Jimmy’s eyes drifted to the bookshelf, its rows crammed with thick, leather-bound tomes that practically oozed mystery. Lyra hovered nearby, running her fingers along the spines like she was trying to soak in the knowledge by touch alone. Every now and then, she tilted her head to squint at the faded titles, mumbling something under her breath.


    Across the room, Garrick and Elise were locked in a low, murmured conversation. Whatever they were discussing, it had that heavy, personal edge Jimmy knew better than to interrupt. The warmth of the cabin wrapped around him like a heavy blanket, soothing, even tempting. If only they could stay here. But that wasn’t an option. Not really.


    They needed to hit the Settlement. They needed to find five dungeons. The map was huge, and deep down, Jimmy hoped other players were out there pulling their weight. Time wasn’t on their side. This was the first major land of the first zone, and the clock was ticking.


    He sighed, the thought nagging at the back of his mind. When was the last time I trained? It had been days since he’d done anything that could pass as exercise, which meant he’d left valuable growth points on the table.


    Shit.


    Before Jimmy could dwell on it too long, Garrick spoke, cutting through the cabin’s cozy quiet like a blade.


    “There was someone with us. Rowan. My brother.” His tone was flat, but the weight of it pulled everyone’s attention. “Second day here… he just disappeared.”


    Jimmy turned, his gaze snapping to Garrick.


    “Disappeared?” Vaughn’s voice came from the corner, light but curious. He shifted in his chair, watching Garrick closely.


    Garrick nodded once, the motion sharp. “One night he was there. Next morning, gone. No sign of a fight, no footprints in the snow. Just his pack sitting there like he was planning to come back.”


    Vaughn stood, the legs of his chair scraping against the floor. He walked to the window, pushing the curtain aside to peer out at the snow-covered world beyond. For a moment, he said nothing, then, “Was he special? Good at something?”


    “Special?” Garrick frowned. “He was quick. Smart. He picked up on the System faster than the rest of us.”


    Vaughn’s lips curled into a faint smile, though his back was still to them. “Quick, smart, and System-savvy. Sounds like the kind of person certain factions might take an interest in.”


    “You mean the Fractured Court?” Jimmy asked.


    Vaughn let the curtain fall back into place and turned to face them, leaning casually against the wall. “Maybe. They’re not exactly known for polite recruitment.”


    “Is he dead?” Elise’s voice trembled.


    “No.” Vaughn’s reply came swiftly, without hesitation. “The Fractured Court doesn’t kill—not unless they have to. They recruit. Manipulate. It’s more likely he’s being held somewhere. <mark>Rowan’s</mark> alive.”


    Lyra’s eyes lit up with hope. “Then we have to find him!”


    Jimmy sighed, his mind already spinning through the possibilities. “We don’t have any leads. Maybe the Settlement’s a good place to start. If there’s any information to be had, we’ll find it there.”


    “Smart move,” Vaughn interjected, his voice calm but firm. “But not tonight. Stay here. Rest. This place is safe, and I’ve got more to tell you before you head out.”


    Jimmy glanced at Garrick, who nodded slowly. Elise stayed quiet, her lips pressed into a thin line, while Lyra gave a faint smile of relief.


    “Alright,” Jimmy said finally. “One night.”


    ~~


    The table was quiet except for the clink of spoons against bowls and the occasional satisfied sigh. Steam rose from their plates, filling the air with a rich, hearty aroma that almost made Jimmy forget they were on a frozen <mark>deathworld</mark>.


    He took another bite, savoring the perfectly seasoned broth. “Alright, credit where it’s due. The System’s food here is leagues better than what I had in the mini-lands. This actually tastes like it came from a five-star kitchen.”


    Lyra grinned, holding up her nearly-empty bowl. “Right? I mean, it’s still weird, but I could live off this.”


    “Better than live off you,” Vaughn chimed in, smirking into his mug. “Which is what some of those other travelers are doing, by the way. Just saying.”


    Lyra’s face twisted. “Gross.”


    “True, though,” Vaughn added, leaning back. “Not everyone gets to stumble into a fancy dinner. You’re lucky.”


    Jimmy ignored him, setting his bowl down and glancing at the Thorn family’s gear. He hadn’t seen what they used in the mini-lands, but it didn’t take a genius to spot the difference between their current equipment and the standard System handouts.


    Lyra tapped the glowing pendant around her neck, the soft light casting faint patterns on the table. “This was in the essence shop as soon as we hit <mark>Vinterra</mark>. It’s supposed to boost light-based healing by fifteen percent.”


    “That’s solid,” Jimmy said, leaning in to get a closer look. “Let me guess—high cost?”You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    “Seventeen hundred essence,” she said, wincing. “But it was worth it.”


    Elise rolled back the sleeve of her tunic, revealing a sleek bracer etched with intricate wind runes. “This was eighteen hundred. Ten percent boost to agility and reflexes.”


    “Fancy,” Jimmy said. “What about you, Garrick?”


    The big man lifted his <mark>axe</mark>, the polished blade glinting in the soft light. “Cost me two thousand. Enhanced strength and frost resistance.”


    Jimmy let out a low whistle. “Alright, I’ll give it to you—these are next-level compared to mini-land stuff. Looks like the System really cranked up the quality in major lands.”


    “That’s the <mark>tradeoff</mark>,” Garrick said, his voice gruff. “Better gear for bigger risks.”


    “Bigger monsters, too,” Jimmy added. He gestured to his own outfit—the winter gear he’d snagged after his first fight on <mark>Vinterra</mark>. “I had to bleed for mine. No shop offerings yet.”


    “You’ll get there,” Vaughn said lazily, sipping his chocolate. “Assuming you don’t get crushed first.”


    Elise raised an eyebrow. “What’s your gear like, then?”


    Vaughn’s grin widened. “Oh, sweetheart, I don’t do gear. Grade C doesn’t need shiny toys. I get by on charm and talent.”


    “That explains the mug,” Lyra muttered, earning a snort from Jimmy.


    The conversation settled for a moment as they returned to their food. Jimmy took another bite, letting the warmth fill him before breaking the silence again. “Alright, let’s talk stats. Levels, cores, the works.”


    Garrick glanced at Lyra, then back at Jimmy. “Level 17. Tier 3. Strength and Vitality. The usual tank setup.”


    Jimmy nodded. “Checks out.”


    Elise folded her arms, her tone steady but firm. “Level 15. Tier 2. Agility and Dexterity.”


    Jimmy raised an eyebrow. “Makes sense why you’re hitting the mark every time.”


    Lyra hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Level 12. Tier 1. I’m… kind of all over the place. Mostly healing.”


    “You’re support,” Jimmy said. “Every team needs one.”


    She smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “What about you?”


    “Level 23,” Jimmy said, keeping his voice even. “Tier 9.”


    Garrick leaned forward slightly. “Advanced Path, right? Figures. How the hell did you hit Tier 9?”


    Jimmy shrugged. “It’s not the Advanced Path. Not really. I’m just… good at it. The Core’s energy—how it moves, how it shifts—it feels natural to me. Like tuning a radio to the right frequency.”


    Elise frowned, her skepticism obvious. “That’s it? You just feel your way through it?”


    Jimmy didn’t flinch. “Pretty much. The System doesn’t do the work for you. You’ve gotta figure out what your Core needs and push it past its limits.”


    Lyra’s eyes widened. “Is that why you’re so far ahead? You’re, like, Core-attuned or something?”


    Jimmy smirked faintly. “If that’s what you want to call it.”


    “Core attuned,” Vaughn muttered, his grin sharpening as he swirled his mug. “Now that’s an interesting way to put it.”


    Jimmy raised an eyebrow. “What’s interesting about it?”


    “You’d be surprised how many people don’t get it,” Vaughn said, leaning back. “Most folks treat their Core like a fancy piece of armor or a new toy. They don’t think about the energy—how it moves, what it wants. Hell, most of them don’t even know it has wants.”


    Elise’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean, ‘has wants’?”


    Vaughn tapped his mug against the table, his grin widening. “Every Core’s got a little life in it, even if most people never notice. It’s subtle, quiet, but it’s there. And if you’re Core-attuned, you’re not just listening to it—you’re working with it. That’s what sets people like Holloway apart.”


    Lyra tilted her head, curiosity lighting up her expression. “So, like, could someone… train to be Core-attuned?”


    Vaughn chuckled. “Sure. If they’ve got a couple of lifetimes to spare. But real <mark>Core-attunement</mark>? That’s rare. You either have it, or you don’t.”


    Jimmy stayed quiet, his mind drifting to his own experiences. The way his Core felt alive beneath the surface, the way it guided him in subtle, instinctive ways—it made sense. But he wasn’t about to lay all his cards on the table. Not here. Not yet.


    “What about anomalies?” Vaughn asked suddenly, his tone sharper. “Ever feel something in your Core that didn’t belong? Something… different?”


    Jimmy froze for half a second, masking it with a sip of water. “No,” he lied smoothly. “Nothing like that.”


    Vaughn watched him closely, his grin fading slightly. “Huh. Lucky you. Some people get anomalies in their Core—bits of energy that don’t fit. Usually, it means trouble.”


    Jimmy shrugged, keeping his expression neutral. “Sounds like something to avoid.”


    “Definitely,” Vaughn said, his gaze lingering on Jimmy for a moment too long. Then he leaned back, his grin returning. “But you seem like the lucky type, Holloway. No need to worry about anomalies, right?”


    “Right,” Jimmy said evenly.


    The table fell quiet for a moment, the faint hum of Vaughn’s magical cabin filling the space. Lyra fidgeted with her pendant, her curiosity still evident, while Garrick and Elise exchanged glances.


    “Well,” Vaughn said, breaking the silence, “at least now I know why you’ve made it this far. Core-attuned, Advanced Path, Tier 9—it all adds up. Just don’t get cocky, kid. <mark>Vinterra</mark> eats cocky for breakfast.”


    Jimmy didn’t respond. He wasn’t cocky—just cautious. And as much as Vaughn liked to talk, there were some things Jimmy wasn’t ready to share.


    Not yet.


    ~~~~


    The morning hit sharp and cold. Inside the cabin, though, it was still warm—quiet too, except for the shuffle of boots and the occasional clink of gear being packed. Garrick and Elise were doing final checks on their gear, while Lyra was still by the bookshelf, running her fingers over the spines of books she had no time to read.


    “Alright,” Vaughn said from the door, leaning against the frame like he had all the time in the world. “Guess this is goodbye. Don’t make it dramatic.”


    Jimmy glanced over, his brow furrowing. “You sound relieved.”


    “Not at all,” Vaughn shot back with a grin. “I just like seeing what happens when rookies take their first big step into the mess out there.”


    As the Thorn family shuffled toward the door, Vaughn reached into his pocket. “Hold up, Holloway.”


    Jimmy paused, watching as Vaughn pulled out a coin and tossed it his way. Jimmy caught it without thinking. The metal felt heavier than it looked, cold to the touch. One side gleamed with a sunburst; the other, a crescent moon.


    “What’s this?” Jimmy asked, holding it up.


    “Invitation,” Vaughn said. “To an auction. The kind where people like you can find things they didn’t even know they needed. Relics. Knowledge. Power. Stuff that changes the game.”


    Elise frowned. “And what’s the price tag?”


    Vaughn smirked. “The coin gets you in. After that? Depends on how deep your pockets are.”


    Jimmy turned the coin over in his hand, something unreadable flickering across his face. “Why give it to me?”


    “Because I’m curious,” Vaughn said simply. “And maybe I like giving underdogs a fighting chance. Plus, it’ll make things more fun when we cross paths again.”


    Lyra stepped closer, her eyes darting to the coin. “Do these auctions happen a lot?”


    “Not really,” Vaughn replied. “Which is why you shouldn’t waste it. Lose that coin, and you’re out.”


    Jimmy slipped it into his pocket. “Thanks. I think.”


    Vaughn’s grin widened. “You’ll thank me later. Or curse me. Either way, it’ll be entertaining.”


    With that, he stepped aside, holding the door open. “Go on. Don’t let me keep you.”


    The Thorn family moved out first, Garrick giving Vaughn a wary glance as he passed. Jimmy lingered in the doorway for a second, meeting Vaughn’s eyes.


    “We’ll see each other again,” Jimmy said.


    “Count on it,” Vaughn replied, his grin sharp. “And Holloway—don’t lose the coin.”


    Jimmy didn’t respond, turning away as the snow crunched under their boots. The warmth of the cabin faded behind them as they stepped into the frozen wilderness, their path ahead still unclear but pulling them forward all the same.