Diana stayed surprisingly calm while I explained everything. There wasn't much point in keeping secrets from someone actually trying to help me.

  When I finished, she leaned back in her chair and took another long pull from the bottle before offering it to me. The amber liquid burned going down—Sevenfold. I was starting to think Chas had inherited his taste for the stuff from Diana.

  I handed it back. She sighed, and the sound carried a weight I couldn't quite parse.

  "I think I grasp most of what you've told me. All except Dawn." She rolled the bottle between her palms. "If the Caretakers have something resembling the Realm of Light in their possession, why shove it into a Terran? Not to mention how that's even possible."

  Dara had been uncharacteristically quiet beside me, her eyes glazed over with that distant look I was recognizing as her multi-tasking.

  "Based on Ben's account of how he woke up, I believe he was in the Astral. Physically." Dara's voice carried fascination underneath the scholarly tone. "So we can only guess what's possible in that situation."

  "You know I'm right here," I pointed out.

  Dara's eyes cleared, and she smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I was reading twenty different books at once from the more obscure sections of the library."

  Diana's expression turned complicated, puzzle pieces clicking together in ways I couldn't see. "Nothing about this feels accidental."

  "What do you mean?" I asked, though something cold was already settling in my stomach.

  "You wake up in some Caretaker construct in the Astral, get the Realm of Light stuffed into your soul, and then some impossibly powerful Runebinder plucks you from their grasp and drops you here. Or at least close enough to here that we could come get you." She counted off on her fingers. "Just as this Hollowflame bullshit shows up Arryava says threatens all of Ark. On top of that, you're telling me you've manifested some sort of personification of Light that made you this Eidolon thing to save you from dying? And the process just gave you what was needed to destroy that Hollowflame aberration that even a Rune Warden couldn't defeat?" She shook her head slowly, shifting her gaze to Dara, who had gone completely still. "This is way bigger than just escaping the Caretakers. It almost doesn't seem fair to you. Someone or something has shoved you down a path."

  This was the first time I'd really thought about it that way. Anger surged through me—but it wasn't directed at the Caretakers or being plucked from my boring life on Earth. If anything, Ark was awesome. And while I missed my friends and family, being a superhero was fucking incredible. But now I was being expected to help save the world from this Hollowflame threat? Arryava was apparently strong enough to threaten the entire power structure on the planet, and she'd committed to helping, but saving the world was a tall order for someone whose largest achievement a few months ago was food-related.

  Dara's lips pursed into a thin line. "And after... what Ben did to Gu Li... it's probably safe to assume that the Shi'an would be looking for him."

  "I… don't know what I did. Or even how," I said, goosebumps prickling across my skin.

  Dara nodded. "You've touched on that, but I don't think it matters. It's that you do it. I'd certainly be looking for my lost sliver of divine power if I were in their position."

  The words hit me hard. Based on everything Arryava had told me about the Shi'an, that wasn't just bad news—it was catastrophic. And if they were looking for me, that meant Ark was in further danger. But more importantly...

  Diana actually chuckled, though there was no humor in it. "Just as Maris pulls her claim, we find out she was probably right all along. I'm certainly not going to tell her that." Her expression sobered. "If Arryava isn't concerned about them right now, neither am I. It sounds like the more imminent issue is Hollowflame. We need to know where it's coming from, though that shouldn't be your problem right now, Ben. Focus on training."

  I raised my hand as if I were back in a classroom. Diana smirked despite the gravity of our conversation.

  "If... if you think the Shi'an are looking for me..." The words felt thick in my throat. "I can't go home, can I? Even if there is a way back to Earth."

  Diana's features softened, and I could see her remembering that beneath everything else, I was just someone trying to find their way back home. But after everything that had happened... did I even want to anymore?

  "Not necessarily." Her voice carried a gentleness I rarely heard from her. "As far as Dara's research can tell, the Shi'an can't use transpiritual portals. They travel through what you called Space. Not the runic concept, but the physical emptiness between worlds. I am led to understand that those distances are so vast we don't even have words for it?"

  Dara nodded in confirmation, but her face had gone sullen. "That doesn't mean they couldn't follow, though. They found you once, right?"

  The casual words crashed over me like a wave. Humans were brilliant at blowing shit up, killing each other, and causing general mayhem on an industrial scale. But after seeing the destruction that one high-level Runebinder like Grace could cause in the blink of an eye? Earth wouldn't stand a chance. Eight billion people reduced to ash because I'd led these cosmic horrors straight to their doorstep.

  The bottle felt heavier when Diana passed it back to me. I took a much larger sip this time, the burn doing nothing to settle my churning thoughts.

  Diana nodded with finality. "One step at a time. Arryava says she'll arrive in several days, and you have a tournament to prepare for. Hopefully once she's here we can get some clarity on this mess." She stood, already shifting into planning mode. "You have other classes to get to, and I need to get in touch with some trusted connections about this Auction. And..." She paused, seeming to realize something. "I think you should chat with Stanley when he gets back from Virexus with Alexander. I'll have him track you down after I fill him in."

  I blinked. "Stanley?"

  "He's a Beast King too," Dara groaned dramatically. "Ugh, he's going to be insufferable."

  Diana laughed, the sound sharp with amusement. "He's always insufferable, but he was right about Red and yourself. At least as much as he could be. The rotten fucking turkey."

  I blinked at Diana. "You realize he was in the room with us minutes after Gregory told me what Red was. What the hell, Diana?"

  She shrugged. "There was cake, and you had just shrugged off an entire building hitting you to protect your girlfriend. We had higher priorities."

  I had dozens more questions, but Diana was already stretching, clearly signaling the end of our conversation. "We can continue this discussion in our next class. Dara, send Marco up."

  After being literally ejected from Diana's office, I stood in the hallway, not sure if I should be happy that she didn't overreact or worried that basically nothing had changed.

  Diana knew everything I did, and somehow she'd treated it like just another item to add to her mental checklist. That should have been terrifying, but I found it oddly comforting—more so than Valor's artificial bolstering could manage. This felt genuine. Whatever cosmic shitstorm was brewing, I had powerful friends in my corner, and apparently my problems were just normal Ark bullshit for them. The revelation about going home was new, though.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  I started wandering through the halls, not bothering with my bracelet since I needed time to think. Diana had made it clear there was a lot going on, and the sudden relief of unloading everything felt like it needed processing.

  One step at a time.

  I wouldn't have any actual answers until Arryava showed up, and I had access to one of the greatest repositories of magical knowledge on Ark—as far as I knew, anyway. If there was anywhere to be right now, I couldn't ask for a better spot. Three weeks of learning and training before everything went to shit.

  As I walked, something caught my attention—a scent that the mostly Gaian students around me didn't seem to notice. Herbal and extremely pleasant, almost calming in its familiarity. Lavender, maybe rosemary, and a strong spearmint scent wafted through the halls. I followed it.

  My aura spread out around me, but I detected nothing unusual. Just students and staff moving about their business, completely oblivious to the smell. As a test, I asked a passing group if they could smell herbs. They looked confused. It probably didn't help that I looked tired and was slightly buzzed from morning liquor.

  The scent reminded me of expensive soap, something distinctly clean—almost like a runic concept made manifest. Before I knew it, I was standing before what could only be described as an open-air bath. White stone pillars bordered a circular pool of steaming water, with stairs leading down into it as if it belonged right here in the middle of the hallway.

  Had I really just wandered into some kind of bath?

  There on the far side, staring at me with obvious amusement, was an old man in face only. Gregory Valerian stood completely naked, about to lower himself into the water. For someone of his apparent age, he could give Francis serious competition in terms of muscle tone, but the intense scars crisscrossing his body created a stark contrast against his tanned skin. Most notably? Beyond the one around eye, he didn't have any of the runic tattoos that marked other Gaians. He just looked like a normal person—almost human.

  As he eased himself into the steaming water, he tilted his head at me and smiled with genuine warmth just as several chimes rang through the air.

  "Well," Gregory said, then chuckled. "Get in. I'm gonna be here a while—might as well teach a class."

  I cast my gaze around the strange bathing area, steam rising in lazy spirals toward the distant ceiling. "It's just me here."

  Gregory sighed as he settled back against the pool's edge. "And if anyone wanders in, they're welcome to join. But I'll bet they won't. Very few out this way appreciate a good soak. It's all wash kits and steely resolve with these people. Plus, looks like you could use a minute to relax."

  I hadn't actually bathed since arriving on Ark—running through monsoon rain didn't count. Barely hesitating, I stored my clothes in my soul-space and stepped into the hot water. It was almost too hot for comfort. Almost.

  The heat immediately began working at knots in my shoulders I didn't know I had. Gregory had leaned back against the pool's lip, sighing contentedly as steam rose around us both. The herbal scent was even stronger here, almost medicinal in its intensity.

  "So you're the one everyone's bent out of shape about, huh?" Gregory's voice carried easy amusement. "I sort of thought you'd be bigger."

  I laughed, sinking deeper into the water. "Well I certainly have more muscle than I did when I arrived. And you're Maris's dad?"

  Gregory chuckled, the sound echoing off the stone pillars. "Unfortunately. Though finally losing so thoroughly seems to have taught her a valuable lesson in accountability. Something her mother never had, so I should thank you for your part in that. She went to the Greatwood with Alexander, which is something I never thought I'd say."

  I blinked. Maris was supposed to duel him after the tournament wrapped up, but now she was hunting monsters?

  "I was just trying to survive the whole thing," I said, feeling the fresh tension melt away in the hot water. The aromatherapy reminded me of home—of simpler times when my biggest worry was writing college exams.

  "As most do with my daughter. She has too much of

  mother in her, I fear. Valerian women are... rather abrasive." His eyes twinkled with mischief. "Malcolm is more like me and my grandfather. I'm sure Maris hates that."

  Gregory clapped his hands together, water droplets scattering. "But this is supposed to be a class, not a lecture on the Valerian family tree. I can feel your aura—Valor, is it? Seems centered on Light... Radiance specifically, but with a distinctly unique feel."

  I nodded. "That about covers it. I think learning more about how to use it is my ticket to Adept."

  Gregory's laughter boomed through the stone bathing area, rich and genuinely amused. "You've been a Seeker for what... a month? Why are you in such a rush when you should focus on building up where you are? Nothing good comes from rushing through advancement."

  "Let's see," I counted on my fingers for emphasis. "Varglid invasions, tournament duels, Rune Lord inspections, apparently the whole Empire interested in me?" , I didn't say.

  Gregory waved his hand dismissively. "Only one of those things is actually happening at the moment. And what happens if you don't win the dueling rounds?" Gregory leveled his gaze at me, and there was immense wisdom behind those eyes—almost beckoning me to relax and really think. That was right... Maris had withdrawn her claim. There wasn't actually a threat of anything bad happening, at least right away, if I didn't win the duels. Figuring out Valor was the only thing of pressing concern.

  "Huh..." I blinked, the realization hitting me. "I guess nothing?"

  Gregory scoffed, but not unkindly. "Well, you'd certainly be disappointed in yourself, sure. But you're only winning it for yourself. Is it worth it?"

  He shifted in the pool to sit directly across from me, and I got a much better look at him. I hadn't seen any Gaians nearly as old as Gregory's face suggested. Not that he looked particularly ancient, but even Astrid appeared fifty to Gregory's eighty. Yet despite all the age lines etched around his eyes, he didn't move like an old man. His face was animated as he spoke, eyes practically sparkling with life.

  "Let me tell you a story. Ben, was it? I was a late bloomer, the best of us always are—I could grasp knowledge and runes, but nothing spoke to me quite like Light. The duality of it was fascinating." He leaned forward conspiratorially, water lapping at his chest. "Problem being that Light itself is far too complex a concept to bind as is. But Radiance? Now that's something to behold. All the good parts of light, just right there ready to go. Problem was, I come from a family of fighters, much like Malcolm."

  He fidgeted with a blue metal ring on his middle finger—I hadn't noticed it from across the pool. The metal caught the light strangely, sending out a brief flash of blue light across the water.

  "By the time I had a Seal candidate, most of my colleagues were already Adept. They'd taken to calling me Old Greg, like we weren't the same damn age." His voice carried the weight of old wounds. "Obviously, I had a chip on my shoulder—something to prove. And I did, repeatedly. I'm also a Breaker, by the way. But that was a very long time ago." He paused, steam rising between us. "Needless to say, in my relentless pursuit of Runebinding, I forgot the one thing that actually mattered. The one thing Gaius reminded everyone of."

  "That we're stronger together?" I ventured.

  Gregory nodded slowly, his expression growing distant. "Half my friends are dead—monsters or politics. Both equally lethal in surprisingly similar ways. The other half want nothing to do with me. Burned bridges and all, or they are too focused on their own paths." His voice grew softer, tinged with genuine regret. "Malcolm, on the other hand, shows real promise. And it takes genuine character to stand up to one's own family—I can safely vouch for that. To add to that, I'm fairly sure Astrid's daughter would follow you straight into hell if it means testing herself against you."

  His gaze sharpened, pinning me in place. "And yet you've barely seen them since you arrived. So I'll ask again—what happens if you don't win your one-on-one duels?"

  I took a moment to process what he was really asking. The lesson wasn't about ego or steady progress—it was about what I was sacrificing in my single-minded focus on gaining strength. What was I missing while obsessing over improving myself? The faces of my friends flashed through my mind: Malcolm slicing monsters in half with literal plasma, Cass's unmatchable speed and strength, even Red's speed and fire breath.

  It clicked, puzzle pieces falling into place.

  "Then one of my friends probably does," I said, the words carrying new conviction.

  "So let me ask then, if you have pushed this far, how would you help your friends catch up? If it doesn't matter if you win or lose, would it not make more sense to hedge your bets? If any of the three of you can win, it benefits you all."

  I blinked at the logic and narrowed my eyes at Gregory.

  "You mentioned Gaius... is your family actually related to him?"

  Gregory's grin turned wicked. "Oh yes, but a thousand years is a time long enough for politics to muddy our family history. Perhaps—"

  Chimes sounded through the air. "I guess that's time! It was nice meeting you, Ben."

  He gestured with his hand before I could protest, and I felt the familiar flip-flopping sensation of being forcibly moved through the tower. Suddenly, I was standing in the middle of Estelle's alchemy class in the library. Completely naked. Steam was still rising from my skin.

  A dozen pairs of eyes turned toward me in perfect, horrified silence.

  "Aw, come on, man!" I yelled at the ceiling like Gregory was watching and pulled my clothes from my mana sanctum.

  I was starting to empathize with Lana for trying to fry him.