The Inventor...

Alana continued in a low, serious voice. "According to Saint, shortly after The Sage left Anoura strange things started happening. At first, they thought it was random. A new dungeon appearing, an old dungeon being destroyed, a library being burned, a king going missing, an Immortal dying on a routine mission. Hundreds of individual incidents spanning over two thousand years. Seemingly unconnected. Over time, Saint noticed a pattern. Someone was targeting people and places trying to accomplish the very things you spoke of."

Kelsey lifted her head, paying close attention to what the Queen was saying.

"Saint watched as the world changed, nearly every shred of influence her father had on Anoura being stripped away day by day. Information about magic, the system, and classes were lost to time. Many Immortals were killed, dropping dead in the middle of streets, and eventually, every single person with a Mageblood body, or that knew the ritual was killed." Alana said, her voice dripping with sadness and regret.

"Are you saying that I'm going to be targeted by some mysterious demigod?" Kelsey asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Alana shook her head. "We have some time... The real crux of this is that The Inventor hasn't been seen in eighty years."

Kelsey's eyes opened in horror. "Are you saying..."

"Yes. The Inventor is responsible for you, and every other person from Earth being brought here against your will." Alana finished gravely. "At least, we're pretty sure of it."

A sense of hopelessness filled Kelsey as she realized that she was nothing more than a pawn in someone else's game. Just one small part of some bigger plan. Why? What purpose could this asshole possibly have for bringing us here?

She briefly ran through some ideas in her head but couldn't come up with anything convincing. Plus, she figured Alana would have a better idea than her, but there were still a few other things she needed to ask.

"Okay, how did Saint find out who he was if he did everything from the shadows?" Kelsey asked, still trying to piece things together.

Before Alana answered the question she took in a deep breath and schooled her face. It was clear that Kelsey wasn't going to like whatever she was about to say.

"He confronted her. No one, not even The Inventor can enter the City of Ice without her permission, but he waited for over two thousand years. Waited for an emergency large enough to draw Saint out of her isolation. Eventually, he seemingly got tired of waiting so he woke up Fyre, the red dragon, and released the dragon's hate and anger on Anoura. Saint was forced to leave the protection of her citadel and confront the dragon, creating The Wardens in the process. Once the dragon was defeated, The Inventor found her, lying in wait until she was at her weakest and destroyed her Mageblood body." Alana said with a sense of finality. "He also took the opportunity to cripple her, leaving her unable to ever fight back again."

"Destroyed her Mageblood body? That's possible? Why did he leave her alive?" Kelsey asked in shock.

"Yes. Everything is possible, Kelsey. That holds doubly true for an Ascendant such as The Inventor... As for why he left her alive we can only speculate. Most of us believe it is to avoid the Sage's wrath. If he were to find out his daughter had been killed, there's no telling what he would do." Alana said, clearly unsure. "The Inventor is powerful, but I think we all pretty much agree The Sage was likely stronger at that time. No telling where the balance of power rests now."

"And you have no way to contact The Sage?" Kelsey asked in frustration.

"No. But it may not even matter. Whatever reason The Inventor has for summoning people from Earth, it has to be part of a seriously well thought out plan. Something like that draws a lot of attention from the entire planet, not just Anoura. He wouldn't do it if he didn't think he could get away with it." Alana said simply. It was clear she was frustrated and feeling somewhat hopeless about the entire situation.

Feeling like she understood the relationship between The Inventor and The Wardens, she decided to cut to the heart of the matter.

"Do you have any idea what his goal is?" Kelsey asked calmly.

"We have guesses, but no, nothing concrete. The leading theory is that your Earthly technology has something to do with it. He does call himself The Inventor after all." Alana said contemplatively.

Kelsey nodded. "Yeah, I arrived without any of my technology. I remember telling Thadius that I thought that was strange and used it as evidence that us being brought here was intentional. I had no idea how right I was."

Despite the somewhat grim news, Kelsey was feeling much better. She finally felt like she was understanding why everything in Anoura felt so strange. If any progress towards magical and societal progress was getting maliciously reset every time The Inventor felt like it, it was no wonder it felt like the world was lagging behind. Kelsey now understood that it wasn't that she was ahead of the curve, it was that the entire region was being intentionally forced behind the curve.

With her knowledge of physics from Earth, and the fact that she happened to ingest Mageblood sap before receiving her class, it was no wonder that she felt so strong compared to the people around her. The way she experienced the past year of her life is how it was 'supposed' to go.

Kelsey shook her head in disbelief as she thought through her feelings.

"You're not going to like hearing this, but The Inventor isn't even the greatest threat humanity is facing... We're not even sure he's really a threat outside of a few thousand murders here and there. As far as we can tell, his main crime has been ensuring Anoura doesn't advance too much magically. It's weird, and it definitely points to him being insane, but Saint doesn't really think he's trying to wipe out humanity or anything. We think he may want to replace Magic with technology. There is a chance that's his entire goal." Alana said, getting some of her confidence and joviality back.

Kelsey raised her eyebrow. "Why? I mean, technology on Earth was great, but it wasn't exactly as great as magic is. It just seems like it would be worse for all parties involved, The Inventor included."

Alana gave Kelsey a small smile. "You're forgetting something. Magitech. The mixing of technology and magic. It is a path that is quite common with you Otherworlders. It's possible that The Inventor follows a path similar to that one. If he were able to successfully advance science and technology, his own path would become that much stronger."

Kelsey nodded her head thoughtfully. "I think that's a pretty likely assumption... You're saying this entire thing may be nothing more than a ploy to become stronger?"

Alana laughed cynically. "Kelsey. People will do anything for power. Every few years someone pops up with a serial killer path that rewards murdering people, the more murders the better. The system doesn't care in the slightest. It doesn't reward good; it rewards following your path. It rewards breaking your limits."

Kelsey knew she was right. She had seen it for herself her entire life and it was foolish to think that magic would fix that particular human quirk. "Yeah..."

"One thing I know for sure though is that this Inventor asshole really screwing with us while we try to prepare against the other big threat." Alana said with annoyance.

Kelsey leaned back in her chair. "Let me guess, that other threat is the real thing you can't tell me about till I've sworn?"

Alana grinned. "Kelsey, I broke my Oath telling you about this. But yes, the other one is even more guarded."

"Oh? Why are you alive?" Kelsey asked without thinking.

Alana chuckled. "The Oath is not a death Oath. It is a promise in good faith. We are selective enough with who we invite that the Oath merely informs Autumn and Saint if the Oath is broken. They'll find out the moment I leave the dimension."

"I see. So, back on The Inventor. What's your plan for stopping him? I have to assume you have one..." Kelsey asked.

Alana nodded. "Yes. Our plan was to amass power in secret and take the fight to him."

Kelsey looked at the Queen with disbelief. "And? What kind of plan is 'get stronger'? How the hell do you plan to accomplish that? "

"The plan has changed after today, but it functionally revolves around collecting a group of specialized people and making a few Ascendants of our own. Now that the Mageblood ritual is back in play, our strategy will need to be adjusted accordingly." Alana said simply.

"Okay... What do you want to do with the ritual?" Kelsey asked, feeling like she wasn't understanding something important.

Alana shrugged. "Simple. In a perfect world I'd like every man woman and child in Anoura to go through the ritual. If our theory about The Inventor is correct, then he won't simply kill everyone."

Kelsey grinned. "And since that was basically my plan anyways..."

"It works out perfectly." Alana finished for Kelsey with a smile.

"What about information, magic, and the system?" Kelsey asked.

"Spread it. No more playing around. No more hiding in fear. No more pulling funding from researchers to slow the spread of information. The Wardens have access to nearly all the information people could ever need about magic in the system, it's time to make that public." Alana said confidently. "We've basically been puppets for the last few hundred years, ensuring information didn't spread to quickly so The Inventor wouldn't have reason to destroy yet another college or library."

Kelsey smiled. "Alright. What do you want me to do?"

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"I want you to join The Wardens so I can finally get to the heart of the matter." Alana said sarcastically.

Kelsey rolled her eyes. "Fine. On one condition."

"That is?" Alana asked.

"My friends and family. I want them clued in. I won't do this without them, and I don't want to lie to them forever." Kelsey said seriously.

Alana nodded her head contemplatively. "I will discuss it with the others. It's safe to assume they'll be getting True Classes anyways, correct?"

"Yes. With what I've learned today, I expect them all to be getting True Classes in the next month or so. Maybe sooner. Thadius may take slightly longer, I'm not sure." Kelsey said honestly.

"I'm sure that can be arranged. I make no promises. I have no authority to promise something like that, but I can't imagine Saint or Autumn would have a problem with it." Alana said.

Kelsey nodded. "Good. Then I accept."

Alana’s face lit up with genuine joy and excitement. It was clear she was forcing the joviality, but it was still somewhat genuine. “Great! Here you go.”

*ding* You have been offered a Blood Oath by Alana Swanson

Blood Oath:

I, Kelsey Kain, swear to always cherish and protect Anoura along with all of its inhabitants to the best of my ability. I will not knowingly share the secrets passed down to me by the members of The Wardens unless the members vote and agree to share said information.

“Is that it?” Kelsey asked, disbelief in her voice.

“Yep. Like I said, it's just a formal promise more than anything.” The Queen answered genuinely.

Kelsey quickly accepted the Oath and waited expectantly for Alana to continue her explanation.

“So, let's wrap back around. You asked why The Sage left. Well, the short answer is that he reached the Ascendant tier and left to find a solution to the climate problem on this planet.” Alana said seriously.

"A human fighting climate change, that's refreshing." Kelsey said sardonically. Not that she expected Alana to understand her comment.

Alana ignored Kelsey's comment and continued. “The rest of the planet is a frozen wasteland covered in random pockets of normal, protected climates like Anoura. The Sage himself arrived on this world in one of the other pockets. He traveled around the world and eventually settled down here in Anoura for a few hundred years, before leaving to explore the world once more in search of a solution.”

Kelsey interrupted once again. “So, the story of the Magus creating Anoura isn’t true?”

Alana nodded. “Correct. According to the notes that we do have, he didn’t have a clue why the planet was like this either.”

Kelsey motioned that she was ready for Alana to continue.

“So, now we get to why this guild still exists. Anoura has been relatively peaceful for many centuries since The Wardens were created, but there is one primary reason for our continued existence and it has very little to do with The Inventor.” Alana paused and took a very deep breath, steeling herself for what she had to say next.

“There is an eternal war being fought Kelsey. Right as we speak, out in the frozen wastes there is a war between the inhabitants of the world and a race of intelligent creatures that are called The Myrdon. They are sometimes also called Icefiends, or Demons in stories and legends. They are not monsters; they do not manifest from mana. They reproduce and spread like us… But they are anything but human. They are beings of pure anger and hate. They are more beast than anything else.” Alana shuddered. “This war has been going on since the beginning of recorded history, and as far as we can tell, it will never end.”

“If the various races out in the frozen wastes fail to hold back the hordes, we will need every single powerful Classer we can find to help in the fight. That is our true purpose. Gather power and pave the way for people to become stronger for the day our attackers come knocking at our gates.” She said seriously. "A task that has been extremely difficult thanks to The Inventor."

After pausing for a few seconds, she continued with a much lighter tone. “With you finding the secret to the Mageblood body, our goal just became much easier. People will be able to fight, and train more consistently. Permanent injuries are the single thing that holds back most Immortals.” Alana said, taking another deep breath.

“For the past two hundred and sixty years, I have been unable to fight at my full strength. Like Abby, I was injured while adventuring and unable to fulfill my duties both as Queen and as a member of The Wardens. Today, thanks to you, that has changed.” she finished, emotion clouding her voice.

Alana took a few seconds to control her emotions before continuing. “Thanks to you rediscovering the Mageblood ritual, we may actually survive this if we can also stop The Inventor from interfering."

Kelsey’s mind reeled from all of the new information at once. Her heart was thundering in her chest, and she tried to enter mediation, but remembered that she no longer had the skill. Myrdon… An eternal war. It may not be time for panicking, if this war has been going on for thousands, or tens of thousands of years, we probably have plenty of time.

“Who is winning?”

Alana smiled softly and nodded. “We are.” she answered simply. “The Myrdon aren't something you need to worry about yet. Leon sent you in the direction of the Saint, and you said you’re planning on making your own dungeon. Those are both still great ideas. There are plenty of problems to worry about here in Anoura, don’t start worrying about what’s happening out there. The Inventor is still our primary concern at the moment.”

"How strong are the Myrdon?" Kelsey asked, ignoring Alana's advice to ignore the problem.

Alana paused for several seconds, considering best how to answer the question. "The minimum requirement to join their military seems to be Immortality... Most of their captains and above are Ascendants. The frozen wastes are a dangerous place, it isn't safe for anyone except an Ascendant. Our armies both reflect that simple truth."

“What level does someone become an Ascendant?” Kelsey asked, feeling a sense of dread.

“In short, it isn't a level exactly. The best I can say is that the journey to Ascension is different for everyone. There is very little known about the process itself as each Ascension is personal and unique to the individual." Alana said simply. "I believe The Sage's journey was related to Earth in some way."

Kelsey nodded. "Alright, so. What's the full plan then? With everything on the table, what are you doing?"

Alana sighed wearily. "Well, like I said, our first goal is The Inventor. While the summonings are happening, there is a chance that he is unable to interact with Anoura. We don't know exactly how he's doing the summoning ritual, but we can assume it takes either all of his time, or the vast majority of it. That gives us an opening to bring the entirety of Anoura up to speed. Spread information, spread the Mageblood ritual, and make people strong and knowledgeable enough that it will, at the very least, be incredibly inconvenient for him to deal with."

"How long will that take?" Kelsey asked.

"At minimum, a few years. It could take as long as a few centuries depending on how some of the other nation's leaders react to this. The Wardens aren't all powerful. We still have to play the great political game. Thankfully, the King of El'Thena is a member of The Wardens too, so the Elves shouldn't be a problem." Alana said, her words uncertain.

Alana's gaze hardened and her eyes flicked towards the riverbank where Gwen and Abby were still practicing. "Saldeya and Durstang will be a problem though."

Kelsey ached an eyebrow. "Why?"

Alana's face flashed with annoyance as she thought of the two countries. "Saldeya is playing right into The Inventor's hand. Keeping their people dumb and militaristic on purpose. The Saldeyan leader, King Salance Lyarti is nothing more than a two-bit thug who wants to take over the entirety of Anoura. Thankfully, he's almost completely incompetent."

"And Durstang?" Kelsey asked.

"Dwarves. Nothing wrong with them exactly, besides the fact that they're isolationists. It'll just be difficult to spread information to them organically if their High Queen doesn't help us herself, which I can almost guarantee she won't."

Kelsey sighed. "I see. What about Kytan?"

"Their Empress, Shavon Halm is a reasonable person. She should be somewhere in the middle. I think she'll be willing to spread the information within a year or two." Alana said confidently.

Standing up, Kelsey stretched her back out. She was feeling much better now that they'd talked. She finally felt like she had a handle on things. The outlook on her future wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows, but it was something she could manage. Kelsey had always known in the back of her mind that there was something going on in Anoura, but now that she knew what she was working against she felt more motivated than ever.

More than anything, she wanted to get back out into the real world and start working on her projects. With the Mageblood ritual going public, and her being given the greenlight from Alana to make her dungeon, she was more excited than ever to get started.

“Okay. I see. Alright Alana, I hate to cut you off like this, but I'm done talking for now. Quick question. Ss there anyone in the Guild that could train me with my sword? My class seems to push me towards it, but every time I use it, I feel powerless.”

Alana barked a loud, genuine laugh. “Yes, Kelsey. Saint. That’s why Leon was sending you her way. Her full class name is Immortal Sword Saint of Winter.”

Kelsey blushed, feeling somewhat foolish at not having realized. Oh... Thanks Leon...

Kelsey ignored her embarrassment and smiled. “Great, any other world-shattering news you want to share with me?”

“Nope, that’s everything that’s important now. One thing. Autumn is our messenger. She specializes in information gathering and travel. If you ever see her, drop what you’re doing as quickly and discreetly as you can. If you see her, there is a decent chance it's important.” Alana said as she stood up and summoned her rapier.

As she saw Alana summon her rapier, she realized she was still holding the one Alana had handed her. “What’s this for by the way?” she asked.

“A symbol. Basically, it's a uniform. All the Guild Masters in Anoura have been told to recognize that rapier. If you show it to one of them, they will drop everything and help you with whatever you need. Plus, for you, it’s a brand-new material. I’m sure you’ll find some use for it.” she said, smiling as she started to walk out the door. “You can change the blade to be whatever you want, as long as you keep the design of the hilt. That rapier was actually my backup.”

Oh yeah... This is going to be awesome. She thought as she followed Queen out the door, where they stood on the balcony overlooking the small, simulated slice of the Mageblood forest.

"Speaking of materials, you don't mind if I keep paying for things with created money, right?" Kelsey asked sheepishly.

Alana chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Like you said, money is worthless. We already have a department that takes money out of the economy when a mortal stumbles on gold creation. It happens every few years. Most of them use the money to fund their way to Immortality and then head to the Immortal cities."

"Oh yeah, about the Immortal cities... What are they exactly? What are they like?" Kelsey asked.

Alana grinned playfully. "I think it would be worth seeing one for yourself. They're... different."

Kelsey grinned back. "Can't wait."

With that, Kelsey took the lead and started walking down the stairs, eager to go see what Gwen and Abby had gotten up to.