Aran sat before the fire, prodding the burning logs with a stick. Naya had silently offered some meat she’d cooked earlier, but he’d declined. He didn’t want to try eating again just yet. Maybe once he understood how his powers worked better. He looked across the flames, seeing her watching him, eyes meeting.

When their mana had met, a flood of information had passed between them in an instant. He now knew she was one of the Talani, a race of fox-like humanoids, and their surprisingly simple language. Even subtle queues like their body language had been passed across, though he was still processing that bit, as some of it conflicted with his instincts when communicating. He had attempted to smile at her afterwards to show his appreciation, but a strong instinct had overwhelmed him, making him stop. Apparently showing teeth was considered an act of aggression, or a way of showing off to a potential mate, neither of which he had been going for. He’d opted instead for a tight lipped smile, to which she’d nodded. After their exchange, she’d briefly touched her temple and said in perfect english: “I need time to process. We’ll make camp, then talk.”

Once they’d sat down at the fire, she’d removed the mask, revealing surprisingly delicate features. White eyebrows complimented the fur and hair, resting above those piercing amber eyes, which seemed to glow in the firelight. Her nose was slightly upturned and darkened to black at the tip, reminding him she was definitely not human. Her mouth was slightly downturned, and all of it was framed by a slightly angular face. She wasn’t what he’d call classically beautiful, but he had to admit her face was nice. When she’d begun eating, he’d caught a glimpse of the large, sharp canines that lent her a more intimidating look.

A soft growl vibrated over the night air, making Aran jump. The large rock Naya was leaning against shifted, adjusting its legs. Bu’umo, he was called apparently, though Aran wasn’t sure if that was the species or a name, Naya had been vague, simply pointing at the large creature when it had first appeared, nearly giving him a heart attack. As best Aran could tell, it was some sort of chameleon-bear hybrid, but larger than any bear he’d ever seen. His skin reminded Aran of documentaries he’d seen about an octopus, the way it could change its texture and color, which happened regularly to mask his presence. Naya and Bu’umo seemed to share some sort of bond. She never spoke to him, and he hardly ever made a sound beyond the occasional soft rumble, but she seemed to always know where he was, and what he was doing. Aran had attempted to ask about the creature, but Naya had sent a glance that shut off that topic of conversation immediately. Since then, they hadn’t spoken much beyond her telling him to sit at the fire.

Which brought them to the present. He sat quietly, contemplating as she finished her meal. This marked the second non-human he’d met, and he could only wonder if there were more species already on earth. Which brought a more pressing concern: why? The Judges had said humanity would have to fight, but after the first few days of monsters rampaging, and what he’d seen of Burville he’d taken the proclamation to mean just a fight for survival. And if human history had proven anything, it was that humans could adapt. But first the elf, and now Naya had shown up. Both of whom seemed to know a good deal of magic, while humans seemed to be struggling just to survive. And while Naya did not seem bent on killing him now, other races only sounded like one thing to Aran: war.

He shook his head. But why? Why would the Judges, seemingly omnipotent gods, just show up on earth, and force humanity to fight other races, and he had to assume other worlds, to survive? He thought back to his meeting with Night, and the incredible power she’d used to hold him without effort. Now her, he could see trying to take over a whole planet. Still though, he felt like he was in the dark, with more questions than answers. And if more races were going to show up on earth, it would only make it more difficult to find Narcin in the chaos.

He sighed. He needed answers. He looked across the fire, to find Naya staring back at him. He cleared his throat, suddenly nervous at the prospect of speaking after so long.

“You have questions,” she said, eyes boring into him.

“Um, yeah. Wha- Who are you? And why are you here? I mean, like, this planet. Not the forest…” he trailed off as she nodded.

“I am Naya, as you know. I came here… because Bu’umo and I wanted a new place to live. The Great Ones summoned a new Gate, and those of my people with the strength and desire were allowed to pass through. Bu’umo and I… we wanted to see this new place, and claim what we could before it is taken. It’s been many years since the last Gate was open, long before our time. It takes great magic to travel between worlds without the Gates, so we took the chance.”

Aran rocked back, trying to process all of this new information. “Wow. That was… surprisingly informative. So, does that mean there are more of your people nearby?”

Naya shook her head, somewhat ruefully. “No, the Gate places you where it wishes. This is why it is such a risk to go through, you could arrive in a cave beneath the sea, or in the den of a great hungry beast. Though I have not seen any beasts that could best Bu’umo since we arrived.” The large rock snorted in agreement.

“And, these Great Ones, is that what you call the Judges? That sent all the obelisks?”

Her brow furrowed. “White obelisks, made of crystal?” Aran nodded. “Yes, though the word in our language does not have the same meaning. They rule the cosmos, and when a world is ready, they elevate it, and… ‘grant the people self determination’, as the elders would say.” Her voice had lowered, thick with ridicule with this last statement.

Aran raised an eyebrow. “What is that supposed to mean? They said we’d have to fight for supremacy, then hordes of monsters attacked.”

She nodded. “Exactly. It’s all a load of dung. Our Elders like to say that, but only because our world lost the fight. The ‘fight for supremacy’ as you put is really just all out war for the Judges entertainment. They grant magic to fledgling worlds, then set them up to get destroyed by other races who want to conquer them. It’s different every time, supposedly, but there’s always war. And the new world rarely wins.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the heavy words saturating the air. Naya sighed. “My apologies. I do not mean to dissuade you from trying. I am simply bitter.”

Aran glanced down at the coals. “What happened when your people lost?”

It was a long time before she answered, and when she did, her voice was quiet, barely a whisper above the sound of the crackling fire. “We were pushed to the edge of extinction. My people are not warriors. The race that conquered our world stripped it of resources, turning most of it into an icy waste. Then they abandoned it, leaving us to scrape by on the dregs they missed. We were farmers, before the Great Ones arrived. Before they put us on the chopping block, dicing our world up for the next one to devour. Even with the magic they brought, we can barely feed ourselves. It’s been over a thousand years since we lost, and still our world is barely able to support us.” She breathed deeply of the crisp night air.

“When new worlds are elevated, a Gate opens on each world, to send through warriors. I came, because there is barely enough food to go around. Once this world’s fate is decided, win or lose, there will be a Gate back home. I can bring back food, and help. That’s why I came.” She fixed her eyes on Aran once more. “That is enough of talk for one night, and I am tired from forming the link. We will speak more tomorrow, then you will leave.” She said, abruptly turning, tail swishing as she curled up next to Bu’umo.

“Er, yeah. Okay,” he muttered awkwardly, laying on his back next to the log he’d been sitting on, letting the warmth of the fire seep into him. He stared up at the stars, imagining countless enemies among them, before finally drifting off to sleep.

-------

Naya laid beneath the stars, completely unable to sleep. Her tail twitched, and she wrapped it tighter around her. She could feel the steady rhythm of Bu’umo’s breathing beside her, the rise and fall of his body normally put her right to sleep. The stranger slept soundly across the remains of the fire, judging by his breathing. Her tail twitched again. She didn’t really know why she’d approached him. Or made the bridge with a stranger. That was reserved for close allies and family. This human was neither. And yet, she found herself trusting him. The bridge they had formed had shown her much. Her understanding of their language had improved dramatically, but she understood more of him as well. The meaning behind words was implicitly tied to the experiences they described. She could still feel the bond, echoing across the space between them. It would fade with time, but she could still feel the warmth in his mana, that belied an inferno hiding just beneath. When their mana had connected, she thought she might pass out from the sheer power in it. It felt like an entire star’s energy was contained within him, roiling just beneath the surface.

And yet, he seemed to be completely unaware. She rolled over to look at his still form. His power was uncontrolled and wild, she could feel his presence clearly, as she had the instant he’d entered her stretch of forest. He clearly had no idea what he was doing, which while slightly endearing, made him dangerous. He was like a child, walking around with more power than Naya had ever heard of. A child in a world that might soon be a wasteland. She shook herself, pulling her tail close. No. Aran had to leave, tomorrow. She was here to gather resources and return home to save her people. She could not afford to make friends with the native inhabitants. She’d already felt the presence of the Telin. If they were already here, this world was doomed. Best to quietly go about her business before the Gate reopened.