The Lacrosa Arena sat in the heart of the underground city, a circur structure carved from dark stone that predated most of the current architecture. Unlike the blood-soaked gdiatorial pits of ancient history, this arena served as a neutral meeting ground, a pce where disputes were settled, demonstrations held, and information exchanged away from prying eyes.

  Dawn and Lea entered through one of the side passages, their footsteps echoing against polished obsidian floors. The main floor was empty save for a single figure leaning against the central pilr, hat tilted at that characteristic angle.

  "Count Maxwell.", Dawn called out, her voice carrying across the space.

  He looked up, a slight smile pying at his lips. "Princess, and my Companion. What brings you both to this fine establishment?"

  "Dragon's blood.", Dawn replied, producing the wooden case, "As promised. Three vials, purified from the Eastern Wastes."

  Auger straightened, genuine interest flickering in his eyes, "Now that's a proper payment. I was half-expecting you to try negotiating down to regur lizard blood."

  "I know better than to shortchange a demigod.", Dawn said dryly, handing over the case, "Especially one who's been providing valuable intelligence on the Wondertainment Troupe, and being the ancient hero of my people."

  Auger opened the case, examining the luminous crimson vials with practiced efficiency, "Speaking of which, I've had word from my contacts. Sageo hasn't been spotted since the Academic Showcase, but the Troupe itself has been quieter than usual."

  "Meaning?"

  "Meaning they're preparing something big, The Maker's followers don't steal divine scripts just to put them on a shelf.", Auger closed the case with a soft click, "Whatever ritual that manuscript contains, they'll attempt it soon. My guess? Within the month."

  Dawn's expression darkened,"Any idea where?"

  "That's the problem. They've gone completely underground. None of my usual informants has anything concrete.", He gnced at Lea. "Though I suspect our resident Vilin might have better luck tracking evil than I do."

  Lea shifted uncomfortably behind her mask. Auger had a way of seeing through her carefully constructed facades... he knew what she was pnning.

  Dawn pulled out a small notebook, jotting something down, "I'll have IS7 increase surveilnce on known Maker cult gathering sites. If they're pnning something major, they'll need supplies, manpower, and locations."

  "Smart.", Auger acknowledged with a nod, "Though be careful. Those clowns are slippery. They've evaded capture for decades."

  "Which is why I'm not relying solely on official channels.", Dawn pocketed the notebook, "I have... alternative sources of information."

  Auger's smile widened, "Lady Keter's little network, or specifically, the other residence, I presume?"

  Dawn didn't confirm or deny, simply changing the subject, "The dragon's blood should be sufficient payment for the next month's intelligence reports. But if you hear anything concrete about Sageo or that script—"

  "You'll be the first to know.", Auger promised, "Well, second. I'll tell Lea first since she's supposed to be protecting you."

  Dawn gave him a ft look, "Your concern is touching."

  "I do try.", Auger tucked the case under his arm, "Anything else you need while you're here?"

  "No, that covers everything.", Dawn adjusted her cloak, "I need to get back to Renar. The council is expecting my report on the Academic Showcase, and I'd rather control the narrative before the war hawks start screaming about Zankur invasions."

  "Good luck with that.", Auger said dryly with a chuckle, "Politicians do love their wars."

  Dawn nodded, then gnced at Lea, "Are you coming, or do you have other business?"

  Lea hesitated for just a moment, "I... have a few questions for Count Maxwell. I'll catch up with you at the elevator in an hour."

  Dawn studied her for a moment, then nodded, "One hour. Don't be te."

  With that, the princess turned and strode toward the exit, her footsteps echoing across the arena floor until she disappeared through the archway. The silence that followed was heavy.

  Auger tilted his head, studying Lea with those sharp eyes,"Well, well. What question could possibly require privacy from your charge?"

  Lea took a breath, "I need a favor."

  "Oh?", Auger's smile didn't fade, but something shifted in his expression, "This should be interesting."

  "I need you to keep Dawn and the Ryteline government distracted for eleven hours. At night. In three days."

  The silence stretched as they stared at each other, gauging the other.

  Auger's smile slowly faded, "Eleven hours. Very specific. And at night, no less."

  He leaned back against the pilr, crossing his arms, "Should I even ask what you're pnning?"

  Lea kept her posture steady, though her heart hammered beneath her mask, "Something I need to handle without interference."

  "Something that requires keeping Dawn specifically distracted...", Auger said slowly, "Along with the entire government."

  Her throat tightened in nervousness.

  "Eleven hours, Lea. That's not investigation time, that's ritual time.", his eyes narrowed.

  Damn his perceptiveness.

  "It might involve mystical procedures.", Lea admitted carefully.

  Auger studied her for a long moment, his expression calcuting. "You're attempting your Fourth Step, a bit too soon, might I add."

  It wasn't a question.

  "Yes.", she said simply. No point in lying now.

  "And it requires eleven hours.", Auger tapped his cane thoughtfully against the ground, "Interesting. Not many Paths have such specific time requirements for their Fourth Step rituals."

  "Though I suppose I shouldn't pry into the specifics. Each Path of Divinity has its secrets."

  Lea felt a wave of relief. He wasn't going to press for details about what her Fourth Step actually entailed.

  "You're aware this is incredibly dangerous, right?", Auger continued.

  "I'm aware."

  "Fourth Step rituals are where most Pathstriders either ascend or destroy themselves and everyone around them."

  "I know."

  "And you're pnning to do this without Dawn's knowledge or approval."

  "She would try to stop me or insist on official oversight, which would interfere with the ritual.", Lea said quietly, "I need... I need this to work, Count Maxwell."

  Auger studied her for a long moment, "Why? And don't give me some vague answer about duty or self-improvement. Why do you need the Fourth Step so badly?"

  Lea hesitated. Then, slowly, she said, "Because I'm not strong enough as I am now. What I face, what's coming, I can't handle it at Third Step. I need to reach the foundation of the Path of Divinity."

  "Revenge.", Auger said simply.

  "Survival.", Lea corrected, "And justice."

  For herself, for those harmed in the name of gods.

  "Call it what you like.", Auger tapped Excalibur against the ground once, "You're driven by something dark. I can see it in how you move, how you speak. Revenge, trauma, desperation, whatever it is, it's burning you from the inside out."

  "But it works.", Lea said, her voice hardening, "You know it does. You've walked this path before."

  Auger's expression flickered, something old and painful crossing his features before vanishing.

  "Yes, I have. Which is exactly why I'm telling you to be careful. That kind of fire either forges you into something stronger or consumes you entirely."

  "But you'll help me anyway, as your Companion.", Lea said, reading his body nguage, "Won't you?"

  Another long silence.

  Then Auger sighed, "You're going to do this regardless of what I say, aren't you?"

  "Yes."

  "Even if I refuse. Even if I tell Dawn, you'll find another way."

  "Yes."

  The fire burns inside her demands it. She demands it.

  Auger closed his eyes briefly

  "Stubborn. Just like I was at that age.", he opened his eyes, glowing crimson light, "Fine. I'll do it. But with conditions."

  Lea's breath caught, "What conditions?"

  "First, I'll manufacture a border incident with Zankur. Nothing too serious, but enough to require immediate government attention. That'll keep Dawn and the officials occupied for at least twelve hours."

  "And second?"

  "I'll be watching.", Auger said firmly, "I won't interfere with your ritual directly, but if something goes catastrophically wrong, if I sense reality itself starting to tear apart, I'm intervening."

  "You'll ruin the ritual—"

  "Better a ruined ritual than a dimensional breach or a dead city, I have to pull my weight as a Hero for my people.", Auger said with a smirk, "I don't know what your Fourth Step involves, and I won't pry. But I know enough about ascensions to recognize when they're colpsing. Those are my terms. Take them, or I go straight to Dawn and tell her you're pnning something."

  Lea stared at him, weighing her options. She didn't like the idea of being monitored, but Auger was right; she was going to attempt this regardless. Having him as a distant safety net was better than nothing.

  And he wasn't asking for details about the ritual itself. That was important.

  "Agreed.", she said finally.

  "Good.", Auger straightened, adjusting his hat, "Three days from now. What time?"

  "Eight at night to six in the morning."

  "Eight to six," Auger repeated. "That gives you time to prepare. Whatever your ritual requires, make sure you've triple-checked everything. Fourth Step ascensions punish sloppiness with death."

  "I won't cut corners.", Lea promised.

  Auger studied her for another moment, then nodded, "One more thing. When this is over, we're having a conversation about what comes next. The Path of Divinity isn't just power, Lea. It exposes you to the first yer of existence, you may break from it."

  Lea had no response to that.

  Auger waved her off, "Go catch up with Dawn. You've got one hour, and knowing her, she'll leave without you if you're te."

  "Thank you.", Lea said quietly.

  "Don't thank me yet.", Auger replied, "Thank me if you survive."

  With that ominous statement hanging in the air, Lea turned and hurried toward the exit.

  Behind her, Auger remained in the arena, staring at the case of dragon's blood in his hands.

  "Fourth Step at her age...", he muttered to himself.

  "Either she's incredibly talented or incredibly reckless. Heh, Probably both."

  He thought about the specifics, eleven hours at night, requiring complete government distraction. That suggested either a wide-area effect or something that needed absolute secrecy. Given that she was combining Malediction, Judgement, and Cloak, the possibilities were numerous.

  But he wouldn't pry. Every Pathstrider's ascension was personal. Sacred, even.

  He could only hope she knew what she was doing. And that whatever she was pnning wouldn't get her killed.

  "Kids these days.", he sighed, tucking the dragon's blood away, "Always in such a hurry to destroy themselves."

  But despite his words, there was something almost fond in his expression. He'd been exactly like her once. Desperate, driven, willing to risk everything for power.

  And he'd survived. As those thoughts rest upon him, Auger flinched.

  Before he was in the arena's private room, the next moment, he found himself in the monochrome library. He instantly turned around, getting ready to defend himself with Excalibur.

  He sees Lady Keter, still in her seat of honor, reading a book titled 'The Hobbit'.

  "I am not very pleased with your actions, Gandalf.", she closed her book, "I know what you are plotting with Dantes..."

  "Someone on the Path of Divinity is too dangerous if she fails.", Auger stated, his stance firm, "You know what happened."

  "I do.", she sighed, putting the book down, "Why do you think the rituals for the Path of Divinity feel easier?"

  His grip on his cane tightened, remembering something awful, "I saw..."

  Lady Keter put her index finger on her lips, "Shh... you don't need to say."

  "But I will be keeping you here as punishment for your tomfoolery, until Dantes makes it to her Fourth Step..."

  His eyes widened, and he unched a lightning bolt at her. But Lady Keter merely swatted it aside with a flick of her finger.

  "Don't worry, all of the things you promised to Dantes... will come true.", her smile grows a bit rger, "A war is coming, Zankur, Zhenkur, Kres, and even the Great Desert tribes, it will rope in Ryteline."

  "So just stay here and rex, if you are worried about your true body, Mashhith will relocate you to somewhere safe.", another book appeared in front of Auger, it was titled 'All Quiet on the Western Front'.

  Auger did not say anything, so he quietly sat down...

  And he began to read. Lady Keter is not an enemy of the world, but that does not mean she is an ally of humanity.

  As a Fifth Step demigod, he has no qualification to fight Lady Keter. To reach something beyond humanity, he needs to become a god himself.