Celeste was on a real life adventure, but so far it had not really felt like it. She realised she was travelling with real bumpkins when nearly all of them got shocked at Dormata’s art running off its walls as the storm came in and the rain started falling. At least they had some rather exciting animals along for the journey; including the strangest pair of birds she’d ever come across. For some reason the little one kept insisting on riding on top of Oscar as he navigated their path on his huge mount. It seemed to consider the position a win by proxy?

At least Kalle–the one meant to be helping her become a [Witch] later–was nice, and had actually grown up in Dormata at that. One of the few who helped break up the talk of farming, fighting and searching for herbs and types of soil and all that, which the rest of the expedition kept going on and on about.

Celeste was an aspiring [Witch] due to circumstance, and there was only a week remaining until she turned sixteen. And that’s about damn time.

When she came looking to join up, she’d seen a shot at not just getting the Class; but at learning to level it in the real wild as well. To truly challenge herself, but still in relative safety, with a group of higher level companions; which was in stark contrast compared to the fools you heard of at times, who got hold of their first Skills and went to head out alone within their first few months, as soon as their supposed Class-tutor had their backs turned.

This more modest company consisting mostly of younger people felt like it was a far safer bet; especially since she had no clue what sort of Skills she might be getting yet. Not even an Enticer-Skill yet, to give any hint. It was maddening, being so close to adulthood and the freedom of personal power. Who wants to have their path molded like that anyway, it's no wonder they run.

From what she’d learned of Caster-based Classes in school, [Warlocks] and [Witches] in particular could upgrade their Class to something which leaned heavily towards specific affinities–besides the rituals and other occult magic stuff–quite early on, unlike other generalist choices. Although so far the [Warlock] had been very tight-lipped about the specifics of his Class. It was clear she had work to do before she could expect to be considered–or treated–something like a true member of the expedition.

At least they had made it easy to decide if she should stay on later, with only a shorter contract and no further obligations in the end, besides Celeste giving up her time and doing her best working for them, once she had some useful Skills. In exchange for such a cut-and-dry deal, all she got was room and board for the duration, but while out there; what else could you need? And when I return to society, I'll be a completely different person... Okay. Maybe some good company, but that was still possible; in fact it felt like it was only a matter of time. People were still warming up to each other. Kalle especially seems like he sees when I start to get homesick and want to be distracted, and when I need space. I guess I’m just easy to read.

It didn't really bother her that he had neglected to talk to her about his own Spells yet. That was fine. Really. Apparently he was very busy working on some longer term project or such; and his gaining levels could only benefit her as well, so it was easy to feel motivated leaving him alone to do his work in peace, for the time being.

... Until she got her Class... If that did indeed provide her with some useful Skills to help out, then yeah… Bugging him all the time might actually start to turn tempting. But just asking should be fine. They'd be working close together after all. Or else they'd be clearly wasting her potential; something which did not seem likely around this training-obsessed group. I just hope he doesn't try to patronise me.

But just in case Kalle hated a nag, she'd subconsiously decided to hold back, to return later on, with some actual specific inquiries and with a few weeks of discipline to underscore how she was not a frivolous type. Actually, another point to consider is if I'll be needing the help at all. If their Classes were far enough apart, then it was likely that she could know as much as him about her new abilities. Especially if they were no better than uncommon, and not of his affinity–whichever that was. And whatever the rank of my Aspiration Skill, I know I'll have at least some training techniques to incorporate into my path.

The ranking of Aspiration Skills mattering was a myth anyway, every teacher had told them that. It's just a lot scarier when you've only got the one Class to pick from.

Celeste had been properly schooled; and apparently Kalle had not. But she could tell he was intelligent, having spent only a few days together, and so he probably had his Class figured out to a commendable degree, despite the fact. She just hadn’t seen him actually do any rituals yet, that part was strange. Then again, maybe they hadn’t had much reason. Their scouts were certainly effective, and a lodestone and clairvoyance ritual were the only real ones Celeste had been taught about so far. They're bound to know some better ones though, surely? He did say he's past his first capstone, at least that's something... sigh, what have I gotten myself into.

As they approached Sandall and Celeste took in the last vision of civilization she was likely to see for a while, which was looking wholly inadequate when compared to her hometown; her feet almost went to turn back around, but when looking over her shoulder Celeste noticed she was trapped. The draft animals, who they had bringing up the rear, were stood in the way; and from that point, the only thing keeping her moving was the calm click of their shod gait on the cobbles–leading placidly up to the open reinforced gate.

She wanted this. She had for a long time, fully intending to grow into a truly famous and proficient Caster. You want this. This is only the first challenge of many. You want this.

Sandall was the northernmost Human town, if you were counting those of any proper size. Besides that, you had some small fishing villages along the river that marked the border; all meant to sound the alarm should any larger force of Cloven approach, but besides that the town was utterly unremarkable. It relied only on the local iron mine for riches, and the temporary settlements of furriers, treasure hunters and herbalists who kept coming through, to keep it supplied and prospering. The rest was brought by caravans that left laden with heavy loads of ore and the few Treasures of nature that could be scavenged before the Cloven got to them with their superior methods.

While they were still back in Dormata, when Kalle saw their auction go so well–and realised they would be flush with funds for a while, despite what they spent on this strange [Cloche Illuminance Sensor]–he immediately thought of his upcoming summoning ritual again, and what he still needed to power it. The very next thing he did was go up to Livia to ask for an advance payment from his share of their weekly budget; a big one. Livia had not even felt the need to ask him why before she agreed. But he had told her anyway; as soon as he felt ready, it was time to begin the real [Ritual Summoning of his fated Familiar.

And so Kalle went on a final Dormata mission, and got an overpriced raw magicore twice the size of the last one, which felt like it was brimming with a clear mixture of untouched magical energies. It cost him well over a thousand silver coins. Worth it.

The [Esperlock] was feeling giddy. The town they entered looked much like a smaller version of Dormata, just lacking most of the art. Except it was missing the lake and had a very old-looking maple woods creeping right up to the defensive stone walls. Kalle barely noticed, or tried to figure out what such expensive fortifications were needed for, unlike Livia who he could tell was feeling bothered. Instead he had all his focus turned inward.

When the posted [Sentries] checked them by the gates, they practically skipped over him with the way he was looking so pensive–and he was wearing his most mundane robes for travel anyway, so they went over to Redd quickly, once they had noted his young face.

Then there was a load of people all around them again, as usual with all their emotions on full display.

It was far from the most outlandish bunch Kalle’d ever seen; that prize still went to the Dormata artists, who were busy at work outdoing each other's new style, most weeks. But they did look different from the frontier-folk he was used to. Mostly in that they were nearly all looking fully prepared to blend in, with a little branch to hold in front of their faces being the one missing feature–then they'd be fully prepared to camouflage into the environment, almost completely; soon as they stepped foot outside of their trusty walls. Such clothing was not nearly so useful down south, where the forest grew much sparser.

Even entering the Sandall town square, they really all appeared surprisingly uniform. Not a one among them wasn’t wearing sturdy, tightfitting clothes in varying shades of green, even patterned within the same item. They're all a bunch of Robin Hoods. So I guess we know where those artists and [Weavers] sourced their green dyes, that’s one off the list.

Livia and the gang took a good look around at their local competition, then the [Guild]'s members who had [Merchant]-Skills went and checked out the markets, but the rest of them went ahead to the western gate to try and find a good inn to listen for local rumours in; although apparently they were not staying the night. That's fair enough, plenty of light left yet.

They found a place with a sign naming it 'The Hangman's Haunt', which sounded ominous, but the cheer exuding from the place belied the effect. Once inside they found that there was a man behind the long wooden bar who was hanging by his elbows on the edge, and the rest of them went and found seats as Oscar and Livia took Kalle along as the designated lie detector, and went and ordered them some refreshments.

“Ah, new blood. And young ‘uns at that. What will it be?” He had a friendly smile on–which was missing the front teeth–although it didn’t quite reach all the way to his eyes. And he seemed to be swaying strangely, with his lower half behind the bar. Kalle could mostly tell the man was distacted.

“Uhm, do you serve any apple drink?” Oh, yeah. That's right. Livia had developed a taste for the stuff too. She was a lost cause by this point, while half of their drinkers were usually looking out for variety. Kalle knew his order straight away. “Do you happen to have any honey mead?”

They were close to the Cloven borderlands after all; and indeed the barman seemed to hardly find it odd, and swiftly complied with their requests by heading over to the other side of his workplace: That’s when it clicked. He was an amputee from the navel down.

At first he simply raised himself up from where he'd been resting on his elbows, and hand walked over to fill the mugs; but then he had to return, with all three of their mugs filled to the brim, which made Livia look on worriedly, like she maybe meant to try and assist... But Kalle knew how older veterans could move; he simply looked forward to seeing it.

The man held three mugs in a tight grip in the one hand; and then he simply raised himself up and walked like a spider, with the use of his enhanced fingers on the other one.

Livia’s face turned into a bright smile, and the barman’s did too, and this time it was a true one. Evidently he enjoyed showing off to younger customers, and this was certainly the right job for it. “That’s amazing, wow!” She took a big slurp as he handed it to her, but then immediately grimaced. “Oh, wow again. I wish I could say the same about this drink,”

“Hey, if that was my own brew I would have had to actually be offended. Luckily, that’s all imported stuff; and we lost our primary supplier a while back, so I can hardly blame you."

Right, funny thing that. “At least the mead is good,”

True–except if you had been expecting something magical–then you might have been disappointed; Algernon certainly looked that way after he had a closer sniff. But Kalle had more reasonable expectations. He was only looking for that liquid honey taste, and so could happily raise his mug to vouch for that comment. As it turns out the Barman’s name was Didrik, and he was the most welcoming face they’d met since leaving the Legume, even if it was the man's job. They spent that evening gathering rumours and learning more of the current lay of the land.

But first and foremost they took the time to relax more fully than they expected to be able to in the coming weeks. However, that only lasted for about an hour before Livia and a couple of others got up to ask around about their surroundings.

Oscar was the one who first struck up a conversation with a [Farmer], who held on to a corner alone and was still waiting for his less Skilled buddies to finish their workday.

He found out a lot from the man; not least which crops struggled in these areas. Although he did not go so far as to offer up any solutions; the man was no spring chicken and clearly wasn't one to be too inviting towards competitors, not before he had a better handle on who they were, and if they could be counted on. At least that was Oscar's interpretation, after sharing a couple of drinks.

Kalle joined them soon, after he heard talk of fruit trees and saw a chance to share some of his know-how from the orchard, but then the subject slid onto the subject of local dangers: “Of course, there’s the Dungeon to the east, but it lies dormant for years at a time. I don’t think the last couple of outbreaks were more than two years past? Something like that. What you really need to watch for are the damn Cloven, if you so much as let them see you beating a branch up, then they’re likely to beat you just as blue,”

Now that sounded like some exaggerated prejudice, even to Oscar. And it certainly felt like it to Kalle's enhanced senses as well. But hey, at least it meant the guy was watching out. “Uh, yeah. We’ll be careful. But so I gather you haven’t been seeing any strange stuff going on more recently?”

The question stumped the man for a mere second; which was nothing, even to a keen observer. “No, nothing for several months now.”

If it wasn’t for [Esper’s Balm] then the [Esperlock] would have missed the lie. But his Skill was far from precise; and there was no maliciousness behind the words. If anything Kalle just felt a sense of unexpected embarrassment, but the core of duplicity still remained.

Since it was not immediate, Kalle decided to let it go until later and simply inform Livia once they were headed out.

After a while the [Guild] expedition gathered again, and as it was getting late they all knew what came next. But Livia decided to surprise them: “Hey ya'll, I’m feeling the mood, alright? I figured we could put it to a vote. We could push ahead on the road, for 3 hours with light, probably another two safely after that. We’ll probably reach a farm near the end, it won’t be so bad.” They all waited for the but. “But, we could also relax here for the night, even if it will cost us more. We can get started fresh tomorrow, but that will be the last time we delay for comfort’s sake. What will it be?”

They all cast their votes; and with the newcomers to add on, Albert and the others who–at times–leaned towards laziness, ended up getting the win in the end. Even Algernon voted to stay, despite the call of the forest, and having to share a room with Oscar if he stayed here. He’d gotten a taste for the local mead; even if the overall effect was lacking.

They all went to bed early then, ready for new challenges on the morrow.

Everyone except for Kalle: he stayed up late for the tenth night in a row, drawing patterns and making up schematics to fit with the scenes they had passed today.

Tomorrow was the day. Tomorrow–as soon as they stopped to camp for the evening–Kalle was heading out to find a secure spot to conduct his ultimate [Summoning Ritual].

It was time to do the thing for real; it was time to meet with his own little buddy, at last.