The instant Banks appeared in the past he immediately teleported out of the room, appearing in a nearby alley and avoiding the initial talking. The repeated conversations with the Nevadie were beginning to get on his nerves, no matter how much he enjoyed the company of the diminutive man. With every exhale a thin gasp of light blue lights seemed to seep from between his lips, the final traces of mana, once blocking his veins and now released. An unrivalled feeling of coolness spread from his core and into every cell in his body as a feeling of familiar fullness comforted him. Truly you do not really know what you have until it's lost and what you've lost until it's once again regained. With a fully developed set of Mana Veins he had now reached the apex of magicians, one step before condensing a Sacred Body and reaching the top tiers among humanity. It was an exhilarating feeling and seemed to sweep away the dark clouds that had plagued him ever since arriving in this city.

  He took a step forward again teleporting halfway across the city and into a slightly familiar alleyway. It was an old cliché that people teleported into alleys, but not an underserved one. People that could teleport were never very common before the fifth millennium and showing up in the middle of the street was a good way for the average crowd to get worried, and at the best case mill around watching curiously. It was a very awkward situation that could all be avoided by stepping into an alley and if there was somebody in the alley, then just leaving the alley. Banks left the alley and was immediately surprised to find himself looking at a squad of guards racing off to who knows where. He didn't see where because he had immediately ducked back into the alley in the least suspicious way that he possibly could have. They were probably going to hunt down rebels. Although come to think of it he hadn't seen any rebels in his time here, besides Trisk of course. Sliding out from under cover he slipped into the nearby bank that was just opening up and idled suspiciously there for another few minutes before he remembered the password and was finally able to withdraw money. He very carefully wrote it in his journal before lightly drawing a line through his quests, adding two simple words 'have fun' before crossing it out as well and replacing it with 'HAVE FUN' and then underlining it several times. He reached into his pocket and noted the now mostly empty pill bottle, quietly regarding it, before casually stowing it away.

  Whistling a tune he stepped back into the alley and out of another, more dirty alley. The smell wasn't great, but he also couldn't remember how to use mana to reduce the impact of scents. He remembered vaguely once knowing, but it had been so long since he had been forced to use it that it had fallen right out of his memory. When he entered the room again he was once more assaulted by sound, smoke and smell in equal measure, a scene that could be considered a paradise to the senses for some people that weren't him. As soon as he entered there was a slight movement, a shift in attention, like a man walking into a saloon in the Western Islands and he suddenly felt himself the attention of a half-dozen of the least inebriated or distracted, before they returned to whatever they were doing.

  At the nearby table Ascrew sat playing cards with a fat man that felt vaguely familiar. They were playing some card game or other. This was where he got the ring last time, although he never did find out who was actually supposed to get it. That was the loop in which he got arrested. As soon as he laid eyes on Ascrew the assassin turned his head, before giving him a thumbs up and a hand gesture that implored him to go join them at the table. Without hesitation Banks took advantage of the invitation sliding towards the table and sitting his ass down on the offered chair, placing his feet on the table.

  "Hey Ascrew, deal me in," Banks said.

  "Small blind is two silver and we're playing Nine Dark Devils," Ascrew said with a grin. "You've ever played?"

  "No, but I'm sure I will pick it up pretty quickly," Banks said.

  "I'm sure you will get it in no time?" the assassin said, making a terrible joke, that caused his lips to twitch.

  "It's a lot like 'All the Kings Ministers' if you've played that," the fat man at the other end of the table said. "The suit is Eyes. You can have the first bite."

  "Three," Ascrew stated throwing down a card and causing the fat man to throw down another.

  "So I saw you die lately," Banks said as he threw down the Heart of Eyes and effectively nuking the round. A slight trembling of Ascrew's hands was the only thing that betrayed that he heard him as he casually slid his money over to Banks, indicating his desire not to continue with this round.

  "Do you die often?" the fat man asked as he placed down a two of Hands effectively undercutting his victory and causing him to examine his cards more closely, before he drew three more as the suit was changed.

  "I've been trying to give it up," Ascrew admitted, taking a drag of his pipe. "Did I at least go out in a suitably heroic way?"

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  "An orc splattered your head like a melon," Banks said. "It was brutal. I was unconscious for the ending so I didn't see it."

  "That is a death that probably has not shown up in any of the obituaries in a long, long time," Ascrew said chuckling. "Man, that actually excites me in a weird way, think that orc is up for a round two. If so you need to tell me how it goes."

  "I think that orc is down for a thousand rounds," Banks said. "But you're never going to be able to beat her." He placed down an eight of hands, forcing a check on his opponent who grinned and placed down a Brain of Hands." Disgruntled, Banks slid over both sets of money.

  "It has already been a wild few days," Ascrew admitted raising his hand to beckon over a woman dressed in very little over. "Something strong, please. Do my friends want anything?"

  "I'll have a dry and sour," the fat man said.

  "Does this place have anything fruity and sugary?" Banks asked.

  "This dive," Ascrew said gesturing with his hand towards the place. "Nothing." The woman seemed to agree with his statement only nodding.

  "Nothing for me then, thanks," Banks said sighing, as he looked at his card frowning as he placed down a pair. His eye twitched as the worst card was placed in response and he lamented his chances of winning this round.

  "I forgot to introduce Landall the Banker to you," Ascrew said. "Unless I've already done the introductions before?"

  "You did once, but I didn't remember his name," Banks admitted.

  "That's great," Ascrew admitted. "I hate introductions. This is Banks. He's very important."

  "A seer of some sort I presume," Landall said.

  "Of a sort," Banks admitted. "Why do you want to know about any of your investments."

  "I do hope for a safe, prosperous return on all my investments, although I fear that safety may be in short supply," the fat man, Landall, said.

  "I hope you have a lot of overseas investments," Banks agreed, playing down a card and snatching the round.

  "I invest in a lot of places and people," Landall said. "But thank you for the heads up."

  "Oh, and would I be a good investment?" Banks asked, only half curious.

  "You strike me as a stock that would rapidly go up and down," Landall stated. "While I may want to invest in you I don't think that I could handle the heat."

  "I'm currently feeling like I'm on the up and up," Banks chuckled. "Don't you think now is a good time to buy." The fat man smiled and said no more, as the table descended into silence.

  "So what dragged you to this neck of the woods, Banks my buddy," Ascrew said while gracefully taking his drink from the suddenly topless waitress. "Enjoying the scenery, looking to lose some money at cards, hoping for a night of pleasure."

  "To inform you about your upcoming death and kill some time," Banks admitted. "You seem to like these dingy places."

  "Never thought I would hear you talk about killing time," Ascrew said. "I wouldn't actually call this place particularly dingy. Despite the area a lot of money passes through here. Otherwise our esteemed banker friend wouldn't come to this place."

  "I'm by no means the most esteemed person here today," Landall said.

  "What is a banker and an assassin doing together anyway," Banks asked, before a suspicious thought seized him.

  "An investment that I had my eyes on slipped the noose and is avoiding me," Landall said. "Naturally I want to hire Mr. Ascrew to recover that investment."

  "Recover as in kill," Banks said.

  "I don't just kill," Ascrew said slightly offended. "Sometimes I do a bit of maiming. I'm just a bit more selective regarding the maiming. You know how it is."

  "I don't," Banks said.

  "What I mean is that I may be in for a future job, but it's not come to a proper conclusion at this current time," Ascrew said casually. "You know how it is. Like making love. Sometimes you have to start slow."

  "It's not like that at all," Lamdall rebutted.

  "Why are you comparing it to making love?" Banks asked. "My own love life is rather barren. I most certainly don't know what it's like."

  "Anyway like a lot of love stories, it works best when it's between two people," Ascrew said dropping an unsubtle hint.

  "Stop comparing it to lovemaking," Lamdall said, for the first time a flicker of annoyance crossing his face.

  "You're trying to get rid of me?" Banks asked raising an eyebrow.

  "Just didn't know you vibed with these locations," Ascrew said. "I was always thinking that you spent most of your time in a library curled up with a book instead of in this here house of sin."

  "That's actually a great idea, I should be doing that," Banks said as he stood up from the table throwing away the remains of his hand. "Enjoy your gambling, and plotting and lovemaking. This Stranger is going to go grab himself some cocoa and a book and chill in a location that isn't going to give me tinnitus." He gave a half-hearted salute as he stepped through space and frowned as the nearest alleyway was still a good walk away, before remembering that he had time. There was no pressing need to break his principles and so he set out with a jaunty walk along the road, breathing in the fresh morning air. Smiling as he came to the library and saw that they were open very early, he quickly ascended the steps and took a deep breath as he entered feeling the familiar book smell that he so missed. He nodded at the librarian walking forward and...

  "You're here," a vaguely familiar voice shattered the silence of the library and his eyes widened as a familiar girl with black hair and yellow eyes approached him. It was the girl, the girl with the Strange Elements who he had awoken. She was striding towards him, eyes locked on him with clear recognition throwing him way the hell off. "Do you know how long that I've been waiting for you. How many times I've died, waiting for you. And only now do you finally show up. Where the hell have you been?"

  "You...you remember me," Banks said, his mind stretching back to that time. "How the everloving fuck do you remember me?" He paused realizing where he was and shooting an apologetic look at the librarian, before leaning in. "How the everloving fuck do you remember me?" he whispered.