In a small village somewhere on Terra, surrounded by vast stretches of barren land, a black cat sat comfortably on the roof of a shed. The cold night air didn’t seem to bother it as it gazed down upon the villagers, surveying its realm and its people. They were gathered around a bonfire, their mingling voices and laughter creating a warm, joyous atmosphere. Life was hard here, but it was not without its simple pleasures. The cat yawned, a picture of relaxation after a hard day’s work, and was about to curl up for a nap when a golden glow bloomed beside it. Turning its head, it saw a shimmering, golden door floating in the air. A warm, inviting aura emanated from the portal, piquing the cat’s interest. Curiosity gleaming in its eyes, it slowly rose to its feet. Finn was sitting in a lawn chair in the back garden, sipping a cold lemonade as he browsed the Crossroads Store. He had changed from his casual clothes into his Host Attire which, for the moment, had taken the form of a tailored three-piece suit. It was surprisingly comfortable and remarkably flattering, but more importantly, it filled him with an incredible sense of power. Finn wasn't sure of the exact limits of that power, but with a single thought he could teleport anywhere within the Hotel’s grounds, and the sensation was exhilarating. The suit also granted him a profound awareness, instantly flooding his mind with all the knowledge he needed to run the Hotel. The first thing he learned was that the Hotel had a fixed monthly expense of 25 Crossroads Points, a cost that could not be avoided. It covered a bewildering variety of miscellaneous items Finn had completely overlooked: cutlery, linens, towels, soaps and shampoos, room service supplies, general maintenance, even groceries. The list went on and on, giving him a headache just thinking about it. He was immensely fortunate the Hotel handled these things automatically; he would never have considered them until it was too late, and he didn't want to imagine the consequences of running out of clean towels for a cosmic entity. He’d had Vera bring him the lemonade and a snack to test her cooking abilities and was more than satisfied with the results. It was a moment of pure bliss until a notification informed him that 1 Crossroads Point had been deducted as payment. He was flabbergasted, but Clio quickly explained that this single point would cover his personal, non-spiritual food for the entire month. The system, she clarified, had even borrowed the concept of ‘spirit food’—cuisine that could aid in Somatic—from his own understanding of novels. Since then, he had been exploring the Crossroads Market to see what it offered. Many of the tabs were greyed out, but the ‘Hotel Upgrades’ section was available. He could purchase a Gift Shop for 325 Crossroads Points, a Recovery Room for 500, a Greenhouse for 425, or even a Meditation Room for a whopping 1200 points. Clio informed him that once he purchased an upgrade, he could stock it with items to sell to guests. This raised a question Finn had never considered: how would he even collect payment? Another major oversight. The answer was a bit complicated. Since the universe lacked a unified currency, the Hotel would analyze each guest and determine what form of payment they could offer, be it mythical spirit stones or something else entirely. As far as Finn was concerned, however, all prices would be in Crossroads Points. If a guest wanted a room for the night, Finn would ask for 50 Crossroads Points, but the guest would hear the price in whatever currency was relevant to them, be it dollars or spirit stones. Furthermore, payment for a guest’s stay was due in advance, while purchases of items or services were to be paid at the time of the transaction. Finn nodded to himself, just about to dive back into the market, when a system notification chimed in his mind: A guest has entered the Hotel! Please receive the guest. He shot up from the lawn chair, a jolt of alarm and excitement running through him. He quickly summoned both Vera and Gerard. After a quick glance to ensure they all looked presentable, he teleported the three of them to the main gate. A welcoming smile fixed on his face, Finn stood ready to greet his first guest, but the sight before him froze him to the spot. A massive white bull was making its way down the main road, a covered litter strapped to its back. And sitting in the litter, with a pose full of majesty, was a black cat, surveying the new land around it. When the bull finally reached Finn, the cat looked him up and down as if inspecting goods. Then, it spoke. “What is this place, that has now availed the honor of my presence?” The cat’s voice was feminine and melodic, yet it carried an undeniable weight of power and demanded respect. Finn snapped out of his stupor and focused on the cat. Beside its head, he could see a few lines of floating text. Power Level: ??? (Too high for host to see) Crossroads Hotel Prestige Level: Not yet available The bull had its own information displayed as well. Power Level: ??? (Too high for host to see) Crossroads Hotel Prestige Level: Not yet available What in the world was this? Could this creature really be from Terra? A talking cat whose power was too high for him to even register? Even the bull it rode was beyond his ability to detect. He wasn't sure what Somatic level was considered ‘too high,’ but he was certain it was a monstrous existence far beyond the Praxis level his authority currently covered. Still, a guest was a guest. He couldn't afford to discriminate, not when his future clientele would likely be just as alien. “Welcome to the Crossroads Hotel,” Finn said, his voice calm and confident. “The Crossroads Hotel is a refuge for the weary traveler of the universe, a place where you may rest and recuperate before continuing on your journey. You may call me the Innkeeper.” The cat, Lyra, stared at Finn for a moment, contemplating his words before asking, “Your Hotel brought me from Terra to this new space, Innkeeper. Can it also send me to a different destination of my choosing?” Finn froze again, unsure how to answer, but the Host Attire, perfectly in tune with the Hotel, supplied him with the knowledge. “Unfortunately, we do not provide such transportation services at the moment. Guests must return to the location they came from. This is to prevent powerful individuals from interfering with other worlds. I’m sure a guest as noble as yourself can understand.” Finn’s voice remained professional, but inwardly he was reeling at the implication that a guest could interfere with an entire world. “A pity. I forgot a necklace on Xylos the last time I was there and was hoping to retrieve it. Regardless, show me what amenities you offer. I am quite interested in this place. Father has grounded me on Terra for far too long.” “Please, follow me,” Finn said, gesturing towards the main building. Internally, he was a roiling mix of anxiety and excitement. Under normal circumstances, he never would have been able to maintain such composure, but it seemed keeping the Innkeeper calm was another hidden feature of the suit. Lyra was thoroughly intrigued. When she had first seen the floating golden door, it was merely an object of curiosity. But as she drew closer, she felt it—pure spirit energy! A thrill shot through her, so potent that she momentarily lost control and caused a massive earthquake. She recovered quickly, stabilizing the ground to save her worshippers, but her decision was made. She had to follow that door. She had spent far too long on the spirit-barren lands of Terra, and this was her chance to escape. It wasn't that Terra had no spirit energy at all, but its quality and concentration were pitifully low. More importantly, it lacked certain essential properties, rendering it useless to a being of her Somatic. The energy pouring from the door was not overwhelmingly dense, but its quality was vastly superior to Terra's. It contained those crucial properties she so desperately needed. She had hastily summoned her butler, Argus, who assumed the form of a bull, gathered her belongings, and stepped through the portal. The door led to what appeared to be a vast estate with a grand mansion, open gardens, and a clear blue sky. At first glance, the place felt empty—no trees or flowers, no birds or insects, and no signs of life. But none of that mattered to Lyra, because the air was thick with spirit energy. It was a far cry from the density in her father’s palace, but after her time on Terra, it felt like paradise. She could already feel her strength beginning to return. If she could stay here for a few decades, she might recover fully. Then, she could finally leave Terra on her own terms. As she reveled in these thoughts while Argus ambled down the road, three humans appeared in her path, startling her. She had not felt any shift in the spirit energy around her, which meant they had used some other means to travel. The thought was a little intimidating. She assessed the trio and found two of them to be completely ordinary, but the third, a young man, radiated an aura of unquestionable authority, yet it was tempered by a welcoming friendliness. After their short exchange, the young man explained that this was an Hotel, much to Lyra’s delight. She decided immediately. She had to stay here, for as long as she possibly could.

Chapter 5: A Door Between Worlds