Spatial Vortex (Legendary): This spell will create a vortex around the caster. The vortex will not harm or otherwise impair the caster’s movement, but will interact with hostility toward anything else it comes in contact with. Kinetic energy will be disbursed or redirected. Physical matter will be vibrated into a different phase. Duration: 10 minutes. Cooldown: 24 hours.

  Haste (Legendary): You and all allies within thirty feet will have your movement rate doubled and your effective Agility and/or Dexterity increased by 100%. Duration: one minute. Cooldown: one hour.

  The Dungeon Ally trait may be leveled up twice. Each time it levels up, you may choose another spell, and will receive an additional boost to your Mind and Perception stats. Each level will grant an additional 50% boost to loot and XP gains.

  I knew I would be more than happy with any of those spells. Their nomenclature was different than the spells of the Heavens System, but not to the point where I couldn’t understand them. And the loot boost alone made the trait worthwhile.

  Note: You have received a new title or the equivalent from another System. This does not meet the requirement of your Borrow From Another System quest, as it has been determined you must create your Four Horsemen to complete that quest. But this title resonates with your Dungeon Manager title, and triples the number of dungeons which you may manage.

  It was giving me a bit of whiplash getting one message from the Fey System and then getting commentary on it from the Heavens, but I supposed I’d have to deal with that. Their methods of communication were so similar that I doubted I’d be able to tell them apart if not for my off-the-charts Perception. It was the only reason I knew the next notification was once again from the Fey System.

  You have been granted the Traveler trait. You will find any form of movement comes easier to you, and you will have better control over any method of locomotion. This trait will also provide you with a measure of resistance to any attempt to limit or impede your travel. Your proprioception is increased significantly, resulting in a 5% increase in the effectiveness of your Dexterity and Agility. This trait may be advanced to level five. You will gain further resistance to restraint with each level, along with additional increases to Dexterity and Agility.

  Then, as if playing tag-team, there was another notification from the Heavens.

  The seal on your Primordial Aspect has been weakened but remains intact.

  Primordial Aspect: Trailblazer (Sealed 69%) >> 64%

  Further, the exposure to primordial energy has accelerated your body’s absorption of the remains of the dragon goddess.

  Draconic Dust: processing 3% >> 7%

  The notifications faded away. Floating here was so peaceful, and I closed my eyes just to allow myself a moment to relax.

  I woke up with my head in Selena’s lap. There were worse places to wake up, I was sure. She started speaking the moment I opened my eyes. “I swear, every time you start to show a bit of common sense, you go and push the limits! I mean, I know I told you we needed to test this, so it was probably the right thing to do, but if you got hurt from it, then I’m never going to forgive myself.”

  I’d called that one. “No big owies, but you can kiss me here. This part’s a little tender.” I pressed my finger against my lips and she accommodated me, although a part of me was sure she only did it to hear Samvek groan.

  “I guess you really are okay.”

  I nodded. “We have a lot to talk about, but what happened with the core?” I sat up as I asked the question and saw all eyes go to Tad.

  Tad locked eyes with me but didn’t say anything. Instead, he moved into the cleared center of the warehouse, where he lowered Spot with deliberate care. The core’s glow had changed, no longer a simple pulse of mana, but something layered and with weight, like pressure building beneath calm water. The moment it touched the floor, I felt a tug in my gut that had nothing to do with gravity. The warehouse went still, as if the space inside was listening.

  The stone beneath the core softened, losing its resistance in a way that made my skin prickle, as though reality had decided to cooperate with us, knowing it had no other options. I could feel distance compressing downward, space folding into ordered depth. Mana, life force, and something older aligned into a coherent structure, and the speed of it stole my breath. This was a new kind of growth, but I could see how it was being done. Even watching this gave me a notification.

  Terrakinesis (Epic 92%) >> 95%

  Understanding how to manipulate matter was fundamental to that ability, and it was one which I had not spent enough time on.

  Dwelling on my lack of diligence, I almost missed the way the mana signatures from this huge expenditure of energy were curving back in on themselves. There was a level of efficiency to it that I’d never witnessed before. That gave me ideas about how to apply it to Mana Channeling, and maybe even to power in other forms. I also suspected that it would make it impossible for anyone not physically present to sense the creation of this new dungeon. More notifications popped up.

  Mana Channeling: 883 >> 956

  Channel Mana—Other: 108 >> 141

  Trailblazer’s Aura (Legendary 1%) >> 5%

  My connection to the core flared, quiet but unmistakable. The primordial energy I had poured into Spot echoed back through the bond. The resonance made me feel complete. There was power to it, and, in a sense, I never felt more myself than when I had primordial energy running through me. All of my classes, my spells, even Psi didn’t feel as natural as my primordial aspect, yet at the same time it was frustratingly out of my reach. The dungeon did not drink it greedily, now that it had received a taste. Instead, it stabilized around it, using that ancient power to anchor itself, and I understood that this place would not be easily undone. Whatever had just been born here was meant to last.

  The expansion accelerated, then slowed with absolute precision. I watched layers form simultaneously, corridors and chambers implied before they existed, their boundaries snapping into place with certainty. The Ways’ influence pressed in like a reinforcing brace, while fey authority wrapped the whole thing in legitimacy. The result felt inevitable, as though this dungeon was always meant to exist, but had only now been given the authority to do so.

  When the motion stopped, the warehouse floor reshaped one final time. Stone rotated inward, smooth and controlled, forming a circular opening that spiraled down into waiting darkness. Faint lines of living mana traced the steps, not glowing so much as breathing, and the air rising from below hummed with readiness. I felt the dungeon notice me then. It wasn’t a managerial relationship, like with the dungeon on the Moon. This was an odd brotherhood. Maybe even a friendship. The dungeon was thanking me for giving it the gift of life.

  I got a message from the Fey System then, and I could have sworn it came with a feeling of pride.

  A new dungeon, Trailblazer’s Choice, has been formed, blessed by the Endless Dungeon. It is empowered with primordial energy. This is the first primordial dungeon on Aerth since this world was born. What that means for the future is yet to be determined, but it is a herald of change. Per ancient compact, the Fey Queens and any other divine beings attached to the Fey System must be notified, but that notification will be delayed by seven days.

  Trailblazer’s Choice has five floors, each appropriate for different levels of delver. Take note—the primordial is not compassionate. Prior safety protocols are removed for all entrants except Dungeon Master Tad Ocean.

  Floor 1: Appropriate for levels 20-50

  Floor 2: Appropriate for levels 51-100

  Floor 3: Appropriate for levels 101-175

  Floor 4: Appropriate for levels 176-250

  Floor 5: Appropriate for levels 251-325

  Further growth will be necessary to expand, but the dungeon holds the potential for ascension.

  The Dungeon Ally may use Terrakinesis within this dungeon as though he were on his home world.

  My grin was matched by Tad’s. This had gone as well as I could have hoped. I resisted the urge to sprint down the spiral staircase and claim my new spells, fighting it back with difficulty. Patience. I could be patient. But not for long.

  Chapter Thirty-Four: Step Two

  As much as I wanted to get a move on, a discussion was in order to come up with a firm plan for our next course of action. But before we could begin, I needed to make sure we were safe. I pushed out with my senses as far as I could. I didn’t extend my aura, because that might be detected, but I kept my senses attuned to the vibrations in the air, any change in the background mana levels, or anything else that might suggest an incoming threat.

  Selena opened her eyes. “I just used my reverse scrying spell. If anyone is magically searching for us or has locked in on us, they have to be significantly more skilled than my tutors and mother were.”

  I grinned at her. “I could probably use that spell.”

  “It was a lifesaver when I was trying to snag a moment for myself. When I used it, I knew how far I could push them before I’d really get punished. Always had to find the balance, maintaining independence without upsetting people who could wipe me out with a wave of their hand. Fortunately, they expected a bit of rebellion and even took it as a sign of a strong spirit, as long as it didn’t go too far.”

  Once again, I was reminded of how little I actually knew about my fiancée’s life before me, before she was sent to Earth to win the heart of its leader. Oh, we’d talked about her upbringing, but we couldn’t encapsulate fifty years or more into a few conversations. Rather than being daunted by it, I was excited at the prospect of how much more there was to learn about her. Hopefully, someday she’d tell me how old she actually was—not because I cared, but because it seemed like that would be a litmus test for how open she could be with me.

  “I’m not sensing anything, either,” Oliver said. “As far as I can tell, no one outside of this warehouse knows what happened. Admittedly, my spells are more limited than yours.”

  I hadn’t gotten a chance to get a read on Oliver yet, but the fact that both Tad and Clay deferred to his advice spoke highly of him. “We can fix that right now. What say the three of us take you and Tad for a dive into our new dungeon? I’ve got some spells to collect. We can kill two birds with one stone.”

  Before anyone answered my question, I heard Selena’s voice in my head through group chat. “Samvek and I both know that there’s more going on than you’ve let on so far. Please talk to us before you do anything rash.”

  “Already planning to.”

  By this point, the lack of a response to my proposal was starting to grow awkward. Finally, Tad spoke up. “That won’t work. One of the downsides of being a Dungeon Master is that I can’t be harmed by this dungeon, which in turn means that I can’t gain XP from it. I do get a small flow of XP based upon the flow of power through the dungeon. Up until now, that’s only accounted for a single level gain, but hopefully with the dungeon so much more powerful now, I’ll be able to gain more.”

  “How have you gained so many levels, then?” I asked.

  “Funny thing there. I gain XP for crafting. More than half of my XP has come from enchanting items.”

  I shook my head. “Now I’m really jealous.”

  Samvek snorted. “As if you’d give up your polearm for crafting tools. You are a battle maniac.”

  I shrugged. “Like recognizes like.” When the man was right, he was right, but it still sounded cool being able to gain XP from crafting. I turned back to Tad. “Well? What do you propose?”

  “We need to test out Spot’s new capabilities. He is so worked up with all of the changes that he’s barely communicating coherently. I think he really needs us to test out some of these floors. So, you three should take Clay, Oliver, and Lexa with you. They can all gain levels still, or at least Oliver can until he hits level 150. Maybe that will give us time to figure out if there’s a way to awaken the others.”

  I considered his words for a moment. I really wanted to go into the dungeon, of course, but there was something else I was interested in doing. “Okay, but I still want to build some golems, and we’ve only got seven days before a notification about the creation of this new dungeon goes out to the powers that be. I don’t know what kind of hornets’ nest that’s going to kick, but the experience won’t be pleasant.”

  Tad smiled. “Agreed, and I gotta say that your turns of phrase are fascinating. I have to assume that some of our more colorful idioms won’t translate very well.”

  Selena made a chopping motion with her hand. “Don’t encourage him,” she whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear.

  There was a round of laughter, cutting through the general tension. Seven days wasn’t a long time, but I’d made less work for us before.

  “Perhaps I’m asking the obvious,” Oliver began, “but what floor are you intending to take us to? I’m only at level 119, and that’s only because I gained some XP with Tad.”

  Selena, Samvek, and I looked at one another. No words were exchanged, just a simple nod. “There isn’t much point in going to any level other than five. We are all over level 260, but we hit above our weight class.” I held up a hand to Tad. “Uh… sorry. Maybe that doesn’t translate either.”

  “No, I got the gist. We have prize fights here, divided by weight classes. What you’re saying is you have abilities that make you more effective than your levels would suggest.”

  Through group chat, I silently asked Samvek and Selena if I could share more information to put his mind at ease. At this point, these people were our allies, and their world was nowhere near ours on the grand map of the multiverse. I saw little need for secrets. We’d already given Tad the basics, but hadn’t gone into it full-bore.

  They both agreed, albeit reluctantly. I understood why. Their upbringing and training taught them to treat information as a weapon as sharp as any sword, a commodity more valuable than gold or class shards.

  “I have a title that doubles the stats that I gain, so even without counting any of my other titles or stats that I’ve gained from pushing myself harder than I should have, my stats are extremely high for my level. On top of that, I have access to power from more than one system. I just gained two traits from the Fey System, although I’m not sure what the difference is between a trait and what we call a title.”

  “I can explain that a bit,” Tad said. “I’m curious what traits you got, if you’re willing to share. I don’t know if this is similar to your titles, but traits are fundamental alterations of how we interact with the world, rather than a spell. Humans, elves—they gain spells as they level up, but normally no traits. Instead, traits often recognize some accomplishment, and the reward matches the deed. I have one that doubles the amount of coin I receive whenever I get a coin reward, either in a dungeon or from a quest.”

  Selena laughed. “I know merchant houses that would kill for an advantage like that.”

  “I bet.”

  That meant it was my turn to open up about the traits I’d gained. When I brought up the Traveler trait, the others agreed with my assumption—it was likely a Fey System response to the way the pylon had limited me before.

  “That’s one of the best types of traits,” Tad said. “It shows that the system is invested in your success.”

  “That’s nothing new for Silas,” Selena said. “Let’s just say he’s used to being the system’s favorite.”

  Fara laughed. “Sounds like Tad.”

  “Okay, okay, we get it. We have a lot in common. You don’t have to keep mentioning it. The other trait I got is even better, and that’s saying something. It’s called ‘Dungeon Ally’.” I shared the description.

  Oliver nodded. “Now I understand why you said it would be pointless to go to any floor other than the fifth. I also get some sense of why you think you can keep me alive there.”

  Samvek seemed to be getting tired of how this was dragging on. “There’s more to it than that. He can resurrect the dead, at least in our universe. He has some highly protective abilities, like force constructs, and an immensely powerful healing spell. And he’s not doing this in a vacuum. Selena was raised by one of the most powerful families in the entire Heavens System. She was treated as a resource, and a great deal of effort was expended to make her as powerful as possible. For her level, she would count as one of the ten most powerful beings in our universe, and that’s before you consider the boost she got when Silas connected to her through his primordial aspect.

  “As for me, I’m the heir of an up-and-coming clan. I also received some of the best training available, and just now in the dungeon, Silas created a connection to me that granted me a class from yet another system, and an ability which allows me to drain a portion of the stats from beings I defeat.”

  “How’s that work?” Oliver blurted out, before adding, “No, never mind that. I get the point. I’ll be safe with the three of you. So, when do we leave?”

  “Give us half an hour,” I said. “I need to talk to my friends, and you three can gather whatever supplies you’ll need. I don’t know how long we’ll be in there.”

  Tad huddled with his crew, most likely to discuss what would be needed for the dive, so we went to the far end of the warehouse. Selena created a field that would keep anyone from overhearing us, then looked at me. “Spill.”

  I told them how the Ways had asked me to become their herald, entering into a deep discussion about what that meant. I had few answers. “All I really know is that it would require me to travel around the multiverse, somehow expanding the reach of the Ways.”

  “So the Fey System wants a piece of you, too?” Samvek asked.

  I shook my head. “No, I don’t think the Ways and the Fey System are the same.” I repeated what I had been told about how the Ways had existed long ago, then at some point had become connected to the Fey System. “The voice mentioned something about the Fey System being created by a Remnant of Eternity.”