"That mental veil… is impossible to achieve. Yet, I can observe its effects with my very own eyes."
Quies and Valerie walked around the interstice of Etris. At the center stood a tall white tree, its branches intricately curved, ending in rustling yellow and orange leaves. The trunk of the tree looked like a thousand nails dug into its soft flesh and scratched away the bark. At the base was a circular stone structure with arches that led to multiple bridges. It was built almost like it was enshrining the tree. Below the bridges was a chasm that seemed like it didn't have a bottom, thick fog covering the ocean below.
"Really? What aspect of it makes it impossible?"
"Well, here's the thing, right? There are actually quite a handful of versed people in this world that have abilities that mess with cognition, me included. Even then, the amount of ether and willpower it would take to form an effective mental veil over a single person, let alone maintain it, would be straining. And guess what? He… has subjugated every single living soul in Etris, hiding behind a kind and generous facade. The amount of ether that would take… would be equivalent to thousands of experienced divers, and that's just a rough estimate."
"Why do you always mention divers?"
"They're the most well acquainted unit of power that I know. You think I didn't gain anything from spending years working for the Divers?"
The two walked along a stone pathway riddled with stone steps. Leaves crunched and crumbled as passerbies stepped on them. The sun was past its highest point, a little after noon. Valerie stretched her hands forward, her ears flattening.
"Well, that was much faster than I expected. How about you go and learn how to use that zweihander of yours. I'll help you along the way, of course, since I have nothing else to do in the meantime."
Quies carried the large zweihander on his back, which wasn't the most practical way to carry it, but for now, it would do. He didn't want to walk around town holding a weapon resting on his shoulder.
"Sure. Is there a sparring arena somewhere here, like back at Vigil?"
"No. Even if there was, I wouldn't take you there. Plus, I basically have a pocket dimension in my… pocket."
"That's why they call it a pocket dimension."
"No, really? I didn't know!"
The two bantered as they walked along the streets of Etris, passing by houses and intricate steel pipes. In fact, there were a lot of pipes in Etris, which was what gave it its unique steampunk-esque look. Nobody knew, or cared, what went through those pipes. Maybe water, maybe something else.
'I'm bored.'
"So where are we going?"
"Oh, right, I forgot to mention earlier. I'll take us sort of outside the town, but also not outside. We'll camp at one of those peaks that overlook the town."
Valerie pointed slightly upwards and around the town. Surrounding the bustling settlement were tall pyres of stone, its peaks blanketed with green blades of grass. Swirls of thin fog hugged the rocks.
"You expect me to climb up that?"
"Nope."
Quies looked at Valerie.
'Is she stu- ah probably."
"I'll carry you up there. And since you're so tired I guess I could carry from here. It'll only take a second. Literally."
Quies looked at Valerie with a confused look. How exactly was he going to get carried?
"What? I'll carry you on my back, like a little piggy!"
"Do not compare me to a pig! And seriously, right in front of everyone here?"
Quies threw his hands out.
"Hey, nobody here even knows who you are!"
"Still…"
"Or we can climb that tall pyre! With absolutely no assists, of course."
Valerie crouched down and patted her knees, signalling for Quies to hop on. He hesitated, but then visualized himself climbing up that tall peak all by himself. His fingers jammed into the most miniscule cracks of the rock face, his feet at the tipping point of slipping on the surface of the rocks.
'On second thought, a piggyback ride doesn't sound that bad.'
He looked around, seeing how many people were around. He waited until the smallest amount of people were around to watch, and then reluctantly climbed onto Valerie's back.
"Hold on tight."
"Why?"
"You'll see in like, one second."
Quies' grip tightened around Valerie, but when she started to move, he tensed harder. He was immediately reminded of how fast Valerie was moving around the schooner, blitzing to different parts of the ship in an instant.
'And now I'm here to join in on the ride'
The wind violently blew past his face, ruffling his once pristinely parted hair. He squinted his eyes to not let them dry out, and closed his mouth to not let any of the wind be caught in his mount. He could feel his lips begin to dry and crack. The world around him looked like a blur, imperceptible. He could only imagine the dizziness he would feel after Valerie stopped.
However, not a moment later, Valerie did just that.
Quies' grip loosened and he fell onto the soft grass with a soft thud. His brain felt like mush.
"How do you… do this…"
"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad!"