The Gate Traveler

I was still pissed at my in-laws. Not the all-consuming, white-hot rage like before, but a steady, cold fury that refused to die down. I needed to make them pay in a big way. The vow to make them pay still stood, and I had no intention of breaking it. Maybe it made me the bad guy, but I didn't care. The thought of them walking away scot-free—especially after everything they put Sophie through—made me grind my teeth.

I combed the spell list for something to help me take revenge. After some time, I finally came across the Mind Discipline section, which had a selection of rather dark abilities. Among them were Mesmerizing, Spellbinding, Enthralling, Entrancing, Hypnotizing, and Bewitching. Taking my time, I carefully read through each description, weighing my options. Ultimately, I settled on Spellbinding. It aligned perfectly with my intentions.

I also found the Invisibility spell mentioned in the Archives. Many Travelers recommend always crossing the Gates while invisible.

With the two spells, I headed to "visit" my in-laws. They made Sophie miserable over money and jewelry; I'd make them feel the same. They spent their whole lives hoarding wealth, clutching it like a lifeline. Let's see how they enjoyed watching it slip through their fingers.

To avoid detection, I cast Invisibility multiple times, starting five blocks away from their house. Once I arrived, I waited patiently for my father-in-law.

As soon as he parked, I cast Spellbinding: "Don't notice my voice, but do as I say."

Malcolm jerked and then froze. His eyes lost focus, pupils wide, and his face became empty and expressionless.

"Go inside and leave the door open for two minutes."

He bolted, nearly tripping over himself as he sprinted to the house, threw the door open, and disappeared inside.

I slipped in behind him, recasting Invisibility. The house was equipped with security cameras, both inside and out.

Rachel was in the living room. I stepped closer and cast Spellbinding: "Don't notice my voice, but do as I say."

She stiffened, and her breath hitched. A shudder rolled through her, and her fingers curled like she was trying to hold onto something. Her lips pressed tight, jaw clenched. She twitched a few times and made me wonder if she'd break free. Then, all at once, her shoulders sagged, and her expression went slack.

"Go, collect all your and Malcolm's jewelry, put it all in a bag, and set it on the dining table."

The spell bucked under the complexity of the command. It felt like gripping a thrashing eel inside my mind. Rachel jerked and shuddered, her breath hitched like she might break free. I recast it for an extra boost, and everything settled. Her resistance cracked, and she stood up and walked away in slow, jerky steps.

She returned ten minutes later, the bag hitting the table with a thud.

I cast again. "Go to sleep." Another cast. "Forget everything that happened." And one more. "Tomorrow, you'll remember feeling tired and going to bed early."

This time, there was no resistance. She blinked, nodded, and shuffled off.

On second thought, one last cast. "Don't look for the jewelry for the next three days."

Her expression stayed blank as she walked away. Good enough.

Now for Malcolm.

Spellbinding. "Go to your safe, open it, and add all the valuables to the bag."

Same reaction as before—zero hesitation. He just snatched up the bag, sprinted to his office, returned minutes later, and dropped the bag in the same place.

Did I need more casts with Rachel because she's stronger mentally?

I shook my head. It didn't matter.

Spellbinding. "Access your bank account and donate all your liquid funds to the Cancer Research Foundation." Another cast. "Attach a letter saying it's in memory of your beloved daughter." He spun on his heel and bolted back to his office. I followed at a slower pace. By the time I reached the office, he was already clicking on his computer.

Satisfied, I cast again. "Remember feeling bad about your treatment of Sophie and deciding to donate in her memory."

He looked like he was about to cry. Good.

Next, "You will feel good about donating."

His shoulders loosened, and he let out a relieved exhale. A contented smile appeared on his lips.

"Go put the bag with the valuables behind the enormous statue in the front yard."

The moment he returned, I cast again.

"Go to sleep. Forget everything that happened except the donation."

One last command. I hesitated. It was too much for level one, even with his susceptibility. I split it into three.

"Tomorrow, you'll remember feeling tired and going to bed early."

Then, "Don't look for your jewelry or open your safe for the next three days."

And the last one. "Don't access your bank account for the next three days."

I wished I could make it longer, but the spell description said three days, so I had to compromise.

He turned, and took off up the stairs.

I paused at the door, giving the house one last look. If the spell wore off early, would they think they'd been robbed? Probably. But Spellbinding held. I could feel it. Still, best to be out of the city before they called the cops. I grabbed the bag, dropped it into Storage, and slipped away. By the time I reached my hotel, I was grinning wide. They loved money more than anything, so this was the perfect revenge. My only regret was not being there to see their faces three days from now when it finally hit them. I sighed, imagined it in vivid detail, and instantly felt better. Sometimes, doing the wrong thing felt so right.

Back in my room, I dumped the bag onto the bed and stared. I knew Rachel had a lot of jewelry, but this was nuts. There were over 150 pieces, maybe even 200. Rings, earrings, pendants... and on top of that, seventeen full sets in individual velvet-lined boxes that looked expensive as hell. One set had a necklace with two rows of big red stones. Rubies? The hotel light caught the gems, scattering reflections across the sheets. It was so bright and colorful I had to rub my eyes. I ran my fingers through the pile. Cufflinks, tie clips, brooches ... some plain, some with gems. One of the diamond tennis bracelets threw tiny rainbows onto the wall. How many times had she worn this stuff while looking down on Sophie? And that wasn't even all of it. Wedged between the jewelry was a fat stack of cash, $40,000, plus a small bag of loose gems, silver and gold coins in plastic sleeves, and five bearer bonds marked at $10,000 each.

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Looking at all this, I remembered searching for a looting spell and couldn't help but laugh. Turns out there is a looting function—it just works a little differently.

I'd burned through three ability points in two days and had no idea if I could "farm" more where I was headed. Better to stock up now.

Before leaving, I visited Sophie one last time. Standing before her grave, I traced the letters of her name, the cool stone smooth beneath my fingertips. An icy wind tugged at my jacket and hair as a light rain began to fall, matching my mood. My tears mixed with the raindrops, and I tilted my face to the sky, letting the drops wash them away. When I finally got myself under control, I looked down at the headstone. "I'm keeping my promise," I whispered. "I didn't give up. I'm still here. I donated everything you wanted me to and let it all go. The only thing I'm still struggling with is living in the present. I know that part mattered the most to you, and I swear I'll do my best. I'm not giving up."

I sank to the ground, resting my back against the headstone, legs stretched out in front of me. The grass was wet, the rain soaking through my jeans, but it didn't matter. The sun traced its slow path across the sky as I sat in silence, keeping her company. I had nothing left to say, only the quiet companionship we once shared. As dusk settled, I leaned in and pressed my lips against the cold stone. "If I don't come back…" I trailed off, swallowing hard. My fingers traced the grooves of her name. "It's not because I stopped loving you. I never will."

The wind ruffled my hair and carried a faint scent of jasmine. Her favorite perfume. Was it real or my imagination?

I pressed my forehead against the stone with a sigh. "You'll be with me, Soph. In every step, every sight, every story, I'll carry you with me." The wind picked up, cool against my face, like a caress. I closed my eyes, and a faint smile tugged at my lips. "I love you too, babe."

With one last kiss to the stone, I stood and walked away, carrying her memory into the cosmos.

I flew to New York, assuming there would be more workshops, pawn shops, and delis. I also wanted to fill up my Storage with hot takeaway food, especially Italian and Chinese. My red light had been blinking ever since my house and cars were sold, and I had used the money to stock up. At the time, my mental and emotional state was so wrecked that I didn't have the energy or the desire to deal with it. Truth be told, I suspected it was good news, and wasn't ready for that. It felt like a betrayal, in a way. But now, after my final goodbye, I was ready, and the flight was the perfect time to face it, with nothing else to do.

That was unexpected and definitely not something I'd ever considered doing. I stared at the message for a long time, lost in thought. On one hand, Merchant didn't sound all that exciting. But on the other… I had no intention of staying in one place. I planned to travel, and not just through boring Shimoor, but across worlds. And traveling took money. Back when Sophie and I started earning well, I got used to the finer things in life. An expensive car, a nice house, great food, excellent wine, and fancy hotels whenever we traveled. I wasn't ready to give that up. If this profession helped me make enough money to fund my travels and maintain a comfortable lifestyle, then maybe it wasn't such a terrible choice after all.

I clicked Yes.

The red light was still blinking.

On my profile page, I clicked on Luck, and—no surprise—the description caught me off guard. Clearly, this system hadn't read the same books I had. It had its own rules.

My red light was still blinking.

A wave of dizziness washed over me, followed by discomfort. It wasn't exactly pain, but it came close—in my head, eyes, ears, and nose. After ten seconds, it passed without a trace. Another jump in Perception. Just like before, the world sharpened. Sights were crisper, scents stronger, sounds clearer. But this time, there was something new. My skin. The sensation of my clothes pressing on me stood out like never before, every seam suddenly noticeable and slightly irritating. The tag on my shirt scratched like sandpaper. With a huff, I ripped it out. I thought about the headache—probably the jump in Wisdom. I didn't feel smarter or wiser, but maybe I just hadn't noticed the change yet. Given time, I'd probably figure it out.

Except for my new Luck stat, my lowest were Agility and Constitution, so I added six points to each. I still wasn't sure what the best stat distribution would be, but for now, I didn't feel like overthinking it. Raising the lowest ones seemed like the safest choice. My skin crawled like a swarm of ants was running beneath it. It didn't last long. Another ten seconds, and it vanished like it never happened.

Hitting level 5 in one go was insane. I stared at the message window, half-tempted to ask if it was sure. Then I actually thought about it. In the last months, I'd spent over half a million dollars on purchases and sold nearly the same amount. Add in the trust fund, the jewelry I inherited, and my little "looting" adventure, and it started to make sense. Suddenly, those levels didn't seem so unbelievable.

With the system window still open, I checked the Merchant description.

I opened my profile and noticed a few new lines had appeared.

The last one was unclear, so I poked it.

I looked at my full profile, and it looked good.

New York. Europe. A few loose ends, and I'm out of here.

Earth felt like a prison, and I was done doing time.