Chapter 124 – Onwards, To Bramblegate

Sera has apparently decided that moving away from home requires her armor and cloak, three shirts, two pairs of shorts, some underwear, her spear, and absolutely nothing else.

I stare at the tiny pile arranged across her bed.

“Is that everything?”

“Mostly.”

Avelyn stares blankly at the Catkin.

“...You do know Lyn could probably store everything in this house without any trouble, right?”

True.

Sera’s house is considerably simpler than I expected.

A single floor, only a handful of rooms, and enough scattered potted plants to suggest that whoever arranged the interior had either given up halfway through decorating or developed a deeply personal vendetta against empty corners.

What I did not expect were the rather obvious signs that Sera enjoys arts and crafts.

Several sewing kits occupy one shelf. Small wooden creations are scattered throughout the room, most possessing no discernible practical function beyond looking aesthetically pleasing.

In their defense, they succeed admirably.

More concerning are the figurines.

Tiny wooden statues of various townsfolk sit along one shelf, each carved with a surprising amount of detail.

There are even several of Sera herself.

…

Ah.

I believe I may have discovered the source of the suspiciously detailed wooden figurines I noticed in the general store during my original quest to obtain water.

Sera has a side hustle.

Interesting.

Even more interesting is the figurine positioned near the end of the shelf.

Long hair. Fox ears. Battle dress. Astra Nocturne held dramatically across the body.

…

Me.

Sera notices where I am looking.

Her ears immediately angle outward.

Then, with impressive speed, she crosses the room, snatches the figurine from the shelf, and stuffs it beneath her cloak.

A futile effort. Avelyn and I noticed it several seconds ago.

Avelyn presses her lips together in what appears to be a heroic attempt not to laugh.

I fail to see the issue.

As the most beautiful and humble prodigy in the universe, it is only natural that sane individuals would wish to behold my likeness on a regular basis.

The craftsmanship was quite good, too.

Accurate proportions. Respectable detailing on the dress.

Astra Nocturne could have used slightly more dramatic emphasis, but perfection cannot be expected from everyone.

While I conduct my silent artistic review, Sera finally responds to Avelyn’s question.

“I don’t want to take up too much space.”

Her ears remain angled outward.

Ah.

Embarrassment.

I recognize that one. Assuming Catkin ears obey roughly the same rules as Foxkin ears, anyway.

I perform several quick estimates.

“From my limited observations, I could reasonably store every object you own and consume less than one tenth of one percent of my available capacity.”

Sera looks at me.

I place one finger thoughtfully against my chin.

“For perspective, your worldly possessions currently require less space than my berries.”

The calculation is not exact, but it's close enough.

Sera remains silent for a moment.

“...I’ll pack more.”

“A wise decision.”

She turns back toward the rest of the house.

I, meanwhile, decide to sit.

Directly in the air.

There are no chairs nearby, and possessing Gravity manipulation without using it to rectify a tragic lack of seating would be profoundly irresponsible.

I establish a neutral rail beneath myself and settle comfortably into nothing.

Avelyn watches me for approximately two seconds.

Then she tugs on my sleeve. The motion sends me drifting sideways like a rogue helium balloon.

I correct my position with a small burst of Gravity and stare at her.

She smiles.

Naturally.

I extend the rail beneath her as well, lifting her gently from the floor until she is seated beside me.

Our shoulders touch.

Avelyn giggles as her feet sway several centimeters above the ground.

“Doing this is always so fun.”

I nod solemnly.

Correct.

It is exceptionally fun.

Even if Avelyn continues to reject the objectively superior version. Namely, doing it upside down.

Tragic.

Approximately eleven minutes later, Sera finishes packing.

The potted plants are unfortunately staying behind.

Avelyn had looked mildly horrified by this revelation until Sera assured her that she had already arranged for a neighbor to take care of them.

Apparently, abandoning one's plants to perish is where Avelyn draws the line.

Reasonable.

Nearly everything else Sera considers worth bringing has been gathered onto the bed.

Her clothing. The sewing supplies. Most of the wooden decorations. A surprisingly large portion of the figurine collection.

The one depicting me is not among them.

It remains hidden beneath her cloak.

I know this because the slight difference in density is perfectly visible through my Gravity sense.

It would seem that Aurelion’s—or rather, Sera’s—cloak possesses several internal pockets.

Convenient.

I graciously choose not to expose her.

With a wave of my hand, everything on the bed disappears into my spatial ring.

Sera looks around the now considerably emptier room once.

Then we leave.

She closes the door behind us.

And stops.

For once, the change in her expression is obvious enough that I do not need to consult the increasingly extensive mental encyclopedia I have constructed around her ears.

Sadness.

Not overwhelming, but definitely present.

Her tail hangs lower behind her.

Her ears droop with it.

…

I move a little closer.

Avelyn does the same on her other side.

Neither of us says anything.

I have no idea what this house means to Sera.

Or this village.

She has never volunteered much about either, and I know better than to start digging simply because I have noticed the absence.

No family has ever been mentioned. Nobody else was living in the house. And among the dozens of figurines scattered across the shelves, I did not see another Catkin who resembled her in the slightest.

There is a story there.

I will not be asking for it.

Sera remains still for several more seconds.

Then she takes a slow breath and turns away from the house.

We follow.

I still cannot truly understand the feeling.

Missing a place. Looking back at somewhere you belonged and knowing you are leaving it behind.

There is nothing on Earth I would ever look at that way.

So I do not pretend to understand.

I simply walk beside her.

Avelyn does too.

By the time the inn comes into view, Sera’s ears have mostly returned to normal.

Surprisingly, Arlo is waiting outside, speaking with the rest of the party.

“Speaking of which, where even is Lyn?”

“Right here.”

Arlo whirls around.

His hand immediately flies to his chest.

“Gods!”

I blink.

He takes a moment to recover before staring at me.

“How do ya keep doing that?”

A fair question.

“I swear, every time I start talking about ya, ya just appear outta nowhere.”

I shrug.

This is the fourth time.

Which is admittedly becoming statistically interesting.

More importantly, it remains extremely amusing.

He studies me suspiciously for several more seconds before finally sighing and apparently deciding that investigating the phenomenon is not worth the effort.

“Anyway, came by to say goodbye to y’all.” His eyes slide toward me. “Since I know you ain’t gonna do it.”

That is…

Probably accurate.

I had not actually considered doing so.

Arlo chuckles at whatever I accidently revealed.

“Figured.”

He turns his attention toward the rest of the party.

“I imagine none of ya need an old man warning you to be careful. Y'all are stronger than just about anything around here.”

His expression softens.

“But hey. Be safe out there anyway. It’s been a real pleasure having y’all around the village these past few days.”

Avelyn smiles brightly.

Marek gives him an appreciative nod.

Then Arlo turns toward Sera.

His smile changes slightly.

“I’ll miss ya.”

He raises one hand and gives her two quick pats on top of the head.

Sera permits the indignity without complaint. Her tail gives a small swish behind her.

…

Adorable.

Arlo steps back.

“Whelp. Don’t wanna hold y’all up too long. Korr says he needs help dealing with those two rascals at the gate.”

He sighs with the exhaustion of a man whose administrative responsibilities have somehow evolved into supervising adult children wrestling in the dirt.

“So I’m off to deal with that, I guess.”

I nod gravely.

“Goodbye. I wish you luck.”

“Appreciate it.”

“Especially with the fake paperwork.”

His tail stops wagging instantly.

Sera’s head turns toward him. Her eyes narrow.

Arlo looks between us, then chuckles.

“Gotta make myself look busy somehow.”

Sera continues staring.

He wisely chooses not to elaborate. Instead, he raises a hand in farewell.

“Just had to get one final blow in at the end, eh?” He grins at me. “See ya, little one.”

My eye twitches.

Arlo takes approximately two steps before glancing over his shoulder.

“Little as in height, of course.”

My cheek puffs out without permission.

He escapes before justice can be administered.

Annoying.

Vengeance will be mine.

Eventually.

I have already hidden another teleportation talisman somewhere in the surrounding woods, after all.

His false sense of security is merely temporary.

Avelyn giggles at my expression before gently taking my hand.

I allow it.

Then I withdraw one of my teleportation talismans.

Sera takes my other hand, the rest of the party forms the increasingly familiar chain, and I activate it.

White light consumes the village.

A moment later, the quiet sounds of civilization are replaced by rustling leaves, birdsong, and the familiar scent of damp earth.

The forest outside the dungeon.

Excellent.

…

I am in a tree.

There is perhaps half a second in which I process this development before Gravity remembers that several members of the party are currently standing on absolutely nothing.

Avelyn gives a startled yelp.

I pull sharply on her hand.

She drops toward me instead of the forest floor, colliding against my side as I wrap an arm around her waist and secure us both against the branch.

Success.

Sera has been considerably luckier.

She rematerialized with both feet planted securely on the same branch a short distance away.

The others…

Less so.

Sera and Avelyn wisely let go of their hands before they can be dragged into the collective drop.

Marek barely has time to grunt before he drops out of sight like a spectacularly armored meteor.

THOOM.

The forest floor shudders.

When I look down, he is embedded up to his shins in the earth.

Zeke appears several meters away, arms pinwheeling wildly as he desperately attempts to negotiate with gravity.

For one miraculous instant, he lands upright.

Then his balance abandons him.

He falls directly onto his back.

Rin lands neatly on both feet and immediately begins laughing.

Sylrae simply spreads her wings and glides down beside him with the infuriating serenity of someone who was never in danger to begin with.

I nod solemnly.

Hm.

It would appear that I failed to secure the destination talisman properly.

A gust of wind must have dislodged it after I left, carrying it through the forest until it became caught in this particular tree.

Tragic.

Also extremely funny.

Nine out of ten.

One point deducted for the very real possibility that, had the talisman not become snagged on a branch, we could have rematerialized anywhere between slightly closer to Bramblegate and the fantasy equivalent of Narnia.

…

Admittedly, that would also have been amusing.

Unfortunately, it would have interfered rather substantially with my plans to experience every worthwhile portion of Bramblegate under the guidance of my exceptionally enthusiastic local tour guide.

Speaking of which…

I gently place Avelyn on the branch beside me and release my arm from around her waist.

She lets out a breath.

“Thanks, Lyn.”

I smile.

“You are quite welcome.”

…

She does not move away.

Our sides remain pressed together.

I glance down at the entirely adequate amount of branch available beside her. Then back at Avelyn.

She smiles innocently.

I once again receive the distinct impression that I am being taken advantage of.

Concerning.

I choose not to investigate.

I release Sera’s hand, and the three of us drop lightly to the forest floor.

Zeke is still lying where he fell.

He rubs his backside.

“Ow.”

Marek laughs as he begins excavating himself from the moderately sized crater his arrival has produced.

“Well.” He pulls one leg free with a wet crunch of displaced soil. “That was a surprise.”

Rin folds his arms.

“Personally, I thought it was an improvement over normal.”

Zeke rises from the ground.

“I hate all of you.”

Avelyn snaps her fingers.

A wave of golden light rolls over Marek and Zeke, stripping away dirt, grass stains, and whatever other indignities the forest floor inflicted upon them.

Rin finally redirects his attention toward us.

More specifically, toward Avelyn and me.

A grin spreads across his face.

“You sure moved fast to protect Avelyn, didn’t you, Little Miss?”

I nod solemnly.

“Naturally. Protecting the healer is my highest priority. If any of you are injured, she can simply heal you.”

Rin stares blankly at me for several seconds.

Then he sighs and mutters something beneath his breath.

Something about star density.

I tilt my head.

Strange.

I had not realized Rin possessed an interest in the density of stellar objects.

I make a mental note to satisfy his newfound curiosity at a later date.

Once everyone has sufficiently recovered from their abrupt negotiations with gravity, we set out.

The journey takes several hours. Mostly because Marek remains stubbornly opposed to being carried by my vines.

I offered.

Repeatedly.

He refused with the same determination as someone attempting to carry every grocery bag inside in one trip despite having already lost feeling in three fingers.

A deeply irrational creature.

The party has collectively decided that we would prefer not to be delayed any more than necessary, so the surrounding wildlife receives very little opportunity to interfere.

Anything foolish enough to approach within a few hundred meters is efficiently dispatched by either my vines or a precisely placed shot from Sylrae.

At one point, after the third Tier Two monster suffers an unfortunate encounter with one of my vines, Marek glances toward Sera.

“We could let her take the next one.”

I look at him.

“No.”

He blinks.

Sera does too.

“Would get her that last level,” Marek points out.

“No.”

Rin looks between us.

“You seem weirdly passionate about this.”

“I have decided that Sera will remain Tier One for at least another two weeks.”

Sera’s ears immediately angle toward me.

“Why?”

I explain.

Training before advancement. Improving her fundamentals while her class remains unfinished. Taking advantage of every opportunity to influence whatever options the System offers when she finally reaches Tier Two.

By the time I finish, Sera’s tail is swishing rapidly enough to make her enthusiasm rather difficult to conceal.

A reasonable reaction.

Receiving personal instruction from someone as talented, beautiful, and generally majestic as myself is an opportunity most people could only dream of.

My tail gives an approving flick.

Eventually, the forest gives way to a proper road.

Our pace improves considerably once Marek no longer has to choose between maneuvering around trees and simply bulldozing through them.

The latter option earned him a glare from Avelyn the first time he tried it.

He has been remarkably respectful toward forestry ever since.

Said healer walks beside me as we travel, occasionally drifting close enough for her arm or tail to brush against mine.

Acceptable.

After roughly another hour, the walls of Bramblegate finally begin peeking through the trees.

Admittedly, they do this several times.

Because whoever designed this road appears to have possessed a deep and abiding hatred for straight lines.

It curves left.

Then right.

Then inexplicably left again despite the city being very obviously over there.

Seriously, who designed this?

I may need to have a conversation with them.

Far above the walls rises a massive tower.

Ah.

That must be the tower.

Avelyn dedicated approximately fourteen minutes last night to explaining why the view from its eastern side is superior.

I had not previously been aware that a tower possessed enough directional nuance to sustain fourteen minutes of conversation.

Apparently, I was incorrect.

To be fair…

It is a very nice tower.

Tall enough to dominate the skyline, broad enough to look almost fortress-like, and crowned by an observation platform that must offer an exceptional view of the surrounding region.

In fact…

I focus my Perception.

The distant structure sharpens.

Even from here, I can make out tiny figures moving around the observation platform. Fine details remain beyond me at this distance, but their shapes and movements are clear enough.

One person is sitting directly on the railing.

Another leans against it.

A third has apparently decided that balconies are for cowards and is perched on the very top of the spire.

Hm.

I am going to take a rather daring leap of logic and assume that is a Catkin.

The air around them is behaving strangely as well, currents twisting in ways the surrounding wind does not account for.

Wind Aspect, perhaps?

Interesting.

The road bends another entirely unnecessary time.

Eventually, we finally approach the gate.

The difference from the beginner village is immediate.

The line outside Bramblegate is several times longer, yet moves considerably faster. Merchants, travelers, and adventurers flow steadily through multiple entrances while guards process them with practiced efficiency.

Groups of adventurers lounge around outside the walls as though waiting for contracts, party members, or simply something interesting to happen.

One group notices us passing and waves.

Marek waves back.

So do Avelyn, Rin, Sylrae, and Zeke.

Sera and I do not.

…

My ears twitch.

A sound.

Rapid footsteps.

Fast.

Very fast.

Approaching from ahead.

My attention snaps toward the source.

A Foxkin man is sprinting directly toward us.

No.

Directly toward Avelyn.

I move before considering why.

One arm wraps around her waist as I pull her sharply sideways.

“AVELYYYYN—!”

The man launches himself through the space she occupied a fraction of a second earlier.

He hits the ground.

Hard.

Then continues moving.

For several spectacular seconds, he plows through the grass like a poorly aimed siege projectile, carving a trench several dozen meters long and forcing Rin to sidestep out of his path.

I place myself between Avelyn and the unknown attacker.

Inspect.

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Luminous Spellblade [Rare] (Level 97 | Tier 2)

Race: Foxkin

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

My eyes narrow.

Level ninety-seven.

That is…

Substantial.

My hand begins moving, ready to pull Astra Nocturne out of my soul at a moment's notice as the Foxkin pulls himself out of the trench created by his own enthusiasm.

Difficult.

But manageable.

I step forward—

“Dad?!”

…

My hand stops.

I look at Avelyn.

Then at the red-haired Foxkin standing twenty meters away, covered in grass and staring at her with what I can now identify as significantly more paternal distress than murderous intent.

Then back at Avelyn.

…

Oh.

This is unexpected.