"Good work, you are incredibly efficient for only 8 workers."

"Thank you Lord," Cedric says while standing with Jack inside a completed building, a multiple story log cabin much in the style of the current city hall at the main city surrounds them.

Jack strokes the smooth wooden chair that's surprisingly soft, "It's strange what you're able to do."

"We could not do it without Lord's support," Cedric says, Jack rolls his eyes internally as he has heard that many times.

"Wonder what Mai would say though, she'd probably dislike us cutting down so much wood after lacking it at Dragon-Phoenix Village for so long."

"It's for Lord's aspirations so it's always justified," Cedric says.

Jack takes a deep breath and stands up walking over to the table where a simple map laying out the nearby region is on the table, it's made of wood yet as Jack arrives there Cedric manipulates some water and adjusts the map to an updated form cutting away another chunk of the forest.

A layout of the village is there, over 20 small buildings for personal dwellings while large buildings for the kitchen and workshops remain central around a large fortress for a city heart protection, the city hall is off to the side as it's one of the first buildings prepared before any surveying was done.

No roads other than the main one have been planned yet but it's unlikely there's another city anywhere nearby as the forest continues on for a long time without thinning out leaving the only destination the fields to feed the inhabitants next to a large river that arrives and leaves at two nearby underground sources.

It's not an ideal place to build a village but the Cedric's have made it almost effortless.

"I'm going to return now, I hope we'll have a path to the river done by the time I get back."

"Yes Lord," Cedric says.

Jack prepares himself mentally and enters the menu, he grits his teeth and logs off allowing the strange feelings wash over his consciousness landing him back in the dark real world with the wind rushing by his ears, he lands on the ground before he can react sending waves of pain through his legs yet he holds it while looking around.

The whole space has just been slightly cleaned up with only the debris on the shops cleaned up, everwhere else it's still laying around the place shown by the occasional car headlight.

Jack holds steady on the ground for a moment as he allows himself adjust to his body again, an intense pain is coursing through his limbs yet he can only bear it as punishment for what happened but atleast he survived.

"So how am I going to get a phone?," Jack asks himself as he looks around the street tryiing to distract himself from the pain going through his body. He doens't immeidately spot what he's looking for but not deterred he begins a slow and painful journey down the street looking at all the stores that are closed at this late hour, it takes some time for him to come across some that are open but as he enters a more populated area he finally spots what he's after.

A store with a phone symbol out the front, Jack walks through the door with a bell ringing and spots a single seedy counter locked up tightly.

A large man walks through the door and looks at Jack strangely, "What are you doing?"

"I'm after a phone… you speak english?"

"Yes, I do now what do you want?"

"A phone."

"What sort of phone?"

"Any, I'm short of cash but I have online payments."

"What sort of online?"

"Uhh, paypal?"

"Fine, I'll give you this," the man slides an old dusty looking phone across the counter, "$200usd."

"What? This can't be worth more than $50…"

"You don't like it then go try at the mall, they throw you out looking like that. I give you this chance because I think you look like a nice guy but you throw it back in my face, I should throw you out now for this disrespect."

"I only need it to send a few messages online, I could just go to an internet café and use a computer for an hour and do that. I'm doing you a service by spending my money here."

"You aren't even using money, you are using internet money, who knows if you'll cancel it in the future. I can't do anything about that because who are you?"

"Fine, $80."

"$120."

"$95."

"$102."

"Ok deal," Jack says through gritted teeth.

"Ok wait here," the man takes away the box and returns behind the door where Jack cannot see him, he stays behind there for a few minutes before coming out holding a phone with a brightly lit screen.

The store keeper passes the phone over to Jack but holds it and speaks clearly the Jack, "You get prepared to pay, if you leave before paying I kill you," the store keeper says while staring at Jack.

Jack ignores the man as the pain going through his body is far more menacing, if he lets his concentration slip for a moment he might fall over unable to move for some time, he signs into his online account allowing him initial access to his messages where there's several from Katya, Tom and Heather.

"Ok send the payment to this account," the store keeper slides a piece of paper over with an email address, "send it now."

Jack opens up the payment app and sends the payment which luckily goes through, the man checks his computer and sees the payment come through changing his demeanour slightly.

"You look like shit and need to get off the street, you can't stay here. Leave unless you're buying something else."

"Where can I go then?"

"Go see if you can eat at some place, not my problem now leave before I get in trouble because you're here."

Jack leaves the building feeling pushed out but he has what he was after, the phone that allows him to contact everyone.

Tom has sent a few messages asking where he is and if he's safe, he quickly replies that he's fine and he doesn't need to worry while checking the message from Heather that said they've been pushed back because of Peter and might be delayed while Katya has blown up his message bank with several hundred messages being annoyed at waiting near the airport and him not arriving.

A call comes through as Jack's scrolling from Katya, Jack picks it up and immediately regrets it.

"JACK! Where are you! What are you ignoring me for!"

"Katya, something happened that I can't explain. I'm… somewhere, I just got a phone which was already a problem because I have no money."

"Where are you?," Katya says with a grumpy tone.

"I have no idea, wait a second," Jack says while bringing up the maps display on the incredibly slow phone, "I'm on Sovetskaya Street, around number 60 sovetskaya street."

"Sovetskaya… do you know how many there are? Be more specific, which airport did you arrive at?"

"I didn't, I'm in Lipetskaya oblast… Lipeck?"

"So you're on Sovetskaya St, Lipetsk?"

"As far as I can tell, is that far from you?"

"About 6 hours, what are you doing there? That's not even on the flight path you were meant to take."

"I'm not sure but I'm here now, are you able to collect me?"

"I'm not driving that far while the planes are all taken… I'll send a driver, we have people in Yelets be on the lookout for some big military trucks."

"How long will they be?"

"An hour, maybe 2 I can't give you their details because… I can't, will you be online until then?," Katya's tone changes to almost apologetic as she says this.

"I'll find somewhere to stay in the mean time, what can I do about having no money?"

"Go to an ATM, might be hard out there at that hour but you'll have an hour for a cash widthdrawl. I'll send you some codes on your phone. Just find an ATM with the same details, easy for you right?"

"That's an option? Lucky, I was going to continue trying my payppal which I'm sure is overdrawn by hundreds already if this phone hasn't stolen my details."

"You're a fool to leave your plane, just stay near where you are and look for the trucks. The storm is over where you are…"

"It wasn't really my choice, thanks for this."

"You owe me big, including your sister."

Jack smiles upon hearing this, "Sure I owe you lots for this… see you later for the first time."

"See you soon," Katya begins yelling loudly in Russia as the call disconnects leaving him on the messages screen with her mad rambling when moments later a notification comes up showing where he needs to go and the access and dispensing code he needs for the ATM.

Jack looks over the map and sets out while thinking things over, 'She always likes for people to owe her so that they always have a reason to stay in contact, that was a big reason that we were able to stay friends…' a belief that one must always pay back their loans was always instilled within Jack at an early age yet it extends beyond just monetary or goods, it also comes into feelings and how they should be reciprocated if it's possible. That let to Katya and him having more interactions over the years and gettiing to know each other over time yet always at a distance, this will be the first time they're coming into face to face contact.

Jack looks over the store front glass that is reflecting his body in the dim street lights, "I look like shit and I don't think they'll let me shower before meeting, this is going to suck for our first meeting… not that it's good now," Jack mutters to himself in the reflection when he hears a voice behind him.

"Crazy american?"

Jack turns behind him and spots a group of 5 young men partially surrounding him, none of them look friendly as they stare at him, "Not American, I'm Australian."

"Ah Australia, good food… good america lapdog."

"That's why I'm here, to find out the great things about Russia."

"Many great things in Russia, let us show you."

"Yes, let us show you around our great country."

"It's too dark to see anything right now."

"Best time to see Russian night life," one of the young men cuts off Jack stepping towards him, the others follow suit.

"I'm due somewhere so I can't see much night life tonight but another time," Jack says trying to walk through the narrowing gap between them and the building.

"What's your rush?," a young man in a shiny tracksuit says as he steps infront of Jack blocking the path.

Jack narrows his eyes as he looks at the young man's hand on his chest, "Where I need to go," he says while siide steppiing the young man but a repeated scene happens.

The others have caught up and are blocking all the exit routes, Jack calmly stops and looking at the group.

"What do you want exactly?"

"Just all of your things," one young man says, "if you don't have anything then come with us, we have a job for an american like you."

"I'm Australian… I don't have anything on me, I just have this shitty old one," Jack says while holding out the phone.

Someone attempts to snatch it but Jack is faster forcing him up against the wall, another person attempts to grab Jack while others go for his arm, another slams his fist on Jack's stomach causing a large amount of pain on top of his already hurting body.

Jack is left with little choice but to rely on Bridging-the-Stars at this close range which is something he hasn't practised much, his mind moves to activate the power linking the two spaces together and feeding the energy into his eyes creating the sparkle and light effects as the ability activates sending energy to the point where his eyes are looking which just so happens to be the young men before him.

A single burst of energy is enough, Jack closes his eyes ensuring that it's not a lethal strike but who cares as more punches land on him, they suddenly stop as a bright light arcs between them followed by their bodies slumping over.

Jack opens his eyes that have returned to normal and feel over his body finding that he's fine, the lightning naturally doesn't effect his body due to receive the manual yet White hasn't exactly been forthcoming with details on the manual, it has thousands upon thousands of skill names with no descriptions.

Noises in the distance and from the men laying on the ground remind Jack that he cannot stay here as he begins to walk down the street, luckily the phone survived, towards the large double set of doors that still have lights on, it looks like a luxurious department store that is closed with two armed guards out the front.

Jack takes a deep breath and walks towards them where they instantly spot him, they quietly talk to each other and walk forward gripping their guns one stands before the entrance while the other one stands at a distance.

"Poshel von, closed."

"I just need to visit an ATM inside there, I have something scheduled."

"Closed."

"It's important."

"Yes, closed."

"It'll only take a minute, I'll give you some cash for watching me. It's from someone important."

"Who?"

"Um it's being sent by BCG, that's all I really know."

"BCG? Doesn't sound Russian. Move on, we don't need you here."

"No chance I'll change your mind?"

"No," the man sterns says while adjusting his hold on the weapon strapped before him, "move on."

Jack sighs, "Alright," he says while walking away going out of sight around the corner of a building and waiting for a few minutes, the two of them return to the doorway and begin to talk to one another.

His eyes flow with power for a moment before he closes them quickly, he opens them again just in time to see a blindingly bright light cause the space to light up before sending the energy into the clouds above.

Jack quickly runs over to the two of them, "Are you two ok," he says while acting concerned.

One of the men groans while the other one is bubbling from the mouth, Jack steps over them after seeing them both alive and enters through the door.

"I'll only be a minute, I'll call someone for you when I get out, maybe."

Jack runs around the dimly lit entrance looking for a map unable to read it, he looks for a small alcove where there is a western looking atm with the bank he's looking for, his shoes squeak as he runs through the polished mall that is quiet and devoid of people creating an eerie scene.

He reaches the machine and enters the numbers asked by the prompt where it dispenses a giant amount of notes to him, over one hundred 5,000 ruble notes are dispensed followed up by another hundred 1,000 ruble notes.

Jack's pockets quickly fill as the machine finally stops dispensing notes, "I don't need this much for an hour. I just wanted to get some new clothes and food," he says while walking away from the machine walking past the fashion and high-end apparel goods that seem so alien to him, nothing like the beach culture he is used to, this is all furs and warm designs. He walks to the entrance where one of the guards are sitting up yet doesn't seem to be awake while the other one is laying on his side.

Jack quietly opens the door but it's no good, they turn to face him coming out of the mall, "You two look terrible, what happened?"

"What… happened?," one of them says softly but Jack doesn't stay to listen as he walks away.

"Call someone, you look really hurt. Thanks for leaving the door unlocked," he says while walking away and sending a message to Katya.

'If I were to get hurt by someone and had to hurt them back, would I be ok then? What if someone gets hurt near me, do I have to help them?'

<'What did you do? If you can prove that you were threatened then it's fine, you don't have to help anyone but if you make an effort then you're totally off the hook. I saw you got the money, is it related to that?'>

'You could say that,' Jack types on the message, 'well I'll be waiting for your guys after spending some money if I can find anywhere open.'

<'Don't worry if anyone stops you coming back, my guys have permission to kill them.'>

Jack chuckles, 'Sure but I don't think that'll be needed.'

<'Don't tempt fate.'> Katya replies.

Jack sends a frowny face emoji, Katya replies with a wink from a popular anime, this carries on for a few more messages before they stop allowing him to bring up the maps as he walks the opposite direction to where he has been when a marked car stops and rolls down its window.

Jack readies himself when the man announces, "You need a ride?"

"I need to find a few places that are open, you a taxi?"

"Uber… sometimes uber, sometimes taxi."

"I got cash," Jack says while pulling out a note.

"I'll be whatever you want then, get in and I'll take you where you need to go," the man says opening the rear door.

Jack climbs in feeling somewhat safer inside a moving car that he can always escape compared to being on foot, "I need some new clothes and food, you can help?"

"Also wash up, yes I know, let's go," the man says while turning around, he turns around a moment later, "name?"

"Jack."

"I'm Yuri."

"Ah, I've met a few well hope you'll look after me like they do," Jack says while passing forward some cash.

Yuri takes it, "Sure Jack, let's go then washed up and some new clothes."

"I gotta be back at sovetescyaza st in about 2 hours."

"No problem, no problem."

Jack arrives back at the spot 2 hours later to two annoyed looking men standing before two giant armoured trucks, Yuri scampered off as soon as he saw the two of them after having a good time with Jack, "you're Jack that Mistress speaks of?," one of them asks.

Jack nods his head, "Yes, can we go?"

"We're late, get in. We have to cross through three contested zones."

"What?"

"You'll see," the man says while opening the door and throwing Jack inside slamming the door shut behind him.

The two of them board their own trucks and start them up and begin to move, Jack is left speechless at this but doesn't question turning his eyes down to play with the phone and reading information online.

Elsewhere…

A young man with slick black hair followed by a large brutish shaved hair man walk through a doorway into a large room with a swirling pool of energy descending into what seems like a bottomless pit beneath them, several dozen other people are standing around looking at it too.

An old man approaches this young man, "We cannot maintain the connection for much longer, this whole structure is from over 10,000 years ago."

"This space has never worked as far as records go back, you are only lucky in that I recognised the energy signal so how would you know it can't be maintained?," the young man says.

The old man points to a crystal on the wall, "It was always self sustaining and flowing in the other direction, now it has reversed connection to somewhere closer using that crystal."

The young man looks at the crystal that is cracking quickly, "Well let's hope it will restore the court's glory."

The rest of the room salutes as the young man leaps into the portal followed by the large man which swallows the two of them closing shortly after leaving a dark and quiet room, "Our thirty third ancestor's portal has collapsed after all these years, what shall become of us."

"The others will be slower than us, we're lucky to have him," an old man says while looking down into the portal space.

"Yes, let's hope he survives," another one says before they all have a quiet moment.