Eleanor slowly breathed, looking as stoic as Carrigan while Avery nervously glanced at her.

    “So uh… you want me to knock you out?” he offered as his focus shifted to the gate of rippling silver before him.

    It was framed by a shimmering barrier to hold back an insurmountable pool of aether. Its iridescent sheen sloshed as its essence bubbled up from the ground below to maintain the chamber's levels of mana.

    “I… no,” Eleanor shook her head. “Besides, I have the pills,” she teased slightly, and a frown found Avery.

    “I see how it is,” he huffed, but as her worry found him he flooded himself with amusement. “Too expensive for me, but not you.”

    “Yep,” the word popped from her lips before he frowned again, and he abruptly shoved her through the gate, earning a squeak.

    “SIR!” an octum attendant snapped as her shimmering skin started to shift into shades of anger, “There is a no pushing poli-”

    “Come on Carri!” Avery grinned before grabbing her wrist and dashing through the gate.

    Blinding light consumed them, and power coursed through their veins in a high that threatened to consume their souls. It was overwhelming to say the least, taxing every muscle in their form, but for Eleanor, it was different.

    She stood wide eyed in the abyss, witnessing a network of mana viens. For a moment she saw the world breathe, flexing some veins while others withered and vanished, and more erupted into existence, but where she stood it bled. The net ports were wounds upon the world, but there was little she could do about it. Each time Eleanor traveled through the Net Port she felt the world with its mana encasing her, and each time she exited it, she was the only one left standing.

*Thud*

    The world came into view as soft padding squished beneath Eleanor’s feet, and her sight came into focus to find Carrigain on her knees, calmly catching her breath while Avery was face down and groaning.

    “Oh my!” a voice giggled, and Eleanor’s eyes flickered to the attendant that trotted over to them. “I guess this one probably struggles with his liquor too!”

    “Fuck off…” Avery’s second soul growled as it assumed control, and he slowly moved to his hands and knees.

    “I-... I meant nothing by it sir,” the attendant sighed before trying to aid him in standing, but he batted her away while errant sparks flickered through the air. “Sir, you are going to have to control yourself!” she declared, but the sparks grew into floating flames.

*THWACK!*

*Thud.*

    “MISS!” the attendant snapped at Carrigan who had just knocked Avery out cold with a swift kick.

    “He is a twinsoul,” Carrigan informed her.

    “We have a zero tolerance policy on-”

    “Excuse me?” Eleanor placed a hand on the attendant’s shoulder, and she looked to her, “You can… look the other way today right?” she pressed with flecks of gold flickering in her eyes, “I’d really appreciate-”

    “You three!” a voice cut through the air while the attendant swayed in a bit of a daze. “Get your friend out of the field,” he ordered before looking to Eleanor. “And you! Do not attempt to manipulate my people or I will have you leashed for the duration of your stay in Hopevin!”

    “Y-Yes Sir,” Eleanor mumbled before magical bindings erupted from Carrigan’s hand to wrap Avery up like a burrito, and she began dragging him off.

    “There is no-... you know what… fine,” the man sighed, “I don’t get paid enough for this shit,” he grumbled before moving to his attendant, and Eleanor quickly followed after Caririgan.

    The two earned more than a few strange looks as Carrigan dragged the unconscious Avery over the smooth tiled floors of the building, passing other travelers while a low rumble sounded from a large creature nearby. It echoed like a beast of the sea, but it was one of the sky that served as transport in the rarity of aircrafts. 

Eleanor caught a whispering glimpse of it resting and the sky colored feathers that adorned it before her eyes washed over the familiar port that held far fewer people than the station in Liope. There was no excess mana to overwhelm her in this receiving port, and she breathed a bit easier despite the fatigue weighing on her mind. 

    Her focus shifted to Carrigan and Avery, knowing the exhaustion that Carrigan faced after passing through the nexus, it was also the reason Avery had yet to recover.

    “Hey Carrigan?” Eleanor pressed, and the stoic woman stopped to look at her, “Let me try to wake him.”

    “Very well,” Carrigan nodded before releasing him, and Eleanor knelt beside him.

    She gently brushed back the brown locks from his face, sweetly parting them to the side of his that wasn’t shaved before she took a deep breath.

    “Avery… it’s time to wake up,” Eleanor spoke softly, caressing his cheek for a moment before-

*SMACK*

    “OW! WHAT THE FUCK?!” Avery blurted as he woke up with a throbbing handprint on his cheek, and Eleanor attempted to shake the sting from her hand before his glare found her.

    “Did you… have a nice nap?” Eleanor questioned while pulling out her most innocent smile, but his hand collided with her face, shoving her backwards.

    Eleanor squeaked as she fell off her knees to land on her rump, and Avery grumbled while staggering up, rubbing his cheek.

    “That was a dick move,” he huffed while pointing at Eleanor.

    “Love you two,” Eleanor rolled her eyes while grabbing his wrist, and he returned the grip before pulling her to her feet. 

    “Love yah three,” Avery huffed in amusement. “Where we stayin’ tonight?”

    “Red Tail Tavern,” Carrigan answered, “It’s quiet, and in a less populated area.”

    “So… shady,” Avery smirked slightly.

    “And has a functioning sprinkler system,” Carrigan added while Eleanor straightened out her attire, “Lumi suggested it.”

    “I swear… Lumi doesn’t ever leave their lair, yet still knows everything,” Avery shook his head while nesting his hands in his pockets. “Alright, lead the way.”