Ellen handed the Dimensionalist a hundred mana crystals, which the man accepted with a smile and a nod.

She discreetly looked around the group of merchants returning to Harbordeep, noting that there were better than a dozen wagons, each containing twelve crates, presumably all spatially expanded. Based on her efforts to assist the locals, she felt confident that the crates were filled with wool, lumber, ore, and wheat.

What she didn't know, and couldn't ask, was if any of the merchants were returning with something extra. A pamphlet, perhaps.

She shook her head and watched as the Dimensionalist finished his ritual and an orange-tinted portal twisted into place.

Without any urging, the first wagon moved through the portal, followed by another and another.

She'd been assigned to walk through the portal alongside the seventh wagon.

Stepping through, she moved further to the left, away from the portal as it continued to disgorge wagons and merchants. A deep breath filled her nose with the scent of the sea, and she rolled her shoulders.

She started down the switchback from the bluff to the gates of Harbordeep, eager to pass her report to the Watchers. She'd have a day, perhaps two, before the Church would arrange for transport back to Holmstead, and she intended to spend it well. Signing up to defend Holmstead in the next wave in order to receive the Summoning Affinity Crystal was going to extend her stay far longer than she'd expected, and there were a few things she'd like to have with her.

Rogard watched the fresher depart with narrowed eyes.

He suspected the young woman was a spy, inserted to gather information about Bob.

No doubt she was returning to her masters with a copy of that pamphlet.

He glanced around at the merchants as the wagons continued their orderly trek towards Harbordeep.

He'd seen at least one pamphlet amongst them, and he was certain there were more.

The monster was truly out of the Dungeon at this point.

Shaking his head, he Earth Stepped, appearing at the city gates, where a startled guard took note of his House insignia and bowed.

"Lord Wallenstair," The young woman said politely, "Harbordeep rejoices at your return."

"And the city thanks you for your steadfast service," Rogard replied, completing the ritual greeting.

Walking through the tunnel, he cast his Earth Sense spell and pushed mana into it to extend its reach, reading the stone of the walls.

The few days of his absence hadn't offered any changes to the wall within range of his spell, though he knew he'd need to make a full circuit in the evening to be certain.

Rogard took his duties seriously.

Emerging from the tunnel and into the light, he moved quickly through the city, eager to be home.

His family needed to know about the imminent upheaval, as there was much they could do with their path to secure their estate.

And Natalie would be much happier once he'd delivered the letter from their wayward daughter.

"And all this is true?" Jakob gestured to the pamphlet on the table.

His wife's brother had returned from a trip out to the hinterlands, equal parts excited and secretive. He'd asked his sister to have dinner with him and to bring Jakob along.

Jakob didn't dislike Marc. He was a solid, dependable man who'd ground his way up slow and steady, reaching level ten as a laborer. As the eldest son, he hadn't had many options in terms of taking a path, so he'd opted for the one that could help his family the most.

So when they'd sat down for a quiet meal, he'd been surprised when Marc had acted furtively, palming a thin pamphlet across the table to keep it out of sight from the elderly couple seated a few tables away.

Jakob had leafed the pamphlet, paused, and then read through it again, more slowly.

"It is," Marc said quietly, "I've seen all of them demonstrated."

"And what's more," he went on, "the curator will give you one of those Affinity Crystals if you agree to repay it fifty times over and stand with Holmstead against the next wave."

"Fifty?" Jakob gasped, and his wife tightened her grip on his hand.

"Yeah," Marc said quietly, "But it doesn't take any time at all; there's a couple of lads and lasses who've started as freshers and have already collected their quota, inside of a few months."

"So what you're suggesting is that we 'reincarnate,'" he rolled the word around in his mouth, "and take advantage of these new paths?"

"Yeah, you, me, Luci," he nodded to his sister, "and Anni," who Jakob knew to be his wife.

"You know that Anni and me don't have any real delving experience, both of us being laborers," Marc admitted, "and we've held off on having kids because we wanted something better for them."

Luci squeezed his hand, and Jakob squeezed back. He knew his brother-in-law had always wanted kids and had played the part of the doting uncle to his own.

"So," Marc continued, "I thought that if all four of us took these new paths and Crystals, we'd be able to work together as a group to get you two leveled back up and to get us leveled at all," Marc finished.

Jakob could see the desperate hope on Marc's face.

He and Luci really were just delving at level. They'd been level twenty-five for a few years now, but they hadn't been able to agree on what paths of apotheosis they were going to take.

He glanced at his wife, and she nodded, clearly having been briefed ahead of time.

"How many crystals is this reincarnation ritual?" Jakob asked as he reviewed their finances in his mind.

"Two hundred and fifty crystals if we have it done in Holmstead," Marc answered quickly, "Anni and me have enough crystals for the ritual and enough to cover a few weeks of room and board at the Adventurers Guild there."

"We just don't have much to throw towards the Portal," he finished.

"Just as cheap to Portal a dozen as it is to Portal one," Jakob murmured.

"We paid our taxes for the year just a few months ago," Luci said, "the flat will still be here."

Jakob nodded. They didn't really have anything holding them here. He worked as an agent more to meet people and socialize than anything else, as he and Luci could have delved together a few times a week and garnered more crystals. Some weeks they did exactly that.

The boys were off in Dimhollow, chasing crystals with a pair of pretty girls they'd been trying to court.

"I thought that Anni and I would take the summoning path," Marc said, "The lad I talked to the most said it was the most powerful of them all, and while he might have biased, as he was a summoner, he said the fellow that figured all this out was a summoner too."

"Who discovered all this?" Jakob asked, somewhat surprised that Marc might know. The pamphlet wasn't signed and gave no hint as to the author.

"Fellow named Bob," Marc said, "never saw him, but Eddi said he summoned 'dinosaurs' and carried around a big gray cat."

Jakob blinked hard, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. He didn't know what dinosaurs were, but he knew a Bob with a big gray cat.

Stars and stones, Bob was from Holmstead, wasn't he?

"I've got two more people who'd probably like to do this with us," Jakob said slowly, "Marc, do you think you could have that Dimensionalist fellow portal us to Holmstead?"

"I already talked to him," Marc said with a growing smile, "He's going back himself tomorrow morning to take advantage of that Dimensionalist path, said if we could scrape up two hundred mana crystals, he'd open the portal for as many people as wanted to come."

"Who else do you think would want to come?" Luci asked, "You know the boys are in Dimhollow."

"Zoey and Sally, both of them are a bit stuck," Jakob replied.

"Well, you go see them, and I'll start closing up the house," Luci said with an air of finality that Jakob knew all too well.

"Anni and I are just about done," Marc said, "meet up at the plaza come sunrise?"

Jakob nodded and stood up, "Seems like we're doing this, so I'll go check with Zoey and Sally," he said as he leaned down and gave his wife a peck on the cheek.

Turning, he headed out of the diner and towards the Adventurers Guild. He needed to turn in his agent badge and talk to Zoey and Sally.

Ellen watched as Annisa read through her report.

She'd rushed to Church and then hastened further to Annisa's quarters. The Watcher had been asleep but had shaken herself awake and invited her in to deliver her information.

Finishing the written report, Annisa picked up the pamphlet that Ellen had included, reading it over with the same careful consideration she'd given the report.

Setting both down, she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

"May Vi'Radia light our paths, that the only shadows be our own," she prayed quietly.

Several moments passed as the priestess remained still, her eyes closed.

Finally, she opened her eyes and smiled at Ellen.

"I'm heartened to see that my initial opinion of Bob was correct and further gladdened to know that Holmstead hasn't been cast in shadows by any cultist activity," she said.

With a sigh, she continued, her smile slipping somewhat, "Although I confess that I feel trepidation, knowing that this knowledge is being spread throughout the kingdom."

Annisa stood, motioning for Ellen to remain seated, and poured water into a kettle before heating it.

"Would you care for a cup of tea?" Annisa asked as she opened a container on the counter.

"Please," Ellen replied, "Holmstead is a rather lovely town, but the tavern doesn't seem to believe that a cup should hold anything other than beer or water."

Annisa returned to the table with two steaming mugs, tea leaves suspended in a delicate strainer in each.

"I suspect the lack of information about Holmstead can be entirely laid at the feet of Dhoakes and the Noble houses that pull his strings," Annisa murmured as she breathed in the delicate aroma of her steeping tea.

"I agree," Ellen said quietly, "I believe that the death of Orstang presented them with an opportunity to discredit him and put the Guild under the control of someone more..." she searched for the word.

"Amenable?" Annisa suggested.

"Yes," Ellen nodded, "amenable to their idea of what the Guild should be."

Annisa replied, "I'll go a step further and suggest that Orstang's death might not have been accidental," she shook her head, "I don't have actionable evidence, but based on actions taken before and after the tragedy, a rather sinister picture can be painted."

Ellen pulled the strainer out of her tea and set it down carefully on the saucer as she took a sip and sighed at the delicate taste.

Annisa followed suit, and both women sipped their tea in silence.

"You made the right decision," Annisa said quietly after several minutes of silence.

"While the pamphlet doesn't make any accusations or allegations, it's clear that these Affinity Crystals are the closely held secret that has secured the power of the Noble Houses, and I daresay the Royal House itself," the priestess sighed.

"The Church will need to make a statement," Annisa said slowly, "and I suspect it will be one of reconciliation, encouraging the common man to embrace these new paths and work hard to make their lives better, while excusing the Noble Houses as having been unable to share the information because of a curse laid upon them by the Dark Gods."

Ellen choked on her tea for a moment at that statement and coughed frantically.

Annisa smiled ruefully, "You shouldn't be too surprised," she said soothingly, "there might even be a kernel of truth in that, as I've known quite a few Nobles who were selfless enough to have shared any power they held, and something must have stayed their tongues."

"The Church must do what it can to prevent any sort of backlash from the commoners against the Nobles," Annisa mused, "and while I'm far too junior to be a part of that decision-making process, the path forward is quite clear."

"And as for you," Annisa turned her attention fully towards Ellen, "You showed excellent judgment in returning with this information as quickly as you did."

"From your report, I understand that you'll need to return to Holmstead to complete your obligations to the Guild Leader there, but once you return, Voren and I will shepherd you together and ensure you have the crystals needed to reach tier six."

"Thank you," Ellen replied gratefully, "although to be fair, I suspect I'll be ready and able to reach tier six by the time I'm done in Holmstead."

Annisa shook her head, "Are the new paths and crystals truly so potent?" she asked.

"The pamphlet lays out the information," Ellen replied, "but it doesn't really demonstrate just how powerful the paths are."

She shook her head, "Thanks to the Crystal and the Path of the Endless Swarm, once I'm level twenty-five, I'll be able to summon a level fifty-eight mana-infused creature, and one hundred and forty-four level twenty-three mana-infused creatures summoned out with persistent effect, each of which will be replaced within five seconds of its destruction."

"As much as I prefer the role of a healer," Ellen continued, "I have to admit that this single path and Affinity Crystal combination could completely change our nation."

Bob looked around his home in satisfaction.

Everything was clean and tidy, and he'd taken the time to plant some herbs in his sunroom.

Monroe was curled up on his ledge, basking in the early afternoon sun, a low contented rumble serving as a counterpoint to the muted sound of the falls.

He could go for a hike or maybe explore a bit further to the west, continuing his search for a likely place to drop the initial batch of people from Earth.

He watched Monroe for a minute and then shrugged.

He sat down in his armchair and kicked his feet up before closing his eyes.

Monroe had the right idea. A nap sounded nice.