The girls sell the monster for a dozen absols. It’s an okay price, adjusted for the frequency of its appearance. It’s about as big of monster that will regularly appear on the island, since bigger creatures might be detected by MDC’s patrols around the island. (They don’t have troops on the island, but it’s close enough to the main chain that they’d patrol the waters even if the island wasn’t there).

  They also get a free sample of the same type of meat they sold. Not from the creature itself, since that requires time to prepare, but from another specimen caught earlier that day. A pair of skewers with both types of meats taken from it (from the tentacles and claws), with some local vegetables interspersed.

  After that, they finally go into the water. Nothing attacks them, and they just frolic for a bit, as one does at a beach. After having their fill of water, they go back and eat gelato as the sun dries them off.

  Allia decides to build sand castles after that. She challenges Sarrah to a competition, which she declines at first, but accepts after some pestering. Allia of course cheats by creating tailored constructs to do all the work for her, but Sarrah also has a creative magical approach – using earth shaping spells to create complex structures with whole floors opened to the outside with only a scattering of pillars holding up the above structure. She uses the spells to reinforce the outer layers to make them act as thin metal sheets, then fuses sand into dense spheres which she turns into unstable levitation orbs.

  The final products are one massive traditional castle from Allia, and a complex levitating series of geometric structures. A rhombus in the centre with orbiting spheres. The structures have holes formed to create hollow floors with the impression of windows where tiny sand people look out from.

  Seeing this, Allia tries to condense her own levitation orbs, but her structure is simply too big and falls apart. Allia pouts, but a few seconds later Sarrah’s levitation cores reach critical discreteness and the orbiting spheres all slowly fall to the ground and crumble. However, the central rhombus has a structural defect, causing it to rampantly absolve shoot hundreds of feet into the air before exploding in a puff of sand.

  Seeing this, the two laugh, and Allia concedes her friend’s victory in terms of castle complexity and artfulness.

  They get a few odd looks for the explosion, but the structural magic on the boundary was tied to the core, and unravelled when it detonated, so no one got hurt.

  After that, they perform a few more beachy activities. Going into the water again, or walking along it among others.

  Tired of the sand, they go back to the town and look through the shops , buying a few bits of clothes the two like for each other, or other nick knacks. Finally, they go back to their spot and just repose until it’s time for their meeting at the restaurant.

  “Are you sure you want to meet up with them?” Sarrah asks at the last moment as they’re packing up their things.

  “You don’t want to?” Allia asks. “I thought you were pretty enthusiastic. Well, for you at least.”

  Sarrah grimaces. “Yeah, I think I was still pumping myself up to look for danger. I don’t think I need it anymore. Or at least not right now. I’m too relaxed.”

  “Danger? It’s just a social meet up. If anything, wouldn’t not showing up be more dangerous. I mean, not that it would be actually dangerous, just a higher potential for consequences.”

  Sarrah shakes her head. “Allia. Carly assumed you were trying to flirt with Jakes?n, despite her being right next to him.”

  Allia is taken aback. “Really? I didn’t mean to. I was just being sociable since it seemed like we were going to the same place.”

  “I know that. But she doesn’t. Then, when Jakes?n was being friendly back – slightly less innocently, by the way – she started doom spiralling and imagining their relationship falling apart. Trust me, I know the look. She had it for most of the ride over.”

  “Really… Then why did you agree to go together if you knew that?”

  Sarrah rolls her eyes. “I was looking for danger, remember? Going blithely along to watch a relationship blow up in range of the shrapnel seemed like it might fit the bill.”

  “Sarrah! Don’t break people up for you own psychological benefit!” Allia chides, wagging a finger at her friend in a way that causes her to laugh.

  “Hey, I don’t think it’s that stable of relationship anyways. But who knows. I mean, I don’t think he was about to break up to ask you out or anything, but he was definitely enjoying the idea that you found him attractive.”

  Allia grimaces at that. “I mean… I guess he has the whole athletic thing that people say they like?”

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Sarrah laughs. “If the best you can say about him is that he seems like he might be attractive to other people, he really has no chance at all.” Allia reddens, but Sarrah waves her off before she says anything. “No, no, don’t worry. It’s fine. It’s just so…you, is all.”

  Allia pouts. “I don’t know what that means.”

  “Only good things, I assure you. Now, knowing this, do you still want to meet up with them?”

  Allia bites her lips. “I guess not, though it’d be a bit rude just to no show them.”

  Sarrah shrugs. “We can stop by the restaurant and a leave a message. Why don’t we just go back to the monster stand and get some more kebobs then head back on the second to last ferry? Sunset on the water is nice and all, but it’s liable to get dark midway. Besides, we could stop by the ‘Angel’ on the way back. I think the setting is even prettier from there anyways.”

  Allia smiles. “Sounds nice. Sure, let’s do it.”

  With a plan in motion, they quickly finish packing and find themselves at the Crystal Knife, the knife in question being a literal but oversized butcher’s knife displayed on the large, illuminating sign over the building. It’s an outdoors bar style restaurant where the customers sit at the singular counter behind which is the indoor kitchen where they dismantle and cook the various monsters the tourists have killed.

  Most of the tourists don’t eat there though, and only sale their monsters. Likewise, many monster parts aren’t edible, so it gets most of its revenue shipping parts back to the mainland. However, as inorganic alternatives have been found for many monster uses, the industry has been on a significant decline. Hence the opening of a restaurant where you could ‘eat what you kill’, but cooked by a professional.

  The counter is staffed by a colourful Strigian – An owl faced avian founder species of the federation, half the size of a human and a quarter of the weight, but innately capable of flight. Obligate carnivores with long claws on their feet which have the same level of dexterity as their hands, which themselves take an alternate approach to reach the same level of tool manipulation as humans. Finally, they have sharp beaks instead of mouths, and are covered in bright feathers. They say that the species had more subdued feathers prior to the formation of the federation, but rapidly adapted to the more vibrant norm after banding together for protection.

  The Strigian is crouched on the counter – his bone structure allowing him to comfortably remain in that position in the same way a human can remain comfortably seated in a chair. In this position he’s only a quarter the height of a human, but will suddenly erect itself and flap its wings to rapidly traverse the bar when another customer arrives.

  The girls enjoy a quickly rice bowl and some to go skewers, and are nearly finished with the rice when a new customer catches Allia’s eye.

  He’s a thin man with a scraggly beard, floppy hat and sun shades. He draws attention for his attire that is definitely not beach, but also not hiking either. Normal street shoes rather than boots, slacks, black turtle neck and white denim jacket and a matching white gloves. Every inch of his body besides his face is covered in fabric, or his long hair tied in a tail.

  He orders a variety of skewers and a bottled beverage. Nothing specific, just something bottled. He glances about nervously as he waits, his back to the bar. Eventually the Strigian brings his order. As he reaches for it, his arm extends enough to separate the glove from the jacket and show an inch of skin. Blue skin.

  The man takes his skewers and goes. Allia waits a few seconds, then pulls Sarrah to follow. They stay a discreet distance, hidden in the changing light of the dying day, and watch him leave the town and go into the jungle.

  “That guy had a bad face,” Allia mutters.

  “Allia!” Sarrah chides. “You can’t say that about people just because he doesn’t know how to shave.”

  “What? Oh, no. I mean an illusion. Just on the face though to stave off discreteness. His wrist was blue.”

  “OH… We going to report him?”

  Allia shrugs. “I mean, it’s not technically illegal to be a demon here, is it?”

  “Only if he doesn’t have immigration papers. Which if he’s in disguise, I’m guessing he doesn’t.”

  “Yeah, but… there’s not time. If he’s up to something, we should see what.”

  “Allia, the police station is like 100 feet away. You just want to see what he’s up to, don’t you?”

  Allia turns to her friend, eyes wide and pleading. “Well, yeah, don’t you? I mean, even if the police believes me, they’ll just deal with it themselves. Besides, it’s not illegal to use illusion magic. We’d just be overreacting in a climate of fear, and then cause the police to overreact too.”

  Sarrah looks frankly. “And following a random stranger into the jungle with night coming isn’t overreacting in a climate of fear?”

  Allia crosses her arms. “I think I’d probably want to know what a suspicious looking demon was doing here even if a group of them didn’t just attack the school.”

  Sarrah sighs. “Fine, let’s do this. Just, let me cast my shield first.”

  “Great!” Allia smiles, then stashes their bags, parasol and tub of mostly full gelato inside of a glowing dome, before briskly walking after him.

  Allia conjures more constructs, just for the light, and examines the soft soil where he entered the jungle, noting his shoe tread. It’s very distinct in this environment, being neither sandal nor boot. It’s an easy trail to track, and they make good time following it into the vegetation.

  ARROOOGGAAH!

  A siren suddenly flares to life, followed by man speaking official-like from a series of speakers that echo across the island.

  “ATTENTION ALL CRYSTAL POINT OCCUPANTS. THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE NEWFLOR COUNCIL. AT APPROXIMATELY NOON TODAY, THE WEST CHTHONIAN CAPITAL SHIP BATITED BREATH WAS SPOTTED 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF THIS ISLAND. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE VESSEL HAS ASSURED US THAT THEIR INTENTION IS NOT HOSTILE, BUT THEY REFUSED TO ELABORATE ON THEIR PURPOSE. IT WAS DECIDED TO MONITOR THE SITUATION UNTIL NEW INFORMATION COULD BE OBTAINED. HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED A MISSIVE FROM THE WEST CHTHONIAN GOVERNMENT DISAVOWING THE PRESSENCE OF THE BAITED BREATH AND DECLARING IT A ROGUE VESSEL. AS SUCH, THE NEWFLOR COUNCIL HAS ORDERED THE EVACATION OF THIS ISLAND. THE FERRY IS CURRENTLY DOCKED AT THE MAIN PORT. IT WILL LEAVE IN 30 MINUTES.”

  The girls look at each other. Sarrah speaks first. “Allia…” she warns, but cuts off.

  “I want to know what his demon is doing here even more now, don’t you? Besides, the police seem kinda busy at the moment.”

  Sarrah breathes in through her teeth, then nods. “Fine. Let’s do this,” she says, drawing her pistol.