I made it out of the pass with no more injuries, surprises, or betrayals.

  We were near the southern end of the mountain range, where the elevation was significantly lower than that of the towering peaks to the north. Still, when the view finally opened up at the end of Lucard Pass, I was rewarded with a spectacular view of eastern Vedra. It was an idyllic scene with rolling hills, thick groves of cedars, and winding streams.

  Ahead, I could see where the path from Lucard connected with the road coming from Rook Pass, before continuing on to Danver.

  I should have questioned Tara more about her refusal to travel through Rook Pass, but hindsight was 20/20. If I had done things differently, I would never have known Val's true nature and intentions. Ignorance was bliss until it got you killed. Now, I was at least aware of the threat living inside my head and had regained some control over my decisions.

  My eyes followed the long road that eastward across the land. I had to strain my eyes, but I could see the hazy outline of Danver. It was the most populous city in the eastern part of the kingdom, but that wasn't saying much compared to the largest cities in Vedra. One of those was Angeline, which was near the Alturan border. It was now under the control of the Dalari. Our capital, Edir, located in central Vedra, had been taken over by the Kurskins at the start of their war.

  Millions of humans in those cities were living under the rule of their occupiers, and they did so willingly, believing that their oppressors were here to save them from the enemy.

  Those cities further away from the war, like Nesa in southern Vedra or Danver in the east, were too far removed from the chaos to care. However, it wouldn't remain that way forever. Eventually, the war would come for them as well.

  From my vantage point, a few tall buildings were visible in the distant city, but Danver's vastness wasn't in its skyline; it was in its sprawling breadth. Danver was miles away, but it covered an entire quarter of the horizon before me, the entirety of it encircled by a wall. It was impossible to tell from this far away, but I knew the wall, like most of the buildings in Danver, was made from wood harvested from the plentiful pine forests in the area.

  The sun would sink below the horizon soon, and I wasn't keen on traveling unfamiliar roads at night. I'd find somewhere safe to rest and make Danver in the morning.

  "Val, can you find somewhere safe for me to rest tonight?"

  'Yes. I will notify you when I do. Keep walking for now.'

  "Thanks." There wasn't much to do on this lonely road, so I figured I could fill the time with some light conversation. "What's Danver going to be like? For me as a Player, I mean."

  'Danver was built to accommodate adventurers. There will be many shops, taverns, and entertainment venues, but we are not going there to have fun. Your focus should be on completing simple quests. I will help guide you to suitable quests and assist in arranging the most beneficial outcome for you, including experience, payments, and rewards. Try to avoid triggering any on-the-spot dynamic quests. Don't speak to anyone unless I say so, and you'll be fine.'

  I scoffed. "Yeah, that last part isn't going to happen. I'll speak to whomever I wish." Not wanting to get into an argument, I moved on. "How many people are in Danver?"

  'The current population of Danver includes over fifty thousand humans. When I am in the city, I will be able to provide an estimate of how many Kurskins are among them. It is even possible that we could encounter a few Dalari there.'

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  "A Dalari?" I asked, surprised. "But all their land is far to the west. Why would one even risk coming this far, and won't the lizards just kill a Dalari on sight?"

  'There are many reasons a Dalari would come here.' Val said. 'Remember, not all Players are here to fight in the war. Some choose to seek fame and glory elsewhere, and adventuring throughout this world is a highly sought-after experience for certain types of Players. If a Kurskin encountered a Dalari this far from the battlefields, it would not necessarily lead to violence. The Kurskins and Dalari both know this is a game and that some of their population participate in different ways. In fact, this far away from the war, some of the Kurskins and Dalari may even work together on certain quests. Things are different in places not yet embroiled in the war.'

  "Thanks for the information." Val was being much more helpful now that she knew her place.

  My excitement grew the closer we got to Danver. Finally, I'd have a reliable way to gain experience. Already, the unnatural powers I wielded made me lust for more. Even though my skills weren't classified as magic, they were still essentially magic to me.

  It begged the question: Why were some skills considered magic while others weren't?

  I asked Val, "Hey, Va. I have more questions."

  'I thought we were done for the day,' Val said in a monotone voice.

  "Why don't my skills cost magic to cast?" I asked. "I can create a sound at a distance with Simple Distraction. Why isn't that considered magic?"

  'My, my. That is a good question. If I had a cookie, I would give it to you. This particular system has two kinds of casts. A cast would be anything that breaks the fundamental laws of the universe. Here, under the sphere's influence and access to unlimited energy, the laws of physics are meaningless. So, the Master Control can manipulate matter however it pleases. In this iteration of the game, there are two casts. One is done using magic. The other is done as an action skill. Following?'

  "So far so good," I said.

  'Wonderful. Action skills are a sort of trigger that fires off a pre-programmed cast. They are time-based and can grow in power by frequent use, but they cannot grow as fast or as powerful as magic-based abilities. You see, magic allows Players to tap into the energy around them, enabling them to cast spells at will. They call this channeling, and as a mage's power increases, they can channel more efficiently. Using magic is dangerous, and channeling can weaken or even kill those who overdo it. Their cast is tied to the limit of their channeling ability, while your casts are limited by the system and reset every sunrise.'

  That helped explain why Val needed a magic user. They were like conduits, able to channel their energy into her.

  'Was that answer clear?' Val asked.

  "Yeah, Val. You did a good job. If only I had a cookie for you."

  'Do not steal my jokes, please.'

  "Do not steal my jokes, please," I repeated.

  'I did not steal from you, Ethan. You stole from me.'

  "I did not steal from you, Ethan. You stole from me."

  'Wha…What are you doing?'

  "Wha….What are you doing?" I repeated, this time mimicking her own voice.

  'Stop.'

  "Stop," I repeated.

  'I swear to you right now, Ethan, if you repeat what I say again, I will find the connection in your brain that allows you to speak, and I will sever it.'

  Oh shit. "Okay, okay. I was just messing with you. I'm sorry."

  Val was silent for a long moment. 'That was very unpleasant. Never do it again.'

  Honestly, it felt good to make Val upset. She deserved to feel out of control sometimes.

  "I'll try my best, Val. It's getting dark. Did you find me somewhere to camp yet?"

  'Life is so unfair,' Val's avatar appeared before me, making me jump. She had her best depressed face on. 'You infuriate me endlessly, yet I am still forced to help you. Surely, I am cursed to live such a life.'

  Could she really not see the irony in what she was saying?

  "I feel your pain," I said. "You drive me insane, but I have to help you, too. However, I don't see it as a curse. We may not get along well, but I view our relationship differently than you do. There's no need for us to be antagonists. What we are is a weapon, which, if wielded properly, could be unstoppable."

  'You sure are chipper tonight, aren't you?' Val said.

  "I'm just happy this journey is almost over," I said. "And I'm happy that I'll be able to take a bath soon."

  Her avatar sniffed at the air and recoiled in disgust. She waved a hand. 'Yes, I think that is worth smiling about. We will find you a bath as soon as possible.'

  There was more I was looking forward to, but I wasn't about to mention it to Val. It was a foolish hope, and Val would crush it if she knew. I wanted to grow strong and bring down the Triarchy, but more than anything, I wanted to find my wife. I didn't know where she was or if she even existed, but a big city like Danver seemed like a great place to start looking.