1 - The Family Business

     Growing up, I had the pleasure – or displeasure, of having to deal with three older brothers and two older sisters. Their names were Alan, Avan, Armani, Ada and Avena.

     Alan and Ada were the oldest. They always bickered, but it was never malicious. As is tradition, Baddo was training Alan to take over the family business our father and his father maintained. Even though Ada was younger than Alan by two years, she always acted like she was the oldest and was very motherly towards all of us. When I was younger and was using words I still didn't entirely understand, said they were arguing like a married couple, and they both yelled at me to not say such disgusting things. I would have gotten smacked if not for Baddo's timely interruption!

     Avan was a year younger than Ada, and always chafed under his sister's care. He was a natural troublemaker and would always go out of his way to tease her the most. I think that was because he wanted to be in charge, and is always the first to our defense the moment bullies would try and harass us. He was a good kid, but he was just impulsive at times.

     Armani and Avena were twins, and only two years older than me. Something that was regarded as an unlikely miracle here in the southern province of Orodin. They were very private and distant from the rest of us though, and often disappeared for long stretches of time before abruptly returning every few days. As a child, I was unaware they were even members of the family simply because of how often they were absent in our lives. Baddo assured us that they still care though, and shared a story once where there was a cave-in in the mines, the twins were the ones that spearheaded the rescue effort of the miners, personally searching for survivors and refused to return to the light of day until everyone was accounted for. I do not know them very well, but I always tried to include them whenever they visited.

     The greatest memory I treasured of my siblings was when all of us got together to kidnap our dad when I was only seven years old. Normally the company’s profits were substantial enough that Baddo could have had a purely administrative role in the mine, but he always insisted on joining his employees in plundering its depths every now and again. On the day we enacted our plan, Baddo was working alongside the miners, exerting himself with the ferocity of a starving predator. Perhaps he didn’t realize it was his birthday. Or maybe he just didn’t care. But we did. The protests Baddo made as we stole him away, blindfolded and confused back to the house where we ripped away the covering to a room with presents and cake, was worth it all just to see his tears of happiness at the effort we put in.

     There was one more member of our family, but I never got to meet her. Isa, Baddo’s wife. Baddo didn’t talk about her alot, but Ada told me it was because she got sick shortly before giving birth to me, and never recovered after I was born. I wish I could have gotten to know her. Maybe that was why Baddo worked as hard as he did. The woman he loved all his life was gone, and the pain of that loss compelled him to throw himself into his job and his family.

     It was probably why Eva and I were so close. And speaking of…

     Eva burst through the door to my home, not even bothering to knock. I don’t think she’s knocked since we became friends. As far as I knew, no one minded that she’d just barge in. I know I didn’t. In fact, I might have actually encouraged her to do it, now that I think about it. Joining us at our table, she helped herself to some breakfast.

     “Morning,” I mumbled to her, still half asleep.

     “Hmm” she grunted back, tearing into the bananas, too busy to answer.

     “Fancy seeing you here,” Alan announced dryly. He poured himself a glass of juice. “Been a while, hasn’t it?” She had spent nearly the entire previous day here with us as well.

     “Some kind of special occasion?” Ada asked. “Perhaps a boy?”

     The two of us shared a glance, but didn’t answer. Eva was too busy wolfing down her food and I was too tired to care. We’ve both done this dance with my older sister plenty of times before.

     “Ooh, I bet she found a girl,” Avan prompted. “Eva’s one of the boys. It makes sense she’d get in a tizzy over some ti–”

     “Avan!” Ada yelled, smacking him in the back of the head as Alan and I started choking with laughter over our food and drink. She was all dressed up and ready to leave for work at the West End Hotel.

     “You might be right actually,” Eva replied, pausing to swallow her food. “Get dressed darling,” she locked eyes with my mischievous brother. “I wanna see you in that skirt you wore for Harvest Tidings”

     “It’s not a skirt!” Avan exclaimed. He crossed his arms and grunted in annoyance. “Why does everyone call it a skirt?”

     “So what’s up?” I asked my friend. We both found some time away from our intimate relationship with breakfast to talk. “Found someplace new you wanted to show off?”

     “Maybe,” Eva answered, tapping her fingers against the table, making a compelling little beat. “I wanted to ask your dad if I could work in the mines, actually.”

     This time all of us choked on our food.

     “The mines,” Alan repeated, bewildered. His shirt was stained from choking and spitting on his drink. “What do you want to do with Mythril Mines Manifest?”

     “Hey, if she wants to work for Baddo, that’s her choice.” Sophie replied. “We just never thought you’d want to work a desk job or in some dusty cave.”

     “Yeah, didn’t you want to be a merc?” I added. This really felt unlike Eva, I thought.

     “Well, I do,” she admitted. “But I wanna work up to that. And why not work for MMM? I mean, we’re practically family already, so shouldn’t I get involved in the family business?”

     “And here I thought you were already involved with someone in the family,” Avan muttered into his drink. Unfortunately, Ada heard him and still gave him a second whack. “Ow! I didn’t say anything!”

     “Well, if that’s what you want, we won’t discourage you.” Alan replied. “Baddo is up in his study. I bet he’ll be thrilled.”

     Eva finished her meal and clapped me on the back. I returned the favor and she headed upstairs.

     All of my siblings immediately turned their attention towards me. I tried to ignore them by focusing on the banana I was peeling, only for Ada to whack me on the back of my head, making me drop my food.

     “Ow, what was that for!” I winced. “And why do you always go for the back of the head?”

     “Call it concussive reprogramming,” she retorted. Her head bobbed towards the stairs Eva took. “Go after her.”

     “What for?” I demanded. “I’m not the one applying for a job at Baddo’s mine, Eva is.”

     Alan reached over and swiped my dropped banana. “Did you seriously not see it?” He asked, tossing half over to our brother.

     “See what?”

     “She’s crazy for you man,” Avan said between mouthfuls. “Why haven’t you done anything about it?”

     “Maybe because it’s none of your business?” I snapped back, more hurt by my food getting taken from me than by their accusations. Me and Eva? Ain’t no way she was into me like that. “We’re just friends.”

     “Friends who cuddle during sleepovers?” Alan asked, raising an eyebrow.

     “She gets cold at night.”

     “Friends who steal each other’s food?” Ada added, elevating her brow as her brother before.

     “It adds variety to our menus.”

     “Friends don’t compliment each other on their undergarments.” Avan joined in, allowing his eyebrow to create a trifecta of raised brows of accusation against me. I stared daggers back at him, and my brother cracked if only a little. “Do they?” He asked Ada.

     “No, they don't.” She said with finality. “Not with the kind she wears, at least.”

     I threw up my hands in exasperation and defeat. They would never understand. “What do you want from me?” I demanded.

     “Go up there and tell Baddo you want to work in the mines with her!” They all said firmly in unison.

     Three on one. Did they plan this? Sure I was the youngest brother and would get picked on occasionally, but never like this. This was different. This was planned. My own siblings, scheming against me. Had Armani and Avena been here, they likely would have been in on the act.

     “Don’t you think that would be kind of weird though?” I insisted, trying to find a way out. “Eva asks for a job, then I come in moments later and ask for one too?”

     “It’s not like you have anything better to do,” Avan quipped, earning himself one of my patented rude gestures.

     “Frankly, I feel Baddo would think it would be weird if you didn’t ask for a job to work with Eva.” Alan added. “You two do everything together. She’s already the reason why you haven’t proposed to your mattress yet, bro.”

     “Napping is fun!” I responded. They were starting to get on my nerves. I didn’t have to listen to this! I had more important things to do, like hang out with Eva and work on my magyk with Eva and… okay, maybe they were on to something. But that didn’t mean I’d have to like it. Or go along with it.

     “Look, I didn’t want to do this,” Ada said with faux seriousness. That was probably a lie. On top of being our unofficial mom she loved doling out ultimatums. “But if you don’t do this, I’m going to tell everyone in Havenwood about that time you walked in on the King and the provincial Governor during their meeting with Baddo while you were in your underwear.”

     I stopped dead in my tracks, feeling a pit in my stomach form. “You wouldn’t,” I hissed.

     Ada’s eyes radiated sadistic joy at the position I was now in. “Everyone would know it was your fault taxes got raised for the season.” She taunted. “Still think I’m bluffing?” She produced a collection of photos from her breast pocket. “I got all the proof right here.”

     “You’re evil.” I spat out with as much venom I could muster.

     “I’m necessary,” She countered. “Now unless you want these pictures shared with the entire province, get upstairs and ask Baddo for a job!”

     “Fine,” came my defeated reply. I already felt exhausted just from our interaction. “You guys are the worst.”

     “Love you too!” Avan said, waving innocently as I excused myself and headed upstairs.

     Siblings. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. But what can I say? I like sleeping in my undies. And how was I supposed to know His Royal Lordship and Fantastical Governorship were visiting to discuss business with Baddo? It wasn’t my fault they weren’t expecting to see more than two moons on this wonderful planet that day. The fainting was a bit overkill, but no one got hurt. Really they should have expected it. If I was the King I would strut around in my tighty-whities all day when I wasn’t making royal decrees or making war with my neighbors. I guess royalty wasn’t what it was cracked up to be if my pale buttocks shocked the King that badly.

     Baddo told me that my little stunt almost got us replaced if he hadn’t suggested that taxes be raised for the season. We were a tourist destination thanks to the beaches and mines in any case, why should we have raised taxes when we get enough money from the tourists we get annually and then some? Personally I just think it was just to punish me, and the part about us almost getting replaced was meant to scare me into not doing it again.

     Our home was pretty nice. Unlike many of the other residents of Havenwood, our home was pretty spacious, and there was enough space for the entire Carick family to not see each other if we really wanted to, and still have room for two or three more families. We had a “modest” income thanks to owning MMM, but Baddo wasn’t one to flaunt his wealth, something he learned from his Baddo, who learned it from his Baddo before all of us, after being gifted the mines by the administrator originally appointed by the late King Devron all those years ago.

     I stopped before the large door to my Baddo’s study. The wood was thick. Eva and Baddo probably didn’t overhear my argument with my brothers and sister. Probably. Down below, I could still hear my siblings enjoying their breakfast. Bunch of blackmailing mudhumpers, I thought ruefully. Why do I have to get involved in the mines when Alan is the one going to inherit them?

     Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I quickly knocked and pushed open the heavy door. Baddo and Eva were situated around his desk, a large block of intricately carved wood featuring the animals native to Seras; Greater dragonflies, flamehares, and oakwaders just to name a few, all immortalized as if they were plucked straight from the wild and pressed into the wood by magyk. My Baddo’s magnificent mustache bobbed in surprise at my entrance. And for a moment, I thought I noticed a smug expression resting on Eva’s tender features before reconstructing itself into something more neutral.

     “Ah, my Beddo!” Baddo greeted me enthusiastically. “Don’t worry, I won’t work Eva too hard. You two will still have plenty of time to mess around, my Figglon.”

     “Uh, that’s great,” came my sheepish reply. Do I really have to do this? I mentally whined. “But, I was wondering… if I could do some work with Eva as well?”

     Both of them blinked. It seemed neither of them were expecting this. At least I can still surprise them then!

     After a moment of uneasy silence, Baddo scowled as Eva pumped her fist, squealing in delight. Baddo opened a drawer and tossed a sack towards my best friend. It made a clinking sound as she caught it effortlessly. “Perhaps you do know my Beddo better than I do,” Baddo chuckled. “Don’t spend it all in one place.”

     Eva opened the bag, eyeing her prize as I realized what just happened. She shook the bag, making the bag sing from the coins jangling against one another. “Did you two make a bet on me?” I nearly shouted.

     “Forgive me, my Figglon,” Baddo apologized. “But I thought you loved your bed more than work.”

     “And I disagreed,” Eva added. “Really you should be mad at your dad not having faith in you.”

     “It was just a friendly wager,” he protested. “You can do anything you set your mind to, my Beddo. I just thought you had set your mind to ‘romancing’ your mattress.”

     My cheeks blushed against my will, broadcasting my humiliation to both of them. “J-just tell me when we’re starting,” I stammered, grabbing Eva by the wrist and pulling her alongside me. That was enough humiliation for today. “We’ll be at Spotter’s Landing if you need us.”

     Eva and I rushed down the stairs. We were almost out the door when I suddenly heard my sister Ada call after me, “Oh, by the way, I was lying about the photos!” She exclaimed. “So proud of you getting your first job, love you little bro, have fun!!”

     Needless to say, I was incensed as Eva chuckled behind me.

     My family has tried to pair me and Eva up since we were little. Our parents would always tease us about getting married while we were still learning to walk. As if our play dates were legitimate dates. Why do parents constantly do that? Must be an adult thing.

     One of our nicknames for the clearing Eva and I always hung out in was Spotter’s Landing. You could see anyone coming from anywhere in the center. Out to the West, the floating islands of Haven and Sanctuary stood out above the town, and if you looked real carefully, you could snag a peek at the lighthouse that was built on Lookout Point, the island above the water and behind Haven. Whoever came up with the idea of Landing though must have had a few screws loose when the nearest body of water is a couple miles away. Bunch of idiots if you ask me. Regardless, someone had built an impressive shack in the center of Spotter’s Landing, and Eva and I had appropriated it as our designated hang out spot while we planned our misadventures.

     The shack was haphazardly decorated, a stylistic choice the two of us agreed upon beforehand. We had several beds set up, as well as a circular table in the center and the walls adorned with posters of various groups or individuals that we idolized growing up, and even some ash portraits of members of my family or random citizens of the town Eva had made while honing her fire magyk’s finesse to a blazing spark. There was even a mirror for us to primp ourselves up that showed up one day, but both Eva and I denied ever bringing it in.

     I glanced at myself in the mirror. I didn’t look too bad. Black hair that almost looked like a blue mop of hair on my head, with dominating eyebrows, glowing hazel eyes and a smile that branded me as a troublemaker that had the audacity to be born into a more privileged family than others. I didn’t feel like a troublemaker. Trouble was more up Eva’s alley. I just happened to almost always be with her when trouble found her.

     Eva conjured up some flames and shot them into the lanterns we hung on the walls, and we flopped onto the mattresses. “I can’t believe you made a bet on me,” came my muffled complaint. I think Eva had used this bed last; it smelled nice. “I’m not that lazy, am I?”

     “Ask me again when you aren’t making out with your cushions,” she giggled, producing the bag of coins she won. “How about we grab some food from Ishi’s for lunch?”

     “Maybe, not sure how I feel about oriental right now.” I replied, pulling my face from the mattress’s seductive embrace. “So why apply for the mines? You said back there it could help you become a merc, but I don’t see how mining rocks and ores will help you very much.”

     My friend rolled up her sleeves and flexed. Honestly, it was kind of pathetic. As great as she was with her control over magyk, physical fitness was something the both of us kind of neglected in the process. “Mercenaries are impressive in every way you can imagine,” She lamented, eying her forearms. “This isn’t. So what better way to build muscle than by working in a mine?”

     One thing was for sure: Eva always did like to go the extra mile for her goals when she was properly motivated. I guess it also helped that her dad was technically also a mercenary that MMM had contracted as private security. “I don’t know, you could just try working out,” I replied. After a beat, we both started laughing. Neither of us were into that stuff. Which made her dream of becoming an mercenary kind of an odd one.

     “Yeah, but this way I can get paid doing it,” Money gleamed in her eyes, and I knew better than to try and dissuade my best friend. Money and adventure, probably her two greatest desires.

     “And I guess we might even be workout buddies now too,” I agreed. “Though I’m gonna miss sleeping in.”

     “I’ll bet you won’t last a month,” She teased. “Before you ask daddy if you can be a secretary.”

     “I’ll take that bet,” Her words invigorated me, making me sit up. “What do I get if I win?”

     Eva thought for a moment. “How about me?” I thought I heard her mutter. There couldn’t have been any reason for her to though. I must have been hallucinating.

     “What was that?” I asked, caught off guard.

     “How about we decide when I win?” she said louder. “Winner picks the prize or punishment.”

     “You’re on.”

     With our bet firmly established by the shaking of our hands, we decided to head out to a cave Alan told us about on the outskirts of the town a few days prior. Apparently it wasn't listed on any of the maps or marked as a potential resource by MMM, so it must have recently emerged from a groundquake. Most of the caves were off limits since they were claimed as potential resources for Mythril Mines, and worse, were usually off limits thanks to Eva’s dad who worked as private security. If we were lucky, we’d manage to explore its depths before Edgar was even aware we were there.

     The entrance to the cave was more of a hole in the ground rather than an opening in a cliff face. Thankfully there were some trees nearby we could use as an anchor for our ropes and rappel down into its depths. We both glanced around one last time to make sure there were no witnesses, and began our plunge into the dark.