When she came to, Liliana found herself in a white-walled room, in a bed that was not the one in her room at the inn. She looked around. It was hard for her to move, but she could turn her head with no trouble. Shee found Erica next to her, holding her head.

—Hello— she said —What happened?

The brika looked up, surprised.

—Lili, how are you feeling?— she asked anxiously.

Liliana tried to sit up, but a twinge of pain in her ribs told her it would be better to stay still. She looked at Erica again, noticing dried tear marks on her cheeks. Her eyes were red and yet still moist. Even with all those details, her worried face was enough for Liliana to know that she had been very upset until recently.

—How did I get here?— Liliana wondered.

"This brute attacked you from behind" Brontes explained to her "at least she had the decency to bring you to the doctor."

Liliana looked over Erica's shoulder at the office: it was the same place they had gone to in the morning. The old noni was sitting in a chair on the other side of the room.

—She awake— he muttered.

He got up to approach her. He immediately took her arm and pressed her wrist for a few seconds, touched her forehead, looked at her tongue and examined her eyes.

—How do you feel, girl?

—Fine— Liliana answered.

—Are you in pain? Try to take a deep breath, tell me what you feel.

Liliana breathed as deeply as she could.

—No problem— she observed.

The doctor nodded and separated a little.

—You suffered a blunt blow to the side— he explained —fortunately, your organs were not damaged, that would have complicated things. I stopped the bleeding and stabilized everything, you should be fine in a week, but try not to move too much during that time.

—Ah... sure— Liliana answered.

—Any questions?

The girl shook her head. The doctor went back to his desk, took a bottle and handed it to her.

—Take one a day, preferably after breakfast.

After a couple more instructions, the noni discharged Liliana. The girls calmly returned to the inn almost in silence. Erica left all the things they had bought on a chair and returned to Liliana to help her lie down, but she dismissed her with a wave of her hand.

—I'm fine, really— she said.

But Erica was worried, too worried, as if she was willing to cut off her own finger if it would help Liliana get back on her feet. This attitude began to worry her.

Erica closed the windows and curtains.

—I'm going to get you something to drink— she said.

—No, wait.

Erica stopped halfway to the door. Liliana patted the side of the bed next to her to invite her to stay.

—I'd like to talk— she said.

Erica nodded, shyly, and walked over to Liliana's side. She sat down on the other side of the bed and hugged one knee.

Liliana took a couple of deep, meditative breaths. She wanted to understand what was driving Erica to shut down so much.

—Did you hit me by accident?— she asked.

Erica nodded, apologetically.

—I should have noticed where you were. I'm sorry— she said.

Liliana ran a hand down her neck.

—Well, I guess it was inevitable.

She glanced at Erica, who frowned slightly and clenched her hands. Liliana sensed frustration.

—I'm sorry— Erica repeated.

Liliana was silent for a moment. In her 18 years, she doubted that had been her first "accident". She was curious, but she was more worried about her.

—How are you?— she asked.

Erica looked at her in surprise.

—What? I'm fine— she assured— you're the one who got hurt... the one I hurt... You're not hurt at all?

—No, really— Liliana insisted— I was asking why you seem affected. This now... Has anything like this ever happened to you before?

—No!— exclaimed Erica.

She hugged both legs without daring to look at Liliana.

—I've never... It's never happened to me before— she said with a trembling voice— I'm very careful, I really am.

She immediately stood up.

—I'm going to get something to eat— she continued in a nervous tone —you... stay here.

Without another word, she left through the door. Liliana watched her go, not quite sure if it had been right to bring up the subject.

"You should ditch her as soon as you can" Brontes snapped at her "that girl will end up killing you."

—No, Erica wouldn't do that.

"Clearly she wouldn't want to, but she might. I think she hit you with a timitio bat, imagine if she'd made a sharp weapon. That'll be as far as we go."

Liliana pursed her lips. She couldn't debate Brontes' logic, but Erica was the only friend she had in Nudo. She didn't even want to contemplate abandoning her.

The rest of the day was somewhat awkward for both of them, as Erica awkwardly tried to overcompensate for the blow. Liliana accepted her pampering as best she could, but ended up exhausted.

-------------------------------------------

The next day Erica took bounty hunter jobs set up around town. She spent the whole day killing monsters in the desert. Meanwhile, Liliana looked for short tasks inside the walls; simple things, like waitressing, babysitting and cleaning houses. She was not happy to go back to her helpful slave attitude, but now it was different: she had Brontes with her for protection. No one, not even the toughest noni in town could try to force her or put a slave collar on her, and even if he did, Liliana could break it with a slash with Brontes.

Erica's spirits gradually returned. After a few days no more accidents had occurred. In the same period of time they both had enough money to live well for another month. They could continue their journey.

During their last night at the inn they went to eat on the second floor to plan their next few days. They had barely finished their meal when, suddenly, a long, white-haired animal perched on Liliana.

—Papel!— she recognized him, surprised.

The little animal scampered all over her body, excited to see them. Then he jumped on Erica to do the same.

—I told you he was coming back.

Erica tried to sound grumpy, but she couldn't hide her happiness. She was also happy to see him. Papel finally calmed down and curled around the brika's neck, as if he were a scarf.

—But how did he know where to find us?— Liliana wanted to know— We've traveled a lot, are you sure it's not another animal?

Erica looked at him.

—Hey, Papel— she called him.

—Eeeek!— he squeaked as he turned around.

—You see? It's the same one.

Liliana wasn't sure about that reasoning, but no one around seemed to claim it, and if it wasn't Papel, it was another animal with exactly the same appearance. Even if she had no proof, she also had a hard time thinking that it was a different creature.

—Allright— Erica tapped the table —we have money, we can survive now. Now our problem is where to go.

—The Core— Liliana remembered.

—Exactly— Erica collapsed on the table, frustrated— Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Why can't it be any other place? Why does my dad have to lock himself somewhere that doesn't exist?

Liliana crossed her arms with a triumphant attitude.

—I have good news.

Erica opened her eyes wide, dumbfounded.

—It can't be...— she mumbled, anxious.

—Since I've been in town more than you, I took the opportunity to ask around and I heard something interesting: Do you remember that the doctor mentioned some "mages"?

Erica remembered: "healing mages" is what he had said. She hadn't paid much attention to it at the time.

—It turns out that these "mages" are very intelligent people. They say they know everything, even the secrets of the world that are beyond comprehension.

This impressed Erica.

—So they might know a way to get to the Core?

—It's the best lead we have so far.

—That's an excellent lead— celebrated Erica— Where are these mages?

—I heard there was one in a nearby town: Bivifera.

Erica was overjoyed.

—You did it, Lili, you're awesome!

Liliana smiled, pleased. Erica began to think.

—What are the mages of Nudo like?

—They seem to be different from what we know as "magicians"— Liliana said— but don't worry. If we go to Bivifera and ask the people there, I'm sure they will help us.

—Great!— Erica banged the table again. Liliana hoped she didn't break it— Excellent, Lili. We have our next destination. Ready, Papel?

The little animal squealed in response.

After eating and resting for a while, the girls packed what little luggage they had gained in their short stay and went to the flying bus terminal, straight to Bivifera.