A shower and a meal, and Luke was all but restored from his long workout session, except. Perhaps, for a bit of soreness. Just as he was about to message Dot to see about finding a place to make a dinner reservation, she contacted him.

  Dot: "Luke, I apologize, but I can't make it tonight. Reschedule our date? I'm really sorry."

  Luke sat on the bed and tossed a monster core to Smudge as he read over the message again and again. From that brief collection of words, he couldn't decipher whether the cancellation was because she got cold feet or if something had come up. Since she'd asked for a rain check, he settled on that it held a positive note. That didn't ease the feeling of dread that'd rushed him. Not that weight, even, just a wave of fear.

  Dot: "Luke?"

  Luke: "Yeah. I'm here."

  Luke: "Did something happen?"

  Dot: "Sort of. Sorry again, but it's work."

  Luke: "Healing?"

  Dot: "Mhm. There's still a long line, and then there's something else, some project."

  Luke: "I could come help out with the line."

  Dot: "Thank you, L, but you shouldn't have to do that. It's my responsibility to set boundaries with the guild. I'm... working on it."

  Dot: "Reschedule for tomorrow? I'll be working late."

  Luke: "Of course. Don't keep going until you fall unconscious."

  Dot: "I'll do my best to stop before then."

  Well, that sucked. At least it didn't sound like she was having second thoughts, but who could tell? With his evening freed up, Luke wasn't sure what to do. Training more didn't appeal to him after spending most of the day running and lifting things, nor did enchantment. Even if mana regeneration was good enough to keep going almost forever, working on his profession drained him in other ways, like it was spending his focus and draining his mind and making it sluggish.

  A nudge on Weaver's Perception tipped him off to an activity that would be just right for the rest of the day.

  Luke: "Mateo! We've got a portal coming soon. If you can promise to make it back out, we could gather up the old group and go?"

  Mateo: "It is time for us to ride into battle together again, my friend! Give me a time and a place, and I will see to it that our compatriots make it as well. My life will be, as ever, in your hands!"

  After providing the details, Luke sighed. That message didn't inspire much confidence in Mateo's survivability, but he was right. Luke would be there, and at that point, there weren't many injuries he couldn't deal with.

  "Now I'm adding to the pile of death flags," Luke told Smudge, who was munching on the latest monster core. If he wasn't seeing things, it appeared as if the void-black dog-shape was more defined now, the dog shape and mannerisms a little more exact and settled, like Smudge was coming into his own. So far, he hadn't seen any ill effects from the pet consuming Leslie's meta-heart, but he would wait before pronouncing the mistake harmless.

  Luke: "How are you doing, Milla?"

  Milla: "Pretty good! Just found a larger place not far from the water!"

  Luke: "You're moving?"

  Milla: "Lana and I are moving in together."

  Luke: "How long have you known this girl? Are her intentions pure?"

  Milla: "When you know, you know."

  Luke: "Maybe you should come with me. Both of you."

  Milla: "You're leaving on another adventure?"

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  Luke: "You could say that. I'll be in New York for a while."

  Milla: "How long?"

  Luke: "Well... There's no end-date."

  Milla: "You're moving away?"

  Milla: "Is little brother growing up?"

  Luke: "Shut up."

  Milla: "You have to let me be there when you tell Mom. She's going to freak out."

  Luke: "You want to come as support?"

  Milla: "No, stupid. I want to watch when the tears come, and the emotional blackmail begins. It'll be fun."

  Luke: "Super fun. Might not just tell them."

  Milla: "That'll go over great."

  Milla: "Moving day is Saturday. You better be here and help. Also, to meet Lana."

  Luke: "Great. I love moving furniture."

  Milla: "See you at 8 AM sharp!"

  With everything going on, Luke wasn't even sure what day it was. Checking his phone, he discovered it was Thursday. That meant that he didn't have to get up early the next day, at least. After working on more enchantments for a little while, getting ever closer to level three, Luke left the apartment, heading over to where the portal was going to open.

  To his surprise, he wasn't the first to arrive.

  "Hey," Liza said.

  She wore black workout leggings and a black top, with her hair up in a ponytail.

  Luke gave her a nod. "Hey there. How's...."

  "Monica."

  "Monica. Right. Sorry."

  "She's doing her best to keep better habits. There's been some arguing about the cat, but she'll try a different allergy medicine, so that's something."

  "Keep at it," Luke said, turning to regard the deserted playground in the distance. They stood on a large manicured field of grass in the middle of a residential area in the southern part of the city. It was getting later in the afternoon, and the streets saw quite a bit of traffic, with people coming home from work and school.

  "Weird place for a portal," Liza noted.

  "Yeah. There hasn't really been a pattern to where they show up, as far as I know."

  "Hey," Liza began, trailing off as Mateo came roaring down the street, driving a little too fast.

  "Yeah?"

  "Just wanted to say I'm sorry for, you know, leaving."

  Luke frowned. "What do you mean?"

  "In the dungeon. The cave. I left right before it got bad, well, worse."

  "Oh, right," Luke said, then waved in the air, trying to dismiss her worries. "You couldn't have known, and Hannah was pretty out of it. It was for the best, I think."

  "What was for the best?" Hannah asked. Out of nowhere, she stood right by his side. Well, not from nowhere, he knew. Her whole traveling through shadows thing looked convenient as hell. For the occasion, she'd donned a far too large, military green hoodie with the hood up, a pair of jean shorts, and dark gray military boots with the laces hanging all over the place.

  "Liza saving your ass and taking you out of The Deep Dweller's reach."

  "Oh," Hannah said, taking a step forward to give Liza a quick hug. "Yeah... Turns out it wasn't out of its reach, but it all worked out in the end."

  "Thanks. Both of you, Liza said."

  "Want to lead us again?" Luke asked.

  Liza looked up. "You want me to lead?"

  "Worked pretty well last time," Hannah agreed. "Why not?"

  "I guess. But I haven't been in a dungeon since then."

  "It'll be fine," Hannah said as Mateo came jogging toward them, having parked the car. He must've come from work, because he was in a landscaper's uniform. Even as the owner of the company, Mateo kept working with the employees.

  "My friends!" he shouted, raising his arms over his head to wave as he ran.

  "Mateo!" Hannah laughed.

  "Hey, it's been a while," Luke said, accepting a hug and feeling his ribs almost crack.

  Penny stepped out of the car, too, but she didn't run. Like Liza, she'd chosen to wear workout gear, with shorts and a T-shirt. And a brown leather vest.

  "What're you wearing?" Luke asked her.

  She hooked her thumbs into the armholes. "Oh, this old thing? +15 Intelligence."

  "Nice," Hannah said.

  Luke looked around as Liza created the party and invited everyone.

  "Who's missing?" he asked.

  They'd been chatting but fell silent at the question.

  Luke frowned, then closed his eyes. "Right. Nate."

  "Yeah," Penny said.

  "Do you need another embrace, hermano?" Mateo asked.

  Shaking his head, Luke held up a palm toward the advancing Mateo, who was already spreading his arms. "No. I'm fine. Thank you, though. This means we're short of a full party."

  "I thought of that," Penny said, her eyes going to something behind him.

  Luke turned and saw someone approaching. "Isn't that?"

  "Lucy," Penny said. "From back with the Hollows, remember?"

  He nodded. "The Thrasher. She punched things."

  A shudder ran through Mateo. "She did more than that, my friend. Scary woman."

  "She's great," Penny said, waving to the newcomer.

  Lucy waved back as she approached. "Hey."

  "Long time no see," Luke said.

  "Healer," she said, nodding, looking somber. Then she laughed, smiling. "How've you guys been?"

  They reacquainted themselves while waiting for the portal to open. Penny and Lucy had been in a couple of dungeons together, he learned, and she'd met Ken, too, once. Luke had to message Ken back, but that would have to wait until later.

  "The portal is opening."

  "Where?" Liza asked.

  Luke pointed out toward the expanse of grass, to a spot between the group and the playground. Just as he did, the portal shimmered into existence, almost as if he'd been the one to trigger it.

  "Ready?" he asked.

  When each of them nodded, they walked up and stepped through, ready for another challenge.