The world was in order.

Xavier Collins walked through the streets of his base and could barely believe his eyes. The place had been transformed. The first and most obvious difference about his Seed Sanctuary was the fact that it had grown tremendously.

Guardian walked by Xavier’s side. The golem had its massive hands folded neatly behind its back. The image was somewhat comical. It didn’t look as though such a gesture fit on such a massive construct.

“Guardian is impressed, Xavier Collins,” Guardian said. “You have done what Guardian thought impossible! Guardian has not even needed to defend this base. You have made it too strong.” Guardian shook his head. “Guardian is supposed to guard but you already have guards. Why do you make Guardian useless?”

“You’re not useless, Guardian. You know that. No one would dare attack this place while I’m still on world. But when I’m in the Tower of Champions, things will be different.”

There was only a day remaining before he returned. He had brought three more people to E Grade. He’d done it faster than he had for the first group, as he’d learned a thing or two along the way.

Guardian nodded seriously. “Guardian grows in power as you grow in power. When you leave this world Guardian will be the most powerful entity that remains. Nothing shall get past Guardian.”

Xavier slapped the big construct on the upper back, something he had to stand on his tiptoes and reach high up to do. The construct hadn’t just grown in power, it had literally grown. The damned thing was huge.

“The other members of your party are waiting for you in your chambers,” Guardian said. “They told Guardian to tell you that they miss you.”

“Miss me?” Xavier chuckled. “I speak to them all the time.”

“And you have been back to the base for no more than a few hours at a time in the past month.”

Xavier gazed up at the tall buildings. They were all grown. He could see how the natural look of the forest blended in with the structures. But there was something else about them, too. Something fantastical, or perhaps alien.

Guardian was right. He hadn’t spent as much time here as he would have liked. Every time he returned another thing had changed.

He certainly hadn’t had a moment to spend reading in his chambers, as he kept intending to do. There were simply too many dungeons out there for him to clear, and oh so little time. He hadn’t forbidden anyone from gaining first-clear dungeon titles—no one except Adranial and her party, of course—and so when he was gone, he knew that many of his people, and those all around the world, would begin clearing the dungeons on their own.

In fact, he’d already come upon a few dungeons out there that had been cleared before he’d gotten a chance to do it himself. He would often simply step in and get a solo clear on those dungeons before moving onto the next—even a normal clear would gain him a title, if a small one.

Dungeons were a brilliant source of titles in that way, one that he assumed was almost inexhaustible around the Greater Universe. He had heard of Denizens—adventurers—called delvers who simply spent their time going from one dungeon to the next on one world to the next, seemingly forever, gathering titles, loot, and levels.

He was looking forward to doing just that when he returned to the Tower of Champions. Though dungeons and tower floors were decidedly different, they had many things in common with one another.

“The citizens of your nameless base have petitioned Guardian,” Guardian said.

Xavier raised an eyebrow. “The citizens have petitioned you?”

“Yes. Guardian just said that. Why did you feel the need to repeat it?” Guardian shook its head. “You humans and your strange ways. So difficult to understand.”

“What was the petition about?”

“Well, Guardian would get there if you would stop interrupting—”

“Guardian,” Xavier said in a flat voice.

Guardian gave him a sideways glance. “They have petitioned to name your city.”

“City.” Xavier looked around. “I suppose you could call it that.”

“Hundreds of people are making their way here every day,” Guardian said. “And they have been for weeks. Without a proper immigration policy your guards are taking in anyone who can swear their loyalty in exchange for safety. Even as the city grows it’s becoming overcrowded. Guardian doesn’t like crowds.”

“The petition, Guardian. Have they suggested any names?”

“Guardian does not think Xavier would like it.”

“Xavier would like Guardian to tell him so he can decide for himself.”

“Guardian doesn’t appreciate it when other people talk in the third person. Guardian feels like it’s being mocked.” The massive construct let out a sigh. “They wish to name it Collinsville.”

“Collinsville? Really?” Xavier asked, feeling a little embarrassed. “They want to name the city after me?”

“It is not unusual. Many places are named by those who founded them. Even in the history of your own planet.”

Xavier sighed. “I suppose.”

It didn’t feel right, naming the city after himself, but he also couldn’t deny the people a name for the place they’d been living. It was difficult to feel a sense of belonging to a nameless place. It had been something he too was wrestling with. Though not in a million years would he have ever thought of naming this place Collinsville.

I suppose it’s better than Xavierton. Though I better not mention that name aloud. Someone will want it if I do.

Though it was a bit embarrassing, there was a part of him that couldn’t help but feel proud. He had done a lot for this planet, a lot for its people, and though he didn’t spend much time speaking with his citizens, or even here in the base—the city—it was nice to be recognised.

Nice to be appreciated.

He smiled to himself. Guardian looked over. Saw the smile. The golem’s eyes widened.

“You’re going to let them name it Collinsville?” Guardian did not sound impressed.

“You’re the one who said it was normal.”

“Guardian said it was normal—Guardian did not say it made sense. It’s normal for your people to consume bovine lactose. Liquid taken straight from an animal!”

Xavier stared at the construct with a straight face. “I don’t see anything wrong with that. The petition has been accepted. This city will henceforth be known as Collinsville.”

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Guardian nodded curtly. “Fine, fine, fine. You should have a farewell ceremony before heading back into the Tower of Champions. Guardian thinks it would be wise for the leader of this world to speak to their people.”

“I’m not the leader of this world,” Xavier said. “Not really. Most people don’t even know I exist.”

“Statistically speaking, given how many worlds out there with intelligent life exist that are currently outside of the scope of the System’s influence, as the universe is for all intents and purposes infinite, most people don’t even know the System exists. That does not mean it won’t one day be their ruler.”

Xavier pursed his lips. The System governed the entire Greater Universe. Everything it had integrated into itself. That domain was growing every second as it crawled across the void of space, taking everything into itself—just as it had so recently done to Earth.

But he would never wish to call the System his ruler. That was not at all how he wished to think of it. Though he knew he was getting off track.

“There is one more thing. There is another Champion waiting for you. They said they wished to speak with you before returning to the Tower of Champions.”

Xavier frowned. “Are they from my cohort?” He hadn’t spent much time interacting with other Champions who’d returned to Earth.

Guardian looked away, making Xavier frown.

“What is it? Who are they?”

“They are not from your cohort, Xavier Collins. One of them wishes to speak to you in private. Guardian does not know why they didn’t simply contact you directly. They are able to do that.”

Xavier’s frown only deepened. The only Champions that were able to contact him directly were the other members of his party. What Guardian was saying wasn’t making any sense. “Are you malfunctioning, Guardian?”

Guardian balked. The golem stopped walking and placed its large, gauntleted hands on its hips. “Guadian does not malfunction. Guardian has not sustained any damage.” Guadian turned its head and muttered, “Unless one were to count emotional damage.” The golem motioned to a tower. “The Champion in question will speak to you on the top floor.”

Xavier looked at the tower, his confusion only deepening. He knew exactly which tower this was, and he knew who was on the top floor. Even if he didn’t spend much time here, he’d chosen this place specifically for his guests from another world—from another sector, on the other side of the Greater Universe.

This was where Adranial and her party were staying. Except, that didn’t make any sense. Adranial was able to contact him directly, yes, but she wasn’t a Champion of Earth. She wasn’t from his instance of the Tower of Champions. He understood if she wished to have a meeting with him before he left. He had intended to say a few words to her. But this was not at all what he’d expected.

He didn’t bother asking Guardian any more questions. The construct was keeping tight lipped.

Does the golem even have lips underneath its helmet?

Xavier trudged up the stairs. He could have walked a little faster, but he was trying to puzzle out what was going on here. Adranial had been quiet lately. She hadn’t made any demands of him over the last few weeks. Ever since he’d refused her offer, she’d been downright standoffish. He honestly had no idea what she’d been up to during that time, even if his thoughts had turned to her more than once.

When he reached the door to her penthouse apartment, he raised his fist to knock. The door opened before he could. No surprise that the woman was able to hear him coming. She stepped aside and motioned him to enter the room.

“What is this about, Adranial?” Xavier looked around. None of the other members of her party were in attendance. Guardian did say she wished to speak with him alone. “Guardian said a Champion wanted to speak with me before they returned to the Tower of Champions. I was under the impression that it could be a year until you made that journey yourself.”

The woman gave him a sly smile. “Well, it wouldn’t be the first time you’ve been wrong about something.”

Xavier raised an eyebrow. “Adranial, what is this about? Please. I’d like you to talk to me.”

The woman sighed. She motioned over to a comfortable looking three-seater couch. It wasn’t like any couch that would have been seen on Earth before the integration. The couch had literally grown itself from the floor. The soft parts of it looked almost like grass, though it didn’t feel like grass, and thankfully there was no dirt. He took a seat. She sat on the other side of the couch and turned her head to look at him.

“My ancestor has requested something of me. Something I’ve been holding off doing until… well, until now.”

Xavier tilted his head to the side. “After I refused you, does he wish to take you back to your sector?”

The woman shook her head. She was narrowing her eyes. At first, he didn’t realise why, then he noticed the slightest sheen covering them.

Was Adranial getting teary eyed?

Honestly, that was probably the strangest thing he’d seen since returning to Earth. He wouldn’t have expected this cold, calculated woman to be on the verge of tears. What on Earth—or any other world for that matter—could this be about?

He waited patiently for the woman to explain herself.

“No. That’s not at all what he asked me.” She gazed up at him. Whatever it was that she had to say, it hurt her. Whatever order he’d given, she didn’t wish to comply with it.

“You don’t have to do what he says,” Xavier said. “Do you?”

She chuckled. “Of course I have to. And I want to. I am loyal to him, above everything. I am more loyal to him than I am to my world.” Her head dipped. “Then I am to myself.”

Xavier felt the urge to shift over in the couch. To put a hand on her shoulder. To comfort this woman who he knew to be perhaps the strongest he’d ever met, not to mention the most ruthless. He resisted that urge. Something about it didn’t feel right.

“What did he order you to do, Adranial? You can tell me. Isn’t that why you wished to talk to me?”

Perhaps Xavier should have been worried that the man had ordered her to attack him. To kill him. But he doubted that very much. Besides, even if the most powerful man in the universe did suddenly want him dead, Adranial certainly wouldn’t be the one who could carry out the hit.

“I am joining you in the Tower of Champions. In your instance of the tower.”

Xavier blinked, and he knew his confusion would be written all over his face. “What? But… that’s not even possible. You aren’t from this world. And you didn’t enter the tower at the same time as me, did you?”

She shook her head. “I entered the tower two years ago.”

Two years… that makes her eighteen years old. I thought she looked older than sixteen. Our ages aren’t really all that far apart.

He shrugged that thought away. It was the last thing he needed on his mind.

“This doesn’t make any sense, Adranial. There’s no way for you to join my instance of the Tower of Champions. You aren’t from Earth.”

“I don’t have to be from Earth.” She looked away. “I just have to be willing to be loyal to it.”

Xavier stared at her. “Is that why you’re sad? Because you have to enter our instance of the tower?”

He supposed he understood it might not be something she wanted to do, assuming it was even possible—and he still didn’t think that it was—but why was it making her so emotional?

“I’m not sad,” Adranial snapped. Then she sighed. Wiped her eyes. “Okay. Maybe I am. But I am not used to being like this. I don’t like anyone seeing me this way.”

“I get that,” Xavier said. Suddenly he felt exceedingly uncomfortable.

He shifted where he sat. He couldn’t remember the last time he was in a social situation like this one, and some of his old habits still seemed to be stuck within him.

Xavier was really good at killing things. He had a fair idea of how to protect his planet, and so far, he’d managed to do just that. But when it came to interpersonal relationships, he was still only Level 1.

“Is there… anything that I can do for you?” Xavier asked. In the sea of varied options, the words seemed like the best he could come up with.

“No,” Adranial said. “In a way, you’re the reason I need to do this.” She let out a breath. “Not that I’m blaming you. It’s just… to enter your instance of the Tower of Champions, I have to sacrifice the ties I have to my world. The system won’t accept my loyalty to this world if I have a loyalty to another.”

Xavier tilted his head to the side. “Something tells me this isn’t an easy process.”

Adranial touched a hand to her forehead. She looked fragile. Like a cracked pane of glass. Any extra pressure could make her shatter into a thousand pieces.

“The only way to cut my ties to my world is to make myself think I don’t care about it.” Adranial swallowed. A tear fell down her cheek. She didn’t swipe it away. “I have to take away every good memory of home. And the memories… the memories of the people I care about the most.”

Her head fell, then, as though up until that moment it had been kept up by nothing but her will, and now her will was gone.

Xavier reached out. He didn’t intend to, but he didn’t stop himself either. He placed a hand on hers. “You have to take away your memories?”

The woman nodded.

Xavier swallowed. His hand was still on hers. For a moment, he put himself in her shoes and wondered what that might be like. Taking away memories that made him loyal to Earth.

It was something he could barely fathom. Xavier had spent every moment of his life on Earth since he was born right up until he’d been transported to the Tower of Champions. Every one of his memories involved something of this world.

There were things he didn’t love about Earth. The strife between the difficult countries. The rampant inequality. The fact that people starved even though enough food was produced for everyone. Even if all those things had passed.

But how could he cut ties with it?

“Can those memories be stored?” Xavier asked.

Adranial looked up at him. “I…” She blinked. Swiped away another tear, but there was something else in her eyes. She blinked again, then gave him a sad smile. “Oh.”