The Dreadnought tried to recover, tried to raise his weapon, but Tad was already on him. The cleaver rose and fell in a blur, each strike clean and decisive. Armor split, limbs came away, and blood sprayed across the stone before the man could even scream. Tad finished it by taking the Dreadnought’s head, the body collapsing a moment later in pieces that no longer mattered. The man had never had a chance. Tad was simply moving too fast, and as they said back on Earth, speed kills.

  Behind him, the two Lawspeakers finally managed to act. Beams of radiant light lanced toward Tad, spells meant to burn and bind, but the attacks bent away at the last possible instant, warping as if reality refused to let them land. The Lawspeakers began another casting, panic creeping into their movements as they finally realized something was terribly wrong.

  “No,” Tad said calmly. “Your mana is my mana.”

  I felt something tear, not violently, but decisively. Their next spells unraveled in midair, the threads of power ripped apart by means I couldn’t quite perceive. The mana flowed into Tad like it belonged there, swallowed whole, leaving the Lawspeakers pale and suddenly empty.

  Two steps. Two swings.

  Both heads hit the ground simultaneously, expressions frozen in disbelief. Silence fell over the yard, broken only by the distant sounds of Basetown going on as if nothing had happened. Tad stood alone among the dead, cleaver resting easily at his side, not even breathing hard. I realized then that the Order had never stood a chance, and that whatever Tad truly was, he was far more dangerous than I had anticipated.

  He looked back at me. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see eye to eye with the Order. Perhaps we should get a good meal and call it a night, maybe check in on the others.”

  As if a switch had been flipped, all sense of violence was gone, and he was the same relaxed man that I’d been talking to for hours. There was more going on here, and I needed to try to understand it.

  Chapter Twenty: Chaos and Order

  As we walked to the inn, I replayed the battle in my head. The first thing that struck me was that Fara had said something about a distortion aura around Tad, yet I hadn’t sensed one. Sure, I’d felt his power. I was getting better at that—it was becoming more instinctive. The increases in my stats had helped, but there was something intangible about hitting legendary tier. I hit legendary, we fought the battle of Galen, and then we found ourselves in a new world. There hadn’t been time to really figure out what was different.

  I realized that the exploration I needed to do was as much internal as it was external. It likely always had been, and always would be. Maybe someday I’d finally fully understand myself, but my view was that if you weren’t growing, you were dying. I had too much I wanted out of life to let that happen.

  A short time later, we reached the inn where I’d previously rented rooms. The trip had passed in silence, but I had no way of telling if Fara and Lexa were communicating with Tad. I certainly hadn’t been included if they were, but I had plenty to occupy my mind.

  One important realization I’d had was that I was now better able to sense an aura around Tad. As advertised, if I tried to peer too closely at him, it distorted my senses, but I didn’t seem to be the target of this aura. It was clearly designed to protect him from those with hostile intent, and apparently that included anything bound to the Lawgiver he’d mentioned. The aura also made it clear that he wasn’t human, no matter how much he looked the part.

  Seeing it in a description was one thing, but even having him explain his heritage wasn’t the same as seeing it for myself. At my stage of development, I was clearly learning the most about the world by how I felt it—at a level too deep for words.

  I introduced them to Merca, and she was happy to give them rooms. We kept their exact identity a secret, simply saying that they were more adventurers we’d met along the way. Illusions continued to cover Fara and Lexa, so nobody asked any questions. I settled up my tab with the innkeeper now that we had some currency from the dungeon, and then we ordered dinner and sat down.

  Before I could speak, I got a party message from Selena. “We’re calling it a night. Hopefully Tad is pleased with the growth of his people. Even with more of them, at the deeper levels, we made great progress. And I knew Samvek was good, but he really is something special. If he’d been born to a peak family, he’d be a true monster.”

  “Why do you think I chose him as a mentor?”

  “The way he tells it, he chose you. But knowing you, it was the best option for both of you. Somehow, you shaped the system without even trying so it brought the two of you together. It makes me wonder about the others that have been brought into your life, and no, I’m not just talking about me or even Lana. What about Ryan, Nico, and now, Tad? How much of that was chance, and how much was the multiverse shaping itself around you? It’s like you have your own gravity.

  “What is it that people on Earth called it? Oh, yeah. ‘Main character vibes’. But we can’t figure that out over chat. Where do you want Samvek and me to meet you?”

  “Can’t you sense where I am?”

  “Yes, if I really try, but there’s some type of interference that’s making it difficult. Are you okay?”

  “More than okay, although I have tons of questions. Tad is definitely more than he seemed. We’re at the inn. Tad, Lexa, and Fara are with me. They’ve already rented rooms for themselves and… er… thems elves.”

  “I know you can’t hear it, but I just groaned so hard that Samvek stopped to look for zombies. Cunning wordplay isn’t your strong suit. See you soon, fiancé.”

  I swore she added the last part just because she liked to keep me off-balance. My dad used to say that life was never more exciting than when he was with Mom, but no matter how close they became, she was always a mystery to him. I wondered if all the ways I had to bond with a person would end up allowing Selena and me to truly know each other, or if there would still be mysteries.

  I smiled. Mysteries were good.

  Thanks no doubt to Samvek’s spatial mastery, they walked into the inn a moment later. I peeked at them with Identify to learn what progress they’d made.

  Mirren Helena

  Tier: Grandmaster

  Level: 150

  Race: Wood Elf

  Lewlen Woodcrest

  Tier: Grandmaster

  Level: 150

  Race: Wood Elf

  Lia Woodcrest

  Tier: Grandmaster

  Level: 150

  Race: Wood Elf

  Dylus Leaf

  Tier: Grandmaster

  Level: 150

  Race: Wood Elf

  Crynane

  Tier: Grandmaster

  Level: 150

  Race: Dark Elf

  Clay Turner

  Tier: Grandmaster

  Level: 186

  Race: Awakened Human

  Even Clay had jumped up quite a few levels. I wondered just how many floors they’d cleared without me. Knowing Samvek, he wouldn’t have pushed past a point where he felt like he could keep them alive, but putting him with Selena was probably a bad idea. They were both competitive, as was anyone who wanted to succeed under the Heavens. But they also jointly felt the need to compete with me.

  Tad welcomed his returning party. I didn’t pay much attention, as I was busy greeting my bride-to-be. It was certainly more fun than the clasped arm I shared with Samvek a moment later. “How was it?” I asked him.

  “We made it to floor 210. Because of their levels, they got a tremendous amount of experience, but they were also limited to level 150. We kept going for a couple extra floors after they reached it, just to make sure there wasn’t some XP threshold that could awaken them without having an outside source. There will be issues with how quickly they’ve grown, and they will need some training. Is it your intention to stick around here long enough for us to help them?”

  In response, I mentioned my concerns for Earth and for Ryan. “And we still don’t have a way back. The system gave me a quest, and it clearly wants me here. It’s working with this system better than I’ve ever seen it work with any of the others. I think we need to figure out what that’s all about. More than anything, we need to take advantage of the opportunity for the new experiences it will provide. There’s no guarantee that we’ll ever be back in this part of the multiverse again.”

  He nodded, seemingly content. For Samvek, the opportunity to be responsibility-free without any guilt, even for a short time, was a huge boon. I already knew that Selena would go wherever I went, so while I would seek her counsel later, I didn’t ask her for her input at the table.

  When my focus returned to Tad’s group, I realized quickly that Fara was standing awkwardly. It didn’t take my Charisma long to interpret it, even if she was a completely different species from a completely different universe. She was jealous of their growth. Lexa seemed to be taking it in stride, but maybe that was part of her nature as a treant. Trees weren’t generally known for their impatience.

  Tad finished greeting his people, then came over to shake hands with Samvek and Selena. “I can’t thank you enough.” He paused and glanced over at Fara, who nodded. I felt a spell expand outward from her. Immediately, the sound of the inn was blocked out, and presumably the rest of the inn would be blocked from hearing whatever we said.

  “I don’t know if I can awaken my people, or how long it will be until I can, but thank you. Simply getting them these levels will make them much better able to defend themselves. Is there anything I can do for you?”

  Clay nodded. “I can’t speak for them, but Silas and his friends have the hearts of true adventurers. You should see the smiles on their faces when they battle monsters. It is what they were made for, and true adventurers build up those around them. By the way, you’ll need to register at the local branch of the adventurers’ guild, but that’s really just you letting us know you’re here, since you’re already adventurers.”

  He hesitated, like he had something more he wanted to say.

  “Is there something else?” Tad asked.

  “Yes. I don’t understand this awakening business, and I’m bound to serve you as a prince, even if you only want to be called Tad. But I don’t regret it at all. It feels natural. There is a sense of something that had been missing inside me, which has now been filled. I’m more than happy with the arrangement, but you should know there is a significant difference between level 150 and level 150 awakened. It isn’t just the stat boost. I’m more solid, more a part of the world than I was before. I’ve never felt this alive. I don’t mean to place any extra burden on you, but felt you should know.”

  “No, thank you.” He sat back down, then leaned back in his chair. “I think it’s time we talk about why I’m so at odds with the Order.”

  I nodded. “I was going to ask.”

  “To do that, I need to tell you what I’ve managed to learn about chaos and order.”

  Tad started by explaining how he’d learned what he had. He talked more about his visions, and that reminded me I had more I wanted to tell about mine, but I held my tongue and let him explain. He talked about discussions with Arbormaris and Spot, as well as Geminus. He even described communing with the Endless Dungeon and Yggdrasil directly.

  “Much of what I can tell you is speculation, or second-hand information at best, but I’ve come to trust my instincts on this. The system here is built around my people, around the fey—specifically around the three Courts. Much of my time over the past few weeks while traveling and working on enchantments for TMI has been spent trying to understand my place in this order.

  “Sure, I could go find my aunt to learn more, but I don’t trust her. Maybe I could figure out a way to find my parents, but while I have come to believe they have good intentions, they lost me once already. I’d like to think that becoming a foundling, living as a human, and making the friends I have has all served a purpose. And more than that, I’ve been tasked by the Ways, both sides, with finding a way for them to expand again, to restore the true purpose of the fey and the Fey System.

  “Growing up as a human, I always thought of chaos as bad. And I suppose it can be. Chaos for the sake of chaos is just another word for destruction. But at last, I got to travel across Aerth, rather than being stuck inside a city. I entered dungeons, traveled to another world, crossed the seas, and explored the southern isles. Everywhere I looked, life was struggling.

  “Life seemed full of chaos. Not destructive chaos, but chaos that allows for growth and diversity. It allows each living thing, whether simple grass, great trees, humans, elves, or fey to reach for their potential. Not everything makes it, but if success were guaranteed, that would lead to stagnation.”

  I nodded slowly as he spoke. Much of what he said resonated with me, but I had also seen the evil of chaos mana, so I was more reluctant to accept it. “What about the Order?”

  “I don’t know the entire history. I wasn’t there. But something like 3,000 years ago, there was some kind of war between the fey Courts and the Lawgiver. If what I believe is true, he reached divinity despite being a human, and despite not being awakened by any of the fey. How that was possible, I don’t know. But given enough chaos, just about anything could happen.”

  Selena let out a low laugh. “Trust us, after being around Silas, I’ve seen some of the least probable things come true.”

  Tad smiled before continuing. “From what I’ve been told, the three fey Courts have never presented a unified front, and even in the war against the Lawgiver, they still fought among themselves. So despite holding more power than him, they ended up ceding this world to him, reaching an agreement. His forces have apparently taken over a few other worlds, and he has many thousands of awakened along with a few ascendants working for him, but all of them are bound to him more tightly than any awakened is to a fey. It’s like their souls have become a mirror reflecting a small portion of his own. They would die if that connection was ever broken.”

  I couldn’t help myself. “I’m tracking everything you’re saying so far, but one thing doesn’t make any sense to me. Why are there so few awakened on this world? Wouldn’t he want more here to ensure his hold on this world, especially if they are so tightly bound to him?”

  Tad nodded. “That’s absolutely the question we have to answer. And I was struggling with that myself. But a few days ago, while I was working on an enchantment, a thought came to my mind. You know how sometimes your best thinking comes when you’re entirely engrossed in something else?”

  I smiled to show he needed to say no more on that subject. I completely understood.

  “Anyway, I remembered something I’d been given. Something which wasn’t created by the Fey System. Something which I couldn’t explain.”

  With that, Tad opened his spatial storage and set a small crystal on the table. To others, it might have looked exactly like a piece of quartz, but to me, its existence was like a siren going off. I couldn’t pull my eyes away from what I saw. Identify triggered, but I didn’t need it.

  Psi Crystal—???

  Chapter Twenty-One: Humanity

  “Where’d you get that from?” I asked, trying to keep the excitement from my voice, even as one of the innkeeper’s assistants brought plates of roast beef, roasted potatoes, and root vegetables to the table. It smelled delicious, and I couldn’t wait to dig in, but I was focused on the Psi crystal.

  “It was a quest reward from a prison dungeon, filled with creatures from another system who wanted to rob Aerth of its resources,” Fara answered.

  I chuckled as I filled my plate. “Let me guess, they were half elemental, half shark?”

  Tad and Fara leaned forward across the table on their elbows, almost as if accusing me of being responsible for the incursion.

  “Uh, I meant it more as a joke. We had to deal with an invasion of creatures like that on my world, although they were part of the Heavens System.”

  We discussed the probability of both of us coming across the same invasive species, and whether that meant anything in the grand picture of the multiverse. “Unlikely, sure,” I said, “but not nearly as unlikely as the original Sharknado movie getting five sequels. I mean, seriously. Of all the great masterpieces of cinema out there, that was the one they picked for a six-movie series?”

  Tad looked at Selena. “I’m assuming this is another one of those ‘you had to be there’ scenarios Silas keeps mentioning?”

  Selena nodded gravely. “But the problem is that you still have to listen carefully to everything he says, because sometimes a real gem will come out.”

  Before I could respond, Samvek clapped my back. “She’s got you figured out. I’m coming to approve of this union more and more.”

  I could only groan. “Can we get back to the subject at hand?” I pointed at the crystal. “Have you been able to do anything with it?”

  “I haven’t really thought much about it, truthfully, but something you asked about the Lawgiver brought this to mind. In my experience, the system never does anything without a reason, even if we can’t see what that purpose is.”

  “Or agree with its methods,” I added.

  “That too. Do you know something about it?”

  I nodded. “Yes, but not as much as I’d like to. It contains another source of energy, different from mana. It’s more like a life force. It’s not like anything else that I’ve ever encountered, not really. But I believe that all energy is the same, only it comes in different forms.”

  “I can agree with that theory. I’ve found that mana, the life force of beings that are slain, and even the sprites that I make my enchantments with all share certain similarities, but it’s like saying that all painters use paint. It’s true as far as that goes, but the outcomes will be wildly different,” Tad replied.

  “I have a couple of abilities that use Psi. My friend Ryan—I mentioned him earlier—has some ability with it, too. More than me, I think, although he was never very clear about that. We know another guy that uses it almost exclusively.”