They come from the North and East. Stay safe.

  Oskar caught the briefest glimpse of the stars. He felt himself swept from where he’d been into open space. He tried to look around, but the action felt odd and disconnected. Attempting to figure out exactly what was happening was a waste of time, but it definitely wasn’t “seeing,” and so he settled on the word “perceiving.”

  Darkness mostly. It seemed like he was rotating as he moved. The stars had been fleeting, but he was moving too fast to really focus on anything for very long. Oskar reached back out to the voice questioningly.

  The presence hadn’t disappeared, but the voice was muted when it spoke again.

  I’ll give you as much of the information as I can, but I will try to be careful. If possible, I’ll try to establish uplink with you again. Until then, I shall work on repairing the network.

  Access to some of that data could be lifesaving, but that wasn’t what stuck out to him, of course.

  Repairing the network. The global network.

  After being in that presence for the past few minutes, he didn’t need to ask any further questions. But the ramifications worried him. The advantages of having a matched Gear set was one of his biggest advantages, and he had no way of knowing for sure whether this would close or widen the gap.

  If she repairs the global network, will only those with matching Gear sets like Erik and I notice, or is this going to be a game changer? It’s going to be a freaking game changer, isn’t it, Lavern?

  Oskar felt relief when his PUB answered, the familiar presence had been sorely missed.

  // It will be a game changer, Oskar. I’ll try to explain what that might look like later. Basically, potential access to some data from previous users and limited communication. But, right now, you should probably focus on her… and that. //

  A massive planet appeared in front of him, taking up almost the entirety of his view. Around the edges of his vision was the black expanse of space, but he focused his attention on the planet itself, mostly varying shades of familiar tan. Along the top of the planet, though, were long streaks of color. He was much too far away to make out detail, but he made a note of what he was looking at and hoped there would come a time when he could explore more of the planet.

  Focusing in anyway, he tried to identify the cause of the discoloration, but any chance of that passed quickly. A point appeared, compliments of the… Lavern, whatever Lavern was, and he began moving towards that point with rapidly growing speed. At first, Oskar noticed mountainous plateaus occasionally dotting the surface, but as the huge planet before him began to rapidly expand, he realized he was moving toward the point at impossible speed.

  For a moment, he turned to look at the massive orbs of the red sun and made out curls of fire, flickering out and then folding in on one another violently in slow motion. The suns looked larger, more volatile. They were mid battle, just like when he looked with his True Resonance. He looked back the direction he’d come, and a silvery metal orb floated in open space, both reflecting and absorbing light. There was a pulse of energy emitting from the satellite, but Lavern pulled his attention back toward the planet before he could learn more.

  No time for that. You have company.

  The cosmic war and the satellite disappeared from view as he turned to face the planet. Closing in on the marked point, the details became clearer. Much clearer than human eyes were usually capable of. He wasn’t slowing, but his mind went into overdrive, and the information in front of him settled into his memory much gentler than any information he’d previously had shoved into his poor Marine brain on this world.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Blue and green lines of Sora and the somber brown weaved paths of Talau appeared as he closed in. What truly stood out though were the dots of Raikiyu that covered the planets. There was a large gathering of living somethings, showing up as frozen, deep purple streaks of what would be rapid movement in real time. All were speeding toward his Collective.

  A fair distance to the Northwest and not at all where Myelome was leading them, Lavern pointed out a structure that was partially submerged within a dune wall. It gave off a strong, odd signature that looked like a mix of all three magics. The magic looked familiar even though it wasn’t his, and he got the impression it was old magic. Sora and Rakiyu mixed with Talau in a way that seemed content to do only that.

  Like it was made to protect what it’s protecting and is happy to be confined to only that protection.

  Another thought occurred.

  Is that what my Resonant Ward would look through Lavern’s eyes?

  Exactly that. We part ways now, pay close attention to both your friends and any… new allies you might observe. If fortune favors us, we shall meet soon,I will do everything I can.

  Oskar noted over a dozen- the number “14” popped up as a correction in his vision, along with a very quick threat analysis pointing out two notables; one large, one a bit smaller. Fully scanned, both C Rank, yellow threats. They were together just on the opposite side of the dune the Dorn Collective was running toward. At the back of his Collective, a figure lay sprawled out at the back of the column.

  Who’s behind us?!

  He needed to gather as much information as possible, so he decided to deal with whoever that was when he got back down there and tried to memorize the location of everything he could instead. The follower lay collapsed on the sand, posing, hopefully, no immediate threat.

  He made a quick note of other figures, spread out from the strange building Lavern had shown him. They were still some distance away, the tails of the purple streaks behind them were shorter, indicating their much slower pace. They were moving their way, though.

  Scanning them, the PUB put all but one of their threat indicators at neutral. There were nine, each marked by Lavern or his PUB. Leading them was a major threat, a lanky figure with a notable red B Rank threat indicator. The leader’s Rakiyu signature was thicker and darker than the others.

  Oskar looked back over to the closer threat at the wispy purple lines of those that now surrounded his group.

  His group… and himself.

  That’s me collapsed on the sand… We’re not being followed. That’s… that’s me. What the hell?!

  His mind, or maybe his consciousness, crashed into his body with enough force that it should have been audible to everything within a hundred yards. When Oskar’s eyes popped open, though, there was no echoing sound. There was only the rush of magic he’d been subjected to after his ill-advised scan and semi abduction remained, which dissipated around him harmlessly.

  Aching, he sat up, spitting sand out of his mouth for like the thousandth time in the past few months, and Oskar grabbed the fading magic around him with more force than ever before.

  A Resonant Ward flared to life around him, pushed out to envelop the entire group. He used the trick he’d learned earlier, and allowed the magic more freedom, infusing it more with his desire than sheer willpower.

  He ignored the wicked sneer Myelome wheeled on him, and he pointed toward the most dangerous of their incoming attackers, belaying the old Kobold’s incoming complaint or whine to warn his group.

  “We’ve got company incoming. Fourteen threats, two of which are seriously dangerous. Contact imminent.”

  Oskar looked around, bent over and picked up his spear, and then glared back at Myelome.

  “Another group of nine, possibly friendly, coming slowly from the structure in nearly the…” he stared daggers at Myelome, yelling the rest, “Opposite direction we were going!”

  The rest of the sentence came out in a growl.

  “We live through this, and your shady ass has some explaining to do.”

  The Dorn Collective barely had time to drop their bags before the first of the enemy crested the dune on two sides. Misshapen shadow creatures. Sickening abominations made of various body-parts from different sentient creatures scrambled and ambled over the crest of the dunes. Unnatural noises came from unnatural mouths. Another group of four approached from same the direction the two major threats had been when Oskar marked them. One creature had a single long, black wing. It awkwardly used the appendage to push itself forward rather than anything approaching flying of gliding.

  Scowling, Oskar did a quick count.

  That accounts for every enemy except the major threats themselves.

  Erik was the first to speak as the danger of their situation became clear.

  “Aww hell. Look at ‘em.”

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