"It has not been two days yet,"

"But Ner, we have a chance to help Sam! Can't we just skip-"

"I gave you a direct order, and you will obey it. One more day of rest, then I'll gladly give you the contracts for The Hanging Gardens. Besides, are you saying you want to leave?" she asked as she delicately traced the runes on my arm with her fingers.

"I wouldn't exactly call this rest, but I'm not going anywhere," I said with a laugh.

"That's what I thought," she purred.

One more day of rest wouldn't be so bad.

Her face suddenly changed from playful to genuine concern, "Someone's coming," she declared as she manifested a silver dress over her dark elf form.

I was about to ask what she meant when a knock at her door startled me. Nerzhyn stood and went to open it, gesturing for me to stay as I equipped an outfit from my Cache. She stepped outside, and I briefly heard the messenger speak before she closed the door behind her. She had really undersold the 'room' connected to her office. It was a fully furnished single-story house, probably as large as the one the team and I were renting.

"What could be so serious that someone would come to her office this late?" I grumbled to myself as I laid back in her bed. The large circular mattress was so comfortable that it gave me some buyer's remorse about the bed I had purchased earlier.

Her door cracked back open several minutes later.

"Alex, come out here, please," Nerzhyn called, her voice solemn and commanding.

"What's going on?" I asked as I entered the room.

An elf ranger was the only other person in Nerzhyn's office. I had never seen her around the Hall before. She wore black leather armor and had a bow slung across her back. A green and gold quiver hung from her left hip, and an ornate dagger sat in a sheath on the other. Her rich brown hair was pulled back tightly, and the woman's dark green eyes looked exhausted.

"This is Jeneveel Wist. She'll be joining your team in The Hanging Gardens." Nerzhyn told me. I knew which decisions I could question, and this wasn't one of them.

"Jen is fine, Commander," the ranger stated before glancing at me, her eyes widening upon seeing the Runes on my arm. She reached up and grasped an amulet dangling around her neck. It was a silver wing that many of the people in the Temple of Freya wore.

"Looking forward to working with you, Jen," I said as I offered her my hand, examining her in the process.

[Jeneveel Wist - Level 17 Dawnstalker]

Jen glanced between the door I just came from, to me, and finally to our Commander. "Sorry, I'll come back in the morning," she declared, finally realizing what she had interrupted.

"What is it?" I asked the moment the ranger had gone.

Nerzhyn ran her fingers through her hair and sighed, "She came with a report from Lance Erikson. A stalker I know stationed near Oraphis. There was another attack. A creature came through the Seal. It took Lance, the War God's Champion, to bring it down."

She filled me in on the entire report, and I could see her frustration growing as she recounted it.

"Oniell is an idiot," she growled, "I warned him and the Grand Commander that a few watchtowers were not enough. They downplayed the first attack, claiming it was unrelated to the Seal. This second attack proves the Great Seal is failing, and something is ready and waiting on the other side. The only thing they've accomplished by keeping it secret is to prevent us from being more prepared," she continued.

"Aren't you the Commander?" I interjected.

"I'm the commander of the Stalkers in Fayne. He's the Commander of our entire subdivision. Grand Commander Paghis is the leader of the entire Golden Bow and is currently in the capital doing gods know what," she answered angrily.

I watched as her slender fingers cracked the massive wooden desk. It was easy to forget how powerful the woman was, especially in her petite dark elf form.

Nerzhyn's eyes were locked onto the section of the report that listed the twenty-six dead Stalkers. I had already read the detailed description. The men and women had been killed in mere seconds. I doubted anyone could have prevented it. I placed a hand on her shoulder, and she relaxed slightly.

"Oniell argued against committing more resources to defend the Seal after the first attack. He claimed that fairy tales were not an excuse to mobilize an army," she stated.

"So what is the plan going forward?" I asked, unsure of what to say.

"I'm going to have to head to Oraphis myself. We need more than a few small camps and watchtowers. We need armies, defensive structures, and siege equipment. I want a Champion in each tower at all times," she continued.

"A Champion? Do you have that many?" I asked, genuinely curious.

She gestured toward my Runes, "Not enough. A few dozen are powerful enough, which is why you will go to The Hanging Gardens. You may not like it, but you are a Champion, and we need you as strong as possible before that Seal breaks."

There was no room for debate in her tone. I wanted to go with her but knew I would be of little help. According to his report, Lance was Level 137, and the creature he fought was a match for him. I stood no chance against something like that. I needed more. More power. More experience. More knowledge.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Nerzhyn ushered me back into her living quarters. She retrieved a small notebook from her desk and handed it to me.

"There's a good chance I won't be back before you finish the Gardens. I've written down a few possible dungeons you can take on before I return. Lieutenant Cambrud will be filling in for me. She's trustworthy, so please listen to her. There are notes on what to expect for each and how to reach them. Tomorrow, use the Guild's portals to take you to Dallervale City. The Gardens are a few hours from there," she said with a smile.

I was happy we'd get to help Sam a day sooner, and I wanted to get back to training as quickly as possible. Something was off, though. Nerzhyn was always so relaxed when discussing dungeons, but she was stiff as she handed me the book.

"Why include Jen?" I finally asked after flipping through the notes.

"She's a perfect fit. Ranged damage, area attacks, off-healing. All the things your team needs," Nerzhyn explained casually.

"I know you well enough that you have some other reason. You don't do anything on a whim. There are plenty of Stalkers here that could fill that role," I rebuked.

"Didn't we agree we wouldn't talk about work?" she asked with a sly grin.

"That was before we were so rudely interrupted. Stop deflecting!" I exclaimed with a laugh.

"She has potential. I'd like to see her incorporated into your team from now on. She's also new here. Oraphis was her first station outside of the Elven Kingdoms. Her family has served the Guild for thousands of years. You can trust her. I'd also feel better knowing she's accompanying you," she stated.

"Worried about me?" I joked.

Her face turned somber. Shit. She was worried about me. I dragged her from the desk back to bed, letting her rest her head on my chest as I stroked her hair. It was strange. Typically she was calm and collected. The attack at the Seal had really shaken her. I wanted desperately to tell her everything would be okay, but it would be a lie.

I only managed to sleep a few hours before the sun rose, but I still woke feeling rested. Nerzhyn was already up and prepared for her trip. She instructed me to fetch the others.

I rushed back to my house to tell Cass and Leo we'd be heading out today instead of tomorrow, and they were both ready in minutes. It seemed I wasn't the only one eager to get back to it. Jen was already waiting when we reached Nerzhyn's office. Our commander had four contracts ready and waiting for us.

"I know you said that telling us what to expect would dampen our training, but do you have any hints for The Gardens?" Cass asked her.

Nerzhyn contemplated that for a moment before responding, "Leo and Jen will be vital to your success. Freya is the Goddess of Healing, after all. I'll be back soon, but in the meantime, listen to Cambrud."

The others waited outside as I spoke to Nerzhyn. She expected to be back within a week and told me she'd send word if anything changed.

"I'll see you soon, keep them safe," she instructed with a gesture toward the team.

"Of course, it's my job," I replied with a grin.

We exchanged a somber goodbye before departing. I would certainly miss her, but she made sure I would stay busy in her absence. I joined Cass, Leo, and Jen outside the office, and we began our journey to the dungeon.

The Guild's portals were inside the main Hall, and we had to provide our identification to be granted access. We told the guard we were heading for Dallervale, and he checked our booklets closely before ushering us through. The guard, Thomas, pointed us toward the correct portal and returned to his post.

The portal room housed dozens of shimmering portals leading to different cities and towns. The air was absolutely thick with mana. I noticed carefully placed crystal formations around the room and could sense the magic circulating through them. Each one seemed to anchor a specific portal.

Leo was the first to step through, followed by Jen, Cass, and finally myself. It was still so strange to take a single step and end up in an entirely different location. We were now inside the portal room of the Guild Hall in Dallervale City. Another guard requested our booklets, bid us farewell, and quickly sent us on our way. The Guild Hall in Dallervale was just a single large building. Compared to the sprawling mini-city I was used to, it seemed rather spartan, but Leo explained most towns would only have a single building. Apparently, the Guild Area in Fayne was only common among larger and more wealthy cities.

It was still quite early in the morning, so only a few people were on the roads. The architecture here was similar to Fayne, but it lacked many of the tall structures I was used to. I guessed that without walls, the people here could build out rather than up. There was noticeably more space between buildings.

According to the map, we were pretty far northeast of Fayne now, and we'd be at The Hanging Gardens in a few hours. We were nearing the city's edge when an incredible smell filled my nose. A small bakery had just opened its door, and I rushed over, my stomach rumbling.

"Morning!" a woman greeted me as I entered the bakery.

The owners were a cute human couple, and we chatted lightly as their three children ran around the small shop. I loaded my Cache with pastries, fresh loaves of bread, bagels, and cookies. They even had a fresh-brewed tea that smelled exactly like coffee, something I dearly missed.

"I'll also take some of that tea," I told the woman as I handed her a gold coin.

"I'm sorry, you're our first customer. I don't have change yet. Do you have any Copper or Silver?" she asked.

I took a sip of the tea, and my eyes lit up. Finally, I had been searching for a coffee replacement since we left the arena.

"What's this called?" I asked as I took another sip.

"Moonleaf Tea, it's a plant native to the forest around Dallervale. Try it with some cream," she said while handing me a metal pitcher.

"Perfect!" I exclaimed and tossed her another Gold.

"That's way too much coin, lad," the husband chided.

"Consider it a down payment. I'll be back for more tea. That's a promise!" I told them as I hurried out of the bakery. They both continued yelling after me as I rejoined the team on the road.

"What did you do?" Cass asked angrily.

"He paid them 2 Gold for a few Silver's worth of goods. It was really sweet," Jen declared.

"You... have excellent hearing," I told her as I offered her a pastry.

I also gave one to Cass and Leo, but Teos turned his nose up when I offered him one. A piece of dried meat quickly replaced the pastry in my hand, which the lion took eagerly.

"You need to stop spending money so impulsively," Leo said between bites.

"I have plenty of Gold! Especially after selling most of my old gear to Maddy. Plus, they reminded me of my parents when I was little," I countered.

"We should visit them after we're done with the dungeon if they don't live too far away," Jen chirped, causing the group to go silent. She realized the change and went to apologize, but I cut her off.

"It's not that! They're alive and well... I hope. They would definitely be surprised," I said with a smile. Imagining my parents' reaction to my group of ragtag adventurers made me laugh out loud.

The ranger breathed a sigh of relief, "Sorry, I've just never met a Terran before. It'd be fascinating to learn more about your culture."

That made me stop in my tracks. Did Ner tell her? Or the Guild? The mood shifted as Teos circled behind the ranger, and my face must have betrayed how I felt.

"D-do they not know?" Jen asked nervously and gestured toward Cass and Leo.

"What? No, they know. How do you know?" I asked with a bit more anger than I intended.

"I have an examination skill. It lets me see your status. I should've asked, but I'm so nervous," she finally blurted out.

I was starting to understand why it was considered rude to examine people without asking. It definitely felt like an invasion of privacy. I didn't think she meant any harm by it, and she came highly recommended by Nerzhyn. The elf fidgeted while staring at her feet during the silence.

"It's alright. Let's keep it between us, though. Okay? " I asked.

"I understand. I'm sorry. I don't really know how to interact with humans, to be honest. Elves are much more direct when we speak," Jen replied stiffly.

I looked over to Leo, who affirmed her explanation with a quick nod. I sighed and ran a hand over my face, "Come on, we need to keep moving. Ask me all the stuff you want to know while we walk."

Jen's eyes lit up as she immediately began rambling off her questions. I answered most, but Cass and Leo would chime in if they knew the answer. I could tell by her reactions that she was genuinely curious about what it was like.

"How do you even know about Earth?" I asked Jen.

"My people never forgot. My grandmother was alive before the Sundering and met Terrans frequently," the elf explained.

"The... Sundering?" I prodded.

"She means when the Great Seals were placed. Many cultures call it the Sundering of Worlds," Leo replied.

Jen took the lead as our route took us up a rock-covered mountain trail. The ranger had a knack for finding the easiest way over difficult terrain. I found myself wondering if it was a skill or if she was just that good at it. She never even broke her stride when speaking. We talked at length with Jen about how best to integrate her skills and fighting style into the team. She was primarily a ranged attacker and had a ton of utility skills. She would definitely fit in nicely.

We had been on the trail for over three hours, and the maps indicated our destination was close. As we crested a hill, I saw the dungeon off in the distance. I stopped in my tracks and gaped at the wonder.

"It's floating," I observed out loud.

"They're called The Hanging Gardens. What did you think it would be? An underground crypt?" Cass asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

The mass of gold and green was absolutely huge. Four pyramid-shaped platforms were hanging in the sky around a circular center. All were bright gold and reflected the sunlight, looking like another small star in the sky. The pyramids were inverted, leaving the upper portion flat while the triangular tips pointed at the ground. I couldn't see the tops from our current vantage point, but each seemed to be holding up a jungle. Masses of vines and green vegetation hung from the sides and ornate bridges connected each inverted pyramid to the center platform.

A short walk led us directly underneath the floating wonder. A large stone was carved with the words: The Hanging Gardens - Level 15 - Normal. Next to the sign was our only way up, a large circular platform that hovered a few inches off the ground.

"We should take a quick rest before heading up. We don't know what we'll be walking into,

I declared as I retrieved my canteen from the Cache.

We ate a small lunch and meditated for twenty minutes or so, preparing ourselves for the trial ahead.

"Everyone ready?" I asked.

All three nodded, and Teos let out a low growl. We all hopped onto the platform together, and a notification appeared.

[Dungeon Interface - Active]