Zaniyah sprawled out on the side of the hill. Beat was sitting next to her. He stared towards the dawn with a look of contemplation. After several minutes of silence, which started to seem like an eternity, Zaniyah let out a long groan.

“Why did I have to get up so early?! Aren't you normally asleep by now?! Why are you making me do this?!” She kicked her feet up and down in the air while rolling back and forth. Much like a toddler in the midst of a tantrum.

“I retire when it is time to retire.” He looked over with a set of wide eyes. “Bronzescale is always on the hunt for errant squires.”

She puffed out her cheeks and folded her arms. “I didn't do anything bad though. I've been a perfect girl all week. I swear!”

Beat didn't find her complaints endearing. “You will be missing afternoon training due to the festival.” A pout appeared on her lips. “Training is not a choice, Krogastein. It is a way of life. You will train every day because there is no excuse to cripple ourselves through procrastination.”

“Fine, I guess.” Zaniyah sat up and scratched at her ear. “What are we supposed to be doing today?”

“I want to understand your relationship with the gods. What have you done to worship them in the past and how comfortable are you with your faith.” She blinked at him. He gestured for her to speak with a wave of his hand.

Zaniyah didn’t know how to respond. “In the core, I guess you could say that most people worshipped Tria. Church wasn't a thing. The idea of hundreds of us trying to coordinate in the same place would be a mess. For anything, really. That's why our festivals are grouped by age and adults never celebrate anything.

There was some history stuff at school, but religion was supposed to be taught to you by your parents. With life the way it was in the core, people believed in the balance of everything. Golems keep us alive, and blood iron is more precious than jewels or gold are to you outlanders. Tria just made sense.

I don't know if Sybil or Shaw told you, but I'm pretty sure we saw Tria die in the core during that attack in Carapace. She was all really gross and dead-looking already, then she turned into ash that melted in the stones... I mean, even if she is a god, I don't think she can recover from something like that really easily.

Oh! I guess I sorta met both Mart and Eatha at one point! There were these two great big beasts that were fighting each other over the ocean by Herring and Alton summoned them to the coast. It was this big flying snake with antlers and a striped cat with bird wings.”

“Honestly?” Beat was surprised by the statement and Zaniyah bobbed her head up and down. “Did he ask for a boon?”

“Was he supposed to?”

“Gods are meant to grant boons to any mortals who expose their true selves. That’s the rule,” he replied. “Nearly half of our religious texts are stories about boons the gods were forced to grant.”

Zaniyah's face became strained. “Jeez, I wish I knew that back then. I was hiding behind a tree at the time. I guess they counted the fact that they stopped fighting with each other as their boon to Alton. I mean, if that was them, that is. Even if it was, it doesn't seem like the gods do much at all. The only one I've been thankful for is Tyrtain, and that's because he's the one that purged the miasma around here... That's the most I've seen any of them do in my lifetime.”

Beat stared at her blankly. “Tyrtain. You've met Tyrtain.” She shook her head. “Then how do you know he's the one who purged the miasma?” Zaniyah's face went blank. “... How do you know?”

Because some people she knew may or may not have accidentally resurrected him. “Uh...” Zaniyah accidentally ranted to much again and said something she should not have. “Isn't it obviously Tyrtain? This is where Brayton killed him all those hundreds of years ago... Gods don't stay dead, right? At some point, he'd just rise up again and start doing his thing.”

“...”

“...” Zaniyah started to laugh nervously. It was a bad habit she had gotten from Veximarl.

“For my own sanity, I am going to change the subject.” Beat gave her a stern look for a moment, then shook his head. “As a paladin, your faith aligns with Iath. He is the god of combat, paladins, and summer.”

Zaniyah nodded. “Yeah, that minotaur guy. Got it.” She then shook her head. “I don't think I like him.”

“... Elaborate.”

Because he's the one who gave back Sybil the sword and informed her that she's got some big destiny that all the gods expect her to do. That was messed up. Sybil shouldn't have to put up with that... Especially when the gods took so long to give her that information and that was only after she had died. Considering how Sybil was left with questions than answers, Zaniyah didn’t think Iath was all that bright or good at his job.

“Because he seems like a jerk,” muttered Zaniyah. “I ain't gotta explain it past that.”

Letting out a long and weary sigh, Beat suddenly felt tired. “Our training isn't working... I am going to contact someone else to be your teacher, though I make no promises that he will agree to it.”

“I get my very own specialized teacher?!” Zaniyah was excited by the idea. So far, it seemed like no one in particular wanted to be her mentor, aside from Stonetoe, and she wasn't getting the well-rounded education she needed from that knight.

“In the old style of teaching paladins, the old, old way,” stressed Beat, “a master and apprentice would enter a temple for an extended period of time. The length of time always varied. Sometimes it was a month, or it could go on for several years, but the apprentice would emerge from the temple as a fully-fledged paladin.”

Zaniyah tilted her head. “So it's like some sort of secret training session?” He nodded. “Whaaaa? That sounds awesome. Why don’t they do that anymore?”

“Humans began to view their relationship with the gods differently. The paladins of old were not the same as they are today. They were passionate souls who were asked by Iath to come up with their own moral code to live by. Iath understood that the needs of man were constantly shifting and that the protectors of Lustro needed to find their own sense of justice if they were to defend their fellow humans.”

Her head nodded again as her eyes widened. “Wow. That... Actually makes sense.”

“Humans decided that it would be easier to come up with a single moral code for all paladins to abide by. The variations in the warriors of Iath ceased and the standard of today was born.”

“That's a load of bull.” She waved her hands about apologetically. “I mean, uh... So you know a teacher who can do that temple thing with me? How does that training even work?”

Beat cleared his throat. “You will be locked in a temple with your mentor. Before you are released, you must define your own moral code. You will also meditate in order to further understand your relationship with Iath.”

“I don't know... Suddenly that sounds boring. Isn't that what we've been doing this whole time? Meditation and sensing out our inner selves or something?”

“No. True paladin training consists of pummeling the shit out of each other until you reach a state so close to death that you see a vision of Iath greeting you into the afterlife. You are then healed and expected to repeat the process until you are reborn as a true warrior.”

Zaniyah stood up and clenched her fists. “Oh gosh! By the core! That's the bestest sounding thing ever!” She bounced up and down. “I want to do that! When can I do that?!” A sudden frown appeared. “Oh no, wait, I can't. I'm supposed to be a good squire. I can't just up and leave for a few years... Sybil's going through some issues now and I don't want to leave her alone for that long.”

“There is an old temple of Eatha that is a three day run from here. I can attempt to arrange a short training session that will hopefully allow you to start using your abilities more fluidly. We'd be gone for only two or three weeks.”

“Then I want to do it!” Zaniyah started to jump up and down again. “We'd get there even faster on horseback and then I can train for even longer!”

“You will run because running is a part of training and training is-”

“Every day... I got it.” She rolled her eyes. “Are we at least done with training today so I can go back to sleep?”

Beat stood up and shook his head. “Before I arrange for you to meet my mentor, you will have to land one hit on me.”

“Now?”

“From now until whenever you manage it. If you land a single hit on me, I will-”

Zaniyah lunged her heel at Beat's shin. He lifted his foot out of the way and leaned back as Zaniyah sprung up and tried to hit him with an uppercut. For a guy she had never seen fight, Beat was surprisingly agile. Still balancing on one foot, he spun about quickly and kicked her in the stomach.

The impact sent her flying, as though a charging bull had struck her. She sailed through the air and skidded along the ground. A wheeze slowly escaped her as she rolled to a stop. Beat didn't approach. He dropped his leg and put both of his arms behind his back.

Growling, Zaniyah rolled backward and sprung back up to the standing position. She ran forward and leaped at the man, with him stepping out of the way. Then came a series of punches and kicks as he either ducked or jumped off to the side.

“You make wide attacks that are easy to read,” he said in a calm manner.

She was tired of hearing that. It shouldn’t matter if people can see a hit coming or not if they’re not fast enough to dodge it. When it came to speed and power, there wasn't anyone in her class that could match her, yet she was still ranked ninth. Tied with Ivy and Evan. If they weren't physically better, why was she considered the same as them?!

After she tossed out a punch, Beat caught her by the elbow and yanked her in. In an effortless motion, his knee made contact with her back as he spun her about. She then crumpled to the ground. Her legs spasmed and she grasped tightly onto the grass with her fists. Beat kneeled down so he could put a hand against her spine.

“Stop twitching.” The numbness started to fade from her lower half. “How is it that you still move like a novice?”

“Don't make it sound like I haven't been training this whole time,” she hissed back.

Beat pulled his hand away from her back if only to brush it against his chin while he thought. “I did see you spend all that time training with Stonetoe...” Though Zaniyah had never once seen Beat participate in those training classes. He usually sat off to the side and read a book or wasn’t present at all. “You must have been below average when you passed the exams. Destroying that obstacle course, though impressive, was hardly a feat for a paladin. Large, unmoving targets make for easy foes.”

“Stop making it sound like I'm weak! I'm not!” She rolled over and went to snatch his ankle so she could pull him down and pummel him. He once again moved his leg out of the way. Then he reached down, grasped tightly onto her hair, and yanked her head back so he could look her in the eye.

“You are weak. You are so confident in your shit skills that you refuse to improve yourself.” He dropped her back to the ground. “We're done for today. I am going to sleep. You may request training from me again once you have returned from the festival.”

Zaniyah waited until he was out of sight before standing up. Her hands tightened into quivering fists as she clenched her jaw. She then brushed the dirt off of herself and went about her morning chores. Afterward, she washed herself off and then napped until it was time to go to the festival with the others.

That wall had reappeared within her mind. It was there when she had first faced against a would-be, and when that tainted beast nearly killed Vincent. There was a limit to her abilities. She thought she was going to get stronger when she accepted her magic, but she wasn't. The only time she could get it to work for an extended period of time was when she was in the core and she hadn't been able to repeat those results since.

She felt like she was in a daze. How was she supposed to improve? They keep telling her that her attacks are too wide, but how is she supposed to put power in them if she couldn’t get the full of her swing in? It didn’t make sense. Why couldn’t they explain it to her in a way she could understand?

“Where did Chickadee and Vex go?” Sybil's voice snapped Zaniyah back to reality. “You said they were going ahead of us... Did they say we were supposed to meet up with them somewhere?”

Zaniyah blinked a few times. Before she had realized it, they were already in Tilrey. “I think they're both out on dates... I guess we shouldn't bother them.”

Alton narrowed his eyes. “Yes. We shouldn't bother them. We can’t be those sort of people who barge in on others while they’re out on a date,” he said in a flat tone. He let out a grunt when Sybil elbowed him in the ribs. A glare was tossed at her and she glared even harder back. Alton then put on a boyish grin. “It's been a while since I've escorted two beautiful ladies at once. What should we do first?”

Sniffing the air, Zaniyah then pointed off in a direction. “Food carts.”

The trio headed towards the array of smells, not noticing that a fourth person was closely following behind them. The smell of roasted vegetables was barely enough to escape the overpowering scent of flowers that covered the town. They made their purchases and went to look at some of the flower sculptures. Zaniyah carried a paper cone that had been filled with brussel sprouts fried in bacon. She plucked them up one at a time with a toothpick and popped them in her mouth.

Sybil's nose crinkled up. “I don't know how you can eat those things.”

“They are so bitter that it's violating,” replied Zaniyah. “I know I hate them because of how bitter they are, and yet I kind of like them because they are so revolting.”

As she stabbed another with a toothpick, Duxton grabbed onto her wrist and stole the bite. He chewed on it for a moment as he reflected on the taste. “These aren't bad. It's only when they're boiled that they reveal their true horror.”

All three of them froze for a moment. Slowly, very slowly, Alton leaned towards Sybil so he could whisper loudly. “If we act like we don’t know him, he might go away...”

“I have no plans of leaving soon.” Duxton coaxed the cone and toothpick away from Zaniyah so that he could finish off the rest of the food by himself. “Lord Cowl is in town for a short amount of time. He'll be leaving within the hour and wished to speak with you first.”

“Enzo?” Alton lit up at the thought. “It's likely about the paperwork I filed with him last winter. Love, why don't you and Zan enjoy the festival? I'll speak with him and then find you two again afterward.”

Sybil shook her head. “We're partners, remember? If it is paperwork, then it probably has something to do with me. I'll want to hear it.”

“What an excellent idea!” The prince beamed at her suggestion. “I will tell you where he is and that will allow me to escort your friend around the festival. Shame I haven't had much of a chance to talk to her before. Since she's revealed herself to be my dear best friend's sister, I have been longing for a chance to get to know her in a more… Personal manner.”

Zaniyah cringed as Duxton tried to put an arm around her waist. She awkwardly sidestepped away from him until she was out of reach. “Please take me with you,” she whispered to the pair.

“Yeah, sure, Zan. Come with us.” Alton didn't want to leave her alone with him either.

They made their way to one of the more expensive hotels and went up to the third floor. Alton and Sybil were walking in front of Zaniyah and Duxton. This wasn't a comfortable place for Zaniyah, but the halls weren't wide enough to move as a trio. Her experience was made worse when Duxton attempted to make small talk with her.

“What's with this?” He pointed at the lip rouge she had put on. It was the same hue as heather blossoms.

“My lips were dry from running around the farm all morning, so Sybil loaned me some of her makeup.” Zaniyah smacked her lips a few times. “I like it. It's really moisturizing.”

Sybil looked over her shoulder. “That color looks good on you, Zani. You can keep it if you want.”

“You sure? The jar looked expensive. It even had your name on it.” Zaniyah smiled when Sybil nodded her head. “Thanks! I'll feel bad keeping it though... Blu always has a nice-looking face. She probably has something cheaper that will work just as well. I heard from Tish that she makes all of her own makeup.”

“Oh? I should ask her for advice. I want to be able to keep my lips soft so Alton doesn't feel uncomfortable when I'm feeling desperate to kiss him... Because I adore kissing Alton. He's great at it!” Sybil squeezed Alton’s arm and rested her head against his shoulder as they walked.

Alton didn't reply. This felt like a trap.

“... And now this conversation is ruined for me. Time to get rid of the excess baggage.” Duxton opened a door, shoved Zaniyah inside a room, then closed it quickly to keep her inside.

Zaniyah let out a yelp. She stumbled to keep her balance, flailing her arms as she did so. It didn’t take her long to realize that she wasn’t alone in here.

There was a man pacing back and forth inside. He stopped and looked at Zaniyah, blinking a few times as he did so. “Zaniyah! I wasn’t actually expecting to see you!” He inhaled sharply between his teeth as he grew all the more nervous. “You might not remember me, but-”

Zaniyah, who was suddenly full of panic, yanked open the door to make an escape. She froze when she saw Duxton still standing there. He gave a wave and a wide smile. The door was quickly slammed in his face and Zaniyah put her back against it in fear that he might try to enter and join in on the conversation.

“... Hi, dad.”

“You do remember me!” A sigh of relief washed over Paladin Nicolas Arbutus features. “There is no other way to phrase this but I wanted to apologize for not being in contact with you for all these years.”

“You don't have to!”

Zaniyah pressed herself harder against the door and looked down at the ground. A part of her was wishing she had worn something that covered up her body a little more, but the weather was so nice that she wanted to wear something fun. After all, she was a single woman now and there were lots of young men running around.

Another part of her was regretting going to the face painter and having a spider web design painted across one of her eyes. No wait, spiders were cool. He'd just have to deal with that… Wait, did he see her tattoo? Now she was praying he didn’t notice her tattoo.

She should make this quick so she could run away. “... I've been fine without you so far. You don't have to worry about me.”

Nicolas walked up to her so he wouldn’t have to talk so loudly. His posture was tense. “Please allow me to explain my past behavior...” He took her silence as a yes. “My wife had passed away shortly before Zoe contacted me. I believed that she was attempting to take advantage of my situation and use you as a means to raise her own status... I won't ask you to forgive me but-”

“My mother would never use anyone like that,” Zaniyah hissed out.

“Your mother is a warm and wonderful person. I’ve known that since the moment I met her, but I was in a poor place at the time. Currently, I have been ordered to travel to Carapace to issue out the king’s command. When I get there, I plan on sitting down with Zoe so that I may apologize for my disgusting behavior. If you could help me by telling me how I could get in contact with her, I would appreciate it.”

“Don't get near her,” she whispered. Her eyes burned into his as she spoke. “Don't you dare think yourself worthy of ever speaking to her again.”

He let out a sigh, letting his gaze drop for a moment before looking up again. “That is something that should be decided between Zoe and myself. If I go to her, and she refuses to see me, then I will drop the issue. Afterward, if you do not wish to see me again, I will also abide by your request. However, please stop acting so coldly towards Shaw. You are the only sister he has left. He doesn't deserve to have you hate him for my mistakes.”

“... The only sister he has left?”

Nicolas gestured to the nearby table. “I will only be in town for an hour. We were stopping here for lunch with Duke Sickleson and to get more supplies before heading out again. Shaw and Duxton were sent out to find Alton. Enzo had some matters he needed to discuss with him, but I am glad that they managed to find you instead. Would you mind if I ordered some food to be delivered before we spend some time talking?”

Zaniyah fidgeted for a second. A part of her knew that if she didn't talk to him now, she'd get an earful from both Chickadee and Sybil later. Possibly from Alton as well. After all, he didn't have a way to talk to his birth father since he- … Paladin Arbutus was part of the king's personal guard, wasn't he? She knew she had heard that somewhere before.

“I'll talk to you, but first you have to tell me how Alton's dad died.” Nicolas was confused by her request. “Prince Wulfric... You have to tell me exactly what happened and don't lie and say you don't know.”

“Of course. It makes me nervous that Master Alton would reveal his past to you, but... I'm happy to know that he has allies that he trusts with such intimate details.” He gestured to the table once more. “Have a seat and I will explain what I can.”