Andy followed Lilly out onto the mountain path. It was a brisk early afternoon, and the breeze swirled around him, as if to greet him like an overexcited puppy. Lilly’s robes danced in the wind before him as he followed her. It was embroidered with arcane symbols and archetypal images, not unlike the zodiacal traditions of Earth.

  “What’s on your robe?” Andy asked, catching up to her.

  “Oh, you mean the embroidery?”

  “Yes,” Andy said, “it’s interesting.”

  “Well, this is a traditional scholar’s robe,” Lilly said, picking her staff up and down between each step. They were going at a modest but steady pace. “It’s embroidered with runes, images, and symbols found in The Verses.”

  “Right,” Andy said. “That’s the book you were mentioning last night.”

  “Yes,” Lilly said. “Well, it is a series of books, really. Actually it’s quite a few. I believe they’re up to thirty canonical volumes.”

  “Wow,” Andy said. “That’s a shelf-full.”

  “Yes,” Lilly said. “And our scholars are expected to know them inside and out before they reach the rank of archscholar.”

  “Is there, like, a test?”

  “Several, actually. Those who take the Scholar class study at colleges, do field work, participate in conferences, and publish our commentary on The Verses. It’s all part of the scholarly life.”

  “And what made you want to pursue that life?” Andy asked.

  Lilly considered his question in silence as they walked a few more paces, taking a switchback into a more densely wooded hollow.

  “I suppose I want to know how everything works,” she said. “And, what’s more, I want to be able to use my knowledge to help people. People like you. I can’t imagine what it would be like to just… show up in a new world one day. Many who take the Scholar class get into this field because of their insatiable curiosity, and many others get into it so we can package our knowledge in a way that’s easy to understand for Visitors. It’s a kind of hospitality, I guess. I pursued the scholarly life for both reasons, I suppose.”

  “That’s interesting,” Andy said. “So taking the Scholar class means you are responsible for orienting new Visitors?”

  “More or less,” said Lilly. “There are plenty of other folks who also help, but Scholars are the class most familiar with the System and with the extensive lore surrounding Visitors.”

  “What kind of lore exists about us?” Andy asked.

  “Lots,” said Lilly, smiling. “You’re adventurous, you enjoy good food, you’re riddled with anxiety, you want power… and you want it fast. That’s the general picture. But I’ve come to know quite a few Visitors, and no two are really alike.”

  Andy nodded. “Are there other Visitors in Cresthaven?” He thought of his mother, but didn’t mention her.

  “There used to be a few,” Lilly said. “But most of them have moved on. We haven’t had any Visitors spawn in the Dawnspring over the past few years, and the ones who have in the past inevitably end up wandering off, pursuing their own quests. It’s a big world, and though there is plenty to do in Cresthaven, there’s plenty to do elsewhere, too.”

  “Is there, like, a group of Visitors I can meet up with?”

  They came to another switchback. The woods were becoming darker and more dense. A small creek flowed under an elegant footbridge, which they crossed.

  “I’m not sure,” Lilly said. “Visitors tend to become integrated into the Infinite Plane’s societies. There are far more of us than there are of you. You will certainly meet some Visitors during your journey if you travel widely, but it may not always be obvious who is who. The only way you’ll be able to find out is by exploring and speaking with people.”

  If Andy wanted to search for his mother, he’d have to contend not only with the fact that there were tens of millions of players and an infinite, interplanetary open world, but also with the fact that natives to the Infinite Plane vastly outnumbered Visitors, and there was no way to tell them apart easily.

  That was a tall – probably impossible – order. He put the thought out of his mind again for the time being. Best to concentrate on what was in front of him.

  Andy tread in silence as they continued along the path. The decline had become steeper, and he had to hold onto rocks and tree branches to lower himself.

  Lilly seemed to glide down the path without a problem, probably from years of traversing the same ground again and again.

  “Watch yourself,” she said, standing still. She held out her arm to signal Andy to stay still.

  Andy remained motionless, unsure of what Lilly saw.

  “What’s going on?” he whispered.

  Lilly pointed straight ahead. A bear cub tumbled out of some bushes onto the path. “Watch out for the mother,” she said. “Never get between a cub and a mother.”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Andy froze. “What kind of bear is it?” He whispered. He had seen a few black bears in his life on hiking and camping trips, but that was it. Though they were formidable predators, they weren’t as dangerous to humans as many people made them out to be. At least that is what he heard.

  A loud rustling began off the trail as something big lumbered through the woods, moving small trees and shaking the forest canopy. Suddenly, the mother bear’s hulking form tumbled through the underbrush, following right behind the cub.

  That is not a black bear, Andy thought.

  It was huge, bigger even than the grizzly bears he had seen in magazines and television shows, and it had huge moose-like antlers protruding from its head.

  “Best to remain here until they pass,” Lilly whispered.

  The giant, antlered bear continued across the path before pausing. She had to weigh several tons. Her fur was black, white, brown, and auburn, slightly shaggier than Andy expected. She began to sniff the ground before lifting her head and staring directly at Andy and Lilly.

  “Oh shit,” Andy said.

  “Not to worry,” Lilly assured him. “Just remain calm.”

  The mother bear paced toward them a few feet, her majestic crown of antlers swaying as she walked, but she was still far enough away that she wasn’t yet threatening them. Nonetheless, Andy could see her razor-sharp claws, each half a foot long, and the gigantic, tusky teeth that protruded from her mouth.

  If she wanted to, that bear could tear him apart in an instant.

  Finally, the mother bear turned around and followed her cub into the woods and off the trail, shaking bushes and tree branches as she went.

  “That was a Great Bear,” Lilly said, exhaling sharply. Despite her assurances that they were fine, she was clearly shaking off some nerves. She laughed quietly. “It’s said that it’s good luck to see one in the wild, provided you survive the encounter.”

  “Really?” Andy said. “So they’re rare.”

  “Indeed,” said Lilly. “Consider yourself blessed.”

  Andy felt the adrenaline leave him as his jaw relaxed. Maybe his journey here in the Infinite Plane really was off to a good start. Maybe things were turning around for him here.

  They walked a while longer in silence, the emerald canopy beginning to let more light through as the path became more level.

  “We’re coming to the outskirts of the city,” Lilly said. “I’ve got to go into Cresthaven proper, but you won’t need to go that far. Morwen’s residence is on the outer edges of the city’s boundaries, still in the woods.”

  “Sounds good,” Andy said. “I’m fine exploring just a little bit at a time.”

  “Yes,” Lilly said, “it must be a lot to take in. You’ll make it into the city soon enough. But Morwen will have plenty to teach you.”

  “So, what is Morwen all about?” Andy asked.

  “How do you mean?” Lilly asked.

  “I just mean… what kind of person is she?”

  “She’s an expert in the Fighter class,” Lilly said, “and a member of the Order of the Behemoth, an organization dedicated to protecting the vulnerable. She’s a freedom fighter. Cresthaven would be much worse off without her.”

  Order of the Behemoth? Sounds interesting…

  “People with the Fighter class… who do they, you know, fight?” Andy asked. “Like what sorts of threats does Cresthaven face?”

  “Great questions,” Lilly said. “You’ve got a curious mind. Perhaps one day you should take a few ranks in Scholar too.” She smiled. “To answer your question, fighters tend to offer their services when the city is under siege from foreign enemies, usually pirates, warlords, or bandits of some kind. The city has an army, too, and an official Domestic Guard, but Fighters still come in handy. They are also often hired to escort nobles, Scholars, or traders throughout the continent, and even beyond. There are plenty of dangers in the wilderness, including, of course, natural beasts like the one we just saw, but also minor and great monsters, as well as hostile individuals. You know, highway robbers, necromancers, and so on.”

  “That all makes sense, you’ve described who hires Fighters, but you mentioned too that Morwen was a freedom fighter.”

  “Yes,” said Lilly. “Let's just say that the nobility doesn’t have the most… egalitarian history. The current regime is relatively stable, and, all things considered, things are fine, although that could change at any moment. But in the past, the Order of the Behemoth has taken up arms against Cresthaven’s noble class and, remarkably, they have won every conflict that they have engaged in. They are a feared group among the powerful, and probably a big reason that the nobility has backed off their more cruel and draconian policies. The Order of the Behemoth keeps power in check.”

  “I see,” Andy said.

  “Many in power don’t like them, for obvious reasons, but like I said… Cresthaven would be much worse off without people like Morwen around.”

  They came to a clearing where there was a fork in the road and a small road sign. A sign with an arrow and the word “Cresthaven” pointed toward the rightward path. The left path remained unmarked.

  “We’ll take a left here,” Lilly said.

  As they continued, the left path became increasingly overgrown with brambles, but it wasn’t impossible to navigate. Andy and Lilly both had to step over bushes and debris, but ultimately, they managed.

  “Does no one take this path?” Andy asked.

  “Not often,” said Lilly. “There are paths that you can use to access Morwen’s property, but people don’t usually come straight from the Dawnspring Cottage to her place.”

  “Ah,” Andy said. “Should I be worried about that?”

  “Not at all,” Lilly said. She turned around to face him and paused. “You have chosen well, I think. You are more sure of yourself than most arrivals, and I admire that about you.” She smiled, looking up at him before turning back around.

  Andy didn’t know if he believed her, but he appreciated her words nonetheless.

  They rounded a bend, opening up to a large clearing. There was a sturdy, wooden house, probably three stories high, with two chimneys emitting smoke. Beside the house, two men practiced archery, shooting at targets about fifty yards away. There was a large stack of firewood next to a stump with an axe buried in it, and a line with laundry and linens hanging on it, fluttering gently in the breeze.

  A woman with short, blonde hair and a medium build, wearing brown leather armor and a longsword strapped to her hip came down from the house’s veranda.

  “Ah, Morwen. I hope my {message carrier} found you last night,” Lilly said.

  “Indeed, he did,” said the woman in leather armor, approaching Lilly and Andy. “And I suppose this is the student you were telling me about?”

  “Yes,” Lilly said warmly. “Morwen, this is Andy. He wants to become a Fighter. Andy, this is Morwen.”

  Morwen extended her hand, and Andy shook it firmly, doing his best to match her grip. He noticed a patch on her shoulder depicting what appeared to be an elephant skull with four gnarly tusks.

  Morwen released Andy’s hand and locked eyes with him. She reached out and placed her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them. She was a few inches shorter than Andy, but clearly very, very strong.

  “A bit of a twig, aren’t you?” She said skeptically. “I expected you to be bulkier.”

  “Well, I,” Andy began.

  “He’s a Visitor,” said Lilly. “He’ll learn fast.”

  “Ah,” said Morwen. “A Visitor, eh?” She smiled for a brief moment before her face dropped back to a neutral expression.

  “I hope you have the time to take on a new student?” said Lilly.

  Morwen looked at Andy from toe to head. “Are you willing to put in the work?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Andy said. “Yes, I am.”

  Morwen turned to Lilly. “Then I’m willing to give him a shot.”