9:09 pm, local time. (January 11, 1329)

Uthica is still staring up at Ukila as I pull her down behind cover.

“You seem surprised,” I note, waving my hand in front of her face to get her attention.

Uthica shakes her head before looking at me. “Hmm. I always knew it was technically possible to go up there,” she says, waving at the sky. “We’ve been working on the Thenite ships for years. Ukila was going to be our first step. But I was certain it would be decades before we set foot on Akilo’s sister.”

“And now you’re being sent by the System,” I nod.

Uthica’s expression darkens, her eyes narrowing as she bites her lip drawing blood. “It may seem unqueenly of me, but it feels as though something’s been taken from me.”

I nod, looking down at the encampment. “Well, at least it’s not going to be easy.”

At my words, Uthica’s expression clears. “No. It won’t be. That’s something. There’s still a challenge to overcome.”

“Weren’t you just complaining about how much easier it would’ve been if you had my abilities,” I tease, returning to my surveillance of the camp.

Uthica crawls up beside me, all four eyes locked on the movements of the Eldinsworn below. “Well, at least this time I should be able to achieve this without your help.”

“Oh?”

Raising her lower left hand, Uthica grins at me, twisting an ornate silver ring before vanishing from sight. I roll my eye, then a hand grasps mine and I can see her again, though only a faint outline. I can feel the mana flowing over me as she pulls me slowly to my feet.

With a single finger to her lips, she turns, leading me down the side of the hill with the sort of Agility that only an integrated being can display. As my first real test since being reborn, I’m pleasantly surprised to find I’m capable of keeping up with her. My movements aren’t quite as smooth, but Uthica is peak copper-rank, so I can forgive myself for only being about eighty percent as graceful.

I’d still be winning dance awards on Earth, I’m certain.

We slip past the guards, their vigilance as slack as I’d first thought. Then again, how many people have they had sneak inside a Nexus in the middle of nowhere.

Slowing just past the entrance to the camp, Uthica turns left, following the barbed wire until she gets to a gap between a pair of the concrete buildings on the edge of the complex. I almost reach out to touch the rough surface but catch myself. They could be warded. It’s a shame. I haven’t seen concrete since we arrived on Akilo. Never thought concrete of all things would make me nostalgic.

We push between the concrete buildings. The lack of colourful graffiti and traffic grease dulling the nostalgia. Suddenly, I’m wishing I could reshape it. It’s not proper concrete without graffiti. Not that I’ve ever sprayed graffiti on anything in my life before.

First time for everything.

Keeping my vandalism in check, Uthica stops just before the central thoroughfare. Checking both directions, she steps back and goes full System-blank, her hand still grasped tightly around mine and her eyes vacant. A second later, I feel an energy surrounding us.

I Pause time.

If the System is going to be nice enough to give me an example of how it teleports people between planets, I’m certainly not going to turn down the opportunity to study it.

The process is surprisingly similar to the System’s regular teleportation method. The only differences are a slightly streamlined targeting algorithm, and reinforcement to the energy storage segment of the spell, making it more robust. Probably because it takes more energy to transfer someone to an entirely different planet.

Who would’ve thunk it?

With the amount of proficiency I’ve gained with the System’s teleportation network, the symbol for our destination is nearly decipherable, with only a single unfamiliar symbol. I’m guessing that must be the symbol for Ukila.

Even as I memorize the symbol, the spell kicks into full effect. Witnessing the depths of space whirring past while within the protection of the System’s teleportation is simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying.

Smoulder doesn’t share in my enjoyment, though thankfully, she’s far less aware of the effect.

Emptiness stretches out, filled with brilliant points of light, and on either side is an orb of green and blue. It should make me feel small.

Instead, I feel at peace.

And then we’re standing in a paved clearing on Ukila, welcomed to a new world with all the love of the old.

The guns pointed in our direction are a nice touch.

I want to laugh at the guns.

They resemble early earth muskets, but with the enchanted runes along their sides, I suspect they’re deadlier. The guns waver after a second, their wielders unable to find a target. Invisibility would make that harder.

Deciding that remaining where we arrived is a key ingredient in the recipe for getting shot, I teleport us to a nearby roof to watch. There seems to be confusion as several of the people who were pointing guns at us start shouting at each other in an unfamiliar language. They seem to be a mix of K’tharn and Eldinsworn, though there are a lot more K’tharn than Eldinsworn.

One of the K’tharn pokes at the spot we were just standing, immediately eliciting shouts from their comrades, one of whom pulls the K’tharn back. When nothing happens, the confusion escalates, and with it the voices of the soldier. A single voice barks out. The mumbling stops as the confused Eldinsworn and K’tharn form ranks, their rifles held clasped behind their backs.

That seems like a horrible parade rest position. Which is probably the point.

A person in a fancier looking outfit emerges from an invisible building, walking toward the waiting soldiers.

Part of me wants to stay and watch. But Uthica’s pulling at my hand. Before I let her pull me away, I attach a tether to an Eldinsworn with caramel skin, for later recon.

Following Uthica to the far side of the roof, I hear a woman’s barking voice behind us as Uthica points to a distant mountain. I nod, selecting a nice-looking valley with a stream running through it. The stream plummets off a cliff that looks to be hundreds of meters tall. It should give us a modicum of privacy.

With a blink, we arrive, and my stomach rumbles again. Louder this time.

“Well, that was interesting. Invisible buildings. People the System doesn’t register. Travelling to another planet,” Uthica says, staring up at Akilo.

“The Eldinsworn or the Ukila natives?” I ask, looking at the valley walls, searching for a good spot to form a hidden shelter.

“Natives?” Uthica responds, finally noticing me reforming an empty gully I found in the valley wall. “What are you doing?”

“Setting up camp,” I answer, though I stop at her question. “Do you think we should go further?”

“No. I’m… not used to travelling without an entourage. Or without my tent. I was so enthralled with your magic; I acted like a cub. We should’ve returned to father. I didn’t even message him first.”

I nod, resuming my work, Smoulder doubtful about my efforts when I don’t have a giant bunny head over the entrance. Stealth, my little friend, means not letting everyone know you were here. But have some headscritches.

With Smoulder satisfied and Uthica gazing off into the sunset… Or is it sunrise? Hard to tell.

Either way, I complete work on our humble nest for the night. It’s surprising how much harder it is now that my earth-manipulation has been reduced. But in the time I’m working, I’m able to apply techniques from metal and stone-manipulation, improving my efficiency. Not a lot, but it’s encouraging. Already, my skill is recovering. It’s slower progress than I’d like, but… I have time.

The thought stops me.

How long will I be able to stay here before I return to the present?

Will I be able to return to the present?

I don’t even know how I got here.

Will Rufka forget me?

Leaning against the desk, I shake my head. Now I’m just being silly. Even if Rufka never sees me again, she’ll remember me. As long as I don’t accidentally delete her from time…

Deep breath. She’ll be fine. Time’s rubber and all that. Smooths itself out.

By occasionally gobbling up entire planets.

But I’ve got the blessing. No deleting the people I love. It practically promised that.

Petting Smoulder aggressively, I’m still trying to distract myself from my self-destructive thoughts when Uthica wanders into the central lounge.

She takes a look at the scattered Smoulder statuary then back at me. “You know, I thought the statues were her work, trying to tell us something. It actually makes more sense that you managed to somehow make them by reaching through time.”

We both stop and stare at each other for a second before Uthica shakes her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “No. Now that I say it out loud, that doesn’t make sense either. I need sleep more than I thought.”

“Your chamber is on the left. I didn’t know if you brought a bed, so I made the room extra large. There’s a shelf in case you didn’t.”

“Thank you. I do have another question though. Why can’t I see you in the System? Are you an Eldinsworn too?”

“Do you want the long version, or the short?”

She considers me for several long seconds before saying, “I’d prefer the long version, if you don’t mind.”

I smile at her, patting the bench next to me. “Sounds good. Sleep can wait.”

“I suppose it can.” Uthica takes her place next to me, pulling out some food from her inventory. Then pulling out more when I inform her I’m unable to access my own inventory. Then I begin the story. I hadn’t been planning to start at the beginning.

But Uthica’s questions led me there.

“Well, you have my memories, right? You remember when I was just a kid, I went sledding with my papa. And how after that we discovered I could play with magic? Well, after that…”

Akilo Local Time: 3:12 AM, Ukila Local Time: Close to midnight.

It’s late into the night when we finally retire, the sun having set shortly after the beginning of our discussion.

Turned out it was sunset after all.

Sleep is blissfully empty of dreams or sporadic magical outbursts. But I have a new problem. I haven’t regenerated any of the Mana I used the day before, despite my System claiming I should be. I’m still sitting at three-hundred and twelve, the same as when I want to sleep.

And there’s nothing in my new System that tells me why. There isn’t even a condition.

It seems I’m going to have to figure out how to restore my Mana myself. At least my Stamina is replenishing normally.

Not keen to test if health does. Not until I can figure out Mana and I have a proper healing item.

Uthica is still sleeping, so I go out into the valley, having an early shower while Smoulder keeps watch. Watching the water pool, I remember what Wyonna said about time. It’s like an ocean. What does it mean that I’m hundreds of years in the past? Have I already altered events?

It doesn’t really matter. I can’t change it. I’ll just have to see what changes when I move forward again. And I will move forward again. But that means doing something far scarier than messing with Teleportation.

Testing Temporal-manipulation’s limits. Even with my blessing, the thought sends a chill down my spine.

But I don’t let that stop me.

I Pause time, the falling water frozen as I step back, leaving a me sized hole. The simplest thing. But it takes enough Facet I drop Pause. Right, need to get my regeneration solved first. Then I can start on experiments.

Finishing my shower, I turn my attention to the world around us. There’s plenty of mana right there. So, can I take it and make it my own?

Referencing the design of the mana-blocking and gathering device that once protected the mad Forerunner Folthka’s lab, I start constructing spells that reverse the flow of mana, directing it toward myself.

But I don’t cast them. Not yet. Instead, I wait for Uthica to wake. Then I explain what I’m trying to do.

“You’re not regenerating mana? A side-effect of your System rebooting, you think?”

“Seems pretty likely. Now, this is the structure I think has the best chance of succeeding. If I’m right, then if you create the structure using the System it should tell you, right?”

My System might be able to help too, but outsourcing to the one that probably has more safety procedures in place makes sense. At least for the first version.

I’m protected from messing with time, not mana. I also don’t have much to spare. Just making the models cost me a point.

Uthica squats next to my metal construct, studying it carefully before her eyes glaze over.

“Well?” I ask, tapping the metal sphere of runes with my equally metal hand. One I realize I might be able to cannibalize for more mana.

Uthica shakes her head. “It doesn’t confirm it as a spell.”

I sigh, but nod. “Didn’t really think I’d succeed on my first try.”

Uthica growls at the runework, “I wish I knew how long this was going to take. Not just getting your mana regeneration back, but finishing my quest and getting back to Akilo.”

“Right. Your quest, you never mentioned if it updated.”

“Defeat a Ukila Pandregen. Plus, a thousand lesser creatures scattered across Ukila. Have you ever heard of a Bitteler? Found a hundred and twelve kilometers to the North of Ukila transit point one.”

“Wait, your quest tells you where to find them? That’s great, that should make it easy.”

“That depends. What kind of enemy is this Bitteler? Does it feed on the suffering of others? Misdirect with illusions? I just… at least on Akilo, we have records of most of the dangers. And the ones we don’t, we can infer the risk from our legends.”

“Well, I guess that’s just more reason for me to have full mana. Better to have fully prepared backup.”

“Yeah,” Uthica pauses, staring at the tablet. “I think I have an idea.”

While Uthica tests her idea, I start transcribing the next six I’ve already developed. When Uthica informs me of her failure, I just nod, pointing her to the next one.

“Okay. I’m sure the theory of using Twilight to strengthen the bond is solid. But I don’t have the ability to use Twilight mana,” Uthica reminds me.

I blink, then look down at my designs. All of them require Twilight. It’s the most critical component for complex workings, so why wouldn’t they.

Sighing, I consider casting one of my designs myself. But that would just cost even more of my limited mana.

Marching away, I throw a rock at the wall. But not with mana. I can’t spare any mana. I suppose, in an emergency, I could refill by using a mana shard. But that seems… incredibly wasteful.

Thirty unique designs later, each with several minor adjustments, and not one works for Uthica.

I’m certain it’s because she can’t manipulate Twilight.

Which just means I’m going to have to teach her. Wish I had one of the illusion rings we used to teach the others.

“We should take a break,” Uthica suggests. “We haven’t even had breakfast yet. I don’t know about you, but I think better on a full stomach.”

Conceding, we sit near the edge of the valley, watching as the water plummets out of sight. I stare at one of the crispy bites of meat Uthica hands me, contemplating it.

Did the old System draw mana out of the air? Was it like photosynthesis for magic?

If it wasn’t, was it drawing power from somewhere else?

Popping the meat bite into my mouth, I savour the flavour as I try to figure out what I’m missing.

“Could there be another reason other than the fact you can’t use Twilight-mana,” I ask. “Maybe I’ve been hung up on the wrong thing. Your System will automatically use Twilight if you need structure.”

Tossing another bite up, I jerk my head to the side as Smoulder catches it out of the air, taking it for herself. After she ignites it into a ball of flaming ash.

Rolling my eyes at the waste of food, I scoop another out of my bowl.

“I’m not certain what it could be. Maybe the System just doesn’t want me to be able to gain mana faster.”

“Hmm. Maybe. But that doesn’t help, so let’s not assume that yet.”

I take another one of the bites, barely keeping it for myself when Smoulder attempts to catch it out of the air again. The next few bites devolve into a game as Smoulder attempts to snatch them away while I try to stop her.

Normally the game would involve magic, giving me a huge advantage. But without regeneration, it’s pretty much Smoulder’s match. Until she knocks one of the pieces over the edge. I wince, watching the delicious morsel vanish into the mist of the waterfall.

“How long do you think it’ll take for that to turn into mana-dust here? Do you think it’ll have the same rate of decay as on Akilo?” Uthica asks, staring after the lost meat.

I stare at Uthica as my brain picks apart her sentence. There was something… food turns into mana-dust if left alone long enough. You need to eat more to fuel your transformations.

Pulling another piece of meat out, I toss it into the air. This time I snag it away from Smoulder with magic.

When it’s on my tongue, I attempt to draw mana from it, letting it sit on my tongue. There’s a slight tingle, but I don’t know if that’s actual feedback or just wishful thinking.

But…

Leaping out of my seat, I charge back to the designs. After a few minutes, I come back to Uthica with our third design, modified to be more compact.

“Lexi, we already tried this one.”

“Yes. But we tried it on empty air. Try using it on this,” I say, handing her one of her meat bites. Of which she has her own bowl. Whatever.

She raises an eyebrow but doesn’t ask me any more questions. Her eyes get the Status glaze, and then she leaps to her feet, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me.

Good sign.

“I-I… t-take it, it worked?” I ask as Uthica giggles madly.

Uthica’s giggles keep building until she collapses next to the stream, worryingly close to the edge. Before she can send herself over said edge, I pull her back.

It takes her two minutes before she’s ready to speak. Even then she still giggles as she explains, “It didn’t… it didn’t just give me the spell. It gave me Twilight-manipulation.”

“That’s-” I start, but she holds up a hand as her giggles die down slightly.

“Not just… It gave me Lightning-manipulation… and Metal… And… I just…” Uthica’s giggles overwhelm her again as she flops backward in the grass.

I decide to leave her to it, not sure what to say to a several century old demi-god who’s collapsed into a giggling fit. Besides, I’d like to have some of that mana-regeneration. So, I place one of the bites in my mouth, chewing it as I cast the spell.

The rush as my mana is not just fully replenished but sent overflowing, knocking me on my back. There’s a soft feeling from my System, letting me know there’s a notification. But I don’t bother checking it. It takes me half a minute to realize…

I’m giggling too.

Mana’s a giggle-drug.