Trevac was the perfect pitstop, he thought with a smile.

  Xyn’s spirits were well into orbit. His current happiness was an onion, layered. At the core of it all was the newly minted partnership, nay alliance, between the Navecs and goblins, which he oversaw as the witness/middleman.

  In exchange for delivering magical cores to them every month, the Navecs would provide the goblin village with an ample supply of goods. The minimum quota was laughable and could be reached by one lazy goblin, let alone a few dozen highly motivated warriors.

  The deal was sweetened by a sign-in bonus that saw the Navecs gift the goblin village a few dozen magical tools. The result was a bolstering of their military prowess and a significant uptick in their quality of life. Other comforts and luxuries also found their way into the village, but these were traded for.

  In addition, the Navecs made the goblin village part of their patrolling routes, adding an extra layer of safety.

  Hearing this, Xyn could finally rest easy. With the Navecs in their corner, the goblins wouldn’t just survive; they’d thrive. The race of blue-skinned time mages reassured him that everything would work out. Their wealth was notable, but it was their strength that he truly appreciated. They were powerful.

  Besides possibly Alison, all other foes he had encountered till now would meet their end, not even being able to reach the rapports.

  Securing the goblins’ safety and prosperity was great, but Trevac was more than that for Xyn. He gained more than reassurance. Knowledge was power, and he accrued it in mass.

  The library housed hundreds of books, which Xyn devoured readily. Using X-8, he was no different than a black hole, swallowing information. Xyn hadn’t scratched off every question on his mental list of curiosities, but the fog blanketing the wider world became less opaque by the end. The minute snapshots were blurry, but the big picture became clear to his mind’s eye. He felt fully anchored in Machaeverosa, his boots entrenched in its multidimensional dirt.

  Books were wonderful repositories for knowledge; however, so were people. Tonak proved himself to be a library as well, and read like an open book. The stories, tidbits and facts that he imparted were both enlightening and endlessly fascinating. Tonak’s account of Sov the Monk was the standout.

  The Conqueror, the strongest beastkin and second-strongest native of Machaeverosa, had a story that tugged at one’s heartstrings. His ultimate goal was one that all could relate to, yet also beyond foolish. He had sought out the Navecs at some point seven centuries ago, wishing to study their power for his purposes.

  That hadn’t gone anywhere, but that contact led to an amiable relationship to be forged. The furry Transcendent was a true master of magic and an unparalleled artificer. The Navecs had his favour, more than any other group, and at times, found themselves in possession of his wonders.

  Tonak gave him one of these items.

  There’s no such thing as talent between Navecs when it comes to our magic. A child’s Time Bubble is equal to an adult’s. That said, we know not of Rorden’s capabilities. Suppose he has managed to amplify his power somehow; your destructive darkness may not be enough. This amulet should give you the edge you need.

  The Navec elder was coy about the other magical artefacts he had; however, in turn, he was long-winded about Sov’s temperament, personality and character. By the end, the Navec elder encouraged Xyn to pay the beastkin a visit, giving him the location of the temple he took residence in.

  It was relatively close to the otherworlder’s presumed location, three hundred kilometres southwest. Needless to say, Xyn penned in a visit to the Transcendent. It was a must in his books.

  They were a lot of fun too, he thought, remembering the poker-style card game he played with Tonak, Igrun, Viva and the two male sentries.

  Information gathering had ceased shortly after the deal was struck.

  Tonak introduced Xyn and the goblins to other curious Navecs. Local games were observed and then played. Board and card games were very popular in Travec, and they had dozens of variations. Xyn and a handful of goblins tried their hands at the games. He, Igrun and Agra were on a hot streak but were crushed by the Viva’s trio. No hard feelings were borne, only the opposite, as the three races drew closer.

  Knowledge and friendship. Powerful stuff. But there was more. Stuff. Xyn had made many trades of his own and netted a ton of mundane and enchanted goods.

  They were divided into decoration and utility items. Key among his purchases were a high-quality storage ring, a Traveller’s Stone and a second Traveller’s Board, identical to the one he was riding. These three things, along with what was stored in the storage ring, were meant to be given to the otherworlder as starting gear.

  A bit late, but better late than never.

  Boom!

  Ahead of him, dirt exploded in every direction as a crimson monster jetted up from the earth.

  Bad apple, Xyn assessed, registering the monstrous aura. He didn’t waver in his course. He steadied his aim and fired. The Accel Bullet blew off the attacker’s head.

  The cloud of dirt neared, and Xyn passed through it without batting an eye. The enveloping force acted as a perfect windshield. Dirt particles struck it and were automatically deflected. The monster core was collected in passing.

  Xyn left the shadows of the trees and climbed higher, stopping three kilometres up. He could go higher. Above the clouds even, but that was advised against. He glanced up and saw it, lounging on an air mattress, a yluvec.

  The creature, the size of a bus, was a cross between a white swan and a wyvern, with a long neck and a pronounced chin, which always pointed up.

  Yluvecs were unique creatures.

  They were nomads who lived everywhere and nowhere, known to rest atop clouds and enjoy basking in the sunlight. They were natives of Machaeverosa and could be considered the realm’s closest thing to dragons before actual wyrm showed up. They were powerful. Not only was their mana output incomparable to that of the common monster, but they also wielded powerful magic. Every member of their race could manipulate gravity.

  They really don’t care about me, huh? Xyn passed by the creature without any issue.

  Powerful as they were, yluvecs never sought out conflict. It was beneath them. The only time they attacked was in retaliation or when someone invaded their territory.

  What was their territory?

  The skies. The creatures had a strange and unexplainable attachment to the domain. One could fly across Machaeverosa, but not too high. Should anything encroach on their airspace, these majestic creatures would bring them low using the universal force.

  The Lords of the Skies, they were dubbed.

  Xyn didn’t respect their authority or claim, but he didn’t care to challenge it on this day. He was a man on a mission.

  Speaking of that, I believe I’ve reached the border of Drazal’s dot.

  Xyn slowed down and peeled his eyes, keeping his head on the swivel. He planned to move in an inward spiral until he reached the centre. If he found nothing during his journey there, he would try his luck with Sov. Transcendents had great senses. Xyn figured he would know about the transmigrator’s whereabouts.

  The Void Prince expected a lengthy search, and so was surprised when, not even ten minutes later, a pillar of golden flames connected heaven and earth. He felt the heatwave seconds later, and his heartbeat sped up, pumping blood and certainty.

  That’s her!

  Excitement and anticipation surging, the young man zoomed toward the light, toward the one who cast it.

  A Radiant Knight.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Were he ignorant about the title referring to Radae’s best, and asked to pick who best embodied it between Alison and the figure in the distance, Xyn would choose the latter without hesitation. The Radiant Knight wore the title well, as well as his borrowed vessel, but he was ill-suited when compared to the transmigrator.

  Her battle attire was hard to describe, terribly so for Xyn. Were his mind in proper working order, he would say it was dominated by silver, gold and black hues in that order. It was an elegant blend of fabric and metal. The silver armour set was a work of art.

  It was perfectly tailored to her form, fitting like a glove. Sleek and elegant. The flame-like patterns engraved into the unknown metal were filled with golden light. It covered most of her body: her four limbs, shoulders, chest and torso, with her waist covered by white-lined gold fabric that flared out to form a knee-length dress. Disjoined as the armour set was, it didn’t look out of place, nor was it loose on her person.

  Everything came together fashionably and was held firmly in place by a sheen of white light that encased her from head to toe. Dirt, blood and other fluids collided with this membrane of energy and were instantly repelled, leaving the figure within spotless.

  She looked to be around his age. Long blonde hair flowed with every motion, cherry lips, unblemished fair skin that glowed a subtle gold, and pools of steaming water for eyes. A beauty of note, in summary. Yet, she was more than eye candy, as she proved with each passing moment.

  She was amidst battle - nay, a one-sided slaughter.

  Armed with a long single-edge blade of luminous gold, she slashed away at the horde with every swing. Every motion was a fusion of art and masterful skill. She swayed like a flame, avoiding attacks and following up with a slash that parted everything in its way. Even those outside of her blade’s reach weren’t spared as arcs of golden flames accompanied each swing. The otherworldly fire burned hot and incinerated everything it touched.

  The range of her flame attacks was variable, and while mostly accompanied by gestures, they weren’t necessary. The Otherworlder proved these two facts as she dismissed her sword.

  She was a skilled swordswoman, but other means weren’t below her. She became a classic mage. A black panther materialised after exiting a tree’s shadow and pounced towards her. It drew close in an instant. An armoured palm rushed up to greet the monster, and from it, a cone of expanding flames burst forth. The golden beam obliterated the shadow diver and everything in its general direction for several hundred metres.

  She swung around and, with the same hand, swiped at the air, and a tsunami of flames washed over seven charging monsters. For several seconds, she was a turret, unleashing a combination of pinpoint laser-like attacks and area-of-effect attacks.

  Monster cores blinked into existence all around her, from flames and ashes like phoenixes. She put a lid on her flames, and a Blitz Rodent, the Rank 3 monster, chose that moment to strike. A hypersonic lunge put it behind her. Its claws raked down only to hit hot air.

  Before the monster knew it, its neck was in her clutches. Its vision blurred, and the ground rushed its way - no, the opposite. Slammed face-first into the dirt, its consciousness was scrambled. Her follow-up stomp drove the nail in the monster’s coffin. The force behind it saw the dirt turn liquid-like, and the ground rippled outward.

  The Otherworlder exited her self-made crater and again changed combat styles, becoming a brute. Dodging was forgone. The lacy white membrane that kept her clean was also a seemingly impenetrable barrier. No attacks could leave as much as a scratch. With no concern for defence, she simply attacked. Rings of golden force accompanied each blow. Punches and kicks landed with devastating effect. Monsters exploded like macabre water balloons, expanding rapidly before rupturing.

  A giant bull monster flashed in blue light before charging her. Its momentum was significant, but it was not enough. It smashed headfirst into a freshly manifested tower shield that appeared like a blooming flower. Transparent with white outlines, it was as beautiful as it was sturdy.

  The shield faded out of existence, and the Otherworlder closed in on the dazed monster and grabbed the creature by the horns. Its head burst apart as her knee strike landed. More bloody fireworks went off below. It was barbaric in its result, but beautiful in execution, thought Xyn as he observed.

  This was his lone thought for a while, as upon catching sight of the other, his mental cogs ceased to spin. When it resumed spinning, he finally recognised what was happening to him.

  Xyn had many expectations regarding the identity of his fellow Otherworlder. With much time to think and only so much to consider, much of his time had been spent fantasising about the other, from their looks to their powers. He had come up with no less than a hundred profiles.

  Yet for all his theorising, none could match up with the reality before him.

  Xyn felt his sense of self become distorted as he registered the changes within him. The thumping in his chest could be interpreted as him being excited at meeting a strong person, or the joy of finding the person he sought out. His warm cheeks could be argued to be the result of the distant blaze the other had made. However, the stirring of his loins brokered no argument as to what he was feeling.

  Love at first sight…was perhaps too romantic to describe the Void Prince’s feelings. Infatuation was better, and at the very least lust.

  It was a first for Xyn.

  Is this? Really? Happening to me? It can’t be, no, no, this is insane, Xyn thought with a racing heart. His emotions were puzzling to him.

  The female Otherworlder was beautiful, stunning, mesmerising, but frankly speaking, she would be a dime a dozen in his world, looks-wise. Xyn was accustomed to beautiful people with perfectly sculpted faces and bodies. The “world of tomorrow” allowed anyone to look as they wished, and finding an “ugly” person was a rarity.

  Xyn had never felt anything other than indifference when looking at pretty girls from his world. He had preferences and could objectively state which features he liked, but no person had flipped that switch in him. He also couldn’t get off on pornography, as most of his peers could. Visiting a brothel had come to mind, but he could never muster the motivation to ever go. His disinterest was so great that he had been leaning into the idea that he was asexual.

  He was not.

  The proof burned in him like the hottest fire. He was very much attracted to the opposite sex, the Othetworlder below matching his tastes quite closely.

  The Void Prince watched on, entranced.

  The more he watched, the deeper he sank. His senses were ravenous in their pursuit to take in everything about her. The various powerful magical enchantments woven into the fabric of her soul that empowered her several times over were noted but not focused on. Instead, it was her facial expressions that caught Xyn’s attention.

  On her beautiful face, a dignified expression. It was blank and indifferent at a glance, but a sustained look would reveal subtle but undeniable flecks of emotion. Traces in her eyes and -supple- lips could be found. Satisfaction and delight. She relished the heat of battle and exercising her awesome might.

  Xyn was certain of this assessment. Had she wanted to end the battle earlier, she could have done so already. Her actions were inefficient, much more aesthetic than practical. It reminded him of…himself. Thinking this, he had to question whether she was putting on a show.

  She knew he was here and observing, after all. He felt something like a Clairvoyant’s Second Sight engulf him after he first caught sight of her. It was subtle magic and lingered for a few seconds before vanishing.

  Xyn understood that she had identified him as a non-threat and decided to deal with him later. At the same time, he couldn’t help but think her actions from that point onwards were her showing off her flashy moveset.

  Maybe. Maybe she would do the exact same things in my absence.

  The latter struck more chords than the former in the psionic’s head. Xyn’s thought quickly became background noise as his senses drowned in her majesty.

  An orge’s force projectiles were swatted away. Several kobolds expanded to five times their original size and dogpiled her, hoping to crush her under their combined weight. An omnidirectional force sent them flying before a pulse of heat flash-fried them. A salamander spat a fireball at her. The Transmigrator showed a rare offended look as she watched it near. The crimson was stopped with a thought. Another thought saw it flash gold, and a third thought had it reverse course. Fire resistance didn’t equate to fire immunity. The salamander learned this fact at the cost of its life.

  She’s…perfect.

  A stunning face, her curvy figure, which even armour and a dress couldn’t hide, her flashy strength, and pride in said strength as she battled; the combination saw the young psionic take a full quiver of arrows to the body, the archer, Cupid.

  “Carw?”

  The noise broke Xyn out of his daze. He focused on the Crow Devil in the distance. It flapped its wings to hover in place. The terror of Adventures everywhere was the last monster left. It wore a befuddled expression as it took in the carnage.

  Standing in a burning forest surrounded by over three hundred monster cores was a lone warrior. Unscathed, with not a spec of blood or dirt on her pristine form. The monster couldn’t believe its eyes. This was a first. She had single-handedly defeated them all, easily, too. After reining in its shock, it turned tail to flee. But it wouldn’t get ten metres before its figure combusted.

  The beauty blinked away the image of the falling ashes that were once a monster and turned to her surroundings. White sparks flashed and materialised into her sheathed sword. She drew the blade and, holding it out, activated its primary enchantment.

  Flame Harvest.

  Poof. In an instant, all flames vanished from her surroundings, swallowed by her blade, which now dazzled.

  She admired it for a second before calmly returning it to the white scabbard. A smoke-like wisp of white escaped as the sword clicked into place. Blade snug in its sheath, she turned to the gaze that had been burning her for the last minute or so.

  There, high in the sky, was a sight that brought intrigue and wonder. A human. The one fated for her, perhaps?

  He was a male, and his expression was blank. His complexion made indifference an easy sell, but Ana didn’t rely on that alone.

  Shroud of Paranoia.

  Activating the Charm for the second time that day, her mind’s eye phased past the mask the psionic wore and captured the turmoil behind his handsome face. Earlier, she had sensed his naked awe as he gazed upon her. What she found now paralysed her.

  Never had she felt the combination of emotions directed toward her. Shock rolled in her system. This was a first for her, and her own cheeks became flushed. The novelty of the situation bore excitement and a cauldron of other emotions she couldn’t identify. Her lips tugged upwards. His befuddled reaction transformed her smile into a chuckle.

  How cute, the thought passed through her head, before another contested it. Actually, more than that, he’s quite the looker. Like a doll. And neat and pretty well dressed. Mm, he smells nice too, like overlums.

  Ana Sterezia Starlight, the Sun Maiden.

  Xyn Del Estrosa, the Void Prince.

  The two were the peaks of power in their respective realms. Fearsome figures with limitless potential, whose wills could alter the fates of countless souls throughout the multiverse.

  They were also, for better or worse…teenagers.