You have to be kidding me. You have to be kidding me!

[Hello, Exsilium. Look at who isn't happy to be here.]

I wasn't even home for more than two full days, and I wind up back here?! That's screwed up! I-- I just--! Jeb... Damnit!

[But she forces herself to smile.]

Maybe I should see this as a good thing, in a way~ I might be able to get answers to my question about elemental powers this time around! [La...ugh...] So, how has everything been in the Initiative? What did I miss?

So it works like... Oh-!

[The video feed starts with a closeup of the young woman's face, and bright blue eyes. She immediately pulls it away so she can smile a little awkwardly, brushing some of her hair out of her eyes.]

That wasn't so hard to figure out, I guess. I've never seen something like this before.

[As she holds the device a little better, more suited to speaking, it's obvious that she's outside. The young woman looking at the screen has a steely determination in her eyes even if her voice and features are gentle. She doesn't seem entirely pleased, but who is when they first arrive?]

I'm looking for someone and it's...very important that I find him. [Was she too late to save him now?] His name is Terra. He's very tall, has brown hair and blue eyes... [Not any longer, though. She doesn't mention that; she doesn't want to think about what's happened to him.]

He has a charm like mine. [And this is when she holds up a blue star charm for the device to see.] His is gold, though. If you find him...can you tell him that Aqua is looking for him?

And if anyone can tell me more about this world and what it's like, it'd be greatly appreciated. [If she has to live here for some time, she'd like to know all she can. She needs to get home as quickly as possible.]

[ There's a very solemn face in the center of the frame, and he stares with just a hint of frustration. It eases when he sees he's got something working. ]

It feels somewhat ridiculous, to be addressing a… [ drawin' a blank, here. ] …Something of this sort, instead of a person. But I've been told it will work, by a woman with no reason I could see to lie, I see nothing to do but have faith that it will…

[ He sighs, draws himself up a little straighter. ]

My name is Ashraf Salib, and I am a priest. I am a competent healer, with experience surviving dangerous areas. If there are any that would like to include me in their party, you will find that my fees are very reasonable. I hope to hear from you soon.

[At first it's just a huge puff of black hair in the screen, rustling about, but then the screen adjusts itself and a pale skinny teenage girl is sitting in front of the camera with an impish grin. She coughs loudly into her hand.]

Testing, testing, one, two, one, two, blah blah blah! All right geeks, listen up. Lash speaking, reporting in, whatever!
I don't know what is even going on around here, but can I just say one eensy weensy little thing?

[She reaches off screen, wrestling with something that sounds really heavy. After a few moments, she comes back with a very sci-fi looking gun in hand. It's a little oversized, but she holds it comfortably like a rifle.]

Check out my shiny new baby, the DEATH RAY! Teeheehee!

I mean, all right, I'll admit this place was totally weird and that lady was even a bigger weirdo when I was JUST abducted or whatever, but how can I stay mad when they just give me free cool stuff like this?! Huh? HUH?? I can't! I feel like I'm 10 all over again! Teeheehee!

Anyway, who're all you losers out there? Anyone get some spiffy swag like I did?

Right. Let's make a few things clear from the start, shall we?

I'm Anders. I'm a mage. A spirit healer, more specifically. I do not work for the Initiative, nor can I give anyone Cheetos. I still don't know what a Cheeto is.

If you're accessing this message, you're either working for the Initiative yourself, spying on the network, or else you're one of us. Someone who's been torn from his or her own world, who's wondering what in the Void's going on here. Our hosts, or captors, whichever, call us transports. I call us conscripts, because that is exactly what we are. We've been conscripted into this war they're fighting, and since they give us food and shelter and spare coin, presumably they feel they've done right by us. They've no qualms about sending us into their ill-chosen battles, anyhow.

I don't like them much, if you hadn't guessed. The best thing I can say for them is: I like their enemies even less.

People are talking about making some sort of a guide, to orient new conscripts. Well, that doesn't do you much good, now, does it? So ... consider this an opportunity to ask questions. You might take the answers with a grain of salt, mind. Some of us have a sense of humor.

Oh, one other thing. If you're a mage, or use a power that could feasibly be termed magic -- I don't care what you call it, mana, magicka, gramarye -- anything that isn't sleight of hand. If you're a practitioner of magic, you're invited to our next meeting. I say meeting; really it's more just mages sitting around and eating pie. Not like you can organize mages, really. Write me if you'd like directions to our place.

So this has to be some crazy attempt at super-speed Stockholm, right? I mean. 'Hey, we kinda kidnapped you and can't- or won't tell you when you get to see home, sandy burny, home again. But look! Credit cards and talking weapons, cool, right? Okay thanks bye, have fun now.' Who does that? As though I'm gonna forget the whole first part because I get shiny things which- Okay. Sure. This gig officially pays more than most of the jobs I had since college start combined and they actually encourage liberal taser usage...but come on. Dorm rooms? And wars...

You know. I miss when, like, two weeks ago I would have assumed I was just having some kinda psychotic break here. You meet one alien god and suddenly it's no holds barred...Alright. Okay.

So. The point here. The nice Stockholm lady said to call. I'm calling. Survival tips people. I'm in serious need here. Starting with where the heck my dorm is.

[There's the sound of irritated muttering as he fiddles with the buttons on the communicator, a device that's completely alien to him in every way.] Is this the Overworld? Or, no. Some other place entirely. Maybe I shouldn't have read out loud from that book.

[A pause as he squints at the communicator. Is this thing on? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?]

I don't have time for this. Why should I fight in a stranger's war? Will these people let us go if we win their battles for them?

[Scowling now. The Initiative pulled him away from a lead. There was a whole bookshelf left in that sunken temple.]