“How did it feel?” I blinked into consciousness as I took in the marble throne before me. I no longer felt rooted to place, able to lift my feet and walk around. The rough, worn carpet did not shift beneath my weight, filling me with confusion. “To push yourself? How did it feel?” I turned to face the source of that voice; her amused patience gave it a playful cadence. Penemue clasped her hands before her, approaching me with a slow gait. Blue eyes crinkled as she came to a slow stop within arm’s reach of me.

I opened my mouth but paused as I lifted my hand. It looked more…solid. “Nostalgic.” She cocked her head to the side, straight black hair shifting behind her due to the movement. The corner of her mouth quirked upwards, but she didn’t speak. “The burn, the exertion, it reminded me of my asthma.” I glanced down at my legs, tensing and flexing them to see if they still hurt.

A small laugh escaped her, her mouth widening into a smile. “Yes. They did force you to go farther than you have before.” Penemue turned and walked around me towards the stain glass window. I hesitated, lifting my foot and dropping it before I chose to follow her. “We are not as united as I’d like.” Her voice didn’t above a whisper, rising to stare at the window. “There are those who don’t approve of my decisions. I don’t blame them. I can’t.” She shook her head, that smile never leaving her face. Upon reaching the window, she lifted a hand. Long, slender fingers topped by immaculately cut and maintained adorned her soft-looking hands. Penemue gingerly tapped the window with her pointer figure. Upon contact, color bled away and allowed moonlight to pierce the glass unimpeded.

The throne room, now illuminated by moonlight, revealed to me that it had changed from my last visit. The carpet appeared less torn and frayed, only looking walked upon. Pillars looked more intact, no longer as chipped or fractured. The black banner now had four smaller companions around it, frayed, illegible images resting upon them, each different from the last.

“Your predecessor made many choices and even more enemies,” Penemue whispered as she stared up to the moon, eyes lidded and smile melancholy. “That will not be the last time you meet Variak in battle.” She faced me, smile still sad, but eyes sharp. “That was not his strongest, nor his most dangerous.”

“What is he?” I said to her, remembering the numerous moments he’d healed.

Penemue closed her eyes, humming as she lowered her head. “One of your predecessor’s greatest creations, if still a failure in his eyes. A creation was granted life through the power of his bargains. Variak Timerus is a chimera, a beast with a single goal for existence: Adaptive Evolution.”

“A chimera.” I frowned as I considered the events of the previous fight. “He healed and escalated the fight so quickly, reacting as it progressed.” I mused as I crossed my arms. “Had the fight went on, could I have beaten him?”

“You forget that you are also always evolving, with every battle you partake.” Penemue reminded me, not answering my question as she looked back out the window. She wrapped her arms around her midsection, shoulders hunching as she stared into the horizon I couldn’t see. “I cannot tell you everything about your foes, Joseph. This is a part of your journey. Travel. Study these cultures, these lives, and the world around you with that fervent dedication I know lives in your heart.”

I frowned as I studied her, turning to face my Regent. “Just who exactly are you, Penemue?” She met my gaze with an analytical eye. “You knew when my class and I arrived on Verum. You knew to pick me out of all of them.” I shook my head and crossed my arms. “I’m not questioning your loyalty, far from it. I just…want to know who you are.”

My Regent studied me, her placid expression softening as she closed her eyes. Penemue’s arms fell to her sides and lifted them, placing her hands on my cheeks. The warmth of her touch felt distant, as if through a thick sheet of cloth. “I will not claim destiny or fate. I will not say I saw your potential. And I will not say that you’re superior or better capable than your peers.” She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against mine, her dark blue eyes closing as she smiled. “I chose you because I saw someone with a simple wish and a kind heart. Someone crippled by an uncaring world and chained by the expectations of those who created it.”

Her eyes opened, meeting mine as she pulled away and pressed her lips against my forehead. “I believe you can change this world. Whether by force or kindness, you will shatter the status quo and shift the paradigm.” Penemue stepped back, smile wide, and arms falling to her side. “Promise me one thing, Joseph Blaine. One simple request, but perhaps not an easy one.” At my nod, her smile faltered before she nodded firmly. “Never lose that kindness. The world is callous and cold, uncaring of the weak and crippled. Don’t let fighting that cruelty strip you of your compassion. Hold onto it like a lifeline. It’ll keep you human.”

I couldn’t react to her words beyond being stunned silent. The intimacy with which she used to treat me caused my face to warm. I fidgeted in place, just watching as I took in Penemue’s infinitely gentle mien. I couldn’t look away from her; that earnest gaze locked with me, pinioning me in place. She never turned away, never showing impatience, just showing that kind smile. I opened my mouth to exhale softly; then, I squared my shoulders. “I promise.”

The way her expression brightened at my words made my heart pound and my face to heat up, “Good.” She then nodded before her countenance fell. “Our time is coming to an end, unfortunately.”

“How-.” I paused, frowning as I looked down at my hands. Color began to fade and turned translucent. “How can I come back?”

Penemue smiled, crossing her arms as she turned to face the window. “When you sleep, think of me, and I’ll hear. I’ll call you to me, and we can speak again, at least until you wake up again.”

I gasped as I awoke, jumping up from my seat against the bar. I looked around my surroundings, taking in a new area than where I last remember taking my nap. Instead of the shattered open-air market, I sat in the bar section of the inn I remember renting. I sat on one of the barstools with my stolen sword resting against the bar next to me. I looked around, taking in the scattered and upended chairs and tables, the hole in the wall, and the breeze that blew in from outside. The smell of spilled drinks tickled my nose, the shelves behind the bar bent inwards and toppled.

“Miss Kato told me where you’d prefer to awaken.” I jerked in surprise, facing the source of the voice. The Valkyrie who fought at my side, Hilda, sat next to me at the bar. She offered a nervous smile as she adjusted her large-framed glasses. “I’m glad to see you awake. You…worried me.”

I didn’t reply as I studied her, connecting her worried expression with the casual, confident warrior from before. After a few moments of silence, I nodded and said, “I came from a fight I had just finished, but the fall is what hurt the most.”

Hilda nodded, a frown growing on her face. “It shocked me, seeing you appear in a flash of green light and drop from a few hundred yards in the air.” At my shocked look, she gave another stern nod. “Yes. I chose to overlook the surrounding area, looking for civilians when you appeared. How did you survive?”

I frowned at her, unsure if telling my secrets to a newcomer proved a smart thing to do. “Hilda, why did Kato trust you to watch over me?”

She straightened and pushed her shoulders back. “I, Brynhildr of the Northern Holien Monastery, am here to offer my services and loyalty as a Valkyrie. Should you accept, my power will be yours to use as you will.”

“Why me?” I said to her, wanting to get to the point.

Hilda stiffened, clenching her fists as she turned to face forward. Leaning against the bar, she lowered her head and bit her lip. Her shoulders hunched as her hair fell over her left shoulder. Hilda opened her mouth, pausing before closing it. She reached up to her face, pulling her glasses off and turning to face me with her squinting eyes. Foggy, greyish-platinum eyes squinted at me as her lips twisted into a macabre smile. “From the moment of my birth, I’ve lived with sub-par eyesight. Without my glasses, I can only see up close, too close.” With white knuckles, she replaced her glasses, eyes closed.

A sigh escaped her, shoulders falling. “My sisters are kind to me, kinder than one would think.” Her lips twisted once more, the corners of her eyes crinkling. “Were we not close, I’d think it pity, but…” Hilda turned a troubled gaze towards me, eyes searching me for something. “When you’ve grown accustomed to hardship, any attempts to lessen burden makes one feel inadequate, right?”

Her words, her expression, and the exhaustion in her demeanor caused something in my chest to constrict. She understood. She knew exactly how I felt before my ‘death’ when it came to my asthma. I could see it in her eyes, in the slump of her shoulders, the resignation in her behavior. The frustration one felt when pitied by their loved ones, even when you knew deep down that they didn’t mean anything wrong by it.

“You want to follow me.” I didn’t ask, just stating a fact.

Hilda nodded once. “Since the first sisterhood of Valkyries, my ancestors have always served a lord, or lady, of our choice. Whether out of duty or personal choice, my predecessors devoted their lives to others.” She offered me a shaky smile; her unsteady hands clasped before her. “Even though I do not lack the abilities that made the Valkyrie renowned, my…affliction always held me back.” Self-reproach colored her expression as she furrowed her brow. “No doubt as you saw when the homunculus knocked away my glasses.” She huffed through her nose. “The Archbishop of the Northern Monastery never said it outright, but all of my sisters knew it. Was I unable to find a lord, whether inside or outside of Holien, I would’ve stayed within the Monastery as a mere overseer for the next generation of Valkyrie.”

I grimaced as I registered her words, but said nothing. The resignation in her tone awoke an empathetic fury within me. That frustration of not having the power to control your life, and it being your fault, it always grated something fierce.

“But…” Hilda broke into the silence of her pause, a relieved smile growing on her face. “When I heard of Veritas summoning not one, but thirteen, Heroes, I felt hope.” Her gaze focused on me, laughter coloring her tone. “My dearest sister, Rota, then told me something that kindled a hope I thought I had lost. One of the Heroes, the one rumored to have immense potential, had an affliction of the lungs.” Hilda closed her eyes, tears swimming in them as she faced downwards. “Despite the risks, he continued to train, to better himself. He never let his weakness hold him back.”

“Hilda…” I wanted her to stop. I couldn’t listen to this anymore. Not to this painfully personal confession, especially from someone I just met. Who the hell tells their life story when you first meet someone?! She met my gaze, catching the tone in my words. “Stop. Don’t say anymore. I get it. You have your reasons. I’m sorry for making you feel like you had to tell me that much.” I spun to the side and stepped off of my chair, grabbing my stolen sword by the hilt. “If you wish to follow me, then we should talk before you make any decisions. Not here, where it’s not private. For now, stay with me until then.”

Her expression brightened, eyes widening as she shot off the stool. “Of course, Lord Joseph. I shall wait as long as I need to.” She grasped her spear

I grimaced and shook my head. The title added to my name left a bad taste in my mouth. “Call me by name, no more, no less.” I hefted the oversized sword and rested in on my shoulder. “Let’s head out; I’m done resting. There are probably people who want to speak to me.” I groaned as I walked over to the hole in the wall.

Hilda made a contemplative sound, followed by a cough. “That’s…truer than you may think.”

I stopped as I reached the hole, a sigh escaping me as I fought the urge to palm my face. “And here I thought the fight would be the hardest part…” I said under my breath as I stepped through the hole, lifting a hand over my eyes to block the sun. All around me, things were moved and set aside for later use; people walked in and out of the impromptu raised tent, some coming out with bandages on wounds and others with small boxes of food or items. People in an assortment of armors and cloaks worked to get debris and remnants of shattered stalls to the side for later repairs.

I watched as Adventurers and Mercenaries employed the various stations where civilians went for aid, while Knights oversaw everything for protection. All around us, things still appeared damaged and shattered; it’ll no doubt take at least weeks for it all to be finished rebuilding.

“Sir Blaine? Have you finished your nap?” The amused voice of a young teen caught my attention. I turned to face a younger teen with long black hair tied into a braid and held up as a ponytail. She wore a set of modest clothing, leather, and cloth as a pair of legging and a knee-length skirt, a glint of steel hidden in the folds, with a shirt and a shawl over it. In her right hand, she held a pole-arm with a curved blade atop it. Eyes the color of glistening silver studied me, relief and joy filling them as she smiled widely. Upon meeting my gaze, she offered me a devil-may-care grin, eyes crinkling at the edge. “Lina will be overjoyed to hear that you’re alive and well.”

“Princess Abigail.” Her name came to mind as I turned to face her. The year had been kind to her; she’d grown a few inches in height but remained as lithe as I had last seen her. Dried blood still stained the edges of her clothing, no doubt from her battles, but she held herself with pride. Head held high and chin thrust forward; she carried herself with a strength of will that made me curious how much skill she had. “Nice to see you’ve grown.”

Confidence bled into her smile as she pushed her hand through her bangs. “Valerie’s been teaching me on her off time. I may not have Mother’s skill, or Affinity, with magic, like Lina, but I am a prodigy with the halberd.” She narrowed her eyes at me, playfully glaring at me. “We can’t all have Martial Affinities like yours.”

I couldn’t fight the smile that grew on my face. Aside from Emelina, I found Abigail the easiest speak to amongst the Royal Family. She never seemed to take the etiquette of royalty to heart, always speaking without care. Welton’s frustrated glares always brought a smile to my face when I saw him nearby when Abigail happened upon my class and me during training.

“Still.” Her voice softened, smile turning melancholy. “I’m glad to see you alive, Sir Blaine. It destroyed Lina when news of your death reached us.” She closed an eye and lifted a finger to her lips, mischievously smiling. “Don’t tell her I said that, though. Lina hates it when you break that façade of hers.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I grimaced as I looked to the side. The thought of seeing Emelina, of going back to Veracity or Nyrill, sparked a sense of dread within me.

Abigail turned her head to look passed me, her expression brightening. “Hilda! I was looking for you.” She skipped by me and latched onto the Valkyrie with a hug around her shoulders. “We should’ve believed you!”

Hilda shifted with a reluctant grimace, returning the hug with a groan of discontent. “Highness, please, now isn’t the time.” Her cheeks flushed as she looked around warily before meeting my amused gaze. Her cheeks darkened even more as another groan escaped her, quickly looking away from me.

“You sound like Welton,” Abigail said, grumbling as she gave one last squeeze before stepping back. Her lips spread into a wide grin, showing her perfect white teeth. “I’m happy for you, Hilda.” Then she pouted, lips curling downward as she stared hopelessly at the Valkyrie. “I still wanted you to follow me, though. It would drive Rex crazy if I had a Valkyrie follow me!”

Hilda quickly recovered herself, placing a hand on her armored chest with a sigh. She offered the Second Princess a smile; head cocked to the side. “My apologies, Highness, but I saw what I saw, and that won’t change.”

The vagueness of her words confused me. I furrowed my brow and studied her. “What do you mean? You ‘saw what you saw’?”

Hilda blinked at my question, before her cheeks darkened once more, lips curling into a reticent grimace. Before she could reply, though, Abigail cut in with a knowing grin. “Hilda’s a Seer, Sir Blaine. Her Affinity is a limited form of precognition.”

I blinked at her words, unsure of how to react to that. I furrowed my brow and turned to face the Valkyrie, who offered me a slight nod, cheeks still red. “What did you see?” I asked her, trying to put words to the complicated feelings that warred within me.

As she was about to reply, another voice broke into our conversation. “First, you take a nap after the fight, and now you commandeer the princess’s attention. Are you trying to draw attention to yourself?” Kacee strode over to us, dirt peppering her cheeks as she brushed off her shoulder.

“How goes the aftermath?” I said, ignoring her question.

She rolled her eyes at my deflection, lips rising into a ghost of a smile. “I’ve organized my people and had Ash and Fallinor work with other companies and parties of adventurers to set up tenements for those who lost homes. Impromptu food kitchens and triage centers have also been created and manned.” I nodded to that, and as I tried to reply, Kacee continued. “Briar’s messaged us that she and the rest of your party had reached the entry checkpoint.” She furrowed her brow and glared at me. “Can you tell me why Soralynn has brought a body with her?”

“No idea.”

As I said, Abigail let out a breath, staring at me with wide eyes. “They attacked your party outside the walls, as well? Why?”

“No doubt because of what has transpired,” Hilda spoke in my stead, unknowingly saving me from having to lie. “Joseph played a key role in defeating the lead homunculus, and they likely knew of his presence here.” Eyes rolled onto me, and I shrugged, neither accepting nor denying her words.

Abigail hummed, then nodded. “Alright. The protocol for situations like this is to lock down the city. No one leaves or enters until the location has been stabilized.” She turned towards me with a stern gaze. “I’ll follow you to the checkpoint and convince them to let your party inside. It’s the least I can do for your aid, Sir Blaine.”

I took in her words and nodded. “Okay. Thank you, Abigail.”

She grinned and waved her hand to the side. “No worries, Sir Blaine.” She leaned forward and winked, grinning devilishly. “Keep this between us, but you’re Lina’s Favored Hero. It’s the least I can do. Besides, call me Gail. Father didn’t want me to stand out too much, anyway.”

I smiled as amusement filled me. A laugh escaped me as I looked towards Hilda and nodded, motioning her to follow me. “You need to meet the rest of my party.” The Valkyrie stiffened and nodded shyly, her smile widening as I caught the rising excitement in her gaze.

I then turned towards Kacee, who studied me through a lidded glare, lips twitching upwards.

Finally, I faced Abigail. “Okay. Then call me, Joey. Lead the way…Gail.”