“Thank the gods.” Trinidad said, standing a little taller as she let out a deep anxiously held breath.

  “I for one am still against it. No offense Ozzy, but your kind are most well-known for causing problems they’re never quite able to fix.” Arlan said.

  “That’s unfair,” Trinidad said defensively, “he’s solved more problems for me than he’s caused so far. Not to mention what do you know of pure humans?” Trinidad asked.

  “Hundred-year-old books can be a poor source of truth.” Aria nodded along with Trinidad’s words.

  “Arlan,” Ozzy said delicately, “Remulas explained it, I explained it, obviously you still don’t like it what are we going to do? It’s not like anything can be done about it.” Ozzy tried reasoning with him.

  The old man harrumphed. “I will set my reservations aside for the sake of my god and the circle. I will not however abandon them. I am not comfortable with one so young wading into the tides of conflict.”

  Ozzy reasoned it probably wouldn’t help if he mentioned he’d already been to war before. With how displeased the old man already looked he reckoned it was probably best to leave the subject. At least for now.

  “Now that we’ve gotten over this major hurdle, can we get back to appeasing the little dictator while you give Ozzy the long and short?” Aria asked Arlen, her tone implying that it was exactly what they were going to do no matter what felt like doing.

  Looking sheepishly between Aria and Ozzy the old man slumped his shoulders. “Tag out?” He asked hopefully.

  Pinching the bridge of her nose Aria began to say something before she paused, a serpentine smile crossing her face. “Only if you handle next month’s round of audits.”

  Arlan’s shoulders slumped even further. “Fine.” He said indignantly, stomping angrily off. “Hey, you’re still on ass kissing duty watcher.” Arlan grunted, having paused as he realized he was walking away alone. “The two of us swapping jobs doesn’t mean you get to. I’m sure that little nightmare has been just marinating in anger waiting for us to go back down.”

  ***

  Ozzy’s introduction to the circle with Aria was as short sweet and simple as you could get describing a vast underground network of smuggling and thievery. Despite not having the same eloquence and ease of speaking as Arlan Aria got her points across fast, and clearly. A trait Ozzy felt was worth its weight in gold.

  After learning about the circle Ozzy was surprised to find it much more above the water than he had initially come to expect. They were purveyors of illicit goods and contraband, smugglers, and even crime bosses, but they were not evil. In fact, the main point of the Circle’s influence simply seemed to be tied to tax evasion and direct to consumer business models. That was only internally, however.

  Things took a turn for Ozzy as Aria began to explain their business models to Ozzy. The circle largely dealt with customers no one else was interested in serving. People like platform warlords, gangs, and those blacklisted by the merchant guilds. So, the Circle dealt with problem customers by charging them a premium and sending someone like Aria to collect whenever dues weren’t being paid. They were the reason people like Ceranikus and his Edge Slingers had been able to flourish.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  It was a concerning thought, that the cores and shards he had looted from the edge slinger compound were more than likely originally from the Circle’s coffers.

  After giving Ozzy a general overview of what they did she got to the parts actually relevant to him.

  “I’m sure Remulas told you, but you’re one of us now. You don’t have to work at the circle. I think I can speak for Arlan and myself on this one but we’d prefer if your greatest additions to the cause were forcing us to add an extra seat to our table to collect dust. You don’t even have to help us if we run into trouble. You do have to respect our operations however, any perceived slight against our production will be met with a visit from our god.” She said, driving each sentence into him like she was capable of stabbing people with only her words.

  “I get it, I already agreed to this.” Ozzy said, really not feeling the confidence from these people.

  Aria softened as she listened to him. “I know, it was part of the plan to refresh your memory. I’m excited to have another warrior as a member of the circle, even if it’s in name only. We see the world differently than men like Arlan. I can see it in your eyes,” She said, her voice taking on the kind of gravity that preempted violence, “you know what it means to survive.”

  They left the catamaran to drop back down to the train. Ozzy activating his furry form ability lessen the impact from falling even further. Even if he didn’t take fall damage it still hurt like hell. Not to mention if Emil saw him land on his head he’d never hear the end of it.

  By the time they hit the deck Lucy was all but done conversing with Trinidad and Arlan. The two newcomers looked exhausted and annoyed with Lucy the leader of the firelight district still looking ready to combust. Needless to say, their work trying to calm her must have gone great. After all, when the little woman lifted a hand out and fired a gout of flame the size of a small house out into the swamp it was obviously a mark of celebration.

  “I’ll be collecting my companion and leaving Trinidad for you to handle.” Aria told Ozzy before turning and making her way through the crowded top deck to Arlan. It didn’t matter to her in the slightest that there was barely enough space for everyone to stand without touching anyone else, she pushed through the crowded core users like a bulldozer. After the first person to offer up any real resistance was quite literally plowed over people quickly made room for her.

  “She seems lovely.” A familiar female voice said, and Ozzy turned to find Liza standing beside him, Emil just off to her side.

  “She’s just bothered by her friend,” Ozzy used his chin to point at Arlan, “he’s a little uptight.”

  “You should have seem him arguing with Lucy.” Emil whispered. “I thought she was going to torch him and put him out by tossing him overboard.”

  “She wouldn’t get very far, he’s a tier 3.” Ozzy said, feeling as Emil and Liza tensed.

  The couple looked between themselves and back at Ozzy before shaking their heads in mock disapproval.

  “Could you be a normal tier 0 for just a day?” Liza asked, clucking her tongue in disapproval. “Speaking of look, you have a friend coming this way.” She said as the unmistakable form of Trinidad headed their way, no one hesitating to clear her path towards them.

  As she got closer she smiled, some of her weariness melting away. Greeting Liza with a nod they shook hands firmly but with a degree of civility that had been totally absent in their last meeting.

  “Good to see you Liza.” She said formally, only then turning to address Emil and Ozzy.

  Emil took a big step back, excusing himself from the formalities as Ozzy stood in confused silence waiting for something to happen. I really hate all of these weird social formalities, he thought, I’m just gonna-

  Ozzy went to open his mouth to break the awkward silence only for Liza to pivot her foot and stomp down on his own, making him feel like the digits would either get pressed into meat soup inside of his boot or go through the deck itself. The message was clear though, and Ozzy kept his mouth shut.

  “It’s nice to see you again Ozzy,” Trinidad gave him the kind of smile that could have accelerated global warming. It was as bright as beautiful summer day and more genuine than the pain Ozzy felt coursing through his foot at that very moment.

  Despite Trinidad’s imposing form and ability as a warrior Ozzy couldn’t help but see her as any of the earthly women he’d grown to care about over the years. Sure, she was a warrior and a leader, but under it all Ozzy saw a kindness. It had been wrapped in chains and forced to weather the storms of violence so common in this world, but as she smiled at him, he could just barely make it out.

  “Glad you could make it.” Ozzy said, forcing himself to smile as something infinitely worse than the pain in his foot caught his attention. A live audience.