Maybe it was just me, but the air smelled so much better on Tellus Nova. There was just something in the air. That was when I knew I was truly home.

  There was a guard from Covern House next to Rodof when I walked through. He bowed, then handed me a letter and said “My Lord Trevor, I was to tell you everything is fine. House Tierra is fine. It has been 15 days, since you left as of this morning. Fabia wants to know immediately upon your return. The letter was found at Covern House and Fabia wanted you to have it as soon as you returned.”

  I was quite relieved to hear everything was good, and shocked to see that 15 days had passed here. Must be some type of time distortion between the two Systems. I sent Rodof to get Fabia and Gabriel. If Gabriel wasn’t back then Rafella. I was going to turn over the whole logistic mess over to them.

  I had Medirre go get some street food vendors and have them come here. I would pay for their time and wares. Ajani’s people had to be very hungry after the last few days.

  Kristi, Linsey, Ajani and I went outside. Blade and Batella followed.

  “I heard that man call you Lord Trevor. Why was that?” Ajani asked.

  “That’s because I hold the rank of Count in the country of Decharte. It happened a few weeks/months ago, so I haven’t really wrapped my head around it. I objected at first when everyone started calling me ‘My Lord’ but was quickly put right by Fabia and Gabriel. So, unless we are at the dinner in Covern House or the Compound in Decharte City, they call me my lord. It’s just the way it is here. In private, you don’t have to. I know it’s not the American way.”

  “Will we be seeing each other that often? I am not sure what I will be doing here after all.” Ajani asked.

  “Well, I was thinking about you coming to work for me. Between you, my wife and daughter, you all managed to save a lot of people, keep them together, and mostly safe. I could use someone like that in my House.”

  “When you say house, I am not sure what that means.”

  “House, in this instance, is a term that means organization, family, and friends all wrapped up in one. You can be a member of a House, an employee, or a contractor. To be a member, you have to be invited or born into it. But even those born into a House can be expelled. A House has a reputation just like a person. Solid, reliable, kind, loyal, pick an attribute and they apply. Some Houses revolve around warfare, some around politics. House Tierra revolves around healing.

  “Rodof and Medirre are members of the House, as is Sharon and Rhonda through her. Of course, Kristie and Linsey are also. I plan on offering Blade and Batella positions in the House, but they may want to try their luck going back to Veridia, or joining an Elf House. The same with Gem and Rockfist. Each one has proven themselves loyal, and of good character. All my initial staff from Covern House is also a member of House Tierra. Covern House is just the name of the manor I live in, not another House. It was a bit confusing to me at first also. If you want to stay around, I will have Fabia find an appropriate position. I have three, no four, different places and you can pick where you want to live.”

  “May I think on it a bit.”

  “Of course. It’s a big step. Take your time.”

  I went back in and got Gem and Rockfist and brought them outside. I called Blade and Batella to join us.

  “I would like to offer each of you to become a member of my House. House Tierra. You have all proven yourself during our time on Earth. House Tierra is small, but not without influence. If you have other plans, that is okay also. Either way, you will be welcome to my manor, Covern House. While House Tierra is mainly known for Healing, I have other opportunities available, including crafting and trading. The House also has excellent relations with the Adventurers Guild, if you want to be an adventurer. House Tierra will not prohibit you from searching for a way back to Veridia, if you so desire. I have properties here in Forest Glen, Decharte City, and a summer house called Rose Flower Manor. You can live in any of them. Take your time, there is no rush. Let me know when you decide. As it is, we will be going to Covern House after Fabia gets here.”

  *-------------*

  Fabia showed up quickly, with Gabriel in tow.

  “Good morning my lord. Did everything go as expected?” Fabia asked.

  “Yes, and I want to introduce you to my wife, Kristie and my daughter Linsey.”

  “My lady, my lady” Fabia said and nodded her head. Gabriel did the same.

  “This is Fabia, a Knight of House Tierra, and Gabriel of Head Butler of House Tierra. Both are critical to the House’s success. I introduced Fabia and Gabriel to the group. As you can both see, I came back with quite a few new people. I need you two to set them up with a place to stay, and a place to eat. Then we can start working on finding them some employment. Let’s go introduce you to everyone.”

  Ajani, Fabia, Gabriel and I walked back into the warehouse. I called out to get everyone’s attention.

  “Everyone, gather round. I would like to introduce you to Fabia of House Tierra and Gabriel of House Tierra. They are my right hand in House Tierra. They will be responsible for getting lodging set up for you. It might take a day or two to get everyone settled, so Gabriel will ensure you have proper bedding, if you need to stay here. If you have questions about Forest Glen, please ask either. Fabia will also be asking you about your experience and qualifications for employment. We will be working with you to get you situated, but please be patient. I have also arranged to have food cart vendors to come and feed everyone. Again, patience will be needed. Thank you.”

  I turned to Fabia and Gabriel, “Looks like you will have your work cut out for you. These are refugees from Earth. I will be leaving them in your hands to get situation. Any you think we can use or employ at Covern House or Decharte compound, please hire. Here is the Linguistic skill.” I handed each one a pill that contained the skill. It was one of the items I picked up at a discount from the System Store on Earth. All they had to do was swallow the pill.

  “In addition, Gabriel, you may need to use your Cleanse spell on some of our guests. It’s been a long time between baths for some of them. I appreciate your time and efforts on this. What do you think it will cost to lodge and feed them for a month or so?”

  Fabia and Gabriel thought for a moment.

  “My lord, I have a cousin that owns an inn. Business hasn’t been great. I am sure I can get a discount. He has 10 rooms, so for a month, 150 gold. We should be able to fit 20 to 30 people there.”

  “My lord, Gabriel is right. Using an inn and guaranteeing a month’s occupancy would be best. We can also get discounts because of the length of the stay. I suggest Gabriel go ahead and contact his cousin, arrange the rooms, then send out the staff to inquire about other rooms. Food will be extra. Probably another gold per person.” Fabia said.

  “That sounds reasonable. I knew it wouldn’t be cheap to house and feed this many people, but I promised them. Go ahead and make the arrangements. Gabriel, do you have a cousin with a restaurant near the inn? If so, can you arrange meals from them also?”

  “I do, and I will.”

  “Great. With that settled, I am going to Covern House. We have some new members and some guests. Should I have Raffel get them situated or wait until you get back, Gabriel?”

  “Raffel can find them rooms, my lord.”

  “Thank you for taking care of these people. I truly appreciate it. I will see you both soon. Ajani, I will talk with you later, I hope.” I said and then turned to leave.

  When I got back to my wife and daughter, the food carts had started showing up. There were five of them, with a wide variety of choices. I brought them all together, gave each on a gold coin and said “I am Count Trevor of House Tierra. I have rescued 50 people from an apocalypse. They have barely survived and barely eaten for over a month. Let them eat as much as they need. You will need to be here the rest of today, and possible tomorrow morning. Are you okay with the pay?” A gold coin was more than they would normally make in a month, so I was sure they were okay with it, and the noises of agreement they let me know I was correct. The vendors started to set up in a line. The 5 carts had enough food between them to feed everyone at least 2 meals.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  I asked my group if they wanted to eat before we left for Covern House. Nobody did. I guess I bragged too much about Chef’s cooking.

  We started down the road. I pointed out some interesting sites while we walked. Before you knew it, we had arrived.

  I entered Covern House and Raffel immediately greeted me.

  “Welcome home, my lord” he said. He looked and saw the additional people. “Do I need to get rooms for each of your guests?”

  “Raffel, let me introduce everyone. This is my wife Kristie, my daughter Linsey. Sharon and Rhonda are new members of House Tierra. Blade, Batella, Gem, and Rockfist are potential members.” I pointed to each as I said their names.

  “I will need a dressmaker and tailor to come by, this afternoon. I am sure Gabriel has a couple of cousins that fit the bill. Also, let Chef know we are famished and will be eating lunch in the dining room.”

  “Yes, my lord. I believe Chef already has lunch ready in the dining room.”

  “Thank you Raffel” I said.

  Raffel led the way to the dining room, where a sumptuous meal awaited us.

  During lunch, Raffel had the staff prepare the rooms for our new members and guests. Sharon and Rhonda would be sharing a room, as would Blade and Batella. Since I didn’t know the exact relationship between Gem and Rockfist, they each got a smaller room. Lindsey got a suite, as befits the daughter of the count.

  It was complicated with Kristie. Yes, I wanted to share a room with her, but it had been less than a year my time. Where for her it had been over two years, and I was dead. While she hadn’t exactly been dating, she had moved on further than I had. Since a lot of nobles had separate bedrooms, it was decided that she would have the suite next to mine. There was even a door that connected the two rooms. I was sure it would only take time, before she was comfortable with sharing my room again. But truly, it didn’t matter. It was enough for her to be in my life again.

  After lunch everyone was shown to their room. Ramram would be available to show them around the town, if anyone wanted to explore Forest Glen. He would be the perfect guide.

  I went into my office. I took the letter with me because I knew it was from Malentine. I sat in my desk chair just looking at the letter. I stared at it wondering what was inside. Why would Malentine write a letter, or conjure one, instead of just showing up? It was just strange to me. I stared for a few more minutes, then picked up the envelope and opened it.

  I will be there in 5 minutes.

  M

  Nothing else. Just ‘I will be there in 5 minutes. M’. What was even the reason for this being a letter. To say I was totally confused would be an understatement. He could have just sent me a notification. Why a letter? I just don’t know.

  I sat waiting. Time seemed to go slow as the seconds ticked by. I kept thinking about how the meeting would go. Would Malentine blame me? Would he explode and destroy Covern House? Kill me? Or would he just accept it? It’s hard to picture the reaction of a nigh omnipotent being who could probably just erase me from existence.

  Soon enough, the wait was over. Raffel announce a visitor and Malentine walked into my office. I rose, shook his hand and we sat down.

  “I found out the reason for the anomaly. It turns out. There is another System and it is on Earth.” No small talk, I jumped straight to the point.

  “That certainly would explain the interference. What is the name of the other System?”

  “It called itself the Rebital Communal System, though from what I saw on Earth, it wasn’t very communal. The absolute devastation it caused when it enveloped Earth was horrifying.”

  “How was the initial contact performed?”

  “Initial contact. I don’t know if I would call it that, more like Armageddon. It opened up portals all over the planet and sent in monsters. Killing most of the human population within the first 10 days. Genocide is the best word to describe it. When I spoke with it, it didn’t seem to know another way. I suggested transporting the population into tutorials while it reshaped/expanded the target planet. Then return the population after the expansion and tutorials were complete. Many will still die, but a lot less than the current method.”

  “It does reduce the population death rate quite a bit, but it also has its own drawbacks. The main one being the upfront cost. In the long run, it pays for itself, but many Systems seem to be shortsighted in that regard. Is there anything else you need to report?”

  “Rebital would like to arrange a meeting in a neutral place. I don’t have any specifics, just that message, and that concludes the report. Is the Blind Quest complete?”

  Notification sprung up on my HUD.

  Congratulations you have completed the Blind Quest. Your reward is two class levels, 10,000 gold.

  You are now level 51.

  A Nephilim is assigned a Path when they reach level 50, but you get to select from a list of Paths. You have 10 days to select a path. You have the following Paths available:

  Defender of the Weak.

  You will protect those who cannot protect themselves. You are encouraged to take action against injustice, advocate for the marginalized, and provide assistance to those who need it. Being a "defender of the weak" is a profound moral and spiritual calling that resonates throughout your spirituality and encourages active participation in promoting justice for the weak. It reflects a commitment to uphold the rights of those who are most vulnerable. Fight for the weak, destroy the strong, and continue until everyone is equal.

  Retribution for the Fallen

  You may not have been there to prevent a miscarriage of justice, but you can make sure the perpetrators are punished for their wicked deeds. Search out those who have perverted justice and ensure they receive the punishment they deserve. Fight for those fallen, destroy the perpetrators until fear prevents the miscarriage of justice.

  Dominator of Nations

  You are the best to lead others, and as such seek to lead your armies against those that will not follow your rule. Destroy all who do not follow you. Dominate the nations of the world until you alone stand at the top. Fight to build your army, fight to the top, destroy all who oppose you until you rule everyone.

  Justicar of Justice

  You are the final arbiter of justice. You make the final decree and impose punishment as you decide. All who come before you submit to your judgement. Your word is law and those that defy your word are to be destroyed. Fight those who defy your law, destroy those who refuse your words until injustice is gone from the world.

  Malentine’s Champion

  You are the champion of the Malentine Universal System. You will fight its battles, command its armies, and do its bidding. None stand above you, except Malentine.

  At first glance, absolutely none of these paths appealed to me. I have 10 days to choose, so I put it to the side for now and returned my attention to Malentine.

  “That is a very interesting proposition by Rebital. Did he mention when and where he would like to meet?”

  “No, only that you two should meet in neutral territory.”

  “That would mean another System world. Of course, since neither of us can enter another System’s world, it would have to be a representative. I will have to think about it. But, on another subject, I have Gifted the people from Earth with the common version of Linguistics. They can learn most humanlike creatures’ languages. This should ease their transition.”

  “That is very magnanimous of you.”

  “It is and it isn’t. It’s part of the package they get for having to give up their levels from the previous system. But you don’t have to worry about them learning the language. They have enough skills to get by. They got to pick from a list of skills, mostly crafting, so they don’t have any reason to complain. I also let them keep any skills from the previous system. I believe you have other things to attend to, so I will contact you later about representing me in the meeting with Rebital.”

  Gone, as he was never there. Dammit. I just knew I wasn’t going to be left alone after the Blind Quest. He was definitely going to make me be his representative at the meeting with Rebital.

  Now that I was alone, I decided to review the Paths. Each of the Paths were majorly flawed. Every Path was a trap. Every Path conflicted with my Class. All of them centered on violence, fighting, death, destruction. To follow the Paths, you had to give up everything else. If these were the paths to Godhood, it just wasn’t worth it in my opinion.

  Defender of the Weak sounds noble, but it is a road that leads to extremism. Who determines who is weak? If one hundred humans attack a den of 20 goblins, would I be required to defend the goblins? According to the path, yes. Defender of the Weak doesn’t take into account personal accountability or responsibility, right or wrong. I would end up defending vile people and creatures.

  Retribution for the Fallen and Justicar of Justice are no better. I would have to be the judge to determine if you deserved retribution, or justice. And the response is always violence, fighting, death and destruction. That is not the life I want.

  Dominator of Nations. Really. Why in the hell would anyone take this Path. You would be fighting every day of your life, even if you lived centuries. Million would die because of your Path. Maybe billions. Yes, you would have a united world in the end, but it would be built on the bodies of the dead. A graveyard and you the caretaker.

  Then there is Malentine’s Champion. Malentine’s Slave would probably be a better name. I would be willingly giving my life over to its commands. I may have to do its quests, but I don’t intend to be its slave.

  It seems to be a case of the least worst-case. Which Path would be the lesser of the evils. I just want to live my life somewhat peacefully. I will have to discuss this with Kristie because she always gave the best advice.

  I got up from behind my desk and walked out of my office. Down the stairs and into the kitchen. As soon as Chef saw me, she knew what I wanted. A snack. It was 'snack time'. Chef handed me a slice of hot apple cake. She knows me so well.