Marron read the letter twice, then a third time. Her hands were shaking slightly.

Brookvale destroyed. The mimics scattered. Alexander staying to help rebuild.

She thought about the mimic dungeon—how frightened she had been and how she used a mimicry skill to pretend she was one of them.

As long as they will live peacefully...I think we could find more people to further their cause.

But Alexander had to have known that rebuilding their lives wouldn't be easy.

"Bad news?" Mokko asked gently.

"Mixed news," Marron said. She handed him the letter, watching his expression shift as he read—concern, then anger, then something like determination.

"They destroyed Brookvale because the surface mimics moved in, and replaced everyone there."

"Yeah."

"And Alexander's staying to rebuild."

"Yeah."

Mokko looked at her. "Are you going to go?"

The question hung in the air. Marron thought about it—about leaving Lumeria, about traveling north, about helping Alexander and the mimics build something new and safe.

Part of her wanted to. The part that remembered serving soup in a dungeon, that remembered the way the mimics had looked at her like she was performing a miracle just by treating them with basic decency.

But these were the same mimics who thought they would get stronger if Marron fed them better food, and they could have plotted to kill even more innocent people.

It was a definite gray area, but it was a massive show of trust on Marron's part to let Alexander rebuild Brookvale with the underground mimics.

Now that they're no longer looking for the Legendary Tool...and as long as Alexander is there to help...it should be okay, right?

The budding chef inside of her, the one that earned her certification, hesitated.

"I'm on this journey to make Meadowbrook even better," she murmured. "do I even have time to think about Brookvale? I thought my job was done the second I let them go."

Mokko snuffled and scratched his snout.

"Well...true. You don't have to get involved even further if you don't want to, I guess?"

She nodded.

"Not right now. Alexander has it handled, and there are people in Meadowbrook who can help. Me rushing up there won't change anything." She folded the letter carefully. "But I'll keep it in mind. And if they need help—real help—I'll go."

"Fair enough."

Lucy bubbled from her jar, forming a sad little heart shape.

"I know," Marron said softly to the slime. "I wish we could fix it right now too. But sometimes the best way to help is to be ready when you're needed, not to rush in before you're prepared."

She looked at the letter again, at Alexander's careful handwriting, at the small drawing of a copper bell in the corner.

Copper bells.

Copper pot.

She didn't know if they were connected, but something in her chest said maybe. Maybe the Legendary Tool she was looking for had something to do with the mimics, with New Brookvale, with this story that was unfolding across Savoria.

Or maybe she was just seeing patterns where there were none.

Either way, she had time. Time to learn, time to grow, time to prepare for whatever came next.

"Come on," she said, standing and tucking the letter into her notebook. "Let's go see what specialization classes the Guild is offering. I have a feeling we're going to need some new skills."

Mokko grinned. "Candy-making and chicken recipes?"

"Exactly." Marron smiled. "And maybe some other things too. You never know what's going to be useful."

They headed inside, leaving the morning light behind, ready to face whatever came next.

Together.

+

The second letter from Alexander arrived a week later, and this time the news was better.

Marron opened it over breakfast, Mokko reading over her shoulder while Lucy pressed against her jar to see.

Dear Marron,

Good news this time—I promise.

New Brookvale is taking shape. We found a location deep in the northern forests, near a freshwater spring. The mimics have been working tirelessly, and honestly, watching them build is incredible. They can shape wood and stone with a precision that would take human craftspeople years to master.

Things have been a little uncertain, but Guildmaster Halloway has agreed to a temporary truce. If I can show him the mimics are truly peaceful now--and we do not want any trouble--he will allow us a secluded life. He has written about a small circle of mages who specialize in glamour and illusions. Perhaps we will just withdraw until people have forgotten the atrocities we've committed.

Surely self-exile for a few generations will help? I'm not sure. But that's the direction we're moving toward, I think. It'll be what I pitch for the town meeting, anyway. Fewer adventurers arrive and look at us with fear or disdain...and with enough sunlight and good food, the other mimics have been evolving?

Last week an old woman who could barely string three words together spoke a full sentence. She said it was because a merchant from Whetvale dropped off some books. Only I and a handful of others venture outside now, because our faces are more solid. The face I took died a long time ago, so there is no fear of a doppelganger for me.

Perhaps I can convince some good soul in Whetvale to buy crops for us to plant back here.

My dream is to have New Brookvale recognized as a protected settlement, but I will take what I can get.

I will have more updates for you soon.

Write back when you can. I'd love to hear about Lumeria.

Your friend,

Alexander

"That's more optimistic than I could have dreamed of," Mokko said. "I don't know what kind of magic he's employing to have them listen so well, but I'm glad for it."

Lucy burbled. "Good food made them smarter?"

Marron reread the letter before she answered.

"It looks like it," Marron said quietly. "they did feel better when I introduced tastier food than the terrible gruel they were eating underground."

She folded the letter carefully and tucked it into her notebook alongside the first one.

"I'll reply later."

Then she looked at Mokko with renewed determination.

"First, I want to see the specialization class board today," she said. "Figure out what I'm going to study."

"Candy-making and chicken, right?"

"To start. But I want to see what else is available." She stood, brushing crumbs from her apron. "The Guild opens at eight. Let's go."

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