Smell of perfume. Cheerful songs enchant the light air and make strange creatures forget about terror. Fools. Their colored skins still bleed red, their subtle eyes still widen in fear.

  They renounce iron, just as the fairies hate it. Their armor is made of stiffened fruits and vegetables, metallurgy has been exchanged for agriculture and militarized. Some would say that giving up your best weapon against the fairies in your own world is an act of courage and trust, a peace agreement.

  I, smarter, think it's stupidity. Their communion with green made them forget about gray, about the certainty of steel that turns prey into predator.

  I struck the air with the spear and feel the wind howl over my ears. The elf parries the attacks with a green sword, his dancing steps flow from one posture to another as if we were in a theater.

  The others look. At the camp, elves huddle on a wheel while watching the workout. Generals may not let me hear their plans, teenagers may not invite me to their imbecile games, but I've never cared about order in the first place.

  He moves forward with a cut and I jump to the left. I tear the wind with the spear, and the elf sneaks under the attack. I turn the weapon and reposition myself, shifting from the East to the South stance. I'm used to finishing fights faster, but the weirdos are too skinny for that.

  I watch his legs, the way he steps on the ground, the way the sole of his foot slides across the grass, and emulate them. Repeated movements, almost second nature, patterns hidden in his posture like the secrets of creating a story. One, two, one, two.

  He realizes what I'm doing, prepares for another blow, but during the millimeter difference in posture, I lunge. He exhales and throws himself back, but I continue the advance and force him back. His blue hair flies in the wind and strands of it fall on the emerald grass that tries so hard to blind me.

  But he adapts. He turns his fist and pushes my spear away, slides the blade down the weapon and cuts in my direction until-

  I grab his fist with my free hand. Our ancestors fought for years before they left each other alone. It will not be now that I will shame my race.

  I headbutt the elf. He closes his eyes in pain and I feel his nose twitch, red blood runs down his lilac skin. I pull his body close, kneel his liver, and then slam the spear handle into his ear. He falls to the ground, as destabilized as he is surprised. Over his face, steel contrasts with his blue hair and proclaims me victorious.

  But they don't applaud. Instead, they stare at me with a frown. I know this look well. My parents did it when they first caught me stealing. I made sure they didn't find out the next ones.

  “What is it? You've never taken a beating in your life?”

  “That was not the rule of the duel.” One of them says to my right.

  “You're dumb, aren't you? Think your enemy won't beat you if he finds the chance?”

  “You cheated.” Another says behind me.

  “No. You wouldn't know if I did. You got a problem with that, huh?!”

  Words do not make them calmer, but disgusted. The elf stands up, waves in respect, and then, along with the others, leaves.

  “Hey! I'm not done with you!”

  But despite the donkey ears, they don't hear me.

  “Tsc.”

  Hoffstein told me to stay here and learn from the soldiers, but I don't have to do that if everyone is weak like that. I have seen how they move before fighting, and I've had the real experience, I've learned everything good that they could teach. In fact, it's good they're gone. A lot of magic, a lot of courtesy. Being surrounded by them would make me soft.

  I rest the spear on my shoulders, then turn to walk away. The festival is still going on. Maybe I'll show up to play some random uselessness, or rather, get lucky with an elven cutie. That would be a worthy experience.

  Anything to take my mind off the fact that that demon is still out there, and that the Golden Hero is protecting him. That Elron is dead, that I was dumb enough to try to rescue his obviously missing corpse, and that I'm now in the middle of a strange war with even stranger people.

  My life has been a miserable adventure, huh?

  I exhale. “And now I'm talking to myself just like he was too. Honestly…”

  “What is the reason for such sincerity?” A familiar voice reaches my ears. Serdin. The man stares at me from a few meters away.

  “When did you get here, huh?”

  “I was watching my students, so I came here after their conflict. In addition, it is common for our movement to be subtle.”

  “… Right. Well, if you'll excuse me…”

  “Wait. I have something I'd like to talk to you about.”

  I exhale. “He agreed, it was a friendly duel. It's not my fault if you guys don't know how to get beat up.”

  “Don't worry, I didn't come to talk about it.”

  “… So?”

  “Come.” He says, turning his back on me.

  Normally, I would run. An authority asking me to follow It after some bullshit is always a bad idea. It doesn't help that I don't trust those effeminates. But it shouldn't be a problem if I stay in an open space and have an escape route.

  “What is the reason for you to be here?” He says as we walk through the camp.

  “Hoffstein told me to. Shouldn't you be with him?”

  “I am on a short break while demands are resolved and plans are taken care of. Tell me...”

  “Cloud.”

  “Cloud. What do you think of our city?”

  “Strange.”

  “Is it really? What would be the reason for its strangeness?”

  Serdin whistles, and from the heavens, his griffin descends to earth. The elf mounts the creature and beckons for me to do the same.

  I, on the other hand, nod at the creature. “Because of that.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Does my griffin bother you? Are there no creatures like these in your world?”

  “Only in capitals or in more military kingdoms. Not as mere pets, not in the same way.” I frown. “But that's not the problem. You guys don't smell good to me.”

  “The scent of nature is usually well appreciated.”

  “… No, that's not what I mean… Forget it.”

  Against my will, I climb into the Griffin. It goes into stance and takes flight almost immediately, piercing the air. In total, the griffin is slower than me, but its impulse is much higher - and this is its natural speed, without intensification. I'd be impressed if I wasn't extremely weirded.

  The creature lands on the wall of Vanusia and immediately descends from its back. I almost promise myself that I would never do it again, but words are dangerous and ten gold coins is a lot of money to refuse. Still, I make my displeasure clear.

  Below us, the trading city stretches, cheerful as if not at war. They sing and dance, but they don't drink or fuck. I don't know if they are virtuous or if they throw a good part of their life away. I'll bet on the latter.

  Serdin commands his griffin to leave and continues walking through the wall. He jumps from the stone to a passageway of vines and wood above, and I follow him. Through the vines and connections that pass through the canopies, we walk among soldiers and one or another strange animal while observing the people below, as small as ants.

  The skin of elves is colored. Some have one or the other animal trait. Nia looks like a cat, Wander like a crow. I guess it's the fae blood. If these are ordinary people, I do not even want to imagine what happens to those most connected with the fairies, whose blood almost extinguishes their humanity.

  “Look at them.” I say. “Spending precious resources they want so badly to protect. Hmpf. If humans invaded this place with their iron weapons, I bet there wouldn't be one left. Their magic may be better and more abundant, but they would do nothing against the capital's sophisticated weapons.”

  “You underestimate my people, Cloud. It's not a good idea. We survive for a reason.”

  “That doesn't explain their decisions.”

  “The people must remain expressive, or they will go mad. They already restrain themselves currently so as not to alarm the monsters hiding in the darkness, stopping their festivals would infuriate the people. It is more practical for them to spend resources than to panic.”

  “It talks so much about not causing panic, but you let beastmen walk among you. How can they be so carefree?”

  “Beastmen…? Is that what they call them in your world?”

  “And is there another name?”

  “Animalia. And yes, of course they would walk among us. They're rare, these. Humanoid animals, of various castes and different types. Don't you see how even your worldly actions are viewed with zeal? Don't you see how we respect the few we have? How could we fear them?”

  “Just because there's few of them doesn't make them peaceful.”

  “And they are not peaceful because they are few, too. They are not our enemies, but prestigious allies. You humans act as if magic is a toy, or a law with its own rules. But the influence of the supernatural is subtle, and we can only make use of a drop of what permeates reality. How could we kill a being so important, so symbolic, but still made of flesh?”

  You talk too much, huh?

  “You will change your mind from the moment this thing grinds its teeth at you. Hyenas, trolls, pigs, these things, and the orcs must be relatives. They're monsters.”

  “I doubt he'll do so, considering his historic with us. Animalias aren't simple-minded beasts like orcs or trolls, but a gifted, ancient race of hybrids. He never gritted his teeth at us, but helped us. I'm sorry if your experience was not with animals, but with beasts. War is a real horror.”

  I laugh, then lean on a vine and face the ground below me. “It does not seem to you. If I may be rude, you don't seem to hate war.”

  Serdin interrupts the pace. “How so?”

  “Harmonics. Funny. Elegant. Nah. Nature is also beautiful, but it is still lethal. If you are like her, you are capable of unparalleled barbarity and violence. They must be, if they are to survive, ordered and pacified. There is no peace without fighting for it. You are all savages, you only know how to pretend well.”

  Serdin takes a deep breath, considering the words. “It's true. But I will make a correction.” He raises his palm and a bird lands on his finger. “We don't hide anything.”

  I stare at him, but the Elf continues to watch the bird with sharp, watchful eyes.

  “You never went to war with elves. You don't know what we're capable of. In the early days, when we dominated this place, we fought hard. We did not duel against each other, our conflicts have become verbal, a unity created by the instinct of preservation. But strength alone was not the right way to conquer the fairy world, so we adapted. It's the tyranny of success.”

  Serdin opens his palm, and the bird walks on it. He doesn't seem to understand what happens, but he trusts enough to continue.

  “During corruption, however, we have been reminded of what it is to cut off the flesh of our equals. Our society was never the same. Natural holiness versus primal savagery. Animalia and elves are not so different in this sense. But isn't that the point of violence? Know how to use it? Know the time to attack those who threaten the peace of your world?”

  He stares at the bird. A drop falls next to my face.

  “… Okay. Why are we even talking?”

  Serdin smiles. “Tell me, Cloud, What do you think of Sieghart?”

  I cross my arms. “He's weird.”

  “Right, right. Isn't it strange that Hoffstein protects him in this way? Your presence intrigues me. What's the point of walking to Solace?”

  “It's none of my business and none of yours. If I can't kill him with the old man nearby, then let him go as far away as possible.”

  “Kill him, huh? It's a violent thought. But in fact, violence is best used when it prevents something bad from happening, isn't it?”

  “… You think I don't know what you're doing?”

  “What am I doing?”

  “Trying to gather some information about him. Trying to neutralize him. It's not going to happen with Hoffstein around.”

  “What if he wasn't?”

  “… What?”

  “What if a threat strong enough to drive him away left Sieghart alone? So naturally, being a danger, we could successfully neutralize him and prevent catastrophes from happening, don't you think?”

  “… How do you know that?”

  “I had a feeling he's not a good kid. And you didn't deny it, did you? No. You seem to know something. This something can save many, many lives, and we may not even need to do anything with such information. What do you say?”

  “… You should already know, just as every person who lays eyes on him knows, deep down, in some way. He's a demon.”

  “A demon, is it?”

  “Half-demon. He corrupts everything he touches with Chaos Magic. This weird cannibal destroyed my village. Vanusia's Ent came after the rest to try to find him. My friend died. All because of him. Yet, there's nothing you can do. Hoffstein and Sieghart will go to Solace, and I will return empty-handed as the failure I left there. So much confidence for nothing.”

  Serdin rests his hand on my shoulder. “You are too hard on yourself, Cloud. You couldn't have won. I'm sorry about what happened to you. However, with your knowledge, we can prevent this from happening again.”

  “How?”

  “Hilda's soldiers are open to our agreements. Whether our currency is resources or knowledge, we maintain a fragile peace. But if someone came to my city and threatened that peace for an idealistic mission, I would feel unsafe. That goes for both sides. I'm sure Hilda is after him for a reason, and that reason doesn't matter to Vanusia, does it?”

  “… Bargaining coin, huh? Got it. It was you who delivered up those elves who attacked us then. That is why they regard them as traitors.”

  “We don't give ours away. If they rebel or do something else… Well, Vanusia is considered a traitor because of her disobedience to Hilda.”

  “But not only for this. They wouldn't be entering into contract and making trades if they abhorred you all so much.”

  “We only did what was necessary, and we will do it today as well. We will defend the city from all threats. All of them. Including him. Hypothetically, of course. I can't say anything.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “… So? Do you find him dangerous for any reason?”

  I laugh. “Dangerous? Yes, of course. But you will excuse me, general, there is no world where I fall into this conversation.”

  Serdin narrows his gaze. “Is that so?”

  “I told you what you already knew. I never said I would say more than that. But, on the contrary, you told me very important things. Thanks. Now, if you'll excuse me...”

  Serdin's hand squeezes on my shoulder.

  “I'm afraid that won't be possible.”

  “…?”

  “What has been discussed here is of strict importance. I can't leave it to you to reveal the military secrets out there, can I?”

  “Don't worry, I know how to say what I want.”

  “My concern is not with your competence.”

  “I imagine it is not, but I also believe there is no cause for alarm, general. There are eyes everywhere...” I smile. “And Hoffstein's still in town, isn't he?”

  Serdin takes his hand off my shoulder. “… Indeed.” He says with a fake smile. “Go in peace, Cloud.”

  “In the greatest peace of the world, Serdin.”

  I prostrate myself, then grab the vine that joins the wooden stairs and hurl myself from the top. I intensify resistance and landing above the branch of a tree, then the other attributes to descend from the structure to the city below.

  I can't tell Hoffstein what I said. They would know. They plan something big that I don't know yet, and I better not force their plans to happen soon.

  Still, the invasion will happen. I need to find out what it is before that. Until then, they won't hurt me about Hoffstein's threat to find them. Preoccupied with military issues and some other challenge, he must have noticed something strange, but did not think it was important enough to act.

  I feel the look of the guards on my back. They haven't lost me, but that doesn't worry me. After all, I've spent my whole life on the run.