“Get back here you thieving little bastard!”

  A man yelled at a boy fleeing from the scene.

  “Maybe if you worked harder on not eating your own product you would be able to catch me Francis!”

  “Mik! I swear I’m going to report you to the Guild!”

  “You know I’m good for it! Haven’t you heard?! Tomorrow’s my Divination day! I only steal from you because you have the best bread in town!” Mik chuckled, turning down a street.

  Mik bolted down the dirty street. Jumping over bums ying down on the ground in their own filth, shoddy boxes made of recimed wood used as barebone shelters and homes. And dodging anything coming from above to spsh on the street to add to the monstrous smell pooling in every divot.

  Cradling the several loaves of bread in his arms, Mik ran as fast as he could, doing his best not to fall. Turning a few more corners and slipping past the Guild Watchers at the few intersections, he finally made it back to the church.

  Huffing from the run, he took in one deep breath to steady himself and made his way to the side entrance.

  “...That was when the gods of old, since time immemorial, cast away the evil of the world. Locking it away in the Towering Dungeon, hoping the heroes of tomorrow could one day fell it. Bringing peace once again to the world…”

  Mik scoffed, “James, you read that old tale like a bedtime story.”

  James turned around, a smile painting his face but did not get up, or more accurately. He couldn’t.

  “Stop being an ass and help me to my chair. You left me here in the church again to go bother another baker didn’t you?”

  Mik waved a loaf of bread in one hand, “That I did.”

  “You should be more repentful in the house of the Goddess you know. Openly admitting to sin.”

  Mik smiled, putting the bread down on the prayer bench before scooping James up and pcing him onto his wooden wheelchair.

  “May she forgive me for my sins,” Mik said, putting his hands together.

  “And the many more you are sure to do,” James agreed, stretching out a hand.

  Mik scoffed, grabbing and breaking a loaf in half, handing one to James as he sat down on the bench next to him.

  “Why are you reading that old story again anyway? We must have went over that book a million times with the Sister by now.”

  “I was just feeling nostalgic, is all Mik. You’re going to be 16 tomorrow and I can’t help but remember the promise we had before…”

  “Hey,” Mik pointed at James with the end of the loaf, “Don’t you worry about it. I’ll work hard enough for the both of us, for all of us. We’ve been studying here for the st 10 years together just for a better chance at getting a healing css. If I can somehow get one bestowed on my Divination, our little orphanage will never have to go to sleep hungry ever again.”

  James forced a smile, “I just wish I could help more.”

  “You have always helped me James. We’re brothers. No matter what the world throws at us, that won’t change. And when I’m an S-Ranked Climber I’ll heal your legs and we can adventure just like we promised.”

  “Sure,” James nodded, picking at the bread, “But,” he raised a brow, “You still have to tell Mary.”

  “What makes you think I haven’t?”

  James ughed, “Because you’re still able to sit down without wincing.”

  “That was one time when we were 10 James. She can’t just paddle me because she doesn’t like that I want to join a Family and climb!”

  “That’s not going to stop her,” James smirked.

  “Yeah, yeah. Let’s get going. I have mid-day csses and then sword practice,” Mik sighed, pcing the rest of the loaves of bread on his p, then moving behind James to push him down the aisle and out the front door of the church.

  “You call swinging that wooden stick against a tree practice?” James ughed over his shoulder.

  “I call it making the best out of a no win situation. You know I could never afford a real instructor. And it's my back up pn.”

  James continued to pick at his bread piece by piece as they went down the street, “Have you thought about which Family to go to?”

  “We aren’t in the Guild City, there’s only one Family to go to James,” Mik sighed.

  “Westeria…” they both said.

  “They said they would take you?”

  “Only if I manage to become a healer. But that’s what the sword training is for. Worst case, I get a hybrid css and it lets me climb alone until I can find another Family to take me in.”

  They turned the corner, the street traffic dying down around them.

  “What about just starting your own?”

  Mik scoffed, “Ha! Do you think I could convince a Fallen to be the head of a Family where the only person in it would be me? I don’t even have a st name James. I don’t know my parents, I don’t have a single reference outside of the church, and we’ve both been over the Guild documents. We know how hard climbing alone is once we pass the first hurdle.”

  “You mean, once you pass the first hurdle.”

  Mik lightly smacked the back of James’s head, “We both know I would need a miracle to be able to do it. The roaming bosses alone on the way to the 5th floor could kill me with one unlucky encounter!”

  “I know, I know… I’m just saying. Don’t you want to be like those hero’s we hear in stories?”

  They came to a stop, in front of them a wooden house that looked to be on the verge of falling apart.

  “No, I don’t want to be a hero James. Heros don’t make the kind of money I need. I’m not selfless or self sacrificing. The only thing I care about is getting everyone out of this pce. Don’t you want more? Don’t we deserve somepce…better?”

  “Yeah… But it would still be pretty cool if you had a story written about you wouldn’t it?” James chuckled.

  “Yeah, as if,” Mik grinned, pushing James to the door.

  Mik rolled James in, announcing themselves to the sound of bickering children, “Guess who's back!”

  “And we bring presents!” James added.

  “Food!” a rowdy cry of children shouted rushing to the door.

  James raised his hands up with the bread, making sure the children couldn’t snatch them up before he could distribute them.

  “Hey! Back off you little devils! There’s enough for everyone.”

  “Dhat’s not phunny…” one of the children said from the blob of kids.

  “Sorry Bain, you know what I meant,” James winced, looking at the young demon.

  Bain, the boy smiled, his two front teeth missing, “Ith okay. I don’t really care, Mik justh told me to say that.”

  James looked over his shoulder with a leer, Mik whistling to himself.

  “What are you teaching these children?” a voice down the hall shouted.

  Mik smiled, “Hi Mary. Nothing, just life skills.”

  Emerging out of the hallway was an older woman in an apron and a coif, two long ears poking out.

  “Teaching him nothing but trouble like usual Mik. And where did you get that bread? I know you damn well didn’t pay for it,” she reprimanded.

  “Should a Sister really be swearing?” James teased.

  “You best hope all I do is cuss, before I put this spoon up your backside and use you as a scarecrow for the fields James.”

  “That would be a long spoon,” Mik ughed under his breath.

  “Did you both repent and ask for forgiveness?” Mary asked, grabbing and handing out the bread.

  “Every day Sister,” they both said in unison.

  “Good. Wash your hands. Won’t be long til your lessons.”

  “Mary,” Mik said before she could turn away, “I want to talk to you about something.”

  “Save it! I told you, you will not get my blessing to go off and get yourself killed in no damned tower! And that’s final, I done made up my mind about it!” she snapped.

  Mik frowned, “Well I haven’t! Aren’t you tired of meatless soup? If I can get the css I want tomorrow I can get into a good family, I can get into the Westeria’s Family, then we can leave this pce. Eat to our heart’s content!”

  “No boy! I don’t give a damn if it’s the Khalhome, or the blessed be Fmme Family! I won’t have you perish in some dark cave!”

  The kids chewed on their bread, looking at Mary and Mik going at it back and forth like it was a daily occurrence.

  “You’re a stubborn old woman!”

  “And you are hardheaded boy! Now get your butt into that kitchen and eat your food before i shove it down your throat!”

  “Fine!”

  Mik walked past Mary into the kitchen, the kids scrambling to follow him, leaving James to wheel himself in after them.

  “I swear that boy wants me to die young.”

  James held back a ugh, forcing him to cough.

  “Is there something funny about what I just said James?”

  “No ma’am!”

  “You best watch that hard headed boy and see he don’t get himself killed. I won’t have either one of you off easy if you get hurt, you hear me?”

  “Yes Ma’am,” James nodded, wheeling past her and adding under his breath, “Mary one… James and Mik zero…”

  “I’m gonna be te… I’m gonna be teeee!! James, we’re going to be te!” Mik shouted into James’s ear as he pushed him down the street, nearly taking out a few pedestrians.

  “Ahhh!! Slow down Mik! You’re going to break my chair again! And you can’t be te!” James shouted back, his grip white on the handles of the chair, “They have to wait for you! It’s a private ceremony!!!!”

  Mik and James turned a corner barreling down the street with abandon. Both of them overslept after the previous night. Mike kept James up with the possibility of csses he could receive and what skills he could take once he had them in combination.

  “This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t have to hide you were going to this from Mary you know!”

  “Will you shut up! She would never let me go and we both know that! Besides, I’m 16 now, she can’t tell me what to do anymore!”

  They finally stopped in front of a building with a crystal orb sign hanging from the door. A young man in purple robes tapping his foot impatiently as he leered at them.

  “Late again, eh Mik?”

  “I’m- haaa haaa- I’m sorry Mr. Bannon. James over- haaaaaaa- Overslept,” Mik coughed, breathing heavily.

  “Hey!” James protested.

  “Regardless!” Mr. Bannon snapped, “Get inside. I have four others to do this morning. And if you waste any more time… I will be charging you with interest.”

  Mik scurried inside, pushing James through the door as well.

  Inside there were assortments of glowing crystals, jars containing glowing magics of wind, fire, lightning and blue, purple, green stars.

  Both of the boy’s eyes lit up seeing the mystical things, even Mik who had frequented the shop regurly preparing for today lit up with excitement.

  “This way,” Mr. Bannon instructed, walking past the boys.

  Mik pushed James further into the shop, following Mr. Bannon down a hallway. Eventually coming to a door that Mr. Bannon led them through.

  The boys surveyed the room once inside, finding a table with a clear crystal orb pced on a pedestal and a machine they couldn’t identify in the corner faintly glowing blue.

  “James, please go to the other side of the room. Mik pced both hands on the crystal. I trust you know what to do?”

  Mik nodded as he helped James to the side of the room. Mik had read everything freely avaible by the guild in the church along with James who was significantly less enthused.

  He would pce his hands onto the divining crystal orb, focusing and infusing his life force and mana into the orb.

  Then with any luck, the Gods, The Watchers of the Tower will divine him a starting css allowing him to climb the Tower.

  He moved with purpose toward the orb, his chest and chin held high. Ready to start his journey into the Tower and finally help the orphanage.

  Mik stared at the orb for a moment, anxious.

  “Well get on with it boy, I haven’t got all day!” Mr. Bannon shouted.

  “Ahhh! Right! Sorry!” Mik jerked, startled.

  Mik quickly pced both hands on the orb, taking in a deep breath. Then focused intently on the orb, praying that he would receive a healing type css.

  He struggled to keep his focus after the first few minutes of holding his hands against the orb, nothing happening.

  Another minute and the orb began to glow slightly, radiating a dim light and exciting Mik.

  Then the orb glowed brighter, this time overtaken by a yellowish hue and Mik felt something shock him forcing him to wince, pulling his hands away.

  The surprise of the shock resulted in him breaking his concentration and removing his hands. The moment he did he panicked.

  However he was quickly stopped by a glowing blue screen in front of him.

  Mikhail

  Moniker: None

  Race: Human

  Level: 1

  Css: Lightning Mage

  G - STR: 1

  G - VIT: 1

  G - DEX: 1

  G - MAG: 3

  G - STAM: 1

  G - RES:1

  Free Points: 0

  Skill Points: 0

  Titles

  None

  Skills

  Static Shock G - Rank 1

  Mik grinned from ear to ear, realizing that it had worked and he was divined a css.

  “It worked! It worked!” he shouted, running to James and grabbing the boy awkwardly into a hug.

  “That's great!” James shouted back, “What css did you get?!”

  Mik didn’t even think to look, his excitement of simply getting a css overtaking him. James reminding him had him look over the screen once more, his face paling.

  “No… No no no no! I got a mage css?!”