Today I'm going for something healthier. Eggs, salad, Emberbread, and fruit. My body's probably been complaining about all the bacon.
Donny waddles over to his bowl, looks at the eggs and salad, then looks up at me like I've personally betrayed him.
[Wright] "What? It's good for you."
He churrs sadly.
[Wright] "Alright, alright."
I pull out bacon and throw it on the pan. He perks up immediately, tail swishing. I make extra for the heroes while I'm at it.
After eating, I pack up the portions and head out to deliver them.
Takeshi's cabin is first. When he opens the door, he's quieter than usual. The cabin feels emptier now that Daichi and Kenji are gone.
[Wright] "Brought breakfast."
[Takeshi] "Thanks."
He takes it, but the smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. Makes sense—his friends just left yesterday. He's alone in there now.
[Wright] "You're still going with Lucien today, right? To the ruins?"
That does it. He straightens up, energy coming back.
[Takeshi] "Yeah! Ancient ruins from a lost civilization? That's incredible!"
There we go. Give the kid an adventure and he'll be fine.
After dropping off food at Aiko and Yuki's cabin, I head through the village. It's a nice morning. Clear sky, good weather. The kind of day that makes you want to just relax and do nothing.
But I can't afford to relax. Not with my new skill draining mana like crazy. I need to level up, and sitting around the farm isn't going to cut it, no matter how nice it is here.
Near the edge of the village, I spot Lucien and his team. The angels are pulling equipment from Storage, checking each piece before storing it again. Surveying instruments, collection cases, various tools.
[Wright] "Morning."
[Lucien] "Good morning, Wright."
The angels greet me.
[Wright] "How was staying with the high elves in the barracks yesterday? Not too cramped?"
[Angel 1] "Very comfortable, thank you."
Eldrin comes around the corner.
[Eldrin] "Most of us moved into the houses in the trees that Kara built. The barracks are half-empty now, so plenty of space to go around."
[Wright] "Good to hear you're all settling in alright."
[Eldrin] "Of course, this place is our home. I know it's a bit delayed, but I'll be heading out to deliver the harvest now. I will be back in a few days."
[Wright] "Safe travels."
I wave Eldrin off. Then I turn to Lucien.
[Wright] "Actually, mind if I tag along today? I'd like to see these ruins, and maybe I can finally level up along the way."
[Lucien] "Of course. We'd welcome the company. But be warned—ancient sites can be unpredictable."
Sylphaeris materializes beside me.
[Sylphaeris] "I'm coming too. Sounds like fun."
[Wright] "Bored?"
[Sylphaeris] "Very."
[Lucien] "The more the merrier. We'll leave once Takeshi and Aiko arrive."
[Wright] "Thanks. In that case, there's something I should take care of. I'll be right back."
I head toward the fields. Seraphina's standing at the edge of the Golden Grapple section, staring at the plants like they're the most fascinating thing in the world.
[Wright] "Morning."
She turns, hand on her chest.
[Seraphina] "Wright! You startled me."
[Wright] "I'm here to accelerate the grapples like I promised yesterday."
Her crimson eyes practically glow.
[Seraphina] "Marvelous! Though I must confess, I have a rather presumptuous request."
[Wright] "Oh? Shoot."
[Seraphina] "Would it be terribly inconvenient if we—the vampires and I—extended our stay? I find myself utterly captivated by the agricultural bounty here."
[Wright] "Sure. Is there anything you'd like to do here?"
She clasps her hands together, excitement breaking through her usual composure.
[Seraphina] "Wine! I simply must attempt wine-making with these magnificent ingredients. The tubers, the fruits, especially these Golden Grapples. Lord Wright, the potential is extraordinary! The sugar content, the acidity balance, the subtle notes I detected when sampling them..."
She's getting more animated as she talks, gesturing expressively.
[Seraphina] "I can already envision it—a vintage with depth and complexity, perhaps with hints of citrus and stone fruit, aged to perfection in properly enchanted casks."
[Wright] "Sounds great. Everyone will want to try it when it's ready."
[Seraphina] "Then you understand! Though we would require space for the equipment. Wine-making is an art that demands proper facilities."
I spot Liora and wave her over.
[Wright] "Liora! The vampires want to set up wine-making operations. Got space for them?"
Liora thinks for a moment.
[Liora] "The barracks are available. Most of us moved into the houses that Kara built, so there's plenty of room. They're welcome to use it, or we can move the structure if they need the space cleared."
[Seraphina] "How gracious! I shall discuss the arrangements with my companions. This is most exciting!"
That settles it. Looks like the vampires are moving in.
I turn my attention to a small section of the grapples. I focus my mana and cast growth acceleration. The warmth flows through me and into the plants.
[Wright] "All set. Tomorrow these are yours."
[Seraphina] "Splendid! I must begin preparations immediately!"
When I get back to Lucien's group, Takeshi and Aiko are there, both looking excited. Yuki's with them too, dressed for forest exploring.
[Yuki] "I'm going into the forest with Rhevan and Nym today to try out my new skill!"
[Wright] "Be careful. Remember what Rhevan said—most monsters attack on sight."
[Yuki] "I know, I will!"
She jogs off toward the hunting team.
Aiko closes her eyes and concentrates. The camper van materializes.
[Aiko] "Everyone can ride in this!"
Everyone enters the camper van, excited to see it in action. We all find seats. Aiko gets in the driver's seat, gripping the wheel nervously.
[Aiko] "Okay. I can do this."
She presses the pedal.
The van lurches forward and starts bouncing violently over the uneven ground.
[Takeshi] "Maybe slower?"
[Aiko] "I'm trying!"
We make slow progress across the fields. But as we reach the forest, the problem's obvious. Trees packed tightly together. No way the van's fitting through.
[Wright] "Guess we're walking."
Aiko stops, looking disappointed.
[Aiko] "Sorry. I thought this would work."
[Takeshi] "Hey, we can still use it as a base camp. Come back for meals and rest."
[Aiko] "You're right! Our own base!"
Lucien takes point and we enter the forest.
As usual, monsters flee in every direction. Rustling in the bushes, creatures running off before I can even see them properly.
So much for leveling up.
[Takeshi] "They're all running away."
[Aiko] "I'd heard about this, but it's so weird to see in person."
[Lucien] "Any creature with survival instincts will avoid a threat they can't handle."
[Wright] "Yeah, that's what I'm told."
Since leveling up isn't happening, might as well learn something instead.
[Wright] "So what exactly are these ruins? What are we expecting?"
[Lucien] "Remnants from the Age of Gods. Rumors have it that the site has significant historical value. Past sites have architecture that suggests they had construction techniques we still don't fully understand."
[Wright] "What's the Age of Gods?"
[Lucien] "A period from before modern record-keeping. The texts from that era describe people with abilities that exceed what we can do now. There are also references to gods appearing in physical form, though the accuracy of those accounts is questionable."
Sylphaeris makes a skeptical sound.
[Sylphaeris] "Questionable is giving it too much credit. People back then were weaker than now. Less magical power, more primitive techniques."
[Wright] "And gods can't just walk around easily. When Jyne showed up, it was only a sliver of her consciousness."
[Sylphaeris] "And that only worked because the wooden doll was made of trees from this forest, which are packed dense with natural energy."
[Wright] "Right. The times where gods did descend so easily was a very long time ago. It was a very chaotic time when everything was still young."
Lucien looks at me. He's quiet for a moment, then his expression shifts—like something just clicked.
[Lucien] "I see. That explains a few things."
He doesn't push further, just continues walking.
We walk for hours through an increasingly old forest. The trees get massive. Trunks so wide it'd take a dozen people to wrap around them. The canopy's so thick the forest floor's in permanent twilight.
We stop for water, then keep going.
The forest starts changing. Trees more sparse, like they're avoiding something. Undergrowth thins out. The usual forest sounds fade to nothing.
Then we hit a clearing.
The structure rises from the earth like something half-buried and forgotten. Thick vines cover most of the stonework, roots digging into every crack. What's visible is dark stone—almost black—carved with patterns that seem to shift when you're not looking directly at them. Geometric shapes flow into each other in ways that don't make sense, and there's script in a language I don't recognize winding between them.
The entrance is a massive archway, half-buried in dirt and debris. Beyond it, darkness. The kind that suggests this thing goes way underground.
The air feels heavier here. Thicker. Dead quiet. No birds, no insects, no wind.
[Angel 2] "The preservation is remarkable for this age."
[Angel 3] "These carvings are completely unfamiliar."
[Lucien] "Consistent with Age of Gods construction. The style matches other documented sites from that period."
[Takeshi] "It looks kind of scary."
[Aiko] "More than kind of."
My stomach growls, breaking the tension.
[Wright] "Let's eat before we head in. Bad idea to explore on an empty stomach."
Everyone agrees pretty quickly.
Aiko summons the camper van and we pile in. I head to the kitchen.
Lunch needs to be quick but filling. I grill up bacon until it's crispy, warm some emberbread on the pan, and grab fresh Spiceleaf for brightness.
Simple sandwiches—emberbread, bacon, Spiceleaf. Done.
Everyone gathers around the table.
[Takeshi] "Smells great!"
People eat, and the simple meal hits the spot. The toasted emberbread, savory bacon, and the peppery but bitter Spiceleaf work well together.
[Aiko] "So good!"
[Sylphaeris] "You always know what to make."
We finish up and everyone stands.
[Lucien] "Get your equipment ready. We'll start in five minutes. Stay close to your partners once we're inside, and don't touch anything until I've had a chance to examine it first."
The angels pull their gear from Storage, doing final checks.
We step out of the camper van and approach the dark entrance.