January 26, 2019, 6:53 pm.

I can't help but laugh at Rose's sputtering response when Roberts informs him that, "Yes. I'm quite certain a hundred and seventy is only half of Josh's share. I'd be willing to keep some if it would make you feel better."

Rose's response of, "What?! NO! I was just surprised," doesn't allow me to recover from my laughter. A better person wouldn't be laughing right now. For the first time in a long time, I'm glad I'm not a better person, cause Rufka's laughing quietly beside me.

Now that we're out, one of the first things we need to check is whether there have been any changes with Genitha. Especially now that Roberts has had a chance to recover his resources and reflect on her condition.

I tag along for moral support, ready to be the shoulder to cry on or hand to hold. But Rufka doesn't need anything like that this time. She's pensive, but not shaken as before.

Roberts is able to confirm Genitha is stable. He's still not certain exactly what's wrong with her but he thinks the rifle caused a disruption in her being. Or her connection to her System. Whatever it is, she's getting better. Based on her current rate of recovery, he infers that she should wake in a few days. He admits he's mostly relying on what Reprieve's telling him, but Rufka is adamant with her thanks.

She even gives him a quick hug. Then Rufka sits down, regaling her unconscious mum with tales of our adventures so far. I'm pretty sure she's exaggerating, but it's not like Genitha can call her on it. I envy Rufka in that moment.

At least she knows her mum will wake up.

Now that we're done, we head for the Change Room to unlock our personal rooms. I mean, we've got keys, we might as well use them. Especially if we're going to spend another day and a half in there.

As soon as I unlock my personal room, the mirror frame warps and expands while its reflective finish turns to an opaque grey. A small pop that startles Smoulder precedes a simple push handle appearing.

"Citizen Private Room Unlocked. Note, unauthorized creatures cannot access a Private Room."

"Would you like to set this room as your default Return and Restoration point?"

Delaying the prompt for my spawn point, I step through the door. My new room is remarkably bland. The walls are that eggshell colour that's chosen to make a room as inoffensive as possible. There's a set of very boxy furniture in one corner. The chair, bed and even desk look uncomfortable to use. But at least the room's spacious. And there are options to change… well everything.

"Private room: Citizen Pandora.

Width: 12 metres. Increase by 1 metre for 1 iron rank integration point, up to 144 metres. Length: 12 metres. Increase by 1 metre for 1 iron rank integration point, up to 144 metres. Height: 3 metres. Increase by 1 metre for 1 iron rank integration point, up to 144 metres. Theme: Default. Unlock additional themes through Achievements or by purchasing them at approved System vendors.

I can't even picture a room that size. At first, I wonder what I'd even do with that much space but then I take a quick glance at the menu. There are options for purchasing individual pieces of furniture, placing walls and all sorts of other minor customizations. Even adding partial floors.

Smoulder points out just how large I could make the obstacle course in here.

But that can all be explored once we're inside the CMCC, so I force myself to leave, but I'm stopped by a notification just before I step back into the change room.

"Would you like to set Raz's Remarkable Reststop and Repository as your default exit point? This can be changed at any time from within your Private Room. Note, the default exit can only be set to unlocked Return points. Entering your Private Room from Constrained areas will lock the exit to those locations. It will also enact any constraints imposed on the area within the room."

Not too surprising, but it looks like I can exit to any of my unlocked locations? Now I want to spend a month travelling around just to unlock more. Okay, not actually. But the ability to exit anywhere is cool. Even if it is functionally the same as casting Return or using Raz's place. It's enough to convince me to set the room as my default Return and Restoration point.

When I return to the change room, I look longingly at the bath but march out to join the others. Only to discover I'm the first one out. I can't tell where the others are with IFF when they're inside their rooms.

Interesting.

Waiting for the others at the table, they all join me in less than five minutes.

Raz seems pretty upset with most of the items he's found. But he presents several items to us anyways, grumbling about mass-produced dreck. Since none of them cost more than two essence, we buy the lot for a total of twenty.

I find his grumbling amusing. Because even though he's complaining, he only had half an hour. And he even managed to track down a cure for Demo's leg.

His solution is some sort of machine that's going to literally reweave his leg. Unfortunately, it's a process that requires drawing on ambient mana to restore it properly. Which means he's going to be stuck staying behind again. I'm beginning to think Herv, our innkeeper, was right. We really should have just cut it off then regrown it. Definitely would have been faster.

After bidding Demo luck, it's straight back in the CMCC.

Once inside, the first thing we do is sort through the gear.

Raz included several belts and pairs of boots all with the same basics stats.

The boots aren't even as good as my current boots, but they give the others an even two Edge for both Stamina and Health and only cost one point to bond.

The belts are similar, but instead, give two Edge to Mana and Focus.

There is one item that Raz was rather proud to include. A stylized firing stock which can be combined with a user's resource pool to create custom ranged weapons. It costs a shocking ten integration points to bond, but it allows one weapon to be created without any Edge cost and reduces the cost of all attacks made with any such weapon by thirty percent.

I swear I can see Beth drooling as she reads the description.

No one tries to talk her out of it.

There are two other items.

One is a necklace of brown wooden beads. It makes a pleasant 'clacking' noise as Rose hoists it up for everyone to see.

"Astra's Prayer Beads: These beads can be called upon to cast one of the inscribed spells. Each spell corresponds to one of the three inscribed beads. After being cast, each bead must recharge for thirty-six days before it is ready to be used again.

Bonuses once bonded: Ability to cast a single copper rank spell. Takes three seconds to cast. Spell selection: Heal. Sanctuary. Flare.

Current Bond: none. Cost to bond: three iron rank integration points."

Huh. Doesn't seem that impressive.

Tipan's gasp, causes me to reread the description. Is it the fact it's a copper rank spell?

"Those are rare spells. If I were able to copy them…" Tipan is already pulling the beads out of Rose's hand, caressing three beads in the centre. One of which has a glowing red rune that Smoulder is fascinated with. Well, I'm voting Tipan gets these. Or maybe we can share them? I'll definitely want to study them with her.

The last object Raz gave us isn't technically wearable equipment. It's a handkerchief. Which, I suppose you could wear like a mask.

"Razalin's Old Bandana: While worn, this Bandana prevents accurate results when scanned by another user.

Bonuses while worn: Hidden: Displays blank or altered Status when scanned. Can only lower apparent strength. Does not block scans conducted by Citizens, Builders or Creators.

Current Bond: none. Cost to bond: Item not bondable."

Oh, I guess it's a bandana, not a handkerchief.

Rufka plucks the bandana off the table, tugging the simple plaid fabric until it's smooth. "This would have been useful a week ago."

I snatch the bandana from her hands, waving it about. "I guess you should have asked Raz for help. Oh well. Now that you don't need it…"

Rufka attempts to grab it back, but I anticipate her movements, rolling out of reach. This improved Agility thing is soooo amazing.

It's like permanent haste but without costing any resources.

Rufka and I spend a few minutes running around the command room before she eventually tackles me, though by then I've returned the bandana to the pile in the middle of the room. All she's achieved is the satisfaction of tracking down the thief.

Considering she keeps me pinned in place while strategically tickling me, I'd guess she never even wanted the bandana.

Eventually, we make our way back to the pile of equipment. I don the belt, while Rufka experiments with the boots, eventually deciding against them. You can unbind items, destroying them in the process. But that's not what she's worried about. She just doesn't like having them on her feet. "Too bulky. Guess I'm just spoiled by mum's tattoos."

After that, we spend a couple of hours in my private room as I customize it. The first thing to go is the eggshell. The only options currently available are basic colours, but I'm able to find a nice earthen brown that's not bad. I notice that some of the options include vistas similar to the ones projected in the command centre. But those require achievements or silver rank integration points, neither of which are in reach at the moment.

Once I've finished choosing a new bed, I ask Rufka if she wants to customize her room.

"Nah. With what you've said, it'd be too frustrating. I'll wait."

With mana restricted here, I'm not able to form an obstacle course for Smoulder. But I do create partitions allowing me to section off the room. It's only after I'm finished that I realize the starting size is bigger than our apartment back on earth. It felt bigger, but I'd assumed it was similar to how an empty room feels bigger than one that's full.

When we gather again, I find out Beth actually managed to convert most of her room into an obstacle course using the available furniture. She insists everyone needs to use the course several times to help adjust to our attribute changes.

Personally, I have a blast, but I think it's wasted effort since we're able to fly everywhere.

Until I watch Roberts move through the course like flowing water. At this point, his Agility can't be more than thirty points higher than mine. But that's not how he moves.

As if to prove Roberts isn't the only one who can move like that, Rufka follows him through the course. Her movements aren't quite as fluid, but she's slightly faster.

"What the heck," I complain as she does a spinning dive before grabbing the corner of a heavy wardrobe, completely negating the set of jumbled rugs at the last corner.

Tipan shrugs next to me. "Probably has some interesting movement Skills."

Right. Skills for moving. Checking, I confirm my running has increased by a point. Guess I'll be at this for a bit still.

Even as I'm prepping for my next turn, Rufka bids me goodbye, saying she's as good as it gets.

I'd be more upset if it wasn't true.

After my workout, I realize my room is missing something very important. A shower. It's totally worth the single iron-rank point to add one to my room.

When we prepare to leave, I'm practically jumping in anticipation, though I'm unable to explain why until we return to Raz's. The second we're out, I can feel my mana flowing smoothly again. There's a moment where I almost start casting spells right inside Raz's.

Instead of waiting for the others, I hurry to the door, brushing past a startled patron that resembles a moose without antlers. I guess that would just be a female moose.

The second I'm outside, I float into the air, allowing myself to revel in the flowing mana as I send bolts of lighting and a chilling blast of frigid air into the sky.

Okay, I appear to have a bit of a problem.

Clearly, I can't spend too much time in the dilation chamber.

After spending another few minutes reacclimatizing myself to a proper amount of atmospheric mana, I prepare to head back in to join the others only to discover them waiting for me outside.

No sign of Genitha, but then I didn't expect a miraculous recovery.

I set a single foot down, going for a poised ballerina pose I never could have pulled off back home, everyone gathering around me.

No one except Rose raises an eyebrow or makes a comment, his low chuckle is good to hear though.

Damnit, this is why we need to bring Josh, I mean, Rose with us. But Beth still doesn't feel comfortable having him along. Despite the fact, we just spent a day and a half locked inside the time dilation command centre and she spent more time with him than anyone else.

Maybe she really is concerned about him.

Either way. He's standing at the door leading into Raz's. I know he's way outside the zone, but I still move another half-step back.

The glowing rings rise into place as I check everyone's position again.

I'm finally confident in everyone's position when Rose calls out "Keep your arms and legs within the vehicle, it's time for takeoff!"

"Not funny, Rose!" I yell at him as we teleport to the prisoners.

Balka is expecting us, but still jumps when we appear. We only give her a few minutes, plus some additional supplies we picked up from Raz before we start flying towards Ivicka's sanctum.

Hopefully, she won't have prepared much. If she's there. I'm really hoping she stays dead, but I've never been that kind of lucky.

Our flight is peaceful, no one wanting to break the silence. It lasts until we approach the remains of the compound. They're exactly as we left them. Not so much as a stone has shifted, abandoned bandoleers and other equipment strewn about. Collecting and sorting through all the Fallen equipment would take too long to tackle right now. Maybe we can get the prisoners to go through it after we're done.

We continue flying over, directly to the mountain that houses Ivicka's sanctum.

The entrance is a yawning mouth shaped in Vaus's image, the snarling feline face more feral than the smooth features of the K'tharn. There's an ominous orange glow emanating from guttering flames in the otherwise empty eye sockets. It's so lifelike that we maintain a constant vigil as we approach, ready for it to spring into action.

However, it doesn't react. Even as we near the entrance, there are no signs of activity from within. The more than hundred-metre cliff leading to the entrance probably serves as enough of a deterrent a wall would be kind of pointless.

The yawning opening must be at least twenty metres across. Easy access for the dragons, I'm guessing. We don't just step inside the cave. Once more Beth's going to serve as a scout while I remain with the team as she explores.

The inside of the cave is smooth rock, no stalactites or stalagmites in sight. Either sheared off or removed with earth manipulation, the passage is smooth and featureless. Beth makes it all of fifty metres before coming to a halt.

The smooth entrance comes to an end, opening up into a large interior space. There are several empty pens which I can only imagine are where the dragons resided. The fresh gouged stone certainly reminds me of Asterix's tracks back outside the church.

Beth continues forward past the empty pens into a smaller hall in the back. There are doors set into either side. She gently opens the first one on the left.

The room is full of pods from Folthka's compound. But they're all empty.

Beth continues her way forward, finding nothing but empty room after empty room.

Finally, she arrives at the end of the hall which ends in a pair of beautiful wooden doors. There are reliefs of Astra and Vaus fighting against an unending horde of horrors etched into the door. Amongst their allies, I'm able to make out Uthica and her aunt Jethico. In fact, almost every warrior I saw Uthica fighting with is represented on the K'tharn side of the battlefield. With one notable exception. There's no sign of Uthica's father, Pern.

I suppose his exclusion could be attributed to the fact he spent his time teaching, rather than fighting, but I suspect that's not it.

Beth doesn't linger at the door, pushing through into the room beyond. A grand entrance foyer, as if she stepped foot inside a mansion greets her. There are doors leading off either side, with broad curved stairways flanking both sides of the room.

Beth methodically searches every room on the ground floor, including an impressive kitchen where a meal sits half-prepared and abandoned. There are different luxuries in each room, including an entire auditorium full of what appeared to be stuffed trophies, but Beth still hasn't encountered a single living, or Fallen, creature.

She's starting down the left hallway on the second floor when a rasping cough sounds out from the end of the hall behind her. Quickly switching focus, Beth starts towards the sound. "You heard that too, right kid?"

"Yeah. Some sort of cough," I confirm. Then I tell the others, "Everyone, get ready. Beth might need us any second."

Receiving nods of assent, I reaffirm our ready status to Beth who's waiting outside of the door.

With a gentle kick, she unlatches the door, causing it to swing inwards.

The room is as outrageously furnished as the rest of the Sanctum has been. There's even a four-post bed dominating the centre. The curtains are drawn, so Beth is easily able to make out the bed's occupant.

Ivicka is sitting there, nearly as damaged as the moment I teleported away. Her arm and eyes aren't just missing, the wounds are still open, a thin black film the only thing keeping her together.

"Oh perfect. I was afraid… hurgh… afraid you weren't going to come." Ivicka doesn't turn in Beth's direction but one of her other arms does wave her closer. "That would have been a shame after all the… blurg... effort he put into keeping me alive to act as a messenger."

"Huh. Not sure who did this to you, but I feel like I should thank them." Beth prods the black film with an incense holder taken from the nearby nightstand, eliciting a pained growl from Ivicka.

When she recovers, she wheezes out a weak laugh, "Ha. If you can find him. He'll be hiding, just like a pu'shaha."

"Was he the summoner? The one who corrupted the Soulstones?"

"No. He never does anything himself. Just gives others the tools. Had me fooled. Never would have worked with him if I'd known what he was."

"What, a Reaper?"

"No… hurk... " Ivicka gasps before devolving into a coughing fit. When she recovers, she adds, "A male."

Well...

At least she's staying true to form.