Inside Kei's stomach, strings were attached to his 'core' both being purple in color. The string's ends slightly began fade and looking at Kori, the core began to quake.
As Kori began to make a move, Lok realized what was about to happen and was struck by a wave of courage. "Don't!" He shouted standing between the two.
"Move little hero." Kori responded as she stopped in her tracks.
"Kori I think the kid's right, this isn't the way to do it." Lila whispered to Kori.
Kori looked at Lok and then to Kei.
"This is the only way to do it!" Kori turned and yelled which startled Lila making her flinch. Kori looked at Lila regretfully but turned back to Kei and continued on. "The Selection is dangerous, depending on the trial it's life or death! There's no point in trying to go solo so participate with me!" She ordered.
Kei only watched Kori before indifferently picking up the nerve-wrecked Lok by the shirt to move him out of the way. He took a step forward, leaving him directly in Kori's personal space.
"Are you a woman of your word?" Kei asked.
"What?" Kori questioned in confusion.
"Are you, a woman of your word?"
Kori was still puzzled as to why she was being asked this but still answered honestly.
"If no one can take you at your word how will they respect you, and if you're not worthy of respect you're less than nothing." She responded.
Kei thought this answer was enough. "If you can make me two promises then I will be your ally."
"Say them."
"Promise to never betray me."
"I promise." Kori spoke with no hesitation.
"Good. I'll tell you the other one during the Selection." Kei said as he began to walk towards the gates of Utopia putting the hood back on. Lok started to follow.
"That's it? Where are you going?" Kori questioned.
"Where else? We have to stay in the city tonight to go to the participation center tomorrow morning, right?" Kei looked over his shoulder.
Kori and Lila were taken aback and walked to catch up to him. They had passed the two Knights that had first interrogated them outside the gate who were bowing without saying a word.
Walking through the barrier Kei and Lok felt immediate alleviation. The sinking feeling of being prey for beasts out the firmament was all but erased.
Entering into the outskirts of the city, the moon began to rise as if telling the group that the hours were drawing closer and closer to the Selection. As they looked around they saw people wandering the streets, it seemed like there was a spark missing in their eyes and though they were better than Kei's makeshift treehouse, the houses were in horrid conditions.
The group walked through the dirt covered roads. In the alleys you could see kids around Lok's age playing and others held beggars.
"What are you doing?" Lok innocently asked the poor man who was sitting against a building near the road.
Hearing this the man's eyes peirced through his long gray frayed hair. "Kid can you spare a coin. Silver, no, even bronze will do."
"What's a coin." Lok asked in confusion, his head tilted.
"Are you screwing with me?!" The man became angry at the thought of purposely being made fun of.
Kei grabbed Lok by the arm pulling away from the stranger. "Hey! From now on don't leave my side again, understand?!" Kei raised his voice sternly.
Staring at Lok, Kei knew his brother wasn't used to anything around him from the people to the houses and even the kids.
When Kei went to scavenge he always made Lok stay inside, often bringing him back novels he had gotten from a dead knight or a ravaged settlement. So not only was it his first time seeing humans through anything but a book but also it was his first time outside in a long, long time.
"We need to find a place to rest and plan. I don't want anyone seeing me or else your people will be in uproar." Kei explained looking at Kori.
"I'd be lying if I said you were wrong, but that means we can only stay here in the outskirts or else we risk too many eyes of authority seeing you to go any deeper into the city."
Lok was tailing his older brother clinging to his cloak as he walked, "But you're the princess right? Aren't you the highest authority under the King?" He asked after peeking out from behind Kei.
Kori squinted at him, "Yeah well, there's just certain things you can't do no matter what status you have."
"Maybe I have a place we can stay for the night." Lila spoke out.
The group all began to stare at Lila stunning her a bit, when she came to she bowed "So yeah, um, follow me."
After following Lila they all stood in front of a tavern that was named, 'Eden's Ale & Inn'.
"This is the place?" Kori asked with a slightly forced smile.
"Yeah this is my home!" Lila smiled in delight as they walked through the doors. "Hey everyone! I'm home!" She yelled, her eyes closed with excitement.
When she opened them she expected her siblings, a bunch of usual customers, and old timers who had all but become family to her, but she was only met with a middle aged woman behind a bar cleaning a dirty mug with a towel.
The tavern by no means was pristine but it did have an aura that made you feel at home. Even a chair at one of the tables was slightly broken but everything was still cared for and attended to making the inside much more appealing than the outside.
"Mom? Where is everyone?"
"Oh Lila! My sweet girl!" In an instant the woman leapt across the bar disappearing and reappearing once she embraced her daughter. She was so fast no one had seen her move.
"We missed you so much. The customers talk about you, and your siblings, they miss you so much dear." The lady began to cry.
"Mom… there's people here." Lila nervously smiled feeling embarrassed.
The woman began to look up and met with Kori's eyes. With speed never before seen, she closed her eyes and took a knee. "My apologies, Princess. My name is Martina Inés. How may I help you tonight?"
"That isn't necessary, we just need an room to spend the night until the selection." Kori knelt to help her stand.
"The Selection?"
"Yep, these guys are participating tomorrow!" Lila excitedly showed off Kei, Lok, and Kori.
"I understand. We only have one room left available. My Lila can prepare it for you three."
"Will do! Follow me." Lila smiled. Kei followed without question and Lok did behind him. They began to walk up a set of stairs, Kori being last.
"Princess Hageshi? Do you mind if we talk for a bit?" Martina asked politely, calling her back down while the others carried on.
Kori wanted to hurry on to the inn to make plans and prepare with the rest of the group but had decided to hear the woman out. Going back behind the bar Martina continued to wash the dirty dishes.
"What did you want to talk about?" Kori stared at the woman.
"Is Lila participating with you?"
"I can't say that I was planning on it, she can't fight, and gets flustered easily." Kori said honestly.
Martina laughed as she put down the dish she was cleaning. "You are more blunt than I thought Princess!" She continued to laugh.
"I've been told. Is there something else you wanted to ask me?" Kori spoke, becoming impatient.
Martina noticed this and stopped her laughter, settling for a gentle smile, "My sweet daughter, she is easily flustered but you'd be surprised at how good she is at bringing people together. Even though we're in this predicament she'd always make everyone smile, I mean she cried about how she didn't want to leave us to work for your family in the Upper-City. I had to use connections and force her to live a life she deserves, even if the job doesn't pay enough to support the rest of us here in the outskirts it's enough for her, and she does what she can, but I had to be sure."
With the glass she had just cleaned she found herself pouring ale into it, drinking it in a second with no difficulty.
"Before all of that, every year since we moved here she'd stand in front of the participation center, but never felt confident enough to go in, so I taught her the basics of how to fight. That still wasn't enough, friends or allies you can trust can make or break your chances in the Selection and I can't give her that either, she has dreams I can't help her reach."
'Lila has been so excited to help me all day. She has been here for weeks but today might be the happiest I've seen her, is this why?' Kori thought.
"But you can." Martina pointed at Kori.
"Me?" Kori said, being left puzzled.
"Yes, you. You are one of the Princesses of Utopia and that means you are a woman worth great respect and honor. Please, let my daughter be your ally in the Selection." Martina pleaded with tears beginning to build up in her eyes.
"I'll… do the best I can." Kori responded.
Kori reached her hand out to Martina in which she returned the favor, both of them shaking hands as if it were a contract sealed and bound by respect.