Asha waited for them in the node cavern. She was tall and lithe, and her blonde hair was cut as short as any Marine’s. The bow on her back was the finest weapon Devin had ever seen, and it looked out of place on her dirty brown cloak. A plain rapier hung at her side. She sat on a stool next to the node.

  She nodded at Cindy but didn’t stand when the party entered the cave.

  Casey took Cindy’s hands in hers. “Thank you everything you’ve done.”

  Cindy’s eyes got a distant look. “My mother always told me that Rainford led them here. I believed that when I was a kid, but after she died, I decided it was just a story she told me to distract me from all of our losses." She shook her head. “But Rainford sent you, and I know it’s all true. I’m ashamed of my lack of faith.”

  “You've done a great service for Rainford and the Pantheon,” Casey said. “You have no reason to be ashamed. Take this gift from Rainford to help you in the coming days.”

  Casey blessed Cindy Weaver with a minor blessing. She will receive a +1 bonus to her Social Attribute for the next week.

  Achievement Unlocked! Blessing – Casey granted her first blessing.

  Reward: 5 Life shards.

  Cindy looked stunned. She started to kneel, but Casey pulled her into a hug. Cindy left the chamber with her head high and a look of determination on her face.

  When they were alone in the cave, Devin turned to Asha.

  “You look awful. Are you sick or something?”

  “I’m fine,” Asha said. Her voice was musical with a slight accent different from the other people he’d met.

  Devin sent a private message to Casey. Her eyes glowed as she looked Asha up and down.

  Casey used the Boost ‘Vision of Rainford’ on Asha. Asha is healthy and uninjured.

  Devin relaxed.

  “Why do you look like you’re about to fall over?” he said.

  “I don’t like caves.”

  “That’s odd for someone who lives in a cave,” Devin said.

  “I don’t live in a cave,” she said. “I’m a scout. I spend my time outdoors, scouting and hunting. I only come in here when some high muckety-muck Warlock demands my services.”

  Devin ignored her tone. “Are you speluncaphobic or something?”

  Asha rolled her eyes. “Sure,” she said. “Why not.”

  Devin’s eyes narrowed. “General Landon says you’ll follow orders. Will you?”

  Asha glared “He’s my war chief. What do you think?”

  “You seem annoyed about something,” Devin said.

  “They pulled me off hunting duty for this. It’s the worst possible time for it. We’re always short of food, and I bring in three times as much as the other hunters.”

  “I like your self-confidence,” Devin said.

  “It’s not self-confidence,” Asha said. “It’s a fact. You asked for the best scout, and you got her.”

  “Fair enough,” Devin said. “Just so you know, I’d be pissed too if I had to go off with some random stranger while all my friends are trying to survive. But this isn’t a vacation. We’re going after the big man. Our mission is to kill Felle.”

  Asha’s eyes narrowed. “So, Landon’s signed me up for a suicide mission with a bunch of maniacs.”

  “Do you want out?”

  “No,” she said. “Like I said, Landon’s my war chief. I follow his orders.”

  “That’s good enough for now,” Devin said. “But from this moment on, I’m your war chief. Are we clear on that?”

  Asha looked at him but didn’t answer.

  “Do you know what enhancement is?” Devin said.

  She nodded.

  “Well, it might make you feel better to know that all three of us are enhanced,” Devin said.

  “Three?” Asha said. She glanced at Milo.

  “Three,” Devin said. “And we’re all Silver level.”

  He picked a stone up and crushed it with his fist.

  Asha nodded. “Fine. I’ll concede there’s a possibility you’re not as stupid or suicidal as I first thought. Like I said, I’ll follow your orders. You can’t become my war chief by saying it, though.”

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “Fair enough,” Devin said. “You’re about to get some type of invitation to join our group. I don’t know what form it will take, but when it comes, agree to it.”

  You invited Asha to join your party.

  Asha (Unenhanced) joined your party.

  Asha added a location of interest to Devin’s Automap: Rebel Cave Entrance

  Asha added a location of interest to Devin’s Automap: Teth Lake.

  Asha added a location of interest to Devin’s Automap: Teth River.

  Asha added a location of interest to Devin’s Automap: Pineleaf Forest.

  Asha added a location of interest to Devin’s Automap: Morrigyr Mountains.

  Asha added a location of interest to Devin’s Automap: Hawke’s Pass.

  "I know this is a lot to process,” Devin said. “If you have any questions, ask Milo.”

  Asha cocked her head. “The dog?”

  “I’m not a dog,” Milo said. “I’m a cat.”

  Asha’s eyes narrowed even more. “No, you’re not,” she said. “You’re a familiar.”

  “He’s a Guide, actually,” Devin said.

  “I’m all those things, but first and foremost, I’m a cat,” Milo said.

  Asha shrugged. “Whatever. My first question is how you’re going to enhance me. No one but the Patriarch has the power to enhance people.”

  “The rules have changed,” Devin said. “Do you want to be enhanced or not?”

  “It depends,” she said. “Is it going to give you some kind of dominion over me?”

  “No,” Milo said. “The person enhancing has no control over you, and they can’t take back the enhancement. The only issue you’ll have is that if Devin is killed, you’ll lose your enhancement for a short period of time.”

  Asha looked Devin up and down. “I guess I'll have to keep you alive, then. Is there a risk?”

  “Yes,” Milo said. “We’ll be informed of the risk level before we commit.”

  Devin held out the Keystone. Asha took it.

  “Asha needs to be touching Devin,” Milo said. “Devin, you touch the node. You’ll both get a prompt. If you’re comfortable with your chances, accept it.”

  Asha took the Keystone. Instead of standing up, she scooched the stool closer to the crystal and gripped Devin’s hand with her fingertips. Her fingers felt hot. If Casey hadn’t examined her with her Boost, Devin would have been sure Asha had a fever.

  “How do I become your war chief?” he said.

  “You can start by saving my life,” Asha said. “It also counts if I save yours.”

  Devin nodded. “I’ll do my best. Are you ready?”

  “Yes.”

  Devin touched the node, and his interface popped up.

  You are attempting to use a Copper Keystone on Asha. Asha has a 99.9997% chance of successful enhancement. Asha has a 1E-8 percent chance of catastrophic failure.

  Do you wish to use ‘Copper enhancement crystal’ on Asha?

  Devin raised an eyebrow. It seemed he’d selected the right person.

  Yes, he thought.

  The Silver-level Astral Hall was much larger. The walls, ceiling and furnishings were shades of blue now. The ceilings were much higher, and doors lined the walls. Dozens of tables filled the room.

  Two of the tapestries had been replaced with glowing curtains of light. Through the curtain closest to them they could see a blurry view of the cave they’d left. The other showed a similar view of the Winsley farm.

  Devin looked around. “Where’s Asha?”

  “The enhancement takes time,” Milo said. He was back in house cat form. “She’ll arrive here when she’s done.”

  Devin stared at him. “You weren’t talking last time we were here.”

  “I couldn’t talk in this form when the Hall was Copper,” Milo said. “Now I can. You may have noticed the Guide class has some unique features that scale with some of your own accomplishments.”

  Devin nodded. “How long will Asha’s enhancement take?”

  “It varies by person. The mean is four hours, with most people falling between two and six hours.”

  “That long? Why didn’t you say something?”

  “Because you didn’t ask. Also, as usual, you didn’t tell me your plan.”

  Devin nodded. “Fair enough. We can use the time to talk. She can’t hear us, right?”

  “She is unable to listen during her enhancement,” Milo said.

  “Good,” Devin said. “It’s not that I don’t trust her, but I want to make sure my trust isn’t misplaced. Can you use your Guide powers to learn anything about her?”

  Milo sniffed. “It’s my job to support the party, not spy on them for you.”

  Devin raised an eyebrow. “Is that some sort of stupid Guide rule?”

  “It’s a Milo rule,” Milo said. “And it’s me looking out for you. If you don’t understand how, it’s even more important. Now, please stop asking questions so I can tell you something.”

  Devin frowned but nodded. “Go ahead.”

  “This is now a Silver-level Astral Hall,” Milo said. “It differs from the Copper Hall in a few areas. It has fast-travel portals to all the nodes. It’s bigger, with several private rooms, including a restroom and a bathing facility. It can be furnished with certain amenities both to aid advancement, and for leisure activities ….”

  “I want streaming services as soon as we can get them,” Devin said.

  Milo glared at him. Devin shrugged and made a lip-zipping motion.

  “Then there’s the time dilation effect,” Milo said. “Time here will pass far more slowly than back on Senarci.”

  Devin’s eyes widened. “Really?”

  “Yes. It allows us to rest and recover without losing much time back in Teth. It’s not unlimited, though. The longer we’re here, the less advantage we get. At our current level, the first eight hours that pass for us in the Hall will equal only four hours back in Senarci. The next eight hours here will be equal to six hours there. After that, the benefit will no longer accrue until we stay out of the Hall for a while.”

  "You should have led with that,” Devin said. “Casey can make potions at super speeds!”

  “Not in the main hall,” Milo said. “Most Skills and abilities don’t work here outside of specific rooms designed for those purposes. Fortunately, we have a key that will allow us to add such a room to our Hall.”

  Milo trotted over to a table and jumped up. He batted something around a few times before knocking it onto the floor. It bounced with a tinking sound.

  As soon as Devin picked it up, he saw a glowing keyhole in the wall.

  Astral Hall Key (Magic Item, Copper, Common)

  Unlocks a Copper-level room in your Astral Hall. This key can be used to open one of the following three doors:

  Unarmed Combat Training Room (Common) – Cost: 50 Fundamental Forces Shards, 10 Dimensional Shards

  Alchemy Lab (Common) – Cost: 50 Matter Shards, 10 Dimensional Shards

  Library – (Common) Cost: 50 Logic Shards, 10 Dimensional Shards

  Note: Use of these rooms is limited to 8 user hours for each month that passes on Senarci. These rooms can only be accessed by the party leader and party members with the appropriate abilities. Only one party member at a time may access these rooms.

  “That’s all the info we get?” Devin said. “Three names?”

  Milo posed on the table. “An unarmed combat training room is a room where one trains in unarmed combat, an alchemy lab is a lab where an alchemist does alchemy ...”

  Devin rolled his eyes.

  “And a library is a room where I can use my Guide skills to maximum effect,” Milo said.

  “I’m guessing your vote is for the library,” Devin said.

  “Actually, I’d recommend the alchemy lab. Casey’s potions are going to be critical in the coming days.”

  “If we get the lab, can you and I port back to Teth so you can use your powers?” Devin said.

  “Yes,” Milo said.

  “Let’s do that, then,” Devin said.

  He tossed the key to Casey. She hesitated, then used the key. She disappeared and Devin felt a twitch in his shard pouch.

  There was a door-shaped crack in the wall, but Devin couldn’t see any way to open it. Even the keyhole was gone. He gave it a shove, and an alert popped up.

  The Alchemy Lab is occupied by Casey Bailey. The lab has 7 hours, 59 minutes and 41 seconds of use remaining this month.

  Devin – Casey, are you OK?

  Casey – This place is incredible! I’m going to make some potions.

  Milo – Remember to keep an eye on the timer.

  Casey – Understood.