“There is a saying that the Arteria is very much like it''s namesake, the artery. For the body to function, for the heart to beat and keep the host alive. The arteries must remain unblocked. So too, must trade and commerce flow to keep Cyndralia running. While there are other ports and hubs that allow trade to flow all across the continent, it is Arteria that stands as the centerpiece. A centerpiece that allows for a singular city state to decide the prosperity of nations. One coveted by many as its embattled ally of Abenstadt seems less and less able to withstand the Imperial assault. ”


    - Olivia Amata, Arterian Academy Student of Political Studies, “Class Discussion: Cities of Cyndralia and Their Importance”


    <hr><hr>


    A tender caress, a touch, and a soft coolness. Gentle clinks of glass, water being poured, and many tapping feet. She felt calm.


    “She’s moving.” A voice. Harsh but caring.


    “Should I fetch someone?” Another. Accented yet worried.


    “No, she’ll be fine.” The first again, familiar.


    “But…” The second, distant, but growing more common.


    “She’s come back from worse. More importantly, what about you? You took a beating.”


    “Just bruises. Maybe a little internal ones too. But I’ll heal.”


    “Stars above! Internal injuries are no joke.”


    "I know, I''ll be fine."


    Huh? Injuries? Ah! Mila and Hanabi. Wait. One’s injured?!


    Her mouth felt dried, her eyes heavy, the edges of her consciousness still ever so slowly trying to rouse itself. Her muscles ached. She felt pain, but not true pain, a residual one that relied more on memory.


    “Ugh.” Sophie managed to mutter.


    Light flickered in as her eyes began to open. She was first blinded by the dull orange yellow light shining into the room, then the darkened but colourful fresco on the domed roof above her. Huh? A painting?


    A familiar face stared down at her, Mila’s tired but thankful expression grounding her awakening somewhat as Sophie blinked to try and process everything. Mila’s eyes hardened for a moment before the girl sighed, a more knowing expression taking over as she gave Sophie’s head a gentle pat.


    “Welcome back.”


    “Nyeh?” A voice emerged from Sophie, her feeble attempt to speak rebuffed by a dryness that made her mouth feel almost chalky.


    “You’re a deep sleeper, you know? It’s almost sunset.” Mila informed her, gesturing to her side.


    As Sophie turned, she felt a splitting headache pound against her skull. Annoyed but used to the feeling from her own various misadventures, she followed Mila’s gesture and found herself staring at a half covered window. Of which a small town sat outside. Instead of the large buildings and towers of Arteria, there were simply townhouses more grand and rustic than the city’s.


    “Brightfields church. One of the quarantine wards.” Mila anticipated her question, a coy scowl on her face “And before you worry, no. Same day. But you’re heavy as shit to carry.”


    Mildly offended and still confused, Sophie did not deign Mila’s jab with a response. Instead, she had one thing she needed before anything else could happen.


    “Water.” Sophie’s parched throat croaked.


    Quietly, from near the doorway, Hanabi’s figure entered Sophie’s vision and handed her a glass of water. The outlander looked a little worse off, her appearance giving off little sign of having been in combat save for the occasional grimace as she rubbed her stomach. Sensing Sophie’s gaze, the girl offered a warm smile.


    “Orc punch. Nothing I couldn’t handle. Drink up.”


    Sophie greedily gulped the water down as the lukewarm glass tasted more refreshing than anything she’d ever had. Though her throat still felt scratchy and crackly, it was being swaddled by the onrush of liquid and gently being soothed in a more workable state.


    “Gah, fuck.” Sophie swore from the overwhelming sense of relief she felt. Now if the headache could go away… “Ah! Thank you. Punched? Orc? How are you guys? What happened? Ah, ah, the shaman! Did he?! How are-” She quickly stammered out as her newly gained powers of speech allowed the jumbled thoughts in her mind to manifest.


    “Easy, easy. You just woke up.” Mila cut her off, awkwardly patting her head, “The shaman was quite dead last I remember, so don’t worry.”


    “Then-”


    “Commission’s done. Sent a church runner with the evidence to prove it. As for you…” Mila’s scowl morphed into a more serious one. She turned to look at Hanabi, who shrugged but casted a worried glance at Sophie as well. Taking that as affirmation, the inquisitor continued, “Well, you answered one mystery of mine.” She looked directly into Sophie’s eyes.


    “H–huh?”


    A more pensive expression overtook the inquisitor as she drummed her fingers against Sophie’s bedside.


    “Do you… do you remember what happened? Back at the farmhouse?” She asked.


    Sophie closed her eyes. Pushing past the ache, she remembered the flash of light from Mila’s spell. Then the door, the dying skeleton. Her legs felt heavy as she charged the orc shaman. Then the agony, pain, and simply, nothing.


    “The room. I fought the orc, but the goblins… he waved his hands, then it hurt. I-I assume a spell of sorts. Did he…?” Sophie didn’t dare to be certain.


    “Good, you remember that much at least. And no, like I said, he was dead, like really dead.” Mila offered a dry chuckle. From behind her, Hanabi nodded to offer additional confirmation.


    “I feel a ‘but’ coming.” Sophie clicked her tongue.


    “But.” Mila gently flicked her nose, the sudden contact making Sophie flinch, “I have one more question.”


    “Ow.” Sophie rubbed her nose, her arms a little sore from the lack of movement. Trying her best to pout, she huffed before speaking, “So? The question? Also, more water please?”


    Hanabi answered with a pleasant smile and refilled the glass.


    “Thanks.”


    “You’re welcome.”


    The two shot each other a smile before Mila’s scowl seized Sophie’s attention once more, “Sorry, and?”


    “Do you remember our time in Melton? When the Lion Hunter used druidic magic on you?”


    “Melton? What’s that got to do… oh, huh, druidic magic? Was that how he, umm…”


    “Compelled?”


    “Yeah, that’s the word. Was that how he compelled me to speak after we saved the prince?” Sophie’s mood plummeted as she said those words. Her mind instantly recalling the aftermath of that adventure. Of the fallen prince and the distraught lord that gazed sadly down at him. All because of me.


    “Right. That’s powerful magic. Heretical for the most part save for special use cases. That’s beside the point. Back then, you remember how he made you talk then you fought it off?”


    “Yeah? Kinda?”


    “Well back then I didn’t know you too well so I just assumed you were strong willed. Which you are, so fighting off psychic or mind altering arcane spells shouldn’t be too hard. But now that I know you, you’re a little...” Mila’s voice tapered off, her fingers rubbing against each other trying to demonstrate something.


    Sophie arched her brow, whatever it was, she felt that Mila was not about to say something flattering.


    “A little, simple. You know?” Mila finished.


    “Hey!” Sophie squawked indignantly.


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    “Not stupid. But like, your brain is simple.”


    “That doesn’t sound any better!”


    “No, no, as in… ugh. Right, like you think ‘I have a problem. What should I do?’ and so far, your answer from what I can tell is uh, ‘beat it into submission’.”


    “Guh.” Sophie cringed at the accusation.


    “Whatever the case. You beat his mental manipulation, nice. But the thing is, now that I think about it. You did that really quickly, like even if you were aware of it, you performed that feat without guidance after barely a few minutes.”


    Sophie frowned, surely she’s going somewhere with this? Could it be?


    “And that brings us to the shaman. What happened, Sophie. Is that the shaman cast dark magic, or rather, specifically hex magic on you. It’s some nasty stuff, makes worms crawl out of you or a bit of your body to rot. Powerful too.”


    Sophie shuddered, now that Mila mentioned it, she remembered the sickening feeling she felt inside the farmhouse.


    “But it also affects you, attacks you directly. Now for us inquisitors, we have wards and charms to protect against that. But you…” Mila now drummed her fingers against Sophie’s skull, “You don’t have those. So how you survived…”


    “You became part of a monster. Almost like one that we’d see in a manga. Err, that’s like a... illustrative picture or comic book that you might find here.” Hanabi interjected, adding some clarifications at the other two’s slightly befuddled expressions.


    “Part monster?” Sophie looked to Mila for help, the inquisitor’s expression just darkening as she gestured back to Hanabi.


    “You had tentacles and arms. They pierced through the shaman and the goblins.” Hanabi shook her head, “It was like you had eaten them. Nothing but husks.”


    Eaten them? Tentacles? How? I thought I could only call it through the Myndiri stones? Unless…


    “You absorbed the hex directly and well… that happened.” Mila finished her thought for her.


    “That’s… I… ah…” Magic, so that’s what happens when a spell hits me directly? Huh. I… I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before.


    “Mmhmm. That thing of yours is your reaction to being targeted by a spell.” The inquisitor tutted disdainfully, her foot tapping with a hint of anxiety. She doesn’t approve.


    “It was really creepy. I saw something more than just the monster. I even told Mila about something weird.” Hanabi added.


    “Creepy?” Sophie queried.


    Hanabi nodded, “I don’t know why Mila couldn’t see it. But it was coming out of your errr, mouth. It was a long tentacle with an eye at the end. It even spoke to me, telepathically.”


    Sophie’s eyes widened as the room dropped a few degrees for her. The chill of the void bristled against her skin as memories fluttered past. Here, she was trapped in a dreary church room, her body still sore from her pains. In the beyond, she was free. She remembered Elaria’s kindness, the fantastical foods and drinks created on a whim, the open palatial grounds. If there ever was a place where she could find reprieve, it was there, in the world of the stars and her dreams. And if I could share it with Ary, she sighed deeply, her heart tightening.


    Catching herself spacing out, she quickly returned to the issue at hand. Hanabi talked to IT. Just like Anna had done. She hoped simply that the path Anna had set out on wasn’t caused by her. Though the evidence pointed against her involvement having changed anything, doubt remained.


    “This thing, I know I mentioned it before but it is… a… protective being of sorts.” Sophie finally spoke. Under their curious but in particular Mila’s withering gaze, she squirmed. “It reacts to mana, that’s all I really know.”


    “And it can talk?” Hanabi asked.


    “O-only in my nightmares and dreams.”


    “Oh, lovely.” Mila scowled.


    Sophie gulped. She felt her mouth drying up as the inquisitors inscutable expression replaced her scowl. She was thinking about something and Sophie couldn’t tell what. Is she going to turn me in? Confine me here?


    “Gah!” Sophie squeaked as Mila flicked her nose again.


    “I know what you’re thinking. No. I don’t intend to report you. Not yet anyways.” Mila grunted.


    Sensing Sophie’s doubt, she shifted herself to sit next to the half elf. She grabbed one of Sophie’s hands and looked into her eyes.


    “I promise that much.”


    Sophie slowly nodded and tried to avert her gaze, unsure of how to feel about the new closeness between them.


    “That said. I think I’m beginning to understand why Viktor and Stellar Observatory are so interested in you. For now, watching over you is about the best assurance I can give.”


    “That’ll be enough.” Sophie whispered a reply.


    A loud clang could be heard as the church bells rang to signal the changing of the day from sunset to evening. Outside, the last vestiges of the sun still shone in through the windows, but were beginning to be replaced by magitech street lights. Mila’s face drooped once more. Ah, more bad news, huh?


    “One more thing though.” This time, MIla let go of Sophie’s hand and stood up. The soft clicking of her boots as she began pacing around the room only served to heighten Sophie’s anxiety. “I think we need to prepare. Well, you and the people closest to you, including Elaria.”


    “Huh?”


    “Think back to the farmhouse. Or even the farm itself. The undead tore through the livestock and the goblins ransacked the barn. Correct?”


    “Yeah?”


    “Then why was nothing broken? No doors ajar, fences smashed, or even debris everywhere? By the damned hells, even you noticed. I saw you pause before Hanabi blew in the farmhouse door. It was perfectly fine, no sign of force entry. And worse, Hanabi?” She motioned to the outlander.


    “There was another orc there. Dirtboss? Or something? I don’t remember his name. But I remember him saying ‘You’re not her’ as if they were expecting someone.” Hanabi recounted, her face also growing as serious as Mila’s.


    “And assuming the church isn’t gunning for me and the ex-saintess here. That leaves one option that they were waiting for.” Mila leaned against the window, her expression unreadable as she glanced out into the town.


    Me. Sophie grimaced.


    Her hands gripped the bedsheets, the aching her head felt only getting worse. Taking another sip of water, she no longer found the soothing coolness she sought, only water in its pure form. If someone was after her, it would likely be the company, though Sophie was only now realizing that alongside them, there was also the cult. Now that Arnold had also returned to the picture, things only looked to be getting more complicated from here.


    And Ela, if they know about me. Her interrupting their legal proceedings definitely put her in their sights. Hopefully she doesn’t get too much blowback from this. Sophie wiped some sweat from her back and kicked off the blankets. Stretching her legs, she felt a small sense of freedom and swivelled herself to the side. Giving herself one hefty push, she stood up and wobbled a little, Hanabi darting to her side to help steady her.


    Mila glanced over with a hint of conviction, offering a conciliatory smile. Sophie smiled back, the headache subsiding a little after she got on her feet.


    “Mila?” Sophie hesitantly asked.


    The inquisitor tapped the glass, the little clinks drawing Sophie’s attention to how the light from outside silhouetted Mila. She looks like a hero. Heh.


    “I was hoping for a relaxing academic year, you know? I’m on break after all.” Mila mused, her voice a little more somber, “But I guess I should’ve expected that being around you would still be trouble.” She sniggered a little, her fingers flicking at something imaginary on the window sill.


    “Sorry.”


    “Mmm, not this time. This time the apology needs to be coming from them, not you. But given how bold they are already.” Mila bit her lip and tsked, “I have a feeling that the Chamber’s next decision might just up-turn all of Arteria and you’ll be… well, maybe not at the center of it, but certainly orbiting close by. And if that''s the case, I''ll need to be around.”


    “Heh.” Sophie snorted, trouble always finds a way, huh? Goddess Stellesia, Mighty Astralis, may your blessings see us through the times ahead. And may the people of this land find the justice they need.


    <hr><hr>


    Sophie, Hanabi and Mila returned to the Academy with two things established between them. First, Hanabi was here to stay. The girl had declared her intention to remain with the adventurer group for the foreseeable future. A welcome addition to the cause in Sophie’s eye.


    The next order of business for them was about the brewing trouble in relation to the company. Whatever they would decide, they needed to meet with the others. After some cajoling and the calling in of favours, Mila had managed to convince the guild to allow the party a break day so that they could recover from the ‘injuries’ they had sustained today. It was all in service of being able to take some time to meet with everyone else and discuss where to go from here.


    It gave Sophie a little bit more time to herself. Something she now started craving more after having spent most of her free time questing. Hanabi also had her affairs to tend to whilst Mila needed to seek more guidance from the church. It also helped that it would give them the chance to inquire after Sir Taurox. As Mila called it, ‘A very useful warrior’ in case things escalated with the company.


    The only thing that really worried Sophie was how all of this might affect the others. Sophia had already been scarred by her experiences and Sophie was none too keen on exposing her to any more danger than necessary. It was much the same with Elaria and Raylani. Though judging by how those two handle themselves, Sophie wasn’t too worried. That left Ary, Alodie and most of her other friends. While they have been ostensibly out of the spotlight when it came to recent events. Sophie was unwilling to completely ignore the doubt in her mind that the company or whoever might end up targeting the others


    “Ary!” Sophie called out as she opened the door.


    “Sophie!” Ary squealed with joy as they saw each other.


    Without wasting time, the two wrapped each other in a soft embrace. Ary launched into a flurry of tiny kisses which Sophie eagerly returned in kind. Amused by their own actions, the two giggled and nuzzled each other. Sophie happily soaked in the floral vanilla scent that she so often enjoyed and hoped that Ary didn’t mind her smelling a bit like sweat and an infirmary.


    Reunited after a long day, they gazed into each other’s eyes before sharing one more kiss and slowly but reluctantly separated a little. Ary looked happy as ever, if not even a little more delighted than usual.


    “Sophie.”


    “Ary.”


    The two cooed once more.


    “You’re frowning Sophie, what’s wrong?” Ary asked.


    “Ahh, it’s, well a lot. A conversation best had with everyone, tomorrow.” Sophie replied with a peck on the cheek.


    “That doesn’t sound good.”


    “It isn’t, But for now, why don''t you tell me about how Maylesa and Thalnor are doing?” Sophie smiled coyly as she dragged Ary towards the bed.


    The two shared a mischievous glance as they giggled once more. For now, they could enjoy their time here. Only when tomorrow arrives will they have to be more serious. And in Sophie''s eyes, tomorrow, could wait.