“Hey, can you show me those item descriptions again before we leave? I wanna add them to my notes,” Rayna asked as she stretched while looking out over the ke in the early dawn.

  “Sure. Are you certain I should keep them? I know you’ve been cold, too. Maybe we can trade them in for multiple smaller items that help us with the chill?” Phoenix replied, conjuring the book that Rayna had seemed to fall in love with almost as much as Dazien, as it appeared to be a mobile loot generator.

  Item: Snolf Paws

  Boots made from the hide and fur of a snolf.

  Caste: Crystal.

  Avaibility: Rare.

  Type: Apparel, boots.

  Requirements: Crystal Caste or higher.

  Effects:

  Grants better traction on snow and ice.Keeps the wearer from becoming chilled.Masks the wearer’s scent as belonging to a snolf.

  “Thanks, but we all agreed that your quest rewards should stay yours. Quit trying to make me change my mind about that with temptations of more loot,” her newest friend said with a ugh.

  Then Rayna pulled out a notebook from the messenger bag slung over her shoulder, “I just wanted to write down how your book ability is categorizing items,” she expined, pulling out a pen as well to copy the information, “I can also ask around town ter to see how many Bits something like that is normally worth.”

  “Don’t tell me when you do,” Phoenix said with a slight grimace, “Paul said I need to use the best gear I can get, no matter the price tag, and I don’t trust myself to not pawn it off for enchanting materials instead.”

  Rayna ughed, “Noted,” she acknowledged, “Now, what about that sword too?”

  Item: Caustic Floe

  A magical sword carved from nevermelt ice and infused with Icespitter acid.

  Caste: Crystal.

  Avaibility: Rare.

  Type: Weapon, sword.

  Requirements: Crystal Caste or higher.

  Effects:

  Attacks made with this weapon inflict additional Ice damage.Attacks made with this weapon have a chance to inflict or refresh [Acid Burn].Acid Burn (bane, elemental, corrosion): Inflicts ongoing Corrosion damage.

  “Nice, a dual-type,” Rayna commented, scribbling furiously.

  “Is that unusual?” she inquired.

  “Not unheard of or anything, but that’s why it’s listed as ‘Rare,’ I bet,” Rayna expined, “It’s harder to craft multiple types of magics or elements into a single item. Easier than mixing magics and elements. If this was Ice and Illusion, for instance, it would be even rarer. Do you know what the next tier of ‘Avaibility’ is called according to your book?”

  “I think it’s ‘Epic’? That’s what one of my Aspects was beled as.”

  “That makes sense and is likely what my hypothetical item would be listed as,” Rayna continued, then snapped her notebook closed and slipped it back in her bag, “Anyways, the more type mixing, the more likely it is for a catastrophic failure.”

  “Meaning it blows up?”

  “It definitely blows up,” the bard confirmed with a solemn nod.

  “Good to know,” she replied with a roll of her eyes, then asked, “Are you not interested in the Knowledge Tome I got?”

  Rayna scoffed, “You mean the Book of Cheating? No, thanks. Despite my love of Bits, you won’t catch me touching one of those. Trash way to learn new things since it’s so shallow. You lose so much nuance!”

  “Hey, Phoenix,” Uriel called out, walking up to the pair of women.

  “Good morning. What’s up?” she asked, dismissing her [Guide Book] with a wave.

  He paused and gnced upwards, “The sky?”

  Rayna ughed beside her and said, “Okay, I can see the hirity now.”

  Phoenix palmed her face as she shook her head, expining, “Just an expression from my world to ask what you wanted to talk about.”

  “Oh,” he replied, then leaned forward slightly to whisper, “Don’t tell Daze I suggested this, but you could probably release your [Starlight Q before we portal back. That way you don’t have to walk through the city like that.”

  As Uriel gestured at her arm, he added, “I don’t think other people would care –in fact, I think most like the effect– but I know you care about standing out too much. Don’t let Rayna’s advice, or even Daze’s orders, make you set aside your own happiness.”

  Phoenix felt her cheeks warm at his words. She gave him a soft nod and gentle smile, “Thanks, Uriel.”

  He showed that rare grin, adding, “Just don’t trigger it until I’m back by Daze’s side and can deny any involvement.”

  She ughed, “Deal.”

  “Alright, Phoenix,” Dazien began, “Ready to portal us back to Tulimeir?”

  It was already afternoon, and they had finally finished checking that the nearby vilge had been appropriately evacuated. She nodded and had Ta manifested once more to sit atop her hair, “Yup, let me just get ready to return.”

  “You know, it might be easier to keep her merged so she doesn’t get distracted by shiny things and attack a perfectly innocent gemite just walking down the street,” Dazien pointed out as he eyed the Familiar warily.

  “I said I was sorry for that,” she grumbled, then gave a pained smile, “And I’m sorry for this too.”

  Before he could question her further, she released the built-up [Starlight Q that was causing her skin to continue glowing. An explosion of swirling blue and purple energy burst out of her, littered with silvery sparkles that looked like glitter impersonating stars. The power washed over the party, instantly refilling a portion of their lost mana and stamina while increasing the regeneration rate significantly before quickly tapering off.

  Phoenix giggled at the sight of her friends glowing like she had while their regeneration was boosted for that short time, but her amusement was quickly cut off by the annoyed leader, “Why?!” he cried, “That was a waste of the ability, Phoenix! You need to get used to glow–”

  “Daze,” Uriel interrupted, pcing a hand on his friend’s shoulder and stating simply, “King, not Tyrant, remember?”

  He groaned loudly in frustration, pacing a bit as he tried to calm down, before nodding to his partner and straightening his posture as amethyst eyes locked onto her, “I hope you will learn to get comfortable with your powers, but I understand that they are your powers, not mine. If you don’t want to use them in the city, I won’t ask you to again.”

  His expression softened as he added, “I know I’m listed as the party leader, but we’re friends too. Honestly, the position is mainly so I can handle the talking and the paperwork,” he admitted with a ugh, “Don’t be afraid to correct me like Uriel does.”

  “Oh, we will,” Rayna interjected, throwing an arm around her neck and causing the slightly taller Wayfarer to bend slightly, “You only lead ‘cause we follow.”

  Dazien grinned, “Exactly. So, if we’re done here now, let’s go home.”

  Phoenix returned his smile and nodded, conjuring the portal of night and starlight. She had been a bit on edge, returning to the portal grounds where Camrin might spot her, but he seemed to be elsewhere as they quickly left to see to their various errands after being gone for a fortnight.

  The first stop for the group was the AOA building, where their party leader dutifully turned in their completed missions and signed them up for the city response rotation for the next fortnight. They would be part of the Response Teams to go out and actually fight the monsters that were spotted by those watching on the wall.

  The party had all agreed on this to have the chance to train more with Paul in the city. After getting some practical experience under their belts and learning where they wanted to improve, getting guidance from a willing Emerald Caster would be a boon for their progression. Phoenix also hoped to hear that Paul had finished investigating and dealing with the noble threat that Murinah might still pose.

  They stopped for dinner at Beldonna’s again, which Dazien cimed was in celebration of completing their first missions as an official party, and agreed to go to the Market District within the inner city the following day to shop and restock on supplies.

  The twins talked about needing to get a better item to protect from the cold, compining that the magic scarves they had gotten years ago were not up to the task of the frozen tundra as they had initially hoped.

  At the top of the list for Dazien was a new shield, now that he had some money to spend on a better one. Apparently, the hit from the Crystalline Elemental had cracked the simple steel one he had been using, and he wanted to upgrade to something a bit more magical.

  Meanwhile, Uriel seemed to be contempting the idea of using a staff to help focus his Spells or give him more single-target options.

  First for Phoenix, however, was a hot shower. Her friends ughed when she spoke fondly of the warm water and thoughts of creating some kind of birdbath attachment for Ta to enjoy at the same time.

  They reached her dorm first, and she said goodbye to them as the others went south towards the International District, where their homes were. When she reached her room, she found herself nervous about going to sleep again.

  While Saiya had been near during the nights they had camped out on the tundra, the Healer’s soothing aura of tranquility had helped Phoenix sleep peacefully within Uriel’s icy fortress that had been more of a small two-bedroom apartment with a tiny seating area between the rooms they could all sit and meditate in. Now, though, without the company of friends and the supportive aura, she worried the nightmares might return.

  As she showered, her mind went over the events of the st two weeks. Her haul from the quests and monster loot had been pretty good, but she found herself menting not getting another Spirit Gem when the fights made it quite clear that she needed more tools to get the different types of jobs done. Right now, it felt like anything resistant to being stabbed would walk all over her.

  Annoyance at the feeling of uselessness she was experiencing once more pestered her. For a poorly matched enemy, she was either relegated to standing aura beacon or needing to pull off some crazy stunt to have any impact. She clenched her fists as the warm water washed over her. She needed to get stronger. She needed to get to a point where there were no poor matches.

  Phoenix thought about trying to purchase some Spirit Gems instead of waiting for a quest to grant them, but she was hesitant. Her [Guide Book] had become a comfort, an assurance that she was on the right path. Sure, it tried to kill her with blinding light at times, but it mostly tried to equip her with both knowledge and gear in order to survive. She disliked the idea of risking buying a Gem that wouldn’t complement her powerset.

  With a thought, Phoenix willed forth her book to look over the descriptions of her new equipment again, and the water didn’t seem to affect it at all. Her book once more dispyed how it would give her the things she was cking, as though it was doing everything in its power to help keep her alive… unless it wanted to show her new information.

  She found herself extremely grateful for the test items. Her Dune Strider Boots, Gloves of Gripping, and Snow Shroud cloak had all been shredded to ribbons by the miserlings, and the tailor had regretfully informed her that the magic within them had died from the extensive damage. The jacket she had been using in the meantime had barely kept her from freezing and respawning.

  The new boots would fix that loss, however, and the sword was also a boon as she had been wanting to fight more with a sword after her initial spar with Uriel. It had felt so natural to her, and she thought it might give her more versatility on the battlefield.

  As Phoenix finished her shower, feeling much refreshed, she id out on her bed and pulled out the st item she had received from the quests.

  Item: Basic Magical Tattooing

  A magical tome that can impart the fundamentals of creating and administering magical tattoos.

  Caste: Crystal.

  Avaibility: Rare.

  Type: Consumable, Knowledge Tome.

  Requirements: Crystal Caste or higher.

  Effect: Imparts basic magical tattooing theory and techniques along with some Crystal Caste temptes.

  Magic tattoos were not a new concept to her, but she hadn’t realized they were an actual thing in this world. She was curious about what the limits on them might be and exactly how permanent the magical variety was. Perhaps the other members of her party would agree to be her test subjects if she provided the materials.

  Phoenix wasn‘t sure if her teammates, no, her friends, she reminded herself, had tattoos already, but she thought it might be nice to get her own. Maybe something that could help her be less useless, she thought bitterly. She shook away the self-pity and triggered the tome with the phrase scrawled on the first page.

  “Magical tattoos have been around for millennia to not only offer versatility or support to the already powerful but to empower those that have not bound aspects of their souls yet,” she read aloud, adding thoughtfully, “Huh, that’s a neat alternative for Mundanes,” before the knowledge swarmed into her.

  Phoenix thought she heard an odd sound in the background as she clenched her teeth through the pain, but wondered if it was a side effect of the magic around her. As the process was completed, she immediately wanted to try out the new skill but realized that she didn’t have the needed tools or materials. Maybe she’d pick them up tomorrow when everyone would be going to the market.

  She took a few steadying breaths after the tome drained a bit of her stamina to absorb it. That odd buzzing noise was still in the background, and she wondered if it might be coming from a neighboring dorm room. She tried to ignore it and was about to attempt to get some sleep, when a knock came at her door.

  Phoenix cautiously got up and moved toward the door in the other room, “Who is it?” she called out, already preparing to portal away if anything sketchy happened.

  “It’s Dazien. There’s an arm. Everyone avaible is being called to the northern Port District,” her party leader said from the other side.

  She opened the door to confirm, “Everyone?” The rest of the party was already with him, looking nervous, which put her further on edge.

  He gave her a grave nod, “A huge swarm of enemies have breached the breakwater walls and are attacking the boats and civilians. Every Caster avaible has been called to defend the city or help evacuate. Can you portal us there?”

  She nodded, her wild curls bouncing around her face, but she wasn’t sure she had time to braid them, “Yeah, Paul made sure I visited each of the gates leading out of the city during my first week,” she expined.

  With a thought and shower of silver light, she exchanged her sleeping clothes with her regur combat clothes, new boots included. She gestured for them to enter her dorm and locked it behind them before summoning the portal, and Dazien purposefully led the way, with Phoenix stepping through st.

  Chaos was waiting on the other side for them, with the screams filling the air mixing with the sounds of battle in a cacophony of terror. People were fleeing from the dock area the party had arrived in; some were following the directions of the Adventurers and other government responders were trying to herd them in.

  The northern docks were the city’s least inhabited section but were usually busy since it was a significant trade point to get supplies via ship. The city walls extended out into the sea, and a rge gate typically controlled the access of ships. The gate was destroyed, however, and in its pce was what looked like a giant man, roughly four stories tall. His grayish-blue flesh was covered with jagged shards of ice-like spiked armor.

  Phoenix had thought the Crystalline Elemental had been a monstrosity among monsters, but this creature left it in the dust. She could feel the power radiating off it and realized with horror that it was Emerald Caste. It could crush her entire party with a single swipe of its massive mace that seemed like a modified shell made of blue cobalt.

  The waters, meanwhile, were teeming with what looked like mermaids at first gnce –beautiful people with pale hair, bluish skin, and finned ears. Instead of clothing, they wore a yer of ice as armor, and once she finally heard the sound of songs within the din of panic and combat, Phoenix recognized them as Sirens.

  New Quest: Call to Arms: When Sirens Bre

  Sirens have unched an attack from the coast.

  Objective: Help defend the docks from the Sirens.

  Reward: Epic Crystal Caste Spirit Gem.

  She didn’t need to look at the book to know what her goal would be, but it made her grimace to imagine what that kind of reward implied about the difficulty of the task.

  The party took it all in, and Dazien began administering directions, “We need to intercept any of them that leave the water.”

  “Those are Berg Sirens, Daze. They’re Casters, like us, that usually have an attunement to Water and Song magic. If they’re attacking the city directly, they’re likely Sapphire Caste, at least,” Uriel said in an unusual rebuttal.

  “I know. Contentions with their nation in the North Sea have been rising tely,” Dazien replied, then turned to his friend, “But we are not alone, and our objective is clear. Innocent people are in danger. We need to defend people as we help them escape,” he stated, then turned to look at Phoenix, “I want you to go to the point where the Adventurers are herding people towards and portal anyone and everyone that you can to the western portal logistic center.”

  She nodded, and the party leader looked at the others as he added, “The rest of us will find a hole in the defending line of Casters and fill it.”

  Phoenix caught his arm, “You don’t want me with the party?”

  Dazien’s expression softened as he pced his free hand over hers and sincerely said, “Your portal is the most valuable asset we have in assisting people right now. You are needed there, while we are needed elsewhere. Once the arms stop, we’ll meet back up at your pce, alright? It’s the closest private location to here.”

  She scrunched her face in frustration but nodded in acquiescence, “Stay safe. No stupid stunts.”

  Rayna chuckled, “I think that’s more your style. We’ll py it defensively, don’t worry. We have the Healer, after all.”

  Phoenix nodded, releasing her aura over the area to grant her friends and any others nearby the added benefits. The power of her yered auras just barely covered a few hundred meters, close to a quarter mile, and she hoped her party would stay in range as she turned to run with the crowd toward a point of congestion.

  The rest of King’s Dream made their way to the seawall that many docks jutted out from, where pitched battles were already taking pce as the Sirens left the water upon transformed legs.

  She felt a familiar aura brush against hers and looked up in time to see a streak of bright light soar across the sky, straight into the Emerald Caste monster. It looked like her mentor had gotten the message and joined the fight, and she felt her heart lighten. Paul would be able to handle it, and everything would be okay.