Hump slept long and dreamlessly that night, waking late the following morning. Vivienne was already gone by the time Hump arrived in the dining hall. Bud and Dylan sat there with two clean plates on the table.

“Look who’s finally up,” Bud said. “Did your master really let you get away with sleeping in this late?”

“Not a chance, which is why I take advantage of the luxury whenever the opportunity presents itself.” He glanced around. “Where’s Celaine?”

Dylan barked a laugh. “She’s going to meet us at the academy later. She said, and I quote, ‘I’m sick and tired of being around boys. I’m going for a walk.’”

Hump snorted. “Lovely.” He hesitated a moment, then slipped into the seat beside Dylan and leant in. “About Priestess Luna yesterday.”

Bud’s face cracked into a grin. “Interested, are you?”

“Your mind always goes to the gutter, doesn’t it?” Hump shook his head in disappointment. “What I mean is… well, what about Celaine?”

“What about Celaine?” Bud asked.

Hump glared at him.

“Ah,” Bud said. “I see.”

“Did she seem bothered to you or anything?” Hump asked.

Bud grimaced. “Not exactly.”

Hump slumped in his chair.

“But that’s Celaine for you!” Bud continued quickly. “Who knows what she’s thinking? Either she’s normal or angry. There’s not a huge amount of in-between.”

Hump took a breath. “Right.”

“Am I missing something here?” Dylan asked. “Did something happen between you and Celaine?”

“No,” Hump grumbled. “But thanks for rubbing it in.”

“I didn’t…” Dylan trailed off as Hump started to smile.

“I’m kidding. If anything, Celaine’s quite clearly not interested in me. Which is fair enough; I’m a short, street boy that stumbled his way into wizardry.”

“And dragon slaying,” Bud added. “You stumbled into that too. Oh, and don’t forget prince killing.”

Hump’s eyes widened and he looked around. “Maybe we could keep that one between us. And I still don’t think he’s dead.”

“He’s got a point though,” Dylan said. “You shouldn’t undermine yourself. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders and have accomplished much even in the time I’ve known you. And a priestess has taken an interest in you too, that’s got to say something.”

“I suppose.”

Dylan chuckled, clapping him on the back. “It’s for the best, my friend. Romance between party members is never a good idea.”

“You say that, but Bud and Emilia are basically married.”

“We are not!” Bud protested. “There is nothing romantic between us at all.”

Hump shrugged. “If you say so.” He stroked his chin with all the wizardliness he could muster. “Emilia and I did have a good chat while in Tailsend. Maybe I should spend some more time with her instead.”

Bud gave him a sour stare and Hump grinned.

“Oh, don’t do that to him, Hump,” Dylan said. “I’m not sure our poor Knight of Kelisia can take the teasing.”

Bud turned his stare on Dylan and the druid started laughing.

“What about you, Dylan?” Bud asked. “Was there anyone back at Fishers Lake?”

“Not really.” He leant back into his chair. “Being a wizard’s apprentice leaves little time for romance.” He looked at Hump. “So, are you going to talk to her?”

“Celaine?” Hump asked. “Gods no. She always gets mean when I flirt with her.”

Dylan shook his head. “I meant the priestess.”

Hump narrowed his eyes, thinking over the ramifications of a wizard dating a priestess. “I’m not sure. Have there been any cases of gods smiting wizards for attempting to court their priestesses?"

“Probably,” Bud said. “Though likely not for at least a few hundred years.”

Hump tilted his head side to side, weighing his options. Finally, he shrugged. “Who knows? I’ve risked the wrath of the gods over less, but these are dangerous times. There are more important things to focus on.”

“Like making lots of coin?” Bud asked.

“Exactly.” Hump grinned.

The streets of Sheercliff were busier than before, and there was no missing the guards stationed on almost every corner. They took the carriageway to the Upper City, and even there a crowd filled the streets. Most were people that had taken the Pilgrims Steps to worship at the temple district, but there were also many Chosen and adventurers amongst them. If they were up here, they were likely rather powerful ones at that.

The morning was nearing its end when they reached the academy, and the number of combatants in the city became even more obvious. The once spacious training grounds were now packed full of people making use of the golems and space. It seemed every noble with a second son had answered Sheercliff’s call for reinforcements, and now they littered the academy with their pompous laughs and ludicrous talks of adventure and heroics. Yet from the look of them, Hump doubted half of them had ever seen combat outside of training. They had the clean look of people that had yet to see a friend die.

“Over there,” Dylan said, pointing to a bench beside the entrance to the main building. Emilia was waving at them, Celaine sat beside her.

“How was everything at home?” Bud asked.

“It was very nice, thank you,” Emilia said. “I still had to help with the morning’s training though. My brother doesn’t believe in days off.”

The five of them headed inside together, following directions to the assignment room where Natalie had first assigned them their quest in Stonebark Forest. She was no longer there. Instead, a team of scribes had taken over the job, handing out quest notices and reward tokens to parties that could be exchanged at the Adventurers’ Guild Vault.

“Let’s get this over with,” Celaine said. “This place makes me uncomfortable.”

“It does?” Hump said.

“They’re all so positive. The Lower City feels caught in a web of misery, whilst the people here seem so far up in the clouds that they don’t seem to notice.”

Hump sensed it too. These people were too eager. Nearby, a party that couldn’t have been any older than them were discussing their chances at claiming a dungeon core and receiving a treasure from the guild vault. Not even Ricard, with an entire expedition in support, had succeeded in claiming a dungeon core, yet here these people discussed the things they’d do differently.

Hump did his best to zone those people out, though it reminded him that the city was paying twice the normal rate for heartstones. At the very least, that was something to be excited about.

Once it was their turn, the five of them approached one of the scribes. The woman looked to be in her twenties.

“Party leader name and rank,” she said, hardly giving them a glance.

“Humphrey Woodrow. Iron 3. We were part of Marcela Daston’s patrol outside of Stonebark Forest.”

The woman looked up again, taking a few extra moments to study him and the rest of the party. “Please give me a moment while I find your file.”

She stepped away from her desk and searched the filing cabinets arranged along the back wall, eventually returning with one. “Lady Daston was here earlier and reported on your quest. Congratulations, your party has been promoted to Bronze 1.”

“All of us?” Hump asked. It was rare to be promoted so soon after a previous rank increase, and Dylan was jumping multiple divisions.

The woman nodded, scanning through the file. “Yes, there’s no mistake. This promotion was approved by Countess Daston herself. Your new rank will be reflected in your reward, and you will now be able to accept bronze level quests.” She wrote something on a pad of small paper sheets beside her and then handed it to him. “Use this to claim your reward from the Vault. For now, if you could kindly hand over your medallions, I’ll update them to match your new rank.”

Hump took his master’s medallion from around his neck and handed it to her alongside the others. One by one, she inserted them into a mirror reader, feeding it essence stones and activating runes along the sides of the artifact. The reflective panel swirled with ink and letters, and then she removed the medallions. Their steel sheen now replaced with bronze.

Hump took his back, holding it up to the light by its chain and letting the token spin. The eye remained the same, but the small square etched at the bottom had a one inside it now, changed through a simple yet effective combination of artificery and alchemy. He put it around his neck, feeling the warmth of the medallion on his chest. He couldn’t help but smile as he turned to the rest of his party. They were moving up in the world. Bronze didn’t just mean better quests and better pay, it meant respect. It meant that they were no longer simple foot soldiers.

“There’s a temporary hold on assignments,” she continued. “It’s expected to last a few days, so I suggest you use this time to recover.”

They backed away from the desk.

“That was unexpected,” Bud said.

“Bronze rankers have been dropping like flies,” Hump said quietly. “I suppose they need replacements.”

Bud scowled. “You’re always so pessimistic. You saved the Countess’ daughter. Don’t you think that perhaps she simply thinks you earned it? This is a good thing!”

“Oh, it’s definitely a good thing,” Hump agreed. “We just need to make sure we choose our quests wisely.”

“Speaking of quests,” Celaine said. “What was our reward?”

Hump unfolded the slip of paper he’d been handed and froze. His mouth dropped open, but words didn’t come.

“Give me that!” Celaine snatched it from him. “Eighty gold.”

“Oh, that’s not bad,” Emilia said.

Hump gawked at them. “Gods above, we’re from different worlds. That’s more gold than I’ve seen in my entire life.”

Celaine handed it back to him. “We’re bronze rankers now, we’re going to need it. Bud can finally get a full set of appropriate armour, and Dylan needs an upgrade too.”

There was a sudden bang, and Hump turned back to where the young party had been chatting about claiming a dungeon core before. A tall man stood beside him, his fist against the wall, the stone cracked around it. The party stared at him with wide eyes.

“Enough,” the man growled. He had a bronze medallion around his neck, and a large one-handed axe on his belt. He stepped closer, jabbing a finger in the direction of one of the boys. “You were not there, and if you had been you would be long since dead. Do not so easily criticise your betters."

The party looked amongst themselves, suddenly nervous.

“My apologies, good sir,” the one the man was pointing at said. He was a tall young man, well dressed, with a rapier at his hip. “We meant no offence. The excitement of everything swept us away a little, is all. No need to worry yourself so much.”

“Keep your excitement to yourselves and I won’t have to.” The axeman glared at them a few seconds longer and then turned to leave the room.

Hump saw approval in many of the onlooker’s eyes. In others, he saw fear.

“Come on,” Emilia said. “Marcela told us to meet with her once we’re done.”

She led them out of the assignment room and back toward the courtyard. Once outside, Hump spotted the axeman slumped up against the wall, head rested against it and staring up at the sky. A woman stood beside him, a hand on his arm. Hump wondered who he’d lost.

“May the gods bless you,” Bud said as they passed.

The man opened his eyes, then nodded his thanks.

They walked a few steps in solemn silence, only for someone to shout.

“Robert!” Hump glanced over to find Bud’s cousin, Arthur, storming toward him. The knight was alone. “You’re back then.” He frowned as he noticed the bronze medallion around Bud’s neck. “And you’ve been promoted. My congratulations, cousin.”

Bud smiled. “Thank you, Arthur. It’s good to—”

“Carla’s dead,” Arthur interrupted. “She had her throat slit by a mantis carver. It wasn’t as quick as it sounds.”

Bud’s jaw dropped. He took a long, shaking breath. “May Kelisia welcome her to the ice fields. My condolences, Arthur. Truly.”

Arthur gritted his teeth. “Is that all you have to say? She was your sister knight. You should have been with us. Does your oath mean nothing to you?”

“My oath is to Kelisa,” Bud said darkly. “I’m sorry that Carla is dead. She was a good knight, and she will be dearly missed, but I have a duty to my own party.”

“You are a Blackthorne, are you not? Or have you relinquished that now too?”

“Arthur—”

“Save it,” Arthur snapped. “I don’t want to hear it. I came here on your father’s instruction, to bring you back into the fold. It is clear to me I needn’t have bothered. You are no cousin of mine.”

He shoved past Bud, walking deeper into the academy.

Hump glanced at his friend. “Do you want to go after him?”

Bud watched him go and shook his head. “Perhaps he’s right. Perhaps I have relinquished the Blackthorne name.”

“Do not be so foolish,” Emilia said. “Arthur is struck with grief. You are not to blame.”

Bud smiled sadly. “Then why do I feel guilty?”

They met Marcela near the gates along with Corvin and his party. It was strange seeing Marcela outside of her battle gear, dressed instead in a grey, wool coat that reached down to her knees.

“Is everything okay?” she asked. “That was your cousin, no?”

“It’s fine,” Bud said. “My cousin and I have simply not seen eye to eye as of late.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Family disputes are the last thing one needs in times like this. I wanted to invite you back to my family training grounds, but if you are not feeling up for it today, I understand. The academy has become so busy, I thought you might appreciate more space.”

“That sounds good actually,” Bud said. “We were going to train today anyway.”

“We were promoted to bronze,” Hump said. “I understand that you had a hand in that.”

Marcela withdrew a medallion from beneath her coat. “You weren’t the only one. My mother has decided to accelerate promotion for those that possess the strength, waiving the formalities usually necessary for the rank.”

“I see.”

“She also asked me to give you this.” She handed Hump a letter. “You should look inside.”

Hump broke the blue wax seal and unfolded the envelope, pulling out paper letter patterned with gold. The letter was handwritten.

Dear Wizard Humphrey,

I understand the Daston family has much to thank you for, and I would like to do so in person. Please join me for afternoon tea at three o’clock, One Plateau Peak.

Countess Justine Daston

“This is an invitation to afternoon tea with the countess,” Hump said.

“Indeed, it is,” Marcela said. “I promised you that you would be properly rewarded for your help, and my mother feels the same. I hope the short notice is no issue.”

“Not at all,” Hump said, trying to look calm as he returned the letter to the envelope and put it in his pouch. “Thank you.”

Marcela laughed. “This is our way of thanking you, Wizard Humphrey. Now if you’d like to follow me, I think you will be quite satisfied with our facilities.”

She led the way, and Hump followed numbly, only turning when he heard Celaine chuckle beside him.

“What?” he asked.

“You are going to a formal tea with a countess,” Celaine said.

“Gods mercy,” Hump said. “It’s going to be a disaster.”