Yeah, not how I saw this going. I stared at my temporary fireteam, already feeling my confidence plummet. Thankfully, it was just an F-rank rift—I wasn’t ‘experienced’ enough to sign up for a higher one yet—so it shouldn’t be too bad.

  The rift in question? An unknown. It popped up during last night’s storm. It was waiting for a team to get through and clear it first. Fairly common for low tier rifts to pop up like this. They appeared one moment and then vanished the next when a group went through it.

  It was inside of an alley, with a VDS defensive line set up just outside of it. CDF must be overloaded for this rift to be contracted out to Valkris Defense Solutions. The corporate PMCs let me by once I flashed my white SIGIL. The rift stood just off the ground, a ragged slice through space and time that seemed to ooze danger… at least, for the average citizen.

  My fireteam stood just inside of the alley. I wasn’t exactly hopeful, at a glance. One of them didn’t look like he’d be much trouble. Our Vanguard, presumably. He was massive, around my height and built like a tank. He had a metal tower shield strapped to his back, ballistic vest, pads, and a mace hanging from his hip. Classic heavy bruiser look.

  A mascot floated over his shoulder, red-light blinking to announce it was recording. A chunky looking oculus covered one of his eyes, projecting what looked like a flowing chat box. He had a good-natured smile on his face, and seemed to be entranced by a conversation with… someone? Was he streaming?

  The other guy? Scrawny. So scrawny. He had a massive sword strapped to his back. It looked like he wouldn’t even be able to lift it even if he used his entire body weight. Not just one, but five mascots floated around him at various angles. He even had makeup on to look better in front of the camera. One of Pursius’s Goblins, maybe?

  The scrawny guy smirked at me and raised a hand. “Are you here for an autograph?”

  ”…?” I stared at him for a moment in confusion. Was he someone famous?

  ”Oh, then civilians are supposed to stay outside the VDS defensive line.” He waved a hand dismissively, completely looking away from me.

  “Moon.” I completely ignored the scrawny guy and introduced myself to the Vanguard. “Anchor.”

  “Hello, Moon. You’re as radiant as your name suggests.” The Vanguard dipped his head into a nod. “I am Stalwart Banner… just call me Stalwart. Vanguard. I’m here on behalf of the Bureau to watch you first timers.”

  The last guy, having got the message after making an ass out of himself, scratched at his head. “Raging Bull. Striker. Just Bull is fine. Uh- sorry.”

  “If we’re all here, then we should have a short strategy meeting before we go in.” Stalwart nodded to the rift on the far side. “BAM registered this one as Feeble-”

  ”Right, Feeble. Then why are we still standing around here?” Bull walked off to the rift, excitement evident on his face. “Trust me, I’ve cleared C-rank monsters before. We’ll be fine.”

  “…” I definitely didn’t trust him. The guy looked like he’d be crushed under the weight of his own sword if he tried to draw it.

  Stalwart sighed before motioning after our rapidly departing teammate. “I saw on Tower that this is your first rift?”

  ”…!” I nodded my head. It was, technically, my first rift as a Warden.

  “I’ll keep you safe. Just stick behind me.” He patted his tower shield lightly and followed after Bull. He pulled a device out, setting it up just outside of the rift. Looked like a receiver or something? “I’m actually D-rank. Part of the Bureau’s Mentorship Program for new Wardens. I’ve been through things like this plenty of times before. Just do your best and we’ll be fine.”

  “…” I appreciated the attempts to reassure me, but it was really unneeded. I lost track of the conversation as he started chattering about rifts, glancing at a puddle in the alley. My reflection, complete with a white techwear jacket and Ebonshroud bow strapped to its back, stared back at me through a pair of aviators.

  I shook my head and tailed after the chattering Vanguard into the rift.

  — — —

  The stomach churning sensation of entering a rift hit me the moment I stepped through. And then I was on the other side, standing in a cave. Stalwart and Bull were already through and ready- er, mostly ready. Bull was bent over puking on the side. Rift nausea really did hit certain people hard, yep?

  Stalwart lightly patted Bull’s back. “First time?”

  ”N-no- bluegh-“ His quick denial and shake of his head seemed to make him even more nauseous. He painted the cave’s wall.

  [Nighteye looks down at her popcorn in disgust. Appetite ruined.]

  That’s what you get for making popcorn, I guess… where even are you? Are you in Bastion? Pursius said something about Stars being legends and myths, but you are an actual physical entity, right? Or-

  “Moon.” Stalwart called from the side of the rift. He set up a similar transceiver to the one on the other side. “Watch over him? I’ll go scout out where we’re at.”

  ”…” I pulled my bow off my back and formed an arrow of Ebonshroud on the string. I wasn’t too worried about being exposed here. There were plenty of bows on the market that had similar features. Infinite ammo was one of the main traits bows had over firearms.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Stalwart pulled his tower shield off his back and snagged his mace from his hip. When his hand wrapped around the handle of the mace, the head of it caught fire. Blue flames arched along the contours of the mace, acting as a torch that pushed away the surrounding darkness. I need to get me one of those. It just looked cool.

  He walked off, muttering to his stream. “Now, now, guys, don’t judge him too hard. Sometimes people just want to fit in…”

  While I waited, I started working on some exercises I read about on the Grid. I pulled a thin string of ether out, controlling it into a small ball. The dark blue substance flowed from me, compressing smaller and smaller as I shrunk the ball. Eventually, when it would shrink no more, I reabsorbed the ether.

  I’d read manipulating ether was a hard process to get used to. It was a bit similar to Ebonshroud though. I had an easy time controlling and manipulating the dark blue substance. There was a bit of delay in my control, but it wasn’t even that bad. At least, not when compared to some of what I read on the Grid.

  By the time Stalwart returned, I’d moved onto creating and shrinking three balls at a time. Practice made perfect. I better get used to the OS’s magic and systems while I could. Never knew when I might need to be just a bit better at ether control.

  Bull was off in the corner, cleaning himself up. He’d made no attempts to talk to me after embarrassing himself so splendidly for the second time.

  The Vanguard approached, his shield a little more worn than when he departed. He let out a breath of relief when he spotted us. “See? They’re fine, like I said.”

  ”…?” Who was he- oh, right. His stream. Were there really that many people interested in watching a Warden’s stream?

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  [Nighteye announces streaming to be one of the fastest growing jobs for Wardens. Besides, you're basically streaming at all moments.]

  I guess, but it's a bit different with you, yep? You’re, like, a different kind of entity? Comparing you to the normal citizens of Bastion was doing them a disservice. You’re on a whole other level.

  [Nighteye’s tail coquettishly covers her blush.]

  That wasn’t supposed to be a compliment… Anyway, I’m surprised he even still had Grid access in here. I thought being in another dimension would throw all of that stuff off. Probably what those receivers were for, in hindsight.

  Stalwart set his tower shield down, leaning on it like a backrest. “The cave opens up into a forest. You guys good to go?”

  “Of course! N-never better!” Bull wiped at his mouth one last time and he put on a good look for the five mascots floating around him. It might’ve worked if he didn’t look like a twig.

  “Right.” Stalwart’s attention shifted to the oculus covering his eye. “Did you guys get basic training with your weapons? I don’t have to worry about getting hit in the back, right?”

  “Of course I got training! I was the top fighter of my agency!” Bull proudly announced, his ego returning full force. He really did have a thick face.

  ”…” I nodded lightly. Bows weren’t my forte. I’d used them, but melee weapons were where I excelled. That wasn’t to say I was bad. I’d had a long time to learn how to use all sorts of weaponry.

  Our Vanguard picked his tower shield back up and waved his flaming mace toward the exit. “Good. Then let’s go. The boss isn’t going to find itself.”

  We followed him out of the cave and to the edge of a chilly forest. Tall trees stood all around and the scent of pine needles heavily clung to the air. Day time, which was a bit weird. I just automatically assumed all rifts were at night considering my experiences. Dark and dingy just kinda fit, I guess?

  There were tracks nearby. Looked like wolves, though they were quite large. Signs of a fight were evident at the mouth of the cave. Did Stalwart get in a fight? Then why didn’t he say something?

  I glanced toward- he was watching Bull and I closely. He nodded slightly to me when I turned to face him. Was this a test? He said he was part of a mentorship program, yep? Was he trying to figure out our capabilities? What kind of fighter would fail a basic perception test like this?

  Bull looked out into the forest, completely failing to notice the traces. His expression twisted slightly. “Uh- how do we find the boss?”

  “In a new rift, there are a few ways. It depends on the kind of rift, with vastly different methods.” Stalwart motioned us over and crouched over a flower. It was a peculiar blue and purple, with a large leafy stem. “This here is an Ether Bloom. They grow in places with a high etheric pressure.”

  Interesting… there was just some stuff you couldn’t find online. Some common knowledge, for one. I hadn’t read anything about Ether Blooms on the Grid. Granted, it wasn’t really the field I was researching. Skills were more of my focus.

  “So? How’s a flower going to help us find the way forward?” Bull shifted from foot to foot, worriedly looking at the sky. The sun, which was a dull red, was starting to set.

  ”…?” I was also quite curious. The rifts I’d been to had boss ‘arenas’ that were quite evident. I didn’t expect to find the same thing if our enemy were wild animals.

  ”Bosses are the core, yes? They’re the epicenter for all of the ether in the rift.” He pointed to a few Ether Blooms further away, grouped under a tree. “Ether Blooms innately all point toward the place with the highest ether, which would be the boss.”

  A look of realization passed Bull’s face. “So we’re going to follow the flowers?”

  ”Exactly. The boss is in that direction.” Stalwart Banner pointed off toward the forest. East, based on the sun’s position. Assuming the sun set in the same direction as it did back in Bastion.

  ”…!” I pointed back toward the cave. I wasn’t too worried about getting lost in the Archaic Battlefield with the map and experience of Burst and Damion, but the same couldn’t be said for this place.

  Stalwart fully entered teaching mode. His Mascot flew around to get a better shot of his serious expression. He made a light scratch in a tree using his gauntlet. ”Some Wardens like to use magitech markers so they don’t lose their way. It’s a bit of a crutch, but it works. I’m of the opinion it's best to memorize the area, and the path you took. Works better when you’re in a town or building. In a wilderness-“

  “We should leave marks?” Bull approached, rubbing a hand on the marked tree. “Are you not worr-“

  Grrrr!

  A growl came from ahead, causing Stalwart to stop and raise his shield. “Careful now.”

  I raised my bow, taking a few steps back to enter the safety of the cave. Bull pulled his massive greatsword off his back, surprisingly not struggling in the slightest under its weight. He looked like he held nothing at all in his hands. He easily twirled it in a stylish flourish. It was a bit unsteady, but it seemed he had some skill at least. His pride wasn’t without reason.

  Another growl, followed by a sharp howl cracked the air. A few moments later, shapes shifted through the distant forest, rapidly approaching us. As they closed in, I got my first look at our opponents. They were dire wolves, each of them standing almost as tall as I did.

  I pulled back and fired before they could close the gap, sending an Ebonshroud arrow spiking into one of the wolves’ mouths when it barked. It staggered back, dropping thanks to the arrow punched out the back of its head. Six left.

  ”Nice shot, Moon!” Stalwart shouted. He pushed forward with his shield, using the trees to block and control the approaches. After a moment, a sharp bark erupted from his throat. ”Wooooof!”

  I stared at him in stunned silence. How could he even say such a thing about their mothers? I wasn’t the only one having that sentiment either. Every wolf in the area turned toward Stalwart Banner, hatred evident in their eyes. If looks could kill, Stalwart would be dead thousands of times over.

  I summoned another arrow to supports Bull’s push. He swung his sword in a heavy horizontal swipe at one of the distracted dire wolves. The sword hit, though a slight tremble in his wrist caused the cut to not go as far as it should’ve. The dire wolf bounced back, a deep laceration on its side.

  Two others took notice and moved to pounce upon Bull as Stalwart kept the rest focused. I summoned the Will Wire, wrapping one end around the arrow with a simple mental command. The arrow easily fired off from my bow, shooting past the wolves into a tree just behind them. The will wire went taut when I pulled on it.

  The wolves lunged, both catching on the wire and flopping to the ground. The wire snapped immediately as it ate the full force of their lunges. Its durability wasn’t the strongest to begin with, and it showed when the wolves hit it. The wire tore in two. The torn off section further away from me vanished into ether, leaving the string half stretched into the forest.

  Bull took advantage of the downed wolves, cleaning them up with two significantly smoother slashes. The earlier tremble faded and he fully locked in. On the other side, Stalwart charged forward with an ether clad shield, roughly slamming one of the wolves into a tree. Its body crumpled like paper and blood poured out of its maw.

  “Haah!” He stabilized and slammed his mace forward with the rest of his forward momentum. The flaming head caught a lunging wolf, staggering it to the side. Its fur caught fire thanks to the enchantment from the mace. The wolf rolled backward, desperately attempting to put the fire clinging to it out.

  I took aim at a wolf attempting to flank around Stalwart, firing an arrow at its face. The wolf pulled back just in the nick of time, taking a grazing blow to its side. My shot did its job though and the wolf’s attention shifted away to me, giving Stalwart time to recover from his charge.

  I grabbed the ice dagger from its sheath, preparing myself for its rabid dash. Just as the injured wolf lunged at me, I slammed forward with Shoulder Charge. Ether cloaked my shoulder, causing the wolf’s outstretched claws to bounce off from the slight defense boost the Skill gave me. I slammed into its chest with my full body weight thrown into the attack.

  Crack!

  It collapsed backward with its chest caved in. It sat there for a moment, completely dazed by the Skill’s effects. I followed the attack up with my ice dagger, slicing deep into its jugular. Frost spread across its body, stabbing deeper into its flesh. The dire wolf let out one last whimper and fell still.

  I pulled back with my bow, ready to assist once more-

  “Haah!” Stalwart’s shield slammed into the last of the wolves, ending its life in one fell blow. Its head cracked the opposite side from the rest of its body. He kept himself low and ready. “Everyone good?!”

  ”Yep!” My hoarse voice ground sharply in my neck. I coughed lightly, rubbing at it. Shouting was still just out of my reach.

  ”I’m good.” Raging Bull pulled his greatsword from the half severed neck of a wolf, causing a spray of blood to arc all over his chest. His face pulled, though it was already too late to dodge.

  ”Then find their ether cores. Should be around the heart.” Stalwart stepped out toward the forest. “I’ll keep watch.”

  “Ugh.” Bull grimaced and looked at the bleeding body of the wolves.

  ”…” C’mon, it wasn’t that bad. I pulled my dagger once more, easily extracting the core. It was way smaller than the Archaic Scavenger’s core, and getting it out was a mess of gore. At least I wasn’t wearing white. That would be a disaster-

  Oh… right. I looked down at my clothes. The blood soaked deep into the once pristine fabric. Ugh- how was I going to get it out? A little bit would’ve been fine, but this much blood? I really shouldn’t have let Pursius talk me into white.

  I ended up pulling five of the cores while Bull only managed to get through two before going off to the side to puke once more. Was he mentally weak? The five mascots seemed to think so. They turned away from their owner, instead watching me extract the cores. It was a sad day for Raging Bull… he’d probably get the hang of it if he kept trying, though.

  Stalwart returned while I was trying to clean myself up a bit. I just made the issue worse. “Alright, Ether Blooms point toward a den that way. Probably the boss?”

  Bull wiped at his mouth, a tired look in his eyes. “L-let’s just go.”

  “That’s the spirit! Charge ever onward!” Stalwart laughed heartily and slapped the scrawny man on the back.

  Raging Bull shuddered though followed after the Warden. “R-right. Onward!”

  I followed the two off into the forest, carefully marking trees as we went.