Bob pulled up his earliest system messages. He reflected that it was more than a little bit eerie that he had a thought activated mental computer system.

He started copying down the messages, noting that Kelli was making odd gestures in the air, almost like he was flipping the pages of an invisible book.

@)(& Error @)!_$ Error - Non-recorded Entity. Scanning biological entity. Species determined sapient - Species determined human. Scanning sentient mind. Resolving. Language found. Written language determined. System initialized. Subject level determined to be 0. Subject accruing injuries. Mana density is sufficient for rejuvenation. Initializing child protection protocol. Subject sapience confirmed, initializing system integration. Subject unresponsive to system prompts. Initializing advanced integration protocol.

Advanced integration protocol complete. Sentient mind mapped. No matching sentience matrices. Mirror protocol confirmed.

Mirror protocol engaged. Excuse me, Bob, I need a moment of your time. Bob, you need to calm down. You are clearly having a little moment here... Mirror protocol paused, subject unresponsive, possible traumatic response caused by memory review. Advanced System Integration complete. Please acknowledge receipt of messages by speaking or thinking "Message receipt acknowledged" Welcome, Robert Whitman to the System! Please Mentally project or Verbally Articulate the word Menu.

His sheet full, he passed it over to Kelli as he said "Interestingly enough the first few messages were written in Thaylan - at the time I couldn't read them."

Kelli quickly read down the messages, before leaning back running his hands through his hair.

"It would appear that what we refer to as Mana, is translated as 'System' for you," Kelli said, before sighing. "Although I'm not sure what Advanced Mana Integration is like."

Bob looked down at the next sheet of paper, considering. Could he trust Kelli? He seemed like an alright guy, but Bob was sure he was working some kind of angle. He had to be. 'Still,' he thought, 'I don't have a whole lot of options here.'

He started writing again, as Kelli waited with a notable degree of impatience.

Welcome to the Advanced System Integration Help Menu!

Due to your specific sub-species never having been introduced to the System before, the System initiated an advanced scanning protocol that viewed and recorded your memories to establish baselines for your species. Your arrival by way of a transdimensional rift placed you into uncertain circumstances. The System applied the Child's Protection protocol to prevent your life from ending while the System integrated you. Any System regulated sentient above level ten can remove this protection at your request. Some damage was done to your matrix while the Advanced System Integration was in process. You have been given an Inventory. For further information, merely Mentally project or Verbally articulate "Help "

Bob passed the sheet over to Kelli.

Kelli read it, then laid it down carefully. He cleared his throat. "So, if I understand this correctly, you can simply ask mana for information on a subject and it gives you an answer?" Kelli asked with a slight tremor in his voice.

Bob nodded.

Kelli pushed the paper back across the desk to bob, and added the first sheet of messages as well, as he leaned across the desk and said in a low voice, "You've some sort of dimensional space right? Hide that until you can find a place to burn it."

Bob touched the pages and thought 'Inventory, Store!'

As the pages disappeared, Kelli nodded and went on, still leaning forward and speaking quietly "We have to tell Thidwell, or at least I do, as a contracted guild member, and it's better if you come along to verify this, but you have to understand," Kelli's voice was a near hiss at this point, "you can't let anyone know you have this ability. There are people who would kill to be able to find answers directly from Mana, and they wouldn't think twice about imprisoning and torturing you for that access."

Kelli stood up and motioned for Bob to do the same. "As soon as we tell Thidwell, I'm going to ask for the crystals to ritually remove this knowledge from my mind. For both our sakes, no matter how I press, don't ever even hint at it again. I've made it my life goal to document the paths." Kelli said, and Bob noticed his hands were shaking slightly.

"There is a real difference between how you see things, and how the rest of us see things," Kelli said as he shook his head.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bob once again found himself in Thidwell's office.

The giant looked harried and a bit unhappy with Kelli who had brushed past his assistant before closing and latching the door behind Bob.

Kelli had clearly and concisely explained the situation to Thidwell, leaving Bob to wonder if Kelli had some sort of ability to deliver information efficiently.

Thidwell was regarding the Bob and Kelli from across his desk, his fingers thrumming as he drummed them on its polished surface.

"Kelli is right," he finally grunted. "As much as I'd like to know more about my own path, there are secrets best left alone," he finished.

Bob shrugged.

Thidwell let out a rough sigh. He opened a drawer, pulled out a bag, and tossed it to Kelli. "Go ahead and blank this out, normal restricted protocol."

Bob waited until Kelli had left the room, then asked "What, precisely is so dangerous about being able to provide information about the paths?"

Thidwell leaned back in his chair and narrowed his eyes.

"I think I ought to tell you a little more about where you've found yourself," he rumbled. "I know you'll have questions, but listen first."

"I'm the Curator of Holmstead - I know you don't know what that means, and I'll explain it at some point, but suffice to say that I am the highest level and highest-ranking member of the Adventurers Guild here." He paused and saw that Bob appeared to either understand or was at least willing to listen, continued. "I do not, however, have any actual authority in the city itself. The city has a city council and a mayor, and both are subservient to the local nobility, which is comprised of two houses, neither of which have any influence outside of Holmstead, which is considered quite rightly to be a quaint little backwater with a well-curated Dungeon."

"Holmstead is part of the Kingdom of Greenwold, although we are quite isolated from the rest of the Kingdom. The important part of this information is that the noble houses, and the royal family, have all risen to power, and remain there due to the paths they have chosen, the knowledge of which are closely held secrets."

Thidwell leveled an oversize finger towards Bob and finished by saying "And you represent a direct threat to that. While I don't know how many questions you'd need to ask, the possibility exists that you could uncover the secrets to the Noble and Royal Paths. Now, the Nobles and Royals would doubtless simply see you dead, and those who oppose the crown, and there are always malcontents, would see you locked away and milked for that knowledge."

Bob waited a moment, and as no more words seemed to be forthcoming, he replied "Considering the alternative, I have no problem keeping it to myself. That being said, my plan remains to get home, so I don't really see the politics of this place being a real concern."

Thidwell sighed and appeared to consider his words before saying "I'd hoped to give you another day or two. I understand your arrival here was quite traumatic, but events conspire to hurry the pace, so I'll lay this out for you."

Thidwell leaned forward, his chair creaking. "You aren't going home anytime soon. All travel magic, be it teleportation, gates or portals require direct knowledge of the target destination."

Bob opened his mouth and was cut off by a raised hand and a level look from Thidwell, who continued "Now I've divination specialists here, they mostly monitor the area for any mana surges, and I had my best attempt to scry out your home, using your old clothing as a thaumaturgic guide."

"Speaking of which," Thidwell reached into his desk and pulled out a cloth bag, and Bob's briefcase.

"Harv and Elli wanted to give this back to you," Thidwell grunted, "but being shepherded to level ten has left them worn out, so they passed it to me."

Bob took the bag and saw that it contained the freshly laundered rags. He fingered them and realized they were the remains of his clothing.

Thidwell grimaced and said "The diviners all failed. I don't have a way to send you home, and while you have the knowledge needed to target the location, Mana is more than a little strict about requiring first-hand knowledge, not secondhand for destinations."

"You'll be needing to get yourself home, and as you've been querying mana directly, you've likely found that the skills needed require you to be around level ten. And you just can't get there in the time frame you've laid out," Thidwell finished.

Bob was trying to take slow, focused breaths. 'Monroe,' he thought as his chest ached at the thought of his buddy all alone in his crappy apartment.

"Stay with me Bob," said Thidwell, drawing him back out of his thoughts. "While I can't see you getting home, there is a chance you might be able to bring Monroe here."

Bob closed his eyes, squeezing a few tears from each as he desperately tried to focus. 'Slow, deep breaths,' he thought fiercely. It wasn't working. Bob went with this final fallback. He imagined a black hole - he considered every aspect of it until he could feel the weight of it pressing down on his thoughts. Bob then imagined his emotions being consumed by it. His breathing slowed and evened out. He could still feel the weight of the black hole, but it had subsumed his emotions.

Bob opened his eyes, to find Thidwell, standing a few feet in front of him, leaning back against his desk, a concerned look on his face.

"There is another Magical School, Summoning, that may provide the answer you're looking for," said Thidwell.

'Help Summoning'

System Help, Magical School Summoning The Magical School of Summoning allows the user to either bring forth mana constructs of objects, creatures or people. It also allows the user to pull a sapient or sentient being to their location. There are four skills in the Magical School of Summoning: Skill Summon Mana-Infused Object, Skill: Summon Mana-Infused Creature, Skill: Summon Mana-Infused Sentient, and Skill: Summon (x). Each Skill requires thorough and complete knowledge of the construct to be created, with the exception of the final Skill which requires thorough, complete, and specific knowledge of a sapient or sentient being. The final Skill may be purchased multiple times, each time in reference to a different being. The summoned being may refuse the summoner, causing the Skill to either fail or the being to suffer damage as it resists being carried by Mana to the summoner.

Bob quickly read through the description and locked eyes with Thidwell. "Will this work between dimensions?" Bob asked, trying to remain calm, but with a feeling of desperate hope rising in his chest.

Thidwell gave a slight shrug and replied, "Apparently there was a cult a few decades ago that was dedicated to summoning horrors from beyond our reality, with a disturbing degree of success."

"This could be what you need," Thidwell said, and he reached out a hand to help Bob to his feet. "Keep in mind that you aren't exactly local," Thidwell rumbled, "So you're going to need the ability to cross dimensions with your summoning."

"Go down, get some lunch, and do some research," he grimaced.

"Send Kelli back in on your way out."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kelli gave Bob a smile and a nod as he headed into Thidwell's office. He plopped down in a chair and looked at his boss.

"What is your take on Bob?" Thidwell grunted as he slammed down into his chair.

Kelli paused, considering his words. "There is something wrong with him. At first, I thought it was because he was trapped in the dark with rats trying to eat him for two days, given his historical abhorrence of them..." Kelli trailed off.

"But it's more than that. It's almost like... like he is a glass that has fallen to the ground. It's chipped and cracked and ready to fall to pieces. But someone has used a glaze to coat it, holding it together," Kelli finished.

Thidwell nodded. "The question is, can we help him? Hell, should we help him? He's not an adventurer, or a citizen, or even from this world. There is a large part of me that wants to just revoke the protection, then toss his body down a hole."

Kelli shook his head slightly and replied "While I don't know if we can help him, we should try. We're the Adventurers Guild, sir. We fight the monsters so that our citizens can sleep in peace," Kelli blushed a bit "well, you fight the monsters, I'm not really good at it myself."

Thidwell gave a snort, "You've your uses, Kelli," he said and rolled his head to the side, cracking his neck. "Maybe get a mind-healer in to work with him?" Thidwell mused.

"Bob has trust issues boss," Kelli said, "I'm pretty sure he's counting up every meal, just waiting for us to turn around squeeze him for it."

"Stars, were things really that bad where he came from?" grunted Thidwell.

Kelli shrugged and answered "I don't know how much of it is from seeing from his perspective, but yeah, things were awful for him. He's basically been powerless his entire life, and those who had power over him treated him terribly."

Kelli paused and considered. Thidwell let him, long association having demonstrated that as excitable as Kelli could be, when he considered his words, he provided wise counsel.

"Get him on a path, and get him in the dungeon. Solo at first, then let's try to ease him into a party. I think having real, demonstrable power over himself, and the world around him will lower some of those barriers. Then, maybe we can see about helping him," Kelli said, "But honestly if he doesn't get Monroe back, I don't know if there is anything we'll be able to do."