Ace shot through the trees. As a spellform, he spent most of his time in oblivion, so he always relished the opportunity to stretch his little ankle-wings.

  If there was one thing he loved more than conveying information, it was conveying information fast. Fastfastfastfastfast.

  He dodged through the tree trunks, zigging and zagging with reckless abandon as he made his way to his destination: Morwen’s Grove.

  After only a few moments, he arrived at a clearing.

  There was a mutli-story house with a wrap-around porch, and a few people lingering around a fire in the yard. “Now… which one is Morwen?”

  Ace scanned the three figures by the fire. Usually, his target would glow a bright, shiny gold, but all three figures remained dark.

  “Not them then…”

  He squinted and looked at the house. A gold figure shone through the wall of the house, reclining in a chair.

  “There she is!” he said, zipping straight for the house.

  Going about fifty miles an hour – kind of slow if you asked Ace – the spellform took several laps around the house, searching for an open window. Technically, he could go through walls, but it wasn’t pleasant. It hurt. A lot. So he’d look for an easier way first, even if it hurt his message delivery time by a few seconds.

  Front door, closed. Window, closed. Window, closed. Side door, closed. Three more windows, closed, closed, closed.

  “GodDAMMIT!” his tiny voice cried in frustration. Ace took a few more laps to make sure he wasn’t missing anything. Before shooting up to survey the house from above.

  Then, he saw it: a brick chimney billowing out smoke. Sure, smoke was unpleasant, but it was much better than the agony of phasing through solid matter.

  Ace shot toward the chimney, contorting himself through the opening and straight down through the brick shaft.

  “Hello!” Ace called as he flew out of the fireplace, narrowly avoiding a cauldron of stew.

  A woman with short hair jumped up from the leather armchair in which she rested, unsheathing a dagger and dropping into a defensive posture. She emanated a bright, shiny, golden aura.

  “Morwen!” Ace said excitedly. “Aha! I found you!”

  The woman relaxed, “Yes that’s me,” she said, “and I’m supposing you’re a {message carrier}. Who sent you?”

  “Bingo!” said Ace, doing a series of backflips. “I have a message from Liiiiiiilllllllyyyyy!”

  “Stop that!” Morwen said.

  “Stop what?”

  “Flipping around like that, you’re making me dizzy.”

  Ace didn’t understand why people native to the material plane liked to be so still all the time. He like to movemovemove.

  “I have a message from Lilly!” Ace said again. “Here it is: New student coming…. Ummmm…. Tomorrow!”

  Morwen began to respond, but before she could say anything, Ace felt the familiar pressure building up inside of him. His mission was over. He had achieved it.

  “Woooohoooo!” he screamed in glee just before he exploded into a thousand wisps of blue vapor.

  ***

  Andy awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming gently through the window of his bedroom in the Dawnspring Cottage. Birds chirped and sang intermittently, bouncing and playing on a tree branch just outside.

  For a moment, he thought he might be in his childhood bedroom, and then he remembered all that had transpired. He felt a brief pang of grief as he recalled his death, the frustration and lack of fulfillment he had experienced in his life, and his inability to find his mother in the lobby.

  He had died, passed into a cosmic waiting room, and he was currently engaged in the most lifelike simulation he’d ever experienced… if it was even a simulation at all. The groundhog that had given him an orientation mentioned that this world was powered by spiritual technology.

  The thought he had entertained as he fell asleep the previous night struck him again in his wakefulness: if his mother had died, too, she may well be in this game world. She was always more adventurous than Andy’s father, more willing to try new things. Andy could see her getting bored in the waiting room and entering the simulation just like he had.

  But how could he possibly find her? The groundhog had said there were over a few million players wired into the Infinite Plane at the site that he operated, and the clerk had told him that the afterlife lobby he arrived in was one of thousands… Andy simply couldn’t fathom how to begin searching for one person in such a vast and complicated universe.

  Another thought crossed his mind: would he even be able to recognize her if he did find her? Andy realized that he hadn’t seen his own reflection since arriving at the Dawnspring Cottage. He felt the same, and he had the same body, but did he look recognizable?

  He placed his hand on his face: ears, nose, eyebrows, hair, a little stubble… they all felt the same.

  He rose and washed his face at the basin with a fluffy handtowel, noting how rejuvenated he felt after a full night of unfitful sleep. After slipping into his new pants, tunic, and some wool socks, he exited his room, took a pit stop at the water closet. Washing his hands, he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked exactly as he had in his previous life, except much happier.

  So we still look the same in this world… he thought.

  He headed toward the sound of pots and pans clanging down the hall.

  Immediately, he was met with an incredible smell: garlic, sausage, and something buttery. As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, he saw Rowan cooking on an iron skillet on some kind of

  controlled-flame stove.

  “Ah, good morning, Andy!”

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  “Good morning,” Andy said, yawning and stretching. “What are you cooking?”

  “A traditional breakfast for new arrivals,” said Rowan, holding up the same hefty tome he had been examining the night before. “It’s known as… Zah,” he said, tracing his finger along a line of text.

  Andy looked at the ingredients laid out on the counter: tomatoes, basil, and a rising dough. In addition to the sausage and garlic sizzling in the pan, it seemed Rowan was making…

  “Pizza?” Andy asked.

  “Ah, yes, I do believe that is a common name for it,” he said.

  “Wait, how did you learn about pizza?” Andy asked. “It’s a common food where I’m from.”

  “Oh, fascinating,” Rowan said, flipping a page in his book. “It says here in this tome that the legendary trader and culinary genius Bosshard Nandor, himself a Visitor, established this tradition some centuries ago.”

  “Interesting,” Andy said.

  It was too funny. Some guy joined the game, named himself Bosshard, and got famous enough to establish pizza as a widespread culinary custom. Visitors, too, could impact the history of the Infinite Plane forever.

  “Oh, good, you’re up,” said Lilly as she walked in with a handful of fresh lavender. She wore rough pants and a plain linen blouse fit for yardwork. “I was just getting some gardening done this morning, but I’ll be ready to leave for Cresthaven soon. Does that sound good to you?”

  “Sounds great,” Andy said, nodding.

  “Ah, I forgot to ask,” Rowan said, “would you like some coffee?” He gestured toward a metal percolator sitting on the back of the stove. “I believe we have some cream and sugar too, if you’d like.”

  “Yes, actually,” Andy said. His sleep had rejuvenated him, but he still found himself wanting a cup of coffee just for the taste and ritual of it. He couldn’t say no.

  Rowan grabbed a ceramic mug from the cabinet and poured the steaming brown liquid in, about three quarters full, before setting it in front of Andy. He then opened an icebox and produced a small bottle of cream.

  “Wow, thank you very much,” Andy said. “Your customs here are so similar to where I come from… I am surprised.”

  “We’ve learned over the centuries what kinds of accommodations Visitors are accustomed to, and we do our best to make new arrivals feel comfortable,” he said with a smile. “Oh, and sugar… would you like some sugar?”

  “No, cream is fine, thank you,” Andy said.

  Rowan nodded before grabbing the risen dough and flattening it out on a large, oiled skillet. He pressed gently with his fingers, ensuring an even stretch, before coating the dough with oil, minced garlic, and tomato sauce. Finally, he topped the dish with some sausage that he had already browned, as well as some roasted garlic. “Now, this will go in the oven for about twenty minutes,” he said. “Then breakfast will be served.”

  Andy nodded graciously. “Thank you very much,” he said. “Anything I can do to help out?”

  “Oh, please, don’t trouble yourself,” said Lilly, hanging the lavender upside down on some twine to dry. “You’ll have plenty of chances to help plenty of people in the days to come. Especially if you’re aiming to take the Fighter class. They are in high demand. For now, relax and enjoy.”

  Andy took a sip of his coffee. It jolted him awake, to his surprise. “Wow,” he said. “This is strong stuff!” He took another, smaller sip. Despite its strength, it had a pleasant, nutty, slightly acidic aroma, mixing nicely with the smooth fullness of the cream.

  “I hope you like it,” said Rowan. “Many of our Visitors go crazy for it. I myself can’t stand it. I prefer tea.”

  “I do like it,” said Andy, sipping again. The coffee made the world pop a little more. He noticed the vibrant blue skies out the window, the calming smell of lavender. The pace here was slower, gentler than he was accustomed to. There were no screens, no distractions. He had nowhere else to be but here.

  I could get used to this, I think.

  The next half hour passed mostly in silence. Lilly returned to her chambers to clean up, and Andy stepped outside while Rowan finished cooking.

  The cool mountain air hit and the wide-open sky made Andy’s chest expand with something… Joy? Love? Optimism? He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew it was something special. Something he hadn’t felt in years. Decades, even.

  Life on Earth had gotten so heavy all the time. He hadn’t even realized it toward the end. He had been so encumbered by his failures, and his future had been so constrained by the pressures of everyday life. He hadn’t even been aware that he was choking, dying of a slow, existential asphyxiation.

  But now, with the slight breeze, chirping birds, and possibilities for adventure ahead, Andy felt immense relief… and immense excitement. For the first time in a while, he was looking forward to what came next.

  He sipped his coffee on the patio until Rowan peeked his head out of the kitchen window. “The zah is ready, my friend!”

  Andy stood up, smiling as he crossed back into the cottage. The overwhelming, savory aroma of warm garlic, sausage, tomato, and cheese filled his nostrils.

  He sat down at the dining table alongside Rowan, who served him a triangular slice. As Rowan separated the slice from the rest of the pizza, the cheese pulled for nearly a foot and a half.

  “Thank you, sir,” Andy said.

  “Here, have some of this, too,” Rowan said, pouring what appeared to be iced tea into a tall glass.

  Rowan then served a slice of pizza to himself. “Dig in!” he said with an enthusiastic grin.

  Andy bit into the crust, supremely crispy on the bottom, but delightfully fluffy on the inside. The tomato sauce had been cooked to perfection, offering a roasty sweetness that provided a foundation for the spice of the sausage and garlic, and the impossibly delectable cheese.

  Andy was salivating uncontrollably as he took bite after bite. “Holy shit,” he said with a mouthful of cheesy crust.

  “Like it?” Rowan asked.

  “It’s amazing!” Andy said.

  The two of them ate their pizza in relative silence, save for the smacking of lips and involuntary hums of delight.

  Lilly entered the room, now dressed in intricate robes, as she had been the night before.

  “Pizza, dear?” Rowan asked.

  “Oh, no thank you,” she said. “I had a bit of food earlier, and I’ve got a lunch I need to attend in Cresthaven a bit later.”

  “More for me,” Rowan said, smiling. “Please, take another piece!” he said, gesturing toward the plate and looking at Andy expectantly.

  Andy had just put the last bite of the first piece in his mouth, and he was chewing, so he couldn’t object as Rowan pulled another slice up and placed it on his plate.

  Andy nodded and hummed. “Thak oo,” he managed to say between chews. Finally, he washed down his first slice of pizza with some tea. It was sweet tea, like something you’d get in the southern United States, strong and sugary. It, like everything so far, was delicious and rejuvenating.

  “We ought to leave in the next few minutes,” Lilly said. “Do you need anything else to get ready?”

  Andy shook his head, “Just my pack in my room,” he said.

  “Excellent,” said Lilly.

  Andy finished the second slice of pizza before returning to his room. He sat on the edge of the bed and slipped on the black canvas shoes he had picked out the night before. He stood up and felt how they fit. They were almost perfect, with ample arch support and plenty of bounce. He got his travel bag, packed spare undergarments, shirts, and socks, and slung it over his shoulder before returning to the living room.

  Lilly gathered a few tomes, throwing them into a satchel, and Rowan brought out a handful of dense, flaky pastries, wrapping them in a clean kitchen cloth. “For the road,” he said, kissing her gently on the cheek.

  “You’re too kind, Rowan,” she said, smiling and blushing slightly. “It shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours to get there.”

  “Well, better safe than sorry, and besides, if you’re not hungry, you can share them with Andy.”

  She nodded and kissed him on the cheek before retrieving a walking staff, leaning against the wall in the entry way. “Well, let’s get moving then!”

  They exited the door, heading out onto the downward mountain path.

  ***

  Could Agatha have been onto something?

  Maybe, but Morwen couldn’t get her hopes up. If a new student arrived today, she’d treat them the same way she treated any new potential recruit… she’d greet them warmly, offer them lodging and her training services in exchange for some chores, and see if they made a good fit one day at a time.

  A small kindling of hope rose in her. She didn’t deny it, but neither did she indulge it. Maybe the new student would stick with it, become interested in the Order of the Behemoth, and become a great Fighter. It was certainly possible.

  It was equally as likely that the student would grow bored at the prospects of a non-spellcasting class and head into the city, making alliances with the spellcasting schools in the inner city and cozying up to the nobility. It had happened many times before.

  Still, she couldn’t deny that it was more than a coincidence… Agatha had just predicted she’d receive a new student, and only a few hours later she received a {message carrier} spell from Lilly confirming that prediction.

  And… Well, she didn’t want to get her hopes up… but if the message was coming from Lilly, there was a nonzero chance that the new student was a Visitor. It hadn’t happened in years, but it wasn’t impossible.

  Morwen smiled gently. She was letting her hopes get the better of her.

  “We will see,” she said quietly to herself. “We will see.”