The Last Experience Point

Zach frowned as he was forced to pause, tread water, and look over his shoulder at the two stragglers who were splashing around like idiots.

"Guys, at least try to keep up," he called to them. Everyone else had been following along just fine except for Tyson and Jimmy, the two sharing their mutual agony as they panted stroke after stroke while swimming through the ocean. "I don't want to waste the whole day traveling. Move it, you two."

"Goddamn, Zach, give us a fucking chance," Jimmy said, looking like a man on the verge of drowning. He was breathing so hard it actually worried Zach.

"The Gods save us both!" Tyson cried out. "Why is there no mercy in this cruel world?"

Zach couldn't believe how hard of a time they were having. They weren't even going that fast! This should've been an enjoyable, relaxing swim through a calm ocean beneath a beautiful, warm, and cloudless blue sky. Instead, Jimmy wasn't faring any better than he had the first time they'd come through here, and Tyson, amazingly, was actually performing slightly better—though emphasis here was on slightly. Both looked like they could run out of energy and drown any second.

At the moment, the seven of them were nearly to the point where the water turned shallow, and they'd get plenty of rest once they started wading to the shore. Grumpily, Zach gave them a few seconds before losing his patience and swimming off, demanding that they follow or he'd let them sink. He didn't mean it, of course, but Jimmy and Tyson had way less stamina than they should have at their respective levels. Especially Jimmy. That buff of his, Breath of Invigoration, was incredible and astounding—but it was also like a poison to Jimmy, as he rarely pushed himself and thus was falling further and further behind where he should've been in terms of endurance.

"We're almost there," Zach called back behind to them. "Another minute. That's all."

Somehow, the two managed to hold out just long enough to cross the last bit of distance, and looking behind him once again, Zach could actually see the relief in their eyes as their feet touched the ocean floor. Now, walking forward through the water, it became shallower and shallower. And as was normal for him these days, Zach waved, shook hands, and greeted people all the way from the beach to the boardwalk. Upon arriving, Trelvor called for a pause.

"One moment, please," he said, stopping. He happened to be located ahead of all of them. Everyone was still soaked, and although the intense sun was doing a good job of drying them off, Trelvor seemed to want to hurry the process as he squeezed portions of his white cloak to release the seawater faster. Then, glancing around, he said, "Our weapons may make the people here nervous. We should conceal them."

With that, he did something that Zach couldn't believe. He knew it was going to break him even before it happened. He could only watch in mute fascination, frozen in shock as Trelvor unstrapped his beautiful new flute from his chest, which he'd won on the Mare of the Primordial Void raid, and then tucked it inside of his vest and out of sight. Even as this was happening, Zach spared a moment to glance at Rian, whose eyes were opened so widely that, if Zach didn't already know better, he might've thought Rian was afraid.

Did he just seriously…?

"There," Trelvor said with a self-satisfied smile. "That should make the good folk here more comfortable." And then Zach broke. He laughed so hard he actually sneezed. So did Rian. It took Trelvor a moment to realize he was the subject of their cackling. "What?" he asked. "Why are you two laughing? Is there something funny about concealing my weapon?"

"No way, bud," Rian said through guffaws. "The last thing we'd want is to start a panic. You better keep that thing hidden."

"Yeah," Zach agreed. "Let's not spread fear."

Trelvor narrowed his eyes. "Why am I being mocked? Is this about my choice of weapon again?"

"No, no," Zach said, laughing so hard he was starting to wheeze. "It's got nothing to do with you or the flute."

"Then what are you laughing at?"

He couldn't reply he was laughing too hard. Rian said, "We saw a uh, a clown over there. And he did a funny trick."

"Did you truly?"

Lienne elbowed him angrily. "Cut it out, Rian. You're such a jerk." She grabbed Trelvor's arm, stood on her tiptoes so that she could kiss him on the cheek, and said, "You're really considerate. Ignore my stupid brother."

"My flute is scary, right?" Zach heard him whisper to her a little bit later, doubt and concern in his voice, like he was becoming self-conscious.

"Of course it is, babe."

At this, Zach had to press his palm over his mouth and push down hard to prevent from howling, but in the process, he blew on his hand and caused his ears to pop. Eventually, however, Zach's hushed, giggling fit came to an end, and so did Rian's, and with that, the seven of them resumed their trek from the boardwalk southward through the city towards the massive, lively market, where they would find the Grand Library that would take them to F17 of Tower of Eternity.

Given how much of a trip it was just to get to Trials of Nolak, Zach estimated he had a solid five-to-seven-hour journey before they reached their destination of Drake's Wing in the region of Dragon Squire. But with the seven of them hanging out together, he was at least having a bit of fun. Certainly, he'd take a day like this over the nightmarish, death-defying ones he'd encountered on far, far too many occasions since becoming an adventurer.

There's way too much danger now in my life, he thought to himself.

The seven of them chatted away as they walked across Shores of Wrath, with its geometric, exotic architecture, and its many decorative, column-based structures and dome-shaped buildings. Zach greeted a number of people on the streets as he walked, and interestingly, so too did Tyson Revel. What Zach found amusing was how pointless it had become to keep his hood down. The people here were no longer thrown off by the disguise. Even though they couldn't see his face, they now knew that the person with the shadowy visage and glowing eyes was Zach, and so they approached without fear. For this reason, he lowered the hood and didn't bother to hide his face after the first few-dozen people came up to him.

Tyson, shockingly, was also fairly popular. Though he was almost universally despised by the media, his fellow political guild members—including those within his guild—and most of the level-1s in North Bastia, it seemed like the ordinary people here seemed to like him, though that was probably because Shores of Wrath was a territory controlled by the People of Virtue. Elsewhere, he'd probably receive a much, much chillier reception.

Culturally, it's ingrained in them to show respect to high-ranking guild members, Zach thought. People in Whispery Woods aren't like this at all. If they show respect, it's only out of fear.

"Sir Tyson Revel the Virtuous," an old man said to him with a melodious voice once they entered the market, the sight of camels and other pack animals making their reappearance. The man speaking to him was behind the register of a booth that sold necklaces and other jewelry. "Can I interest you in one of our finest new pieces? We have some very exciting merchandise in!"

Tyson scratched his chin a moment. Then his expression changed, and he beamed a smile at the old man. "Oh, hello again, Poal. What karat are the gold pieces in that bracelet?" he asked, approaching. The man was displaying one of the gaudiest bracelets Zach had ever seen. There were more diamonds and gold pieces adorning it than it could seemingly fit, making them look stuffed in together.

"Sir Tyson Revel the Virtuous," the man said, bowing from behind the counter of his little booth-based shop. "I wouldn't dare attempt to sell a man of your stature a bracelet containing a karat less than 18."

"I do like it. But I wonder if—gahh!"

Zach grabbed Tyson by his elbow, yanking him back towards their group. "We're not wasting time shopping!" he hissed.

Even as Tyson was being dragged, he waved at the merchant. "Hold it for me! We shall discuss it later!"

Tyson, straightening his back and his silken garments, grumbled about rudeness, but nevertheless obliged, and once more, they ventured onwards until at last they reached the Grand Library, where they promptly headed up and into the restricted section. It was much quieter in here, and in many ways, it was like a self-contained library within a library. There were several carts filled with paper-made books next to long shelves containing holobooks mixed with paper. The space between these shelves formed little aisles, and at the end of these aisles were walls, some containing additional shelves and some empty save for the brick they were made of. Today, they were heading towards the wall of aisle #7, which ran between the seventh and eighth bookshelf.

Tyson, who stood closest to Jimmy, began to walk a bit slower. Nervously, he asked, "So…this buff you had that Elvish woman give to me, it will enable me to do what you do? By that I mean enter the 'dungeons' you adventurers use?"

"Yep," Lienne said to him. "All you have to do is follow us."

"And what if I did not have this buff?"

"Well, you just wouldn't be able to come with us," she explained.

He ran his tongue over his lips in what Zach took to be a mixture of nerves and curiosity. "So, what would happen? I would simply bump headfirst into the wall?"

"That's right," Lienne said. "Without the Will of the Favored, you can't come in."

Tyson looked ahead of them and deeper into the restricted section as though dwelling on something. Afterwards, he again set his gaze on Lienne and asked, "So this buff is quite advantageous then, no?"

"Well…yeah, of course it is."

"So then, now that we know about your dungeons, why aren't the political guilds a bit keener to learn your ways? If there exist no negative consequences to having your buff, it seems like the sort of thing one ought to have simply as another tool in the belt. Even if we do not plan to use it, there should be no reason we wouldn't accept it."

Lienne shrugged. "I don't really know. I'm not even sure anyone's offering you guys the buff. And to be honest, we don't even really want your people coming into our dungeons. Sorry if that sounds mean. I'm just being honest."

Tyson raised his hand and smiled. "Oh, none taken. I assure you, we much prefer your kind stay in these otherworldly dimensions. Truth be told, I'm…not so sure I want to tag along, either. I have no shame in admitting I'm terrified."

Zach didn't need the admission to know that Tyson was scared; he could tell just from the quivering of the man's knees. He couldn't really blame him, either. The political guild members had only very recently discovered dungeons were real—something that was Zach's fault—and as people who spent their lives hunting weak, cherry-picked mobs on resorts, they must have correctly assumed that the dungeons were of great danger to them.

They're dangerous for Tyson too, he thought. I need to protect him but also push him. That's not going to be easy for either of us.

Zach knew Tyson was going to have a rough time adjusting to things, but the risk was definitely worth it. The man's passive ability made it so that he was practically born to go raiding. Sure, in a real-life fight, his abilities, kind of like Jimmy's, were not really very useful. But in a dungeon? He could be one of the best adventurers ever.

If he can learn to ramp up his damage—if he can gain not just hundreds, but thousands of stacks—he might become a key part of beating the World Eater. I bet Jimmy is thinking the same thing.

As they entered farther into the restricted section, the Head Librarian, an older man behind the desk who always had a perpetually disinterested look on his face, picked his head up from a large, paper-based book he was reading on his messy desk and asked, "Heading out, Zach?"

"Yep."

His eyelids dropped as though he were attempting to discern something. "Is that…"

"Yeah," Zach said, "it's Tyson Revel."

The Head Librarian frowned. "In…this section?"

"He's got the buff."

For the first time since meeting the man, the Head Librarian looked surprised. "A political guild member has the buff? I've seen everything now."

Zach laughed. "There's nothing that says he can't, right?"

"Nothing I know of. And I know a lot. Well, at any rate, it's not my place to judge. If he has the buff, he's allowed in here—ahh, for humans, I mean. I meant no disrespect to either of you young Elvish folk."

"I have taken none, Head Librarian," Trelvor said.

"Me neither," Seiley agreed.

The Head Librarian smiled at the two Elves. Then he again frowned at Tyson. "Go about your business, Zach. Just…just make sure that man doesn't steal anything."

Tyson abruptly stopped, turned to the Head Librarian, and huffed. "I would never steal, you old codger! I could buy this whole fucking library if I wanted to and have you fired. You know what? I would like to speak to your manager. Now!"

Jimmy groaned. "Dude, don't be a Karen."

"A what?" Zach, Tyson, Trelvor, Seiley, Lienne, and Rian all asked at the same time.

Rather than answer, Jimmy sighed. "It's too much to explain. I'll tell you what that means some other time. Let's just go."

And so, they did. With Zach leading the pack, he walked to the end of the seventh aisle—in between the seventh and eighth bookshelves—and then paused right near the brick wall. He turned his body to the side and began to make a rowing motion with his hand, indicating for the rest of them to move. He watched as, with a cute chirp and a smile, Lienne walked into the wall, vanishing. Rian followed, then Trelvor, Seiley, and Jimmy. Finally, Tyson came to a stop just before entering.

"I'm going to hit my head if I go any farther," he said. "And I might break these bricks."

"No, you won't. Just walk forward."

"I…I want to, but my brain is telling my body not to do it. It's telling me I will walk face first into the—"

Zach ran out of patience and pushed him. He yelped and whimpered as he stumbled forward and into the wall. Then Zach followed, entering into a very dark passageway. "Keep moving," he said.

"Oh, Gods, where are we?" he asked with a whimper. "It's so dark. I do not like this, Sir Calador."

Zach laughed. "You're going to hate the way home even more."

"Oh, shit, I forgot about that," Jimmy said. "Yeah, Tyson's definitely gonna hate that."

"For sure," Rian piled on. "We have to go through the gas giant. Tyson might have a heart attack on the way back."

"The what?" Tyson asked, his teeth audibly chattering like he was a frightened cartoon character. How could anyone be this meek?

"You'll see," Rian said. "Scariest shit of your entire life the first time you jump out that window."

Jimmy nodded. "Yeah, he ain't kidding. That had me pissing myself. Don't feel bad about it if you end up screaming your first time. I sure did."

"Oh, he'll be screaming the whole way down," Rian said. "That's not even a question. Hey, Jimmy, remember how cold it gets?"

"How can I forget? I thought I was gonna freeze my ass to death."

Then Rian started to lie and make things up just to upset him. "Tyson, did you know that there's a fifteen-percent chance of not making it? Every time we jump, we take that risk."

"What risk?" Tyson asked, his words higher in pitch now. "What do you mean by that?"

"Should you tell him, Jimmy, or should I?"

"You tell him."

Rian cleared his throat. "So, here's the thing, bud. Fifteen out of every hundred adventurers disappear forever on the jump back to Shores of Wrath. They just keep falling forever into an eternal sky. You can't even die. It's just an eternity of falling. They say it never ends."

The more they spoke, the more Tyson's whimpers transformed into sobs. And despite being almost thirty years old, for some Gods knew what reason, the girls, rather than find this pathetic, began to take pity on him—and so did Trelvor.

"Guys, come on, that's enough," Lienne said. "Leave him alone."

"Yeah, this is starting to feel like bullying," agreed Seiley.

Trelvor made a slight grunt in agreement. "Princess Kalana would abhor this kind of behavior. We should be kind like the princess."

He's not wrong about that, Zach thought, an ache in his heart as he found himself suddenly missing her. Well, to be fair, he always missed her, but as he thought about how she'd react if she were here with them right now, it made him really want to hear her voice—even if it was to scold them for "picking on" Tyson. She only ever wants to see the best in people.

As far as Tyson was concerned, Zach wasn't sure what his "best" even happened to be—at least in terms of his soul. Sure, that one unbelievably powerful passive gave him potential unlike anything Zach had yet to encounter from anyone aside from his own self, but beyond that, was there any more to the man than what he had thus far shown? Or was this the extent of it? Was he just a twenty-nine-year-old man-child: a cowardly degenerate who'd grown up as a princely rich kid that needed to be babied and lacked anything even resembling a spine?

Zach would try to find all of this out. But so far? It wasn't looking good. Zach really wasn't sure this guy had any good qualities at all. He really did just seem like a spoiled, self-centered, mewling little baby whose only true value was a massively powerful gift he happened to coincidentally be born with.

At any rate, at least he was walking forward of his own accord, though he was making very annoying "fear" sounds or whatever. "Fear sounds" was merely the only term Zach could think to describe his strange noises. He was constantly making little groans or "gyuh" noises, vocalizing how nervous he was as they trekked what he estimated to be a quarter mile through the dark, tunnel-like passageway. Eventually, however, they emerged on F17 of TOE, and Tyson, stumbling forward, took a look around him.

"Is this it?" he asked, fear and wonder mixing together in his voice as his boots clicked against the surface. "Am I in a real dungeon?"

"You sure are," Jimmy said, patting him on the shoulder. Then he pointed to one of the large windows, showing a blue, endless sky. "And do you know what is?"

"That's the sky, isn't it?"

"Yup. But what sky?"

"What do you mean?"

"What kind of sky is it?"

Tyson made a stupid expression. "The uh…the sky-sky?"

Jimmy chuckled. "So, right now, Tyson, we—meaning you, me, Zach, everybody—are on a different planet." He shook the finger that was pointing at the window. "That's not the Galterran sky. Because we aren't on Galterra anymore."

"We aren't?"

The sheer look of wonder in his eyes did soften Zach somewhat, as it was just such a raw, honest reaction to something that, even now, he himself still found amazing. And as they once again resumed walking, Zach took a moment to explain to him how, although they did not know what planet they were on or even where in the universe they happened to reside, what they knew for sure was that they were walking on a dungeon built somewhere in the atmosphere of a gas giant—one that had a breathable oxygen layer.

Now, as they ventured down the narrow, corridor-like hallway, Zach eyed the two doors located opposite from one another to his left and right: one led to the bazaar, the other to Angelica's. "Should we take Tyson for a cola and some food?" Zach asked the rest of them.

"I don't know, man, that's probably not a good idea yet," Jimmy said.

"Huh? Why not?"

"I don't think the people in Angelica's are gonna be cool with him being there."

Zach thought on his words. Donovan, Zephyr, Reni, and all the others: they really, really hated the political guilds. If they waltzed inside with Tyson Revel, a face everybody would recognize, and someone who was uniquely emblematic of everything wrong with the political guilds…yeah, that might not go so well.

"Good thinking," Zach said. "He's not ready for that."

"Why?" Tyson asked. "What's beyond those doors?"

"One leads to a place where you can buy and sell stuff, and the other is a tavern and inn that makes the best food and drinks in the world. But…the people there might not be happy to see you. Actually, you shouldn't ever come to dungeons if I'm not here with you."

"Why?" he asked nervously. "Not that I have any desire to do so, but I'm curious."

Zach released a breath he'd been holding, and he did so slowly. "Well, I really don't think anybody would ever go so far as to kill you—in fact, I'd bet on it. But people will fuck with you, and if you're spotted roaming a dungeon, they are going to bully you or beat you up or something. The adventurers really don't like you guys."

"Noted," he said. "Let's avoid that place."

As they continued their journey and neared the top of the steps that led to F18, Jimmy said, "We're gonna need Trelvor or Seiley to help Tyson get through this next part. He's not gonna make it."

"Oh, shit, good point," Zach said. Then, noticing the way Lienne was glaring at him, he quickly added, "I'm not messing with him. Jimmy's actually right. I don't think he can swim underwater for that long, and Elves are amazing swimmers."

"Why, what comes next?" Seiley asked. "This is my first time coming through this way. Dungeons are—mostly—new to me, Trelvor, and the rest of Elvish kind as well."

Zach thought on how to explain it to her, but Jimmy beat him to it. He explained how they would be diving deep into a pool, and that as they swam downwards, eventually down would begin to feel like up, and they'd emerge in a disgusting swamp-like "lake" in Whispery Woods. He finished by asking Seiley to make sure Tyson got through without drowning. And even though every word of what he said was true—and necessary—Tyson reacted as though he'd been struck. He was barely able to walk straight when they arrived into the chlorinated pool room.

"Please," he begged, shivering and shaking. "I don't want to do what he just said."

"You'll be fine," Seiley said to him, speaking softly. "I promise."

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"What if you decide to play a trick on me? And you leave me to die?"

She flinched. "Wh-what? Why would I?"

"I don't know. When I was your age, the other kids would take me places and then ditch me."

"Well, I'm not some human. I wouldn't just let you die."

"Yeah, that would be all kinds of fucked up," Rian said.

"It's just…I have this fear…"

"Fear?"

"That this is all a setup. That my uncle paid you all to take me somewhere I'd never be found and kill me. This would be the perfect spot to do it."

"I swear on the name of my father that is not the case," Trelvor said, his white-cloak billowing slightly as he stepped forward as though wanting to address the idea head-on. "No Elf—not a one of us—would ever take human coin in exchange for an assassination. In all our history, you cannot find a single example of an Elvish bounty hunter."

"What about Diirva?" Seiley asked.

"Hmph. She was a Half-Elf."

His eyes red from the crying, Tyson dipped his foot into the pool. "Can…can I go first then? So that I know I won't get left behind to drown?"

Zach nodded. "Sure. You and Seiley can go first." He pointed. "Just swim straight down and ignore what looks like the surface. It's fake and you'll go right through it. We'll follow behind."

Tyson hesitated, and Zach gave him a few moments to get his breathing under control. Finally, after bending and unbending his knees, he extended his arms, jumped forward, and dived straight down, vanishing into the pool and disappearing beneath the veneer of a bluish-tiled bottom. Trelvor followed, then Rian and Lienne, and Zach decided to go behind Jimmy to make sure he didn't end up drowning, either. Less than a minute later, Zach took a sharp inhale as he surfaced in the murky, pond-like swamp water in the middle of a forest in Whispery Woods.

Unlike the last time Zach had come this way, it was not cloudy. There was nothing but beautiful sunshine above the treetops. And as he looked to his left, he saw that it was a really good decision to have Seiley help Tyson out, as he was coughing up water and she was holding him up above the surface. She even helped him get to—and on—solid ground.

"My attire is ruined," he said between coughing fits. He was on his hands and knees, gagging up water. "This outfit cost fifty-thousand gold."

"Holy shit," Zach said, both impressed and aghast. This was a level of decadence even his greedy self didn't aspire to. Sure, he wanted to be the richest person in the word, but he'd never blow money that way. If Tyson was telling the truth—and he actually had no reason to lie—then his muck-stained, silken outfit was worth more than what the average adult earned in a year in Whispery Woods.

Standing upright, Tyson grimaced as he looked down at all the blackish muck stains and dripping water. There were several leaves sticking to his clothing. "Very well," he muttered. "I'll buy two more to replace it."

"That's the spirit," Zach said dryly and a touch hatefully. His hate was more towards himself, however: he hated the fact that it was even possible to feel jealousy—in any capacity—towards this whimpering, filthy-rich crybaby. It nearly ruined his mood as he began making his way through the forest with everybody, but eventually, he got over it.

"It's gonna be good to see the little dude again," Rian commented just as they were exiting the forest and stepping onto the forest-lined road.

"What little dude?" Jimmy asked. "Oh, wait, duh. You mean M—"

Panic coursed through Zach. "Shh!" he blurted out suddenly, clasping his hand over Jimmy's mouth as it dawned upon him how bad of an idea this actually was. Jimmy, whose words ended in a mumble, looked at him with a combination of confusion and irritation.

"The fuck is your problem?" he asked.

Zach, coming to a complete halt, said, "I just realized we can't go this way."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because I…because we aren't ready to have the political guilds know about…about that place we discovered, Jimmy."

"Why not?" Jimmy asked, sounding even more annoyed now. But Zach, to his surprise, received backup from Rian and Lienne.

"He's right," Rian said. "This could seriously hurt the adventuring community."

"Yeah," Lienne added. "Even though it's almost unthinkable they'd ever come here themselves, if they knew how easy acquiring certain…things have become for us, it'd cripple our operations. The political guilds would start making demands and refusing to pay our prices."

Zach stood still a moment and contemplated their situation. Then he looked questioningly at Tyson. "Hey, Tyson?"

"Yeah?"

"You're going to tell Abram everything you see with us, right?"

"If it's important, yes."

"Can you be persuaded not to do that?"

He shook his head. "I cannot. And it's not because I have an issue with concealing things, it's simply that if my uncle were to learn that I have done so, I would be in a very bad spot. And he can tell when I am lying or hiding something."

Zach swore. "Shit! Then we can't go this way. We came all the way out here for nothing."

Rian also swore. "So, what, we have to backtrack and go home?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

Tyson cleared his throat, drawing Zach's attention. "Is there any way you can explain to me what you planned to do? At least as much as you're comfortable revealing?"

Zach didn't see a reason why he couldn't, and so he told Tyson how they were going to go through a dungeon—which he was no longer willing to name—that would take them to Slopes of Dal'Zarrah, and from Slopes of Dal'Zarrah, they were going to go through another dungeon that would let out in Plains of Mist, and from there, they would take a bus to Dragon Squire.

Tyson, remaining quiet through all of this, suddenly removed his phone. From where Zach stood, he could see the man discovering their location using the map feature and his GPS. After pinching the screen and zooming out, he mumbled something indiscernible to himself before saying, "Yeah, this is exactly what I thought." Now, he looked up at Zach. "Your idea was ridiculous."

"How so?" Zach asked him.

He waved his phone at the general area around him. "We're at the northern part of Whispery Woods: the very north. And just a few more miles northward, we enter my home region of Varda's Liar. Though it pales in comparison to the one in the city, the town of Flaming Skull just a short while from here has a perfectly adequate airport, and there are always guild jets waiting to depart. With DEHV service, we can be there in an hour, and from there, it's but a four-hour flight by jet to Drake's Wing."

Silence fell over their group as Zach considered his words. From the neutral expressions on Seiley and Trelvor's faces, he didn't think they cared much either way what path was taken. But Zach could tell that Rian and Lienne were definitely in favor of the idea. Jimmy, however, clearly wanted to run through the dungeon. And as for Zach himself? He really wasn't a big fan of flying, but that was more due to the boredom and isolation rather than any fear of heights. Also, he'd been suffering a lot during that long flight to Shores of Wrath. This would be nothing like that.

"Okay," he said. "Let's do that."

"Excellent. I'll have someone pick us up. We don't even have to move from this spot."

And true to his word, not twenty minutes later, a limousine stopped by, its side door sliding open. "You're all filthy," the driver said. "You can't get in my DEHV like that! I'm sorry, but there's no way I can—"

"Here you go," Tyson said, handing the man a satchel filled to the brim with golden coins. "Will this suffice?"

The man's face paled and his mouth popped open. "Uh, y-yeah, actually. It will. Do whatever ya want."

Tyson made a smug grin, and then with both arms, he performed a grand, elaborate motion towards the DEHV. "Shall we proceed?"

Rian nodded with approval and got inside, followed by Lienne and the others. Zach was last to board. Now, he found himself in the awkward position of being dressed in grimy, muck-stained equipment while lounging on incredibly lavish black leather seats. He was also surrounded by minifridges to both sides of him. It was so damn nice in here that it just felt wrong to dirty the interior up, which all of them were doing. Oh well. He might as well relax.

Except I can't! he thought to himself angrily. Because of Gods-be-damned Jimmy!

"Don't even think about it," he growled as Jimmy was just about to pop open a bottle of wine and pour himself a glass.

Jimmy glared at him. "Are you for real, Zach?"

"Are you?"

As the limousine DEHV engaged its hover engines and blasted forward, pressing Zach into his seat, he quickly leaned to the side and swiped the entire bottle out of Jimmy's hands. "No drinking. No drugs!"

Jimmy, who looked like he was about to have a fit, was calmed as Tyson patted him a few times as if asking Jimmy to let him handle things. Then, to Zach, he said, "I'll give you a million gold for that wine."

"You'll pay a million gold for it?" he asked, utterly floored by the offer. He raised the bottle. "For this? An 800g bottle of wine? Not that that isn't also really expensive, but Gods, you'd give me that much?"

"Yes."

"Oh…shit, well uh, in that case, I guess Jimmy can drink after all," he said, suddenly unable to see anything except for coin and riches. Yet now, it was him who was told off as Trelvor grabbed the bottle out of his hands just like he'd done to Jimmy.

"I do not care what Tyson does," Trelvor said. "But the Great Goddess herself has tasked Jimmy with a mission and a purpose, and Seiley and I are willing to die or kill to prevent that mission from being sabotaged."

Jimmy moaned, desperation in his voice. "There's nothing wrong with me drinking."

"Yes, there is," Trelvor said, "and you know that there is."

Jimmy shook his head. "Trelv, I don't even really know for a fact that Eilea actually has any kind of—"

"Her greatness!" Seiley corrected.

"Fine," Jimmy said with an annoyed grunt. "I don't even know for a fact that Her Greatness has any real purpose or plan for me. I thought she did, but now I'm not even sure anymore." Zach noticed the way his face tightened, and a bit of darkness entered into his expression. "When I first got here," he continued, "she told me all I had to do was get level 30 and that she'd explain everything to me. Now I'm way higher than that, and she won't talk to me. Believe me, I tried. She just won't agree to meet me."

"She doesn't need to," Trelvor explained. "You already know what you have to do. She told me you do. Everything you thought about why you are here: you were correct."

Jimmy bolted upright, shock and surprise in his face. Zach was also surprised. "Wait, what?" they both said.

His expression remaining neutral, Trelvor said, "Why are you acting so surprised? You both reasoned that Jimmy is here to lead raids and help Galterrans advance. When I spoke to her, she told me as much. Her Greatness also told me that that you, Jimmy, have already figured this out on your own, and she even asked me and Seiley to see if we can find time to help you in between assisting Princess Kalana."

Jimmy shook his head angrily. "And ya'll didn't think to tell me this shit until now? Five days later?"

"Why did it need to be said? You already knew what you had to do, and now you must act on it. No one may decline a call to service from the Gods."

Zach raised his index finger. "This is a great conversation and all, but I just want to quickly ask Tyson: I'm still getting that million gold, right?"

Tyson, who had leaned forward and taken the bottle from Trelvor without any kind of resistance, popped open the cork and began to down the wine. After several loud gulps and a belch, he removed the bottle from his lips. "Not if Jimmy doesn't drink," he said. Then he resumed gulping it. Zach, feeling deflated, sank back into his seat. Why did everybody conspire to stop him from being rich?

As the ride continued, he let out a yawn, feeling a bit sleepy. He fought it for a bit, but eventually, he closed his eyes while the six of them all began to engage in chatter, discussing a number of different subjects. And it was here, drifting into a little nap, that Zach, in the back of his mind, thought he spotted the first glimmer of something somewhat "positive" about Tyson's character.

It seemed that, during social moments such as these, Tyson actually did display a bit of likeability, as he was a fairly good storyteller and he was quick to comment and engage with other people on their own stories. Zach, for his part, decided to let his tiredness win, and he took a brief snooze throughout the hour-long drive from the outskirts of Whispery Woods to the outskirts of Varda's Lair. Eventually, however, he awoke as the DEHV began to slow when they neared the airport.

Once more in a territory controlled by the People of Virtue, Tyson was shown respect and deference by everyone they encountered from the moment they stepped out of the limousine and into the reception terminal.

Though smaller in size than the massive one in Varda's Lair's primary city, the airport here in the town of Flaming Skull was still quite busy and noisy. Everywhere Zach looked, well-dressed business people were rushing by, but even as they did so, every eye that passed settled, at least briefly, on Zach and Tyson. No one stopped to bother them, however, but they certainly did not go unnoticed as they strode their way through a fairly open area, past a few small indoor shops, and into a private section of the airport reserved for members of the People of Virtue.

Yet something caught Zach's attention.

Just before entering this smaller, but far quieter terminal, he noticed that several people of varying ages seemed to say something he found a bit strange. One woman, for example, looked at another woman walking beside her and said, "There they are."

They.

Another woman, this one carrying a briefcase with one hand and holding the hand of a boy in the other, smiled at the child and said, "You were right, sweetheart. They're traveling together."

"I told you, mommy. That's what it said online."

Online?

Becoming uneasy, Zach removed his phone and searched his name. "You've got to be kidding me," he grumbled. "I should've known this would happen."

"What is it?" Jimmy asked. "What happened?"

"Yeah," Rian said, "what's going on?"

Zach made a "eugh" sound then said, "Just search my name and check the news." As Jimmy and Rian did so, he returned his attention to his own phone, and he tapped on the first headline that popped up. All were similar.

ZACHYS CALADOR AND TYSON REVEL SPOTTED SHOPPING TOGETHER IN SHADOWFALL COAST:

Earlier today, Sir Zachys Calador of the Royal Roses and Sir Tyson Revel the Virtuous were seen playfully nudging one another at a popular tourist area in the central market of Shores of Wrath. Sir Calador, known for his stunning acts of heroism but also his harsh temper and crude, demeaning language, and Sir Tyson Revel the Virtuous, currently embroiled in multiple sex-related scandals, were also photographed swimming ashore together from the direction of the Elvish Island of Elendroth with two low-ranking members of the Guild of Elvadin.

"They were very respectful to us," one on-looker, a woman named Meela Manara, 25, said. "Me and my mom both got autographs. They looked like they were just hanging out and having fun. It's really good to see the guilds getting along this way. Especially, you know, with everything that's going on out there in the world."

"I always thought those two would end up friends," commented another male spectator who asked that his name remain anonymous. "But it wasn't just the two of them. There were a bunch of guild people with them that I didn't recognize. All of them were young, too. I guess this is just what the guilds do when they get bored and just want to hang out. Everybody here was real respectful to them, too. We didn't push or nothing. We get that they're people just like us who are trying to live their lives."

When reached for comment, the Royal Roses and the People of Virtue released the following joint statement. "In today's troubled world, our two guilds are constantly looking to seek new venues of cooperation and to bolster our existing ties as allies. Sir Calador and Sir Revel the Virtuous are currently engaged in a diplomatic mission to assess the state of North Bastia and to uncover new ways in which our historic partnership can benefit all of humanity."

Zach cringed just reading this bullshit. It was wild that they could come up with something like this on the spot and nobody questioned it. It wasn't even close to the truth…or at least Zach didn't think it was. Wait, was it? The fact he himself didn't know what was real and what wasn't set off a whole different feeling of confusion and dread in him, as reality and fiction were blurring together more and more for him every day as it pertained to his role and status in the world of political guilds.

Putting away his phone, he allowed Tyson to take the lead, and the guy brought them all into yet another terminal, where a level-1 guild assistant stood ready to book them a private jet to Dragon Squire. "Right this way," she said. "We have a lovely jet for you all." She pointed at two men: a man in a chef's outfit and a man wearing a pilot suit. The two strode over, introduced themselves, and then Rian and Lienne's eyes lit up as it dawned on them they were going to have access to a private chef and server for the duration of the four-hour flight.

"Maybe we're in the wrong profession, Li," he said.

She chuckled. "Maybe!"

******

Officially, and for diplomatic reasons, it was of vital importance for Alex to be seen standing with—and taking the side of—Sir Alazar. Especially against the guerilla forces that were creating havoc in the city and had already begun resorting to acts of terrorism against their own fellow citizens. Having said that, it was easier said than done, because right now, during these tense negotiations, it was becoming clearer and clearer that Sir Alazar was the biggest obstacle to any kind of peace setting in. And everyone in this room had to know it.

"Can you please stop being so mean?" Kalana asked Vim, which stunned the little man, who gave her a look of warning. Kalana seemed to ignore it. "You're making this really difficult."

Vim grunted, a scowl on his face. "How so?"

"By making fun of Gunrick's speech stutter," she said. "That's not okay."

"I duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh don't know what you're tuh-tuh-talking about," Vim said. "This is huh-huh-how I always speak."

Kalana narrowed her eyes, and the guerilla leader's seemed to bulge. The muscular, ripped-shirt-wearing, level-1 man looked like he was having a hard time just remaining seated. He pointed at Vim. "Your people are butchering innocent civilians at random. You're commandeering people's homes. You're trying to th-th-th-throw people out onto the st…st…str-street."

Vim, behaving as obstinate as Alex had ever seen him, merely shrugged. "I don't see how you're in a position to negotiate. Honestly, I should just kill you right now. You're filth. It's beneath me to even be talking to you. If not for Kalana's insistence, I wouldn't be here right now at all. I'd be hunting you down. The fact you not only think you have leverage to negotiate with, but that you should somehow be allowed to live after all this is over…oh, my friend, you've got another thing coming."

Alex, who had been mostly quiet, decided to finally enter the discussion, as things were getting more and more off track. He needed to be careful in how he worded things. He had to try to steer the conversation without it looking—or feeling—like he was blaming Vim for the lack of progress.

"So, I think what we should try to do," he said carefully, "is look beyond the idea of who can do more damage to each side, and maybe we can discuss how to stop all damage from happening to both. Gunrick, though I completely understand where you are coming from, surely you must realize the reality of your situation."

"Hm?" he grunted.

"To put it bluntly, the only thing you're capable of doing is slowing, but not impeding our efforts. You can't actually change the trajectory of your city with violence, and your inability to accept that is only going to get you and your loved ones killed: all for the same outcome. What I recommend we discuss is ways to ensure that you and your allies are kept free from harm and imprisonment, because—and I say this with true sincerity—there is no chance anyone is going to be willing to give in to any of your demands. The war is over. The only real question now is how many more people have to die."

Gunrick made another grunt. "I want the Royal Roses—and the rest of you guild people—out of Shadowfall Coast. I want the people of Shadowfall Coast to be in control of our own city. To be clear, we're n-n-n-nnnnn-n-not actually asking for the Guild of Gentlemen to come b-back. We understand their presence here is unacceptable to you. We're willing to withdraw that demand. But we w-w-w-w-want to be in c-c-c-control of our city."

Vim barked out a laugh. "You really don't get it, do you? You don't get to be in control of shit, big boy. This city is mine now. You lost it. You think you can threaten my people with blood? After everything we've been through? There's no reason why I should listen to this."

Gunrick's scowl now matched Vim's. "We can do so much worse than we've done so far, Sir Alazar. You d-d-d-don't know what else we have in st-st-st-store if we choose to act."

"Then do it!" Vim shouted at him, slamming his fists down onto the table. "You're a level-1 nobody. I'm the leader of the Royal Roses. Do you really think you can make demands of me?"

"I'm not sh-sh-sh-sh-sh—"

"Shuh-shuh-shut the fuck up and sit down," Vim said. "Here's the actual deal and the only one I'm willing to make. Surrender now, and maybe you can be relocated to Whispery Woods. Maybe you won't be executed in public. But the time for that deal is ticking. If you don't get out of my city soon, I'll have my men kill every single one of you."

"Nah uh," Kalana chimed in. "You won't."

Vim glared at her. "Yes. Yes I will."

"Nope. I won't let you kill anybody in my safe zone."

"Your safe zone?" Vim asked.

"Yup."

"It's true," Gunrick said. "It's K-K-K-K-Kal-Kal-Kalan-Kalana's S-s-safe zone."

Vim peeled back his lips. "Well I don't fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-fucking c-c—"

Alex couldn't believe his eyes even as he watched everything happen right in front of him. Kalana, pouncing like a cat, launched herself across the round table in the meeting room of this unpowered, barely standing, three-story office building. In the blink of an eye, she hopped down from the other end of the table, grabbed one of the legs of Vim's metal chair, and then she flung Vim's entire seat backwards, causing him—and his chair—to crash onto the floor and roll backwards while he yelped and cried out in fear.

"Stop doing that!" she shouted, her voice rising to a volume higher than Alex had ever before heard from her. "It's rude! It's mean! It's evil! Show some respect! He's a person too!"

Vim, hurrying back to his feet, immediately threw his left and right arm out, presumably to stop Haisel Ragora and another high-ranking member of the Royal Roses from charging at Kalana and attacking her—a battle that they would absolutely lose. And while all this took place, Fylwen Vayra, the queen, merely sipped at her tea as though perfectly content to let her daughter handle things. It was an unmistakable sign of trust. Her silence actually spoke louder than any words she may have used.

"Do not retaliate!" Vim growled at his own people.

"But Sir Alazar," Sir Ragora said. "You were just attacked."

"By an Elf," he replied. "With her mother sitting right there. Kalana will kill us all. This is not a fight we can win."

"Nope you can't," Kalana said. "And also, umm, I wouldn't have killed any of you, actually. I don't do that."

Alex, utterly stunned by the sight of a guild leader being thrown around by his former student, found himself rendered speechless as Vim picked up his metal chair, brought it back to the table, and sat down in it. And for just a second—for a split, barely perceptible instant in time—it almost seemed like he was going to take it in stride and maybe even move on towards something productive. But then he sneered at Gunrick and went right back it.

"Muh-muh-muh my name is Guh-Guh-Guh—"

This time, Kalana flipped the entire table, causing it to crack in places and smash. Drinks, papers, and maps were sent scattering everywhere, and numerous people flinched. "That's it!" she shouted. "You're out of this meeting! Mom, I'm kicking him out!"

Fylwen sipped her tea and said nothing, merely raising her index finger off the glass as though indicating that Kalana may do as she pleases, and Alex was once again totally stunned. Fylwen was a brutally smart woman, and her daughter and Vim were clashing in a way that was becoming dangerous and, quite honestly, unbelievable. She would not let this happen unless she had some ulterior motive. Alex struggled to think of what it could be.

Wait a minute, he thought to himself. Is she signaling that she's ready for war?

Under no circumstance could things come to that. No more wars. There'd been enough death recently. And Fylwen had to know that, too.

"Lord Oren," Vim said as he began picking papers up off the floor. "Do you have anything you'd like to add? I'm sensing this meeting is just about over."

"I do, actually," Alex said. He hesitated a moment. This was going to cause him some blowback within his own guild. But his conscience demanded he speak up. "I think your conduct in this meeting has been unbecoming of a guild leader," he said.

Vim shrugged. "And I think you look like a—"

"Don't make fun of Alex," Kalana warned.

Vim growled. "Don't tell me what to do, Kalana." The two locked eyes while Alex lifted his glasses and rubbed his. Things were looking like they would get ugly. Vim said something—Alex didn't even catch it—and then he watched as the man's diminutive body rolled backwards like a ball before crashing into the wall behind them all with such force that the building shook. Only for him to stand right back up, shake it off, and return to the destroyed table. He picked up his metal seat yet again and sat down in it.

"Why are you acting like this?" Kalana asked him, having now launched Vim like a torpedo twice in a row.

Vim laughed. "Do you know what they did to me?"

"Huh?"

With a great deal of heat and anger in his words, he asked, "Do you know what they did to me, Kalana?"

"What who did?"

"The people of this city. While I was captured."

"What…did they do?" she asked.

"They beat me. They broke bones in my body. They starved me. But that was all nothing. No, they did things that stole my dignity!" he screamed, to which Haisel Ragora's eyes widened with rage and disbelief, and so did many of the Royal Roses guild members with him. Alex could tell that this came as a surprise to them. But it was no surprise to Alex. He was well aware of how Shadowfall Coast dealt with its defeated or captured enemies. It wasn't difficult for him to imagine what specific actions Vim was implying. Alex himself had witnessed it during the battle. It did not need to be said.

But Vim being Vim, he ended up spelling it out anyway.

"And if anyone here doesn't get exactly what I mean," he continued completely unnecessarily, "let's just say I had more things stuffed up my ass than a turkey. Real fun times!"

Kalana's mood immediately changed. She extended her hand, though he recoiled from it. "I'm so sorry that happened to you, Sir Alazar. Nobody deserves to be—"

"I'm not a victim," he interrupted. Then he pointed at the guerilla leader. "But he's going to be."

In this moment, Alex was both touched but also frustrated, as Kalana, lacking experience in these matters, actually tried to talk Vim into speaking with Jascaila. It was actually adorable in a way. But it was so, so unhelpful. Vim reacted with a monstrously harsh word that caused him to go rolling across the floor for the third time. But now, he apparently had enough.

Standing back up, he fired off a round of brutally harsh insults to everyone including members of his own guild then stormed out of the meeting room and back onto the streets of Shadowfall Coast. The five high-ranking members of his guild quickly followed behind.

What's he planning?

*******

Anelia laughed as her little buddy carefully picked up a piece of debris and then scurried over to a trash pile and deposited it. "Did I do it right, Anelia?" Adim asked.

She went over to the little boy and ruffled his hair. "Sure did. But make sure you ask me before you pick up something that looks sharp, okay?"

"But mommy says I can help."

"Yeah, but she also told you to listen to me."

For the past few days, she'd been volunteering with Denisoa to help clean the fields in Den of Ziragoth. There was just something about this place that she felt she couldn't ignore. That day…when the dragon spawned…it had changed her. It had changed her in ways she could never undo. She needed to help these people rebuild. Her life meant nothing if she could not do that much. She also really loved how Adim clapped every time she lifted something that weighed several hundred—or thousand—pounds. He called her a "superhero." She loved that.

She loved something else, too.

"Anelia?" Denisoa, the boy's mother, called to her. She had a worried look on her face. Anelia hurried over to her.

"What is it?" Anelia asked.

Denisoa was a simple woman. She was plain of looks, she wore ordinary clothing, and she was the prototypal country-farmer type. But Anelia would never forget what she saw in her the day of the Ziragoth spawn. As all the level-1s fled for their lives, Denisoa refused to join Adim and retreat. She continued to help pull people out of collapsed homes until the very last moment when Anelia had physically picked her up and dragged her to a helicopter against her will.

Anelia never expected to see her again after that. She never expected to keep in touch. But during one of her first return visits, she'd run into the woman again. Denisoa had asked her to have lunch. She'd been flirtatious and quite bold for a commoner from the farmlands. But Anelia, naturally, had refused, as she didn't really "do" romance. Yet upon Denisoa's continued assistance, Anelia had eventually relented, and then things just…happened.

So fast. Too fast.

At first, it had just been fireside chats drinking tea or coffee and talking about life. And then, it was more. Now, incredibly, Anelia was genuinely beginning to consider making a life for the two of them and Adim, who would be turning seven next month. The boy's father had died of a stroke long before the Ziragoth attack, and Denisoa was not beholden to anyone else.

Except me, she thought with a rare smile.

Now, her mood turned serious as she realized Denisoa was staring at her. Something was wrong. Anelia could tell. She looked "pre" disappointed. Like she was upset over something that hadn't happened yet.

"Well?" Anelia asked. "What's wrong?"

"The Royal Roses are trying to contact you," she said. "Your Comm in the kitchen won't stop going off."

"I see…"

She grabbed Anelia's shoulders. "Please don't go. You already have so much money. You don't need to take any more jobs."

"What you and I consider a lot of money is very different, Denisoa."

"Anelia! You have over a million gold to your name. That's a sum of money so large I can't even fathom it…it's beyond my ability to imagine what I would do if I had that much coin."

"Don't you want to live somewhere nice? Somewhere far away from all these painful memories?"

"No," she said adamantly. "This town is my life."

Anelia pursed her lips. "It doesn't have to be. Wouldn't it be nice to live in a beautiful city with Adim? To get away from all of this?"

"Not if it means you have to go out and kill more people."

"It's what I do, Denisoa. You knew that when you met me."

"But it doesn't have to be."

"It does." Anelia kissed her again, though only briefly, because the little one was turning around. "I need to at least see what they want."

Anelia made her way into the kitchen. The heat reminded her of the fact that there was no air conditioning in most homes here in Den of Ziragoth, nor had there been even before the dragon spawned. Only businesses and inns had such a luxury.

Picking up her Comm off the table and placing it into her ear, she growled, "What is it now?"

"Anelia?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Big opportunities for you. Big, big opportunities."

"How big?"

"A million a hit."

Anelia did a double-take. "Wait, what? A million a pop? What are we dealing with here? They must be high level."

"Not at all. All targets are level-1."

"I'm listening," she said. This was beginning to sound too good to be true.

"We need you to covertly enter the safe zone in Shadowfall Coast and take out the level-1 guerilla leaders. There should be five of them in total. We're paying a million per assassination. You want the job?"

"I'm in," she said. "I'll be there in a few hours."

"You must avoid the Elvish patrolling the safe zone. If they spot you, they will kill you."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. Get spotted, die. Same as always."

She turned around and saw Denisoa's saddened face. "Not again."

"This might be the last time," Anelia said. "I just got a job worth up to 5-million gold. Enough so we'd be set for life."

"Or you might not come back at all. Did you ever think of that?"

Anelia grinned. "I'm only going after level-1 scum."

"Scum?"

Anelia winced. "I didn't mean you!"

Denisoa laughed. "Sure you didn't." Then, more seriously, she said, "Please let this be the last time."

"I'll try."