Neo awoke with one of the biggest headaches in his life, not even after going on a bender did he ever feel as bad as he did now.

Opening his eyes, his heart jumped into his mouth, for a second he didn't know where he was looking around seeing the 6 by 6 foot room with a toilet, small desk and mirror, the memories flooded back with short people, huge walking talking rocks and dinner, huge castles and the flute music last night.

Neo realised that he was in one of the cells that Bethany had let him use.

He got up slowly, the room spun, moaning he sat back down, he waited for the room to settle down then slowly stood up.

He waited again, as the world swam, as it passed he took a few steps towards the door pushing at it.

Neo notice the glow of the runes and heard a click, the cell door swung open and the brightly lit corridor blinded him.

After blinking away the blots from his eyes he continued the tormented walk to the reception.

He opened the reception door and dragged his wobbly head towards the benches and took a seat, looking over toward the desk he saw a very chirpy Bethany who didn't look at all like she'd been awake all night.

Moaning "How do you look so chipper this morning?"

Bethany smiled at him "Well I am used to it and gnomes are a lot tougher then you think, also I didn't learn about a new world yesterday, that’ll have some major effects on people so being very tired is a given. You might also be experiencing mana starvation as the flute had to of used mana for that light show."

She clinically seemed to break down the events and give a logical answer.

"Hmm." Neo replied "so I might have mana? Does that mean magic?"

Bethany's grin widened "Yes you might so we shall have to see about visiting the Academy sometime to have you tested and if they find you desirable you could get an invite to learn from them. And that would mean that you can use magic."

"Cool!" Neo said smiling

"But if you have a headache you might not want to go into the canteen as it gets quite noisy in the morning since there is none of the formality of dinner," Bethany said getting up from behind the desk.

She walked towards the door and turned "I’ll bring some food back for you so stay here. If anyone comes just have them sit on one of the benches until I come back."

Neo nodded cautiously and relaxed back into the bench and closed his eyes, a moment later he felt a kick to his shins which jolted him awake "Wake up come on, I have food for you and it's getting cold."

With the word food floating through his mind he was soon sitting up to attention and the smell certain didn't turn him away "Sorry must have fallen asleep again, thank you!" he said as he accepted the tray from Bethany.

Neo had a bit of trouble resting the tray on his lap what with the height of the bench being so low so he decided to sit on the floor and use the bench as a table.

While he had been fussing about, Bethany had pushed a button on her powered stilts which folded like a horse’s leg, stepping out of the machine she took the bench right next to him, maybe a bit too close for Neo’s liking but he didn't say anything.

Neo noticed that Bethany had slowed her eating pace from yesterday, he followed her lead and relaxed in the silence, soothing his aching head.

A little after they finished their meal, a male Gnome came through the door, Bethany got all flustered and started discussing the previous shifts work with him.

It wasn't long before Bethany came back skipping through the records room with the other Gnome also having a grin on his face as he noticed Neo was looking at him he nodded in recognition Neo returned the nod and felt there was something he was missing and it was starting to nag on him.

Bethany skipped to a stop in front of him and cheerfully said "Time to go see the Commander and then we can work out the rest after that."

Neo got out of his sitting position, picking up his tray "what should we do with these?"

"Will drop them off on our way it isn't too far out of the way."

Bethany guided them back towards the canteen before heading to the Commander. As they travelled further into the castle the corridors got smaller and Neo soon had to duck under the doors, while Bethany adjusted her stilts, it wasn’t long before he wasn’t sure where he was or which way he needed to go to get back.

Soon Neo was standing beside Bethany looking at a wooden door "Are you going in?" Neo asked as they hadn't moved since she stopped in front of the door

"He knows we’re here and he'll open it once he is ready to see us."

'ok, I guess we wait, patience is a good thing to instil in some employees' he thought looked down at Bethany as she started fidgeting.

After some moments she started pacing back and forth, Neo just stood feeling quite amused by the situation.

It was a good minute before the door swung open, and the voice of the commander sounded through it "Enter."

Neo followed Bethany, ducking under the door and went to close it but found it was already closing he couldn't help but let out a "ahah…" It wasn't that it surprised him he was just fascinated by the mechanical workings he couldn't hear any gears moving so Neo guessed there must be magic involved.

Bethany was standing at attention in front of the large wooden desk that dominated the room. The atmosphere was calm and the Commander seemed to be in thought, leaning in his chair looking a bit remorseful.

Neo looked around, found a few interesting items, the bookcase contained several books some he recognised Art of War, others such as The Prince and The Book of Five Rings.

It surprised him that the Commander had so many human books admittedly he didn't recognise a lot but a bit weird in a magical world aren’t the rules of war different if you add magic?

Neo pondered the question until the commander started coughing and brought his mind back to the present.

Once the Commander stopped coughing he checked that he had our attention, "Good morning to you both.” Sighing “Sadly not such a good day, we lost some of our best fighters to their wounds and some of the old boys left us last night so we have lost some of our heroes.”

Silence reigned in the room for a full minute before he continued “I have asked you here to see if you'd like a job, we have a construction project we are renovating the defence towers in the middle ring.

We will be replacing the stone towers wooden supports for steel and we will be adding a crystal spring to improve the efficiency of the defences. I have been ordered to get them built as quickly as possible as we are quite vulnerable to attacks.

I am offering you a premium contract to use your telekinesis to help place the crystal spring and steel supports."

Bethany’s face paled a little at hearing the middle defence towers were out of commission, which caused Neo to form some questions "Why is it so important to get these defence up I know I haven’t been here that long but I haven't seen the citizens in any form of fear."

The Commander smiled sadly "No you haven't been here that long which is why you might not have been here for an attack as there are dangerous creatures out there.

The creatures that flow through the bubble ways can be disastrous ruining entire city blocks or kingdoms on their migrations or just wandering the ways, also there are diseases brought by visitors that want to kill us.

That is why you might find it a bit cold here compared to the human world, as life here isn't as treasured as in your world where you do everything you can to find someone strong that can protect you, watch your back.

It’s why some kingdoms have slavery to work the most dangerous jobs as none who are sane enough would go near them.

It is also a reason that you won't see a lot of old people as in an attack they tend not to be fast enough to get away and why I have 4 wives so that I have the best opportunity for my legacy to continue.

So basically everyone will ignore you unless you're powerful or useful and if you die, meh…" He finished saying with a shrug, Neo finished the sentence in his head 'so if they aren't family then they won't care.'

"Harsh!" Neo said aloud

"Not really it's life, you get used to it and if you die you hope your family live through everything so more the better.

It’s why you won't feel any tension in the city everyone is use to the possibility of impending doom. Welcome to your new world"

The commander shrugged with a sympathetic smile

"So why don't you just leave the bubbles and live in the human world permanently, I don't think I have ever heard of monsters destroying cities?"

The commander grunted "You have a lot to learn, but to your question it is exactly the same reason you don't see us in the human world they can't exist there, it is the same with any magical being, we can spend a bit of time out there but we would have to come back eventually.

How long different species can stay out, depends on how magical they are, among other factors, fairies a day, dwarves months and it's also the reason why you won't find armies using the outside as it would weaken them."

Neo nodded in understanding "Sorry I went little off topic there, weren't we talking about a contract, so where will I stay while I work?"

The commander nodded "A good point boy, you could stay in the castle while you look for a place?"

Then Bethany spoke up for the first time "Sir if you don't mind, I'd like to offer my place I have a spare bedroom." She finished very red as the commander's eyebrow rose looking at them, a little confused then changed to one of cheekiness and happiness. "Of course I don't mind what you do?"

Neo looked at Bethany "You don't mind would you?"

Bethany twisted her plasma orange hair. "Of course not, silly."

The commander looked at the two of them and observed Neo as if he had just answered his question and a grin formed on his face.

"Bethany" she stood to attention "while I hash out something with Neo, could you take these files to the respective departments get my assistant to help its usual his job anyway but there are quite a few more than usual because of the tournament"

"Sir yes sir!" Bethany jumped at the task rushing while making a fumbling effort to grab the files, Neo helped her "How about you hold out your arms and I will place them on to you?"

Bethany looked up at him with watery eyes "Thank you, Neo"

It wasn't long before the stack of papers went up to her chin and move warily towards the door.

As the door closed behind her the commander burst out laughing, Neo jumped back not expecting that reaction "Boy, you’re quick off the mark, how long have you been here; one night!"

Neo tilted his head "What are you talking about?"

"You really don't know, tell me did you do or show something creative just to Bethany last night," Neo nodded "Did she then tell you her full name and acceptance?" Again Neo nodded "Did she then giggle and was generally very happy after you agreed and thanked her!" Neo gave a final nod a wave of foreboding over came him.

"Well congratulations you now have a fiancé, Bethany's a fine girl a really hot one, but no one would touch her because of her being a truth seeker they would worry that their secrets would be found out and hell this place is built on secrets, so you're not going to get any challenges because of it.

So take good care of her and remember her culture is different with rituals, beliefs and do's and don'ts of their own.

Neo was dumb founded "What! How can playing music be an offer to be my fiance?"

"Culture, Gnome aren't the strongest of species so their culture has developed in to one which is about intelligence, skills and art so an individual item that’s dedicated to that someone special is seen as an offer of marriage it is said that individuals can refuse if there wasn't enough effort or uniqueness, it was also an indication of livelihood if you were good at it then you would be able to support them or any others wives that you may want and they may want other men in return."

Neo found the commander’s way off talking about multiple wives it was… it was an odd feeling that made him feel even more like a foreigner. Neo started pacing back and forth as he reeled from the internal shock of being engaged! 'What the… jeezlouise, how can I of gotten into so much trouble so quickly.'

"So how can I break it off?"

"I wouldn't lad you need all the help you can get to survive and Bethany will be great for that, maybe lay some ground rules and talk it through, but she really isn't that bad looking, her mind is sharp and once they agree it is for life no matter how long or short."

"Why would she agree so easily she doesn't know me, I could be an evil person for all she knows?"

The Commander snorted "Not likely, those eyes of her shows a lot more than lies! She knew what type of person you were before you entered the BCIS, didn't you find yourself out of trouble a little too fast?

So you being a bad person very unlikely, she saw a strong potential in you to have magical abilities at least you have telekinesis which is a powerful ability in its own right.

Why wouldn't she accept you for her own survival she hasn't got any family anymore to support her so she needs to start her own, its instinctual."

Neo felt a little saddened to hear of her families’ death.

"So I should stay with her?"

"Do you like her, do you find her attractive?"

Neo thought about the Commander’s question he didn't dislike her, he thought she was cute and kind.

"Yeah"

"Then why not stay with her, I have heard of lesser reasons to marry someone."

Neo nodded considering of what he had heard he imagined that political marriages happen here, Neo definitely didn’t like the sound of that imagine hating the person you where marrying then having to sleep with them, he shuddered at the thought.

"I'll take the job by the way and I will be living with Bethany."

The commander smiled "About time something happy happened to that girl she was very spunky and confident, it'll be nice to see if you can get that girl back to the way she was.

Tomorrow morning someone will meet you at the front of the castle gates and take you to the construction site."

As they waited for Bethany to return Neo looked over at the bookshelf he decided to distract himself from thoughts of how to deal with the fiancé situation and pointed out a book to the Commander they soon got into a heated conversation about the philosophy of some of the books.

It wasn't until a knock on the door that the conversation petered out.

The door opened again Bethany came into the room "Done sir."

"Good, thank you. I was just having a lovely conversation with your Neo here, he is a very bright person."

As the Commander talked about Neo she also brightened.

"I hope you don't mind me staying at your place?"

"Not at all," She said jumping up and down very excitable, Neo checked the Commander's face and saw a huge grin.

"Commander, I'll happily take the job but I don't have a bank account."

"Call me Thra, then you'll need one soon, don't expect the same level of safety or bureaucratic bullshit here since everything here is fast paced and hazardous those things have not had time to develop much."

"Thank you Thra." Neo turned to Bethany "Is there anything you need to do?"

"Only pick up my items from security and we can be off."

Following the route they used to get here they eventually got back to the great hall and Bethany split off toward a dozen heavily armed guys, they talked and went and collected her items for her. She waved goodbye and continued toward the exit where Neo was waiting.

"Follow me!" Bethany took on a serious tone "Don't stare too much as it might make people annoyed and as you’re the weird one here you might get stared at. So have you enjoyed your experience?"

Neo thought through the day he had yesterday it wasn't too bad found a secret world, stepped on forbidden ground, got arrested by a walking talking rock, Met a kind and pretty Gnome, got engaged, almost got into a cafeteria fight with some dwarf, played an instrument that produces lights and headaches, used telekinesis and slept in a cell.

Might not have been the best but certainly, the most interesting, and Neo was excited to learn and experience more if only he didn't have to work.

"It was interesting, one complaint everything could have been a little bit taller with the tables and the doorways but those are minor issues."

But a snigger from beside him with her hand on her hip "Yeah isn't it annoying for everything to be such an inconvenient height."

"Oww, Yeah… I don't really have anything to complain about do I, sorry." Bethany poked out her tongue and smile broadly.

It took them a while to reach the edge of the city with its rich and amazing architecture, the first buildings were awesome palaces that reach 5 stores into the air, beautiful glasslike orbs floated around the perimeters producing a fountain of light. Different orbs gave off different coloured light, some blue, red green being the most common but a few were yellow.

Bethany noticed Neo looking at them and said: "Don't think too highly of them they are pretty but they are a defence system that can either shield or attack, they are like mini fortresses."

Neo was enraptured by them wondering how they worked, "do you know how they work?"

Bethany gave a short laugh "No, they are only made by a gnome clan from within the kingdom and they won't give up that sort of power."

It took a while to get past the palaces and mansions, eventually they entered the market and business areas, this was where Bethany suggested that they sort out a bank account for him and headed towards a domineering build in the middle of a line of shops.

The process was pretty easy he was also able to convert his cash into Scions which halved his current amount.

Soon he left with a new debit card to fill his thankfully very merger wallet "Well that's sorted which direction now?"

While he'd been doing that Bethany had bought some street food as it was just coming up to lunchtime.

Bethany pointed further out of the city and they continued walking eating on the way, to distract himself from looking at all the Lizard people, Giants, troll like things, Pointy eared people, and the odd demon looking thing he queried "Bethany, you and Thra said something about defence system?"

Bethany point toward a tower that stretched high into the air it looked much like a helter skelter but the slides part didn't react the ground, at intervals there were platforms with what looked like crystal sticks on them.

"The defence system is a tier system with monitoring stations that are situated at the entrances or exits of the scars. They monitor the beings that travel through it giving warnings to the second tier of defence they're the same as that tower with supporting offensive towers surrounding it. They slow down or defeat the advancing enemy whether they are flying or walking, then there is the third tier which defends the city itself those towers take a while to generate the shield to cover the district but if it fails then we also have smaller offensive towers dotted around the district which you can't see from here."

"Why don't you have cars or personal transport here?"

Bethany did stop at his question. "Look around you have seen the diversity of life here?"

"Yeah hard not to notice!" he said smiling Bethany returned his smile and in her sweet voice

"We don't have transport like you do because we would have to catering to all of the different species costing us money, space and grievances.

Anyway, you have those two thing on the end of your legs called feet you can use them to walk you know, anything you need on the other side of the city which is unlikely you can use a gateway and walk from there or use a bike.

Otherwise, you can get flying devices or mounts that will carry you but that's expensive, if you travel throughout the bubbles the terrain can change on entering them so some mounts cannot handle them, which makes them endemic to the bubble. Before you ask where we get our supplies from we get them from the human world and take them through the gates or push them through the bubble."

They had been walking for a good while and the buildings had gotten poorer compared to the lavish mansions. The two storey houses he saw now had a miss mash of bricks and building material built into them.

From just a glance anyone could tell that the building had been rebuilt multiple times. Bethany turned down another alley way before she ran up the steps of a house that was stuck at the end .

It was a plain building looking very similar in design as those around it with its miss mash of materials and sadly Neo noticed that the alley had signs that it had been recently rebuilt.

'Does she still live in the same building where her family was killed?'