"My love, I have brought ye some tea."

Noah groaned and lifted his head slightly, looking at Chastity. She was on her knees at the foot of the large, circular bed he had slept alone in the night before. Noah sat up and took the cup, sipping the tea. It had a strong, earthy taste he didn't like, but he still drank it. He was tired. Still squinting, he looked at the orange light coming in through the curtains. It was sunrise.

"Ye nie like it?" asked Chastity, still on her knees.

Noah shook his head no but said, "It's alright." He took another sip and then looked at Chastity. She was smiling at him, and the warm glow of sunrise made her look even more beautiful than she already was. "Can I kiss you?" asked Noah.

"I nie think so. I nie think that should happen again. Not but if we be in the throes of wedded love. Then none can blame us."

"I still don't get that," said Noah, sipping his tea again. "Why does it matter?"

"It be unholy." She sat next to Noah on the bed. "The Eye be watching us. We must abide by civilized ways, else the Eye will obliterate us."

"Have you ever seen someone get deleted by the Eye?" asked Noah.

"Nie, not personally. But each follows the law of the Eye. At the least, all elves do. Civility and tradition be what sets us apart from the beasts."

Noah squinted at her. "But we are a type of beast, aren't we?"

"What do ye mean?" she asked curiously.

"Humans. And elves, I guess, since they apparently come from humans, right? We're all animals."

"What madness speak ye now? We be not beasts. Maybe ye are one! Or ye were last night! Ahh!" she exclaimed, clutching the orange gems hanging around her neck. "Got me again! This damn necklace be much fun! Yet perhaps I shall take it off for today." She took off the necklace and balled it in her fist.

Noah chuckled at her. He had not expected her to enjoy the necklace as much as she seemed to. "We're all animals. Like... Humans come from animals. We evolved from simpler animals, who were kind of like humans, but kind of like animals." He was referring to apes, but he was sure Chastity hadn't heard of them.

"Like the human-beast hybrids in the north? Like the bear-man Angel and I rescued ye from the day we first met?"

"No, not like that. I mean, imagine something that's kind of like a person but with long arms and hair all over its body. They can't speak, and they're not as smart as people, but they're smarter than dogs."

"Sounds like yer describing men," said Chastity.

Noah rolled his eyes. "We evolved from animals like that. And those animals evolved from even simpler animals."

Chastity squinted skeptically. "I have nie seen such a beast with mine eyes. Have ye?"

"Yes, once or twice." At the zoo as a kid.

"Strange. But how know ye that humans came from them? Mayhap the Eye created them when it created humans, and the semblance is but a hap?"

"No," said Noah, "We know we descended from them. Back in my time, who knows when, but I think it must have been thousands of years ago, or tens of thousands, or maybe more. A long time ago, when I was born, people discovered how creatures evolve. They have something tiny inside them called DNA that stores the instructions for life, and these instructions change over time and mix when two creatures mate. Over time, the DNA that survives is the DNA of creatures that survive better, so animals change to suit their environment."

"Yer saying man changed from animals because man be better suited to his environment?"

"Basically," said Noah.

"But why wouldn't the Eye just make the beasts how it wanted them? Why make them grow and change over time?"

"Chastity, when I was born, there was no Eye. The world was very different."

"No Eye? Yer saying humans came before the Eye? Nobody verily knows what befell so long ago, but we be taught that the Eye created humans, and then one day it cleaved them apart into the diverse humanborn races, including elves."

"No," said Noah. "There wasn't an Eye in the sky when I was born. Just the moon."

"But there must have been at least the Brain, else how would ye have found out such arcane knowledge as the D-N-As?" asked Chastity.

"We just figured it out on our own. There was no magic or gods or anything back then."

"Then how came the gods to be?" Chastity shook her head. "I have a hard time believing all this, Noah, though I suppose ye would know better than any. And yer my husband, so whatever ye say must be so."

"Well, I'd rather you made up your own mind than just trusting me because I'm your husband-"

"Chastity!" a female voice shrieked from the hallway outside Chastity's unit. Noah heard someone burst through the door. "Ye better not be yet a-snoozing! Ye'd better not be, ye lazy ilfling!" Noah recognized the voice of Chastity's mother.

She turned the corner and saw Noah and Chastity sitting together on the round bed. "Ahh!" she shrieked. "I am full sorry!" She quickly bowed in the doorway, her red hair falling in front of her ashamed face. "I nie meant to intrude on yer wedding bed! I merely meant to wake ye!" She was standing in the hallway but no longer looking into the room.

"It be alright, mother," moaned Chastity. She stood up and went to talk to her mother in the hallway. "We be awake."

Noah shuffled to sit at the edge of the bed and listened to Chastity's mom, who was shouting again. "Yer still in yer nightgown! The sun is up, worm-head! How are ye not ready? Are ye stupid?"

"Noah was sleeping-" replied Chastity defensively.

"Then let him sleep! But yer an elf woman, are ye not? Ye should be ready before he even dreams it might be day soon! Are ye still an ilfling? I told ye that ye'd mar yer marriage, and more than that! For the Queen is awaiting ye right now!"

"What?" asked Chastity, sounding surprised. Noah stood and walked toward the doorway.

"Yes! She will be expecting ye in mere minutes! Ye'd better both get ready! Ye should be ashamed, Chastity! What if Noah loses face before the Queen by cause of yer childishness?"

Noah poked his head out of the bedroom. "Is everything okay?" He looked at Chastity, whose head was down in shame, and then at her mom, whose pointy nose was raised high.

"Yes, all is well; I am but chastising my impossible daughter," said Chastity's mom in a lofty tone.

Noah stared her down for a few seconds. "Surely that's my job now," he said. He was taking a chance, but he thought maybe Chastity's mom was behaving inappropriately, even for an elf. If elves were all sexists (and racists), then he thought maybe her mom would have to listen to him.

"Err- Yes, my lord," said Chastity's mom with surprised eyes, bowing deeply toward Noah. Noah felt satisfied that he had guessed correctly. "I beg deeply yer pardon if I have overstepped. But ye two must hasten!"

"We will," said Noah firmly. "Thank you. You can go."

"Yes. I will. Thank you, sir," said the mom quietly, bowing again twice as she backed away and left Chastity's apartment.

Chastity turned to look at Noah. Her mouth was hanging open. "Ye scared her off like ye were a visnake! That was wondrous! Only my father can scare her so!" She moved toward Noah, froze for a second, and then pecked him on the cheek, smiling.

"Ah-" Noah started, but Chastity cut him off.

"Shh! Say nothing of it! Come, we must get ready in a hurry if we're not to offend the Queen!"

***

"It be stuck to my pelvis, Cardi! 'Tis horrid!" whispered Berenice to Cardi as the two of them walked swiftly through the idyllic, early-morning streets of Hoomtree.

"Oh, come on!" said Cardi, pausing to look around. Speaking in the streets of Hoomtree was prohibited, so she had to make sure no elves were walking. Though it was early, and the city was just starting to come to life, so there was almost nobody around. "You seemed so proud of it the other night! You were all, 'Oh, Noah, get on your knees and suck on my-'"

"Cardi!" Berenice whisper-shouted. "Thou art too clamorous!"

"I just don't see what the problem is. You were having so much fun strutting around with it. It suits you, I think," said Cardi, still not lowering her voice.

"I was but fooling around! I must fetch the flesh scanner to rid it hence. 'Tis blue, Cardi! 'Tis visible beneath mine wool!" Berenice was walking in short steps, with both hands covering her crotch, hiding the flaccid blue penis that was anchored to her pelvis, obscured only partly by her wool. She was blushing as much as her black skin would allow.

"Won't that offend Chastity's parents? Why didn't you do it before Noah gave it to them?" asked Cardi.

"Had I known he'd gift the device, certainly I'd have removed it before," whispered Berenice. An elderly elf woman passed by, and Berenice stopped speaking until the woman was out of earshot. "I shall inquire her parents for the loan of it. Perchance, they'll allow it and be offended not. Yet now we must go to the audience with the Queen. How mortifying this is!"

"We could still go back to our room to get the Mirage Necklace," Cardi suggested.

"We lack the time! A pox on my memory, Cardi! How could I forget mine artifacts after I did bathe!"

***

"There you are," said Sven to Noah as he approached. "The chamberlain is having a fit."

"Sorry," said Noah.

"The girls are already inside. But I thought we should wait for you out here."

"Thanks," said Noah.

"Let's go already," said Jori. Noah nodded, and he and Sven followed the little flameblooded sheeple into the meeting area.

They were in the gardens of the royal palace. There were a lot of elves around. Mostly guards. There were no colourful flags or royal banners -- the greenery itself was the standard of Hoomtree.

"Ah, they be here, they be here!" said a one-eyed, hobbling elf. "Good, good! Come, the Queen awaits ye!" He waived Noah, Sven, and Jori to follow him through an arbour into the meeting area, which was surrounded on all sides by hedges and sculpted trees.

Inside, there were many guards. The Queen was standing on a sort of natural elevated stage of grass. She wore an ornamented beige and green dress, and a wooden crown hovered an inch above her head. It glowed with green magic. Behind her sat a demure man dressed in similar earthly regalia, presumably her husband, the Prince-Consort. Also on the stage was another male elf who was dressed more practically and wielded a short bow in one hand.

Guards holding spears lined the edges of the area. In the center of the area, facing the stage, were Berenice and Cardi. Berenice was covering her crotch with both hands, which Noah immediately noticed.

They joined Berenice and Cardi. Chastity bowed deeply to the Queen, nearly touching the ground with her nose, and the rest of the group did the same.

"Noah, Adventurer. Ye be late," Spoke the Queen firmly with her chin raised. "Do they not teach other kinds it be rude to keep a queen awaiting?"

"I wasn't aware we had chosen a specific time," said Noah. He noticed the man standing with the Queen on the stage was annoyed at this comment. Maybe he expected Noah to be more respectful, like that snivelling chamberlain.

"Then ye be ignorant as well as late. But we may forgive yer tardiness and more with the great service ye have done for the Green Crown. Ye have saved hundreds of lives by bringing us the cure, and we are in yer debt. We be giving ye an audience with us as payment for this debt. We know there is something ye wished to discuss with us? Speak, Noah, Adventurer." The Queen stared down at Noah with fierce eyes. Noah felt intimidated but also indignant, like she ought to be more thankful to him.

"Wait, hundreds of lives? I thought the disease was killing a whole bunch of elves, wasn't it? Anyway, I am not here to cash in a favour; I am actually here to do another favour for you by warning you of something, so I guess you'll owe me two favours." Noah wore a cocky smile.

The Queen scoffed. "The Green Crown pays not favours for information, as we be by natural right entitled to any information you have that be relevant to the safety of our nation. Ye shall tell us what ye know out of respect as a guest of Hoomtree."

Noah heard Jori grumble behind him, and he couldn't help but agree. "Or I could just not tell you at all if you're implying you wouldn't even be grateful for the information."

"Noah," muttered Chastity quietly in warning.

"Insolent round-ear!" shouted the bulky man with the bow in his hand. The Queen silenced him with a subtle raising of her hand, barely moving more than a finger.

"Of course we should be grateful for any information ye give us, just as we be grateful for yer gifts already given. Ye be held in high esteem among elves, and we shall continue to respect ye so long as ye give us no cause to do otherwise, nie? Now, ye be free to tell us yer warnings if ye wish."

"So you would prefer to hear the warning, then?" All this beating around the bush was causing Noah to get progressively more annoyed. Why was the Queen being so difficult? Why couldn't she just say she wanted to know what Noah had to say?

"The Green Crown would not insist one way or another," spoke the Queen.

"Then maybe I should flip a coin," said Noah. The Queen's right-hand man scrunched his face in anger, but he stayed quiet. He caught a brief smile on Sven's face beside him, but Sven quickly hid his amusement.

The Queen paused with a serious face for several seconds before responding. "Hoomtree has no use for metal coinage. But ye would know that not, would ye? Tell us, what is yer kind. We acknowledge we be curious."

"I'm a human," said Noah. "A true human, or whatever."

The Queen raised one eyebrow. "I knew not we were in the presence of a true human. If I had known that, we would have had a much grander celebration yesternight."

"The celebration was adequate," said Noah.

The Queen smiled. "We be pleased to hear so. So, true human, what be yer class?"

Noah froze. He certainly couldn't admit he was a Heretic. The elves weren't keen on the other gods. He tried to think of something to say. What other classes were there? Warrior, Leader, and Mage, right? But what were the subclasses?

Sven stepped forward and spoke. "Surely, the universal taboo against asking one's class persists even in Hoomtree?"

The Queen turned her head slowly to glare at Sven. "Yes, the elves adhere to many norms, such as that against intruding into a talk yer not a part of, for example. Without rules and rituals, a civilization is not civil. And we merely meant to give Noah, Adventurer, the opportunity to share his class if he so chose -- we will not pry. Noah, why not tell us this warning ye've been dying to give us?"

"Alright," said Noah, sighing in relief. "It's about Emperor Antimogne. You know him, right?"

The Queen furrowed her brow. "I know not such a person."

Chastity stepped forward and bowed deeply. "The Emperor of the Bestretched, Yer Highness; please forgive me."

The Queen's face lit up in recognition. "Ah! That Emperor! I thank ye, Chastity, Diplomat. He be a danger to Hoomtree?" She looked back at Noah.

"No, not to Hoomtree. Not directly. He plans on killing the Eye."

The meeting area fell silent, and the Queen gasped. "How came ye to this information?" she asked.

"Same way I got the cure to your disease. I stole it. He's gonna use the golgotha's Tower and a combination of artifacts to kill the Eye. At least, that's what he plans. We have to stop him," said Noah.

"So yer requesting our aid in stopping him," said the Queen.

"I'm not *requesting* anything," said Noah. "I'm letting you know that if you don't send your dragons and whatever else you have to go stop him, he's gonna kill your precious little Eye," said Noah, pointing up at the Eye. Noah wasn't sure if he was mistaken, but he thought he saw the Queen smile at him in response to his insolence.

"How dare ye!" shouted the Queen's right-hand man. He pointed his bow at Noah and rapidly fired off an arrow in his direction. Noah could barely get the words "Ether Walk" past his lips before the arrow passed through his head, right between his eyes. He turned and looked behind him. The arrow had passed between Cardi and Berenice and stuck into the body of one of the guards, exploding into a mess of vines and flowers, which encircled the man's limbs and neck and strangled him to death.

"What?" someone spoke over the sounds of the dying elf's last choking breaths. "Where be the round-ear?"

"What be this magic?"

"It be heresy!" shouted the man who had fired the bow.

After a few seconds, Noah became visible again, standing right where he was before. He wasn't sure if the man would shoot him again, so he was ready to Ether Walk again if need be.

"Temerity, that is enough!" scolded the Queen.

"But he is a Heretic!" shouted the man. "That magic -- it be that of a Heart Heretic!"

"Be this so?" the Queen asked sternly of Noah. He could see Chastity looking wide-eyed at him, waiting for his response.

"Yes," Noah finally admitted. "I am a Heart Heretic. I chose the class before I even knew what a heretic was. But I'm not gonna apologize for it. I think the Heart is a good god. I won't say I worship her, but I like that she seems to actually care about people."

"See!" shouted Temerity, "That be why he travels with that pink woman with the heart insignia on her forehead! She must be a Heretic, too! They be heretics all!" The man brandished his bow, waiting for the Queen to authorize him and the guards to fall upon the group.

"Noah!" cried Chastity. "Ye be a Heretic? How could it be?"

The Queen shouted at Noah. "Despite our gratitude for the gifts ye have given, Noah, Adventurer, the Green Crown will suffer Heretics not-"

Temerity interrupted his queen. "We shall repay our debt by making yer death swift!"

"Wait!" Noah cried, but it was no use. At once, Temerity fired another arrow at Noah, forcing him to Ether Walk again. At the same time, the guards around the edge of the meeting area began to attack with their spears, marching forward and encircling the group.

Noah stepped away from the combat, phasing through a spear-wielding unarmored guard, heading to the shadow of a nearby hedge. From there, he watched the battle begin and considered what he should do.

The moment the second arrow was fired, the Prince-Consort stood from where he sat and raised his hand, moving it in a small circle, causing a circular wall of force to materialize between the Queen and Noah's group. Temerity had to take two steps away from the Queen to step outside the shelter of the wall of force so he could continue to attack.

The guards closed in on the group, cautiously jabbing their spears at them. Noah could see that when they tried to strike with their spears, the spear would split in two and strike two locations simultaneously -- the result of some class ability, no doubt.

"Stop!" screamed Cardi, as she took the tip of a spear to her shoulder. "Everyone stop! Flurry of Hearts!" A thousand opaque, red, heart-shaped bubbles shot forward from her, enveloping three of the guards, who looked around in confusion, blinded by the bubbles.

At the same time, Berenice was screaming. She didn't look larger than usual, nor did she look to be made of metal, and Noah wondered if she wasn't wearing her artifacts. Had she not brought them? She stepped back, away from the spears, toward the center of the group, bumping into Chastity, who was also backing away from the spears. Chastity was unarmed and did not have Angel with her, so she wouldn't be much use. But she seemed to position herself on Noah's side, against the elves, which Noah thought was a good sign. Maybe she could forgive him for being a Heretic?

Jori and Sven didn't need an invitation to start attacking the guards. Jori sidestepped both strikes of one of the guards and hit him on the chin with a flaming uppercut, causing his head to explode upward in a shower of fire and blood. Sven backed away from the spears and held his wand out toward the guards, pulling a large strip of flesh from one guard's hand and arm, causing him to drop his spear. The guard screamed.

Noah looked at the Queen. One of her hands was touching her crown, and she looked uncertain, watching the battle. Noah guessed the crown was some kind of artifact, and she was deciding whether or not to activate it. Seeing all the action, Noah wanted to help his friends, but he wasn't sure how. His Tesla Rod would be about as likely to hit his allies as the guards, and the micro-missiles had the same problem. He had a utility knife on him, but he was no good at fighting hand-to-hand. He froze, trying to figure out what to do.

Temerity fired another arrow, which missed Sven and landed on the ground, causing vines and flowers to explode harmlessly on the grass. He then held his bow aside and raised his hands, speaking something Noah couldn't hear. Noah watched as the grass underneath his friends began shaking and whirling, stabbing and slicing at their feet, causing Cardi and Berenice both to fall over. The ability affected an area of grass only about 6 feet in diameter, but it was right underneath most of Noah's allies. Chastity hopped from one foot to the other, screaming but avoiding falling onto the razor-sharp grass like Cardi and Berenice. Sven hovered in the air in response to this attack and turned to face Temerity, reaching his hand out toward him.

Jori dashed away from the violent grass and tried to punch another guard in the head, but a small circle of force appeared in front of his fist, blocking the shot. From Jori's pained reaction, Noah could tell it was like punching a wall. He looked around in confusion, not understanding that the source of the wall of force was the Prince-Consort.

Berenice scrambled to her feet and dodged multiple spear strikes as she lunged away from the whirring blades of grass, tackling one of the guards. She managed to lift him up over her head and throw him at another guard.

Cardi was screaming, writhing on the ground as hundreds of blades of grass cut into her flesh. But a second later, two of the guards -- two of the guards that had been touched by her heart bubbles -- dropped their spears and ran in to save her, pulling her from the magical grass. Her back was sliced and bleeding, but she wasn't seriously injured.

Jori took a spear strike to the leg and fell onto one knee. He managed to grab and break the spear that had struck him, however, and the guard who had stabbed him was quickly jump-kicked by Berenice. Noah heard a snapping sound when she made contact, and he went flying. She was like a bull, knocking the guards who were much larger than her around like they were nothing.

Sven tried to use his magic to tear Temerity's flesh, but Temerity fired an arrow at Sven, and Sven had to duck out of the way. The arrow missed. Temerity stepped forward, firing more arrows, which Sven managed barely to avoid, using his blood magic to cut Temerity's hands at just the right time to throw off his aim. Chastity also had to hop aside to avoid taking an arrow to the chest.

The Queen still looked like she was deciding whether or not she needed to activate her artifact. She seemed torn, but the look of determination on her face made Noah worry she was coming to a decision. By now, Noah had a plan. He allowed himself to fall into the shadow beneath him and rolled out of a shadow behind the Queen. In two steps, he was behind her, dragging her backward and down, putting his knife to her throat.

"Oh!" he heard the Queen quietly exclaim.

"Stop! Stop fighting! The Queen! The Queen!" shouted Temerity. Slowly, the fighting stopped as guards managed to disengage, and all eyes turned to Noah.

The Queen looked up at Noah, who was stooping over her from behind, holding the knife against the side of her neck. She had to raise her eyebrows to look at him, and she seemed to be blushing and trembling. "Please," she whimpered.

"Let go of her at once!" said Temerity, holding his bow but not daring to point it at Noah. The Prince-Consort and the guards also all stood at the ready, none daring to move.

"I don't think I will," said Noah.

The Queen blinked twice and swallowed. In the moment of silence before she spoke, Cardi and one of the injured guards could be heard groaning in pain. Finally, she regained her composure and spoke with authority. "Enough, all of ye! Temerity, we are aghast! We nie ordered no violence. Or has the shock of our most honoured guest holding his blade to our throat caused us to forget the order of events?"

Now Temerity was the one in shock. He fumbled over his words. "Ye- Yer Highness, they be Heretics! Ye know what we do to Heretics! What we have always done!"

"Yes, to elfin Heretics! But, despite being married to an elf, this man be not an elf, and lives not even within Hoomtree! Our religious laws do not apply to him. Besides, elves value propriety above all else, and this young hero has restrained himself perfectly. Else now we'd be dead upon the floor! Ye should have learned such restraint, Temerity, or at least learned yer place!"

Temerity stepped back, the Queen's words striking him like arrows. "Yer Highness, please! This man does pose a threat to the entire nation-"

The Queen glared at Temerity as she interrupted him. "And that is for ye to decide? Ye are the monarch, not I? I would give ye my crown to wear, but ye'll soon have no head to wear it upon!" She briefly exchanged a knowing glance with the Prince-Consort, who pivoted and stepped toward Temerity, raising his hand.

Temerity's mouth hung open as he looked between the Queen and the Prince-Consort. He was too shocked to even attempt to defend himself. A small disk of force materialized at the level of his throat and then accelerated quickly forward, severing his head from his body. Both fell to the grassy stage below, bleeding into the soil.

After a few seconds, the Queen spoke to Noah in a manner that was both friendly and firm. "Though I do not much *mind* being in yer strong arms, young man, ye may now let me go." She was raising one eyebrow at him when she said it.

Noah felt momentarily embarrassed that he was still holding the Queen, but then realized he was in control of the situation, not her, and that, while he should let her go, he shouldn't let her act like that was what he *should* do. He held her head tighter and drew the knife away from her, but allowed the edge to graze her throat as he did so. The Queen gasped slightly as a slight line of red formed on her brown throat. "Oops," said Noah in a way that made it clear it was not an accident. He stood up, but the Queen remained sitting.

The Queen looked up at him, squinting her eyes slightly. Finally, she smiled and stood up. "Chamberlain, pray, fetch the life mages for the surviving guards and our hurted guests," she said to the cowering chamberlain at the entrance to the meeting area. He nodded twice, and scurried away.

Berenice fell to her knees, holding Cardi, who was still groaning in pain. Sven stood protectively next to Jori, who was injured but didn't make a sound.

The Queen spoke royally to Noah. "On behalf of the entire nation of Hoomtree, we do solemnly apologize for the actions of our *former* chief advisor. Ye may be Heretics, which is a severe religious trespass, but he was a traitor, which is worse. We thank ye for revealing to me his insolence."

"I didn't do it for you," Noah said. "So, about those dragons..."

"Dragons?" asked the Queen haughtily. "What dragons? Ye mean our royal dragons? Ye simply cannie have them. We would love to loan them to ye, verily I would. I full respect yer restraint and... yer vigor. Yet, we require the dragons for our defence. Otherwise, the gnoms would fall upon us, and all would be lost."

"But all will be lost if we don't stop Antimogne, too. Surely you can spare some of your forces," said Noah.

The Queen smiled and nodded. "Aye, anything, anything at all we can give to ye, Noah, Adventurer, and it shall be yours. We can see yer true nature now. We see ye fight for good and not evil. Even though ye be a Heretic. We deeply appreciate a man like ye. Truly, ye remind us of our husband." Noah looked at the Prince-Consort, who returned Noah's gaze and nodded at him in respect. He then looked back at the Queen, who stepped closer to him and spoke so only he could hear. "In fact, our husband, Resolve, loves to show his appreciation for couragous, virtuous young men like yerself, as do we. Pray, before ye depart northward, ye and yer new wife simply *must* join Resolve and us in our wedding bed. If ye do, we may even suffer ye one of our dragons!"

Noah blinked. He was not expecting that. "Umm," he muttered.

The Queen spoke, this time more loudly, as the chamberlain returned with a group of life mages who began healing the injured. "This meeting is concluded! Our servants will help to prepare ye all for yer trip northward, and ye shall be given one squad of elite warriors to assist." She lowered her voice again, speaking to Noah. "Bring Chastity to the palace at high noon and meet with us in our chambers. Be not late this time."

Noah didn't respond, and the Queen turned and left the meeting area, followed by her husband and her guards. The chamberlain and life mages stayed.

"There thou art, Cardi. 'Tis much better, see?" said Berenice, who was cradling Cardi while a life mage healed her back and legs. Noah could see that a dusky blue appendage was dangling below Berenice's crotch. Did Berenice have a dick? Why was it blue? He was curious, but he wanted to talk to Chastity.

"Yes, oh, it's so much better. Thank you!" Cardi said to the life mage, who nodded back at her.

Jori was being similarly healed, but Noah was concerned only for Chastity, who was sitting at the edge of the stage with a life mage tending to her feet. She looked in Noah's direction but downward, avoiding eye contact.

Noah walked to the edge of the stage and sat next to her. She spoke to him first. "Ye fought well."

"Thanks," he said.

"Better than I. If only Angel had come."

"Yeah," said Noah.

Chastity let out a sigh of relief as the pain in her feet began to subside. She then returned her attention to Noah. "So, yer a Heretic of the Heart. Once again, I find that I know not who ye be."

Noah was nervous, and his stomach felt weak. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."

"Did ye think I would not accept ye if I knew yer class? Yer likely right. I may have even attacked ye on the spot, for nothing be worse than a Heretic. Ye reject the one true god."

"I didn't choose the class because I hated the Eye or anything-" protested Noah, but Chastity cut him off.

"I heard. Ye chose the class because ye were -- and are -- daft, and knew not better. Still, yer a Heretic. And still," said Chastity, "Ye harbour sympathy for the Heart, do ye not?"

"I mean, yeah, I guess so. She cares about people's well-being. I'm not even supposed to kill people, or she screams at me and takes away my powers. And you've met Cardi. She's so nice, isn't she? How could you hate someone like her?"

"I hate her not," sighed Chastity. "I hate ye not, neither. If yer a Heretic, then so am I, for I am yer wife. Ye lead, and I follow, even if ye lead me into misery and endless shame."

Noah's eyes began to well with tears. He felt ashamed for upsetting Chastity and for lying to her, if not for actually thinking the Heart made a better god than the Eye. "I'm sorry, Chastity. I'm sorry for not being honest with you, and I'm sorry I've made you feel misery and shame. I won't apologize for believing in the Heart, though. Of all the gods who offered themselves to me when I became a Heretic, she was the only one who seemed good. Besides the Ear, maybe. That's the justice one, right? But the rest seemed either neutral or evil. The Eye wasn't one of the options, of course, but the Eye also seems more neutral than good. What does it really do? Why do people worship it, other than the fact that it's huge, and in the sky? They say the Eye created life on Earth, but I know that isn't true, because I was alive before the Eye ever existed."

"Enough, Noah. I can't stand listening to this heresy!" she cried, with tears dripping down her face. "Ye mean well, I can see that, but yer words be poison to mine heart! Mayhaps, in time, I shall build a tolerance to yer poison, but for now, yer words do sting. Eye, my life as I knew it be over, nie? We shall never be accepted in Hoomtree, not even if ye have the Queen's favour. So, let us seek a life together elsewhere, yea? Once this is all over? Let us find some quiet place and rue civilization together. It would not be the first time in mine life that I hated Hoomtree and all it stood for. If we must be Eyeless heretics, let us do it together, away from this perfect place. It has always been too perfect for me. Mine ears be too short. I only need ye. Mine husband. Yea?" She looked at him with a vulnerable expression, and his heart melted. He wished he could kiss her or hold her. Actually, they were leaving Hoomtree anyway, and maybe she would allow it.

He decided to risk it. Noah leaned forward and kissed Chastity. She moaned in protest, but then allowed herself to sink into the kiss, crying while Noah held her head from behind and passionately kissed her. He pulled away from her, and she called him a pervert. The life mage was staring at them in disapproval.

Chastity smiled warmly at Noah. "Mayhaps we should go back to mine spire now? We have to pack for our journey northward, but before that, mayhaps we could... rest together? In yer bed, I mean?" From the way she bit her lip slightly and looked up at him with a slightly not-so-innocent expression, he could sense what she meant.

"Actually," said Noah, "I would love that, but in a while, the Queen expects us to visit *her* bed. Or, I guess, the Prince-Consort's bed. She invited us both to come..."

Chastity's mouth hung open in surprise. "Really? Incredible! She must have been full impressed by ye!"

"Yeah, she even said if we come, then she might lend us one of her dragons."

"Verily? Then we must go! Not that I need convincing. If ye find her attractive, then we must go! Though ye know they say the Prince-Consort be secretly a queer, nie? If we go, ye may be expected to please not only just the Queen."

"Oh, God," said Noah.

***

In the hours before their meeting at the palace, Chastity and Noah packed for their journey north. Noah also realized that during the fight, he had levelled up, as did Chastity.

Chastity and Noah both sat quietly in her living room with their eyes closed, levelling up. It had been years since Chastity had levelled up, and she was ecstatic, smiling with her eyes closed. Angel was curled up on the floor next to her feet. Noah was excited, too, but level-ups came more easily to him.

[Level up! You have reached level 8! You have gained 4 stat points!]

[Level 8]

[Stats:]
[STR: 10 | DEX: 11 | BOD: 10 | INT: 15 (max) | SOC 15 | LUK 15 | MAG 0 | DIV 8]

[4 stat points available]
[+STR | +DEX | +BOD | +SOC | +LUK | +MAG | +DIV]

[0/0 Mana]
[8/8 Favor]

[Class: Heretic]
[Class abilities:]
[Patron: You have a powerful bond with one of the outer gods. Your current patron is: The Heart]
[Second Chance (passive) - You get a +4 passive bonus to LUK when luck would be the difference between you living and dying.]
[Ether Walk [2 favor] - Your Dash is replaced with an Ether Walk lasts for up to 6 seconds, but does not give you any increased speed. You are invisible and invulnerable during the Walk.]
[Shadowwalker (passive) - Your Ether Walk does not decrease in duration when you are in a shadow. ]
[Shadow Steps (passive) At any time, you can step into a shadow as if it were a portal, and emerge from any other shadow you can see. Replaces Shadow Step.]

He was happy about how his increased Social skill had been serving him. He felt more confident and skilled in conversations. But an increased Social skill wouldn't help him fight Antimogne directly. He decided to split his new stat points -- two in Social, and two in Luck.

[+ SOC] [+ SOC] [+ LUK] [+ LUK]

Next, he took a look at the abilities screen.

[Shadow Rush (passive) - Whenever you pass through a creature during your Ether Walk, that creature is blinded for 10 seconds. You are 25% faster during Ether Walk.]
[Aura of Shadow [2 Favor] - Create an aura of darkness extending 10 feet from you in all directions. Other creatures can't see through this darkness, and light will not illuminate it. This darkness counts as shadow for the purposes of your class abilities. Lasts up to 10 minutes or until dismissed.]
[Eclipse Strike (passive) - The next strike after exiting your Ether Walk explodes with bright light, dealing extra damage and dazing the target.]

Noah considered his options carefully. He had thought about this a lot. Aura of Shadow seemed like the weakest ability since it cost Favor and would blind his allies. Shadow Rush would be useful against multiple targets, but Eclipse Strike would be strongest against a single target. He was partial to Eclipse Strike because he had no real way to target a single opponent besides sneaking up behind them with a knife, as the recent fight had shown. Eclipse Strike would allow him to emerge from the shadows and blast a single person without hitting his allies. For that reason, he settled on Eclipse Strike.

[+ Eclipse Strike]

He decided not to look at the abilities that would be available at the next level. He had driven himself crazy trying to decide whether to take Shadow Rush or Eclipse Strike, and so decided it would be best to leave future decisions for the future.

He opened his eyes and saw that Chastity was still sitting with her eyes closed, beaming. Noah enjoyed being able to look at her without restraint. She was beautiful, and she was his. She accepted him, even though he was a Heretic. He had not expected her to. He loved her. He loved her soft, brown skin. Her long ears. Her pointy features. Her slender body. His eyes wandered down her body, appreciating her boobs and her wide hips. He jumped and looked away when she started to speak.

"Noah, I be a Beastcaller now! If I ever be without Angel again, I can but say, "Angel, come!" and she shall be by my side, no matter how far away she be!"

"Awesome," Noah said. That would have been useful earlier, during the fight at the royal gardens, he thought.

"Aye! And it only costs me two Favor! Can ye believe it? I be level five! Five! And I be more dextrous than ever! And my total Favor be greater, too!"

"I'm happy for you," said Noah, smiling at her.

"So what did ye choose? And tell me not it be rude to ask. I be yer wife, ye Heretic scum!" Chastity smiled as she teased Noah. "What level are ye, anyway?"

"Oh," said Noah. "I'm level eight now."

Chastity blinked in surprise. "Eight? Who be level eight? Nobody!"

"Yeah, people say it's a true human thing. I level up faster. I chose the ability Eclipse Strike, which lets me stun someone by punching them, basically. It doesn't seem that strong, to be honest. I heard Emperor Antimogne is level eight, too, and he created a whole antimagic star with his level eight ability. I just get to stun people. Granted, it will be impossible for anyone to dodge, since I use it right after I Ether Walk... Are you alright?"

Chastity still seemed shocked at Noah's level. "So, where did ye put yer stats? Not in Social, I assume, ye graceless fool!"

Noah smiled. "I did put a few points into Social, actually. I won't be so graceless anymore. I hope. And I put more points into Luck."

"Luck? Are ye daft? Who levels Luck?"

"Is it not common?"

"It be better than Body, at the least." Chastity paused and looked deviously at Noah. "Come to the bedroom to kiss me. I want to feel yer lips against mine once more, just ye and me, before I must share ye with the Queen."

***

Berenice and Cardi were in their room in one of the spires. It was an unused room that had been lent to them for free when they'd asked about lodgings at city hall. Now, they were sitting while Berenice levelled up.

"Are you done yet? What did you pick?" asked Cardi.

"Eye, Cardi, I shall never be through with all thine interruptions!"

"Sorry! Did you pick your stats at least?"

"Hold thy tongue, Cardi!"

Berenice sat silently for a few more minutes. Finally, she opened her eyes, flinching when she saw that Cardi's face was an inch from hers. "Well?" asked Cardi.

"I got Mega Toss! I knew already I would select that ability. I am now a Hurler!" she exclaimed proudly. "'Twas tricky to assign mine stats. At last, I did settle on Strength for all four points. Thank the Eye I don my Mirage Necklace again, else I might seem brawny to a degree most unseemly for a lady. I shall never doff it again."

"But if you never take it off, how will I see your dick?" asked Cardi.

"My pego? Thou couldst feel for it. Or not, because I intend to be rid of it! Speaking of which, we must find Chastity's parents at once!"