Three angry pairs of eyes watched Max’s every movement. The kitchen was crowded with many familiar, but hostile faces. First, there was Icarus; he did not adhere to Max’s request. Actually, he did the exact opposite. Don’t tell Vel turned to into him instantly telling Vel. It was early morning hours. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, casting long and deep shadows against the many buildings and trees. Vel, who is not a morning person, wouldn’t usually be awake for a few more hours. But now, she was.

Vel banged on Max’s bedroom door until he opened it, waking Clammy and Reep in the process. She said nothing, but her groggy and irritated face spoke for the severity of her anger. Not only had Max done what she specifically asked him not to do, he also woke up her early in the process. It had been close to ten minutes of her angerly staring at him. Max honestly wished she’d say something, her silence was worse than any potential yelling for some reason.

The last pair of angry eyes was the one that hurt Max the most. Emi. She, like Vel, had said nothing but through their bond, Max could feel her anger. She felt betrayed at not being invited and felt like she was not good enough. Maybe that was why she was so angry. She felt weak, powerless, and that Max would give up on her. Emi’s eyes slowly turned away from Max. She found comfort in not looking at him.

“Emi…” Max whispered aloud. “You’re not useless.”

If I ever go back, I’ll take you. I didn’t know you felt that way. I’m sorry. Max said through their bond.

If there weren’t so many people around, Max might have cried. It upset him greatly to have his bond feel worthless. Not just because they shared emotions, but because they were simply not true. Max thought the world of Emi. She was his first and only family member on Nava. No one could replace her. No one would even come close to the comfort she had given him. When he was alone, she was there. When he was sad, she brought happiness. When he was hurt, she defended him. The image stuck in his mind of Emi with a gaping hole in her side. She was not useless, and he expressed that to her through their bond.

Emi didn’t react right away. She continued staring at the vacant air. But as Max spoke through their bond, his words made waves. Raw emotion and warmth echoed against each other, amplifying, and growing. Emi started crying, Max join in moments later. It was too much; their bond was piggybacking off each other. Happiness, guilt, sadness, forgiveness, and anger all piled up. It was consuming and dangerous feeling. Max recognized it first and teleported away.

He quickly conveyed his findings to Emi who reacted as Max did. Total shut out. Their bond was cut off, something they hadn’t tried before but felt natural. Like it was meant for this purpose. Their increased heart rates slowly reigned back in. Their swelled puffy eyes dried out, and they felt closer. Once Max decided it was safe, he reopened the connection. He couldn’t feel Emi as her side was still closed. For some reason this reassured Max.

Their partnership went both ways. He wasn’t the sole arbiter of their bond. If Emi wanted to cut it for some reason, she could. Max teleported back into the room, making Reep and Clammy jump. When Emi saw Max, she reopened her connection. Chatter flooded each other’s heads, turning into a jumbled mess of words and yelling. Max, being the adult, took the high road and let Emi speak first.

Sorry. She said. Didn’t know. Feeling too much.

No, no. I was my fault. It should never have come to that. I’m sorry. I should have told you; we should have discussed it. I… I just feel so weak. I need as much mana as I can get to be able to teleport far distances. I’m sorry. Max replied.

Partner. Emi huffed.

It… It won’t happen again.

“Are you two done?” Vel chided from the side. “WE can’t hear you.”

“I don’t care that you can’t hear us!” Max snapped. “This is a private conversation!”

Vel’s eyebrow rose to high heights after Max said this. Reep and Clammy’s head snapped from Max to Vel and back. Both wondered if they should be here for this or if they should leave but both were paralyzed with fear of Vel’s retaliation. Icarus, who understood bonds, decided it was best to interject.

“They resonated, Veline. Cut them some slack.” Icarus turned his head to Max and Emi. “I take it this was the first time this has happened?”

“Second I think.” Max said. “First time was after the first encounter with Buzluc. I think… Maybe not… I’m not sure.”

Icarus chucked. “No matter. You were able to recognize something was wrong. That is good. You severed the connection I presume?”

Max nodded. “I take it resonating is not a good thing?”

“Not always, but in situations like this, yes. Combat is the only practical purpose for it. It can easily multiple your power output if used correctly. But as you experienced it can also hinder and, potentially, cause unwise fighting.” Icarus nodded to Vel.

Max thought for a few moments but was cut off by Emi.

“S-So-rreee!” She screeched.

Everyone’s eyes widened and all semblance of anger was drained away. Emi had been trying to speak for the last week and a half. This was her first word. It might be screechy and earsplitting, but it was a word. Max quickly picked her up and gave her a nice squeeze. The others spoke words of encouragement and love. Eventually everyone calmed down, and Vel seemed to remember why she was awake so early.

“Max.” She spoke. “Why did you go back?”

“I need mana, and for that I need levels or gear. It was my best bet.” Max answered firmly.

Reep and Clammy, who had no idea what Max had done, flicked their heads back and forth with the conversation. Again, they questioned their involvement in the kitchen but this time both decided they wanted to see the ending. This morning had already bore fruit with resonating and Emi speaking, what more could it bring, they wondered.

“We can leave Lesterwood and hunt together. There is no need to put yourself in danger like that.” Vel said.

Max shook his head. “I thought about it a lot. I will soon be starting classes, we might take a quest, there will be monster waves, I have lessons to attend and teach and I have to learn to teleport far. There is not enough time for me to go out hunting. Unless it is at night when everyone is asleep. When I don’t sleep.”

“Max you should sleep.” Icarus interjected.

Max regarded the owl strangely for a minute but remembered he wasn’t there when Max told everyone about his sleepless nights staring out at an open sea. Max proceeded to tell the bird about everything. How he usually practiced spells on the beach and how recently he found there to be monsters in the water. Icarus didn’t say anything, instead he relayed the information to Lester.

“Max.” Lester said speaking through Icarus. “I don’t like this. It sounds… For lack of a better word, fishy.”

“I know.” Max replied, not noticing the switch in who he was talking to. “But what else can I do?”

Lester remained silent for a long time. The air was filled with sniffles and clogged breaths as the winter air brought on allergies and pollen.

“Then be safe.” Lester finally said. Icarus swapped back after Lester took one last look at his wife.

“What?” Vel protested. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.” Icarus reassured.

Vel thought long and hard about what just transpired. Icarus, one for safety and survival, going against his moral code? Just so Max could get a foothold on leveling? As the thoughts clinked into place, it was obvious who was really speaking. But did that make Lester’s opinion right? Max had shown that he could handle himself in fights. Vel witnessed this firsthand in the battle against Mallor. He was resilient and creative. He could manipulate fights to go in his way and could outthink enemies. He has now survived three encounters with monsters close to three times his level. Maybe it was time for Vel to let him loose.

“Fine.” Vel cursed.

Max recoiled from the sudden development. “Fine?” He asked timidly.

“Fine. But that doesn’t mean I like it or that you will go in alone. Guess I’m moving a bed into your room. If you go in again, you will take Emi and I will be closer to heal you when you undoubtably get in over your head.”

“Oh… Thank you, Vel, Icarus…” Max said not really sure what to make of life anymore.

One early morning conversation had such vastly difference emotional dynamics over the members. There was seething anger, depression and self-hate, guilt and repentance, joy, love, and now, confusion and more confusion. Was it good that Max was going to have a guardian angel watching over him while he went deeper? Was it the right move for him to even explore the endless ocean? He didn’t know but would soon come to find out.

A wArning to all who read on: Heed the teaching of this book with careful decree, for powers and variables unknown to the masses are written in stone. A wary road is one of Dimensions and a worse life come to the ones who fail to traverse the ever-winding path. Be warned Seeker of Knowledge; life is a dead end for those of other realms. ▓▓▓▓▓ would have it no other way. You are warned.

“Well, that’s the best foreward I’ve ever read.” Max said to Emi. “Come with warning of death and twisty roads and paths. Even a redacted name.”

Max’s tone was one of sarcasm and humor. The Tome of Knowledge was not what Max was expecting. He thought it was going to be a manual or textbook about Dimensions. Now, he wondered if it was a written account of the author. Manus had implied that it was created by a researcher of some sort. One with ties to the Church of Knowledge and Ulis.

Everything is a mystery as far as I’m concerned. Max thought while giving Emi a scratch on her chin.

Max and Emi were sitting in the living room of the mansion. No one was home except for Icarus. The others were off doing whatever they were usually up to this time of day. Guard training, lessons, research, meeting, who knows. Max, on the other hand, was taking a break from working on teleportation spells. There was only so much he could do in one sitting. Staring at pages full of handwritten notes got old fast and continuous failed attempts on making a better spell was demoralizing.

Max moved on to the next page. The handwriting was smaller, neater, and less sporadic. For some reason the idea that the foreward was added significantly later than the first page floated around Max’s head. The foreward was almost etched in the page. Each letter was different sizes than the others, it was off center and crooked. Almost as if it was made in haste.

March the 5th, year ▓▓.

I have found reason to believe in other realms. There are the stories of the Heavens and Hells, but that is not what I am writing about. I have seen them. Something breaths parallel with our world, existing together in the same plot of space. I thought myself crazy, but when I started making inquiries… They started appearing. For what they are; I do not know. But I do know they are real. I see their eyes peering at me through the border. I do not think they know that I can see them, but I do not wish to test that theory. For now, I will continue to write my accounts as I see them. I do not know how much time I have left, but as of writing this more eyes have accumulated. Let them be peaceful, ▓▓▓▓▓▓.

March the 9th, year ▓▓.

My research has been tampered with. My lab, the place with almost all of my notes, has burned to the ground. I know it was the eyes, I know it. While I was away, they did not follow. All except for one pair left. I recognized that pair. They were the first. Blue and haunting, they followed me since that day… The others… I proposed that they were the reason of my lab’s demise. It only makes sense, coincidences like this do not happen. No matter. I have backups elsewhere. I must not make this mistake again.

April the 14th, year ▓▓.

I have finally procured a new place of residence for my research. It was tough, I have enough wealth to fund myself for many years, but as I went to rent a shelter… Unforeseen accidents happened. They are becoming more active. While last month there was only five or six, now there are a dozen… Maybe more. The only pair I can recognize is the haunting blue ones. Overly round and obviously non-Human. I’ve named them Cobalt; I think it is fitting… The village has started calling me names. The names… They all involve poor luck in some way… Misfortunate ▓▓▓, Snake Eyes ▓▓▓, and Blighted… But I know the truth… It is not that I am unlucky, it is that I have been marked by something beyond our understanding. Something that does not want to be understood. Maybe I should quit…

April the 28th, year ▓▓.

I successfully created and tested a hypothesis. I wondered if the border between worlds was physical. I already knew it was possible to reach the other side but nothing about the border itself. I sought out many hard to acquire pieces of equipment. Many had to be custom made. But it was all worth it in the end… I touched the boundary. I felt it between my fingers. It was the same as when I discovered the other side by accident. I felt sick. I had to release it. But my day had been made. I had a way back.

There are more eyes than ever before…

June the 1st, year ▓▓.

I have stopped all research and development of the other realm. The number of eyes and mishaps were increasing daily. Since my successful experiment, I have been encountering what the townsfolk call omens. At first it was a dead bird on my doorstep or a broken mirror in the tavern I frequent… My one true friend, ▓▓▓▓▓, tells me of the village’s whispers. They think I’m cursed. They say I should be thrown out. They say something bad is going to happen. And something finally did.

▓▓▓▓▓ was found dead in her house. Hung from a rope behind a locked door. Suicide they told me. I knew better however… It was Cobalt. Again, the other eyes disappeared and again something unfortunate happens. I decided it was time to take a break… Hopefully the eyes would be tricked and think I have lost hope in the research. I was right… Slowly they left. One by one, they had no reason to stay… Only Cobalt remains. I’m not sure how I know… But I think it is on to me. I will be more careful in my experimentations. Masquerade my research as something else…

July the 1st, year ▓▓.

Progress has slowed significantly since my last entry. Cobalt remains but only Cobalt. None of the other eyes have returned, and no other mishaps have happened.

July the 19th, year ▓▓.

I may have had a breakthrough. I am unable to test it however… Cobalt has been watching with greater intent the last few weeks. The villagers have decided to open an investigation into me. ▓▓▓▓▓’s death. They think I had something to do with it. The loons. Can’t they see that ▓▓▓▓▓’s death is not important? I am on the verge of something great! How can they be so blind…?

As Max read, it was very apparent that something had switched between the July 1st entry and July 19th. The handwriting was different. No longer did it write in straight neat lines, it wrote across the page at an odd angle. The size was sloppy and lopsided. It looked much closer to the foreward.

August the 4th, year ▓▓.

The villagers left me no choice. They picket at my fence screaming for my death. It was not my fault that the others died. They ventured too close. I told them to stay back. But no… They didn’t listen… No one listens… As the hours go on, I fear they will break my defenses and come into my home and kill me. I must flee. But I am surrounded, they left me no choice. I must pass over again. Cobalt watches my work intently. Soon other eyes arrived. They know. Wish me lu----

There was an ink stain filling up the remainder of the page. A spilled inkwell Max guessed.

August the 9th, year ▓▓.

If my calculations are correct, I have been in the other realm for three days now. I’m not entirely sure, however. Time seems to flow differently here. Or maybe it is the lack of sun. Day and night get blurred together. I have only ventured out of my home once. It was a mistake. The eyes all swarmed me. I had to fight them off. For some reason they can’t move through things in this realm. I have barricaded the door. They can’t get in… My food supply is getting low… I have to leave soon…

I have mapped their patrols. I know the pattern. I’m going to explore. I will leave this journal here; incase I don’t make it back. Someone may be able to find it…

August the 10th, year ▓▓.

This will be my last entry for some time. I have ventured out of my home and found a food source. It… was alive… whatever I ate… I ate it raw. It squirmed in my throat… But the outside! It was exactly as I remember! An exact copy of my world. One created and made of shadow, but a copy, nonetheless. I met someone outside. They showed me a way to safety. A copper mine, the village was created for, became our safe haven. ▓▓▓▓▓, is their name. I do not know what race they are, only that they are not Human.

From the little I’ve seen of this realm; I can safely say that it is wonderous. The secrets that could be found here! They make me remember why I have done this. They make me feel alive! But I cannot live safely here. Cobalt searches for me. I must learn to survive. ▓▓▓▓▓ will teach me. But I cannot be distracted by this journal.

I DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH TImE I HAVE. I PUT MY TRUST IN THE WRONG PERSON. ▓▓▓▓▓ WAS NOT TO BE TRUSTED dO not FoLLOW MY FOOTSTEPS DO NOT CoME HERE WE ARE NOT MEAnT TO BE HERE ONLY DEaTH FOLLOWS

December the 21st, year ▓▓.

I was wrong. ▓▓▓▓▓ is a great Human. I am very thankful for his tutelage. Cobalt is a savior to its people. I will return to Earth and share my findings.

Max stared at the last entry. His mind went wild.