Roran watched Nul etch the two large symbols onto Kell's shoulders, then begin drawing a series of lines and patterns across her back, connecting the symbols. They did the majority of the marking in the black ink, but used the blue and red to add details and tie the markings together.
After completing a complex series of lines and symbols, Nul paused and settled their needles back into the dishes. Kell groaned and stretched, the markings rippling along her body as she flexed her lean muscles.
"Go stretch," said Nul, "I need a break."
"You don't have to tell me twice," said Kell, and she left the workshop without bothering to put her clothes back on.
"Does she always wander around naked?" asked Roran.
"Whenever she can get away with it," said Nul.
"Why?"
"I'm not sure. I've asked her but I never received a straight answer. I'm guessing it has to do with her past."
"Her past?"
"It's better if you don't ask," said Nul, standing and stretching as well. "This process will take several hours and I still won't finish tonight. You don't have to stay, I'm sure you would like to go get some rest."
Roran shrugged, he wasn't eager to return to his kinsmen.
"When will she receive her magic power?" asked Roran.
"It doesn't exactly work like that. The markings will give her unique abilities. Her abilities will grow as I add more markings and tie them together."
"So the more markings she has the stronger she becomes?"
"Not exactly," said Nul, scratching their head. "The more markings she has, the more she's able to focus her power, but it's still limited to her own innate ability and my skill in drawing and etching the markings."
"The power comes from her, you just give her a way to focus it," said Roran, the term 'focus markings' suddenly making sense.
"Exactly, and it's going to take a long time to cover her entire body in markings. You should go home and get some rest."
Roran nodded. He didn't want to go back but he was tired and Murrin would yell at him more for every minute he stayed out. The pair exited the workshop and found Kell chugging water in the kitchen.
Wiping her chin, she asked, "Ready to go again?"
Nul shook their head. "My wrist needs to recover. Roran needs to go home."
"Oh, fair enough. Well Roran, I guess we'll see you at the next Crucible. I mean, you won't see us, we'll be in the stands, but we'll see you."
"You won't be fighting in the Crucible again?"
Kell shook her head. "Can't, not now that I have focus markings again. It's forbidden, remember. Focus markings make it too easy to bully you dungeon fodder around."
Roran grimaced, thinking of Gress. He could still feel Gress's warm blood flowing down his chest when he thought about it for too long.
"Until then, I guess," said Roran.
"Oi, cheer up! We'll be around. As long as you survive we'll see each other again. And if you don't..." she shrugged, "Well I guess that won't be your problem then, will it?"
Roran smiled despite himself. Kell's gallows humor had a way of making him feel better.
"As you say. Until the next Crucible."
Roran traded grips with Kell. When he turned to Nul, they only arched an eyebrow at him then waved goodbye as he turned to leave. Neither offered to guide him back. Roran had a pretty good idea of the general direction of the Crucible and he could ask for directions if he got lost, now that he had a marker medallion and was legally allowed to wander freely. He wondered if he could just leave the dungeons as he pleased.
Making his way to the street, Roran enjoyed a deep lungful of the fresh air. It was dark out now and the night air was crisp and cool. Even after dark the streets were busy. People milled about, drifting from storefront to storefront, gathering in the small pools of light provided by the fairy rocks. Roran avoided them, keeping to the dark and avoiding the clusters of people.
Unlike Kell, he didn't mind being in close proximity to others; tonight though, he wanted to avoid the crowd. Soon he would be stuffed back below, crammed into the dungeon with dozens of other sweating, stinky bodies. For now, he wanted to be as far from that feeling as possible.
The moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the roads where the fairy rocks fell short. If anything, the harsh glow from the magic stones only served to make the streets appear darker, casting shadows into the deep corners and alleyways.
It was as Roran was passing through one of these deep shadows that he stepped on a foot.
"Ouch!"
Roran jumped, startled. He hadn't realized there was someone hiding in the shadow.
"Sorry, are you okay?"
A young woman limped out of the shadow, rubbing her ankle. She had long hair that cascaded down to her waist and was clothed in a short, silken dress. A wide ribbon served as a hair band, keeping her long, dark hair out of her face.
The girl hissed and continued rubbing her ankle.
"I'm sorry," said Roran again. "I know a little bit of medicine, would you like me to look at your ankle?"
"I would like it if you didn't step on me in the first place," said the girl.
"Sorry."
"Is that all you know how to say?"
"Sorry," said Roran again, then flushed. "I uh...I didn't mean to step on you or offend you."
The girl sighed. "No, I'm sorry. You just caught me on a bad night."
"Are you alright?" Roran asked again.
"Yes, I just got screwed over by a client, again."
"I meant your ankle."
"Oh, I mean, I think it's alright." She tried putting weight on the foot and winced.
"Here, sit down and let me look at it," said Roran, guiding her to a crate sitting near some fairy rocks.
As the girl sat down, Roran pulled off her sandal and examined her ankle in the harsh glow of the magic stones. There was some dirt and scratch marks from his own boot but it didn't appear to be a serious injury.
Erring on the side of caution, Roran took a moment to check the mobility of her toes and found the pulse on top of her foot.
"That tickles," she said.
"Sorry."
"Say sorry one more time and I'm going to kick you."
"So-"
She glared at him.
"So...what's your name?" asked Roran.
"Karyn, and your's?"
"Roran."
"So Roran, what's dungeon fodder like you doing wandering around at night?"
"That obvious?"
"Most city folk wouldn't stop to help someone they stepped on."
"I was just on my way back to the dungeons, actually."
"Why?" Karyn asked, cocking her head, making her hair shift and fall over one shoulder.
"That's where I'm supposed to stay."
"Do you not have a marker medallion?"
"I do."
"Then you don't need to go back, just don't get caught sleeping in an alleyway and no one will bother you. You don't have to go back to the dungeons."
Roran paused and stared up at her. She stared back, her eyes big brown orbs, like that of a doe in the forest, curious yet cautious.
"Because my people need me," said Roran.
"Oh, you're one of those types. That's a pity, you actually seem nice. It will be a shame when you die."
"What are you doing wandering around late at night?"
"Working," she said.
"What work do you do this late at night?"
"I'm a whore," she said.
Roran carefully put her sandal back on her foot and laced it back up, then he helped her to her feet.
"It's bruised but not broken," said Roran. "Be careful with it for a couple of days and you should be fine."
"Where did you learn medicine?" asked Karyn.
"From my mother."
"Was she a healer?"
"No," said Roran, "she was a whore."