Author's Note: First, sorry for late upload. Busy with real life: family, school, and such. Second of all, to those who also follow my other story, "Drifting Clouds, Sheltered Storm", I will update that story tomorrow -- wanted to update this most of all, since it is a once of week update. Third, I added a small scene in the last chapter -- somewhat significant, I suppose.

In regards to the actual chapter, I felt that the latter half of the last chapter was super jarring and not of this story's typical style. In regards to where this chapter ends, I feel that even though the scene could be included in this chapter -- as it may be too short -- the scene is also too important, so I rather it be allocated its own space.

Since this is my first story, the more I write this, the more I find how much I need to work on: pacing, description length, and such. It's an enjoyable journey though. ::)

(Also H.P. Lovecraft references are obvious in this chapter)

Well, enough egotistical author rambling. Enjoy. And as always, thanks for reading.

Anise walked away from the house, drear as her dull gray dress. She hugged herself tight as she walked through the streets of the Great Capital; it was cold and the wind bit at her ears like mutts.

She felt a few hands pass over her body as she walked. The girl did not mind: There was nothing of value on her. The hands left a few wisps of warmth before dying.

“Girl, you should have clobbered those men,” Usha grumbled in her mind.

“What good would that do? I do not want rumors to spread; the family needs a job.”

“Yet, you would not attend the Academy. The stipend will more than enough pay for the necessities — including your mother’s circumstances.”

“Shut up.” Anise muttered under her breath and walked faster. “What if something happens? The stipend would never cover a tragedy.”

“Your fear sickens me. You do realize I could simply tear apart your soul and simply take over your body.”

“That’s a lie. If you could, you would.”

Anise passed the Academy. Three gigantic citadels which pierces the glass heavens, linked ten levels of stone bridges which floated. The odd metal which coiled on the structures was a shiny black which reflected light rather than absorb it. Two great Djinns guarded the gates of the fence which enclosed the premise.

One of the Djinn tilted forward from its Anchor, a pink conch. The young lady shirked away from the creature’s invitation.

Its entire body shaped like the rising wave, pungent of the brackish seas, repulsed Anise. Two flailing sets of tentacles like loose sleeves hung at its sides. Yet, inexplicably, a tight layer of skin — much like that of a human or drum — wrapped around the top of its conical head, with its sharp nose pointing outwards. The creature had no eyes, only two vague pits where they should be, but are not. And its mouth was a special abomination two jaws of sharp teeth which clashed against one another like a sword fight.

“Young girl, I sense in you infinite potential!” Its slow and tiring voice did not display the slightest sense of enthusiasm.

“Of course!” Usha concurred with glee. “I am here, the great and powerful Usha!”

“Oh, shut up, you.” Anise rolled her eyes. “Don’t you know the Djinns are simply ordered to say these things?”

“What? Preposterous! The Djinns are a proud, dignified people — they would not slave away like that.”

Anise laughed. “No one has heard from their Great Old One, Nyarl’yog-lhu in years — since the Great War. And Sister Arilde’s flames glow weak in our hearths. The Djinns are under no protection, but those who employ them.”

“Young girl, your response?” The Djinn asked once more.

“No, thank you,” Anise replied and walked off. The Djinn slithered back to its post.

“Girl, turn around this instant! This is your dream — to go to the Academy and become a hero!”

“Yes, it is my dream. And it will stay a dream. I have too much on my hands right now to dream while awake.”

“Girl!” Usha screamed inside Anise’s head. The young lady stopped and collapsed onto her knees, clutching at her temples. The shout sent shockwaves through her soul and she felt a gurgle of blood come forth from her throat. “Turn back this instant. I do not care what you say if you show such adamant refusal; this is my goal and you are my vessel. Do as I command!”

The passers-by scurried past the strange young woman. As Anise fought against the vengeful goddess inside of her, she felt a certain vindication about the cityscape. The girl banged her head against the air.

“My lady, are you okay?” A voice as smooth as silk asked. The sun became blocked

by the man’s broad figure. And yet when Anise glanced at the man’s face, her eyes became blinded by the intense halo of light which obscured all. Immediately, she pulled her eyes back to the man’s chest.

Anise saw how crazed she appeared reflected in the man’s gleaming polished white chestplate.

Emblazoned on the left pectoral was the symbol of the Church of Aalok, a golden sun whose light turned into pink and red petals. Striking awe into the crowd was the number of petals featured on the crest: the maximum of 12 petals, an Espier!

“I, I am fine,” Anise managed to breathe out. The moment the Espier came, Usha retreated back into the abyss of Anise’s soul. The man helped Anise up to her feet.

Anise gasped, “Sir Hendrik!”

The shining living-god pulled back his own head in astonishment. Then he leaned his face close to Anise’s to the point that their foreheads touched. He quickly pulled back again and slapped his forehead.

“My goodness, praise be to Aalok! Little Ane, is that you?”

Anise nodded. Sir Hendrik offered to take her to lunch at the Capital’s finest tavern to catch up.

Anise gladly took his hand.

“Hmph,” Usha snorted. “My, it has only been a month since the wedding, and already you are having an affair. What a girl.”

Anise rolled her eyes which elicited some looks from Sir Hendrik as the two walked. The tavern wench upon seeing the Espier greeted him warmly and then greeted Anise; she took the two up to the third floor where it was least crowded as each patron were allowed a private room. The private rooms were quite nice: cushioned with lilac pillows, a sweet scent clouded the room, and a servant attended to the guests as they feasted with entertainment.

Sir Hendrik reclined on one of the couch. Anise timidly took a seat opposite his couch. The man clapped his hands and sent the entertainers away and gave instructions for a full course meal.

“I can’t stay long,” Anise said quickly.

“A simply boar would do then,” he adjusted his order. He turned his sights at Anise. Sir Hendrik smiled. “So you are married to the baron’s heir?”

Anise blushed and nodded. “So you know of my circumstance?”

Sir Hendrik affirmed with a solemn nod. “I had wanted to give you good food to cheer you up. You would always go crazy over good food. A great surprise to find you married to the baron’s heir.”

“And it is a great surprise that the heir will be heir to a legacy of nothing.” Anise replied sullenly. She dipped her head down and plopped back onto her couch.

“No worry about that, Lady Anise.” Sir Hendrik chuckled at the lady’s pout. “I am leading the campaign to reclaim the region Ardin in half a year. If you were not married, I would say our destinies are tied at Bolsur. Ah, I recall you once proclaimed your eternal love to me.”

Anise blushed and waved it off. “I was a child.”

“You are still that same young girl I met when I was young,” Sir Hendrik replied.

“What a pair of disgustingly idiotic and unbearable exchanges,” Usha gagged. “I have the most genuine urge to dissect his heart now and see if indeed he is true.”

“Oh, quiet down,” Anise chided in her mind. “We will go soon; honestly, you are more like a dog than a powerful goddess.”

“Is that all, Sir Hendrik?” Anise asked. “I do have to go soon.”

“But the boar has not arrived yet.”

“I will see you some other time,” Anise smiled and made to get up.

“I have not seen you at the Academy,” Sir Hendrik interrupted. “You also once proclaimed you wanted to become a hero. I doubt you are the type of person to give up on such absurdity because people told you to stop.”

“But I did give up.” Anise replied. “There are things I have to do, and my dreams are not one of them.”

“I heard that Lady Meredith is afflicted with trauma — one worsened from withdrawal from the treatment of an Antistita. If that is why you are so adamant about not applying, then what if I offer you a solution? A trainee at the Academy who show genius potential who has connections can definitely arrange for one of the seven Antistitae to treat Lady Meredith.”

Anise looked at him. “I am scared of dying. That’s the reason — nothing else. My mother, she’s happier now.”

“I see.” He replied. Sir Hendrik told Anise to wait a while. He sent for a servant to acquire some parchment and ink; he wrote a letter. He handed it to her. “If you change your mind, this letter will allow you to skip the waiting list to take the test. I teach there.”

Anise gave thanks and left.

“Well, well, girl, I never thought I would hear those words come from you.” Usha said in shock.

“I just said the truth.” Anise replied sadly. “I am much too scared to be a hero.”

“Hmph,” Usha laughed.

Anise shivered. “You, what do you have planned?”

The girl got no response. Her shivers increased. The girl walked for a half hour before arriving at her current place of residence.

It felt nostalgic and Anise smiled. Placed at the outskirts of the Great Capital, it was a tiny shack squished between two other shacks. It was a single story and big enough to feature a kitchen and a fireplace — the rest of the space were filled with uncomfortable cots. The shower was a communal one down the street.

Anise entered the shack. Greeting her was the bombardment of screams and tears. Sighing to herself, Anise rushed over to Mari and cuddled her. The child-madam’s tears soaked into her gray dress.

“Ane, Ane, I want to go home!” Mari cried. “They’re scary!”

Anise rubbed her mother’s back as was ritual. She glanced at the noise: this threesome of disaster.

“Why won’t you make love to me!” The baroness shouted at her husband. “Those whores are no longer with us! You only have me, only me. So why won’t you love me?”

“Will you be quiet, woman! For Lady Arushi’s sake, you are scaring Mari,” the baron yelled back. “If you want to scream at someone, scream at our son. He has done nothing but waste away his days.”

“Old man, don’t think I’m scared of you,” the heir replied, uncertainly but forcefully. “You are old. You will die, and everything will be mine!”

“Will you get it through that thick skull of yours? I have nothing. And you will get nothing.”

“Hmph, the High Lord has ordered the commencement of a campaign.”

“In six months! If you starve by then, I will gladly see how you claim your birthright as a ghost.”

The door opened once more. Bolverk stepped inside. He exchanged glances at Anise and shook his head. Similarly, Anise shook her own head. Bolverk paused next to Anise and patted Mari’s head.

“They fighting again?”

“Yes. Third time today?”

“No, I stopped by during the day while job hunting — at least the fourth time.”

“Can we make it past this month? The next?”

“No. Not likely. Well, maybe if we carve up that beast over there and eat his intestines.” Bolverk laughed.

“Boo, you scare me sometimes.”

“But it is a good fright, no, Lady Anise?”

The young lady sighed. “I honestly would not mind carving the beast open. After all, he got us all discharged from the job the Convent found for us.”

Bolverk scowled. “What a mess of a family.”

Anise stroked Mari’s hair. Her mother fell into a sleep. “I’m part of that family now.”

“Are you pregnant with child?”

“What else would I be pregnant with? A watermelon?”

“A watermelon would be best, honestly, Lady Anise. I am in want of it. Can we expect one by the end of 8 more months? Perhaps start a watermelon farm.”

“I was joking, you dumbo.” Anise replied with a giggle which quickly drowned in the baron’s series of screams. “I have not even done it with him…”

“That’s akin to treason you know. Though that proves I am right. You are not part of their family yet.”

“But I share in all their troubles.”

“Let us run away.”

“Mari is too heavy to carry.”

“What a rude thing to say about a lady — and to your own mother.”

Anise shrugged and the two left it at that. Bolverk pulled the baron’s dysfunctional family apart.

Anise made dinner from what little they had left. The heir chose not to eat and left the house. The baron and baroness took their plates and went to separate corners. Mari slept in her cot.

Anise sat at the end of Mari’s cot. Bolverk sat opposite to her. The two made small talk as they ate.

“I met Sir Hendrik today.”

Bolverk paused. He stirred the contents of his plate. “The shining white knight, eh.”

“Your formal register is slipping, Boo.”

“Ahem,” Bolverk coughed. “Yes, my lady, what about Sir Hendrik?”

“The Academy.”

“You should go. I expected you to go since the first day.”

“You too, Boo?” Anise sighed and got up. She gathered everyone’s plates. Bolverk followed. The

two left for the communal shower to clean the plates.

The two did not speak on the way. The cool night air felt too comfortably to muster up words and worry. Which only made the suffocating humidity of the communal showers disgusting.

Anise blushed as a squadron of men entered and began to strip. Bolverk blocked her view.

“Quickly wash,” he said. Anise did so. The two moved to an open stall. Anise went first and Bolverk guarded — though it was debatable as to the effect of deterrence from a man who was skinny and rather pale.

As Anise washed, Bolverk continued the prior conversation.

“You should go. We need the money; you want the dream.”

“Boo, Mari would never approve.”

“She doesn’t have to know.”

“She will know. Trainees have to live in the barracks. Mari will worry.”

“I’ll make up a lie.”

“Why do you want me to go so much? You opposed it before.”

“You remember the inanis? Somehow, that changed my mind.” Bolverk replied.

“I nearly died.”

“But you didn’t.”

Anise laughed and wiped herself off with the towel provided by the establishment. She got dressed. “Boo, that’s such faulty reasoning.”

“Ane,” he called. “You should go.”

Anise opened the stall door and faced Boo with incredulity. “I still haven’t forgiven you for what you did that day. As punishment, you can’t call me by that name.”

The young lady took the plates and left her friend.

Walking back, the young lady felt lonely, though wrapped up in the night wind.

“You should go,” Usha reiterated those same words.

Anise rolled her eyes as she entered the shack. She laid next to her mother and embraced her.

“You’re annoying.”

“Girl, you will want to go.” Usha said confidently.

Anise snorted. “I don’t even know what I want to do this second, this moment. How do I know what I want to do tomorrow? Next week? Next year? No one knows what they want — maybe for all their life.”

At that the girl stopped replying to the voice in her head and fell into a deep sleep: a dream orchestrated by the goddess vengeful.