Malcolm was the only one seemingly tempted by the 'Silent Step' boon. From what I could tell, even though this was our first interaction with something so divine and horrifying, it wasn’t enough to tempt the rest of us. I shrugged it off myself as useless and turned from the portal back to the man and Ana, who was still hard at work.

Maybe it was the way he had described it... it was beyond me.

Ana lifted her hands from the man who had spoken to us earlier. Even though the pain he had endured had dwindled his ability to hold long conversations, he deserved our full attention for the sheer amount of information he’d given.

"He'll be okay... they're all passed out, though. Looks like they haven't slept in days."

I nodded and looked over at the rest of our group. Solomon glanced at Jack, who let out a sigh before picking up the unconscious man’s friend and wife, slinging them over his shoulder. Solomon, being the second strongest, followed suit with a sigh of his own, hoisting up the last man. We couldn’t leave them behind. Each of us, in our own way, owed that man for his insight. He’d given us a path to the nearest sanctuary, and since we were headed that way anyway... why not pay a favor forward? He mentioned belonging to a group at the sanctuary—building bridges before we even arrived wouldn’t hurt.

I led the group out of the storefront while the others shifted positions to form a protective perimeter around Jack and Solomon, who were now the slowest among us.

Following the directions he'd given wasn’t an issue, but my mind was reeling. It was like knowing a city so well you could give someone directions blindfolded and lead the way. But then, once you take the blindfold off, you start from the beginning and say, "Take the first left" — and suddenly, you're there. No middle turns. No endless streets. Just... there.

Our steps echoed against the stone, the fog helping to muffle the sound even as Jack and Solomon occasionally grunted under the weight. Then, without warning, I felt something strange push against my chest and slide over my head before falling behind me, like a curtain drawn across my back. I stopped.

I looked back. The fog was held at bay, several feet behind us, stopped by some invisible, intangible force.

Whoosh Whoosh

The rest of the group emerged one by one—a wheezing Solomon and a sweat-drenched Jack bringing up the rear.

In front of us stretched multiple blocks of shops, small groups of people moving between them. The street Y’d into two directions, split by a large round-edged building sitting like a stone heart where the streets met. The sanctuary extended down both Y’d paths for about half a mile each. Including the space behind us, it was close to a square mile of safe ground.

Not huge, but far bigger than I’d expected. A relief. This was close to the Meridian.

A man in a dark cloak nearby caught my eye. He was pacing, tapping his arm, eyes scanning the fog. He froze the moment he heard our staggered footfalls. At first, disappointment flickered across his face as he scanned our group—until his eyes landed on Jack’s burden and then Solomon’s.

He approached steadily and spoke directly to Solomon.

"Where are you taking them?"

"To their group. To safety," I replied in a flat tone to match his own.

"Oh... I see." His shoulders remained stiff, but his eyes showed relief. "I'm one of them."

He raised his sleeve, revealing a tattoo of an ornate dagger. Solomon checked the unconscious man he carried. Same tattoo.

I filed away the design in my memory.

"Want us to bring them where you need?" I offered.

"No." He snapped his fingers. Two burly men appeared, saw who we carried, and rushed over. Judging by their reaction, the man Solomon carried was important. Perhaps it explained how he survived when seventeen others hadn't. Maybe that's why he protected two others and still made it out alive.

The cloaked man looked the bodies over, then raised an eyebrow. Ana stepped forward, guessing his concern.

"I healed them. They’ll be okay. Just need rest."

He nodded and disappeared into a nearby building with the others.

I exhaled, deeper than I intended. I was kind of hoping for a reward, but karma could always come back around. Jack clapped me on the shoulder, his eyes saying the same. He was about to crack a joke when Malcolm cut in.

"Guys... there’s a lot of magical energy here," he said, eyes darting around. Only he could see it, but I had to admit—I felt refreshed.

"For now, I think it’s good," I said.

Alexandra, meanwhile, had stopped a robed passerby and asked where newcomers could find information. The man looked at her like a newbie but kindly pointed toward a domed building up the path.

I exchanged a glance with Alexandra.

"This wasn’t here before..."

The closer we got, the stranger it felt. The architecture was unfamiliar. Ancient. The air shimmered around the dome’s edges. Two statues of a robed man flanked a gate and a staircase. But that was just the entrance.

Set atop four inward-facing skyscrapers was the real temple, a massive dome resting like a bowl on four pegs. Between the buildings was a large platform where people moved about like ants in a hive.

The statues’ heads swiveled as we approached, eyes locking onto me. Yeah. Definitely foreboding.

Inside the mausoleum-like entrance sat a man behind a large desk, writing calmly, books neatly slotted behind him into an intricately carved wooden cubby sorting system.

"Hello?" Ana asked.

"Oh, I’m sorry. Hello, Ana, was it? Nice to meet you all."

She blinked. "How did you know my—"

"I’m not a player. I’m a medium. A conduit for His Lordship, and the one who grants entry to the tower above. Only certain people... and things like me, of course, are allowed. What information are you looking for?"

"Isn’t this a temple?" Alexandra asked.

"Yes... and no. We don’t worship His Lordship. We gather those who seek magical knowledge. He can galvanize your abilities, yes. And yes, Malcolm, he does possess a vast library. Jack, yes, you can earn access to some books, though others are locked. Some require payment in potential. Wind, right? You have a pure air affinity. In the Hall of Wind, or rather the back-left leg of the structure, there are many spells suited to you. Alexandra, your fire lineage is incredibly pure. You lean toward conjuration—I suggest that path."

He answered their questions before they even asked them. We stared, caught off guard.

When he looked at me, his eyes glittered—was that anticipation?

"You... hmm. Alright. Okay. Yes, right away, Your Lordship..." He paused, closed his eyes, and opened them again.

"He deems you worthy. It will come at a cost... but he wishes to offer you a great gift, should you trade."

"Huh?" I pointed at myself, “I am not going to become the main champion of whatever narrative he wants to play out. I am my own person, I don’t even know enough about all of what is going on to make an informed decision.”

"Yes, you. Also, Malcolm—His Lordship is quite fond of you. Your power is linked to magic, even if you don’t feel it. Many paths await you. Jaeger, was it? You may go up now, if you'd like."

"Is there a time limit?" The mans body flickered almost like he was made out of an illusion. Within a spiral of different elements recoalesced to reform his body. My gods he was an elemental. One that could mostly make themselves look human.

He blinked. "Uh... no. Not really."

I nodded. "Are there places to stay here? How far does the sanctuary extend?"

"To the sky and back," he replied. "This is only the ground section. The middle connects to the tower platform. The dome... the dome belongs to the highest reaches. Think of how many people are here. You really think we’re all packed into a square mile?"

He stood and pointed across the street.

"Is that... a tavern?" Jack grinned.

"Yes. When you buy a room there and enter... it will fit what you may need. They cost resources, of course. You can earn currency, complete quests, or trade in skills. But... you haven’t picked up your watches yet, have you?"

I pulled my sleeve back as if to signify no.

The man chuckled and sighed. “Here... the Lord seems to like you all so much, I might as well give you these as a gift.”

The air shimmered, and six watches dropped from the sky.

Ana missed hers as it slipped through her fingers, but Malcolm nimbly caught it and handed it to her.

The watches weren’t uniform—each was unique. Ana’s had flowers set into a leather strap with the watch face made of white jade. In contrast, Solomon’s was pitch black, made from some sturdy metal. Jack’s was clear, showing its inner mechanisms, while Malcolm’s had glowing runes where numbers would normally be.

Alexandra’s was crimson, small flames flickering within its core. Mine was a steel watch with a chainmail strap; inside the face, glowing radioactive isotopes showed the time. A switch on the side could activate a light that charged the isotopes from within the corners of the glass. It was more functional than fashionable, and I kind of liked that.

“Why are they different, you ask?” The man smirked just as I opened my mouth, but I quickly shut it again.

“Yes, why?” I asked anyway.

“Well, because each reflects your personality. See, Jack has a wind affinity, so his is clear—like air. Ana heals people, so hers is floral—like growth and nurturing. Solomon’s fond of armor, and his pure metal watch reflects that, along with its dark tone. Malcolm can see magic, so the runes will appear only to him when he activates his ability. Pretty neat, right?

“And you, Jaeger—yours is durable. Shock and heat resistant. And those isotopes? Just plain useful. I figured you'd appreciate that.”

Alexandra narrowed her eyes. “Why didn’t you mention me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” he said with a grin. “You’ve got a fiery personality. Your watch literally has a furnace in its core. Hot through and through.”

She smiled and flipped her hair, clearly pleased with the compliment. It made me laugh.

“Tap the top of the watch with your index finger,” he said, “and slide it off your arm and into the air.”

I did so—tapping and flicking outward. A display appeared, following the arc of my arm in the air. It wasn’t large, but it held several tabs:

Skills and Boons, Quests, and several blank spaces.

The man continued his explanation without even looking up. “It’ll list affinities depending on your vessel type, power types, and even gene alterations—beastial or otherwise. Skills and Boons? Self-explanatory. Quests are from the gods or ones triggered in portals. This medium can be different for anyone, some have been given small books, others a letter, some sheets of metal, the medium for these are all different but the functions nearly all the same. Watches were arbitrarily chosen for you.”

“The blank slots are for items—like a dimensional inventory. You can store items, or even attach skills to weapons instead of yourself.”

“Amazing…” Solomon muttered, eyes wide.

“It also listed my power: Density Manipulation.” He read aloud, “Within one inch of the body, the user can manipulate the density of any object, person, armor, or material with a molecular structure. Potential for combat-based techniques. Flaw: limited to within one inch. Cannot be upgraded. Pretty cool, right?”

Everyone nodded.

Malcolm glanced at his display. “Sage Eyes: Allows the user to perceive magical flows and incorporeal energies. Potential upgrades in Divination, Perception, and power combinations. Interesting…”

Alexandra, frowning slightly, looked at her stats. “Fire Affinity: 8% Power. Eight percent? That’s lower than I thought.”

Ana’s display was more familiar to her. “Light of Healing: Several times per day, the user can heal others or themselves, within a certain limit. Potential for buffs and healing upgrades. At least mine can grow stronger.”

Jack’s showed: Wind Affinity: 16% Power. It seemed these percentages didn’t reflect the element's purity, but rather the user’s current capacity, training, and control.

I tapped my own display to check mine.

Under Powers, I saw something unusual:
Internal Artificial Element Mimicry – The user can mimic materials or elements and combine them through theory or practice via their body. Current limit: 3.

“Huh...” I murmured.

Beneath it were tabs for each element I’d tried. The system was intuitive—and very useful.

“Thank you,” I said to the man behind the desk, but he simply smiled in return.

I glanced back at my lightning affinity. 15%. So magic was part of it— or rather for myself spiritual energy. Lightning seemed to enhance my attributes in massive bursts. Using L3 would spike my speed by at least 100, maybe even more. Surely that plus-sign indicated potential beyond that. It felt far higher.

Earth increased endurance but tanked speed and dexterity. Metal raised strength. Lightning boosted perception. Each element came with different buffs.

I could already see a tier list forming in my head. Lightning and metal were still my top contenders for consistent performance across the board.

Before I got too deep into the math, I followed everyone toward the tavern. Unlike the dead city, there was no fog here—just rain. Gentle, steady. It gave this sanctuary a strange, peaceful atmosphere. Sometimes it slowed to a drizzle, or just hung in clouds overhead.

The tavern was—shadowy. Not mysterious, just... understated. Compared to the majestic mausoleum across the street, this was like a hole-in-the-wall café tucked into a back alley—except it was in plain sight.

Contradictory, but kind of beautiful.

Inside, people of all styles and classes were grouped at tables—robed mages, armored warriors, staff-wielding adventurers. The whole place had a roleplay vibe to it. It was kind of charming.

Behind the bar stood a mountain of a man, shining glasses with a cloth and serving up ales.

Jack approached him. The two were almost the same height—Jack was already well over 6’6”. Jack looked like a bear. The barkeep looked like a lion and wasn’t one inch shorter.

They stared at each other for a moment, then clasped hands with a thud.

“Name’s Jack.”

“Nice to meet you, Jack. Name’s... Zak.”

They paused, looked at each other, and burst into laughter.

Zak poured him a drink, and the two started chatting like old friends.

Everyone gathered to see what they were talking about, but the women stopped abruptly, blushing, when they overheard the exchange.

“Hey, got some good lay here?” Jack asked with a sly smirk.

Zak nodded. “Loaded.”

They laughed again, clinking their drinks together.

Honestly? The way men bond this fast... it’s inhumanly strange.