*image chapter_4.png

The following day, you and Morgana agreed to create the promethean in the afternoon. You texted each other during the morning, and Morgana told you that she had the necessary equipment to create a promethean.

This information confused you. You were under the impression that a promethean could be summoned entirely by spellcrafting. You asked her why the two of you would need devices if the latter was true.

She responded to your question by text message:

"A promethean can be summoned entirely by magic, but it will take us weeks to do so. I have several devices from Yarvul that will make this process fifty times faster. Rather than a few weeks, we can finish a promethean in a matter of hours."

Morgana's technical prowess, once again, saves you a lot of time. You weren't quite sure how she would be as a project partner, when you first met her, but she's proven herself to be more than capable.

While you were texting Morgana, you heard a knock on the door.

It was your dad, "${fname}? Your mom's got breakfast ready."

"Alright, I'll be there."

*page_break

When you walked out of your room, a sweet aroma filled the air. It wasn't as strong as the waffle's aroma your mom typically makes, but you couldn't quite figure out what she made for breakfast.

When you entered the kitchen, you saw what she had made: a strange mixture of eggs and sausage. It sat in a dark and thick broth, but was unmistakably aromatic.

You mom noticed you walking in, "Good morning, ${fname}."

"Good morning. That smells good, mom."

She smiled, "Well, this is my first time cooking Doht cuisine, so I wasn't sure how it would work out."

Your father appeared in the kitchen and replied, "Well, if the smell is any indication, it should taste great."

You helped your mom and dad set the table. 

After careful preparation, your family begins to eat.

*page_break

Your father turned to you, "So, how did your shopping trip go, yesterday?"

"It went fairly well, actually."

Your mom spoke, "Oh, good. I was worried something might have happened during your trip."

"Like what, mom?"

"Well, I heard news regarding muggings in the area, but it only seems to occur to wealthy tourists. I can see now I was just being paranoid."

But you were mugged yesterday. You simply didn't want to mention it to your parents. You believed mentioning it would simply complicate matters further, and you didn't want them to worry too much.

*page_break

You did, however, mention the catalyst you and Morgana picked out.

You spoke, "Morgana and I decided to buy a ${catalyst} catalyst. Although, I'm not certain how well it will perform."

Your father replied, "Well, I'm not an expert on this matter either, but I'm familiar with Q-032's. If you've got one of those, then your promethean should work properly. Aside from that, I'm clueless. Magic appliances advance so quickly it's hard for me to keep up."

Your mom spoke, "Oh, where is the catalyst you bought? I haven't seen it yet."

"It's with Morgana. She was confident she could keep it safe."

Your mom replied, "Well, it looks like you have a reliable project partner! You're quite fortunate, ${fname}."

"You have no idea, mom. You have no idea."

Your parents look puzzled for a few seconds, but they let it go. Whatever you meant by that statement, your parents could only guess.

*page_break

After breakfast, you told your parents that you were going to Morgana's house. Your parents said goodbye and you left home.

*page_break

You already knew Morgana's home address, she gave it to you this morning.

You immediately set out for the closest bus stop. After a few minutes of walking, you arrived. Just in time, a bronze double-decker bus comes to a stop in front of you. The clear domes in the caboose hummed quietly. The elementals in the domes seemed restless, their bodies of flame and lightning swirling and moving in their containers. You entered the bus and sat down on the soft, brown leather seats. Above your head, ice elementals chilled your head comfortably. You watched the scenery of Furze as the bus drives around the city.

*page_break

After fifteen minutes, you arrived at the bus stop close to Morgana's house.

Five more minutes of walking, and you finally arrived at her house.

Morgana's house was two stories tall, and it looked quite ordinary. The exterior was painted with a dark mahogany tone, and there were no decorations hung in the front yard. Aside from the neatly-trimmed grass, there were also no other plants.

It almost seemed like Morgana was purposefully attempting to look mundane and ordinary.

*page_break

You entered the front yard and you pressed the buzzer near the front door.

After a few seconds, you heard footsteps descend from the second floor.

The door opened, and you saw Morgana, "${fname}, right on time!"

A deep, female voice behind Morgana spoke urgently, "Morgana? Why did you open the door? And why is the security system off?"

Morgana turned around and yelled back, "It's okay, Anna. It's my classmate from Kaelich. The one I told you about."

"Oh, that's right. I must have forgotten, for some reason. Bring ${mcpronoun} inside, quickly."

You entered the house. Despite the bland exterior, the interior was much more colorful. Rows of Estenian paintings lined the walls, and potted plants surrounded the foyer and living room. The floor was made of a shiny, dark tile that was immaculate. It was so clean, that one could assume to eat from it without any issues. The paintings looked expensive, and were framed by an equally expensive-looking and detailed gold border.

*page_break

A middle-aged woman, with brunette hair, approached the front door with a worried expression, "Now that ${mcnoun3}'s in the house, let's make sure the security system is on."

The woman was somewhat portly, but she was taller than Morgana. She seemed to wear a constantly stern expression on her face, and it made her seem both frightening and regal.

You spoke, "What's a security system?"

Morgana replied, "It's an Estenian device that alerts us when someone is trespassing."

Morgana turned to the middle-aged woman, "By the way, ${fname}, this is Anna. She's my caretaker, the one I mentioned at the bus stop."

You wanted to shake hands with Anna, but she seemed too focused on restarting the security system. Anna opened a hidden panel next to the front door, and she began entering numbers into a metallic number pad.

Needless to say, there was something odd about the way the caretaker was acting.

*page_break

Morgana seemed worried about Anna and spoke, "Anna? Do we always need the security system to be activated?"

Anna turned around belligerently, "Of course we do! I was about to mention something important to you, regarding our current situation, before your guest arrived."

Morgana replied, "If you don't mind, Anna, ${mcposnoun} name is ${fname}."

Anna corrected herself and said, "Before ${fname} arrived, I had something important to mention regarding the private r... um, I mean the room upstairs."

Anna looked at you when she stopped mid-sentence. Apparently, she didn't want to continue her sentence in front of you.

Morgana rebutted, "I'm sure that can wait, Anna."

Morgana's caretaker replied apologetically, "Alright. I'm sorry, I seem to be disturbing the two of you."

She finished tapping away on the metallic pad, and a high-pitched tone rings through the house for a few seconds. Once it stopped, Anna closed the hidden panel.

Anna turned to you both and spoke, "Please, if you need anything, just call me. I will be in my room, if you'll excuse me."

She walked away with her head down, and ascended through the stairs that led to the second floor.

Morgana remained quiet for a few moments. Finally she spoke, "Sorry about that. Anna's been paranoid for the past few days. I think living in Lahar has made her this way, since she's struggling to adjust to life here in Furze."

She didn't sound entirely convinced of her own statement, but you nodded politely regardless.

*page_break

Morgana's tone suddenly changed to an upbeat voice, "Let's go to the backyard, ${fname}. I've got the devices for our project all fired up and ready to go."

She led you behind two corridors and into her backyard. Morgana's backyard was quite expansive. It was more akin to a mansion terrace than an average backyard.

At the center of the yard, several large machines were glowing and gently humming. To the left of the machines, a shiny, metallic platform was levitating.

Morgana turned to you, and she spoke in a serious tone, "${fname}, I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"I couldn't initialize the source capacitor."

You rebutted, "I have no idea what that means."

"It means we have a problem. Under normal circumstances, the source capacitor would provide mana for the creation process; however, the one I brought from Yarvul seems to be damaged."

"So, we can't use it?"

She nodded, "Yes. Unfortunately, this means that one of us will have to manually provide mana to the promethean during the creation process."

*page_break

She continued, "I'm confident that I can do it, but this means that the molding of the promethean will be entirely your doing."

"'Molding'? What does that entail?"

"When I turn on this machine, I will pour mana from the atmosphere and my body into the metallic platform. Once that happens, you need to use spellcraft to provide the promethean with a physical form."

You nodded, "I think I've got the gist of it, but can I use any discipline of spellcraft to make the promethean?"

She thought for a few seconds, then she looked at you, "Well, the promethean's typically made with the creation discipline, since it's easier. I suppose you could create it with other disciplines, but it might be less stable and more difficult."

"Alright, I understand."

After tinkering with the machines for a few minutes, Morgana stepped close to the metallic platform. At the center of the platform, she placed the ${catalyst} catalyst that you bought together. You hoped your promethean would turn out decently, considering that the catalyst costed you more coins than you would have liked.

She looked at you, "Are you ready?"

*fake_choice
  #"Yes, I'm ready."
  #"Actually, maybe we should take some time to adjust a few more things."
    Morgana shook her head, "There's nothing else to adjust. Everything is prepared, all that is left is to begin creating the promethean."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke, "Are you sure about this? We've got a broken device. Perhaps we should wait until we get a new one."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "Do you doubt I can do this?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "No, that's not what I meant. I was just thinking maybe we can wait before we begin. Once we begin, there's no stopping it, I assume."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "That's correct, but why do you hesitate? With or without a source capacitor, we will succeed in creating a promethean."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You still had reservations, but you realized that Morgana fully intended to continue this process. She seemed entirely confident that you would succeed, so you trusted her judgement and nodded, "Alright, I'll trust you."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She smiled, "Good! I promise you and I will do just fine, ${fname}."

*page_break

The two of you stood on opposite ends of the metallic platform.

Morgana extended her palms towards the center of the metallic disk.

A stream of light gathered at the center of the platform, and in a few seconds, the stream of light intensified into a blinding flash.

"${fname}, now!"

You extended your palms towards the platform.

The streams of light became a large collection of energy, and you could feel a vast amount of mana gathering before you. It looked like Morgana was able to successfully coerce mana into gathering at the platform.

Now it was your turn.

How did you begin molding the promethean?

*choice
  #I sent a wave of creation magic through the mass of energy (Empower promethean's strength and defense).
    *set creation +3
    *set prometheanpower +2
    *set prometheandefense +2
    (Creation +3)
    *line_break
    A surge of creation spellcraft pulsed through the mass of energy. The mana began to coalesce into a spherical shape.
    *goto step2
  #I cast healing spellcraft through the streams of light (Greatly empower promethean's defense).
    *set healing +3
    *set prometheandefense +4
    (Healing +3)
    *line_break
    A wave of healing magic pulsed through the mass of energy. The mana began to coalesce into a spherical shape.
    *goto step2
  #I conjured the elements around the mass of energy (Greatly empower promethean's offense).
    *set conjuration +3
    *set prometheanpower +4
    (Conjuration +3)
    *line_break
    Fire, ice, water, wind, and earth elementals gathered around the platform. The elementals moved towards the energy, and were absorbed by the mana. The mana began to coalesce into a spherical shape.
    *goto step2

*label step2
*page_break

You heard Morgana from the other side of the platform, "Almost there! One more time and the promethean should take form!"

You extend your palms towards the platform, once again.

How did you finish molding the promethean?

*choice
  #I sent a final wave of creation magic through the sphere of energy (Empower promethean's strength and defense).
    *set creation +3
    *set prometheanpower +2
    *set prometheandefense +2
    (Creation +3)
    *line_break
    One final pulse of creation spellcraft moved through the sphere, and it began changing into a humanoid shape.
    *goto promethean
  #I enveloped the sphere in healing spellcraft (Greatly empower promethean's defense).
    *set healing +3
    *set prometheandefense +4
    (Healing +3)
    One final wave of healing magic enters the sphere, and it began changing into a humanoid shape.
    *goto promethean
  #I conjured more elementals around the sphere (Greatly empower promethean's offense).
    *set conjuration +3
    *set prometheanpower +4
    (Conjuration +3)
    Elementals enveloped the sphere, and it began changing into a humanoid shape.
    *goto promethean
  *selectable_if (darkness >= 15) #At the last moment, I gathered dark energy and pushed it into the sphere (Promethean's form will alter, and its offense will be empowered. Morgana will notice that the promethean did not turn out properly.) (Requires Darkness above level 15).
    *set darkness +3
    *set prometheanpower +4
    (Darkness +3)
    A surge of dark energy entered the sphere, and it began changing into a humanoid shape.
    *goto darkpromethean

*label promethean

The mass of energy became brighter, until it flashed once more. Standing on the metallic platform, was an androgynous silver person. The promethean's body was composed entirely of a smooth, shiny metal, and in the middle of its chest, you saw the ${catalyst} catalyst.

The promethean looked directly at you, "Are you my creator?"

You were awestruck for a few seconds, but after a moment, you finally spoke, "Yes. Actually, the two of us are your master."

You motioned to Morgana, who stood on the other side of the platform.

The promethean turned to her, but shook its head, "No. She is not my master. You were the one who molded me, yes?"

"Yes, that would be me."

"Then that means, you are my creator." The promethean kneeled before you, and bowed its head.

It spoke, "Master, what is my name?"

"Your name?"

You were pensive for a few moments.

*page_break

You spoke, "Promethean, your name shall be..."

*input_text prometheanname

*page_break
*set prometheanbound +1
${prometheanname} looked at you, "It's a lovely name. Thank you, master."

You looked at Morgana. You didn't understand why the promethean didn't recognize her as a master, but it seemed as though she planned it that way. On the other side of the platform, you saw Morgana smiling.

${prometheanname} began to fade into your body, a testament to your contract as allies.

After ${prometheanname} vanished, Morgana approached you, "Good job, ${fname}! I knew you could do it."

"You were expecting this weren't you?"

She shrugged, "Ideally, I wanted the two of us to be its master, but it couldn't be helped. Anyway, we'll still pass this project if at least one of us can summon ${prometheanname}."

You nodded, "If you say so."

Morgana approached one of the devices near the platform.

She smiled, "${fname}, look at this. Our promethean turned out quite well."

You looked at the monitor.

It read:

"Promethean Offensive Ability: ${prometheanpower}

Promethean Defense: ${prometheandefense} "

"I'm guessing this is the strength of our promethean, but I can't tell how strong the promethean is just from this."

"Well, judging by the numbers, our promethean is more powerful than the average promethean. Even without a high-end catalyst, our creation was greatly empowered by the molding process."

"Does that mean, I did good?"

She laughed, "Yes, ${fname}. You did good."

*if (romance = "Morgana")
  *goto morganalove
*else
  *goto attack

*label morganalove
*page_break

You laughed as well, "Oh, thanks."

She looked at you intently for a few seconds, it seemed as though she wanted to say or do something but she couldn't muster up the courage to do so.

You returned her gaze and approached her. Morgana looked surprised, "${fname}?"

In a few moments, you extended your arms and wrapped it around her. Morgana's body relaxed, instantly. She was apparently nervous throughout the entire molding process.

She melted into your arms, and her head snuggled against your chest.

Neither of you spoke, but both of you were absorbed in this moment.

You held each other for several minutes, before finally letting go.

You looked at each other and smiled. Neither of you needed to say it aloud, but you shared this moment of triumph with a distinct closeness.

*goto attack

*label darkpromethean

The mass of energy darkened, until it became a smoky blob of gray. On the other side of the platform, Morgana looked puzzled, "What's happening?"

You remained silent. You wanted to know what would happen if dark magic was used for the molding process, but you weren't quite sure what to expect.

The smoke around the mass enlarged, and at its center, you saw an androgynous person. The promethean's body was a black, obsidian color. In the middle of its shiny body, you saw the ${catalyst} catalyst.

The promethean turned to you, "Master? Be...may... if... when... fight..."

You looked confused. Aside from the first word, the promethean's words were an utter mess. You wondered if this was a side effect of using forbidden magic.

The promethean remained silent. Suddenly, it twisted its head towards Morgana, without shifting its body. It spoke, "Not... founder... been... for... five..."

Morgana looked horrified, "What is this? ${fname}, what did you do? This is not what the promethean's supposed to look like!"

The promethean spoke again, "Name? Name? Name? Name?"

You replied, "What? You want a name?"

The promethean nodded in an excessively vigorous manner.

It spoke again, "What...when...name...crown...?"

*page_break

You called the promethean...

*input_text prometheanname

*page_break
*set darkpromethean_bound +1
"I...am...${prometheanname}..."

The promethean's body faded into your body, a testament of your contract as allies.

When ${prometheanname} vanished, Morgana approached you with a worried expression, "${fname}, why is the promethean like that? Its body should be metallic, not obsidian!"

How did you reply?

*choice
  #I admitted to using dark magic.
    *set morgmeter -10
    *set morgknowdark +1
    Morgana's expression twisted into rage, "You idiot! You had no idea what dark magic would have done to the promethean! At the very worst, you could have killed us both!"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You wanted to say something, but you couldn't come up with an excuse.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana walked away from you, and she breathed slowly. She was attempting to calm herself down.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She spoke to you with her back against you, "I don't care if you used dark spellcraft. I'm angry because you casted such dangerous magic with little care. Not to mention, you used it on the promethean, our school project."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She walked towards one of the machines and looked at its display monitor. She spoke, "I guess what's done is done, ${fname}. Come take a look at this."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You looked at the screen. It read:
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "Promethean Offensive Ability: ${prometheanpower}
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Promethean Defense: ${prometheandefense} "
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You weren't quite sure what these numbers meant, but Morgana didn't seem like she was in the mood to explain.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana spoke, "I'm quite mad, ${fname}. You don't know how worried and angry I am, right now; but please, don't do something like that again."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You weren't quite sure if you could keep that promise to her, but you nodded regardless, "Yes, I understand. I'm sorry."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She looked at you, "If you keep your promise, then I guess I forgive you."
    *goto attack
  *selectable_if (morgmeter > 20) #I lied and said that I made a mistake during the molding process. Hopefully she will understand (Requires Morgana Relationship above level 20).
    *set morgmeter +3
    Morgana sighed in relief, "I knew something was wrong."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She looked at you, "I'm sorry, ${fname}. I shouldn't have pressured you into doing this. The molding process is quite complex if you've never done it before."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You shook your head, "No, it's okay. I think it's my fault. My lack of experience caught up with the both of us, I guess."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She nodded, "Yeah, I guess so."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana walked towards one of the devices and looked at its display monitor. She spoke, "Regardless, ${fname}, I want you to come and look at this screen."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You approached the display monitor. It read:
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "Promethean Offensive Ability: ${prometheanpower}
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Promethean Defense: ${prometheandefense} "
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke, "I don't know what these numbers mean."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana replied, "According to this, our promethean turned out quite well, despite a few hiccups."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She sighed, "I'm glad, I thought our promethean was going to be quite weak, but it turned out a lot better than I had hoped."
    *goto attack
  *selectable_if (charm >= 15) #I lied to her, and told her that I used multiple disciplines, simultaneously, for the molding process. I attempted to convince her that the promethean is stronger because of my actions (Requires Charm level 15 or above).
    *set morgmeter +8
    Morgana looked puzzled, "Multiple spellcraft disciplines? All simultaneously? That's quite impressive, but I don't know if it was the right thing to do."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke confidently, "Despite how odd the promethean may look, it seemed quite powerful to me."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana spoke, "We can actually verify if that's the case."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She approached one of the devices next to the platform. She looked at the monitor and smiled, "Looks like you're right. Come take a look at this, ${fname}."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You approached the device and looked at the screen. It read:
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "Promethean Offensive Ability: ${prometheanpower}
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Promethean Defense: ${prometheandefense} "
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana apologized, "I'm sorry, I doubted you. You are a well-known spellcrafter at Kaelich's after all."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "See? What I did may have even improved the promethean."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "I have no doubt it did. I was simply shocked that the promethean was a bit different, but I guess that's a side effect of the unorthodox molding process."
    *goto attack

*label attack
*page_break
As you two were talking, Anna stepped into the backyard. She approached the two of you with a stoic expression.

Morgana turned to her, "Did something come up, Anna?"

She nodded, "Yes. There's something you need to see. I saw bits of pieces of information on the device, but I wasn't able to confirm it until now. May I speak with you in the private room?"

Morgana approached Anna and whispered to her. You couldn't hear what she said, but it looked quite serious.

After a few moments, they began talking in hushed voices. Despite the fact that they were attempting not to be overheard, you were able to hear both of them mention the "private room" again.

Morgana began speaking normally again to her caretaker, "I think it's better if we told ${fname}."

Anna spoke, "The private room is not to be entered by third parties. This is strictly between the two of us."

You spoke, "Private room? What's that?"

Anna turned to Morgana with a hesitant expression. Morgana returned Anna's gaze with a worried look on her face.

Morgana looked at you, "I suppose it's better if I showed you rather than telling you."

Anna was bewildered by this decision, "With all due respect, ma'am, I don't think we should involve ${mcpronoun} in this. This is a matter between Estenians. We don't need a foreign Laharian to know about that room."

Morgana replied, "Now that I've been seen with ${mcpronoun}, we may as well tell ${fname}. I didn't intend to involve an innocent third party, but considering their recent activities, we should take all of the necessary precautions."

Anna was speechless. After hearing Morgana's response, she simply agreed, "I will trust your judgement, ma'am. This way please, ${fname}."

You didn't understand what was going on. You were quite confused by all of this.

You asked, "Who's 'them'? What's the 'private room'?"

Morgan replied, "Come with me, it will make sense if we show you. I'll explain when we go back into the house."

Morgana motioned to Anna. Anna began walking back into the house, and the two of you followed her.

After the excitement of creating a promethean, you weren't quite sure what to expect. Although, you were aware that Morgana's caretaker seemed noticeably paranoid. What caused her paranoia to begin with, you couldn't even begin to guess.

*page_break

When you entered the house again, Anna led you upstairs to the second floor. The second floor looked almost identical to the first floor, down to the detail of the colorful, gold-bordered paintings and their alignment in the wall. The second floor corridor broke off into three hallways, and she led you to the hallway on the left.

Past the third door to your left, Anna stopped walking. She turned to face it, and a hidden metallic pad appeared next to her right hand. She tapped away for a few seconds, and the door next to you clicked.

Anna held the door open for you and Morgana. When you stepped in, the entire room's walls were covered by a strange chrome sheen. Inside the room, there were several unfamiliar devices that sat on top of birch desks. In one corner, a device was displaying a layout of Morgana's entire house; except everything was shown in monochromatic green shades. In yet another, numbers whizzed by, almost as if it was calculating something. Each device was painted with a dull, gray paint, and they were as small as a wooden cabinet. There were four plastic chairs in the room, and a large metallic pad in front of each device. The metallic pads in front of the devices were larger than the pad Anna was previously tapping on, and they showed Estenian letters as well as numbers. You couldn't read any of the Estenian symbols written on the strange machine.

You turned curiously to Morgana, "What is all this? And what are these devices?"

"This is the 'private room', but it's more like our intelligence base. The devices in front of you are high-tech computers, developed by Yarvulian engineers and scientists. The pads in front of the computers are called keyboards. You use it to control the device."

"Computers? What are those?"

"Well, computers sort of work like books, at least in Esten they do. They can store information, but they can do a lot more than just that. It's a bit difficult to explain, if I'm being honest."

Anna walked into the room and spoke, "Ma'am. Look into this screen. This is what I wanted you to see."

She tapped away on the metallic pads, and the screen changed. It displayed dozens of red dots, on a topographical map.

Morgana looked shocked, "They're already this close? They'll reach us within the end of the week at this rate."

Anna spoke, "We need to prepare."

*page_break

You turned to both of them, "What is all this? I'm really confused."

Morgana spoke, "I'm sorry for getting you involved, ${fname}, but it can't be helped. A group from Yarvul is looking for Anna and I. Now that you've been associated with me, we may need to take precautions."

"'A group from Yarvul'? Who exactly?"

Anna spoke, "Since you've seen the private room, we may as well tell you. Morgana isn't living in Furze because she was transferred here. She and I ran away from her mother, and Morgana's mother used her connections with a mercenary group to retrieve us."

"Wait did you say mercenaries?"

Morgana spoke, "They'll be here in a matter of weeks, maybe even days. I was careless, when I chose you as my partner. I didn't even think about your safety."

She turned to you and bowed regretfully, "Please accept my apology. Anna and I will protect you, if necessary."

You replied...

*choice
  #"Are you kidding me? I didn't ask for this!"
    *set hostility %+10
    *set amity %-10
    *set morgmeter -3
    Anna spoke, "I'm sorry if our current situation has put you in harm's way. Morgana and I will fix our mistake, although I'm quite certain you are not in any real danger."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana turned to her, "What do you mean?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Anna replied to Morgana, "I believe that they are only targeting you. If ${fname} stays away from you, Morgana, ${mcnoun3} should be out of the crossfires of the mercenaries group."
    *goto convo
  #"There's no need to apologize; however, I am a bit overwhelmed with all this information."
    *set calmness %+10
    *set excitability %-10
    Morgana nodded, "That's understandable. I wish we could explain in more depth, but we would like to keep a few things secret. Some of the matters we just discussed are only known to several high-ranking officials in Yarvul."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You replied, "What shouldn't I mention outside of this room, then?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Anna replied, "Everything. More precisely, the information that Morgana's mother hired mercenaries should remain a secret."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You replied, "I guess that's reasonable, considering what is occurring right now."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana pleaded, "Please, don't tell anyone about this. I trust you enough to know that you'll keep this information safe." Considering you've only known her for a few days, Morgana was putting quite a bit of trust in you. She's either idealistic and naive, or perhaps she could see something that others could not.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You nodded, "You have my word, I will keep this secret."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Anna spoke, "You shouldn't be too worried, anyway ${fname}. It looks like the mercenaries aren't aiming for you."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana turned to her, "What do you mean?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "I have information that suggests they are only targeting you, Morgana. If ${fname} stays away from you, ${mcnoun3} should be out of the mercenaries' crossfire."
    *goto convo
  #"I think I understand, but, next time, please don't hide anything from me."
    *set intellect %+10
    *set intuition %-10
    Morgana nodded, "Alright. If that's what you want."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Anna spoke, "In our defense, we weren't sure how trustworthy you are." Considering you've only known her for a few days, Morgana was putting quite a bit of trust in you. She's either idealistic and naive, or perhaps she could see something that others could not.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You replied, "I'm actually surprised you revealed all of this to me, Morgana."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana smiled, "Don't worry, I'm not stupid. I trusted you for a reason." Her red eyes remain fixated on you for a few second, almost as if she was reading you.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    As if on cue, Anna spoke, "Oh, I see ma'am. I didn't think you would use it on ${mcpronoun}, though."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You weren't quite sure what was going on, but it seemed like Morgana was currently doing something to you. Not that you could feel anything.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    After a few moments, Anna spoke again, "You shouldn't be too worried, anyway ${fname}. It looks like the mercenaries aren't aiming for you."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana turned to her, "What do you mean?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "I have information that suggests they are only targeting you, Morgana. If ${fname} stays away from you, ${mcnoun3} should be out of the mercenaries' crossfire."
    *goto convo
  #"I don't feel comfortable accepting your apology, until I know that I'm safe."
    Morgana nodded, "Alright, I understand."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke, "If I'm being honest, I feel like my life is in danger now that you've told me this."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Anna spoke, "You shouldn't be too worried ${fname}. It looks like the mercenaries aren't aiming for you."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana turned to her, "What do you mean?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "I have information that suggests they are only targeting you, Morgana. If ${fname} stays away from you, ${mcnoun3} should be out of the mercenaries' crossfire.
    *goto convo

*label convo
*page_break
Morgana spoke, "Did you find something on the computer that mentioned this?"

Morgana's caretaker turned to the computer and she tapped away on the keyboard. When she finished, a garbled conversation plays from the computer. A few words were distinguishable, but it was mostly gibberish.

Anna spoke, "They've sent out coded messages through multiple frequencies. I assume they're attempting to secretly contact their base in Yarvul, but that's only my guess."

Anna continued, "I have yet to decode all of it, but what I have decoded, stated that they are only interested in taking Morgana. Regardless of their intentions, however, I think we still need to be careful. They may decide that kidnapping an acquaintance of Morgana, like ${fname}, would be an efficient tactic."

Morgana replied, "I see. In that case, I may need to leave Kaelich, so that no other student is put in danger."

Anna nodded, "Yes, I think that would be wise. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that they haven't attacked the school yet."

Morgana spoke, "That is a bit odd. These mercenaries are well-known for their ruthless tactics, I wouldn't have put it against them to use school children as hostages."

You weren't sure you wanted to meet the mercenaries that's hunting Morgana. If their tactics are as vicious as they sound, you could only surmise what they were capable of.

Her caretaker replied, "Morgana, if there's anything else you need to do in Kaelich's, perhaps you should do it now."

Morgana shook her head, "No, I've finished what I needed to do. All that's left is to say goodbye to ${fname}."

You suddenly spoke, "Wait, is this the last time I'll see Morgana?"

Anna looked at you incredulously, "I doubt you'll see either of us again, actually. After, the mercenaries come, Morgana and I plan to hide."

Morgana smiled at you, "It's okay. I've had a lovely time getting to know you, ${fname}. Whatever happens in the future, I was glad I got to make a friend in Lahar."

You replied...

*choice
  #"We'll see each other again, I'm sure of it."
    *set amity %+10
    *set hostility %-10
    Morgana replied, "I hope so too."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Anna spoke, "Starting tomorrow, Morgana will no longer be at Kaelich's. I personally thank you for watching over the young madam while she was at school." Anna bowed respectfully.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She continued, "I'll let you and Morgana say goodbye downstairs. I have a few things to take care of in this room."
    *goto convo2
  *selectable_if (romance = "Morgana") #"I'll miss you."
    *set morgmeter +3
    Morgana replied with foggy eyes, "I will miss you as well. If it makes a difference, I'd like you to know that you were the first person I've met that makes me feel this way."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke, "What exactly do you feel?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Anna coughed. You and Morgana broke eye contact for a few seconds. For a moment, neither of you remembered that Anna was in the same room as the two of you.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Anna spoke, "Starting tomorrow, Morgana will no longer be at Kaelich's. I personally thank you for watching over the young madam while she was at school." Anna bowed respectfully.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She continued, "I'll let you and Morgana say goodbye downstairs. I have a few things to take care of in this room."
    *goto convo2
  #You nodded nonchalantly, "Let's hope both of us come through safe."
    *set calmness %+8
    *set excitability %-8
    Morgana nodded, "I sure we will both be safe."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Anna spoke, "Starting tomorrow, Morgana will no longer be at Kaelich's. I personally thank you for watching over the young madam while she was at school." Anna bowed respectfully.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She continued, "I'll let you and Morgana say goodbye downstairs. I have a few things to take care of in this room."
    *goto convo2


*label convo2
*page_break

You and Morgana nodded and left the private room. The two of you walked downstairs, with an ambiguous mood hovering in the air.

When you reached the front door, Morgana opened the hidden panel on the first floor, and she turned off the security. Then, both of you stepped outside into the front porch.

Morgana's plain house sat peacefully underneath the mandarin-colored sky. The dark house looked out of place beneath the shades of red and orange in the sunset afternoon. 

Morgana turned to you, "I'd like to thank you for everything. Somehow, looking back, meeting you has made my time in Lahar worthwhile."

*if (romance = "Morgana")
  *goto goodbyelove
*else
  *goto goodbyemorg

*label goodbyelove
*page_break

You replied, "Me too. I didn't think I'd ever meet an Estenian like you."

Morgana smiled, then she looked down sheepishly.

You spoke, "I want to know, Morgana. With no doubt in my mind, how do you feel about me?"

She looked down for a few seconds, before finally looking up at you, "You're not like any person I've met before, ${fname}. In Yarvul, everyone treated me like a monster or a goddess; even though, I was neither. You spoke to me like a person, with no bias or reservations about the way I looked or spoke. In truth, ${fname}, I like you. More than I care to admit at this point."

You smiled. That's all you wanted to hear from her.

You approached her and hugged her.

After a few moments, you both pulled away and Morgana spoke tearfully, "I don't want to say goodbye."

"Me too."

*goto leave

*label goodbyemorg
*page_break

You replied, "Me too. After meeting you, I feel as though the world has become less dull."

Morgana smiled, "Despite everything, I really would like to see you again. It would be a genuine pleasure to see you in the future."

You returned her smile, "And it would be my pleasure as well."

Despite the rapid approach of mercenaries, Morgana was able to smile at you with an authentic sense of joy. You weren't certain if she was putting up a strong front, or if Morgana truly was as emotionally composed as she seemed to be.

*goto leave

*label leave
*page_break
You said goodbye to Morgana and went home.

On your way home, you received a text message from an unknown phone number. It read:

"${fname}, this is Anna. Please keep this phone number a secret from Morgana. I have yet to mention everything to her, but I may need your help when the mercenaries come. Keep your phone with you always, and [b]do not[/b] attempt to contact Morgana. You will put her life and yours in danger if you attempt to contact her."

You were surprised by this turn of events. Despite what Anna said in the private room, it looked like she fully intended to remain in contact with you. You weren't quite sure what she could possibly need from you, but you were prepared for whatever the future held regarding the mercenaries. At least you hoped you would be.

Moreover, you were surprised that she was able to get your phone number.

In fact, you weren't sure who was texting you. They claim to be Anna, but you're almost certain that you didn't give your phone number to her.

You thought to yourself...

*temp suspect 0

*choice
  #This may not even be Anna. I regard the phone number cautiously, while making sure I don't give away personal information.
    *set suspect +2
    *goto ignore
  #I shouldn't be so paranoid. If Anna truly is contacting me, then she may need my help.
    *goto ignore
  #Regardless, someone is clearly trying to contact me. I may be able to glean useful information from them if I remain in contact.
    *set suspect +1
    *goto ignore
  #I should break contact from this person as soon as possible. I don't feel comfortable with the ambiguity of this situation.
    *set suspect +2
    *goto ignore

*label ignore
As you walked in the street, you ignored the text for now. You would sort it out when you arrived home.

*page_break
When you arrived home, your mom greeted you with a smile. When they spoke to you, you only mentioned your success with the promethean. Naturally, you never mentioned Morgana's situation.

*page_break

Right before you went to bed, another text message from Anna appears on your phone. It read:

"The group that's after Morgana is called 'The Order of Blades'. You won't find any information about them here in Lahar. They're a group originating from Yarvul."

You replied to her with the text message, "Why were they hired by Morgana's mom to retrieve her?"

Anna replied with the message, "They want Morgana because her mom is the Research Director of Yarvul. Morgana's mother wants to return her to Yarvul, because she's an invaluable research subject."

To Morgana's mom, she was merely a means to an end. The thought of it made you wholly uncomfortable.

Anna sent another message, "I'm currently replying to you from the private room, so please don't attempt to contact me, unless it's necessary. I hope you remain safe."

You still, weren't completely certain if Anna was the one texting you, but it looked like 'Anna' was giving you useful information for now.

After reading her last text message, you collapsed on your bed. Anna's message rang through your mind, reminding you that danger was coming to Morgana.

In a few minutes, you fell asleep instantly. The creation of the promethean took more of your strength than you anticipated, and the evening passes peacefully.

*page_break The following day

When you attended class, the following day, you noticed that Morgana's seat was empty. Up until this point, you were still doubtful that she would withdraw so quickly from Kaelich's; however, seeing her empty seat reminded you that you may never see her again.

Despite Morgana's absence, class began as it usually does. Professor Murdoc began teaching his lecture, and the last minutes of class were designated for the group creation project. Of course, you no longer needed it, since you and Morgana already finished the promethean.

*page_break

During the last few minutes of class, Professor Murdoc approached you, "U-Um, ${fname}? I got a m-message from Morgana's c-caretaker that she has dropped out of Kaelich's. If you n-need a new project partner, I can a-assign you a new one."

You replied respectfully, "That's okay, Professor Murdoc. Before she left, Morgana and I were able to complete the promethean."

Professor Murdoc looked at you with a surprised expression, "Wow! So f-fast! I d-didn't think anyone would be finished b-by now. If that's the c-case, then you won't n-need a new partner."

The other students overheard what you said and stared in awe. You could almost feel the palpable envy from every student looking at you.

He continued, "I assume y-you can summon the promethean?"

You replied, "Yes, Professor Murdoc. In fact, I'm the only one in my group who can do so."

He nodded, "Good! Th-then I look forward to seeing your promethean in a f-few weeks. For now, complete the r-reading homework I've assigned you. C-Carry on."

Professor Murdoc turned away from you, and he began speaking to another group about their project.

You didn't have evidence of it now, but Murdoc essentially confirmed that Morgana did indeed drop out of school. You weren't sure how to feel about it until now.

How did you feel about Morgana leaving?

*choice
  #I couldn't care less.
    *set hostility %+10
    *set amity %-10
    *set morgmeter -5
    You've only known her for a few days. You hardly saw any reason to be emotional over the departure of someone you've known for such a brief period of time.
    *goto afterschool
  *selectable_if (romance = "Morgana") #I'm heartbroken. I was afraid to admit it, but I liked Morgana more than I was letting on.
    *set morgmeter +3
    You and Morgana developed a fast, but brief, connection. You were deeply saddened that it had to be ended after only a few days.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Moreover, Morgana admitted to having romantic feelings for you. Knowing the latter hasn't made the pain dissipate, it actually contributed to it. Having the knowledge that Morgana returned your feelings for her, made it more depressing that she was leaving. Both of you could have had a wonderful relationship.
    *goto afterschool
  #She's a good friend, and I will miss her.
    *set amity %+8
    *set hostility %-8
    *set morgmeter +4
    Morgana quickly became a good friend of yours. Your experience at The Market District with her allowed you to trust someone like her. She was both reliable and friendly, you were sad that such a good friend would leave you after only a few days.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Your feelings about Morgana was quite clear, and you felt a tinge of sadness every time you thought of her leaving. You had wished that somehow she would stay.
    *goto afterschool
  #I'm still not sure, I remained ambivalent for now.
    After Morgana opened up regarding her situation, you were still uncertain how to feel about it. This whole scenario was completely unusual in your eyes, and you wished you had more time to process it.
    *goto afterschool

*label afterschool
*page_break School Ends
After school ended in the afternoon, Hane and ${school_friend} walked home with you.

You greeted each other in a familiar and friendly manner. Morgana's situation nested at the back of your head, but moments like these allowed you to return to a sense of normalcy. You were glad you still had good friends around you at this complicated moment.

*page_break

After a few minutes of conversation, ${school_friend} spoke to you and Hane, "If you guys aren't busy, I've got a family dinner planned for this weekend."

Hane replied, "Family dinner, huh? What's the occasion?"

${school_friend} replied, "My parents are celebrating my last year in Kaelich's by throwing this fancy dinner. They told me I should invite some of my friends, so I'm inviting you guys."

You spoke, "This is a bit sudden, but sure, I'll come."

Hane nodded, "Me too. After weeks of hospital examinations, I'm glad to go somewhere this weekend that doesn't involve doctors or nurses."

"Thanks guys, I'm sure my parents will be glad to meet you."

Hane spoke, "Out of curiosity, ${school_friend}, what's your family like?"

*if (school_friend = "Aron")
  *goto Aron
*elseif (school_friend = "Danae")
  *goto Danae
*elseif (school_friend = "Jericho")
  *goto Jericho
*elseif (school_friend = "Erika")
  *goto Erika
*elseif (school_friend = "Ray")
  *goto Ray
*else
  *goto Alana

*label Aron
*page_break

Aron replied, "Well, my dad's a bit overbearing. If you guys didn't already know, my father's very hard to please."

You replied, "What about your mom?"

"She actually divorced my dad years ago, but she said she's coming for dinner this weekend."

You spoke, "Oh, I never knew that."

Hane seemed worried, "Isn't that going to make dinner a bit awkward?"

Aron shook his head, "They divorced because my grandparents disapproved of their relationship from the beginning. They pressured my parents to split for years, but five years ago my parents finally gave in to their demands. Despite this, I think they still care for each other. Even after the divorce, my mom is still quite friendly towards my dad."

You replied, "Well that's good, at least their relationship is amicable."

Aron spoke, "Yeah, it honestly could have been much more hostile, but I'm fortunate to have two parents who are still kind to each other."

Hane asked, "If that's the case, then are your grandparents coming to dinner?"

Aron laughed, "No, my parents despise my grandparents for making them divorce each other. As far as they're concerned, this dinner get-together is a secret."

"Oh, I see."

*goto bidgoodbye

*label Danae
*page_break

She replied, "My mom is quite lovely. She's always hospitable to guests, and I'm sure she'll treat you in the same way."

She continued, "My father is somewhat protective of me, but I know he's only that way because he cares for me."

Hane spoke, "Your family sounds like they are quite colorful people, Danae."

"They are, although I also have a younger brother who's a bit unruly."

You spoke, "Exactly how much younger is he?"

She replied, "He's much younger than me, actually. My younger brother's name is Bray. He's quite playful, but he lacks manners."

Hane spoke, "Well, I suppose some young children are just that way."

She replied, "Perhaps they are; although, Bray's much kinder when he's not surrounded by strangers. I think moving to Furze has affected his playful disposition. For such a young boy, he's quite sensitive."

You asked her, "How old is Bray?"

"Bray is about six years old. He may try your patience, but I ask both of you to please humor him."

You nodded, "Of course. We will treat Bray as kindly as we treat you."

Hane replied, "As will I. Bray's still a young child, so I don't expect him to be well-behaved yet."

She smiled, "Thanks guys."

*goto bidgoodbye

*label Jericho
*page_break

Jericho replied, "My family's great, although, both of my parents are typically preoccupied with work."

Hane spoke, "Well, being the CEO of a large company must be quite exhausting."

Jericho nodded, "Yeah. My mom is the Vice President of the company as well, which means they're both workaholics. Honestly, I'm surprised they even found the time to plan this dinner."

You replied, "Wow, they're that busy?"

"Yeah, but I think both of them used up their accumulated company vacation days just to plan this dinner. In a way, I'm grateful, but I wished they didn't have to make such large sacrifices just to spend time with me."

Hane replied, "Well, to be fair, your parents can't simply take an impromptu vacation whenever they want."

Jericho replied, "Yeah, they have an obligation to their employees and shareholders. I see your point."

*page_break

You spoke, "I suppose you're inheriting the company, Jericho?"

"Yeah, but my parents are still very healthy, so I don't think that will happen for a while."

Hane replied, "At the very least, ${fname} and I will know that the dinner party this weekend will be very fancy."

Jericho nodded, "That's probably true. My parents are quite enamored with luxurious events, so I don't think the dinner this weekend will be an exception."

You replied, "Well, I'll be looking forward to what your parents have prepared for this weekend."

Hane echoed the same sentiment, "As will I. I think the dinner get-together this weekend will be one to remember."

*goto bidgoodbye

*label Erika
*page_break

Erika replied, "My family's quite rowdy, actually. I have four brothers, and I'm the only girl in the family."

Hane spoke, "Whoa! No wonder you're so strong-willed. Growing up with four boys must have been quite chaotic."

She shook her head, "It wasn't that bad, actually. I had fun playing with my brothers when I was young, but my passion naturally separated me from my brothers."

You replied, "You mean fashion and clothes?"

"Yeah, exactly. My brothers are clueless when it comes to dressing themselves in a decent manner, but I'm there to help them with it."

Hane spoke, "Are all of your brothers older than you?"

She nodded, "I'm the youngest and the only girl in the family. My three oldest brothers are young adults already, and my youngest brother is still a teenager."

You spoke, "I suppose they'll be present at dinner this weekend as well?"

"Of course. Even though my oldest brother already has his own house, all of my siblings and both of my parents will be present during dinner."

You replied, "Well, I look forward to meeting all of them."

Hane rebutted, "Me too. Your family sounds quite interesting, Erika."

She replied, "Why, thank you Hane."

*goto bidgoodbye

*label Ray
*page_break

Ray replied, "Well, my mom's a bit rough around the edges, but she means well. You may find her a bit endearing, if you're into that sort of personality."

You asked, "What about your dad?"

Ray's voice became low-pitched and hostile, "My dad? Yeah, I've got a lot to say about him, but I don't want to be caught cursing in the streets again. He's a lowlife who left my mom, and that's all I'm going to say."

You seemed to have struck a delicate nerve, so you shied away from the subject and spoke about something else. You said, "I see. By the way, you mentioned that your mom moved to Furze for a job, what does she do for a living?"

Ray calmed down, and replied in an even tone, "She works in middle management for a retail shop in The Market District."

Hane replied, "I assume it's not in The Roaring Bazaar?"

He shook his head, "No, she works for a shop called 'Callister & Company'. It's at the entrance of the northern plaza. It's technically inside the fashion district, but barely."

*page_break

Hane spoke, "I've never heard of this store."

"It's a new startup company. My mom says they've been doing pretty well, though. She even told me she may get a little boost to her hourly wage due to her work performance."

You replied, "Well, that's great! Hopefully, she gets it."

He smiled, "Yeah, I'm hoping she gets it. If she does, she says she'll treat me to a new hair color. I think she mentioned that she'll get me an expensive platinum dye for my hair."

Ray combs his hair back with his hand, and he spoke, "I've had this pompadour for a while, but maybe I ought to change it."

You replied, "You've already changed your hairstyle and hair color, since Muria. I think you should stick with it for a while."

Hane spoke, "Wait, you mean Ray's hair wasn't red before?"

You shook your head, "No. When I first met Ray, he had neon green hair."

Hane's eyes grew wide, "Whoa! That would've been an interesting sight."

Ray spoke, "Yeah, but I only had that green hair for a few months. Before that I had other hair colors, but they didn't suit me very well."

*page_break

Ray turned to you, "What do you think, ${fname}? Since you've seen me with multiple hair colors, do you think I should change my hair color again?"

It looked like Ray was deferring this decision to you.

How did you reply?
*goto hair

*label hair
*hide_reuse
*choice
  #I honestly think you should do whatever makes you happy, Ray.
    *set raychangehair +1
    *set rayhaircolor "platinum blonde"
    *set rayhairstyle "quiff"
    Ray smiled, "Well, then I'll do just that."
    *goto ray2
  #Well, I did like your neon green fauxhawk from before.
    *set raychangehair +1
    *set rayhaircolor "neon green"
    *set rayhairstyle "fauxhawk"
    Ray replied, "Oh, well that's a bit unexpected. Although, I did have that hair for only a short period of time. Perhaps you're right, ${fname}."
    *goto ray2
  #No, I like your red hair and pompadour. It's quite fitting, I think.
    *set raychangehair +0
    *set rayhaircolor "bright"
    *set rayhairstyle "pompadour"
    Ray replied, "Oh, well I guess that settles that. I admit, I am getting used to red hair."
    *goto ray2
  #Yes, I think you should change it. Platinum hair sounds quite interesting, actually.
    *set raychangehair +1
    *set rayhaircolor "platinum blonde"
    *set rayhairstyle "quiff"
    Ray smiled, "Well, I guess that settles that."
    *goto ray2
  #Dye your hair like the rainbow, then stick lollipops in it for added aesthetics. Go crazy and add a sprinkle of real sugar and glue neon gumballs to your hair roots to really sell it.
    Ray spoke sardonically, "Haha, very funny, but I'm not interested in looking like the candyman ${fname}."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Looks like Ray wants a serious reply; although, you were hoping that he might consider your suggestion a little. Seeing him with truly ridiculous hair would have been amusing.
    *goto hair

*label ray2
*goto bidgoodbye

*label Alana
*page_break

Alana replied, "My family's quite boring, actually."

Hane spoke in disbelief, "Wait, your family's boring? You're the furthest thing from boring, Alana! How is that even possible?"

She giggled, "I appreciate that you think that, Haney! But it's true, both of my parents are quite dull. Sometimes, it's hard for me to believe they're even related to me."

You thought to yourself, "[i]Haney? Did she just make up a new nickname for Hane?[/i]"

Alana continued, "If you wanted to know, my dad's a hospital doctor, and my mom works as an office assistant. Maybe their jobs are helping contribute to their boring natures, actually."

Hane replied, "If your father's a doctor, then does that mean he makes a lot of money?"

She replied, "Yep. My dad's loaded! My family lives fairly comfortable lives, but I have to admit, I wish they were both more carefree. My parents have always been uptight, even when I lived in Grotto."

You spoke, "That reminds me, what's Grotto like, Alana?"

"Grotto? It's sort of like Furze, I guess. Grotto's energy and vibe is more 'whoosh' and Furze is more like 'zap', y'know?"

You really didn't. Alana's bizarre description didn't help to clarify anything.

Hane turned to Alana, "I totally understand! Grotto is fast-paced, but more relaxed than Furze. Furze, by contrast, is an endless stream of traffic and people."

You had no idea how Hane came to that conclusion, but it looked like he was right. Alana smiled at him, "Exactly! I'm glad there are smart people like you and ${fname}, Haney!"

Despite her odd sensibilities, it seemed like Hane and Alana were getting along very well.

*goto bidgoodbye

*label bidgoodbye

After discussing the details of the dinner get-together, ${school_friend} and Hane bid you goodbye, and you parted ways.

The rest of the afternoon passes peacefully.

*page_break

That evening, you received another text from Anna. The text message seemed to have an urgent tone to it:

"${fname}, I've discovered what The Order of Blades plan to do, and it's not good at all. The Order of Blades have brought with them a number of weapons that will put Morgana in danger. We originally planned to fight or flee, but it looks like neither of those options are available now."

You replied, "What do you need me to do?"

She replied, "For now, nothing. However, if I'm unable to protect Morgana, I need your help to fight The Order of Blades."

It looked like Anna was in desperate need of help. Of course, if you do help her, there's no guarantee that you'll be safe either. Fighting the mercenaries will be very dangerous.

On the other hand, there was still the possibility that this person was not 'Anna' at all.

You responded by text...

*choice
  #"Alright, I understand. I'll help in anyway I can."
    *set amity %+5
    *set hostility %-5
    *goto textend
  #"This is ridiculous, Anna. I don't think you're in any position to demand anything from me."
    *set suspect +1
    *set hostility %+5
    *set amity %-5
    *goto textend
  #"I'll think about it. I'm not sure I'll be able to make much of a difference to your situation, anyway."
    *set intellect %+5
    *set intuition %-5
    *goto textend

*label textend

You sent the text to Anna, but she never responded. If it truly was Anna, then she may have already left the private room.

You sleep, somewhat peacefully through the rest of the evening.

*page_break

The school week passed as it usually did. Professor Murdoc spoke to students struggling with the promethean project, and he lectured about intermediate-level creation spellcraft.

However, you noticed that Murdoc seemed to regard you with a newfound sense of respect whenever he interacted with you. You wanted to admit to him that most of the group work was done by Morgana's Estenian devices and her adept spellcrafting, but you were apathetic to tell him. Morgana was gone from Kaelich's, and you didn't want to bother trying to correct his perception of you.

*page_break

When school ended, ${school_friend} approached you, "Hey, ${fname}. Ready for the dinner get-together tomorrow?"

"Hey, ${school_friend}. I can't wait for tomorrow, I'm excited to meet your family.

${school_friend} smiled, "Great, I'm also excited for you to meet my family as well.

You noticed that Hane was noticeably missing. At this time of day, he should already be finished with classes.

You asked, "Where's Hane?"

${school_friend} replied, "He had to go back to the hospital. I think he had shortness of breath in class today, so Headmaster Kane sent him back to the hospital for the rest of today."

"Oh, I didn't know that. I hope he's okay."

${school_friend} replied, "I'm sure he's fine. Headmaster Kane said that Hane would recover by tomorrow, so I assume he's going to be fine."

"That's a relief."

*page_break

You turned to ${school_friend}, "Hey, I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure, what did you want to ask?"

"Since the dinner get-together involves your family, I was wondering if I could bring my parents tomorrow?"

"Of course! I'm sure my family would love to meet your parents."

You smiled, "Great. My parents haven't met you yet, and they've been curiously asking about you."

*if (school_friend = "Aron")
  *goto Aron3
*elseif (school_friend = "Danae")
  *goto Danae3
*elseif (school_friend = "Jericho")
  *goto Jericho3
*elseif (school_friend = "Erika")
  *goto Erika3
*elseif (school_friend = "Ray")
  *goto Ray3
*else
  *goto Alana3

*label Aron3
*page_break

Aron replied, "I hope I can make a good impression, tomorrow evening."

"I'm sure they'll like you. They think you're some sort of bookish nerd."

"Wait, I'm not nerdy! I consider myself to be refined and educated."

"Well, that's not what they thought of you when I told them how you mastered ${fskill}."

"Instead of being impressed, your parents thought I was nerdy because of that?"

"I mean, you did bury your head in books for weeks on end. I don't think many people will be too impressed by your ability to neglect your general health."

Aron sighed in a resigned manner, "I guess that's what I get for desperately trying to improve myself."

*goto gone_home

*label Danae3
*page_break

Danae replied, "What are they curious about?"

"My parents were wondering how you've liked Furze so far. Lahar can be quite different from Esten."

"I actually like it so far. Lahar is very different from Esten, especially since I've only lived in a rural town before, but Furze has been good to me."

"That's great to hear, Danae. My parents were actually worried about the way you were treated back in Esten."

"Well, I suppose the way I was treated back then was a bit underhanded, but I don't like to think about that. I live in Lahar now, and I'm just glad to be here."

Danae gave you a smile. She was genuinely thankful to be in Furze, and you were glad that she was no longer being treated in a cold manner. Looks like her family made the right decision to move to Furze for Danae.

*goto gone_home

*label Jericho3
*page_break

Jericho replied, "Let me guess. They want to know who my father is?"

"They were curious about Alterna Corps, actually. My parents are unfamiliar with businesses from Doht."

"Well, I suppose that's to be expected. Very few Dohten business owners invest in Lahar, so it would make sense that they've never heard of Alterna Corps."

Jericho continued, "My father's company designs, produces, and sells commercial vehicles for consumers."

"That's impressive. I didn't know Doht had their own brands of vehicles."

"They do, but I'm not surprised at all that you haven't heard of Alterna Corps. Alterna vehicles are uncommon in Lahar, since they use both mana and electricity. It makes the vehicles efficient for saving energy, but it makes it much more expensive."

"I'll be sure to mention this to my parents, the next time they ask."

Jericho laughed, "Leave out the technical jargon. I'm sure they'll appreciate it, as do most of my parents' customers."

*goto gone_home

*label Erika3
*page_break

Erika replied, "Well, what are they curious about?"

"Actually, I told my parents that you were a fashion designer, and my mom wanted to ask if you could sew something for her."

Erika spoke excitedly, "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Then, I'll do it! Your mom doesn't even need to pay me. I just want to know what she thinks of the dresses I make."

"You don't have to do that Erika, my parents are fully capable of compensating you for an outfit."

She shook her head, "Your mom will be my first patron, outside of the family that is, so consider it a thank you gift for even asking me. It's quite flattering."

"If you say so."

"In that case, ${fname}, what does your mom like to wear?"

"She likes to wear bright-colored dresses. I think something long would suit her well."

She smiled, "Okay, you got it. It sounds like your mom has very modern taste. I know for a fact that Laharians love bright colors in their clothes."

You returned her smile, "Thanks, Erika."

"Don't mention it, ${fname}. This is actually really exciting for me."

*goto gone_home

*label Ray3
*page_break

Ray replied, "Is that so? What were they curious about?"

"Well, my parents were wondering why you buried your head in books for weeks, during the first school year."

"Oh, you mean when I tried to master ${fskill}?"

"Yeah, exactly."

He sighed, "Where to start? Well, I wasn't too keen on dropping out of Kaelich's. Plus, I really want to go to The Aetherian Spell Academy."

"And why is that?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to go to The Spell Academy so badly?"

He replied, "Without getting too sappy, it's because I want to give my mom a comfortable life."

You replied, "Aww, that's kind of sweet."

"Shut up, ${fname}."

"No, really, I mean it. You must care a lot about your mom to do that for her."

He hung his head in embarrasment, "Uh, yeah. Well, I do."

You smiled, "I'm sure your mom will appreciate all the hard work you're doing."

"Oh, well she already does. But thank you for saying that."

You've never seen Ray seem so sentimental, but he must really care about her if he's willing to work this hard for it.

*goto gone_home

*label Alana3
*page_break

Alana replied, "What did they want to know? I'm a pretty open book."

You thought to yourself, "[i]Yes, you would be, if that book were written entirely in rainbows and glitter.[/i]"

You refocused your thoughts back to Alana's question, and you replied to her, "Uh, they wanted to know why you moved away from Grotto."

"Well, to be honest, I'm not sure. My parents tell me it's because of education, but I know for a fact that there are magic school in Grotto. So I can't really answer your questions, ${fname}."

"Oh, that's okay."

"Yeah, sorry to disappoint, but I tell you what, how about I give you another interesting fact? That way it makes up for the disappointing answer I gave you."

"Alright, let's hear it."

"Did you know that, on average, people live up to 120 years old in Grotto?"

*page_break

"Wait, is that true?"

She spoke, "Yes! Grotto is famous for its herbal pharmacology. I think the old people there mix their tea with rare herbs infused with healing spellcraft. I heard it's supposed to be really super healthy for you."

You were a bit surprised by Alana's response. You didn't know why, but you were almost expecting an incohesive response from her.

You replied, "That's actually quite fascinating. That must mean you might live to 120 years old, Alana."

She shook her head, "Uh-uh. I didn't drink the tea from Grotto. If you tasted it, it would remind you of sewer flavor. Yuck!"

You were tempted to ask her how she knew what sewer tastes like, but you weren't certain you were emotionally prepared for her response.

Alana continued, "Besides, you have to drink that tea at least once every day to reach 120 years old. I don't think I can handle barfing everyday, just to live longer."

You smiled at her, "No, I guess that wouldn't be worth it. I guess if you can't enjoy your life everyday, what's the point of becoming 120 years old?"

She spoke, "Squee! Exactly! Ohmygosh I'm so glad you get it!"

*goto gone_home

*label gone_home

You and ${school_friend} continued to speak for a few minutes, until you had to go your separate ways.

That evening, you waited for a response from Anna. She never replied to you yesterday, but you were wondering if you said something you shouldn't have through your text message.

When you realized she was not going to reply tonight, you immediately went to sleep.

*page_break The following afternoon

The day of the dinner get-together, you and your parents began to prepare yourselves.

Your parents dressed in a matching outfit.

Your father wore a blue polo shirt, while your mom wore a blue dress. The patterns on their clothes matched perfectly. You were almost certain they were custom-made for both of them.

Meanwhile, you dressed in...

*if (gender = "Male")
  *goto male_clothes
*elseif (gender = "Female")
  *goto female_clothes
*else
  *goto nonbinary_clothes

*label male_clothes
*choice
  #A bright-colored tuxedo. Perfectly form-fitting and masculine.
    *set dinnersuit "bright tuxedo"
    *goto dressed
  #A casual, polo shirt. My whole family decided to match their outfits.
    *set dinnersuit "casual polo"
    *goto dressed
  #A neutral, rugged-looking jacket. It was very casual, but it suited me very well.
    *set dinnersuit "rugged jacket"
    *goto dressed
  #An androgynous long-sleeve shirt. It was black, and it looked like it could be worn by a man or a woman.
    *set dinnersuit "long-sleeve shirt"
    *goto dressed

*label female_clothes
*choice
  #A bright-colored cocktail dress. Perfectly form-fitting and feminine.
    *set dinnersuit "bright cocktail dress"
    *goto dressed
  #A casual, blue skirt. My whole family decided to match their outfits.
    *set dinnersuit "casual skirt"
    *goto dressed
  #A matching white blouse and cigarette pants. It was very modern, and it suited me very well.
    *set dinnersuit "white blouse and pants"
    *goto dressed
  #An androgynous long-sleeve shirt. It was black, and it looked like it could be worn by a man or a woman.
    *set dinnersuit "long-sleeve shirt"
    *goto dressed

*label nonbinary_clothes
*choice
  #A bright-colored vest and pants. Perfectly form-fitting, and it suited one's body regardless of gender.
    *set dinnersuit "bright vest and pants"
    *goto dressed
  #A matching pair of baggy pants and a loose polo shirt. The pants were made of denim, and the polo shirt is made of cotton.
    *set dinnersuit "baggy pants and polo shirt"
    *goto dressed
  #A knee-length black dress with a hoodie. The entire outfit was a one-piece and it was black. It was perfectly androgynous.
    *set dinnersuit "androgynous one-piece"
    *goto dressed
  #A plaid collared shirt and a blue skirt. The shirt is very masculine, but the bottom is contrastingly feminine.
    *set dinnersuit "plaid shirt and blue skirt"
    *goto dressed

*label dressed

Your mom spoke, "You look beautiful wearing that ${dinnersuit}, ${fname}."

"Thanks, mom."

Your parents were both very excited to meet ${school_friend} and ${posnoun} family. 

Your mom spoke, "I wonder what ${posnoun} family is like?"

"You mean ${school_friend}? I'm sure you'll get along."

Your father asked, "Is there anything we're forgetting, honey?"

"No, I think we have everything, Derek."

Your father replied, "Great! Then, I guess we're all set."

Your entire family left your home in an especially energized mood. You were quite excited to see what ${school_friend}'s family would think of your parents; although, you were quite certain that they would get along.

*page_break

As your family entered the cobbled streets of Furze, you received a text message from Anna. It read:

"${fname}, I need your help! I'm afraid The Order of Blades is going to kill both of us!"

*if (suspect > 0)
  *goto goodsuspect
*else
  *goto notaclue

*label goodsuspect

You were entirely suspicious of the text. The desperate tone of the message didn't match Anna's personality very well. When you spoke to her, she was entirely intimidating and self-controlled.

Still, you wanted to know if Morgana truly was in danger. You prepared yourself against anyone or anything that may attack you if this truly was a trap.

You replied to the text, "Alright, just hold tight."

She texted back, "Thank you so much!"

You eyed the text message warily, you were almost certain this wasn't Anna. 
*goto leavefolks

*label notaclue

An unfiltered sense of dread spread throughout your body.

You replied, "What do you mean? I thought The Order of Blades was going to retrieve Morgana, but that they were not going to kill her?"

She texted back, "It seemed like they changed their plan. Their standing in front of our house, right now! They're threatening to kill both of us! Please come right away, I don't think Morgana will live for long if this goes on!"
*goto leavefolks

*label leavefolks
*page_break

You turned to both of your parents and you said, "Is it alright if you two go ahead? I need to visit another friend of mine before I go."

Your parents turned around with a confused expression.

Your father spoke, "What? But we only have one car! I don't think we have time to visit someone else."

You remained silent.

Your mom replied to your father, "I get it. I think this friend of yours is also coming to the dinner right?"

Thinking quickly on your feet, you lied, "Yes! Exactly. She was supposed to come, but for some reason she didn't. I was just going to see if I could convince her to come."

Your father still remained skeptical, "But how are you going to get to their house?"

"Actually, I can just walk there."

Your mom spoke, "Are you sure about this? We can drop you off if you want."

You didn't want to put your parents in danger, so you replied, "It's okay. Her house isn't very far from here."

Your father replied, "Alright. I guess we'll see you at ${school_friend}'s dinner party."

"Thanks, I'll see you there, mom and dad!"

*page_break

You started walking towards Morgana's house. After you turned into a corner, away from your parents line of sight, you broke out into a sprint.

You ran as fast as you could, hoping that Morgana was safe. Even if the person texting you wasn't the real Anna, you couldn't ignore the ominous call for help.

*page_break

*if (suspect > 0)
  *goto fightfirst
*else
  *goto fightlast

*label fightfirst
When you arrived at Morgana's house, the entire street was empty. Your palms surged with mana. The fact that there was no one in front of Morgana's house, essentially confirmed your suspicions. The person who was texting you was not Anna.

"So, you finally arrived?"

*page_break

A deep, male voice spoke to you from behind.

You calmly turned around, "Were you the one pretending to be Anna?"

When you turned around, a masked figure with a black combat armor was standing behind you. The mask was terrifying. It was shaped like the face of a demon, with an inhuman jaw that had four sharp canine teeth protruding from it.

The figure spoke in a surprised tone, "Oh? You noticed after all? Maybe you're not as stupid as I thought you were. But if you truly knew this was a trap, then why are you here?"

You replied...

*choice
  #"I'm here to see Morgana."
    *set morgmeter +2
    *goto seemorg
  #"I wanted to meet the person impersonating Anna."
    *goto impersonateanna
  #"Why should I tell you? I assume you're from The Order of Blades; which means you are my enemy."
    *set intellect %+5
    *set intuition %-5
    *goto myenemy

*label seemorg

The masked figure spoke, "Morgana? I have no idea where she is. In fact, I planned on using you to drag her out of hiding."

"Well, I'm sure she's far away from Furze by now."

The figure laughed, "Don't be so sure about that! I know for a fact that she's still in Furze."

You thought to yourself, "[i]Wait, she's still in Furze?[/i]"

The masked man continued, "Regardless, I'm here for you."
*goto firedshots

*label impersonateanna

The masked figure spoke, "Well, then. Here I am."

He turned in a full circle, almost like he was in a pageant.

He spoke again, "What do you think?"

"I'm not impressed. If you took off your mask, maybe I would be left with a better impression."

The masked figure laughed, "Nice try. If we weren't in Lahar, I wouldn't need to wear a mask. Rest assured, I will bare my mask in Esten."

"Well, it was worth a try."

The masked man spoke, "So, then. Shall we get down to business?"
*goto firedshots

*label myenemy

The masked figure spoke, "Indeed I am! Your logical conclusion is to be commended."

He continued, "Here's a little gift, for your shrewd deduction."
*goto firedshots

*label firedshots
The man extended both of his palms, and a glowing, dark-red rock appeared from his hands. The glow that extended from their core was almost blinding.

The figure pointed the rocks towards you, and a beam of light shot from both cores.

*choice
  #I used healing spellcraft to forge a barrier around my body.
    *set healing %+5
    (Healing increases).
    *line_break
    Despite the barrier you created, the beams of light pierced your magic. The beams of light struck one of your leg, and you fall to your knee.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke, "How did they go through my barrier?"
    *goto explainrock
  #I created a barricade using the debris.
    *set creation %+5
    (Creation increases).
    *line_break
    The beams of light curved mid-flight, and avoided your barricade entirely. The beams of light struck one of your leg, and you fall to your knee.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke, "The beams were mid-flight! How did they curve like that?"
    *goto explainrock
  #I conjured bolts of lightning, and flung them at the beams of light.
    *set conjuration %+5
    (Conjuration increases).
    *line_break
    The beams plowed through your bolts of lightning. Your conjured bolts dissipated entirely. The beams of light struck one of your legs, and you fall to your knee.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke, "What was that? It negated my conjuration."
    *goto explainrock
  #I focused mana into my palms, and I shot a stream of mana towards the beams of light.
    *set spellcraft %+5
    (Spellcraft increases).
    *line_break
    The stream of mana vanished once it touched the beams of light. Both of them struck your right leg, and you fall to your knee.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke, "The mana vanished? How is that possible?"
    *goto explainrock

*label explainrock

The masked figure spoke, "Do you like it? This rock is a new invention, specifically designed to fight spellcrafters. Of course, it's still a prototype, but it works perfectly well."

The figure approached you, and he said, "I'm almost cheating by using this, but I don't want to spend too much time on you. I'm here for Morgana and Anna."

The masked figure pointed the rocks towards you once more, and lights flew from the cores. This time, you couldn't dodge either of them due to your limp leg, and you were struck directly in the chest.
*goto rockstruck

*label fightlast
When you arrived at Morgana's house, the entire street was empty. You were quite baffled, you thought The Order of Blades was in front of Morgana's house.

"So, you finally arrived?"

*page_break

A deep, male voice spoke to you from behind.

When you turned around, a masked figure with a black combat armor was standing behind you. The mask was terrifying. It was shaped like the face of a demon, with an inhuman jaw that had four sharp canine teeth protruding from it.

He spoke, "I can't believe you were stupid enough to be tricked like that."

You extended your hand, and a bolt of mana flew from your fingers.

The figure vanished instantly, and he reappeared far above you. He used teleportation and levitation simultaneously.

"Did you think Anna would be so pathetic to call for help? You're clearly not familiar with her thick-headed stubbornness."

He continued, "Why do you think I resorted to baiting you? Anna will not call for help, but she and Morgana will come out of hiding if I kidnap you."

Although he was some distance away from you, you could see him opening his left palm. Inside his palm was a glowing, dark-red rock. The glow that extended from its core was almost blinding.

The figure pointed the rock towards you, and a beam of light shot from its core. You wanted to dodge, but the beam struck you before you could react.
*goto rockstruck

*label rockstruck
*page_break

The strange beam drained you of your strength. You could feel the mana in your body stagnating like a sickly disease. Your body fell to the floor, but you remained entirely conscious.

The masked figure descended and he approached you, until he was within your arms' reach, "This is almost too perfect."

"Not perfect enough!" A violent vibration tore through the streets. The masked figure barely dodged the vibration in time. He immediately ran straight for your limp body, apparently trying to protect his kidnapped prize.

The masked figured looked ahead and spoke, "If it isn't the girl of the hour. How have you been White Princess?"

"Shut up! That's not my name, anymore."

That voice. You recognized who it was.

The masked figure laughed, "Thanks for saving me the trouble of looking for you, Morgana. Now that you're here, I suppose I don't need this Laharian trash anymore."

The figured dug his heel into your side. You felt your breath leave your chest. You wheezed and choked for a few seconds.

"Stop it!" Morgana flailed her hand, and her Disruption Magic approached the masked man.

The vibration tore through him and knocked him back, but he was still standing. He spoke, "Haha! Impressive as usual, White Princess. Your Disruption magic hasn't weakened at all!"

Even though he was wearing a mask, you could almost feel that he was smiling. He spoke again, "Fighting you, Morgana, will be an immense pleasure."

*page_break

You stared helplessly at the two of them. As they spoke, you noticed that your strength slowly, but surely, returned. It looked like the effects of the glowing rock wasn't long-lasting.

However you wondered how useful you would be against the masked man. He was able to withstand Morgana's magic, which you knew was very potent. 

You hoped this battle would last long enough that you would recover from the strange rock's effect.

*page_break

As you lay on the floor, your gaze met Morgana's. She smiled at you, almost as if she were reassuring you that you would be safe. Even in a dangerous moment like this, she was still trying to make sure you felt safe.

You didn't like being as helpless as you currently were, especially considering that Morgana was fighting to keep you safe.

As you looked at Morgana fighting alone, you suddenly realized something: Where was the real Anna hiding?

*finish