<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="color: #008040"><div style="text-align: center;">Tessa</div></span></span></span><br/><br/>“We can be Not-Heroes together,” David said, smiling at Tessa. Tessa smiled back with a hint of her defiant attitude in the smile. “It’s funny how she told us to rest and then throws a whole ‘your destiny is to save the universe’ at us. All of this might be kind of fun if it weren’t for the fact that I have no idea what happened to John.” Tessa had no idea who John was. She bit her lip and looked down at her plate of food, she had eaten most of what she had put on there without even realizing it. If she was honest she hadn't even been hungry, but she was tired. It felt like it had been days since she had rested.<br/><br/>“Well we did ask questions.” Tessa said mostly to her food.<br/><br/>David suddenly asked, “Wait, what do you mean ‘this universe?’” She hadn't even caught that, but he made a good point. What did Echo mean by 'this universe'.<br/><br/>“In regards to other planets, Tessa, do not mistake the existence of the Cosmonauts for an indication of an ever-present galactic society. It is true that there are many spacefaring species, a few of them in this universe, but reaching a level of true Galactic dominance is next to impossible. There are many extinction level events that a species must overcome to enter each level of civilization. For example, here in Midgard,” Tessa had heard that term plenty of times, it was the Norse name for the universe that humans lived in, why was Echo using it? “There is only one Type 2 Civilization at the other end of the universe in a galaxy called, Farside, by a very creative astrophysicist named Julia Heart – who was part of the group that updated many of the names we used for the planets and galaxies here in Midgard. They might have changed Midgard to Universe Prime, but many of the other Cosmonauts felt that it placed an importance on this universe over others. Throughout the rest of the universe, including a galaxy relatively close to the Milky Way, there are four Type 1 civilizations. Your own planet, Earth, is currently predicted to become a Type 1 civilization in the next 100 years. Type 3 civilizations are extremely rare and most of them fall before too long. Star Wars actually does a good job of showing how a Type 3 civilization might meet its end.” Tessa's head was spinning, she had no idea what Echo meant by type 1 or 2 or 3 civilizations. Then again Tessa hadn't particular paid much attention in school, which she was suddenly regretting.<br/><br/>“Wait, are you saying we’re in Asgard?” David asked, Asgard the Norse heaven, more or less. It was wear the gods lived anyway.<br/><br/>“I feel that the house is more akin to the giant tree Yggdrasil, which connects all the worlds, but the Vikings felt that this was Asgard. In fact, during the generation dominated by Vikings, the house looked quite different. We’ve kept some of the Norse names, but other Earth civilizations have made their mark as well. To the Greeks, we were Mount Olympus, and to an old civilization your historians haven’t discovered yet, the house was The Great Seed. However, we have taken great pains to stay completely hidden from humans and all forms of life. These cultural stories were created independently from us and the house. We have never had a hand in steering the ideas that humans have about god and the creation of the world. Such things would be against our laws.” Now Tessa's head really was spinning, the science talk had been hard enough to grasp, but add some heavy mythology on top of that, most of the mythology Tessa knew was from books, not true study of the history. The books Tessa enjoyed were fantasy.<br/><br/>“That leads us to our current dilemma,” Echo said after a long pause.“The Laws are under siege. Many have been broken and taken prisoner, bound within a powerful artifact and hidden across the Allworlds. We would protect them, except that we do not know their location, as per the Law of Equal Truths, which prohibited either side from knowing the location of the Laws. In order to maintain the balance, we could not know the location of the Laws without the other side knowing it as well. The Law of Equal Truths was the first to be broken and bound. We have ways of knowing when they go after a Law, but it is usually quite last minute and we must move quickly to protect the law. Sometimes it is something else we must protect, such as a person or a civilization.” The laws were people? Or at least something that could be stolen? Moved.... weren't laws concepts. What laws could Echo be talking about? Who was stealing them? Why were they stealing them? What would happen if Tessa and David failed at protecting the Laws? Why them? What was the Allworlds? Hundreds other questions filled Tessa's mind, but not one of them seemed as important as: when can I go home?<br/><br/>Then David said exactly what Tessa was thinking, “I have too many questions. I’m kind of afraid to ask because I don’t know if I can handle more exposition in my brain.”<br/><br/>“I feel full, of words and food and...” Tessa trailed off, she couldn't bring herself to say fear, not in front of David who she knew so little about. The Caretaker seemed to awaken, as if he had for just a moment been a statue or maybe somewhere else.<br/><br/>“I believe, Echo, that that is enough for both of them tonight. There will be more time to speak with them in the morning. They have had a long dangerous day, and have a lot to digest now, both food and thought.” The Caretaker smiled at them both.<br/><br/>“Then I leave them in your capable hands.” Echo said, and Tessa could have sworn if Echo had a body she was bowing. A sensation that Tessa had felt at the back of her head since she had first stepped into the House diminished, like a headache settling back and starting to lessen. Though the sensation was not truly gone.<br/><br/>“All right, are you both satisfied, for now?” The Caretaker asked, a twinkle in his eye. Tessa nodded and pushed away from the table. She picked up her things, the light backpack that had some school work and other sundry items in it, and her guitar case. The lock still wouldn't set right, she gave up and followed the Caretaker and David out of the dinning area and into the hall they had first came through. “As I mentioned earlier, for now I recommend you do not leave the main hall. There are many doors in the House, and many are not safe. This hall however has always been the residence hall so there shouldn't be anything too dangerous.” He seemed to emphasis too a little too much for Tessa's likeing. Then he started murmuring something under his breath and digging into his pockets, as he stopped in front of a door.<br/><br/>The door was fairly ornately carved, and looked like it may have been from the Victorian era, it had a style that reminded Tessa of art nouveau. Tessa was reaching out to touch the delicate carvings when the Caretaker cleared his throat. “Found your key Miss Green.” He held out a key that fit the era of art Nouveau, with delicate swirls and what looked like a flower set in the handle. “Before you turn the key for a moment think of what you want to be behind that door.”<br/><br/>“Home.” Tessa said firmly. The Caretaker gave her a sad smile.<br/><br/>“It can recreate your bedroom, but this door cannot take you home.” Tessa opened her mouth to ask what he meant by 'this' door, but decided it was a conversation for a different night, she was too tired to fight the man about returning home. A part of her thought 'and you already ate the food you're stuck in the fey lands forever now'. She clamped that thought down and turned to the door, she set the guitar case down, placed her now freed hand on the door, and slid the key into the keyhole.<br/><br/>It took her a full minute to get past the fear that had been ever present since the subway, and then probably two more minutes to have a firm grasp on what she wanted to appear behind the door. When she finally felt satisfied she turned the key and stepped into the room, bringing her guitar case with her.<br/><br/>Tessa had never before been able to say that what she saw was exactly what she expected. Well if she was honest the room was a bit darker than she anticipated, but that was the only thing she could say she hadn't visualized before stepping through the door. That was to say there was a queen sized bed with thick blankets and plenty of pillows, as well as a desk, and several bookshelves full of books. There was a large window with a comfortable looking sitting area in front of it. The window looked out onto the grounds, but it was too dark for Tessa to tell what she would be able to see. There was a fireplace, which seemed mostly to have come to mind because the building seemed like it should have one in the bedroom, and two doors. She knew that one would be a bathroom, with the largest bathtub she had ever seen, and the other door would be a closet. Tessa set her guitar case down on the stand she had imagined for it, and for a moment laughed.<br/><br/>Seventeen years she had dreamed of comfort, but never allowed herself to believe she'd have it. Yes she had been happy in her foster parent's house, but she had shared her room with her foster sister. Tessa couldn't remember a time since she had been five where she had had her own room, let alone have whatever she wanted in said room. It hurt though, sadness sprang through her chest and her laugh turned into a sob. She was thankful she had shut the door, because now she sat on the bed and cried. This place was more than she could have wanted, but it lacked the one thing she had ever really wanted and that was family. David was some stranger, the caretaker was an old man, and Echo was just a voice. One that thankfully seemed to not be watching for the first time since they had entered the House.