March 9, 2019. 8:05 am.

Rufka and I float over the city as we try to gauge its speed. It’s great that we got it flying, but we still need to link up with the others, and a floating city nearly a hundred kilometres across isn’t precisely subtle. Not sure what I was thinking when I activated it.

Actually, that’s not true. I was thinking having a floating city to fly around on would be awesome.

Flying cities. Better in theory than practice.

“So, we’re agreed? We should leave the city behind?” Rufka asks.

I sigh, putting extra emphasis into it. “Yeah. I guess I should just be happy that we got one flying.”

“You’re Vaus-damn right. This is a Silver-tier accomplishment.”

“Well, it looks cool.”

“And it’ll help get the others running. Being able to use it to get supplies around will save tons of time. Back to the others?” Rufka asks, glancing down at the glow that emanates from the campfire set near our warehouse. It’s amazing how often we still build campfires considering we don’t technically need them. But there’s comfort in it. Besides, it’s not like a small fire is going to give us away. Not when the city is once more swimming with Elswyrms.

“Nah. Let’s stay here for a while,” I decide while pulling her close for a mid-air snuggle. I haven’t been giving her enough attention lately. So, for the rest of the evening, I don’t do anything but spend time with her. It’s probably not as much as she deserves, but we do have a fun night. And without Smoulder around, we end up getting a lot less sleep than usual. Because… reasons.

In the morning we join the others for breakfast, who’re chatting about our plan to leave the city behind. While they’re talking, I pluck a skewer from my inventory. Hmm, teriyaki.

“I wish we could set the city back down. It’s going to stand out like this,” Roberts observes, changed from his casual brown suit to his more robust set of dark leathers. Crafted from the hide of a mana-beast called a Peither, they provide him with a significant Health edge at the cost of Stamina. Even better, it stacks with his self-armor ability, allowing him to achieve the fully-leathered biker with batwings look. Well, except he doesn’t have the long hair or tattoos I’m used to seeing on bikers.

“Yeah, but we’d lose half a day just turning it back. We’ve got everything set up to stop it. Let’s just park it here. It’s not like Burnesq is even in the best condition. There are tons of better choices,” Rose points out.

“True, but we’ll need every ship we can get,” Roberts says.

“We’ve been over this,” I interject, bobbing my hand in the water-blob I’m using for cleanup. “We’re focusing on the cities in better condition. Now that we’ve got one up and running, it should be easier to do the same with the rest. We’ve got it parked well enough it’s not going to crash into anything, the Elswyrms aren’t having a problem boarding and we need to find the others. Hopefully, they’ll have found Demo and he can carry us to the Western continent where the rest of the Sanctuaries should be more intact.”

“Didn’t Beth still want to visit the Pernian academy?” Rufka asks, plunging her hands into the ball of water after me.

“It’s on the way. Plus, there’s supposed to be a closed builder city nearby,” Roberts answers, snuffing the fire.

“Huh. Must have missed that part,” Rufka says, winking at me while Roberts isn’t looking.

“I wonder if there’s a better way? Like, do you really need the Sanctuaries to save Earth?” Rose ponders, barely loud enough for me to hear him.

“If we haven’t thought of one after two months, why would we find one now?” Rufka chides gently.

“If we’re going to find Beth and the others, we’d best get started,” Roberts says.

We only spend a few more minutes in the city, double-checking the adjustments to the levitation engines. With the controls unlocked and Rufka’s modifications in place, it’s a relatively simple matter to lower the city over a nearby valley. It’s still floating nearly a kilometre off the ground, but it’s not nearly as big of a mess as it was. And it barely sticks over the nearby ridgelines.

With the city secured, I seal the console in a solid stone building, obscuring it from a casual inspection. If someone wants to steal the city from us, they’re going to have to find it first.

The flight after that is mostly quiet. For me at least. Roberts and Rose are discussing the variety of flora here, comparing it to earth. I mostly zone out, concentrating on my issues with my tethers. Even now, with three people who I have strong tethers to within several metres distance, I find the connection grow faded. My other tethers are completely gone. The second I approached the remains in Pelwerd, they’d disappeared. It was like they’d been frozen in place and once I got close enough they ‘refreshed’ but were unable to find theit target’s new location.

I keep experimenting with the tethers, Anchor and teleporting. I can’t help but feel like there’s something about the static. Some way I can use my aura to counteract it.

The next couple days pass quickly, most of our time spent trying to figure out where the others have gone or dodging mana-storms. Thankfully, most are preceded by brilliant flashes of light as they make their way across the sky.

“I’ve never seen so many mana-storms in a season before,” Rufka comments as we wait in the latest bunker. It’s barely decorated. Between the number of bunkers I’ve been creating to avoid the storms and the fact that Smoulder isn’t around, I’m feeling less inclined than ever to create anything original. There’s still a table for playing Astra’s stride of course. We’re not savages.

“I’d never seen a mana-storm before mom became… you know,” Trellani says, breaking what had been nearly fifteen minutes of silence as she stared outward, only now coming to join the game.

“Mum told me Aethire was protected from them.”

“I’d heard we were protected from the worst weather, but I had no idea just… They’re so... Terrifying… But beautiful.”

“Indeed,” Roberts agrees.

“They’ve always made my skin crawl,” Rose notes.

“Mine too,” Rufka nods.

“Pretty sure they make everyone’s skin crawl,” I say, moving my piece to capture a large portion of Rose’s territory.

Rufka chuckles, “Not mum. She says they’re invigorating. All that raw mana, just waiting to be shaped. Course, she doesn’t spend time in them unless she has a good reason. No desire to be blipped outta existence, afterall.”

“See, I never understood that. Where do people go? From what I understand, the System doesn’t have anything to do with mana-storms. So where are the people the storms take?” Rose asks, making distressing progress into my territory.

“The storms never die. No new ones either. Least, that’s what mum says.”

“Wait, does that mean we’re being hit by the same storms?” I ask, staring uselessly up at the sky, my vision blocked by metres of rock.

“Uh? Don’t know. Maybe?” Rufka shrugs.

“Does it matter?” Rose asks.

“I guess not,” I reply, taking my next turn. “Wait, I didn’t mean to-”

But my words are cut off as Rufka cackles, using my mistake to make it across most of the board.

The rest of the game passes quickly after that with the storm passing just as quickly. As we re-emerge, I ask, “Is it just me, or are these storms getting shorter?”

Rufka’s already shaking her head, “It's not you. They’re definitely shorter. Guess they’re not just coming more frequently.”

We continue discussing the details of the mana-storms as we travel, yet there are no new revelations. We have six more storms pass over us in the next day before we arrive in the general area the others were headed.

There aren’t many landmarks in the area. Mostly it’s a vast tepid swamp, filled with gnarled trees and twisted vines. However, far in the distance an atoll stands, protruding from the mess below. It reminds me of the atolls I first saw when I was journeying to find the others back when they’d been kidnapped. The same atoll where we later met Theria.

This one has the same inaccessible walls, thrusting it above the swamp. If Demo hadn’t already told Roberts it was unclaimed by the System, I’d have thought it was a Stronghold.

Even though it isn’t a Stronghold, it’s where the others should be conducting their search from. And even if they’re not, they should’ve left an indication of where they went.

Luckily, we don’t have to set foot in the swamp. Just floating over it leaves me feeling defiled. I end up spending more attention than usual keeping the stench from filling my nose.

Even so, by the time we reach the atoll, I’m practically ready to soak in a tub.

There’s nobody on the island to greet us, but there are signs they’ve been here recently. There are several stone structures arranged in a circle around a central clearing. The buildings are different than I’m used to. Even though they’re made of stone, they’re carved with such intricate detail, I could mistake them for Bone and Hide. Each entrance is marked by a column with a name. There’s one for each of us, even though we weren’t even here.

Typical Tipan thoughtfulness.

Searching around, we find one of the buildings is clearly serving as their command. In addition to the clearly marked entrance, there are several stone maps scattered throughout the room. Most of the maps are covered with stone markers in the shape of an X. Only one map hasn’t been completely covered. From what I can tell, it’s just another expanse of swamp, though there are markings along the edge that align with another nearby map.

“It looks like they’re systematically searching the swamp. That’s not a good sign,” Roberts notes.

“Guess they haven’t found it yet,” Rufka grunts, picking up one of the stone markers, spinning it by the stand as she stares at the map.

“There’s a lot of swamp out there. What if his ship sank and only the force will get it out?” Rose asks.

I raise an eyebrow at him, then glance around the chamber where literally everything was crafted with magic.

“Okay, I know. It’s not that impressive compared to what we can do.”

Roberts steeples his fingers, tapping them against his chin as he thinks. “I think we should wait for them to return. They clearly have a system, but I can’t make sense of it. There doesn’t seem to be a point of reference.”

Looking over the stone maps, I have to agree with him. Maybe if one of the maps had the atoll on it, we’d be able to figure out the rest. But none do. Besides, it’s getting late in the day, and I want to explore what Tipan built for us.

“Let’s go see our rooms,” snagging Rufka’s hand before running back outside.

Just the vestibule is enough to make me gasp. Tipan formed dozens of thin stone flaps, creating a literal curtain of stone. Despite the weight of the material, it’s easy to push aside, making my way inside. But I don’t because I’m inspecting the mural she’s incorporated above the bench. Not only does the bench look perfectly sized for my height, Tipan’s worked images of everyone into the mural above it. In one image, Smoulder is sitting on my shoulder, with Rufka close at my side. Another has Rose, Josh and I all standing over a pool table yelling at each other. I only realize I’m crying when Rufka touches my cheek, wiping a tear away.

“Sorry. It’s just that-”

“Shhh. It’s fine,” Rufka says, giving me a light peck on the cheek.

Nodding, I turn away from the mural, pushing through the curtain into the rest of the home Tipan’s crafted. And it is a home. I don’t know why she put this much effort into something that should be temporary, but I’m unable to speak as we make our way inside. Immediately, we find an incredibly steep set of steps leading underground. Other than the entryway, the entirety of the building is underground. Yet there’s an abundance of light, massive skylights of quartz filtering the evening sun’s light down while providing ample protection from mana-storms.

With the ability to fly, Rufka and I could avoid using the steps, but I find myself trying them out. Each handhold is a different creature. Most are forms of mana-beast I’ve heard about, but have never seen, though I recognize the dragon easily enough. I have to turn around to use the steps properly, but I find they’re cleverly shaped, holding my foot in place with little effort while enabling me to descend quickly. Despite the fact the climb is almost vertical, I never once feel the need to steady myself with any of the many handholds. I still end up running my hands over them, however.

I barely notice when we reach the chamber at the bottom of the stairs, lost in inspecting each of the beasts Tipan has carved. So, it’s with some surprise when my foot reaches the bottom. Turning about, I inspect the next room, a dining area with such elegance I choke. Each chair is distinct yet shares a common curved arches theme with the table. And I can tell that there are enough chairs for everyone. There are also more murals, more images of our shared memories.

At this point, I almost can’t wait to see what else she’s done. So I charge through, gasping and gaping at everything. It’s all so beautiful. The rooms follow a curved design, spiralling around the outside until finally reaching a room that sits in the centre. Given the lack of sleeping spaces, this is most likely the bedroom.

Unlike all the rooms that came before, the bedroom is almost disappointing. There’s an obvious place for a bed, a beautiful wardrobe, and a surprisingly perfect dresser but the walls are blank.

I huff slightly, looking around. I’m glad Tipan’s not here to see my disappointment. And then I slap my cheeks. She wasn’t here to see my excitement either. She went through all this work, and she didn’t get to see my reaction.

“So, uh… Wow,” Rufka notes from behind me.

“Ha! No kidding,” I agree, turning to her.

She’s not looking at the room, she’s grinning at me. She runs a single finger down from my eye, along my cheek as she pulls closer. “What say we throw our bedrolls down, and make ourselves at home?”

Looking around the room one last time, I’m suddenly glad there are no murals watching as I pull Rufka in for a kiss. I barely remember to pull my bedroll from my inventory before we fall to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

…TPWM…

After spending time breaking in our new home, followed by a luxurious bath in the just as fancy as everything else bathroom, I’m feeling pretty good about life. Sure, my magic’s wonky, Smoulder is stuck in another time and none of us can communicate or teleport anywhere, but we’re still alive and together. And the others are clearly nearby.

I could worry about everything I can’t control, or I can put my head down and start fixing it.

I mean, we’ve been through worse. Now, how do I...

…TPWM…

When Rufka and I decide to join the others for dinner, we find them gathered around a large open grill in the centre of the clearing. One I’m pretty sure wasn’t there when we went inside. Sometimes it’s crazy how quickly things can change when using magic. I know if anyone should be used to it, it should be me, but sometimes I’m still surprised. Unfortunately, there’s still no sign of Tipan or Beth, nevermind Demo.

“Oh, hey you two. I wasn’t sure if we were going to see you again tonight,” Roberts comments from where he’s frying up some of the cow-like mana-beast we hunted a couple of days ago. I know that once he's finished, even with only a little bit of seasoning, the taste is going to be decadent and the meat's going to melt in my mouth. At least, when Roberts is the one cooking anyway.

Despite the smell of the meat causing me to drool, I still find myself blushing at Roberts' offhand remark. I mean, I know there’s nothing to be ashamed of, but still.

“Much as I love Lexi, there’s no way I’m missing any of that,” Rufka says, pointing at a slab that Roberts is plating.

“Hey,” I object, elbowing her in the belly, “I’m totally getting mine first.”

“Oh yeah? I’ll race you for it.”

“You’re on.”

Immediately the racing interface pops into view, asking me to confirm the stakes: Winner receives first access to the steak. Nevermind that we'd both get our steak sooner if we didn't race.

The second the countdown completes; we blast off over the swamp. Our race is close. There’s not much difference between us with all our attributes maxed, but I have a slight edge in speed. Yet not enough to matter. Most of the race comes down to who can nudge the other person into making a mistake.

Given how much we ‘nudge’ each other, it’s not surprising that we end up plunging into the swamp on the first major turn. As I pull myself from the swamp, we’re attacked by the vines themselves. It doesn’t take us long to put them down, but it does mean the race is over. I’m laughing at Rufka’s swamp-cat appearance as we fly back into the complex. She's wrapping a large vine around her shoulders as a scarf when we’re greeted by a familiar voice from the west.

Turning, I see Tipan and Beth flying toward us, Demo a short distance behind. I raise my hand, waving at them when there’s a loud plop, a piece of vine that had been firmly stuck to the back of my hand landing on my face.

I’m still gagging at the offending taste when the others land nearby.

“Hey kid, good to see you,” Beth greets, her laughter masked by a tight smile. I appreciate the effort.

Beside her, Tipan is having slightly less success, small hiccups of laughter ruining her dignified facade.

Demo however, lets me know exactly where we stand, “Yer about as fragrant as a Celix’s rear on Treller’s Eve.”

I’m about to respond, holding up a single finger. Then I lower my finger, stepping forward and wrapping him in a hug. A crusty, still covered in swamp gunk hug.

Now he knows where he stands too.