Meera woke with a gasp and quickly checked her abdomen, and the hole was gone. She was whole again but so thirsty that her throat might as well be the desert. She looked around and saw Dirik, and he had his head again. He even had his mask on, which was blown to pieces when his head blew up. The sickening crunch was a sound she would not easily forget.

She counted her chakrams, and they were all there. Next, she checked her Belt, and that was there too. She was lying on an animal skin in a rather bare room. Aside from Meera and Dirik and the skins they lay on, there was hardly anything here.

The door creaked open, and Melas stepped in.

Meera suppressed a scream and backed up to the wall.

"Hey, relax. I'm not here to finish you off. I only bring water." He wiggled the earthen jug in his hand. "I'm sure you're thirsty. It happens when you lose your stomach. Believe me, I know."

"Leave it…" She swallowed. "On the ground."

He snorted a little. "Sure."

He walked several steps, placed the jug by Meera's skin, and backed up to lean against the opposite wall.

Meera stood cautiously, activated Druvis Power and Mirror Eagle Perceptivity as she made her way to the jug.

"It's not poisoned, is it?" Meera asked, picking up the jug.

"What would be the point of bringing you back just to poison you?"

"Fair point." She drank, and the water felt more delicious than any water she had ever drunk. It was like the water was healing her, bringing her back to life.

She emptied the whole jug and drew deep breaths. "How am I back? And why aren't you trying to kill us?"

Before he could answer, Dirik sat awake. He screamed when he saw Melas and backed up to the wall, just like Meera had done.

"Meera? Did you beat him? Wait, how am I alive?" He felt around his face. "I have a head again. How? I died."

"As did I," Meera said. "He's here to explain and not fight."

"O-Okay." Dirik stood, but his eyes took measure of all the shadows in the room. "Can I get some water, please?"

"Sure, kid." Melas knocked on the door. "More water!" He rubbed his hands and smiled. Gone was the eight-foot behemoth, and the skinny man in loose clothing was back.

"Okay, as to how you are back, you see, what we fought in was an artificial world that Brison created. It's a skill all Keepers of Records have that lets them create a world that they can control. Basically, he's a god in that world. If he wishes to bring you back, he can. Besides, that was a test, and you, Meera, passed splendidly...as for your friend, not so much."

"W-What? Why?" Dirik asked.

"We Wardens fight as a team, and we're only strong if we fight together. And you left her and ran off to save your hide."

"I-I..but—"

Melas cupped a hand around his ear. "Go on. I'm waiting. It better be a nice excuse."

Dirik sighed. "I don't have one. I panicked. I don't have much combat experience. What I did was shitty, and I'm sorry, Meera."

Melas looked impressed. "At least you know to fess up to your mistakes."

"If it was a test, then why did you come after us so relentlessly?" Meera asked.

"I never said it was an easy test, and that whole rage monster thing was just an act. I am usually cranky when I wake up, but I don't go around leveling cities because someone disturbed my nap." He looked at the door and leaned forward. "I'm actually a light sleeper, and all their laughter woke me up, and the funny thing is most potential recruits always pick me."

"So, will you let us join the Wardens?" Dirik asked.

"Not us, just him," Meera corrected.

The door opened, and Brison brought a jug of water. Melas motioned towards Dirik. "Please give that to the runner."

The Keeper chuckled. "Oh man, that is never a good nickname."

"Brison, thank you for bringing me back," Meera said.

"And you have my gratitude as well," Dirik said between gulps.

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"Don't mention it, kids," Brison said. "I'm a part-time resurrector around here."

Meera frowned, but Dirik figured it out first.

"You all use that world as your training room."

Melas shared a smile with his Keeper of Records. "Well, at least the kid has brains."

Gears turned in Meera's head. "Can you create any creatures you want?"

Brison snorted. "If only I were as powerful as the Master Keeper. The Judge only allows me to create these pocket worlds to help strengthen my teammates. They fight each other. If you want to train against a specific creature, you must capture and force it in. Only then can you play with it to your heart's desire."

"The Judge?" Meera asked.

"Lady Numheia." All three answered at the same time.

Meera nodded. If I kill someone in these pocket worlds, and they are resurrected, do I get to steal another skill from them? Well, only one way to find out.

"How long has it been since we've been out?" Dirik asked.

"About sixteen hours for you," Melas commented.

Meera's eyes widened. "What? I've wasted another day."

"Why are you on a timeline or something?" Melas asked.

"In a way."

"But don't worry, it's not sixteen real hours but more like what? Half an hour?" Melas looked to Brison.

"Just about. I sped up the time for you. For individuals, it is easier than speeding up the time for an entire world. There was a lot to put back together."

Meera breathed out in relief. "So, we're still in this pocket world, and only—"

"Half-way to noon or thereabout," Brison said.

"Now, that, that's all settled," Melas said. "Let's get to why you want to join us, young Shade. Before that, I must say, I'm impressed that you even found us out. Not many could have done that or become a Shade at your age."

Meera could almost see him blushing underneath his mask.

"Thank you, but I was just really good at my job," Dirik said.

"Then why did you leave?" Melas asked.

"I couldn't stomach the missions they were giving me, and there was this personal matter. The very reason I wish to join you. My mother was imprisoned at Itris prison until recently. I know you are here to hunt the monster that attacked that prison. I wish to join you so I can kill the thing that killed my mother."

"How do you know she's dead?" Melas asked. "Many prisoners escaped that night. She could have been one of them, and maybe the Bleeders got to her."

Dirik shook his head. "She wouldn't have run. She had no reason to. She was to be freed two days hence. Even if she had the chance, it would have been stupidity to do so, and she was not stupid."

"Did they find her body?" Brison asked.

Dirik shook her head.

"Then she could still be alive, and you're throwing your life away for no reason," Melas said.

"Please, I know in my heart my mother is gone. She would have come home if she were alive, even if she ran from the prison. Please, let me avenge her." Dirik clasped his hands together. "Please, I'm begging you. I can be useful. And I am technically a runaway from the Shadowsteel Warlord's army. I need a hiding place, as the prince is not known to let his Shades go that easily."

Melas turned to Meera. "And you?"

"I have my reasons, which I cannot share," Meera said. "But if you're hunting that creature that destroyed the prison, I want in. You said so yourself that I did good. I can be an asset on this hunt."

Melas knocked on the wall, and it crumbled, revealing the rest of the Wardens. "So, team, what do you say, we let them in?"

"Meh." Archer shrugged, eyes on the book she was reading from before.

"Yes, please," Guardian said, eyes practically shining as if looking at his new toys.

"Nah, they're pathetically weak," Gladiator said as he polished his dagger.

"The girl is powerful, and the boy found us," Stormweaver said. "We could use one for reconnaissance and the other for fighting."

"They're too weak for the creature we hunt," Brison said.

"Two yes and two no, that leaves the final deciding vote to me." Melas rubbed his chin.

Dirik looked ready to fall at the man's feet and beg. Meera did her best to show indifference, but she needed to be on this hunt. It would be a major step forward, or so she hoped. Not to mention, she could power level with Brison's pocket worlds.

"Yes, fine. You can join us for this hunt. If you survive, I'll make you Wardens."

Dirik jumped with joy. "Yes! Thank you. Thank you so much, sir."

"No sir or ma'ams here, lad. We go by names. You know mine already," Melas said. "Stormweaver's is Lexa, storm magician extraordinaire. The one reading the book is our marksman, Zona. She might have her red eyes on the book, but don't think she isn't watching everything else."

As am I.

"To her right is Tekton, who is always polishing his blades but he knows how to use them."

Tekton gave a salute with his dagger.

He pointed at Guardian. "Then we have our wall, Pallas. He protects us in battle but has a worrisome habit of overanalyzing skills and classes and how to min-max them to level up faster."

Pallas coughed.

Melas sighed. "And he is, unfortunately, my younger brother."

"Really?" Meera blurted out.

"Why don't you think we look alike?" Pallas asked.

With the way he looked at her with those puppy eyes, Meera didn't have the heart to lie to him and gave him a nod.

"As for the creature we hunt," Melas said. "You might change your minds when you find out about him. But yes, it is connected to the attack on Itris Prison. Before all that, let's eat something because I'm famished. You two must be hungry, especially Meera."

Brison created a doorway in the room, which they walked out through. Meera found herself back in the same room they had left. Pallas came to her to, no doubt, ask some very invasive questions. She made an excuse to go to the washroom. Lexa, the Stormweaver, pointed out the way.

The washroom was an excuse. What she wanted to do was inform Narikas of this new development. She closed the door behind her, took out the seal, and ran her Mana through it.

The seal spun and spun for a long time. Meera was about to stop until it finally shot up and formed a cone of shadows. Meera stepped into the cone and gasped.

Narikas was lying on the floor. There was a big puddle of blood underneath him. She could see his throne behind him and knew he was still in his fortress.

"What happened?" She asked.

“Meera…help…”

"I-I'm on my way."

Meera snatched the seal out of the air and dashed out the door. She ran to the others. "I need to go. My friend…someone I know is in trouble, but I'll be back soon."

Not waiting for a response, she jumped out the window that faced the city wall. She threw a chakram over the wall and teleported to it. She used Mirror Step to hurry to the Gateway Mirror. A line of people was waiting to use it, but she couldn't wait. She used a small Mirror Blast while still some distance away, and they all scattered. She teleported to the mirror quickly after that.

She slammed her hand on the Gateway Mirror, and dots of light lit up. She selected Tearsfell Prison.

"Don't you die, you shadowy bastard."

She stepped into the mirror.