"How far are they behind us," I hissed.

I sprinted across the rocky terrain, wishing it would stay dark a little longer. The sun that poked over the hills to the right obviously didn't care for my hopes.

"At this pace, roughly ten minutes until they reach us," Grem shouted after a second.

"And they are still heading in a straight line here?"

"Looks like it," Grem said.

"Someone is directing them," I said, looking around. "Find it!"

The hills ahead of us flowed toward an area with dozens of small rivers that overflowed across the surrounding land creating a swamp. To the right, the hills were taller, in the distance bordering on mountains, and to the left, the watery ravines of the Lestinin's Drowning. Some of the small rivers ahead of us fell into them. I didn't see anything moving or spying on us.

Dammit, where is it! I thought as I tried to think of something else that could explain what was going on. Maybe they had put a tracker on us?

We'd run into a large army stationed at the town nearest to Tenziran, and soldiers immediately rushed towards us. We'd managed to skirt the edges of Lestrinin's Drowning to get past them. With our speed, it had looked like we had lost them in the hills. But when we had stopped running, a group of soldiers had caught up to us within half an hour. We'd dispatched them easily, after which Grem had cast some spell to give him some sight of what was going on and told us more were coming.

"Found them," Libidi said coldly, interrupting my thought process.

She was staring straight up, and I followed her gaze, my neck slightly pained. A tight cluster of four Go'in'la demons like those who had attacked us a few days ago when we entered the city flew high above us.

How did I miss these? I thought. I'd looked up before, I was sure of it!

"Fantastic. How are we supposed to get rid of those?"

"I'll take care of it," Grem said, sounding far too joyful to my liking.

He stopped running, and Libidi and I followed suit, watching as he took a few deep breaths before his hands flashed into motion. I prided myself on being pretty fast with casting the gesture-based spells, but I could barely follow along with Greb's fingers as they spun and swirled, leaving after images like drone blades.

"Holy fuck, he is fast," I whispered. Libidi didn't respond, but I saw her eyes following the motions.

The sand around Grem began moving and flowing like water, gathering around him in a swirling pattern that started to speed up until it was moving at the same breakneck speed as his fingers.

Grem stopped with a jarring suddenness and pointed at the tiny demon silhouettes, faintly outlined against the clouds by the rising sun. The liquid-like sand froze, then levitated up, congealing into thousands of objects. Small blades that turned to point up before flashing forward. However, they weren't moving fast enough to catch the Go'in'la that began to back off rapidly.

"That's too slow," I said.

Grem didn't reply, but the way his smile grew made me wonder what he was up to. The sand blades suddenly disappeared when they reached the same altitude, far from the Go'in'la.

What is he doing, I thought, looking around and trying to spot the attack. The demons had stopped backing up as well, watching us from a distance. I could almost imagine their confused looks.

I was about to say something when a scream came from the distant Go'in'la, and they plummeted down in a cloud of blood. I tried to spot the sand blades but didn't see them anywhere. Had they been a distraction?

Grem laughed, then turned and walked towards the distant marshland. Libidi and I shared a look. Then we ran after Grem.

"What did you do?" I asked, looking at the mage askance.

"Secret of the trade," Grem said before grinning at me. "I don't ask how your Deity-given gifts work either, do I?"

"Yes, you do," I said, weary. "All the time."

Grem laughed uproariously as I began running again.

"Okay, fine. But do you answer them?"

I didn't reply and continued forward.

"Are they still following us?" I asked as we reached the edge of the marshlands.

"No. From what I can see, they have returned to the town of Oulbrach," Grem said, and for a moment, I saw his smile falter.

"Then let's go and find a place to rest," I said.

--

Two hours later, we were shuffling along the side of a cliff, our backs against the muddy stone. Grem was in the lead, his long body surprisingly dexterous and seemingly unafraid of plummeting down. A raging maelstrom of mud and water sat to our left, and all I saw ahead was an end to the path.

He better be right, I thought, as I examined Grem.

I couldn't put my finger on the why, but I felt like I could trust him for some reason. A great deal of that had to do with the fact that Casiron seemed so greatly interested in him. If the Dracoserp had thought Grem dangerous, he'd have let me know. I was sure of it.

"Here we are," Grem shouted before disappearing around a corner I'd not seen because he blocked it with his body.

I carefully followed him, my hand flat against the rock, searching for handholds until my fingers curled around the corner. Two careful steps further and I stepped into a hollowed-out region in the rock. It wasn't a cave, but more like someone had scooped out a giant hand of stone, leaving a smooth indent with a roof.

With sandy, rocky ground, a back wall almost sixty feet away, and a ceiling twenty feet high, it felt spacious. Remnants of campfires at the back showed weren't the first to find this place. There were even some crude drawings on the walls. Grem stood in the middle, his hands on his hips, as he grinned at me.

"See? I told you there was a good camp spot here," he said.

I couldn't stop myself from grinning back. Then I shook my head and took off my backpack, putting my ax on it and stretching my four arms. Libidi moved into the hollow after me and immediately proceeded along its wall, tapping it with her dagger while scanning the ceiling.

"Alright, let's get some food prepared," I said as I moved towards the campfire remnants, checking for some wood.

There was only some charcoal left, but it didn't matter. There would be enough would soon. As I inspected the massive space some more, a plan began growing in my mind. I wandered around, stomping on the ground, my mind whirring like a machine.

I had secured Rathica a lot of Karma, so that should keep her safe for a while with some luck. We had a week of food with us, and I found it highly unlikely that anyone would find us here. That meant I finally had some time - time to practice and prepare.

I located the softest patch of sand and poked at it, quickly finding it was only a hand deep before solid bedrock came.

Not deep enough for roots, I thought as I absently padded my pouch of seeds and nuts.

"You wanna grow a tree here, don't you?" Grem said, shaking me from my thoughts.

I looked up to see him sitting on the ground, legs folded, reminding me more of a monk than a mage. He was looking at me with gleaming eyes.

"How about I help you create a good patch of ground here, and you explain how that spell works?" Grem said as he thudded his fist on the ground.

I looked at him, thinking about everything I knew and what I'd seen of him. He reminded me of some nutty professor but didn't seem malicious. Technically he could have harmed us a few times already. Well, attempted to, at least. With a frown, I moved closer and sat across the ground from him, two hands on my knees, leaning my head on another while waving at him with a fourth.

"Right," I said, more curious than upset. "Now that we have some time how about you just tell me what you want?"

"I told you," Grem said. "I'm keeping an eye on you!"

I just looked at him coolly. After a few seconds, Grem's grin fell, and he sighed.

"Well, fine, I guess that doesn't make for a good argument. Let's say that I'm curious about you! I've heard about the things you've done and the spells you've cast, many of which I do not know! Also, I've read some interesting rumors about where you are from. Another world!"

I shook my head in disgust. "Ridiculous," I muttered. "How come everyone I meet knows these things?"

"Grem's face fell, and he leaned forward. "Not that many people should know," he said. "Who are you talking about, specifically?"

Something about the way Grem Looked at me, with sudden worry and with a lot less comedy, made me decide to answer truthfully. I tried to recall all of the recent instances of people surprising me with their knowledge.

"Antoni, a Mirolon and owner of something called the-"

"Wood Emporium," Grem said.

His face warped as if he'd just tasted some foul. "I know of him. He's a crafty guy and more dangerous than most realize."

"Great," I said. "Good to know I pissed him off then." I wasn't exactly worried, but it wasn't like I didn't have enough powerful enemies.

Grem looked at me before smiling, his eyes glittering. "He might be dangerous to most, but you, a Prime, should be fine. Who else?"

"Captain Gaudalin," I said, looking to see how he would react. I only got a quick nod.

"Aye, well… so far, I've not heard anyone surprising," Grem said, looking relieved.

"Says you," I said. "The things you are all talking about aren't something that was broadcasted out or something!"

"Well…" Grem said as he looked at the wall for a moment before turning back to me. "It kind of was, wasn't it?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, surprised.

"The Guidar, although most didn't know their name, had been controlling most of this world from the shadows for thousands of years. When they all up and left, it created a vacuum. People noticed, and those with the ability began searching for the reason."

It made sense and matched my conclusions, and I slowly began nodding.

"Still, that doesn't explain how you know my name," I said. "I was pretty careful with it."

"Only after you arrived in Fastris," Grem said, smiling apollageticly at me. "A few of Flowheart's Primes took refuge in Yaldar's mage school after the sacking of Dursic, and I spoke to them at great length. They told me in detail about both you and the Prime Eliandra. Which reminds me, did she really renounce Flowheart?"

"Yes," I muttered, not paying attention.

The name Dursic brought a slew of memories, not the least because it was where I'd found Eliandra again. I was quiet for a while as I thought back to that time, still in the delusion that I might return to Earth sometime. Back when there was something to return to.

"So," Grem said. "If you are planning to create a tree here, I take it we are going to stay for a while?"

"Yes. I need to create some things and meditate," I said.

Grem raised his eyebrows at that, but I didn't care. I needed time to head into my mindscape, and meditation seemed like a perfectly reasonable excuse.

"So, shall I create a nice patch of dirt so you can grow some trees then?" Grem said.

"Yes," I said after thinking about it. "But-" I continued, stifling his big smile. "I'm not sure I can tell you much about my skills or spells."

"Just the plant-growing one!" Grem said, a bit too eager.

"Sprout Life? I'll try," I said. "But no promises."

He grinned, nodding vigorously as he stood up in a single fluid motion.

"Sprout Life? A good name! No problem. I trust you!"

Yeah… I got that much. The question is, why, I thought as I watched him leave.

I still didn't know anything about him other than that he was a mage and worked for Lord Haydroun. A quick look showed Libidi leaning against the furthest wall, near the opening, keeping an eye on the outside and on Grem and me. I nodded at her and got a cold wink in return.

Right, I thought as I closed my eyes and relaxed.

I popped into my mindscape and was instantly buffeted with rain. Although it fell straight through my white, amorphic shape, I still felt its wetness and cold. A quick lookup showed a thick layer of gray clouds, obscuring the monstrous beings beyond the border.

"Est," Cassiron rumbled as his headshot out from between the massive tree. "That man is not what he seems!"

I blinked, surprised at the obvious emotion, as Casiron moved further from the tree. It was the first time I got a clear look at his long, snake-like body. His head was more dragon than snake-like, and his scales much rougher. He was also staring at me with an intense look.

"I got that from your messages," I said.

"My messages, you mean," Par shouted from the other tree. He sat on a branch near the canopy, using a twig to comb his tail.

"Yes, yes. We all know you are great," I said sarcasticly while I floated closer to Casiron.

As I did, I noticed how many more fish there were in the also significantly larger pool. The sides had overrun and seemed almost swampy now, with large amounts of insects crawling and flying around the muddy edges.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"I think he is another Dracoserp spirit… or part of one," Casiron said, his voice increasing in excitement. "He smells and feels like one!"

Wait, what? I thought as I put my full attention on Casiron.

"How is that even possible?" I asked, thinking about the little I knew about Casiron's kind. "Weren't they all… killed?" I added lamely.

"Yes and no," Casiron said. "Some managed to hide as I did. I've heard rumors and tried to follow them to their source as best I could on the occasions I could move around freely. Still, I've never found one before!"

"Hide?" I asked, confused. Hadn't I just summoned his spirit from… somewhere? Wait, where did the spirits come from anyway? Also, how had Casiron managed to move around before?

"He means he was hiding amongst the remnant soul fragments of those who didn't go to a Deity's realm," Par said as he crawled up the tree and looked at me. "They exist in the world like a cloud of invisible gnats."

Casiron glared at Raparion, then sniffed. "Something like that," he rumbled.

"And how can you see what's happening around me?" I asked. I'd been wondering about that ever since the first message arrived.

"I can't see. I feel and sense kin when they are near. Before, this only worked when I was in a corporeal body. However, it seems that it works from inside your mindscape! I sensed him as soon as he appeared.

A light bulb went off in my head. "Can he sense you the same way?" I asked.

Casiron cocked his massive head slightly. "Perhaps," he said. "But your mindscape defenses are strong. Most weak Deities can't even detect you. But, if I can sense him," Casiron said, sounding unsure.

Still, I had the feeling it made sense. It could very well be the reason Grem was after me. I wondered if I should ask him, then decided it would be best to wait until Casiron got his body. That would likely be safer.

"Why didn't you message me right away?" I asked after a while. "When I first met him?"

Casiron looked at Par and growled softly. "I wanted to, but this self-important angry has-been didn't think it was worth the Karma."

"It wasn't," Par shouted in indignation. "If it weren't for Est's massive Karma gains, it would have been the greatest waste I've ever seen! But I did it in the end, didn't I? Besides! It aligns with what he asked before!"

What? I thought as I tried to recall what I'd asked him before.

Casiron's head moved forward threateningly, his mouth opening a sliver to see leg-sized teeth. "Yes, and if you had told him right away, he would be in a better position to act on it," he growled.

"Enough. What's done is done," I interjected. Casiron moved back a bit, but he kept glaring at Par for a while longer.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked Casiron.

The massive eyes swirled back to me and narrowed. "Can you make me a new Vengeful Spirit body?"

I nodded, as that was what I'd planned to do. Which got me to another question I'd been dying to ask.

"Do either of you know of a way to grant something the ability to fly?" I asked. "Casiron's new body, for instance?" I wanted to be able to move faster than we had so far.

Casiron's eyes clouded over, while Raparion frowned.

"You could give it wings to glide," he said after a while. "But making it fly? You're not a Deity, so it's going to be difficult. Flight is one of the more difficult things. Perhaps there are spells for that in the Library…" he sounded uncertain and not very interested.

"Which I can't get into," I said. "Besides, with you here, that would get me into too much trouble."

Par shrugged while Casiron's head moved closer.

"Will you create a body now?" he asked again. He didn't seem interested in flying, which kind of surprised me.

He was also far more rushed than I remembered. Before, he'd been calm and collected about almost everything. But then again, it made sense. This would be the first time he'd get the option to speak with another of his kind again. Still, it wasn't like the other would up and run away.

"I will do so as soon as I'm done here," I said. "But first-" I turned to Par and frowned. "What did you mean just now? Align with what I asked you?"

"What the… you forgot already?" Par exclaimed before snorting. "Bah, what did I even go through the trouble for then?"

He hung from one taloned hand and looked across the small world. Moments ticked by, and I realized he wouldn't reply.

"Par," I snapped, willing the clouds above to move. "Just answer the bloody question."

"Fine, fine. No need to get upset," he said. "You asked me for a way to contact Rathica from inside here. Remember?"

I blinked, then almost groaned in dismay. I'd completely forgotten about that! Now I'd gone and contacted her by creating a statue of her back in Tenziran and alerted that bloody demon to my presence.

"So, what did you find out?" I asked.

Casiron's snout fell open and he shook his head. "What? Didn't make the link yet? The mindscape messenger skill!"

"I can use that to contact Rathica?" I asked in surprise.

"No, no," Casiron said. "You can use it to contact her realm! There should be a small partition, a subset, of her there to control it. A bit like I'm doing in your mindscape."

I felt a wave of joy grow as I surged forward.

"How do I do that?" I asked, quickly pulling up my status window. An extra window, small and a bit to the side, showed the messages Par had sent me.

"Simple. Just focus on the skill and Rathica, and the info and steps should appear," Par said.

Not sure if it would work, I focused on the small window while focusing. I didn't feel anything and wasn't sure what he meant with focus on the skill. Nothing happened.

"It's not working," I said.

"What? It should! It's easy. Just think of Rathica's name and think Mindscape Messenger. That should bring up some information!"

I grunted, trying to ignore how lame the skill sounded, but did as he said, and this time the small window changed instantly.

> Scanning for potential connections

> Recipient located through Prime connection: 'Rathica the Wrathguard'

> Deity can not be messaged directly

> Would you like to try to connect to Rathica's realm?

> Yes / No

I gaped at the messages. They reminded me of some of the old software I'd learned about in history while also reminding me of the fact that the Guidar had changed a lot of this world's magic system. I wondered how it had worked before they arrived. Or had people not been able to use magic before that?

That's… odd, I thought, before selecting yes.

A beep reminiscent of the ones I'd heard when Par had messaged me occurred.

> Connection established with the keeper of Rathica's realm

> Please send your message:

> "..."

I was about to ask how I could send a message when I recalled how I'd just interacted with the skill. Likely it would be the same. I pictured sending my thoughts to the screen, and instantly, a line of text appeared.

> Rathica, this is Est! Can you read this?

Ugh, that's so lame, I thought. I tried to remove it when a response appeared below my message. As I read it, my mind almost shut down from surprise.

> Est? Is that you? How did you do this! Where are you? Are you alright? It's me, Eliandra!