Starlit Haven

Welcome!This site is for compiling all things SteR into one place. Most of you are likely here for Railroads Online Custom Maps, but there's also some other things I do!
I write, host a SMP, and offer some paid services. Feel free to check 'em out too!

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_{Railroads Online}

These are hosted here so that one link can be sent on a discord chat instead of many, many images. Keeps spam down a bit, yknow?

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Custom Maps

_{Railroads Online}

Try something a bit different - and maybe even outside your comfort range - with these downloadable maps! Tracks only partially included.

• Custom Maps

Writings & Stories

Outside of trains, Words are my passion. People often say I've got a knack for them, and I'd have to agree.
This site hosts a collection of various stories and poems I've written over the years.

• Writings & Stories

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Writings & Stories

Do you like stories? I do! My father was a children's librarian and my mother played audiobooks all the time. While I resent how they forced me to read in my childhood, it's certainly sculpted my passions and skills in the present.Over the years, I've written quite a good bit. This website has some excerpts from a few stories and poems I've written.

• Poems
• Story - No Home for a Hero

Poetry

Life... Has not been the kindest in the last few years.
Writing became my escape. My outlet for creativity, sorrow, pain, pleasure...
It was my lifeline with my sanity.
I have many, many quotes. Far more than I've brought here.
But you can still get a glimpse into my mind through this creative outlet of mine.

No Home for a Hero

Annibelle was a hero. Or, at least, she wanted to be. She had to live up to her mother's daring legacy. Fate would rob her of that future, leaving her lost and alone as the sole survivor of her reality's untimely end.Well, mostly alone. Her new mentor - Not by choice - Phillip, isn't exactly a kind man. At least the dragon, Horokai, is caring, but she's too focused on her quest - Finding out WHY realities end to begin with.
Broken, Blindsided, and Lost, Annibelle's future is uncertain. This sure is No Home for a Hero.This story is still in progress.

• Chapter One

• Chapter Two

• Chapter Three

For some, however, it was more than a small reminder. It was a wake-up call.Anni shot out of bed, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Rushing to get on her robes, she accidentally stubbed her toe on the corner of her bed. That wouldn’t stop her from her one goal, however, as she pushed past the pain and continued readying herself as fast as her body could move. One simple thought bounced around in Anni’s skull:I’m late.Before stumbling out the door of her room, Anni stopped to make sure she had all her notes and charms gathered. There would be no time for breakfast, as her finals had already begun, but forgetting something as basic as her training medallion would prove catastrophic. Nutrition could wait, but a sparkmage must have their tools prepared for the challenges ahead of them, and if Annibelle was going to be late, she was at least going to be well-prepared.Most students were only there for mundane reasons. Some wanted the basic survival techniques with enhanced flare, some wanted skills to make their long days on the fields easier to manage, some wanted party tricks to knock the socks off of their friends. Others, like the Darcey boys, were there as a punishment for their misdeeds. Anni, on the other hand, chose to go in order to live up to her mother’s legacy.

Medallion? Check. Diluted vials of Siren Tears? Check. Notes on Fulminology? Check. After making sure everything was where it needed to be, Anni made a mad dash down the stairs and out the door. Or, at least, she would have, if something hadn’t hit her in the middle of the kitchen. Not some magical epiphany or anything - Just a frying pan. Right in the gut.As she curled up in pain from the crash and subsequent fall, her mother merely stood in shock, not sure what to think of the chaos in her kitchen, nor the scrambled eggs and daughter on the floor before her. After a few seconds of painful groans from Anni, her mother spoke.“Anni… It’s the solstice. Classes aren’t happening.”At a first glance, her mother would seem like no one special. Just another face in the ocean of faces. Only when you knew her name - Evelyn Cross Garner - would you understand her importance. Children’s books and historical texts may play up the glory of the war hero, but it’s undeniable that her wit and foresight helped the coalition win the war against the seemingly unstoppable regime so many years ago. Now hundreds of years old - at least, that’s what she’d like you to believe - Evelyn’s life has taken a calmer turn in retirement, and in the upbringing of her own children.Anni took in a deep breath, the stranglehold of stress letting loose its grip as her mother’s reminder set in. “...Right. No finals.”“Right! It’s going to be quite the party today. Aren’t you excited?” Evelyn picked up the pan and wiped it down before wandering over to the stove. “I hear Pastor Davis is going to prepare that Currant-Pear Streusel you like so much.”Anni lay on her back, clutching her hands to her stomach. “That’s… nice.”Evelyn gave her a concerned glance. “Aren’t you excited?”“Mom, I just took a pan to the gut. Give me a bit.”“That wasn’t intentional, I’ll have you know.”Anni chuckled. “You sure?”“Of course! I would have aimed for the face,” her mother said in a sarcastic tone.“I don’t think I need another broken nose, mom.”At that remark, her mother started laughing uncontrollably, and Anni joined in soon after. The scars of our past make good comedy for our present, as the two of them remembered the time Anni ran face-first into the barn doors, expecting them to magically open on their own.But sometimes, the tragedies of our past will live on forever. Evelyn never moved on from hers; Annibelle’s middle name, Hazelwood, kept a simple homage to her lost sister. Evelyn’s heroism didn’t come from natural leadership. It didn’t come from love for the common folk. It didn’t come from raw power. It came from a sheer, undying want to find her sister and ensure her safety.
A wish which would never come true.

“Say… What was that for, anyways?” Anni stopped chewing to ask her mother a question.“Hmm?”“You know, the bell.” She took another large bite out of her breakfast.“Oh, um…” Evelyn stopped to think.“Ef noh suppoph poh ree on hodeeth,” Anni said through a mouthful of scrambled eggs.“What?” Her mother inquired.Anni swallowed her food. “It’s not supposed to ring on holidays.”“Yeah, I don’t know what’s up with that.” Her mother paused. “Well, now that you’re up, why don’t you go down and find out?”“Well…”“Always good to get some exercise, you know.”“I already got some when running down the stairs, mom.”“Sure, but that was cut short, wasn’t it?” Evelyn laughed. Anni took another bite of her food, and once she was done, spoke up again.“Fine, I’ll check it out.”“Oh, while you’re out and about, would you be a dear and get me some orange juice from Jovi? I hear her plantation has ripened.”“Sure thing, mom.”Hazelwood - Annibelle’s middle name - was a constant reminder of why she wanted to live up to her mother’s legacy. It wasn’t to find Hazel - It had been years since she was last seen, and she was most likely dead -if not worse - by this point. Instead, it was to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves.Evelyn failed to save her sister. There was no way to go back and fix that mistake; but Anni would make sure another one just like it wouldn’t happen on her watch. With her newly acquired skills and talents, the aspiring sparkmage could protect the innocent, standing tall where her mother stood before.Well, once classes were finished tomorrow, that is. Finals were just around the corner, after all.

The heart of the town was busier than usual for a Holiday. The commotion could be heard from quite a distance away - whatever had brought the village together had also stirred them to unrest. The streets were eerily barren, yet the roar of the crowd made it feel like the place was on fire. Trudging cautiously down the empty paths, Anni made her way towards the church at the center of town, where everyone had likely gathered.Turning yet another corner, her assumption was right - the crowd came into view, all piled in the large courtyard before the steeple. It didn't seem violent, but the harsh glares from everyone's faces as they yelled endlessly at one another made it clear that something wasn't right. At the edge stood some people smart enough to not get involved; The Darcey boys leaned against the wall while laughing at the craze, Elder Alma was knitting away in a rocking chair from the second-floor balcony of her apartment, and Professor Maxwell sat on a bench a good distance away from the commotion.“Professor?” Anni asked, the wave of noise being far enough that she didn’t need to raise her voice.The Professor spun his head around. "Oh? Hello, Annibelle!""Professor, you can just call me Anni.""And you can call me Max, Annibelle." The professor smiled and laughed. "I see you've got some fashion sense," he said, eying her training robes."I- Yes, I do. I thought today was Finals…" She slumped down in mild defeat and embarrassment.“Hah! No, that’s tomorrow.”Anni rolled her eyes. “Trust me, I know that now…”"Well, considering what kind of a riot might turn up here,” Professor Maxwell gestured towards the crowd in front of them mid-sentence, “maybe you can put what you've learned to good use!""I don't think I have the right tools to call lightning right now, Professor.""Of course not! That would be overkill.”“And it would be very unlike you to not have that at the ready.”The professor burst into a hearty fit of laughter. “Ah, Annibelle, you know me too well.”"So, Professor-"The professor cut her off. "Please, Annibelle, just Max.""Max, what's going on here?""I’m… Honestly unsure. The king sent out a surveyor, I think?" He turned to look at the crowd, a stumped frown taking form on his face. “I’m unsure why the crowd got so riled up by a story, nor why that’s what the survey was for.”"A story?" Anni asked, puzzled."Yes.” He paused for a second, collecting his thoughts. “The surveyor said something about protecting our civilization's culture in case we all get wiped out from a war."“Seriously?”“Yes, Anni. There is that war in the east, you know?”“But those are Naval battles!” Anni responded frantically in confusion. “And they’re thousands of miles away!”“Well, I guess someone made a compelling argument to get this done, then.”“Or our King is a wuss,” Anni said, rolling her eyes. This wasn’t the first weird decision he’d made while in power, and it probably wouldn’t be the last, either.“Whatever the case, I’m sure-”Maxwell was cut off by one loud, clear, booming voice that outdid the entire crowd.“WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT UP FOR HALF A SECOND?”

The crowd fell silent. Anni took this moment of clarity to rush her way towards the front of it all to try and see who was talking. It wasn’t any voice she recognized, that’s for sure; It was likely the surveyor, but anyone with the power to bring order to a chaotic gathering was a leader, and leaders were often heroes. And if this was a hero… Maybe this was one who fought alongside her mother in the storybooks.“I am sick and tired of these stupid arguments. Who cares about the condiments the dragon used to fry the frog? That’s not the point of the story to begin with!”Pushing her way to the front of the crowd was anything but an easy task - Anni struggled to find a path through the densely packed horde. Who could it be? Peaking over the heads of the swarm of people, she couldn’t make out any faces.A person from the crowd chimed in. “Well, what else do you want? It’s in the name of the tale! The Dragon and the Frog!”After finding a small gap and making a good dash forwards, Anni misjudged the ability to stop her own momentum, crashing into the backside of someone who shuffled into her path at just the wrong time.The Surveyor spoke again. “It’s about the frog’s ignorance to the simple fact that he is a frog! The taste of the cooked frog is irrelevant!”Apologizing quickly and getting back up to her feet, Anni continued her weaving through the crowd as thoughts weaved through her head. Was it Syr Danniel? Commander Eltwood? Prince Balst? Could she maybe learn how to be a hero by traveling abroad by the side of one of the classic protectors?“You think it’s irrelevant!” the Woman retorted. “Our culture values the taste and flavors of plenty of ingredients! It does not matter if it is a local tradition. You are here to record everything you can, and this matters as much as anything else!”Finally, after a crazy scramble to reach the front, Anni had made it… to be greeted by anything but who she expected. It shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise, but her hopes had been brought up, and now they were shot down as she looked at the man across the way who was addressing the lady.His garb was… unique. A stetson sat atop his head, and the tattered jacket that lay across his torso looked like it would have perfectly suited an inventor. Strapped to his back was a sword unlike any she’d ever seen before - One that curved along its blade, carrying a hilt with no guard. A satchel rest against his hip, and he held a book open in his hand.“Miss, I’ve a VERY strict deadline to meet, and I don’t want to waste it with the likes of this town and its petty arguments.” The man spun around. His brow was furrowed, channeling the anger of a lesser god, and his teeth were gritted as if he were, well, arguing with a stubborn peasant over the ownership of a single penny.“Oh, REALLY now?” The woman stomped the ground in rage. “Is it REALLY so tight you cannot listen to something as simple as the seasoning of a frog?”The man closed his eyes for a second, let out a hefty sigh, and turned to face her dead-on with a glare to kill. “Look, Miss, Yes.”On that note, the sky split in half. The air turned to dust. Every color died, draining from all as a massive rift tore itself through reality behind the Surveyor. Like arms of the starved reaching for a loaf of bread, the rift struck the ground with immense force.“Yes, my schedule IS that tight.”The dirt and cobble was torn through like molten butter to a chainsaw, the fabric of reality pouring up in an inverted waterfall. The crowd’s shock turned to horror, their horror to panic. Some ran as fast as they could. Others couldn’t dare move a muscle, frozen in place by fear. The screams returned, but this time as a frenzied cry for help rather than a heated debate. In the panic, though, Anni tried to hold her ground and calm herself as she prepared to defend the town however she could. This was her shot.But the roar of the crowd and bodies pushing their way past made it impossible to focus, as she kept rebalancing herself in the tide of people. It didn’t matter either way. The screams slowly died as the air turned to dust, the dust to stone, the stone to nothing and the nothing to a crushing end.Yet… Despite the world dissolving around them, and the darkness encompassing everything to a point that it was impossible to see even a meter before you, the Surveyor took these last few moments to utter a simple phrase.“Farewell, dumbasses.”He Saluted, and all lost meaning.

Ringing.It was all she could hear. All she could think. All she could see. There was nothing but ringing, and it was everywhere. It was everyone. It was everything. Ringing, ringing, ringing,Until suddenly, it wasn’t.Her eyes were wide open. Not out of choice; Anni couldn’t move a muscle, no matter how hard she tried. The ringing faded to a mild distraction, nagging her ears like a needy fly. Her thoughts returned, and she could see the world again… though lacking color. The saturation had been all drained but for a dim green glow on some of the people closest to her. The bustle of the crowd had been drowned into an eerie silence. All movement was frozen. All she could do was stare dead on at the rift in the world before her as its still image burned into her brain.Well, the mostly still image.With a heavy sigh, the Surveyor stretched out his arms and back. Blue eyes. He blinked a few times and let out a loud groan as he stretched again. Brushing his shoulders, his jacket froze in place the moment he took his hand off of it. “Yknow, I’m never gonna get used to this.” After a small pause and some more stretching, his glare turned straight to Annibelle. The small amounts of green turned blue as he approached, his eyes piercing her heart with a deadpan stare.He grabbed her shoulder. She could feel it. She could feel everything. The force of a thousand stars and the power of the tide was burning through her flesh, bone, muscle and body, as though a talon had pierced her heart. She couldn’t scream, but if the chance was ever given to her in that moment, she could have shattered all the world’s glass.“Yeah, you’ll do,” said the Surveyor, letting loose his grip. She began to fall. The world rose. The crushing pain only worsened, and she could feel her lungs collapsing. She fell through the earth, into the depths of whatever grave await her beneath the ground, choking on the dirt and stone the deeper she plunged. The ringing was gone, but a new thought took its place:HelpWith a blinding flash of light, the fires faded, her breath came back, a freezing sensation seared her blood, and the world disappeared around Annibelle.

Disoriented, Anni took a second to collect her thoughts, but too many were rushing through her mind. Where was she? Is she dead? Alive? Glowing eyes? What just happened? What did she feel? What did she think? Was-No. None of that. Just as Professor Maxwell had taught-Was Maxwell okay? Is Mom okay? Who’s this surveyor? What even-No. No. One thing at a time, as she had learned. The most pressing question racing through her head was simple: what was this place?Breathing in, relaxing her muscles, purging what little was left of the pain, and looking around her, Anni realized where she wasn’t: Home. She had seen forests before, and traveled vast distances by trail, but whichever one she had fallen upon had signage she had never seen before. This question obviously wasn’t answering itself. She was hopelessly lost.However, ‘lost’ doesn’t mean ‘without something to do’. As the low growl of some beast drummed up from behind her, instinct from her training kicked in, and Anni pulled the static from the skies around her to form a simple electric shield. All she needed to do was keep her composure and the shield would stand. No need to strike back yet - she didn’t even know what was behind her, and something such as a burst of lightning, while effective, would likely drain her of enough energy to leave her in critical danger if something else came along to confront her.As she slowly turned around, it was quickly apparent what the source of the noise was - A bear was staring her down with a threatening pose. It didn’t seem outright hostile, but it certainly wasn’t happy to see her in its territory. Lightning would be too costly, a neuron pulse would be too difficult to execute on the fly, and a blinding flash would just enrage the bear. She would do what she’d always been told to do in the face of danger, even if she wanted to stand tall like her mother always could - Hold your shield, and slowly back away.Step by step, Anni’s feet carried her backwards. It was relieving to be able to move on her own again, but it was anything but comforting knowing why she had to move. Keeping her eyes on the bear, occasionally glancing backwards to make sure she didn’t trip, she carefully made her way away as fast as she could, careful not to enrage it or let her guard down.The bear, however, did not find this acceptable, and made a mad dash towards her, lunging with all its might. Anni had only a split second to react, making the right choice - instead of giving into her fears and running like her gut instincts told her to, she stood her ground, focusing more energy into the shield’s composition to keep the bear from reaching her.Her focus was too great, however, and the shield powerful, but far too small; while it certainly slowed the bear, its size could not fully stop its lunge, and instead the pain enraged it to strike again. The shield had failed her, and Anni instead focused on blinding the bear with a flash of light. Which would have been the right move to make… If Anni had remembered to close her own eyes or look away. The flash burned into her mind, the world around her only a white screen. It must have hit the bear, too, as it was groaning in as much confusion as she was, but they were still on an even playing field.This was still a moment she could use to her advantage, as she continued to back off and reformed the shield around her. If Anni could get distance on the bear, maybe she could escape it, or better prepare herself for the next time she would need to fend it off, and build up the focus to kill it, one way or another.Well, it would have been a great plan had she not tripped over a rock in her blinded state. The wind got knocked out of her as she hit the ground, even more disoriented than before. Fortunately, Her eyesight started to return to her…
Unfortunately, the bear’s sight was likely coming back, too. Not a good sign, considering it was still in front of her, and it was still staring her down.But before it could charge again, a quick motion covered her vision. She couldn’t make out what it was, and the bear seemed confused by it, too, as it stood in place. It was probably more confused about how its head suddenly fell off, though. Anni certainly was, and she let out a yelp of fear and turned her head away so as to not see the bloody mess that was sure to follow.“Guess I was right,” a familiar voice said in a dull tone. Anni looked up to see the Surveyor holding his curved sword in hand, stained in blood. “You’re not completely useless, huh, kid.” He sheathed his blade. “Didn’t get instantly mauled to death by some bear.”“I-I-I-” Anni stammered.“Can it, kid. No one cares. You could be the prodigal idiot to save the world, the heir to a long-forgotten throne, a farmhand who grew up doing god knows what, but that doesn’t matter anymore. Your reality’s gone, and no one gives a damn.”Anni couldn’t even sputter out another word, just muttering incoherent phrases beneath her breath as the reality and shock started to settle into her mind.“But hey, look at it this way - Now you’ve got a reason to live. Someone to work for. Something to do. Not gonna be wasting your time bumbling about in some school - Real experience in the field, working for me.”“I- I had-”The Surveyor interrupted her. “Yes. You HAD. This is what you HAVE.” He snapped at Anni, getting uncomfortably close to her face. He grabbed her chin with one hand and turned her head to stare directly into his eyes. “And you’re gonna take it, unless you wanna be forever forgotten like the rest of your stupid town.”“Phillip,” a new voice chimed in. “I’m only here two minutes after you arrive, and you’ve already killed wildlife and started yelling at the locals. You’ve GOT to tone things down.”Anni turned around to face the new voice, only to be greeted by a dragon the size of a small house. Anni had never seen a dragon before - she had only read about them in books or heard of them in her mother’s stories - but this one defied her expectations, as it had a mouse-like snout, the ears of a fox, no visible mouth and glowing yellow eyes. Its scales were mostly black, with a few highlights of a very dark midnight purple/blue shimmering where the light reflected.“Oh, so I not allowed to blow off a little steam?” Phillip retorted, annoyed.“A little steam? Phillip, every time I see you talking to someone, you’re yelling, yelling, yelling!” The dragon’s eyes slimmed, as if it were furrowing its nonexistent brow.“Yeah, and the job’s hard enough to warrant lots of yelling. Trust me.”“Trust you? Your first impression may be your last for these people!” The dragon lashed out in frustration, “It’s your job to get as much information from everyone you can before the world ends, and if everyone’s mad at you, no one’s going to talk!”“Hah! Ain’t the same for new recruits.”The dragon recoiled, shocked. “Phillip.”“Yeah?”“This is a NEW RECRUIT???”“Yeah?”The dragon bowed its head and closed its eyes in disapproval. “Phillip, please tell me this isn’t how you’ve been initiating them.”He stood still, silent, the look of unamused boredom an obvious reply to the dragon’s question.“Ugh, I… Just… Get lost. Go harass someone else, for god’s sake, not your co-worker-to-be.”“Whatever you say,” he replied, and began walking away into the heart of the forest. Just before he disappeared out of sight, he turned his head and jeered a simple phrase. “Rathead.”“We’ll catch up to you when I’m done fixing your stupid mistakes.” The dragon glared at Phillip as he walked away. Once gone, the dragon turned to face Anni, the anger in its posture dissipating as its stance became more calming and protective; Apologetic, even, “Dear, I’m so, so sorry you had to deal with him before I got here.” Lowering itself to the ground, the dragon let out a heavy sigh. “Are you okay?”“I’m…” Anni couldn’t finish her thought before finally bursting into tears. This was the first moment of respite she’d gotten today since breakfast, and it was anything but comfortable. She still had so many questions, yet none of the answers. None of the answers she wanted, that is - all she had were the kinds of answers that told her exactly what she didn’t want to hear, and only gave her more questions to ask.“That’s… I get it.” The dragon spoke slow and softly, trying its best to comfort the crying girl. “It’s a lot to take in all at once, and if you were subject to Phillip’s blunt, uncaring mannerisms…”“I-I-” Anni tried to speak through her tears, but her sorrow was draining her breath enough that she could barely get the air to mutter a single word. “I-”“No, no, dear, don’t force yourself to speak.” The dragon wrapped its wing around Anni’s back, using its embrace to blanket her. “You’ve been through enough already. Don’t overload yourself.” It let out a heavy sigh. “We can talk when you’re ready, okay? Just take it slow.”

“Feeling any better?”It had taken Anni a good handful of minutes to regain her composure. “I… I am,” she said. It wasn’t completely true - she still had more questions than answers, and a dire want to return to her mother’s side - but at least she had mustered the ability to speak again.“Well…” The dragon kept speaking with a slow, calm tone. “Let’s start simple. What do you want to know?”She thought for a few seconds. “Where-” Anni paused to look around at the nearby environment. “Where are we?”“1A-TACA37-D.”“...What?”“It’s a code of some kind.”“A… code?” Anni glared at the dragon in confusion. “But… What does that mean?”“I… I don’t know.” The dragon seemed lost in thought, perplexed by the question. “But I do know the D means it’s quote un quote marked for death. We’re trying to-”“Wait-” Anni interrupted the dragon. “Why that?”“Uhm, what?”“Why do you know that but not the rest?”“Oh, silly me! I’m so so sorry, dear,” the flustered dragon replied. “I haven’t- I haven’t even bothered introducing myself yet.” It chuckled over its own mistake.“I- Neither have I, though…”
“Yes, but you’re the one who’s lost here. You shouldn’t need to be the first to do that.” It stood up, stretched its wings out, took a few steps away from Anni and turned to speak again. “My name’s Horokai. What’s yours?”Anni took in a deep breath, the last of her fears dissipating for the time being. “Annibelle,” she responded.“Good to meet you, Annibelle,” Horokai replied. “I’m… Sorry this is how we had to meet, but I hope you can help us build a better future.”“I… How?” Annibelle Inquired.
“Well.. You were at the Composition Access Singularity, right?”“The… The what?”“I think Phillip” - Horokai Scoffed - “described it best - ‘the hole in the heavens’. Looks kinda like the night sky, and feels like the opening to another reality.” Horokai straightened her neck, and spoke beneath her breath. “I mean, that’s kind of what it is, but…”“I… think I saw it.”“Well… We still don’t know WHY worlds are marked for death. But something about that code…” Horokai paused. “Well, someone had to make it, and someone had to make the call to kill.”“But…” Annibelle took a moment to contemplate. “Why?”“That’s the money question, Annibelle. We don’t know - but we NEED to. I’ve been following it to keep the tick in the back of my head quelled, and like clockwork, one month passes and it’s gone.” Horokai leaned over to Anni, who had a sinking feeling in her gut. “And that?"“That’s Horrible,” Annibelle replied.“Exactly,” Horokai said solemnly. “But, well, that’s where we step in!” She pridefully lifted herself off the ground. “We can…” Her heart visibly sank with her wings. “Well, all we can do is explore every world, and record it as best we can.” She paused again, and a spark of hope rejoined her eyes. “And, well, maybe find out a thing or two about what’s going on.”“That’s… The best we can do?”

“Sure is, kid!” The silence that had risen between the dragon and the girl was broken as Phillip’s voice cracked through it like a brick does an egg. “And if these worlds are anything like yours-” He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “-well, let’s just say our work’s going to be a lot of listening and not much of anything useful.”“Phillip!” Horokai snapped. “I told you to BEAT IT.”“Yeah, well, wings-for-brains, I didn’t find any signs of anyone else around here. No stories to gather. No idiots to extort cash or info outta.”“Phillip, we’re not extorting people.”“Your loss,” he said, mindlessly grabbing a pinecone and chucking it as hard as he could. “Either way, rathead, no signs of life nearby.”Horokai looked over at the bear’s corpse, which had long since stopped bleeding and was being taken advantage of by a fox, who ran off with a stringy chunk of muscle in its mouth when the dragon turned its attention in that direction.“You know what I mean, you pedant. INTELLIGENT life. Not including us.”Horokai glared at the gravel path beneath them, and the signpost nearby. “You sure?”“Oh for god’s- Look, no TOWNS. No campsites. No cottages. Not occupied, at least.” He kicked a rock off into a bush. “Look- I’m tired. I’ve dealt with enough morons today alone to give a headache that’ll last a week. I’m not looking any harder than I already have.”Horokai let out a sigh. “Well, you’re the one with the tent.”“That I am,” he gleefully replied, dropping his bag off his shoulders and onto the ground, “And you best bet I’m getting a good’s night sleep tonight.”“That makes two of us,” Horokai responded.“Three,” Annibelle said under her breath.“You’re making your own bed, kid,” said Phillip bluntly.“Alright, that’s enough of this.” Horokai rolled her eyes as best she could. “I think that’s all we need to share about our mission for now. Do you have any questions, Anni?”“I, uh…” Anni thought for a few seconds. “No?” That wasn’t true, but she expected whatever she asked at this point would just leave her more confused than before when answered.“Well, if you have any, feel free to ask them.”Phillip laughed mockingly. “As if I’m going to answer every question this brat has.”“Phillip, I’m going to be around.”“Uh, what?”“A new recruit needs the best training possible.”“And the best training is experience!”“Experience without an understanding of what it’s worth is pointless.” Horokai unfurled her wings, making herself larger than before, looming over Phillip like a lion to a meerkat. “And I’m here to make sure she knows everything she needs.”“I-I-” Phillip stammered. His confidence - Or bluntness - just wasn’t there to help him here. “Fine.”Horokai pulled her wings back to her sides, touting as smug of a look as she could without a visible mouth. “As if you have a say in the matter.” Even with tears still in her eyes, Anni couldn’t help but smirk at the situation.

That night was… uneventful. The three of them set up camp. Horokai taught Anni how to put up a tent, and tried to show her how to light a campfire, though Anni already knew how to do the latter with her sparkmage skills. Anni still didn’t feel fully comfortable in the new environment, but at least the dragon who was larger than a tool shed was a welcoming soul.Phillip, on the other hand, was still a bother. Not quite as rude as before, at least, though that was a low bar to clear. His cooking could use a little work, though Annibelle didn’t dare admit that in front of him and face his wrath again. She just swallowed the burnt bear meat she’d been handed and did her best to hide her disgust.Part of her was excited. World ending? Saving people? Working with a dragon to protect the innocent? It sounded like the dream heroic story to tell when she got home.Most of her was terrified, though. Her past life was gone forever, and she still didn’t even know if this was the right path in life to take. Not like she had much choice, but her goals had been shattered in every way possible. The mother she looked up to, the teachers who guided her towards her talents, the friends she knew as well as something as simple as her house was just… All gone. This wasn’t a dream. This was a nightmare.Not to mention the existential crisis of just how many people had died today. The amount was uncountable, and she started to doubt Phillip had done a good job of “surveying” and getting the cultures written down before the end came.The end? Was it really the end? Everything felt like it was just beginning. She was barely on her own, and all of a sudden… The path in life she wanted to take most was forever blocked off, and all she had ever known was just… nothing now?It was impossible to sleep. Aside from the fact Anni wasn’t tired since she’d only woken up a few hours ago, she still had too many questions and too few answers, and above all else, there seemed to be no solution to saving worlds, other than to pray it’ll be different this time.That dream which excited her a moment ago was just that: A pipe dream. Millions would die before thousands could be saved. Millions probably had already been lost. There’s no way you can become the protector of the innocent when no one can be saved. She was as hopeless as those she sought to protect.Exhausted from her own tears, Annibelle cried herself to sleep. This was no home for a hero.

Not that those surroundings were reassuring - she couldn’t see a thing. Where had Phillip gone? What about his sleeping bag? His backpack? Why was the room so barren? Where even was her own bag? She spun around again, frantically grabbing at where she had left it close to the edge of the tent. Annibelle let out a sigh of relief when her hand hit the bag, the rough imprints of her tools pressed into its side.She cautiously got up, making more noise than she wanted as she slipped out of her sleeping bag. On any normal day the slight rustle would’ve been forgotten and done with in an instant, but today, Annibelle was terrified of drawing the attention of whatever await her outside. It was a somewhat familiar noise in a horribly unfamiliar place.To make matters worse, she could hear the crackle of the leaves as the beast skulked around. It was all she could hear aside from the wind and her own breath as she moderated every bit of air passing through her lips.She peeked through the front flap of the tent and glanced around, expecting to see signs of a giant or some monster, or maybe even come face to face with the behemoth. Instead, she was greeted by a much warmer view, as a crackling campfire’s heat before her could be felt in just its vibrant shades of red-orange. The flames leaped upwards, reaching for a small piece of meat hoisted above the fire with a skewer. Phillip sat on a log, gnawing on something.At least the campfire had given a source to the crackling noise. Considering Phillip’s relaxed state, the metal clanging had probably been from something he’d done. Annibelle relaxed, letting out a small sigh of relief, and stepped out of the tent.“Oh look,” Phillip said between bites, “The child’s awake.” He glanced at her while continuing to scarf down his meal. Annibelle just sort of stood there in silence, taking in the scene. She was a bit exhausted after having such rough sleep that night.Anni slowly stepped outside the tent, a waft of cool morning air greeting her with the smell of fresh dew, and a rugged, smokey hint of the campfire. A dim wave of sunlight leapt over the canopy’s edge, casting a glow on the campsite’s clearing. It felt… familiar. Welcoming. One of the few things Annibelle could even try to say she recognized in this weird new world.She stepped forth, and Phillip broke the silence. “Not very talkative today, are we?” He chuckled to himself. “Well, that’s an improvement over yesterday’s stuttering, that’s for sure,” he jeered. Anni felt her hair stand up in shame. He was right. That’s not how a hero would act.She sat herself on the log across from him. Phillip gestured towards the campfire, vaguely waving his hand in its general direction. “Breakfast,” he stated bluntly, and resumed gnawing on his own meal.“Is it ready yet?” Annibelle Asked.“Hmgh?” Phillip stopped eating for a second. “Uh, probably?”She sat there for a moment, waiting for him to check the meal. He sat there, chewing on the last of his. It was an awkward minute for Annibelle as she slowly came to terms with the fact that she wasn’t getting any better of an answer unless she asked again.“Um- Are you- Sure?” It was a shoddy question that didn’t actually get anywhere, but Annibelle was too afraid to try anything more. All she knew was this man’s name, and what little of his personality he’d shown her before was anything but promising.“Look, kid,” he said with a mouthful before swallowing his bite. “You can play Chef all you want,” he said, glaring her down, his arm resting on his leg as he leaned forwards with a hint of frustration. The memo was clear as Anni’s heart dropped like a rock from anxiety.She cautiously made her way towards the campfire as Phillip went back to the last of his meal. Though he wasn’t paying her any mind, she still felt as though her every move were being judged, like an actor who forgot their lines in the middle of a show.After grabbing the Skewer, Annibelle made her way back to the stump she seated herself on. She’d had meals cooked over campfires before, but the skewer was weird. Those were usually used by festival vendors, not camping cookware, and they usually consisted of tiny pieces of exotic fruits, not one large hunk of meat.Oh well. However strange this all was, it was still breakfast, and her morning hunger was starting to kick in. Maybe getting a little energy in her system would make her feel better.She bit into the meat. It was… uncomfortably stringy. Like a dying worm was being puppeteered down her throat. It was undercooked. It was uncomfortable. Some water might have helped to chase it down, though she didn’t know where any was and was too afraid to ask just yet. Annibelle swallowed the bite, knowing it would be the only one she could muster.So much for Breakfast today.

“Slow eater, eh?” Phillip noted. Anni had been trying to chew her way through her morning meal - if you could even call it that - but she had only gotten halfway through her food. She was getting used to the texture, but that didn’t make it magically easier to stomach. It was all the food Anni was going to get for now, though, so she pushed on.She didn’t speak, as doing so while chewing was rude, but even if she didn’t have anything in her mouth, Annibelle wasn’t sure she would have responded. Not that it seemed Phillip wanted a response, anyways, as he reached into his backpack and started rummaging for something. His arms and head dove in deep, deeper than should have been possible, before suddenly popping back out to stare Annibelle down.“Oh yeah, before you ask, Horokai’s just out to find you a Void Pack.” He patted his backpack. “Means more storage, and less need to swindle merchants or steal from a world on the brink.”Annibelle had never heard of a “void pack”, but it became clear to her as Phillip dived back into his bag what he really meant. She’d heard of these portable alternate realities, and even used some in her classes - They were perfect for containing cursed or volatile items - but they were rare, often flaunted by the rich as a show of their status, and hardly used with their actual purpose. Anni, however, knew them by a different name -“A Hemlay?” she asked.Phillip groaned, his voice echoing from within the bag. “Oh great, Rathead’s already told you the weird way of saying it.”“I’ve… Only ever heard them called hemlays…” Annibelle replied.“Well, you’re weird,” he said, pulling out a book and quill from his bag. “Not that that’s news, considering the rest of your town.”“Wh-When will Horokai be back?” Anni tried to brush the insult away.Phillip flipped open the book. “Uhhh, I dunno. Two days if we’re lucky, next month if we’re not.”“Um-” Annibelle was confused. Hemlays weren’t that rare, were they? Maybe the bigger ones were, since those were the real ways to flaunt implied wealth, but a small bag was common enough that almost every town had at least one for sale. “Would it really take that long to find a small hemlay?”“Void bag,” Phillip muttered, tapping the page of the book with his quill, now inked. “Sure, a bag’s easy to come by, but Horokai wanted a pack.” He started scrawling on the page. “Yknow, like a uh, backpack or whatever. One of those. And that wasn’t enough.” He paused, turning the page. “She insisted on finding someone who could make you a custom fit.His eyes, still focused on his writing, narrowed. “I, for one, suggested we not waste our time with that,” Phillip rolled his eyes, “but I guess she knows what the hell we’re doing, and she’s got the final say in this stupid thing.” He closed the book and tossed it back in his hemlay. “Whatever. Not MY void pack, and not my guy to hunt.”The last statement struck Annibelle as odd. “Guy to hunt?” She took another bite of her breakfast, hoping for this one to be different, only to be met with disappointment.“Eh, doesn’t really matter.” He stood up. “Considering this world-ending craze, I’d be surprised if the guy’s even alive at this point.”“I- but why… Hunt him?”Phillip sighed, slinging his backpack over his arm. “Look, kid. She knows, I don’t. You don’t. Doesn’t matter.” He started walking towards the tent. “We got camp to clean up and places to be.” He looked back at her over his shoulder, piercing into her soul with his stare. “So don’t waste my time.”Annibelle shut up.

Beyond the campsite, the day was uneventful. Phillip led the way as they traversed the woods, trudging down the winding gravel paths, hoping to stumble across something more substantial than a lone signpost. With every step, Annibelle’s hopes of finding a town drained as the paths waltzed on through the forest, as though someone set them up specifically to spite her.It didn’t help that breakfast was so unsubstantial, and she wasn’t used to so much walking. Her legs ached as much as her stomach, though at least she got much needed rests as Phillip occasionally stopped to take note of another thing in his book, even if only for a minute or two.Unfortunately, the pauses didn’t do anything to help her growing appetite, nor her fear of the startling noises coming from the forest.Every falling rock, every rustled leaf, every gust of wind put Annibelle on-edge. Phillip didn’t seem to pay any mind, and considering his experience, there probably wasn’t anything to be afraid of. She tried her best to set aside her fears.Annibelle had learned something that day. The words “uneventful” and “good” are not mutual.As the sunset began to light the sky with its dreamy mango-like tones, Phillip ordered her to set up camp for the night, and disappeared into the woods. While it was some respite from his worryingly strict silence, and it would’ve been a great opportunity to rest, Annibelle didn’t dare to fail the job by giving in to her exhaustion. At least she knew how to do everything, having taken a survival 25s class before.Phillip returned long before she had finished setting up camp. Good thing the 25s taught her to light the fire first, as he pulled a deer out of his Hemlay and strung it up over the fire without a single comment or complaint. In fact, he helped her finish setting up the tent, though it wasn’t clear if he was staving off boredom while the deer cooked or was frustrated with the fact she hadn’t finished already.The deer was fine. Could have been better if she took the time to prepare it, but Annibelle was too exhausted to push past Phillip, and even if she could, she probably wouldn’t have cooked it much better in her tired state. At least it was a filling meal, and this time, Phillip had got some water for her. It wasn’t much water, but hey, it was something.Once dinner was done, Annibelle headed straight for bed. Her sleeping bag was uncomfortable, but it didn’t matter. She was ready for some much-needed sleep after such a long, grueling day of nothing but walking. Her aching body was grateful, but her mind wasn’t so pleasant tonight. As she fell asleep, yesterday’s nightmares returned in full force with a punch-to-the-gut kind of question her subconscious would dwell on through her dreams.“Is mom okay?”Annibelle knew the answer. She didn’t want to.

Annibelle shot up, woken by a sudden crashing noise. She had just been dreaming of her mother cooking breakfast, and, well, that’s sure what the crashing sounded like - a certain someone screwing up the pots and pans. She glanced around, trying to find the source of the noise. There wasn’t much natural light - it must have only barely been morning by now, if you could even call it that - but she didn’t have the time to really make out her surroundings.Phillip’s hand clasped over her mouth. This startled her, at first for why he would do such a thing, but then for the look on his face. He wasn’t paying attention to her. He wasn’t even looking at her. He pointed vaguely towards the tent flap, but Annibelle couldn’t spot what he was so concerned by. There was nothing but the campfire’s ash pit out there.And then she saw it. A paw. It was hard to see in the darkness, but she slowly adjusted and could barely make out the silhouette of a bear as it lumbered around the campsite, clawing the ground for… something.Phillip silently unsheathed his sword, getting ready to strike the bear, but before he could fully get up and ready, the noises stopped, and the shadow disappeared. He still got up, and with a silent swipe, struck out into the dim campsite. It was a tense few seconds, doused in silence and shadow.It was soon broken by Phillip’s voice as he re-entered the tent. “It’s gone, kid.” Anni let out a sigh of relief as he reached for a small storm lantern. He held it up, flameless, and looked at Annibelle expectantly. “You know magic, right?”“Um… Yeah?” she responded.“You light it, then.”She didn’t know all there was to magic, but even if her survival 25s training hadn’t taught her the basics on starting a fire, she was a sparkmage. All she needed to do was focus a little bit of her electrical powers to create some concentrated heat, and bam; within around fifteen seconds, the lamp lit up the whole room with a flickering, vibrant orange.Phillip headed outside without a word, taking the lamp with him. His silhouette painted the tent flap in a crisp, clear outline. Annibelle got out of her sleeping bag, rubbed her eyes, grabbed her belongings and headed outside after Phillip.The campsite was a wreck, with everything thrown around like an accountant had lost their papers right as the tax collector knocked on their door. The firepit was spread out, the logs they had used as benches were overturned, and the Hemlay was wide open, with clothes, papers, and tools scattered around it. Phillip slowly approached, leaned down, and peered in.After a few seconds, he let out a sigh. “You know, I had a second deer lined up for today’s meals,” he said, gritting his teeth in frustration, “But it looks like that thing’s changed plans for breakfast today.” He stood up and started walking for the tent again. “I hope you know how to hunt, kid.”“I can trap rabbits, sir.” It was a skill she barely remembered by now - and wasn’t sure if she knew the right order of every step - but it was what she did know, and was worth a shot nonetheless.Phillip glared at her as he marched past her to get to the tent. “We’ve got two mouths to feed, kid. Rabbit ain’t gonna cut it.”Anni had no further ideas. “Um… What do we do, then?”Phillip stopped in the tent flap. “Well, there’s a bear with our breakfast out there. Why don’t we go… Persuade him to give it back?”

She should’ve protested. She really should’ve. But the time had come and gone, and they were far too deep into the trail to give up now. It had been, what, fifteen minutes since they started? Phillip was doing a good job of tracking down the bear; at least, based on what little Annibelle remembered on tracking animals, and what little she could see in the rising dawn.But a bear? Really? Sure, it had stolen their food, but why not go after something… safer? Simpler? Another deer, perhaps? Hell, even trapping rabbits would have been easier, even if they needed to trap twenty for the day and even if she didn’t remember how to do it.It was a long shot, but maybe he would still listen?“You know, I think-”Before she could finish her sentence, Phillip shushed her, peering through the bushes. “There it is,” he whispered, gesturing for Annibelle to approach and look for herself. Lo and behold, there it was, chewing away on the deer’s lifeless body.“I’ll deal with him,” Phillip said, standing up. “You cause a distraction if things go south.”“I could-” Annibelle started instinctively saying something, but stopped herself. She didn’t need to complicate the situation any further. Phillip had it under control.But he took notice, crouching back down. “Could what, kid?”“I-” there was no backing down now. “I could kill it, sir,” she said softly, trying not to alert the bear.Phillip’s face said it all: unamused doubt. “Considering your last tussle with one of these, kid… You know what? I’d love to see your best go at it.” He sat back down, expectantly looking at her.Annibelle wasn’t ready for this. She shouldn’t have said anything. It would have been done in a moment had she just let Phillip do his thing. It wasn’t raining, making her plan much harder, but there was at least a cloud in the sky so she wouldn’t completely exhaust herself. It definitely wouldn’t be a pleasant experience either way, but with Phillip breathing down her neck she had to do it.The bear was hardly moving. The cloud was in position. It was time to act. Closing her eyes as to not blind herself, Anni cast herself into the earth and into the sky. She couldn’t see it, but she could sure hear it. The roaring thunder rolled over her like a dust storm on an open field, echoing off the distant hills as she channeled lightning through bear and into the heavens.Or, well, the sounds echoed through her, as Annibelle’s body ached from top to bottom and a painful ringing took over her ears. Maybe that was from the lightning. Maybe the thunder. Maybe from overexerting herself. She had remembered to close her eyes, but her failure to cover her ears and stand back from the blast hurt far more than she first planned.Her head was violently spinning as she opened her eyes. There was some good news; the bear was lying on its side. It was hard to tell if it was truly dead or not, as the movements could be some last pulses through its muscles, a hallucination, or a big problem, but Phillip’s sword being stuck through its head made its fate pretty clear. He stood there, one hand on his hilt, the other on his head as though to keep a migraine at bay.Annibelle lay down, looking at the canopy, waiting for it to stop shifting about so much. “Water,” she said instinctively, not hearing her own voice. Lightning requires something to help it connect with the ground, and the best way is raindrops. On a bad day, though, the human body happens to have more than enough water to conduct such strong electricity, but any caster needs to stay well hydrated after exhausting themselves from a lightning strike, whether successful or not.Phillip obliged, handing her his water bottle. She was able to mutter a quick “thank you” before chugging down as much as she could. Her lack of breakfast and any drink that would come with it compounded her thirst. Once the ringing subsided, the world finished spinning, and her thirst was quenched, Phillip addressed her.“I got two things to tell ya, kid.” He pulled his sword out of the bear and turned towards her. “One, that was pretty damn impressive.” He kneeled down, getting face to face with Annibelle. “Two, don’t you dare do that again so close.”