Chapter 4

Eli sat in the cool, dim light of the cave, feeling the warmth of the fire nearby as he tried to take in everything he’d just experienced. The cave was quiet except for the crackling of flames, and Alira moved with practiced ease as she began gathering small pouches from her pack.

Alira looked over at him, her expression warm. “You must be starving. That fight took a toll on you. Let me make you something to eat,” she said, glancing at his disheveled state with a slight smirk. “You look like you could use it.”

Eli let out a small, grateful laugh. “Yeah… I’m not used to nearly getting mauled by…whatever those things were.”

Alira chuckled softly as she stirred the pot over a smaller fire. “Kash’tar, yes. Caelum has all manner of creatures, some friendly, some…less so.”

She sprinkled in a handful of herbs, a subtle, earthy aroma filling the cave. As she worked, she glanced up at him. “You’re lucky. Most visitors who arrive from other realms find themselves…lost in ways mana cannot always mend.”

Eli raised an eyebrow, curiosity sparking. “So, how did you find me? Or maybe…why did you decide to help?”

She paused, as if considering her answer. “The mana itself led me to you. A few nights ago, I felt a shift in Caelum’s energy, something unusual. It was…like hearing a faint call in the distance, a new presence.” She added a few more ingredients, her voice calm but reflective. “And then, just yesterday, I had a vision—a stranger from another world, fractured and alone. I could feel your spirit, your grief, though I didn’t yet understand it. And then, your name, whispered on the wind. Eli.”

Eli’s eyes narrowed, “It…knew my name?”

She nodded, stirring the pot as if recalling the memory. “Yes. Mana can reach across realms. It doesn’t happen often, but when a spirit from another world connects with ours, Caelum can sense it. It led me to you. I traveled without rest, following the pull of your energy, trusting that I’d reach you in time.”

Eli watched her work, a strange feeling settling over him. It was a mixture of wonder and gratitude, realizing how far she’d come to help him. “That sounds… intense. And you’ve done this before?”

Her gaze softened. “Yes, in ways. Though it’s been some time since Caelum asked me to guide someone from another realm. I’d…almost forgotten what it felt like.” She paused, stirring thoughtfully. “But you are different. I knew the moment I saw you.”

Eli blinked, feeling both unsettled and oddly comforted. “Different how?”

Alira offered a small, knowing smile. “For one thing, I’ve never seen mana adapt itself so directly to a visitor. You’re from a place with no connection to Caelum, yet the mana has chosen to tailor itself to you, even pulling elements from your past to help you transition.” Her eyes twinkled with a bit of humor. “This… ‘HUD’ you speak of, for instance—it’s completely unique. The mana must have sensed your spirit’s needs, using what felt natural to you.”

He chuckled in amazement. “This whole…HUD thing is crazy. I mean I can see my health, and then this purple orb thing, which I guess is my mana?”

Alira paused mid-stir, eyes widening. “Purple? Are you certain?” She looked at him with genuine curiosity, her voice dropping. “Purple mana is something I’ve never encountered.”

He looked up, surprised by her reaction. “Uh, yeah. Its floating right here—” he pointed to his field of vision, knowing she couldn’t see it. “It’s this faint purple color that has a pulse to it sometimes. It’s not health, as the health bar is green and above it.”

Alira’s expression shifted from curious to intrigued, her gaze sharpening as she studied him. “Purple,” she repeated thoughtfully. “In Caelum, different colors of mana signify different strengths, purposes, even origins. Green mana flows through the plants and forests, blue mana is tied to water and healing. Red is often…well, it tends to be dangerous, connected to volcanic areas and raw power. I’ve seen all of these, even gold, which is extremely rare.” She paused, her brow furrowing. “But purple? That’s one I’ve never encountered.”

Her voice took on a quieter, almost reverent tone. “Colors often reflect purpose and origin. Purple is…different. Neither the Preserver nor the Reformer wield it. It lies outside the balance of the world as we know it.” Eli shifted in his chair, glancing at her,

"Reformer and Preserver?" Alira nodded, "We can get into that later, after you have eaten and rested." "Okay" Eli said, "So... does that make this purple mana good or.... bad?" Eli looked at her, processing this.

Alira smiled, her expression shifting into something thoughtful, almost wistful. “Mana is only a force, Eli. It’s neither good nor bad on its own—it’s in how people wield it that meaning arises.” She paused, gazing into the pot as if lost in a memory. “I’ve known good people who used what others would call dark magic, and very bad people who used whatever power they could get their hands on, even magic some would consider pure.”

Her voice softened, and her gaze drifted, as if she were seeing something distant, something painful. “I’ve seen many things, but the destruction of my village…” She looked away, stirring the pot absentmindedly. “I lost everyone to the corruption mana can inflict on individuals. It’s strange,” she added softly, almost to herself. “I’ve thought more about that time in the last two days than I have in years.”

Eli’s heart sank slightly, realizing how deep her understanding of magic’s consequences went. He wanted to ask more, to understand her story, but there was a quiet sorrow in her expression that told him now wasn’t the time.

Just then, Alira finished cooking, and she poured the warm stew into a bowl, handing it to him. “Here, eat this. It’ll help you regain your strength.”

He took it, grateful, inhaling the earthy aroma. “Thank you. And…thank you for everything else. I can’t imagine how lost I’d be without you.” Alira offered a gentle smile, her eyes softening. “You are welcome Eli, but thank the Mana, I’m simply following where it leads.” Her voice held a hint of tenderness. “And remember what I said—mana itself is a gift, neither good nor evil. It’s up to each of us to choose what we make of it.”

Eli sat back against the strange magical chair Alira had conjured, slowly working his way through the bowl of stew. The rich, earthy flavor warmed him from the inside, but his attention drifted to something far less grounded—the strange interface that lingered just at the edge of his vision.

As he ate, his eyes flicked toward the faint glow of the HUD. It hovered subtly in his field of view, waiting. The longer he concentrated on it, the clearer it became, like fog lifting to reveal a hidden landscape. More icons faded into existence, emerging with a faint shimmer that felt oddly satisfying.

Next to his health bar, which pulsed gently in vibrant green, was the curious purple mana orb. It hovered quietly at the end of the green bar, rotating slowly as if it were testing his attention. The color seemed to deepen when he stared at it, the edges flickering faintly like distant lightning. Yet, as he continued to focus, a strange sensation settled over him—like the orb was meant to open, but something held it back. A faint, almost imperceptible shimmer surrounded it, like a lock waiting to be undone.

Eli narrowed his eyes. “Locked, huh? Figures.” He poked at the air with his spoon as if that would change something. “I swear, if this thing needs some obscure key hidden in the middle of nowhere...”

Alira glanced up from across the fire, raising an eyebrow. “Talking to yourself already? Caelum really is rubbing off on you quickly.”

Eli smirked without looking her way. “Hey, if I start arguing with myself, that’s when you worry.”

Her eyes twinkled with amusement. “I’ll keep that in mind. What are you staring at so intently?”

“My HUD,” he replied, gesturing vaguely in front of him. “It’s like…a minimalist interface. Health bar, a map icon in the corner, even a quest tracker. Feels like something out of a game.”

Her gaze lingered on him thoughtfully. “Mana adapting to a visitor’s needs isn’t unheard of, but I’ve never seen it craft something so... intricate.”

His focus shifted to the glowing scroll icon, and with a flourish, the quest log opened. He read the glowing script aloud. “Explore the Forest of Ash and Journey to the Heart Spring.”

Alira’s stirring slowed. “The Heart Spring?” she repeated softly, her voice carrying a note of wonder. “That’s... curious.”

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Eli glanced at her, sensing the shift in her tone. “Curious good or curious ‘let’s not do that’?”

Alira hesitated, “The Heart Spring is a myth to most in Caelum. A place said to be where mana itself was born. Many believe it’s just a story—a legend passed down through the ages.” Her eyes softened with quiet conviction. “But I believe it’s real.”

Eli raised an eyebrow. “So, it’s basically your version of the Fountain of Youth?”

She frowned slightly, not recognizing the reference. “I don’t know this ‘fountain,’ but if it’s a tale of a place that grants great power or renewal, then yes, perhaps.”

He sighed, leaning back with exaggerated drama. “Great. I can’t get the easy quests, like 'find a lost goat' or 'collect ten berries'. No, I get sent after a magical spring no one’s ever seen. And let me guess – there’s probably some obscure key or magical trinket hidden in the most inconvenient location that unlocks this thing, isn’t there?”

Alira smiled faintly. “If the mana believes you capable of finding it, perhaps there’s more truth to the legend than I know.”

Eli chuckled. “Or it just has a twisted sense of humor. Probably likes watching me suffer while I try to figure out where to find the key.”

“Possibly,” she admitted, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. “Or perhaps it’s nudging you toward something greater than you realize.”

Eli tilted his head, giving her an exaggeratedly skeptical look. “You are really leaning into this wise guide thing,” he said, a grin tugging at his lips.

Alira raised an eyebrow, putting her belongings back into her bag. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Oh, definitely. Very mystical of you,” Eli teased, leaning forward. “Next thing I know, you’ll be giving me vague advice that only makes sense after everything’s gone horribly wrong.”

Alira laughed openly this time, shaking her head. “I promise, I’ll try to give you fair warning—when I can.”

Eli tilted his head, giving her an exaggeratedly skeptical look. “Well, that’s reassuring. I’ll take whatever luck I can get at this point.”

She chuckled, her voice light and genuine. “I will try to help to keep luck at a minimal need, but I am guessing you will learn quite a bit before you are done. And a little bit of luck doesn’t hurt.”

Eli rolled his eyes, smirking. “Yeah, I’ll make sure to keep a rabbit’s foot handy.”

Alira’s brow furrowed, and she tilted her head, looking genuinely puzzled. “Rabbit? I don’t think I know that word. Is it…a creature of your world?”

Eli paused mid-bite, blinking. “Wait, you’ve never seen a rabbit? They’re…small, fluffy animals with big ears. Hop around. Super cute. It’s a thing where I’m from.” He chuckled, but a thought suddenly struck him. “Hold on…how are we even understanding each other? You’ve never seen a rabbit, but we’re having this whole conversation just fine.”

Alira’s expression shifted from curiosity to faint amusement. “Interesting question. Most people from other realms speak only in fragments here. But you…you’ve spoken as if you were born here.”

Just as Eli opened his mouth to respond, a soft glow flashed in his HUD, and a new notification appeared at the edge of his vision. He focused on it, and the screen expanded, revealing a message.

**New Ability Discovered: Language Barrier**

*This ability allows you to speak any language and understand all spoken languages and writings in Caelum. *

Eli stared at the message. “Well, that explains it.” He pointed to the air in front of him, where only he could see the screen. “According to this…thing, I’ve got a new ability. Apparently, I can understand and speak any language here.”

Alira looked intrigued, eyes shining with interest. “How remarkable. It seems Caelum truly is adapting itself to you. I’ve never known anyone to receive a ‘gift’ of language like that.”

Eli let the moment hang in the air, tapping the edge of his bowl thoughtfully. “Well, I guess I’m just lucky like that,” he said with a smirk, setting the bowl aside. “Though, if Caelum really is personalizing things for me, I’d appreciate a little more gear and a little less mystery.”

Alira smiled knowingly. “Sometimes the mystery is the gift.”

Eli groaned playfully. “See, there you go again with the wise guide stuff.” He stretched his arms overhead, eyes drifting back to the interface in front of him.

Eli shifted his focus to the small bag icon floating in the corner of his HUD. With a thought, he opened it.

The air in front of him shimmered, and a translucent panel materialized—four rows by eight columns, faintly glowing and filled with a soft, swirling mist. The inventory grid hovered at chest level, its edges flickering slightly, as if the entire thing wasn’t fully anchored to reality. Eli could see the forest beyond through the semi-transparent interface. His eyes widened. “Whoa… okay, that’s insane.” The entire display glowed faintly, and the objects inside—well, object, singular—were rendered in crisp, 3D detail.

Alira slowed, her brow furrowing as she glanced back at him. “Something wrong?”

His jaw dropped slightly. “Okay, this is seriously cool.” Alira tilted her head, watching the process with curiosity. “What are you doing?” Eli glanced at her, grinning despite himself. “Opening my inventory. You know, dimensional storage. Apparently, I have one built into my HUD.” He paused, letting out a low whistle. “I’ve played enough D&D to know this kind of thing is ridiculously rare. Even for magic.”

“You understand the concept?” Alira asked, stepping closer.

Eli nodded, still staring at the grid. “Yeah, kinda. Think of it like a pocket dimension that only I can access. But seeing it in real life—or whatever this is—hits different. It’s one thing to describe it on a character sheet. It’s another to use it.”

He reached out experimentally, his fingers skimming over the misty grid. As his hand hovered over the only object present—a small gray orb sitting in the second row—he could rotate it in three dimensions, as if the stone existed in physical space but was trapped inside the screen.

“Okay… this is wild,” Eli muttered, leaning in to examine the stone.

“I guess I just… pull stuff out?” Eli reached toward the screen. The mist seemed to ripple under his fingers as his hand passed into the translucent interface. From the outside, Alira watched as his arm disappeared, vanishing into thin air.

Her eyes widened slightly. “Dimensional storage… without a physical bag? That’s—” She paused, a hint of disbelief creeping into her tone. “I’ve only seen such things wielded by Diamond-tier users.”

“Well, I’m definitely not that.” The moment he grabbed it, his HUD flashed.

[Traveler’s Stone]

Mana Rank: Unknown

Attuned to: Eli Thompson

Current Status: Active

Mode: Guidance

Guidance Location: Heart Spring of Caelum

Eli’s eyes widened. “Well, that’s new.” Eli’s eyes narrowed as he read the words of each line out loud.

Alira leaned closer. “Your HUD tells you the item’s properties when you touch it?”

“Apparently,” Eli said, still eyeing the details. “This thing knows my name. That’s not creepy at all.”

Alira’s expression shifted from curiosity to something more serious. She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Eli, listen carefully. That ability—the one that lets you see the properties of objects—that is not something you should speak of openly.”

Eli raised an eyebrow. “Why? It’s just a tooltip. Feels pretty standard-issue for video game logic.”

Alira shook her head. “No. In Caelum, only highly trained mages—scholars who have studied for decades—can decipher the nature of magical items. Even then, they rely on tools and rituals to uncover an object’s properties. What you just did… you bypassed all of that with a touch.”

Eli glanced at the stone, then back at her. “Okay, but why is that a big deal?”

“Because,” Alira said, her voice lowering further, “many would kill for such an ability. To identify rare artifacts instantly—without tools or preparation—is something only a handful of people in this world can claim. There are entire factions in Caelum built around artifact discovery. To be able to see the nature of magic without aid is unheard of, even among the strongest mages. The few I’ve met who could do such a thing were Diamond-tier users, and even then, it was rare. You arrived here yesterday, and already you’ve displayed abilities that are beyond anything I’ve seen from beginners—or even seasoned warriors. A dimensional storage without a physical item to anchor it—now this…Eli, even one of these powers would draw attention. But together?” She shook her head. “The combination is unlike anything I have ever encountered.”

Eli exhaled slowly, gripping the Traveler’s Stone a little tighter. “Well, that’s… comforting.”

Alira’s expression softened slightly. “I am not saying this to scare you. But you must understand—power in Caelum is sought after. And not all who seek it do so with good intentions.”

Eli managed a smirk, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Good to know. I’ll keep the magical inventory tricks to a minimum in public.”

Alira gave a small nod. “That would be wise.”

“So” Eli said trying not to think of giant magical creatures in prisoning him just for him to touch weird magic things, “this stone thingy is a magical compass. Or a GPS.”

Alira tilted her head. “A what?”

“GPS…” you know, “Guidance…um…guided…hmm…GLOBAL…person…pop…Positioning…you know what it doesn’t matter. Magical compass is what we will go with.”

Alira just stared at him, “Your world seems odd.” Eli looked at her perplexed. “My world is odd? I have been here for like 12 minutes and have a mana guide in my head, I can pull magical compasses out of nowhere and I am about to go travel to some magical Fountain of Springs, oh and all the while being guided by quest like I am in a video game…which I am not going to explain what that is again.”

Alira smirked, “OK, you have a point. Finish your stew and we will start following your magical compass to your TV games.” Eli was about to correct her statement, but shook his head and stuck the Traveler’s Stone back into his inventory. He picked his bowl back up and his HUD sent him a message that gave him the properties of the bowl and the stew.

[Clay Bowl – Common]

Crafted by hand. Durable but unremarkable.

Durability: 48/50

Enchantment: None

[Wooden Spoon – Common]

Crafted by hand. Durable but unremarkable.

Durability: 19/20

Enchantment: Smooth

[Wildroot Stew – Minor Restoration]

Ingredients:

• Wildroot Herb – Restores stamina over time. Slightly bitter.

• Ashcap Mushrooms – Common in the Ash Forest. Mildly boosts focus.

• Riverleaf Broth – Enhances natural healing properties. Sweet, earthy flavor.

Effect: Restores 15 Stamina over 5 minutes.

Taste Rating: 7/10

Potentially Harmful: No poison or unknown properties present.

Eli took a deep breath, and took a bite of his stew.

Eli’s attention focused on the icon below his inventory icon, a compass that had a 3D look to it. As he focused on it a globe expanded into his view.

Alira watched as his head subtly tilted, “You look like someone peering through a window no one else can see,” she noted with quiet curiosity.

“That’s... not a bad description, actually.” Eli rotated the floating globe slightly. “I have a map, or globe of Caelum, most of it’s fogged over except for the trail we took to get here.” “The world opens as you explore,” Alira said softly. “Much like how Caelum reveals itself to those who seek it.”

Eli let out a quiet laugh. “You know, you’re really leaning into the whole ‘wise guide’ vibe.”

She smirked, returning to her stew. “Someone has to keep you grounded.”