Noah woke up feeling refreshed, the essence-rich air revitalizing his body. He noticed the others still out cold, a soft hissing coming from Jergin and a rather un-elflike snore rattled from Gerald. Kyle appeared to have rolled in his sleep, no doubt troubled by the previous day’s events. Noah took a deep breath of the dewy morning air and sighed. He added some small twigs to the fire and hung a pot on the tripod, filling it with water. Reaching into his pack, he withdrew a leather pouch that held a ceramic container inside and poured a generous portion of its powered contents into the pot. He contentedly stirred until it reached a boil and poured the light brown liquid into his favorite, and only, metal mug. Now with beverage in hand, he grabbed a stool and made his way to the edge of camp, finding a spot with a stunning view of the northern scenery. As he gazed at the rolling green hills he took a sip of the steaming brew.

  “Ah…” It was oddly difficult to find moments like this in the new world, even without the distractions of modern technology and communication. He took another sip. It wasn’t coffee, but it also wasn’t trying to be, so it got points for that. It was a blend of powdered tree bark and spices that were reminiscent of cinnamon and clove making for a pleasant earthy taste with a kick. The woman who sold him the pleasant drink had been called it ocha. Noah was hit by a wave of nostalgia as he stared out at the mountain beyond the hills. It looked nothing like Mt. Rainer and yet he was taken back to that moment in the squad car, the day the world had changed. He hadn’t really thought about the odd circumstances of the arrest and realized he probably should have questioned the officers more before going with them. Not that it mattered now. He also thought about the gate guardian and found it odd that he hadn’t seen any sign of the mystical figure in his other advancements. Perhaps he would try to speak with the being the next time he meditated. Images of his family flashed through his mind unbidden as he considered his life before. He wondered how his parents were, if they had survived past the first couple weeks or if they had been spared from the drawn-out harshness of this new life. He also wondered about his siblings, wanting to believe that they were still around, but finding it hard to believe given their lifestyles before the change. His family had been very wealthy and hadn’t been shy about it. Perhaps if they were transported with their paid bodyguards and somehow convinced them to remain in service… Noah chuckled.

  His mind then turned to the woman in his dreams, the woman his heart seemed to recognize instinctually. Is she really my mom? His heart ached in that familiar way as he considered her. If she was his mom, then he desperately wanted to meet her. That of course brought a number of questions to mind, all of which he had no answers to. Then there was the other girl that had visited his dreams of late.

  She was younger, perhaps his age, though it was hard to say for sure. She had long brown hair held in a different style every time, and light brown eyes that seemed to gaze at him with curious affection. He knew he had never met her before, but for some reason, she seemed real, just like his mother. She never spoke or made any indication of his awareness, only watched him, as if oblivious to his attempts to communicate with her. It was too odd a dream to dismiss, yet there was no call to action or warning to heed. Instead, he simply took in her face, committing her features to memory just in case it served a purpose down the road. For some reason, these dreams always left him feeling a pang of loss as they ended, as if missing yet another person he didn’t know. It made him aware of his own loneliness, and a longing for something more. He had many acquaintances, and companions that he had fought beside through perilous straits, but he lacked the love and familiarity of a family.

  He heard stirring in the camp and downed the rest of the ocha before returning to the others. They shared a quick meal and left to meet with Goliath and the herd, who had bedded down in the nearby fields. Goliath was up and ready and soon everyone was moving. They ran through the grassy landscape at the fastest pace Kyle could manage, still being the slowest in the group. Each of them had reached Copper, having gained over 50 levels from the fight, but it hadn’t been enough to close the distance with Noah or the bulls. Noah knew that it would only take a single chance encounter with a powerful beast to tip the scale though, remembering just how fast he had advanced in key moments. They ate meals of dried rations and meat they cooked through night as they ran, resting only after dark. At they traveled Noah shared what he had learned about stat imbalances, essence, and the Gates, and he attempted to meditate but found his mind drifting. He would likely need a new bout of inspiration before he could make any real progress toward the next Gate.

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  They ran for two weeks, and Noah was getting excited to see the progress his tribe had made. The others were excited for other reasons, looking like they were ready to fall asleep where they stood by the end of each day. They had long since lost their courage to protest the pace, and would run until they dropped, at which point Noah would carry them until they rested for the night. They had invested their points more broadly, and lacked the levels to push their endurance for so long. It was with great joy that the group crested the final hill, revealing the budding kingdom set within a large valley. Noah stood atop the hill and beamed, taking in the sights.

  Many buildings were arranged in a large circle with a single large structure in the center. The center building was circular and was constructed from the same type of brick that made up the rest of the buildings. He could see several rectangular structures near the outskirts of the small town, one of which had black smoke rising from its chimney. Perhaps the smithy. He thought as he noticed it. There was no wall that he could see, not that one would make sense in the valley. In addition to the buildings, there was a long winding river that ran through the valley from the North and passed just east of the homes through what appeared to be tilled fields. He smiled at that, imagining the prospect of fresh produce or grain. He noticed several people moving toward him and waved, running to meet them. He had asked Goliath to settle in the south end of the valley for the time being while they determined the best place for their own kingdom.

  The group was led by Ne’Ja who quickly smiled upon recognizing Noah. She and the other carried bows and spears and Noah guessed that they had been on a patrol.

  “Ne’Ja! It’s good to see you!” Noah said, wrapping her in an embrace. She hugged him back before speaking.

  “You as well, my chief. Where are Ta’Ku and Recter?” she asked. Noah smiled.

  “They will be joining with others later, I have a lot to share with you. Once we are settled I will explain what has happened,” he answered. She nodded and looked at the others.

  “And who are you?” she asked, looking pointedly at his weary companions.

  “I’m Gerald, former captain of the watch in the settlement below.” Gerald offered.

  “Jergin!” said Jergin, grasping her forearm in a warriors embrace.

  “I’m Kyle, a friend of Noah’s.” Kyle said, looking somewhat sheepish as he addressed her. Noah laughed.

  “These were the strongest people from the settlement, so I decided to take them with me. More will be coming in time as they reach Copper. You have heard of Jergin from my last journey and obviously you would know of Kyle. Gerald was a chance encounter and I found him to be one of the more levelheaded of his folk.” Noah explained. Ne’Ja greeted each of them in turn before turning to look at the herd of gigantic bulls grazing nearby.

  “And them?” she asked. Noah grinned.

  “Those are our newest citizens! Goliath is their leader and we will give them their own plot of land once we decide on a suitable location. I planned to discuss that with you and Un’Dal this evening,” he replied.

  “I see,” she said, rubbing the back of her head. “Well, you are all probably tired and hungry if No’Ah still keeps the same pace he used to. This way.”