Of course, I thought to myself as I cleaned out my mouth. Better get this over with.
—
Vomit Free since 03…seconds II (Uncommon)
Congratulations on your remarkable consistency. We warned you that you wouldn’t like the second title in this series. That said, given that this one was mostly due to the Wyrdborne's mind games, we’ll cut you some slack. To hopefully prevent us from having this conversation again, we’ve thrown in a skill that should help
This is your final warning. STOP THROWING UP ON OUR NEW PLANET!
Rewards: Skill unlocked - Equilibrium +10
—
—
Equilibrium
Your body is better able to adapt to bouts of disorientation, physical stress and sensory overload. A subtle flow of stabilizing mana now circulates through your inner systems— your vestibular organs, core musculature, respiratory rhythm, and autonomic balance responses — bringing them into harmony and promoting stability. Your body instinctively counters sudden shifts in motion, distorted spatial perception, or internal disruption before they can overwhelm you. This skill helps to:
- Reduce the effects of nausea, vertigo, dizziness, and motion-induced discomfort.
- Improves stability during rapid movement, teleportation, sudden impacts, or spatial distortions
- When subjected to effects that would disrupt balance (stun, stagger, knockdown, gravitational distortion), your internal systems surge to compensate, lessening the impact and shortening the duration.
- Strengthens your vestibular system and core, slightly increasing agility, coordination, and posture control
- Offers resistance to illusions or magic that warp perception of direction, distance, or gravity.
—
For once, the system had given me something genuinely helpful rather than another joke at my expense. This new [Equilibrium] skill would pair perfectly with my existing [Proprioception]—the latter giving me heightened awareness of my body's position, while the former would help me maintain stability even during disorienting situations.
After dismissing the notification windows, I glanced over at Elena sitting beside me. The delicate bracelets she always wore had transformed into substantial armored bracers that were now gradually shrinking back to their original size. I nodded toward them with a knowing smile. "So that's where those projectiles came from. You've been holding out on me."
"Maybe I've got a few tricks up my sleeve," she replied, eyes twinkling. I focused my attention and cast [Identify] on the metal bands as they completed their transformation back to innocent-looking jewelry.
—
Freakin’ Laser Bracelets (Unique)
These are completely normal and uninteresting bracelets. 100% normal. Nothing suspicious here. Move along already. Seriously, these are just bracelets!
Though, they do shoot laser projectiles and have minor shapeshifting abilities.
—
Those bracelets had to be hiding more secrets, but that mystery could wait. My hands trembled slightly as the adrenaline began to fade. "You okay, love?" I scanned Elena for injuries, the post-battle crash making me suddenly, irrationally afraid I'd missed something terrible.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Dad." She brushed dirt from her knees. "Between you and Vinessa, that thing barely noticed me."
I turned toward her Imaginary Friend, who stood sentinel a few feet away. "Thank you," I mouthed. Vinessa acknowledged me with a solemn nod before returning to her watchful stance. Her form was already growing slightly transparent around the edges.
"Did you hit level 3 too?" My voice sounded hollow in my ears.
Elena's face brightened. "Level 3? Nope! I got to level 4! Six stats to spend and a new aspect to pick!" The excitement in her voice contrasted sharply with the exhaustion settling into my bones.
I forced myself upright, muscles protesting. "We need distance from here before we dive into that. Something changed this water, and I don't want to meet whatever did it." My legs felt like rubber. "We'll take a break once we're clear."
"Fine," she sighed dramatically, pushing herself up. Ten steps later, she nearly walked face-first into a trunk, eyes already glazed with system notifications.
"Love. Eyes up." I massaged my temple where a headache was forming. "Fifteen minutes. That's all I'm asking."
She rolled her eyes with the expertise only a child could muster, silently communicating that I'd just won the Unreasonable Parent of the Year award. Fair enough.
We barely made it ten minutes before Elena's excitement pulsed through our shared link like an electric current. When she stumbled over a third root while trying to sneak peeks at her system notifications, I sighed and called for a break.
"Fine. Let's get this over with."
The distance we'd covered surprised me—either we'd walked faster than before or anticipation of new abilities had given us both an extra boost. I glanced around the clearing, noting that Vinessa Rose had already faded away, leaving us without our spectral lookout.
"Want to discuss options before deciding?" I asked, but Elena just fluttered her fingers in my general direction, her eyes already glazed over, lost in the floating text only she could see.
I sighed, resigning myself to the fact that I'd be keeping guard while Elena delved into her new aspect choices. It was the responsible thing to do, even if the bees in my brain were demanding I turn my attention to my own aspect choices NOW. Elena’s fingers were already dancing through invisible menus. Her face cycled through expressions—eyes widening with excitement, then narrowing in concentration, lips pursing as she weighed options I couldn't see.
The forest had gone quiet again, but this time the silence felt less ominous and more contemplative, as if the woods themselves were catching their breath after our battle. I positioned myself with my back against an oak adjacent tree, both weapons drawn and resting across my knees. The Guardian's Seax hummed contentedly in my left hand, its awareness-enhancing properties extending my senses outward in gentle waves. Nothing dangerous lurked nearby—at least nothing the knife could detect.
“Dad, I think I have it down to two choices but I can’t decide.” she said and suddenly a window appeared before me showing me her options. “I can’t pick between [Positivity Grenade] and [Prismatic Mischief]”
—
Positivity Grenade (Ability - Common)
Fires a high-velocity sphere of compressed joy, hope, and emotional catharsis at a target. Upon detonation, generating an area of effect saturating the area with positive psychic energy, centred on the target. Anyone affected will be filled with a sense of serenity, and calmness, lowering their threat detection and general awareness of the world around them. NOTE: Doesn’t work on those who are dead inside.
Prismatic Mischief (Trait - Uncommon)
Whenever the caster evades danger, a burst of colourful light distracts or confuses enemies, increasing the caster’s chances of escape, evasion or catching the enemy unaware on their next strike.
—
I bit my tongue, fighting the parental instinct to push for [Prismatic Mischief]. The escape potential alone made it tempting—anything that could help her slip away from danger pulled at me like gravity. But another option kept drawing my attention, something with less immediate flash but perhaps more lasting value.
“Love, what about [Perfect Echoic Recall]?” I asked
“Really? That one seems boring” she said, but I couldn’t help notice her eyes focusing on what I assumed to be its description.
—
Perfect Echoic Recall (Trait - Uncommon)
Grants the ability to store and recall any sound you've ever heard with flawless accuracy. Your mind becomes an infinite audio library, cataloguing everything from whispered secrets to complex musical compositions. Grants +25% to all sound-based skills and abilities. Provides immunity to memory-altering effects targeting auditory experiences.
—
I raised an eyebrow. "Think about your soundtrack ability. Wouldn't this complement that?"
Elena's fingers paused mid-swipe. "I guess."
"And long-term? Where do you see you going?"
She rolled her eyes with the dramatic flair only a six year old could muster. "Ninja princess rockstar, obviously."
I bit back a smile. "Right, of course. I should have known that." I tapped the floating description. "But consider what 'perfect recall' actually means. You'd remember every sound you ever hear. Every. Single. One."
Her brow furrowed as she processed this. Then her eyes widened, the light of revelation spreading across her face. "Wait—all music? Like, perfectly? Forever?" She groaned and flopped backward onto the grass. "Great, now I'm stuck between three awesome choices!"
The moment Elena's eyes widened in distress, I recognized my mistake with the sinking feeling of a parent who's stepped on the same rake for the hundredth time. Trying to be the helpful dad, offering what I thought was the perfect suggestion, only to throw her into deeper decision paralysis. My throat tightened as memories surfaced: Elena frozen in the cereal aisle for forty-five minutes, tears streaming while Cara and I exchanged those helpless glances. The year of meltdowns over shoelace colors and dinner plates. Every choice had been an emotional minefield, and Cara and I had only made it worse with our anxious hovering.
I watched her face carefully, bracing for the familiar signs—the rapid breathing, the fidgeting hands—and silently cursed myself for not remembering the first rule of parenting: sometimes “helping” makes things worse. Then Elena took a deep breath, her shoulders squared, and I realized with quiet amazement that she was working through it on her own.
She let out a big breath and said, “[Positivity Grenade] sounds cool, but I think right now I don’t need something like that. [Prismatic Mischief] seems like it could be really good to help me get away, but I’m already pretty fast. [Perfect Echoic Recall] seems like it doesn’t necessarily do a lot right now, but if I can remember all sounds, not just music, that could be super helpful down the road.” she sat there reasoning out loud. “It would be better if there was a way for me to hear songs now, then I could have more songs for my other skill…”
“I may be able to help with that,” I said, reaching into my pack and pulling out a sapphire-blue crystal that caught sunlight streaming through the trees. “I got this using some creation credits. It contains all of human literature, art, and media produced in our world. I was going to save it as a surprise when we made camp but…”
Her eyes went wide. “I can know every song. A song for all moods and times. This will be EPIC!” she squealed. Apparently her decision was made. “Thank you dad!’ she said as she threw her arms around me and gave me a big hug.
“Your welcome love” I said as I hugged her back, careful to not drop the crystal in my hands.
As she disentangled herself from me she looked at the crystal and then sighed. “You’re right though we need to wait for camp. Can’t risk the noise out here. Stupid monsters.”
“Yeah - they kind of ruin everything don’t they? At least the mean ones.” I said with a smirk. “Now can you keep watch for a minute while I check my own options?”
“Can do.” she said with a serious look on her face. She immediately summoned up two [GLITTER! Swarms] and had them flying around us. Clever girl.
I turned my attention to my own awaiting Aspect selections.
—
Please select from one of the following options:
Flicker Strike (Ability - Common)
You invest a small amount of mana into a waiting rift in space & time, holding it in reserve. This mana cannot return to your mana pool or be regenerated by other means until this ability ends. The rift lies dormant until you are either targeted by a melee attack or 1 hour has passed. When targeted by a melee attack the rift snaps open and you [Flicker] up to 2 meters into an ideal counterattacking position, leaving only a fading ghost-image where you were. If after 1 hour you have not been targeted the rift will harmlessly dissipate. Cooldown begins after the rift has collapsed.
Echoes of What Was (Ability - Uncommon)
When activated you gain retrocognition — the ability to perceive faint impressions of recent events in a location — that shows up as shadowy afterimages, fragments of sound or emotional impressions of what transpired hours or days before.
Sponge the Writing from this Stone (Trait - Rare)
You may experience brief, unpredictable flashes of potential futures. These flashes may be experienced as a combination of visible scenes, sounds, or extreme emotional impressions. Be aware, these flashes are threads of possibility rather than fixed fate — avoid the path of Macbeth or Oedipus.
—
Decisions, decisions. I thought to myself. The easiest one to remove, also happened to be the rarest. While I knew that [Sponge the Writing from this Stone] could likely turn out to be very handy, I also recognized how deceptive it could be. There was no control over when or how the visions manifested, and you would only get pieces. Pieces of possibility — not necessarily pieces of what might, or even what was mostly likely. I had no interest in walking the path of an oracle, and the references to both Macbeth and Oedipus — characters whose attempts to avoid prophecy ultimately led to its realization — made me certain that this ability was more trouble than it was worth at present.
[Echoes of What Was] on the other hand spoke to me on a visceral level. I loved stories. Not boring history, dates, facts and the like, but the thoughts, feelings and experiences of others. The ability to potentially pick up on those, to learn others stories was everything I could want…it just wasn’t going to be super helpful in the foreseeable future. Unlike [Flicker Strike] which I could see getting extensive use. Maybe next time. I thought to myself. Hopefully there would be an option to pick unselected skills again.
As I selected [Flicker Strike] knowledge of how to use it flooded my brain. I quickly activated it, and could feel a small well of mana form within me, and then dispersing to settle around me. For a moment, time and space seemed to shift and I was left with the feeling that I was holding a deep breath, the energy sitting there in suspense, waiting for the right moment. Within a heartbeat the feeling faded.
I threw my stat points into vitality, bringing it up to 10. I longingly looked at my mental stats — the ones I really wanted to increase, but I decided to continue to focus on balancing out my stats for now over dumping everything into one specific stat.
"All set," I said, rising to my feet with a slight wince. My ankle still throbbed from the Aelkin's attack, though [Just a Flesh Wound] was steadily working its magic. "Let's keep moving."
Elena, who had been carefully scanning our surroundings, turned back to me. "Did you pick something cool?"
"[Flicker Strike]," I replied. "Basically lets me dodge and counter-attack in one motion."
She nodded sagely. "Smart. You're not very good at dodging from what I’ve seen."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I said dryly.
"You're welcome!" She beamed, completely missing—or more likely ignoring—my sarcasm. Her selective deafness to parental sarcasm must be some kind of hidden ability, I mused, unable to suppress a smile.
The forest around us was growing darker as afternoon slipped toward evening. We needed to find shelter soon, somewhere defensible where we could rest and take a moment to process. The battle had drained me more than I wanted to admit, and despite her best attempts to hide it, I could see it had taken it’s toll on Elena too.
"Love, we should get moving again. We need to find somewhere to camp before dark."
Elena nodded, her eyes still bright with excitement over her new abilities. "Can we try to find somewhere not near creepy water?"
"Absolutely. Creepy water is firmly off the menu." I said with a half smile.
We followed the terrain uphill, away from the stream and any other of its potential inhabitants. The forest grew denser as we pushed on, with trees so tall they seemed to hold up the sky itself. Massive roots erupted from the ground like petrified waves, creating natural archways we had to duck through.
About an hour into our trek the terrain began to change again, the forest slowly giving away to rocky outcroppings and scattered pines. We came up to a ridge and from the higher vantage point we had a better view of our surroundings — and what I saw made my heart skip.
In the distance, perhaps a few kilometers away, the silhouette of what could only be buildings rose against the sky. Not just natural formations, but actual structures — some intact, others partially collapsed.
"Dad! Is that a town?" Elena pointed, bouncing on her toes.
I nodded, narrowing my eyes against the distance. "Seems to be, or what's left of one anyway." Despite my enhanced senses, the details remained frustratingly vague. I let my [Arcane Sense] unfold, detecting faint ribbons of energy weaving through the distant structures. Blues, purples, and golds lit up and twisted like luminous smoke throughout the ruins, but they revealed little about what we might find there.
The buildings sat nestled in a shallow valley, surrounded by forest on three sides. A ribbon of silver suggested another, larger river running alongside it. From this distance, I couldn't tell if it was inhabited or abandoned, but either way, it represented possibilities: shelter, supplies, maybe even other survivors.
"Can we go there? Please?" Elena's eyes were wide with hope.
I hesitated. The town represented unknowns—potentially dangerous ones. But we needed more than just survival; we needed to start building something like a life here. And that meant taking calculated risks.
"We'll head that way," I decided. "But we're not going in tonight. We'll find somewhere to camp and approach in daylight."
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Elena accepted this compromise with a nod.
It didn’t take us long to find a spot to make camp. We followed the edge of the ridge, keeping the buildings beyond in front of us as much as we were able. Eventually we came across an outcropping that would allow us to set up our tent and keep us mostly hidden from sight from both the forest behind us and the ruins below. Hopefully the wards we’d been provided would do the rest.
There was only one slight problem. There were three particularly terrifying looking rabbits inhabiting it. Thankfully they hadn’t seen us yet. I fired off a quick [Identify] but we were too far away for it to work. Two of them looked almost identical to the Rabbit of Unusual Size we fought earlier, but the other was something else.
It had to be at least a head taller than me and was standing on its powerful two hind legs, hunched over. When it moved it walked similar to a gorilla. Every inch of it was covered in thick corded muscles. Its two front legs ended with thick claws and shovel-like forepaws. Its fur was mottled dark brown and grey and looked almost rock-like.
I motioned for Elena to follow me as we slowly crept away.
Veiled Movement increased to 12.
I dismissed the notification as I turned to Elena, figuring we had put enough distance between us and them. Regardless I spoke in a hushed whisper. “Looks like we’ll have to find another place to set up camp.”
“Why? We can take them Dad!” she said with indignation at the mere idea of running away.
“Love, there are three of them. We don’t know their level, and your imaginary friend is still on cooldown right?”
She nodded, but then replied “The two Rabbits of Unusual Size are Level 2. The other one is something called a Burrowfang Bunny and it’s level 4.”
I creased my brow. “How do you know that love? My [Identify] wouldn’t work.”
“Mine’s Rare Dad, it must work better.” she replied with a shrug. “I have a plan. Just trust me.”
Those three little words. "Trust me" — the perfect trap. If I refused, I'd be the dad who didn't believe in his daughter. She knew exactly what she was doing. I inhaled slowly, weighing our options. Another fight was the last thing we needed, but daylight was fading fast. Those rabbits made this spot impossible, yet wandering in the dark with unknown predators lurking seemed equally dangerous. Classic parental dilemma: controlled risk now versus unknown risk later. Either way - risk.
"Alright, sweetheart. I trust you. What's your plan?" The moment she finished explaining, I felt that unique parental cocktail of emotions — overwhelming pride mixed with absolute terror. My brilliant, terrifying child.
Elena melted into the underbrush, her footsteps inaudible on the damp forest floor as she circled wide to flank the Burrowfang. I edged forward through a tangle of something that I vaguely recognized as yarrow, marrowsweet and goatsbeard. Wait, how did I know that? I felt my mind starting to drift as it pondered this and had to forcibly drag it back to the matter at hand. I settled in, every muscle coiled, waiting for her signal.
Two [Glitter Swarms] erupted from her position like living halos of light, spiraling toward the massive Rabbits of Unusual Size. The creatures paused, nostrils flaring, ears twitching. Their eyes flickering with curiosity as they watched the swarms swirl around their heads. Suddenly the motes of luminescent dust dove into their mouths and noses. Within heartbeats, the swarms congealed in their airways, forming hardened orbs of sparkling crystal.
They thrashed violently, thumping the grass with desperate force, while the Burrowfang tilted its head in confusion. One of the rabbits reared onto its side, then flung itself into the beast’s flank with bone-shaking momentum. A loud ancient, gravelly bellow split the air as they collided and The Burrowfang sent the other rabbit flying with a swipe of its hooked claws. The outcropping filled with the sounds of Take Down by K-Pop Demon Hunters. I felt my mind sharpen and energy flood into me.
That’s my cue. I cast [Haste] and [Blur] upon myself. The world around me slowed, leaves drifting like lazy embers as my form shimmered at the edges. Muscles humming with newfound speed, I launched into motion. I activated [Flicker Strike] as I launched forward, quickly followed by [Flicker], blinking next to the Burrowfang. I let my skills guide me as I struck out with [Dimensional Edge], the blade splitting the air like glass. My sword bit deep into the creature’s rock-hard flank—its stone- like hide yielding as though I cut through butter, thanks to the blade’s Phase Cut enchantment.
The Burrowfang swung blindly, claws gouging earth and air. Abruptly I was untethered as [Flicker Strike] activated and the world warped around me. I felt rather than saw my landing-point, and knew the precise angle I needed to drive my blade through its ribs. I reformed on off to its side, lunging for its heart, but my aim must have been off a hair (pun intended). Bone met steel, and my strike skidded to a halt. Apparently while [Flicker Strike] would set me up for the perfect counter attack, the execution was still largely up to me. I ripped my sword free, and kicked off the ground, rolling clear before the monster could retaliate.
Sweat glistening on my brow, I thrust out my palm and summoned [Abyssal Embers]. Black-smoke fire leapt to life, engulfing the Burrowfang and one of the Rabbits of Unusual Size. I casted [Fracture Zone] and the air around the group of unfortunate hares seemed to splinter into a dozen overlapping shards. Each fragment twisting the hares every movement into a kaleidoscope of motion. The first Rabbit of Unusual Size collapsed, finally claimed by a combination of abyssal fire and suffocation. Shortly after the other followed suit, its great flanks stilling.
Before the Burrowfang could recover, two shafts of pure light lanced from Elena’s hiding spot, impaling the beast’s chest. It inhaled a final, rattling breath and crumpled. My heart thundered as I exhaled, waiting for the system’s confirmation that our plan had succeeded.
You have defeated a Rabbit of Unusual Size Level 2 x2
You have defeated a Burrowfang Rabbit Level 5
Experience awarded…
Experience diverted to [Elena Alighieri].
System credits awarded.
Congratulations! You are now a Level 4 Homo Fabulis.
+3 Free Stat points awarded.
Combat Casting increased to 15.
Dual Wielding increased to 12.
Proprioception increased to 8.
Quick Reflexes increased to 16.
Swordsmanship increased to 15.
Veiled Movement increased to 13.
I put two points into [Constitution] bringing it up to 10 and the last point into Dexterity to bring it up to 8. I turned to Elena who’s eyes were alight with joy.
“Oooss!” she squealed, making that same sound she'd been using since she could barely walk. "Level 5! New aspects!" Her eyes went distant, that thousand-yard stare I recognized as her reading system notifications. I left her to it, extending my palm toward the monstrous rabbit corpses and activating [Loot]. The familiar tingle of magic crawled up my arm as the bodies crumbled away into swirling clouds of deep blue and blood-red mist.
Awarded 2x Large Rabbit Hides (Common)
Awarded 1x Burrowfang Hide (Common)
Awarded 1x MURDER! Core (Common)
The loot appeared in front of me in a neat pile. The hides were pretty self explanatory, but I had to use [Identify] to read what the [MURDER! Core] was.
—
MURDER! Core (Common)
This is a beast core imbued with the MURDER! affinity. Used in a wide variety of crafting applications. DO NOT CONSUME: Ingestion triggers catastrophic systemic failure. Victims experience violent expulsion from both ends simultaneously until organs rupture and blood vessels burst. Death occurs within minutes, preceded by excruciating pain as intestinal walls dissolve.
—
Crafting. Of course this world would have crafting. My mind raced with possibilities—weapons to enhance, armor to forge, maybe even magical devices powered by these cores. The core could be an energy source, or perhaps...
"Shit!" The curse slipped out louder than intended.
Elena's head snapped up. "What's wrong?"
I winced. "Nothing serious. Just realized I forgot to [Loot] that Aelkin we fought earlier." I sighed. "Probably missed out on something good."
A sly smile spread across my daughter's face. She swung her backpack around, dug inside, and produced two glowing objects in her palm. My [Identify] immediately tagged them: [Aelthric Core (Uncommon)] and [Wyrd Core (Uncommon)]. Their descriptions matched the MURDER! core's format, except these contained their relevant affinities. I tried accessing information about these affinities, but received nothing but silence from the system. Some knowledge, it seemed, would come only through experience.
"Don't worry Dad, I got you," Elena said with that smile that made her look far too grown-up, before tucking the cores away and returning to her ability selection screen.
I waited to see if she needed any parental input, but after a few minutes it became apparent my input was not needed at this time. I turned my eyes outwards to survey the spot we were at. I focused on the information my senses were giving me, fully appreciating the subtle details I could now notice. The little clearing had grown quieter. I noticed the crumpled leaves where we’d fought. A few shattered branches bore the dents of the battle, the damp ground bruised and white with trampled mushrooms.
The ruins sprawled beneath me, a fusion of familiar and alien architecture. What once might have been a modern city—shopping malls, apartment blocks, office buildings—now stood fractured and hollow, their concrete frames jutting like broken bones from the earth. Interspersed amongst these recognizable structures rose something utterly foreign: massive crystalline formations that pierced skyward at impossible angles.
These crystal structures defied gravity and logic alike. Some spiraled upward in perfect helixes, their surfaces prismatic and ever-shifting with colors I had no names for. Others formed inverted pyramids that somehow balanced on their points, hovering inches above the ground. The largest resembled a cathedral of sorts—its spires twisting into fractal patterns that hurt my eyes if I stared too long.
"Dad, are you seeing this?" Elena whispered, suddenly beside me.
I nodded, unable to tear my eyes away. "Those crystal buildings—they're not from our world."
"They're beautiful," she breathed, leaning forward dangerously.
I placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Yes they are." Through my arcane sight, I could see currents of energy flowing through the crystal structures, pulsing in rhythms that I didn’t fully understand.
“Get something good love?” I asked, turning towards her.
In lieu of an actual response a prompt appeared before my eyes.
—
Ribbons of Rainbow Fury (Uncommon)
With every leap, laugh, or flourish, you leave behind shimmering ribbons of prismatic energy — thin strands of light that cling to air, stone, and shadow alike. They are beautiful, playful… and never where enemies expect them to be. These ribbons may lie dormant, nearly invisible, or flare into brilliant color when disturbed.
Ribbons can be anchored throughout the battlefield to create subtle hazards and tricks. When crossed or triggered, a ribbon may:
- trip or entangle, stealing momentum at the worst possible moment
- release a burst of glittering light that dazzles and disorients
- emit soft music, laughter, or rhythm that lures the attention of the one who tripped it
- snap taut and pull you along it instead, allowing sudden repositioning or escape
You may weave multiple ribbons at once, shaping the flow of combat into a chaotic, colorful dance.
—
"That's impressive, love," I said, already imagining the tactical advantages of her new ability. The ribbons would create perfect traps, distractions, and escape routes. "Perfect for your ninja princess rockstar career path."
Elena beamed at the validation before turning her attention to our surroundings. "So, are we staying here?"
I surveyed the clearing once more. The stone outcropping offered decent visibility and protection on three sides, with the fourth looking out over the ruins below. "Yes, this should work. Let's set up camp before it gets dark."
We unpacked our adventure gear, Elena chattering excitedly about her plans for rainbow ribbon traps. I pulled out the set of [Adventures’ Travel Wards] the System had provided me with, studying them carefully. Each was roughly the size of my palm, smooth river stones etched with intricate runes that pulsed with a gentle blue light.
"Hold on," I muttered, activating my [Arcane Sense]. The world shifted as layers of energy became visible to me. The stones blazed with complex patterns of protective magic, but something about them caught my attention. The energies weren't self-contained—they seemed designed to reach outward, seeking connection. Streams of violet energy slowly drifted towards Elena.
"Elena, let me see your travel wards for a second."
She handed them over without question, and I held the two sets side by side. I could see tendrils of energy reaching between them, like magnetic fields seeking to align. The energy of my Legendary stones reinforcing the energy of her Rare ones, somehow amplifying it until they were both stronger.
"I think these are meant to work together," I said, excitement building. "Look at how the runes complement each other." I said out loud, completely oblivious to the fact that Elena couldn’t see what I could.
I placed the stones in a giant circle, roughly equidistant from each other, creating a perimeter that encompassed the entire outcropping. As the final stone clicked into place the effect was immediate. The runes blazed brighter, and a translucent dome of energy expanded outward and upwards until the entire barrier pulsed once before settling into a barely visible shimmer.
"Whoa," Elena breathed, her eyes wide.
I grinned, feeling unreasonably proud of my discovery.
"Like a magical force field," Elena whispered reverently.
"Exactly," I agreed. "Now let's get the tent set up."
The [Adventure’s Dome], as the System had labeled it, turned out to be another marvel of interdimensional engineering. What had appeared to be a small bundle of fabric expanded into a geodesic dome large enough for four people, complete with insulated flooring, internal lighting, and what the instructions called "atmospheric regulation", which was basically magical air conditioning and heating. It came equipped with two beds with sleeping bags — one was easily a queen sized and the other somewhere around a twin.
That optimistic of you System. I thought to myself, knowing full well that Elena was not going to be sleeping in her own bed tonight.
"This is so much better than that time we went camping and you forgot the tent poles," Elena observed.
"That was one time," I protested, though I couldn't help but laugh at the memory. We'd ended up draping the tent fabric over a picnic table and sleeping underneath it like the world's most pathetic fort. Cara had been furious, but by morning, we'd all been laughing about it.
The memory of Cara sent a pang through my chest. I pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.
"Want to gather some firewood while I finish setting this up?" I asked Elena.
She nodded eagerly, then hesitated. "But what if there are more murder bunnies?"
"Stay within the ward perimeter," I instructed. "And take this." I handed her the Guardian's Seax. The knife hummed faintly as she took it, its protective enchantments recognizing her as my charge.
"Cool," she whispered, testing its weight in her hand.
"Just for emergencies," I reminded her. "And stay where I can see you."
While Elena collected fallen branches near the edge of our campsite, I unpacked the rest of our supplies. The dimensional toilet—which I was still not entirely comfortable with the idea of — set itself up in a small alcove of rocks, the privacy screen shimmering into existence around it. And when I say it set itself up, I mean it literally grew weird spider like legs, walked over to its chosen spot and then settled down and retracted its legs.
By the time Elena returned with an armful of wood, I had a small fire pit prepared. We worked together to arrange the kindling, and I used a fire starter from the utility kit to get it going. Soon, flames crackled merrily, casting dancing shadows across the clearing.
"Dinner time?" Elena asked hopefully.
"Absolutely," I agreed, pulling out two more of the MREs. This time, mine contained something that resembled beef stew, while Elena's transformed into a plate of pasta shaped like tiny dragons that breathed harmless flames.
We sat side by side, watching the sun begin its descent behind the distant mountains. The ruins below us took on an eerie quality in the fading light, the crystal structures catching the last rays of sunlight and refracting them in prismatic displays.
"Dad?" Elena's voice was quieter now, the excitement of the day giving way to the exhaustion that always followed.
"Yes, love?"
"Do you think we'll ever find Mom?"
The question hit me like a physical blow, and I had to take a moment before I could answer. "Yes," I said finally, with more certainty than I felt. "I don't know how long it will take, but we will find her."
Elena nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer. "She's probably worried about us."
"Probably, yeah. I also bet that where ever she is, she’s likely kicking butt and just generally being incredible" I said with a wistful smile.
"Yeah that’s true” Elena agreed without a shred of doubt. “She's going to be so mad she missed all this," Elena continued, gesturing around at the alien landscape. "She loved camping.”
“We’ll just have to make sure we bring her here once we find her” I said with a smile.
After that our conversation died down as we finished our meal and just sat peacefully by the fire. I’m not sure how much time passed, but eventually it was time to head inside and try to get some rest. Elena put down a few of her new ribbons around the edge of the protective wards — hopefully the fireworks would give us a warning if something managed to find us.
After about a dozen “one more” songs — after all it was for her abilities — and much bargaining we eventually got ready for bed. I only had to reminder her 5 or 6 times that yes, even during apocalypses, we still brush our teeth and hair. Much as I expected, Elena made a beeline for the queen-sized bed, burrowing under the covers and patting the space beside her with expectant eyes.
The crystal glowed softly in my palm as I scrolled through titles until her eyes lit up at a familiar one. My voice rose and fell with the story’s rhythm, her eyelids growing heavier until they fluttered closed. Her breathing deepened and eventually she let out a single long sight — the surefire sign that she was out cold.
"Sweet dreams, my love" I whispered, pressing my lips to her forehead. With a thought, the dome's lights dimmed to a honey-warm glow.
I carefully extracted myself, retrieved my copy of [The Unexpectedly Integrated Person's Guide to the Multiverse] and slipped back beside her. The last thing I remember was the weight of the book tilting on my chest as my own eyes grew heavy.
I awoke with a start, half-remembering a dream about an overly polite sentient robot vacuum cleaner on an important quest to find someone’s wife. The details were fuzzy, but I was left with the strong impression that the search had gone on far longer than it should have and involved far more people than was healthy. I dismissed it at once as meaningless nonsense — the kind of dream that evaporates the moment you give it even a second of serious thought.
As I blinked my eyes, sleep forgotten for the moment, I looked around half wondering why I wasn’t back in my bedroom in our house. Right. The Integration. I thought to myself. The day’s events came crashing back to the forefront of my mind. I tried to settle back to sleep but sleep now eluded me, my mind finally getting a chance to process the day's events.
My thoughts whirled faster the more I tried to calm them. Careful not to wake Elena, I eased myself from the bed and stepped outside into the night. The cool air hit my face, but I hardly registered it, trapped as I was in the labyrinth of my own mind.
How the fuck was I supposed to do this? kept ringing through my head. Everything I’d built, everything I’d known, was gone. I’d already been burned out before the integration hit — I mean had you seen the state of the world? I’d had a good life. It wasn’t perfect, I didn’t have everything I could ever want, but I had enough and I’d only just begun to realize how important that was. Now I was fumbling to be not just a good dad, but a goddamn survivalist while homicidal bunny rabbits hunted us like prey.
In the books I devoured, heroes always felt hollow or numb before their worlds changed. They called integrations blessings. But me? I never wanted any of this. Sure I’d thought about it - it was a nice bit of escapist fantasy to detract from the grind, but that was all it was supposed to be. A fantasy.
What the hell was I supposed to do now? How would I manage? Where was Cara? Was she even alive? These thoughts swirled through my head, overwhelming me.
I’d fought depression long enough to know its cold, comforting grasp. I could almost feel it crawling up my spine, whispering: Just give up. Hide until someone fixes it. Keep Elena safe, wait for things to stabilize. Withdraw. Don’t risk it. Its claws dug into me, my stomach a bottomless void, my legs locking like a corpse’s. Just quit. You’re not enough. You’ll never be enough. You’ll fuck it all up anyway.
The thing is though — that voice? We were old friends. I’d carried it’s stories with me for most of my life. They’d shaped me, driven me toward self-destruction, made me chase all the wrong things until I was just a shade of myself. Those voices meant well — they wanted to keep me safe, to force me to pause, to process. That’s why their lies were so seductive. They weren’t malicious, they even served a purpose at times. It was their job to say “Stop. Rest.” Only they never helped me rise afterwards.
While it was tempting to give in, to listen to my old friend’s siren song — I’d had enough of this particular old friend’s stories to last a life time. I may not know what I am doing, but I never really had. I’d survived and even thrived in a world not wired for me. I’d fought and carved out a life for myself and those I cared about. I’d made friends with those voices and told them “Thank you, old friend, but not today. Today we work.” And damnit, there was a fuck ton of work to be done.
So I let the night press in. I stared at the stars and let the tears come. I grieved. I let that old friend spin its safe, sorrowful stories, then patted its trembling hand and told it we’d be okay. I’d do my best. I’d keep my girl safe — or die trying. Who fucking knew what came next, but I’d show up. Sometimes that’s all you can do — be present, show them they’re not alone and let them know they’re loved. And just maybe show yourself some of that love too.
So I cried and I smiled. I let all the broken, tangled parts of me rise to the surface. I acknowledged each of them. I listened to their stories, their worries and their needs. And then we got to work. There were monsters to slay, levels to be had and most importantly — there was parenting to be done.
As I lay back, letting the night air steady me, I heard a little voice behind me.
“Daddy?” Elena whispered, sleep-soft.
“I’m here, love,” I said, my voice steadying.
“Are you okay? I can feel...something from you. Something scary” she said as she sat up to look at me.
Shit. Our bond. I hadn’t considered the empathic link that had developed between us. I paused for one second. It was tempting to let it all out. To share all the scary big things in my head. Kids are great listeners, they’re like little sponges. They’ll take anything you give them. While I’d worked hard to show vulnerability, to honestly name my feelings and model how to treat them with acceptance and compassion, there was a very fine line between showing your child how to bear the weight and making them bear it for you.
I met her gaze. “Remember that book — where scary emotions are monsters and eventually all those monsters combine into one huge beast?”
“Yeah. It’s called overwhelm.”
“Daddy is just feeling a little bit overwhelmed right now” I said softly.
She blinked, holding back a tear. “Me too. I’m so scared, Dad. Mom is gone. Ryut is gone. Everything is gone!” Her sob broke free.
I scooped her up, arms wide. She curled into my lap, crying against my chest. I slipped Baby into her arms and held them both.
“Dad?” she whispered between sobs.
“Yes love?”
“How do you make the monster go away?”
“Like in the book,” I said. “You don’t treat it as an enemy. It’s scary and it makes you panic, but it’s just trying to keep you safe. You tell it you see it, that you’re here, that it’s safe. You listen to what frightens it. In the end, it’s only a part of you.”
Her cries softened as she repeated, almost inaudibly, “You’re safe. I’m here.”
She sat in my arms quietly, her sobs dying down. I could see her sitting there thinking over what I had said. Her lips moving ever so gently, I could almost make out the words “You’re safe. I’m here.” being whispered over and over.
We sat like that, clinging to each other, for a long while. I tilted my head back and really saw the sky for the first time in a long while: brighter, fuller. The moon gleamed about us — thankfully, it wasn’t green.
I nudged her, gesturing towards the expanse above us. She smiled, eyes on the heavens. “It’s beautiful, Dad.”
Eventually we stretched out side by side, staring upward until sleep claimed us.