Silica could only stare in awe. She had her doubts that what she found was alive, or even if it was truly real or not. A fear of hers was that she'd wake up and realize that she had just hallucinated the entire thing.

Yet the pain in her forehead was real (along with the pain from the fall). She had been hit there with one of her artifacts by a living breathing fairy.

"Answer me human!" The fairy squeaked ready to flail the artifact again. "Or I'll-"

"Nonono! Careful with that!" Silica waved her arms trying to catch the fairy, only for it to swerve out of her arms and slamming the artifact on her head, breaking it in the process. "Ahh! You broke it!" Silica scooped up the pieces of the artifact. The entire thing had snapped clean in two. "Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through to bring that to the surface?" She snapped at the fairy.

"I am the one asking questions here, human!" The fairy responded jabbing a small finger at Silica, looking something of a scolding mother despite the fact of her diminutive size. "I demand to know why you have abducted me?"

"Wha- I didn't abduct you! I found you in the Catacombs!"

"The.... Catacombs?" The fairy looked puzzled.

"Yeah. I found you in a weird egg thing... about that big," Silica gestured her hands trying to create the orb she had seen. "You came down in that star fall a couple of days ago? Hit with enough force to send you down to the deeper parts of that place.

"...." The fairy's puzzled expression was replaced with a frown. "You expect me to believe that I fell from the sky?" She demanded again.

"It's true I swear. You must have fallen all the way from Serendipity to wind up down there."

"Seren... dipity...?" The fairy crocked her head.

"Yeah, that's where you're from right?"

The fairy didn't reply to Silica, instead of rubbing her chin looking confused. She rubbed her chin as she seemed to be lost in deep thought.

"You... You don't know Serendipity?" Silica asked, folding her legs. "It's that big tower at the center of the world. You can see it from the shore."

"It... It sounds familiar but...." The Fairy hummed quietly to herself before finally shaking her head.

"You don't remember?" Silica asked but was met with silence, as the fairy turned away deep in thought. "Okay...." Seeing that this would go nowhere Silica thought it best to change the subject. It was then she caught a glance of the strange mark on her hand. Its appearance and Jil seemed too good to be a coincidence.

Worth a shot. She held up the mark to the fairy's level. "Say do you know what this is?"

"Let's see..." the fairy turned around and her expression changed as she studied the mark closely. Silica began to feel hope that some mystery surrounding her visit was to be unveiled-

"I believe you humans refer to it as a 'tattoo,"

"Yeah, I know that!" Silica snapped as the suspense was dropped completely. "It just appeared on my hand all of a sudden! I was wondering if you knew what it is!"

The Fairy once again began to hum growing more and more frustrated as she tried to recall something. Yet she once again shook her head admitting defeat.

"Have you lost your memory?" Silica asked, as though it was the only explanation she could think of.

The fairy nodded out of shame. "... Yes, I think so. That mark and this 'serendipity' is familiar to me.... Yet when I try to recall... It's as though those memories are covered by a thick fog...."

"Geez... That sounds pretty rough," Silica said in absence of what else to say in such a situation. She felt she had to change the subject again as clearly getting any information out of the fairy would come to naught. Then it hit her; she yet to know of her name. "Say... do you remember your name?"

"O-Of course I do!" the fairy pouted, looking insulted by the question. "That is something I would never forget!"

"Alright, sorry. And that name is."

The Fairy's expression softened. "My name is Jil."

"Jil huh..." Silica chuckled quietly to herself.

"Wha- It's rude to laugh when someone is introducing themselves you know!"

"Sorry, it just really sites you that's all."

"You certainly are strange, uh...?"

"Oh, right." Silica realized she had not shown the same courtesy. "I'm Silica. Nice to meet you Jil."

"Likewise Silica," Jil bowed her head. When she raised it again she began to examine Silica's room, even glancing out the crack in the curtains. "... If you don't mind answering a question.... Where am I?"

"Oh, you're on the island of Chadd."

"Chadd?"

"Yep. At the moment you're in a town called-"

"Silica!" A voice came from outside her room. "Silica are you up?"

"....Oh crap," the voice was Valary, no doubt seeing if Silica had woken up, or worse had heard her speaking to Jil. If she saw the fairy....

"Who's-GHAK!" Without thinking, Silica grabbed Jil out of the air and quickly stuffed her under her pillow.

"Silica?"

"Y-Yeah I'm up!" Silica responded, sitting on her pillow to make sure Jil didn't come out. Valery opened the door party way. "S-So what's up?"

Valery looked around the room, clearly looking for something. "Was someone in here with you? I could have sworn-"

"N-n-no! Of course not! See! It's me just me here!" Silica said very quickly, praying that Valery would leave her alone.

"Alright..." Valery said unsure. "Liana and dad have already gone into the Catacombs. Remember, you're helping out around the town."

"Y-Yeah. I haven't forgotten!"

"And I'd better not hear that you've sneaked into the catacombs again."

"Don't worry I won't." Silica pouted. Valery finally left, closing the door behind her. "That was close...." Silica shifted her position on her bed. "Alright, coast is clear." She added removing the pillow. Hidden below with a very dazed Jil laying on her back, her wings struggling to move. "Jil?" Silica leaned in close. "Hey, are you al-"

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!" Jil suddenly shot up, drop kicking Silica in the middle of her forehead with enough force to knock her on her back. Jil fluttered backward trying to steady herself. Her face was beet red with anger. "Let's get something clear you brute, I will not be treated like a-!"

"Shuuu! Keep it down!" Silica sat up shushing Jil as loud as she dared. "My mom doesn't know about you, and if they find out they smuggled a living fairy back from the catacombs I'll be in huge trouble."

"I do not see how that would concern me in the slightest," Jil said, folding her arms.

"Just... a small favor for saving your life." Silica added, placing her hands together in prayer.

"You almost killed me!"

"Ok.... How about I help you get your memories back? Will you keep a low profile then?" Silica asked desperately.

Jil didn't snap back but did not look convinced. "Pray tell how you intend to do that?" She asked skeptically.

Silica sighed with relief. But in truth, she only promised to help out of desperation to keep the fairy quiet. She didn't have any idea how to go about it, save for one thing...

"There's someone in the village. She knows all sorts of things about Serendipity and all that. I was gonna go see her about that mark but she might know more about you." She said.

"... That sounds more like wishful thinking."

"You're not gonna get them back on your own, right?"

"........ Fine." Jil sighed. "I will keep out of sight to avoid you getting into trouble."

"Great. It's a deal."

*****

The sun had risen high enough over the mountain to bait the town in its resonance as Silica finally left her house, walking down the path towards the village proper. "You ok in there?" She spoke down to her hip pouch.

The hood suddenly moved as Jil poked her head out looking through the gap. "This is utterly humiliating...."

"Hey, keep it down." Silica hissed, walking one step at a time down the cobbled steps.

"..... So who is this person you think will help me with my dilemma?" Jil asked begrudgingly.

"Uh... Granny Fucoro. Though people just call her Gran. She's an old coot who lives in the town's outskirts. If anyone knows anything about you, it's her."

"Won't you get in trouble if she sees me?" Jil asked. "That's why you almost killed me, wasn't it?"

"Still hung up on that...." Silica sighed. "I can trust Gran to keep a secret. If the village knows half of what I get up to I'd probably be kicked out."

"And that is where we are going?"

"Uhh.... First, I need to stop the blacksmith and adventurer's guild. Then we'll go straight to Gran."

".... And exactly how long must I spend in this smelly bag of yours?"

"Shut up, it isn't that bad,"

"It's small and it smells bad!"

"Shuu!" Startled by Jil's sudden outburst, Silica banged against her hip pouch. She noticed two people staring at her, Mr. Anton and his wife, each with a confused expression. "Uh... morning,"

"M-Morning Silica." Mr. Anton waved. "Were you... is someone with you?"

"N-N-No! Course not! Just talking to myself!" Silica stuttered walking down the path as fast as she could. "I uh... have things I need to take care of in town! If you excuse me!" Silica walked as fast as she could, only glancing back to make sure Mr. and Mrs. Anton were out of ears reach. "Whew..." When she was sure she put enough distance between them Silica stopped, reaching down to her pouch and putting a finger inside. "Please don't put me on the spot like- OW!"

Feeling herself being bitten on the finger, Silica withdrew her hand. "Did you just bite me?!" She hissed.

"Yes... and that was quite revolting...." Jil muttered back. Silica silently suppressed her desire to wring the fairy in retaliation and set off, more cautious of those around her.

It was a short walk into the town proper where Silica's first order of all was; the blacksmith located at the seafront separated from the other buildings making it stand out. Opening the door Silica was met with the heat of the forge fires hit her in the face. The stagnating heatwave was something anyone entering had to grow accustomed too as the fire would be raging all day long.

"Uhh... why is it so hot all of a sudden," Jil, who was not used to such heat, popped her head out from beneath the bag's flap.

"Cause we're in the town's blacksmith. Only metalwork in town. Whenever anyone needs something metal, they come here." Silica explained as she approached the counter. She could make out the forge in the back, with furniture and equipment that was just small enough that would make it difficult for a fully-grown man to use and wield without crouching.

"What kind of human could endure such blistering conditions?"

"Well, the guy’s not actually human for one thing." Silica said to Jil before stopping short of the counter. "Yo! Anyone home!"

"Just a minute!" A gruff voice called back. Jil poked her head out to see the short man approaching the counter, coming up only to Silica's hips, dressed in a blacksmiths leather apron and a bandana and an impossibly long red beard that had been braided and covered in soot. "Ah, Silica! Was wondering when you'd show up."

"Hey Torburn." Silica waved. Torburn Backaxe, the only dwarf to call Holbourg home and had been in the village for as long as Silica had known. She knew little about his past only that he came from the fallen Dwarf Hold of Misty Mountain in Halderland on the continent. "Sounds like you were expecting me."

"Aye," Torburn nodded. "Hear ya fought off the urks in the catacombs. Ha ha! I swear ye don't ever rest at the rate ya goin'."

"Ha, you know me Torburn. Gotta keep at it if I wanna become a world-class adventurer."

"Aye, but urks aren't the only creatures out there in the world leaking in the darkest pits of hel. A good dwarf warrior knows when they need a breather once in a while.

"Really?" Silica folded her arms with a snide grin. "Thought you dwarfs were supposed to be stubborn as rocks when it comes to a fight and never run from a fight."

Torburn laughed stroking his soot-covered beard. "Got us their lass. Why, with that attitude ye'd make a fine dwarven warrior, one saga's would be written about."

"Yeah... hopefully without a beard."

Torburn chuckled again before slapping his hands together. "Right. What say we get down to business? Suppose ya have somethin' for me?"

"Huh? Oh, right." Silica unhooked her sword, laying it down on the counter in front of the dwarf.

"Ahh, least ya have the sense ta keep ya weapons in shape. Won't cut down many urks with a blunt blade after all." Torburn took the sword from its scabbard, closely scrutinizing the blade with his eye while running his rough fingers across its edge. ".... What have ya been doin' lass? Breakin' stones with it?"

"The orc from yesterday did that, not me." Silica pouted. "So... is it bad?"

"Na, should be an easy fix," Torburn said, laying the sword back on the counter. "Hmmmmm, should have it ready by this afternoon. Won't be needin' it by then I take it?"

"Nope?" Silica shook her head, replying blunter than she intended.

"I guess Garo told ya off again?" Torburn pressed with his grin half-buried in his beard.

"... Something like that," Silica explained awkwardly.

"Snuck off on ye own again, didn't ya?"

Silica didn't respond.

"Hey, he's only looken out for ya, lass."

"I know, I know." Silica shrugged as she ended the conversation. "So... how much?"

Torburn glanced at the blade rubbing his beard again, a habit that Silica learned was when he was thinking over something. "100 Libs could do the trick."

"Right." Silica reached for her money pouch which was in her hip bag. When she put her hand inside she was met with a loud squeak. Crap....! Silica's blood froze as she wrenched her hand out as fast as she could. She had completely forgotten Jil was inside. She quickly glanced to the dwarf, noticing him looking around in response to the noise Jil had made. Her mind raced, getting ready to give any excuse if he asked what the noise was.

"Ahh, don't tell me that damn mouse is back?" Torburn growled looking under the counter. "Little bugger's been nibbling at the leather works for two bleeding days."

"R-Right... mouse..." Silica slowly backed away from the counter before letting out a sigh of relief.

"What was that for?" Jil hissed.

"Sorry, I forgot you were in there." Silica said truthfully.

"You are the one who put me in here in the first place!" Jil hissed louder.

"Shuu!"

"Everythin' alright lass?"

Silica jumped as Torburn spoke. "Y-Yeah! Everything's fine!" Silica said, taking a quick glance over to Torburn who was now looking right at her. Unfortunately for her, there was no way she could take her money out without squashing Jil again and not without giving away the fact she had a fairy hidden inside her pouch. "H-Hey! I think I saw something move over there." Silica said quickly.

"Where?" Torburn turned around sharply, grabbing a mallet from the ground. With him, distracted Silica turned around discreetly. "There's a pouch full of money right by you. Do you see it?" She whispered down to Jil.

"Pouch? Do you mean this?" Jil answered by rattling something inside Silica's bag.

"Yeah, that's it." Silica quickly glanced at Torburn who was still looking for the elusive mouse. "Open it and hand over a hundred Libs."

"Open and.... what?"

Silica sighed. "Pull out two bronze coins."

"Alright.... Here."

Silica reached down as Jil handed her two coins just as Torburn got back looking frustrated. "Damn bugger's out there. I know it."

"Sorry. Thought I saw something." Silica said to the dwarf laying the money on the counter before walking away. "Well, I need to get going. I'll come back later."

"Right... uh... wait Silica!" Torburn called out just as Silica was about to reach the door. "There's only forty here?"

"Huh?" Silica looked back.

"Only paid me forty Libs here. Need sixty more."

"O-oh! R-right sorry." Silica apologized noticing the small coins she had placed down were only 20 pieces. She turned away and opened her bag again. "That was 40! I needed a hundred!" She hissed down to Jil.

"A hundred?! You said you needed two!" Jil snapped back.

"Two fifties! The big ones!"

"Two fifty what? That makes absolutely no sense?!"

"Don't you know how money works?!"

"Of course, I do not know how this currency system works!"

"Did you forget that too?"

"I'm fairly certain I've never once known how it works?"

"Everythin' alright lass?" Torburn called out.

"Y-Yes! One sec!" Silica turned away from the dwarf. "Just hand over a silver coin."

"Fine!" Jil handed over another coin. Silica looked to check if it was the right one, and too her luck it was. She walked back to the counter and threw the piece on the table, swooping up the 40 Libs. She tried not to look Torburn in the eye as she could tell he was suspicious of her odd behavior.

"Are you ok Silica?" The Dwarf asked.

"Y-Yeah... uh my purse strings were a bit too tight." Silica said retreating out of the forge as fast as she could. "S-See you later! Hope you catch that mouse!"

Before Torburn could say anything, else Silica had ducked out of the smithy, retreating into an ally between two buildings across the street. "That was way too close... Next time, remind me not to ask you for money."

"You said two bronze coins! It's not my fault you humans have such a convoluted currency system!" Jil snapped back.

"It's simple; 100 bronze coins equal one silver coin, five hundred libs is a gold coin."

"That is not simple!"

"Hey who's that?" A voice came from behind her. Silica covered up her flap as a group of Holbourgh's children began to crowd the alley behind her. "Oh, it's Silica."

"H-Hey guys. Hope you're staying out of trouble." Silica said to them.

"Hey Silica! Are you gonna play with us today!" One of the smaller girls said.

"Yeah! We wanna play adventurer!" Another child coursed, followed by shouts from the other four begging Silica to join them.

"Ha ha, sorry guys, but I'm busy today." Silica said. That was followed by a collective "awe" from the children. "But if you guys are good, I guess I could spare some time."

"Yay!" All the children cheered.

"Just don't cause too much trouble for the village, alright."

"We promise!" The children called out before running past her.

"Little rascals," Silica chuckled. "Bet you ten libs they get into some kind of trouble."

"Do you know them?" Jil asked, popping her head out the bag again.

"Yeah, they're just kids I play with sometimes." Silica said, pulling the flap back over the small fairy. "It's a pretty small town so we all pretty much know each other by name."

Silica began walking again, this time returning to the Poached Eel for her next port of call. At that point in the day it was packed with adventurers, sailors, and soldiers all enjoying the ale and food of the day that consisted of nothing but fish and vegetables grown inland or imported from Golmort.

"This place never seems to change," Silica said as she walked up to the front desk. "Hey Mr. Holt."

"A Silica. I was wondering when you'd show up," Standing at the bar was Mr. Holt, an ex-sailor who ran the Poached Eel in his late forties. Despite that, the man did not show his age one bit, nor did he give the illusion that he was ever in the imperial navy. Wearing a white buttoned shirt, short-cropped brown hair and a mustache, he fitted the role barkeep so well it was almost comical. "Sorry to say Garo's already left."

"Yeah, I know." Silica shrugged sitting at the bar. "They've gone to investigate the ruins below."

"Yeah, something about some strange moaning you discovered last time you were down there."

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." Silica huffed, folding her arms.

"Also heard you did try to go off on your own again," Mr. Holt said with a wide grin. "Geez, what are we gonna do with you?"

"Hey, I'm gonna make it to Serendipity one day." Silica winked. "What's a little danger every now and then?"

"Not making it easy on the rest of us, that's for sure. Gonna give your folks a heart attack one of these days,"

Silica grinned through her teeth.

"Well, since you're here, got a few jobs that need taken care of."

"Alright, what kinda jobs,"

"See for yourself."

Silica rushed over to the notice board posted. People in town would post their grievances or jobs that needed to be taken care of by adventurers. Some days there were various exciting jobs that would take her deep into the catacombs or even out to sea to one of the nearby reefs. Today was unfortunately not one of those days. Having to omit any monster quest since her sword was being worked on by Torburn, the jobs left were boring, lost-and-found mixed with the usual manual labor at the docks.

"Seriously... this is all there is today?"

"Can't be too picky with work." Mr. Holt said back to her. "Lots of problems out there that need to be solved-"

"-and it's the duty of adventure duty to see that Earthsea becomes a better place for those in need." Silica finished off resisting Mr. Holt's quotation. "But I swear most of the time people put up stuff they don't want to do themselves. I mean look at Mrs. Tuddy. 'Need help trimming my hedges.' Seriously, can't she do it herself?"

"Granted, some of the requests we get can be a bit vain, but a lot of these folks do need help from time to time. Holbourgh isn't a big place after all. Needs every able body to keep it running." Mr. Holt said, picking up a glass from behind the counter.

"Yeah, I get it." Silica sighed as she walked away. "I'll come back later. Hopefully, there's better stuff by the time I get back.

"Oh? Not choosing anything?"

"Just gonna say hi to gran first." Silica said.

"That cranky old lady that lives in the outskirts?" One of the patrons said.

"Burr... that hag gives me the creeps..." Another man said.

"Yeah, but she also knows her stuff," Silica said to them. ".... Even if she's a little nuts,"

"Well, best of luck to you!" Mr. Holt waved. "Say hi for me, would you!"

Silica left the Poached Eel, waving good bye to Mr. Holt and several of the patrons.

"All I got to look forward to are a bunch of chores I can get at home..." She said out loud. Dawn of Holbourgh was now in full swing, with more activity on the dirt streets, the baker putting their signs out, the sailors were flooding the dock while the island guard did their morning patrols.

"What were you discussing with that man?" Jil asked, poking her head out the bag. "Something about work?"

"Yeah. I'm an adventurer so it's my job to handle the odd stuff around town," Silica replied, turning off the main street, moving away from the urban area where she was likely to draw less attention to herself. "Even if that means doing stuff other people can do themselves..."

"Adventurer...?" Jil silently mused. "Is that a human profession."

"Sure is. It's our job to explore the undiscovered and long lost frontier of the world while ensuring Earthena remains a safer place for all to live!" Silica said enthusiastically. "While the Empire, Gao and Mahama fight their wars it's up to people like me to look after everyone else and find out more about what life was like way back before the Great Calamity. It's actually how I found you. I took a job taking out a goblin raiding party and stumbled across you.

"Adventurer's got branches all of the world so we're a huge multinational organization. One here's small since our towns only so big but the one on Golmort far bigger... in that, it's not bunking with the local pub. But the main branch is in a place called Free Port; a large multi-national city that's practically run by the guild."

It was then Silica began to notice Jil had been fairly silent throughout her explanation, more so than usual. "Oh... Sorry, must have babbled on and on,"

"Oh no. It's... not that." Jil said, "Adventurers.... It sounds familiar to me."

"It does? Do you...?"

Jil shook her head. "Forgive me. My mind is still blank. All I seem to recall are these vague familiarities from time to time."

"Really? So that means you must have known about-"

"Morning Silica."

"Gah!" Silica jumped, not expecting someone to be greeting her. "H-Hi Wilson!" She awkwardly waved to one of the villagers tending the vegetable patch outside the village. He didn't seem to have noticed Silica was talking to someone.

"Hope you're not causing too much trouble for your mom and dad!"

"I don't cause trouble all the time!" With a chuckle Silica continued on, putting the town behind them as Silica took them north. On the way was a small hill that overlooked the cliff. As Silica passed by it, she couldn't help but stop to look in its direction. That spot, it was her little sanctuary, a place that always brought her peace, yet also sadness.

".... Hey, Jil," Silica undid the buckle of her pouch. "We're pretty far from the village so it's ok for you to come out."

"Ahh, finally!" Jil fluttered out from Silica's pouch, circling Silica twice while stretching. "I was worried I would be stuck in that disgusting thing for years!"

"Yeah yeah, I get it." Silica huffed. "Come on, Grans just down this way."

"Hm? But isn't that further away from town?" Jil said looking back.

"Yeah, Gran likes her privacy so she lives way out here." Silica said resting her hands on the back of her head. The sea breeze blew against her silver hair, nearly blowing Jil away.

"Someone.... Likes to live far removed from others?" Jil asked looking back towards the town.

"Yeah... Gran's a bit senile. Think she's about.... Hundred and four or something."

"Is that old for humans?" Jil asked, perching herself on Silica's shoulder. "I was aware humans have particularly short life spans compared to other sentient races."

"Yeah, we typically live till about... seventy, eighty, I guess. Though you get people like Gran who are ancient."

"I see. And how old are you now?"

"I'm fifteen, so I still got years before I end up like Gran." Silica chuckled, resting her hands at the back of her head. "What about you? How old are you?"

"Me....?" Silica remained silent.

"Can't remember that too?"

Jil nodded. "... I hope this Gran person can tell me more about who I am."

".... I'd say don't get your hopes up." Silica sighed. "Trust me, if it's important stuff she'll just answer in riddles. Besides... she even knew about...." She trailed off, lowering her hands from the back of her head.

"About what?"

"Uh.... It's nothing." Silica said as Jil took flight once more. "Ahh! Gran's is just up ahead."

Granny Furano, the Sage of Holbourgh

If there were to be any truth to the old tails of witches that lived in derelict hovels, inviting children for sweets only to throw them into a bubbling cauldron then many would point to Gran as the closest to that archetype. She was the very definition of a witch from an old storybook from her appearance to her cottage. Built into one of the jutting rocks with overgrowth all over the brickwork, it was difficult to classify it as a house over a cave-dwelling. An old wooden door stood in the dead center flanked by two open windows.

"Is this it...?" Jil asked not sounding so sure.

"Yep. This is Grans house." Silica understood Jil's reaction, nearly everyone who first comes here gives the same response. Gran's house was far from what anyone would call inviting.

"Hey Gran! It's me, Silica!" Silica gave the door a knock. There was no response. "Come on Gran! I know you're up!"

The door slowly opened from Silica's knocking. That was not surprising given the condition of the door. Even a simple breeze on the ocean could blow it wide open. It was a wonder a storm hadn't blown it off its hinges.

"Perhaps no one's home..." Jil said hovering behind Silica.

"I'm coming in," Silica pushed the door wide open.

"Wait! You can't simply barge in without an invitation."

"Why not? I do it all the time?"

"Isn't that highly rude for you humans?"

"She doesn't mind. Hey Gran! You in here?"

Light entered into the incredibly cluttered dusty hovel that was Gran's home. If the exterior was enough to convince people this was a witch dwelling, the interior certainly added to that persona of Gran. Dust and cobwebs were everywhere, the table completely cluttered with moldy bolls, spoons and forks that have not been cleaned for what looked like months, maybe even years. Lining the various shelves in the messy kitchen was an array of disgusting jars each containing something squishy and repulsive.

"Are you certain someone lives here....?" Jil asked, hovering close to Silica as she made the way to the kitchen, "It looks like no one has set foot here in a long time,"

"Hey Gran! You haven't gone deff yet have ya? It's me, Silica!"

"H-Hold on! I have a very bad feeling about this?"

"Relax, Gran not gonna eat you," Silica said, picking up one of the encrusted bowls. It's a wonder what she actually eats given the horrible condition of the kitchenware.

"Th-That hardly crossed my mind!" Jil snapped, folding her arms. "I-I just think we shouldn't be impolite barging into someone home like this."

"Hmm...?" Silica smirked. "Are you scared?"

"S-Scared? Me? HA!" Jil floated away from Silica with her head held high. "What would I possibly have to be scared about? The very suggestion that I am afraid is complete slander, I assure you!"

"Yeah yeah," Silica said. "By the way, you're about to fly into the Orc head."

"The-ugh?" Jil bumbled into something mounted on the wall. "Pardon me-" Staring back at her was a massive green head with one eye and a spiked tusk. She screamed and flew off as fast as she could, taking cover behind one of the jars. "Wh-wh-wh-what in blazes is that that?!"

Silica chuckled putting her hands to her hips as she studied the head. "It was a big orc pirate that terrorized the entire archipelago about thirty years ago or something. When Gran arrived here she took him down along with his entire fleet. People of Golmort were so grateful they had the head of the orc mounted for her. Cool, isn't it?"

"It's revolting!" Jil snapped, slowly emerging behind the jar she was hiding in. "I was not aware you humans had such grotesque practices to use the corpses as an ornament."

"Hey, for your information, we got trophies like this in my house," Silica pouted. "Oh, and that thing in the jar is staring at you,"

"The what?" Jil turned around again. The light from the open door and windows illuminated the jar enough for her to see something white and fleshy pulsing in the cramped confines of the disgusting jar. It had but a single eye that was fixed on Jil, blinking only once.

Jil screamed again, flying towards Silica to hide behind her shoulder. "Wh-What is that thing?!"

"..... I have no idea," Silica said squinting at the object. "Probably something she scrounged up from the depths of the catacombs."

"I-I think we've overstayed our welcome." Jil emerged flying back to the door.

"We've barely been in here two minutes,"

"W-We cannot simply barge into another person's abode without there permission. Th-That's common human curiously, isn't that right?"

"Whoa hey-! Look out!"

Jil saw a dark figure looming over the entrance, rising a wooden cane high into the air.

"MONSTERRRR!!"

As Jil screamed, Silica rushed up to the small fairy, swatting her away like a fly, "Wait Gran it-?" before the wooden cane slammed into her skull. Silica toppled to the ground in pain, gripping her throbbing forehead. "Ahhh... That hurt you old hag!"

"OLD HAG?!"

Silica was hit again in the head again as she was about to get back to her feet.

"That's no way for you youngsters to speak to your elders! I happen to be in the prime of my old age, Yehehehe!"

With her head still throbbing, Silica got back to her feet looking down on the hunched back old woman, dressed in a black veil with comically long and warty nose and a large milky white left eye in contrast to her partially brown right. If Gran's home was not enough to convince people she was a witch of the old stories, her appliance would be the proof one needs.

"Honestly, no manners these days. Barging in when no one is home. You could have been thieves here to still what's left of my precious belongings!"

"Precious belongings...?" Silica turned her head to the messy hovel, "What's there to steal? Everything in this house is garbage- ow!"

Gran hit her again. "No manners these days, you youngsters," she complained as she waddled past Silica back into her home before turning to smile at her guest. "I was wondering when you'd visit again. Out of everyone in the town, you're one of the few who would dare to approach this place."

It was true. Despite Gran's wisdom and magical prowess as a former sage of Yidvel, many steered clear of her dwelling. To their defense, Gran's home was nothing to be called homely, and the old woman's demeanor and sudden mood swings (as well as bonks to the head with her cane) gave people enough reason not to pay her a visit. Silica cared for none of it. Growing up she loved coming to Gran to listen to her stories about the outside world, the vast unexplored ruins of old and the Tower of Serendipity.

Besides, the two weren't that different, both outsiders to Chadd.

"Sorry I haven't been around much these days," Silica apologized. "Things have been pretty busy for me."

"So I've heard. So I've heard," Gran said as she sat down in a chair at the table. "I was starting to think you'd been killed by an Orc by now, or gotten lost in the great pits below."

"Ha! Like an orc's gonna be enough to take me down," Silica scoffed as she took a seat at the table, wiping away several pieces of moldy debris.

"So... I assume there's more to your visit than a simple hello." Gran began, fixing Silica with her one good eye. "I'd wager that little critter hiding over yonder has something to do with why you're here."

Gran looked right towards the messy kitchen area. Silica followed her gaze and saw Jil poking her head out from behind a collection of jars. Silica had completely forgotten that Jil was here.

"Come little on! I may not look at it, but I don't bite. Only naughty children! Yeheheh!!"

"I see...." Reluctantly, Jil walked away from her hiding spot before taking flight, landing on the table in front of Silica. "I uh... do apologize for my rather childish outburst."

"Well well," Gran leaned into her cane looking intrigued by what she saw. "A fairy... most interesting."

"My name is Jil. It's nice to meet you... uh, Mrs. Gran."

"Ha! I haven't been called Mrs in years! Gran will do me good fairy friend."

"I found her in the catacombs. She came down in the Star Fall a few days ago." Silica said.

"Ahh, did she? Did she? Fallen all the way from Serendipity, did you?"

Jil didn't respond, cupping her hands together as she looked down at the table as though not hearing the question properly.

"Hm...? Is something amiss?"

"Actually, that's why I came to see you," Silica said, realizing Jil needed assistance. "She's uh, can't remember anything about her past."

"Hmm," Gran looked intrigued. "Lost your memory, have you?"

"Yes..." Jil nodded out of shame. "I can only remember my name but nothing else. When I try to recall where I'm from or what my purpose is... it feels like it's covered by a thick mist."

"I see... well, what is it you can recall little one?"

Jil mumbled to herself as she thought but ultimately shook her head. "Only what I've told you; my name and that I have a purpose for being...."

"Was hoping you could help her out."

"Ahh, I see now," Gran suddenly banged her cane on the ground, startling both Silica and Jil. "HA! Typical that Doal fella! Calls me a senile old big noise but comes crawling to me when he needs something! The nerve of that bastard, sending you, my favor without the gall to ask himself!"

"What is she talking about?" Jil said while Gran continued to rant and rave about the mayor.

"Uh, Gran..."

"Now you listen here Silica!" Gran swung her cane across the table to point it at Silica. Jil collapsed to her feet in surprise. "You go to that wretched toadstool and drag him here, crawling on the dirt-"

"Whoa whoa, hold on-" Silica calmly moved Gran's cane away, "I'd be the last person he'd ever ask for help."

"...... That is true. He does hate you quite passionately," Gran said chuckling to herself. "So if not him, a request from the guild? I wouldn't think they'd take this matter into their own hands."

"Uhhh... they didn't send me either." Silica scratched the back of her head, knowing what she'd have to tell her. "So uh... thing is..."

"Oh ho," Gran smiled devilishly. She clearly guessed what Silica was getting at. "They don't know, do they?"

Silica could only give her a nervous smile.

"Silica claims she would be in trouble if the town were to discover me, is that so?" Jil asked, now sitting cross-legged on the table.

"That's putting it lightly. If they found you it wouldn't surprise me if she had to live with me for the rest of her life. Yehehehe!"

"I-Is that so," Jil glaired upwards at Silica who looked away.

"So uh.... I'd really appreciate it if... you know..."

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed," Gran said, softly chucking before opening her one good eye wide. "And I suppose that would go for that mark on your right hand?"

"Huh? Y-You know about that?" Silica was certain no one had brought up the mark on her hand.

"You should know its pointless to hide things from me, young Silica."

"Ugh, right..."

Gran had a nack of uncovering what others were hiding was terrifying at the best of times. Even when she tried to hide a small bruise when she was young, Gran was still able to find out seemingly at once.

With the topic now on her the mark, Silica removed her right glove and showed it to Gran.

"Hmmm.... Interesting," She mused, leaning into her cane. "How very interesting..."

"Do you know what it is? Jil said it looked familiar to her."

"I imagine so," Gran leaned back into her chair. "That is a signal seen on the lower level of the tower."

"The tower?"

"The Tower of Serendipity."

"The... that what?" Silica stared at the twin comment mark on her hand. Her mind overflowed with questions, questions she may not even get the answer to from Gran. "But... But what's it doing on my hand?" She eventually asked.

"That I cannot say," Gran said, gently leaning back on her chair. "When were you aware of it?"

"Just this morning... I think," Silica remembered the bruise on her right-hand yesterday when her mother was treating her injuries. She didn't think much off it at the time. But now in hindsight, it may have been the mark taking shape.

Jil had fluttered upwards, studying the mark as well, yet seemed more frustrated as he looked at it, trying to force herself to remember.

"Hey Gran, is there anything more about this you could tell us? Like... what does this mark mean?"

"Hmm... I'm afraid I don't know," Gran said honestly, bowing her head. "But I believe there's an only legend that speaks of a messenger falling from the heavens, a legend that refers to an ancient story of the Great Calamity that tore this world asunder."

"The... Great Calamity?" Jil muttered as she floated back down to the table.

"I already know that story," Silica snorted, resting her arm on the table, "Three thousand years ago great darkness descended from onto the world before the tower of Serendipity shot up from the center of the world to save us," Every child in Earthena knew the tale of the Great Calamity, a bedtime story told over three millennia. "So what does this have to do with-OW!"

Gran wacked Silica over the head with her cane again. "If you listened first you'd understand why!" She snapped, slumping back in her chair. "Honestly, no manners the youth of this day and age."

Silica grumbled as she rubbed the top of her head. She was used to getting whacks from Gran from time to time. It was an occupational hazard for anyone coming to meet her to expect a beating or two.

"As you surmised, three-thousand years ago, a man chosen by the god of chaos brought the world to utter ruin. Breaking the boundaries of the word, this man descended upon the mortal realms bringing with him untold devastation. Our world of Earthena was devastated, the former homes of our ancestors consumed in a blaze of horrors so unspeakable as to drive one mad.

"Yet when all seemed lost, the goddess chose a warrior to fight back the ensuing chaos, and through their sacrifice brought the man to heal. With the champion slain, the Goddess of Harmony used her powers to seal away the God of Chaos, giving birth to the great tower at the center of our world."

Silica held her tongue in fear of being whacked again by Gran, but felt impatient as she had heard this tale thousands of times. Jil on the other hand was listening intently.

"Peace was restored, yet at a terrible cost. The lingering effects of the great evil terrorized the world as we know it. Yet in that time, after fifteen hundred years of deep slumber, the Goddess began to stir. With what remained of her strength, she fashioned a weapon of light to fight back the darkness, granting it to an individual to carry on the battle against the rising darkness. At the same time, another was chosen. Bearing the mark of Serendipity, they set out on a journey to the center of the world to awaken the sleeping goddess. Yet despite their best efforts, both burdens were left unfulfilled."

"Huh... I've never heard this story before," Silica said, sounding more interested in what Gran was saying.

"Yehehe! It's an old tale spoken by the sages of Yidvel so it's not surprising that you haven't heard of such a tail."

Jil was very silent, casting her gaze down to the table with a hand pressed to her heart.

"But fifteen hundred years... are you talking about Vladmar Kresner? The legendary adventurer?"

There had been many attempts to reach the top of Serendipity all throughout history stretching back three thousand years, and ambition for every wannabe adventure. Yet in all those years, no one had ever found a way into the tower, or anything close to an entrance. Even climbing along the outside was out of the question, as many who attempted it would inevitably fall to their deaths or be picked off by the beasts of the Dark Continent.

"I'm afraid I cannot answer that. I cannot recall the name," Gran chuckled.

"But..." Silica raised her right hand again. "You said this was on the tower.... And that person you talked about buried the mark..." Excitement brewed in her breast. "You think this is that mark?"

"Oh ho, that I cannot say." Gran chuckled. "For all, you know it could have been an old witch's tale I spun for the sake of it! Yehehehe!"

"Hey...."

"But," Gran leaned closer to the table, eyeing both Silica and the silent Jil. "What I do believe is that everything happens for a reason. For you to arrive in our beloved home fifteen years ago to the arrival of the good fairy," she flashed a smile with a lot of her, one that shocked Silica and Jil given the lack of teeth the woman had. "and for you to bear that mark on your hand just as you two have met. To us sages, there is no such thing as a coincidence."

Silica looked down at Jil, who was still silent, lost in the haze of her own mind. Ultimately, she had far more questions about her current situation then she did about Jil. Yet she had a feeling that the answers were in some ways linked.