With a growing comfort in using Infusion, I made my way back to the forest zone much quicker than I had arrived at the tundra. There was no other word for the place. I hadn’t decided to travel deeper into the cold, but the icy chill in the air ever from a distance belied the true frozen core which lay beyond. The traces of ambient mana in the air was of a high quality and just touching it on the breeze caused me to shiver down to the bone.

  So, I was going to make a coat. During my return journey, I mostly focused on getting back quickly but I wasn’t mentally idle as I did so. I wasn’t just heading back for warm clothes, though. Some of the skill debris from the crafting skills I had were still rattling around. They couldn’t be reformed directly into a crafting skill, but I still needed to remove the shards all the same.

  The plan was fairly simple. When I got back, I would focus on learning a new crafting skill. As the System installed it, or perhaps afterwards, I would then insert the leftover pieces of Architecture, Construction and Tailoring into the new pattern. There were two layers to this, and the more complex one, I left for Tag to do the work from within my inner world, but I assisted and guided the process where it was needed.

  For him, it was essentially holding three loose nebulas together in the sky with willpower and required a lot of concentration. For myself, it was a simple process of smoothing out the shredded lines, joints and swirls of the remaining skill wreckage to make the joining easier.

  Of course, all of this was based on the idea that I would be able to even get a crafting skill in any kind of short order. With Mana Savant no longer holding my hand, it was no sure thing. I would know better when I sat down and put my mind wholly to the task whether it was even an option. Regardless of my plans, it all came down to two things. The System, and the state of my workshop. I couldn’t really rely on the System for anything but continued strife, but as for the forest…

  Even before reaching the forest zone, I saw signs of movement in the sand surrounding it. I didn’t spot the assumed scouting parties but the footprints of various shapes and sizes circled the wooded plateau, with groups striking out into the sand in seemingly random directions. I considered that it a little strange I hadn’t seen any creatures from the desert area in my run, but if they were being hunted from the forest maybe it made more sense.

  Unsurprised to find myself distracted at the first opportunity, I quickly stopped myself from following the first set of tracks I saw and realigned my direction with my destination. There may also have been a nudge from Tag which helped snap me out of it. To communicate fully, I needed to use the skill and enter my inner world, but he was getting better at giving me shit from within my core. Between the Aspect of the Dragon, the Jingu Bang, Merownis and now Tag, it was getting crowded in my head these days.

  It was also getting crowded in the forest, apparently. Although I stopped for none of them, there were many packs of recognisable creatures milling around. A crowd of goblins and gnolls were clearing trees with the help of a watchful ent, with the scene replicated all over the place. Squads of Orcs and Sundercats, sometimes mixed and sometimes not, were walking around like peacekeepers. Even the animals of the forest were performing tasks together.

  A familiar fox brushed against my leg, yipping out a laugh as I jumped away from its touch. I chuckled at my own reaction, until I realised it wasn’t a silly thing to be scared. I had a Perception of fifty. I could basically taste colours at this point, and it was still somewhat overwhelming just to look at the world around me. The fact that this fox had managed to sneak up on me so completely meant it was no simple creature.

  Taking the moment seriously, I stopped. The fox had already done the same, analysing me with the regal look it had worn that first time I saw it watching me in the arena. With a spur of the moment choice, I bowed. “Greetings, ma’am.” I didn’t know for sure, but there was a kind of demure femininity to the fox which suggested vixen to me.

  The fox inclined her head to me and I felt even more like I was in the presence of a queen. It was a bizarre instinct to feel in the moment, standing on a dirty path in the middle of a System dungeon, but I trusted the feeling all the same. The System was weird, after all. Kneeling, I bowed my head once more before speaking. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company? You are the same fox which sat with me during the ceremony?”

  I had been lost in the other events of the day, but I was fairly certain this was the same creature. The fact I couldn’t analyse this fox was enough to prove something strange was going on, but I didn’t sense danger. I also didn’t expect an answer, so when a voice appeared in my head I flinched. I had just complained about too many cooks being in that kitchen. “I greet the human Claimant,” a soft voice whispered inside my ears, “you are doing surprisingly well considering how weak you are.”

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  Vaguely insulted, I did my best to bite my tongue as I responded. “Thank you,” I replied through gritted teeth. I was suddenly less enamoured with the vulpine interruption, her energy reminded me of a certain someone else. “May I know the name of my critic? Do you know Naea?”

  “The dungeon fairy is a sad case, and the reason I speak to you now,” the fox replied. There was a moment of pause and I felt myself being sized up by the fox in a serious way. “Impressive for you to see the similarities between us when you are so new to the true world.”

  “True world? This place?”

  “Not the dungeon, young one. The planet of Earth has been joined to the Greater Connection. You may call me Birean. Though, know it is not my true name.”

  “What do you mean sad?” I had a guess, which was confirmed when the fox explained. Just like Naea, the fox was a fae creature. However, unlike Naea, Birean was not beholden to the System in the same ways.

  “A raptor in a spiked cage, that one.” Bilean sighed. The sensation was strange considering it happened in my mind only, and I shook my head to get rid of the weird feeling. “You asked my purpose? I come to offer a quest to the Claimant.”

  New Quest Received - Fairy Bond

  Trapping a fairy is one of the greatest sins which can be committed against them. Remove or replace the bindings from the System upon the Dungeon Fairy known as Naea.

  Reward: One Aspect, One Guidance Stone

  I blinked at the System prompt. Not only had it forced itself open, the rewards were sort of bonkers, weren’t they? I had been slightly on edge before, but this display of power pushed me right into discomfort. Bilean seemed to notice this, the fox’s expression turning impish. “I do not ask this as a favour.” Bilean explained. “An opportunity exists before me to elicit chaos. That is enough reason to act.”

  “You desire chaos?” I asked, even as I accepted the quest prompt and started thinking about how I could do what Bilean asked. Severance might help, but I never felt like Naea would accept the same ritual as Merownis had. She was connected to the dungeon in an intrinsic way, almost addicted to the task of cleaning it up. When she ate, she entered a kind of drunken stupor which seemed intensely pleasurable for her. It would be hard to pull her away from that.

  “I’ll do it,” I told the fox. I wasn’t too surprised when Bilean said nothing else, disappearing into the foliage behind her sitting position and slipping out of my perception completely. Probably some kind of invisibility like Naea, I told myself before carrying on towards home. Tag didn’t have any complaints about this slight delay, as we were both very excited at the prospect of another Aspect.

  Once I reached what could only be described as the outskirts of a village, I stopped once more. This time, no one rubbed up against me. In fact, I was given a wide berth as work continued around me while avoiding me. I really needed to find Merownis, so I activated Battle Bond to pinpoint his location. How long had I been trapped again?

  Lumber and stone were moved from place to place as multi-storey buildings were being built. Merchants were wandering, trying to sell goods, materials or services to anyone who would purchase them. In a few places, it was clear that districts were being built, with the sounds of forging coming from one area and absolute debauchery coming from another.

  At least the sounds of metalworking were coming from where I thought my workshop was. I would find out soon. With a glare, I followed the trail of energy to Merownis, heading firmly into the den of immodesty which had appeared like a fungus. I didn’t have a problem with drinking, gambling or any of the arguably more depraved things which happened in the dark streets and red light districts of the world… but I hadn’t expected it here. As much as the dungeon was a nightmare, it had been pristine in its own way, and it was hard to argue it had been unblemished since.

  I walked past many passed out creatures, though whether they collapsed from alcohol, violence or something else, I couldn’t know. Some of them had clearly lost fights, but most were being looked after by one drunken ally or another. I had seen scenes like this most of my life, and up close since becoming an adult. I had never had much desire to be the one on the ground, though, so I generally stuck to water.

  I followed Merownis’ trail into the tallest building in the forest area. There was a board on the front which said something like “Gablin’ ‘All” and context clues told me that this was the goblin’s addition to the new village. Every worker in the building was a goblin, all of them standing around like bouncers or working as croupiers of some kind. Card games, dice games, even a small fighting arena in the back for bets. They really had everything here.

  Even my companion, who I found with an arm around a lioness Sundercat and a drink in his other hand. Taking the drink and giving it a sniff before downing it, I winced away the sharp taste as Merownis slowly turned to face me. “Oh, hey Grant,” he said casually.

  “Hey buddy,” I replied, voice dripping with faux happiness, “great to see you here. Maybe we should find somewhere quiet to talk?”