Returning to the lower mana density of New Lordaeron was a let down. This reaction triggered a contemplation of whether someone could develop mana dependence.

I'd be willing to bet it could happen, and was common in places with widely variable concentrations of magical energy.

My message system, let everyone know I was making my way towards the Mana Sink.

I was ready to go, and already armored up. I had my own SOR and several hard cases full of loaded magazines for all occasions. Other than my second shoulder mounted lasweapon I had added one more identifier to my armor. A golden wolf's head emblazoned across each pauldron. It really stood out against the dark green. A remembrance to Lumiar as well as a squad marker. Later I'd have the squads create their own markers, which would expand out into platoons and so on.

Now that I had spent some time in relative quiet and isolation, my Life Control aura was much easier to control. I allowed it to be active but I pulled it in to just coat my armor.

I had worked on both keeping it contained and flaring it out to its limits. I also had allowed it to grow and collapse colonies of bacteria in my own body, both beneficial and harmful. I wouldn't recommend this to budding Biomancers. Purify worked wonders in just erasing unwanted microorganisms.

Oddly, I was still having trouble feeling pain properly, but there were no signs of nerve damage. I could heal it if that was all it was. Perhaps a psychosomatic effect.

John was the first to be ready at the Vortex, as expected.

I saw him manipulating a pool of shadow. How does that work? I mean darkness isn't a thing, it's an absence of a thing. Is he really working with the absence or the thing? I'd have to talk with him about that at some point. Truly interesting.

Raynor, and almost 50 footmen all geared up and ready to rock, were next to arrive. Followed by Amanda and Jaina who were discussing something, they seemed to be getting along well though.

On the other hand, Jaina had been very perfunctory with her reports. Given that, and that her eyes avoided me, I thought we might have a problem. We probably needed to sit down and have a chat just the two of us. Not that I had any idea what to say, but letting things like this grow, was not a good thing.

"How's everything going?" I started, trying to put as much pep into it as I could.

Raynor chuckled, "First Platoon's ready, Hoss." The Troops behind him saluted, right fists to hearts. They were synced up and looking deadly.

"Good." John grunted. He let of ball of condensed shadow dissipate.

"Everything's fine my Lord." Jaina stated while looking at John. Her eyes sparked with blue mana.

"We just got back from a run. Should be a fat chunk of Eddies coming your way soon." Amanda pointed back towards the parking area. New buildings were just barely visible from here. Workshops and Garages probably.

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"Anything you remember that could help us in the Dungeon, Jaina." Her gaze snapped to me. I couldn't make out much of what she was feeling. Just some shame and embarrassment, not in any large amount.

Thankfully the overwhelming nature of the Voice of the Emperor Class had not returned, only some of the abilities, though only at a muted quality. The faith energy, however, was as strong as it ever was. More golden energy flowed into me daily, probably from the prayers of the Kriegsmen.

"Only that they usually allow limited interaction. Perhaps 5 people, perhaps 10? It changes. There are usually stronger monsters at certain points, that have to be defeated to progress." Her eyes had returned to John. What was that about?

Ah wait, she was helping him with his magic, right? Maybe they were getting closer? That might be a good thing, or it might explode horribly. Kind of depended on John.

"So only some of us can go in? How do we know how many?" I asked.

"I don't know my Lord." She stared at the Vortex trying to pierce it's secrets.

"So we wing it. Nothing new there." Jim chuckled.

"Be careful." Amanda said it as a general statement, but we all knew who it was addressed to.

Raynor nodded.

"How about this? We line up in rows of five in front of the Vortex. First group goes in, then the next group tries, if they can good, if they can't, oh well." Best idea I could think of without more information.

Everyone voices their agreement.

"First group should be the "best" to make sure we have the greatest chance of success. John, Jim, me... not Jaina she can't due to her restrictions and it's best if Amanda gets armored up before she tries this. Hmm, Jim pick your two most adaptable men to roll with us."

He nodded, "Eagers and Borfen fall in."

Eagers was a mountain of a man, a full head and more above the rest of us. He carried a honking huge hammer in addition to the normal loadout. Borfen was just normal sized but had covered his armor with cloth with leaves and branches attached. His SOR was modified to match Jim's, a sniper's weapon.

We lined up, while another Squad of Jim's troops lined up behind us.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Good to go!" Barked the Troops.

"On your mark, Hoss." Jim nodded.

"Yeah." John replied.

I lowered my visor, enjoying the HUD for a second. Everyone but John did the same.

"Let do this!" Letting my excitement bleed into my voice.

We stepped forward...

... and into an Alleyway. Concrete and Brick surrounded us, while steam billowed up from grates in the asphalt.

Nighttime according to the sliver of sky I could make out above us.

Our weapons were up as we scanned the area.

A concert was going on nearby its music a distraction and the cheering of the crowd almost unnerving.

Where were we?

The sound of rushing steps.

"Johnny! Johnny where have you been?"

A body threw itself at John. Of course, they missed.

We found ourselves looking at a figure in what I would term punk garb. Quite revealing. Young and aggressive. Her side shaved blue green hair waving back and forth as she tried to figure out who the rest of us were.

"Wait what going on?" She had a pistol out in a split second, which was a bad move as we all focused on her at the same time. "You're not Johnny, who are you?"

I noticed some figures stalking up behind her. They were armed and ready to rumble.

"Rogue, what going on?" The largest of them called. He had chrome looking skin.

Rogue, that tickled my brain a bit.

"I don't know, he looks like Johnny but he's obviously not him. A twin?" She wasn't even a little worried about the rifles pointed at her. Bizarre.

"I'm John." There's that old Wick charm.

"You even sound the same." Her pistol came down to her side. She cocked her head.

"How about we all lower our weapons and have a talk." I suggested.

"O-okay." She agreed.

Everyone relaxed slightly.

What was going on here?