It was unsurprising to both Hailey and Kait when Hailey lost, over and over and over to the spirit. While Hailey could, at her best, think five steps ahead in chess, the being thought all steps ahead, flawlessly reposting Hailey’s movements without so much as a second thought. Even with Kait trying her best to help Hailey(after she was tutored how to play the game) make the best choices, beating the spirit seemed impossible.

When she was beaten in four turns because she was trying to be cheeky, Hailey threw her arms up in frustration. “Ok, that’s it, I’m pissed! I see zero ways I beat you.”

The spirit of logic only rearranged the board, not responding to Hailey’s aggravation.

Kait was laying on the ground beside Hailey, breaking from her now usual aloof stare. “Maybe you’re missing something?”

“Yeah, there’s probably a gimmick to this, I know that, but I can’t figure out what it is! UURG! Hey, spirit, can I flip this freaking chessboard?”

“It is not a setback,” it said.

“Thanks.” Hailey flipped the board then punched it hard enough to create a sonicboom, sending the board flying into the distance. “Mmm that was so satisfying.”

“You’re welcome.” The spirit said proudly, before making the board reappear where it was, untouched.

Hailey leaned back onto her hands. “Hey, what’s your name?” she asked the spirit.

“You can call me Logica. (pronounced lo-g-ca)”

Hailey raised an eyebrow. “That’s a little on the nose.”

The spirit did not respond.

“Nothin’?”

Logica tilted her head questioningly. “I do not understand the question.”

“Sure. Say, Logica, isn’t this void a little...bland?”

“Certainly.”

“So...could you, I don’t know, put it above a lost treasure?”

“I could.”

“Can you do that?”

“I admire your practicality, making the most of your current situation, but no, I will not do that.”

Hailey teased the spirit. “Aww, why not? We’re practically best buds already, righhhht?”

“No, the time I have spent with you amounts to approximately one nonillionth, five decillionths, and one septen-decillionth of my lifetime.” the spirit chuckled in a girlish manner, despite its monotone voice. “I require us to spend at least a septillionth of my lifetime to be spent with you to be ‘decent friends’ and about a trillionth of my lifetime to be spent with you for me to consider you ‘my best bud’ or, about nine years.”

“Why didn’t you just say nine years at the beginning instead of assaulting me verbally with numbers I didn’t know existed?”

The spirit instantly responded, “No reas-” As if compelled, it transitioned into, “I wanted to sound smart...darn it.” The spirit folded its arms and avoided aye contact with Hailey.

“Uhh...I’m confused.”

Kait laughed at the spirit, rolling on the ground as if she’d heard the funniest thing in the world. “PFFFT, it wanted to look cool! HA! The spirit wanted to look cool! Hahahaha!”

“S-stop laughing mortal! I could kill you in an attosecond if I wanted right now!” Logica whined.

Kait quickly collected herself and bowed her head in subordination to her elder, “Sorry to offend you, almighty Logica.”

Hailey felt like she was missing something, but an idea came to her head. If Logica wanted to impress her, did that mean she’d be willing to...”Hey...Logica.”

The spirit recollected itself, “Yes?”

“Why don’t we-” Hailey looked from side to side, a little uncomfortable with the question she planned to ask. “If you want, we could...uhh...be friends??”

Ahh, history repeating itself.

“I see,” Logica said in her usual monotone. “You want to be...friends.” Logica stared at Hailey intensely for a moment, then smiled just a little. “Very well, it is in both of our best interests that we become friends. We are not, however, best buddies until we have reached a quantifiable point of nine years.”

“I’m friends with a primordial spirit. Neat.” Hailey said, staring glossily back at the spirit.

“Clearly, you are unenthused about this. I am sad that I am only useful to you for my practical application.”

“Owch, you’re making me sound like a piece of fungi,” Hailey said with rueful enthusiasm.

“I was too harsh on myself. Sorry.”

“Soooo, now that we are friends...want to show me the location of untold riches?”

“No.”

“It was at least worth a try.”

Hailey picked up her king and rolled it around in her hands. “Heeey...Logica?”

“Yes?”

Hailey sat up, ready to get to business, “So, I need to beat you at chess to move on, right?”

“Yes.”

“So what if I cheated?”

“Although I am not omniscient within the consciousness, I see no way I could be tricked. Should you be caught cheating, you will have failed to show you can ask for-” Logica coughed, “I mean, you would fail and be sent to the start. If you succeeded in tricking me, yes, in theory, you would win.”

“Ok...so clearly there’s a gimmick to this puzzle, right?”

“No.”

“So-so you’re telling me that, to leave this place, I need to beat the spirit of logic in a game of chess?”

“That is the rules, correct.”

“Does your gameplay have one fatal flaw I haven’t noticed or something?”

“No.”

“Is there a rule that’s different from what I know?”

“You appear proficient in this version of chess, though you seem unaware how to castle.”

“Castle?”

“You were such an easy opponent I did not need to use it, but it is a technique used when both the knight’s and bishop’s starting spots are empty, and both the king and rook on the right side of the field have yet to move-”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that, but I don’t think remembering it is going to make me win. So, what I’m hearing is that I shouldn’t be able to beat you on my own, like...at all, right?”

The spirit smiled. “No, you should not.”

“Then...how in the world do I?”

“Ask me for help.”

Hailey remained silent before realizing that was all the spirit would say. “So...can you help me.” Before the spirit could speak, Hailey continued, “And don’t you dare say ‘I could’. You know blazing well what I mean!”

“I will tutor you on how to beat me.”

Hailey sighed, happy she’d found a solution to her problems, though annoyed it was so simple. “Was that all I needed to do to get out of here? What was even the point of all this?”

“To make you let go of your pride and ask for help.” Logica was suddenly drinking a power drink.

“Hmm...” Hailey turned to an unsurprised Kait, who nonchalantly shrugged. “You knew that the whole time, didn’t you?”

Kait nodded with a sardonic smile.

“To help me grow, I guess? Don’t bother answering.” Hailey understood the message would have been lost if she’d just been told the solution, but it still felt like a waste of time. She looked back to Logica. “So, why won’t you transport me to free riches?”

“Because other spirits called dibs on that stuff, and some other complicated internal affairs I can’t talk about.”

“Dibs? Why do you care about gold and treasure?”

“So we can hand it out to mortals.”

“Like in the stories?” Most spirits had one or two myths about their deeds, and although historians agreed many were taken out of proportion, most likely happened.

“Yep, like in the stories. Do not tell anyone, but Kilzherbert got his formula, E = MC squared from me.”

“Really? Why haven’t I heard about that?”

“We keep that stuff under wraps these days.”

“And you just...said it to me?”

“I failed to mention that it is my duty to personally murder you if you told anyone else about it. Otherwise, I could receive serious repercussions.”

“I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS?!” Hailey said with fear and humor.

“Samurai’s code.”

“You aren’t a samurai...” Hailey muttered.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have told you that, though. We usually give information and aid to humans if they need the help.”

“So what about...say...when...”

“When what?”

“When my friend died...”

“I’m not allowed to explain why the Consciousness has a hands-off approach. Though...you may actually be-”

“Huh?”

“Yes?”

“What did you just say?”

“I’m not absolutely indefinitely without a doubt certain what you are referring to.”

“What bargain did you just mutter?!”

“I was told by your counselor not to divulge such information.”

“What information?”

“The information regarding-”

“Dangit, Logica!” Suddenly, a younger version of Hailey appeared out of thin air, drop-kicked Logica, then teleported out with the spirit in tow.

Hailey and Kait’s mouths hung open for a minute afterward, and the mist leading into the next section of Hailey’s mind appeared.

Hailey shook her head, “I get this whole thing was to make me ask questions more, but my mind insists I should never ask a spirit a question ever again.”

Kait chuckled. “You don’t know the half of it.”

“Ok...NEXT!” Hailey said before walking through the mist.

When she next reappeared, she was on a platform of rock, and far above her was a cloud of black mist.

Taylor and Taila strolled through the streets before stopping in front of a large domed building.

“Oh, so that giant dome was the ritualist’s place the whole time?”

Taila shrugged, “Pretty much, I never bothered asking for the ritualist’s help more than once since Mom is a fortune reader too. Though, I did test for postcarrio just because I could.” Taila leaned into Taylor affectionately, “But enough about me! I’m soooo excited you’re trying to learn magic, Taylor!”

Taylor pushed Taila a comfortable distance away without much thought. “Yeah. It’s real cool,” he said unenthusiastically.

“That dumdum necromancer and I do not work well together at all, and he’s the only other trained person around here besides Lilly! Plus, learning ‘the most probable date of death’ is a terrible collaboration, like, at least tell me how they die!”

“You know, he stopped by recently.”

“Again? What’d he do this time?”

“No idea, he left without a trace.”

“So...he just...walked by your house? I don’t call that ‘stopping by’”

“No. He walked in, did some weird things with mark two, then left.”

“You are making no sense, Taylor.”

“Yeah, it was weird.”

“So, I don’t know what you just said, but I’ll pay for your rituaaaals! We can just call it an early birthday present.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah!”

“I mean, geez, thanks, but I don’t really want to make you pay for me...”

“No problem, I may not look it, Taitai, but I’m staaacked.”

“I appreciate the thought, Taila, but would you mind maybe...not yelling about how rich you are in public? It’s pretty rude.”

Taila playfully elbow-jabbed Taylor and whispered, “Come on, it’s too fun!”

“Aunt Potaitomucher2...how ironic the legend flaunted her wealth in games and real life, only to be mugged by a kleptomancer.”

Taila grumbled, “Ain’t like I’d let that happen.”

“And how exactly?”

Taila continued to grumble, “Premonition...It lets me, like...predict things a second before they happen...if I try...”

“You can do tha-”

Taylor was immediately cut off by Taila, who already knew what he’d say. “Don’t tell anyone.” She leaned back then patted his shoulder, winking with a thumbs up, “It’ll be our little secret.”

“Sure, auntie Tai.”

“Now, let’s get ritualiiing!”

The two walked into the building. Inside, sunlight filtered through the dome’s glass ceilings, and a male receptionist was busy talking to a customer, “Right, so let me get this clear with you...you want to...” she turned to face her laptop, set up behind her desk, “Take the ritual for cryomancy?”

“Yes.”

“Ok...I’ll check in with lady Mera.”

“Thanks.” the customer walked to a bench off to the side.

Seeing Taila and Taylor walking to him, he welcomed them. “Hello, do you have an appointment, or do you want to make one?”

Taylor cleared his throat and straightened up, “Oh, yes. I have multiple.”

“Ok, good to hear. So, could you tell me your name and last name?”

“Taylor Joul.”

The receptionist began typing on his computer. Once he’d found what he was looking for, he spoke again without turning his head, “And will the lady behind you be participating in any rituals?”

Taila shook her head. “No.”

“Ok...so you have postcarrio, doppelgear,” he squinted at the screen in disbelief, “appetizer, aquaformer, and sumnus listed. So...before we continue, what is an appetizer? Do we sell food here? Did someone name a magic on a terrible pun?”

“You know how they say chicken noodle soup heals the soul?”

“I do.”

“That’s what an appetizer does.”

“They heal souls?”

“With food.”

“Wack...anyway, can you confirm those were the rituals you wanted?”

“They are.”

“Cool, how would you like to pay?”

“Cash.”

The receptionist wrote a note on his laptop. “Cash...noted. That’s all, please sit down and wait your turn. Mrs.Kukui will be with you shortly.”

He and Taila sat on one of the benches.

“I’m sooo excited! What if you actually get a magic!?”

“Relax, Taila, there’s at best a 5/300 chance I get one. Hailey’s already found her affinity. It isn’t likely I will too-” Taylor immediately regretted mentioning Hailey’s affinity for witchcraft as he realized who he was talking to.

Taila took a second to comprehend what she’d been told. “WHAT!” She screeched in happiness, “HAILEY’S GONNA BE A WITCH!?”

“Taila, please stop yelling about witchcraft being a thing again, it’s very rude, and you’ll cause rumors.”