The telltale sound of stone scraping together followed Zeke and his companions as they passed through Salvation’s enormous gate. It was at least fifteen yards thick, but it was nothing compared to the walls themselves. For a few moments, it almost felt as if he was back underground in the troll caves, the tunnel through the wall was so long. If it was less than a hundred yards thick, he would have been incredibly surprised. As they traversed the tunnel, the group passed a handful of checkpoints, each one sporting a heavy, iron portcullis. He also noticed that at the top of the tunnel, there were periodic openings which he guessed would be used to rebuff any attackers who made it past the first gate. In short, if anyone chose that avenue of assault, they would have to pay in gallons of blood for every foot they traveled.

And that was to say nothing of the runes decorating the walls. Zeke couldn’t exactly tell what their purpose was, but the designs were traced in thin lines of blue crystal. They were inert at the moment, but Zeke suspected that, at a moment’s notice, someone could flood them with mana to activate the runes. If that came to pass, it would not be good for anyone trapped within the tunnel.

“Impressive defenses,” Zeke said, lagging a little behind Sergeant Sims, who confidently strode ahead of them. “What’s the purpose of the runes?”

Without looking back, she answered, “Nobody knows. They’re too complex for our enchanters to understand, and even if they did, they’re broken in so many places that it wouldn’t matter.”

“Oh,” Zeke said, disappointed.

“No,” Abby stated.

Zeke looked her way, saying, “No? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’re not going to spend the next month studying these runes,” she said. “I know you, Zeke. And I know how easily you get distracted, especially when runes are involved.”

“But it could be important to –”

She rolled her eyes, and with a slight smile, said, “Just focus, okay? We’re here for a reason. And we’ve got a time limit.”

Zeke knew it was all just a suggestion. Abby could no more control him than he could make her do what he wanted her to do, especially if either one of them were focused on something. But in this case, she just happened to be right. The undead horde would eventually reach Salvation, and when it did, the city would close its gates and isolate itself completely. No one in. No one out. Zeke and his friends needed to find the information they needed before then, lest they find themselves trapped within the city.

“Fine,” he said with a long-suffering and overly dramatic sigh. “But if I have some spare time, I’m definitely looking it over.”

“They remind me of that temple at the top of the mountain,” Abby said. “You remember me telling you about that, right? It’s obviously a very different design with a completely different purpose – even I can see that – but the style is reminiscent of that.”

Zeke nodded. Abby hadn’t wanted to get into specifics – not when the Sergeant or anyone else could be listening – but Zeke understood that she was referring to the former portal site where she’d eradicated an entire city of gnolls to acquire her most powerful skill from the thunderbirds. Like Beacon, Salvation, and the abandoned Tua’Ta’alar, that temple had been built by elves, which was probably why the runic designs had looked so similar. Zeke suspected that, if he could head down to the runic formation that governed Beacon’s aura, he would find that it had been constructed along the same principles. Or at least in the same style.

Slowly, they made their way through the heavily fortified tunnel until, finally, they reached the end. When Zeke stepped out, the fresh air felt surprisingly comforting; after spending two years in the troll caves, he’d long since discarded the bulk of his natural claustrophobia. However, that didn’t mean he enjoyed being underground again. The knowledge that he was stuck beneath tons of stone was nothing if not oppressive, and he was relieved to leave it behind.

Sensing his discomfort, Abby reached out and gave his arm a familiar squeeze. It was a small gesture, but it definitely helped. It was a nice reminder that, while he was capable of dealing with those feelings alone, he didn’t have to. He had people who wanted to support him. So often, Zeke saw himself as the pillar upon which their entire group was built. And in a lot of ways, that was true. As a result, he sometimes struggled to remember that he didn’t have to do everything alone. Even if all Abby offered was moral support – which was a gross underestimation of her abilities – that was enough.

Talia and Pudge were similar, though their methods were wholly different. Abby was his partner, and as such, they shared an intimacy that his relationships with others couldn’t rival. However, that didn’t make Talia’s or Pudge’s contributions any less vital. Zeke knew very well just how lucky he was that he didn’t have to try to make his way alone.

Comforted by Abby’s simple touch, Zeke looked around, and he couldn’t help but be impressed by the city laid out before him. In some ways, the architecture reminded Zeke of archetypal fairy tale cities, with tall spires, sweeping arches, and cobblestone streets. However, there were plenty of anachronisms as well – most notably, the multitude of striped domes that looked like grander and more numerous versions of the domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. It was as if the architects had been inspired by that iconic structure, but they had both the means and the ability – probably via some skills – to improve upon it.

“They look like Christmas ornaments, don’t they?” Abby said.

Zeke smiled. “A little, yeah,” he agreed. “Sometimes, I take this world for granted, but then I see something like this…”

“I know,” Abby said, grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze. “It’s beautiful.”

The pair stood there for a few more seconds until Pudge leaned down and snorted right next to Zeke’s ear. With that expulsion of air came quite a bit of moisture. Zeke reacted quickly, but he still got quite a bit of bear-snot on his armor. Abby escaped mostly unscathed. For his part, Pudge let out a few rhythmic chuffs that sounded curiously like a chuckle.

Abby looked back, wiping a few droplets of bear mucus from her sleeve and said, “Is he laughing at us? Really?”

Zeke grinned at his furry companion, who wore his amusement like a fluttering cloak. “He’s definitely laughing at us,” Zeke said.

“Uh…are you coming?” asked Sergeant Sims, who, after getting a few dozen feet ahead before realizing that her charges weren’t following, had just returned. “Please?”

Clearly, she didn’t want to offend such powerful people, but she was also plainly annoyed. Zeke could sympathize, so he said, “Sorry, sorry. The city just surprised us is all. Lead on.”

She didn’t respond, but instead resumed her entrance into the city. Pudge continued to snort-laugh, but Abby and Zeke were on their best behavior as they were led down the cobblestone road. Everywhere Zeke looked, there were quaint, two- and three-story buildings with elaborate steeples, arches, and overhanging balconies. The road itself was wide enough that it could have accommodated four or five carts running side-by-side, which meant that even Pudge had plenty of room.

“Where are all the people?” asked Zeke.

“Curfew,” said Sergeant Sims without turning to look. “When we locked the city down, martial law went into effect.”

“Enforced by whom?” was Zeke’s next question.

“The army,” she answered. “Supported by the Greenhats.”

Zeke was about to ask what, precisely, a “Greenhat” was, but Abby predicted the question before he got it out. She said, “Greenhats are the local militia. Every guild has to chip in. Most of them send their lower-tiered recruits. You know, the ones who are on the cusp of evolution. Powerful enough to keep the citizens in line, but not so powerful as to affect the guild’s overall power very much. It’s one of the reasons I chose Beacon when I was looking for a home branch.”

“Oh.”

“They wear those green headbands to identify them,” Abby went on, nodding to a trio of armed and armored people lurking near a local shopfront. “We won’t have to worry about them.”

She left it unsaid, but Zeke understood her meaning well enough. The so-called Greenhats were far too weak to give them any trouble. But saying so aloud probably wasn’t the best of form, even if anyone with an inspection skill would see the truth of it. It was a rarity that any level fifteen could stand up to someone at the pinnacle. Zeke and his companions were far from normal level twenty-fives, as well, which meant the gap was even wider than it appeared at first glance.

Zeke could’ve handled those three Greenhats even when he’d just gotten to Beacon, and he’d grown exponentially stronger since then. Now, they wouldn’t even be an annoyance. For some people, that level of strength would be an indicator that it was time to do what they wanted. To rule. To pursue other goals. To amass wealth. But for Zeke, it was just another sign that he needed to move on, to find the next challenge. To continue his climb. Because he hadn’t forgotten that at the end of it all was a battle between good and evil. He’d seen a glimpse of it in the demon realm, and it had further solidified his resolve.

The only problem was that Zeke had no idea how to continue his journey. There was a portal somewhere, but it was obviously well-hidden. For all Zeke knew, it might take years before he found it. And he couldn’t help but wonder if he had the patience for that.

For the next hour, the group continued along through the city, and after every turn, Zeke found himself more impressed. Beacon was a remarkable city. There was no doubt about that. However, for Zeke’s money, Salvation was superior in almost every way. Not only was it far more defensible – discounting Beacon’s much more powerful aura – but it also had a wholly unique character. Most of all, though, there didn’t seem to be anything equivalent to the gross inequality present in Beacon’s tiers. Sure, there were some people who were clearly wealthier or more powerful than others, but the gap didn’t seem quite so wide as it had in Beacon. And there was nothing to compare with the shantytown surrounding Beacon’s lowest level.

Finally, they reached the sizable but still somehow quaint inn that was their destination. The Golden Goat was identifiable by the wooden sign hanging from one of its eaves; not only was the name written in bright, bold lettering, but it also bore a curiously accurate depiction of a golden caprid.

“Brings back memories, huh?” Zeke said, nodding to the sign.

“Of you being knocked around like a ping-pong ball?” Abby said with a smirk. “Yeah. I remember.”

“Whatever,” Zeke said with a sigh. “Those things were annoying.”

“Can’t argue with that,” she said. “Amusing, though.”

“I hope I don’t have to remind you to behave yourselves while in Salvation,” interrupted an impatient Sergeant Sims. “Don’t cause problems, and you won’t have any problems. Got it?”

Zeke heard the quiver in her voice, but he chose to ignore it. Obviously, she knew that her threats were empty, especially coming from her, but she had a job to do.

“We won’t cause trouble,” Abby said before Zeke could respond. He nodded along. Talia was completely silent, as she had been since entering the city. Pudge snorted.

Sims just shook her head, muttering something about not getting paid enough to deal with monsters. Zeke wasn’t certain if she was referring to Pudge or the rest of his party. Maybe both. Either way, she didn’t say anything else before leaving them behind. Zeke and Abby took that opportunity to head inside the Golden Goat.

The interior was predictably raucous, populated by a host of diners and drinkers. In the corner, a man played a guitar while a woman sang a lively tune. There were also serving men and women, each dressed in white shirts, black trousers, and golden vests embroidered with the same caprid logo that adorned the sign outside. One of them – a younger girl with plump cheeks and red hair – approached Zeke and Abby, asking them how she could help them.

“We need two rooms,” Abby said. “And lodging for a beast. He’s…uh…kind of big.”

“Right,” the hostess said. “It’ll be five gold a week for each room. Double that for the critter. What is he? Horse? Ox? Something like that?”

“Bear,” Zeke said. “Or bear-ish. But he’s well-behaved.”

Pudge must’ve heard the comment through the closed door, because he let out a snort that was loud enough that Zeke heard it. To punctuate the snort, Pudge thought, Fierce. Powerful. Ninja bear. Not well-behaved.

Zeke could only smile.

Meanwhile, the hostess said, “Ah, then it’s going to be a bit extra. Twelve gold a week for the bear. Not ‘cause we doubt your word, mind. More ‘cause we don’t want to spook the other critters, y’know?”

“That’s fine,” Zeke said, reaching into his money pouch. He didn’t mind people knowing about his storage capability, but he really didn’t want to cause a commotion. So, he disguised accessing it by reaching into the pouch at his waist. He handed the money over without complaint or haggling. After all, he didn’t care if he had to pay a little extra; for all he knew his currency would soon be worthless after they ascended to the next plane. Who knew if gold was even valuable up there?

After that, the hostess called a rough-looking man who stank of livestock over. She introduced him as Levi, naming him the animal handler. With the introductions over, Zeke took him outside to meet Pudge while Abby headed to the counter to get the keys. Once outside where he could get a good look at Pudge, Levi gave a start, saying, “’e’s a big fucker, ain’t he?”

Pudge leaned down and glared at the man, who backed up a step. “Probably best if you treat him with the same respect you’d give a level twenty-five adventurer because he knows exactly what you’re saying,” Zeke advised. “Just a suggestion.”

Pudge snorted.

Levi gave a firm nod before leading the bear around the corner. Zeke followed, just to make sure that his companion would be well-treated. He needn’t have worried, though, because the animal lodging was a clean and spacious building that had little trouble accommodating Pudge’s bulk. Once they were inside, Talia hopped off the bear’s back; for a moment, Zeke had forgotten she was even up there.

Shaking his head, Zeke summoned a giant wyrm bone from his spatial storage and handed it over to Pudge. The infernal bear wasted no time before snapping his jaws around it, but Zeke didn’t immediately release it. Instead, he said, “Be good.”

Always good, Pudge replied. You be good.

Zeke grinned then gave Pudge a giant slab of still-bloody meat. It had come from a lizard they’d fought in the Red Wastes, and it had been sitting in his storage for quite some time, mostly because it had an extremely gamey flavor. Pudge didn’t seem to mind, though.

“Pace yourself,” Zeke reminded the bear, knowing full well that the moment he was out of sight, Pudge would tear into his meal, not stopping until he was ready to burst. And even then, he might keep going.

Talia, who had pulled her hood forward to obscure her features, asked, “Would you like me to stay with him?”

“What? No,” Zeke said. “We already got you a room of your own.”

“Oh.”

Levi, who’d watched the exchange, furrowed his brow, but he didn’t comment on the exchange. Instead, he said, “I’ll take good care of your friend here. Don’t you worry none.”

“Thanks,” Zeke said, handing the man a couple of gold coins. It always paid to be generous, after all.

After that, Zeke and Talia returned to the Golden Goat’s common room, where they quickly found Abby sitting in a corner booth by herself. It was already laden with steaming bowls of stew which smelled absolutely amazing to Zeke He and Talia soon found themselves sitting with her and enjoying the meal.

As he ate, Zeke thought about the next day, when he would begin his search for the portal that would allow them to ascend. He couldn’t wait.