A light rocking of the train broke Euphemia from her sleep. She found a little opposition in her eyelids to lift away and let her see; gray and white blurs were all around her at first. The canoness looked from left to right, letting her eyes take control and make out the vague figures that surrounded her. To her right was Rook, whose stares were more than enamored to be drunk in the scenery outside. Kirk was in front of her; he seemed only to have noticed just then that she woke up.

"Wow!"

Rook's jaws dropped after catching sight of the first red spire. He could see the outlines of nine other towers that were covered by the night sky; sentinels of stone that watched over the city from inside. Red rock gleaned against the fading moonlight; lines of mortar that was used to fuse the stones were shown in pitch black.

The train let out a long whistle; a thin cord of smoke passed by their window. It was followed by a crack of static from the onboard speakers saying:

"Attention all passengers. We are about to reach Luminberg Station in five minutes. Please check all your..."

"We are close to our destination." Euphemia peered at the window. The sky was at its darkest, with the moon retreating to the clouds. "It's not the best time to take a tour around. We will need to find a place to stay for the night."

"Arriving at Luminberg Station. Please secure all of your belongings before leaving the train..."

Their transport was starting to lose speed on its way to the city; the screeching of metal from below hinted at the brakes being applied so that a full stop is ensured when it reaches Luminberg's waiting platforms. Outlines of posters and signage were clearer now that they could hear the train's wheels rolling beneath them. Euphemia and her companions were greeted by station lights that glowed in green, blue and white; their soft luminance gave an illusion that somebody trapped a good amount of daylight in the place even without the sun sourcing it. There were very few people at that time; most of them gathered at the northward terminal that led to the border city of Waltenstadt – a recent acquisition from a treaty thirty years past to give the Empire representation on the far north.

Luminberg was almost the same sight as the canoness had during her last stay as a student of the magical arts. There was a distinct, eerie calm that traveled on the streets only this city ever gave her (and this was felt even at some times of broad daylight). Only distant footsteps and random passes of automobiles were permitted to break the silence.

"This isn't like any other place I've seen here."

"You've noticed as well, Rook?"

To Euphemia, Luminberg was a city fashioned after a geode; several crystal lights highlighted the core while the walls tried to keep as much brilliance within its confines. There was a look of surprised delight in Rook's face – one that the canoness could have worn when she first stepped inside the city as a twelve-year-old student. This fascination over ancient yet undying lights that have guided the city for centuries seemed to take anyone who was never a Luminberger by surprise. It was bright enough to let one see the roads ahead yet soft that one could look directly at the sources without being blinded.

"Makes you think night never falls on this city." Kirk looked up in the sky; a pallid moon hung on a starless backdrop.

"Yes, I think so as well." Euphemia looked back at the swordsman. "My memory of this place may not be as... accurate, as I want it to be. We may get lost here at times."

The trio was farther from the station; the letters on its sign were half the size smaller than when they first just left the place. People were still out, busy with their own matters on the streets. Many were returning to the many sharp-roofed houses found alongside the streets. The front lawn was not a common sight in this city; people lived in houses that were very close or, even attached to one another. The smell of damp roads and the occasional steam of boiled meat mixed with the air.

"Wow, to be reminded that I have to eat." Kirk rubbed his stomach. "Are we close to any place to stay, Euphemia? Not that I'm complaining but, one's gotta eat when it's time."

"I'm not sure if we should take a left or go straight ahead." Euphemia went to the signpost near the intersection and read the street names."Of course, Grossflammestrasse should have some restaurants and inns we can stay in for the night. We'll take a left."

"You lead, we follow." Rook was behind the two, looking at the surrounding houses. "This city's not like the others. They don't like gardens, do they?"

"This used to be a fortress city during the great wars that happened here." Euphemia saw Rook walking by her right. "You can say that an army used to live here to defend the empire from invasion. Its design was never changed since."

"I'd say that sticking around was used to great effect back then." Kirk passed by a street that marked the end of a row of houses. Up ahead was a section where the lights shone brighter than the others. "It looks like we're going to the right place after all. Food is starting to smell a lot closer from here."

"You could say that again."Rook went ahead of the two to see the place for himself.

"I suppose a little tea with jam and bread before I sleep wouldn't hurt."

The trio entered the street; their passing caught the eyes of some of the locals, who tried to exchange greetings with them. Euphemia found the courtesy (and comfort) to return the favor; a smile here, and a few words there. Kirk seemed to only manage looking back and scratch his head at times, while Rook only looked at them when they were directly aligned with his eyes. While there were many people out and about this street, the noise was a lot less than what was expected of any local nightlife. Footsteps tapped all around, the sound of cookery and violins rushed out of some of the restaurants and wild notes from songs escaped from the mouths of revelers inside. Typical fare, Kirk thought. All noise seemed to have only centered on the establishments, subdued to not become any louder until one entered the immediate premises.

From three turns to the right and a left turn from the Grossflammestrasse's entrance was a humble hotel, about three floors high, where the ground floor served as a restaurant for guests and passersby alike. Roasted fowl on a spit was the night's specialty; a fattened mass of meat was turning slowly over the fire. A graying, fat man was seen moving in and out of the kitchen. He waved at the three; his voice may have been lost to the activity inside the establishment, but it was not hard to read his lips.

"He's inviting us over. The people here are a friendly bunch I say." Kirk pointed to where the man was at.

"The people of Luminberg are warmer compared to the Empire's other cities. The climate here is much more welcoming to people unlike the usual cold of most of the other major cities."

"Well, that, or he managed to get a glimpse of the lady companion Rook and I are with."

"That can be another reason." Euphemia stared at the swordsman and flashed a faint smile. "We could also rent a room for the night here, just in case you would not want to go farther."

"We now have bags of stuff unlike before." Rook trailed behind the two; on one of his hands was a single luggage article. "And that roast is making me hungrier."

"Very well we stay here."

††

"So ready to tell us more about what are you after in this city, Sister Euphemia?"

Kirk's mumbling was almost gibberish to the cleric's ears; he had been stuffing his mouth of roasted fowl since it was served at their table. It was clear that what food they had on the train was not much.

"You are quite the persistent one. I would prefer to talk to you at a later time - somewhere that is more private." Euphemia was contented with picking up a small slab of the meat, eating it with some bread. "What I can only tell you is that this city is a center of knowledge in the Empire. I should be able to find a lead to what I need."

"Don't get me wrong. I don't feel anything bad about you, it's just that you and Rook going out here looking for danger on purpose doesn't ring well with me."

He was waiting on the canoness to answer, but then she was intent on chewing away her share of the dish at that time. Kirk then stared at Rook to ask:

"What about you? Do you have an idea why she tagged you along?"

Rook shook his head. It took him seconds to say:

"She... saved my life. Twice. I would have to pay her back for that, somehow."

"Ah. That." Kirk looked left and right before he continued talking. "I guess she used that on you more than once. So Holy Sister, care to tell your secret? I mean that which you did on Rook. This isn't sounding well on how I'm putting words into it."

Euphemia let out a subtle laugh before answering:

"It's an ability passed down to all the sisters of my order."

"Meaning your church is still keeping the old ways. Didn't realize that is still being practiced at this day and age."

Euphemia nodded twice and took a sip of tea.

"I'm still wondering why your country has not decided to use your 'talents' for something soldierly."

"I wouldn't think it would be of any help to the Empire should those talents were used militarily." Euphemia looked at the streets; figures of Luminbergers began to appear from several points. "I do not look and act as needed of a soldier, as you can see right now."

"At any rate, I'd better keep an eye on the both of you." Kirk pulled the second leg part from the roast and pointed it at the two. "It's up to me to at least keep you safe until the time you'll be willing to tell me what all this traveling is for."

"I will be ever thankful for still helping us. I wish... you will not lose your trust in me when I am ready to tell you everything."