My body slowly relaxed as the milky, mana-infused water seeped into my skin. The addition of mana had turned the international attraction into one of the newest world wonders, and the obvious benefits of even a short soak made it a lucrative resource to control.

I could have easily chosen to relax somewhere closer, but after reading about the magical healing effects of the Blue Lagoon on Earth’s local network, I decided to check it out for myself.

I’d originally planned to bring the family along when I visited, but with my sudden desire for solitude, it made more sense to make the first trip alone.

I didn’t even invite Master Kairos.

While he didn’t enjoy soaking quite as much as I did, it was still something he appreciated. I’d probably include him when I brought the family next time. The attraction was certainly worth more than a single trip.

I wasn’t worried about being recognized since I was using a [Disguise] that changed my appearance and personal information. I even had it reduce my apparent tier to just PT3.

I’d checked with Lisa to ensure I wouldn’t be violating any local laws by doing so, but it seemed like matching the planet’s maximum rating was generally an acceptable approach for high-tier visitors who wanted to fly under the radar.

If I was attacked or challenged, I would have to reveal my true level, but since I didn’t plan on getting involved with anything, I wasn’t overly worried. And unlike the Assassins who’d attacked me on Pylos, I wasn’t trying to sneak attack someone by posing to be weaker than I really was.

Though I felt fairly confident in my safety, I still extended Spatial Sense to the maximum and let the feedback filter through my subconscious as I relaxed.

There weren’t a lot of visitors since it was quite late – or early, depending on one’s perspective. Even so, there was a steady stream of visitors trickling in and out of the various pools that comprised the large, heated lake.

There were smaller, seemingly disconnected pools as well, but those were reserved for guests of the connected resorts, and the few private residences I’d noticed had been recently built.

A short distance away, close to the main road but hidden from sight by the likely efforts of Earth Mages, I noticed the familiar swirl of dense mana that represented a rift.

It was close enough to pose a threat if the rift broke, even with the steep rocky mounds forming a barrier around it. Given the newly constructed facilities just outside the narrow entrance, I assumed it was likely well-monitored and controlled.

The lack of mana fluctuations also supported that supposition.

I observed through Spatial Sense as a group of four headed through the gap in the wall and made their way to the rift. A short while later, another team exited, looking a bit battered but otherwise healthy.

They immediately entered the building just outside the wall and talked to one of the clerks inside. I was a little curious about how the former country of Iceland handled rift taxes and such, but I didn’t really care enough to look into the matter beyond mere observation.

Instead, I focused more of my attention on the night sky.

Hints of colorful lights danced in the sky. It wasn’t the right time of year to get a good view of the Northern Lights, but my improvements in vision made it possible to see traces, even without activating Mana Sight.

Activating Mana Sight, the sky was suddenly illuminated in a riot of colors. Such a sight was only visible near the planetary poles, which made me wonder how much of the Northern Lights were indirectly (or directly) influenced by mana, perhaps even before the siphons were turned off.

Perhaps the poles themselves had been siphons, and the auroras a reflection of the mana being drained?

Frantic movement from the portal drew my attention away from the breathtaking view of the sky, interrupting my musings.

It seemed someone had gotten critically injured during their time inside the rift.

Even at such a distance, I could easily assess the injured adventurer. It was clear that without immediate intervention, he wouldn’t make it. In fact, I was surprised the bleeding man was still hanging on.

Since I didn’t see a healer close enough to make a difference, I mentally reached out and targeted the injured delver with Restore. I wasn’t totally sure it would work since I’d never tested combining my spatial perception skill with Time magic, but it felt like it should work.

And with two mastery skills, I trusted my gut.

Besides, I’d been able to target people for teleportation through the weave since Tier Two. This didn’t seem all that different, aside from using two different mana types at the same time.

The adventurers carrying their formerly wounded party member almost stumbled when the damage to the man’s body and gear rapidly began reverting.

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I smiled as I sensed the group’s shock and relief, though my eyes were still on the night sky. I was far enough away that nobody would suspect I was involved, even if I wasn’t disguised as a PT3 Earth/Space Mage.

Come to think of it, I’d easily be capable of doing something similar for the adventurers battling rift beasts outside of Knoxville. I might not be able to directly help in the fight, but there were no restrictions on healing services.

If Gabby and her counterparts were able to organize a big hunt, I should be able to monitor most of them to ensure nobody died. So, even if I couldn’t provide overpowered weapons and gear, I’d still be able to make a real contribution toward making my extended family’s home safer.

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“Where did you go?” Mom asked when I returned to my grandparents’ apartment the following morning with wet hair.

She was sitting on the bed of the spare room where our pods were set up, presumably reading a book. It was almost like she’d been waiting for me.

“Iceland,” I replied. “There’s a famous hot spring there.”

“Aren’t you tired of those by now?” she asked with a hint of exasperation.

“Uh, no?” I answered as I placed several containers of anti-aging cream on the nearby dresser.

The people in control of the Blue Lagoon had managed to incorporate the spring’s minor healing and rejuvenation properties into beauty products. Since they were cheaper than comparable true Alchemy products, I figured it was worth picking up a few containers as gifts.

“Hot springs are amazing, especially when they have special properties. The Blue Lagoon doesn’t come close to the effects of the dungeon’s hot springs, but the minor healing effect is still worth going for.” I motioned toward the containers. “They even make magical face cream now.”

Mom picked up one of the small containers. After reading the label, she unscrewed the top and sniffed the contents.

“It doesn’t use Life mana?”

“I don’t think so,” I said uncertainly. “At least, I didn’t sense any Life mana in the water. Weird, right?”

“Not really. A little, maybe.” She dipped her finger in the white cream and looked at it more closely. “Healing isn’t just a Life or Nature thing. It’s usually related to one of those two, but I’ve seen specialty healers with other affinities, too. This probably incorporates Water mana to hydrate and flush toxins.”

That made about as much sense as anything. However, since I wasn’t that big into Alchemy, my interest in the topic was only superficial.

I knew enough about the basics to get by if I needed to, but mixing potions and making pills wasn’t really my thing.

“So, why did you take off like that at dinner?” she asked with a tone that demanded a response.

“Honestly?” I asked rhetorically. “I didn’t want to listen to the bickering. I could see Aunt Mindy getting riled up, and I really just didn’t want to deal with it. She and Uncle Anthony still haven’t totally accepted that Earth is never going back to what it was.

“I can tell they think things will eventually go back to what they were, but that’s insane,” I said pointedly. “Pandora’s box has been opened. There is no going back.”

“They know that,” Mom said dismissively. “But it’s not unreasonable for them to want their children to be safe. If your dad and I had any say in the matter, you and your brother certainly wouldn’t be fighting in rifts and dungeons. You’d be focusing on your professions instead and getting carried through rifts for your alternate levels like most Enchanters and Authors.”

I bit back the impulse to make a snide comment. Instead, I simply acknowledged her statement with a tilt of my head.

I understood the desire to protect loved ones, but there was a point where sheltering others became detrimental. Without challenges, they would have no real opportunities for growth.

But at the same time, I acknowledged that a life involving violence wasn’t for everyone.

“Even so, Gabby is almost thirty years old. She’s plenty old enough to make decisions for herself,” I replied at the same time that Dad exited their shared pod holding my two youngest siblings.

“Gah! You two are still talking about that?” Dad exclaimed as he handed off Kaylee to Mom. Turning to me, he added, “And maybe next time, don’t stir the pot before leaving the rest of us to deal with the mess.”

“Sorry,” I apologized sheepishly, knowing my parents likely had to deal with an earful after my escape.

“I get it. I do. But not everyone has taken to the changes very well. The danger outside the walls doesn’t help. They’re honestly lucky none of the rifts have flying mobs, else the city would be in real trouble.”

“Yeah, about that,” I said after taking a few steps toward the door and making sure the others were following. “Even though Bell and I can’t really contribute much since we out-tier the world, we can help a little by crafting appropriate-level gear. I can also directly intervene to save lives, though it would be better if nobody knew it was me.”

“What do you mean?” Mom asked.

“When I was in Iceland, or the former Iceland, I guess I should say,” I corrected myself, “I had Spatial Sense extended pretty far and noticed someone coming out of a nearby rift severely injured. I didn’t think they’d make it to a healer in time, so I Restored them from a distance.

“It was the first time I’d really tried something like that since healing at a significant distance isn’t really a factor in the dungeon. Healing a party member is easy enough because they’re normally close by, but… I’ve never really needed to heal someone I couldn’t see visually before. It worked fine, though, and nobody even realized I was involved.”

Both of my parents looked surprised by my admission.

“What kind of range do you have?” Mom asked.

I considered the limits of Spatial Sense. As long as I could clearly sense someone, I could target them with a spell. In fact, I could probably target the rift beasts and make them easier to defeat, but I didn’t think the Alliance would accept that kind of intervention as easily.

“Maybe twenty miles?” I said, severely understating my range.

Dad whistled lightly as Mom made a little gasping noise.

“So far?” she asked. “That’s much farther than I expected. I can only sense life signs within a half-mile or so. Even that takes some effort.”

“It was about the same for me when I was Tier Three,” I replied. “I might have been able to push mine a little farther, but I also have a really strong Space affinity. That matters.”

Mom nodded thoughtfully. “I noticed that when comparing my sensory skills for Life and Nature. I can sense fauna quite a bit farther than I can flora.”

“You want to coordinate for some kind of hunt while we’re here so you can provide oversight?” Dad asked.

“Eh, not particularly,” I answered honestly. “But we should. It’ll make the locals a lot safer if they can cull some of the rift beasts before they breed more. There are already a few dens spread around the area. I should be able to get away with pointing them in the right direction.”

“I thought this was supposed to be a vacation,” Mom said with a frown.

“Who said we have to stay here the whole time?” I asked. “I say we get the ball rolling and do our own thing until they’re ready to go. It’s not like we can’t come right back when the locals are ready to tackle the problem.

“And if they aren’t ready by the time we need to head back to Hadier, well… I guess they’ll just have to deal with it on their own. Maybe Grandma and Grandpa can find somewhere that isn’t overrun with rift beasts to settle down.”