His first thoughts were of his failures. His hands had taken a mortal’s life, and that sin had doomed the world. He had nearly redeemed himself by putting an end to the monster that had become a Tyrant, only to come up short. Gadriel Cross knew he should have died, and yet he still breathed. A terrible pain in his arms made his mind waver for one moment before he steeled himself and dragged consciousness back into his body.


    As he opened his eyes, he saw a solid stone ceiling above him and felt the blanket around him. It took him a few seconds to remember why this was familiar. Placing this room made him sit bolt upright, his eyes widening. A voice he thought he’d never hear again spoke as he saw the impossible. “Hey champ. Long time no see.”


    “Masika?”


    “Yeah.” There was a complicated note in the familiar tone that carried the weight of both the separation and unexpected reunion. “Gade, I don’t know what you’ve been up to for the past few months, but you really need to take a break.”


    “How is this possible?” She was standing right there in stark defiance of all he believed. The avianoid was in her usual armor, and the Focus worn on one arm made it clear it was her. The only requirement for the Foci Clerics took was that it was an object representing their faith. Masika had made a bracer embellished with the symbol of the Octyrrum, an eight-sectioned wheel. Not many Clerics chose the path of universal devotion, but Masika had, and she was-


    A human in robes ran in looking first at Gadriel, shock plain on his face, before he turned to Masika. “You should have told me the moment he woke up!”


    “Come on, it’s Gade. I’ve never known a Hero that takes himself so seriously. He’s not going to let his ‘grand journey’ end anywhere but the middle of a fight.”


    The other Cleric examined him, reaching for his wrist to feel the pulse. The pain from there had never ceased, and Gadriel saw to his surprise the armbands containing the enchanted weaponry were still there. “Please, let us remove these now.”


    “By all means,” Gadriel said, but as the man tried to remove them he felt an automatic response take over. Never Disarmed was preventing their removal. He couldn’t stop it despite knowing that keeping them on was causing him pain. “I, I apologize good sir. My power, it’s not responding appropriately to my desires.”


    “You’re like the others then,” the man muttered.


    Masika wore a beaked grimace. “Give it straight. How bad is he?”


    “He’s fortunate these items need to be activated or he’d be dead already,” the Cleric reported. “That’s not counting the fact that holding onto these things should be putting you in incredible pain. It’s a good thing that power’s protecting you from that.”


    “It’s not,” Gadriel replied, unable to stop himself from gritting his teeth for a moment before regaining his composure. The other human’s eyes widened, but Masika just laughed.


    “Classic Gade.”


    …


    “How?” Gadriel asked again, now walking outside of the Eido Hunter’s Guild’s clinic after being ruled otherwise healthy.


    “Search me. After the attack on the temple there was this, I don’t know. We all felt like we went really fast for a few seconds and then we were here. Not even the Commander knows what happened and he barely got out of the temple before it exploded.”


    “The Spoke was truly lost?”


    “As far as we can tell. Our best guess is we got teleported to a remote part of the Octyrrum since none of the natives speak our language. A different Realm at least.” She reached for one of the armbands and Gadriel’s heartbeat treacherously sped up as their hands neared. He fought, but was only able to conceal any obvious sign of what he’d thought long banished. “Tell me honestly, no high speak. You good?”


    “I am… good, Masika,” Gadriel spoke softly, letting the formality in his voice drop just a bit. He looked around at the hallways, still in disbelief. They looked unattended, dust gathering on the scant furniture. “I am so sorry I wasn’t here when it happened.”


    “Aw, come on Gade. We all knew you had dreams, and I don’t blame you for chasing them.” She paused before she opened the next door, the deep green-blue feathers of her arms rippling just a little. “Go ahead. Ask me what you really want to.”


    “Who else survived?”


    “For Eido in general? About half, less now,” Masika said grimly, opening the door. “A lot of people were in the temple. The divine construct was filling with mana, everything was fine, and then people in the crowd started letting off powers indiscriminately. A group managed to fight their way to the center. I mean, they had a level 5 with them, the Commander couldn’t stop them in time. One of the fuckers touched his hand to it and it went off. I was far enough away to get blown out before the entire building disintegrated, and then, well, we were here.”


    Gadriel looked at the blue sky and smelled salt in the air, the faint call of birds echoing in the distance. The city of Eido itself was familiar, though he could tell something was off about the surroundings. He’d thought it was just the pain that was still present, but by now he’d figured it out. “My powers, they’re suppressed?”


    “Yeah. It’s like this entire region is under heavy magical suppression. Got the Commander down and everything.” Masika stopped Gadriel from walking further out onto the street. “I was the only one from our team that made it. Borjin and Sarah went charging in when it started and I think Reshi hit a wall instead of a window after that first blast.”


    Gadriel spent some time looking at the city. Down the street he could see where the taller buildings of the city’s center gave way to the blocky housing for citizens. The Builders who had first risen the city had done a passable job, but most were still the ubiquitous blueprints common to other starting settlements like Hagain Village. He could see a hole in the skyline that matched where the Temple of Unification had been. From the missing buildings, it looked like the entire Divine Quarter was gone.


    “We talked to the others you came here with,” Masika said when Gadriel’s silence didn’t break. “We know roughly what happened. There was the librarian of Hagain and a Bard named Evalyn. They were quite worried about you.” A mock suspicion flicked across her eyes. “You didn’t finally find someone, did you?”


    “No, but I am glad they are alright. Was there no one else?”


    The Cleric looked to the side and sighed. “Better you see for yourself. It’s a bit of a walk. She might be there, she visits a lot.”


    …


    Evalyn sat on the small hill looking down into the pit that had been dug. Neither that nor the bench she sat on had been there before they’d returned to Eido. By now she’d gotten used to this new place, including how it had affected her personally. Investiture of Song had become permanently activated somehow while they’d been transported to Eido. The mana cost should have drained her long before dawn, but something else was powering it.


    The Bard now perceived the world in flashes, the tempo adjusting to whatever song was in her mind. While the base effect was an enhancement, Valor Song wasn’t meant to be used all the time. It was like she was always keyed up, and at the same time had to consciously choose what to do with each flash. Every step, every small movement, every blink had to be designated. It was fine, she was handling it, and she didn’t have it the worst.


    That caped bastard is finally awake and he’s heading your way, Lograve mentally communicated to her from wherever he was hiding in the city. Luckily they weren’t able to remove Armafus’ weapons. He shouldn’t have any idea where I am and you should keep it that way.


    Alright. Evalyn spent three flashes adjusting her head to look out to the ocean, frowning at the crick in her neck that was developing from how she’d been sitting. She was still figuring out ways to remember all the adjustments needed to prevent muscle damage most people did naturally. Have you been able to learn any more of their language?Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    No. I think I’ve barely convinced them I’m real. It would be easier if they could see me.


    You think if they could see your face it would make it better?


    Low blow Evalyn! Not all of us cheat beauty with magic. Evalyn closed her eyes, the process taking a few beats, and laughed to herself. Are you still doing well?


    I found my family. How could I not be? She began hearing sounds behind her and switched to a faster song in her head, which changed the relative speed of the world slightly. This gave her more beats to use for actions but also required more mental effort on her part to keep her going. Missing a beat while walking would leave her sprawled on the ground if she didn’t recover, but since she was sitting it was fine. It sounds like they’re getting close. Do I mention you at all?


    Well, they know I’m here, but from what I overheard that old teammate of his didn’t go into details. Try to be vague if you can and just distract him if you can’t. Your face should be able to handle that, right?


    Goodbye Lograve, Evalyn replied with a bit of snark. He was the only one she could have an effortless conversation with and despite the Arcanist’s nature, that was another thing keeping her going.


    Gadriel and a Cleric she’d seen around Eido stepped into her field of view. He began speaking and while she was able to understand him, the words came piecemeal over a longer time than they should have. Evalyn slowed the pace of the world, which helped. “Lady Evalyn, I am heartened to see you survived. Was there no one else that came through with us?”


    “No,” Evalyn said over the course of about a dozen beats. “Only Lograve and… Tak.”


    The Hero drew in a sharp breath as he looked down into the pit, which had been dug twenty meters deep. What was inside could climb that distance but had stopped trying after the last two times an escape had been made. She’d started coming here twice a day after that. “Gods. I should have thought about this, considering my strife. Is he?”


    “We don’t know. He recognizes me, I think. Lograve’s always invisible so it’s harder to tell with him.”


    “Ah, yes. Is he here now?” Gadriel looked a bit uncomfortably at his surroundings while the Cleric’s eyes sharpened.


    “No.” The beast in the pit inclined its head below them, looking straight at Gadriel. A feral, barely avian sound came from it that only sounded a little hostile. “I think he does remember you.”


    “There must be a way to undo this!” Gadriel declared, stepping towards the pit. As he got closer, the beast shrieked and became more agitated, causing the Hero to back off in surprise. “I see.”


    “How are you?”


    “Gade’s holding up well enough,” the Cleric answered for him. “He’s in pain, but that’s never stopped him before. I’m glad you’re here though. Commander Marshall wanted me to bring up those artifacts again.”


    Evalyn increased the tempo and hardened her gaze. “No. This changes nothing.”


    “What’s going on, Masika?” The Hero asked, confused.


    “Your powers weren’t the only odd thing to arrive with you,” she answered, looking for a moment at Evalyn who didn’t protest. Gadriel was going to learn at one point what they’d done and she didn’t have anything to gain from hiding the truth. “Some of the enchanted items on you are still working despite the suppression. They’ve been hiding them.”


    “Why?” Gadriel asked, taken aback.


    If only you knew where we were, Evalyn thought. Then I could tell you. “It’s our decision,” she replied simply. “We’ll help Eido in any way we can short of those. Daniel made them, I’m not about to just give them up.”


    “The bags of holding alone would help us with gathering food!” Masika objected. “You two are being selfish, and we’ve put up with a lot.” She gestured towards the pit with that.


    “Masika, that is a good friend,” Gadriel objected. “I know his current appearance is, well, disconcerting, but he has returned from this before. It is merely an odd transmutative power that simply needs to be removed.”


    “We could do that if we get out of this region, but it’s ocean all around us for hundreds of kilometers at least! With one of those bags, our strongest swimmer could be loaded with supplies and sent out for help.”


    “The Commander has explained the situation to us and we stand by our decision,” Evalyn stated firmly, standing up with some effort. “It’s not like you’d be able to have them come back if they’re going that far with how the island’s hidden. What we’re doing will help everyone. If you’d stop sending people to look for Lograve we’d have more to hunt with.”


    “How long was I unconscious?” Gadriel asked, and Evalyn consciously raised an eyebrow at him. He hadn’t thought to ask yet?


    “Two weeks, Gade,” Marisa said, at least sharing in Evalyn’s exasperation. “Your arms were a wreck but at least our attributes are still working.” She sighed and touched her Focus with her offhand. “Alright, I’ve said my piece. I’m going to show him the ship now, do you want to come with us?”


    “The Commander isn’t penalizing Evalyn for defying his will?” Gadriel asked.


    “No. We need everyone we have Gade, it’s bad. Everything about five kilometers from the old temple got pulled with us but that’s not enough to farm off of for everyone here. There’s a mix of fish and low level aquatic monsters nearby that are sustaining us for now, but we keep having to go farther out and that gets risky. We don’t know why, but you stop seeing Eido after a certain point. Not everyone who leaves has come back. All the air gestalt flew off in the first few days, and I’m not sure if they can find their way back. We barely see the earth gestalt out of the ground these days either.” Masika shook her head. “Best estimates give us a few months unless more wildlife spawns here, or migrates nearby.”


    “I see. And you’ve built a ship to go out farther? If we have such a vessel, why are the bags of holding such a point of contention?”


    “Because we didn’t build it.”


    …


    In the time that Evalyn had spent in the relocated Eido, she’d found that not much had changed. There was the large gap in the center where the temple had been, as well as gouges that had been taken out randomly which fit with Daniel’s descriptions of the floating islands he’d found himself on. The rest of the area included the city and surrounding countryside, pulling in a few forests along with the rolling hills.


    The biggest change to the city itself, aside from the missing sections, was the missing magic of the Builders that sapped defenses and disabled helpful functions like climate control. The people here didn’t have it as bad as it had been in Hagain, but they’d also been completely isolated for months with no hope of escape. Even a dragon couldn’t beat a seemingly endless ocean empty of sentient life.


    The lore of Eido Island spoke of the day this changed. A ship had come from the east. At first there had been hope of rescue despite its unnatural construction. No one had realized until it was too late that the ship was going to run aground instead of dock. The sight of the aftermath left Gadriel more speechless than seeing Masika or Tak.


    It was almost half a kilometer long, though there were no sails to propel such a massive vessel. Instead, colorful metallic rectangles flooded the deck and the surrounding terrain in a scrambled mess. The main structure of the ship was also metallic, though it had torn during the process of digging the furrow in the island that it now rested in. What had been painted on the side was still visible enough though Gadriel couldn’t read the text. The only thing he did recognize was a large symbol of a golden shooting star, which didn’t closely match any depiction of Star that he’d seen.


    “What is this?”


    “The ship,” Masika answered with a shrug. “That’s what everyone calls it. I’ve been on it once but the Commander wants us to stay away from it for the most part. We’ve salvaged what we can but there’s some strange stuff on there.” She answered his questioning gaze by pointing out a smaller metallic vehicle half sticking out of one of the rectangles that had been heavily damaged. It wasn’t shaped like the main ship but had wheels, making it more likely to be a land vehicle. “Some people are worried we’re deep in the Crest and these are people who managed to survive. No one knows what’s out there, and there’s enough fear that these artifacts are tainted that we keep away.”


    “If that’s true, should we not rid ourselves of it?”


    “They can’t,” Evalyn replied, an odd look in her eyes as she gazed out over the vessel. “It’d take most of the Blessed here to and there’s something else. A lot of the people on board survived, but none of them speak our language. They’re worried if we get rid of it and more of these people show up it’ll be more trouble than we can’t explain.”


    Gadriel sat down and Evalyn saw a flash of pain in his face. It would have been hidden to most but she saw it for several beats. “So much has changed. Perhaps this is our penance for failing in Aughal. Are we to assume any who did not come with us are dead?”


    “No,” Evalyn answered firmly. “We’ll find a way back. Something sent both us and Eido here. Swimming mindlessly in one direction isn’t going to make a difference.” That last barb was directed at Masika as a proxy for the Commander, though both this disagreement and the earlier friction weren’t fiercely heated.


    An uneasy balance had been reached, Commander Marshall unwilling to alienate the only people with active class powers and unable to find Lograve. Considering what Daniel had made amounted mostly to the bags of holding and her winged boots, there was nothing they had that another could use to save lives. She was about to take her leave and see her sister again when Gadriel suddenly started.


    “Blood, there!” He was off running before she or Masika could stop him. Gadriel was without the majority of his powers. In other words, his default state. The loss of his basic Balance benefits did hurt, but it was easy enough to run. He made it to where the island unevenly broke off into the sea and Evalyn saw him plunge right into the surf. A minute later, he was hauling himself and a young avianoid up. The Bard faintly remembered him as a Ranger she’d hunted with, someone who’d unfortunately hit their wall right after gaining their class.


    “I, I thought,” the youth spoke weakly, grimacing in pain. “I thought they weren’t dangerous. They said low level. It came out of nowhere. I’ve been swimming for days trying to find the island.”


    Masika quickly attended to the Ranger, her breath coming out sharply as she saw that one of his legs had been bitten off. The injury had happened some time ago to Evalyn’s eyes and it was only the empowered endurance that had allowed him to survive this long. Some blood was still slowly seeping and Masika quickly tore off part of the shirt under her armor to make bindings.


    “We need to get him to my sister,” Evalyn said, and Masika nodded.


    “Not the clinic? I presume with the church of the Hand gone that is our best course of action.”


    “We’ll bring people to help, but we need her for this,” Masika replied quickly, picking the man up from under one arm as Gadriel supported the other side. They were both effectively carrying him as Evalyn watched.


    “I was told powers did not function?”


    “No one’s class powers,” Evalyn replied, keeping pace with the help of a faster tempo. “My bond with her still works.”