Alex exploded forward with a speed that Eli's gaze could barely catch. A well-trained slash narrowly grazed past his nose as he dodged away, followed by another overhead strike. Eli used the sheathed sword in his hand to block the strike and kicked Alex away.

"Alex, I don't know what I did to upset you, but you don't want this fight. We could both get into serious trouble," Eli said. Alex initially ignored him, delivering another slash that Eli roughly blocked. However, he was then blindsided when Alex used the opening to shoulder-check Eli to the ground.

"I am well within my means to protect myself, as are you. Now, stand up. I want to see what it is you feared in that store," Alex said. He ran forward and plunged his sword into the ground where Eli was a moment before, only missing because Eli rolled away at the last second. Eli's attention was slipping, and for a moment, he felt the sickening sensation of time slowing to a crawl in front of him. His mind raced. He had no idea how this random person he had just met had figured out what happened so quickly. He couldn't imagine that he saw it with a single glance.

When he refocused, Alex pulled his sword from the ground and looked on.

"I am attacking you with the intent to kill, and you refuse to draw that sword. Are you incapable, or is something stopping you?" Alex said.

"I told you, this is a waste of time and energy. Someone could get hurt," Eli said, pulling himself to his feet. But this didn't make Alex any happier.

"The only waste here is what you are doing to yourself, and the only one at risk right now is you." Alex said, rushing forward again, feinting an attack to the left, only to deliver a punch to the gut. Eli felt the wind knocked out of him, and he stumbled back several steps. He tried to breathe, but his lungs burned, and it took all he had to stay upright.

"I've seen men like you before. You have fire in your eyes and a steady arm, but for whatever reason, you just sit there and think about anything else besides what to do with it," Alex said. He swung wide, only for Eli to barely get the sheathed sword between him and the flashing metal. The force behind Alex's swing, however, caused him to finally lose his focus and robbed him of his strength. He was sent falling to the ground, and time slowed to a crawl. Every heartbeat in his chest felt like the sound of rolling thunder. Every movement of his eyes felt like a ball bouncing in his head. Even the act of falling was more like slowly sinking in a vat of oil than collapsing through the air.

It made no sense that he was being attacked like this. All he did was say some things and walk away, and here this person was beating him. He seemed like some fancy noble type, so maybe he really was just getting his licks in. But that didn't explain what he was saying.

A fire in his eye, an arm too steady?

He knew where he had heard those words before.

Donovan, the man who took him in as a mercenary, he saw the fire, and his own dad said that was the excuse for sending him away, his arm was too steady. He didn't know what to do with this information. Alex was beating on him, but didn't sound angry, just annoyed.

Eli felt a feeling in his chest, somewhere between anger and fear. It was the strangest thing he had ever felt, but he knew that he felt it before. When, where? Neither mattered. He knew it in his heart. He felt his body move without instruction, as his leg came up to stop his fall, and his arms came up to unsheathe the sword in his hand.

Time crawled, but not as quickly now. Everything moved at nearly half speed, and just as he pulled the sword from the sheath, his mind was filled with a tidal wave of ideas and concepts. In the slowed time, it didn't feel overwhelming. He could see flashes of techniques, stances, and movements that he knew for certain he had never seen in person. Except in this slowed time, he could take them in more carefully. It wasn't like he was being flashed in an instant, but being shown something.

Eli spun around as quick as a flash and parried the strike he didn't even know was coming. When he turned his gaze on Alex, rather than fear or anger, there was a smile on his face.

In this moment, Eli felt like he was moving underwater. His movements were slow but constant, and it took effort to move as he did. He delivered a two-point slash, and Alex parried it. Off-balance and not wanting to be risky, Eli dodged backward, which put Alex at an uncomfortable distance.

Responding to this, Alex changed his guard, moving the blade closer to his chest. Eli knew this as middle guard, even though he couldn't say why. It offered both defense and offense and would be used in uncertain situations.

Eli changed his own position, high and to the side, ox guard. He pressed his advantage and feinted an attack, causing Alex to recline and take the defense. Eli followed this with a downward slash, only for it to be deflected, and Alex to attempt to shoulder-check Eli again. But Eli ducked down and caused Alex to fall over the top of himself. When he sprung back up, Alex was sent flying away.

Alex soared several feet away and just barely managed to land without stumbling.

Eli calmed himself and gathered his focus. Time returned to its normal speed, and he was left still breathless. From the looks of it, Alex felt the same.

"I knew that I wasn't imagining things," Alex said, standing back up and dusting his coat off.

"Yeah… Maybe you can walk away now. You got what you wanted, so can you leave me alone?" Eli said.

"Leave you alone? No, my friend, I wish to fight you again. I must say that I've never fought anyone like you before," Alex said. He raised the sword he held, and it dissolved in his hands, falling as ash in front of him.

"I want to tell you to take a hike, but my gut tells me you won't take no for an answer," Eli said. He put the sword back in the sheath that he was still holding and stepped forward to give it back to Alex. Only for him to wave Eli off.

"Keep it, I have no shortage of swords. This was just one I was rather fond of. I'd rather know you have a good sword next time we meet so I know there is no difference in our equipment. Only our *experience*," Alex said. Then with a wave, he walked out of the clearing until Eli couldn't see him.

"What a strange person," Eli said casually to himself. Talking about Eli’s experience when he knew full well that he had none.

-----

The crowd, by this point, had died down, and people went on with their days, leaving Alice with only a few shop owners and craftsmen interested in supporting their operation. Andromeda was busy with meetings herself, Chi was back at the hall, and *Eli* was off doing whatever he pleased with no regard for others.

Once everyone's offers of donation were accounted for, Alice was left standing mostly alone after sending them off. However, she heard something she very much didn't want to hear spoken from the other side of the street.

"Alice *Magrisal*, if my eyes don't deceive me," the voice of a man said. She turned to face the speaker out of politeness, but she already knew from the tone and the small group standing around them that this wouldn't be reciprocated.

"Yes? That is my name, what of it?" She said, hoping to keep this on the low. But the man only smiled wider.

"I am beyond words to express how surprised I am to see such a noteworthy young lady in this podunk little town. I heard that you spirited yourself from the capital, but to see you here is just… Oh, it's so wonderfully sweet," he said. The man and those around him approached, and she did her best to maintain her composure, but this interaction was already going south.

"Sir, I do not agree with your saying. I came here of my own accord. I am here to assist a friend, nothing more," Alice said.

"Oh, but is that not so convenient? You do such a foolish thing as to have a fling with the newly risen Lord Sherchower, and then you *just happen* to have business in the ass end of the country? Oh, my dear, it could not be more clear that your flight of fancy did not end well," the man continued. Alice felt a vein bulge in her head, not only from the accusation but from the sheer insensitivity in the man's words. From the way he was dressed, she could tell he was nothing more than perhaps a wealthy merchant passing through this town, but to talk to a noble in such a way. At least those who hated the nobility had the decency to spit insults rather than this poisonous drivel.

The situation only continued to escalate, as the man's loud voice seemed to draw in attention. Of course, when he practically yelled her full name, that was enough to get some attention, but when spitting such candy-coated bile as he was, it was hard for people not to perk up.

Soon, there were normal townsfolk walking up.

*"Are you really Alice Magrisal?"*

*"What is Lord Sherchower like?"*

*"Are you really hiding here?"*

People began pelting her with questions over and over, and she was moments away from losing her temper. But just as she was a hair's breadth away from throwing them all away, the sound of a large bird screamed above. Everyone besides Alice turned to the sky to identify the noise, only to see a bird of massive proportion circle above. However, it was no ordinary bird. Rather, it was like an eagle, but easily several times larger than a normal one. Had it stood on the ground before them, it would stand just shorter than Alice herself. Besides that, it was spectral in substance and partially transparent.

They were further surprised to see it then vanish from the sky, at the same moment a new voice from the street corner called out to them. Alice nearly took the opportunity to leave but didn't get a chance.

"You lot! What kind of vile obscenities must pervade your mind to speak of someone in such a way? Did your mothers teach you such words, or did your own desire to spit on the grave of good manners guide your filthy lips?" The voice said; it was a woman, and she sounded utterly upset.

"Who are you to… say…" The man's voice petered out, but as his gaze fixed on the woman, all bravado escaped from him.

"You know very well who I am. Now answer for your rude behavior and apologize before I lose my patience!" She continued to say; the man and his cronies walked off, saying quiet apologies, and ran off until even Alice couldn't sense them anymore.

The display with the spectral bird, as well as her own voice, brushed off the rest of those who gathered around, leaving the two girls alone in the street. The young woman turned her attention to Alice and politely bowed her head.

"I am very sorry that you have been mistreated, Lady Magrisal. It is an utter disgrace that people have such nerve to speak to others like that," the young woman said.

"Oh, um, thank you," Alice said, unsure of what would even be the right thing to say as thanks. But she bowed her head in return, and the young woman led her to some nearby empty seats in front of a bakery to sit down.

"I'd like to introduce myself; I am Alexis, and I happened to be heading this way on some business when I heard those terrible men's awful words. I knew that it wasn't my place to interject myself, but hearing such disrespect plainly upset me. I hope you won't hold it against me," she said.

"Hold… Of course not! I was moments away from throwing them away myself. If anything, you saved me from making a mess of the situation. This day has been stressful enough without me losing my temper," Alice replied.

"After what terrible things I've heard others say about you and your family, I wouldn't blame you. It seems like some people these days lack any decency. They say what they wish with no regard for how it might affect others," Alexis said.

"You're telling me. From the moment I left the capital to now, I haven't managed to go more than a few days without hearing someone or something scoff at me," Alice said.

"I know it doesn't mean much, but I truly do feel for you. As it happens, the business I was hoping to attend to today was tea with some colleagues. Would you wish to come with me as a plus one? It might take your mind off your troubles, if only for a moment." Alexis suggested.

Alice thought about it, and there was no rush to head back to the hall as soon as she finished. Andromeda would be in town for a few more hours at least, and she saw no harm in it.