"A while 'e says?" Grimsley jumped up to his feet and laughed. "It's been almost two years, ya cheeky sack ah shite!"

Gilbert wore an incredibly shocked expression on his face. "The both of you are... triple-S-rankers? And your tails, Lone... You never mentioned either of these things during our conversations over the communication orbs, now did you?"

Lone grinned. "I figured it'd make for a better conversation in person than over the orbs. Anyway, are you guys ready to go to Mystopolis? If you are, I'll bring you two and Shana into a pocket dimension, then I'll store the ship-"

"Grelda," Grimsley corrected.

Lone shrugged. "Right, Grelda. I'll store Grelda, then Soph will teleport us back to Mystopolis."

"Wait," Gilbert demanded. "You can store something this large? I've never heard of an item bag that powerful before, and... Soph, was it? She can teleport across the entire continent?"

Grimsley whistled admiringly. "Ah kenned the lass could teleport, but that much? Ya've gotten stronger, Lassie."

Cuddling a couple of tails, Soph shyly replied, "Thanks..."

"Right, Gilbert only knew Sophie, but you only knew Soph, Grimsley. Didn't you two ever talk about her and find out about her split-personality?" Lone asked.

Gilbert scratched his cheek a bit shamefully. "In truth, what with his accent, I assumed he was simply shortening her name like he does with every other second word... Ahem, anyway, we can have a long chat about this back in civilisation, yes? I'm more than tired of this blasted ocean and at looking at that ridiculously large barrier."

"Barrier?" Soph muttered in question as she followed Gilbert's pointed finger.

in the distance, a bright green barrier was almost all that the eye could see.

Grimsley stroked his braided beard as he said, "That's the north'rn coast ah the Monster Continent. Ya nev'r 'eard ah the great barrier afore?"

Lone nodded. "I have. It's beautiful, and incredible. I've just never seen it since Altros is so large. I mean, there are thousands of miles between Central Teresta and the Monster Continent, so it'd be weirder if I had seen it. Granted, it's so large and it has an ancient enchantment on it that draws in monsters, but anything that enters the barrier cannot exit it regardless of species or race, so I've always wanted to visit it since I'm a historian at heart."

A small smirk crept up onto Lone's face as he shook his head. "I've been too busy to bother. I'm sure I'll go see it up close in the future. I mean, it's rumoured that an Ancient is trapped in there, but it's been so long since the barrier was created, that no one's really sure if the Ancient really is in there or not. If that isn't a reason to spark my inner history-nut, then what the fuck would be?"

Grimsley and Gilbert both chuckled at that.

"Huh..." Soph was very interested in the massive dome off in the distance since barriers were one of her specialities. "I wonder if an old hero made it?"

Gilbert agreed with that line of thought. "That's the general consensus. After all, who but a hero could have a skill mightly enough to create a barrier like that? Not to mention the fact that it seems to be incredibly strong and resistant to the wears of time. Although, recent studies suggest that it might be getting weaker."

Grimsley shrugged. "That's naw an issue fer oor lifetime. it's got a few hundred-thousand-years left ah reckon. Anyways, ah'll go wake up Shana then we can leave, awright?"

"Thanks. I appreciate that. As much as I like the ocean air, I'd rather be busying myself instead of lazing about on a ship," Lone replied.

"Grelda," Grimsley mumbled under his breath as he wandered below deck.

"Right, Grelda," Lone replied in an apologetic tone.

He and Gilbert then made conversation as Soph immersed herself in Lone's supreme fluffiness. In truth, there wasn't an awful lot for the two men to talk about as the girl amused herself.

Lone made sure to contact Gilbert, Grimsley, and Shana, at least once every week or two, so he could only tell the White Dragonkin about his recent adventure with the three Seven Deadly Sins and his advancements in his soul arts.

Perhaps 5-minutes passed before Shana and Grimsley came back up on deck. Seeing Soph, Shana rushed up to her and gave her a hug. "I missed you!"

Soph's cheeks flushed red. "I, uh, I missed you too..." Soph replied as she wrapped her arms around the girl that was slightly shorter than herself.

The two of them had only spoken a handful of times ever since they left Milindo. Lone was partially at fault for contacting them when she was asleep just before he was about to join her in bed, however, she was also to blame for simply not staying awake a bit longer on the nights that Lone connected their orbs.

Lone smiled. "Well, now that everyone's here, would you all mind stepping through this portal?" he asked as he touched the anvil and furnace necklace hanging around his neck. "Don't mind the massive Rock Dragon in the field or any people you might meet. They're all friends of mine."

Gilbert sulked as he said, "I'm not a fan of those stupid beasts, but if it's your friend, I suppose I can give it a chance."

"Ya tamed a dragon? Well, hearin' it fae someone 'at kill'd a human hero then only went an' manag'd tae flee the infamous Duke Henry Malik makes it a lot more believable, fer sure," Grimsley replied as he walked into the portal without even so much as a hint of fear on him.

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"One of his daughters is a dragon too," Shana reminded as she kept a warm smile on her face and followed her uncle and her teacher into The Glade.

"'Kay, Soph, I'm gonna store the ship, so come here," he ordered as he beckoned her to come closer with his hand.

Not entirely sure what he was planning, the girl did as she was told. When she was right in front of him, Lone suddenly scooped her up into his arms and kissed her. "Seeing you hug Shana got me all jealous. Petty huh? Lemme squeeze you for a minute before we do anything else."

"Lone..." Soph felt her entire face heat up. She wrapped her arms around Lone's neck and smiled softly. "I love you."

"I love you too, you cute little ball of perfection," Lone responded as he rubbed his nose against hers.

A few moments later, he stored the ship, Grelda. Using his Sky Walking to avoid dropping into the ocean, He waited for Soph to create a barrier and sit on it before he handed her The Glade's key and entered the pocket dimension himself.

Without wasting a single moment, Soph left the northern ocean after one final look at the massive barrier which covered the entire monster continent. "Remembrance Teleportation."

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Stepping out of The Glade, Gilbert, Shana, and Grimsley looked around in awe at how over-the-top expensive everything looked in Lone and Soph's hotel suite.

"I bet it feels nice to be back in a real room, huh?" Lone teased as he settled on a sofa. Soph promptly occupied his lap and cuddled a handful of his tails.

"Ye'r tellin' me," Grimsley agreed. "Where is this anyways, Laddie?"

"We're in Madam Cortelle's Palace of Rest," Lone answered as he rested his chin on Soph's very comfortable head. "As for the country and city, like I've already said in our past communications, Falron, Mystopolis."

"Ah've heard ah the place afore." Grimsley scratched his beard and looked out of a window down onto the magically lit streets of Mystopolis. "Ma great uncle lives 'ere. 'E told me all aboot the city - this place included, during the last hoose gatherin'."

Gilbert nodded. "Similarly, my uncle Brahman told me about Madam Cortelle's Palace of Rest since he had the chance to stay in one of the ruby suites during a visit to the local Soul Hall. What level of suite is this, by the way?"

"We're in a diamond suite," Lone said and smirked upon seeing Gilbert's shock and Shana's amazement. "Anyway, speaking of your uncle, Grimsley, I actually know him. I was thinking of having him take you and Shana in while Gilbert, I'll let Sarah take care of you."

"Ya ken Uncle Frodley?" Grimsley asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You're acquainted with the grand guildmaster?" Gilbert asked at practically the exact same time.

Lone smiled. "Yes, and yes. Let's go meet them, shall we? It's a bit late, but I'm sure they won't care considering who it is that'll be bothering them."

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Lifting his goggles to rest on his forehead and batting the sparky flames out of his beard, Frodley Goldsbane looked at his apprentice who had interrupted him mid-forging. "What'd ya say? I couldnae hear ya over the sound ah me workin'," he said sarcastically with a very unimpressed tone.

Blacksmithing was sacred to him, so being disturbed while he in the middle of doing it never sat well with the dwarf. His upset was only multiplied since it was one of his apprentices that'd done it and not some clueless fool that had somehow stumbled into his private forge. As rare as that was, it did happen occasionally.

"Um, Master Frodley, I know I should never bother you unless it's an emergency, but, em, well, it is an emergency..." the timid human man answered as he smiled wryly.

Sighing, Frodley put his hands on his knees then roughly stood up. He threw his gloves on his stool then asked, "Aye then, what's the emergency?"

"I think I am," a familiar voice said as a head with two golden foxy ears peaked through the door.

"Lone? What the fook 're ye doin' 'ere?" Frodley asked with genuine shock in his grizzled voice.

The apprentice looked angered upon seeing Lone open the door and slowly step into the forge. "I told you and your friends to wait outside! You can push other people around, but not us! I was already being kind to you by bothering my master, but no- Ow!"

"Can ye'r blatherin', ya fookin' numpty!" Frodley shouted after smacking his apprentice on the backs of his knees with a hammer, making the man fall over and moan in pain. "Lone's a friend an' a valuable tradin' partner, so dinnae go an' gae 'im a mouthful on ma behalf, ya hear?"

"Y-Yes, Master Frodsley..." the man answered as his eyes teared up and he gripped the backs of his knees tightly.

"Aye, 'at's ma great uncle awright," a younger but just as course voice said. Stepping into the room with Shana by his side, Grimsley showed a big toothy grin to his relative. "S'been a while, huh, Frod?"

"Grim? An' wee Shana anaw?" Frodley expression quickly morphed into one which could only be described as 'over the moon'.

He quickly hugged both Grimsley and Shana, covering them in his filth. Smithing wasn't easy, but it also wasn't very hygienic. "Lone, ah've nae clue 'ow ya got 'em oot ah the Northe'n Ocean, but bless yer 'eart ye'r a good man. I trust ya wan' me tae look after the bairns then, aye? They're ma blood, after all, so leave it tae me."

"Thanks," Lone replied as he tried his best to recall a few of the words that he'd just heard. 'Bairns was kids, right? I haven't heard that in fuckin' forever. Dwarves are just a font of nostalgia, huh?'

"Hahaha," Gilbert laughed. "You, a bairn? That's hilarious. How old were you again, Grimsley? 50? 60?"

The dwarf in question grunted. "Shut yer trap. Frod's got a solid 400-years an me, so 'e can call me a babby fer all ah care."

Lone smiled. "Right, well, I'll leave you guys to it then. I need to go visit Grand Guildmaster Sarah now with this cheeky old goat."

Gilbert's cheeks turned red. "I'm not that old. True, I've awakened once, but my wrinkles aren't that visible, are they?"

"A clear as crystal, Laddie." Frodley picked up a towel and used it to wipe down his hands and face. "But aye, like ah said, leave it tae me, Lone, an' thanks. Grim's ma and pa'll be chuffed to 'ear 'e's safe again. Shana anaw."

Lone nodded. "I'm happy to have helped. He and Shana are both valuable friends of mine."

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On the second floor of the Adventurer's Guild, Sarah grinned from ear-to-ear as she watched Soph cautiously hide from her behind some of Lone's tails.

"Even though ye're really cute, I ain't gonna just gobble ya up or something. I respect Patches, so I wouldn't make a pass at his woman just because she acts like a wary rabbit," Sarah said then chugged a pint of ale.

Gilbert sighed and shook his head. "I forgot how frank you could be, Grand Guildmaster."

"And I forgot how old you looked. So, you awakened when you were fleeing Milindo, huh?" Sarah casually asked.

Gilbert nodded his head and stroked his goatee. "It was a very fight or flight moment. Almost dying at the hand of Henry Malik - a human who was not a man within my capabilities to beat, resulted in my emotions easily getting the better of me. I'm just glad that I awakened to Death, a fairly impassive Primal, and not a wildcard like Darkness." He glanced over at Lone and said, "No offence intended, Lone."

"No, I agree. Darkness is a cunt." Lone shrugged and continued to both cuddle Soph and eat his dinner.

'How rude, Master,' Darkness replied teasingly only to get completely ignored.

"Ahem, but yes, I was lucky to awaken to Death and smash the teleportation orb before I lost consciousness from the process," Gilbert finished.

Sarah had a curious look on her face as she leaned back and slouched into her chair. "You beastkin are such a funny collection of species. I'd love to learn one day why you guys can borrow from the Primals," she glanced at Lone and added, "some, more than others."

"Some, more than they'd initially like," Lone sarcastically responded as he shoved some spaghetti in his mouth.

"Speaking about more stuff than ya'd like, now that ye're here, let's talk about the War-ranked quest and yer rewards, huh, Patches?" Sarah suggested playfully.