The funniest moment came a couple hours later as I began sharing the sugar with some of the children. I made a show of eating it first. They seemed to be open to my food since the beans and everything else had been edible to them, but I was still a stranger offering candy to their kids. They might not understand the Earth meaning of such a thing, but they were still careful.

  Then, when the kids did start gobbling down some of the chocolate and got amped up on sugar, it was hilarious. One of the mothers demanded to know what I’d done, as her young son wouldn’t stop running around. I suppose first exposure to processed sugar might be kinda shocking.

  Throughout the entire shared meal, I mostly just listened as they spoke to one another. I answered a few questions, but in general they left me to my thoughts. I took the time to adapt to this environment in a relaxed state. I felt around me with my regular senses and noted the things that were different from Earth. For the most part, it was very similar to what I would have expected from a desert on Earth.

  Then I started to focus on feeling the mana around me. The first thing I noticed was that there was far less Life Mana than I would have expected. When I commented about this, one of the elders said, “The Ceorgi were gluttons who couldn’t leave the natural order.”

  I thought about that before I asked, “Was this land always a desert?”

  “Yes, but not like this. A desert is a lively place if you know where to look. Now, known of that exists. I fear my people will soon die out as we consume the last of the resources.”

  Another elder said, “Then such is the will of the heavens. It only makes me weep that none will remember the Delmin. Our songs will die with us.”

  Those words sent a tremor through all of the Delmin who were present. Clearly, it meant something to them that was more than what it meant to me. I saw the young mothers being afraid for how they would feed their children. Their military leader, Dejek, was concerned about how he would defeat this enemy—like it was a monster that could be slain—and their elders worried about the legacy of their people.

  The mention of songs did remind me of one thing. I began to hum the tune to another old song. It seemed appropriate in the moment, as it had always meant something to my dad. Brothers in Arms was a sad ballad by Dire Straits. My dad always lamented that their better songs weren’t what they were famous for and instead, everyone knew them for what he considered trash like Money for Nothing.

  Whether he was right or the top 40 charts were, the tune did its job and focused Spirit Singing. I became aware of great sorrow, loss, death, and it caused tears to run down my face. The suffering of this world had gone on for so long and had spread to every part of the world. It wasn’t just those who warred that paid, but the very ecosystems of the world had been upended.

  I wove hope and a plea into my voice as I continued to sing. I opened myself to the spiritual energy of this world with an offer of help, praying it would come to me and impart its own message. Then, buried deep beneath all the grief, I felt a slight echo, a green spark barely flickering underneath me. Life Mana that resonated with my call. Yet, it was so weak. I pushed my senses towards it, trying to offer my mana. I realized the futility of my endeavor when I sensed how weak the spiritual energy was. My Life Mana was merely a drop of water on a dry, parched lake bed.

  I would need a vastly greater impartation of Life Mana. Wait… the congealed mana crystal… would it be enough?

  I looked at Dejek. “I have some thoughts about how to help your people, but it’s up to you which path you want to pursue.”

  “And what do you want in return for this help?”

  “I need a fifth to join my team. I thought of your people because they are brave warriors.”

  He seemed to consider my words before answering, “And what is the help that you offer?”

  “I believe that I can bring your people to a new world, but it will require that I get the assistance of others.” As I spoke, I tried to project confidence because I was far from confident that I could make this happen. Even if I offered them asylum on Earth, that might not work out. There was still the difficulty of getting them there. Dejek had mentioned 10,000 as the number of remaining Delmin. It would take a lot of work from the Crembori to transport that many to Earth. Then there was the fact that the Delmin were inducted lifeforms. They might find life untenable on Earth, at least until after it was inducted.

  No, my idea was to send them to Galen, but that was going to require a big ask from me. First off, I didn’t know if the Crembori would even be able to send their ships to an already inducted world. So, I’d probably be stuck asking the Rayden Clan to open a portal for the Delmin to go to Galen. Frankly, I had no idea what that would cost in resources, or if I could generate enough good will with the clan to get the leadership to agree.

  I added, “It will take some time, but I do have a temporary measure which I could try if you want.”

  My Charisma and new skill, Read the Room must’ve really been working overtime, because I was starting to understand Delmin facial expressions. Dejek did the equivalent of raising his eyebrow, so I took it to mean that he was curious.

  “You have something down below, in your compound beneath the sand, that I believe I could nurture. If I’m right, it may give your people a bit more time here.”

  At that, a flurry of activity happened. Warriors ran around the mound of sand next to where we were seated. The elders started asking how and Dejek got very tense.

  “How could you know that?” He demanded.

  “I was experimented upon by the Ceorgi." I watched the Delmin leadership react to that nugget of information. My instincts, based off Charisma and Read the Room told me to raise my head, keep eye contact and not look away. “As a result,” I continued, “I’m attuned to Life Mana. I can feel that there is something below which is giving life to the desert.” By casting myself as a fellow victim of the Ceorgi’s depredations, their bodies softened, became less combative. The Elders grew more reflective, while the mothers looked hopefully towards me. It was the war leader, Dejek, who still remained wary and alert.

  One of the guards came up and whispered something to Dejek. I couldn’t make out every word, but enough to understand he was reporting that everything was okay down below. The following discussion between Dejek and the Elders became somewhat heated, but in the end he told them that it was his decision.

  “I have good reports about you. Your story also tracks. I believe you speak the truth, but it is a great deal to put the future of my people in your hands. Do you pledge to take no action against the Delmin people unless you are attacked first? And do you swear to keep secret what I’m going to show you?”

  “I do. I’m not one for long oaths. I mean what I say, though.”

  “That is the way of the warrior. Old men think more words add more value.” He sighed then before saying, “Follow me.”

  He then led me around the mound of sand and past the entrance to their underground domicile. Perhaps that was a decoy in case of invaders? On the other side, a female Delmin stood there. When Dejek nodded at her, she held out a hand and I felt mana leaving her body and flowing into the sand in front of us. If I’d had to guess, I would have said it was some type of Earth Mana.

  The sand parted as though it were a waterfall being split, to reveal a hidden staircase behind it. So much for the Delmin not being mages. I needed to remember that there was always magic at play on inducted worlds. Dejek motioned for me to go and I stepped forward without hesitation.

  The light was low, but there were torches hanging on the roughly carved walls. I’d say they were made of sandstone or perhaps simply magical compressed sand. The staircase spiraled down layer after layer. They Looped around a vast underground chamber, which descended at least three hundred feet to an underground stream. Each of the layers had small alcoves cut in, which seemed to be the living space of some of the Delmin. It was cramped to say the least, but the temperature here was cool and pleasant, and there was far more moisture in the air.

  When I reached the bottom, I looked to Dejek to know what to do next. He said, “This is the last source of flowing water which we know of on our mother world. Then he pointed around, and I saw vegetation growing in fields that spread along the sides of the stream into a cavern which was longer than I could have imagined before.

  The plants weren’t like anything I’d seen before, but I supposed to grow anything underground they would have to be. The closest I could compare them to was a deep green cabbage.

  One of the elders said, “This is the life of the Delmin. What can you offer to that?”

  I paused for a second, before opening my spatial storage and pulling out the congealed mana crystal.

  Many of the Delmin gasped. Some of the warriors raised their weapons. I held up my hand. “I took this from the Ceorgi in order to destroy their barrier. It is filled with the condensed Life Mana of your world as well as the sacrifice of the Delmin people. I can’t promise, but I believe I can use it to benefit what you’re doing down here. What could be a more appropriate use for it?”

  Dejek bowed at his waist. “Forgive us. The sight of the crystal shocked many, but your words are true. If you can take what was meant for evil and turn it to good, then we will be in your debt. I will send my own son to serve as your fifth as you fight for the future of your world. He is a bit of a willful boy, but few have more natural talent with weapons than he does.”

  I nodded. “Then let's try this out.”

  I started looking around for a central location so that I could spread the effects as far as possible while I also checked on the status of the crystal.

  Mana total: 1,003,016/10,000,000

  It hadn’t quite regained the mana I’d used to defeat Azirin, but it was still over a million mana, so that was promising. There was also the fact that this mana was rather densely concentrated and pure Life Mana. Hopefully, it would be enough. Then I began to pull mana from the crystal and add it to the atmosphere. At the same time, I sang the Circle of Life using Spirit Singing to infuse positive energy into the area around me.

  The weight of the congealed mana crystal in my hands felt like a burden of duty. Its surface pulsed gently, a soft glow emanating from within, a beacon of life in the subterranean gloom. Around me, the Delmin watched in silent anticipation, their eyes fixed on the crystal, their expressions a mix of hope and uncertainty.

  With a deep breath, I pushed harder to channel the Life Mana from the crystal, weaving it into the fabric of the air around us. I quickly realized this was going to take more than casual effort. The crystal's glow intensified, its energy flowing like a river, saturating the cavern with its essence. The air thickened with potential, a tangible sense of renewal that permeated every corner of the underground refuge.

  I soon noticed that the mana in the room was pulled into the crystal and cycled back out in a more pure form. Many of the Delmin trembled, but they all stood upright. Dejek looked to me but I nodded. He didn’t have enough reason to trust me, but in the screwy world of the system, my Charisma and aura made up the difference.

  As I sang, my voice echoing softly against the stone walls, the power of Spirit Singing melded with the Life Mana, creating a symphony of growth and healing. The water in the stream shimmered, its flow became more vibrant, more alive. It sparkled with vitality, a lifeline for the Delmin and their last bastion against the seemingly inevitable death of their world. As that life energy flowed out with the water, I realized that this was hopeless, but that didn’t mean I shouldn’t fight on. Even a million mana wasn’t enough to do what needed to be done, not even close. Still, if I bought them time, it might be enough to find another solution.

  The plants, those deep green cabbages and their subterranean kin, responded first. Their leaves unfurled with new vigor, stretching towards the source of the mana infusion. They grew visibly, a rapid expansion of life that spread throughout the fields along the stream. The air around them seemed to quiver with energy, the plants absorbing the Life Mana, converting it into sustenance. Before long, the plants were closer to the size of a pumpkin than a cabbage. The fields as far as the eye could see continued to grow as the children laughed and mother’s wept.

  Amongst the Delmin, the effect was more subtle, but no less profound. Wounds, those minor cuts and abrasions borne from living in such harsh conditions, began to mend. Skin knitted together, the marks of their struggle faded before my eyes. There were gasps and murmurs of disbelief, the Delmin touching their healed skin, looking at each other in wonder.

  One of the elders cast down the walking stick he’d been using and danced clumsily from one foot to the next. “I feel young again,” he shouted for all the cavern to hear.

  Dejek approached me, his expression one of profound respect. "Your magic," he began, his voice steady but imbued with emotion, "it brings life to a place we feared was dying. You have given us more than just aid; you have given us hope.”

  I nodded. “This won’t be enough.”

  His expression grew grim for a moment again as he said, “I know, but you said you had other plans. You have marked yourself as a friend of the Delmin. Let me introduce you to my son, Dejin.”

  Chapter 51- Fifth Man

  While I was waiting for Dejek to bring his son back to me, I checked notifications and discovered that what I’d done was considered enough to meet the mission. The resulting world points were nice, but I began to feel like this entire mission was just a way to get me back here so that the elves could take a shot at me.

  If my Mage Shield hadn’t deflected the first arrow, I might not have survived. I needed to remember that while the elves seemed weaker than me, that there were three of them. Thinking about power, I checked the mana crystal.

  Mana total: 106,947/10,000,000

  Yikes! It took something like 900,000 mana to restore this cavern. It was large, or at least the farming plots were large, but I had no idea how long the effects would last here or if they’d need more mana. My thoughts about creating a home for the Crembori on Earth and altering the environment with magic suddenly seemed far less obtainable.

  Then I was pulled out of those thoughts as Dejek returned. Behind him was a clearly younger warrior, but his boy was a good inch taller than his father and nearly as well muscled, if lacking the abundance of scars. He wore the same Delmin clothing that the others did—which, for lack of a better term was a wide loincloth, hung in back and front down to about his knees. Their wide hips made it look even odder. On his upper body, he only had a crisscrossed harness with a set of throwing knives. Hanging from his hips were twin axes like his father, but he carried a spear in his hand.

  Dejek came to a stop and Dejin stopped an instant later, but then bowed deeply to me. When he stood back up, he said, “I am Dejin, son of Dejek and it would be my honor to accompany you in your journeys as the representative of the Delmin people. My life before yours.”

  I needed to be very careful here. I didn’t want to insult them, but also didn’t want some oath sworn bodyguard who’d take foolish risks trying to protect me. At least he was looking me in the eye. I wasn’t completely used to the way Delmin eyes were positioned vertically atop one another, but I still held his eye contact while I took a moment to consider my words carefully. The significance of his pledge, "My life before yours," resonated with a weight that demanded respect and a clear understanding of what lay ahead.

  "Dejin, joining my team means you'll be stepping into worlds beyond your own. You’ll face challenges and dangers beyond any you might have imagined," I began, before pausing to underscore the seriousness of my words. "You'll be called upon to go off-world and take on missions. These can vary widely in nature and risk, but know that I never undertake these lightly."

  Dejek stood silently beside his son, his presence a silent endorsement of the commitment being made. I continued, "Missions occur no more than once a day, though there are often days, sometimes weeks, between them. You'll have time to rest, to train, and to learn." I opted against trying to explain the time dilation of missions now, since I wasn’t sure how well they would understand.

  I paused again, letting the information sink in before addressing the benefits, "You'll gain an equal share of any loot and rewards we secure. This isn't just about fighting; it's about growth. You'll likely level up faster with us than you would here, given the opportunities and challenges we face."

  Dejek said, “My son has only just formed his uncommon core. He has trained his skills and met the tests of the elders before receiving his shards.” The pride he had in his boy was obvious.

  I nodded. “May I ask what class shards make up your core? I apologize if that is a personal matter here, but where I come from those who are on a team together share such information, so that they might know how best to fight as a team.”

  “It is a matter between a warrior, the heavens, and the elders, but I see the logic of what you mean. It is up to you, son,” Dejek said.

  He didn’t respond for a moment. “Understand that the elders choose what they believe the heavens say is best for each who gains shards. Shards are common here, so I ask that you not look down upon me for my shards. I will not fail you. That much I swear.”

  I nodded and said, “Any class can be useful in the right circumstances.”

  He must have taken that for my assent because he continued then. “My first two shards were that of the far hunter, it is a class which gives endurance and works well with spear skills. Then I was given a duelist shard. They are rare, but since my father has it as a rare class core, I got a lesser version of it. It excels in one-on-one combat. My final class was the sand walker.”

  I waited for him to give me some explanation of what a sand walker was, but none was forthcoming. Eventually, Dejek said, “You saw what the female did to grant us access to the cave entrance?”