It was tough to sleep between the snoring room of strangers and the [System] menus drawing my gaze. I still imagined what level I would’ve been if I hadn’t been setback by the Creator. The magic I could have cast would have set this whole world to a blaze. Maybe the gods knew I would. Maybe that’s why… I had laid in my bed staring and twirling my ring long enough. It was time to face the day.

Beams of sunlight shone through the filthy window, illuminating particles of dust floating in the air. I disturbed their tranquil peace when I exited the bunkhouse and gained my footing in the lobby. The elf had been relieved by a drowsy dwarf who currently slept on his propped-arm. I would’ve stepped out into the city for a bite or bath by now, but there was a curious crowd that formed in the lobby. I overheard little, and cared less, until one of the members came up to me. He was a half-orc, a more grayish hue than me, but around my age with a bushy mustache.

“Hey, you’re a hybrid too, right? We’re having a meeting at Aluwa Manor around noon later.”

“A meeting? What about?”

“Our fate in this world. Be there.”

It was his final words before he and the rest of the crowd walked out of the inn. I knew not what to make of it. Is this similar to when the gods sent us to the Arena? No, I thought. If that was the case, they wouldn’t be making us walk.

Don and Elix were tired as ever. They fought and kicked with all their might to stay in their bunks like children crying to skip school. But after promising them food and manipulating their curiosity about the contents of the meeting, I shoved them out of the inn.

Out of seven silver pieces for our brunch, we feasted while we walked. None of us knew where this ‘Aluwa Manor’ was but the mass gathering of people trotting down the road like a parade made it obvious where we were supposed to go. Hybrids of every bloodline and status wandered the cobbled streets of Hubloc. I was lucky to have heard of the meeting that commenced, otherwise I would’ve thought we were all fleeing something.

The manor was as large as a concert hall. Sandstone arches, iron gates, trimmed shrubbery, and sparkling fountains lined the sides as we entered. Our eyes had to adjust once we were past the great doors. The first thing my eyes fixated to were the steel pikes in the palms of the full-bloods. I counted over 20 of them before a salt and peppered half-beast yelled in my ears.

“Find your seat on one of the pillows on the floor!”

“What’s with the guards?” I asked.

The beast’s voice lowered dramatically once he broke the repetitive command. “Don’t worry about it. It’s for our safety and yours. Just keep your daggers in your sheaths and arrows in your quivers.” And then his voice shot up again. “Keep it moving! We’re beginning shortly!”

Dark. Humid. Musty. Crowded. Noisy. Claustrophobic. My senses were at the brink of collapse and all I could think of was the fastest exit out of here. They were put at ease when we found our velvety cushioned seats on the ground, but it was still hell. All of the hybrids sat in a circle around a lady half-dwarf who stood in the middle, guiding others to vacant seats.

“Reminds me of a school assembly,” Elix muttered.

“Yeah, except everyone here has a knife on their hip,” Don said.

“Sounds like school to me,” I said.

“That’s because you grew up in Morsyth, Missouri!” Don exclaimed. “You country bumpkin.”

“Shush. I think they’re starting,” Elix said.

The dwarf stayed standing while all others sat around her. We gazed at her erratic amethyst eyes and her twirling blond braided hair as she looked over us. She gasped a deep breath, and then spoke aloud in a kind but determined voice. “Welcome to Aluwa Manor! I’m Maybry, and here is Sampson.” She gestured for the gray-skinned orc that I saw in the lobby to stand. He took a quick bow before sitting back down. “And the grumpy one who has been yelling at you all is Jackal.” The beast rose slothfully with the help of Maybry’s hand and gazed at the congregation before disappearing into the crowd with a huff.

“We are the ones who organized this meeting. But this couldn’t have been possible without our sensible and gracious Mr. Golewin for accepting us into his home.” With an open hand, she pointed to the aged elf toward the back of the room. He sat on a dais that rose three feet above our head with guards surrounding him. I couldn’t make out any expression or facial features except for the pointed ears that protruded from silver strands of hair that reflected the light.

“Thank you all for coming and spreading the word. This manor will now serve as a commonplace for all of us that were once-human. But understand that we are still human. No matter the world. No matter what fiends and foes that are outside this door. No matter what the mirror reflects or what your mind thinks. You are still human. Our lives have changed forever. What once was medieval history to us has turned into the present-day. But do not let Carrion frighten you. Learn from it, live in it, use it. But do not fear it. For we are all together in this mess. This meeting is the first stepping stone and it shall be the first of many to dam the rushing river that is our chaotic lives. Let us make sense of it all in this ‘House of Wisdom,’ if you wish to call it, and come together to solve any and all problems we now face.”

Maybry let out a deep exhale and sat down. The majority of the crowd nodded, some snapped, others exclaimed their own opinions of Carrion in profane and vulgar language. It wasn’t long until Sampson rose from his cushion to speak, disrupting the crowd before it took life of its own.

“Now, for the first order of business. One that is on everyone’s mind… How do we get back to Earth? And honestly? I don’t know if we can.”

Immediately the crowd started grumbling. What once were nods turned into the shaking of heads in dismay. Sampson allowed the people to groan but signaled with his hands when it was time for him to continue.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Unless some of you are rocket scientists who can build a rocket out of sand and magic, then I believe we’re stuck here until we find an alternative.”

Before the crowd voiced their frustration, Maybry arose again to quell them. “But don’t fret!” she exclaimed. “We can make this world a temporary residence for now. Although we have lost all our homes, we did not lose each other. They say that your home is where your family is, and thankfully, some of you have already found yours. For the rest of us, it is our number one priority! I have a son that I’ve been stripped away from! I had a home! Friends! Neighbors! I do not know if everyone has been sent to Carrion, but if they have, I need a way to find them. And Mr. Golewin and the three of us have discussed how to do so. We drafted a concept to create Manifests. These are not for ships, but for each other. Written accounts, managed by volunteers, to track the comings and goings of all who wish to be reunited with their loved ones. If we do this, we won’t need to feel trapped in this Hub of Hybrids. We’ll be able to explore this new world and settle where we please. I for one am tired of the sand.”

Slight chuckles and gruffs were had but few still held contempt for it all and saw no solutions to our problems be present. I, of course, knew of a solution we could try to escape this world, but how would we even begin that?

One man stood from the rest of the seated. “So you want us to leave Hubloc?”

Another rose. “Who the hell put you all in charge anyway!?”

The bitter mass of hybrids voiced all of their frustrations at once. Leaving no room for reason or understanding. Some began to stand, stepping their way to the doors.

“No one is telling you to leave!” Maybry shouted. “All of us have a voice here! If any of you have a reasonable solution to tell us how to survive in this world, then do it! Hubloc is growing too fast. Each one of you has seen the crowded inns. Streets are slept upon. People are robbed! Held for ransom! Vendors are overworked and are running out of stock! This world was not prepared for us! Our time has just begun and already I am seeing the culture divide between the locals and hybrids. They will cast us out if we do not adapt! They will resist our pilgrimages to Hubloc soon, so we must find our loved ones while we can. And these Manifests, these ledgers, are one way to find all other humans who are lost out there!”

The people quieted and sat back down. Except for one. He stood like a stone in the sea of people. Everyone looked to the young hybrid, cautious of how he’d change the tide of bubbling emotions. “What do you want us to do? he asked.

Maybry sighed in relief and let Sampson take the helm. The orc raised a hefty ledger full of lined pages. “First, we’ll make ledgers just like this one for anyone to sign and read through. This will document to others that you have been transported to Carrion. Put your full name, as it was on Earth, and last home address. You may even write where you currently reside or plan on moving to so that others may come looking for you.”

Another hybrid stood. “What if—”

And Jackal did too. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to!”

The hybrid quietly sat back down.

“Got debts? Enemies? Want to make something new for yourself?” Jackal asked, looking at each of us. “Then don’t bother with it! My mindset is that you leave Earth shit back on Earth. Don’t any of you dare to bring it here! It was already a hellhole and this world is a mess as it is. I don’t need to worry about a goddamn credit score while I’m trying not to get eaten by direwolves!”

Maybry and Sampson both took the attention of the room. With all three standing, it was easy to tell who the leaders of the hybrids would be for now. But it was still early, and much of Carrion has yet to have been seen.

Sampson raised his book in the air, “If you want to explore the world or feel like Hubloc has dried up all your aspirations. Come talk to us after the meeting.”

“And if you want to document yourself in the ledgers we currently have prepared, then please go to the stations down the hall past the observatory,” Maybry said. “And remember, this is only one issue of many! We’ll be having plenty more meetings in the near future. In the meantime, feel free to visit here regularly and converse amongst yourselves. Bring forth ideas on how to make this world a better place for all hybrid-kind We’re in this together!”

Droves of people stood with creaking knees and left the manor with either grumbles or inspiration. Others spoke with another and discussed what they heard. The three of us stood seated until it was cleared out enough to shuffle through the hybrids with ease. What teetered on my mind the entire time was the ancient scroll in my rucksack. If anyone had any use of it and could share the message, it’d be them. And if I had any chance of succeeding in escaping this world, it’d be with those who can organize the masses.

“We getting involved with these Manifests?” Elix asked.

“Unless someone has better ideas.”

“Could give us a better chance of finding Sage and our families,” Don said. “I wouldn’t mind signing my name.”

We went up to the leaders. I could only assume they talked about their performance or next steps, but they ceased when they saw us.

“Here to volunteer?” Maybry asked.

“You all look ready for an adventure anyway. Childhood friends I take it?” Sampson said.

“Something like that,” I said. “We’re feeling a little cooped up in this city and my pockets are crying for me to leave.”

Sampson let out an unexpected laugh, “I hear that! You’d think things would get cheaper with all these fresh faces flooding the city, but local vendors have been using the opportunity to milk us dry until everyone realizes what the true value of a silver piece is.”

“Well, I don’t know if this assignment will make your pockets any heavier, but it can give you a reason out of here. If we’re going to continue with these Manifests, we’re going to need to spread the word, and to allow every hybrid to know that their loved ones are out there. I’m not sure if you noticed but we don’t have any mailing system. So, what we’re going to need is Terminals. And to create Terminals, we need people to be surveyors, scouts, diplomats to the locals, and—”

“Killers,” Jackal muttered. “You’ll run into trouble. If not by the locals or monsters, then our own. They’ll try to take advantage any way they can. We’re setting up highways for information, not for tolls and highwaymen to collect.”

“This assignment shouldn’t be dangerous, but we advise supreme caution. We understand if you three are not up for it,” Maybry said.

I looked at Don and Elix. I know what I wanted but it was up to them if they wanted to leave Hubloc. It was understood that our prospects for fortune were dwindling. However, I was unsure if they would accept this quest when it didn’t offer any materialistic reward.

Donovan shrugged, “If you’re down, I’m down.”

Elix let out a long and exaggerated sigh, “As long as I can get my practice in.”

“Alright then!” Maybry said excitedly. “Your quest is to go southeast toward Falvesh and go to a village on the outskirts called Vakon. It’s near a major port for the continent and on a road that migrating hybrids would easily come across. The perfect place to create a Terminal. If you can survey the area and inform any ruling locals of us setting up shop, it’d be much appreciated. After you return, we’ll begin planning and gathering materials to start building a permanent structure.”

I wrote what information was given to me under Elixir’s [System Notes]. A pen and paper would’ve been easier but I was sorely lacking. We said our departures but still my mind was begging me to show them the scroll. My feet planted where they stood. My fingers grasped the rolled parchment.

“One last thing. I think you should take a look at this. If you’re going to lead our futures, you might as well brush up on our past.”