text: The next breath, I was back on Avalon. Everyone around me was blinking rapidly.
  
  "Um, Wes?" Breena asked, flying next to me and looking worried. "Do you know what just happened?"
  
  "No," I admitted. Because I didn't even know how to describe what I had just seen.
  
  "All is well," Avalon intoned. "The invasion was successfully repelled by the Lord of Avalon."
  
  "Invasion?" Virtus asked, cocking his skull. "Who attacked us?"
  
  "An unidentified entity unsuccessfully attempted to circumvent the authority of the Lord of Avalon and prevent his most recent Rise."
  
  "What?" My adopted sister's eyes widened. "That can happen?"
  
  "No," Karim said grimly. "It's not meant to be possible by anyone except for the Steward of Avalon. And she can only do it to a Challenger she has appointed herself."
  
  "It's never been done by anyone else, to anyone else," Weylin said, but then he turned his head to where Alum and Virtus were still standing. "But those from another age might know more."
  
  Both ancient warriors shook their heads.
  
  "I've never heard of anyone able to interfere with another's Rise," Alum said firmly. "And until today I couldn't imagine anyone daring to try. Not on an Earthborn."
  
  <The recent attempt appears to be triggered by hidden protocol rather than active participation. Avalon will continue to examine the Lord Challenger for any more destructive protocol concealed in his genetic material.>
  
  <And Avalon will commit to providing more accurate reports to the Lord Challenger regarding the removal of harmful programs,> the computer told me privately, as if in apology.
  
  "Genetic material?" Breena nearly shrieked. "Somebody put a bomb trap in Wes' genes? What the help?"
  
  <Fairy swearing,> I thought. <Gotta love it.>
  
  "Story of my life," I said calmly. "Hasn't stopped me yet, though."
  
  "This is ridiculous," my fairy companion said firmly. "Wes doesn't have time for someone to screw with his brain every time he finds a way to get stronger. We're going to find a way for Stell to get another look at you." She flew higher up. "Guineve!" she shouted. "Somebody tried to blow up Wes' brain! Help me figure out how to beat them up!"
  
  "I'm here, dear," Guineve replied from behind us. I had no idea when she got there. I guess she had decided to wait until everything had calmed down before she said anything. "We'll help you look at him."
  
  "Di-rec-tive!" a little ball of jelly said while quivering in the tall woman's arms. "Look! Heal! Di-rec-tive!"
  
  "Good," Breena harrumphed. "That'll have to do until we can meet up with Stell again."
  
  <Teeth,> I asked internally. <Can Vinclum risk summoning Stell again?>
  
  <I'll check,> the dragon part of my consciousness answered. <He says he can't. But he can still make sure she's safe for now.>
  
  <Thanks for checking,> I said grudgingly, and decided to open my mindscreen before anything else happened.
  
  The number of updates reminded me of that time I had forgotten to check the mail for a couple of days and the mailbox had gotten jammed.
  
  ─ The Challenger has successfully invaded a hostile location and led a small force against a large number of entrenched enemies, inflicting a large number of casualties while evading detection or suffering no casualties of his own. The Challenger has taken another step on the Path of War. The Challenger will now gain an additional rank in a combat skill of his choice. This is cumulative to the bonus granted previously.
  
  ─ The Challenger has gained two ranks in Mass Combat.
  
  ─ The Challenger has gained one rank in Wilderness Survival.
  
  ─ The Challenger has negotiated and received surrender from an alien race previously believed to be extinct. The Challenger has also successfully implemented contingencies prepared for the alien leader's eventual betrayal. The Challenger has taken another step along the Path of Kings. The Challenger will receive one free rank per Rise in a leadership skill of his choice.
  
  ─ The Challenger has gained one rank of Speechcraft.
  
  ─ The Challenger has gained one rank of Reading Intent.
  
  ─ The Challenger has successfully countered an enemy ambush with an ambush of his own, inflicting total losses upon his enemies while avoiding permanent losses of his own. The Challenger has taken an additional step along the Path of War. The Challenger will receive one free rank per Rise in Mass Combat or another warfare-related skill of his choice.
  
  ─ By completely eliminating a numerically superior hostile force invading his territory without losses for the third time in a row, the Challenger has acquired the ability to choose War as his primary Art. The Challenger will now find it easier to increase weapon and war-related skills over time. This benefit is cumulative with any granted by the Path of War. It should be noted that the Challenger is still unable to select a primary Science.
  
  "Wes, are you done reading those?" Breena asked, flying next to me.
  
  "Ow," I said with a blink. "And no." I sucked in a breath and kept reading.
  
  ─ The Challenger has successfully integrated his enemy's civilization into his own territory. The Challenger has taken another step along the Path of Kings. The Challenger's skills at administration and Speechcraft all receive a slight bonus. This bonus also applies to anyone the Challenger delegates to serve in these same fields.
  
  ─ The Challenger has successfully used magic to defeat an elder member of a forgotten race in single combat. The Challenger has taken another step along the Path of the Archmage. The Challenger will now receive a free rank per Rise in the magic primarily responsible for defeating his opponent.
  
  ─ The Challenger has gained two ranks in the Ideal of Blood.
  
  ─ The Challenger has successfully absorbed a large degree of nutrients and mental power from an elder race. The Challenger has gained five points of Strength, ten points of Constitution, five points of Dexterity, and ten points of Intelligence.
  
  I would have felt better about those gains if I hadn't drunk a woman to gain them.
  
  ─ The Challenger's blood has also gained the ability to slowly counteract poisons, increasing his resistance to toxins as well as allowing him to slowly expel poisons from his body over time. The Challenger's blood may also be used as a component for certain potions.
  
  ─ The Challenger has absorbed knowledge in the following skills: Chemistry, Alchemy, Herbalism, Wilderness Survival, Stealth, and Unarmed Combat. Skill ranks have increased accordingly.
  
  Those were big gains, I realized, calling up those skills from memory. This time I reminded myself that I only drank that crazy witch because she tried to drink me first.
  
  ─ The new nutrients have also assisted in the awakening of the Challenger's already stirring bloodline. Combined with completing the associated Rite, the Challenger has fully awakened his Elder Woadfolk Ancestry. Elder Woadfolk have not undergone the diminishment of their descendants, and are therefore more powerful, fully retaining strong, healthy bodies and their innate awareness. They receive an additional point per Rise to their Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom, as well as a free skill point per Rise in either Spear use, Axe use, Bow use, wood-based crafting, or wilderness survival-related skills. They also have the potential to develop Water and Earth magic if they so choose, and are more likely to have increased comprehension in those two Ideals. These benefits are retroactive. Elder Woadfolk are also capable of binding with a Woadfather tree and receiving tattoos based on the connection with that particular tree.
  
  ─ The Challenger has chosen to bind with a Kingtree Woadfather Monarch. Acquiring a royal tree has resulted in advancing his profession to the rank of Baron. The Challenger can now recognize leaders and nobles from foreign cultures more easily. The Challenger further gains +5 to Charisma as a one-time bonus.
  
  "Ow," I said, finally reading everything.
  
  "Oh no," Breena said, flying in front of me. "You didn't grow too fast again, did you, Wes? Are you having trouble breathing? Does your heart feel okay? Any blood coming out of your eyes or ears? Do you smell toast?"
  
  "No, and that last one's a myth anyway," I groaned, wondering where Breena had even heard of it. "It was just a lot of information."
  
  "Looks like you've gotten pretty good gains though," Breena said. "Let me check your status… wow. Holy heck, Wes, have you had a chance to look at this yet?"
  
  "I'm kind of afraid to read any more updates," I admitted.
  
  "No really," Breena insisted. "This is the kind of insane growth you need to have, since someone's apparently throwing Icons at you. And stuck some worse things down below." Breena shuddered. "That Keeper fight could have gone much worse if she had been in her best shape. I know I've complained a whole lot about your growth, but the truth is you keep running into things that would have overwhelmed a normal Challenger at your number of Rises."
  
  "I thought you didn't know that much about the Keepers?" I asked, confused.
  
  "Virtus knew a lot more than me, so I was content to let him talk. I only really tried to prepare you for the meeting at the end with the queen. And I failed. Because she was a hussy," my bonded familiar hissed, and then suddenly cleared her throat. "Ahem, bad cough again, sorry. But anyway, I had failed to anticipate certain unacceptable behavior from her and for that I apologize. Good job handling that, by the way, although maybe hugging her to death was unnecessary."
  
  "Live and learn," I said dryly. She glared at me.
  
  "Aaanyway, let's go ahead and open up your status."
  
  "Okay, fine." I gave up and braced myself for one more message popping into my brain. Breena nodded in satisfaction as her eyes went up and down.
  
  "Hmm, okay, good, good… wait." She blinked. "Lemmee check your Risen level again… okay, yeah, that's overpowered… all of it, in fact. Okay, then," she muttered to herself. "Cheat to win. Let's just roll with it. And no headaches or comas this time, right, Wes?"
  
  "No, actually," I answered carefully. "I think I might actually be getting used to all the rampaging power and new bloodlines I keep getting jacked up with."
  
  "Good," she sniffed. "I'm just going to assume that you're going to get one from each world, and not panic when it happens. That way you'll be better prepared and I won't stress so much. Everybody wins."
  
  She made a handful of suggestions, and then we looked over the final result.
  
  ─ Name: Wes Malcolm
  
  ─ Origin: Earthborn (Dusk Era), Avalonian (Challenger), Woadfolk (Elder). Other bloodlines unknown
  
  ─ Rise Level: 15th Rise (Candle)
  
  ─ Saga: Unconquered Hero
  
  ─ Act 2: Unbowed Bones. +5 Con, Will, Str. General resistance to crushing damage and pressure-based attacks
  
  ─ Strength: 206
  
  ─ Dexterity: 190
  
  ─ Constitution: 209
  
  ─ Intelligence: 188
  
  ─ Wisdom: 187
  
  ─ Charisma: 192
  
  ─ Speed: 224
  
  ─ Deftness: 220
  
  ─ Wits: 191
  
  ─ Will: 235
  
  ─ Paths: War, Kings, Archmage
  
  ─ Skills (averaged): Weapons (16), Ideal Magic (16), Saga Magic (9) Misc Skills (9)
  
  ─ Profession: Leader (Rank: Noble)
  
  ─ Art: War (Newly Gained)
  
  ─ Science: Forming
  
  ─ Craft: Forming
  
  My bonus Rise points helped make sure my Intelligence didn't lag behind, and by now I was getting enough bonus skill points to make sure my combat and magic skills kept up.
  
  "And before I forget." Breena flew back toward the Kingtree. "Do you still have it?" she asked the new sapling.
  
  "Much of it has been requisitioned by Avalon for direct use, but the remainder should be more than sufficient to augment the traveler," the tree said with a rustling of leaves. "Please bring a container to store the remaining Woadsap."
  
  I took out my sword handle as another closed flower bulb was lifted towards my direction. This one was much bigger than the one Breena had come out of, as I came closer, it cautiously opened up, pouring Woadsap right into my magical storage space.
  
  "Wow," Breena said. "That's a whole lot for personal use. I don't think even the Gaelguard used that much for their full tattoos."
  
  "We'll have to figure out the best use for it," I answered.
  
  "It's best to use at least some of it for yourself," Breena answered. "It will actually strengthen the Kingtree if you cement your bond to it with a Woad tattoo. You'll constantly draw a bit of excess energy from each other, which will actually help you Rise faster. It will also give you some of the benefits the other Gaelguard have, like better regeneration and a healthier body. And it will be able to grow faster and make use of your own talents."
  
  Well, that was too good to pass up. I wasn't sure my body could take any further augments, especially my Constitution and Strength, but I'd let Breena show me how to risk it.
  
  "Alright, then I guess we talk to the Gaelguard and have one of them ink me with this stuff?"
  
  "No," Alum said, walking over. "I am sorry, my lord. But none of us are strong enough to bind you to a tree as powerful as this. It takes a strong Gaelguard to make use of a Monarch's sap, and our chiefs were all slain when Avalon was invaded. We could only bind you to one of the normal Woadfathers, and they would not be ideal, given you already have a connection with this tree."
  
  "Okay," I shrugged. "Was worth checking out though."
  
  Again, I had already received a plethora of benefits.
  
  "There's one left," Breena said suddenly. "Merada. Stell's Satellite on the Woadlands. She could do it." She fluttered between me and the tree, staring at us both. "She's the youngest of Stell's Satellites, but she was also created from ancient Woadfolk genes. She's been a Gaelguard for a couple centuries, and she's studied to try and keep the tradition alive."
  
  "Great," I replied. "I guess I'll just keep these gallons of Woadsap in my storage space then. Speaking of which," I asked, looking around at the remaining mist, "Avalon, upon completing the Rite, do we have access to any of the Pathways now?"
  
  "Confirming that completion of the Rite will result in reactivating the ancient Pathway to the Woadlands. Request a short period of time to prepare sufficient energy to safely activate the Pathway."
  
  "Fantastic," I replied. "Our main mission is accomplished then."
  
  Which means I had to time to make sure the newly resurrected Gaelguard and their magic forest could integrate well with my community.
  
  I gave one last look at the Kingtree, at the sack of sap hidden in it that supposedly had my blood, and realized how tired I was. Then I remembered what had happened the last time I had scheduled so many crazy missions right after the other.
  
  "Let's go ahead and take a rest, and save everything else for tomorrow," I finally said.
  
  I shouldn't have been surprised when my team let out a tired, ragged cheer.