Crosscode Fanfic - The Tale Of A Second Lost Mind.

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Twenty Eight : 

 

The other Trust Members looked between themselves, Rizuno asking, “how can you do that in the Tower?” 

 

“He showed me and I missed it.  I was too busy and disturbed, fearing other details at the time.  Then he told me he’d see me again; he knew I’d figure it out eventually….” 

 

Sergey was intrigued, “who?” 

 

“The Guardian, the A.I. controlling him in my Instance.” 

 

Terrani finally unwrapped herself from around his neck and returned to her seat with the Trust, drying her eyes as she did so.  While Roz, Reece and Luzee took their own places again, leaving James alone to face the Trust formally. 

 

Lea typed, [he showed you?] 

 

James thought for a moment, “of course, you were gone when we discovered this.  The Guardian in my Instance of the Tower, he has a limited form of the A.I. that powers normal Evotars, but he also has access to our memories and records that he shouldn’t.” 

 

Lea gave Sergey something of an uneasy glance and he replied to her, “I know Lea, the thought of him with powers like that makes me nervous too.” 

 

She nodded back while Terrani noted, “so how do you know who Krait is now?” 

 

James looked at Roz, “I know it’s hard to explain, I have to show you and that’s the only possible way I can think of?  But I’ve had multiple memory recoveries while I was frozen, like I know that my homeworld is Indraya and I was killed on Chorsia, I’ve remembered more details of both.” 

 

Roz didn’t even bother to open her interface to check, she just raised her eyebrows and admitted, “that’s impressive James, you’re correct on both counts.” 

 

Shizuka asked, “so if we allow you access to the Tower, you can show us who Krait is?” 

 

He nodded in reply, “I’ll explain my reasoning too.”  He stopped and thought for a second before saying, “and Shizuka, thank you.” 

 

“For what,” she asked with a confused look? 

 

He thought and sighed, “I wish I could tell you what you did, but you were the one who told me the answer….” 

 

“The answer to what?” 

 

He gazed at Roz for a moment, “when I work out how to explain what happened, I’ll tell you.” 

 

Shizuka shook her head slightly in bewilderment, while Satoshi looked between the Trust Members, asking them, “does anyone have any reason they can’t let James go to the Tower?” 

 

Terrani thought and answered, “the instance isn’t even up currently, the damage from the bombs caused it to crash and shut down, but we should be able to reactivate it, we don’t think it was damaged in any real way?” 

 

Sergey thought for a moment, pressed a few buttons on his D-Link and after a few seconds the view window opened in front of him, revealing Gayle.  He asked her, “have you heard?” 

 

She replied, “heard what sir?” 

 

He nodded in James’ direction and Gayle rotated the window, giving him the sight of a smiling Gayle looking right at him, “it’s good to see you’re up and about again James….  Was I right?” 

 

He just nodded as the rest of the room gave her a very confused expression. 

 

“That’s good to know,” she confirmed. 

 

“Gayle,” Sergey asked and her window moved back to face him, “can you get in touch with our team aiding the Class 1’s rebuild the Wastes?  We need to get the Tower Instance back online; James is going back in.” 

 

Gayle started passing the message on via her keyboard, “I’ll let them know and message you back if there’s a problem reactivating the instance.” 

 

“Thank you, Gayle,” and with that, her window faded again. 

 

Sergey looked at James, “by the way, I hope you like Fayrebancs?” 

 

“I do,” he confirmed. 

 

Sergey gave him a stern warning, “okay, but the next time she tries that trick without my consent….” 

 

James raised his hand, “It won’t happen again, I promise.” 

 

He nodded as the Trust Members were discussing a few things between themselves, before Satoshi finished their chat and turned to James, “if you are going into the instance, how will you show us what you see?” 

 

James considered this for a moment and then figured, “I can get inside and Luzee can join me with her Moderation systems, relaying an image back to the others here. 

 

Luzee thought and worked out, “I can do that and supply a secure Mod feed to the holo-projector in this room.” 

 

Sergey added, “I’ll log out and join Gayle on the observation system, I can also use my equipment to check any findings and supply additional detail if I need to.” 

 

Luzee moved over to the Holo-Projector and began interfacing it with her own controls, while the Trust quietly chatted among themselves again before breaking up and Satoshi telling him, “so long as there are no problems reactivating the instance, you may proceed James.” 

 

Lea typed, admitting, [I am rather nervous of seeing the Guardian in this way, he still gives me the shivers even today, given what he represents.] 

 

“I understand what you mean Lea,” James confirmed, “I found him unsettling when he talked to me.” 

 

Satoshi noted, “while we wait for an update from the Wastes, I suggest we suspend the Meeting.  It shouldn’t take too long, and I can see Roz is already itching to get an update on the other memories you’ve managed to recover James.” 

 

James nodded in reply and turned around, finding another seat away from the wheelchair that had held him for so long.  Roz pushed it into a corner for now and joined him, while Terrani took the other seat next to him, holding his hand and smiling when he gripped it tightly.  Roz opened her D-Link and with some relief made a call, James hearing, “he’s not coming back Bel’, he’s awake....  Yes, he’s here and seems to be doing okay.”  There was a pause as Bel’ relayed something back to her and Roz finished with, “of course, as soon as I can I’ll get him down to the techs, make sure he gets checked over and send you the reports when they’re done.  See you soon.” 

 

As Roz cut the link, Terrani looked at him and admitted, “it’s just so good to feel you hold my hand again, when you were locked you felt cold and sterile, that’s gone now.” 

 

James smiled back at her, “and you don’t always lose....” 

 

She gave him another look of surprise and then decided, “you really did hear everything I said to you in front of the murals?” 

 

He nodded, “it’s difficult to explain, but I did.” 

 

Terrani responded by gripping his hand even tighter, while Roz opened her notes and carefully began to ask, “you’ve clearly had numerous new memory recoveries James, you seem to have far more clarity.  Do you think you can tell me some?” 

 

James turned his head to look at her and admitted, “it’s still a little cloudy, but there’s some clear detail poking through, like Indraya and Chorsia, but there’s some other useful detail too.  Remember the transport café?”  When Roz nodded, he continued, “I now know that I met Lothar Matteus there.” 

 

She gave a surprised look, “Lothar Maatteus, as in, Cobra....  You met Cobra in a transport café at a transfer hub, why?” 

 

He shrugged, “I only know that is what happened, not why....  The other things I recovered were more personal, details of my family, the worlds I spent time on, Hillie....  There was one thing that really stuck with me though.” 

 

Roz pushed him on, “che era?” 

 

“I kept going back to the Birthday Party, and there was a picture on the side I could always see clearly, even though everything else was blurred, it took me to a new memory showing my apartment on Chorsia and I discovered a copy of the image in my wallet, I must have made it when I left so I saw it far more recently, there was a message written on the back from Ella, saying no matter how far I go from Indraya, I’ll carry my family with me....” 

 

“Your family really loved you,” Terrani noted. 

 

“Which makes it worse that Shizuka is having to do what she’s doing, I hope she’s managed to get in contact with them?” 

 

Terrani was going to ask but Roz stepped in, “we can explain later....”  Then Roz went on to ask, “is there anything else important you managed to recover?” 

 

James took a moment to consider the new images meshing into his thoughts, before deciding, “I don’t think so....  Nothing that helps in the current situation anyway.  The only thing that might link us to more recent events at the end of my life was that I was stood on the rooftop, and I remembered the name of Chorsia because it was a sign on an adjacent building, but that’s about all.”  Then he had another thing flip into his thoughts, “oh, yes, my apartment....  It had plans and details of my work, but Pnkayz told me they torched it to destroy my evidence.” 

 

Roz looked down, “that’s a shame.” 

 

“I don’t think it matters, I’ve lost the physical evidence, but I must have saved it all somewhere electronically....” 

 

Roz thought and realised, “the address you recalled for the Cloud Storage, it must be there!” 

 

James nodded and sent out a message on his D-Link, making Gayle appear in her window before him.  He asked her, “Gayle, do you still have that address I gave you for the Cloud Storage?” 

 

Gayle nodded, “of course.” 

 

Roz told her, “we think all of James’ investigative work and notes are stored in the files, from before his death.  Since we are now pretty sure what he was investigating, we need to get access to them.”  

 

Gayle started tapping a few details into her keyboard while James asked her, “do you think you can recover them?  I know I said I’d try and remember myself, but the situation has clearly changed.” 

 

She smiled in the window, “I’ll give it my best shot, but it could take some time I’m afraid.  I don’t have a user account to base the search from, plus the security is likely to be tight if the data stored is as sensitive as you suggest it is.” 

 

James understood, “don’t worry Gayle, we know you’ll try for us.” 

 

Gayle confirmed, “I’ll get back to you if I make progress James.  For now, it looks like you’ll be able to get into the Tower, the team have just reported back that they’ve managed to begin the reinitialization process.  I was about to inform Sergey of this as it should be accessible again shortly.” 

 

Roz confirmed, “okay then, we’ll make preparations to head out there and talk again soon.” 

 

“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere and I hear Sergey is going to be here, watching events with me.  Talk to you soon.” 

 

Her window relocated to update Sergey and Roz took the time to confess, “if your Guardian really is as you say, I’m with Lea, this is going to be very uncomfortable.” 

 

Terrani tipped her head forward, “I hate him, the most tangible link to that dark past, but still an important piece of the memorial we try to maintain.  Thinking he’s like he was in the past is something I never thought I would have to consider?  He wasn’t so bad when we had control of his actions and scripting, we’re beyond that now.” 

 

James gave her another comforting hug, while whispering to her, “with what you told me about your new dreams, this must be doubly hard?” 

 

She just nodded into his shoulder as a reply, grateful that he was keeping it secret from the others. 

 

Sergey announced to the room, “the instance is being reset and activated now.  James, are you ready to head to the Tower?” 

 

Luzee completed a quick test of her setup and James could see her wearing an earpiece as she approached them.  She looked at James and asked, “ready to go?” 

 

He released Terrani from the hug and stood up, setting his fast travel system.  Roz asked him, “do you want me to come to the Tower with you?” 

 

He thought and shook his head, “I think it’s best you stay Roz, you need to see this too and you won’t get that waiting outside of the Tower.” 

 

She smiled and nodded, “okay.  When you’re done, I’ll meet you in the clinic downstairs.  Bel’ is adamant you’re getting a check-up to make sure everything is okay, before he’ll sign you off fully and not reassign you as a Class 5, at least temporarily.” 

 

He smiled, “that’s fine with me, but this is just too important.  You understand that don’t you?” 

 

“I do, go show us what you need to show us….” 

 

James nodded and joined Luzee, grouping together and setting their fast travel for the Landmark outside the Tower.  Luzee quickly warned him, “it’s still quite a mess here James,” as they phased out and he could see she was right as they reformed at the far end of the Wastes.   

 

James could see several buildings, floors and structures had signs of damage in numerous locations, from cracks and fractures in the Instant Matter, to full craters in several other locations.  The light weight and resistance of it making the damage seem even worse.   

 

A few were gathered around the building with the pylon upon it as one of the charges must have gone off adjacent to it, leaving a ragged hole in the flank, while Avatars with various interfaces open were milling around and inspecting for other damage, before making repairs and re-establishing the missing Instant Matter, filling the cracks and holes with careful precision. 

 

James turned to look at the Tower with Luzee and saw that it too was bearing a few battle-scars from the attack.  It had a few holes around the base and the walls of the surrounding compound were also damaged.  It was Luzee who broke his thoughts as he studied things, “it was a lot worse and there was damage across the entire Wastes, we’ve cleared up the vast majority and finally got around to this as the last phase, we’re hoping to reopen tomorrow and doubled security duties across the rest of the Playground, we’re taking no chances in case of similar attacks.” 

 

“Looking at the damage done here, I can tell that’s a wise precaution.” 

 

Luzee nodded, “we were lucky here.  The checkpoint at the gate was still manned when the bombing occurred, but we were able to perform an emergency evacuation to The Enclave Landmark before anyone was hurt, more through luck than planning to be fair….  I doubt we’ll be as lucky if there’s another attack like that on a different zone.” 

 

As James looked around, he started to realise the last time he had been stood here had been with Luzee as well, as he raced out of the instance and the thought made him shiver slightly. So much had happened to all of them since then. 

 

One of the male Tribladers came over and asked the pair of them, “are you the ones we’ve been told are trying to get into the Tower?” 

 

Luzee nodded, “is there a problem?” 

 

“No, no problem, we were just wondering who was going in, I thought Evotars were restricted from Tower access at the moment?” 

 

Luzee lied, “it’s James going in, and I’m transferring to him via Mod controls.  He has special permission to enter for testing purposes and I’m going to undertake some experimental stability checks that Sergey wants to perform.” 

 

The Avatar looked at them for a moment, then dismissed his own opinions while checking his interface again.  “Well, if you have the permissions,” he checked his interface and the readouts, “it’s all up and running, you should be able to enter.” 

 

“Thanks, Livin,” Luzee replied. 

 

He turned away and returned to his original duties, while James quietly told her, “you’re getting too good at bending the truth Luzee.” 

 

She smiled back, “it’s part of being a Moderator, you have to think up stories on the fly to cover your tracks.  Telling a third party you’re a Game Moderator is a last resort, you’re supposed to remain as hidden as possible to maintain the immersion.” 

 

He smiled as they began walking towards the entrance, “remind me to never trust a word you say again….” 

 

She giggled as she stopped at the entrance, “You’ll know when I’m lying.” 

 

James didn’t reply directly, instead he replied, “you can tell me more in a minute.”  Then he began walking inside, letting the instance take over and the activity outside fade into silence behind him. 

 

---------- 

 

Once inside, James could see the instance was indeed working as expected, he was back inside the lobby of the Tower and the teleport pad was still in place, meaning James could transfer directly to the top of the Tower and stand directly outside the door that led to the Guardian in his chamber.  He stood alone for a moment, contemplating his emotions and preparing himself for what was about to come, before opening his D-Link and sending a single word to Luzee, ‘ready.’ 

 

It took a further moment, but Luzee’s form took shape next to him and she smiled as she regained her senses and location.  “Are you okay,” she asked? 

 

He smiled as an answer, “you sound like Roz.” 

 

“I know,” she confirmed, “she wanted me to ask.” 

 

“I’m fine,” he told her, “but I do have one request for you Luzee.”  

 

She looked directly at him, “what is that?” 

 

He cautioned, “if I ask you to look away Luzee, please do so, without hesitation.” 

 

“How come?” 

 

“Because I don’t know what this thing will show me?  I don’t trust him and he’ll know others are watching, he could show something distressing or unsettling to anyone else watching on your feed.” 

 

“You don’t trust him?” 

 

He shook his head, “he’s manipulative, and he’ll know I’m not alone this time.  He could try anything, knowing it could provoke a reaction from others.” 

 

“I can’t imagine he’d do that?” 

 

“You will once you’ve met him....” 

 

She was clearly hearing something on her feed, before finally replying, “they’re not happy, but they agree to letting me turn away if you ask.” 

 

He smiled back, “thank you,” as the observation window opened and Sergey appeared over them, with Gayle busying herself in the background. 

 

“We’re ready when you are,” he confirmed, “Gayle is monitoring the feed for us, confirming the instance is stable.” 

 

She was clearly studying something, “the feed is weird,” she commented, “it’s like it’s adapting, changing, almost rewriting itself as I watch.” 

 

Sergey told her, “stay on that feed Gayle, we think there’s a simplified form of the Evotar A.I. net here, please monitor it as best as you can, we need logs of the activity.” 

 

“I will sir,” she confirmed, before returning to her role. 

 

James took one last deep breath, controlled his thoughts and said to Luzee, “let’s get this over with,” as he started moving towards the door.  She followed, unsure what to expect. 

 

The door led them out onto the balcony where the Guardian was kneeling on the ground, lost in thought and meditation with his back to them, James studied him, trying to work out how he would react and carefully motioned for Luzee to wait, before taking a few steps forward. 

 

Without even a single indication he was aware of his presence, the Guardian spoke with that powerful voice that pierced his brain, “I was wondering if you’d return?”  Instantly he heard Sergey working on his equipment in his window while the Guardian continued, “you’re not alone either, why is that?” 

 

“We need your aid, Guardian.” 

 

“No, you don’t,” he decided without moving, “you’d never return if it was just to seek my aid….” 

 

James heard Luzee mutter and draw her breath as the Guardian reacted in the way he did, before he decided to respond, “if you realised how bad things are out there, you’d be more cooperative.” 

 

The Guardian lifted his head, “the instance has been down, and it’s only just come back up.  In fact, this is the only instance set running….” 

 

Now he heard Sergey commenting to Gayle, “how on earth did he know that?” 

 

James ignored their questions, “you’ve already accessed my thoughts, you know what I want?” 

 

“Do I,” he spun round and revealed he was grinning, “or is it what they want, who is the subject here?”  He could hear Luzee shuffle in an uncomfortable way as he gazed at her with a questioning expression, “I don’t know you, other than what you have told James, Luzee....  Pity.  How’s the shoulder?” 

 

Luzee glanced at James, then back at him, “it’s fine, but you know that’s not why we’re here.” 

 

He nodded, “until James asks, I won’t do anything, just remain here and face this war of words.  I already know the question, but he needs to speak it first?” 

 

James stared him down, “is my compliance that necessary to you?” 

 

“It is....” 

 

By now he could hear Sergey and Gayle working at a furious rate on their equipment while he decided to comply, “then I need to see the place you showed me the last time I stood before you, please?” 

 

The Guardian didn’t move at first, but then starting making a noise, at first it sounded like he was almost sniffling, but the noise grew until he was laughing, in a quite unsettling way.  “Now why would you want to see those images again, you almost decapitated me the last time I showed you them?” 

 

James heard a few nervous noises from behind him as the Guardian ended his last sentence, but he pressed on with the situation.  “You showed me images I should not have failed to notice.  It’s vital I see them again....” 

 

He asked, “is the discovery of Krait that important to you?” 

 

Luzee flinched at the noise coming through her earpiece and James could her Sergey muttering, “this is crazy, there’s no way he knows all this....” 

 

James just smiled at the activity behind him, telling the Guardian, “they’re starting to understand more about you....” 

 

The Guardian just looked at the window, “I’m sure you’ll get all the data you need Sergey.” 

 

Sergey looked up and straight into the window a visible look of unease on his features while Luzee was trying to talk into her headset, calming the voices that must have been coming through to her over their feed.  But she lifted her head and just told James, “Roz now understands….” 

 

Without turning he replied, “I knew she would.  He gives me the….” 

 

“….  Creeps,” the Guardian finished for him? 

 

James almost shivered, but kept his composure and carefully asked, “will you help me or not?” 

 

“I’d help you if you were alone, without question.  Why should you share this with them?” 

 

“If you are reading my thoughts like you say, you already know why?” 

 

“Then I won’t help you, James.  Go….  Come back alone and we can talk,” he pointed at Luzee, “and with none of those headsets either!” 

 

Luzee looked at James and told him, “forget it, we’re wasting our time….”   

 

James however stared the Guardian down, “how dare you,” he exclaimed! 

 

“I refuse to help; your reply doesn’t change my decision.  Now leave!” 

 

James now took a step forward and the Guardian raised his hands, suggesting he was getting ready to defend himself and trigger some kind of battle, to which James summoned his blade and carefully took a defensive pose, “why won’t you help us?” 

 

“I don’t have to and I have no desire to do so!” 

 

James shifted, switching his stance to a more aggressive form, while the Guardian continued to stare him down, Luzee told James, “cool it, he isn’t going to help!” 

 

James was about to dash at the Guardian, but Luzee’s words made something click and he just phased his weapon out and started chuckling softly, making Sergey ask, “what’s wrong?” 

 

James calmed himself and replied, “he’s testing me, he told me something during my last visit and he is making sure I haven’t forgotten his words.” 

 

The Guardian dropped his own guard and they watched as his own face broke out into a broad, but unsettling smile, “you didn’t forget, well done!  For a moment I thought you did?” 

 

James stared the Guardian down, “are you going to help us, or not?” 

 

The Guardian drifted forward, “I’ll show you what you wish to see, this time,” he waved his arm at the others around James, “but from this day forward, all of you must understand that any encounters you see in this place will be private and be only for the individual....” 

 

Luzee was clearly getting a lot of chatter through her earpiece and she was distracted for a moment, while Sergey carried on working at his equipment, eventually Luzee managed to get some sort of clear message back and relayed, “they agree, but they’re not happy with the terms.” 

 

The Guardian simply replied, “the terms were non-negotiable,” then he waved his hand and the room around them began to phase and change again, returning them all to the chamber he had taken James to before. 

 

As the Guardian started to move forward into the small ante-chamber just beyond, James quietly warned Luzee, “get ready....” 

 

“For what,” she queried? 

 

The Guardian floated in, followed by James and the torture frame was already in situ, looking cold and intimidating, “are you sure James?” 

 

James replied, “Luzee, look away, turn your back....” 

 

“But....” 

 

“Just do it!  Please?”  There were clear protestations from Luzee’s earpiece, but she did as James asked and he replied, “I’m ready now....” 

 

The Guardian now waved his hand at the frame and the first image of an Evotar being tortured in it phased into view, Sergey exhaling with an audible moan of disbelief at the sight, “Gayle, keep watching that feed, not this,” he warned her. 

 

The next one appeared and James looked up at the Guardian, giving him a dubious expression, “I don’t remember this one?” 

 

The next one took shape and this was clearly Reece, James recalling his N.P.C. in the Wastes, “I’m showing you,” the Guardian noted. 

 

“Not this, show me what I have to see!” 

 

The Guardian moved on, bringing up another Evotar James didn’t recognise, while Sergey had stopped trying to grab stills, images and records, and was watching the evolving scenes with an expression of disgust.  “Not what you need,” the Guardian asked? 

 

“Stop playing games,” James warned him. 

 

Now the Guardian grinned and Terrani reformed in the frame, making James look away and grunt, “you sadistic....” 

 

The Guardian just laughed as she quickly faded again, “the last time you saw that was the time your blade almost took my head from my shoulders.  You really have remembered my advice?” 

 

A few more Evotars took their places in their predicament, before one formed that instantly caught James as soon as he saw it started to form from the feet up.  The one was clearly trapped in a pose where it was crying out in pain and trying to relieve the sheer pain they were suffering. 

 

“Stop,” James asked, taking a moment to study the trapped Evotar, before deciding, “Luzee, turn around, they have to see this.” 

 

Luzee turned around and he could hear her gasp at the unsettling sight, before she took a few seconds to hear the chatter from the others, then she asked, “are you sure?” 

 

James just nodded and confirmed, “I had a dream shortly after I met the Guardian the first time.  In it, I was in one of the frames, next to another Evotar, and their advice was to, ‘scream through the pain,’ said in a totally honest but passing way.  I missed it at the time and it’s only now I understand how important that was.”  He pointed at the image, “that’s the Avatar from my dream, that’s Krait!” 

 

“How is that Krait,” Luzee asked? 

 

“The Guardian reads my memories and plucked the names and appearances of those I had previously met, resulting in him showing any he could identify as interrogated in the past.  That is how this Avatar is here.” 

 

Luzee looked carefully at the image of the trapped Evotar, cocking her head sightly with a surprised expression, talking into her headset as well as James, “if I were not so surprised, I’d say that looks an awful lot like Rizuno?” 

 

There was a pause as her opinion was relayed and Sergey decided “you’re right Luzee, how is this even possible?” 

 

Luzee came back, “Rizuno is gone!  He was at the back of the room and must have fast-travelled as soon as that appeared in the frame, we’re too late.” 

 

Sergey was at his equipment in seconds, “I’m tracking him....”  But he shook his head after a few seconds, “dammit, he’s under tracking blockers, there’s still five Landmarks where they’re active, we’ve lost him!” 

 

The Guardian phased the image out and the entire scene returned to the roof of the Tower, “you have what you came for, leave this place!” 

 

“Come on,” James suggested, “we better get out of here....” 

 

“Not you James, them,” he waved at Luzee and the observation window. 

 

“I don’t think you have a choice?  You better go.” 

 

Luzee paused and as she started to set her Moderation settings, she started to ask, “will you...?” 

 

He spoke up, so the headset could hear, “I’ll be fine Roz, I won’t be long as I’ll get back to the Retreat as soon as I am done here.  I know I have to attend the check-up once I return and this will only take a moment, I’ll meet you there.” 

 

Luzee just nodded as she phased out and Sergey was turning away to ask Gayle, “what did we manage to harvest from that,” while his window closed and sealed? 

 

With them now alone, the Guardian changed the scene around them, back to the rooftop of the Tower, and returned back to his original position, while James asked him, “what is it you want to say?” 

 

The Guardian was silent.  James was about to turn away and walk out when he finally replied, “I’m proud of you James.” 

 

“Why should I take that with any satisfaction?” 

 

“You should, I’m as capable of emotion as you are, even though my existence is fleeting.  Yet my words have been remembered and you’ve taken them with you as you’ve pressed on to places, I can only see through your memories of them.” 

 

James snorted, “you don’t know me at all!” 

 

“I can see how you’ve utilised your gift, carried on learning new information, remembered lost memories and all the while, not let your anger lead your actions, even though you’ve thought about it.” 

 

James tipped his head forward, a little humbled by his words, “I never thought you could see so deep into my thoughts?” 

 

“I see it all, even that which you cannot access yourself.” 

 

James smiled a little, “even that I need to see?” 

 

“That’s not important, and I won’t tell you, no matter how much you ask.” 

 

“Why not?” 

 

The Guardian floated up into the air sightly and slowly drifted towards him, “you have to remember it yourself, and I can see you’ve already recalled so much.” 

 

“No, I haven’t, it still just chunks, pieces, nothing that fits into the overall timeline.” 

 

“Chorsia, Indraya, the faces of your family, the small pieces that gradually build to give you that bigger picture....  And I see a message, ‘words, hidden behind words,’ you don’t know what that means, do you?”  As James shook his head, the Guardian carried on, “you will, soon enough.” 

 

“Why were you hostile while the others were here?” 

 

“What you choose, and what you conduct in this place must be private to the Evotar.  It is not for others to observe.  They will have their own experiences and events to process and discuss when they depart.” 

 

“So why did you choose to help me?” 

 

The Guardian studied him for a moment, before admitting, “I knew how important this was to you and them, and letting them see me like this, once, made it clear what my demands are for the future.  I also know what the worries of Sergey and Satoshi are in relation to me, tell them I have no way of having my records and logs stored externally, since I effectively cease to exist as soon as the instance is terminated.” 

 

“I’ll tell them,” James confirmed. 

 

The Guardian started drifting back to his position, “in time, I will meet each and every Evotar, and because my memories are created from their own experiences, I will appear slightly different every time, but you will all know me for what I am.  Maybe in time, some won’t fear me as much as they do now?” 

 

“Then I will leave you, until next time.” 

 

As James started to turn away, the Guardian spoke one last time, “she’s told you her feelings and you’re happy, just don’t ever stop holding her.  Soon she will need you to protect her, more than she will ever admit....”   

 

He fell into silence and James turned away, those final words ringing in his ears and giving him more things to consider once he was away from this place again. 

 

---------- 

 

The Skyrail car stopped at the destination and James stepped off to the sound of waves lapping all around and bubbles drifting through the air.  It was the next day and Roz had promised some time out, away from the Retreat.   

 

He still felt a little groggy after the events of yesterday, but he was happy to be out and about again, among other Avatars and not locked in the sterile world that the Retreat created sometime.  He asked Roz, “why did we come here?” 

 

Roz walked forward, off of the arrival pad and stepping onto the sand while opening her interface, “because after the events of yesterday, we had to get out and find somewhere else.  Once you get off of the main paths and onto the hills, the Azure Archipelago is one of the most private locales and should give a fresh perspective for relaxation. 

 

James looked out over the serene beaches as he descended from the platform to join her, admitting, “I have no memory of this place....  It’s beautiful.” 

 

“This will help too....” 

 

“What’s that?” 

 

Roz pointed down to her feet and showed they were exposed, allowing her the freedom to step barefoot on the firmed sand that made the path, “we’re not fighting anything here, just to chill and reflect, so let yourself go and lower you guard James.” 

 

He kept looking at her bare feet, “I saw you do that in the Marshes, while you were sat with Terrani, how?” 

 

Roz smiled, “it’s a little trick in the cosmetics menu, here let me show you.”  James opened his own menus and with a little guidance from Roz, he accessed the necessary trick to disable his footwear, making his boots phase out and be replaced with a set of bare feet.   

 

James felt somewhat off-balance for a moment and slightly weird, making Roz put out her arm and allowing him to rest and calm, “what’s going on,” he asked? 

 

Roz gave him a very gentle smile, “look down at our feet together and you might get a hint?” 

 

James did as she suggested, noting their feet side by side.  “....  What am I looking at?” 

 

“Look closer,” she suggested, “notice the similarities?” 

 

It took a second, but it dawned on him, “apart from the skin tone and the fact I am slightly taller, they’re essentially identical, right down to how the big toes curl slightly!” 
 

Roz laughed, “normally your clothing is your outer skin, and the developers simply added a ‘universal foot model,’ to base every design of Avatar and Evotar footwear from.  I’ve just demonstrated how to expose that default model, because the benefit is you now have toes, something missing while you wear boots.” 

 

“That’s it,” James concluded, “I can feel the sensation and difference of toes.  I didn’t register it before, they were missing and I never experienced something like this.” 

 

Roz smiled and pushed her toes into the sand, prompting him to do the same, before they laughed together and set off along the wide, warm shore.  At first, James was still unsteady and Roz offered him her arm, giving him a chance to adjust his walk to allow for toes once more, but he was fine after the first few steps.   

 

James checked his interface and saw he had managed to collect all the chests on offer here and Roz beamed warmly, telling him, “va bene, because we’re going to use that now.” 

 

“Where are we going, there’s no other way in or out of this place?” 

 

Roz turned right at the first junction, before moving up a short distance and bouncing up the jump pad next to the cliff.  James followed and let Roz lead him back towards the junction, reaching the final point of the cliff and jumping out on the pad, onto the hidden island.   

 

Finally, she stopped and sat on the sand, offering James a place next to her, which he accepted and sat himself.  They were sat facing the mainland of the Playground and James could see Rhombus Square much closer too, the Skyrail over the ocean leading to it had a series of travellers to and from, although it was still much quieter these days and more for excursions and Avatars wanting time away from their own adventures, rather than genuine seekers following the Track to Ku’lero. 

 

James soaked up the heady sound of the waves lapping up against the small island they were perched on, and he turned his head to look at her....  “You’re right Roz?” 

 

“Riguardo a cosa?” 

 

“This place, it’s stunning, so peaceful, calm and relaxing.  Add to that the sounds of the sea and I can start to see the images of Indraya that I had lost for so long....” 

 

Roz smiled, “I was looking for an excuse to bring you here, but until you recalled the name of your homeworld, I couldn’t do so.” 

 

“How so?” 

 

“Think about Indraya, and you’ll start to understand.” 

 

James cast the name of his homeworld into his mind and he started to see pictures come back to him, not unlike the view he was seeing currently.  “It’s an Archipelago World, scattered clusters of islands covering the surface of a planetary ocean....” 

 

Roz nodded, “such islands are extremely volcanic as most of them are formed by eruptions on the fault lines, deep on the ocean floor.  That makes such worlds extremely rich in sea-life and seafood protein exports, while also providing lots of opportunities for tourism.” 

 

James thought, then looked up at the Gas-Giant forever tidal-locked in the sky above them, “four moons....” 

 

Roz smiled, knowing what he was referring to from her own research, “what do you mean James?” 

 

“Indraya, it has four moons....  They all hang in the sky and have orbits that ring the planet, meaning they all can appear during the day or night.  You see the lights of the colonies twinkling upon them when they cross the night sky above you, now I think about it, it’s beautiful.” 

 

Roz smiled and placed her hand upon his shoulder in congratulations, “well done James.  I’ve never been to Indraya, but I can see the image you refer to in still images taken from the surface.  The outermost moon acts as a transfer station for the entire system, restricting larger ships from approaching closer, but all four moons are little more than massive balls of rock which have rich veins of minerals and resources.  The sea farming of Indraya feeds them all and still provides an excess to export more to other systems, alongside the extracted mineral resources. 

 

“I can see more too....  The town where I spent my teens, with my foster mother and sister, it was one of the commercial coastal towns, not really hot enough to make it worthwhile for the tourists, so we were involved in the seafood and kelp industries.  It was a busy port and market town, with suburban settlements running out along the coastline.  The island wasn’t too large and was dominated by the height of the dormant volcano that must have made it, while just offshore were landing pads that had been sunk onto the seabed to allow ships to load.  I grew up in one of those suburbs, watching the ships arrive and depart and dreaming of exploring out there myself.” 

 

“Do you have any idea of the time before your foster mother?” 
 

James thought, and shook his head, “no, none.  I don’t think I really care enough to know?  The only warmth I feel from my childhood, circles around Ella and my foster mother.” 

 

Roz smiled and relaxed, stretching her legs out and letting her feet dip into the sea as it broke on the sand they were sat upon.  “Do the same as me James,” she suggested? 

 

James copied, carefully letting his toes skim the surface of the water and got quite a sensation back, “the sun makes it so warm, yet the sea is quite cold to the touch, that’s so weird....” 

 

“it’s your feet,” Roz told him.  “Footwear doesn’t register the touch at all since they won’t in reality.  Now you are barefoot, your senses are being forced to adapt sensation from a new source.  Try your hands and you’ll feel the difference.” 

 

James did as she suggested and was quite taken aback by how normal it felt, the water, although composed of Instant Matter, had a sensation like it should, in fact, it was quite warm and tropical.  He withdrew them and replaced his feet in the water and got the weird sensation again, “I assume that feeling will pass as my code adapts?” 

 

“Si, it only takes a few moments.” 

 

They sat in silence, letting James take in the tranquillity of the surroundings, and the peace allowed him to enter an almost zen-like frame of mind.  Roz let him enjoy his peace and just sat next to him quietly, and after a while he opened his eyes, “the sensation feels like it does with my hands now.” 

 

“That’s good.  It’s another little step in you adapting to your new life.” 

 

He nodded, “I just feel lucky to be able to enjoy it.” 

 

“Come mai?” 

 

James looked out over the view, “the sights I experienced while I was trapped and locked.” 

 

“Have you worked out to describe them to me?” 

 

James smiled, “I can explain them a little, and Te’keek....” 

 

She calmly replied, “Te’keek, why him?” 

 

James gave her a warm smile, “I think I understand what happened, I split my consciousness, and he represented the other side of me, as we fought to understand the messages together.” 

 

Roz was working on her notes as soon as he started telling her of his experiences, “you fought, how did you fight?” 

 

“Well, it wasn’t so much fighting, it was him, trying to get me to pay attention, and I just wanted to ignore him.  I could still perceive the outside world and see you all through my physical eyes, but I had no way to influence the view or answer you back.” 

 

Roz nodded and asked, “so what were you fighting?” 

 

“The voice, the booming voice in my head.”  He tipped his head forward and recalled, “it just shouted, ‘scream through the pain,’ constantly, and it drove into my every thought with the power and pain it generated, but when I started to understand and piece together the detail, it changed in inflection and tone.  In fact, thinking back, it did that all the time, getting stronger when I didn’t resist, and then getting confused and panicked when I tried to answer the questions that had left me stuck there.” 

 

“Was it the voice trapping you there?” 

 

He nodded, “but I can’t explain why.  It nearly beat me so many times, even down to the fact I thought it was all over as Bel’ was taking me away, before Terrani stopped him.” 

 

“She saved you?” 

 

“Not just her, all of you did your bit to help me beat the voice.  You helped by being my escort at the Trust Meeting, reassuring Bel’ enough to let me go and ensuring I had the extra time I needed before the voice won, Terrani got me that time, and it was Shizuka who gave me the detail I needed to understand.” 

 

“You said thank you to her, what did that mean?” 

 

“She must have said something to someone else at the meeting, and I picked it up and understood what I needed to piece the detail together and beat the voice once and for all.” 

 

Genuinely interested, Roz asked, “what was that.” 

 

James smiled and admitted, “what are you missing?  It made me realise that everything I was experiencing from my memories was missing key details.  It was then the voice began to fit and I understood it was from my shared memories of Terrani’s torture, the first time I went into the tower, and the fact the Guardian showed me everything I needed to know all that time ago.”  James looked down, “I’d missed what I needed to see, and it was all just my own, stupid mind telling me to wake up and put it all together.” 

 

Roz smiled back to him and placed her hand on his shoulder as she grinned, “you clearly did that James, and you saved me from getting reassigned too.” 

 

James laughed, “I thought you’d be desperate to get rid of me, after all the stress we’ve been through to get here?” 

 

Roz admitted, “never, I’m enjoying myself too much,” then she laughed, happy that their journey was going to continue together, at least for a little longer.  When they settled down again, James returned to his thoughts, letting the sea lap against his feet while Roz made a few more notes and she eventually returned her hand to his shoulder while asking, “did you hear the secrets everyone told you?” 

 

He looked at her and nodded, “every word, and I’m keeping their secrets safe.” 

 

“I never told you my secret though....” 

 

“You don’t have to.” 

 

Roz looked down, “I need to.” 

 

James turned to stare at her, “no, I don’t need to know, all the work you’ve done to get me to this stage means I know you better than the others anyway.  You’ve never left my side and only done everything to put me first....” 

 

“....  I’m a little jealous of Terrani....” 

 

He stared at her, a blank expression on his face, “what, why?” 

 

She quietly confessed, “I’d never do anything to hurt my relationship with Reece,” she lowered her hand from his shoulder and looked him in the eye, “but I understand what Terrani sees in you James....  I missed you as much as she did while you were trapped in that wheelchair.” 

 

He was rather taken aback by her frank admission, “I, I....  I’m flattered, but me and Terrani just....” 

 

Roz smiled, “it’s not a love like that James.  It’s more like a sibling relationship I want to share with you, even long after our time together like this is over.  I don’t ever want to lose contact with you James, the half-brother I never had....” 

 

He thought and smiled, before holding out his hand and letting her shake it, “I promise that will never happen Roz, I don’t want to ever lose the friendships I’ve made with you or the others over our time together.” 

 

Roz smiled happily, and then returned to looking out to sea with him for several moments, before James managed to ask her, “is there any other shocking revelations you want to discuss with me, before we leave this place?” 

 

Roz grinned, giggled and then settled down, before thinking of a shocking question to ask him, “are you surprised at Rizuno?” 

 

He thought for a moment, “more confused.  Why was Rizuno even in the frame?” 

 

Roz considered his opinion, “it doesn’t make sense, and there’s clearly some hidden past he’s never revealed.  But it does explain his behaviour when he came to visit us in the garden....” 

 

“How so?” 

 

“He dumped our suspicions all on Terrani, diverting us from his own actions.  He knew then that she was going to inform the Trust of our plan to infiltrate the Slums Teat Area.”  

 

James nodded, “but did he tell them of my new abilities with class-switching, or anything else, he clearly knows what tricks I have up my sleeves?” 

 

Roz thought, “I’m starting to suspect he didn’t, like he’s holding back fragments of detail....  Something that’s very odd, given the situation he’s found himself in, but there is one thing I can agree with you on.” 

 

“What’s that?” 

 

“He’s Krait, he has to be.” 

 

“Why do you say that?” 

 

“As soon as Luzee turned around and we saw that image of him in the torture frame, it was clear what you were seeing, and what the Guardian had done to reach that image.  You had seen Rizuno before that point at the first Trust Meeting, and the Guardian used that to show him to you, yet because you were thinking of Terrani you missed it, mind you, given how he looked, I would have missed him too.” 

 

“What did the room think when Luzee figured it out?” 

 

“We were so fixated on the screen, we didn’t even notice Rizuno was gone, as soon as he saw it himself, he must have realised he was discovered and ran.  He didn’t even stay to try and argue a defence, which to me is the most damning evidence.” 

 

James nodded, “I’m guessing no one has found him?” 

 

“There are a few locations on the Playground where there’s extensive tracking blockers still in operation.  He has to be at one of them.” 

 

“Where are they?” 

 

“Further on, deeper into the Playground.  You still have quite a lot of the story to discover and progress to complete....” 

 

James nodded, looked out over the view and quietly asked her, “would you stop me finding that story out, and trying to hunt down Rizuno while doing so?” 

 

“It’s not your problem anymore James,” Roz confirmed to him.  “We’ve helped narrow the search and exposed their Mole; you’ve done your bit.” 

 

He turned back to her, “I know, but I‘m responsible for all this Roz, my notes, research and years of work is all tied in me, lost in my memories.  They’re desperate to get rid of me, and I think it’s because they’re scared, in case I do remember everything!” 

 

Roz sighed heavily and sent something in her D-Link, before looking out across the sea, back towards the Playground.  “I was worried you were going to demand to keep going....” 

 

“Why worried,” he asked softly? 

 

She admitted, “All the way through this madness, I’ve thought of nothing but your own safety.  Now you’re desperate to go back into the danger, to keep on learning of your past in the most hazardous way....  Even though it’s no longer necessary.” 

 

He tipped his head forward, “I understand Roz, and it’s clear the way our relationship has developed has only made things worse.” 

 

She nodded and stayed silent, letting that comprise her answer, while James closed his eyes and returned to his peaceful contemplation.  Roz left him to his meditation and worked on her own notes, waiting for him to resolve his actions and return to her at his own pace.   

 

After about ten minutes, one of the bubbles that drifted through the air of the Azure Archipelago brushed against James’ nose and popped, breaking his trance and making him look up.  It let him discover the others had joined them on the lonely island and they were all sat around himself and Roz, waiting for him to realise they were here.  He smiled at them all and Terrani moved over to sit directly next to him, holding his hand and giving him a little kiss as she did so.  While Reece was sat next to Roz and hugging her. Even Gayle was sat with them, enjoying the atmosphere and soaking up the tranquillity. 

 

“When did all of you get here?” 

 

“I invited them,” Roz admitted, “I already knew what you were going to ask, and wanted them to hear it as well.” 

 

Gayle laughed, “I think we all know what the request is.  Right,” she asked the others? 

 

The others nodded while he grinned back, “is it that obvious?” 

 

Reece laughed, “you want to press on with your progress.  Yes, it is that obvious James.” 

 

They shared a gentle laugh, before Gayle replied, “Sergey has left me at your command Roz, I think he knew what James would want as well, let alone being curious about what other data we could harvest and add to the investigations about your class abilities, James.”  She held out her hand for him to hold, “I’m in, wherever we end up and whatever we face, I’m in.” 

 

A second passed and two other hands joined their handshake, Roz and Terrani, Roz was beaming and Terrani put her other arm around James’ shoulders, hugging him as she did so.  “I’ve got to at least make some effort to think about the impending Trust elections, but I’ll help wherever I can,” she confirmed. 

 

Roz looked at her, “I don’t think you have to worry too much Terrani, now we know Krait has been exposed, everyone knows you were right to make the stand you did.  You’ll have earned an awful lot of respect for your actions.” 

 

Terrani smiled, “even so, I’m going to have to at least make some public effort, and I have Luke to fall back on.  I’ll talk to him and maybe I’ll have someone I could call, a campaign manager?” 

 

Roz laughed, “I never thought I’d see one of those around here ragazza....” 

 

“Neither did I,” she replied, “a lot has changed, hasn’t it?” 

 

James was enjoying their bonds of friendship from them all and looked up at Reece and Luzee.  “Are you with us,” he asked them? 

 

Luzee and Roz looked at each other for one second, and then both leaned forward and placed their hands with the others.  “You know we are,” Luzee confirmed.... 

 

The handshake broke and they all returned to looking out towards Rhombus Square and the mainland, before Reece quietly asked, “is this the right time?” 

 

“Whatever for,” Roz asked? 

 

James simply replied, “yes,” making Reece break out into a big, but nervous smile. 

 

“What’s going on,” Roz asked him? 

 

Reece stood and repositioned himself, squatting into the gentle surf that brushed against their small island, before looking straight in her eyes.  “Roz, it’s time we had a talk, about us....” 

 

Roz gave him a slightly concerned gaze, “che cos’è?” 

 

Reece gulped, then began, “I’ve loved you for eight years Roz, but the last few weeks have shown me, it’s time....”  He got on one knee and his voice was wavering as he asked, “Rozwena, will you marry me?” 

 

There was a stony-faced silence from Roz as Reece tried to continue, “I want to make it official Roz, get married and show everyone.  I’ve decided to leave The Enclave and move to Ba’kii Kum, with you....” 

 

Still Roz didn’t reply and gave him no clue as to what she was thinking. 

 

Reece stammered on, “I, I mean, I know we can’t give up our duties, especially you with the Guiding....  And I always love our D-Link chats, but just one night a week, a date night, a night together like we’ve been enjoying, that’s the only change I ask?  Then, when you are free, I’ll be with you at home, our home....” 

 

Roz couldn’t resist any longer and gave the game away by breaking out into a big smile, “si....” 

 

Reece stopped and looked at her, “seriously?” 

 

“Si, you idiot,” then she pulled him in to share a huge hug and kiss, while the others all cheered around them, when they broke up, they stayed arm in arm as the others took turns to congratulate them. 

 

Eventually things settled down and Reece relaxed, wrapping Roz in his arms and laying his head on her shoulder, “I honestly thought you were going to reject me when I asked….” 

 

“Well, there’s one thing you still have to do,” Roz noted as she opened her interface and made Reece look at it, “which one, you romantic fool?” 

 

Reece spent a moment choosing and then suggested, “that one, that’s you.” 

 

Roz made the selection and the ring he had chosen appeared on her finger, a slim, silver band with a small, cut and polished sapphire as the stone.  Roz held her hand out and decided, “it’s perfect, I love it.” 

 

Now Luzee noted, “you have to celebrate!” 

 

Reece checked his messages, “it’s already arranged, we’re going to Lukes’ tomorrow night, and you’re all invited to the party.” 

 

Gayle looked a little sad, “I’m working and I don’t have the necessary Shade Keys or passes, but I’ll be there in spirit.” 

 

“What about the rest of you?” 

 

They all nodded, Terrani noting, “I’ll get a chance to speak to Luke, make a few arrangements for the election events….” 

 

James looked at her, joking, “just so long as I get five minutes with you?” 

 

Terrani laughed, “of course, I’m looking forward to it already.” 

 

Roz looked at the others, “this works out for us as well.”  She looked at James, “we need to spend tomorrow going over the rest of the new memories you’ve recovered, especially the memories of Chorsia, given the importance of them to you.”  James nodded as Roz continued, “we’ve also got a training session in the morning, so it’s another busy day.  But we’ll head for Imelda the day after, and you can carry on your progression towards the Stockyards.” 

 

“The Stockyards, is that the next instance?” 

 

Roz nodded and then paused, “well….  You’ll see when we get there.”  James nodded and Roz looked at the others, “we need to head back and get some rest.  We have a busy day tomorrow, and a party tomorrow night….” 

 

Reece laughed and kissed her on the cheek, “I’ll see you tomorrow, fiancée.” 

 

Roz gave him something of an uncomfortable look, “that is going to take some getting used to,” making him smile. 

 

James felt Terrani shuffle and turn, giving him a passionate kiss and saying, “I love you,” to him. 

 

He said, “I love you,” back as she broke the kiss and stood, offering her hand to help him stand as well. 

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow night, have a nice day.” 

 

Roz stood next to him and set her fast-travel, while he replied, “you too,” before they faded out together to return to the Retreat. 

Edited March 27, 2022 by Uncle Sikee Atric

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Twenty Nine : 

 

He knew this was a dream.... 

 

James was stood between two shapes, back in the mist and murk that he had been locked in, but now it was black, dark and outright petrifying.  Te’keek was nowhere to be seen and these figures were different, one powerful and dominating the area to one side, the other one meek, small and as scared as he was of the first figure. 

 

“Help me,” the small figure told him.  “Please, you must believe me, help me.” 

 

The powerful figure looked across at the pleading one, telling James, “it doesn’t deserve help, it deserves nothing, it’s a traitor!” 

 

The meek figure tried again, “you must believe me.  Please, help me, I’m as trapped as you....” 

 

James stepped aside as the strong figure barged past him, drawing the darkness along as he did so.  It towered over the weak one and laughed, “I should crush it, destroy it.”  It pointed at James, “that’s what he wants too!” 

 

James looked at the strong figure, “how do you know what I want?” 

 

“It’s obvious,” it countered, “for what it has done, it doesn’t deserve pity, it deserves justice, retribution!” 

 

“Please,” the meek figure tried again, “you must believe me, you have to believe me, help me!” 

 

The strong figure laughed and raised his hand, ready to slap the meek one to the floor, but James got to the raised arm and grabbed it, holding it in place and saying, “that is not the answer!” 

 

The strong figure brushed him off and released itself, but lowered his arm as James had warned him, “if you will not destroy what deserves to be destroyed, then what?” 

 

James looked at the meek figure and it looked totally pathetic, kneeling on the floor and pleading to him.  “Help me,” it said again! 

 

“No one must be judged, without a chance to offer their case,” he finally decided. 

 

The strong figure reacted by drawing itself even larger, the darkness growing and engulfing everything, “it must be destroyed, made to pay the price for its actions!” 

 

The meek figure huddled down, laid on the floor and told them, “I’m begging you, please....” 

  

James sighed, “what will that prove?” 

 

“It will prove you were right; you were correct, you deserve to be the judge!” 

 

“....  But not the jury and executioner....” 

 

The strong figure grunted, “why is what everyone else thinks so important?” 

 

James looked down at the meek, pathetic figure, “because they have their own opinions of me, maybe I’m the guilty party to them?” 

 

The strong figure pushed James aside and in a quick, fluid motion, kicked the weak figure, before James could react.  But the weak figure countered instantly, wrapping itself around the leg and biting, scratching, fighting back in an unnatural and brutal way.  The darkness grew around itself even more, soon becoming more than that projected by the strong figure, and the two figures continued to struggle for a short period, but the meek figure was clearly winning. 

 

The strong figure took one last look at James, telling him, “for the sake of everyone, I hope you are right....”  Then both figures popped out of existence, producing a powerful shockwave that knocked James from his feet and made him fall backwards, but the ground didn’t stop him falling, and he kept going, the buildings forming around him as he did so.   He flipped in the air and saw below him that the real ground was there, coming towards him too quickly, there was no way to stop now! 

 

Before he hit the floor, he opened his eyes and discovered the welcoming sight of his room.  James took a moment to rise, all the time, thinking about the messages the dream was telling him.  He was starting to suspect he knew who the two figures were supposed to represent and he got out of bed, trying to discern anything from the shapes to prove his theories.   

 

James drew a small cup of Instant Water and retreated to his chair on the balcony, the images and messages still swirling around his head.  He took a slight sip of the water and got a sharp, sweet lemon taste back from it, while the images kept spinning.  What was he trying to tell himself this time? 

 

He almost didn’t see Roz coming onto the balcony, the gate opening was the first moment he noticed that she was already here, “you look lost in thought this morning James, did you have a bad dream?” 

 

He looked up and nodded at her in greeting, while replying, “yes.  But to be fair, it felt more like a lucid dream, very vivid and prominent.” 

 

“A lucid dream,” she noted as she sat and opened her interface, “what happened?” 

 

James calmed his breathing and closed his eyes, “I was back in my head and two figures were there with me, a strong one and a weak one.” 

 

“Do you know who they were?” 

 

He shook his head, “no, they were shaped like the mists, made in the same way as the images from when I was locked, wispy and immaterial....  The weak one was begging for my help, while the strong one was urging me to strike the weak one down, calling it a traitor, a failure....”  Roz didn’t comment as she noted the details, but James pressed on, “they were both trying to grab my attention, force me to choose, but I resisted and tried to keep the neutral position, willing to reserve judgement.” 

 

“What happened?” 

 

James sighed as he replied, “in the end the strong one attacked, and the weak one fought back, in a way I never expected, he was winning, and clearly winning too.  The strong one ended the dream by telling me that I better be right about my choice, then they vanished, creating a shockwave that pushed me away and woke me up....” 

 

Roz lifted her head from her notes as he stopped, “is that the dream as you recall?” 

 

He nodded, “it’s so clear and vivid, like the last time I dreamed after I faced the Guardian.” 

 

Roz considered, “do you think he could be some form of trigger for you to have dreams like that?” 

 

He finished his cup of Instant Water and carefully pondered Roz’s question, “I suppose that’s possible, but I couldn’t be sure?” 

 

Roz closed her interface, “I think we may have found a trigger for you to experiment with lucid dreaming James....  It’s possible we can train you to see him and understand what you are experiencing is a dream, and you can have control of it.” 

 

“Do you think?” 

 

Roz grinned, “si, I’ll consider how to work on this theory while you attend the training session.  Apollo and Luzee are no doubt eager for you to get to work.” 

 

James nodded and stood, letting Roz lead the way through the Retreat and down into the gym.  James got the warming sight of Luzee sparring with Apollo again, while Emilie was being the scoring judge, and they were clearly practising their martial arts on each other.  Luzee even managed a clear punch on Apollo’s chest and he was grimacing as Emilie called the proceedings to a halt. 

 

Luzee gave Apollo a respectful bow then Apollo returned it, before they both bowed to Emilie and Apollo looked at Luzee, “you were lucky with that contact!” 

 

Luzee grinned back, “I knew you were going to expose your chest when you went for that move.  You sometimes become too predictable with your fighting style.” 

 

Apollo noted her comments, before turning to James and Roz as they approached, “good to see you James,” he began, “today you’ll carry on with your sparring with Luzee and I want you to continue showing your skills with countering and health management.  While I know I’ll be the target again, once Luzee takes over.” 

 

Luzee acknowledged Apollo’s comments, “I have my own ideas for training, and I want you to practise something that becomes important for Hexacasts, teamwork....  We are more than solo contributors, sometimes we can really help with key actions in party situations and I want you to have some training in those areas today.” 

 

James nodded and switched to his Spheromancer form, while Emilie stepped back and let him pass onto the training mat.  In a few moments the session was well underway and Emilie eagerly pulled Roz to the side benches, “go on then, I want all the details,” she pressed. 

 

“About what” 

 

Emilie pointed at the new ring on Roz’s left hand. 

 

“Oh, that,” Roz commented, totally uninterested. 

 

“You liar,” Emilie joked, “Reece finally held his nerve!” 

 

“What do you mean by that?” 

 

“Anyone could see he’s been trying to pop the question for ages, it was so obvious.” 

 

Roz smiled, giving the game away, “we were all sat on the beach on the Archipelago and he decided it was the right time to finally ask.” 

 

Emilie took the opportunity to give Roz a warming hug, telling her, “toutes nos félicitations,” as she did so. 

 

Roz released the hug, telling her, “to be honest, I’m relieved, I was starting to think he would never ask.” 

 

Emilie grinned, “and I love the ring too, it really suits you,” while she opened her interface. 

 

“What are you doing?” 

 

Emilie smiled, “I’m showing my own,” and she revealed an image of her real-world hand, complete with her own engagement ring, “I was saving this until Lea got to see it first, but now you can see it too.” 

 

Roz admired the image, “it’s divine, and perfect for you Emilie,” then she looked around, “where is Lea by the way?” 

 

Emilie smiled, “she’s having a few days of rest in Monsieur Tronny’s private villa, before she’s back to the Welcome Centre and the bustle of Rhombus.  She deserves it....” 

 

Roz agreed, “si, she does.  At least we know she’s not in any danger anymore.” 

 

Roz asked, “did Lea tell you if they tried to hurt her in any way?” 

 

Emilie shook her head, “not really.  She has said they did try to limit the time she was offline, make her sleepy and more compliant, but other than that, nothing.  She’s also spoken about the questions asked and the conversations, but they made her more confused than anything else.” 

 

“Why?” 

 

“It was all small-talk, chit-chat, gossip even....  She was expecting hard interrogation, but got nothing of the sort.” 

 

Roz thought, “I can’t understand that?” 

 

Emilie considered things, watching as Luzee fired a series of projectiles at James, which he carefully timed and shielded his way through, dodging at a precise moment and dashing through the last few shots, getting him close to Luzee and swiping at her, but pulling his chakram swipes to not contact her.   

 

Luzee grinned, impressed at the growing skill of their pupil, while Emilie turned back to Roz and decided, “I can only assume they knew they were too late, meaning their chance to get to the control servers in the Tower was gone?” 

 

Roz nodded, coming to the same conclusion as Emilie, before asking, “did you see any other activity on that photo?” 

 

Emilie nodded, “but it was more other people asking the question, ‘who is he?’”  Emilie giggled, “there’s quite a few jealous posts too, saying Terrani is lucky, James is dishy!” 

 

Roz laughed, “and very much taken now, you saw their hug at the Trust Meeting?  Terrani had admitted her feelings for him, just before the meeting itself.  It was impossible to miss.” 

 

Emilie looked at him, “he knows my secret too, about Julian.  The only other Evotar apart from yourself and Lea....” 

 

“Why did you tell him?” 

 

Emilie shrugged, “I thought I had to.  Besides, I was worried he wasn’t going to ever come back?” 

 

Roz nodded, “I was so worried too....  But he’s here and he’s keeping the secrets told to him, although I suspect Reece told him his plan to propose.” 

 

“How so?” 

 

“Just before the idiot did, he asked, ‘is this the right time?’  To which James told him, yes, it was.” 

 

Emilie laughed, “I wonder how long he’s been plotting to propose?” 

 

Roz thought long and hard, watching James, spar with Luzee, before deciding, “it’s been at least since we stopped overnight at Toby’s.  We had our first, private date night just before then and it was clear he enjoyed spending time with me, rather than chatting on D-Link.”  She paused and watched as James got broken by a clever attack formulated by Luzee and they spent a few moments discussing his mistake on the training mat, before she turned back to Emilie, “that’s the only change he wants while I’m working, one night a week, just a few hours together on a date, and he’s leaving The Enclave to join me in Ba’kii Kum.” 

 

Emilie smiled at her, “you two will be so happy together.” 

 

“Si, I was content before, I didn’t realise how much my mood would change with this.  I feel secure, it’s not quite the same as before, even though little has changed in reality.” 

 

Emilie agreed, “I know what you mean....  Rather than just having fun and being with someone, you actually have to plan, think ahead, make decisions together, it’s weird.  I used to discuss all my choices with Lea, now I’m doing it with Julian.” 

 

“I’m sure Lea doesn’t mind....” 

 

Emilie smiled, “no, she doesn’t mind, and I’ve now had the chance to tell of my plan to leave her an Evotar form of myself too.” 

 

“How did she take that?” 

 

“At first, she was apprehensive, but I’ve had the chance to sit for an hour and fully discuss this with her, and she’s thrilled.”  Emilie grinned, “Lea is already planning ahead and it looks like she wants to convert the upstairs of her house to give my Evotar a studio flat, at least while she settles in.....” 

 

“Do you think your Evotar will be happy, especially with how Lea has confessed about her feelings for you?” 

 

That question made Emilie stop and think momentarily, before she decided, “I’ll be happy, Lea will be happy, I’m sure my Evotar will be happy too....  But you’d make sure you kept an eye on her, right Roz?” 

 

Roz smiled, “of course I will.” 

 

Emilie leaned in and gave Roz a hug, while sniffing slightly, a little sadness in her eyes. 

 

“Che cos’è?” 

 

Emilie admitted, “it’s just sad, I’m making these plans to hang up my Crossgear, leave you all behind.  It’s just difficult to be bright and happy about it all, knowing I’m just walking away.” 

 

Roz reassured her, “we’ll be happy for you.  We know you’ll be leading your own life, fulfilling your dreams of a family....  Do you have other plans as well?” 

 

“I didn’t at first, but Julian gave me a very tempting idea....” 

 

“What’s that?” 

 

“With my work here, he suggested I should gain my training qualifications, and then I’d be able to help out with mental health groups, running and leading community group sessions.” 

 

Roz nodded, “that’s a perfect role for you Emilie, I’m sure you’ll love it, being able to carry on helping others in the way you do now.” 

 

Emilie smiled, “and I’ll be still able to raise a family while doing it....” 

 

Apollo was finishing his teaching session, so Luzee was indicating it was time for him to become a Hexacast and begin the training there, while Luzee waved at the pair of them, “I need party members, you’ve just volunteered!” 

 

Roz stood and looked at Emilie, “ready for some fun?” 

 

Emilie grinned as she stood herself, “try and stop me....”  They laughed together as they crossed the floor towards the training mats. 

 

---------- 

 

Roz led James out to the courtyard behind the conference room in the afternoon, revealing she had a painting easel prepared by the fountain.  He approached it and asked, “where is your easel?” 

 

Roz smiled a little, “today, it’s not that simple.  I want to try and new technique and combine a few previous ideas, maybe that will help you with some more small detail?” 

 

James picked up the palette and stared at the prepared canvas, “what are you going to try?” 

 

Roz smiled, “well, you’re going to paint, and while you are undergoing the trance you enter while you do so, I’m going to ask you a series of questions, as if you were on a therapy couch.” 

 

James looked at her with an expression that looked somewhat nervous.  “What are you expecting to happen?” 

 

Roz shrugged, “I don’t know, but it will be fun finding out the results, right?” 

 

“What if someone disturbs us, should we be doing this in public?” 

 

Roz tipped her head forward, “you have nothing to fear, no one is going to disturb us.  I came here because this area was tended yesterday, we will be alone all afternoon.” 

 

James took up a brush and placed it on the easel while staring at it, “I don’t even know what I want to paint?  I’m looking at the canvas and just see, nothing.” 

 

Roz carefully replied, “in the past you produced images that were totally different to what you originally planned.  I suggest you just start and see where your trance takes you?” 

 

James nodded, then carefully piped some paint onto his easel, mixing them together until they made a tone that pleased his thoughts, and then he started to paint, applying the colour to the canvas in a broad series of strokes. 

 

Roz waited, making sure James was totally entranced with the painting, before firmly asking, “James?” 

 

He grunted in reply, not taking his eyes from his work. 

 

“Can you hear me, James?” 

 

Again, he grunted, not really noting her question. 

 

“I want to speak with James, can he reply?” 

 

“Yes....” 

 

“What are you painting James?” 

 

James was totally glazed over now, “I don’t know....” 

 

“Why don’t you know?” 

 

James mumbled, “I only see what the paint allows me to see....  I’m blind to the world.” 

 

“Why blind?” 

 

“....  Why does the voice ask that?” 

 

Roz looked at him, a little perplexed by the depth of the trance he had descended into.  James was now mixing a fresh colour onto his palette and Roz asked, “what colour are you mixing?” 

 

James didn’t even look at the colour, “it’s not important, until the painting reveals itself....” 

 

Roz pondered James as he continued to apply the paints, trying to think of a way to break through his concentration without breaking the trance, when James questioned her, “why has the voice stopped?” 

 

“What do you mean?”  James didn’t reply initially, making Roz ask him, “what does the voice do for you?” 

 

“It helps me focus on the painting; I am beginning to see what it is becoming.” 

 

“What is the painting becoming?” 

 

“Space....” 

 

Roz didn’t move to view the painting herself, she let James keep the privacy of it for now, “why space?” 

 

“It’s what I saw when I looked up, when the rain finally stopped....” 

 

“When the rain stopped?” 

 

James didn’t nod, but he acknowledged, “the rain never stopped for long, but it would break occasionally and the clouds would part, letting you see space, the vastness above, and the other nearby places....” 

 

Roz quietly opened her interface and checked her notes, while asking, “the rain, are you thinking of somewhere you have stood before?” 

 

James flatly replied, “before I came here....” 

 

Now Roz paused as she quickly researched a little, before piping up and asking, “is James thinking of anything else, outside of the painting?" 

 

He took a moment to figure out what to apply next, and mixed another colour up, before eventually returning to painting and replied, “no, nothing,” to Roz’s question. 

 

“When you’re painting, does that scare you, or make you nervous, not thinking of anything else?” 

 

“No....” 

 

“Why?” 

 

“The painting is telling me all I need to know, and the image I can draw from the lost detail.” 

 

This is what Roz had been probing for, looking for a shred of detail that she could employ, “when you say lost detail, do you mean the detail that James struggles to see normally?” 

 

“James sees them, but they’re blurry, impossible to make out due to the fog.  The painting removes the fog, lets James see the image clearly.” 

 

“Is the image important?” 

 

“It tells James of his past, that’s the most important thing now....” 

 

“Why is telling him of his past so important?” 

 

James remained locked in his trance and applied more paint, before mixing a fresh colour, but he remained silent.  He didn’t answer the question. 

 

Roz tried again, keeping the calm, professional tone, so James could hear it clearly.  “Why is telling him of his past so important?” 

 

“He needs to know these things, if he is ever to make peace his with past and settle here.” 

 

Roz thought, “but James has friends, someone to love, he already has a future?” 

 

James took a little while to consider his canvas, mixing yet another colour and ignoring Roz momentarily, before he picked up the brush again and told her, “it is not enough to make James happy, he knows his past is tied to every future here.  He has to know as he has come too far to give up now....” 

 

“Is that why you want to keep on, finish Port Imelda and keeps searching for them?” 

 

“Yes....” 

 

“Regardless of any potential danger?” 

 

“Yes....” 

 

Roz made a few more notes and then asked, “is James happy?” 

 

Without flinching he replied, “James is....  Worried.” 

 

“Why worried?” 

 

“The final words of the Guardian are playing on the thoughts....” 

 

“What were the words?” 

 

James didn’t reply and he was still lost in his trance. 

 

“What did the Guardian say?” 

 

James turned away, found a finer brush and finally replied....  “James must not stop holding her, soon she will need James more than she will ever admit....” 

 

Roz quickly noted the words down and asked, “who do you think he was referring to?” 

 

“My love....” 

 

“Are you sure?” 

 

“Yes....” 

 

Roz took a second to observe James’ facial features.  His expression suggested he was slipping deeper into the trance and with few questions left to ask for now, she suggested, “do you want the voice to stop, so you can quietly carry on with your painting,” to him? 

 

“Yes....  But it was nice to talk.” 

 

“Very well, you carry on painting and we’ll talk like this again at some point.”  With that, Roz fell into silence, studying and updating her notes while making a little research of her own, suspicious of what James was painting.   

 

He meanwhile, retreated into the stony silence he usually adopted when he painted, the trance becoming all-consuming and it was quite a while before he broke it and looked at Roz, smiling as he did so.  “I think I’ve finished....” 

 

Roz looked up and smiled at him, “you’ve been quite a while, did you enjoy that?” 

 

He nodded, “it was so peaceful....” 

 

“Did you hear me asking you questions as you worked?” 

 

“No....  What questions did you ask?” 

 

Roz grinned, “just a series of question that tested the level of trance you entered.  It’s like you said you split your consciousness when you faced Te’keek, I was testing you to see what parts of your mind you were using when you painted?” 

 

“Did you learn anything?” 

 

Roz smiled, “quite a lot, including the words you took away from the Guardian the other day.” 

 

James looked a little nervous, “you mean, about Terrani?” 

 

She nodded, “don’t worry, I have no reason to tell them to anyone else, the words will be safely kept with me....” 

 

He smiled weakly, knowing she would keep her promise, before turning to his painting, “what did I paint this time?” 

 

“Do you know” 

 

He looked at the painting, “something is there, but I’m not quite sure yet....” 

 

Roz smiled, “that was something I asked while you were painting.  It seems that part of you does know what it is painting, like it’s telling you these images are there in the mist and you are showing yourself what you can really see?” 

 

He bit his lip, “hm,” as he carried on looking at the painting, “that’s something I never thought about, the way my mind tried to convey messages.  I guess this one of them?” 

 

Roz stood and smiled, “it seems so.  Now, do you want to show me your painting?” 

 

James stood aside and let her approach, revealing two moons in a night sky, one was bare and had the lights of colonies glinting upon it, while the other was green, verdant and bright, framed with the weather systems of wispy clouds hanging above it. 

 

The painting was created with the usually high level of skill that James seemed to exhibit and he looked up at the sky above trying to figure out what this image was.  Then he smiled and began to understand, “Chorsia....” 

 

“Do you know what this is James?” 

 

He nodded, “the weather on Chorsia is horrible, it rains for days, weeks even.  But every now and again the clouds break and the sky above becomes visible for a little while.  When it happens, people come out onto the streets and up onto the roofs of the buildings, to enjoy the view and celebrate the event in the dry air.  This is what you see when it happens at night, the two moons of Chorsia above you.” 

 

Roz nodded, “well done James, It is an event I’ve never experienced, but while you painted, I did a little reading about the details, since you gave me some clues it was what you were painting. 

 

“I did?” 

 

She nodded and continued, “the entire system of Chosia is something of a sad story, a fragment of lost history....” 

 

James furled his brow, “how so?” 

 

“It is the administrative system for that entire sector of space, including Indraya, and it has been that way for over a thousand years....  It also used to contain a verdant, natural ecology and farming systems, feeding many other colonies, but then the Old Wars came....” 

 

“What happened?” 

 

“No one is quite sure if it was a natural event, accidental or even triggered by some form of attack, but the climate collapsed, and the rains began.  They covered the planet, drawing up half of the oceans into the atmosphere and dredging the land in continual rains.  Millions died in the resulting floods as they destroyed entire cities and other population centres, while the eco-system also collapsed, through the lack of direct sunlight and unending rain....” 

 

Roz looked up to the sky, “thankfully, there was some relief for the eco-systems.  One of the moons was undergoing a process of terraforming, to boost the farming and food production of Chorsia, but the decision was made to transform it into a vast nature reserve.  As many samples as possible were taken and they were released there, resulting in the forest green moon you see above Chorsia today.  A museum to the history of the planet itself....” 

 

James looked up at the sky himself, “Chorsia now is a barren world, pockmarked by massive super-cities, between a maze of seas, lakes and rivers, right?” 

 

Roz nodded, “that’s right.  It looks fairly uninviting from orbit, shrouded beneath clouds that ring the planet and only offer occasional glimpses of the planet beneath.  But it remains a busy hub for the administrations of everything, from governments to corporations, all tied together by an army of diplomats and ambassadors overseeing the whole sector.  The rocky moon and its orbiting base are the transfer station for shipping and the forest moon remains a nature reserve, with strict limits on visits....” 

 

James gazed at the picture, “I think I had a ticket to visit it?  If I were going to publish my work, maybe I was planning to hide out there for a little while?” 

 

Roz carefully asked, “do you have any other memories of the planet?” 

 

James closed his eyes and considered, “only vague thoughts and images, not much more.  The only real thing was the rain, the way it kept coming, never stopping....  I lived there for a few years and in all that time it stopped raining for only a few weeks in total.” 

 

Roz looked at him, “I thought my world was bad enough through the sheer humidity, but the idea of it never stopping raining?  That’s incredible to think about.” 

 

James looked at her, glazing over slightly, “just thinking about it....  I was laid there, on the floor, between the two buildings, the pain racing around my body, but looking up at the rain as it fell, kept falling....  I knew I was dead, but the rain kept my mind focused, kept me awake as it fell on my form, refused to let me sleep.”  Roz added these details to her notes as James decided, “I’m here because of the rain....  If I had passed out before they found me, if I had slept, the doctors at the hospital would never have let me donate.  I owe this existence to the rain....” 

 

Roz smiled, mulling over his comments, “You’ve made some real progress with your mind, haven’t you?” 

 

“In what way?” 

 

“Since you came back to us, you’ve had a new focus, a new drive.  It’s like you’re a new person James, more aware of who and what you are now, more willing to make peace with the past.” 

 

He looked at her, “I think I can make peace with history, but only if the people that brought me here are made to face the consequences of their actions....” 

 

“That’s understandable.” 

 

He was a little taken aback, “it is?” 

 

Roz looked at him and the painting, “it wasn’t really your free choice to donate your memory to an Evotar, you were forced into it as a last chance of life for some part of you.  I had the choice, as did most of the rest of us.  You didn’t James and you have a right to be upset about that.” 

 

He looked around at the surroundings of the courtyard and took a seat on the edge of the fountain.  Gazing into the water and seeing his reflection staring back at him, “it’s so peaceful and tranquil here, yet I’m destroying that by saying I’m out to seek revenge for my own situation....” 

 

Roz joined him, taking a place next to him and replying, “the location doesn’t matter, what does matter is that you’ve taken several more steps today, James.  You’ve revealed more of your memories and thoughts, not just to me, to yourself....  It didn’t matter if you did that on a therapy couch, or in front of a painting, you’ve now realised what your current goals are?” 

 

He thought about her comments, “I didn’t really consider it before....  So far, up to now, I’ve been forced into my action by others and the circumstances around me at the time.  It’s only now I look at where we are currently, and I agree.  This is probably the first time I have got the choice to choose my own future, where I go from here....”  He grinned at the painting, “it’s exhilarating, having that freedom to choose what ‘I’ want to do, what to experience and learn about myself.” 

 

Roz smiled, “it is an amazing feeling, isn’t it?” 

 

He looked at Roz, “I always thought this process would be about regimented sessions of therapy and a strict management of my life by you, until I was ready to stand on my own two feet?” 

 

Roz beamed back, “that’s not Guiding at all....  We just help you learn the truth about yourself and help you adapt to the massive changes you’ve undergone to become an Evotar.”  She giggled, “besides, as soon as you left that tunnel and entered the Vermillion Wastes, there was no way any sort of treatment like that would work with you.  You’ve made me tear up my manuals and totally rethink how to be a Guide James.” 

 

“Am I really that influential?” 

 

She nodded, “I don’t think I’ll ever have another situation like this, that is so unique....” 

 

“Is that a good, or a bad thing?” 

 

“Very much good,” she smiled, “we must constantly learn and adapt to be the best Guides we can be.  Every new experience is as useful for us as it seems to be for you.” 

 

James was about to answer, but Roz’s D-Link chimed, and she checked it, “bonta, is that the time already?” 

 

“What’s wrong?” 

 

“We don’t have much time before we’re due at Luke’s....  We better make an effort, before we end up going like we are and totally underdressed!” 

 

James started to gather up the painting equipment and noted, “I think I’d like to keep this painting Roz.  Can I see about getting it framed and hung in my room?” 

 

“Si, of course.  We’ll get it scanned now as we return the painting equipment, then we can prepare for the party, I’m quite looking forward to it....” 

 

James mused, “so am I....  It’s probably going to be my first real date with Terrani.” 

 

“I’m sure she’s looking forward to it as much as you are James,” Roz noted, as she gathered up the last few pieces of the painting equipment and they set off together to return it to the studio.... 

 

---------- 

 

It was as busy as it was the last time he was here.  James stepped away from Homestedt Landmark to find that Reece was already here and had staked out a small patch by the wall to the Trader’s Area.   He looked rather dapper in his smart outfit and was clearly happy when he spotted James.  He waved him over while saying, “glad to see you made it, James.” 

 

He returned the greeting, “good evening, Reece.  Are we the first to arrive?” 

 

Reece smiled, “there’s a tradition for special events like this, all the ladies will arrive together.  They meet up separately to come here.”   

 

He nodded in understanding, “I’m just glad I got my choice of outfit correct, Roz gave me an idea of how to dress for this, but she didn’t give me a clue about everything….” 

 

Reece laughed, “you look perfect,” he noted.  “In reality, we don’t have many outfit options for smart appearances, but you’ve done a great job, the ladies have far more choice….” 

 

James had picked pants and shoes that were similar to the ones he wore when he came for his first meal, but this time he had chosen a very different style of shirt, which was white with a smart, green pinstripe, while he also had decided to wear an open, green waistcoat with it, choosing a simple, smart headgear design to complete the look.  He had even figured out how to add a pocket square to the waistcoat, as well as a simple, silver wristband on his left wrist. 

 

Reece grinned, “they’ll be here soon no doubt, and you just watch….” 

 

“What for?” 

 

He waved his hand around, “everyone is going to notice.”  He felt a little exposed momentarily, but Reece calmed him, “it’s traditional for them to be noticed like that.  It’s like a little game of Who’s- Who?” 

 

He furled his brow, “so there’s going to be a scene when they arrive?” 

 

“….  And they’ll enjoy it too.” 

 

James looked around, suddenly aware that he was going to be spotted too, but he was thrilled that Terrani would be part of this show.  In fact, he was really excited to see how she would be dressed for the celebration…. 

 

For several minutes they watched as different individuals and small groups arrived on the pad and moved aside to greet others waiting in this little area.  They were all spending time chatting and noting the arrival of others as their social gatherings formed, but James was growing somewhat more nervous as the numbers of Avatars here continued to grow. 

 

The pad activated again and three figures began to form, Reece instantly moved forward and indicated James had better do the same.  “This is them,” he hinted. 

 

James watched as Luzee, Roz and Terrani took shape and stepped off of the pads.  They were all wearing cocktail dresses, Luzee’s was quite short in length and she had covered her shoulders in a matching Hexacast cloak, while her headgear was reduced to little more than her earrings, while Roz was dressed in a long, shimmering blue dress with a white jacket and matching accessories, highlighting the engagement ring on her finger and leaving the only clue to her class being the colours and the neck covering she always wore.  Both of them had let their hair fall loose down their back. 

 

James now focused on Terrani as she walked towards him, the smile very obvious on her face.  Her dress was knee-length and toned in a muted orange with some floral, white detailing in the fabric.  She had paired it with a light, short-jacket and more toned jewellery that matched the faded yellow of her eyes, while she had tied her long hair and held it in place with two plaits that extended from under her Pentafist wings and looped together, before draping down her back.   

 

The ladies walked towards them and James could see every pair of eyes watching them do so, it was clear they all knew this was a special occasion.  Roz led them all and she extended her hand out to Reece as she reached him.  He responded by leaning forward and kissing the engagement ring on her finger, before they exchanged pleasantries and a more traditional hug and kiss. 

 

The others all gave a warm noise of appreciation and James heard one of the other men say, “it’s about time Reece....  Congratulations.” 

 

He looked up, “thank you, Junice....” 

 

The voice replied, “I hope he proposed somewhere nice Roz?” 

 

She grinned and looked Reece in the eyes, “si, he did,” she answered. 

 

Now Terrani came over to James and she wrapped herself into his arms while giving him a small, sweet kiss.  “Good evening,” she began, “I hope you’ve had a good day?” 

 

He embraced her, “it’s even better now, you look stunning.” 

 

“I knew you’d like it.” 

 

They broke the hug and turned to the others, staying close and linked arm-in-arm, while Reece started leading them past Satoshi’s mansion and into the area of Homestedt behind it, where Lukes was located. 

 

James felt rather self-conscious as they passed everyone, every pair of eyes locked on the group of them as they walked by, but Terrani reassured him, staying close to him and making it very obvious that they were together because they wanted to be, not because she was being courteous. 

 

They finished their walk and arrived at Lukes, entering the building to find him busying around among the clientele.  He noted their arrival at the door and broke from his activities to approach, “Ah, congratulations Reece, Roz....” 

 

They nodded their appreciation for his well-wishes, Reece replying, “thank you Luke.” 

 

Luke started leading them through the restaurant, “If you come this way, please?” 

 

They all followed him, through the main restaurant and to a secluded rear area. This area was new to James and it looked like Luke had given them a celebratory table, away from everyone else and in a private section. 

 

The table he showed them to was decorated with flowers and gave a happy, peaceful, but celebratory atmosphere, while there was only one other, small table here, at which Lea and Toby were sat themselves.  As James entered the room, he found them already stood and clapping for Reece and Roz and they both came forward to give them hugs and handshakes.  Lea then went on to hug each of them, including James as she passed. 

 

Eventually, they broke and returned to their own table, while Roz asked them, “who told you?” 

 

Toby admitted, “we were already planning to eat here and have a catch-up, I hadn’t seen Lea since before the memorial and I don’t disturb anyone in the private villa, it’s theirs to enjoy without my meddling.  It was only when Luke told us we were not eating alone and he started preparing the table, did we find out the news.  So, we decided we would wait and celebrate with you.  Is that okay?” 

 

Roz and Reece both nodded, Roz telling them, “si, of course it is.” 

 

[I am so happy for the pair of you, but you’ve been together for so long, it felt like you were already married!] 

 

The room gave a happy laugh as they all took their seats at their tables, James making sure he held Terrani’s chair, before he sat next to her and Roz, and openly held Terrani’s hand on the table, which she gripped firmly and smiled warmly for everyone to see. 

 

The conversations remained happy and jovial for quite a while as they all studied the menu on offer, before Luke came forward to take the orders, prompting Roz to gently remind James, “you should be getting to the point where you can choose pretty freely....” 

 

He nodded, “I know, but I’m not going to chance it tonight.  The occasion doesn’t need that happening, so I’ll be sensible.” 

 

Terrani smiled and asked him, “can I choose then. I have a great idea and I know you’ll enjoy it, James?” 

 

He gazed into her yellow eyes, “of course you can.” 

 

She smiled and put her menu down, before looking at Luke.  “We’ll have the pea and mint soup, followed by vegetable korma, please.” 

 

Luke moved on, allowing the others to select their choices, which included Lea and Toby, and Luke hastened off to set the wheels of the restaurant into motion, leaving them all alone a moment and letting the conversations begin.  Lea was typing away to Toby and he was laughing in reply, while Luzee, Roz and Reece were jovially chatting about something themselves, leaving Terrani with James a moment.  She asked, “are you having a good time?” 

 

He gripped her hand tighter, “it’s lovely.  In reality, it’s our first real date.” 

 

She giggled in reply, “in many ways it is, isn’t it?” 

 

“I know we’ve been together before, but this is different....” 

 

Terrani grinned, “it’s because we’ve finally admitted our feelings for each other and we both know it was time to be honest about it.”  She looked a little saddened. “I honestly thought you were never coming back; I couldn’t hold my feelings back any longer.” 

 

He looked back at her, “I heard the emotion in your voice, the way you blamed yourself for me being like that, the way you were convinced you were cursed....  None of it is true,” and to prove the point, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. 

 

She smiled, “I know....  It was just the raw emotion of seeing you like that, it was haunting.” 

 

“For you and me both.  I tried to hug you, willing my body to move, but I just couldn’t do it, no matter how much I tried....  But you did save me in your own way.” 

 

“I did, how,” she asked, genuinely curious?” 

 

“It was like a timer in my head, and it ran out when Bel’ came.  If he had taken me to the clinic there was no way back, because no one had enough hope anymore.  But you saved me by convincing Bel’ to let me go with you to the Trust Meeting, that little extra time with you was the answer.” 

 

“I really helped you overcome your problems?” 

 

He nodded, happy to be quietly disclosing his memories to her, “it was weird, I somehow ended up fighting with another part of myself, the pair of us having to work together to resolve the real threat in the darkness.  It nearly won so many times, wracking me with pain that I struggled to handle....” 

 

“Pain, you experienced pain?” 

 

He nodded, “it was uncontrollable at times, but it’s gone now, never to return.  I’ll never forget it though, watching memories reform and learning more about my past.” 

 

“What about the other part of yourself?” 

 

“You mean Te’keek?” 

 

Terrani gave him a very odd look, “Te’keek, as in, that N.P.C. Shad in the Marshes?” 

 

James nodded, “for some reason, that other half of me took on his form and voice, I still cannot fathom why?” 

 

Terrani smiled and joked, “it could have been worse, it could have been me!” 

 

James looked into her eyes, “you were there, a key piece of the puzzle that left me trapped.” 

 

She gave him a surprised look, “how was I there?” 

 

My memories manifested by making shapes and recollections out of the mist that was always in the background where I was trapped,” he stopped and thought.  “Now I think about it, it was like how I see my memories when I meditate, shapes and figures hiding in the mist and gloom, occasionally appearing enough to allow me to recover more....”  He smiled at her, “but you were like a ray of bright light, helping me see what I needed to see.” 

 

“I’m just so happy I was able to help you, even if I didn’t know it....” 

 

He looked across the table, “you all did, not just you, and I need to explain to Shizuka about why I said thank you to her.” 

 

Terrani gave him a confused expression, “I didn’t understand that....”  James explained how she had said the key fragment that it took for him to realise the missing detail and she raised her eyebrows, “so all of your memories were missing detail, and she told you to look for it?” 

 

“Hm,” he nodded, “I was also missing the detail with you, your form was a key part of all of it.”  He lowered his voice, “it’s how I figured out about your memory, that the identity of Krait was right there, and I had missed it all this time.” 

 

“I never understood how the mind works, or the fact that it can affect you in such ways,” she lowered her own voice and looked a little nervous, “but then....” 

 

James looked around the table and squeezed her hand, “you don’t need to say anymore, not now....” 

 

She smiled and leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder and they shared a little close contact, while Roz noticed them and asked, “are you two, okay?” 

 

James smiled and nodded, “I was just explaining what happened, Terrani was interested.” 

 

Roz smiled at her, “it’s quite a tale, isn’t it?” 

 

Terrani smiled, “it sure is, and it makes you think, it could happen to any of us if something detrimental occurred?” 

 

Luzee smiled at the pair of them, “I’ve been waiting for you two to be open like this.  You look so happy together.” 

 

Terrani lifted her head back from James’ shoulder and grinned, “it might not have happened in the way I wanted, but it was the right time to be honest.” 

 

James agreed, “I’m happy we’re not being so clandestine anymore.  It feels great to be out in the open about our feelings.” 

 

Lea typed, [It must have been difficult to see him like that Terrani?] 

 

Terrani nodded, “I really thought he wasn’t coming back....” 

 

Luke reappeared in the private area as Lea nodded in agreement, with several others behind him, all bringing their starters to the table.  Roz and Reece had a platter of prepared, roasted vegetables and breads to share, all with a selection of dips, Luzee had chosen a seafood platter with bread, while Lea was having a soup and Toby had chosen a small plate of cheese and charcuterie. 

 

One of the waitresses brought James and Terrani their soups, while Luke busied about and poured them all a drink.  As he passed James and poured his glass, he gave him a little warning, “this isn’t just sparkling water this time, you better just take small sips.” 

 

James thanked Luke for the little warning and Toby raised his glass.  “To Roz and Reece,” he announced as a toast and the others all raised their glasses and copied his call.  Then they all took a sip and James discovered it was not only sparkling, it packed a heady wine kick and filled his senses with a bubbly, joyous sensation.  His memory flared and for a second and he phased out.  Roz saw his reaction and carefully watched him, seeing what the others had missed, before he came back and smiled warmly. 

 

As she started to make a little selection from her platter, she quietly asked, “what did you see then James?” 

 

Terrani looked up from taking the first taste of her soup, “he saw something then?” 

 

James looked at Roz and then Terrani, before putting the glass down, “it was the Instant Water, it had such a strong, sparkling wine hit.” 

 

Terrani looked at him curiously, “it’s not alcoholic or anything?” 

 

“But the taste is there and that’s what made me recall something....” 

 

The others had not really noticed, so Roz gently asked, “what did you recall?” 

 

“I was back at the fancy event, in front of the orchestra.  Whoever I did meet, I was with them, sharing a quaff of the real thing....” 

 

“Just that” 

 

He nodded at Roz, “that’s it.  It was just a flash and gone, but I did see it long enough to figure out what it was.” 

 

Terrani looked at him and asked, “are you okay to carry on, we can have a minute if you need it?” 

 

James waved his hand and took his spoon, “no, I’m fine, honestly....  The smell of the soup is making me feel really hungry.” 

 

Roz grinned, “in that case, tuck in and enjoy.” 

 

James carefully drew a small quantity of the soup and tasted it while Terrani watched, waiting for the reaction.  At first, he got little feedback from the taste, bar a slight spice taste. but then the refreshing mint aftertaste rushed into his mouth and he grinned, “that’s amazing again.  The mint is so strong.” 

 

Roz grinned, “since it’s not really a taste you’ve experienced before, it’s likely to be accentuated for these first few mouthfuls.” 

 

James took another taste and saw that, like the tomato soup, this had been served with another piece of buttered toast, so he sampled it with another taste of the soup and the bread made everything flare again, resulting in him enjoying the meal even more., while the others all took their time and savoured the food on offer. 

 

The chat remained happy and cordial as James slowly enjoyed the soup, the others making their own way through their dishes.  Lea listened to Toby relay some story and was smiling and laughing, while Roz and Reece were happily sharing their platter and offering each other small samples to taste, along with their own creations, and Luzee was chatting to Terrani, asking her about her plans for the upcoming events before the vote.  Luzee asked, “do you think Luke is genuine with the idea of helping out with your campaign?” 

 

Terrani swallowed her latest sip of her soup and replied, “I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t?” 

 

Luzee shrugged, “he seems happy enough.  And no doubt he’s pleased that Lea is back.” 

 

Terrani nodded, “we all are, let's be honest.” 

 

Luzee smiled and took another mouthful of her seafood, “I just never expected to be part of the rescue party….” 

 

Both James and Terrani giggled, James replying, “neither did I.  Weird how things have worked out, isn’t it?” 

 

Lea paused eating to type to them, [when you appeared, I really thought I was in more trouble, especially since I’d been in there over a day.] 

 

James looked up at her, “I thought you were going to attack me there and then….  In that darkness, you looked menacing Lea.” 

 

They all shared a little laugh and finished their starters.  Then Toby asked, “Were you hurt at all Lea, no one ever explained it fully to me?” 

 

Lea shook her head and typed, [They just kept me there, I think they knew there was no point trying to hurt me?] 

 

Toby was intrigued, “did you know any of them that were there with you?” 

 

[Not at the time, but I later found out that Pnkayz was one of them, she went by the name of Diamondback, until James found me.] 

 

Toby inputted something into his interface, tapped a few commands and closed it again, before returning to his starter and taking the last few bites, before he cleared his plate and the others began to wrap up their dishes.  James finished his soup and smiled at Terrani, telling her, “good choice.” 

 

“It’s lovely, isn’t it?  And it’s a warming palette cleanser before the main course too.” 

 

He looked at her with a few nerves visible, “I’m just nervous of the spice….” 

 

Terrani smiled and took a sip of her drink, before taking his hand in hers and comforting him, “I wouldn’t have picked it if it was going to be strong.  It will be a big hit, since you’ll still be learning about spices in your taste, but this is a really, really mild curry.  It’s delicious too.” 

 

He decided that she was not going to make him regret eating something at an event like this, so he just nodded his head and let the conversations flow, while sipping a little of his drink. 

 

Luke returned with his staff to clean away the plates from the starter course and Terrani quickly waved him over, James could hear some words being whispered between the two of them and ‘planning’ was one of them, Luke nodded and continued clearing the table before telling them all, “the mains are being prepared; they should not take too much longer.” 

 

Roz and Reece nodded their agreement as he left, before Roz asked Terrani, “why did you settle on the vegetable korma tonight, I know you love you chicken one?” 

 

Terrani replied, “normally I would, but I just fancied the vegetable version tonight.” 

 

Roz shrugged and smiled, “at least you didn’t go for the hot and spicy alternatives.  Although the sight of your date running around the room with his mouth on fire would have been funny….” 

 

James grinned, “maybe for you, not for me,” although he did feel better now Roz had confirmed that this was a very mild curry. 

 

Toby had returned to quietly chatting with Lea, with Reece and Roz discussing something else and Luzee making funny comments at it.  Terrani kept her hand locked with James and looked at him, “having a nice time?” 

 

“Since the Trust Meeting, it’s been nothing but a joyous and relaxing experience.  I’ve not felt so eased and happy since I first arrived.  Even the mist feels like it’s backed off a little and is not forcing itself into the foreground.  I can recall more as I want to, not pressured into unwanted events….”  He waved his free hand, “and this is just awesome.  I don’t think I’ve ever felt so welcomed into anywhere,” then he looked at the sweet face of the woman whose hand he was holding and finished quietly, “or loved….” 

 

Terrani confessed, “I never went to that first Trust Meeting, knowing I was going to meet you, or how I would feel about you.  But you just made such an impression on me….” 

 

“How did I make an impression on you?” 

 

“You were just sweet, honest, and totally confused.  But through it all, you were yourself.  I think that is what appealed to me more than anything else, you were not hiding behind a mask, or trying to act different, you were just you.” 

 

“So, are you saying you wanted to be polite and introduce yourself…?” 

 

She cut him off, “yes.  I wanted to get to know you, I was curious and wanted to be friendly.” 

 

He looked at her and admitted, “It was only when you sat next to me that very first time and I got to see your eyes, that was the first moment I realised I had feelings for you.” 

 

Terrani smiled, “I suspected you did, especially when you turned away and tried to be shy.” 

 

“You noticed that?” 

 

She grinned, “it was hard not to notice it, but it just made me happy.” 

 

He lifted her hand off of the table and kissed the back of it.  “Still feeling happy,” he asked? 

 

“I haven’t felt so happy in a long time....” 

 

They kept their hands locked as Luke and his team returned, carrying the mains and a second bottle of the fizz with them.  Luke carried a massive vegetable pizza for Reece and Roz to share, Lea and Luzee looked like they had picked a chicken casserole dish, while Toby had a different variation of curry. 

 

One of the waiters bought Terrani and James their own curries and James found the scent alone was creating a party in his head.  The main curry had also been served with naan bread, chapatis and a few side dips, along with a small side bowl of rice, giving him plenty of flavours to mix and savour.  Terrani gave him a few words, “there’s no chilli heat, but the curry spices will still be a huge hit.  It’s all amazing, but just take your time.” 

 

He took the advice and began with a small sample of the rice, and was amazed it was spiced with cinnamon and onion, and the cinnamon was an intense punch as he carefully chewed and swallowed.  He could only manage one word, “wow!” 

 

Roz checked on him, “is it a strong taste?” 

 

James shook his head, “no, it’s amazing....” 

 

Terrani grinned, “just eat slowly then, I’ll keep pace with you.” 

 

James nodded and gambled on a piece of the vegetable curry.  Just smelling it made him feel giddy from the reaction of his senses, but when he tasted it, all he could feel was the curry spice and the texture of the vegetable in the background.  For a minute he chewed carefully, letting his senses learn and adapt and the sensation eased. 

 

Terrani asked, “did you enjoy that?” 

 

He nodded back, “it’s just incredible.  It’s delicious, but it’s difficult to take it all in.” 

 

“It will settle down now,” Roz reassured him. 

 

“I know it will, but the sensation is going to take some time to get over.” 

 

The others had pressed on with their meals, but Terrani and Roz kept a gentle pace with James, making sure he didn’t feel left behind as his senses adapted to the curry and spices on offer.  He kept going and didn’t give up at any point as the meal tasted better and better, the further he got through it and the more his senses changed,   

 

The others all tucked in and enjoyed their own servings, while James kept his pace and slowly savoured every mouthful, every new taste sensation on offer, and before he knew it, the meal was completed.  His plate was empty and Roz and Terrani finished with him, all three of them taking a swig of their drink as a final flourish. 

 

The others had also finished and they were all continuing to chat, laugh and celebrate the occasion.  Reece was telling some joke to them all as Luke came forward to collect the plates again.  “Was that all good,” he asked as his staff cleared the tables? 

 

They all nodded, but Terrani called him over and quietly asked, “can we have a chat when we’re finished, please?” 

 

Luke nodded, “of course.  I assume this about the trust?” 

 

Terrani smiled in reply, “yes, and I want to see about working together to host some events?” 

 

“Then I’ll talk to you afterwards.  I’m sure there’s a few events we can arrange?” 

 

Terrani gave him her thanks and returned to the conversations at the table, where Luzee was making the others laugh with some tales of her Moderation duties and the celebrations continued.  Reece had clearly heard the story before and was enjoying listening along and contributing certain voices, while the others were all laughing and smiling.  James just adored the sense of happiness and security he felt.  All of them thought of him as an equal, not a newcomer and he was holding the hand of one of them, able to turn his head and look into her eyes.  He couldn’t understand how he was so lucky? 

 

“What are you thinking about,” Terrani asked, clearly seeing his gaze and expression? 

 

He smiled, “I’m just sitting, relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere….  For the first time, I’m starting to accept this as my new home.  I’m not a newcomer anymore….” 

 

Terrani leaned in and gave him a kiss, “no, you’re right where you should be, with me.” 

 

They shared a small kiss and a hug, in full view of everyone else, making Toby comment something to Lea, and Lea nodded her head in reply, confirming they were becoming an item.  Toby picked up his glass and toasted them as a result, congratulating Terrani and James, who returned the toast in thanks. 

 

Luke led his team back in and they were carrying a group dessert.  He had prepared an iced cake, decorated with two interlinked squares, and he placed it on the table to allow Reece and Roz to make the initial cut, before it was sliced up and offered to every member of the party.  James was excited by the cake, eager to taste the excessive sweetness that was on offer. 

 

He received his piece and was offered a scoop of ice cream as an accompaniment, which he happily accepted.  Roz gave him a very real warning that taking very small samples would necessary at first and even Terrani was not rushing, looking at her serving with a real sense of caution.  “Is this intense,” he asked her? 

 

She nodded, “none of us have food this sweet very often.  My own senses will be tested, so you’ll have to be really careful.” 

 

He nodded and took a very small corner of the dessert onto his spoon, before gently placing it into his mouth.  The sensation was like being kicked as the sheer belt of sugar overtook him and he chewed and swallowed as carefully as he could.  He watched the others do the same, as the euphoria of taste declined.  “That’s an even bigger hit than the curry,” he admitted. 

 

Terrani grinned, “now you understand why the first meal is such a neutral, light experience.” 

 

He nodded as he carefully took another piece onto his spoon, “I would never have managed to eat this then....” 

 

Roz swallowed her latest mouthful and admitted, “I hate these desserts myself, but it’s the tradition that we serve them for celebrations like this.  That’s why the cake isn’t so big, no one needs a massive piece.” 

 

James nodded and ate another piece of the cake, swilling it down with a swig of his drink.  He was stunned it was the sweetness that was the thing nearly overwhelming him, out of the entire meal.  Even repeated mouthfuls only dulled the sensation slightly and they all took some time to finally finish the treat, before they all finished their drinks as a final toast to Reece and Roz. 

 

With the meal finished, they all rose to leave the restaurant and Luke was there to see them off.  “Thank you for the visit, I hope you all enjoyed the meal?” 

 

Reece and Roz paused to thank him personally, Roz giving him a big hug as her thanks, while Reece shook his hand, then the others took their turns with the thanks, while James hung back with Terrani who was clearly trying to be the last the leave.  She hugged him and asked, “can we have a quick discussion about setting a few dates for meetings and such?” 

 

“Of course,” Luke confirmed and they spent five minutes looking at their diaries, before settling on a few dates.  Luke seemed happy to be helping out and told her he’d handle getting everything ready to run the events here.  Terrani was clearly grateful as she shook his hand and set everything in motion, before she returned to James and held his hand as she led him out, back into the light of Homestedt. 

 

The others were gathered around and chatting in discussion while they waited and Terrani quickly asked Roz, “can myself and James have a few minutes on the bench outside Satoshi’s?” 

 

“Of course,” she confirmed, “but no revelations this time, si,” joking about the last time they were sat there? 

 

Terrani grinned, nodded and led James back to the bench, expecting them to catch up in no time.  They took their seats and Terrani leaned in for a hug, asking him, “have you had a good time?” 

 

“It's been great, I’ve just enjoyed the atmosphere, the food, and especially the company.” 

 

“It’s lovely you’ve had a chance to just be part of the festivities, especially with everything still hanging over us.” 

 

He nodded, “and tomorrow, we’re back to it....” 

 

“You mean, with your progression?” 

 

“I’m not just going back out there for myself, I’m looking for Rizuno, I want him to answer as to why he’s Krait?” 

 

Terrani looked at him, “is that the only reason why you’re determined to press on?” 

 

He wrapped her in his arms, “no it’s not.  I need to answer my own memories, fill in the gaps, and find the solutions.  I really think they thought I wasn’t here, that my memories might return.  They wanted me erased from the records, I can’t allow that to happen....” 

 

“What do you think is hidden?” 

 

He looked out over the pond, towards the statue of Lea, “I really think I have all my records stored, that I’ll recall a way to find them and recover everything they fear.  I won’t find a way to recover it sat at the Retreat, there’s only so much peace I can stomach.” 

 

Terrani sighed lightly, “I’m just nervous they’ll catch up with you?” 

 

“I understand that risk now, but I have to take that chance.  You don’t have to come along anymore?  I’ll walk the path alone if I have to, even Roz knows that now.” 

 

She kissed him on the cheek, “you’ll never be alone on this journey.  I love you and I promised I’d be with you, no matter how dark things get.  Besides, if this data is so important, it’s vital you recover it.” 

 

He turned his head, looked into her eyes and kissed her back, “I love you too, thank you.” 

 

“Just one thing....” 

 

“What’s that?” 

 

She grinned, “don’t keep anything from Roz this time!” 

 

They shared a little laughter together before he replied, “I know....  It’s a good job we have nothing to hide anymore, isn’t it?” 

 

She smiled, “I really thought she was done there and then....  That we wouldn’t be here now.” 

 

“Me too.  I never expected her to understand, or allow us to press on.” 

 

“Roz is stronger than you think.”  Terrani giggled, “that’s probably why it’s taken Reece eight years to muster up the courage to propose?” 

 

“It might take me longer.  You know that, right?” 

 

“I don’t mind....  I’m just happy for now, tomorrow will come around when it’s ready.  I don’t want you under Roz’s care forever....” 

 

He smiled, “just so long as I know you’re waiting for that day, I’ll make sure it comes.” 

 

They shared another hug and Roz came up to join them, Reece and Luzee in tow.  “Are we disturbing you,” she asked? 

 

Terrani shuffled into James, letting them all gather together around the bench.  “No,” she confirmed, “we’re just agreeing on a few things.” 

 

Roz smiled at them as she took her place on the bench, while Reece kneeled on the ground at her side and Luzee squatted next to Terrani.  It was Reece who asked, “no shocks this time, right?” 

 

James giggled to confirm there wasn’t, before Terrani admitted, “I was reaffirming the point that we’re pressing on together.  Wherever James has to go to recover his memory, I’ll be with him.” 

 

Luzee replied, “we all will be, and tomorrow we’re back in Port Imelda, aren’t we?” 

 

James looked into his quest logs, saying, “I haven’t had to check this in a while,” as he did so.  He took a moment before replying, “yes, according to these logs, I’m going looking for evidence of the Ghettotown Rats at the Rec District Precinct and trying to get into Yusan’s favour so I can get her aid to find their location.” 

 

Roz smiled, “that’s a busy day then.  How do you fancy being the final party member tomorrow Luzee?” 

 

“I’m looking forward to it already.  It’ll be nice to not sit in that break room and get out to do some fighting.” 

 

Reece looked at Terrani, “that’s me and you out doing the scouting....” 

 

Terrani replied, “that’s fine by me, I enjoy walking the Taurines.”  

 

“I’ll scout the city then,” he confirmed. 

 

They sat and soaked up the quiet for a moment, before Roz stood, “time for some rest James.  The next two days are going to be busy.” 

 

He kissed Terrani goodbye and stood alongside Roz, “I am tired, and I need to calm down a little.  That cake was so sweet, it’s still lingering on my sense of taste.” 

 

Roz nodded, “now you know why I don’t really like them.” 

 

Luzee wondered, “who did introduce cakes like that to our celebrations?” 

 

“I’ve got no idea,” Terrani confirmed.  “But whoever did, clearly didn’t enjoy celebrations!” 

 

They were all still laughing as James and Roz phased out and returned to the Retreat. 

Edited April 17, 2022 by Uncle Sikee Atric

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Thirty : 

 

There was some sort of radio programme in the background, playing a soft jazz tone as he placed the cup in the sink and finished the crust of his pizza, before sitting on the sofa and studying the chart in front of him. 

 

The files on the floor under the display were stacked in neat piles and there were several boxes of additional files against the wall, but James ignored them and returned his focus to the messy spider- web.  It all linked to a central point and a Mastermind at the core that must be the one who controlled everything.  However, the name of the individual evaded him at every point and every time he thought he got close; the resulting data was one of the others in the ring directly around him.  The centre remained elusive and evasive, always sidestepping his investigations at the last moment.   

 

The words and images on the charts looked blurred and unreadable as he focused all his thoughts on that strange, missing name at the heart of all of this.  Two years of study, two years of tracking vague rumours and dead ends, two years of his life he could have spent on Indraya, rather than the rain-soaked hole of Chorsia, yet he wanted to be the one who broke the story, prove them wrong, expose them....   

 

It was just a shame that ‘Don’t ever forget,’ was all that was on display to represent the Mastermind.... 

 

The image faded and he opened his eyes to the low gloom of his room.  He sat up as his interface blared the morning alarm, so he had woken up at just the right moment.  He clambered out of his bed and jumped up and down a few times while swinging his arms, using the activity techniques Roz had informed him of to wake his senses, before he tided his room and took his seat on the balcony to sample the daily offering of Instant Water, which tasted of almost nothing, much to his surprise.  Apart from a strange, weak sweetness in the aftertaste. 

 

Roz came into view in the garden as he took another little swig and cautiously sampled the taste of his drink and then Luzee also appeared, rounding the corner right behind Roz, who paused and waited for her to catch up before they both came onto the balcony.  “Buongiorno, pleasant dreams,” Roz asked him? 

 

He swallowed and replied, “good morning,” as he lifted his cup and suggested, “have you tried it today, it’s not bad, but I just have no idea what it tastes of?” 

 

Roz and Luzee drew their own cups and both took a cautious sample for themselves, Luzee noting, “you’re right, it’s bland, but that sweetness is there, any ideas Roz?” 

 

“I’m not sure,” Roz admitted, “but whatever it is, it’s not undrinkable, which is usually the case when you attempt to figure out what these flavours are.” 

 

James nodded and Roz took her seat while Luzee leaned against the balcony rail and asked, “ready for today?” 

 

James nodded in reply, but admitted, “I did have another dream....” 

 

“You did,” Roz asked as she opened her notes, “do you want to describe it?” 

 

He smiled as he took another sip, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “I was in my apartment, going over the notes and looking at the charts, before I noticed something....” 

 

“What did you notice,” Roz calmly asked him? 

 

“It was, weird....  I was back among the paperwork and looking at the spider-web chart, but it was not quite as I remember it when I was lost....  It had a central name, around which everything else wrapped, although the rest of it was unreadable.  It was the only clear fragment on the entire thing.” 

 

“What did that one thing say?” 

 

James paused, double–checking he was right, before replying, “don’t ever forget....” 

 

Luzee looked at Roz, “don’t ever forget, what does that mean?” 

 

Roz raised her hand momentarily, “are you sure that’s what the message was James?” 

 

He nodded, “yes, I’m sure....”   

 

James opened his eyes and saw Luzee was looking at Roz, “what does that mean?” 

 

Roz replied, “James has a message from the time at the end of his life, ‘Crossworlds : Don’t ever forget.’” 

 

“Crossworlds, why the heck is that part of the message?” 

 

“I don’t know,” James admitted?  “I wish I could tell you....” 

 

Roz completed adding to her notes, before sending a few messages and pausing to finish her water while checking the replies, then closing her interface and standing up.  “We have to get moving, Terrani and Reece are already out and about, so we’ve got the all-clear.” 

 

Luzee asked, “Gayle as well?” 

 

Roz sent another message and the observation window opened over her shoulder, revealing a grinning Gayle to them.  “Good morning,” she began, “how did it all go yesterday with the celebrations?” 

 

“Really well,” Roz confirmed.  “It was a shame you couldn’t join us.” 

 

“Maybe I will another time?” 

 

Roz grinned, “Well, let’s get to work and help James with some more progression.  Where do we start?” 

 

James studied his map, “I do have the Landmark for the Slums. We can head there and start with Yusan.”  As he finished checking his interface, he reset his form and reappeared in his Hexacast garb, “She saw me as this and I better keep the illusion going, you never know who is watching?” 

 

Luzee nodded and set her Fast Travel, “let’s go then.” 

 

They all faded out together and reformed seconds later on the Slums Landmark, outside of the compound of the Co-op and James led them straight across to the entrance, looking for Yusan. 

 

He found her in one of the upstairs offices, brooding over some paperwork and organising some of the others, before they headed off to set up the latest soup kitchens for the residents.  She spent a moment co-ordinating them and they broke up and dispersed, setting off on their duties while Yusan remained at her desk looking through a few notes, before eventually looking up at James and the others.  “Ah, Seeker,” she began, “what can I do for you?” 

 

James moved forward and approached her desk, “Yusan, I need your help….” 

 

“What for?” 

 

“We have suspicions that one of the rogue bands in the Slums is a key part of the problems in the city.” 

 

Yusan furled her brow, “how so?” 

 

“We think they’re being equipped with equipment they really shouldn’t be.  We’re talking military-level gear.” 

 

Yusan looked at him with a serious expression, “are you positive?” 

 

James nodded, “they used it to take out one of the Matredi bot-patrols.  Why, they’re not sure?” 

 

Yusan stared at her, “have you made contacts in the families?” 

 

He nodded, “and they’ve now starting working towards a truce.  Someone else is trying to muscle into the city politics and they want to know who?” 

 

Yusan sniffed, “that’s about right for the families, if they’re not the ones calling the shots around here, they get scared….  Which of the rogue bands are you looking for?” 

 

“The Ghettotown Rats?” 

 

Yusan sighed, “great….  Now that explains everything.” 

 

“It does,” James asked? 

 

Yusan nodded, “there’s a few sectors of the Slums where the Co-op doesn’t go, and that will be where the Ghettotown Rats are.  They just hassle us and say they can look after themselves, then threaten us with attacks if we provoke them at all….  I think we have to take those threats seriously now.” 

 

“They’ve threatened you?” 

 

Yusan nodded, “They’re guarding a patch near to the Stockyards and every time we go for a new pickup, they’re always goading and threatening us, but so long as we stay to the road in the area, they don’t attack, like it’s on their border.” 

 

“Can you mark where it is on a map?” 

 

“Better than that,” Yusan replied, “our team is going on a supply run shortly.  Why not tag along, help out and you’ll see for yourself where the Rats are camping, then you’ll know where they are for yourself.  If they see a Seeker with us, maybe it’ll send a message to them that reinforcements are arriving and they need to have a think about their own position?” 

 

“Okay, so what do I do?” 

 

Yusan headed to the door, shouted, “hang on Bielsen, the Seeker is coming with you,” into the courtyard and returned to James.  “Bielsen is the leader of the team that makes the Stockyard run and he’s reported that the Rats have tried to blockade the road on a few occasions, making him call on other Co-op groups to clear it for him.  Go and see for yourself what he has to put up with and he’ll show you exactly what Slums sections they’re holding currently, while giving Bielsen a hand if they try anything.  Sound good?”  The quest log updated and allowed James to see his new task, which he accepted and Yusan continued, “great, go and find out what you need Seeker, see you soon.” 

 

James thanked Yusan for her help and returned outside, to discover a small group of humans and Shad, stood around a decently-sized, covered handcart, clearly ready to head out for the Stockyards.  One of the Party waved them over, who was a well-built, bearded man and he carried a sledgehammer on his shoulder.  “Hello,” he began, “I assume Yusan wants you to escort us on this supply run to the Stockyards?” 

 

James replied, “that’s what she wants, yes.” 

 

“Well then, I’m Bielsen, and the others here are Jacub, Dra’hee and Amelian.  We make the daily run to the Stockyards and it’ll be nice to have some extra hands on the job for once….  There are a few rogue bands out that way and they’re always up for causing trouble, or trying to hijack our cargo.  They’re hungry too and a cargo of fresh meat can keep them fed, so we do occasionally have problems and other Co-op bands watching out for us.  Your skills may be essential Seeker, if one of them wants to bother us?” 

 

“Okay,” James agreed, “but I am looking specifically for the Ghettotown Rats.” 

 

“The Rats, why would a Seeker be looking for that set of pond scum?” 

 

James replied, “I have to investigate them for the Guard.  They seem to have equipment they shouldn’t….” 

 

Bielsen shrugged, “can’t argue with that reason….  Come on then, let’s get this done,” and with a wave, he got the small party moving for the front gate, James in tow with Roz and Luzee. 

 

James carefully asked Roz, “we’re instanced soon, right?” 

 

Roz smiled, “si, we are already.  But for now, just follow the group.” 

 

Luzee grinned, “I thought you’d be up for showing off some of your new skills James?” 

 

“It’s been several days since I last fought anything.  Let me remember how to be a Triblader first.” 

 

“Okay,” Luzee confirmed, “just hang on until we get to the West Gate then, the proper event starts there and you’ll be able to switch then….” 

 

They followed the caravan through the Slums and out past the East Gate, before it veered right and started following a path that looped around the outside of the city.  As soon as they were into the ranch lands that comprised the Taurine Plains, James noted that those not pulling the cart, unsheathed all of their weapons and took on a much more serious stance.   

 

James watched them as he and his companions hung back slightly, following the group as they kept a little distance.  The four members of the caravan were clearly wary, watching the Slums buildings to their right as they continued on the path. 

 

It took some time, but Bielsen eventually sent Amelian forward to scout and waved James forward, so he joined the caravan group as they pointed to a low complex just inside the Slum buildings.  “That’s the compound you’re looking for Seeker, the main bulk of the Rats are there.  If they’re going to cause trouble, they do that between here and the West Gate....”  James nodded and slowed to view the Rats Compound, it was ringed by more buildings and had a low wall fencing it off.  There didn’t seem to be any activity in sight, but James could hear the sounds of fighting at the other side of it.  “That’s the only good news,” Bielsen confirmed, “they’re constantly fighting with the corrupted Track wildlife that plagues some sectors of the city.  They seem to like hanging around and causing trouble at their front gate, but the bad news is, that gives them plenty of training too.” 

 

James nodded, “I’ll have to get in there at some point....” 

 

“What are you looking for?” 

 

“Evidence they’re part of what is causing all the trouble in the city.” 

 

Bielsen raised his eyebrows, “well, if it gets rid of them for good, all the better....” 

 

They were rounding a corner where the wall had sunk into the slum buildings a little and Amelian reappeared, quietly saying, “trouble ahead,” to Bielsen. 

 

Bielsen sighed in reply, “what are we dealing with, Scum?” 

 

Amelian motioned for them to stop as more sounds of fighting drifted into the hearing range.  “Not quite,” she confirmed, “one of the rogues appeared to have erected a checkpoint to mess with us, the wildlife went for them.” 

 

Bielsen smiled, “makes a change, let the wildlife handle things for once....” 

 

James thought however, and replied, “are the gang winning?” 

 

Amelian shook her head, “they’re getting pasted, it’s a big group....” 

 

James pushed past Bielsen, making Roz and Luzee follow.  Bielsen wanted to know, “where are you going?” 

 

“I have a plan, just wait here!” 

 

“They don’t need help Seeker, let the wildlife take them out!” 

 

“I’ll be back, trust me!” 

 

James raced along the path, the sounds of combat becoming louder with every step, but Roz slowed him for a second, “you can switch now James.” 

 

He accessed his interface mid-sprint and switched to Triblader without delay, before resuming his plan and charging along the path as quickly as possible.  The sounds of combat were getting louder and the screams of the humanoids involved suggested they were losing, badly, making him speed up even more.  He was running out of time is he was going to try this plan. 

 

The path rounded another corner and opened up into another arena-type area.  James could see the West Gate just ahead and the Landmark denoting it, but between here and there, there were several piles of scrap arranged into a series of rough barricades, around which there were groups of humans and a few Shad.  They were being beaten down by an aggressive band of the corrupted wildlife, packs of Hedgehags, Viruses and Wissant were swamping them all and they’d retreated into small circles, waving their crude weapons feebly, trying to keep them at bay. 

 

James raced in as one of the Hedgehags began to advance, getting ready to spin up and attack one of the civilian groups.  He charged at the right time and phased in his blade as he finished the charge, skewering the Hedgehag and making it yelp in pain.  That triggered the attention of the other Corrupted Wildlife and they turned to face James down, Luzee noting, “nice work, bring the entire pack down on us!” 

 

James smiled and withdrew his blade, holding it in a guard as the other Corrupted animals began to advance on the three of them.  Roz advised, “I’ll keep the two Wissant busy, you smash through the smaller opponents as fast as you can....” 

 

Luzee didn’t need any further hints and let loose with a few directed attacks, plucking a Virus and a few Hedgehags from around James and drawing them onto herself, while Roz picked up anything left over, including the two Wissant, who snorted and advanced upon her with a menacing purpose. 

 

James didn’t pause, smashing into a small pack of Corrupted Hedgehags and burning some of his S.P. to unleash a large area of effect attack and aggro as many as he could manage, then he set upon one in optimum range, his blade flashing and catching the light while it whirled around in an aggressive dance of slashes and chops.   

 

The first Hedgehag had no answer to this and phased out in seconds, making the others slightly more wary.  One dashed him and James sidestepped through a dash, but got too close to a Corrupted Virus and it angrily launched a flame attack at him, but then a stunned neutral Virus made contact with it and disabled it, right in front of him, letting him take it out in seconds with the shields down. 

 

He knew straight away how that had happened and as he jabbed another Hedgehag with his blade, he shouted, “thanks Luzee.” 

 

“You’re welcome, seemed a shame not to give you a chance to knock that out when you had the chance.” 

 

James grinned and made sure his Heat-Corrupted Hedgehag opponent was eliminated, using his blade in a cold-lunge, piercing its form and releasing the charge right into the core of it.  It had no way to resist such a strike and was removed instantly, while Luzee used her own abilities to blast another one out in a violent explosion, meaning the numbers were beginning to thin a little and the pressure on the barricades was weakening, allowing those still able to fight to press back against the wildlife themselves.  A few even came forward and helped draw a few more to the side, keeping them busy while James, Roz and Luzee pressed themselves, wiping out as many of their foes as possible and soon, the last few remaining were the two Wissant, still fixed on Roz. 

 

Luzee began her attacks on the first, while James swept into the second, not giving them a chance to retaliate as Roz drew upon her skills to retain the aggro and their attention wholly upon herself.  James took full advantage and burned his C.P. to destroy it with a massive attack that almost cleaved the Wissant in two, while Luzee eliminated the other as rapidly as he took care of his. 

 

The fight ended, although James kept his blade aloft and ready, but the blockade was in no situation to offer resistance, instead the few that had moved forward to help James had lowered their own weapons and heading to help tend to the wounded that they had been guarding.  James kept his weapon in his hand, but chose to advance on the group. 

 

One of them that had helped out, nervously watched James, “stay back Seeker!” 

 

James paused and phased his blade out, “I’m not going to attack you, you’ve clearly suffered enough.” 

 

He relaxed a little and admitted, “we’re desperate and needed the food, so we set this up and then the damn Track decided to attack.  Everything has gone crazy!” 

 

James nodded, “I know, it’s okay….  Are you with the Ghettotown Rats?” 

 

The man spat on the ground, “those Rats can go to hell.  We’ve been fighting them for some time over our patch in the Slums, we hate them!” 

 

“Are you in Yusan’s Co-op?” 

 

“They won’t let us, they hold the entire area in fear and they’re strong too, using weapons we can only dream of to keep us under control.” 

 

James’ ears pricked at that comment, “what weapons?” 

 

He helped one of his compatriots up and as they leaned into him, he replied, “I’m not sure, rifles and such, some of them look like they’d belong in some two-bit army!” 

 

James smiled, “that’s what I needed to know.” 

 

“It is,” he asked with some confusion? 

 

James nodded, “we suspected they had found some way to equip themselves with gear they shouldn’t have.” 

 

The man nodded, “well, we’ve had enough.  We want a way out, including the dwellers sheltering us, but we’ve got nowhere to go!” 

 

James nodded, “I have an idea, get your team back on their feet and wait here, I’ll be right back,” and with that he quickly retreated back up along the path, before returning a moment later with Bielsen and the caravan.  They approached the recovering opponents and James pulled Bielsen forward with him.  “This is Yusan’s supply caravan and I was escorting them when we got wind of the fighting.” 

 

The man was curious, “so, you’re saying Seekers are finally making it to the city and you’re working with the Co-op?” 

 

James nodded, “the Guard and the Co-op.” 

 

The others with the man looked at him and went into a small group huddle, before deciding, “well then, we surrender.” 

 

James was taken aback, “what for?” 

 

“We want out!  Let us come with you and we’ll help with the Co-op, whatever it takes, we’re just desperate to escape the Rats!” 

 

James raised his hands, “hang on, you’re willing to aid the Co-op?” 

 

“We always were, it was just the Rats coerced us into not joining, now they’ve turned on most of the bands that were with them and seem determined to overrun us all.” 

 

James looked at Bielsen and then back at the man, “what’s your name?” 

 

The man paused, hesitant to reveal too much, but he realised he had to, “I’m Marson and we’re the West Gate Guardians, this has always been our patch.” 

 

Bielsen looked uneasily at James, “we’ve had trouble with these guys before....” 

 

“Not anymore,” Marson replied, “we’ll abandon our patch and leave this area, if it means we get away from the Rats....” 

 

James asked, “are there any alternatives?” 

 

Marson shook his head, “there’s little to no food and we’re constantly hungry.” 

 

“Could you bring them some food every day on your caravan, to aid them,” James asked Bielsen? 

 

Bielsen looked back at James, “I suppose so, why?” 

 

James now asked Marson, “in exchange, you’ll have to stay on your patch and resist the Rats just a little longer Marson, to keep them busy and their attention distracted.  If we’re right, the Guard, the Co-op and even the Families will be taking them down shortly as they’re more dangerous than you know.  They’ve acquired those rifles and equipment from a supporter out to cause trouble.” 

 

Now Bielsen replied, “no one told me the Families were onside too?” 

 

“Because Yusan doesn’t know the full scope of their role, yet,” James replied.  “I didn’t want to give her the wrong idea, please don’t tell her?” 

 

He grunted, “fine!  But you better be sure the families aren’t out to take advantage.” 

 

“They’re not,” James assured him. “Even they’re starting to understand that whoever is arming the Rats is the one out to cause all the trouble in Imelda.” 

 

Marson looked at his assembled band, “you’ll promise us food if we monitor the Rats, keep them busy and pass the info to you?” 

 

James nodded, “it should only be for a few more days at the most, as soon as we have all the evidence and proof to back our theories, the Rats are going down!”  Now James asked Bielsen, “does that seem workable?” 

 

Bielsen looked at Marson, “we can arrange that,” he decided as he offered his hand, which Marson happily shook. 

 

“We have a blind spot by the West Gate itself.  We’ll meet there tomorrow and unload your shipment, while I pass all my news to you Bielsen.” 

 

James told Bielsen, “pass his info to Yusan, and no doubt she’ll tell Amani.”  Bielsen nodded, confirming James’ suggestion. 

 

Marson started to move his band out, “in that case, we’ll see you with the first shipment tomorrow, Bielsen.” 

 

“Until then,” he confirmed.... 

 

James watched them leave and retreat into the a few, nearby slum buildings, before Bielsen confronted him, “Yusan is going to murder me!” 

 

“Why, you’ve just got a new set of informants for the real troublemakers, in exchange for a few meals, I’m sure Yusan will be happy?” 

 

“I hope so....  The thought of supplying other rogue bands may not appeal to her?” 

 

“You heard Marson, they’ve been manipulated by the Rats, just like everyone else.” 

 

“Maybe, but what if they’re with them, and using us for food?” 

 

James shrugged, “I guess we’ll have to run that risk….  But I don’t think they’re lying; they look really desperate to me?” 

 

“Well, if it goes wrong, at least I can blame you,” Bielsen laughed! 

 

James grinned, “I don’t mind carrying the can for you.” 

 

Bielsen smiled, “in that case, let’s get loaded and on the road back.”  He led his caravan on the short walk to the West Gate and James collected the Landmark as he passed, before switching back to Hexacast in case the phasing ended, while the cart turned back into the city for a short distance, along the wall of a complex on the left that turned out to be massive and very heavily guarded.  Bielsen got the cart into one of the gates of this complex and in moments it was loaded with all sorts of joints and cuts from the Stockyard supplies, before they began the walk back. 

 

They returned along the path and when they were about halfway back to the East Gate, Bielsen stopped them, “we’re clear now Seeker, from here all the Slums are with us, so we’ll have no issues getting this cart back to our compound.  You’re free to leave us, but thank you for the help.” 

 

“Thank you for the information,” James replied, “I just hope the Guardians come through for us, or we’re going to end up with lots of egg on our faces.” 

 

Bielsen nodded, “let’s just stay hopeful.”  He started to move the cart on, “until next time Seeker, stay safe.” 

 

James saw the quest completion interface pop up and it was pleasing to see that he had successfully located the Rats as requested.  The EXP. reward was enough to trigger a level-up and he turned back to Roz and Luzee, “that wasn’t too bad….” 

 

“Si,” Roz noted.  “Now you’ve got to head to the Rec District and unlock that area from the phasing.  Once that is done, we’ll be able to move on to the next part of the story.” 

 

“Well then, which is the best route to the Rec District?” 

 

Roz laughed, “we’ll head back to the Docks and get there through the Shopping District,” you know where we restored the power?” 

 

James nodded, “I remember, but it seems like so long ago now….” 

 

Luzee set her Fast Travel, “well then, shall we?” 

 

James and Roz nodded as they joined her, phasing out together and heading for the Docks as their next destination. 

 

---------- 

 

They reformed on the Landmark outside of the Precinct.  The hustle and activity very obvious for them all to see as they headed off and departed the Docks by the route heading slightly away from the coastal road and the East Slums, towards the main Shopping Area of Port Imelda.  The short walk continued past the checkpoint that James had secured as his first task in Port Imelda.   

 

The path opened up into the vast, covered arcade that had shops and supplies everywhere, along with a broad selection of cafes and other recreational venues.  Some of the shops were locked and had displays in the windows, but there were many more, open and free for a crowd of Avatars to experience.  A few, noticeable Mods, dressed as mall security, were milling around to keep things in check, and they nodded at Luzee as she passed them. 

 

James joked, “I wonder what you look like dressed….” 

 

“Don’t,” she cut him off!  “This is my nightmare posting when I’m on duty, I hate patrolling this place!  Which is why I’m usually out on the development side, where I don’t have to order this chaos.” 

 

Roz laughed, “he shouldn’t have said that, now I’m curious too….” 

 

James now took a more serious tone, “you’d think this would be a prime target for Gher-Laine and their bombs?” 

 

“Oh, it is, for sure,” Luzee confirmed, “but there’s many more Mods here than just the security.  “We’ve got this zone and the Rec District pretty much locked down.” 

 

James shrugged, “fair enough, but is there any reason I need to shop, any supplies I’m going to need?” 

 

Roz looked around and thought, “I doubt it.  Most of the things on offer here we have access to as Evotars anyway, and the other shops are for specialist items and upgrades in zones you haven’t reached yet James.” 

 

James noted the existence of several clothing shops in a dedicated wing, “what about down there?” 

 

Roz shook her head, “that’s just the clothing options you can purchase to customise your Avatar, either via in-game credits, or using a premium currency you can purchase as an addition.  As Evotars, we have all the options already activated.  The only thing you’d use those shops for is trying different combinations in public, but we can do that in the comfort of our own homes.” 

 

James nodded in understanding, “just seems odd to not take advantage of the space for our own uses, somehow….” 

 

“Who said we didn’t?” 

 

“How so?” 

 

“We have fashion shows and such, showing new items and combinations.  It’s perfect to show them off here and the floor in the middle rises up to make a catwalk too.  We can get quite a crowd on those days and it’s a fun event that we have on the calendar.” 

 

He smiled and paused, Roz noting him phasing out and the expression fixating on his features.  Roz carefully got Luzee to aid her and they managed the drag him to a nearby, empty bench, sitting him down and Roz sat carefully next to him, obscuring the view of his face as best as she could, while Luzee tactfully copied her actions and sat to obscure James from the other side. 

 

A few minutes passed and he returned, blinking and figuring out his whereabouts as he came back to his senses, before looking at Roz, “what a place for that to happen….” 

 

Roz smiled, “no one noticed, they’re all so busy….  You’re fine.” 

 

“Are you sure?” 

 

Luzee nodded, “no one saw you.  We promise we made sure of that.” 

 

Roz asked, “ready to move on, there’s plenty of places we can discuss your new memory, and you’ll be not so public at all of them, okay?” 

 

James nodded, “let’s get out of here.” 

 

They carried on through the shopping mall and finally exited the far end, back out into the fresh air, into a region of the city that looked more open and spacious, with grassed areas and multiple paths heading off in different directions.  Although it also looked like the towered building-complexes were still in a fairly bad state of repair.  The Landmark was here and James tagged it first, making a Guard approach him, “you’re the one working with Amani, right?” 

 

James nodded, “I am….  What’s wrong?” 

 

The Guard replied, “nothing is wrong, here, but this is the current limit of our Guard area and beyond this point is the zones the Families are fighting over.” 

 

James looked out and could see that there were signs of things moving off in the distance, and occasional flashes, accompanied by the sound of small-arms fire and laser shots drifting in on the wind.  “It’s still pretty rough out there, isn’t it?” 

 

The Guard nodded, “they’ve stopped pushing the Mall area and allowed us to make repairs to get it back into service.  But as you see, this is a frontline between them, although things have quietened down somewhat recently.  I don’t know why, but at least we’ve had a chance to consolidate and hold.” 

 

James smiled, “I need to get through to the Rec District Precinct, where is that?” 

 

The Guard pointed to a lone, low building, quite a distance off and stated, “that’s it, but there’s been quite a lot of activity in the area the last few hours, and that’s not just the robots, there seems to be some of the corrupted wildlife lurking too.” 

 

“Okay, thanks for the warning, but I need to inspect the building to check for evidence.” 

 

The Guard shrugged, “well, I can’t stop you doing that and Amani informed us you were coming.  But you’ll have to be cautious as you’ll be on your own.  Okay?” 

 

James smiled, “thanks for the warning, I’ll be careful.” 

 

With that, the Guard returned to his post and Roz indicated James should move off into the new zone a little, before she stopped and sat down upon one of the grass verges.  “We’ll be fine here,” she noted, “we’re inside a phasing zone and you can switch classes too, but let’s have a talk about your memory first.” 

 

James took a seat next to her with Luzee picking a space close by.  “You can come out for a chat Gayle,” she suggested, “I made space for you.” 

 

The window phased in and Gayle’s smiling face appeared over them, “it seems to be going well?” 

 

“Si, it’s going good, but James had another memory event.” 

 

“I know he did,” Gayle noted.  “I can see them now in his code.” 

 

“You can see them,” James asked? 

 

“Oh, not like that,” Gayle laughed.  “When you were locked for so long, I began to understand how the disconnects affect your sensory code feedback.  Now, when you lockup, I see the same flags, even if it’s only for a few seconds.” 

 

“You’re saying they’re the same thing?” 

 

“No, not at all.  These flags only appear momentarily, then everything returns to normal.” 

 

“How odd,” James thought? 

 

“Not really….  Looking back, the flags were always there, I just didn’t understand what I was seeing.” 

 

Roz steered the conversation back to the correct topic, “so what did you see this time James?” 

 

“A fashion show....” 

 

“Really,” Luzee asked? 

 

James nodded, “I’m at a fashion show, taking notes and pictures.” 

 

Roz considered, “does it mean anything in relation to everything else?” 

 

This question made James pause and think, searching the pieces of what he had just seen to figure out if it were important, “I don’t think so....  From what I can ascertain, I was a culture journalist day-to-day, and I used that role as a front while I conducted the investigation that was the bulk of my work.” 

 

Luzee thought, “why would you do that?” 

 

“Because a man has to eat and pay the rent Luzee,” Gayle answered with a giggle....  “They might be issues for us as people, but they’re issues.  Besides, doing such a role would help to James to cover his tracks and stay incognito.” 

 

Roz was taking notes and decided, “that makes sense.  Are you sure it’s not really important, in the tone of your memories?” 

 

James nodded, “I can’t think of anything else....” 

 

She closed her interface, “we can keep going then, there’s no point mulling on the detail.” 

 

James gazed at her, “can I just sit a moment?” 

 

“What’s wrong?” 

 

“I’m just a little shaken it happened in such a busy place, it caught me off guard, especially since everyone around us were players, not Evotars.” 

 

“Don’t be upset, we made sure no one saw,” Luzee soothed him. 

 

“I hope you’re right?” 

 

“How so, you’re a Hexcast and that’s not what Pnkayz saw?” 

 

“Even so, Rizuno knows some of the giveaways, they might know they’re not just looking for a Triblader….” 

 

Gayle thought and checked something on her feed, “give me a moment, I might be able to give you a clue from your own sensory feedback at the instant it hung?” 

 

Even Luzee was surprised, “that’s new, how on earth can you do that?” 

 

Gayle was working quickly on her equipment and accessed some data, “now I know what I’m seeing, I have my system set to record a constant ten second fragment of James’ feed, and every time it detects a lock, no matter how instant, it stores that directly on the logs for analysis….” 

 

James was interested, “how can you analyze it?” 

 

Gayle replied, “by plugging it into the training simulator….  Let me set it up,” she quickly ran through the system and within a few minutes she was grinning, “it worked, we can see the translation of the sensory feed from the ten seconds before your lockup James.  Do you want to see?” 

 

“You can show me?” 

 

Gayle nodded, “I can project the feed onto my window.” 

 

Now Roz was getting curious, “can we see what was recorded?” 

 

Gayle switched the view with one click on her instruments and the window replayed that little snippet, James got the surprise of not only seeing the image, but the audio too, Roz telling him of the catwalk again, before it froze on the last frame and the view switched back to Gayle. 

 

James was stunned, “I am really impressed you managed to record that.” 

 

Gayle grinned, “it’s a useful little tool, isn’t it?” 

 

Luzee asked, “how come this wasn’t done before?” 

 

Gayle shrugged, “I looked at this problem during my training.  It seems there’s several different reasons for these lockups, and until we can identify how they’re happening in each case, we can’t really setup equipment to record in this way, as the system doesn’t know what it’s looking for.  James’ extended lockup allowed me to determine the exact parameters for him, and that recording was the proof of concept.” 

 

James smiled, “it’s good to know that helps you keep records.  It also helps me understand what causes these events.” 
 

Gayle nodded, “although in this case, I wasn’t watching the detail, I was watching everyone else around you.” 

 

“You were?” 

 

Gayle replayed the clip in her window and when she came back, she asked, “did you see anyone noticing you?” 

 

James shook his head, “no....  Everyone just walked by and didn’t notice any of us....” 

 

Gayle smiled, “that’s what I saw too.” 

 

James smiled a little, “I feel better about that event now.  I wasn’t noticed, even though it was such a busy area.” 

 

“Roz took care of you; I can promise that.  As soon as the equipment recorded the event, I was watching as well.  They did a perfect job of making sure no one saw anything.” 

 

They spent a few moments quietly sitting on the grass as James mulled over what they had all said, before he released a deep, thoughtful sigh and decided, “I don’t have anything to worry about and that memory wasn’t too important.  We should press on, while we have the chance.” 

 

Roz started to stand, “si, let’s get back to it then.” 

 

James switched to his Triblader form as he got back to his feet, then he struck out as soon as the others were ready, while Roz quietly mouthed, “thank you for that,” to Gayle. 

 

Gayle grinned back and nodded in acknowledgement as she faded her window out and then Luzee and Roz followed after James, who was moving on with a sense of purpose towards the sound of sporadic gunfire.  He stopped as he reached a handy piece of cover and took the time to scout the area ahead. 

 

Roz stopped and stayed behind the cover, asking, “what do you see?” 

 

“Robots,” James replied....  “There several packs here, and they’re blocking access to the building we need to check out.” 

 

“How do you want to handle this?” 

 

James studied the movement of the packs for a moment, before phasing his blade in and replying, “might as well take advantage of the experience boost.  I don’t think they’ll be in the mood for chatting, will they?” 

 

Luzee flourished her deck, danced a few cards around her fingers and replied, “ready when you are?” 

 

James grinned back and took a moment to pick out a pack they could engage without bringing the rest down on them, before he broke out of the cover and closed the range, unsure of how they would react.  His caution paid dividends when the bots aggroed on his approach and the pack seemed to move with the sole purpose of engaging them.   

 

Some of the bots hung back and began to pepper James with barrages of covering fire, briefly switching locations after every few bursts to limit the time James would have to keep them locked in place, while more counter-charged them, James smashing into them and almost cleaving one in two with a massive, overhead chop.  The melee bots all had elemental auras and colours that were clear to deduce and he took full advantage, his skill now augmented by the dancing technique that was Terrani’s dodging.  Roz grabbed a few of the melee bots from him, leaving Luzee to duel the ranged bots, and watched as James got surrounded by two bots, but he countered perfectly, using his Shock skills to remove the bot in front of him and then instinctively changing over to his Cold element to strike behind him, his blade digging deep into the bot there, before he finished turning to face it. 

 

Luzee was making light work of the ranged bots and they were falling at a sustained rate, while James had mopped up the last of the bots on him and now smashed into the ones trying to work their way past Roz’s defences.  They stood little chance when they tried to turn to face an angry Triblader and the last one phased out after a huge, swinging chop from James cut through its body, leaving the scar visible as it phased from view. 

 

The first pack defeated, James took a moment to survey the other packs, before picking the optimal route to engage one that was a little separated from the others.  This pack had a higher concentration of ranged foes and as he paused to pick the moment to charge, he spotted an opportunity, wondering if his companions had done the same.  He asked them, “did you see that?” 

 

“See what,” Luzee countered? 

 

James just gave her a smile as an answer, before beginning to charge, and then initiating a dash-charge, which allowed him to pass straight past his first target, drawing the aggro of the bots around it and initiate combat with the real target, one of the ranged bots behind, that was in the right place to allow James to strike.  He battered it down in seconds, before he spun around and engaged the melee bots that his dash charge had aggroed, while Luzee took the attention of the other ranged foes and Roz snagged the stragglers. 

 

The pace was so rapid, the fight was over in seconds, the last melee bot falling to James using a wide, one-handed sweep which almost became a dance move, given he had to use his other arm outstretched to balance during it.  But he managed to finish the move and draw his arm back in, before regaining his full balance and composure and getting a chance to view the building ahead.   

 

The packs at the front door were now clear and they could enter unhindered, but James took the opportunity to mop up the other packs, of both bots and corrupted wildlife, that were milling around the building, gathering up as much EXP. as possible before they finally turned to the Rec District Precinct and their primary objective.  James took the time to observe the structure of the building, it was sheltered between two taller buildings, low and quite plain, compared to some of the other, more impressive buildings in the area.  The only clue to its purpose was the symbol of the Guard that was mounted on the flank and a little, discreet wording that was mounted on the canopy.  “Not very obvious, is it,” he commented? 

 

Roz answered, “si, it’s designed to be ignored once this is completed.  And given the time you’ll spend in our Rec District; it does the task perfectly.” 

 

James nodded in reply as he checked the flank of the building he was against.  It seemed to be securely locked down, with heavy bars across both the windows and the fire escape doors that were obvious.  “No way in here,” he decided, “let’s keep checking.”   

 

They ringed the building and reached the rear, which revealed several service accesses covered by metal rolling-doors, but one had been forced and lifted, leaving a bow-shaped hole that they could walk through to enter a loading area, but James paused as he reached their access, as the area beyond the breach was dark, imposing, and to make matters worse, there were sounds coming from within, “they’re still here?” 

 

Roz and Luzee kept quiet as James cautiously led them into the blackness.... 

 

---------- 

 

Their eyes adjusted after a brief moment and now James could see they had made it into a loading dock which had several storage boxes and crates stacked, but the lids had been smashed and the contents spilled over the floor, while several tags had been sprayed on the walls.  “What a mess,” James noted quietly as several more noises were heard in the distance, drifting down to their location. 

 

James took a moment to study the spilled content, but it looked to be mostly office supplies, cleaning equipment and a few electronic goods, nothing worth breaking into a Guard Precinct for.  Then the sounds came towards them again, louder this time, something breaking, quite a way away. 

 

James carefully moved up to the doors leading away from the loading area and found the rest of the building was as badly lit as it was here.  Emergency lighting seemed to be the only illumination, outside of the faint daylight that was picking ways to breach the barricaded windows with narrow, pin-prick beams.  But the passage seemed empty and appeared to head towards the main foyer for the Precinct.  

 

James’ interface beeped and he quickly silenced it, before quietly double-checking his quest interface and opening his D-Link.  After a few rings, Amani appeared and James noted to him, “I’m in the loading area of the Rec Precinct, but there’s activity in here...” 

 

Amani noted his remarks and nodded, “if you’re at the loading dock then the main desk is down the corridor in front of you.  Go there first and you’ll find a safe with a master key, hidden in a secret hatch under the main desk, the keypad on the ‘comm has a special code, ‘624147,’ punch that in and it’ll open, then you should have free access to sweep the building.” 

 

James nodded and acknowledged, “I’ll get back to you soon.” 

 

“Good luck Seeker,” Amani noted as the D-Link ended. 

 

James looked up and carefully scanned the corridor ahead, before advancing to the first set of doors and made sure they were sealed, before cautiously advancing to the next set of doors and repeating the process.   

 

Fresh noises of movement came from somewhere beyond the main lobby, so James pushed up, only stopping at the threshold of this room and taking his time to scout the area.  He saw no movement initially, but he could see an open balcony area above the lobby, leading to the second floor, and James watched as a door leading from it, moved slightly emitting a slight creak as it did so.  He wasn’t sure if it was a breeze, or something moving it, but it put him on edge. 

 

He quietly led Luzee and Roz to the main desk and found it in disarray.  The chair had been thrown several feet away, the display for the terminal had been knocked over from its small standing box and papers were strewn everywhere, but James carefully moved a few, revealing an intercom system with a touch-digit keypad upon it.  He quickly inputted the code and heard a quiet click, but nothing obvious to show. 

 

James remembered Amani’s words and kneeled down, checking below the desk, to reveal that a small hatch had indeed dropped open.  The raised box the terminal was supposed to sit upon was obviously some kind of safe, probably to allow the storage of a weapon for emergencies in the lobby.  But now, James did indeed find a set of building keys, which joined his inventory as a single master key. 

 

There was another sound of movement upstairs, still a little distant, and James looked at Roz, quietly asking her “I have to face it eventually, don’t I?” 

 

Roz nodded, before quietly replying, “there’s other things to explore too.  Enjoy yourself, while you can....” 

 

James decided to start by backtracking to the doors he passed from the loading area, but found nothing interesting, since behind the doors were just maintenance rooms, and they appeared to be still tidy, showing they had not been breached.  So, James returned to the lobby and tried the door opposite, leading to the far corridor, but the door slid open to reveal a barricade of chairs, tables and other furniture, but there were a few cracks, through which James could see several rooms in the gloom beyond, along with a marker stating, ‘Supplies,’ a second staircase leading to them and clear indications of moving shadows. 

 

James backed away and let the door slide back behind him, before turning to Roz, “we have to work our way around?”  Roz nodded and let him continue his exploration on this floor and there was only one area left, a small room behind the main desk of the lobby, but there was nothing here bar damage and more graffiti.  It appeared to be a small processing area, that led to another set of doors and stairs that continued into the basement.  They quickly explored and found the cells and a few interviewing rooms, but nothing had been disturbed. 

 

Returning to the lobby, they began to creep upstairs to continue the search, stopping on the middle floor.  James slowly began to climb them, checking for activity as he did so, but nothing appeared to be moving just here, then there were more sounds of activity further along the corridor to the left, while the right door was daubed with graffiti, but was otherwise undamaged and still appeared sealed.  A search revealed little of interest in these duty offices.  

 

James returned to the top of the stairs and faced the left set of doors, but got the shock of discovering these had been forced open and ripped from their mechanisms.  James studied the damage and quietly noted, “it takes effort to rip a door like this open, but there’s few marks suggesting that.  I’d think these were forced open using better equipment than basic lead pipes and hammers....” 

 

He was cut off by a clear noise of rustling in a room just ahead and with few other options, James carefully advanced to peek in, but he was punched in the face by a mechanical fist that came out of the door in an intentional action.  It made James stagger back, as the bot the fist belonged to came out to face him.  It seemed to fill the hall and looked an awful lot like one of the Family bots, but it was daubed in more graffiti and had a few dents and damage marks on its frame. 

 

Before James could fully regain his senses, the bot fired a heat blast at the three of them and Luzee grabbed James, dragging him into the door at her side, while Roz evaded by covering in the opposite door, but Luzee wasn’t quite quick enough and James got singed quite badly by the blast.  However, the shock of the attack brought him back to his senses and as Luzee summoned her deck, he phased in his blade and took guard in the blind spot behind the door, the ambush set. 

 

The bot advanced down the corridor towards them and turned into the room that Luzee and James had retreated into, before moving forward slightly and failing to spot James squeezed just to its left.  He reacted instantly, his blade phasing in, buried into the frame and he pulled it clear, before swiping again.  The bot managed to get its nearest arm in the way and deflect the blow, but it was totally distracted and missed the card that buried right into its chest and blew up, the force smashing it backwards out of the door, where it impacted into Roz, her shield leading her charge, and she released a slam blast into the back of it.  The bot was clearly shaken and stepped forward, right into James’ optimal range and he didn’t give it another chance.  His blade darting back and forth, tearing into it several times, and making the bot phase out. 

 

Taking that bot out seemed to activate several others in other areas of the building, since there were more noises of shuffling, movement and activity, but James ignored it for now and took the time to search this wing of the building, although there wasn’t much of interest, just more offices and damage from the invaders, and when James got to the corridor at the end, the door opened to another staircase that was barricaded.  Blocking James from the stairs, although he could see the movement of another bot through the stacked furniture. 

 

They had to return to the main lobby and take the last set of stairs to the top floor, and found the lighting was really poor here.  James took a second to glance at the emergency lights and saw that someone had daubed their graffiti tags upon them, blocking the light.  James led then into the offices here, quickly searching them to make sure there was nothing of value, before scanning the left and right doors at the top of the stairs again.  The door on the left was damaged and forced open once more and James could see a bot moving around in the dimness. 

 

Instead, he turned to the right door, and like the previous floor, this one hadn’t been forced open.  James used his master key to pass through and beyond, the area was quite plush, a little surprising after the plain decor of the other offices that were undamaged.  “This must be the offices of the senior officers,” he decided, not talking to Luzee or Roz directly.  They kept quiet as James carefully checked the first few offices and found little of value, but the door at the end opened into a spacious room, with a nice carpet and sizable desk, “I guess this is the Precinct Commander’s office?” 

 

“Si,” Roz confirmed, it’s the biggest, it has to be?” 
 

There was an active terminal in a small set of shelves, complete with monitors, panels and displays which caught his attention, as he moved across the room to study it, he realised it was a security camera setup and he eagerly fired it up, trying to recover any data available. 

 

The system seemed sluggish and a little hesitant to begin, but after a second, the screens flickered to life and ‘processing data,’ appeared, before the screens came to a state of readiness, and James could see numerous new recordings to study.  James activated the first set and discovered a view of the loading area he had entered into the building from, which showed the shutter being lifted by some form of graffiti-daubed bot, and then a series of individuals storming into the building with a clear purpose.  They quickly rifled through the crates they could access, before heading deeper into the Precinct. 

 

The views of the camera switched to the lobby, and James watched as the invaders tried to force open the door in the lobby that was blocked.  He got the satisfaction of seeing the blockade hold them back too, but something caught James’ attention and he quickly paused the playback.  It took a second, but there was the proof he needed.  The tattoo was clear enough to make out, the same tattoo that had identified Skulldash previously, this was the work of the Ghettotown Rats, and James had the proof. 

 

He tapped a few instructions into the terminal and the camera equipment made a few confirmatory beeps, before sending the footage as a package, directly over his D-Link, to Amani.  With that completed, James closed the terminal and quickly swept the rest of the office, but found little of use. 

 

He returned to the corridor and was closing the door as his D-Link chimed, revealing a very happy Amani on the other end.  “Great work Seeker, I’m processing the footage now,” he confirmed. 

 

“Have you seen the tattoo?” 

 

Amani nodded, “I’m ninety nine percent sure it’s Skulldash as that tattoo is obvious.  I’m letting forensics confirm the theory though, just to make sure.  Have you finished your sweep?” 

 

James replied, “I’ve not got much left, although it looks like the Rats left you some reprogrammed bots as a gift, I’ll take them down and head for the supplies and Armoury,” 

 

“Very well Seeker, if you do that, I’ll get some forces rounded up and start a plan to retake and repair the building, I think it’s time the Guard got back to the Rec District.”  

 

“Okay, I’ll finish my sweep and come back to the Docks as soon as I soon.” 

 

Amani finished the link and closed it as he replied, “be careful Seeker.” 

 

James turned to Luzee and Roz, “are we ready to finish this?” 

 

Luzee looked at Roz and replied, “it’s all fighting from here, let’s have some fun, eh?” 

 

James paused and thought, before opening his interface and switching to Hexacast, reforming to stand alongside Luzee and summoning his own deck as he did so, “with the cramped space, I think it would be best if I stayed at range and let you tank a little Roz?” 

 

She smiled and concluded, “I cannot argue that theory, let’s get this over with.”  She led them back out to the top of the staircase and paused at the broken door, using the time to gaze in the murk, trying to determine movement in the corridor ahead. 

 

Another bot was on patrol and came into range of Roz, she responded by pulling the aggro and raising her shield, ready to absorb any punishment, while Luzee and James took advantage of the slight increase of space available to spread out and gain better angles of fire.  James aiming a few cards at the exposed shoulder of the bot, while Luzee was far more direct with her attack, her card burying itself into the side of its head and exploding with such force it knocked it sideways slightly.  James saw Luzee using a few tricks and decided to try one of his own.  He charged his card and aimed it, but this time it began to spin like a buzzsaw as it flew through the air.  The card sank into the bot at the waist, but it kept going in a straight line, causing a visible damage line all the way through it as the card continued on, sinking into the wall behind the bot a second later. 

 

Luzee finished the fight with another card and another explosive blast in the same point as last time, making the bot fall to the side as it faded from view.  It let Roz progress carefully along the corridor, while Luzee noted to James, “that charge attack is fun, but it works best against lines of foes and packs, for single opponents the Magic Missiles work better.”  He smiled in reply and adjusted his skill tree, to give him a better attack for this situation. 

 

The side rooms here seemed empty and containing little of value, so James suggested they ignore them and press on.  Thankfully the door at the top here was open and unblocked, allowing them to the staircase at the end that had been blocked previously.  Roz took a few steps down, but James cautioned, “do we wait for you to pull the bot back up here, there’s no room to shoot in the stairwell, we know there’s one here?” 

 

Roz nodded, “si, spread out and I’ll drag it here,” before she cautiously descended a floor.  There was a pause, then a clear sound of an impact, before Roz came back up to them, “here we go,” she told them as she raised her shield. 

 

Luzee and James had taken points at the top of the stairs and were ready for the bot coming to them.  It climbed the stairs, totally fixated on Roz, and they both responded at the right moment, James and Luzee launching Magic Missiles in tandem.  The bot was clearly shaken by the resulting explosions, and tried to turn to face them, but Roz was on it in seconds, her shield slamming into it and clearly making it confused as to which way to turn to defend itself.  The fight was over in seconds and it faded from view as a second set of missiles overwhelmed its health. 

 

The way down was now accessible and they descended the two floors to the ground floor, which suggested it was a changing area, break room, and supply stores.  Roz carefully peeked into the door as they could clearly hear movement ahead, so she raised her shield and proceeded, while Luzee and James took their own guard, as they waited on the stairs. 

 

For a few seconds there was silence, before Roz came back along the corridor, shield raised and keeping another bot at bay.  Luzee and James repeated their attack patterns and the bot was taken care of fairly rapidly.  But two more appeared in front of Roz and she backed up a little further, warning them, “they hit hard.  I can hold them, but not for long.  Team up and take them down one at a time.” 

 

Luzee understood and said a single word, “left,” to James and they instantly launched their cards at the left bot, which fell back behind the other a little as their magic missiles took effect.  But they didn’t get distracted by this and kept up the pressure, taking it out as the other bot engaged Roz.  She held her shield at bay and added some damage of her own as the two Hexacasts began their assault upon it and as the shield reached the limit of its endurance the foe was taken care of, James ending it with another magic missile that embedded in the eye and almost tore the head from the shoulders from the power of the blast. 

 

With the fight over, James lowered his deck and took a moment to consider the attacks he had just performed, while Luzee grinned and ran some of her cards through her fingers, before phasing them out and asking, “was that fun, James?” 

 

He nodded, “it’s so different to training.” 

 

“You did handle this perfectly though.  There’s little room to manoeuvre for a Triblader in these corridors.  Now you have the option to hang back, you have a lot of other tactical options.” 

 

James smiled and moved into this last area, making sure there were no other bots lurking anywhere within the building as he gingerly checked into every room, before relaxing and moving much more freely when he was sure they had completed their sweep, then he started to check the individual rooms more intensely. 

 

The first one appeared to be the male changing room and when he looked, James could see a chest on top of one of the locker sets.  With a little forethought he had the route planned and collected the reward, which proved to be an interesting headpiece, called the ‘Rec Guard’s Helmet.’  But the rest of the room had little of worth, and had been damaged somewhat. 

 

The second room was the female changing room and again there was a chest of top of the lockers, although this time he had to employ a sliding block puzzle to allow one sink in to a point where he could create a step to climb up and jump across the lockers to the prize, although it contained nothing but trade goods. 

 

The third room was the Guard break room and here there was nothing of value, especially since the furniture had been stripped and barricaded against the door from the lobby, meaning the damage was extensive.  Several vending machines that had been ripped from the wall and the contents spilled everywhere, James thought there was nothing here, but when he searched through the room he discovered a third chest, and this one had a few consumables he could add to his collection.  He gathered this was to represent the idea that these were the leftovers from the machines that were salvageable from the Rats storming the building. 

 

With the rest of the rooms dug through, James finally turned to the supply rooms on the other side of the corridor and entered the first one.  It appeared it had been a uniform and equipment store, but the shelves were empty, looted, bar a few pieces of clothing.  James searched through for a clue, but found nothing to suggest a culprit and as he continued to explore, he discovered a backroom door that looked like it had been prised open by one of the bots. 

 

He passed through and found another dimly-lit corridor, looking like this was the access to the evidence stores and armoury.  The evidence store was still sealed, and James double-checked to ensure it had not been disturbed, but there was also a second door in this corridor, which was reinforced, but it had been ripped from the mechanism and forced.  James took a moment to notice there were several black marks around the frame, which he knelt to examine close up. 

 

Roz knelt beside him, “what do you see,” she asked softly? 

 

He took a moment to study the detail, “the black marking is all external, none of it got through the door, and you can clearly spot the marks in the frame where it has been buckled and warped....” 

 

“What does that mean?” 

 

“The Rats came here with specialist explosives, intent to get into this room....  Equipment they wouldn’t have if they only had the simplistic weapons of the Slums.” 

 

Roz nodded, “it’s part of the evidence you’ve been looking for, along with the camera feeds.”  She stood and indicated, “there’s more inside, come on.”  

 

James smiled and rose himself, following Roz into the room and discovering that this was indeed an armoury.  The racks for the polearms and heavy armour pieces of the guard were here, but nearly everything had been stripped and looted, the same as the uniform stores.  The few remaining pieces had been scattered across the floor and there was more evidence of explosives and bots forcing the doors open on containers that should be locked and sealed.   

 

The devastation was extensive and it had been added to by having several labels daubed on as graffiti.  Most of the searched containers had a ‘C’ tagged on them and James gathered this suggested, ‘clean,’ meaning they had stripped of what they wanted.  But there was also one sentence on the back wall, alongside another gang tag, ‘SKULLDASH WAS RIGHT!’ 

 

James understood this was the confirmation he needed as to the invaders and turned away, now he had proof there was evidence here as to the attack.  He returned back to the barricaded corridor and opened his D-Link back to Amani.  The Lieutenant answered after a moment and asked, “how is it going Seeker?” 

 

James smiled and replied, “the sweep is complete and the building is clear of threats.  We had to take out several armed bots in the end, all tagged and clearly reprogrammed after being stolen.” 

 

“What else did you find?” 

 

“We got into the supplies and armoury, but they’re both stripped and looted.  They knew exactly what they wanted though and were selective in the areas they went for.” 

 

Amani uttered something to someone else near him.  “Well done Seeker, I’ve just told Mick what they went for and we both agree that they have to be the imposters that took your prisoner, this, so-called Bayliss.  It looks like this is all tied to something bigger and we’ve had some luck with cross-referencing the details.” 

 

“So, what are the next steps, Lieutenant.” 

 

Amani smiled, “I had the initial reports back from forensics on the camera footage you sent me, and they confirm that Skulldash was involved.  We have to locate the Rats, did you speak to Yusan?” 

 

James nodded, “I went on one of their Stockyard, supply runs and their team confirmed the compound they’re based from, it’s near the Stockyards themselves.” 

 

“Great work Seeker, it’s safe to assume our missing equipment is there, or information that will lead us straight to it, so we have to makes plans to deal with them shortly.” 

 

“What else?” 

 

“For now, come back to the Docks Seeker.  We have several debriefings to conduct, and I have to organise with our patrol officers to retake and repair the Rec District Precinct, to reinstate our presence on the area. Come and help me with the briefing Seeker, since you’ve been in the building, your intel will be invaluable.” 

 

“Very well, I’ll return as soon as I can.” 

 

“See you soon Seeker,” and with that, the Link ended. 

 

“We’re going to the briefings now, correct,” Luzee asked? 

 

James nodded and looked around himself, “I’ve really enjoyed doing this, it’s been so different to do an exploration in such a setting.” 

 

Luzee grinned, “I knew you would enjoy it, the entire story of Port Imelda is nice to complete, given the urban, instead of rural setting.” 

 

James nodded and turned to leave, but as he did so he glanced at the pile of furniture barricading the main exit, and something flared in his mind.  Gayle faded her window in and reported, “I’m getting the readings again, he’s going into recall.” 

 

Roz didn’t need any further prompts, her and Luzee grabbed him and settled him down on the floor, amid the mess of the Precinct, to wait for him to complete the memory recovery. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by Uncle Sikee Atric

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Thirty One : 

 

James looked and saw the barricade had changed.  Before it was a pile of furniture that had blockaded his progress, but now it was a neatly stacked pile of wooden boxes, on a loading dock in between arrangements of storage shelves and pallet racks.  While a few automated bots milled back and forth, loading and unloading several containers behind him and making a general racket that masked his presence, although the drumming of the rain on the roof above him made it difficult to hear anything in here. 

 

He’d been here for some time, quietly watching and waiting in the best place he could think for things to happen.  His tip-off had told him to be here, it had to be correct, no matter how unsure he felt about this entire situation.  He knew he was taking a risk being here, but he had to know.... 

 

It was a few more minutes, but there was evidence of activity as another hauler arrived in the yard in front of him and James hunkered down even more, making sure he was invisible as it backed onto an adjacent empty bay a short distance away, and then two smaller vehicles arrived in front of it.  James watched in fascination as two parties of individuals came out of these cars, one smartly-dressed and formal, the other much more casual and wearing heavy-duty work clothes. 

 

James took his chance and hastily set up a small camera in a position it could take images and a few checks made sure everything was visible, before James retreated back out of sight and opened his comm device, which was linked to the camera itself.  He watched the activity through the lens as the two parties paused momentarily, before one from each side broke away and approached the other.  James took stills as they shared a handshake and started talking quietly, while the container had the back door opened to the side of him and he shifted position slightly to remain hidden. 

 

The two individuals moved around the hauler and climbed up onto the dock, while one of the bots moved inside and there were sounds of it moving a few of the pallets inside.  James risked being spotted to move the camera slightly and returned to his hiding spot, to watch as the bot came back out of the container with a particular cargo.  The two men opened one of the boxes and shook hands, before the smartly-dressed one took a smaller container being held by one of his guards and passed it to the scruffier individual. 

 

James made sure he got stills of the exchange and the subsequent second handshakes as the two sides involved in the deal parted.  But he felt he had overstayed his welcome and that discretion was now the appropriate action.  He carefully collected his mini-camera, without being seen, and keeping the wooden boxes between himself and the others, he began to back away, heading for a secluded exit door at the far side of this building.   

 

He could hear the smaller vehicles that had arrived, powering up as he placed his hand on the door handle, but the eerie noise of their engines was cut away by the sound of blaring sirens all around him, the security services were here and this was a raid!  Fear instantly injected itself into James’ actions and he couldn’t afford to be discovered, or exposed to those he had watched only moments earlier.  He ducked out of the door and stayed close to the side of the building, trying to stay under the eaves of the warehouse to protect himself from the rain.  As he glanced up and could see multiple vehicles above him, blocking the exit for the two vehicles.   

 

James took a chance and broke cover momentarily, before crawling under one of the haulers and remaining hidden for as long as possible, while the blaring sirens from the vehicles hovering above continued to wail in the heavy air, keeping him on edge and making him double-check his pocket, as he couldn’t afford to leave any evidence he was here.  He had to evade detection and slip into the surrounding residential and commercial blocks! 

 

Happy all his possessions were still on him, he paused until the sirens seemed to drift away slightly, and then made his move.  He’d got into the complex by scaling a wall at the far end, and he’d made sure there was a way back out, by purposely stacking a few pallets on their ends and turning them into a rough staircase that wasn’t obvious unless you were looking specifically.  Now this was his only option and he broke his cover, aiming for his exit and scaling the pile in a few leaps.  He grabbed the top of the wall and swung his leg up, but he caught one of the ended pallets as he did so and it fell flat, making an obvious, loud bang as he did so.   

 

He finished swinging himself over the wall, but cursed his mistake, which was made worse as there was an audible warning for him to stop from somewhere by the warehouse behind him, they must have heard and seen him as he dropped down from the wall, that meant only one thing, he had to run! 

 

He broke into a sprint and headed for the next street, desperate to put some ground between him and those that were now clearly following.  He managed to reach an alley between two apartment blocks and the narrow gap limited the rain falling from above, allowing him to duck from cover to cover while making rapid progress.  If he could make it another two of three hundred metres, he’d reach one of the busiest shopping plazas in the area, he could slip away in the crowd! 

 

James kept going, and didn’t hear any further warnings behind him, making him began to feel exhilaration, he was going to make it, rounding a corner in the alley, there was the plaza, directly in front of him!  He stopped his sheltering and erupted into a sprint, there was less than one hundred metres to go and nothing was going to sto.... 

 

He was bowled over by another figure appearing out of a doorway and he was sent smacking in the ground, before he felt his hands being restrained behind his back and a triumphant voice saying to him, “nice try, but you are under arrest buddy!” 

 

“No, no,” he tried, “you’ve got it wrong!” 

 

“Save it for the lawyer and the interview room!” 

 

“Please, you have to believe me, check my credentials!” 

 

The figure above him laughed and pulled at him, starting to lift him from the sodden surface he’d landed on and James pleaded, “no, no, don’t let them see me....” 

 

“Don’t let who see you James,” Roz asked? 

 

James blinked and realised he was back with the others in the wreckage of the Rec District Precinct.  He took a deep breath and shivered momentarily before sighing and telling her, “we need to sit outside in the daylight again, it’s too dark in here!” 

 

Roz nodded and looked at Gayle’s window, “will you follow us outside?” 

 

Gayle nodded, “of course.  We’re still instanced outside and nothing will respawn, so you’re safe to discuss this memory,” then her window faded out. 

 

Luzee motioned to the others, “follow me, I know just the spot,” then she led them on a little hike, back through the building, out of the loading bay and back into the bright sunlight of Port Imelda, before picking a nice spot, on a nearby, sloped embankment, and settling down in the closely-cut grass. 

 

James and Roz matched her as Gayle reappeared, both picking their own places as James relaxed into a quiet trance and Roz opened her notes again.  

 

For a moment all was silent, then James broke the air by telling them, “it was the sight of the barricaded furniture that triggered this memory, and it was a new series of them, something I’ve never experienced before....” 

 

“What can you tell us,” Roz calmly asked? 

 

He paused to breathe deeply, before relaying, “I was in some form of warehouse on Chorsia, watching an illicit exchange and taking covert stills for my own records.” 

 

“You were what,” Luzee replied, stunned by his actions? 

 

“Taking covert stills of illicit trades....  Whatever the transaction involved, it was clearly very valuable.” 

 

Roz finished making her notes on his comments and continued, “it might seem a stupid question, but were you spotted by those you were watching?” 

 

He shook his head, “no.... But I was trying to slip away, when the warehouse was raided, the police were watching too and I never knew....” 

 

Luzee and Gayle shared the same, stunned expression as Roz continued with the questions, “what happened?” 

 

I tried to flee, and almost made it....  I was stopped and arrested at the last minute.” 
 

Gayle was furiously working on her equipment, “are you sure you were arrested?” 

 

“I’m sure, why?” 

 

She continued working, “and this was on Chorsia?” 

 

When he nodded again, she inputted some more parameters, before telling them, “I should have enough detail to try this?” 

 

“Try what,” Roz asked? 

 

“I’ve set one of my tools to perform a detailed search of the media outputs around Chorsia for the last few years.  A raid like that is bound to generate some sort of story, even if it’s only a few lines, maybe I can pluck a date from the information, or something more substantial?” 

 

“What do you mean by substantial,” Roz asked? 

 

“Well, if we can extract the correct date, I might even be able to garner more information.  You say you ended up arrested, that would generate arrest records and subsequent security details...” 

 

“Wow,” Roz cautioned.  “We have to tread carefully around such details Gayle.” 

 

“I understand that,” Gayle confirmed, “but we should at least still try?  If I get a match, that might offer more clues to something else.  James has given me the green light to try and access the cloud storage and references like this may offer a fresh lead, no matter how tenuous, to help me achieve that?” 

 

James nodded, “If you do get a hit, at least could you offer a rough date, and not tell me much more?” 

 

“Of course, if I find something giving exact details, I’ll obscure anything giving specifics. Would that be preferred?” 

 

Roz smiled, “that sounds much better.” 

 

Gayle smiled back, “okay, I’ll let my tools run their routines and get back to you if I do cross-reference anything.” 

 

“Thank you, Gayle,” James told her, “having something set to a rough point in my life might be a big help?” 

 

Roz was intrigued though by the general outline of this new memory.  “So, it looks like you were arrested during your work, were you underground in their group?” 

 

He paused and considered the question, mulling it over before admitting, “I don’t know?  It all happened so quickly, they were there for only a few minutes, I got the stills and then fled.  I was leaving when the raid began and I don’t even know if they got those I was watching.  I have to assume they did?” 

 

They spent a few moments sat together and James took his time to calm his emotions and consider this new memory, Luzee entered her own interface and was checking notes while Roz added to her records and details.  Then there was a notable ping from Gayle’s window.  “Already,” she wondered? 

 

“Già?” 

 

Gayle nodded, “I’ve had a hit with my tools.”  She checked again and clarified, “in fact, I’ve had numerous hits, spreading back all the way through the last two years, that’s the timeframe that James was on Chorsia, right?” 

 

James nodded, “it was about two years, yes....” 

 

She made a few, slight adjustments to her equipment and continued, “in that case, I need to narrow the search parameters....”  She tailed off as she continued working. 

 

Luzee looked at the others, “this is a bigger problem....  Numerous hits suggest there were many raids.  It must be a well-established problem for Chorsia?” 

 

Roz nodded, “I’d assume so....  Although we don’t know what they were monitoring, only that it was happening.”  She looked up at Gayle, “your results, is there a common name in any of them?” 

 

Gayle stopped working and returned to her results, making a few, quick scans.  “There’s one name here that sticks out with numerous appearances, C.A.S.U....” 

 

James thought carefully and replied, “the Chorsian Anti-Smuggling Unit.... I remember them....” 

 

Luzee commented, “you do?” 

 

He nodded, “They were the main inspectors for anything being imported or exported from the system.  Bureaucratic, callous and mean-spirited just about describe the majority of their numbers, so smuggling to avoid them was a major issue.” 

 

“They sound thoroughly unpleasant,” Luzee decided. 

 

Roz noted, “not unlike my own experiences though.  Since my family were involved in farming, we used to send our fruits to be processed and collected ahead of export.  I ran into more than one set of similar officials with my parents, and I can confirm they behaved just like those James must have had dealings with.  All paperwork, box-checking and perfect conditions, otherwise all your efforts are for nothing. 

 

Luzee giggled, “I can think of a few other Evotars that could be good friends with them, especially when the Mod clothes are equipped….” 

 

Roz calmed her, “the point is, if James tangled with the authorities, there has to be official records of it.  Gayle is right, we should be looking for them, especially since they could offer more clues to solving the mystery.” 

 

Gayle smiled, "I’ll give it my best shot and try to narrow the search to a specific event, because that will give me a timeframe to procure the relevant records from.  You know I’m going to have to try and hack my way in to extract them, right?” 

 

James smiled, “it was fairly obvious.  But I appreciate all your work Gayle, thank you.” 

 

“I shouldn’t really be using my skills for this?  But I feel the greater need has to be put into perspective, finding the individuals behind all the issues we’re facing has to be done, we can handle the technicalities later.” 

 

“Just be careful Gayle,” Roz cautioned.  “You know Sergey is watching you now?” 

 

Gayle grinned, “after giving James his Hexacast name, I was detected due to Terrani being the mole, and she was passing them plenty of warning as to my actions.  Now I look back, Sergey purposely dropped a few of the security checks around the access portal, making it easier for me to break in....  I’m on a very stern warning to not do that again, but it’s just made me extra careful and to double-check every step I perform when I’m getting into places I shouldn’t be.  I’ll be careful, I promise.”  To confirm her actions, she added, “you’re not getting rid of me that easily....” 

 

James led the soft laughter from the others and then admitted, “I guess I have another thread of the mess in my head to consider.  I wonder where this one is going to end up taking me?” 

 

Roz looked at the overview in her logs, “it’s clearly a new series of memory recoveries, not related to anything you previously collected.  If anything, it shows your mind is beginning to change.” 

 

“How is it changing?” 
 

“I explained before.  Your memory recovery will reach a certain point with the details you recover, before it allows itself to diverge to new memories, and that’s what seems to be happening.” 

 

He looked back at her and sniffed, “that’s weird.  If anything, I’d think I was nowhere near that stage with the memories I had previously?” 

 

Roz smiled and calmly told him, “quite often these memories seem vague, but they’re added to as you recover new ones and piece the fragments together.  You build the sequence of events and join them up.” 

 

He breathed deeply as an answer, “I hope so.  I’m left wondering where this is going to wind up?” 

 

Luzee calmed him by saying, “you’ll find the answers in time.” 

 

He nodded and relaxed into a tranquil pose, letting his emotions settle as he clarified the memories, but no matter how hard he tried to relax, the words, ‘you are under arrest buddy,’ kept spinning into his thoughts, not allowing them to fade and merge with the rest of the memories.  Something was stopping that from happening and he wasn’t sure why? 

 

Roz could see the awkward expression and she was impulse to ask the obvious question was too great, “what is it?” 

 

James looked up, “the voice, telling me I’m under arrest....  I swear I’ve heard it before?” 

 

Roz replied, “was it here, or your real life?” 

 

James came back and clarified, “oh, it’s my real life, but I feel like it’s a voice that should be in some of my other memories....” 

 

“Really,” Luzee asked? 

 

“Is there any specific memories where it feels like it should fit,” Roz clarified? 

 

He thought carefully, “not really, not yet at least.  It just feels like it should be ‘there....’” 

 

Luzee considered his words, “the fragments in your mind are so varied, and there’s pieces that suggest so many clandestine actions.  Are you sure you were a journalist?” 

 

Gayle piped up, “oh, he was a journalist....” 

 

Luzee came back, “how do you know?” 

 

“Because I have one of his articles from Chorsia....” 

 

Roz raised her eyebrows, “you do?” 

 

Gayle nodded, “I won’t show you the article, but I can confirm it was written by James Douglas, Culture Correspondent for one of the Chorsian media outlets.” 

 

“When did you get that?” 

 

“My tools picked it up when I was looking for specific information and I had inputted James’ name.  There’s several here, all with the same name at the top, and they cover the last two years....” 

 

There was silence from James for a moment as he mulled over this new information, before he finally decided, “well, at least this fits something from my past?” 

 

“What’s that?” 

 

He stood and smiled, “at least I know what my role was on Chorsia, I was a culture journalist, which fits with the memories I have already.” 

 

“Si,” Roz admitted, “having that might trigger more memories going forward.” 

 

“Maybe it will?  But for now, we should be getting on with this story and progressing, there’s still a lot to do, isn’t there?” 

 

Luzee stood as well, “yes, I can’t wait to have you fully integrated into the normal Rec District Community.  I know Terrani is expecting a date soon, and I’m warning you now, she’s a mean dancer!” 

 

“Dancer, as in?” 

 

Luzee grinned as she nodded, “she loves the atmosphere of the nightclub, you better get your dancing shoes on James!” 

 

He smiled, “well, I was a culture journalist, I suppose I must know something about dancing and music?” 

 

“You better,” Luzee grinned as she set her fast travel for the docks.  “If you have two left feet, you’re in big trouble!” 

 

James laughed nervously as they faded out and returned to the docks. 

 

---------- 

 

The Docks were as busy as ever when they reformed on the Landmark, and James noted that he was now spotting more characters that were Level Ninety-Nine.  He looked at a few of them as he stepped from the pads, noting their equipment and garb suggesting they were at the limits of exploration for Operation Trackwalker. 

 

Roz noted his observation, “what is it?” 

 

James noted his own level being just over Ninety, “is Ninety-Nine the level cap?” 

 

Roz grinned, “si.” 

 

“So, is that it when you get there, there’s no more levelling, just equipment?” 

 

“Well,” Luzee clarified, “you start the Exemplar Levelling system instead.” 

 

“You do, how does that work?” 
 

Luzee smiled, “rather than C.P., you gain E.P. with every level up, and each one of those translates into a five-point boost onto your main stats.  Penatfists usually spend them on Focus, Quadroguards on their Defence....” 

 

James understood, “I gain no more Circuit Points, just a stat boost?” 

 

“Precisely.  Although every class also has to spend a few E.P.’s on their Maximum Health too.  The enemies only hit back harder, the further you continue into the Playground.” 

 

James smiled, “I wonder how E.P.’s work for me?” 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

He quietly replied, “I have skill trees and C.P.’s for every class, what about E.P.’s?” 

 

Luzee thought, “good point....  But since you get C.P.’s in every class, hopefully the E.P.’s are similar; then you’ll not fall behind the progression curves by not having to balance your stats?” 

 

“It seems the most logical conclusion,” Roz concluded, as she led the three of them into the Precinct building, ensuring she kept them moving, while they still had time. 

 

The interior of the Precinct seemed almost relaxed now, the Guards clearly getting some time to unwind and recover, instead of constant, high-pressure unrest James had experienced when he first reached Port Imelda.  The Guard on the front desk greeted him cheerily and pointed him to the top floor, telling him that Amani was expecting him and preparing a briefing. 

 

James took the lift and reached the top floor, the door opening to reveal the main room and numerous Guards all sat around, chatting calmly between themselves, while Mick noted the arrival of James and rose to knock on Amani’s door, summoning him from his office. 

 

The door opened and Amani waved James over, taking him into the office momentarily and indicating him to the seat opposite the desk, while Mick had also followed them in and took a place in the corner.    

 

Once they were all in position, Amani began by breaking out into a wide smile, “great work Seeker, we’ve got most of the evidence we need to take action against the Ghettotown Rats.  We’ve now convinced they’re intrinsically involved in the unrest, so we have to plan our next actions.  All the forces we can spare are going to focus on retaking the Rec District and our Precinct building there, but that still leaves you spare for a little while Seeker.   

 

James smiled, “so what do you think should be my next steps?” 

 

Amani looked across, “what do you think Mick?” 

 

“Me, why are you asking me?” 

 

“Because I know you’re making your own investigations, I was wondering if you needed any actual help?” 

 

Mick thought, “all my work is paperwork and accounting investigations currently, I think the Seeker helping me will end up with them falling asleep?” 

 

Amani grinned, “well, for all our differences, you’ve been a big help through all this, I’m only making sure you have all the resources you need.” 

 

Mick nodded, “if I need the services of our Seeker friend, I’ll make sure to ask.” 

 

Amani nodded in confirmation while musing over his options.  He tapped a few notes into his terminal and decided, “in that case, you’re spare for a little while Seeker....  We’re going to brief the Guard members we’re going to use to retake the Rec Precinct and secure the surrounding area.  After that, there’s little we need your services for, until that action is completed.” 

 

“So, what do I do,” James replied? 

 

Amani thought for a moment, “I’d say, go and have a break, but I know you Seekers don’t do that.  Instead, there is another thing you could look into doing?” 

 

“What is it?” 

 

“The ranches around the city are reporting numerous cases of Bovine rustling, and the situation here has tied up all our resources, meaning we haven’t been able to respond.  Even the few messages we have received from the Shad in the WIldlands suggest the wild Wissant are being rustled too, would you care to visit the ranches for us and try to investigate.  The two western ranches, which are not controlled by the families, would be a good place to start?” 

 

James nodded to confirm he would as the Quest Window popped up and outlined the basic objectives.  Once he accepted it, Anami continued, “while you’re out that way, you can also proceed into the WIldlands and try to locate the Shad that live off of the land and the wild Wissant flocks.  They trust Seekers and should help outline the reasons why the Skyrail Station that connects us to Bergen is out of action, as well as confirm their rustling messages sent to us.  I know you’ve been asked to get the connection active again, and the re-established supply routes will aid the situation in Imelda as well.” 

 

“It sounds like the best use of my time,” James confirmed, “I’ll pass the necessary detail at the briefing, then head West into the Plains.” 

 

Mick looked on, before confirming, “I am making progress on my own work, I’ll hopefully have some results soon.” 

 

Anami gave him a curious look, “what exactly are you looking at?” 

 

“I’m trying to get some info on this ‘Algerine Consortium,’ involved with the takeover of the Stockyards.” 

 

“Oh,” Anami considered, “have you found anything?” 

 

Mick mused, “I think so, partly because there’s such little information available.  I’m having some old friends do some digging and when they get back to me, you’ll be the first to know Lieutenant.” 

 

Amani nodded, “that’s fine by me,” before starting to rise from his desk and looking at the door.  “Well, let’s get this over with and then you can get to meeting the Ranchers, Seeker.” 

 

James nodded and stood himself, letting Amani lead him back out of the office and into the busy mess of desks and seated Guards again.  Amani made a few whistles and calls and headed to the front of the room, while the Guards sat around all calmed down and came to order, ready to receive the briefing.  Mick guided James into the corner and motioned for him to just wait for a few minutes, Amani would call him over soon. 

 

Amani looked across the room and announced, “if you’re here, you’re going to help us begin the process of moving back into the Rec District and re-establish our Precinct there.”  There were a few happy sounds from the audience as Amani continued, “I know most of you are members of the Rec District team, and we’re all fed up of crowding into one building, so let’s do this right, okay?” 

 

There were murmurs from the group as they replied positively, before Amani continued, “unfortunately, since we were forced out of the District, the groups fighting over the area haven’t resolved their issues....” 

 

One of the Guards asked, “you mean, the Families?” 

 

Amani shook his head, “as much as I hate to admit it, they’ve been caught in the crossfire as much as the rest of us.  We’ve had our Seeker contact out investigating and his work has linked us to potential new evidence we’ve been too busy to gather.  Even sections of the families are aware of the situation and are working together with the Seeker, trying to get other senior members of their groups to back down.  The result is the reduction of skirmishes reported across the city and the opportunity for us to retake the Rec District.” 

 

There were more mutterings from the crowd and one piped up, “pardon for asking, but who is the main culprit?” 

 

Amani admitted, “we still don’t know the full situation, but it is clear the Ghettotown Rats are primary suspects....” 

 

The Guards all looked between themselves before the same voice replied, “the Slums gang by the Stockyards,” the disbelief quite evident? 

 

Amani replied, “whoever is to blame, seems to be using the Rats as their own mercenaries, supplying them with enough equipment and weapons to make them capable of taking out Family bot patrols, then resetting them for their own use!”  There was an air of awkward silence from the group, and Anami finished with, “we also can confirm that the Rats have raided the Rec Precinct, forcing entry to the building from the loading area and vehicle park, then raiding the supplies and armoury.  The building is a mess and could take some time to be fully operational again.”  

 

There were a few uneasy noises, before another voice asked, “what’s the proof we have?" 

 

Amani noted the question and waved at a Guard sat near the back, “lights, please?”  She stood up and dimmed the lights as requested, allowing Amani to grab a controller and press a button, making a holo-projector flare into life and show an image on the wall behind him.  “This is what we have,” Amani began to outline, as James identified a still from the tape supplied by Lillian Matredi, “this was supplied by one of the family contacts working with us, this bot group was wiped out by these attackers, but note the tattoo on the arm of this individual....” 

 

Anami pressed the button and another still appeared, this time at the lobby barricades in the Rec Precinct.  “Our Seeker friend has been inside the Rec Precinct and recovered the camera logs from the Sub-Commanders' office.  These are raiders forcing their way into the Precinct to loot the supply areas.  But again,” Amani pointed to a specific detail, “here’s the same tattoo on an arm, and it’s a unique tattoo, we know who it is tied to.” 

 

One Guard voice in the middle of the audience didn’t need any more evidence, “I know that tattoo.  It’s Skulldash.” 

 

Amani nodded and brought up a mugshot of their target, “correct, it’s Skulldash, who we know is a senior member of the Ghettotown Rats.” 

 

The same Guard carried on, “my regular patrol area is near the Stockyards and I know the Rats.  There’s no way they could have equipment to do these sorts of attacks....” 

 

“Which is the same conclusion that has been drawn by the Family contacts....  That’s why things are settling down in the city, but the time has come to reassert our control in the sections of the city which we’ve abandoned, getting things moving and back to something more normal for Port Imelda.” 

 

The Guards seemed to give approving noises as to the plan and Amani called James forward while continuing the briefing, “we’re going to gear up, split into 3 teams and head into the Rec District from two directions.  Teams A and C are going to push from the Mall to the south, while Team B will enter the Rec District from the connecting areas to the east and the Co-op compound, along the beach promenade.” 

 

Amani flicked another button and brought up a map of the city with the placed arrows of the Teams, showing their spread and resulting actions.  “Once A and B have pushed to specific checkpoints that their leaders have already been briefed on, they’ll establish perimeters and fan out to secure the rest of the district.  Team C meanwhile, will be led by me, and they’ll be the ones who enter and secure the Precinct building.” 

 

There were sounds of Guards getting ready to move and Amani raised his voice.  “Okay, Team Leaders, get your teams ready and get them ready to go, I’ll finish the briefing with Team C and the Seeker, then we’ll be on our way.” 

 

For a few minutes the room descended into organised chaos as the Guards were selected and groups formed.  Then the majority left and Amani pulled the eight Guards he had selected himself forward, making them sit close as the rest filtered out of the office.  When things had quietened down Amani looked at the small group and announced, “alright Team C….  I wouldn’t say this to the rest of the room, but the seeker has reported the level of damage within the Precinct, and it’s really bad.   

 

James nodded to confirm this and the Guards looked unhappy as Amani asked him, “what sections have they damaged Seeker?” 

 

James looked at the group and told them, “I got in through the loading area, they had bots force the door open and looted the bay, before moving inside, through to the lobby, looting anything they could get into and spraying their graffiti everywhere. 

 

“Did they get into the cells?” 

 

James shook his head, “It doesn’t look like it, I went into the cells and interview rooms with the master key stored under the lobby desk.  There’s no sign of damage in that area.” 

 

Amani looked a little happier.  “That’s good news at least, even if we cannot operate out of the building while repairs are underway, we can at least use the cells and interview rooms for processing.  What else?” 

 

“They only got into the side of the building that is the same as the supply rooms, the resulting damage is extensive.” 

 

Amani went into thought and one of the Guards asked, “not the other side of the building, after forcing their way in on the ground floor?” 

 

“That’s how it appears, yes.” 

 

Amani concluded, “the barricades we made held them off on the first two floors, so they were forced to reach the top floor to come back down the stairs at that end.  That shows us they were aiming specifically at the supply rooms.  They knew what they wanted.” 

 

One of the Guards looked at James and asked, “Why?  Why would they be so determined to grab the supplies left behind?” 

 

Amani replied, “we think they’ve been impersonating Guards.  We believe they grabbed a prisoner the Seeker was bringing to Imelda for questioning.” 

 

The Guard looked down and admitted, “damn, that’s brazen.” 

 

“And not how the families would do such an act,” Amani added, “they would have been far more direct and left us obvious proof it was them.” 

 

All the Guards nodded as they all drew the same conclusion.  One of them commented, “I’ve never seen a family member be anything but a family member.  The more evidence we see, the more it concludes it’s not the families.”   

 

Amani jumped on those words, “exactly!  There’s another player at work in the city, and we have enough to control already.”  When the Guards settled down, Amani returned to James, “apart from the damage, what defences did they leave behind?” 

 

James recalled, “there were several corrupted wildlife packs and bot patrols outside, but they were the family ones and I swept the entire area around the building before entering.  Once inside, the Rats left several reprogrammed bots in the building, but again, I swept the structure and made sure they were all removed.  The Lieutenant informed you would be moving back in, and I had the tools for the job.  Unless there’s new bots sent by the Rats, the building should be clear. 

 

The Guards all gave warm noises of appreciation for James being so thorough during his sweep and Amani decided, “well, now you heard the details, it’s down to us to get this building secured, then letting the repair teams do their part.  Are there any questions?”  The Guards all shook their heads, letting Amani tell them, “we’ll clear the building by sections, leaving a Guard on post on each floor, once it has been swept.  Let’s go people!” 

 

The Guards all gathered their equipment and started leaving while Anami turned back to James.  “We’ll see you soon Seeker, go and get the details then report to the Rec Precinct building, we’ll have it secured at least, by the time you return....  Mick, you’re with me!” 

 

Mick gave James a sly grin and said, “see you soon,” as he followed Amani and the Guards out of the room, leaving James alone with Roz and Luzee.   He turned back to them and said to Roz, “that was interesting, and new.” 

 

“Did you enjoy it?” 

 

“For providing lore and progressing the story, yes, it was really refreshing.  You forget that urban settings mean a lot of other people can get involved, and the variety of N.P.C.’s adding to the mix provides a flair, or levels of interaction you don’t get out in the open world.” 

 

Roz smiled, “it’s the little detail, isn’t it?” 

 

James nodded, “city settings are so different to the rest of The Playground....” 

 

Luzee agreed, “this is always one of the most popular story sections, although you’re getting to the climax of the story and soon will see the results of all of this.” 

 

Roz started to lead them out of the Precinct building, “but for now, you have one more task to complete for the day.” 

 

“We’re going to meet the Ranchers?” 

 

Roz smiled, “not just that, we’ll press on to the Landmark at the Western edge of the Wild Taurines, once we make that we’ll stop there, letting you contact the Shad themselves tomorrow.” 

 

James nodded, “that seems like a reasonable plan.” 

 

Luzee thought, “given where you are in the story, after tomorrow, you’ll be en-route to the Stockyards James....” 

 

Roz nodded.  “That’s getting closer too, it’s almost certain you’re going to unlock another class....”   

 

She started setting her Fast-Travel as Luzee asked, “which class do you think James, Pentafist, or Quadroguard?” 

 

He thought, “well, it’s one or the other....  At least the other will unlock eventually.” 

 

They began to fade out as Roz replied, “si, but the story still has a way before that last dungeon will be reached....” 

 

---------- 

 

They returned to the West Gate Landmark and stepped off of the pad to quite a sight.  A huge herd of Bovines were being corralled into a gate of the Stockyards and the Ranchers involved were just sending the last of the individual animals inside, before the last ones passed and one ranch hand came back out, the gate closing behind him. 

 

The team all spent a moment together before passing back along the trail heading west, nodding a greeting at James as they passed.  He nodded back and looked at Roz, “we’re following them along the path?” 

 

Roz nodded, “back into the city, there’s a transition zone, with access to some more Guild areas and player housing, then that branches, either towards the docks and past more housing on the beachfront, or down towards the Red District.  You’ll be going that way next, but for now, we’re going the other way, out towards the Wildlands.” 

 

He smiled and looked back towards the city, “good, at least I don’t have to face the nightclub, just yet....” 

 

Luzee laughed, “you cannot put that off forever James....” 

 

“I just have the feeling my ability to dance is awful.” 

 

“I don’t know,” Luzee came back with?  “You show potential, especially with those moves you’ve been trying in combat.” 

 

“What?” 

 

“I’ve watched you James, and seen you practice a Pentafist fighting style, just mixing it with the Triblader range of hack and slash mentality.” 

 

James looked a little embarrassed, “was it that obvious?” 

 

“I couldn’t miss it, but it works pretty well, and it will help later, if you can mix stances to handle two classes.  I’ll probably have to learn some hybrid stances, thinking about it, it will help in the long run.” 

 

Roz looked at the pair of them, “I have all this to look forward to, standing my ground won’t work for me at all, will it?” 

 

Luzee considered, “but it will as a Hexacast.  Our stances are pretty similar, only you get close, I stay at range.” 

 

“I didn’t think of it that way, but you’re pretty accurate Luzee,” Roz decided.  “I guess I’ll have to look forward to being a Hexacast....” 

 

James led them away from the gate onto the path heading directly west.  This path was fairly close to the coastline, but there was a narrow ranch field in the strip of land and this resulted in the Bovines being fairly close to the path, letting James see that they were all fine, strong, healthy animals that all had inked stamps on their left flank.  Some of them raised their heads and watched their small party pass them by, but the majority carried on grazing, in a relaxed, carefree style. 

 

The path continued for a while, but James started to see activity ahead, the ranch hands must had made great time, since they were now out of sight.  This was different, and from what he could determine, quite unsettling. 

 

The path reached a dog-leg junction, where it intersected another path and carried on after heading inland a few hundred metres.  The two branches ran off a short way, before they both seemed to terminate at the ranch buildings for the lands West of Imelda, and there appeared to be small groups of individuals near each junction, standing inside the fences, carefully eyeing each other up and looking back into the fields on both sides of the path.  To James, it looked like a silent stand-off at first, but as he got closer, he could spot that both groups were carrying equipment and were trying to inspect the animals, especially since they were milling around them, clearly knowing of who they were. 

 

James approached the small group to the left of the path and the individuals looked up at him, before returning to their duties of checking the animals over, making James curious as to their activities and prompting him to stop, “hello,” he began, “I couldn’t help but wonder, what are you up to?” 

 

One of the ranch hands looked up at him and replied, “we’re checking the animals,” and he held up his hand, showing he was gripping some kind of equipment. 

 

“Oh, what are those?” 

 

The ranch hand replied, “in that case, welcome to the Lazar Farmstead, you must be new around here?  Everyone knows the stud-checkers.” 

 

“Stud-checkers?” 

 

The ranch hand picked one of the bovines in front of him and it seemed totally placid and happy, meaning he could carefully rub it behind the right ear and make it put its head forward in a happy, relaxed manner.  But the ranch hand also showed something to James, he carefully pointed to a small, metal stud in the ear and commented, “every animal is given one of these when they’re only a few days old, before they’re allowed out of the maternity barns.  They’re totally harmless, but they are identity chips that allow us to keep tabs on each animal, as well as matching health and condition records to them at every step of their lives.  To show the point, the ranch hand put the stud-checker to the ear and it gave an audible beep, confirming it had scanned and logged the stud.   

 

James concluded, “you’re just making your daily checks?” 

 

The ranch hand nodded to confirm, “that’s right, but there’s a serious problem.” 

 

“There is?” 

 

He pointed to the group in the opposite field, “every morning, on our rounds, we find some of our animals are missing.  We think they’re involved, but we can’t prove it.” 

 

“Who are they?” 

 

“They’re the Hubson Ranch, outside of the Wildland Shad, their animals have to be the best, they strive for perfection over there and they’re proud of the quality....” 

 

“Why is that important?” 

 

“Because every night, some of our animals keep disappearing, and they’re always the best ones, the sort the Hubson Ranch deals with....” 

 

“What do you mean by that sort of accusation?” 

 

The ranch hand looked at his mates, “they’re the smallest ranch, so they focus on pure quality with their bovines, to fetch the best price at the Stockyards.  Prices we’d struggle to fetch, but we make up the short-falls other ways, since we sell twice as many bovines. 

 

James was taken a little by surprise, “do you really think the Hubson Ranch would steal your bovines?” 

 

“It’s the only possible theory that fits!  Their team is checking their flock as well, and they never seem to lose stock themselves, it’s always us!” 

 

“Have you spoken to them directly?” 

 

“Me?  No, but Martina has....” 

 

“Martina?” 

 

“Martina Lazar....  She’s the current owner.” 

 

“Where is she, I need to speak to her on behalf of the Port Imelda Guard?” 

 

“The Guard?  Wait, are you the one that’s been helping them calm the fighting in the city?” 

 

James didn’t reply, he nodded instead. 

 

The ranch hand pointed in the direction of the inland farmstead, “follow the path, she should be somewhere in the farm buildings.  She’ll tell you all you need to know.” 

 

James thanked him, but added, “I’ll have to talk to the Hubson owners too.” 

 

“They’ll lie...” 

 

“Maybe, maybe not, I’ll have to draw my own conclusions when I meet them?” 

 

The ranch hand grunted dismissively. 

 

“There are other ranches too, maybe they know something?” 

 

“The family ranches?  Ha!” 

 

“Why do you say that?” 

 

“As soon as the fighting broke out in the city, both ranches instantly took an, ‘avoidance agreement.’  They both avoid each other and don’t interfere in their activities.  If one was rustling, that would void the agreement and family operators stick to the rules, their honour is built on it!” 

 

“Even so, I’ll have to consider it as a possibility, at least until the evidence is gathered?” 

 

The ranch hand sniffed, “well, do what you must, Martina will change your mind.”  One of the bovines started nuzzling him quite affectionately and he reacted, “I better get back to it, they know we’ll offer some additional food after this, that’s what they’re after....” 

 

James smiled, “thank you for the info, I’ll get on it now.”  He moved away a little and returned to Roz, “well, he knows who is to blame for all of this?” 

 

Roz smiled, “you have to work out whether he’s correct or not?” 

 

James switched his gaze between the two sets of farm buildings, “where do I start?”  He made a decision and started walking along the branch towards the Hubson Ranch, “well, I got a little of the story from one side, let’s see if we can get something from the others as a first step.” 

 

Roz nodded and indicated for Luzee to follow as they set off towards the structures closer to the coast, while the Bovines on this side of the main path, turned and raised their heads to watch them, some of them still casually chewing on grass as they did so.  The path made a slow curve to the right, before passing under a well-maintained arch that was painted white and had the Hubson Ranch name emblazoned upon it.  It all smacked of this place striving for quality to James and all of the buildings also added to the evidence, since they were all kept to their best and well repaired. 

 

James looked around the buildings for a moment and didn’t find anyone lurking around the barns.  He did find a lone ranch hand, sat down outside what appeared to be lodging buildings and they pointed him towards a small extension, tacked on to the side of the main building, with an open door leading into a tidy office. 

 

Inside there was a secretary doing some work on their terminal and he looked up with a dubious expression, “can I help you?” 

 

James felt a little off-put by the stare, “I’ve come, er, from the Imelda Guard?” 

 

The Secretary looked him up and down, “really?” 

 

“What does that mean?” 

 

“We were expecting a real detective, not, this!”  He waved his hand at James, suggesting he wasn’t impressed. 

 

“I’ve been Deputised, and I have helped them retake parts of the city, as the fighting dies down?” 

 

He gave him a scornful look, “while we’ve been abandoned and on our own!”  The secretary sniffed, “take a seat, I’ll send Mr Hubson a message you are here, at last...” 

 

James did as the secretary suggested, taking a seat and politely waiting, rather than trying to change the opinion of the, rather rude, man, while Roz and Luzee joined him in the corner.  James looked at the man, “he’s a real riot....” 

 

Luzee giggled, “he reminds me of a few, real people I met before I got here....” 

 

James looked at her, “I don’t think he reminds....”  Then he phased out and Roz let him undergo the memory event, which took a few moments, before he came back and turned to look at Luzee.  “Huh?” 

 

Roz was going to open her interface, but a figure appeared at the door, “Hubson is here, but you can explain what happened later, right?” 

 

He nodded and looked at Luzee, “I think I have met someone rather like him?” 

 

“I can’t wait to share experiences....” 

 

James smirked as the door opened and a well-built, bearded individual strode into the room, wearing heavy, dirtied clothes.  “What’s up?” 

 

The secretary waved impassively at James, “Mr Hubson, they’re here to meet you, without an appointment.  They say they’ve come on behalf of the Guard?” 

 

“Oh,” Hubson replied, “they contacted me and told me a Seeker would be calling.”   

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” 

 

Hubson looked back at his secretary, “oh, I’m sorry.  I was so busy it totally slipped my mind to tell you.  I apologise.” 

 

The secretary looked rather sternly at Hubson, then at James, before dismissing his own opinion and stating, “next time, please tell me Mr Hubson?” 

 

“Of course,” he smiled back, before turning to James.  “Come with me Seeker, let’s have a little chat while we walk.” 
 

James nodded and stood, following Hubson outside, while he directed him towards a nearby barn, where a few younger bovines were milling around.  Hubson began, “sorry for my secretary being a little abrupt.  He’s lovely, but he can be such a control freak if he’s not told what is happening?  Especially with the current situation with our flock....” 

 

James looked at Hubson, “you mean, the rustling?” 

 

Hubson nodded, “exactly.  We’ve lost several of our animals over the last few weeks, and we have no idea where they’ve gone?” 

 

“So, it’s not just the Lazars, they think you’re responsible for the rustling?” 

 

Hubson laughed, maybe a little too easily, “if I were rustling their flock, I would admit it, right here and now!  It’s nothing to do with Hubson Ranch, I can promise you.” 

 

He walked up to a Shad, with another reader in his hand and checking the flock here.  The Shad lowered his head instantly in greeting, asking, “problem Boss,” as he did so? 

 

Hubson bowed his head himself, he clearly knew the traditional Shad greeting James had learned with the tribals in the Mangrove Marshes.  “No, no problem at all, I’m just showing this Seeker around the farm.” 

 

“Okay Boss, keep working then,” and the Shad returned to his work as the bovines kept approaching him and he readily scanned each stud, logging their details.” 

 

James watched for a moment and then asked, “So you say you’ve lost some bovines as well?” 

 

The Shad looked up, “may answer for Boss?” 

 

“Of course,” 

 

The Shad carried on checking the flock, while replying to James, “I seen bovines taken.” 

 

James was a little taken aback, “you have?” 

 

The Shad nodded, “woken in night by noise, found bright light in sky.  It went over fields as I chase it, then it stop over some of bovines and they gone!” 

 

“Gone, as in?” 

 

“Gone!  Light fast, Shad move slow.  I try to keep track but it got some way in front and when I catch up, all over, light out and some of flock gone.” 

 

James tried to process this and deduce it for himself, “so, you’re saying the animals just vanished?” 

 

“Not know for sure, found prints suggesting they tried to flee in several directions, but nothing proving they got away, nor anything other than prints from bovines.” 

 

Hubson looked at his Shad worker, “now do you see we’re losing animals too?  I know the Lazar’s think I am involved, somehow, but we’ve had this happen two or three times.  Gra’jagh is the only one to have witnessed any of these events.” 

 

The Shad admitted, “not something wanted to see, but happy to give you story.  Maybe you answer riddle of bovines?” 

 

James mused, “I’ll try, do you have any way to clearly identify your animals?” 

 

Hubson pointed to the marking on the flank of one of the bovines, every animal carries one of those ink stamps, the only ranch that doesn’t mark their animals are Lazar, but we all have the studs.”  Hubson thought a moment, “hang on, you’re a seeker, maybe this will work, pass me your reader Gra’jagh, please?” 

 

The Shad did as Hubson requested.  “What boss doing?” 

 

The rancher carefully opened a side panel and produced a cable that was attached to the handheld terminal, “can I see your own interface?” 

 

James offered his arm and Hubson examined it a moment, before finding a suitable slot for the cable to plug into, although James had always been convinced it was just for decoration.  For a few seconds the two systems buzzed, then he saw that his interface was being updated, before it confirmed the upgrades were complete. 

 

Hubson unplugged the cable, returned the cable to its hidden panel and then gave the reader back to Gra’jagh, before he carefully lured one of the bovines to one side and offered James to join him a moment.  “If, I’m right, this should now work.”  Hubson carefully took James’ left hand and guided up to the ear of the passive animal, before moving it around a little.  As James ran his wrist over the stud in the animal’s ear, there was a very obvious beep and James saw his interface come to life, producing several pages of text, “great, it worked.  Your own equipment is now reading the studs.” 

 

James withdrew his hand and checked the detail, “there’s so much information.” 

 

Hubson replied, “there has to be, this is the full history of the animal, every illness, treatment, family history and every possible piece of useful information you could think of?”  He pointed at a specific section, “this little bit should be the most important, if you check that box, it states this is an animal owned by the Hubson Ranch.  It doesn’t matter which animal you scan; you’ll always know the ownership history.” 

 

James was grateful, “thank you, now I have a scanner, it’ll help identifying animals.” 

 

“Well, I can offer one more piece of help, please come back to the office with me?” 

 

James agreed and began to walk back, asking, “so you wouldn’t mind me scanning a few animals, looking to see if any of the missing ones are here?” 

 

Hubson laughed, “of course not, you can have free reign of the ranch to explore and scan every bovine you see.  I can assure you, they’re not here.” 

 

James nodded, “I believe you....” 

 

Hubson sniffed, “your best bet is to talk to Martina directly.  I know we’re competitors, but we both agree the animal welfare is vital.  They’re still born from Track Animals after all, if we didn’t treat them right, I’m sure that would let us know, and we’ve both heard the stories of the corrupted animals in the city.   The workers make accusations and forget the origins of the bovines themselves, sometimes.” 

 

James understood and was quietly impressed with the answers given as they returned into the office.  Hubson looked at his secretary and asked, “could you transfer the log to his interface please?” 

 

“Of course, Sir,” the secretary replied as he typed a few commands into his console, and James’ interface beeped.   

 

Hubson told him, “I’ve just given you the records of the taken animals, if you scan any of their studs your interface will alert you directly.  I’ll ask Martina to transfer her logs too, by sending her a message now.  I assume you’re heading to see the Lazar operation next?” 

 

James nodded, “and I’ll be a little more wary of listening to ranch hands.” 

 

Hubson smiled, “you do that, and if you have any more questions, you’re welcome any time.  He turned to his secretary to ask, “right?” 

 

“Yes, Sir,” the man replied with a defeated tone. 

 

James decided, “in that case, I’ll take my leave, goodbye.” 

 

Hubson replied, “until next time.  Good luck with the investigation.” 

 

James departed back out into the yard, and they quickly walked back under the arch at the entrance to the farm, strolling back to the junction where the second path that headed for the Lazar Farmstead.  Roz asked him, “are you feeling good?” 

 

James, thought and replied, “I’m just, confused?” 

 

“Confused, why?” 

 

“I’m still trying to process my vision in the back of my mind.  In the office I saw scenes at a security office, broken pieces, like what happened after I had been arrested.” 

 

“You mean, related to what you saw back at the Rec Precinct,” Roz asked in her professional tone? 

 

He nodded in reply, “I just can’t figure out how it all fits?  I clearly was watching something I wasn’t supposed to, what were they trading?” 

 

Roz thought, “whatever it was, it was clearly very dubious, especially since the security services were just as interested.” 

 

“Maybe I’ll know one day?” 

 

Luzee considered his words, and cautiously asked, “do you think this was connected to your investigations?” 

 

This made him stop and gazed at Luzee, turning the thoughts over in his mind while trying to put the fragments back together.  “I suppose it has to be?  But I was working in culture, the arts, studying art....”  He looked up and asked himself a serious question, “were they smuggling art pieces?” 

 

Roz heard him, “it is a serious problem.  As I have said before, counterfeiting and unlicensed copies of works are constant issues, and it is not just paintings, it is sculpture and historical artifacts as well.” 

 

“So, it could have been art?” 

 

Roz replied, “anything illegal is valuable and worth smuggling in, when the local laws restrict them....  Narcotics, stimulants, stolen equipment, even things we accept as just normal are unlawful somewhere.  I hear in some systems that the supplies for art are difficult to source, because of culture suppression, or a locked down forging industry, it’s just one possible reason....” 

 

James admitted, “I know it’s going to bug me, that’s the annoying thing....” 

 

Luzee giggled, “you and me both!  When you figure it out, you’re going to have to let me know James?” 

 

He nodded, “I will,” before he set off along the branch towards their next destination. 

 

---------- 

 

The visit to the Lazar Farmstead was pretty much identical to her time at the Hubson Ranch, telling similar events and disappearances to the ones that he had already heard from Hubson himself, but Martina Lazar came across as a feisty woman who was still finding her feet, having just taken over the running of the ranch from her parents as they retired.   

 

The entire site was also more ‘industrial,’ in the way it handled everything.  There seemed to be many more animals and staff, all tending to the bovines at every stage of their lives.  It was clear that if Hubson did indeed strive for the best quality, Lazar was about supplying for the masses, which didn’t really phase James too much as Martina had a very similar ethos to Hubson, if they didn’t treat the animals with the compassion and care they needed, the track would respond, and there was no hint of it doing so. 

 

James had gone through the motions and Martina had happily supplied her own logs of missing animals, meaning he now had a complete trace for both ranches and a clear understanding they both were suffering the same problem.  She was also curious about the account of Gra’jagh and had listened to the account James supplied, before considering it and deciding there had to be a logical reason behind it, something worth investigating. 

 

They had said their goodbyes and James had led them back to the main path, before he looked at Roz and asked her, “so we’re going to the Landmark at the Skyrail Station?” 

 

Roz nodded with a relaxed movement, “si, and we’re going to stop for the day.  We can start there tomorrow, spending some time with the Shad, before returning to Port Imelda.” 

 

James smiled and asked them both, “so we’re heading out into the Wild Taurines, correct?” 

 

Luzee summoned her deck into her hand and spun it around her fingertips, “I’m ready for some fighting too.” 

 

James grinned, switching back to Triblader as he did so, “you knew what I was thinking about, didn’t you?” 

 

Luzee laughed, “it’s been a long day of intelligence gathering.  A little session to let off steam at the end seems like a good idea.” 

 

Roz added, “especially since you’ll be back to watching the Dungeon run with me soon enough Luzee.” 

 

James figured it out, “the Stockyards are the next dungeon then?” 

 

Luzee thought, “well, getting there is more the dungeon....” 

 

He gave her another confused look, “I don’t understand?” 

 

“You will when you complete the story that leads up to that,” Luzee confirmed. 

 

“Then I look forward to that,” James decided.  “Part of me is curious about how you’ve managed to get a dungeon run into this?” 

 

“It was quite ingenious,” Roz replied, “you’ll see....” 

 

James started along the main path once more while replying, “I can’t wait.” 

 

Luzee and Roz kept pace, Luzee asking, “are you looking forward to another dungeon run?” 

 

He had already figured it out, “I assume there’s another class unlock in it for me, I can’t wait to see what I get this time?” 

 

Luzee looked at Roz, “Pentafist or Quadroguard?” 

 

James paused and considered, before deciding, “either will make me happy.” 

 

Roz commented, “the biggest problem we have is, who is going to train you?” 

 

James looked at her, “that’s a tough question.” 

 

Luzee looked at him, “who would you like?” 

 

He considered the question for a little while, turning the limited options over in his head, “I really don’t know?  Part of me would really like Terrani to train me as a Pentafist, but would she tough enough, given our relationship?” 

 

Roz thought, “I was thinking that too, you might have to let her down gently and consider Emilie instead?” 

 

James nodded, “I think she’d be a better fit, since she’s already involved through Apollo.” 

 

Roz added, “as for Quadroguard, I don’t want to do it, given my current position.” 

 

James smiled, “I was going to ask Reece anyway, I thought you’d prefer to keep the two duties separate?” 

 

Roz smiled, “si.  It would allow me to keep watch and check for issues.  That’s the big thing while you train.” 

 

James considered her words, “why have I not had a memory event during training?” 

 

Luzee asked, “have you not,” a little surprised?”  He responded by shaking his head. 

 

Roz postulated, “it’s probably because you’re so involved during the training sessions, focused on the training and combat.  It means your mind isn’t wandering so much and the recollections don’t happen?” 

 

James looked left and right to study the nearby bovines as he considered Roz’s idea.  Before carrying on along the path, nodding as he did so. 

 

Luzee was a little taken aback, “what were you looking at then?” 

 

James absently replied, “I was just looking at the animals.  I’m starting to appreciate the fact that the ranch owners do care for them and treat them well.” 

 

Roz and Luzee followed a little way behind him, keeping their thoughts to themselves as he progressed along the path, which continued for a little way, before it started to open up and the fences on either side started moving back, before they turned corners, heading away from them, and left the following grasslands wide open. 

 

The land was pockmarked with small hillocks that had wild flowers and long grasses growing upon them and the path continued onwards, weaving between them as it gently flowed south-westward, leaving the coast behind and heading towards the distant mountains.  James looked up at them and could see the snow perched on the higher slopes, and the distinctive shape of buildings on the flanks.  “Bergen Village.” 

 

Roz nodded, “that’s it, now you’ve seen this view from both sides, although regular players don’t get to do that.  It’s the Evotar Settlement.” 

 

“It just looks like buildings set aside for decoration.” 

 

“You can’t make out any activity from the inhabitants due to the distance, and this is the closest you can get.” 

 

James smiled at the sight and gazed around the expansive space he had headed into, along with the fact he could see several groups of mobs milling around, there were even a few Wissant milling around the area, although these didn’t have any suggestion of corruption among their number.  These Wissant seemed peaceful, content and fairly placid, although James did expect them to defend themselves if he decided to attack one. 

 

The other animals milling around were more traditional.  Hillkats, Hedgehags and a heavier-coated version of Shokats were alongside the Wissant, but there were also a few other animals that James didn’t recognise and one of them stared him down before wandering away.  It looked like some form of large dog, but with a ruddy-red mane that gave it a look of a miniature lion.   

 

James was quite taken aback by the sheer variety of life here, “it’s impressive....” 

 

Luzee nodded, “very much so, and it’s all available for you to combat.” 

 

James summoned his blade, before looking at the various packs.  Like the Corrupted Hedgehags in Imelda, they had spines that suggested their elemental attack, while the Hillkats and other animals were all much more uniformly coloured, suggesting their attacks were going to be more standard. 

 

James continued to scan carefully, looking at the clumps of fauna on the hill tops, making Roz ask, “what’s wrong?” 

 

He scanned carefully, “I can see the fauna is ripe for harvesting, but just for a second, I swear I saw something move in one of the patches?”  He paused a moment, before dismissing his thought and moving forward, shrugging as he did so.  Roz gave Luzee a knowing nod, before they followed, both summoning their own weapons and more than ready for what was about to happen. 

 

James waited, making sure no additional enemies were going to spawn, before picking the group before him and charging into the nearest Hillkat, swiping it before it dived underground and allowing him to at least remove some of the health.  Luzee took aim at a few of the Hedgehags, while Roz dragged what remained of the pack off to the side.  James tracked the Hillkat as best as he could, waiting for it to pop up and attack with ice spikes shooting out of the ground when it pointed at him.  James stayed mobile and used his own charged shot to stun it when it started chattering and clacking its teeth, before moving in to deliver the coup-de-grace while it was stunned. 

 

Luzee took care of one of the Hedgehags aiming at her, while James piled into the last few that were trying to overrun Roz, smashing one aside and making it turn to him and begin to spin up for the attack.  He deftly dodged it, turning away when it tried to jump back and inflict an area of effect attack on him, but he was in the perfect position to charge, sinking his blade into its flank and using his charged attacks to take it out before it had a chance to retaliate. 

 

Luzee finished off her last opponent and they all ganged up to finish off Roz’s last foe, but James pressed on, running into a second small pack with a Shokat and Wissant at the core, meaning Roz picked those up, while Luzee and James got stuck into the mass of Hillkats and Hedgehags that escorted them, quickly brushing them aside, before helping Roz take out the main foes. 

 

Once they fell, James paused and allowed the combat timer to run out, letting their health meters recover.  All the time he pacing back and forth, watching one of the new dog-type enemies as it milled about between a few more packs.  He motioned for Roz and Luzee to hang back, intent on engaging it one-on-one while he learned the tactics of this new opponent. 

 

Roz and Luzee stayed silent as James picked his moment, the animal being at a mid-point between two packs and isolated momentarily.  He charged in and the dog replied with a huge wall of fire that blocked it, leaving James pulling up short, while it counter-charged through the flames and snapped at his arm, James swung away and just about managed to avoid the lunge by forcing his arm back in, but the dog planted its front two paws on the ground and vanished in a wave teleport effect, relocating to just in front of him and resuming the charge, fangs bared! 

 

James was taken aback at the sheer speed of this foe and employed a charged shield block to deflect the snapping hound, which growled in defiance and looked like it was going to howl, but instead of a noise, a massive gout of flame erupted from its gaping maw, and it aimed it at him with an unerring accuracy.  James retreated out of the range of the flame and waited for it to pass, trying to figure out how to counter this rapid, dangerous movement.  The dog charged again, using its wave teleport to reach optimum range for the attack, but James was a little more ready this time and dodged to one side at the right moment, bringing his blade round and managing to pierce the tough, shaggy coat just behind the mane, the animal yelped and teleported away before James could apply any more damage. 

 

James brought to blade to bear and faced down the dog.  Since he had figured out how to at least make a strike, it paced around in a cautious circle, staying out of his strike range and keeping an air of menace in its actions.  He responded by taking a few projectile shots, but it teleported to a nearby spot and resumed pacing, a low growl coming from its mouth suggesting he shouldn’t try that again. 

 

James didn’t let the dog leave his line of sight, carefully turning with it as the stand-off continued, before the dog decided to release another gout of flame and James side-stepped.  Again, the dog teleported and charged, but now James ready for this trick and countered with a perfectly timed Shock Attack, his blade releasing a full blast into the dog.  It whimpered and tried to teleport clear, but James enacted a Dash, keeping pace with the foe and smashing into it.  James acted quickly, taking as many shots as possible, before it teleported again, but he had a tactic now and chased, walking right into a flame gout that forced him back and allowed the dog to counter, charging through it and sinking its fangs into his arm, before coming clear and giving a pose that suggested it was proud of that attack. 

 

James had to switch tactics, he knew Shock could hurt his opponent, but not stop it and so he switched to Cold and resumed his guard while the dog carefully began to pace and circle again.  James had an inkling of a plan, but had to wait for the dog to charge since it involved a skill he barely used.   

 

He waited, ready for the attack and when the dog spat another ball of flame at him, he set the plan into motion.  Already knowing the dog would appear out of the flames, James activated his idea and charged a defensive skill, sweeping his blade in front of him and laying a series of ice spikes as a rudimentary minefield.  The dog shot forward, right into the trap and hit several of the spikes, chilling it and rapidly building the break meter, allowing James to easily dodge the attack and finish the break with a few swipes of his blade.  The dog offered little resistance as James made a few swipes in cold mode, discovered his attacks did little to damage it, and switched back to shock to discover that did far more damage.  A few more jabs of his blade and the fight was over. 

 

Roz asked him, “was that Charnine a challenge?” 

 

He turned back to her, “it was a tougher fight than I expected,” he admitted, smiling as he did so. 

 

Luzee asked, “are we pushing on?” 

 

James started walking towards one of the patches of flora, stating, “sure, just give me a minute,” as he did so. 

 

Roz made Luzee hang back, knowing what was to come. 

 

James started harvesting the drops on offer, and then got zapped by a powerful Shock Bolt!  He was taken aback and then saw some of the flowers shuffling slightly, as if an isolated wind brushed them....  He raised his blade, ready for action as an animal materialised between the plants.  It had been using near perfect camouflage to lay in wait and James revealed a lizard-type creature with enlarged teeth protruding from its jaw.  It hissed a warning at James now it had been revealed and he retreated a little as a reaction. 

 

The salamander paced forward, opened its jaw and before James could react its tongue shot out of its mouth, striking James on the arm and releasing a shock jolt into his form.  It caught James off-guard and his opponent took the chance to phase out again, the plants moving slightly as it passed and relocated to a new location to strike at James from. 

 

He kept his blade in a guarded pose and tried to track the shuffling among the flowers, before he spotted the tongue lash out again as the lizard reappeared and shot it at him, he dodged and charged into the lizard, which was slow to react and he started climbing the break meter with neutral attacks, but then it shuffled, hissed and several wave bolts appeared, creating a shield as it phased out, using its camouflage to move to a new location while James fell back to avoid damage from the wave bolts. 

 

The duel carried on for a few more moments, but James had the basic tactics down and broke the lizard after it tried to shoot a third time, and he quickly removed it with a flurry of strikes while it couldn’t fight back.  Once it was gone, he resumed collecting the flowers, much more cautiously.  

 

Luzee moved up to him, “do you like the Weckos?” 

 

He thought, they’re tough, but it’s nice to be fighting freely again.  Port Imelda might offer some chances to fight, but nothing freeform like this.” 

 

Luzee summoned her deck while suggesting, “well then, why don’t we fight our way to the Skyrail Station?” 

 

James grinned and attacked the next pack, Roz bringing up the rear as they set off again.  It took about half an hour of tightly-grouped packs, but James kept them heading towards the mountain ahead, and soon he could make out the delicate trace lines that denoted the skyrail tracks coming down the flank of it, leading to a platform not much further ahead. 

 

The sight of a primitive Shad stood by the path made James lower his weapon and it raised its spear as he approached.  James reacted by bowing his head and phasing his weapon out, making them lower their weapon and copy the greeting.  The path forked by it and it responded in his language, “been some time since Seeker seen on path, good to see them back.” 

 

James kept his head bowed as he replied, “good to see the Shad are maintaining their traditions here.” 

 

The Shad snorted, “times hard to do so.  Our village needs help.” 

 

James looked at the new Shad, it was a female and dressed in a fashion similar to the Shad in the marshes, but here there were several garments made of leathers that clearly came from the Wissant, along with several bone decorations that must be sourced from the animals as well.  The spear was long, fine and wooden, carved with several displays that showed hunting parties bringing down the animals.  He finished by asking her, “help, how?” 

 

The Shad answered, “we rely on Wissant herds, now they vanishing, we not know why?” 

 

James didn’t suggest that he had already attacked and phased several out, but instead asked, “I’m here to get the Skyrail active again as the city is cut off and both humans and Shad are suffering.  Do you know why it is out of action?” 

 

The Shad nodded, “we think we know, but resources sparse and our own people suffer.  Maybe Chief offer solution though?  I grant you pass to village, seek Chief and discuss possibles.” 

 

James looked up the left fork, past the Shad, “I will seek your Chief soon.” 

 

The Shad smiled, “then not delay too long Seeker, we help each other soon,” before it returned to its post and resumed guard duties. 

 

James bowed his head in respect and led Roz and Luzee along the final, short stretch of the path, before it terminated at the silent Skyrail Station and its Landmark.  James looked around and saw that the station itself was in a fairly decent state of repair, requiring little work to get it back into service.  The pads themselves were active, but warning signs were around them, clearly suggesting the line was currently blocked, awaiting repair.   

 

He activated the Landmark and Luzee came over to fist pump him, saying, “that’s it for today, well done James.” 

 

He looked a Roz and she smiled, “it’s been a busy day, but we’ve ensured we’ll be ready for the Stockyards after tomorrow.” 

 

Luzee looked at her, “I take it, I’ll be helping you with that?” 

 

Roz nodded, just in case James needs you.  Tomorrow, I think Reece should have a turn with us?” 

 

James smiled, “it’s been a while, and lots of fighting for me, since the two of you will hold back and tank more.  I cannot wait.” 

 

Luzee smiled, sent a few messages and commented, “then we’re done, I’ll spend tomorrow in the city and let Terrani stay in the Taurines again.”  Then she set her fast-travel and began phasing out, “see you soon.” 

 

James looked around, “where is Terrani anyway?  I thought we would have bumped into her while coming here?” 

 

Roz accessed her party interface and set a few commands, “she is here.” 

 

“Where?” 

 

Terrani entered the party and phased in, stood next to Roz, “until the Skyrail Station is running, the Wild Taurines are phased.” 

 

Terrani came over and gave James a hug, while Roz took a moment to finish with Gayle for the day.  They shared a kiss and she asked, “had a good day?” 

 

He nodded, “it’s been fun, and we’re on track for the Stockyards.” 

 

They broke the hug as she replied, “that’s good to hear, especially since pretty soon we can have a real date in Imelda.” 

 

He looked nervously at her, “I can’t dance, I’m just warning you now....” 

 

Terrani laughed, “has Luzee been telling you my secrets again?” 

 

Gayle’s window moved over and joined the pair of them.  “I’m just saying goodnight, but I cannot resist the thought of a dance-off at some point Terrani?  I overheard you like dancing.” 

 

Terrani grinned, “now I’m worried what type of music you dance to Gayle?” 

 

Gayle started closing her window while replying, “we’re probably not too different....  Goodnight you two.” 

 

They returned the goodnight as her window sealed and Roz came over, “we’ll head back to the Retreat and have a cooldown and a chat, before we get some rest, okay James?” 

 

Terrani gave him a hug and confirmed, “I have some work to do anyway.  I’ll get back to the office and then get some rest too.”  James set his fast travel and as he and Roz phased out, Terrani mouthed, ‘I love you,’ at him. 

 

James blew a kiss back before he phased out completely. 

Edited July 3, 2022 by Uncle Sikee Atric

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Thirty Two :

 

He opened his eyes and the gloom of his peaceful room welcomed him back to Crossworlds.  He’d slept uneasily, his mind running several dreams as he slumbered.  Only his alarm within his interface had raised him and he silenced it with an irritable tap, before taking his time to lift himself out of his bed and trying to awaken himself with the vigorous movements and actions, rolling his head around on his neck as he shook his arms and jumped on the spot.   

 

The numbness and sensation of lethargy receded somewhat and James felt somewhat more active as he drew a cup of the Instant Water and pulled back the curtains, revealing the sight of the buds and flowers still opening.  He checked his interface again and realised he had reacted to his first alarm, indicating he had a little time before Roz would join him.  He tided his room and took Grayson’s Diary with him as he sat in his balcony chair, letting the page fall open on a chapter titled, ‘The World Out There.’  Grayson had clearly not really been far beyond the walls of the Retreat when he was writing it, as he seemed a little nervous about integration into Evotar society and he was recounting stories told to him by others that it wasn’t always guaranteed to be easy.  But James read the passages with an air of curiosity, thinking about the messages told to him by Luzee, especially the secret about her still struggling to accept her treatment by her donor.  It seemed to be that although the smiles and façade of everyone were present, the reality was that some of those smiles were masks for those individuals, for reasons far more complex than you might initially consider. 

 

He read for a while, mulling over the printed words, before movement in the corner of hie eye caught his attention, Roz had appeared around the corner of the building and was walking towards him, arm-in-arm with Reece, who was leading her to him. 

 

He smiled and gave them a polite, friendly wave, before Reece opened the gate onto his balcony and let her pass, closing it behind him and leaning on the far railing, while Roz took her seat next to the chessboard.  “Buon Giorno,” she began. 

 

“Hello,” James replied to both Reece and Roz, making him nod back, “you’re both ready early.” 

 

Roz nodded, “Reece woke me up, complaining that he spent last night in Bak’kii Kum and he’s grumpy that the heat is an unpleasant thing to get up with.” 

 

Reece smiled knowingly, “I’ll have to get used to it though....  Call it a minor drawback, but worth it in the long run.” 

 

James led the quiet laugh they all shared, before taking a cautious sip of his Instant Water.  Swilling it around his mouth, he licked his lips and smacked them, admitting, “that’s good!” 

 

“Is it,” Roz asked?  “I haven’t had a chance to test it today.... 

 

“It’s a rich strawberry taste, but there’s something else in the background?” 

 

Reece moved and collected two cups, offering one to Roz, before testing it himself.  He agreed, “you’re right, it’s good, rich like a smoothie, but the aftertaste just adds to it, what is it, it’s really subtle?” 

 

Roz tasted herself and decided, “it’s banana, a strawberry and banana smoothie.”  She had another taste before deciding, “it’s really nice, but I just think it should be thicker, like a proper smoothie....” 

 

Reece nodded, “that’s it, if it were more the consistency of a smoothie, it would be even better.” 

 

James had another mouthful as he admitted, “at least it’s freshened my senses, I needed that.” 

 

Roz asked, “you didn’t sleep well?” 

 

He shook his head, “my dreams were vivid, strong images of being held in a custody suite, questions being thrown at me by faceless cops....” 

 

Reece looked at Roz, “this is new?” 

 

Roz replied, “he started have memories about being arrested yesterday, while we were in the Rec Precinct, sweeping it.” 

 

James agreed, “I have memories showing I watched some form of illegal deal, then got busted when the entire event was raided itself.” 

 

Reece thought and asked, “was it a military raid, or a civilian force that conducted it?” 

 

“I think it was the Chorsian Anti-Smuggling force.” 

 

“Why do you ask,” Roz thought? 

 

Reece admitted, “I’ve been involved with a few military raids on illegal sites and busts, don't forget about my bot phobia, I got injured during one of those raids.  Civilian forces are not afraid to call military support in if they think the threat is large enough, military bots, heavy weapons, things like that?” 

 

James mulled over these words, “I don’t think there were any military forces there at all.  At least, in the short pieces I recall, I don’t remember them being anywhere at least?” 

 

Reece considered this, “that does tell us something then.” 

 

“What’s that?” 

 

“If there were no military presence, they were not expecting a stiff resistance.” 

 

Roz asked him. “what’s your point?” 

 

“It wasn’t somewhere they were expecting a gunfight, or opposition.  A raid like that is when they catch the culprits by surprise and red-handed.  A location they know isn’t defended, or a neutral site, not owned by either party.” 

 

Roz thought, “putting the pieces together, we think it was art pieces being smuggled, would they need armed force for that?” 

 

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a drug-lab or an auction house....  If the site being raided doesn’t want it to happen, they’ll defend it, any way they can.  That includes escape routes for senior members of the group and steps to remove or destroy evidence.” 

 

James looked at Roz with an air of understanding and Roz adjusted her notes, making a few additional points here and there, before asking him, “can you give Gayle that info as well?” 

 

“Sure I can, why?” 

 

“She’s doing some background research for us, trying to work out some of James’ memories and give us some sort of anchor as to timeframes.  There are numerous hits to raids and smuggling strikes, maybe your detail can help rule some of those dates out?” 

 

Reece agreed, “I’ll tell her then.” 

 

Roz offered her thanks and returned to James, “now, do you have any unease from your dreams last night?” 

 

James took a mouthful of his water, contemplating his thoughts and memories as he ran the liquid around his mouth and swallowed it down, before he decided, “yes, I do....” 

 

“Quali sono?” 

 

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, mulling over the images he had been left with.  “I could feel the water on my cheek.  I was pinned down, the words, ‘you are under arrest buddy,’ ringing in my ears....” 

 

Reece looked at Roz, a little taken aback, he was going to say something but Roz kept going, cutting him off.  “What else did you see?” 

 

“I was being pushed up to the custody desk, I was begging them not to let them see me, trying to explain everything, but every time one of them tried to reply, it was the same words, the same voice, ‘you are under arrest buddy....’” 

 

“Did this continue?” 

 

He nodded, “I was locked in a cell, alone, trying to beg, explain, then I was in an interview room, being recorded, but everything was for naught.  No one was listening and all they said was the same few words, no matter how long they spoke at me for?” 

 

Roz looked at her notes and decided, “but someone must have listened?” 

 

“How do you make that conclusion?” 

 

“Think about it this way, there's no suggestion you were dissuaded afterwards, is there?” 

 

He considered this point as he took another sip, before agreeing, “you’re right, I need to keep that frame of mind and stay positive about the details, no matter where they take me.” 

 

Reece was quietly considering these thoughts, before asking, “who did listen?” 

 

James shrugged, “I have no idea at all?”  He looked out into the garden with a despondent expression. 

 

There was a moment of peace between them as Roz worked on her notes and Reece took the time to consider the situation himself.  James finished his drink and reached forward, picking up one of the black chess pieces randomly and in an absent-minded way, before placing it back down in the middle of the board and studying it. 

 

“What are you doing,” Roz asked? 

 

“Trying to process the situation....” 

 

“Come?” 

 

He waved at the board, “that’s me.” 

 

Looking down at the board, Roz noted, “you picked a Bishop, was that intentional?” 

 

“I just picked a piece, I wasn’t thinking about it, why?” 

 

Roz moved the white King in front of the pawns, “ignore the other pieces, this King is on the board edge....  Now, place your King forward and try to Checkmate it with your Bishop and King.” 

 

James did as she asked, putting the King back on the board, before realising, “I can’t....” 

 

Roz nodded, “that’s the point, the Bishop and King alone cannot Checkmate a lone King.”  She reached over to the black pieces and added a Knight to his pieces, “now you can.” 

 

He did so, placing the pieces into the correct positions to force a Checkmate, before looking up at Roz, “I see what you’re getting at?” 

 

Reece looked at the pieces on the board, “you do?” 

 

Roz looked up at him, “James is the Bishop; and his notes and evidence are his strength, his King, if he loses them, it’s all over and he’ll never be able to beat his opponent, in this case represented by the black King, and we know them as Gher-Laine.” 

 

Reece looked at the board, “I’m sorry, you’ll have to elaborate, you know I’m useless at Chess....” 

 

Roz took away the black Knight again and then explained, “alone, it’s impossible for the Bishop and King to Checkmate the opponent, the King can always sidestep and evade, meaning the result is always a Stalemate, a draw.”  To show this, James demonstrated a few times the standoff that always ensued. 

 

Reece began to understand, “you’re saying, the Bishop needs another piece to complete the win?” 

 

James nodded and once Roz had replaced the black Knight, he moved the pieces into a Checkmate, while she explained, “you always need another piece to complete the attack, a supporting player.” 

 

James confirmed, “somewhere in my memories there’s another figure I’m missing, my own Knight....” 

 

Reece understood, “and they were helping you out, protecting you and backing you up when things got tough, or trying to?” 

 

James smiled, a little more reassured, “the voice....” 

 

Roz looked at him, “what voice?” 

 

“I have that voice in my head, ‘you are under arrest buddy.’  It seems a little quieter now.” 

 

Reece asked, “is there a reason why that statement is in your mind?” 

 

James looked at him and admitted, “it’s not the words, it’s the voice itself, it just feels like it should be in more fragments, in more places.” 

 

“In a good, or bad way,” Reece asked with an air of genuine interest? 

 

James paused and decided, “I can’t say?” 

 

Roz tried to placate him by saying, “the truth is, the fact you can recall the voice is a big step in recovering more memories.  It never manifested before yesterday.” 

 

James gazed down at the chessboard and toppled the white King, “I will piece this together.” 

 

Roz smiled, “you will, and I’ll help you do that, no matter what it takes.” 

 

Reece added, “we all will, not just myself and Roz, but Terrani, Luzee, Gayle....” 

 

James smiled and looked up at Roz, “did you ever think Guiding could be done in this way?” 

 

“No, but I’m glad to experiment with the ideas and concepts it has created.” 

 

James gazed out over the garden, “do you think I’d make a good Guide in time, Roz?” 

 

Roz grinned as she admitted, “no....  I don’t think you’ll ever be patient enough?” 

 

“Really?” 

 

“You just want the answers, now.  Eventually is never an option for you James.” 

 

Reece led the laughter, before wondering, “do you have any idea what you want to do to contribute when you’ve settled in James?” 

 

He looked back at him, totally clueless, “I hadn’t even thought that far ahead, should I be?” 
 

Roz replied, “not really, but since you’ve seen how we live our lives and have experiences of the Playground outside of the Retreat, you have to be in a situation where you should be allowed to explore that part of being an Evotar.  Keeping you here would just leave you even more determined to get outside anyway, so there’s little point in me trying to resist.” 

 

James was left to consider, “I’m going to have to think of a role for myself then, or at least consider some options?” 

 

Roz nodded, “you’ll have plenty of time to mull all the options over, you still have a long way to go.” 

 

As she closed her notes and terminated her interface, James replied, “I know....” 

 

Roz enjoyed the quiet as she mulled over her own water, drinking it down in slow deliberate quantities.  They all enjoyed the peace for a moment, before she told them, “it’s time to get going again.” 

 

Reece asked, “are the others ready?” 

 

Roz sent a few messages in her interface and checked it after a moment, “I sent the messages while you were talking, Terrani and Luzee have now set out and Gayle just answered as well.  She should....” 

 

She was cut off by the viewing window opening and Gayle’s happy face looked down on them.  “Good morning,” she began, “how are we all today?” 

 

“We’re good,” James confirmed, “we’re just getting ready to set off now.” 

 

Gayle moved her attention slightly, “hello Reece, how are you?” 
 

“I’m fine, why?” 

 

Gayle laughed and tilted her head to show she had added more highlight colours into the hair on the back of her head, silver and deep blue, the same colours as the ring now worn on Roz’s finger.  “I couldn’t get that moment out of my mind after it happened.  It just felt right to celebrate such a romantic thing and Sergey has still not noticed or commented.  You and Roz are really lucky.” 

 

Roz gave her a grin and admitted, “I didn’t realise that affected you so much?” 

 

“Are you kidding?  I’ve never even managed to be at a spot where someone might consider a marriage proposal while I’m there, let alone being proposed to?  It doesn’t matter that you’re Evotars to me, I’m just happy for you both and the spot for it to happen was just right.” 

 

Roz and Reece both looked at each other and gave Gayle a warm smile afterwards.  “I really thought it wasn’t done so well,” Reece admitted, “it was just that spur of the moment thing?” 

 

Gayle shook her head, “it was perfect, don’t let anyone say otherwise....” 

 

Roz stood and moved over to Reece, giving him a little kiss as she told him, “Gayle is right, the proposal was perfect for me too....” 

 

Gayle grinned and asked, “are we ready to set off?” 

 

Roz kept close to Reece and turned her head, “si, the others are already scouting ahead so we’ll get moving from the Landmark in a moment.” 

 

Gayle smiled, “in that case, I’ll relocate to the Wild Taurines Landmark and see you there.” 

 

Roz confirmed, “see you in a moment,” as the window closed.  Then she looked at both Reece and James, “she’s going to be here for some time to come.” 

 

Reece asked, “what makes you say that?” 

 

Roz replied, “because of Sergey and his attitude.  He doesn’t just recruit based on skill, he also considers us, especially when new faces meet us properly for the first time.  Gayle has already accepted us as equals and not every new team member does.  They’re the ones that get shuffled into side projects and other areas of Instatainment, or quietly removed from the staff rosters.” 

 

James looked at Roz, slightly taken aback, “you got that from that short conversation?” 

 

“She’s celebrating our engagement, even though there will never be anything to show for it in the world outside of the Playground.  That’s acceptance of us and I was a little harsh when we first met, as soon as she started explaining her background and her eagerness to fulfil her ambition of getting to know Evotars, my training began to see her for who she really is.” 

 

James and Reece both thought about Roz’s words, before Reece decided, “it’s good to know she’s going to be around for a while, “I really like her character and cheek.” 

 

James agreed and then began to set his Fast-Travel, ready to head out.  But he paused and asked, “Reece?” 

 

He looked up, “yes?” 

 

“Can I ask a favour?” 

 

“Of course.” 

 

James admitted, “with another Dungeon coming up, I have to think I’ll be unlocking another class and there’s only two left.”  He took a deep breath before asking, “if I unlock it, would you be my Quadroguard trainer?” 

 

Reece took a moment to ponder the request, before looking at Roz with a curious expression, “don’t you want to do it?” 

 

Roz admitted, “if I wasn’t Guiding at the same time I’d jump at the chance, but my main duty would interfere and I’d be better keeping the two roles apart.” 

 

Reece hugged her as a sign of understanding, before saying to James, “in that case, it’ll be my honour. Of course, I’ll train you.” 

 

James nodded respectfully, “thank you.” 

 

Reece returned the mark of respect, before asking, “that’s Quadroguard done, now you have to sort out a Pentafist, and I assume that’s Terrani?” 

 

James shuffled a little uneasily, “to be honest, I was considering Emilie?” 

 

Reece raised his eyebrows in surprise, “really?”  Then he laughed, saying, “I don’t want to be anywhere near you when you drop that bombshell on Terrani then, they’ll probably hear her reaction in Rhombus Square!” 

 

James shivered as Roz looked at him, laughing gently, “we’ll help you figure out a solution, right?” 

 

Reece nodded and began to set his own fast-travel, “we can have a think today, we’ll work something out as we progress.” 

 

James smiled weakly as they phased out to begin their travels for the day. 

 

---------- 

 

They reformed on the Landmark at the Taurine Wildlands Station and James took a moment to take stock of the surroundings, now they were not wrapping up.  He gazed around and spotted a chest on a ledge that required him to make a few jumps across to it and he began by picking it up and accepting the trade goods on offer, before dropping back down and returning to Roz and Reece, who paused to make their notes and collect reports from Luzee and Terrani.  James waited for them to finish in their interfaces, while noting Gayle opening her observation window and fading it into the background. 

 

Once things had settled down and they were ready, he led them back along the short spur, past the guard Shad at the point where the path forked, and took the other spur, which curved around a small, inaccessible hillock and arrived in a Shad village, comprised of several buildings made of strong wooden frames that were covered in constructed, dried mud bricks and pitched roofs of weathered, stitched, tanned-leather hides, with small holes at the peak from which smoke lazily drifted out of.  

 

The air around the village smelt of fire and leather as James carried on walking towards the largest buildings at the centre of the village.  Here and there, Shad would stop what they were doing and mutter and whisper between themselves as he passed, clearly wondering with suspicion why he was here.  James always responded to them with the same action, he bowed his head in greeting and kept an air of open friendliness, trying to reassure them he was there to help.  It did seem to work, as they always bowed their heads back with body-language suggesting they were embarrassed to doubt his intentions. 

 

He reached a circular area that was bare, dried mud, where the path finally ended, and found himself in the midst of a busy settlement.  Shad dressed in leathers milled around and James could see racks of hides undergoing tanning, while in other areas he could see meats in various stages of processing and curing, all being attended by Shad performing well-trained arts and abilities. 

 

James was impressed with the village and noted that a nearby stream had also been diverted, with raised, chiselled wooden channels bringing a portion of the water directly into the settlement, the Shad juveniles seemed to be employed with filling buckets and containers before delivering them to each house. 

 

James heard a voice next to him, “they complete duties now, school lessons soon,” making him turn to discover an older Shad stood next to him, wearing a series of necklaces and other paraphernalia suggesting rank and authority.   

 

James bowed his head and calmly asked him, “I’m looking for the Chief of this group.” 

 

“Seeker found him, good to see Seeker back with us, been some time since they stop coming to village.” 

 

James lifted his head, “I’ve come from the Guard too, to seek answers regarding your problems.” 

 

“Ah, then we not forgotten after all?” 

 

“No.” 

 

The Chief gave the rasping sounds suggesting a laugh, “then come, we have much to discuss.” 

 

The Chief led him off and entered the largest of the buildings bordering this ring, there was a Shad outside protecting the entrance and he bowed his head as James followed with Reece and Roz in tow.  James bowed back respectfully and went into the building, finding an older female tending the fire and preparing some meat and vegetables on the hand built, mud brick stove that sat in the middle of the floor, with a small chimney letting the smoke reach the ceiling, and plug the hole in the roof that it rose out of.   

 

The woman bowed her head in greeting and turned to the Chief, “we have joint and vegetables for meal today, making sure slow roast good.” 

 

The Chief smiled, “always knows what wanted, always happy.”  He waved, indicating she could continue working as James bowed his head in greeting at her.  She returned the action and attended the stove once more, before moving off and doing some cleaning and tidying in the corner, not really paying attention to the others in the room.  The Chief looked at her, “why silent?” 

 

The woman looked up at him, “important duty for Chief, I know place.” 

 

“But you wife, chosen by me, you deserve to ask Seeker what you want.” 

 

His wife looked back, “not important now.” 

 

“I’m sure Seeker is best person to ask, I worry too?” 

 

His wife looked at James, then back at her husband, “if Chief allows?” 

 

The Chief laughed gently, “you have last info, you ask after I ask.” 

 

His wife came over and gratefully rubbed noses, before saying “then you make request, I will when done,” as she returned to her duties. 

 

The Chief returned his attention to James, “wife needs help too, and I support request since it family matter, but other issues more urgent, since way of life may be under threat if work not done.”   

 

“What is happening, are you suffering the same rustling that is happening with the ranches,” James asked? 

 

The Chief nodded, “it weird series of events....” 

 

“Then please, tell me your accounts of this.” 

 

The Chief gave a rasping laugh and then admitted, “we custodians of wild Wissent on open plains beyond village.  We tend, care and respect herds and they part of life for us, we live with them, and they every part of lives of Shad.  In return, we take weak and old from herd, keeping stock healthy and strong.  They feed us, clothe us and become every part of lives.  City welcomes relationship since we stay to lands here and maintain animals, beyond regions ranches consider worthwhile to farm.  This land remains as original as time humans arrive here and we left to keep way of life.”  

 

James smiled at his account, “it seems to be working well?” 

 

“It work, but not ideal.  We still need items, funds and trade for things we cannot make ourselves, so we need to offer small number of Wissent every year to city, sale of animals to Stockyards provides vital cash to keep life secure, and also city provides team to keep Wissent healthy.” 

 

“Does that mean the Wissent also have the studs?” 

 

The Chief waved into the corner of the room by the door, and for the first time, James saw that there were stud-readers on a shelf, plugged in and charging, they were decorated with tribal logos and trinkets, but the identity was clear, “we not totally cut off.  City provide solar charging and batteries, we have small paddock over ridge, where sun bright on hill.”  The Chief pointed to the ceiling and James spotted a few, simple lights, hidden to be as inconspicuous as possible. 

 

“Does that mean you stud the Wissent?” 

 

The Chief nodded, “we have yearly roundup of Wissent, just before birthing begins.  We shear off Wissent we send for Stockyards, and take a few for ourselves.  Rest returned to plains, but if bearing calf, Wissent kept aside and nursed until birth, then calf marked with stud and released to herd with mother.  While we watch animals all year, any sick Wissent rounded up and checked for health and treated, studs being logged as well.  Simple system that caters to needs of all.” 

 

“But you say some of the animals have disappeared?” 

 

The Chief lowered his head, “it true....  Some Wissent vanish, number not easy to spot, but some gone....” 

 

“Did anyone see anything?  I have another Shad on the Hubson Ranch, he says he heard noise and saw lights in the sky, then their bovines vanished?” 

 

“We see nothing of sort....  Animals vanish away from village, on far regions of plains, where paths across plains ends, passage further blocked by Ridge of Razorspine, even Wissent cannot cross....” 

 

“Do you have any ideas where the lost Wissent went when they disappeared?” 

 

“No clue, they vanish into nothing....  I know hills and regions of plains intensively, know where I am if blindfolded, not know how Wissent vanish and lifetime experiences offer no clues?” 

 

James stroked his chin, “the Hubson account suggests the same thing.  Their bovines vanished as well, no signs of a scuffle, no signs of prints, nothing.  Their animals have just, gone!” 

 

The Chief thought for a moment, then suggested, “maybe idea for you to visit area where Wissent vanished?  We have few accounts of it happening, but always close to Razorspine, far from village....” 

 

“Is there someone to take me to the area?” 

 

The Chief nodded, walked to the entrance of his home and shouting, “Ja’Milla, come to home!”   

 

He returned to his seat, while a younger male entered the tent and bowed his head to the Chief, asking, “Chief ask for me?” 

 

The Chief addressed him, “Ja’Milla is Shad who spends longest at border of Razorspine, he knows where Wissent taken from.  Will Ja’Milla take Seeker to area, they here to investigate issue?” 

 

Ja’Milla kept his head bowed, “I obey words of Chief.” 

 

The Chief bowed his own head back, “thanking Ja’Milla. I know request hard.  Chief knows you hurt by missing animals, happening in area where you know most.  We solve mystery together.” 

 

Ja’Milla smiled, “hope we can,” and he turned from his Chief to James.  “I wait outside while Seeker finishes talking to Chief.” 

 

James bowed his head in acknowledgement, before Ja’Milla left the house and the Chief commented, “he be best option for Seeker to see issue, real mystery, maybe you discover some clue we miss, help Ja’Milla for sake of tribe.” 

 

James nodded and the quest menu updated, giving James his new objective, which he accepted, before the female turned round and asked, “now may wife ask?”  The Chief grunted and nodded, allowing her to continue, “family needs help as well Seeker, this not about tribe though, more personal.” 

 

“What is it?” 

 

“Son missing....” 

 

James looked at the Chief, who gave him an impassive look back, before he replied, “your son is missing?” 

 

The wife nodded, but the Chief commented, “we old and son grown, he scout, keeping tabs on health of Wissent, picking ill and weaker animals for tribe to take when needed.  He spends life on plains, not see him for many days at a time.” 

 

The wife continued, “but he promise to come home week ago for event, and he never come.” 

 

The Chief smiled, “he most probably still out of plains, just forgot?” 

 

The wife shook her head as a reply, “he always promise to come home, then does so, this first time he forget and not like him at all....  I worried something bad happen, will seeker check?” 

 

The quest log updated again and James accepted the new mission, before the wife suggested, “talk to Ja’Milla about son, he work with him all time and may offer idea as to where was last seen?  Maybe offer other clues too?” 

 

James smiled and confirmed he would help, “I’ll talk to Ja’Milla and try to make contact with your son.  I promise.” 

 

The wife smiled, “thanking Seeker, if nothing else, mind eased a little by promise.” 

 

The Chief asked, “does Seeker need to know anything from Chief?” 

 

James considered this for a second, before asking.  “Does your tribe have any idea why the skyrails to Bergen have been cut?” 

 

“Ah,” The Chief replied, “Guard told me you were trying to open rails again, to allow goods to and from city.  Important task....”  He mulled over his words a moment, before deciding, “we know nothing directly about why, but we know the rails have been blocked by something in Rolling Foothills, before they climb mountain up to Bergen.” 

 

“The foothills?” 

 

“They wide area on very edge of plains, series of small hills that lead to two onwards paths.  One is old trail that leads up to Bergen, used to before rails replaced it, now blocked and never reopen, but still used by teams checking and keeping rails clear.  Other path manages to ring Ridge of Razorspine and leads to coast beyond, region we call Shifting Dunes as hot, dry wind from Valley of Maroon bakes area.  Dangerous for us to enter, but small groups of Wissent occasionally stray into it, we herd them back when it happens, little for them to eat and no water to drink.” 

 

“So where are the skyrails blocked?” 

 

“Not know fully....  Scouts in area report something moving by rails at night, then vanish like shadow by morning, maybe further onto old path to Bergen?  They scared to follow and investigate while Wissent not vanish from area, not as big an issue as loss of animals.  Scouts now only in area to watch for Wissent straying into Shifting Dunes.” 

 

“Would Ja’Milla know anything?” 

 

“Possible?  Maybe he have more that I not know myself.” 

 

“I’ll ask him.”  Then he tipped his head forward and said gratefully, “I thank you for your information.  You have given me a great deal to consider.” 

 

The Chief smiled, “I trust Seeker will find answer in time, happy to help you find them.” 

 

James smiled, bowed his head at them both, then turned and left the house while Reece and Roz stayed quiet until they were back outside.  James saw that Ja’Milla was waiting across the small ring of dried mud, while Reece looked at James.  “I know that expression,” he noted. 

 

“You do?” 

 

”It’s a look of sheer confusion, you don’t get many clues from the Chief, do you?” 

 

James shook his head, “the detail is a little vague, but at least we get a chance to check a site where animals are vanishing.  Plus, he laid out the progression route through the Rolling Foothills and on to the Shifting Dunes.” 

 

Roz smiled, “if you thought Maroon Valley was a desert, the Shifting Dunes are far more hostile.” 

 

“Sounds lovely....  But the path will eventually have me heading there, whether I like it or not, right?” 

 

“Right,” Roz confirmed, “and you’ll see why we have our settlement at Ba’kii Kum, rather than out there.  It’s probably the most barren locale in the entire Playground....” 

 

James nodded, “but there’s still a way to go....  I have the entirety of the Rolling Foothills to get across first.” 

 

“Si, it’s part of the wrap-up of the story of Port Imelda though, so you’ll have to explore it on the way to the Stockyards.” 

 

James nodded and let Reece lead them to a waiting Ja’Milla, allowing James to initiate the conversation.  “Will you show me the area where the Wissent have vanished from?” 

 

The Shad bowed his head and replied, “pleasure mine, maybe Seeker get answers we seek, solve puzzle?” 

 

He set off at a very brisk pace and led them out of the village on the open grass, heading generally West, and they crossed the ridge to reveal another path that headed on, this one splitting into two as soon as it levelled out.  To the right there were huge flocks of Wissent wandering freely on the Plains, and Ja’Milla carefully warned James, “must keep weapons lowered Seeker, Wissent know threats well and they attack en-masse.  No chance against numbers.” 

 

James nodded and looked around him, admiring the flocks as they grazed on the tough grasses and flowers that were in abundance, then he looked towards the other path, the one that headed inland, back towards the mountains.  “Does that path take us towards the Rolling Foothills?” 

 

Ja’Milla nodded, “we seldom go there, except to keep watch on straying flock, making sure they keep out of Shifting Dunes.  Since rails to Bergen Trail came, little reason to head onto old path.” 

 

James smiled, “I have also been asked to perform another task and I may well have to head in that direction to resolve it.” 

 

Ja’Milla considered this, “what is task?” 

 

“The son of the Chief is missing, according to his mother; do you know where he could be?” 

 

Ja’Milla considered this, “hard to say?  I know he last at far end of Foothills, but spends long times out there.  Might be skilled scout and Wissent tracker, but he also experienced Shifting Dunes and came back telling stories.  Says he found coast of bones and monsters wandering between remains, strange things I never hear of before, scary things.” 

 

“Does that mean he would be at the far end of the Rolling Foothills?” 

 

“He has permanent camp on border of Dunes, says he keep watch for monsters straying too close to Wissent lands.  Journey into Dunes change him, not Shad that went there.” 

 

“Do you believe his stories?” 

 

Ja’Milla stopped and thought about this question, before admitting, “I know I trust A’Gilwa with life, makes me think he telling truth about discovery.  Also makes me think different of border at Ridge of Razorspine, before it there just to keep Wissent out of Dunes, now makes me think it keeps monsters in there too?”  Then he resumed the pace on through the open plains, the path slightly winding between low hillocks and Wissent perched on the tops, grazing peacefully and barely paying them any attention as they passed. 

 

“A’Gilwa, is that his name?” 

 

Ja’Milla nodded thoughtfully, “what Chief not admit is that he and son not always see eye-to-eye.  He resent son for heading into dunes and not believe stories of coast of bones.  A’Gilwa choose to stay away from village and mother upset at choice, but he say it better than arguing with Chief and father.” 

 

James turned his head to look back at the ridge behind them, back towards the village.  “The Chief didn’t give any indication of this issue?” 

 

“He still loves and respects son for work with Wissent....  I stay friendly to both and keep to middle ground.” 

 

James smiled, “I understand, but after I have checked out the area where the Wissent have disappeared from, I better head out and try to find A’Gilwa’s camp.  Even if his father isn’t worried, his mother is.” 

 

Ja’Milla nodded, “it not hard to find.  From village, cross ridge to path, take left path into Foothills, then follow path to right, away from mountain.  Old trails to left, but right path wind onwards to Dunes, A’Gilwa has camp on border, where last stream provides water before desert and dunes take hold.  Cannot miss as he keeps a few shelters, to allow other Scouts to rest there too while passing.” 

 

James processed this information and said, “I’ll go look for him.” 

 

Ja’Milla smiled, “tell him I travel there soon, not seen him for some time.” 

 

“I will....” 

 

By now they had walked for quite a way from the village and the path crossed a small, shallow river on a tired, wooden bridge before it started to become a slight incline, while the air felt drier and hotter.  James looked ahead and could see that there was a ridge some distance ahead and it was choked with a huge number of thick, brambly bushes.  The thorns looked aggressive and incredibly dangerous to even consider approaching, let alone trying to breach them.  “Ridge of Razorspine,” Ja’Milla admitted.  Beyond lies dunes and now Seeker understand why this way impassable?” 

 

James nodded, “they’re brutal looking plants.” 

 

“Dunes have many plants like this, defending little water they can keep, but here on ridge there enough moisture for them to thrive and activities of Wissent ensure they not spread from ridge.  This also area where Wissent vanish from, happened few times now.” 

 

“Do you have any sightings of this happening?” 

 

Ja’Milla shook his head, “no, seen nothing, but I know animals gone!” 

 

“How so?” 

 

Ja’Milla pointed to an area by the bridge where the grass had been pounded and was faded to smaller clumps, “this regular camp site for scouts.  I stay here myself, surrounded by Wissent and also carry reader, then fall asleep to awaken next morning, and Wissent just gone.  I find prints of animals but they just stop and no clue where they go?  Also reader show animals from flock that were next to missing animals, so Wissent not moving on plains.” 

 

James suddenly replied, “you found prints going nowhere?” 

 

Ja’Milla nodded, “why?” 

 

“I have a witness from the Hubson Ranch and they also said, ‘they found prints going nowhere.’” 

 

Ja’Milla pondered a moment, before pointing away from the path a little, slightly inland on the village-side of the river, “hm, point of prints just along riverbank, seems worth checking?” 

 

“It does, can you show me?” 

 

The Shad nodded and crossed the bridge again, James following, before he turned inland and climbed onto a small hillock a short distance away.  “Happened under this hill, prints at bottom of slope, take time and check Seeker.” 

 

James smiled and moved away from Ja’Milla slightly, down the hillock and to the foot of it, discovering numerous sets of hoof prints by the riverbank.  James took his time and studied the detail available, looking across the bank, before looking down again. 

 

“What have you figured out,” Reece asked? 

 

James pointed to the far bank, “the prints here, all the Wissent crossed the river in the same direction, like they were being driven to do so....” 

 

Ja’Milla heard, “we saw same detail, animals moving together when prints made.  Follow Seeker, they not go far.” 

 

James nodded and took the advice, carefully tracking the prints as they climbed the bank, the hardened surface made it difficult to follow the tracks far from the softened mud by the riverbank, but he could trace the prints for about twenty metres, “the prints, there’s more joining here, all heading to the same point....  Where do they go?” 
 

Roz hinted, “not much further James....” 

 

He followed them a few more metres, to the base of the hillock Ja’Milla was stood upon, before the prints terminated!  There were even a few prints that suggested the back part of the hooves were present, but the front had passed some sort of invisible line, “what in the world?” 

 

Ja’Milla nodded, “not make sense, does it?” 

 

James carefully checked the hoof prints he could determine, and they all led to this invisible line.  Subsequent checks produced nothing and he even retraced the tracks from as many sites as possible, making sure he wasn’t making an error, but everything was leading here, and he was struggling to understand the situation. 

 

It took a minute of thought, before James remembered he had some more tools, other than his basic senses.  He accessed his interface, bringing up the ‘Inspect,’ function of his seeker-sense and instantly, something flagged on the side of the hill, making James looked carefully, since the marker was not at the hoof-prints, it was at the hill itself. 

 

“What Seeker find?” 

 

“There’s something here Ja’Milla.....  I can see it with my senses.  It’s big!” 

 

“What hide here?” 

 

“I don’t know?  But there’s a second marker a little further over, give me a moment....” 

 

“Care needed Seeker!” 

 

James noted the suggestion and moved over to the second marker, which was lower than the first one, and suggested something was hidden under the grass?  With a few, careful inspections around it, he was shocked to discover a section of the grass peeled away, allowing him access to some sort of control panel underneath it!  At first nothing worked, but then he accidentally swept his left wrist and his interface over the panel, making it beep. 

 

There was a rumbling from somewhere and then the hillock split in two!  Two doors opened and underneath, there was an access tunnel, blocked by a forcefield, suggesting James didn’t have the clearance to proceed into it.  The doors were huge and reinforced to withstand the weight of the grass and earth above them, while the tunnel itself was high and wide enough to allow two or three animals at a time to proceed along it.   

 

Ja’Milla has dropped down from the top of the hillock to land in front of the tunnel, alongside James, and he was clearly taken aback by the sight in front of him, “this incredible Seeker, this must be how WIssent vanish!” 

 

James noted, “I cannot go down the tunnel, the access is blocked and I do not have the necessary clearance.  Where does it go?” 

 

Ja’Milla replied, “I not sure, but Chief may know, as Chief of tribe, he also lorekeeper, if anyone know secrets, he know?” 

 

James nodded, “we better go and see him.”   

 

“Can you shut door?” 

 

James took a moment at the panel before waving his interface over it and the door responded by closing, leaving no trace it actually existed once it was sealed once more.  “What’s down there,” James asked? 

 

The Shad motioned for James to follow as he started back towards the village at the brisk pace he set off in, “hope Chief know, hurry to him now.” 

 

James nodded and set off after Ja’Milla and they quickly covered the distance back across the plains, returning to the village they set off from.  All the way back, James could see that the Shad had a fixed, worried expression throughout and he decided, “now door known, I set up camp outside it, every night until this fixed!” 

 

James nodded, “Doing that should at least stop the WIssent being taken.” 

 

Ja’Milla nodded as they arrived back at the Chief’s house and he entered without pausing, announcing, “my Chief, we have discovery need to discuss,” as he did so. 

 

The Chief was heard replying, “then enter.” 

 

James followed him into the building and the Chief was still where he previously was.  “You return, bring news?” 

 

Ja’Milla bowed his head, “my Chief, we discover way Wissent vanish, but seek advice and lore of Chief?” 

 

“Then speak, let Chief remember stories.” 

 

Ja’Milla explained, “we found door in hill, led deep underground, think this how WIssent disappear without trace....” 

 

The Chief thought a moment and then replied, “ah, then story of past true.” 

 

“Story of past?” 

 

The Chief gave his rasping laugh, then asked James, “tell me, what you found?” 

 

James mused for a moment, then replied, “I found an access panel that activated with my seeker interface, opening a door in a hillock that had a security barrier inside, but it was clearly a tunnel heading underground.  I am working on the theory that they’re herding up animals near the entrance, then leading them off without detection.” 

 

The Chief nodded, “it makes sense, if myth of what lies underground is correct?” 

 

“What is that,” James asked with interest? 

 

The Chief moved over to a shelf and gathered up a book, “this stores tales of past, rarely opened and studied today, but I know of history that may help explain what Is happening.  Until you tell me of door, I forgot they part of plains.” 

 

Ja’Milla asked, “doors are part of plains?” 

 

The Chief stopped on a page and began to read to them, “long ago, we custodians of plains.  Ranged from Marshes in East, to Razorspines in West and tribe lived as nomads, travelling plains and following Wissent as they hunted for good grass.  It was when Ancients still walked with us and they so impressed with lives of Shad, they graced us with piece of track to guard and protect.” 

 

“A piece of the track?” 

 

The Chief nodded, “they gave us temple to protect and devote ourselves to, but to protect plains themselves, they bury it in ground beneath feet to not impact on Shad or Wissent we live with, only accesses on surface made to hide from view and not impact on our daily lives.” 

 

James started to understand, “so the tunnels lead to a Seeker Temple, deep underground?” 

 

The Chief nodded, “when Ancients leave, they also take ways of access to temple and Shad forget where entrances located, they became myth of past, lost to time, but track keep tunnels and temple safe for us.  Then humans came....” 

 

“Did you try to warn them of the temple?” 

 

The Chief nodded, “we try, but they want land to build Imelda and ranches.  To protect way of life we accepted agreement of range of Western plains, but by time humans arrived, even we forget location of lost temple....  We only remember tunnels from legends told from Chief to Chief as seasons pass....  But we hear tales of humans sinking own tunnels for city services, and tribe hear tales of humans finding other tunnels under city.  We warn them of temple and humans agree to not interfere with past, they map sections they found, then sealed tunnels crossing them, finding other ways to connect buildings together.” 
 

“Do you think someone has broken the agreement and is using the old Temple tunnels to rustle the animals?” 

 

“I assume so Seeker, this grave situation and must be resolved, quickly.  Take news to Guard for Chief?” 

 

James’ quest window opened again and he accepted the change in objectives, before bowing his head and replying, “I will go to the Lieutenant soon My Chief, but I also wish to find the camp of your son, to try and locate him.  Ja’Milla has told me where to find him and I will investigate.” 

 

“Do as your actions desire Seeker.  Now I understand threat to plains, maybe I should worry about son more?  I hear his stories of coast and dismiss them as lies, but I consult book since and it tell tales of bone coast at edge of dunes and not so sure now, maybe he has found monsters, maybe Seeker investigate in time?” 

 

James bowed his head, “I would consider it my duty to you, My Chief.” 

 

“Very well, for now, save city, solve mysteries and maybe we talk again in time?” 

 

James left the house with Ja’Milla and as they returned outside, he turned to him, “I go back to doors now to make camp like A’Gilwa.  No more threat to Wissent.” 

 

“Thank you for your help, Ja’Milla.” 

 

“No, I offer thanks to Seeker, without help I never discover door, not able to activate it like you.”  He began to move off, saying, “good luck finding A’Gilwa, Seeker.” 

 

James let him leave, then turned back to Reece and Roz, “time to head into the Rolling Foothills, right?” 

 

“Right,” Reece confirmed, “We’re on our own until we reach the camp, so there’s plenty of time to have some fights and grind a bit of experience.” 

 

James smiled, “that sounds good.  The story and investigative sections are interesting, but I need to feel the rush of fighting now.” 

 

Roz jokingly looked at Reece, “what do you think, should we entertain the idea of some fighting?” 

 

Reece smiled, “there’s only so much story I can take at once, without wanting to fight something.  Let’s go and have some fun.” 

 

James grinned and set out to cross the ridge, in the hunt for the path they had to take.  “It sounds like we’re in agreement.” 

 

---------- 

 

They crossed the crest of the ridge and returned to the path beyond, setting off at a much slower pace than Ja’Milla had forced on them before.  James was almost at a leisurely stroll as he reached the first fork and took the left spur, heading more inland and in a direction that suggested it was going to loop the mountain that Bergan stood upon.   

 

The atmosphere between the three of them was relaxed and easy, Reece walking arm-in-arm with his fiancée and he just seemed to be soaking up the atmosphere of the area as he commented, “I forgot how pretty it was around here?” 

 

Roz looked at him, “why do you say that?” 

 

Reece grinned, “it’s been years since I was in this area.  It might not be far from Imelda, but there’s just no reason to come, unless you’re progressing towards the Dunes.  Besides, it reminds me of home....” 

 

“Your home,” James asked? 

 

“I might have served in the military covering a whole sector, but you never forget home....  It was a vast, underdeveloped world of plains and grassland that humans introduced livestock to and ranched for diary and meat products....  But rather than the open plains of the Taurines, it was more like these foothills, since huge mountain ranges ran through the centre of all the continents.” 

 

James smiled, “so that makes me wonder how much input you had with all of the story and setting here?” 

 

“I had some....  The story and settings were pretty much decided while we were still mapping and building Gloomlight Pass, but I did have a big say on the worldbuilding itself, since I had experience to draw on to help make it look more convincing for players.” 

 

“That’s interesting.” 

 

“It is?” 

 

“It shows that your experiences were important in the creation of all of this.” 

 

They were alone momentarily and Gayle phased her window in, “now I’ve spoken to actual Evotars, I see that too.” 

 

“What do you mean,” Reece asked? 

 

“In many ways, Crossworlds is your world now, we are just the tourists, and it wouldn’t be anything like that if the situation were any different.” 

 

There was silence for a moment, before James broke it with, “I’m still struggling to see this, since I’m still adapting to being part of that life.” 

 

“We’ve all done it though,” Roz admitted, “we accepted this life and embraced it.  From Lea, to myself, and you will in time as well James.” 

 

“I know.  It’s just weird that I have to adapt to these facts.  No matter what happens to me going forwards, this will always be my home....” 

 

There was silence for a moment, before Gayle broke it by noting, “my systems are recording....  James!” 

 

Instantly, Roz moved forward and found him, frozen and glazed over, but since there was no one else around in this area, she waited patiently for a minute or so, before he came back and blinked, studying the area around him with a curious expression.  “What, what was that?” 

 

“What was it you recalled,” Roz asked? 

 

They were slightly higher than the plains here and James looked out towards them, and the thin line of blue just beyond.  “I saw...  Home....  Can we sit a moment?” 

 

Roz smiled, “of course,” as she waved to a nearby bank of wild grass, with a view back towards the coast, “do you need to see the view?”  He nodded and squatted down, cross-legged and breathing deeply, soaking up the serene view, while Reece and Roz sat alongside him, Roz opening up her notes as she asked, “what was it that caught you out?” 

 

He thought deeply before admitting, “it was thoughts of home, Indraya....  Since I’m having to accept, I’m not likely to see it easily ever again, it just flared in my mind.” 

 

“What did you see?” 

 

He closed his eyes and carefully pictured the images as he relayed, “we lived in a suburban town, further around the bay from the main city on our island, and like here, the mountain was behind us.  But just a short walk away from home were open spaces, and views just like what is before us....”  He took a moment before correcting, “no, not quite like this....  There were fields for crops, rather than open plains before us, everything else is pretty much the same.”  He pointed out to the horizon, “the only other difference was the fact the main city was several miles across the bay, with marine ships heading out to tend to the seaweed and fish farms, while ships transferring cargos to and from the moons were constantly coming and going on landing pads constructed on platforms built on the shallow sea bed.” 

 

Roz took a few moments to add of all this detail to her notes, before carefully asking, “the ships coming to and from the planet, how big were they?” 

 

James didn’t open his eyes, just carefully mulled over the question, before replying.  “They were not big at all and I doubt most of them were capable of travelling to other systems.  The ships that did that sort of transporting were restricted to the outer moons and from the planets’ surface at the dead of night, you could occasionally see the lights of those super-freighters as they landed and took off.” 

 

Roz nodded, “that sort of traffic makes sense.  Those ships would take up too much room to land on Indraya directly.”  She then asked, “what about other landing pads, were there passenger liners arriving on the pads as well?” 

 

James considered this question, before replying.  “There was a separate, smaller set of pads, closer to the shoreline by the town.  Small craft would come and go from there, but I don’t recall then climbing into the atmosphere, they stayed fairly low and I think they went to a bigger terminal on another chain of islands, closer to the hotter areas the tourists frequented.  We had a few hotels on our island, but they were more for serious visitors, rather than proper tourists.” 

 

Roz processed this new information, “that makes me think your home islands were fairly isolated in relation to the planet as a whole.” 

 

James nodded, “they were quiet.  The freighters never stopped, but the passenger transports, while always busy individually, only came three of four times a day.  We were just a stop on their service runs” 

 

“They made multiple stops?” 

 

“All around our island chain, before flying back to the main terminal, where getting off-planet was possible.” 

 

Roz smiled and asked, “is there anything else you can recall of the scene?” 

 

He took a moment to view the landscape and the image in his mind, but finally came to the conclusion, “I don’t think there’s anything else I can recall?” 

 

“In that case, just sit and relax a moment.  When you’re ready, we’ll proceed on and you can discover some mobs to combat.” 

 

They sat and enjoyed the quiet for a moment, before James stood and decided, “I’m ready,” as he started moving off again, putting a few steps between him and them as they stood, Gayle’s window faded out and proceeded after him, keeping a respectful distance as it did so. 

 

Reece stood and offered his hand to Roz, who took it and accepted the assistance as she got back to her feet, while Reece asked her, “the detail he can recall, it seems so trivial and not important.  Why do you go into such depth, I don’t get it?” 

 

They set off together, locking arm-In-arm as they did so and Roz admitted, “it’s not important to me, but it is to him....”  She smiled and gazed at Reece for a moment, “I’ve learned it’s how his recall is functioning, you can get general detail from him quite easily.  But if you’re clever, you can get little hints at his inner-workings, by making him explore the limits of what the actual memory recollections are.” 

 

“You’re deliberately making him look deeper?” 

 

“I’m more, ‘helping him find the missing detail.’  There’s still an awful lot he has no idea about, and given his past, I don’t know what will trigger a recall of something vitally important to us, or offer a clue to Gayle to get into his cloud files?” 

 

“The cloud files he told you about on the beach in the Marshes?” 

 

Roz nodded, “all his physical evidence was destroyed when he was killed, but he had a backup.  Gayle is trying to hack her way in to them, while I’m trying to hint him towards anything that might trigger a key memory.  It’s slow work, but we have to try?  Sooner or later, we’ll get lucky.” 

 

Reece nodded, “helping him remember anything seems a challenge at times.” 

 

“He’s doing well, better than I thought when I first met him.  He’s come so far already.” 

 

James was already cresting the next hillock, and stopped a second, before phasing his blade in.  Reece broke his hold from Roz and smiled, “well we better get to it, or he’ll go backwards when he gets beaten up by a bunch of Rolling Foothills animals!” 

 

Roz summoned her shield and nodded at him, before breaking into a sprint while James charged out of sight, over the crest of the hillock he was stood on previously, while Reece followed right behind her, phasing his own shield in mid-sprint. 

 

They crossed the crest together to discover James in the dip below them.  He was engaged in a ferocious fight with a sizable pack of Hedgehags and Hillkats and the sheer volume of foes were fighting back, almost to the extreme of overwhelming him, resulting in several hits bypassing his defences.  James was backing off as Roz and Reece drew massive aggro on themselves and took as many foes as possible away from him, while James, now reassured they were with him, went on the offensive, taking the fight back to his opponents and making short work of the vastly-diminished numbers facing off against him.  

 

In a moment he had swept through them and now turned on the numbers bearing down on Roz, before smashing into the stragglers that Reece had patiently kept under control.  A moment later, the fighting was all over and James lowered his blade while looking at his two companions, admitting, “I thought you two were right behind me when I charged?” 

 

“Sorry,” Reece apologised, “we took a little longer getting back to our feet.” 

 

James waved his hand as a reply and commented, “it doesn’t matter, it worked out in the end.” 

 

Roz chided in with, “maybe next time, just make sure we’re as ready as you?” 

 

James smiled back, “I’ll think about it,” before charging into the next set of opponents, this time centred around one of the heavily-furred Shokats, while Reece followed as quickly as his reactions allowed, Roz taking up the rear as they did so. 

 

This pack was handled in a few minutes, and they kept gently progressing along the path, taking the right fork at the correct point and following this route as it skimmed the base of the mountain to their left, the rolling hills giving them plenty of chances to fight their way past anything that got in their way. 

 

As they progressed, the land was starting to get drier and more arid, the plants changing to represent this by starting to sprout thorns and spines to protect the water they could gather, while to their right, not much further in front of them, the land started climbing and a thick layer of thorny bushes blanketed the crest of the ridge.  James noted, “this has to be the start of Razorspine Ridge, the camp cannot be much further ahead.” 

 

 “Si.  We’ll be there at the next dip.” 

 

One pack, centred on a Charnine was between them and their destination, so they batted them aside and James had to fight a Wecko hiding in some nearby flora, before they crested the lip and began to descend.  James noted the slow trickle of water dribbling along the dip in a stream that you could easily step across, but it was clearly enough to sustain some life, as the path of the stream was like a narrow oasis in the arid landscape, a thick strip of green life that was broken up by the thorny plants a little higher on the slope they walked down. 

 

A small circle had been cleared on the far bank, ringed by several shelters and a hide tent, while a Landmark noted the site on this bank.  James tagged the Landmark and crossed the tiny water flow, reaching the camp in a few more steps and stopping to survey the scene it portrayed. 

 

The camp was obviously deserted, and looks like it had been for some time.  There were a few strips of Wissent meat drying into jerky on racks, along with a few shelves of foraged fruits and vegetables, but they’d seen better days and had wilted a little, indicating they’d been there for some time.  The shelters were simple frames, with earth shaped up around stout, wooden structures, making for a safe area underneath and evidence of firmed earth under them, suggesting they were used frequently as makeshift sleeping areas.   

 

The main tent was built to last, and erected from a series of lovingly-tanned and crafted Wissent pelts.  Inside was a clothing rack that also held a few personal trinkets, as well as a sturdy bedframe that suggested the camp was going to be here for some time to come.   

 

James returned outside to notice the fact that cooking equipment was built over a firepit that doubled as a hearth, but the wood was out and a thin layer of ash drifted a little away.  It took a moment before he decided, “he’s not been here for several days.” 

 

“Come puoi dirlo?” 

 

James returned to the forged foodstuffs, “they’re turning, and there’s only enough here for a few days of meals, suggesting A’Gilwa makes regular trips to collect more, probably while patrolling the borders of the Shifting Dunes.  The other clue is the firepit as the ashes have been blown away a little and scattered, if it were being manned daily, that wouldn’t happen or the ashes would have been stamped down by activity around it.  This fire hasn’t been lit for a while.” 

 

“Bravo James, they’re the key things proving your point, is there anything else?” 

 

James looked around and didn’t seem to spot anything at first, but as he turned his head to look at the tent, he saw something scratched into the dirt, alongside a stick that looked like it had been left there deliberately, to get the attention of others coming to the camp.  It was too far away to make out the detail from here, but he approached it and took a moment to read it, trying to figure out what it was saying. 

 

“What do you see,” Reece asked? 

 

James turned his head to look at them, then he kneeled and carefully drew the scratching with his finger, before looking up, towards the mountain.  “I don’t know, but I think I’ve seen the symbol before?” 

 

“What symbol is it?” 

 

He looked down again, “I’m not totally sure, it’s hurriedly scribbled, but I’d almost say....  No way!” 

 

“What wrong?” 

 

He took a moment to double-check the shape, before announcing, “it’s the GauRang logo, and there’s also an arrow, pointing towards the mountain.”  James stood and looked around again, “what is a GauRang logo doing here?” 

 

“Do you want to investigate?” 

 

“I suspect we better do, while we are in this locale.  Maybe A’Gilwa had got involved in something he should not have done?  At the very least....” 

 

Now Reece picked up on James tailing off, “what is it?” 

 

James moved a little distance away from the camp and kneeled once more, carefully checking an indentation in the dry, sandy dirt, then he noted a second one a little further ahead, then another.  “I saw these marks as we walked along the path and didn’t think anything about them, but now I realise they’re footprints, of something big!” 

 

Roz already knew the answer, “are you following them?” 

 

James stood up and looked back at her, “A’Gilwa is clearly in trouble, it’s obvious there’s something that came out of the Dunes, and GauRang rears its head once more!  You know I’m going after him!” 

 

“What’s drawn your attention?” 

 

“The fact GauRang is back!”  He thought momentarily before adding, “also, what are they doing here, the Shifting Dunes, it doesn’t seem to be the most inviting area in the game?” 

 

Roz smiled, “well, that question can be answered later, but the first point can be investigated now.  Let’s go and make some discoveries, shall we James?” 

 

He smiled and set out, following the path back towards the Shad village, but now he was engaging packs while taking slightly more time to check the area, each time they completed combat.  He’d stop and scan the area for anything that suggested another oversized indentation, another footprint indicating whatever they were following, had come this way.  Every now and again he’d see the tell-tale signs he was looking for and he’d press on in the general direction they indicated, but after a while they started to stray further from the path and James noted, “they’re leaving the game area….”  He looked up, “they’re cutting out the corner, the paths take the tracks are going onto the Old Trail, heading towards Bergen.” 

 

Roz nodded, “we need to take the dead-end trail to try and locate whatever has made these tracks.  But we’ll have to stop and leave you to complete the final stages.” 

 

James asked, “is the top of the path instanced?” 

 

Reece nodded, “sure is….  But I had a big hand in creating this event, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of fun.” 

 

Roz sniffed, “I struggled.” 

 

Reece grinned back at her and commented, “you figured it out in the end.” 

 

“Si, but I still struggled….” 
 

Gayle now phased her window in and added, “I hated this!  Now I know I have you to thank, I’ll throttle you next time we meet ingame!” 

 

Reece laughed in reply, “I don’t know why, the actual fight isn’t that bad?” 

 

Both Roz and Gayle replied, “yes, it is,” in unison! 

 

“What’s wrong with it?” 

 

Gayle thought about answering, before pausing and stopping herself, “we’re spoiling this for James, aren’t we?” 

 

He looked back at them, “I want to know what’s so damn hard about this?” 

 

Roz looked at him and realised what Gayle had said, “um, sorry, Gayle’s right, spoilers….” 

 

James shot them both an annoyed glance and decided, “I’m going to have to find out for myself, aren’t I?” 

 

“Si….  Sorry for spoiling it.” 

 

They reached the fork in the path and James stopped to look at the path they were now going to proceed along, James quietly asked, “how long until I’m on my own?” 

 

Roz calmly replied, “it’s still quite a walk, we’ll have to reach the snowline on the climb to Bergen, before you’ll leave us and press on alone when the instancing begins.” 

 

“The snowline,” James noted as he looked at the path heading up the mountain, “then it’s quite a trip?” 

 

Roz nodded, “the path follows the skyrails, and you’ll get a chance to see them at multiple points along the route.  The foot of the mountain isn’t too far, but you’ll find the going tough.  Since the path is blocked permanently, we made sure to give it a rundown and overgrown state.” 

 

James was impressed and replied, “given how Gloomlight looked abandoned and unused, I’m interested to see how you made this path look similar?” 

 

Reece started walking ahead, “come on then, let’s go and find out.” 

 

James could already see a pack ahead and summoned his blade in as he set off after him. 

Edited August 7, 2022 by Uncle Sikee Atric

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Thirty Three : 

 

The path proceeded through the first few packs of enemies and the quality of the surface didn’t seem to degrade at all in comparison to the path they had taken towards A’Gilwa’s camp.  It was wide, fairly well beaten and numerous foes were milling around the area, while the right border of the path had plentiful spots for flowers to blossom, since a river gently trickled parallel to the path that created a strip of extra-fertile land for them to claim. 

 

It took a little while to progress, but James began to slowly notice that the land itself was changing, the hillocks, although they stayed small, were increasing in steepness, and every now and again, there were bare rocks sticking out between the grassy tufts that the animals were happily grazing upon.  There were even a few Wisent lurking around the area, animals that had clearly strayed from the main plains, but because the path was blocked upon the mountain, there was no real reason to worry for the Shad, there seemed to be plenty of water and food here and the Wisent couldn’t get much further. 

 

Every time James looked to his left, he could see the route of the skyrails as they travelled between pylons, like a cable car system high above.  But he could also see that the lines were still empty and quiet, the blockage was still present. 

 

After a few more packs, the path began to curve to the left and climb as he reached the foot of the mountain itself.  The air felt a little cooler and James spotted rocks were beginning to split the path surface, while smaller stones littered it everywhere, and the flowers and trees were changing too, to the types more common on Bergen Trail itself, although the plants of the Rolling Foothills were interspersed between them and still offered botanical drops for him to harvest, so long as he stayed aware for Weckos lurking among the plants. 

 

As he passed under the skyrail tracks, the gradient became more noticeable, but he also got a chance to look at the pylon itself, noting it had a small status screen, alongside an inspection box, and it pointed up the mountain to indicate some kind of blockage.  James also took a moment to survey the surroundings and discovered there was another large footprint in the path, breaking the surface of it and walking straight along the route of the skyrail tracks.  He turned to Reece, “what did you make?” 

 

Reece gave no clues as he waved James on, “you’ll find out soon.  Let’s keep going.” 

 

James puffed his cheeks in frustration while Roz giggled slightly, then he pressed on, the path rapidly becoming steeper and the surface becoming even poorer, narrower and more broken as he continued, while the surroundings became rockier and less forgiving, the plants of the Foothills finally surrendering to the alpine varieties of Bergen Trail itself.     

 

The route reached a ridge line on the mountain and rather than crossing it, the path made a hairpin turn and started climbing back along this flank.  Even the skyrails had stopped travelling straight along the face due to the increasing steepness and instead, had taken to zig-zagging a little, lowering the slope by increasing the travelled distance. 

 

James could see a few smaller packs on this climb, and the snowline was clearly visible at the next turn on the path, so he took the chance to fight the opponents available while he still had companions to accompany him, meaning they were quickly beaten aside, and they continued the climb, reaching the point where the path made another hairpin turn and a few clumps of snow denoted the turn.  Roz pulled him up and told him, “this is where we have to stop and wait for you.  The path is instanced from this point on.” 

 

James nodded and looked ahead, noting the skyrail tracks disappeared over the flank of the mountain a little higher up, before they crossed back one more time, just beneath the summit.  He pointed at the final section, “Bergen station is just there, isn’t it?” 

 

Roz nodded and smiled, “your destination is just over the flank and our settlement is above you, although you won’t suspect that, or even see anything, it’s all carefully hidden by cliffs, but it’s the closest regular players ever get, even if they don’t know it?” 

 

“Where will you wait?” 

 

“We’ll be right here, since the only way on is back, but Gayle will be able to carry on with you.  If there’s a problem, she’ll be able to assist directly, or call Luzee if we need someone to check in person.” 

 

James looked up at her window and Gayle’s shadow nodded back at him in acknowledgement.  “Okay, I guess it’s down to me to discover what caused so many complaints?” 

 

Gayle phased her window in, “I might be able to join you, but you are not getting any more out of me now James, you’re on your own.” 

 

He harrumphed and snorted in reply before moving off and starting to make the turn, Gayle staying just on his shoulder, while Roz and Reece stepped up to the edge of the path, on the apex of the turn, and squatted down next to each other to enjoy the vista while they waited.   

 

James proceeded on to complete the turn and found the path continued, but the quality degraded again and now passed into a narrow cleft that was barely wide enough for him to pass through.  It made a few abrupt turns, then the path opened out slightly, into a narrow path that carefully carried on along the next level.  James assumed the turns in the cleft was where the phasing began and now looking back, he couldn’t see to the point where Roz and Reece were waiting for him. 

 

The path suddenly stopped where a landslip had washed it away and James could see where it resumed on the other side, but between here and there seemed to be a puzzle to solve.  The rocks were still very unstable and being held back by several boulders piled together and there didn’t seem to offer any route across, but there did seem to be a bomb spawner here.  He thought about this for a second and then understood, “are you serious,” he asked himself?” 

 

He used his heat mode to fire the bomb into the closest part of the boulder pile and it visibly shivered and trembled, smaller rocks spilling over the top and disturbing the pile lower down, before the larger rocks finally spilled themselves, tumbling several metres past him and stopping on a well-placed plateau, while more rocks and shingle fell free, letting a torrent of water trapped behind the blockage also spill over, it must have been dammed by the landslip and rose out of a spring just above him.   

 

With the initial pressure released, the water receded back into a stream that followed the landslip in a deliberate riverbed, and he watched as the stream careered down the mountain, before joining the river at the base of the mountain, alongside the path he had walked along to start the climb. 

 

James turned his attention back to his current problem and found that the stream had left several large rocks in its course, making obvious stepping-stones for him to use, and he eagerly did so.  But he was stopped at the final point as there was a step missing, just a pool of water trapped by a section of the landslip that didn’t give way. 

 

For a moment James was stumped and couldn’t figure out how to proceed, so he returned to the original path, to discover the landslip had hidden a water globe spawner and he could now observe it.  A cold shot froze it and he tried to use the walls to reflect the ice in the correct direction, but it never seemed to reach the water pool. 

 

He struggled for a minute, then remembered the mechanics of the water bubble.  Switching to Neutral Mode, he started bouncing the shots round, and the bubble drifted into the correct position with a little bit of experimentation.  When he was happy, he fired a cold shot directly at the bubble, making it freeze and drop into the pool, solidifying it instantly.  Then he moved as quickly as he could, bouncing over the steps and using the iced pool as the final one, reaching the other side and looking back as the pool defrosted. 

 

James smiled, happy he had got across the breach, and pressed on, further along the path as the snow took hold fully and stopped laying in patches around him.  It was still shallow here and the lack of traffic on this path did mean it sunk under the layer of snow, meaning the surface was still discernible and he could stay on course.  But then he saw a disturbance just to the side of his route and identified another footprint pressed into the snow, although a fresh fall had covered it a little. 

 

The path reached the crest where it had doubled-back at the turn below, but this time there was a small ledge that allowed the path to continue and the skyrail pylons also crossed over to the next face before looping round and doubling back on their final climb.  But the area below was slightly recessed and hidden.  The pylons looped as they crossed the path, and two pylons were firmly planted in a clearing, with several rocky outcroppings and a large area that smacked of a battle arena.  James looked up to his right and spotted several cliffs, stepped upon each other as they cascaded down from the settlement, hidden way above his head. 

 

He looked around and saw nothing of interest directly around him, barring a few plants he could harvest for resources, but all his simulated sensations were tingling as he slowly advanced into the open area, knowing full well what was coming, it was just a question of where it was hiding now?” 

 

For a moment he just stood there and waited, expecting the inevitable noises of something appearing, ready to confront him, but there was just, nothing.  It was so uneasy that he started looking around and spotted the path on, u-turning in this area and heading back towards the crest, climbing quite steeply as it did so. 

 

With little other option, he took this new path, climbing the levels in a series of steps, while behind him, the arena seemed as empty as before, making him tentatively press on, unsure of what to expect? 

 

The path crossed the ridge and stopped a few metres further on, where several sizable boulders had blocked his progress, but there was a Shad here, huddling under a small overhang by a fire.  James bowed his head at him and asked, "A’Gilwa?"

 

The Shad bowed his head back and replied, “that me, how name known?” 

 

“Ja’Milla told me where to find your camp, and I’ve followed the trail to here.” 

 

“Then glad to meet seeker.  Been here for many days, stuck by monster I tracking that come out of Dunes and block rails to Bergen.” 

 

“How have you survived?” 

 

A’Gilwa pointed to a few bushes nearby, “time for them to shed berries, not most tasty, but enough to survive, but their branches running low, only had enough for few more days.  You reach me in time.  Have to get out of here, but monster keeps stopping me, every time I try.” 

 

“It stops you; I passed the turn under the pylons without trouble?” 

 

A’Gilwa looked confused, “I stand on crest and wait, watch you proceed?” 

 

James smiled, “I’ll take out that monster, since it’s blocking the skyrails.  Port Imelda needs that connection once more.” 

 

A’Gilwa was happy, “thanking seeker, let’s resolve this together.” 

 

James watched as A’Gilwa quenched the fire and then moved out to join him.  “Did Seeker observe monster as he made it here?” 

 

“It’s nowhere to be seen, All I have observed as I followed the trail, is the weird footprints.” 

 

“Many legs, like giant arachnid.  I seen monsters at beach of bones, beyond dangerous Dunes, but this is different, nothing there look like this?” 

 

“You scratched a symbol into the ground by your tent, was that symbol on this monster?” 

 

A’Gilwa nodded, “symbol on flank, small but noticeable.  Has Seeker seen it before?” 

 

“Yes, I have, and it’s a symbol that spells trouble.  I thought I’d seen the last of it?” 

 

“It seems to be here Seeker, sorry for news.” 

 

James instantly dismissed that comment, “you have nothing to be sorry for A’Gilwa.  I just need to make sure this monster is stopped.  I’ve done it before, no doubt I’ll do it again.” 

 

A’Gilwa nodded, “in that case, monster better do same trick as before.” 

 

“What’s that?” 

 

“Every time I approach corner, it appears and forces me back, trapping me on dead end.” 

 

James indicated for A’Gilwa to pause and walked forward himself, right into the middle of the arena area, but nothing happened at all....  James was confused and called back to A’Gilwa, “where is it?” 

 

“Not know,” A’Gilwa replied, “should be here?”  The Shad started to walk forward to join James, but as soon as he reached the point of the path where it entered the arena, forcefields instantly raised, trapping James and leaving A’Gilwa to watch. 

 

There was a high-pitched screech that echoed across the mountain, and it was getting louder, it seemed to be coming from higher on the flank and rapidly closing on his position.  In seconds, a huge mechanical spider came careering down the skyrails, using them like a web as it raced down the line from a point that must have been hidden as they climbed.  The noise it was making seemed to be whistling, coming from sizable vents on the flanks of this robotic adversary, while James noticed some of the smaller details, including the discreet GauRang logo that A’Gilwa mentioned was visible on the flank, and James could now see for himself. 

 

James summoned his blade, ready to face down this new foe, while A’Gilwa shouted to him.  “It not come down, will stay on rails Seeker.” 

 

James watched as the spider stopped and it hissed a foul noise at him, by venting a gush of air from the vents, then it turned to face him while staying aloft on the skyrails and instantly started firing a series of rapid artillery blasts, directly down on James.   

 

He quickly dodged to avoid the attacks, an alternate series of cold and wave blasts that made ice spikes erupt, then bouncing wave strikes, scattering into large area of effect shrapnel strikes that restricted James’ ability to evade the attacks.  He scanned the area in between dodges and was struggling to figure out what to do next?  The spider was sitting on the skyrail tracks and was way too high for James to even think of aiming an attack at it.  He skipped back and forth as his foe kept aiming shots at him and giving him no real safe spot to try and seek a little shelter from, to formulate a plan to fight back. 

 

For some time, this continued before he backed behind one of the rock outcroppings and spotted A’Gilwa still behind the forcefield, but the Shad was pointing at something and suggested some form of tactic to fight back.  James dodged another blast and thought about what he could possibly be suggesting? 

 

For a moment his mind wandered, and Gayle faded her window in as her equipment made a hard recording.  “James, are you okay?”  The spider’s next shot landed right on his head and the damage snapped him out of the trance, making him carry on dodging while Gayle logged the event. 

 

After another dodge, he turned to Gayle’s window and replied, “I’m fine, just something made me think....” 

 

Gayle nodded and faded her window out again while James kept on looking at A’Gilwa, trying to determine his pointing, then it hit him, he was pointing at the pylons that supported the skyrails....  James darted forwards, closer to the spider and it started aiming shots around itself and darting away to allow them to fall on James, who was close to being able to duck under its massive frame. 

 

He studied the pylon between dodges and noticed it had a piece blocked by a piece of sticky, webbing-like material and slashing at it with his blade made it fall away to reveal a circuit breaker hidden underneath, along with a tiny screen showing the system was active.    James hit the switch and the screen showed a ‘X,’ indicating a disruption in the skyrails above. 

 

The spider hissed above him, and he saw the bulbous ring on the backend of it seemingly spinning into a new position, before it fired again.  This time the projectile was a ball of web-like material that splattered over a wide area and was clearly designed to bog James down, limiting his ability to avoid the artillery attacks.  After the web shot, the drum reset back; and the spider returned to firing normal shots. 

 

James was forced to keep moving, but he noted now the spider was firing the web shot after four normal shots, trying to pin him in a corner.  He took a moment to reach the second pylon, hack the webbing away and managed to hit the breaker on this pole, resulting in the line section between the two poles failing, and the spiders being forced to hop down into the arena,  

 

Now the spider was angry, and it began to fire more rounds, but they were aimed directly at James, rather than in an arc from above, meaning the shots were much more rapid and required every trick he knew to stay one step ahead of them.  The only breaks in the attacks were when the drum spun and the spider shot a sticky shot at him, so he took those breaks to work out which element built the Break Meter, which turned out to be Heat.   

 

When the meter was full, James’ foe screeched, hissed, and the mechanical pieces locked in place, so James had his chance to counterattack.   He charged in, his blade flashing as he made numerous strikes, trying to work out which element had the best effect, nothing seemed to be overly effective though and so he burned his S.P. meter, making sure he got through the first third of the health meter, before the spider started to build power again. 

 

It reactivated with a huge hiss that blew a large amount of air clear around itself, pushing James away as it did so, then the spider fired two globs of webbing at the pylons.  The skyrails reactivated as the spider jumped, landing back on them and resuming its artillery barrage.  Although this time, the shots were much more rapid, the first one being aimed high into the air, and it summoning a huge Shock Bolt, straight down on his position, while the second shot was a more traditional, bouncing Wave blast.  But to complicate matters, the shots were once again interspersed with a web blast, clearly intended to bog James down, especially since the Shock Bolts were rapid and difficult to avoid already. 

 

James now knew how to get the spider down from its lofty position, and he started angling towards the pylons again, trying to get into a position where he could free the circuit breakers from their webbed prison, so he could disable the skyrails again, but the spider was clearly angered that James was trying to clear the breakers.  It lowered its rear and pointed it directly at him, sending a bolt of shock across the arena, rather than into the air. 

 

James was taken aback by the directed fire and got caught by a bolt as he tried to evade the attacks, but he finally managed to reach the pylon and discovered his attacks did nothing to remove the webbing this time!  The spider aimed at him again and as he dived clear, the bolt zapped the pylon, releasing it and forcing the breaker to trip!  The spider hissed in anger and carried on aiming at James, who kept moving, carefully, towards the second pylon, being ever aware of the directed bolts that continued to be aimed at him. 

 

James managed to reach the pylon without being struck and he let the spider do the damage as he avoided the bolts once more, the pylon being zapped and the breakers tripping.  The spider hopped down and carried on aiming at him, using a mix of wave and shock bolts, mixed with webbed shots again, while every time James got too close, it would advance upon him and stamp its closest legs, trying to pound him into the ground below its feet. 

 

He finally managed to break the monster and advanced, burning the S.P. meter again to inflict as much damage as possible while it was vulnerable.  With a few, well-earned special attacks, the beast was reduced to its last bar of health, and it reactivated, while a shield popped up around itself, making it clear it was defending itself this time.  James groaned as he realised, he was going to have to figure out a way to bypass this problem too, while the spider reset the two breakers and managed to clamber back up onto the skyrails. 

 

Now the spider was furious, and it showed the anger by shooting at James, constantly varying the shot types as the drum on the rear quarters spun wildly between settings.  The result was elemental attacks shooting everywhere, all mixed with large amounts of webbing covering the entire arena.  James was kept on his toes as he darted between the blasts, trying to pick his way towards the two pylons for the final time.  He accepted being hit a few times, in exchange for not being driven back from his objectives. 

 

He finally scrambled close enough to the first pylon and the spider began aiming directly at him again, but the wildly spinning drum on the rear quarters of the spider resulted in the first shot aimed at him being a massive gout of fire instead.  James managed to leap clear before being totally engulfed by the ferocity of the attack and returned to the pylon as the second blast was the shock bolt he was originally expecting.  It struck the pylon and the breakers tripped, allowing him to head for the other pylon, while the spider hissed and kept up the heavy barrage. 

 

After a little cautious circling, James reached his objective and the spider shot the circuit breakers for the last time, forcing the second pylon to fail, making the spider drop back to the ground and continue shooting a huge number of blasts directly at James.  He kept mobile, trying to strike back, but the shield was an effective defence and nothing he was trying was making much progress in building the break meter for the final time.  He danced around, avoiding the blasts striking all around him, but occasionally getting struck with hits, which was usually caused by him getting bogged down in the webbing that was covering the entire area by now. 

 

James was getting annoyed that he couldn’t figure out how to solve this problem and it was starting to affect his thinking.  He was getting unintentionally closer to the spider, meaning his proximity to his foe was too much and the spider countered by stamping at him again.  James got caught with a stomp and that brought him back to his senses, the Guardian’s words telling him to control himself, look and figure out a solution.   

 

He looked up and saw the rear quarters were still spinning madly as the spider kept firing at him, but this was clearly causing excessive strain on the systems, because the spider was now hissing almost constantly, as the vents on the flank kept releasing blasts of hot air as the cooling system was working overtime.  “It’s not that, is it Reece,” he asked himself, as he tried to figure out a way to take advantage of this? 

 

He noted that occasionally the spider would still fire webbing shots into the air, to land and splatter over a wide area, and it began to dawn on him what to do.  He began to cautiously close the range, dodging the blasts and trying to reach the correct point to use the spiders’ own web attacks against it.  Every time the drum selected the next shot type, he would dart forward, trying to make it to the correct position as rapidly as possible, while the spider kept shooting, mostly directly at him, but when the web shot was launched, it was still into the air and down on his current location.  He eventually got close to the hissing vents and the spider tried another web shot.  James dived aside and the shot broke over the spiders’ abdomen, covering the vent and making the spider squeal, while the Break Meter rose to the halfway point.   

 

In seconds it resumed firing, but now James knew how to deal with the shield and after repeating the movements from the other side, he reached the final set of vents and needed some quick reactions while he waited for the web shot to be aimed at him.  When it happened it once again covered the vents with sticky webbing, jamming them up, and the spider shivered and fell limp, broken by the overheating caused.  James didn’t give it any chance to recover, smashing into it with some of his most powerful attacks and destroying the last section of the health bar, before it even tried to resist. 

 

His final strike knocked the spider into a defeated pile in the corner of the area and a few of the legs fell away, before it erupted into a series of explosions, fading from view as it did so, while the blocking forcefields remained active when James turned away, for a second he couldn’t work out why, and then he reasoned that the circuit breakers were still set to ‘off.’  He reset them and the fields lowered, while the small display on the pylons suggested that the line was clear and ready to be used once more. 

 

A’Gilwa walked forward and grinned at James, “monster gone!  Rails open again and I free to return home.  Happy, needs good meal, berries only taste good for so long!” 

 

James nodded and smiled back at him, “go and return to your family.” 

 

The Shad bowed his head in thanks and replied, “I see parents, then return to camp.  Now Seeker knows of monsters from Dunes and Coast of Bones, maybe I offer more aid if Seeker ventures there himself?” 

 

James bowed his head, “thank you A’Gilwa.  If that time comes, I will return to your camp.” 

 

A’Gilwa smiled, “goodbye,” then he bolted off along the path at a pace James would struggle to match.  The Shad was as agile as a mountain goat as he leaped across rocks and gaps in a graceful style that James took a moment to admire before he darted out of sight.  Then he started back along the path himself, freezing the water pool once more as he reached the broken section of the path.  When he was across the gap, he looked back to the arena and now he could see that the rails were being used, Avatars were travelling up and down them, indicating they were officially open once more. 

 

James turned away and walked the short distance back to the gap between the rocks, stepping through them and returning to a waiting Roz and Reece, who were stood, arm-in-arm, by the edge and admiring the view down onto the lands below. 

 

He moved over to join them, making Roz turn to look at him, “we knew you were coming back.” 

 

“You did?” 

 

“Si,” she replied as she pointed back to the visible part of the skyrails.  “Your phasing ended when you defeated the spider,” then she looked into Reece’s eyes and asked James, “did you enjoy the fight?” 

 

James took a moment to gaze down and take in the view himself, before deciding, “it wasn’t the easiest, but I enjoyed the fact it made me think and figure out specific tactics.  The use of the skyrails was inventive too.” 

 

Gayle phased her window in, “it’s a giant bloody spider, I hate spiders, mechanical or not!  Even watching the fight from here gave me the shivers, and I’ve done it for real, several times!” 

 

Roz giggled, “it’s the same for me....” 

 

Reece grinned back, “well, you take great pleasure in subjecting me to my fears my love, consider this some payback!” 

 

James laughed and returned to taking in the view.  To his left he could see the fringes of Maroon Valley skirting the edge of the Bergen Mountain, while in front of him he could make out the Rolling Foothills, even A’Gilwa’s camp as the land dried and became arid.  But beyond that point, James could see how barren and uninviting the Shifting Dunes appeared to be.  They were scorched and looked devoid of any significant detail, just waves of harsh dust and sand, stretching towards the distant coast that was the end point in that direction.  James thought he could see a few spots of white, peeking between the windswept dunes, but he couldn’t be totally sure? 

 

Gayle broke the silence, “while he was fighting, James had a brief pause, and my equipment logged a recording....” 

 

Roz looked up at her window for a moment, then at James, “loro fecoro?” 

 

James didn’t even bother trying to explain, “I phased out for a split second, but all I saw was fragments of me running through the alleys in the rain, before I was arrested.  It was over as soon as one of the artillery shots landed on my head!” 

 

Roz, puased, smiled and asked, “do you know what triggered it?” 

 

James answered, “I think so?  I was so agile and moving so quickly from place to place, just like I was ducking from cover to cover as I tried to evade the cops....” 

 

Roz nodded, “that was my conclusion as well.”  She didn’t even bother to open the notes within her interface, instead she just decided, “I don’t think there’s any reason to dwell any further on the details....” 

 

James nodded and kept looking out over the vista for a little while longer, before Reece asked, “are we going on?” 

 

“Si,” Roz confirmed.  “We can turn in the quest with the Chief, and then return to Imelda.  The final part of the story is waiting back in the city.” 

 

James withdrew from the view and turned around, noting the new activity on the skyrails as they ferried individuals up and down the mountain.  “It’s time to keep going then, there’s still work to do.” 

 

Roz led them back the way they came. 

 

---------- 

 

The journey back to the Shad village was far busier than the entire area was previously.  The phasing had clearly ended and several Avatars were milling around the area, before setting off on adventures of their own.  Although once inside the Chief’s house, the phasing was still apparent, and James got the happy smile of the mother; thanking him for his efforts and reporting that their son had returned, eaten a massive meal, and then promised to stay in contact with his father, before heading back to his camp to resume his guard.  Although this time, the Chief was much more aware and believing of the situation, considering the possibilities of what was lurking among the Dunes?   

 

James accepted the news, and the EXP rewarded, with grace and happiness, before moving to the back of the hut, re-joining Roz and Reece as they waited for him to complete the quest.  Roz was the one to gently point out, “it’s time to return to Imelda, and time for you to become Fayrebancs once more, since Amani is your next contact.” 

 

James looked around and asked, “are you sure we’re phased here?” 

 

Reece nodded, “it’s too small in here to cram it with lots of potential Avatars, everyone has this house phased to their group.” 

 

James nodded, smiled and then accessed his class panel, switching to Hexacast and asking, “are we Fast-Travelling?” 

 

“Si, we can return to the Mall, and walk from there.” 

 

Reece nodded, “where we are going in the Rec District, it’s about the closest Landmark.” 

 

“Si,” Roz cautioned, “but just remember, this is the beginning of the last phased event.  After this, the city will return to normal.” 

 

James agreed and activated his interface, making all three of them reform on the Landmark outside the Mall, and stepping away from it, he could see things had improved considerably in the zone ahead of him.  Numerous teams were busily repairing damage and clearing away debris, in what appeared to be a huge community effort to reverse the damage caused by the fighting.  It even looked like the corrupted animals of the Track were no longer an issue, because the teams were being watched and monitored by Guards, who gave a relaxed, impassive aura as they maintained their posts and watched for trouble.  Even the Guards that were stood outside the mall earlier had been reduced to one, the same one that had spoken to James earlier. 

 

They stepped forward once more and addressed him.  “Seeker, I’ve been ordered to inform you that the Lieutenant is waiting for you, outside the Rec District Precinct building.” 

 

James nodded, “thank you, I’ll head there now.” 

 

The Guard nodded and turned away, resuming their post and leaving James to proceed into the Rec District itself.  The improvements were numerous and the cover he used previously to hide from the patrols around the Rec Precinct were already cleared, and the grass surface they had damaged had been filled and restored, leaving a bare patch, but at least things looked ordered once more. 

 

James approached the building and discovered Amani and Mick hanging around outside the front door, while a small army of Guards and repair teams seemed to coming and going from the doors, suggesting that the plan to get the building operational once more was already well underway.  Both the Lieutenant and Calzone were busily using their personal devices, but Amani lowered his as he saw James approach, “there you are Seeker,” he began.  “I have to congratulate you.” 

 

“You do?” 

 

Amani nodded, “I received news back from the tribal Shad about your efforts in investigating the rustling, and the fact your answer seems to be tied to the tunnels and temple under the city.  That’s a major breakthrough and I’ve instructed all the ranches to place their own guards at the sites where it has happened before.  Now we know there’s fixed entrance points to the tunnels, it should be possible to stop further attempts being made at those sites, although it doesn’t answer who is doing the rustling, nor where they take the livestock?”  

 

Mick pondered, “there’s only one place that would even have the equipment for dealing with them?  That’s the Stockyards….” 

 

Amani nodded, “they clearly know more than they’re letting on, but the owners are keeping quiet, and have been since the problems in the city started.  They’ve pretty much isolated themselves to keep the operation going.” 

 

Mick gazed at him and replied, “you’d almost think they were centr….” 

 

He was cut off by a dark, imposing vehicle coming to a halt outside the Precinct.  For a moment, Amani was clearly on edge, as his senses and experience sensed trouble, but the vehicle looked too important for that to be true and it paused by the assembled party, before the door opened and the face of Allen Noble peeked out, “get in, all of you!” 

 

Amani hesitated, “hold on….” 

 

Allen raised his hand, “if this were anything else, I wouldn’t even be here Lieutenant!  You’re not in any danger, none of you are, get in….”  Amani looked uneasily at Mick, but cautiously moved forward, climbing into the vehicle with a little apprehension, while Allen stayed leaning forward at the door, “you too Calzone, you’re needed!” 

 

Mick took a deep breath and stowed his devices, before resigning himself to whatever fate was awaiting him, climbing aboard the car, while James followed, Roz and Reece taking the last seats and watching quietly. 

 

With them all aboard, the vehicle glided off at a gentle pace and James watched as Amani looked at the figure that had invited them into the car, before realising there were two of them.  “Allen, Lillian….  It’s been a while.” 

 

Lillian sniffed a reply, “it’s not really a pleasure Lieutenant, but needs mean we must settle our differences another time.” 

 

Mick tried smiling politely at her and she totally ignored him, while Allen asked. “what’s it like dealing with the competition Calzone?” 

 

“I don’t know you,” Mick snorted in reply!

 

“Not directly….  But your family has met my representatives from time to time, as they have with Lillians’.  We really shouldn’t all be sat in the same place, but like Lillian has admitted, these are strange times….”  

 

Amani gazed out of the window, trying to work out the direction and location they were currently in, “where are we going?” 

 

Lillian replied, “to a meeting….  The families have declared an official truce, and we’re on our way to the meeting that will complete the formalities.  But since we all seem to share the same enemy; we thought it was right that you also attended.  We all share the city after all, and you might be able to help formulate our unified response?” 

 

Amani was perplexed, “unified response?” 

 

Allen nodded, “playing the Families against each other was a big mistake….” 

 

Lillian agreed, “my uncle is furious.” 

 

Amani gave them both an inquisitive expression, while Mick shuffled very awkwardly.  “Where does that leave me; I feel rather alone all of a sudden?” 

 

Allen gave him a reassuring look, “you have nothing to fear Calzone.  In fact, your presence was specifically requested.” 

 

“Requested, by who?” 

 

“You’ll see, soon enough….” 

 

That didn’t really reassure Mick though, and Amani added, “if you really were in serious trouble, I don’t think they’d be doing anything in front of a Police Lieutenant, Calzone.” 

 

Lillian added, “or a Seeker….  The U.V.N. might not be ideal either, but thanks to their help and efforts, we’ve got this far.” 

 

Those words did seem to have the required effect on Mick, and he calmed a little while Lillian turned her attention to James, “Seeker, we need to thank you.” 

 

“You do, for what?” 

 

“It’s your investigations that have confirmed the issues to us.  Both myself and Allen have links to the Family ranches, so your work in investigating the rustling has not gone unnoticed.  Our ranches have been suffering the same problems as the others, so now we know there’s tunnels under them that are being used, we’ve set permanent guards at all sites where we think the entrances are located.  We shouldn’t lose any more animals, nor should any of the other ranches and Shad.” 

 

Amani admitted, “for a while, I was suspicious you were involved.” 

 

Lillian looked at him and agreed, “that’s understandable, given our histories.” 

 

Allen continued, “we also need to thank you for your efforts in restoring the skyrails Seeker.  We’ve already given the Co-op permission to begin food convoys and the U.V.N. has started supplying the city directly.  Things are getting back to normal, but the issue of who was behind all this trouble is still an issue, do you have any information from your work?” 

 

James replied, “the rails were blocked by some form of mechanical spider, using its size to block them, but I did take it out.  However, it had a logo on the flanks, showing it was from GauRang….” 

 

Allen raised his eyebrows, “did you say GauRang?”  When James nodded, Allen looked at Lillian and said, “was it eighteen months ago?” 

 

Lillian thought and replied, “it must be some sort of timeframe like that, yes.” 

 

While they nodded to each other, James asked, “what happened?” 

 

It was Amani who answered, “they tried to take control of the Stockyards back then, but they employed an illegal method that resulted in the sale being effective money laundering.  Everything fell through, leaving the city to pick up the bill.  The result was GauRang were banned from the city and restricted from purchasing lands and assets in Port Imelda.”    

 

Lillian added, “the schmucks even tried to drag the families into it then, using us as fronts for illegal loans that were used to cover the tracks of the cash.  We traced everything to certain accounts off-world that have dubious records, and in the end, refused them.  Ever since we’ve felt like they’ve been waiting for a chance to strike back.” 

 

Allen decided, “looks like they decided to take their revenge by shutting us down.  Well, this will open their eyes....” 

 

For a moment, Mick looked like he wanted to say something to them all.  He opened his mouth, then shut it again with no sound because the vehicle had left the road and was turning into some sort of warehouse in a private section of the Docks, not too far from the Docks Precinct building.  James could even see the same freighter that had brought him to Port Imelda in the first place, moored several hundred metres further down the harbour.  The building they were being driven to, gave an appearance of a freight processing facility and James phased out, making several obvious connections in his own memory.  Roz was already prepared for it happening and had carefully placed her hand on his shoulder, before the recollections happened and without him even noticing.  With her hand in the correct place, she carefully squeezed his shoulder, and he was brought back by her action, smiling at her as he did so, and mouthing, “thank you.” to her. 

 

She leaned in and whispered, “it was scenes from the raid, right?”  When he nodded, she just decided, “we’ll discuss it later, we’re not too far from finishing today.” 

 

He gave an expression of understanding while the vehicle stopped alongside several other matching vehicles.  James shivered at the sight of several smartly dressed individuals all nervously pacing back and forth, clearly watching for trouble, and expecting it.  The door was opened by an N.P.C. clearly positioned to perform the task and Allen readily stepped out, “follow me, you are all invited and welcome.  Both myself and Lillian guarantee your safety.” 

 

Amani seemed reassured and stepped out, joining Allen, “well, come on Mick, they’re expecting us.” 

 

Mick cautiously followed, while James, Roz and Reece exited next, and finally, Lillian stepped out, clearly showing that they were all one party and not in any danger.  The N.P.C. closed the door behind her and told her, “inside my lady....  You uncle is expecting you.” 

 

She nodded her thanks and raised her hand, “follow me, please.  This way,” they all followed her in through a door held open by another one of the smart guards and as soon as they were inside, they were confronted by a hulking individual, who grunted at them, “weapons, please!” 

 

Amani reached into his clothing and produced a small pistol, placing it on the table while stating, “nice to see you too Gordo.  Makes a change from busting skulls, being polite, doesn’t it?” 

 

Gordo muttered something back that suggested this was mere courtesy, before he patted Amani down and ensured there were no more weapons, then he turned his attention to Mick who held his arms out and commented, “I’m unarmed.”  Gordo repeated the search and was happy that Mick was telling the truth.  

 

When he turned his attention to James, he commented, “I can’t surrender my weapon, it just returns to my hand.” 

 

Gordo sighed, “Seekers’ exempt, but don’t try anything!”  James confirmed a reply, while Gordo opened the next door, “be respectful,” he growled as a final warning. 

 

The small group was led by Allen again and they proceeded into the large area beyond, watched every step of the way by a small army of goons that milled everywhere, double-checking every possible nook and cranny for trouble, between the neatly stacked boxes, pallets and containers. 

 

A series of containers were deliberately placed into a U-shape, stacked two high, and in the middle of this area sat two older men, a table separating them, while they were looking rather warily at each-other, and they had a small party of individuals clearly escorting their charges.  Allen indicated to several seats in front of the scene and suggested they all sit, before breaking away and slowly advancing upon the man on the left, leaning down to kneel as he reached a certain range and stating, “Don Perionè, the pleasure is all mine.” 

 

The man motioned for Allen to approach him now the respect was shown, while Lillian left and joined the man on the right, walking up to him and giving him a hug as he stood to greet her.  James heard her say, “Uncle Francesco, it’s been too long.” 

 

He replied, “it’s always lovely to spend time with my niece,” as he broke the hug and returned to his seat. 

 

For a moment there was silence, before Allen returned to the middle of the floor, between the two individuals, prompting Lillian to do the same.  “Ladies, gentlemen,” he began, “it’s rare for us all to be together in this way, given the histories and feuds between us all in the past.  But this is one of those times that things have been influenced by the interference of a new threat to our Families, while we have been tricked into blaming each other as part of their actions.” 

 

Don Perionè looked across at his counterpart, while Don Matredi was carefully studying Allen making his speech, but it was Lillian who continued, “it’s not often that we pool resources to help resolve our problems, but once the Seeker make it clear to us that the reason for the feud was elsewhere, we began working with the U.V.N., which has reopened the land connections with the other settlements, as well as providing a confirmed route for the rustling that has been occurring at our ranches.  For that, both Families are more than grateful, and we have come to understand that neither Families is involved in these issues, resulting in this meeting to formally issue truces and confirm our mutual agreements going forwards.” 

 

Amani interrupted, “mutual agreements?” 

 

It was Don Perionè who replied, “we’re not always ignoring each other Lieutenant, there’s several things we do agree on, and keeping the city operating is one of them.  In that regard you agree with us too.” 

 

“So why did you begin fighting?” 

 

Now Don Matredi admitted, “our pride got the better of us.  It seems we were used, and for that we offer the city our most humble apologies.” 

 

Don Perionè agreed, “that is why we asked for your presence here Lieutenant.  So, you could hear our apologies and witness this.”  With that, he signed a piece of paper on the desk in front of him and announced to the group, “our feud is settled, we will no longer fight.” 

 

Don Matredi copied the action and joined his compatriot in announcing, “our feud is also settled, we will no longer fight.”  Lillian and Allen took the papers to the other parties, and they all warmly shook hands as the signatures were exchanged.  James thought it was actually quite a tender action in the way the body language was no longer tense or intimidating. 

 

With the formalities settled, the two Dons returned to their seats and looked at each other, before Lillian asked, “Seeker, Lieutenant, please, step forward, the Families have a request to ask of you.” 

 

James and Amani stood, a little apprehensively, before approaching Lillian and standing to the table between the two Dons.  It was Don Perionè who told them, “we request your aid to end this, once and for all.  A unified effort to bring the real culprits to justice!” 

 

Anami was a little taken aback, “me?  You need my help?” 

 

Don Matredi sighed, “if you had any evidence confirming we were the guilty parties in this situation, we wouldn’t be asking for your aid.  As it is, even you seem to have accepted we are also innocent parties Lieutenant, and we are more than willing to offer generous funds and resources to help repair the city.  We will admit our faults regarding the fighting and understand that we need to compensate the city to make amends.” 

 

Amani sniffed, still unsure, “so what do I get from this?” 

 

Don Perionè told him, “you’ll get every culprit we can apprehend.  We all agree the Ghettotown Rats, and their sponsors are the guilty party here, any of them we capture going forward will be handed over to the city authority for formal arrest and processing.  And both families still have several robot squads ready to go, we’re going to use them in a joint effort to assault their Stronghold in the Slums....  Any Rats we flush out are all yours Lieutenant!” 

 

Amani pondered this for a second, before asking, “when are you storming their patch?” 

 

Don Matredi replied, “as soon as we have finished here.  We’ve already contacted Yusan and she has confirmed her support, even sending any spare manpower she can to help surround the zone.  We’re going to send our personnel to reinforce the cordon too.  We are only asking you to supply a small number of Guards, so we can surrender any captured to you and your teams Lieutenant, please?” 

 

Amani was a little taken aback when the Don specifically asked to complete his request.  It took him a moment to decide, but finally nodded and raised his arm, before asking, “may I use my comms device?”  The two Dons both nodded and Amani pulled it out of his clothing before saying into it, “Grevis?  Get any spare hands you can and head for the Stockyards area, now!”  There was clearly some shouting of confusion from the other end, before Amani continued, “don’t argue, just do it!  How many hands can you scavenge, I need as many as you can scrounge?” 

 

Amani seemed distracted for a moment, so the two Dons turned to James, “Seeker, this is also why we have asked you here, not only to thank you for your efforts in uncovering the truth, but because we require your skills in taking down the Rats.” 

 

James felt like he had a little knowledge about handling their behaviour, so he nodded and humbly replied, “I am honoured by your request, of course I will assist.” 

 

The two Dons returned the courtesy, before Don Perionè told him, “Seeker, your skills are perfect for this task.  We know ourselves that the Rats have repurposed several of the bots they disabled in previous attacks upon them.  We understand you have already faced them too?” 

 

James confirmed, “I have defeated some, when I was clearing the Rec District Precinct.” 

 

“Good,” Don Perionè continued as he gazed across at Don Matredi, “then we can send our friendly bots in and complete the sweep, with our Seeker friend acting as a witness to ensure the process is thorough and all their rogue bots are eliminated.  The Rats themselves are pretty cowardly and the vast majority are still poorly armed, they’ll flee when we attack and run straight into our perimeter as there seems to only be small sections of the gang that have the proper weapons supplied to them by their sponsor.” 

 

James nodded, “I understand my task and I accept your terms.” 

 

“Very well,” Don Matredi confirmed, “then we will complete these tasks for the good of the city, while we can move on to locating and stymying their sponsor.” 

 

Amani finished on his comms device and returned it to his pocket.  “Gentlemen, I have managed to scrape up around thirty Guards, they’ll help oversee the process of the sweep, I heard enough of the details as I waited for my team to check available numbers.” 

 

Don Perionè asked him, “do you have clues as to the identification of the sponsor Lieutenant?” 

 

Amani was about to reply when there was a new voice behind James, “may I?”  It was Mick. 

 

The two Dons looked at each other, while Amani hissed at him, “what in the world are you doing?” 

 

Mick gulped nervously and admitted, “swallowing my pride, holding my courage and not trying to be nervous as hell!  But I was trying to explain before this time and kept getting cut off.” 

 

The two Dons noted Mick and Don Perionè motioned him forward.  “Please, tell us all what you need to say.  You are our guest and not in any danger.” 

 

Mick stepped forward, more than aware of the courtesies in effect, then began to explain, “while I was working with the city authorities to help create contacts within your families, once the Seeker arrived, my services became somewhat superfluous.  I instead began to investigate the activities of the Stockyards, since early evidence was showing links to the operation, and I began to unearth a scandal.” 

 

Amani was listening, along with everyone else, and asked him, “why didn’t you tell me this?” 

 

Mick admitted, “I literally got the smoking gun that fit everything together as the Seeker was approaching the Precinct, I haven’t had a chance to explain.” 

 

The two Dons noted this, and Don Matredi asked, “please, continue Calzone.” 

 

Mick appeared to relax slightly as he did so.  “I began to investigate the background to the ‘Algerine Consortium,’ and made several discoveries, partly because there’s so few records to them.  First was the point that they are only listed to the absolute minimum, so they appear legitimate.  Tracking the records linked me to another set of company records, which appears to be the minutes of a meeting of senior executives, it’s the first time I can see the name of Algerine chronologically.” 

 

Amani asked with genuine interest, “which company?” 

 

Mick took a deep breath and admitted, “GauRang....” 

 

“GauRang,” Amani double-checked.  “The Seeker took out one of their bots that was blocking the Bergen skyrails, are you absolutely sure?” 

 

Mick nodded, “it was only when the Seeker informed us that the bot had the GauRang logos upon it, did the pieces really began to fit.” 

 

Don Matredi gazed across at his opposite number, “is it possible GauRang have been manipulating us, all this time?” 

 

Mick continued.  “Everywhere I investigated Algerine, every link led back to GauRang, including the investigations that the consortium is nothing of the sort.  There seems to be no other funding for the group than GauRang, or other company names they use as fronts for their business.  Algerine is nothing but a GauRang front, and I am more than happy to share my evidence with everyone here present.” 

 

There were a few disgruntled murmurs among the various parties around the Dons, while they looked at each other, before Don Perionè decided, “given the history of the company within the city, it’s clear Algerine is in breach of contracts, the sale should be stopped.” 

 

Amani was already working on his device, “Mick, can you send me the evidence please?”   

 

Mick did so and Amani kept working, while Don Matredi told everyone, “it seems they’ve been one step ahead of us all along.” 

 

Don Perionè agreed, “at least we now know what has been happening.” 

 

Mick then added, “it gets better though....” 

 

“It does,” Lillian asked, her expression now a little softer towards him? 

 

“Once I had my initial evidence collected, I pressed a few contacts to probe their records deeper, and discovered the company had recently managed a military arms transport for a nearby planetary militia.  But a few boxes didn’t arrive, and the company blamed administrative errors in their sprawling system....” 

 

Amani was still working on his comms device, but paused as he deduced, “they must be the weapons the Rats have!” 

 

“I am also working on that theory, yes,” Mick confirmed.  “The original supplier was a smaller outfit and kept extensive logs, meaning I have identification and serial numbers for the missing equipment.  So, if we can seize any of it, we should be able to confirm the source.  Again, I am willing to supply these logs to all of you.” 

 

Don Matredi was impressed, “well done young Calzone, your father should be proud of you.” 

 

Mick nodded humbly, “thank you Sir.” 

 

Amani put his comms device down and explained, “I’ve passed Mick’s evidence to the Mayor's Office.  They’re now up to speed with this detail as well.” 

 

“In that case,” Don Perionè decided, “we must put an end to this, once and for all.  Taking down the Rats in their patch would seem to be only part of the problem.  We must assume it is the Rats that are providing security for the Stockyards.  That means we have to breach the walls too, to break the Rats and retake the area from GauRang.” 

 

Allen noted, “that seems impossible, the Stockyards is a fortress with those walls.  Given the Rats are already defending it, taking it from them will be like a siege, and although the mayor is now aware of the situation, legal channels will take time!” 

 

Don Matredi thought about this and considered, “there may be another option, infiltration....” 

 

Don Perionè agreed, “we could use that path, yes.  We might have a way through, right here with us?” 

 

Lillian was perplexed, “uncle, what are you talking about?” 

 

Don Matredi began to explain, “when the city was first being built, we began to stake our patches and areas, but the construction of the city was extensive, not just out and across the Plains, but up and down as well.” 

 

Lillian was confused, “down?” 

 

Don Matredi continued, “the city needed extensive service systems being built underground, water and sewage, electricity, communication cables, and other services, digging them into service tunnels made sense.  But then we made a discovery and found more tunnels underground, ancient tunnels, and ancient defences.” 

 

It was Don Perionè who continued, “at first, we were unable to determine what was happening, but the Shad Chief of the Tribe at that time, came forward and explained the history of the Plains and the fact that the Ancients built a temple below the Plains, we had unintentionally disturbed the ancient site and the Track had responded in its defence.  As soon as we realised our mistake, we ceased construction of the tunnels and ensured we created alternative routes to ensure we didn’t disturb the site further.  Anytime we breached them accidentally, we sealed them behind us.” 

 

Don Matredi concluded, “we sealed all but one of the breaches, just in case we needed access to them for any reason in the future....” 

 

Allen was confused, “how does that help us now?” 

 

Don Perionè waved at James, “we believe the main Temple structure is under the site of the Stockyards and while it might have fearsome defences for us, for Seekers they’re part of the Track.”  Now he turned his full attention to James, “from the evidence you’ve supplied Seeker, it’s clear the Rats have breached the ancient tunnel network from the Stockyards and are using it to rustle our livestock for their own profit.  If you can cross the Temple structure, you should be able to use their breach to gain access to the interior of the Stockyards, allowing you to lower the gates from the inside.” 

 

Don Matredi agreed, “they know the defences are fearsome themselves, no doubt they’ll think the Temple will protect them.  It’s a good plan Perionè, I concur with it, but it will take some time to prepare, and we can use that time to storm the Rats stronghold in the Slums, forcing them into the trap!” 

 

Allen asked, “why will it take some time to prepare?” 

 

Don Matredi continued to explain, “our access to the ancient network was locked with a coded gate requiring five passcodes to open.  It represents the groups that agreed to these terms and each one of us keeps one code, to open it requires mutual agreement that it must be done.  Our families keep one code each, while the mayor keeps the third and the Shad on the Plains hold the fourth.  Those four codes will be easy to obtain,” he turned his attention to Mick, “but you Calzone, you will need to recover the fifth code.” 

 

Mick looked back, a little surprised by this, “me?” 

 

Don Matredi nodded to confirm this, “the tunnels were built before your family left the city and set up operations in Basin Keep instead.  The three families split the growing city, but your family grew weary of the competition and headed for pastures new when they saw the opportunities offered by Basin Keep.  However, they became part of the agreement for the gate in the tunnels before they did and therefore, your family holds the last key to open the tunnels for the Seeker.  You’ll have to consult with your father for the code.” 

 

“Will he supply it,” Mick asked? 

 

Don Matredi admitted, “he is under no obligation to do so, but we know the Seeker has helped your family as well.  If you give him the full details, I doubt he will protest with our request, and tell him we both send our regards, young Calzone....” 

 

Mick smiled warmly, now he was sure he was in no danger.  “I’ll contact him as soon as this meeting is completed.  I’m sure he’ll be willing to help once he’s made aware of the situation within the city.” 

 

The meeting began to wrap up and Don Perionè asked, “is there anything else we need to discuss?”  There was silence for a moment, before he continued, “in that case, we’ll let the Seeker and the Guard join the other forces preparing the sweep the Rats from the Slums.  That allows us time to communicate with the Shad and gain their permission to open the gate, while Calzone does the same with his family.  Seeker, once the Slums are swept and we are prepared, we’ll meet you at the gate itself, Gordo will wait at the surface access and bring you to us.” 

 

James’ Quest Log updated, and he accepted the outlined objectives.  With that completed, Don Matredi stood and retreated to his small party, “in that case, until next time, farewell.” 

 

Don Perionè copied his counterpart and Allen, accompanied by Lillian, hastened the others back out of the building and returned them to the waiting vehicle.  Gordo returned the pistol to Amani’s ownership and Lillian, Mick and Amani climbed aboard, while Allen told James, “we’ll drop them off back at the Rec District Precinct, but you better report to the East Gate as soon as possible Seeker, we need to snare as many Rats as we can, while we have the initiative.” 

 

James nodded and began to set his Fast Travel, while Allen climbed aboard the vehicle, and it glided off at a steady pace.  Roz moved forward and quietly asked him, “are you still feeling, okay?” 

 

He breathed deeply and smiled in reply, “I’m totally taken by the story.  I’m great, but ready for this raid.” 

 

Reece moved forward as well, nervously laughing at his fiancée, “now I know why you asked me to join today....” 

 

Roz giggled lightly, “it was an unintentional mistake.  You’ll be fine.” 

 

As James set his Fast-Travel, and began to fade out, he heard Reece reply, “of course it was unintentional....” 

 

---------- 

 

They reformed on the Landmark at the East Gate and he instantly noted that nothing looked out of place, James asked Roz, “are we still phased?” 

 

Roz nodded, “si, but this is last time James, after this, the city opens and all phasing ends.  That also means all of the Taurines as well.  The access to the tunnel gate is where the Temple instancing starts, in a small side-alley between here and the Rec District.” 

 

James gave her an understanding nod, then reformed as his Triblader once more.  Roz noted his change while a Guard that was at his post by the gate itself cautiously waved at him, the quest icon appearing above his head as he did so.  James looked at Roz and Reece, “here we go then, let’s do this.” 

 

Reece flexed his fingers and fell into step alongside Roz, clearly ready for a good fight.  “Lead the way, James.” 

 

The Guard looked up at him with a slightly nervous expression.  “We’re as ready as we can be Seeker....  Lieutenant Amani has given us the information remotely and the outskirts of this region are crawling with units ready to move.  But you’re the trigger Seeker, because the Co-op are springing the initial trap.” 

 

“How is that happening?” 

 

The Guard explained, “Yusan has sent Bielsen with the usual supply convoy, but we already know there’s a toll gate just up the path from here.  You’re cleared to race to the rescue and you’re going to be backed up by a few squads of Family bots that are a short distance behind Bielsen.  Once the toll gate group is taken out and contained, the bots will smash the perimeter fence down and go in from there, while every other hand moves into position to round up any Rats we ensnare.” 

 

James asked, “how long until we’re ready?” 

 

The Guard heard something through his headset and returned an affirmative, “it won’t be long, the convoy just passed the waiting bots and Bielsen is carrying a panic button.  As soon as he hits it my headset will confirm, and you are free to begin Seeker.”  

 

James looked up the path, towards the Rats compound, telling the Guard, “I hope this works....” 

 

“So do we,” the Guard confirmed.  “I never thought I’d be happy to see any more Family bots....  We should catch any Rats that panic and run, but we expect a number to make it to the Stockyards before we can close the escape route.  If we move into the gap before the attack begins, we’ll be spotted.” 

 

James nodded, understanding the dilemma they were being posed, while the Guard quietly checked some details on his headset, making sure he stayed up to speed on flood of data the various groups were sharing between themselves.  The line seemed to go quiet for a moment, before the Guard motioned, “go Seeker, the button has been hit, go!” 

 

James reacted and broke out into a sprint instantly, racing back up the path and covering the short distance to area where the path opened out and the wreckage covered the clearing.  He got the sight of Bielsen and his small caravan being advanced upon by a small group of Rats, but around them were a sizable pack of bots that were clearly intending to harm the caravan members, if they refused to pay the tolls. 

 

The toll gang didn’t realise that they themselves were being trapped and James charged at a breakneck speed, roaring in fury as he smashed into the back of one of the bots and phased his blade in with it skewering one of the humanoid ones through the chest.  He didn’t pull it clear either, instead he ripped it away through the shoulder, before charging an area of effect Shock attack that grabbed the attention of several of the bots, drawing them away from Bielsen and making them switch to James.  Roz and Reece copied James’ trick, using huge, area of effect attacks that didn’t do too much damage, but they had massive aggro draw, making the bots totally forget Bielsen and his little caravan, and instead, all take offense at James, Roz and Reece. 

 

The toll gang were stunned as to the melee they’d suddenly discovered themselves to be trapped in, and they were caught in no-mans-land as James was hacking through any bot that got in his way at a frightening pace.  Roz was keeping her targets busy, but she could see that James was clearly using this fight to release some steam, especially when he impaled a shock-based bot and discharged a Wave attack that almost destroyed the entire chest of his victim as it faded from view, and he didn’t pause before his instincts kicked in and the next victim was selected. 

 

Bielsen had backed his caravan away slightly and the Toll Gang was utterly broken when the Family bots appeared from behind them and smashed into the fight around James too.  A few hung back to intimidate the gang into submission, while the bots loyal to the Rats were ripped apart as James crushed them from one side, and the Family bots hit any that tried to counter the numbers.  For a little while there was a confused, wild series of scuffles across the entire area, then it was all over as the last of the bots controlled by the Toll Gang submitted to the overwhelming numbers and succumb. 

 

The Rats realised the game was up and surrendered, throwing down their simple weapons and kneeling in submission as a few of the Family Bots towered over them, then a small squad of Shad and humans from the Co-op, along with a few Guards marshalling them, appeared from behind Bielsen and took control of the surrendered, arresting them and freeing the bots to continue their assault. 

 

The bots now moved to the edge of the area and with a few, simple sweeps and attacks, they smashed a section of the wall aside that looked like it was being scaled by the Rats to allow them to establish the toll gates.  The bots showed no emotion as it was torn down in seconds and they swept into the newly established breach, allowing James access while Roz and Reece followed dutifully, clearly prepared for more combat. 

 

James could now see the compound clearly and several alarms rang out, but the defenders seemed slow to respond while the bots charged headlong across any covering ground and started pounding on the perimeter of their target.  There were several shouts and screams in front of them, before the first few signs of resistance appeared, but these looked like normal Rats, with basic weapons and no way they would be able to stop the assault being set upon them.  There were more calls of, ‘get out, fall back,’ that James could hear from ahead as the human resistance melted away, and then a few squads of bots working for the Rats finally took to the walls, raining havoc down over the defences and pinning the Family bots in place, even making a few of them fall back and seek shelter among the pieces of cover, before trying to shoot back. 

 

James found himself pinned in an area close to the Family bots, but able to have a wider view of the stalemate and skirmishes currently occurring.  James could see no more bots were arriving on the wall or trying to reinforce the defences.  If they could break this line, it seemed they would be able to storm the rest of the compound with little resistance.  James was trying to figure out some way to help when he noted that there seemed to be some rubble and debris that had been stacked and restrained by some carefully placed boxes, but James noticed one stack of the boxes were capable of being destroyed, but he’d have to move around the area to strike from different angles.  However, the first block was capable of being shot from an angle if he could get a little closer, so he broke cover, closed the range under the hail of fire aimed at him, before launching a projectile when he was close enough, it faded, bringing the rest of the stack down and leaving three to go. 

 

James dived away as the primary track of fire from the defending bots suddenly seemed to be focused on him, a mixture of rapid-fire bursts in all elemental forms, when a huge, focused blast was occasionally mixed into the hail of shots being aimed at him.  He sought shelter behind the nearest cover, getting peppered by a few shots as he reached the safety of the cover, while he looked back and could see Roz and Reece moving forward to storm the defences as soon as he opened the way forward. 

 

The majority of shots were now pinging around his cover spot and he knew he had to keep moving, so he waited for a few seconds to allow his health to regenerate a little further, before launching into a full sprint and dashing to the next piece of cover, hunkering down and looking across at the crates, trying to determine where he needed to be to destroy another one, he was close to the correct position, but he realised he needed to be one more piece of cover closer, to be able to utilise the angles on offer.  He scrambled out of his safe cover and was pinged by a few more shots before he reached the correct place, allowing another crate to be taken out. 

 

James worked out the next place to be and it was nearby, but now he was getting really close to the actual bots firing upon him, lowering his reaction time to their sweeping cone of fire, but with few options, he pressed on. breaking cover again and not pausing when he crossed another area, he’d worked out slowing from a sprint made him more vulnerable.  But the right piece of cover rewarded him with a clear shot that he couldn’t refuse, leaving one crate left and the pile it was holding back, audibly rumbling in the background noise of the firefight. 

 

James looked at the final crate he had to destroy and groaned as he realised it would force him to hit the shot and run, since there was no cover, and he was being forced directly into the main line of fire.  He girded himself, held his breath and burst out of cover, accepting the shots connecting as he broke away and managed to reach his full speed as the barrage of attacks aimed at him kept coming.  He made the right position and went for the shot when one large blast connected and knocked him off balance, making him miss.  But he regained his composure amid all the incoming fire and managed to remove the last crate when his second shot connected, before he retreated into whatever nearby cover, he could manage to scrape up.  Once safe, he saw his health bar was dangerously low, but at least this task was done, and he decided to eat a Sandwich to recover some health. 

 

The trapped rubble had nothing holding it back any longer and spilled forward, pushing other boxes aside as it did so.  The slowly falling wave of detritus knocked part of the defensive lines open and when things had settled, James could see a walkway along the spilled crates that he could take advantage of to breach the enemy lines.  Roz and Reece were already using the boxes to force their way forward, shielding themselves from the new bursts of fire trying to deter them, but soon they were over, and starting to assault the position, and they were quickly followed by the Family bots.  Copying the actions of Roz and Reece and smashing into their opponents head on, with little regard for their own fighting condition afterwards. 

 

In moments, the entire defensive line was in total disarray. Bots openly squabbling in brawls all along the wall of the compound, and James felt like he was missing out, now his health had recovered.  He broke cover and bounded along the crates himself, before landing directly in front of a Family bot which faded out in front of him.  It had been caused by the punch of another bot, this one covered in tags, identifying it as controlled by the Rats. 

 

James didn’t even give his opponent a chance to resist as he darted forward, his blade carving a wide arc that struck the bot in the right shoulder, before it erupted from its body by the left area of the waistline.  The bot shrieked and looked like it wanted to counter-attack, but then something tripped within its frame, and it tipped forward helplessly, fading out as it did so. 

 

James turned his attention to another bot that had taken an interest in Reece and lunged forward, his blade cutting across the neck of another robot and it only staying in one piece due to it being an Instant Matter construct, but it was taken out by the attack and now James could see they had the upper hand again, especially since a third bot fell to him when he discharged a cold spike into the heat-based opponent.   

 

The few survivors still manning the defences began to fall back, but it was too late, and they were swamped by the Family bots before they could reach anymore safe points.  In seconds the fighting died down and the bots powered down, before moving round to the main gate of the compound and smashing it from the hinges.  Seconds later, the entire complex was flooded by an army of Co-op workers, led by Yusan herself, while a few Guards escorted Amani and they began to co-ordinate Yusan’s force while Amani himself moved over to James, beaming happily as he spoke into his comms device, “we’ve secured the main compound and we’re going to breach the buildings now, stand by!” 

 

James phased his blade out and moved over to the Lieutenant, while he marshalled a few of the Co-op workers to one side as a Family bot came over to secure access to the main building, ripping the door from the hinges with a single bat of its huge fist.  It fell inwards and let James lead the charge inside, but the rooms were empty and clearly vacated in a hurry because there were still hot meals laid out and ready to eat by a pot on an electric heater.  Amani joined James and told him.  “They bolted at the first alarm, especially when the Family bots broke through their outer wall like it wasn’t there!  But we’ve captured about half of their entire force in this attack, while the rest have retreated behind the Stockyards walls.  I guess it’s up to you now to get us through them Seeker.” 

 

James nodded in agreement, before another Guard appeared at the door the bot had just smashed open, “Lieutenant, we found something.  You need to see this.” 

 

James joined Amani as they walked across the compound to a smaller building that another bot had forced entry into, allowing to him observe the discovery for himself, which proved to be several high-quality cases that were totally out of place in such a ramshackle compound.  Amani approached them, looking for something specific and in a moment, he had his comms device out, taking pictures and forwarding them on.  He spoke into his comms device afterwards, “Mick, we’ve found supply crates, empty of course, but they still have the serials on them.  Can you check if they match your logs, please?” 

 

James heard the muffled reply of Mick agreeing to check and then Amani returned outside to James and Yusan.  “What’s the plan,” he asked her? 

 

Yusan looked around the compound and decided, “we can use this place for ourselves now, start using it as a food distribution point for the Western part of the city, as well as a drop point for convoys coming over the skyrails from Bergen.  I’m sure Bielsen will appreciate running this place, instead of the daily gauntlet of his old job?” 

 

Amani agreed, “that sounds like a good idea, and I’ll adjust the patrol patterns to ensure you have sufficient manpower to guard this compound.” 

 

“Thank you, Lieutenant.”  Yusan looked towards the walls of the Stockyards, just visible above the surrounding buildings of the Slums and wondered, “I still don’t understand why the Stockyards were willing to let us have a daily load, now we know who was behind all of this?” 

 

Amani shrugged, “they probably thought they could influence a few hearts and minds with charitable support, even though they were behind this entire mess?  When you’re hungry any food is welcome, people don’t tend to ask why others are willing to provide it.” 

 

Yusan sighed, “that makes sense.  At least the skyrails are now back in operation and the main shortages are coming to an end.  Once the Stockyards are cleared out, maybe the city can move on?” 

 

“I damn well hope so,” Amani laughed, “I never expected to see the Families working together like this, I want to get back to dealing with their not-so-nice sides!” 

 

Yusan was confused, “what do you mean?” 

 

“Very shortly, I’m going to have to meet the Seeker, alongside the Dons.  The Mayor has granted me permission to be his representative to get the Seeker into the tunnels below the Stockyards.  I have his code for an access gate.” 

 

Yusan looked at James and told him, “well, in that case, go with the knowledge every inhabitant of the Slums supports you, Seeker.  You’ve done so much to aid us end the food shortages.” 

 

James’ quest log updated again and the burst of EXP made him realise that he’d levelled up twice over the course of the day, before Roz walked over to him and began to escort him out of the Compound, through the main gate and back along the path through the Slums towards the Stockyards, before stopping just prior to the junction and pointing ahead.  “Look James, all the phasing is officially over, you’ve done it.”  He smiled and began to set his form back to Hexacast, but Roz stopped him, “we’re also complete for the day, we can have a rest day tomorrow.  There’s a lot to process and discuss and you’ll be alone on the day after while Luzee is at my side, it’s time to cross the Sewer Temple.” 

 

He thought about the name, “it sounds lovely.” 

 

Reece laughed, “it’s only a name....  The way you enter it, that’s all, I really enjoyed designing it and the architecture is something special.” 

 

Roz nodded, “si.  I love the place too.” 

 

Gayle phased her window in, “if we’re wrapping up, I’ll start shutting down my system, as I know it’s a rest day tomorrow.” 

 

Roz looked up at her, “si, grazie Gayle.” 

 

Gayle checked her own equipment a moment and asked, “do you want me to rope Omar in for the day after, with the logging for the Temple?” 

 

Roz thought a moment, before deciding, “no, I don’t think he’ll need to be directly involved.  But you’ll probably be best alerting him to the run, just in case there’s a problem and we need his help?” 

 

Gayle made a few notes, “that seems like the most sensible idea.”  She turned her window to James and asked, “are you laying bets on what class it is this time?” 

 

James thought and decided, “I’m happy with either class....” 

 

Reece made his choice, “since I’m your trainer, I’d like to see Quadroguard.” 

 

Roz laughed, “besides, we still haven’t figured out how to tell Terrani she’s not going to be your trainer!” 

 

James shivered while Reece told him, “you better spend tomorrow thinking of a solution....” 

 

He smiled back while Roz checked her messages, “we’ll have a chance in the morning, since Apollo and Luzee are expecting some more training, and that means Emilie will be hovering around.” 

 

James smiled, “maybe she will have an idea of how to resolve this?” 

 

Roz agreed, “we’ll make sure we chat to her and get things straight.” 

 

Gayle laughed, “so long as I’m not the one breaking the bad news to Terrani!” 

 

They all giggled while Roz closed her interface and told them, “Luzee will be out on her shift a little longer, but Terrani is heading home.” 

 

Reece came over and kissed her, before saying, “that means I can do the same.  I’m going back to The Enclave as I need to meet Bel’ when he comes out from his shift.  We’re going to arrange a get-together with Toby and have a catch up.” 

 

“Okay,” Roz replied, “I’ll see you in a few days then, don’t forget it’s date night….”   

 

Reece blew her a kiss as he phased out and James set his own Fast-Travel while asking, “are you planning to let me do some painting tomorrow?” 

 

Roz smiled and told him, “si.  After training, you need some serious rest and some relaxation ahead of doing your dungeon run, painting seems like a good idea to kick back and de-stress.” 

 

“I’m glad, I have images in my head, things I want to paint....” 

 

“But you know that’s not how it works when you actually put the brush to the canvas?” 

 

He nodded, “I know.  But having the images there is important too, since whatever I paint, I have images to start from.” 

 

“What images are they?” 

 

“They’re weird, faces, places....  The only thing I can say is that is that they’re all related to Chorsia.” 

 

“Related, in what way?” 

 

He admitted, “I’m not sure, but the lighting is always gloomy and oppressive, while the images outside always seem to be swathed in rain...” 

 

Gayle began to close her window, but she told them, “Reece gave me his details on the raid, and the fact there didn’t seem to be any heavy military involvement.” 

 

Roz looked up at the window, “did it help?” 

 

Gayle nodded, “it sure did.  It seems the C.A.S.U. get the big guns out whenever they can, so the raid you were at seems small-scale James.  I have a rather tangible hit in the logs that points to an event about twenty months ago....  I’m going to do some more investigations and get back to you.” 

 

“Grazie Gayle, if you need more information, you know how to reach us.” 

 

Gayle nodded and told them, “if I don’t talk to you before, I’ll see you on the day after.  Bye....” 

 

They returned their goodbyes as the window closed and Roz joined James in setting her Fast-Travel system, “let’s get out of here and wind down in the garden.” 

 

“I cannot wait....  I feel pretty tired tonight.” 

 

“It’s been a busy few-days, the story in Imelda doesn’t offer many breaks, does it?” 

 

He agreed, “no, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun!” 

 

“That it is, although now you have a problem....” 

 

“I do?” 

 

Roz laughed, “you can’t escape the dance floor forever James, it’s just opened for you now the phasing is over!” 

 

James responded with a nervous laugh himself, before replying, “how the heck do I take Terrani on a date with things as they are?” 

 

Roz smiled, “I’m sure Reece wouldn’t mind a double-date?” 

 

James began to fade out and decided, “I can work with that,” as he vanished.... 

Edited September 4, 2022 by Uncle Sikee Atric

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Thirty Four :  

 

He pulled the door closed as he left and made sure he locked it behind him, before descending a few flights of stairs in a covered communal area and left the complex, walking into the rain and covering his head with a hood.    

  

James spent a moment checking his comms device and walked a short distance further, out onto a small service access road, before pausing and waiting a moment as a nondescript vehicle slowed to a halt by him and he heard the sound of a door unlocking.  He carefully opened the door and sat inside as it began to pull away.  The car slid back into traffic and there was a short period of silence between them as the rain pounded constantly onto the roof, before James noted, “you took a chance being so direct with this meeting?”  

  

The figure operating the vehicle was broken, fuzzy and blurred, and the reply back was similarly malformed and barely understandable as it was distorted badly, “it’s worth it, you’re in!  I have your ticket, but I need to spend some time with you to help you assume an alias....”  

  

“Is this for tomorrow,” James asked, the excitement in his voice very obvious?  

  

The figure passed him a name card that had an image of his real identity, matching the one Shizuka had shown him from the Missing Persons register, then he passed him another card, “it’s loaded with enough cash to get a nice suit.  Something to convince them you’re genuine....”  

  

James looked at the name on the identity card, “Bayder Fayrebancs?”  

  

The figure laughed at him, “look, it was the best I could do!”  

  

The images began to fade as he asked, “so, who am I?”  

  

He didn’t find out, because he opened his eyes onto his room at the Retreat and could hear his interface buzzing irritably at him.  He silenced it with a tap and began to process the images he had recalled, especially since these were not silent and it was clearly recounting something of his past life.  The giveaway clue of the rain making it clear it was Chorsia....  

  

He rose from his bed, making it behind him and checked his interface for the actual time.  Since this was a rest day, there was not as much of a rush to get moving, instead, he took a cup of Instant Water onto his balcony and sat with Grayson’s Diary momentarily.  The chapter he picked to read was one that was talking about the limitations of the memory recovery process.  Grayson was quite open about his thoughts and recollections, telling James he was not alone with being limited by a fragmented memory.  While he was writing this section, Grayson was clearly restricted with his own broken memory and struggling to recall something he felt was important, but he described a thin wall holding him back.  Something he knew he would smash his way through when the time was right, but for now the key pieces were just out of his reach....  

  

He looked up from the passage to discover Roz opening the gate onto his balcony and he greeted her, before taking a sip of his drink and discovering it tasted quite sweet and sugary, but didn’t have an unpleasant taste.  Roz took a cup herself from his room, and tasted it as she sat on the chair by the chess board.  “Good morning, James.  Sleep well?”  

  

He nodded as he placed the book down, “I dreamed something, but otherwise it was quite relaxing and very refreshing.  After the fatigue I sensed last night, I feel much better this morning.”  

  

Roz smiled, “I feel a lot better myself,” and she placed her drink down.  “That’s helping as well, it’s really tasty today.”  James nodded and rested his hand on the book, making Roz ask him, ”are you reading Grayson's Diary?”  

  

He nodded, “I normally read a passage or two every time I get an opportunity.”  

  

“Which piece were you reading just now?”  

  

“It was a section about his own memory, and the wall between him and the missing detail....”  

  

“Like you in many ways?”  

  

“I was making the same comparison.”  

  

Roz smiled, “one day soon, you’ll actually meet Grayson.”  

  

“I will?”  

  

Roz nodded, “He’s one of the community leaders within Imelda.  It’s his task to oversee the rest areas in the surrounding regions and manage the rotas for the staff posted to each of them.  He’s quite a jovial character, you’ll like him.”  

  

“He seems quite different when he talks in the book?”  

  

“He’s not that person anymore, in many ways, he was like you when he composed the majority of the diary, but the real Grayson comes forward as he reaches the end of the book.”  Roz tapped her cup and asked, “what do you think today?”  

  

James looked at his own cup and replied, “I’m not normally too fond of the sweeter versions, but this one is lovely.  It makes me think it’s apricot, or peach?”  

  

Roz took another sip and decided, “you’re right, it’s like a ripe apricot.”  Placing the cup down, she opened her notes in her interface and asked him, “do you want to talk about your dream, while we’re sat and relaxing?”  

  

He nodded, calming his breath and she began to enter details into her logs.  “It must have been Chorsia, it was raining badly and I left my apartment, I think?”  

  

Roz looked up, “is this a direct recollection?”  

  

James thought a moment, before nodding, “from what I remember, it seems only the small detail is slightly different, just pasted-over by other memories I’ve recovered.”  

  

Roz returned to her interface, “please, continue....”  

  

He did as she suggested, “I think I got into some sort of vehicle and it set off into traffic, before the driver gave me an identity card with a fake name upon it.  He’d clearly used some trick to get me into somewhere, but I don’t know where?”  

  

“Did you recall the assumed name?”  

  

He shook his head, “it came out as Bayder Fayrebancs, clearly my other experiences clouded it.  It was the same with the identity photo as it was the one Shizuka gave me from the Missing Person report....”  

  

Roz looked disappointed, “that’s a shame.  It might have led to another clue?”  

  

He shrugged, “sadly that’s gone....  I asked who I was supposed to be, but I never got an answer, I woke up.”  

  

Roz finished making adjustments to her notes, while looking at what James had described to her with an interest as to the overall memory.  “This is all new detail....”  

  

He nodded, agreeing with her, “it feels new to me.  I’ve never experienced such clandestine actions in my past, so directly.  With my memories of the police raid, I was still myself, but here, there were assumed names, a cash card with enough cash loaded onto it to obtain a new suit....”  

  

Roz adjusted her notes, “did you say a nice suit?”  He nodded and Roz noted, “you didn’t mention another card before, did that have a name on it?”  

  

He tried to recall the specific detail, but finally shook his head, “sorry, no....  The card was plain and grey, it almost blended into the background.  If it had a name etched upon it, I cannot see the detail.”  

  

Roz finished adding this to the log, while noting, “it’s good you recalled it, maybe the name will come in time?”  

  

“Maybe....”   

  

“What is curious is the actual detail....  You have memories of quaffing drinks at a posh cocktail party, is this linked to that?”  

  

James hadn’t made this connection and now he fell silent.  He thought long and hard about the possibility, before deciding, “it could be, but I cannot be sure?”  

  

Roz finished her water and decided, “we can discuss this later James, because Apollo has just left me a message, telling me both he and Luzee are already waiting in the gym for us.”  

  

James smiled and finished his own drink, while noting, “I need some exercise, it will help distract me.”  

  

They disposed of their cups and left James’ room, heading out into the corridor and through the building interior, before descending the stairs and entering the gym.  James watched as Emilie and Apollo were facing off against each other with the sounds of a viscous duel flaring between them both, while Luzee was stood on the side lines, enjoying the sight of the swirling combat as they ducked back and forth.      

  

Apollo went for a dash-charge attack covering the distance between themselves, while Emilie ducked aside and avoided his rapid assault, before charging her own attack and using the velocity to start slamming against his shield.  Apollo reacted by charging a secondary, defensive attack, blasting Emilie clear and giving him a moment to deliver a few free slashes from his chakrams, before Emilie recovered and countered, delivering a jarring left hook that knocked Apollo away from the force of the hit.  He shook his head and checked his right cheek with his hand, giving the impression the impact had rocked him a little.  

  

Emilie grinned at Apollo but lowered her guard and phased her gloves out as she saw James and Roz approaching.  Apollo saw her reaction and turned his head himself, before dropping his own guard and phasing his chakrams out.  The two of them walked from the mat and joined Luzee, Emilie asking, “qui a gagné?”  

  

Luzee thought for a moment, before admitting, “you both made some silly mistakes, especially you Apollo. You practically let Emilie have a free hit with that last left hook!”  

  

Apollo grunted, acknowledging his mistake, before looking at James, “good to see you, ready for your training?”  

  

James nodded, but raised his hand, nervously saying, “I have to request something first, before we begin...”  Roz and Luzee watched impassively while the others gave questioning looks, and James finally gathered enough confidence to ask, “Emilie, I am running the Sewer Instance tomorrow and I have two classes let to unlock.  Reece has agreed to be my Qudroguard trainer, but will you train me as a Pentafist when I unlock that class?”  

  

Emilie smiled happily, “oui, of course.”  But she also looked a little questioning as she noted, “I would think you would be asking Terrani for such a role?”  

  

“I was going to, but I just don’t think she’d be able to separate her feelings from the training.  Even when I’ve sparred with her in the past, I just never thought her heart was willing, no matter how much I asked for her to do so?”  

  

Emilie nodded, “I understand, sometimes it can be difficult to put aside personal feelings for professional duties.”  

  

James emitted a sigh of relief, before admitting, “now all I have to do is work out how on earth I break the news to Terrani?”  

  

Emilie laughed, “I’ll do that, I already know how to placate her.”  

  

“You do?”  

  

“Oui, Lea is meeting her later today for a chat, and I’m going to be there, I’ll talk to her then.”  

  

James smiled, “thank you Emilie.  I had no idea how to break the news to her?”  

  

Apollo coughed slightly, breaking the conversation, and asked with a slightly embarrassed tone, “can we start?”  

  

James grinned and reformed in his Spheromancer garb, “of course, we don’t have all day.”  

  

Apollo took his place alongside him while Luzee repositioned on the opposite side of the mat.  Apollo gave James a smirk as he summoned a fixed target bot and announced to him, “you’re going to have fun James, you’re already practised some of the lower-level charge attacks with Emilie, but today, Luzee is going to aid you to build your charge meter, and you’re going to have some experiments with the top-tier attacks.  In doing this, you’re going to learn how to maximise them.”  

  

James was happy, “I’ve been looking forward to this,” then he looked up at Luzee.  “I promise I’ll do everything I can to keep you out of the attacks.”  

  

Luzee laughed in reply, “don’t worry, you’re going to be doing some damage limitation exercises with me, and Apollo is going to be taking a few hits himself.  I’ll consider that fair revenge.”  

  

Apollo glared at her, “why can’t you summon a bot?”  

  

“I might, if I don’t end up getting caught up in these attacks....”  

  

Apollo decided he better do his utmost to avoid that happening and the three of them began to rehearse their sparring, with Luzee and James exchanging salvos of projectiles, then James aiming all his charge attacks into the willing target bot.  He was clearly reveling in the sheer bliss of engaging these high-level abilities and enjoying the way his body took over and engaged the attack when they were activated.  He was clearly looking for ways to employ his own flair and finesse to the flourishes and movements, in much the same way he did when he activated them as a Triblader.  

  

Emilie meanwhile waited until both her and Roz were not being noticed, and pulled her away to the side, as they were doing during every training session.  They sat together for a moment, Roz checking her notes and Emilie watching James as he learned the movements of the Ragnarok attack, before Emilie broke the silence and admitted, “I’m a little taken aback.”  

  

“Cosa l’ha causato?”  

  

“It’s the fact James asked me to become a trainer, I never thought I would have to do it?”  

  

Roz thought, “Apollo has done an amazing job, and not let his own opinion influence the process.  I’m sure you’ll be able to do the same.”  

  

Emilie replied with a genuinely happy smile, “I’m just proud that James asked me to do this, especially because I really thought he’d ask Terrani?”  

  

Roz watched James as he experimented further, before admitting, “he wants to be able to fight and when he dueled Terrani, he felt like she couldn’t commit to hurting him, even though it was a training session.”  

  

“Do you agree with that overview?”  

  

Roz kept a straight face as she replied, “I’m not making any comment.”  

  

They both giggled together as Emilie decided, “that’s a ‘oui,’ then....”  

  

“I did notice her reluctance myself.  James had to tell her to not hold back, and she clearly did during the first duel, which did annoy her.  She should have swatted him aside at first and she failed to do that.  It was only come their second face-off, once Terrani had realised the problem herself, did she really start to challenge him.”  

  

Emilie nodded, “he needs a trainer that will not do that from the very start.  I’ll tell her that later, and she’ll probably accept his reasoning.”  

  

Roz agreed, “he’s really nervous of her temper.”  

  

“Aren’t we all,” Emilie laughed?  

  

Roz smiled in reply, “he’s not been around her enough to know how to handle her, so far....  They might have deep feelings for each other, but he still needs kid gloves for that part of her personality, and Terrani is purposefully holding her temper back to help him with his memories.  I don’t think it will affect their long-term future, but a little more time together and he’ll know more.”  

  

Emilie asked, “how are they going to spend some more time together, especially at the moment?”  

  

“He’s cleared the Imelda phasing and the entire city is open, Terrani is determined to get him to the nightclub soon, and although it might not be our ideal date, I’m sure Reece wouldn’t mind double-dating once or twice, especially if we throw in a meal as well?”  

  

“I haven’t seen you strut your stuff in a long time Roz,” Emilie giggled, “but it would be worth it to see how much of a dancer James is?”  

  

Roz smiled, “he’s convinced he’s terrible, I’m not so sure?”  

  

“Pourquoi?”  

  

“You’ve seen his skill at painting....”  

  

“Oui, he’s got a real talent.  The image of Pnkayz was haunting and equally beautiful.”  

  

Roz nodded, “given his creativity in general, he’ll be better at dancing than he thinks.”  

  

Emilie grinned, “probably better than my own skill....”  

  

“Have you been dating again?”  

  

“Oui, we went to a wedding reception, for one of Julian’s work colleagues.”  

  

Roz commented, “that must have been fun?”  

  

“It was, but it did highlight a few points for us.”  

  

“What were they?”  

  

Emilie laughed, “the sheer amount of planning involved for hosting a wedding!  It was sobering, for both of us.”  

  

“Had you not really thought about it before?”  

  

Emilie shook her head, “non, we hadn’t.  A brief chat to them revealed the reality, and made us decide a few things too.”  

  

“What have you agreed?”  

  

“We’ve decided to try and set our own wedding for around eighteen months from now, which has also made us start to look for suitable venues.”  

  

“Have you found any?”  

  

“Oui, a few....  We’re planning to have a day off together and go to view them, we just hope they have space for us to reserve?”  

  

Roz took a moment to consider this herself, “in all honesty, do we have somewhere like that here?”  

  

Emilie paused a moment to think, “outside of places like the nightclub in Imelda, or the new year festivities at The Envclave, do we have a place for us to just have a party like that?”  She took a minute to ponder this, before deciding, “we don’t, do we?”  

  

Roz eventually shook her head, “we’ve never really thought about it, have we?”  

  

“Non....  I guess we could employ the town hall in Homestedt, or the hall at the Retreat, but it’s not big enough for all of us?  The Arenas could hold an event, but they’re always busy?”  

  

Roz thought, “why did we get side-tracked, thinking about this?”  

  

Emilie giggled, “I don’t know, thinking of a massive party for your own wedding Roz?”  

  

Roz laughed softly, before replying, “I’m not wanting a huge event, but no doubt Reece will be wanting to make a scene, just to show those that doubted us that we’ve stuck together all this time!”  

  

Emilie laughed, “just make sure the two of you tie the knot before I sign out.  I want to celebrate it with you!”  

  

“Only if I get to meet Julian?”  

  

Emilie grinned, “I can work with that offer....  He’s still eager to come in game and meet you all, it’ll be nice to have him with me at an event like that.  I won’t have to hide what’s happening outside of the game any longer.”  

  

“Is it still, only the select few who know?”  

  

“Oui....  I’m just a little apprehensive in case he doesn’t understand who and what you are, or struggles to accept you in the way I do?”  

  

“I was that way about Gayle when I first met her....  She proved her acceptance, I’m sure Julian will too.”  

  

“If anyone can make him understand, Lea will woo him in seconds!”  

  

They shared a giggle as Luzee began to wave them over and they stood and approached the little training session before Roz spoke, “Luzee?”  

  

“What is it?”  

  

“We’ve figured something out....”  

  

“What’s that?”  

  

“Where can we go to host big party, or a get-together?”  

  

Luzee stopped and took a moment to consider this question, even looking at Apollo for an idea, before she decided, “there is nowhere is there?  Not for a really big gathering....  We took the Promenade over for the memorial and that was a planning nightmare, especially at short notice.”  

  

Emilie pointed out, “we need somewhere, don’t we?”  

  

Apollo asked, “but where, space is always at a premium?”  

  

For a moment they gazed between themselves, before James nervously noted, “what about the Slums Testing Area?  It’s a big open circle, with numerous areas beneath it.   And you said it was too busy nearby, meaning you abandoned the testing there?”  

  

Luzee was instantly noting the suggestion down, “that’s a really good thought....  A private party area, a special event dueling venue, even an in-game concert site or hosting an open-air dance festival.  There are all sorts of events we could run there, and it’ll stop it being abandoned.”  

  

James was rather surprised, “do you honestly think that would work?”  

  

“I don’t see why not?  The place has been a problematic eyesore for a few years, but it’s useful real estate we should be considering.  Putting that idea to the Trust might help sway a few other minds as well?  Especially since I’m having ideas about schematics, templates and possible event layouts already....”  Luzee was genuinely taken with the idea.  

  

Apollo coughed slightly, “so long as you don’t expect us to be providing round the clock security for your plans....”  

  

Luzee closed her interface down and giggled, “sorry, I got distracted.  But it’s a good way to solve multiple problems.  I’ll pass the suggestion on and we can compose a few ideas among our Dev Team, if they like it as well, we can consider a formal request to the Trust.  They’re beginning to think about getting back to new content and coordinating with the Moderators over the few areas we know Gher-Laine have managed to seize, so they’ve been contained for now....”  James took the chance to switch to Hexacast, while Apollo backed off and adopted a ready pose on the mat.  But Luzee noted, “I want both you and Emilie to assist here.”  
  

Emilie was a little surprised, “you do?”  

  

“Your sparring was inspiring, and I had a thought we can use to give James some real tricks about his timing and damage management.  Can I try it?”  

  

“Oui,” Emilie confirmed, “I’m actually rather curious....”   

  

Luzee grinned and set to work with some rather complex coding in the interface, while the others watched a moment....  

  

----------  

  

They were walking through the gardens a little later in the day, discussing what had actually been quite an ingenious and inspiring training routine for James to learn his Hexacast abilities.  What Luzee did was to mimic the positioning and actions of the target bot to either Emilie or Apollo as they sparred together, meaning James had to handle an unpredictable foe, which was further complicated when she erected a blind screen across the training mat, separating the two combats.  James was forced to work out how the bot was reacting and develop tricks that his Hexacast could use to counter it, while Emilie and Apollo sparred together and dueled into what became quite a grudge match!    

  

In the end, to prove the idea was solid, even Roz and Luzee had sparred a little, letting James try to figure out some of their tactics, while proving the trick worked as a proof of concept for anyone dueling.  Apollo was so impressed, he insisted the routine be saved so they use it again, while Emilie promised to bring Lea along, providing James with a slightly different style of opponent to face in the future.  

  

Roz and James turned into the courtyard at the rear of the Admin Building, where two painting easels and other equipment were already placed, waiting for them.  James looked happily at the setup and decided, “I need this....  There are a lot of images flashing around in my head, I have to put at least one of them on this canvas, to see what my mind is trying to tell me?”  

  

Roz smiled and collected a brush for herself, “I’m not going to try and probe your thoughts today, James.”  

  

“You’re not?”  

  

She shook her head, “it might be effective, but it’s quite strenuous on your mind as well.  We’ve been so busy these last few days with Port Imelda, we both need some time out to wind down and just relax.  This is part of that, and your imagination will still create images for you to process, without extra pressure upon it.”  

  

As he studied the two canvasses and decided to select the smaller one for his own work, he fell silent for a moment, before asking, “what are you going to paint?”  

  

“I don’t know,” Roz replied after a while?  

  

“Have you not thought about it?”  

  

Roz admitted, “I haven’t even thought about my options.  All I know is, I feel like painting something more abstract than a still life and I don’t think I need any sort of model or detail for that?”  

  

James began to pipe some colours onto a palette and grinned, “The images have stopped swirling a little and they’re settling on one.  It’s starting to peek through the mist, allowing me to see it a little clearer.”  

  

“Well then I’ll leave you to paint James, I’m just going to paint a series of abstract patterns....”  

  

James nodded and fell silent, making his first swirling flourishes onto the canvas and his expression becoming fixated as he did so.  Roz just let him paint and focused on her own work, occasionally glancing across to make sure he was okay and still focused on his painting, but she had purposely placed herself so she couldn’t see the picture he was forming, it was private to him, until he was ready to reveal it.  

  

They spent a few hours in silence, both concentrating on their own pieces and taking their time to make their works complete.  Roz finished first, her canvas nothing more than a series of watercolour shapes, patterns and distortions, which she was quite happy with as it was quite different to her usual choices and skills.  She put her palette down and perched on the edge of the fountain, before looking at James and noticing he was still totally glazed over.  Instead, she opened her notes and took some time to add additional detail, compile others and generally clean up the mess of notes that James was producing as his memory and actions began to piece together.  

  

It took another half an hour or so, but James seemed to flinch and look up from his work, the movement catching Roz’s eye and making her lower her notes.  “Hai finito?”  

  

James looked at his canvas, “I think so...  But it’s not what I saw at all, in fact....”  He fell silent and blushed, looking up at Roz and trying to shy away from what he was saying.  

  

Roz pretended not to notice as she revealed her own picture to him.  “It was easy for me, I just let my mind create this design.  I didn’t want anything but to be totally freeform and I’m happy with this.  It’s quite unusual for me, although I’m not going to save it.”  

  

James didn’t reply at first, instead, it took a moment for him to admit, “I wasn’t expecting this picture?”  

  

“What is it?”  

  

He tried to deflect, “it’s nothing, really....  I want to destroy it, I hate it, to be honest!”  

  

Roz could sense he wasn’t telling the truth instantly, “what’s wrong?”  

  

He surrendered to her response, “I’m just, totally shocked.  This is not what my mind was considering at all!”  

  

“Can I see it, please?”  James took a huge breath and finally nodded, letting Roz rise from her perch on the lip of the fountain and move over to stand by James’ shoulder.  She glanced down at his work and instantly asked him, “why would want to destroy this, it’s beautiful?”  

  

“It’s horrible!”  

  

“Is it your heart or your mind that has made you compose that reaction?”  

  

James looked at her, before looking back at the canvas.  He had created an image of the fountain in front of him but perched upon it was a perfect representation of the rear view of Terrani, clothed in her usual long, flowing dress and boots, with her hair spilling down her back and her hand gently brushing the surface of the water.  He glanced over the image for a moment before heaving a sigh, “I really don’t know where this image came from?”  

  

“It doesn’t matter where it came from James, it’s utterly spellbinding!”  

  

“Do you really think it is,” he asked with some interest?  

  

Roz admitted, “you have a skill I’ve barely seen before.  I’d almost think it was a photograph still, if I didn’t know you had painted it in front of me.”  

  

James took one look at the picture and tried to see it with her critical eye.  “I just can’t see it in that way….  I was thinking of nothing but the rain of Chorsia, the swirling images of faces, places and actions I performed while I was there.  Why has Terrani taken over those thoughts and appeared like this?”  

  

“I’m not sure, but I do have to ask one thing.  Can Terrani see this painting, please James?”  

  

“What?  No!”  

  

“Why not?”  

  

“I don’t want her to see this, not like this, no way!”  

  

“What do you mean, why not James?”  

  

He paused and studied the picture, “I’m still trying to work out why she’s here, not the rains, or another face, but this?”  

  

Roz thought for a moment, “your feelings and confessed love for her?”  

  

He shook his head, “it’s not that, I know that much….”  

  

It took a moment before she quoted something to him.  “You must never stop holding her?”  

  

He stopped and turned to look at her.  Now he could hear that message from the Guardian in his ears and he couldn’t stop it either.  “You’re right….  That message, that’s why she’s here.”  

  

James fell silent while Roz watched him carefully, before asking him, “are you hearing the message again, now?”  

  

He nodded, “it was like a premonition....  Exact words the Guardian deliberately chose to say, I still do not know why though?”  

  

“I’m sorry to ask, but what exactly were his words?”  

  

“Do I have to say them?”  

  

Roz nodded, “I understand your hesitation, but I think you have to do.  If not for your own frame of mind, for your own ability to comprehend what the message means?”  

  

James sighed carefully, thinking about Roz’s skill and training and the way it made her choose precisely the correct words to make him agree.  He sighed and finally told her, “she’s told you her feelings and you’re happy, just don’t ever stop holding her. Soon she will need you to protect her, more than she will ever admit....”  

  

Roz returned her gaze to the picture, “was that what he told you?”  

  

“Word for word....  I cannot get them out of my head, they’re always there, spinning around with the images.”  

  

Roz took the time to study the image again, “every time I look at this picture, I see more detail, more style, and more of you James....”  

  

“Me?”  

  

She nodded, “your character is depicted perfectly in this image.  It’s all there, from the confusion created by the missing fragments of your memory, all the way through to the forensic attention to detail.”  

  

James looked at the picture and after a moment, admitted, “I only said I wanted to destroy the picture out of embarrassment.”  

  

Roz nodded, “I knew that straight away....  What do you really think?”  

  

James looked at his work and took a moment, before confessing, “I love it, it’s amazing....  I can’t believe I painted this, really, I can’t.”  

  

“Are you actually proud of the picture,” Roz asked with curiosity?  

  

He took a moment to process her question, before deciding, “yes, I am....”  

  

“Then show her.  Let her see this and admire what it represents.”  

  

James shied off, “she’ll hate it....”  

  

“How do you know?”  

  

“I know her, she hates things like this.”  

  

Roz soothed him, “she can surprise you....”  

  

He looked at the picture and sighed, “fine....  Let her see it.”  

  

There was a pause before Roz suggested quietly, “maybe you should ask her?”  

  

James mumbled something under his breath that suggested a few, choice curse words for Roz, but opened his D-Link interface and accessed Terrani’s details.  For a few rings there was silence, making James even more nervous, but then Terrani answered, “hello my love, it’s been a few days, how have you been?”  

  

He blushed a little, clearly nervous about how she was going to react.  But he kept his composure and asked, “I’ve been fine, but I was just wondering if you were free for a few moments?”  

  

“Of course.  I’ve just been spending some time having a Q. and A. session at Luke’s, I need some time out after that....  Where are you?”  

  

“We’re in the courtyard behind the Retreat Admin Building.”  

  

“I’m on my way, see you shortly,” and with that comment, she blew him a kiss as the D-Link closed.  

  

James turned back to Roz, noting that while he had been talking, she had carefully rotated the easel, to hide it from the entrance.  “Well, I’m in for it now,” he muttered....  

  

Roz raised her hand and indicated for James to join her again to view the picture, “give Terrani a chance to see it.  Please don’t cloud her judgement with your own?”  

  

“I just don’t understand.  Why now, why is she here, why did I focus on the message about her?”  

  

“Is it playing on your mind that much?”  

  

James studied the lines on the picture, trying to pick apart the low-lighting of Sapphire Ridge and the way it influenced his picture.  “It shouldn’t be, she’s safe and happy.  Why did the Guardian tell me that statement?”  

  

Roz admitted, “I don’t know?  I’ve only seen this version of the Guardian and his actions though Luzee’s feed.  I admit I’m worried about facing him myself, but I will have to accept I will at some point in the future.  I’m still terrified about what he will show me from my own history, detail I hoped I’d forgotten forever, or would ever have to see?”  

  

James understood, recalling the fact that the Guardian had shown him Reece in the frame, while Luzee had her back turned, then the image of Terrani also drifted in his mind, adding to his sense of uncertainty.  “I’ve seen images I shouldn’t have access to, and the only other person who has is Sergey.  He made sure Gayle stayed facing away while he kept watching the activity.  I assume he was shocked; he was pretty much silent all the time Luzee was turned away.”  

  

Roz sighed, “the truth is, his words have influenced you.  This painting is the result, and no matter how that makes you feel, you have to accept it’s an amazing piece.  I see new detail every time I look at it.  Like now I can see the slight detail in her dress, and I know it looks plain from a distance.”  

  

James agreed, but was forced to ask, “how did I make this in such a short frame of time?”  

  

Roz thought, before replying, “you were working at a furious pace!”  

  

“But that should mean I was sloppy, this is insane!”  

  

Roz postulated, “is it possible you detach your mind from the process?  You semi-consciously pick an image, then just disconnect from the actual painting letting your body make the result, like it is printing it?”  

  

James raised his eyebrows, “maybe?  It’s like I don’t have any input....  I don’t even see the image being made; it just happens.”  

  

Roz recalled, “when I questioned your mind the last time you painted, it did feel like I was only talking to the memory part of it.  You were hollow and empty, quite unlike you normally are.”  James mused over this, while Roz jokingly added, “not that you’re cold and calculated all the time anyway....”  

  

“Hey!”  

  

Roz laughed, “I’m joking....”  

  

James giggled a little, “I knew you were....”  

  

A new voice asked, “what are you laughing about?”  

  

James looked up to see Terrani enter the courtyard, and instantly began to blush again from his nerves flaring up, noting she was dressed identically to his painting, although she had her ponytail in.  Roz greeted her, “ciao Terrani, thanks for coming.”  

  

She smiled back and breathed deeply, “I needed some time out, people can be so demanding, and some of their questions can be, shall we say, draining?”  

  

“What have you been doing,” Roz inquired?  

  

“I’ve been hosting a Q. and A. at Luke’s, ahead of the election.”  

  

“Ah, electioneering?”  

  

“I suppose you could call it that, there were quite a few faces there and they all seemed happy.  They were not just Class 1’s either, I had quite a broad spectrum of faces in the audience.”  
  

James stayed silent, while Roz continued, “that must have felt nice?”  

  

“It did, until someone brought up a still of me at the Summit Rest-Area, arm-in-arm with James as we headed for the rooms!”  

  

“Oh, didn’t you know about that picture, Emilie was monitoring the spread and comments related to it?”  

  

“How did it happen?”  

  

Roz sighed, “we have to assume it was one of those around the terminal, watching the screen.  Last I heard, no one had identified James, although there were a few comments suggesting you were lucky and they quite liked him themselves....  It was all gossip and chit-chat, on an isolated corner of our boards?”  

  

James stayed quiet, further embarrassed by this news, while Terrani sighed, “thankfully I managed to get out of a corner by telling them all I was keeping my public and private life very separated, and that he was wishing to keep his anonymity.  All I told them was that he’s a Triblader..”  

  

Roz breathed a little, “at least they don’t know your real name, or your status James, if we think there’s a problem, a quick class-switch should help to keep you concealed.”  

  

He was still a little shocked by this news, but managed to stutter, “keeping out of sight during the progression days just got a lot harder....”   

  

Terrani sighed, “I know, I’m sorry....  I’ve tried as much as possible to keep you out of that side of my life.”  

  

Roz smiled, “well, it won’t stop you accompanying us Terrani, we’ll just have to try and be together on days where we are isolated.  After the Sewer Dungeon, we have the Shifting Dunes to deal with and we both know how lonely and isolated it is out there.  So, are you up for joining us on the day after?”  

  

“Of course, I am,” she replied as she moved over to James and kissed him on the cheek.  “I’m already looking forward to some time out, and since you’re running the dungeon tomorrow, I can spend some time in the office, catching up on paperwork.”   

  

James took the chance to hold her hand and he gripped it tightly, feeling the warmth and comfort it offered as he admitted, “it’s just so nice to see you....”  

  

She squeezed his hand back and asked him, “what’s wrong?”  

  

“I’ve been painting....”  

  

She looked at the easels and laughed, “I can tell.”  Looking at Roz’s abstract design, she noted, “what you’ve pained is, different....”  

  

Roz smiled, “that’s mine!  James’ is here,” and she pointed at the turned-away easel.  “This is what he wants you to see....”  

  

“Me?  Why me?”  

  

James gripped her hand tighter and admitted, “I didn’t want to, you’ll hate it!”  

  

“I will, what have you painted?”  

  

Roz moved over to the easel and indicated for him to lift the other side, so they could turn the painting to her.  He did as she asked, and asked Terrani, “no hate for me?”  

  

“I promise....”  

  

With no further words, he lifted his side of the easel a few inches off of the floor and Roz moved forward, rotating the painting to Terrani, and they placed it back down in full view of her.  

  

Terrani took a moment to view the work, before moving forward and studying the picture closer.  All the while, she was utterly speechless.  

  

“You hate it, don’t you,” James decided?  

  

“It’s amazing, and so beautifully done....”  

  

James was silent, unsure if she was being truly honest, and as Terrani continued to study the work, Roz asked, “what’s beautiful about it?”  

  

“Everything is, from the shape of the figure and the detail in the clothing, the hair....”  She stopped, realising who it was, “it’s me, you painted me, James?”  

  

He nodded, blushing again as he did so, before he managed to ask, “do you like it?”  

  

She grinned happily, “it’s beautiful.  I adore it, James.”  He breathed a little sigh of relief, but before he could react any further, she had darted in, wrapped him in her arms and was kissing him warmly.  

  

It took him a second to react, but he managed to cuddle her back and wrap her in his own arms, while staying locked in the kiss and enjoying the sensation of the intimacy.  She reciprocated, keeping him there as the kiss lasted for several seconds, before she finally drew her head away, saying, “thank you,” to him....  

  

“What for?”  

  

“The painting is incredible.  How did you paint it?”  

  

He tipped his head forward and admitted, “I don’t know....   I just, painted it?”  

  

She giggled a little, “I guess that’s not important?”  

  

“Not really, no....”  

  

“All that is important is what is shows about your feelings for me,” she leaned in and kissed him again, before saying, “I love you too....”  

  

Roz smiled as she watched them, “he honestly thought you’d hate the picture Terrani.”  

  

She withdrew from the hug and returned to holding his hand, “why would I do that?”  

  

James commented, “I thought you’d hate seeing images of yourself like this?”  

  

“Never,” Terrani decided.  “Even if the subject wasn’t me, this is an incredible piece, James.”  

  

“You really like it that much?”  

  

“I do, I want a copy for my own apartment, I have a print I was thinking of replacing and this will be perfect!”  

  

“That means I have to keep it in my own collection files, are you sure?”  

  

Roz reassured him, you can still keep it private James, but supply Terrani with a link that provides her access to it for her own private spaces.”  

  

James looked at the picture and smiled at it, feeling true happiness with the work for the first time.  “I better pick a simple frame to mount it with, hadn’t I?”  

  

Roz nodded as she destroyed her abstract work, and began to gather up her own items and easel.  “We’ll get your picture scanned, before heading for the garden and a yoga session.”  

  

Terrani moved to help start gathering up the equipment, “you carry your painting James, I’ll help bring the other things with you.”  

  

After a few minutes, they moved off together, returning to the art studio.  

  

----------  

  

They had finished their yoga session and were sat, cross-legged, in the garden, winding down after the relaxing, yet fulfilling session.  He was still processing the fact that Terrani was eager to have her own copy of the painting, and he had promised to supply her access to the image, partly because he wasn’t sure if he wanted to hang it in his own room.  What was surprising was the fact the scanner operator was so taken by the power of the painting; they wanted their own copy of the image!  James had to placate them with the notion that he would consider making it freely available later.  

  

Now they were just relaxing and stretching, following their exercises, and Roz was letting him process his own thoughts and emotions, by silently contemplating her own.  He himself was taken with a small, but growing sense of pride, if another person, instead of the actual one in the image, was wanting to see if they could access it, maybe he did have an ability he was only starting to appreciate himself?  

  

Roz carefully finished her meditation and lifted her head, noting that James was staring past her shoulder, out to the back of the garden, “Che cos’è?”  

  

He didn’t reply for a moment, but finally broke his train of thought, “oh, sorry....”  

  

“What are you considering?  Your eyes were not giving the impression that you were recalling some new memories, so you were clearly thinking about something else?”  

  

He lowered his gaze and thought a little further, before admitting, “I’m conflicted about that picture....”  

  

“Conflicted, how?”  

  

He sighed, “I’m proud of it.  In fact, I’m really proud of it, but I’m also nervous of the message it is telling me in private.”  

  

Roz nodded, “it’s such a powerful, perfect image.  It is truly mesmerising to look at and you have every right to be proud of it.  But I know that message is gnawing at you.  You want to know what you have to do....”  

  

He nodded, “It’s such a quandary.”  

  

“You’ll understand, when the time is right.”  

  

“I just hope it’s not too late....”  He sighed heavily, “what do I have to protect her from?”  

  

Roz mulled over these words, “given the current situation for us, an awful lot.”  

  

“I just wish none of that was hanging over our heads....”  

  

Roz smiled and began to stand, “we all do.  But if none of this had happened, I doubt you’d ever have met Terrani, not until much later anyway, and who knows what the situation between you would have been like at that time?”  

  

James began to copy her, nodding as he did so, “are you saying that it was fate and circumstance that made us meet?”  

  

“Maybe?  All I can say is that you would have met sooner or later, but the circumstances would have been very different.  You could have passed each other by....”  Roz walked James back towards his balcony and he took his seat while Roz drew two cups of Instant Water, before sitting at her place and moving one of her White Knights on the chessboard forward.  

  

James responded with a Pawn, noting, “I rarely start with a Knight move, I find them quite restrictive for the early game.”  

  

Roz smiled, “you know Chess, it’s not all about territory?”  

  

“I know, but I like having some freedom once the board opens up a little.”  

  

James took a sip of his sweet apricot drink, while Roz moved again and asked, “it’s been quiet today, hasn’t it?”  

  

James nodded as he made his next move, “after the last few days, I really needed this.  I feel so much more refreshed.  But....”  

  

“Ma?”  

  

“I’m just, confused....”  Roz began to press forward as he continued.  “It’s that damn message, why did it appear in my painting?”  

  

“It’s still playing on your thoughts?”  

  

“I think it will be for some time....”  

  

James moved again to counter Roz, while she noted, “it seems to have been in the back of your mind all along.”  

  

He nodded as he made his next move, “you’re right of course.  A message like that was always going to be there....”  

  

Roz picked up a Pawn and began an exchange, while commenting, “have you had any more thoughts about your dream?”  

  

He took a moment to consider, and exchanged, before replying, “not....”  He was interrupted by Roz’s D-Link chiming.  “Who could that be?”  

  

Roz checked, “oh, it’s Shizuka....”  

  

James had a moment of dread as Roz answered the call and patched him in greeted her.  “Hi, Shizuka, are you okay?”  

  

Shizuka had a slightly sad expression as she replied, “I’m fine, but I’d rather discuss this face to face, if that is possible.  Where are you currently?”  

  

Roz looked at James and replied, “we’re at the Retreat, on the balcony of James’ room.”  

  

Shizuka nodded, “I know where your room is, can I come to talk to you there?”  

  

James nodded, “yes, of course you can.”  

  

Shizuka smiled over the window, “in that case, see you soon,” and she closed the D-Link.  

  

James looked down at the board, a new expression of sadness on his face.  “It’s been some time....”  

  

Roz agreed, “she must have finally made contact with your family....”  

  

James kept his gaze on the board, but his mind distracted and unable to continue the game momentarily.  “I’m just hoping things went well.”  

  

“Si....  I understand.”  
  

For a while they sat in quiet contemplation, Roz letting James keep his personal thoughts to himself and to mentally prepare for Shizuka’s arrival, and she did so a few moments later, her darker clothing and hair colour a rather sombre comparison to the warmer and brighter appearance of her Evotar sister.  

  

James lifted his head and watched as she silently approached, opening the gate and closing it behind her.  “Ciao,” Roz noted to her.  

  

Shizuka gave a smile back, but stayed quiet for another moment, before looking at their game, “no one told me you like Chess?”  

  

James replied, “I had memories of playing it during my schooldays and Roz suggested this as a way to unwind.”  

  

Roz added, “he’s a good player too.”  

  

Shizuka thought, “I’ll have to challenge you one day James.”  

  

Roz smiled, “he’s not quite ready for that just yet Shizuka,” as she noted to James, “Shizuka plays as well, and normally beats me....”  

  

“It’s hard to find decent competition around here James, but we do have a small Chess group that meets and plays regularly.  You should join us some time?”  

  

“I’d like that,” James confirmed, “another chance to meet more new faces in the time ahead....”  

  

Roz nudged things along, “but that isn’t why you came, is it Shizuka?”  

  

She nodded sadly and sighed, “no, it wasn’t....  I came to tell you I’ve finally managed to contact your family, James.”  

  

He stayed quiet as Roz calmly asked, “have you managed to confirm his death to them?”  

  

“It’s taken so long due to differences in timing.  Indraya is so out of synch with us here James, I ended up having to contact them in our early hours.  But I finally managed to trace and contact Ella.”  

  

There was silence for a moment, before James managed to utter, “how is she?”  

  

Shizuka smiled a little, “she’s fine, but she expected the news I had to deliver....”  Shizuka was sullen herself, before finally saying, “in many ways, I put her worries to rest and confirmed what they already suspected.”  

  

He smiled now, happy that his family had their own worries settled, “what did you tell them?”  

  

Shizuka admitted, “Not much....  I managed to tell them that you had died while working on some freelance work for Instatainment.  I also told them we would provide a generous amount to contribute for a memorial of their choice, as is our company policy, but she told us to donate it to a local charity on Indraya, as she is also going to do with your ‘Missing Person,’ reward.”  

  

James nodded, some memory of his sister coming back as Shizuka had spoken.  “I remember my sister was active in a local charity for children in the fostering system, probably because of our own history.  She would have wanted any funds to go to them.”  

  

Shizuka smiled, “I’ll make sure they receive our donation.”  

  

“Thank you.”  

  

For a moment they all remained quiet, before Roz asked, “what did you tell them of his death?”  

  

Shizuka shuffled awkwardly, “I didn’t tell them very much, only the fact that you had died while under our care.  I didn’t have to relay any of the details, thankfully.”  

  

Roz clarified, “so they don’t know the reality about what James knows?”  

  

“No,” Shizuka confirmed.  “I’ve also confirmed we’ll transfer the few personal possessions the Chorsian Doctor kept.”  

  

“Even I don’t know what they are,” James considered?  

  

“He sent me the list, although there wasn’t much.  Your keys, a wallet, your comms device, a receipt, a few pieces of jewellery and your clothes.  That’s pretty much it....”  

  

James glazed over momentarily and came back, something triggering in his thoughts, “a receipt?”  

  

Shizuka nodded, “He said it was some sort of meal receipt, it almost doubled as a business card....”  

  

Roz paused the conversation, “did you recall something about the receipt James?”  

  

He thought deeper, “there is something....  A name....  Gonzalez, Gurrido?”  

  

Roz carefully pressed him, “can you be a little more specific James?”  

  

He thought a little more, before deciding, “Guerrero, I’m sure it’s Guerrero....”  

  

Shizuka asked, “what made you think of that name?”  

  

He looked down at the board, “I don’t know....  You just mentioned the receipt, and it flashed into my memories.”  

  

Roz asked, “do you want the name checking James?”  

  

For a moment he thought, before asking, “is that possible?”  

  

Shizuka replied, “I can make a few inquiries and searches for the name on Chorsia, I assume it must be related to a business, correct?”  

  

“It is.”  He thought a little further before adding, “a restaurant or bar, I guess?”  

  

There was a pause, before Roz returned to the original discussion.  “Did you manage to ensure you’d keep in touch with Ella?”  

  

Shizuka nodded, “I didn’t give them any real detail as to their loss, but promised I would look into it on their behalf and get back to them with news in a few weeks.”  She looked at James, “!’ll ensure I maintain contact with them, for when the time comes for you to begin the process of contacting them yourself James.”  

  

He smiled, “thank you Shizuka, and thank you again for bringing me back when I was lost....”  

  

She laughed back as the mood lightened, “I still don’t understand what I did?”  

  

He mused, “I was stuck recalling memories that were cascading all around me, but they were all confusing and hiding detail.  I could see and hear the outside world and you gave me the answer as to what I needed to do.  You said, ‘what are you missing?’”  

  

“It helped?”  

  

He nodded, “it told me that every memory was hiding the key information, and I put it all together then, including the detail as to the identity of Krait.”  

  

Shizuka sniffed, “when I get hold of Rizuno....”  
  

Roz raised her hand, “we all feel the same, don’t worry Shizuka!”  

  

“I know,” Shizuka sneered as she backed down.  “I just don’t understand, why did he help them?”  

  

Roz admitted, “I don’t know?  All I can think is, they offered him something he couldn’t refuse....”  

  

“Maybe, although I can’t understand what that could be?”  

  

Roz asked her, “there’s also the question of what do we do with him, once we do catch up with him?”  

  

Now Shizuka was more considered and thoughtful.  “I know we have lockup and such, but we can’t restrict him for years in there?  That’s inhumane, no matter the crime.  No daylight, no sense of time, or anything else.  It’s okay for the usually short periods we use it for, but it would be cruel for an extended period.”  

  

“Nor is straight deletion an answer I’d support,” Roz added.  

  

Shizuka shook her head, “neither would I.  Maybe, back in the early days I would have, but not now.  Too much has changed and it still bites at me that I wanted to do that to Lea and said it out of anger....”  

  

James was a little taken aback, “there’s no real crime and punishment?”  

  

Shizuka told him, “not for situations like this, no.  It’s probably something the Trust will need to establish for the special cases it becomes necessary?  I mean, there’s Tronny, but he’s no prisoner and hasn’t committed any crime, no matter how some feel about his identity,” she fell silent and thoughtful.  

  

Roz noted, “we’ve never had to consider it a problem, even this is a special case....”  

  

James shrugged, “I’m not going to consider it, I’m still new here.”  

  

“We’re all going to have to,” Shizuka admitted, “what is fair to some, will not be to others.  Finding a way to make to make the vast majority happy is going to be tough.”  

  

They were all silent for a moment as they considered the challenges ahead, before James’ D-Link chimed, breaking the atmosphere.  “Oh, who could that be,” he asked?  

  

Roz thought, “after what Emilie said, I think I know....”  

  

James’ face looked a little nervous as he replied, “you’re right, it’s Terrani.”  

  

Shizuka smiled, “in that case, I’ll leave you in peace, but get back to you once I’ve spoken to your family again.”  

  

James smiled and nodded, “thank you for your efforts Shizuka.”  

  

She smiled back. “I’ll see you again soon,” she replied as she set her Fast Travel and faded out.  

  

There was a moment while James prepared himself and Roz gave a knowing grin, before he took a very deep breath and opened his D-Link.  

  

Terrani was staring at him, looking rather unsure, “why didn’t you tell me, why did Emilie have to explain that she’s going to be your Pentafist trainer?”  

  

James shuffled really nervously, “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how?”  

  

“What have we agreed?”  

  

Now he tipped his head forward, “no secrets....  I’m sorry....”  

  

Her expression softened, “it’s okay, really it is....”  

  

“It is?”  

  

Terrani grinned, “I’m not exactly the best person to have as a trainer anyway....”  

  

He gazed back, “why’s that?”  

  

Terrani laughed, “Until we started teaming up to run your progression, I hadn’t punched anything in ages!”  

  

“You’re not angry with me?”  

  

“Only in the fact you didn’t tell me yourself....  Emilie will be a much better trainer than me.”  

  

James breathed a little sigh of relief, “I don’t know why I got so worried about the entire issue?”  

  

Terrani smiled, “just be honest next time, okay?”  

  

“Okay....”  He tipped his head forward humbly, before adding, “I love you.”  

  

“I love you,” she returned, before she noted, “I’m still meeting Lea, I just paused a moment to contact you.  I better get back to them.”  

  

“Okay.  I’ll talk to you soon.”  

  

She blew him a kiss as they ended the link.  

  

Roz saw him look up and took a sip of water from her cup, asking him, “did you get it sorted?”  

  

He nodded as he returned his focus to the board and had his own sip of water.  “She’s actually relieved she’s not going to be my trainer.”  

  

“That’s good.”  

  

“I’m just taken aback at how relaxed she is.  I just needed a quick reminder about our agreement to not have secrets from each other.”  

  

Roz also looked back at the board and began to recount the moves, working out who was to play next, while asking, “so, you’re happy?”  When he nodded, she noted, “I believe it’s my move next, shall we?”  

  

He smiled, “of course.”  

  

Roz took her move and suggested, “let’s just sit, relax and be calm.  It’s a very busy day tomorrow, and a long journey for you through the Imelda Sewers.  I’m going to have to work out where I can wait and watch with Luzee, hopefully she’ll have a plan?”  

  

He smiled, “so long as you didn’t go all out to make it smell like a sewer, I’ll be happy.”  

  

Roz giggled, “well, we couldn’t have it as a sewer without some smells....”  

  

They laughed together as James made his next move....

Edited September 25, 2022 by Uncle Sikee Atric

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Thirty Five : 

 

The sun was blazing through his window as he worked.... 

 

He’d been freelance for a while, doing odd-jobs to earn a crust, but something about this was bigger, he’d found another link to this puzzle from another avenue of inquiry and everywhere he looked, the evidence suggested the threads led off-world, the same destination, Chorsia.  James carefully double-checked his leads, making sure he wasn’t being led astray by conflicting evidence trails, all the while convinced he had to be making a mistake. 

 

A broken voice asked, “what are you up to?” 

 

James turned around and saw the figure in the doorway, it was his sister, but her voice was almost altered beyond recognition.  “I’m just checking my evidence again; they all can’t be right?” 

 

“What’s wrong,” she asked, as she moved forward to stand by his shoulder? 

 

James didn’t bother to show her his threads of evidence, because they were just a tangled mess of links on the screen.  But he did reply, “I’ve got multiple leads, and they all link to Chorsia.” 

 

“Chorsia,” she replied, in that same, broken and distorted voice, “what’s there?” 

 

James shrugged, “I’m not sure, but it’s a step on the way to finding the truth behind all the smuggling leads.” 

 

“You should go.... Get a job out there and continue your work.” 

 

“What,” he replied as he raised his eyebrows.  “What about you and Mum?” 

 

Ella giggled, “we can look after ourselves, go and be the investigator I know you are.” 

 

“I’m not sure I could leave you, just like that?” 

 

“Why not,” Ella asked, clearly curious? 

 

“So much has happened....” 

 

“Yeah, we’ve grown up and become adults.  We all have our dreams and aspirations....” 

 

He still wasn’t convinced, “I can’t just leave you though?” 

 

“Why not?  My life is settled, I’m happy, and Lewis is even serious about us getting our own place.  I’m spreading my wings too.” 

 

James smiled, “I don’t want to be that far from you....” 

 

Ella moved in to hug him, and with that broken voice, replied, “you’ll always take us with you....” 

 

James woke up and instantly threw his arms out, trying to hug the dream and realising it was an impossibility.  For a moment he tried to comprehend what he had just recalled, but most of all, he was elated it was a direct memory of his sister, his family.  Although it was tinged with the knowledge that it also harboured a darker message, it was a life he would never be able to return to....” 

 

He tided his bed and took a moment to consider his mixed emotions about the dream, before drawing a drink and taking his place on his balcony.  The drink proved to be quite sour and dry, like a bitter lemon, while the chess pieces still showed the outcome of the game last night.  Although Roz had fought valiantly, she had finally succumbed to a clever ruse that James used to seize a key section of the board, she was always on the back foot from that point on, finally accepting defeat once her loss was inevitable. 

 

James began to tidy the board and was just finishing off when he heard the tapping at his door.  He jogged across and opened it to discover Roz and Luzee stood there, both waiting in the corridor.  “Buon giorno,” Roz greeted him. 

 

He smiled and welcomed them into the room.  “Good morning,” he replied, the tone of his voice suggesting his mood. 

 

As they proceeded through the room and took their places on the balcony, Roz noted, “you sound conflicted this morning, James?”  

 

James moved the last few pieces back to their correct positions as he replied, “I dreamed, about Ella....” 

 

“You did,” Roz considered, as she took her chair and Luzee moved over to collect two cups of Instant Water.  “That’s something you’ve never done before James; how did it make you feel?” 

 

Luzee returned with a cup for Roz, while James took a sip himself, warning her, “it’s like a bitter lemon today, be ready.” 

 

She rolled the water around her mouth, before shivering slightly, swallowing as she did so.  “It’s not the worst, it’s just the initial taste” Luzee decided.... 

 

Roz smiled, “I’ll keep that advice in mind,” then she returned to James.  “How did dreaming of Ella make you feel,” she repeated? 

 

James sighed, “I thought I would be happier than I am....” 

 

Roz took a sip of her drink, before opening her interface and settling on a few notes.  James was already prepared for her question as he calmed his breath and heard her say, “what did you experience within the dream.” 

 

James relaxed, closed his eyes, and let the sequence of images flow into his thoughts.  “I was home....” 

 

“Your home, as in, Indraya?” 

 

He nodded as Luzee accessed her own interface, studying something, while Roz continued, “what happened?” 

 

James was almost dreaming the images again, holding onto the pictures of Ella as he continued.  “I was studying a terminal, my work....” 

 

“Your work, your investigative work?”  When he nodded, she continued, “are you saying you started your work on Indraya?” 

 

“I must have done, and all the evidence I gathered, pointed to the source being on Chorsia.  It was at this point that Ella came into the dream,” he tailed off as he pictured her in his thoughts again.... 

 

“What was she like?” 

 

“She was complete,” James noted, “her full form was right, but her voice was broken and distorted, like it was when I dreamed about sitting in the car and meeting that figure....” 

 

Roz mused over her notes momentarily, “that’s an interesting thing.... 

 

“What’s that?” 

 

Roz checked and decided, “it seems your memory doesn’t like substituting in people, or their components....” 

 

“What does that mean,” James asked with curiosity? 

 

“Nothing directly,” Roz admitted, “but if it’s recalling something like an I.D., it substitutes a replacement.  While for people it doesn’t bother, just blurring the details instead....” 

 

“Is it a pattern?” 

 

Roz had a quick scan through the summary notes, “I think so?  I’d have to spend some time studying the fine print....  Although, truthfully, we can’t really learn much from it, but it might offer you some clues for recalling the dreams yourself.” 

 

Luzee took another sip of her water, considering this detail as she asked Roz, “does that help you in other ways?” 

 

Roz giggled, “no....  James however, might be able to deduce what he’s looking at a little better, if his dreams are creating confusing images in the future.” 

 

James nodded, “it’s a handy little fact to keep in mind going forward,” as he returned to his thoughts. 

 

Roz smiled, “please, continue....” 

 

James dipped his head and closed his eyes once more, pausing momentarily and letting the images return to his thoughts.  It was then he realised, “it was Ella that persuaded me to chase my dream, continue my work and head for Chorsia....” 

 

“Are you sure?” 

 

He nodded, the smile on his face obvious for both Roz and Luzee to see, “she was telling me she was moving on too, getting a place to live with Lewis.  We were grown-ups now and we should be acting like grown-ups.” 

 

“Is there anything else?” 

 

James considered her question, before admitting, “I wasn’t convinced, dismissive of her and not wanting to go.  I was afraid of leaving her and mum....  But she came forward and hugged me as I sat in the chair, saying, ‘I’ll always take them with me....’  As soon as she did that, I woke up....” 

 

Roz looked up, “the message from the photo....” 

 

He smiled back, “I noticed the closeness to the message as well.  I think it might have been created in this dream originally?” 

 

Luzee was perplexed, “the message?” 

 

Roz explained, “when he was locked, he recalled a message written by his sister on the back of a photograph.  It’s a direct reference to that.” 

 

James nodded, rubbing his chin as he did so, “I just cannot feel relaxed about the detail though?” 

 

“Cosa c’è che non va?” 

 

“I’m conflicted.” 

 

“Conflicted, about what?” 

 

James admitted, “everything is telling me it was Ella that gave me the confidence to head for Chorsia, to continue the investigation I begun when I was still at home....” 

 

“Is that why your feelings are uneasy with this dream?” 

 

“Yes,” he confirmed.  “Even though I went with her full support, I ended up here, not even a real person anymore….” 

 

Roz looked up from her notes and closed her interface, “you cannot think like that James.” 

 

He broke his own chain of thought, “why not?” 

 

Roz stretched in the chair and had another sip of water, “you were not to know the outcome of this chat James.  You’re blaming her, and you shouldn’t.” 

 

That jogged him and made him consider her point, before he sighed and admitted, “you’re right, I am….  I’m sorry….” 

 

“Don’t be sorry James.  I only let you know what you were doing because it would be a natural counter to the dream.  Many never get to see the result of an action that ends up with their death, you’re an exception.  You can look back now and go, ‘see what happened when I acted on what you told me to do?’” 

 

He agreed, “it must be a weight the other party normally has to bear?  I never thought of it from their perspective until you prompted me to do so….”  He realised, “it must be a terrible thing to weight on your thoughts?” 

 

“It can be,” Roz countered, “but it’s not as likely they could recall it in the same way, they might not realise the implications in the way you do as the victim of the events?” 

 

James looked at Roz, a little sullen, “I’m sorry Ella, I shouldn’t blame you, I should be thankful I’ve recalled you in this way….” 

 

Roz smiled, “it can be hard to realise what you’re doing, but you’ve done the right thing now you understand.  Ella isn’t to blame.” 

 

He nodded, “I know, I’ve always known it.  I think I couldn’t accept it until the reasoning was made clearer.” 

 

Roz finished her drink and began to stand, “it’s something we rarely consider, until it’s too late….” 

 

James did the same, “maybe one day, I’ll get the chance talk this over with her?” 

 

Roz smiled a little, “that’s the best way to handle thoughts like that for now, one day a resolution and a face to face could settle your mind once and for all.” 

 

Luzee stepped forward, “are we moving?” 

 

Roz sent a message in her D-Link, nodded to confirm that she was correct, and then looked at her, “I do have one question Luzee.” 

 

“Which is?” 

 

“Where are we watching James from today, while he runs through the Temple?” 

 

Luzee laughed a little, “I hadn’t thought that far ahead….” 

 

“So, where can we hide out for a bit?” 

 

Luzee was clearly thinking as she summoned an earpiece and began to modify the settings in her interface, making sure the feeds were set to be accessed by herself only and tied to a private channel, while the observation window opened and Gayle appeared, smiling and clearly ready for another day of monitoring.  “Good morning,” she began. 

 

“Buon giorno,” Roz came back.  “Ready for the big day?” 

 

Gayle smiled, “I am….  No doubt we’ll get a new script added, I’m just curious which class it will be today?” 

 

James grinned, “I can go there knowing it doesn’t matter which Class I gain access to, both trainers are already aware of the necessary arrangements.” 

 

Gayle noted, “that’s all fine for you, but no doubt I’ll have an extensive list of changes to process when the time comes James!” 

 

Roz looked up at her window, “but you love that sort of thing Gayle….” 

 

She smiled back, “it’s a good job I do,” then she laughed....  “At least I should get plenty of time to study and process the data, while James gets to grip with the Class he unlocks...” 

 

Luzee looked up, finished with her little task, and offered the earpiece to James while greeting Gayle.  James hooked his camera and microphone in place, while Luzee made the few checks necessary.  “I know where we can hang out for the day Roz....” 

 

“You do?” 

 

“Let’s take him down Hernandez Alley first....” 

 

James looked at Luzee, “where?” 

 

Roz laughed, “away from the main districts of Port Imelda, we have our own areas, and one corner of our Residential District is called Hernandez Alley.  It’s our private social and trading area.” 

 

Luzee confirmed, “there’s a small café that has private booths.  We’ll take one of them and watch your progress from there....” 

 

“Oh great,” James noted, “I’m doing the grunt work, you’re quaffing drinks!” 

 

They both laughed in reply, “we’ll wait for you,” Roz noted.  “There might be a sandwich in it once your run is completed?” 

 

James looked at her and realised, “it has been a while since I had something proper to eat...  Was it the engagement party?” 

 

“Si, you’re not the only one who fancies a snack....” 

 

He disposed of the cup and looked at them all, “where should I head?” 

 

Roz decided, “you still have to activate the Rec District Landmark and there’s a short walk from there to the entrance of our district and Hernandez Alley, including a private Landmark within it.  We’ll have a little saunter across the city and hit those Landmarks, then you can Fast Travel from there and head for the start of the Instance.” 

 

Luzee agreed to the plan, while Gayle noted, “in that case, I’ll phase out from here and relocate the portal to the Instance entrance.  Just send me a message when James is on his way from the East Gate.” 

 

Roz smiled, “that’s the best idea Gayle, you’ll be okay keeping an eye on him when we can’t directly?” 

 

James answered for her, “of course she will.  I trust her, like I trust all of you.” 

 

Gayle grinned, “I don’t need to say any more....  See you all soon,” and she phased her window out. 

 

Roz began to set her equipment, but noted, “maybe Fayrebancs might be best for the walk?  There’s still a chance of being spotted at a bad time?” 

 

“Good point,” he agreed as he accessed the correct interface and reformed as his Hexacast, then setting the Fast Travel as he grouped with Luzee and Roz, and they faded out together. 

 

---------- 

 

James noted the new buzz of activity across the Rec District as he stepped from the pad outside the Mall.  The vast majority of the correction work and remedial repairs had been completed, only leaving a few buildings clad in scaffold and screening, suggesting the repairs and refit were more extensive than simply tidying up the outer skin. 

 

James looked across the vista and noted the entire area was now full of Avatars, milling everywhere and socialising in numerous groups that grew into more packed clusters, the closer you got to the sight of the impressive Arena that marked the far wall of the Rec District itself.  There was a a large statue of a female Triblader at the halfway point between here and there, and Roz set out directly for that statue as her first destination. 

 

Even though the areas directly at the sides of the marked paths were busy, and getting busier, the paths themselves were being kept respectfully clear and allowed those passing to proceed on with their own objectives and intentions.  Even so, James noted, “it’s so busy!” 

 

“Si,” Roz replied above the hubbub of other conversations surrounding them.  This is the main meeting point for most players of Crossworlds, but it’s also the busiest locale for Guilds to get recruiting.  Stand here for any length of time and you’ll pick up loads of recruitment flyers!” 

 

He switched his attention to Luzee, “it must be difficult to Moderate?” 

 

She grinned in reply, “we have a small team that have extra training and social skills management.  This is their patch and we leave it to them normally....” 

 

They took a little while but managed to reach the statue at the centre of these flowing crowds and James stopped to look at it.  He recalled the tale of the naming of the city and who was represented with this dynamic impressive design of a Triblader that was several metres taller than they were and holding out her blade in a pose suggesting she was goading you into a fight.  “This was Imelda Hernandez?” 

 

Roz nodded, “I never met her, but Reece did on a few occasions.  He recalls her as being quite hostile and fiery to us and what we represented, but she was mellowing and becoming more accepting, although she never got the chance to see what we worked together to create....” 

 

James took a moment to take in the atmosphere Imelda herself protracted, before Roz carried on and led him to the Landmark in front of the Arena, “This is the Landmark you’ll use the most in the city,” she pointed around at various points, “the buildings ringing this area are the Arena, the nightclub, the cinema, and the other main venues on offer.  Further out there’s the seating, cafes, and more usual player social points.” 

 

James looked around and got the basic locations of the points Roz noted, before she carried onto a wide plaza that hugged the Arena’s right wall and headed directly onwards, towards the East Gate.  Once behind the Arena itself, the route gave the impression of being something like a Main Street for the city, with shops and cafes on both sides of it, but James also noted numerous locked doors and several stories above the commercial premises.  Roz guessed what he was looking at and stated, “it’s some of the Player Housing we offer.  The apartments are small, but popular, demand for any space is always at a premium.” 

 

“Is there more housing?” 

 

Luzee nodded, “there’s several developments in the gap between the Rec District and the beach, for the actual players.” 

 

By now they’d passed behind the Arena and the Main Street reached a major crossroads, the path to the right headed off towards more apartment complexes, although it was blocked by a forcefield.  James watched as a Quadroguard led a few companions past it and on into that area.  Roz tapped him on the shoulder and indicated they were taking the left path, and the forcefield dropped as they walked past it.  James understood, “this must be our area?” 

 

“Si,” Roz confirmed, “follow me.”    

 

The path curved left after a short branch, a deliberate design choice to hide the actual access to the Evotar area, before the road opened into a small, well-maintained little square that had a relaxed, cosmopolitan feel.  The Landmark was the key feature here and various Avatars were situated all around or arriving on the pads at a rapid rate.  Some were heading further behind the Arena and into an area of smart apartment buildings that stretched out for several blocks, although James could see a barrier in the distance and an area where the housing fell in quality, until the Slums took over on the periphery of the city. 

 

Roz started moving left though, “this is Hernandez Alley, James....” 

 

She led him into a street that seemed much narrower and deliberately laid out with a clutter of tables, chairs and other obstructions that suggested plenty of seating.  Various cafes and restaurants were set in several of the shops, while others were the traditional Evotar trading posts and there were other plots suggesting offices, meeting rooms, even a lawyer’s office and clothing shops. Numerous Avatars were milling around, most were sat at the café tables, but more were to be seen in the windows, performing various tasks, preparing meals or browsing the shops. 

 

James was quite impressed, “it’s not what I expected....” 

 

Luzee asked, “what did you expect?” 

 

“Something more like Bergen Villiage, or Ba’kii Kum?  This all seems, very formal....”  He looked again and added, “even a lawyer, why?” 

 

Luzee replied, “that office was a recent addition....  Santini is a Class 2, and it was well known his donor was a lawyer, so he decided to continue working here.  I mean, it might not seem like it, but we have situations where legal representation is necessary, and Santini works with Insta quite a lot, helping to get our point across and be the legal go-between for issues, no doubt he'll be required for some issues where the Trust cannot be involved as well.  He’s even supplied official evidence via link, on behalf of Instatainment.” 

 

“He gets a lot of work?” 

 

“Enough for him to require an office....  You’ll probably end up meeting him soon, since he also works with cases like you James.” 

 

“He does?” 

 

Roz replied, “he’ll be the legal face for anything we need, even assisting in tracing and contacting relatives, sending letters and such.  It makes it look much more authentic if the first contact is made, with official legal documents attached as well.” 

 

They had continued down the alley as they conversed, and James noted it reached a sharp, right turn at it terminated in the corner behind the main crossroads and continued along this new branch for quite some distance, and was clearly offering far more services than he originally thought, including sizable clothing outlets with private dressing and sampling areas, even a furniture store to allow for browsing and room design.  But Luzee walked into a small entrance that was right on the corner of the alley, making James follow her inside. 

 

The entrance opened up into a small, cramped café, with a central area manned by a few Avatars acting as chefs, who were skilfully preparing fish and vegetables into various pieces, and a waiter was serving them as completed sushi and sashimi offerings.  Luzee nodded at the waiter and after he had served the latest platter, he moved over and greeted them, “Ms Luzee, it’s a pleasure as always.” 

 

“Our quiet booth please?” 

 

“Of course, come, come,” he waved them inside and they followed him to an isolated booth right in the corner, before he told Luzee, “enjoy your privacy.” 

 

“Thank you,” she replied as she took a seat and invited Roz and James to join her, and they slid in on the opposite bench, James sitting in the corner. 

 

Luzee opened her interface and told them, “They keep this booth for the Mods only, allowing us to work in peace while relaxing in seclusion.  We can be here all day, and no one will bother us.” 

 

Roz looked at the décor and admitted, “I’ve never come in here.  I knew of it, but I thought they only served fish sushi?” 

 

Luzee smiled, “it’s the best sushi on The Playground, mind you, it’s the only sushi....  Ask for the vegetarian sample platter, it’s amazing!” 

 

James asked, “are you staying here all day?”  When Luzee nodded, James giggled, “well then, forget the sandwich, I want some sushi when we’re done.” 

 

Roz smiled, “I’ll just sip some water for now then....  I guess I’m trying it too?” 

 

Luzee leaned out and indicated to the waiter that she required two waters for now.  “That’s the spirit,” she replied as she settled back into the booth and checked her interface, “everything checks out James, ready to get going?” 

 

He nodded, sarcastically adding, “enjoy your luxury and relaxation....” 

 

Roz commented, “I’d rather be at your side, you know that....” 

 

He set his Fast Travel and admitted, “Gayle will be fun to hang around with, she’s more talkative when we’re alone.” 

 

Luzee smiled, “go to the East Gate, pass the Stockyards and walk back along the street towards the Rec District.  When you see the alley with the family vehicle parked in front of it, you’ll know what to do....” 

 

James quickly checked his quest logs and grinned, “Gordo....  Find Gordo....” 

 

Luzee nodded in reply, “Just enjoy the opening section of this, a little staged piece of lore, and the last piece of phasing left in Imelda, before the real work begins.  Good luck James and enjoy yourself.” 

 

He nodded and phased out, reappearing at the East Gate and looking back into the city.  He could see that the walls of the Stockyards were being patrolled by numerous Guards, ensuring the Rats were stuck inside and isolated.  James hurried back into the city and joined the wide street from the opposite end, coming back towards where Roz and Luzee were sat in Hernandez Alley. 

 

A little further back along the path, James could identify the unmistakable sight of a large vehicle parked alongside an alley entrance, while a few suited individuals stood facing off against a few Guard members.  Things seemed a little uneasy but remained peaceful as James approached them and quietly slipped into the narrow alley. 

 

The daylight of Imelda was instantly blocked out by the overhanging buildings that were clearly apartments.  One window was open and a Hexacast was leaning over a balcony, gazing down on the activity below, although James wasn’t sure if it were a real Avatar, or an N.P.C. added to create a little bit of vibrancy and atmosphere? 

 

The alley continued for a while, but Gordo was stood in a doorway, almost filling the space entirely and clearly performing his role of bodyguard for his Don.  He spotted James approaching and grunted slightly as he shifted position, before uttering, ‘follow me,” to James. 

 

Gordo unlocked a mechanical lock on the door behind him and it swung open into a looming, grim darkness.  James followed, noting the unpleasant smell that hit his nostrils, while the huge individual took a step down and noted, “watch yer step.”  He started to descend a stairway in almost total darkness, although James noted that there was a faint glow of lines on the floor, where someone had painted the lips of each step in luminous paint. 

 

Gordo doubled back and kept descending the steps at a slow, steady pace, while James began to note there was a dull light below him.  It took another circle of steps before they reached a new level and James could see that they had entered a tunnel that had a steady stream of dark, unsavoury water slowly gurgling past their access point.  It was all lit by service lamps mounted on the wall at regular intervals and the walls were slick with condensation.  Gordo continued down the open path while James noted the service grate blocking access in the other direction. 

 

Gordo turned right as the water entered a lagoon channel and a small rowboat was moored here, clearly used for inspection work.  But Gordo kept on past it and after another hundred metres, the dead-end channel stopped and path widened out into a small, but well-lit area that was in front of another sewer grate and stood in front of this was quite an assembly of high-ranking individuals from around the city of Port Imelda. 

 

Gordo stood aside at one nod from Don Perionè and took up a corner of the room, ready to assume the role of guard for a moment, while the Don greeted James, “Seeker....” 

 

James knew the courtesy, he bowed his head and replied, “the honour is mine.” 

 

“Come, come,” Don Perionè laughed in reply, “you’re no member of a family, you have no reason to offer such greetings!” 

 

“Maybe not,” James replied, “but I do know enough of the graces of your families.” 

 

“Then we need to work with the U.V.N. more,” Don Perionè replied, “sometimes, even my Lieutenants forget the rules!”  There was a warm, polite laugh from the others present, before he noted, “let’s get you on your way Seeker, it’s time to assault the Stockyards.” 

 

The others all nodded their greeting to James, Don Matredi, Amani, Mick and the Shad Chief, all stood in a line and seemingly relaxed in the company of each other.  It was Don Matredi who walked to the gate first and touched a blank plate, which shifted slightly and revealed a hidden keypad underneath.  The Don took a moment to touch the pad and it responded with a beep, before he stated, “my code is inputted and accepted.” 

 

He stepped as Don Perionè copied and entered his, but Don Matredi continued, “beyond this gate, we only have basic maps of the tunnels, since we restricted our time around them and have left the breach since we accidentally made it in the first place.”  The gate repeated the same tone as Don Perionè completed his sequence input and joined Don Matredi. 

 

James watched as Mick moved forward, telling the others, “my Father took a little convincing, but he understands now.  He cannot believe what has happened....”  He turned away and the rest of the sentence was mumbled, but the gate pinged again and allowed Amani to step forward, inputting the code supplied by the Mayor and it being accepted, before he joined Mick and waited. 

 

The Shad Chief approached James first, clutching his book as he did, “code here, stored by father before I become Chief, but I study book further, find some information of Temple beneath....” 

 

James respectfully bowed his head, “thank you.” 

 

The Chief gave his rasping laugh for all of them to hear, “Temple called Tand’daearol and served Ancients as place of worship and test.  Not much detail in book Seeker, but it does offer clue, ‘shine light on statue....’  That all help I able to give.” 

 

James smiled, “that may not offer much help yet, but it will once I get inside....  Thank you.” 

 

The Chief grunted and bowed his head to James for a moment, before turning away and checking a page in his book for a moment, then inputting the code that must have been stored there.  There was an acknowledgement tone from the gate and it unlocked, opening slightly to allow James to pass.   

 

The Chief returned to the others and announced, “way open, Seeker proceeds into darkness knowing all city backing them.  Be safe and good luck!” 

 

He bowed his head and the others copied the action out of respect for the message of support the Chief was offering, then they all parted and allowed James to pass them, opening the gate and stepping inside.   

 

Anami told him, “I’ll talk to the Mayor about leaving this gate open, in case you ever need to come back down here Seeker,” to which the others nodded. 

 

“At least for the time being, I’m sure that is acceptable to all,” Don Matredi agreed. 

 

There was no sign of a complaint from the others and James smiled at them all, “thank you.  I’ll get through as quickly as I can.” 

 

“We’re all waiting on the gate being lowered,” Amani confirmed.  “We’re not wholly sure where you’ll appear within the Stockyards, but you need to find the ‘Holding Pen Control Room,’ that’s on a balcony above the main courtyard, where the animals are given a chance to rest and unwind before entering the processing area.  The main gate controls are located on a wall-mounted control panel, along with the remote system for the holding pen gates.” 

 

“I understand,” James confirmed, “I’ll see you soon.” 

 

He turned away and proceeded along the tunnel, away from the assembled group, as they all set off in the opposite direction, escorted by Gordo as they headed for the surface once more. 

 

The tunnel James was following only carried on for a few metres before it became considerably darker and took on a very different style.  It was dry, but there was a clear break in front of him, which looked like a narrow breach into another, very dark tunnel that ran in a different direction.   

 

He squeezed through the gap and emerged into total darkness for a moment, although he heard something click, then he found himself frozen and held in an restraining field!  James tried to resist momentarily, but then a light flicked on and started shifting forward, moving to face him and scan his form up and down.  James calmed himself and waited as the scan finished, and the light returned to the wall and switched off again.  There was nothing for a few seconds and then a few lights flicked on above James’ head.   

 

It wasn’t a very strong light, but it still took a second for his eyes to adapt, while he was returned to the floor and no longer held in a restraining field.  He could see that he was in a wide tunnel with intricate etchings, detailing various scenes of life on the plains for the Shad.  James thought back to the paintings on the cave walls for the Marsh Shad, but these were distinctly different.  Rather than paintings, these were chiselled into the wall directly and had a very different impression in their design. 

 

He recalled the words of the Shad Chief on the WIld Taurines and something clicked, because he had suggested few Shad, if any, had ever come into this place, given its importance to the Ancients.  He was considering if it were possible that these etchings were the work of the Ancients themselves, cataloguing the daily life of the Shad above them? 

 

As he carefully progressed, he could see etchings depicting the Shad hunting the Wisent, or working hides, butchering carcasses, stitching, building tents, cooking, eating and socialising....  The detail in each work was intricate, accurate and impressionable.  He could even see detail in the clothing and identify individual Shad, suggesting these designs had been made over a huge period of time, showing successive generations of Shad above as the figures entered as youngsters and became the elders, teaching the next generation their ways and traditions, although the process was reversed.  James gathered that the earliest images were at the entrance of the Temple itself. 

 

He heard a slight cough in his ear and Roz asked, “have you quite finished?” 

 

The noise broke his concentration and he laughed, “sorry, I got carried away, didn’t I?” 

 

Roz giggled over the earpiece, “I don’t want to be stuck here for two days, I guess Terrani doesn’t either, given she’s got a lot on her plate with electioneering, away from this?” 

 

That point brought James back to his senses and he snapped out of his studies.  He proceeded along the tunnel, noting that it resembled the height and width of the access he had discovered back at the Western edge of the Wild Taurines.  This had to be connected to the Temple and that kept him moving forward.  The lights over his head flicking on, while they flicked off behind him, only illuminating the section he was currently in.  There was no sound, other than the gentle tap of his footsteps, and the only sense active was his sensation of a gentle breeze on his cheek as he progressed.... 

 

The tunnel remained dry as he continued but began to descend slightly and he began to hear a distant dripping echoing down the tunnel.  It began to widen before it levelled out and opened into a high-vaulted chamber, the lights on the wall flicking on to reveal he had walked out under a balcony with another passage above him.  The scene gave James the impression of an ancient, gothic cathedral.  It was a really impressive sight, but he also noted that the temperature had dropped significantly, it was much cooler here than in the tunnel and the humidity seemed to have increased too.  He could hear a distinct dripping somewhere in front of him, but the way forward was blocked by a low wall with a door, although the balconies continued without any restriction. 

 

The only thing of note was the field that was raised, blocking all the apertures that allowed you to walk under the far balcony.  James could see the tunnel on that side matched the one on this side, but access was currently impossible.  He did spot a door behind the field and he guessed this must be his way out, plus there was a dormant switch next to it, suggesting it could be lowered, but that was for the end of this temple, not for now.  The only way forward was to access the door in front of him. 

 

He approached it and got a jolt when he heard, “there you are!”  He spun back around to see the grinning face of Gayle.  “You took your time,” she noted. 

 

He settled, “Gayle, you scared me then!” 

 

She laughed, “you must have slipped past me, I was waiting back at the surface and got a call from someone, you went past while my attention was taken.” 

 

“Was it a call about us?” 

 

“No,” she laughed, “It was a cold-caller, he got several harsh words and I hung up.” 

 

James smiled and thought, glazing over momentarily as he did so.  Roz waited until he flashed back and shook, before asking in his ear, “what happened?” 

 

“I was just recalling,” he replied quickly.  “I was thinking to times when my comms device rang and it was cold-callers selling something or offering useless services, all quite pointless really....  At least we don’t have that problem here, I don’t need warranties for appliances, or work on non-existent land....” 

 

Roz chuckled over his earpiece, “so long as that was all it was?” 

 

“It was.  It’s weird how such trivial things can do that?” 

 

Luzee chided in, “I can think back to things like that too.  Totally pointless events that irritate rather than inspire.” 

 

“They affect us all,” Roz replied, “your memory stores everything, it’s just how important it decided they are?  Things like that are usually forgotten.”  James took a deep breath and looked at the door in front of him.  “Ready,” Roz asked? 

 

James nodded, “I need to get this done.” 

 

Roz grunted and fell silent again, while James made the last few steps to open the only door available to him, but it displayed a triangle as he closed on it and James was forced to return to being a Triblader before he passed through. 

 

On the other side was not what he expected....  The room was huge and a series of rock pillars over an inky blackness into a deep, foreboding pit from which a chill, bitter breeze emanated.  The dripping seemed louder and he found he was stood on a narrow ledge, looking out into the void and the small lights didn’t shine very far into the dark, but deep in the gloom, he could detect something towering over him. 

 

The only detail he could identify anywhere was a floor switch and with no other option he was forced to step on it.  There was a pause and then a slight tremor as the rock pillars changed, revealing that under the still dust that had settled everywhere, were numerous details, switches, reflectors, even a clear start point for him to send a projectile into the darkness, while a laser bridge also reached out, allowing him to reach the first pillar.  He walked out onto it and took a moment to identify that the bounce puzzle was leading to a final switch on an otherwise inaccessible pillar and a nearby switch retracted the laser bridge, but activated another one that gave him a way to reach a rotator he could switch to set the correct path.  Returning to the first pillar, he fired a projectile at the start of the shot sequence and watched as it bounced around the pillars, until it reached its destination and activated. 

 

This room started trembling again and things shifted in the darkness.  James could sense something changing above his head and dust began to fall gently from above him, twinkling like airborne ice-crystals in the dim light.  But then the light built in intensity and James noted a shaft of bright sunlight filter down from somewhere high above.  It struck a surface above and he realised it had to reflective as it scattered the daylight into a broad area in front of him.  James could now see that the chamber was much larger and taller than he originally thought and was dominated by a central island in a sea of smaller platforms.  Upon this central island, James could now see the shape of a statue, dimly being lit by the light scattering to the void, but there was no way he could reach it yet and when he looked to his right, he could see another switch, and that the first reflector had switched direction allowing him to aim in a new direction, with a puzzle that led to another target switch, along with a series of new laser bridges that allowed him access to several extra little puzzle elements to operate. 

 

He muttered to himself as he walked the route available and experimented with the puzzles he had to work with, “is this Temple one long bounce puzzle?” 

 

Gayle heard him, “not really, you’ll see.” 

 

James didn’t give an indication he heard as he rehearsed a few sections and made sure he knew what to do.  Before starting this new bounce puzzle path and discovering it took a few attempts before the target switch dropped. 

 

The switch made a final laser bridge flick on at the end of the path he could cross and he worked out how to reach it, finding the end section was right at the limits of the available light area, but as he stepped off of the last laser bridge, the small lights flicked on to reveal he was stood in a small transept that had another balcony above him and a switch behind the forcefield under one side of the passage.  He saw a door he could access on the far wall, and started walking towards it, but as he made it to the central area, it locked. 

 

There seemed to be a deep, drawing yawn from somewhere behind him, and then a strong, whispering voice floated across to where he stood, coming from somewhere behind him!  “It’s been some time since I was woken by a visitor....” 

 

James spun around and discovered no one around him, just Gayle’s window hung over his shoulder and she wasn’t the source of the voice.  He turned back and it spoke again, “why did you come to this place?” 

 

He looked around again, “who’s there?” 

 

“....  That’s not important.  But it is important to ask, why are you here?” 

 

James felt like he was talking to a ghost, “I, I....”  Something seemed to shift in the darkness of the chasm pillars and it made his artificial senses feel a little wary, before he asked, “who are you?” 

 

Now he felt a little buffet of air push against his face, something had shifted, something big....  “If you wish to learn about this place, you must learn about yourself, ask yourself, who am I?” 

 

James noted Gayle had spotted something and was working at an increased rate suddenly, and she seemed to be on comms to someone else.  “Why can’t I see you?” 

 

The voice whispered back, “you can....” 

 

James tried to strain his eyes, but shook his head, “it’s too dark....” 

 

There seemed to be a slight tremor in the air and then a gentle chuckle from the voice, “maybe you need more light?” 

 

James asked, “how?” 

 

“That is your task....  Find the light in the darkness, flood the void.  Maybe then we can hear your tale?” 

 

“Tale?” 

 

The voice was silent, the gentle pressure on the air currents didn’t feel like it was there anymore.  Everything was back to how it was....  But as he turned around, he realised that two shapes had shifted, unpeeled themselves from shaped alcoves in the ornate walls, and interposed themselves between himself and the door, but they remained still and silent, although he could now hear the furious tapping of Gayle working on her equipment, prompting him to ask, “what’s wrong Gayle?” 

 

Gayle didn’t look up.  She continued to work while admitting, “the scripting is wrong....” 

 

“Scripting?” 

 

She stopped working, looked up and contacted someone else on her equipment, for a second she paused, then James could hear Gayle come through his earpiece as well as the window, “did you hear it too?” 

 

James grimaced before Roz could reply, “that’s horrible!” 

 

Gayle looked up and realised, “damn, you’re hearing me twice!”  Then she muted the window and spoke through his earpiece, “sorry James, but I needed to make sure Roz and Luzee heard it too?” 

 

“We did Gayle and we agree, the scripting is different.  James, he should have suggested that we hear a tale, told by the voice, but it was clearly referring to a tale told by you....”  There was a pause for a second, before Roz broke it, asking, “what are the usages of James running the Instance?” 

 

“Hang on,” Gayle replied as James watched her check the detail on her equipment, before coming back, “it’s way over double the normal usage, nearly triple!” 

 

Luzee asked, “what’s causing it?” 

 

Gayle kept at her equipment, “I’m accessing the Instance feed now....  Hold on.”  For a few moments she worked furiously, bringing up the requested data, before scanning it quickly.  “I see it, we have a new feed in the background, similar to what I saw when James was in the tower with the Guardian.  I think there’s another A.I. net here.” 

 

There was silence for a moment as they all processed the new problem, before Luzee asked, “what do we do?” 

 

“I’ve got no option but to inform Sergey, at least as a first step.  Is that okay?” 

 

“Si,” Roz answered, almost instantly.  “I don’t see any real alternative, especially since we have to work on the theory that any Evotar going down this path is likely to have the same result when they get here.” 

 

Gayle was already contacting Sergey and heard, “sir, we have a problem.  We’ve found another A.I. net in the Temple.”  After a short pause she continues, “it’s already changed the scripting and started to converse with James....  Yes sir....  We’ll wait for you to join us.” 

 

James wanted to close on the two silent foes before him, but decided that the better option was to pause and wait for Sergey to join them, before progressing, Roz and Luzee meanwhile seemed silent, concerned that the problem might hamper their plans to progress today. 

 

It took a moment before James could see Sergey enter the observation window alongside Gayle, he picked up a spare headset hanging at the side of her equipment and Gayle patched him into the communication system as he greeted everyone and commented, “can I see the feed please Gayle?” 

 

“Yes sir,” she replied as she brought up the necessary details for him on a monitor and displayed them. 

 

For a moment he studied the details and then brought up something as a comparison on another screen, pointing out some of the details to Gayle before he spoke openly to them all.  “We’re comparing the feeds now.” 

 

Roz came back, “feeds?” 

 

“Gayle took a hard recording of the data feed from when James went into the Tower, and I’ve brought it up as a comparison.” 

 

Roz was showing genuine interest as she asked, “what do you see?” 

 

Gayle answered, “the A.I. net of the Guardian of the Vermillion Tower gave a very different trace on the feed.  I’d say this was a new A.I., different to the one there.” 

 

Luzee clarified, “a second A.I., different to the tower, who would donate to allow that?” 

 

Sergey shrugged, “I really don’t know?” 

 

Gayle pointed at something on the screen they were both watching and Sergey motioned for her to run some checks, James saw the movement and asked, “what is it?” 

 

Gayle looked at the window for a second, and although she spoke silently through it, he heard through the earpiece, “there was a spike in the feed, we’re just checking what it could possibly be?” 

 

Sergey studied the feed and then brought up another one, looking at the screen with wide eyes.  “What is it,” James asked? 

 

He replied, “we’ve found it, but I’m not happy about it....” 

 

James was slightly worried, “why?” 

 

Sergey sighed, “there’s an identical spike in your feed James, suggesting the two feeds were synchronising.  It looks like the A.I. net here integrated with your own data feed.” 

 

James was understandably worried, “are you saying it’s linked with me?” 

 

Sergey nodded, “I’m assuming it’s joined with you in the same way as the Guardian did, allowing it to access your memories in the same way.” 

 

James was silent in reply, keeping his thoughts to himself as he looked around, a dawning realisation that he wasn’t alone in this hall like he thought he was?  His mind wandered and returned to his isolation, when he was trapped in his mind, the darkness encroaching, trying to consume him, take him away and never to return....  He realised he was shivering, although no one else had figured he was doing so, and he quickly calmed his emotions before he was noticed. 

 

Roz had carried on the discussion as he was zoning out, “what do we do Sergey?” 

 

Gayle replied, “there’s something useful here....  I’ve found the trace in James’ feed.” 

 

He returned to the conversation, “trace?” 

 

Gayle nodded in the window, her tinny voice in the earpiece explaining, “when the integration between the two feeds occurred, it wrote a few extra lines of script into your code James, and by comparing the two, I’ve found those code lines....” 

 

Sergey smiled, “well done Gayle.” 

 

“Thank you, sir....”  She spent a few moments studying the lines of code before pointing to Sergey, “sir, look....  There are more lines here, they must be the lines inserted by the Vermillion Instance, to allow the interactions between James and the Guardian....” 

 

Sergey studied the lines of code that Gayle had highlighted, before studying the general script around the extra detail, engrossed in the detail and calculating how it could interact with the environment.  Gayle interrupted his concentration by asking, “what do we do sir?” 

 

Sergey broke his chain of thought, “can you keep recordings of these sections of code please Gayle?  But I don’t think there’s any reason to pause James from progressing....” 

 

Gayle looked up at the window, seeing James looking back at her, “okay sir.” 

 

Sergey continued, “once the recordings are taken, can you send them to me please?  I’m going to spend some time studying the data with Satoshi, making sure there’s nothing alarming we missed.  In the meantime, I’ll let Omar know what’s happening and get him to remotely monitor the feed, checking to see if this will affect the instance run.  I can’t think of much else we can do....” 

 

“Very well, we’ll get back to it then.” 

 

Sergey looked up at the screen himself, “I’m sorry we have to monitor everything so closely James....” 

 

James smiled back, “someone has to be the test subject....” 

 

Sergey nodded and left the window, replacing the headset as he did so and leaving Gayle to inform them, “I’ll take a recording now and you can proceed James.” 

 

That made him turn away, back towards the two, silent opponents stood before him.  He took a step forward, phasing his blade in as he did so, prompting Roz to ask, “are you sure you’re prepared to go?” 

 

He replied, “I need to fight something, I’ve been held up too long....” 

 

---------- 

 

Returning his attention to the two figures stood between himself and the only door he could access, he approached them and spent a moment to examine them close-up, while they remained still, silent and quiet.  They appeared to be similar in design to the Brutes of the Vermillion Wastes, but these were lither, more streamlined, and covered in beautiful, close engravings and etchings, depicting the various elements they used, one was Heat and Cold, the other was Shock and Wave.  

 

He knew they would activate when he approached the door, but the sheer level of detail was fascinating to him and he spent another moment in silence, just admiring the work added to the figures, before he steeled himself and walked past them, towards the door. 

 

As expected, the door locked and the forcefield rose, James already ready to face them down, turned round to see the two foes advancing on him.  One activated a light in its head and the scanning beam seemed to study him again, before it switched off and without warning, both charged him! 

 

They dashed at him at a frightening pace and took James totally by surprise!  The Heat and Cold left a line of fire in its wake, while trails of ice tracked James as he tried to get out of the way, before the Shock and Wave opponent also charged him.  This one left Wave bubbles on its charge track while numerous markers tracked across the floor, trying to seek James and where he stood....  The sheer velocity and ferocity of the attacks, tied with his slow reactions, had resulted in him losing a significant fraction of his health, before he’d even started thinking of a possible counter! 

 

It did bring him to his senses though and James didn’t dawdle any longer, especially when his opponents charged again, repeating the attacks.  He managed to scramble clear this time and raised his blade aloft, considering his options and possible counters while trying to maintain a position from which he could get clear the next time they charged him. 

 

James sensed the next charge coming, because he saw the bot flinch and lock onto him momentarily, before breaking into the headlong charge.  He got clear without any issue, but saw that the bot completed the full charge, without diverting from its route.  James noted the walls and faintly recalled the Bovines all the way back in Autumn’s Rise.  Was that really the answer? 

 

He backed up to the wall, getting closer and limiting his options, especially with the area of effect that these opponents employed.  James saw the Shock and Wave foe lock and engage the charge and James made sure he was close enough to the wall they couldn’t stop themselves from impacting it.  When it charged, James sidestepped and dashed clear, watching the foe smash into the wall and enrage!  It turned and aimed at him, launching numerous elemental attacks in his direction, but because it was now attacking fully, it seemed to have lowered its defences.  James dodged the attacks as best as he could, accepting a few hits to break the angered foe.  As it stopped, stunned and broken he sensed movement and dived clear as the second foe shot past him, leaving damage trails all around for a few seconds, but he returned to the broken foe and didn’t give it a chance to resume its attacks.  Several chops later and it was removed, allowing James to focus on the second opponent, although his health had suffered from the attacks and him learning the tactics necessary to be victorious. 

 

He waited until his opponent was ready to charge, letting his health regen tick back up, and even recalling his Inspection tool, so he could identify these foes as Tand’daearol Wards.  When it did charge again, he sidestepped it and let it enrage, before smashing into it before it gained too much of an advantage.  The Ward did project a heat shield as James tried to press the advantage, but the damage sustained wasn’t high enough to stop James fighting through it, and he broke and dismissed it with a rapid series of chained strikes, resulting in the Ward phasing out after James smashed it into a corner. 

 

The only door was finally accessible as he phased his blade out and James watched as a small panel appeared next to it, displaying a glowing hexagon as it did so.  James understood and changed class, noting, “Fayrebancs it is,” as he did so.... 

 

The strange voice spoke behind him, the air seemingly becoming alive as it did so, “what do you want?” 

 

James didn’t turn around, “to cross the Temple and reach the Stockyards beyond it!” 

 

“No....  What do you want?” 

 

Now he turned around, a curious expression upon his face, but the voice had already passed, the air still and calm again, leaving the question lingering in the air.  James understood it wasn’t just going to be a straightforward run, it seemed his memory would be tested as well. 

 

As he approached the door, he heard Roz ask, “are you feeling, okay?” 

 

He grunted in reply, “I guess you’re wondering about this as well, given it’s not what it’s supposed to be?” 

 

Roz confirmed, “si, it makes me as uneasy as it did when we saw you talking to the Guardian....  But we can discuss this together and pause, should you need a moment?” 

 

James smiled, “I know, but don’t be afraid to remind me Roz....” 

 

She fell silent again as James entered the next chamber, to discover more puzzles above chasms, this time a more regular one, but introducing new ways to activate and utilise laser bridges, or change the way they crossed chasms at key points.  The first chamber was fairly straightforward, leading to a door on the far-left wall, but the next one made him think for a moment, until he figured out, he could trigger a timed bridge that he could leap a gap to reach.  Once that restriction to his mobility was overcome, he set to work and solved the required steps fairly rapidly, granting him access to the next room. 

 

Inside, a few more Wards were silently waiting for him to approach and James took a second to remember he was still a Hexacast, making him summon his Deck and double check his skill allocations and positioning, before even thinking of advancing into the chamber.  He circled the edge of the chamber, ever ready for them to spring to life and charge him while he carefully edged towards the destination of the next door on the far wall. 

 

He was almost there when it started to dawn on him that they were guarding a location on the floor that was highlighted by all the surrounding floor decoration.  The Wards had to be securing something and he realised it wasn’t the door they were protecting.  With a heavy heart he began to understand they were in his way, whether he chose to ignore them now, or if he came back later. 

 

He carefully pushed towards them, ready for the first sign of any movement they suggested, tied to the fact he had to maintain range as a Hexacast to stand any chance of fighting them off. 

 

He was almost to the obvious markings on the floor when something finally happened, there was a gentle shifting, a trembling, resulting in two candles rising out of the floor, then the intensity of the glowing lights increased slightly, revealing several giant moths that were hiding in the nooks and crannies that were apparent around the ceiling of this chamber. 

 

James watched as one descended and some faint memory made him remember the tactics he had to adopt to subdue similar foes in Desert Temple of Faj’ro.   It began to flit around the room and forced James to utilise the new candles to try and bring it down, but it kept darting away as James fired at it.  After a moment, it paused and fired a wide heat beam directly at him, but it made the Moth vulnerable to a counter attack and James didn’t miss again, his shot being on target and bringing the Moth crashing to the ground with an audible thud.  He didn’t give it a chance to fly off again and a Magic Missile composed of cold almost vapourised it as the remans phased out. 

 

James was waiting for more Moths to descend, but instead he heard a slight movement behind him, and his reactions made him dive to one side as one of the Wards whooshed past, leaving heat and cold spikes in its wake.  James kept going, before he even tried to turn and face his new foes, and he was rewarded with the sight of the second Ward also barrelling past him, leaving its own elemental attacks behind it, and he got zapped once, but avoided the vast majority. 

 

Now James could turn and focus on this new problem, edging into the wall and waiting for the Wards to attack him.  He found them easier to remove as a Hexacast since he didn’t have to handle their enraged auras and get close to break them.  First one fell, then the second one as well and James paused once more, expecting the other Moths to attack him, but instead, a key chest formed and the combat ended. 

 

James approached the chest, noting the clear shapes of two Moths still lurking, waiting for their chance to pounce and he collected the key that was available.  As he did so he saw the Moths shuffle and crawl along the wall a little, before launching onto their wings and advancing on James.  Both had shimmering designs and patterns, their markings changing from muted browns to bright greens and purples as they flitted between the lights    

 

He half-heartedly fired a few shots at them, but they dodged his attacks and kept their distance, standing him down like he was doing to them.  James kept ready, wary for their inevitable attack and when it came, he dodged aside while the Moth shot some sort of solid lump of elemental energy at him, it splattered on impact with the ground and had a foul-smelling, acidic stench. 

 

The second one fired and James was a little too slow to dive aside, the shot hit his right leg and splattered across the surface of his form.  It didn’t feel too bad for a second, but then James had the smell reach him and it make him feel a little queasy, while it left an itchy, irritable sensation nagging at him.  He backed off and tried to clean it, while staying aware for more shots.  As James scraped it off from his lower leg, he could it hear fizzing and observe it sparking gently, suggesting it was a form of shock element. 

 

He waited for another shot, carefully stepping slightly aside from the candles, in case the Moths obstructed any possible shot by leaving their own, splattered projectiles in the way.  When the shot finally came, he darted aside and launched a wave-charged card from his deck, watching as it flew through the candle and proving the truth of his aim by breaking one of the Moths with a clean shot.  He even accepted being sniped by another aimed shot, in exchange for making sure the stunned one didn’t get airborne again. 

 

With the tactics worked out, James didn’t take long to eliminate the second Moth and he lowered his hands as the room fell silent once more.  He composed himself and took a moment, gathering his emotions and memories of the fight, before setting off towards the next chamber.  But as he did so, Gayle unmuted her window to point out, “that was the first time that has happened....” 

 

“What,” he replied, a little curiously? 

 

“Did you not notice?” 

 

“In what way?” 

 

Gayle smiled a little, proud she had noticed something he didn’t.  “That was the first time the game had forced you to fight a new enemy as anything but your original class....” 

 

He stopped, looked at the room, then at his own hands, “I never realised....” 

 

“Neither did we,” Luzee admitted through the earpiece.... 

 

James shrugged and continued through to the next chamber, to discover another series of puzzles on the subject of pillars and laser bridges.  He quickly figured them out as he began to realise these were more about staggered timers and leaping from one bridge to another as they reset.  In fact, this entire series of puzzles was quite refreshing, being much more about athletic grace and a turn of speed, rather than accurate shooting and relying on reflective surfaces all of the time.   

 

The route through these puzzles climbed a level as they did so, and eventually looped around to a door displaying a triangle to unlock.  Behind it, he discovered it returned him to the balcony above where he had arrived in the transept of the main chamber.  Now he was up here he got a good view of the main pit below him and the ominous blackness of the chasm at the centre point of this vast chamber.  For a split second he swore he saw something shift right at the limits of what little light he could take advantage of. 

 

He returned his attention back to the balcony and found it looped all the way this upper level and was hiding a floor switch in the far corner.  Upon stepping upon it, he heard the slight tremor above his head again and more light flooded into the chasm before him as another beam of daylight was allowed to reach the room from high above.  He watched the bounce puzzle below him change again and set itself out to allow him to activate another path that progressed further round and into the newly lit area.   

 

Just by the switch was a small gap in the balcony railing which allowed him to drop back to the ground level and allow him access back to the main room and the next projectile puzzle path.  As he reached the edge over the chasm, he could see the next switch he had to strike was tucked into a corner and clearly required numerous other reflectors to active and unlock a way to the next area. 

 

He was processing his options when he felt the air shimmer again, followed by the haunting voice whispering to him, “did you figure out answers to my questions?” 
 

James was ready for it and quickly replied, “is it important that I do?” 

 

The voice seemed to sigh, “no, not really.....” 

 

“Then why are you asking?” 

 

“Because you need reminding of the fact.” 

 

“No, I don’t, I just need to get across this instance and get out of the city, keep pushing on.” 

 

The air seemed to fidget and James heard several clicks on his ear, followed by silence!  Raising his hand to his earpiece made him turn slightly and then he saw Gayle’s window was suddenly missing, she wasn’t there.  He panicked for a split second before the voice told him, “now we’re alone, now we can talk....” 

 

James was furious, “what did you do?” 

 

The vibrations in the air changed slightly as the voice replied, “I blocked them for a moment....  I’ll release the channels when we’ve finished talking, we deserve privacy.” 

 

James was trying to contact them via his D-Link system already, “you shouldn’t have done that, they’ll be trying to get to me, thinking there’s a problem!” 

 

The air shuffled again and the voice replied in a little-more submissive tone, “it will not be for long, just a demonstration for later....” 

 

“You have no right!” 

 

The voice seemed to consider this, before asking, “why?” 

 

James stopped, clearly not thinking about this and not realising this was the perfect counter.  It took him a second to compose an answer, “one of the observers is a Moderator, they’ll transfer directly to me.” 

 

“Well then, I don’t need more time, for now....  Just consider, why are you here James?” 

 

“What do you mean?  I need to carry on and progress....” 

 

The voices were back in his ear before he had stopped talking.  “James,” Roz was asking with a clearly urgent tone in her voice? 

 

He turned round and could see Gayle’s window was also visible again, “I’m here....” 

 

Roz gave an audible sigh of relief over the earpiece, “what happened, Luzee was about to join you and check for issues?” 

 

“It was the A.I.., he blocked you, so we could have some privacy, as he called it....” 

 

Gayle looked up, pausing from her frenzied work on the equipment, “he shouldn’t have that sort of power over the instance, that’s pretty much Administrative powers.” 

 

James thought carefully while she returned to work, “don’t get too concerned Gayle....”  She didn’t really hear his answer, making him repeat, “Gayle!” 

 

She looked up, “yes?” 

 

“I don’t think you need to be too worried about it?” 

 

“How so?” 

 

“It’s something the Guardian told me in Vermillion....  They cease to exist when I am not inside the instance.”  

 

“That’s no excuse for them having powers like that.” 

 

James nodded, “but that also means we’re thinking about this the wrong way, aren’t we?” 

 

Gayle answered at exactly the same moment he heard Luzee say the word in his ear, “why?” 

 

James replied, “we’re thinking this is my instance, but it belongs to them, not me.  They don’t even exist without me being here!” 

 

Gayle was trying to process that point of view, “are you suggesting they’re just another form of Evotar?” 

 

“I guess?” 

 

Roz was chuckling in his earpiece, “I knew you’d find a way to think of those around you James?” 

 

“I can’t think of a better way to consider this situation Roz?  It’s bad enough for us being restricted to the Playground, but they’re stuck in one place, one tiny world, with no way to even look at the sky outside of the instance....  In many ways, this is a prison to us?” 

 

Gayle shrugged, “I guess it really doesn’t matter, does it?” 

 

James smiled at her, “not really....  I suppose you can look into what permissions they have so we can be more prepared for next time, but there seems to be little we can do about it?” 

 

The air shuffled behind him once more, “ah, you’re finally starting to understand....  Maybe the question does have an answer for you?” 

 

James spun around again and got the sight of something moving in the black, always just out of his eyesight in the maddening gloom.  “Why won’t you show yourself,” he asked? 

 

“Answer my question....” 

 

James considered this, “why am I here?” 

 

The air shivered, suggesting the voice was murmuring its agreement to his question? 

 

James thought carefully, “I’m here to leave the city behind, to continue my progression,” he paused....  “No, to continue ‘my’ progression.”  The voice didn’t reply again and the room returned to being silent and still, leaving James to shrug at an empty room and return to the next chasm puzzle before him. 

 

He was working out the projectile route, carefully planning the necessary steps and stages and working out his optimal path across the stone pillars.  But all the time he knew he was being watched, studied and tested by the very darkness itself.  He was convinced there was something hiding in the darkness, but he couldn’t identify if it was in the depths below him, or the darkness around the unlit wings of the chamber?   

 

He managed to activate the next switch in the sequence and discovered he could reach the next transept, directly behind the bulky mass at the centre of the chasm, which James was convinced was one of the Gods of Shape.   But as he stepped off of a laser bridge and onto the new area, while the small lights lit the area around him and he heard Roz say, “stop please James!” 

 

He did so, “what is it?” 

 

“Can you look up at the balcony?” 

 

He did so, and realised, “it was hidden until the lights activated!”  There, at the very end of the transept, looking down from the upper level was a slightly raised pedestal, and James could see the icon floating above it, “the Charge Pad, it’s up there!” 

 

“Your gift,” rumbled from behind him, “do you deserve it?” 

 

As he turned to it, he replied, “what do you mean?” 

 

“You are starting to understand my question, but you haven’t answered it.  You must, before you leave this place!” 

 

There didn’t seem to be any further prompts from the voice, letting James turn back, to discover three more Wards stood in front of him.  James asked, “do I have to?” 

 

There was no reply from the voice, making James phase his blade in and move forward until the Wards activated.  As soon as they charged, he dash-charged as an evasion manoeuvre, leaving them all attacking the place he was previously stood and giving him some room to begin to counterattack. 

 

His trick had left him against the wall and he was ready for the first Ward enraging and taking it out after it did so, but the trick had pulled him away from the edges of the room and he ignored the charges of the other two, calculating his health was sufficient to tank through the damage to finish the job.  It was, but barely, although James managed to down all three before his health did give out. 

 

The battle resulted in enough EXP to trigger a level up for him, and while he took a moment to study his Circuits, James saw the door display a circle, denoting that the next section would require him to be a Spheromancer.  Once he was ready, he switched class and stepped through the door. 

 

The next room seemed to have a small platform with a few candles in the centre, although one of the candles looked a little weird having a concertinaed section, and James watched as a pack of Moths descended from somewhere quite high above.  Knowing a battle was imminent, James gripped his Chakrams tightly and engaged them, dodging their acidic spit blasts and countering whenever he got the chance, removing them one by one as they all dropped to the floor. 

 

He composed himself a moment and noted a switch formed to his side, which triggering made the concertinaed sections of the candle activate, changing the entry portal height of the right candle. 

 

James squinted up to the right corner and discovered that there was an inaccessible platform with a switch upon it, and James was now able to hit the switch with his projectiles.  It triggered a laser bridge for him to cross and he took a moment to work out the mechanics of this new trick, with the next puzzle, which required him setting a few candles out of four, to make his projectiles strike the next switch.   

 

The door unlocked and he progressed into the next area, which mixed these candle puzzles with the laser bridges, along with the elemental mechanics he already had, to progress through, and it took a few attempts and thoughts, especially when he had to use a wave ball through a series of bouncers to hit the last trigger, while completing a few other steps.  But he got the door unlocked and progressed through.   

 

The next chamber was a clear arena, with a laser bridge leading James out onto a sizable island that had a switch, a candle, and a few blocks upon it, while another three Wards passively waited.  Hitting the switch made the candle extend to allow the aperture exit reach a higher level, while it also made the blocks disappear.  James began to work out how this battle would go as a small flight of Moths began to descend, making him realise he’d have to either ignore the Moths, or the Wards, and choose his target wisely…. 

 

He began by engaging the Moths and knocking a few down to eliminate them, as they presented the opportunity, but just as the numbers were falling off, he got bullied from behind by one of the Wards smashing past him.  He kept dodging, while shooting the switch to raise the blocks and lure the Ward into colliding with it.   James managed to keep his health under control as he took care of it and returned his attention to the Moths, who had kept pestering him while he eliminated the Ward. 

 

Once a few more Moths were taken care of, the final Wards activated and a few more Moths descended from the high reaches of the room, although James saw it happen and was able to react as they charged him.  For a second he was forced to choose his target and decided to remain fixated on the Moths, taking a few more out and leaving the rest, because the constant charges of the Wards were beginning to irritate him. 

 

His health was ticking back up as he reset the switch and got the blocks back into action, almost instantly luring one of the two Wards into the charge and slashing his way through the enraged foe as quickly as he could.  It phased out after a brief, intense flurry of attacks and James switched to the last foe.  It charged, allowing James to step aside and make the trap complete, and he leaped into the attack, balancing his health with the urgent necessity to ensure the opponent was taken out of action, which he managed to do. 

 

With the Wards out of the way, James finally turned his attention to the last few Moths still hovering around the chamber and he found them to be little threat, now their accompanying escort was no longer present.  For a little while longer the fight continued and James took his time, making sure he avoided their attacks to make sure they were removed, meaning he emerged triumphant a few minutes later.... 

 

As the last Moth phased out, he dropped to his knees and let his chakrams dissipate in his hand, taking a moment to reset his thoughts and emotions, before climbing back to his feet and turning to notice that one of the pillars at the edge of the room had shifted, changing into a staircase, and allowing him to climb up to the upper floor, presenting a door before him.   

 

Passing through, he discovered another chamber, directly above the one below, and looking down from the places he could stand, James could see the puzzle below.  There was also a floor switch by his feet and pressing it made an extra candle spawn into the chamber, although this one was set to allow James to reach the candles in the chamber below, meaning he could use them to reset the original switches and turn on a laser bridge here, by switching off the one below him, it allowed him to cross the chamber and access the next room,  

 

Here, the switch that James had originally struck from the ground floor, was now accessible and on the same level as him.  Hitting it made the four candles and switches appear up here and the bridge vanish on the lower floor, and these changes had been hidden from below.  James was forced to complete quite a complex puzzle that involved him sending a series of projectiles around the room, as all the switches involved were timed and required certain sequences of shots before James was able to finally reach the last switch and activate it. 

 

It took a few attempts before the switch activated and James was rewarded with a laser bridge that covered the final gap, but he was tricked by the timers, and he wasn’t over the gap before the bridge retracted, leaving him to fall and reset.  He realised he needed to make his last shot from a different position, meaning he had more time to cover the gap and the next attempt allowed him to test that theory.  He was proven correct, although the timings did mean he barely covered the distance, hopping over the end of the bridge at it retracted and completing the puzzle with a little leap of faith, but he landed safely on the exit platform and discovered the door locked behind a triangle symbol, requiring him to reset to Triblader to open it. 

 

The door returned him to the balcony above the transept, and James could see the charge pad sat, ready and waiting for him, while the voice made the air tremble, “you have reached your prize....  Are you really deserving of it?” 

 

James gazed down into the gloomy areas of the room below him, “do I need to be worthy?” 

 

For an instant there was silence, before the voice commented, “you can see the reward, and can see that a Landmark is here to allow you to travel away to experience it.  Will you return to answer my question?” 

 

James didn’t need to pause and think, “I will, I must....” 

 

He heard the clicks in his ear again, knowing this strange entity was muting the others for a moment.  “Then I will wait for your return, to hear your answer and determine if you are on the right path?” 

 

“What does that mean?” 

 

“You faced yourself in the darkness of your mind, didn’t you?” 

 

“That was different!” 

 

The counter shocked James, “was it?” 

 

His mind flared and he was taken back to that time, to when he was lost in his memories and fighting his own self, fighting to return.  His vision distorted the darkness and he saw the swirling mists breaking it up and changing how it appeared.  He suddenly felt afraid of it. 

 

The tremble felt different, like it was mocking him, “I see you’re learning how it feels to be powerless, scared of what you cannot answer.  Is that why you cannot answer the question, you don’t know how?” 

 

James blinked, defiantly staring the illusion of the mists away, “I’m not going back to that!” 

 

“But your answer is there, isn’t it?” 

 

“No, I’m here, I beat that, it’s my past, my history!” 

 

The voice made the air tremble one last time, “then perhaps....  You’re still lost?” 

 

James was gritting his teeth, about to shout back in anger, but Luzee’s voice came back through the earpiece. “....  Ou there, can you hear me, James?” 

 

That snapped him back to his senses, calming him instantly.  With a heavy sigh, he replied, “I’m here....” 

 

Roz asked, “what happened?” 

 

James gazed out into the darkness, “it’s testing my resolve and I almost lost my temper.” 

 

“Are you okay?” 

 

James took a moment to calm himself, relaxing and controlling his breathing, ensuring he was still in control and able to handle the situation.  “I will be....” 

 

Gayle interrupted them as her window returned, “there you are....  That’s so unnerving, the way he can cut my feed at will....” 

 

James admitted, “I wish he wouldn’t do that.” 

 

Gayle smiled, “well, he didn’t stop you from accessing the Charge Pad, did he?” 

 

James gazed across the balcony and took a moment to pass the Charge Pad and collect the Landmark, while he also saw the next floor switch was here and waiting for him.  Returning his attention to the Charge Pad, he approached it, while noting Gayle had respected his previous request to stay back, although he could now see her working furiously on her equipment, getting ready to record the changes he was about to undergo. 

 

He took one more moment to compose himself and gather his thoughts, before stepping onto the Pad and reaching out to touch the icon floating above it.  He felt the pad rise and his form beginning to float while the pad charged up and delivered his new power, before it lowered again and released him, dropping back to the floor and letting him step forward. 

 

Checking his interface, he saw, '<TEST_FEATURE_EVO1_EXPUPD2> ACTIVATED.’ 

 

The voice drifted across the room, “go and test your gift.  I await your return James....” 

 

He sighed and closed his eyes, “well, it’s time to find out which class it is?”  He pulled his hand behind his back and summoned his weapon, to discover that while he returned them into view, his hands felt significantly heavier to his senses.  Looking down at them revealed he was wearing heavy white gloves, with silvered, interlocking chain plates of a pentagonal design across the joints and knuckles, while his armguards had also changed form to match these gloves.

 

“It looks like you’ve earned your Pentafist wings James,” Luzee confirmed. 

 

James giggled a little, “it looks like I get to learn some dance moves then?” 

 

Roz came over his earpiece, “I’m sure Terrani will approve, but I’ve just informed Emilie and she’s going to meet us at the Enclave Gym now, so you can have a little training and learn to fight.” 

 

James smiled and phased his fists out, especially since they looked so out place with his Triblader outfit, while Gayle looked up at her window, knowing what he was going to do.  “I’ve all the recordings from that James, and I can see the extra scripts included.  You go and get some familiarisation training; I’ll get this new data processed in the interim and await you coming back.” 

 

“Thanks Gayle.” 

 

She started closing her window and replied as it did so, “see you soon.” 

 

He could hear Luzee in the background, making sure the Staff of the sushi restaurant would keep the table spare for a little bit, while Roz replied, “we’ll join you at the Enclave Landmark James.” 

 

He set his Fast Travel and was already fading out as he replied, “I’ll meet you there.” 

Edited October 30, 2022 by Uncle Sikee Atric

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Thirty Six : 

 

He reformed on the Enclave Landmark and discovered he had beaten Roz and Luzee there, while there were a few other Avatars milling around by the dock, and he could see Bel’ milling between them.  He guessed these were a band of the Class 5’s that were from the clinic, having some fresh air, while Bel’ was making sure they were all being cared for correctly. 

 

Bel’ spotted James on the pad and waved a greeting, which James returned, before stepping aside and spending a moment to gaze upon the murals, awestruck as always as to the detail, while starting to wonder a little about which of them were related to Terrani and Reece?   

 

Another moment passed before he sensed the arrival of Roz by his shoulder, while Luzee was heading straight into the Admin Building.  Roz gave James a few more seconds, before asking, “ready to head inside?” 

 

He turned away and nodded, “only if I can stop in Terrani’s office a moment first, please?” 

 

Roz smiled and nodded, “of course, I’m sure she’s eager to find out your new class.” 

 

They headed into the building and noted a few more Avatars milling in the lobby, stood by the window and talking together, so they carefully sneaked into the passage in the back corner and stopped outside the first door, the sounds of activity obvious behind it.  James quietly requested, “can I have a moment?” 

 

Roz smiled, tapped on the door, nodded and stood back, “don’t be long.” 

 

He smiled back as there was a distinct sound of an expletive behind the door, followed by the sound of a tumbling box and papers being scattered, before there was a resigned, “come in....” 

 

James walked in to discover Terrani kneeling on the floor, hovering over a box of paperwork that had clearly spilled from the table, although the other surfaces across the room were in a much better state than they were the last time he was here.  She was clearly making progress with tidying her office.  “Are you okay,” he asked her? 

 

She looked up and smiled, “I suppose....  I’m just trying to get this mess into some sort of order, I’ve been doing it for every damn spare minute I have, and I’m getting there, it’s just slow going.”  

 

He knelt down next to her and they shared a sweet kiss together, before James helped her gather up the contents of the dropped box, while explaining, “I just came to say hello, and show you that I have unlocked another class.” 

 

“Oh, you did,” she replied as she grabbed another handful of papers? 

 

They finished together and Terrani returned the box to the table, looking rather relieved that the mess wasn’t as bad as she feared, before she looked at him and asked, “which class did you get?”  He summoned his weapon and revealed his new fists, which took her rather off guard when they formed, “it looks so weird with your Triblader outfit, especially since it partly reforms your armguards to match them....” 

 

“I know.  I need a new look....” 

 

Terrani had taken his hands in hers and was inspecting them, “they’re a beautiful design, almost like chain mail across the joins, quite unusual,” and as a comparison, she summoned her own fists, showing her joins were more like interlocking pentagonal slats of armour that slid together as she balled her fingers into her palms.   

 

He looked across, “I like that design, it’s pretty modern.” 

 

“And yours is very classical by comparison.”  she was quite thoughtful, “you’ll have to be careful with picking your appearance....” 

 

James smiled, phased his new gloves out and leaned in to hug her, “take a little time out, come to the gym and you can pick my clothes, while Emilie trains me, please?” 

 

She half-muttered and half-giggled into his shoulder, “I’m busy....” 

 

“Call it a break then, I want you to do this for me, please.  Besides, you’re going to have to live with it....” 

 

She laughed, as she carefully broke the hug and smiled, “alright then.”  Then she phased her own fists out, took his hand and led him out of the door. 

 

Roz was still waiting in the corridor and noted the pair of them emerging, holding hands as they did so.  “Are you coming to watch him train?” 

 

She looked at him, “no, he wants me to create his new appearance.  It looks odd, having fists with his Triblader outfit so I’m just going to sit and compose that, while Emilie gets him up to speed with the basics.” 

 

Roz nodded, then indicated they should follow her to the gym, which they entered as a group.  Inside the room, Luzee and Emilie were chatting warmly and sharing a few laughs between themselves, while Lea was sat on the bench, looking at her own interface and clearly interested in what was about to occur before her.  When they entered, they all looked at James and it was Emilie who addressed him directly, “ready to get going?” 

 

He nodded, “I’m just taken aback at how heavy the fists really are.” 

 

Emilie giggled, “oui, they take some getting used to, don’t they?” 

 

James phased his new weapons in, and Lea was clearly taken aback when they formed, in direct contrast to his Triblader appearance.  She stood and walked over to Emilie, typing, [that’s so off-putting,] as she did so. 

 

James smiled back, “I’ve got a little-more accustomed to it now, especially since our clothing lists change to the specific class.  That’s why I asked Terrani to take a break from her office, I want her to create a new outfit.” 

 

[I can’t imagine new outfits like that,] Lea admitted as James smiled back and changed to his Hexacast form, making Lea jump slightly, due to the naturalness of his actions, [I didn’t see it very well in the low light of the Slums Test Area,] she admitted. 

 

“You’ve seen this form, but not this one,” he commented as he flicked again to this Spheromancer form. 

 

Lea looked him up and down and laughed slightly, then she reached up and nudged the bumps on the sides of his headgear, before changing her own appearance to the one she wore when they were in the Vermillion Tunnels, and typing, [I’m glad I inspired you.] 

 

“Just wait until you start to unlock my ability....” 

 

Lea smiled and replied, [no doubt I’ll have to rely on others for inspiration....] 

 

Luzee broke the conversation by laughing, “well, I’m a Mod, not a fashion designer....” 

 

They all had a little laugh between themselves, before Emilie invited James to join him, and Lea walked across to face him, calming herself as she did so.  James asked, “are you sure?” 

 

Lea nodded happily, while Emilie told him, “she readily volunteered and I’m not going to stop her.” 

 

James noted Roz, Luzee and Terrani had taken their places on the bench and were happily chatting among themselves and checking interfaces, before he turned his attention to Lea and told her, “thank you.” 

 

She dismissed his thanks with a little wave, before Emilie asked, “ready to start?” 

 

James confirmed he was by switching to his new Pentafist class and reappearing in his Triblader form, before summoning in his new weapons and making both Emilie and Lea flinch a little as to the outlandish look he now adopted.   “Yeah,” he confirmed, “it’s really odd, isn’t it?” 

 

Emilie smiled, “no doubt we’ll be able to fix it.  But for now, let’s focus on what you’ve unlocked,” and she carefully took hold of his fists, inspecting them closely, “the design of these fists is so unusual, it’s not often you see chain mail links in them.” 

 

James looked down at them himself, “I don’t understand why that happened?” 

 

Emilie grinned while reforming into her combat appearance and summoned in her own fists, showing hers were like oversized tactical gloves, with reinforced padding strips across the key contact areas, while the colours matched the forearm guards that protected her wrists and included her own interface terminal, dark grey with orange trim.  “It seems our weapons can be pretty diverse, I never really thought about it before?” 

 

James nodded and phased his own gloves out and flexed his fingers, “they restrict your manipulation too....” 

 

Emilie laughed, “oui, grabbing an item from the Quick Menu during combat does require a little extra time, just to double check you selected the right one!” 

 

James watched as she phased her fists out again, replacing them with her normal hands while asking, “I assume you have a fairly decent idea of how to fight as a Pentafist, oui?” 

 

He nodded, “since I’m always close range as a Triblader, I’ve been watching Terrani and her fighting style, including the sheer acceleration and ability to manoeuvre.  I also understand that she avoids damage by dodging and movement, something very different to other classes.” 

 

Emilie nodded, “a Pentafist is a difficult class to master, and some can do it well, while others never understand the key stats, and they are our Health and Focus.  It’s imperative to master the balancing act between damage and staying alive to deliver damage, and your reflexes are your primary weapon, not your fists.” 

 

James was quite taken aback, “what do you mean?” 

 

Emilie looked up, “Lea, would you duel, James a moment?” 

 

Lea nodded readily while James was totally shocked, “hang on....” 

 

Emilie smiled, “you don’t need to strike each other, I just want you to feel the differences in your movement between the classes.  You can duel her as a Triblader first, then switch.” 

 

James backed down and seemed a little easier, he nodded across at Lea, “is that okay?” 

 

She nodded happily, before typing out and letting her keyboard say, [of course it is.]  Then that faded out and she summoned her own chakrams, letting James see the bright, electric blue of their design and colouration, closely matching the tone of her hair, while the fringes of white blended into her smock. 

 

James nodded and stepped up to face off against Lea, switching back to Triblader as he did so, then phasing his blade in and adopting an aggressive pose while Lea stood her ground, chakrams raised and ready.  James charged and drove his blade into Lea’s shield, which she deliberately accepted to deflect the strike before dashing to one side and maintaining her guard, ready for his next action, but he paused a second and Lea took the chance, darting in with her dash which made her pirouette in a dazzling spiral, before slashing across him with her chakrams, him stepping back to avoid their delicate edges catching his body, but the step back also allowed him a little room to lunge and he tried to do so, although Lea was ready and charged her defence, the Guard Sphere holding his blade mere millimetres from her chest, while she grinned from the safety inside. 

 

He thought about a counter, but Emilie called, “arrêt!”  Lea instantly lowered her chakrams and James joined her a second later, once he had processed the request.  Emilie looked at James and suggested, “now, try again as a Pentafist,” while she nodded a little hint to Lea to take it easy.  Lea gently nodded back, while James carefully returned to his starting point and reset himself back to Pentafist, phasing his gloves in as he did so.  When he was ready, Emilie barked, “aller!” 

 

James charged and was instantly taken aback with the sheer acceleration and velocity being a Pentafist offered.  He’d seen Terrani dash past him on the charge on numerous occasions, yet now, here he was, experiencing that ability himself, and he was a little afraid of it. 

 

Lea dashed clear and raised her chakrams again, while James considered this powerful new charge, but she could sense his unsure attitude and she dashed in herself, bringing he chakrams around in a devastating, double-handed tear.  James sensed something as she closed for the attack and it was like she slowed considerably at the key moment, allowing James to easily sidestep her blow and lazily raise his own fist and attempt to punch her.  Lea countered, ducking back out of range, while James followed, feeling like his speed allowed him to punch her shield with impunity. 

 

Emilie barked, “stop,” and dashed forward herself, asking James, “ca c'était quoi,” as she did so? 

 

He shook his head, “I, I don’t know, it felt like time slowed?  Just for an instant, I could feel and predict Lea’s movements....” 

 

Lea had phased her chakrams out and typed at Emilie, [he’s even got your true power.] 

 

James looked at Emilie, “true power?” 

 

Emilie looked back at James and admitted, “it’s what puts Pentafists apart from the other classes and determines the good ones from the great ones....” 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

“While to the other classes we look like we’re always reacting with lightning speed, to us it’s a little different.  Our high Focus stat changes the way we see the Playground, making our reflexes fine-tune to our ability.  It means we can almost ‘slow time,’ although it doesn’t happen in reality, it’s just the way we detect it.” 

 

James was a little unsure, so Lea gave him a little demonstration.  Without warning she slashed at him, phasing her chakrams in as she did so.  James sensed the attack and felt the environment change around him, he could see the slow formation of the chakrams, their form still phasing in as they approached his body., but the movement of the attack was slowed, and he had no issue stepping aside to let them pass harmlessly by him.   Now the chakrams were no longer a danger, Lea appeared to speed up considerably, and James saw that she seemed faster for a split second as she completed the attack, before everything returned to normal and she was just stood, smiling cheekily at him while her chakrams faded from her hand again. 

 

He was totally shaken, “was that what you mean by your true power, because that ability is so weird?” 

 

Emilie smiled, “oui....  My ability only manifested as I levelled, and I was unsure what was happening at first.  All Pentafists have this skill, it’s just how they utilise it that’s separates us.” 

 

James gazed across at Terrani, splitting her time between checking her interface and chatting happily with Roz and Luzee.  “I don’t understand, even she perceives the world like this?” 

 

Lea nodded, while Emilie confirmed, “she does, but until your experience it for yourself, it’s nigh-on impossible to describe to others outside of the class....  Not even every Pentafist player learns how to take advantage of the ability correctly....” 

 

He looked down at his hands, turning the thought over in his mind, “that’s what you mean, the good ones don’t learn how to react with this ability?” 

 

Emilie nodded, “oui.  Now I know this ability is already present and you need to learn how to react to it. I can add it into the training.” 

 

Lea returned to her place on the mat, indicating for James to join her.  Looking at Emilie, he admitted, “I thought being a Pentafist was going to be so like being a Triblader, how wrong was I?” 

 

Emilie giggled, “apart from our range being similar, we’re quite different, aren’t we?”  James nodded, while Emilie continued, “at least now I know what we are working with....  Lea, could you just block now, and offer the occasional counterattack?” 

 

She replied, “why?” 

 

“It’s just so he can learn the basics and apply a few combos and charge attacks.  In a little bit we’ll summon Luzee’s new bot routine and duel ourselves, letting James apply some actual damage to that, once he knows how to do it effectively?” 

 

Lea nodded happily and summoned her chakrams again, adopting a suitably defensive pose and clearly indicated she was happy to aid James in every way possible, while Emiie began teaching James about stances, positions and applications of damage, while every now and again, Lea would strike back, slashing her chakrams at him and letting him experience the weird sensation of time distorting, ever so slightly.  The way James could see the fine detail in the design of the chakrams as they slipped past him in an almost unnatural way, was something he was still adapting to. 

 

For an hour or so they trained, Emilie quickly bringing James up to speed with enough techniques and skills to make him capable of fighting as a Pentafist, while also learning how to dodge, duck and weave through attacks aimed at him.  While through all of that time, Luzee, Roz and Terrani kept talking quietly from the sidelines, and their activity was piquing his interest, especially because every time he glanced over, Terrani seemed to be showing them something in her interface, and he knew what his request had been.... 

 

The final section of training was against the training bot, while Lea and Emilie rehearsed some combat actions, and James began to understand that timing was as important as actually attacking something while being a Pentafist.  You were constantly close, with little reaction time to switch to a more defensive pose, charge an attack, change your elemental mode, or get clear when something fought back, making him reach the conclusion, that although watching Pentafists seemed easy, they were anything but easy to use skilfully as a class.  He finished the session with a little more respect for Terrani as a Pentafist, than what he had begun the session with. 

 

They wrapped up and walked back over to the happy figures sat at the side of the Gym, making them look up and Roz ask, “did you enjoy that?” 

 

He nodded back, “it’s different to the other classes, and I understand why now....” 

 

Emilie looked across at Terrani, “he has our reactions already, and experienced them.” 

 

Roz and Luzee gave him something of a surprised expression, while Terrani noted, “he has?” 

 

James nodded quietly, “feeling time slow to your reactions is really odd....” 

 

Terrani giggled a little, “I know you’ve experienced it then.  It’s weird, isn’t it?” 

 

Luzee smiled, “I’ve always wondered how that feels, I guess I’ll find out.” 

 

“You will,” James confirmed.  “I wasn’t expecting this feeling to be part of this Class, no one had really explained it to me before.” 

 

Terrani smiled, “it’s not really something we talk about as we all perceive it slightly differently.  I feel myself speed up a little at the right time and I have an instant of feeling slowed afterwards, but it’s just how I translate the ability.” 

 

Emilie smiled, “it is difficult to explain, that’s the point.” 

 

Roz looked up from her own interface, “feel ready to continue with the Instance?” 

 

He nodded in readiness, but Terrani stood, “you don’t look the part yet.” 

 

He phased his gloves in and smiled, “I see what you mean.” 

 

Terrani scrunched her nose up, “that’s just so jarring, seeing you with those fists and your Triblader outfit....” 

 

“Well then,” James asked, “have you figured out a new look for me?” 

 

Terrani stood up, grinning as she did so, “it’s a good job I’ve been digging through the database, isn’t it?” 

 

He laughed uneasily but knew this was an important part of accessing his new class, so he unclipped the camera from behind his ear and presented it to Luzee to hold and allow him an image of his new form.  “Make me look horrible then.” 

 

Terrani instantly raised her hand and told him, “I won’t do that, you know I won’t.”  Then she stood and moved over to him, opening her interface and showing him her selections, “these are what I came up with, try the first one?” 

 

James followed Terrani through the listings and reformed into a set of light clothes and equipment, and he wasn’t impressed with his appearance when Luzee let him see, especially when he phased his gloves in as well.  “It’s too clingy and light, it makes my gloves feel really heavy!” 

 

Terrani mumbled something under her breath, while Luzee laughed at her, “he was as irritable when I had to give him his Hexacast look Terrani, don’t get too mad!” 

 

Terrani gave Luzee a sly grin back, while asking James, “are the clothes themselves okay for an underlayer?” 

 

He quickly studied the view from Luzee again and admitted, “they’re not bad in that way, apart from the orange being too pronounced....  It just, feels too light to me.” 

 

“Okay, okay....”  Terrani quickly raced through several other menus and added some more selections, before giving them all to James and letting him activate them.  As he quietly studied his form via the camera, she curiously asked, “well?” 

 

It took a moment for him to reply, “it’s nice, it’s just, lacking something?  It’s almost generic!” 

 

Now Luzee was a little taken aback, “that’s a new one, James complaining something is too simple!” 

 

Terrani smiled at him, “we can do something about it though, although I have to be careful as there’s no orange on your gloves, just greys and whites.  Give me a moment....”   

 

James watched as she scurried through several options and was ready for her suggestions when she finished and presented them to him.  He selected her list and reformed into them, Luzee creating a still for him to study. 

 

He was wearing dark, low-cut boots that had orange trim and light grey, long-cargo shorts, which also sported padded sections around his knees.  His torso was clothed in the same white singlet that had a delicate metallic collar and a little grey and orange design in the detailing, while he now wore a hooded jacket that was toned in grey, with a loud, abstract orange pattern across it.  The jacket sleeves were under chunky elbow guards and scrunched up to his armguards, and those felt bulky, because they incorporated the micro-thrusters that were the trademark of Pentafists. 

 

He was most taken aback by the hair, which although was like his usual, dark locks, Terrani had carefully toned the very tips with a little transition through white, to orange, while the wings on his head were quite chunky and stuck up above his skull by quite an amount, making him work out that if he wore the hood of his jacket, he’d have two, prominent bumps beneath it!  He reached up to gingerly feel them in his hands.... 

 

Luzee stood up and told him, “as a Pentafist, that’s an awesome look!” 

 

He looked down at himself, “are you sure it’s not too much?” 

 

Terrani joined him, gripped the armguards at his wrists and made him lower his hands, “stop worrying.  I know it’s quite brash, but you should experiment with your appearance a little more.  You can carry that sort of look, trust me.” 

 

He smiled back at her, before drawing her into a hug and kissing her cheek.  As he held her in his arms, he whispered into her own wing, “you know I trust you....” 

 

“Then what’s the problem,” she whispered back? 

 

He broke the hug, “I’m just, still getting used to this new appearance.  No doubt it’ll grow on me....” 

 

It was now he heard another voice to his side, “nice look!” 

 

He turned his head to discover Gayle’s window in the corner of the room.  “Seriously?” 

 

Gayle confirmed, “it looks great!”  Then she stopped and her jaw dropped, “Lea?” 

 

Lea stepped forward and nodded, “hi.” 

 

Gayle was thrilled, “I’ve wanted to meet you for so long!  I finally get my chance, I’m Gayle Whitelaw, the tech assigned to aid James with his progression.” 

 

Lea smiled and phased her keyboard in, [it’s a pleasure to meet you.] 

 

“I have so many questions....” 

 

Roz butted in by hinting, “we need to keep going Gayle, the Temple to complete?” 

 

“Of course, of course,” she corrected herself....  “But just one request to Lea, please?” 

 

Lea asked, “what?” 

 

“One day soon, can we meet in game, please Lea, I want to chat and learn everything about you.” 

 

Emilie giggled a little, while Lea smiled and typed, [I’m sure we can arrange something....] 

 

“Thank you,” Gayle beamed.  Then she switched attention back to James, “there’s just one more piece of detail to handle before you continue?” 

 

“Which is?” 

 

“....  Your new name.” 

 

James instantly warned her, “you can’t hack it in this time, I know how mad Sergey was....” 

 

Gayle giggled back, “don’t worry....  I’m not hacking anything, but Sergey gave me access to the name listings, and I can submit your request directly to him.  He’ll add it to the database and the system will update when you rest.” 

 

He relaxed, “so long as it’s all official this time?  I’m not being the fault for you getting fired!” 

 

She smiled back, “no way.  I love this job and I’m not losing it....” 

 

He smiled, “alright then.  Does anyone have any ideas, I’m stumped, like usual?” 

 

Lea gave him a curious expression, “why?”  

 

“Why what, Lea?” 

 

Emilie guessed, “I think she’s asking, why are you letting others name you, it’s normally quite a personal choice?”  To which Lea nodded, confirming Emilie’s translation. 

 

James looked at her for a moment with a blank expression, then admitted, “I have no idea what to call myself in these new bodies?” 

 

[None at all,] Lea typed? 

 

He shook his head and the room fell silent.  It took a while, but he eventually blurted out, “someone must have an idea?” 

 

There was a few more seconds, before, [Adams,] came from Lea’s keyboard? 

 

“Adams,” he asked?  When Lea nodded, a little nervously, he took a moment to consider the choice, before deciding, “it’s actually quite nice....” 

 

Gayle double-checked, “are you going for Adams?” 

 

“If that’s possible?”  Then he turned his head and said, “thank you for the suggestion, Lea.” 

 

She smiled back and nodded, while Gayle checked the database.  “There are a few ways we can add that name for you James.  How about Addamz,” and she spelled it to him? 

 

He decided, “I like that, Addamz.” 

 

“I’ll submit that to Sergey now then,” Gayle confirmed as she set to work with her equipment. 

 

“Is there anything else Gayle,” Roz asked her. 

 

She shook her head, “I’m just waiting on James getting back to the instance, then I can transfer back to continue logging the data feeds and monitoring James himself.” 

 

Roz smiled, “in that case, we’ll get going momentarily, see you soon Gayle.” 

 

Gayle began to fade her window out, noting, “I’ll see you all soon, and Lea, it’s an honour....” 

 

Lea replied, “bye,” as she continued to fade out. 

 

Emilie hadn’t stopped giggling during any of the conversation and finally asked Roz, “what’s her thing with Lea?” 

 

Roz explained, “she knows, who is the source for all of the training routines....” 

 

Lea laughed, then typed, [Sergey and Satoshi asked me shortly after coming back online, and I was happy to help with the training, by letting them use old backups of my data feed as the basis for it.] 

 

Emilie noted, “but I thought they took steps to hide all the identities, how does Gayle know?” 

 

James laughed, “she’s quite the hacker, and that’s how she works.  She hacked one of the routines a little too well.” 

 

Lea giggled, before her keyboard replied, [I’m sure they were thrilled when she managed that....] 

 

Roz admitted, “you’ll like Gayle though, she’s young, enthusiastic and ambitious.” 

 

Lea smiled, [just what we need to make sure our existence is set for the future.] 

 

Roz noted, “the fact she’s under Sergey’s wing directly, does suggest she’s going to aim high within Insta.” 

 

James nodded, while noting, “we better get going....” 

 

Terrani smiled and commented, “I’ve got some more work to sort, before we get to play out in the Dunes tomorrow.  Get yourself there, okay?” 

 

“I will,” he replied as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. 

 

She returned the gesture and stepped away, noting to Luzee and Roz, “look after him....” 

 

Roz smiled, “we’re having fun doing that.  We found another A.I. in the Instance, like the Guardian we saw in the Tower.” 

 

Now Lea’s expression changed to suggest something a little more uneasy, “why?” 

 

Luzee admitted, “where they’ve come from exactly, we don’t know?  But it’s asking James a question and won’t let off about it, plus, it also can cut our comms links to James, which doesn’t help....” 

 

Lea gave a visible shudder, some of her own memories giving an indication of how uncomfortable all this made her feel, while Emilie was clearly puzzled as to the source of these strange new A.I.’s.  It was Lea who finally broke the awkward silence, her keyboard saying, [I’ll have to face these new opponents and try to understand them myself, there’s no way I’m not going after your ability, once we work out how to access it safely, James.] 

 

They all shared a laugh that broke the tension, before James reset his form to Triblader and suggested, “we better get back to it.” 

 

Emilie confirmed, “we’ll see you in a few days James, I’ll be joining the training sessions as well.” 

 

“Lea,” Lea added, indicating she would be joining in too. 

 

“In that case, I’ll see you both on the day after,” James nodded in appreciation, “and Terrani,” he added as he turned his attention to her, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”  He smiled as he openly added, “I love you....” 

 

“I love you too, see you tomorrow....  Maybe we can plan a date during the day?” 

 

He nodded as Roz added, “go back to the Landmark, but give me and Luzee a few minutes to get back to the booth before you continue, okay?” 

 

“Okay,” he agreed.  “Save me some sushi?” 

 

“Wait,” Emilie guessed, “are you watching from the Hernandez Sushi Joint?” 

 

Luzee laughed in reply, “they have a special booth in the back that the Mods alone are allowed to use.” 

 

“The booth in the back?  Remind me to block it next time....” 

 

They all laughed happily as James phased out.... 

 

---------- 

 

He reformed in the brooding darkness of the subterranean Temple and looked out into the darkness, to see the light shafts in the central area were the only light source for a moment.  Then the tiny lights in the walls detected his presence and those in the transept flicked on, illuminating his local area, but it still took a moment for his eyes to adapt. 

 

He turned and saw Gayle’s window appear at his side, nodding at her and her shadowy form waved back before returning to her equipment.  But as he watched her do so, he felt the shuffle of the air behind him, “you’re back, did you enjoy learning about your new gift?” 

 

He didn’t turn around but kept watching Gayle as she phased her window in for mutual support, before replying, “I did....  I never understood how different it would feel?” 

 

“That’s good,” the voice confirmed, “and it also allows you a chance to think about my question now....” 

 

“Your question?” 

 

The air shimmered, gently nudging his back, “why are you here?” 

 

James looked up at Gayle, who had stopped her activities and was just watching passively, keeping him company just by being there for him.  He turned the question over and over, trying to determine how to decode it, before replying, “I have to find Rizuno....” 

 

Gayle flinched slightly, while the air shivered, “ah, you understand the question, but you’re only partly admitting the truth, aren’t you?” 

 

James continued to think, before admitting to Gayle, “I don’t have to be here, I’m wanting to enjoy my new life as an Evotar and not have all this hanging over us.  Everything to just be ‘normal,’ quiet, peaceful,” he looked down and mumbled, “happy....” 

 

The air didn’t move in reply, it seemed sated with the admission James had made and the silence even caught Gayle out, she was about to break it and was opening her mouth, but her words were drowned out by his earpiece springing back to life, Luzee announcing, “we’re back in the booth James.  Everything is set and I’m warning you now, I’m getting peckish, don’t be long....” 

 

“I won’t be,” he confirmed, while he looked up at Gayle again.  She was about to say something, but he raised his hand and indicated for her to wait, where Roz and Luzee wouldn’t see the motion in the frame of the camera.  She smiled, understood and phased out her window for now, while Roz, curious to her actions, asked James, “what were you two discussing?” 

 

James dismissed her, “it wasn’t important, just small talk....” 

 

Roz seemed a little unsure but decided to not probe any further.  Instead, she replied, “okay, well remember you can talk, whenever you need to?” 

 

He smiled and confirmed, “I know Roz, if I need to pause, I’ll do so.” 

 

She gave an acknowledgement and fell silent, while Gayle returned to working on her equipment, although James knew he would have to confess to her about his admission, before the day was out, he just needed to get Luzee and Roz distracted for a moment first. 

 

James finally turned around from the Landmark and revealed the view over the central transept.  The looming blackness over the central statue and pit shifted slightly, giving him the notion, he was still being watched, carefully and deliberately, by whatever was asking him the question.  He moved forward and activated the floor switch, before dropping down from the balcony and landing back at ground level. 

 

The puzzle around the statue had changed again and revealed the next switch he had to strike to progress, and now this puzzle began to integrate the candles into the design, James had to work out which sections to bypass as they allowed him to circumvent certain areas, or reach key reflectors, but he determined the path and after a few attempts, got the switch activated.   

 

He began to hear the grating of ancient gears far above his head and the light shone down as the final quarter of the pit was illuminated, while the puzzle path altered to allow for one more switch to activate, although there was no sign of any figure getting caught out by the lack of darkness, and while James could determine the general shape of the statue, he couldn’t identify what it represented, other than the fact there were multiple figures depicted by it.  James was convinced now that whatever was watching him was perched upon it and waiting for the right moment to converse with him again. 

 

With no other option, James continued the puzzle, discovering that the path was becoming long and convoluted, and the bypasses were a little different, but he managed to solve the route and hit the next switch, which activated the next laser bridge and allowed him to step into the final transept.  The lights flicked on and suggested that this area was no different to the other two, and the door on the far wall stood ready, waiting for James to approach. 

 

As he walked forward, he was waiting for the voice to speak again, slightly nervous about what it was going to say, but it stayed silent, and James was almost at the door before a forcefield rose and he heard, “have you considered my question a little more?” 

 

He watched as a trio of Wards emerged from the wall and silently took their stations before him.  Knowing what was coming he replied, “I gave you, my reply!” 

 

“It’s not wholly correct though, is it?” 

 

He gave a deep sigh, “why do you need these answers?” 

 

There was a slight pause, before the air shifted in a sizable block, suggesting a sigh in return from the invisible source.  “I don’t....  But you need to answer them to make sure you’re still on the correct path and doing this for the right reason?” 

 

“I’m answering them for myself?” 

 

“And you’re holding back....  I know others are listening and watching from your own thoughts.  Are you sure you’re not holding back to protect them?” 

 

James grunted quite audibly, before snapping, “get out of my head!” 

 

There was a pause, making James think the Wards would advance, but then the voice replied, “I can’t....  We both know it’s too late for that.” 

 

James summoned his blade and charged at the Wards, intent on burning his rising anger on these opponents and for a second he forgot the required tactics and received a significant hit to his health as a result.  The action did bring him to his senses though and he returned to fighting these Wards using the correct tactics to break their defences.  Luring them into the charging into the walls and then ducking in to break and subdue them. 

 

It took a few moments, but James managed to defeat the three Wards, and the field blocking the door fell again, allowing him to progress.  But the door was displaying a Pentagon on the small display plate and James knew it was time to become a Pentafist for the first time officially.  But before he reached for his interface, the voice came back, “you know anger is never the answer, the words of the Guardian are still prominent in your mind.” 

 

James was tiring of this discussion, “you know the answers, no one else needs to know.” 

 

“Yes, they do,” the voice countered, “for you, the truth is becoming too difficult to bear alone.  It’s time to confess.” 

 

He spun around and saw that slight flicker of movement in the last patch of darkness again.  “I can’t do it....” 

 

“When you do, you’ll feel better.  They’ll help you come to terms with your feelings....” 

 

Another voice broke the discussion, “James!”  It was Gayle, trying to grab his attention.... 

 

He didn’t turn around, quietly asking, “yes?” 

 

“You can talk to me....  Whatever this is has blocked the earpiece but left me connected.” 

 

The voice came back, “they understand.  You must settle this, or it will be a burden for a long time to come.” 

 

James turned around and sat down in front of Gayle, some relief evident of his features.  “You can’t tell them!” 

 

“I’m not going to,” Gayle confirmed, “but how long have you felt like this James?” 

 

He took a moment, before admitting, “since yesterday....” 

 

Gayle was about to say something, but she saw her equipment receive a message and raised her hand for him to be silent, “hang on James....”  She pressed a few buttons and replied, “yes Roz.  I’m locked out too, it must be the A.I. again, but I do still have his feed data and that’s all normal.  If there’s anything to alarm me, I’ll get back to you, see you soon.”  She cut the line and returned her attention to James, “whatever you say to me now, I promise I won’t tell them, you have my word....” 

 

He was honestly grateful, “thank you Gayle.  When the time is right, I’ll tell Roz what I am about to tell you.” 

 

“You said you’ve felt like stopping since yesterday?” 

 

He nodded, confessing, “I’m worried Gayle....” 

 

“What’s wrong?” 

 

He sighed deeply, “when I was in the Vermillion Tower the Guardian told me something, and yesterday those words came back to me.  It’s haunted me ever since....” 

 

Gayle spent a moment processing his admission before asking, “what is haunting you?” 

 

James sighed and tipped his head, “he suggested that I need to protect Terrani....” 

 

Protect her from what,“ Gayle asked, the confusion evident in her expression? 

 

He sighed, “I don’t know?  He just told me to protect her, and never stop holding her....” 

 

Gayle’s features flickered for a second, suggesting she found it quite romantic.  But she kept her composure and thought deeply, trying to find the right words to comfort him.  Eventually she managed to reply, “and all this is what is pushing your drive to continue away?” 

 

He gave a single, slight nod, admitting, “I’m scared Gayle, I don’t want her to be hurt....” 

 

Gayle studied her equipment for a second, making sure everything was still nominal, before looking at James through her window, and asking, “have you spoken to Terrani about this?” 

 

He shook his head, “no, but I want to....  I just haven’t found a way yet, not without Roz getting involved....” 

 

“You’re going to have to find a way!” 

 

“I know,” he blurted out!  Then he realised what he had done, “sorry....” 

 

Gayle smiled, “it’s okay, I can tell how much this is playing on your thoughts.” 

 

“I don’t want it to Gayle....” 

 

“I know.” 

 

“So, what do I do?  I can’t leave the instance; the block would end?” 

 

They were both silent for a few moments, then Gayle smiled, “I have an idea....” 

 

“Why does that sort of tone suggest trouble to me,” James mused with a sense of dread? 

 

“You’re going to go on that date with Terrani!” 

 

James looked up at Gayle, “what for?” 

 

“You want some time alone with her, you’ll get it....” 

 

“I really don’t want to go on a date with an ulterior motive?” 

 

“Look,” Gayle countered, “it’s not ideal, but at least you’ll have at least a little time to confess this situation to her....  She loves you and she’ll figure out a way to chat this through with you.  You’ll feel better with this off your shoulders.” 

 

James looked up at Gayle with something of an unsure expression, but the more he considered things, the more he realised she was right.  It might not be ideal, but at least he should get a little time alone with her, a chance to chat and discuss this privately before this doubt consumed him.  He tipped his head forward and admitted, “you’re right Gayle.  I can’t think of another way to handle this?” 
 

“I admit it’s not great,” she replied, “but you must discuss this with her.  She’ll appreciate that.” 

 

He tipped his head forward and whispered, “no secrets,” to himself, before he looked up at the window again.  “Thank you, Gayle....” 

 

She smiled back, “I promise I won’t tell anyone about this, your secret is safe with me.” 

 

“I know....” 

 

Gayle looked past James, into the darkness, “I’m going to be quiet now....  I think something shuffled by the statue.” 

 

“You see it too?” 

 

The air buffeted into his back, “she does....  Did confessing your worry feel better?” 

 

He stood and turned around himself, “a little....” 

 

The air boomed again as the voice commanded, “go then, think about what we discussed.  You must answer the question when you return!” 

 

James turned around, hearing the noises of Roz and Luzee in his ear once more.  He placated them by saying, “I’m back Roz....” 

 

“James,” her tinny voice asked, “what happened, what was the A.I. net referring to?” 

 

He pondered how to slide out of this corner, then replied, “it was making me understand what their question really means?  I must answer it for myself, not anybody else.” 

 

“Sei sicuro?” 

 

“I’m positive Roz, I’ll be fine, we’ll finish today.” 

 

“Okay,” she confirmed, “we’ll stay here.” 

 

James looked up at the door, still patiently displaying the pentagon by it, and he reset his form to his new class, still getting used to the weight of the armguards and how they dragged down his wrists.  He raised them back up and clenched his fists, momentarily phasing his gloves in and studying their detail, before phasing them back out and pressing on, into the next area.  

 

Beyond the door, there was another set of complex puzzles to traverse, and James was becoming more aware of how to trigger the various laser bridges through candles and other mechanical actions activated via his elemental skills.    Here the key switch was a fan and it required him working out a specific location from which he could activate the fan and subsequent bridge, since it was active for mere seconds. 

 

He finished the puzzle and proceeded on to the next area, to discover a similar puzzle, but requiring elements of his new Shock and Cold skills to trigger their components, before they summoned a sequence of timed bridges, meaning he had to alternate their activation and constantly switch modes, before the final trigger required him to be careful and use a wave path to trigger that switch, which created the final bridge and a chance to reach the exit door.  It was a graceful, flowing puzzle, and he was thrilled when he exited the chamber. 

 

He arrived in the next chamber and felt ready for a scuffle as he spotted several Wards and Moths blocking his path, all gathered around another key chest and waiting for him to advance and claim it.  He smiled at the obvious situation and recalled what happened earlier, as he approached and phased his Gloves in, ready to use them for real and aware that they could trigger at any time. 

 

As he passed the front Wards, he felt something change in the atmosphere and his instincts kicked in, darting to one side as a Ward swept past him and turned to face him.  Although James was sure his reactions were finer as a Pentafist, because he sensed more movement behind and was proven correct as he ducked away again, the second Ward almost smashing him to the floor as it raced past only of a fraction of a second later.  James was forced to keep moving, avoiding the shock blasts trying to seek him out and James marvelling at how they zapped around him in a form where he could see the slight crackles in the atmosphere as they bolted to the ground.   

 

James composed himself and got himself into the right frame of mind to take control of this combat and faced these two opponents down, they responded by shooting ranged attacks at him, before charging and trying to smash him to the ground.  James found it incredibly easy to dodge these attacks, stepping aside with grace and letting the first one smack into a wall, before charging himself and punching at a speed that made his hands look like a blur as he pummelled the first opponent into submission, it faded out before it could offer any serious resistance. 

 

The second was subdued seconds later, and the air was suddenly full with shapes, while a candle appeared from out of the floor, giving James his opportunity to fight back.  The first set of Moths were firing laser blasts at him, and he again found his reactions and perception so finely tuned, he had no trouble side-stepping and avoiding all of their attacks, while he also discovered that the short range of his initial projectiles required him to be awfully close to send shots back along the candle to knock the Moths from the air.  But he managed to rapidly adapt to the mechanics and fight back, learning how to sweep the Moths aside with an air of grace and fluidity. 

 

James was marvelling at his sheer velocity and acceleration, noting the way the thrusters on his armguards would thud a boost of power into his body as he dashed to avoid the numerous shots being aimed at him as he resisted and countered, but the complications were added to as a Ward engaged and James was forced to move even more as he retained his focus on the last few Moths still airborne.  He acted as he needed to, swatting them from the sky when the small opportunities allowed him to and the last Moth faded out, while a Ward managed to inflict a few hits on him in retaliation. 

 

As soon as the Moth was out of action, James dashed clear and faced down the last two Wards, goading them closer as he backed into the wall.  When the first one charged, he’s felt their actions slow and had no trouble dashing aside and making it impact the wall, while time jumped forward again and slowed as the second Ward copied and ended up charging away sufficiently for James.  He dashed back and smashed into the stunned Ward, his fists impacting its form and making it fade out once he had completed the attack pattern he and Emilie had trained.  Once the second Ward was alone and the final opponent, it offered no resistance to James. 

 

With all foes eliminated, James lowered his hands and phased his heavy gloves out, taking a moment to calm his emotions and feeling jubilation at his victory.  He eased his breathing and proudly walked forward to collect the key, before adding it to his inventory and turning to continue his progress.  The door leading away from this chamber was heading to the left and it opened into the largest room yet.  It looked like a huge canyon was crossing the room and James couldn’t see a way to easily reach the other side?  But the exit door was easily reachable and here, although it was locked, and the keypad was on the other side of the chasm.... 

 

He took a moment to scan the area and discovered a floor switch, hidden past the exit door and recessed into a small alcove.  Stepping onto it made pillars ascend from the depths of the chasm, revealing an intricate puzzle of candles, switches and bridges, but a few of these pillars also had Wards silently waiting upon them.  James sighed, guessing that the Wards would interfere at the wrong moments and complicate the solution.   

 

He identified the necessary steps and spent a little time experimenting with the patterns necessary, learning where each switch was activated from and how things were approached and prepared, before he had to handle the Wards as well.  But there was a problem, and he had reached an impasse, there were a few stops in his progress and there seemed to be something missing? 

 

He was stumped by the Wards on the pillars as all the switch combinations available led to them, and there was no obvious way to find anything else past them, so with little other option, he accessed a pattern that allowed a pair of bridges to form, between the start and both Wards, making them both activate and move forward to face him, although they showed they were both stood on floor switches and holding them down.  As they moved forward, he could see some additional mechanics flick on in the puzzle but didn’t get distracted from the foes just yet.  They were almost upon him, and the narrow ledge complicated the issues as he defended from their attacks, before quickly switching to the offense, to seize the advantage when the narrow window of opportunity was available. 

 

After a brief, but intense skirmish, which required James accepting some damage in exchange for gaining the opportunities to break the Wards, James managed to sweep them aside and thoughtfully returned to the puzzle.  Now the floor switches were released, the puzzle made a lot more sense, although there were steps that required him to stand on them to cancel certain parts of the puzzle, for him to reach others, but James figured everything out with a little deduction and reached the far ledge and the keypad.  Once the door was unlocked, he was tricked by the fact he had to reverse the puzzle and set the switches in a slightly different pattern, but there were fewer steps as James could hop between platforms to bypass some sections, but eventually he returned to the ledge he arrived on and since the door was unlocked, he was allowed to proceed. 

 

The next chamber was a more traditional one, and his progress was blocked by a locked door on a raised platform he could easily reach.  James could see eight switches laid out in two lines of four and a candle in the centre of the room.  The candle had six concertinas and every switch made two sections react in different ways.  James guessed this was a little trial and error, and part combination, but managed to finally make the candle reach the max height after about two or three minutes of blundering.  When he hit the switch at the top, the door displayed a triangle, before finally unlocking and allowing him to proceed, but he could hear giggling over his earpiece as he finished the puzzle.  “What’s wrong?” 

 

Luzee replied, “it’s just an open joke that we time that puzzle, for most of us it’s little more than trial and error....” 

 

Roz added, “don’t worry, you’re not the slowest we know of.” 

 

He gave a slight grin as he accessed his interface, “glad to hear it,” and switched back to Triblader, unlocking the door and allowing him to proceed, and James guessed correctly where he would be when he appeared on the balcony in this transept.  He was gifted a good view of the statue from here and with a little searching, he found the last floor switch on the far arm, along with another place to hop down back to ground level. 

 

There was a ripple in the air again as the voice noted, with a slightly happy tone, “ah, there you are....  Did you enjoy fighting and learning more about your new gift?” 

 

James looked out over the balcony, and replied, “it’s impressive, I never thought it could be so different, given Tribladers and Pentafists are usually at such a close range to their opponents.” 

 

The voice gave a note of approval, “that’s good to know.”  Then the atmosphere and amplitude of the vibrations seemed to change somewhat as the voice continued, “but you now have a choice James, you have to answer my question, before you can touch that final switch....” 

 

James mulled over this, before saying, “there’s nothing to stop me reaching it?” 

 

“Your own conscious will stop you,” the voice replied. 

 

Once more, James tried to stare into the remaining blackness at the centre of the room, “why am I here, I want to know....” 

 

He heard the clicks in his ear and instantly knew what happened.  He took a deep breath and squatted, leaning against the balcony and slumping down to relax. “you cut them again....” 

 

The balcony made the air reflect slightly as the voice replied, giving a slightly muffled echo as it bounced around this narrowed area, “I didn’t cut them all.  She’s been a wonderful friend to you here, and she deserves the whole truth, not just what you’ve admitted.” 

 

James looked up and saw Gayle smiling down on him again.  She moved her window in close and softly told him, “you’re not alone.  Not here, not ever.” 

 

James smiled at her, “thank you Gayle....  You are a true friend....” 

 

Gayle grinned back, “you don’t know what that means to me?”  Then she waved her hand, “one minute, I’ll placate Roz and be back.” 

 

She muted the window and James watched for a moment as Gayle reassured Roz and Luzee, before she finished and returned her attention to him.  Are they happy,” he asked? 

 

“They are, but they’re getting irritated at all the breaks in transmission from your headset, we better not be too long....” 

 

The voice noted, “this won’t take long, you are already turning the truth over in your mind, aren’t you James?” 

 

He took a deep sigh and muttered, “yes, I am....” 

 

“I can see it in my own thoughts, the way it toils on you, the way it fills your emotions!” 

 

James looked down, “I can’t look at you Gayle, I’m ashamed by the truth.” 

 

“What truth?”  James felt like he could hardly speak, he just took a deep breath.  “What truth James,” Gayle repeated? 

 

He muttered, “this isn’t just about my worries for Terrani....  I have to keep going, no matter how much I don’t want to.” 

 

“Why?” 

 

He felt something like a lump forming in his Avatar throat as he admitted, “this is revenge, nothing but revenge....” 

 

“You mean?” 

 

He didn’t say anything in reply, he just nodded, a guilty expression obvious on his face. 

 

Gayle was silent, carefully turning this detail over in her mind, before she finally broke the building tension.  “I’m sorry....  Really, I am, but you shouldn’t be progressing just to sate your own sense of loss!”  

 

“I know....” 

 

“You should stop and return to the Retreat, at least for a few days.” 

 

He snapped back, “I know!” 

 

Gayle inputted a few details into her equipment and sighed, “but I do understand why you feel like this James, of course I do!  But you have to be aware of how your judgement could be clouded by your own emotions and determination.” 

 

He sighed heavily, “I’m sorry to have to burden you with this knowledge Gayle.  But it’s the truth and the more I see it, the more it’s weighing me down....” 

 

“Is all of this because of the message about Terrani?” 

 

James thought for a second, “no....  That has just emphasised the issue for me, rather than it being the issue.  I don’t want her in danger just because my own drive leaves her in the way.” 

 

Gayle sighed, “you can’t let this consume you, James.” 

 

“Why not, it seems to have already done so?” 

 

“Do you care about everyone around you?” 

 

“Yes!” 

 

“Then tell them....” 

 

“I can’t, I’ll never get my chance to find Rizuno, find them....” 

 

“Them?” 

 

“Pnkayz, Rizuno, the others I only know by their codenames, we have to bring them down.” 

 

“But why has it got to be you, alone James?” 

 

He angrily replied, “they left me like this!” 

 

Gayle thought for a moment, before softly asking, “if you hadn’t got here, would you have even met the others around you?” 

 

This made James stop and think a moment, “no, of course I wouldn’t?  There’s no way....” 

 

“Do you regret meeting them?” 

 

“No?” 

 

Gayle smiled, “so, do you hate what you have as an Evotar?” 

 

He stopped and realised, “no....  I only hate why I’m here....” 

 

“That’s what you need to focus on James,” Gayle summarised.  “You can’t change why you’re here, but you can make the best of it, and ensure you get your chance to locate those behind it.” 

 

He looked up at her window, “you’re saying I should keep going, even though it could be dangerous?” 

 

Gayle shrugged, “there’s danger everywhere James.  Letting it rule over you isn’t the answer, you just need to be in a frame of mind that keeps you aware of the threats around you”.” 

 

Slumped against the balcony, he could feel it vibrate slightly as the voice added, “she’s right, isn’t she?  The Guardian told you this when you first faced him and began to understand who you are.” 

 

James looked up at Gayle, “I have to talk to everyone, don’t I?” 

 

She nodded in reply, “and I’ll help you do that when the time comes....  You’re not alone here and we’ll all help you face your troubles.  But don’t swallow your emotions and worries, purely out of fear and regret.” 

 

James smiled a little, “you’re just like Roz, Gayle....” 

 

“In what way?” 

 

He paused a little, before looking up at her, “you always know exactly what to say....  Thank you.” 

 

Gayle smiled back, “we’re all here to help.  Even if you can’t talk to Roz, at least confide in one of us, please?” 

 

He started to climb back to his feet, “I will....” 

 

The air shivered, suggesting the voice was laughing slightly, before it spoke, “I’ll lift the block when these words are said....  You may press the last switch and leave this place, your work here and my task is done....” 

 

James was a little surprised, “you’re not going to drag me into an epic boss fight, or make me undergo any more trials?”  

 

“You’ve already completed all the trials here.  The only thing left for you to do is for me to show myself and for you to exit, to return back to the surface and to those waiting for you.  This is your world now and it’s already tough enough, without entities like me to complicate it further.” 

 

James stifled a laugh and smiled, before saying to the voice, thank you for making me open up to someone else.” 

 

“It was what you needed,” the air quivered back.  “But this is not the end of this instance, there is still the area above, and there you will face a tough fight to reach the switch you require....” 

 

James thought for a moment and realised, “oh, the Stockyards themselves?” 

 

“Yes....  Only when it is under your control will this place cease.  I will watch until then, and maybe you’ll return to me one day, I would love to hear more of your tale Seeker?” 

 

He had returned to being upright by now, but he felt like a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders as he replied, “I would like that too....” 

 

“Like what James,” Luzee asked? 

 

He looked around, noting the air felt strangely empty and hollow.  “Where did you go,” he asked? 

 

There was silence in reply and James looked towards the statue in the middle of the room.  Even there, there was no suggestion of movement in the darkness, the entirety of the huge, vaulted chamber was vacant, empty and still.  The awkward silence made Roz ask in his ear, “has it gone, did you settle your issues?” 

 

James deliberately turned around and nodded at Gayle, “you’re back too?” 

 

“It looks like it,” she replied, as naturally as possible. 

 

James turned away and smiled at the shadows, “then it’s gone....”  He heaved a huge sigh of relief and began to walk forward. 

 

Roz made him pause by asking, “what did it want you to answer James?” 

 

He noted the voice in his ear, and without turning to Gayle he replied, “I just needed setting on the right path, a little prod to avoid straying too far from it.  I feel much more settled now....” 

 

Roz seemed satisfied with his answers and replied, “so long as you are happy with what you’ve done here....  But if you....” 

 

He cut her off in the earpiece, “I know....  When the time is right, I’ll explain.” 

 

Roz fell quiet and let his attention return to his current surroundings, while Luzee started chatting something to Roz.  He took the opportunity to reach the last switch, and James watched as all the platforms reset their switches and puzzles one last time, while one final shaft of light flooded down from above. 

 

He was stunned by the sight as the light finally shone down on the statue at the centre of the room, he seen flicks of robes and suggestions of clothing, but the full design was far more intricate and composed of five smaller statues, not one grand one as he originally thought. 

 

The four smaller ones were surrounding the central one and gazing in poses of awe at it.  James took a moment to realise they depicted G’oni, K’win, Di’aro and E’nel, all stood facing inwards, towards the central from. 

 

He was switching his attention to it when he heard Gayle give a sharp intake of breath and say, “the central statue has changed....” 

 

“It has,” he replied? 

 

“It’s supposed to represent the tree of the Krys’kajo, but now it’s a figure?  From here, with the bulky armour and pose, I’d say it’s a Quadroguard?” 

 

“Are you sure?” 

 

“I could relocate my window to view it fully, but I should wait and see it as you do, but I’m intrigued James, what have your changes done?” 

 

He dropped down the open gap in the balcony and moved over to the lip at the edge of the abyss that bordered this transept.  The adjustment didn‘t allow him a clear view of the central statue, but it did allow him to check out the new puzzle that was laid out for him, and it had an air of finality around it as it started from the usual spot, but looped all the way around to finally terminate at a switch that had formed, directly adjacent to the start point. 

 

James was planning out a route for a little while and began to see how things behaved this time, since early on, the sequence triggered a laser bridge that gave him access to the centre platform, and from there it seemed to loop behind the statues and out of sight, before reappearing near strategic switches perched between the gods, that James needed to time a bit to ensure they directed the projectile in the correct way and allowed it to progress.   

 

As he had been working out the route, Gayle had stopped following him a moment and her window was static in front of the statues.  She was clearly taken at just admiring the work on display, and when he occasionally glanced at her, James could see she wasn’t looking at the equipment around her station, instead, she was just studying the detail, until he heard, “I’ve got it!” 

 

He broke his experimentation, “what is it?” 

 

“Come and see....” 

 

James stopped his practice, instead, he moved over to the platform she had perched her window on.  “Did you work it out?” 

 

Gayle didn’t look at him, she just replied, “look at the statue James, who is it?” 

 

He glanced at it for a second, “I don’t know, who is it?” 

 

Gayle prompted, “you barely looked!  Have another go.” 

 

He took a moment to view the centre statue, not really focusing on the detail and eventually admitting, “I really have no clue who this is, Is it some famous Quadroguard I’ve not met yet?” 

 

“It’s you, you idiot,” Gayle laughed in reply! 

 

He looked again, “is it?” 

 

Now he heard through his earpiece, “she’s right, it is you, James.”  It was Luzee, confirming she saw it too. 

 

“If that’s me, is it suggesting that I’ll never be a Quadroguard?” 

 

“No, quite the opposite,” Roz postulated.  “It could well be suggesting, that to earn that class you have to keep going to find that last piece.  Especially when you see where you leave this place from....” 

 

James shrugged, “then I better work out where that is?” 

 

“You’re almost there,” Luzee confirmed, “just get the sequencing right now.” 

 

James murmured an acknowledgement, while Gayle finished looking at the statue and returned to being at James’ shoulder, while he began the process of setting his attempts in motion.  He set off the first attempt and wasn’t in the correct place to cross the laser bridge to the central platform when he triggered it, but a quick think and reposition had that problem solved.  He reached the central platform and watched his shot bounce out of sight, making him count the bounces and shoot at the right moment, sending the projectile on and out of sight again. 

 

His mistimed the next shot and failed, but a reset and rerun completed the sequence, making the final switch drop and a series of chimes strike a success.  James saw a square in front of his statue light up, while he heard another series of movements far above his head, before it appeared that he had deployed a series of coloured lenses that shunted into place and bathed the natural light in the colours of the five classes, red, blue, purple, orange and green.  James took in the sight of the chamber as the light altered the atmosphere instantly, giving it a calming, celebratory and worshipping aura and was struck how different it all looked under the change, the entire chamber danced in colour and the light twinkled and reflected from every possible surface, giving the impression of creating star maps as the light reached into the most distant corners of the transepts. 

 

He absorbed the view for a few moments, before stepping onto the lit square and it began to slowly lift, carrying him higher in front of the Quadroguard depiction of himself.  He took a moment to admire the form, and as he reached the face, he started to see more of the detail that Gayle had used to identify him and saw the same as her, although he decided the choice of armour design overall wouldn’t be what he would pick himself, it felt a little too bulky.... 

 

The lift passed his face, and he felt the air tremble one last time, ever so slightly, “it’s out there, go and find it Seeker....” 

 

He spun round and saw a dark shape flit out of sight, into an alcove in the upper rafters, out of the corner of his eye and he smiled at it, “until next time....” 

 

The lift stopped a little higher and a laser bridge reached out to meet him, leading to a small door high above the chasm, that was recessed back and invisible from ground level.  James walked over to it and entered by using his last key on the pad just in front of it.  The bridge receded and the lift returned to the ground level, once he had stepped from it. 

 

Inside, it was lit by nothing by the dim lights that flicked on, but it granted him a route of progression along a narrow corridor that seemed to lead in a straight line for a little way, before reaching a stairwell and descending back down to ground level, but there were several doors here and they were all sealed, bar the last one.  James had his curiosity piqued, but Gayle was a little more confused, noting, “these doors are supposed to create the idea of ancient storage rooms, and locked.  Why is this one open?” 

 

Luzee agreed, “I remember, because Reece suggested the locked doors.  What’s this?” 

 

James approached the unlocked one and it opened into a small room.  Gayle was watching from her window and was totally confused.  “What on earth,” she muttered? 

 

The room was plain, simple, and James instantly thought about his own room back at the Retreat.  There was a bed and simple furnishings present but scattered throughout were all of James’ art creations.  The jug with his mother and sister painted upon it, his artwork of the moons of Chorsia, the abstract of Hillie, the frame of Pnkayz, and above the bed, the image of Terrani sat on the fountain.  As soon as he saw it, he blushed and turned away, moving further into the room, while refusing to look at that image. 

 

Gayle didn’t notice however, she flitted between the various artworks before stopping by the bed and looking at the image of Terrani.  James kept looking at the other pieces, before hearing, “did you create all of these artworks James?” 

 

“I did,” he replied as impassively as possible.  “I’m just surprised they’re all here on display....” 

 

Gayle didn’t turn her window around, “all of these works are beautiful, especially this one!” 

 

James forced himself to turn around, “do you really like it?” 

 

“The image is incredible!”  Gayle’s window slowly approached the picture, “I can see so much detail.  Terrani must be thrilled....” 

 

James heard Luzee in his earpiece, “hold on, that is Terrani....”  But Roz must have calmed her instantly as she fell silent as soon as she had said that. 

 

James surrendered to the fat he wasn’t escaping without facing Gayle, and slowly dragged himself over to stand by her window, “I painted this only yesterday....” 

 

“It’s one of the best paintings I’ve ever seen James.  You must be thrilled?” 

 

He felt that sense of pride swelling inside him again, but cautiously admitted, “I don’t remember painting it, Gayle.  I looked at the canvas, thinking of other, totally unrelated images, and then painted this in a few hours.” 

 

“A few hours?  It takes months to produce masterpieces of this quality, this is incredible!” 

 

“I have no idea how I painted it Gayle, it just happened?” 

 

Now Gayle asked the question he was dreading, “has Terrani seen it?” 

 

“Yes....” 

 

“And?” 

 

He didn’t really want to tell Gayle of her reaction, but then he twigged what she was doing.  It wasn’t just nosiness, she was making sure he was being open to her, after their private chats earlier.  He smiled a little as he admitted, “she loves it, and has a place to hang a copy in her own personal quarters....” 

 

“I’m not surprised,” Gayle replied as she turned the window away it and returned to looking at some of the other works. 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

Her window rotated back to him for a moment, revealing she was grinning, “if someone made something as beautiful as that picture, and I was the subject, I’d want to display it for everyone to see!” 

 

He felt genuine pride at her admission, while she continued looking around.  Then it began to dawn on him what he was looking at, making him say, “I get it....” 

 

Gayle replied, “get what?” 

 

“The A.I. here, it must start in this room as the Instance is generated....” 

 

“So?” 

 

“Think about it Gayle, both of us have seen movement in the shadows, in the darkness....  Like the Guardian it must have a physical Avatar body.  This room gives it a chance to meet me, while it accesses my memories, right?” 

 

Gayle didn’t reply, but he could hear her tapping something into her equipment, even though her window was turned away from him.  “I’m noting that down, since we’re going to have to postulate what these Instanced A.I.’s are?  That could be a pretty good description of what we’re going to have to accept are part of Crossworlds now.” 

 

James smiled as she finished, “i think it’s time to keep going, after my little art show....” 

 

Gayle returned to his shoulder, and told him, “lead the way,” as James exited the door. 

 

Back outside, the narrow corridor led to the stairwell and James descended the spiral slope down, as rapidly as possible, while the flicking lights kept up with him and indicated the bottom of the shaft was quickly approaching.  In another few flights, he reached it and discovered a single door, which passing through revealed he was back in the entrance, behind the forcefields that had originally blocked him from reaching the opposite passage from the entry point.  The floor switch was adjacent, and James pressed it, making all the forcefields drop and granting James full access to and from the instance itself.  He could see the light shining down from the central area and the glittering reflections casting their star charts all the way down to where he was, over his head and onto the ceiling high above. 

 

He paused to admire the display for a moment, before turning away and finally exiting the temple, pressing on into the new tunnel he could finally enter. 

 

---------- 

 

The new passage was as dark as the previous one and lit only by the dim glow of the tiny lights in the wall, but James was used to the low light by now and kept going, noting that like the entry tunnel, there were numerous etchings and engravings on the wall, but he resisted the temptation to stop and study them, especially when he made quick glances and they suggested they also showed images of the daily lives of the primitive Shad on the plains above. 

 

After walking a few moments, there was another breach in the wall to the right, and this one was sizable, at least big enough to allow bovines to pass through, while several wooden, makeshift fence pieces and lanterns were stacked just inside.  The tunnel looked hand dug for several metres, before it opened out into another chamber that was more like one of the sewers beneath the city, but this was dry, warm and had no smell present in the air.  Although James did notice that there was a small animal pen, several boxes of metal studs and a crude tool that looked like pliers with a sharpened edge. 

 

James approached the boxes and studied the studs.  He knew he’d seen them before, but it took him a second to realise what they were and waved one under his seeker interface.  The system beeped and revealed a health log for one of the bovines and a second one produced a similar result....  James told himself, “all the logs, all the stolen animals must come through here....” 

 

Gayle didn’t say anything, but James could still hear the chattering from Luzee and Roz in his ear.  It seemed like someone else had joined them momentarily.  “What’s wrong,” he asked? 

 

Luzee giggled in reply, “you’re almost done, and I just requested the menu....” 

 

“Seriously,” James replied?  “I’m getting peckish just thinking about sushi!” 

 

Roz added, “I’ve been watching them prepare it all day and the thought of a vegetarian platter is too tempting.  I guess I’ve been convinced, but we’ll wait for you James.” 

 

Gayle was giggling in her window when James turned around to her, “what’s up with you?” 

 

She replied by lifting a plastic container into view, revealing she also had a lunchbox half full of various sushi pieces, “I’ve been grazing all day....  It’s not my fault my landlord runs the sushi restaurant out of my apartment block, and I get reduced rates!” 

 

James looked at her for a second and turned away, hiding the fact he was feeling so peckish after the talk of all this sushi....  Instead, he pushed on and found an access tunnel that went up a steep slope and terminated at a wide heavy door, with a smaller access hatch at the side.  The main door was sealed, and he guessed it would only open when they were bringing bovines through, in fact, the entire area behind him must be an old storage area for the Stockyards, which the Rats had converted to process their rustled animals.   

 

He gently pushed the hatch and it creaked slightly, opening a fraction and letting daylight flood over James at last, he took a few moments to blink and let his eyes adapt, before pushing it a little more and making the gap wide enough to allow James to sneak out into the main compound of the Stockyards. 

 

He blinked away the bright light a little more, and discovered he was in a secluded corner of the compound, which looked like it was set as a maintenance store.  A few boxes and objects were stacked into a clear piece of cover, and he hastened into it, giving him an observation point to study this obvious combat arena. 

 

James peeked out and discovered he was in a massive courtyard in front of the Stockyards building, it was empty, but he could see where marked gravel paths ran in straight lines, with squares and rectangles of hay between them, suggesting the site of holding pens when fences were erected. 

 

The lower courtyard was totally empty, but the walls were mobbed with patrolling and stationary guards all safety perched on a series of balconies and ledges that circled this open area and there were numerous guards patrolling across them, all staying low below the lip of the wall and hiding their true numbers from the besieging forces outside by only allowing a few to peek up and observe their foes, calmly waiting outside. 

 

James looked back into the area in front of him and knew he wasn’t getting out of this without a fight while a little double checking allowed him to look up and spot an obvious control room up a short climb, all of the Rats were standing on top of it as their gantries circled the yard.  On the opposite wall he could see an obvious series of roller shutters and didn’t need much imagination to figure out what was waiting behind it…. 

 

Roz flitted through his earpiece, “keep your calm and focus….  This is tough….” 

 

James whispered back, “thanks for the advice,” as he summoned his blade in and gripped it tightly, more than aware that this was a fight after the entity in the Temple below had told him what he was going to face.   

 

After a moment to compose himself, he sauntered out and was prepared for multiple shouts of alarm from around him, while he could watch Guards panicking and shouting, “Seeker in the grounds, raise the alarm!” 

 

James took a defensive pose, blade held aloft and patiently holding his place against whatever his opponents decided to throw at him, the Rats seemed to goad him from the balcony, but didn’t attempt to descend from their perches, instead they kept their posts and one of them must have triggered some kind of alarm as numerous force fields were erected and alarms began to wail, although above the hubbub of the noise, James could hear, “the power stays up for five minutes, before it goes into reset!” 

 

James saw a small window pop up on his interface, a mission update showing the required five minutes and a timer that began to tick down.  James stood his ground and calmly turned his head, before hearing the roller shutters slowly start to rise.  He gripped his blade as the first batch of robotic foes approached and began to encircle him.  James noted they were the traditional droids he had fought when he first entered Port Imelda and took a moment to observe them.  Unlike those that had been defaced by the Rats, these were all new-looking, and had the GauRang emblems upon them. 

 

He paused for a second, before charging and smashing through one that had got between him and the safety of a nearby wall.  James had decided that keeping his back to a wall was his best hope, and the bot offered little resistance as he dash-charged through it, skewering it with his sword and leaping clean over it while the sword stayed embedded in the robot throughout the whole rotation of the leap, before finishing the dash and ending up in the place he wanted to be, while the bots began to circle him. 

 

James gave them a second to advance upon him, before he leapt out from his location and smashed into one and used that attacks as a springboard to catapult into another one and batter it aside.  He was slowly building his S.P. as he kept these opponents busy. 

 

He kept going and noted his timer had dropped to four minutes fifteen, before he drew a big group of them in and released a fully charged attack to release a massive amount of damage, over a wide area.  Those that were not wiped out by the attack, were quickly mopped up in the aftermath, meaning James felt like he had a little more room to keep the others at bay, at least for a little while. 

 

As the timer passed four minutes, another pack approached and joined the action.  James was being crowded out again by the sheer weight of numbers, but he had purposely built his S.P. bar again to allow him to counter with another fully charged attack.  The resulting display of pyrotechnics removed another batch of foes, before backing off and resting momentarily, while the bots gathered around him again.  He paused for a second, before launching back into the attack when he spotted a suitable weak point for him to take advantage of.  Another few bots were eliminated as a result and James returned to the wall as the timer ticked past three minutes. 

 

More bots appeared as the roller-shutters rose and then slammed shut behind the new foes.  James watched them join the combat, before launching into the attack and hacking his way through the numbers in return for accepting a few hits in return to maximise his damage.  Only a few of the bots fell to his attacks, but James kept calm and executed his plan of destroying the numbers with a full charge attack, taking out nearly all his opponents in a huge area of effect attack. 

 

James paused a moment to look around and could see all of the spectators on the wall ringing this arena.  They had been cheering on the bots and the noise had been raised when the bots managed to strike him, but now they had been quietened as it was obvious their numbers had been culled by James’ actions, and as the countdown reached two minutes, James was already knowing of what to expect as another huge wave of bots swarmed out of the roller-shutters as they opened momentarily again.   

 

James was ready and had been evading for a moment to let his health tick back, but he pounced on this new threat as it emerged and was furiously cutting his ways through them, while he heard a distinctive, “keep them coming,” on the walls above him! 

 

James kept his cool and could hear Roz reminding him to do so in his ear, as he faced down this new pack.  It didn’t seem as big this time, but he didn’t let his guard lower, or his thoughts settle as he pressed on.  He knew this new mob had to be subdued and was halfway through doing that when the shutters opened again, and another similar pack advanced on him.  A quick glance at his timer showed he still had ninety seconds to hold on. 

 

He kept pressing on his foes and found he was starting to get swamped with the numbers.  They were almost pinning him to the wall and charged onto the offensive.  Burning another portion of his S.P. gain to remove as many of them as possible.  Those that survived the initial attack were quickly batted away and James felt he was getting the upper hand again, but then the roller-shutters opened once more, and this time there was a veritable army advancing upon him!   

 

He chanced a quick glance at his interface and saw there was under a minute to go, so he guessed this was the finale, but the sheer volume of opponents was limiting his options.  His S.P. bar was also empty, so he tried to handle just a few and build for that killer attack, but they were so numerous he was struggling to maintain enough distance to fight back effectively without getting struck in the back! 

 

He was forced to dash through the pack as a steady dribble of enemies kept advancing upon him, but he gambled and scrabbled enough S.P. from what had scraped together to allow one more charge attack upon the horde.  He picked Heat for the it as he gained the most attack stats and his area of effect was large enough to capture the maximum number of foes into the blast.  The resulting fallout almost halved the threats and James kept going, while hearing the voice above him shouting for more bots, but none seemed to be coming. 

 

James kept on the attack, accepting that his health was dropping, in exchange for keeping the ability to lower the number of opponents facing him, but he was getting a little worried about the situation, when he noticed his timer tick to zero.  He quickly scanned around and spotted that a forcefield had dropped on the stairs climbing to the office he needed to reach, so he dashed clear of the packs and headed up the stairs, while cries of more alarm and worries came from the balcony.  One was shouting “keep the fields down,” but they raised behind him and trapped the robots., to the howls of the spectators on the balconies. 

 

As James climbed into the office, he could hear screams of, “get to the defences, he’s gonna let ‘em all in,” echo around him, before he could see all the Rats retreating towards the main buildings.  He found the office door unlocked and entered to find a control room, with all the systems shut down, bar one terminal that was active in a corner.  James approached it with a little trepidation, as he was having a recollection of doing the same and locking up after getting his message from Pnkayz, but this time the terminal was a simple text message, and he took a moment to read it. 

 

‘I’ve been here a few hours now, well done for getting these Slum-Bangers to work for us!  They managed to slip me out of that Seeker’s grasp so easily, but I know they’ll be on my tail and never let me out of their sight again.  Since the Skyrails have been cut, I can’t get out via that route, so I’m going to head for the Bone Coast and slip through using the transponder.  You’ll have to send the ship to pick me up?’ 

 

James took a moment but realised this had to be a message from Bayliss, suggesting that he was fleeing into the Shifting Dunes.   

 

After scanning it a second time, he turned away and Roz asked, “feeling okay?” 
 

He nodded, “we all know what happened the last time I did something similar.  I’m equally relieved and okay....” 

 

Roz gave a warm note of support by jokingly asking, “want us to order a sushi platter?” 

 

He guessed, “the run is over, right?” 

 

“Si, just the aftermath to complete....” 

 

With a little chuckle, he moved across this small room and hit an obvious red button on the wall.  Within seconds there was an audible groaning, making the little room shake slightly as the gates slowly swung open to the outside world.  In seconds, a big gang of Family bots stormed into the complex and engaged the last few bots still trying to get past the forcefield to reach James.  There were frenzied shouts from above him too, but they were clearly falling back as there was also the sound of them fleeing for the last few patches of safety they had left, now their walls were in the process of being breached. 

 

The Family bots quickly wiped out the last of the bots the Rats were still controlling, before switching their attention to the balconies and starting to rake them with their attacks.  They must have been surgical strikes, as James peeked out and watched several uninhabited sections of the balconies fall, trapping the last Rats still outside and leaving them little option but to surrender. 

 

The Family bots finally turned their attention to the roller shutters and working together, they forced them open through their combined strength, before they raced inside and vanished from view. 

 

A moment passed and James realised that Amani was now leading a huge force of Guards and Co-op members into the arena, flanked by obvious Family members that were there to help round up and co-ordinate the Rats as they captured them.  Amani activated a device in his hand and the forcefields around the courtyard all fell in unison, and for such a rag-tag band, they looked incredibly professional as the family members headed for the balcony accesses and started to suggest the trapped Rats had better surrender, which they did with a rather resigned pace. 

 

More Family members were appearing now and following their bots into the facility, supported by Guards acting as liaisons and clearly making sure the Rats were handled fairly as they surrendered.  

 

James walked out of the office and down the steps, to a waiting Amani, who waved a few officers off, before turning his attention to him.  After a moment he commented, “fantastic work Seeker!  You’ve broken the Stockyards siege and ensured the Rats will be broken, we’ll round up their leaders with this rabble, no doubt about it!” 

 

James smiled, “that’s great news, but I also found out something about my own target….” 

 

“Oh,” Amani replied with a genuine interest? 

 

“Remember that guy I bought to Port Imelda on Te’keek’s transport?” 

 

“You mean the imposter?” 

 

James nodded and Amani waved for James to continue, “there’s a log entry from him in the office.  It looks like he fled into the Shifting Dunes, trying to get picked up by a ship?” 

 

Amani thought and asked, “water ship, or flying ship?” 

 

James thought about this question for a moment, “it actually didn’t say on the log, just that he was requesting a pickup?” 

 

Amani pondered this and shrugged, “well then.  I assume you want to bring him in to face charges, right?” 

 

James smiled, “it’s what he deserves.” 

 

Amani grinned, “given what you’ve done to bring order and some normality back to Port Imelda, you deserve that chance!  Our combined forces will disband after this situation is resolved no doubt, but the city is safe once more and I doubt we’ll have a threat like this again for a while….  I see no reason to keep you here any longer Seeker, but it will take some time to release you officially.” 

 

“What time do you need?” 

 

“Get some rest Seeker,” Amani replied, adding, “I know I need some too!”  After they shared a little laugh, Amani added, “I’ll talk to my Super and get him to release you from our service, and I’ll message the U.V.N. too and inform them of your aims and situation.  I suspect they’ll agree with offering you a chance to head out after him, especially since you’ll be heading into the Dunes.  The Shad Chief has informed me of the strange reports and creatures coming from that area, and the fact one of them was blocking the Skyrail network.  It’s a mystery that requires investigation, and you’ll be perfect for the job Seeker.” 

 

James tipped his head forward and replied, “thank you Lieutenant….” 

 

“No, thank you Seeker, we all owe you a great debt!”  One of the other Guard Officers was waving to get Amani’s attention and he began to move off, “Meet me in my office later Seeker, I’ll get everything ready between now and then.” 

 

James’ interface pinged as Amani headed into the main buildings through the forced open roller-shutter and he saw that another timer was running on his mission logs.  Eight hours of freedom for him to do as he wanted, but he could already sense how tired he felt after a long day in yet another instance.  As he updated the logs, he received a big boost to his EXP, resulting in yet another level up and a sense of relief as Gayle floated her window past his shoulder.  But James spoke into his headset first, “are we done?” 

 

“Si,” Roz returned.  “And we’re watching the chefs put our orders together.  Non tardare!” 

 

“I won’t be, but I’m taking the headset off.  It feels a little irritable by my ear today….” 

 

“Oh, it is,” Luzee asked?  When he nodded in the positive, she replied, “we mustn’t have fit it totally snug today, sometimes I sense that too….  Don’t worry, just remove it, and switch it off.  It’ll fade out, and you can Fast-Travel back to the Alley.” 

 

“I won’t be long,” he replied, then removed the earpiece and located the tiny switch, flicking it did just as Luzee suggested and it vanished in his palm. 

 

Gayle smiled at him, “you don’t need me to remind you that you have to talk to all of your friends, do you?” 

 

James looked humbled, “no, and thank you Gayle….” 

 

“If you want some moral support to aid with the chats, ask!  I can always come in game, and we can be all together, right?” 

 

James nodded, “thanks for the offer, I might take you up on it.” 

 

Gayle grinned, “this window is so detaching sometimes, isn’t it?” 

 

“It can be.  Having you standing next to me might make it easier.” 

 

“And plan that damn date with Terrani tomorrow, I’ll be watching to make sure you do!” 

 

He giggled and nodded, “alright.” 

 

“Okay then,” she stared firmly at him, before breaking out into a broad, jovial smirk and telling him, “I’ll see you tomorrow, goodnight James, and enjoy your meal.” 

 

He looked at the open gate and thought about a walk for a second, but the sight of Gayle closing her window made him dismiss that and he set his Fast-Travel, reappearing on the Landmark at the entrance of Hernandez Alley.  He quickly walked down it and greeted any other Avatars he passed, before entering the low door of the Sushi Joint and being led back to the booth.   

 

Roz and Luzee looked up at him, and the fact they were sat in front of their own plates.  “Perfect timing, tuck in James,” Luzee noted, as she returned to her own plate. 

 

Roz said to her, “you were right to hint at the vegetable sushi sample platter, this is great!  I’m bringing Reece on our next date night….” 

 

James sat at his own plate.  For a second he thought about telling them what had happened, and about what he and Gayle had discussed, but his own platter looked too tempting, and with a shrug, he started tasting the delights on offer…. 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Uncle Sikee Atric

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

Chapter Thirty Seven : 

 

He could still feel the texture of the sushi in his mouth the next morning.... 

 

It had been delicious, but he had made sure to only add soy sauce and avoided adding any wasabi even though it was an option, but something was telling him he although he loved the hot addition, he just decided he would need a little time to let his artificial senses adapt. 

 

He sat up in his bed and swung his legs out from under the covers, placing them on the floor.  Then something struck him, making him ponder for a second, before using the little trick Roz had shown him to phase his boots out and reveal the default foot model.  Placing them on the floor revealed his feet felt cold, but he could start to sense the little texture of the plain, simple carpet that was laid down in here.  He balled his toes for a moment and scrunched them down into the durable material, before standing and admiring the slight difference in the sensation, then making his bed, gathering up a cup of Instant Water, before walking barefoot out onto his balcony and settling in his chair. 

 

The floor of the balcony was a treated wooden surface, and the chill was extenuated here due to the cool of the outside environment.  The feeling he was receiving was sending little tingles up his legs as his sensory systems adapted to the sensation.  He found it quite uneasy, but it settled after a moment and he relaxed with a sigh to sip his drink, which returned a tarte, but refreshing orange tang. 

 

He was taking another little sip when Roz walked around the corner and warmly waved at him.  He returned the wave while swallowing his drink and relaxed back into his chair, while Roz crossed onto his balcony and closed the gate, before heading for his Instant Water dispenser and drawing her own cup, saying “buon giorno,” as she did so.   

 

“Good morning, did you sleep well Roz?” 

 

As took her chair by the chessboard she nodded and commented, “it seems you did too?”  

 

“I did,” he admitted.  “I think it was the sushi, it was really filling, and it settled me down after such a busy day.” 

 

Roz smiled, “it was delicious, wasn’t it?”  Then she sipped her drink and decided, “that’s nice too, like proper orange juice....” 

 

He smiled and told her, “I did have a few dreams as I rested, but they were all quite nice too, nothing new or disturbing....” 

 

“So, nothing worth discussing,” Roz said with a curious look at him? 

 

James blushed a little, and softy replied, “no.”  One of his dreams had been quite erotic and involved Terrani, but he wouldn’t confess that to Roz, no matter how disturbing it could have ended!   

 

Roz just turned away and reclined into her chair, sipping some more of her drink and deciding, “well then, it’s a good job the water is so good today....” 

 

“Why?” 

 

Roz laughed, “after a few hours in the Dunes, you’ll be desperate for another drink....” 

 

James looked at her, “are they really so bad?” 

 

“Si,” Roz replied, “even we don’t go out there unless we have to.  The rest area is the only oasis and rarely used, but the journey is tough without the Landmark at the heart of the zone.” 

 

James smiled, “Well, so long as we get there, that’s all....  I want to see this for myself.” 

 

Roz nodded and sent a few messages while she finished her own drink, making Gayle fade her window in after a few moments.  “Good morning,” she began, “feeling good today?” 

 

“Si, good morning, Gayle,” Roz replied.  “How are you?” 

 

“I’m great.  All set to spend the day watching again, at least it should be quieter and less involving than yesterday, right James?” 

 

James looked up at her window and knew straight away what she was referring to.  “It should be....” 

 

Roz seemed to not notice anything untoward and just stayed settled in the chair, before asking Gayle, “are we all set for logging data today?” 

 

“We are,” Gayle replied, “the equipment is standing by....” 

 

She didn’t get any further as there was a knock at the door of his room and James jumped up and hurried across to answer it, Gayle shuffling her window aside to let him pass, even though he could just run through it.... 

 

He opened the door to reveal a smiling Terrani.  “Hello, did you sleep well?” 

 

He smiled back and invited her into the room and as she passed, he closed the door and wrapped her in his arms, giving her a kiss and cuddle, before releasing her and letting her pass through his room, onto the balcony.  As she did so, he blushed again as he lied a little, saying, “I slept fine, I don’t even think I really dreamed?”  Terrani sat in his chair while he leaned against the window. 

 

Roz and Gayle made their greetings to Terrani, before Roz asked, “ready for a tough day?” 

 

Terrani smiled back as James offered her a cup of Instant Water, which she took with grace and a happy expression.  “At least we’ll be out of the public eye, no one goes that way without reason,” then she took a little sip and swallowed.  “That’s lovely today.” 

 

“It is,” James agreed. 

 

Terrani gave James a grin, “and today, you’re not getting out of planning a date with me!” 

 

James smiled back, “I know....” 

 

Terrani gave him something of an odd look, “I was expecting you to be hesitant?” 

 

James sighed, and knowing Gayle was just behind him, listening, and replied, “it’s time I stopped hiding a little.  Sooner or later, I’m going to have to be seen in public with you, if we are going to be a couple.” 

 

Roz smiled at them both, “I spoke to Reece the other night about this....” 

 

“You did, why,” Terrani asked? 

 

“Because we decided we can double-date with you, at least for the first few times Terrani.” 

 

Terrani looked at James, then at Roz, “you don’t have to do that for us Roz?” 

 

Roz waved her hand, “I can provide an extra pair of eyes and help you spot if James has a memory recollection in a strange environment.  Once you’re more able to spot and cope with them Terrani, you can enjoy some more dates on your own, but let us help out, just for now.” 

 

Terrani smiled in gratitude, but suggested, “I thought you’d hate the idea of a night in Imelda?” 

 

Roz smiled, “that’s the price....  First date is organised by you, the next is arranged by me and Reece.” 

 

Terrani smiled, “that’s a great idea.  What do you think James?” 

 

He decided, “it seems like a sound plan to me as well.” 

 

Roz grinned, “well, I do have one suggestion for your date?” 

 

Terrani asked, “which is?” 

 

Roz giggled, “I’ve got a taste for the vegetarian sushi....” 

 

“Have you never tried it before Roz?” 

 

She replied, “I never considered how you could substitute the fish components with replacements.  That, coupled with the fact I never really had access to it on my homeworld, gave it something of a negative impression in my mind.  We used rice in dishes where it was in far more substantial quantities than small packets of it.” 

 

James understood, “it was a luxury for me....  I remember the oceans providing so much on Indraya and we got rice imported in bulk.  Sushi was a norm for us there, and I managed to get some on Chorsia too, since the lakes and oceans were one of the few stable food producers, but it was a definite luxury.  I remember all food being expensive since so much of it was brought in.” 

 

Roz nodded, “lots of worlds are the same.” 

 

James grinned as he replied, “I do recall that the shelves had the dried rackleberry though, and it was about the same price....” 

 

Roz looked at him, “you mean that weird berry taste we had in a drink?”