The next morning, I went to one of the Sentry Towers and surveyed the area. Miles of foul junk greeted my eye. It took me this long to realize, I didn't know where we really were, as by the Trash Mountain didn't work as well for a descriptor as I thought. There were many Ginormous heap of rubbish and hundred of acre of garbage surrounding them. Looking out in the only clear direction, gave me nothing, it was just empty scrublands. I looked at my Agent, trying to use the geolocator, but something was interfering with the NET connection. That also negated its ability to make calls.

  Honestly, I didn't even know that we'd been returned to the proper version of Earth. I was pretty sure, but I didn't know.

  How was I going to get all the pallets to town? Maybe I could tow them. I could make a trailer. Easy enough.

  A few hours later, I had a new trailer hooked up to the Food Truck and loaded up. MRR and GRR would attach to the trailer to protect the food. Probius would attach to the top of the Food Truck. The Probes without Warframes would be staying here to continue the cleanup operation. I got my new Power Armor on. It was good to be able to feel that level of protection encasing me again.

  I was tempted to take along a couple of my new nonhuman allies, but squashed that line of thinking after imagining the fallout. All the misunderstandings that would erupt into violence. No thanks, I didn't need that today.

  I'd noticed the Khalai had gotten the Probes to build them a few small spire style buildings. They were for the Protoss to meditate on the Khala when they had down time. Likewise, the Kaldorei had turned the Sentry Towers into their living quarters for now. Well, I hoped they could all get along. It would be a shame to have them at odds. But I'd my own plans, and needed to get started on earning enough to get back my stolen people.

  I decided to start my food service career near MB 4. That way the Mox would know where I was, and be close by to assist, if needed.

  After I'd driven past the trash fields, I decided to head north, I should run into the main thoroughfare eventually. When I got there, I realized we were about a five minute drive east of the Sunset Motel. Which started filling out the true size of junk problem in my mind. Fucking typical Night City bullshit.

  I was tempted to stop by and visit Greg real quick, but kept going past the motel. I didn't need a drink and he probably had enough on his plate right now.

  Somewhat surprisingly, traffic was easy going getting to town. But it didn't last, once I made the turn off to get back to MB 4, there was some kind of fight between road raging gangers in progress. Which wouldn't have concerned me, the truck had shields, but they'd already taken out several civilian cars and even now had a uninvolved vehicle sandwiched between. That was a lot of people that needed someone to help them.

  That person was going to be me.

  Then the sandwiched vehicle got hit in the crossfire and then flipped as the driver lost control. I was trying to hold back on a violent response, but said fuck it and used the chaingun to wipe out both the gangers' cars before pulling over to start providing aid to people.

  Almost as soon as I stopped, I saw a flying ambulance swoop in and several heavily armed figures rushed out in proper military order. They checked me out to see if I was hostile, and one of them kept their weapon trained on me, while the rest went about their business. I remained supremely unconcerned, while subtly flaring my Aura, helping most of the injured folks in the area, at least a little. I was glad I hadn't whipped up a SOR in the Forges, I would've shot the dickwad eyeballin' me. Consequences be damned.

  These guys were Trauma Team. Assholes, according to everything I'd heard.

  Which was confirmed, when they knelt down next to the overturned vehicle. "Not covered, move on." Despite the begging going on by the passenger, a kid judging by his voice. His pleas to aid his mother were heart wrenching. I almost unleashed my buddies on the so called ERTs. I settled for grinding my teeth, waiting for them to finish, because I didn't want trouble with the NCPD.

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  One of the "Medics" located their client and they got him loaded and were gone again in less than two minutes. Fucking cockbags.

  I moved quickly, and started healing the kid's mother before I even got to the wreck. He could hold for another minute as his cries for help indicated. She was all torn up, but I soon had her stabilized. I tore the door off the car and pulled her free, then laid her gently on the nearby pavement, before going over to get her son. As I pulled him free, healing most of his problems up in a flash, the Probes were gathering the other injured people and setting them next to his mother.

  My Aura rippled continuing to slowly help everyone nearby. But now I pulled it back and went with the more direct route.

  The kid sat up and watched me start to heal everyone, I was pretty sure he could somehow see the flow of mana. Though I had no clue how that was possible. Other than Misty I hadn't met anyone capable of noticing most mana. And I'm pretty sure that Ciri lady taught Misty. Hmm, teaching, there was an idea.

  I kept everyone unconscious while I poured mana into each person, getting an idea of how bad my day was going to be. Bad. Really fucking bad. But not as bad as if I didn't help these folks. My flows surged and split, one went to each person. Maintaining those flows, I turned most of my attention to the lady closest to me.

  I got her up to par, and switched over to the next in line.

  Finally, he worked up the courage to speak to me. "W-What are you doing?"

  Half distracted, half amused I answered, "Healing." Internally I was debating with myself. If the kid could see mana, he could probably use it. I could probably use some local help that knew more of what I could do.

  "I-I can see that. H-how are you healing them?" Ballsy little guy. I was inclined to be nice, but decided to push him just a bit more.

  "Magic." Heh. Let's see how he takes that nugget.

  "Nova! Just like Heroes of Estrigar VII!" Heroes of what? He'd just bought into me using magic. Maybe something was wrong with this kid. Oh well, no worries, everyone has something messed up about them. Helped people get through the day.

  Other than one poor man who was DOA, I'd managed to save everyone's meat. Now I got the chance to see how Repair Machine worked on their cyberware.

  Woo boy, it burned through mana, but it also restored their chrome. It'd be all shiny and new, soon enough.

  "So what's it like?" His voice was wistful. This poor kid needed something to bring a spark into his life.

  "I don't know kid, why don't you tell me." I might as well screw with him a bit. Isn't that part of the wise old master shtick?

  "What, I can't do magic." He sounded confused.

  "Sure you can kid, after I show you how." Heh.

  "WHAT!" That's a good set of lungs the kid had there. My poor ears.

  "If you want, kid, and your mother doesn't freak out about it. I'd show you the ropes. Though I might pass you off to my friend, after a while, she's a much better teacher than me. But there's no reason I can't at least get you started on the basics." Jaina could probably use some human company back in the Hub.

  I was just about tapped out of mana, but most of their cyberware was up and running. In many cases better than it had been before the catastrophe.

  "P-Please. Please teach me magic!" You could hear the hope in his voice. Was I ever that young? Shit. Look at me, acting like I'm some wise old dude. Tsk.

  "You sure, kid? It can cause a lot of problems." Fixed a ton of them too. Wait till he saw how it can affect girls. Oh man, the kid is going to have a field day.

  "I've never been more sure of anything in my life! Please." He sounded sure. I liked it, that enthusiasm. I hoped he could keep it.

  I stood up, and turned towards the kid, some things should always be done face to face. I flipped up my visor and got a good look at him. He was a decent looking guy, maybe 15, leaning a bit into the punk look. Brown hair and brown eyes. Mostly augmented. His clothes were a mess, but seemed to be from some kind of school. His deep concern for his mother spoke well of him. And the way he kept it mostly together during this shitshow meant he had enough guts to face trouble.

  The boy gasped, "You're an Elf! Just like the Dawnmaster!" What the hell was a Dawnmaster?

  I chuckled, "Sure am, kid." I held out my hand. "I'm Ryan Crestwood, Arch Druid of Renewal, pleased to meet you."

  He looked at my hand, and back at my face gawking like a fish out of water. Then he remember his manners.

  "David Martinez, thank you for saving my mother." His hand was dwarfed by mine but he didn't flinch. I liked that.

  "Well, David it is then. I can't get all of these people home, but I'll call a few of my connections and see what can be done. While I try to get that sorted, why don't you follow Probius there, and get your mother into my Food Truck. I'll take you guys home."

  A few calls to Rogue and the Mox saw some people on the way to actually help. It only cost me a few eddies. Totally worth it.

  I took David and his Mother home.