The presence knocked the ladle out of my hand as I stirred the soup. The soup splashed a little, but not much of it spilled. I recognized the presence as it crossed the territory line, but had to admit I didn't think it would find us all the way out where we were. To my surprise, movement near the teleportation portal indicated those beings were coming in hot as well. Maybe Alex's friends would join the conversation, if needed.

I stood up and faced the north gate, which stood open, given the bright light of the sun. During the daylight hours, the beasts didn't come near our fence or gates at all. Even at night, we didn't have any incursions any more. Which we were thankfully fortunate enough to appreciate.

Almost everyone worked on some project or another, including a huge group within the fence line to the east planting fruit trees and working in the fields. Not that they needed much work at all. Skills changed manual labor, making everything easier. It was mostly a blessing.

"Dengu, can you go get Hellion and Sang? I think both will need to be here for this…" The dinos' head snapped up, and he glanced to the north as well. He bobbed his head and rushed toward the fields.

Hopefully, he'd be back before trouble reached us.

A dark shape moved within the trees at the edge of the clearing, and I smiled at the presence. Grizzle stayed nearby, but I couldn't see him; only that itch at the back of my eyelids warned me he hid there. Such a sweety.

They crossed under the fence line, marching toward me at the fire.

I smiled and tried to stay relaxed. They hadn't changed at all, unlike the rest of us.

[Vienna de la Rangu, Speaker, Level 101, Well Loved.]

[Saevel De La Sivgu, Warrior, Level 120, Well Loved.]

"Welcome to Lakeside Landing," I said cheerfully, though I knew this wouldn't go well. What parents wanted to know that their child was in danger?

"Thank you for your welcome. This place is fitting for your people," said Vienna, with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She paused only for a moment before continuing. "We are hoping that you can help us with finding Lenna."

Hellion and Sang approached from the fields, but Noseen appeared first. He remained in the shadows near the tree line from the North. Someone else hid in the shadows as well, but I didn't know who. Surprisingly, they were near Noseen, but didn't react to him at all.

Keeping track of where everyone stood gave me a slight headache, and the tension increased along my shoulders.

"Lenna isn't here. Both she and Alex are gone."

Saevel's eye twitched, but nothing else on him moved, and Vienna grabbed his arm. "What do you mean, she is gone?"

Words bubbled up inside me, ones that I couldn't control.

"She was taken through a rift, and Alex followed to save her," I said, without meaning to. I'd practiced this conversation inside my head several times, and even tried to figure out how to send word to her people, but I didn't know the best way to go about it. And now all that preparation was out the window, and here I was, just spewing words. This was definitely not the best way.

"Taken by who?" asked Saevel.

"What, is the better question," said Hellion, marching out of the trees. Sang walked behind him with a healing crystal in her hands.

The two turned to face them, and Saevel's hand drifted to his side. Yet, he didn't interrupt.

"Something called a Forger came through a rift up north. We'd been battling beetles encroaching from it for weeks." He paused. "Then that thing came through. Lenna attacked it, but it overpowered her, taking her through the rift. My daughter Alex followed to save her friend."

Silence hung over the campfire, and I resisted the urge to say anything. It was hard, but there wasn't anything I could say that would help right in that moment.

Hellion glared at Saevel.

"Maybe you can explain what the hell a Forger is, and why my daughter thought it important enough to blow the rift up to stop them from coming back?" His tone was dangerously low and calm. I knew that tone, though not many did. It wasn't clear that Saevel understood the danger, but I hoped for his sake he at least picked up on Hellion's anger.

"Forgers! Impossible…" whispered Vienna, her face going pale while her fingers tightened around Saevel's arm. Her voice trailed off as her eyes landed on Sang. "This doesn't make sense."

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That was my cue. Yet, before I could speak, movement along the north distracted me. The unknown, hidden presence headed north faster than I could keep track. Noseen vanished as well.

"A lot of this doesn't make sense," I finally said with a sad smile. "Will you join us for some tea, and maybe we can figure it out?"

Saevel frowned, and his fingers tightened into a fist. "Where did this happen?"

"North of here, several days ago." Hellion motioned to me. "Abby's been trying to figure out a way to contact you."

"You lie!" Saevel took a single step forward, and then Dengu landed between the two of them.

The Raptor hissed, flashing his teeth at the elf. His left shoulder had a thick raised scar running down it, and his artificial arm ended with a sharp talon coated in metal.

"Dengu! You ranked up," said Vienna, before her eyes landed on his left side. Vienna wobbled, and her husband stepped back, putting an arm around her. "You were hurt."

"Alpha went to save her, since I failed!" he growled, with his glowing eyes. They stayed laser-focused on Saevel.

"Alpha?"

"Alex," I said, motioning to the fire. "We have much to discuss."

"Nothing to discuss. I will find Alpha and Lenna," said the Raptor.

"Dengu…" I whispered. "Come eat. You too, Grizzle. We will all have food and discuss this."

I somehow kept my voice firm, even though I was one of the lowest leveled people in the clearing, and not by a little.

The giant dinosaur stepped out of the shadows, reduced to only about the size of Dengu. Yet, somehow he was still a fully grown Spinosaurus. He marched closer to the fire and stopped in a space that did not have logs, left clear for both he and Dengu to share meals with the community.

Vienna moved next by dragging her husband closer to the fire. "Yes, there is much to discuss."

It didn't take long for me to serve everyone fish soup with vegetables from the fields. Dengu and Grizzle both received giant hunks of meat, though they both were offered soup first.

"So, who are these Forgers?" asked Hellion, to get the conversation started. He glanced at me with a nod. He'd calmed a bit, clearly, but wasn't going to let his anger go quickly. He never did, though he also never acted on it without deliberation and intent. That was part of what made him so dangerously effective.

"Before we get into that," interrupted Sang. "I want to learn from those that Alex said could teach me. Even if it means going to your capital. The crystals are singing that it is my path."

Vienna softly smiled at Sang. "Our people will gladly welcome you, especially since you are a crystal healer. We haven't had someone new in a long time."

"Alex said there is a dungeon I can do, and left a few messages with me to warn your people about the caverns while leaving…"

"Is Alex a crystal singer?" asked Saevel.

"I think Alex is something else," said Sang while frowning and glancing over the treetops. "She didn't bond with any of the types, not like me."

Vienna paused and pulled out a silver stone, her fingers wrapping around it. It flashed once, then went dim. "If she completed the dungeon, then I know why she blew the rift up. Alex knew the danger the Forgers presented to our people, and our world."

"She went after our daughter, despite that."

"Of course," said Hellion. "That's because she is my daughter, and we don't leave family behind."

***

The ones I brought with me fled as the jungle folk appeared, no longer hiding his aura. They'd be back when I called them, but their presence here would not help things.

[Eldaeren le Wynrel, Level 480, Member of Wysama Tribe, Prey, Very Tasty.]

Alex's brother John, and then Hammy, both froze near the archway that was almost complete.

"How dare you build a gate!" He growled as he stepped closer to the young humans.

"I have permission," I said, appearing behind him. This time, I let my own aura flare. "From the one who has claimed this territory."

"You." He turned slowly, his eyes wide.

"Me," I said with a smile, showing off all of my pointed teeth. "It will connect to the Sister Worlds, within my capital city."

Emotions rippled across his face. I savored each like a fine blood wine.

"Why…" This time, confusion ruled. "This doesn't serve you."

I chuckled coldly, and I watched his green skin pale. "I think I'll be the judge of that."

He glanced over his shoulder at John and Hammy, who had gone back to work on fabricating more of the metal that would support the keystone that'd link the two locations. Neither seemed to care about us at all. They'd quickly learned to ignore me as much as possible. I presumed they had decided the other godlike being here was best dealt with in the same way. Well, godlike to them. Not to me.

At least Hammy had finally stopped asking me questions about the universe.

"How do my people get access to this gate?" he finally asked.

"That is up to Alex," I said with a grin.

Hammy chuckled behind him, shaking his head, but his lips snapped shut at my glare.

"Where is this Alex?" Eldaeren asked.

"Now, that is what I think everyone wants to know, since those so-called Forgers are on that planet as well."

Eldaeren paused, and anger filled his eyes before pity took over. "I will advise Lenna's family to write her off, unless she appears again. If they have their hands on her…"

"They don't."

He lips parted, and he swallowed before asking, "How?"

"Alex."

This time, Hammy couldn't help himself. Such was the way of the young. "What did she get herself into now?"

"A war," I answered, with a completely serious expression. "Alex has found herself in a war against the Forgers, with Lenna by her side."

"I'm never going to catch up with her, am I?" muttered John.

"Dude, none of us have a shot of that," replied Hammy. "That's like comparing us to them."

The boy wasn't wrong.

Hammy pointed to the two of us. "Not happening. But Alex… She might have a shot."

"Not a shot, Hammy. She will reach Rank 5." This time, I glared at Eldaeren. "No matter who attempts to stand in her way."

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