“I had some things,” I ask Bart. “Would you know anything about where they might be?”

Walking over to the closet in the main bedroom, he slides the rear wall revealing a larger closet. “We are all ranked here. That doesn’t mean we want to display what we have.” He says. The rest of my things seem to all be here. “Unless there is something that you need, you should leave everything here. Don’t call unwanted attention to yourself.”

“Let’s start heading over to the Main building.” Bart says. “If we walk, I can touch on a few more points I want to make sure you know before we get there.”

Heading out the door, Bart starts up the conversation again. “There are good reasons why people, in general, tend to shy away from adventurers. Becoming ranked and ranking up can exponentially increase different aspects of an individual’s abilities. You need to take care that you do not accidentally injure people. You also need to be careful helping some of the elderly here.” He looks over at me with a pause. I think he is trying to tell me some deeper meaning, but I am not getting it. Seems like common sense.

“This is for your safety” he continues “Not the people here. Strength is one aspect commonly increased. Just because one of us is old and having a hard time getting around, doesn’t necessarily mean we are weak. You helping someone up the wrong way might get your hand or arm crushed. Likewise, you need to be careful not to hurt others yourself.”

“It can be difficult coming from one of the dark areas. Things that are common sense to people living in the light, someone from the dark can be unaware.” Again, he is looking over at me, trying to gauge my understanding. “Do you understand what a Dark or Light area is?”

“Is it the difference between where we are now and where I just was, on the other side of that tear that everyone is guarding?” I answer.

“Hmm” he ponders to himself. “I was thinking that you had some knowledge but I see that you do not. If I say something that you don’t understand, even if it is something that doesn’t sound correct, please stop me. I will try to do the same. The problem is that even though we speak the same language, the understanding or meaning of some of the words can be very different.”

After a short pause, he continues. “No, that is not correct. Although the terms can be similar, sometimes it is in the context that they are used, that you will know or understand what is being talked about. Speaking about where you were on the other side, it is commonly referred to as the Dark Side. We are currently on the Light Side. It is said that at one time our worlds were one. Because of much strife and conflict, this world was split or copied. This world currently exists on two planes. One side is not better than the other. People and races do have their preferences and biases. In general, one side cannot interact with the other, except for at specified waypoints where one may freely travel between the two. And when I say “freely”, I mean it is very heavily guarded and regulated on both sides. This is why that unregulated portal is creating and drawing so much attention. A breach is usually short-lived, but this one has stayed open for more than a few hours. The military will be here soon to take over guarding it until it closes naturally or it is forced closed.”

“A Dark Area is a place or location that is devoid of or lacking in life energy, commonly called Mana. These areas can be naturally occurring or deliberately made. Some several continents and landmasses are dark, making them uninhabitable for most races except human, which seem to be indifferent about it. This brings me to you.”

Bart stops and turns to face me. “You need to be careful now that you are here in a Light area. The environment, the animals and plant life, the people who have ranked. It might all look the same. It might all seem the same. But it is not. Everything in a Dark Area is in a devolved or basic state. Like a plant without sunshine; evolved, enlightened, advanced, ranked, whatever you want to call the heightened races and life, cannot exist for long in the harsh Dark areas. This is why many of the sons of man chose to migrate into those hostile areas. In my opinion, the benefits that were lost do not justify the safety that was gained.”

“In the Dark areas, the race of men tends to be the apex predator and dominate race. In the Light areas, this changes as life evolves, ranks, and dies. Here at Community Farms we constantly patrol the surrounding area for anything that has or is evolving. We relocate what we can. Kill off what we must. We try to keep this area as safe as possible for the children and those in need. In the general population, although not common, evolved pets can be used for guarding, military, and police work. Evolved plants might be used to actively hunt unwanted insects or pests. You need to keep to populated areas and designated thoroughfares. You need to respect the warning signs of evolved creatures whether it is sounds, colors, smells, to signal you of a threat. And any actual posted, warning signs, of evolved in the area or on private property. If you haven’t noticed, the color or what material the sign is made from is the rank of what you are being warned about. Wood for unranked, then iron, bronze, and so on. Normally anything bronze or higher will be in a zoo or relocated to an appropriate wildlife preserve. Unless it is being directly controlled. Oh, and the color of collars and bridles have the same meanings. Unless they don’t want you to know, like the military, but then the owner is responsible for what happens.”

Bart starts walking again. We have passed the housing and entering the winding road back. There are people scattered about, all heading the same way. I have not seen another horse or mount of any kind. A few small vehicles much the same as the wagon, but smaller. “I am trying to be as plain and straightforward as I can.” He says to me. “Hopefully I am not overloading you with information or going too slow. I have been to small Dark areas, but nowhere even remotely large enough that someone could live. Any questions yet?”

I didn’t have to think much about the questions I wanted to ask. “Bart, you mentioned mana, life energy, ranking up, evolving. These are just magic and imaginary fantasy words to me. But you say that here they are real. That still doesn’t mean anything to me. My understanding, from a religious perspective, is that we are a spirit, we have a soul, and live in a body. At death, our spirit and soul separate from our body and move on to be with God. Where is the mana, life energy, ranking up, evolving, in that?”

Bart is grinning now. I might as well have asked him about his favorite sports team that he has every stat memorized. That spark of excitement just coming through his eyes.

Bart noticeably slows his pace a bit, whether in thought or to give himself more time to talk. “That is a very deep question you ask. One that will get you radically different answers, depending on who you ask. Talking to The Zealot will certainly get you one perspective. A ranked Wizard or other mana manipulator will get you others.”

“Let’s build on what you said” he ponders. “If we say that the spirit of a man is his core being. What he truly is. This spirit exists in a different state, like on a different plane of existence. We know that it exists because certain individuals, classes, races, can see this spirit leave the body when we die. The soul of a man is considered to be his mind, will, and emotions. This self-awareness is tied to the spirit and moves on with it. The body of a man is its physical aspects and remains after death. How these interact and function together is a much-debated topic that will get you endless hours of conjecture. The only thing that can be agreed on is that somehow all parts work as one when we are alive, but then separate at death. They should never be able to interact at all. It seems that the more you think you know and understand, the greater the conviction that it is broke and should not work.” Again, he is grinning, this is a topic he enjoys. Maybe it’s just all the old people speculating about what happens when you die. I wonder if I’ll get like that when I’m old?

“Mana,” he says, breaking me out of my train of thoughts. “Is another topic that can lead you on endless trails of discussion. We know that it exists, again, because certain individuals, classes, races, can see this mana. This mana remains with the body when we die, which is important to know, but I will get back to that in a moment.” He’s going now. Not sure if he is talking to me anymore or not. Doesn’t matter, it is an intreating topic and I am happy to listen. There have been a few mentors in my life. Always someone who wasn’t worried about their job. Usually retiring sometime soon. Learned a lot from those people and I am grateful to each of them. “This is the difference between Light and Dark areas.” Bart continues. “Those that can sense its presence, say that it is like sunshine or ambient air all around us. Different types of rocks and minerals will impede their movement or let it flow and direct its movement. Evolved plant life extract and contain mana, slowly releasing it into its surroundings. Animals will seek out these mana-rich plants to feed, which in turn will attract something larger or more advanced to hunt them.”

Bart stops and turns to me to emphasize. “The point I am trying to make is, just the same as an adventure will seek out and hunt more dangerous creatures for experience, so too will evolved plant and animal life seek out and hunt to feed. And when I say “feed”, that does include you. Now, you are mostly ignored. But if you set yourself on a path to grow stronger, as you rank, you will be noticed. The only good thing about it is that, when an evolved creature overly outclasses another, it will ignore it. Unless the lesser does something stupid to provoke or attack it.” I shake my head yes in understanding. Don’t do something stupid to get yourself killed.

We are almost through the winding road, as the path before us is opening up and Bart starts walking again. “It is believed that the mana has something to do with how we change and progress as we rank. It is not something I have an answer to. There are still so many questions that run through my mind. Why do some types of life generate mana, while others store it? Why can one manipulate and control elements, while another creates? I can understand an animal growing stronger by eating another, but why would it rank through combat?” He looks at me as if I might have the answer. “Few even care” he continues. “It is common, like water, and used in so many ways. Yet so little is known, it is just accepted.”

Bart is pondering and lost in his thoughts, as we come into the clearing and approach the main building, where I was residing before. He directs me that I should get something to eat and stay clear of the archery range with all that is happening. He bids goodbye and breaks off to head over to some other seniors that are waving him over. I continue and head into the main building.