As they turned a corner into a bustling square, a crowd gathered around a troupe of street performers dressed in simple yet dramatic garb. The lead performer—a wiry man with intense eyes—raised his arms as he addressed the crowd, his voice carrying a practiced cadence that filled the square.

"Behold!" he cried, drawing the audience in with a single word. "The rise of the most powerful blood mage this city has ever known—he who became the Lord of the Scarlet Veil!"

The crowd murmured in anticipation as the other actors took their places, portraying figures from the Lord's past: foes and allies alike. One actor knelt, mimicking a lord in armor, face twisted in fear. Another portrayed a rival mage, hands raised in desperate defense.

"And with a single gesture, he crushed his enemies!" the lead performer intoned, swinging an imaginary blade. One of the actors fell dramatically, writhing as red ribbons meant to represent blood streamed from his costume. "No one could stand against him, for he wielded blood itself as his weapon, a tide that swept all opposition aside."

As the story grew darker, the performers reenacted battles, spilling red cloth and twisting in exaggerated agony. They depicted how the Lord of the Scarlet Veil brought entire households to their knees, bound by his fearsome power.

But as the lead actor prepared to deliver the final, fateful line, he caught sight of Liliana standing at the edge of the crowd, watching with a cool, unreadable gaze. His voice wavered, and he dropped his hands as his eyes went wide, recognizing her immediately.

"M-my lady," he stammered, as his fellow actors fell silent, looking between her and the lead, unsure whether to bow or run.

Kale leaned over to Rika. "Looks like they just realized their audience has a VIP."

Rika grinned. "I say let them sweat a little. They're telling her family's story, after all."

Liliana's expression remained neutral, but her voice was calm and clear as she addressed the troupe. "I trust you'll make sure to get the story right. My father is… particular about details."

The lead actor gulped, visibly collecting himself. "Y-yes, of course, my lady," he stammered, then turned to his troupe with a newfound fire. "Remember this, Nyridia! The blood mage who rose to become Lord of the Scarlet Veil commands forces that even death bows to. His power defies this world and all others—none who dare stand against him are left unscathed!"

The performers continued with reverent caution, now as much a performance for Liliana as for the crowd.

Rika chuckled quietly as they continued down the street, clearly pleased.

"Didn't know you were the daughter of a legend," Kale said to Liliana, "what does that make you?"

Liliana raised an eyebrow. "That depends. What do you think it makes me?"

She held his eyes, the hint of a smile suggesting she already knew the answer but was curious to hear what he'd say.

"Exactly the kind of person I'd want by my side," Kale said.

Liliana's smile deepened. "Good answer."

Rika rolled her eyes. "Alright, you two, save the riddles and whatever this is for later. We've got a city to explore!" She grabbed Kale by the arm, pulling him along. "Come on, Kaley, let's see what kind of weird stuff we can find."

***

They wound up in a bustling market, the air filled with the chatter of vendors calling out to passersby. Vibrant stalls lined the streets, overflowing with goods—from silks and jewelry to exotic foods and strange items.

"Now this," Rika said, her eyes lighting up as she zeroed in on a table crammed with glittering trinkets and strange, eye-catching baubles, "is what I'm talking about."

The table overflowed with chaos—a jumble of polished gemstones, delicate metalwork, and bizarre objects whose purposes were anyone's guess. A faint glint of sunlight caught on a twisted piece of metal shaped like a coiled serpent, drawing Rika's attention like a magpie to something shiny.

As she reached for it, a rotund man with an eager smile, launched into a spiel. "Ah! You have a fine eye! This is no ordinary trinket. It is a protective charm, forged in the mountains of Hythren. Legend says it brings strength to those who wear it!"

Rika squinted, unimpressed. "Strength, huh?" She leaned in, voice dripping with skepticism. "Is it gonna make me smash people harder?"

The vendor faltered, then recovered with a nod. "Absolutely. Twice as hard, twice as flat!"

"What do you think, Kaley? Twice the smashing power—sounds like a bargain, right?"

Kale crossed his arms. "Or twice the chance of getting duped."

"Of course not," she replied, giving the vendor a look. "But I'll take it for half."

The vendor's eyes widened, "Half? This is a priceless heirloom!"

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"Rika, haggling is… an art here. But maybe pick something with some actual value?" Liliana said.

Rika shrugged. "Can't put a price on smashing power. I mean, it's this or that weird glowing fruit." She pointed to a nearby stall where plump, glowing fruits sat in baskets, casting a faint purple light.

Liliana gave her an amused look. "Those are stardrop plums. They only grow in Nyridia, and they're not meant to be eaten raw unless you want to spend the next few hours hallucinating."

Rika's face lit up with excitement, and she immediately lunged toward the pile of plums. "Hallucinating?! Sold! Give me a bag—no, a crate of them!"

Kale grabbed her arm before she could snatch one, his expression caught somewhere between amusement and alarm. "I'm pretty sure the world isn't ready for that."

Rika huffed, crossing her arms but still eyeing the plums like a kid denied candy. "What? It's not like I'd eat all of them. Just one or two… or three. How bad could it really be?"

Liliana sighed, her tone dry. "Bad enough that I'd rather not have to drag you out of the market while you're screaming about invisible monsters."

"Invisible monsters, huh? You're really selling this, Lili. Now I definitely want one!"

Kale shook his head with a small laugh. "Maybe stick with the charm?"

Rika shot him a mischievous grin. "Good thinking! We need that power!"

The vendor beamed, clearly ready to make the sale.

Just as he reached for the coins, Rika turned to him, her eyes narrowing with a sly smile. "But just so you know… if this charm doesn't do what it promises, it's you who'll get smashed."

The vendor's face went pale, his smile fading as he gulped. "Ah… well, such a powerful warrior needn't rely on a mere trinket," he stammered, hands suddenly trembling. "In fact, please, take this rare crystal as well, free of charge—for such a… radiant lady."

He quickly offered her a small, glittering crystal, his eyes darting to Kale for reassurance.

Rika flashed a pleased smile. "Much appreciated. Glad we understand each other."

The vendor nodded vigorously, the relief washing over his face as they moved on, his eyes following them, clearly hoping she wouldn't change her mind.

Kale laughed, nudging her. "Looks like you finally found some treasure."

"Not bad, right? And I didn't have to spend a single coin!" She tossed the crystal in the air and caught it with a wink. "Stick with me, Kaley. You'll be rich!"

Kale shook his head.

"Let's go, I have one last surprise for you." Liliana said.

***

The bathhouse was a welcome surprise after months spent in armor and blood-soaked gear. Steam filled the room, swirling around columns carved with elegant Nyridian designs. Liliana, Kale, and Rika sat in the warm pool, the mineral-rich water easing their aches.

Rika sighed, stretching out luxuriously. "Now, if every battle ended in a bath like this, I'd sign up twice," she said, sinking deeper into the water with a contented groan.

Kale snorted. "You'd sign up with or without the bath."

"You clearly don't understand the finer things in life, Kaley."

"Oh, I understand them just fine," he replied. "I Just don't think nearly getting killed is one of them."

Rika splashed a bit of water his way. "That's your problem right there. You don't savor it. Battle's one of life's true luxuries—you don't get the thrill of victory without the taste of risk."

"Truth is," she continued, leaning back against the edge of the pool, "you don't feel truly alive till you've been close enough to death to feel it breathing down your neck. When you know it could all end in a blink… that's when life sharpens. Makes every heartbeat count."

Liliana raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying death's just the price of admission?"

"Not just the price. It's what makes it worth paying. Otherwise, it's just… going through the motions."

"Didn't peg you for a philosopher, Rika," Liliana said.

"Oh, there's plenty you don't know about me. I'm basically overflowing with wisdom." She closed her eyes, giving a sage-like nod. "A fountain of pure enlightenment, right here."

Kale chuckled. "You hide it well, wise master. Almost missed it entirely."

Liliana leaned back. "Don't sound so surprised. You miss a lot of things, Kale."

He shot her a look. "Oh, really?"

Rika grinned. "See? Wisdom everywhere, and poor Kaley's blind to it."

Liliana shook her head in mock sadness. "Poor, blind Kale. So much insight slipping right past you. If only you could see."

Kale rolled his eyes. "Good thing I've got you two to enlighten me, then."

Rika snorted. "Oh, don't worry. We'll drag you to enlightenment kicking and screaming if we have to."

Liliana turned to Kale. "And Kale does plenty of kicking and screaming… especially screaming."

"Only 'cause I'm stuck with you two," he shot back. "Besides, Rika is the one who's always screaming when she's fighting someone."

"That's a battle cry, that doesn't count," Rika said. "It's called psychological warfare. You wouldn't understand."

Kale snorted. "Ah yes, the subtle art of yelling. Truly, you're a master tactician."

Rika grinned, unbothered. "Damn right I am. Like you'd know anything about strategy, mr 'Tactical Bravery'"

Kale rolled his eyes. "For the last time, that was a calculated risk!"

Liliana shook her head. "You mean when you fell out of a tree and accidentally took out three mercenaries?"

"Exactly!" Kale said, pointing at her.

Rika burst out laughing. "Calculated risk, my ass. That was the universe taking pity on you."

Kale folded his arms, grinning despite himself. "I'd like to think it was divine intervention."

Liliana arched a brow. "If it was divine, then Aeloria must have a sense of humor."

"Or she's just really desperate," Rika added, snickering. "Imagine being a goddess and thinking, yeah, that's the guy who's going to save the world."

Kale raised a finger, mock-offended. "Hey, I'll have you know I'm very capable."

"Sure," Rika said, grinning wide. "Capable of tripping over your own sword and calling it 'tactical improvisation.'"

"That was one time!" Kale protested.

"One time too many," Liliana said. "And I think he called it 'tactical acrobatics.'"

Kale groaned. "I told you guys, that was on purpose! I was trying to make them underestimate me by pretending to trip!"

Rika burst out laughing again, slapping the edge of the bath. "Oh yeah? And what was the plan after that? Hope they died laughing?"

Kale huffed. "They died, didn't they?"

"Technically, yes," Liliana said. "But I think you owe their deaths more to luck than strategy."

"Luck? It took me months to perfect that technique," Kale shot back. "Making it look like luck is a core part of tactical acrobatics."

Rika nearly doubled over, laughing. "You can't honestly expect us to believe that."

"I don't know, Rika," Liliana said. "It would explain all the falling and crying."

Kale rolled his eyes, sinking deeper into the water. "You know what? I'm done sharing my battle genius with you two."

Liliana mock-pouted. "That's a shame. I was really looking forward to hearing about the next groundbreaking technique."

"Let me guess," Rika chimed in, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. "Tactical faceplants? Or maybe 'How to Disarm Your Opponent by Falling on Them?'"

Kale shot them both a flat look. "Laugh it up, but when they're writing poems about my heroics one day, I'll make sure to tell them to leave your names out."

Before either of them could respond, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, followed by a figure appearing in the misty archway. A messenger, drenched in sweat and urgency, called out, "I hate to interrupt, but you're needed. Now."

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