As I sat at Reina's table drinking a cup of Moon Well water, I ran a fuck ton of calculations in my head. She had given me so much to think about.

There was no way it could ever go back to the way it had been. Even when I somehow managed to get my people back, that wouldn't change. Now that so many people without any connection to me or my ideas were here bleeding and dying over this, I would never be accepted as de facto leader. Without control of the Khalai technology, or the Treants, my value was relatively small.

Sure, I could heal, but so could the priests of New Lordaeron. The followers of the Light has really stepped up, saving many lives. Their kindness under Father Mauris had set an example that had won over many jaded hearts already. Some Nomads of every Nation were converting to the religion of the Light. I found that shocking.

More shocking was that some Nomads were accepted by the Light as priests, with all the powers that entailed.

Divine will had begun to move in this world.

The only defenses that still worked were the Statues of the Keeper and Jaina's Tower. Which is the main reason New Lordaeron held up until reinforcements arrived. Yet no one could control the tower fully, no one had the authority, as Jaina had barely begun to train a few apprentices.

They could train new folks, with talent, to use a few basic spells. Hardly enough to really shift the power dynamic.

Hmm, I could certainly take control of the tower until I got the Archmage back. To what purpose? I wasn't going to sit around training mages, even if I could.

Now the most interesting news. Any of the Khalai adaptations of technology from other themes still functioned. So the Power Armor with their SORs still worked, along with the modified MRAP. Without the Psifield, they couldn't draw enough power to stay in operation long, and took days to recharge, but they were a potent force when they did work. Well that made me feel a bit better.

Now that it had come to this, I didn't have the right to lead. I wasn't there when people needed me most. Few would care that it wasn't my fault, people tend to only care about results. I'm the guy that wasn't there for them.

I doubted that I would see it any differently in their shoes.

I would still help them, in what ever way I could. Absolutely, I would, but the days of me shaping the direction of the Badlands were over. At least, at this time.

That realization lifted a huge weight off of me.

I was okay with this outcome.

Once I figured out how my Hub operated, and what advantages it offered, maybe that could change.

Now Reina was no great orator, nor a storyteller. She was a farmer and said things simply from her own perspective. I had to fill in some blanks here and there.

We heard vehicles approaching. I recognized the engine of a Javelina. Amanda was almost here. I left Reina's house to wait for them.

I had never thought much about it before, but it was hard to step silently on a gravel surface. Not really a relevant insight right now, but the noise of my footsteps on the gravel bothered me.

Stolen novel; please report.

There they were, Amanda's Javelina, Nolan's truck and two other cars I didn't recognize. I wonder who she had brought with her.

When they stopped and exited their vehicles, my jaw dropped to the floor. My attention lock on two individuals.

Out from the two vehicles I didn't recognize were two very familiar faces.

The shorter one chuckled at my reaction, "A woman loves to get that response." Her eyes twinkled, just as I remember.

The taller one snorted, "We supposedly dated this guy, and no one thought to question that it was us." Her head moved in time to her speech, as it always had when she was annoyed.

My mouth closed and assumed a frown, my left eyebrow rose of its own volition. I was suspecting a trap. Maybe Militech had gotten to them all and these were new agents.

My mana flared.

While I was sure that wasn't what was happening, my instincts still demanded action.

I felt a gun press to the back of my head. Fuck, I shouldn't have focused too much on the ladies I wasn't ready to see.

"Please don't take this the wrong way Ryan, but don't use your power. I didn't want to shock you like this, but they insisted. They don't understand what you are capable of, or they never would have pulled this stunt." Amanda's voice whispered from behind me.

A good lesson about paying attention, even when something startles you.

That cold fire inside grew just a bit more. I was sure this wasn't what it looked like, but why take the chance. My mana coiled around me as I sent a tendril through my Aura into Amanda's head.

"Well, for the record, with you this close to me Amanda, you are already fucked." I turned off her limbs. However, I got another surprise, her gun went off before she finished falling. I got clipped by the round. Since I was still thinking, it couldn't have been too bad, and my Aura was already working on fixing the issue.

Amanda's guests both had very different responses. One pulled out a pistol and the other's eye started flashing. If Nolan hadn't stepped between us, events would have escalated.

"Hold up. hold up! Girls stop with the gonk brained behavior. Ryan please put Amanda back to preem condition. She was just protecting her daughter. And just so you know, I was against indulging the two terrors over there." He was relaxed, way too relaxed. That helped my brain start properly working again. Things were indeed not as they seemed.

As the ladies debated what to do, the wound from Amanda's weapon finished healing. That Life Control Aura was amazing.

Amanda chuckled, I hadn't turned off anything but her limbs. "New trick, huh? Nice."

"I'll show you nice." I snarled. Maybe this wasn't as it appeared, that didn't mean I was going to let it slide. However the fire inside my heart had already pulled back somewhat.

I knelt down to Amanda and remove her iron, before ramming my mana into her as hard and fast as I could. I fixed a few new wounds and smoothed out a lot of scar tissue I don't recall being there before. She had been fighting hard.

Her screams of pleasure probably carried for miles in every direction. I was amused, even while I sent silent apologies to Raynor in my head.

Did I need to do it this way? No.

I was making a point.

"Amanda in the future, talking is preferable to threats. I think I get the why of what just happened, so let's leave it here. Okay?" I loomed over her as she started to move, her limbs flailing for a second, before she got back up.

I rose beside her and handed her back her weapon.

She smiled at me, which was not the response I expected. Then she hugged me, sending me for another loop. She was as strong as ever, squeezing me like a python. I patted her back lightly.

"Sorry, they wanted to know who their doppelgangers had picked, and I figured this would be a good way to show them. Please forgive a Mother for spoiling her newly returned children."

I rolled my eyes, "Duh, Amanda. Like I said, let's forget it."

I turned to the source of all this trouble. Nolan had talked them into a less hostile stance. They stood there glaring daggers at me, but otherwise seemed to have calmed down.

That was great because I wasn't sure of my feelings right now.

Amanda walked back over to them, resting her hand on their shoulders.

I nodded to them.

"The real Sally and Megan, I presume. I wish I could say it was a pleasure, but I can't."