Ozzy was practically waterboarded as the tall woman poured a potion out over his face. Not that he wasn’t grateful of course, though the treatment did seem a little less than kind.

  “I don’t suppose you can tell me why you attacked your leader?” The woman asked, gruff and unkind but with an underlying layer of curiosity.

  “My old boss?” Ozzy asked, confused and still spluttering from the deluge of healing potion.

  “Yes, ol’ Cerinakus over there.” She gestured over her shoulder with her head, specks of blood getting tossed from off of her face and chin because of it.

  “He’s not my boss. He kidnapped a group of friends and I for accidentally getting involved in a blood feud between a random dude and one of his lieutenants.

  “Is that so.” She said, a grin widening across her face. “Then I don’t suppose you’d mind telling me more?” She batted her eyelashes for effect, a cutesy display wholly at odds with her war-torn barbarian look.

  “…I’d be happy to. The only thing is my friend was in the tunnel when the explosion happened. Do you think we could go check on him?” Ozzy asked, trying not to cringe away from the angel of death before him.

  “I don’t know about that one… why don’t we go through the depths of your lie out here, where your blood won’t stain the grout once I purge this place of your miserable, sniveling, existence.” As she spoke her grin turned into bared teeth, the woman whose life he thought he’d been saving turning out to not be all that grateful about it.

  “It’s not a lie and I have evidence to back up my claims.” Ozzy said, now very much cringing away from the snarling woman.

  For a moment the woman thought over Ozzy’s words. “My name is Trinidad, I’d love to be convinced you aren’t as much of a rat as I believe you to be.” She said, her demeanor changing to only moderately frightening as she leaned back and offered Ozzy a hand.

  “Ozzy.” He said nervously.

  Trepidatiously, he reached out to grasp hers and immediately regretted his decision as she yanked him violently to his feet. His shoulder giving with a wet pop, he let out a hiss of pain. Still holding onto him she winced before shoving it back into its’ socket with inhuman force.

  “Sorry… I thought you were stronger, and heavier.”

  ***

  They found Emil bloodied, and arguing with a hunched old man in just past where they’d been standing when the explosion had gone off.

  “I’m telling you, I never joined the edge slingers harry, they wouldn’t have even wanted me if it was me paying them instead of the other way around.” He huffed.

  “I dunno, you did always have this grumpy air about you. Not to mention you’re always mean to poor ol’ Patrick. Even when he gave you great deals, makes a bloke suspicious.” Harry said, frowning at the annoyed hunter.

  “Emil!” Ozzy shouted, waving at his friend with his good arm, his other was still being healed by furry fortitude though it was slowly feeling better.

  “Harry! What are you doing with this one?” Trinidad shouted over Ozzy, making the previously hunched man stand ramrod straight as he turned to greet the massive woman.

  “Boss!” He said by way of salute. “Just grilling him, known this bloke my whole life I have. Can’t believe he’d’ve gone the way of all these buggers.” The old man kicked at one of the corpses.

  “For the last time Harry, I’m not an edge slinger. If I were I wouldn’t be stuck living on the third platform and playing guard for a bunch of fishermen every other month.” Emil said, throwing his hands up in frustration before turning to Ozzy and spotting Trinidad and rapidly falling into a bow. “Mrs. Trinidad, I didn’t realize the watchers were here, good to see you in one piece too Ozzy.

  Trinidad tapped a finger thoughtfully against her chin. “You look familiar Emil, have we met before?” She asked.

  “I live in the firelight district your neighbors on the third platform, I’m a hunter though which is how I know Harry.” He said, still bowed.

  “And you know this core user?” She asked, pointing down at Ozzy.

  “Unfortunately. If I didn’t, I’d probably be safely home in bed right about now.” He said grumpily.

  “Hmmmm, and tell me more about the blood feud you participated in.” She commanded.

  Hastily Emil recounted the story, doing his best not to leave anything out aside from the fact that Ozzy was a stranger. There unfortunately was no recognition in Trinidad’s face when Emil mentioned Eclastiedes, though her eyes did flash with recognition when she heard Ozzy had killed Mikaela.

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Truly a vile creature that woman was. I have to say you did the city a service if it was you got rid of her. I’d like to see this room if you don’t mind. Just a final check to ensure your story holds the water you suggest it does.” She said, and followed them to the room they’d been held hostage in.

  After a quick scan and methodical looting Trinidad was thankfully happy with their explanation, and agreed they were who they said they were. Much to Harry’s dismay.

  “I’m tellin you Emil. I’m gonna have my eye on you. So don’t think I won’t catch you next time I see you doin something shady.” He said, before gruffly trudging off.

  Ozzy and Emil were nearly about to head out themselves for some much-needed r&r when Trinidad beckoned Ozzy over. He had subsequently been violently pushed towards the woman by an angry Emil who wanted nothing more than to get home to his wife.

  “Ozzy,” Trinidad began, “I firstly wanted to apologize to you. I can’t imagine it was pleasant being treated that way by me when you’d only just saved my life. Things can be confusing in this city however, and I had to make sure you weren’t trying to pull one over us.” She said, waiting for an answer to her apology.

  “No worries, it’s been a long day for all of us.” Ozzy said, smiling kindly up at Trinidad as he shrugged, more than happy to leave the details in the dust.

  “That said, I did want to thank you. Properly, would you be willing to meet me this afternoon in the Watcher district? I won’t make you travel far it can be in our territory on the third floor.” She said, admiring one of the pieces of art on the wall as she spoke.

  “Honestly, I’m just glad to be getting out of here alive, we’d have been toast if you guys hadn’t shown up. I don’t think any thanks is necessary.” He said amiably.

  The reward he was most looking forward to was a week indoors and chillaxing. If this place kept throwing fights at him like this he honestly might just have to go and be a fisherman with Norman whenever he got better. At least out on the bayou most of the threats were monster rather than human.

  “Oh but I insist. A word of advice, when a tier 2 tells a zero to do something let alone offer them the prospect of reward the zero leaps at the opportunity.” Trinidad said, though her voice was more full of mirth than arrogance.

  “Consider that piece of advice reward number one, a favor from a local to a stranger.” She said, winking at him.

  Ozzy’s heart sunk, a moment of total horror turning his stomach and raising his blood pressure as he saw the same outcome the elf had planned for him return to the realm of possibilities.

  Turning to face him Trinidad took a knee, lowering herself to his level though she still stayed about a foot of over him. “Cerinakus mentioned something about one on his last breath. I had a hunch but that look of abject terror might have just sold it.” She laughed, not the evil conniving laugh the elf had had, but a joyful and throaty guffaw.

  “Oh relax, will you? I’ve no friends in the college of science, and much less desire to sell someone than that vile elf. Your secret is safe with me,” She said, “though I might require a favor in return.” She finished, whispering in his ear before returning to stand to her full height. “I’ll have you fetched when I’m ready for you. Until then please stay out of trouble, though I hear that can be difficult for your kind.”

  Ozzy and Emil left the now ruined compound with dragging and tired steps. While loathe to do so Ozzy explained to Emil that his secret was not only still exposed but known by someone they couldn’t hope to manage. When he’d gone on to tell him she’d invited him over to offer him a reward Emil had gone silent, his normal thoughtful brooding face returning as he strained to think about what she might have in store for Ozzy.

  “Maybe she likes you?” Emil finally said, a sly grin spreading itself ever so slightly across the hunter’s face.

  “She could probably throw me halfway across a platform, I’m not sure that’s it man.” Ozzy shook his head.

  Trying to imagine the giant barbarian of a woman as interested in anyone, while obviously likely felt almost wrong. Maybe it was because of the way she had threatened to kill him and dislocated his shoulder, but he’d probably feel safer courting a sting crab.

  “Other than that, I got nothing.” Emil shrugged a gleeful glint in his eyes.

  “Unhelpful as always.” Ozzy said, shaking his head in consternation though finding it hard to conceal his grin.

  “If you think I’m unhelpful you should try getting someone else to guide you and let you stay at their place. Maybe they can duke it out with tier two elves for you too.” Emil said, ribbing Ozzy as they exited the final lift of their journey to platform three. With the veritable treasure hoard they’d looted from the edge slinger hideout they didn’t feel at all bad about the lift’s normally steep price tag.

  “Maybe I should ask her about it when she’s giving me her reward.” Ozzy shrugged, stepping out in front of Emil.

  “I didn’t mean it literally! If you leave me for a woman after everything we’ve been through I’ll have to go on a holy crusade against you.” Emil swore, following him out as they stepped into the watcher district, only a little ways from home.

  “Slightly changing the subject man, how are we gonna explain what happened to Liza? We’ve been gone like six hours longer than we said we’d be.” Ozzy asked.

  A look of unbridled fear crossed the big hunters face, uncertainty coloring his features for the first time since they’d faced down an adult root sucker. It was nearly impossible for Ozzy to hide his glee, at Emil’s expression.

  “We tell her nothing. You and I went shopping, got in a heated debate about cores, and ended up in a bidding war against a group of hunters who wanted the tentacle core.” He said, deep in thought. “Which is how I got two extra shards.”

  “Don’t forget the boots you got her.” Ozzy remarked.

  “Of course! The boots!” Emil clapped his hands together like he’d just heard the greatest idea in the world. “She’ll never suspect a thing.

  ***

  By the time they made it to the house Liza was already cooking up dinner, a mix of fried fish and rice. The look she turned on Emil when he waltzed through the door like nothing was wrong with the world could have cooked him in kind.

  What ensued was a verbal grilling so intense and profane Ozzy nearly fell out of his chair in laughter, that was of course until she turned her scrutiny on him. She only seemed to come around on their explanation once Emil mentioned he’d absorbed two new cores.

  “At least you’re finally coming around on getting stronger, it’ll make me less worried about you when you’re out there running around the swamp.” She said, ending the hostilities as she went to give her husband a tired hug.

  “But that’s not all! Because I’m always thinking of her I got my sweetie a new pair of boots, and not just any boots, they’re enchanted!” Emil said excitedly, producing the magical boots with a flourish and handing them to Liza.

  “Emil! You shouldn’t have! I’ve been needing a new pair!” She practically jumped with joy, bouncing giddily as she examined the boots, until she slowed, a frown crossing her face as she examined the boots closer.

  “Emil, why are they bloody?” She asked, her voice regaining a dangerous steely edge.