The gates of Maple's Blaze were made of thick ironwood reinforced with metal bands. Two guards stood watch, both wearing leather armor that looked far more functional than anything Raven had seen in Queen's. They eyed the approaching group with practiced suspicion until Effel called out.
"It's me! Effel Thornheart! I'm back!"
The guards' expressions transformed immediately. One of them, a broad-shouldered woman with a scar across her cheek, rushed forward.
"Effel! Your parents have been beside themselves with worry. And who are these Strangers with you?"
"They saved my life and Finn's," Effel said simply. "They're under my protection."
The guard's demeanor shifted slightly, becoming more respectful. "Then they're welcome. Go on through."
The gates swung open, and the moment Raven stepped through, a notification blazed across his vision.
---
[ACTIVE SETTLEMENT DETECTED: MAPLE'S BLAZE]
[POPULATION: 2,487]
[NOTE: SETTLEMENT FUNCTIONS AS SAFE ZONE FROM MONSTER ATTACKS]
---
"Did you see that?" Axel muttered quietly.
"Settlement notification," Ava confirmed, equally quiet. "Safe from monsters at least."
Effel glanced at them curiously but said nothing about their strange behavior. She was probably getting used to Strangers staring at invisible screens.
The streets were paved with smooth stone, worn by countless footsteps over what must have been decades or longer. Buildings lined both sides, mostly two or three stories tall, made of wood and stone that looked solid and permanent. Shop signs hung above doorways, hand-painted and weathered. A blacksmith's hammer. A mortar and pestle for an alchemist. A needle and thread for a tailor.
People filled the streets, and Raven could immediately tell the difference between natives and Strangers. The natives wore practical clothing that showed signs of use and repair. They walked with purpose, greeting each other by name, moving through the settlement like it was second nature. The Strangers wore the same basic clothes they'd arrived in from Earth, often dirty and torn. They clustered together in small groups, speaking in hushed voices, their eyes wide as they took in everything around them.
"This way," Effel said, leading them deeper into the settlement.
As they walked, Raven heard fragments of conversation from groups of Strangers.
"...logged out last night for six hours. Slept in my own bed back in Manchester..."
"...safe zones are the best, mate. You can just disconnect whenever..."
"...found a Grade 2 sword in the marketplace for fifty gold. That's five thousand pounds! Completely insane..."
The Eternal Flame Tree grew larger as they approached the settlement's center. Up close, it was even more magnificent. The trunk was easily fifty feet in diameter, its bark a deep red-brown that seemed to pulse with inner warmth. Flames danced along its branches, somehow burning without consuming the wood. The fire cast dancing shadows and golden light across everything, making the entire central plaza feel warm and alive.
"We're going to see Settlement Leader Magnus," Effel explained. "He'll want to know about the armored bear attack, and he'll need to register you as temporary residents if you want to conduct business here."
They crossed the plaza toward the largest building, a three-story structure built directly against the Eternal Flame Tree's trunk. Guards stood at the entrance, but they nodded respectfully to Effel and let them pass.
Inside, the building was surprisingly cozy. The walls were lined with bookshelves and maps. A large desk dominated the center of the room, covered in papers and documents. Behind the desk sat a man who could only be Magnus.
He was older, maybe fifty, with iron-gray hair and a beard to match. His frame was still powerful despite his age, and his eyes were sharp as he looked up from his work. When he saw Effel, relief flooded his features.
"Effel Thornheart. Your parents reported you missing two days ago." His voice was deep and carried natural authority. "I take it these Strangers are responsible for your safe return?"
"They saved my life, Settlement Leader," Effel said formally. "An armored bear attacked us in the crystal forest. They fought it off and brought Finn and me home safely."
Magnus's gaze swept over Raven, Ava, and Axel, assessing them with the practiced eye of someone who'd seen countless fighters. "An armored bear. Those are Rank 1 Mid-tier monsters. Not easy prey, especially for newly arrived Strangers." He leaned back in his chair. "What are your names and ranks?"
"I'm Raven. This is Ava and Axel. We're all Rank A," Raven said, using the lie he'd established. He saw no reason to reveal his true EX rank here.
"Three A-ranks traveling together. Smart. Many of your people try to solo hunt and end up dead." Magnus pulled out a ledger and began writing. "I'm registering you as temporary residents under Effel's sponsorship. This allows you to conduct business, use the marketplace, and access basic services. You'll need to follow our laws while here. No theft, no violence within the settlement walls, no exploitation of the local population. Break these rules and you'll be expelled. Repeat offenses result in permanent exile. Understood?"
"Understood," they said in unison.
"Good." Magnus closed the ledger. "Effel, your family will want to see you. Take your saviors with you. I assume you intend to compensate them for their service?"
"Of course, Settlement Leader."
Magnus nodded and returned to his paperwork, already dismissing them from his attention. They filed out of the building.
"He's intense," Axel muttered once they were outside.
"He's fair," Effel corrected. "And strong. SS-rank Flame Emperor. He's kept this settlement safe for thirty years. You don't do that by being soft."
SS-rank. The number still boggled Raven's mind. Even his hidden EX rank might not measure up to someone with that much experience.
Effel led them through winding streets to a residential area where the buildings were slightly smaller but well-maintained. She stopped at a two-story home with flower boxes in the windows and knocked on the door.
It flew open before her knuckles had finished the second knock.
"EFFEL!"
A woman who could only be Effel's mother pulled her into a crushing embrace. She looked like an older version of her daughter, same dark hair though streaked with gray, same determined jawline. Tears streamed down her face as she held Effel tight.
"Two days! Two days you were gone! We thought... oh gods, we thought..."
"I'm okay, Mother. I'm okay. These people saved me."
Effel's mother released her daughter and turned to look at Raven, Ava, and Axel. Her eyes were red from crying but her gaze was sharp. "You brought my daughter home?"
"Yes, ma'am," Raven said.
Before he could say anything else, he found himself pulled into a hug nearly as crushing as the one Effel had received. "Thank you. Thank you. I don't know what we would have done if..."
A man appeared in the doorway, tall and broad-shouldered with arms that suggested he worked with his hands. Effel's father. He took in the scene and his eyes misted over before he cleared his throat gruffly.
"Inside. All of you. Now."
It wasn't a request. They were ushered into the home, which was warm and filled with the smell of cooking food. The living area was modest but comfortable, with worn furniture that spoke of years of use.
"You'll stay for dinner," Effel's mother declared. "I won't hear any argument."
"Mother, they need to conduct their business and return to their own world," Effel protested.
"After dinner," her mother said firmly. "They saved my children. The least we can do is feed them properly."
Raven opened his mouth to politely decline, caught Effel's expression that clearly said 'don't bother arguing,' and closed it again. "We'd be honored."
The dinner that followed was simultaneously heartwarming and awkward. Effel's parents peppered them with questions about the rescue, about Earth (which completely baffled them), about their plans. Finn ate quietly but kept smiling at them. Effel looked embarrassed but grateful.
When they finally managed to extract themselves with promises to visit again, Effel's mother pressed a heavy coin purse into Raven's hands.
"Ten gold coins," she said firmly. "It's not enough for what you did, but it's what we can spare."
Ten gold coins. One thousand pounds. Raven's hands trembled slightly as he accepted the purse. "Thank you. This is more than generous."
"It's the bare minimum," Effel's father said gruffly. "You brought our children home alive. That's priceless."
They said their goodbyes, Effel walking with them back toward the marketplace. The sun was setting, casting the settlement in shades of orange and gold mixed with the Eternal Flame Tree's glow.
"Thank you," Effel said quietly. "For everything. For saving us, for being patient with my parents, for not laughing when my mother cried all over you."
"It was our pleasure," Raven said honestly. "Your family is wonderful."
Effel smiled, and there was something warm in her expression as she looked at him. "If you come back this way, look me up. I meant what I said about brewing you better potions. Grade 3 healing potions at cost. It's the least I can do."
"We'll remember that," Ava said, her voice perhaps a touch cooler than necessary.
They parted ways at the marketplace, Effel heading home and Raven's group moving into the bustling evening market.
The marketplace was a sprawling affair of permanent shops and temporary stalls. Lanterns hung everywhere, creating pools of warm light. Vendors called out their wares, natives and Strangers alike browsing and haggling.
"Let's find someone who buys monster parts," Axel suggested. "We need to liquidate our inventory."
They found a shop called "Grimshaw's Acquisitions" that advertised buying and selling monster materials. The proprietor was a thin man with spectacles who examined their goods with practiced efficiency.
"Armored Bear Pelt, Grade 1. Good condition. I'll give you fifteen gold for it."
Raven nodded, watching as the man continued his assessment.
"Bear Fangs, Grade 1. Three of them. Five gold total."
"The monster core?" Raven asked.
The man's eyes lit up. "Ah. Now that's valuable. Grade 1 Armored Bear core. I'll give you thirty-five gold for it."
They also laid out the Stone Wolf materials. The merchant examined each piece carefully.
"Stone Wolf Pelt, Grade 1. Ten gold. Stone Wolf teeth, Grade 1, two pieces. Four gold total. And the Stone Wolf core..." He held it up to the light. "Grade 1. Twenty gold."
Raven did the math quickly in his head. Fifteen plus five plus thirty-five was fifty-five. Add ten, four, and twenty for the wolf materials. That was eighty-nine gold total. Plus the ten from Effel's parents made ninety-nine.
"Deal," Raven said.
The merchant counted out the coins carefully. Raven divided them on the spot, thirty-three gold coins to each of them.
"Thirty-three each," he said, handing the coins to Ava and Axel. "Fair split."
As the coins touched his palm, a notification blazed across Raven's vision.
---
[CONGRATULATIONS!]
[YOU ARE AMONG THE FIRST 50,097 TESTERS TO COMPLETE A TRADE IN THE REALM]
[REWARD: PORTFOLIO SYSTEM UNLOCKED]
[REWARD DISTRIBUTION: PENDING]
[NEW TAB AVAILABLE: PORTFOLIO]
---
Raven blinked and pulled up the new tab. A screen appeared showing his current balance.
---
[PORTFOLIO]
NAME: AVARICE (RAVEN HAYES)
CURRENT BALANCE: 33 GOLD COINS
CONVERSION RATE: 1 GOLD = 100 BRISTOL POUNDS
TOTAL VALUE: £3,300
[NOTE: FUNDS CANNOT BE WITHDRAWN AT ANY TIME]
[WITHDRAWAL RESTRICTIONS APPLY - CHECK LOCAL REGULATIONS]
---
Raven stared at the screen, his mind racing. Thirty-three gold coins. Three thousand, three hundred pounds. Real money. Money that could change everything.
But the note about withdrawal restrictions worried him. What did that mean? When could they actually access this money?
He pushed the thoughts aside for now. They were still in the marketplace, and drawing attention to invisible screens wouldn't help.
They wandered through the stalls for a while, looking at the goods available. Grade 2 weapons went for fifty to one hundred gold depending on quality. Grade 3 weapons started at two hundred gold. Armor followed similar pricing. Skill books were expensive, with even Grade 1 skills costing thirty gold or more.
"We should head back," Raven said finally. "We've done what we came for. Made good money, got information, and everyone's safe."
They made their way back toward where they'd first entered the settlement, passing groups of Strangers who were clearly settling in for the night. The settlement had inns, and some awakened were choosing to stay here rather than logging out.
They found a quiet corner near the settlement gates, away from prying eyes. The evening crowd had thinned, most people either inside eating dinner or heading to whatever lodging they'd secured.
"Ready?" Raven asked.
"One hell of a first day," Axel said with a grin. "We killed monsters, saved lives, and made some serious money. Not bad."
"Not bad at all," Ava agreed, though she glanced back toward where Effel's home was, her expression unreadable.
They stood in a small circle, just as they had when first entering this realm. It felt like weeks had passed since then, though it had only been hours.
"On three?" Raven suggested.
"One," Ava said.
"Two," Axel added.
"Three," Raven finished.
"Gate," they said together.
The golden light erupted around them, that same pulling sensation as reality shifted. The crystal forest, the settlement, the Eternal Flame Tree, all of it faded away like a dream dissolving in morning light.
When the light cleared, they were standing in the playground where they'd first awakened. The same oak tree. The same grass. The same Queen's they'd left behind.
But everything felt different.
The sky above was normal, no impossible rings or tears in reality. The distant sounds of the city had returned to something approaching normal, though sirens still wailed occasionally. People moved through the streets, but there was a new wariness to them, a caution that hadn't existed before.
"We're back," Ava said softly.
Raven pulled out his phone and checked the time. According to his phone, only three hours had passed since they'd left. Three hours in Queen's, but it felt like an entire day in the realm.
"Time dilation," Axel observed. "Or something. That's going to take getting used to."
Raven took a breath. This was the moment. "Guys, there's something I need to tell you. Something big."
They turned to him, curious.
"When we sold our goods, I got a notification. I unlocked something called a Portfolio system." He described what he'd seen. "It tracks our gold coins and converts them to pounds. One gold equals one hundred pounds. Thirty-three gold is three thousand, three hundred pounds. Each."
The silence that followed was profound.
"You're joking," Ava breathed.
"I'm not. Check your own systems. You should have it too since we were all part of the trade."
They both went still, clearly checking their own notifications. Ava's eyes went wide. Axel made a choked sound.
"Three thousand, three hundred pounds," Axel said, his voice shaking. "Real money."
Ava covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes were shining, and Raven could see her doing the same calculations he'd done. Rent. Food. Bills. Security. Things that had been constant sources of stress for all of them, suddenly within reach.
"But it says funds cannot be withdrawn at any time," Ava said, her voice uncertain. "What does that mean?"
"And there are withdrawal restrictions," Axel added. "Check local regulations. What regulations?"
Raven shook his head. "I don't know. But we'll figure it out. Maybe there are specific locations, or times, or requirements. Tomorrow we start looking."
"We need bank accounts too," Axel said, his practical nature asserting itself. "Can't just walk around with thousands of pounds in cash once we do figure out how to withdraw it."
"Tomorrow then," Raven said. "We rest tonight, then we figure out how to actually access this money. And how this Portfolio system really works."
They stood there for a moment, just breathing, letting it all sink in. They'd survived. They'd succeeded. They'd taken their first real steps into a new world and come back not just alive, but better off than when they'd left.
"Tomorrow," Ava said finally. "We meet here at noon and figure this out."
"Tomorrow," Raven agreed.
They parted ways at Morrison's corner shop, the same place they'd met that morning. It felt like a lifetime ago.
He walked back to his tiny flat above Mrs. Chen's restaurant, climbed the narrow stairs, and let himself into his small room. It looked exactly as he'd left it that morning. Shabby furniture, cracked walls, the constant smell of cooking from downstairs.
But now, lying on his narrow bed and staring at the ceiling, Raven couldn't stop smiling.
Thirty-three gold coins. Three thousand, three hundred pounds. Money that could pay rent for months. Money that could buy proper food. Money that meant security.
They'd done it.
They'd actually done it.
And this was only the beginning.