Orrin sat at the dining room table inside the Catanzano house, letting the steam from his mug soak his face. He breathed in deep, ignoring Daniel as he butchered his cup of coffee with heaping scoops of sugar and milk.

“Tell me everything that’s happened since you were taken,” Daniel said, settling into a chair next to Orrin. “We’ve got two or three hours before people start waking up. I want to hear it all.”

“We could get some sleep,” Orrin offered up, taking a sip. “I’m sure Silas has a lot of things planned for you to do tomorrow.”

“Fuck that. We can sleep in as late as we want. Talk to me.” Daniel’s face showed concern for his friend.

So, Orrin talked, telling Daniel about his time with Arvin and then Anabella. He glossed over his fear and anxiety during his captivity and instead told Daniel about what he’d learned. He spoke of Graem, Wren, and his other professors. He told Daniel about the classes he’d taken and the friends he’d made. Daniel had met a few of them but Orrin found himself laughing as he told Daniel about finding Ellis outside his room. The danger of the assassination attempt was tempered with time and retelling his friend over a hot cup of coffee. By the time he finished explaining a few bits and pieces of magical theory, Orrin felt better than he had in weeks.

“Sorry, I talked so much.”

Daniel drank some of his abomination before speaking. “I’m glad you’re alive. For a bit, I thought… It doesn’t matter. You’re here. Until we have to go fight again.”

“What have you been up to?” Orrin asked, uncomfortable with Daniel’s morose attitude. “You guys didn’t spend the entire time fighting troops and looking for me, right?”

Daniel’s eyes stared past Orrin.

“D?”

“I’m tired, Orrin. The kind of tired that can’t be fixed with extra sleep. We’ve been here for months with nothing to show for it but more power and magic. What if we defeat the [Demon Lord] and nothing happens? Do we get more Quests and keep leveling up? Solving more problems in this world? Fighting stupid old people who don’t care about anything but more power? I miss my family, man.”

Daniel slumped in his chair. “I want to go home.”

Orrin reached out to cast [Calm Mind] on Daniel but stopped before the magic coalesced. Magic was not the answer to this problem. He could push Daniel’s feelings down like [Mind Bastion] did for him but it wasn’t healthy for either of them. “Other than your family, what’s the thing you miss the most about home?”

“O, we might never find a—”

“Humor me,” Orrin interrupted Daniel before he could finish the sentence. “We hop through a portal or cast some big spell. Poof! We’re back in front of Cara’s house and no stupid trucks in sight. What do you do?”

Daniel sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Get a milkshake?”

“You’d walk off from your girlfriend’s house and get food?” Orrin asked in surprise. “Seriously?”

“I mean, in this scenario, did she move on after we died? Or did we die? I think getting hit by a truck would kill us, right?”

Orrin had considered this a lot as he struggled to fall asleep at night. They’d been naked when they arrived, not covered in blood. “Maybe but we’re alive here. If… When we get back, we can figure out a story. Nobody is going to believe we’ve been living in a world of magic. If there were bodies, then Cara was lucky.”

“What? Why?” A small light burst back in his friend’s eyes. “She’d have seen us get crushed by a truck. That’s traumatic as fuck.”

Orrin downed the rest of his coffee before answering. “If we disappeared, she’d have told the police or our parents that a truck ran into us and then we were gone. That’s how people end up in the mental ward of a hospital. Delusions or hallucinations, I’m not sure what the doctors would call it. Either way, I guess you wouldn’t have a girlfriend.”

“I’m on a different planet. I don’t think I’ve had a girlfriend for a while.”

“A shake, though?”

“I miss ice cream.”

Orrin snorted a laugh.

“What would you do, then?”

Orrin didn’t have to think long. “Go with you for a shake. You can’t be trusted alone.”

Daniel kicked his chair, missing Orrin’s leg.

“I’m serious. You’d try to get a banana shake or something gross. How could I ever live with myself… hey don’t throw coffee at me,” Orrin said with a laugh as Daniel picked up his mug and feigned tossing it at Orrin.

Orrin was glad to see his friend smirk.

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“You’re stupid.”

Orrin shrugged and considered another coffee but he could feel the fatigue in his bones. When was the last time I slept?

“Want to get some sleep?” Daniel said, watching him closely. “You look like you’re about to drop.”

Orrin nodded and stood. The exhaustion hit and only a few castings of [Heal Small Wounds] got him to their room. He listened to Daniel toss and turn but drifted off to sleep before he could do anything about it.

“Wake up, you two. It’s a beautiful day and we’ve got training to do.” Madi’s voice chipped away at Orrin’s grogginess. Her enthusiasm was too damn much for this early in the morning.

“We need more sleep,” Daniel complained, throwing a pillow at her.

Madi caught the projectile and threw it right back at Daniel. “It’s already noon. You’ve slept enough. The guards said you came in early this morning. I’d ask if the plan worked, but I woke up to a very nice surprise.”

Orrin put his head under his pillow and pushed the edges in against his ears. “Too early.”

Madi pouted a little and sat on Orrin’s bed. “Don’t you want to know?”

“Madi, we fought that asshole and his mother. I don’t know how long Orrin went without sleep but you said you know what time we got back. Whatever you want can wait,” Daniel said, sitting up in bed. “One more hour.”

“Fine,” Madi reached over and ruffled Daniel’s hair. “But only because I’m in such a good mood. You ended the war, after all.”

Orrin bent his pillow and glared at Madi. “You got all the experience, didn’t you?”

Madi smiled wickedly. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

Orrin groaned and sat up. His feet hurt. He’d forgotten to take off his shoes. He glanced at Madi and used [Identify].

Madeleine Catanzano

Superior Prism Conjurer Level 29

HP: 130

MP: 200

Str: 10

Con: 13

Dex: 12

Will: 20

Int: 20

“Damn, we timed that right, didn’t we?” Orrin whistled.

Madi gave Orrin a funny look. “You planned this? I didn’t even think about the Quest. I was planning on going out with Brandt for low-level monster exterminations today. I went to bed at level one. It’s a terrifying feeling being so weak again. The new class you gave me even earned more ability points per level and more stat points at levels ten and twenty. I’m stronger now than I was yesterday.”

Orrin stretched and shook his head while yawning. “No, I didn’t even think about the Quest until the System alerts at the end of our fight. Wait, didn’t you have Daniel’s level twenty Quest as well?”

“Yes, but it has an unavailable reward. I was hoping if you had some time…” She trailed off.

“Sure, Madi. Let’s grab some breakfast and you can pick your Quest reward,” Orrin answered her unasked question as he looked around for a clean shirt.

Madi bounced from the room while Orrin left to take a shower and change into something that didn’t smell like day-old blood and sweat. Daniel rolled over in the bed when he got back into their room.

“Get up. I need to get to the front of the Pass so I can [Teleport] back and forth. If this [Demon Lord] is coming, we can’t sleep in again.”

Daniel grumbled but left with soap and a towel. Orrin didn’t wait for him and found Madi sitting next to her father in the dining room. Breakfast foods were piled high, with pastries, bacon, eggs, and a large carafe of coffee waiting by his seat.

Orrin frowned as he entered the room. “Isn’t it noon? I hope this wasn’t all for us.”

Silas Catazano, Madi’s father and one of the rulers of Dey, put down the stack of papers he was reading through at hearing Orrin’s voice. He wheeled himself from his spot at the head of the table and approached Orrin.

“I owe you a debt, Orrin.” Silas’s eyes pierced his own, holding his gaze. “You saved my knight. You prioritized my daughter’s life and escape at the expense of your own capture. You return with Daniel after stopping a conflict well beyond my ability to interfere with. And somehow, I’m sure that I have you to thank for her… new power.”

Orrin started to deny having any part of that but Silas simply held up his hand.

“I’ve come to realize that my daughter will benefit from an open friendship with you more than any subterfuge or devices I could conceive. We’ve had our differences and I admit my failings. If you will accept my apology, I promise to answer any questions you have in the future. You have but to ask and the full might of Dey will ride behind you and Daniel. If we survive the upcoming Horde, that is.”

Orrin knew Silas had a half-dozen reasons for his speech. Madi was already looking in admiration at her father. There was no downside to playing nice as he’d been doing all along. That didn’t mean he’d trust Silas but hopefully it meant no knives in his back in the meantime.

“Thanks, Lord Catazano but it was Madi who saved me. Her and Daniel searched for me and I got lucky that a new friend recognized my description.”

“Regardless, you have my ear should you need anything.”

Orrin sat and ate, waiting for Daniel to join. Orrin enjoyed the fresh food and coffee while Daniel recounted the fight and outcome in Odrana. When he finished, Silas excused himself to report to the rest of the Lords of Dey.

“If they are sending more troops, we may stand a chance. The last report I received said the Horde is within a week from the Pass. I’ll be back as fast as I can be. Good luck.” Silas left, gesturing for guards to follow.

“I guess it’s time to go get some more sleep, right Orrin?” Daniel asked, stretching his arms high in the air. “All that food made me tired again.”

Orrin caught the wink. “I might go out and say hi to some friends. I haven’t seen Tony or Amir and want to check— Ow!”

Madi picked up another cinnamon roll and held it menacingly. “I know you’re both messing with me.”

Orrin and Daniel laughed, with Madi joining in after a moment. Orrin found he’d missed her. She might be irritating at times but underneath her upbringing and training was a kind woman who wanted to help others. She just was a bit misguided at times.

Orrin realized that could describe Daniel as well and sighed. I surround myself with idiots.

He had Madi open her Quest reward and received the same prompt as he had for Brandt in the Aqua Chambers all that time ago.

Unlocking Limited Reward Set for Nonadministrator

Increase Will +4

Increase Constitution +4

Increase Intelligence +4

+5 Ability Points

“I’d recommend bringing your constitution up,” Orrin said, taking another look at her stat distribution. “I learned a few interesting things at the Sanerris School.”

Madi raised an eyebrow. “What kind of things?”

Orrin smirked and summoned an [Ice Sword]. “Let’s go out to the courtyard and I’ll show you.”