Two days.

  It took us two more days to clear the swamp of Lumifrax, and honestly, it felt more like a slog than a hunt. Cass had snagged some healing pills from her home before we left, and after returning her clothes, I found my answer as to why they’d taken so much mana to withdraw after my meditation. Swapping into our normal clothes, we let the pills work their magic while we hashed out a plan. Wandering blindly into the swamp again wasn’t exactly appealing.

  The next attempt went a lot smoother, though we quickly learned why this job was classed up. There had to be hundreds of these frogs spread across the area, which meant organizing the swamp into sections and systematically clearing them. It wasn’t glamorous, but it worked.

  I had a sudden inspiration to use the staff instead of a spear. Turns out, ditching the spearhead made things a lot easier on me. The Lumifrax were squishy enough that blunt force did the job, and it cut down on the purple goo explosions—not that it made the smell any better. Storing the pieces in my earring was just far more convenient and I ended up storing the case itself now that we had a surplus of mana.

  Cass and I made a solid team. Staying close, Bravery gave me just enough warning to dodge attacks or shift out of her line while she dealt the killing blows. I acted as a vanguard, clearing a path while Cass cleaned up behind me. Red stayed just out of the fray, trailing along and stacking mana pearls for me to store in my earring. By the end of the day, we were a well-oiled machine—and we had a pile of mana pearls to show for it.

  Trading the pearls back in Riverbend was easy enough. The Vildar residents made it clear we were overpaying, but we didn’t care. With at least a hundred pearls between us, we were more focused on loading up on dried meats, roasted vegetables, and cheeses than haggling. We ate like kings before Cass passed out for the night and I started to meditate—only to be yanked out of my trance by the putrid stench of Red’s gas.

  Maybe he shouldn’t get any more cheese.

  On the second day, we woke to find the rain had finally cleared. The relief was short-lived. The air hung thick with humidity, and the heat inside the armor was suffocating. Every step through the swamp felt heavier, as if the air itself was conspiring against us.

  We hunted the remaining Lumifrax mechanically, our movements precise but devoid of energy. Even Red seemed worn down, his usual enthusiasm dulled. I stopped several times to let him drink from my water gourd, the cool laps of his tongue the only indication he was still enjoying himself.

  The swamp had somehow gotten worse. The heat seemed to cook the dead frogs, turning the already foul smell into something almost alive, a hot-garbage stench that clung to everything—including us. By mid-afternoon, we’d circled the swamp and realized it was drying up. Apparently, our work was done.

  Back at the hall in Riverbend, I peeled off my armor and flopped onto the cool wooden floor. The relief was instant, but it wasn’t enough.

  “It’s too fucking hot,” I groaned into the floorboards.

  Red padded over and snuffled at me, his nose cold against my ear before he started licking, as if trying to cheer me up. I heard Cass changing into her clothes behind me. When I was sure she was done, I looked up to see her grinning.

  “But we’re going to get paid,” she said, holding out a hand to help me up. “And that’s the best part. Now get your clothes on. Think you can store both armors?”

  Even with over a hundred mana pearls stored in the earring, I hadn’t found its upper limit yet, so I nodded and tucked away both armor sets. The sensation of cool air on my skin was a luxury I hadn’t realized I missed. Everyone was right, armor was awful.

  Cass kept her swords on her hip, though they sat awkwardly without the proper loops from her armor. Still, she seemed in much better spirits.

  “You’re awfully spry,” I said after using my wash-kit. “Two fucking days of disgusting frogs.”

  She laughed. “If it was easy, they wouldn’t pay for it! So, what are you going to do with the money?”

  “I think Katie could use it to fix up her shop after the attack. Maybe help feed the kids around the city? What about you?”

  Cass furrowed her brow. “Depends how much you think I’ve earned, Mr. Breaker.”

  I let her stew for a moment, feigning consideration. “Hmm. Maybe after a full performance evaluation.”

  She hit me, not lightly. “Ow, fuck—half, obviously.”

  “Seriously? That’s a lot of money. Seventy-five red coins could go a long way. But…” she paused. “Remember that offer you made me in the meditation room?”

  My confusion must have been obvious because she grinned as realization hit me.

  “Oh! You want to make beer?” I said finally.

  She nodded, smiling sheepishly. “Everyone I know is good at something. Felix plays music for everyone, Erik grows herbs and flowers. Elizabeth is an artist. Even Henrik’s good at cooking. Me? I just fight.”

  I stared at her, the words taking a moment to sink in. “Wait, you’ve got to be kidding. Erik gardens?”

  Cass smirked as my surprise turned into a hearty laugh.

  “I looked it up, and Felix told me a bit before he left. I think I can get what I need from the merchant when they come back,” Cass said, and I could swear there was a twinkle in her eye.

  “You’re not just going to drink it all, are you?” I asked, half-joking.

  “I mean… I’m going to drink a bunch,” she replied with a toothy grin. “What good is making beer if you don’t make sure it’s good?”

  Before I could respond, a heavy knock sounded on the door. Cass got up and opened it, revealing two Sentarian standing in the doorway. They bowed deeply, their hands clasped in front of their navels.

  “Amituofo, initiates,” one said. “Louis informs us that you have completed your hunt. These humble drivers wish to offer you transportation back to La-Roc for a small fee.”

  I glanced at Cass, who looked surprised, but I didn’t hesitate. “Yes!” I said, pulling a handful of mana pearls from my earring. Both of the Sentarians’ mandible-like jaws fell open as their eyes widened.

  “Is this enough?” I asked.

  The ride back to La-Roc was long and bumpy, but not as awful as it would have been on foot, especially in the blazing heat. Most of the trip, I spent talking with Cass about the ins and outs of brewing beer, going over what equipment she might need. I wasn’t entirely sure what tools or containers were available here, but she seemed to have a solid grasp of the basics, and I was impressed by her memory.

  “So, it’s basically just tea?” she asked as we exited the Greenmarch, La-Roc coming into view not far ahead.

  “Well, sort of. You boil it to concentrate the sugar, let it cool, then add yeast. That’s pretty much it. Honestly, it’s harder to mess up than to get right—at least until you start making complex ones—like the beer I made in the Tower,” I replied. Cass lit up at the simplicity of it, though she admitted she had no idea what yeast was. I assured her Katie must have some, since it’s used for baking bread. It wouldn’t be perfect, but it would be enough to see if she wanted to keep experimenting.

  As we passed through La-Roc’s gates, the drivers pulled to a stop just inside the walls. “This is where the Trailbinder must be stored. This humble driver hopes the ride was pleasant,” one of them said.

  It wasn’t, but we nodded politely and climbed out. Red, who had actually joined us on the wagon this time, leaped down in an awkward, gangly motion.

  We had only been gone a couple of days, and I’d only been in La-Roc for about a week, but it felt good to be back somewhere familiar. La-Roc might not be Earth, but I was starting to accept it as home. Stretching as we walked through the bustling streets, I greeted a few Sentarians we passed. The city’s core was alive with activity, Floran, Vildar, and Gaians mingling in the sunlit avenues.

  “You know,” I said, glancing at Cass as we wove through the crowd, “I didn’t think about it, but how do we prove we did the job? We could’ve just shown up and said we did it. How do they know we actually killed all those frogs?”

  Cass grinned and spun to walk backward, effortlessly navigating the streets. “Truth Sight,” she said casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

  “Oh, like that thing Chas was doing?” I asked. “That makes sense, I guess.”

  The conversation fizzled out as we reached the Tower. The mid-afternoon sun hung low in the sky, and my legs ached from the trek. Even with mana reinforcing them, the day had been long, and riding the Trailbinders had taken its toll. Red hesitated at the base of the Tower’s steps, his ears swiveling like he was debating something.

  “You want to wait out here, Red?” I asked, crouching to scratch behind his ears. He gave me a long look, then turned and started up the stairs, hesitant but determined. He glanced back to make sure we were following, his tail swishing nervously.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  The Tower’s domed lobby welcomed us with a strange sense of familiarity. The domed ceiling echoed faintly with distant voices, and the ever-present buzz of mana hung in the air. Gary, stationed at his usual spot at the desk, looked up and grinned as we approached. He glanced at Red and raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, lingering only for a moment.

  “Ah! The Acolyte has returned. You both look considerably stronger than when you left,” he said, his voice warm as he motioned for us to step forward.

  Cass reached into her vest, pulling out her Manascript, and I quickly followed her lead. Gary took both scripts and flipped them open to the pages he’d stamped with the details of our job. His eyes, swirling like galaxies, fixed on us.

  “Do you swear that, to the best of your ability, you have completed this ordained hunt?”

  The word “ordained” snagged in my mind for a moment, but I nodded. “I... We do,” I said, my voice steady despite the weight of his gaze.

  Gary’s eyes returned to their normal, human-like appearance as he stamped both scripts with an air of finality. Closing them, he raised his voice, much louder than I thought possible. It wasn’t just loud—it seemed to echo from every corner of the room.

  “Let it be known that Acolyte Ben Crawford, the Breaker, has completed his first Class E hunt!”

  The room erupted into cheers, several Hunters adding their voices to the celebration. Gary continued, his tone booming with ceremony. “Rest up and eat hearty, for the monsters will return!”

  The Hunters, Cass included, answered in unison, their voices reverberating with a tribal cadence:

  “And we will cut them down!”

  Without thinking, I blurted out, “And I’ll try not to die doing it!”

  The room went quiet, and I felt my cheeks burn as every eye turned to me. For a split second, I thought I’d ruined the moment—then Gary grinned.

  “That’s the spirit, Breaker,” he said, his tone light and approving. “Now for your reward.”

  He placed a small wooden box on the desk and slid it open to reveal a single silver coin nestled on a velvet bed. Next to it, he set a jingling bag on the counter. “One silver, and fifty red.”

  Cass scooped up the bag with a satisfied nod. “Why don’t you keep the silver?” she said, tossing me a sly wink. “It’s not quite half, but these will be a lot easier to spend.”

  “Where is your armor? I will submit it for repairs,” Gary asked, his tone casual.

  I grinned and dumped the stinking armor sets onto the surface between us. A nearby Vildar gagged at the smell.

  “Ah,” Gary said, his voice incredulous as he stored the armor somewhere behind the counter. “And a cleaning. Would you have any mana pearls to sell to the Tower?” His tone turned expectant.

  I smirked and tipped my hand, spilling at least fifty pearls onto the desk in a cascade from my earring. A few rolled off the edge, and Cass scrambled to catch them before they hit the floor.

  “Is this worth anything?” I asked, deadpan.

  Gary raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “I see the young Acolyte has a sense of humor.” He pulled out a contraption that resembled a scale, all brass fittings and faintly glowing glyphs. Scooping the pearls onto it, he watched as the device flared with soft light. “That is rather fortunate. For Class F, these pearls are unusually dense.”

  He reached beneath the desk, counting out twenty red mana coins and a small handful of blue ones. After arranging them into neat stacks like poker chips, he slid them across the desk with a practiced motion.

  “Can’t go wrong with some walking-around money,” I said, giving a satisfied nod as I stored the coins in my earring.

  I still had plenty of pearls left and briefly considered selling them all. They’d fetch a good price, but their utility made me hesitate. Better to hold onto them for now.

  As I picked up the silver mana coin from the earlier reward, a sharp jolt of static jumped through my hand. The concentration of mana was staggering, far beyond anything I’d touched before. Storing it alongside the gadgets in my earring, I couldn’t help but wonder: If a red mana coin could fuel a trap capable of that explosion the other day, what kind of devastation could a silver coin unleash?

  Without warning, a gust of wind swept through the antechamber, unsettling papers and ruffling the large curtains. The energy in the room shifted abruptly, and a hush fell over everyone as they instinctively straightened, their attention snapping to the stairs.

  “Ben!” a familiar voice called.

  I turned to see Elara descending from the second level, her appearance disheveled like she’d thrown on her linen clothes in a hurry. Her gaze landed on me, sharp and direct, before flicking to Red.

  “What’s with the mana beast?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.

  All eyes shifted to me and Red. He was sitting in what could only be described as a ridiculous pose, but as the scrutiny fell on him, his ears drooped, and his hackles raised in visible discomfort. He ducked his head, clearly nervous under the sudden attention.

  “He’s my familiar,” I decided, resting a reassuring hand on his back. “Where I go, he goes.”

  Elara scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Of course he is.” But then her expression softened as she looked at Red. Her voice shifted, becoming gentler, almost reverent. “Be at ease, wandering one. This is a safe place, and the mana here is pure. You need wander no more.”

  Her words seemed to settle him instantly. Red perked up, his ears lifting, and the tension in his posture melted away as if that was all he’d needed to hear.

  Cass nudged me, her tone abrupt. “I’ll meet you at Katie’s. Go talk with Elara—this seems important.”

  I could feel the weight of eyes on me as I climbed the stairs, Elara leading the way with sharp, purposeful strides. She didn’t speak, just whirled ahead, guiding me down a long hallway deeper into the Tower.

  We hadn’t been walking long before I broke the silence.

  “What’s—”

  Elara held up a hand to stop me, her expression sharp. “Gary, if you please?” she said, seemingly to no one.

  “As commanded, Head Mistress,” came a voice from behind me, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. My aura hadn’t even registered him.

  Before I could process that, the hallway itself shifted. The world tilted in a way that made my stomach churn, a dizzying sense of weightlessness washing over me. Then, just as suddenly, gravity slammed back into place, and I staggered to find myself standing before two massive stone doors. Each was carved in intricate bas-relief, depicting radiant towers stretching skyward.

  A soft shaking sound pulled me from my daze. Red stood beside me, giving a full-body shake before letting out a high-pitched yawn. I guessed he didn’t appreciate whatever that was either.

  Elara stepped forward, pushing the grand doors open to reveal a room that screamed opulence even by the Tower’s standards. Sunlight poured through towering arched windows, casting warm golden hues across marble floors polished to a mirror-like finish. At the center of the room stood the desk—a massive, carved masterpiece adorned with gilded accents, dominating the space like a throne. It rested on an ornate rug, flanked by four high-backed chairs that seemed designed for royalty rather than practicality.

  As we stepped inside, Elara made a quick motion behind her, and when I glanced back, the doors were gone—replaced by a seamless, white-polished wall. The gesture seemed to drain her, her shoulders sagging as her all-business demeanor softened into something closer to exhaustion.

  She strode toward the desk, motioning for me to sit in one of the chairs. I obliged, sinking into the plush seat, which was as comfortable as it looked. Red, on the other hand, jumped into another chair and promptly spun it in a full circle, his tongue hanging out in what could only be described as smug satisfaction.

  “It’s about time you and I talked without my mother around,” Elara began, lowering herself into the chair behind the desk. She studied me for a moment, her gaze sharp but less formal. “Before you ask, yes, we’re at the top of the Tower. No, not

  top—the other one.”

  I glanced at Red, who appeared confused—which was normal since he was a dog—but Elara pressed on.

  “I’ve been preoccupied—Felix had been binding his Seal, and you’ve been busy. I wish we had more time to chat, but we’ve got a big fucking problem.”

  The words hit like a thunderclap. My pulse quickened, goosebumps prickling my arms.

  “What kind of problem?” I asked cautiously, trying not to let the dread seep into my voice. “Did I do something wrong? Are you… are you going to toss me off Ark?”

  Elara sighed and reached into a drawer, pulling out a small envelope. “My mother, the bitch, may have pushed her luck—and by proxy, yours—a bit too far.” She tossed the envelope onto the desk. “This arrived today from the Emerald Reaches. Some islands a few days away and our primary trading partner. They’re ruled by Maris Valerian, the Archon of the Strikers—or a Grandmaster. On my Mother’s level.”

  The name Maris rang a faint bell. Alexander had mentioned her to Diana, hadn’t he?

  “Alright,” I said cautiously, unsure where this was going.

  “The letter states, in no uncertain terms, that Maris isn’t happy you’re here. She’s given me until her arrival to come up with a plan to coerce you off Ark.” Elara grimaced. “Conveniently, the letter was delayed two days. She’ll be here soon.”

  My heart sank, but Bravery flared in my mind, steadying me. There had to be more to this—Elara wouldn’t have brought me here if she was just planning to kick me through a portal.

  “And you’re telling me this why?” I asked, keeping my voice calm.

  Elara’s eyes sparkled as a small, wry smile tugged at her lips. “I had almost forgotten how sharp you are.” She leaned back slightly, her tone shifting. “Because my mother is right. Fuck me, I just said that out loud.” She rubbed her temples before continuing, her voice quieter but no less intense.

  “You belong here. You’ve been on Ark for a week and made no enemies on La-Roc—only friends. You’ve advanced at an alarming rate and fit in with the Hunters faster than anyone expected. The bravery that earned you your title inspired my son to advance his own Runebinding. You single-handedly took down two Arbortrux and saved part of the Greenmarch from a Monster Tide. And now, you’ve completed a Class E hunt in less than three days. There are a dozen people—Veteran Hunters included—who would vouch for your honor. Fuck, even Maris’s own son, Malcolm, would back you up.”

  She leaned forward, her now swirling, galaxy-like eyes locking onto mine. The energy radiating from them felt almost tangible, pressing down like a weight I hadn’t noticed until now.

  “Unfortunately, if you stay here, things are about to get much harder for you,” she said, her voice quieter but sharper, each word deliberate. “So I’m only going to ask this once, and I want you to think carefully about your answer.”

  Her tone dropped, the words heavy with meaning.

  “What do you want?”

  I stared at her, letting the question settle, letting her words sink in. For one thing, Malcolm being the son of some powerful warrior that even Elara was wary of? That was interesting. Wasn’t he the same guy who called out Cass for having a rich family? Pot, meet kettle.

  But that wasn’t the heart of it.

  This week had been… insane. My entire life had been flipped upside down, dumped out, and left for me to piece back together. And what did I have to show for it? Apparently, Valor. Somehow, I’d helped save people—from a giant crab, giant beavers, and now giant frogs. That was something, wasn’t it? And the fact that so many people wanted me to stay… That felt good.

  Ark seemed like the best place to figure out a way back home. Even if I decided not to go, I didn’t want to die on some hellscape world. I had friends here now—commitments.

  But my mind snagged on a word Elara had said. One that pulled at me, refusing to let go.

  I blinked, and suddenly I wasn’t in the office anymore. I was staring at a massive set of rune-covered doors, the twisting patterns undulating and shifting in place of handles. The runes came into focus, their meanings sharp and undeniable.

  .

  That was one of the runes. My eyes moved to the second handle.

  .

  “Ya figure it out yet?” a gruff voice came from behind me. Ted? But I couldn’t turn to look. Time felt frozen, like the universe itself had paused to see what I’d do next.

  It couldn’t be that simple… could it?

  The Seal of Valor flickered onto the door, impossibly large and intricate. It hung there, ghostly and translucent, like a half-finished painting.

  And in that moment, I knew.

  I smiled, the expression spreading both outwardly and inwardly, a rare, quiet certainty taking hold.

  Reality snapped back into place like a rubber band. Elara gasped sharply as a surge of power erupted from me, Valor blazing outward in an unstoppable wave of blue energy. My chair flew back across the room with a crash as I stood, locking eyes with her.

  Red barked happily, bounding to my side as if to punctuate the moment, tail wagging furiously.

  “I’m not fuckin’ leaving,” I said, every ounce of resolve I had behind the words.

  Elara’s eyes widened for a heartbeat before her lips curled into a grin. Her swirling irises faded back to normal, but the energy behind her words didn’t falter.

  “Fuck yes,” she said, leaning back with satisfaction. “Now that’s a much better answer than last time.”

  END OF PART 1

  Book 1! I hope everyone’s enjoying the ride so far. Just to clarify, this isn’t the end of Book 1—we’ve still got about 40% of the story to go.

  while I work on additional ways to stay connected. But let me be absolutely clear—I’d prefer you not subscribe to the paid tiers. Joining the free tier gets you all the updates, news, and behind-the-scenes info you can handle, no charge.

  Cheers, and as always, thanks for reading!

  Another Paladin? There are literally tens of us! But seriously, this book is fantastic. As far as I know, it’s wrapping up Book 1 right around the time of this post—so if you haven’t checked it out yet, now’s the perfect time. You won’t regret it.

  Do I go back and edit older chapters, just keep going, or both?