The rest of the evening and much of the night was spent in a whirlwind of questions. Officials from every major city-state and from every major guild in the region wanted direct accounts of the day’s proceedings. They wanted to do everything from interrogate to exterminate the Netherim. 

 

Oddly, it was Bernsley who stood up for them. Having had a chance to speak with several of them, and also some of the Wayfinders they had rescued, he completely revised his initial position of treating them as a threat.

 

The leader, whose name I learned was Marok, could have defended his people. But I was sure that if he did, it would be a war in less than a day. And powerful as he was, he would’ve had no chance against an army. 

 

Bernsley, as one of their own, couldn't simply be attacked with a military so easily as the ‘interdimensional invaders'. 

 

Thus, I found myself whisked into a room that was just on the ‘office’ side of ‘jail cell’, along with official after official from every lord and guild head in the area. If it had been under different circumstances, I’d have been thrilled by the chance to get some face time with such highly connected people in the Wayfinding world. I would need a guild when I left school, and it was never too early to start looking for those connections. 

 

But rather than friendly networking, My Familiars and I were questioned over and over on my connection to the Netherim, how one of my familiars could communicate with them, and then marched into room after room to play translator. Or rather, lend out Lorna for translation. 

 

She held up well, after she recovered from the shock of the revelation of the source of the Netherim’s troubles. I burned to ask her about it, but I could feel she wasn't ready to speak. She would tell me what I needed to know when I needed to know. It was her way, and I trusted her. 

 

The Netherim were also eager not to discuss the mysterious ‘Strangers’ either. In spite of many, increasingly forceful questions, they remained vague. Subsequent mentions did not come with the wave of suffocating dread that had struck me the first time. But something about discussing them at all felt … dangerous.

 

The questions then got redirected toward what they saw as someone they could control, i.e. me. 

 

When they got a little less polite and a little more interrogatory, Bernsley once again stepped in. 

 

“She's answered everything she can.” He said, tossing an indignant knight out of the room by the scruff of the neck. “Eir, I don't know what you know, but keep it to yourself for now. This situation is extremely volatile.” 

 

“I've noticed!” I said, rubbing my wrist where the guy had grabbed me, none too gently. “Are we going to get stuck here?” 

 

Bernsley snorted. “No. You’re a Bayloft student. You’re under our protection. And for now…So are they.”

 

Many officials were not used to being told no by a school teacher, but when things threatened to get violent again, a blue portal opened, and Valant and Principal Maule emerged and announced that the Netherim refugees would be under their protection at Bayloft until such time as they chose to relinquish that protection, and that was that. No one could tell a seventh and a ninth Ascension Wayfinder anything, if they weren't having it, and they were NOT. 

 

Before we knew it, the Greenbeans had been portaled back to Bayloft, along with nearly a hundred, mostly civilian, Netherim. 

 

~~~~~~~ 

“So what, these things just like… live here now?” 

 

It was Friday, a couple days later, and Jennie, Hera, my ever present Familiars, and I were in the cafeteria, standing in the soup line. Which was a lot longer lately. Apparently, it was the food option most familiar to the Netherim. Or so Lorna explained. 

 

I wasn't sure what to make of them. They mostly kept to themselves. Families and other close social units. The few Wayfinders they had were astonishingly powerful, which explained how they'd survived wandering the depths of the Dungeon to happen upon our world. 

 

As a whole, once you got over the eight foot tall demonic appearance, they just seemed … normal. I was glad Bernsley hadn't let some Lord take them for questioning or something. They were as vulnerable as people with exotic Classes like mine. More so, since they couldn't exactly blend in. 

 

“They're not things, they're people, Malori.” I grumbled, for the millionth time. 

 

“... Ok, but they're just HERE now?!” 

 

“Obviously.” 

 

“But like…WHY?!” Malori cringed. 

 

“Because we aren't going to let them get locked up, attacked, or worse, Mal!” I burst out. 

 

“...but it makes the food lines so LONG now…?!” 

 

I sighed. 

 

“Your suffering is truly heartbreaking.” Violette said, flatly. 

 

Hera stepped in. “We all have to do our part to protect the vulnerable. I for one cannot imagine losing my home, much less my whole world. Being able to offer safe haven, in such a–” 

 

Malori walked away, losing interest. 

 

“You're like idiot repellent.” I praised. “Any chance you're looking to be a bonded Familiar?” 

 

Hera laughed, deep from her chest, and slapped my arm. “I'll keep you in mind! Lucy speaks very highly of the bonding process.” 

 

“What did she say?!” I gasped. 

 

“Oh, my turn for soup!” Hera jumped. 

 

She began eagerly asking questions about the daily soups to the old lady behind the counter. 

 

I turned slowly on Lucy. She twisted back and forth biting her lip and trying to look innocent. 

 

“What have I told you about–” 

 

“She's just so preeetttty!” Lucy whined. 

 

“Takes one to know one!” A now soup-owning Hera winked. “I'll get us a table. Rav and Nyke should be along shortly.” 

 

Lucy practically melted against me when Hera left. “She thinks I'm pretty tooooo!” 

 

“Everyone thinks you're pretty, you big doofus.” I grumbled. “Literally everyone you've ever met.” 

 

Lucy blushed happily. “Yeah, but Hera!” 

 

I nodded, grudgingly. 

 

“I would let that woman do terrible, unspeakable things to me.” Violette piped in, grimly. 

 

A shadow loomed over me, and I smelled a telltale whiff of smoke. I turned to find Marok, the Netherim leader. 

 

The ominous black armor, and titanic sword were replaced with casual cotton clothing, revealing…! 

 

“You’re a girl!” I blurted, staring at the surprisingly plush tiddies atop her slim, extraordinarily muscular form. 

 

Her short sleeves were stuffed with thick, powerful arms. 

 

A narrow waist flared out to feminine hips. 

 

“I am a woman, yes.” Marok agreed, a little hesitantly. “You as well, no?” 

 

“Yup!” I squeaked, mortified. 

 

With the armor…! And her deep, rumbling voice?! 

 

Don't assume shit, Eir. 

 

Lorna and Marok repeated the peculiar chin lifting gesture that seemed to take the place of a bow. I wondered if I should do it too, but thought better of trying to engage in a cultural practice I had no understanding of. 

 

As they held the pose, I couldn’t help but notice that, in casual cotton clothes, Marok was… extremely fit. And eight feet tall. Before the horns. 

 

Something in my chest purred.

 

Nope. That was Violette, craning her neck up to look at Marok and literally purring.

 

“Lady Eir.” She greeted, formally. “Lady Lorna of the Lake. I wish to express my gratitude to you both. Without your assistance, I am confident that miscommunication and fear would have escalated our situation beyond diplomatic resolution. Your words have saved many lives. I will not forget.” 

 

I felt myself blush. “It’s no big deal. And anyway it was all Lorna.” 

 

Lorna nodded in acknowledgement. “We are relieved that bloodshed was avoided. What are your plans for your people?” 

 

Marok huffed, sending a rush of warm air out. “For now, we are grateful to have a sanctuary. It has been a long time since any of us slept in relative safety. Your faculty has been more than generous in our accommodations.” 

 

“Oh yeah, where are you all staying?” I asked, curious. 

 

“Thinking of paying them a visit?” Violette smirked. 

 

I trod on her tail. She yelped, and heaved me off, clutching her tail to her chest protectively. 

 

“We have been given a block of rooms carved high into the western slopes of the mountain.” Marok answered, eying us with politely concealed curiosity. “They are almost disorientingly luxurious. We are lucky the school has so many more rooms than is necessary for the student body.” 

 

“Yeahhh, they like to have something to motivate us with.” I winced. My own apartment was spartan at best. And it was still a huge upgrade from the barracks. 

 

“Bayloft was once a fortress, and still stands ready to shelter the area’s residents in time of great emergency.” Lorna explained. “Your people fall neatly into that category now.” 

 

“We are grateful.” Marok nodded slightly awkwardly. Her sharp horns made the movement slightly dangerous had she not been so much taller than us. 

 

A thought struck me. “Hey, you’re speaking our language! What the fuck?”

 

Marok laughed, revealing two sharp fangs. “I have a translation ability, from a Catalyst of linguistics on my perception Skill! It takes time to assimilate new tongues. Hopefully, when next we speak, you will find me more fluent. I will impose no further on your evening. But I would like to speak more in the future, if you are all willing.” 

 

I nodded, a little more eagerly than was strictly appropriate, and she left, with her huge bowl of soup. 

 

“She’s very tall.” Violette sniped, holding her tail carefully out of reach. 

 

“Shush.” I admonished, leading us to locate Hera’s table. 

 

We’d been spending more time with Hera and her crew since we’d decided to team up for the fifth weekend dive. 

 

The vibes were good. It was hard for them not to be with Hera around. 

 

Ravale seemed mostly excited about the prospect of truly pulling ahead on the leaderboard. Nyke was generally unreadable but was never outright hostile, so that was fine. Jennie seemed rather shy and quiet around them, which worried me a little. But she was slowly opening up, as Hera had predicted she would when she’d announced we’d all be hanging out, more. 

 

“So can we come meet your latest Familiar?!” Hera interrupted my reverie. 

 

I froze. “Ummmm!” 

 

“Lucy’s been saying it's quite the event!” She went on. “Have you seen one Jennie?” 

 

Jennie raised an eyebrow. “You should know, if Lucy likes something it's usually because it involve’s Eir’s big fat–” 

 

“Noooo!” I half shouted, “... One has ever been there for my initial summons except my girlfriends. Girls! Familiars.” 

 

Gods, why could I not have one conversation with this girl where I talked like a human being?! 

 

“So we’d be your first!” Hera grinned. “Kinda scandalous!” 

 

“I'm sure it would be.” Jennie muttered. 

 

“I know where you sleep, Jennie.” I snarled. 

 

“Welcome any time.” She shot back. 

 

“Well–” I stopped blinking rapidly, as what she’d said fully registered with me. Had Jennie been expecting me to…visit… her room?

 

“You’re making Eir uncomfortable, Hera.” Ravale said softly. “Don’t let her bulldoze you into letting her watch, sweetie.” 

 

I nodded gratefully to the small Healer. The girl was always looking out for other’s wellbeing. 

 

“I’m not bulldozing!” Hera protested. “It’s a big deal! We should all–” 

 

She was cut off by the arrival of a group of girls who wanted to know if she was coming to potions club the following week. 

 

“You need a tank.” Nyke said, flatly. She scooped a spoonful of pudding into her mouth. Her entire plate was piled high with various desserts. 

 

My stomach churned.

 

Jennie rolled her eyes, “She made a Binding Vow to accept the first Familiar who answered her call from now on.” 

 

Ravale gawked. Even Nyke looked surprised. Hera was nodding enthusiastically. 

 

“She also Vowed to use any Catalyst she personally loots.” Jennie continued. 

 

“Whyyyy?” Ravale gasped. 

 

“My Class is weird, and the only Catalysts that I, or Jennie, or Bernsley, or Lorna can think of that make any sense are all super, super duper rare. Like Epic and worse.” I explained, resignedly. 

 

“So you decided to just throw away all agency in the matter and, what– hope for the best?” Nyke scoffed. 

 

“I’m trying to bribe Chaos into throwing some extra luck my way.” I shrugged. 

 

Nyke snorted. “What would a deep primordial care about you?’’

 

I hesitated. A lot, it would seem. 

 

“Primordials have been known to respond to offerings that align with the principals they embody.” Jennie came to my rescue. “And this vow is both huge, and the exact kind of thing a being like Chaos would respond to.” 

 

Nyke frowned. 

 

“I think it’s awesome!” Hera gushed. “A massive gambit! It’s just like Go club.” 

 

“You’re terrible at Go.” Ravale winced. 

 

“But great at knowing when things are awesome.” Hera countered, leaning back with her hands behind her head. 

 

Ravale didn’t look convinced, but she shrugged. “If it’s already done, all we can do is hope that it works out.” 

 

“It will.” Lorna said, confidently. “I have never been more nervous. Tell me about this Go club?” 

 

~~~~~~~

Lorna offered her hands to me. I was flanked by Lucy and Violette, alternately feeling like I was getting married and executed. 

 

We’d managed  to secure one of the forest training rooms. With its little magical creek, and towering beech trees, it felt the least indoor of the training areas and was by far my favorite. It reminded me a little of home. 

 

I placed my hands in Lorna’s, and magical lines laced over my hands. My girls stepped back. 

 

“Make your Vows.” Lorna intoned. 

 

Contrary to our claims at dinner, we had not yet actually made the Vows. But we were about it now. 

 

My heart fluttered like a humming bird, and my feet felt too light. 

 

“We’re sure?” 

 

Lorna nodded solemnly. I felt her own trepidation. She loved to be in control of events. This was even more against her nature than mine. Yet she held steady, confident in our course. 

 

“We’re with you, through anything.” Lucy agreed. “I trust you. And Lorna. And Chaos.” 

 

“And Violette.” The fox girl added. 

 

Lucy giggled. “Well this isn't your plan, babe. But yes. I trust you too.” 

 

“Good.” Violette nodded. “I like this plan. It's insane. Let's do it.” 

 

I smiled. 

 

Ok. 

 

I traced my fingers through the air and started writing. Line by line, I carved my insane vows into the fabric of my Class. 

 

I would use every catalyst I looted, and no others. Worded like that, the future of my Class was bound forever to Chaos’ whim. 

 

Sweat beaded on my clammy skin. Images of disastrous Catalysts played on my mind. But there was nothing for it. I needed only the rarest Catalysts. And only Chaos could influence the random forms that governed Monster loot. 

 

“It is done.” Lorna said, dispersing the magic. 

 

“Holy shit.” Panic crept over me. I hope I didn't just doom us all. 

 

“Trust.” Lucy murmured at my shoulder. “We made this decision together. All of us.” 

 

I nodded. What was done was done. I couldn't take it back. 

 

“Time to see who answers the call.” I smiled, letting panic turn to exhilaration. And relief. Chaos had sent me Lucy. And Lorna. And Violette. I could trust her. And I did.