Gabriel and Liz chose to remain behind as they decided where to apply their new points. They would join the group later.

"I'm definitely going with Stamina. Having a faster recharge on Energy point is a must to level up faster. However, where should we place your point?" He asked her.

She sat on the ground, or at least tried to, before falling on her back for the lack of a proper way to sit, but she did not give up. Using her leg as a stabilizer, she sort of looked as if she was sitting; then, she started massaging her chin with both her arms.

Liz looked ridiculous, with her little arms bent in a ninety-degree angle as she made way too wide movements to look natural, but she was cute; an inaudible chuckle couldn't help but come out from Gabriel's mouth at that view.

"Listen, what do you prefer? More attack power? More speed? Or being a little more resistant to damage, however, I doubt that without your body growing, your size would make much of a-" He shut his mouth when a thought came to him.

Wait, I should have asked if it's not only the level that decides their form isn't it? I mean, she looks bigger. Spirit level 2 had her grow in size, but let's take the kids Spirits, for example, they look too big for being only level 7, or at least if the growth rate is what was shown with Liz's growth… then maybe the Attributes factor in their body mass. They are classified as Spirit, but I can feel her weight just like that of any normal animal. Especially when she attacks, even with her pitiful mass. But which is it? What Attribute should I raise?

"I think we should go in and ask them, but first, we place our Class points. I believe 3 in Energy and two in Spirit should do the trick for now." At that, Liz frowned.

"Alright, alright, next Class level, we shall even it out. Are you happy now?" She gave him a look of defiance but nodded. Climbing on top of him.

They ventured in the cave, shortsword and throwing knife, used as a regular knife, at the ready.

Aaron could see the dim light from afar; and quickly, but as silently as possible, got to them.

"Who goes there!? Oh, Gabriel, did you place your points?" Asked the elf.

"Not yet. I just had a couple more things to know. It's about Spirits," he said.

"Then, you should ask the children directly."

Gabriel engaged the group, slowly, as not to break formation and, with a nod from them, started stabbing left and right. Soon later, they had stopped to take a breather before engaging the next group of ants.

They planned on getting further into the tunnel, but Gabriel knew he would not be accompanying them, it was their journey after all, and they were already gaining small exp just to sustain him; since their master had been loaded with potions given by their family, he was just leeching on them; and Gabe would not intrude further.

"Children, I just need a couple of questions answered, then I'll be off, and I won't ever forget you," he said.

The children looked between them.

"We won't forget you either, Mr. Gabriel," they said, then lowering his voice, Bartholomew got closer, and he said, "We know you're the Herald, but don't worry, your secret's safe with us. We want revenge on the Priests of Lore. They killed our big brother."

Whatever they said came as a surprise for Gabriel. He had sincerely no idea what they were talking about, nor of their situations, but he did not ask further, nor confirm anything; he just smiled at them, nodding.

"Okay... Anyway, the questions are the following. How to make my little lizard as big as your Spirit, and what would be the right road to take, Attribute, and battle wise?"

Victoria adjusted her hair before answering, "Well, that depends on your battle style; what role do you wish for Liz to take? Will she be a Tank? An assaulter? A supporter from behind?"

Bartholomew continued, "About growing them up? That's rather easy. They grow with Spirit levels and investing stats in them, ours are big because they both act as Tanks. My Tonty," he said, caressing the hedgehog sitting on his head, "will join with me at Spirit Level 30, so if I invest in her Tankiness, I will become even more Tanky! And bigger!"

So it was like that, after all. I was right.

"Now, I get it." Gabriel nodded vigorously. Then he opened with a big smile.

"It was really nice meeting you all, then I shall take my leave. However," he looked at Varcivald next, "if you want to look for me, I'll be at the inn. I'm lodging there. Now see you!" He said, starting to run away.

"But Mr. Gabriel! Which inn?" Shouted Veronica.

"Oh! I don't know the name! The really tall one, with a dwarf and his she-orc wife as the owners, Commodo's inn! Bye!"

Damn, I've forgotten the name...

 

***

 

"He lodges at the Traveling Hearth? Wasn't he a newcomer?" Varcivald asked out loud to himself.

"Isn't that the most famous inn in The whole Cradle?" Veronica.

"See? I told you he was a Herald after all!"

 

***

 

Gabriel and Liz had left the cave, and after losing the few ants that had been following them, the two stopped to place their points.

"Now, Liz, it's on you. What do you want to do? What role does fit you? I'll adjust accordingly."

Lizzy fell in thought, sitting on her tail again.

But it really didn't take her long to nod; she looked sure of herself. And placed her small eyes on Gabriel's own. Her colorless features sort of shook for a second.

She punched her fist into her open hand.

"Power it is then."

She shone, for an instant, growing just a pinch more. Though her color stayed the same.

"I wonder if you are able to change your color later, you look so weird like this. It's like looking at a black and white, old comic. Ouch! Stop biting me. You're almost twice as strong now! No!"

"Stop, I said!" He continued as he ran away from her, toward The Cradle.

 

***

 

At the edge of two huge and powerfully built gates, a car was parked, and a young woman had been trying all her tricks to pass through.

"Let me through! Please! I just want to check!" Shouted the woman, a little redhead and a big hairy fellow at her side.

But the guards were unrelenting.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but you need to step aside. Or we're going to have to call the police, again,"

The two men dressed in a black suit spoke with calm, yet the voice of the one holding the woman wavered surprised once she managed to shake him.

The two launched a look at each other.

"What is going on here?" Came another voice, this from behind the giant gates.

A figure, not taller than 5-foot-6, came at them, arms behind his slight hunchback. The person in question was old, he had dark glasses, typical of blind folks, yet he walked with an air of robustness even in the weirdly cracked pavement. His utterly white hair and tunic only opposed even further the contrasting ideas his figure communicated.

"Elder! Please, this is just a little mishap. It's already been handled by the police," said one of the guards.

Behind the old man followed a young boy in a rush.

"What mishap? What does this beautiful lady want with our establishment?" He asked, his voice soothing yet sharp.

As his eyes picked up someone behind the young woman, something shifted in his posture, at least until the young boy following him failed to stop in time and crashed on him.

"Hohoho! Darte, watch out, heart. You'll bring this old man to the ground."

"What's happening, grandpa? Who are these people?" He asked; unlike his grandfather, the child looked weird.

There was an air of indescribable sureness washing off him as if there was nothing this little man wouldn't be able to face. His black as night shortcut paired with his dark eyes and looks, made him look like the utter opposite of his grandpa. He looked like the Yin to his Yang.

"We shall see," The air that was descending on the old man disappeared; it returned to that of a peaceful person.

"Pardon my loyal scouts, but what is it that you want from our establishment? I hear you visited yesterday as well?" He demanded.

But it wasn't the miss answering. It was a voice coming from the car parked nearby.

"I- I want to check for my son," said the dark-haired woman, her face, that of a desperate mother, could not entirely hide her beauty.

"I don't seem to follow," said Elder, shifting his attention to the woman, "does your son work for us?"

"No, he- he was bringing a delivery from our restaurant to this place, the night he disappeared, I checked with the police, I'm certain!" She said, her voice rising at the end.

"Alright, that is probably why those officers came by the other day. However, they have ascertained that the person in question did not stop his venture here. He departed with his vehicle after delivering; they've even checked that from their recording from the black box, did they not tell you?" He asked, arching his brow.

"Ye-Yes. They did, but then he crashed, falling in a river, his body... has not been found since then. I- I can't accept that reality. I think he's still alive. I just want to check, please, your… establishment is big, he might have hurt himself, maybe he's stuck somewhere, in the woods!" She tried, tears welling up in her eyes.

"But, ma'am, that would mean that your son never left… but I'm sorry to say that we've got the recordings."

A moment of silence ensued.

 

"What-what recordings?" She asked.

"From our cameras. The recording that shows your son getting in your vehicle and leaving; it's what we've given to the police; that is why there was no further investigation. I think that much should be clear," he said, a condescending tone dressing his voice.

"No- I… they did not talk about any records… they said, they were studying… footage…" She realized, her knees giving out.

The old man burst forth, a speed difficult to accept from such an old-looking man, and yet, he intercepted her fall, maintaining her by the elbows.

"I know," he said, "I know what it means to lose one's very own son… or daughter. It's devastating. The very fabric of your reality comes crashing down on you. And I'm sorry you have to go through that, but that's not much more we can offer you, if not our heartfelt condolences for your loss, ma'am. Be strong, it'll never end, but you will regain the bridles of your life, with time."

Mirai exploded in a hysterical wail, embracing the old man. It wasn't soon when she regained her composure, and Raina and Antonio brought her back home.

"Elder, that would not have gone well without your support. You never fail to teach us," said the man in black.

"Do not let that woman in here, whatever the circumstances," he uttered, colder than they were expecting.

Then he departed back to the inside of the forest, nephew in tow.

"She was Tethered grandpa," Darte said, once they were out of ear range.

"Yes, but she had no Bond Spirit with her. She's not one of us. This is not right... something like that we cannot allow. Not after the Priests have acted that way. It's too dangerous. I need to talk to your father. This boy entering The Den needs a thorough checking. And so does his mother."

"Yes, Elder," Answered Darte, his eyes impossibly sharp for those of a normal boy.

 

***

 

"Did you see that?" Antonio asked. He was driving the car, heading back to the restaurant.

"See what?" Answered Raina. She was in the backseats with Mirai, which had fallen asleep. It had been days since last she had slept, releasing the pent-up stress had finally lessened, dampened her unnatural energy reserves.

"The eyes of those animals in the forest… they were unnerving, almost… almost as if they were studying us."

"I, I did not see any animal, but that kid… He was wrong… on all levels. He looked like a machine. Just… what kind of people are those?" Raina asked, to herself more than to Antonio, who couldn't have known better.

"I don't know, but I think that fucking delivery was the worst thing that has ever happened to us. I shouldn't have made those fucking pizzas!" He said, palms hitting the steering wheel; "Maybe Gabriel would still be here."

"Gabriel…" Repeated Mirai in her sleep as Raina tried to console the man behind the wheel.

 

***

 

"Varcivald, Varcivald… I think I heard that name befo'," said the dwarf.

"He looked haughty at first, but he revealed to be one nice fellow. I should offer him a drink if he manages to find the inn. I can offer him a drink, right? Though I don't have any money?" Gabriel asked for confirmation.

"Well, I could give ye a special discount, but only if ye- what do ye mind "if he manages to find my Inn"? One can't NOT find me inn, did ye give him tha' name?" Commodo asked, almost irritated.

"That's the problem. I might have had a memory lapse. I've been quite out of it since I've come here, but I'm regaining my focus! I swear!" He said, reading the complex mix of expressions on the dwarf's face.

"Muha! Mugahuahuahua! Ye are one weird fellow, laddie!" The dwarf shouted, bringing a ton weighing arm on Gabriel's shoulder, which almost spit his broth.

What the hell, how much power was that? He could snap him between his fingers if he wanted to!

"Hey! Yer little reptile has grown!" He got closer to the lizard eating from the same plate as Gabriel, crouching all comfortable on the counter. "But not much; are ye sure you're making the right choices, laddie?"

The lizard answered in kind, shooting her long tongue in his eyes.

"Ouchy! Ye little! Mugahuahuahua!"

"I'm going to forge my own road, I'll let our adventures guide us, and our needs. Not that I won't get all the possible information from the Assaulter branch, but since I'm here, I won't do like everybody else has, and anyway, that would be too slow. I need to reach the Rapids of Mana, remember?" He added with a confident smirk.

"I like you, laddie, ye know? What do you say if... what do you if, whenever you month is due you-"

 

Crash!

 

The inn's main door opened with a loud bang; it did not break, but generally, in Commodo's inn, only the personnel was allowed to make that noise when opening the doors. It was not accepted if done by the guests.

But as much as Commodo instantly started fuming, just as fast, he loosened down.

"Oh, sorry about that. I didn't mean to get in with such speed, just a bad habit!" With bright brown eyes and green, shiny hair, a girl entered from the door. Accompanying her was a big ass salamander.

She took in a big breath before shouting…

"COOOOOOM! I’M BAAAAACK!”

"Olive! Lassie! Come here, ye little…" But Com did not have time to finish as the girl practically jumped over the counter to tackle him in a big hug. Gabriel barely managed to rescue his mug from her assault.

That's a salamander, eh? He noted, giving a fast look at his lizard, then at the salamander, then again at the girl's nice, even if small ass.

Her hair color was obviously dyed, giving her regular brown eyebrows color; however, she was dressed in clothes which fit the place, and they looked very augmenting, both of her personal parts and of her Attributes. The first was naturally visible, while the second part of his reasoning was instinctive.

Garena had joined the hug-fest from the other side of the counter, and the two had jumped happily, then Gabriel noticed the many from the regular guests were shouting her name, or giving her compliments, or in some way recognizing her name.

Yup, that's how a good waitress is remembered; this girl certainly worked here.

"Oli! Me, lass! What are ye doing here?" He asked, Garena leaving them to catch up as she started working on the spillers.

Gabriel rested his chin on the counter, looking at them, remembering his mother's relationship with Raina.

"I came back! My quest was a success! Brill and I reached Tier 2. Look how beautiful of a Salamander he's become. It was tough, and I just wanted to relax a little. Getting back to my… family," she added that last part a bit bashful, but drawing a sparkle from the innkeeper's eye.

"Then congratulations, lassie! Is the usual arrangement good for ye?" He asked.

"Of course it is! It's still old me; the only thing being different is Brill!" She said overjoyed.

"Brill! Look at what a beautiful salamander ye've become!" Said the dwarf to her Spirit. In response, she nodded and curved her eyes in a happy face.

"Ye, still don't talk, eh? So ye're Tier 2, right? I thought ye wanted to reach Tier 3 before coming back? Has- has something happened, lassie?" He asked, a little preoccupied.

"What?" She said with a too-long moment of pause, something which Gabriel managed to catch, "No! Of course not! We just got really, really tired. Everybody is so serious in the Deep as if every day was a working day! They don't live it, you get it?! They just see life as a big-huge workday!"

But Gabriel was reading all the little signs of uneasiness she was giving out; he had grown used to do that. Mastering the art while he ate, alone in the school canteen, or when taking his lunch break or dinner break at work, observing the people, which he would later need to approach had become a part of him, and the girl was giving out many signals of someone hiding things from her interlocutor.

Yes, he could never be one hundred percent right, but he could well damn guess, and that girl; she was hiding something.

The two talked a bit more until, for some reason, the dwarf wanted to present her to Gabriel.

"Oh, lassie! Here, I want ye to meet someone. He reminds me of ye quite a bit!" Gabriel was forced to calm down his brows, which wanted to shoot up.

"Olive, lass; this one is Gabriel, ladd. Our new big guest; and I was just offering him to work with us! He has a restaurant on old Earth!"

Both their brows arched, Gabriel's and Olive's as well.

Well, that, I wasn't expecting in the least. What do I do now? How do I refuse without offending him, wait though… if reaching the Rapids of Mana takes more than a month, how will I sustain myself!? Shit! I think I need to accept it!

This and a few less important things passed through Gabriel's mind in those few seconds.

"Well, Com, that was unexpected. But I think I might actually be in need of a workplace. I can't be asking you for Golden Syrup to go every morning, can't I? And Ms. Olive," he continued in his practiced voice, "It's a pleasure to meet you; my name is Gabriel Walker."

"The pleasure is all mine, Gabriel. I'm Olivia, Olivia Wanderlust." Her eyes stuck around to his a moment longer than the usual act of presentation dictated, possibly suggesting two things.

Hostility… or interest.