Mana, as a constant presence, creates potential. Whether held by an individual or ambient in the surroundings, be it an Orc, Quadi, Illuse, Greeth, Quansa, or Cevao, whether its sky, mountain, volcano, storm, wind or sea. Mana creates potential. This comes in many forms. Jets of wind, pillars of fire, columns of stone, torrents of water. The alteration of time, teleportation, poison, flesh magic, curses, rituals, voodoo, barriers. All are possible through mana. The creation of elementals for one, or magical creatures such as Pyre Wolves, Earth Shelled Armadillos and even to the smallest Lightning Ant. The changing of the environment, through saturation of mana, is a pertinent topic. Mana is the stuff of the world, and we all may as well be the stuffed toys of a child.

- On Mana, Thum, High Mage 1st Seat

The healing waters of the spring reversed the burns on his body. Once that was done it was a matter of long minutes for his body to multiply the healing effect of the spring and his arms to return to their normal mass. Water and blood dripped from his body as he arose. The bones in his legs realigned roughly and he was walking within the next minute albeit with a prominent limp. He was moving toward the forest and trying not to think of the grinding sounds he felt in his ribs.

He swung by the bar counter, grabbed the most eye-catching spirit and took a swig as his hand trailed the sweet wooden bar. Sharp, bitter with an aftertaste as wooden as the grove outside. He walked, his limp fixing itself with every step. He paused though, turning his head left and glancing at the entrance to the master bedroom. He grimaced at his own attire.

It was about damn time he changed his clothes.

The art of dressing oneself was one Luck was especially skilled in. He knew what accents to wear, which styles complimented his frame, his figure, his face, or more often, his eyes. Dark colors, navy blue, grey-black or matte colors often did the trick but his sense of fashion never stopped there. Always, he added nuance to an otherwise straightforward outfit, a twist or flash or sparkle that drew the eye a moment enough to conceal a smirk. But above all, he, though not one to complain of harsher conditions, valued comfort in his wear. He believed a man who dressed comfortably looked just as well as a man in a suit, albeit with many constraints.

"God damn, it feels good to look sharp again." He sighed, standing in front of his mirror.

Fitted black sweatpants hugged his ankles. They were the type of wear he'd feel comfortable sporting anywhere, whether it was the street, a business meeting, and, with a thoughtful pause, the forest too. His shirt was made of a four-way stretch material that was both incredibly thin and comfortable. To the touch, it seemed as if sweat wouldn't be a problem when worn. Not that it mattered. He wore all-purpose, tough wool shoes with padded soles and arch supports that, like the clothes, seemed to contour to his body perfectly. His pendant, gifted by Diversi, was hung around his neck, understandably dormant and he had attached his stopwatch to his waist by way of an attached metal ring sewn into his pants.

"Your clothes will not match any Aeran standards, Master Luck. Though you indeed appear rather dashing. A thought to keep in mind, however." Evodim, like a tailor who had just taken Luck's measurements, chimed in as if right behind him.

"I know." Luck replied, smirking. And whether it was to Evodim's comment of culture clash or Luck's appearance was unclear.

By now, his walk was fixed, a strength in his limbs that came without any loss of energy, such was the power of his dimensional room. A true boon to his survival, honestly.

He glided over to the restaurant section, taking a comfortable seat by the windows, admiring the forest through twinkling eyes. And though it may have seen like time had been wasted, on a clock as he was, that simply wasn't true.

Luck had been communing with the Grove ever since he entered his dimensional room. The connection was much more vibrant when he was physically present in the space. The connection, again, was like old family and familiar friends. True ones, of the type he hadn't had the real pleasure of knowing. It flowed through his mana and body like iridescent flowers. Beautiful shoots that ended in petals as bright as a painting. Luck admired the feeling, somehow not at all used to it and just as in awe as he was the first day.

It had only been two weeks. A day for The Pools. He smiled unabashedly, remembering the beauty they brought back to the Subaqa. The swirling clear waters, bright underwater orchids, swimming children and flowing robes. Those were the places Luck longed to discover, a place maybe to settle down with his family. After, it was another day for Dersoc. His mind fell to darker places when remembering the slaves. Of course, how could he forget? He couldn't. His desire to help others so muted in the past screamed now in Aerae. There was an entire world untamed. Who knew what horrors were out there? He had the means now. He remembered the Hydr Dunes and helping Nayah realize her own wants. Nearly half a month spent there. He had helped someone and that was worth it in his eyes.

He had been here two weeks, give or take. And yet, so much has happened.

He looked from his hands, through the pristine glass of the cabin, and into the forest beyond. Between two bushes hiding under a low hanging branch, small animals began to pour. Bounding on the branches, larger mammals swung and landed in among the tall grass surrounding the cabin. Beasts bigger than them lumbered through, flattening grass as they rested too.

Luck got up from his seat to meet his guests, adjusting the chain on his waist and straightening his shirt. His hair would do whatever it wanted, it looked good messy. "Thank you Evodim."

"As promised, all animals with combat capabilities." Evodim echoed.

Luck nodded and stepped outside.

He spoke in Drood, tall grass already at his knees as he pushed the door open.

"Greetings." The sound came. A power to the rumbling.

All the animals quieted and looked to him. A dome of silence fell upon them, themselves forming a semi-circle facing Luck as it had been before. There were varied responses, some of the animals had an appointed leader, while others spoke for themselves. The smaller ones it seemed banded together while the larger they got the less concerned they were of their safety alone. There were exceptions with each case, however.

What calls, Druid Lockyer? The question, rather than from an animal, came from a tree nearby, planted in the middle of the crowd.

Friends in need, and potential harm to a habitat of ice. Luck ignored the eyes of the animals, knowing the wisest soul among them was the tree. I call upon Nature magic. What animal might grant me the power to protect my friends and defeat my enemies, tree?

There was a creaking pause, like old wood. Luck had the sense the tree was "looking around" so to speak. Of what nature are your enemies, Druid Lockyer? Of Ice perhaps?

Of steel, wise tree. Of steel and fire and power. Even in his mind, he spoke Drood to the tree. One with Nature and Omnilingual, he felt, allowed him to commune to a degree unfathomable.

Proving his musings, he sent images of the robots, all metal, and mass. The bladed spheres and their orange lights, the explosions, and the aftermath. His doubt, that there may be other versions of these steel variants. Blow of arms and broken legs. The aftermath of the explosion, the damage they caused.

The wise tree nodded and with an audible creaking, a branch moved to point. This one is what you seek, Druid. The animals around hushed, it seemed they hadn't ever seen a tree move. He can help you.

The animals parted before Luck, his woolen shoes silent among the grass, somehow reverent. The energetic mammals, the monkeys, the small animals seemed sapped of their playfulness, pausing as they stepped aside, miraculously staying in one spot. The larger animals moved left and right like parting gateways. Birds flew up onto their backs and insects and bugs buzzed away.

He nodded to the tree, medium in size, it was clear that although it was so close to his dimensional room the tree was one of the oldest he had seen. It was as if he could picture the tree watching forests grow and die around it decades passing under its watch. He followed its pointed branch.

A large bug stared back at him, nearly the size of a dog. Its carapace was glimmering oddly, coated in the same type of liquid that was oozing from its multirowed mandibles. It had six pointed legs and its torso hovered three inches off the ground. Antennae were absent but the thing had two sets of eyes and watched him curiously like the rest of the animals.

Greetings... macid. Luck intoned, the name of the species coming to him.

Greetings, Druid Lockyer. I answer the summons to your dwelling. What is the need, I ask? It clicked, low and deep.

In Drood, "You may all go. I have found who may help me.", and the gathered animals dispersed peacefully.

They all gave some subtle gestures of respect as they left. The largest of the animals stopping a moment beside him before moving on. The swinging monkeys made signs at him. The small animals squeaked or gathered before moving away as one. Birds alighted on his shoulders and bugs buzzed by.

Soon Luck focused on the creature before him. It was odd, he knew that to anyone else the creature, rightfully so, would look like an alien. Some might even be repulsed at the oddly, feeling and tactile legs the bug had if not its intelligent eyes that seemed to take the world in. Perhaps the dripping mandibles might scare people too.

Luck saw only nature and its magnificence. He admired the bug, how it evolved, how it survived. Spirit immediately conducted an in-depth scan and cross-referenced the findings with its general species database. Nothing came up. The macid it seemed was not recorded anywhere. Luck reached to touch the bug and its glimmering carapace dimmed immediately as Luck moved to touch it. There was a slight sting but Luck already knew the capabilities of the bug.

Evodim spoke, "That is one of the few magical species in the Grove. It is called a macid. But, I believe you already knew that."

"My thanks, Evodim."

I intend to draw upon you through my Nature magic. Luck stated, addressing the creature.

Of course, Druid. We of the Grove protect the Druid as he protects us.

Its legs tapped wildly, something Luck recognized as pride. He chuckled.

Spirit's analysis of the creature was quite something. Indeed, as the tree said, the macid was perfect for what Luck needed. Aerae was truly a special place. He was amazed at times at how true that was and how often he said it.

Spirit renew the aspect of the hard chitin centipede.

Advance action previously taken, task already complete.

Good.

With some focus, he pulled deeply from the macid who was all too happy to comply. The bond, like a tether of companionship, connected them on a level Luck didn't think possible. Like the rest of the grove, Luck felt it. His magic reached for the aspect of the macid and it responded. And it was as if a door opened and the aspect of the macid came to him.

"Thank you, friend." He said in Drood.

His hand reached out and rippling portal appeared, snowflakes and sounds of battle preset on the other side. He nodded to the macid and stepped through. Wind buffeted his hair but already he felt warmer and at ease in his clothes at the very least. He squinted through the weather.

Immediately Luck was moving towards the sounds of battle, a crunch of snow under his feet. His shoes, as promised by Evodim had no problems dealing with the moisture. It shouldn't have been ten minutes since he left. The aspect of the heatblind kept him warm. He was able to cross through the heavy snowfall without any loss of temperature.

Crashing metal came from Luck's left and turned on a dime peering through the snow. He rounded a mound of snow, likely created from lumbering gorilla bots to find all four of his companions being hounded by robots. Nayah, Erok, Maxworth, and Ace were all there.

Nayah was wobbling on her feet and Ace looked drained as well still holding crackling lightning in his hands. His electricity arced between the smaller blade-spheres that jetted around them, cutting and opening their skin. Luck watched as they melted to slag after exposure for short seconds.

In the front, Maxworth dodged around a gorilla bot while Erok hammered it into oblivion.

In the distance, plumes of snow that signified more bots coming down the mountain.

Luck wasted no time, immediately raising pillars of stone from the icy ground. They came at a powerful velocity enough to knock over a gorilla bot. It took Luck longer seconds to restrain the bot against the ground. The aspect of macid wasn't particularly needed yet.

"He lives!" Erok yelled, waving his hammer.

"Let's keep us all that way!" Luck yelled, focused on the struggling gorilla bot shouting above the wind. He took position in their formation, feeling oddly prepared.

Time slowed and he tracked the many sphere-blades darting around Ace and Nayah. With Maxworth free, the burden was relieved but Luck was able to pin them all down. Erok came around and crushed them handily.

"Lucky, I knew you'd survive. You bastard." Ace wheezed. Chuckling, the man was exhausted. "After you were knocked out they've been pouring down the mountain. I think I spotted Saga up there. I know for a fact Tric is as well, harassing them as she can."

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"We have also been issued an additional quest," Maxworth added. "These mechanical creations aren't welcome in the area."

"You think they're hunting the Frost Drake too?" Luck asked.

"Nevermind that. How are you alive?" Nayah asked bewildered. "I saw you. You were dead. And missing half your arms." Her face betrayed her shock. "How is this possible? Is no one surprised?" She looked around wide-eyed.

"He has demonstrated rapid healing previously. I admit I did not expect this level of recuperation but it is welcome. We are allies after all." Maxworth explained. "His secrets are his as ours are ours and yours are yours." Nayah flinched slightly at that.

"There are much more crazy things to be seen in the world, Nayah." Erok rumbled, hefting his hammer above his shoulder. He was taller than everyone around. "And you must trust Luck when he says he is capable. He is the first person I've seen to best Maxworth in a duel."

"But-"

"Okay, okay." Ace cut in. "Have we decided? Are we getting out of here or clearing out these machines?"

In the underground, Luck was born into leadership. It came naturally and his charismatic nature only propelled his inherent talent. The drawback, of course, was his age and it was the leading cause of insubordination among those who followed him. Distrust of his authority and capabilities being the root of the problem.

It wasn't that he was surprised per se but when even the battle-hardened Erok and the skillful Maxworth looked his way for the decision he couldn't help but smirk.

Ace rolled his eyes.

"We clear the mountain. I can't have whatever these mechs are harassing any travelers. The Icil Wolves didn't hint at anything but there was a definite hesitation on seeing Maxworth." Luck glanced over at the man. He only nodded. "They don't trust metal. Which likely means there have been problems before."

To her credit, Nayah nodded, perhaps finally embracing the spirit of adventure. Luck glanced at her momentarily meeting her eyes and then nodding in approval.

And then something like the loud crack of a firework rang through the mountains. The rest tensed at the noise but despite everything Ace and Luck found the noise comforting. It came from up the mountain.

Ace, smiling, slowly looked at Luck. "Lucky, I do think I've just heard a gunshot."

"I think you're right, Ace." Luck grinned.

Erok acted as a windbreaker as they trudged up the mountain. It took the better part of an hour but following the quickly filling trail left by the lumbering bots allowed them fast movement. Nothing came down and Luck got a distinct impression that whoever was sending the bots had lost too many to justify further hounding.

"We must entertain the possibility of multiple variants," Maxworth warned the group. "The smaller bladed orbs themselves pose a problem to half our members. And the larger ones are only defeatable by Erok and Luck to a lesser degree."

"I can avoid detection easily. Right up until my mana runs out." Nayah said. "My magic doesn't lend itself very capably to combat. And distracting a single bot doesn't seem to work at least when another is around."

"They might be sharing vision." Ace visibly shivered, sparks flew from his skin every now and then. "One sees what all of them sees and what not, like a hive-mind."

"Hive-mind?" Erok asked.

The conversation devolved into Ace explaining both to Erok and Nayah the concept of a hive-mind and his suspicions behind the purpose of the bots which he believed was data analysis and perhaps hunting monsters for materials. Luck agreed silently. If the robots in the area were simply reactivated from the system he believed they might simply be carrying out their last orders. The only reason Luck didn't think these bots were in the same vein as Guard and defending Ardun was that they didn't have a language and instead it seemed they were programmed and acted accordingly on their own intelligence.

That was up in the air though. It could've been from a completely different age. Precommon was the earliest recorded language and in the timeline of his mind it was the furthest back Omnilingual allowed him to remember. Which meant Guard was as ancient as things went. These robots, rather than electricity, used whatever those powered gems were he found in the blade-sphere torsos. If they did, Ace would've been able to sense them which might point to a completely different technological era.

Luck noticed Ace shiver again.

"Ace come here. Let me try something." Luck gestured.

"Sure Lucky, just don't freeze me any more than I already am." He said, rubbing his arms and arcing electricity between his hands.

He delved internally, leaving the cold of the Zones to bring something back for his friend. He drew upon his Grove, the beautiful forests and lakes and rivers, and mountains opening in his mind's eye. He soared through the sky, feeling the wind on his face as a bird of his grove would've. He leaped through the trees like the long-limbed monkeys and burrowed through the ground as a centipede. Eventually, he was leaping through bushes, slipping through the territory of larger heat-sensing predators.

He was a heatblind and from it he drew its aspect, pulling it through himself and towards Ace.

He didn't know if it could work. But, Nature magic was all about connection wasn't it? And Luck did have a high affinity for it and suffice to say, it felt possible. The connections between things, communion and ecosystem and balance. He reached for Ace, contact making the process easy.

Ace's eyebrows rose. "What are you doing? I can feel your mana." He asked, staring at Luck's hand resting on his snow-brushed shoulder.

"Take it." Luck said. And immediately he felt the magic slip through to Ace. "Now open my gift to you." He smirked, patting his friend on the shoulder.

In the next moment, a few things happened.

First, Ace breathed out a sigh of relief. He only had a few seconds to praise the magic, wondering exactly what this new feeling was and how he knew exactly what it was at the same time. He warmed up immediately, the sparks between his hands becoming less frequent as he did so.

Second, Erok had started shouting to prepare for something moving ahead. The sounds of Maxworth unsheathing his daggers, Luck still unsure whether they were long enough to be considered shortswords, was audible. Nayah prepared in her own way, the clacking of marbles as she reached into her pouch, the air around her turning slightly hard to focus on.

But perhaps most importantly was the ground caving in.

Erok yelled in surprise and Maxworth, almost comically was deadpan as Luck was looking at him when they fell. Ace jerked backward and Luck paused time. As if a still picture, Luck had precious seconds to consider the situation. It seemed everyone had shared the same fate. Snow fell all around them and was leading the way down so he couldn't determine their landing, visibility was blocked by the snow. To the sides, the trapdoor was a large one swinging metal plates near to slamming the walls due to gravity pulling them down once they unlocked. Unfortunately, the walls were cold metal and Luck couldn't do a thing to stop their fall. Earth magic was useless here, he didn't think he could influence metal at all.

Time unpaused with a gale of cold air shooting upwards.

We're falling in Saga! He didn't think he'd get an answer.

Yells of surprise echoed down the shaft. A chitin carapace immediately covered him. Whatever they were falling into Luck had nothing to stop the impact for his team. His hair, like Ace and Nayah's beside him, was pulled back by the wind.

Then he heard the screaming shriek like a nail on a chalkboard. Maxworth had tested his dagger into the wall. "I can pierce the metal! Everyone link arms!"

With no other options, they did so. But not before Erok grabbed Maxworth's other dagger on the fly and grabbed Luck and Ace.

They pierced the wall, carving jagged grooves and stopping their momentum. Erok's arm was strong enough to withstand the jerk of near three hundred pounds of human and it seemed on the other end Maxworth was able to withstand Nayah's weight as well.

Everyone breathed heavily. Sparks skittered off the walls and down into the abyss as the scraped to a stop.

"What now?" Nayah questioned, hanging off Maxworth's arm. Her voice echoed briefly.

"Erok can you break through the wall with your hammer?" Ace asked, he was hanging below Luck hanging onto his chitin covered arm, he had barely felt the jerk.

"I'd need a free hand. I can grab the groove we carved. Luck can you pierce the wall with the dagger and hang off with Ace?" Erok was already moving to hand the dagger down.

"I don't have a free hand either Erok." Luck replied, he was holding Erok's arm and Ace's arm.

"Throw it down." Ace called. "I'll catch it.

Maxworth was hanging with Nayah on their own dagger only a few feet away. "I would not like to lose that dagger." He stated.

"He'll catch it." Luck replied confidently.

"Max?" Erok made sure. "We're not getting out of this any other way. This part of the wall is hollow. I can feel the rock on the other side. Looks like a tunnel."

To Luck, it seemed like any other section of smooth featureless metal wall.

"Do it. Though I am unsure if he has the leverage to pierce the wall." Maxworth added skeptically. "He has not the strength of you or I, Erok."

"Ready Ace?" Erok called down.

Luck made sure to keep Ace steady. He couldn't have him swinging left or right less he miss the catch. Ace took a moment before Luck thought he saw something flash in his eyes.

"Ready." He said calmly.

The dagger fell hilt first and Luck watched Ace eye it. Through nothing on Luck's part but the tenseness of the moment time seemed to slow as the blade spun. Angling left, the hilt was moving away from Ace and the blade was facing him. It fell past Ace's shoulder spiraling away.

Luck was about to sigh before Ace's hand shot out like a viper, catching the blade by his index and thumb.

There was an awed silence.

"Lucky, I'll let you know when to pull me up so I can sink this thing higher on the wall. Wouldn't be too well to hang from down here." Ace called up.

Nayah as if her words just caught up to her. "Wow."

Maxworth hung almost motionless and only the swaying of Nayah moved him. His grip was firm on both his dagger and Nayah's arm. "Ah, I see."

"Now, Lucky."

Luck's bicep curled as Ace's did and he shot up higher than Luck though he could propel him. The dagger in his hand, glowing red and sparking with electricity, sunk into the metal wall and slipped downwards a few inches before it cooled.

Erok lifted Luck up to Ace and they locked arms.

"Nice." Luck said.

"Thanks, it should be cool enough to pull out as well. Not hot enough to completely melt the metal of the wall. There might be some magic on this dagger too." Ace replied.

"The form of my dagger is preserved through magic," Maxworth replied, confirming that they, in fact, were daggers. Not shortswords. "You did well, my weapon will be fine to extract after we are all safely evacuated from this drop."

"Brace yourselves. This might shake the wall." Erok, clinging onto the wall by one hand in the jagged crevice the dagger carved, reached around his back and unlatched his greathammer from the stone of his body.

He swung his body left and slammed the hammer into the wall. A large dent formed in the shape of his hammerhead. Thrice more and he broke through.

Luck felt the impact travel through Ace's arm. He didn't seem to be bothered.

The edges of the entrance were sharp jagged steel that would've ripped into any fleshy person that tried to enter the way Erok did. He slipped into it like a water slide. Seconds later he was hammering down the edges and flattening the opening.

"How are we doing this?" Erok asked. "If any of you want to swing over I can grab you."

Instead, focusing, Luck shifted the stone from the tunnel out into the shaft to create a pathway both under himself and Nayah.

Nayah was about to drop down but Luck stopped her.

"Hold." He called over. More stone moved and created supports under the pathway and even then Luck held onto the construct with his mana to strengthen it. "Alright go ahead and drop down."

Nayah did so gingerly, back pressed against the edge of the shaft as she moved to Erok who held out a hand which she took. Maxworth pulled upwards on his dagger and pulled it up through the carved trench before dropping lightly on his feet, calmly walking to Erok who, this time, didn't bother to lend a hand.

Luck released Ace's arm and walked confidently, his improved balance from the Familiar Bond could've had him hopping on one leg. Ace heated the dagger and slipped down against the wall as the dagger melted through before pulling it out when his feet touched stone and walking over nonchalantly, handing the dagger to Maxworth.

"Ideas?" Nayah asked through chattering teeth, it wasn't until now that Luck ever saw her shiver.

He laid a hand on her shoulder and he could sense she was hesitant but accepted the magic. Instantly her eyes widened and her shivering lessened. Ace gave her a knowing nod.

"Erok can you sense rock?" Luck asked, curious as to how he determined there was a hollow area.

"To a degree, Druid," Erok said. "I am not the most talented of the Rhoride Hammers in this. Perhaps ten feet in either direction."

"Then we'd be roaming aimlessly." Ace said.

Come to think of it, could Luck?

Spirit? Analysis of these tunnels, throw up every detail.

Old tunnels as evidenced by stalagmites and stalactites. Clear pathways hint at artificial tampering. Dampness hints at perhaps some type of underground thermal activity. It should be cold enough down here to form icicles and snow, this tunnels lacks that.

Boxes stemmed from the walls denoting approximate humidity, geological composition, density and more.

Is a more advanced scan possible? Can we map these tunnels?

It is possible through Earth magic but that level of mastery has not been achieved.

Luck nodded, he wasn't kidding himself. He doubted he could learn another new sense so fast. Perhaps with time in the tunnel but as is their methods were limited.

He tuned back into the conversation.

"Any maze that isn't multi-floored can be completed by keeping your hand on the right-hand wall. Eventually, you'll hit the entrance if the maze is a standard one without tricks." Erok explained.

"That works?" Nayah asked.

"It does but that method requires more time than puzzle solving might," Maxworth argued. "It might be more efficient to look for other methods."

"This isn't a maze." Luck reminded them. "These are just tunnels. I say we head deeper. An underground base is the best kind of place to keep all these mechs in the mountains. I'll leave pillars of stone so we don't repeat our steps."

They roamed the tunnels for what seemed forever. Occasionally Spirit would remark on a particularly interesting geological specimen, oddly forming where it shouldn't be. At one time Erok commented on the formation of a bright orange-yellow gem, rough in the stone.

"Orstone." He said. "Mages use them as mana stones."

Ace blinked. "Citrine." He said, noting similarities. "But... not. Weird." He said, rubbing his chin.

Perhaps commonalities shared between their worlds have different properties when exposed to mana. It was a thought that Luck pondered walking through the tunnels. For the most part, aside from Spirit's constant analysis, to which it Spirit only used a mere 4% of its capabilities Luck kept to sensing the Earth.

He asked Ace for tips. "How do you sense lightning? Electricity? I'm trying to do the same with the earth."

"You can sense lightning? That's rare." Nayah jerked her head towards Ace but then looked to Luck oddly. "But, I believe it's rarer for someone of your control of Earth to not be able to sense it." She spoke.

Luck could only shrug.

"Lightning is power. Energy. It's almost like an aura I feel except more static, tingly. When untamed that is. The energy running through Guard, for example, was more guided and purposed." Ace began. He added the next part in English, away from the ears of the rest. "Again, like utilizing your Time magic, it might be a completely different feeling. Scratch that, it probably is quite a different sensation."

"Hmm." Luck hummed.

He focused on the essence of earth itself. The compositions he saw along the boxes that Spirit displayed, the formation of stalagmites and pillars of stone. The density and hard-packed nature of the earth. He connected his understanding of the passing of time to the creation of caves and tunnels. His understanding of the natural world to the animals and creatures it supported.

It was stability. A foundation of support below the feet of even those underground. A force of nature like any other. A shoulder to rely on or a helping hand. Earth was stability, and perhaps, Luck thought, the element with the most potential in terms of creation.

The next step he took forward it was as if it shined a light in an empty cavern blossoming out from his foot to encompass the tunnel he stood in. His eyebrows shot upwards. His eyes were closed gently but his pupils moved wildly to accommodate the new sense as if believing they should be seeing something. But he did. He saw the tunnel and the people as they moved across the stone.

His earth-vision died ten meters from him. No better than Erok.

The concentration required was immense. As if he had to keep swiveling his head around to keep the areas around him in focus. His brain couldn't handle all the information. All he saw was the stone, the earth. And underground as they were that meant everything.

"Maxworth, turn left." Luck said suddenly whereupon they came across a fork in the tunnel.

Wordlessly he did. Luck led them down the tunnels, further and further until his view suddenly died in a pit of blackness. Of nothingness. He startled, opening his eyes.

Nayah was staring at the walls. "Metal." She said. "This is the place then." Clean, seemingly smooth metal lined the walls. The hall was square rather than round like the tunnel.

"You can sense then?" She asked. "I thought you couldn't. Surely, Ace's advice wasn't so enlightening."

"I just learned how." Luck replied. "I'm a fast student."

"Wh-what?" Nayah coughed. "That's absurd."

"It's the truth too." Luck responded languidly.

The metal hallway, what likely would be some entrance into the hypothesized underground facility, took the better part of an hour wandering through the tunnels. It was wider than the tunnels, perhaps three times their size. Whatever bots roamed this area were probably wider or left in larger droves. Perhaps an exit for a mass of sphere-blades?

"Shall we?" Maxworth said dully, his feet, contrary to Luck's belief, were silent on the metal. Luck expected at least some clanging between the metal man and the floor but there was nothing.

Erok grinned, his heavy footfalls as muffled as he could make them as he followed.

Navigation through use of Earth magic will prove easier as the Mk3 learns. Spirit informed. Passive techniques automated like this allow the user to focus on more expedient problems.

How often do Mk3 hosts die because they rely on their Mk3 too much?

Define "too much".

Ignoring danger and risks expecting their Mk3 to shore up their ignorance.

38% of users succumb to laziness and reliance on their S.I. and in turn, die to easily avoidable dangers. This trend of deaths has been studied in depth by the company's researchers furiously. As you've addressed this problem you will be included in the statistic of those who recognize the importance of their own autonomy.

Luck practiced his earth-vision. He wouldn't be like them. He would at least know his own magic before delegating it to Spirit. Luck, better than most, knew that everything could be taken away from you. He didn't think for a second that what he had couldn't be taken from him. He did believe, however, that he could do everything he could to prevent that possibility.

When they came across their first enemy it was a relief that Maxworth was leading, the one who likely had the strength to match his reflexes.

The robot that emerged began instantly trading blows with Maxworth as it rounded the corner. It was humanoid. Maxworth dispatched it in seconds, not a dent in his arms.

"A different variant." He said, bending over the body.

There were multiple dents to the neck and head that Luck presumed had finally done it in. Ace neared, an arc of electricity melting away the outer layer of its metal. As the metal parted in a curtain of glowing slag, the interior revealed the same crystals they had pointed out earlier albeit along with many more varied ones.

Maxworth stood watch while Luck plucked the crystals and held them in his hand. Two were smaller than his pinky and the largest one was the size of his palm. They all varied in color from the orange-yellow orstone or citrine to almost sapphire blue and emerald green. The sizes though seemed to be of significance. As did the strange markings on the interior of the bot itself, no doubt some lost to the melting of its casing.

Mana stones, rough cut and set into a complicated engraving. Orstone as a mana battery has one of the highest transfer rates of mana to other sources than any other stone in its level of abundance. The general information package does not include any data on advanced engravings or enchantments.

"Manaless, or extremely efficient. I can't sense anything coming off of these." Nayah crinkled her nose. "Are they dwarven or gnomish? Maybe tinkish inspired?"

"These are not dwarven nor gnomish," Erok replied. "These are the farthest things from dwarven made golems or gnomish inspired tinkering that I've seen."

"As for the Tinkish, these are not made by them either," Maxworth replied, not looking back.

Ace glanced at Luck. "No weapons on it, Lucky."

"No bullets, no ammo, no gun. I've noticed." He said.

What had they heard earlier then? They've spent their whole lives listening to the noise, practicing its effects, honing the sound. They knew exactly what made that noise and what it meant. But these bots didn't seem to have any equipment save for themselves.

"How did it fight?" Ace asked.

"As perhaps an adept might. One still in training." Maxworth replied. "Commendable if their numbers are as the others are."

They were moving again in the next minute. Three more of these bots came and Ace brought up the possibility they may be communicating but Ace felt no electricity that might hint at communication and neither Spirit, Luck or Nayah could determine any other methods. The fact they kept running into them was simple coincidence.

That was until they spotted one of these humanoid bots opening sections of the lower torso. It was filled with gems. And it was moving toward a side access tunnel ahead, having come from what looked to be an entrance to the caverns. They must have come from an empty branch where they had missed one orstone.

"Resource gathering then?" Maxworth voiced, looking at a scratch on his arm. "Perhaps that explains the hardened hands."

It wasn't long until the bot brought them into a huge room surrounding a glass cube frozen over by the temperature. Even Luck felt the drop in temperature as soon as the bot led them into the open area. The place was upwards of a hundred meters high and longer than that. Boxes of gems and glowing stones lay about, the bot they followed dropping its load in one of these.

The group quickly made their way behind the largest stacks of these boxes tucked against the walls of the room. Here, they were unseen with a generous view of the happenings around them.

"What is that glass?" Nayah whispered, staring at the piece dominating the entire room. "It's massive."

The majority of movement around the steel enforced glass cube were the humanoid bots but Luck spotted other sphere-blades darting about and other strange bots that hovered around on what seemed to be a sled. These ones supervised movements around the supplies, whatever they were for.

"What is this facility for?" Ace said softly, looking around. He plucked a gem from the box and rolled it between his palms.

Pipes and wires ran through the room. It was much warmer against the wall than it was closer to the center of the room. The bots closest to the glass cube moved extremely slow, frosted over as they were. It was as if the heat of the walls were fighting to contain the cold emanating from the cube. Scaffolding ran around the entire wall, multiple levels of solid steel lining the interior.

"Do you see anyone who could be heading this whole operation?" Luck asked the group.

Erok, the tallest, peered over the stack scanning the surroundings. "I see an overhead balcony, looks like a viewing area it does not look like anyone is there though, Druid." He ducked back down.

Nayah was looking through the cracks between the boxes. "I see nothing either."

A rough, angry cackle enveloped the room.

Luck peered through the boxes.

A person hunched over, but it seemed that was just his posture. He was large, and covered in metal parts. Sections of his arm were replaced with metal, half his skull was the same. His lower half wasn't in Luck's view.

"Half-gnome, half-goblin," Nayah whispered. "Looks more gnome."

The half-gnome cackled, like an honest mad scientist, his legs disappeared into a mech's lower half. As if the half-gnome was piloting the legs. "Idiots! Trying to break into my citadel! The hearth of my power!"

Following him, a sturdy-looking man in a blue robe and a man encompassed in steel. Luck thought he was seeing adventurers for the first time aside from Maxworth and Erok. A mage and a knight.

Unfortunately, they were held in place by dinged up bots though that didn't seem to dull their functions.

"My autolings are specifically created to resist frost idiot! This is the Frozen Zones! An ice mage is the first thing I've accounted for!" The half-gnome cackled, his wispy white hair unsure what to do.

The blue-robed man struggled against his bonds, growling. Frost traveled up the robot holding him but nothing changed his situation. The ice mage's eyes were as cold as the room as he stared at the half-gnome. His arm was broken Luck realized, but it was frozen over, likely in a splint. The knight, in contrast, stayed solemn.

Luck was about to move when a familiar voice subdued him.

Careful Amber Eyes, the enemy, do not underestimate. Fire and metal, dangerous.

Where are you?

Luck's eyes immediately moved to the piping and thick wires, thinking he might see Saga along the support beams. It was where he would've hidden if he could. Yet, he still couldn't spot the shar. Even with his trained eyes and heightened perception.

Among the walls, hiding. The enemy does not see me but I cannot get close. He is aware of things even behind him. The captured were stemming the tide of enemies down the mountain. I believe them allies.

Luck rubbed his chin. They were the reason he didn't need to use the aspect of the macid. There were too little mechs for the time he was gone. It was because of these two. Had they shot the gun too? They didn't have any weaponry except for the knights metal sword, attached to his side.

Spirit didn't recognize the mount the half-gnome rode but Luck observed the openings in front of the thing. Some type of projectile or perhaps a simple flamethrower. Burns weren't something Luck wanted right now. He looked around for a moment before he found an access ladder up to the scaffolding on the walls.

He climbed upwards.

From there, the rest watched him climb around the scaffolding, parts of it jutting out above the robots to get close to the cube. None, however, Luck noticed, got as close as the initial overhead balcony. The balcony was higher than the scaffolding along the wall and stopped right above the cube.

Moments later, Maxworth and Ace were by Luck's side. They were both silent. Erok stayed below and stopped Nayah from following. He knew he was too large to hide well but was aware of at least Ace's background. The two had formed the beginnings of a friendship. Maxworth's presence needed no explanation. The gentleman was dangerous.

Ace and Luck perhaps more.

The scaffolding wasn't a solid platform, instead, it was a metal mesh that allowed visibility through its floor. It was on one of the jutting sections that they perched, right above the half-gnome.

Luck took a moment to admire the cut of the ice mage's robes as one of the bots holding him threw him down. His ice-coated arm bounced loudly against the floor and he groaned in pain. The knight beside him, his armor and faceplate didn't move. Instead, Luck imagined he saw his grip tighten.

The half-gnome walked up to the cube. "You have no idea what I'm doing here. Trespassers, especially any idiot that made their way this deep into my home, have to be eliminated." Luck made a face when he saw the half-gnome was wearing. Old leathers and what appeared to be ripped cotton patches that covered little, obvious burns and soot coated the material.

The ice mage stood up. "If you think my guild will allow someone to operate in the Frozen Zones you're sorely mistaken. You've already broken into our sanctuaries in your excavations that enough will warrant searches. They'll find you." He growled. "You sick halfling, who are you?"

"I'm Noshm, creator of the New Age!" Yellow teeth lined his mouth as a warty tongue licked his lips. "With this facility, I can power my greatest creation. An autoling so powerful it could raze cities by its own!" He announced, cackling with insanity. "And you two, especially the mage, will only help power it!"

The knight spoke, a hollow bass emanating from the faceplate. "This cube is your greatest creation?" He asked, skeptic. The knight had not struggled at all, though it was clear he was injured by the way he stood. Likely, he was smart enough not to anger his captors. It was a skill taught early in the underground. "Doesn't seem that impressive."

"No, fool. The cube is just another source of power." Noshm glared, mechanized legs stomping.

"Then what is it?" Ace looked around.

"You're inside of it."

Luck paused. Inside of it? The gems were power sources. The entire facility was his creation? An autoling as he called it? That didn't bode well.

"Damn." Luck said, noticing again the wirings running through the place. Pipes came out at angles and other wires connected to the cube in the middle of the room. More wires split to create circles with etchings drawn inside of them. Boxes of gems rested in these and seemed to glow dully. "Everything is connected." He said to Ace and Maxworth who simply nodded.

"Finally, silence." He breathed, nostrils flaring. 'Yes, the facility itself is my creation. When I say it is capable of razing cities not only do I mean in terms of power. I mean it in terms of size too. It is my grandest work. It took half a century after the 17th Dimensional Breach. But now, Aerae has known peace too long. I will rule cities!" He bragged, completely open with his plan.

The 17th Dimensional Breach is renowned as skeptic history. Insufficient historical records describe or even mention the occurrences of any other Dimensional Breach aside from the 1st one, and even then the 1st Dimensional Breach was never described in any large degree. Later, ancient discoveries detailed the 101st and 112th Breaches. The 17th Breach, as mentioned by Noshm, does not occur in any world lore and only posited to be true should one believe the Breaches even exist. They are supposed ancient events of spacial invasions.

Noshm is from the past then. Another victim of Ethodthem. Perhaps he was frozen in ice as well?

Noshm, thinking, looked to the cube. "Perhaps my source of power needs sustenance, however. Yes, perhaps you will serve better as food." He grinned.

Luck noticed the odd look on the ice mage, held down by his frosted robot warden. He followed his eyes to the frozen cube. And he noticed again the steel reinforcements and spotted glowing etchings on their surfaces. His eyes tracked the frozen snowflake designs that frosted the cube when he realized they were on the inside.

He was staring at glass.

A shadow moved against the glass and the entirety of the room was engulfed in a roar that shook even the gems. The shadow formed a figure but ultimately a claw scraped against the inside of the glass creating a noise as unpleasant as the roar. The ice on the inside was carved away and an eye as blue as the sky and as large as Luck stared down at Noshm.

"It is not a cube, fools." Noshm snapped his fingers and the robots moved to haul the knight and mage towards an elevator. "It's a cage."

Luck stared through the scaffolding floor as Noshm passed under him. Ace and Maxworth had their eyes glued to the glass cage. The ice mage was staring upwards, dumbfounded.

Pay Heed!

Hidden Quest!: Free the Frost Drake (Replaces: Free the Frozen Zones of Foreign Influence! and Conquering the Frozen Zones!)

A Frost Drake, awakened by Ethodthem, arose from an icy slumber only to succumb to the ambitious Noshm to be used as a mana battery for his greatest creation. Free the Frost Drake and stop Noshm's Massive Autoling from seeing the light of day!

Rewards: Chance of Blessing, Chance of Lesser Boon, Ally, Information