[Ferryman]

"So..." said Maya, trailing off.

"Just ask your questions," responded Mori.

"If you're only level 1, why is your dynamic like that?" asked Maya pointing at both him and Aura.

"What dynamic?" asked Aura.

Torryn gently kicked his sister's foot, she gave him a side-eye and turned toward them again.

"Well, I'm just wondering how you can be this strong," said Maya.

After a quick look, nobody was around. The weather probably made most stay home, thought Mori.

"Here," he said, leaning over.

His profile appeared, floating. It hadn't changed since the last time he looked at it. 

Maya's expression was one of wonder and excitement.

[Memento Mori] [Level 1]

[Class: Cursed Sovereign]

[Cursed Path: Fateweaver 1879892/2,216,838]

[Health points: 5/5]

[Cursed Energy: 1477892/1477892]

[Magic: 10]

[Strength: 3]

[Defense: 2]

[Agility: 1]

"This is INSANE. So instead of mana, you really use Cursed Energy itself..."

"This also isn't my final path, the next one should increase my cursed energy to 2.2 million, that's how it worked so far at least."

The weather wasn't getting any better, and the sporadic cold breeze kept them awake.

Every time the wind rose, a pleasant smell reached Mori. 

"Are you wearing perfume?" he asked Maya.

"Yes! I wasn't sure if I should buy some... But we had so much gold on our hands and its cost was so cheap... You like it?"

Maya's face was red. She avoided eye contact, playing with her hair, and twirling it around her finger.

Torryn loudly exhaled, rolling his eyes further than his sockets allowed. 

"Really, Maya?" said Torryn.

Aura had a small contained laugh, as Maya turned around to start bickering again.

"What?! I can ask his opinion, can't I? You're just jealous."

"Jealous of what? Huh? You think I care who you have a crush on?"

"A cr- A CRUSH?" She furtively looked at Mori, "Don't listen to him, he was cradled a little too close to the wall as a kid, if you pick up what I'm putting down, so-"

Mori patted Maya's head, and as curiosity took him he touched her horns.

"Huh. Does that hurt?"

Maya's puffy cheeks seemed to hold steam as she stood still.

"No."

"Get a room, already," said Torryn, turning around.

"I'm starting to agree with him," said Aura, glaring.

Mori withdrew his hand, to Maya's discontent.

"I don't want to go, after all, I'd rath-"

"He's here," said Mori.

They all stood up, as someone wearing a dark cloak approached them from the main street.

The cloak's edges brushed against the floor at every step the man took, his pace fast and confident.

His hood concealed his face, yet Mori's eyebrows shot up.

"Him?" he let out.

"You know who that is?" asked Aura.

"That's Jeff."

He took his hood off, smiling as he approached closer.

"I knew we'd meet again!" he said brightly.

As he got closer, he held his hand out, Mori studied it and then shook it, revealing his disfigured arm.

"Oh, you've got... quite the situation there, you need to get that healed, I can refer you-" said Jeff concerned.

"It'll be fine, no need to worry."

The 5 of them stood there, the sound of water flowing from the fountain adding some background noise to the turmoil inside.

Maya and Torryn were practically hiding behind Mori, while only Aura stood next to him, unbothered as she looked Jeff up and down.

He could feel Torryn's tight grasp on his clothes, almost pulling him.

"You never told me you're name, by the way," said Jeff.

"It's Mori."

"Ah! Latin! It means Death, quite gloomy! Haha! Well, I'm one of those who chose their real name, quite unoriginal, I know..."

An awkward silence filled the air, only Mori returning half a smile, while the others remained serious.

"Alright uh, Mori. So I take it your slaves were looking for the Ferryman," said Jeff.

He raised both arms and smiled, "Right in front of you!"

"Yeah, I figured that much..." said Mori.

Jeff took a step closer, grabbing Mori's shoulder.

"You should've told me last time! I would've helped you right away! I told you, right? I'm trying to make this city better, and that hopefully, even HQ will move here? One step at a time!"

"You're saying that, but I've seen the amount of corpses in the back alleys, your speech and actions don't exactly match."

Jeff took a step back, his expression visibly confused as he looked at Maya, Torryn, then at Mori.

"You're a tough judge, Mori." 

His usual smile gradually returned.

"It's harder than it seems. Change takes time. There are a lot of demonfolks in this city, we're doing what we can with the guards we've been given. Believe me when I say this, a few weeks from now we'll be done with all of this."

"I'll be the judge of that, meanwhile, I need you to take care of these two."

Jeff shook Mori's hand again.

"You can count on me," said Jeff.

"How much do you want? Is there anything we need to prepare?" asked Mori.

"I'll take care of everything, that's how I usually operate, I've been doing this for a while now, just trust me."

Mori turned around, patting Maya and Torryn's head. 

Jeff took a few steps back, giving them space.

"Alright guys, this is it."

"I don't want to go," said Maya, on the verge of tears.

"We could stay longer," agreed Torryn.

Mori looked at Aura, hoping for any advice, but none came.

After thinking a moment, he finally exhaled.

"I've made up my mind. You have to go," said Mori. 

As they both were about to start protesting, Mori quickly shushed them.

"I need to tie loose ends here first. Once that's done, give me a couple of weeks — months, at most, and I'll come for you guys. You just need to be patient."

"Really?!" asked Torryn.

"Yes, really."

Mori took a few steps back, nodding at Jeff.

"It's a promise then! You better hold it!" said Maya.

Jeff smiled as he walked past Mori, walking with the siblings in the opposite way.

"Alright, let's do this!" he said brightly.

As they started walking away, Maya turned around and sprinted toward Mori.

She jumped into his arms and kissed his cheek.

She broke away and sprinted back toward her brother.

"See you, Mori! Thanks for everything!!!"

Mori stood by Aura, both of them watching the only people they could've considered friends leaving.

"I'll miss them," said Aura.

"Same. Let's finish here as fast as we can, so we can leave too."