Huh, Id never heard of a Cosmic Elf before. Plenty of other kinds sure, anyone who was even a little nerdy had. But this was a new one for me. Welp, hopefully they're friendly and don't want to murder us. Guess we'll find out.

  When we got within a dozen paces they stoped.

  She raised a hand in a wave. "Salutations. I am Frey of the Universal Exploration Society. How fortuitous our paths should cross so swiftly. If I am not mistaken, you are the native denizens of this world, are you not?"

  I raised a wave in return "Yes, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dean, this is Akira and Greg."

  "The honor is mine, truly. We traversed the waypoint behind me not long ago, and I did not expect to encounter your kind so soon. It is… uncommon. During integration, many of your people succumb, their slumber leaving them unprepared as the world is reshaped around them. That you stand here so swiftly speaks well of you."

  I pointed a thumb over my shoulder. "Yea I was flying that plane over there when it happened. Apparently everyone but me was unconscious. Good thing too or we would have crashed pretty quickly."

  Her brows arched with surprise. "That great machine behind you, it flies? Remarkable. And you claim you remained aware during the integration? That is exceedingly rare."

  "Yeah. That machine is called an airplane. It uses the air itself to lift and carry many people and their cargo across long distances. And as far as I can tell, I was the only one who stayed conscious during today’s… events. After I gained my class and saw my stats, I realized my Willpower was at 16. I’m guessing that’s why I managed to stay awake."

  I thought she looked surprised before but now she wore an expression of shock. "To possess an elevated stat before the integration… that is no small thing. It speaks of great potential, and should such strength continue to grow, I daresay your accomplishments may prove most extraordinary."

  "I appreciate the compliment. But right now I'm concerned with more immediate threats. My friends and I just had to dispatch a small horde of goblins. And now I've got over 200 passengers I need to help find shelter before night fall. You wouldn't happen to have a solution for that would you?"

  "It seems our meeting may be rather serendipitous, for I cannot promise certainty, but I can offer your people a chance. A chance not only to endure, but to grow. You have surely seen that not every class is suited for battle. Those who cannot fight must find other paths to strength, and such paths are best forged within the walls of community. A weaver may spin her cloth alone, yes, but she will flourish in a pillar of civilization.

  The forming of such a pillar requires little, though what it asks is of great weight. Two hundred souls must come together with a shared intent. Its ground must lie beyond the shadow of another pillar’s influence. And from among you, a leader must be chosen. When these are in place, the system will grant your leader the means to lay foundations, to raise shelter, to build halls of craft and learning, and to create a place where even those of non-combat classes may find purpose, gain strength, and endure the days ahead."

  I arched an eyebrow at Frey "so your telling me that we just happen to have enough people to found this pillar of civilization? And once we choose a leader that leader can just magically build shelter out of nothing?"

  “Your understanding is near the mark. Yet know this, the structures are not conjured from nothing. The system draws upon the collective energy of those who help in the formation of the pillar. That energy is woven into its foundation, giving birth to something enduring. From that moment, the pillar itself holds a reservoir of mana, vast in scale. It is not unlike the pool from which a mage draws, but far greater, and slower to replenish. In time, it will be this wellspring that nourishes the growth of your shelter, your craft, and your people.”

  "That's amazing. Thank you for your knowledge, but you mentioned something about a universal exploration society and a waypoint? And you have all of this knowledge but your a level one? Forgive me if I'm being rude but that seems a bit... odd."

  “Your doubt is not misplaced. Only hours ago, I was far stronger. But the system decrees restrictions upon passage to newly integrated worlds. To set foot here, we were compelled to relinquish our levels and forge them anew. Such is the price of exploration. As for the waypoint, it lies behind me. Do you see the mountain that seems to consume the sky? It is one of thousands scattered across this newborn expanse. Each serves as a beacon, a gateway through which travelers from distant worlds may arrive to explore.”

  Akira broke her silence, voice tinged with suspicion. "But... why would you give up your levels and travel so far just to explore a new world?"

  A soft smile touched Frey’s lips. “Because that is our calling. The Universal Exploration Society is a fellowship of scholars, adventurers, and seekers. We live for discovery, for the joy of meeting new peoples and charting the unknown. In our travels we gain strength not by clinging to what we have, but by daring to begin again.

  Although not all is lost, while our levels are surrendered upon entry, our bodies remain tempered to the grade we once obtained. It is the systems way of limiting the harm we might wreak upon a fragile world, until that world has grown to match out strength. Thus we may walk it's lands without fear of losing life or limb positioning us to explore unhindered.

  My companions and I are yet young, only a few centuries in our service. Yet this marks the sixth world we have been graced to witness at the dawn of its integration. Each one, to us, is a blessing from the gods. A chance to learn, to map, and to marvel anew.”

  Then her voice grew harder with a warning. "If I may, allow me to offer a word of caution. You spoke of a horde of goblins. They are no small feat to dispatch, and yet, of the creatures that roam the newborn wilds, goblins are among the least menacing. Fortunate, then, that you encountered them first. They fall more readily than most, and the system grants slightly greater experience for their defeat. Small wonder that you and your companions have already risen beyond the tenth level. But do not let this early triumph blind you. The foes that await beyond are not so forgiving. Be wary when you tread into the dark places, for the next beasts you face will not be so weak.”

  Greg nodded his head in agreement. "That makes a lot of sense actually. I was beginning to wonder if we were just that powerful. Hell we were able to slay a hundred or so goblins with just the three of us."

  "Do not be mistaken," Frey said "your accomplishments are not of no significance. It takes much to handle goblins in the numbers that you faced. I simply stress that future battles may be a trifle more challenging and caution should be used."

  I inclined my head toward the passengers behind me. "Thank you again for your advice and the knowledge you have given us miss Frey. I think my friends and I should probably head back to the others though. Your welcome to come back with us. Maybe you could help in the founding of this pillar you told us about."

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  “I am glad my words have offered you inspiration and guidance. Yet understand this, we are not here to lead you by the hand. The path before you is yours to walk, with all its perils and triumphs. We may grant you the knowledge to keep death at bay, but the shaping of your future must come from your own strength. When you have carved out a place for yourselves, when your pillar stands firm, perhaps then we shall return… not as guides, but as guests."

  Then she and the other elf's turned and started walking away.

  "Until then" she said over her shoulder before they disappeared in a streak of color towards the wood line.

  My eyes widened. "Holy crap..."

  Akira's gaze stayed fixed on the place they disappeared. "one day..."

  I turn to look at her. "What was that?"

  She looked at me with a steely determination in her eyes. "One day... I'll be that fast."

  Greg barked a laugh and slapped her on the back. "Damn right sister. I hope I'm there to see it."

  I gave a small nod, though my thoughts were already drifting back to the people waiting for us. “If that’s the kind of power it’ll take to see my wife and kids again, then I’ll reach it... and more.”

  The weight of that promise settled in my chest. Behind us, two hundred lives were huddled together, scared and uncertain. Whatever wonders or warnings the elves had left us with, it didn’t change the simple truth that those people needed shelter, leadership, and hope.

  I straightened and motioned toward the plane. “Come on. If we plan on getting stronger, we’ll need a place to start. Let’s see about forming this pillar of civilization she spoke of.”

  When we returned, the passengers swarmed us with questions. Their voices overlapped with fear, disbelief, and desperate hope. I raised my hands to quiet them and started telling what happened. I told about the strange elves, their warnings, and finally the promise of the pillar. Faces paled but I pressed on. Proof of the new world surrounded us already and there was no denying it, although some tried.

  “…and she told us of something called a pillar of civilization,” I finished. “If at least two hundred of us come together with the intent to form one, the system will allow us to choose a leader. That leader will gain the power to raise shelter, walls, and more. A foundation for survival.”

  Murmurs rippled through the crowd, swelling into a tide of voices that threatened to drown each other out.

  “That’s ridiculous!” an older man near the front barked. His clothes were rumpled, his face red from either fear or anger. “Elves? Magic? You expect us to swallow this fairy tale while we sit here in the woods?”

  A younger woman clutched her daughter tighter, eyes darting to the treeline. “But what if it’s true? If those goblins were real, then… then what else is out there? We can’t just do nothing!”

  “Pillar of civilization? Sounds like some cult nonsense,” another passenger muttered. “Next thing you’ll be telling us, we have to sacrifice goats.”

  A teenager piped up from the back, voice shaking but eager. “If it means we get walls and a roof before nightfall, I say we try! Better than waiting for monsters to eat us.”

  The voices grew louder, overlapping with fear, hope, and suspicion.

  “Two hundred people? That’s all of us!”

  “We don’t even know this guy! Why should he be in charge?”

  “What if it’s a trap?”

  “We need food and water, not fairy castles!”

  “Maybe God Himself is testing us…”

  I raised my voice. “Quiet!” It wasn’t a shout, but the sharp edge of command I'd learned in the Army carried through. Slowly, the noise subsided.

  “I know it sounds insane,” I continued, meeting as many eyes as I could. “I didn’t believe it either, not until I saw those elves vanish faster than anything humanly possible. Not until I had to defend you good people with the magic I've been given. Not until I looked at the numbers in front of me and realized the world has changed whether we like it or not. You’ve all seen it too. Goblins. Notifications. Classes. This isn’t the world we woke up in yesterday.”

  A heavy silence settled over them. I let it linger, then went on.

  “We don’t have the luxury of disbelief. We need shelter. We need order. And this… pillar… is the first real chance we’ve been given. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. But sitting here arguing until nightfall will get us killed. So the choice is simple. Do we stand together and try or do we splinter apart and wait for the dark ,and whatever may be in it, to pick us off one by one?”

  A man in his fifties crossed his arms. “Then who decides? Who gets to be this leader you’re talking about?”

  Murmurs rose again. I took a steadying breath.

  “We do,” I said firmly. “All of us. Not me alone. We’ll choose together. But if we want to live through tonight, we need to act now. There's just over 230 of us including crew. So we do have a little wiggle room. I'm not going to force anybody into something they don't want to do. If you truly can't accept the new world, then your welcome to walk your own path, just know your chances are far worse out there alone then with us. That said if you don't want to participate in trying to form this pillar I won't force you to leave either.

  As far as leaders go. Let's put it to a vote. Personally I served 10 years in the Army where I was a team leader and then a squad leader. I've been trained on how to handle disasters and manage resources. I would honestly much rather leave and start searching for my wife and kids. However at a minimum I want to give everyone a fighting chance before I leave. If anyone else wants to be the leader feel free to step forward.”

  Then I waited for a response, and was greeted with silence. Seconds stretched into a minute as I scanned the crowd, meeting as many eyes as I could. No one stepped forward.

  “All right then,” I said, steadying my voice. “Let’s try to make this pillar. Frey said all we needed was intent, and the system would take care of the rest. So focus and picture it, a safe place, a home, will it into being.”

  We stood there in uneasy quiet, people frowning and shifting. A minute passed. Nothing happened.

  “This is ridiculous,” a man muttered. “Nothing’s happening.”

  I tapped my chin, thinking. “Maybe we’re missing something. Maybe… a circuit.” I took a breath and raised my voice. “Everyone, let’s form a circle. Join hands. I know it sounds ridiculous, but humor me. If there’s any chance this works, we need to try.”

  Grumbles rose, but one by one, they filed into the field. Soon a vast ring of joined hands stretched wide, nearly the whole group except for a handful who stood apart, arms crossed.

  “Now,” I said, closing my eyes, “focus on it. A pillar of civilization. A place to be safe. Somewhere we can call home.”

  For a breathless moment there was nothing. Just silence. Doubt started to claw at me. Had I miss understood? Was Frey wrong? Then a system message appeared before me and the voice sounded in my head.

  My eyes flew open, a grin spreading across my face. “Did everyone just get a system notification?”

  Nods, gasps, and affirmations came from every direction.

  “All right then,” I said, heart pounding. “Select yes. Let’s do this.”

  I mentally selected yes. At once, I felt a tug deep in my core. It was like something was pulling threads of mana straight from my soul. Around the circle, faint wisps of light began seeping from each person’s chest, drifting into the air like fireflies. One by one, they streamed toward the center of our ring, coalescing into a radiant sphere.

  The pull grew stronger. My knees threatened to buckle, but I clenched my jaw and stayed upright. All around me, people trembled, yet no one broke the circle.

  The light swelled brighter, then plunged downward, spearing into the earth. A deep rumble shook the ground, dust rising as the soil split and something forced its way upward.

  A pillar of gray stone erupted from the earth, vines snaking along its sides. At its crown, a glowing orb of white light pulsed like a heartbeat, growing brighter as the pillar climbed higher. Ten feet. Twelve. Fifteen. Then it stilled, radiating warmth and power into the night.

  The system’s voice rang in my mind again.

  I let out a shaky breath, and stared at the shining orb that marked the birth of our new beginning.