Jack stared at Monty as he contemplated the story he had told. He had only met the man a day ago. He liked Monty and appreciated him sharing his story but it was a lot to take in. Everyone had dreams growing up of being a hero, they fade as people grow and reality sets in. Even now with the knowledge he could have the power to try to take on that role it didn’t excite him at all. A hero has responsibilities, people rely on them and have expectations of them. Jack was not a fan of expectations, not having them of other people or of other people having them of him.

  It was part of the reason he had moved to the middle of nowhere and lived alone for the past three years. He liked to rely on himself, he knew what his own motivations were and that made him feel comfortable. Even the Origin voice had told him he was too trusting, which as he thought about it could either be a comment on him in general or his new world life. Seeing as he had only met two people at that point maybe it was warning him to be wary of Monty.

  “Thanks for sharing that, Monty. I appreciate it and I don’t want to come across as rude after your heartfelt story, but, in serious situations I want to be direct. I know all of this” He waved his hand at the giant planet and the endless expanse in front of them. “Was probably meant to help with the whole not knowing where I fit or what I want to do. The whole multiverse is massive, you are only a small part of it and it is ok to feel lost blah blah.” Jack waved his hands around as he was trying to avoid looking at Monty.

  “The thing is, I am fine with that. I like the idea of being such a small cog that the machine moves on without me. The idea of magic and all that is exciting, but danger isn't my thing and I don't want anyone to rely on me. I like just watching the world happen and taking a backseat.” Jack sighed as he pressed a hand to the window and looked wistfully at the planet in front of him. From here its vibrant blue and violet swirls looked calming, but on the surface were probably violent given their size.

  “I think I understand enough, based on how you and Turrel have been acting. To assume I won't be able to just ‘fade out’. It seems attention will be on me and I will have to find a way to deal with that” He turned for the first time and made eye contact with Monty and for the first time had a very serious expression on his face.

  “I appreciate everything you have done for me so far and what you are trying to do now. But appearances aside I am not naive enough to assume that you are doing it solely out of the goodness of your heart. Look I like you so far Monty, and I know I don't have many options. People use other people, I don’t like it and so I live alone. But I understand it and I am ok with that. I will be using you as much as I can as well. Even so I just want to understand why me? What benefit do you get out of this? I mean looking around, I don’t know what I bring?”

  Holding eye contact, Jack felt a little awkward. He had to focus on Monty as he responded. This was an important moment for him. He noticed a slight moment of shock as he started talking, then Monty seemed to develop a slight smirk. Nothing about it seemed demeaning or out of place, just a look of slight amusement.

  “Haha, I like you Jack. Turrel said he saw similarities between us, I wasn’t sure to begin with but I think you notice more than you let on. More introspective than I was at your age I feel.” He reached out and placed his arm around Jack’s shoulders turning him back towards the doors they had just come through.

  “Come, I have something I want to show you.” They started walking and as much as Jack wanted to push for an answer, he waited, he wasn't afraid of a little silence. They exited the room and Monty led them to the corridor on their right, then walked for a few minutes before stopping in front of another door. Monty tapped away on a keypad next to the door and a moment later the doors opened.

  They stepped into a room that was broken into two parts, the first much smaller section was the room they currently stood in. This room was separated from the other by a large thick pane of glass. There was a circular console and a number of screens on the wall next to the door and a strange white couch in the corner. The second half of the room was a very large metallic room. There were contraptions hanging from the ceiling and on most of the walls there were a number of strange circular etchings linked together by strange blue lights.

  “Jack, I think you still don’t fully understand the implications of your abilities. For now that’s fine, you like me I think are a more practical learner.” Monty spoke while he walked over and started fiddling with a number of panels on what Jack assumed was the control panel.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “As you put so elegantly, People use people. There will be people who are going to want to use you to sate their greed. There will be those who will come for you because of their curiosity. Others will come out of envy, wanting to keep you away from anyone else. Some will fear you and lash out.” Monty finished at the screens and turned back to Jack, leading him to the window separating the two rooms.

  “I already told you what motivated me, Jack. It hasn’t changed, I want power.” He looked down at Jack matching his own energy from earlier.

  “I want to use you because I think having you next to me will make me stronger. Our abilities harmonize in a way that unlocks so many new avenues for me to gain power. Together we don’t have to be limited in what type of rift we can be successful in. With you at my side we could enter a rift that has no Life mana at all and with a single mana gem, you could provide me with a source for the rest of the rift.” He patted Jack on the shoulder as he moved towards a section of the window that seemed to have a slight shimmer to it.

  “A rising tide lifts all boats, Jack. I support my crew and I know if they are strong then I am stronger because of it. So yes, I want to take advantage of your abilities, to do that well I need to make you strong enough to stand at my side.” He stopped in front of the shimmer and continued.

  “I don’t care what your motivations are, or if you even have any Jack. Your life will likely be long and things will change 100 times. Let’s keep it simple for now, I will help you learn, mainly the practical stuff. I will give you the opportunity to grow and become stronger and I will protect you while you do that. In return, you help me get stronger as well, you come with me to rifts that we haven't been able to close and help me finish them. What do you say?”

  Jack thought about it. He probably would have accepted whatever Monty said. He really didn’t have any options, still this helped him understand Monty a little better and having something in plain terms set his mind at ease a little. It was vague, power could mean anything, he also had no idea what a rift actually was or was like. How dangerous are they? Can anyone just enter ?. He had so many questions, but none of them really mattered. Monty had said the magic words. He didn't care what Jack wanted and other than following him to a few rifts, expected nothing of him, he doubted many people had an opportunity to learn like this. Everything he had seen or heard so far seemed to make Monty out to be a bigshot so it seemed like a win for him.

  “Alright mate, you got a deal for now.” Jack said as he stuck his left hand out and waited for Monty to shake it.

  Monty looked at his hand for a moment and then must have remembered something Turrel had told him and reached out to shake. He used his left hand as well and they shook hands wrist to palm but the sentiment was there.

  “Haha, Amazing Jack.” Monty said as he turned back to the shimmer in the glass.

  “Now, We both like to skip to the point and I want to get you strong enough to enter a rift as soon as we can. This is my personal training facility. It is a little fancier than the ones at the Induction center. For now I want you to watch me as closely as you can, sit in that chair over there and try to focus on the mana in the room. You might sense something, you might not. But these are some exercises you will be starting soon so watch and learn.” He turned and started to step forward but abruptly stopped and turned back.

  “Actually wait. Did Turrel really not tell you about the interface? Have you not checked after you connected to the origin?”

  Jack turned and stared at Monty, trying to work out if the man was trying to be funny or not. He seemed serious.

  “Wait” Jack said, holding his finger up as his eyes closed and he shook his head.

  “Far out, ok go on tell me, how do I do it?” Jack conceded as he committed to potentially being the butt of a joke.

  “Wow, Turrel is losing his touch. I guess there was a lot going on. The first time you might need to focus a little. Close your eyes and try to focus on your mana heart, try to zone into its beat and feel the connection between you and the Origin. Then just think of yourself, it's hard but try just thinking your name to start it. I promise I am being honest here.” Monty said completely straight faced.

  Jack squinted slightly at Monty but thought what was the worst that could happen? He followed Monty’s instructions and slowly nodded his head in time with the beat of his mana heart. It did feel there was something there that it was connected to, faint and delicate, like a spider web that might break if pulled on too hard. He focused on that string and thought of his name Jack Davies.

  A bunch of text popped into his mind, as if a spreadsheet had been pasted directly into his thoughts.

  “Motherf****r, there is an interface” Jack exclaimed in shock.