“Hello?”

The words rang out in Vincent’s mind like a shot in the dark, something he’d never anticipated hearing so soon into his return back to Althanas, let alone ever. His impromptu sojourn back to earth had sent him spiraling through the stages of grief over the separation from all of his friends, and in one word all of those old wounds were torn open anew, sending waves of various powerful emotions cascading through his mind. He took a moment, catching his breath and trying to regain his composure before answering.

“Alyssa.” Vince managed mentally, taking care to remember how this fancy piece of magical technology worked so he would not accidentally speak aloud. Next to him, Rayleigh lay sleeping in their tent, one of few pieces of camping equipment they’d managed to scrounge up from the ruins of Raiaera on their journey. Their trip had been incredibly hard, especially taxing on her given that over the years she’d adjusted to her life on earth. “It’s good to hear from you.”

The words felt contrived as they left his…”lips” so to speak. He hadn’t heard from her in years, and based on everything he’d observed shit had hit the proverbial fan while he was gone. The world had needed the Tarot Hierarchy, the world had needed Vince! Yet where had he been? Off back on earth living comfortably falling in love with the woman of his dreams and having his proverbial happily ever after. He took in a deep breath and carefully slid out of the sleeping bag, expertly extracting himself from Rayleigh in a manner not to wake her. He silently shuffled out of their tent, into the wastes of the land he once called home to watch the morning sun begin to peak out over the sky. He wondered where Alyssa was, if she too was watching the sunrise. Probably, he mused, for she and he had shared a similar sense of wonder of the world.

“I uh,” he paused, looking for the right words. “Can definitely explain where I’ve been, I swear.”