“So who are we waiting for?”

  Marsha turned to the freckled youth with fiery red hair and a lean frame who was the farthest thing from the powerful six foot tall Javelin thrower he had supposedly been before making what he had declared early that morning was the smartest decision of his life. Yet now the freckle-faced youth looked the farthest thing from happy, slender arms squeezing the wool grey robe all the tighter to him as the chilly drizzle continued to wash over the three presently waiting outside a domed velimobile.

  “We’re waiting for our fourth, Jack. It’s very important we go as a quartet,” Marsha solemnly explained to the scowling former hybrid tank.

  The athletic looking asian beside Marsha nodded. “We might be going into dangerous territory, Jack. And we both know there’s strength in numbers.

  Jack snorted. “Sure, but Elonia wouldn’t even tell us who we’re waiting for. Just said it would be a surprise. And I don’t know about you, but after waking up back in my old body… what feels like my old body… I’m feeling a lot more, well…”

  “Vulnerable?” Yuki offered with a wry smile, her slender hands reaching for a naginata that was no longer beside her. “Yeah, I know that feeling. Fucking sucks. But I have faith in our employer. Our friend. Elonia’s always done right by us. And if we can play this diplomatic game right and come out even a single territory in the plus column… we’ll enjoy perks and personal tutorship our future classmates will totally miss out on.”

  Marsha’s eyes widened, her mouth in a petite ‘o’ of surprise. “Wait, you actually know the Queen? Like personally?”

  Jack and Yuki exchanged smiles.

  “As a matter of fact we do,” Yuki admitted, letting the hood of her robe down to run her fingers through her silken hair. “We shared a lot of tough times and a few really sweet moments as allies against the storm that was the whole fucking Blackthorn Alliance.”

  “Even if it does feel like a dream sometimes,” Jack allowed with a shiver, huffing his cheeks against the chill. “But then again, when doesn’t it seem like we’re lost somewhere between dream and nightmare?” He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, his expression a mixture of discomfort and profound joy. When he next opened his bright green eyes, they glimmered with tears of joy. “But at the same time, with the air smelling of rain, damp earth, honeysuckle and countless blossoms, with the air alive with the sounds of flutes and dulcimers and choirs of hauntingly beautiful elven bards… I feel like I’m finally truly awake, truly alive after a lifetime of sleepwalking, and I’m on the cusp of a revelation that I can’t even put into words.”

  Marsha gazed at Jack with genuine awe. “So, that’s what it’s like to be a classer.”

  Jack shrugged. “Hardly matters. We’re all level zero Arcane Apprentices now, and if I’m not fucking careful, I’ll get a cold.” He pointedly looked at Yuki with her fingers combing through her hair, before he twisted around to see what had her staring with wide-disbelieving eyes as a smiling stranger quickly approached.

  “I don’t fucking believe it,” Yuki said with an awed whisper.

  Jack scowled, before doing a double take. “Fuck, have I seen him before? He looks strangely familiar.”

  Marsha had also paled. “The queen’s having him come with us? I guess this mission really is important, but why don’t we have a half-dozen of those half-step Bronze Paladins coming with us?”

  “Because they can’t leave the territory,” their newest member said, blond hair hidden under a hood identical to their own. “Name’s Eric. Pleasure to meet you all. Again.”

  Yuki just stared at him, hands still in her hair. “You.”

  Eric winked. “Who else would I be but myself?” He turned to Jack. “How you doing, Jack? I don’t suppose you still have access to your sweet and ‘leet double node Javelineer Spear Throwing perk?”

  Jack’s mouth opened in shock, his glare turning to a faint, puzzled scowl. “How the fuck do you know about that?”

  Eric gave him a sad smile. “Would you believe we were once pretty solid? Or at least, well on our way to being a tight crew after a deep Orange-Tier clear. You, me, Yuki, Richard, Steve and Emily. But not Ron. He was a sell-out completely in the pockets of a corrupt New York council.”

  Yuki’s daze turned to a hard-eyed glare. “Bullshit. We never delved together.”

  Eric gave her a pointed look. “Are you absolutely sure of that...with your kickass Dungeoneering node?” He said the last with a whisper and a wink.

  Yuki blanched and lurched back. “No fucking way!”

  “Totally way. But since you guys clearly have no memory of what really went down over the last three days, let alone the alternate timeline that’s now in place… maybe we should drop it.” He flashed a pained smile. “So, let me first apologize for being a bit of an ass, hoping I could spark a glimmer of something that clearly isn’t there.” He abruptly cleared his throat. “Hi, my name’s Eric Silver, and I’m looking forward to joining you on this diplomatic mission. Now, who’s up for a party invite?”

  Yuki and Jack closed ranks with crossed arms and scowls. Marsha paled, sensing the growing tension.

  “Um… guys?”

  Yuki glared at Marsha. “No fucking way I’m doing any missions with this cat until I know how the fuck he knows what he knows.”

  Marsha winced, looking back at the massive edifice radiating the warm amber reflection of the setting sun even though it was barely 9AM across the river channel that anyone with a lick of Arcane Perception could sense was truly profound.

  “Well, the queen and the headmaster are both sort of um… counting on us? And they even got this levimobile ready for us. Which, as you can tell, isn’t exactly common transportation around here?” Marsha noted, gesturing vaguely to the colorful manors and Tudor-style mansions, each with private gardens giving off the most delightful fragrances filled with haunting melodies, what Eric instantly thought of as the sound of tiny faeries tending those private retreats. And though there were impressive looking stagecoaches harnessed with silver-horn unicorns being tended to by liveried youths… coaches from which distinguished looking Sylvan lords and ladies gracefully parted with cautious nods in a grinning Eric’s direction before heading to one soiree or another, there was very little in the way of levimobiles or mechanized anything, in this particular quarter of New Arcadia.

  Jack gave a still grinning Eric a final glare before huffing a sigh. “Fine. He can come. Maybe that smug mug of his will actually come in useful.”

  Yuki smirked. “My thoughts exactly. We’ll let any hothead shoot him first. Give the rest of us time to get the fuck out before we’re swiss-cheesed by whatever hotheads aren’t accepting the invites.”

  Jack smirked. “You okay with that, new-blood?”

  Eric winked. “Glad you guys remember that much, at least. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  “What the fuck are you even on about—fine! Hop in back, because I’m driving and Yuki’s already called shotgun.”

  Eric shrugged. “Fine by me.” He turned to Marsha. “Preference?”

  She solemnly shook her head, giving him a weak smile when he opened the levi door and gestured for her to go inside.

  Within moments they were off, a bemused Eric noting that Jack actually knew what he was doing, fiddling with nobs and what looked like a mobile gear shaft that Eric still couldn’t make heads or tails of, even with his 35 Scholarship.

  “Glad you’re keeping us at a sane pace, Jack,” Eric said, earning a scowl from the rearview which worked exactly the same as those of every modern car that Eric had also failed to learn how to drive.

  “Well of course, grandma. All my stats were reset to baseline and I’m not a fucking idiot. I sure as hell don’t want to get whatever the equivalent of a ticket is here and I don’t think the princess… I mean queen,” he clarified with a look from Yuki. “Wants me running over all the giggling little kids who really shouldn’t be on the road anyway.”

  “Actually, roads were always for pedestrians,” Eric noted. “And both carriages and cars knew to go slow in the cities. It was only when various city counsels in the early 20th century were getting ready to pass laws restricting the speed of cars within city limits that the car companies started a massive propaganda campaign to vilify citizens crossing the streets as they had for centuries as if they were somehow in the wrong. Then it was the everyday citizen who found his movements restricted as cars claimed the roads for themselves, relegating people as second-class in their own cities.”

  Yuki frowned at this. “Seriously? I never heard that shit before.”

  Eric shrugged. “Saw a documentary on the evolution of cars and car-friendly cities once. All about big roads, zero sidewalks, and as few trains as possible, which all but compelled everyone to buy a car if they wanted to travel three fucking blocks without getting hit. We’re lucky as New Yorkers… former New Yorkers, to have grown up in a city that had pre-established pedestrian friendly blocks and a great transportation system. Mostly. But a lot of the country’s cities were ‘inspired’ by car-company kickbacks and propaganda that padded architects and politicians pockets to assure that cities would be hellscapes for any sucker that couldn’t afford a car.”

  Marsha shook her head, lowering her hood and combing back her hair. “That is so messed up. Why were corporations allowed to do that?”

  “Because people with power know how to play the system. Always have. Always will. And could we please not be a Debbie-Downer this whole fucking trip?” Jack said with a pointed look Eric’s way.

  Eric shrugged. “No problem. And if there’s a plus side… look at New Arcadia’s layout. Very friendly two lane roads with low speed limits while in the city that I’m glad you’re following, Jack, with tree-lined boulevards, pedestrian and shop friendly side-walks and lots of parks with both gardens and grassy fields to jog around or play with your kids in. Whoever designed this city clearly cared about the well-being of its pedestrians just as much as they did assuring the efficient movement of goods and people through Arcadia.”

  “Toot your own horn much, my dude?” Quipped a high pitched, cheerful voice from beneath Eric’s hood.

  Marsha gasped. “What was that?”

  Eric grinned, lowering his hood, revealing a snow-white bunny with red eyes like so many cute bunnies, comfortably splayed on his blond locks.

  Marsha’s eyes grew big. She bit her lip. “Ooh, he’s so cute! Can I pet him, Eric? Please? I promise I’ll be gentle.”

  BunBun gazed down at Eric. “I am so getting petted, my dude.”

  “Go for it.”

  “He talks!” Marsha yelped.

  Jack jerked on the wheel, but thankfully avoided any accident or the necessity for Eric to do anything but smirk as Yuki glared back at him. “What the fuck, noob?”

  Eric laughed. “Yes, BunBun talks. And she’s a she.”

  “And a mommy with the cutest little territory-claiming mini Bun that you can imagine!” BunBun sighed, before hopping into a gently cooing Marsha’s lap. “But I’m all about the scritches and the pets. I even purr!” She said, immediately doing just that when an awed Marsha began gently stroking her hair.

  Yuki’s scowl turned to a bemused half-smile. “Okay, she’s cute, and she talks. I’m guessing she’s your familiar? Okay, you’re definitely in the wizard camp. I mean, obviously, seeing as how you’re going to attend Mistridge with us in a week’s time, but um… I mean really a wizard. Or did you get private lessons already?!? I thought the moons had to be aligned or some shit before the semester officially started.”

  Eric grinned and shrugged. “What can I say? When you got it, you got it.”

  “Oh Eric, she’s adorable!” Marsha cooed, happily petting her as they made their way out the captivatingly beautiful city that brought fresh tears to Eric’s eyes as they sedately drove through, Eric not hesitating to wave whenever he caught an innocently smiling child’s eyes or the solemn nod of parents as they drove past, not trusting himself to speak until the city was finally behind them with final waves from the pair of gate-guarding half-step Bronze Paladins wishing them all a successful journey.

  “Dude, why are you wiping your eyes?” Jack teased as they began to pick up speed alone the perfectly smooth blacktop road that could have passed for an old-world highway if not infinitely more durable and cooler looking, at least in Eric’s opinion. “I mean yeah, New Arcadia’s beautiful, and we do risk getting shot at where were going, but still… I wouldn’t have taken you for being that much of a softie.”

  Yuki’s scowl had thawed. “Don’t be an ass, Jack. He hardly gives off adventuring vibes. Wasn’t he chilling in Freetown, living life in the Blue Palace quarter before the monster surge and everything that went on since then?”

  Jack scowled. “No idea. I can tell he isn’t weak… at least compared to a mortal. Skin's too clear. He’s focused, alert, and looks pretty healthy. You sure he hasn’t always been in New Arcadia? People do like to walk there.”

  Eric smirked, gazing down at the more innocent-looking of his two rings. “I’m glad my makeover worked. And how strong is a first-level noob supposed to look, anyway?”

  Marsha scowled. “What do you mean first level? So you did get private lessons?”

  Eric winced. “My bad. Forget I said that, please?”

  Marsh’s lips pressed in seeming displeasure before Bunbun’s purr filled the levi. “Less fighting. More scritches!”

  A mollified Marsha cooed and did just that, though Eric noted that Yuki was still giving Jack a strange look.

  “What the fuck are you talking about, Jack? New Arcadia’s only, well…” she glanced nervously at the picturesque landscape of lush crop-filled fields and apple groves they were currently passing. “You know. Our newest member was living it up as a party-boy in Freetown until shit got hairy and he fled.” Distracted hands played with a lock of hair. “Right?”

  Jack snorted. “What are you talking about? New Arcadia’s practically the linchpin of the Northeast! So saturated with magic… so many people, so fucking big! We’re, what, the size of Belgium? Somewhere around there? And these communities have been here for centuries!”

  Yuki blinked. “Dude, what fucking coolaid have you been drinking? Just days ago this was a…” She paled, catching Eric’s solemn head-shake. “Never mind. Point is, no. New Arcadia hasn’t been around for centuries! Our country’s barely been around for centuries! Hell, the ascension only started…” She scratched her head. “Fuck, when did it start?”

  “A little over a year and a half ago,” Eric stated.

  Yuki gave a relieved nod. “Yeah. That sounds about right, I guess. Sort of? Wait, wasn’t Freetown here already? I mean before the ascension? Grandfathered into the colonies or something?”

  Eric blinked. “Fuck, I had no idea that silver talisman would mindfuck everyone this badly.”

  Yuki scowled. “What the hell are you talking about, noob?”

  Eric gave his former friend of an alternate timeline a sad smile. “Never mind, Yuki. It hardly matters now. So let’s focus on what does matter. A successful quest complete and some sweet titles and perks! Am I right?”

  Yuki’s furrowed brow eased in a snort. “Sure, noob.”

  “Just call me Eric, Yuki. I’ve been in this game just as long as you.”

  Yuki’s glare softened into a curious stare. “I… you’re right, why am I calling you that, anyway? We only waited for you for like ten minutes. It wasn’t that big a deal.”

  Jack snorted. “We’re calling him a noob because he had no idea what he was doing and totally fucked up our…” Jack’s eyes grew momentarily glassy.

  “Jack! Eyes on the fucking road!” Yuki snapped.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Jack jolted upright with a curse as the levi lurched, before straightening on the thankfully flat, straight, and empty lane before them. “Sorry… yeah, what were we talking about again?”

  Eric smirked. “About you guys calling me by my name. Same courtesy I’ll offer you, no matter how shitty your level one driving is.”

  Jack scowled. “Level zero. We don’t hit level one until the end of first semester… I think? Since we’re earning our levels the old-fashioned way.”

  “By which Jacky-boy means studying and training like actual college students, not kill-farming like the power-hungry vampires we all know we pretty much were as delvers,” Yuki quipped.

  Marsha huddled in on herself nervously. “Wait, you guys are vampires?”

  “Hardly,” Bunbun snorted. "Only one person in this levi has any precursor Dark Fey proto-vampire blood in their veins, and it—”

  “Bun.”

  “Yeah, it sure isn’t them! Nope, they claim the potency of their kills and grow stronger, like spirit beasts everywhere. But the System also lets them flash-learn massive semesters worth of physical or arcane skills as if they had lived all those experiences.”

  Marsha’s eyes widened. “Wait, really? How does that even work?”

  Bunbun leaned into the scritches. “Puurfect, sweety! So, the System records all the insights, revelations, combat logs and final dying revelations of every classer everywhere! When you level-up, and put your points into attributes, the System boosts the potency of your physical shell. When you put the points in skills, it boosts both your cognitive knowledge and your muscle memory allowing you to better use those skills!

  “Common practice for the true elites is to never put points into skills except maybe a single one to get the basics down pat if absolutely no one’s around to teach you. Your goal is to then level it up yourself to at least Journeyman. If you can. So you get maximum bang for your buck with later ranks when it's far harder to level-up through practice alone.”

  Bunbun blissfully closed here eyes when Marsha began stroking her ears. “Some people like my master also worry that to many purchased skill ranks mean that it’s no longer your skill but a sort of collective skill that’s harder to level up naturally. But my daughter does just fine with her Epic-tier boosted Blood Lightning skill, so I think it’s more a matter of… the higher the level of the skill, the more overwhelming the download. So once you hit Adept Rank, it’s way too much of a trauma-inducing headache for most former mortals to dare push it any further, and then you’re slowly slogging through Adept tier which most can hardly do at all...but hey, you hit Adept-tier in your favorite skill! You’re awesome. Now go enjoy your life! Am I right?”

  “But it doesn’t work like that with the skills they’re going to teach us at the academy,” Yuki solemnly declared. “Or at least, that’s my understanding.”

  Jack absently nodded, his eyes now definitely on the road. “Because we’ll be dealing with Primal Arts tapping into entire dimensions of magic… not someone’s memory of fine-tuning a local Mana-dependent joke of a fireball… not that Steve’s Dark-Flame balls were ever a joke. And since these Legendary-tier skills are so new, I’m betting the System doesn’t have copies of other people learning them.”

  “Makes perfect sense to me,” Eric declared, taking a deep breath of country-fresh air. “I’m just relieved to hear that Steve’s okay. I know he didn't like Ron any better than I did. I’m surprised he’s not with you guys?”

  Yuki frowned. “He's on another mission. Who the fuck is Ron?”

  Eric shrugged. "Just an asshole not worth worrying about. Trust me on that.”

  “No, seriously, who is this Ron character? Jack, do you know who… shit, don’t blank out on me again!”

  “Then quit asking me stupid questions!” Jack snapped. “Can’t you see I’m trying to drive?”

  Yuki’s glare turned to a tired sigh as the tension slowly eased out of the vehicle. “Sure, Jack. Just concentrate on the driving.” She turned back to Eric. “You were asking about the mission, right?”

  Eric nodded, praying that Steve was okay, wherever he was.

  “Well it’s quite simple, really. We just announce ourselves via the Dominion Interface we earned back when we became Elonia’s champions when we’re about to enter a new territory. We declare ourselves white-flag envoys on a diplomatic mission. Protocols immediately fall into place, and the territory-holders can either tell us to go fuck off or accept a copy of Elonia’s proposal that I’ll hand off to whoever their representative is. Don’t worry, I’ll handle that part.”

  “Makes sense,” Eric allowed. “I guess we have the right to negotiate the contract terms? How much leeway do we have? Who’s signing off on any changes?”

  Yuki scowled at him like he was an idiot. “We’re not negotiating terms. We’re handing out the proposals and bugging the fuck out.”

  Jack nodded. “It’s really simple. We’re basically just certified mailmen dropping off packages and getting the fuck out. Easy mission. If even one of the half-dozen stops we get to accepts the terms, then we get a title, priceless training, and were memorialized as envoys who helped expand the kingdom!”

  “It really is a sweet deal,” Yuki said. “And from what our guidance counselor told us, the odds of us getting shot are minimal, so we’re basically maximizing just how juiced our boons will make us since we’re doing it at the very start of our fresh start!”

  Jack chuckled, animated smile once more in place. “Yup! The beauty of a do-over is having a shot at a perfect run.”

  “Damn right,” Yuki nodded.

  Eric frowned. “So, you’re plan is to drop off Elonia’s proposals and jet. No use of diplomacy or Negotiation skills or anything like that?”

  Yuki snorted. “Fuck no, are you serious? We’re level zero! My former class didn’t have shit in diplomacy and Rank 4 Seduction is not a skill I plan on putting into play, even if I do have access to it!” Her cheeks flushed brightly, eyes widening at her own confession, but Eric was graceful enough to act oblivious.

  “Fair enough. But let’s say that one of us did have a Negotiation skill. It might not hurt to see if we can actually put it to good use before driving off with our tales between our legs.”

  Jack snorted. “In case you forgot, we’re level zero. It’s not safe to stick around all the high level fuckers out there.”

  Eric dipped his head. “I get that. You’ll note I said use a Diplomacy skill, not get in a blaster fight with a bunch of titanium bucket heads.” Eric raised his hand at Yuki’s scowl. “Look, all I’m saying is we stick around long enough to get a response. If they say no-can-do, we just ask what we need to sweeten the pot. And if you don’t mind handing me one of the proposals… maybe I can set the stage to get a more friendly reception.”

  He sighed at the looks this earned him from all three of his fellow passengers. Save for Bunbun, of course, who just winked as she purred under the knowing hands of a girl who had clearly owned a bunny of her own, once upon a time.

  “Look at it this way, guys. It’s really no skin off your back. And if me just sweet-talking one potential contact into giving Elonia’s offer a fair shot who would otherwise toss it in the mud, that’s a free rank… no, two ranks in your favorite primal art, at least in terms of free hands-on high-intensity training, am I right?”

  The levi slowed, Jack sharing a quick look with Yuki.

  “Dude actually has a point.” Jack glanced at him through the rearview. “And considering how unlikely I am to have any talent for those Legendary Primal arts at all...You’re not shitting us? You actually have a Diplomacy skill?”

  Eric raised his hand and winked. “Scouts honor.”

  Yuki bit her lip. “I’m okay with it. Just keep it low key and friendly, alright? Whatever you do, don’t goad those assholes.”

  Jack nodded. “I’m with Yuki. We’re cool with it, so long as you keep it super friendly and chill. Remember, we do not have our former levels!” The freckle-faced youth who now looked no older than sixteen, just like Yuki, peered at their mostly silent companion in the backseat. “What do you think, Marsha?”

  Marsha flinched, clearly surprised to be included in the group. “I’m sorry?”

  Yuki took a patient breath. “It’s alright, Marsha. We’re just discussing whether or not it’s worth it for Eric to use his charm and sweet talk our contacts into giving Elonia’s offer a chance.”

  Marsha quickly nodded. “Sure! I mean, as long as they don’t get pissed off? And what if they demand what all the criminals in all my favorite underworld movies demand?”

  “And what’s that, Marsha?”

  “Money, of course. Elonia’s offers are big on opportunity, but not so much on, well…”

  “Cold hard cash?” Eric quipped, quickly scanning the document that was to be given to the Ashland inhabitants. For all that he felt just like he always remembered, save for his thoughts being a bit clearer and his memory sharper, his reading speed had definitely improved.

  Yuki sighed, stealing a quick glance Jack’s way. “Seeing as how New Arcadia has only had positive cash flow for two DAYS… it’s not like Elonia has much to offer in that regard.”

  Eric dipped his head. “Understandable. And that’s why we’re heading to Freetown before any of our diplomatic stops.”

  Jack frowned. “No shit we’re driving through it, or at least through the territory, seeing as it’s a fucking safe zone, but we’re taking the highway adjoining the city. Not going inside. Don’t you know it just got hit by a terrorist attack? Things are crazy and everyone’s really high-strung right now. At least, that’s what I heard from everyone that left for New Arcadia since yesterday.”

  Eric’s lips pressed in a hard line. “I know. Still, we need to go. I just sent a message to a friend. He’ll meet us there.”

  Yuki frowned. “Who do you know in Freetown?”

  “A gentleman by the name of Caliban. We have something of a working relationship. I think he’ll be able to help us out.”

  Yuki’s eyes bulged. “Fuck, you’re on a first-name basis with the prince of Freetown?”

  Marsha gave Yuki a look. “You guys do know that Eric’s a prince himself, right? Elonia’s sister? Because you and Jack were razzing on him like an old friend, or like a kid brother you half-like and half can’t stand. Not treating him at all like… well… like you would the brother of the queen you swore to serve. Are you guys sure you don’t know him from before?”

  Eric smiled but said nothing, content to let the pair in the front seats stew in that without any more input from him.

  “So, yeah,” Eric continued. “I just sent a message to my business partner. He’ll meet with us in the financial quarter which, thanks to some hard-working heroes who managed to diffuse a fuck-ton of bombs, is actually completely intact, unlike Blue Palace which you better believe will be getting rebuilt, bigger and better than ever.”

  ***

  The majestic landscape of endless forests and fields never grew old, resonating a cord so profound in Eric’s soul that a part of him just wanted to leap right out of the levi and race through the woodlands that very second, embracing the odd fae mood tingling through his soul.

  He just knew that if he closed his eyes he would see the smiling face of his future wife and somehow, by some glorious twist of magic and gentlest fate, he would finally be free from the crucible he now found himself embracing so tightly.

  So fiercely.

  So foolishly.

  So he kept his eyes open even when they watered from the sting of the whipping wind and the regret he refused even to acknowledge until that nostalgic ache of possibility growing ever fainter… and gone.

  Like it had never been.

  “Eric? Are you okay?”

  He gasped, wiping away the sting in his eyes, surprised to see Marsha gazing at him so sympathetically.

  “Yeah, I’m great. Why?”

  She flashed a sad smile. “Because you were crying.”

  “Bullshit.” He forced a chuckle. “There’s far too much going on for me to lose myself in any farmer-friendly isekai adventure, no matter how crazy the boons I received, without any farming class at all.” His gaze hardened. Marsha flinched.

  He swallowed, gazing down at the floor of the levi, voice a ragged whisper. “This is just one country. One sanctuary for elf and man. Even if Elonia’s diplomacy and Mistridge and the blessings it received, and maybe a bit of the phoenix’s fate, means it could be stable for a very, very long time… how many hundreds of millions of people will perish if we don’t do what needs doing?”

  Marsha blinked in surprise, mouth opening but no words coming out.

  Jack snorted. “Dude, why are you getting so fucking melodramatic? Hero complex much? All we are is a bunch of level zero Arcane Apprentices grasping at the chance to have a fresh clean start with more opportunities to advance than we could have hoped for before. We sure as shit aren’t the major movers and shakers that will be deciding Earth’s fate… we’re just lucky as hell that they’ll be going to class with us, those lucky assholes who can actually learn Primal Magics, and maybe if they fall in love with our school, and New Arcadia, they’ll have enough of a soft spot not to kill us all when they graduate? Maybe?” He stole a glance Yuki’s way. “What do you think?”

  Yuki flashed a sad smile. “I’m actually hoping I might be able to unlock at least one of those Primal Arts. Maybe Shadow. It would be so awesome if I could, and it would put me light years beyond all but the absolute elites.”

  Jack snorted. “Come on, Yuki. You know that’s not likely at all.”

  Yuki sighed. “Yeah, I know. That much was made clear to us when we begged admittance. We’re just getting in because we’re tight with Elonia.” She gulped, giving Eric an odd look through the rearview. “You’re… sister. Anyway, the point is that just getting through a few semesters and being exposed to legendary teachers manipulating a dozen earth-shattering arts in Hoggle-style classrooms might be all it takes for our System Interfaces to ring with a dozen Elite or maybe even Master, if not outright Legendary Class options. So even if we can’t access Primal shit, we’re still going to be better off than literally 99.9% of all other delvers. Or at least I hope we will be.”

  Jack grinned. “And no matter what happens, even if we burn out quick and say ‘fuck it’ we can earn another fifty levels and those points stack on top of our first fifty without any experience penalty! So when we’re finally at the cusp of Bronze, we effectively have 150 Class levels our belt, not the standard 100. And if we’re lucky, An Elite or better class will be giving us so many sweet extra points that we’ll be close to Level 200, compared to our original class.” He winced. “Or at least, my original Javelineer class. I know you were already aces with your build, Yuki.”

  Yuki shrugged, a melacholic look to her features, glancing at her as she gazed at the endless miles of bucolic perfection. “As long as we can put our past behind us, Jack, that’s good enough for me.”

  Eric ignored the emotional byplay and focused on the only thing that mattered.

  “Wait! There are class tiers beyond Master?”

  Bunbun’s flopped head was suddenly on top of his own, ears covering his face once more.

  “Duude, seriously?”

  Eric’s eyes bulged. “You’re damn right, I thought my—”

  Bunbun’s paw on his lips silenced him instantly.

  “A Tier-II Ascension Center is infinitely better than goblin shit, but it isn’t, say, a Tier-III Ascension Center, or Ultra-Tier, or whatevs. And in case you forgot, fearless leader… How many stat points were you getting per level before core saturation?”

  Eric opened his mouth, suddenly feeling as gobsmacked as Marsha had looked, just a minute ago.

  Bunbun snorted. “Exactly, fearless leader. When you consider just how JUICY you are… double-up bullshit… I think you know EXACTLY what your tier was, whether or not you were paying attention to the ‘Legendary’ word in your interface class notes, what with your Higher Order Transcendent attacks and ability to evolve into a PHOENIX!”

  Eric had the grace to flush at his familiar’s silent rebuke. The fact that Primal Adventurer had allowed him unlimited ascension was sweet enough. He had chosen long term growth potential over short-term power deliberately… and it was only his mother furiously yanking his own cords of fate that had him veering in the direction of blazing Gold… even if he wouldn’t ever go any farther.

  And considering that such was already Emperor-Tier… at least in this quiet corner of the Universe, who the fuck was he to pitch a bitch like a colicky infant? And even if he could ascend past Gold to Jade or whatever came next, how many planets was he willing to consume for his own ascension?

  He flushed with momentary shame, before rubbing his face with a soft chuckle. “The landscapes too fucking beautiful. And peaceful. Too much time to reflect and brood.”

  “You got that right,” Yuki said with a pained smile of her own. Intent almond-brown eyes peered into his own. “So, is it true?”

  “Is what true.”

  Her half-smile hardened. “Did we really, once… know each other?”

  Eric took a thoughtful sip from an instantly summoned water flask. “We did. We fought side by side, along with Jack, Steve, Emily, Richard, and that backstabbing asshole Ron who nearly got you all killed in an ambush outside the Orange-Tier rift we cleared. And may I say that your perk was exceptionally useful and awesome... and we were very lucky to have you on board.”

  Her reflexive scowl softened when she saw he wasn’t going to give the details away, understanding just how perilous that would be for her.

  Marsha did give them a curious look, her hand absently shifting the brown locks streaming into her face from the wind. “What perk is this?”

  “A perk that risked getting me into way too much trouble, so not something we have to worry about this time around,” Yuki said with a straight face, Marsha nodding her understanding.

  “I get it. All my abilities save for the general and arcane skills I learned are totally closed off for me as well, and they’re all reading as Rank nine or lower.”

  Jack grinned. “And you know what that means!”

  Marsha’s smile matched his own. “You’re damn right I do. Free Rank ten stat boosts, here I come!”

  Eric gave them a curious look. “But you guys are going to be hardcore training up your Strength and Vitality, right? Maybe even see if you can snag a point of Finesse and Quickness? Because that will get harder once you start getting skill stat boons so why not maximize the training points first and then shoot for the automatic Rank 10 free attribute points?”

  Jack laughed. “Sure, I’ll be doing that. But anyone who actually has a chance to learn Primal Arts will be grinding that shit full time. No doubt. Right, Marsha?”

  Marsha bobbed her head enthusiastically. “But I’ll still be taking a jog every evening to clear my head. It always helps me focus, and I think I look extra cute when I’m toned.” Her eyes turned to Eric, widening when she truly took in his form through his purposely baggy wizardly attire, flat against his chest and abs as the wind pressed against him.

  Yuki frowned, catching Marsha’s gaze. Her eyes widened. “No fucking way! You’re shoulders are that broad? You’re that cut naturally? That’s fucking bullshit!”

  Eric winced, giving an embarrassed chuckle. “Okay, I guess it’s confession time. My super loving and always understanding mother was really, really eager to see me shine for our latest production. And maybe that meant shooting me up with natural testosterone and maybe a bit of human growth hormone with a very, very careful eye on my jaw-line. Not my heart, ha ha. Just my physique and jawline. So… yeah. It seems like I get to keep my body in its absolute prime, and I can only hope that a natural 13 Vitality protected me from any long term health effects of my… enhancement. I mean, it should, right? We can recover from what would otherwise be fatal wounds after a single night’s sleep, so… I guess I’m okay?”

  Jack scowled. “Hollywood elites shooting up hardcore shit and looking way too pretty while the rest of us sweat bullets in the gym. Figures.”

  Eric knew he should feel relief with the acceptance he sensed from the others… but some things needed to be said.

  “Let’s set the record straight, Jack. I busted my fucking ass off, weight lifting, cross-training, doing sprints, and training with long sword, saber, and spear. Every single day. So yeah. I’m enhanced. Or I was. But it wasn’t like I didn’t bleed for it, and it wasn’t like I didn’t get my ass handed to me if I didn’t put 110% in my training, and my lines. Every single fucking day.” He chuckled bitterly. “Hell, even a half-assed performance would have done Mother Dearest proud, but I’m a hell of a lot better at fencing than acting.”

  Marsha reached out to gently squeeze his hand in sympathy before Bunbun conveniently rolled into her lap, happily accepting more scritches.

  Yuki snorted. “Momma issues much?” she said, but her eyes were twinkling with a half-smile, so Eric laughed it off.

  “Yeah. I certainly had a bit of that, once upon a time. But I’d like to think that Mother and I both ascended past whatever bullshit was holding us back, a lifetime ago.”