Two days later, they still hadn’t found a thing. No campsite, no new types of Megasoma, nothing. Just more jungle and endless plains that stretched into the distance.

“Well this is officially the worst training exercise I’ve ever been on.” Silas said, groaning as he collapsed onto the ground. The others didn’t look very enthusiastic either, their spirits at an all-time low. The only interesting thing they’d done was battle a few small bands of juvenile Megasoma. Hardly a challenge worth talking about.

Katai had to nod in agreement with him. It had been a boring trip so far. But at least he was gaining some useful Blood Mage skill levels.

The extra training at night, combined with the infrequent battles had proven to be pretty efficient, as he didn’t have to worry too much about the loss of health. He’d also been trying to use the Bond with Silas to power a skill a couple of times a day, allowing him to recover in between casting. It was a tiring routine, for him and Silas, but would be worth it in the end. At least, that’s what he hoped.

The results so far had been promising.

Battle Cry has reached level 5...

Bond of Blood has reached level 3…

Bond of Blood has reached level 4...

Lacerate has reached level 10.

Your understanding of the skill Lacerate has increased!

You are now Proficient with this skill. Control has increased.

Lacerate (Proficient) – level 1.

The advancement of Lacerate was great news, though he hadn’t experimented with the change too much. The night before, he’d been too tired to push through and try it out, so today would be the day. Hopefully they ran into another group of juveniles so he could test it out properly.

Kenemen interrupted his thoughts with a resigned sigh. “Looks like we’re crossing the plain after all.” He gazed out across the rolling, colour-filled hills, his face inscrutable.

The rest of the group sat in a rough circle, facing outwards as they ate their Rift fruit. We really need to name these things, Katai thought as he slurped at the yellow flesh, juice from the plump fruit running down his chin. He closed his eyes, savouring the taste of their midday meal, trying hard not to think about the hard stick of dried meat that was all he’d have to eat for dinner. They’d eaten over half of their supplies now and Yoto still hadn’t spotted any signs of edible wildlife. So, they had to continue rationing out their stock of dried food, relying heavily on the fruits of the forest to make it last. They could rely on the fruits entirely of course, but it probably wouldn’t be great for their bodies. Digestion was... already an issue.

His meal finished, Katai looked around. They were set up on the edge of the forest once more, taking a well-earned break. Earlier they’d spent hours trekking deeper into the forest before deciding to backtrack, as they’d run into a bit of a snag.

They’d hit a wall. A wall in the form of a glowing screen of misty white light that marked the edges of the Rift. It cut into the landscape, plunging into the dirt and rock, forming an impenetrable barrier above and below the earth. The barrier reminded Katai of a veil, one that seemed to fade in and out of view, completely transparent in some places. Through the barrier, all Katai could see was the blue sky, stretching endlessly into the distance. Looking over the edge, where the Rift edge cut away at the earth, he saw more blue sky. There was nothing past the barrier. Just an empty blue void.

Of course, Silas had been the first to investigate. Ever curious, he’d reached out to touch the barrier before Katai could warn him away. But nothing happened, his fingers pressing against the translucent curtain. Flickers of light flickered into existence where Silas’ hand met the barrier, pulsing outwards from his touch. Nothing else reacted however, not even Kenemen, who was already looking down the length of the barrier, assessing their path forward.

He’d chosen to go further into the safety of the forest. It was the cautious option, not having to leave the overflowing mess of trees, vines, and cutting grass. However, when the Rift’s edge began to curve back around towards the portal, it became clear they’d gone the wrong way. It cost them hours of walking, back to the forest’s edge.

Now, finally, they were preparing to leave the forest and venture out, into the unknown of the open plain. Emilia was the only one of them who looked excited at the prospect.

They stepped off without pausing to rest, Kenemen keen to make up for lost daylight. The flowers welcomed them, enveloping them in clouds of pollen and wispy seedlings whenever they brushed against the colourful masses.

They started out cautiously; moving slowly and hyper-alert for anything out of the ordinary. As they moved further away from the safety of the trees, the group subconsciously drew together, warily scanning the horizon for signs of danger. Kenemen led them alongside the Rift barrier, using it as a guide. Not so close however, that they could get pinned against the impenetrable wall. Soon, as before, they got used to being out in the open and spread back out, relaxing as much as they could in unfamiliar territory.

Over the past few days of bashing through thick foliage and fighting the occasional Megasoma, they’d grown familiar with one another. Emilia had even started to relax around Katai – well, at least to some degree. She was still a bundle of nerves if he got too close, or her eyes crossed paths with his. The others, Lariss and Yoto, barely acknowledged him, which honestly made little difference in their day-to-day interactions. Yoto was naturally stand-offish, hardly talking to anyone for the entire time they’d been in the Rift. The situation with Lariss was actually an improvement – she had always been a particularly aggravating individual and not having to deal with her was actually a nice change.

The situation with Emilia however, made him uncomfortable. She’d been nice to him, a stranger, looking after his wounds and bringing him food when he’d been recovering from his wounds. She clearly cared about people. Because of his Class however, she looked at him at him like he was some kind of bloodthirsty lunatic. Especially when he used his Blood Mage powers in front of her. That’s not something he could stop doing any time soon. He couldn’t change his Class now.

He looked over at the Earth Mage, watching her flounce happily through the vibrant plants. She’d been remarkably upbeat considering everything that had happened. Without a Warrior Class and travelling with an armed band that was intent on hunting and fighting unknown monsters – surely that would be enough to freak most people out.

Perhaps he could take a chance and figure out what her deal was? It couldn’t hurt to try and be friendly. Besides, maybe he could change her opinion of him. Even if it was just from ‘homicidal maniac’ to ‘slightly unhinged’.

He cleared his throat uncertainly. “So uh, Emilia. You seem pretty happy to be in here, in the Rift?”

The woman looked at him sidelong, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. She nervously scratched at her head and pushed a thick strand of hair out of her face, her dark brown hair having gotten even more frizzled since she’d joined the group. At this point, she’d be lucky to drag a comb through it, the rough living not doing her any favours.

“The plants here are happy.”

He waited for her to elaborate, but she resolutely looked ahead, avoiding his gaze.

An interested voice piped up, “How do you know? Some mystical Earth Mage power? Can you talk to plants?” Silas asked excitedly.

She sighed, actually looking over at Silas before hesitantly glancing back at Katai. Seeing him looking back at her, she averted her gaze and mumbled something quietly.

“Sorry, what?” Katai asked with a hint of frustration. Why couldn’t she treat him like Silas and just talk normally to him? It was awkward and frustrating.

Emilia gathered herself together, shoulders rising and back straightening into something resembling self-confidence.

“I said, one of my first skills allows me to get a sense for plants around me.” This time, she spoke clearly, a hint of sass entering her voice. “Obviously plants aren’t intelligent, but I can tell if there’s enough water and sunlight and nutrients in the soil.”

“Most plants anyway.” Kenemen piped up from the front of the group.

“Wait, there’s smart plants? Like, human-level intelligence?” Katai asked incredulously, his eyes wide. He’d never heard anything like that before. From Emilia’s expression, she hadn’t either.

“Sure there are.” The Questor’s voice took on the familiar lecturing tone that he often adopted around them, “They’re very rare and generally only interact with Earth Mages, but there are a few in the Imperial Gardens. I think most of them originated from a Rift actually and have been slowly reproducing with the aid of specialist Mages.”

They walked in silence, processing the surprising new information. Katai wasn’t satisfied with that however, he still had an unanswered question.

“So, why is that making you enjoy the Rift? I didn’t think you wanted to be here.” He said, hoping Emilia wouldn’t take it the wrong way. Or worse - be reminded of why she was there and not at home with her family.

Emilia frowned and then shrugged. “Well, that’s easy. All the plants here are just so happy. I’ve never been in a place so full of life, so full of contentment. It’s wonderful.” She smiled to herself and trailed her hand through a swathe of red buds, the flowers quivering ever so slightly at her touch.

Katai watched her for a moment longer. Seeing her so vibrant and happy reminded him of a happier time in his life. He lapsed back into silence, looking away from the Earth Mage as she smiled down at the plants around her.

Katai wiped the sweat from his forehead as he gazed over the hills. His eyes scanned the horizon speculatively, searching for a change in the landscape. Still nothing to see.

He winced at the sound of a boot scuffing the ground, a rock flying away from the group. Lariss was making her frustrations very clear – she was hot, tired and bored. Just like the rest of them. He kind of wished Kenemen would do or say something, but so far the man had been remarkably self-controlled. He’d steadfastly ignored everything she did to get his attention. Katai however wasn’t so immune, his irritation rising with every crunch of rock. If they didn’t find something soon, he wasn’t going to be responsible for his actions.

He sighed and tamped down on his irritation. He should be used to her by now. Looking over at Silas though, he could see his friends’ shoulders rising inch by inch as Lariss kept up her performance. He’d better do something before his friend exploded and Lariss did something stupid. Those two had never been a good mix, even when they were kids. What to do though? Ah, I got it. Silas’ favourite pastime – Class discussion.

“Hey Lariss. You never said if you chose a second Class after… everything that happened.” Katai tried to keep the irritation out of his voice. From the startled look Lariss gave him, he thought he’d been successful.

“No, I never did. Cause I ain’t chosen one.” She sniffed disdainfully, kicking at another rock as she walked along.

“What are you considering then? You seem well-suited to the Warrior role. Perhaps a supporting Class?” He persisted, encouraged that she actually responded. She’d been particularly reticent when it came to talking to him – well, mocking and insulting him – since his Class had been revealed.

“Mmmm.” She seemed to be giving it some thought. “Most of the support Classes are not very interesting though. I don’t want to be fixing leather armour for the rest of my life, or cooking shitty meals for a bunch of ungrateful louts.”

“Hey, I know!” Silas piped up, his voice heavy with sarcasm, “You should become a Miner or Woodcutter. Then you can annoy the rocks and trees all you want.” He said, rolling his eyes.

Lariss glared at him, about to retort when Katai hurriedly spoke up again.

“Well you could always choose a Class that fills a role in the team? I mean, we have Yoto who has a long-range Warrior class and can hunt, both with his Sharpshooter Class and his secondary – I think it’s a Trapper Class? Then we have the Questor who can track and seek pretty much anything. The rest of us don’t really fill any specialist roles yet, just basic Warriors and Mages.”

Lariss reconsidered the question. What did she want?

“Can’t I just get another Warrior Class?”

Katai shook his head. “You know that’s not a good idea. Dual Classes lead to madness.” Or at least that’s what the Elders say.

“Correct.” Kenemen spoke up. “That inevitably leads to obsession. You would always be looking for a fight. Challenging more difficult opponents and searching for conquests until you perished. I’ve seen it before; a Fire Mage who chose a second Fire-based Class. He lasted maybe ten years before he decided to submerge himself in lava.” He shook his head at the foolishness, never taking his eyes off their surroundings.

They walked in silence for some time, the colourful plains gradually dyeing their leather boots and leggings with splotches of colour.

Lariss eventually broke the silence, her voice contemplative. “I guess I haven’t really had a chance to think about what happens after this. Do I go back to the village and take up a support Class? Or do something, I don’t know – a bit more exciting? Like travelling to the Capital and joining a Noble’s Warrior caste? That is… I guess that sounds a lot better than going back to the same old shitty situation.”

Her answer surprised Katai. He hadn’t realised she was unhappy living in Tiaston. Most everyone depended on the village to survive and wouldn’t have it any other way. That would explain some of her angst over the years if she really hated living there and had no way of escaping. It wasn’t like they were paid to do their jobs, and money was required to enter any of the bigger cities.

“Well if you want to join a caste, you’re going to need some good Classes. They normally only recruit from within the Noble families; third and fourth sons and daughters and such, with Class combinations that are carefully managed by their families. You’d need at least two Uncommon Classes, if not higher tier. Preferably at least one of those with some kind of magic influence.” Once again, the dry lecturing voice had come back into play.

”For example, if you advance that Warrior Class of yours, you’d want to go for something like Fire-touched Warrior, which is Uncommon tier. Or if you were very lucky, Fire-touched Blade-master which is on the lower end of Rare tier.”

Lariss’ reply came quickly, a touch of frustration evident in her voice. “But I don’t have any magic! I’ve… I’ve tried a few things to unlock Aptitudes, but nothing worked.”

Kenemen smiled kindly at the feisty young woman. “What kinds of things? Putting your fist in the fire for as long as you could? Holding your breath underwater until you almost drown?” Katai smirked as Silas looked away. He’d done those things once upon a time, his thirst for knowledge and a ‘cool’ Mage Class overcoming his better judgement. Admittedly, Katai hadn’t really tried to stop him either.

“Unlocking an Aptitude is much more difficult than just burning yourself once or twice. It requires sustained effort and specific training. The only reason you can’t unlock a small amount of aptitude is if you have a natural aptitude for an opposing element. Like Katai here has a natural aptitude for Blood and Life magic, so he’d never be able to unlock anything related to Void. Which is the preferred scenario, as once you find a magic you can’t unlock, you know you’re going to have a natural, higher, aptitude in an opposing magic.”

At his words, Lariss practically lit up, and even Silas and Katai couldn’t help but perk up with interest. Taking a quick look at his own Aptitude list, Katai asked the first question that came to mind.

“So what level of aptitude do you need before it influences your Class selections?”

The entire group was listening as they trudged along. Everyone kept a keen eye out on their surroundings of course, but there were a lot of glances towards Kenemen as they walked through the fields.

“That is actually one of the few things that stays consistent across the human race. Well, at least, according to the Scholars. As you all should know, requirements for the same Class can differ from person to person, even for identical twins. But aptitude has been shown to always be in the same range for the minimum requirement. Fifteen to twenty will influence your Class, allowing for a magic-touched Warrior. Forty to forty-five will unlock a Mage-related Class. Above that, there’s not enough people who’ve unlocked an Arch-Mage Class and were willing to share their aptitude, for it to be confirmed. The reports from the couple who did however, were above seventy. Obviously, very few reach those lofty heights.”

Huh, I’m not that far off those targets with both my Water and Blood aptitude. I could increase Water to fifteen or so, if Kenemen is to be believed, and unlock an Uncommon Warrior advancement. Blood however… I’ve been training with that for a few days now and not gotten a single point higher. I guess it gets slower the higher you go?

Lost in his thoughts, Katai stopped paying attention as Kenemen detailed some of the more common magic elements that he could test Lariss for. Water-touched Warrior? Was that something he could see himself as?

They had long settled into the monotony of travel when Yoto spotted the rock outcropping.

The dark spot on the horizon started as a pinprick that hardly warranted any attention. An hour later however, it had spread. Like a blot of ink, it seeped along the line of the horizon, thickening as they got closer and closer. By the time they could make out the jumble of rocks and torn-up earth, they’d formulated a handful of theories on what they were approaching.

“I still think it’s a river. Something’s dug out all that rock and dirt and now there’s a river there.” Silas said, his tone anything but certain. Katai could tell he didn’t really believe it anymore, the details surrounding the intriguing rock formations becoming clearer. There were great swathes of clear space before the disturbance in the earth, the only space for miles that was clear of colourful blooms. It was the first change they’d seen in hours of travelling through the sea of flowers.

“Well, I think it’s a sight better than just kickin’ daisies, whatever it is.” Lariss said, still frustrated at the lack of anything happening.

“Hey! It’s beautiful here. Nothing wrong with flowers, or a nice walk.” Surprisingly, Emilia spoke up voicing her disapproval. It was the first time she’d dared to disagree with anyone, which Katai thought was a good sign. Perhaps she’d start coming out of her shell a bit more?

They reached the line of broken ground after another hour of dull trudging, their lower limbs now clashing spectacularly with the rest of their clothing. The dull browns and dyed black and red leathers had splotches of colours staining them from the knees down. Their walk through the flower plains had left a permanent mark on them.

Lariss was the first to see over the obstacle, racing ahead as her curiosity and impatience got the best of her. She gasped and stood stock still. The others, tired and ready for a break, nevertheless picked up speed to see what was on the other side of the break in the ground.

There was no river before them. Instead the ground fell away, the broken earth where they stood the edge of a drop that continued for miles into the distance. It was like a giant had reached down and scraped out a huge furrow of earth, leaving a deep craggy valley. Except the giant’s hand would have had to be the size of several mountains.

There were no rolling hills or flat plains – it was all jagged valleys and clefts in the earth, overflowing with trees and plants along the many ridges. Because of their height above the valley, they could see how much of a warren it was – once ensconced within, you’d have zero visibility. It looked about as inviting as a field of pitfall traps.

The valley stretched as far as the eye could see, Katai squinting and making out the bare outline of mountains on the far side. Perhaps the Rift barrier they’d been following curved around the entire valley? He couldn’t see anything when he looked to the right, other than more valley. The Rift was massive.

Looking down on the valley, he spotted some movement on top of a protruding ridge. A tiny, squat figure clambered along the ridge, knocking down trees as it lumbered along.

Wait, knocking down trees? Katai’s eyes widened.