We pushed through Doreen's familiar wooden doors, and I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. The common room had been completely rebuilt since last night's cake-induced chaos—new tables, repaired walls, and a door that actually hung straight on its hinges. The only evidence of our epic battle was a constellation of scorch marks on the ceiling that Doreen had apparently kept as decoration.

  Diana sat in a high-backed chair near the fireplace, nursing something amber that was definitely not beer. She glanced up as we entered, and I watched her expression shift from mild curiosity to resigned acceptance when she clocked our relatively uninjured state.

  "Four hours." She raised her glass in a mock toast. "Four fucking hours for a hunt that should have eaten most of your day." A sip, then a headshake. "You cheated, didn't you?"

  I exchanged a look with Cass and Malcolm. Technically, we hadn't broken any rules.

  "The deal was to bring back a Goreback's mana core in under eight hours," Malcolm said with deliberate formality, like he was channeling our haggling sessions. "There wasn't anything in the agreement about which route we had to take back."

  "We used a secret entrance to the Monster Hunter tower," Cass added, her shrug radiating pure innocence. "Not our fault you didn't specify we had to walk the whole way back."

  Diana's eyebrows climbed toward her hairline. "What the fuck do you mean, secret entrance?"

  "That's where it gets interesting," I said, settling into the chair across from her while Red made himself comfortable at Diana's feet. "We fell into the monster's lair through a trap. Killed it, but couldn't get back out the way we came. Found this massive door with strange symbols on it."

  "What symbols?" Diana leaned forward, her casual demeanor sharpening into something predatory.

  Malcolm pulled out his notebook and sketched the Roman numerals we'd seen. "These. Letters that represent numbers, apparently. Ben somehow knew what they meant."

  "And there was this circle of floating sand," Cass added. "Ben drew something in it with his finger, and the whole door opened. Gary was pretty surprised."

  "Gary." Diana drained the rest of her glass in one go. "The tower spirit Gary. Knew about this entrance."

  "He definitely seemed pretty surprised we found it," I confirmed. "Even more surprised I could open it."

  I pulled the leather sack of coins from my soul-space and set it on the table with a satisfying clink. "Plus Elena gave us a bonus for the information about what we found. Turns out that Hydra was corrupted with something related to Hollowflame."

  The color drained from Diana's face. "What the fuck did you just say? Hollowflame? Here?"

  "Not exactly," I said, remembering the wrongness that had radiated from that thing. "More like ashes. Something that had been touched by Hollowflame a long time ago but still carried the corruption. Something leftover."

  "We destroyed the Mana Core rather than risk bringing it back," Malcolm added. "Red and I burned it to ash. But Diana, it felt wrong in the same way as what Ben and Cass described from spirit realm in Sylvarus. Not Hollowflame exactly, but definitely related."

  Diana knocked back what remained in her glass with a grimace. "Of course it fucking is. Because why would anything in life be simple?" She set the glass down harder than necessary. "Elena's been informed?"

  "Gary took care of it," I confirmed. "She's sending Hunters to investigate the Old Pathways where we fell through."

  Malcolm spread his crude map on the table again, pointing to the locations he'd marked. "I think it might be connected to that nascent spirit realm where Ben was found. Two significant spirit-related incidents within a few spans of each other? That's not coincidence."

  I stared at the map, an icy knot forming in my stomach. Was this all happening because I was here? Arryava had said this world was doomed, but she'd changed her tune pretty quickly after Dawn showed up in my soul-space. I was feeling less like a refugee and more like a catalyst for whatever cosmic shitstorm was brewing.

  "Elena will handle the investigation," Diana said, pulling out her Manascript. "You've got three weeks until the tournament resumes. If they need your bullshit for whatever they find, they'll contact us." She tapped her device against mine, and I felt a buzz as they exchanged information. "Don't make me regret connecting to yours, or I'll dump you in the ocean."

  "Got it," I said, storing the device carefully. "No late night messages."

  "You said you'd match the Hunter payout," Cass reminded her immediately.

  "For a Goreback Hydra's mana core." Diana shot back. "Which you destroyed."

  "To prevent Hollowflame corruption from spreading," I countered.

  Diana held a stern expression for several more seconds before laughing. "Fine. Saving the entire Hunter tower probably counts." She produced another heavy purse from her mana sanctum and tossed it to Malcolm. "Split it however you want. We need to collect your baker and get moving."

  The harbor buzzed with afternoon activity as we made our way down to the docks. Fishing boats unloaded their catches while merchants haggled over prices, the familiar chaos of commerce filling the air with overlapping voices and the sharp tang of salt and fish.

  Katie's bakery had become some kind of Vildar shrine. A crowd had gathered outside the front window—at least a dozen Albinus and Russet Vildar pressed their faces against the glass, breath fogging the surface as they watched Katie pack something into a large wooden box.

  "Is that...?" I started, my mouth already watering. "Strawberry shortcake?"

  Katie emerged from the bakery with the box cradled carefully in her arms. Several of the Vildar took a step toward her with hopeful expressions, but then they caught sight of Diana. She raised one eyebrow and gave them a look that could have curdled milk.

  The small crowd deflated instantly, shuffling away with dejected mutters about "favoritism" and "Hunters getting all the good sweets."

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Sorry," Katie said as she joined us, though she didn't look apologetic. "Word got out about the chocolate cake last night. I've had people lining up since dawn."

  "Supply and demand," I said, taking the box from her and storing it in my soul-space. "You're going to make a fortune."

  Diana led us past the larger docking platforms where massive ships sat anchored—including Maris's cruise-ship-sized monstrosity that still looked capable of conquering small nations. But our destination was much more modest: a sleek vessel maybe sixty meters long, with clean lines and runic engravings running along the hull.

  Two crew members waited on deck—both Gaians from their lighter skin and intricate tattoos, though one of them was noticeably different. Where most Gaians had light skin with darker tattoos, this man's skin was deep black with white markings that seemed to glow faintly.

  "Welcome aboard the Tidecutter," Diana announced as we climbed the gangplank. "Much faster than those floating cities, and the fastest way to travel on something that doesn't need wings."

  The boat's interior was a study in understated luxury. Rich woods and soft leather seating created a warm atmosphere, while large windows offered panoramic views of the ocean. It felt more like someone's private yacht than a working vessel.

  "Ben Crawford," the dark-skinned Gaian said, approaching with movements that spoke of military training. His voice carried a formal cadence, careful and precise. "I am Nathan Oars, Tidebinder of the Third Current. You would call it Adept. It is my honor to convey you safely to your destination."

  "Thanks," I said, shaking his offered hand. His grip was firm, and I could feel strength flowing beneath his skin—controlled power waiting to be unleashed. Valor wasn't giving me much on him, and I could tell he knew it. "Nice to meet you."

  "The honor is mine, Breaker of La-Roc." Nathan's smile was genuine, though his formal speech pattern made it sound rehearsed. "Your reputation precedes you among those who master the waters. Let us hope for an ambush at sea, so that you may demonstrate your prowess."

  I blinked at him, searching for the joke. He seemed completely serious.

  Diana gestured for us to take seats around a low table as the boat began moving. The acceleration was smooth but intense—within minutes we were cutting through the waves at a speed that would have made professional racing boats jealous.

  "One benefit of having a Tidebinder crew," Diana explained, settling into a chair with obvious satisfaction. "Nathan's people build their cities on the open ocean. Their mastery of water is unparalleled."

  I watched through the windows as La-Roc's harbor shrank behind us, the familiar coastline blurring past at impossible speeds. No wonder Diana could travel between Sylvarus and La-Roc so frequently.

  "Ah, fuck," I said suddenly. "We came to La-Roc to get help with boiling water at the Estate, and now we're on a boat to Sylvarus."

  Cass laughed, stretching out in her chair. "Stuff's not going anywhere. And now you get to teach me about brewing beer at an actual Academy."

  I shrugged and laughed. "Yeah, fair enough."

  "So," Diana said, focusing her attention on me with that sharp intensity I'd learned to be wary of. "How's your progress toward Adept coming along? Still hitting those mana milestones?"

  I nodded, settling back in my chair as Red found his way to a cushioned area near the windows. "Yeah, pretty regularly. Though apparently thirty-three is a lot? Had a big one during the hunt today when I did something to a corrupted snake."

  "What kind of something?" Diana's eyes narrowed.

  "I pulled it back from being a monster," I said, still not entirely sure how to explain what had happened. "It was right on the edge, and I pushed refined mana into it. Burned the corruption right out."

  Diana went still. "Ben, that's not poss—the refined mana again? Last we spoke you couldn't do that anymore."

  "I know. It felt different this time—like I was channeling through Valor itself rather than just my seal." I rubbed my temples, where a faint headache was building. "The whole thing was strange. For a few seconds, it didn't feel like I was driving my body."

  "It seems you're well on your way to mastering your Seal, too. Channeling the Seal is how you get there," Diana said after a moment. "And the milestones could be something about Terran physiology that we don't understand. Maybe the Titan's Root. Maybe both." She paused. "Keep doing what you're doing, but focus on gathering more mana cores. Dara's Spirit-Well won't last forever."

  I pulled the jade and sapphire sphere from my soul-space, rolling it between my fingers. "Actually, Gary gave me another one. For the information about the corruption, and for destroying that mana core."

  Diana stared at the sphere, then at me, then threw her hands up. "Then why did I even pay you if you already got compensated?"

  "Because you're a generous and benevolent mentor?" I suggested hopefully.

  "Bullshit." But she was grinning as she said it. "Let me see that thing."

  I handed over the sphere, watching as Diana examined it with focused attention.

  "Life and Light aspected," she murmured, turning it to catch the light. "And empty, waiting to be filled." Her expression grew thoughtful. "I've read about a process to combine Wells of compatible aspects. If this could be merged with your spirit-aspected well..."

  "That would be useful," I agreed. "Could I store the refined mana in something like that?"

  "Only one way to find out," Diana said, handing the sphere back. "I'll have Dara pull some books on combining them. Try making some now."

  I settled deeper into my chair, closing my eyes and reaching inward toward my soul-space. The familiar room materialized around me, Ted nowhere to be seen—probably off raiding my snack supplies again. I could feel the doorway leading to the courtyard, and above my position, the mountain where Valor now rested.

  This was the tricky part. I needed to channel mana through Valor without actually entering the courtyard, since doing that while awake would knock me unconscious instantly. Instead, I had to project my awareness toward the seal, feeling for that connection without physically crossing the threshold.

  When I found it, the sensation was overwhelming.

  This wasn't the familiar three-rune construct I knew as my seal. This was the massive blue and white sun I'd glimpsed during the fight with the corruption—the actual concept of Valor made manifest. It radiated power on a scale that made my normal mana reserves look like a drop in an ocean.

  I offered a thread of my mana, and the cosmic representation of Valor almost seemed to scoff at the paltry amount. But it refined the energy, transforming it into that pure white substance that carried the weight of all three of my aspects working in perfect harmony.

  This time, though, something was different. Instead of the thread of refined mana distributing through my pathways like before, it seemed to have a specific destination in mind. It flowed directly to my left eye—the one that had turned blue after Sylvarus—and settled there, waiting.

  I opened my physical eyes, blinking experimentally. Nothing felt different, but I could sense the refined mana pooled behind my iris like a reservoir waiting to be tapped.

  "Huh," I said. "That was different."

  "Your eye's glowing," Katie said.

  "Not glowing," Malcolm corrected, leaning closer. "More like there's something behind it. Like I'm staring at Valor itself. Or like how your aura feels when we're fighting, like you're watching over my shoulder. That's it? The white energy you've told me about?"

  I nodded, and Cass pointed toward the horizon. "Is that Sylvarus?"

  I turned to look, expecting to see the familiar rectangular tower rising from its island home. And I did—but something was wrong with the picture.

  A thick plume of black smoke was rising from somewhere in the city, stark against the blue sky.

  "What the fuck?" Diana was on her feet instantly, her casual demeanor evaporating. "Nathan! How fast can you get us there?"

  "Faster," came the calm reply from the bridge above.

  I felt the air around us shift as a wave of aura passed over the boat. The concept inside was so foreign I could barely recognize it—Nathan was basically telling the water to get the fuck out of the way.

  The boat's acceleration pressed us back into our seats as Nathan pushed his mastery of water to its limits. Through the windows, I watched Sylvarus grow larger with alarming speed, that ominous column of smoke growing thicker and darker with each passing minute.

  Whatever was happening at the academy, we were about to arrive right in the middle of it.

  "So much for a peaceful three weeks of training," I muttered, checking that my spear was still secured in its case.

  Red padded over and pressed against my leg, his eyes fixed on the smoke with the same concerned intensity I was feeling through our bond.

  He sent, the concept tinged with worry.

  "Yeah, buddy," I said, scratching behind his ears as the academy loomed ahead of us. "Seems to be a lot of that going around."