Daniel

Signpost greeted them as if for the first time as they took the World Gate leading away from Mary’s world.

This third Terminal dwarfed the previous two. Their entrance portal was its smallest ring with two more World Gates each double the span of the last. As they approached, this Taotie guardian sprang to life with a lanky body wielding a glowing red shield.

Lea secured another set of items and turned to face the group. “I believe our Expert has something she wishes to discuss prior to our exodus.” She motioned to Rana.

With that preface, Rana cleared her throat and said, “Ground rules for our journey.” She lifted a finger. “From now on, we use Terminals sparingly. We’ll let Cassie listen for danger at each open node before continuing.”

The others nodded, acknowledging common sense. The chances of running into something at any individual node were astronomical compared to encountering mages harvesting Cintamani from Terminals.

A second finger. “Magic is for emergencies. Active auras are highly visible to Second Sight.”

“What about Paul and me?” Daniel asked. “I don’t think we can stop this…” He gestured to his destructive touch and the candle flame on Paul’s head.

“Those are passive abilities,” Rana said. “Living-and-breathing magic is less noticeable beyond a few kilometers. It shouldn’t matter most of the time. Those times it does, we’re dead anyway.” She paused for a beat to emphasize how ridiculous their whole plan was. Then she met Daniel’s eye, “Active magic includes healing.”

Daniel flinched and bowed his head.

Kenta pretended vagueness while making a jab. “I think letting a wound heal naturally would be a fitting punishment for getting oneself unnecessarily injured.”

“Unless it’s lethal…” Paul amended.

"That goes without saying," Kenta said with a glower.

“Let us assume we have learned our lesson taking healing for granted and move on,” Lea advised.

Rana nodded her agreement. “This rule also means no group flying on Cassie except to escape danger we can’t hide from.”

Kenta groaned and held his face. “This is going to take forever.”

Rana shook her head. “Months for sure, maybe years, but not forever… Unless you want to test your luck rushing forward blind at full speed?”

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Cassie gave them an anxious look and said, “I can’t fly?”

“You can,” Rana said, “Just not as a giant bat.”

After the clarification, Cassie breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

“Are we not making this too complicated?” Lea asked, “With Cassie and Paul’s abilities, can we not simply fly by the safest route and be done with it?”

Daniel pointed out the flaw in her logic. “‘Safest’ is relative when all options can kill you.” Lea’s evident frustration made him uncomfortable. He hoped he didn’t come off as condescending or stuck-up. Daniel tried to tell people they were wrong without making them feel bad and, in Lea’s case, without challenging her.

Thankfully, she took his comment in stride. “If flying is not an option, then we must proceed on foot along the most direct path.”

“While that’s fine,” Daniel said, “Shouldn’t we get in the habit of taking precautions if things are as dangerous as Rana says?”

Though displeased with more delays, Lea agreed. “Very well. What precautions do you propose, Daniel?”

“If Paul identifies the fastest and safest paths, we’re good when they match up. When they don’t, we vote.”

Wendi surprised him by asking a good question. “What if ‘safest’ is back the way we came?”

“If we’re careful about it,” Daniel said, “We can work around specific dangers.”

“Obviously,” said Kenta.

He decided to change the subject, “Rana, did you have a third rule?” Of course, these things always came in threes.

As expected, she extended a third finger. “Leave no trace. We pick up our trash, bury the embers of our fires, and erase our campsites. Don’t give magical trackers anything they can use.” Her hard eyes fell on him again, and Daniel knew this would suck. “Additionally, Daniel can’t walk where he’ll leave a trail.”

Daniel paled and sent to Rana, :Which is basically everywhere!:

Kenta snorted, and Paul gave him a smile of sympathetic solidarity as they came to the same conclusion.

:Except on Terminals,: Rana confirmed.

“That means we’re spending more time together!” Wendi cracked her knuckles with a sound like snapping bones, “We’re gonna be road buddies!”

:Rana, I can’t ride with her! Help!:

The frog girl totally misread him. :If you’re worried about the blue devil, don’t. I’ll keep an eye on her.:

:That’s not… nevermind.: While the threat of a Wendigo transformation was a definite factor, it didn’t rank against his inner turmoil. His lifelong desire for human contact conflicted here with a dislike of forced intimacy.

Embarrassing didn’t cover it. Unlike in flight, he’d be the only one carried.

At least riding felt comfortable. The red devil girl never misjudged her strength. She matched the tightness of her grip to his positioning, allowing him to sit high hands-free or recline his head on her knuckle. She didn’t hold him up like a torch, either, but kept him at eye level.

His main problem lay in the fact Wendi was a cute girl. If he could believe six impossible things before breakfast, then her hooves, horns, tail, and giant hands weren’t an issue. She was delightful company, friendly, enthusiastic… and her curves were noticeably more pronounced than her peers.

Altogether, her personality and body intimidated him emotionally. Wendi had literally said she ‘liked’ him, but he couldn’t tell what exactly she’d meant. He’d never interacted with girls his age before yesterday, and now Daniel had to decipher his attractions and feelings for multiple girls and navigate how they felt about him all at once!

No, he couldn’t let himself think of her that way, considering how much he’d depend on her for mobility.

Daniel decided it better not to let any burgeoning deeper feelings influence a relationship he couldn’t afford to sour. No matter his doubts, he nodded to Wendi as she scooped him up. “Let’s get moving.”

Lea surveyed the group, satisfied, and said to Paul, “If you would be so kind.”