Keilan stared up at the silhouette of a huge creature departing the planet. From where he was standing, he could still make out the vague, distant shape of the beast companion, it's wings and body; which meant that the creature must have been truly huge.

  He sighed and then turned his attention back to his surroundings. The square he stood on was awash in chaos, with the loud voices of traders calling out their wares, and the distant but loud clanging of steel as artificers walked on their crafts.

  The sky was a carpet of gold, packed with the languid forms of crimson clouds. On his entrance into the planet, Keilan had only paid much attention to the onyx and crimson glass skyscrapers that rose from the continents. But now, as he walked, he marveled at the short, angular buildings made from black onyx stones that lined the streets, interspacing themselves between the jutting skyscrapers.

  The low hum of a metallic hover construct reached his ears, and Keilan looked up to watch the craft, shaped like a bird with its wings tucked in, flash by, leaving in its wake a hale of dust as well as loud curses from irritated bystanders. Of course, the owner of the construct, who sat at the back of the craft, paid no mind to their outcry. It was like the young man didn't care at all.

  Keilan shook his head. Nobles.

  This wasn't his first time encountering a scene such as this. From the moment he'd made his way outside, he'd been witness to no less than three different times when the rich had driven their cart-like construct past the streets without care for whom was on the way. Of course, they didn't try such whenever the black-clothed guards were around, especially those of high ranks.

  His boots clicking on the black segmented pavement, Keilan stopped and traced a wafting aroma towards what seemed to be a kiosk at the end of the street. He grimaced, rubbing heavily at his temple. The small enclosure was fixed just at the end of the line of stalls in this area, a few feet from the medium-sized globe of light that hung at the outmost end of the street, glowing a dull white light, which wouldn't have been noticed if not for how well it differed from the crimson glow of the sky and the golden sun.

  As Keilan approached the stall, the voice of the man standing in front of it slowly became distinguished from the chaotic clamor of the square.

  "... Steak! For one bronze Vicari, try your Vorese steak!"

  "...Vorese steak! Hot and delicious Vorese steak!"

  Honestly, in his opinion, the man didn't need to announce what he was selling. Keilan reckoned that even people from the streets on the other side of the square could smell the tantalizing aroma that wafted into his nose, triggering a rumble in his stomach loud enough that a passing woman gave him a weird look.

  With barely contained excitement, he rushed forward, grumbling a second later when the crowds of people clamoring for a piece of the enticing meat proved too much. Thankfully, he was very tall, taller than most of the people gathered here, so he was able to reach out from behind the small crowd to call out his order.

  "Hey, watch it!" Somebody called out, and Keilan looked down to see a man glaring at him. He looked at the man, his below-average height, and his overly ostentatious outfit, which was awash with so many colors it almost sent Keilan's head swirling, and then calmly stepped aside with an apology.

  Finally out of the man's way, he turned his attention back on the crowd of people and the delicious-smelling steak, which— to Keilan's slowly growing horror—looked like it was going to finish before his time. With vigor he didn't know he had, Keilan joined in on the chaotic clamor, calling out loudly for his own order.

  Something tugged at his shirt, and he turned his glare down to see the same man as before, this time looking at him with an Indescribable look on his face.

  "What?" Keilan snapped, unable to control his emotion. He dearly didn't want that meat to slip out of his hands.

  Hells, when did I become Damien?!

  "...um," the man began, somehow managing to find a way to shift nervously despite how crowded it was.

  "Speak fast. I don't have time for this!"

  "Umm... Sir, I really need that steak and, as you can see, I'm not tall enough to reach the front. Can you please help me get one? I swear, I'll pay you back!"

  Looking at the somewhat pleading look on the man's face, Keilan sighed and then turned back to the seller without a reply.

  In just the short time he'd turned his attention away, the crowd seemed to have grown instead of reducing. And so, fearing the disappearance of the steak before it reached his hands and his watering mouth, Keilan did something that stunned the crowd.

  "I'll give you 1 silver Vicari for a steak!"

  Like the concept of sound had suddenly been snuffed out, the crowd went silent, and multiple eyes turned to look at him, most with shock, but a not-so-small minority gazed at him with contempt. It wasn't surprising. Given the currency of Lese, ten bronze Vicari, which was the lowest currency, equaled one silver Vicari. So, Keilan had just given ten times the amount of a single steak. And given how scarce the delicious meal was getting, a lot of people, most of whom were at the front, didn't like that.

  But Keilan didn't care. He wanted his meat, and he would get it!

  The seller looked at him with surprise, and then his lips curved upwards. He gave Keilan a bright smile.

  "One steak, coming right up!"

  Keilan grimaced. This was not going to be funny. "A-Actually, I want three..."

  The mood swiftly changed, this time with those who'd worn only looks of shock soon joining those with looks of contempt.

  With a smile that seemed to be brighter than what he'd previously shown, the man stretched out three steaks with one hand, the huge meat sitting gracefully on the not-so-small stick. The other hand was bared forth to Keilan, a raised eyebrow.

  Keilan sighed and then stuck his hand into a pocket on the inside of his jacket. Of course, the money wasn't there, but the people around didn't need to know that. He'd suffered from enough thefts to know how unwise it was to let people know how much money you have.

  On the other hand, he'd just blatantly announced that he'd be buying the steaks for ten times the price... so that advice was moot.

  Keilan brought out three silver glinting coins, with the insignia of the Verrille house on one side and, on the other side, the inscription of three circles sitting on different edges of the coin, each connected by a line that circled the coin. The first inscription was of the Verrille house, while the second was that of Lese.

  "Thank you very much, dear customer! Please do come back again!" The man said loudly, with a greedy glint in his eyes.

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  Keilan shivered involuntarily and then began making his way out of the crowd. Thankfully, his quarry had not gone far, so he quickly made his way over to the man.

  "Hey, wait up!" He called and then called again when the man didn't turn his head. With a little bit of added speed, he reached his quarry, touching the man with his free hand.

  The short man looked up with a gloomy look on his face, which soon morphed into confusion when he saw Keilan. His brain must have been sharp because his downturn expression instantly transformed into a bright smile.

  "This is for you," Keilan said, stretching out one of the hanging meat to him, who stayed quiet for some time, looking from Keilan to the steak in his hands. And then with his smile widening further, he took the steak from Keilan's hand.

  "Thank you!" The man said and then brought out a silver decari from his pocket. "I heard about the price you paid for this. Here's your payment."

  Keilan smiled, pushing the coin back toward the man. "There's no need for that."

  "But?—"

  "Don't stress it," Keilan said.

  Tentatively, the man asked. "Are you... Are you sure?"

  Keilan nodded and then rubbed his temple again with a grimace.

  "Are you alright?"

  "Yeah, I'm fine. I just have a pesky headache."

  "Mmm, I'm sorry about that." The short man said with sincerity. "Maybe you should go see a mind healer."

  Keilan chuckled and then waved the suggestion off. "No need. It'll be gone soon."

  Looking down at the man, he nodded forward. "Shall we?" With an eager nod, his companion followed. "What's your name, by the way?"

  "Jez."

  "Ah, nice to meet you, Jez. I'm Keilan." He shifted his steak to his left hand and then stretched the right to shake.

  "You're not from around here, are you, Mr. Keilan?"

  Keilan smiled. "Keilan is fine. And no, I'm not. Was it that obvious?"

  "Yes. Yes, it was." Jez said. "Unless you're a noble, no native would have spent that amount of money on something as fleeting and easy to make as a steak."

  Keilan bit into the meat, marveling at how soft and tender it was. Taking his time, he chewed, making sure to sift out every minor taste in the meat. When he was done, asked.

  "Hmm, is it that cheap?"

  Jez shrugged. "Vorese is a very common animal. They're cheap, fairly big, and procreate extremely fast. So it's not much of a problem to buy them. The real issue is finding a chef good enough to make something like this," Jez said, and then took a bite, nodding with a dreamy look on his face.

  Keilan looked away, suddenly feeling awkward, like he was encroaching on the intimate moment of another person.

  When the man was done, he continued. "As I was saying. You're not a commoner, and also not a noble—since no noble would 'stick so low' as to purchase something from us commoners." he made a mocking face. "That only leaves the last option: you're an outsider. A tourist?"

  Keilan shrugged. "You're somewhat correct. But I'm more of a tourist by chance. I'm here for the Tower Climb event."

  Jez blinked. "Ahh, is it that time again? I remember when Pa used to tell me stories of the Tower Climb events. Ahhh, the tales..." The man shook his head wistfully.

  "Doesn't the event happen every generation? Why do you sound like you haven't witnessed one?"

  "There's a difference between being alive during such an event and witnessing it with your own eyes, Sir. Keilan," Jez shook his head. "Sure, I've seen many events come and go, but today's my first time truly seeing a participant."

  The man looked up at Keilan, studying him like one would a strange creature. "I hear you tower event participants are a different breed from the common soldiers." He frowned, his eyes intense. "Some say you can crush Spirit Kings with just your bare fists."

  Startled, Keilan choked on a piece of steak. It took a moment for him to swallow the meat, and then he downed a bottle of water he'd carried inside his spatial space. When he was done, he looked at Jez with a confused expression.

  "Where did you hear that from?"

  The man looked at him an uncomprehending expression. "Pa, of course... And also from the rumors on the streets. Why?"

  Still stunned, Keilan said. "No offense, but those aren't true. Trust me, a dozen Spirit lords won't even be able to lay a finger on a Spirit King, talk less of single handedly crushing one."

  "Well, pa said so... So I'm more inclined to believe him over you. No offense."

  Keilan shook his head in unbelief, but he didn't argue further. Judging from his demeanor and all the other things he'd seen and heard from the man, Keilan doubted if the man was even a warrior. His attire and lack of information on the capabilities of Spirit lords pegged him as more of a crafter... And even then, he was likely a low realm one. Monarch at most, or more likely a Lord?

  Deciding to change the topic, he asked. "You seem to know a fair bit about the nobles in this city. Can you tell me about them? More especially, the twins. Vanis and Solis."

  Like a suddenly petrified statue, Jez froze, and when he looked up at Keilan, Suspicion and confusion was clearly written on his face... Maybe a little bit of alarm, too.

  "Why are you asking?" The man said slowly.

  "Whoa whoa whoa!" Keilan raised his hands, "don't be so shifty. Since I'm going to be partaking in the event, it's very likely I'll be meeting them. Sooner rather than later. I just want to know who they are."

  Suddenly feeling guilty, Keilan grimaced. But it couldn't be helped. He'd have preferred not to lie to someone he'd just met, especially someone as naive as Jez. But he'd had plenty experiences with nobles, and Keilan found it very unbelievable that one would be a noble as Vanis, lacking any ounce of the self entitlement that came with the title. The last confrontation on Greensend, between the alliance and Solaris had taught him not to trust them. Aelar had been a famous honorable man until he'd betrayed Damien to Solaris. Keilan just wanted to be prepared should the same thing happen again.

  Jez studied him for some time, seemingly searching for something. Whether he found it or not, Keilan didn't know. But the man answered nonetheless.

  "The twins are the treasured children of Ver. Not as powerful and accomplished as their elder siblings, nor as famous and dreadful as their uncle and grandmother. But nevertheless, they are still loved very much."

  He bit out a piece of meat from the steak, which looked to be finishing any moment soon. Keilan mirrored him.

  "Solis is the well known of the two. Boisterous, extremely energetic, and doesn't mind tangling with commoners like us."

  The little man gestured for Keilan to lean closer, and then whispered.

  "If you want, I can take you to the underground ring where he fights. If you want to know more about him, that's one of the best place to check."

  Keilan frowned, and then slowly leaned back. He knew the brutish Verrille was boisterous, extremely so. But willing to mingle with the common masses? That was doubtful. But still, although he didn't like that young man one bit, Solis had not struck him one bit as a snub. A bully, yes, but not a snub.

  "There's nothing much to say about Vanis," Jez continued, shrugging. "He's the most elusive of the two. Even amongst the rest of his family, he's the second most elusive, right behind his mother, the mistress of madness. What he's most known for, though, is that he pays his debt, almost to a frightening extent."

  The man shivered.

  "I like you, Sir. Keilan, so I'll give you this advise. Do not make Lord Vanis your enemy." Keilan looked down as he felt a pressure on his arm. "They say he's very petty and doesn't mind devolving into an eye for an eye game."

  "Petty?" Keilan raised an eyebrow. Even compared to Solis's rumored penchant for Intermingling with the masses, Vanis being petty sounded more unbelievable.

  The young lord had always seemed more like a reserved person. Quiet and very perceptive. He'd more than once caught Vanis glance at he and Damien during their very emotional moments. Overall, Keilan pegged him as careful planner, a snake, for lack of better word. That was part of the reason he was out here. If there was one thing more elusive than a snake, it was the wind.

  "Yes. Ahh, but he's more of a noble petty man. So..." The short man shrugged.

  Hearing that, Keilan instantly deleted that version of the rumor from his mind. It seemed Jez knew next to nothing about the elusive brother. But that was okay, he'd gotten a part of what he came for. Afterall, rumors always contained an inkling of truth.

  Calmly, he looked around, frowning a little, and then turned to his companion.

  "Nice meeting you, Jez. But I've got to go now. Other things to do, y'know," he smiled.

  The other man blinked, and then nodded. "Nice meeting you too, Sir. Keilan." He shuffled Into his pocket, bringing out a token. "Here's my token. It contains my contact. I can help you if you need any help. Just press it against yours and you'll be able to reach me wherever I am. "

  Keilan nodded, and then brought out his token. At first, he thought it wouldn't work since he hadn't completely binded the token, but it seemed his blood was enough for the token to recognize him, and soon, he felt it in his mind as something was added to the bronze token.

  Curious, he held the token and mentally imagined Jez. Instantly, the man raised his own, and the block that had recently being between the two suddenly opened, baring the way for Jez's voice.

  Alas, that was all it could do. Keilan still couldn't access the enchantments that led to his room since he hadn't completely binded it. But nevertheless, he'd made one contact in this city.

  Keilan didn't think he'd call the man anytime soon, but who knows? He might still have questions that needed answers, and no matter how naive the short man might be, he could still have answers or an inking of one.

  Thanking the man, Keilan turned around and made for another street with one full steak and a half eaten one in his had. He still had another stop to make before heading back.