January 29, 2019, 9:09 am. Just after having Beth and Genitha drop the anti-System book on the table.

Staring at the book, I tear my gaze away to the two women sealed inside Genitha's magical dome with me.

"What... why... I don't..."

"Look, kid. We didn't want to have to drag you into this-"

"Yes, you did," Genitha interrupts. "You insisted she should be here."

Beth blinks twice before turning to Genitha. "You're not going to let me do anything my way today, are you?"

The answering grin on Genitha's face tells me that Genitha is totally going to interfere with Beth every chance she gets. Beth's choice of swear words kinda implies she agrees with me. Also, I'm pretty sure that without magic, doing that with a pepper shaker would be impossible.

Shaking her head, Beth turns to me. "Okay, I did want you here. You and Wyonna."

I sit, attentively listening as Beth takes me through what she's found in the book. And... it's a lot. Like, some of it we already knew, such as the Forerunners and the Phothens fighting against the System. But there are other factions listed, such as the Reapers and the Reavers. Who are different. It also spells out ways to play different parts of the System against itself. Specifically the Creators and their Chosen. There's plenty of trouble in paradise, it seems.

There's also a few sections that seem to be written in code. And others where the words are obfuscated. Blobs of grey on the page that resist my attempt to read. And Beth and Genitha's. But for them it's even harder to read. I can at least tell there are words behind the blobs of grey.

"See, this is why I though you should join us kid," Beth says as we look at the first of the blobs. "It just looks like a blank page to me."

"Hmm. Powerful Illusion magic. Or possibly Mental. I wonder why you can see through it when we cannot," Genitha ponders, tapping her chin as she runs a finger through the grey blob. It kind of looks like she's running her finger through the world's most disgusting pudding.

Blinking, I prepare to inspect the blob using Focus. But then I reconsider. Would that alert the System? And if so... which part of the System?

Luckily, Focus isn't my only trick. First, I try messaging Wyonna but she's not much more help. Not without using the same mechanisms I'm avoiding. She does suggest I pause time, but I'd already been planning to do that. We fire through a few more thoughts, but none are particularly revolutionary. I still add each to my list to try.

Pausing time, I send small strands of Facet out. The obfuscation is less like a fog now that time is paused and more solid. Still a blob though. A blob that resists any attempt to pierce it. So, I try working around it instead. Or pulling it apart. Hitting it with strands of each type of mana instead of Facet. Basically everything Wyonna and I could think of. None of my attempts manage to do anything more than leave small indentations on the blob. Indentations which snap back into place the moment my Pause ends.

"Hmm. You did something, didn't you?" Genitha asks, glancing in my direction.

"Paused time and poked at it a bunch. Barely scratched it. And it all came undone once my pause ended."

Beth pushes away from the book, looking at me instead. "Think you could pause time for longer? Get more time to spend inspecting it?"

"I... maybe. But I'd want to practice that before trying it in conjunction with... whatever we're doing here," I answer, trying to poke it with mana now that it's not frozen in time. But it's just like Genitha running her finger through it. It deforms and bounces back. "I think I could blast the glamour away. But I'd probably destroy the book. Gotta be something we're missing."

"Or someone. This was written by Ivicka. It would make sense that she sealed it for those she trusted," Beth states, flipping the book to another blank page, which I confirm has the same grey blob over it.

"Of those Ivicka trusted, there are few I would feel comfortable letting see this book," Genitha adds, moving to stand next to me. "Though I would have your opinion on one of them."

"We would," Beth interjects, closing the book and stepping up next to Genitha, giving Genitha a glare before turning her eyes on me. "You've spent a lot more time with Tipan than I have. Do you think we could trust her with the book?"

"I..." I take a moment to process the question. Do I think we can trust Tipan with her sister's diary slash book of anti-Systemness. Yes. Do I think it's a good idea to expose Tipan to the book, though. "Could it be dangerous for her?"

"Hmm. It could be. We're unaware of what lies on the glamoured pages."

Beth snaps her fingers between Genitha and I. "Anything could be dangerous."

"Right. I think we should show it to her," I decide. "But maybe warn her about what could be inside? Let her choose?"

Genitha is nodding, and Beth shakes her head once before she nods as well. "Fine. We'll show it to Tipan. After your trip to the dungeon."

"Uhm. Why after?"

Genitha steeples her fingers. Almost exactly like Roberts would. It surprises me until I notice how Beth is glaring at her. Then I suppress a chuckle as Genitha says, "We're going to consult with my friend. They may be able to pierce the glamour. And detect any traps Ivicka or her guide may have left behind. However, I can't bring a whole veltha herd of outlanders to visit them. And I'd like to remind both of you, it would be best to keep the existence of this book to ourselves until we can vet its contents."

"Okay. Still not getting why we're not showing Tipan. And... why tell me?" I ask, looking between them. "Wouldn't it have been better to keep it completely secret? Wait, is your friend dangerous?"

"Told you the kid's smart," Beth states, crossing her arms while looking at Genitha with a smug smile.

Genitha just waves her right arms at Beth as she responds, "Yes, yes, very clever. My friend can be... moody. So, yes. There is an element of danger. But it's also going to be a several day trip. It… would be difficult to get Tipan alone without having to inform my daughter of the book. As for your involvement, if you were able to find anything useful... well, it would've been convenient."

"Wait, so now I have to keep a secret from your daughter instead? How's that fair?" I ask, crossing my arms as I glare at Genitha.

"It isn't. And it's not an order. Merely advice," Genitha replies with a shrug. "You'll have other things to occupy your time while we're on our trip."

"Speaking of, we should start preparing you for your dungeon run," Beth says, pushing the book, and the conversation, to the side as we gather around the table again.

The next half hour is spent with Genitha giving me the rundown on everything I'll need to know about Elementalist Peak. Which turns out to be a lot. My notes are extensive by the time we finish. The dome drops, and Beth and Genitha both pat me on the back, making me feel like when Sab and I would spend the evening with her dad and he'd let us get away with something. Except somehow more condescending.

The book has been stored in Beth's inventory long before this point, and there's no mention of it as we greet the others. The second Beth and Genitha leave, I'm assaulted from all sides about what happened. I give a short version of everything I learned about the Elementalist Peak, omitting any mention of the book. I even mention that part of it was just Genitha messing with Beth. But I can't help but feel guilty about keeping the book's existence from them.

I trust all of them with my life. Beth and Genitha's decision to keep the book secret... feels wrong.

But if the System could take it away at any time...

I'm brought out of my thoughts by Rufka hugging her mother goodbye.

"I'll see you soon, kittens. We'll be here when you return. But in the meantime, Beth and I will run some errands. It's been far too long since I inspected the wards at the cabin. And we need to check on how the free Awoken are doing."

After a much shorter goodbye with Beth, Rufka tugs me up the hill, where Thistle has prepared a goodbye breakfast for us with way more grains and vegetables than I'm used to seeing on Akilo. There's hardly any meat. A fact Rufka complains about despite enjoying a generous portion of soft vegetable pie with a rich gravy. And going back for seconds.

While we're eating, I relay more about Elementalist's Peak. Including the fact we need to leave as soon as breakfast is over.

"I'm looking forward to spending more time here once we're done. This valley is truly serene," Roberts says as he collects my plate, washing it with his limited water magic before returning it to Thistle. "And I don't have to feel bad about my limited magical talents."

"My understanding is that everyone's magical talents are probably going to improve during this dungeon," I point out, stealing the last bite of pie off Rufka's plate to give to Smoulder. As Smoulder ignites the pie and starts munching on its charred remains, I continue, "It's why it's seen so valuable. Completing it guarantees an upgrade to an Elementalist class variant for most users."

"So, powerful. But less useful for you?" Tipan asks, leaning on her staff as Roberts collects the last of the plates.

"Mhmm. But still useful. At least, Genitha thinks it'll help me too."

"Mum's wanted to go since before I was born. Surprised she let it pass," Rufka says, shaking her head. I almost tell her that Genitha has a reason she doesn't want to go. But I bite my tongue at the last second. Literally. And thanks to my Health, it doesn't even hurt.

Rufka raises her right eyebrows at me, but then smiles, reaching out and ruffling my hair. "Still, it'll be more fun with you. Mum would just do everything for us."

"Uhm. From the notes I was given, I don't think that's an option," I reply. Then I spend a half hour taking them through a quick debrief, making a few tactical uses of Pause to give myself time to think before answering their questions. For some reason, we don't get through a third of what I covered with Beth and Genitha.

Deciding we've delayed long enough, I call a temporary halt to the questions.

"I'm surprised you're allowing me to join you in this venture," Kellica observes as everyone gathers around me in preparation for a teleportation back to Aethire where Genitha's waiting.

I pause my preparations as I smile at her. "Hey, we've shared tears and lost living spaces."

"Besides, mum wouldn't have let me leave you behind, since you passed the test."

Rufka's comment causes Kellica to frown. But before anyone else can say anything, I whisk us away.

When we arrive, it's not in Rufka's tiny cabin, but in a much larger space, full of bundles bound in fur and bone. Along one wall stands shelves filled with various ingredients neatly sorted into cupboards that curve along the bone struts supporting the room. Several of the ingredients are glowing from inside their sealed jars. Or maybe that's the jars themselves? Whichever is the source, the room is lit in a soft rainbow of light. It's especially striking on Tipan's white fur, and I elbow Rufka to point it out.

Tipan notices our attention and twists to try to look at herself, "Did I spill something?"

"Nah. Lexi was just pointing out how striking you are under the enchanted light," Rufka states, patting Tipan's shoulder with a smile. I shoot Tipan one of my own as we make our way out of the storeroom even as Genitha starts casting her much longer teleport spell. I'm tempted to stay and watch, but we're on a time limit.

It doesn't take us long to acquire a few more healing charms. And some cheese from Rufka's friend. She's much friendlier now that she's finished her subclass advancement, but still rushes us out of her shop.

Then I teleport us north, out over the abyss, at the limit of my vision. For a terrifying minute there's nothing around us except the barest shape of the World's End Palace to the south. And the blur of the rim to the north. And that's with me using my Twilight-enhanced vision. I almost don't bother with my double checks, never mind the triples before teleporting us away.

This time, we emerge near the rim. And for the first time, I'm able to see some of the enchantments that Genitha is so proud of. A giant metal structure is imprinted into the side of the rim. And a mere hundred meters down, another similar structure rests. There must be thousands of the mega-runes. And each one is different. Yet they all have one feature in common. They all draw enormous amounts of mana from the currents that rise from the abyss below us. Enough that it almost feels like we're in a mana-less area. This time, I take extra care with extending the teleport. Because even though we're on the friendly side of the runes, Genitha's warned me that the glamour can affect what we see outside.

It takes me five minutes, and one fully intact practice dummy, to be certain that we'll be able to cross safely.

As soon as we're through, I turn north, towards the frozen sea.

Because of course Elementalist's Peak is a volcano situated in the coldest part of Akilo.