“You ready?” I ask Logan, looking into his greenish hazel eyes that are so much like his Mom’s. It seems like every time I see him he’s another inch or two taller, even if it’s only been a few days, and he now stands around 5’10”. What kinds of changes can Mana enact on us? Given what just happened to me I guess it’s not the smartest question to ask. If women give birth in less than nine months now, and Monsters warp to enormous creatures in days or weeks, a couple of inches of growth is nothing. He’s put on some muscle and looks more like what I’d expect a 16 or 17 year old to look than the 13 he is.

I wonder if Mana or our Mana Interfaces help us with coping and being our best selves also. Certainly there have been a lot of times I felt that something was helping me and others cope with the new world. Sure, I’ve seen my share of PTSD, but at this point the fact that not everyone has it must mean something.

Logan’s also Leveled up a couple more times, supported by Carter and lots of others. It’s tremendously fast for a Mythic Class to advance, but he still doesn’t have his Skills or a handle on his Affinities. I’ve managed to bestow him with Marked For Glory in person which should help him progress even faster. It took actually making physical contact with him to do it so I’m not sure exactly where I stand with my ability to use my Skills and other Class advantages. It’s disconcerting since I’ve come to rely on them so heavily. My Skill testing with Taiwo has unfortunately turned up a lack of predictability as to what will work and what won’t.

“I’m nervous, Uncle Bronwic. Real nervous,” he replies and brushes his brown hair from his eyes, then looks back toward his house. My house. I wasn’t much older than Logan is now when I left it to play hockey in the WHL. How different things are. Logan’s whole family is watching through the floor length windows of the second floor lounge and it’s fair to say they’re not pleased. I like that he’s willing to tell me how he really feels and I wonder why for a moment, but unpacking those things isn’t my strong suit.

Next door, a sultry and interested Tatiana stands in her front yard, blonde hair cut shoulder length. My eyes linger on her despite my best intentions and what’s calling us. I’m broken. Logan needs protecting. I need a place to get myself back to a place I can handle myself. But something about her means I’m never quite thinking straight. She’s dressed in a toned down version of her normal necromancy related outfits and she looks really good. Really good. We’ve had a short time to chat after Dana kicked me out so they could have some time alone to talk with Logan about leaving Earth for an alien Academy. Enough time to steal a few kisses that ended up with her proposing to accompany me across the Universe. But… there’s just no way.

“Where are we going to again?” Logan asks, breaking my train of thought. Fair question.

“The Academy’s on a planet called Kaelon. I heard maybe it’s the original homeworld of Tenebris… don’t know if that’s true. You’ll have the kind of protection there that I’m not sure if I can give you at the moment, and I need a place to recover. Apparently there are the right kinds of people and environment there for me. You’ll have the option to stay, or to go, when I leave.”

Less than half of my Skills are functioning normally, and even those are a bit unreliable. Only my regeneration rates and Gift of Gaia seem to be unaffected by what’s happened to me, and the effects of my Titles all seem to be fully in place.

Logan glances back at the house and then at me.

“Why do you do it?” he asks me, and I know what he’s talking about. I’m tempted to shrug and I stop myself. It’s a real question and deserves a real answer. Not something the Cadimus family is good at, other than Dana. Maybe it’s rubbing off on her kids and that would be a good thing.

“Sometimes I’m not sure, Logan. But mostly it’s a need to make a difference and protect people who can’t protect themselves. It’s a bit like my hockey career, only the stakes are higher and the situations are a lot more hairy. I just… can’t imagine sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing when I could do something to help a lot of people.”

“Even if you die trying, Uncle Bronwic?” he asks, and there’s so much to that question and behind it that I take a few seconds to really look at him. I can tell there are deep emotions there, along with a strong bond with me and a sense of adventure. Aren’t the Cadimus boys a complex bunch?

“Yeah, Logan. Even if I die trying. But I’m not hell bent on a suicide run by any stretch of the imagination. There are challenges that someone just needs to step up into and I’ll do that. But I also try to remember that the best ability is availability, and you can’t help the people you want to if you’re dead.”

I let him take that in for a little bit, just absorbing it, without any chatter to crowd out his thoughts. I’ve no idea how he views his own future, but I’m not going to lie to him about how I approach mine.

Next to us, on the cracked pavement of our suburban street, a Portal starts to form and I recognize the Mana signature of it immediately as Dhromea’s. Logan tightens up and glances back at the house where his parents are still watching with his little brother and sisters. I take it in with a lot of appreciation and apprehension - it’s actually amazing and wonderful that they’re all still alive, and sad that I’m separating them from their oldest boy.

“As far as you go, kiddo… you’re pretty unique, that’s for sure. The circumstances you got your Class under I would think are almost impossible to replicate. So… I’m sure you’ll have to make your own choices. Hopefully they’re not taken from you. it’s not a stretch to believe Tenebris that a lot of people will be interested in you or controlling you, including some of the wrong people.”

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The Portal finishes forming and solidifies, but I continue.

“I kind of got powerful by accident and a weird set of events that kept me hidden and on my own while things were super chaotic on Earth, but you’re living pretty much out in the open if someone is looking. And… you don’t have something like Omnipresent or Greatest Need to get you out of a jam. Yet.”

Logan nods and I can see he’s really taking on board what I have to say. I feel bad about it but I don’t shy away from the conversation. He’s still just a kid who’s growing up too fast, but we’ve also got to recognize the situation we’re really in. Pretending isn’t going to help.

“All powerful teleportation Skills to be selected asap… got it. No problem,” he says in the same tone you’d expect from a 13 year old. I do take his point, though, that my particular Skills are rare and we might need to find other ways to make sure he can look after himself.

“Perfect!” I declare as Dhromea’s tall frame emerges from the Portal and gestures at us in the Uxelon version of a wave or greeting. “In the meantime, I’m going to keep you close or protected by people with serious power that nobody’s going to mess with.”

Logan looks back one last time at his house where everyone is waving to him and Dana clutches her kids close. Carter is standing with his arms crossed and thunder in his expression, but he doesn’t make a move to stop us.

Before we join Dhromea I lean over and speak softly but clearly into Logan’s ear, so there’s no way he can misunderstand me or miss the intensity in my voice.

“Logan, remember I can get to you anywhere. Anywhere. And my Foresight is tuned to let me know if you’re in danger. As long as I’m alive someone’s going to have to go through me to get to you, and if I don’t make it back from this you have the option to stay where you are or return here. I promise you.”

Logan takes a deep breath and gives me a nod, then a cheeky grin.

“Let’s go see a dragon planet,” he says with certainty, and we walk through Dhromea’s Portal to a large, wide open space at the foot of a sharp mountain range. As we walk through, Dhromea greets Logan with a nod and steps toward me as if to give me an embrace, then pulls out and simply gives me a very friendly nod instead.

“The Ironspire Academy,” says Dhromea with the gravity I’m guessing is warranted based on where it is and what we’re standing in front of. “For many in this Galaxy and beyond, a beacon for the future’s most promising Adventurers.”

I glance at Logan, who’s taking it all in. The atmosphere is thicker than Earth with a slight haze that feels a bit toxic. Nothing to worry about with our regeneration. The sky is a strange hue of purple that I’ve never seen on Earth.

“Look at those, Uncle Bronwic,” he says enthusiastically, and points to towering spires of iron and stone that dominate the dark, rocky landscape. The spires pierce the sky all along the sharp peaks and cliffs of a massive set of mountains.

“The Blackstone Range,” says Dhromea, gesturing around. “Inside the Academy, you will find the Grand Plaza of Trials, the Hall of Legends, the Trial of the Deep, the Beast Grounds, the Tower of Strategy, the Forge, and the Workshops.”

“You’ve spent a lot of time here?” I ask Dhromea, curious. She pulls a face I know to be the Uxelon equivalent of a smile and shakes her head, meaning no.

“Tenebris often has me transport people to and from the Academy, and sometimes when I must wait, I am permitted to explore the Spires and the various areas.”

“Does Tenebris run or own this Academy?” asks Logan.

“He was one of the Founders, yes. Along with some other Ascended Class individuals and the SSA. Research on Mana, magic and spells, Skill Evolutions, Class Evolutions, combat techniques, and technology are all conducted here. Plus some very special Healers and people who focus on unusual prolems.”

Dhromea hesitates then looks back and forth between me and Logan.

“I hope you don’t mind me saying, Bronwic, but Logan is very fortunate to have the opportunity to be here. You’ve earned some time here to recuperate and train. But Logan…it is usually reserved for the vastly wealthy or young prodigies, mostly both. Compared to the number of Adventurers in the Universe, the number of spots at the Academy is truly miniscule.”

Sounds like something humanity could definitely benefit from and I feel more comfortable that Logan will be here while I heal and try to participate in the KCT. No doubt all those subjects are vastly further advanced here than on Earth.

Dhromea raises her arm and signals a heavily armored dragon the size of a bus stationed beside the gates of the Academy. It has metallic scales resembling forged iron, with short but powerful wings that look more like they’re for gliding than flying. Large tusks jut from its jaw and it has molten glowing eyes that fix themselves on us as it strides forward. As it moves, the dragon’s form shimmers slightly and then it morphs and shifts into a humanoid dragon-like creature, still with metallic scales and armor, and still almost 10 feet tall.

A while ago this thing would have me reaching for my Swords and on high alert.

Torrdok Z’azzkelsiom, Lord of Lesser Ilsieth, Slayer of Goblins, Ordtocs, Lurrndina, more… (Level 25 Guardian) (L)

[Iron Drake] [Velseroth Academy Instructor]

Health: 6100/6100

Mana: 1900/1900

Conditions: Ironskin, Battlefield Awareness, Stamina Boost, Health Boost, more…

“High Enforcer Cadimus, welcome,” rumbles Torrdok and he nods to me in what I can only describe as a draconian show of deference, which surprises me a bit because I’m on his world and he’s around the same Level as me, though it looks like his class isn’t Enhanced or Unique based on his Health and Mana. Classes and Levels don’t account for skill and experience, but they sure do mean a lot. My Health and Mana are both higher than his even though I skipped my Basic and Advanced Classes.

“Thank you, Torrdok,” I reply. “We are very pleased and honored to be here.”

That seems to please him, not that I truly understand the nuances of alien body language, and he turns to lead us into the Academy. We follow the massive creature through the gates, and into the unknown.