The Voice was now obviously actively monitoring us. I didn’t know whether to be worried about the extra scrutiny or elated that the Voice seemed invested in our success. It obviously was a stickler for saying names right, and that in itself made me want to ask it to spell things so I could take phonetic notes.

  I pondered these things as I finally had enough experience energy to level up again. I only noticed because I was bored and decided to figure out what I was going to level up next. Strength was still the top of my list, but I needed to increase both my health and mana amounts to better survive. And now I needed to increase my potion resistance. Thanks, Juan. My level increased to 9 as I accepted the energy and I put my two stat points into stamina and endurance, bringing stamina up to 18 and my endurance up to 19. I noticed the number next to the PS level 3 increase to 18.5, and finally figured out PS meant potion sensitivity. That made more sense than what I thought it was. Health increased to 188 points, while mana jumped to 192 points. Not much, but every little bit helped keep me alive longer.

  We didn’t speak as we rode west toward the tall mountains. I vaguely remember the Rocky mountains of my youth in Denver, far to the west of the metropolitan city. Whenever we went camping, it was in those mountains. Estes Park was a favorite of my dad’s, but not the only one. I remember thinking those mountains were towering whenever we drove to them. The Rocky Mountains were foothills compared to these monsters. And though I had never seen the Himalayas, I doubted they would have anything on these peaks.

  The perspective was weird, as they seemed close to me, yet I knew we still had several days’ ride to reach them. Harper and Juan argued which pass to take, discussing the merits of each and which one was closer to where we were. I half-listened while I practiced looking at the levels of the horses and my two companions while we were in the saddle. The slower pace made it easier, yet having to focus my mind on bringing up the map just to focus on the different dots on it seemed inefficient to me. And it was giving me a headache.

  It shouldn’t have been so difficult, but the mindset for the map and the mindset for pulling up the information on the dots were slightly different. I found keeping both focuses at once hurt my brain. If I had learned and practiced meditation, it might have been less of a strain on me. But other than a couple of classes through the Uni rec and wellness center that I tried for the ‘scenery,’ I had little experience. Nor did I have the time between my classes and taking care of my brother, Sean.

  In a fit of pique, I glared at Juan with the mindset of looking at his information, as if I was also looking at the map. Above his head appeared his name, level, and some titles. I was so surprised that I lost it a second later. “Son of a bitch!”

  Juan and Harper looked back at me, startled out of their discussion of routes through the mountains. Juan asked, “What is it?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me I could look at people’s level and stuff without first going to the map?”

  Harper stifled a laugh, and Juan looked at me in exasperation. “Finn, I told you that weeks ago. Were you not paying attention?”

  “Weeks ago?” I whispered to myself. It was shocking to realize it had been almost a month since I’d woken up here. I felt myself beginning to panic again and pushed the feeling down roughly. I had ignored the insanity of being in another world and how fucked up that was for a while now, and I could just keep going on like this was normal. Just needed to keep reminding myself that I didn’t have a choice and that IF I wanted to get home, I needed to accept all of this as normal. Just another normal fucking day in this normal magical land full of bullshit quests and blood.

  I had no memory of Juan teaching me this, but I let it go. I would not argue when I was trying, yet again, to keep the gibbering monkeys that made up my psyche in their barrel. There were other things worth discussing.

  Harper saved me the trouble of having to respond. “I really think we should take Arnold’s Pass. It’s safe, easy, and it’s the closest one to us. Plus, there are messenger stations in the pass.”

  “Alright, Harper. You’re right. Arnold’s Pass it is.” He looked to the sun and back to the mountains. “Let’s not waste daylight. We have a ways to go.”

  “What about lunch? I doubt there’s a drive through anywhere around here.” A hard biscuit hit me in the chest and I barely caught it. Harper looked too innocent, and I sighed. “Thank you Harper,” I muttered. I munched on my biscuit in silence.

  *******************************

  It took us three days before the land rose toward the mountain range and we could see the opening to the pass. It was a gentler incline at first, but I didn’t have any doubts that it would get worse. The tall peaks belayed any sense of easy travel through their snow-covered domain, despite the grass and wildflower covered expanse the glorified trail wound about within. From what they had told me, Arnold’s Pass was one of the better ways to move goods and armies through the range.

  The air was cooler as we began our trek up the wide trail of the pass; the mountains looming above us. GB made a snort that I took to be a condemnation of the incline. Or it could have just been a noise a horse sometimes made. I really couldn’t tell, not being a horse guy even after being in the saddle for weeks.

  “How far is the messenger station?” Juan asked, looking ahead for signs of it.

  “If everything is the same as last time I came through, we should reach the first one about a half a day’s ride from here,” Harper replied. “And if we’re really lucky, they’ll have two or more people there.”

  “Wait, if there’s messengers, why do we even have to go over the pass? Why can’t we just send word ahead and wait for backup?” I asked. “Not that I don’t want to go over the pass and check out the shadow lands, but I could use a break. And any place called the shadow lands has got to be dangerous.”

  “It is not the most dangerous place on the continent, though more so than the area we just came through,” replied Juan. “We have to keep moving, though. Whoever is in charge of the war against the Empire may not be willing to relinquish any forces without convincing. Don’t forget, the council representatives sent Harper after me. They want me for something, not that they’ll get it, but it’s possible I can use that to my advantage.”

  A sigh escaped my lips. GB’s right ear turned in my direction and I patted her on the neck. She snorted again in return. I really wished I knew what it meant. The pass itself felt like a mountain, climbing to the horizon. It was beautiful. The cool breeze, the long grasses and flowers bending with it, reminded me of home. Of the home I had as a kid. Camping. It seemed better before I had to do it day in and day out.

  “And then we turn around and come back to take care of the bad guys, right? Are we going to let whoever they send back with us deal with them or are we going to be part of it? Cause I’m still not strong enough to be much help against an army.” I made some pew-pew noises, gesturing like I was casting at enemies.

  Harper chuckled at my display. “Whatever, dude. It looks like you’ve got a pretty fast draw for a lower level. Nah, you’re pretty much useless in all of this. Stick with us and we’ll keep you safe.”

  “And there goes my fragile masculinity. Seriously though, what’s our plan?”

  “Finn, we will have to travel with the small force. Depending on who they give us, we’ll be able to head down to where the Steel Falcon Company is holding the bridge over the chasm, take a few shots, and then let our allies clear the bridge while we head on to the caverns. They’ll then hold the bridge, decimating the enemy. Once we get back, you’ll be a bit stronger, but will still have to rely on Harper and me.”

  This was worrisome, as it sounded more and more that I was going to be here, in this world, for much longer than I wanted. Hell, I already had been, and it was gnawing at me. I didn’t feel any closer to home. God, how were mom and Sean dealing with this? Did they think I was dead in an alley somewhere? The police probably told them to give up hope I would turn up. They might have suggested that since there was no body, maybe I had just up and left! I felt bile rise in my stomach at the pain of what I was putting them through.

  As we rode on, I wallowed in misery over the grief I had caused my family. I had been avoiding thinking about it while focused on the next goal, getting to the next place, just living in the moment day after fucking day. I decided at that point, to not forget why I was doing this: I had to get home. There was nothing I could do about the pain or suffering my disappearance was causing my family. The only way home was to continue forward. I didn’t think I could harden my heart, but I had been just coasting along, the anxiety in the back of my mind.

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  I felt determined to do what needed to be done. Whatever that was, without compromising myself or my beliefs. Things were different here. Dangerous. Even with the help from Juan and Harper, I had to work hard just to survive. I was going to be lucky if I survived, if I didn’t lose my life or my soul in the process. I was angry and afraid, but I would keep going. Even if it took years, I’d get home. I would pull out the Poisonous Shot book when we stopped for a while to study it, see if it had any indication of what I needed to do to level up the spell. As it was my only Mage spell book, I would use it to get the spell as strong as possible. And I needed to find more spell books. I had to get more powerful.

  Just then, I felt like I was being watched. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a figure at the edge of the valley to the right of us. I glanced toward it, but only saw rocks and shadows. My body shivered, despite it being a pleasant day, and felt a deep dread. The feeling and the moment passed, and I went back to my musings, rocked by the comforting movement of GB’s plodding beneath me. I thought of Arilyn.

  *********************************

  Vexarith watched the new mage with excitement. They found this one intriguing. The young human was way out of the area they should be at their current level, and in fact they headed toward the biggest war this world had seen in generations. What an ambitious one this was! They looked forward to insinuating themselves into the boy’s life, his mind. In dreams, everything was possible. They would have to be careful. Their target traveled with some powerful companions, and they would have to do this delicately. Yes. Like caressing a flower, they would touch the mind of this human. It would be their greatest challenge yet.

  With a subtle touch, Vexarith reached out to the mage. “Just a little taste,” they whispered to themselves. “What is it you want, what you desire?” They got a flash of a younger version of the mage. No, a younger sibling. A mother always working. A beautiful girl, face lit by firelight. PULL BACK! The mage was suddenly aware of them!

  “What is this?” Vexarith stepped back farther into the shadows, disturbed by the mage’s gaze in their direction. “No, you can’t see us. You will not see Vexarith yet. Not until you’re prepared.” The demon felt some relief when the mage looked away. They knew the mage’s name now. Finn Walsh. What a strange name. They would need to think and meditate on this Finn’s ability to sense them. Maybe they would need another strategy. To use different tactics. Perhaps, perhaps, they could ingratiate themselves with the party somehow.

  The demon pondered various ways to do so and discarded several possibilities. It would not do to become the mage’s lover. But maybe a friend? They thought about the boy’s companions. An old man who seemed vaguely familiar. The Cambion, a rogue by the look of her, might be their in, so to speak. Definitely not one of their kin, and there weren’t many Cambions around. But the old man might be a problem.

  They would need to think about this. Vexarith felt a buzz from inside their coat. Pulling out a small, leather-bound book, they examined the message that appeared in its pages. The demon sighed. There was a job that needed doing. Everything else would have to wait.

  ********************************

  The sun was well past its zenith by the time we made it to the first messenger station. It was a simple thing, with a couple of small shacks, a well-established camp and cooking fire, as well as a couple of elves. Or who I thought were elves. I needed to learn more about the people of this world. They waved to us as we got closer to their position, apparently recognizing Harper. We dismounted and approached on foot.

  “Well, isn’t it our favorite scout! Still picking up strays?” said one.

  “Please tell me you have something to drink. All we have is water!” said the other.

  Harper laughed at the two men and rushed to embrace them. “Juan, Finn. I want you to meet the Ornac brothers, Jeffil and Dailen. Boys, this is my old mentor Juan, and a stray new to this world. Finn.”

  At Juan’s name, both men’s eyes widened, and they straightened stiffly, stepping forward and saluting him with their fists on their chests. “General Venegas, sir! Please forgive our lapse in discipline, general.” Jeffil said curtly.

  Juan raised a hand to his chest, “No need, I am at large at the moment. Please don’t worry about protocol.”

  The two brothers relaxed a little and Dailen looked at Juan, “Yes general, thank you. Can we take your horses? Do you need any refreshments or supplies?”

  The old man dismounted and smiled. “The horses could use some water and a brief rest. I also need to send a message to the Council in the shadow lands. Will that be possible?”

  “Yes general, whatever you need. Dailen will take care of your mounts, and I’ll grab the writing desk to take down your message.” Both of the elvish brothers rushed to do their duties, while Harper gave Juan a look.

  “Did you have to get all ‘generally’ on them? I had hoped to relax for a couple hours, catching up on the news.”

  “Get all what?” Juan chuckled, “That’s one way of putting it. But we don’t have much time for you to catch up. It’ll take another day or two to get to the top of the pass, and we want a strike force ready to go when we get there. If I can get the Council to just do as I ask without debate. It’ll take longer if you catch up on the latest gossip. Maybe we can leave a few bottles with them, though.”

  Harper nodded, and we didn’t have to wait long for Jeffil to come back with a small desk with paper and ink. Juan dictated his message for Jeffil, who quickly took it down. Juan signed it and the messenger sealed it. Dailen returned with the horses and the two quickly discussed who would run the message to the next station. Then they rock, paper, scissored for who would stay and who would go. I watched, fascinated, as they battled for the chance to take Juan’s message, fists smacking into palms. It took twelve rounds before they stopped tying. The seriousness that the two men gave this game made me worried it would come to blows.

  We all watched as the brothers found themselves tied with two wins each. “You know, if you face away from each other, it might make it more interesting,” I said. The two looked at me in horror at the suggestion.

  “But that’s against the rules! This is a sacred game, and nothing that could be construed as cheating is allowed!” exclaimed Dailen.

  Jeffil nodded. “Men and women have died because they cheated. Some have died because others have cheated.”

  I put my hands up, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know! Please forget I said anything.”

  They looked back at each other, intent on each other’s eyes. The interruption forgotten, they began what could be their last chance at the prize. One. Two. Three. Dailen won with rock, ending the tense exchange. Jeffil sighed as his brother whooped. Dailen grabbed the bag with the message, hung it crossing his chest and took off running up the pass.

  Jeffil brightened as Harper handed him 2 bottles of wine and one of brandy. Saying our goodbyes, we headed on. I looked back at the messenger station. “Why are they going on foot instead of horseback? Won’t we catch up with Dailen and pass him?”

  Juan shook his head, “Not likely, boy. Elves are quick on their feet. He’ll pass us before we’re halfway to the next messenger station.”

  Sure enough, Dailen ran past us with a wave not a half an hour later. We passed two more messenger stations before we made it to the top of the pass. It was much colder up there and the air was noticeably thinner. Though the peaks and the snow line were still at a much higher altitude, I felt like I was at the top of a mountain. And it was likely compared to mountains I had looked at back when I was a kid altitude-wise.

  We saw a rider ahead of us, taking their time as they rode at a slow walk. Beyond them was the final messenger station for the day, a much bigger place with multiple buildings. I hoped there would be beds and hot food. The man ahead of us picked their pace and arrived at the station before us.

  We were greeted by the commander of the messenger station, who seemed a little uptight. Her uniform was crisp and much closer to the uniform of the US Armed Forces than any I’d seen before. I assumed that the influence from the other Earth born, their inclusion in the Alliance Army, and the input of the Council led to such a design. There were even patches on the arm that signified something.

  “Welcome General Venegas. We have accommodations set aside for you and your companions.” She said with a smart salute to the chest.

  Juan dismounted, with Harper and I following suit. Juan saluted back, “Thank you, lieutenant. Good to be here. I assume my message is speeding on to the Council?”

  “It should already be there, General.” The lieutenant replied. “Our message relay is the fastest of the passes.”

  Juan raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Very good to hear. With that in mind, please show us to where we can get refreshment and let me know when you receive the message. I expect it to be here before I finish my dinner.”

  The lieutenant puffed up at the expectation with clear pride in her eyes. That message would get here even if she had to ride out and get it herself, riding every horse here until their hearts burst. Two soldiers took our horses, and the officer led us to a large building. Inside was a serviceable eating area with several rough-hewn tables and benches. The back of the building looked like a kitchen and the sounds of the cooking and the few tables full of soldiers and messengers, clinking utensils against plates and talking reminded me of the campus cafeteria.

  The food was better than I expected and after it was clear that Juan didn’t care about rank, a few soldiers and messengers joined us. A Cambion soldier sat next to me and grinned.

  “You seem pretty young to be in such august company!”

  I looked at him, his almost olive skin a tinge too green to be Mediterranean, his horns too prominent to pass as human. His youthful grin made it harder for me to place his age, but it was contagious.

  I grinned back. “Look who’s talking! What are you, 19? 20?”

  “God’s no! I just passed my 40th birthday! I just look good,” he laughed warmly and reached over with a hand. “Names Jerseil. Supply and Support.”

  I took his hand and shook it. “Finn. Nice to meet you!”

  “That sounds like an Earth born name. My mom was Earth born, from Canadia.”

  “You mean she was Canadian?”

  “No! She hates it when people call it Canadia, I found out from one of my uncles and I just can’t resist!”

  I laughed. The joke was so absurd and childish. I liked Jerseil right away. He had a very open nature and an easy laugh. We talked while we ate; he asked me questions about home and both of us laughed at shared stories. It was a good feeling, and I needed a wholesome, relatable friend.

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  Goals: As of moment I am writing this note, there are 25 followers! Halfway there! I really appreciate all of you and It makes me want to write more bonus stuff. Remember, the current goal is to reach 50 followers, which will unlock a poll for all of you to decide what kind of spell Finn will get next. After we reach the goal of 50 Followers, I'll provide a new goal, involving views I think. Maybe a bonus prelude story about one character. Maybe to be voted upon by you?