I accidently started a new story

Heyo, got a new story but because of how I am writing it, it won't interfere with my other stories. You see, normally when work is slow I just read but occasionally I feel like writing. I don't exactly want to be writing D'sP or NR on my phone so I ended up starting a new story.

There isn't a name for it yet and I haven't edited it yet but there are about 10k words to and that means something because I want to keep the story to a 50k word count so I'm technically a fifth of the way through with it. Of course knowing how I tend to write I might end up with 75k by accident but a man can dream.

Anyway, since I have so much I figured I would post what I have. It is split into five chapters but that is more just me keeping the word count down for any specific Google doc.

---------- Chapter 1 - Prologue (I call it Chapter 1 because people on RR have a habit of not reading prologues) ---------

Alvin Smithson was always a loner with few friends and fewer close ones. It didn't help that names passed him by like smoke in the wind. Early on this led to him being bullied. Not that he particularly cared.

Though this probably had more to do with the people who tried to bully him. They weren't the cool kids, but rather a small group led by a small triangle of a boy with a mouth full of rotten teeth. It was a mystery how he ended up in charge of his little gang of kids. The group liked to try and beat up Alvin.

Operative word there is try. Alvin was a wild child. While he loved a good book and could often be found reading late into the night. He was in the end a child filled to the brim with energy and imagination. Living on a small hill half covered by a small forest meant much of his days were spent out exploring.

The bullies would try to corner him on the playground but Alvin would run circles around them. Not that he always avoided them. He loved a good fight but it was easier to avoid trouble if no one ended up bleeding.

Not that a bit of blood bothered him. Alvin didn't mind the pain. Others cried over it but he would just not care about it. Though that covered most things if he was to be honest. He was in his own little world and everything else could take a hike.

Speaking of hiking, Alvin's family enjoyed it and while out on the trails Alvin would pick up all the interesting rocks. Very few times Would he get home without the pocket's of his cargo shorts filled to bursting.

One of his favorite trails had an abundance of serpentine. A beautiful green mineral that turned out lovely when you put it through a rock tumbler. His favorite find started out as a fang shaped piece of the stuff with a base of some normal rock and what appeared to be the smallest seam of gold in it.

After a run through the rock tumbler the edges were smoothed and the golden seam was brought out more. It was his and thoughts of dragons and snakes danced in his head.

Then years passed and eventually the bullying stopped and the instigator vanished. Where? Alvin didn't know or care. The kid just stopped being there. It might even have been as simple as being on one of the alternative lunch times as Alvin's grade alone had over a thousand kids in it. The bully's disappearance however didn't mean he started making friends.

There were of course a few groups he would hang out with because of shared interests or situations. Mostly trading card games and being stuck in church together. On the playground though he kept to himself. Running around and causing chaos or with his nose stuck in a book.

During this time a number of beliefs had grown within him. Beliefs that even he admitted were crazy. But that didn't matter because they had become founding principles for him.

Magic was real. Dragons were real. He was immortal.

Alvin would joke about it with others and of course no one realized, no one could believe that it wasn't a joke to him. Delusional, weird, a few marbles short? He readily admitted it. But he was too far gone at that point. In fact, one of his goals was to be rich in the future so he can be eccentric.

As he put it, if you're poor then you're called crazy because you can't pay for a psychiatrist. If you're middle class then you're insane because you can pay for one. But if you're rich? If you're rich then you're eccentric because you can afford to not get help.

Not that anyone really thought he was crazy. You might think that an unshakeable belief in one's own immortality would lead to some risk taking. Alvin however saw that as a fool's path. Living forever doesn't mean you're in a good situation. If anything he was more careful. After all, who knows how long it would take to heal a broken spine?

And with that he started to spend more time immersed in books. Digging deep into fantasy and science fiction. Soon enough he was known for never being without a book. And as time changes all things he stopped his physical exploration for mental. The wild child became the bookworm. Reading more books in a summer than most of his classmates would in their entire lives.

Yes, time changes everything. His favorite stone broke along the golden seam and the woods next to his house became overgrown with thorny vines. He still wasn't normal though. In fact, his classmates leave him alone even more so and see him as a force of nature. Something that happens and all you can do is hold on.

Then more time passes and his parents separate. He didn't see it coming though it was obvious in hindsight. Alvin just never cared enough or paid enough attention to notice. While it didn't really bother him, that didn't change the fact he ended up going to therapy for a while because of his dad's insurance.

While in therapy he smiled and went on and on about how he didn't care. Not specifically but in general. Alvin didn't know what the therapist thought of this but assumed they chalked it up to the divorce.

In the end he went with his father. Not because he cared one way or another. More of just because it was expected of him and that was a lot easier on his side.

During this time though he fell into a new thing. Twas of the devil if the church was to be believed. Not that he even pretended to care about that. So with a great gusto he started learning about tabletop roleplaying games.

To start with just the latest version of the original because everyone knew it and "dragon" was in the title. What's not to love? Though he definitely didn't stick to just that. Alvin dived into both the older versions as well as other games.

In a near haze the next couple years passed and with it highschool wrapped up. He wasn't top of his class but it wasn't so bad that he wouldn't get into college. Not that he had any solid plan for that beyond going in general. The claims of getting a degree equaling a good job were pounded into even his thick skull.

Alvin probably would have ended up going for a business or IT degree. Would have, that is, if not for one little incident.

---------- Chapter 2 ----------

There was a bright light in my eyes. Not the best way to wake up. Especially when the last thing I remembered is driving home in the middle of the night.

On the bright side, heh, the light wasn't from the sun. It isn't from a hospital room either so going by what I recalled from the night before, things weren't kosher.

When my eyes had adjusted and I was greeted with the sight of two guys who looked like they couldn't decide between cosplaying as the men in black or wizards so split the difference. Well, suffice to say my thoughts were confirmed. That and my memories of the night before were probably a lot realer than I wanted to deal with right now. Not that the cosplay duo let me get too far down that mental rabbit hole.

The dude on the left gave me the most curdled milk smile I had ever seen up till that point. "So, what do you remember from last night? We found you on the side of the road, car totaled."

The other guy smiles. "Don't mind him. You aren't in trouble as all the evidence points towards this not being your fault. We just need to get your side of the story."

I laughed, "Fifth amendment, I want a lawyer."

The guy playing the good cop sighed at that and turned to the other dude. "You know what Jeff? Ever since that became well known our job has gotten so much more frustrating."

Harold shrugs, "What are you complaining about? We both know you love any chance to play with your toys. Plus, it isn't like we could actually trust his statement anyway."

The other guy shakes his head at that. "It doesn't work as well if they aren't already talking."

Harold rolled his eyes, "He already knows something is up. Just zap him."

At that point I tried to speak up but something prevented me. Then the guy brought out an egg shaped piece of metal. Not being able to verbally respond and with a growing sense of unease I focused on that metal egg and watched as etchings appeared on its surface.

What looked like a mix of Arabic and Chinese characters with some Viking runes thrown in for style points spread across the bottom two thirds. The top third of the metal egg instead developed deep grooves until the outer layer of metal was split apart. Once both sides finished the upper part opened up and a sickly near blue glow flowed over the edge closest to where I was sitting.

I really tried to struggle at that point. Light shouldn't move like that. Of course however they had me secured was top grade. If it hadn't been for my ability to wiggle my fingers and toes I would have thought myself paralyzed.

Though even their best restraints started to fail when the glow approached my face. I can't quite remember the details but I think I got an arm up when the glow flowed into my eyes, nose, and mouth.

At that point there was a disconnect between me and my body. I was still trying to scream my head off but my body just relaxed. Though I was soon to follow it's example as I clearly wasn't going to accomplish much. And a good thing too because that let me pay attention to the two cosplayer wannabees as they got my body to spill the beans.

For the first bit things were normal. They just asked me what I remembered from last night and my body began reciting what had happened. Nothing too interesting, I had been at the local game shop for a trading card game tournament that went late. Didn't place well but I had stuck around to play some games against the others.

It was easy to tell that the two mooks weren't interested in what I was saying. Though more importantly they were looking for something or else they could have had me skip the boring parts. Then they perked up when my ride home was approaching the ridge.

Living in the middle of nowhere means I have to drive by a lot of farmland and forests. The catch is that for most of the distance, the forests are well back from the road. Not on the ridge though. A horrible bit of landscaping left behind by the glaciers that draws a line between my dad's house and the closest thing to a city within a few hours drive.

The two leaned in as I described going up the ridge nice and slow to save fuel. And my body in the most nonchalant manor drops the bomb. "Then halfway up the ridge a werewolf looking git was thrown out of the woods and smashed the front end of my car. I came to a stop and threw on the emergency brake. After that I just sort of sat there and watched the werewolf change back into a guy. I think something else came out of the woods at that point but I can't be certain as whatever it was knocked me out."

Harold smacked the other guy. "Come on Jay, we're supposed to get his shrouded memories of the event."

George brushed the smack away. "I did! You heard the question I asked and everything."

Harold sighed, "Then how did he recall an aether damned werewolf! He even remembers the blighted beast turning back after being knocked out!"

George threw his hands up, "I don't blighted know!"

And he turned back towards me. "Tell us that last bit as you remember it from a mundane perspective."

I tried to shrug but yeah, still restrained. Good thing I didn't have control as I suspect they would have been a lot rougher if I had been able to throw in some backtalk.

"I was driving up the ridge when a werewolf was thro-"

George cut my body off at that point. "Enough! How do you remember that? You don't have a bloody iota of magic in you! If you did, our hypno-egg wouldn't work on you!"

My body starts to answer using my eyes but is shushed again. This time by Jay. "He's clearly not privy to magic so anything he says will be nonsense. There must be some kind of loophole or local phenomenon. We need to call this in."

From behind him a voice then spoke up, "No, you should have called it in the moment you two found out that one of the veiled was involved in a contagious curse holder."

George jumped a little while Harold gritted his teeth and turned around. "Well hello Countess Ann. May I know what another CCH is doing at our crime scene?"

Ann laughed, "While I am sure using my family's title burns you up inside, we both know how you should really be referring to me. I am on the so please, use my work title."

Through his tightly clenched teeth Harold repeats himself. "Investigator Ann, why are you, another cursed b... Being doing on the site of a crime involving a veiled?"

Ann sighed, "I will never understand why me being an investigator causes you so much grief. I have personally been in the position since before your father's time, even with the extra years magic gives. By the blood, my family has been in the business since the time of the Pharaohs.

"I know it is not my skin color. While my Egyptian heritage is clear, they use forbidden mind magic to root out such nonsense. The veiled police can get away with being trash, but on this side of the veil you never know who might have power greater than even the most fearsome nuke."

Harold growled, "Drop the act. We both know the reason and you're just dragging it out so I have to say it myself. You just want everyone in my precinct to know, don't you?

"Since you want me to say, then I will! You're a thrice damned bloodsucker! Dead enough the heavens and earth don't want you, but alive enough none of the hells will take you. Screw your culture for accepting you and your cursed kin!"

While Harold was ranting George was slowly backing away from him with his radio behind his back and broadcasting. "Uh, Jeff, that's a little toxic. You should have gotten the same lessons I did. She isn't one of the vampire strains classified as fully dead. Investigator Ann is just as alive as you or me."

Harold spits at George's feet. "Making such pissant distinctions is for the weak! My grandfather made his name hunting vampires. All this political correctness went and destroyed my family's business! A wooden stake to the heart kills them just the same."

Ann shakes her head, "Just like it would kill you as well. I do not have any bad blood with your family. Everyone else moved on. And it is not like they even had to close the business anyway.

"Hunting down the restless dead is still making the rest of your family a lot of money. You are just angered that you do not get to relive your ancestors' glory of killing peaceful villages."

Harold doubled up on giving her the middle finger. "We scrubbed out your kind from this continent and kept it that way for a couple hundred years! The rest of my family is just brainwashed. One of my nieces is even friends with a fleabag! She should be hunting that beast down with silver and holy lead."

Ann looked at George who could only shrug. Well, not only. He also pressed a button on his radio.

Seeing this interaction Harold pulled out what I could only describe as a magic wand. With an aggressive jab, Harold tried to do something to George. Except nothing happened.

George shook his head in disappointment, "You think they trust someone new to the force with your history to have one of our signature wands and no strings attached?"

Harold rages, "What do you mean new to the force? I've been on this god damn force for over a decade! And besides, you just joined up a few years ago."

Ann laughed at this. "Just a decade? You are still a newbie until the second. This is not even a secret. If you had paid attention at all to those around you instead of focusing on your stupid grudge it would have been obvious. Just as obvious as that grudge was to those in charge. Why do you think you bump into me so often and yet no other vampires?"

Harold pointed at her and yelled, "It was your fault! I was supposed to be bringing in scum like you left and right. Enough so that the others would come around to my side. And that doesn't explain the babyface over there. He's younger than me and just joined. Why would he have control of my wand?"

George sighed at this. "Babyfaced is a good description of it. I'm over twice your age and have been on the force over ten times as long. Like seriously? You're going to judge age by my looks? Some of the oldest beings around regularly go out looking like kids to mess with people.

"The precinct paired me up with you after sustained contact with Investigator Ann didn't blunt the edges of your insanity. Normally we would catch someone like you but your ancestors were just too damned clever.

"I've read over the transcript of your tests and if I wasn't looking for it I wouldn't have noticed how you skimmed around the speciesism questions. Now I hate to do this, but I have to bring you in."

Harold barked out a mad laugh and drew an old fashioned revolver. "You think I would trust the traitorous equipment you scum kludged together? I know you used her people's magic in it. No, I've always had my grand pappy's old faithful on me! Now back away or he gets it!" And of course he pointed that big fuck off gun directly at me.

Ann sighed, "Do you want to tell him or me?"

Harold shakes the gun at me. "Do you think I'm not serious?!"

George rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Before we were just going to kick you off the force. Now you've gone and threatened a veiled mortal."

Ann butted in, "And with a gun! At least the wand would be forgotten."

Harold pulled the trigger while saying, "Screw you!"

If I could have flinched I am not ashamed to say my flinch would have flinched. Good thing George wasn't a slouch when it came to his job or my story might have ended early.

George shakes his head as a deafening silence descended over the area. "Did you really think I missed your gun? You hid it in an unguarded extra dimensional space! What were you even thinking? Any half competent mage could spot the thing from across a football field, let alone when I'm sitting next to you everyday for years.

"Now give up. Your family never had true magic in your veins to begin with so you can't cast without a focus. You know what the punishment will be and you're probably stoked for it."

After that besides a bunch of nasty insults the excitement wrapped up. Harold was handcuffed and put in the back of what was once his cop car. Ann asked if she could ride along because she was going to need to do some paperwork back at the precinct.

And when I was half certain they had forgotten about me, George turned towards me. "Well, you've seen and heard a bit too much so I guess you get to come with."

---------- Chapter 3 ----------

The next thing I knew, I was waking up with another damn bright light in my face. This time though I was allowed to notice my surroundings. Though there wasn't much to see. Just imagine any of the interrogation you see in the cop dramas and then let someone with a fetish for old school magic circles decorate.

Of course by that point I was willing to believe they were for more than artistic expression. This was only confirmed after they let me chill for a bit. Once they had decided I was cowed enough by being unable to move while alone in a room, those magic circles lit up and lifted off the walls. It was at that point that I was detached from my body again.

With that they didn't make me wait long. After the circles had cycled up to full power going by how they stopped getting brighter, George entered through the door across from me with someone who is best described as a medieval scribe. The guy had a roll of vellum, a feather quill, and so on.

George let him set up, but then the questions began. It started with what were obviously calibration questions. Why yes, my name is Alvin Smithson and I do live with my dad. Simple stuff which I assumed caused something behind my head to glow green. Not that I saw what it was, I wasn't really allowed to look around.

The questions didn't get interesting for me until after they had me recount my entire previous day in excruciating detail. Then it was asked, almost as an afterthought. A question I could tell they had asked a thousand times before and that they always got the same answer for. "Do you believe in magic?"

So of course my answer was yes. That got a nice reaction out of them. The look of bafflement as George stumbled over his word. The scratch noise when the scribe reflexively tried to write no but his training had him also attempt to write yes. I really wish I had been able to laugh right then and there. Though the solid green light behind my head mocking them would have to do.

George of course tried to figure out a way to ask so my answer wasn't yes. Do you believe in actual magic and not just stage magic or church miracles? Did you believe in magic before last night's incident? And so on. Of course my answer didn't change. Then he asked the important question, why?

My answer was simple. "Because magic is real. Though I guess it started with dragons. They're real too and the belief in magic only developed once I knew enough to realize a real dragon wouldn't work without it. I don't really have any proof."

The scribe puts his quill down on its stand and groans. "This isn't a matter of catch and release anymore. Even if we overwrite his memory of the last few days it will just make him a ticking time bomb. The fact we just found him is almost a miracle in and of itself."

George nodded in agreement. "Since he believes in magic he is technically on our side of the veil. If I had to guess, this is the first time that he interacted directly with the supernatural. Before now he was just skimming along between the two sides. Now that he has been touched, even wiping his memory of it wouldn't undo the awakening."

The scribe scratches his head. "So, what do we do with him? My section is full up. In fact, I think the entire precinct's budget for newly awakened is spent."

George nods, "I guess we'll have to scan him and see if there are any civilian positions available. People who are accidentally awakened tend to have some decent innates so we might even get to keep him."

The two continued to talk but I wasn't around to listen in. Once a decision was made the scribe activated something and I faded out.

And guess what? For what seemed like the first in forever I woke up without a bright light in my eyes. Mind you, pure darkness isn't exactly a step up, but at the time I was willing to take what I could get. The biggest change though was that I could move again. Not much as I was stuck in a tight cylinder but any control was welcome.

So there I was squirming in a tight dark space just because I could when a hatch irised open at about waist height. Of course I tried to poke at the gently glowing alcove but there was some kind of field blocking me

Then I heard what sounded like the scribe. "After I finish speaking, the forcefield will power down. At that point if you want you may of your own free will touch the glowing rune in the alcove. If you choose to do so you will experience a feeling similar to a light shock and you will be registered as awakened.

"It will also reveal your potential. Let me repeat. We are not forcing you to touch the rune and doing so will not in any way indebted yourself to us or force our will upon you. You will be given 24 hours to make your decision starting now."

And with that the forcefield vanished under my fingers. So of course I shoved my hand right in there and poked that rune. Yes, they gave me 24 hours to decide and sure, they went on about it being my choice. But I wasn't raised an idiot.

That was a false choice and everyone knew it. Clearly something involved required it to be my decision. But is it really a choice if given the option between doing it or being stuck in this tube with no assurance of my safety afterwards?

Then any attempts at thought fade away as the "light" shock isn't quite as advertised. While it truly isn't that powerful there is one big difference. The shock didn't move through my body, it lingered. The feeling saturated my body and for like, the third or fourth time, I lost consciousness.

First thoughts when I came to? 'Oh hey, guess it's back to having lights in my eyes.' Because of course they're shining one of those doctor light things in my face. I guess to be fair it meant some semblance of care.

A semblance that quickly crumbles. Apparently the output of whatever test they did has to be read by the one being tested. So they shove the paper in my face, giving just a moment to read it before they grab it back to analyze.

There was an absolute ton of information on that sheet. So while I might be a quick reader I only managed to pick up a few things. Psionic, talent in flux, and most troubling "Extreme Threat". Seeing that I was half expecting to die right there.

As luck would have it though, even with magic my world was still one of laws and rules. Though as Ann informed me after I was handed off to her, I'm not in the best of positions. Apparently my roll of the dice came up with a result even more hated than vampires.

Not being psionic mind you. Everything with a nervous system is to some extent. Rather it was the "talent in flux" bit. Because while everyone is psionic, those with enough ability in it have what they have. Even unawakened this will shine through with the classic example of the guy who can predict the weather.

That's why they are called talents. You have your talent and no matter how weak or strong it is, that's it. Being in flux doesn't mean my talent hasn't settled. It means it can grow and change in unpredictable ways.

See, no matter how strong of a weather sense someone has, that is all they can do. The highest level of weather sense can't change the weather even if they can predict what it will be like for the next hundred years.

That is where magic would come in. A talent to predict the weather is a massive boost to anyone practicing weather magic. So even powerful talents are seen as supportive and in no way necessary. Especially when so few people have any measurable talent.

That isn't a path I can take. When I asked why, Ann explained, "what if you are trying to cast a spell to start a fireplace only for my talent to shift and overcharge the spell into a fireball?"

Ann then shrugged, "If that was all though it would not cause such a fuss. The real danger is in passive effects. A talent for fire becomes a fire aura that burns everything within a mile radius.

"While aura talents aren't rare, the dangerous ones tend to solve themselves. After all, the ability to manifest fire does mean protection from fire or suffocation when the fire burns all the oxygen."

Then we stood there silently for a bit before I realized I could actually ask questions now. "So what happens to me?"

Ann sighs, "You get to suffer the same punishment as that speciest Harold. In fact, the only reason we have free time at the moment is they are pushing his judgement through.

"Heh, he probably thought he was going to have a decade to try and escape lockup. Your talent wrecked his plans something fierce. See, your destination is Solomon's Labyrinth. And before you ask, it is unrelated to Solomon. People just like invoking his name for style points.

"Besides, that is just the modern name for it. Far as anyone can tell it is a naturally occurring chain of shattered dimensions. No one knows how old it is except that the connection point likely existed here since before the solar system did."

To me that honestly just sounded like a fun time. So of course I asked why going there was a punishment.

Ann laughed, "So does every civilization when they first find it. Problem is you can't go back. We haven't managed to scry too far down the chain but the one constant is once you go to a lower dimension you can't rise up again.

"Oh, and if that wasn't fun enough, our entrance isn't the only one. We don't know if the other entrances are in this dimension or another but other beings show up in the place."

I nodded, "So why are they rushing that guy's punishment through?"

Ann shrugged, "The entrance can only be opened for free once a century and if someone wants to open it more often it costs an arm and a leg. The council generally likes to let it ride a bit in case something comes up so we still had another decade and change before the next opening. But you happen to be one of those somethings that come up."

After that I questioned her a good bit about what to expect but she wasn't too much help. While she knew that the area around our world's entrance was under control by those stuck over there, that wasn't going to help much. Criminals and threats are pushed out and they have a couple people over there strong enough to enforce the rules.

And before I knew it a soft chime signaled the start of my last moments on Earth. Though it wasn't going to be a quick process. Apparently the entrance is located in Antarctica. A place that even with magic isn't the easiest to reach.

Despite that danger the trip was boring. Just a long plane flight all the way to our destination. Even though the plane was thrown around like crazy they had magic up to dampen all the nonsense. If it wasn't for my fellow passengers the trip would have been the quietest flight I had ever been on.

With Ann and Harold along though, things were anything but quiet. To say Harold was pissed off about his speedy trial would be an understatement. But no amount of complaints was turning the plane around and we were soon landing at what looked like a cross between an archeology site, a warzone, and a high tech city.

In a huge swath along an arc following a mountain range there were ending fields of destruction. It was as if years ago someone carpet bombed the area. Yet still there were odd buildings standing among the wreckage with multicolor smoke still rising despite all the damage being many years old by now.

Despite this damage there was still a small section of what must have been an absolutely massive city of stone sometime in the past. Though the entire area is cordoned off with barriers and such. A number of people and things are crawling over the ruins even now as they try to learn even an iota more about the past.

At the center of this area all the ancient buildings have been demolished and in their place stands skyscrapers. Though the older examples in the area appear to be made from wood and stone instead of steel and glass. Quite an odd look.

Though the skyscrapers fell away near the middle as short buildings more reminiscent of bunkers took over. But the very center was taken up by a dome of metal that seemed to shift in color when I wasn't looking at it.

Then we landed and the sound cancelation dropped. Boy did I wish it hadn't at the time. The sound of the winds and maybe other things scratched at our ears and brains. It was quite annoying though Harold seemed overly affected by it.

Ann just laughed, "If you think this is bad, you should hear what it is like outside the city shield. Madness is only the beginning for the weak willed out there."

Luckily for Harold we didn't stay out there long as a group of people in gray robes came out to collect us. Soon we were ushered into the building nearest the airfield. But we didn't stay there long as it soon became apparent that the entire city was connected by underground tunnels.

So it was only a quick subway ride before we ended up in the outskirts of the bunker area. From there we had to surface again as there weren't any direct connections within that area.

Into the oldest looking bunker we went and Harold was split off from me and Ann. Then the waiting started. While they were in a rush to get us out here, the opening of the portal apparently took a bit of time. This ended up being a good thing for me as it gave me some more time with Ann.

And of course she started with the bad news. "You are Fucked. Harold is going to blame you and the people over there won't care if he kills you once they kick you both out. And he is going to try and kill you. There is no doubt in my mind and the only reason he was not yelling death threats at you on the plane ride over is he probably does not want you to run.

"Now, I do not care if you live or die. I do feel a little bad about your situation but that doesn't change anything. Finding you is like finding an active nuke. However, that does not mean I am against helping you.

"Specifically, I know someone on the other side. They can not, and more to the point, would not help a human stay even a second longer in the city they have over there. What they will do is make sure you leave from the opposite side of the city from Harold.

"If we take into account his movement magic that gives you three to five days to prepare. During that time you are going to have to force out some kind of talent to deal with him."

Not dying on the first day sounded fine to me. But I did have some questions. Specifically, "How is your contact going to know to help me? Also, I'm a little leery of the whole forcing a talent thing."

Ann laughed, "And you should be! While most would consider your talent random, it is based on your mind and nervous system. This means that if you are in a dangerous situation, the chances of a useful combat ability goes up by a lot.

"As for the other thing? Right before you get sent through I will give you a note card with some magic runes on it. The magic won't last long, but luckily they kick you guys out of the settlement as soon as possible. Just hold the card above your head and you will get where you need to be."

I nodded as it would make sense that she had a way to pass messages on. Though that left one last worry of mine. "So, why are you helping me?"

Ann shrugged, "Like I said, I feel a bit bad about"

Yeah, I wasn't buying that and interrupted, "Yeah right, pull the other leg, it has bells on it. You don't know me and I don't know you. What's the real reason you want to help me?"

With my interruption Ann clammed up but I kept my eyes on her. She lasted a while but despite me being the one with a time limit, she caved first. "It is not about you. I am helping you to get at Harold. I have been assigned to watch him for over a decade. The man has a vile mind of just the right type to thrive over there. And while it is a one way trip, Solomon's Labyrinth is the perfect place to grow stronger.

"I can't do much against him so you are my last chance. Give him a couple centuries in the labyrinth and he could cause real problems for the vampires caught over there. Though I wasn't lying about him coming for you."

This time I believed her. While I am sure she is better than Harold, it makes a lot more sense for her to be helping her own species. "There we go, that wasn't too hard! Now since you want me to pull a miracle out of my hat, how about you go over some of the details of what I can expect in there?"

---------- Chapter 4 ----------

Suffice it to say, Ann had a lot to tell me. In fact, I'm sure that she could have talked for days if we had the time. Though the lack of time was more of a me thing. She had all the time in the world while it took less than a quarter of a day for the portal to be ready.

And they did not dally around. With ten minutes to spare they had gathered everyone up. At first I was surprised at how many people were going through. Though with a bit of listening the reason became clear. It isn't just convicts and wild cards that enter.

The other side is a miraculous place and even if they can't come back there are people willing to go. Whether it is someone at the end of their life hoping to manage one last breakthrough for a new lease on life or the proverbial third son with nothing to his name looking for a better future. The only rules are you have to be over 100 years old and have wrapped up all unveiled connections.

So besides the twenty-ish convicts I'm grouped with there are a stunning number of others here to get in on the gate opening. Ann laughs at my stunned look. "Do not worry, your group gets to go through first. They do not want to chance any of you missing the bus as it were.

"Then of course just to be polite, age before beauty. Though that has more to do with the fact that if you are looking then you have one foot in the grave. And that translates to being more than willing to go all out for their place and no one wants to deal with that. Now since you are about to go through, here is the note card. Remember, just hold it up when you get through and things will be taken care of."

Grabbing the note the both of us lapse into silence again until in the middle of the open field a tear opens up. Like, just a big rip in the middle of the air as if it was some stage backdrop. At the time I gave it a six out of ten because while it looked odd there weren't really any interesting effects. That was my ignorance showing by the way. The less odd a portal, the more powerful it is because it takes a lot to stabilize them.

Anyways, with the portal open no delay was allowed. At least not for the convicts and me. A force grabbed the group as a whole and shoved us through. Not wanting any mistakes at this point I had the note card clenched tightly and held aloft.

I won't say much about the transition from Earth to the other side. Mostly because I was so focused on the note card. But partly because there just isn't much to say. That portal was as solid as a rock.

On the other side I once again didn't have much choice in things. The note card worked though as a new force took hold of me and set me amongst a group that screamed vampires. One of them grabbed the card from my hand without a word and after reading it sighed. Then of course as my habit had become over the last couple days, I was rendered unconscious.

Bright light? Why of course one was in my eyes when I woke up. Not the sun but the closest I was going to see for a good long while. And off to the side I caught a small door slam shut which got my attention off of the almost sun and onto the giant wall that stretched off to both sides until I couldn't see any further.

I wasn't able to tell if the wall was straight or curved, which was a little scary. The scale of the wall however did a good job of hammering into my skull what to expect. It also gave a hint to how fast Harold was going to be moving to get to me.

I shook my head to clear it and looked away from the only civilization I knew of in this dimension and stared out at an unflinching wilderness that allowed no other signs of sapient life. While technically the area was likely classified as a plain it might as well have been the thickest forest ever.

There were stalks of grass as thick around as my bicep and tall as trees. A good thing whatever type of grass this was, it grew in bunches instead of a carpet. Otherwise I doubt I could have moved in the stuff.

I sighed, "Welp, let's get dangerous." And so with a ton of second thoughts that I didn't let hold me back, I walked into the tall grass.

Not that I was wandering randomly. The grass was cut back far enough from the wall that it let me see tufts of dark green grass rising up in the distance. A stark difference from the rest of the grass which was more of a golden color with touches of lime green.

Of course this could have meant nothing. But my thoughts equated dark green with a water source. Something that would be useful in finding danger. Not that I completely trusted Ann but I didn't have anything else to go on. And honestly? I didn't want to wait for death. If I was going to die, I was going to die trying.

Then things got really boring. It was like walking through an odd banana plantation before the bananas fruited. And it wasn't a short walk either. After walking long enough for the fake sun's angle to be obviously changed I climbed up one of the grass stalks. Which as a side note, felt like metal bars instead of a plant.

Anyways, when I got up far enough, something became evident that I couldn't see back at the wall. Those dark green stalks of grass are at least a magnitude taller than the other grass. As luck would have it though, my choice of direction was the best of a bad lot. The clump I had set as my goal was the closest.

Still meant I ended up walking until twilight. Though the worst part was how for the first half, there was nothing else around. It wasn't even just a lack of animals, the giant grass were the only living things around. Even when farming other plants will crop up, but there was just nothing.

When other plants started showing up it was a real weight off my mind. There was no way for me to determine if any of it was edible but at least with the new stuff I could try. Grass as tough as metal likely was never going to be part of my meal except as a plate.

Then once there was a nice bit of underbrush, various animals became evident. Whether it was the sound of birds chirping or things rustling in the bushes the forest of grass became truly alive.

Still, there wasn't anything that threatened me. No wolves jumped out, snakes weren't hanging off the grass stalks, and there weren't even larger herbivores. A thorough disappointment when one is out looking for adventure. My only guess was that the settlement kept things culled way back.

I didn't have long to consider this though as soon the grass around me started to take on a deeper green coloring. Not like the taller grass but still noticeable. A quick check on my part confirmed an earlier guess. The soil was much damper then when I started out. This discovery raised my hopes of finding open water soon as the massive grass was just ahead of me.

And of course since I had let my guard down, this was when danger found me. A big praying mantis attacked me. Not giant mind you, but it was bigger than my hand. Normally even with its size the bug wouldn't be much of a threat.

However with the way its blades glowed silver and cleaved right through the meat below the knee of my right leg said otherwise. I of course crumpled like a marionette with its strings cut. Most of the time such a reaction would be a death sentence. This time however it saved my life.

As I fell my eyes stayed focused on the mantis, bearing witness to a hunting strategy that was ingrained into the bugs' very being. One meant specifically for hunting humanoids made of much tougher stuff than me.

It had barely finished cutting my leg when it jumped up, boosted by a flap of its wings. Paralyzed by the sudden pain and fear I watched as the bug reached the exact height my neck was just at and swiped out with both blades. If I had stayed standing my neck would have been sliced open.

Ignoring the pain I stayed focused on the mantis. This act opened up my way forward. To cut through the kind of enemies found in this world the mantis had supercharged its blades in hope of a quick finish. Missing the second attack meant the bug was out of power and I saw it.

The blades went dark and the body lost its luster. A one-shot glass cannon but my window of opportunity was quite short. Even before I finished falling the mantis had started to recover. Then I hit the ground.

Pain spiked through my body once more but I was ready. I didn't resist the pain, I accepted it and then ignored it. The pain was still there, more than I had experienced up until then. My mind was cleared and the fear receded like the tide.

If only my reaction had been better. Even with a clear mind all I could think was "get it away from me" and so I did. With a wide swing I slapped the mantis flying. Though seeing as a mantis can fly, that didn't exactly do much. The bug just flew a couple yards before it flared its wings and came to a stop.

I must admit, as it came right back at me I stopped being able to react. The damn bug flew with blades ready and my mind froze. Good thing my body decided at that moment to go on autopilot.

Something flying at your face? Why not clap your hands and see if it squashes the thing? Of course, this was not the best course of action. It worked mind you, the mantis died. A perfect plan if not for the blades that were now sticking through my hands.

Worse yet, the mantis had managed to get its blades powered up. So instead of the usual knife wound where the flesh is split, those blades managed to destroy. If I had been stupid enough to remove the blades it would have looked like someone took a hole punch to my hands.

Suffice it to say, I was starting to run out of blood at that point even without removing the blades so things started to blur for me. Wish I could say that I reached deep inside myself and pulled out my power to save myself. Hell, for all I know I might have.

Anyway, next thing I knew I was waking up to a soft glow. Ten out of ten, would wake up to again. Much better than bright lights or pure darkness.

Oh, and there wasn't any pain. While I appreciated it, that fact was a major cause for concern. There was a dead mantis of considerable size on my chest so it wasn't a dream. If someone had come along and saved me, the mantis wouldn't be there anymore.

With trepidation I opened my eyes and yep, still in the strange grass forest. Since that hadn't changed I lifted my hands up expecting the worst. Especially when the bug corpse didn't move, meaning I should be dead from bleeding out.

Then I see my hands. How to describe what has happened to them? Aqua? At least that is the first thing that comes to mind. I still had a hole in both hands but they had been filled with the color between blue and green. A soothing color if not for me being able to see my blood flowing through it as if the blood vessels were still there. That and the cross section of the bones was quite spooky.

So of course I poked it. Felt just like my palm should. Not just with my finger either. I could feel my finger poking it as well. A quick check finds my right leg to be in a similar situation.

I sighed. It wasn't regeneration and I didn't know how quick it worked, but my power had manifested and saved my life. At least it wasn't an out of control healing that accidentally turns all of my cells cancerous.

---------- Chapter 5 ----------

Now it is nice that my power ended up in the "not killing me" category. The problem? The clock is ticking and a murderous wizard is going to be showing up as soon as two days from now. Assuming of course my little nap took hours and not days.

How was I supposed to use a bit of translucent aqua colored pseudo natural flesh to not only live, but to kill? For some reason I doubted that if the guy took my head off I would be a proud owner of a brand new aqua colored head. Even in fantasy people tend to die if you take out the brain.

Worries about the future aside, it was strangely easy when I sat up. I had slept on the ground and that should have caused a great amount of stiffness. Still not useful for killing a wizard but the ability to sleep anywhere is a standout long term power in a place like this.

After a quick look around I grabbed the mantis corpse from where it had fallen when I sat up. The blades might not be magically reinforced anymore but I had plans for them. Though once I accidentally snapped one in half all the plans that involved using them as a weapon fell away.

Still, they were sharp if fragile tools. So of course the next thing I did was cut myself. Twice. They were still able to cut my normal flesh something fierce. I had tried to just do a small nick but even in death the mantis spited me, leaving a much deeper gouge on my right arm than planned.

Before I attempted my second test I took a moment to watch the cut. At first it bled like normal. I got worried when nothing seemed to happen and was about to try some first aid. After all, maybe I got a power that only worked when I was asleep.

But no, my power was just a slow starter. The wound had started scabbing when aqua colored gel began to ooze out of the meat of my arm. It pooled in the wound ignoring outside forces as even turning the opening towards the ground didn't change a thing.

Once filled in, I could see blood start to flow. But that didn't last long. Unlike with my hands and leg, the blade hadn't been powered and so the flesh wasn't actually missing. Because apparently that mattered with my power. Instead of staying an open wound filled with aqua the cut closed up as if it hadn't been there in the first place.

The only thing to indicate it had happened was the slight light headedness from losing even more blood in such a short period of time. But like I said, that didn't stop me from cutting myself again. There was a method to my madness though.

The second cut was across my palm and intersected the hole. Had to test if it was tougher than my normal flesh after all. It didn't even hurt the same. About the only difference I could find was the aqua material was homogeneous. Something that might spell trouble as part of it was taking the place of bone.

Though the healing process was quicker as the aqua gel began to ooze out of the aqua flesh within moments. That, that called for some more experiments. And pain, can't forget the pain.

Over an hour of pain and literal torture in fact. Why? As I already proved, wounds connecting with a changed area of flesh heals faster. I had also assumed that for an area to be changed the flesh needs to actually be gone. A simple enough assumption to test.

Though I wasn't too much of an idiot about it. No cutting off fingers just to see if they would grow back or not. No, I just used the curved mantis blade to lop off some skin right next to the pre-existing area on my leg. Not touching it though just to make certain it would work in new places and not just spread. It did and was just as transparent.

I had been planning something quite gruesome but with the transparency I scaled it back. So instead I just skinned myself in areas you can't normally see. Because while I'm a loner no man's an island and seeing my actual muscles would strain my meager social skills.

So yes, I spent over an hour strategically skinning myself. All the sensitive fun places except that one. The arm pits, strips off my lower hips, small bits from behind my ears, and the most extensive part of course being the bottoms of both my feet. I didn't trust my shoes to last and once barefoot I wanted them to heal as quickly as possible.

The pain was sickeningly bad but I knew it was coming. Didn't stop it or reduce it but I could ignore the pain. The worst part was the tools I had available made it very awkward. How am I supposed to skin myself and get straight lines with only the blade of an oversized mantis? Honestly the bits behind my ears worried me the most. Once again, the brain is generally not replaceable.

It was only after I finished that a certain thought graced my mind. The idea that maybe it isn't the best idea to stick around an area covered in blood. That mantis couldn't be the only one and it was a miracle that another hadn't come around to get me while I was distracted.

They must be fiercely territorial and the apex predators of the area for nothing else to show up. Of course I didn't believe a bug that doesn't even measure up to my knees could hold down the area. I just had great faith in there being bigger ones further in. It made too much sense that younger members of the species would be pushed to the outskirts until strong enough to compete for a better place.

A place I had to find because while a healing factor was important long term, I need a weapon. And since one mantis had already awakened a healing power, maybe another will give me an attack. Wishful thinking yes, but my powers partly run on that so worth a try.

What followed was a cavalcade of failure. You would think that knowing they attack the legs from behind would make it easier to avoid. The five new aqua scars across my legs told a different story. Now, I still folded like a house of cards but I had gotten really good at reacting by clapping above my head.

Problem is that it wasn't helping with new powers. At the time I was frustrated though in hindsight it wasn't like I was doing anything different from when I got my healing ability. The thing is not only was I on a time limit because of a homicidal mage but also for self development.

One little fact I had learned was that I had a limited window of time to gain new powers before it would lock down for a time. Good news when the next power might kill me, but inconvenient when I still don't have a way to defend myself.

Good thing seventh times the charm, which I'm sure someone beside me has said before. Anyway, I spotted one of the mantises ahead of time. Not from any skill on my part but purely from spotting it on the move.

So of course upon being spotted it flew at me. Experience with this meant I didn't freeze but instead tried to clap the bug out of the air. Tried because without the first attack, the mantis had enough juice to boost its wings, flying right between my hands.

Quite the bad time for me as it followed that up with a nasty swipe across my upper sternum. The good news was it hadn't fully charged its attack so the bone was just scratched. The bad news was that I was once again falling on my butt, except this time I didn't have a chance to kill the mantis.

In desperation I slapped out with my left hand in hope of flinging it away to give myself a chance to stand up. But once again its wings sped up to escape my attack. This time was different though.

Pain radiated from the hole on my hand as five streams of aqua jelly burst out of the back. Those streams jerked apart and slapped onto the back of my fingers and thumb before hardening into claws. Not just any claws though. They were jagged organic looking things that felt unfinished and yet sublimely dangerous.

That and the things extended out twice as far as my actual fingers. This turned a near miss into quite the success as the claws dug ragged canyons through the surprised mantis' exoskeleton. Unlikely the claws could have done so well against even light defenses. But the bug had redirected power to the wings leaving an opening.

Then the lights went out for me again, as you do. Not for long though as my new claws had apparently used a bit too much power. And upon waking up I was introduced to the cost of overdrawing my power. As if someone had cut out triangles towards my fingers, there were new areas extending out of the holes. All shiny and aqua. Oh, and of course the claws had gone away. Because no, you can't keep your only means of attack.

The annoying yet good news is I could still feel the claws. It felt like someone had injected a ton of liquid into the palm of my hand. Didn't look different but it was there. Worst part though was I could tell it was on cool down or some such. If I needed to, I could use them, but it would hurt.

So of course I tried to flex the claws. As I put it, "Memo to self, be more specific", because I didn't just get claws on my one hand. A nice new wave of pain assaulted me as aqua ooze came out of my hands, temples, and feet.

The hands matched what had already happened and the start of a couple horns gelled together at my temples. Normal enough stuff as far as my current life was concerned. The feet though? They went all body horror.

The middle of both feet ripped apart and extended, increasing the length of my feet by a good fifty percent or so. Then from right behind the balls of my feet a claw speared out forcing me to stand digitigrade. And of course even more claws in the style of my hands popped out of the top of my feet. Though they ended up tripling my toe length.

And boy, what a funny scene that made. I'd seen something like it in the past, stilts meant to make you walk digitigrade and let me tell you. Without any costume assistance your upper body ends up looking completely undersized. It's like one of those leggy boy maned wolves except without the elegance.

Then I fell over as the claws withdrew, the horns melted away, and my feet sprang back together. Laying on my back I congratulated myself on not fainting again. Though I could feel that it had more to do with my one claw not being ready yet.

Not wanting to stand up, it took a while to process the new areas of aqua. Both hands matched with areas reaching towards my fingers. The feet managed to get through relatively unchanged despite literally being split apart. Just a thin line where the two parts had reconnected. Though I could tell that came from the fact that the entire bottom of my feet was already aqua gel.

As for the horns? That was interesting. It didn't take my flesh and turn it into aqua. Rather from what I could feel there was a thin dome of the material over my temples. A strange occurrence when previously the goal seemed to be to replace it all.