That night, Elijah didn’t sleep much. Instead, he lay awake in his incredibly comfortable bed of moss, just staring up at the gently glowing flowers on his ceiling. Bioluminescence had always fascinated Elijah, but he knew that these particular flowers were powered not by a biological process, but rather, by ethera. Still, they were an interesting case that reminded him of just how magical his world had become.

But he wasn’t thinking about that.

Instead, he found himself contemplating the future. Soon, he would completely lay Alyssa to rest. Her memory would remain with him always, but he expected that the project’s completion would feel like shutting a door. After that, he would need to move on, both because he had other obligations as well as for his own mental well-being. It wouldn’t do to dwell any longer.

What did the future hold, though?

Would he immediately set off for Seattle to uphold his end of the bargain he’d struck with Isaiah? Perhaps. Already, he’d delayed it for months, so there was no telling what he’d find when he returned to the embattled city. Hopefully, Lucy wouldn’t pay the price for his procrastination.

In addition, he had other goals on his mind. First, he’d already resolved to investigate the storm that still persisted far out to sea. Something told him that it was important, though he didn’t know precisely what form that importance might take. Then, he also needed to take care of his coffee, the cherries of which would ripen soon enough. That was probably the project he most looked forward to, but he also wanted to begin work on a new staff sometime in the near future. The Dragon-Touched Staff was a powerful piece of equipment, but it was incredibly one-dimensional. He expected he could do better, so long as he approached the project with the right attitude.

After that, he needed to test out his latest ability:

Debilitating Roar

Let out an enraged bellow that sends all nearby targets fleeing in fear, decreasing their damage by 15%. Increases caster’s footspeed by 10%. Only usable when caster is under the influence of Shape of the Guardian. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 9.2 seconds. Resistance based on target’s Constitution attribute.

It was the ability he’d received at level eighty, and if Elijah was honest, he found the description a little disappointing. It was easy to conjure situations where it would be useful, but he’d hoped for something direct. Perhaps that would come at level eighty-five. He also hoped to start receiving some upgrades to his current spells sometime soon, because abilities like Calamity and Storm’s Fury had started to lose some of their efficacy, especially against anything his level. Even the attribute bonuses of his bestial transformations had begun to feel underwhelming.

Whatever the case, he needed a low-danger situation in which to test the new ability.

Finally, he knew that Miguel was quickly approaching the point where he would need to choose an archetype. When his nephew reached that stage, Elijah intended to make certain that the young man had every advantage he could provide, including help with his cultivation, high-grade equipment, and whatever guidance he could offer.

But underlying everything else was the knowledge that he needed to continue to progress. Lying in bed, he looked at his status:

Name

Elijah Hart

Level

81

Archetype

Druid

Class

Animist

Specialization

N/A

Alignment

N/A

Strength

94

Dexterity

84

Constitution

93

Ethera

90

Regeneration

84

Attunement

Nature

Cultivation Stage: Cultivator

Body

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Core

Mind

Soul

Stone

Hatchling

Quartz

Novice

In addition to the normal attributes he gained with each level, Elijah’s arduous journey had also resulted in an additional two-point gain in both Strength and Constitution. That was a testament to what he’d put himself through. Given his already-high attributes, gaining anything outside of his automatic level allocation was incredibly difficult.

“Carrying tons of rock across hundreds of miles has its benefits, I guess,” he muttered to himself before checking the power rankings:

Planetary Power Rankings (Earth)

1. Elijah Hart – Level 81

2. Oscar Ramirez – Level 79

3. Sadie Song – Level 76

4. Hu Shui – Level 74

5. Niko Song – Level 74

6. Davu Adebowale– Level 69

7. Anupriya Pandey – Level 67

8. Benedict Emerson – Level 61

9. Ram Khandu – Level 60

10. Gunnar Lindstrom – Level 59

11. …

12. …

13. …

100. Khadija Yatib – Level 51

Already, the other people at the top of the list had begun to close in on him, but that wasn’t unexpected. They were all clearly driven, and just as obviously, they’d found favorable circumstances for leveling. However, what worried Elijah was the rest of the list. The person at the hundredth spot was level fifty-one, which was only eight levels from the top ten. Over the past couple of months, the average level of the top one hundred had risen quite a bit, indicating that the gap was beginning to close between those at the top and the ones at the bottom.

If Elijah didn’t continue to progress, he could easily find himself in the bottom half of the list by the time the Trial of Primacy came. He still didn’t know much about what it represented, but, given that name, he suspected it would be competitive. As such, he needed to take his own progression seriously, lest he pay for it when – or if – he participated in that event.

He made a mental note to investigate the Trial of Primacy as soon as he found an available Librarian who could guide his research. It joined a few other questions he intended to ask at some point. With everything going on, he didn’t know when he’d get the opportunity to do what needed to be done. He was owed questions in Seattle and the elven city of Arvandor, so he just needed to take the time to travel to those locations and ask.

Another item to add to his list, he supposed.

Regardless, he had a full plate, and that wouldn’t soon change. So, with that in mind, Elijah rose before the sun had even risen and went through his normal training routine. By the time he’d finished, morning had dawned, and he returned to the grove to find that Miguel, Carmen, and Colt were already prepared for the coming day. All three wore packs not dissimilar from the first one he’d gotten back in Ironshore.

“All packed?” Elijah asked, using his staff as a walking stick as he approached.

“How long do you expect we’ll be gone?” asked Carmen.

“At least a week. Probably closer to a month,” he admitted. “You’re all free to skip this part, but I thought it would be best if Carmen and Miguel had a hand in it.”

Nobody even questioned why Colt would come along. He rarely ventured far from either Carmen or Miguel’s side. Likely, part of that was for protection, but Elijah could tell that the man considered them family.

“We’re going,” Carmen said.

“Alright. Give me a few minutes to shower and change. Then, we’ll head out,” he said.

After that, he did as he’d said, going to his treehouse to shower, change, and grab everything he thought he might need. Once he’d stuffed it all into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, he called out for Nerthus.

“You have those seeds we talked about earlier?” he asked.

Nerthus handed over a pouch, saying, “There is no guarantee that these will take root. The vines are a finnicky sort.”

“All I can do is try. This is important, though.”

And it was. Once the seed was nestled safely in his satchel, Elijah returned to collect his family before once again asking if they were ready to go. Of course, Miguel had forgotten something, which he rushed off to gather, eliciting a groan from Carmen. When he returned, Elijah used Roots of the World Tree, opening a gate to the Dragon Circle outside of Argos.

After that, they made their way to the city. Miguel and Colt were both familiar enough with Argos, but Carmen had never been. As a result, she was suitably impressed by what she saw.

“Everyone here is so friendly…”

“Part of that is because of me,” Elijah said. “I’ve spent a lot of time here, so most everyone recognizes me. But I also think it’s because they’re just good people.”

“I was beginning to think that places like this couldn’t survive in this new world,” she said as they walked through the city.

“I don’t think that’s true. I visited another couple of places that were mostly okay,” Elijah said. “I think that, for the most part, people are good. It’s just that sometimes they run into a bad apple like Roman. Or those rich, water-hoarding assholes in Seattle.”

“So you think those places are the exception to the rule? Or is this the exception?”

“I don’t know,” Elijah admitted, running his hand through his hair. “Maybe the answer is that there isn’t a rule. Maybe it’s just a take-it-as-you-find-it sort of situation. Either way, Argos is a good place full of good people. That’s why I chose to put the memorial here.”

“Why not Ironshore?”

“We’re human. Alyssa deserves to be remembered in a human settlement.”

“It’s not because they tried to kill you?” asked Carmen.

Elijah stopped. “You heard about that, huh?” he asked. “Which time?”

“Both. I’m surprised you didn’t burn it all down,” she said. “So were most of the people who live there.”

“I thought about it,” Elijah admitted. “But both times it was an isolated thing. I trust Ramik, but I still wonder what will happen when they figure out what’s on my island. It’s a tempting target.”

“It is. But for what it’s worth, I don’t think any of them will invade your grove anytime soon. They’re terrified.”

“They should be.”

After that, they continued on, and after Elijah rented rooms for them at Agatha’s hotel, they headed to the site of the monument. And it looked much as it had when Elijah had left it.

“It’s huge,” Carmen breathed.

Indeed, it was the size of a full-blown mansion, and it was made almost entirely from the stone Elijah had quarried. To him, it looked a lot like the Temple of Athena Nike in Athens, though with a few caveats. For one, the columns were carved in a spiral shape, with unadorned capitals. That would change as Elijah, Carmen, and the twin sculptors went to work, but even now, the effect was elegant and straightforward in its simplicity.

The other major difference was the statue at the top of the building. Based on and incorporating pieces of the statue Elijah had carried out of Valoria, it was meant to depict and idealized version of Alyssa. The figure stood in a heroic pose, with her spear raised high and pointing toward the sky.

The final difference between the monument to Alyssa’s memory and the ancient Athenian temple was that the new version had an expansive, open-air courtyard in its center. That was where Elijah intended to plant the ancestral tree seed.

“Are you ready to get to work?” Elijah asked.

Carmen nodded. “I am.”

To Miguel and Colt, Elijah said, “You’re welcome to stick around, but you may get bored. Maybe explore the town a little. Meet some people. Eat some good food. I’m sure if you ask nicely, Isaak would show you around.”

“I want to watch,” Miguel said. “At least for today.”

“Fine by me,” Elijah said.

Then, he and the others climbed the steps – also made of that same white-and-green marble – to the monument. Once inside, Elijah spoke to Dion, the builder, who told him that everything went exactly as planned. He eagerly took Elijah on a short tour, narrating as he went. “The temple is a true marvel. Do you feel the ethera wafting off the Dragonstone?”

“Is that what it’s called?” Elijah asked, surprised.

“Indeed. Very rare, the guides say. That we have a vein nearby bodes well for the city’s future prosperity,” Dion answered. “Ah – here are the rooms you asked for.”

There were seven rooms in the building, all meant for housing. Other than that, there was another large chamber housing the unused remnants of Alyssa’s statue. But Elijah didn’t need to see that again, so he forewent visiting. Instead, he made his way to the central courtyard, where he planted the ancestral tree seed.

Once he’d covered it up and summoned Healing Rain, he used Nature’s Bounty. Then, to Carmen, he said, “You should go find the Sculptors. Penelope and Iason. Just look for two siblings who won’t stop arguing, and you’ll find them.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Grow a very special tree,” Elijah said. “Then, we’re going to have a party.”