Kirie didn't care much for humans. In fact, she had every reason to despise them. The anticipated hatred was buried deep, somewhere beneath her cold reasoning. She wasn't so vain to believe that all humans were alike, but what she'd seen of them in the past didn't impress her either. As a child, she saw what good and evil they committed. In most cases it depended on who held influence and sovereignty. Humans yielded to authority out of pure fear, misguided reverence or, even worse, a lack of desire for independent thought.

This view of power was vexing. It devalued human morals and made them dangerously unpredictable.

Kirie couldn't quite place it, but the capricious nature of this particular human interested her.

She had to admit that Alphonse had some nerve to call her out. His candid attitude came as a pleasant surprise. It didn't seem born from anguish or resentment. He was just being realistic. They'd barely even exchanged words, and now he was being pressured into a contract he knew next to nothing about.

Kirie watched as Alphonse struggled with his offering for the Construct Contract. He made a few attempts to no avail. It was only natural that he would start as low as possible in the dealings like any good merchant might. She was genuinely surprised when he tried bartering with his health regeneration, and the contract refused. He was truly dedicating himself to this gamble.

A stab of guilt pierced her chest. She knew they were using his desperation for their own gain.

“He's running low on options,” Asa said as she stepped next to her. The staff was gripped tight in both hands, and she rested her head against it as if she were using it as a pillow.

Kirie gave her sister a sideways glance and observed her unchanging stoicism. She didn't possess the same mental fortitude to keep her countenance in check like Asa. She didn't want to anyway -- too much effort.

During their brief exchange, Alphonse had stopped making offers to the contract. He was now staring at the ceiling in deep contemplation. The human shifted his weight to one side as he favored his leg. It was too early for him to be up and about. Kirie still didn't know how he mustered enough willpower to reach the oasis in the first place.

Asa closed her eyes. “We can't keep up with the outworld adventurers as we are now.”

Kirie let out an irritated breath. “Those stupid stats aren't everything. They'll get lazy.”

She believed it for the most part, but it was undeniable that, given enough time, outworlders would eventually surpass the natives of Hovestile. Outworlders weren't particularly competent with spellcasting and mana usage in general, but the intrusive stats might change that with enough success. Active skills could also turned the tide of battle for every combat class.

Kirie frowned when she noticed Alphonse was now looking up at Rinka. He must've given her some sort of strange look, because now their mother tilted her head curiously. Her cat ears twitched.

What's he got up his sleeve? Kirie wondered.

She glanced at her sister and noticed the knuckles of her hands turn white even through her pale skin as she gripped the staff.

Alphonse hesitated. His fingers flexed and shoulders heaved as he second-guessed what he was about to do. He took a step forward, planted his foot heavily and forced himself to speak.

“I offer my mana pool!” Alphonse shouted.

Silence. There was no response from the contract, as if it was ridiculing such a proposal.

Kirie's shoulders slumped. “Dammit, what is he thinking? You can't just offer it some mana. You need to-” She stopped herself as she caught on to his exact words. She glanced at Asa and saw her sister's mouth agape as the realization fully registered.

“He's sacrificing...that,” Asa breathed. She rested a hand over her mouth. As a spellcaster, it was understandable that she had difficulty imagining it. “He can't be serious. No mana? Ever? Gone?”

“Wait, hold on. I don't get it!” Kirie's voice raised in pitch more than she would've liked.

She understood that mana was responsible for a number of things in Hovestile: enhancement, appraisals, conjuration, elemental manipulation. Active skills for every class used mana as well.

“Wonderful!” Rinka rose from her seat and clasped her hands. “A resource resting within all denizens of this world! Something reserved for all types of adventurers!”

Kirie shivered at her mother's sudden elation. It hammered home just how much Alphonse was about to give up if the contract accepted the deal.

No way. He can't be serious, Kirie thought.

“Mana is required for spells,” Asa explained as she composed herself. “Spells hold unlimited possibilities depending on the user. Mana is the source that permits such possibilities.”

“Like the contract,” Kirie breathed. “The contract also allows a possibility, but only with the user's requests and offers."

Asa nodded. “Exactly. The contract only considers equivalence based on the deal being made in the present. It doesn't take future use into consideration, because it has no way of knowing how it will be used. The same can be said of one's mana pool. Spells are only available with enough mana. Requests with the contract are only available with enough to offer. You can't place a value on something that is indeterminate."

Kirie considered the explanation. Not just spells, but anything that needs mana. He won't be able to use them anymore.

A disembodied voice echoed through the chamber, “Offer acknowledged...Request acknowledged...Exchange approved. Seal contract.”

Alphonse pulled out one of his daggers and rested it on his arm. The edge pressed into his skin as his arm trembled.

Kirie moved forward and shifted to the side so she could get a look at his face. Her sister moved to the other side. She expected to see a bit of fear, or at least some trepidation, but she found that her guess flew way off the mark.

He was smiling. It was a relieved smile. A grateful smile. Not a single line of regret on his features.

"This is crazy," Alphonse whispered. "I'm totally crazy." He looked to Kirie first and then Asa. "Right? Tell me I'm not."

Asa shook her head. "I'm sorry, but you're definitely crazy."

"I have to agree with my sister on this one," Kirie said. She grinned and rested a shaky hand on his shoulder in a poor attempt to reassure him.

Alphonse looked down at the blade pressing into his skin. "Swell."

He drew the blade across his arm. The blood flowed from the cut and swirled around him. The book flew open and turned a number of pages before stopping. A section shivered and morphed into a grayish hue. The circling crimson inserted itself and formed words on the page.

The voice spoke again, “Offer received. Construct Contract assigned. New ownership identified...Alphonse Kneller. Awaiting second party.”

Kirie looked up and saw that her mother had complemented Alphonse's movements. A few specks of red stained her dress as she extended her arm.

A flash of light emitted from Alphonse's book and Rinka revealed one of her own. A set of glowing, linked chains appeared from Rinka's book and latched to Alphonse's. The swirling red meandered down the chain and infused with the links it passed through. The blood entered the book and more words appeared on the next page.

“Second party acknowledged.

First offering located...Kirie.

Class: Warrior

Identification: Demihuman

Second offering located...Asa

Class: Healer

Identification: Demihuman

Previous offering retrieved.

Transfer to...Alphonse Kneller, complete. Party bond established.”

Kirie stared with wide eyes as the words assumed perfect, flowing clarity. A sudden laugh escaped her as she let out the breath she'd been holding.

Across from her, Asa rested a hand to her chest and let out a relieved sigh. A smile formed on her face as she looked at Alphonse.

The chains linking the contracts together crumpled and twisted like delicate fabric. Flakes like dried blood drifted off the wrinkled surfaces and disappeared into the white light of the oasis.

Kirie took a hesitant step forward when the last of the links vanished. "It's done? He did it?" She looked to her sister for confirmation.

Asa nodded. "Yes, the bond is transferred. It has to be."

Kirie stared at Alphonse's back as he straightened himself. The human rested a hand over his face and shook his head as if to wake himself from a stupor. She only managed a single step forward when he suddenly spoke in that commanding tone again, “I want to make another deal.”

Kirie stumbled upon hearing this. She ran up to him and nudged him on the shoulder. “Woah woah, hold up. The contract is done.”

“Yes, we're already in your party,” Asa said. “We can leave. Mother finished the rest.”

Alphonse nodded. He looked at his palm where stray blood had gathered. “Yeah, I know. But we can't go on like this. I've already come this far. I have to go all in.”

Kirie sputtered as an impossible number of questions came to her at once. She wasn't sure if it was his exhaustion or the lack of blood, but what he was saying didn't make a bit of sense.

She gave up and shouted to her mother, “What is he doing?”

She flinched when she saw her mother's face. Rinka was staring at Alphonse with an expression Kirie had never seen before. There was a glint in her shivering eyes as her attention fully focused on the human. She was completely enamored and overcome with the thrill of the adventurer's risks. A hand covered her mouth while the other pulled at the side of her dress anxiously.

Alphonse's voice pressed for Kirie's attention. She saw that his determined eyes were locked on her. In front of him was the transparent profile that displayed his name and stats.

Kirie saw the image begin to shake. Parts of it were completely stable, while other portions flickered and vanished for full seconds.

"You can't be serious," she said.

Alphonse ignored the comment. “You meant it when you said that you'd clear the way for us, right?”

Kirie glowered at him. “Of course I did. I'll crush anyone. Just give me the word.”

He turned and stared at Asa with the same conviction. “You meant it when you said you'd keep us alive?”

Asa's lips quivered and she straightened herself. Kirie hadn't seen her sister so prone to emotion in a long time. “Yes. I'll create the best defenses for us. Nothing will get through.”

Alphonse breathed a relieved sigh. “Thanks. I just needed to hear that again." He grasped at his chest and took a few deep breaths. “Let's see if this works. I'm holding you two to this wager.”

He invoked the next offer, “I offer my strength and constitution stats and transfer them to Kirie!”

Kirie and Asa leaned closer. "You really are..."

“I offer my intelligence and focus stats and transfer them to Asa!”

"...Crazy!" they both shouted.

A flash of red light consumed the book. Two pairs of chains burst forth and somehow latched onto the stat screen floating in front of Alphonse.

The disembodied voice made its announcement, “Offer acknowledged. Request acknowledged.”

The transparent screen in front of Alphonse shivered as the values of his strength, constitution, intelligence and focus states reduced to zero.

"Permanent party bond equivalency determined. Exchange approved. Received offer pending further analysis. Seal contract.”

More blood flowed from the incision on his arm. It inscribed itself upon two adjacent pages. Accompanying chains materialized from the book and sought out Kirie and Asa. They gyrated around the bewildered catgirls and formed a slow, controlled spiral.

"Receiver located...Kirie.

Amendments required for implementation. Reconfirming equivalency...maintained.

Strength stat received. Constitution stat received.

Receiver located....Asa.

Amendments required for implementation. Reconfirming equivalency...maintained.

Intelligence stat received. Focus stat received."

 

The stat menu reopened in front of Alphonse and presented his party. Kirie's profile only showed the two stats he'd given her with a new value of zero. The same was true for Asa's profile. The aforementioned stats on his profile flashed with increased urgency until they vanished.

"Awaiting further offers," the contract announced.

Alphonse grinned and shook his head. "Nah, think I'm good."

"Acknowledged. Will revert to standby."

The glow from the contract receded as it slowly closed. It collapsed to the ground with a dull thud that resounded off the walls of the oasis.

The occupants of the Submerged Oasis all stared at the closed book on the floor as a deep silence enveloped them. Words were pointless to fully comprehend what was written upon the pages -- the changes it promised and the possibilities afforded.

Kirie stared at her hands and flexed her fingers. She clenched a fist until it trembled slightly and released as if to enact some sort of spell. She'd expected to feel some change undergo her body. Not necessarily anything visible, but perhaps a lighter sensation or increased strength as her fingers curled. Then again, these stats that enhanced natural ability started at zero, just like the outworlders.

Alphonse sighed. “So, that's it.” His arms hung limp at his side, and he took an unsteady step forward as the adrenaline left him.

Kirie grabbed him under the arm as he nearly fell forward. Asa knelt next to him and ran an appraisal spell to check his condition. When she found nothing serious, they swung one of his arms over each of their shoulders and helped him upright.

“Didn't expect that-to be so tiring,” he gasped.

Kirie slapped him on the back good-naturedly. “Well, you did give up a bit of blood, you crazy bastard.”

“And you could also use some more sleep,” Asa added.

Alphonse laughed. “Oh, yeah? And whose fault is that?”

Asa's face puffed up in a pout. She moved closer to nudge him a bit as they led him to the dais.

Kirie looked up and saw that her mother had descended the stairs and waited on the lowest step. She sat down and motioned for them to lay Alphonse down. She rested her hands on his shoulders and eased him back.

“You really caught me by surprise,” Rinka said.

Alphonse's eyelids fluttered as he struggled to stay conscious. “Yeah, well, Kirie said she could beat anyone, even without stats. So I wondered what she could do with them.” He looked at Kirie. “You have no excuse for losing now.”

She lightly punched him on the shoulder. “You sneaky bastard. But you're right.”

"Sounds like a wager to me,” Asa chimed in.

Alphonse groaned and rested a wrist on his forehead. “Ugh, I'm tired of wagers."

Kirie leaned forward. “Oh, I wanna hear this!”

Asa clasped her hands and rested them on Alphonse's chest. “If we fail to uphold our promise, then Alphonse can request anything he wants from us. But if we succeed...”

Kirie clenched a fist. “Oh, I like this! And with that contract, we can probably get more out of the deal when we win!”

“Not a chance,” Alphonse interjected.

Kirie's shoulders slumped. “Aw.”

Asa shook her head exasperated. “You ruined it, sis.”

Alphonse gave them a knowing smirk and went back to staring up at the rippling waters of the oasis. “Taking advantage of my exhaustion to the very end. Fine, I'll bite. How long will this wager last?”

Rinka patted his head. “A discussion for another time. Stay here for a while and recuperate." She nodded to her daughters. "You'll also need practice working together as a party. And it seems I'll need some time to make other preparations after that second offering. Trust me, it'll be worth it.”

The beastkin looked at Alphonse for confirmation. When he didn't respond, they realized he was already asleep.

---

Rinka urged her daughters to bring Alphonse some blankets and anything else available to make him comfortable. She didn't want them disturbing his rest by moving him.

She ran her fingers through his disheveled hair as he slept soundly. His even breathing soothed her.

Humans can be so interesting, she thought. She rested a hand on his chest and marveled at his calm heartbeat.

Her daughters could finally leave this place. Alphonse even gave them a gift to aid in their survival. He had taken advantage of her explanation concerning the bond. The contract claimed the values of the strength, constitution, intelligence and focus stats from Alphonse. In return, they were transferred to her daughters with a base starting value. Such a deal in the present would seem like a loss, but now those stats had been applied to individuals who could make greater use of them for the future. His foremost thoughts were on his new party as a whole.

Over the years, she always regretted making the deal with her contract that bound her family to the oasis. She'd done it out of desperation for their safety, but perhaps she might've found another way given enough time.

But it was all in the past now. Alphonse gave them another opportunity to truly live.

Rinka closed her eyes and took in the silence. Please, do the right thing, my daughters. Don't squander this chance he's given you. Live well.