-Callen-

  “I’m glad to know I made something of an impression. News about a number of unfortunate circumstances has made its way to me since then, so I wasn’t sure if you had survived. Though I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, I was very impressed by our fight. I don't think I’ve ever been defeated so completely in my life.” Reginald spoke with a clarity and confidence that conveyed his genuine respect. It loosened the tension and anxiety that had built up while I was trying to decipher his intentions. I could immediately tell that as I relaxed, the guards behind Reginald also seemed to relax. It seems the “hostile” glares were actually just caution towards someone who was too tense near their charge. “If you permit, I would like to host your group and hear what business brings you through my father’s city. I would’ve asked for a spar, but I can tell your stats are already unlocked. Though if you’re willing, I would like to see just how far you’ve come since we last met.” As Reginald finishes his statement, he offers a hand to Callia, inviting us back towards the gate that we had just been turned away from.

  Callia stepped up, grabbing his hand and firmly shaking it. From the moment he offered Sis people to spar with, I already knew that our path for our visit in the city was set. Quietly in my head I can’t help but complain that for some reason we are meeting every noble between Port Town and the capital. It’s probably actually a good thing that we have good relations like this, but the introvert in me is complaining about stressful meetings. Callia took the lead of the group, leading us alongside Reginald as he led us back into the city. The thing I noticed most was the difference in growth between us and Reginald. He was taller than us when we previously encountered him, but we hadn’t just outgrown him; we now stood about half a foot taller than him.

  As we make our way through the city, I notice it wasn’t just Reginald that we were taller than. We were only 14, and I was already as big as most adults we were passing. That thought makes me wonder how big a human can theoretically get. Supposedly the same power that makes the mountain-sized fish is equally effective on people. I try to imagine Sis as a fifty-foot-tall giant and quickly shake my head, trying to chase out the thought. Life was confusing enough with a regular-sized Callia in my life; there was no need to invent new Callias. As we arrive back at the gate, we see a winded soldier leaning against a wall, forcing himself to stand at attention.

  “Heir Nox, Inspector Nolan reporting!” The man calls out while saluting. Then, without need for a prompt, the man got to work checking us each briefly before confirming with the gate guards.

  “It’s a family policy that no exceptions are made for the inspection. You’re probably used to such inspections, but they mainly exist in the north. Parasites like the hive worm use trees as avenues for infection, so they struggle to spread south as long as the swarms don’t move en masse. When they do, it's easy enough to send the personnel needed to contain and eliminate them.” Casually as we moved through the city, Reginald gave bits and facts about the more common works of the city. Like how the lowest wall shields the travelers and merchants visiting the town. The next wall is mainly fields used to feed the city, and the innermost wall protected the majority of the long-term residents.

  The city itself prospered from exporting high-level wood south using the convenient river to make transportation much cheaper. The territory of Baron Meccas effectively isolated a large portion of the forest that they could process and sell south. Reginald bragged about Nox City being the greatest commercial hub for wooden goods in the world. With so many craftsmen in his city, they held a close connection with the earthkin community, which was why he chose to join our youth tournament when he heard that Grandmaster Slate was interested. He had hoped to find and invite promising carpenters with the help of the grandmaster, but sadly none of those whom he invited ever made the journey. Vaguely I remember that among those who died in the hive worm attack, the parts of the town most affected were where the craftsmen were; it was very likely that whomever Reginald invited hadn’t survived.

  We crossed the markets on our way to the second wall, and all around us I saw various craftsmen offering goods, but as he said, wooden objects were among the most common. We passed a couple different buildings marked as lumberjack guilds. Inside each guild I saw dozens of grizzled veterans. It felt almost like a fantasy adventuring team but focused entirely on wood. I struggled to comprehend the necessity, but our small town didn’t really have the means of producing and selling in mass. If this city was the only place in the entire kingdom to harvest good wood, that likely meant that every archer in the kingdom depended on this city for arrows, houses, and material for enchanting. While it wasn’t a monopoly, it was an essential resource that could be sold in nearly unlimited quantities. My inner merchant got tickled at the idea of offering extra storage for a fee or maybe just spending a small fortune on wood while we could and selling it in the capital.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Not long later we reached the second gate leading into a series of fields. If this was Earth, there was no way it could support a city the size we just left. However, it was apparent these plants had been cultivated with some kind of regeneration skill. In the time it took us to cross the field, a number of skilled workers had swept through harvesting, and new sprouts were already beginning to break the surface. I wonder what Nightshade’s opinion on this would be. She didn’t really mind harvesting other plants, but our town had long been secretly dependent on her support boosting the growth of plants. It seemed there were plenty of useful opportunities to investigate in town, and while I hope to get back soon, it would be wasteful to pass up something that helps the town while I’m away.

  Finally we reached the gates of the inner city. Up close I could tell the wall was made in a manner similar to Port Town’s wall. It was a smooth, perfectly formed stone wall that rivaled the massive trees in height. Stepping through, I was met with a city unlike any I had ever seen. Large wooden structures layered in elegant form made a multidimensional city that had walkways sporadically going up, down, and across various buildings, forming a massive city that filled the entire walled region. The ground level was so obstructed by the various walkways that various runic lights lit up the lower levels. A mix of earthkin and humans were all around us, moving between various residences and shops. Eventually, as we moved across the ground level, the overhead city opened up, letting in light, and the center of the city had a beautiful manor resting in the center of a circular field of white flowers.

  “Welcome to my house! We have guest rooms in the west wing, and the butler will see to it any needs are met during your visit. I’ll need to step away briefly to inform my father of the visit.” With that final comment, Reginald split from the rest of us, and an elderly man being followed by a similarly dressed younger man approached us.

  Lilia’s temptation

  Lilia waited at the eastern gate with Freema; her visit to Nox City was a last-ditch effort to find a solution before making her way back to her father. The voice of the shadow seemed content to let her resist however she pleased. As she waited at the gate, three different inspectors were called in. Each left with an unsettled expression, but eventually they gave in, and the gate opened for her. All around her people watched in suspicion and distrust. Lilia could tell that her presence unsettled them deeply, but she didn’t know how to control the effects. In the end she found a cloak to hide within so that she wouldn’t be marked by guards as a dangerous element.

  With no clear plan, she settled for walking the streets trying to find anything that might help. Lilia also took her time to understand what changes had accompanied her new name. The foremost change was her traits.

  Lilia spent several days adjusting to the town, learning how to limit the restriction of her new traits while taking advantage of what she could. The most important discovery was what it meant to use a corruption free point. Her strength increased, and the bonus to her skill limits increased. Meanwhile, the nails of her had turned gray and pointed, and her corruption increased by a percent. Power was easily within reach, but every piece accepted meant the voice of the shadow would gain strength.

  Lilia settled into a smooth life as a number of criminals flocked under her control. In barely a week she was now the ruler of a blossoming underworld in the formerly peaceful city of Nox. However, she increasingly found herself irritated and angry at others. Most notably the heir of the viscount Reginald Nox, who was spearheading the uprooting of her new home and organization. Then it came, the scent of something wonderful and filling like nothing else could be. Lilia gagged as memories of eating the arm sprang to mind, a wonderful yet repulsive experience. Callen was in the town, and the shadow relentlessly pressed against her mind. Temptation was like poison as the shadow that spoke in her own voice tried to justify taking enough to sate her hunger. She didn’t need to hurt him like before, but drinking some blood or just a few bites wouldn’t be crippling, right? Lilia punched the mirror before her, letting the pain of blood drawn by metal shards snap her from her spiraling. "I’m in control." She lied to herself.

  but with deep compassion I will bring you back.