundy background.

Then, ever so randomly, there'll be a modernized plane in the skies to break the Victorian steampunk immersion. They'll be from other territories. Each guild has their own preferred ways to construct their lands. It's their way of claiming ownership. And sometimes, when a region changes hands from one guild to another, entire cities get refurnished.

It's at this hour when the roadside coffee shops are starting to open for breakfast. Townsfolk emerging to raise the metal shutters and drag chairs and tables out by the walkway. Sometimes, they'll be dressed in tail coat jackets, monocles and tall top hats to match the aesthetics. Cosplayers, Killian calls them. It's the main attraction for outlanders to visit Felmane territories.

It takes another hour on the sky highway to reach the harbor. Beneath them, the forest fire has already been discovered and a request has probably been put out by the Maverick's guild to extinguish the flames. They are the main guild in charge of the small collection of towns west of Felmane territory. She leans out the side to watch a single raincloud form atop the burning area. It's hanging oddly low. Just slightly over the canopy. Definitely conjured by a Magia user. Then, her attention is drawn when Rosemary comments with a small giggle,

"Adventurers sure are amazing, aren't they?"

Enthusiastically, Lilith agrees,

"They are so cool!" and it makes Lilith curious,

"Why don't more people try to become adventurers. Like you, miss Rosemary." but she's not looking at her. She has already darted to the upcoming metal draw bridge connecting this island to the next. One of the towers is under maintenance. They always are, and that's because the suspenders rust easily from the saltwater and humidity.

Rosemary hums,

"Well... Despite everyone's born with Vita within them, only about a quarter of the population has enough Vita to manifest it into Magia." and pauses to check the side mirror to swerve the corner onto the bridge before she resumes,

"And even amongst those who could, it's hardly competitive enough to pass the entrance exams. Much less do anything amazing like what adventurers could."

Lilith finally turns to face her, but Rosemary has her eyes glued onto the road ahead,

"Wait. Wouldn't that mean Killian's like, super extraor-ordi-" she stumbles on her pronunciation and tries again slower, "extra-ordinary?"

"Extraordinary." Rosemary corrects with a giggle, "yes. He is quite the fella."

Lilith really can't see it. Especially not when he's too much of a bum to fetch his own water sometimes, and gets her to do it when the kettle is just a few steps away. Subconsciously, she sticks her tongue out at that thought. It catches in Rosemary's peripheral vision and she laughs,

"Truthfully, it wouldn't be telling if you were to judge him now. But in his prime, he was the vice guild leader of Maverick."

"Woah! He was that much of a big shot?" she's heard someone must be super strong to even be assigned a rank. Then, Lilith sinks into the seat, pondering a bit,

"Why did he get exiled?" she's always assumed it was because he was a bum, and when she'd tried to ask about it in the past, he either dismisses her or tricks her out of prying by diverting the topic. It takes a few seconds for Rosemary to reply,

"Well... I suppose, you could put it as, he did something bad that made the guild leader upset. So, he isn't allowed to contact them anymore." simplifying the statements for her,

"Just imagine it as, you had a really bad quarrel with a good friend of yours, and you don't talk to each other anymore because of it."

Lilith admits quietly,

"I don't really have friends my age..." most kids don't like her much. They call her a weirdo for running around with her axe all the time. And whenever she tries to play with them, or convince them how cool her axe actually is, they'll end up crying and she never knew the reason why. Killian's told her to stay away because he's been receiving complaints from angry mothers knocking at his door.

At that, Rosemary says hurriedly,

"Ah, don't worry about that, Lilith." with a laugh, "I mean, you have Killian, don't you? And I'm your friend too!" she's so awkward it makes Lilith smile,

"You're really nice, miss Rosemary." then she straightens and snaps herself out of it, "But Killian's stingy, and dirty," and turns to focus her gaze on her again as she asks,

"Why do you like him?" she can only imagine how mismatched they'll be. Killian, in his stained white shirt, baggy pants and unbrushed hair beside an elegant young lady like miss Rosemary just don't look good in a picture together. And it only confuses her further when she realizes that question makes Rosemary blush. Flustered even, when she jerks the car out of the way of oncoming traffic with an audible,

"Um..." and a coquettish giggle,

"I guess, you're still too young to understand. But... he has that vibe silly girls like me falls for. That... unreachable flower on the high cliff vibe. You can only look at it and admire from a far, yet you know you can never truly keep it in your vase."

Lilith really doesn't understand so she tilts her head at her and waits for Rosemary to elaborate,

"Like..." she says after a few moments of contemplation,

"You know the feeling of, sneaking up in the middle of the night to eat cakes, even though you know you shouldn't?" and Lilith immediately chimes,

"Oh, yeah! I get scolded for it all the time."

Rosemary laughs,

"Yeah. It's like that. Except, Killian's the cake. I suppose." and before Lilith's able to pry further, Rosemary pulls over before a grand building.

It's massive compared to the narrower shops surrounding it. Fashioned in the same brick, copper and Felmane banners. There are large copper cogs on the sides, powering the giant clock in the center reading ten minutes before eleven. Between the gaps, pipelines serpentine up the large glass windows to the taller floors, leading to the pointed roofs to pour smoke out of its chimneys.

The streets have been busy for a while now. A tram pulls over beside them. A few people disembark to disappear behind the tall archways, whereas others carry on to the opposite side of the road where the train station is at.

Two guild members are guarding the entrance by each pillar. Their red uniforms with tiny golden buttons lining down the front tells her they're Felmane officials. The Lion knobbed cane they hold between both hands is a dead giveaway.

It's quite intimidating now that she's actually here, but Rosemary encourages,

"Go on. I'll be shopping in the area. I'll come and pick you up later today, just wait for me at the entrance when you're done." and that's enough to bolster her courage to step out of the car. Before she leaves, Rosemary adds,

"Oh yeah." causing Lilith to study her curiously as Rosemary leans over the driver's seat to reach for the storage compartment. She retrieves a leather belt from her bag and steps out of her car. Gesturing Lilith to stick her axe on her back, she secures the belt to her torso diagonally across. Tightening the buckles to keep it falling. Rosemary gives a good tug before she smiles,

"There. Now you don't need to hold it all the time. That should make things easier." at that, Lilith gives her a hug,

"Thank you, miss Rosemary." she smells really nice, Lilith thinks, like fresh flowers. The same way her shop does. And Rosemary reminds again,

"Don't leave before you see me, alright? Killian would be really upset if I didn't bring you home in one piece."

Putting on her sweetest voice,

"Of course!" she answers sticking out her pinky finger,

"It's a promise." and it seems to almost have taken Rosemary by surprise. Before she hooks it with hers and wishes,

"Alright, go get it, tiger."

Afterwards, she waves Rosemary goodbye and heads in.

Beyond the arches, she cranes her head in awe at the tall ceilings. There are interweaving beams holding the roof up. Hanging more Felmane banners between them. The massive iron doors of the building's entrance are open. Past it, she sees a line of, whom she assumes, test takers, queuing up at the check in counter. Entering, she joins them on the white marble floors. The interiors are vastly different. It's modernized and clean. Without a lick of grease in sight. And so are the test takers. She recognizes some of their clothes to be of foreign territories. Cosplayers. The man before her would be one, he's in a medieval tunic. A sword strapped around his waistline.

Strange, she didn't see outlanders on her way in. Then a smartly dressed middle age man joins behind her. His black hair, gelled back and clean, above his circular glasses. The white lab coat hints that he too, is probably from another guild's territory. That's when she notices the scenery beyond the waiting room has changed.

Gone were the old-school neon signs and rustic architecture, instead, they're replaced with concrete white skyscrapers and hologram advertisements. The blimps are still a common sight, except now, they no longer unanimously fly Felmane's banner, but other guilds too. She recognizes a few, namely the bigger names like Raven's Death, with the black crow, and Under Oath, with the doctor's cross. She's then rudely told to move by the lab coat man as the person before her has long advanced forward.

She's recalled Killian's descriptions that this would most closely resemble the Adventurer's capital where all the territories merge. But she doesn't have much time to ponder how exactly did she end up here when she's certain she entered the building in Gildamore. It'll be her turn next.

It takes her by surprise when the medieval man falls through a hole in the ground. She gazes down at it, seeing nothing but a swirl of blue, black smoke. Another form of Magia ability perhaps.

A woman's voice demanding,

"Next!" attracts her attention upwards. She's seated behind the counter. The fluffy golden scarf around her neck almost resembles a mane. Then Lilith's drawn to three red stripes at each side of her face, before darting to the rounded lion ears atop her head. She's a Mythical. Her imposing demeanor's makes Lilith think she must be of the Leo subclass,

"Hurry up little missy, we haven't got all day." the lioness gestures with a clawed hand to come hither.

Lilith steps forward anxiously,

"Hi-" she greets and she's immediately disrupted by her authoritative questioning,

"Name."

"Li-Lilith."

"Last name?" she isn't giving her time to even stutter, so panickily, Lilith blurts,

"Renarvas." that's Killian's last name.

She doesn't actually know hers. The lioness raises a brow at her, before dismissing it to scribble onto the sheet,

"Species?"

"Sapien"

"Magia type?"

"I don't know." she gets a scowl for that, before the lioness points hurriedly,

"Place your hand on the crystal ball and channel your Vita." to the clear orb placed atop a little metal tripod in the center of the counter.

Lilith obeys, flaring her fingers around it. The moment she does, a green swirl appears in the center, spiraling outwards and darkening to red, dying the sphere entirely deep crimson. The lioness observes for a moment, before she lowers her head to scribble more words onto the paper, muttering under her breath,

"Agilitas and Vi..."

Then she picks her head up and passes her a freshly pressed nametag from the printer looking machine,

"Alright. Head to the door." flicking her head leftwards before hollering,

"Next!" as an indication that Lilith should be skedaddling.

At that, Lilith makes her way towards it. Pinning the tag onto the front of her hoodie before making eye contact with another female official in pure white uniform and black bob cut hair. She's holding the door open for her with a polite bow. Out of curiosity, she tilts her head towards the counter just as she enters. Noticing the lab coat man has changed crystal ball blue instead.

She's still wondering what do the colors mean when the bob hair lady closes the door behind her. Soon as she does, the divots of the frame disappear. Slowly fading into a smooth blank wall in its place. Before her, two sets of dark mahogany doors emerge on the other side. Then, deep golden writings appear letter by letter in a graceful cursive on the white wall between them.

Approaching closer, she realizes it's a question. Reading it out loud,

"A combination of Agilitas and Vi attributes makes a, blank, Magia type."

Confused, she glances around the room. It's empty except for the doors. The writing's just finish making its last letter in the center of both of them. One is labelled, Sicarius, and the other's Bellator.

What does that even mean?

Randomly, she defaults to the left. It's her dominant side. Twisting the crystal knob, it opens to another white room and set of doors on the other side. Same as last time, the door swings close and fades into the wall. A light goes off on the ceiling, flashing green for a second with a high-pitched ding.

Does that mean, she's got the answer right?

Approaching the opposite end, there's another question on the wall, this time, it reads,

"Crystalline is made out of concentrated, blank."

Oh, she knows this one, making for the door on the right labelled Magia. She enters. Again, it repeats, the fading frames, green flash, high-pitched ding and empty room with two closed doors.

"The Sicarius class consists of blank and blank attributes"

There's a door labelled Agilitas and Vi, and the other labelled Agilitas and Sollertia. She ponders for a little, remembering two questions ago, Agilitas and Vi makes the Bellator. So, she heads for the other door. Entering it and the little green ding almost excites her.

She's gotten it right!

Feeling confident, she reads the next question,

"A Veneficius class is made of blank and blank attributes"

This time, the doors are labelled Sepientia and Intelligentia on the right, and Intelligentia and Sollertia on the left.

What are these moon runes?

It's so convoluted, her brain's beginning to hurt from all the thinking. So, she cradles her head to check if her temperature is still normal. No, she's definitely overheating. She would've imagined herself to be smoking like an overworked steam train.

She sighs, before inhaling sharply to find her composure and defaults to the left again. She's almost nervous when she enters the room. Anticipating the green ding, but this time, it flashes red with a buzz.

Consistency would've hinted to her that she's gotten the previous question wrong. A click goes off in the doors before her. She runs forward to try both knobs. They wouldn't turn. A rattle sounds above her. She tilts her head up to watch concrete pieces fragment loose at the four corners of the walls and shatter into crumbs on the ground. With a sharp shing, metal spikes stabs through the ceiling. Then the room shakes, screeching slowly as it begins to descend like a bad medieval death trap.

Panicked, she tries the doors again. They wouldn't budge, so she applies more pressure. Channeling Vita into her palms, she musters all her strength to grip onto them. Twisting and slamming her body against it, so hard, it shatters the glass knob into fragments.

The spiked ceiling's approaching nearer and faster. Hanging few inches from her head. She draws her axe, smiting down at the Mahagony doors, only to bounce her back with an invisible Magia field.

Desperate, she turns to the side wall, putting all her Vita into a violent swing. It worked this time. Anchoring in. Cracking the surface like spider webs. Above her, the rattling gets louder, so she yanks to dislodge her weapon. Using both hands this time, she winds her arms far as they would go back, and smites, fast and hard as she can. Crumbling a hole just wide enough for her to tumble through, inches away from the death trap behind her that falls through the ground right as she did. Taking the entire square of room with it to a deeper abyss beneath until it crashes finally with a resounding boom.

Curious, she leans over the edge the measure the sharp drop. It's at least fifty meters down, lined with more giant iron spikes right at the bottom. She swallows her heartbeats in her throat. Inhaling sharply to calm herself after the realization of how narrowly, she's escaped death.

Then, a deadpanned voice behind her almost startles her forward,

"Wow... I heard Bellator types were dumb, but I didn't realize it'll be to this extend." that she instinctively bolts up and spins towards the speaker with her weapon wielded.

Only relaxing her shoulders when she realizes, it's a boy, probably not older than she, holding onto the doorknob. His oversized white knitted sweater falls beyond his wrist so she couldn't see his hand. So instead, she's gotten a clear glance of the befuddled look on his face. It's like he's just seen an amusing theatrical play and hasn't gotten the chance to react. Blank, as the white in his fluffy hair and white in his fluffy scarf and white in his three quarters cargo shorts. She thinks, if she squints, she'd have lost him against the white in the walls behind him.

The only thing that stands out is the smear of red of his irises. It's stark like rubies. Then she notices the pair of fox ears atop his head twitching while she resecures her axe behind her back. He's a mythical, an albino one at that too. Vulpes subclass, if she had to guess. The rarer kind, considering he's got two fluffy tails instead of one.

He looks just about ready to say something before another rattle resounds. This time, from beneath them. She drops her gaze to witness a massive fissure, meandering through the floor as though an earthquake. And instinctively, she leaps forward, just as the ground collapses and flails her arms wildly to reach for any purchase she's able to find. She's caught his tail to stop falling. Watching the fragments of concrete floorboard shatter to pieces onto the spikes in the ditch. Upheaving a cloud of white dust, too far below, to reach them.

Then, his screams draw her gaze up,

"Why the fuck, are you so heavy, you're going to sever my spine!" to realize he's holding onto the doorknob still, dangling them both off it. He's lost his composure now, completely scowling and bearing sharp canines, so she apologizes,

"I'm sorry! It's the axe!" Killian's had it forged trice her weight to give her more power in her swings.

And he snaps,

"Read the mood, dumbass! We're going to die!" the agitation in his voice makes her yell too,

"Stop shouting at me, you're the dumbass! Open the door!"

"Can't you tell our weight's keeping it shut because of your heavy ass!"

"Then put more force into it!"

"Physics doesn't work this way, idiot!"

"No, you!" at that, she receives a kick to the stomach,

"Let go, dumbass!" and she retorts,

"No way! If I did, I'm going to die!" then he follows with a second, with more pressure this time,

"Then die by yourself! Don't drag me along with you!"

Irritated, she bites into the back of his thigh, right above the fabric. It incites another kick, but she's only tightening her grip to stop him from throwing her off. It makes him wince, struggling as though a fish on a reel. Swinging his legs wildly and slamming her against the wall to force her to let go. Suddenly, another rattle sounds, something breaks. Again, she feels the pull of gravity dragging them down. The spikes approaching nearer, before another violent jerk stops them. She watches the glass knob, as though a ripe crystal apple, falls and shatters on the spikes.

She cranes her head up. Realizing, he's caught the small sliver of remaining ledge leading to the next room. Very laboriously, he nudges the door open with the tip of his fingers, crawling forward, arm at a time like a parched man dying in the desert. He sounds like one too with the grunts of exertion each time he inches them closer to safety. She rolls off him when there's finally purchase beneath them.

Sprawling her arms out against the cold embrace of concrete ground, she lets out a heavy breath that she hadn't notice she's held through the event before inhaling sharply to make up for lost air. Then, his accusatory voice makes her bolt right up,

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" to retaliate,

"No, what the fuck is wrong with you? You tried to kill me!" staring hard into his red eyes, beneath damped silver fringe, sticking messily onto his forehead and furrowed brows,

"What do you mean I tried to kill you, you tried to kill me because you're too fucking stupid to do the test by yourself!" he's so rude!

Agitated she reaches behind for her axe, gripping tight around the handle,

"Stop calling me stupid, you're stupid!" to which, he immediately takes as a sign of offence and widens his posture, hunching forward defensively with his hands, tensed into claws by his sides as though he's ready for combat,

"Are you picking a fight with me, you stupid brat?" A breeze picks up, compressing into a swirl in the middle of his palms, so densely, it almost looks iridescent. Spiraling in a translucent green glow.

He's one of those pesky elemental manipulators Killian talks about. Reluctant to backdown, she taunts,

"Bring it!" and mirrors his insults, "you're the stupid brat."

Just before he's able to strike, another loud rattle stops them. This room too, begins to shake. A second massive fissure crawls between them. It makes him dispel his Magia,

"Not again!" choosing to bolt forward for the set of doors in the opposite end. To which, she quickly follows, as the ground begins crumbling beneath their feet. Falling fragment by fragment like it's chasing their steps. He swings it open to another room, but this time, the fissures doesn't stop even as they pass through. Instead, it speeds up, running after them from room to room. Infront of her, he's frantically slamming shoulders into doors and begrudging loudly as though intended for her to hear,

"What did I do to deserve this?" and it makes her defensive,

"Why are you getting angry at me for, isn't this a part of the test?" not looking at him. She's tilting over her shoulders to watch the impending death encroach them, getting faster at each passing second and she rushes,

"Hurry up!" as he slows for a moment to read the texts of a particularly lengthy question,

"If I get the answers wrong, the doors are going to be locked, idiot! The test is meant to disqualify idiots like you!" before swerving for the right set of doors to more rooms, more questions, quick, quick, quicker.

If she wasn't so mad at him. She'd be impressed with how rapidly he's able to read, considering all she sees are a blur of white walls, brown doors, to more white walls and more brown doors. But she refuses to compliment him, so instead, she says,

"Stop calling me an idiot every sentence!" and he's equally snarky in his replies,

"What's wrong with calling an idiot, an idiot?" as he pushes open another door, leading them to another room. Except, this one's different. It's longer, narrower, like a corridor, with a single blue exit right at the end of it. This must be the final room. The fissure's catching up, crumbling so fast, she feels as though each step she takes, loosens right beneath her feet milliseconds after she makes the next. So, she picks up speed, bolting past him to the end of the room. Crashing into it, shoulders first, to swing the door open to a blinding light seeping in at the opposite side and throwing herself out. Then his screams draw her to tilt over, seeing only an outstretched arm, descending rapidly, the floor of the corridor is completely gone.

Instinctually, she flops to the ground and stretches to catch his wrist. The gravity immediately pulls half her torso off the ledge. But she stops them sliding with another hand gripping at the border. Beneath the spikes, there's a swirl of black Magia.

It's exerting a pull on them, as though they're magnetized towards it. Sliding them further and further to demise. The sandy surface under her doesn't have enough traction to halt them. Instead, it's just drags her forward, slowly, with cascading sand, that even her hips are now off the border.

She clutches, so tightly, onto the ledge that she feels her fingers puncture through concrete wall to stop the fall.

He's looking at the pit, before flickering up with a concerned glance to examine her. Opening his mouth as though he's about to make another obnoxious remark, but chooses to instead, drop his gaze again and measure the depth.

The pull is getting stronger each growing second, so much, she's channeling Vita into her arms to fight against it. It almost feels as though he weighs an entire mountain at this point. Crushing her eyes shut, she pours all the strength she's able to muster into her pivoting arm. With a laborious grunt, she yanks. As if uprooting a willow tree from its deeply borrowed roots. The backlash of it, flips him over her head. She collapses on her back. Dry heaving to catch her breath.

The whole fiasco makes her think, she sees spiraling clouds in the sky. Either that, or the blazing sun shining directly in her eyes is confusing her mind, but she's finding more priority to say, through her hyperventilation,

"We're even now. So, stop calling me stupid."

He isn't replying. So, she sits up, turns over, to check if he's still alive. He's already on his feet, not looking at her. He's studying the surroundings with a confused look on his face. She's following his glance, and wondering to herself, what's so interesting about sand. There's only sand, far as her eyes can see. The blue door they've came through has now disappeared. In the distance, the heat's melting the horizon into flickers.

When he exclaims,

"Where the fuck are we?"

Only then it makes her realize,

"Why are we in the middle of a desert?!"