The trio followed the compass toward the ruins. The closer they got, the more Justin felt the sheer scale of the place. The columns looked like they belonged in a world of giants, rivaling Californian sequoias for size—not that such trees existed in this world.
They ascended some broken sandstone steps. At the top, a wide entryway led them into a cavernous chamber.
Justin paused here, producing his cologne. He gave himself a splash and offered it to the others, just in case. They both accepted. Now, if they found anything interesting, it could boost the quality of their treasures. Justin was pleased to see that the golden cologne had barely even been tapped into. It would be with him for a long time.
As they walked inside, the temperature shift was immediate. Cool air enveloped Justin, a welcome relief from the outside heat.
But the comfort was short-lived. There was something oppressive about this place that clung to the skin like unseen fingers.
Eldrin took the lead, the golden needle pointing into the depths of the ruins. Sunlight barely penetrated beyond the entrance, and the further they moved inside, the darker it became.
“This place gives me the creeps,” Lila muttered, hugging her arms.
“Well, there’s no danger yet,” Eldrin said. “Let’s keep moving. Quietly.”
The corridor they followed was massive, wide enough for ten men to march abreast. Smaller hallways branched off at irregular intervals, leading deeper into the unknown. Between each passage stood towering statues carved from the same reddish stone as the ruins themselves.
Justin studied them as they passed. Each depicted a lizard-like figure, but with the head of a cat. Others were avian or insect-like. One bore the head of a jackal, its stone eyes hollow. Another had the beaked face of a great hawk, its wings folded behind it in an imperial pose. A third combined the features of a serpent and a man, its scaled visage frozen in an eerie, knowing smile. But the vast majority seemed to have reptilian bodies.
The resemblance to Egyptian deities was uncanny, though Justin doubted they had the same origins. Still, it was strange how certain ideas seemed to transcend entire realities.
At last, the compass directed them toward a corridor on their right.
“All right,” Lila whispered. “This isn’t leading us anywhere near civilization. We’re just treasure hunting at this point.”
Justin peered down the shadowed passage. “Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.”
"Remember what Eldrin said about not getting cut off? Remember the goal."
"Yes, but...loot."
She rolled her eyes. "Eldrin, tell me I'm not the only one who sees the danger here."
Eldrin ran a hand over the worn leather grip of his bow, his eyes scanning the dim corridor ahead. “Danger, yes. But a Ranger is not above taking a calculated risk—so long as there’s an exit strategy.”
Justin grinned. “See? Even the cautious one agrees.”
Lila huffed. “So long as we have an exit strategy.”
Eldrin checked the compass again. The golden needle still pointed forward, unwavering. “It hasn’t led us astray yet. If we go in, we go in smart. No unnecessary fights, no splitting up, and the second things go south, we pull out.”
Lila sighed but nodded. “Fine. But if this turns into another Drakendir situation where the cave collapses, I get to make the calls.”"Come on, Lila. What’s the worst that could happen?”
She gave him a flat look. “Do you want me to answer that?”
"Slowly and quietly," Eldrin said.
They followed his lead down the dark corridor, Justin's cane lighting the way.
Once again, the compass veered, pointing into a large chamber that was clearly a tomb of some sort, with a sarcophagus in the very center. The room’s periphery was surrounded by urns, gold idols, and scattered jewels.
But what caught his eye most was a glowing green orb that could be nothing other than a class core.
“Jackpot,” he muttered.
"Careful here," Eldrin whispered. "I don't like the look of that sarcophagus."
"It's a trap," Lila said. "Pigs get fed and all that."
Both look to Eldrin. His eyes scanned the riches of the chamber, clearly torn.
"All right, let's make quick work of it. Grab the core and the gold and head back to the gate. Let's move."
Justin made his way to the class core first, which rested in a small alcove. As he reached out, its information populated in his interface.
----------------------------------------
Class Core: Scholar
Core Attribute: Intellect
Description: Upon absorbing this core, gain the Scholar class, assuming no class has yet been adopted. This core can also be combined with other basic classes to produce an advanced class upon reaching Level 20.
----------------------------------------
“Nice,” Justin said. "I wonder if this combines with Socialite?"
“Scholar cores are quite valuable,” Eldrin noted. "As for whether it combines, well, I can't say." He picked up the class core, placing it in his pack.
They waited a moment for something to happen, but nothing did.
"There are hundreds of coins in here," Lila said, her eyes wide. "Should we take them?"
"I mean," Justin said, "it would be irresponsible not to, right?"
"Whatever, I'm taking a few," Lila said. She grabbed a fistful of gold coins, definitely more than a few, and pocketed them.
As she fed her coin pouch, Justin's eye was drawn to a sudden movement. The compass's golden needle suddenly jerked in Eldrin’s hands, flashing with an almost frantic urgency toward the open doorway.
"Retreat," Eldrin said. "Go!"
They had barely taken two steps when, with a deep, grinding sound, a heavy stone door slammed shut from above, sealing them firmly inside.
"Of course," Justin muttered. "Why wouldn't that happen?"
And what happened next was just as predictable.
The lid of the central sarcophagus shifted as an awful scraping noise reverberated through the chamber.
Justin whipped around, and a withered form rose from the stone coffin, draped in ancient linen wrappings. But even beneath the tattered strips of cloth, he could tell the being wasn't human, but rather some sort of bipedal lizard.
The fingers that gripped the edge of the sarcophagus were tipped with jagged, black claws. Its head was elongated, the wrappings stretched tight over a skull that was unmistakably reptilian. Twin golden orbs glowed like embers in a deep-socketed face.
And then Justin noticed the spikes jutting from its shoulders. Some of the spikes glistened as if they were still wet with some ancient, congealed fluid.
The mummy opened its mouth, a maw filled with needle-like fangs. A terrible hiss echoed through the tomb.
His Monocle of Insight flickered to life, populating his interface with information.
----------------------------------------
Azhdari Varkiss Revenant
Rank: Guardian
Level: 25
----------------------------------------
Justin’s grip tightened on his cane. “Level 25. Fantastic.”
"We can bring it down," Eldrin said. "Stay together!"
The revenant lunged, but Justin was faster. He conjured a frozen line of Drake's Breath, slowing its movements as ice crystals formed on its wrappings. Meanwhile, Eldrin and Lila peppered it with arrows and knives.
Justin waited for Lila's volley to finish before he shot forward, striking just below the neck with a brutal crack, then followed up with a sweeping strike to the ribs. The mummy staggered, but didn’t fall. Instead, it groaned in a guttural, rasping tone that sent chills through the chamber.
Justin activated Poison Barb. "You sound like an old boot left in the sun too long—just crumble already!"
The mummy groaned in response, and Justin unleashed a new flurry of strikes that pushed it back toward the sarcophagus. The mummy lunged forward, but Justin flicked his kerchief toward the mummy's face, ducked, then slashed deeply at its legs.
As the mummy shifted to tackle him, Justin dodged. His movements seemed to speed up in response, Elegance in Motion proccing. Justin danced back and forth, landing hit after hit in a deadly combo that just extended the effect's duration. The mummy tried, and failed, to land a hit on Justin, and it tried to focus its attention on Lila.
Justin activated Dandy's Swagger, combining the taunting move with a few more hits along the mummy's back, his Rimefang's Bite enchantment spreading ice with each hit.
The Varkiss mummy groaned and focused its attention back on him. Good.
Lila’s daggers darted through the air, finding their marks with precision. She didn’t even need to aim anymore—her Knife Singer boon kept them moving, each strike slicing through the creature’s layers of wrappings. Several times, the knives came close to Justin, but they never hit him. As she sang, a golden glow surrounded the party, speeding their movements and sharpening their senses. Justin felt lighter on his feet.
But for all of their attacks, the mummy proved stubbornly solid and almost impossible to stagger. Eldrin joined him with his longsword, the close confines of the tomb not suitable for his bow. It didn't seem as if the Darkness effect of his Eclipse Weaver bow even affected the mummy anyway.
With renewed vigor, Justin and Eldrin pressed the attack. This monster might have out-leveled all of them, but it couldn't defend all points.
Then, just as Justin landed a crushing strike to the chest, the mummy retaliated.
With a low groan, its body seemed to tighten as its spikes quivered, facing Lila and Eldrin.
Justin knew what was coming. "Eldrin, Lila, take cover! Let me tank it."
As both retreated, Justin activated Poison Barb, now off cooldown. "Hey, you ugly, rotting toad! Over here!"
The mummy whipped around, the spikes on its body detonating outward. Justin activated Gentleman's Sidestep, hopping adroitly and twisting unnaturally. One spike flew within an inch of his left eye, and his body contorted as if he were a puppet on strings.
Yes, he was glad he had taken this skill.
When Justin landed, the mummy was still standing, and thankfully spike-less. But now its attacks were frenzied, its body surrounded by a red aura of power. Justin knew what that meant.
"It's enraged! We've almost got it down! Go, go, go!"
Justin's Drake's Breath was off cooldown, so he blasted it again, slowing its movements. Lila's Chromatic Knives embedded in its wrappings in a final volley. The mummy roared as Eldrin slashed wildly.
Justin darted forward, striking low and smashing the mummy’s knee with his cane. As it collapsed forward, he leaped, spinning mid-air to bring his cane crashing down onto its skull, completely encasing it in ice.
The mummy went rigid for a moment before shattering into dust, its wrappings dissolving around it.
Silence fell over the tomb.
[You have gained 2,000 experience points. Your experience stands 12,677/10,000. Level-up available!]
Justin exhaled, shoulders still tense. “Well, that sucked.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Lila was still catching her breath. "Is everyone all right? That was too close."
"Still alive," Eldrin said.
Behind them, the door shifted, lifting of its own accord. Lila nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden sound.
"Time to get out of here," Eldrin said.
Before they could retreat, something bright materialized within the sarcophagus. Justin felt a peal of dread, but after a moment, it became clear that it wasn't a threat.
It was a silvery, shining chest.
"Are...we in a Vault?" Justin asked.
Eldrin shook his head. "No, we would know if we were. Sometimes, there are especially strong monsters that exist outside of Vaults. They are called "Guardians."
"That's what my monocle said. It said its rank was 'Guardian.'"
"There you go," Eldrin said. "I'm sure an old temple like this is rife with them. They tend to guard enchanted treasures and artifacts, gaining power from them."
"Sort of like Vorthyrn," Justin said.
"Sort of, but not really," Eldrin said. "Think of it like a mini-Vault. You don't really know you're walking into one until you do, if that makes sense."
"Time to open the treasure," Justin said.
"It might be a mimic," Lila said. "I've heard of those. They look like treasures, but then they turn into monsters and attack you."
Lila's nerves were clearly shot.
"I don't think it would be in this case, here," Eldrin said. "But you do have to be careful of any treasure that's a little too obvious or easy to grab. This wouldn't qualify."
"I'll open it," Justin said.
He stepped forward and unlatched the chest, throwing it open. His eyes widened at the contents.
At the bottom, three neatly arranged sets of armor awaited them. Each seemed to be a complete set, where every piece of gear was required to benefit from the collective enchantment.
"Well, well, well," Justin murmured. "Looks like we just hit the jackpot."
As Eldrin and Lila crowded around him, the interface populated its information of its own accord.
Eldrin grabbed his set, something called The Desert Tracker's Armor. The outfit was gray and deep brown, reminding Justin of desert camo. It came with a hood, a leather chest piece, tan leggings, leather boots, and fingerless gloves.
----------------------------------------
The Desert Tracker's Armor Set
Tier: Silver
Type: Complete Armor Set
Class Restriction: Ranger
Description: Once worn by the Rangers of the Azhdari Civilization, this set allows its wearer to traverse the wilds with keener insight. It must be worn as a complete set to confer its bonuses.
Tracker's Step: +5 Coordination, +4 Endurance, +1 Perception.
Trailblazer’s Insight: Confers an innate sense of direction in unfamiliar territory. The armor will notify its wearer of the nearest sources of freshwater, food, and shelter at all times.
Dust Repel: Dust and sand will automatically be shed from your general vicinity.
Sun Shield: Greatly cools the wearer in all but the most infernal temperatures while protecting against the harshness of the sun.
----------------------------------------
"Perfect for the desert," Eldrin said with satisfaction. "It will mean losing some of my current enchantments, but if we're going to stay here, then it will be worth changing into. Knowing where water is by itself is a decent bonus."
Lila took her armor set next, something called the Juggler's Silken Set. It included a sheer crimson face wrapping, a sleeveless robe of the same color, sand-covered silk leggings, slippers, and twin silver bangles.
----------------------------------------
The Juggler's Silken Set
Tier: Silver
Type: Complete Clothing Set
Class Restriction: Bard
Description: This dancer's regalia is said to be infused with the brightness of the desert sun. It must be worn as a complete set to confer its bonuses.
Sun Dancer: +5 Charisma, +4 Coordination, +1 Intellect
Melody of the Blazing Sun: Sing a song that blinds all enemies for five seconds in a twenty-foot radius. Cooldown: two minutes.
Dust Repel: Dust and sand will automatically be shed from your general vicinity.
Sun Shield: Greatly cools the wearer in all but the most infernal temperatures while protecting against the harshness of the sun.
----------------------------------------
"Hey, this one is a nice upgrade," she said. "Way better than my Minstrel's Leather Ensemble that I picked up in Windfall."
Last of all, Justin reached in to grab his set, called "The Dapper Adventuring Set." It was a stylish yet practical ensemble, featuring a rugged brown duster, a tailored linen vest, brown trousers, leather braces, and sturdy leather boots. A wide-brimmed explorer’s hat topped off the look. It looked like something Indiana Jones might wear.
----------------------------------------
The Dapper Adventuring Set
Tier: Silver
Type: Complete Adventuring Set
Class Restriction: Socialite, Diplomat, Merchant
Description: A set for daring explorers who seek fortune in uncharted lands while maintaining impeccable style. It must be worn as a complete set to confer its bonuses.
Rakish Archaeologist: +5 Charisma, +3 Endurance, +2 Coordination
Adventurer's Guile: Enhances awareness of minor hidden traps and gives insight into disarming or avoiding them.
Dust Repel: Dust and sand will automatically be shed from your general vicinity.
Sun Shield: Greatly cools the wearer in all but the most infernal temperatures while protecting against the harshness of the sun.
----------------------------------------
His eyes widened after finishing his reading. Yes, this was definitely a big boost over his current gear. His coat of Highcliff's Elegance, Invari Ambassador's Boots, and Squire's Armlet had served him well, but it was time to make way for a new style.
Eldrin eyed Justin's new acquisition with appreciation. "Very nice. There's a trade-off, though. Your Top Hat of Mental Clarity will have to go in the pack, leaving you vulnerable to mind effects. And that treasure-hunting enchantment won't do you any good in battle."
"It is a trade-off," Justin said, "but the attribute boosts alone make a wardrobe change worth it. Plus, the utility enchantments make it perfect for traveling in the desert. Assuming we decide to stay here."
Not to mention, he had access to Affinities that would protect his mental state just as surely as his hat. Seraphis's Clarity active gave immunity to mind control, while the Water Affinity, Ulthara's Calm, protected him from fear. It wasn't as good as a hat that covered multiple status effects, but there were always trade-offs when switching to new gear.
"Well, I think my current gear serves me better," Eldrin said. "My cloak already blends into the background, while my boots are extremely handy for stalking. If you two want to change, though, this room seems safe enough. The compass isn't flashing anymore."
"Let's hurry," Lila said. "And no peeking."
Within a couple of minutes, the two of them had completely changed. Once the ensemble was completely on, Justin gave his mental assent to core it.
"All done?" Lila asked.
Justin turned, and he had to admit, Lila looked quite striking. The sheer crimson face wrapping veiled her mouth and nose, leaving only her piercing green eyes visible. The sleeveless robe draped over her frame, accentuating her natural grace. The silk leggings hugged her legs, while her silver bangles caught the blue light emanating from Justin's cane.
Justin cleared his throat. "You, uh...definitely look like a desert dancer."
The corners of Lila's eyes crinkled, though Justin could still see the outline of her mouth through the veil upturned in a smile. "I don't care, as long as it helps me fight. I'll definitely have to change if we go back to Aranthia." She laughed nervously. "This outfit actually wouldn't look too out of place on the streets of Eribar."
"Well, if anyone bothers you, that's what your knives are for, right?"
Lila chuckled as she finished holstering all twelve of them with her belt, six on each side. It definitely gave her a deadly look.
She gave him an approving once-over. "And I see you’ve gotten into the part, too. Not bad, Justin. Very...dashing, dare I say."
Justin tipped the brim of his new fedora with exaggerated flair. "M’lady."
Lila groaned. "And you just had to ruin it."
Justin smirked. "What can I say? You make it too easy."
"Come on, you two," Eldrin said. "With that guardian gone, we're safe to clear this place out. Loot it quickly and we'll get out while the getting is good."
Justin couldn't agree more. He and Lila followed Eldrin's lead, filling their coin pouches with the ancient Azhdari coins, which glowed with the enchantment. Within ten minutes, every surface had been picked clean, and all of them were about fifty golden coins richer.
Justin checked his inventory screen.
[Your inventory stands at 1 Platinum Shard, 51 Golden Crowns, 78 Silver Marks, and 89 Copper Pieces!]
"Let's move out," Eldrin said.
When they went back into the main chamber, which was, thankfully, still empty.
At least until they reached the entrance of the temple.
Justin was surprised to see four reptilian mummies blocking the exit. His monocle logged them as "Level 12 Varkiss Revenants."
"Level 12," Justin said, brandishing his cane. "Let's take out the trash."
Eldrin had already drawn his Eclipse Weaver bow, loosing two arrows in quick succession. The first struck the nearest Revenant Guardian right between its hollowed-out eyes, staggering it back and covering it in a veil of darkness. The second hit another in the knee, causing it to stumble.
Lila wove a quick melody, her daggers dancing in the air. They flickered like silver streaks, each one finding its mark, cutting through old wrappings and sinking into undead flesh.
Justin surged forward, engaging the nearest mummy’s jaw with a crisp crack, sending it reeling, then swept its legs out from under it with a quick spin. As another lurched toward him, he gave it a hard thwack on the head, knocking it clean off.
The mummies flailed and screeched, but they were already outmatched. Eldrin delivered a final arrow to the last one’s skull, and with a strangled groan, it crumbled to dust.
[You have gained 73 experience points. Your experience stands at 12,750/10,000. Level-up available!]
Justin dusted off his new coat. “Well, that was almost disappointing.”
Lila's knives flew back to her, sheathing themselves. “For once, I agree.”
Eldrin lowered his bow. “Let’s get out of here before we find something that's actually dangerous.”
They headed back outside, where the evening made the temperature actually pleasant. A few more hours might see it more on the frigid side.
Within minutes, they found the gate exactly where they had left it.
"Question," Lila said. "I'm wondering if that Nexus place is really safe. I mean, it's possible we're not the only ones who know about it. And if anyone does know about it, then they will no doubt be really high-level, right? That could be bad."
"That's a good point," Justin said. "Eldrin, do you think it's safer to stay here for the night?"
Eldrin ran a hand over his chin, his gaze shifting between the gate and the mesa they were on. “It’s a gamble either way. Staying here has its risks—we don’t know what else is out there. We’ve only just started scratching the surface of this place. But the Nexus…if someone else does know about it, that could be just as bad. Or worse.”
He and Lila waited as Eldrin ruminated. Finally, he answered, "I think we need to go with the Nexus, and here's why. We know there are enemies in that temple, and we already knocked out a few of them. If there's anything intelligent in there, they might see our presence as a threat and attack us. Meanwhile, with the Nexus, we have no information, really. There's no evidence that people pass through very often. No permanent camps, no trash, no wear and tear. That sort of thing."
"Maybe people purposefully keep it clean to hide their presence," Lila said.
"Maybe," Eldrin said. "That said, I'm not sure I have any special insight here. I'm just as happy to set up a few yards away from the gate and set a watch. So we can retreat if needed. If people do pass through the Nexus, it minimizes the chance we are caught. Unless we are unlucky and they choose to come here, but seeing how out of the way this place is, that doesn't seem likely."
"I like that idea better," Justin said.
Lila nodded. “Me, too. If we keep watch in shifts, we can at least be ready for anything.”
Eldrin nodded, already scanning for a defensible position. “There’s a rocky outcrop about twenty yards that way,” he said, pointing toward a small rise in the terrain. “It’ll give us some cover from the wind, and we’ll have a good vantage point on the gate. We'll make camp there.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Justin said.
They set up in the lee of the rocks. While the wind was strong, it did well enough in sheltering them. Plus, their new dust-repelling enchantments actually worked pretty well, pushing the sand away if it got too close.
The downside of camping in a desert, however, was the complete lack of a fire. There wasn't even brush to set aflame. But they still had their parkas. Combined with the shelter of the rocks, it would be enough to get them through the night.
Once done eating, Justin took the first watch, keeping vigil while the others rested. He kept his eyes on the ruins. Despite some creepy sounds that might have been the wind, there was no real danger.
Checking the ruins again, he leaned back, tilting his head toward the heavens. Of course, he'd looked up at the stars since coming here, but they had never been so bright as they were now in this arid desert. Just as it was on Earth, this sky seemed endless and was speckled with stars, more than he could ever count, creating a thick band similar to the Milky Way.
Two solid planets stood out, far brighter than anything but the single moon that hung silvery blue. One planet was solidly blue, like a distant lighthouse, while another burned red, its glow steady. Squinting, Justin realized the crimson planet wasn’t alone. Two smaller points orbited it, faint as dust motes caught in sunlight.
Moons? Or something else? He was surprised that he could even see them with the naked eye.
He checked the ruins again, finding that it was still empty. He checked his character screen to see how his attributes stacked up with his new gear, filtering out anything that didn't directly affect his stats.
----------------------------------------
Justin Talemaker
Class: Socialite
Focus: Gentleman
Experience to Level 17: 12,750/10,000. Level-up available!]
----------------------------------------
Attributes:
Power: 18 (B10 + 6 + 2)
Coordination: 18 (B10 + 6 + 2)
Endurance: 19 (B10 + 6 + 3)
Intellect: 17 (B10 + 6 + 1)
Perception: 16 (B10+6)
Charisma: 59 (B46 + 6 + 5 + 1 + 1)
----------------------------------------
Stat-Boosting Gear:
The Sapphire Star: +16 to Base Charisma.
The Cane of the Drake: +6 Charisma, +2 Power.
The Dapper Adventuring Set: +5 Charisma, +3 Endurance, +2 Coordination.
The Amulet of Equilibrium: +6 to all non-dominant attributes.
----------------------------------------
Stat-Boosting Buffs:
Draconic Luster: +3 to Base Charisma.
Heroic Ascension: +1 to Base Charisma. (One-time boost from coring the Cane of Valoria)
Refined Presence: +1 to Charisma.
The Essence of the Hoard: +1 to Charisma and Intellect.
----------------------------------------
Justin's eyes popped at those numbers. Truly, he had underestimated just how much his gear was doing the work for him.
He wondered how normal it was to get attributes this high, even for higher levels. The synergy between the Sapphire Star and the Amulet of Equilibrium was unreal. It was hard to say, but he imagined his attributes were similar to a character at Level 25 or 30 with gold, or even platinum-tier gear.
Plus, the addition of the silver-tier armor set really shored up other important attributes that had been lacking.
He could only wonder what things might be like upon returning to civilization. How would people react to his presence? Would his charisma be something he could turn on and off at will, or would people literally bow in his presence?
He was uncomfortable with that last one, especially. Certainly, his attacks and dodging abilities seemed greatly enhanced in that fight with the mummies. He thought back to Zaramund the Necromancer all the way back in his first Vault, and how much he had struggled against a single Level 12 enemy. With Eldrin and Lila, they had mopped up four Level 12s in a matter of seconds.
The Level 25 Guardian had been a tough fight, too, but facing Rimefang and Vorthyrn had been even tougher.
He remembered what Eldrin had told him: that attributes were multipliers of what already existed within.
That meant, with proper training, he could become even stronger. He already had the benefit of his Expert Cane Proficiency boon, which was doing a lot of the work for him. Indeed, he moved and acted in ways he would have never previously imagined. Battles were becoming like chess games where he could easily see several moves ahead.
But what about his Charisma? Could he conceivably receive training in the oratory arts or speech, and become even more of a force to be reckoned with? Or given his boosted Intellect, could he enroll in a university, and learn how to think properly, or even take on a class that allowed him to learn magical cants like Valdrik?
While his thoughts these days seemed clearer and quicker, he had the feeling he wasn't harnessing his intelligence to its maximum potential because he lacked the proper foundation.
The possibilities seemed endless. But those possibilities meant nothing if he couldn't get the albatross of the Baron off his back.
Justin needed help with that, no question. He decided then that he would have to go with Eldrin to the Templars and play things delicately. It was also the least he could do for Alistair, who had died to get him this far.
He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Get some rest," Eldrin said. "If you're like me, this might be your last level-up for a while."
Justin nodded. He hoped that wasn't the case because he knew if he was not just to survive, but to thrive in this world, he needed all the power he could get.
Power for what sake, though? He couldn't answer that question for now. He just had to trust that it would be made clear in time.
As soon as he closed his eyes, he was fast asleep.