CHAPTER 84 — UNFAIR

Percy had run the first stretch of the route to the mountain. It had taken him two hours to leave the city and reach the rocky trail, followed by another three to climb to the summit, 7,250 meters above sea level.

He did not turn back as soon as he arrived. From here, he could see the city and the broad expanse of land surrounding it. If monsters were gathering for an attack, he could often spot their movements from this vantage point. He studied the ground below for a while, then sat down and tilted his head toward the sky.

The Core crystal he took from his pocket lay dull in his palm. Its last traces of power were gone. Percy turned it between his fingers. Over six years, he had strengthened every layer, from Core Level One through Advanced Core Level Three, bringing each to fifty percent. The last crystal had done its work.

He rubbed a thumb over one of its edges, then turned it toward the sun. No answering glow appeared. For a while, he simply held it there. He had checked that crystal so often that putting it away without wondering how much remained felt strange. His fingers closed around it once before he slipped it into his pocket. He could leave the calculations alone for a few minutes. He had finally finished.

He stood and made a fist. Drawing his arm back, he punched the empty air in front of him.

His fist struck nothing. Even so, the air ahead of him buckled inward, then surged forward. The vacuum it created stretched another 1.6 kilometers beyond the mountain before dispersing. Percy opened and closed his hand.

“Hmm,” he said. “Looks like those six years were worth it.”

“Looks like?”

Percy turned. Clara was stepping over the last stones on the trail. The wind had tousled her hair. Her breathing had quickened a little after the long climb, but she did not need to stop and rest. She had completed the route that had taken Percy five hours in four hours and eighteen minutes.

“Here again, Percy?” she asked.

“I was going to say hello.”

“You were here yesterday too.”

“The sky was different yesterday.”

Clara looked up. “Looks the same as today's.”

“I can tell the difference.”

“Of course you can.”

When she reached him, Percy did not answer. He studied her face for a few seconds, then frowned.

Clara touched her cheek, then brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“What? Have I got something on my face?”

Percy's gaze followed her hand. “No.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“I'm trying to understand something.”

She glanced down at her clothes and brushed some dust from her sleeve. When she looked up again, he was still watching. She stopped fussing with the sleeve.

“This is unfair.”

Clara glanced around. “What is?”

“This. Me.”

“That sounds more like a complaint than an answer.”

Percy gestured at himself. “I have to work at looking good. Fix my hair, train, actually accomplish things. And look at me after five hours on a mountain.”

“I am looking.”

“You're beautiful when you get out of bed.” Percy moved a little closer. “You're beautiful after climbing a mountain for more than four hours, all sweaty. You're beautiful no matter what. It's unfair.”

The teasing look slowly faded from Clara's face. “Percy…”

Percy sat and caught her around the waist, drawing her onto his lap.

No permission was given to copy this passage from the author's story page. Reading the official publication supports the person behind it.

“Don't,” Clara said, but she left her hands on his shoulders.

Percy leaned toward her. Clara narrowed her eyes. At the last moment, he changed course and gave her nose a gentle nip. Before she could do more than pull back in surprise, he had let her go and was running for the trail.

“Percy Grant! You're finished!”

Light gathered around Clara. Prison of Light stretched forward to seal off Percy's escape. He slipped sideways past the first section, then sped up as the second formed in front of him. When he realized how closely the light was following, he stopped.

“Grandpa!”

Clara immediately looked behind her. There was no one else on the summit.

By the time she turned back, Percy was already far down the trail.

“PERCY!”

His laughter drifted up from below. Clara set off after him. She had reached Advanced Core Level Four; Percy was still at Level Three. She had no intention of standing there watching him escape as though she could not catch him.

“It won't work this time!” she called.

“So you admit it worked the first time!”

“Say another word and I'll run faster!”

Percy said nothing. He knew when it was time to run.

By the time they returned to the city, Clara had caught him. On the way down, she had demanded a full explanation for both the bite and the trick. Percy had prepared a separate defense for each. Clara had accepted neither. They were still walking side by side when they entered the market.

They stopped at several shop windows. Percy claimed to have no interest in half the things they looked at, but whenever he walked on before Clara finished, he ended up coming back. Eventually, Clara paused at the window of a small café and studied the cakes inside.

“Let's go in.”

“You said we were in a hurry.”

“You were running away from me when I said that.”

“True. Things are looking better now.”

They sat at a table by the window.

Choosing had taken longer than Clara expected. She had pointed at one slice, reconsidered, and looked at another. Percy had listened to her explain the advantages of both with the attention he usually gave a difficult problem.

“Get that one,” he had finally said.

“Why?”

“Because I'll get the other, and you're going to steal some of mine anyway.”

“I ask first.”

Percy had looked at her.

“Usually,” she had added.

Now both plates were on the table, and Clara had already positioned hers halfway between them.

After taking her first bite of cake, Clara noticed that Percy had not touched his.

“Don't you like it?” she asked.

“I haven't tried it yet.”

“Then why are you staring?”

Percy picked up his fork. “Because you're beautiful. It's unfair.”

Clara started coughing before she could swallow. Percy's smile vanished, and he immediately passed her the water.

“Clara? Easy. Are you all right?”

Clara took the glass and drank a few sips. Once she had caught her breath, she fixed her eyes on him. Percy was now trying not to laugh, which did nothing to help his case.

“Did you have to say that while I was eating cake?”

“You got annoyed when I said it on the mountain too.”

“You bit my nose on the mountain.”

“I said it before that.”

“I knew what was coming. That's why I was annoyed.”

Percy finally laughed. Clara pointed her fork at his plate.

“Eat your cake.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

He pushed the glass a little closer to her, just in case. Clara noticed and rested her fingers against it.

“You can say it after I swallow.”

Percy's eyebrows rose.

“The timing, Percy.”

“I understood.”

“You look far too pleased with yourself.”

He lowered his eyes to his cake.

They ate quietly for a while. Percy occasionally glanced out of the window. Clara watched him, then looked down at her plate whenever he caught her. Eventually, he turned toward her.

“What is it?”

Clara shook her head. “Nothing. I was thinking about those six years.”

“So was I.”

“I thought you were mostly thinking about your crystal.”

“That too.” Percy put down his fork. “It went completely dark today.”

“I saw.”

“Strange, isn't it? Having it with me all that time.”

Clara reached across the table and took his hand. “You finished what you'd spent six years working on, Percy. Staying at Advanced Three doesn't mean it was wasted.”

“I didn't say it was.”

“I know. I just wanted to say it first.”

Percy looked at her, then laced his fingers through hers. “You're not going to rub it in that you reached Advanced Four?”

“I was planning to do that too.”

“There's the Clara I know.”

“Finish your cake first.”

After leaving the café, they continued through the market. Clara tried to make Percy admit the outcome of their race down the mountain. Percy objected that no one had told him they were racing. They stopped outside one shop to argue about who was faster. Outside another, Percy changed the subject before Clara could remind him that she had caught him. Each time, she steered him straight back to it.

At the next window, Clara stopped. Percy took several more steps before reaching for a hand that was no longer beside him. He turned and found her watching him from in front of the display.

“I thought you were fast,” she said.

“I was. That's how I ended up over here.”

“And yet you have to come back.”

Percy retraced his steps. Clara held out her hand, looking thoroughly satisfied when he took it.

“Try to keep up.”

He glanced at the window. “Are we walking or standing?”

“I haven't decided.”

“Then I'll wait.”

Beside her, Percy stopped checking the street ahead. When Clara leaned closer to the glass, he stayed where he was, her hand warm in his.

As evening approached, they left the bustle of the market behind. Percy lifted his hand and looked toward the mountain. Clara stopped beside him.

“Are you going up again tomorrow?” she asked.

“Probably.”

“Then wait for me.”

Percy turned toward her. “Because I didn't today?”

“I found you anyway.”

“In four hours and eighteen minutes,” Percy said. “How many times are you going to bring that up?”

“Until you admit it.”

Percy held out his hand. Clara took it.

“We'll go together tomorrow,” he said. “But whoever gets to the top first doesn't get to spend all day talking about it.”

Clara smiled. “You're afraid of losing.”

“No. I'm afraid you'll choke on your cake.”

Clara stared at him for a moment, then began to laugh. Percy joined in, and they walked on hand in hand.