Two hours later, Gwyneth continued to check over her shoulder every time they went over another hill. Her tempered eyes didn’t spot anyone following them. She did locate a herd of fanged deer, a cow-sized hedgehog and a couple of gremlins scrambling into their burrows. However, the pair agreed that slowing wasn’t in their best interests. Just because one party had gone downriver, it didn’t mean that there weren’t others. It wasn’t just that Gwyneth had a valuable spirit, but the grievance she filed with the city council most likely pissed the DeLawney heads too. Bunty knew very well how spiteful the nobles could get.

Six hours passed before the pair spotted the first outer settlement. Unlike the previous ones, it was a solitary tower. Its height, and single entrance made it a strategically sound construction. The DeLawneys wouldn’t need many Climbers to defend it. If it were up to Bunty, he’d arm the building with plant and tool-spirit users. Defensive spells or summons and long-range attack spells would enable them to hold off most attackers.

“How up to date are you with current DeLawney affairs?” Bunty asked, inspecting the building through the looking glass. The pair had taken cover in a thicket of trees to avoid getting spotted. “This place feels isolated enough for them not to have regular contact with the others. Could we trick our way in and then make a break for the door?”

“That’s not a good idea,” Gwyneth said after a moment’s thought. “Sure, they don’t see people often, but parties preparing for the next interval still come down here. The Hyenes are good training opponents for people heading to the next interval. Their tribes have aged members amongst them with Cores that give them supernatural abilities.”

“Speaking of Cores, do Hollow Spirits attract older ones? I’ve been in the tower for less than a week and I’ve encountered four creatures that are at least five centuries old and a mole that was just a couple.” The thought had been bugging Bunty for a while, and he needed clarification. “I didn’t have the time to research the matter while in the city, but it feels much too coincidental. Some of them almost make sense since I had wandered far off the beaten path. I’ll give the mole and a slime lord a pass too. However, the plant monster and lizard shaman are a touch too convenient.” Bunty lowered his looking glass and turned to his climbing partner. “You’d think on a densely populated floor like this one aged Cores would be a scarcity. Yet some gremlins can trick people with conjured will-o-wisps and Hyenes with magic.”

“Heading off the beaten path certainly helps, and there are logical explanations for most of your encounters.” Gwyneth’s eyes lit up like they always did when she had knowledge to share. “Creatures like moles and slime lords hunt using vibration. The mining operations are loud enough to keep them away from densely populated areas, and they head to the quieter bits. As for the plant creature, I think someone placed an older beast’s cutting there to mess with your old party. They likely screwed others in the past too, and they wanted revenge. You killed it, causing a power vacuum. The argonians rushed in to fill it.”

“That explains their presence but not how these creatures are as old as Gaia claims,” Bunty said.

“That’s the key!” Gwyneth exclaimed. “Gaia claims they’re several centuries old. Arthur had several theories. There are two that I think are likely. Firstly, Gaia has secret areas we can’t access. She uses these bits to house her children and let them grow and live reasonable in Climbers' safety. They still fight one another for control and food but don’t have to worry about us. Occasionally, Gaia lets out a few stronger specimens, or they break out, and that’s when we face them.”

“I don’t know how I feel about that one.” Bunty returned his attention to the tower in the distance. He spotted movement on the roof. A shirtless climber stood atop the structure stretching while the sun embraced their skin. “It doesn’t explain how frequently people run into them or find aged Cores. I swear every second Climber I know has upgraded their spirits after killing beasts several-centuries old.”

“First of all, you lived with the key members of a noble house. Your father trained the children of other noble houses. The people you’ve been interacting with are the rich and powerful. Of course, they’ll have better Cores.” Gwyneth chuckled. “They can afford better equipment and hire people to assist them with their daring expeditions. Or, when merchants like your friend Kartik get their hands on a decent Core, they call the nobles first since they’ve got deep pockets. On the other hand, the common people end up using whatever Core they can get their hands on. If they’re lucky, their upgrade will come from a creature a couple-centuries-old at most.”

“What’s your second theory then?”

“The creatures aren’t really several centuries old,” Gwyneth answered. “It’s just how Gaia measures power. Arthur never got around to proving the hypothesis, but he believed that the monsters get strength from killing one another or Climbers. The Cores absorb the defeated entity’s life force to form and then grow in strength.” Gwyneth stared at her lamp, thoughtfully as it floated next to her with its light out. “I know that the theory sounds a little farfetched—”

“No,” Bunty said, cutting her off. “That makes a lot more sense to me than the first. Gaia doesn’t always come across as the most reliable of entities. There are too many flaws and inconsistencies with how the tower and the upgrade stations work. Perhaps using age as a measurement is meant to throw us off and throw us off the truth regarding the ark and its purpose.”

“Look, over there,” Gwyneth said, pointing past the DeLawney tower. A small party of Climbers were trekking towards the plains beyond. As soon as the watcher atop the tower spotted them, he disappeared into the structure. Within two minutes, the door below it opened, and a trio in DeLawney colours rushed out. They made a beeline for the party, armoured and weapon in hand.

“Perfect!” Bunty exclaimed. “Let’s make a break for it.”

"Careful, though. I'm pretty sure I saw a rifle. I don't know whether it's Core-enhanced or not, but a danger to us either way."

He didn’t know why the others had entered the noble house’s territory so carelessly, and he didn’t care enough to find out. The pair needed to get past the tower without drawing any attention, so they pushed on. The others would either be forced to retreat or drawn into battle. Hopefully, it would keep the DeLawneys busy enough for them to get out of the tower’s viewing range.

Bunty led Gwyneth down a serpentine path, weaving in between the hills. It would’ve taken them less time to go straight across, but he worried it would get them spotted. Besides, the constant up and down would most likely tire the pair out quicker. The sun was almost over their heads now. Half the day had already passed, and they still had a long way to go before clearing DeLawney controlled lands.

The map showed a deep valley ahead. Bunty hoped following it would take them straight through the hills to the plains beyond. He had no interest in exploring for once. After the close call, they had that morning, Bunty wanted to get off the floor as soon as possible. So, he risked leaving cover for five painfully long minutes to slip into a thicket of trees. It would shorten their journey significantly since it flowed downhill towards their destination. His heartbeat sped up as they broke into a jog with their shoulders hunched. The cover was only a minute away. Then Gwyneth grabbed his hand and froze, her eyes focused through a narrow gap between mounds down into the valley’s base.

“What is it?” Bunty asked.

Instead of answering, pulled him along towards whatever she had spotted. The answer came as soon as the pair rounded a tree. It was an under-construction village. Gwyneth raised a hand pointing at the structure in the middle of the village. Even though Bunty’s eyes weren’t tempered, he could see it clear as day: an upgrade station, a binding sphere, and a gateway.

“I was wondering why they built such a small structure for a door,” Gwyneth commented, staying low. Following her eyes, Bunty spotted the party they had seen. They had altered their route and were heading straight for the settlement. The DeLawney guards that had met them were now heading back towards their tower. Gwyneth fished the guidebook out of Bunty’s bag and pointed at the other settlement. “I bet that one is just a tower too. They probably set these two up first as defensive measures to ensure no one else found the site.”

“It also explains all the carts in the main hub with building materials,” Bunty whispered. “The Delawneys are setting up a new base to make money off the Hyene tribes.” He pointed at the workers. “They’re wearing the other houses’ colours too. Perhaps they’ve hired help from allies to speed up building. What if we casually walk in like that other party and then sneak through the gate during the night? They’ll have a guard, but I’m sure there is a constant traffic of builders coming in and out..”

“We don’t have many other options.” Gwyneth sighed. She let go of Bunty’s hand and stepped out of the hill’s shadows into the open. “I bet besides the handful of supervisors, there won’t be a whole lot of big shots there. If they don’t recognise us, I bet we can get through without much trouble. Let’s do it.”

Bunty nodded. He summoned his pen and held it within his left sleeve before joining Gwyneth in the open. If push came to shove, he’d call the gauntlet immediately. Then they started their descent towards the growing settlement.

Due to the downhill path, the journey went quickly. Bunty practised his breathing while Gwyneth hid her face once again. Thanks to the cold breeze, her hood and mouth-covering scarf didn’t look out of place like it did in the main hub. Bunty lifted the summoned coat’s collar to cover his neck. It did nothing to protect his ears from the chill, though. He was thinking about making alterations to the summon’s design when the other party waved at him.

“Why are they heading towards us Bunty?” Gwyneth asked, slowing down. “They don’t have their weapons out.”

Bunty raised an eyebrow studying the group of five. His hand drifted to the axe hanging from his waist. “What else do you see?” Bunty asked. “Could they have recognised you?”

“Only two of them are DeLawneys and going by the badges pinned to their coats. They’re new. Chances of them recognising me are low.” Gwyneth squinted as she studied them. “I’ve never seen the other three. The man and women are dressed like nobles, the other looks like a commoner. They’ve got a white wolf in tow as well.

Bunty’s heart skipped a beat. Instead of drawing his axe, he pulled out his looking-glass once again to study the oncoming group. “It’s my former party.” He groaned.

“They don’t look Japanese,” Gwyneth said.

“Not them. It’s the Boleyns.” Bunty’s chest felt tight, and his feet refused to move. “I was hoping the three of them would take their time, working their way up the floors.”

“But they partnered with the DeLawneys and came straight here to get a leg up on the competition.” Gwyneth shook her head. “How typical.”