“We are ready to move in sir.”

“Five minutes. We still have to wait for the mage unit to set up.”

Captain Juhd of Renloc was leading an expedition to the Shallowkin Marsh’s. Juhd was a lazy and often spiteful man, one who hated politics and often volunteered for out-of-city missions simply because he was tired of inter-agency rivalries. Plus, the extra pay was nice. He and his team were among the elite of Renloc, a city slightly smaller than Lesterwood. But in terms of military power, Renloc was significantly more powerful.

Renloc was a frontier city, and monster attacks were daily occurrences. It was also home to the Delvers Guild. The Guild prided themselves in specialized expedition into the Shallowkin Marsh’s, and the many dungeons and ruins that had been created over the millennia. While captain Juhd’s normal outings were search and rescue of wealthy family heirs, this one was different.

On the outside it was a reconnaissance mission, one with drastic silence surrounding it. It was odd, Juhd’s superior seemed to have just as little information on his task as he did. Look around this general area. Missions came up like this every now and then, but there was always background information, whether it was ancient runes, freshly opened dungeon, or bandit hideout.

No, Juhd figured he was playing into some [Politician]’s hands. The whole travel time to this very remote spot in the Marsh’s, he thought over many possible outcomes. A high leveled monster, a shrine to the old Gods, some rouge Renloc official, even a rare and highly sought-after herb. But why would he be given no information, those seemed like reasonable quests.

What he found when he arrived was unexpectedly bland. It was a simple cottage. A one-roomed building with a single door and window. Not even a chimney. But such a building was completely out of place in this area. The Marsh’s soft ground required buildings to have significant foundations and the building Juhd was looking at from afar was built directly in the mud. And for that reason, the captain choose to spend a significant amount of time with reconnaissance.

It had been close to a month when he finally choose to act. There had been no activity in or around the cottage, telling the man it was abandoned. But still, something told him to be cautious. Whether it was his years of experience or Divine intervention, he was going to do this right, even if his men thought him crazy. His team was ten members, including himself. Three were mages, one [Tracker]/[Archer] combo and the rest [Warriors] of various kinds. The captain’s class was [Captain], a rather unimpressive class evolution from a typical [Guardsman] class.

The class may be common, but the effects were no less than game changing. He could feel the members of his unit. It was one of the class bonuses, and incredibly important in the Marshes. With a distance larger than Renloc itself, the captain could feel his men’s health and mental state. He knew when they were in danger, when they found something, when they were headed back from scouting, and using this he would execute his plan.

It was simple, really. The mages would set-up around the cottage providing cover in the case of an ambush. The melee fighters will take the role of infantry and breach the main door, and lastly the [Archer] will cover the window. With everything in place, the captain signaled to proceed. Everyone was tense and high alert as they moved in. But their worries turnout to be misplaced. They kicked the door down without any resistance and took the cottage for themselves.

It was much like they expected. A simple room, with a bed, table, and furnace. The team combed through the room, finding nothing of interest except for a trap door. A metal panel stationed below the bed. There was no way of opening it, however, no lever, handle, or markings.

“Must have been a [Metal Mage], then. Or an item, I guess.” One of Juhd’s men said.

“Alright. Shuv signal the mages to collapse the perimeter and for Penelope to come in here.” The captain said.

Shuv saluted and moved outside. Soon the mages were close and Penelope, a [Mud Mage], was eyeing the trap door.

“I can open it, but I’m not sure if I can keep the hatch from falling.” She spoke.

“I can live with that.”

With a shrug, Penelope got to work. Mud and dirt started moving off of each of the guard’s clothing and boots to the metal square. It seeped into the small seems before exploding out in a dull boom. The cottage shook but the hatch didn’t move. She tried again, having expected the result. On the third explosion, the door was off its hinges and laying across the room.

“Good work.” The captain said peering down the open hole. It went deep, something that was rare in the Marshes. The cost of this small cottage must have been astronomical. The entirety of the hole had to be lined with brick and mortar. Otherwise, the constantly shifting mud would have collapsed in on itself. An iron ladder led into the hole, disappearing into the darkness halfway down. The captain dropped a small rock in and listened for the sound. It never came.

“I guess I’m going first.” Juhd said.

“Are you sure that’s wise? We don’t know what’s down there.” Penelope asked.

“No, I know it’s not. But I’m intrigued.” The captain put his leg on the first rung before adding. “Don’t follow me. If I’m not back in an hour, head straight back to Renloc.”

He began his descent before anyone could retort. After what felt like forever, Juhd reached the bottom. He stood in a few inches of muddy water. It was obvious he was in some sort of antechamber. There were two branches in front of him. One that lead off into a dark hallway and one what was blocked by fallen rock and mud. The blocked path looked deliberate, as if the owner set off a controlled explosion in order to block curious delvers from entry. He began through the open hallway with only a mana light lamp as comfort.

The hallway opened into a private dungeon. Cells with runic inscribed pain metal bars filled the entirety of the room. Shackles and decomposed bodies were piled off to one side, while torture instruments and jars of something filled another. As Juhd walked past the cells, he could see prisoners who died of starvation rather than torture or murder. Their skeletons were either laying spread eagle in the center of their cage or hunched up in the corner hoping for an ounce of warmth.

Something caught the captain’s eye as he shined his lantern into a particular cell. This cell seemed to be storage for the prisoners’ belongings. Swords and other weapons along with matching armor and equipment packs were all covered in mud and rusting in the pooling water. He began to search the items in hopes of finding some sort of identification. He found a familiar chest stamped ornately on a female breast plate. The crest of the Thrornsmith’s, Avery Thrornsmith’s.

“I guess this mission really was political.” Juhd whispered to himself.

But as he turned to leave, he felt a team member disappear. He hadn’t felt someone disappear in years but recognized the feeling right away. Someone on his team just died. The captain turned and sprinted back the way he came, ignoring the dead bodies and potential clues. A pang of emotion flared in his mind before going dark. Another one dead. Then another. By the time he got to the ladder two more were dead.

The remaining teammates shuddered in fear of what was hunting them. This type of fear isn’t brought on by armies, but rather a singular incredibly powerful enemy. Again, Juhd could recognize the feeling, it was hard to forget such feelings. He wasn’t even halfway to the top when the last four suddenly disappeared. All at the same time, one attack took out four elite guards. Juhd fumbled the next rung almost causing him to take a death plunge back into the darkness below. He hung there, afraid. He didn’t know what to do. Does he continue climbing? To certain death? Does he go down and hide? Does he set a trap?

An ear-piercing shriek filled the air from above. He tried to cover his ears, but the awkwardness of the ladder made it impossible. He had to go back down, he had no chance in fighting, the shriek told him as much. Through the shallow water and back into the prison. Past the dead bodies and individuals’ cells. He had only one option and it was hiding among the armor and items. He dug himself in deep, ignoring the smell and unnatural conditions.

A figure entered the room a few moments later. She wore a dark cloak with the hood pull over her head in such a way that her face was shrouded by dancing shadows. There was no sound as she moved, no slopping footsteps through the pooled water. For whatever reason, this made the captain’s heart race faster than before. Suddenly, the woman turned her head directly at the captain.

“Awwwww.” She fawned. “Your heart is beating so faaaast. Do I make you nervous?”

The captain didn’t respond, he couldn’t even if he wanted to. Fear griped his very being, freezing him in a bed of the deceased. His time had come, he knew, but as the moments went by, it was obvious that the woman wanted to speak. With the last of his pride, he forced himself to climb out of his prison, both in mind and reality. He met the woman standing tall and with dignity.

She’s floating. Juhd thought. Just above the water.

“Awww, there he is. The captain of a doomed patrol. Tell me, how did you find out about this place?” The woman reached out and caressed his face.

“Did they suffer?” He managed to stammer out.

“I’ll answer if you answer.”

The captain breathed deeply and pushed the woman’s hand away. “I’m not sure. I was told to look in this area. That’s all, even my boss didn’t know why.”

“Are you sure that is the answer you want to stick too?” The woman asked lowering her head to the same height as the captains. He couldn’t see her face but looking into the endless shadows of a simple cloak did more than enough in the way of intimidation.

“Yes.” He answered.

“Awww, well that’s fine then.” The woman seemed to ponder for a moment, “Your comrades didn’t suffer. One spell, one kill. No torture, the last four seemed to sell you out rather quickly. Not like I wasn’t going to check the dark spoooooky hole. People can be so thoughtless, you know?”

The captain couldn’t take it anymore. “Are you going to kill me or do I have to remain suffering like this.”

“Awwwww, you think this is suffering?”

Oh no.

“Let me show you something about suffering.” She reached an arm to his forehead and poured mana into a spell. The captain collapsed screaming. Pain like he had never known before assaulted his mind and body. Foam started forming in his mouth causing him to puke, but his stomach constricted in such a way that no opening for the bile was available. His toes and fingers curled into themselves, slicing deep gashes into his palms and causing cramps in his soles. Blood formed in his tear ducts and poured down his face. It was agony. He finally passed out.

He woke to a rat nibbling on his arm. His sudden movement scared away the animal but also sent shockwaves of pain through his body. It was hours before he was able to stand. And days before he was able to climb the ladder. It would be weeks before he was in a condition to venture out into the monster infested Marshes. The message the woman left him was clear. He was alive because she wanted him to be. He was to tell Renloc, and subsequently the world, about his finding. He gathered his unit’s personal belongings and found refuge in a nearby dungeon entrance.

Juhd never understood why delvers wanted to explore dark holes in the ground. Even if the there was vast treasures to be found. The risk was simply not worth it. But as the captain woke from nightmares of the woman, he started to realize monsters and traps were nothing compared to the real monsters of the world.

Spatial Gates, the shipping lanes of Nava. Gates connected the world using space magic, allowing one to travel vast distances in the blink of an eye. Of course, such a wonder was severely limited in destination. The cities these Gate were connected to were subjected to harsh import/export standards as independent nations and city states all had access. The creator of these Gates has been regarded as one of the most influential [Space Mages], let alone mage, of the modern era. She single handedly connected the world. Since his first experience with the gate, Max had been itching to revisit and study the behemoth contraptions. While he couldn’t yet understand the runes that went into powering and managing such a device, he was able to understand the basics of the space aspect. The issue was that the Gates were highly regulated and in active use, making inspection rather hard. He couldn’t pause a trip just to copy a few runes down.

But that wasn’t the reason he was standing before the Gate today. Today was the day Clammy and Bishop left to seek help with the Prophet of the Mountain. The trip would be unlike the journey to Esmel. There was no grand quest, death in the air, or problems to solve for the locals. Not even the travel time would be the same. While Esmel was actively growing in size, there was no Gate in the nearby area.

Luckily, the Ire Mountain Range had many Gates located along the rock. Many were even not currently being used because of potential dangers with changes in the area. Monsters, rockslides, rough terrain, were a simple few of the problem that plagued the many mountain hubs. The Gate they were connecting to was home to a small town. The population couldn’t be more than a few hundred. Except, the tourists and temporary worker population increased that number well into the thousands. The town of Urewl was created for because of the Gate. It is the closest Gate to Sky’s Deep, the capital city of Dwarves on the continent of Salarin. Sky’s Deep was a few days trek up the mountain. It was relatively safe considering the path was as regulated as it was. Patrols often moved along the trail, culling monsters, and insuring [Traders] and [Merchants] make their deadline. With some luck, Clammy and Bishop will be back within the week.

The Prophet of the Mountain was something of a mixed bag. Either he can be understanding, and help lost souls or be purposefully ignorant. He was what Bishop described as ‘the most powerful [Diviner] in the last five hundred years’, making him a very important person to keep happy. And Sky’s Deep insured that he was always happy. But Bishop assured Clammy that the Prophet owed him a favor.

Max wrapped Clammy in a tight hug, Emi leaning in also. “Be safe.”

Clammy hugged him back significantly tighter than he could with only one arm. “You too.”

“ByE.” Emi said, her voice still craggily and weak.

“Goodbye little one.” Clammy gave her a nice scratch.

Next was an awkward hug from Reep. Reep really wanted to tag along on this journey, but Clammy wouldn’t hear it. Her reasoning was that Reep had a responsibility, and she wouldn’t let her break it for something as simple as a trip up a mountain. Reep saw herself as a pseudo protector of Clammy. A Royal Guard if you will. She felt some sort of responsibility for what was plaguing Clammy, even though no one agreed with her. The two girls were both lost in their own ways before meeting each other, and now a common bond was shared.

Vel gave Clammy a small nod, who frowned and enveloped the old woman in a hug of her own. The curmudgeon conceded the battle and reciprocated the affection. Belopi gave Clammy a slight hug, before Celenia, who had taken the morning off from lessons, a hug. The situation was somewhat surreal for the Princess. She had never really had affection like this. Her old home life was nothing short of neglectful. Her parents loved her, sure, but they were never around too full convey that to the young girl.

Clammy had been thinking about her family a lot the last few weeks. Since seeing how Esmel was run and how the people at the top all seemed disconnected with their citizens, she realized that she was too harsh on her parents, her father in particular. Her perspectives have changed with age and experience, but that doesn’t mean she wants to return. Just the opposite. Back in Salae, Bella Salae was sixth in line for the throne. A throne that she would never succeed and a title that she resented. She never had any ambition to become Queen, nor was she raised too. Her parents purposefully staggered their children’s births, never allowing rivalries to form. By the time Bella would get her first class, her eldest brother would be pushing tier three. He wasn’t, but she didn’t know that. Her brother was something the royals were actually ashamed of, but again, Bella had never known that.

Her oldest brother lived an isolated life. Her mother had told her when she was very young that he was simply in training for becoming King. But the reality was much lamer. He was a drunk and a playboy. Whatever bar or tavern he chose for the night would be his home, unless a young lady took him to theirs for the evening. There were even a few close calls with assassination attempts. The hidden guards following the Crowned Prince had to intervene during those escapades.

Did Clammy ever want to go back? She… She didn’t know. The current problem with her life was something she was hell bent fixing herself and NOT with her family’s involvement. Afterwards? Maybe. Something simple like a walk through the castle gate, telling her parents she was alive and thriving, followed by her skipping town and dodging [Investigators]. She didn’t want to be a Princess, that much she knew.

Bishop’s goodbyes were much less flamboyant. A simple nod from Max and Reep, and angry glare from Vel, a curt nod from Celenia and finally. A big romantic kiss from Belopi.

“UREWL! OPENING IN THREE MINUTES.” The Gate operator yelled. Carts, wagons, speeders, people, animals and even a tank of water, started lining up on the platform. Soon space started fluxing and flexing around in a small area. Now that Max had the class, he could actually see how the Gate was working. A tear began to form in the middle of the air, high above the roped off section of the platform. As the runes around the area began to light up, the tear opened larger and larger. Eventually the tear was fully formed and standing at a height of 15 meters. The other side of the portal showed a large room with a man waiting for the new arrivals.

Max felt out with his Space Affinity and could tell the distance was quite far. Feeling space through a portal was rather interesting. He could tell that there was a blank spot where the two portal ends connected. Almost like a very, very short tunnel. Again, Max thought back to Subuntu teleporting him through a white tunnel with colored streaks. He needed to test things…

The operator called the all clear, and people started passing through the Gate. Clammy and Bishop got mixed up with the rest of the crowd as soon as they stepped past the threshold. The group lingered for a few minutes in case they came running back to Lesterwood, but primary for Max to watch the Gate some more. The operators closed the portal when the last of the people came in from Urewl, it was significantly less people than going to Urewl. The operators began to press on specific runes, creating a special combination for the next location. The Gate of Salarin all used a special schedule of dates and times, as both sides of the Gate had to be open to allow passage. Max finally turned back to his companions.

“So… Lunch?”