The port of Mont Elea was carved directly into the cliffside below the fortress. Stone quays extended into the dark waters of the Middle Ocean, where the Steady Current bobbed gently at anchor. Justin judged the merchantman to be a sturdy vessel, built for reliability rather than speed, her weathered hull speaking of many voyages between the isolated Mont and the bustling ports of the mainland.

Justin stood on the dock beside Lila and Alistair, watching as sailors loaded the last of their cargo. The cool ocean breeze carried the scent of salt and tar, punctuated by the sharp cries of gulls wheeling overhead.

"Strange to think we'll be in Belmora within a week," Lila said, adjusting the straps of her pack. Her new Bardic armor caught the afternoon light, the silver embroidery gleaming against the forest green leather. Justin still didn't know where she had acquired it. There was a lot to catch up on; the fact that she was Level 20 spoke to an adventure or two during their separation. He wondered what direction she would choose for her advanced class.

"Assuming the weather holds," Alistair said, his eyes scanning the horizon. "It's unseasonably warm right now, but normally the Middle Ocean is treacherous this time of year. We're in March now, so we're nearing the end of the brutal northern storm season."

Justin studied Alistair carefully. The Paladin looked much the same as before, but there was something different in his bearing, a weight that had previously been lacking. His armor was new, the enchanted steel unmarred by battle, and the white cloak was practically pristine from lack of action. Justin's monocle revealed him to still be Level 25. In just a few short months, Justin had nearly caught up with him.

"Alistair," Justin said quietly, "I have to ask. What happened that day outside the Highcliff Catacombs?"

The Paladin's expression darkened, and for a moment, he was silent. When he spoke, his voice was distant, as if recounting someone else's memory.

"I believed myself dead," he said simply. "It was a worthy way to die. I took down ten Death Worshippers with me, but alas, Gareth Everett was not one of them." He paused, contemplating. "There was a long darkness after Gareth struck me down. No pain, no awareness. Just... absence. And then, gradually, I became aware of light ahead. A gate, wide and welcoming, leading into what I knew to be the Ether Realm. It felt like coming home."

Lila nodded knowingly. Apparently, she and Eldrin had already heard this story.

Alistair continued. "And through that gate, I could see them. My fallen brothers and sisters. Paladins who had died in service, beckoning me forward. I felt such peace, such overwhelming joy at the prospect of joining them." His voice caught slightly. "I was ready. More than ready."

"But you didn't cross," Justin guessed.

"No." Alistair's hand unconsciously moved to the golden amulet visible at his throat. "Just as I was about to step through, I heard a voice. Not heard, exactly—felt it in every fiber of my being. The Creator Himself spoke to me."

"The Creator Supreme?" Justin asked, awed by the implications.

Alistair nodded solemnly. "He told me my purpose on Eyrth and in the Aetherion was not yet complete. That I was to have faith in Him, and He would protect me from the forces that sought to claim me." Alistair's eyes met Justin's. "I received an Ascendant Boon: Creator's Promise. As long as I maintain faith in the Creator and His creation, I cannot be overcome by the powers of Morvath."

"That's incredible," Justin breathed.

"It was devastating," Alistair corrected gently. "For I knew what would come next. To be so close to paradise, to see the faces of those I'd lost, and then to be told I must return to Eyrth... it nearly broke me before Valdrik ever laid a hand on me."

Justin felt a chill run down his spine. The implications of divine intervention on such a scale were staggering. "But you did return."

"I woke up in a small stone room. A cell, I realized, likely somewhere in the mountain behind Valdrik's Silverton mansion. They had stripped me of my armor, my weapons, everything. Valdrik ensured that I could do no harm with his magic; I soon learned that despite my boon, he could still inflict a great deal of pain. The cell was heavily enchanted, designed to contain someone with my abilities." His jaw tightened. "What followed were the darkest weeks of my life."

Justin felt anger building for what he knew was coming next. Anger at Valdrik for what he was about to hear.

"Physical, mental, spiritual—Valdrik was thorough," Alistair's voice remained steady, but Justin could see the cost of these memories in his eyes. "He worked to break down every defense I had, every core belief. The dark magic he wielded was insidious, seeping into my thoughts, my soul. I know not where he learned it, but I would not be surprised if Morvath himself was his teacher. There were times I felt myself slipping, felt the darkness taking hold..."

"But you resisted," Justin said firmly.

"Barely. The Creator's Promise was the only thing that kept me anchored. Even when I couldn't control my actions, couldn't stop the dark magic from compelling me to speak, to act against my will, that one spark of divine protection remained untouchable." Alistair looked out over the water. "There were several things I could not be compelled to do. One was to give up the secrets of the Templars, which I am magically bound to protect. Some magics run deeper than even Valdrik's schemes. Eventually, he believed he had succeeded, at least enough to turn me into his pawn. He sent me here, to Mont Elea, thinking me completely under his control."

"How long did it take for them to detect the magic?" Justin asked.

"Days," Alistair replied with the ghost of a smile. "High Priest Kaive sensed the conflict immediately. The dark magic was at war with the divine protection of the Creator. The exorcism took three high-level priests working in concert, with Kaive directing the effort. And even then, it was a near thing."

"And the amulet?"

"A gift from the High Priest. Lathalon is one of the old gods, yes, but she is one of the few who does not resent her status as Emissary of the Creator, with no delusions of grandeur. So long as I wear this amulet, I gain access to Lathalon's Grace. It ensures immunity to Death Magic, an additional layer of protection on top of my Creator's Promise boon." Alistair's expression brightened slightly. "After that, it was a month of recovery, both physical and spiritual. Relearning to trust my own thoughts, my own will. When I was finally deemed fit for duty again, you know the rest. Eldrin and Lila arrived with news of Valdrik's activities."

Justin absorbed all of this. "I'm sorry you went through that. But I'm grateful you survived. Without you, none of us could have escaped." He turned to Lila. "What about you and Eldrin, then? I see you reached Level 20, the same as me."

"Eldrin, too," Lila said with a slight smile. "But we're lucky to have even gotten this far."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

She began recounting their wait at the Karedos, the week-long vigil for Justin's return that never came. Justin felt a pang of guilt, knowing they had mourned him while he was dealing with Ashralok and discovering new powers and possibilities.

"Emberlyn finally convinced us to leave," Lila continued. "Storm season was approaching, and she said it would be suicide to wait any longer. She guided us back through the Aurora Caverns since we no longer had a gate key."

"Any trouble on the return journey?" Justin asked. "You had to go the long way, I assume."

"We did," she confirmed. "But surprisingly, things were relatively quiet. A few scattered monsters, but not as bad as we expected. Eldrin's compass proved invaluable. We made it to Draegor's Keep after about a month of careful travel." She gestured to her new armor. "I picked up this new set from one of the local shops."

That answered that, then. "And from there?"

"We hired passage on a vessel bound for Mont Elea. A risky maneuver, but we saw no other choice. The seas were rough, but thankfully, the captain was experienced." Lila's expression darkened. "It was the night before we sailed that things got dangerous."

"How so?"

"An assassination attempt," she said matter-of-factly. "Four men, hired killers by the look of them, tried to murder us in our sleep at the inn."

"Valdrik's men?" Justin asked, his blood running cold.

"Almost certainly, though they died before we could question them thoroughly. Eldrin figured they had been placed there specifically to watch for us. They probably had people in multiple cities along possible routes."

"But no Gareth, Rothian, or Wolfram," Justin observed. "So they can't have been nearby."

"No. Whatever the case, we stayed up the rest of the night and were on a ship the next day. Another few days of rough sailing, and here we are, delivering our report to High Priest Kaive as well as reuniting with Alistair." She smiled at the Paladin. "An unexpected surprise."

Justin nodded, hoping that Eldrin and Lila hadn't shared everything in their report to Kaive. There were secrets—his connection to Earth, the true nature of the Sapphire Star, and possibly other sensitive details—that would be dangerous for the High Priest to know. From the looks of things, it didn't seem as if they had shared anything; otherwise, Kaive might not want to work with him, or may have even tried to apprehend him by now. If they didn't share everything, that also meant Alistair didn't yet know about Justin's origins.

This was going to be tricky to balance.

"What about you?" Lila asked, genuine curiosity in her green eyes.

He thought for a moment, uncertain how much information to share, when footsteps echoed on the stone quay behind them. They turned to see High Priest Kaive approaching, his white robes billowing in the ocean breeze.

"I wanted to see you off personally," Kaive said with businesslike efficiency. "And to offer a final blessing for your journey."

"Thank you, High Priest," Alistair said, placing a gauntleted hand over his heart in salute.

Kaive's eyes fixed on Justin with piercing intensity. "Before you depart, Mr. Talemaker, I must remind you. The secrets you learned during your visit are not common knowledge. The gate, the museum… these are closely guarded matters."

"Of course. I understand completely."

"The magical doors responded to your gate key," Kaive continued, watching Justin's face carefully. "That suggests it's quite powerful. And possibly dangerous, as these artifacts often are. Might I examine it?"

Here it was, the moment Justin had been dreading. He had no choice but to comply because anything but acceptance would look suspicious. But showing the Sapphire Star to someone of Kaive's level was risky. Unless the priest had Ascendant-level scrying, something highly unlikely, he would not be able to determine what it truly was.

Justin decided to take a calculated gamble. Slowly, he drew the artifact from beneath his shirt, letting it rest against the outside of his clothing.

The High Priest's eyes widened slightly as he took in the brilliant blue gemstone in the shape of Eyrth, but his expression remained carefully neutral. "Remarkable. There are rare gate keys, some powerful enough to traverse entire worlds, even planes of existence." His gaze met Justin's. "Did this come from the northern Vault?"

"Yes." He hoped his voice didn't betray his nervousness.

Something flickered in Kaive's eyes, and Justin's instincts caught that this was a detail that most likely hadn't been included in Lila and Eldrin's initial report. Alistair's expression was equally wide-eyed as he regarded the gem.

"Guard it well, Mr. Talemaker," Kaive said at last. "It can afford you many opportunities, but danger lurks in the gateway systems of Eyrth. I know this from personal experience."

Justin nodded. "Of course. I'm nothing if not careful."

"As a point of curiosity, what were your impressions of the artifacts in the museum?" Kaive asked, his tone casual. "We have quite the collection."

Justin's mind raced. He couldn't reveal his knowledge of Earth or what those items truly were. He decided to lean into his Entrepreneur class with his response. "They seem like valuable trinkets. Perhaps from the Ethereal Era? I imagine they would fetch quite a price from the right collectors."

Kaive's smile was faint but approving. "You would not be far from the truth, Mr. Talemaker. And if you should encounter any similar curiosities in your travels, do not hesitate to bring them to my attention. I will pay handsomely for them."

"Of course," Justin said.

"To be perfectly candid, they are not safe to handle." Kaive watched him closely. "Certain... types... like to dabble in 'Ethereal' artifacts. There is a strange magic to them, and it is said they can form a path to unwholesome realities. Best to get them off your hands quickly, or hand them off to Alistair."

The implications hung heavily in the air. If Kaive knew the truth of his origins, then he was just playing with him.

And worse, if Alistair ever remembered their very first conversation where Justin had mentioned he was from Oklahoma, and then passed that information on to Kaive...

"All aboard!" the ship's captain called out, his voice carrying across the harbor. "All passengers aboard the Steady Current!"

Justin had never been so grateful for a ship's schedule in his life.

"Ah, your departure calls," Kaive said, stepping back slightly. "Before you go, accept this blessing."

The High Priest raised his hands, golden light beginning to emanate from his palms. "Arion's Benediction," he intoned, his voice taking on a ceremonial cadence. "May the God of Power shield you from harm, strengthen your resolve, and turn aside the dark influences that would corrupt your purpose."

[You have received Arion's Benediction. For the next month, you have increased resistance to negative status effects and +2 to Power.]

The blessing settled over them like a warm cloak, and Justin felt the divine energy strengthening his core. Beside him, Lila and Alistair straightened as the same power flowed through them.

"Thank you, High Priest," Justin said, bowing deeply. "For everything."

"Serve well," Kaive replied. "And remember: discretion is often the better part of valor."

As they made their way up the gangplank of the Steady Current, Justin couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just navigated a social minefield. The High Priest likely knew more than he was letting on, but there was just enough room for doubt. He'd have to confirm with Lila just how much she had shared with him.

[You have gained 250 experience points. Your experience stands at 16,825/29,000.]

The extra experience was welcome, telling Justin that he had handled the situation as well as could be expected.

"Far past time we left," Lila said once they were on board.

The captain, a short, stout man with bronzed skin and an easy smile, greeted them at the gangway. "Welcome aboard! I'm Captain Murdoch. Passage to Belmora will be five silver marks each, meals included. Fair seas and following winds, as they say."

Justin reached into his coin purse without hesitation. "Fifteen silvers it is, Captain." He counted out the coins.

Alistair raised an eyebrow. "It would seem you've come into some money since last we parted, Socialite. Or shall I say, Entrepreneur?"

Justin smiled. "Yes. A lot of things have changed. Consider it payback for those five silvers you gave me that day in the Drunken Pixie. It helped more than you could imagine."

Alistair chuckled, the sound warming Justin's heart. "Aye. I can see that you've come far. I'm eager to see what the future has in store. For all of us."

The ship's bell rang out across the harbor as they cast off from Mont Elea. Justin stood with Lila and Alistair at the stern, watching the fortress recede into the distance. As they gained distance, he got a better view of the impressive stronghold. It was a literal mountain rising out of the water, the main complex built into the cliffs that embraced the harbor. Various paths and terraced villages clung to both the shoreline and the cliff faces, connected by winding stairs carved into the rock. At the very peak stood a massive bronze statue of Arion, the muscled god wielding his legendary hammer, catching the yellow rays of the late afternoon sun.

Ahead lay Belmora, new challenges, and the next phase of their mission against Count Valdrik.

But first, he would have to figure out how to maintain his secrets while working alongside Alistair, a friend who had given up his life only to get it back again. Such a man deserved better than deception.

Yet some truths, Justin reflected, were too dangerous to share. Even with friends.

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