"The first Side Quest I got from an Alchemist. The local members of the Cathedral are researching the Ghouls, so she wanted help 'procuring' 15 hearts of these creatures."

[If I remember, I once received a request for assistance from Yelesna. Most of the monsters around the city were Worgen or Ghouls. With ghouls being the highest in number.](Mina)

[I also helped with a cleaning request about a year ago. The numbers of these Ghouls were so large that they couldn't handle it with the local Wanderers.](Evelyn)

[It's understandable. Most old Dungeons in that area were infested with them. Aylin and her party were stationed there for almost six months, helping with killing them and restoring the local flora and fauna.](Helen)

"It seems like they are the local tyrants in that case. It makes sense why the Cathedral wants them researched. They could prevent needless deaths if they could find a weakness to exploit. Anyway, I accepted the Quest and then got a couple of others. One included finding a shrine to pray at, which was quite interesting... and the last... I needed to help a woman find her husband."

Noticing the change in tone when talking about the last one, the girls realized that something had gone wrong.

When Michael explained how he found Feodor chained to unholy pillars and flayed off his skin, the girls winced at the mental image. And when his wife decided to kill him to spare him the agony, silence descended upon the group.

"By the time I returned, I had completed these two Side Quests, as I managed to kill enough Ghouls for the materials needed. So, I went north, where I found the shrine. After praying to it, I gained two Elixirs, which could be used against demons and undead. A curious contraption for certain. And with that, all three Side Quests were completed."

[If you went north, you should've ended close to the mines, right?](Helen)

"Yes. So I thought I should check them out at least."

He went into details about the mine and the many-layered Dungeons, stumping even the veteran Helen among the group. Neither of them heard or experienced such a thing before.

And once he got into the history of the world, the sisters were speechless. While they knew some of it from the Horadrim, the finer details were hidden in the minds of those who participated in the events.

Therefore, Rathma, Lilith, Inarius, and even the story of how the world came into being was veiled behind mystery and myths.

[That poor child...](Mina)

[Still... revenge against someone as powerful as Lilith is ill-advised.](Hella)

[What do you plan to do?](Helen)

"I'll go find her in five days. I can't leave her to her own devices, especially now that her mind is clouded by grief. Who knows what she might do? In the near future, I plan to clear the Stronghold in Nostrava."

[Hmm... I think you should be strong enough, but I still worry. Strongholds are bastions of the demon army. They'll hold onto it with their teeth. Even with the Sanctuary's restrictions on them, their numbers would eventually tire and overwhelm you.](Helen)

Once more, the group fell silent. With the Necromancer receiving Preferential Treatment from the Sanctuary, there was no way in Hell the Stronghold in Nostrava would be easy to re-conquer.

Helen was very worried that he might die.

[Tsk! I was planning to keep this for a Stronghold big sis Connie wanted to help me clear in Hawezar, but it looks like I'll have to give it to him. Big sis Helen, you better pay me back!](Tia)

"Hmm?"

[What?](Helen)

As everyone looked at the shorty, she pulled a piece of paper out of her inventory and handed it to Helen. Seeing the girls gasp, Michael realized that it should be something good.

[ Order of Restriction ]

Curious, Michael looked at his girlfriend, whose eyes were practically glowing. Even the other girls had a jealous look in their eyes.

Probably noticing his confusion, Mina decided to spare him the suspense.

[An Order of Restriction. It's rare, and you can get it mainly as a reward through difficult Quests. Each one can restrict a higher-level Wanderer to the lowest-level designated party member.](Mina)

"What!? That sounds broken! Would the Sanctuary allow that? Wouldn't it upset the balance if someone like Helen used it and started stomping low-level Dungeons and Strongholds?"

[It has ridiculously high restrictions. First, someone over level 50 and using it will have its Paragon Board temporarily closed. They will also have their skill points reduced to the specified level, though the Wanderer in question can distribute them temporarily as they please. Their attributes also decrease to the specified level. If there is one big loophole, it is the resistance to elements and the equipment.](Mina)

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"Don't tell me they can wear their current equipment!?"

[Not exactly. Their Armor is usually reduced to an average amount, and their Attack Power suffers the same fate. But the options on the items don't disappear.](Helen)

Seeing the pretty tigress's grin, Michael remembered she was 'playing' with a Thorn build. This means that every poor monster that attacked her received a damage value in return.

If she used the Order of Restriction... even Bosses he would have to face at his current level would fall in seconds.

"How long does it last?"

[3 hours. Also, the restricted Wanderer can only participate in World Events, Stronghold recaptures, and other similar events happening in the world outside the Dungeons. Quests are out of the question. So? Does Big sis Helen want it?](Tia)

[Mhm. I'll trade the item you wanted previously in exchange.](Helen)

[Great! With that, I should be able to clear the Hawezar Stronghold on my own. Hehe! Now I don't have to hear big-sis Aylin yell for teaming up with Connie.](Tia)

[On one condition, though. Before you get the item, you must open the Legendary Node first. You know why we were worried to let you go, right? You're not strong enough to deal with the Stronghold without it. Adding the Incense on top of it should be sufficient.](Helen)

[Deal!](Tia)

Unable to follow the conversation, Michael kept quiet and realized he was about to go on a really wild date with Helen tomorrow.

As for the 'item,' who Connie was, and what a Legendary Node was, he would slowly ask when only two of them were there.

'A Legendary Node should have to do with the Paragon Board. Level 50, huh? It's not as far as I initially thought it would be. Also, Helen mentioned Incense, which might be the item in question. Maybe it's something that boosts attributes and resistance to elements? I wouldn't be surprised if it were an alchemical product for the 'late game.' There's still so much left to explore...'

The night continued with more conversation on the topic of the Main Quest Michael went through, with every detail dissected with impunity by the girls.

Everything that might be even remotely important was shed light upon. The statues, the inscriptions, the murals, the presence of demons trying to slow down their advancement.

But more than all of that, what made the young Necromancer's cogwheels move alarmingly fast was when Evelyn noticed how the timeframe between when the Knight escort went in with Lilith and Vhenard over almost two weeks ago, but he was able to catch up to them as if time stopped inside the Dungeon.

"So... you think the time was somehow altered? So that we could catch up to them?"

[Possibly?](Evelyn)

[It wouldn't be unheard of. But there's also the possibility that Lilith and their group have advanced slowly and must search for the entrance to Rathma's Necropolis. Also, even in the case of Lilith knowing the location, the fact that she needed Vhenard to study and create the magic formation you mentioned might have taken time. There's a LOT of knowledge required to create a movement-type formation such as teleportation, a barrier breaching formation, or even a mapping formation. That's why taking a week to learn and create the formation Lilith asked for wouldn't be absurd. ](Hella)

The group agreed. If it had been a game, Michael would've called it a plothole left behind by the devs. But with the reality of the situation, it was possible that any of the reasons Hella mentioned could be the case.

Furthermore, the strange feeling of connection and belonging he had with that place put a peculiar notion in his mind.

"Could've Rathma predicted that someone would catch up and be the one that messed with the time in the Dungeon?"

[Hmm...](Helen)

[The Firstborn of Lilith and Inarius...](Mina)

[It wouldn't be impossible. If we consider Lilith and Inarius to be on the level of godly beings, then their son would be, at minimum, a demi-god. We've seen cases of high-level Sorcerers being able to manipulate space and even time. So, it wouldn't be impossible for Rathma to have total control over his dominion.](Hella)

"Could he do that without Lilith noticing?"

[...that I don't know.](Hella)

[You're thinking Rathma did so in order for you to somehow stop Lilith from achieving her goal?](Helen)

"I'm not sure. I'm pretty much grasping at straws here, but I want to consider every possibility."

The conversation continued with the group analyzing everything else, but Michael's mind remained firm on the possibility of Rathma interfering with Lilith's plans.

As her son, there was this strange 'prophecy' that he 'heard' back in Nevesk after he cleared his first Dungeon. With him being a Necromancer, Rathma being one as well, and the faint connection he felt but couldn't identify at that point...

'It's all pure speculation, but there's a high chance of it being true. Even the wording of the prophecy sounds as if coming from the son of those two since he knew them better than any other 'oracle' could. Am I reaching with all this?'

The cherry on the top was another wild idea that popped up in his mind.

'If he is involved in this, and the prophecy is Rathma's way of seeing into the future and telling it to a third party, then, in the conflict between Inarius and Lilith, where does he stand? Also, he did say he 'saw' his corpse, meaning he would get killed. Would it be Lilith? It would make sense then for him to mess with the time in the Dungeon to give himself a path to survival. But wouldn't that also imply that it was him that brought me over to the Sanctuary?'

The more he thought about it, the more the notion made sense. It was purely speculation on his part, but if the Firstborn could foresee his death, then maybe he saw more than just that.

Maybe the destruction brought about by Lilith and Inarius's confrontation was so great that Rathma felt the need to prevent it.

After bringing the Sanctuary into the fold, it wouldn't be surprising if his 'transportation' to this world had to do with the plans these two hatched.

'Tsk! It's been a while since I went down a rabbit hole... With no YouTube in the Sanctuary, theory crafting is not easy. Still... the fact that it makes sense scares me a bit. Maybe it's just me looking at patterns and forcing my conclusion on them. For someone who wants to see the Virgin Mary on a pancake's syrup, they will.'

The conversation continued until late at night, once more reminding Michael of the lack of entertainment in the Sanctuary. These girls were too excited at the possibility of something interesting happening.

Furthermore, it seems they spread their wings and dipped their fingers into most inns in cities with Waypoints. After bribing the Innkeepers, they can collect lots of exciting news and rumors.

According to them, the first edition of 'Sanctuary's Herald' would be printed in less than a couple of weeks.

[The girls seem to have lots of fun doing their... research.](Helen)

"Isn't it good? Leveling up and fighting to protect the world is good, but they need to have a life beyond that. They're too young to make fighting their everything."

[You speak as if you're an old man... But I can't disagree.](Helen)

The duo were enjoying a relaxing bath, talking about today's events. Michael had to admit that being in Helen's presence helped his mental recovery quite a bit.

Whatever distressing or difficult topics would instantly become background noise with her plump and well-shaped bottom pressing on his lower regions.

Seeing her blush at his involuntary physical reaction, Michael's hands grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.

"I just realized that we are also young and should have some fun while we still can."

[You're talking nonsense again!](Helen)

"Furthermore, with two days lost... we need to make up for it."

[...](Helen)

The fact that the couple left the bathroom only two hours later and Michael had to carry Helen was only known to the servants as well as those spying on the duo.

The fact that intense activity continued in the bedroom also, was known to even fewer.