Aric had no way of knowing what would happen if he followed this girl away from Sariah’s home. He knew nothing about her. And while he wanted to trust her completely, he couldn’t find it in him to fully do that. So for the first three minutes of their journey to town, Aric found himself perusing through the scenes avaible to him through the multitude of vines he’d grown throughout Melbourne.

  By now, the whole city was crawling with small vines fitted in crevices and various seemingly natural pces. It was as if a weak vine monster had taken root underneath the city of Melbourne and was slowly growing into its walls and infrastructure.

  Aric made sure the vines were only enough that it didn’t seem like an infestation had gripped the city. Instead, he made them seem random and only peeked through them when he was sure he wasn’t staring at someone like Avaros. The dark mage always remained at the periphery of his vision… and while at times, he activated magic items that obscured his location, Aric remained aware of his location.

  This gift of cirvoyance was perhaps the most versatile ability in his arsenal. He looked through the whole city in a matter of minutes, and then his heart skipped.

  Nothing was out of order… Not even the Matriarch herself.

  What was more, no one even seemed to be looking for Lucy.

  ‘Shouldn’t they be looking for her?’ he wondered.

  [ Not if she’s shielded herself from them. They wouldn’t even know she exists ] his guardian replied, making the boy’s heart skip a beat, [ Her ability is too powerful. ]

  Aric couldn’t imagine what it would be like to suddenly forget about Lucy’s existence. So far, he hadn’t noticed himself forget her. But how would he? The whole point of that ability was to fly under the radar. It was entirely possible that he wouldn’t even remember forgetting her.

  She could pop in and out of anyone’s life without them ever noticing she was gone… unless she used her power for a long enough time that it was only natural to question why it was hard to remember her.

  The pair reached the edge of the market, where Lucy held Aric’s hand. “Stay close. I can’t properly maintain my focus in rge crowds. There are too many voices, smells, and attractions.”

  Aric nodded and followed her into the mingling mob of bustling people. Melbourne was a lot busier than the Five Hills, so he didn’t mind the guiding hand she offered him. He wasn’t about to mention this though.

  Together, they walked into the market. Moods were low but businesses were still operating. Aric noticed how people spoke in low tones, not bothering to raise their voices like they had before the day of the demon attack in the woods. He also noticed most of the businesses making money were either selling dried foods or travel supplies.

  “Are people leaving?” he wondered.

  The girl shook her head, “Some people. The Matriarch has kept Melbourne running smoothly for over ten years now so most people trust her… But some are starting to say that her luck has run out.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Aric mused, “You don’t think they’re saying Melbourne is in danger? The Purification Ritual banished the demons so there shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Yes, but the Emperor’s Men are still here. Their presence is unsettling and rumours have started spreading,” the girl responded. The girl suddenly froze, her eyes staring off ahead. Following her gaze, Aric noticed an odd tent coloured blue with white and yellow stars. A rge poster hung above it with the image of a man sitting behind a crystal ball.

  ‘Dunn’s Fortunate Fortunes,’ the poster read.

  Lucy smiled deviously, “Have you ever had your fortune read?”

  The boy shook his head, “Not really.”

  “Come! I’ve always wanted to try this. I’ll show you how they do it. It’s all an act,” the girl mused, pulling him toward the fmboyant tent.

  The pair ducked under the fp of the tent and inside where a man sat before a crystal ball set on a luxurious cushion. The man had a full beard and a look of wisdom. Of course, Aric wasn’t fooled by the man’s appearance.

  “That beard… can’t be real,” Lucy mused, stepping closer to the man’s face to give him a closer look.

  Aric pulled her back and whispered at her harshly, “What do you think you’re doing? What if he… oh, he can’t see us.”

  The girl sighed, “As long as I don’t touch him, his chance of seeing us is as much as a snowball has of sleeping in hell.”

  Aric nodded, “So, your powers don’t mask touch?”

  “They mask everything… but some senses are harder to manipute than others. Imagine trying to convince someone with a broken leg that they can’t feel any pain at all,” the girl expined.

  Right then, the tent fp opened to reveal a woman dressed in bck and covered from head to toe. Her head was hidden underneath an opulent hood. When she took it off, however, both Lucy and Aric held their breath.

  Aric felt it before he knew what was happening. That sudden change in the air about the room, that feeling of uneasiness that comes with being in the presence of a being more powerful than himself. But most of all, he saw it in the way Lucy reacted to the woman.

  Even before she pulled the hood down to reveal her face, Aric had guessed who she was. The Matriarch’s face was as cold as he remembered it. Since he’d been sleeping the st time, however, he hadn’t gotten a good look.

  The Matriarch was strikingly beautiful, without the speck of imperfection on her skin. Aric didn’t need to use his Spirit Vessel to tell she was several Temper Rank levels above him, probably even two whole ranks. He didn’t know her Temper Rank since she was above him… but he could tell that the gap was too great.

  Turning to the girl, he asked, “Is she supposed to be here?”

  Aric was surprised the woman was here and this was saying something. Upon seeing her, he'd been forced to check his cirvoyance on instinct. The vines he’d pced in the Sisters of Fragrance still showed him the Matriarch going through a bunch of papers on her desk. Could it be that she had the same ability Darth had possessed? What were the odds that an ability appeared twice in the same generation?

  Lucy squeezed Aric’s hand and pulled a finger to her lips, beckoning for him to stay quiet. The two were in one corner of the tent, out of the Matriarch’s way… but Aric could see how Lucy shivered. Her face was ashen white and she could barely keep her teeth from chattering in the eerie silence of the fortune-teller’s tent.

  Aric pulled her close, wrapped his arms around her and held her there. They could just leave… but he could guess she wanted to know what the Matriarch was doing here just as much as he did.

  The Matriarch took a seat in front of the fortune-teller and heaved a long sigh, “Busy day, Dunn?”

  “No business on dark days like this one,” the fortune-teller replied, cracking an eye open to look at the woman settling down in front of him, “You here for a reading? Or are you here to waste my time like you normally do?”

  “You’re idle and bored. You want me here.”

  “True,” the Fortune Teller nodded with shameless vigour.

  “I wish I had come to waste your time. It would be a lot easier. Tell me, Messenger of Fate, what do you see in the future of Melbourne?” the Matriarch asked.

  “Bold! Many would think twice before gncing at the Tapestry of Fate,” the man grimaced, “Despair does not suit you.”

  “I’ve grown tired of the rumours. All this talk about the end of Melbourne turns my stomach,” the Matriarch spat, “I’ve worked too hard to have it all end here.”

  “You haven’t established your domain over these nds,” the fortune-teller replied with a sigh, “Without one, Melbourne is incomplete. What did you expect?”

  “Establish my domain…? You think I haven’t tried. I’ve spoken to at least a dozen expert alchemists, paid thousands in gold to the Tower of Seekers and even bought rge shipments of Aether Crystals but nothing has brought me closer to manifesting this stupid domain. And no, I will not ask for help from a Lord,” the woman’s shoulders slumped as her expression softened, “I’m at my wit’s end. Tell me this is not the end of the line for everything I’ve worked so hard to build, Dunn.”

  The fortune-teller finally cracked his eyes open and took in the sleep-deprived visage of the Matriarch. It was hard to notice the signs of sleep on her perfect face but after hearing her ranting, Aric could see them. The slight tinge of darkness beneath her eyes. The tone of her voice—dry and empty.

  Dunn nodded as though he understood the woman’s plight, “I’ll see what I can do. As, the tapestry of fate is a convoluted mesh of possibilities. Fate has… interests, which she ties into knots in the tapestry only to leave everything else in a state of disarray. Do you really want to know what Fate holds in store for Melbourne?”

  The Matriarch sighed, “I’m a business-woman… and a darn good one. I have learned to make decisions my whole life and they’ve got me this far. I’ve never been uncertain of my decisions and I’ve always been prepared to meet the consequences. This time though… I don’t know. I stared into the eyes of the Tainted Mage and lost all sense of logic. Accepting his deal is the logical option… and yet, it doesn’t feel right.”

  “You feel it too. The heavy weight in the air,” the fortune-teller sighed, “Guardians whisper of a protector. Men walk the streets in the Emperor’s colours in search of an elusive d. A Dark One’s arrival. A Demon Army. Destiny walks among us. The clouds themselves sing of his divine presence.”

  The Matriarch sighed, “You’re not making any sense, old friend.”

  The fortune-teller remained silent for a while, put his hands around his magical crystal bowl and said, “This only works on real humans, not illusions. You know that, right?”

  “I make good illusions but even I’m not that good,” the Matriarch smirked, “I know it’s dangerous for me to be here. So make it quick.”

  The man sighed and closed his eyes. Aric could see his eyes darting behind the eyelids as he focused his energy into the crystal ball. When they next snapped open, they shone with an ethereal light as though gazing into a world different from theirs. The crystal bowl shimmered with streaks of light darting within it like a caged thunderstorm filled with lightning.

  “Melbourne’s future has never been more fragile… but there is a way you can save it. Fate herself shrouds the details but know this: Melbourne’s future no longer lies within your hands alone. Your decisions will either help save it… or destroy it.”

  And just like that, the man’s eyes turned to normal and he pulled away from the dimming crystal ball. He clutched his head and hissed, “Crap! It’s never hurt like that before.”

  “Are you okay, Dunn?” the Matriarch was at his side quickly.

  “I’ll survive… though I won’t be looking at the Tapestry of Fate again for a while,” Dunn replied through gritted teeth.

  Before Aric could listen to more of what the adults had to say, Lucy pulled him away and led him out of the tent. They were running for a while before they stopped in a less crowded part of the market. They were not far from the town square. Here, shops open had a little more expensive items and the roads were cleaner, which made for finer business—fewer but finer customers.

  The girl and boy stood between buildings while Lucy caught her breath. She hadn’t said a single word since running away from the fortune-teller’s tent and even now, she looked to be pondering quite a bit.

  Aric allowed her to catch her breath, then asked when she was not breathing so badly anymore, “Are you okay?”

  Lucy kept her eyes forward but he could tell her mind was working. It seemed their little getaway was turning more interesting than any of them had anticipated, “It wasn’t supposed to go like that.”

  “Go like what?” Aric asked.

  “Like that… I’ve been in that man’s tent before. He always tells people what they want to hear. Twisted truths, cryptic messages, anything to give them hope that he’s onto something meaningful. It’s always been enjoyable to watch the faces of those people… But that! That was some high-level voodoo nonsense… and… and since when does the freaking Matriarch pay visits to random Fortune Tellers?” by this time, she was yelling and was back to looking flustered.

  Aric allowed himself a small smile, “The part about Melbourne getting destroyed sounded bad too but it’s nothing compared to what lying hypocrites the Matriarch and Fortune teller are.”

  Lucy leaned against a wall and buried her face in her palms, “It’s all too much. I can’t keep up.”

  In the short silence that followed, Aric couldn’t help but compare himself to the girl in front of him. Wasn’t he also struggling with something simir? Wasn’t he also struggling with information so crippling that he had to let time reveal it to him in a way that, perhaps, wouldn’t break him?

  Lucy was a sheltered girl, kept safe from all the horrors of the world. She was a new adventurer with access to the one kind of magic adventurers sought everywhere so she was needed. At the same time, she was tied to the Matriarch the same way a child is tied to their mother, which put her in a position of responsibility she didn’t look ready to undertake.

  The Matriarch was already a powerful woman with a demeanour that never shook. To learn that the Matriarch herself was scared of a camity that was bound to destroy her home and from a Fortune Teller whom she’d thought fake all this time—now that was crushing.

  Of course, that alone was perhaps not enough to send her over the edge. But in the past few days, she’d become an adventurer, joined a mission to find Storm Orbs, performed the Purification Ritual and met someone who wasn’t affected by her Inborn Ability.

  Her current situation was a grim one. Aric pulled her hands into his and stared into her quivering blue eyes, “Your decision, in the end, remains yours alone.”

  “What are you going on about?” the girl asked through what sounded like sniffles. As, she wasn’t crying. She only looked to be on the verge of tears. Perhaps she was that type of person that cried so much her tear ducts had run dry. Aric didn’t know why this thought crossed his mind… but it resonated somewhere deep within.

  “I’m asking you to think about what you want to do. Crying won’t help you so focus your energy on what will help you move forward,” the boy answered.

  “You make it sound simple,” she answered wistfully.

  “It’s not. It might actually be the st thing you want to do. The Matriarch is struggling to save Melbourne. She’s powerful, compared to us. That means your chances of helping her are next to nothing,” Aric responded softly.

  “I won’t abandon her,” the girl growled.

  “I’m not asking you to. I’m asking you to do what you can to make this easier for her. You’re crying now, yet there is so much out there you can do. You can return to the Sisters of Fragrance and help the Matriarch in whatever way you can. You could even choose to have her take you with her everywhere so you can spend the st days of Melbourne together… or you could come with me to the Barren Mountains and get a valuable Storm Orb that will make her merchant heart leap with joy,” Aric tried.

  To be honest, he didn’t know what he would have done in her situation. At most, he could only try to refer to his coping habits. In times like these, a useful distraction could go a long way. What could they do about this anyway? Avaros was far too powerful for their decisions to have any consequence.

  A dry chuckle pulled Aric out of his thoughts, “I should have known it was too good to be true.”

  “What was?”

  The girl sighed, “The Matriarch always said I should wait for someone special. Someone who could see through this ability of mine. When I met you, I thought that would be you… but now I know it’s not. You’re just after my power… just like everyone else.”

  Aric’s heart tightened at these words and he balled his fists on instinct. If it was for his guardian stirring within his mind, he would have exploded with an argument. ‘The nerve on this girl. I. AM. NOT. LIKE. EVERYONE. ELSE.’ He screamed in his mind.

  He took a deep breath, “I see. Does that mean you’re not interested in hanging out with me?”

  “Just a little less interested,” she gave him a tight-lipped smile.

  He nodded, “Right. Is there somewhere else you want to go? Or should I escort you back to the Sisters of Fragrance?”

  “I’ll manage on my own. Thank you.”

  [ She’s brutal. ] Alia sighed.

  Aric nodded and turned away. With a sigh, he said, “See you around. We leave for the Barren Mountains tomorrow. Meet us at the Guild Hall. I know you probably know this but I’ll say it. We need you on this mission. You’re a big part of why the others are still considering going.”