People smiled at Oak. It wasn’t ever something he thought about, really. When he bought flowers for Mom, he could expect the florist’s expression to soften when she saw him. Cashiers liked to hide their smiles, but there was always that lilt to their expression still shining through! He liked those a lot. Like he was part of an inside joke just between them. But the smiles that made him laugh the most were from old ladies. They were always huge, unrestrained, and utterly shameless! It might be a tiny bit vain, but seeing someone so openly and honestly like him felt really good.

  So, it could be said that Oak was a bit of a connoisseur when it came to smiles. And now he had to decide if he disliked the sharp, predatory slit on his chauffeur’s face.

  “You have a distracting face. A scar or six would make you a real man. Yeah… a snag on your lip right there would be perfect.”

  Woah. Freaky.

  Lilypad was a short, thin woman. She wore a pair of chipped glasses, and wraps in place of a long-sleeved shirt. She displayed thick, black paint under her eyes that matched her cold irises. She looked like she should be whittling shivs out of NO. 2 pencils with a boxcutter she found in detention, rather than leading one of the major powers of a city.

  Oak laughed nervously. “I’ll have to pass, sorry. Though, I do like the look of your scars. This one here coming from your ear looks pretty cool. How’d that happen?”

  Lilypad laughed with a sneer. “Who cares?”

  Oak looked over his shoulder and shared a look with Roy, who walked beside his own escort; The woman that had found them at Wrinkleigh’s. Roy gestured for him to stay calm, which was a… this kinda motion. You catch that? Whew, that would have been confusing otherwise.

  “We’re never going to be friends. Accept that now before you get your feelings hurt.”

  “I don’t know if it’s off the table entirely…”

  Lilypad snorted. “You’re a sweet thing. But make no mistake, I’ll use you up until you bleed sand.”

  “This doesn’t sound like much of an offer.” Oak said. “I thought this was… like negotiations or something. Your, uh, subordinate? That’s what she said.”

  “That’s because you don’t understand. Take a look in front of you, and tell me what you see.”

  They were walking up one of Weskalderna’s snaking routes up to the top of the city. The strange overcrowded structures taking up so much of the view. The sky was slightly overcast today, but no rain. Oak frowned as he walked. Something did feel different, but what was it? …He looked to Lilypad, and was only met with impatience.

  It was as he crossed over a makeshift bridge that he saw it. There was a discrepancy between the people walking on that street below, and this one.

  “They’re avoiding us.” Oak said. “The crowd is usually so intermingled but—I can see some people pressing to the sides to skirt us.”

  “At least you got it eventually.” Lilypad said. “Perhaps that will help you see. The negotiations have already begun. I’m just being up front with the costs.”

  “If I may, Miss Lilypad—” Roy began.

  “No Miss.” Lilypad said sharply.

  “Lilypad, then. The behavior of these crowds indicate a high level of influence in the city, which promises the benefits few but those as prestigious as yourself could offer. In exchange for such exclusive resources, you expect… what exactly?” Roy spread out his hands. “I apologize for my bluntness but—we will be gone from Weskalderna within a month. I doubt either of us will have enough time to exploit such a relationship to any meaningful degree.”

  The woman smiled thinly. “I’m surprised.” She said, “To see you underestimate yourself so thoroughly. I can see from your face that you don’t get it. Again. I’ll let you in on a little secret, just to grease the gears.”

  Lilypad halted, and turned around, she stretched out her hand in a lazy point towards Oak, and Roy.

  “It’s plain as day that you two aren’t from Main. If you had a [Skill] above ten stars I’d let you buy me flowers and sweets. As a general worker or fighter you’re nearly worthless to me. But everyone from a DLC always has something extra. I’d bet the boy toy here has some sort of charming perk. And you, Roy? You’re hard to pin down, but I’d wager that you know how to kill in more ways than the rest of us combined.”

  “No.” Roy said. “You’re mistaken about me. I’ve never ever killed someone. I’m just a normal man.”

  Lilypad grinned and turned around. She spoke without turning. “Then why is Oak nodding?”

  Both Roy and Oak froze. Roy’s eyes darted to Oak’s, and he looked away with a wince, ashamed.

  “You have an preexisting arrangement, I understand. Curious. I wonder how much confidence that girl instills in you? It can’t be much.”

  “I’m not going to just break my word!” Oak said.

  “As you say.” Lilypad said easily. “But tell me this. Does little Tegan have what it takes to make you giants among men? To give you riches you would never have fathomed before? Pop you in and out of your home DLC at leisure?”

  “I…”

  “Why don’t you ask her? She’s here tonight, the sorry thing. At this moment she’s, oh, right about there.”

  Lilypad was pointing even before she turned the corner. And when he followed the sight before them made Oak’s mouth drop.

  It was a hole. A bore through the city, from top to bottom. A massive column of space with trussed, marble platforms spiraling into the deep. Each one either led to a dungeon portal, or a collection of such. Metal cranes infested the space, pulling up or dropping down everything from cargo, to people to other cranes. Stairs lined the hole all the way to the pool of water that sat at the base. Red light. It shone from every level, every entrance.

  Oak shivered as he looked at them.

  The source was freaky lamps that hang from chains. Little metal balls with a dozen or more skewers with little objects on their ends. Those… bulbs blared out the red light and scattered it over the scene.

  Lilypad pointed down several layers to a platform that held a large gathering of people. Only one of those people wore a dress.

  “Mallet Sisters. A simple enough name for what we do. Demolish, Destroy, De-con-struct. In a city where building takes the highest precedence, sometimes you need to tear down a wall to install something worthwhile. When you’re ready for that. You can find us here, at the Red Way.”

  ***

  Oak pushed through the crowd until he stood on an elevator. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. It was all so unclear to him right now. Should he join up with Lilypad and the Mallet Sisters, or keep to Tegan’s initial offer? Was it even right to consider this without consulting all of his friends? No. No it wasn’t. But Fig and Tony weren’t here right now, were they?

  “What do you think Roy?” he asked. “She made a pretty good argument. I think she might be able to get us home too.”

  “She’s dangerous. Lilypad is incredibly self assured prima facie, and confidence of that degree rarely occurs in mediocrity…”

  “So she’s totally spot on…” Oak sighed. The elevator began lowering to the floors below.

  “Perhaps… uh, dangerous means, uh. It’s bad. Has lots of implications to change things? Especially in a dangerous way… hmm.” Roy frowned to himself.

  Oak smiled. “I know what dangerous means, Roy… You are hedging though. Is she not right, totally?”

  “She caught us off guard—there’s no doubt in that—but I realized something while we walked down here.”

  “Oh?” Oak grabbed Roy by the elbow, and brought him off the elevator “She let something slip.”

  Roy nodded. “We’re not from—” He hesitated, and eyed the people skirting around them to go about their business. Roy lowered his voice. “She’s mistaken about our origin.”

  Oak’s brows shot heaven-ward. Roy was right! So many of Lilypad’s assumptions were based on them emigrating from a DLC! Yes, she was observant, but she had made faulty inferences.

  “We really need to talk to Tegan. She’s avoided questions, but I don’t think we can take ‘no’ as an answer anymore.”

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  It took them a couple more elevator rides before they reached the right layer. And here’s where Oak found himself retreading a familiar problem. One he had a break from for a moment, in the amalgamation of the crowds of Weskalderna. He was basically anonymous in that swift current, but once he stepped foot onto the promenade, that changed.

  “It’s about to start. See you soon?”

  “Certainly, when you get the chance.”

  Not just anyone was allowed in this area, and thus any new persons joining would be noticed nigh immediately. Outfitted in his suit, Roy was kempt, and classy, and quite handsome in a sort of general sense. But he was inoffensive. He blended into the background... Just as planned.

  Oak, in contrast, wore the bright silken shirt he discovered at Wrinkleigh’s, and considering the sort of face he wore most of the time—well. People didn’t notice him quietly.

  “Excuse me, sir, you appear to be new to the Red Way. May I ask—“

  “Look at his eyes…”

  “OhMyGoodnessHelloThere-”

  “Do you know Soren? I think you two might be cousins.”

  Girls swarmed around Oak from all sides, some covertly eying him up and down, other’s getting a bit too close and personal. A few feigned disinterest, but listened intently when he spoke.

  “Hello ladies.” Oak put on his armor; a particular smile. One crafted to be without judgment, and to say ‘I have this entirely handled. I couldn’t be more comfortable if I tried.’ Maybe he wouldn’t join this group, maybe he would. It didn’t hurt to be polite in any case. It was just a shame that he could only play surface games.

  “This array of gems is spectacular.” With his fingers, Oak delicately followed the line of jewelry along one side of a pretty young lady’s hair. “Did you arrange these yourself?”

  She preened and giggled at the attention, while the other’s burst into chatter. One enterprising woman grabbed his hand, and tsked at him.

  “Oak, you know it’s impolite to play with others’ family jewels without asking.”

  “I don’t really mind—”

  “There’s a proper way of doing things. I can’t believe you would be so indecorous—why, I am compelled to personally set you straight.”

  A wave of protestation, and snide comments washed over the woman, but that couldn’t erase the points she had won. Oak brought his other hand to clasp the woman’s between his own.

  “You’re right, you’re right! I apologize,” Oak said. “My mother taught me the best etiquette—but she didn’t prepare me to meet women who were so irresistible. I promise to be better, if you ladies will help guide me?”

  Girls swooned, and others defiantly fought against the capillaries flushing their cheeks. The woman whose hands Oak held nearly collapsed to the ground, her knees weak. Oak had to help keep her standing, and give her a moment to recover.

  Then he saw Tegan.

  She was relegated to the back of a group of men and women who spoke quietly. Backs were turned, and most did their Sunday best to ignore her. She was outcast. While she wore a finely made dress, the rest of these people wore loose, straight pants, and sharp tops. It was a veneer. Like they were moments away from hopping into a dungeon and exploring, or working a field. But of course these styles would be far too impractical to be used that way. That’s how, by contrast, Tegan looked to be overindulgent, even slothful in that dress. She didn’t pretend she was off to work. So, she was rejected.

  That analysis flashed through Oak’s mind as he saw her there. But then something froze the smile on his face. Playing the social game and failing was one thing. It was part of the process, and you learned to bounce back even stronger. But… the look on Tegan’s face was heartbreaking. Her hands were held together, her head bowed, her back hunched ever so slightly. She looked so tiny and fragile, and hurt… It wouldn’t even matter if she cried. Who would notice?

  “Excuse me for a moment.” Oak said.

  “Waiiiiiit.”

  Oak extracted himself from the gaggle of girls, and marched over to Tegan, even though he knew they were all watching. He gently placed a hand on her arm.

  “Lady Scowle. It’s me.”

  Her head twitched at his whisper, but she held still.

  “Shut up.” She said under her breath.

  “Come on. Let’s go talk somewhere more private.”

  “Shut up.” She said more forcefully, and the sound caught the attention of the nearest few elites.

  “Lady Scowle, please.”

  “I don’t want to talk with you!” She bit back a cry. “Leave me alone.”

  By now half of the nearby group had stopped talking, and had turned to watch the performance. Oak flicked an eye to their amusement, and frowned. He took a breath, then leaned in close.

  “Lilypad offered me a job and I might take it.” He whispered. Tegan clenched her hands together too tightly. “I need to know why I should stay. Talk. to. me.”

  She trembled under his touch. And nodded sharply. With as much delicacy as possible, he pulled Tegan away from those watching eyes. Underneath the awning of the layer above, they found themselves away from the pageantry. They sat in a pair of seats at a plain table, though Tegan ignored it in favor of placing her face in her hands.

  Sitting, bent over her knees, she shuddered. She was crying. Silently.

  “I’m sorry.” He said. He meant it; for her pain, for what he said to bring her out here. For more besides. But saying all that would be moot to those two simple words. So he said them again. “I’m sorry.”

  Tegan breathed in sharply, and breathed out slowly. Oak snagged the attention of a nearby waiter, and requested some food, and drink.

  “Are you really going to leave me?” Tegan asked, not moving.

  “I don’t know.” Oak said honestly. “Roy, Toni Fig, and I—Any promise of wealth or power is… it doesn’t matter. We don’t care about anything but getting home. Lilypad thinks she can do that, and I’m almost inclined to believe her.”

  “She can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  Tegan stilled. She was quiet.

  “Tegan,“ Oak said. “You need to tell me the truth. At first, it might make sense to blackmail us with the possibility of going home. But you know us better, now. We’ll find our own ways, unless we have a guarantee. We can’t be on board with you without that. So please, tell me how we get home.”

  Tegan sighed, defeated. “You know, it wasn’t supposed to be you four.”

  Oak cocked his head. “What does that mean? Someone else was supposed to come to Main?”

  “Yes.” Tegan nodded. “It… it was me, all along. I lied to you.”

  “Wait, you’re from Earth too?”

  “I—I’m sorry, I’m not making any sense.”

  The waiter dropped off two plates of food, and several glasses. Oak thanked them quietly.

  Tegan finally rose from her position, and looked the food over with mascara flowing down her cheeks. After a moment, she plucked up a wrap, and nibbled on it while clutched in both hands.

  “I’m the one who summoned you here. I even gained ten stars in [Summon]. My father and I— we found a ritual. He never believed it would work, and I never considered that we’d find it searching through a place like that, but my father—sorry, that’s a story for another time.” Tegan took a sip of juice.

  “You brought us here?” Oak’s forehead crinkled. “But your manor—it was completely empty. And you said that you had people coming!”

  “I lied, Oak. Only Usk is loyal to me, and our Manor is being sold for parts. Bringing someone here from another world? It was a last ditch effort with the last of my funds… And it wasn’t supposed to be you.”

  “You said that before. You weren’t looking for any of us?”

  Tegan shook her head. “I was looking for someone pathetic. A milksop that I could turn into a tool of real value. One that I could control… Instead I got you four. Four maniacs that no one could predict.”

  “I wouldn’t call us maniacs…”

  “Oak—You charged into a dungeon the day after your first death—without refilling your emergency fund! You could have killed yourselves for good! For ever.” She waved her lunch wrap at Oak’s face. “Without any real [Skills], Or experience or even equipment!”

  “To be fair, you sent us into a dungeon without any of that too.”

  “I knew what to expect! It was practically harmless!”

  “But we still died. And got you that crystal!”

  “I—!” Tegan glared, and took a big bite out of her food. “Shut up. That just proves my point even further.”

  Oak didn’t fight the allegation any more, and instead ate his dinner without conversation. As he did so, Tegan cleaned up her ravaged make up. Her back straightened too, and her chin lifted. Ah, there she is.

  Oak sipped from his glass. “Why have you been saying that by the way?”

  “Saying what?”

  “’Shut up.’ “

  “How dare you.”

  Oak rolled his eyes with a smile. “You’ve been pretty hostile to me ever since our first meeting ended. I have to know why you’re pushing me away.”

  Tegan blushed. “Don’t say it like that. We barely know each other.”

  “Which furthers my point.”

  “You’re ridiculous.”

  “And you’re avoiding the question.” He said teasingly.

  “Mmm, you haven’t earned that answer. What I will tell you is that no one can send you back home, except those with the requisite power.”

  “The important question.” Oak sat back.

  “Yes. I summoned you, and I have a [Skill] most people will never have. I’m the best bet you’ve got.”

  “So you really can send us back?”

  “If the ritual works as intended, you will be home by the end of the month. I swear it.”

  And he believed her. Her eyes still betrayed that mysteriousness that called to him, but maybe that was just how her eyes looked. That was fine, eyes were meant to be stared at with adoration. Feeling the commitment click into place within him, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Mystery was enchanting, but uncertainty was debilitating.

  “Alright then!” Oak jumped his feet, and held out his hand. “Tell me why you’re here at the Red Way, and I’ll help you!”

  Hesitantly, Tegan took his hand, and stood up. “While I appreciate the sentiment Oak, this place is a lost cause to us.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure…” Oak walked to the counter, and pulled out his coin purse. “You did say that we were uncontrollable lunatics. I think that’s exactly the kind of thing this place needs to shake it up. I bet Roy’s already got us started.”

  “Here’s your change.” Les said.

  “Thank you Father.” Oak said.

  “We have some freshly made pastries that need a place to go.” Mrs. Handlut said.

  “Oh, yes please!” Oak picked up three little treats, and handed one off to Tegan as he walked. “What are you after here, Lady Scowle?”

  “Just call me Tegan.” She said, “It’s nothing so grand. I’m just here to recruit good hands. Logisticians, laborers, adventurers—doesn’t really matter at this point. I need good people, and the construction gangs always have the best.”

  “Oh really…” Oak said, taking a small bite of his treat. “So it’s all about recruitment. For you, for Lilypad… For both sides…”

  “Oh… Oak, I don’t think I like that smile you're making.”

  “What smile?” He didn’t stop grinning as he held out his arm for her. As a devotee of smiles he was an expert in these things, and if he saw the kind of mischief that lay on those lips, he might never sleep again.

  Warily, she slipped her arm under his. “…Just pull yourself together before the others see you.”