To help transition Svarga from an awkward situation, I talked with her to keep her company. I wondered what was going on in Tristan’s head, but I chalked it up to stress. This island had been the personification of Satan’s asshole, breaking wind whenever the sun rose.

Svarga was pretty reserved with Tristan’s absence. She spent much of the time scribbling in a yellowed book. With how silent things were, it took a while to get a good feel for when I could leave. Eventually, I found an excuse in the form of Ravyn.

Svarga was still penning down notes when I left.

It was just a matter of time until Ravyn and Cailu were at each other’s throats. That wasn’t strange when I spent more than a minute thinking about it. What was strange to hear was that he somehow thought to ask Ravyn for advice. Besides Naeemah, I had a hard time imagining Cailu asking for anyone’s help, let alone Ravyn’s.

Not wanting to catch Ravyn off guard, I knocked on the door to our room. It didn’t take long until it swung open, the stink of alcohol rising into the air. Ravyn kept one hand on the door handle and a bottle of wine in the other. She wore a robe reminiscent of the one I got on San Island, her cheeks beet-red. The black and red fabric crossed over her chest, and a sash secured it around her waist. Cutting just above the knee, the robe offered a sneak peek of her shapely legs. Deja vu swept over me as the memory of our first meeting replayed in my head.

I swallowed.

“Well, isn’t this a familiar sight,” Ravyn hiccupped.

“Are you okay?” I asked. The tone of her voice had me worried. It squeaked, and there was a bit of hoarseness behind it. As if she’d screamed her throat ragged. I wondered if the red I saw in her cheeks was from the wine or something else. “You don’t look so good.”

“The cunt was being a cunt,” she said with a growl. “You’re here to make nice, aren’t—” she hiccupped. “Ah, fuck.” She took her hand off the handle and rubbed her forehead. “Head’s killing me.”

“Ravyn, really. Are you okay? What did he—”

“He made wild assumptions about me and my fucking… rehabilitation.”

Rehab? Well, I guess I could picture you at an AA meeting.

“What rehab?” I asked. “You never said anything like that before.”

There was always something more to Ravyn than meets the eye. Her lips formed a thin line as her violet eyes searched me. It put me on edge. Something was up.

“I need some time alone, Matt.” Tears were forming at the corners of her eyes. My mind warred with itself. With how reliable Ravyn was, it was like watching a great wall crumble in front of me. I wanted to help her. “I’ll be fine after this bottle.” Before I could stop her, she shut the door behind her, the clicking of a lock following.

I stood there for a moment, baffled. I turned to leave, and after a few steps, I stopped and glanced over my shoulder.

I wish you’d be more open with me, Ravyn.

Cailu’s enthusiasm to get us leveled seemed to return with each passing day. The next morning he knocked on my door at the crack of dawn and demanded I make my way down to the arena for more training. My muscles were still recovering from the day prior, but I supposed Nyarlea wouldn’t wait for any man.

I ate a light breakfast and hurried to the fighting pit, where a strange creature awaited Keke and me. Once Jeenie finished hooking it up with the choker, business continued as usual.

“Behind you!” I cried.

Keke turned on her heel and went down on one knee as she nocked and fired an arrow in a single motion. The arrow sang as it soared through the air, grazing the bulb of the pricklepuck—a strange hybrid between plant and Encroacher that stood up to my waist. It bore a bell-shaped head and walked on its roots, gliding across the sand at an alarming speed. It whipped its leaves through the air as if they were arms. The stem and roots of the creature served as its body, with spines as long as my finger lining its, uh, skin?

“Crap!” Keke yelped as she dove to the side to dodge the incoming Encroacher. The roots of the pricklepuck made disturbing scuttling sounds as it ran past her, turning on a dime and maintaining its momentum toward her.

I positioned myself between Keke and the pricklepuck, swiping my axe through the air at its stem. The creature reeled back, then caught my leather bracer at the wrist with the razor-like teeth around its “mouth.”

“Ah!” I swung with my free hand, nailing it in the face with the blunt of my shield. Hitting the damn thing felt like I was striking a sponge—the axe’s blade just would not stick. I hit it a few more times until it whipped its head to one side, tossing me to the ground and sending my axe across the sand. The pricklepuck was eating through my Energy and patience way too fast. “Damn it!”

Adrenaline pounding in my ear, I felt the renewed vigor granted to me by the arena’s [Priest] and reached for my axe. The pricklepuck drool dripped down my bracer as it stared at Keke briefly before lunging toward her. Keke leaped into the air as the pricklepuck’s bulb opened wider. The bulb narrowly missed Keke’s heel, and the pricklepuck tripped over itself, landing in the dirt with Keke settling back to the ground a few feet behind it.

Keke nocked another arrow as I ran to the Encroacher’s side with my weapon in both hands. One of the beast’s sharpened leaves flew at me, slicing across my cheek like a shallow paper cut. It stung like a mother but did nothing to impede me. I struck the pricklepuck overhead, shouting “[Adrenaline Rush]” before the attack landed.

I felt the blade enter the creature’s spongy flesh, and feeling its resistance, I doubled down and pulled back to hook the axe into its body. Three arrows struck the weed from the back of the head, drawing violet blood from the puncture points. It moved to look in Keke’s direction, but I pulled it back to the ground and stomped on it with my boot while I extracted the axe and struck it again.

Arrows continued to lodge themselves in the Encroacher’s body, and I soon felt the thing’s strength leave. A sickening gurgle escaped the mouth of the creature as I withdrew my axe and exhaled.

“Well, that was an… interesting one,” I commented.

“Nyarlothep is not to be trifled with,” Keke sighed.

The pricklepuck, as Jeenie had explained it, was not native to Ichi Island. This was a creature that resided in Nyarlothep. Hearing Jeenie say that these bastards hang out in communal groves together just made the idea of running into them that much worse.

My skin crawled at the thought.

The gate opened, and soon Cailu and Jeenie appeared. Jeenie practically bolted over to us while Cailu took his sweet time to arrive.

“Oh my goodness, you were dashing in there,” Jeenie said, biting her lower lip. “Did you see how much Experience it gave?”

I didn’t think to check.

“Appear, iPaw,” I said. The small device fell into my hand, and while I was getting used to seeing bigger numbers in the arena, I couldn’t help but gape. “Two hundred and fifty-three Experience?” I scrolled down with a flick of my thumb to see Keke had gained the same amount. I turned and imagined I was just as wide-eyed as she was. “How do you feel?”

“Stronger! Much stronger!” Keke said as she opened and closed her spare hand. The look on her face said it all. “I feel it. I’ve gone up a Level. I think I’ll grab a point of Strength.”

“Been meaning to ask since we met,” I said, feeling silly for never asking her before, “but does Strength actually help you?”

“Of course it does,” she frowned. “How else am I going to pull the string of my bow back if I don’t have the Strength to do it? Isn’t that common sense?”

“Well, yeah, I guess. I’ll explain why I asked later on.”

“Okay,” Keke smiled.

Matt has gained: 253 Base XP!

Matt has gained: 308 Class XP!

Matt is now: Base Level 10!

Matt is now: Class Level 10!

Keke has gained: 253 Base XP!

Keke has gained: 308 Class XP!

Keke is now: Base Level 9!

Keke is now: Class Level 9!

“No way,” I muttered. “I’m Level 10 now.”

“Excellent,” Cailu said, arriving just in time to hear Matt. “It was fortuitous that Jeenie still had a pricklepuck in her pens.”

“Takes a real careful hand to keep them from growing out of control, I’ll have you know,” Jeenie said, shooting him a glare.

“I am aware,” said Cailu.

“Thanks, Jeenie. Seriously,” I said, hoping to break the awkward tension between her and Cailu. They were all business all of the time, and they were mostly snippy with each other. It was like watching my parents fight all over again. “I’ll pay you back. I promise.”

Jeenie grinned. “Yeah, you will.”

Keke cuffed the bends of our elbows together and pulled me close. “Congratulations, Matt! You can become a Second Class now!”

“Second Class, huh?” I holstered my axe around the belt loop and examined the shield on my arm as I thought. Guess I couldn’t spend my time thinking about where I wanted to go with my build anymore. It was time to get an expert’s opinion on the matter. I swallowed my pride and inhaled deeply. “What options do I have, Cailu?”

The faintest hint of a smile tugged at his mouth. “For a [Warrior], you have the option of pursuing [Battleguard] or [Myrmidon].” Cailu sniffed. “From what I understand, you have had the fortune of fighting alongside both. Which one appeals to you more?”

It was hard to say. I’d grown attached to my axe, and it didn’t seem like [Myrmidon] had many—if any—options for fighting with an axe. To learn how to use a sword, let alone a katana, felt like I’d have to re-learn my Class all over again.

Maybe I should’ve used a sword. Zahra’s attacks were incredible.

“Can I be honest without getting talked down to?” I asked, meeting Cailu’s gaze.

I don’t know why my tone sounded so angry. Maybe the weight of the world was pressing down on me. Perhaps I was starting to take my role in the world more seriously. Whatever the case, if I was going to ask for advice, I wanted to hear something fair and open-minded. Good decisions required knowledge—something I still lacked.

Cailu nodded, albeit slowly, and I continued. “Thanks. I’d like to know the difference between them.” When Cailu opened his mouth, I raised a hand. “And I need details. Not simplistic explanations. Please.”

He raised a brow.

“That goes without saying. I will pour what knowledge I have of [Battleguard] and [Myrmidon] into you.” Cailu rubbed his chin in thought. “Allow me to retrieve Zahra before we continue. I feel her input regarding [Myrmidon] will also be important.”

“Thanks, Cailu. Sorry if I came off harsh.”

“Do not trouble yourself over it,” Cailu shrugged. “Meet me in the dining room when you are ready. I will discuss it with you then.”

I nodded and watched as Cailu quietly left the arena.

“What a hardass,” said Jeenie, a hand on her hip. “Ah, well, what does it matter.” A snide smile was forming. “Did I mention how good you looked out there?”

“You did,” said Keke. “We have a few things to take care of, so we’ll see you later, Jeenie.”

Jeenie raised a brow. “Suit yourself. See you in the dining hall.”

Keke tugged me away with more force than necessary. I waited until we were a good distance away before I spoke.

“That was sudden. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Keke said, flashing a smile and returning to her usual tone.

I’m not sure I’ll ever understand women.