Vivi woke up with her forehead resting on her anvil.

  She’d never been as groggy as she was now. Lifting her head, a wave of nausea nearly made her puke. She didn’t see straight. Her mind felt dried of all water, as if it’d been poked empty with a sharp stick.

  “I did warn you…” Lucius said. Vivi saw something red flying beside her. “Abusing ether for too long has consequences. You’re not supposed to stay awake for so long. Smithing endlessly at that.”

  “Ugh…” Vivi said. She leaned her head on her hand. Every part of her body smelled like metal. “Where’s the sword?”

  “That’s the first thing you ask?” Lucius said with a laugh. “It’s right here.”

  The red hardsteel katana lay neatly atop ingots on the metal gallery. Vivi stood and groggily walked up to it. What was the sword doing there?

  Seeing it up close, Vivi raised her eyebrows. The katana was sharpened, and the grip was done. The sword was fully completed. “I gave it a finish as well?”

  “I think you did that half-asleep,” Lucius said. “I was afraid to move in case you flinched. Your eyes were barely open. After it was done, you mumbled something incoherent, placed the sword on the shelf, and passed out on the anvil.”

  Vivi smiled awkwardly. She was prone to overworking herself. Grandpa often scolded her for staying up too late to finish her swords. But she’d never overworked herself to this extent. Usually, she could at least remember the moments before falling asleep.

  “Well, the sword is done,” Vivi said. “And it’s done well. That’s all that matters. Throw it into spatial storage.”

  Lucius did so, while Vivi grabbed herself a mug of water. She had to tilt the barrel to make the water easier to grab. With some hydration in her head, the nausea slowly started to fade, though Vivi was still far from any shape to get back to work.

  Exiting the smithy, Vivi found the Hollows sitting on couches and lounging around in the main chamber. Blueprints and papers littered the tables. There were potions and calculations; all of the preparations the Hollows had made so far.

  “Ah, Vivi!” Rohan said. “You’re back!”

  “Holy wisp of Ingfried,” Ven said calmly. “You look like you’re made of metal, Vivi. What happened to your forehead?”

  Vivi rubbed the back of her head and let out a laugh. Her hair was dirty as well, she noticed. “It’s, uh, the sign of hard work?”

  Rohan laughed. His laugh was deeper and far more honest than Vivi’s. He patted her on the back. “You’re insane, Vivi. The Stewards really let you skip collection day? I can’t believe it. Nobody has ever pulled a stunt like that.”

  “Uundref is the only Steward who’d let that slide,” Alisa said. “What have you been doing, Vivi? You skipped collection day for a reason, right?”

  “I made a sword,” Vivi said. “Let’s just say… If Uundref and I fight in fair conditions, I intend to win.”

  The Hollows stayed silent, studying her look.

  “You were serious, then?” Aang asked. “You found his weakness?”

  “I’m not a hundred percent certain,” Vivi said. “I’d still like to fight him unfairly with your help if I can. But I have a sword that can beat him.”

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  Rensfig groaned in the corner of the room. “Not again. Do I even want to see it?”

  Hesitantly, Vivi called out the blade. She placed it on the table for the demons to study. She trusted them enough to not steal it. “Don’t try anything stupid with it,” she said. “That sword shoots a shockwave when swung.”

  Rohan blinked at her. “A shock-what?”

  “A shockwave,” Vivi said. “It—”

  “Yes, I know what a shockwave is,” Rohan said. “Your sword can shoot one?”

  “Well, it should,” Vivi said. “I haven’t tested it yet.”

  Rensfig and Aang were examining the blade. Aang discreetly asked Rensfig what the blade did. Rensfig was experienced enough to explain, starting with nix’s powers.

  Ven sighed, leaning back. “Our master con artist, runesmith, fighter, trickster, and mad woman would probably like a bath right now.”

  “Yes…” Vivi said. “And some food.”

  “We prepared a bath for you in the next room over,” Aang said, looking serious again. “There’s also a cold meal and drinks. Take as much time as you need to get prepared. Afterwards, we have a lot to discuss.”

  Rohan moved to action, opening the door to Rensfig’s former runesmithing station. He let Vivi inside as if she were some princess.

  Vivi was too tired to get annoyed at him. Inside, a bathtub full of hot water, heated by emberstones, and a platter of colorful foods waited for her. Fish meat, fruits, and some colorful liquid. Was it fruit juice?

  “Ah, and one more thing,” Vivi said before Rohan could close the door. She called the green mithril mass sword into her hands. “This is your sword, Rohan. Sorry again for snapping your first one.”

  Rohan accepted the sword hesitantly. “You made a sword? For me?”

  “Yes,” Vivi said. “It’s a crude one, but I hope it’s enough to replace Black Rose.”

  Rohan looked at her. Then he bowed. “I am eternally grateful!”

  Vivi sighed. She pushed the door closed in front of Rohan and quickly hopped into her bath.

  So dramatic… Vivi thought. The hot water almost made her want to fall asleep again.

  “They’re good allies,” Lucius said. “My old wielder never had friends like that. Even the ether hunters worked with him only when he was useful.”

  Vivi dipped her neck below water. Friends… Lucius had called the Hollows friends. This group of demons on the fourth level—the same demons that humanity fought wars against—were far friendlier than anyone on the surface ever had been. Just a few weeks ago, Vivi, too, had feared demons to death.

  The Hollows were all still criminals, or at least outcasts of their own societies. Everyone had their own story of how they were let into Zand. I’ll need to ask for their stories one day… Vivi thought.

  One day. That was if everyone stayed alive to see that one day.

  Before she could fall asleep in the water, Vivi scrubbed her face and any other dirty spots with soap. The scent of metal stubbornly remained, as it always did, but Vivi felt a lot cleaner. She was ready for her next day.

  She ate almost all of the food provided. Cooked but now cold fish, redfruits, and the suspiciously sugary juice. There was also a small pastry that Lucius identified as a muffin. Vivi wasn’t sure if she liked it, but she was delighted to find jam inside.

  Food really is irreplaceable, huh? Vivi thought. She felt a lot better now with a stomach full. Ether could stretch the energy provided by what she ate, but ether couldn’t replace food.

  Vivi put her raincoat back on and joined the Hollows. The demons were busy examining her sword. Rohan admired his sword, looking like he wanted to cry. “Practice…” he said. “That’s such a good name.”

  Aang grinned next to Vivi. “Nameless Warm-up Sword,” Aang said. “That’s what you called it. I twisted the name a bit and called it Nameless Practice Sword. Practice for short.”

  These idiots… Vivi thought, watching the scene with a funny smile. “Rensfig?” she asked. “What do you think of the sword?”

  “It’s a clever idea,” he said. “The nix and shockwave combo. If you’re fighting spectral monsters, that is. I don’t recall Uundref being a ghost.”

  “He uses skills from twilight monsters,” Vivi said. “The sword will catch him off guard.”

  Rensfig glanced at Aang. “Vivi said she’d win against Uundref. Don’t tell me she also knows how to fight?”

  “She’s practicing,” Aang said. “But she has a lot to learn. As she is now, I wouldn’t let her duel Uundref.”

  “We have time to practice,” Vivi said. “We still need to wait for the bosses to respawn.”

  “Yes,” Aang said. “The bosses are exactly what I have gathered you all here to discuss. The Hollows have considered your proposals. With your runeswords in mind, we’ve all agreed that clearing the dungeon is possible. We’re going to clear the main boss. We will gather its skills, and we will make an escape. Ideally, I would like to perform this without being caught.” He faced everyone at once. “The execution of this plan is what we have gathered for today. Let’s hear your ideas on how we’re going to rob this place for good.”

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