We meet at the Auroran Cathedral, while I'm making my prayer at the altar illuminated by a shaft of sunlight . I can sense them coming in, hearing their shadows moving against the wall, and get up as they do - turning to them.

Ace is unarmored, in a plain gold and grey skirt matching a top with her midriff showing and a new bearded war-axe at her back; she's smiling, if only a little. Alesha, likewise, is in a dark blue dress instead of her armor, with her sword hanging from a scabbard at her hip. Sekhmet comes in after them, looking lost in thought, with Hikaru following after - no less talkative but far more relaxed.

I bow, and take them out of the cathedral and down the street towards Peppercorn Lane and the main gate.

"No armor, but you still have the weapons?" I ask.

"The guards think it's more polite and we needed armor fitting anyway," Ace says, shrugging. "They don't mind us chopping a mugger in half, apparently."

"But would mind being unable to shoot us," Alesha says, voice arch.

"You're right and I hate it," Ace replies.

I exhale. "I take it the supply run went well, then?"

"It was slightly more expensive than expected," Alesha says. "We had enough to cover it, including a new set of warded robes for you - but we're cutting it fine."

Sekhmet drags their hand down their face. "But you were able to afford it, and that's what counts," they say, more to themselves than anyone else. "Getting equipped with Not Dying gear is how we'll survive to get paychecks. D'jou get any change at all?"

Ace waggles her hand; sort of. "A few silvers. Probably going to be spent on lunch - I haven't been this hungry since I was in training."

Sekhmet frowns, but nods that this is acceptable.

My ears twitch. "In training? Like, IRL?"

Ace smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. Or her ears. "As a striker? A pretty good one."

An ace striker, in fact. "Man, I wish my nom de guerre was that cool," I say.

Hikaru coughs. "You're burning a tremendous number of calories at rest because you now have a physique with - at a guess - Vigor 10 and Agility 10, which is practically olympian," he says. "This body seems to be spending calories when I cast spells, which is well worth looking into later. Expect - and budget for - vast appetites."

"Way ahead of you my dude," Sekhmet says, buffing her claws nonchalantly.

Ace's ear twitches, and she rubs her right hip. "Thanks bunches, Bill Nye."

Hikaru stops, and taps at a sign well above his head - or mine - with his staff. "This should do."

We stop and look up at a woodcarving of a baguette.

"Good thought," Sekhmet says. "Lemme ask some questions."

They hold out their hand: Alesha passes them a bag, and then they slip inside. A moment later they come out with a bunch of bundles over her shoulder.

"Great call," Sekhmet says, grinning fangs at Hikaru. "Landed a twofer deal. Gonna remember this place; erryone take one for now."

Exchanging glances with Ace, I take a foot-long baguette - which, it turns out, is stuffed with ham, cheese, and some kind of pesto.

I walk over, eating, thinking. About my allies in the Free Company, and about the road we'd be taking, and the mission. About a countryside I've seen a thousand times but were about to see for the first time, full of wheat fields and lazily spinning windmills and watermills, grinding wheat and oats and barley. Hilltops with olive trees and grapevines and grazing sheep, now under attack by what may as well be the game's mascot: creatures as much fae as fox that play tricks on people who dare to brave the Nevergla-

Wait. Wait. That's not right.

Seedlings are green and pink and vulpine to hide better in forests and jungles. Every quest involving them involves being creatures of the forest. What the hell are they doing attacking a hilltop surrounded by heavily farmed plains?

The thought is interrupted by a flash of movement.

I move before I can reason why, punting a relatively soft sphere up with my knee to kill momentum, enough time to see it's a ball; a casual headbutt sends it to Ace, who immediately does a roundhouse and sends the ball right back where it came from - into the hands of a stunned little foxboy wearing a skullcap, two blocks down.

While I'm still catching my breath, Ace grins and gives the kid a thumbs-up.

"I - beg your pardon miss, I didn't mean to -" the kid stammers, backpedaling towards his mother.

"Nice pass," Ace says, trying for sweet but only managing chirpy. "Learn to do that on purpose and you have a bright future in the Holy Leagues."

The kid's face lights up and his mother's softens as she scoops him up and offers the spread-palm blessing of Aurora. Ace blinks, then grins and returns the gesture with one hand while offering her other palm to you.

It would be a terrible breach of etiquette to leave her hanging, so I give her both the high and the low five.

During this whole time, Hikaru has been looking at Ace, jaw open, with one eyebrow reaching for the sky.

"What?" Ace says.

"The Holy Leagues are the first game concept I didn't need to explain to you," Hikaru says.

"Man, fuck you," she says, still smiling as we continue walking.