The camp was abuzz, as always, everyone was talking about the big trip. Apparently the ovna woman was going to be taking them to the beach the day. He wasn’t fond of the beach, but it was a good enough way to get some air he supposed. He had been stuck here for four weeks, going through the motions and following the instrus set before him. Py h others, make a few friends, smile, impress with his ability but don’t overdo it. Hold back, save the good stuff for ter.

  He couldn’t shake the feeling, though, that something just wasn’t right. It didn’t feel like the story was wholly his anymore. Like the tone had shifted, the message had ged, yet the guide refused to update every time he tried to shake things up. He ged the phrasing, ged the text, ged everything he could to get the damn thing to show him more of what he o do. It was troubling and frustrating. How could he be the hero if he wasn’t the ter of attentio again, the guide urged him to be patient, so he was-to a degree.

  There was nothing wrong with a few little side-quests, after all.

  He g the blonde girl, the ohat had followed him for the past few days. He narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t sure who she was w for but he had a few thoughts. First of all, her profile came up bnk just like Ishtars. Her power was straoo, it wasn’t one li three. How, he wasn’t sure, nor did he really care. After all, it gave him some clues to work with. If Ishtar was bnk, and she was bnk, and acc to the rumors among the other aspirants, Ishtar could grant powers to people. Then it only stood to reason that this Cass girl was w for her.

  So she has spies here, probably iher camps too. I’ll hold on to that little tidbit, I think. He thought as he walked dowh, putting on his smile and saying his greetings. Each time it made him feel a little sick to his stomach. He had to admit, though, that these things were more iing than he had inally expected. It was almost like a few of them were actual people, more than just the mindless NPCs that poputed this tiresome world. Sonya ovna was one of them. No, she erson, definitely a person. She had a mind of her own, a real one, and he could see something ing behind her games and pyful attitude.

  She’s like me, pying the world around her fingers. I like her. He thought to himself as he g the guide to his left. It appeared again like a page off the i, a walkthrough of the current stage of his story. He frow it with displeasure, The guide is supposed to tell me everything, but it only tells me what I o know to get to the stage. If I want more, I o do more myself. He had never sidered going outside of the bounds of his guide, ag out a sub-plot to build his power.

  Side quests are all about power leveling, after all, He thought with some amusement. I ’t believe I had hought about it. Of course it's necessary. But what oh to do? He mused, crossing his hands behind his bad gng out towards the field again. A is dead, Liberty is a fool, and I am starting to suspect that the inal seven I had pnned on recruiting aren’t going to be worth my time. was stolen from under my nose by Sonya, but she is just a smart person. She wants the best, I don’t begrudge her that.

  He ground his teeth, But Craig and my future hen, killing them, Ishtar, you know something and I do not like it, not at all. He frowned and closed his eyes, he wao sh ht then and there. Carve a beautiful furrow through the gathered aspirants and leave their corpses for the crows. No, they’ll die eventually, not today. I am the hero after all. They should love me, adore me, worship me. He smiled to himself, basking in the moment of visualizing the day when he would finally bring the world crashing down. That moment of despair.

  He savored the thought until something crashed into him. He turned his body with it, blinking a few times and frowning. Who the hell has the audacity to take me out of my musings? He thought with a snarl, turning to look at the head of brown hair that sat on the ground before him. His lip twitched, Oh, the criminal.

  The thing that had been wandering behind the perverse woman from Chicago for the past few weeks was scrambling to pick up a notebook and scattered notes. He looked down at one sheet of paper beh his feet and his lip twitched, he k doicked it up, brushing it off before examining it. Observations oher heroes in camp. Their likes, their dislikes. He is cataloging everyone. His lip twitched; How amusing, is he trying to make friends too? This is more information than is avaible in my guide at least.

  The thing with gsses looked up at him and adjusted them, “O-oh there it is!” The thing said before pausing and looking up at him. “Marc Mallory?” The thing paused and it’s eyes went wide, “O-oh my.”

  He felt it, the sensation of a power toug him. Just like the power that Miss ovna had to suss out the names of powers. He had activated his Immunity Cheat, of course, before shaking the woman’s hand. I was x, He thought with a frown as whatever this thing’s ability was saw through him for a moment. He shut it down by activating the cheat before quickly pulling up the thing’s profile. Ollie Anders, Karmic Threads, he paused, Karmic Threads? And he’s expl details about others. Oho? What are you up to?

  “What did you see?” He asked.

  “So many threads,” Ollie said breathlessly, “Powerful ohousands of them, hundreds of thousands,” He blinked a few times, “W-who are you?”

  “Marc Mallory, you said it yourself,” Otis said with a smile, “And you’re Ollie Anders, the boy who got himself in a bit of trouble, right?”

  Ollie frowned, “I-I suppose.”

  Otis raised an eyebrow and something ged in the walkthrough. He g it and his eyebrows rose. It evolve, wonderful. Side-quests, how novel. He held out the slip of paper, “Ollie, I’m not judging you. We all have skeletons in our closet, don’t we?” He said brightly with a big smile pying on his face, “Nothing to be ashamed of!” He held out his hand, “I’ve been rather rude, haven’t I, I didn’t apologize fetting in your way.”

  Ollie reached up and took his hand, getting to his feet, “I should have been paying attention. Sorry, Marc.”

  “No trouble at all!” Otis said with a smile, “Those are some iing notes you have there, any on me?”

  Ollie scratched his nose, “A bit, you’re hard to track down and read. Your ability is very impressive, though. I’ve only seen it ond-” He started before clearing his throat, “-Promised miss Rouge I wouldn’t ramble at people anymotta get better at it, talking to people.”

  Otis ughed, “You ah!” He said, gng off towards the field, “Between you and me, Miss ovna is sidering signing me if I get a bit better with the whole socializing thing. It’s a challenge I’m afraid,” He sighed dramatically, “But something I o do if I want to achieve my dream.”

  “Killing Ishtar?” Ollie asked.

  Otis gnced his way and raised an eyebrow, “Heroes don’t kill.”

  Ollie swallowed and looked Otis dead in the eyes, “But yoing to do it anyway.”

  Otis turned fully to face him, “What makes you say that?” He asked.

  “My gut and your… threads. You’ve killed people before,” Ollie said in a low voice before holding up his hands, “I-I won’t tell anybody! I mean,” He rubbed his neck, “We all have skeletons,” He said with a frown and looked away. “You had your reasons, right? You wouldn’t kill somebody just because. I have this theory that abilities weren’t distributed haphazardly. Not for the awakened,” Ollie said, “Gilgamesh was the first hero in our myths. He was also a good man, if a bit prideful. You have what it takes to be like him, if my theory is right. So it only makes sense…”

  Otis was a little taken aback, Oh. I like him. He has a way with words. That power of his too, it could be very useful. Very, very useful. Maybe I should try looking for opportunities more often. There might be more real people on this world than I thought.

  Ollie cleared his throat, “Rambling again, s-”

  “I would be thrilled to hear more,” Otis interrupted him.

  “Huh?”

  “Your theories,” Otis said with a cold smile, “How about we talk over some food?”