"So how are you liking the Revista? Better than keyboard and mouse right?" Mars said with a smirk.

  "Definitely. I feel so fully immersed, it doesn't pare to the Zephyr but I love it, Mars. this etle world. It feels like I'm in some kind of fantasy novel every time I py." Aya said over her pte of half eaten Omurice.

  "Still haven't e across any pyers huh?" Mars asked, g her fiogether in thought.

  "I don't think I really o, I'm not ready to leave Bloom Haven until I figure out the messages Mom left for me," Aya said holy. Mars leaned bato her chair, ign the squealing creak that came from pressing her weight fully against its weak back.

  "I guess I uand, 't say I rete. Parents be very...brutal too sometimes," Mars said.

  Aya wao ask if that was why Mars left home and was now staying in the decrepit old apartment plex. Not that she minded, Aya loved her pany.

  But she resigned herself not to pry into busihat wasn't hers.

  "What's that look?" Mars asked, notig Aya's ptive expression. Aya tilted her head slightly in fusion.

  "What look?"

  "Sometimes when I'm talking you get this look on your face like you're looking at a really difficult puzzle,"

  Aya rested her on her head and looked back at Mars with a mildly sheepish expression.

  "You caught me, I guess I am trying to figure you out. I'm w what someone who afford a gaming pod would be doing in a pce like this, you're a mystery but you're also my friend so I'm not going to go poking around unless you want to talk about it,"

  Mars snickered, finishing off the rest of her food and allowing Aya to carry the ptes into the sink for a soak.

  "You know ohing I like about you? You aren't nosy,"

  "es with the territory, when you've lived here as long as I have you learn to keep your eyes open and your mouth shut," Aya made a zipping motion over her mouth.

  Mars shrugged.

  "I'll tell you what I'm doier, maybe after we fight? You haven't fotten about my wager have you?"

  Aya shook her head.

  "I've been leveling up but I 't help but wonder what level you are, you've got to have more experiehan me especially if you've been to other areas." Mars hummed.

  "That's true but I still believe in you. You have potential and I like that about you too."

  "Are the other areas in Moon Valley dangerous?" Aya asked as she scrubbed the dishes with a dish sponge.

  "Bloom Haven is so calm but when I go towards the edge I get the feeling something's waiting for me,"

  "Well there are newbie towns and then, there are the proving grounds," Mars said.

  "Proving grounds?"

  "It's where the toughest creatures are, it's also where you get the rarest drops. But you'll have to leave Bloom Haven to find out Aya," Mars teased. She studied her friend's face.

  "There's no hurry Aya, it'll be there when you're ready," Mars said.

  Aya blew a stray strand of hair out of her fad rihe ptes off ahem to dry in the rack. The bruensed her shoulders at Mars' words. There would be time and besides she still had some stoo sell.

  "You're right, I guess money's been a little bit on my mind. Thanks,"

  "No problem, I already offered y'know,"

  "I just feel like it's something I have to do on my own," Aya mumbled. Mars chuckled.

  "I uand,"

  ----------

  On the way out Mars and Aya met an ued person with their hand poised to kno the door.

  Lydia stood outside Aya's apartment with an unimpressed expression as she stared her niece down with utmost s. Her lips pulled ba a frown the moment she id her sights on Mars, who was halfway out the door.

  "No wo was so damn noisy," the woman muttered, Mars and Aya exged looks, feeling something off about the ent. They had kept their voices low, whispering due to Aya's thin walls.

  The door neighbor was more of a than they were.

  "Look dy we weren't making any noise, whatever you heard must have e from somewhere else," Mars said with a pointed gre.

  Lydia said nothing, only folding her arms and slinking away like something that belonged in the abyss.

  "I just don't uand her, she did the same thing earlier today," Aya said resting her hands on her hips in wonderment. Lydia must have really had it out for her retly it seemed.

  Mars whipped around at Aya's words, askio repeat herself so she wasn’t mistaken.

  "I mean while I ying she uh seemed surprised I wasn't at work,"

  Mars grabbed Aya and dragged her bato the house, keeping her voice low she said.

  "Aya does she do this often, e to your apartment and accuse you of things randomly?" Mars asked.

  "Yes how did you-"

  "She's keeping tabs on you!" Mars whispered harshly. "You aren't making noise, she wants to know if you're still within reach."

  Aya's eyes widened.

  "So she report back to the person she's bckmailing," Aya said.

  "Exactly."

  Something clicked in Aya's mind, all the times Lydia was just seemingly at her door for no reason, lurking in the shadows of the apartment plex. Times when Lydia would show up outside her door while Aya was simply napping or studying.

  "I never noticed before but it makes sense now," Aya said in a whisper.

  "Try to be careful from now on, especially now that she could feel you're on to her," Mars warned. "You're always free to hide out at my pce,"

  ----------

  Aya closed the door the moment Mars left and locked it swiftly behind her, her heart pounded against her chest as she rested her back against the door.

  "I fot to ask her if she'd seen the mert!" Aya said, smag her forehead with an open palm.

  "Well, maybe aime,"

  ----------

  At Lumos Inc. Fred Berkley stormed through the halls of the upper levels of the pany intending to reach the CEO's office.

  Now that Mr. Sincalir was back from his trip to Mericross, Fred could disclose this private information. The office coffee addict burst into the ain office, ign the yells of the secretary stationed right outside the door.

  The CEO was surrounded by a group of men, all members of Lumos Inc.'s board of directors.

  Mr. Sincir lifted his head to lock eyes with Fred, who had a determined expression on his face.

  "Sir I tried to stop him!" The secretary said desperately,

  "Fred, what is it?" Mr. Sincir asked, the old men and women of the board turned around to face the archivist tech who they usually saw with their CEO. Some scoffed at his ragged, sleep deprived appeara not Mr. Sincir.

  He could tell the man had something important to say.

  "I found her name," Fred said, Mr. Sincir's eyes widened. A breathless sound escaped his lips. He gripped his chest to slow his pounding chest.

  "Get out." Mr. Sincir whispered.

  "Sir?" A member of the board asked incredulously.

  "I said the meeting is postponed get out, get out!" Mr. Sincir said in a frenzy. the board scattered, uo uand what had the CEO in such a state. The secretary ushered them out as kindly as she could. Soon only Fred and the CEO were left in.

  "What's her name Fred? Please I o remember," Mr. Sincir said, holding his hands in a prayer pose, he bowed his head as he waited for the answer.

  "Aya Brown,"

  And just like that, a flood of tears rolled down Mr. Sincir's cheeks, he remembered that name. Remembered the small bubbly girl who lived with her grandmother.

  He'd only met Aya a few times. She didn't seem to know who he was. He was there at the time of her birth.

  The first time he'd met her was as a little pink bundle in her mother's arms. Anastasia Browhe little baby close, years before siess would take her from her precious family.

  His brother, David, y with her in the hospital bed poking the rosy pink cheeks of his new daughter.

  "I'm a father! Vic say hello to your niece Aya,"

  The words echoed through Mr. Sincir's mind. How excited his brother was, how genuine his and Anastasia's smiles had beehey brought her home.

  A shockwave of memories hit him. He saw Aya so much when she was younger before Lumos Inc. required his full attention. The game had to und the teology was going to be unlike anything anyone had ever seen before.

  At Anastasia's funeral, he saw her again, she was much older a young tee that point. Aya sat in a church pew, wearing a bck dress with a white doll colr, and had her brown hair in an Alice Band.

  The girl was quiet, watg her grandmother receive tons of dolences from the few guests who attehe funeral service.

  He walked up to her but she was already leaving with her grandmother before he could even reach her. He was a coward then but he refused to be any longer.

  He had to be there for all of it.

  "I'm so sorry I fot you. I'm so sorry Aya!" He whispered through tears and sniffles.

  He registered a hand rubbing his back gently and soothingly. Fred stood beside him, with an awkward smile as he patted the CEO's ba support.

  "I've never seen you so emotional sir," Fred said. He looked away, not used to dealing with anyone's emotions. Least of all his boss’.

  "Sir I'll do my best to find out where she is, I have a strong suspi she's in Axen City," Fred said.

  "Ah yes, Anastasia's home city, the city we all met. Of course, of course!" An unhinged ugh left the man's lips. "It's almost poeti't you think?"

  "I'm sure it must be," Fred said, already knowing the man could be a bit etric when he was alone.

  "Fred please do your best to find her, I have reason to believe she's in danger," Mr. Sincir said.

  "Right away sir, I'll use ahod I have to," Fred said as he made his way out of the room, the blond man stopped abruptly and turned back to the CEO.

  "And sir, please give Romina a raise, her help was instrumental to the cause,"

  Mr. Sincir chuckled.

  "I'll keep that in mind, Fred,"

  The archivist exited the office, leaving the CEO aloh his thoughts. He wondered if Aya would be angry at him for abandoning her, no doubt a her father.

  He sighed deeply and fell bato his chair.

  If only she khe truth.

  Annou Chapter 45 on patreon!