Desert Air

The content of this page is relevant to the Pi Timeline.

*Note: This is the rewritten version of Desert Air (2021-2022). For the original version written in 2019, go here.*

### 1

Hot desert air, dry and sweltering.

This was the environment that Raff would be stuck in for the next few weeks. This was his only means of escape, and even that had been a coincidence. Two years of running from someone whose reputation he had accidentally ruined by stumbling in on the wrong meeting. This wealthy individual's ire manifested itself in some tough-looking people to find and capture the little brat to blame. Him, Raff Velyn.

He had never thought he would see a desert at any point in his life.

And until recently, that would've been exactly right. Aside from the clothing on his body, everything in his possession had been a gift, less than a week ago now. While wandering in the city, Raff had run into an old man who looked at him intently, asked for his name, and confidently stated that he "remembered old times" with Raff's employer, mistaking him for someone else. With the hot season approaching, he had been asked what his travel plans were. The simple answer "away from here" had led the man to offer an exclusive "once in your lifetime" trip across Gredile's desert. Everything else required - camping supplies, rations, travel to the meeting point - he would also pay out of his own pocket. Lastly, he'd even given Raff a little business card, to remind "his" boss, whoever that was.

He didn't want to refuse a gift that meant a free ticket away from his problems, but now that he looked around him, it felt like the improvement was not much. He hadn't stayed for the introduction round last night, wanting to stay unnamed in the midst of people who looked very wealthy. Wealthy enough to maybe know his tormentor, and that would be the end of it, even after two years. Not everything was bad, however. With all that expensive clothing and small fans waving in their hands, nobody seemed prepared for this heat.

Only a few others stood out in this landscape of sand, fashion and sweat, besides Raff. There were three people, clearly belonging together, dressed in tan shorts and comfortable shoes made for long walks. With their sun hats and large backpacks, they certainly *looked* a bit more prepared, though after seeing one of them fumble with sand in their shoe, Raff wasn't too sure if they really were.

And then, there was the lady in long sleeves and a scarf. Raff felt he was dressed minimally, in his simple shirt and ankle-length pants, a small bag carrying some water and food for the day. The tourists were dressed fashionably with their expensive designed clothes and bags. Scarf lady, as he was naming her, looked like she belonged in an old story about Rangers fighting monsters to protect society from harm. Several layers of clothing made little known about her figure or age, as she also kept her long hair in place with a bandanna of sorts.

Much like with Raff, nobody spoke to her. While he could imagine them mistaking himself for just another assistant or maybe the relative of one of the travel guides, it was hard to miss scarf lady's colourful dress.

Over the course of the day, he watched as everyone slowed down to a crawl, even with all their luxurious supplies. The three backpacks were not much better off. Raff had managed to stay fairly clean by keeping to the slow pace of the monsters carrying the tents and supplies for everyone. He watched in awe as scarf lady paced to one side of the group quickly to inspect something in the sand, before pacing back just as quickly.

Who *was* she, and how did she withstand the temperatures in all of that? The question lingered in the evening as everyone settled down with their tents. For this night, the tour had provided a small, "traditional" buffet for everyone to enjoy. Raff ate alone, watching the other guests having their loud conversations around the buffet or next to their tents. Most of them seemed to know each other. It reminded him of school, where nobody would bother talking to him. Not that he really wished they did. The parts of conversations that he had picked up today were lacking in interesting topics.

Some leftover slices of bread were available in a basket of the buffet, so Raff took them and stuffed them into his bag. Nobody was going to miss a few of these, and they were pretty good.

The next morning, Raff woke up to the sound of laughter outside. For breakfast, last night's prize was first, then one of the sandwiches he'd gotten in his travel supplies. Waking up, eating, and packing was the only notable event from the morning to sunfall, when they stopped to unpack, eat, and sleep. A guide would stop the caravan at a rock formation and talk about the natural forces that shaped it over time, or point at the same creatures in the distance every time they showed up.

Today's rock looked like a bulbous vegetable with layers peeling off of it.

"So! About this rock. Through many years and the change of seasons, differences in humidity in the air peeled away layer after layer in it, resulting in beautiful colours."

A few tourists nodded, impressed. An unfamiliar voice rang out through the crowd. Her voice was elegant, with an accent that sounded almost foreign with how neatly she pronounced everything.

"Apologies, but that isn't quite correct. The humidity does relate to the colour of the stone, but the reason the stone peels away is more to do with temperatures. The heat of the day causes the rock to expand and crack; at night, water sets in the cracks, and expands when it freezes. Slowly, the crack widens, until it is joined by its brethren and a chunk of stone breaks off."

The guide looked dumbstruck, glaring to see who dared interrupt his story. When he could not find the culprit, he continued, though he seemed uncomfortable with something for the rest of his presentation. Raff looked left and right to see where the voice had come from. Rather suddenly, he encountered scarf lady nearby. She was muttering to herself, though when she noticed him looking, her face took on an exasperated expression, and she gestured at the guide.

It was her first meaningful communication with anyone. Everyone completely ignored her otherwise; even after she had spoken, only a few tourists had looked aside, and resumed listening as if nothing special was going on. Raff was intrigued, both by her appearance and her behaviour. In that brief eye contact, it was as if he could read from her face. *I don't want to be here, just like you*.

A while later, the stream of words from the guide's mouth stopped and everyone slowly got back in motion until daylight started to fade. The evening approached quickly as Raff set up his small tent. He watched the other travellers with their packaged meals, while pondering his jars of conserved and dried foods, and their large folding chairs as opposed to the tiny one he was seated on, his knees pointing up. His food wasn't as luxurious, but Raff kind of enjoyed the taste, at least for now.

Across from the spectacle of decadent luxury in front of him, he spotted her again, now seated in front of her tent and writing something in a book. He didn't want to stare, but Raff found himself unable to look away out of curiosity. She looked up as if she *knew* he was gazing at her. He froze from how quickly she had turned her head, staring right at him. Her expression went from serious to something else. Curious, maybe? Raff couldn't hold that intense gaze and had to look away before he could really study it.

Returning inside his tent, he got into his sleeping bag to get some rest. Scarf lady's explanation about the peeling rock was right about one thing: the desert cooled off a lot at night.

Their journey was ultimately headed for Langton's Nest, a small settlement just off the coast, founded around the former home of Delinius Rennart Langton - a name almost anyone knew. There were too many books with too many stories about him to count. The guides talked about the town and its supposed founder extensively, all day. Raff had read a few stories before, in school. It reminded him of the Dwinian children in some classes. They weren't liked much by others either, but at least they'd had each other. They were also the only ones that would let him sit at the table with them freely.

Scarf lady was nowhere to be seen, until the guides were prattling about a decaying pathway that emerged from the sand here and there. The chunks of stone seemed massive, almost impossible to bring all the way out here into the desert. Raff focused on her instead of losing count with the many stories being told. A thin layer of dust covered her clothes, as if she had been on a short walk by herself for a while. She made no effort to dust it off, however, and instead began closing the distance.

Their eyes met again when they were no more than an arm's length apart. Her mouth opened.

"Do not listen to anything they say about Langton's Nest, or its original inhabitants. They are complete amateurs."

She spoke quite softly, without being hard to understand. As with the peeling rock layers, the pronunciation easily pierced the noise of people holding their own conversations. It was a surprise, but not one he minded. It was hard to hide his clumsiness. "Oh? Uh, yes? I thought you didn't..."

"Speak?"

He looked at her sheepishly. "Er, yes. Though I also didn't think you would speak to me." He was met with a brief silence, before scarf lady made a gesture with her hand.

"Alussa. I've deducted that you must be Raff Velyn."

What? Oh no. Not all the way out here, and not her, out of all people. "H- how did you know?"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous! I looked at the passenger list this morning, while the guides were asleep. You are the *last* person I could wish harm on."

She wasn't after him, but that didn't tell Raff much about her sudden remark. Raff breathed a small sigh of relief before turning to Alussa's original statement about Langton's Nest.

"Right... Thank you. You said that the guides don't know anything about Langton's Nest or the people there. Why's that?"

Alussa did something he had never seen her do so far - smile. "Perhaps I can tell you more about that when we cease walking. I believe that the pathetic ones of this tour are feeling rather slow today." There was a hint of amusement in her voice when she spoke of the fashionable tourists of this trip.

"Sounds like you know the place. I'll uh, I'll see you when we stop, then?"

"Indeed, quite so."

With a nod, she walked on without waiting for him. She seemed to have something on her mind, though Raff had a hard time figuring out if she wanted to say more, or if she was just thinking of something else. After one of the guides had given a very short talk about some slightly more straight rock - something about a waypoint that was hard to recognise in the worn down brown stone that was being praised - they finally did come to a halt. Few people said anything. Raff decided to sit down on a rock that wasn't too jagged while waiting to see where Alussa was. He felt a little less out of place with someone to talk to, even if it was only for a day.

"Hey, you. Move up, will you? We want this spot."

A rather rotund fellow with a rather ornate sun hat interrupted Raff's thoughts quite suddenly. They frowned when they didn't get an immediate answer - clearly they were used to being served at their every beck and call.

"Hey! Didn't you hear me?"

Raff glanced around. There were a fair few rocks to sit on or at least lean against around him, not even too far from the one he had chosen. This was a lazy person with the kindness of a school bully. He sighed. "I heard you, yeah. You know there's, let me count... *lots* of other rocks around, right?"

They straightened the hat on their head and breathed in heavily. "Oh if you don't move, I'll... oh, you're going to regret this!"

In the heat of this childish conversation, both Raff and the troublesome tourist were interrupted by a notable 'ahem'. Alussa had found her way towards them both. The tourist seemed unimpressed.

"What? Back off, that rock is ours!"

Alussa took a slow, deliberate step forward, with a certain weight that Raff couldn't place exactly. "I'd advise you to find a different resting place. The young man is correct in stating the number of available places for this purpose. Now, would you please reconsider your plans and leave him be?"

The fellow in the hat somehow frowned even more. "I'm sorry, have you ever heard about minding your own business? I'll sit where I want! You don't want to get mixed up in this, so why don't you just leave while I'll let you." They accompanied it by stepping towards Alussa, as if to intimidate her. Though they were slightly taller, the threat and gestures completely missed her. She actually reached just over Raff's height, now that he thought about it.

Instead, she drew a short blade, one that looked more suited to chopping leaves or branches but seemed sharp regardless.

"Oh, I could gut you and bury you in the sand, and they would be none the wiser, or concerned with your absence. Though it sounds arrogant, you know not half of what you are dealing with here. Would you still like to contest my words?"

There was something in that tone of hers. She spoke of murdering and hiding a corpse with the calmness of discussing the weather, making her sound almost polite. This was in stark contrast to her eyes, which almost glowed with disdain. The tourist paused when it became clear they were outnumbered, in addition to the chopping knife being pointed their way.

"Oh. Riiiiight." Slowly, they walked backwards before turning around and leaving hastily. Alussa sheathed the blade shortly after.

"Apologies, Raff. I would rather not flaunt my armaments, but one can only do so much when the other refuses to see things in a different light. Would you like to walk around, or would you rather I seat myself here?"

Raff shifted to the side of his rock. "Be my guest, if you want. There's enough space."

She took a seat and placed her bag on the sand before her. Much like her clothing, it looked quite a bit older and more traditional, perhaps made out of a tough monster's skin. He finally got a better look at that book Alussa had been writing in. This, too, looked old enough to belong in a library. Alussa briefly flipped through its pages before closing it and laying it on her lap.

"I believe you had some questions that required answers."

Eagerly, he opened with the first thing that had drawn his attention when she was scuttling back and forth like it was cold rather than warm. "Well... why are you wearing such long clothes? How do you walk around so quickly like the sun isn't there? You're... really strange."

Alussa glanced at him and tilted her head. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh, I didn't mean that in a bad way! It stood out to me because it's so warm out here. You're the only one who isn't sweating out of their clothing." Oops. His response seemed to lighten the mood, however.

"Hm. Are you nobody, then? I don't seem to detect notable sweat stains on your clothing either. To speak not of your own attire, so simple and unassuming. Not to say it is pitiful or unfashionable, far from it. I'd much rather that than the high "fashion" that surrounds us."

He laughed, though it was hard to gauge if she was complimenting him or just making an observation. He wasn't sure what the use of "us" implied either - as if all of a sudden, they knew each other.

"I do mean that, amusing as it is. You're no less out of place in this environment than I. Though I will answer your question, I have one of my own that I would like you to respond to, after I answer yours."

Fair enough. That shouldn't be too bad. "Sure. I don't think there's much to ask about me, but it's only fair."

"We shall see about that, but you appear to be sound of mind. Regardless, I shall answer your question. I have certain... advantages in an environment like this. Heat and dry aid do not bother me in the slightest. Unfortunately, I am at a disadvantage in the cold, and under rain- and snowfall. I would rather not discuss the source of my adaptations, if you do not mind. Not in this location, at least." Her last sentence expressed some hesitation. Now came her question.

"What is it that brings a young man with no real name for himself out onto a tour typically reserved for upper class citizens of New Hub City, or parts of Steckenburg? What sort of terrible conscience made you shiver in alarm when I spoke your name? You may think there is little to inquire about yourself, Raff Velyn, but I find you most intriguing."

Raff raised his hands. "Whoa, that's two questions. One by one..." He couldn't believe he was actually going to tell someone he barely knew about this. "It's... not simple. I was looking to get away from Steckenburg when I ran into this old guy. He stared at me for more than a few dibs before he figured I was someone working for an old friend of his..." When he saw that Alussa was listening intently, he continued. "Heh, I'm actually telling this story to someone. This will sound ridiculous. He asked me if I had any travel plans in the hot seasons. I was hungry, tired and really just wanted to get some rest, so I said, "anywhere that isn't Steckenburg". The guy nods, and says he knows just the trip for me - this one. Paying for my ticket, a tent, everything I need, just because his friend was such a nice one. It's fine if you want to laugh."

No laughter, but a small smile. "Sometimes, it really is a matter of place and time, not of effort or arbitrary worth. Please continue, if you're comfortable. I believe there is more to this, is there not?"

He stared at her for a moment. No... no, not out here. He didn't feel ready to talk about that yet. He looked at the ground. "There... there is, yes. But if it's okay, I *really* don't want to discuss that out here either. I..."

His hands were shaking a little.

"Take your time, by all means. I understand how you feel, as ridiculous as that might sound to you. Your expression is enough, for now. I take it that this relates to my second question, and perhaps a great deal more, but all in due time. Was there anything else you'd like to ask?"

As Raff looked up, he detected no trace of amusement or disbelief in Alussa's face. She genuinely seemed to understand his discomfort with the question - almost too much so. What good was it to distrust her, though? If she'd been out to get him, it wouldn't make sense to wait until they were all the way out in the middle of the desert, where it was only the travel group. At least in Langton's Nest, there were probably streets and corners, hiding places where nobody would look... right, Langton's Nest.

"Langton's Nest. You wanted to talk about that a little more, if I remember it alright."

Her smile remained. "Your short-term memory remains functional despite the heat, I see. I did, as a matter of fact, thank you. Yes, Langton's Nest is my area of expertise. Though I travel at the moment, I have always devoted myself towards knowledge in many forms. Few subject escape my attention, though I will admit I find technological developments somewhat less captivating than the societies within which those developments unfold. Have you ever read about the town?"

Raff shook his head. Before she continued, he added "I did read a few books about the founder of the place, or so they say. Delinius Rennart Langton." That name caught her attention.

"Oh, is that so? I'm surprised, though perhaps I should ask which ones instead, as there are a lot of them."

He racked his brain for the titles. It had been a few years, and spending time scavenging for his dinner hadn't done his book knowledge much good either. "Four dibs, I'm trying to remember... oh, wait. One of them was titled "Delinius in Ludusian Society", I think. I'm not sure how much I should believe of what everyone writes, though."

"Your scepticism is well-warranted. While many will claim to know about Delinius, few have actually taken the time to separate tall tales from true fact. One cannot blame them, however, as he was an obscure and enigmatic man when he had a public life."

When he had a public life. "Do you think he's out there still, like they suggest in that book?"

Alussa gazed at Raff for a moment, then to the surrounding rocks, and back at him, until she turned around rather suddenly. "We had best not talk about the man too much out here, lest some of these fools take notice. I think it would be wise if we resume our conversation near the end of the day. Please do not mention any of this to anyone else." She began walking away, back towards the caravan of monsters.

"Wait! Just... I want to thank you."

She stopped, only turning her head sideways. "What for?"

"For believing what I said, and not laughing. I... haven't really been able to talk to anyone about it. I'm sort of hoping I can trust you with the rest of the story later."

This sounded incredibly stupid and desperate, but Alussa only gave a small nod before she resumed her pace. What was he even thinking? At this point, he had to admit that he had no idea. Alussa gave him a sense of familiarity and of belonging that he hadn't felt throughout school, and let alone after. He was being far too predictable, really. She probably didn't even care that much, though she seemed far from bored while talking to him. He could probably get some answers in the evening.

I thought that I had really learnt my lesson when it came to encountering people on my travels, and especially on trips I would rather not have to make. I cannot see why I am required at home now, of all times, let alone why I must stop by the old house in the process. If it is my social interaction they were concerned with, any city would have done perfectly well, and if it was particularly about wealthy groups, there are far better environments for me to engage them in. They could have arranged an event at the library if they so desire. That is not my primary concern, however.

Raff Velyn.

Few commoners should be able to perceive something to be out of the ordinary. None should be able to glance into one's eyes and glean their thoughts, not like he seemed to do whenever our gaze briefly met today. I should know better than to let this guide my thoughts, but it has been a long time since I felt remotely interested in speaking with someone. Even if he is withholding his past for the moment, he appears wise, perhaps out of necessity.

Really, I should not be thinking of this man, let alone writing about him, and let him fade back into the mass of people long departed and forgotten. Yet I cannot deny it - he is pleasant company, even if we are both quite uneasy in our interaction.

"Would you like a hand with that?"

While wiping sweat from him face, Raff heard a familiar voice behind him and stood up. "Oh, hey. Are you sure? It's a fairly heavy..."

Right behind her, her tent was already set up. "Your tent is done."

"Correct. Now, please. You are clearly not faring well in this heat. I'd rather not watch you boil if it is not necessary."

She had a fair point. Raff *was* exhausted. "If you really want to," he replied, "but I've..."

Alussa did not let him finish, kneeling down and taking over his work on his tent before he could object. Soon enough, in less time than he could've imagined spending on it, Raff's tent was pitched and the entry flap placed on its stilts.

"I would like to continue conversing with you, but you're in no state to do so like this. Would you like something to drink? I have brought something that may help you with the heat and the dehydration."

Too tired to speak, he simply nodded and let her guide him to her tent. "Do enter, and make yourself at home. There's no reason to be worried."

There definitely *was* reason, but the prospect of having something to drink was overriding his thoughts right now. In fact, he barely registered the inside of the tent until Alussa handed him the promised beverage in a wooden cup. It tasted somewhat spicy yet sweet, and left a tingling sensation on his tongue. Once he felt a little better, Raff began to look around him. The inside was lined with brightly coloured fabric and decorations. It certainly fit everything he had seen of her so far.

"Thanks. Hey, this tent... where did you get this?"

"Family heirloom. Quite durable, treated monster skins. The similarity to the Rangers of the desert tradition does not elude me."

He nodded as he took another sip. "Your family's not part of any Rangers, then."

"No, although that does not mean we do not know our way around fighting monsters. We are a bit more selective in doing so in comparison. You seem to be regaining your wits." She smiled.

"Yeah, I feel a bit better. What's in this cup?"

"Family recipe. If you are curious, we *also* know our way around cultivating various herbs for that purpose. It is not a blend you can find anywhere on Ludus, from Gredile's coasts to the dense forests of Faeric. According to my father, he possesses the only specimens of an otherwise extinct plant."

She was packing a lot of information into her sentences, much more readily than she had done out in the open. It became very obvious now that she was not much of an outside person.

"Sounds like you have your talent for knowing things from somewhere." He finished his drink and placed the cup down next to him. "So, where did we stop... right. I'll... I'll start with my end."

Raff heaved a heavy sigh. He really didn't want to do this, yet here he was pushing himself to do it anyway and risk crying in front of Alussa. Was it... no, he needed to focus, for now.

"Let's start with your second question. Why I'm here. I'm running away. I stepped on some toes that I didn't even mean to step on. Here I was... in school, in Steckenburg, and I would always see this man in a suit and nice hat show up to the master office. That's where the important would sit. It was one of those year-round schools. He spoke to nobody, this man, went into that office, and always came walking out looking happier than when he came in. One time, I was just walking by that spot. The door was open, and he came walking out at the same time as I reached the opening. I was startled... and I started running." His short pause prompted Alussa to gesture with her hands, a "please continue" of sorts.

"I must've had a guilty look on my face, because he started shouting, how he was going to make me regret this or who I thought I was. Most of the school probably saw and heard us as he chased me down the stairs, through the halls. I pushed out the doors and ran out through the gates, into the city. That was it. I ran and ran, until I couldn't see the school building anymore. All on my own with nothing but my bag and my clothing. I had to get by on the pity of others. Really, it's a miracle I haven't starved."

He struggled to hold back his tears, though a handful managed to lean out and roll down his cheeks. He was too weak. "I... I really am scared. Scared, because I won't really have anything when this tour is over. I'll be on the other side of the desert. That's all I really end up getting out of it. Besides that, I'm nobody." With trembling hands, he wiped his face. "I feel like they're still out there, looking for me. My face was in a few newspapers for a missing persons report, in the beginning. And that's... yeah, that's why I was so nervous when you spoke my name. I thought my luck had finally run out. End of the journey."

Alussa seemed to study his hands with some interest. Cautiously, she reached a hand forward to touch his shoulder briefly. "I can understand why you feel that way. Please know that no harm shall come to you while you are on this tour. Though I imagine quite well how fearful you must be when you think about the situation, I have a difficult time believing that anyone would keep up their pursuit after several years of wasted efforts. Being nobody in particular may just help you with that."

His eyes widened, both from her words and from her hand brushing past his shoulder. How had she...?

"You seem surprised. Though you are dressed fairly well, the traces of living on the street do not wash off so easily. It is visible in your gait, and in the way you gaze upon your surroundings. I can even hear it in your words. As I have said, you have little to worry about with me."

Even after Alussa had brought her hand back to her lap, the place where her hand had been tingled slightly. Raff felt vulnerable and almost intimidated, but at the same time... it felt *powerful*, the way she somehow knew. Understood where he had been. Grasping for words, he stumbled over his sentences like over an uneven path of rocks.

"Is it that obvious? I didn't think I'd... didn't know, I guess. Didn't know what to do with myself. I'm still not sure if this tour is much of an improvement over Steckenburg."

"Is that so? You are somewhat past the age where you would return to school, as it is."

She wasn't wrong. School had been... problematic. Raff's parents really didn't know much about the city, or really anything that wasn't related to the farm. "No, I guess not. Though... you might be right to question it. School was not that great for me."

"A misfit, hm? I could tell when that thuggish fat tourist disturbed you. There's something I would like to hear your perspective on, as I am curious by nature. If you are comfortable answering, of course." Alussa hesitated a little at the end of her sentence, so he nodded. "You seem sensible to me, quite unlike everyone else here. You may not amount to much in your own estimation, but your quiet honesty speaks well for you, raising you above the bland, mediocre mass. My question, then..."

A smile danced on her lips. "All of these travellers. The ignorant tourists, swelling in their decadent showcase of wealth and poor manners. That trio of boot hikers, laying claim to a status and feat that they clearly have no rights to. The guides, whose endless drivel ought to drive anyone sane to despair, or sleep. How do you see them? What do you think of them?"

Raff wasn't sure what she was expecting from him. She seemed much wiser, though it was difficult to say if she was much older than him. But he had already shown himself in a pretty vulnerable way, and she hadn't laughed or said anything unkind. Trust was not the right word for how he felt about her right now, but he was at least safe here. He had little to lose.

"The first thing that comes to mind is what made me pay attention to you. Most of them don't seem to understand that we're in a desert. You don't tell the desert how you want your day to be. The desert tells you. I have been staying towards the back because it's quieter, and because I don't have to walk as fast. I'm not sure what's special about that, though."

Alussa seemed amused. "Raff, you would be surprised how poorly people understand this idea. Typically it is not something that they give thought to. Perhaps you do not actively think about it while you are enduring these conditions, but when prompted many will find it difficult to be precise like you are." She seemed to be impressed, or at least satisfied.

"Thanks, Alussa. I'm not entirely sure if I'm all that smart, though."

She *frowned*. Something was on her mind, but she was visibly struggling with it.

"I genuinely mean it. Please take it to heart. You are observant, likely from your ordeals on the streets, but now that you can rest and think, you are able to analyse and think clearly. I have seen many people and heard them speak. Perhaps you're not quite as eloquent as I am, but you do not lack intelligence, not in the slightest."

Why was she so insistent, anyway? Was there a reason why she wanted him to feel better about himself?

And then, something *clicked*, in a way that Raff could only describe as a gut feeling that had no gut to come from. The words he spoke barely felt like his own. "You've been listening to people speak for a while, then, haven't you?"

Very briefly, Alussa seemed shocked, followed by concern. Without a word, however, her face returned to a smiling expression. "My, my. I didn't expect you to conclude that." She looked down and to the side for a bit. There was something girlish about the way she put her hands over each other. "That is not something anyone has ever guessed, let alone with such minimal indication..."

Her voice trailed off, and with it Raff felt like his own senses were slipping. He saw glimpses of a library, so vast the end of it was impossible to see. Alussa was right there, walking past the shelves. Reality returned to him after only a few moments.

"Oh, Jia! I'm- I'm so sorry! I did not mean to..." She looked frightened, as if she had just hurt him in some way. Raff had no idea what just happened, but from her stammering reaction, he could tell that something important was happening regardless. Carefully, he tried to ask.

"Alussa... what *was* that?"

"Ah, well. I suppose the monster is out of the box now. Raff, I would like you to listen quite carefully, for I am forced to do something I have never done before. As with yesterday, you may *never* speak of it. I feel I cannot remain silent... or even deceive you. I haven't the faintest idea how, but you seem to gaze through everything. We take great care to remain uninteresting and difficult to interpret."

It took both of them a lot of effort to look each other in the eye. Raff felt overwhelmed with everything she was suddenly spilling out - the words from her mouth etching themselves into his mind like she was writing on paper with them.

"Yet here you are, ignoring all of that and asking questions that should not be crossing your mind at all. It should not be possible."

"It's something to do with magic, right?" He couldn't stop himself from sounding excited. He knew exactly why, but now was maybe not the right time.

"Please give me a moment. It's... difficult to process this." Though it was tempting to reach out and touch her shoulder, Raff decided against it. And, soon enough, his patience was rewarded when Alussa opened her mouth again. "I am far older than I appear. Though that is not all there is to this, I feel that it should be the basis for our mutual understanding. I have witnessed more than a lifetime's worth - several, in fact. Few people warrant my scrutiny, and few of them scrutinise me. What I am trying to say, perhaps, is that all of this makes me feel rather exposed. Forgive me if it is confusing."

She quickly looked away.

All of this was still incredibly vague, but the way it was presented to him, Raff couldn't help but feel that he was sitting on top of an enormous secret that he needed to keep very quiet. He cleared his throat and prepared himself. "I might not understand all of this right now, and I feel like I should let you have some space. But... thank you. You made me feel safe for the first time in years. It probably sounds cute to you, I guess. A few years isn't very long for you? Anyway... I'm really grateful. Even if anyone else *did* talk to me, I will never tell anyone about this. I promise, no, I *swear* that I won't."

Slowly, Alussa's face came back into view. A hint of a tear had been wiped away very well, but Raff noticed it anyway.

"I have no right to make such a demand of you..."

This was something risky to say. "I want to do it, freely. Really. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm curious, but I think we both have some things we don't like to talk about. There's a few more days before we're in Langton's Nest."

She took it well. "Yes... yes, I suppose we have that in common. We should both get some rest, as you suggested. Tomorrow shall hopefully be a better day for all of this. Please sleep well, Raff."

Raff smiled, and got up to leave. "It won't be easy to sleep, but I'm exhausted. I'm sure I'll doze off eventually. Good night."

Getting back to his tent, there were still many questions left unanswered that swam around in his head. For the most part, though, he was able to put them to rest. What got to him more was the strange feeling that came over him with that sudden realisation. If Alussa was reacting to it like it wasn't normal, he had some more questions, questions related to everything he still had to tell. Trading information like this was exhausting, and he felt sleep overtake him quickly.

### 2

Breakfast seemed a little tastier this morning, despite being the exact same as the days before. He had slept like a pile of rocks. After everyone had packed up their tents and supplies again, the tour set off once again. Only a few days to Langton's Nest, and from there they were supposed to go along the coast, finally reaching an island resort across the sea, somewhere near the end of the desert.

Conversations only broke out on occasion now. They were reaching a part of the desert that was rockier and had less sand - they were pretty much crossing right through the middle until they got to Langton's Nest. Raff found Alussa lingering around the monsters and beckoning to come near. He saw no trace of everything that had happened last evening. Maybe that was a good thing, though.

"Light of Lux to you, Raff. You seem well-rested."

"Good morning, Alussa. I slept like a rock, yeah. You?"

She smiled weakly. "I'm afraid I was not quite able to enjoy as much rest. On the bright side, however, I studied my charts of the area, and we may be able to find some relative peace and quiet while the mass of fools drifts along on the empty words of the guides."

A map? What else did she have with her? "You have a map? I've always liked those."

"I can show it to you later, if you'd like. Does it sound like a good plan? It should at least give us the space to speak freely."

"Are we going to be able to make it back with them, though?"

She chuckled. "I will handle that. Don't think about it too much."

Sure. Just another question for the list. He smiled. "I'll try not to. When are we splitting off?"

"Wait until they start prattling about rocks again, or Langton's Nest. Until then, we shall walk."

They did walk, and they walked in silence, side by side. Besides footsteps, little else filled the air. Someone coughed. Raff took a look at the rocks they passed by. It was a small surprise that they weren't stopping for each one. Finally, with Lux starting to climb to its peak, one of the guides began pointing at something up ahead. Without any words, both of them walked off in a different direction. Raff followed Alussa blindly. She hadn't done anything to make him doubt her yet, and his promise seemed important to her, somehow. Once they had gotten some distance on the rest of the group, she sighed in relief.

"Thank you for coming along. I'm more at ease when I can count the people near me with my fingers alone. I'd like to continue my explanation, if that suits you. I feel there is a lot more that you must be wondering."

"Go ahead," he replied, "I need to prepare myself a bit anyway."

"Wonderful. I confessed that I am quite a lot older than my appearance suggests. This begs many questions, such as how that came to be. The answers may also provide you some insight into my knowledge on Langton's Nest. Put quite bluntly, my body no longer ages, and this is not merely due to the advantages of my lineage. My parents have their ways, something they spent ample time investigating to discover. Only once they had found such a way were they willing to consider the idea of raising children - myself, and my sister. As proper Dwineans, we know of the illustrious Langton history, even if some of its later members have been rather unimpressive. It is why I'm intimately familiar with Langton's Nest, and I have been to the town before. If you'd like, I could tell you some noteworthy things about it. It will give you some more time to think about your own past."

How kind of her. Alussa stopped as they reached the top of a dune, and gestured across with an arm. "There is usually a large dune around this area, and the view it provides never ceases to amaze." She was right.

Monsters were visible in the distance, slowly trekking across the sand much like their tourist group. What really caught Raff off guard was the vastness, and just how empty it looked - even more so from a small height like this. He knelt down.

"It's so empty..."

Alussa sat down next to him, crossing her legs and placing her hands in her lap once more. "Oftentimes, when I traverse the area, I take some time to observe it, much like this. It was an experience that I felt you ought to enjoy once in your life, much more so than anything on the tour programme. I hope the emptiness is not overwhelming."

"Just a little bit." he said. "I'm still curious how good my book about Delinius was, now that we're here."

"I will gladly oblige. 'Delinius in Ludusian Society' is perhaps not the most popular vision on the man's past, or perfectly accurate - although that would certainly be a monumental task as it is - yet it presents a very credible theory about his motives, and in what ways he could possibly be among the living still. It details the famed events of the grand company that first proposed the taming of monsters, not as livestock or beasts of burden like the ones in our caravan, but as protectors, companions... pets, if you will. And yet, it mysteriously leaves absent most of his interaction with others. It only covers a short period of time, though I personally find that such books are usually of better quality."

She was very wordy with her review, and Raff spent some time parsing what she meant to say. "You're saying it's a good start. Not a complete overview, but not the worst one to read."

"Precisely!" She smiled. "There is hope for you yet. Langton's Nest is named for the large mansion around which the town was built in later times as events around Steckenburg unfolded and stabilised. Taking the shape of the Langton Estate, it quickly became a coastal town and safe haven for those attempting to navigate the waters. Though sightings of Delinius and Lyka are reported with some frequency, the town's inhabitants are... let us say that they are quite inventive and have their own narratives about it."

With a name like Langton's Nest, Raff wasn't too surprised. You had to be fairly stubborn to want to live in the desert. However, Alussa's face was glowing with a warm smile as she spoke about it, and her eyes seemed to lose focus on the desert, as if she was remembering something.

"You seem to enjoy talking about it."

"I do, yes. I do not always like the residents, but I have laid down my qualms about their strange worship long ago. I hope you found it to be an enrichment?"

He smiled. She was constantly checking if it was interesting enough. "Really, you don't have to worry about that so much. I'm just struggling to keep up with all the words you use. I know that's not the main point of telling me, but it's probably why I slept so well." His words made Alussa laugh.

"Oh, no need to apologise if that takes up some attention. I'll gladly expand your vocabulary. As I mentioned, they are all very devoted in Langton's Nest. Some call them a cult to Delinius Rennart Langton, although they will vehemently deny this."

"Thank you for sharing it. I suppose it's my turn. Here goes..." One thing at a time, Raff. "I'm going to start at my childhood because it's easier to keep myself on track like that. My parents... they're just farmers. They have their pen of monsters that they take care of, and the fuzzy coats on them get trimmed every year and sold on the market. My mother knows exactly which ones are getting old and will go away soon, but my father's the one who can shear them just right. They're really good, and they're pretty well known in the hills of South Gredile. But they don't know much outside of their farm. The farm, the markets, that's their world." He had to swallow, because thinking of his parents made him miss them much more strongly. The bedtime stories he'd get as a child.

"I... I wasn't cut out for all of that. My parents knew that, and they'd already taken in some children of other families who had a few. Making sure there would be someone left to take care of the farm and take care of them later. They never stopped me from reading books. We didn't have much, so I didn't get a lot, but we were okay. My parents... they were just happy that I'd found something I liked doing, just like they were happy with their pen of monsters. But they couldn't really help me, or teach me. They'd heard of a school in the big city - a really good one - that could teach me everything I wanted to know. They must've saved up so much to get me there, and I only got to see them a few times every year. They sent gifts over for some holidays, and letters for the rest. I don't even have the letters a- anymore..."

He burst into sobbing while holding his knees. "A- and it's not like... like I was bad in school. I was okay, the teachers said I asked too many questions and didn't do enough homework, but I passed. But it's like you said... I was a misfit. City kids are mean. The only ones who weren't, heh... those were Dwinian kids. They'd let me sit at their table on breaks because nobody else wanted me to. Didn't say that much to me, but a few times some of them would help me out. I had no real friends, but I had that at least. It's funny, isn't it?"

Alussa laid a hand on his back. It sent shivers down his spine, but he made no attempt to stop her. "I only had my sister to grow up with. For a number of reasons."

"You know how I feel, then..."

"Raff. I've been through many things. My father's bedtime stories, in turn, were about being on the run from people with ill intents and misunderstandings. I want you to know that you are not alone, and that you're much more meaningful than you think. Come."

Alussa crouched in front of him and took his forearms in her hands to lift him up. She did so with surprising strength - impossible to estimate under all of her clothing - and held onto his arms for a moment. "I appreciate the trust you have placed in me by sharing that. And, like you did to me, I give you my word that none of this will pass my lips to another's ears. I've kept many secrets already, and will continue to keep more."

After a gentle tug, she let him go and walked down the dune. For the first time, Raff got a decent look at her hair, as her bandanna was going quite a few places as the wind picked up... and the colour unsettled him deeply. It was a vibrant orange. Few people had hair in such warm colours anyway. So brightly, though? As Raff walked down to follow her, he started thinking about what she had said about herself. It still seemed unlikely, but he had to ask at some point in time. In the time he needed to catch up to her, it seemed more and more plausible.

"Alussa?"

"Yes, Raff?"

"I think I've figured something out, but you need to tell me if I'm right... and I really hope it doesn't upset you." He stopped for a moment. Alussa stopped with him. The wind was making this even worse. "You're also a Langton."

Before he knew it, Alussa had grabbed him by his shirt, though not with as much force as he had anticipated. "Yes, Raff, that I am. Do you see now why I was in such a dire mood, last night?"

Much more of it made sense, though there were a few missing pieces. She was staring at him, but he stared back at her. She knew that he could somehow tell how she was feeling, and he could use it to his advantage. There was the slightest hint of frustration in her eyes.

"Do you trust me?"

She did not stop staring. "It appears you have put both of us in quite the predicament. However..." Alussa loosened her grip. "I do feel that I can trust you. I should not, but it is too late. I have no choice but to do so."

Both of them fell silent for a moment. Alussa's hair was slowly escaping the constraints of her bandanna, making her appear more wild and dangerous. She finally let go of Raff, speaking slowly after she did. "My question is this: what, then, is my full name?"

Delinius in Ludusian Society didn't talk about his family. But one of the other books... it had been a very short one, styled as personal accounts. Raff breathed in. He felt as though getting the answer right was a very serious matter. He barely remembered anything, but there was reference to two daughters there. Breathe in.

"Katherine Alussa Langton. But why would you go by your middle name?"

In an instant, her face relaxed. "Oh, thank you. I needed to make sure that you were not just making a lighthearted guess. As for my middle name, it is a rather amusing situation. Some Dwineans enjoy naming their children after us. They are not certain we exist, but silently hope that we do. It seems that they wish to honour us by giving the same name to their children - but it is always the middle name that they take."

Some part of Katherine's mind was screaming that this was a horrible, horrible idea, and that she should have disposed of him or at least made him forget about it all.

Katherine told the fearful, dutiful corner of her mind to keep to itself for a moment.

The terrifying sense of exposure with no means of escape had been overwhelming, the first time. Staring into Raff's eyes gave Katherine the dreadful feeling that he could read her expression and glean her thoughts from it. Now, however, it felt like her only means of recovery was paradoxically enough to plunge herself into that same feeling repeatedly.

This was not normal. She was well aware. Her father would likely not be pleased, but she was not about to let this escalate so far that Delinius would meet Raff. Surely he would go his own separate way before that time.

No words passed between them as Raff stepped through the sand. On occasion, Katherine would look at him very briefly. Much like the evening before, something was brewing in her mind, but this time he had no idea what it could be. Not that he really needed to, because the mere knowledge of her true name was leaving his head spinning. More questions joined the queue, but now was not the time to ask. Soon enough, the rest of the tour group came into view. They rejoined in silence without anyone looking up or saying a word. It was a bit difficult for Raff to believe that it was normal for people to ignore Katherine even in plain sight. There was probably some magic involved, no, a *lot* of magic. Katherine broke the silence with a question.

"Would you be willing to eat together this evening? Although I can trust you with the secrets you have uncovered, with them comes a responsibility that I would like to tell you about."

The friendly look on her face left him mixed feelings in combination with her words. There were almost no stories about her, or her sister. Considering what she had said and how she had treated the childish tourist before, there was a chance that Raff knew too much for his own good now, which made him a little bit nervous.The friendly look on her face left him mixed feelings in combination with her words. There were almost no stories about her, or her sister. Considering what she had said and how she had treated the childish tourist before, there was a chance that Raff knew too much for his own good now, which made him a little bit nervous. Judging from her next words, Katherine could tell. "I see the worrisome expression on your face. Perhaps I did think of that, last night. I could not bring myself to plot such a thing against you." In shock, she clasped a hand over her mouth. She was doing this almost frequently, right now. "Apologies."

"Alussa," he replied, "you're so mysterious that I could really see you do almost *anything* if I think hard enough. That clears it up, though. About dinner, I don't have a lot of ingredients. Most of them are cans or pots, but I can bring some of those along."

She smirked and tilted her head. "I would actually like to see what your tent is like, if you do not mind." A strange request, but not one he had issues with. "I have ample ingredients myself, do not worry. After we have our tents set, wait in yours, and I shall bring the food over."

"Sounds good." When she didn't take off to go her own way, he tilted his head in turn. "Is there something else, or are you sticking around?"

"There is no need for me to part for now, although if you'd rather not speak for a while, I more than understand. There is much to process for both of us, and any questions you have are best saved for the evening."

"Fair enough. It's a bit freaky, I was thinking about something similar." He looked at Katherine, but she said nothing. It seemed that they would resume their walk in silence.

After an uneventful afternoon, it was finally time to place down the tents and eat. This time, Katherine allowed him to put his own tent up, though she still stood outside of hers after she was finished to watch him work on his. When he was finished, she nodded as if to approve.

"You seem to have the hang of it, although I recommend starting at the rear of the tent next time."

"You know what, I'm not even going to ask why you know that. You've probably seen every kind of tent there is."

Katherine laughed. "Not quite, no, but you are not far off. I shall prepare our meal. Please take some time to rest in the meantime." Then she disappeared into her tent, leaving Raff alone with his thoughts.

And he had plenty of them. There were still some events missing their explanations, like the strange vision of a library that Katherine had been so shocked about. But most of all, the weight of knowing who she actually was took up most of his thoughts. She seemed so... tangible. A story turned into a real person. A real person, with weaknesses, worries... fears, even. Raff wasn't sure why that fascinated him more than knowing that at least some of the stories about Delinius had to be true. He dismissed the first thing that came to mind, even though it was the most obvious one. Both of them were quite alone, and they had always been. Neither of them really wanted to be here, but outside circumstances were forcing their hand. There were a lot of parallels. He didn't like that idea very much. He was nothing like her, Raff told himself. It didn't work.

Katherine Alussa Langton understood where he had come from and how he felt, in a way that not even his parents ever could. In a way that no teacher or classmate in school had. And that was terrifying, considering who she was. What did it say about him? The idea haunted him, drowning out the other questions he wanted to consider. He'd completely lost his sense of time by the time Katherine carried two shallow bowls of food into his tent.

"Our meal is ready. Can I get you something to drink with it?"

Raff jumped slightly from not noticing her entering the tent. "Oh, hey. I'm alright for now. I was so lost in thought I didn't see you come in."

"I am aware, yes. You'd do well to eat well, for a starved body does not lend itself to thoughtful conversation. Quite frankly, I require you to be at your best and most aware. All the same, I do hope you are able to enjoy it. I... will admit that I have not cooked for anyone beside myself for a very long time."

He obliged her request. The food looked more on the Faeric side of things and certainly didn't taste like anything he had gotten at home or in school. His mouth was being subjected to spices and flavours that it had never tried.

It was pretty good. It was also gone quickly. Katherine noticed, with visible satisfaction.

"I trust it was to your liking?" When he merely nodded, she smiled and continued. "I am honoured, even though I suspect you may never had any particularly foreign food as it stands. That does bring me to the subject at hand."

It was time to have that talk. Raff wasn't sure what to expect, let alone if he was actually ready to talk about this. "Your name, and everything that comes with that fact. It's kind of what had me so focused when you walked in."

That seemed to lighten the atmosphere, somehow. "I see you have been taking time to think and brood, rather than rest. There is no helping you, but I suppose it makes my work easier. I believe I mentioned to you how you have put both of us in quite the predicament."

"At this point I think it's safe to say that I'm good at finding out things I'm not supposed to."

A soft laugh. "That does seem to be the case. And, unfortunately, you have blundered your way into a very difficult situation. While I do trust that you will not share what you've been told, the fact that you reached the conclusion that I must be a Langton... to speak not of knowing my full name... is not knowledge we thought possible to acquire, not by an ordinary Gridmask like yourself. We have worked hard in ways you could not fathom to ensure it was highly unlikely for anyone to genuinely consider us real. Real enough to meet in person, anyway. I could have made you forget, and sent you off on your merry way. Not only can I not bring myself to..." Katherine winced slightly as she realised that she had said the same before. "... there would likely be no point. You seem to possess an uncanny ability to find answers without asking many questions. I *have* been careless, I will admit, but even while accounting for that..."

He had no idea what was going on. The only feeling Raff got out of all of this was a sense of dread for something he couldn't prepare for. At the same time, she spoke of him as someone with special talents, although he wasn't sure what.

"...you don't seem to know what I am trying to tell you. It is quite difficult to word this in a way that does not come across too dreadfully. Perhaps I should not make it more than it is. If I allow you to wander around, everything that we have worked hard to secure - our secrecy, the idea that ancient Langtons are an excellent story, and more - it will all crumble like brickwork in the desert sandstorms. I cannot allow that to occur. Therefore, you will not be completing this desert journey alone - I shall have to keep you nearby until we know what is to be done about this."

Raff felt like she had just opened a vast cave in his stomach. All that running, only to be... trapped. "W- wait. If you can't make me forget..."

Katherine seemed to be struggling as much as him. "Raff... I do not know what to do either. However..." She sighed. "Please give me some time to think, and give yourself that space as well. I do not think I have ever felt the sort of appreciation that I experience with you. Ah, damn it all."

"Are you afraid that you'll consider me a friend?" He hit the question right on the mark.

"Of course!" she blurted out. This time, Katherine did not clasp a hand over her mouth, or look away. She took a moment to realise what she had just confessed. "My struggle is that it isn't normal. I should not be feeling safe to entrust you with secrets I have had to keep for my entire lifetime. Perhaps that terrifies me the most. When we are in Langton's Nest, I hope to be able to gather my thoughts and do some reading."

Raff caught her eye in that moment. She didn't blink. She *wanted* the company, despite it going against everything she told herself.

### 3

Langton's Nest was surprisingly welcoming, if you were willing to look past the way they kept referring to their town's origins. The rest of the group were still out exploring out by the coast; the monsters and their minders had been sent along into the town to get all the luggage into the local inn early. The two of them - Katherine and Raff - had decided to stay with the monsters and get into Langton's Nest early. Despite everything that had happened, and their heavy conversations over the past few days, Katherine seemed to be quite at ease here. While the guides were excellent at dragging out minor details into lengthy rants, Katherine informed him about the buildings they passed by, spending no more words on them than she needed. On average, she was still talking about almost as long. The *difference* was that her stories were worthwhile to listen to, and her voice had the effect of calming Raff down.

The architecture was an interesting mix of different time periods, sometimes as parts of the same house. Katherine had explained that the elements were not too kind to "local dwellings", especially not if the wind was blowing in from the sea. Streets were little more than hardened paths that happened to have some bricks embedded into the ground. They had been walking for a little while when Katherine stopped at a small shrine that depicted Delinius and Lyka - her parents, really - embracing each other. The statue had an inscription at its base.

FOR THE ETERNAL PAIR
MAY YOUR WISDOM REIGN EVERLASTING
"It's quite sweet of them, in a way. Few people truly believe the residents' stories. Shall I tell you a secret?"

"Let me guess, Raff replied, "they're not lying?"

"Well, they have embellished their tales a little bit, but you are mostly correct. They know more about my parents than most of Ludus, but all of that is taken lightly as the stories of fools. It hides in plain sight."

"A bit like you, then!"

She poked him in the arm. "Oh, shush. You're not a valid measurement of "plain" sight."

"That reminds me. What about you being here? I'd imagine they recognise you easily. So far, I haven't seen them pay special notice to us, not more than normal for tourists." There were a few tourists that they had seen around, unrelated to their group, and the locals treated them hospitably. He had expected them to offer Katherine things, or welcome her very extensively, but most of them hadn't even spoken to her unless she spoke to them first.

"Oh, they are passively aware. However, they know not to disturb my parents, or my sister and me. You may have noticed that I am more relaxed here. If there were such a thing for me, I would almost compare it to being among friends."

Friends. Considering that she didn't have *any* friends, Katherine was surprisingly social, at least to him. He wasn't sure if that was a good indication, though. She still seemed to dislike crowds of people, and she'd come close to shouting at him a few times, so she was certainly not very used to social interactions.

"What's on your mind?"

That was a good question. While he was still taking in the sights, sounds, even smells, of Langton's Nest, Raff found himself more focused on how different Katherine behaved in this place. Not something he really wanted to tell her. They were far apart.

"Oh, just trying to get my thoughts in order."

"You're a terrible liar. There's no need to be shy. I may be portrayed as a "dark, mysterious Langton", but I am not quickly offended."

Fine, if she insisted. "It's just... you've been so much calmer and more relaxed here. It stands out, though I guess I'm not too surprised."

"That is still something I have to get used to for the next weeks. Please do not take this the wrong way, but it is a little unnerving at times to realise that you are able to infer my mood from how I act." There was still some discomfort in her voice. She sighed. "My parents' former home is nearby. I have access to the gardens, where we won't be disturbed." While she ended her sentence there, she implied a lot more. Not of the *teasing* kind - not anything to even consider - but more of not feeling at ease out on this street.

It was a fairly short walk. Katherine had a key - the small pouch from which she dug it up sounded like it held plenty more. The mansion - it really was one - looked not unlike the rest of Langton's Nest. The major difference was that it prominently featured multiple styles in one building, whereas most of the town's buildings were only built in one, just in different times. Different parts had different window shapes and roofs. Even the walls weren't all the exact same colour. Raff could see an enormous plant peeking out over a low wall, or maybe a railing, right on top of one of the sections.

Around the mansion, the lush gardens puzzled him in this dry heat. Every step Raff took felt like another step deeper into the complicated story of Delinius and his family. Katherine chose a bench against a wall of the building and invited him to sit down next to her.

"This place is impressive. How does the garden stay so green?"

Katherine smiled. "I would have to ask my father about that. Although I have some experience with ordinary garden work, his exotic and enhanced horticulture is not my specialty. My hands lend themselves more to flipping pages, rather than digging holes in the soil." She took her journal out of her bag, as if to demonstrate. It turned out it wasn't entirely for show, though. "There are a few things I wish to clear up for you, as I can tell you've been hoarding questions to unleash at an appropriate time. We're secluded on this side of the house, so now is a good time. I will start with one of my greatest mistakes.

The vision.

"I did not intend to give you a firsthand experience with sharing memories and thoughts, and I'm not entirely sure how it happened. My theory is that your mind is particularly receptive to what occurs around you, thoughts of others included. While I did apologise, I do not feel I apologised properly or gave you the space to process it." She looked at him inquiringly. He wasn't sure what he felt about it now.

"I appreciate it. I guess... I mostly had no idea what was happening. You've sent me on a very wild tour of thoughts and feelings, and I'm still not sure where it's going to go. Seeing something that belongs to someone else's mind. Huh. I had a suspicion it was like that. If you're answering questions..."

"Wait. Perhaps... oh, this is such a terrible idea. I am not as comfortable with the spoken word when I am the subject of the conversation. If you allow me, I may be able to go over our past days together with you just as you glimpsed my thoughts." If that wasn't a sign of trust, nothing was. "I am taking quite the risk, but I feel that, if I do not, your questions will simply stack until I cannot answer all of them."

She reached out a hand. Raff took it. "Is it going to be like that glimpse?"

"Somewhat, albeit much stronger. You will not just be experiencing the sights and sounds of those memories and thoughts. It can feel as though you are trapped in another's body and mind. I would not ask this of you if I did not think it worthwhile to make you understand. We *are* effectively stuck with each other for some time, after all."

Katherine made a very fair point. Although it terrified him, he nodded. "Just... one thing at a time, okay?"

She wasted no time, and Raff felt his mind pulled into a completely different world. They were back in the library. This time, he could see things clearly. Touching the bookshelves around him felt *real*, and the books smelled of old paper.

"What..."

"I have brought you into my thoughts. Please tread lightly. You must have questions."

Yes, but where to start? The small things. "When you told me not to worry about how we would catch up with the tour. The day we walked up that dune... the day I spilled my own secret, essentially."

"I siphoned excess heat from your body and took it for myself, as it is beneficial for me to absorb it. Evidently, it helped you overcome the desert more easily."

A simple answer for her, but another step closer for Raff to feeling like he understood what had happened. "Magic. I had this feeling it was. What about..."

He asked her more questions, and she willingly gave him the answer. Before he knew it, Raff found himself talking to her about things they liked. He had liked history in school, in part thanks to the teacher he had for the first two years, and Katherine reacted with enthusiasm. On the other hand, they discussed some heavier topics, like the communities of Ludus and how each of them felt about them. They discussed historical events, too, and Raff remembered that one of his far relatives had been a bit on the strange side, known for conspiracy theories around "ancient Langtons pulling strings from the shadows". Although Raff smiled at it now, Katherine had been quick to ask him some questions about this, and overall seemed highly interested.

Katherine also explained how this whole "sharing her mind" worked, and how she had the mental capacity to project a space like this - from a memory - as a place to walk around. The various shelves were filled with them, although Raff was not inclined to touch any. Eventually, she gently reminded him that it was nearly time to rejoin the tour, and Raff slipped back into the real world.

Embarassingly, a small trail of saliva was running down the corner of his mouth, although Katherine didn't seem to notice, or didn't care. The latter was more likely. As they walked back through the garden, she calmly mused on the journey. "It still baffles me that they manage to find so many people to seriously *pay* for this amount of rubbish, let alone the sum they pay. And, more humorously, how easily I convinved one such individual to give up their place. All of what they tell us is information I could find in a book, if I so desired. Not that I particularly need to."

Raff laughed at the confidence she had in her own knowledge. "I probably could find it in a book too, at that point. Hey, Katherine..." She turned her head to look at him, stopping when they reached the gate. "You don't usually talk this much to, how do you say it, common people this much, do you?"

For a moment, he thought he could see her face change tint slightly. "I, well... no, I suppose not. Although I do find that the elderly tend to have an outlook on their world with which I can sympathise, I do not typically find myself drawn to verbal conversations. This is possibly the most I have spoken in years." She opened the gate without much further ado, letting him pass through first.

"Thank you."

"You are most welcome..."

It took very little time to find the tired group of tourists as Lux drifted towards the horizon in a fiery orange hue. They had all settled down around the tables outside the only large restaurant of Langton's Nest, so Katherine had told him today. It was aptly named 'The Desert Garden' - the only plants decorating the place were native to the desert - cactus, succulents, a tough-looking shrub. A few of the tourists looked up and promptly left their mouth agape when the two of them arrived. One even dared to speak. "Wha- wait, how- where did *you* come from?"

"Oh, we have been exploring Langton's Nest. We've already found the best places to spend the day tomorrow. It does not concern you, however."

A gentle, elderly woman interrupted. "Are you on this journey together?"

Raff blurted something out before he had thought of it. "We're good friends. Fellow history enthusiasts." On the inside, he panicked slightly, but almost naturally, he wasn't showing it to the people around.

"I would like to rest my feet. Are there any seats left?"

The old lady patted the chair next to her. Her table for four was occupied by her alone. "You could sit with me and chat, if you want! I'd love to hear about the little shops around town. Isn't it fabulous around here? I feel like I've fallen right into a fable, a children's book! I'm Netty, by the by. Pleased to meet you."

"Alussa. The pleasure is all mine." She smiled. "This is Raff."

"It's nice to meet you. We've gone up to see the mansion already. It's worth going there tomorrow, it isn't too far away and it looks amazing."

Netty's eyes widened. "What a wonderful idea! That reminds me of one time in Oktov. We stopped by such a *beautiful* little village..." Soon enough, her story wandered off to her trip through there, about the snow and how her partner's nose had icicles growing on it. They'd passed away, some years ago, and this in turn prompted her to talk about them at length. Although Katherine seemed attentive, Raff noticed that her eyes were absent again. Thankfully, they were saved by waiters appearing with menus and questions for drinks. For the restaurant, this was a good strategy, especially here. Leaving people to talk made them thirsty. Rich people usually picked something alcoholic on holidays. Drink enough, and they didn't think much about what to order. "This drink, it's local, yes?"

"'tis true, madam. Desert Spines was one of Delinius' inventions, together with its variants."

"I shall have a Desert Blaze." Katherine spoke with confidence.

"Are you certain, madam? It's quite a spicy taste, and an acquired one at that. Truth be told, I don't see a lot of travellers here handle it well."

"Good sir, I have not a doubt in my mind. I shall let you know my thoughts."

"Very well. And you, my lad? What'll it be?"

Choices, choices. There was a hefty list, and Raff had no idea what most of these were. "I think I'll go for a Desert *Spines*, from what you said. I'm uh, not as adventurous."

The waiter smiled. Katherine smiled, too. "Two Desert Spines and a Desert Blaze. Right away." He sped off with the impossibly quick, elegant paces that came with this job. The conversation resumed.

"So, what brings you here? You said you're history enthusiasts."

"The local culture is something else. There's nothing like it anywhere on Ludus. Alussa is very good with it." He nodded at her, and she took the stage, so to speak.

"You will find many adornments to reference the Eternal Pair, as Delinius and his wife are often called by local residents. Some names - and you may have noticed this yourself - are also in reference of Delinius, or important aspects of his life. Langton's Nest still possesses a lively tradition of artisanal crafts, including weaponsmithing. However, what attracts most people is knowing that they walk streets that these illustrious individuals frequented at some point in time, no matter how long ago."

"Oh, how incredible! We're walking down the same roads as the man of legend!" Her exclamation raised a few heads and turned several more. One of the guides look mildly concerned. The terrace began filling with animated conversations about this new fact. In the meantime, Raff was studying the menu for a meal. Katherine had taken little time to make her choice. She had probably eaten here a few times before. "Hey, how is the food here, anyway?" he asked her, quietly. She made a gesture as if to dismiss the restaurant's quality slightly.

"It could be far worse. Most people do not deign to eat anything containing real monster meat. They are quite clever with finding ways to make the food seem like it in this restaurant, however. I recommend you try their salted spider legs. They are not real monster, but they are quite good. I would personally salt them less and give them different seasoning, but they come close to a "traditional" Ranger meal as they claim it to be."

It sounded pretty good, from her words. "Good idea. What are you having?"

"The 'Forbidden Plate'." She let that name sink in, and watched as Raff looked up the description. "Aptly named for the 'infernal heat' of its spicy flavour. As you can tell, I have exotic tastes. Blame my father." Was that a *wink*?

Their drinks arrived with the same waiter that had taken the order. "There we are, your drinks. Have you decided on a meal?"

"Salted spider legs, please."

"I'll take the fritters and filet."

"Spider legs and fritters. You, madam?"

Katherine spoke with a bit of a commanding tone, though she still sounded polite. "A Forbidden Plate, please. No salt, and if possible, please add the peppers last." The water frowned slightly and gave a small nod. "I'll see what I can do." After a small bow, he continued his round.

"Have you *read* what they are, Raff?" For a moment, Raff thought he had picked a strange dish, or spicier food than she had made it seem. With a sigh of relief, he read the actual menu entry and found nothing wrong with it. Katherine was just trying to keep him sharp.

Netty laughed heartily, before leaning across the table and speaking in a hushed voice. "What do you think of the tour guides?"

"Frankly?" Katherine replied. The woman nodded.

"Oh, I think they're terrible, you know. Always talking about stones and layers. Or those monsters that I've already seen plenty of up close. The sights and sounds are stunning, don't get me wrong, but I don't really listen to what they say." Netty looked at the two of them with eager eyes. A mischievous smile appeared on Katherine's lips.

"No, most of them do not seem to know what they are saying." she replied with an airy tone - maybe to give the impression of a lighthearted conversation rather than a quiet complaint. "I don't suppose you are eager to go on the guided tour around the town tomorrow, then?"

"I was actually thinking about that, you see. I heard you mention that you've already explored Langton's Nest a little bit today. I was thinking, I should come and explore the town with you two tomorrow instead! You seem much more knowledgeable than these supposed "professionals", and you're so much more pleasant to talk to."

That smile on Katherine's lips. There was more to this than humouring an old lady. "I should think that it is a wonderful idea. We will gladly show you the stores and worthwhile shops, and visit a few places that the guides overlook. There is a secret that I may share with you, if you can keep it."

"On my dead mate! You have no idea how exciting this is." She smiled gleefully.

"I have access to the gardens, but I am able to access the mansion itself, as well. Only for you, specifically, however. Large groups are not wanted inside." Raff was surprised she would allow this, but then he was not sure what Katherine's point was with any of this.

"That's amazing!" Netty barely managed to stay quiet, but her excitement was difficult to miss. "What time shall we leave the hotel tomorrow?"

"Perhaps a few pictels after breakfast closes? We would go earlier ourselves, but I do not wish to impose rules upon you."

"Don't you worry about that, dear girl. I used to be quite a tough one, in my day! I will only need a short while to eat. I will wait by the entrance of the hotel."

"That sounds wonderful. I look forward to it."

They each shook hands with Netty. After that, they patiently waited for the food, and once it did, their conversation was minimal. Netty would comment on her meal's good seasoning or texture, and Katherine occasionally responded with details that she knew. Raff didn't bother. The "spider" legs were delicious. He'd never eaten monster, like Katherine said, because most people still found it a bit disrespectful. He could believe these were real if he didn't know, though. On the other hand, the drinks were alcoholic. Raff hadn't realised it when he ordered one, but he wasn't used to much - nothing, in fact - and felt a bit lightheaded by the time dessert was at hand.

"Kath, I think I'm drunk," he whispered.

She looked up from the dessert menu. "Apologies, I never expressly told you that there would be alcohol in it. I can walk you to your room safely, if you'd like." She didn't look too concerned, although it suddenly hit Raff that he had shortened her name.

"That'd probably be for the best."

Katherine smiled at Netty as they both got up. "My friend here isn't feeling so well. We will see you tomorrow."

"Oh, of course! Get some rest. If anyone does ask, I'll let them know. Good night!" She waved as they left.

Thankfully, the hotel was very close by. With Katherine's support, he made it into the hotel, stumbling up the stairs. She proved again that she was a bit stronger than she looked and sounded. Maybe it was the drink talking, but Raff felt very safe while holding onto her. "Thanks."

"With pleasure. I *was* hoping to escape the scene and get some sleep, at any rate." She smiled. Her humour was not affected by his impaired state.

"Why are we bringing her along, anyway?"

Katherine chuckled. "Knowing her type, she will not keep still about the shopping. The mansion, on the other hand, I think she will keep a secret. She is a sincere woman. Before you can say 'monster meat', I will have most of the tourists eating knowledge out of my hand. Although I was surprised." Raff looked at her. She looked quite nice like this. "We are, as you said, good friends?"

"Hey, you lied more so far."

"I'm not sure if that's a true lie, however. You're not the disagreeable type. I may be left no choice but to keep an eye on you, but that does not prevent me from having a good time."

"You're still stuck with me wobbling up the stairs."

She seemed to disagree. "You seem to appreciate the help. In addition, I may have had some experience with this, thanks to my sibling." There was a good argument to that.

"Okay, fair enough. But... really. I thought you were worried about seeing me as a friend."

In the dim light of the hallway, her face was difficult to read. "It terrifies me still. Friends discuss various topics in an open conversation, do they not? They support one another when they can, and lend an ear to any worries they need to put to rest."

That didn't sound like the traditional definition of a friend to Raff, but he was both too tired and too fuzzy to think about it. "Something like that." They had found his room. Everything for outside had been put in a storage already, and the rest had been stored in his room. The only thing left for him was to go to bed.

"I shall leave you to take care of yourself from here. Suppose I will seek my room, as well." She yawned.

"Alright. Where did they put you, anyway?"

"Oh, only a few doors farther along. Sleep well, Raff."

"You too."

His head swam too much to think about anything. Stumbling around while trying to undress in his room, he bumped his head into the wall and stifled the "ow" that he wanted to shout. At least that wouldn't linger like the alcohol. Before he fell asleep, Raff could hear faint laughter.

The morning was off to a great start. Katherine had come to wake him up in time, looking surprisingly refreshed. The *real* surprise was that about half the group had decided to wait for them after breakfast. Katherine's prediction had been fairly accurate. Much like she had done the day before, she was serving up interesting trivia and anecdotes about Langton's Nest. She stuck to similar topics, giving Raff some time to listen passively while thinking. Her description of a friend sounded like she was not too familiar with the concept. That was before even thinking about the implications of being blasted with the thoughts and memories of someone very directly. Katherine was hiding some thought or other, but Raff still didn't want to think of the idea...

On a lighter note, he got a firsthand look at the passive awareness that she had mentioned. Residents would make way or wait as Katherine brought people through the streets and resumed their business afterwards. She stopped at tourist shops this time, although her brutally honest commentary seemed to upset one shopkeeper in particular. Thankfully, they did not spend much time here. Katherine told everyone that there would be ample time for that afterwards. Her next point of interest was a statue of Lyka.

"This particular statue commemorates a dim season evening, when Lyka Westwood supposedly prevented a resident from falling after they had climbed their roof while intoxicated. What may have been another day to the Eternal Pair was considered a great act of kindness to the residents, who still believe that the pair's benevolence and wisdom is the source of its success. Although one may notice that the town thrives in their absence all the same." She had a few people laughing.

"Why *did* they disappear, anyway? Nobody seems to agree."

Katherine smiled. "We may never know. For those who are not familiar, I will illustrate the major opinions that circulate. Some believe that old age eventually did take its toll on them. They will likely never visit Langton's Nest, believing that it is an affront to the memory of Delinius. Others say that they've found a location so inaccessible that none will ever see them again, as they were swarmed with requests and inquiries. Lastly, an ever smaller number of people still believe that they are still here, hiding in plain sight, watching over us as we consider their legacy. Even after such a long time since they were last seen in public, the discussion remains lively, and most likely will be for a long time."

The professional distance was almost confusing to experience, at least now that Raff knew. Innocently, he raised his hand to ask a question. "How would they look at us now, if they were watching?"

She laughed. "I imagine they would find us rather noisy, troublesome youths. They were quite busy, at the time." The crowd joined in. While Katherine's humour was unusual at times, it seemed that it appealed to her audience. Slowly, they made their way towards the mansion when they bumped into the guides and what remained of the group. Said guides looked completely bewildered when Katherine casually unlocked the gate to the gardens. "You are all free to join us."

Much like Raff, many people were amazed at the lush greenery and asked Katherine some questions. She knew the name of every plant there, and more. Raff imagined that she had spent a lot of time reading books. After a little while, Katherine gathered everyone near the very large tree that covered large parts of the garden in shade.

"This tree was planted around the time that Delinius Rupert Langton inherited this building from distant relatives on Faeric. Although some claim that the seed or sapling was recovered from the Wonder Jungle, it is for all intents and purposes no more than a healthy, if particularly old, tree. It still bears fruit, too."

A few people began talking about the sheer age of the tree. Raff thought the theory about a jungle tree wasn't too far off. The canopy was quite wide, although the tree was not as tall as the jungle trees he had heard about. He could see damage here and there, although it had all healed long ago. One big mark looked like it was a hole that had gone through the tree's entire trunk, but it had recovered from even that injury.

"Unfortunately, we are not in the right season to witness it blossom and bear fruit. Although sour, the fruit is edible." She gave everyone some more time to admire the tree before bringing them to a large shrub that only bloomed in white flowers since the Eternal Pair had gone. She kept her distance to it, and Raff suspected that she might prompt the plant to bloom in colour if she came too close. Their tour came to a close with some finishing statements and a warm applause. It didn't take long before most of them wandered out to do some shopping. Netty had found a seat on the same bench where Raff had been yesterday.

One of the tour guides approached, after everyone save for Netty had gone. Her normally jovial voice sounded bitter. "What do you think you're doing? Doing my job, all of a sudden?"

"I would not approach with that tone, were I you. You seem to think that you know all that there is to know for the purpose of giving this tour. I assure you that your stories are dull, and uninspired." Katherine remained completely calm and used the same tone of voice that she had used for talking about the garden. Her expression changed, however. Just as with the bullying tourist, she took a few steps towards this guide. "You would do well to leave, and leave this instant. Your collective pride has already been struck down and lays in pieces on the ground. Whatever it is you seek to get with me - be it revenge, satisfaction, or otherwise - I can promise you that you will not find it here."

The woman squinted. "Yeah, right. We'll see if you're so happy when you get back to the inn." She turned around and left.

"Run faster, you hag. That'll do your legs some good," Katherine sneered after her.

"We win! Bravo, bravo!" Netty had watched the spectacle unfold and ultimately end without a confrontation. She seemed very positive, despite the heat and her age.

"I'm fairly sure they didn't know anything about the garden."

"It would not surprise me if they have secretly been taking notes." All three of them laughed. "I did, however, promise you access to the inside. This way, please." Through another gate inside the garden, they walked a short path that brought them back to the front doors. From the many pockets, little bags and satchels attached to a belt at her waist, she fished up the key to these doors, too. "Step forth and be welcome."

Raff's mouth dropped as they stepped into the hall. While not the biggest building he had ever seen, the inside was beautifully decorated. Wooden panels on the wall and dark red carpets created a warm, old-fashioned atmosphere. "Wow..."

Netty wandered off up a short set of stairs, into a room that appeared to contain some display cabinets. Katherine grabbed him by the arm. "Come," she muttered, "She will be occupied with that visitors' room for some time." A door to their right sent them through a hallway, another door, and into the private library. It was large for a home collection, taking up the entire room with many shelves. Raff could also see a ladder leading up into an opening through the wooden ceiling above them. More books, possibly.

He sniffed the air. It felt different. Clean, with no dust, and not dry like the desert air. Strange, if nobody stayed here permanently anymore. "This seems too clean for an abandoned house." Raff ran a hand past the shelves as he counted them. There were a *lot of books here.*

She tossed him a book, and he caught it. "It is only a fraction of what we have, in our new home. Although I did not grow up here, I have always taken time to visit every now and then. This book may be of interest to you. If you are curious why it has no author, that would be because my father wrote it for himself, and for us later. I thought it might fascinate you to read his very own words at some point. For now, I would like to show you the place where I typically make my living."

Back through the door, they briefly heard Netty reading some information out loud. Raff couldn't catch much, however, as they made a turn through another door. Looking up, he found that this was the tall tower at the very core of the entire structure, and full of stairs leading up. Without pause, Katherine climbed the stairs to the first floor and pushed through another door. A pair of smaller doors along the corridor prompted Katherine to briefly stop and speak. "My parents used to sleep here. Although I could likely pry the lock open, I have been asked not to. I have the suspicion that something deeply personal, or deeply embarrassing remains inside." At the end of the hallway, another, smaller flight of stairs led up to the attic. Raff had a hard time keeping track, but he had a feeling that they were right above the entrance hall from here. Katherine climbed the steps quickly, only to run out of breath once she was up. "Here we are. Just... a moment..." she said with a slight gasp in her voice.

The attic was full of interesting details. There were large glass windows in the roof that Raff had not noticed from the outside, even though they were on all sides he could see. That was his second observation: the attic had been divided in two by a wooden wall, with a door giving access to the other side. Mismatched furniture was strewn across, though it looked cosy. A relatively modern sofa next to some old, fluffy relaxing chair, plastic folding chairs stacked against the wooden wall, mismatched side tables. Lastly, two large bean bags had been stuffed into a corner. They looked soft and inviting, tucked between the roof, the wall and some shelves.

"I underestimated my ability to ascend stairs, it would seem." Katherine had recovered somewhat. Once she had Raff's attention she gestured up at the roof. "I suppose it is hard to miss the glass panels. From the outside, they are subjectively opaque. From inside, they provide sunlight. This space has had many purposes. It was occupied as a ritual space, a study, a guest bedroom, and likely a few more that I cannot bother to remember."

"It's been with your parents for how long, exactly?"

She smiled. "That would give you an indication of my age, and that is not something to ask a lady, is it?"

"I'm just really curious. I didn't realise that you still stay here."

"In a way, it's convenient for my parents, as I typically do some upkeep to the works and tasks that require maintenance. I do not mind."

For the first time, Katherine took off her scarf. While her face had tanned slightly, the skin underneath was fairly pale. "On rare occasions, I will find my sister here. In the past, she would sometimes have a charming young figure in her wake. I'm not sure if she was merely having her fun, or actually trying to teach them unarmed combat. After some time, she gave it up without explaining why." Her tone was soft, but not entirely friendly. "Although there has always been space even in this attic for two or even three occupants."

Her mind seemed occupied with memories. Somewhere downstairs, they could hear Netty laughing. The rest of the building was completely silent. "I do not wish to tire you with the trouble through which I have gone to evade notice, but I would like to word it in a way that is approachable to you." Raff nodded. She was brooding on something significant. "I do not want to be well-known. My parents went to great length to ensure that people largely believe they are dead, or retired, even though nothing could be further from the truth. Helena and I thankfully escape that attention, but should it become obvious that we are real figures rather than the imagination of a writer seeking profit, I cannot imagine all the questions they would try to ask. A lot has been left unanswered by my father especially." She took a seat on the sofa.

"I see what you mean. You're... you're living in mild fear of being discovered, I guess you could say? Heh, yeah. That's familiar. Too familiar."

"I wouldn't expect any less, given your past. There are some surprising parallels between our histories, even if yours has only begun recently from my perspective." Katherine opened her journal and found a writing nib. Raff leaned over.

"Are you writing down events of the day so far?"

She gestured for him to come closer and see. Taking a seat next to her, he saw that she was making a portrait of him in the middle of the desert. "I found that you had a very peculiar look on your face in the first day or two that I saw you. I thought it fitting to portray it here, as it is not easily captured in words." There he was, shirt, pants, backpack over one shoulder. His hair was a mess, though.

"You're a good artist. Any more talents I haven't heard about yet?"

Katherine smiled, and closed her journal with a little snap. "It's time to bring Netty back to the hotel."

As they descended the stairs, Raff wondered what had happened to that angry guide. Something about that threatening response didn't sit very well with him. Once they were down the stairs, Katherine was able to bring Netty out of the antiques. She briefly visited the library, and even allowed Netty to pick a book to keep. The old woman didn't seem to realise that something was unusual. They said goodbye to her, and she walked off into the town.

Returning to the hotel, they were met with their luggage and tents outside.

"Ah, so this was her grand move?" She scoffed. "Well, that's a shame for her."

"They kicked us out of the inn? That's pretty childish. I had a feeling, though."

"As did I, yes. Hmm. I suppose..."

"I'm not going to miss them. I didn't pay for this tour anyway."

The suddenness of his outburst caused Katherine to laugh. "No, neither shall I." They looked at each other. This wasn't good.

"You have the key to the mansion. I guess, if they want to kick us out..."

"...we can leave them behind, instead. The idea has crossed my mind as well, since our arrival here, in fact. I am somewhat conflicted, however."

There was plenty to feel conflicted about, he agreed. He was still not entirely sure how he should place everything she shared with him. Katherine was not an ordinary person, but a meticulously calculating, ageless individual. Her values, if they were anything like what was said about Delinius, were alien to Ludusian society. "Same here. Maybe we could just rent a monster and make the rest of the trip ourselves?"

"Although Langton's Nest does likely have some spare creature we could borrow, the care for such a monster is more of a burden than the beast carries. Not to mention, I am not very familiar with the needs of one. No, if we are to do anything, we are remaining in Langton's Nest. I can reach out to my parents regarding our," she paused, "*my* predicament. Yours is an entirely different tale. With the rations I had prepared for myself and the ingredients you carried, we can remain here for several weeks without starving, and we have running water in the mansion."

She put heavy emphasis on that separation, but it didn't sound like she truly felt it. Raff picked up one end of his tent. "Are you *sure* you're okay with it?"

"I have entertained a house guest before, though your question is more than understandable. Although I will make myself at home in the attic, where I usually am, it is entirely up to you if you wish for a separate room. There are multiple guest bedrooms across the house which I can prepare."

Why was she constantly thinking along the same lines as him? It was getting a bit creepy. "I'll... think about that when we're done with all of this. For now, I don't think I can drag this entire tent there by myself."

"We shall take everything one by one. Take your time, Raff. We have most of our afternoon ahead of us." She knelt down to pick up the other end of his tent, and they hoisted it up. "A shared burden is less than half the effort."

### 4

"It has been done," Katherine proclaimed triumphantly. She was pouring a drink into glasses while humming a tune. Her behaviour had changed considerably after they had carried everything in and given it a place. The mansion truly had everything. They had left the tents in a cooled cellar, just below a fairly large terrace built around the front of the tower. It had turned out that the other half of the attic was a combined living room, kitchen and bedroom, two beds right under the roof, which ended at a rather different angle here. The journey through various parts of the mansion had shed some light on its history. According to Katherine, not all of it had already been built when Delinius inherited it. He spent considerable time and resources in the beginning due to the amount of overdue maintenance, but further down the line he had seen fit to make some additions, especially as his new work in Steckenburg stabilised.

She had made the same drink that he had tried out in the desert. It tasted good like it had that time. Raff had taken a comfy armchair, while Katherine had brought the bean bags further into the middle of the floor and was relaxing on them. Eyes closed, a wide smile on her face. He had not seen her this relaxed yet.

"You seem to be happy about something."

Katherine opened her eyes slightly. "Hm? Oh, nothing in particular. I will readily admit, however, that the relative solitude is more comfortable."

"Hm, relative solitude?" he asked.

"Though the circumstances are not ideal, you are pleasant company. I am not usually good with unfamiliar guests, although..."

Raff breathed in. "It's hard to say we don't know each other a little bit. Though I'm still figuring out if I feel alright staying up here."

"Perhaps it may help you to do some reading downstairs. I would answer any questions you have directly, but I require some time to think. There should also be a blank book on the table in the library, should you feel the need to write a journal." A strange suggestion for her to make, although she was being strangely helpful ever since they had settled down. Maybe she needed a bit of space - they had been out here together for the entire day, after all.

"I might take you up on the reading. I'm not really a writer, at least I wasn't in school. Though before I go, I just wanted to say that you're good at making something interesting to hear. Thank you for sharing that information with me."

"You are too kind. I may be peculiar and reclusive, but I am not uncivilised. Should you find the books lacking, you are always free to make your way back up the stairs."

"Will do."

As Raff descended the staircase, he wondered if it was normal to feel so familiar with someone after less than a week. Even if Katherine had thrust some of that upon him rather suddenly, he felt able to come to terms with that. He didn't really want to feel this familiar with her, but that didn't make it go away.

Maybe, just maybe, he liked her. And that was pretty scary.

Raff had descended the staircase, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She had notified her father already, although her side of the sheet remained eerily blank for now. Despite everything, he remained an enigmatic soul. She had always imagined that she would remain that way forever, giving none a glance behind her veil. But looking at Raff, hearing him laugh, it was becoming more and more difficult to deny how she felt. And, worse still, he seemed to be having the same difficulty.

This is what you get for being careless, her frightened mind told her. It will always be like this. There was no way that she could even retain Raff as a mere friend. Except...

It would require a lot of effort. She had but one straw - his uncanny perception. One straw with which she was tormenting herself, wishfully clinging to it as the answer to hopes she could barely admit to having at all.

"So, what is he actually *like*? I've read most of everything your father wrote. Admittedly I don't understand everything, especially when he gets into the details of the stuff he did for Isles & Quint, but you haven't said much about your father."

Katherine sighed, though she continued to cut the canned vegetables from Raff's supplies. "He is enigmatic, to a fault. To the world, to his family. There are times when I suspect he is engimatic to *himself*. We're arguably an eccentric lot, and possibly not all sane, but he has an incredible ability to misdirect one's thoughts to conceal his own. Not that I do not love him. He was always a gentle father, and still is. He really isn't that terrifying, if you know him."

Silence fell when Raff thought of his parents. "It may be surprising to know that there are many more feats and acts of my father's that did *not* find their way into myths than what has already been put to word and elaborated upon over time." She could tell he wasn't in the mood anymore. "You're free to speak your mind. Please do not let me keep you."

"I should've known I would... it's just that I haven't seen my parents for so long. I didn't visit a lot of aunts and uncles back then, and I have no siblings. I thought it would distract me if I asked about your family, but it's only making things worse."

She put the knife down, washed and dried her hands, and placed one of them on his shoulder. The small height difference between them made Raff feel like years and years ago when he had almost grown past his mother.

"Apologies, Raff. I know that I cannot do much for you, but if there is anything I *can*, please do let me know. We will be here for some time, so I do not want you to feel trapped in here."

"I kind of am, in a way." Raff sighed. "I appreciate the kind words, though. I... I guess what I feel is just the loneliness catching up with me. Of not seeing my parents much while in school, and not seeing them at all since, well, *after*. Maybe it's better if we don't talk about what your family is like, then. Maybe later. I'm probably just tired and hungry."

"Get some rest upstairs, and I will bring our food up when it is ready. Just as I did the other time. Food makes for a great distraction." She smiled warmly. It was unfair how she could make him feel at home in here when they both knew that this wasn't just for fun.

Slouching upstairs, he wondered how she thought of him. He wondered how his parents were doing, too, but that was a bit too painful. Raff flopped onto the bean bag that Katherine had been using, making himself comfortable and closing his eyes. It didn't take away his feeling of restlessness, so he sat up again. To take his thoughts off of things, he got up to look at the low bookshelf up here. Books of all colours and sizes had been packed into it, many of them unmarked. One of these unmarked books was bound in monster skin, dyed a dark blue. What was all of this? Opening it, he found handwritten notes. The pages looked to have been pink originally, though they had lost most of their hue by now. The notes made little sense, until he came across some names.

*Kath, really! It's not all that bad. They only had to be kicked off the bed a few times before they got it. I've encountered worse, and you know.*

 *Hmph, only? Helena, that is not how it works. You are far too tolerant with these ruffians. I am still waiting for the day that you end up with something more serious than some bruises.*
*Look who's talking. As far as I remember, you're not keen on letting anyone touch you anymore. And whenever you have one chasing you, you just make them forget. Don't tell me that's much better.*

*Unlike you, I do not have to defend myself from unsavoury types. I still do not understand what you hope to gain out of your interaction with such superficial characters.*
*You still don't get it, do you? That's all we get. We are the weirdos. Not them. We've been over this before, Kath. Good luck finding someone who will last more than a few years. You can keep looking until the stars are winking out one by one. People don't seem to be seeking that anymore, these days. As for the fine folk, what can I say? Apparently, I look like I might be up for that. It's not my fault if they're stupid enough to fall for it.*

This was a written conversation of a rather personal nature between the siblings. Raff didn't feel right about reading further. He put the book back where it came from and grabbed the thickest volume he could find. It was something involving "Dwinnaean Theology" as the title spelled it. The language was very archaic, much more difficult to digest than usual. Raff had difficulty getting through even a single page, but he made an effort anyway. If he was dealing with one or more ancient Dwinians, it could only help him. He had managed only a double handful of pages by the time Katherine came up the stairs. She laughed softly once she realised why he was sitting at the table.

"I see you have managed to pick the oldest book of the attic shelf. Congratulations are in order, I suppose?"

Raff looked up. In addition to the scarf, Katherine had done away with her coat and the hefty amount of things on her belt. Her hair was also no longer bound, now fluffing up and fanning out slightly instead. Underneath, she was wearing a vest in light orange. How she was fine while wearing so many layers was still beyond him, although he had to admit it looked pretty elegant. *She* looked elegant. The meal on the plates was a mixed dish.

"I have been told numerous times that this attic is not for eating. However, I am perfectly capable of cleaning up, if it were necessary in the first place, and we did install a kitchen at the time because it made perfectly good sense. They ought to be thankful that Helena rarely visits this house. Although none of that is relevant to the meal at your disposal. I hope it suits your tastes."

He put the book to the side and dug in. Both of them ate in silence. There were chewier bits in here that Raff couldn't place. He didn't really want to know for sure if it was monster meat. On the other hand, the seasoning was better than the restaurant meal. Less salt. He leaned back once he had finished. "This is really good. You're also a great cook, along with everything else."

Katherine laughed. "Why, thank you. My mother excels more than I do, but I make do. There are many things that I do not do well, do not worry." From the theology book, her eyes wandered to the separating wall. "I don't suppose you picked up an unmarked book bound in monster skin, did you?"

It was hard to make out if she was annoyed, just curious, or both. "I put it back. Had no idea what it was, I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologise. I should have taken it away if I had really wanted to keep it from you. The conversations there are quite old. I expect you have inferred that we left each other a written note if we did not meet here. My sister can be... overwhelming, at times."

"Do you get along well, or..." He had seen the lines of conversation, so he had his suspicion that it was not an easy relationship.

"We do, in our own way. Certainly, she and I have our differences, and as any sibling pair might, we have our petty squabbles now and then. Helena means well, however, and she would never allow harm to come to me. Of course, she doesn't really *need* to, but the gesture is kind at least." Leaving the rest of that implicit, once again. She had stepped up for Raff in a world where it seemed like nobody would.

"You mentioned that the chances are low of you meeting her here. Do any of them already, well, know? About this situation?"

"My father does," she replied, "but so far I have not had a response. As for who will be informed in turn, I can only guess. My mother will likely also know by this time. Helena, well... Helena has a tendency to travel Ludus and get herself into trouble. I have my doubts if she will hear of this until a while later."

Silence filled the room. "Was there monster meat in the food?"

"Some dried bits, yes. Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I hadn't thought of that. You don't have problems with that, do you?"

He knew it. It wasn't horrible, or soul-killing, like you heard from some fanatical people who still believed in the old ways. He wasn't used to the taste, maybe. "I've never tried any. Most people still think it's wrong. I don't really mind, it just tastes a bit weirder than I expected. At this point I'm too tired to worry about it. Hey, uh, Katherine." Now he simply *had* to say it. His head was full of things he was holding back, and it was enough now.

"Speak your mind, Raff."

"This is going to sound dumb, and awkward. I think your hair looks nicer like this. The bandanna is practical, though. I know, it doesn't really matter, but..." He trailed off when he saw her face. She was turning a bit red, and looking, staring, at her plate. "I just think we should both admit that something weird is going on. Aside from the whole ageless infamous everything. You're keeping me nearby to make sure I don't speak anything unspeakable, but you've been treating me much more kindly than just that. I wouldn't be saying this, but if I have to speak my mind, I have to get it off my chest."

Katherine muttered something that he couldn't hear. "What?"

"I'm not used to compliments," she murmured. "Not in a direct manner, at least. I didn't think that it could be..."

"What could be?"

"I shouldn't even consider it. This was not something I had planned to visit until later. You seem to be very good at sending carefully crafted plans into chaotic spirals. But then, it seems your innate understanding enables you to do many things that I thought impossible." She caught his eye. She looked *afraid*.

"Sorry. Maybe it's better to talk about this later?"

"There is no backing out now, Raff." Katherine heaved a sigh and got up. "I struggle to find words that accurately convey everything that I am suffering."

She paced over to one of the beds, grabbed a pillow, and violently threw it across the attic. It went sailing through the door opening, landing somewhere on the other side with a soft thud. "How would *you* describe the problem?" That was a very dangerous question. Her entire body seemed to quiver with anticipation, or nerves.

"Hey, wait. This is even harder for me. You're a lot older, and you've seen more of Ludus than anyone in their whole lifetime. But maybe... I feel like you could roast me on a spit if I word this poorly. Here goes." He inhaled sharply. "You've always been someone who was alone. And that was fine for a very long time. That's how I felt in the first years of school. Defiant. I thought that I was tough and would be fine with it. Ha, I was *wrong*, and later on it became a really sad display of feeling sorry for myself. And then I got onto this stupid tour with stupid people, stupid guides, and feeling stupid for thinking that this would solve anything. That changed when you spoke up for me, took my side. I've been trying to hide it, but I'm not good with compliments either, and you've been handing them out a *lot*. Subtle ones, but my thoughts are stuck on them constantly. I'm not sure if you have any idea how much I'm keeping to myself."

Katherine sat down and tilted her head. "You are making considerable headway now. Thank you. For me, it was extremely difficult to gauge how you thought of this. You baffle me with your insights, and... yes, I suppose that, in that sense, you do not behave in a way that I can properly predict. My plans for this travel were to endure my fellow tourists, be irritable towards the guides, and rearrange some things here while in Langton's Nest. You threw all of that down the slopes of a sand hill, tumbling over itself. I found myself wondering if you were enjoying the experiences I shared with you - a feeling I never did feel before, not with outsiders. Perhaps you encountered a passage about it in my correspondence with Helena."

Raff almost stumbled backwards. "That's not funny. That's *not* funny. I think I read five lines, and they were exactly about all of that."

"Oops. I genuinely did not know. You seem to have noticed it too, then. The strange coincedence of similar thoughts. I have not felt this exposed, this bare, in my entire life. My natural response would be to dispose of the source..." She stared at him intently.

"Katherine? Hey, Kath?" Her gaze remained locked onto him. He was trying to avoid directly looking into her eyes. He wasn't ready for this, he didn't know how this worked. "What's that stare?" Unfortunately, he found her eyes by accident anyway.

"This is completely wrong," Katherine whispered fearfully. "I could never keep you company. It's unfair." When Raff saw her get up to reach for another pillow, he quickly got up to stop her. He grabbed the pillow before she could, only for her hand to clasp around his wrist. "What are you doing?"

"All of this is not at all like how you normally are. We're both tired, it's late, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to think about this in the way you're suggesting it."

She scoffed. "That is easier for you to say. I was not prepared to meet someone who would peer through all the layers of obscurity as if they weren't there." She tried to pry the pillow from his grasp, but he held on firmly. "Oh, come *on*! You'll damn well hear what is on my mind now. If you are not giving me the pillow back, at the very least sit down and give me some time. You're used to speaking to people, and you're used to being around them. I am *neither* of these."

Raff sensed that she had calmed down a bit, so he put the pillow down and sat on the bed, opposite to her.

"My torment stems from the notion that we have an agreement among ourselves, to not reveal too much detail about ourselves, or readily dispose of anyone who discovers too much for their own good. And, more dreadfully, that your time is limited, unlike my own. I loathe to admit this, but... much like you, I think I have been telling myself something that isn't true. Perhaps you thought I would toss you aside like a mortal plaything after entertaining myself, but that could not be further from the truth. I find myself unable to predict what you'll say or do, but I am able to follow your reasoning as if it were my own."

Raff got up. "You're tired. We need to sleep."

She stood up and grabbed him by his shirt again. "I will not give up my one chance to be understood. You do not realise how unique you are, even after I've tried to relay it to you several times." And suddenly, she pulled him into a hug so firm he could feel his spine complain. Every fiber of his being was overwhelmed with how *warm* she was. The soft fabric of her vest was comfortable to lean his face into, although the bones of her shoulder were pressing into his cheek a bit.

After the initial shock and slight panic, Raff had to admit... it felt nice. Tears were rolling down his face. Someone gave a damn about him.

### 5

A panicked crowd was packed together into a narrow alleyway, dimly lit. The smell of something burnt lingered. The moment Raff realised that none of them had a face, they began shaking and dispersing away from him rapidly. Something approached with a loud rumble, and knocked him to the ground before he could turn around to see it. A bright flash blinded him. After it faded, he was on top of a tall building, wind blowing in his face. The city below could have been Steckenburg. Far below him, a fire raged, rapidly spreading between buildings. Citizens in the streets were engulfed by it. The fire reached the building he was standing on, and as it began to rise up the building, the building began to shake, before eventually leaning forward.

Raff lost his balance and fell off, screaming.

"Dwin's drought, wake up, you fool!"

Judging by the light from outside, it was just before sunrise. Katherine looked a bit sleepy.

"I was screaming, wasn't I. Sorry about that."

She smiled. "I suppose I hadn't warned you. According to my father, the knowledge in our minds is so dense that it will occasionally radiate out. Someone in an unconscious state is liable to pick up on some of it."

Trying to remember what had happened was difficult. Katherine had nearly crushed him in a hug, and then shown him to a bathroom where he could wash up. Some very light clothing was also there. He'd asked her to exit the room while he was changing. He didn't want her to see his scrawny body, for more than a few reasons. At first, he'd been inclined to find a room to sleep by himself... but he had changed his mind. Raff wasn't entirely sure why.

The attic wasn't nearly as warm as he expected. "It was very clear and vivid. I was in this crowd of faceless people, all recoiling from me. Something knocked me to the floor, and suddenly I was on top of this enormous building."

"Did the building topple rather suddenly?"

He stared at her. "...Yes. Why?"

"It was something I overthought before I finally fell asleep. Perhaps it illustrates better how I feel about my situation, and you." Raff wasn't sure what to say to that, so he didn't speak. Katherine didn't seem to expect much of an answer. "I must prepare for my morning ritual. Would you come along?"

"That's a pretty personal thing, isn't it?"

"Now, now, you *do* realise that you've already crossed that threshold, don't you?"

He yawned. "I figured it might be a different story for this. But alright. I have no idea what to picture. Enlighten me."

She grabbed him - by the *hand* - and pulled him up from the bed. Down the stairs, through the hallway, but now they went up some stairs in the tower. This door looked heavier, more like an outer door. Raff's observations proved right, as it opened onto a massive terrace, full of planters and tubs, each with a variety of exotic plants in them. The massive plant he had seen peek over the terrace railing stood to the side. Sitting down on a soft mat, legs crossed and eyes closed, Katherine seemed to be ready for something. Raff sat down next to her in the same pose, although without closing his eyes. Her hair was still completely unkempt.

Lux peeked over the horizon, and Katherine's eyes opened simultaneously with that. It was a little bit unnerving how intensely she stared. She began speaking something he couldn't understand. It sounded ancient, even more ancient than Katherine herself, or her father. Dwinian archaic, maybe. Once she was done with what she needed to say, she turned her head towards him.

"Most Dwineans greet Lux at some moment during the day. I am always awake briefly before it rises, but others find its zenith and make their greeting at that time. My mother typically chooses to bid Lux farewell until the morning when it sinks beyond the horizon. It is not a uniform religious tradition, but a loosely affiliated grouping of ideals and values to strive for, around which one can build their rituals." Her voice almost made him want to go back to sleep. It was early. She didn't give him the chance, however. "I... realise that I may not know how exactly I should be treating you. Not only in regards to how I feel, but also what boundaries exist."

"Well, I'm still figuring that first one out on my end too. Boundaries... I can tell you a bit more. This reminds me of how you defined a friend when my legs were wobbling. What you described sounded not so much like a friend, not a regular one, anyway. A very close friend, a confidant, maybe?" He was omitting something from that list, but she was a bit too smart for that to work.

"I... I see. Let us acquire some breakfast first. I will return to this topic soon, I promise, but there are some matters I really must look into regarding your name. If you're curious, this is over your relative that had conspiracies on "Langtons pulling strings from the shadows". I believe the answers I seek may be found in that anecdote."

He *was* fairly hungry, actually. "You *really* think there's something important about me still?"

"What, the hug was not enough to convince you? Really now, what must I do to convince you that you matter and that you are a worthwhile individual to know?"

That gave him something to think about. Maybe he was being overly cautious, but he still felt a little nervous sharing his *feelings* rather than his thoughts. Thoughts were relatively plain. You could say a thought made sense, or not. Feelings, on the other hand... you couldn't just say that a feeling made no sense.

They went downstairs to the kitchen, and Katherine began preparing something to eat. He watched her hands move over the kitchen counter. Her fingers were quite fine, but they were not without some marks and small scars. "I'm still surprised how clean and dust-free this place is. How do you manage? Do your magical arts have a solution to that?"

Katherine smiled. "On that I might tell you more at a later time. Will this be enough?" She had prepared a generous breakfast for him.

"That should be plenty, thanks."

Delinius sighed. Ina was, as usual, not very informative today.

"In due time, there may be some significance to a stray one that is taken in. Dreading his fate, and fleeing into the sands, he is sharing his meals with a bookkeepstress you are most familiar with. He will do us all some good with the light of his eyes."

"Yes, sister, I am well aware that there is future relevance to some loose Gridmask strolling in. That is not what I was here for. I am still in search of-"

She cackled with laughter, to his chagrin. "You will not find your book until you've nearly forgotten it. Ask not further! Dwin may reveal it to you when the time is ripe for it. You may find yourself reeling from the punch of a brutally honest truth when he does. For now, that is all I have for you. You ought to keep in contact with your daughters more closely, Delinius. Even if they're old enough now, one of them seems to be having a difficult time with something."

He resigned to bidding her farewell. "Perhaps I shall look into that, then, if you claim there is no point to my current pursuit. Until the next, Ina. Please do not have tea at the ready when I return."

Ina only giggled in her mysterious way and resumed gazing absently. She would not remember his request, but he would persist until she finally ceased tauning him over it. She knew in advance when Delinius would seek her aid - he did not. He took to the skies, sailing through the air with ease while thanking his warm coat for its protection against the wind. The "stray one" that Ina mentioned would be useful for something, he knew not what, and would show up, he knew not when.

The manuscript Delinius was trying to locate was a difficult matter to gauge. Old reference works claimed that it contained 'dangerous, forbidden workings', but this could be anything, from an inside joke within a scholarly tradition to something genuinely dangerous. It would not be the first time that he had hunted down a book that contained adverse fashion statements, or recipes considered sacrilegious to a traditional dish, such as fruits on a flat crust of dough. It was not exactly convenient to have an additional concern at hand. She was right about his daughters - he knew all too well.

Sooner rather than later, Delinius landed by his estate in the hills. Forgotten corners were by their nature rare, and thankfully the long abandoned temple to which Ina typically retreated in the bright season did not lie far from his dwelling. Perhaps, in due time - words she spoke all too frequently - he would invite her for tea again. Everything proceeded as intended according to her, although Delinius knew this was far from true.

"Most certainly."

Katherine moved back a few paces, then had the book float in the air, like Raff had asked. The cover opened, pages flipped on their own, and eventually it shut with a loud snap. Suddenly, it began chasing after Raff, who ducked. "Hey, wait!" He'd dodged it, but the book came back for another round, assisted by a second book. Katherine's face betrayed no amusement or satisfaction while Raff ran back and forth between the aisles. Just when he thought the books had him surrounded, they floated further up and were sent back to where they'd come from. Raff was left standing there to catch his breath.

"Do you understand how I handled misbehaving visitors, then?"

"I don't want to find out how many of those you can float around at the same time."

She chuckled. "I have set entire shelves loose upon truly hostile visitors before. Sometimes, including the shelf. I doubt you will warrant such an expense, however." Katherine returned her attention to several books that she had selected, and Raff came to sit down and read with her. He could get used to this. After questioning him about some general knowledge, Katherine had concluded that he really wasn't as stupid as he "continued to believe", as she had said. Right now, they were going through historical books and lists to find *something* related to his family name. Apparently, there was a strange tradition of people who were following the developments of Ludus naming themselves "Temporalists", and Raff's ancestors could have been involved.

Katherine underlined a few words every now and then before writing something down in her journal. "Ah, we have struck something of value, here." Her finger laid at one paragraph. "I have in my sights a Velyn, born the right age for an ancestor such as the one I sought." She wrote down the name. Winfrid Rafeal Artur Polymerit Velyn.

"Oh that's a *lot* of names. I only needed one."

She looked up, smiling. "There are worse naming conventions to adhere to, I would imagine. My second name, Alussa, is not my favourite. Helena's middle name is Jyulen, however, so I suppose neither of us escapes this. Everyone on our side of the Langton ancestry has always held two names," she elaborated.

"Hey, at least it doesn't spell, what is that... wrap, really?" He couldn't stop himself from laughing, even if this person was his ancestor. Katherine seemed unsurprised.

"There is a whole list of these Temporalists. It seems they were a subculture of their own for a good while. I found what appears to have been a log of members throughout the years. It is quite extensive." She opened a smaller book and flipped to the end. Pages upon pages of people's names. Some of them spelled out more words, like 'bee', 'ant', 'book', among others. The most ridiculous and extravagant one spelled 'hourglass'.

"This is... this is so stupid," Raff blurted out, "who *does* this?"

She shrugged. "Whole generations were in on this, it seems. While this bunch of colourful individuals may seem superstitious and silly, you ought to read what sort of demented things the fine folk of Langton's Nest have come up with over the ages. They've had paper-burning contests, preparation of wraprolls, and many more festivities to honour some triviality of my parents' lives there." Before he could ask, she added "Yes, they chronicle this ridiculous folly in books, in case you were wondering. And we have a copy, if you are curious."

He did actually wonder if they did. After last night, it was still a bit jarring when this happened, but Raff was slowly adjusting to it. Opening his can of ghosts to her had taken away a heavy pressure that he'd felt in his mind.

"I will have to consult with my father on this development, while we are still somewhat on that topic. Although unexpected, this confirms what I have been thinking. After a certain time period, most of Ludus abruptly found it more difficult to believe in sightings of my parents, and later, my sister and me. Though arguably a boon to us, we still know very little about its origins. It appears that the Temporalists were fascinated with this, and their theories speak of a time-travelling variant of my father who supposedly keeps watch. I've always found it to be a ludicrous idea, but for some reason Delinius is quite vehement about ignoring the subject." A hint of suspicion lay in her last sentence.

"So if I follow along, you think my ancestor of these Temporalists has something to do with everything I shouldn't be able to do, but do anyway?"

"I am almost certain that it is, yes. The reason I wished to investigate it first... it relates to what you mentioned, before our breakfast. While I have been treating you on friendly terms, I normally would not consider treating anyone *normally* in the first place. Although close friend or confidant may come somewhat near how I regard you, I admit that, in your words, something weird is going on. I feel dread if I imagine that you will go your own separate way, or otherwise disappear, never to be seen again."

"Let's just both admit this... I think we're taking a liking to each other. I was actually a little mad when you hugged me yesterday, at first. But when I took a moment, I realised that I'd never felt so safe. You're so dangerous, with your kind smile and calm voice. I'm surprised you *don't* charm strangers. Let alone taking my hand so suddenly this morning."

"I apologise for making you feel uncomfortable. I could not help myself..."

"...not that I resisted, though, did I?"

Katherine's voice grew rather suddenly. "I may have but one straw, then, but I will find a way, Raff."

He paused. Everything paused. He *knew* what she was talking about. He didn't even had to ask - just looking at her face told him enough. She was clenching her fists. Raff carefully reached for one, and slowly pried open her fingers. It felt as though his body was roasting.

"I'm terrified, but... I'll be there. I'm throwing myself in the deep end, and I don't even know if I'm *ready* for what you're suggesting, but I'm here and I'm now. I can't look back on any friends that I'll miss."

She groaned. Helena knew what the sound and smell of burning paper meant. Rolling over on her other side, she grabbed her journal and snatched the sheet of paper out of it.

*Lena, sweetie. Something's come up. Katherine's not home yet, and we were wondering if she's alright. She said she can't leave the Nest, you see.*

*Mum, dad (I know you're also reading this), if you really want to see if she's okay, what's keeping you?*

*Believe me, Helena, I would if I were unoccupied. We are still tracking down that manuscript, although your aunt seems to think there is no point to it.*

*Alright, sure, but this had better be a big deal - I was pretty busy with these nobodies down here.*

*Still chasing your colourful dreams, then.*

Just because *they* couldn't bother to interrupt their business, they had to hand it to her instead. Saying no would only delay things. She rolled off her bed, temporarily anyway. Staying in one place for too long usually didn't work out for her. Washing was pointless - her and staying out of trouble was an impossible combination. The smeared blood stain on her cheek could use work, however. After she'd rinsed and washed it off, she tied her shoes and picked up her backpack. The morning was already far along, so she'd have to get moving fast. Slipping the straps of her bag over her shoulders, Lena felt the corner of her journal poke into her back a tiny bit - reminders of who she was. Everyone around would turn to ash piles or boxes of bones soon enough - whether she helped them along or not.

"Let's see what has mum and dad so worried about you, Kath."

Some poor sap was hiding in the bushes outside the building. Before he realised it, she had picked him up and lifted him. "Surprise." A large garbage bin was conveniently nearby, and the poor sap's head was first to enter it.

Her kind of day.

### 6

With Langton's Nest being right on the coast, Katherine had suggested that they take a walk along the water just outside of town. Each carrying a bag with rations for the trek, they were now stepping through slightly more humid sand.

"About your sister. Do you always call her Helena?"

"Lena is what her name abbreviates to, but I typically do not. I do have my moments when I am exasperated or tired, of course. There is plenty to be said about her." Before she did, though, she turned her head sharply. "Something stalks us, I believe."

Without much delay, a monster came crawling out of the sand, scuttling forward and lunging for Raff. He quickly dove to the side, only to find that the monster bounced off of a translucent barrier of a violet tint. Katherine wasted no time and shouted incomprehensible words at the monster, which curled up as it burst into flames.

"Thanks." was all he was able to say.

"Naturally. Perhaps you possess some talent of your own for the workings. We shall see." She picked him up, and they continued their journey. The dunes parted just ahead, revealing the sea. The sound of waves collapsing onto land rushed into his ears.

"Oh, wow..." Raff ran forward. He'd never seen this. He had never *smelled* the salt in the air. He had only read about this in books. He closed his eyes and felt how the wind washed over his face. Wet footsteps in the sand stopped by his side, but Katherine remained silent. "So this is what the sea is like..."

"Have you never been to the coast?"

"My parents never had the time," he replied. "Not everyone gets to travel the world."

"To think that some people spend their entire lives without having experienced it. That is quite a shame." She seemed quite moved by the idea. Opening his eyes, Raff noticed that Katherine was looking at the sea as well. "I'm not one for travel by sea, but I must confess that it captures my attention nonetheless. Perhaps like the prey gazes upon its hunter. Being ageless does not include immunity to sources of danger, and the sea, at a low temperature, would likely sign my death."

"There was a poolhouse in Steckenburg where my school would go sometimes, when it was warm. I'm not a bad swimmer. Would that affect me, too? Since you still seem convinced that you can find a way to let me stay with you, forever."

"Although there are simpler processes fraught with risks and grave consequences, I have already disregarded them as viable avenues. If my parents were able to bestow it upon my sister and me, then they surely know a means by which that gift may be given to you also."

He tilted his head. They hadn't spoken about meeting her parents yet.

"Unfortunately, with such great gifts comes also the consequence of no longer being part of Ludusian society as you've known for your whole life. I would understand if you experience resistance to that idea." With a frustrated sigh, she began pacing along the waves that rushed up to meet their feet. "I don't know what's gotten into me, thinking I will achieve this. Four generations, and I still do not understand a thing about relationships."

Raff tried to keep up with her. He wasn't sure why she was being so moody all of a sudden. "Oh, and Helena will most surely hear of this. The humour, when she catches wind of this! I'll be haunted with it for years to come."

"Katherine..."

"I'm certain that they'll all have a laugh about it at home!"

"Kath, listen!"

"Oh yes, that's exactly what *she* would say to this!" Her breathing was shallow. "Sorry."

He laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's fine. Hey, let's eat. Food is a good distraction." That cheered her up. Smiling, Raff grabbed a sandwich from his bag.

"Pf, you'll know every notable thing I say by the end of this week, at this rate. You are not wrong, however." Her breathing slowed down. When she looked around to Raff, however, her face soured. An unfamiliar voice spoke behind Raff.

"Kath? Why are you all the way out here?"

Katherine grumbled. "Just my fortune that you show yourself."

The other speaker stepped past, ignoring Raff to focus on Katherine instead. "If you're curious, mum and dad were wondering why you couldn't get out of Langton's Nest. Who's this guy, then? Got company, do you?" Bright red hair, somewhat short, muscular. She began laughing quite loudly. "Oh, you silly girl. Now you've done it! You should've mentioned it to me. I would've been here days ago."

"You're *so* fond of hearing requests through that damned leaf of yours, aren't you?" Raff concluded that this was in fact her sister Helena by now. She was crossing her arms.

"Sis, come on, don't be grumpy like that. This is no time for any of that." She turned around and looked at Raff. He felt a little nervous, as if she was sizing him up. "Wonder how you got mixed up in this. What's your name, then?" she asked with a jerk of her chin.

"Raff. And you're Helena... right?"

"Yep, that's me! I bet Kath has been telling you all sorts of terrible things about me. Fire away with questions."

Behind her, Katherine seemed to gesture not to go along with this. Not that Raff needed to be encouraged anyway. "She's only told me a little bit so far. She did say..."

Helena cut him off. "Hm, can't say I'm surprised. Don't worry, won't have to chop your head off. Kath never invites *anyone* over, you know? Ah, wait. Kaaatherine?"

Her sister was trying very hard to glare. "Whatever *infernal* amusement do you seek from me? For how long have you been trailing me? The sea does hide your presence wonderfully well, doesn't it?" Walking up to Helena, Katherine tried to push her sister over, but Helena was much stronger despite her shorter height.

"Kath, please relax. I didn't really come for fun. Mum and dad roped me into finding you because they're *busy* again. Let's get back to the Nest first, then we can talk about this properly. Though I have to admit, I'm really surprised. We'll need to sort this out between the two of us at some point."

"As though you know any better what to do."

"Always the cheery one, aren't you." Helena jeered. She reached out a hand, but Katherine refused it. "Let's just go back." She began trekking back towards Langton's Nest at a brisk pace.

"I see what you meant by "overwhelming" now." Raff said.

"She does this to *every* charming stranger she meets. You certainly won't be the last. Come, I would rather not leave Helena to her own devices for too long, lest she begins drawing conclusions." Katherine also began pacing off to the town, without waiting for him. Raff followed behind at a short distance. He understood now why she hadn't said much about her sister - it was difficult to describe the way they interacted.

By the time he'd gotten to the mansion, Katherine had made her way inside already. The door was unlocked. Once inside, Raff heard a pair of voices arguing, though too muffled by the distance and many layers of doors and walls to make out. As he made his way to the attic, he began to hear some words. He was still holding that sandwich in his hand, he realised. While climbing the final stairs, he heard something fragile shatter, followed by "KATH, STOP!"

The two sisters were standing opposite to each other, each staring her sibling down. The shards of an unfamiliar vase littered the floor.

"What would it interest *you*, Helena? You're always on the run and having your way when it strikes your fancy!"

"Excuse *me*, my lady Prudent Behaviour, they don't sleep *in the same room* the very moment they set foot wherever I'm making my home. I'm better in control of what I want than that."

He watched in silence.

"You are still accusing me of something that you continuously tease."

"All that I'm saying is that you don't know a thing about how this works and *nothing else*, Katherine Alussa Langton. *Don't tempt me*."

Raff coughed, both to announce his presence and to change the subject to something he understood, and also something more pleasant. "Is anyone hungry? I've still got some sandwiches that we didn't get around to eating." He held it up in the air like he was luring a wayward pet monster. The only difference was of course that these were two grown Gridmasks having a heated debate that involved him, somehow. Both looked around at him, eyes still wild with anger. "And if I may... I'm pretty sure that you could both get rid of me with your *bare hands* if you needed to. Sports wasn't my favourite thing."

Helena snorted. "Heh. I like you. You're right - all this fighting makes me hungry. Sling me one," she said as she dropped herself on the sofa.

"So... what's this about, me?"

Katherine muttered something incomprehensible before Helena had even opened her mouth. "We can't hear you."

"I *said* that you cannot keep from sniffing around in my choices. I suppose I did want a sandwich, however."

Raff tossed each of the siblings a sandwich, and neither failed to catch it out of the air. They ate in silence. Helena chewed hers up first.

"Now that we're all a bit more fed and less fed up, why don't we talk about the big fuss."

"After you, Helena."

She sighed in exasperation."Jia, what's wrong with you today. Well then. I caught on that Katherine has some... plans. I'm all for more souls, don't get me wrong, but I just wanted to know if she's sure about this. I think I'd be right to ask it. It's not something we can just throw around lightly. I'd love to have some long-term company too, but if nobody dies of old age, the planet gets crowded and everyone dies anyway. Dwinean solaria are already a big enough problem. On the other hand, what we can agree on..." She glanced at Katherine and nodded towards Raff.

"This is still your choice to make, not mine. It is a considerable burden. We have discussed how lonely this existence is by its nature. Please know that I would hate to miss you on my journeys."

"Sort this out yourself. I'm getting something to drink." Helena got out of her seat, and slowly descended the stairs, bobbing up and down slightly with each step. Katherine rolled her eyes. Once her sister's footsteps were no longer audible, she resumed.

"Answer honestly, for yourself. Please. I can understand that you are still concerned with your parents' wellbeing, so I will not stand in your way if you would rather find them again."

Raff sank down on a chair, ideas slowly sinking into his mind along with him. The weight of endless life, most of all a life in isolation. He missed his parents... but he had his doubts. They had not seen him for years. Maybe the school had informed them, or the news had caught up with them. Were they still waiting, after such a long time? Had they given up hope? "Do you think they're still waiting for me?"

"How so? From what you have told me, they loved you very much."

"Yeah, they did." He smiled. "But I think I've told you as well... they didn't really understand anything beyond their own life. I was curious and wanted to explore the world. They said it wasn't worth it. Sure, I've seen the underside of Steckenburg now. I've had to scrounge up food from some awful places. That doesn't suddenly make all of Ludus a bad place."

Katherine frowned. "I'm not sure if I understand how this relates to seeing your parents."

"I'm not the boy they knew a few years back. They might not even recognise me. And..." This one stung the most to consider. "I think they might dislike what I've become. When you think about it, I pretty much wasted all their efforts, their hopes to give me the life I was looking for. Does that sound like a happy reunion?"

"Although I understand your sentiment, this should not simply be about escaping problems that you are unable, or unwilling, to face."

"You know about avoiding confrontation with problems, too, though. It's not the big reason why I'm thinking about all of this, but it's something to consider for you and Helena." That took her by surprise, but she smiled wearily.

"No, I suppose not. I do not mean to offend you, but the simple folk does not always have the perspective required to understand anything that falls outside its comfortable ideas of the world. Know that I will never judge you for who you are, or who you wish to be."

"I already knew that. You wouldn't have brought me here, otherwise. It's... really not an easy idea to get used to."

Katherine took a seat on the armrest of his chair. "You are correct. It is far from a simple matter. At the same time..." She leaned a bit closer. "...this is possibly the best outcome."

Raff had to think for a moment what Katherine's smile reminded him of. He had a choice, sure... but what kind of choice was this, anyway?

"I... think that's pretty much it, yeah. If you'd told me years ago that I would accidentally trip into one of the biggest secrets of Ludusian history, I would've laughed. Here we are..."

Katherine nodded, slowly. "Then as I swear by the Luminescence, I will keep you safe, and teach you everything that there is to be taught to you." Her eyes glowed that same soft violet as the barrier she had conjured earlier, out by the sea.

Helena had deliberately taken her time to freshen up and hydrate. She *knew* that look in Katherine's eyes. She was determined about this, obsessive even. Raff was naive... though not *that* naive. If Kath's violent reaction to criticism was any indication, he had probably been subjected to some hefty moments with her already. Katherine had also left some books down in the library, and Helena had taken a peek. Those weren't books Kath would leisurely take out, so she suspected there was something she wasn't telling directly.

They clearly liked each other, these two, that was obvious. But secretly, Katherine was falling in love. That one was only obvious to Helena.

Up the stairs, she encountered the doves, Katherine perching on the side of the chair and looking down at Raff.

"I... think that's pretty much it, yeah. If you'd told me years ago that I would accidentally trip into one of the biggest secrets of Ludusian history, I would've laughed. Here we are..."

"Then as I swear by the Luminescence, I will keep you safe, and teach you everything that there is to be taught to you."

Brave words, Kath, brave words. But could she make them true? Lena understood how common people thought. Being among them and blending in had made her an expert, because unlike Katherine, she didn't have a whole library of arts at her disposal, let alone any that made her *less* obvious.

Katherine looked in her direction. "You could have announced your arrival, you know."

She grinned, raising her hands in apology. "Sorry, sis. Didn't want to interrupt your conversation. We need to talk. Got time?"

"Suppose I don't mind. We'll be back in a few moments, then."

Down the stairs they went, all the way down to the reception room on the ground floor. Raff wouldn't be able to make out words here even if they were shouting at the top of their voices. Helena sighed. "Kath, what's your plan? Your *actual* plan. You're never this nice to anyone, not even *me*."

"I will be damned if I let this chance slip from my hands." She was staring in front of her, furiously.

"Yes, yes, I know. But you're not really giving him much time to think, and there's lots more that he needs to know before you can even *think* about what I know you're going to ask from dad. Believe me, I've talked about it. You will need to do *a lot* of preparation."

That didn't seem to stick very well. "I am not the one who appeared without announcement."

"This isn't how that works. You don't get close friends by giving them poorly balanced choices to think about, Kath!"

Katherine sighed. "It is either that or oblivion for him. While I may have let something slip," - she raised a finger to stop Helena from interrupting - "he came to conclusions that shouldn't be *possible* without already knowing a lifetime's worth of study invested in the rumours and theories. Raff has cleared his schooling age by merely a few years, spent on the streets of Steckenburg with no fixed abode. He is not your usual suspect. After this morning, I have reason to believe that these odd Temporalists were onto something significant, and one of them may just be his ancestor. Do you see my point now?"

Ah, *that* was it, then. This didn't explain everything, but it explained *much* more about her determination. It explained why she had pulled the entire collection of Temporalist works out of the shelves and taken so many notes.

Fair enough. "So that's why you were nosing in the kooky time wizard stuff. I see... you're not far off, no. That's not a complete excuse for all of this, though. What's going on?"

"Is it that difficult to... you are just trying to make me say this out loud." She sighed, then groaned. "There's not much point, I suppose. Yes, Helena. *Madly*."

Heh. Knew it. She smiled. "Promise me that you'll do your best and *act* on the words you spoke to him. You like him and he likes you, but what he needs more than that for now is really just a *friend*. I saw that disoriented look in his eyes. With what you've told me, I see why that is. If you're going to keep him around, you have to be his anchor. Give him a foundation to trust and rely on. Do that right... in time, maybe he'll be strong enough to be yours."

"Sister's promise, Helena. Uphold it and spill it if I am too shy, or stubborn, to spit it out."

"Sister's promise, Katherine. Uphold it and slap me in the face if I speak out of turn."

The agreement was set. Katherine was a moody, dark, obscure girl. Even less see-through than dad, or at least she tried. She readily lied about all kinds of things. But a sister's promise was the one thing she had *never* lied about, or broken. In their childhood, when they had been fighting, mum would make them promise to be nicer to each other next time. And, surprisingly, that was usually the case. Or at least, they would leave each other alone. Katherine had brought the idea back after a heavy argument, quite a while ago, and she had always kept her word since.

Both of them nodded slowly. "Come, let us not keep him waiting."

Lena followed her out and back to the attic. "What do you intend to do for now, though? Read books?"

"That we shall see. I would like to see if he has a grasp for magic, if merely to make the teaching process... a little less laborious. His mind seems particularly receptive and sensitive to information, however." She smirked. Aha.

"At last, the greatest mystery of all time has been solved. *That's* how you memorise your books. Always thought it would be."

"It's my sort of pursuit to follow, after all."

The atmosphere felt so much lighter as they climbed. Helena smiled. Raff as a make-do brother-in-law. Even if she'd seen him for less than a day, the first impression was good. *He had teeth.* Kath didn't realise that yet, but Helena had a knack for seeing this. He'd be alright. Katherine, well... she would be in for a fun surprise.

Raff had picked up the Dwinnaean Theology again while Katherine and Helena had left. It remained dense as ever, but he had been making a lot more progress. Dwinians were a diverse bunch from what he had read so far, and that was already quite something. He heard two pairs of feet come up the stairs before Katherine's voice rang out.

"You're still battling your way through that titanic work?" He looked up. Both of them looked a lot more relaxed. Especially Helena had a beaming smile that he couldn't place.

"I'm getting there. Maybe. I never really heard much besides what everyone tells you. The sun, old stories, blah blah. But it's a lot more thoughtful than that. So many symbols for things."

Lena chuckled. "See, you can read big books! I can read big books too, but I don't have the patience. To be entirely fair, everything kind of revolves around the sun, so I don't blame people. It's more than just a symbol to direct words to. Typically, we associate light and warmth with it. Light is usually used to talk about information and knowledge in someone's mind. Warmth goes well with fire, but to some people it also means the warmth of a good home and a fireplace. There's also an old language, if you like those. You might've heard Kath say some things already. Our dad's the real expert on that. I never got very far." Katherine cast an amused look at her. "Don't look at me like that, bookkeepstress. Just because I still have almost every Ludusian beat in that field doesn't make me as smart as *you*, does it now?"

He could finally put his finger on the way these two interacted. They were really just like siblings constantly trying to show the other who knew more, did something better, and so on. They seemed much more harmonious now. If he had to believe Katherine's words, they had been around for a few lifetimes by now. Their bond was probably strong enough to survive a few arguments. What would their parents be like, then? Raff decided he would ask that later on.

"Want to join and find out more? It's no dark cult, don't worry." She laughed at her own horrible pun. Katherine rolled your eyes.

"You *do* make me curious, actually. Katherine showed me how she greets the sun this morning. Is it always so quiet?"

Helena put a hand to her chin. The thoughtful look on her face wasn't very convincing. "No, not *everything*, I suppose. There are a few larger celebrations where a lot of Dwineans will come together, but most of it is very personal. Everyone has their own routine for keeping in touch with the sun, like that greeting."

"Yeah, Katherine said as much. But how do they feel like a community, at that point?"

"Ah, you've already been introduced to that!" She shrugged. "Really depends on the area. Some prefer the more dogmatic side, strict schedules and rules. Others really couldn't be bothered to scratch their backside about it. It's even more fun ever since Neo-Dwineans took off big time. There's a tradition with barely any rules at all, but I'm not sure if they aren't just a bundle of insane people who happened to fit the bill. As for us as a family, we have mostly our daily greeting, and a thanking ritual every now and then. We don't do a calendar the same way as everyone else, either. We just have three seasons, and the passage between each is a pretty important time as well." Helena grinned. "I was raised a very good Dwinean. Because Dwineanism is more about ideals and respect than it is about strict morals. At least... nah, you should read our dad's commentary on the flavours of Dwinean that have come up over time, together with Kath. It'll be fun, I promise." She winked.

"I will see if I can unearth an example calendar." Katherine descended the stairs again, now with a slight skip in her step. Helena continued to grin.

"She's more predictable than Lux rising at dawn. Hey, Raff." She took a chair across the table. "I've got a request for you. I'm not going to be here for very long. One, I didn't come here for fun, necessarily, but two, I can tell Kath will be alright. Just have to explain to mum and dad - or Lyka and Delinius, as you'll have heard by now - what's going on and what the next steps are. Three is a surprise I have planned for both of you, but that'll be a secret." She smiled. "Seriously, though. Stick close to Katherine. Even if she'll never admit it, she's been needing someone she can trust fully. She tells me more than she tells our parents, but she keeps things to herself more than our father. She's very fond of you. Can you promise me that you'll look after her?"

In a different situation, her words could have been threatening, but Helena was not trying to be a menace right now. "Huh, I see. Well, here's the thing, but don't tell her I said this. I already felt that something funny was going on. We both agree that we've taken a liking to each other... can you keep a secret for me?"

Helena raised an eyebrow, followed by a grin on her face could write a whole book by itself. "My lips will be shut tight. Not a *word*, on my honour."

"When I saw her without all that heavy clothing she always wears outside, she looked so... so elegant. I don't think she noticed how I lost focus." He couldn't believe he was confessing this, but *someone* had to know. How beautiful her hair was, how calm her voice. And Helena probably knew enough about her sister to understand.

"Honestly? I'm really surprised by you. I see what Kath meant when she told me you're not just anyone she bumped into. You have a *very* clever mind in that head of yours, with some sharp eyes attached to it. As for how you feel, I know what you're talking about. Katherine's actually beautiful, but she doesn't realise that. She's always been more worried about other things. Thinks that I only get more attention because I'm prettier. That's never been true, but that's neither here or now, we'll talk about that another time."

The question was burning on his tongue: *what about Katherine?* "How far off am I?"

"Can't tell you about that. Sister's promise." A brief silence fell. Sister's promise? "Anyway, why don't I help you through some of this book? Katherine might be the big reader, but I've always liked this one. I'm not as blunt as people think I am." She joined him on the same side of the table. This would take a while.

*Right then. Here's your answer, dad. Kath is fine. She's just run into someone.*

*Who, if I may?*

*Oh, you may. Cute boy named Raff Velyn. Bit jumpy, but I've heard a bit about him. He's been around on the streets of Steckenburg for a while. You might laugh, but you'll get to meet him, I'm sure. He might look naive, but he's not stupid. He can see things he shouldn't.*

*Should I be concerned?*

*Thanks to Katherine, not anymore. She did her own guesswork and concluded he can't just go walking around. It's just in that process where she got a bit distracted.*

*You ought to know well how that ends.*

*Maybe I do, and I told her that too. Don't remind me. Thing is, I checked the books she was rooting through - Temporalists - and got her to spill. Go and check your copy of the name codex for 'Velyn' and do some reading.*

*The filter. Hm, I see. That has been several generations now, however.*

*Doesn't seem to matter. As Kath worded it, **one** slip and he unraveled the entire tapestry like an expert weaver. Jia, he got into trouble and ran away because he was so good at observing, I think. Like I said - it's a good thing Katherine scooped him up. This has the potential to be one of the biggest spanners you've run into, to date. And yes, I think that you're looking at more than the alchemy incident here. We're talking repeat encounters, repeat questions. There's no stopping this guy besides offing him (Kath will murder you) or wiping him so blank you **may as well** kill him while you're at it.*

*Colour me interested, I suppose. What is this about Katherine vehemently opposing the common... oh dear, please do not tell me this is what I think it is...*

*Listen up. She's old enough, and you and mum know that well. She isn't a little girl. When you're not busy for a while, you should go and meet Raff in person. I can promise you that it'll be a worthwhile trip, because I'm with Kath on this one. Put the facts together, dad. Count those tally marks I know you've been keeping track of, since the last expedition I helped you on. I'm not stupid, and neither are you - Katherine **needs** an outside perspective. We've finally figured out what too much introspection looks like, you and me.*

*Your suggestion is well-noted, as you have left me quite curious from everything you've told. However, I would rather you did not talk about that subject. If I am genuinely concerned, I will see Katherine about it myself.*

*Please do. You haven't spoken to her in person - yes, yes, she doesn't make it easy and you're as enigmatic as ever, but in the end she still seems to enjoy your conversations. In her own, silly, never-admit-it way. I'll say hi to her for you.*

*You do not have to remain at the Nest if you wish to resume your own plans. Although I have a distinct feeling that you're inclined to watch over her for a little while longer. Please do send my regards if it comes up. She has not responded to me at all.*

*Will do. Bye, dad.*

*Until the next, Helena.*

Delinius frowned heavily. Helena knew - more than even Lyka - the less savoury undertakings that he'd committed to, with her aid. For her to liken this Raff Velyn to one of the worst and most difficult liabilities they had yet encountered was highly unusual. Whoever the young man was, his daughters both seemed to think he was someone noteworthy.

He stretched, accidentally stirring his partner in the process. They were exceptionally busy with tracking this manuscript down - although ironically, that currently meant attending an exclusive event. A pleasant surprise, to be sure, but certainly not their primary interest. Delinius did not stop himself from enjoying it while it lasted, however.

"Did Lena find something...?" Lyka inquired, still dreamy from awaking.

"Apparently, Katherine has discovered that she can show kindness to commoners, although Helena is exceptionally insistent on telling me that this is no ordinary situation. Not one like Helena would consciously create, at least. I will be in the shower; perhaps you can ask Katherine? I am curious what she may have to say about it herself."

She laughed. "My love, she'll probably tell me little more than she'll tell you. I'll read what Lena wrote to you, let me just wake up a little bit."

Delinius shrugged and continued his path to the bathroom. Katherine and he understood each other well while simultaneously attempting to misdirect the other as best they each could. Perhaps it was better to leave her to her own devices. She had an audacious plan - one that Delinius found unwise at best - yet with Helena's words, it was now a little early to tell if this was something more serious than merely loneliness.

### 7

Helena had only stayed for a few days. Their farewell had been short, and with little words. However, she and Katherine had expressly put a blank journal in Raff's hands, Helena with a mysterious wink, "to try out". The empty pages pulled his gaze into them, beckoning him to fill them. He wouldn't be surprised if there was magic to that feeling. It came as naturally to them all as breathing.

He couldn't quite put himself to it yet. There was a lot to process, but most of it was not fit for paper. Instead, he went back downstairs, out into the garden. He took a spot underneath the enormous tree that had been the great highlight of Katherine's tour. Days had quickly become several weeks. After reading more on Raff's ancestors, as far as Katherine could find anything in the "limited" library of this place, she had gone on to Dwinianism and its practical workings. At last, she would practice a chant this evening, as she had promised. Above him, the branches filtered out the sunlight and made the garden quite pleasant to be in. He sighed. All of these explanations, and he still felt as though there was something much bigger going on than he was aware of, for now. Katherine had been writing on a loose sheet of paper, pausing as if she was waiting for something after every sentence she wrote. She hadn't told him what it was for.

Above him, he could see some of the fruits that Katherine had mentioned. She had confirmed his suspicions about the flowering plant as well. It had turned another violet hue when she touched its petals. Maybe the fruits would be edible in a few more weeks. He'd been told they were somewhat sour. Ideas piled up, tumbling over each other, until he finally understood. Katherine seemed especially fond of anything in written form. She was more in her element when she wrote, she had said. Yes, that could be it.

Raff hurried up the stairs, almost stumbling. The pages were waiting for him, and when he'd reached the attic, Katherine was waiting for him, too.

"I see you have had a realisation. Well then, Raff. Are you ready for that first step?" She handed him a beautiful, ornate pen. It felt warm, and when he gripped it, he felt as though it trembled slightly in his hand.

"There's still so much that I don't remotely understand. That might be for the best." The path ahead was long, and probably more difficult than anything he'd gotten through in school. But now, he had someone at his side who could make him feel at home, and make him feel valued. He put the pen to the paper.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

*It is done. Sister's promise or not, Helena did understand my point. She may be busy with her dreams of subjugating some street thugs and educating them through less than eloquent means about the error of their ways. Raff's presence fills me with a fondness I have never experienced before. It terrifies me still that this young man could still die very easily. Thankfully, I have taken my precautions, and he should be quite safe, both here in Langton's Nest, and later, when we travel elsewhere with Helena. There is enough time to meet the requirements of my father, to the extent I can theorise them. I have avoided directly mentioning my ultimate goal, but both from the context and his correspondence with Helena, he understands what I wish to achieve. He is reluctant to grant me my request, but he has not outright denied the idea. Mother seems intrigued rather than concerned, and both of them appear interested in meeting later on. I will postpone this for some time, however - Raff needs a lot of information.*

*Of course, I expect that the entire house will have its laughter over my change in attitude, but their laughter will cease when they come into contact with Raff. Despite the struggles and arguments we've faced early on, I feel as though it has been a liberating experience for both of us. He retains a very grounded outlook - incredible considering the amount of turbulence he has been through over the past few years. I hesitate to write what seems to attract me to him. These are not absurd maternal instincts, that I know for certain. The thoughts that cross my mind sometimes fill me with anxiety, for these are not thoughts I have had in a long time. Though the perceived difference in age is minimal, our experiences are vastly different in nature and quantity, and this requires a lot more consideration before I feel safe to discuss it with Raff. If all goes well, the relative gap will decrease as time proceeds. Perhaps I will read this entry when that time comes and laugh at my reluctance.*

"What thought process founds a gust of wind?"

"Sometimes, you don't need a big shove to change the world, but a little push."

Katherine nodded approvingly. "And the fire burns..."

"...although the spark is gone. It sustains itself." He knew all of this by heart. Not that he minded repeating it. "When do I start on anything practical?"

"Give it some time. I understand that you wish to get to the tangible aspect of it all, but for the learned, studious magic you are working on, a certain theoretical basis is necessary. On the other hand, I suspect there is something that might bring to light your innate affinities sooner."

She was a stern teacher, but by far a more reliable and fair one than any that Raff had ever had in school. If he didn't follow entirely, she explained it again, as often as he needed. He couldn't wait until he could actually create a flame by himself, or even just knock over a book standing upright with some wind. For the past month now, they had been studying the theoretical framework instead. It would be "soon", whenever she deemed that to be. There was still enough food in stock, as far as he could tell. Katherine never mentioned it, though Raff also didn't bother to ask. It was quite possible that Helena had left some more while she had been here.

He picked up his journal. It was already much more filled beyond his first entry. Katherine had given him some advice on how to write things down efficiently. It helped put the events of past weeks and months into perspective. Speaking of... "I've actually been thinking back to that walk at the coast," he suddenly mentioned. Aside from the monster, and Helena showing up suddenly, the sea had appealed to him. "Not so much for your sister, if you're curious."

Katherine tilted her head slightly. "Ah? What did capture your attention, then?"

"The salty air, the wind. I felt like I'd been missing out on something. Like a part of me had always belonged there..."

Just as suddenly, Katherine stood up. "We shall march there. There is much more to be gained from another visit than the teachings of a dusty lady in overly warm clothing, and I suspect this may finally answer my own questions."

Before he could say a word, Katherine was dragging him by the arm to prepare some small rations and things for another walk. What her questions were was equally a mystery.

*I hope that Kath finally gets a chance to go outside a bit more, now with Raff. For once, she's actually writing back when I leave a note. He seems to be making a lot more progress than I expected, and according to her he's a good student. Not very gifted, a bit like me, but attentive. If only my plans were going as smoothly. Besides these little street rats that really can't learn anything besides vandalism and kicking shins, it's been a bit tricky to get hold of that automatic pedalcart from last time. The owners seem very concerned about keeping it hidden now. I don't get it - I brought it back perfectly in one piece and even made sure it was ready to go again.*

*I'll just have to snip all that vandalism out of the pool for next generations. Bit of a shame. Of course dad will do that ridiculous chuckle of his and say he told me so, as always. Mum will giggle, and in the end I can't even give a damn. It's so silly - Kath always has them worried if she's not arriving or responding when they expect it (though responding's a bit of a rare one anyway, I guess), but with me it's never "hey Lena, everything alright" or "would you like to stay over for a while". Nooooo, I'm strong and independent. Kath is weak and in need of constant watching. I know she's more promising, but sometimes I wonder what they have in mind for us. If anything, I have **more** questions. Maybe they're just taunting us. That's a different can to break open another time.*

*Still don't know where I want to take Kath. Universe City is way out of the question, and the pedalcart won't make it that far. Steckenburg and New Hub are options. I could try Greytown, but it's smaller and not as insteresting as it used to be. Besides, Steckenburg is literally on the way there so then I might as well go there instead. Wonder what Raff would like. He's not a city boy, so maybe he's more outdoorsy. That would do her some*

Splintering wood interrupted Helena as she tried to write her journal entry. "Have a little patience, you little Jorjys! I'll come and crack your skulls soon!" She stuffed the journal into her jacket. Raff was lucky to have found Kath, when she thought about it. Katherine was a reclusive one, but she was stable. Not a big traveller, at least not constantly. Helena couldn't stay anywhere for long, at least not usually. She'd be a bad mentor. Going around kept the world interesting to her, and while she was out and about, she could report on developments she came across, if her parents would stop giggling for two dibs.

"The sea..." Raff breathed in. He could taste the salt in the air. Katherine stood next to him, eyes fixed on the water.

"Yes, the sea. I would like you to close your eyes, and think of a reason why you felt such an affinity with it the very moment you first saw it." Her tone was very different from the lectures she usually gave to him, so Raff closed his eyes rather than asking questions. "Find the part of you that resonates with it, and concentrate on this. The sea has many secrets to share with whomever will listen. Its waves rush softly across the sands. Hear their whispers."

Something changed. He didn't know this feeling. The sound of the waves - crashing onto the beach, fizzing as they retreated - felt familiar. More familiar than he expected at his second time here.

"Within you is something that wishes to connect to that vast expanse of water and the salted breeze that drives it. Something inherent to you that has been dormant since your birth. It is at the very centre of everything that defines you - the mind, the heart, and your soul. You can locate it in the middle of your body."

Raff felt the wind pick up, but he kept his eyes firmly shut. Something green and blue was glowing in his mind's eye. It reached out to his hands and feet. To his head. He felt his legs move, without knowing in which direction. It seemed to be the purpose of this excursion.

"There you are. The sea trusts you to handle it, like a seamstress handles her textiles. Like a librarian the shelves of books, or a writer their pen. The wind invites you to lean on it, and play in its gusts and outbursts. They each resonate with who you are. Everything that you imagine to be possible with them, and everything you had not imagined before, you may try. Mold them to your mind. Open your eyes, Raff Velyn. Witness the dormant forces within you, now awake."

He did exactly that. Raff was standing a short distance into the sea, but his feet were dry. Water bent around him in a small circle, rushing past as if a barrier was keeping it out. Katherine was still at the waterline, a great smile on her face. Her voice had sounded so clear, despite the distance. She waved, and Raff waved back. Once her stopped focusing on what was around him, the water collapsed in on his feet, and he fell over. Katherine was laughing as he clambered out of the water, clothes wet.

"You *do* seem to have a natural talent for swimming, I see." She looked quite proud of him. This was magic, the water bending around him. Something visible, tangible. It felt a little underwhelming, after everything Katherine had told him. "So that was it?"

"It is only a start, my dear. This is the beginning of you grasping the natural ability you possess for these arts. There is also a distinct difference between intuitive, inherent talent such as this, and the taught principles and memorised ideas that we have been working on. Although the two can become almost indistinguishable with enough time and practice, their basis is the exact opposite."

It had been her point to make him expect something much larger. The lines began to connect. Without being introduced to all the possibilities through all that theory, Raff would probably not have thought of the sea. "I only started thinking about this because we were going through all of the theory... I see how this works."

Katherine took his hand as they began walking back. "Admittedly, you are doing very well in the department of connecting your observations. I would argue that you do well in particular because you are eager to learn by asking questions, yet without falling for the pedantic "why" that some inquiring minds resort to. On that note... I must admit something I have been struggling with for some time."

She definitely looked uncomfortable, and the next words she spoke were incredibly soft. "Do you remember that choice I presented you?"

He did remember. "Yeah. What's up?" Raff knew exactly what was up. It hadn't been much of a choice.

"It is a terrible awkward situation to be in, for me. I presented you with that choice, in a way that left only one reasonable option. Although you made a conscious choice, I feel that it was not an entirely fair way of treating you."

Raff looked at her. She was looking down at her feet as they walked. "Katherine, let me straighten this out." He stopped so she would at least look in his direction. "I might be young, and still getting my bearings, but I'm not as naive anymore. You've always dodged it, but I know what has happened to other people who accidentally discover the big secret. They forget, or they die. But you've said it yourself - I'm seeing things in a way that ignores what you know about average Ludusians. I would probably not forget forever, or run into you again. Dying's the only other option that would be left."

She looked shocked. Unsurprising, to Raff. He had deliberately chosen to let that be. "You can safely admit it, you know. We aren't strangers anymore."

"I..." Katherine looked up and at him. "I did not want to burden you with that notion, no. I had not thought you would understand that truth so subtly, without even bringing up how unsettling it is."

"To be fair, it would have been a lot more comfortable if you had brought it up squarely. Though I could also have brought it up, I guess. I didn't want to force it. We've both just been dancing around it and not saying how we actually feel about this."

Water was evaporating from his wet clothes. It left them feeling a bit stiff, and probably in need of a wash. Katherine opened her mouth and closed it. Slowly, she breathed in and opened it again. "No... no, you are correct. I am not so readily able to discuss how I feel."

"If it helps..." Raff laid his hand on her shoulder. "It took a while before I felt comfortable enough to share how I feel too. It's just not something I've done since my childhood. We're both a bit weird when it comes to that."

She grabbed him by his other arm. The two of them stared at each other for what felt like the rest of the day. "I must confess how strongly I feel..."

"It speaks from your eyes, Kath. I've already found out."

Suddenly, he felt her voice speak in his mind. Katherine didn't blink or move her mouth even slightly.

*You are the only one I could ever hope to find companionship with.*

*Helena? Are you awake yet?*

*Awake as I could be! I take it you're ready to go into that big wide world you've always loved so much, haha. How's Raff doing?*

*Ah, crowded cities, my favourite environment. But yes, we are indeed ready for departure now. Although there is much to teach him in the department of physical activities, you may challenge him with some wind arts of your choosing.*

*You've been keeping me out of the loop on that. All you've been telling me is that his talents lie "somewhere well outside of the desert".*

*There is some irony to it - he has affinity for the sea and wind. Little inherent talent for the burning arts, I'm afraid, but he has adjusted to my methods exceptionally well. I have good hopes that he will directly grasp knowledge as a concept soon.*

*Ooh. That sounds nice and spicy. How's dad going to react, I wonder. Reminds me...*

*Sister's promise. I did have trouble speaking it out physically, but I conveyed it, to his mind. I have done similar before.*

*Sounds like he's taken it better than you expected. I did ask him to look after you, while you were getting out a calendar. Sounds like he's been doing that, and more. I've never seen you this lively, sis.*

*Actually, he brought up the idea of our standing himself, leaving me no other option but to confess. Oh, I can't believe I am admitting this to you. I find it strangely... captivating, this feeling of being confronted with no means of escape.*

*Mmm. You go and have fun figuring out what that means for you and him. He just needs time to figure this whole thing out, just like you do.*

*I'm sure you have your perverted thoughts about it. I am still debating what I think. Regardless, Raff has enough creativity to explore his talents and enough curiosity to listen to me rambling about dusty theories that were old when you and I were doing our curriculum. The journal was the stepping stone leading up to that. Which reminds me, where did you find that, anyway?*

*You remember how the old Dwinean farts and such convinced dad to help them with an education project, right? Didn't really work out, so he was left with a whole pile of those. Didn't ask him for one, but nicked a couple anyway. I know it's rudimentary compared to ours, but I figured you might appreciate the head start it'll give him. It's still a long road, isn't it?*

*Has that stopped me so far?*

*When has that ever. Sorry for doubting it in the beginning. I know you always think your ideas through very thoroughly. I was just so surprised that you'd suddenly found someone you not only talked to, but actually wanted near you.*

*It is understandable. You cannot help being my watchful big sister, despite your height.*

*Hey! Not fair. I'm just compact, not short.*

*I shall note your complaint and file it in a vast cabinet of nothing. How is your transportation coming along?*

*You'll get to see it. I finally have my hands on something that'll bring us over the sand quicker than you can initiate a blinding curse.*

*Bold words to speak while within blinding distance, Helena. Around what moment will we be seeing you?*

*Week, maybe two. Still need a spare wheel. Preparation is half your work done, innit. Stay safe, Kath.*

*And you, Helena.*

Katherine smiled as she tucked away the thick sheet of paper. She imagined that Helena would be impressed with everything Raff had managed to learn in mere weeks. Truthfully, those weeks together formed several Ludusian months, but to Katherine that was still a remarkable pace. Raff was gaining confidence in his own judgement, without hesitating or looking to her for guidance with every step. Hopefully, it would also prepare him to spend an extended period of time around Helena, if there was anything that could prepare him for her antics.

Comfortable on hear bean bag, she considered Raff's development so far. He frequently retreated to the garden when unoccupied, typically underneath the large tree. For Katherine, it felt as though she had not been through this much excitement for ages, and she suspected that it was the most exciting time of Raff's whole life. He was adapting rapidly, more rapidly than she could have imagined. She herself was, too. It puzzled Katherine how quickly she had grown into this situation. As if fate had made it a sport to mock her, only to suddenly turn favourable. Although not a believer in fate, some events made it difficult to believe that. The entire situation reeked of an elaborate scheme such as the ones only her father could craft. He could easily have set one up at someone's birth. Then again, with how critical he was of the idea, it was rather unlikely.

Her thoughts on a potential conspiracy were interrupted by Raff's footsteps up the stairs. He appeared cheerful. Since they had mutually admitted to how they felt, he seemed ever more relaxed, confident. Katherine still struggled to admit to herself that she felt strongly for him, but he was everything that she could have hoped for.

Evidently, all of this pondering was leaving her visibly absent. "Hey, Kath. Are you alright?"

"Oh, certainly," she replied dreamily. "A bit lost in thought, that is all. "I have come to notice how natural this arrangement feels - as if it had been so for a much longer time. Quite obviously, it is not, and I have been pondering this for several days now."

He nodded. "I've noticed that you are a bit more absent, yeah." Always the attentive, listening ear. Raff sat down next to her. "I'm not sure either. Sometimes, I guess you really do just meet someone who understands you in a way you thought impossible. You certainly make me feel more understood than I've felt my whole life so far." Helena would find this an adorable compliment. Katherine smiled.

"I suppose that is so. Perhaps it is as if I have been guarded against this kind of thing for ages - yet now that I find myself secure in someone's company, I allow myself to be more open, easier to recognise. I have been writing about it extensively, I will-" Without warning, Raff had raised himself from the ground and dropped his full weight onto the bean bag, causing Katherine to roll off of it rather suddenly. "Oi!" Scrambling up from the unexpected relocation, she saw Raff laugh. A rebellious little school brat at heart, all along.

"That's the first time I've heard you say something so flatly. It's pretty funny."

Not so fast, Raff. Katherine dove right back onto the cushion, popping *him* off of it. He was briefly launched and landed face first into the adjacent one, mumbling and still laughing. Ha. A memorable moment, to be sure, although Raff would not haunt her with it in the same way Helena could at times. Playful rivalry. She hadn't engaged in that with anyone besides Helena, and even then, theirs was a unique way. The spontaneous nature of her exclamation only reinforced that notion. "There now, you scoundrel. I may look stern, but I am not incapable of amusement and leisure."

He looked quite dashing. Delinius had left a small collection of "home wear" in Langton's Nest- comfortable clothing, although not necessarily fit to wear outside. Raff was a bit shorter, but thankfully he fit into it without issue. "You should do that more often. They call this fun." he said.

"Hmm, yes, fun. I will admit that I *have* missed this. You will hear more than enough about it from Helena later. In our younger years - relatively speaking - we were both quite adventurous and undertaking. She took to it somewhat better than I did, I suppose. She has always been eager to meet new faces, share activities with them, and forget once they are no longer around. I have always sought meaningful interaction, and typically find none, repeatedly. I abandoned my search and decided for myself that it was futile to hope otherwise. That is, of course..."

They both smiled. He understood. "...before you ran into me. I think we're not so different when it comes to that. What you said, about the way this feels familiar... it's funny. We've been here for a few months now. Back in school, that's about as much time as it took me to figure out the motives behind most of my classmates. Over in one corner, you have the attention seekers, with one crowned sovereign. Over in the other you have the people trying to look cool, or important, but they're a lot of puffed up air. The Dwinean kids, they were a different story, with their warm colours and weird habits to the rest of the classes."

Ah, of course, the luminous congregation. She would have to enter him into the rites herself, now that she thought about it. Not something that she had done before, but certainly not outside of her knowledge. And... it could serve as some fundament of their bond, which had been growing quickly so far. Raff was about to make his point - that much Katherine could already tell from the way he expressed himself.

"With you, on the other hand... Katherine, where do I begin. We haven't even gotten through all of your experiences. You've told me some of what interests you... but somehow, with every new answer I feel more like I've only found more questions."

"It is the mystery that draws you in, isn't it?" She smiled at the notion that her enigmatic outer layers were attracting him, rather than pushing him away. It was not merely endearing. "I am rather private, when it comes to those matters. Perhaps more because it felt pointless to discuss them. What would a favourite colour matter, after all?"

Raff laughed. "Well, that's only for most people, sure. Honestly, I didn't realise that I wanted clothing in shades of blue for that reason." Ah, the clever scoundrel had paid attention. Katherine pondered on subjects to cover - yet they had gone over a lot in that bewildering session of sharing her thoughts directly. "What about your hot beverages, though? I haven't seen you drink plain water *at all*."

"Ah, yes. I am rather fond of my teas and hot drinks, am I not? Aside from the taste, which I prefer to the blandness of water, one typically does not serve water warm. I need not challenge the temperature of my body any more than most climates already do. You will not find me enjoying frozen or cooled food for that same reason. In addition, I find that preparing myself a warm beverage helps to calm my nerves when I am frustrated. One could call me addicted to it, perhaps." Although Katherine giggled at her own explanation, it was no less true. The rise of steam from the seamless surface of a drink helped her to settle down in the direst of times.

"Shall I prepare something?" she asked, innocently.

Oh no, you're not restless, are you?" They both burst out into laughter.

Another few weeks, and the dimming season would begin. Raff's birthday, in the coldest part of the season, approached soon. Perhaps it would be lightened by his presence well enough. Of course, in the regular calendar they were only in the third season now, with Raff's day of birth falling firmly in the fourth, but Katherine had never understood why the diversity of calendars all remained in use, even now. Delinius had talked about his adventures and misunderstandings with the counting systems and calendars, particularly in the time of Isles and Quint, the company through which he had learned a lot about harnessing the will of monsters.

As Katherine prepared hot water for a calming drink, she smiled. She had some ideas for Raff's birthday. He had not had a proper birthday gift for years, now. For some of them, however, she would need Helena's assistance, as the materials and expertise required were more her specialty.

"I do believe I mentioned that Helena wants to take us for a trip, yes?" She handed Raff his cup.

"I think so? When was she coming to pick us up again?"

"As per her usual descriptions, she will meet us in a week, or perhaps two. I have my suspicions as to the vehicle she plans on using, which is quite the novelty ride, so to speak. I suggest we begin packing some things we will need for the road. We will not be needing our tents, as our destination is urban. Helena most likely intends for us to engage in various illegalities, street fights, on her end at least, and little sleep. An exhausting and difficult experience, but if anything it will test some practical matters."

Raff did not frown at this notion, like Katherine had expected, but appeared quite excited at the idea. "Huh. Does she know about what I have been through?"

"I may have briefly spoken about it, but not in great detail, no," she replied. " I suppose it is quite a coincidence. Truthfully, I suspect that Helena has missed spending time out on the streets together with me, and hopes that you might also be good company. Are you looking forward to it?"

He nodded slowly. "I would worry about which city she is taking us to, but I'm not really worried about meeting hired thugs while the two of you are around."

That was accurate. Never mind Helena's ability to handle ruffians in brutal fashion - Katherine was prepared to fight tooth and nail for him, against anyone. "If I knew it, I would certainly tell you. I know her fairly well, however. I expect we will be headed for New Hub City. The Hub is quite alright, I suppose, although I tend to prefer older architecture as opposed to ever-changing, modern towers. I have not been there for quite some time, so I admit I am curious how it has changed."

She stood up. "I will look for some spare clothing that may fit you. We will most likely not be washing for some length of time."

"Is there enough in my size, you think?"

Oh, there would be. "While you may be a bit shorter than my father, I assure you that his condition is good. At the very least, they will not be too *wide*. In the worst event, there is still time for me to lightly tailor some sleeves."

"Welcome to the ride of a lifetime. Only one of its kind."

With the grin of a mischievous street painter, Helena revealed the vehicle that they would be riding. It was hard to describe. It looked more like a framework with wheels, attached to an intricate set of mechanisms that were partially obscured behind panels. Most of the frame was metal, though the remainder of the vehicle wasn't. A box in the front opened up to reveal generous space for bags and luggage.

"It looks impressive. What *is* this, though?"

She lifted a panel from the rear section. It revealed an extremely complex-looking set of gears and sheets of metal wound up in spirals. This was nothing remotely like any wheeled cart Raff had ever seen.

"Spring-driven crank-wound automatic pedalcart. While one spring is unwinding, part of the tension helps wind up the other one. When you're out of tension on one, you kick it to the other, and the process repeats. There's some loss - energy is never free - but it's honestly one of the most cool and ingenious designs I came across."

Katherine smiled. "I see you have pried this from its owners yet again. What unspeakable acts did you perpetrate in order to achieve that, this time?"

Her sister laughed and smiled mischievously. "They've been dead for a little while now. Don't know when that happened." She was almost certainly lying. The playful, airy tone of her voice would almost make Raff forget that she had likely murdered the original owners, this time. He was about to encounter that side of this existence, he knew that much. Katherine had discussed it so extensively that he had jokingly told her that he would send the bill for his services as a listening ear and confidant. Thinking now, however, Raff wasn't sure how far this went, or how far he was ready to go. Katherine had mentioned fighting lowlife types in the streets.

"Anything about the cause of death?"

Helena tutted. "Now now, young man. I think you already know the answer to that, but I'll tell you anyway. They had this very nasty crack in their skulls. Looked like an axe blade, though I have no idea where that could have come from." She had done it, all right. And that was a reality he was still trying to reconcile with his own opinions. Helena and Katherine had been raised outside of any regular society and only interacted with it by the time that they had formed most of their identity and values already. They had little trouble hiding their identity or shifting attention onto others, breaking laws, or removing those that got in their way as no more than obstacles to their path.

Katherine really had considered letting him get lost in the desert, after all. Being ageless and descending from a mysterious, legendary lineage didn't turn either of them into heroes. How they were able to live with that... that was something Raff still had to figure out.

She poked him in the side to snap him out of his daydream. "I would suggest wearing these goggles. They look absolutely ridiculous, I will agree, but they will effectively keep sand and dust out of your eyes. Allow me to demonstrate." One last pluck of hair across her face was put in its place, and then Katherine pulled a pair of heavy goggles over her eyes. A set of straps made sure they didn't slide off of her face. The thick lenses made her appear a little bit like an adventurer from one of the illustrated books from his childhood. Lena was already adjusting the straps on hers. Raff took the last pair and tried them on. Despite the weight, they were fairly comfortable to wear.

"Now this looks like the *real* once in a lifetime experience the tour was supposed to give."

"Pfah," Helena snorted, "if all goes *well*, this won't be the last time you get to ride in this beauty. Assuming you don't just empty your stomach on the way, but I think you'll be alright. You're not so soft."

Raff wasn't sure what she meant by that, although the rough pat on the back assured him that she meant no harm. After putting their bags into the front compartment, Helena got herself seated behind the controls of the vehicle, while Katherine managed to get into a seat next to him. "Please, do *not* roll us off of a hill." Katherine grumbled. Her sister evidently didn't care, as she released the brakes. It took a moment to get into motion as its metallic springs groaned and gears rattled. Soon enough, they were rolling across the sand, faster than Raff had ever travelled before.

Helena appeared to be having plenty of fun, waving and shouting. "Whoo, it's been a while! We used to go places, Kath and I." She was more interested in talking than what was ahead of her. It hadn't been a problem so far, but then they approached a group of monsters rather quickly. Helena swerved around them, with the unfortunate side effect of tossing her passengers from side to side very roughly. "Sorry about that!"

He was pretty sure he had bruised his arm on the frame. Not that Raff really cared. While their vehicle seemed sturdy, monsters were also quite sturdy, especially here in the desert. The desert sped by - these goggles were not a luxury. He looked to the side while rubbing the sore spot on his arm. Katherine gently grabbed his arm to draw his attention, so he turned around. "Everything alright, Kath?" Raff asked, raising his voice to get over the wind and the rattling of the cart they were riding. She merely smiled as a response. Despite her efforts at keeping all of her hair held in place, more and more of the short strands were escaping from her bandanna to join the long hair on the back of her head in the wind.

Nothing major happened for the rest of the ride. Despite the rough terrain, the view of the desert speeding by was well worth the goggles and the bruise. They passed under groups of flying monsters a few times, and sped past a whole field of inert ones. Katherine had explained how they spread more akin to plants, and only ever attacked travellers or Rangers if provoked. They didn't have to run away or defend themselves from this automatic cart, though. This was what the lazy way looked like.

As Lux slowly crawled down towards the horizon, they got into the outer areas of a city. Houses were somewhat smaller here, placed in rows all along the streets. Helena parked about as inelegantly as Raff had expected from her, considering the rather bulky, unwieldy vehicle and her rough handling. Despite being a bit numb and bruised, Raff felt that this what adventure tourism should really be. Everyone climbed out of the vehicle. Katherine was in no better shape than Raff, although Helena appeared to be completely fine.

"Welcome to the wonderland of suburbia, where nothing ever happens." Yes, she really seemed fine. She was stretching her legs a bit, but that was the only indication he got. The air was colder here after months spent in the desert heat. Raff shivered a bit. Helena began unpacking the bags and hoisted the heaviest one over one shoulder - Katherine's, probably many books. "Alright, lodgings are right this way. Follow me."

Katherine sneezed. "Luminous light." Now that Raff thought about it, Helena was just wearing short sleeves without a jacket, without looking remotely cold. It seemed like she had not inherited that same vulnerability to the cold which Katherine complained about.

"Ah, urban atmosphere. How I have missed your noxious fumes dearly as the rain on an overcast day."

Her figure of speech made Raff laugh. Her metaphors were often elaborate or strange, but what she meant to say way relatively simple. They were walking towards a small building of apartments. Helena held the door open for them, gesturing inside. The entrance hall was dull and uninteresting, but they were welcomed by a working elevator to take them up. Stairs weren't a problem for Raff, but right now, he was fine with being lazy.

The elevator closed after they had crammed themselves and their bags into it. While it ascended under a soft hum, Raff poked Lena in the shoulder. "Why an apartment here? Do you prefer the suburban streets?" Despite the long journey, she responded cheerfully.

"Ooh, hmm. I dunno, I could probably rent something bigger and up in downtown New Hub City if I wanted to, but I'm not used to that feeling of squeaky clean floors and white walls. Can't shake the feeling that I don't really belong there. You should ask dad about his time in Isles & Quint, he knows what that feels like."

Isles & Quint... he had only heard a few things about it in school as part of history class. A company, a business that had left its mark on Ludus forever, with the ability to harness the will of monsters. While not as common of an occupation anymore, it was not quite a trade secret these days, and more a matter of being able and willing to take on the care for a creature. Some of them could outlive most Gridmasks.

Of course, there was plenty more to be said about its figureheads. Raff was more interested in hearing what they were like than what the company did, if he was honest with himself. He had heard enough about that in school. For now, he dropped himself into the large sofa against the wall, which was wonderfully soft.

"One gets more luxury when factoring in the price difference alone. I imagine you could not get half the room for the same price if you go further inward. Although spoilt and more than able to pay for lodgings, our father does not possess vast monetary riches. I would compare it more to an arrangement to cover costs. In addition, what use is a luxurious stove when you need only the pan and a surface that will not burn? In Helena's case, even heating is optional with how radiant her body always is."

The elevator halted only once they were all the way at the top floor. This was apparently an entire floor built as one dwelling. It seemed quite nice, although Raff realised that the tall building was too small for it to be more than a small house's worth of space. As Helena had said, it was not high-class, but at least it felt a bit exclusive, having a floor to yourself.

Bags were dropped all over the floor as they settled in. Helena was immediately gone around a corner. "Help yourself to some snacks in the kitchen. I was peckish."

Katherine calmly sat down on the other end of the sofa, with just enough room. She heaved a loud, almost theatrical sigh. "I am already asking myself why I agreed to this. There is no turning back now, I suppose. Come, I'm certain that you will be hungry soon. And, more importantly, I already am."

With a grunt, she hoisted Raff from the couch. They stared at each other for a moment. She looked tired, but that wasn't stopping her from showing off how strong she was - or probably more just how light Raff was. She tugged on his arm. Let's eat.

In the kitchen, they found Lena with a box of cookies that she was furiously consuming by herself. The kitchen was not that large, but for an apartment this size it would do just alright. Katherine opened a cabinet door. All it revealed was an abundance of packaged snacks. "Excellent dietary choices, I see." Helena didn't answer. She chose a box of salted crackers and pried it open. After that, she wordlessly gestured to the shelves inside and stepped aside, as if to say 'help yourself'. Raff took another box of cookies out. The contrast with the nice meals Katherine had been cooking was a bit jarring. Finally, Helena stopped eating for a moment.

"Once you've finished munching on as much as you like, feel free to take a shower. Or don't - I usually don't bother when there's fighting to do. Make sure you get some sleep, though. We have a lot ahead of us tomorrow, and I need both of you awake." She had a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I know just the place to show you."

*It has been an adventure to tag along with Lena. Kathering predicted it almost exactly right. Cheap, bad food, poor sleep. If the apartment seemed basic to me, I take that back now. We've been camping around notorious hangouts for street dwellers for about a month. This is not how I had imagined my life to be. It's freedom, more than I had before. No idea how Helena gets any of the food or money we're using to pay for things. They said their father isn't that rich, but that might be set to a different standard, or just a small bluff. She definitely steals some of this stuff.*

*I don't think my parents would be happy if they saw me. I do miss them, really, but... it's been a long few years. I've talked about it before with Kath. They might not even recognise me, or want to see me. I don't know what they've been told, or what they've heard. Roaming the streets with Katherine and Helena helps me forget. It's the easy way out, I know that. Maybe, deep down, that's all I really wanted. Forget what I did in the past years and move on. I didn't know it would take a turn like it has, though. I still feel like I'm a disciple to a secret order sometimes.*

*The difference is that, for the first time in my life, I feel like I belong somewhere.*

Raff shut his journal and caught Helena looking at him.

"Hey, no peeking! It's my journal."

Both of them laughed, and Helena gave him a slap on the shoulder. These siblings gave him safety. They knew what it was like to be out of place, everywhere, all the time. They understood that feeling like nobody else, and they valued him, and his talents.

Home was no longer a place. This was home.