《The World Which Is》 Foreword This story is that of Dennis, and through him, I plan on exploring the world as it stands 30 years after the system appeared and changed everything. This story is set in the same world as Unwanted Company, taking place roughly 30 years after that one. As such, there will be minor spoilers as to who will survive to the end of that story. (at this point, the only Character I plan on having a cameo is Chuck) Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. This story will feature a much more solid system than Unwanted Company. (that one served to discover the core of the system.) And while I won¡¯t promise a ¡®crunchy¡¯ LitRPG read, I¡¯m hoping to have one where what can be inferred from the read will lead to a system that is consistent. A Note: While there is male on male attraction, on the intense side, in the early chapters. this is not a sexual story or a male on male relationship story. There will be discussion of sex, here and there, but there will not be anything graphic The plan is for a chapter to be posted every Sunday Chapter 01 ¡°Attack,¡± Grandmother instructs, and I raise the wooden sword to deflect Josie¡¯s attack, slash as she jumps back, press and lift my leg so her sweeping kick passes under it. Then I backup, gasping from the pommel hit in my stomach. She grins, and her face lights up. Never noticed until now how pretty she is. I wonder if that¡¯s because I¡¯m about to get a class soon. About to be an adult. ¡°Stop gawking, Dennis,¡± Grandmother instructs. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking advantage of his distracted state, Josie? Remember everyone, in a real fight, you can¡¯t afford to be distracted, or not take advantage of your opponent¡¯s distractions.¡± ¡°Yes, Grandmother,¡± the twenty or so of us on the training field reply in unison. Me, Josie and three others are the oldest. My sixteenth birthday is in a few days, Josie a week later, and the others spread over the next two months. She isn¡¯t our grandmother, she¡¯s actually my great-grandmother. Grandpa Louis¡¯s mom. ¡°I don¡¯t get why we have to do this anymore,¡± Josie grumbles as she thrusts and I deflect. ¡°It¡¯s not like we can go up in levels.¡± I reply with a thrust of my own, which she barely parries. ¡°An attitude like that is how you end up needing to be rescued, Josie,¡± Grandmother says without slowing her pacing in front of the field. ¡°You grow too dependent on the system to maintain your skills, and even if the number¡¯s the same, you are too slow to win against your opponent.¡± ¡°And in a few days,¡± I say, ¡°we¡¯re going to gain level as quickly as we can train.¡± I punctuate my comment with a series of jabs. ¡°So I want to be as close to going up as I can be for when I pick my class.¡± ¡°You made up your mind yet?¡± She parries and counters, then goes for an overhead swing I have to block by bracing the flat of my sword against my forearm. The force still drops me to a knee. ¡°Still going over my options.¡± Which is code for ¡®still trying to get my dad to let me pick my class.¡¯ ¡°If you don¡¯t¡ª¡± The alarm klaxon sounds and we all stop. It only ever sounds for two reasons. Preparedness, and¡ª
Monster Wave Incoming
¡°This is not a Drill,¡± the deep voice coming from around us says. Grandmother looks at the speakers on top of the pole. ¡°I repeat, this is not a drill. Monster wave incoming. All civilians, make your way to the bunkers. Combatants, take your positions, first responders to the checkpoints. I repeat, this is not a drill.¡± The klaxon sounds again three times and goes silent. The klaxon and voice messages are there for the older folks. The rest of us know to leave the system alerts up. You don¡¯t want to miss when a wave is incoming, especially if you¡¯re outside Base¡¯s influence. And it¡¯s also good to know when you¡¯re crossing onto another territory, you know, if your dad will ever let you travel at all. ¡°They¡¯re ahead of schedule,¡± Grandmother muses, shifting her gaze to the closest gate in Base¡¯s wall. People from the town outside are already moving toward it. ¡°Alright,¡± she says in her drill sergeant voice, facing us. ¡°You heard Base. Find your families and head to your bunker.¡± ¡°I can help,¡± I say. ¡°Me too,¡± Josie adds. Which earns us looks. Admiration from the youngest trainees and disbelief from those our age. Me and Josie are the only ones here because we want to be. The other three are here because it¡¯s one of the town rules that everyone needs to have basic fighting training as well as first aid. That class is tomorrow. ¡°I appreciate it,¡± Grandmother said, and her voice softens ever so slightly. ¡°But you are still children. Your parents wouldn¡¯t forgive me if I allowed you to get hurt. So move along; you have your orders.¡± Josie heads for the gate after dropping her training sword in the bin. I send mine to Base¡¯s inventory before heading deeper within him. Her family lives outside Base, while I, because I¡¯m related to the Base Commander, live within it. Dad barely leaves the grounds. I find him at our assigned bunker by his carpenter¡¯s workshop¡ªyes, my dad, whose surname is Carpenter, is a carpenter¡ªushering people inside the five by five meters concrete building. More people are arriving. This bunker is assigned to the families living near the wall. A few hundred of them, I think. There are bunkers all along the wall for those living further away. The wall is within the limit of Base¡¯s influence, so each bunker will accommodate all the families assigned to them. ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± my dad says. ¡°I offered to help.¡± I take position on the opposite side of the door and glance inside as I help a pregnant woman step in. The space stretches further than I can see, with bunk beds on one side, separated by curtains. Further down, there¡¯s an eating area with basic food available. If needed, we can stay in there for a month. It¡¯s never been needed. A few days is as long as it takes to deal with these attack waves. ¡°Are you listening?¡± Dad asks. ¡°Yes.¡± What else am I going to say? He sighs. ¡°This is helping.¡± ¡°This is standing around moving people through a door.¡± ¡°It¡¯s making sure it happens in an orderly manner.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The flow of people slows. ¡°They don¡¯t need us standing here for that. Everyone has gone through the drills. They know how important it is to keep calm. It¡¯s Base, Dad. They know this is the safest place they can be.¡± ¡°Dennis Michael Carpenter,¡± he growls. ¡°Do not take that tone with me. Every role is important. Ours is to make sure they feel reassured that everything will be okay.¡± Ours is to stand around and wait while the fun stuff happens. ¡°Yes, Dad.¡± ¡°Dennis,¡± he says in his ¡®I¡¯m trying to comfort you,¡¯ voice. ¡°It¡¯s not all about running out there and having adventures. You¡¯ll see. Once you have your class, there¡¯s pleasure in simpler things too.¡± He means once he¡¯s narrowed the selection to only the classes he thinks are safe; which means boring. We had an argument last week when I told him I was not becoming a carpenter. He¡¯s not supposed to have a say in what my class will be. It¡¯s supposed to be my choice and mine alone. But, the catalog of classes is held within a settlement¡¯s node, and Base is that node. Since Louis, the base commander, is my dad¡¯s father, that means my dad can talk him into limiting access to that list. You¡¯d think my grandfather would take my side on this, but Dad has had something of a rough life because of the system, and Grandpa bends the rules to make him feel safe. Which includes going along with what he wants for me. ¡°All families assigned to this bunker are accounted for,¡± Base says. The speaker grill above the door isn¡¯t really a speaker. Base doesn¡¯t need a speaker to speak within his area of influence, but a voice coming from nowhere freaks out the older folks, so every building has that grill, and Base projects his voice from it. ¡°Then in we go,¡± Dad says and motions for me to enter. When I don¡¯t immediately obey, his eyes narrow and I go in, shoulders slumped. He follows. ¡°Base, we are in. You can close and seal the door.¡± The door closes by itself slowly. Another thing Base does because it makes the old folks comfortable. He could just make the opening not there anymore, just like he can make the inside of a five-by-five meter box able to house a hundred families comfortably. I¡¯d prefer he just made the doorway vanish. That way I wouldn¡¯t have to watch my future close in at the same time. If the fighting goes on long enough, I¡¯ll be in here when my Choice Day arrives; and Dad will be there to choose for me. The moment that door closes, it¡¯s all over for me. I¡¯m going to be stuck with some boring class in this boring town until I die. I take off and barely squeeze between the closing door and frame, not bothering to reach out and grab one of the backpacks hanging by it since that might get caught. I am so not dying in this town. It closes as the sun warms my face. I turn and watch as the outline of the door melts away. ¡°Don¡¯t open it,¡± I plead. I know dad¡¯s screaming at Base to do just that. ¡°Please, I can help with the fighting.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t open it,¡± Base¡¯s voice replies, as if he¡¯s standing next to me. ¡°I know what it feels like to be held back. You go help. But be careful. The commander is going to be pissed at both of us if you get hurt.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± I¡¯m off again. My first stop is the armory. It¡¯s unoccupied; everyone¡¯s already equipped. Not that anyone would stop me since it¡¯s always good to have more swords against monsters. Even a classless kid like me; and yes, they can tell I don¡¯t have a level yet. About the only thing that can be told without a special ability, but we all have the same training. So I¡¯m not defenseless. Standing by the weapon¡¯s racks, I open its inventory and my equipment panel automatically does the same. I need armor, a shield, and a sword. Good thing I can add that directly to my equipped stuff, because with a strength of ten, and fifteen in strength training I only have four inventory slots. I have to settle for hardened leather since the metal ones are locked to their specific owner, but all swords and shields are basically the same. Once armored and armed, I head for the closest gate. Those will remain open unless the defenders are forced to retreat within Base. That¡¯s never happened while I was alive. I make it halfway to the front line when a shadow passes over me and I skid to a stop. The shape¡¯s way-wrong for a bird. No bird around here has a tail that lashes like that as it flies, or an elongated neck. It circles overhead, and the light shimmers over it. I shake myself from the sight and run again. The front line is where I¡¯m going to be¡ª It lets out a bone-chilling call and dives for the buildings to my left. I change direction to match it. There¡¯s only one reason a monster will attack. People screaming confirm it¡¯s seen prey. Everyone should be in their bunkers by now, but the town proper is outside Base¡¯s influence, so he can¡¯t do anything about it. He can¡¯t even watch unless one of the cameras on the wall has a line of sight, and no one¡¯s bothered keeping that in mind as they built up the town. I burst into the courtyard and stop at the sight. It¡¯s not a bird, but a lizard of some sort. Its scales shimmer in a rainbow of colors the way oil on water does. It¡¯s about four meters, not counting the tail, its muzzle is long and narrow filled with sharp teeth as it pulls its head back, then slams forward, its shoulders hitting the buildings on each side of the alley it¡¯s trying to force itself in. The screams come from in there, and that stops me from focusing and getting its name and level. We can get that from monsters, unlike anyone with a class. The buildings shake, one cracks, but they don¡¯t give. Monster waves are a three or four times a year thing for us. So we build everything monster tough. I hit my sword against my shield. I do it again when it rears back, and its head snaps in my direction. Its eyes are larger than I expect, slit, and of a surprisingly vibrant amber. I hit my shield again. ¡°Come on. Easy target here. Ignore the armor, the shield, and the weapon. You aren¡¯t one of the smart monsters, right? You don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m saying.¡± That would suck. He lunges at me, and I throw myself to the side. It slams into the building and I slash at it. The tip of the blade slides off its scales. That¡¯s going to be a problem. It roars as it rears back. Its head barrels at me and I raise my shield. It takes the impact and sends me flying back. My health bar flashes as I lose some. What was that, a tenth? Grandmother keeps telling us to learn to read it, to know how much each blow takes out so we know when we need to run. I run out of the way of the claws coming down at me. Grandmother says that running to fight another day is the smart thing to do. Even before the system¡¯s time, she¡¯s seen too many battles to believe in fighting a losing one. The noise makes me look over my shoulder as the claws gouge the wall. I look ahead in time to see the tail coming at me. My health bar flashes from the impact, and again when I hit the wall. Down close to half. Not good. At least I¡¯ve avoided any debuffs, so I roll out of the way from the incoming tail. I¡¯m on my feet and drive the sword into it. Half the blade sinks in, then it¡¯s yanked out of my hand, making me backpedal, as it roars in pain and turns. Those amber eyes are damned expressive. And it is angry. I back up as best as I can as it snaps at me. Those teeth are vicious looking. I hit a wall with a curse, then raise my shield at the incoming teeth. When they don¡¯t bite half my body off, I realize I closed my eyes. Stupid. I open them. The teeth are stopped by the top and bottom of the shield. Yep, monster tough, I still¡ª I scream as it shakes its head and my arm slips out of the straps. There goes more of my health. I¡¯m under half for sure now. I sit up with a groan. It¡¯s looking at me, then spits the shield out before walking in my direction. No sword, no shield, not much in the way of armor against that thing. Why am I not shitting my pants right now? Shock? Maybe it¡¯s time to run. A face appears out of the alley; older man, terrified. I guess not. I get to my feet and equip the knife I keep in my inventory. I wish I was allowed to keep a sword in there, but that¡¯s another of the town¡¯s rules. No one can carry weapons bigger than a knife. ¡°Okay,¡± I tell it. ¡°That cinches it. I¡¯m not as smart as I like to think.¡± I am so dea¡ª The form that drops between me at the monsters is covered in white armor, thick and solid looking. Yep, I am so dead. ¡°Care to explain,¡± Grandpa Louis says, ¡°why you aren¡¯t in the bunker with your father?¡± Chapter 02 ¡°Eat up,¡± Grandpa Louis says, lobbing a shiny something over his shoulder. The monster screeches at the action and lunges for him. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think so.¡± As I catch the foil wrapped bar, he punches the head. There¡¯s a flash of energy from the impact and the monster¡¯s head whips away, pulling its body and leaving gouges in the ground where its claws are planted. ¡°Base!¡± he snaps. ¡°Where did this thing come from? Tell me they haven¡¯t somehow gained stealth capability.¡± I don¡¯t hear the answer. Base can¡¯t speak outside his walls, other than by the speakers atop them and we¡¯re too far for that, but Grandpa and him are connected, since he¡¯s the Base Commander. I quickly unwrap the bar so I¡¯ll be healed. It¡¯s one of Mister Roger¡¯s revitalizing snacks. He¡¯s a cook slash alchemist who Base has a contract with for combat related foods. The bulk of what he makes for Base is like this one, quick healing plus a regenerative buff. ¡°Come on,¡± Grandpa Louis says to the monster as he motions for it to attack. ¡°Don¡¯t turn shy on me now.¡± It doesn¡¯t lunge. Whatever it is, it¡¯s smart enough to learn from pain. It paces left and right, studying him. As soon as I swallow the last bite, my health jumps up, and the regen buff appears in the top left of my sight.
Roger¡¯s Revitalizing Bar 2:00:00
Two hours? I didn¡¯t think that lasted so long. I¡¯ve only had one of the bars Mister Rogers sells from his shop, and that one only lasted fifteen minutes. It was my twelfth birthday present from Grandpa. A way for me to mess around with the older boys without dad having to worry about me getting injured. Dad hates those bars. Says all they do is get people to think they¡¯re invincible and get themselves killed. The monster screeches and runs at Grandpa as I push myself to my feet. Maybe it isn¡¯t that smart after all. It stops at the last moment and pivots. Grandpa swears and raises both arms to take the coming tail¡¯s impact. There¡¯s another flash of energy, and he¡¯s launched straight into a building, cracking the wall. ¡°Okay.¡± He pushed himself away. ¡°I guess you want to play hardball.¡± He takes a step and jumps. His boots glow as he goes up way higher than should be possible. Ten, maybe fifteen meters. Then, he doesn¡¯t so much fall, as propels himself down at it. The impact blinds me, and the shockwave pressed me against the wall. When my sight clears, the dust is settling, and Grandpa¡¯s getting to his feet. The creature doesn¡¯t move. The icon in the lower left for my combat log flashes blue. If I had a class, that¡¯d tell me I gained experience. In a few days. Only a few more days to go. This means it¡¯s dead. I focus on it.
Drakoling, Level 5
Perception check successful
A precursor to the more dangerous Dragon, the Drakoling thrives in higher Aether regions, rarely traveling the border of their mating territory except under duress.
Huh, it¡¯s not often my fifteen in perception¡¯s high enough to get the basics.
Cryptozoology check unsuccessful
Or triggers a check for a more appropriate skills. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± Grandpa states, tapping the side of his helmet, which causes the visor to split and retract to the left and right. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to distract you?¡± I try. He motions for me to try again. I sigh. ¡°I want to help.¡± He lets out a sigh of his own, way longer, and filled with way more emotions. Mainly disappointment, I think. When he puts a hand on my shoulder, there¡¯s none of the strength I saw him use. ¡°Dennis, you¡¯re only fifteen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be sixteen in a few days,¡± I reply defiantly. ¡°And I think your father would like you to be alive to see your Choosing Day.¡± ¡°His Choosing for me Day, you mean.¡± He doesn¡¯t have a response for that. Dad hasn¡¯t exactly been discreet about their conversations. ¡°Dennis, you can¡¯t gain experience. This isn¡¯t going to help you.¡± I slap his arm. The hope was to get him to remove his hand. The result is my hand stinging. ¡°Not everything has to be about me getting something out of it.¡± My anger¡¯s undercut by the pain. ¡°There are people in trouble and I can help.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Your skills are only fifteen.¡± ¡°Grandmother says that¡¯s just a number, and it doesn¡¯t mean everything. Someone clever can do more with fifteen than someone not as clever.¡± ¡°Sometimes, I wish my mother would stop training you.¡± I grin triumphantly. Motion from the alley catches both our attention. The townsfolk exiting its protection. My spirits sink as Grandpa¡¯s smile spread. ¡°It¡¯s safe,¡± he tells them, then pats my shoulder. ¡°And Dennis will escort you back to Base to make sure you aren¡¯t endangered on the way there.¡± He looks at me. ¡°This is how you help, Dennis.¡± * * * * * As expected, the walk to the gate is boring. Grandpa knew that was going to be the case. All the fighting¡¯s taking place at the edge of town. Maybe there¡¯s a few incursions, like the Drakoling, but nothing¡¯s going to make it this far. ¡°Dennis,¡± Bases says as the last of the dozen people step through, ¡°I have strict instructions from the Commander that the instant you step within my walls, I am to prevent you from leaving again. He has authorized me to use all necessary methods.¡± I stop in my tracks and look at the line in the ground made by the doors as they close and open. I want to thank him for giving me the choice, but Grandpa can access his records. He¡¯s already not going to be happy Base told me before I stepped through. ¡°Dennis, you have to come in,¡± he states. ¡°Your father is worried about you.¡± I can help. Some of the guards are sixteen, and all they get when they take the class is a handful of bonuses to their attributes and skills, and one ability. I doubt any of them raised their skills otherwise. They¡¯re still just like me, basically. I glance at the Regen buff.
Roger¡¯s Revitalizing Bar 1:33:02
That¡¯s a lot of time. I turn and run. ¡°I¡¯m going to help!¡± ¡°Dennis, I order you to come back,¡± Base calls after me, but I can tell he¡¯s only going through the motion. Okay, where to go to both help, and not run into anyone who¡¯ll send me back? Grandpa was in the Greenway neighborhood, but with his suit, he can go anywhere in minutes, so I need a path with taller building and overhangs to block his sight, just in case. That¡¯s White¡¯s Mill. It¡¯ll take me to Blue Basket, and then it¡¯s through Red River and I¡¯m at the front line, where I can get lost among the guards. I make it to Red River without trouble. A few blocks into it, I hear growls, grunts, and metal against metal. There¡¯s a yowl of pain, and I run in that direction. An injured and still living monster is a more dangerous monster. They¡¯re going to need help. I skid to a stop and back behind a corner as I see the old woman in the middle of seven Ramthoms. Or not. Of all the bad luck. If she sees me, she¡¯d not only sending me back to Base, she¡¯s escorting me there herself. I look around the corner as Grandmother steps out of the way of one of the Ram¡¯s swing, then casually slashes at it, cutting through its thick wool and leaving a bleeding line. She¡¯s already out of the way from another attack, then under a club, casually steps over a low swing. Each time, Lullaby, that¡¯s her sword, cuts them, most of the times, parts of them fall off. It¡¯s magical, of course. The old timers who aren¡¯t afraid of the world have all accumulated lots of magic and stuff. It¡¯s why, nearing a hundred, she only looks a few years older than Grandpa Louis. I think. Maybe she just has ¡®good genes,¡¯ like she keeps saying, whatever that means. She¡¯s got that fight well in hand, so I don¡¯t have to stick around. I go around that block and I¡¯m back on track. I run into the fight just before the end of Red River. More Ramthoms, a lot more, and fighting a bunch of guards. Some are in metal armor, most in leather, like me. A look and I spot someone in trouble. I¡¯m next to him, sword in hand, and block the Ramthom¡¯s rusty blade. I push it to the side and thrust. It backs up, snorting and leveling its small black eyes at me. ¡°Thanks,¡± the guard says. ¡°No prob.¡± I lunge, then parry and swing. Quick steps, light on my feet, aware of anything my opponents might do. Then the guard is at my side and we exchange a smile. By forcing it to split its attention, we have it down quickly. Their wool¡¯s better armor than the leathers we¡¯re wearing, but that just means it takes more skill to cut and hit exposed flesh. I get a few cuts of my own, but the Regen buff takes care of that. With it dead, we give each other a nod of acknowledgment, then separate to help others. * * * * *
Roger¡¯s Revitalizing Bar 51:42
¡°Aright,¡± a woman says when the last Ramthom falls. ¡°Anyone too injured to continue, head back to Base. The rest form around me. There are more of theses closer to the palisade.¡± I join them, and someone does a double take on noticing me. Granger¡¯s a few months older than I am. He was training with us until his Choosing Day, and he recognizes me. He gives a shrug, goes back to looking ahead, and I breathe a little easier. Everyone knows how my dad feels about me and ¡®danger¡¯. Within five minutes, we¡¯re fighting again. This time, we¡¯re part of a larger battle, and further down, I see the destroyed palisade. Now I know how they got in. Although not how they made the hole. Those are made of Hardwood. Grandpa can punch one of them and not do visible damage. In the chaos of the fight, I lost track of everyone, but I¡¯m too busy to worry about it. If I hadn¡¯t capped my fighting skills, this would have given me one, maybe two, levels. Actual combat is way better at raising skill than anything else. I find out I also lost track of the enemy when one of them rams me. It feels like I¡¯ve been hit by a ton of bricks as I slide on the ground until a broken wall stops me. That¡¯s where they get their name from. They look like rams, and when those horns connect, it¡¯s like a tonne hits you.
Roger¡¯s Revitalizing Bar 20:15
Twenty minutes? Where did the time go? ¡°You,¡± a man orders, and I stare. He¡¯s a mass of muscle. Instead of leather armor, he wears a tan skinned jacket and pants. The boots are thick and reinforced. ¡°These civilians need escorting back to the bunker.¡± That¡¯s Chuck. ¡°Are you daft, kid?¡± He points to a group that¡¯s huddled in a corner. ¡°Get moving!¡± then there¡¯s a metal staff in his hand he uses to hit a Ramthom that got too close and the thing flies over the palisade, and Chuck¡¯s in the fray, making space for guard to form behind him. I saw Chuck up close. Holy mother of f¡ª Grandpa tells stories of him, and I know he comes to Court twice a year with the caravan he leads, but to be this close to him. To have him give me an order. He gave me an order! I¡¯m on my feet, grabbing my sword and running for the townsfolk. They¡¯re a mix of older and younger. Grandparents who¡¯d been taking care of children. ¡°Time to go, folks,¡± I say as I reach them. ¡°Sorry for this, but we need to hurry.¡± I have less than twenty minutes until the buff is gone. I hurry them along, then I¡¯m in the lead, slowing to keep pace with them. We encounter one Ramthom, which I only deal with until they¡¯ve continued far enough and I¡¯ve incapacitated it so it can¡¯t follow. Someone else can finish it. I recognize the courtyard of the Pink Tulip marketplace and motion to slow. The air is calm here. We should be safe. ¡°Is everyone okay? Anyone need first aid?¡± The rules say we all must have that skill, but the older folks don¡¯t always care to follow them, and most of the kids look to be under ten, so they wouldn¡¯t have started on those yet. ¡°We are okay,¡± an older man says, panting. ¡°Thank you for leading us away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. We should keep going, but we can take it at a more leisurely pace now.¡± Five minutes on the buff. The ground trembles. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± a kid asks, and the grandparents gather them close. ¡°Move!¡± I order, pointing toward Base. A few blocks away, the roof of a building disappears as the building falls. ¡°Now!¡± I equip my sword, for the little good that¡¯s going to do. I think I¡¯m about to see whatever the Ramthoms used to break the palisade. They run as another building falls. The shaking intensifies. There¡¯s no denying it anymore. That thing¡¯s coming here. I watch their back vanish and stand my ground. If I don¡¯t give whatever that is something to focus on, it might go after them. Chapter 03 I fight to keep my breathing under control as another building crashes down. That thing¡¯s big. How long do I have to delay them? A minute, two? Are they scent driven? Maybe I should have taken the Cryptozoology classes behind my father¡¯s back. The dust flies ahead of the last building falling down and I stop breathing. Not only so I won¡¯t choke on it, but because the form I make out is big. Like three times taller than I am, four times wider? Five? It¡¯s no longer moving, other than scraping a hoof and ripping the stone out of the paving. I can¡¯t run. Oh, do I want to run. There¡¯s no way I can do anything against something that big. But if I run, it might go after the others. Two minutes. Two minutes, then I run. I run toward the front, and hopefully it chases me so others can take it down. The dust thins as it settles. It¡¯s a quadruped, twice as tall at the shoulder as at the rear. Okay, not as big as I imagined, but still bigger than I can hope to win against. This is going to be about avoiding being rammed. My dex training skill is maxed out, as are my running and jumping. My armor¡¯s on the lighter side, so penalties will be minimal. I should be okay. I glance at the buff on the upper right.
Roger¡¯s Revitalizing Bars 1:23
Just stay there for another minute plus, big thing, and you can chase me to your heart¡¯s content. More dust settles, and something on its back moves. It¡¯s got a rider. The rider drops off, and I can make out the muscular form of a Ramthom. It steps forward, making motions toward the beast, which calms, the way Mitchell¡¯s attack dogs do when she signals them to stand down. The Ramthom wears hides for clothing, with a belt that¡¯s too fine. That¡¯s something it¡¯s taken off a victim. A club appears in its hand as it equips it, and it bangs it against its large horns twice, then comes to a stop five meters from me. Okay, this I have a chance against. And if it gets to that, I can definitely outrun it. It bangs the club against its horns twice again with what feels like insistence. Okay¡­ what does that mean? I raise my sword and touch the flat of the blade to the side of my head¡ªand it runs at me, head lowered to make the horns the first thing I¡¯m going to feel. If it connects. I easily step aside and slash at it. The hide clothing is thicker than I thought. It swings and I block the club. The strength nearly sends me off my feet. I regain my footing in time to deflect its next swing, and even that throws me off balance, but I score a slash at its arm and it backs away with a series of grunts and shaking the arm. It snorts at me, takes a step and pauses, looking to the side. Are they clever enough to try to fake me out? I just flick my eyes in that direction and don¡¯t see anything. It shrugs and comes at me again. I stay out of its reach, watching, studying. The attacks aren¡¯t wild. Ramthoms aren¡¯t smart the way we are, but they¡¯re not dumb monsters either. They are smart enough to learn to ride that beast, after all. Grandmother teaches that anyone who learns to fight, instead of blindly flailing about, learns bad habits. If we can find those, we have to exploit them. It¡¯s easier to do with a higher perception skill and with knowing what style they¡¯re using. But in the end, it¡¯s all about patterns, and that¡¯s mainly about paying attention and¡ª The graze stings and I curse, backing away. That was a tenth of my health. It snorts; laughing. Oh, Laugh all you want. As soon as it¡¯s healed, I¡¯m going to¡ª Why isn¡¯t it regenerating? Where¡¯s my Regen buff? It can¡¯t have ended already! This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. I parry and back away as it attacks. Can¡¯t panic. Don¡¯t panic! Parry. Parry, dodge. I can still win this. Dodge, jump, parry. Nope, it¡¯s time to run. I turn for an alley, and it¡¯s before me. Shit! I back, look for a way out of this fight, but it¡¯s fast, always before me. Backing me toward¡­ The snorting behind me is deep and I smell the humid air the beast exhales. Which means I am way too close to it. I side step, turn for the alley. The club hits and I¡¯m sliding on the ground, half my health gone, like that. And a stunned Debuff flashing. Come on, Dennis, Will the thing away, get to your feet and run.
Not enough willpower
That¡¯s never been my strong suit. Fifteen seconds. The Ramthom walks toward me, club trailing on the ground. It¡¯s taking its time, but if I don¡¯t will the debuff away, I¡¯m a sitting duck.
Not enough willpower
Why didn¡¯t I train that! Ten seconds. They¡¯re supposed to get cheaper to will away as the timer expires. Five seconds.
Not enough willpower
It raises its club over its head. It¡¯s not looking at me in anger or anything like that. Is that respect? What? It respects that I fought, and that I lost and¡ª It staggers back. The debuff ends, and I scoot away from it, as it staggers again. All I have of the reason it¡¯s doing that is the impression of a blur, and I¡¯m not sure I didn¡¯t imagine it. I reach the wall and my back screams in pain as I try to push myself to a sitting position. Not happening until I¡¯ve healed a bit. There¡¯s someone next to the Ramthom. He¡¯s dressed in black: pants, shirt, and jacket. He has a sword in one hand, thinner than mine that seems to¡­ glow in black? And a knife in the other. He plants that in the Ramthom¡¯s side, then gives me a smile and a wink, and he¡¯s not there anymore. He looked young. A lot younger than I expected from someone with an ability to¡­ teleport? Turn invisible? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s low level. He¡¯s on the other side, but the Ramthom¡¯s not taken by surprise this time. The club comes down and I fight not to look away as he raises his sword to block it. I know how hard that thing hits. The club connects with the sword and stops. The guy smirks as the Ramthom¡¯s expression turns comically surprised. He doesn¡¯t mass that much more than I do. He¡¯s leaner than I am and we¡¯re about the same height. Then he¡­ blinks, and he¡¯s walking in my direction, the sword and knife vanishing from his hands. As he dusts off his sleeves, the Ramthom drops to a knee and its head falls to the ground, rolling until its horns stop it. I think I¡¯m going to be sick. I turn to throw up and the pain in my back stops the reflex. He crouches and fixes his green eyes on me. It¡¯s the eyes, along with the all black, that finally makes who that is sink-in. ¡°You¡¯re Rich,¡± I say, then groan. ¡°And you¡¯re in bad shape,¡± he replies, then smirks. ¡°But you put up a good fight. Gotta ask, you brave or stupid?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way you thought you could fight a Bulldozer, so why¡¯d you stand there, waiting for it to arrive?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t let it follow the townsfolk.¡± ¡°Okay, so loyal. Not sure if that¡¯s anymore commendable. Can you move your toes?¡± ¡°Yeah, nothing¡¯s broken.¡± I¡¯d get a debuff if that had happened. ¡°But my back hurts like hell.¡± ¡°I doubt that.¡± ¡°Thanks, by the way.¡± ¡°What for?¡± ¡°Saving my life.¡± ¡°Oh. You¡¯re welcome. Want to do me a favor in return?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention this. Me being here; me saving you.¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want people to know you helped?¡± He can use the good rep. Anytime his name comes up around my father, he shuts the conversation down hard. As far as he¡¯s concerned, Rich has no business being allowed in Court. None of the old folks talk about him, although they all seem to know of him, by the way they grumble when asked about who he is. Because I want to know who he is. We all do. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not going to help, especially since I¡¯m not supposed to be here.¡± He snorts. ¡°As far as Chuck thinks, I¡¯m all the way down in Arizona, and I¡¯d like to keep it that way. What¡¯d you say?¡± he smiles at me and ¡­ I swallow. That look, the heat in his eyes. The way he licks his lips. It¡¯s doing something to me. He touches my cheek, and I shiver. ¡°I¡¯ll make it worth your while not to mention I¡¯m here.¡± I nod. Yeah, I definitely want what he¡¯s offering, not that I have any idea what it is, but I know it¡¯s going to be¡ª The relief hits almost as hard as the club did as my health replenishes. His expression is mischievous as he looks me up and down. ¡°You¡¯re cute,¡± he says, stands, and vanishes in the process of turning. I¡¯m still processing when the beast, the Bulldozer, Rich called it, scraps a hoof down and reminds me it¡¯s still there. So I don¡¯t want to be. I stand and¡­ well, that¡¯s embarrassing... rearrange myself. I¡¯ve had dreams with guys that affected me like this, but it¡¯s never happened to me for real before. Well, Rich is good looking. I shake myself. This is not the place to swoon over anyone. My health isn¡¯t maxed, so I stretch to test my limits. My back¡¯s sore, but no longer painful. Hopefully, I¡¯m done getting into fights now. I pick up the sword, send it to my inventory, and pause as I turn to leave. Did he? He must have. I head for the dead Ramthom, not looking at the neck or head. The Bulldozer doesn¡¯t react. I touch the body and think ¡®access¡¯. Its inventory appears before me¨Care monster inventory size dictated by their strength, like people¡¯s are? I never asked about that¨Cwith my small one next to it. What it¡¯s wearing on one side, since it¡¯s still equipped, then the content. I¡¯m not touching the meat. I¡¯ll eat monster meat, but not if it¡¯s on two legs and acts like it can think even a little. That¡¯s too close to eating a person. It¡¯s got a set of bones that looks to have been shaped. A stone knife, some rough copper circles, and a golden ring, and a set of horns that look too much like the ones that are on its head for me to think about. I move the ring and the knife to my inventory, then the copper goes into my last slot. Because I¡¯m sure the redsmith can use more copper. Then I¡¯m off and heading back toward Base. Chapter 04
Attack Wave Ended
Defenders successful
All attackers defeated, 8 support units captured
7 defenders lost, no sectors lost
Base settlement designated as Base gains 59,236 experience. 3,943,217 experience needed for next level
The message pops up when I see Base¡¯s gate. Sucks that we lost people, but we won, that¡¯s good. We even managed to hold all the town¡¯s neighborhoods this time. A couple of years ago, we lost one of them in a wave and it reverted to wild status. Took most of a year to tame it to the point we could resettle it. The system isn¡¯t particularly nice in the wild. One of the reason Dad won¡¯t leave Base. Even the town¡¯s too close to that for him. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Base greets me cautiously. ¡°You look to be whole.¡± ¡°A little sore and banged up, but I have most of my hit points.¡± ¡°Dennis Michael Carpenter!¡± dad snaps the instant I step through the gate, which closes behind me. If there was anyone heading this way, they¡¯re going to have to wait for this to be done with before Base opens it again. ¡°Dad,¡± I start, knowing I¡¯m wasting my time, ¡°I was able to¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you say anything.¡± I sigh. ¡°Yes, dad.¡± ¡°I told you to stay in the bunker.¡± He didn¡¯t; he took for granted I¡¯d stay, but pointing that out is only going to earn me a longer scolding. He only likes technicalities when they go in his favors. ¡°Will,¡± one of the older man from the group I escorted says, ¡°your son¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t step into something that doesn¡¯t involve you, Harry,¡± dad growls. The man gives a sad shrug. I appreciate the effort, but there¡¯s no reasoning with my dad when he¡¯s like that. ¡°How could you let him out?¡± he demands, addressing Base. ¡°I wasn¡¯t given instruc¡ª¡± ¡°Bullshit! I ordered you to¡ª¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t my commander, William,¡± Base replies flatly. ¡°Oh, wait until my father gets back. I¡¯m going to tell him about this and he¡¯s going to wipe you¡ª¡± ¡°The Commander already knows,¡± Base replies. ¡°You¡¯re lying. He¡¯d never let Dennis stay out there. He knows how I feel about it.¡± ¡°He ordered me to escort people back,¡± I say, and because I pray that for once he¡¯ll see I can do good, I add. ¡°There was a Drakoling who could have hurt them, so I protected them. Then Grandpa arrived and¡ª¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± dad asks, his anger replaced by pure terror. He¡¯s manhandling me in the process of looking me over. ¡°Do you need to see Doc Brown?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Dad.¡± Doc Brown¡¯s the town¡¯s healer. Only the older folks call him Doc. He¡¯s Junior Brown to the rest of us. His mom was a doctor, before the system, and he took her healer class. ¡°You are in so much trouble,¡± he growls. ¡°And so are you Dennis.¡± His tone is stern now. He points deeper within Base. ¡°Go to your room.¡± I start moving, barely dragging my feet. ¡°And if I find out you had anything to do with helping him, Base, you will pay for it.¡± * * * * * My confinement lasts until morning. Which means I miss the festivities, and that sucks. I don¡¯t even get to access Base¡¯s entertainment beyond the book and music library, because dad¡¯s that angry at me. ¡°Don¡¯t leave Base,¡± Dad says as I get up from the table after breakfast. Like that¡¯s even going to be possible. I doubt Grandpa Louis did more than scold Base for telling me about the orders before I was inside, but Base is going to be on his best behavior. I won¡¯t be surprised if the gates close if I so much as look at them. I won¡¯t do that. It would annoy those who need to cross it. Josie runs to join me. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re out of the doghouse.¡± ¡°For all the good it¡¯s doing me. I¡¯m grounded. I can¡¯t step outside of Base.¡± ¡°Means you don¡¯t get stuck on cleanup duty.¡± ¡°I want to do cleanup,¡± I grumble. ¡°I want to do something.¡± ¡°Have you chosen a class?¡± I glare at her. ¡°What¡¯s the point? My dad probably picked it for me.¡± ¡°You really think he¡¯ll do that?¡± ¡°Base?¡± I call. ¡°Your father hasn¡¯t narrowed it down to one,¡± Base replies helpfully. ¡°See?¡± I sigh. ¡°How do you get your folks to let you go out and have fun?¡± She chuckles. ¡°Probably by not going out and putting my life in danger when I¡¯m told not to. Did you really fight a Drakoling?¡± ¡°Fighting¡¯s a strong word. It kicked my ass, then grandpa saved it.¡± I look around and lowered my voice. ¡°I also fought a Ramthom one on one.¡± ¡°How are you not dead?¡± she looks me over as if I¡¯ms a ghost. ¡°I was¡ª¡± I did promise I wouldn¡¯t mention Rich was in town. ¡°I got rescued, again.¡± ¡°Your dad knows?¡± ¡°I you kidding me? I¡¯d be in my room until the system vanishes if he knew. He¡¯d force me to take something like latrine cleaner as my class just to be sure I never went anywhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a thing,¡± Base offers. ¡°Then whatever horrible other class that would force me to stay here.¡± ¡°You can be a guard,¡± Josie offers. ¡°You¡¯d get to fight in the waves, and when some monster gets too close. It¡¯s what I¡¯m going for.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± I raise a hand toward the closest speaker. ¡°William has removed all combat classes from those Dennis can choose,¡± Base says. ¡°He can do that?¡± she asks, stunned. ¡°I mean, could my mom just come to you and tell you what I can choose?¡± ¡°No,¡± Base replies. ¡°Only the commander can give orders I can¡¯t disobey.¡± I chuckle. Base is very creative when it comes to finding ways not to disobey Grandpa¡¯s orders. ¡°So your dad told the Commander what to do?¡± I shrug. ¡°You do remember the Commander¡¯s my grandpa, right?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he take your side, then? My grandfather¡¯s always on my side when there¡¯s a dispute.¡± I shrug, then notice where our steps took us and consider turning around. ¡°I should head to the front,¡± Josie says, noticing where I¡¯m looking. ¡°Unlike you, I might not want to do cleanup, but it¡¯s how I can help. See you later today?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I reply, looking at the command building. ¡°Do you want to come in?¡± Base asks. ¡°You should at least look at the list of classes.¡± I don¡¯t have to go in for that. The class list is just a system query. I can even get the list of all the class that exist, if I want to make myself sick with envy. But because the choice can only be made at a settlement node, and Base is Court¡¯s node, the list of what I can choose from is filtered through him. Like everything, there are exceptions, but they aren¡¯t going to end up with me getting anything better. My life sucks. I step in, and the door closes behind me. The command room is wider than long. In six steps, I¡¯m at the bank of computers that line the wall. It takes three times that to cross the room on the width. A chair grows out of the floor before a screen. Base doesn¡¯t need to grow the things he makes. Like everyone else, he has an inventory, and he can just ¡®equip¡¯ something, and it¡¯ll be where he wants it. But he adds little things like that; making them flow out of surfaces. Because he¡¯s a military node, he had extra features. He can make things. He only does it in emergencies because he doesn¡¯t want to mess with the town¡¯s economy. He also had a defense system, which he only uses in dire situation because they aren¡¯t made for precision. That time we lost a neighborhood to the wild, Base had to get involved in that fight. Keeping the monster incursion from proceeding any further resulted in the destruction of every building there from mortar explosion. There were also guards still fighting in the wave. The system doesn¡¯t say who¡¯s responsible for the deaths when it announces the victory. Few people know about it. I do because Grandpa needed to be with family after that, and we¡¯re all he¡¯s got left. I sit, and a list appears on the screen - Apothecary - Baker - Blacksmith - Carpenter - Leather worker - Mason - Painter - Tanner - Weaver ¡°Is there any way you can¡­¡± I can¡¯t even finish the question. I know the answer. My dad even removed farmer from the list, because that would take me outside of Base. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The Commander didn¡¯t leave me any maneuvering room.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°I know. But you have to remember, Dennis, your class doesn¡¯t define you. It¡¯s only an aspect of who you are.¡± ¡°An aspect that¡¯s going to make my life boring.¡± ¡°There is something to be said for boring,¡± Grandpa Louis says behind me. ¡°Says the man who has a power armor and gets to kick monster ass,¡± I grumbled. ¡°And who shuts down if he steps outside of Base¡¯s sensor field,¡± he says, sitting in the chair that flows out of the floor next to me. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°But you get to do stuff.¡± I wave at the list. ¡°What am I going to do with that?¡± ¡°Whatever you want.¡± He ignores my glare. ¡°Base is right. Your class doesn¡¯t have to limit who you are. You remember stories of Old Man Milton?¡± I have to think back for that one. ¡°He was one of the original farmers, right?¡± ¡°More or less. Back then, Base¡¯s sensor field was barely a few hundred meters, and he didn¡¯t have any of the antenna that lets him get warnings of what¡¯s approaching. No one wanted to settle outside of that, but Old Man Milton, he went out there and set his farm in the middle of the forest. He was fighting the monsters, tending his land, his animals, taking trees down. Trust me when I say this, but without him, there would be no Court today. His farming class was so high the guy would get wheat to grow basically overnight.¡± ¡°He was a farmer?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. What did you think he was?¡± I shrug. ¡°Some fighting class and he just retired into farming.¡± Grandpa shakes his head. ¡°His fighting prowesses aren¡¯t because of his class. That¡¯s what I mean, Dennis. Don¡¯t think of your class as something that¡¯s going to limit you. Like Base said. It¡¯s just one aspect of who you¡¯ll become.¡± I nod, momentarily feeling better. Then I remember the detail Grandpa is forgetting. My dad. He¡¯s not going to be content forcing me to pick a boring class. He¡¯s going to make sure I don¡¯t get to do anything else either. I look at the list again, and it still looks like a death sentence by boredom to me. ¡°Dennis,¡± Grandpa calls after me as I leave the room, but I ignore him. I don¡¯t want empty attempts at comfort anymore. I just want¡­ Anything else. I walk around Base. He¡¯s a circle a little over a kilometer in diameter now, so there are plenty of places to be without anyone. While he¡¯s the center of Court, he¡¯s not a place where a lot of people come to. The artisans who need special spaces, like the smiths, which reminds me I still have the copper in my inventory, the tanners, and others where the waste can be a problem have their workshops here because Base can absorb and process them. Some he makes into useful stuff, others he packages to be shipped out for someone else to use. ¡°Was that your girlfriend?¡± I¡¯m against the wall.
Debuff: Stunned, 10 seconds
My heart is in my throat as I stare at the green-eyed guy dressed in black, trying to understand where he came from. I wasn¡¯t so lost in thoughts I can¡¯t have noticed him approaching. He smirks. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°You startled me,¡± I snap, as the debuff vanishes. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯ll happen. So, she your girlfriend?¡± ¡°What? Who?¡± ¡°Debuff still there?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s gone. You mean Josie?¡± ¡°That her name?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend. She¡¯s just my friend.¡± Of course, now that he¡¯d asked, I wonder if we should be more than friends. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± And she¡¯s right out of my thought with that look Rich gives me. ¡°Wha¡­¡± I shake myself. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I look around the deserted plaza. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want anyone to know you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to tell anyone,¡± he replies, stepping closer, and if I didn¡¯t have a wall at my back, I¡¯d back up because I¡­ I have no idea how I feel about what that look is implying. I mean. ¡°Nice save, by the way, not telling her I saved you.¡± I nod dumbly. He¡¯s close enough I can smell him, spices and sugar, and wildness. ¡°And no one knows I¡¯m here,¡± he whispers. ¡°Base knows,¡± I croak, and he smiles. ¡°Base and I have an understanding, isn¡¯t that right, Baby?¡± Base doesn¡¯t reply. ¡°He doesn¡¯t get involved in what I do, and in return, I don¡¯t do anything that¡¯s going to cause him problem.¡± He looks me up and down. ¡°And you looked like you could use some cheering up, which I know Base would want someone to do something about, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Again, Base remains silent. ¡°So, what¡¯s got you feeling down? And what can I do¡­ for you to make you feel¡­ better?¡± My mouth is dry, part of me is¡­. Okay, let¡¯s not think with that part right now. I scoot to the left to put some distance, and he watched me, a smile forming. But I can breathe again. Breathe something that isn¡¯t so¡­ him. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s my Choosing Day.¡± ¡°Then why so gloom? That¡¯s supposed to be something worth celebrating, right?¡± Again that look, and he¡¯s definitely implying he wants to help me celebrate and it would¡ªshut up. I¡¯d glare down at that part, but I think that would let Rich know how he¡¯s affecting me. ¡°My dad¡¯s not going to let me pick the class I want.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t think anyone got to dictate those.¡± ¡°My dad¡¯s the commander¡¯s son, and he¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re Base¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Base snaps, and I startle. ¡°Touchy,¡± Rich says with a smirk. When he looks at me, there¡¯s understanding there, some sorrow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re getting such a sucky deal.¡± When he comes to me, there¡¯s none of the heat, of the implied things he could do. He¡¯s just this guy a couple years older than I am. ¡°How about we blow this joint? Go outside and see the world before your old man locks you in a tower and throws away the key?¡± I slump. ¡°I can¡¯t. Base has orders not to let me through the gates.¡± ¡°Is that right?¡± Silence. ¡°Come on, Base, I¡¯m being civil here.¡± There¡¯s an edge to Rich¡¯s tone. ¡°Yes. The Commander had instructed me to keep track of Dennis and not let him leave.¡± ¡°I see. So if you lose track of him, there¡¯s little you can do about it?¡± ¡°I can close all my gates.¡± ¡°Would you really deny him his last day of freedom?¡± ¡°Richard,¡± Base says, sounding tired, ¡°we both know this isn¡¯t about him.¡± Rich¡ªreally, his name is Richard? No wonder no one my age knows that. That¡¯s an old man¡¯s name¡ªis slow in replying and when he does, he sounds older. ¡°Tell me, Base. When I have ever done anything to someone under your care that led to them being in trouble?¡± ¡°Never,¡± Base replies reluctantly. ¡°But Chuck has warned me about you.¡± ¡°And Chuck has so many issues, I don¡¯t understand why you even allow him here. I give you my word, Base, that I will simply take Dennis outside so he can enjoy his last day. When he comes back, he will be in a much better state of mind.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Base answers. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that if I see him close approaching a gate, I will have to close it.¡± ¡°Let me deal with that part.¡± Rich grabs my hand and pulls me to him and I get another nose full of those spicy and wild smells. He leans to my ear, a hand running down my back, and whispers, ¡°And will you let me take you on a world of adventure, Dennis?¡± We¡¯re pressed together. He¡¯s got to feel how I¡¯m reacting. When I reply, it¡¯s a croak I barely hear. ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 05 The dry air, and Rich no longer holding me, snaps me out of¡­ wherever my mind went. I¡¯m on the other side of Court¡¯s outer southern gate. The walk through the town¡¯s a blur, with Rich¡¯s arm around my shoulders like I¡¯m his¡­. His arm around my shoulders, his spicy smell masking that of people and buildings and refuse. Base has a reprocessing center, but people have to bring their waste to him, and it¡¯s impressive how many of them would rather endure the smells than do the work. There are plans for a sewer system, but since Base can¡¯t change things outside his walls, getting the people with the right abilities to make it happen without uprooting entire neighborhoods at a time is proving difficult. Every time the mayor¡¯s over to talk with Grandpa Louis, the ¡®how come it¡¯s not done yet¡¯ conversation happens. More than one of those took place at mine and dad¡¯s place because the mayor doesn¡¯t bother scheduling appointments. Rich¡¯s a few meters ahead, and I hurry to join him. ¡°Welcome to the great outdoors,¡± he said, arms wide like he¡¯s offering me the world. ¡°I¡¯ve been outside the walls before,¡± I reply curtly to mask how the idea he can take me anywhere in it is making me feel. I mean, it¡¯s not like I know him. So why I am reacting that way to this hot guy looking at me like¡ªokay, no one¡¯s ever looked at me like that. I think I get why the older girls have been gathering guys who look at them that way; it feels¡­ good. ¡°Really?¡± He smirks. ¡°The way you were talking, I thought your old man never let you step outside of Base¡¯s walls, let alone the town.¡± ¡°Of course he lets me go out.¡± I point to our left. ¡°Somewhere over there is Salmon River. Me and my friends go fishing there every so often.¡± We take the east gate to get there, but from here, I¡¯m not sure where it is. ¡°Course, when my dad finds out about this, he¡¯d going to ground me for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Who says anything about him finding out?¡± Rich says. ¡°I¡¯ll have you back before anyone notices you¡¯re gone; don¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°Base knows.¡± ¡°And he knows better than to rat us out. He doesn¡¯t want you to get in trouble, right?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± We walk in silence. We¡¯re the only ones on the packed dirt road. The south gate is only for the farmers with their fields on this side of the town. There are fields all around Court that grow more things than I can think of, as well as have animals. I don¡¯t think about the damage the Ramthoms will have caused to those on their way in. They¡¯re one of the reasons there are so many fields. The other is that it just takes that many of them to ensure a town like Court can sustain itself. The West Road is the one that leads to something that isn¡¯t related to the town. Out west is where Toronto is. In the fall, the road we¡¯re on is filled with carts bringing in grains, fruits and vegetables, but this is early summer. The only things that would come from the farms is meat. The spring harvest is done already. In that way, the timing of the attack was good for us. The farmers can probably rehabilitate the land in time to grow something before the weather gets too cold. That¡¯s going to depend mainly on the farming skills and abilities of the workers. The closest farm is just over two kilometers away from town. Something about making sure there¡¯s room for the town to grow. Salmon River runs at the back on Mister Rooster¡¯s field, and that¡¯s another two and a half kilometers through the wheat or corn or barley. Those are his usual crops. On the other side of the river is the forest. On the other side of most of the farms is the forest. If you include the farms into what is considered the town of Court, which most of us do, Court is this glade inside the giant forest that covers the south of Ontario. It¡¯s what this part used to be called, before the system. The older folks still refer to it like that. According to them, we live in Court, which is in the province of Ontario, in the country of Canada. The system doesn¡¯t recognize any of that, except for Court, because Base is our settlement node, and through him, the town was identified as Court within the system. Something about it being like the name of the city that used to be here, before the system. The older folks are kind of obsessed with stuff that was before the system. On the left is¡­ I focus on the stalks.
Wheat, Grain, Ingredient
Agriculture check unsuccessful
So I can¡¯t tell how ripe it is. No surprise there. It goes to my chin. On the right, that field is corn. I don¡¯t have to ask the system, it¡¯s distinctive, and already much taller than I am. I run my hand over the wheat as we walk. Further in the field is the observation tower that allows Base to monitor the area, as if it¡¯s part of the town. It also reduces the surrounding wildness, which means the farmers don¡¯t need as high skills to get stuff to grow. Maybe I can convince my dad to let me be a farmer. They all have houses with the best durability, so I¡¯ll be safe in one when the system sends a monster wave against the town. If I could work outdoors, maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. ¡°What¡¯s you want to do with your life?¡± Rich asks. ¡°You a mind reader?¡± ¡°Not something my class gets.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s your class?¡± ¡°So, what are you going to pick?¡± ¡°Whatever my dad leaves me. After this, he¡¯ll probably force me to be a carpenter like him so he can keep me as his apprentice.¡± ¡°If not for your old man, what would you pick?¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°I don¡¯t know. A guard, probably. I want something that¡¯s going to help the town. And they get patrols that take them outside the walls, so I¡¯d be able to see all this every so often.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? Not a fire throwing sorcerer gallivanting around, burning down monsters, saving¡­¡± he looks at me, his lips quirking up, ¡°someone in distress? Maybe some world traveling adventurer leaving behind swooning women in every settlement he comes across, as well as some of his seed?¡± I swallow at the images that bring up. I¡¯ve had a few fantasies that sounded like that. ¡°Someone like me doesn¡¯t get to do stuff like that.¡± He stops and grabs my arm. ¡°But what if you did?¡± the look he gives me doesn¡¯t have any of the heat from earlier, but the memory makes me blush. ¡°What if you were someone like that? Would you prefer staying in this¡­ small town, over traveling the whole damned world?¡± With you? I can¡¯t help wondering what that would be like. ¡°Well, yeah. I don¡¯t want to stay here. But I have responsibilities. To my dad, the town, my friends.¡± I pull my arm out of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not like you. I don¡¯t get to just go wherever I want and not care.¡± I¡¯m surprised at the lack of bitterness in my voice. Sure, I¡¯ve dreamt of seeing what¡¯s down the road, Toronto and whatever lies beyond that, but I¡¯m just Dennis Carpenter. I live in Court, that isn¡¯t part of some old folks province and country, and I have to play my part to make sure my town survives the hardships the system throws at us. It¡¯s who I am. And I¡¯m surprisingly okay with that. He doesn¡¯t say anything. And I¡¯m surprise by that too. What I¡¯ve heard about him, and what I¡¯ve experienced in the last few hours, doesn¡¯t paint him as someone who has high opinions of people who place responsibilities over what they want. I expected him to mock me. Instead, the look is serious. Then he smiles and is walking again. ¡°Come on. I think you¡¯re due a treat before we go back.¡± I want to ask what he means by that, because my imagination is all over the place with this. Instead, I catch up to him because if there¡¯s one thing everything I imagine has in common is that if it happens with Rich, it¡¯s going to be more fun than I¡¯ve experienced before. * * * * * This wasn¡¯t anything I imagined. The road ended a good five hundred meters ago. I thought Rich wanted some place secluded for my treat, but this is¡­ He steps out of the trees. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the forest.¡± I don¡¯t elaborate. What¡¯s the point? Everyone knows about the forest. ¡°And?¡± maybe except him? ¡°There are monsters in it. Everyone knows that.¡± ¡°Is that what they tell you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what everyone knows. Where do you think the Ramthoms come from, or the other monsters that attack the town?¡± ¡°The Ramthom¡¯s settlement is to the Northwest, the Gnolls to the East, and the Bearbarians more to the east from where we stand. This part is perfectly safe.¡± He pauses and grins. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re perfectly safe.¡± ¡°I think I should go back. It¡¯s going to be noon in a couple of hours and dad¡¯s going to ask around and¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to understand that you don¡¯t want to be around him after what he pulled on you.¡± His smile softens, heat filled his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you want that treat I promised you? I swear it¡¯s going to be worth it.¡± He backs within the trees and is quickly hidden from me. I am so going to regret this. I run after him. But after he¡¯s made sure I¡¯m going to enjoy it. He smiles at me with pride. The first thing that registers is the sound. There¡¯s a muffleness to it. I make a fist to knock on a trunk, but Rich stops me. ¡°You don¡¯t want to risk angering them.¡± His voice is deeper somehow. ¡°How is tapping on a tree going to anger them?¡± my voice sounds different. I realize there are other sounds, birds. I look up. ¡°It probably won¡¯t, but there¡¯s no way to know with trees. I¡¯m not taking on a Treant if I can avoid it.¡± The foliage is much higher than I expected, and it sways and makes a rustling sound that¡¯s¡­ calming. Something moves in the high branches. I get little, only a rusty color that jumps from one to another. ¡°Not something you want to tangle with either,¡± Rich says, ¡°but it¡¯s not going to bother you first.¡± ¡°I thought you said there aren¡¯t any monsters around here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a monster. That¡¯s an animal. They can be just as dangerous, but the difference between the two is that animals want nothing to do with you, while monsters want to do a lot of unpleasant things to you.¡± He walks off and I follow him, looking around. In the distance, there¡¯s something. Four legged, taller than a cow, with a coat a little more green than the trunks. It has horns on its head that gouges the closest tree as it lowers its head to eat something on the ground. Something looks at me from the closest tree, and I step back. It chitters, then scampers up the trunk. A few trees away, something larger peeks around a trunk. Large head, round ears on top. It opens its maw and teeth glimmer. So many teeth. One bit and half of me will be gone. I turn, and there¡¯s another one. No, a different one, the muzzle¡¯s narrower, the ears triangular. There¡¯s something about it that reminds me of the larger dogs in town, but when it looks in my direction, there¡¯s nothing of their playfulness in that expression. It¡¯s more like it¡¯s evaluating me to see if I¡¯m worth the trouble. I open my mouth, but swallowed my call for Rich. I don¡¯t want to draw anymore attentions to myself than I already am. Where is he? I look around. I don¡¯t see him. I don¡¯t see the way we came from. I swallow and look up. I can¡¯t see the sun through the leave, not that it would help. I use streets and buildings to direct myself. My throat constricts as I try to work out how to get out of here. We¡¯re closer to the edge than anywhere else, so there should be more light, right? Only it¡¯s all the same dimmed lighting with the occasional beam of dusty light. It looks great, but does nothing to tell me where the exit is. I focus ahead of me. Maybe if I¡¯m lucky, my perception skill will tell me how to get out. No window appears, because that¡¯s not how perception works. I have to focus on something. I look at the ground around me. My tracks, if I can see that, I can¡ª
Perception check unsuccessful
I focus to the left. Come on, there has to be something.
Perception check unsuccessful
Fifteen isn¡¯t that low! Come on system, give me something!
Perception check unsuccessful
I am so fu¡ª ¡°Boo.¡± I scream and jump away from whatever that is and hit my shoulder on a tree. I¡¯m backing from that in case it wakes up as Rich¡¯s laughter registers. He stands there, laughing at me, at how scared I am. At how scared he made me. ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± He catches my fist in his hand and holds it. ¡°Come on, lighten up. It was just a bit of fun.¡± ¡°A bit of fun?¡± I yell and pull. My fist doesn¡¯t move. ¡°Do you have any idea how scared I was? I don¡¯t know anything about this place. For all I knew, you¡¯d left me here to die!¡± I pull as hard as I can, and end up on my ass as he lets go of my hand. I glare at him as he crouches way too close to me. ¡°Dennis, I¡¯d never leave you here to die. You¡¯re way too cute.¡± Nope, not falling for that this time. He runs a finger along my cheek. ¡°But if it makes you feel any better, if I did want you dead, I¡¯d do it myself.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± I want nothing of what he¡¯s offering. He leans to my ear, and when he breathes, I shiver. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that depend on how I make it happen?¡± he whispers. Then he takes my earlobe in his mouth and sucks on it. I react. Holy do I react. I go to grab him so I can¡ªonly he¡¯s not there anymore. ¡°Come on,¡± he says, walking away. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Here is good enough! I want to scream. I¡¯m on my feet to run after him, but first I have to rearrange myself. What is so special about wherever he¡¯s taking me? ¡°Don¡¯t ruin the moment,¡± he says as I open my mouth, ¡°by asking questions.¡± I¡¯m not the one who ruined that moment by walking away. ¡°I¡ª¡± He stops and what¡¯s before us takes my breath away. We¡¯re in at the edge of a large clearing. Metal sheets poke out to the ground in places, with vines attempting to smother them. Some are broken, leaving jagged edges and vines behind that give the impression they mounted an assault and tore it down. I look down, and the clearing¡¯s floor drops away before us. It¡¯s about fifteen meters until the moss covered bottom. The light shows a metal wall on one side, with the moss half its height. In the shadows, on the other side, where the¡­ is it a cave? Extends there are hints of angles under the greenery. ¡°What is this¡ª¡± I feel the hand on my back, then I¡¯m propelled over the edge and falling. Chapter 06 I cry out as pain flash at the same time at my health bar, with some of my hit points vanishing.
Debuff: Broken bone, left forearm
You have broken a bone. All actions where this arm is required suffer a 75% reduction in success chances. Maximum Hit points are reduced by 10% until the bone is healed.
I channel the pain as I turned on my back. ¡°What the fuck?¡± I yell at Rich, who¡¯s a dark form against the sunlight. ¡°Well?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, fucking, what?¡± The pain lessens enough I wince at my use of a swear word. There¡¯s a strict policy of no swearing in my household. And I¡¯ve just done it twice. I¡¯ve sworn before, but it was for the sake of swearing; I didn¡¯t mean it then. I fucking mean it now. If my dad was here, he¡¯d smack me upside the head. No. If my dad was here, he¡¯d do a hell of a lot worse than smack me at this point. ¡°You were wondering what was done there, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°And you thought shoving me down here and breaking my arm would a funny way to get me to find out?¡± ¡°It kind of was,¡± he replies with a chuckle. A bunch of something lands next to me and bounces on the green moss that covers the ground. Must be why I only have a broken arm and lost what¡­ a third of my hit points? A fifteen meter fall has to hurt more than this. ¡°I have a broken arm, asshole!¡± I wince as I grab one of the packaged bars. ¡°Food healing isn¡¯t going to do shit for that!¡± It¡¯s rough paper ¡°Maybe you should look at it, instead of bitching.¡± I roll my eyes and look at the bar in my hand.
Carlysle¡¯s Advanced Healing Bar
Perception Check: failed
¡°Who¡¯s Carlysle? ¡°No idea. But you can see it does more than restore hit points.¡± ¡°I failed my perception check.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to want to work on that then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s maxed out! You know how it works when you don¡¯t have a class.¡± He says something I don¡¯t make out as I rip the end of the wrapper with my teeth. Then I bite into the bar and almost spit it out. ¡°This is vile.¡± It¡¯s only the promise of healing that makes me continue to chew, and then swallow. ¡°Medicine isn¡¯t supposed to taste good.¡± ¡°Says who?¡± I¡¯m not done eating it that my heath is already crawling up. I¡¯ve never eaten something that did that before. Mister¡¯s Roger¡¯s bars all need to be completely eaten before they¡¯ll start working. It¡¯s still a struggle to finish it. Then the pain lessens as the debuff vanishes. My hand tingles as sensation returns, then I can move it and my fingers without problems. ¡°How much can this thing heal?¡± I ask in awe. ¡°More than some classless kid like you¡¯s going to have.¡± The mocking drips from his tone. ¡°Then maybe would shouldn¡¯t have pushed me?¡± I ball the wrapper and put it in my pants pocket, filling that inventory spot. The three other bars go in my inventory, with my knife. Let Rich try to get them back. ¡°Tell me you have rope, or another way for me to get out of here.¡± ¡°I have rope.¡± ¡°Then throw it to me and get ready to haul me up.¡± A coil of rope lands next to me. ¡°Really?¡± I look up. ¡°You must think this is funny, don¡¯t you?¡± A bunch of somethings land in the center of the coil. A glance and all I make out are thin off-white cylinders. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Getting you ready for your adventure.¡± ¡°Rich. Whatever you¡¯re playing at ends now. Pull me out so I can go home. It¡¯s going to be dinner time when I get there already. Any later and my dad is going to ask Base.¡± ¡°Base isn¡¯t going to say anything.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to tell him he can¡¯t find me, which will tell my dad I left. He¡¯s not going to care how I did it. I¡¯m grounded, so I¡¯m not supposed to leave Base.¡± ¡°I guess he¡¯s going to have to learn to be disappointed,¡± Rich answers with a chuckle. ¡°No, he¡¯s going to be pissed. Now pull me out.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do that.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you can do whatever you want.¡± ¡°You got that right.¡± ¡°Then pull me up!¡± ¡°Not doing that.¡± ¡°Rich, this isn¡¯t funny.¡± ¡°Look, this is your chance to find out what this place is. I¡¯m not going to take that away from you.¡± ¡°Take it away then. I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°I do. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way out, somewhere. This used to have tons of entrances and exits, back before the system. Some of them have to still be around, right? You¡¯re a resourceful guy. You¡¯ll find a way.¡± He turns and walks out of sight. ¡°Oh, and Dennis. Happy birthday, since I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be seeing you again before that happens.¡± ¡°Rich!¡± I wait a few seconds. ¡°Rich! Get back here and pull me out!¡± He¡¯s fucking with me, again. This is just like when he vanished in the forest. Only this time I¡¯m not going to act like some scared kids. ¡°Rich! You fucking asshole. Get back here so I can kick your ass!¡± I pick up the rope and look at it, I can probably use it to get myself up there.
Reinforced Hemp Rope, 5 meters.
Perception Check failed
I look up at the hole. That¡¯s definitely more than five meters. ¡°Rich!¡± I look around. A wall in a place like this will have bunched of hand holds, right? Even with only eleven as my climbing skill I can manage that and not break my neck. Right? ¡°Rich?¡± The only surface I make out at the edge of the circle of light moves away from the whole, and as far as I can tell, it¡¯s just more moss. Send the rope to my inventory and pick up one of the cylinders.
Chemical light, 2.5 hours This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Perception Check: Failed
Five of them. Enough to last me through the night. I swallow the lump. That¡¯s just part of him messing with me. ¡°I¡¯m not scared, Rich! You¡¯re wasting your time!¡± I¡¯m really am not scared. They go in my last inventory spot. I swallow the lump again. It¡¯s almost as if he knew what I could store. No. It¡¯s still just him¡­ He¡¯s messing with me. ¡°Rich? Please come back!¡± I look around. Outside the circle of light, it all darkness. Vast and terrifying dark¡ª No. I sit and cross my legs. Rich is going to come back for me. He has to. ¡°Rich?¡± Silence. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­¡± the memory of him pressing against me, his breath against my ear, doesn¡¯t make me react the way it did. It¡¯s no longer a promise of the things he could make me feel. Now, it¡¯s a hint of¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want, Rich.¡± * * * * * I pull my knees to me to get my feet back into the light and dry my eyes. He left me here. I can¡¯t convince myself otherwise anymore. It¡¯s been long enough that if I don¡¯t move, the darkness is going to reach me. It¡¯s going to swallow me whole and there isn¡¯t going to be anything left. The asshole left me here to die! I¡¯m on my feet. Fuck that! I¡¯m not some crybaby who feels sorry for himself because he got taken in by a pretty face and hot body. If he thinks I¡¯m going to sit here and wait for someone to come rescue me, he¡¯s got something else coming. I must have close to a treen before my Choosing day starts. Thirteen hours is plenty to get myself out of here and back to Court. Dad¡¯s going to be pissed, and I¡¯m going to be grounded until the system leaves, but I¡¯ll be home. I¡¯ll be safe. I stare into the darkness. You don¡¯t scare me. I stand there. Much. Okay, maybe more than that. But Grandmother said something about fear. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you''re afraid. Fear¡¯s a good thing. It tells you when you¡¯re about to step into something you aren¡¯t ready for. That¡¯s normal, and that¡¯s healthy. It¡¯s when you get to decide if you turn around and go home, or press forward and find out what you¡¯re made of.¡± Okay, this might work better if I had the option to turn around and go home. I would. Okay. If I stand here, nothing changes. It¡¯s scary, but in the darkness, I have options. I take a step out of the light. I take another, and another. With the fourth, it¡¯s dark enough that I pull a chemical light out of inventory. I wish Rich had told me how to turn this thing on. I shake it, then do it again close to my ear. There might be something in it. I close my eyes and hold it in my open palm. I take slow breath to prepare myself. Then I open my eyes and focus on it.
Chemical light, 2.5 hours
Perception Check: Failed
I sigh. When I have a class, whatever it is my dad lets me have at his point, I¡¯m maxing my perception. I look up from the chemical light. The only option I have is to cut it open and hope that¡¯s¡ª I squint. Is that light in the distance? It¡¯s faint, but there¡¯s something there. I must have been out of the light long enough my eyes adjusted and now I can make it out. I can¡¯t make out anything between here and that, but¡­ at least that¡¯s something to go toward. The ground becomes firmer close to the halfway point. No longer moss, but¡­ I can¡¯t see it. It¡¯s cold to the touch. Smooth and flat. I continue, and soon enough I make out the light coming through a rip in the ceiling. It reminds me of a metal sheet that¡¯s been ripped into two by an ax, the edges all jagged. There¡¯s plenty of placed I could hook a loop of rope on to climb up, if this didn¡¯t look to be further away from the one Rich pushed me down. I look at the floor. It¡¯s metal. This would really hurt. Maybe cost me all my hit points. I¡¯d love to have seen Rich explain that to my dad. What am I thinking. Rich¡¯s not going to explain anything. The only one who knows I left with him is Base, and he was pretty sure Base wouldn¡¯t talk. I look ahead. More darkness, more of that to the left and to the right¡ª ¡°Wow.¡± I move to that wall. There are buttons and levers and blank screens. When I press a button, it makes a click, and it looks like there might be texts under it, there¡¯s no light to make it readable. The flick of a switch gives me a sharper click, but nothing else. There¡¯s a lack of lights and the screens don¡¯t show anything, but this looks a lot like Base¡¯s command board. Except that it¡¯s a wall of it. I wonder if there¡¯s a node somewhere in here? Wouldn¡¯t that be something to return home with? If I can bring it. Grandpa Louis talked about how, before he got his power armor upgrade and then made his way back to his truck, the node that is Base was difficult to move. Still, I could bring someone here to show them. Maybe this can be annexed. Maybe Base can use it and make himself reach further. Of course, that hinges on me finding a node in here, which takes me away from looking for a way out. The sky is growing darker. Getting home today¡¯s no longer happening. Even if I could get out using this hole, full dark will hit while I¡¯m in the forest, and I¡¯m not dumb enough to be in there during the night. So the plan is to find a way out, then hole up until morning. I run a hand over the buttons and smile. Maybe I¡¯ll see this again before Dad grounds me. I step back into the darkness and move until there¡¯s nothing else. I wait for my eyes to get used to it and¡­ nothing. There¡¯s the light behind me, but nothing ahead to guide me. Okay. So I have to forge ahead in the dark without knowing if there¡¯s anything there. I¡¯m not that dumb. I have a chemical light in my hand and consider. I mean. It¡¯s not like I have anything to lose, right?
Chemical Light, 2.5 hours
Perception Check: failed
Nothing lost. If I didn¡¯t need to wait something like an hour between checks, I¡¯d just stare at the thing until I go a success. Without that, all I have are my wits. I feel it for an etching, some indication of where I need to cutt to release whatever¡¯s in it that makes the light. Go slow and pay attention. I pull my knife out of inventory as I kneel and put the cylinder on floor. I put the edge in the center and put weight on it as I pull. It bends slightly as it cuts, then I wince as I feel something crack. If I broke what made the light and¡ª The cylinder emits a faint glow. In anything but this complete darkness, I¡¯d never have noticed it. I shake it, and the light evens out, but too faint to do me any good. Okay, so I cracked something inside and this happened. Makes sense that if¡­ I bend the cylinder hard, and something breaks, spreading light inside until a greenish glow shows I¡¯m in room with more buttons and switches and screen. Under a screen is a slot I can fit my hand in. Are every walls like this? What was this place? The older folks talk of technology, from before the system, back when anyone could have something similar to Base, less the being able to think by himself, changing his layout, or growing as he gained experience, but it wasn¡¯t things like this. That felt like Base. It was stuff they carried in their pockets. Things that let them access something the sounds a lot like the system, although they keep talking about cats being stored in it for some reasons. That alway makes them chuckle when they talk about that. I guess it makes sense some places had more of whatever that was than others. Even now. Base has more than even Toronto, in some way. Toronto¡¯s just a city, it doesn¡¯t think, it can¡¯t act. It¡¯s just a node there to let someone manage the city. Base does that, by himself if needed. He and Grandpa Louis aren¡¯t even sure he needs a Commander to function, even if he didn¡¯t exist until Grandpa became the Commander. That was when the system arrived, so they have no way to know if he¡¯ll go back to not being someone if Grandpa stops being the Commander. I reach an intersection, and realize there¡¯s a possibility I¡¯ll get lost. Rich said this place used to be big, so I can¡¯t wander aimlessly. The wall¡¯s not metal. I can cut into it with my knife. It¡¯s not much, but better than nothing. I mark an arrow in the direction I¡¯m going. A doorway leads into a caved in room. The next one is only half caved in but moss has taken over the rest. The next one¡¯s ceiling is bowed in, but holding. I make out roots between cracks. Lockers line a wall, and there¡¯s remnants of¡­ clothing, maybe? One looks like the shoulder and neck of a shirt, but it breaks apart when I touch it. The one thing I find that looks solid enough to take is a pair of gloves.
Safety Gloves, condition poor
Perception Check: successful
A pair of gloves made of strong fibers to protect against accidentally brushing against sharp edges and objects. Any skill dependent on fine hand and finger motions suffered from a 10% penalty while the gloves are equipped.
I put them on and immediately understand the penalty. They are stiff and bulky. The description makes them sound like dad¡¯s work gloves, but his are thin enchanted leather. A gift from Grandpa [louis¡¯s husband] before he died. I put them in my other pant¡¯s pocket. I¡¯m officially out of inventory slots Sucks not having a backpack. And that¡¯s not going to change all that quickly. I¡¯m going to have to raise my strength and strength training to increase my internal inventory. Strength can only be raised with points, so that¡¯s not going to happen fast, if at all. I doubt there¡¯s anything in what dad¡¯s going to let me have that is strength based. So whenever I gain a level, I¡¯m going to have to sacrifice something if I want to increase it. Strength training is a skill, so I can practice it, but it only increase my inventory on the treen level, while Strength does it on the half minus and half plus. So it¡¯s one thirteen levels I can reach through ever longer practice, or one one level six and then thirteen, then nineteen, then twenty-six and so on. Trying to count the way the old folks do it gives me a headache. It¡¯s so much easier in treens. I get an inventory increase from strenght on the treen half minus, then it¡¯s a half plus, which makes the treen, then a half minus for another increase, and the half plus for the next treen so on. None of that having to count six plus seven plus six and more all the time. I don¡¯t care what they says. Math before the system must have sucked! I realize the light¡¯s dimmed when I stumble over something and end with a mouth full of moss. Better than losing teeth to metal floor, but still sucks. That¡¯s two and a half hours of me¡­ lets call this exploring, because I really don¡¯t want to think about wandering aimlessly in the dark. I doubt I can expect to see light from holes in the roof anymore. Maybe the stars, but it¡¯s safer for me to look down while I walk. Broken ceiling implies broken floors, and it¡¯s only luck I haven¡¯t come across one at this point. I don¡¯t intend on falling in a hole again. My stamina¡¯s at the three quarter mark. Nothing I¡¯ve done has been too strenuous. With my endurance training, I can explore all night with minimal penalties, but my max stamina is going to keep dropping with each hours of sleep I don¡¯t get. I crack another light. I¡¯m not stopping just now. * * * * * I¡¯m not lost. I can¡¯t be lost. I¡¯ve been marking every turns I made. Well, I know I forgot one, but I went back and marked it. I yawn. I think. I don¡¯t think I forgot to mark too many other turns. I yawn again. My stamina close to the quarter mark, and that¡¯s after taking a rest not too long ago. Fifteen in endurance training really sucks. What time is it? You¡¯d think the system would give us a clock. A compass would be nice too. Fuck I¡¯m tired. I pull my last light¡ª Last? I can¡¯t have been walking around this place for ten hours. It can¡¯t be that large. At least it¡¯s not a dungeon. That would have sucked. The only dungeon near Court¡¯s is a day¡¯s walk north east. Every three months there¡¯s an expedition there to gather parts for kinetic engines. I was hoping to go on one of them once I had a class, but now that¡¯s never going to happen. I sit and rest against a mound of moss. This is the closest to adventure I¡¯m ever going to get. I close my eyes. A break¡¯s going to be good, let my stamina go up just a bit, then I¡¯ll get moving again. Maybe I¡¯m not cut up for adventure after all. Chapter 07 I startle awake to the appearing message.
You have reached the age of 16. It is now time for you to select your class. You have 13 hours to do so.
I rub the crud out of my eyes as its meaning sinks in. That¡¯s it. My life is over. It¡¯s not over, dumbass. I have half the day to make it back, and Court is only two or so hours from here. In what direction? Not in the direction of sitting here. I swipe the message away. I might as well look at the abyss right now. ¡°List my available classes.¡±
There are no classes available for your selection currently. Make your way within range of a settlement node to gain access to its list of available classes
It¡¯s been that way since the system appeared. You have to be around other people to have a list of class you can select from. The more people, the more options to pick from. Nodes have access to every class in the world, as far as I know. If someone doesn¡¯t have my dad to limit their choices, they can become anything they want from a node. It¡¯s why the farmers make pilgrimages to Base when their kid¡¯s about to turn sixteen and isn¡¯t interested in taking up their parent¡¯s class. And it¡¯s why I have to get back, so get up and get moving. What¡¯s the point? ¡°The point is that I¡¯m not just going to give up,¡± I grumble, pushing myself to my feet. I have no idea what Rich is playing at. Why he pushed me in here and abandoned me, but I am not going to sit around, feeling sorry for myself until the timer runs out and I end up with the class of the next person I encounter. Of course, getting out of here without a light is going to be¡­ interesting. I have the chemical light in my hand, so¡­ I send it to my inventory. My stamina maxes out almost at three quarters. That means I didn¡¯t get a full night of sleep, but it had been night for a while by the time I slept. It¡¯s got to be light outside by now. I place a hand against the wall on my right and, shuffling my feet so I won¡¯t trip or fall in a hole and break my neck, I walk. * * * * *
Time remaining to make selection: 11h34m21s
The system¡¯s adamant about us knowing how much time I have left, so I can¡¯t dismiss this icon, and unlike buffs and debuffs, just glancing at it brings up the clock. Like having it go from green to red isn¡¯t enough to stress me out. It¡¯s still basically green. But I can tell the shift toward yellow now. I nearly fell in a hole twice already, put my hand in something icky I am happy I can¡¯t see, and tripped twice, the second time banging my head on the hard floor and getting nose bleed and losing a few hit points. And still no light. * * * * * I see stars because I¡¯ve been an idiot and ran the instant I noticed the brightness in the distance.
Time remaining to make selection: 09h14m58s
¡°I don¡¯t want to know!¡± It could have been worse. There are so many ways this could have been worse. So I get up, feel around with my foot until I find what tripped me and kick it. Fuck! That hurts. No more kicking stuff I can¡¯t see. I face the distant light and shuffle forward, reminding myself there could be a hole in front of me, or that the next time I trip, I might end up with a spike in my eye and dead. Or just hit wrong and end up with critical damage. Being paralyzed down here would suck. Even more with having those healing bars in my inventory and not being about to move my hand to my mouth to eat one. Couldn¡¯t Rich have given me one of those potions that can just be ¡®taken¡¯ instead of having to be eaten? Other than him being an asshole, because it¡¯s not like I need one of those. I¡¯m going to be careful and ignore how long it takes to get to the light. Worse comes to worse, I end up with some random class on the way home. Could be an awesome one. Or I could end up with some street sweeper class. That¡¯s a thing, isn¡¯t it? But I still have time. Light means the sky, which means a hole and a way to get out. I avoid the hole. Scrape my shoulder on something ragged in the process and the thirty-second of the weak bleed debuff costs me some health, but I didn¡¯t fall and break my neck, so that is a clear win. The next obstacles are easier to avoid as I make them out in the slowly increasing light. Then I stand soaking in the warm sunlight and thanking the system for letting me make it this far. Not a lot of angle to the light in the hole, so near noon. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Time remaining to make selection: 08h48m35s
At this time of the year, that gives me daylight all the way home even if I cut it down to the last second. Or at least I¡¯ll reach the farms. I don¡¯t have to worry about monsters in the night once I¡¯m there. So, getting out. One wall goes up to the hole, while the others are away. So that¡¯s the one. There are handholds, so even if it¡¯s vertical, I can do this. Eleven in climbing makes this easy, doesn¡¯t it? Why didn¡¯t I max that skill out too? The first three hand holds are close together. The fourth one I have to reach, but grab on. The fifth nearly slices my hand open, but I felt the edges before putting my weight on it. Gloves. From now on, I use one of my inventory slot for thick leather gloves. Or invest in one of those belt clips that gives me an extra slot. They aren¡¯t cheap, but if I ever find myself in this situation, I want a pair of gloves. The alternative is just out of reach. My jumping skill¡¯s higher than climbing, so¡­ I curse as my fingers slip and I fall. The stun debuff¡¯s already green, so it¡¯s not going to last. Is Tumbling a skill?
System Query: Skill, Tumbling
Tumbling is the skill by which one masters the art of falling while minimizing the damage taken.
Okay, so it is. ¡°You know, system. If I can find out about skills I don¡¯t have from way out here. How come you aren¡¯t letting me pick my class? You¡¯re everywhere. What¡¯s with forcing me to go back to Court for it?¡± Of course, it doesn¡¯t answer. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s possible to have a conversation with it. If the answer is somewhere in what it knows. I¡¯d have to find the right trigger words to get it to tell me, or combination of them. I try a different path and make it to the seventh hand hold before I realize this isn¡¯t going to work. I¡¯m about halfway up, but the next one¡¯s too far. Halfway between me and the hole. I can see a bunch of possibilities after it, but if I try to jump and miss. I look down. That¡¯s going to be seven meters, at least. Even if I don¡¯t break something, that¡¯s going to hurt. I¡¯d rather keep the bars for the trip back, in case I encounter¡ª Let¡¯s not think about monsters just yet. I have a rope, and there¡¯s something I could hang it on, if I can swing a loop of it there. Worth trying, but not while hanging up here. * * * * * This has to be my best knot ever. It¡¯s pretty bad, but this one isn¡¯t going to slip undone at the slightest pull. I hope. Come on, why didn¡¯t you give me a fourth level in knot tying for this accomplishment? I make my way back up with the rope in my mouth¡ªit tastes disgusting¡ªand then it¡¯s the fun part of attempting to loop it on the protuberance that is going to be my way out of this place with enough time to¡ª
Time remaining to make selection: 05h56m12s
Fuck, I¡¯ve been at this way too long. And of course, in my panic to make up time, I nearly slip as I swing it hard, and drop the rope to grab hold of the wall. At least I didn¡¯t fall. Down I go, rope in mouth¡ªurg¡ªagain and up I climb. Slow and steady wins the race, my dad likes to say. Makes no sense, since it¡¯s the fastest runner that wins. But I can¡¯t rush this. It¡¯s okay to miss my throw, but if I lose my grip¡­ With the fifth throw not even getting close to snagging, I grind my teeth and curse Rich yet again. Come on. My dexterity training¡¯s not that bad; it¡¯s got to count for something. The sixth¡¯s is a little closer, seventh is¡­was I aiming for the other wall or something. Eighth also misses the mark by the length of the town. And Nine isn¡¯t an¡ª I stare at the loop hanging onto the thing poking out of the wall. I did it? ¡°Yes!¡± Fuck! I tighten my grip on both the wall and the rope. I¡¯m not dropping it this time, because it¡¯s not going to end up on the floor for me to pick up. I wait for my heart rate to slow until I can hear the birds through it. I tug lightly, then harder. When it doesn¡¯t come undone, I loop the end of the rope around my wrist and put more and more of my weight on it. When the only way to put more is for me to let go, I stop. Okay. This is it. Let go, wait until I¡¯m not swinging anymore and climb up and get out. Oh, and hold on to the rope. I just have to let go, and it¡¯s basically over. I¡¯m free and on my way home. Are my fingers stuck or something? Come on, just let go. And hold on. To the rope, not the wall. Fuck, this is scary, and fuck, when did I start swearing so much? That¡¯s Rich¡¯s fault too, I¡¯m sure of it. Okay, deep breaths. Now, on the exhale, let go of the wall¡ª Grab the rope! Hold on! Ouch! Didn¡¯t think the swing would have me bounce off the wall, but I held on so I¡¯m¡ª The pain lances through my arm in time with the debuff appearing. Something sliced my biceps and I¡¯m bleeding. But I¡¯m still holding on, it¡¯s only yellow, so that¡¯s a point every treen second or so. It¡¯s going to be gone before in less than a dozen cycles. I just have to hang on and wait. Pain explodes as the debuff flashes red with the impact. I cry out, first from the pain, then because I¡¯ve let go of the rope. I try to grab it as I fall, but it¡¯s out of reach and I¡¯m¡ª * * * * * The groan drags me back to consciousness. My head hurts, my back, my arm. I move, looking for a more comfortable position and pain explodes as I put weight on my arm. No debuffs at least, so it¡¯s going to pass quickly. Unlike the deep orange¡ª
Time remaining to make selection: 03h08m41s
Oh. No. It isn¡¯t over. I look up at the blue sky. There¡¯s still time for me to get out and make it to the farms before full dark. I just have to get up, climb and¡ª The rope dangles on the wall. Maybe I can grab the end from the ground by jumping, or¡ªI look for hand holds near it, and I¡¯m disappointed. The way until I had to use it moves me away from it, and then close enough I might manage a jump. And if I miss? I was out for almost three hours. Another one and it is all over. It already is. Wetness around my eyes. Why did I come here? Why did I listen to Rich? Why didn¡¯t I do what my dad wanted and stay home where it¡¯s safe? The sky darkens slightly, but it¡¯s no longer the hole I can escape through. It¡¯s the pit my life is falling into, ever darker until there¡¯s nothing left worth trying for. I start to curl up, and the pain in my arm makes me curse. Fuck, that hurts. ¡°Fuck!¡± I uncurl and roll to my stomach, ignoring the pain or the bleed debuff that reappeared. ¡°Fuck you!¡± Can you hear me, Rich? Are you laughing at this kid who was stupid enough to think you were promising him a fun time before he had to settle down into a boring life? That you pushed down a hole? Are you watching him, hoping he¡¯s going to wallow in misery? ¡°Fuck you, Rich!¡± I take a healing bar from my inventory and eat it. My heath goes up, the bleed debuff disappears, the pain does too. I am not lying down for you. Fine, I¡¯m screwed. I¡¯ll end up with some loser class because of you, but I am not giving up. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up, Rich! I am going to get out of here!¡± And I¡¯m going to make you pay. Okay. I can¡¯t get out through this hole. Without the rope, my only hope is that this moves up, eventually. So I have to keep exploring. I walk, careful of where I step. I¡¯m not going to be able to make him pay if I kill myself because I didn¡¯t pay attention. And I am going to make him pay. * * * * * Staying angry is hard. Especially when I have to focus on my footing, then where the wall is by touch, or is that sound a monster approaching? It¡¯s easy to reignite it, though.
Time remaining to make selection: 01h49m03s
I grind my teeth and make all sorts of promises as to how little there¡¯s going to be left of that asshole by the time I¡¯m done with him. Then I stumble, and I can¡¯t focus on staying angry. And I think of everything I¡¯m going to lose. Josie¡¯s not going to want to have anything to do with a loser like me. Dad¡¯s going to lock me in my room and never let me out. Base isn¡¯t going to talk to me. And I¡¯m going to deserve it, because I am an idiot. None of the adults ever sounded like Rich was someone that should be around. Even Base didn¡¯t sound like he liked him. Only an idiot like me would think that his whispers, his touches, were meant as anything more than a distraction, so I¡¯d follow him to the edge of a hole so he could push me in it and laugh. I am an idiot and I deserve to be in the dark, with no hope of ever getting even a useful class now. I¡¯m going to end up¡ª
A class is available for your selection
Chapter 08
A class is available for your selection
How? How is there a class available out here? There¡¯s nothing. ¡°Hello?¡± I call out. A class means someone instead of a node. How far do they have to be for the system to consider them as valid? A quarter kilometer or something? I don¡¯t remember the number, but I know it¡¯s one of those cases where the system isn¡¯t working in treens of treens, like most of its large numbers. ¡°Hello!¡± Shit, what if it¡¯s Rich? Back to¡­ what? Scare me to death? That can¡¯t work, since this is telling me there¡¯s someone. I call up the list of available classes before they walk away.
Lists of available classes
Explorer
That¡¯s¡­ that could be Rich¡¯s class, with him running all over the place. Never heard of it, though. I call up its basic description. Right now isn¡¯t the time to get info dumped on.
System Query: Class, Explorer
Explorers are those who need to know what¡¯s out there. They will research it, or go discover it, or confront it directly. Those who select this class rarely stay in one place for long, being driven to know what else is out there.
Explorers gain +1 in Intelligence, Health, Endurance, and 2 skill points per level
When selecting this class, you gain the skill Drawing(cartography specialization). If the skill is already present, it is increased by 3 levels.
Core Ability: Direction Sense(Locations)
That¡¯s ¡­not bad. It would have been nice to get a strength bonus, but health and endurance means my stamina and hit points will go up without having to do anything about it. And who¡¯d say no to more intelligence. A direction sense is nice; not that I¡¯ll need it once I¡¯m back home. ¡°List the class abilities that don¡¯t have prerequisites. Name only.¡±
System Query: Class Abilities, Explorer, truncated
Field Research, Maximum Ranks: 11 Momentum, Maximum Ranks: 16 Planning ahead, Maximum Ranks: 26 Taking it on the Nose, Maximum Ranks: 51
That looks research heavy, although Taking it on the Nose sounds fighting related, that would come in handy as a guard. I call up its description.
System Query: Ability, Taking it on the Nose
Your endurance is 50% more effective when soaking up physically related damage. Additional ranks increase the effectiveness by 1%
I whistle. That¡¯s fifty ranks later, but a doubling of damage absorption is nothing to sneeze at, and while it¡¯s not one for one, since I can get ability points from Quest more frequently than attribute points, my endurance will have gone up too. With that, Dad¡¯s not going to have a choice but to let me be a guard. My enthusiasm dips. No, Dad might still force me to do crafting. Like they all tell me, my class doesn¡¯t define what I do. Stop. That¡¯s for the future. Right now, I get to make a choice. I glance at the timer.
Time remaining to make selection: 01h32m46s
And I have an hour and a half to make it, or until they move out of range, so how about I don¡¯t waste time. I hesitate. I do this and there¡¯s no going back. I mean, this is better than anything my dad chose for me, but¡­ But the alternative is to take a chance on whoever I¡¯ll walk across on the way back. If I can even find my way without that directions sense ability. I know Court¡¯s somewhere north of here, but I have no idea where North is. I select the class.
Class Selection made: Explorer
Are you certain? Yes/No
Yes. Now, even if they move out of range, I have a class.
Class Selected: Explorer, Level 1
As an explorer, you gain 1 point in Endurance, Intelligence, and Health per level. As a human, you gain a point to assign where you desire per level.
You have 1 point to assign.
Do you want to assign your point at this time? Yes/No
No. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m putting it in strength, but I¡¯ve heard too many horror stories from back when the old folks didn¡¯t know how this went, about those who put everything they had in what ended up being the wrong attribute for their class.
You gain the Skill: Drawing(Specialization: cartography)
As an Explorer, you gain 2 skill points per level. As a Human, you gain 1 skill point per level.
You have 3 Skill point to assign.
Do you want to assign your point at this time? Yes/No
No, Absolutely not. That¡¯s going to require even more thoughts than the attribute, since buying a new skill with a point saves me months of training.
You have gained the Ability, Direction Sense(Locations)
When you think of a location you have cataloged, you know where it is. To catalog a location, all you need to do is enter its zone. The more you have explored the location, the clearer its direction will be.
Select your first Ability from those available to you
Field Research, Maximum Rank: 11
Any skills used to learn about creatures you have cataloged are 50% more effective. To catalog a creature, you only have to have fought it once. Additional Ranks increase the effectiveness by 5%
Momentum, Maximum ranks: 16
So long as you are running and maintain 2 points of contact on a surface, you can continue to move even if the surface is not horizontal. Maximum angle from horizontal where the ability can be used: 135 Degrees. Additional ranks increase the angle by 3 degrees.
Planning ahead: maximum Rank: 26
You gain the skill: Researching(specialization: Geography) Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. When researching geographical locations, you progress 50% faster. Additional ranks add 1%
Taking it on the Nose, Maximum Rank: 51
Your endurance is 50% more effective when soaking up physically related damage. Additional ranks increase the effectiveness by 1%
I almost curse the inability to tell it to just give me the ability names. Almost. If I had. I would have missed my way out of here. Momentum. With that, I don¡¯t have to worry about finding a hole I can climb out of. I can just go back to that last one, run up it and be out. I select it. I can grab Taking it on the Nose with my next level.
You have selected the ability: Momentum
Are you certain? Yes/No
Yes.
Ability Selected: Momentum, Maximum ranks: 16
So long as you are running and maintain 2 points of contact on a surface, you can continue to move even if the surface is not horizontal. Maximum angle from horizontal where the ability can be used: 135 Degrees. Additional ranks increase the angle by 3 degrees. Cost: 10 Stamina per second
That would have been nice to know ahead of time, but it explains the endurance bonus for a class that probably has a lot of sit down and read type of abilities. Two of the starting ones are almost pure research.
Class selection complete
Do you wish to update your Sheet at this time? Yes/No
Notice: you are at a Threshold moment(Choosing Day). Some changes to your Sheet can only be made on Threshold moments. This moment ends when the timer reaches zero or you finalize your Sheet. Choosing ¡®no¡¯ at this time finalizes your Sheet
Yes. Without the looming deadline, I have the time to look things over.
Name: Dennis Micheal Carpenter
Species: Human
Height: 173 cm Weight: 81 kg
Class: Explorer, Level 1
Experience: 0
Ability List
Direction Sense(locations), rank Not Applicable
Momentum, Rank 1
Available Points to Distribute: 0
Attributes
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 13
Endurance: 17
Intelligence: 13
Charisma: 13
Aether: 9
Health: 15
Available points to distribute: 1
Statistics pool
Hit Points: 165
Mana: 90
Will Power: 3000
Stamina: 195
Inventory Slots: 4
Base Weight capability: 115 kg
Base Damage: 11.5
Damage Soak: 15.55
Running Speed: 17.3 KPH
Skills List
Dexterity Training 13
Endurance Training 15
Health Training 15
Intelligence Training 15
Strength Training 15
Climbing 11
Cooking 12
Dodging 15
Drawing(Specialization: Cartography) 1
First Aid 15
Fishing 15
History 15
Jumping 12
Kicking 15
Knot Tying 3
Manipulation 6
Math 15
Oration 3
Parrying 15
Perceiving 15
Punching 15
Running 15
Swimming 11
Sword Fighting 15
Available points to distribute: 3 When I focus on my name, I get the option to change it. Not happening. It¡¯s my name, and I¡¯m keeping it. No experience, of course, but from now on, that number¡¯s going up. My attributes are¡­ well, human. We all start with the same thing, with only our training to increase the effective pools, which look decent, although those four slots are going to be way too easy to fill. First investment of my own will be in a good backpack. The skills relating to my attributes are still at the top of the list, so I¡¯m always reminded I should work on them. Or so Grandmother¡¯s always saying. They are as they¡¯ve been for the last few months, but they¡¯re no longer limited to fifteen, which was my age, or even sixteen. Now that I have a class and a level. The only limit to them is how much training I¡¯m willing to give them and points I have to put in them. Since I¡¯m not assigning my points right now, and that¡¯s not a Threshold thing, I approve my Sheet, and confirm it¡¯s what I want. With that action, the timer fades away. My Choosing day is over. I am now, and will always be, an explorer.
You have Discovered a Ruin: Darlington Nuclear Power Station
This structure was built before the System and fell into disuse afterward, slowly being taken over by nature.
No relevant skill for additional information
Explorer Quest Completion, step 1: Discover a Ruin
After hard work, research, and a long trek, you have discovered your first ruin.
Rewards: 2197 experience, 1 ability point
Explorer Quest Completion, step 1: Find a Cache
After searching through the Ruin, you have come across your first cache.
Rewards: 1098 experience
You have gained a level. You are now level 2. Experience required to reach your next level: 3465
Well, that¡¯s unexpected. I mean, I know every class comes with some related quests. My dad¡¯s about making wood items, the farmers about preparing the ground, planting and harvesting. I guess it makes sense that an explorer¡¯s quests would be about finding places and things. But to complete it just by being here? Okay, I did discover it; I got the message. But the cache? They would be some sort of hidden place where I¡¯d find loot. I didn¡¯t get any¡­ I take the gloves out. I had to explore to find the locker they were in. I guess that how hidden they have to be to qualify as a cache varies? When those who go to the dungeon talk about caches, they always make it sound like one of the experts had to work at finding them. I pocket them again. A second level means an ability point to assign, and that one I know where it goes. I don¡¯t bother calling up the ability list. I¡¯ll go through every ability once I¡¯m home and dad locks me in my room. It¡¯ll give me something to do. I select Taking it on the Nose and Approve it.
Ability Selected: Taking it on the Nose, Maximum ranks: 51
Your endurance is 50% more effective when soaking up physically related damage. Additional ranks increase the effectiveness by 1% Cost: None
There, now, I can be a guard. With nothing else to take care of, I turn to head back to the last cracked ceiling and stop. On a hunch, I call the list of available class again, and Explorer comes up, with a note I can¡¯t select a class. I set it to stay open and move it to the side and take a step. It disappears from the list. I step back, and it¡¯s there again. They haven¡¯t moved in all the time I took to pick my class. ¡°Hello? Are you hurt?¡± They probably can¡¯t hear me. A quarter of a kilometer puts a lot of walls between me and them. I look at where my way out is. The way back home to my dad and my friends and safety. Then into the darkness toward whoever is responsible for me getting a decent class and the help they must need. It¡¯s an easy choice. Court will still be there after I¡¯ve helped them. I crack my last light and set out into the dark¡ª No. I am setting out to explore the unknown. I am an explorer now. That is what we do. Chapter 09 ¡°Hello?¡± Still no answer. The light¡¯s still strong, so I¡¯m under an hour of walking in the darkness. The class is still there, so I haven¡¯t walked by them so much I¡¯ve stepped out of range, but I have no idea if I¡¯m getting closer. All I have to go on really, is that they are inside the ruin. Well, I hope they are. They could be somewhere outside, but it feels like I¡¯d be skirting the range then and I¡¯d have stepped out. The plan is simple. Keep going until the light dies. Then, I find a spot to sleep. It¡¯ll hopefully be daytime again when I wake up and go from hole to hole in the ceiling until I¡¯ve worked out where they are, or the class disappears and I can¡¯t find it again, which should mean they¡¯ve left on their own. The ground opens up before me, and I look down into the darkness. They could be under me, that would be¡­ problematic. How many levels? Does the class come with an auto-mapping ability? It gave me the skill, so maybe not? ¡°Hey, System. When do I get an auto-mapping ability?¡± No response. I¡¯ll at least know the answer to that question once I look over my class abilities. I walk around the hole, and the next one I come across is in the ceiling. Stars and a waning crescent moon. The sky is the one thing my dad enjoys. He grew up on a farm, so it was something he got to watch a lot, and even then, the cities were close enough to encroach. Now, even in Court, the nights are dark. Base doesn¡¯t believe in wasting power for sleeping people, and the town itself has to use oil or magic for its light. Neither of which are cheap. At the next intersection, I make a right, and a while later, the class vanishes from the list. The light is fading now, so I¡¯m close to two hours of exploring. Just how much of the place have I explored at this point?
Darlington Nuclear Power Station Ruin, 33% explored
Okay, that¡¯s nice. If I¡¯ve explored all that, how about you give me a map of it? And nothing. The class returns to the list within two steps, and I continue in that direction when I reach the intersection. When the light is low enough I have difficulty making out more than a few steps ahead of me, I know it¡¯s time to look for a place to¡ª Is that light further ahead? It¡¯s not daylight. It¡¯s still full dark outside, and it¡¯s green, instead of¡­ well, sun colored. The chemical light dies before I reach it, but I can tell it¡¯s coming from an opening in the wall now. And it¡¯s lower. When I reach it, all that¡¯s left of the door are crooked hinges. Inside are untrustworthy metal stairs going down, and the light is stronger, and much greener. It also moves slightly. ¡°Hello?¡± I call again. Light would be what I¡¯d got for if I was hurt. The stairs creak when I put a foot on it. I look next to it. That¡¯s what, three meters to the floor? I can drop it without killing myself, right? If I get hurt, I have healing bars left. Bars I should keep for the trek back home. Even during the day, the forest can¡¯t be a safe place. I straightened and look to the left. Thoughts of home pull me in that direction with a certainty that¡¯s uncomfortable. How much of Court have I explored? I ask the system.
Town of Court, 87% explored
That must be what it meant by the more I¡¯ve explored a location, the more precise my sense of where it is will be. It¡¯s comforting to know I don¡¯t have any chance of missing it once I head home, just because I¡¯m not where I thought I was in relation to it. Doesn¡¯t matter if I don¡¯t know where North is anymore. I know where home is. I put more of my weight on the stairs and they creak louder, but they don¡¯t break. Stepping as lightly as I can, I hurry down and catch my breath once I¡¯m on solid ground again. I chuckle. That was as scary as being pushed into the hole by Rich. I straighten. But it was my choice. I grin and look up the stairs. I¡¯m going to have to go up them to get out of here, I just know it. Are they going to break them? The idea they can is scary, but it¡¯s also¡­ exciting? Oh, dad would not be okay with me contemplating this. But after I¡¯ve found whoever else is down here. The room is vast in all directions, and the light comes from beyond a railing further before me, shining up onto a ceiling of broken things with ripples. I step to the railing and look over it in the process of testing how solid it is and freeze. The water¡¯s so clear I can see the green glow coming from the circles on the floor, and that they are raised slightly. The color reminds me of the chemical light, only more intense, much more green and bright. It¡¯s magical in how beautiful it is. I step away. Yeah, it¡¯s probably magical period. And that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s good for me. I look around. Magic in the wild has a tendency to attract creatures that feed off it, as well as anyone not smart enough to stay away. Anyone like some kid of got conned into following a mostly stranger into the forest. As well as¡­ I realize, as I see the form stretched on the floor further in, anyone else who might come here. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m here.¡± I run for them. ¡°Are you okay?¡± They don¡¯t react to my voice, which is a bad sign. They¡¯re unconscious, not asleep. I don¡¯t bother focusing on them. People are one of the few classes of being that we can¡¯t get anything off of with skills. It takes magic or high-level abilities. Blood loss is the most likely reason someone makes it down here, stretches and then loses consciousness. I won¡¯t be able to get them to eat, so I¡¯m going to have to make bandages from my shirts and hope my first aid¡¯s high enough to¡­ I slow as I make out their features and position. They are stretched on the floor with their hands on their chest, and a book under them. They aren¡¯t breathing, and their head is a skull. I¡¯m too late. By quite a while, too. The body wears armor in good condition. Leather with buckles. There¡¯s a wrap around their midsection with a dark blotch on my side. That would be the fatal injury, I guess. They wear gloves and boots that match their armor. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I approach cautiously. The undead aren¡¯t something that occur naturally, or so the old folks tell us, but I¡¯m next to water with glowing stuff at the bottom. I don¡¯t think that was natural even before the system showed up. Then I breathe easier. If this was a monster, just looking at it would have told me that. Hmm. I focus on the body.
Aaron Sentino, Class: Explorer, dead.
Well, that confirms it, not a threat. Although I didn¡¯t know the dead lost whatever keeps us from doing this to the living. I crouch next to him. ¡°Hi Aaron, I¡¯m Dennis. Somehow, you being here gave me access to your class.¡± I hesitate. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind, but I¡¯m hoping the reason you¡¯re down here is in that book. I¡¯d rather not go through your inventory right now. It feel¡­ disrespectful.¡± There is no resistance when I move the hands off the book. The cover is leather, engraved with symbols that are meaningless to me. The corners are metal, a way to protect them, but also something that isn¡¯t cheap. I wouldn¡¯t leave it in the open like this. Unless I wanted someone to pay attention to it. ¡°Okay. I guess you want me to look at it.¡± First things first, I focus on it.
Aaron¡¯s Never-Ending Journal
This is the Journal where Aaron Sentino recorded his notes while exploring
Perception Check failed
Alright, other than the never-ending part of the name, seems ordinary enough. I pick it up.
Aaron¡¯s Never-Ending Journal
This item can be bound
Do you wish to bind this item? Yes/No
Notice, prerequisite for binding not met. Accept the quest: Aaron¡¯s last will and testament to be able to bind this item
And you¡¯re trying to give me a heart attack. Pop-ups have to come with a warning before they just show up like this. No quest message, so I guess I¡¯m not binding it. Not sure I want to, anyway. It¡¯s his journal, not mine. I open it, and only the cover responds. The rest of the book is one block, as if someone dumped glue in it. Must be some way to lock away private stuff. There¡¯s writing on the first page at least. In small, immaculate hand writing. Okay, let¡¯s start with the important stuff. You screwed up. I have no doubt you tracked me down, and that you¡¯re reading this right now, but the jokes on you. That stab didn¡¯t kill me, and while I¡¯m sure the poison that came with it will since none of my healing potions got rid of it, I made it as far as my ability let me. So I hope you had the most entertaining trip getting here, and now you can go away. My journal is locked behind a quest that I¡¯ve set so neither you nor anyone working with you can gain. Ain¡¯t it fun what the system will let someone who knows stuff do? Anyway. Go away. You fucked up. I¡¯m dead and what you¡¯re after is forever out of your reach. For anyone else, read on. My name is Aaron Sentino. I¡¯m an explorer. That¡¯s kind of it, really. I was born a few years after the system arrived and always wanted to see what was out there. I saw a lot of amazing things I documented in my journal, as well as places you should probably stay away from. Lots of dangerous places in this new world of ours. But those tend to be the most fun to explore. So, you¡¯ve noticed the journal¡¯s bricked (old term from before the system. It¡¯s got something to do with phones and how they could be rendered as useful as a brick.) right now, this page is all you can read. It¡¯s going to remain this way unless you accept my quest. (It¡¯s coming. I¡¯ve set it so you could read all this before being bothered with it.) once you do so, if you are able to. I know you. You¡¯re going to try anything you can think of to get access to the information. Screw off. I outsmarted you. Anyway, if you can accept the quest, the first quarter of the journal will un-brick. I¡¯ve moved all the maps there to help you navigate. The one relating to the quest will be the first one. The others will lead you to various ruins I discovered over the years. But no notes. Sorry. I had to make hard decisions to protect the information in here, and that¡¯s one of them. Anyway, I doubt those will interest you, or whoever accepts the quest. Us Explorers are a rare breed, in the grand scheme of things. So the quest. It¡¯s simple, really. I need you to deliver a letter to my wife. It¡¯ll be among the map pages. I didn¡¯t seal it since there¡¯s no way for me to keep you from opening it with the means I have access to in this place, and in the time I have left. I just ask that you respect my privacy. And if it¡¯s you, you think I¡¯m stupid enough to put anything about what you¡¯re looking for in a letter to my wife? She¡¯s an herbalist and you know that already. Other than my stories and the things I brought her back, she¡¯s never cared about this beautiful, wide world of ours. Kansas City has always been enough of the world for her. So, my Quest is for you to deliver my letter to her in Kansas City. It¡¯s possible it took so long for anyone to find my body that she¡¯s dead, then hand it to my daughter, or one of her children. Anyone of my bloodline will do. Your reward¡­ Well, I have two Ability points I¡¯d yet to assign, so that¡¯s yours. As well as the twenty-five thousands experience I¡¯ve accumulated since gaining my last level. I¡¯d give you more, but it turns out the system considers anything before that last level ¡®used up¡¯. What else? Four skill points and two spell points. Never been one for magic. The traveling I could do with my abilities was always enough. Maybe they¡¯ll serve you better. I¡¯d give you more, but anything else will be more useful to you to accomplish the quest than after. So, all my possessions are yours should you want them. The one thing I ask that you not sell is my ring. I do think it¡¯s going to help you, but if not, I¡¯d like my family to have it. If she¡¯s old enough, my daughter might demand my sword, but I¡¯m really hoping she¡¯s also old enough to have equipment of her own by then. Things of interest you¡¯ll find on me are my sword. It¡¯s enchanted. Just a bit more damage and an edge to go through armor. My armor¡¯s excellent quality, so if you take care of it, it will see you through most problem of the combat kind. The ring, as I said, can be of use. I have almost ten thousand Dollar on me as I write this, but no way to know if he took it. I wouldn¡¯t put that past his petty self, just to screw with the help you might render me. If it¡¯s gone, I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯ll have to sell my stuff, which you probably don¡¯t need, anyway; it¡¯s highly explorer centric, after all. So, that¡¯s about it. Thank you ahead of time for either taking the letter to my wife, or handing this to someone who will. I hope the system is always in your favor.
You have been offered a quest by Aaron Sentino
Aaron¡¯s last Will and testament
Aaron as asked you to deliver a private letter to his wife in Kansas City
Rewards: On accepting the quest, partial unlock of Arron¡¯s Never-Ending Journal, gain the ability to bind Aaron¡¯s Never-Ending journal to yourself. On completion of Quest: 26,324 experience, 2 ability points, 4 skill points and 2 spell points Consequence of refusal or failure: None
Do you Accept the quest? Yes/No
I sit and think about it. I mean really think about it. This isn¡¯t the kind of thing I can just accept or refuse and not think about it anymore. Maybe this isn¡¯t something that¡¯s life change for most people, but for me? If I accept it, it means leaving Court. Not forever, obviously, but I don¡¯t know where Kansas City is. I¡¯ve never heard about it before, so it can¡¯t be anywhere near. I mean, I¡¯ve heard about Albany and that¡¯s weeks away on the other side of the St-Laurence River. The problem is that I don¡¯t know anyone I¡¯m sure will deliver it if I give it to them. Oh, there¡¯s Chuck¡¯s caravan, so plenty of people on it will go on to further places, but I don¡¯t know any of them. If I got Chuck to say yes, he¡¯d do it. Dad knows him and, while he doesn¡¯t quite like him, he always said he¡¯s a man of his word. But if there¡¯s one thing I know about Chuck is that he doesn¡¯t venture beyond Toronto anymore, so he¡¯d have to pass the journal on to someone else and¡­ How do I know they¡¯ll deliver it. Okay. So I have to be the one to do it. It¡¯s the only way to be sure the letter makes it to its destination. But it¡¯s not like I have to leave right now with it. I know. It¡¯s skirting what Aaron wants, but he said it that it doesn¡¯t have to be exclusively to his wife, so if I stay in court for a few years, become a guard, long enough to make my dad happy. Okay, become a craftsman of some sort for a few years. Then, once I¡¯m in my mid-twenties and I¡¯ve demonstrated that I am a responsible adult, I can leave on this quest. Yep, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. I accept the quest.
You have accepted Aaron¡¯s last will and testament.
Do you wish to bind Aaron¡¯s Never-Ending Journal to yourself?
Yes/No
Yes. Now, no matter what happens, no one can take this from me. It shimmers in my hands and I feel some of the pages come loose. Like the details of my class, studying this will wait until I¡¯m home. I go to send it to my inventory and realize I have a problem. It takes up the inventory spot using the last chemical light freed. I look at what Aaron¡¯s wearing. Just how am I going to carry all of this? I smile. Well, the same way he did. I¡¯m going to wear it. Chapter 10 Well, that¡¯s unexpected. The armor fits me with barely any adjustments from the multiple buckles, but it¡¯s the belt pouch that really catches my attention.
Traveler¡¯s pouch, Quality: Excellent, Type: inventory
The traveler¡¯s pouch is a pouch designed for those who travel while wanting to keep encumbrance to a minimum. Slots: 16
Perception check successful The pouch has been enchanted to double the number of slots
Not that it changes anything, but it¡¯s nice to know I can succeed a check once in a while. I¡¯ll get back to that in a bit. Aaron wrote that his sword¡¯s magical. I pull it from its scabbard at my hip.
Searcher¡¯s Bite, Quality: Good, Type: Weapon, Enchanted
Searcher¡¯s bite is a one handed-sword with little to mark it as more than a normal sword
Perception Check Failed
I swing it once, then hold it before me. The weight¡¯s good. The leather for the hilt is comfortable. Aaron wrote it does more damage, and gets through some of the armor, so that¡¯s good. I sheath it. Grandmother will be able to tell me more about it¡­ if I can show it to her. Dad¡¯s not going to be happy about this. I access the traveler¡¯s pouch and my inventory opens at the same time. It¡¯s sixteen slots, with my four next to it. Immediately, the firewood, tanned hides, fatwood and pitons catch my attention since there¡¯s thirteen of each, which is the maximum a slot can use in an external inventory unless magic¡¯s used to increase that. Each slot in my personal inventory can hold a hundred and sixty-eight, but I only have four of them. It¡¯s one of the reason I want to invest points in my strength. The pouch is good, but it still limits how much I can carry. There¡¯s five coils of twenty meters of ropes, eleven grappling hooks, eight snares, a firestarter and a bedroll. There¡¯s also four slots with food and two with animal hides, or at least, they were. They¡¯re now identified as rotted, which means I want nothing to do with them. I step away and drop that and the hides out of the inventory and I¡¯m surprised at how little they stink. How long does it take for food to go beyond rotted? That frees five spots, giving me seven to work with. I step to the skeleton, which is still in one piece, even if all that¡¯s left are the bones. I crouch next to it. ¡°Sorry about that, Aaron.¡± I place a gloved hand on its sternum and think; access. He only has sixteen inventory slots. I expected more. Aren¡¯t all adventurers strong? Well, much stronger than I am? All he¡¯d need is a strength of twenty-six for that, without taking into account strength training. But our class doesn¡¯t give us a strength bonus. What level would his skill need to be to have sixteen inventory slots? Thirty, forty? Okay. Maybe it makes sense. He was born after the system, so he can¡¯t be much older than thirty. He has over a hundred firewood in a slot. ¡°Not a fan of the cold, I take it?¡± I transfer what¡¯s in the pouch to that. We have indoor heating, courtesy of Base, at home. The twenty-eight empty vials I leave there for the moment. Glass is something that¡¯s always useful, but I want to go through the rest first. The pocket watch I pull out of the inventory and study
Time keeping Piece, Quality: Good, Type: Chronometer
A hand-held device using gears and kinetic motion to keep time. Must be wound or it will stop working.
Perception Check Failed
I wind the knob on top, and it ticks quietly. It¡¯s brass, I think, mostly polished, with no markings or inscriptions. Even the glass front is unmarred. The worn spots are where I¡¯m holding it, speaking of it being held often. ¡°You cared about this, didn¡¯t you, Aaron?¡± I set it aside. I don¡¯t need it, with Base keeping time, but if I have space, I want to bring it and return it to his family. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The binoculars are a no brainer, as is the metal container of thin oil, the rag that smells the same and the roll of tools. Those are to take care of the armor. I¡¯m going to need to learn how to maintain it. Same with the whetstone; for the sword and knife. Unless the sword¡¯s enchantment keeps it sharp. The ruined clothing stays there along with the water skins; those are made of leather and I don¡¯t want to know what the water in them has turned into. The pulleys are¡­ seven of them means¡­. I look at the skeleton. ¡°What are you doing with all of those?¡± Someone can make use of them if I have space. The last item is a metal stick shaped to fit well in my fingers and with a point that makes me think of a pencil. The tip doesn¡¯t leave a mark on my finger, but it¡¯s dry. It looks nothing like Grandpa Louis¡¯s fountain pen, but he and Dad have talked about how, back before the system, people could get pens that already had ink in them, but they couldn¡¯t be refilled. This could be that, and it ran out. One way to be sure. I focus on it.
Writing Stylus, Quality: Excellent, Type: Writing Implement
A stylus made of a metal that leaves marks on paper
Perception Check Failed
I didn¡¯t know metal could be used to write with. I do a count, that¡¯s sixteen items. If I don¡¯t want the extra hides, I don¡¯t have to worry about leaving anything behind. That can be used by someone back home. I¡¯m keeping the firestarter. The rope? I don¡¯t need it to leave anymore, but we can also use that.grappling hooks? Pitons? The bedroll? I can carry that one to use tonight and leave it here. The bedroll it is. And of course, I was so focussed on the pouch; I forgot I have a slot left in my own inventory. I could free two in the pouch by putting the hides there, but it¡¯s not like I need more space right now. At least now I don¡¯t have to leave the bedroll behind. I look at the skeleton as I stand. ¡°I¡¯m going to send someone to bury you when I get home.¡± There were things people did for the dead before the system, along with burying them. Some people say there used to be a god, and that¡¯s why they had to perform the ceremonies. A few of them claim he¡¯s still around. There¡¯s the occasional argument by the bars when some force them to explain how that works with the system around. Grandpa Louis never believed in that, and Dad¡­ Dad says that if there was a god, Mom would still be alive. I miss her, but the only ¡®higher power¡¯ I know of is the system. And I know better than think it cares about us one way or another. ¡°That¡¯s for¡­ everything, I guess.¡± I go to the stairs and pause. Nothing in my inventory adds weight, but the armor and sword? The stairs don¡¯t look any sturdier from down here, but the wall next to them is nice and flat. Okay, so how does this work?
Momentum, ranks: 1
So long as you are running and maintain 2 points of contact on a surface, you can continue to move even if the surface is not horizontal. Maximum angle from horizontal where the ability can be used: 135 Degrees. Cost: 10 Stamina per second
Two points of contact. That¡¯d be my feet. At ten stamina per second, that twenty-one if I was fully rested, but I have plenty to make it up there. The running part¡­ Well, won¡¯t know without trying. I back away, then all the way to the rail. I glance at Aaron. ¡°With the grappling hooks, I¡¯m guessing you have no advice to offer on how to make sure this works.¡± I take off. I put a foot on the wall, then reflexively put a hand because I can¡¯t shake the feeling I¡¯m going to fall if I don¡¯t hold on. My other foot is on the wall and I pause, stunned that they¡¯re sticking there. Then I slid on the floor and lose my balance. I laugh as my stamina bar fades away with the sliver this cost me. ¡°It¡¯s going to work better if I keep moving, right Aaron?¡± Up I go, and back to the rail. ¡°Okay, no stopping this time.¡± I¡¯m off. I reach the wall, put my foot on it and again my hand goes for the wall. My other foot is on the wall and I keep moving. I¡¯ll be amazed this is letting me run up a wall once I¡¯m on the other floor. With a curse, I¡¯m tumbling as my foot catches on my ankle. I turn and my back hits the metal stairs. My health flashes, but I can¡¯t seen the loss, so it¡¯s insignificant. The stairs didn¡¯t break, so looks like they can support my weight after all. I stand, stretch and don¡¯t feel and soreness, and it¡¯s back to the railing. ¡°No.¡± I look at Aaron. ¡°I¡¯m going to get this.¡± I take a few breaths, and off I go. Foot on the wall, hand there too, because I still feel like I¡¯m going to fall without it, not that it helped the previous time. Don¡¯t pay attention to the fact I¡¯m sticking to the wall, pay attention to my foot, raising it higher, over my other ankle and on the wall. Don¡¯t get distracted and do it again, and again and again and¡ªcrash on the floor when the wall runs out. I roll on my back laughing and fist pump. ¡°Take that, Rich!¡± Then I notice I¡¯m not in the dark again. Frowning, I stand. This is a little brighter than the chemical light, and more sun-like, instead of green, and my shadow shifts, but more than just me mimicking my motions. I turn to see where the light comes from, and my shadow stays behind me. ¡°What, the¡­¡± what¡¯s in front of me that¡¯s staying in front of me? The front of the armor. I touch it to feel if there¡¯s something¡­ before I can work out what I might feel that creates light, my shadow shifts as my hands move. As my right hand moves. I look at the glove and there¡¯s nothing there that looks different from the left one. I wave my hand before me and the shadow responds. I focus on the close. Maybe it¡¯s¡ª
Leather Glove, Quality: Good, Type: Armor, hand
A well-made piece of leather armor
Perception Check Failed
If this was magical, it would say, just like the sword, so how is it¡­. I take the glove off and expose the ring. I¡¯d transferred everything it was wearing directly without thinking about it. There was nothing that conflicted, since armor goes over clothing, and I don¡¯t wear a ring, so I didn¡¯t think about that either.
Ring of Illumination, Quality: Normal, Type: Jewelry, Enchanted
A plain ring enchanted to create a bubble of soft light in a 1.5 meter radius
Perception Check Failed
That¡¯s going to be useful to move about and find a place to sleep for the rest of the night. I retrace my steps to the first intersection and¡­ I have no idea which direction I came from. The only advantage is to going back that way is that I know where there¡¯s a crack in the ceiling with a wall that goes right up to it. Now, I¡¯m going to have to find another one. I yawn. But first, I need to sleep. Chapter 11 ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± I look up at the cloudy sky through the hole in the ceiling. They¡¯ve grown darker with each one I¡¯ve come across, so it might rain before I reach Court. I wonder how my ability deals with wet surfaces. No pop-up, so no information about that in the system. Doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t get penalties, just that it¡¯s not something that I can get from a standard query. This is the fourth crack in the ceiling I¡¯ve come across since waking up. But the other didn¡¯t have a wall that went up to the lip. Now, it¡¯s going to be about working out a path around the obstacles poking out of the wall. It¡¯s angled in a little; from the rest of the damage, I think the ceiling collapsed. This has got to be close to twenty meters, and there¡¯s no straight path up. But I shouldn¡¯t have to weave too much and I have plenty of space for my running start. Here I go. Foot on the wall, and again my hand¡¯s on it too. Work on that later. Other feet, don¡¯t slow, get the foot over the ankle, again. Okay, here¡¯s the first obstacle. I¡¯m going over, so step higher. Use it to push myself up, feet on the wall, hand grabs the one above me and I continue. Okay, not something to worry about, but this is taking a tad longer that I thought. My stamina¡¯s down to almost half and I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯ve made it halfway. Definitely not pausing to check. Falling from here is going to hurt. So change the angle, it¡¯s not like that¡¯s going to cause me a problem, just step higher each time, look ahead, plan for the stuff in the way, can I go over them and cut a few seconds off? Will it be enough? Oh, I hope so. Over that one. Step higher so I can make it over the next one. There, past that, and the lip of the hole is not far. Half plus steps and I¡¯ll be there. It¡¯d better be because my stamina¡¯s getting low. If the next few steps don¡¯t drain it, the ones after that will, and I doubt I have enough willpower to make the check that will let me keep going. Not taking chances then. The lips, in reach, so I reach for it, with the next step I¡¯ll¡ª I¡¯m falling. How am I falling? What did I do¡ª * * * * * I come awake to a line of debuffs and my health bar flashing angrily, as all it has left is a barely visible sliver. My gaze is then drawn to the debuff that¡¯s so dark the red might as well be black
Debuff: Bleeding, internal
You are bleeding internally. You lose 1 hit point every 13 seconds. Seek healing immediately.
Time remaining: 3 hours, 26 minutes, 1 second
I stare at it, and it takes me long enough to understand that means I¡¯m dying, that one of the other debuffs has to be a concussion. At least I have healing bars left. No idea if one¡¯s going to be enough¡ª how many do I have?¡ªbut I sort of remember these start working the moment I swallow one bite. I will one bar to my hand and close my fingers on it. It¡¯s got a wrapper. Fuck. Okay, I can bite through it. It was paper¡­wasn¡¯t it? I lift my arm, and instead I scream in pain, then I¡¯m panting from the effort and notice my stamina is basically gone. I am so screwed. The only way I¡¯m doing with is with a will check, and I¡¯ve never trained it. Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t manage one, but the odds are not in my favor. Fuck, I hate doing this. But I have to do everything I can to succeed. I¡¯m not giving Rich the satisfaction of dying down here. I dump my six skill points in Willpower training. Okay, what else? Attributes. I have two points and¡­ which ones influence Willpower?
System Query: Willpower
Willpower is the pool indicating how far you can push yourself beyond what you are normally capable of. Willpower is governed by the attributes of intelligence and endurance Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Thank you System. I don¡¯t think one influences it more than the other, so I put my two points in endurance. That¡¯s going to help more in the long run. If I survive this. Okay. I¡¯m putting every available point of willpower into this. And go! I scream in defiance and pain, then the bar falls on my mouth and I bite into it, paper and all. My willpower is basically gone, so it¡¯s a good thing the wrapper¡¯s not particularly thick. Tastes horrible though, but it¡¯s already in my mouth with the bite of the bar. So I chew, then swallow. The relief isn¡¯t total, but it¡¯s enough that I feel myself fading again. * * * * * I sneeze at something tickling my nose and wake up with a strangled scream of pain. I manage to glares at the piece of the wrapper that caused this, then realize I am breathing easier. My health bar is flashing angrily, with barely a tenth of it remaining. My stamina¡¯s still barely existent, so this wasn¡¯t restful at all. My willpower is under a quarter. Probably ain¡¯t pulling another one of this for a while. No nearly black debuffs, so nothing¡¯s about to kill me. And the bar¡¯s at my mouth, so eating the rest of it is simple, and with each bite, my health raises, debuff vanish and I feel better. Once I¡¯m done, and my heath stops going up, it¡¯s around two-third, and I¡¯m still sore everywhere. Not every debuff¡¯s gone.
Debuff, Hairline fracture, right humerus
You have damaged a bone All actions requiring this arm are taken at a 10% penalty
Debuff, Hairline fracture, right Ulna
You have damaged a bone All actions requiring this arm are taken at a 10% penalty
Debuff, Hairline fracture, left Femur
You have damaged a bone All actions requiring this leg are taken at a 10% penalty
Debuff, Hairline fracture, right tibia
You have damaged a bone All actions requiring this leg are taken at a 10% penalty
Okay. I get the message. No bleeding at least, internal or otherwise. I have two healing bars left. Not what I want to do, but if I¡¯m going to get out of here, I have to be in top form. Getting a bar to my mouth isn¡¯t as hard this time. I even manage to remove the wrapper before I bite into it. Okay. What happened? I ran up the wall. Everything was going well. Stamina was low, but not gone. I was almost there and¡­ I fell. I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t run out of stamina. And if I had, I don¡¯t think I would just have fallen. I¡¯d have become exhausted, have to put my will into continuing. The result would still have been me falling, because I¡¯m not exactly known for my willpower, but I wouldn¡¯t have simply¡­ what, slipped off? Can I slip when using my ability? Okay, no response. Which means it¡¯s not an outright do this and slip. So did I misunderstand something about how the ability works?
Momentum, ranks: 1
So long as you are running and maintain 2 points of contact on a surface, you can continue to move even if the surface is not horizontal. Maximum angle from horizontal where the ability can be used: 135 Degrees. Cost: 10 Stamina per second
Okay. Nothing hidden in the text I can make out. Two points of contact, check, under a hundred thirty-five degree, probably check. If it was beyond, it wouldn¡¯t have worked, period, and if anything it gets less steep toward the top, so¡­ what? I didn¡¯t trip on my feet; I didn¡¯t stop running. I didn¡¯t do anything any different as I reached the edge than I¡¯d done on the way there or when I got out of the basement. So why? The System doesn¡¯t change the rules, so I¡¯m the one who changed something. Okay. Step back, think about it. I ran to the wall, stepped on it, and started up. My hand ran along the wall even if there was nothing to grab hold on to because¡­. I needed the sense of safety touching something engendered? Anyway, kept going, pulled up on one of the beam to help me, changed my angle to make up time, reached the top, reach for the edge and¡­ I fell. Okay. So what did reaching for the edge do that caused the fall? I moved my hand away from the wall so I could grab on to it. Except that can¡¯t be it. I still had two points of contact and I¡¯d reached up to grab a bar before and that didn¡¯t¡ª I¡¯d reached with my left hand for that one, the right one was still on the wall. But that doesn¡¯t matter, my feet are my two points of contact, so¡­ Oh, I am such an idiot! How many points are touching the wall when you raise a foot, Dennis? Not two, you idiot. Okay. I don¡¯t know if putting my hand on the wall is a reflex triggered by the ability. ¡°If it is, it would be nice for you to update the description, System.¡± But that¡¯s what makes running up the wall possible; it¡¯s my second point of contact as I raise my feet. I glance at my stamina, which is still under half. A nap to top that up, and then I am getting out of here. * * * * * I stretch to limber myself and move to the other side of the space. This time I¡¯m running up the wall so my left hand is touching it. Being right-handed, I want that hand free to do everything else I might need to, like grabbing onto the lip to pull myself out. Okay. Don¡¯t think about how if I fall this time, I¡¯m probably going to join Aaron wherever the System sends the dead, and run. Hand on the wall first, foot, other foot, look ahead, raise your feet, keep running. Should have used this side first, less obstacles in my path. Go over that one. Half my stamina left, but don¡¯t think about that. Eyes forward and up. Change the angle, cut out a second or two. Don¡¯t worry about how low the stamina is, or that I don¡¯t have enough willpower to push beyond it. Look ahead, I¡¯m almost there. Stamina¡¯s flashing, not good. Can I reach it? Shit, if I¡¯m out of stamina, I¡¯m not going to be able to hold on and pull myself up. Okay, no waiting then. Push off that beam, grab the edge, other hand now! Pull! Harder. Roll on my back, look at the sky. Laugh as the rain falls. Chapter 12 My nerves lighten with the rain. I don¡¯t know how far I made it during the downpour, since while I know in what direction Court is, my ability doesn¡¯t tell me how close it is. I doubt I¡¯ve made a lot of progress as slow as I¡¯ve been walking. The rain made it impossible to hear anything over it hitting the canopy, or see more than a meter around me. In a forest with I have no idea how many animals and monsters, I didn¡¯t feel like running, or even walking fast. Now, I can see far enough it¡¯s the trees blocking my sight, and I¡¯m sure that once my ears stop ringing, I¡¯ll be able to hear something approaching. I still move carefully. I think we walked into the forest for a couple of hours before reaching the power station, but time wasn¡¯t what I paid attention to. When Rich wasn¡¯t distracting me, the forest was. The ground squishes with each step and I try not to let that stress me. Noises attracts monsters is one of the first thing Grandmother taught us. If we find ourselves in the wild for some reason, be as quiet as we can. That, and listen carefully.
Perception check Failed
With how many of those I¡¯ve failed since starting to walk, I¡¯ve got to be getting close to gaining a level. I¡¯ve set those messages down to the bottom left so they¡¯ll stop obscuring my sight every few minutes. I find out the clouds are mostly gone as I approach a clearing and the sun shines through the canopy. I stop, surrounded by light breaking into rainbowed sparkles on the raindrop covered trees. I look up and, in the haze of misted water, every beam that makes it through openings in the leaves is visible. Lines of light, some tinted green, fall everywhere. I¡¯m tempted to thank Rich for taking me out here, letting me see this. But I¡¯m standing here in spite of him, not because, so he can still go fuck himself. But I am glad I get to see this. The forest can be beautiful in a way Court can¡¯t be. At least, I got to see this once in my¡ª My head snaps to the left as something flashes there
Perception check Successful
I scan through the trees. Making a perception check doesn¡¯t mean I get information as to what I noticed. The flash gives me the area, but it could have been a leaf falling, a rat skittering about, or some monster poking its head around a tree to prepare an attack. If this was somewhere I planned on spending time, I¡¯d invest points and training in skills that would be relevant: tracking, sound identification, if that¡¯s a skill. Base can give me a list if I want to find out what I¡¯d want. Whatever it was, I can¡¯t make it out, so I turn to back toward Cour¡ª Wow. In the center of the clearing is an animal I¡¯ve never seen
Antilope, level 8
Cryptozoology check failed
That¡¯s definitely a skill I¡¯d get if I was going to spend time here. It¡¯s¡­ big, but stands on surprisingly thin legs. It grazes the grass, its wide antlers almost scraping the ground. They, too, are thin and delicate looking. Water glistens on its chestnut colored pelt. It raises its head, looking in the direction I had. I check again and make out nothing. When I look at the Antilope again, it¡¯s looking in my direction. I¡­ Well, if it wanted to attack, I¡¯d be dead. It goes back to grazing the grass, its head snapping in my direction when my foot squish as I back away. I¡¯m not pressing my luck against a level eight animal. I make it four steps before it¡¯s grazing again, and I turn toward Court. Over my loud steps, I make out birds singing, the occasional chittering. I make perception checks and occasionally catch sight of something in the branches, but they¡¯re gone too fast for me to focus and get a name. One of them jumped and its body stretch to let it glide to another tree.
Perception skill is now Level 16
¡°Yes!¡± Shit! I hunker down and look around.
Perception check Failed
A definite reminder that one level doesn¡¯t make that much of a difference. I grin. Still, my first skill past fifteen. The sounds of the forest return, and I stand. I take a step and the growl makes me turn as I equip the sword. At least I armed myself this time.
Warg, Level 2
I only have time to make out gray fur, something half my height, and that it¡¯s running in my direction, before I see an open jaw and large teeth. I throw myself aside, and its paw slams into me, throwing me to the ground. I get up to the flashing of my health bar, but no bleed debuff. One for me wearing armor. I roll to my feet and slash, but it¡¯s already out of reach. My free arm aches for the weight of a shield. I put my sword between me and the incoming claws, only for them to connect with my arm and send me spinning to another flash of my health bar. Now I can make out the missing health. I¡¯m on my feet and sent back to the ground as it slams into me. I feel the claws on my chest as I swing and it backs up, a red line becoming visible through the fur. It¡¯s got to be thick for it to be that thin. It felt like I¡¯d gone deeper. I¡¯m on my feet, and take the offensive, and it backs as I swing. I finally manage to cut its face, but it responds my jumping on me. I hit the ground hard and something harder that pokes out of it, added to the Warg¡¯s weight on me, cost me health again. I shove hard and roll away. The stone has a rounded tip, which accounts for the lack of debuff, and I throw myself aside again as it leaps at me. I dodge, but my swing misses, too. I catch my breath as it circles me. My stamina¡¯s down to three-quarter, my health to seven-eighth. Either drops to zero and I¡¯m dead. I attack, feinting left and land a kick in its side that sends it down. I follow with a stab that grazes it as it gets up, but the bleeding¡¯s stronger on this cut. Is there a point where it¡¯ll flee? I slam my blade into its head as it almost lands on me, but I get a staggered debuff and my follow up swing goes wild, At least that kept it from attacking again. The debuff vanished as it attacks, and I curse as it drops at the last moment. I¡¯m on my back, my boot in its jaw, and lose health as it swings me into a tree a few times before my free foot connects with its face and it lets go. It glares at me, panting, as I push myself to my feet. Health well below three-quarter now. No idea how much damage I¡¯ve done to it. Or rather how much it takes to take it down. It snarls and takes a step forward. I send it back with a swing that nearly connects with its muzzle. It comes at me immediately and I get my left arm under its neck as its jaws snap centimeter from my face. I stab and my sword slide off its pelt, but that still gets it off me, and there¡¯s another bleeding line. At this point, if I can last long enough, the bleed debuffs will get it if I don¡¯t. But I¡¯m not going to win hoping for that. My swing connects and leaves yet another deep line in its side, but it¡¯s not backing off this time and I my arm¡¯s too high when I try to keep its head from me so that instead of catching it at the neck, its jaw closes on my arm. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. It shakes its head and I¡¯m on the ground, but it doesn¡¯t let go. I ignore the debuff as my health drops below half and try to stab it with my sword, but it¡¯s too close and with it shaking me, I can¡¯t get the leverage for anything more than getting the point to slide off its hide. If that¡¯s hurting it, it¡¯s not showing it, or letting go. With another slam and my health getting too close to a quarter, I unequip the sword and equip the knife, which I slam into it over and over. It slams me down again, then lets go of me halfway through the next one and I slide on the wet grass. It looks at me, panting and bleeding a lot. I glance at the debuff.
Debuff, fracture, Left Ulna
You have broken a bone All actions requiring this arm are taken at a 75% penalty
At least I¡¯m not bleeding. The armor¡¯s indented where the teeth bit in, but it held. It takes an unsteady step in my direction and I use a tree to push to my feet. On the next step, it falters and is on the ground. Its panting slows, then stops.
Explorer Quest Completion, step 1: Fighting Monsters
You have fought your first monster
Rewards: 1098 experience
I slid down the tree as more messages appear.
Sword Fighting Skill is now Level 16
Parrying Skill is now Level 16
Kicking Skill is now Level 16
Dodging Skill is now Level 16
Blocking Skill is now Level 16
I chuckle, then groan. Grandmother always said that nothing beat actual combat for gaining levels. Considering how long it took for my perception to hit sixteen, compared to all these skills, I can¡¯t deny it anymore. I unequip the knife and pull my last healing bar and unwrap it. One bite and I feel better, Half of it eaten and the debuff fades away. I finish it and my health it slightly above three-quarter. As I start to crumble the wrapper, I notice writing on the inside. Carlysle¡¯s Healing Emporium, 1279 Bloor, Toronto. I send that to my free inventory spot to dispose of once I¡¯m home and start to get to my feet only for my stamina bar to get my attention by how much of it is missing. Fighting is tiring. Well, if I have to rest for a bit, I might as well look at what a serious fight against a monster logged like. I open my combat log and the last batch of notifications fills my vision.
Conflict Check failed
Sword vs Dodge skill Resolution - environmental factors
Conflict Check Successful
Lunge vs Block Skill Resolution - proximity - environmental factors
Conflict Check Successful
Sword vs Dodge Skill Resolution - proximity - environmental factors
You cause 1.593 points of damage, Bleed Debuff added. Slicing attack:14.375 damage. Improper leverage: -75%. creature hide: -2 damage
Conflict Check Successful
Sword vs Dodge Skill Resolution - proximity - environmental factors
You cause 12.375 points of damage, Bleed Debuff added. Slicing attack:14.375 damage. creature hide: -2 damage
Conflict Check Failed
Lunge vs Block Skill Resolution - proximity - environmental factors
You take 0 point of damage. Bite attack(blunt): 11.342 damage. Armor: -2 soak(100% effective): -36.225 damage Condition applied: held
You take 11.026 point of damage. Slammed(blunt)(held negate skill conflict): 49.257 damage. Armor: -2 damage, soak(100% effective): -36.225
You have gained a Debuff: Hairline Fracture, Left Ulna
Conflict Check failed
Sword vs Dodge skill Resolution - proximity - held - environmental factors
You take 11.026 point of damage. Slammed(blunt)(held negate skill conflict): 49.257 damage. Armor: -2 damage, soak(100% effective): -36.225 damage
Conflict Check failed
Sword vs Dodge skill Resolution - proximity - held - environmental factors
You take 11.026 point of damage. Slammed(blunt)(held negate skill conflict): 49.257 damage. Armor: -2 damage, soak(100% effective): -36.225 damage
Debuff: Hairline Fracture, Left Ulna has been upgraded to: Fracture, Left Ulna
Conflict Check failed
Sword vs Dodge skill Resolution - proximity - held - environmental factors
You take 11.026 point of damage. Slammed(blunt)(held negate skill conflict): 49.257 damage. Armor: -2 damage, soak(100% effective): -36.225 damage
Conflict Check failed
Sword vs Dodge skill Resolution - Held - environmental factors
Conflict Check Successful
Knife vs Dodge Skill Resolution - proximity - Held- environmental factors
You cause 4 points of damage, Bleed Debuff added. Impaling attack: 8.05 damage(knife type, Straight edge: Maximum damage 5). creature hide: -1 damage
Conflict Check Successful
Knife vs Dodge Skill Resolution - proximity - Held- environmental factors
You cause 4 points of damage, Bleed Debuff added. Impaling attack: 8.05 damage(knife type, Straight edge: Maximum damage 5). creature hide: -1 damage
Conflict Check Successful
Knife vs Dodge Skill Resolution - proximity - Held- environmental factors
You cause 4 points of damage, Bleed Debuff added. Impaling attack: 8.05 damage(knife type, Straight edge: Maximum damage 5). creature hide: -1 damage
Conflict Check Successful
Knife vs Dodge Skill Resolution - proximity - Held- environmental factors
You cause 4 points of damage, Bleed Debuff added. Impaling attack: 8.05 damage(knife type, Straight edge: Maximum damage 5). creature hide: -1 damage
Conflict Check Successful
Knife vs Dodge Skill Resolution - proximity - Held- environmental factors
You cause 4 points of damage, Bleed Debuff added. Impaling attack: 8.05 damage(knife type, Straight edge: Maximum damage 5). creature hide: -1 damage
You take 11.026 point of damage. Slammed(blunt)(held negate skill conflict): 49.257 damage. Armor: -2 damage, soak(100% effective): -36.225 damage
Conflict Check Successful, critical
Knife vs Dodge Skill Resolution - proximity - Held- environmental factors
You cause 40 points of damage, Severe Bleed Debuff added. Impaling attack: 8.05 damage(knife type, Straight edge: Maximum damage 5). creature hide: -1 damage
You have killed a Warg, 338 experience awarded
Okay, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have that showing up as I went through it; it would have been discouraging. But while I¡¯m glad it worked, I¡¯d love to know the factors involved in me knifing it since I never trained in knife fighting. Grandmother only teaches it to guards who¡¯ve leveled up their class and other combat skills because she claims that knife fighting isn¡¯t useful enough to bother relying on it. I glance at my Stamina. Back up above a quarter. It didn¡¯t go up as much as I¡¯d want. Probably a mix of looking over the log and not being able to relax with who knows what creatures lurking in the forest. My options are to stay here until I have enough stamina to push until I¡¯m out of the forest, which only works if I know where it ends. Or slow down, so getting there doesn¡¯t cost me stamina. I look around at the trees, at the sunlight streaming through the leaves, the small animals running on the branches, and I find the decision harder to make than I expect. If I don¡¯t think about the monsters that also live here, there¡¯s something peaceful about sitting here and watching nature. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d want to spend all my time here, but I hope I can convince my dad to give me some slack over time, because I¡¯d like to come back. Walk around once I¡¯m higher level, with better skills, so I don¡¯t have to worry about a level two monster killing me. I get to my feet with my stamina having gone up a few slivers more, and consider the dead Warg. I walk to it, touch it and think, Access. Raw hide, meat, and bones are the only loot from it. Not worth more than what I¡¯m already carrying, so it¡¯s not work freeing an inventory spot. I think of home and orient myself, then I walk, paying more attention to my surroundings. Chapter 13 I see the light at the end of the forest and run three paces before stopping. I can¡¯t leave the way I¡¯m dressed. Dad is going to kill me, if he finds out I fought a monster. His reaction¡¯s probably not going to be great when he learns about my class, but it¡¯s going to be better if I can convince him nothing else happened, other than what led to me getting it. I bring up my inventory. My full inventory. I let out a breath and consider what I don¡¯t want to keep. The wrapper¡¯s a no brainer, although I¡¯d like to keep the address. It might not be around anymore when I start my journey, but it would be a place to check for supplies. Healing bars can¡¯t be the only thing they sell. Hmmm. I equip the journal and stylus. I open it and the page after Aaron¡¯s letter is folded over a few times. I open it quickly just to check, and it¡¯s a hand-drawn map, but once it¡¯s folded again, I¡¯m looking at blank paper on which I can write. If the stylus works. It does, leaving a silvery line as I transcribe the address. That¡¯s one freed spot without losing anything. Now to find seven more. The pulleys, rope, pitons, and hooks are easy. Then it¡¯s the snare. Climbing and hunting aren¡¯t things I¡¯ll be doing anytime soon. Someone could make use of them at home, I¡¯m sure, but not at the expense of my armor and weapons. Those I can convince Grandmother, or Grandpa Louis to say it¡¯s their gift to me for gaining a class. Dad still won¡¯t be happy, but even he won¡¯t force me to return a gift. Pocket watch, oils, and maintenance tools, I¡¯m keeping. And the whetstone. The binoculars? Hopefully. Drop the bedroll and work gloves. I don¡¯t really need the pocket knife anymore, but it was Dad¡¯s gift to me the first time we went fishing, when mom was still around. The fatwood isn¡¯t going to be of use to many, so out it goes, and my equipment takes its place. The whetstone goes in my personal inventory, so it¡¯s all in one place, and then I¡­ I need to throw something else out to store my traveler¡¯s pouch. If dad sees it, he¡¯s going to ask questions. One of them is going to be what¡¯s in it. There¡¯s no way I can avoid opening it to him and I¡¯m in trouble big time again. Firestarter, empty vials, binoculars or the tanned hides. The hides can be used without question, as can the vials. Glass isn¡¯t the easiest thing to get. The binoculars, being able to look far is never something we want to throw away. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. I¡¯d love to keep the firestarter, it¡¯s just neat. But that¡¯s not enough of a reason. Out it goes, the pocket watch goes back in the pouch and the pouch in my inventory. And I¡¯m back to being Dennis, sixteen year old young man returning home from an uneventful trek in the forest. Like dad¡¯s going to believe that one. Hopefully, he¡¯ll be too happy I¡¯m back in one piece to give me the third degree. Sure, one can dream, right? I step out of the forest and the air feels warmer as the sun shines on me without interference. I soak it in for a minute, soak in the fact that I¡¯m now safe. While Base can¡¯t act this far out, the tower means he knows what¡¯s happening and he can send guards to deal with it, or get the town ready when it¡¯s a wave and no one sane wants to take those on without every able body pitching in. He probably told dad I¡¯m back and guards are on their way to escort me the rest of the way, so I might as well meet them halfway. A few of the farmers are in the fields, but they don¡¯t notice me. It¡¯s not time for the harvest, but there¡¯s still stuff they need to do. The only time they don¡¯t work the farms is in the winter. Any other time, at the very least, they need to use their abilities to help the crops. Court¡¯s wall comes into view without encountering guards, and the people I cross path with just nod at me like I belong on the road. Is something keeping the guards busy? There¡¯s no way dad didn¡¯t demand Base send someone out to get me. He¡¯d demand chains too, if he suspected what I¡¯ve been up to. Okay, I¡¯m exaggerating. Still, where is my welcoming committee? I take in Court, since this is probably the last time I get to see it from this side. The wall¡¯s stone with a coating that reinforces it. The watch towers add to the security. Base isn¡¯t infallible. Monsters can¡¯t get this close without him noticing, but people? Well, we can be a lot sneakier than monsters if we set our mind to it. The gate¡¯s open, with a few people coming and going and one standing in the middle of the road in front of it. Wow, if dad got himself all the way to the city outer wall, he is going to be livid. Only, that can¡¯t be him. Dad¡¯s not a big man, and neither am I, but the silhouette resolves itself into someone with curves. When she waves at me, I see enough to recognize her. I¡¯m torn between running and hugging her and slowing to show I don¡¯t have a care in the world. So I end up just continuing to walk normally. The heat in my cheeks is due to the sun and not the memory of Rich¡¯s question, and how that made me wonder if me and Josie ever could¡­ ¡°Hey,¡± I say as I stop before her. She smiles and her face lights up, her green eyes glimmering. ¡°Welcome back.¡± Her smile falters. ¡°Are you okay? We were worried about you.¡± I shrug, even if all I want to do is tell her about the forest, the Warg, the power plant. I will tell her, but after. After dad, after my punishment. After I¡¯ve figured out how to explain to her just how amazing it all was. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t supposed to be gone so long.¡± ¡°But you are okay?¡± She searches my face. ¡°You weren¡¯t here for your choosing day. Are you stuck being a farmer?¡± I barely keep my mouth from opening. I can¡¯t tell her about my class before I tell dad. She hugs me. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay. I¡¯m sure being a farmer isn¡¯t going to be that bad.¡± I have no answer for her, because all I¡¯m noticing right now is that she smells like lilac and pepper, that her breast are really comfortable against my chest, and that I hope she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m a perv for my body reacting the way it does to her. Chapter 14 No one pays us any attention as we make our way to Fifth Circle Road. It¡¯s not really a circle, although it goes around Base. Grandpa Louis told me that the plan was for the town to be built in rings around Base, expanding as it grew, but that didn¡¯t last beyond the first expansion, when people built where ever they felt like it, and they had to redo the roads around that. With each expansion, they tried to make the next ring stick to the plan, but didn¡¯t succeed. Fifth Circle Road is the newest ring, and it¡¯s the one that diverges the least. It handled the expansion of ten years ago. It when Court became large enough to trigger the monster waves, and the wall had to be upgraded to stone. Before that, they were logs that were easy to take down and move as people settled here. I have no idea what we¡¯re going to do when we need to expand again. It¡¯s not like if Base decides to expand. He can simply absorb everything within his area of influence, which includes his wall and the buildings on the other side, and remake that where he needs it. He hasn¡¯t done it. The last time he expanded was before I was born. Not long after Court had enough people, they couldn¡¯t all live inside his walls anymore. I don¡¯t know exactly how far Base can reach past his walls, but I know he went up in level twice since setting them there. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Josie asks and I look at her. ¡°Nothing.¡± She smiles. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking around like¡­ I don¡¯t know, you never thought you¡¯d see this place again?¡± ¡°Was I?¡± was I? I was looking, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m surprised I was back here. Right? I mean, there were a few times when I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d make it back, make it out, but they are behind me, so this wasn¡¯t it, right? She puts her arm in mine and¡­ What was I thinking about? The town, right? ¡°I¡¯m just a bit surprise at how not special my return is.¡± I motion around even as I feel like I¡¯m making some excuse so I won¡¯t have to really explain myself. Not that I¡¯m trying to.. What, hide something. She chuckles. ¡°Trust me, your father will make it special enough.¡± We turn once we Fifth Circle Road to head for the West Gate. Base has many of them, but West Gate is sort of me and dad¡¯s gate since that¡¯s the one we take when we go fishing. ¡°I guess he sent you to soften the punishment?¡± ¡°Base sent me. He let me know you were within the fields as soon as he sensed you. Your father probably isn¡¯t happy I knew you were back before he did.¡± Base sent Josie to welcome me home. That makes me feel¡­ surprisingly good. ¡°But yeah, no one¡¯s reacting to my return,¡± I say, and yeah, I know. ¡°I mean, I know it makes no sense to expect everyone to jump with joy that Dennis Carpenter¡¯s back with all parts intact, but¡­ I guess the childish part of me hoped more people had worried.¡± ¡°I worried,¡± she says. ¡°Those who matter worried. Your father was beyond worried. He showed up at my house demanding to know if we were together.¡± ¡°My dad stepped beyond Base¡¯s walls?¡± Oh, I am in so much trouble if he was that worried. ¡°He headed right back in as soon as my parents confirmed you weren¡¯t there.¡± She shrugs. ¡°Not sure why he thought you¡¯d be at my house, but yeah, he was back inside the walls minutes after.¡± Her statement hurts a little, as I have no problem imagining the two of us alone in her bedroom. Me taking off her¡ª Whoa there, Dennis. Calm the horses. Am I thinking about those because of Rich? Him asking if me and Josie were together? All the ways he hinted at what me and him could do, before shoving me into a hole and leaving me there to die? ¡°System to Dennis,¡± she says with a chuckle. ¡°System to Dennis. You in there?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± I clear my head with a shake, then scramble for some reason to explain why I zoned out. ¡°Just readying myself for my dad.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be that bad.¡± I stare at her. ¡°Okay, it probably will, but it¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably be level twenty before he lets me leave my room.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t get levels being stuck in your room,¡± she replies with a light chuckle. ¡°All your quests are going to be farm related.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I should tell her about my class. ¡°About¡ª¡± ¡°Josie!¡± someone calls, and a man hurries out of a fabric store carrying a bundle. ¡°I¡¯m glad I saw you. You¡¯re saving me a trip. Your mother ordered these fabrics. Can you take them to her?¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Of Course Mister Mainse.¡± We¡¯re on our way again. ¡°You were saying?¡± I shake my head. It¡¯s best I wait when we¡¯re in private and after I told my dad. We make it to West Gate and head inward in silence. A few people wave at us, at Josie, and it isn¡¯t until we cross Second Circle Road someone reacts to my presence. ¡°Hey, look who¡¯s back?¡± Kyle Price says, swaggering in our direction. He smiles at Josie. ¡°You know he went off with this guy, right?¡± I swallow. He saw Rich and me? I don¡¯t remember seeing Kyle. Okay, I don¡¯t remember much of the walk out of town other than Rich¡¯s smell, and his arm around me and how my body reacted¡ª Stop that. Rich is an asshole. I am not going to react to the memory of him. Josie glances at me, and I shrug. ¡°We were just heading in the same direction.¡± I fix my gaze on Kyle and dare him to make something of that. I¡¯m being stupid. Kyle¡¯s only one year older than I am, but that¡¯s one year without any caps on his skills, as well as gaining levels. He¡¯s only level four, and that¡¯s because his dad¡¯s in charge of the expeditions to the dungeon up north and he put Kyle on everyone of them, even if who goes is supposed to be rotated so everyone benefits. But as a guard, that¡¯s four levels where he gained a point in strength and endurance each time. Now he¡¯s put eight points anywhere he wants, so those two and health is where they¡¯ll have gone in. Then there¡¯s eight points for his skills, and all the training he put in over the year. Kyle is serious about protecting Court. All that work¡¯s given him a nice body, good tan and hard muscles, but that swagger and the attitude really aren¡¯t helping him. ¡°Right.¡± Kyle¡¯s smirk tells me he noticed how Rich was holding me. ¡°Anyway, what are you now? A bandit? A cutthroat? Or are you¡­¡± he lowers his voice and smirks again. ¡°Classless?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a thing,¡± Josie replied with a roll of the eyes. ¡°How do you know?¡± Kyle asks. ¡°The same way everyone knows. If you don¡¯t pick a class in the thirteen hours the system gives you, it gives you the one of the next person within range. Dennis is a farmer.¡± Whatever reply Kyle was about to give dies as he looks at me and pity replaces the attitude. ¡°For real?¡± ¡°Yes, for real,¡± she says before I can say otherwise. That¡¯s for the best. If I thought telling Josie before my dad was a bad idea, having Kyle Price screaming it through town while I¡¯m still walking toward Base would be a disaster. ¡°Fuck man, that sucks. At least bandits get combat abilities.¡± ¡°Skill still means more,¡± I reply, repeating one of Grandmother¡¯s saying. ¡°Without the right skill, the strongest ability¡¯s not worth the time spent going up in level.¡± ¡°You mean it?¡± Kyle asks in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re still going for guard duty?¡± Is that respect in his voice? ¡°If my dad will let me.¡± He winces. ¡°Look sorry for the¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I tell him. I mean, it is. Kyle¡¯s kind of full of himself, but he¡¯s not a bad guy. ¡°We should keep going. Waiting isn¡¯t going to make my dad any happier.¡± ¡°When he finally lets you out,¡± Kyle calls after us, ¡°let me know. I¡¯ll tell my dad to put you on a dungeon team.¡± Like my dad will ever allow that. ¡°Don¡¯t let his taunting get to you. You don¡¯t need the dungeon to train your combat skills. Grandmother will do that. Considering how high her teaching skill has to be, she can probably have you higher than any trip to the dungeon, anyway.¡± She squeezes me and my heart does somersaults. We¡¯re greeted, and some of our friends welcome me back and I feel¡­ It¡¯s stupid, but seeing the relief on their face makes me feel like I matter. I know I do, but¡­ I did say it was stupid. They don¡¯t stick with us, though. With a pat on the shoulder and a variation of ¡®good luck with your father,¡¯ they remain behind as I head to my¡­ It¡¯s just my dad. As angry as he¡¯s going to be, it shouldn¡¯t feel like an execution. The gate comes into view, and the group fills it. I Recognize Dad, Grandpa Louis, and Grandmother, of course. Mister Tanner, Miss Molson and Kaiden are there too. Not sure if it¡¯s to support dad in his berating, or to hold him back. Dad¡¯s friends try to get him to temper his overprotectiveness, but in the end, they are his friends, so what he wants as a lot more sway. I¡¯m maybe twenty meters from the gate when dad¡¯s running, and before I get over the surprise, his arms are around me and he holds me tightly enough I¡¯m surprise I don¡¯t see a system message about how my soak is the reason I¡¯m not getting damage. ¡°I was so scared,¡± he whispered. ¡°You just disappeared. Even Base didn¡¯t know where you¡¯d gone to. I was terrified the system had stolen you away.¡± That¡¯s not a thing, but I just hold on to my dad. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± ¡°What happened?¡± he demands, his voice hardening as he holds me by the shoulders. Grandpa Louis and Grandmother approach, while the others remain behind. ¡°Where did you go? And how come Base didn¡¯t know you¡¯d left.¡± He knew, so in his fear, dad didn¡¯t ask the right question. Base is pretty good at skirting truths when he wants to. He¡¯s incapable of lying to the Commander, so he¡¯s learned how to not lie in way that lets him say things how he wants to say them. ¡°Calm down, William,¡± Grandpa Louis says. ¡°I¡¯m sure that whatever happened, Dennis didn¡¯t mean to simply wander off like that.¡± ¡°To the forest?¡± Dad demands of his father. ¡°How does he ¡®wander off¡¯ all the way to the forest? That¡¯s where Base said he sensed him step out of when he was back in range.¡± He turns his anger on Josie. ¡°And you, young lady. I¡¯m going to have a talk with your father about you just running off to meet my son and not tell me about it.¡± ¡°Leave her out of this,¡± I snap. ¡°She did nothing wrong. And I didn¡¯t mean to be gone so long. Rich just said we¡¯d be out the day and¡­¡± Oh, fuck. ¡°Rich?¡± Dad demands, stretching the name. ¡°Richard was here? You talked to him?¡± never thought the expression ¡®being livid¡¯ was a real thing. Dad¡¯s face is turning red. ¡°You went off with that¡­¡± he sputters, then his expression shifts to fear. ¡°Did he touch you?¡± ¡°No, Dad, he didn¡¯t do anything like that to me.¡± I can¡¯t quite silence the voice that wishes he had touched me the way dad¡¯s expression implies. ¡°Why did you talk with him?¡± he demands, sounding hurt. ¡°Haven¡¯t I warned you away from him enough?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not someone you want me to be around isn¡¯t much of a warning, Dad,¡± I reply, my temper rising. ¡°Not one of you ever says anything more than ¡°he¡¯s a bad influence,¡± when we ask about him. You think that if I¡¯d known he was going to try to kill me, I¡¯d have gone with him?¡± ¡°He what?¡± Grandpa Louis demands, while dad pales. ¡°He shoved me in a hole and left, but I got out of it, obviously.¡± ¡°Base,¡± Grandpa Louis snaps. Base doesn¡¯t reply. ¡°Base, don¡¯t make me walk to the center, so I am going to delete you.¡± I stare. Can he do that? Base sighs. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a conversation you want us to have in public, Commander.¡± ¡°You think I give one fuck who overhears what I have to tell you about allowing that man within your walls?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll remind you that neither of us had ever been able to keep Richard O¡¯keefe out. Do you want the rest of the town aware there is someone like him able to come and go as he pleases?¡± ¡°Go to your room,¡± Dad orders out of nowhere, tone angry, eyes wide. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m fine, I swear. Other than him pushing me and me getting out, nothing¡ª¡± His arm snaps in the gate¡¯s direction. ¡°Your room!¡± I glance at Josie with a sigh, and her expression¡¯s a mix of fear and surprise. Not that I expected it when we¡¯re against adults, but I wish she¡¯d look more defiant. Feeling pretty alone, I head toward Base and my prison for what I expect will be the rest of time. Chapter 15 I drop on my bed and tell myself I expected this. Dad wasn¡¯t going to be reasonable about me wandering off and leaving him to think I had been hurt, or worse. My arm twitches at the memory of the pain. Good thing he¡¯ll never learn I was in pretty bad shape at some point. But I wish that for once he could be an adult and not overreact. I¡¯m back, I¡¯m fine, and I have a decent class. Although that¡¯s another shit storm on the horizon. The sigh that escapes me sounds like those I let out when I was twelve and dad grounded me for playing rough with Max, Josie, and Stew, and scraping my knees. Kids are supposed to scrap their knees, aren¡¯t they? None of their parents grounded them for something so minor. It¡¯s like he thought I¡¯d get an infection and die, even if Base will hand me the best healing food or potions in his inventory at Dad¡¯s demand. I sigh again. I need to stop that. I¡¯m an adult now. I sit up. Might as well make use of the time, instead of letting myself wallow in self-pity. I pull a loose page from my bedside table and¡­ pull the journal from my inventory to use as a writing surface. The back¡¯s nice and mostly smooth. I doubt the scratches on the leather will be a problem. I pull the stylus and try it in the corner of the page. It leaves a silvery line, so it¡¯s not something that only works on the journal, neat. Okay. System. Give me the abilities that are dependent on Taking it on the Nose, names only.
System Query: Ability list, Trunkated
Grit Strike Grit Style Home field Disadvantage Marathon Fighting Second Wind Opponent Destruction Opponent Mastery
Okay, definitely seeing interesting things there. What¡¯s Opponent Destruction?
System Query: Opponent Destruction, Explorer Ability
When your Opponent Mastery activates, you now gain a 50% boost to the damage you cause them. Each additional rank increases the bonus by 2% Prerequisite: Opponent Mastery, rank 5 Maximum Rank: 26 Cost: None
What about Opponent Mastery?
System Query: Opponent Mastery, Explorer Ability
After fighting a single opponent for a minute, you gain a 50% bonus to combat skills. Each additional rank reduces the delay before the ability activates by 3 seconds. Prerequisite: Taking it on the Nose, rank 5 Maximum Rank: 21 Cost: None
Really? I have to fight someone for a full minute? Do I want a fight to last that long? At least I only need five levels in Taking it on the Nose before getting it, so I can focus on lowering the trigger time. And a fifty percent increase to combat skills is significant. Then, with five levels in this, I just have to sacrifice one ability point to boost my damage by fifty percent. I still have to be fighting one opponent for forty-five seconds at that point. Not ideal against a monster wave. The goal is to end that as fast as possible. I write down the abilities, with the levels I expect to take them to. With class quests, I¡¯d get there slightly faster, but I can¡¯t count on those while here. Even that one about cataloging creatures isn¡¯t going to help much. I think there¡¯s only five types of monsters a wave can have. What¡¯s Grit Strike?
System Query: Grit Strike, Explorer Ability
Once your hit points drop below 50%, you gain the ability to do a melee strike that does extra 1% damage for each percent below the threshold. Each additional ranks add 2% to the threshold. Prerequisite: Taking it On The Nose, rank 5 Maximum Rank 26 Cost: 20 Stamina per strike
Another damage increase. Again only if a criteria is met. Unfortunately, it¡¯s not great unless I have a high rank in it, or let myself get close to dying. Probably not worth it unless Grit Style improves it a lot. What¡¯s Grit Style?
System Query: Grit Style, Explorer Ability
You can add one of the following to your Grit Strike ability. Grit Absorption: 50% of the damage caused by your Grit Strike heals you. Cost: 10 stamina extra per strike Grit Slugger: Grit Strike now applies a stun debuff. The duration is 1 second for each percent below your threshold. Cost: 10 stamina extra per strike Grit Payday: when you kill an opponent while Grit Strike is active, you gain a 50% bonus to your physical attributes. Duration 1 minute. Each following kill refreshes the bonus and adds 10 seconds to it. Cost: extra 20 stamina on activation strike Maximum Rank: 1 Prerequisite: Grit Strike, rank 5
Okay, this lets me pick a way to heal, to get more hits in, or a physical boost when I kill a creature. But I only get one of them. Not a fan of over specialization. The absorption is appealing, except it makes the strike less effective. Slugger¡¯s nice, but once my opponent¡¯s down, I¡¯m starting anew with the next one. Which makes Payday the one I¡¯ll go with, if I decide to take Grit Strike. I¡¯ll be level ten by then, so I¡¯ll have a chance to boost my strength. I Note that beside the other, but I don¡¯t bother with working out the levels. This is definitely a ¡®if I have extra points¡¯, set of ability. Which means I might be much higher by the time I pick it. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. What¡¯s Homefield Advantage? Hmm, system? Home field Advantage? It was on the list; you have to have info on it. I scroll up. Maybe I didn¡¯t read it properly? Okay¡­ what¡¯s Home field Disadvantage?
System Query: Home Field Disadvantage, Explorer Ability
You deal 50% more damage against opponents who live within ruins. Each additional ranks increase this damage by 2% Prerequisite: Taking it on the Nose, Rank 5 Maximum Rank: 26 Cost: None
¡°How am I supposed to use that to defend the town?¡± You have got to be kidding me. If Ruin can be expanded to mean any settlement, that¡¯d only be useful if I turned against the town. Unless I venture out and take on the creatures where they live? Not bothering with that one. How about Second Wind and Marathon Fighting? Just to be sure you aren¡¯t pulling some switch on me with that, too.
System Query: Second Wind, Explorer Abilty
You gain the Spell Recuperate and the Healing branch of magic is now open to you. Each additional rank lowers the training needed to learn by 2% Prerequisite: Grit Strike, rank 5 Maximum rank: 26
System Query: Marathon Fighting, Explorer Ability
Anytime you lose hit points, your stamina regenerates by 50% of that amount. Anytime you lose stamina, your mana regenerates by 50% of that amount. Mana cost for the use of spells within the Healing category is reduced by 25%. Each additional rank adds 1%. Prerequisite: Second Wind, rank 5 Maximum Rank: 51 Cost: None
Now that¡¯s more like it. Not only do I get a healing spell at level six, but it opens me to magic without having to pay that first cost. And, with Marathon Fighting, if I work it right, I can rebuild my stamina as I get hurt, recharge my mana as I get exhausted, and use that to heal myself. There¡¯s going to be some loss there, but that¡¯s something I can use to defend the town, and I just need Grit strike to get it. I look at where I put that ability on the page. Great. Now I¡¯m going to have to invest five levels in that. Still, it is only five levels, so I could get healing at level ten. That¡¯s faster than any other way I can think of since I don¡¯t get spell points as I go up in levels. The downside of being human. I redo my ability plan. I already have Taking it on the Nose, As nice as Opponent Mastery and Destruction are, I think the payoff is better with Grit strike, Second Wind and Marathon fighting. Healing magic only needs time, points, or money to be raised, and they can help others, while Mastery and Destruction only help me directly, and only in the very long run. Home Field Disadvantage is a non-starter. That takes care of my first sixteen levels, and I have no idea how many years. Maybe I can make that when I¡¯ll start on Aaron¡¯s quest. I¡¯ll have a base of combat and my skills and ability will have gone up enough I should be able to deal with whatever I encounter on the road. And with traveling, maybe some of the other abilities will be worth spending points on. I should at least look into what I have access to in those¡ª The knock startles me and I have the page in the journal to hide it before it registers that it¡¯s not the knock of my Dad on the door, but that of Base. He could just start talking to me, but he doesn¡¯t like to intrude, so he knocks. ¡°Come in,¡± I answer and send the journal and stylus to my inventory. ¡°How are you doing?¡± he asks, and I shrug. ¡°Keeping busy figuring out my class until dad lets me out.¡± ¡°Speaking of your class, Josie mentioned you¡¯re a farmer now.¡± How am I supposed to handle this? ¡°You do know I can see your class, right?¡± he says, making it easy on me. I sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell her that. She just assumed it.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t correct her.¡± ¡°I wanted to deal with Dad first. I figured it would be easier to deal with him flipping out if no one was already talking about his son, the adventurer. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d say anything.¡± ¡°She was trying to make him feel better. Point out that throughout all this, you ended up with not the worse class you could have.¡± ¡°How did dad take it?¡± ¡°Told her to mind her own business and go to her parents. He wasn¡¯t over learning Richard was here, so his wording wasn¡¯t as polite as it could have been.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± ¡°Did you just swear?¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Yes, dad, I used a bad word. Not the first one I¡¯ve used inside your walls.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve used that one.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought it a few times these last few years. With Dad getting more and more unreasonable.¡± Base doesn¡¯t comment. He tried explaining how dad had his reasons, but when he did, he sounded a lot like Grandpa Louis and one grandfather explaining how my father has reasons for feeling how he does is plenty. ¡°Are you going to tell Dad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my place to spill that kind of information.¡± ¡°But if he asks directly, you¡¯re not going to lie, are you?¡± ¡°Your father has no reason to ask me what class you have. He already thinks he knows.¡± ¡°What if Grandpa Louis asks you?¡± ¡°He also doesn¡¯t have a reason to ask. And before you ask about that. He also has no reason to look up the information within my systems. It¡¯s entirely up to you what, and when you tell him.¡± ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± ¡°Pull the bandaid off now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Old expression. Tell him now. It¡¯s going to be ugly, but it¡¯s not going to get any prettier the longer you wait. Your father isn¡¯t unreasonable¡ª¡± I snort ¡°¡ªhe just doesn¡¯t deal well with surprises. What do you plan to do about your class?¡± ¡°If dad lets me, use it to be a guard. I was hoping it would be better with fighting, but it¡¯s also not horrible.¡± ¡°Did you look over the research abilities?¡± I snort again. ¡°Book worm isn¡¯t what I aim to be.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not exclusively what an explorer is. I looked the class over, and Field Farming lets you increase the quality of creature drops.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in this for the riches, Base. I want to be a good guard. That¡¯s my physical attributes and combat skills. I already wrote up my build, and that¡¯s going to take me to level sixteen.¡± ¡°Have you looked at what Momentum opens?¡± ¡°Base, I took it because it was the only way out of that ruin. I¡¯m not going to go off and run up walls in the middle of a fight. And I was going to go over the other abilities when you knocked.¡± ¡°Then, look at Hit and Run, as well as Momentum Strike. They might make it worth investing in that direction.¡± ¡°I will. Is my dad on his way back?¡± ¡°No. He and the commander are laying into me about Richard.¡± I straighten. ¡°What about Richard? What¡¯s his deal? Did you know what he was going to do? Why did you agree to let him take me?¡± Base doesn¡¯t answer immediately. ¡°The situation with Richard is complicated.¡± ¡°How complicated can it be? He¡¯s just a few years older than I am.¡± ¡°He¡¯s older than he looks.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°And he¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Well, duh. He did shove me down a hole and leave me there to die. Any chance you know why? Seeing as you know a lot more than you¡¯ve said about him.¡± Base sighs. ¡°I don¡¯t know that much about him. As for why he did what he did? Could be as simple as he thought it would be funny, or someone in town looked at him funny and he wanted to strike back. Personally, I thought he just wanted to¡­ you know. But the main thing to know about him is that he has no morals. He¡¯ll do anything he wants for whatever reasons he wants, and he¡¯s strong enough to make sure that if someone who tries to stop him, they¡¯ll fail. And yes, that includes me.¡± ¡°So he just comes and goes as he pleases? No one can do anything about it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying no one can.¡± The pause stretches. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that no one living in Court can.¡± ¡°And does he show up here often?¡± Other than what my friends have talked about, it¡¯s not like the adults would tell us if he did, I¡¯m sure. ¡°Fortunately, no. Most of the history I have with him dates back to before we settled here.¡± ¡°Wait, that can¡¯t be right. He was here like¡­¡± I think back to what I heard. ¡°I don¡¯t know, not that long ago. Steven said he saw him, and that was two years ago, I think.¡± ¡°He saw Richard here, as little as two years ago? Where?¡± There¡¯s concern in Base¡¯s voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Somewhere by the Rose Market, I think.¡± ¡°That¡¯s outside my walls.¡± ¡°But you can sense what¡¯s going on in town, you had to know he was there.¡± ¡°The town is a mass of people, Dennis. If I know to look for someone, I can locate them. There was no reason for Richard to be here then. Are you certain what¡¯s who Steven saw?¡± ¡°Dressed in black, angular face, green eyes, the kind of smile that¡¯s can make you knees go weak.¡± I blush. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s from my memory.¡± ¡°If that was him. I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t the only time. Isabel, Josie¡¯s cousin spent time with him.¡± ¡°When?¡± he asks, suspiciously. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Josie told me a while back, and I got the sense she¡¯d just learned it from her cousin, and she didn¡¯t give me any detail, but her and him, they¡­ well, you know.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± There¡¯s amusement there. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t believe that.¡± ¡°He was here, she saw him.¡± ¡°Maybe, but she didn¡¯t do anything with him. Richard isn¡¯t interested in women.¡± ¡°Oh. He was still here, like just a few years ago.¡± ¡°Possibly. If he stuck to the town and stayed out of my active sensing range, he¡¯d be able to move about without me knowing. But the last time, before you and him, I encountered him was in the early years of settling here.¡± ¡°That was over twenty years ago, like almost twenty-five. Wouldn¡¯t that make him a kid back then? How much trouble could he have been?¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t a kid.¡± ¡°How is that possible? I mean, is there magic that can keep someone young?¡± ¡°Not in the catalogs I have access to.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have access to all of them?¡± ¡°How would I know if the system was holding something back? Like you, all I can do is ask questions, and if I don¡¯t know the right question to ask, it¡¯s not going to volunteer an answer.¡± ¡°And you asked about staying young?¡± ¡°The moment I learned Richard¡¯s age, I asked the system how someone could be young again. I tried every variation of the question I can think of, and I haven¡¯t gotten an answer. There¡¯s clearly a way, but I have no idea what it is or how to get the system to tell me. Not that I have any idea what I could do with that information. I suspect that whatever the method is, it¡¯s not going to be something anyone sane would want to employ.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying Rich is¡­¡± I swallow. He didn¡¯t seem insane. ¡°Dennis. I don¡¯t know what Richard is. That¡¯s the problem. I don¡¯t even know his class.¡± ¡°But you see¡­ everything within your walls.¡± ¡°Unless it involves him.¡± I pull my knees to myself, my hands trembling. The idea that Rich is someone, something, Base can¡¯t know, changes how I see everything Rich did. Makes it darker. Somehow darker than him shoving me in a hole and leaving me there to die. Why? I can¡¯t help wondering. Why me? What about me let him know I¡¯d be so gullible I¡¯d following him into a place I¡¯ve been warned against going, with someone I¡¯ve been told to stay away from? That just his breath against my ear and I¡¯d be willing to let him do anything to me? I¡¯m crying. Why me? What did I do to deserve that? Chapter 16 I wake up and a glance at the clock shows I slept for a little over two hours. My eyes are gummy from crying like a baby, and I slept in my clothes. Urg. A shower and fresh set of clothing and I feel like someone with a class again. Like someone ready to brave all the problems ahead of him. I drop on my bed with a sigh, then pull the pillow over my head. Why is being an adult so complicated? Why do I have to deal with my dad losing it when I tell him I¡¯m not actually a farmer? I roll on my back. I just want to be a guard. Is that so much to ask? Thinking of which. I take the journal out and I¡¯m surprised the paper I slipped in isn¡¯t poking out. I could have sworn it was larger than the journal. I up turn it and shake. The page doesn¡¯t fall out. I look through it; maybe it got stuck on a folded map. Instead, I find it folded between two maps, and bound to the journal. First, that¡¯s kind of neat. I can add to it, and if the page it too large, the journal takes care of it. Second, it¡¯s not exactly smart in how it does it. I must have put the page in sideway, so that it¡¯s folded in half with the top, when I was writing, is against the spine. That¡¯s going to be inconvenient if I can¡¯t¡­ I pull gently, and with a static like sound it comes apart from the journal without any damage. Cool. I unfold it, right it, and put it back in. As the page touches the spine, there¡¯s the sound of static again and it attaches itself. The page pokes out on three sides. I close the journal and there¡¯s the sound again, this time with faint lights as the edges pull into the journal. It takes about a second. That must have happened while it was in my inventory for me not to have noticed it before. I open it, and the page is neatly folded inside where it lines up with the other pages. No wonder the maps are so neat. Aaron pulled them out when he worked on them, then the journal folded them for him without leaving creases. I can¡¯t tell where my list was folded before. I close it and turn it over, studying the leather work. I don¡¯t know much about leather, but this looks on simple side. The engraving feels decorative more than being part of an enchantment, but I definitely don¡¯t know enough about that to be able to tell for sure. It¡¯s scratched, so that supports the lack of magic. The metal corners are unadorned metal. And there¡¯s no stylized ¡®A¡¯ or some other crest to show who the owner is. The only way to find that out is to focus on it.
Aaron¡¯s Never-Ending Journal
This is the Journal where Aaron Sentino records his notes while exploring
Perception Check failed
Because it was bound to him, Aaron was able to rewrite the information. It¡¯s bound to me now, so I can do that too. Maybe after I¡¯ve finished his quest. The downside, when someone does this, is that the system information becomes hidden behind the perception check, which I failed again. Hmmm. Edit the item¡¯s information.
Aaron¡¯s Never-Ending Journal
This is the Journal where Aaron Sentino records his notes while exploring
Do you wish to edit the information? Yes/No
Please don¡¯t delete this automatically. Yes. The window reappears, but it¡¯s highlighted the way my name was on my character sheet. Okay, now to test this and hope that the confirmation prompt is as redundant as it¡¯s been until now. Reset description.
Do you wish to reset to its system default description?
Yes/No
I breathe easier. No. If there ever comes a point where I absolutely need to know its level of quality or if it¡¯s enchanted or not. I have a way to do that. As for basic information? Well, the system is mostly about how questions are asked. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. What kind of item is Aaron¡¯s Never-Ending Journal?
System Query: Classification
Research Journal
I grin. System Query, Research Journals
System Query: Research Journal
A bound journal for the storing of information in written form. Research Journals are different from other journals in that they are constructed to allow the insertion and removal of pages without damaging them. The quality of the work controls how many pages a journal can hold.
So it doesn¡¯t have to be enchanted to do what it does. Maybe the never-ending part does, though. Okay, enough procrastinating. Time to get back to my build. Give me the list of abilities that open up by choosing Momentum, names only
System Query: Ability list, Truncated
At it All Day Aether Journey Aether Striding Bob And Weave Graceful Landing Hit and Run Launching Stride Momentum Strike Reaction Strike Rebounding Leaps Silent Sprint Sprinting Step Treasure Steps Windfall
That a lot of movement abilities. Hit and Run, Bob and Weave and Momentum Strike are the only ones that hint at being useful in a fight. I won¡¯t be surprise if Reaction Strike adds a specialization to something; Probably Momentum Strike, since they share a word. Well, Base said I should look at Momentum Strike
System Query: Momentum Strike, Explorer Ability
When in motion, you are able to transfer all your momentum into a single strike. The amount of damage added is governed by the speed of movement. Additional ranks grant an increase of 5% to the damage. Prerequisite: Hit and Run, rank 5 Maximum Rank: 21 Cost: 20 Stamina per use
Hit and Run then.
System Query: Hit and Run, Explorer Ability
Your attacks take no movement-based penalties. Additional successful attacks on the same target, while you are in motion, give the minor ¡®Harry¡¯ debuff. Each rank grows the maximum size of the Debuff stack by 1 Prerequisite: Momentum, rank 5 Cost: None
What¡¯s the Harry Debuff?
System Query: Debuff, Harry, Type: Mental
The recipient is stressed due to mental demands.
Each level applies a 2% penalty to skills.
Huh. Not¡­ great? It makes sense that it resets with every opponent, but it depends on me not taking them out in one hit, which is more than reasonable. But the levels don¡¯t increase the penalty itself, but how many I can stack. I won¡¯t turn up my nose at any advantage I get, but at two percent per hit, it¡¯s going to take a while before it has a significant impact. But I need five levels of it to get Momentum Strike, and that certainly is appealing. Extra bonuses based on how fast I¡¯m running that goes up with my levels. I can see why there¡¯s so many movement-based abilities. There¡¯s going to be a few of them that increase how fast I run. How about Bob and Weave?
System Query: Bob and Weave, Explorer Ability
The effectiveness of your Dodging skill is increased by 25% when moving at 50% or more of your maximum speed. Additional ranks increase the effectiveness of the Dodging skill by 3% and reduces the speed needed to use the ability by 2% Prerequisite: Momentum, rank 5 Cost: None
Okay, right off the bat, increase defense when I¡¯m running, which stacks well with the boosts from Momentum Strike, even ignoring Hit and Run is really nice. It would mean splitting my ability points between the two to make this properly effecting, and I need to put five points in Hit and Run to unlock Momentum Strike. That¡¯s a stack of five Harry debuff, so I can¡¯t say they¡¯re wasted, even if I¡¯d rather spend them elsewhere. Let¡¯s see if I was right. What¡¯s Reaction Strike?
System Query: Reaction Strike, Explorer Ability
Upgrade your Momentum Strike Ability with one of the following Knock back Strike: Transfer your momentum to your opponent, sending them back 13 meters for each 3 KPH you are running at. Cost: 30 Stamina Rebound Strike: Use the impact to alter the direction you are moving in between 45 to 135 degrees. A stun debuff is applied to your opponent and you lose 10% of your momentum. Cost: 10 Stamina Ethereal Strike: Prerequisite: Aether Striding. You continue through your opponent after the attack, maintaining your momentum and direction. Cost: None
And I was right. And none of them are appealing. Knock back and Rebound would just create chaos among the defenders. Ethereal Strike need Aether Striding, and if that¡¯s in the name, it¡¯s going to need mana and need me to be high level. I¡¯m not wasting points in that direction. So, how am I doing this? I don¡¯t need healing magic. As nice as it¡¯d be to have that in a pinch, guards get potions and we have a few healers for support. If I focus purely on being a guard, Taking it on the Nose doesn¡¯t look as useful as I thought it would be. I mean, the endurance being more effective is good, but everything that follows is¡­ It¡¯s almost as if that branch is built around putting on a show. The fight needs to stretch far too long to mean anything before bonuses kick in. The Momentum one, in comparison, has abilities with applicable bonuses in a situation that helps defend the town. Sure, running around¡¯s not usually how guards go about doing it, but there¡¯s bound to be situations where I¡¯d have the space to do so. So, I need five levels in Momentum, then five in Hit and run to get Momentum strike, and I¡¯m not bothering with Reaction strike. I¡¯ll want at least one in Bob and Weave as soon as I can, so that¡¯s level six. Seven I start on Hit and Run, and twelve I take Momentum strike. I could take an extra level somewhere and hit Momentum Strike on the treen. Wait, I¡¯ve already taken that extra level with Taking it on the Nose. I am going to hit Momentum Strike on the treen. Cool. Chapter 17 Preparing dinner gives me something else to think about; something safe. Pan on the stove, steaks in it. Steamer next to that with vegetables in it. They¡¯re so fresh they could have been picked this morning, instead of whenever they were, and put into storage within Base¡¯s inventory. Unlike mine, and anyone else¡¯s, food in Bases¡¯ inventory doesn¡¯t go bad. The way he explains it, time basically stops in there. And no, he can¡¯t put people or anything alive. They tried it, back in the early days, when they had too many injured for the healers to deal with and a hope they could be kept alive that way, until one of them could get to them. Since we live inside Base¡¯s walls, our fridge connects directly to his inventory, every storage in our house does. He partitioned them so I don¡¯t have to search through everything in there when I access my dresser, but it¡¯s just a shift in what I¡¯m accessing from there to look at everything else. If I don¡¯t mind being overwhelmed with stuff. Using the search function when dealing with Base¡¯s inventory is a must. I can also access all his functions, if I want. What that means if that I don¡¯t have to cook food, if I don¡¯t feel like it. Back in the early days, all he could make was bland nutrition bars that would keep you alive, but make you want to end it each time you had to eat one, according to Grandpa Louis. Now, his cooking list is wide enough I could pull a different meal out of a cupboard every meal and It would be years until I had a repeat. But I enjoy cooking. I mean, the skill¡¯s at eleven, so I¡¯m just okay at it. I didn¡¯t even max it out, so shows how little I do it. Dad does most of the cooking, but he taught me the basics, and I don¡¯t burn the food anymore. Most of the time. Today¡¯s looking like this is going to be one of my better results; helps that it¡¯s basically just seared steaks and steamed vegetables. Simple dishes are harder to screw up. The bottle of orange juice just about steams when I pull it out of the fridge, it¡¯s so cold. Any colder and it¡¯d be frozen. That another thing Base has that¡¯s different from personal inventory. Temperature control. It¡¯s relatively recent, something he got maybe three levels ago. Before that, he used geothermals to keep stuff cool. Meant ice was out of the question back then. Now it means cold drinks and hot showers without having to think about it. The door opens and closes, and I set the plates. Dad stops in the kitchen¡¯s entrance and this is where I find out if I¡¯ve made things worse. I got out of my room, but it was so he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about dinner. One costs me points, the other earns me some. The question is, how hungry is he? He pulls his chair and sits, breathing in the food. Not getting screamed at this evening. Good. We eat in silence for a while. Working up the courage to tell him is harder than I expected. ¡°Dad, about my class.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk with Sylvia tomorrow. She knows all the farmers and she¡¯ll be able to tell me who¡¯s the best to take you on as an apprentice.¡± ¡°No, Dad, I¡ª¡± ¡°Dennis.¡± He sighs tiredly. ¡°Can you not be difficult about this? I¡¯m having a hard enough time being civil after what you and Base pulled.¡± I mumble a, ¡°Sorry, Dad,¡± and go back to eating. Hopefully, tomorrow he¡¯ll be in a more receptive. * * * * * Breakfast is on my own. Being grounded comes with the ¡®benefit¡¯ of not having to get up early, and Base shut down my alarm. He doesn¡¯t make a habit of listening in on conversations inside houses, so it¡¯s not like he knew I wanted to try again with Dad. Well, there¡¯ll be lunch. * * * * * Lunch comes and goes without Dad showing up. I¡¯m tempted to call him. Base has a communication system within his walls. It actually reaches as far as his influence, but he doesn¡¯t advertise that because he doesn¡¯t want the mayor to think Base can solve all his problems. Communication is a big problem for Court. He won¡¯t be able to establish contact with Toronto until he reaches the City level, and he¡¯s a ways away from that. Right now, caravans like Chuck¡¯s are how we get mail. Not that there¡¯s a lot of that, as far as I know. The group that founded Court came from all over the place with Grandpa Louis and Base. He and my Dad lived on the other side of the continent when the system arrived, with Grandpa Louis¡¯ husband. I didn¡¯t get to meet Grandpa Chris, but I heard stories of him and the farm Dad grew up on with his brother. Uncle Mark left Court a few years after I was born, but he dropped by a time or two. He and Dad don¡¯t get along, but neither will tell me why. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. After Lunch, I tidy up the house. It¡¯s not large, since it¡¯s just me and dad. My room, his, his workroom, the living room, the kitchen and his and my bathroom. We could have as large of a house as we want without it taking anymore space outside as this one does, and I sort of remember it having more rooms, back before mom died. With the tidying done, I sit at my desk and write a cleaner plan for my build. My big problem is leveling. Without being able to do the class quests, which would¡­
System Query: Quest Line, Explorer; Ruin Discovery
The explorer is driven to find what the past contained, and is rewarded for discovering ruins
System Query: Quest line, Explorer; Finding Caches
Ruins contain the secrets to the past, and an explorer seeks them out, and is rewarded for it
System Query: Quest line, Explorer; Research
The past isn¡¯t always contained within ruins. Sometimes, it is contained within tomes, and researching them will be rewarding for the explorer
System Query: Quest line, Explorer; Creature fights
The Explorer doesn¡¯t only learn by peering over tomes and dusting off ruins, they also learn by pitting themselves against the creatures of the world
Four quest lines? That¡¯s good. Well, for an actual explorer. Class quests grant ability points every half plus and minus quest completed¡­I think. Query, how many quests do I need to complete for each line to get an ability point? Limit it to the first six points for each line.
System Query: Class Quests Ability Point Rewards, Explorer
Ruin Discovery: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 Finding Caches: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 Research: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 Creature Fights: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24
Every other quest for the ruin, every fourth for the others. That¡¯s an indication of the last three being simpler to complete. Maybe there¡¯s someway I can get the research one? I think some of the older folks have old books. If I can, that could speed up getting to the good combat abilities. Otherwise I¡¯m going to have to rely on leveling, and that¡¯s going to mean experience from protecting the town and from doing fetch quests for the people in it. That¡¯s¡­ not going to be fun. And that¡¯s not even taking into account how my dad¡¯s going to do everything he can to keep me from being a guard. There is a lot of competition for fetch quests since it¡¯s the easier way to get experience at low level, and being related to the Commander isn¡¯t going to help me. The fetch board is run by Court, not Base. The Mayor even made sure it was established on the fourth ring, well outside of Base¡¯s influence, to ensure he couldn¡¯t manipulate it. The Mayor¡¯s not the most trusting person. Hopefully, Dad will have calmed down from me telling him about my class by the time he lifts my punishment. Like he¡¯s ever going to lift it when he finds out. * * * * * I am almost tempted to reach in and get something that looks edible out of the cupboard instead of offering this for dinner. I mean, it¡¯s not ruined, but I left it in the oven too long, and the cheese¡¯s more burned than not. Maybe lasagna¡¯s too complicated for my skill level. When dad sits and looks at it, he cracks a smile. ¡°This smells good,¡± he says, then starts eating. It tastes better than it looks at least. ¡°I talked with Silvia,¡± he says, while I¡¯m still trying to start the conversation. ¡°She said that Hubert, Miss Lancaster, and Mister Charles are the only ones who currently have space for another farmer. Summer¡¯s not the best season to start working on a farm, you know.¡± I¡¯m imagining the tone of reproach. Dad¡¯s not like that, even when he¡¯s angry, which he doesn¡¯t sound right now, so¡­ ¡°yeah, About that, Dad.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dennis. I sent a letter to them explaining your situation and my requirements. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll reply within a day or two, then we can arrange for them to come here so I can meet them and decide the best fit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± ¡°Dennis, you got yourself into this situation,¡± he says sharply. ¡°You can very well have the patience to let me ensure you have the best teacher and someone who can protect you.¡± I stifle the sigh and look at my plate. ¡°What if I¡¯d rather be a guard?¡± Let¡¯s ease into it. ¡°That¡¯s out of the question. There¡¯s nothing in your class that will help that. You¡¯re a farmer, Dennis. You¡¯re going to have to learn to accept that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± ¡°That is enough.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I snap and stand. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To my room.¡± * * * * * I listen to the soft music, eyes closed. Mozart, Base told me, is who wrote this, way, way before the system, like before there was even electricity, or cars, or steam engines. This is a recording of an orchestra playing Mozart¡¯s music century after his death. That¡¯s how important his music was, Base told me. I just like it. I like a lot of the music Base has. One of the thing he and Grandpa Louis did in the early days of the system was collect as many of the recordings as they could. It¡¯s not as much as they would have liked. A lot of it was kept digitally then, and when the computers stopped working, that all went away. They stopped at every record store they came across on the trek back to Calgary, every library, and collected every disk they found. Base can play those, even record them. He says that he works a lot like the computers did when they existed, except they couldn¡¯t just make stuff appear or play with the proportions of spaces. So he has a copy of every piece of music they found for me to listen to. And if someone outside his walls wants to listen to one of them, he will make them a disk and a player for it. It only plays for a few hours. Even Base has limits when he makes something that¡¯s taken outside his influence, like how much power he can put in something. He can power everything here, but they¡¯d need transmission lines to distribute it to the rest of the town, and at his current level, he can¡¯t generate the kind of power Court needs without bringing in a lot of material we don¡¯t have. The knock is soft. Not how Base knocks. My dad opens the door and looks in. ¡°You have a visitor.¡± He steps aside, and Josie walks in. ¡°I¡¯m leaving the door open,¡± he says, before walking away. Chapter 18 ¡°Leave the door open?¡± Josie says with a chuckle as she sits on my bed. ¡°What does your dad think we¡¯ll get up to if it¡¯s closed?¡± A flash of an image, and shove that way in the back of my mind before it resolves itself completely. Her dark skin against mine and¡ª Nope. Definitely not the time, so I shrug. ¡°How are you handling your¡­ imprisonment?¡± I shrug again. ¡°Been using the time to work on my build.¡± ¡°Must be discouraging; all those abilities that have nothing to do with protecting the town.¡± I almost tell her there¡¯s enough there, but the house¡¯s small and dad might hear. This is definitely not how I want him to find out. So, I shrug again. ¡°I have skills.¡± ¡°Are you going to have time to train them? Farming is a lot of work, from what I hear. Harry¡¯s always complaining about not having time to have fun. My cousin,¡± she adds at my frown. ¡°I don¡¯t think you met him. His mother sent to him to Willowburry¡¯s farm.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he know what he was getting into when he picked his class?¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t planning on that. Like both of us, he wanted to be a guard, but Mister Willowburry did a favor to his mom a while back, and that¡¯s how he collected. Hey, maybe you¡¯ll be at a farm close to his and you two can share in your misery.¡± She sounds too happy about that. How angry will dad be if I ask base to close my door? Angrier than I want to deal with, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°Dad only sent out letters to a few of them today. Don¡¯t remember which ones.¡± She nods. ¡°It¡¯s going to suck not having you around.¡± Does she sound sad? ¡°I am going to be around.¡± ¡°You know what I mean.¡± She looks at me, then away. ¡°We won¡¯t get to hang out and train. We¡¯ll be lucky if you¡¯re in town once a month.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure I can talk some sense¡­¡± yeah, finishing that isn¡¯t going to get him on my side. ¡°I¡¯m sure my dad will be reasonable. After all, he¡¯s among those who keep telling me that my class doesn¡¯t define me.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± The silence stretches. ¡°When¡¯s your choosing day?¡± I ask to fill it and her disbelieving look makes my face burn. I know it¡¯s in three days, I just¡­ ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°You think your dad will let you come?¡± ¡°Of course. He knows how important it is.¡± How much I want to be there with you. Where did that come from? ¡°You ever wonder what the future¡¯s going to be like?¡± I ask, because I want something safer to talk about. ¡°Protecting the town, holding back the monster waves. A family.¡± She has a dreamy expression. ¡°Any thought on who you¡¯ll build that with?¡± wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a safe subject? ¡°A guard, of course,¡± she replies without hesitation. ¡°We¡¯re going to have strong kids who¡¯ll be guards just like us.¡± Oh. Does she mean he¡¯s going to have to have a guard class? Or¡­ come on, Dennis¡­ you¡¯re the one who brought this up. ¡°I¡­ hope it¡¯s not Kyle.¡± Way to go. She snorts, at least. ¡°Him? No way. For one thing, I doubt he¡¯d able to tell no to any girl who bats her eyes at him. My guy will be able to resist the advances of anyone who isn¡¯t me.¡± Unlike me, who said yes to an asshole just because he breathed in my ear and I thought he¡¯d promised me¡­ I didn¡¯t have anyone then; I was allowed to¡­ I still don¡¯t have anyone. ¡°You think¡­¡± She looks at me and¡­ man are her eyes nice. Such a vibrant green. Unlike Rich¡¯s deep and mysterious¡ªnope. You aren¡¯t bothering me here. I¡¯m with Josie, she¡¯s who I¡¯m looking at and thinking about and¡ª You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°System to Dennis, System to Dennis, you in there?¡± she asks with a chuckle. ¡°Sorry, my mind wandered where I didn¡¯t want it to.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± her smile is all mischievous and stuff ¡°Not there, I wouldn¡¯t think of you like that.¡± Liar. Shut up. ¡°Just that Rich popped in my head and¡ª¡± ¡°How was he?¡± she asks in an eager whisper, leaning in. ¡°I¡ª¡± his smile, full of promises, his touch sending shivers up my back. ¡°He¡¯s an asshole,¡± I say forcefully. ¡°But did he?¡± she whispers, ¡°you know.¡± ¡°No,¡± I say, my tone offended, while feeling hurt that she¡¯d think I¡¯d let someone like him¡­ that he never did that with¡­ Why is this so complicated? ¡°You mean he didn¡¯t take you there to¡­ you know?¡± ¡°He implied it was, then he left me to die,¡± I stated. ¡°I don¡¯t know how those stories about him being all cool and stuff spread, but he¡¯s nothing like that. I mean, he¡¯s really good at fighting. He took on a Ramthom by himself and barely exerted himself, but that doesn¡¯t make him a good guy.¡± ¡°You saw him fight?¡± she asks, eyes wide. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡­¡± I sigh. ¡°Remember when I told you someone rescued me from a Ramthom?¡± She nods, then her eyes grow wider. ¡°It was him? Why didn¡¯t you say that? You have any idea how it would have impressed Kyle?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to impress Kyle. He¡¯d have probably bragged about how Rich taught him moves just to ¡®still be the best¡¯. And Rich asked me not to tell. Something about him not supposed to be here or something.¡± ¡°Wow, Rich saved you, and then you went out with him.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t go out with him. He talked me into letting him try to kill me.¡± I lock eyes with her. ¡°There¡¯s a big difference.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re sure you and him didn¡¯t¡­ I¡¯ll get it if you don¡¯t want to say, considering what he did after, but¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± I reply in exasperation. ¡°Nothing happened. He¡¯s just empty promises to get you to do what he wants.¡± ¡°Isabel got to¡ª¡± ¡°No, she didn¡¯t,¡± I cut her off. Harsher than I should have? ¡°She told me she did,¡± she replies, offended. ¡°Base says that Rich isn¡¯t interested in girls.¡± ¡°And you know that how, Base?¡± She asks the ceiling. ¡°I know enough about him to know that much,¡± Base replies. ¡°And that¡¯s all I¡¯ll say on the subject. I won¡¯t be responsible for you kids starting rumors about him.¡± There¡¯s the click of him ¡®leaving¡¯. If he isn¡¯t in a mood to tell us he¡¯s gone, that¡¯s his signal. Not that he¡¯s actually gone; we are inside his walls. But short of an emergency, he¡¯s not going to respond to us calling his name. The silence falls again, and this time I¡¯m not sure I want to fill it. I definitely don¡¯t want her to ask about Rich again. ¡°I should probably head home,¡± Josie says, then stands. I accompany her to the door. ¡°Thanks for visiting.¡± She nods. ¡°I hope to see you when I make my choice.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± And she leaves. I turn, and dad¡¯s looking at me with a severe expression. He¡¯s probably not happy I made a promise without checking if he¡¯d let me out of the house by then. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to go, right?¡± I ask, kind of on the meek side. ¡°When it is?¡± ¡°Three days. She¡¯s going to make her choice at the command center, so I won¡¯t have to step outside Base¡¯s walls.¡± He nods, which basically just means he¡¯s heard me. ¡°I¡¯m glad you feel how you do about Richard,¡± he states, then heads for his room. Great. He¡¯s going to leave me hanging. * * * * * When I get to the kitchen, there¡¯s a message on the fridge in dad¡¯s typed font. Dennis, I thought it over. You are allowed out of the house, but I have left strict orders with Base not to let you exit his walls. Do not test me on this, Dennis. I wipe an eager hand over the text, and it vanishes. Then I access the cupboard and get myself pancakes with butter and maple syrup and a cold glass of orange juice. I have so many plans for today. ¡°Base,¡± I call as I put my jacket on. ¡°I need a place out of sight of anyone with a wall I can climb.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to train?¡± ¡°I need a full handle on how my Momentum works. I hurt myself pretty bad getting out of where Rich threw me in because I didn¡¯t understand it properly.¡± ¡°I thought you got your class after you got yourself out of the hole.¡± Right. I didn¡¯t tell him the whole story. So I do as he guides me to a ¡®back area¡¯ of his. * * * * * Base¡¯s walls are twenty meters tall, twice the height of the city walls. Looking up at it, I can¡¯t help feel like I¡¯m looking up from the bottom of the power station again. A shiver runs down my back at the memory of that fall. At least this doesn¡¯t have any pegs and poles as obstacles, although he can add that, when I decide running around obstacles is what I need to train. I¡¯m in the more industrial part of Base. The way things work for him, he needs to have the machines that let him do everything he does. And they can¡¯t be internal, they have to take space within his walls to work. He also can¡¯t house them inside a building where he makes more space for them. It all has to be in the open. There¡¯s no reason for it, Base told me, other than the system dictates it. And even though the sound they make is minimal, and the smells basically non-existent¡ªthe leather shop stinks a whole lot more¡ªhardly anyone comes here, it seems. ¡°Okay, to start with the simple stuff.¡± I stand away from the wall, then run at it. My foot and hand are on it, then my other, and I¡¯m running straight up. Unlike when I ran up at an angle, instead of a hand staying against the wall as I moved, I¡¯m basically running on all fours up it. My grin only falters as I see the end of the wall approach, memories of my fall and how much that hurt. At least here, I have Base to catch me if I fall. I put a hand on the top, kick up and I¡¯m over the inside parapet. I land on the battlement and smile again. ¡°Dennis,¡± Base warns as I step to the other side and look out over my city. From here, its shapes of buildings divided by roads. People are not quite dots closer to the wall, but as soon as I look away, they get lost in the visual noise. I lean against the parapet and admire Court. ¡°Err,¡± someone says, and I look over at the watchman¡ªthe mayor insists they walk Base¡¯s wall the same way they walk the city walls¡ªwho stepped out of the stairwell Base provides for them. ¡°How did you get up here?¡± ¡°I ran,¡± I reply and go back to looking over the city. I feel his eyes on me as he walks past, but he doesn¡¯t comment. I am going to do my part to keep Court safe. That means mastering my abilities, getting the right set of skills, and telling my dad. Right, well, like that song in Base¡¯s library says; ¡®Two out of three ain¡¯t bad.¡¯ Chapter 19 I do my best to hide the limp. That last landing wasn¡¯t my greatest and now I have to deal with a sprained ankle debuff. That marked the end of my almost four hours of practicing running up the wall. That last stumble I can attribute to being tired; there¡¯s only so much the occasional break can do to recharge my stamina. Fortunately, that tumble was only a few meters up, so nothing that severe. Base will give me a healing bar when I ask, but I figure this is a good reminder not to overexert myself. ¡°You sure no one¡¯s going to walk in on me?¡± I ask as the command center comes into view. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that there. I can make a terminal anywhere you need. If you¡¯re that worried, I can make you a room no one will be able to enter.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± ¡°That¡­wouldn¡¯t actually matter.¡± ¡°I¡¯d still prefer doing it there.¡± I don¡¯t know how to explain it to him. I figure he just doesn¡¯t think like we do, being a structure instead of a living person. Skills are bought at a shop or at a settlement node. I¡¯m not going to risk the general store by the gate because anyone there will know about me and being grounded and report to my dad anything they think is suspicious, like where did I get the money to afford buying skills? ¡°But yes. The commander¡¯s busy with the mayor, and no one else is scheduled to make use of my node until Josie¡¯s ceremony.¡± I¡¯m curious what specific class she¡¯ll take. Being a guard doesn¡¯t mean we all take the exact same class. This time, the control room is semi-circular, with a lot of screens and panels. There are even pairs of disks things on the face of some spinning in unison. Not all of it ¡®works¡¯. Unlike with the machines that let Base make stuff, when it comes to managerial work, it¡¯s all within him. He just likes sprucing up the room with things he knows. If I ask, he¡¯ll tell me what everything is, or at least was, back when they worked for real. I sit in front of the console and bring up the skill shop. At the top is my money. Ten thousand two hundred and thirty-seven dollars. I should be able to get four skills with that, maybe five. I bring up tumbling.
Tumbling
The ability to use not landing on your legs to minimize the damage taken from a fall.
You do not have the skill, do you wish to purchase it? You do not have skill points available.
Do you wish to spend $2197 to buy it? Yes/No
Yes
You have gained the skill Tumbling, You are level 1
You have $8040 available
Raising my climbing would be the next best thing, but just like spending skill points on raising a skill, spending money doesn¡¯t make sense, except in the most dire of circumstances. Next is learning archery. I never considered it before, but running up the wall made me realize that I have an easy way to gain range on the enemy. There might be a thrill and bragging that comes with facing the monsters and taking them up close, but the goal is to end the attack wave, not make myself famous. And there¡¯s something to be said about having shot down more monsters and anyone else.
Archery
The ability to use a bow and arrow to take down your opponents at a distance
You do not have the skill, do you wish to purchase it? You do not have skill points available.
Do you wish to spend $2197 to buy it? Yes/No
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Yes
You have gained the skill Archery. You are level 1
You have $5843 available
Once I¡¯ve trained it up, I might be able to claim the title of best archer. I go back to the category list. The next skill is¡ª ¡°Can I make a suggestion?¡± Base says. ¡°Sure.¡± The screen next to mine flickers to life with a system query.
System Query: Skill: Quick nocking
The skill that allows you to quickly take an arrow from your quiver and nock it to your bow so you can shoot it
¡°Being fast on the draw helps with taking down more monsters,¡± Base says. ¡°Good point.¡±
Quick Nocking
The ability to quickly take an arrow from your quiver and nock it to your bow so you can shoot it
You do not have the skill, do you wish to purchase it? You do not have skill points available.
Do you wish to spend $2197 to buy it? Yes/No
Yes
You have gained the skill Quick Nocking. You are level 1
You have $3646 available
¡°Can I make another suggestion?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I reply with a slight hesitation. ¡°Don¡¯t spend that money yet.¡± ¡°I should get Tactic as a skill if I¡¯m going to be efficient in battle.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to fight on your own, sure, but you are planning on being part of the town guards, right? That means you¡¯re going to be part of a unit. Strategy and tactics will be someone else¡¯s job.¡± ¡°What should I take instead?¡± ¡°You should wait until you¡¯ve been in your first battle. See what¡¯s missing for how you end up fighting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to be able to buy that skill right then and there.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re going to have the money to buy it when you come back from that fight, instead of having to spend the hours training to unlock the skill.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have points by then.¡± ¡°You hope you will. You don¡¯t have a guard class, Dennis. You¡¯re not going to get as much from the battles as the others. As an explorer, you won¡¯t get much from your class quests unless you¡¯re willing to leave Court for the time needed to complete them. You need to make sure you build a buffer so you can get those skills you need as you realize you need them.¡± He¡¯s right. It¡¯s why I hated throwing my available points in willpower, even if I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re the reason I pulled through. It does suck to be reminded that unless I do something drastic, I¡¯m always going to lag the others. Which means. I stand. ¡°Thanks for the help. Is Grandmother within your walls?¡± ¡°She¡¯s by the training field, teaching.¡± A bar forms on the board. I take it and start eating. It¡¯s daytime; where else would she be? I don¡¯t think she does anything other than train us. * * * * * ¡°Don¡¯t hold your sword like that, Alex; it¡¯s not a club.¡± Her voice is even, like it always is. ¡°Lucy, this isn¡¯t flirting. It¡¯s taking your opponent down. Josie, fight with her. Henry can face off against Mark; that way you all get a decent fight.¡± I¡¯ve never heard her raise her voice, and system knows some of us have given her reasons to scream, the way we don¡¯t always take the training seriously. ¡°I don¡¯t think this class will do much for you,¡± she says without looking over her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯d be better practicing against the guards now that you have a class.¡± No judgment, just like she never raises her voice. She doesn¡¯t care what my class is, what anyone¡¯s class is. She¡¯ll give us the best advice for what we want to accomplish. ¡°Dad won¡¯t let me.¡± ¡°Your father can be stubborn.¡± She steps between sword swings as if they aren¡¯t there and takes hold of the arm, adjusting the fingers on the pommel, then steps out of the training field. ¡°Could you¡­¡± I falter. How much am I going to have to explain once she sees what I can do? I mean, I don¡¯t have to show her the wall running, but she¡¯s going to get through my defenses and hit me. She¡¯s seen me take enough hits here that she knows how I should react. I have no idea if I can fake the pain when I don¡¯t feel it as much, or at all, considering these will be training weapons. Or why I want her to find me an archery teacher. ¡°I¡¯m not a mind reader, Dennis. Samuel, posture. You can¡¯t put the proper strength behind your strike if you aren¡¯t standing correctly.¡± What¡¯s the worse dad¡¯s going to do if she tells him? Ground me for two eternities? ¡°Could you train me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m serious, I know that¡­¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯re over the surprise,¡± she says, ¡°do you intend to stay with the broad sword you were training before, or do you think something different will be more useful for your new circumstances. Farming tools can get in the way, even when pulling your sword from your inventory.¡± Again, she walks between the fighters, until she¡¯s next to Samuel. A hand at his neck, and lower back, foot to widen his stance and, probably, some quiet words of encouraging chastising for not taking his training seriously. She watches me as she returns, still avoiding being hit as she steps between opponents. That¡¯s what an incredibly high level in your class and skills lets you do. ¡°I¡¯m sticking with the broadsword, and¡­ do you know anyone who could teach me archery?¡± ¡°Francis Maltese teaches the town¡¯s archers. I can speak with him, see if he has to time to unlock the skill.¡± ¡°I already¡­¡± Her raised eyebrow is the only indication I might have gotten myself in trouble. I just got my class. Shouldn¡¯t I have spent the few points I gained with it toward class skills? ¡°You know your father isn¡¯t going to be pleased.¡± I snort. ¡°Short of willingly chaining myself to his carpentry bench. Nothing I can do will make him happy.¡± ¡°So you haven¡¯t told him your plans?¡± ¡°He¡¯s known I wanted to be a guard since I was seven.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t have a class relating to that. He¡¯s looking for one of the farms to take you on.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to do that. He just doesn¡¯t listen when I try to tell him.¡± ¡°So you have tried.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll speak with Francis. If he doesn¡¯t have to unlock the skill, getting you to a useful level should only be a matter of a few hours each day for a few weeks.¡± ¡°Can you¡­ speak with dad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dennis. That is between you and your father. I learned well before the system arrived not to step between relatives. Even when they are related to me.¡± She¡¯s on the training field before I can think of a counter. Josie catches my eye and smiles. She raises two fingers. Two days until she gets her class. Two days until she¡¯s officially a guard. Two days to get dad to listen to me so I can tell her that I¡¯ll actually be a guard too and not some farmer playing at it. Chapter 20 Dinner¡¯s spent in silence. The look Dad gives me when I open my mouth to tell him about my class shuts it. I don¡¯t know what caused his bad mood, but I don¡¯t want it unleashed on me. When I get to my room, there¡¯s a bow on my bed. Frowning, I take it.
Wooden Long Bow, Quality: Excellent, Ranged Weapon
The weapon of the archer, used in conjunction with arrows to inflict damage at a distance
Perception check failed
There¡¯s only two ways this got there, and I can¡¯t imagine Dad making it. ¡°Base?¡± ¡°I figured you shouldn¡¯t have to rely on whatever Francis will bring for you to train with. Think of it as a belated birthday present. It¡¯s made of Cali wood, so if someone gets too close, you can use it as a staff instead of having to equip your sword.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that skill,¡± I say, turning it over in my hands. It¡¯s plain looking, since Base can¡¯t do decorations on what he makes, but the weight is just right for me. The little one level in archery lets me know. ¡°What¡¯s Cali wood?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just about the hardest wood out there. It¡¯s only found in Cali, and it hardly ever makes it all the way here.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s expensive?¡± ¡°Like you have no idea,¡± Base replies with a chuckle. ¡°But I didn¡¯t have to pay for it. I got a few logs way back when, and they¡¯ve been gathering dust in my inventory. Cutting up one of them for your bow is worthwhile.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I put it in my inventory and realized I have stuff in there I need to get rid of. Being grounded means anyone I try to hand this over to will ask where I got them. I take the pouch out. ¡°Can I give you a few things to make space in my inventory?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I access my dresser and put the hides and empty vials in it, then shift them to Base¡¯s inventory. That only freed two spots. Not making the space I was hoping for, but that¡¯s because of my armor. Since I¡¯m not a guard, I don¡¯t get the second equipment slot for what I¡¯m wearing. It¡¯s where they keep their armor or personal clothing when on active duty. It¡¯s just a thought to switch. Those who can afford to have personal armor keep theirs there at all time I expect. I¡¯m going to have to equip mine one piece at a time when I want to change. Not to say anything of the space it takes up. If not for the attention it¡¯d attract, I¡¯d keep it in a backpack and carry that all the time. ¡°Thank you for the bow.¡± ¡°You are welcome,¡± Base replies, sounding like he¡¯s smiling. * * * * * ¡°Dad?¡± I start over my plate of eggs, and the tired expression he gives me makes me shake my head and go back to eating breakfast. Did he even sleep? * * * * * ¡°You must be Dennis.¡± Francis Maltese is tall and thin, with sun bleached hair tied in a ponytail and amused brown eyes. He might be in his late twenties. He¡¯s dressed in jeans and a shirt with boots that look like a kick from them will hurt. ¡°I am.¡± I offer my hand. ¡°Dennis Carpenter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware.¡± He chuckles as he shakes it. ¡°Francis Maltese. Grandmother made sure I knew to avoid your father on my way to instruct you. Base, you have someplace quiet I can teach this young man archery?¡± ¡°I do Francis. Dennis, where you practiced yesterday will do just as well.¡± ¡°You practiced on your own?¡± Francis asks. ¡°Good for you. Does it mean you have a bow already?¡± ¡°Base gave me one for my birthday,¡± I reply, leading him and not correcting him on what I practiced. ¡°Then I expect it¡¯s going to be a decent one. We were still using some of them when I started learning archery from my father.¡± Once we reached the industrial area, Francis studied it and has Base make targets against the wall. ¡°Care to provide training arrows for us, Base?¡± A table forms with wooden arrows on it. He spent close to an hour showing me how to hold the bow, how to nock the arrow to the string, how to hold myself, both at rest and while pulling the string, while not letting me fire it. It was mildly annoying not to fire my new bow, since unlike what he thought, I hadn¡¯t actually practiced shooting it, but if there¡¯s one thing Grandmother taught me in her class is that rushing training to get to the ¡®good stuff¡¯ is a sure-fire way to be horrible at it.
You have gained a level. You are now level 2 in Archery If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°Good,¡± Francis says, ¡°now, let¡¯s move on to seeing if you can hit the target.¡± ¡°You know I gained a level?¡± I nock the arrow and pull. ¡°As your teacher, I get a notification.¡± I let it go and it shatters on the wall. I nock another one. ¡°Take your time, Dennis. The longer you aim, the more the bonus to your skill increases.¡± I hold it, lining up with the center of the target. ¡°Of course,¡± he adds after a while. ¡°It also means your target can get closer to you, so you can¡¯t simply wait unit you can¡¯t miss.¡± I let it loose and it shatters against the wall, but at the edge of the target this time. ¡°It¡¯s why you want to get your training in, to raise your skill.¡± He stands behind me as I pull on the string and adjust my footing, then my stance. I shoot the target over and over, well past the point my arm hurts from the strain and my shots get worse from one to the next. This isn¡¯t about accuracy, I tell myself. Remembering Grandmother¡¯s mantra from the early days of my training. This is about ingraining the movements so I can stop thinking about how to fight, or shoot the bow in this case, and just do it. Only then can I move on to doing it better.
You have gained a level. You are now level 3 in Archery
I am sweaty and my strength feels like it dropped below zero. Francis pats my shoulder. ¡°Good work. I can come back tomorrow morning, but after that, we¡¯re going to have to work out something if you want me to continue training you. I have other duties, too.¡± ¡°I can pay you for the training,¡± I offer. Happy Base kept me from spending all the money. This is definitely a better investment than another skill. ¡°We can talk it over tomorrow. How about I meet you here at the same time? If we get in a solid three hours, you should reach level four, but don¡¯t expect to notice a lot of changes until higher levels.¡± ¡°Level thirteen is where we get the first noticeable boots.¡± Sword fighting, that¡¯s when I started getting a sense of how my opponent moved. I still can¡¯t anticipate worth shit, but I figure at twenty-six that¡¯ll get easier. Francis chuckles. ¡°You won¡¯t get a noticeable effect until twenty-six. The strain of repeated firing will lessen at thirteen, and you¡¯ll get faster with nocking the arrow.¡± ¡°I got the quick-nocking skill. Base recommended it.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s a good suggestion, but we¡¯re going to wait until you have a good basis for your archery before spending much time with that.¡± ¡°Is it okay if I practice it on my own?¡± ¡°Of course. Nothing wrong in putting as much time as you want into improving yourself. So I¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be here.¡± He whistles as he walks away, and I get in a few more shots, none of them in the target, before heading home for a shower. * * * * * I¡¯m dry and dressed to the sound of Dad in the kitchen and the smell of beef and barley soup. ¡°Dennis,¡± he greets me, plating grilled cheese sandwiches to go with the soup, ¡°I heard back from Mister Charles. He¡¯s going to be in town next week, and he¡¯s willing to meet and discuss if you¡¯d be a good fit for his farm.¡± ¡°About that,¡± I say sitting, ¡°what if¡­¡± I trail off as he places a bowl and plate before me. I muster my courage while he takes his place opposite mine. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to be a farmer?¡± ¡°What else are you going to be?¡± he replies dismissively. ¡°I want to be a guard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your class,¡± he states between spoonful. ¡°Everyone¡¯s told me that my class doesn¡¯t define who I was,¡± I reply, struggling to keep my voice even. ¡°Even you told me that. I spent my youth training to be a guard. I have the skills, and I can still practice them.¡± ¡°Dennis,¡± he replies with a hardness that matches the look in his eyes. ¡°If that was really what you wanted to do with your life, then you shouldn¡¯t have just gone off gallivanting. I get it,¡± he adds as I open my mouth. ¡°Richard can be hard to resist. But you still went off with him, Dennis. You put yourself in this position. You have to live with the consequences. And that means you¡¯re going to be farmer.¡± I don¡¯t say anything. Of fuck, do I not point out how much of a hypocrite he¡¯s being for claiming it¡¯s my fault I don¡¯t get to be a guard when we both know he was never going to let me do that. I want to scream at him. I want to fucking flip the table and¡­ I focus on eating and so does he. Good, because there¡¯s only so much self-control I have. One other word from him, and I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll say. Other than it¡¯s going to be nasty. Once done, I wash and dry my bowl and plate, put them away, and head for the door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Out,¡± I snap, then take a breath. ¡°To clear my head,¡± I say, because the alternative is spiteful. Once outside, I run until I¡¯m in the industrial area, then scream. Once I¡¯ve worked that out of my system, I run up and down the wall a few times before stepping on the parapet and looking out onto the town, then beyond it. I search the roofs for a while, wondering how much it costs to get a place there. I¡¯ve never had to think about that, and until this moment, I didn¡¯t consider moving outside of Base¡¯s walls. Even moving to a farm hadn¡¯t been something I thought about until Dad said Mister Charles would be over to talk about it. I¡¯m not going to be a farmer. I don¡¯t care what Dad wants, but I am going to be a guard. I¡¯m an adult now. I get to do chose who I am. * * * * * I eat dinner before Dad gets back, then I¡¯m in my room, with the door locked¡ªnot that it¡¯d stop Dad¡ªand practicing quick-nocking until I¡¯m too tired and go to bed. At least that got me a level. * * * * * I wait until Dad¡¯s left before exiting my room. Then it¡¯s a hurried breakfast, and I¡¯m off for my training. I¡¯m going to be late, but hopefully Francis will understand. Explaining my tardiness becomes a moot point as I don¡¯t find Francis waiting for me, but my Dad, arms cross over his chest, and a pissed off expression over his face. ¡°Just guess who I ran into on my way to my workshop,¡± he demands. ¡°Go ahead, guess.¡± ¡°Dad,¡± I start. ¡°Don¡¯t, Dennis. Don¡¯t you even think of coming up with some justification for going behind my back like that? I explained how things are. You have no excuses.¡± ¡°Explained? You don¡¯t fucking explain, you fucking order me around.¡± ¡°Dennis,¡± he snaps. ¡°Do not speak to me like that.¡± ¡°Like what, Dad? Like some tyrant I¡¯m fed up having lording over me? Some deaf, power hungry something who doesn¡¯t give a fuck what I want?¡± ¡°Dennis! I will not have you swearing like that.¡± ¡°Who fucking cares!¡± ¡°Go to your room!¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me? Go to my room? I¡¯m sixteen, I have a class, I not a baby anymore.¡± ¡°Then stop acting like one!¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m the one acting like a baby? You¡¯re the one¡ª¡± ¡°To. Your. Room.¡± He points and the anger in his eyes makes me take a step back. ¡°Fine.¡± I turn and stump away. I seriously consider not going there. The problem is that there is nowhere I can go within Base¡¯s walls that will keep Dad from finding me, and when he does, his mood isn¡¯t going to improve. Fuck, where can I go in Court, Dad can¡¯t have someone find me? He doesn¡¯t know everyone in the town, but if they were alive before the system, they at least know of him. That¡¯s not counting all his clients. Dad¡¯s just about the best carpenter in Court, so if he asks someone to find me, it¡¯s not going to be long into they do. I slam the door to the house, then my room. I scream in my pillow, then try to prepare myself for Dad¡¯s arrival, because I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be pretty. Chapter 21 The door to the house closes. Dad must have slammed it for me to hear it in my room. I¡¯ve had thirty minutes to prepare my defense, and all I have is that Dad¡¯s being an asshole and hypocrite in trying to control my life. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s because he wants me safe. It¡¯s not his decision to make now that I have a class. Of course, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s going to care about that. He¡¯s going to keep treating me like I¡¯m some classless kid who doesn¡¯t know anything. My best course of action right now is to keep my mouth shut when he storms into my room and screams all the ways I¡¯m hurting him by not blindly going along with what he wants. Meekly nods and after that, figure out what I¡¯m going to do. So, I sit here waiting. And waiting some more. A treen passes, then another without him bursting in my room, and I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s letting me stew, so I¡¯ll imagine even worse things than him somehow being able to make me classless. Or if he¡¯s actually taking the time to calm down. After another one, I get off the bed and crack my door open. Silence. No my dad shifting about as he¡­ I don¡¯t know, works on something to calm himself in his room. No him in the kitchen puttering about. No him anywhere in the house. I guess I didn¡¯t hear him close the door on his way out. It would have been nice of him to at least tell me he was leaving, instead of letting me worry. Which might have been what he was after. I get a tall glass of orange juice and ponder what I¡¯m going to do as I drink it. He¡¯s at work, which means that so long as I¡¯m here for lunch, because I just know he¡¯s going to come check on me, I should be fine. After that, it¡¯s about being here before dinner. It would be nice to have Francis teaching me for the boosts to my learning, but any practice is good practice with the system. I wash the glass and put it away and head for the door. Which doesn¡¯t open. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Base says. ¡°Your father made it clear I¡¯m not allowed to let you out under any circumstances.¡± I rest my head against the door. ¡°What if I burn down the place?¡± I ask, not entirely sure how serious I am. Base chuckles. ¡°You can¡¯t keep a fire going inside my walls if I don¡¯t want it to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± I grumble. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Why are you going along with him?¡± The sigh is long. ¡°As much as I like to think I am, I¡¯m not like you. I¡¯m the system that runs the base, and the Commander can give me orders that I have to obey. One such order he gave me a long time ago; when William needed the comfort the control over me gave him. Is that I have to do what his son told me to. No playing around with interpretations, no looking for loopholes. I have to obey. I¡¯ve pointed out that he¡¯s old enough he doesn¡¯t need it anymore, but the Commander hasn¡¯t revoked the order.¡± ¡°You use loopholes with my father,¡± I point out. ¡°That¡¯s how Rich got me out without you raising the alarm.¡± ¡°The fact I can¡¯t go looking for them doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t there. Richard is extremely skilled at finding loopholes and exploiting them.¡± I nod. ¡°What did my dad order you to do, exactly.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t to let Dennis out,¡± my father¡¯s voice sounds, ¡°under any fucking circumstances. I don¡¯t care if God shows up in person and tells you to do it; my son is to remain inside until I say otherwise.¡± ¡°What if I¡¯m not fucking?¡± I try. Bases chuckles. ¡°That¡¯s not what it means, and we both know it.¡± I lean against the door and push the disappointment aside. ¡°Okay. That is all Dad said, right? Nothing you¡¯re keeping back to surprise me with?¡± ¡°That is all he said,¡± Base answers cautiously. ¡°Then, can you make me a room long enough I can practice my archery in? If I¡¯m going to be stuck in here, I might as well do something with my time.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I can do that.¡± He¡¯s still cautious. ¡°If your father finds out¡­¡± ¡°Are you going to tell him?¡± ¡°I am concerned he¡¯s going to ask what you got up to while he was away.¡± ¡°Lie.¡± ¡°Dennis, I¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try it. You¡¯ve lied to him before.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve skirted the truth. That isn¡¯t the same thing.¡± I snort. ¡°Fine. What did I do for two hours in my room?¡± ¡°You moped.¡± ¡°Then tell him that. It¡¯s not lying, since I did it.¡± ¡°And if he asks for an hour by hour rundown?¡± ¡°Then you blame me. He¡¯s already going to scream at me at some point. What is he going to care if it¡¯s about yet one more way I¡¯m making his life miserable?¡± I head for my room, and there¡¯s a new door at the back. On the other side there¡¯s a long room, plain gray walls with a line of lights at the edge of it and the ceiling giving out a uniform glow. Next to the door, a table with arrows, and at the back, is a target for me to miss. ¡°Tell me when Dad leaves his workshop for lunch.¡± Man, do I miss that target a lot. * * * * * I shower as soon as Base tells me Dad¡¯s on his way, then sit on my bed and go back to moping. The door¡¯s gone, so Dad¡¯s going to have to ask very direct questions to get Base to tell him exactly what I was up to in the last hour and a half. I can just make out the door closing because I¡¯m listening for it. Dad¡¯s indistinctly muffled voice, then silence. My door doesn¡¯t burst open, so I guess he didn¡¯t ask the right questions to find out what I did. ¡°He left,¡± Base tells me half an hour later. ¡°He just asked where you were.¡± I head for the back wall, and the door reappears. ¡°I guess he¡¯s waiting for dinner.¡± I nock an arrow in place and aim. * * * * *
You have gained a level. You are now level 4 in Archery
My satisfaction is tempered by the ache in my arms and shoulders and lower back. Holding the correct position for each shot takes a lot more out of me than it felt like when Francis was showing me. My arm shakes as I pull on the string, and the arrow misses the target by a meter. I take another one and¡­ ¡°Why is this so boring?¡± I force myself to nock it. My stamina¡¯s only slightly below half, so I¡¯m not going to be penalized yet. ¡°At this level of training, it¡¯s all about doing the same thing over and over so you¡¯ll master the basics.¡± ¡°You¡¯re repeating what Francis said.¡± I take my time aiming. ¡°And learning sword fighting wasn¡¯t this boring even at low level.¡± The string slips from my fingers and the arrow careens off course. ¡°You were with others, and you weren¡¯t training one thing to the exclusion of the others. You had shield practice, hand to hand, strength, agility, and academic classes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying I need a break.¡± ¡°How much willpower do you have left?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± How did I not notice it was being used up? ¡°This is physical exercise.¡± ¡°Which you¡¯ve forced yourself to continue, in spite of the boredom and physical strain you¡¯re feeling. Willpower isn¡¯t just for willing away certain debuffs, you know. Anytime you feel like quitting, but you don¡¯t, you¡¯ve used some of it.¡± ¡°Feels like something I should have been taught.¡± ¡°You were,¡± He chuckles. ¡°It¡¯s part of the classes. But you, like just about everyone else, ignore willpower until you have no choice but to pay attention to it. It¡¯s what would be called a dump stat, back in the days of Table Tops.¡± ¡°Are there ways to train it?¡± ¡°There is, and pushing to continue when you feel like stopping is one.¡± Considering that six points in it made the difference between me dying and not, maybe I should work on that. I look at the arrows and the ache in my arms increase at the idea of picking one up. Maybe it¡¯s because my willpower¡¯s so low now, but I send the bow to my inventory. ¡°I think I¡¯m done with this for now.¡± I grab another shower, then head to the kitchen and hesitate, looking at the jar of cookies. I really want one. But if I hold back, isn¡¯t that going to help train my willpower? I take two and head back to my room. Not depriving myself of that just to practice a skill. I open Aaron¡¯s journal and look at the maps. The first one has the power station marked on it. Toronto, Detroit, Indianapolis, St-Louis, and Kansas City are also marked, with a route going from one to the other. I¡¯ve heard of Detroit before, but I don¡¯t remember who or what they said about it. Kansas City is the quest¡¯s destination. So I¡¯m guessing St-Louis and Indianapolis will be places I¡¯ll cross on the way. Probably important ones, if Aaron noted them. Along the route are other marks. Three or four lines inside a circle. They look hurriedly drawn. In fact, the whole map looks like it was done quickly. The names are messily written; the route drawn as straight lines between each point when even a quick look at the next map shows they usually flow around. Probably a better representation of the actual route. As for the circles with lines in them, I don¡¯t find that on the other maps, and I don¡¯t identify any of them as matching part of this one. Maybe they¡¯re the points of interests Aaron mentioned he marked, but they aren¡¯t giving me details as to what they are. ¡°You¡¯re father¡¯s on his way home.¡± I startle and send the journal away, then catch my breath. That was Base talking. And if Dad¡¯s leaving now, I have just over a treen minutes until he gets here. I head for the kitchen to start working on dinner and stop. I tell myself Dad can damn well make his own meal when he gets home. And then I go and get food ready. Yeah, I¡¯m not going to be raising my willpower anytime soon the way I¡¯m going. * * * * * Dinner is tense, but silent. Dad¡¯s motions are sharp as he eats, and he barely looks in my direction. I didn¡¯t even get a grunt of acknowledgment when I served him. I¡¯m not speaking, because if I can avoid being screamed at, I¡¯m going to take it. I¡¯ll even take being glowered at over that. I finish, wash and put away my dishes, and still not one word from Dad. He eyes me when I leave the kitchen, but goes back to his food when I head for my room. He probably expected me to make a run for the outside or something. As if him being here meant Base would forget his orders. I lock my door and take Aaron¡¯s journal out, looking over the maps of all the places he visited. He was lucky. He didn¡¯t have a dad shackling him in place. Chapter 22 I run to the shower, cursing oversleeping and my aching body. Doesn¡¯t matter that part¡¯s normal after the kind of training session I put myself through; this morning is not when I can afford to be late. Washed and dressed in my best clothes, I head out. I¡¯ll grab a food bar from the kitchen and¡ª I stop, seeing Dad at the table, reading. He looks up as I force myself to go to the cupboard. ¡°Going somewhere?¡± What is he doing here? It¡¯s well past when he should be at his workshop. I¡¯d ask what why he¡¯s still here, but I expect the answer¡¯s going to be ¡®to make your life miserable¡¯. ¡°Josie¡¯s choosing ceremony starts in twenty.¡± I reach in, and into Base¡¯s inventory, for the bar. ¡°If I hurry, I¡¯ll just make it on time.¡± The noncommital ¡®uh huh¡¯ freezes me. I turn and he¡¯s looking at me with that ¡®oh, do you have something coming,¡¯ look. The book¡¯s closed and on the table. ¡°And exactly why do you think I should allow you to go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Josie¡¯s ceremony,¡± I say cautiously. ¡°I promised her I¡¯d be there.¡± ¡°Was that before or after you thought it was a good idea to run off with Rich?¡± That again? ¡°Dad, I didn¡¯t run off. I know it was stupid, but he was really convincing. Base told me that something he¡¯s good at.¡± ¡°I had warned you about him.¡± His tone is sharp. ¡°But you never explained. Damn it, Dad. You and all the old folks just made him out to be this mysterious guy full of adventures. What did any of you expect us to do if we happened to meet him?¡± ¡°Run in the opposite direction.¡± I snort. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you were as a kid, but none of my friends run away from what¡¯s strange. We aren¡¯t scared of a little danger.¡± ¡°I am not¡ª¡± He closes his mouth, and when his eyes narrow, I realize I¡¯m smirking. Way to go, Dennis. Antagonize the guy with the keys to the door. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand that this is for you protection? Maybe your friend¡¯s parents don¡¯t care what happens to their children, but I will not lose my only son to what¡¯s out there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going out there!¡± I stop and breathe. ¡°I¡¯m going to the command center. Unless you¡¯ve forgotten, that¡¯s where Choosing Day takes place. That¡¯s where Josie is going to be.¡± ¡°Along with some of your friends.¡± I can hear the disgust in the word, and I almost tell him what I think of his opinion of my friends. I glance down and left and notice my willpower has dropped slightly. Dad narrows his eyes. Not everyone has the system information in the same place within their field of vision, so he can¡¯t know what I¡¯m looking at. But I¡¯m sure he¡¯s imagining the worse. Like I have a way to send message to my friends and we¡¯re plotting going outside just to scare him. I could do that, if I¡¯d thought to form a group with any of them, but I¡¯ve only had a class for a few days. And most of them don¡¯t have theirs, so they couldn¡¯t join it. ¡°I have to leave now, if I¡¯m going to make it on time,¡± I tell him in as calm a voice as I can. ¡°Maybe you should have thought of that before¡ª¡± ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s just the command center, Dad! You already have Base keeping me prisoner within his walls. Where the fuck do you think I¡¯m going to go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± He¡¯s up, hands on the table, and for a moment there¡¯s something other than anger in his eyes, but it¡¯s gone before I make it out. ¡°I¡¯m an adult,¡± I say through clenched teeth. ¡°You¡¯re my son!¡± he replies, like the two are mutually exclusive. Like that¡¯s all I¡¯ll ever be to him. Just this thing he¡¯s afraid of losing, instead of a person capable of making his own decision. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anything I can say that¡¯s going to change that. ¡°She¡¯s my best friend, Dad. It¡¯s just the command center. GrandPa Louis will be there, so have Base relay a message to him about watching over me. But I promised her I¡¯d be there. Don¡¯t make me break it, please.¡± His expression softens a little. ¡°Alright, you can go. But you are coming right back here, Dennis. I swear, if you aren¡¯t here when I come back for lunch, I will never let you out of this house.¡± I head for the door without replying. I¡¯m too angry for whatever I¡¯d say to lead to me going to Josie¡¯s ceremony. He can¡¯t do this! Fuck, if there was somewhere I could go, I would. The door opens when I turn the knob. As soon as it closes behind me, I¡¯m running. I don¡¯t want to be late. * * * * * I push my way through the crowd until I¡¯m in front. I¡¯ve seen larger crowds for the ceremony, but then I see there¡¯s only four people standing before the control board. Today the panels are going from one wall to the other. The four of them facing us, and Josie smiles when she sees me. I don¡¯t know the other three. ¡°Today is a special day for these young people,¡± Grandpa Louis says, standing behind them. He¡¯s in his commander¡¯s uniform. A pale gray coat over a white shirt cut to look like his power armor. He only wears it for special events, and only if it¡¯s expected of him, like when he¡¯s presiding over Choosing Day. ¡°Today, they pick their classes and the responsibilities that come with them. Today, they leave behind the playtime of children, and take on the duties of adulthood.¡± He steps behind the blond hair boy and places a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from fidgeting. ¡°Martin Bailey, what is your class.¡± He swallows. ¡°I¡¯m a baker, like my mother,¡± he hurries to add, and a few people chuckle. GrandPa Louis steps behind the next person. ¡°Josephine Gesner, what is your class?¡± ¡°I am a patroller,¡± she answers proudly. Figures. Patrollers always get to fight, even when there aren¡¯t any monster attacks. They¡¯re the ones who get called anytime someone¡¯s causing trouble. ¡°Alice Woodrow, what is your class?¡± ¡°I am a brewer,¡± she replies, straightening. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Octavia Eaton, what is your class?¡± ¡°I am a mason.¡± Grandpa Louis steps around her and faces them. ¡°Welcome to adulthood,¡± he says gravely. ¡°The time ahead will be filled with hardship, but remember to make some for things you enjoy. Remember that your class doesn¡¯t define who you are, it is only one facet. And don¡¯t forget what it was like to be a child. We have enough overly serious adults in this town already.¡± Chuckles and laughs from the crowd. ¡°No, I¡¯m serious. You bunch need to lighten up, or I swear I¡¯m pulling out the boots.¡± More laughter, but from the old folks. It¡¯s a joke among them. GrandPa Louis explained it to me, but I still don¡¯t get how a boot to the head is a funny thing. Base refuses to make copies of where it¡¯s from and pass them along to everyone in town. ¡°Let the kids make their own humor,¡± is the response anytime GrandPa Louis asks him to do it. It¡¯s interesting how he never orders Base to do it. And the ceremony¡¯s over. Which means I should head home so Dad doesn¡¯t¡ª Josie¡¯s arms are around me. ¡°You came!¡± ¡°I said I¡¯d be here.¡± I smile as I look into her green eyes. ¡°Yeah,¡± she looks back, and they¡¯re so bright. Her brown skin is radiant. I realize I¡¯m leaning forward, then we¡¯re jostled and nearly trip, and I¡¯m chuckling, feeling hot for some reason as we pull apart. ¡°Anyway,¡± she says, grabbing my hand. ¡°There¡¯s someone I want you to meet.¡± I follow along. I doubt Base is going to report on me for this, even if Dad instructed him to relay my every move. ¡°Herbert!¡± She waves and a man a good decade older than us turns from her parent. ¡°Josie!¡± he hugs and lifts her. ¡°Patroller! I thought you wanted to charm the guys, not kick their¡ª¡± Josie¡¯s father clears his throat and Herbert rolls his eyes. ¡°This is Dennis,¡± Josie introduces me. ¡°My best friend. Dennis, this is my cousin, Herbert. He¡¯s a guard and travels all over the place.¡± I shake his hand, surprised. Josie¡¯s family¡¯s large, so I¡¯m never surprised when she introduces someone I didn¡¯t know, but it¡¯s the first time one of them doesn¡¯t live in Court. ¡°My class¡¯s actually scout, but I found out the hard way I wanted nothing to do with military forces, so now I do caravan guarding.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a waste of your abilities?¡± I asked before I can stop myself. I looked up the class when I was younger, as part of all those that related to protecting towns and people. What I remember about it is that it¡¯s about going in the wild, looking for threats. ¡°Oh, you¡¯d be surprised what happens to caravans, especially¡¯s Chuck¡¯s. We all get to use all the ability we bring at least once while traveling. Speaking of which.¡± He turns to Josie¡¯s mother. ¡°I can¡¯t stay long. Chuck wants us on the road by noon, and there¡¯s a lot of preparations needed to get everything ready to move.¡± ¡°You have time for cake?¡± she asks hopefully. ¡°I baked strawberry shortcake.¡± He groans. ¡°Why do you have to torture me like that? Okay, once slice, be we have to head to your home now. If Chuck has to come looking for me, I will never hear the end of it, and no, your cake will not be enough to appease him.¡± They start moving, and I grab Josie¡¯s hand. Before I realize what I¡¯m doing, I pull her into a tight hug. She hugs me back after getting over the surprise. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you,¡± I whisper, and find my throat tightening. She chuckles. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± I force my voice to steady as I release her. ¡°It¡¯s just that it¡¯s official now. We¡¯re going to live different lives.¡± She laughs. ¡°The farms aren¡¯t on the other side of the world, Dennis. You¡¯ll be here at least once a month to sell what you¡¯ll grow.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I tighten my hand on hers. ¡°But I¡¯m still going to miss you.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not now.¡± She pulled, but I stayed in place. ¡°Come on, you don¡¯t want to miss my mom¡¯s strawberry shortcake. Trust me.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I force the chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ve had it before.¡± ¡°Then come on.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I have no problem sounding sad. ¡°Dad only allowed me to come to your ceremony. I have to go right back home.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe how unreasonable he is. My dad tried to talk some sense into him and wow, did your dad not like that.¡± I nod. ¡°I¡¯m¡­going to deal with it. But he¡¯s just scared. I can get that.¡± ¡°Dennis, you need to get out on your own. You have a class. He shouldn¡¯t be allowed to ground you anymore.¡± I nod again, and my throat tightens. I hug her again. ¡°I better go.¡± I turn and leave the command center as fast as I can without making it seem like I¡¯m running away. I make the first left and finally wipe at my eyes. ¡°Base? What are the instructions my dad gave you?¡± Please, please tell me you left something I can make use of. ¡°What are you planning, Dennis?¡± I shake my head. ¡°Please, just tell me what he ordered with to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m to make sure you don¡¯t leave the house once you return.¡± Good thing I am not heading there then. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°No, what else has he ordered you to do about keeping me here?¡± ¡°Dennis, whatever you¡¯re planning, it is not a good idea. Your father is¡ª¡± ¡°Scared, terrified, irrational about it. Why do I have to suffer for him not dealing with his problems? For you and Grandpa Louis letting him not deal with it?¡± When Base finally makes a sound, it¡¯s a sigh. ¡°He said I wasn¡¯t to let you through the gates, no matter what. Not the exact phrasing, but while you seem to be okay with swearing, I¡¯m not okay with having you hear it.¡± ¡°This time?¡± I chuckle. ¡°I thought the tone would impart how serious he was when I replayed his instructions.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s just the swearing you¡¯re not putting in there, no hidden orders you aren¡¯t telling me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking for loopholes,¡± he says in annoyance. I¡¯m pretty sure I found it already. ¡°Yes, all I did was sanitize what he said. I¡¯m not holding back anything.¡± One last thing. ¡°Did he instruct you to report my movement?¡± ¡°No.¡± I orient myself and head to one of the crafter¡¯s zone. They aren¡¯t all in one place, because not all crafters enjoy the side effect of the other¡¯s crafting. Like the smell of the tannery, the hammering of the forges. All I care about is being as far from Dad¡¯s workshop. There, I go to the bakery that¡¯s at the edge. Crafters get hungry too. I get myself a strawberry shortcake and a coffee and sit at a table outside. ¡°I need paper.¡± A stack grows from the table, with a weight on top to keep the wind from sending them flying. Okay. How am I writing this? Dad, I love you. I really do, but this is enough. You won¡¯t listen to what I¡¯ve tried to tell you, and your fear for what might happen to me is keeping me from living my life. This is my life, Dad. So, the first thing. I tried to tell you a few times, but you always shut me down. My class isn¡¯t farmer. It¡¯s explorer. If you¡¯d been reasonable, I would have been happy to use the abilities it has to be a guard here, in Court. But you¡¯ve made it clear that anywhere you have influence, you¡¯re going to control my life. So I¡¯m leaving. It¡¯s not for always, but I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back. I picked up a quest along with the class and I figure taking care of that will give us both the space we need to figure out how we¡¯re going to make this work. This is going to hurt you, and I¡¯m sorry. I hope you can believe that it isn¡¯t why I¡¯m doing this. I just need to live my life, and if I stay, all I¡¯ll do is live the life you want for me. Talk with someone, Dad. You need help. You have friends who I¡¯m sure will want to help you. Go to them. Go to a stranger who won¡¯t bring a history to the help they give you. I don¡¯t know, Dad. Just get help. When I get back, we can sit down and figure things out. Your son who loves you, Dennis. I wipe at my eyes and fold the letter, then put it under the weight. ¡°Can you put it on the kitchen table?¡± ¡°You know I can. But he¡¯s going to be home for lunch. That¡¯s in a couple of hours.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough time.¡± He¡¯s going to freak out when he reads it. He¡¯s going to order Base around, trying to get everyone looking for me, which means we¡¯re going to be that much further by the time he works out what I did. I finish the coffee and return the empty plate inside once the papers are gone, then head toward the west gate. ¡°I can¡¯t let you out,¡± Base warns me. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± I shake my head. ¡°Dad can order you to tell him. I¡¯m going to fulfill Aaron¡¯s quest.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t tell me anything about it, Dennis.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was something I¡¯d be dealing with now. And now I¡¯m happy I didn¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°Damn it, Dennis. I only have your best interest at heart, you know that.¡± ¡°But you have to obey dad¡¯s orders.¡± He doesn¡¯t have a reply to that. When the gate comes in to view, I turn right. The exact side doesn¡¯t matter. All I need is a wall without obstructions, well, a minimum of them. I can navigate around a few. When I find it, I run. I consider going home for a backpack. It¡¯s going to suck being on the road without supply, but it¡¯s not like I won¡¯t be able to borrow some. And Base has warned me what will happen if I go home. I trail my hand along the wall for a few seconds before putting my foot on it, and up I go. With a minimum of obstacles, I¡¯m on top and looking over the city. ¡°Dennis,¡± Base warns. ¡°You can¡¯t jump my wall; it¡¯s too high.¡± I smile. For as much as Base knows and sees, he misses things. I admire Court for a few seconds, soak in home for the last time. Then I run along the wall, trailing my hand on the parapet before jumping it, my foot touching the wall, and I run down it. Chapter 23 The cart jostles hard, and I bite my tongue so I don¡¯t let out the yelp of pain as my head hits whatever metal thing I¡¯m resting against. Crossing the town to reach the west gate was simple. All I did was keep my head down and stay away from places I knew friends of my dad, or mine, might be in. When I reached the caravan, it was the chaos of final loading, seeing to the animals that would pull them, and guards discussing stuff. I made it to the largest cart already tarped, and when no one was paying attention, I slipped under it and made myself comfortable among the contents. Tried to make myself comfortable. I picked the one filled with metal. Parts and wrought iron, probably steel, and other things pulled from the dungeon up north. I couldn¡¯t imagine any beast of burden able to pull all of this. I didn¡¯t notice the harness, but it had to be big, for the number of animals needed. I was sweating from the heat and stale humidity by the time the cart moved. The tarp was oiled, and while it would keep the rain from making stuff under wet. It trapped the heat and late morning humidity. More than once after we were moving, I was tempted to lift the side to let fresh air in, but while the voices were muffled by the thick tarp, they were constant, so I had to endure it at the cost of willpower. Maybe this will help raise the skill, if I don¡¯t first run out and reveal myself. When the cart stops moving, I¡¯m down to half my willpower, and I have no idea how long we¡¯ve been on the road. The voices take on a questioning tone, then¡­ ¡°I just need to check something.¡± Close enough for me to make out what he¡¯s saying as he walks along the cart. Must be the driver, although I¡¯d have expected the cart to shift when he got off, even with all this¡ªthe light blinds me as the tarp goes up. Then I¡¯m in the air. ¡°I knew there was something off about the weight,¡± the man says as he holds me by the black of my shirt, high enough my feet are dangling. All I see through the spots is a massive form, his arm raised so I¡¯m over his head. ¡°Every fucking time,¡± he snarls, and the spots finally clear enough I see who is holding me in the air and my jaw drops. Chuck is holding me. I¡¯m dangling from his¡ª He shakes me. ¡°I¡¯m not a fucking bus service! So you can¡ª¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go back,¡± I replied, sounding a lot more scared than I intend. He narrows his eyes at me. ¡°Yeah, kids who are allowed to leave town don¡¯t resort to sneaking onto my carts.¡± ¡°What are you going to do with me?¡± I still sound scared. I mean, Chuck¡¯s scary. I watched him send a Ramthom flying with a swing. Stories are he took on an ogre by himself and walked away without even a scratch. And he¡¯s old, well over seventy, not that he looks it. He sighs and puts me down. I use the cart to stay up while my legs stop wobbling. ¡°I¡¯m going to put you to work.¡± He replies. ¡°You¡¯re going to pay to ride.¡± He looks me over. ¡°What¡¯s your class? Is it at least something that¡¯s going to help on the trip?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an explorer,¡± I reply and did I sound as meek as I think? ¡°I have fighting training, and I¡¯m learning the bow.¡± He frowns. ¡°Haven¡¯t come across one of you in decades. No wonder you want out. Every explorer I¡¯ve known couldn¡¯t stand in the same place for more than five minutes. Grandmother taught you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Of course he¡¯d know her. She was famous, and so was he. ¡°What levels?¡± ¡°Fifteen and sixteen. My bow¡¯s only at four. I only got my class a few days ago, and I didn¡¯t get much time to train.¡± The look he gives me isn¡¯t one of being impressed. ¡°Did you at least think to take a weapon before you left the safety of Court behind?¡± there¡¯s a tone of him being ready not to be impressed again. ¡°I did. And a full set of armor, and my bow.¡± My shoulders sag. ¡°I didn¡¯t think to bring arrows.¡± He chuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll give you forgetting one thing when you managed to plan ahead that much.¡± I perk up and start equipping my armor, one piece at a time, but since it¡¯s only exchanging what I¡¯m wearing with what in my inventory, it¡¯s quick. ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like anything Court makes,¡± he says, once I¡¯m changed. ¡°It was¡­a gift.¡± He sighs. ¡°Anyone going to come after us to reclaim it?¡± ¡°No, I swear, it was given to me.¡± ¡°Kid, I don¡¯t care¡­¡± he shakes his head. ¡°Alright. Here are the rules. You do what your team lead tells you. If your skill set isn¡¯t called for, you either help as best you can, or you stay out of the way. I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t think to bring food or water.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I shake my head and forcefully keep my shoulders from sagging. ¡°I guess adding one to the meal split isn¡¯t going to cause a revolt. You know how to cook?¡± ¡°Skill¡¯s eleven,¡± I answer. ¡°I enjoy cooking, but we¡¯re kept busy with classes and training until we get our class, so I never got to do it as much as I wanted.¡± ¡°Do you always need to explain your answers?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I look at the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª¡± he bites back the rest. ¡°Chuck, you mind if I take charge of him?¡± I recognize the voice and Herbert steps next to me. ¡°Better you than me, Herb.¡± He heads to the front of the cart. ¡°All Right! Rest¡¯s over. Send word along the line we¡¯re about to get moving again.¡± ¡°Where are the animals?¡± I ask as I realize they aren¡¯t before the cart. ¡°Oh, this is going to be worth walking faster,¡± Herbert says, then motions for me to look ahead when I stare at him. Chuck steps in front of the cart and picks something off the ground. When he stands, there¡¯s a harness of thick leather and metal over his vest. He hooks what he¡¯s holding to each side of the harness, then on each shoulder. ¡°What is he¡­¡± I trail off as Chuck walks until the chains reach full tension. He leans forward, and I¡¯m about to ask again just what is going on, when the wheels creaks and I jump aside in surprise. Herbert keeps me from falling. Chuck has a foot forward, and the cart slowly creaks a centimeter, then another, and again. ¡°Come on,¡± Herbert says, ¡°we need to get to our posts.¡± I keep on staring as Chuck takes a full step forward, pulling the largest cart I¡¯ve ever seen, filled with all sorts of metal stuff. ¡°Dennis,¡± Herbert calls, and the tone of command pulls me away. I run to join him, and then we are walking at a brisk pace past much smaller carts pulled by a variety of animals. ¡°How strong is he?¡± Herbert shrugs. ¡°Never asked. Does Josie know you left?¡± I swallow. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell her. Base would have heard, and he¡¯d have to tell dad if he was ordered to. I¡¯m the commander¡¯s grandson,¡± I add at his raised eyebrow. ¡°And you¡¯re running away from that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s running away when you¡¯re an adult. I¡¯m striking out on my own.¡± ¡°You snuck onto the caravan; that¡¯s running away.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t stay. My dad¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°He was alive before the system?¡± I nod. ¡°Yeah, a lot of the old folks didn¡¯t deal well with the transition. My mom turned to religion and gave that conman everything we had. A friend¡¯s dad went all anti-system and left him and his mom to fend for themselves.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Thanks. I pulled through, so did my friend.¡± ¡°He here too?¡± Herbert laughs. ¡°No, the adventure was never for him. He¡¯s a scribe in Toronto. The quiet, boring life for him. I¡¯d have gone insane in a treen.¡±
You have been invited to join Herbert McDonald¡¯s group
Do you Accept? Yes/No
I look at him. ¡°Chuck has us split in teams. Leaders get the boss¡¯s orders, and we pass them along.¡± Yes. A window opens with eight names. Herbert is at the top, highlighted, since he¡¯s the group leader, and I¡¯m at the bottom. I know it¡¯s just because I¡¯m the last added, but I can¡¯t help the sense it means I¡¯m going to be given the tasks no one else wants. It¡¯s okay, this is the price of going to Toronto. I am going to pay it. Next to each of our names are three bars, red for health, yellow for stamina, and blue for mana. They are all full, and their comparative sizes indicate who has more than the others. I minimize it, adjusting the settings to bring it up when I unsheathe my sword. Combat is when the team screen is useful. ¡°We¡¯re on the move again,¡± Herbert calls to the men and women huddles next to a covered wagon. The driver nods to us. They look at me. ¡°So, he¡¯s the reason for the oh so needed break?¡± a lanky woman asks, looking me over. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to find a way to thank you. You can¡¯t imagine how hard Chuck pushes all of us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome?¡± I reply, glancing at Herbert, who shakes his head. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her. Having to get out of bed in the morning is already too much work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where the best work is done,¡± she replies with a mischievous smile. ¡°You know there¡¯s a class for that, right?¡± The man on her right says. He¡¯s stockier, a head shorter and has a bow at his back. ¡°I never got why you didn¡¯t go with that, seeing as you¡¯re told us just how early you turned your bed into a moneymaker.¡± She sighs. ¡°What can I tell you. Daddy wanted a strong little girl to keep the bulls in check.¡± The man snorts. ¡°I don¡¯t think he ever expected you to do it quite that way.¡± A small woman leans past the taller one and says in a quiet voice, ¡°I think we might be dealing with a virgin. Have you seen how red his face is?¡± ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve seen,¡± a heavyset bearded man says with a chuckle. ¡°I didn¡¯t think this part of the world had any of those left.¡± ¡°George!¡± the tall woman said, offended. ¡°Come on, how about you don¡¯t put your prejudices out there for the new teammate?¡± ¡°Just going by¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Herbert orders. ¡°This is Dennis. He¡¯s on our team until we reach Toronto. Dennis, these are your teammates. You don¡¯t have to like all of them, but it¡¯s best if you learn to respect them. Some of them are too crass for words, but they are more experienced and can probably teach you a thing or two.¡± ¡°More than two,¡± the tall woman says, smiling. ¡°Classes aren¡¯t important on the caravan,¡± Herbert continues, ignoring her. ¡°Our job¡¯s first to keep the wagons and carts assigned to us safe. Within that, we have duties. George¡¯s our cook. Helen,¡± he nods to the tall woman, ¡°handles communications with the drivers. Maxwel gets us meat for George so we can eat.¡± ¡°Sometimes,¡± George comments. The archer nods to me while giving George the finger. ¡°Sasha is support. She deals with injuries, sickness, and anything that might keep you from doing your job. Me, Evelyn, Dax, and now you, are cheap labor. They need help with something, we oblige.¡± Evelyn is a dark-skinned woman with hair shaved close to her skull. She nods at me, but there isn¡¯t much friendliness there. Dax looks me over and smiles. I¡¯m reminded of how Rich smiled, and my hands turn sweaty and I have to fight the urge to put the wagon between me and him. ¡°No, Dax,¡± Herbert says. ¡°He¡¯s off limit.¡± ¡°Come on, Herb,¡± the man replies with a lazy smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like you go for his type.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my cousin¡¯s best friend, Dax. And unless you¡¯re blind, you¡¯re already making him uncomfortable. We will be working with him, and I can¡¯t have your¡­ lack of control make that difficult. Max, when we break for the night, can you take Dennis and help him practice his archery?¡± ¡°Sure, but I don¡¯t know how much good it¡¯ll do. My teaching skill¡¯s just seven.¡± ¡°Then think of it as a way to raise that in the process.¡± Herbert places a hand on my shoulder and guides me along the now moving carts. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you to the drivers so they know they can call on you if they need help.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Dax¡¯s jobs in the group?¡± I asked, trying not to shiver in discomfort at the memory of that look. ¡°I mean, other than labor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the sneak,¡± Dax whispered in my ear, and with a yell, I¡¯m up and standing behind the driver of the cart we are next to, while Dax laughs heartily. Chapter 24 Guarding a caravan isn¡¯t exactly boring, but it¡¯s not exciting either. We have twelve carts assigned to us, and it¡¯s our job to make sure they aren¡¯t attacked. Animals aren¡¯t a problem, since we scare them, but as soon we leave the farms behind, we are in the wild. And there are monsters there. Rich said monsters aren¡¯t afraid of people, and Herbert, who spent the afternoon at my side confirmed it. The smarter ones know better than to take on a caravan of this size, but smarts come with levels, and with those also comes power. So monster who are smart enough to stay away, can also be strong enough not to be scared of a large number of people. He added that we shouldn¡¯t be in an area with those kinds of monsters for a day or two. This close to Court, the level of the wild is low enough no monster should be a problem to beat. We walked the length of our assigned carts and back, then Maxwell took Herbert¡¯s place. On the way back from that circuit, I encounter my first monster.
Forest spider, Level 2
The smallest of the wild spiders species
Perception Check Failed
¡°You think you can take it on?¡± Max asks, pointing to it at the edge of the trees, and I equip my sword. Then take the time to resize the team screen so it isn¡¯t as distracting. ¡°Definitely.¡± I wish I had a shield. I don¡¯t rush. I watch it skitter forward, trying to get a sense of how it will move.
Perception Check Failed
So that needs a lot more work. It attacks before I expect it, but I get my sword between us, flat side impacting with it, and I push it to the side. I swing and miss. Try again to the same effect. I learn is that a longer reach than I expected as its leg pierces my side and I lose some health. It scratches me, and there goes a bit of health again, but I swing and lob that leg off. It backs and I glance at my injuries. Neither is as bad as I expected, but don¡¯t have the time to question it. We miss a lot of hits, and it¡¯s my stamina that¡¯s dropping instead of my health. Maybe a tenth, so I¡¯m good for a while. A swipe connects, and it¡¯s leaking icky gray fluid from its carapace. When I step back to catch my breath, it attacks and I manage to not be where it strikes, except for one, but it¡¯s the side of its leg that connects, so I¡¯m sent to the ground, but don¡¯t lose health. I¡¯m up and swinging, and swinging some more, and more. The only thing that happens is that my stamina goes down. On the plus side, it isn¡¯t landing any hit either. I¡¯m sweating and panting and I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s even tired as it skitters left and right, like it¡¯s planning a feint. The fight is ended with an arrow through its head and body, pinning the twitching mass in place until it stops moving. ¡°You good?¡± Max asks, stepping by me to pull the arrow out of the dead spider. I nod, panting. ¡°I would have gotten it.¡± ¡°Probably, but how about you tell me what you did wrong?¡± I narrow my eyes. ¡°This wasn¡¯t training.¡± He chuckles. ¡°All of life is training. If you can¡¯t think of it that way, I¡¯d say that as soon as we reach Toronto, you need to get on the next caravan going home.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Fine, Grandmother.¡± ¡°No idea who that is, but if she¡¯s who you¡¯re reaching for as a comparison, I¡¯ll consider myself honored.¡± With a jerk of the hand, most of the ichor flies off the arrow, then he wipes it as he motions me toward the caravan, where Sasha, Dax, and Herbert, along with the drivers on the moving carts, are looking at us. Great, this must have made quite the impression. ¡°So? Mistakes?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t take the time to plan. It¡¯s just level two and Herbert said monsters around here wouldn¡¯t be all that smart. I thought it would be easy. Then I just continued making the same mistake.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you start with shooting it with your bow?¡± ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t think of it. But I don¡¯t have arrows, so thinking about it wouldn¡¯t have done me any good.¡± ¡°So you need arrows. A quiver?¡± We reach the others and Sasha looks at my injuries. ¡°Do you have an ability that lets you soak damage?¡± she asks. ¡°No, I d¡ª Yes, I do. I have Taking it on the Nose. It makes my endurance more effective in soaking damage.¡± That was why the damage wasn¡¯t as severe as it felt. She sprinkles a powder on the injuries, then whispers words I hear, but don¡¯t that actually make sense. Part of me wants to think I understand them, that they make sense, but at the same time, I know it¡¯s gibberish. My health slowly goes up to full. ¡°Those were magical words, right?¡± She nods. ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough to do significant magic without the use of ingredients and words of power.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was how magic worked.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t all work that way,¡± she says, ¡°but I didn¡¯t take a class that gave me those kinds of bonuses.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ask,¡± Herbert instructs, and I close my mouth. ¡°I told you, class doesn¡¯t matter here. Just what you can do to help. If Sasha wants you to know what it is, she will tell you.¡± ¡°But she won¡¯t,¡± Dax says. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to join the betting pool on what it is. I have a treen on her being a necromancer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she replied softly. ¡°I told you that before.¡± ¡°And that is exactly what a necromancer would say, so I¡¯m keeping my guess. Good showing, kid. When you want pointers, come find me.¡± The grin makes it clear there¡¯s going to be more involved than him helping me fight better. I swallow and fight the urge to put someone between me and him, then he walks off. ¡°Ignore him,¡± Sasha tells me. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t do anything about the damage to your armor.¡± I look at the slice, the puncture, and wince. ¡°I take it you don¡¯t know how to repair it?¡± Herbert asks. ¡°We have people in town who take care of the guards¡¯ damaged armor. I know how to maintain it, and I have a kit, but not how to do repairs.¡± ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll introduce you to Dutches, she should be able to fix that before morning, but you¡¯re going to want to get that skill, in fact, you¡¯re going to want to get all the skill of the people who would have taken cared of helping you if you¡¯d stayed in Court.¡± I nod. I hadn¡¯t considered everything that went into maintaining what I have when on the road. ¡°Do me a favor,¡± Max says, ¡°look at your fighting skills.¡± I form the query, and¡­
Query, Skill list, Combat
Archery 4
Blocking(Shield) 16
Dodging 16
Kicking 16
Parrying 17
Punching 15
Quick-Nocking 2
Sword Fighting 18
¡°I gained two levels in sword fighting,¡± I exclaim. ¡°And one in parrying.¡± ¡°I figured that¡¯d be the case.¡± ¡°How? I mean, I know skills go up faster in the dungeon and that guards gain more in monster waves, but I thought it was just because of how much monster they had to fight. Or that it¡¯s something dungeons do.¡± ¡°Real fighting,¡± Max says, ¡°when your life is on the line, leads to learning what you¡¯re using faster. You¡¯re low level enough that you should see gains from each decent fight for a while; but that¡¯s going to slow around your second treen. It¡¯s going to take ever longer fights, or more of them, to level the skills.¡± ¡°It¡¯s why us combat types,¡± Herbert says, ¡°tend to get better a lot faster than most other classes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also why lots of us get killed pushing themselves too far too fast,¡± Max adds. ¡°And now that the lesson¡¯s done,¡± Herbert says, ¡°time to get back to our posts.¡± We hurry to rejoin our assigned wagons, and Evelyn is who I do the next circuits with. This one is spent in complete silence. Chapter 25 Dutches is a muscular woman with a kind smile and mischievous gray eyes. The whole time she looks over my damaged armor, she talks when Herbert in a way that makes me think they are together, but then she looks at me. ¡°So,¡± she says, grinning as she stretches the word. ¡°How are you going to pay for the work?¡± she looks me up and down, licks her lips hungrily and I step back, cheeks burning. ¡°Dutches,¡± Herbert says in annoyance. She laughs. ¡°Look at him blush. Sasha was right. You have a virgin on your hands.¡± ¡°Can we not talk about if I have or haven¡¯t done it?¡± I ask, then swallow. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not going to eat you.¡± She grins. ¡°Unless you¡¯re into that?¡± Is everyone out here obsessed with sex? ¡°I¡¯ll cover¡ª¡± ¡°I can pay,¡± I cut off Herbert. ¡°With money, I mean,¡± I add at her grin. And my cheeks burn again. I mean, she is good looking, but she has to be at least twice my age. And I¡¯m not staying with the caravan, so¡­ ¡°Money¡¯s good,¡± she says. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Herbert asks. ¡°The adventurer¡¯s life isn¡¯t cheap, and unlike what the stories say, money doesn¡¯t just show up around every tree.¡± ¡°I¡­received some as part of this.¡± I look for a way to explain it that won¡¯t involve lying, and can¡¯t think of one. ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you the friends and family discount,¡± Dutches says. ¡°We aren¡¯t family,¡± I point out. ¡°But we¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°We just met.¡± ¡°You do know it¡¯s an expression, right?¡± ¡°Oh. Okay, how much?¡± ¡°Adding on top of that, you got hurt defending the caravan¡ª¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Let her excuse the low price however she wants,¡± Herbert says. ¡°You have to learn to take people¡¯s gratitude. It¡¯s going to be rare enough in Toronto.¡± I¡¯m not even sure where the reticence is from. I mean, she is clearly nice, if too forward for my liking. She reminds me a little of Rich and Daz that way, although not as¡­ slimy. ¡°Let¡¯s make it a double treen and be happy with that.¡± I look at Herbert. ¡°Ouch,¡± she exclaims, hand to her ample breast. ¡°And I thought you trusted me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good deal,¡± Herbert says with a chuckle. ¡°But if you have the money, you¡¯re going to want to get yourself an enchanted repair kit until your skill¡¯s good enough.¡± I hand her the money. ¡°I¡¯ll have it for you in the morning,¡± she says, standing and turning to her wagon. She pauses. ¡°You know, I am going to be done with it at some point tonight, if you¡¯re interested in waiting for it here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back in the morning,¡± I hurry to say as the smile she gives me leaves no doubt what she¡¯ll want to do while I¡¯m there. ¡°Bye.¡± I head toward the cooking fire I see in the distance by our carts. I don¡¯t know if someone made the clearing, or if it¡¯s something the system put in place along the road, but there¡¯s enough flat ground without trees here all the carts and wagons can get off the road for the night. They¡¯re arranged in arcs between the fires and the forest, making impromptu defensive walls. ¡°You into guys or girls?¡± Herbert asks, falling into step with me, and my ears burn. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t normally pry, but the way you reacted there, and I kind of thought you were looking at Josie¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± I blurt out. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just not something I¡¯ve ever talked about.¡± ¡°Not even with your father?¡± ¡°My dad tends to make his mind up about stuff and it doesn¡¯t matter what we then tell him. So that wasn¡¯t a subject I wanted to talk about with him.¡± ¡°Friends? Josie?¡± ¡°System no!¡± What would she think of me if she knew the dreams I¡¯ve had. Herbert chuckles. ¡°Well, I¡¯m a stranger you¡¯ll probably never see again once we reach Toronto.¡± ¡°Who can report everything I tell him to Josie.¡± ¡°On the system, I promise that whatever you tell me will stay between us.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± I ask defiantly. ¡°Guys or girls?¡± ¡°Women,¡± he replies without hesitation and grins as my cheeks burn. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I finally say, ¡°if it¡¯s one or the other. I really like Josie, and Dutches is good looking, it¡¯s just the way she was so¡­¡± I see Rich¡¯s slimy smile, Daz¡¯s lewd licking of the lips. ¡°Predatory.¡± ¡°So you want to be the one going after the girl.¡± ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t know. I never did anything like that. I just¡­looked I guess. Guys too. I¡­¡± I hesitate. ¡°Wanted to, with a guy, but he turned out to be an asshole.¡± ¡°Okay. Then something you need to know about caravans. The people come and go here. Chuck¡¯s a bit of an exception in that he has fixed routes. So there¡¯s a core of people who stay; like me and my team. Dutches has also been here for a while, along with maybe half the wagons. But the rest they¡¯re like you. Traveling with us because it¡¯s safer than doing it alone. What I¡¯m getting to is that if you want to try something, this is a good place to do it. Everyone¡¯s looking for variety. The regulars always see the same people, so we look at the new arrivals as a way to change things up. We don¡¯t expect attachments or anything serious.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I nod and try to figure out how I feel about learning that. ¡°What if¡­ I think it should be serious?¡± ¡°You mean that sex is just between you and whoever you marry?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡°Then, are you sure you want to be on the road? This isn¡¯t a lifestyle that leads itself to making committed relationships.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t want to,¡± I reply, then realize I¡¯m not as certain as I sound. I do want to go back to Court after this, right? I look at the trees and things I can¡¯t quite make out darting in the growing shadows. There¡¯s danger in there, out here. And I¡¯m going to be on my own facing all of them unless I find another caravan to travel with to Kansas City. It¡¯s scary, like fighting that Warg was. But it was exciting too. And I won. It was hard, but I did. ¡°Here¡¯s my advice,¡± Herbert says when I¡¯m looking ahead, and our camp fire is closer. ¡°You don¡¯t have to have sex if you aren¡¯t ready. You tell anyone who asks, no. And if they push, you put them in their place, hard.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Daz will let me,¡± I grumble. ¡°You might be surprised,¡± then he continues. ¡°But the flip side to that is that if you come across the guy, or girl, you want to try something with, don¡¯t let what you think sex is about keep you from trying it. Out here, on the road, a lot of the rules of the settlements go away, so you get to do things you might not think you¡¯ll be allowed there. And before you think I mean just about sex, it applies to everything. The wild doesn¡¯t follow the same rules at the settlements, so you need to keep that in mind with every encounter. People aren¡¯t the same out here as they are in cities.¡± I nod and before I work out what to make of what he said; we reach the others and Max takes me aside for archery practice. He hands me a quiver to attach to my belt, then spends time showing me how to take arrows out quickly without them getting stuck. It takes a few tries before I have an arrow out without others spilling, then more to complete the motion putting the arrow to the string. Finally I go from an arrow into the quiver, to the bow and shoot at the tree Max pointed to as the target. I miss, and the arrow vanishes among the trees. ¡°Normally I¡¯d have you go find it, but there¡¯s going to be things out there that might consider you food.¡± ¡°I could use the practice.¡± I say putting my finger to the fletching of another arrow. Max snorts. ¡°It¡¯s not practice if your life is in danger; it¡¯s combat. And maybe you could take on whatever would go after you, but it wouldn¡¯t look good if we¡¯d let you die so close to town.¡± He nods and I quickly pull the arrow, and drop it. George calls out that food¡¯s ready after I shoot just under a treen arrows. Only one missed the tree. Max lets me keep the quiver and ten arrows. Food is a thick stew I have trouble believing was cooked over a fire. The meat¡¯s tender, the vegetables have just enough of a bite to them; they don¡¯t turn mushy in my mouth. And it¡¯s spiced better than anything I¡¯ve managed yet. I¡¯m resting against the log we were using as a bench while we ate, enjoying the post meal lethargy when I spot movement among the trees. The shadows are long enough, I wouldn¡¯t expect to notice anything there, then I realize it¡¯s kind of white and big. Really big. ¡°Monster!¡± I yell, hurrying to my feet, bow in hand and nocking an arrow. ¡°Easy there,¡± Herbert says, pushing my arms down, as the monster steps out from between the trees. ¡°That¡¯s just Silver.¡± I stare at him. That¡¯s not just anything. It¡¯s got to reach my chest at the shoulders. It¡¯s massive, with a long, thin muzzle. ¡°Chuck must be doing the rounds,¡± Helen says. ¡°What does that,¡± I point, ¡°have to do with Chuck?¡± ¡°They¡¯re something of a set,¡± Daz answers. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of him having a pet,¡± I reply. ¡°Silver¡¯s not a pet,¡± George says with a warning tone. ¡°And I¡¯d be careful calling him that when he¡¯s close enough to hear.¡± ¡°He might get away with it,¡± Daz says, ¡°being new and all.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that depend on if Silver fed already?¡± Sasha asks, and I look at them in disbelief. Are they seriously not worried? ¡°We¡¯re about to find out,¡± George says and nods. I look; and stare into an open maw lined with sharp teeth. With a yell I scramble back until someone stops me. ¡°While roasting yourself is a good way to keep Silver from snacking on you,¡± Herbert says. ¡°I personally don¡¯t recommend it.¡± ¡°And it looks like he ate already,¡± Evelyn says, and she has a surprisingly deep voice. The¡­thing is sitting, closing its maw and looking at us, head canted and pointed ears straight up. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Herbert urges. ¡°He¡¯s just curious about the new smells you bring.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not getting close to¡­ that.¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s scared,¡± Daz says in a mocking tone. ¡°No shit!¡± I reply. It takes a step and I try to back away, but Herbert has a hand at my back; and I feel the heat of the fire. Right. That direction isn¡¯t a good idea. When I look at it again, its muzzle is close to my neck and I stupidly close my eyes and crane my head to get that out of the way. Its nose is cold against my skin, then it sniffles. I crack an eye open and it¡¯s looking at me; bright blue eyes inquisitive. ¡°You¡¯re going to want to do something before my shirt and you back catches on fire.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± I demand, voice strident. ¡°Pushing him away could help,¡± Daz says. ¡°Help get me eaten,¡± I reply. Daz reached forward and shoves the large¡­ animal. It doesn¡¯t budge, only turns its head and yawns at him. ¡°Yeah, yeah. You aren¡¯t moving unless you want to. I know,¡± Daz tells it. ¡°How about you give the new kid space? You¡¯re scaring him. His name¡¯s Dennis, by the way.¡± It looks at me again, then steps back. ¡°It did what you said?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talented that way,¡± the man replies smugly. ¡°Silver understands us,¡± Helen says. ¡°And he¡¯s nice, if a bit pushy. He¡¯s not going to mind if you touch him.¡± The¡­ Silver sits and looks at me again. I guess that if it didn¡¯t bite Daz¡¯s hand off for trying to shove him, I should be fine, right? Its fur is surprisingly soft and thick. I step forward and sink both hands into the fur. ¡°Wow,¡± I whisper. ¡°And Silver makes another friend,¡± Daz says. ¡°I swear, he has more of those than I do.¡± ¡°Maybe if you¡¯d stop trying to sleep with all the guys you come across,¡± Evelyn says, ¡°you¡¯d manage to make some.¡± ¡°But guys are so yummy. How am I supposed to resist them?¡± ¡°With that think called willpower,¡± she snaps. ¡°But I need it for more important things.¡± ¡°What are you?¡± I whisper and realize I never got a system message about it. I don¡¯t even get a query response to my question. I focus on it, and nothing. ¡°Making more friends I see,¡± someone says, and I hurry away, hand up as if that absolved me of touching it. It snorts, then looks over its shoulder at Chuck. It yawns, before walking to him and sitting at his side. ¡°He was just getting a sniff of Dennis,¡± Herbert says. ¡°Didn¡¯t find him to his taste,¡± George adds, ¡°so I guess we have to keep dealing with him.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°He,¡± Chuck replies harshly. ¡°Silver¡¯s not a thing. He.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I hurry to say. ¡°What is he? I¡¯m not getting the usual system message when I look at an animal.¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s because he¡¯s not an animal,¡± Chuck replies, his tone no friendlier. Silver bops his head against Chuck¡¯s side and he looks at him. ¡°Hey, you might not mind, but it pisses me off.¡± I take note of the fact that not one person around the fire comments and keep my mouth shut. ¡°Anyway,¡± Chuck says, tone softening. ¡°How were things?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Herbert answers. ¡°Saw a few of the spiders at the edge of the forest, but they kept away.¡± ¡°Dennis fought one,¡± Max says. ¡°Did okay.¡± ¡°Max killed it,¡± I add, not wanting Chuck to think I¡¯m taking credit for someone else¡¯s work. ¡°I was overconfident and just rushed it. I got in a few hits, but it did too. Then Max shot it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to want to work on that always explaining thing, kid,¡± Chuck says. ¡°Glad you¡¯re okay,¡± he adds in a tone that leaves me uncertain if he means it, then he head for another group of wagons, Silver at his side. ¡°Does he really mean Silver¡¯s a person?¡± I ask when they¡¯re out of sight. The system¡¯s changed a lot of things. Before it, only humans lived here. Then it changed a lot of them into other species. Humans tend to be the largest groups around here. I don¡¯t know if we have even a dozen non-humans in Court. But I never heard of someone being¡­four-legged. ¡°No idea,¡± Max says, ¡°and I know better than to ask Chuck about that.¡± ¡°And he hears it¡ªhim?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Sasha says, then shrugs. ¡°It¡¯s not like anyone of us is going to question him about it.¡± She smiles at me. ¡°Will you?¡± I look in the direction they went and shiver at the tone he snapped at me with. ¡°No, I¡¯d like to keep on living.¡± ¡°Smart kid,¡± Daz says. ¡°Now show me how smart you are and sit next to me.¡± He pats the log. I sit opposite him. ¡°Wow,¡± Evelyn says. ¡°He¡¯s even smarter than that.¡± Chapter 26 The repair Dutches did is obvious. A section about the size of my hand around where the gash was is new leather, stitched in a matching style to the rest; and she oiled it, too.
Leather chest, Quality: Good, Type: Armor
A well-made piece of leather armor
Perception Check Failed
¡°The quality¡¯s the same as before,¡± I comment. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for having an expert doing the work,¡± she replies, sounding amused. ¡°Thank you.¡± I unequip my jacket and equip it. She snaps her fingers in disappointment. ¡°And here I was thinking I¡¯d get to see young flesh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not wearing this without a shirt underneath. It¡¯s going to get sweaty, and that makes it hard to maintain the leather.¡± ¡°I thought you had people taking care of your armor, back in Court,¡± Herbert said. ¡°Grandmother¡¯s big on making sure we know how hard everyone¡¯s job is. So we¡¯ll respect them and the work they do. And I know how to maintain my armor and what to do, so that¡¯s not going to be impossible.¡± ¡°Good to know some people are told that it¡¯s not magic that fixes thing, all the time,¡± she adds. ¡°Thank you again.¡± I pay her, and she holds my hand a little too long, but lets it go with a smile. ¡°You know where to find me if you need anything repaired.¡± She climbs into the back of her wagon, and we head to our fire, where the others are packing up and hanging the rolled tents and beddings on the side of the cart. ¡°Daz, you¡¯re with Dennis this morning.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Herbert?¡± I trail off. ¡°Sorry, but you get a turn with everyone.¡± He closes his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Daz.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± the man replies, grinning. ¡°That smiles says enough.¡± Helen says. Herbert walks to Daz and leans in, lowering his voice, but not enough. ¡°Don¡¯t scare him off. You do, and you get to explain it to Chuck.¡± I¡¯m not running off. I don¡¯t care what Daz tries, I¡¯m not going to just quit because of it. * * * * * I give Daz as much space as I can as we walk along the wagons. I¡¯m off the road proper, and this part is wet and mushy. Five more paces, and I¡¯d be among the trees lining the road. I think that would qualify as me running off. ¡°How about I make you a deal?¡± Daz says and chuckles at the suspicious look I give him. ¡°I promise to stop hitting on you if you answer my questions.¡± I snort. ¡°I¡¯m not giving a blanket yes to that.¡± ¡°Fair enough. Answer my first one, and I¡¯ll call the deal met. You can decide if you want to answer the rest afterward.¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t, I¡¯m fair game?¡± He chuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to resist you.¡± It¡¯s not like I can do anything to force him to stop. ¡°Fine. What¡¯s the question?¡± ¡°What happened to you?¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s way too broad to count.¡± ¡°What I mean is that I know I come on strong. But you¡¯re acting like instead of taking you to bed, I¡¯m going to disembowel you. That¡¯s not something that happens without reasons.¡± We walk by two carts before I work up the guts to answer him. It¡¯s not like any of that¡¯s going to make it back to Court and my dad. ¡°There was this guy,¡± I start and pause. Like ¡®guy¡¯ is enough to describe Rich. The stories make him bigger than life and seeing him in person, seeing him rescue me, made them feel truer, instead of not. ¡°He must be someone to leave you speechless after just that.¡± I shake my head to clear it. ¡°He¡¯s a lot. His name¡¯s Rich.¡± I study his face, but he shrugs. ¡°He¡¯s something of a legend among my friends, and I got to meet him. He looked at me like you do.¡± Or maybe I imagined it, hoped he did? ¡°And implied we were going to¡­ do stuff together, if I went with him.¡± ¡°He came on strong.¡± ¡°No. He came on sneakily. It was all looks and implications, and¡­ I wanted to. So I went with him. We went out of town, to the forest, and he screwed with me. He said it was in good fun, scaring me like that, and ¡­ I believed him. Then we reached this ruin and a hole. He shoved me down there and left me to die.¡± We reach the end of our carts and Daz nods to those guarding the next set. Instead of walking along theirs, they seem to be positioned every third. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You know I¡¯m not him, right?¡± he says once we turn around. ¡°That¡¯s kind of obvious.¡± ¡°What I mean is that if you agreed to my advances, I would take you to bed. Not trick you in trying to kill you.¡± That¡¯s way you say. I shrug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that was you first almost experience. I¡¯m glad you got out of it in spite of what he wanted.¡± ¡°I got lucky.¡± ¡°Still amazed that¡¯s not a stat. Luck. I know people who can¡¯t seem to get it to fall on their side and others that can¡¯t seem to ever fail.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a secret attribute. There¡¯s a lot the system doesn¡¯t show. That you only get if you give it the right query.¡± ¡°And you think asking ¡®what¡¯s my luck attribute¡¯ isn¡¯t enough?¡± ¡°Did it answer?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± We walk in silence for another cart. ¡°What do you do?¡± I ask, almost asking for his class. ¡°I guard the caravan.¡± ¡°But why? You said you¡¯re a sneak. Don¡¯t those go around planting knives in people¡¯s back?¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking assassins, who can be sneaks, but not always.¡± He is quiet and I figure that¡¯s all I¡¯m going to get. ¡°I was a different kind of unsavory character.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Surprised you aren¡¯t asking what kind I was.¡± ¡°Herbert made it clear your class isn¡¯t any of my business, and I figure that falls close to that.¡± ¡°My class is thief.¡± He grins. ¡°Thief of hearts.¡± He sobers. ¡°Pockets, buildings, doors, and windows. If there was a lock keeping me out, I had to get in. Stole money, stuff, and secrets. Those are what led to me being here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re running away from bad people?¡± ¡°No. As far as they¡¯re concerned, I¡¯m dead. Came pretty close to making it a reality too. Health bar was flashing and dropping steadily, legs were broken. They¡¯d taken everything in my inventory other than my undergarments.¡± ¡°Someone saved you.¡± He nods. ¡°Sasha saved me. Healed me enough on the spot I wouldn¡¯t outright die, then brought me to where she was staying and nursed me back to health. When I was good, she just said I could leave. Never asked I repay her, but felt kind of wrong to do that. Got in a few scraps because of my sticky fingers after that and she kept patching me up. Finally figured the best thing I could do was getaway from the temptation the city represented and joined a caravan. She stuck with me for some reason I¡¯ve yet to understand. And after a few of them, we ended up here. Met Herbert and we joined his team.¡± ¡°And the hitting on guys?¡± He laughs. ¡°I love guys, Dennis. I love every part of them. I can¡¯t help it. I see one and I just¡­¡± He smiles. ¡°I promised I wouldn¡¯t hit on you anymore, so I¡¯m going to leave it at that.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that get you in trouble? I mean, did you hit on Chuck?¡± I have no idea what the smiles he gives me means. ¡°I think my sex life is probably not something we should talk about, considering where you stand on it.¡± I open my mouth to press, then to say I¡¯m okay with it. Only to have those green eyes flash in my memory, that smile, with its promises of pleasure. The pain of landing at the bottom of the pit. ¡°What¡¯s it like growing up in a small town?¡± he asks, and the rest of our patrol is spent comparing small town versus city living. * * * * * ¡°Dennis,¡± Max calls as the carts ease off the road onto another pull-off. ¡°You¡¯re getting in more fighting training.¡± He points to the edge of the trees and I focus on the things I can see moving in the shadows.
Green Goblin, Level 3
Green Goblins are a subclass that has adapted to forest living, enjoying climbing trees, making items from leaves, and killing errant passerby
Perception Check Successful
Green Goblins travel in small bands of 3 to 7 individuals and enjoy coating their weapons with rotting meat, rendering them mildly poisonous.
¡°We need to take them on so they¡¯ll scatter and won¡¯t threaten the wagons?¡± I ask. I can¡¯t make out how many, but since I know it can be as much a half-plus treen, I figure those shadows are in the higher range. ¡°No, you¡¯re taking them on.¡± I equip my bow. ¡°Okay, but you should get ready to help. There might be as much as seven of them.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°What?¡± I stare at him as he starts to turn. ¡°I¡¯m not skilled enough to take them on by myself. You saw what happened with the spider.¡± I look at Herbert. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. They¡¯re just level three and you have a bow. You¡¯ll take them down before they get close.¡± ¡°But if they do, you¡¯re going to come to my help.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°It¡¯s only combat if you¡¯re in actual danger.¡± I find myself looking at Daz, and his expression is somber. Not a joke or an offer for him to help me, for the right price. They¡¯re serious about me taking those on alone. ¡°Can I at least get more arrows? My quiver only has twelve.¡± ¡°He has a point,¡± Daz says. Max comes to me holding a quiver. ¡°Unequip yours. You can use mine for this fight.¡±
Quiver of Unending Arrows, Quality: Excellent, Type: container, Enchanted
A quiver that supplies an archer with as many arrows as they need.
Perception Check Failed
¡°I¡¯m taking it back after your fight,¡± he warns. ¡°Where can I get one?¡± I equip it to my belt. ¡°I doubt anyone sells something like this. Or that it would be affordable. I found mine in a dungeon.¡± ¡°You went into a dungeon? How was it?¡± He motions to the tree line. ¡°You have a job to do and people depending on you to succeed. Take the time to aim.¡± I take an arrow and I¡¯m surprised to see the shadow of another remain behind, becoming solid when the one I pull is fully out. I put that out of mind as I nock the arrow and find my target. Unlike the ones in my quiver, these have large metal heads. It¡¯s standing still next to a tree, maybe a meter in height. On the slim side. I aim for its chest and take slow breaths. With the fourth one, I let go. It hits, and the goblin drops into the shadows. Sounds come, and I force myself to ignore that it can¡¯t be only seven of them to sound that loud. Fortunately, another form moves to the edge of the light and I aim. Its skin is more gray than green, with maybe brown mixed in, bald with a nose that¡¯s so large it could be a snout. It¡¯s a little stockier than the other one. Four breaths and I let go. Another hit in the chest and it drops back. This time, the legs remain visible and they twitch as I nock another arrow and wait. They go still as another one steps over them and looks in my direction. I aim, and let the arrow loose on the third breath because it lurches forward. I miss and see two more behind it. Running too. I¡¯m done aiming. Time to go with quick nocking. I fumble the first two, but get the third in and shoot. I hit the first one in the shoulder and stagger it, letting the other two overtake it. I hurry to take an arrow, fumble it, and curse. Speed isn¡¯t going to help. I take an arrow and nock it and let go. I miss, I also miss the next four, and as I reach for another arrow, it¡¯s clear I can¡¯t shoot anymore. I send the bow to my inventory and equip my sword. The one on the left has what might have been a jaw with teeth still attached, the other a short spear made of a bone with the end broken into sharp looking shards. I parry the spear, my swing missed, and block the jaw with my arm, cursing that I don¡¯t have a shield as the teeth leave marks on the leather. I kick spear holder away, swing, and miss, jaw holder, and then¡ª There¡¯s a short, thick sword in its head. Daz smiles at me as Herbert dispatches the other one. ¡°I thought I was supposed to deal with them on my own,¡± I say, offended they felt the need to come to my rescue. ¡°And you had to believe it for this to be a life or death situation,¡± Max answers, motioning for his quiver back. ¡°The downside,¡± Daz says, ¡°is that this only works once. You¡¯re going to be stuck with slow skill grown until your next real fight.¡± ¡°Which probably won¡¯t take that long,¡± Evelyn says, ¡°considering how the previous trips went.¡± Chapter 27 ¡°Everyone,¡± Herbert calls as me and Sasha end our patrol at the front of our carts. ¡°Make sure your weapons are ready.¡± He¡¯s scanning the tree line, which feels closer to the road. ¡°We just left Court¡¯s civilization range.¡± ¡°That means we¡¯re completely in the wilderness now,¡± Sasha explains. ¡°Right.¡± Settlements lower the surrounding wilderness. Grandmothers told us that multiple times, and dad can go on and on about it since it means just stepping into the forest is more dangerous than the fields lining it. But because leaving was never my plan, I never paid too much attention. ¡°Does it mean we will be attacked?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t,¡± she replies in a tone that makes me think she doesn¡¯t believe it. ¡°How do you know we¡¯re completely in the wilderness?¡± I ask Herbert, who is still scanning the tree. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing any difference.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a scout ability,¡± he replies. ¡°And can you tell how likely we are to be attacked?¡± ¡°Well, we weren¡¯t on the way to Court,¡± he answers, as if that¡¯s enough of an explanation. ¡°Go for your bow,¡± he tells me. ¡°I¡¯m more skilled with the sword.¡± ¡°But that¡¯ll put you on the front line, and I¡¯m sorry to say this, but you aren¡¯t skilled enough for it. We¡¯re not like the guards in Court, we aren¡¯t trained to look after the newest members, so you need to stay as far from the actual fighting as you can. Think of it this way,¡± he adds as I¡¯m about to protest. ¡°You¡¯re an archer, not a swordsman, for now.¡± That mollifies me; a little. Then he smiles. ¡°But don¡¯t worry about it. This will probably be an uneventful trip.¡± It¡¯d be easier to believe him if the rest of the team, as well as the drivers, weren¡¯t all on edge. Sasha taps my shoulder and we go back to our patrol. She¡¯s silent for all of it, eyes on the trees, staff in hand. * * * * * Helen is going on about how, when she grew up, her plan was to be an acrobat, travel with carnivals, wow her audience, and in the dark of the night, sneak into houses and liberate valuable items. ¡°But that wasn¡¯t to be,¡± she adds with a theatrical sigh. ¡°The system had a calling for me that involved interacting with people more directly.¡± Her class was Messenger. I didn¡¯t have to ask; she volunteered the information. It wasn¡¯t the only thing she volunteered. I get now why she¡¯s the one handling most of the communications with the drivers and other groups. System, does she like to talk. Then she falls silent. ¡°Equip your bow,¡± she whispered, scanning the trees, ¡°and pick up the pace. We need to reach the others.¡± I equip it and get an arrow ready, trying to see what she picked up as we hurry to the others. They are on alert, too. Even the carts are slowing. Which seems like the wrong thing to do. If everyone expects a problem, shouldn¡¯t they go faster to leave the area as quickly as possible? ¡°Don¡¯t you just hate the quiet?¡± Evelyn whispers? I¡¯m about to ask what she means. There are plenty of sounds around us when I realize those only come from the carts. The forest has fallen utterly silent. ¡°This isn¡¯t normal, is it?¡± I whisper, and she shakes her head. ¡°Max,¡± Herbert says, ¡°stay by Dennis.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to need arrows,¡± Max says. ¡°Whatever¡¯s coming is going to take longer than those twelve in your quiver.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t they always?¡± I ask. ¡°It¡¯s why you¡¯re going to want to buy them in bulk and get a larger quiver. Two treens is the minimum you want when you get your own.¡± We¡¯re silent as we walk beside the crawling cart. I imagine I can feel the coming attack. That any minute, there¡¯s going to be a system message announcing the start of the battle. Instead, it¡¯s the sound of trees crashing down that announces it. It¡¯s too loud to be only one, even as large as trees have to get deeper in the forest. Daz sighs. ¡°A treen we¡¯re dealing with Stogers again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bet,¡± Georges replies, ¡°since they¡¯re what¡¯s always in this area.¡± ¡°You¡¯d think there would be less of them at this point, considering how many we have to kill each time.¡± More trees come crashing down. This time, I can see those in front shudder in reaction. ¡°That¡¯s true only if the system isn¡¯t making them reproduce faster,¡± Helen says. ¡°Which we all know it does. The wilder a place, the faster it happens. Drivers! Take cover!¡± Max grabs and pulls me to the front of the next cart as more trees crash down; I can feel it in the ground now. He hooks his quiver, so it hangs at hip height. He points to the left of it. ¡°Stand there and take your time. The others will push them back when they break through the tree line. What you want is to max out your accuracy.¡± He grins. ¡°Get ready for a solid boost in your skill. This isn¡¯t going to be fast.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°About accuracy? What is the max I can take it to?¡± ¡°Technically, there is no maximum. Each second you take boosts it, but you want to shoot those bastards before they get through my friends, so five to six seconds is what I advise. Even at your skill and attributes, it¡¯s going to make each shot count.¡± I nod and trees fall into the front ones, bringing those down with them. Behind is a long stretch of downed trees, broken low, and beings¡­ Monsters¡­
Stoger, Level 2
Stogers are large creatures evolved from docile earth elementals into being with a vicious hatred for anything not made of the same material as them.
Perception Check Failed
The one I¡¯m looking at is maybe half my height, but nearly as broad, and it looks to be made of stone. There are a lot of them, but also a lot of larger ones.
Stoger, Level 5
Stogers are large creatures evolved from docile earth elementals into being with a vicious hatred for anything not made of the same material as them.
Perception Check Failed
And four fu¡ª
Stoger, Level 23
Stogers are large creatures evolved from docile earth elementals into being with a vicious hatred for anything not made of the same material as them.
Perception Check Failed
¡ªgiant ones at the back. ¡°Shoot,¡± Max orders, loosing arrows, and I take one from the quiver and aim. Even with that, my first three miss, well the Stoger I was aiming for. There¡¯s so many of them, even those hits something. My fourth one hits my intended target, then motion out the corner of my eye makes me look. Chuck is running along the carts, a metal staff in hand, Silver at his side. Instead of the harness, or the jacket and jeans I¡¯ve seen him in, The leather armor is covered with metal plates. He stops halfway between us and the fighting, then looks over his shoulder in our direction. ¡°Get ready. I¡¯m bringing one to you.¡± Max curses, as I open my mouth to ask what¡ª Chuck¡¯s gone. In his place, a larger Stoger stands there, seemingly confused.
Stogers, Level 8
Stogers are large creatures evolved from docile earth elementals into being with a vicious hatred for anything not made of the same material as them.
Perception Check Failed
In the distance, there¡¯s a boom that shakes the ground. ¡°Take it down!¡± Max yells as it turns toward the front line. I miss two shots in my hurry to fire. I take a breath and take the time to aim. Daz has turned to face it, and other guards are reaching the fighting. I fire and hit. It doesn¡¯t react and I miss three shots because it¡¯s all it took to annoy me. I take another breath, aim, and fight against being annoyed as I miss again. The next one hits, and my elation makes me miss the following shot. Two guards join Daz, and I put him, them, and my misses out of my mind¡ªI try to anyway¡ªand focus on taking an arrow, nocking it, aiming, and letting it go. At first in the Stoger Daz is fighting, then any see on the front line. This is like the monster waves in Court. Grandmother drilled into our heads that those weren¡¯t about being the one with the most kills, or the most anything. It¡¯s about playing our part, so as many people survived as possible. When the cry sounds, it takes two shots to register. Both hit their target. The glancing, when I realize it¡¯s someone that screamed, is reflexive. Then I move without thinking, sending my bow to my inventory, equipping my sword and running at the Stoger who overturned the wagon.
Stogers, Level 4
Stogers are large creatures evolved from docile earth elementals into being with a vicious hatred for anything not made of the same material as them.
Perception Check Failed
This is going to suck. I slash at its back as it grabs a woman. The tip of my sword bites and leaves a line that oozes something gray and misty. It roars and drops her to back hand me. Yep, it sucks. I land on my back, a quarter of my health gone, and the stun debuff nice and orange. It¡¯s going to be there a while if I don¡¯t do something while the Stoger lumbers in my direction. I will it away, and instead of the failed check I¡¯ve grown used to, half my willpower vanishes along with the debuff. I¡¯m on my feet, then wince. The lack of debuff doesn¡¯t mean the pain isn¡¯t there. I attack while the wagon¡¯s occupants get away, and¡­ I get my ass handed to me. I knew this was going to suck. My hits that connect pretty much all slide off its rocky hides, I avoid its first two punches, the third is a glancing blow that takes off an eighth of my health, the fourth is solid and brings my health down under a fifth, and comes with a dazed debuff. Can¡¯t focus enough to will it away. So I¡¯m watching three of it walk in my direction, only now noticing the arrows that pepper it. Well, this is it for¡ª Someone is before me. There are flashes of a sword, then just flashes as someone else joins in. Then there¡¯s four and the Stoger falls. I¡¯m able to focus when Daz crouches next to me. ¡°That was stupid. Herb told you to stay with Max and shoot arrows.¡± ¡°They were in danger,¡± I reply. ¡°Getting yourself kill isn¡¯t the smart thing to do.¡± ¡°They were in danger,¡± I reply, my tone sharper. He stops looking me over to stare. ¡°Do you have any idea how lucky you are I noticed that giant drop in your health? I was kind of busy myself.¡± ¡°They¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I got it the first two times.¡± He looks up. ¡°Anyone has healing magic? Our healer¡¯s busy with the injured at the front.¡± ¡°Down!¡± Someone yells and I bite of the scream as I reflexively hunch in on myself. Something big flies over us and crashes in the trees on the other side of the road. I look in the direction it came from and I¡¯m not entirely sure I believe what I¡¯m seeing. Chucks fighting another one of those giant Stoger. His armor¡¯s gone and when he blocks the fist coming down on him with his staff, he sinks into the ground a little, Only to then straighten, swing and knock the thing off its feet as the staff connects under its large chin. When it falls, the ground shakes. Chuck looks around, and he looks pissed. Then he walks toward the fighting. ¡°I think it¡¯s about to end,¡± someone says. ¡°What about the other two giants?¡± I ask. Daz snorts. ¡°He killed those two getting back here.¡± Someone offers me a lavish plate of food. ¡°It¡¯s going to boost your healing.¡± He helps me sit up and offers me a fork. I eat. I¡¯m not going to pass on healing help in the state I¡¯m in. As I finish, the tab for my combat log flashes; a lot. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Daz says.
You have gained a level. You are now level 3
Chapter 28
Your Archery skill has gone up. You are now level 7
Your Archery skill has gone up. You are now level 8
Your Archery skill has gone up. You are now level 9
Your Archery skill has gone up. You are now level 10
Your Archery skill has gone up. You are now level 11
Your Sword Fighting skill has gone up. You are now level 19
Your Willpower Training skill has gone up. You are now level 9
You have gained a level. You are now level 3
You have 3 skill points available. You have 1 attribute points available. You have 1 ability points available.
I whistle, then wince. My chest hurts. The meal boosted my healing speed, but I still have ways to go until my health it maxed out, therefore the pain¡¯s all gone. Five levels in archery, just from this battle. One in sword fighting, which means I must have been close to going up already, considering how few strikes I got in. And I somehow raised my willpower skill. And I¡¯m level three. So more points to spend. Not that I¡¯m spending them now. My attribute point will probably go to strength, but since I¡¯m no longer in court, I need to rethink my plan for my abilities. I have time, so that¡¯s good. The skill points will go into new skills, Definitely leather working, and I will look for those magical repair kits. Sewing seems like a good idea. Repair my clothing, along with my armor. On the battlefield, along with the Stoger¡¯s body by the carts, people are working. As soon as it was over, they descended on it and accessed their loots. There are none of exclamations of joy at whatever they find I¡¯d expect from getting spoils from a fight. There¡¯s a sense of business to the proceedings. I guess that if, as Sasha and Herbert implied, this is something that happens regularly, maybe it is just business to them. The thing that gets done once the battling is over. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the hero of the hour,¡± Sasha says, grinning as she approaches. ¡°I¡¯m surprised Daz hadn¡¯t offered to take you in and see to your injuries.¡± ¡°He promised he¡¯d stop offering that to me.¡± My ears burn at how I¡¯m sure Daz would have gone about seeing to them. ¡°He¡­promised?¡± She kneels next to me. ¡°Just what did you give him in exchange for that to happen.¡± ¡°Funny,¡± Daz says, stepping around the cart with an arm full of the nicknacks it contained. ¡°I do have self-restraint, you know.¡± ¡°I know you do,¡± she replies, placing a hand on my chest. ¡°You keep it tied up in the last wagon of the caravan. This is going to take a bit. I used up most of my mana on the field.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I say as she starts whispering almost words. ¡°This is going to be faster than the normal way.¡± I close my eyes and wait. * * * * * ¡°Careful.¡± I jerk awake as Daz keeps Sasha from tipping sideways. ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispers. ¡°I¡¯m tapped out.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°You need to stop doing that.¡± He looks at me. ¡°You going to be okay?¡± My health is just above three-quarter. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. How long was it?¡± ¡°Almost two hours.¡± He takes her in his arm and carries her away. I stand and stretch, trying not to wince at the soreness. ¡°Thank you for saving me,¡± A woman says. She¡¯s younger than I thought from the glance I¡¯d gotten of her. A few years older than me at most. ¡°Your welcome. It¡¯s what I¡¯m here for.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can do to repay you?¡± My mouth is open to protest that she doesn¡¯t have to offer herself to me like that when I realize that isn¡¯t what she means. Herbert¡¯s talk and Daz¡¯s advances have me thinking that¡¯s all the people in the caravan think about. ¡°I¡­¡± I can¡¯t think of anything. I am not going to ask for money, even if this wasn¡¯t how I was paying my way to Toronto. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I mean it,¡± I say when she looked to insist. ¡°Okay, then. If you need something.¡± She motions to the righted cart. ¡°This is where I¡¯ll be, putting everything in order.¡± ¡°Do you need help with that?¡± She looks at me. ¡°It¡¯s okay. After the excitement, I need the monotony.¡± I feel like insisting, but she¡¯s climbing onto the cart. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Herbert asks. ¡°Better than before Sasha healed me.¡± He nods. ¡°How about you tell me what was going through your head?¡± His tone is on the harsher side. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Were you looking to be some sort of hero? Gain Chuck¡¯s gratitude?¡± ¡°Someone was being attacked,¡± I reply. ¡°What was I going to do, wait for someone to show up and hope they were going to get there in time?¡± He searches my face. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°What else is there?¡± ¡°You realize you could have died, right?¡± ¡°Do I need to go through this with you, too? Daz basically called me an idiot for going to her rescue,¡± I add at his raised eyebrow. ¡°He wasn¡¯t entirely¡ª¡± ¡°She. Was. Being. Attacked.¡± I wait, and as he opens his mouth. ¡°Please tell me it¡¯s not common practice to let people die if you think you can do something to help among you people. I was starting to like some of you.¡± ¡°Dennis, it isn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°She. Was¡ª¡± ¡°I get it.¡± He sounds annoyed and amused. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡ª¡± he shuts his mouth as I open mine. ¡°It¡¯s going to get you killed,¡± he hurries to say once I¡¯ve closed it and I glare at him. ¡°That¡¯s what training is for.¡± ¡°Which you don¡¯t have. I don¡¯t know what you think sixteen in your sword¡ª¡± ¡°Nineteen.¡± ¡°What you think that does, but you don¡¯t just take on monsters you know nothing about, on your own, not with that level of skill.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t leave me on my own.¡± He places a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Dennis, go home. No matter how bad things are with your dad, getting yourself killed out here is not the solution.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not looking to get myself killed. I have a quest. Once I¡¯ve accomplished it, I¡¯m returning to Court and really hoping my dad¡¯s cooled down enough we can talk.¡± ¡°How did you end up with a quest that¡¯s taking you out of Court? I looked at the board and everything¡¯s local.¡± I start to tell him, then close my mouth. He breath out. He did say the rules were different out here. ¡°Were you close enough to hear when I told Chuck the armor was given to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking you lied.¡± ¡°Not¡­ really? The letter that was with it said I could take it, and the whole thing came with a quest. Aaron was an Explorer who died in a ruin outside of Court. But he¡¯s from Kansas City, and the quest is about delivering a letter to his family. Everything I¡¯m wearing was sort of the payment to get me to accept the quest.¡± ¡°You came across another explorer? That¡¯s kind of lucky. That¡¯s not a common class.¡± [a note. A reader pointed out that how I had Dennis get his class created the kind of loophole that changed the entire story. So while I haven¡¯t corrected the previous chapters to take into account what I am mentioning here, going forward, it is how getting a class when someone isn¡¯t in a settlement works, or even if they are in a settlement. If by the time the countdown reaches zero, the person hasn¡¯t picked a class; the system assigned them the class of the closest person to them. Along with that, to minimize the chances of it happening. The older generation has been telling stories of ¡®classless¡¯ people and the horrible life they had to endure.] ¡°It¡¯s not the kind of luck you¡¯re thinking about.¡± I sigh. ¡°I was stuck in the ruin on my choosing day. An asshole shoved me down there. I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± He nods. ¡°And when the countdown ended, the system assigned me the class of explorer.¡± ¡°It assigned it to you? I thought that if you didn¡¯t pick a class, you went classless.¡± ¡°I did too.¡± I shudder at the memory of that despair. ¡°And being an explorer felt kind of too specific, so I explored a while more and came across Aaron¡¯s body, the letter, the quest and the equipment.¡± ¡°So, the problems with your dad is because he thought you were classless?¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°His problems go way deeper than that. He figured I was a farmer, for some reason, and too pissed about me going ¡®gallivanting in the forest¡¯ to let me explain what actually happened. He was ready to sell me to one of the farmers instead. Fine, I¡¯m exaggerating, but he was in talk with one of them to take me on as an apprentice.¡± ¡°Why would your dad think you were a farmer if you were in the middle of the forest?¡± ¡°Fuck if I know.¡± The swear escapes before I realize it, but Herbert just nods thoughtfully. ¡°There was nowhere in Court I could get away from him since he knows just about everyone.¡± ¡°And your grandfather¡¯s in charge.¡± ¡°That too. So I figured the quest gave me a reason to leave for a while.¡± Herbert nods again. ¡°Alright, I guess I can see why you don¡¯t want to go back. In that case, I¡¯m going to give you some advice for when you¡¯re in Toronto, and beyond it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Finally, information about the city. ¡°In Toronto, stick to the major roads. Have your sword at your belt, but don¡¯t keep you hand close to it. You want people who pickup on your being new to the city to know you¡¯re armed, but not that you¡¯re eager to use it. That brings the constables down, and they aren¡¯t known to listen to explanations before bringing you in. And once jailed, it takes a while for the judge to see you.¡± I nod. That makes sense. ¡°You¡¯re going to Kansas City.¡± He looks up as he thinks. ¡°I think that¡¯s somewhere west, more than south. Don¡¯t go through Detroit. When you¡¯re ready to leave, go to the west end Caravan Market and find one that¡¯s going to Buffalo. At the Market in that city, you¡¯ll get one that¡¯s going to take you in that direction, if not one that goes there directly.¡± ¡°Okay. Will it be hard to find?¡± ¡°No, just have someone point you to Lake Way. Take that west and you¡¯ll hit the market.¡± He chuckles. ¡°You¡¯ll probably smell it long before you reach it, if the wind¡¯s right. But there¡¯s one thing, and this is probably the most important, if you want to survive your stay in Toronto and beyond.¡± He looks at me expectantly, and I nod. ¡°Dennis, you need to lose that hero streak of yours and start putting your survival before that of strangers.¡± Chapter 29 ¡°Welcome to Toronto,¡± Herbert announces as the road breaks out of the trees and fields of wheat open up before us. A lot of fields. There¡¯s a rough circle around Court of two kilometers that¡¯s all farms. Here, it goes as far as the eye can see. Where the horizon is filled with trees back home, this is filled with golden stalks. ¡°How many people are in Toronto?¡± I ask in awe. Court has a few thousands. ¡°System if I know,¡± he replies with a chuckle. ¡°And they need all of this?¡± Most of this has to be for trade. Back home, farmers keep some for themselves to sell at the market. I don¡¯t know how much; that¡¯s never been an aspect I cared about. ¡°I guess they do.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re impressed,¡± Daz says, saddling up to us, ¡°you need to take a tour around the periphery of the city. Really see how many of these there are.¡± ¡°You mean there¡¯s more of them?¡± He laughs. ¡°A lot more. We¡¯re at least five kay from Toronto proper, and it¡¯s like this all around it.¡± ¡°Five kilometers of farms, around the entire city.¡± I can¡¯t keep the awe out of my voice. ¡°On the land, at least,¡± Sasha says. ¡°No.¡± George joins us. ¡°On the water too. There are hydroponic fields for some of the hardier vegetables.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could grow them on water.¡± He laughs. ¡°I figure what you don¡¯t know about growing food is vast.¡± I nod, then realize the others have joined us instead of walking along the carts. ¡°We¡¯re within Toronto¡¯s civilized zone now,¡± Herbert said. ¡°Been in it for a while, actually,¡± Max adds. ¡°But this close, the chances of monsters appearing are basically nill.¡± ¡°Unless Chuck¡¯s involved,¡± Daz comments, and I look at Herbert for an explanation. ¡°Chuck is¡­¡± He searches for a while. ¡°Bad luck, in a way, when it comes to monsters.¡± ¡°Or amazing luck,¡± Daz adds. ¡°If you look at it the right way.¡± Herbert nods. ¡°Chuck draws them closer somehow. No one knows why. When I asked him, he said he didn¡¯t either.¡± ¡°But do you believe him?¡± Max asks. ¡°I do,¡± Daz says, then he gives the archer a pointed look when he opens his mouth to comment. ¡°How ever you look at it,¡± Herbert says. ¡°What happens is that his caravan is attacked by monsters disproportionately more often than any others.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t gone one back and forth on any trip since I¡¯ve been here,¡± Sasha says, ¡°without an attack like the one we had.¡± ¡°But we were in the wilds,¡± I point out. ¡°Those will happen.¡± ¡°We¡¯re never in the true wilds on a road,¡± Herbert says. ¡°Its simple existence reduces the wilderness on each side enough what should poke its muzzle out of the trees shouldn¡¯t be tougher than a level three or four Stoger, and not in the numbers we had to fight them.¡± ¡°But they came from deeper. We heard the trees fall, saw the path they made. Even with the road, the wilds are going to be higher there, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but they should be staying there. Monsters don¡¯t travel out of their zones.¡± ¡°Unless Chuck¡¯s involved,¡± Max says. ¡°No,¡± I say. ¡°Court is attacked by monsters at least twice a year.¡± ¡°Those are different,¡± Herbert says. ¡°They¡¯re monster waves. They exist to attack a settlement. They grow along with it until it¡¯s a city. Then they go away.¡± ¡°Cities have enough problems internally without needing the extra stress of being attacked,¡± George comments. ¡°So because of Chuck, monsters get pulled to the caravan¡­¡± I look down the length of it. ¡°Why are there so many carts, then? I¡¯d think that word would spread and no one would want to risk it.¡± ¡°With risks comes rewards,¡± Daz says. ¡°Or long stays in jail,¡± Sasha adds. ¡°No jail in the wild, that¡¯s the beauty of them,¡± the sneak replies with a smirk. ¡°And faster skill gain,¡± Max says. ¡°So Chuck¡¯s caravan draws a lot of people looking to fight; guards are never a problem. And because of that, merchants are willing to travel with us.¡± ¡°Not to say of the deal Chuck has with them,¡± George says. ¡°They get to keep part of what they harvest from our kills.¡± ¡°Our kills?¡± Helen says. ¡°When have you ever joined in?¡± ¡°I join in spirit,¡± George replies. ¡°I join by keeping your bellies full and morale high.¡± ¡°But yes, they get to keep some of the spoils just for harvesting them,¡± Herbert says. ¡°Why do you say harvesting? They just access their inventories and take what¡¯s there, right?¡± ¡°They haven¡¯t gone over harvesting as part of your classes yet?¡± Herbert asks. ¡°You were going to be a guard, right?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t start us on guard related stuff until we have the class.¡± ¡°Okay. Then, after you¡¯ve emptied the inventory, you can get more if you butcher the corpse. It¡¯s mostly extra meat, hides, and bones, but those with high enough skill have been known to pull out the unexpected gem, or precious ring, or something small like that, but valuable.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°How does a ring end up as part of any kind of reward for killing a monster?¡± I ask, perplexed. ¡°The system puts it there,¡± Max answers ¡°Or they ate someone who had it,¡± Helen adds. ¡°No way,¡± the archer says. ¡°No one goes in the wilds wearing something that valuable. The system throws that in as an incentive to get people to risk their lives, and to get them to spend their points on the skill.¡± ¡°That implies the system wants something,¡± Helen replies. ¡°It doesn¡¯t want anything, it¡¯s just there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡ª¡± ¡°How about we stop the religious talk before it gets to blows?¡± Herbert warns. ¡°Sorry boss,¡± Max says, and Helen smirks. There are groups of people who think the system came here for a reason. What that reason is varies from group to group. Grandpa Louis says that most of them started on the day the system appeared, and that they were those people whose lives weren¡¯t going well before that. They saw the system as the answer to their prayers that God hadn¡¯t bothered with. He had to deal with a group like that. It¡¯s how he ended up as a Commander. With a gun to his head, was the way he described it. When they started showing up in Court, he wanted them kicked out, but the Mayor said Canada was built on inclusion, and she would not start going against that. That was before I was born. We¡¯ve had a few mayors since. After one group tried to take over Base because they saw him as ¡®The Voice of the System¡¯, tolerance for those kinds of groups dropped in Court. Again, before I was born. Now adays, there are a handful of them, but they are the quiet types. They get together on the ninth of June every year and hold a celebration to remember the arrival, but beyond that, it¡¯s easy to forget they¡¯re around. ¡°So, if I want that extra stuff, I want to get Butchering as a skill?¡± ¡°Yes, if you¡¯re going to be a generalist,¡± Herbert says. ¡°Get Cryptozoology,¡± Daz adds. ¡°Knowing what you¡¯re dealing with can give your skill a boost. But that¡¯s only if you¡¯re going to be wandering around a lot,¡± he says, grinning at me, ¡°and won¡¯t always be encountering the same kind of monsters.¡± I make a mental note to get them. Just for the extra meat, it¡¯s worth it. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back to the rounds,¡± Herbert says and the others complain. ¡°We¡¯re in the city zone. Nothing¡¯s going to happen,¡± is the gist of it. ¡°Then you get to explain yourself to Chuck directly when bandits burst out of the field and you aren¡¯t ready to deal with them.¡± That silences them and they move on to walking along the carts in pairs again. * * * * * The sun is two hands spans over the horizon, if I look to the side of the Toronto skyline, when I smell something, and wrinkle my nose. ¡°Told you, you¡¯d smell the Caravan Market before you saw it,¡± Herbert says with a chuckle. ¡°You said it was on the other side of the city.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the West Market. This is the East one.¡± The road went from packed dirt to cobbled around noon. The farms were a mix of grain and vegetables, and they all had people working them. Then the field end and instead of a different one, it opens to a field of tents and wooden buildings. ¡°You¡¯re going to want to watch where you step,¡± Herbert warns me as, at the front, Chuck turns his cart onto the path leading to it. ¡°No one¡¯s ever cobbled the place.¡± * * * * * I pull my feet from the mud with a squelch. Even though I¡¯m told the rain stopped well before we arrived, there is not one dry spot, and anywhere the animals walked on, it¡¯s mud up to my ankles. I am so glad the armor¡¯s boots go up to my calves. I don¡¯t want to think about walking in this with my everyday boots would have been like. However hard it is to walk in the stuff, the animals had no problems pulling the carts. Carts and wagons left the caravan to go to tents or buildings as we progressed further in. We passed one with people lined up by the door; they were all dressed in armor and armed. When the last of the cart we guarded left, we continued on behind the ones following Chuck. Each group of guards joined us as they had nothing to guard and we were a large, mostly happy, group as we entered a fenced off area with a larger and better built building at the back. Chuck and the four carts behind him headed for a barn, and the rest of us congregated, talked and rejoiced at having made it to the city. The sun had dipped to a few fingers over the horizon when I decided I might as well go. I¡¯d reached Toronto, so there was no point in hanging around. I tried to find Herbert, or one of the others, but gave up when no one could point me to where they¡¯d gone. So here I am, a few steps into the muck and wondering if I have the strength to make it to the road, when¡ª ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Chuck demands, behind me. I turn as he approaches. He pulls his feet out with the same squelching mine did, but he doesn¡¯t seem to feel the suction. Then again, I saw him throw a level twenty-three Stoger across a battlefield. He probably doesn¡¯t even know the mud is trying to suck him in. ¡°I figured you did your part,¡± I answer hesitatingly. ¡°You got me here in one piece, so I¡¯m going to head out.¡± ¡°Just like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what else there is to do¡­ I mean, I got the sense me saying thank you isn¡¯t something you¡¯re waiting for.¡± He rolls his eyes.
Chuck Dorval wishes to Trade with you
Chuck Dorval is offering you 5000$
What do you wish to offer Chuck Dorval in return?
Next to that is a place I can put an amount, or items. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± It¡¯s not like I have anything of value; well, of that kind of value. ¡°It¡¯s your pay.¡± ¡°Pay for what?¡± ¡°What do you think? The work you did.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Wait what? ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to pay me. You said that guarding the caravan was¡ª¡± ¡°Stop it, kid.¡± He runs a hand over his face. ¡°I give you the money, you take it. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I swear, kid. You start on some explanation of why you don¡¯t deserve it, or some other bullshit like that, And I am¡­ I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯m going to do something.¡± ¡°Slap me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hit kids,¡± he replies with unexpected harshness. He takes a breath. ¡°I appreciate you might be worried there¡¯re strings attached, but I¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± I protest. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡ª¡± ¡°You can¡¯t stop, can you?¡± he asks, perplexed. ¡°It¡¯s some sort of automated response. You just have to explain how you aren¡¯t worth whatever someone else wants to give you, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No. I¡ª¡± that isn¡¯t it. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m worthless.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I protest. ¡°I helped. I even saved someone.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re refusing payment.¡± ¡°Is that why you want to give this to me? Because I saved someone? I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Not that exclusively,¡± he replies in exasperation. ¡°You¡¯re getting paid for pulling your weight in that fight. Everyone who did gets a cut of the spoils.¡± ¡°You could have said that from the start,¡± I say meekly, accepting the money. ¡°Well, no one else argues against getting it. Most people just take what they¡¯re given.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He looks at me, and I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s about to scream, or maybe hit me, even if he says he doesn¡¯t hit kids. Then he takes another breath and his expression softens. A little. ¡°Look kid. Herb told me your plans. How about I hire you full time instead? The money¡¯s good. As you saw, you¡¯ll get plenty of chances to train. I¡¯m going south after this, so it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be in Court anytime soon. Give your dad time to explode and then calm down. Your grandpa will appreciate knowing you¡¯re safe.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I have this quest to do.¡± ¡°Why the fuck am I not surprised. You¡¯re just like¡ª¡± he closes his mouth with a shake of the head. ¡°Okay, then be careful out there.¡± ¡°Do you have any advice?¡± I ask as he turns away. ¡°For the city, I mean.¡± He snorts. ¡°Don¡¯t go in. Too many people, most of them assholes. Why do you need to go in?¡± he asks. ¡°I¡¯m going to need supplies and a place to stay for the night.¡± ¡°Look around, kid. You¡¯re in the middle of a marketplace. About the only thing you can¡¯t get here is stuff you need your points to buy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of what I need to deal with, too.¡± He nods. ¡°As for the night.¡± He points to a building with lanterns hanging on each side or the door and lots of light coming from the windows in the approaching evening. ¡°That¡¯s an inn. Tell him I sent you, and remind him that if he charges you more than twenty bucks for a room, I¡¯m going in there and pounding him through a wall.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of harsh?¡± ¡°Maybe you missed that, but that¡¯s what I do. Anyway. It¡¯s just so he knows you aren¡¯t making up who sent you. Don¡¯t abuse the knowledge, kid.¡± He turns and walks away. ¡°Thank you,¡± I call after him. ¡°Don¡¯t get killed,¡± He replies, then grumble something I don¡¯t make you. It takes me five arduous steps to get on more solid ground, then I¡¯m heading for the inn¡¯s door and the hope of a good night¡¯s sleep. Chapter 30 I get most of my supplies at the Caravan Market after getting up and having a good breakfast of eggs, griffon steak and hash brown. I probably won¡¯t have griffon again, but that¡¯s what was on the menu this morning. I spent the evening going over the map of Toronto Aaron drew. The beds had sheets hung between them for privacy, and the ring provided enough light to read by. It¡¯s rougher than most of the others, with crossed out notes or ¡®this isn¡¯t there anymore¡¯ comments under the name of a merchant in the margin with an arrow to the intersection of Well Town and Young. The sense I get is that he¡¯s been to the city multiple times, and updated the map with each visit. There are no dates with the notes, so no way to know if any of them will still be around. The one note that feels important, to him at least, is in the top left. ¡°Check in at the Champlain Club¡±. It¡¯s circled and underlined. There¡¯s no arrow or an address telling me where it is, and the merchants I asked as I bought supplies didn¡¯t know of it. I managed to buy almost everything I wanted, with the longest being the second equipment slot set, because I had to stand in line at the guard recruiting office. They don¡¯t let anyone simply walk in, even if it¡¯s to use their store. It was half of what Chuck paid me; but it¡¯s worth the investment. It frees space in my pouch and I can go from clothing to armor with one thought instead of having to equip everything individually. It even lets something carry over from one set to the other, so long as I don¡¯t fill that slot. I don¡¯t have to worry about my sword going away when I get out of my armor. It does mean I have to stay in it until I leave the market. It rained during the night and the ground hasn¡¯t improved. I¡¯m not exposing my regular boots to the mud. I spent too much, probably, on a thirteen slot backpack, but if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve learned growing up with only four inventory slots, is that there is no such thing as too many of them, and it comes with a dedicated slot to hang a weapon from. Yes, pockets add two, but it only holds a half-minus treen of one item, and they come with size limitation that make them mostly useless, a good belt can have up to a half-plus treen slots with the same limitation, other than they¡¯ll take bags or packs to expand that. My belt isn¡¯t that good. Just four slots, one is taken by my pouch, one by my scabbard, one my knife, and one by my new quiver that holds two treen¡¯s worth of arrows. Another good investment, I hope. The recruiting office also offered skills, but none of the ones I wanted. With a few exceptions, like cooking, herbalism, and whittling, they were all guard and fighting related. I could have bought any of them up to a treen, if I could afford them, but I have better places for my points. Unfortunately, none of the stores within the market offered skills. They need to be of a higher tier before that¡¯s an option and other than the inn, the recruiting office, Chuck¡¯s building, and the barns for the animals, nothing looked permanent, and that¡¯s needed for a store to start ranking up. I fill my personal inventory with salted meats for really cheap. The stuff keeps for just about forever, ensuring that I¡¯m not going to go hungry, no matter if I can¡¯t catch anything while traveling. I don¡¯t find a magical repair kit among them. With the shopping I can do there done, I head for Trade Road, and walk the rest of the way to the city. * * * * * One thing Toronto is known for is the Tower. It¡¯s visible, or so I¡¯ve heard, from all over the place. Even from to other side of Lake Ontario, in Buffalo. While I can¡¯t know if that¡¯s true. It¡¯s been visible since before we reached the market yesterday, and it¡¯s there, like a guide, pointing me to the city. Even without a road, that spire with the bulb at the top would show me where to go. There are more fields once I leave the market, but they¡¯re smaller, and more varied. When water appears on my left, opening up into a large lake with trees and buildings on the other side, a sign makes my arrival to Toronto official. Welcome to Toronto. The Center of Ontario. If you are planning on staying, Follow Lake Way to York and go north Until Queen¡¯s Road and register at the City node. If you are only visiting, enjoy your stay. At least I know where I¡¯m going. The city node will have all the skills on offer. Lake Way doesn¡¯t exactly stay by the lake, but it¡¯s always in sight. What looks like barges pepper it, only they aren¡¯t moving and people are walking along gangplanks between them. I stop at some of the shops that line the road. They seem to sell just about everything, and the one selling healing foods tempts me, but I want to see about finding the emporium first. I¡¯ve had some of theirs, and I know it¡¯s good quality. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. What I don¡¯t know is how expensive they¡¯ll be. Looking at the prices for those available here; they will not be cheap. At one of them, I find out the Champlain Club in Adelaide, and that I shouldn¡¯t go there. It¡¯s not a safe place. I find it on Aaron¡¯s map, outlined by Sherburn, Richmond, Berker Way, and Elizabeth, although I think it wasn¡¯t always called that. There a short word scratched out over it. Sherburn connects to the Lake Way, but well before York. I decide to do my business before checking the club out and why it was important to Aaron. The person who told me where is it didn¡¯t know what it was about. Between the buildings are unnamed alleys and unnamed streets that are barely larger. Aaron didn¡¯t bother with them. His map seems to have only the major roads. Parliament, Sherburn, Jarvis, York, in the order I encounter them, although Sherburn wasn¡¯t a named road. It was probably drawn in because it leads to the club. Further on, according to Aaron¡¯s map, there is Spadina, Bathurst, then nothing until a box well on the west side of the city. How far it is, combined with what Herbert said, makes me think it might be the West Caravan Market. York is lined with more stores, the buildings growing taller as I approach the city node. They are four stories high when I come to a small street with a plaque and the name Pearl painted on it. I check, and that¡¯s the street the Emporium is on. I enter it, and don¡¯t see numbers on the building, which is going to make it tough to know if I¡¯m heading in the right direction, except that by looking up, I see the road ends. I ask in one of the stores and I¡¯m told Carlysle¡¯s is in the other direction, two blocks. I have to wait until the train of horse-drawn carriage pass by, then I¡¯m on the other side of the street and hurrying along. Carlysle¡¯s Healing Emporium has a large sign over the window, and there are a variety of things on display. I avoid focusing on them. I don¡¯t need the system blocking my sight with item after item. The store is in a long building that is uniform enough it might be a survivor from before the system arrived. Grandpa Louis and some of the older folks have talks about how one thing many of them appreciate since the system arrived is how buildings have personalities again, like in their youth, instead of being blank uniform boxes. The inside is large and airy, a contrast to many of the shops I visited on my way here. ¡°Welcome to Carlysle¡¯s Healing Emporium.¡± A rotund man exclaims. ¡°Where all manners of ills and injuries will be tended. Satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back.¡± ¡°Hi,¡± I reply, utterly at a loss as to how to follow that. He¡¯s older, like my dad. Dressed like many of the artisans in Court, rough clothing made to withstand spills and other wear that comes from doing their work. His is stained and burned in spots, but he wears a fine overcoat that¡¯s intact. He looks amused. ¡°And how can I help you, young man?¡± ¡°I had one of your healing bars once.¡± I look around for something can identify, but it¡¯s mostly bottles or boxes. ¡°It had the address on the wrapper, and I wanted to see if I could afford buying some. They didn¡¯t taste great, but they worked.¡± ¡°Do you have the wrapper by any chance?¡± ¡°No, I had inventory problems then. I wrote the address down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame, I offer a discount to anyone who brings them back.¡± He turns and walks toward the counter at the back. ¡°And you say it wasn¡¯t good tasting.¡± ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s true. But it healed me right up. Started as soon as I took a bite. I never had that happen before.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯s rather standard.¡± He steps behind it and pulls a large tome. ¡°It defeats the purpose of healing if you have to ingest it in totality before it will start working.¡± He leafs through the pages. ¡°The only person back home who makes healing food, makes a kind that only works once it¡¯s all eaten.¡± ¡°Ah, so he is someone so skilled his food heals, not a healer who imbues what he cooks with the ability to heal.¡± ¡°I guess? I didn¡¯t know there was a difference.¡± ¡°It would depend on the class, really,¡± he says distractedly as he reads. After the fifth page read in silence, I run out of things to look at and really¡­ ¡°what are you doing?¡± ¡°Hmm? Trying to find how you could have gotten something like that. I don¡¯t sell anything my apprentices make that is substandard.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I look around for a few seconds. ¡°Is that really something you need to do now?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± he turns another page. ¡°I was hoping to do business? Or at least find out how much a bar cost?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± He closes the book gently. ¡°My curiosity does get the better of me at time.¡± He steps around. ¡°What are you looking for specifically?¡± ¡°Something¡­affordable?¡± He raises an eyebrow. ¡°Do you have a sense of just what I sell?¡± he asks gently. I shake my head. ¡°I see.¡± He considers something. ¡°I don¡¯t normally do this, but seeing how you¡¯ve already had one that didn¡¯t meet my standard, it would be a way to unload some of my apprentices¡¯s attempts.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just offer them a lower price? Letting people know they¡ª¡± The man straightens and his face loses all joviality. ¡°Carlysle does not sell inferior products.¡± He softens slightly. ¡°What would people think?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± He steps through a door and I wait. ¡°How about this?¡± He returns with a box which he places on the counter, taking bars wrapped in unmarked brown wrappers, and placing them in a line. A few he drops back in the box. I focus on one.
Carlysle¡¯s Advanced Healing Bar, Quality: Fine
Perception Check: failed
¡°How does this not meet your standard? It¡¯s fine quality.¡± He takes something from under the counter and hand me a bar wrapped in a brown similar to the ones on the counter, but it¡¯s shinier, and decorated.
Carlysle¡¯s Advanced Healing Bar, Quality: Excellent
Perception Check: failed
¡°Nothing I sell is less than excellent in quality.¡± ¡°The one I had was in a wrapper like this,¡± I say, remembering that. He frowns. ¡°That narrows who might have been selling inferior products. It¡¯s a good thing he left and never came back.¡± He asks for the bar back and I hand it. ¡°Here is what I¡¯ll do for you. These all fine quality. Elsewhere they would go for two hundred each. I¡¯ll sell you a dozen for a thousand.¡± A quick focus confirms what he said. ¡°Why not a treen?¡± I ask. He doesn¡¯t look that old. He stares at me. ¡°Right, thirteen. You young folks got use to that a lot easier then I ever did.¡± He shrugs and takes another bar out of the box. ¡°I can do a baker¡¯s dozen.¡± A thousand takes me really close to my cut off is I want to by a skill with money. But thirteen healing bars better than the ones Rich dropped on me¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± Chapter 31 [note: A reader has pointed out I forgot about Dennis¡¯ class quest about cataloging monsters by fighting them. Going over that readjusts Dennis¡¯ level to 5. Which means he has 4 ability points to assign, 3 attribute points, and 9 skill points to assign. I am proceeding as if Dennis made a conscious decision to wait until he was in Toronto before assigning any of them. This will certainly change when I write the second draft)] The city node building is impressive, white stone with a dome on top, columns on each side of the entrance, which are doors tall enough to accommodate the giant exiting. I catch myself staring as he steps around people then force myself to stop. He isn¡¯t like in the stories my dad told me when I was a kid, where giants could touch the cloud and were vicious monsters. He¡¯s maybe 4 meters tall, dressed in well-made craftspeople¡¯s clothing. As I head for the entrance, an orc gets into an argument with a woman and I¡¯ve taken three steps in their direction when she flips him the finger and he barks laughter. Then they head away together. I need to remember that not everyone who looks inhuman is automatically dangerous, or up to causing problem. This isn¡¯t Court. I¡¯m bound to come across more of them, even if in the grand scheme of things they are in the minority. Base said that according to information he gathered on the way to reaching Court, humans, or human-looking races make out nearly seventy percent of the population. He¡¯s the first to say the number is thirty years out of date, but that for it to change significantly, it would take a system like change again. Inside, it is loud with conversation, and busy with people coming and going. The room is vast, and the whistle that escapes me has some people chuckling. There is nothing like this in Court. The largest structure is Base, and that¡¯s only true if you consider his area of influence as being the building. Other wise, his wall doesn¡¯t qualify, and then it¡¯s just regular sized buildings spread around within the wall. Even the command center isn¡¯t all that big, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever made the inside anything close to this large. He made it large enough, a few years ago, to have a town meeting, but it wasn¡¯t like this. How am I supposed to find where to go? ¡°You look like you can use some help,¡± a woman said, and I turn in her direction, only to step back with a start. A ragged ear at the top of her furred head tilts and she cants her head. ¡°New to the city, I take it?¡± I nod dumbfoundedly. She¡¯s dressed in a leather armor uniform close to those of the guards in court. It¡¯s died a deep blue for the chest and lighter for the arms, giving the impression she¡¯s wearing the chest over a shirt. On her shoulder, there¡¯s a crest, crossed swords over a rendition of the Tower. Toronto¡¯s crest. The name Liona is engraved on the left side breast of her armor. Instead of a sword, she has a baton at her belt and a hand resting on its pommel. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I mumble, then straighten and force myself to look at her face, the wide muzzle that I have no problem imagining hides vicious looking teeth. The fur¡¯s light brown, with streaks of black going around her ears. ¡°We don¡¯t have anyone looking like you in Court, and I was attack by a Warg. It wasn¡¯t a fun experience.¡± She nods like that wasn¡¯t the most idiotic thing I could have said, comparing her to a Warg. She doesn¡¯t even look like one, being on two legs and in a uniform. ¡°I can imagine it would be a harrowing experience. What are you looking to do here?¡± ¡°Get skills.¡± ¡°Points or money?¡± ¡°Both, maybe. I don¡¯t know yet. It¡¯s going to depend on if I can get everything I need with my points.¡± I shut up at the quirking up of her lips. I¡¯d rather not see her teeth. ¡°Then you want the third floor, room three-o-four to three-o-eight. The node accesses there are set to deal with both. It shouldn¡¯t be too busy, since most people buy their skill with cash.¡± ¡°Do they have access to class abilities?¡± ¡°They do, but you can¡¯t buy those with money, and you can do that from your personal connection to the system.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Yes, but I want to look at them side by side, do comparison to make sure the build I planned is going to work. I can¡¯t do that with the system¡¯s answers.¡± The smile stretches before I finish, but doesn¡¯t expose teeth. ¡°The node are general access, so you¡¯ll be able to do that.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I head to the large stairs and up to the third floor. The numbers are on brass plaques on each side of the entries. Three-o-four and five have all their nodes occupied, but six has half of them free. Unlike with Base, where I interface through a screen in the command center or in my room, or by having Base just show me what I¡¯m asking for, here the access node is a sphere floating over a table with a chair before it. I sit and touch it and a welcome screen appears. I open the journal on the table, taking out one of the pages I added before leaving court and the stylus. ¡°Show me the list of skill relating to the wilderness.¡± I don¡¯t have to speak. The man two nodes from me glances in my direction in annoyance before going back to typing and looking at the screen only he can see. Another difference from Base. The nodes use my personal interface to display the information, instead of having a screen anyone can read. I know how to write, but I¡¯ve always talked with Base, so that¡¯s what¡¯s comfortable for me. The node doesn¡¯t say anything. Neither Base nor Grandpa Louis know if their relationship is unique. In their travels, they haven¡¯t come across another military node, so they can¡¯t find out if they are all like them. What they did say is that they¡¯ve never come across settlement node that seemed to be able to be able to think. On the whole they seem to be extensions of the system, filtered down to accomplish specific tasks. Like manage a city or let people pick skills, classes when it¡¯s time, get information. Base can do all that, but he doesn¡¯t need anyone setting the node up for what it will deal with. He doesn¡¯t even need Grandpa Louis, although as the Commander, Base needs to obey him when he gives an order. Or when he sets someone else to be able to give Base orders.
System Query: Skills, Outdoors
Camouflage
Botany
Cartography
Climbing
Fishing
Hiking
Meteorology
Navigation
Prospecting
Swimming
Tracking
Trapping
Zoology
Cryptozoology
I write down meteorology and tracking next to the butchering skill, cryptozoology, leather working and fletching I already planned for. I add zoology. I doubt monsters are all I¡¯ll be killing while I travel. At least I don¡¯t plan on hunting them for food if I have other options. If cryptozoology can get me more from their corpse, then zoology should do the same with normal animals. I consider trapping, then dismiss it. That requires staying in place longer than I plan to. Camouflage is¡­I don¡¯t know how important that is to hunting. It feels more like something I want to use if I¡¯m trying to evade someone. Hiking is tougher. At it All Day lets me travel for longer without getting tired. Does it work with hiking or not? It should, I think, but neither explicitly say so. System, Does the hiking skill add to the At it All Day ability? No response. Add to that how Aether Striding opens up teleportation, and Aether striding lets me access an entirely other plane of travel, and hiking doesn¡¯t seem all that impressive anymore. Sure, in that other plane I still have to walk for a cube of treens, so I¡¯d only want it for really long distance travel. So maybe hiking would be of use, but¡­ I add sewing. If it¡¯s a good idea to be able to repair my leather armor myself, it¡¯s a better one to be able to repair my clothing. That¡¯s eight skills. I¡¯ll probably learn hiking just with all the walking I¡¯ll do. That leaves one point. Two if I decide to buy one with money. It¡¯s tempting to keep two points in reserve, but money is also good. This is harder than I expected. I buy them with points. Ultimately, money is more versatile, so something I should keep as much of that around as possible. So that¡¯s eight new skills, all at level one. I am looking at a lot of practicing for them to be of any use. No point wasting time worrying about that. Now it¡¯s on to going over my abilities properly. Chapter 32 ¡°List my abilities, divided by starting prerequisite. Show the result side by side.¡± I¡¯m surprised that four windows appear. Looking the list over, I¡¯d worked out there were three trees. I think I¡¯d put the Field Research tree inside Planning Ahead. The other surprise is just how much falls within Momentum and how few under Taking it on the Nose. When looking for abilities I could make use of as a guard, it felt like the bulk of explorer abilities fell under that one, that most of what I¡¯d put on when planning my build fell under that, instead of already being exclusively under Momentum. I already have that, and since there isn¡¯t anything after Bob and Weave, and for the dodge bonus it gives me, I still like it for my second ability. It won¡¯t be as useful if I focus on archery, but I figure there will be plenty of time when I¡¯ll have to fight close quarters. It still comes after I¡¯ve hit level five in Momentum, so my immediate decisions have to be about Field Research and Planning Ahead. Looking over the rest of the Taking it on the Nose tree hasn¡¯t changed my opinion about how it¡¯s more for showmanship than actual fighting. The Field Research tree feels geared toward the professional monster hunter, which I have no interest in. It¡¯s all boosts bases on monsters they kill. In the same vein, Planning Ahead and the rest of its tree seem to push for the archaeologist, at least the way Grandpa Louis talked about them, and the Indiana Jones movies I watched. I can see the appeal, but my goal is still to return home after this, and become a guard. Which means Momentum is still the tree I need to focus on, but I have to change how I look at it. Instead of Hit and Run, I need to open the At it all Day branch. That one outright means I¡¯ll be able to travel further in a day. The fifty percent reduction to stamina cost mean I can run instead of walk, and since it needs to be level five before the other abilities are accessible, I¡¯ll be at a seventy percent reduction, and it¡¯s only six more levels to bring it down to basically zero, letting me run as hard as I want all day long. That¡¯s definitely going to be good for getting there and back. Then Sprinting Step increases how fast I can move, and Aether Striding opens up teleportation. Blink seems more like a combat teleport, and considering I have no mana to speak off, and all the ways my speed is increased, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s going to be worth the investment needed to get my Aether attribute up to where it¡¯s going to be able to handle the kind of costs teleportation has to require. Treasure Steps and Windfall feel like the system is trying to get the archeologists to spend points in this tree, with making it easier to quickly find caches within ruins, and increasing how much they get out of it. If my goal was researching ruins, I don¡¯t know that I¡¯d want to spend ten points just to be able to start this. Launching Stride and Rebounding Leaps are definitely set as complement to Momentum, and they are tempting. Momentum might not be all that useful for traveling, and making sure I return home quickly, but there is something undeniably fun about running up a wall. With those, I¡¯d be able to get a jumping start that reaches higher and keep jumping any gaps too large to run across. Then the Hit and Run tree puts offensive capabilities in. I want to take that one. I spent so much of my life training to fight that not taking it hurts. The idea I could take it with my next level makes that even harder to resist. Which makes planning my build ahead of time even more important. I have four points and those have to go into Momentum. The one after that has to be At it all day. Then, one point in Bob and Weave as well as Hit and Run makes sense. It boosts my base defense and offense capabilities. But then, I have to put the next four points in At it all Day so I can take Sprinting Step. After that¡­ I¡¯m not sure. Increasing At it all Day and Sprinting Step feel like my best choice, boosts my traveling capabilities. But is there a point where is won¡¯t be worthwhile anymore? And that¡¯s eight level away. Who knows where I¡¯ll be by then. I¡¯ll probably be back home. Gaining levels isn¡¯t quick. I write Launching Stride and Rebounding leap under Sprinting Step with question marks. I mean, where ever I am by then, I¡¯ll deserve a treat, right? I put the page into the journal, then send that and the stylus into my inventory. I swipe the windows away and invest my four points into Momentum, then consider my attributes. I want to increase my strength. Being human average isn¡¯t great. With the three points I have, I could get it to thirteen, which would move me to the next inventory tier, and five extra slots. There would also be an increase in my damage, but nothing significant. But with the traveling I¡¯m doing, it makes sense to boost my endurance and increase my stamina. And it comes with an increase in my damage soak, so it helps my fighting too. But, that goes up each level through my class, so doesn¡¯t it make it redundant to put more points there? Fuck, why is this so hard? Split the difference? Two in endurance and one in strength? Only what¡¯s the point of putting anything there and not enough to get the extra slots? I kept bitching about not having enough inventory space, wasn¡¯t I? Even with the packs and backpack, my personal inventory is the only one that can hold two stacks per. More stuff is always better, isn¡¯t it? My pained groan has a woman look in my direction and offers a sympathetic smile. I guess I¡¯m not the only one suffering through this. Of course, now I have to wonder when I turned into such a hoarder. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going out there to pile stuff in my inventory. The goal is to deliver the letter and come home. That means focusing on traveling. Which means Endurance gets it. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Or, I could wait until I need to raise a stat. I push away from the table angrily. It¡¯s not like I need to be here to deal with that. I have my abilities lined up for my build and the skills I wanted. The attribute points I can take care of anytime I want. I stretch. Okay, how long have I been sitting here? Making my way down the stair I spot the lupine guard who helped me and head in her direction. Her ears turn before her head, then she smiles at me. ¡°Were you able to get the skills you wanted?¡± ¡°I did, and I was able to line up my abilities. I just wish my attributes were easier to deal with. I want more points so I can put them everywhere.¡± She chuckles. ¡°That¡¯s where the attribute training skills come in.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± I run a hand over my face. ¡°Do you know where I can get repair kits for leather armor?¡± ¡°Any leathershop will have those.¡± ¡°Sorry, I mean the magical kind. Dealing with all that,¡± I motion behind me, ¡°has my brain on the fritz.¡± She chuckles. ¡°You might be able to find one in a leathershop, but your best bet would be an adventurer¡¯s store.¡± ¡°Where can I find one of them?¡± ¡°Your best bet is the West Caravan Market, since there¡¯s a lot of wilderness on the west side. You might be able to find someone with a booth at Lake Crossing, but there¡¯s no guarantee there.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I take a step. ¡°Oh, do you know where the Champlain Club is?¡± ¡°The explorer¡¯s club? I know of it. It¡¯s in Adelaide.¡± She looks me over. ¡°You aren¡¯t thinking of going there, are you?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Do you know how to use that?¡± She nods to my sword. ¡°My skill¡¯s eighteen.¡± She doesn¡¯t like my answer. ¡°I can¡¯t stop you, but if you are going there, stay on your guard. The club is in the middle of that place and we have the worse time keeping crime low there.¡± ¡°Why did they put the club there if it¡¯s so bad?¡± She shrugs. ¡°It was there before the area went bad. I think it dates back to before the system, although not as an explorer¡¯s club, of course. Just be careful.¡± She hesitates. ¡°But if you are heading there, the club is someplace that will almost certainly have one of those magical repair kits. Explorers are always going places they shouldn¡¯t and getting themselves hurt and their stuff damaged.¡± ¡°Are there a lot of them?¡± She shrugs. ¡°I heard stories, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Thanks for the information.¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± she repeats in a stern tone as I walk away. Richmond is one street south of Queen; I saw a sign on my way here. Then I walk east until I reach Sherburn and¡­ okay, I can sort of see why this place has a bad reputation. The buildings on that side of the street look to have been hastily put up without anyone speaking to each other. As I walk along, looking for some way in, all I see are narrow alleys between building that are much darker than they should be, considering the afternoon sun. I reach Berkey, and go along that and the buildings continue to look in such disrepair one might fall down if I step too hard. I turn right on Elizabeth and continue to look for something that could be the club. Another right on Sherburn. And still, nothing I¡¯d be confident about walking into, all the way back to Richmond. The houses on the other side of the road have gates on their doors and windows. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll answer if I knock. I go back to Queen and at fourth store I ask someone finally knows about the Champlain Club. Or at least is willing to admit to knowing and tells me it¡¯s ¡®somewhere in the center of that rat¡¯s den¡¯. So if I want to go there, I have to go through that. Because she said in the center, I find the alley that¡¯s the most centered on Richmond and straighten as I step into it. Grandmother often said that: ¡°a lot of the time looking like you¡¯re ready to fight is enough to discourage your opponent. So be sure you look ready, and if that¡¯s not enough, make sure the pointed end goes into them before they do the same to you.¡± My hope of easily finding the club disappears when the alley makes a hard right. Then another, and a left before if come to a T-junction. On my right I see Richmond. On the left, gloom from the buildings leaning against each other and blocking the light. They didn¡¯t look more than three stories along the road, but here, it feels like they go on much higher. That¡¯s not possible within a civilized zone, right? I make the left, then come across a four-way intersection that¡¯s wide enough it might be used as a courtyard by the occupants¡­if there are any. This place is eerily quiet. I make a left, hoping to find a way toward the center again, but it goes on for a long while before there¡¯s a turn to the right. I take it. The next right will take me closer. Of course, I¡¯m forced to go left first, then left again, before there¡¯s a right. Then I hit a four-way intersection and I have no idea which way to go. I pick one. The worst that¡¯ll happen is that I¡¯m going to end up outside. No, that¡¯s not the worst that can happen, but I¡¯m not thinking about having someone, maybe something, jump me while I¡¯m in here. Oh, I really wish I hadn¡¯t had that thought. Because now I can¡¯t help feeling eyes on me and a shiver runs down my spine. I¡¯m at another intersection, wondering just where the outside is, or when someone will just assault me, when the tension is broken by a woman¡¯s scream. I run in its direction, sword drawn and the people at the back of the alley register after I¡¯ve passed it. Three, maybe four, not well dressed. It¡¯s three, I confirm when I stand in its mouth, plus the woman on the ground, clutching a ripped shirt to her chest. ¡°Stop!¡± I order, as one of them undoes his pants. The three of them casually turn to face me, would be rapist buttoning up his pants. ¡°What do we have here?¡± the man on the left says. He¡¯s like a reed and wavers like he¡¯s caught in a wind. ¡°Who cares?¡± the one on his right says, pulling a knife. ¡°We bleed him and loot his stuff.¡± He runs at me. I don¡¯t give him the chance to reach me. I have range with my sword over his knife, so I¡¯m stabbing and swinging at him, forcing him back, but I don¡¯t follow. Getting them around me gives them the advantage. If I can just draw them away from¡ª ¡°You keep an eye on her,¡± would be rapist says. ¡°But don¡¯t touch her. I go first. Remember, you get the sloppy seconds.¡± Okay, so against two, my odds are better. And Grandmother had us practice this a few times. Of course not one of us had trained to fight with someone else, so I don¡¯t know how well this is going to go, but would be rapist pulls a knife too, so I still have the reach advantage. So long as they don¡¯t throw it. I take rapid steps toward rapist, stabbing and swiping. I even manage to cut him, leaving a thin red line on his chest that¡¯s bound to get infected. Unfortunately, I get too wrapped up in my success and the other tackles me, sending my sword clattering away. My punch to his face is reflex more than anything and it hurts, but he backs off, holding his bleeding nose. He says something that sounds like a threat, but it¡¯s muffled by his hand. I straighten. ¡°How about you leave now?¡± I ask and pray they can¡¯t hear the tremble in my voice. Rapist smirks, putting his knife away. ¡°Nah. Now that we¡¯re equally armed, I think it¡¯s time you learned to mind your own business.¡± ¡°Not that he¡¯s going to mind anything after I gut him,¡± bloody nose says. ¡°Wait your turn.¡± Rapist runs at me, fist raised. I really wish I¡¯d kept hold of my sword as he pummels me. I might have blocked a few of them. I can¡¯t tell by the time I¡¯m on the ground. I was really hoping I¡¯d be able to soak punches. He grabs my hair and pulls. ¡°This is what you get for not minding your business.¡± He punches me. ¡°I want a turn at him,¡± a woman says and I try to look away as she steps before me, bare-chested, a nasty smile on her face. She rears a foot and I ready myself. ¡°Really?¡± A man says. ¡°You¡¯re going to kick a man not only while he¡¯s down but while he¡¯s held there? And here I was thinking the women of this fine city were of the decent kind.¡± Chapter 33 ¡°Fuck off,¡± The rapist says. ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say that when it comes to four on one fights,¡± the newcomer says as I pull a healing bar to my hand, ¡°evening those odds definitely concerns me.¡± I¡¯m careful as I tear the wrapper off, even if their attentions are all on him. And it isn¡¯t like they¡¯re wrong to look. The guy¡¯s tall, has to be nearly two meters and muscular. Short, messy blond hair and blue eyes, stubbles on a square jaw. Posing like he is, with his chest puffed and a devilish smile, makes for a striking figure. What he¡¯s wearing, though, doesn¡¯t strike me as ideal if he¡¯s planning on taking them on. An off-white shirt with a deer-skin vest that has lots of pockets. Definitely not a lot of protection, unless it¡¯s magical. His pants are gray jeans. His boots look to be hard leather, at least, and the backpack next to him makes me realize he doesn¡¯t have a sword, or any weapon. ¡°Then we get to kill two morons today instead of one.¡± I bite into the healing bar and make a face. It tastes worse than I remember. ¡°Murder¡¯s illegal in Toronto,¡± the guy replies, looking serious finally. My health crawls up. It wasn¡¯t that slow before, was it? ¡°What are you going to do? Turn us over to the police?¡± the woman says mockingly. The guy cracks his knuckles. ¡°Never bother with them, but it means I don¡¯t have to worry about you reporting me for bodily injuries, seeing as I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re wanted now.¡± Come on, climb already. Eating more isn¡¯t speeding the healing up. They rush him, and I force myself to my feet. I am not letting him get killed over trying to rescue me. I use the wall to support me while I reach my sword and they pound on him hard. The offensive moves I catch him do are to bat the knives out of his attacker¡¯s hands. The blade scrapes the ground as I pull it up, and the woman looks over her shoulder. Her nasty smile momentarily distracts from her exposed breasts. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him,¡± she says. Looking away from them, bouncing as she approaches, I notice how muscular her arms are. I move away from the wall, then pull my eyes up from her breasts to her face, felling my cheeks burn. ¡°I can give you the time to cover up, if you want.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She grins and shakes her chest. ¡°Not a fan of boobs?¡± I can¡¯t stop my eyes from dropping. I didn¡¯t know they got that large, not that I¡¯ve seen any exposed like that. Women in Court stay covered up in public. The one place I have seen women¡¯s¡ªwell, girl¡¯s¡ªchest is when we go swimming, and other than Felicity, who got hers first, everyone else¡¯s were barely noticeable. ¡°Or maybe you just haven¡¯t ever seen real ones before,¡± she adds. She can probably see me blush through my tan as hot as it¡¯s burning. Her sigh sounds forced. ¡°I wish I could take you for a spin and show you a good time, but I have a job to do.¡± I lunge, swords first, forcing her to sidestep. My would be rescuer¡¯s face is cut and bloody; I think he has a limp. Her punch costs me a fifth of the health I¡¯d gained and staggers me back. Fortunately, no debuffs. Can¡¯t get distracted by the other fight. I have to win this one so I can go help him. I swing to force her back as I regain my breath and how she bounces on her heel does something interesting to her¡ª I duck and slash. Focus. Don¡¯t let a pair of breast be the reason you get pounded to the ground again. She pauses to look at the thin red line along her side and smirks. ¡°Lucky hit.¡± I so wish I could contradict her. I focus on her movement, not her¡ª Her movement. I try to use them to maneuver myself toward the other fight, but she¡¯s not letting that happen. I lunge with a few thrusts, I slash, and thrust again. Then, somehow, she¡¯s way too close to me, and I see stars as her fist hits my face. I push myself off the ground, pleased that I¡¯m still holding my sword, and she helps me with a boot to my stomach, sending me up, then on my back. My health is back close to a quarter, but crawling up way too slowly. ¡°You swords people,¡± she says mockingly, ¡°and your confidence the extra reach makes you invulnerable.¡± I snort, then groan in pain. ¡°I wasn¡¯t taught to be overconfident.¡± I roll on my side and, watching her, not her¡ª Will you stop that? I push myself to my feet. ¡°So, this is what? You not being good?¡± I shrug and groans. ¡°I¡¯m just sixteen.¡± I spit blood. ¡°Only got my class a couple of weeks ago. I think I¡¯m managing okay, all things considered.¡± The look she gives me isn¡¯t mocking, more surprised and worried? ¡°Okay,¡± my would-be rescuer says, ¡°now we¡¯re going to have fun.¡± ¡°Sorry, kid,¡± she says, stepping in my direction. ¡°But I have a job to do.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°And I have to stop your friends from killing him.¡± I straighten, wincing at the sharp pain in my side. ¡°Kid, he looks way older than you, and he¡¯s about to get his ass handed to him.¡± Her statement is punctuated by the sound of a fist hitting flesh hard. ¡°You can¡¯t even stand up to me. They are going to¡ª¡± The rapist hits the wall next to me. She turns, and I see my rescuer grab one of his attacker by the head and raise his knee into it hard enough he lifts off the ground and doesn¡¯t move when he lands. ¡°Wait,¡± the last one standing says as he¡¯s grabbed by the collar. ¡°This wasn¡¯t¡ª¡± the fist in his face silences whatever he was going to say to explain what they¡¯d been doing to me. He falls to the ground, limp. ¡°You son of a bitch,¡± she snarls, running at him. ¡°Now, now, no need to insult my mother.¡± I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s too fast for him to dodge, or if he let her hit him, but he¡¯s grinning as he spins from the punch. He blocks her next one and shoves her away. ¡°Too good to hit a woman?¡± she says. He snorts, wiping the blood off his lips. ¡°Wanted the chance to say that was a good hit. Way better than what these three managed. Took way too long for them to get me down where I wanted to be.¡± He grins. ¡°You¡¯d have had me there in a couple of hits.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have you down to zero before long.¡± She runs at him. ¡°That¡¯s not happening.¡± He steps aside, then plants an elbow into her back that almost sends her to the ground. He casually turns as she regains her footing and motions for her to attack again. His head snaps to the side from the punch, but she goes staggering away from how hard he hit her. I¡¯m¡­ I mean, I know how hard she hits. And he just let her hit him. ¡°Fuck,¡± she says, panting and wheezing. ¡°This wasn¡¯t supposed to¡ª¡± He¡¯s on her, hits hard, and down she goes. He straightens and stretches like his body can¡¯t be a wall of bruises, then grins at me. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°You look worse than I feel,¡± I reply. I know. It¡¯s dumb, but it¡¯s the truth. His face is covered with blood from the cut lips and cheek and forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good, so I know I don¡¯t feel that bad. You really should have stayed down, instead of asking for more punishment.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t let them kill you.¡± I call another bar from my inventory and offer it to him. ¡°It¡¯s going to help you heal.¡± He looks me over. ¡°No offense, kid, but exactly how were you going to keep them from killing me, if there was even a chance they could have managed that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just couldn¡¯t stand there while they beat the crap out of you. It looked like you couldn¡¯t do anything against them.¡± His smirk doesn¡¯t look pleasant, with him covered in blood like that. ¡°Had to let them get in enough hits that my Grit Strike ability kicked in. That isn¡¯t as easy to do fighting people when my other ability means most of the damage they do gets soaked.¡± ¡°Taking it on the Nose?¡± I risk. I doubt explorer¡¯s the only class with Grit Strike, but there can¡¯t be that many of them. Actually, I can¡¯t remember any abilities with the same name when I was looking over what class I wanted to take. ¡°Yeah, you know it?¡± ¡°I have it,¡± I say, then add as he looked from the woman to the blood I spilled as she beat me up. ¡°It¡¯s just level one. The Momentum tree is the one I¡¯m focusing on. I took it because I figured I¡¯d be a guard, back home, and that made the most sense, but Momentum let me get out of the hole I was in, and I left home and I redid my build and realized that Taking it on the nose isn¡¯t all that great, so¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stop you right there, kid.¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Dennis.¡± ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Dennis. I¡¯m Brandon. But trust me, Taking it on the Nose is the best tree the Explorer class has. You soak damage, you hit hard, you regain stamina and you just keep on doing it over and over until you win.¡± He grins. ¡°Best tree ever.¡± I can¡¯t help the chuckle at his enthusiasm. ¡°Clearly, you like getting hit more than I do.¡± ¡°Getting hit¡¯s half the fun,¡± he replies, sounding like he means it. I offer him the bar again. ¡°You want it? Or is suffering from your injuries also part of the fun?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± He takes it and rips the wrapper off. ¡°Suffering¡¯s no good once the fight¡¯s over.¡± He takes a large bite and almost spits it out. ¡°Fucking System, this stuff¡¯s vile.¡± He looks over the bland packaging while I finish my bar. ¡°At least it works. But you can keep the rest for yourself.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a healing spell under your tree? Or have you not reached that yet?¡± ¡°Recuperate,¡± he says between bites. ¡°Got it. Also, have a proper healing spell, but with barely a treen in my Aether attribute, I don¡¯t have much mana to put into that. What are you doing in here? Definitely not the place for kids.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for the Champlain Club.¡± He opens his mouth and closes it on what I think was going to be a snarky comment. ¡°Well, you¡¯re an explorer, so I guess it makes sense, but how are you so far off the mark? The club is¡ª¡± he looks around then points ¡°¡ªa few blocks in that direction.¡± ¡°All I was told was that it¡¯s in the middle of Adelaide.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t say how to find it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they knew.¡± ¡°Who did you ask that knows where it is but not how to get to it?¡± there¡¯s a hint of suspicion in his tone. ¡°A guard in the town hall told me it was in Adelaide, and one of the shopkeepers on the other side of Richmond said it was in the center.¡± ¡°What about the person who first told you about the club? The other explorer that got you moving in this direction?¡± ¡°Oh, he¡­¡± how am I explaining that? I bring the journal to my hand. ¡°After I got my class, I found this journal. There¡¯s a bunch of maps in it, and on the one for Toronto there¡¯s a note saying to check in with the Champlain Club. Aaron, the previous owner, didn¡¯t write why or how to get there.¡± ¡°Really?¡± the suspicion¡¯s all gone. ¡°You have someone else¡¯s journal? That¡¯s cool. I figure you didn¡¯t kill him. You don¡¯t have that killer vibe.¡± ¡°I¡­ found his body.¡± Brandon nods. ¡°In a ruin, I¡¯m guessing. The wandering type explorers all tend to end that way, or so I¡¯m told. It¡¯s why I¡¯m going the fighting route.¡± ¡°So you can end on the ground at someone¡¯s feet?¡± I say before I can stop myself and I¡¯d have been ashamed if Brandon didn¡¯t burst out laughing. ¡°As if. I¡¯m the best there is.¡± He crumples the wrapper and tosses it aside. ¡°Come on, let me show you how to get to the club. I¡¯m heading there myself.¡± I grab his discarded wrapper and inventory it, then follow him. He makes what feels like blind turns to me, before stopping at an intersection and indicates something scratched in the wall. ¡°When you find this, put it to your right to get to the club, and your left to leave this rat infested place.¡± ¡°What it is?¡± I look at the scratching, tilting my head. It¡¯s not the only one there, and even if it looks like an ¡®x¡¯ over a ¡®p¡¯, I have no problem believing I saw it before and didn¡¯t notice. ¡°The club¡¯s mark. X and P, Explorer.¡± He says it like it makes perfect sense, and I take it at his word. At the next intersection, I look and find it. Then follow him, who hasn¡¯t paused. I have no idea where we are in relationship to the outside by the time the alley broadens into something resembling a road, but I can now spot the marks at a glance. The place finally feels like it¡¯s part of the world, with the sun shining down on us. The road splits, and on the outside of each fork, the buildings are like the rest of this place. Looking ready to fall over, leaning against each other, and sucking up the light. But inside the fork, the lone building there is almost bright. The white stone on the large two story building is chipped in places and broken all the way to the backing in others. The place is old and has seen hard times, but it withstood it. Where I think there used to be large windows on the ground floor, wood covers them. Not planks hammered in place to prevent the weather from coming in, but lumber put there carefully to fill the space. It might be there to keep the other occupants of Adelaide from getting in, but there was care to make it look good in the process. I follow Brandon up the stairs to the set of double doors, which he pushes in, announcing. ¡°Welcome to the Champlain Club!¡± Chapter 34 ¡°This is the lounge and dining area,¡± Brandon says. He points to the woman behind the counter that takes up half the wall on our right. ¡°She¡¯s in charge. Through that door is the kitchen. You go in, and the odds are you¡¯ll be what¡¯s served tomorrow. The cook hates people. That other door leads to the stairs and baths. Upstairs are the rooms.¡± The room is large and¡­ I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s something of an old feeling to it. Possibly the wooden floor, which is polished by people walking on it, instead of any work from the people who placed it. You can tell by how uneven it is, following path between tables and to the bar. The walls are plastered, and have paintings, skulls and tools or weapons hanging on it. Trophies? At the back, there¡¯s a larger skull over the fireplace. ¡°Is that a dragon?¡± the long muzzle, open to show pointed teeth, the elongated skull, with horns flowing back. It definitely matches drawings I¡¯ve seen. ¡°Yep,¡± Brandon says with pride, and I expect he¡¯s about to claim he put it there. ¡°First thing that got hung when the club was opened, is what I heard.¡± Okay, so maybe he isn¡¯t quite the braggart that something about him clamors that he is. Still¡­ I focus on the skull
Dragon Skull, quality: excellent, Art
A rendition of what a dragon skull might look like, by artist Ramona Vincent. Taking inspiration from other dragon-like creatures of the world, as well as ancient art of the creatures human legends claim have existed at one time, Ramona fashioned what she imagine a dragon¡¯s head might be shaped as when the world is able to support their existence.
¡°It¡¯s a sculpture,¡± I say, somehow hurt at the deception. ¡°I never claimed it was the real thing,¡± Brandon replies with a smile. Well, he¡¯s got me there. And I could have focused instead of asking. My outburst has gathered the attention of the people spread throughout the room. The half we¡¯re in has tables, maybe a treen of them. Three are occupied by men and women, one group is entirely non-human. I recognize an orc, a bear-like being and one that¡¯s scaled, but doesn¡¯t have the lizard-like head I¡¯m expecting. ¡°The club as a complete non-discrimination rule,¡± Brandon whispers when he notices me watching them. ¡°If you have a problem with them, it¡¯s best you keep it to yourself.¡± I look away before it turns into staring, and the system pops a window. ¡°I¡¯m fine with them. Court¡¯s the same way. I just haven¡¯t seen many of them. More today than in my entire life.¡± The other half, the one with the fireplace, has plush looking seats, some close to the fire, others clustered together. Other than one cluster of four people, the men and women there sit alone. Some are looking up from a book, other were staring before them. One was swiping the air, removing any doubt as to what she are doing. The other things they have in common is that they look older. Like they were born before the system. I turn to ask Brandon if that part of the room is for the old folks, but he¡¯s already heading to the counter. It¡¯s wood, the front made from one slab of wood with carved panels. The foot rest looks to be brass, or bronze, same as the legs on the stools. The woman on the other side is older, at least forty. Her skin is almost the same color as the foot rest¡¯s metal. Her hair is curly and so golden it might be glowing. ¡°Marygold!¡± Brandon exclaims as he reaches the bar, arms extended and leaning over to embrace her. ¡°How is the brightest woman in all of Toronto?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not letting a man covered in blood touch her, that¡¯s for sure.¡± She has a hand covered with a washcloth against his chest. Brandon laughs. ¡°It¡¯s not mine, and you should see the other guy.¡± She glanced at me. ¡°He looks fine, and not as bloody as you.¡± Brandon looks over his shoulder, perplexed, then grins. ¡°Not him. Him, I rescued. The one¡ª¡± ¡°You, Brandon Hills,¡± she levels a serious glare on him, ¡°rescued this young man?¡± the tone is utter disbelief. ¡°I came across some of the local rats mugging him,¡± he says. ¡°What was I going to do?¡± She looks at him. ¡°He did,¡± I say in his defense. ¡°He took on three of them by himself. I tried to help, because it looked like he was trouble there, at the start, but the woman they were going to rape kept me from helping.¡± She fixes Brandon again. ¡°It was four against one,¡± he says, with the insistence it should be explanation enough. Then he sags. ¡°I was itching for a fight and they were there.¡± ¡°There¡¯s the Brandon I know and like.¡± She looks at me. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad, kid. But I need to keep him honest, or he¡¯s going to start believing all the stuff he likes to say about himself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Brandon closes his mouth at the glare. ¡°How about you give me five dollars and you go wash up? The tub¡¯s filled and warm. I¡¯ll even have a beer and bowl of stew for you once you¡¯re done.¡± She looks at me again. ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re with him, I¡¯ll offer you the same deal if you want.¡± I look myself over and my armor¡¯s mostly blood free. She didn¡¯t hit me in the face too much, so I was spared that. I am dusty, but I¡¯d rather¡ª ¡°I¡¯ll make do with a washcloth, if you can spare one. I¡¯m actually looking to buy something. I was told I could get a magical repair kit for my armor.¡± Brandon has the money on the counter and heads to the door on the left of the bar as she looks me over, and eyebrow going up in surprise. I look at myself again. Is my armor dirtier than I think? ¡°Those aren¡¯t exactly cheap,¡± Marygold says, handing me a wet rag, ¡°and unlike what stories want you to believe, they aren¡¯t something that¡¯ll magically fix everything wrong with it. One of them is basically only good for patch up work. The worse the repair it needs to fix, the fewer times it¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to learn how to do the repairs myself, but I need something to help me until my skill¡¯s high enough the work¡¯s going to be reliable.¡± ¡°Okay. It¡¯s five hundred dollars.¡± ¡°For how many?¡± I ask, stunned at how expensive they are. Okay, so they¡¯re magical, but it¡¯s just to do patching. It can¡¯t take that much work, can it? ¡°One,¡± she replies with an expression that questions why I asked. That¡¯s a lot of money. Yes, I have it, but I have to be careful, otherwise I¡¯m going to be without when I need it the most. But, the point of this is to get ready for a long journey. I don¡¯t think I can count on someone¡¯s generosity on the next caravan I¡¯ll travel with. ¡°I¡¯ll take two.¡± She raises an eyebrow again, and a trade window pops up. It lists foods and drinks, along with equipment. The prices for what I bought at the caravan market are slightly cheaper here. The repair kits are highlighted, just under the normal ones, with the price and I select two and agree to the exchange. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I know it doesn¡¯t actually weigh anything, but my pockets feel lighter somehow. Not that my money¡¯s in them either. ¡°How about I get you some stew and a beer so you¡¯ll stop looking at me like I killed your puppy?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect things to be so expensive. And do you have something other than beer?¡± ¡°I have wines, ales, meads. First time to the big city?¡± ¡°Something without alcohol? Orange juice?¡± She stares at me. ¡°Kid¡ª¡± ¡°My name is Dennis.¡± My interruption seems to take some of the bite out of her expression. ¡°Dennis. Where are you from? Do you have any idea how expensive something like orange juice is?¡± I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m from Court. It¡¯s a few days east of Toronto.¡± ¡°Are you some rich kid, out for an adventure?¡± ¡°No. My dad¡¯s a carpenter.¡± And the son of the Commander, and I live within Base, who can make things out of other things and¡­ maybe that makes me some rich kid out for an adventure? ¡°I¡¯ll take the beer,¡± I reply, trying not to sound dejected. Then take the mug and bowl to a table trying to ignore the gazes following me. The stew is good. The beer is¡­ I¡¯m not touching that again. I eat slowly, trying to workout how I feel. I never thought of myself as different. My friends never treated me like some of the wealthier kids. Folks always treated us with respect, since Grandpa Louis is the Commander, but never like it meant that much. The mayor is treated with more reverence than Grandpa Louis, and all he does is make decisions about how the town runs. Grandpa Louis and Base basically keep us all safe. I¡¯m just like all the other kids in Court, I tell myself. ¡°I feel like a new man,¡± Brandon says, putting a bowl and mug on the table before sitting. ¡°You get that kit?¡± I nod, then wince slightly as I remember how much it cost. I feel Brandon¡¯s eyes on me. ¡°How much did she charge you for them?¡± he asks, tone cautious. ¡°Five hundred each.¡± I try not to feel the sting to wherever my money is kept. ¡°What the fuck, Marygold?¡± He exclaims, standing. ¡°I save him from muggers and you go and rob him?¡± My head snaps up. What? ¡°He didn¡¯t protest,¡± she replies. ¡°You have got to be fucking me. Have you looked at him? You see that he knows nothing about the world and you go and scam him?¡± I look down and try not to shrink. ¡°It¡¯s not my job to pamper people, Brandon. This place isn¡¯t for those who can¡¯t deal with hardships. You know that.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you¡­ Forget it.¡± He drops in his seat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, she¡­ you okay?¡± I nod. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± My throat closes up on me. My eyes sting. ¡°Look. I¡¯m sorry if what I said came across as harsh. With saying you don¡¯t know anything about the world. I hate that she took advantage of you, and when I¡¯m pissed, I don¡¯t really think about what comes out of my mouth.¡± I nod again. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t know a lot. Back home when we have to buy something, the prices are marked, and that¡¯s what we pay. If we don¡¯t like it, there¡¯s going to be someone else in town who sells it for cheaper.¡± Of course, that¡¯s mostly dad, and other folks. When I want something, I just reach into one of the inventories at home and take it out. Base doesn¡¯t let me have just anything I want. I learned that when I was younger and thought he had to give it all to me, but I don¡¯t think dad ever bought food, like the other families do. The fridge is basically always stocked. Base keeps it that way. I dry my eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was so different out here.¡± ¡°This is all I¡¯ve ever known,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Born here. Toronto I mean. On the north side. Not the best part, but we managed, then¡­¡± he trails off. ¡°Anyway. Since you¡¯re new at the adventuring thing, first tip. Always haggle. You¡¯ll be amazed at what a good story will get you.¡± He points to something hanging on the wall. ¡°I brought this in from my expedition, AK-47, circa nineteen-sixties. That¡¯s how they counted the years before the system. It¡¯s about sixty years BS.¡± ¡°Before System,¡± I say. ¡°They do teach history back home.¡± ¡°Well, when I handed it over to Marygold, and told her all it took for me to get it, that earned me a lot of good will.¡± He winks. ¡°If you get my meaning.¡± I nod, even if I don¡¯t, really. ¡°And was it true? What you told her about it?¡± ¡°Who cares?¡± He chuckles. ¡°It got me in her bed. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± I stare at him as he digs into the stew with gusto, then decide it doesn¡¯t matter how he goes about¡ªwell, I don¡¯t think it qualifies as charming her, but if sleeping with her was what he was after, it isn¡¯t my business how he goes about it. I finish my stew, then force a bit more of the beer down because I¡¯m parched. The stuff is horrible. I take the journal and look through the maps. Herbert spoke about Buffalo, and the guard indicated it was across from the lake. Aaron has to have drawn a map of it, or of how to get there. I find one with Toronto over a dot, Mont-Real over at the right edge of the paper, Detroit on the left edge and Buffalo at the bottom. No lake, but maybe Aaron didn¡¯t consider them important. At the top is a dot with Sudbury, and a question mark next to it. The lines connecting them aren¡¯t straight, so I figure they represent the actual roads. A dot a little to the right of Toronto is marked as Darlington Power Station, and I look up in its direction, knowing vaguely I¡¯m right. I think about home, and get the same thing, only now my sense I¡¯m correct is stronger. Along the route going to buffalo is a dot marked Hamilton, and closer to Buffalo, one marked as The Falls. Brandon mutters something, and I look up. A man approaches our table. He¡¯s at least in his thirties. His clothes are on the finer side. They remind me of something the mayor might wear to a function, although here there¡¯s a sense it¡¯s a more practical version, instead of just to appear wealthy. He¡¯s tall and lean. His black hair is cut short and it graying at the temple. His beard if neatly trimmer and hsd no gray in it at all. ¡°I see your father decided to get out,¡± the man tells me. He¡¯s looking at me, so there¡¯s no doubt I¡¯m the one this is for, even if it makes no sense. ¡°Xander,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back to your chair and reminisce about all those great times you claim to have had?¡± ¡°Mind your own business, Hills,¡± the man says, not looking away from me. ¡°This is between me and Sentino¡¯s kid.¡± ¡°He is my business, Poop, seeing how I rescued his ass.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Pope,¡± Xander snarls, finally looking away from me to glare at a grinning Brandon. ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to respect me, I am going to have to teach you to do so.¡± ¡°You mean have one of your flunkies beat me up?¡± Brandon says dismissively. ¡°Since you definitely don¡¯t have the guts to take me on.¡± ¡°Xander,¡± Marygold calls from the bar as the man takes a step in Brandon¡¯s direction. ¡°You know the club¡¯s rules. No fighting in here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to accompany you outside,¡± Brandon says. Xander takes a breath and steps back. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Mary. I won¡¯t be the one to break the rules.¡± He looks at me. ¡°I¡¯m going to make you a deal, kid. I¡¯m going to give you ten thousand dollars for your dad¡¯s journal.¡± Brandon whistles in amazement, and all I can do is stare at Xander in disbelief. ¡°What¡¯s in there that¡¯s worth so much to you?¡± Brandon asks. ¡°Something that¡¯s mine,¡± Xander snaps. ¡°It can¡¯t be yours if it¡¯s in that journal.¡± ¡°Sentino kept it from me. He never did anything with what he uncovered. Probably didn¡¯t even understand what he had.¡± He looks at me. ¡°So you don¡¯t either. Sell me the journal.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°What, you think that just because your dad gave it to you when he lost the balls to keep exploring it makes you an explorer like him?¡± He leans forward, and my protest dies under that hateful glare. ¡°Let me tell you something about your father I am sure he never mentioned. He was nothing more than a coward and a thief. Nothing in there is his. He stole all of that from better people than him. You hang on to that, and all you¡¯re going to do is wallow in the shit his legacy drops on you. I¡¯m doing you a service by offering to take it off your hands.¡± ¡°How about this?¡± Brandon says, cutting off my protest. ¡°We find whatever you¡¯re so interested in, and then we let all the clubs know about it and you can join everyone else going for what¡¯s left?¡± ¡°The Knox is mine!¡± Xander snaps, then straightens and glares hatefully at Brandon, who is smirking for some reason. ¡°Fuck this.¡± Before I can react, Xander grab one side of the open journal, but when he pulls, it doesn¡¯t move. I don¡¯t even feel tension in the pages as I tighten my fingers to keep him from taking it. Xander lets go. ¡°Of course, the bastard bound it to you. This is your last chance to do this peacefully, Sentino. Take my offer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Brandon said as I shake my head. Neither of them can cut me off if I¡¯m not saying anything. In the following silent glare, I speak. ¡°The journal isn¡¯t for sale. If you¡¯d come here and explained why you wanted and why, I would have shared the information with you.¡± Okay, so I wouldn¡¯t have been able to, with the journal locked until I finish the quest. But he needs to learn that being polite is more rewarding than being a demanding asshole. ¡°But after this. You can kiss whatever you want in this journal goodbye.¡± Xander leans forward. ¡°Do not cross me, kid. Your father did, and he regretted it. Ask him about that when you go crawling back home.¡± He turns and heads for the door to the stairs before I can even try for a reply. Brandon is flipping through a book, scanning the pages. ¡°Check your journal for anything mentioning the Knox in it. I¡¯ve heard the name before, but I can¡¯t place it.¡± I lower my voice. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± He looks up from his books. ¡°Why not? Your father gave it to you, didn¡¯t he?¡± I shake my head. ¡°I found it with his body. It has the map that got me here. But all the information is locked behind a quest.¡± ¡°Can I see it?¡± I hesitate, considering someone already tried to steal it, but then hands it over. As with me, only the first quarter opens. ¡°Just maps,¡± he mutters before handing it back. ¡°Look through them. If this is important enough Xander Poop was willing to pay for it, there has got to be a notation of it on one of the maps.¡± I can¡¯t help the chuckle. ¡°Brandon, I don¡¯t care what it¡¯s about. I¡¯m not going after it.¡± He stares at me, stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what the big mystery is?¡± I shake my head and he narrows his eyes. ¡°What kind of explorer are you?¡± he asks, sounding genuinely curious. ¡°The one only interested in fulfilling his promise to Aaron, then returning home.¡± He seems to have trouble processing this. He tries and fails a few times to say something, then. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± I nod, and again he has trouble saying anything. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s your choice, really. Nothing I can do about it. But I think I¡¯m going to stick by you for a while.¡± I send the journal to my inventory. ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± He snorts. ¡°That mugging I saved you from tells me the opposite, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Xander isn¡¯t going to drop this. And he isn¡¯t like those muggers. The people working with him are nasty.¡± Chapter 35 ¡°Are any of them here?¡± I scan the large room for anyone looking nasty enough to be who Brandon means. ¡°No. Xander has a strict ¡®no hired help in the club¡¯ rule.¡± ¡°He makes the rules here?¡± That¡¯s going to be a problem. Brandon laughs. ¡°He wishes. This place belongs to Marygold. She¡¯s the only one who can interface with the node. So only she makes the rules. Xander simply thinks that unless someone has the explorer class, they don¡¯t belong in here.¡± ¡°So, not everyone here is an explorer?¡± ¡°Everyone here is an explorer,¡± Brandon says. ¡°They just don¡¯t all have that as their class.¡± I look around again. This time trying to determine who has or doesn¡¯t have explorer as a class. I want to class anyone muscular as not it, but Brandon fits that description and he has the class. ¡°Then how does it work? How does Marygold know who to let in?¡± ¡°You mean other than whoever she feels like it?¡± I look at the tabletop, ignoring my burning cheeks. ¡°She mainly accepts those referred by another explorer. Then, there¡¯s bringing some sort of relic. That¡¯s how I got in. I figure you¡¯re in on account of your armor. She recognized it, just like Xander did. So she¡ªwhere are you going?¡± I step away from the table. ¡°To explain things to her.¡± He grabs my arm. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to let her think I¡¯m Aaron¡¯s son.¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably going to revoke your membership.¡± ¡°Then she revokes it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m looking to go around exploring places.¡± ¡°Then why¡ª¡± he shakes his head. ¡°Just sit down, Dennis. I have to explain a few things. If you feel you need to out yourself after that¡ª¡± ¡°I am not hiding anything. It¡¯s not my fault she made an assumption, and all I want to do is correct her, so she can decide properly.¡± Brandon plasters on a smile. ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± he calls. Marygold is watching us. He lowers his voice. ¡°Please sit down.¡± I consider wrenching my arm out of his hand. He¡¯s not holding me that tightly, but there¡¯s an edge of worry to his voice. Like he said. Once he¡¯s done, I can go explain it to her, so I sit down. ¡°Look.¡± He keeps his voice low, and I feel Marygold¡¯s eyes on us. ¡°We¡¯re going to Kansas city, right? That¡¯s quite a way from here. Clubs like this aren¡¯t just for putting up relics and bragging about the latest ruin you found. I¡¯m talking generalities, not you specifically. Each club is a place you can get equipment at reasonable prices, instead of getting gouged by the shops once they realize what you do for a living. They¡¯re places you can sleep and not worry about waking up with half your stuff missing. You can get food that isn¡¯t going to leave you sick hours later. The clubs are a lifeline for people like you and me.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not a member of those other clubs,¡± I reply, voice also low, not that I know why. ¡°So I don¡¯t see what the big deal¡¯s going to be.¡± ¡°But you are. The instant Marygold added you to the membership list here, it got updated at all the other clubs.¡± ¡°They can talk to each other? I thought only cities could, and only if¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not talking. She can¡¯t send messages through the club. The list is in the system, and every club is linked to it. Don¡¯t ask me how. It¡¯s one thing I have no interest in researching. When a club meets the criteria for being an explorer¡¯s club, they can see the list and update it.¡± ¡°Okay, but I still don¡¯t see how that affects me. You said you¡¯re coming with me to Kansas City. You¡¯re a member, so I can come in with you like I did here.¡± ¡°What about on the way back? I¡¯m not making any promises I¡¯ll return with you. No, it¡¯s not a threat. It¡¯s just how things are. I¡¯ve never been to that city. There¡¯s bound to be ruins around there to explore, creatures to fight in them. Relics to find and bring back.¡± ¡°Okay, but I¡¯m going to be higher level by then. And I¡¯m going to know the road, the places that are safe to stop, since I doubt there¡¯s going to be one of those clubs each night.¡± Brandon looks at me like he can¡¯t fathom what I¡¯m talking about. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try this. What¡¯s the big deal if you don¡¯t tell Marygold?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t earned my place here. Not that I¡¯m looking to earn one. I told you once I deliver the letter, I¡¯m going home.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°To be a guard. Yes, I got that. So if you¡¯re never going to take advantage of it, what¡¯s the problem with just letting it slide by? It¡¯s not like anyone is going to raise a stink, except Xander, maybe, but no one pays him any attention. People don¡¯t go over the list annually to see if everyone has done enough to merit staying on it. You need to screw up pretty bad to be taken off.¡± ¡°Then no one will care if I¡¯m not on it.¡± I¡¯m pretty sure Brandon covers up a groan by running his hand over his face. ¡°Are you for real?¡± I narrow my eyes. ¡°Why does it matter to you?¡± For a moment, I think he¡¯d going to make a joke. The side of his lips quiver, but he shakes his head. ¡°No one¡¯s that good of a person.¡± I snort. ¡°I¡¯m not that good. I disobeyed my dad when we got a monster wave and went to help defend it. I snuck out of town. I let my dad think I¡¯d gotten farmer as a class, instead of standing up to him and just telling him what happened.¡± I think he¡¯s amused, but his expression turns serious as I narrow my eyes further at him. ¡°Okay, then, how about if you need to protect someone?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Something tells me that you¡¯re going to have an easy time picking up lost orphans and people who are at the end of their ropes. You might even end up with someone in actual danger, like what drew you to that dead end. What if someone¡¯s hunting the person you¡¯re protecting? You just going to let them sleep in any house offering beds in whatever city you come by?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Does that really happen? Orphans are left out to fend for themselves?¡± Dad is always going on about how dangerous the world is, how people outside of Court are no better than animals. I always figured it was just to scare me. ¡°I am exaggerating,¡± Brandon admits. ¡°You don¡¯t get out much, do you? But the point is, there are bad people out there on top of monsters. You met a few of them already. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to walk away the next time it happens. The clubs are safe places. If you bring someone in, they will be protected from just about anyone short of the city¡¯s law enforcement.¡± ¡°What about another city¡¯s?¡± Brandon shakes his head. ¡°A city¡¯s rule ends at its border. It¡¯s why there¡¯s such a thriving business in bounty hunting. Cities can pay good money for the return of an escaped criminal. But it doesn¡¯t matter to the club in another city. Unless that person does something there to get them evicted. We will all stand between them and who¡¯s after them. Between who you brought to be protected and who is after them.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know the club did that,¡± I say softly. He chuckles. ¡°You didn¡¯t know anything about the club before I told you, so don¡¯t feel too bad about it.¡± Is it worth it, though? A potential safe place for people in trouble versus letting them think I¡¯m Aaron¡¯s son, therefore deserving of being part of the club? It feels wrong. It feels like lying, but not the good kind. The kind that helps someone feel better. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m not dealing with the potential situation now. I¡¯m just seeing how I feel. But Brandon¡¯s right. It isn¡¯t like I¡¯m just going to walk by someone in trouble. For all the fears about the outside my dad has, he raised me to help when I can. ¡°All right,¡± I say without as much confidence as I¡¯d like to put in. It still feels wrong to withhold information from Marygold. Instead of triumphant, Brandon looks relieved. ¡°Okay, now that¡¯s sorted, how about you find the map in all those you have that shows how to get to Kansas City.¡± ¡°I figured I¡¯d go to the West Caravan Market and ask.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m going to add very trusting to your¡­ personality list.¡± ¡°That sounds like an insult.¡± ¡°Trust me, it isn¡¯t.¡± He grins. ¡°But seriously, it¡¯s best if you know the route before getting with a caravan. They might not get there through the best way for you. Some caravans stop at every settlement on the way, instead of heading for their destination as fast as possible. Knowing how many of those there are can let you work out if that¡¯s something you need to ask about when deciding which caravan to sign on with.¡± ¡°I was told to take one going to Buffalo, and from there I¡¯d be able to find one going to Kansas City.¡± ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re going to Buffalo, then why bother with a caravan? Why not just make the crossing?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± It sounds familiar, but I¡¯m not sure why, or from where. ¡°Crossing the lake. You have to know there are boats going from Toronto to the Falls every day. There are places to sleep once we arrive, then the convoy head to Buffalo in the morning.¡± ¡°Convoy?¡± ¡°Everyone who crossed is going to the city, so there¡¯s an escort system to take them there safely. Because of the number of people, it¡¯s not too expensive.¡± ¡°What does ¡®not too expensive¡¯ mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t bother with them when I went to the city. I¡¯m quite capable of handling my own problems. And unlike most folks, I like getting into fights.¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to fight,¡± I stated, because that sounded like it was directed at me. ¡°I have no doubt.¡± ¡°I can fight,¡± I insist. He smiles. ¡°I saw how that went, remember?¡± ¡°Just because my skill¡¯s low doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t fight. The best way to train is by fighting.¡± ¡°Now, you¡¯re talking my language.¡± ¡°So we wouldn¡¯t bother with the convoy. How much is the crossing?¡± ¡°How much of a hurry are you in?¡± I close my mouth on the ¡®as soon as possible¡¯ that wants to leave it. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just that I¡¯m used to getting most of what I want without waiting, so I don¡¯t want to do that. But I do know that if I want speed, I have to sacrifice quality, or money. Dad often said to customers who were in a hurry that he could do fast. All they had to do was choose if they wanted it badly done, or expensive? Court doesn¡¯t have a lot of wealthy people. So that usually got them to agree for him to take the time needed. I also don¡¯t think that quality is something I want to sacrifice on a boat. It might just be the kind of accommodation we¡¯d have for the day, but I suspect it might also mean how well built the boat is. ¡°I¡¯d rather cross it safely and for not too much money.¡± There¡¯s pride in the smile Brandon gives me. ¡°Come with me.¡± He picks up the empty bowls and mugs. ¡°Marygold, I need you to book passage to the Falls for me and Dennis, and we¡¯re going to need rooms until then.¡± ¡°Rooms?¡± she replies, sounding surprised. ¡°What happened?¡± she looks at me. ¡°Someone out there can actually resist the famous Hills charm?¡± ¡°Marygold, I¡¯m hurt. You¡¯re right there. How could you even think I¡¯d spent time charming anyone else?¡± ¡°If you two are going to¡­ you know,¡± I say, my cheeks burning. ¡°I¡¯m going to want my own room. Otherwise, I¡¯m willing to split the cost. So long as there are two beds,¡± I add. ¡°I¡¯ll even make sure they are on opposite sides of the room,¡± she says. ¡°Come on, Marygold. That¡¯s just hurtful.¡± She grins at Brandon. ¡°What can I say. The truth hurts.¡± Chapter 36 It¡¯s two days before the ferry leaves. During that time, I¡¯m kind of stuck in the club. With Xander set on taking the journal, Brandon doesn¡¯t want me roaming outside unescorted, and he can¡¯t do it. He has to get supplies for the trip, he needs to let some folks know he¡¯s going to be out of town, and see to it we have a spot on the ferry. I¡¯ve already gotten everything I¡¯ll need, so it¡¯s not like I have a reason to go out, short of exploring the city, and I can¡¯t say I care to do that all that much. I spend some of the time going over the maps in the journal, and even come across one with ¡®The Knox¡¯ marked on it. It¡¯s south of Indianapolis, which is southwest of Toronto, according to one map of the east side of what used to be the United States. It was large enough to need two maps, each the size of a journal page folded over four times. There aren¡¯t a lot of points marked on either of them, so I figure Aaron just marked the largest cities, and then he made more detailed maps of the areas he visited. Or maybe those two he got from someone else. The city names are written in blockier letters than Aaron¡¯s handwriting. I guess it makes sense he¡¯d buy maps from others. He can¡¯t have traveled the entire continent. Maybe there¡¯s some way to make duplicates. I do get an auto-mapping ability once I reach level 26, so maybe that and a high enough drawing skill does it? I rearrange the maps based on the major cities on them. I have no idea how Aaron used to find anything in them the way they were shuffled. I also introduce myself to some of the others in the club, which garners me chuckles and odd looks. I get the feeling that¡¯s not something they do, but I¡¯m not going to be the one acting like I¡¯m better than anyone here. And this way I can make sure I¡¯m known as Dennis, instead of Aaron¡¯s son. Just Dennis, I tell them, and figure they can decide why I don¡¯t want Aaron¡¯s surname associated to me on their own. The team of non-humans is led by the orc, Wilfred. The bear like woman, she¡¯s a Bogbear, is quick to warn me to never call him Will. She¡¯s Renata. The scaled man is Patch, his species is Karlical, which I¡¯ve never heard of, but considering how long that list is, doesn¡¯t surprise me. All he¡¯ll tell me about himself, is that he¡¯s from South America. There¡¯s a fourth one with them that morning, and even mentally I fight not to describe him with the animal he resembled, until he tells me he¡¯s a rat. Ratican, he specifies, but so long as he¡¯s not the butt of a joke, he doesn¡¯t mind being referred to as a rat. He¡¯s Maurice. He¡¯s a researcher, I find out, when I ask if any of them have the explorer class. Wilfred and Renata are the bruisers and Patch is their security. None of those are classes, I figure, but I don¡¯t inquire further. The older folks are colder toward me, and I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s because of my age or the exchange with Xander. None of them are outright rude, but I¡¯m definitely left with a ¡®they¡¯d rather I not be here¡¯ sense. Marygold is the friendliest of everyone here, which I figure she has no choice, seeing how she had to deal with all of them. * * * * * ¡°Tell me you have space in your inventory,¡± Brandon says when he returns a little before lunchtime. ¡°I do.¡± I immediately shove the map I was studying in the journal as a large pack appears in his hand and he drops it on the table. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Camping equipment. You¡¯re going to need your own.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we traveling with a caravan?¡± ¡°Why do you think you wouldn¡¯t need your own tent even then?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­I have my own?¡± God, do I sound lame. How did I not think to get a tent? ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Even if you hadn¡¯t implied you think you don¡¯t need it with a caravan, you came here on Chuck¡¯s. And for as horrible as the stories are about him, they all agree that his caravan¡¯s one of the best one to travel with. I¡¯ll bet that one of them offered you a tent and made it seem like they weren¡¯t even put out by having to sleep under the stars.¡± ¡°What horrible stories?¡± I ask, surprised. I mean, Chuck is kind of intense, but¡ª ¡°He eats monsters for breakfast. You too, if you get on his wrong side. His only volume is screaming, and it takes little for his pet to¡ª¡± ¡°Silver¡¯s not his pet.¡± That stops Brandon short, and I put the pack in my inventory in the silence. ¡°Anyway.¡± He motions to Marygold. ¡°As soon as we¡¯ve eaten, we¡¯re heading out. The ferry leaves at two, and we want to be on it early unless we want to be standing the entire time.¡± * * * * * We¡¯re fifteen minutes out of Adelaide, walking along a narrow street lined with tenements when Brandon slows. He looks around. It¡¯s only us. For as big as Toronto is reputed to be, from my little experience with it, unless I was on a principal road, there weren¡¯t a lot of people around. I mean, I can hear them in the distance, but it¡¯s some ways away. He shakes his head when I open my mouth. I try to work out what has his attention.
Perception Check Successful
The message appears with my eye catching on something poking out from the side of the building ahead, then I realize it¡¯s an elbow covered with black cloth. Brandon is looking over his shoulder, so I tap him and nod to the hidden person. He responds with a nod behind us.
Perception Check Successful This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
All I make out is the jerk of a head moving back, but it¡¯s enough to tell me where that one is. It¡¯s probably also a sign they realize they¡¯ve been noticed. A series of whistles sound, and four people step out from alleys. Two before and two behind. Their dark leather armor and the swords they¡¯re holding are enough I don¡¯t have to ask what their intentions are. I switch to my armor and equip my sword and shield, then turn my back to Brandon. ¡°Armor?¡± I ask, since he¡¯s still wearing the jeans and shirt. ¡°I don¡¯t need that against people.¡± I remind myself he took on the four muggers basically on his own and don¡¯t question the decision. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight,¡± I tell them. ¡°Is there any chance you can tell us what you want and we can settle this amicably?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Brandon says and I feel his gaze on me. ¡°We¡¯ve been paid to get your journal,¡± the one on my left says. ¡°You hand it over and we have no reason to do anything to either of you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Brandon warns as I sigh. ¡°You hand it to them and they¡¯re still going to try to kill us, but then one is going to run off while we¡¯re busy and Xander gets it, no matter how this turns out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really willing to kill?¡± I ask them. ¡°Even with the punishment?¡± ¡°We¡¯re only punished if we¡¯re caught. And the dead can¡¯t say much.¡± Brandon snorts. I nod. ¡°Okay then, come take it from me.¡± I step away from Brandon for the maneuvering room, and the one I¡¯ve been talking to runs at me. I do my best. I really do. I even manage to block and parry a few of his attacks before my sword flies out of my hand. By then my health is around halfway gone and the only thought, as I get to my feet, is that I¡¯m going to have to go through both repair kits fixing all the holes in my armor. Yeah, the thought I¡¯m not going to have to worry about repairs only crosses my mind after that. I consider running, but Brandon is in no better shape than I am. Which is impressive, considering he¡¯s taking on three of them, and managed to knock one unconscious. I equip my knife and the guy before me smirks. I did land two hits, but they didn¡¯t make it through his armor. He steps forward and I ready myself to block, hoping for¡ª The sound hits so hard I stagger.
You have been Debuffed: Stunned
The icon appears, but it¡¯s white instead of a color. That means it¡¯s maintained. The sound¡¯s like that cat I heard screaming once, only so much louder and painful. The man before me shakes himself, tries to take a step and nearly falls. The sound stops, and the icon turns red. ¡°I just want to be sure of something,¡± a woman says, as I try to muster the concentration to will the debuff away. ¡°But the three of you in black, ganging up on the good-looking fighter, are the bad guys here.¡± ¡°You are so dead, bitch,¡± someone replies. ¡°Good enough for me.¡± The next sound that comes from her is nicer, then I realize its music, a violin, as the debuff vanishes.
You have been buffed: Strength of the Underdog
I¡¯m going to have to query the system about that one later, but its effect is immediate as the violinist plays. My health bar pulses as it fills and increases in size. When I step toward my still disoriented assailant, my steps feel surer. He swings and I easily block, then I slam my shield against the side of his head and he¡¯s sent off his feet. The icon is already turning green, so I don¡¯t have much time. I kick him in the face as hard as I can as he¡¯s struggled to get up, and he¡¯s on his back, unmoving. I run to help Brandon, who kicks one away, while the other holds him in a bear hug from the back. ¡°Deal with him,¡± he tells me, elbowing the one holding him. He¡¯s already to his feet and steady, so the debuff isn¡¯t affecting him anymore. Still, I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s him, or the buff that causes it, but it¡¯s like he¡¯s not quite moving at full speed as we close the distance. I see his punch coming, block it, reverse my grip on the knife, and slam the pommel into his stomach, and he staggers back. Then I know it was me as the buff vanishes in spite of the music still going on. He comes at me fast, and his fist gets by all my attempts to not be where they¡¯re going to hit except the last one, which is funny, since I can barely stand at that point. The smile on his face is nasty as he raises his fist, only to go flying back. ¡°I think you¡¯ve had enough fun,¡± Brandon snarls. ¡°It¡¯s my time to play with him.¡± Brandon looks in worse shape than I feel, but he makes quick work of the attacker, throwing in one final kick at the unconscious man. Then the music stop and I nearly fall. I¡¯m panting hard, like all this fighting is hitting me at once, which, considering my stamina¡¯s now lower than my health, might be the case. ¡°Are you two okay?¡± she asks, and I look up. There¡¯s a faint accent to her words. French, I think. She holds the violin at her side and the bow in her other hand forward, like it¡¯s a sword. She¡¯s my height, her hair¡¯s white and short. Her clothing has the ruggedness I saw the people in Chuck¡¯s caravan wearing, but seems cut to allow her better motion. ¡°Thanks,¡± I manage to say between pants. ¡°You, are a lifesaver,¡± Brandon says. ¡°I¡¯m glad I decided to avoid the major roads. I didn¡¯t realize the thugs here were quite that nasty.¡± ¡°Those aren¡¯t thugs,¡± Brandon says. ¡°I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d go so far as to hire professionals.¡± He straightens and winces as he stretches. She looks him over and smiles. Well, he is good looking. ¡°Professional what?¡± I ask. Brandon stares at me. ¡°Killers. What did you think I might mean? That they did professional dancing to go along with the lady¡¯s expert music?¡± She blushes. Killers. ¡°Why?¡± Is all I can form as the idea Xander wants me dead hits. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit?¡± She¡¯s next to me, then leads me to the wall. ¡°You too. This is going to work better if you¡¯re still.¡± When Brandon¡¯s at my side, she puts the bow to her violin and plays something gentle. At first, I think it¡¯s a lullaby, and she¡¯s trying to put us to sleep, then I notice the slow increase in my health and stamina. ¡°It¡¯s the best I can do, I¡¯m afraid,¡± she said over the music. ¡°I haven¡¯t reached the point where I can play high power healing.¡± ¡°It was looking like we were going to miss our ferry,¡± Brandon says. ¡°And that Underdog buff literally saved my life, so you don¡¯t need to apologize for anything.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I say, when he looks at me. Xander tried to have me killed. All I did. All I fucking did was tell him no. And he sent killers after me. What kind of fucking person does that? ¡°Dennis?¡± The concern in Brandon¡¯s voice breaks me out of my anger and I shake the rest loose. Being pissed isn¡¯t going to do anyone any good. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I mean I¡¯m better.¡± I smile at her. ¡°Thanks for the save. I¡¯m Dennis, he¡¯s Brandon.¡± ¡°Silver,¡± she replies and for a second, I can¡¯t believe the coincidence. Part of me wonders if she could be¡­ No, that Silver¡¯s a he, and come on, what¡¯s more likely? That a woman with white hair would call herself Silver, or that Chuck¡¯s companion could transform into a woman and then come save my ass. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Brandon asks, and I shake myself again. ¡°Yeah, sorry. It¡¯s just that I met another Silver recently.¡± ¡°She as good looking as our rescuer?¡± ¡°He,¡± I reply while she blushes hard. Of course, now I look her over again. She¡¯s slim, but not thin. Her face is heart-shaped, her lips full, nice blue eyes. Somehow, she blushes harder once he notices me looking, and I look away. Brandon grins at me, and now I¡¯m the one blushing. ¡°Did you find anything about that Knox place?¡± I ask so I don¡¯t have to think about how I stared at her, and he caught me doing it. ¡°Why would you think I¡¯d look into it?¡± ¡°Call it a hunch. If it helps, I found a map with it on it.¡± ¡°Why would that help?¡± Brandon asks, tone suspicious. Instead of answering him, I look at Silver, who¡¯s back to her naturally lightly tanned coloring. ¡°I know we don¡¯t actually know each other, and you probably have plans already, but seeing how you saved our lives, and I think someone who can heal us is going to be of help with what I¡¯m planning, would you be interested in going on an adventure with me?¡± She blushes again. ¡°What are you planning?¡± Brandon asks, and this time, there¡¯s eagerness in his voice. ¡°Xander tried to have me killed to get whatever is in The Knox. I say we pay him back by going there, finding it and dropping it off at the first explorer club we find so he can get news of it.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± then his expression dropped. ¡°Oh Fuck. We¡¯re going to need more help.¡± Chapter 37 The first thing Silver does is correct my pronunciation of Mont-Real. I¡¯d just asked if she was from there, based on her accent, and I pronounced it the way I¡¯ve always heard it said, ¡°mount¡±, as in a small mountain. And then ¡°real¡± as in something that is real instead of imaginary. Turns out, she¡¯s sensitive about it, it¡¯s ¡°mon¡± the ¡®T¡¯ is silent. ¡°Real¡± is with an accent on the ¡®e¡¯. ¡°Reh-al¡±; so ¡°Mon-reh-al¡±. Once she¡¯s happy with my pronunciation, she accepts my invitation to adventure, and Brandon stares. ¡°You said we needed someone else,¡± I point out. ¡°She¡¯s not who I have in mind,¡± he replies. ¡°And she doesn¡¯t know us, so just why does she want to come?¡± ¡°She¡¯s right there,¡± I tell him. ¡°How about you ask her directly?¡± ¡°I want an adventure,¡± she says before Brandon asks, which annoys me. After treating her like she wasn¡¯t there, he should have had to address her directly. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± he replies. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one going out gallivanting for a chance to fight monster and discover relics?¡± I ask. ¡°That¡¯s not the same. I¡¯m an explorer.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m a bard,¡± she replies before I can point out not everyone who goes out exploring as the class. ¡°I don¡¯t see how that explains tagging along,¡± he says. ¡°Brandon, how about maybe she just wants to help?¡± ¡°How about you let me defend myself?¡± she says, amused, and my face burns. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Brandon says, smirking. ¡°I¡¯m a bard.¡± ¡°You all¡ª¡± ¡°A bard needs stories,¡± she cuts him off. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to just repeat the stories I¡¯ve been taught. I want to have stories of my own. And that means going on my own adventures.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t the trip here adventure enough for you?¡± Brandon asks. ¡°Okay, what is your problem with her?¡± I demand. ¡°People don¡¯t just hook up with strangers to ¡®go on adventures¡¯,¡± he replies. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you did with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± He closes his mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t know her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know you.¡± ¡°I saved your life!¡± ¡°She saved ours.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t¡­. I could have¡­¡± he lets out a growl of frustration then gets to his feet. ¡°What¡¯s your health like?¡± I ask. Mine¡¯s a stopped increasing little under a third. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± I stand and offer him a healing bar. ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°I know Grit Strike needs you to be hurt to kick in, but we¡¯re in the city. Do you think Xander hired an entire army to kill me, or did we, well you, take care of them?¡± He tries to calm himself, I can see that; not that I understand why he¡¯s angry. When he takes the bar from my hand, it isn¡¯t quite a snatch, but the ripping of the wrapper isn¡¯t gentle. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Come on,¡± he instructs before biting into it and starts walking. I chew on mine as I follow. ¡°Didn¡¯t anything happen on the trip from Montreal that you can tell stories about?¡± I ask Silver, making sure to pronounce the name of the city correctly. ¡°I traveled with a caravan. I entertained them once we stopped for the day. The most adventurous thing to happen was some of them getting sick from food that had gone bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I¡¯m at a loss as to what to say. ¡°So, what¡¯s at the Knox?¡± she asks. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Brandon, did you learn anything about the Knox?¡± ¡°No.¡± He slows his pace and we catch up to him. ¡°Look, Silver. I¡¯m sorry for my reaction. I¡¯m not used to someone offering to help for nothing.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t for nothing,¡± she replies. ¡°I get something from it. I get my own stories to tell.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that means as much to her as¡ª¡± ¡°Dennis,¡± he cuts me off, sounding slightly exasperated. ¡°I know that stories are currency. Alright. You can heal, buff and debuff. How are you in one-on-one combat?¡± ¡°I do my best to avoid getting into actual fights.¡± ¡°You get that adventures nearly always end up in fights, right?¡± ¡°I can help you by weakening the enemy. I can buff you a little.¡± ¡°What level are you?¡± Brandon asks. She hesitates. ¡°Five.¡± ¡°Same as me!¡± I grin and she brightens. Brandon sighs. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t use that as a reason. Does your class come with any offensive ability?¡± ¡°Unless you mean me offending someone, no. I¡¯m not the kind of bard that belongs on the battlefield.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re pure support. You have mana. Does your class limit the spells you can get?¡± ¡°No. Although it gives me boosts to certain types, like illusion and emotions magic.¡± ¡°Then are you willing to spend points on attack magic if you get the chance?¡± She hesitates, then nods. ¡°I want to be helpful.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Brandon sounds mollified. ¡°Do you have available spell points?¡± ¡°No. I spent them before leaving Montreal.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll see to it you have some by the time we reach the next city.¡± He looks at me. ¡°It¡¯s going to have to be Detroit.¡± ¡°I was warned not to go there,¡± I reply, as Silver lets out an impressed ¡®oh¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories about it,¡± she says. ¡°And they¡¯re probably all true,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Which includes the ones about it having the largest archive of information available on this side of the continent.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a city of thieves and murderers?¡± I ask. ¡°Oh yeah. It is not a city for the faint of heart. But if there¡¯s any information on the Knox out there, that¡¯s where we¡¯re going to find it.¡± * * * * * We stick to main streets as we cross the city north and slightly westward. The buildings improve, drop in quality, go up again, and by the time we turn onto a smaller street, I¡¯d say we¡¯re in a middle ground area. The buildings are close together at first, then separate until there¡¯s a yard in the front and I see yards at the back between them. The whistle that escapes has Silver and Brandon looking at me. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of houses with yards in Court. Even the Mayor doesn¡¯t have one. Mister Carbone and Lady Trevail are the only two I know do, and people are always on them to stop holding onto the land so we can increase the population and go up a settlement level.¡± ¡°When a city gets large enough,¡± Brandon says, ¡°population numbers aren¡¯t the only factor in growing. Quality of life is one. Toronto basically started as a city when the system arrived, so a lot of the original larger lots at the outskirt were kept and sold to those with more to contribute.¡± ¡°And this person that¡¯ll help us is one of them?¡± ¡°Her parents are. They left her the house when they decided the city wasn¡¯t for them anymore. And she¡¯ll help if I can convince her to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to,¡± I tell him, since he doesn¡¯t sound confident. ¡°You don¡¯t know¡­¡± he shakes his head. ¡°You don¡¯t know her.¡± When he pauses before house, it¡¯s in better state than the others, not only the one-story house, but the yard. The grass is lush and vibrant green. The two trees are tall, providing a lot of shade, and colorful flowers grow along a stone path leading from the street to the door. Brandon lets out slow breath before stepping onto the path and I shrug at the look Silver gives me. I don¡¯t know who can live here that¡¯s making him act like that. The door is wood and nearly three meters tall. While it¡¯s square and fits neatly into the frame, there¡¯s something about it that isn¡¯t quite¡­ I mean, I don¡¯t know everything about wood, but I used to spend a lot of time in my dad¡¯s workshop, so I¡¯ve seen him work with all kind of lumber. He told me a lot about what he does, back when he dreamed I¡¯d be a carpenter like him. The wood in the door isn¡¯t worked. It¡¯s not made of boards. It¡¯s one slab without any marks from tools. Magic was used to make it. Brandon¡¯s hand hangs in the air for a long time before he finally knocks and steps back. A few seconds later, it opens, and a woman stands in it, her head nearly touching the top. She isn¡¯t human; that¡¯s the first thing that registers. She¡¯s too tall and too slender. Like, if a human woman had been stretched to that height. Her copper hair falls down to her shoulder blades and shimmers in the sunlight that makes it through the canopy. Her skin is both paler than mine and more vibrant. Her eyes are green, and her ears pointed. ¡°Hey sis,¡± Brandon says in the silence. ¡°I need your help.¡± Chapter 38 ¡°You¡¯re related?¡± I blurt out, reeling from the revelation. ¡°He¡¯s adopted,¡± she states, looking down on him. The tone makes it clear that however that happened, she isn¡¯t happy about it. ¡°I¡¯m not helping you with whatever scheme you¡¯re running.¡± She steps back and slams the door, but Brandon keeps it from closing. It doesn¡¯t bounce. Then I notice part of her back in the gap. ¡°Helen,¡± Brandon says with a sigh. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how hard you try, you aren¡¯t going to move my hand.¡± He considers something as she steps away. ¡°Mom won¡¯t let you use magic in the house, remember?¡± ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t want me using big magic in the house,¡± she replies. He grins. ¡°You think anything small¡¯s going to get me to leave?¡± There¡¯s an annoyed huff, then silence. A few seconds later, Brandon gives the door a push, and it swings inward. She isn¡¯t there. ¡°Come on in,¡± he says, stepping inside. I glance at Silver, who shrugs, and I follow him. Inside, the house looks like any I¡¯ve been in, except for how high the celling is. They removed the second story to make more head room. The furniture in the living room is also built for taller people, except for one chair, identical to the others, but smaller. We find Helen in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, steaming cup in hand. ¡°You want anything?¡± Brandon asks, taking cups from the cupboard. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was her house?¡± I ask, uncomfortable with how freely he¡¯s acting. ¡°Mom and dad would really be crossed with her if she started acting like it wasn¡¯t also my house.¡± He goes through a series of clay containers and finally looks at her. ¡°What did you do with my tea?¡± She closes her eyes as she sips, and he keeps looking at her. She sighs and opens the top cupboard, taking a clay container down. ¡°You¡¯re never here,¡± she says as he opens his mouth, ¡°and it was taking space for nothing. Just be happy I didn¡¯t throw it out.¡± ¡°I¡¯d have told dad.¡± He puts a spoonful in a cup. ¡°You two are okay with tea?¡± I look at Helen. ¡°He¡¯s going to do whatever he wants,¡± she says. ¡°Always has.¡± Brandon scoffs. ¡°Dennis, if you and Silver want to sit, there are chairs in the closet over there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I reply, because I don¡¯t feel like rummaging in someone else¡¯s house under the prompting of the person she clearly doesn¡¯t want here. ¡°I¡¯m good too.¡± Silver leans against the wall, watching the scene with a lot of attentiveness. Brandon hands each of us a cup after adding steaming water from a kettle. ¡°Give it a minute or two to steep.¡± Then he leans against the counter next to his sister, breathing the aroma from his cup. ¡°She¡¯s an elf,¡± he says as Silver opens her mouth. ¡°I am not an elf,¡± Helen replies with the tone of someone who has endured this often. ¡°My species is Elethkeyra.¡± ¡°Way too tall and thin,¡± he replies before blowing on the steam. ¡°Pointy ears and an aptitude for magic say elf in my book.¡± ¡°Strange how I never heard you call Father that, or Mother.¡± ¡°Them, I respect.¡± ¡°Brandon, aren¡¯t we here to ask your sister for help?¡± I say. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be¡­ nicer?¡± He sips his cup instead of answering. ¡°I know him too well to buy him being nice to me,¡± Helen said. ¡°Which raises the question of why you even bothered coming.¡± ¡°We need your help,¡± I say. ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± she replies and glares at Brandon. ¡°What are you pulling here?¡± He sighs. ¡°Believe it or not, sis. Nothing.¡± ¡°Not.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Brandon shrugs, which only causes her to glare harder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Silver says, ¡°but I¡¯m still trying to understand the ¡®he¡¯s adopted¡¯ part. Why did your parents adopt him? Weren¡¯t there human parents willing to take him in?¡± ¡°Well?¡± She keeps glaring at him. He sighs. ¡°When I was a kid, me and my parents lived in the Bedford¡ª¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Silver pales. ¡°So you¡¯ve heard of it?¡± Brandon asks, and I look between them. ¡°The Bedford Fire is one of the first song I was taught. The one with the fire breathing animal that set the whole thing ablaze.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what one of the stories,¡± Brandon replies in a flat tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many of us survived, but I doubt it¡¯s more than two treens. I don¡¯t know how I survived. I remember heat, light. Then someone carrying me, and then darkness. Then, Mom let in the light.¡± He looks in his cup, eyes distant. ¡°My parents were among those who helped fight the fire,¡± Helen says, her tone more clinical. ¡°Mother¡¯s magic is water, and Father¡¯s stone. I was too young to be part of it, of course, but Mother told me about finding Brandon in a fridge from before the system. There were signs someone built a fire-block with bricks and stones, and probably the reason he didn¡¯t cook in it. No one came forward as being related to him, and no one came forward to take him, or any of the other children who¡¯d survive, so they did.¡± ¡°They are good people,¡± Brandon says with some reverence in his tone, which vanishes when he continues. ¡°Kind of makes you wonder what happened with you.¡± ¡°I had to deal with the two-faced asshole you turned out to¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, that is so rich coming from the bitch that made sure everyone outside this house throught I¡¯d brought the curse with me.¡± ¡°Curse?¡± I ask. It¡¯s Silver who answers as these two are busy glaring. ¡°One version of the song has it that the system burned the neighborhood down because the people there were acting against it. Purposely keeping those of age from getting their classes, forcing those with experience to hand it over to the community¡¯s leader. And that anyone who survived did so by cheating the system, and that it was punishing them, along with anyone who helps them in the future.¡± ¡°But the system doesn¡¯t do that,¡± I say. ¡°I mean, if we don¡¯t pick a class, it gives us one. And you can¡¯t just give experience to someone. They have to gain it, just like everyone else.¡± ¡°People don¡¯t care about what the system can do when they¡¯re scared,¡± Silver says. ¡°And that¡¯s not a song we¡¯re supposed to sing.¡± ¡°Why did they teach it then?¡± I ask. ¡°Because it¡¯s out there. It¡¯s a bard¡¯s job to know the songs, and to decide which ones are worth singing. We sing to tell the stories and the histories, to inform and to entertain.¡± ¡°And you can remember all of that?¡± She chuckles. ¡°The core ability for bards is a memory for songs. If I hear one, I remember it. Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t come with knowing the music, just a boost to my singing skill. So it¡¯s still hours of training to do it properly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to deal with that,¡± I tell Brandon. ¡°It¡¯s not like you had anything to do with what happened,¡± he scoffs. ¡°I¡¯m still sorry.¡± I finish the tea. ¡°I think we should get going. We need to figure out how we¡¯re going to¡ª¡± The door slams open. ¡°Hel!¡± a man yells. ¡°You¡¯ll never guess what that brother of yours did¡ª¡± He skids to a stop as he enters the kitchen. ¡°Oh, shit.¡± Before he turns, Brandon¡¯s over the tall table and tackles him to the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me. Please Brandon, don¡¯t kill me. You know I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± He pulls the man to his feet. ¡°Come on Steven, when have I even done more than rough you up?¡± He lets him go, but stands in the doorway. ¡°What am I supposed to have done?¡± Steven looks at us and swallows. He¡¯s stocky and comes across as someone who works with his hands more than his mind. ¡°You killed four men?¡± ¡°You what?¡± Helen exclaims. ¡°I didn¡¯t. You know how I feel about killing people, Hel.¡± She turns her gaze on me and Silver, and Brandon bursts out laughing. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have it in him,¡± he says. ¡°He tried to talk them down before the fight started, and Silver doesn¡¯t do combat. This is just Steven spewing bullshit, as usual.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just saying what I heard. The police is on its way here to ask Hel where you are. There are four dead men not far from Adelaide, and there¡¯s a witness saying you murdered them.¡± Brandon curses. ¡°What have you gotten yourself mixed in this time, Brandon?¡± Helen demands. ¡°There¡¯s this explorer from the club who wants Dennis¡¯s journal. He¡¯s an asshole and Dennis has a brain, so he said no. Xander hired some assassins to get it off his corpse, and Silver basically saved our asses with support magic. We kicked their asses in return, but they were alive when we left. Any competent inspector will be able to tell that without needing a mage.¡± ¡°But if there¡¯s a witness,¡± she says. ¡°They¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°Then why do you look like you¡¯re ready to bolt?¡± she asks. ¡°Instead of explaining things to the police?¡± ¡°Because if Xander¡¯s willing to have the men he hired murdered, then pay someone to lie about it, I don¡¯t want Dennis to end up in a cell for Xander to do whatever he wants. Dennis, we need to go. Now.¡± ¡°Steven,¡± Helen says. ¡°Spread the word that I left last week. You¡¯ve been looking after the plants. I went up north to meet up with my parents and help them.¡± She steps past him. ¡°If they ask why you¡¯re up there?¡± Steven asks. ¡°How would you know? It¡¯s not because we share a bed that I tell you everything.¡± ¡°You what?¡± Brandon demands, and Steven hurries to the other side of the kitchen. ¡°When I get back, you and I are going to have a talk, and if I even hear a hint that you aren¡¯t treating my sister the way she deserves to be treated, you will regret ever laying eyes on her.¡± We catch up to her as she reached the door, a long coat putting itself on her, along with a satchel. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Brandon asks. ¡°What does it look like?¡± she replies, putting a foot into the knee high boot that positions itself under it. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want anything to do with whatever I¡ª¡± ¡°Brandon, you¡¯re my brother! You might be a pain in the ass on your best day, but I¡¯m not letting you deal with someone who can hire assassins, have them murdered, pay off a witness, and have you hunted down on your own. Mother and Father would be cross with me if you got yourself killed, and I hadn¡¯t at least tried to keep you alive.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need¡ª¡± I grab his arm. ¡°Brandon, I think we need all the help we can get.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± He exits the house and we follow. ¡°Tell me you have at least planned a few steps ahead,¡± Helen said. ¡°Like where we¡¯re going?¡± ¡°The West Caravan Market,¡± Brandon answers angrily. ¡°To get with the first caravan going to Detroit.¡± ¡°You just know how to make me hate having decided to help you, don¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 39 As soon as we¡¯re out of Helen¡¯s neighborhood, Brandon takes us to back alleys and smaller streets with an ease that makes me think it isn¡¯t the first time he¡¯s had to leave in a hurry. We have one close call when a group of police officers turns into the alley we were using, but Brandon has a door unlocked and us in it before they can see around the container we hid behind. The room looks and smells abandoned, and I spend the ten minutes we wait to be sure they¡¯re gone, doing my best not to think about what makes the skittering noises. Silver gives a solid shudder once we¡¯re out, muttering something unflattering about rats. We make it all the way past Dupont before the next problem, this one a reminder that most people sticking to back alleys aren¡¯t of the savory kind. Eight of them against four of us goes much more in our favor than I expect. Brandon has three down before one of them reaches me, and I hold my own sword to sword well enough, not ending up on the ground for once. Helen¡¯s voice is clear, even if the words are incomprehensible, and before she¡¯s done, they¡¯re running off. She lowers her hands with a smirk
You Sword Fighting skill has gone up. You are now level 19
¡°Yes!¡± Then my face heats up as they look at me. ¡°My sword skill went up.¡± ¡°Congratulation,¡± Helen says, amused. ¡°Let¡¯s be careful,¡± Brandon says. ¡°The people in this area aren¡¯t going to get any nicer.¡± We make it to Kele without further problem. ¡°Either of you have something with a hood?¡± Brandon asks, looking left and right at the people. This is a more important road, base on how crowded it is. ¡°I do,¡± Silver says. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Put that on your list of things to get. It¡¯s not just good to hide your face, but to keep you dryer while traveling. We won¡¯t always be able to count on my sister to keep us dry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t count on it already, Bran.¡± He mumbles something. ¡°I can buy one now,¡± I say, ¡°if you know where I can get one.¡± ¡°This close to the market, one of the stall along the road with have something.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re the one they are looking for,¡± Helen points out. ¡°I might be the one described to the police, but you can be certain Xander has people looking for Dennis, too. Okay, we mix with the crowd and keep our heads low.¡± Helen snorts. ¡°Dennis, I¡¯ll point you to a decent cart and you get an oiled poncho. We¡¯ll get you properly equipped for the road at the first rest stop. Oh, and keep an eye on your money. Crowds like that are rife with pickpockets.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± I say, following him into the crowd. ¡°How does picking my pocket get them anything? It¡¯s not like my money is there. It¡¯s kept by the system.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have to query the system about it. All I know is that if they make the skill check, you lose money. And the only way to get it back is to catch them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s got to be something better.¡± ¡°Convert it into items you can then sell to make it back,¡± Helen says. ¡°But that opens you up to other problems, like making sure you get your value back.¡± ¡°And it doesn¡¯t keep thieves from getting that too,¡± Brandon adds, pausing to look at the clothing hung by a cart then moving on. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°But you can buy pouches that have bonuses against being picked,¡± Helen replies. ¡°The system has nothing to safeguard your money.¡± At the fourth cart, I buy the poncho Brandon picks and put it on. It goes in the head slot for my equipment, so I can add it to the quick switch. And it drapes over my jacket. Helen has us change side a few times; her height lets her see over the crowd. On the other side of the intersection of Blor and Kele, the terrain opens up, with a caravan pulling into a gated fence. Brandon curses, and I see the officers checking everyone entering, going as far as having them pull the hoods down. ¡°Okay, I guess hoping to be here before them wasn¡¯t realistic. Come on.¡± He heads west on Blor. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to go to one of the other entrances along the east side?¡± Helen asks. ¡°They¡¯re going to be checked. They¡¯re looking for a murderer. They aren¡¯t going to take chances.¡± ¡°Then won¡¯t they be guarding any of the entrances along this road?¡± I ask. ¡°There aren¡¯t any caravan entrances here. The only entrance is reserved for those who own the inn, and they don¡¯t let just anyone through.¡± He grins. ¡°Fortunately for us, I know the owner and I can convince him to let us in that way.¡± I make out the building that has to be the inn, simply by how large and tall it is, with its back, replacing part of the tall wooden fence along the market. A crowd gathers at the far end of the building, and Brandon directs us up the next street. ¡°That wasn¡¯t good, was it?¡± Silver asks. ¡°No. There shouldn¡¯t be anyone standing outside like that. Leer doesn¡¯t stand loiterers.¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re customers waiting to be let in?¡± Brandon gives me an almost roll of the eyes. ¡°They aren¡¯t. The question is, who are they?¡± ¡°And if they are waiting for you,¡± Helen says. We pass many alleys before taking one. Then we¡¯re meandering through them until he has us stand back, and he goes ahead to check. He isn¡¯t happy when he returned. ¡°There¡¯s a treen of them, with Bullward at the lead. He¡¯s Xander¡¯s right-hand man,¡± he answers before I can ask. ¡°Which means he¡¯s going to be ready for me and anything I might pull.¡± He looks at Helen. ¡°Which includes bringing you into this. He might look like nothing more than a mule, but Bullward is smart, and I¡¯ve tangled with him a couple of years ago. He¡¯s strong and tough.¡± ¡°So we go around and look for an entrance the police aren¡¯t watching?¡± I ask. Brandon shakes his head. ¡°Leer had to fu¡ª¡± he glances at me and Silver. ¡°Work really hard to get his door. No one else was willing to do what he did, it seems. And like I said, the police aren¡¯t going to slack off on this.¡± He leans against the building. ¡°That means we have to travel alone.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just get out of the city?¡± Silver asks, ¡°then hook up with the first caravan we come across?¡± ¡°Caravan¡¯s don¡¯t take anyone on once they leave. It¡¯s too dangerous. You never know who¡¯s out there.¡± ¡°Could be a murderer,¡± Helen says, then grins at Brandon¡¯s glare. ¡°Then we go on our own,¡± I say. ¡°The roads aren¡¯t that dangerous, are they? They lower the wilderness of the area, right?¡± ¡°Safer doesn¡¯t mean safe,¡± Brandon says. ¡°But it isn¡¯t like you and me have a choice. Silver, if you prefer staying, I¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Helen says. ¡°You¡¯re going to need someone watching your back even more if you can¡¯t count on the safety of a caravan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to,¡± Silver says. ¡°I¡¯m in this for the stories, and this is how they start.¡± ¡°With a good plan falling apart?¡± Brandon asks, pushing away from the wall. ¡°I¡¯m going to call it ¡®with the adventurers adapting to a changing situation.¡¯¡± ¡°Won¡¯t the police been watching all the ways to leave the city?¡± I ask. It¡¯s what they¡¯d do back home. Brandon smiles. ¡°The nice thing about a city without a wall is that there are far more ways out, then people to watch them.¡± ¡°Unless there¡¯s a river,¡± Helen says, ¡°then all they need to do is patrol the bridges.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Brandon replies, grinning. ¡°Then, all you need is to be willing to get wet.¡± He looks at Silver. ¡°Tell me the case for your violin is waterproof.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she replies indignantly. ¡°Good, then all we need to do is wait for night.¡± * * * * * Brandon has us spend the rest of the day in a wooded area close enough to the market, we can hear the noise it makes. Once the sun sets, we¡¯re on the move. It¡¯s full dark by the time I hear the Humber River. It¡¯s the west ward city line, although Helen said officially the city didn¡¯t reach past the Market yet. The river¡¯s shore is patrolled, but the lights the patrols carry makes them easy to avoid. The water is cold, and the current strong enough we get separated, but Brandon planned for that, and as soon as I walk out of the wood on the other side, I see the lights from the farmhouse and I join Brandon and his sister at the road leading to it. Not long after, Silver is with us and Brandon leads us through the field. When he stops us to make camp, we¡¯re in another wood. ¡°We¡¯re going to continue West once there¡¯s light until we¡¯re past the farmlands,¡± he tells us over the fire boiling water. ¡°Then we¡¯ll head South until we reach the West road. We might have to push through some of the dark, but we should reach the first rest point before it¡¯s too late. Depending on how busy the inn is, we might be able to get a bath each.¡± ¡°Are there a lot of inns on the road?¡± I ask, then add. ¡°All we had between Court and Toronto were places on the side of the road for the caravan to pull off and make camp.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t as many heading East as there are going West. Especially this section, since it leads to Buffalo and Detroit. If we make the rest point tomorrow, then we should be able to reach the one at the Split with enough time to take it easy, although there¡¯s no telling if any of the inns there will have space.¡± He stands and produces a bedroll. ¡°Best get your bed ready. You¡¯re going to want to sleep as soon as we¡¯ve had the soup. We¡¯re getting up with the sun in the morning.¡± Chapter 40 Waking up¡¯s harder than it¡¯s been in a while. I¡¯m sore from the fighting, I figure, until I notice the debuff with the broken bed in it.
System Query: Improper sleep, Debuff(Physical/Mental)
You have not slept properly. The reasons could that be your bedding was not appropriate, that you were not protected from the environment, or were unable to sleep long enough to be fully rested.
You suffer a 13% penalty to all dexterity and intelligence based skills
System Note: the penalties can only be removed through getting proper sleep, the use of appropriate healing magic, or the use of buffs to counteract the debuff.
System Note: the debuff is cumulative for each day without proper sleep.
It¡¯s yellow, which in this case means it isn¡¯t all that bad, since there isn¡¯t a timer attached to it, but I hope I get to sleep in a bed tonight. Brandon and Helen look better than I feel as they roll their bedroll, but Silver seems dazed as she takes her violin out of its case. She plucks the strings, adjusting their tension, then plays a quiet melody. Brandon frowns at her, but goes back to getting the fire going again. I¡¯m too out of it myself to question her; until I notice the debuff turning green. By the time it¡¯s gone, Brandon has a kettle on the fire, and she switches to something more upbeat. The icon is barely visible, but I still focus on it.
System Query: Energized, Type: Buff/physical
You feel energized. You are ready to take on the day.
13% increase to movement speed and physical skills
Silver catches me glancing at her and smiles. When she stops, the icon is yellow with a four-hour timer counting down. ¡°I didn¡¯t know bards had these kinds of spells,¡± Brandon says, crushing dried leaves in three plain wooden cups. ¡°You¡¯d make of one hell of a travel companion.¡± ¡°We travel a lot, so all the early spell songs we learn are geared toward making that easier.¡± Brandon¡¯s thoughtful as he adds hot water to them. ¡°So you can replace lack of sleep?¡± ¡°Not yet. My Get Awake song only removes one night¡¯s bad sleep, and I can¡¯t stack the song. I need it to reach level thirteen before it will do two nights, and then it adds one for each treen. But there is a Don¡¯t Sleep song, which I don¡¯t know yet, and only starts having an effect at level thirteen.¡± ¡°It takes away one night per treen?¡± Helen asks, then looks at the steaming cups. ¡°Where¡¯s mine?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Brandon replies. ¡°Where ever you packed it, I¡¯m guessing.¡± She snorts, and a carved cup is in her hand. I don¡¯t make out the details, but I see inlaid metal. Then she had a mortal and pestle in which she places leaves and dried fruits. Brandon rolls his eyes as she mashes them together with an air of indifference. Then she puts the contents in her cup and pours water from the kettle over it. ¡°I figured you two didn¡¯t have cups,¡± Brandon says as he hands us one each. ¡°That¡¯s something we¡¯ll need to remedy.¡± ¡°You could have had them get one yesterday,¡± Helen says innocently. ¡°Was kind of busy thinking about getting us out of Toronto without getting caught by the police or Xander¡¯s men.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised it took so much thinking,¡± she replies. ¡°Considering how often that how you leave the city.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I say before he can reply. ¡°For the tea.¡± He glares at his sister before looking in my direction. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. How are you for food? Even with your buff, Silver, I don¡¯t want to spend anymore time than needed stopped.¡± ¡°I have enough jerky for everyone,¡± I say. ¡°For a while, too. I stocked up on it before getting to the club.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°I have a few days¡¯s worth of travel cake,¡± she answers. ¡°Good. Both things that don¡¯t go bad. Good thinking. Finish your teas and we¡¯ll get moving. We can eat while we walk.¡± He pauses. ¡°You did think to bring food, right Hel?¡± ¡°Why no, Brandon. I figured that you, as the strong man in the family, was going to insist on providing for poor little me.¡± He rolls his eyes and drinks. I exchange a look with Silver. How quickly is this going to take to get old? * * * * * It takes just under an hour to walk out of the fields, then it¡¯s maybe another one to reach West Road, with a caravan moving along it. I hurry ahead, then call out to them, only to skid to a stop as the closest guard turns, hand on her sword, and doesn¡¯t look happy to see me. ¡°Hi,¡± I say as she looks beyond me. She looks at the distance separating us, and I raise my hands. ¡°Hi,¡± she says, tone cautious. ¡°We¡¯re heading in the same direction as you. I was wondering if we could travel together.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t take passengers once we leave the market.¡± ¡°I was just thinking of walking next to¡ª¡± I step back as she pulls her sword out a few centimeters. ¡°I told you, Dennis,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Caravans don¡¯t let people join them once they leave. Too dangerous.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not dangerous,¡± I protest. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure every brigand on the road will claim the same thing,¡± he replies. ¡°Come on, with the buff we have, we can make better time on our own, anyway.¡± He taps his forehead as he nods to her and heads alongside the carts, his pace faster than them. Each guard we encounter looks at us warily with a hand on their sword, and one on a pistol. Helen pulls me when I end up staring at it long enough the man¡¯s expression turns suspicious. ¡°It isn¡¯t polite to stare,¡± she tells me. I know that, but it¡¯s not everyday you see a pistol. I mean, the only places I¡¯ve seen one before now are in Base¡¯s movies. He has stories about them. They were more prevalent in the early days of the system, but over the years making them and the bullets became tougher without the machines of before, so they aren¡¯t common anymore. We take a break when the buff expires, just long enough to have more tea, then Silver applies it again, and we¡¯re on the move. We need another one before we reach the rest point and the inn there. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good,¡± Brandon grumbles at the carts on the vast expanse of terrain between the inn and the road. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re staying with their carts,¡± I offer. ¡°Some definitely will, but that¡¯s two caravans¡¯ worth of carts. You might be stuck sleeping in the barn, Hel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay with sleeping there,¡± I say, so she won¡¯t feel pushed out. ¡°I¡¯d prefer a bed,¡± Silver says, ¡°but I¡¯ll take anything that isn¡¯t the ground.¡± I look at Brandon, and he gives me this bewildered expression in return. Helen snickers, then laughed. ¡°Yes, Brandon, why don¡¯t you also do the gallant thing and make sure we aren¡¯t the only ones suffering?¡± ¡°I rough it as much as anyone else,¡± he replied. ¡°But only when there¡¯s no one there for you to sweet talk into sharing their bed with you, right?¡± she asks, tone mocking. ¡°How about we start by asking the innkeeper?¡± I offer. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky and there¡¯s still a room available.¡± Brandon glares at his sister, then turns and heads for the inn. The building is big. I mean, larger than any I¡¯ve seen, and the construction is all brick. It¡¯s three stories tall, and the roof isn¡¯t wood or clay shingles. It¡¯s metal, and I realize the building might be from before the system. If it is, I¡¯m impressed at the work that went into maintaining it. From the story Base told me, the buildings back then had a lot of parts that needed machines that no longer exist to be repaired. As soon as Brandon pulls the door open, I can¡¯t hear myself think. There¡¯s a song going on and a lot of people are singing. Something about going home, by the snippets I make out. Silver winces a lot as people go off key more often than not. The room is large. I can barely make out the back wall, but it¡¯s so crowded Brandon has to push people out of the way for us to make it to the counter, where the singing is suddenly a lot quieter. ¡°Before you ask,¡± the woman behind the bar says, ¡°no, you can¡¯t hang out here. This is just for getting service. They should quiet down soon enough.¡± ¡°My dear lady,¡± Brandon says, smiling. ¡°I had no intention of interfering with your business. Although you are making offering to help you highly difficult to resist.¡± She snorts good naturedly. ¡°Buddy, do you have any idea how many try a line like that on me, just so they won¡¯t have their eardrums burst.¡± He puts his elbows on the counter and leans forward, lowering his voice slightly. ¡°Tell me what to do, and I shall.¡± ¡°How about I have you scrub the plates?¡± ¡°Once we¡¯ve settled if you have rooms my companions and I can rent, point me to them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± she asks, stunned. ¡°My lady, I am a great many things. What I am not, is in the habit of disappointing a fine lady such as yourself.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got himself a room,¡± Helen mutters softly, annoyed, ¡°even if we don¡¯t.¡± The woman looks us over, then at Brandon. ¡°I can¡¯t spare much. Had a runner get here not long before you letting me know there¡¯s another caravan that¡¯s going to be here after dark.¡± ¡°Then, if it¡¯s the barn for us, so be¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to be the barn. I can spare you a room, but it only has one bed. There is floor space.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay with the floor,¡± I say. ¡°What about it, Hel?¡± Brandon asks. ¡°Will you cede the bed to Silver, considering she¡¯s responsible for us making it here before the caravan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay sharing,¡± Silver hurries to say. ¡°Will I even fit?¡± Helen asks. ¡°We get enough tall folks that we have beds for them,¡± the innkeeper answers. ¡°It¡¯s long enough for you. It¡¯ll be a hundred and fifty.¡± ¡°My lady,¡± Brandon says, but she has a finger on his lips. ¡°That¡¯s already contingent on you scrubbing plates. When the caravan gets here, I¡¯ll be able to ask double that for it. So don¡¯t push your luck.¡± He moves the hand away gently, then kisses the top of it. ¡°As my lady says.¡± I¡¯m surprised it took this long, considering how forward Brandon¡¯s been, but she blushes. There is a system exchange between them, then he leads us to stairs and up them. From there, I see that the entire ground floor is one room, with columns among tables that there are all occupied. I can¡¯t imagine more people fitting in there. The room is at the end of the hall, and, as the innkeeper said, there¡¯s plenty of floor space. With only a bed, the length of the left wall taking some of it. The singing¡¯s stopped, but the din of conversation makes it through the floor. ¡°Okay,¡± Brandon says, slapping his hands together. ¡°You get comfortable. I have an appointment with plates.¡± ¡°Is it okay if I mingle in the dining room?¡± Silver asks. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll have stories to tell.¡± Brandon considers her, then me. ¡°Okay, just so we¡¯re clear. I don¡¯t expect you to stay locked in the room. The door will only open for us, so you can come and go as you please. Inns are safe places, so nothing bad should happen. Don¡¯t get careless, because that¡¯s not system enforced. It¡¯s just that people know better than to piss off the rare place where they can get out from the wild. But there are still idiots out there. Leave valuables in here, and if you need to leave the inn, let me or Hel know. Otherwise, enjoy the evening.¡± He grins. ¡°I certainly will.¡± Chapter 41 I wake up without debuffs, so that¡¯s a good way to start the day. Helen is the only one in the bed, and there isn¡¯t another bedroll on the floor, so she was right. Brandon slept in someone¡¯s bed. The idea sits oddly with me as I wash using the washbasin. The water¡¯s cool, but it stays clean, so that¡¯s another good thing. It¡¯s going to take time to get used to the idea that daily showers are no longer a thing for me. I don¡¯t know if I could talk to someone just to share their bed. I mean, sleeping in a bed would be nice, but using sex to get that feels¡­ not right. As clean as I can get with a magical washbasin, I equip a set of clean clothing. Which brings up the issue of how I¡¯m going to clean my clothes. Somehow it didn¡¯t occur to me on the way to Toronto, and while there; but I only have two clean sets left. I reach the dining room to the sound of hooting and clapping. I can¡¯t make out who they are cheering, but as that dies down, a violin play and Silver sings. With a flash of white, and sky turned red The world they knew was dead Through chaos high, and order forced The lost travelers set forth She¡¯s singing about the first days of the system. There are a lot of versions of the song, depending a lot on the kind of story the singer wants to tell. None of the ones I¡¯ve heard are entirely wrong, but they aren¡¯t entirely right either, according to Base and Grandpa Louis, both of whom lived through those early days. Dad has nothing but bad things to say about those days, but he¡¯s the only one around me who feels like that. It was rough, they all admit that. But from what they experienced, more people came together than fell on each other. Grandpa Louis and Base traveled from somewhere way south, around a city that was called Houston, all the way to outside Calgary, where Grandpa Chris lived with Dad and his brother. They got to meet and help a lot of people on the way. People sing with her, but no one seems to follow the same verses, so I can¡¯t tell which one she¡¯s singing about. Brandon is at the bar, holding the innkeeper¡¯s hand and leaned in close. A guy just a little older than I am steps before me as I reach it. ¡°How much for breakfast?¡± I ask. ¡°Pretty much however much you want to spend,¡± he replies. ¡°We have the basic stuff all the way to stuff that¡¯ll give you travel buffs, fighting ones. We even have a Mage Meal if you need your spells buffed.¡± It¡¯s five dollars for a basic breakfast, and I take the plate of steak, eggs and sliced potatoes with a cheese sauce over it, along with the tall mug of apple juice, to the first free table I find. I think Silver¡¯s singing about the East Bound Adventure now. It¡¯s not about Grandpa Louis directly, although once he met up with his family at the farm, they all got into Base, along with the refugees who didn¡¯t want to stay in Calgary because of how cold it was¡ªor so Base likes to scoff¡ªand headed East to find Grandmother. They didn¡¯t know if she¡¯d survived, but..well¡­Grandmother is tough. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Brandon plops in the seat opposite mine with a platter similar to mine, but only more so. ¡°Eat up,¡± he tells me, before digging in. Did he even pay for it? With money, I mean. ¡°Was it easy?¡± I ask when he slows, and between bites of my own. The food is good. ¡°Talking her into sharing her bed with you,¡± I add at the raised eyebrow. ¡°You have a problem with that?¡± he replies defensively. ¡°No, I just¡ª¡± ¡°Good,¡± he says and goes back to eating. Okay, I could have¡ª He sighs loudly. ¡°Look, Dennis you¡ª¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t judging, I swear,¡± I hurry to say. ¡°I just don¡¯t think I could do it, sleeping with someone to have a bed and a meal.¡± He studies me. ¡°Then you don¡¯t. You need to get something. Outside the cities, out here, it¡¯s wild. There aren¡¯t any rules except for those you decide to live by, and you need to accept not everyone is going to live by them.¡± He waits, and I nod. ¡°You aren¡¯t okay with sleeping with someone just for a bed and a night of fun? That¡¯s fine. I have no problem with it. And if I¡¯ve shown them a good enough time, they¡¯re willing to give me breakfast; that¡¯s just a bonus.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think sex should be¡­special?¡± ¡°It always is,¡± he replies between bites. ¡°No, I mean¡ª¡± ¡°I know what you mean, Dennis. And if it has to be that kind of special for you, that¡¯s fine. I make it special each and every time.¡± ¡°He is just that amazing,¡± Helen says derisively, sitting down with only a steaming cup in hand. ¡°And a good morning to you too, sis. What crawled up your ass and soured your mood?¡± ¡°Remembering I¡¯m traveling with you.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep well?¡± I ask, cutting off Brandon¡¯s reply. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I traveled,¡± she replies. ¡°And I¡¯m reminded why I hadn¡¯t done it again.¡± Brandon looks at her with a smirk, but he doesn¡¯t offer for her to go back home. Which I¡¯m surprised at, even if he did ask for her help. It feels like the kind of thing he¡¯d offer, just as a barb. ¡°Is there something we can get you that¡¯s going to make it better?¡± I offer, and she looks at me in surprise, then at Brandon. I can see her almost saying something to him, but she closes her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s considerate of you, Dennis,¡± she says. ¡°But I¡¯ll get used to sleeping on a less than perfect bed. And hopefully Silver will learn stronger traveling spells and all my aches will be gone with a song.¡± Cheering explodes and Helen winces. ¡°Just remember, she needs to spend time practicing combat magic,¡± Brandon says. ¡°I¡¯m sure she can do both,¡± Helen replies. ¡°You¡¯re the only person I know of with such a one track mind.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan for today?¡± I ask Brandon, because he¡¯s about to throw more snark. He pulls his attention off her and takes a breath. ¡°Walking. As soon as we¡¯re done eating, we get our stuff and head out. With Silver¡¯s travel buff, and not spending too much time sitting, I¡¯m hoping we reach the Split before all the inns there are filled.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be good to go in a minute,¡± Silver says, sitting. Her plate has three burritos, and she devours one immediately. ¡°We can wait until you¡¯re done,¡± I say. ¡°No need to rush, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not rushing,¡± she replies, picking up the next one. ¡°I¡¯m famished. I came down to eat, but when one of them saw my case, they begged me to play.¡± She grins. ¡°Made nearly three hundred in Tips, though.¡± By the time Brandon¡¯s done whistling, the burrito is gone. ¡°Then let¡¯s finish up and hit the road.¡± * * * * * We pass caravans stopped on the side of the road for nearly two hours after we leave the inn. Those who pushed through the night, Brandon explains. Either because they didn¡¯t want to bother with the inn, or because there was no space left. Then, it¡¯s just us and the open road and I take in the plains on each side. Brandon has to call to me a few times as my steps slow. The green is pale and vibrant at the same time, and goes on as far as I can see. There are hills, and copse of trees, but it¡¯s mostly just grass. Then there¡¯s a distant herd grazing. This is so different from home, or the road to Toronto. Back home, it¡¯s farmland just about until the tree line all around. There are places with fields between, but nothing this vast. Grandpa Louis often had that expression when he talked about the whole wide world. A distant look, with this small smile on his face. I think I finally get it. This is beautiful in a completely different way than Court is. Brandon calls to me again, but like before, there is no impatience or anger in his tone. This time, when I reach them, he places an arm over my shoulders and leans in to whisper. ¡°Welcome to the world of the explorers.¡± Chapter 42 Brandon explained that The Split is where the three trade roads meet, as we approach it. Before the system, there was a city there, but for a reason no one knows, it died in the early days, and now it¡¯s a ruin. ¡°It isn¡¯t worth bothering with,¡± he adds as buildings become visible in the distance. ¡°They¡¯re sending people in every day, so the loot and monsters don¡¯t have time to grow beyond level five.¡± ¡°I thought they got tougher the deeper you went in.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking about dungeons. Ruins replenish overtime, and the longer something is there, the higher level its becomes. They have caps, based on how large they are, but that also affects the regeneration, somehow.¡± ¡°So, this is only good for low-level explorers?¡± ¡°And anyone with a combat based class at low level. We just get bonuses to operating in them. Everyone gets something out of killing monsters.¡± Not long after that, with the sun still a good hand¡¯s width from the horizon, the fields around the three large buildings become visible, and they are filled with wagons. ¡°That doesn¡¯t look good,¡± Helen says. ¡°Should we push on?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s check,¡± Brandon replies. ¡°We might get lucky.¡± I glance at Helen, and she closes her mouth on her opinion. Not why I did it, but I¡¯m glad not to listen to them bickering again. The ground¡¯s packed so hard that in places where liquids were emptied on it, it pools instead of soaking in. I don¡¯t want to think what this place turns into when it rains. The closest one to the road is basically a box, patched together with field stones over what might have been a structure from before the system. The dining room seems small, but that might be because of how packed it is. We wait by the door while Brandon goes to the counter and Silver keeps her violin case behind her, out of sight. He returns, shaking his head. The other one is less boring. It has a large ground floor, with a section on one side having a second floor, extending over part of the rest, and in what I¡¯m guessing is the center of the building are two more floors with the roof extending to a point. The surface that isn¡¯t field stone is brick work, old and new. The dining area is larger, maybe, but just as packed. We stay by the door again until Brandon waves us over. ¡°They have one room left,¡± he tells us. ¡°But he won¡¯t hold it for us while we check the other inn.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the room like?¡± I ask before Helen comments. I could see the snark in her expression already. ¡°Small,¡± the man replies. He looks like he¡¯s had a long day and humoring us is about the last thing he wants to do. ¡°But it¡¯s got a bunk, so two of you don¡¯t have to sleep on the floor.¡± ¡°Can the bunk fit me?¡± Helen asks. The man snorts. ¡°But the window is on the back, so you aren¡¯t going to smell the animal¡¯s shit all night.¡± ¡°Can you deal with the floor?¡± I ask Helen. ¡°Or do we risk the other inn and keep going if they have nothing?¡± ¡°Which means it¡¯s the ground when we sleep,¡± Brandon replies in a forcefully neutral tone. ¡°You just want people around so you can charm your way into one of their beds,¡± Helen replies. ¡°Tell you what, Hel,¡± Brandon says dryly. ¡°Just for you, I¡¯m going to sleep in the same room as you. Will that make you happy?¡± ¡°You can take the bunk,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ll take the floor.¡± ¡°No, I should¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m shorter than you.¡± I barely keep myself from snapping. ¡°So I¡¯ll leave more space for Helen. And,¡± I add, as she¡¯s about to comment. ¡°We¡¯re taking up our host¡¯s time arguing. How much is the room?¡± He visibly relaxes and a transaction window pops up before me. Four hundred is probably way more than it should be, but at this point, I just want this done with before the two of them bicker. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. I agree to it, and I get another window informing me that room eight has been assigned. ¡°Through that door, the number¡¯s on the door.¡± I motion for Brandon to get moving and place myself behind him. Door number eight is the next to last one and, as promised, it is small. The bunk bed is on the left, with a chest between it and the wall. The door only opens enough to clear the doorway before the wall stops it. The window¡¯s shutters are open and I can barely smell animals. ¡°He wasn¡¯t kidding,¡± Silver says, putting her case on the top bunk. The shutters latch, so I¡¯ll be spared being rained on if the weather changes. ¡°I¡¯ll set my roll along the wall here, if you think you¡¯ll fit at a diagonal,¡± I tell Helen. She doesn¡¯t look happy. I¡¯m pretty sure if I¡¯d let Brandon make the decisions, she¡¯d be out of here just on principle. She sets her bedroll down and adjusts it so there¡¯s just enough space for mine under the window. Hopefully, neither of us moves or our feet will be hitting each other. ¡°How secure is the room?¡± Silver asks. ¡°I want to leave my violin in it. I don¡¯t want a repeat of this morning.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want the money?¡± Brandon asks, testing the mattress while I access the room¡¯s options. ¡°If I¡¯m going to perform, I want it to be when I¡¯ve planned on it. I¡¯ve never been ambushed like I was this morning before.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t any settings for that,¡± I mention. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get those on a room this cheap. How much do we owe you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I reply. ¡°Dennis, you¡¯re not paying for the lot of us.¡± ¡°You did for us yesterday. The only option for allowing others to come in is a team option. I don¡¯t see anything for individuals.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we form a team?¡± Silver asks. ¡°Seeing how we¡¯ll be traveling together.¡± Brandon looks ready to argue with me about the room, then relents. Instead of saying anything, a pop-up appears inviting me to join Brandon Hill¡¯s team. ¡°Of course you set yourself up as leader,¡± Helen grumbles as I accept. The small window appears in the top left of my vision with Brandon¡¯s name on top, mine under him. Silver appears as Brandon smirks. ¡°All you had to do was send the offer before me. I¡¯d have gladly accepted it without complaining.¡± Somehow, I doubt that. Helen¡¯s name appears as she glares at her brother. Next to our names are the health, mana, and stamina bars. All full. I give the team access to the room. ¡°One of us should stay in the room at all times,¡± Brandon says, indicating the window. ¡°That won¡¯t stop someone from coming in.¡± ¡°I thought inns were safe places,¡± Silver says. ¡°They¡¯re safer than out there, but you don¡¯t get the kind of security in roadside inns that will keep thieves out. It¡¯s why I don¡¯t like being on the ground floor. Upper floors at least start with a handicap for anyone looking to steal from me.¡± ¡°Do we have a reason to go out there?¡± I ask. ¡°I could use a bath,¡± Helen says. ¡°Okay.¡± I cut Brandon off. ¡°I¡¯ll stay in while you three take care of what you need. Is there a place I can wash my clothes?¡± I ask Brandon. ¡°I¡¯m running low on clean ones.¡± ¡°In the tub you¡¯ll wash in,¡± he replies. ¡°That¡¯s a service I¡¯ve never seen offered in roadside inns.¡± ¡°There might be good money in it,¡± Silver says. ¡°Then you are welcome to start it. I do not deal with other people¡¯s dirty laundry.¡± ¡°You barely deal with yours,¡± Helen replies. ¡°I deal with mine fine enough. I just don¡¯t need it to smell of rose petals and honey every fu¡ª¡± ¡°Can you stop?¡± I ask, rubbing my temple. ¡°Can you two just not talk to each other instead of bickering? I¡¯m not going to ask why you can¡¯t seem to stand one another, since I don¡¯t think that¡¯s any of my business, but Brandon, you asked Helen to help. And Helen, if being around him was going to be too hard on you, you should have told him no.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know him like¡ª¡± she closes her mouth as I look at her. ¡°He gets in¡ª¡± I glared at Brandon as the smirk forms, and he looks away. I don¡¯t say this often, but thank the system I¡¯m an only child. The two of them leave the room exchanging angry looks, and Silver gives me a reassuring smile as she follows them. Alone, I sit on my roll and rest my head against the wall. I hope I don¡¯t have to get between them every day. * * * * * I forgo washing my clothes because there¡¯s nowhere to dry them. Hanging them in the room means they¡¯ll drip on me and Helen. I¡¯ll figure something later. I get food on the way back, and Silver heads out. Brandon is the last to return, and it¡¯s full dark by then. He reads for a bit by the light from a medallion he wears, then it¡¯s dark and I try to sleep. It doesn¡¯t come easy. I keep wanting to move to make myself comfortable, but I¡¯ll hit Helen¡¯s legs if I do. I guess I do fall asleep, because the next thing I know, I¡¯m startled awake by a weight on my stomach. Then someone curses as I turn to get it off. ¡°Wha?¡± Silver exclaims. ¡°Watch it, Bran,¡± Helen complains sleepily ¡°Fucking¡ª¡± A voice I don¡¯t recognize and I fight to fully wake up. In the faint light coming from Brandon¡¯s medallion as he sits up, I make out a dark form tittering in the middle of the room. He lets out a pained cry when Helen punched his legs without looking. ¡°Damn it, Bran, hold it till morning.¡± The light reflects off an edge as the man raises a fist, but Brandon catches it. He winds to punch, but curses as he gets caught by the under lip of the top bunk. I kick the back of the man¡¯s knee, and he tumbles back over me. My attempt at putting him in a choke hold is interrupted by Brandon¡¯s added weight. Then it¡¯s one punch and the man¡¯s still. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Helen demands, sitting up. ¡°Well, for one thing,¡± Brandon replies. ¡°I don¡¯t have to go.¡± He searches the man, then curses. ¡°Anyone here have thieving skills? I can¡¯t get into his inventory.¡± ¡°Why do you want access to that?¡± I ask. ¡°Let me,¡± Helen says, then says something my mind refuses to understand and light shimmers over her fingers. She reaches past Brandon and touches out assailant. Translucent inventory slots appear over him. Brandon reaches for one containing a piece of paper, looks at it and lets it fall. Another one goes the same way. The third has him cursing. He turns it to me and I activate my ring to see what¡¯s on it. The head is definitely mine. Next to it is a rendition of Aaron¡¯s journal. Under that is written: Reward 10,000 dollars for the delivery of the journal to Xander Pope. Chapter 43 We leave the assassin unconscious and tied in our room, then exit the way he came in. I¡¯m surprised that Helen isn¡¯t complaining the entire time. Brandon just says the assassin probably isn¡¯t alone when I ask why we need to rush out the window, and that any other question can wait until we¡¯re well away from this place. The caravans are surprisingly well lit, with a mix of torches, campfires and magical lights. We keep to the edges of them, so go around the entire thing. Once we¡¯re on the road, a long stretch of it has the sides lit by the caravans parked along each side. I¡¯m amazed at how many there are. Court only saw one or two a year. Once we leave their lights behind us, Brandon still keeps us from activating ours. Fortunately, the moon is full, so I can at least make out the edge of the packed dirt and avoid tripping into the ditch. ¡°What was that about?¡± Helen demands. ¡°I told you, Dennis is in trouble and I¡ª¡± ¡°Bran, no one pays ten thousand for a journal, not even if it contains the secret to the system.¡± Her silhouette shifts. ¡°Does it contain those secrets?¡± she asks me. ¡°No,¡± Brandon answers. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t open the written parts, just the maps at the front. But Xander isn¡¯t after any secrets. He¡¯s after a place called The Knox.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Brandon says. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you.¡± ¡°What?¡± he asks and I walk into him. He turns. ¡°You think Dennis is going to know something about it when I don¡¯t? Or do you really believe that I¡¯d hold out on that kind of information when his life pretty much depends on it?¡± ¡°The second,¡± she replies flatly. ¡°Fuck off.¡± He turns and walks again. ¡°You stole father¡¯s journal when you first left, Brandon,¡± she says with vitriol. ¡°And lost it. When they forgave you, you left with mother¡¯s necklace, and never brought it back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on that!¡± She snorts. ¡°Somehow, you managed to gain her forgiveness again and¡ª¡± ¡°I was a kid, Hel!¡± He bowls me aside and I don¡¯t think he realizes it. ¡°I was a fucking stupid kid who thought those great adventures dad and mom went on was my destiny. Did it ever occur to you that I might have changed?¡± ¡°No. You haven¡¯t.¡± I step between them. ¡°How about we focus on where we¡¯re going, instead of arguing? Maybe we¡¯re far enough to make camp for the rest of the night?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still not safe,¡± Brandon says. ¡°There¡¯s no way that guy worked alone, and his partners are probably already searching the grounds for us. The best thing to do is to keep going through the night and day. Silver, can your songs help with that?¡± ¡°The only song I have for this, is just a straight up buff, It¡¯ll probably counteract some of the debuffs not sleeping will cause, but I don¡¯t know how long we can go before they¡¯re too much.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see what happens. Can you sing us the buff now?¡± ¡°We can walk while I do it,¡± she answers, opening her case, then passing it to me. Our pace picks up as soon as she starts playing, and she continues doing so once the buff appears beside the ¡®didn¡¯t sleep well¡¯ debuff. I don¡¯t ask, because I¡¯m pretty sure doing that will start these two arguing again, but the fact we¡¯re all silent while she plays has to be why she continues. * * * * * At first, I think the glow over the horizon is caused by the raising sun. Only it¡¯s not lining up with the sky growing paler to the east. This is pretty much due south of us. And it¡¯s also a lot more orangy than sunrises usually are. ¡°Is that a fire?¡± I ask, already knowing it can¡¯t be. It¡¯s too even. ¡°It¡¯s the Hamilton ruin,¡± Brandon replies without slowing. I can¡¯t believe it. I¡¯m seeing my first ruin. No, my second. I still feel some awe at the idea that it¡¯s within sight. ¡°Does the glow have something to do with it being a ruin, or is it independent?¡± I catch up to the others. ¡°If you¡¯re asking if all ruins glow, no, they don¡¯t.¡± He smiles. ¡°There¡¯s no easy to see ¡®here¡¯s a ruin¡¯ sign. If you come across one by accident, you find out about with when you get the system notification. As for this one, I don¡¯t know if the ruin emits the light, or if it¡¯s an object in it, or just the ground. If you want to learn about it, I can promise that the library in Detroit will have that information.¡± ¡°For a price,¡± Helen adds. ¡°Everything comes at a price, Hel,¡± Brandon replies casually. She looks at me when she whispers, ¡°Especially his help.¡± This is going to be a long walk. * * * * * I wake up with Brandon shaking me. ¡°Breakfast¡¯s over, sleepy head.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± I¡¯d just sat and rested against the post. I hadn¡¯t even realized I¡¯d closed my eyes. Unfortunately, the few minutes of sleep did nothing for the debuff. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it. There are days when exploring means working with constant sleep debuffs.¡± He pulls me to my feet. ¡°Okay, because Hel will¡ª¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Stop,¡± I say. ¡°Don¡¯t make whatever you¡¯re about to say her fault.¡± ¡°She will¡ª¡± ¡°How about you be the adult this time?¡± I ask. ¡°I am an adult.¡± Silver snickers. ¡°Then act like one?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he finally says, looking all of us over. ¡°Now that we have daylight, we¡¯re going to leave the road. By now, every rest stop between here and Detroit will know about the reward, and the people after Dennis are going to ask any caravan they see if they saw a band of intrepid adventurers pass them by. Going through the wild means they can¡¯t easily know where we are.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there monsters in the wild?¡± Silver asks timidly. ¡°There can be,¡± Brandon replies. ¡°But we¡¯ll be able to handle them.¡± By we, I¡¯m pretty sure he means him, since my history of holding my own in a fight isn¡¯t reassuring. Although Helen has combat magic, so maybe she¡¯ll be of help too. We get off the road and cut through the forest, heading somewhat north. By the time we walk out of it, it¡¯s past noon. We stop for lunch, a refresh on Silver¡¯s song, as we head west through the plain. * * * * * Well before the sun reaches the horizon, Brandon calls an end to the walk by a small lake with trees around half of it. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we keep going?¡± I ask. ¡°This is going to take longer than following the road, right?¡± ¡°Are you in a hurry?¡± He walks into the trees and we follow. ¡°Well¡­¡± am I? I mean, with going to the Knox, I¡¯ve kind of committed to taking however long it¡¯s going to take. So wanting to get the quest done as soon as I can and return home is no longer an argument I can make. ¡°Dennis,¡± he said, stopping in what might pass as a minuscule clearing. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry. This is a great life we live. The wild outdoors, no responsibilities. There¡¯s going to be enough danger that you don¡¯t have to add the stresses of city life. Just enjoy it.¡± I guess he¡¯s right. Other than the debuff, it¡¯s been a nice trek. ¡°I¡¯m kind of surprised that we didn¡¯t come across any monsters,¡± Silver says, picking a spot not too far from the pit Brandon digs and putting her bedroll down. ¡°Don¡¯t take the songs you¡¯re learning too seriously,¡± he says. ¡°In the wilderness, they aren¡¯t that common. You mostly have animals.¡± He grins. ¡°Now, those can get pretty monstrous since this far from everything they don¡¯t get culled, but with animals it¡¯s live and let live. If you keep your distances, they¡¯ll leave you alone. Make sure the ground¡¯s free of stones and branches before setting up. Another reason for stopping early is that we have light to make sure our beds will be comfortable. Dennis, add a shovel to the list of items you need to get, as well as an ax. You don¡¯t want to use your sword to cut down firewood, if you care about it at all.¡± ¡°I will. Are we going to sleep under the stars? I have a small tent.¡± He looks at the sky. ¡°Should be dry overnight, but you¡¯re welcome to set up your tent if it¡¯ll fit.¡± ¡°You could have chosen a larger clearing,¡± Helen comments, brushing the ground. ¡°You are welcome to pick whatever spot to sleep in you want, Hel. You can even deal with digging your own firepit, boiling your own water and cooking your own meal, for all I care.¡± He never looks up from the pit he¡¯s digging while he speaks, so her glare is wasted. He gathers small branches once he¡¯s done, then uses a firestone to set them burning. Once the flames are strong, he takes firewood from his inventory and places them in the pit, then adds a grill, a pot, and a kettle, as well as three water skin. ¡°Silver, can you see about getting the water boiling? Me and Dennis are going to have the first go at the lake and washing up.¡± ¡°I can wait until you¡¯re done,¡± I say, my face heating up. ¡°The lake¡¯s big enough for both of us. This way, Helen can vent without worrying about me or you overhearing.¡± He grabs my arm and pretty much drags me with him. Outside the trees, he lets go of me and by then I might as well follow. Which I immediately regret as between two steps, Brandon¡¯s naked and I turn with a gasp. ¡°Sorry,¡± I say, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were just going to¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t very well get in the water dressed, can I?¡± ¡°Is it a thing, not caring with being seen naked, among people who travel a lot?¡± I didn¡¯t see anyone get naked among Chuck¡¯s caravan, but there was definitely a sense of if there was a reasons for it, it would have happened and not one of them would have minded. He walks in the water. ¡°I think it¡¯s more that city folks get hung up on it. Who¡¯s going to care out here if you let it all hang out? It¡¯s safe for you to undress, I¡¯m not looking.¡± A quick glance over my shoulder shows his back is to me, and that the water is up to his chest. I send my equipment to my inventory and hurry to get in the water because turning to look definitely strikes me as something he¡¯d do. ¡°System it¡¯s cold!¡± I can¡¯t help exclaiming, and Brandon laughs. ¡°How did you not say anything?¡± ¡°And miss your surprise?¡± ¡°I mean, how did you not react? This is freezing. How is it so cold?¡± He motions to where the stream at the side of the lake. ¡°The water¡¯s flowing out, so this is fed from under the ground.¡± He faces me. ¡°You need soap?¡± ¡°I have that.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to imply you weren¡¯t prepared.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m definitely not prepared for out here. I thought I¡¯d be traveling with a caravan, along roads.¡± I lather myself. ¡°Sorry your plans got derailed.¡± ¡°Not your fault. Xander¡¯s the one responsible for all this. And me, for getting angry and deciding he has to learn a lesson.¡± ¡°Are you¡­¡± I wait. ¡°If you¡¯ve changed your mind about the Knox, we can just head directly to Kansas City from Detroit.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± I dunk myself and rub the soap off my face. ¡°And him sending those pamphlets basically telling anyone willing to kill me and he¡¯ll pay them isn¡¯t making me want to give him a pass.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± A shirt appears in his hand and he proceeds to scrub it with soap. ¡°Okay, cool.¡± I guess that¡¯s the best I can hope for clean clothes out here, so I follow his example. ¡°How do I get it dry?¡± I ask once my shirt is¡­ no longer soapy. I can¡¯t tell if it did anything. ¡°After we¡¯ve eaten, I¡¯ll set up a rack by the fire to hang them on.¡± ¡°Something else I should get, I guess.¡± ¡°More like, learn to make,¡± he replies with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s just branches tied together.¡± I send the wet shirt to my inventory and start on my pants. ¡°Can I ask you something? I know I said it wasn¡¯t my place to pry, but what Helen said during the night.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to charge you for saving your life, Dennis.¡± ¡°Oh, I know. You did it cause I was in trouble and it¡¯s who you are.¡± ¡°Err, it¡¯s not quite. I mean, I didn¡¯t just¡­¡± I chuckle as he falters around. ¡°I know you also did it cause you wanted a fight. She said you stole from your parents.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like I said,¡± he replies tentatively. ¡°I was a kid. I¡¯d just taken my class, and dad had seen so much of the world, and his journal was filled with information. I wasn¡¯t stealing it. I was going to bring it back once I¡¯d seen a few of the places he wrote about. Once I had a journal of my own worth talking about. I didn¡¯t set out to lose it, no matter what Hel thinks.¡± ¡°The necklace?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°That was for a different reason, and that¡¯s all I¡¯m going to say about it, Dennis. It¡¯s not something I¡¯m willing to talk about.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I go back to washing in silence for a while. Brandon¡¯s done before me, and there¡¯s one last thing I need to deal with before he goes. ¡°Can I ask for a favor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to depend entirely on what it is. Believe it or not, there are things I¡¯m not willing to do.¡± ¡°Can you act like the adult you are?¡± His mouth shuts audibly. ¡°I¡¯m not saying not to have any fun. Even adults know how to do that, I hope. But I¡¯m just sixteen, and each time I have to get between you and Helen, I feel like my dad. Trust me, that is not a feeling I like.¡± ¡°Look, she¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what kids say? It¡¯s not my fault, they started it.¡± ¡°You have not been hanging around the kind of adults I have.¡± ¡°Then maybe you should be better than them. All I¡¯m asking for is that you don¡¯t goad her and don¡¯t play into it when she goads you.¡± ¡°This,¡± Brandon said in a severe tone, ¡°is why I don¡¯t like working with others. There¡¯s always someone telling me to grow up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who decided to keep me around.¡± He sighs. ¡°Fine, I promise to try and be more mature about how I handle my sister.¡± ¡°Thank you, that¡¯s all I¡ª¡± I let out a cry as he stands and exposes himself to me before I can close my eyes. ¡°System! Can you not? I didn¡¯t need to see that.¡± He pats my shoulder. ¡°You should have asked that I be mature about something else, then.¡± Then he leaves me alone in the water and I can¡¯t decide if I need to be angry or embarrassed. Chapter 44 ¡°What¡­is that?¡± I point to the mound of green in the distance that seems too uniform to be natural. Of course, with the system ¡®natural¡¯ doesn¡¯t have the meaning the old folks tend to associate with it anymore. But still, straight lines aren¡¯t something I expect to see unless people of some sort are involved. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Brandon says, after studying it. He grins. ¡°Wanna go explore it and find out?¡± ¡°Do we really want to waste time with pointless endeavors?¡± Helen asks, irritated. Silver peers at it. ¡°I¡¯m okay with going to see.¡± It¡¯s about midday. We¡¯ve been walking since sunrise without a debuff. Seems that a bedroll on ground with nothing poking into us and comfortable weather is enough to avoid a ¡®didn¡¯t sleep well¡¯ debuff. It¡¯s not enough to give us a ¡®good night¡¯s rest¡¯ buff, but that''s okay. Brandon hasn¡¯t commented or even smirked about what happened at the lake, and I¡¯m glad. This¡­freedom people seem to express in the wilderness is taking serious getting used to. Silver and Helen seem to be more like me about that. Or at least, they left for the lake dressed, returned in different clothing and were talking jovially the entire time. None of that, ¡®me avoiding looking at Brandon to keep from blushing at the memory,¡¯ for them. Clothing dried by a fire isn¡¯t comfortable. It¡¯s stiff, and it itches. On that, Helen agrees with me, because when she took hers off the rack Brandon made, she looked disgusted at the idea of putting it on. Fortunately for her, she had options. I was basically out of them. I¡¯d spent my time scrubbing everything I own. And for about an hour after we set out, I was itching. The trek was odd in that Brandon kept his mouth shut for pretty much all of it. As soon as Helen noticed he was ignoring her, she doubled down on the barbs. He gave me a number of ¡®do I really have to put up with this¡¯ looks. And I get it. I¡¯d talk with her, but it isn¡¯t like I know her. Okay, it isn¡¯t like I know Brandon either, but we¡¯ve shared two fights and¡­I¡¯m just more comfortable around him because of that. The thing is, when he isn¡¯t looking annoyed at her behavior, her mounting frustration at his silence makes him grin, and I think it¡¯s encouraging him to continue. It¡¯s utterly childish, but it tends to mean she stops after a few tries, and we have quiet for a few treens of minutes before Brandon says something about what¡¯s around us, or gives advice of how to proceed, and she used that as her cue to try to get his goat again. Brandon grins. ¡°Majority rule. Off we go.¡± He wears an expectant expression until we¡¯re close enough I make out gaps in the wall of green leaves. And it does look more like a wall than the side of a mound. Flat going up to a ¡®roof¡¯ with a series of peaks along it. ¡°Okay, not a ruin,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Should it be?¡± I ask. ¡°It could have been. Many of the old settlement that didn¡¯t survive the system¡¯s arrival turned into ruins. Like Hamilton.¡± ¡°But haven¡¯t all of those been found?¡± Silver asks. ¡°Nothing¡¯s been ¡®all found¡¯,¡± he replies, making the air-quotes. ¡°And even if a ruin has been found before, it can still be your first time there. Which means a newly discovered ruin for me and Dennis¡¯s quest. Sure, the bonus for being the first one to discoverer the ruin is nice, but at this point, I don¡¯t expect to be the one doing that.¡± He walks to the corner of the structure, keeping his distance. Then he heads closer when we round it. ¡°Is that wise?¡± Helen asks, but without snark. Brandon doesn¡¯t answer. He grabs a handful of leaves and pulls, revealing a door-like opening. I¡¯m next to him before I realize I¡¯ve moved, looking into a vast space, dim and tinted green by the leaves forming the roof. I make out metal ribs from the ground to the roof, with more spaced within, with thin vines partially climbing up along them. ¡°What is this?¡± I whisper. ¡°No idea.¡± He grins at me. ¡°Wanna go in?¡± I open my mouth to say no. I¡¯m not an idiot to step into some unknown place. But I¡¯m then taking a hesitating step across the threshold. When nothing happens, I step in fully. He pats my shoulder as he passes me and strides in deeper. ¡°I knew you had the explorer spirit.¡± Is that what it is? ¡°I call it being stupid,¡± Helen calls after him from the doorway. ¡°Don¡¯t come bitching when that spirit of yours gets you killed.¡± ¡°Is it safe?¡± Silver asks. ¡°I think so. It looks like this was a warehouse of some sort and that the vines covered it over the years.¡± ¡°Not a warehouse,¡± Brandon calls, picking up something from the ground. ¡°The walls were glass.¡± He raises a broken pane of it. ¡°It was a greenhouse?¡± Silver asks, standing next to me. ¡°It seems kind of large.¡± I move in, taking in the¡­peace? I glance at the upper right, but I don¡¯t have a buff. It doesn¡¯t mean the sense isn¡¯t real, just that it isn¡¯t imposed. ¡°They¡¯ve made some pretty big things,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Before the system arrived. You saw the Tower, right? That was made before.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it maintained with magic now?¡± ¡°No,¡± Helen answers, still from the doorway. ¡°It¡¯s used to check it to make sure it isn¡¯t about to fall, but it¡¯s holding up on its own.¡± ¡°It is safe,¡± I tell her. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave the exploring to the¡ª¡± she takes the three of us in. ¡°To you.¡± The ground is dirt, and most of the glass lines the walls of leaves. I focus on one.
System Query: Flora, Jasminum The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
A vine that was imported to the region and thrived. Produces flowers and fruit seasonally
We exit after walking to the other end and back without finding anything more unusual than the structure itself. We make it through a thick line of trees and see what¡¯s left of a house. ¡°Come on,¡± Helen calls as Brandon heads for it, ¡°I thought the goal was to go to Detroit. Not stop at every little thing that piques your curiosity.¡± ¡°The point of life is to enjoy yourself, Hel,¡± he calls back. ¡°And exploring places is a way me and Dennis do that.¡± I sort of want to contradict him, just because of the mocking tone he directed at her. But I am curious to see what it contains after all these years. I give her an apologetic smile, then run after him, excitement bubbling up. The house is up on a stone foundation with holes where window would have been. I make out undetailed space from the light pouring it. The door is still in place, and Brandon is testing it. Two large holes on each side let me see into what was a living room by the rotted seating arrangement, and the other one might have been a dining room. Two dormers are over those holes and the roof around them is caved in. ¡°Not kicking the door in?¡± I ask. ¡°Unlike what Hel thinks, I¡¯m not stupid. This could come crashing down on us if we shake it hard.¡± ¡°Then maybe we should listen to her warning?¡± He smirked. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± with the splintering of wood, he pulls it out of the frame and I step out from under the awning. The structure groans and creaks, but remains standing. ¡°Watch your steps,¡± he tells me, stepping inside. I follow him, and the inside is more the hint of a house than anything else. Thick wooden beams still hold up the ceiling struts, but there is no attic left. On the right is the only wall still standing, past the living room, on the left mostly whole cupboard still hangs from a beam. I head right, testing the floor before me while Brandon heads left. The door looks almost unnaturally untouched by time. The red paint has almost completely peeled off, but the wood underneath looks in good condition. And that¡¯s all it does. When I turn the knob, the whole things turns, easily breaking out of the entirely rotted door. Pushing it open results in the rest of it falling apart. And a snuffle comes from the revealed space. A mass of short brown fur shakes itself and, as I stare at it, a head moves to look at me, small black eyes blinking.
Brown Bear, Adolescent. Level 7
A brown bear that isn¡¯t fully grown. Brown bears are inclined to leave others alone, unless disturbed.
Perception check failed.
¡°Brandon!¡± I¡¯m in my armor, with my sword and shield equipped, as it launches in my direction with an irritated roar. Its claws miss me, but the impact from its shoulder has me on my back with some of my health vanishing. I¡¯m on my feet, then off balance as my left one breaks through the floor, only letting me swing wildly as it returns. I still feel the tip of the blade bite into its flesh, but I don¡¯t celebrate the lucky hit. I doubt that cost it all that much health, and it sounds even more pissed off. I¡¯m up again, this time with better footing, but way to move, while it seems to know the floor instinctively. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Brandon says, then he¡¯s coming down on the bear, and they¡¯re crashing through the floor. Not moving is hard as more of the floor breaks toward me until I¡¯m standing at the intersection of exposed joists. Brandon is in the basement, bashing the bear¡¯s head in and making a mess of it. He stops and looks at me over his shoulder. His face is covered with blood, and he¡¯s grinning. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Bruised,¡± I reply. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m great! We get to eat bear meat tonight.¡± ¡°Is that wise? I mean, it¡¯s a wild animal. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s in it.¡± ¡°Nearly all animal meat¡¯s fine to eat once you¡¯ve cooked it,¡± he replies. ¡°It¡¯s monster meat you have to watch out for. Some of that stuff can be¡­¡± somehow his grin is larger. ¡°Interesting.¡± He hefts the bear. ¡°Catch.¡± He throws it in my direction and I step out of the way. Then I¡¯m flailing as that part of the floor gives out and I land on my back to a flash of health and some loss of it again. The bear¡¯s carcass lands next to me. ¡°Sorry.¡± I glare at him. ¡°Do I even look strong enough to catch something like that?¡± He offers me a hand. ¡°Looks can be deceiving.¡± I take it and he pulls me to my feet. ¡°How are we getting us and that out of here?¡± He grabs the bear and throws it up and out; then he looks at me, grinning. ¡°I¡¯ll make my own way out.¡± I notice a section of the wall going straight up without a floor above and I get a grin of my own. He watches me as I cross to the other end of the basement, then run as fast as I can. When I reach the wall, it¡¯s just about turning it into a running crawl while making sure to never have more than one limb not touching it, and then I¡¯m vaulting out and tumbling down onto the grass. Hands grab on the edge as I stand, and Brandon pulls himself out. ¡°I was kind of expecting you to just jump out.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t in our power set.¡± He dusts himself. ¡°But you handled Momentum pretty well. I haven¡¯t seen a lot of explorers managing to go straight up like that. They usually pick an angle.¡± ¡°I had a few days back in Court where I needed to be out of the house and away from my dad. I couldn¡¯t leave Base, so he led me to a section of his wall no one ever goes to and I practiced running up it.¡± ¡°Run that by me again?¡± he says as we walk to the front of the house. ¡°You were inside Base, but he led you to a wall that¡¯s part of him? Are you pulling one on me?¡± ¡°Base is the center of Court. He¡¯s the compound that Court grew out of. He¡¯s a node, like those that make cities, really. Only he¡¯s also a person. He doesn¡¯t have a body. Like us, he¡¯s the compound itself. He can change things however he wants, unless Grandpa Louis forbids him to.¡± ¡°How does your grandfather tell something like that it can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°He. Base is a person. I¡¯m pretty sure he was an actual person once, but that isn¡¯t something he talks about.¡± ¡°Okay, but how does anyone tell someone like that no?¡± ¡°Grandpa Louis is his commander, so that lets him¡ª¡± ¡°Commander?¡± Brandon looks at me with an odd expression. ¡°Like that¡¯s his actually class, not just a title?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s his class.¡± ¡°That means this Base person is a military node.¡± He throws the bear over his shoulder like it doesn¡¯t weigh all that much. ¡°I have no idea how someone could become one of those, but I thought they¡¯d all been found and used to make fortifications for those military fanatics.¡± ¡°Military fanatics?¡± ¡°Yeah. Back before the system, there were a lot of groups who thought the world was going to end any day. So they accumulated all kinds of weapons. You also had the military, who was defending the country from its enemy. They had bases all over. That¡¯s where the military nodes come from. There was a lot of fighting over them, and whoever won, used them to turn the place into fortress. Those places can make the kind of weapons magic wielders like my sister can only dream of matching. Those are places you want to avoid unless you like having someone look over your shoulder all the time and are ready to punish you for just thinking differently than them.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Silver asks. ¡°Dennis found us dinner,¡± Brandon replies, not slowing. ¡°You can¡¯t seriously think of carrying that thing for the rest of the day,¡± Helen says. ¡°Definitely not doing that,¡± he replies. ¡°I¡¯m dropping this in the greenhouse, butchering it, drying most of the meat, turning the rest into dinner for tonight and tomorrow, we¡¯ll get moving again.¡± ¡°Are you going to let him do that?¡± she asks me. ¡°That sounds reasonable,¡± I reply. ¡°What about that quest you¡¯re on? Don¡¯t you want to get that done and over with?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush. It¡¯s not going anywhere.¡± She grabs my arm and pulls me away from the other two. When she stops, she looks back¡ªthey didn¡¯t slow¡ªand lowers her voice. ¡°Dennis, you will never amount to anything by following his lead. Brandon cares about nothing more than his own pleasure.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re not giving him enough credit. But what¡¯s wrong with wanting to have some fun while you do things?¡± ¡°Fun doesn¡¯t get things done,¡± she replies. ¡°Fun doesn¡¯t let you gain the experience you need to raise in levels, to have your name known by the people who matter. Only serious hard work does that.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Okay, that explains a few things. ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting to take something into account, Helen.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± she asks in a tone that makes it clear she isn¡¯t impressed with me. ¡°I don¡¯t want people to know my name, that they matter or not.¡± Chapter 45 The next morning¡¯s travel is quiet. Still no buff from a good night¡¯s sleep. When I asked Brandon what I¡¯d have to do to get it over breakfast, he replied I¡¯d have to invest in a much better quality bed, as well as a magical tent, since it isn¡¯t just the bed that governs getting those buffs. Helen didn¡¯t say anything then, or after. I think our discussion unsettled her. Like she can¡¯t understand how I¡¯m not interested in becoming famous. How being a ¡®lowly¡¯ guard is enough for me. I guess growing up in a city like Toronto, instead of a tightly knit community like Court, leads to different expectations out of life. After a few hours, Brandon goes from heading mostly westward to entirely south. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± I ask him. Like me, he has the Direction Sense ability, but he¡¯s been to Detroit before. So where I get nothing when I think of that city, he knows exactly in what direction it is. Just like if I think of Court, I can turn to face it and know that if I walk in that direction, I¡¯ll eventually find myself there. For him to change direction means he¡¯s noticed something. ¡°We¡¯re getting close to the Nation of the People,¡± he replies. ¡°Are they people we want to avoid?¡± He looks at me in surprise. ¡°No. They¡¯re fine people. Only get pissy if you get bossy with them. They have history of being pushed around by those in power before the System, so they don¡¯t take well to anyone who tries now that they¡¯re able to be their own people again. The problem is that the trade road passes through their town, and there¡¯s a market.¡± ¡°Which means my picture and the amount Xander is willing to pay for my journal will have circulated.¡± ¡°Yeah. Like I said, the People are nice enough folks. But it¡¯s a town, and there¡¯s no way to know who there won¡¯t be like the others.¡± ¡°You¡¯d know about that,¡± Helen says, in a sharp tone. Brandon closes his eyes and grinds his teeth. And for a moment, I think that after the morning of peace, this will make him blow up. But he lets out a breath and gives me a ¡®you know I¡¯m doing this for you, right?¡¯ look. I give him an encouraging smile in return, and he rolls his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll reach the road well east of the town. We might have to wait for a gap between caravans, but then we can cross unnoticed and go the long way around.¡± The road comes into view with the sun high, so we have lunch under the cover of the forest while the caravan passes. Once we can¡¯t see them, and there isn¡¯t another one approaching, we run across and lose ourselves among the trees. The forest quickly turns into marshland, and we¡¯re all soaked to the knees, with Helen being wet and dirty from tripping. It takes a solid glare on my part to keep Brandon from commenting while Silver helps her. When we reach a river, she dunks herself under as we cross it, then changes into a dry set of clothing without slowing us. As the sun reaches the horizon, we top a steep hill, and I stop as I see the town of¡­ was it really called ¡®The Nation of the People¡¯? Or did they just think of it as a nation and not a town? In the distance. Regardless, it is a sight. It¡¯s big. I mean really big. I can¡¯t see the wood palisade as it winds around and away in nothing resembling a circle. The most striking element after that is how¡­ empty it looks. Oh, there are buildings, and a good number of them, but there is so much space between them. There are clusters here and there. But otherwise it¡¯s a lone building with plenty of space before another. There might be small fields here and there, next to some houses, but that seems to be an exception. ¡°What do they do with all that space?¡± Silver asks with awe in her voice that echoes how I feel. ¡°I know, right?¡± If I climb on the palisade in Court and look over my town, all I see are rooftops, with space for roads and the occasional yard. It¡¯s lighter close to the walls, as that hasn¡¯t been filled with housed yet, but we don¡¯t stretch out like they have here. ¡°Brandon, how come they¡¯re so spread out?¡± ¡°No idea. I never thought to ask when I traveled through before.¡± He motioned westward. ¡°Come on. We want to put some distance before we stop for the night. The hunting parties should all be back inside before the sun disappears, but people out here have a habit of thinking anyone they cross who isn¡¯t on the road is up to no good.¡± He grins at me. ¡°Unless you think you want to practice fighting against them, it¡¯s not a good idea to have them walk into our camp.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. We walk into another forest when we barely have enough light to see the trees and Brandon has us continue for a while with his light crystal to navigate by. When we reach a clearing, we make camp. Dinner is dried bear meat and water. Then, Helen and Silver huddle for magical discussions, while Brandon leans against a tree with a book in his hand. ¡°Is that a different book?¡± I ask. ¡°Yeah.¡± He looks at the cover. ¡°I finished the history of the Appalachians last night.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°They were what people called the natives who lived in those mountains well before the System arrived, but the book is about the mountains themselves.¡± ¡°Why are you reading about mountains? And in a book from before the system?¡± It looks old, and with being able to access information from the system directly, there aren¡¯t a lot of books being written anymore. Dad¡¯s always complaining about how we¡¯re going to lose our history this way. But it¡¯s just a question of asking the right question about it, so I don¡¯t see his concern. ¡°For research.¡± ¡°Why bother researching that? Isn¡¯t your build about fighting?¡± ¡°Well, ignoring that you never know the kind of details from the past that will lead you to a ruin, it¡¯s easy experience. Why wouldn¡¯t I do it?¡± ¡°How is reading experience?¡± He stares at me. ¡°Haven¡¯t you looked at your class?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He looks at me expectantly. So I bring up¡­ where could there be anything about experience by reading? Well, there¡¯s only one section on my sheet that has anything that gives experience, so I bring up my active quests.
Dennis Carpenter¡¯s Active Quests
Aaron¡¯s last Will and testament
Aaron as asked you to deliver a private letter to his wife in Kansas City
Rewards: On accepting the quest, partial unlock of Arron¡¯s Never-Ending Journal, gain the ability to bind Aaron¡¯s Never-Ending journal to yourself. On completion of Quest: 26,324 experience, 2 ability points, 4 skill points and 2 spell points Consequence of refusal or failure: None
Ruin Explorer Quest, step 2: Have Discovered 2 Ruins
An explorer always finds the discovery of a ruin rewarding.
Rewards: 4563 experience
Cache Explorer Quest, step 2: Have found 2 Caches
Sometimes, finding a hidden cache can be a reward in and of itself.
Rewards: 4563 experience
Research Explorer Quest, step 1: Research 1 subject
The past isn¡¯t always contained within ruins. Sometimes it is in tomes that the rewards lay.
Rewards: 2197 experience
Fighting Explorer Quest, step 3: Have fought 6 different creatures
The Explorer doesn¡¯t only learn in dusty tomes and through ancient ruins. They also have something to learn from the creatures of the world.
Rewards: 6929 experience
¡°If it¡¯s supposed to be in my quests, I don¡¯t see anything about reading.¡± ¡°Really? You don¡¯t have the research quest?¡± ¡°Yes, but what you¡¯re doing isn¡¯t research,¡± I reply. ¡°Research is about trying to learn about something in depth, not just reading a book.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just reading,¡± Brandon replies. ¡°I¡¯m learning about the Appalachians. It¡¯s one subject, and when I¡¯ll be done, I will know it quite well.¡± ¡°Come on. There¡¯s no way the system counts that.¡± ¡°The fact I¡¯m working on step nine of my research quest says it does.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve gone over the maps in Aaron¡¯s journal often enough, I can probably draw a few from memory and that quest is still on its first step for me.¡± ¡°Maps aren¡¯t a subject. But they¡¯re a good place to start from, especially maps from another explorer. Since all the places he marked on them are places of interest, so someone will have written a book about them. Researching places you plan on going to is alway to your advantage, beyond advancing the quest.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not planning on exploring ruins. I¡¯m going to be a guard.¡± He gives me an amused look. ¡°Okay, but even then. It¡¯s an extra ability point every four steps. Do you really want to say no to that?¡± He offers me a book. I take it. ¡®Lord Dorchester-Man behind Toronto?¡¯. I raise my frown from it to Brandon. ¡°What use do I have for something that had to have happened years before the system in Toronto?¡± ¡°Centuries,¡± he corrects. ¡°And the use is advancing your quest. The system doesn¡¯t care if the information is useful or not, just that you learned it.¡± He opens his book. ¡°Word of warning. It knows if you¡¯ve learned something or not. So you need to actually read what¡¯s there, not just skim it like it¡¯s a random system query.¡± The book is kind of thick. I¡¯m not getting through this anytime soon. ¡°Where did you even get this?¡± ¡°At the club, before we left. I always leave the books I¡¯m done with and pickup new ones.¡± ¡°And they let you just leave with them?¡± I open the book and squint. Why is this written so small? ¡°One of the perks of being a member of the club, which you are, I¡¯ll remind you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just give this back to you when I¡¯m done.¡± Maybe? If it¡¯s all written this small, and a quick flip through shows it is. I might not be finished by the time I¡¯m back in court. ¡°Sure.¡± He smiles. ¡°I have a satchel full of books you can read afterward.¡± chapter 46 Over the next treen, I learn I need to get at least one other item. A razor, as my beard starts coming in and¡­it isn¡¯t pretty. Once Brandon stops laughing after he notices the patchiness, he tells me it¡¯s not that uncommon at my age. Using soap and a sharp knife, he shaves it off, and it takes nearly a week before it¡¯s noticeable again, just as patchy. The traveling goes surprisingly well. Up with the sun, Silver buffs us after breakfast. Then we walk until noon, eat, get buffed again, and we walk again. Even when it rained, it never hit the ¡®I¡¯m miserable¡¯ stage of being soaked. Throughout the days, Brandon points to the sky and asks me to predict the weather. I screw it up, of course, and he explains how to go about taking in the shape and grayness of the clouds, the sound of the insects, the feel of the air, and a lot of other things that don¡¯t always make sense, and use that to work out what the weather will be like later in the day. He sucks as a teacher, but at least there¡¯s no way under the system he can¡¯t make me ¡®not learn¡¯. Worse that happens is I don¡¯t benefit from a teacher¡¯s bonus to my learning. He did the same when we encountered animals. And at least once a day, he had me pick up a trail to track. The days are leisurely, and even Helen stops grumbling about it after a while and just enjoys the quiet of the wilderness. They aren¡¯t all without events. One lesson in following a trail led to a boar. We were close enough by the time we saw it that it had noticed us and charged. We couldn¡¯t get it to give up the chase, so Brandon stunned it with a blow to the skull it and we moved on. When I pointed out that he¡¯d said animals would leave us alone if we didn¡¯t disturb them, his reply was that not every animal was the same. Then grinned and added. ¡®It¡¯s what makes this fun.¡¯ We made camp well before the sun reached the horizon, and once we were setup spent time training. My archery, swordplay, blocking and dodging all got good workout, and Brandon insisted I train hand to hand with him. I¡¯m surprised at how few bruises I go out of those sparing matches. Then we ate, trained some more, and as the sun vanished, me and him read while Helen and Silver trained some more. Magic training involves a lot of talking about it, from what I gathered. The only ¡®incident¡¯ relating to me being hunted, and it might not even be related¡ªBrandon said they could have been a patrol taking us for brigands¡ªwas around London. It¡¯s about half the size of Toronto, Helen explained, and the only actual settlement between it and Detroit after the Nation of the People. We had to cross the road again, and we missed a group on horseback. They yelled after us as we rushed to the other side. I heard them thrashing through the trees for a bit, but they never caught up to us. We explored a few more abandoned buildings, but unlike Brandon¡¯s eternal enthusiasm with them, after a while, they all felt the same to me, and none had anything of interest. * * * * * ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to rain anymore,¡± I tell Brandon, looking at a sky filled with wisps of clouds ahead of us and the dark ones behind us. I¡¯m pretty much just playing the odds here. I still can¡¯t get anything out of what¡¯s up there or around us that clues me in. But he nods. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Lets look for something elevated and make camp. Hel, will that desiccate spell work on the ground like it did to dry us off? Otherwise we¡¯re going to want to make beds so we aren¡¯t sleeping on soggy grass, and those are less comfortable than the ground.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll work,¡± she replies. ¡°Isn¡¯t it early to stop?¡± Silver asks. ¡°If Helen can just dry the ground for us?¡± ¡°I want Dennis to hunt us dinner,¡± he replies as we continue. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you do it?¡± I ask. ¡°You¡¯re more skilled at tracking.¡± ¡°Which is why you need the practice. And if you don¡¯t catch anything, we have that jerky you¡¯ve offered.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡± He grins. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You know what you¡¯re doing, and you don¡¯t have to worry about us going hungry. This is the best time to do it.¡± If you say so? Under an hour of walking through a hilly forest, Brandon is satisfied with the location. With words that just don¡¯t want to registers as such, along with motions and a sprinkling of salt, the water on the ground vanishes, leaving dry earth, and a few wilted leaves and slightly yellowed grass. The spell doesn¡¯t adjust to what has more or less water in them. With my bedroll in place, the fire going, and Brandon waving at me, I set off on my first ever hunting expedition. Alone. Barely knowing what I¡¯m doing. I guess there¡¯s no better way to learn. * * * * * I pull the arrow out of yet another tree. At least I saw where this one hit. I must have lost a good treen of them to the underbrush at this point, or a in a bolting deer, or to them breaking. That¡¯s the thing Brandon might have forgotten to tell me. Hitting an animal isn¡¯t enough. If I don¡¯t down it in one hit, I have to be able to track its trail as it run off. That¡¯s a lot easier said than done. It takes a lot less than I expected to lose a blood trail. At least this is good training for my archery and my tracking. If not my nerves. Even after these days of peaceful traveling, now that I¡¯m alone, I can¡¯t help remember my first time in a forest. That Warg, and how lucky I was to survive it. If I come across a bear like in that house, it¡¯s quest over for me. I settle my nerves, a little, by breathing and focus on moving without sounds. When I make out a bundle of fur no larger than my head, I pull on the string, aiming, and¡ªthe damned thing takes off at the creaking of my bow. I resist the urge to chase¡ªthat¡¯s a waste of time¡ªand look at the shadows. I¡¯m guessing another hour of full daylight. Half of that in an attempt at killing something, then I head back. I spot the trail not long after and follow it until I see the deer. It¡¯s on the smaller side, so better odds of me killing it with one shot. I take position, gently pull the string as I aim. I take my time; I have all the time in the world. Well, not really, but¡ª What¡¯s that? The distraction as the¡­whatever that dark thing is, pulls my attention causes my fingers to loosen and the arrow¡¯s off, missing the deer completely. Unless I¡¯m mistaken, it hit that thing I noticed through the trees. It doesn¡¯t roar or scream or even move, so I figure I don¡¯t need to run in the opposite direction. I¡¯m cautious in my advance until I realize it isn¡¯t something, but a hole in the side of a hill. I approach it, and see my arrow a few paces inside, well within the light streaming in. I listen for the sounds of an animal since I¡¯ve seen enough movies where they use caves like this as dens, and when I don¡¯t hear anything, I step forward.
Congratulation, you have found a Dungeon.
You have found Dungeon of Munsee.
This Dungeon has not been explored. Experience, and reward bonuses will be assigned upon exit based on percentage of completion.
Do you wish to enter Dungeon of Munsee? Yes/No
My first dungeon! Ye¡ª I back up, pulling my hand away. Don¡¯t be an idiot, Dennis. This is a dungeon, not a game room. Since it hasn¡¯t been explored, I can¡¯t even query the system for rating info on it. That is not a place to wander in alone. I pull up the team window. Thing is, I don¡¯t have to be alone. And I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s at least person who won¡¯t say no. I bring up the team¡¯s chat. Dennis¡ªHey team, I just found a dungeon that¡¯s never been explored before. Who wants to go on an adventure? chapter 47 Brandon looks thoughtful when he steps away from the cave¡¯s entrance. ¡°Okay, this will be interesting. I didn¡¯t expect there were any unexplored dungeons left. Even if this one¡¯s far from anything.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we leave it alone, then?¡± Helen says, although not in the usual ¡®I¡¯m going to go against anything you suggest, Brandon,¡¯ tone. This is caution that I should feel is reasonable, but come on; my first dungeon. Brandon¡¯s grin matches how I feel. ¡°And have these two miss on that experience bonus? No way.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Now, her tone¡¯s sarcastic. ¡°You¡¯re going to claim you want to do this for them?¡± ¡°Unless we make it to the end, which we won¡¯t. You and I aren¡¯t going to feel the bonus. We¡¯re too high level. They¡¯ll be the one benefiting.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you think we¡¯ll make it to the end?¡± Silver asks. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s a dungeon primer,¡± he says in the tone he uses when he teaches me. ¡°Dungeons aren¡¯t infinite. There is an end point, and it¡¯s going to have the best rewards. But, before you get too excited, dungeons get tougher the further you go. It¡¯s usually progressive enough you won¡¯t notice it until you¡¯re almost overwhelmed. Also, how far the end is depends a lot on how old the dungeon is. This one could be young enough we¡¯ll be done before nightfall, but I doubt it. It¡¯s also likely it¡¯ll get harder than even me and Hel can deal with before we¡¯re close to the end. So you can stop it with the dreams of riches and power. We won¡¯t be getting that here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just looking forward to the skill boosts dungeon gives,¡± I say, eager to start. ¡°Skill boosts?¡± Silver asks, looking at me. ¡°Yeah, dungeons speed up the learning of skills. Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± she replies, slightly defensive. ¡°There¡¯s a dungeon about two hours North of Court. Every other month there¡¯s an expedition. It¡¯s a lot of guards and combat classes because most of it is about going as deep as they can, but a lot of crafters also go so they can do their trades and raise their skills faster.¡± ¡°So¡­it¡¯s a thing dungeons do? Like a straight up bonus to learning, like with a teacher?¡± ¡°No,¡± Brandon says. ¡°It¡¯s the danger that boosts the learning. It¡¯s on the same level as us raising our combat skills faster when we fight for real versus when we spar.¡± ¡°It¡¯s got something to do with feeling the danger,¡± I add, then continue at Brandon¡¯s raised eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s something they did when I traveled with the caravan. They sent me to fight off a batch of level three or four monsters that were at the edge of the camp. They had no intention of letting me be hurt, but they didn¡¯t tell me that. Just said it would be easy for me, and it was good training. It got pretty hectic, and I was sure they¡¯d leave me to die when Max shot the one over me and the others dealt with the rest. I actually got a couple of levels out of that, and they explained the reason after. It also only works once.¡± ¡°That means,¡± Brandon continues, ¡°that those crafters who go in have to be left at a point where they¡¯re always worried an attack might come and that whoever is left with them might not be able to protect them. The moment they realize they¡¯re safe, they bonus goes away. And it also slows the higher level you are.¡± ¡°Every Treen, or so,¡± Helen says. ¡°After level twenty-six, is what the research shows. I¡¯m surprise you don¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°Never bothered researching dungeons,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Too extensive a subject for how rarely I¡¯ll encounter them. Ruins don¡¯t have dungeons.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯d think they¡¯d be the perfect place for them.¡± ¡°You¡¯d think, but there isn¡¯t one on record. You¡¯ll find some around them, but never within the ruin itself.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°And it¡¯s going to be safe?¡± Silver asks. ¡°Nope. That¡¯s the point of dungeons. To pit yourself against something out to kill you.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re going to keep us safe, right?¡± ¡°You really that me answering that and defeats the skill bonus?¡± ¡°I¡¯d much rather feel safe,¡± she answers. Brandon looks at me, and I shrug. Sure, I want to learn faster, but I¡¯m not leaving her behind. And I¡¯m sure Brandon will manage to do something that¡¯ll let her feel in danger while not being so. Does that mean I won¡¯t get the bonus? Do I have to know I¡¯m in actual danger, or is suspecting it enough?
System Query: Leveling Skills
Skills can be raised through 2 methods: spending skill points and training
Spending Points: 1 point can be spent to raise a skill 1 level. A point can also be used, instead of currency, to buy a new skill, setting it a level 1 automatically.
Training: Skills can be raised through training at the rate of twice the current level in hours of active, focused training. The use of a teacher will reduce that total, based on the teacher¡¯s competency. Only one teacher can help a student learn, but a teacher can help multiple students, based on their teaching skill level.
Training under duress: when under life-threatening situation, skill gain is increased significantly; with that gain reducing the higher the skill level being used is.
Thank you for such an accurate description that doesn¡¯t help me. ¡°Alright then,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Me and Hel will make sure you and Dennis are safe. We¡¯ll think of this as giving you both a taste of what a dungeon is like, so you can decide if it¡¯s something you want to do again, maybe without us to protect you.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯ll do that,¡± I say before I can stop myself, and Silver gives me a disbelieving look. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go so far I¡¯ll die, but I could do with speeding up my learning. I don¡¯t want to always depend on Brandon to save me from the people Xander is sending to kill me.¡± ¡°You should never do that,¡± Helen says, and the siblings lock eyes. I ready myself for the argument. I was really hoping this¡ª ¡°So, who¡¯s ready to go in?¡± Brandon asks, breaking the staring contest. ¡°Me,¡± I say, relieved. ¡°I guess,¡± Silver says. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you alone with them,¡± Helen states. ¡°Then in we go.¡± He places his hand through the cave¡¯s opening, pauses, then steps through. I follow.
You have entered: Dungeon of Munsee
This Dungeon has not been explored. Experience and reward bonuses will be assigned upon exit based on percentage of completion.
No Information is available about this dungeon
There is no ¡®sense of the dungeon¡¯ once I¡¯ve passed the threshold. I think there¡¯s a bit more dampness in the air, but that can be my imagination. The way the stories go, from those who¡¯ve trained at the Dungeon north of Court, it made it feel like once you stepped into the dungeon, you were in a different world. This just feels like what I imagine a cave might. ¡°Is it colder?¡± Silver asks, rubbing her arms as we step out of the light streaming through the entrance. ¡°The earth acts as insulation,¡± Helen says. ¡°So it will be cooler.¡± ¡°Dennis, how much light can your ring generate?¡± Brandon asks as he attaches his light crustal to the end of a wooden rod with a small bowl of reflector around it. ¡°Just what you¡¯ve seen it generate. Close to two meters of soft light.¡± He nods and hands me something that looks a lot like the rod he put his crystal in, except it¡¯s metal and has a handle. ¡°I knew you¡¯d taken it,¡± Helen snarls. ¡°Dad kept saying he had misplaced it and¡ª¡± ¡°He gave it to me,¡± Brandon says flatly. ¡°It¡¯s a crank light,¡± he tells me. ¡°Which means you have to crank the handle for a while, so it¡¯ll build a charge and give you light.¡± I look it over, perplexed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know magic items could work that way.¡± He laughs. ¡°It¡¯s not magic. It¡¯s old tech. From well before the system. Great-Grandpa had that in his basement. Mon and Dad were living there when the system arrived and technology stopped working. They found it, and it still worked. Dad remade the casing in metal at some point, but it¡¯s basically the same as when Great-Grandpa used it. The switch turns it on. Don¡¯t look into it.¡± I point it ahead, and the circle of light on the floor is stronger than his light. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using this instead of your crystal.¡± He chuckles as he walks again. ¡°You¡¯ll get your answer quickly enough. Alright, Dennis, you¡¯re walking next to me, sword at the ready. Hel, you have our back, and Silver, whatever buffs you can give us, we¡¯ll take.¡± ¡°The music will warn them we¡¯re coming,¡± she says. Brandon chuckles. ¡°Oh, they already know we¡¯re here.¡± chapter 48 We¡¯re not even a treen of steps in when the first attack comes, and it¡¯s more disgusting than anything else.
Dungeon Worm, Level 1
Dungeon Worms are the weakest of the creatures that inhabit wild dungeons. They can range from not larger than their out-of-dungeon counterparts to being many times bigger.
Perception Check Failed
They come out of the walls and ground, and are the size of my forearm. They look more like maggots than worms, other than being slimy. There aren¡¯t a lot, and cutting them in half ends them.
Explorer Quest Completion, step 3: Creature Fights
You have fought 6 different creatures
Rewards: 6929 experience
You have gained a level. You are now level 6. Experience required to reach your next level: 14,027
¡°Why didn¡¯t you help?¡± I ask Brandon as he hand me a thermos. ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty. And I gained a level.¡± ¡°Congratulation,¡± he replies flatly. ¡°This is for your sword. The slime is mildly acidic, so you don¡¯t want to let it eat away at the metal. Or leave injuries unattended, if they somehow hurt you. As for why I didn¡¯t help, you need the experience gain more than I do, as demonstrated by your level.¡± ¡°And he doesn¡¯t want to get slime over himself,¡± Helen adds. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s the fighting quest line more than these level one worms made it happen.¡± ¡°It still moves you toward the next level faster than if I¡¯d killed most of them. And if Dennis needs rescuing, Hel, I¡¯ll be happy to dirty myself. But like I said, he needs the experience more than I do. Do you want to take the time to assign points?¡± I shake my head, putting the ability point I gained in At it All Day, since it¡¯s the next one of my list. ¡°I want to have a buffer of skill and attribute points. It already saved my life once.¡± ¡°That¡¯s smart for skills, but you sure you don¡¯t want to put your points in Strength? We don¡¯t get class bonuses in that attribute.¡± ¡°I doubt it¡¯ll make much of a difference. And if it does, I can put them in when I need them.¡± ¡°Only if you¡¯re still conscious. But it¡¯s your decision.¡± He turns to Silver, who is still playing her violin. ¡°Since they¡¯s a lot weaker than I thought they would be. You can join in with Dennis. You¡¯re going to get more experience that way than filling whatever quest you¡¯re working on.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really fighting oriented,¡± she replies. ¡°And I don¡¯t have anything to use as a weapon.¡± Brandon offers her a slender sword. ¡°If you have a skill point, put it in that.¡± I don¡¯t know why she looks at me, but I shrug. I figure she¡¯s better off learning how to use a sword, but I am combat oriented. ¡°Let me put it this way, Silver,¡± Brandon says. ¡°If we get separated while traveling. Do you really want to depend on your violin to keep creeps and monsters from attacking you?¡± ¡°What about the buff I¡¯m providing?¡± The icon is green and has the silhouette of a man with his chest puffed out.
System Query: Courage, Buff, level 1
You are feeling more courageous Strength, Agility, and endurance receive an extra point for the duration of the buff The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
That isn¡¯t making me feel all that much braver. ¡°I think Dennis can work without it until he goes up against stronger creatures. Look,¡± he continues as she still looks uncertain, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you¡¯re scared. I get it. I¡¯m just saying that¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared. Well, a little. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have to do any fighting.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Brandon says. ¡°If you¡¯re comfortable with it, you can just keep on depending on me and Dennis to keep you safe while we¡¯re here.¡± His eyes flick to something I don¡¯t see, then he glares at Helen, who is glaring right back at him. So they¡¯re can message each other and they¡¯re going to take their sibling problems there? ¡°Mom made sure you knew how to handle a staff before she let you touch spellcraft,¡± Brandon states. ¡°That you¡¯ve grown beyond using it has nothing to do with this situation. Unless you think Silver¡¯s learned enough to defend herself with it?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even gained a level in the spark spell yet,¡± Silver says. ¡°My point exactly,¡± Brandon snaps, then curses under his breath. ¡°Sorry,¡± he tells the startled Silver. ¡°The tone was directed at my sister. But my point remains. We¡¯re in a dungeon. This is the best place to start learning since you haven¡¯t taken courses. You put a point in sword fighting, and before we leave, you¡¯ll have at least a treen in the skill, if not twice that.¡± He¡¯s exaggerating, I¡¯m certain of it, but I do agree with his sentiment. Silver puts her violin in its case, then it disappear into her inventory. She takes the sword and Brandon spends a few minutes making sure she holds it correctly, then he motions for us to take the lead. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± I tell her. ¡°Brandon and Helen are right behind us, and if anything goes wrong, they¡¯ll help.¡± Her nod lacks confidence, but she looks ahead and we are walking again, with me cranking the light so it will continue shining. * * * * *
Dungeon fly, Level 4
A fly that has been changed by living within a dungeon
Perception Check Failed
Change isn¡¯t strong enough of a word for what that ¡®fly¡¯ is.
You have gained a level. You are now level 7. Experience required to reach your next level: 16,393
I guess something good came of me getting stabbed by that thing. It didn¡¯t to a lot of damage, but I can¡¯t feel my hand right now. I¡¯m lucky I batted at it with my shield arm. Without a sword, Brandon would have had to jump in to help. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Silver tells me. ¡°I just¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I reassure her. ¡°I was just as surprised.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t run away.¡± The six things barely larger than my hand flew at us from the darkness ahead and I¡¯d reacted before the disgust set in. Then I was cutting one, and another, until I went to bat one away with my shield and it was nimbler than I expected. A cut was enough to ground them and render them harmless, but I made sure to kill them, both because I don¡¯t get experience just for maiming a creature and because they are even more disgusting than the worms. ¡°I¡¯ve been training since I was nine. I didn¡¯t go up against monsters then, but we learn that our job¡¯s to stop them so others have a chance to escape, and that means we learn not to let disgust drive us. You don¡¯t have that, so your reaction¡¯s normal. How¡¯s your skill?¡± ¡°Still at one,¡± she says. It¡¯s what Brandon was trying to avoid by not letting her know he¡¯d be there to protect her. I also haven¡¯t gained any levels in my skills because I haven¡¯t felt in danger at any point. ¡°Do we have anything to take care of my hand?¡± I ask. The ¡®numb¡¯ debuff is already yellow, so it¡¯s going to be gone soon, but I don¡¯t want to sit and wait for it to pass, and I don¡¯t know how safe it is to continue. I can¡¯t crank the light one handed, and I don¡¯t know how long it will keep working without that. ¡°I can have you regain the points you lost,¡± Silver says, ¡°but I don¡¯t have a song to remove a debuff like that.¡± ¡°It falls under the category of cures,¡± Helen says, ¡°rather than healing. And I don¡¯t do either.¡± I put the ability point in Bob and Weave. I now have five attribute points. I can afford to put one or two of them in Endurance, right? More of that will help against these kinds of debuffs. It might also be time to put something in dexterity. I would have reacted faster. Health would also make sense, because monsters are only going to get more dangerous going forward. And tougher, so Brandon might be right that I should invest in strength. It might be best to wait still. ¡°System to Dennis,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Are you still in there?¡± ¡°Yes. Sorry. I went up another level, and I was trying to decide where I should put a few attribute points.¡± ¡°And what did you decide?¡± ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t.¡± He nods. ¡°How many points do you have?¡± ¡°Five. I know you want me to put them in strength, but what if that¡¯s not where I end up needing them?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put them in strength. I shouldn¡¯t have told you that earlier. Hitting hard is my thing. You go for precision. So if you¡¯re going to put them somewhere, dexterity is where you should start.¡± ¡°But what if I need more health or toughness?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the problem.¡± He takes hold of my shoulders and looks me in the eyes. ¡°First off. Endurance, intelligence, and Health get raised through our class, so you don¡¯t have to worry about them. What¡¯s going on here is that you¡¯re afraid of making the wrong decision.¡± I open my mouth to protest, but his smirk stops me. I guess that he isn¡¯t wrong. ¡°How do I make sure that doesn¡¯t happen?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± He shakes his head. ¡°Whatever you decide, it¡¯s going to be the wrong decision in at least one situation and, realistically, a lot more of them. It¡¯s the nature of stepping into the wild. Out here, the system doesn¡¯t care about what you want, or what you think should be happening. There¡¯ll be days when you think the system looked at your sheet specifically and tailored every encounter to poke at what you¡¯re worse at.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s no way to get it right?¡± ¡°All the time? No. But that¡¯s the thing. It doesn¡¯t matter where you put the points. There will be times when that will be exactly what saves your ass. Even points in charisma can come in handy.¡± ¡°Like you know anything about that,¡± Helen comments, and Brandon simply smirks. ¡°So here¡¯s my advice. Once were done here. Think about a few areas where you want to excel at. Since you said you want to be a guard, it¡¯s probably going to be combat related for you too, and then pick the three best attributes to improve that, and those are where you put most of your points. Okay?¡± ¡°And remember, you¡¯ll be getting points your entire life,¡± Helen adds. ¡°So if things change at some point, it¡¯s not a ¡®all is lost¡¯ situation.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s where keeping some points in reserve comes in handy.¡± He smiles. ¡°So, we good to go?¡± I nod and notice the debuff¡¯s gone. He pats my shoulder. ¡°Then you and Silver take the lead again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do better,¡± Silver says. ¡°I have no doubt,¡± Brandon replies. We walk for a few minutes, then a sound behind us had us turning in time to see the tunnel close up, trapping us inside the dungeon. Chapter 49 ¡°See what you got us into?¡± Helen yells at Brandon as she pushes against the now closed off tunnel. ¡°Can you blast it open?¡± he replies at lot calmer than I think the situation calls for. We¡¯re basically trapped now, unless we can beat the whole dungeon, I think. She glares at him. ¡°And bring all this down on us? I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, Bran, but it¡¯s basically just packed earth around us. And with those worm things that are crawling through, there¡¯s no way it¡¯s stable enough not to come crashing down if I just explode part of it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he replies. ¡°Okay?¡± she demands. ¡°Are you fucking out of your mind with ¡®okay¡¯? You said we¡¯d be turning around if things got too tough for them. How the fuck do you plan on doing that with this in the way?¡± I do my best not to show my worry when he looks in my direction. The fear is clear on Silver¡¯s face. ¡°Look, this is a branching dungeon,¡± he says in a calm tone. ¡°That means there are other ways to return to the entrance. All we need to do is start taking branches that double back and we will be outside in no time.¡± ¡°And how are you going to know we¡¯re going in the right direction, oh mighty explorer?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll know,¡± he replies, surprisingly unaffected by her derisive tone, ¡°when the creatures we¡¯re fighting go down in level. And before you bitch about that too, yes, I¡¯m aware it means we¡¯ll probably have to go up against higher-level ones before we find the right path, but Dennis is high enough to deal with them, and Silver can gain from the experience.¡± ¡°Do I have to?¡± she asks, and I give her the most reassuring smile I can. Brandon¡¯s plan makes sense. ¡°Do you have to fight?¡± he replies. ¡°No, of course not. Silver, you don¡¯t have to do anything you don¡¯t want to, even if the situation has cut down the options a bit. I¡¯m just saying that with Denis fighting at your side, and me and Hel as backup, it¡¯s a safe situation to gain experience. You don¡¯t even have to kill any of the creatures. Since we formed a party, you get a trickle from any of Dennis¡¯s kills.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we get yours instead?¡± she asks, voice still trembling. He shakes his head. ¡°Me and Hel are too high level. The experience gain needs to register to us for it to trickle to you and Dennis.¡± He smiles. ¡°And you¡¯ll go up in level a lot faster if you take part in the fighting. It¡¯ll be fine,¡± he adds, and even Helen seems mollified. I feel confident enough I check for a buff from his speech, but there isn¡¯t one. ¡°O¡­okay.¡± With another reassuring smile, I start walking. I get now why Brandon isn¡¯t a fan of the crank light, although he shouldn¡¯t have the problem I¡¯m having, since he fights with his fists. Cranking the handle while holding my sword isn¡¯t comfortable. Four of the flies come at us two treens of steps later and I drop the light in my rush to prepare. My ring still gives us enough light and Brandon¡¯s back enough the beam of his light crystal adds to that. ¡°You scored a hit!¡± Brandon exclaims. ¡°How does it feel?¡± She looks at him in disbelief. ¡°Scary.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to that.¡± I pick up the light and wedge it between me and my belt. It¡¯s not comfortable, but the beam is ahead of us, even if it travels left to right as I walk, and I don¡¯t have to worry about dropping it. The next volley of flies is five of them, level five, and again, Silver manages to nick one of them as she flays about. Then we reach a bifurcation and I look at Brandon. ¡°Okay, you and Silver stay here while me and Hel recon that branch to see if it doubles back.¡± ¡°Is that safe?¡± I ask before he moves. ¡°What if the dungeon closes it off and we¡¯re separated?¡± He opens his mouth, closes it, then looks at Helen. ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡± she asks. ¡°You¡¯re the ¡®expert¡¯ on dungeons.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he says through clenched teeth, ¡°one of you stands here.¡± He points to the entrance to that branch of the tunnel. ¡°That way, it won¡¯t be able to close it off.¡± He glares at Helen, as if daring her to comment. ¡°What if it closes it, anyway?¡± Silver asks as I stand where Brandon pointed. ¡°And Dennis is killed in the process?¡± The question leaves him perplexed, and me questioning the wisdom of standing here. ¡°It probably can¡¯t,¡± Helen finally says with a sigh of exasperation. ¡°Dungeons aren¡¯t made to kill anyone with structures like doors, even hidden ones.¡± ¡°I thought I was the expert,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Then maybe you should have read books on dungeons,¡± she replies. ¡°I¡¯m no expert, but I hang out with researchers, so I hear stuff.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask her. ¡°As sure as I can be.¡± I nod. ¡°Go check it. I¡¯ll keep the passage from closing.¡± He and Helen vanish in the darkness and soon, even his light isn¡¯t visible anymore. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared it¡¯s going to close, anyway?¡± Silver asks. She¡¯s closer, but still far enough she can¡¯t be caught if the passage does close. ¡°A little,¡± I admit, cranking the light as a distraction. ¡°Then why are you staying there?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯d rather we don¡¯t get separated if I can help it.¡± I smile at her. ¡°And I tell myself that if the dungeon is going to close this, it won¡¯t just make a wall appear with me in the middle. I¡¯ll have time to get out of the way.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The light returns, and Brandon shakes his head. ¡°As far as we can tell, that passage heads in the same direction as this one. So we might as well continue. We make it past another intersection, which they go check, before we come to a warning we¡¯ll be fighting in the form of a spider¡¯s web blocking the way. There¡¯s even a dead fly cocooned in it. The spider isn¡¯t visible for the moment, but there are many holes in along where the web¡¯s attached to the stone wall. I get as close as I dare and shine the light through. ¡°I don¡¯t see more webs.¡± ¡°Which means only one spider,¡± Brandon replies. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Maybe we should go back to the other branch,¡± Helen says with a shudder. ¡°I doubt it¡¯s going to do any good,¡± he says. ¡°The passage heads in this direction so it¡¯ll have a similar monster progression.¡± He looks at me. ¡°If you don¡¯t feel like taking it on, I will.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I reply. ¡°If it¡¯s just one, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Okay, typically, spiders can spit a goo that can foul you up. It¡¯s sticky like the web and pretty tough to cut or break. In a dungeon, it might be able to do a few extra things, but it should be low enough level they won¡¯t be fight-ending.¡± ¡°I can burn the web,¡± Helen says, the snapping her fingers making a flame appear over them. ¡°You might kill it,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Let Dennis have a go at it.¡± I almost slash through it to get the spider¡¯s attention, then think better of it. The last thing I want is to get my sword stuck on it. I take three steps back and lob an arrow at it. It sticks to it and the whole web shudders, and keeps shuddering, which is when I realize it¡¯s no longer the arrow doing it. The spider squeezes out of a hole that seems much too small for it. It is black, and the carapace reflects the light as if it¡¯s wet.
Dungeon Spider, Level 8
Dungeon Spiders feed on the errant fly that wanders within its web. As well as the careless adventurer who underestimate them
Perception Check Failed
¡°You¡¯ve got this,¡± Brandon says, as I¡¯m about to ask for his help. ¡°Just stay calm. You know how to fight. Make your first hit count. That¡¯s the most important one since it isn¡¯t paying attention to you yet.¡± I take a breath and take a treen-minus to study it while it pokes at the arrow with a leg. The carapace will be armored, but its eyes won¡¯t be. I start there, and at the very least, it¡¯ll get penalties on its attacks for poor vision. I close the distance, and as I hope, the sound makes it look in my direction. My thrust goes right into its eye and it lets out a sound that, other than hurting my ears, I can¡¯t identify. It jerks its head and I nearly lose the grip on my sword, then my health bar flashes in time with the pain in my side as its leg pierces through the armor. I don¡¯t lose as much as I expected, a tenth at most, but an orange debuff appears
Debuff: Poison. Type: Weak
You have been poisoned and will lose 1 hit point every second until a counter agent has been used, or it has run its course
A second one, red this time, appears as I pull away and the legs leaves a small hole in my side.
Debuff: Bleeding
You are bleeding. You lose 1 hit point every second until the injury has been seen to or heals naturally.
¡°Silver, I could use that healing song right now.¡± I block the leg it tries to stab me with, then push it aside for another thrust, which skids over its carapace and leave me off balance. I lose a lot more health this time as the legs hits with more strength, two tenth this time? No other debuff, so they don¡¯t stack, that¡¯s good. I try to stab it, being so close already, but the point of my sword skids off again. I push myself off at the cost of a second bleed debuff, but Silver plays her violin and they both quickly go from red to orange and toward green as I watch the spider skitter around. Something comes at me from its maw and I have my shield in the way, but the thing that hits spread over it and my arm. Cursing, I send it to my inventory to deal with later, but it doesn¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯m out of the way of the next strike, but then I¡¯m on my back from the glancing blow. I slash to stop its advance, and a leg falls off, causing it to retreat and giving me time to deal with why my shield doesn¡¯t want to move from the ground. It¡¯s fucking stuck there. Brandon¡¯s next to me. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I say as he grabs the strand covered edge of my shield and pulls up, ripping it off the ground. When he steps away, the gloves he wore stay stuck against my shield. I get to my feet. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I tell him, then glare at the fucking spider. He grabs my shoulder and turns me so I have to look at him. ¡°Don¡¯t get angry, Dennis. You can¡¯t win if you can¡¯t think. Whatever you feel right now, swallow it. I¡¯m sure that grandmother of yours taught you to keep your emotions out of the fight. So you do that right now, got it?¡± I swallow and nod. He¡¯s right. Anything that clouds my judgment only leads to me losing the fight. Brandon will be there to save my ass again, but I¡¯d really rather finish this on my own. When it opens its maw again, I jump out of the way and the glop of gooey filaments splash against the wall. Silver is still playing, but I can¡¯t tell if it has an effect on my health. When it comes at me again, I bash its head with my shield, hoping it¡¯ll stick and I¡¯ll stay with it as I stab, but while I stagger it aside, my shield is clearly not sticking. I wait for it again, hoping to get a shot at its other eye, but it¡¯s too fast this time, and all I get is more loss of health and a bleeding debuff that quickly cycles to green and vanishes. When it jumps at me, I roll under it, only for my shield to get stuck on the ground again, but this time I manage to pull it off without help, although it¡¯s heavier from all the stuff stuck to it. It dances around me, and when I feint left, it moves there, letting me cut off another leg, but the bitch is fast and there goes more of my health. The slash goes wide as I push off and the bleed debuff it there. ¡°Don¡¯t attack,¡± Silver calls as I¡¯m about to lunge. ¡°I need ten seconds.¡± I go on the defensive, stepping out of its way as the music changes.
You have been buffed: Strength of the Underdog
I smile as I suddenly feel better and have a longer health bar. It¡¯s still slightly under half full, but that¡¯s more than I had before comparatively. I dodge a few of its strikes, while mine keeps skidding off its carapace. I almost get it in the eye, but it jerks out of the way at the last moment and I end up stabbed again. I land a punch before pushing away, but all that does is hurt my hand. ¡°Focus Dennis,¡± Brandon calls. I bite my angry reply and do what he says. I have the training, I¡¯m better than that. Grandmother saw to it. She would be so pissed if she saw how close I am to losing it right now. When it comes at me, I wait too long to get out of the way, but along with the stab that hurts more than take away from my boosted health, I manage to lodge my sword at the joint between the front and back part of its body. Then I yank and it sends me flying. Instead of the expected pain of hitting a wall, I¡¯m caught in something that wavers back and forth, and I can¡¯t pull myself out of it. I¡¯m caught in its web. Brandon puts a hand on Helen¡¯s arm, stopping her motions as the spider takes a step in my direction, and I wonder what he¡¯s doing when I notice the goo it¡¯s leaving behind. It staggers to the side and seems to attempt to right itself, only or over correct. Then it trips and falls. It shuddered, and goes still. For confirmation, I open the combat log and look at the last entry.
You have killed a Dungeon spider, Level 8
You gain 1352 experience
I sigh in relief, then looked at the others standing there, watching the dead spider. ¡°Is anyone interested in cutting me down from this thing?¡± Chapter 50 Brandon spreads dirt on the back of my armor. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the webbing should dissolve in a few hours. This is just going to make sure you don¡¯t stick to anything you lean against.¡± Helen used fire to cut me down, starting at the edge of the web out of fear it would flash burn, but it proved surprisingly resistant. She managed to collect some using a telekinetic spell, as well as ash that was left behind, to study. She said that just about everything can be turned into spell ingredients once its properties are understood. I have no idea how that works. Since the system runs everything, hasn¡¯t it assigned everything already, and it¡¯s just about querying it? I move, pulling on the shoulder and there¡¯s some resistance from the webbing, but not so much it¡¯ll affect my fighting. My shield¡¯s free of webbing, courtesy of Helen¡¯s fire. My knife was used to cut the webbing from my arm, and that was cleaned by fire too. ¡°We good to go?¡± Brandon walks past the spider¡¯s corpse without waiting for an answer and something registers. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to loot the body?¡± Brandon gives me a disgusted look. ¡°There¡¯s no¡ª¡± he looks at it. ¡°Actually, go on, loot it.¡± That doesn¡¯t sound ominous at all. Unfortunately, I have to touch it to loot, so I take cautious steps, and access its inventory, ready to pull away, the moment my finger tip makes contact.
Dungeon Spider Corpse
Sticky spit 3
Spider Entrails 1
¡°What is that? Where¡¯s the good stuff?¡± If I had a higher Zoology¡ªor does this fall under cryptozoology?¡ªskill, I could have gotten information on them. As it is, I¡¯d have to take them out and look at them to trigger a perception check, and they look too disgusting to hold. This doesn¡¯t even count toward raising the relevant skill since I¡¯m not in danger. All this fighting, and not even one point gain. I look up as I feel Brandon¡¯s gaze on me. ¡°Sorry, what?¡± I have the sense he just stopped speaking. ¡°Did you learn anything from the system?¡± ¡°What? No, I was just¡­I was just lost in thoughts.¡± ¡°What you missed was me telling you that this is what you get in unexplored dungeons, so I¡¯m not bothering with looting. Until people adventure in, for it to get ¡®real loot,¡¯ all you get is stuff that follows the theme. This is a wilderness dungeon, so it¡¯s going to have ¡®wilderness¡¯ type loot. You know, stuff left over from animal dying. If we make it deep enough, there¡¯s a chance we¡¯ll get stuff like rough gemstones, maybe ores if those occur naturally in this area. But I doubt we¡¯ll make it that deep.¡± ¡°Look at you,¡± Helen says, smirking. ¡°Mister ¡®I haven¡¯t researched dungeons¡¯ telling us how it¡¯s going to be.¡± ¡°Like you,¡± he replies, irritated, ¡°I listen to people talk. The clubs always have newbies looking for a shortcut to filling their research quests, and the older folks have no problem going on and on and on about what they know to them. Those people really like hearing themselves talk. What they¡¯ll find in dungeons comes up often enough I ended up picking up a thing or two.¡± ¡°You mean from when you asked them, trying to complete those research quest faster?¡± she asked. ¡°But this is worth something, isn¡¯t it?¡± I ask, before this escalates. I look at Helen. ¡°You said everything can be used for spells, wouldn¡¯t those count?¡± ¡°I am not touching them,¡± she replies, disgusted. ¡°I meant to sell.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Brandon chuckles at his sister¡¯s reaction. ¡°The problem with that is finding someone willing to buy those. Those who need them can have that harvested from just about any animal or creature out there, so there are plenty of hunters doing trade in them. Again, deeper, you¡¯ll get rarer stuff. Unless you have the skills to refine junk loot into something more valuable, you really don¡¯t want to waste time with anything below the first treen.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Sorry to shatter your illusions of wealth from just this one dungeon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± I reply, offended at the implication. ¡°It¡¯s just that every story I¡¯ve heard about adventuring usually has a dungeon making them rich at some point.¡± ¡°That one¡¯s yours to answer, Silver,¡± Brandon replies with a chuckle, then walks ahead, joined by Helen. Silver saddles up to me as I follow. ¡°I¡¯m going to let you in on a secret,¡± she says in a conspiratorial tone. ¡°We¡¯re always exaggerating stuff when we tell stories. It makes them more exciting.¡± ¡°I know. I mean, I really know. I just got caught up in the moment, I guess.¡± I try not to let on how foolish I feel. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re allowed. You took down a big bad spider a treen minus meters in height, single-handedly.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that big, and you helped.¡± ¡°It will be when I sing about it, and all I did was play accompanying music.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Stories have¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t downplay your importance. If you hadn¡¯t buffed me, it would have killed me.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡­.¡± She trails off. ¡°Just remember that you¡¯re important to the team, even if the system¡¯s stupid and doesn¡¯t reflect that in how experience is distributed after a fight.¡± She nods and I crank the light until we catch up to Brandon and Helen standing in another bifurcation. ¡°Like before,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Me and Hel are going to check down that one to see if it turns back. You two stay here. I didn¡¯t see signs of creatures as far as my light shines, so you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°If not,¡± I say, ¡°I doubt they¡¯re going to be tougher than that spider. Me and Silver can deal with them.¡± He looks at me with what I think is pride, but Helen grabs his arm and pulls him away as he opens his mouth. ¡°Oh, please. Don¡¯t encourage him,¡± she tells him. ¡°He seems to have at least some common sense.¡± I feel¡­I mean, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s my dad or anything, but he is a lot more experienced than I am at this, and it means something that he approves of how I¡¯m dealing with this. Bradon pulls his arms out of her hand with a nod, then looks over his shoulder, opening his mouth, and suddenly there¡¯s a rock wall blocking the passage. I rush to it, but an explosion from the other side makes me step back. ¡°Are you fucking insane, Hel?¡± Brandon yells, but his voice sounds like it¡¯s coming through a meter of solid stone. ¡°What if you¡¯d brought all this down on us?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a fucking idiot, Bran,¡± she replies. ¡°Unlike you, I noticed everything¡¯s stone now.¡± ¡°That back blast nearly fried me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure none of your friend will care if you¡¯re shy a few layers of skin. Unless you owe even that to them?¡± ¡°I you two okay?¡± I yell, stepping to the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close,¡± Brandon yells back. ¡°My sister looks like she¡¯d rather bring everything down on us than stay here with me.¡± ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t want to rejoin them and make sure they¡¯re safe?¡± she demands. ¡°Are you two okay?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± I reply, although Silver looks scared. ¡°Can you really magic this out of the way?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Not if you kill us in the process!¡± Brandon yells. ¡°I don¡¯t see you doing anything!¡± ¡°Unlike you, Hel. I know my limits, and stone is well beyond it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just scare of¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± I yell, silencing them. ¡°Yelling at each other isn¡¯t helping. Helen, realistically, can you get rid of this wall?¡± ¡°Ye¡­.¡± The pause stretches. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she finally admits. ¡°The wall¡¯s stone, and by the way your voice sounds, I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s at a meter and a half of it. The most destructive spells I have are fire and electricity. Fire barely left a scorch mark. I doubt a lightning bolt will do more.¡± ¡°Brandon, how about you? Can you really not do anything?¡± ¡°Come on Dennis, do you really think I¡¯d hold out if I had something that could take this away?¡± I don¡¯t say what my concern is, but Helen has no problem voicing it. ¡°Of course you would. If this was in your power, it¡¯s exactly the kind of stupid thing you¡¯d do, so they¡¯d find themselves in danger and grow faster. You are such a selfish bastard that you¡¯d¡ª¡± ¡°That enough,¡± I say, although I can¡¯t muster the strength to yell. So I¡¯m surprised she stops. Silver looks about to panic. ¡°Brandon, do you think that tunnel turns up and rejoins the branch we passed earlier?¡± ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know. We¡¯d have to check further in. My light doesn¡¯t shine far enough to tell.¡± ¡°Okay. You two do that and come tell us. If it does, we¡¯ll just backtrack and meet up, and we aren¡¯t splitting up again.¡± And if it doesn¡¯t¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll hurry and be back in a few minutes.¡± I turn to Silver and hold her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine,¡± I say in as confident a voice as I can. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die,¡± she whispers. ¡°I¡¯m not made for this. I¡¯m just a musician.¡± ¡°Breathe, Silver. You aren¡¯t going to die. I¡¯m sure that Brandon¡¯s going to be back with good news. Then we¡¯ll rejoin with them and we won¡¯t split up again, just like I said. All we have to do is wait here for them to come back.¡± She nods, and her breathing slows. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I guess you never thought you¡¯d be quite this close to one of the stories you sang about.¡± Her chuckle¡¯s nervous. ¡°And didn¡¯t I say this is exactly what I wanted? To have songs of my own?¡± ¡°I get the feeling you meant more like song of people you saw putting their lives in danger, rather than being the one¡­.¡± Okay, better not finish that. ¡°I guess I thought I¡¯d stick to the sidelines. Where it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Dennis!¡± Brandon calls through the wall, and I can already tell this isn¡¯t good news. ¡°I have bad news.¡± I try to crush that kernel of excitement at the news as I pull Silver against me. We are on our own. We don¡¯t have anyone to keep us safe anymore. We are in actual danger. Chapter 51 [Dennis] Brandon, how are we doing this? Silver¡¯s pretty scared. ¡°Ow!¡± I look at Silver in surprise at the punch in my stomach. ¡°I can see the chat.¡± She glares at me. Right, it¡¯s a team chat, after all. I wonder what I need to initiate a private one. [Brandon] Is Silver done hitting you for drawing everyone¡¯s attention to that? ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she yells. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I say. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to scare you more.¡± ¡°So you were going to talk behind my back? I¡¯m scared, not an idiot.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I say again. ¡°I¡¯m done hitting him!¡± ¡°Good,¡± Brandon yells through the stone. ¡°You don¡¯t want him too hurt, because the only real course of action is to proceed ahead. Me and Hel will do the same and we¡¯re bound to meet up at some point.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± I yell. ¡°Once we reach the next junction, we¡¯ll check in. Start ahead. Hopefully, you¡¯ll be waiting for us there.¡± ¡°See you soon.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask Silver. ¡°No. But I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to freak out.¡± ¡°Good. This isn¡¯t great, but we need to work with it. Here¡¯s what I want us to do. I¡¯ll take the lead. You follow with your sword in hand.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d be more useful buffing you.¡± ¡°Maybe, but right now, I think it¡¯s more important we use this to level you up. All you need to do is scratch one of them for the system to recognize you took part in the fight and get some experience. Once you¡¯ve done that, you can retreat and play.¡± ¡°What if I can¡¯t even do that?¡± I don¡¯t mention that under the circumstances just trying to hit will get her skill experience. Her sense of how it goes was skewed by Brandon keeping us safe, and I don¡¯t think I can convince her that now it should be quick for her to gain skill levels. ¡°I¡¯m going to do my best to keep you safe.¡± I can¡¯t sound too confident or it¡¯s going to undermine her gain. ¡°We went from level five creatures to 8 with the spider, so I¡¯m hoping it was a fluke, and that they¡¯ll be level six or seven things next time.¡± I give her my best smile. ¡°I can handle those easy.¡± I¡¯m reassured that, as I¡¯d hoped, she doesn¡¯t look all that convinced. ¡°We¡¯ll stay against the wall, and move slowly. We should be able to hear anything approaching.¡± I give the light a few cranks. ¡°This will let us see any webs before the spiders can attack.¡± She nods, then she has the sword Brandon gave her in hand and I take slow steps forward, hugging the wall, and pausing every few to listen. It¡¯s how, after two treens of steps, I make out the faint buzzing. When I look at Silver, she nods. I keep listening, and the sounds grows stronger. ¡°They¡¯re coming this way,¡± I whisper. ¡°I think that means there can¡¯t be spiders, or they¡¯d get caught in the webs. We¡¯re going to step to the center of the tunnel and I¡¯m going to shine the light in their direction to get their attention. Then just swing at them until you hit one.¡± ¡°What if there¡¯s too many of them?¡± I focus on the sound and trying to tell how many there might be.
Perception Check Failed
¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s that many of them.¡± The incredulous look she gives me makes me wonder if the system showed it my failed check. ¡°Ready?¡± She nods, but the sword in her hand trembles. Makes sense. I step away from the wall, shining the light ahead, and she follows. I take a step away from her to give us fighting space, but she follows again. Before I can tell her we¡¯ll need space, the five flies are zooming toward us.
Dungeon fly, Level 5
A fly that has been changed by living within a dungeon
Perception Check Failed
I put the light in my belt and ready myself. It¡¯s going to be on me to stay out of her reach. I swing, stepping forward and to the side, scratching one, and make out Silver giving a wild, two handed swing that completely missed. I cut one. ¡°I gained a level with the sword!¡± she exclaims, frozen in place, and bash the fly that was about to reach her. ¡°Keep fighting.¡± I step away so she has room to swing, then I¡¯m blocking and slashing at them. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°I hit one!¡± she exclaims, as I skewer one of my own. They are fast bastards. ¡°Good.¡± I dodge one and slash another. ¡°You can retreat and let me deal with them.¡± Instead, she steps toward one, wildly slashing in its direction. I take another one out after it got close enough to¡­barf on my arm? Silver screams and her sword clatters to the floor. I¡¯m between her and the two flies attacking. I cut one in two and crush the other with my shield against the wall. The sound it makes as it dies sends a shiver down my spine. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she says as I help her up. ¡°It spit my arm and I panicked.¡± She shows it to me and there¡¯s a thin line of wetness on the leather, like on my arm. Remembering what Brandon said, I look through my inventory. ¡°Do you have a rag? Their spit is probably mildly acidic, so we don¡¯t want to leave that on us.¡± ¡°I have the cloth I use to clean my violin, but I¡¯d rather not¡­¡± I hand her my dirtiest shirt and add rags to the list of things to buy in Detroit. Along with more clothes. ¡°You could have stepped back after that hit.¡± ¡°Are you kidding?¡± she says, grinning as she wipes are her arm. ¡°I¡¯m level five, just from flaying around like that. That¡¯s four skill levels when I didn¡¯t get anything from the fights before.¡± I take the rag and wipe my arm with it before moving on to my sword. ¡°That¡¯s what danger does. Because Brandon was there to protect us, we never felt in danger, so we weren¡¯t getting the boost. It slows, but you should be good for a while before you question if it¡¯s worthwhile. I only got one level from the fight.¡± ¡°But you did a lot more.¡± ¡°But I was level twenty-two. Like I said, it slows. My understanding is that once I¡¯ll hit twenty-six, it¡¯s going to slow even more. So there¡¯s a point where it¡¯s not worth getting into fights just to rush through level gain.¡± ¡°And that works for every skill?¡± she picks up the sword and I look over my shield to make sure it¡¯s wiped clean. ¡°That¡¯s the way the dungeon runs are explained back in Court. None of the crafters returned with complaints, so it¡¯s got to work for them, too.¡± I take her hand and reposition it on the hilt. ¡°You want to hold your sword correctly. I don¡¯t want to think about the penalties you were dealing with swinging it like that.¡± ¡°But I still gained levels.¡± ¡°The system doesn¡¯t care how bad your form is, just that you¡¯re fighting with the weapon. But you need to care. You have to be able to defend yourself, and score hits if you want to do damage.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ever going to be good enough to do serious damage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. You aren¡¯t planning on throwing yourself into fights. This is just so you can look after yourself when fights throw themselves at you.¡± I look up from her hand, and she¡¯s looking at me. ¡°Anyone tell you that you have nice eyes?¡± she asks, and my face heats up as I try to find something to say. ¡°You too,¡± I stammer, and she steps away, her cheeks reddening. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, ¡°I have no idea why I said that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I reply, trying to get my heart to slow down. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s true. Your eyes are nice.¡± I close my mouth. It¡¯s not a lie, they¡¯re a nice brown with golden flecks, but is now really the time to notice that? ¡°Maybe we should keep going?¡± she says. ¡°We don¡¯t want to keep Brandon and Helen waiting.¡± ¡°Right.¡± We inch our way ahead against the wall, and I listen for buzzing, looking forward to the next fight, but it¡¯s Silver who stops us, tapping my shoulder, then her ear. I¡¯m in the process of shaking my head when I make out the skittering. Not flies this time. I shine the light ahead and no webs as far as I can make out. There are still a lot of things that could be. The skittering stops as we move forward again, and I really don¡¯t like that. I search the walls and floors to see what could be hiding around the stones, then notice one of the stone shift. I focus on it.
Hides Spider, Level 6
Hides Spiders are a class of spiders which have developed the ability to camouflage themself by using material from their surrounding
Perception Check Failed
It¡¯s maybe a quarter the size of the level eight one, but I can¡¯t tell if the stone¡¯s actual rock or just its carapace made to look that way. I motion to it, and after a moment of incomprehension, Silver¡¯s eyes go wide. Focusing on all the stones, I get the number of our enemies. [Dennis] I count seven, you? [Brandon] Is everyone okay? [Helen] Can¡¯t you let them be? This is clearly not about you. [Silver] Can¡¯t you two just talk? I counted six, so I must have missed one. ¡°Same as before?¡± I whisper. This time, when she nods, her hand is steady. We step away from the wall, and Silver leaves two full paces between us. Three of the rocks shift, but don¡¯t advance. I take the light out of my belt and scan the space between us and them for some trap.
Perception Check Failed
So here¡¯s the question we always find ourself asking in a situation like this. Did it fail because there¡¯s something there and I didn¡¯t notice it? Or does the system tell us that even if there¡¯s nothing? ¡°Why aren¡¯t they moving?¡± Silver asks, and the stones skitter forward, only to stop as we stare¡­in silence. [Silver] Do you think we can get through them without making noise? [Dennis] That only puts them at our back when we deal with whatever¡¯s after. [Silver] So, it¡¯s skill gain for me, then. [Brandon] Atta girl. I swear I hear Helen slap him, and I grin. I put the light back in my belt and look at Silver. She lets out a melodic whistle, and the rocks rush in our direction, abandoning any pretense of being anything other than spiders. Spiders who can jump, it turns out, as the closest one launches itself into the air. I block with my shield, and when it hits it I can feel the weight, which then pulls it down. I¡¯m still struggling to keep it up to use against the other spiders when two legs appear over the top and what happened sinks in. I cut them with a quick swipe and the weight shifts, but doesn¡¯t fall off. Two sets of legs appear on each side, then pain lances up my leg and I plant my sword in that spider¡¯s back. I don¡¯t know if they coordinated, or it¡¯s just bad luck they split my attention. No debuffs, so this one isn¡¯t poisoned. I cut two more legs, and the weight falls off, but before I can stab it, it skitters away. ¡°Dennis!¡± Silver cries out, and I rush to help her, heedless of the four spiders trailing after me. I kick one, and miss stabbing my sword into the other, but it moves away. ¡°Did you score a hit?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Okay, then give me the underdog buff.¡± I sweep my sword left and right and after scratching three of them, they learn to keep their distance. They also learn the point can only be in one place at a time, and one rushes as it¡¯s on the opposite side. I miss the kick, and it cuts my leg with a swipe of its own. Then the others use the distraction for their own rush and I¡¯m stepping around them as they try to plan their legs into my feet and legs. And I¡¯m doing that badly. My boots have holes in them, my leg armor¡¯s sliced to the knee, but they did their job because I only lose a fifth of my health from all that, and I kill two of them. Nothing close to a fair trade, but it¡¯s what I¡ª The music starts, an upbeat tempo that swells and with it my health bar stretches. It¡¯s nice, but not what I was after. The sense of strength follows and the violin shifts to a more aggressive beat, and when my slash connects with the spider¡¯s back, it cuts deep and sends it away. I¡¯m not any faster, so my dodges aren¡¯t as effective as I¡¯d like, and I end up with a cut arm when I stupidly try to parry the spider¡¯s jump, but then I slam it down, cracking its carapace, and plant my sword into its underbelly. I go a little wild after that, kicks and thrusts, bashing and slashing. Grandmother wouldn¡¯t be pleased with my lack of finesse, but it feels good to watch pieces of spiders fly away and goo streak the walls. By the time they¡¯re dead, I¡¯m out of breath, and Silver¡¯s still playing, so I can¡¯t imagine¡ªshe stops playing and my legs give out. Okay. I don¡¯t have to imagine how exhausted I am. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asks, at my side and keeping me from face planting, and I smile as the message pops up before me.
You have gained a level. You are now level 8
You have 10 skill points available. You have 6 attribute points available. You have 1 ability points available
Experience required to reach your next level: 8,678
Chapter 52 ¡°Do you need me to boost your healing?¡± Silver asks as she helps me to the wall so I can sit and catch my breath. My health is surprisingly high, even with the underdog spell over, near two third. I nod anyway. ¡°Just stay on guard. It¡¯s possible the sound is going to draw more of them.¡± I can¡¯t have her be too relaxed about the situation. She looks into the darkness. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t then. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll hear the skittering over my violin.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out for movement.¡± I smile. ¡°Just try not to get so wrapped up in your playing you don¡¯t hear me call out for you.¡± Her first two attempts don¡¯t sound good. Then she takes a breath, lets it out slowly and a calm melody plays. My health bar pulses as I pull a healing bar from my inventory, then stops and Silver stares ahead of her. ¡°I just gained a level in the spell,¡± she says, stunned. ¡°You must have been close to gaining it,¡± I reply, then munch on the bar. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. I haven¡¯t practiced it as much as I should have. I still had a few hours to go before I¡¯d reached level ten.¡± Her eyes flick to the right and she frowns. ¡°You¡¯re almost all healed.¡± I raise the half eaten bar. ¡°You didn¡¯t need me to play. Did you know this was going to happen?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d go up a level, but we¡¯re in a dungeon, so I knew it would speed things up.¡± ¡°But we aren¡¯t fighting.¡± ¡°I told you. It isn¡¯t the fighting, it¡¯s the danger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you told me about the music attracting more spiders,¡± she says, as if that¡¯s a revelation. ¡°You wanted me to still be afraid.¡± ¡°I pointed that out because we are in a dungeon and there are spiders who react to sounds. Being on our guards for more is just common sense. But yes, the added benefit was that you remained alert to danger, so when you played, your gain was boosted.¡± I look at the spider carcases and the implications of what I said sink in. I really should be butchering them. If only for the level gain. I stand, and, since my health is maxed out, wrap the bar and put back it in my inventory for next time. I can¡¯t take them for granted since I only have eight left. ¡°What about your damaged armor? I glance down at my legs.
Leather leggings, Quality: Normal, Type: Armor, legs
A well-made piece of leather armor
Perception Check Failed
It dropped one quality rank. ¡°I¡¯m going to need to buy a new set or spend a lot getting this one repaired.¡± I crank the light and wince at how loud it is. It¡¯s nothing compared to the music, but I can¡¯t afford to be doing this as we walk, so I spend a few minutes cranking it hard before we start moving. Remaining alert for anything, I notice the color doesn¡¯t quite match on a stone ahead and¡ª
Hides Spider, Level 6
Hides Spiders are a class of spiders which have developed the ability to camouflage themselves by using material from their surrounding
Perception Check Failed
I point it out to Silver, and together, we locate four more. We formulate the plan over the team chat, and Brandon doesn¡¯t butt-in. We make quick work of them, moving in position silently, then each making sounds in turn to split them up and confuse them. Things almost turn bad when one of the spiders cuts Silver and she panics, but before the spider can do a lot more damage as she flays about wildly, I dispatch it, then finish off the last spider. She apologizes a lot, and I do my best to reassure her she did fine, but somehow, when I give her the rest of my bar to take care of her injuries, the silence turns awkward. Then we¡¯re on the move again and reach a bifurcation. I shine the light from one path to the other as I crank it. [Denis] Brandon, do you have a sense of how close to us you are? Can you see the light? [Brandon] No, and no. We¡¯re following the right wall, which should have us getting back to you at some point [Helen] If this even reconnects with them. [Silver] Can we not jump to worse case scenario yet? I¡¯m already freaked enough as it is. [Helen] Sorry. It¡¯s just that the paths have been taking turns after turns even when there weren¡¯t intersections. Bran says he knows roughly where we are from when we split from you, but I am utterly lost. [Dennis] Do you have some mapping ability, Brandon? Is that something we can unlock? [Brandon] No, sorry. The best anyone can manage, as far as I know, are a few magic items that will compile maps. I haven¡¯t been able to a afford one yet. [Silver] Should we stick to the left wall from now on? [Brandon] It can¡¯t hurt. [Dennis] Have you encountered anything? Your bars haven¡¯t moved since we got separated. [Brandon] Dennis, come on. I¡¯m something like four times higher in level than what¡¯s in this part of the dungeon. They kill themselves trying to bite me. [Helen] as usual, he¡¯s exaggerating. But it hasn¡¯t taken much to take care of the spiders and flies we¡¯ve encountered. [Dennis] okay. You be careful. Sometimes the level jumps unexpectedly. I look at Silver when there isn¡¯t a response, then¡ª [Brandon] We will be. You be careful too. A jump like that is more dangerous to you than us. I keep cranking for a while before we proceed, taking the left tunnel. We make it a triple treen before the sound of something breaking in the distance stops us. I can¡¯t identify what it is, and it¡¯s still going on when we proceed with even more caution. The next indication we¡¯re headed for trouble is a broken spider-web across the tunnel. It would have blocked it otherwise, and now, the sounds coming from the darkness ahead make me think of cracking nuts between my teeth. Silver¡¯s skin looks a little green, and I¡¯m not exactly feeling good about what we¡¯re going to see, but her nod is resolute and her sword is steady. Instead of a bifurcation, it opens into a cavern large enough I can¡¯t see the other side beyond the broken web, and only make out one passage to the left out of the corner of my eye as my attention is drawn to the carnage to the right. four, way too big, centipedes are in the middle of what¡¯s left of a lot more dead spiders, munching on them.
Dungeon Centipede, Level 7
Drawn in by the abundance of food, these centipedes have been evolved by the dungeon to establish a balance
Perception Check Failed If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Silver doesn¡¯t look as sure as before, and I don¡¯t feel overly confident. The level might be one below mine, but the smallest of them is as long as I¡¯m tall, and the longest, twice that. I also have no idea how tough that carapace is. I focus on each of them in turn, hope for the best, and get lucky on the first try.
Dungeon Centipede, Level 7
Drawn in by the abundance of food, these centipedes have been evolved by the dungeon to establish a balance
Perception Check Succeeds Dungeon Centipedes have carapace armor, but unprotected underbelly.
Except that it¡¯s only unprotected if it rears up, and I don¡¯t see why it would. [Dennis] Silver, you don¡¯t have to fight them if you don¡¯t want to. [Brandon] You can do this. [Dennis] Butt out, Bran. Once we¡¯re out, you¡¯re telling me how I go about setting up private channels. I look at Silver. [Dennis] I mean it, you aren¡¯t a fighter, and I¡¯m going to have to get to the underside to do any kind of damage. I grin. [Dennis] Finally got a perception check when it matters. [Silver] If I scratch the shell, does it still count as me taking part in the fight? [Dennis] Yes. You¡¯ll have scored a hit. [Silver] Then I¡¯ll do that. Maybe we can both take on the smallest first? That way, I won¡¯t have to deal with all its attention. [Dennis] Good idea. I hesitate, then place the crank light down with the light shining into the cavern. [Dennis] It¡¯s so you know where to retreat to. My ring is going to give me enough light to fight by. We enter the cavern silently and freeze as the centipedes stop eating. How do those things see? The smallest moves away from the spider it was eating and¡­skitters?¡ªwhat am I supposed to call what all those legs are doing?¡ªin our general direction. I move to one side and motion Silver to go to the other. [Dennis] I¡¯ll attack first. Get a hit in and retreat. She nods. I look at the others to make sure they are staying where they are, then attack. The centipede¡¯s faster than I expected. It whirls in my direction and I realize the pincers on its face are huge. It snaps forward, but I step back, slashing. My blade skids off the carapace on the side of its face. I lunge, aiming for under the head, but lowers it and I barely move my arm out of the way before its pincers snap shut. I try again before it can move, this time going for the head and hoping there are eyes there I¡¯m not making out. Something soft right in front of me is going to be easier than trying to get it to rear up. Its pincers snap shut and I lose a tenth of my health. Fortunately, it¡¯s only the edge that cut me. The way they snap close, it can probably slice me in two. Silver runs off, so I move around. Force it to follow me. I Lunge, trying to get it to do something other than undulate out of the way. And when it does, I regret it. The head butt is fast, hard, and causes a stun debuff as I land on my back. I don¡¯t have time for that so I will it away. It was more orange than yellow, so the drop, after my willpower bar pulses, is noticeable. But I¡¯m on my feet and out of the way of its dash, slashing at its legs and cutting off a bunch of them. Okay, so those count as its underside. Now I have something to work with. Silver plays, and my health bar elongates as I feel stronger.
You have been buffed: Strength of the Underdog
It comes at me and when I side step it; I test the buff against its carapace and the tip of my sword sinks in, but my mental rejoicing come to an abrupt end with the buff vanishing and, in the lack of music, I hear a lot of skittering. The other centipedes are heading for her. ¡°Take the light and back up!¡± Then I bang my sword against my shield. ¡°Come on! I¡¯m the one you want!¡± It¡¯s not as loud as I¡¯d like since there¡¯s still stuff stuck to it, but it does the job and they all turn to face me. Right. Because dealing with one of them wasn¡¯t hard enough already. I dodge as they each lunge at me, slashing at the legs as best as I can and not making a good show of it. Except for one, where my sword bites deep. When it skitters away, it leaves a trail of wetness until it¡¯s out of the circle of my light. That¡¯s another problem, with the crank light no longer illuminating the cavern, I have no way to know what they¡¯re doing in the dark. I don¡¯t step out of the way in time to avoid the pincers and pain lances up my leg. How about I stick with the problems I can see? I run at the closest, screaming my anger, then freeze in surprise when it rears up, spreading its multiple legs in a rather comical version of an animal trying to make itself look bigger. I mean, it¡¯s already way too big for a centipede, so that¡¯s not adding much to¡ª This time, I see the motion in my peripheral vision and throw myself out of the way. I¡¯m still cursing as I get to my feet. It was right there, its underbelly exposed, and what did I do? Okay, I can be pissed at myself later. Was it an accident, or was the reaction reflexive? I run at another one, screaming again, and it rears up. I am not letting this pass me by this time. I plant my sword in and cut down. Its scream is so strident it hurts, and when it shakes, I¡¯m sent off my feet and land close enough to another I can make out its pincers before my vision clears entirely. I roll aside, and I swear I can hear them tear up the ground. I¡¯m on my feet, ready to¡ª I¡¯m in the air again, my back hurting and down something like a full fifth of health. Fuck, this one hit hard. I hurry to my feet, panting, and turn, ready to¡ª I¡¯m alone in the circle of light. Okay, this isn¡¯t good. I have maybe three meters of light around me, and another three, I think where I¡¯d be able to make something out. I was a little busy fighting them to pay that close attention. I slowly step forward, listening for them moving. Instead, I pick up a trail of wetness on the ground. Before I reach its end, one of them runs into the light and I¡¯m not fast enough. The pincers cut me and my heath pulses. My swing misses, and before I fully regain my footing, I¡¯m struck and rolling on the ground. My health is under half now. Fuck, this is hard. They¡¯re just centipedes and two levels under me. I should be winning this a whole lot easier. I¡¯m on my feet as one of them enters the light and I don¡¯t wait. I lock eyes with its head and run at it, screaming like a maniac.
Dungeon Centipede, Level 9
Drawn in by the abundance of food, these centipedes have been evolved by the dungeon to establish a balance
Perception Check Failed
It rears up, and I barrel into it, sword first. And when it hits the back of the centipede, I pull up hard, then down. It¡¯s guts wash over me, but all I do is close my mouth, my eyes and hold my breath until I¡¯m on the ground, then roll away so I won¡¯t be under it if it falls forward. There was a fucking level nine among them. No wonder some of the hits nearly took me down. I wipe at my eyes with the slimy back of my glove and actively don¡¯t think about what that is. When I open them, one is rushing at me. I roll out and put my sword in its way. It¡¯s nearly yanked out of my hand as the edge bites into it after cutting a few passing legs. Its momentum carries it further, making the cut longer, and when it stops, it isn¡¯t moving. My arm aches, but I don¡¯t have a debuff or lost health doing that, so I get to my feet and another one is before me; only its head in the light. I focus on it.
Dungeon Centipede, Level 9
Drawn in by the abundance of food, these centipedes have been evolved by the dungeon to establish a balance
Perception Check Failed
And of course, it¡¯s the two I didn¡¯t check before the fight that were higher levels. At least, I know how to deal with them. I scream as I run, but instead of rearing, it skitters back and I have to follow so it won¡¯t vanish outside the light. I think it¡¯s the last one, but I won¡¯t know for sure until I check the combat log, and now isn¡¯t the time. ¡°Stop running, you coward!¡± Oh, real clever. Like it understands you. Then it zags when I expect it to zig and it¡¯s no longer in the light. I stop and listen, turning slowly. Come on, give me a success. I deserve one.
Perception Check Failed
Thanks a lot. Do I have time to check the log and confirm¡ªnope, not the time to be an idiot. I turn in the direction of the skittering in time to make out the centipede¡¯s head enter the outer light, but it¡¯s on me before I expect it, as if it had been coiled and then exploded. The only saving grace is that its pincers don¡¯t close in time, because I¡¯m down to a quarter health when I crash. I pull a healing bar to my shield hand and bite the wrapper off as I back against the wall. That¡¯s one side it can¡¯t come at me from. Of course, the next image that pops in my head is that of the earlier worms that crawled out of the walls, and I can¡¯t stop the shudder. I only get a few bites in before I see motion at the edge of the darkness and send it to my inventory. Once I¡¯ve survived this, I can finish it. I know it healed me, but not enough I can make out a difference on my bar. It appears at the edge twice, darting back, like it¡¯s trying to get me to chase it, and now, I have to know. I open the combat log to the side and glance back and forth between it and the darkness, looking for how many of the centipedes I killed. Two level seven ones, and one level nine. So it¡¯s just it an me. Unless it got reinforcement. I do hope it didn¡¯t. I¡¯m really getting tired of those things. ¡°I am not chasing you,¡± I call to it the next time it darts into the light and back. The problem is that I can¡¯t just stand here waiting it out. Silver should have come back at least close enough I¡¯d see the light. She¡¯s still fine, as far as her info on the team screen tells me, but she could still be lost and that isn¡¯t good. The next time it appears, I do what I told it I wouldn¡¯t, and follow. It freezes, then moves away again. Almost like it was surprised I acted. It turns and I rush to follow the undulating body so I can get an opening, and utterly miss the end that snaps in the air and hits me. I roll and slide, landing in a thicker patch of goo, and I¡¯m down to an eight of my health. I hurry to my feet, scuffing the ground to try to gain traction as it rushes at me again. ¡°I¡¯m sure you think that was real clever, don¡¯t you?¡± Its pincers are wide and I bring my shield forward just before it¡¯s about to impact. I slide back from the force, but slip my arm out of the laniards and throw myself aside, then roll to my feet. ¡°Okay. How about we see how this goes if you can use those on me?¡± It spins around to face me, then shakes its head, trying to dislodge my shield, but it¡¯s jammed there, its extended pincers keeping it in place. I walk around as it fights with it. This time, as it snaps the end of its body at me, I duck under it, raising my sword to slice that open. The entire body trashes, and in the process exposes its underside to me, and each time that happens, I cut it. It isn¡¯t always deep, but I¡¯m always adding cuts, making it bleed. And eventually, it¡¯s still. I keep my distance. That one¡¯s too clever for my liking. I bring up the combat log and look at the last entry.
You have killed a Dungeon Centipede, Level 9 You gain 1,521 experience
Now, I breathe easier. I retrieve my shield by hacking at one of the pincers until it breaks off the body, then call the healing bar from my inventory and¡ª Silver¡¯s distant scream is filled with fear. Chapter 53 [Dennis] I see your light. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° [Dennis] Brandon, did you hear me fight from where you are? [Brandon] No, did you win? [Dennis] Would I be regaining health if I hadn¡¯t? [Brandon] Good point. [Dennis] The thing is that Silver made it pretty far and still heard it. I think you ended up in a completely different branch of this dungeon. I don¡¯t know if just going forward is going to lead to us joining up. [Helen] But going back only leads to us meeting up at that blocked tunnel. Unless you¡¯re thinking we try a different branch system and hope for the best? [Dennis] I¡¯m more wondering if there¡¯s any chance the dungeon opened it up, since we moved away from there. [Brandon] I guess that¡¯s a possibility, but we moved pretty far from there, and to go back and hit that wall. I think we¡¯re better off continuing forward for a while more, and if we don¡¯t meet up, then go back and see if it¡¯s open. Worse case scenario, you two can exit while me and Hel look for the way around it. [Dennis] We aren¡¯t leaving you behind. [Brandon] It wouldn¡¯t be leaving us behind. It would be camping at the entrance until we make it out. Trust me, we¡¯re going to have to end up really deep before the dungeon throws anything at the two of us that will be a problem. [Dennis] Okay. We¡¯ll keep going, but while you might not have to worry about the monsters in here, those centipedes nearly had me, and only two of them were level nine. [Brandon] Just take it slow. Retreat if you have to until they stop chasing you. It¡¯s not a hundred percent, but most monsters in dungeons at linked to an area. Once you¡¯re out of that, they forget about you. Just don¡¯t run into another monster while retreating. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° [Dennis] Brandon. Do you see my flashing light? [Brandon] No, why? [Dennis] We just came out of a cave with already dead centipedes, and I thought the light ahead of us was you. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. [Brandon] Daylight? [Dennis] It¡¯s too far to tell. We¡¯re going to check it out. [Brandon] Be careful. This far down, there shouldn¡¯t be any daylight. It¡¯s probably a trap. [Helen] Wait for us. [Dennis] I don¡¯t think we have that kind of time. [Silver] I think we know what killed those centipedes. [Dennis] Makes one of us. What was that? [Silver] Birds. I made a perception check just before they burst into the tunnel. [Dennis] Then that is outside?
¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° [Dennis] Brandon, how much rope do you have? [Brandon] Twenty meters, why? [Dennis] I might have a way out, but it requires running up a wall and I can¡¯t carry anyone. I figure if we have enough rope, I can run up, secure it and the rest of you can climb it. [Brandon] Dennis, if you want to leave the dungeon, you just have to backtrack to the entrance. Me and Hel can make our way back. I¡¯m not going to hold¡ª [Dennis] Brandon, is everything okay? ¡° Chapter 54 I roll as soon as I can think again, putting Silver under me. I can see the pain on her face, then I¡¯m feeling it as talons rake through my armor and my health just glows as it slowly drops. I grit my teeth and focus on being able to think through the mounting pain and my willpower now glows, it too dropping slowly. Fucking system, adding debuffs with each strike. I¡¯m pretty sure that if not for my Taking it on the Nose ability, I¡¯d be below half, instead of only approaching the three-quarter mark. Then the silence is almost painful and the returning light blinding. I roll on my back, and a pain debuff appears deep red. I don¡¯t bother with it. The fire in my back is enough to tell me I¡¯m not going to be worth anything in a fight unless I do something. I scarf a healing bar down, and get to my feet before it¡¯s done healing me. Shadows dance around us. There¡¯s a treen of birds flying in the chimney. They look small and I have trouble believing they could do the damage they did. It takes me a while to stay with one long enough to focus.
Cave Swallow, level 4
Small birds who feed primarily on insects and other small creatures.
Perception Check Failed
¡°You okay?¡± I ask Silver, handing her a healing bar without looking. I¡¯m searching for something else, because there is no way those level four birds were able to kill all the dead centipedes we saw in that other cave. ¡°My back hurts, but you protected me before I lost much of my health. I¡¯m probably good without healing.¡± ¡°Take it anyway. Once the fighting starts, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be in a position to help you.¡± ¡°You really think they¡¯re going to be a problem? They¡¯re just level three.¡± I look at her, trying not to glare. Why doesn¡¯t she seem to get we¡¯re in a dungeon. That there¡¯s nothing in here is so inoffensive as to ¡®not be a problem.¡¯ There¡¯s a cavern full of centipede carapace the way we came, proving that. Her eyes go wide and I toss her the bar, looking up for what she heard before it registers she¡¯s looking at the entrance we came from. I turn to face it in time to see the fucking large form at the edge of the light flying toward us. Then there¡¯s a beak the size of my forearm, orange feathers between two black eyes, black above that, brown under the beak, white below that. And I throw myself to the side, the mesmerized debuff fading away to nothingness. Fuck, that was too close. I stand as it flies up the chimney, slowing. It¡¯s going to fucking bomb dive at me. ¡°Dennis,¡± Silver calls to me, and a glance shows she¡¯s still looking at the entrance, and pale. Of course, there isn¡¯t just one of them. I spare a second to focus, because I need to know what I¡¯m dealing with here.
Dungeon Swallow, Level 10
Once a normal Cave Swallow who made a dungeon its home and was altered by it over time.
Perception Check Failed
¡°Stay against the wall,¡± I order here. Then I move. Don¡¯t think about the fact the things wingspan is twice my height. Or that it¡¯s a level higher than me and that it had a friend coming to its help. Definitely don¡¯t think about what they¡¯re going to do to Silver if I die here. Never think you¡¯ve lost the fight. If you do, you¡¯re making it true. Grandmother recited that often as we trained. Focus on what you can do. Find the thing that changes the battlefield to your advantage. She made it sound so easy. I run because standing still definitely ends up with me dead. It misses where I was, and fuck, those talons are big. Don¡¯t think about that. Think about¡ªShit! I duck under the other bird¡¯s talons, then weave out of the way of a third, remembering I have a sword and slash at it. I¡¯m surprised my blade bites, and it lets out a pained scream that has a debuff forming. Nope, can¡¯t afford that. I will it away and a tenth of my willpower¡¯s gone, bringing what¡¯s left close to half. I fucking hope I won¡¯t be dealing with that each time they scream, otherwise I¡¯m going to run out way too fast. That¡¯s three of them. No, four, and I keep moving out of the way just in time. What¡¯s going on here? Not that I¡¯m complaining. I silence the suspicion before it forms into a query. That¡¯s one distraction I don¡¯t need right now. But I think I have it. I dodge and stab, but miss. Fuck. Bob and Weave gives me bonuses when I run, which I am doing. Okay, I have an edge. I need to capitalize on it, and think of what else I have to work with. I duck again and slash and it screams. That fucking debuff¡¯s back and I will it away. I¡¯m under half now. I run for the wall. It¡¯s not just them that can get a height advantage. I make it a treen meters up before the flashing of my stamina registers. Come on! I head back down, then I¡¯m sent careening as a bird¡¯s head clips me. The sound of breaking bones as it collides with the wall is satisfying. The pain and added loss of health from my bad fall makes that go away, but I¡¯m running again. It¡¯s my shield arm, so I¡¯m not out of this fight yet. Add to the list of things to buy something to recharge my stamina. When I dodge again, and cut deeper, the bird almost yanks my sword out of my hand as it twists. It does throw me off balance, and another grabs me, its talons piercing through that¡¯s left of my armor and fuck, that hurts. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Will that debuff away and don¡¯t pay attention to how little willpower I have left. Instead, I plant my sword in its chest to the hilt. It¡¯s cry it cut off, but then were tumbling down and toward the wall. Oh, I hope this works. I pry myself off the talons and ignore the damage I cause, then send my sword to my inventory and I throw myself away from the bird and at an angle to the wall. I have to be running and maintain two points of contact. Luck, be a stat right now and be fucking high. I have a hand on the wall, then my feet under me and touching it. It bounces off just as the other makes contact, and that¡¯s enough to keep me from flying off it. Then it¡¯s back in place and I¡¯m running against the wall. I swallow the elation. I might not be dead yet, but I haven¡¯t won this either. Four birds are on the floor, unmoving as I run, three are still flying. My health is below a quarter. One opens its beak as it dives at me, and I glance at my willpower. Do I have enough left? Instead of its cry, the sound of a violin explodes through the cavern. It¡¯s strident, I think, off-key, but what it certainly is; is impossible to ignore. I reach the ground and it¡¯s still going. I want to ask Silver what she¡¯s doing, since I¡¯m not getting a buff from that, but then I realize all I hear is the violin. The bird closes its beak. I equip my sword. Okay. One thing I no longer have to worry about. I keep running, and my stamina flashes orange. Not good. I can¡¯t stop running, but I don¡¯t have long until I won¡¯t be able to run anymore. I duck as I consider getting a healing bar and reflexively slash. I dodge out of the way of the other one and this time purposefully cut it, and the third is already heading for me. My leg buckles as my stamina flashes red. I barely raise my sword as the bird grabs me, and now my health bar flashed orange, then we hit the wall. It flashes red and my vision fades along with it. * * * * *
You have gained a level. You are now level 10
You have 16 skill points available. You have 0 spell points available. You have 8 attribute points available. You have 3 ability points available
Experience required to reach your next level: 23,491
The words mean little as I try to figure out why something¡¯s tapping my cheek and what the noise is. My health bar glows gold as it slowly fills. Debuffs fade away before I can focus on them and I understand what I¡¯ll seeing, that someone is, none too gently, slapping my face and talking. ¡°Come on, Dennis, wake up,¡± Brandon says, worry thick in his voice. ¡°I can see your heath bar filling up. Just tell me I got here in time.¡± ¡°You saved me again,¡± I say, or I think I say it. I¡¯m not sure my mouth works. ¡°Oh, thank the system you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°How come I¡¯m not dead?¡± Now I know I formed the words. ¡°You should have seen them burst in,¡± Silver says, excited. ¡°Brandon went right for the bird that was trying to get to you. Helen was throwing fireballs.¡± She chuckles. ¡°We¡¯re going to have roasted chicken for days.¡± It takes me a bit to piece what has to have happened. ¡°You heard Silver¡¯s¡­music? You followed that?¡± ¡°Yeah, we did,¡± he says. Before I can figure out what his expression is, he glares at Helen. After a silent exchange, she throws up her hands and storms away. ¡°I was scared I wouldn¡¯t get to you in time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you did. I reach level ten.¡± I pull up the last entries from the combat log.
Your party has killed a Dungeon Sparrow, level 10
You receive 186 experience
Your party has killed a Dungeon Sparrow, level 10
You receive 186 experience
Your party has killed a Dungeon Sparrow, level 10
You receive 186 experience
Your party has killed a Dungeon Sparrow, level 10
You receive 186 experience
You have gained a level. You are now level 10
You have 16 skill points available. You have 0 spell points available. You have 8 attribute points available. You have 3 ability points available
Experience required to reach your next level: 23,491
I chuckle. ¡°Those birds you and Helen killed pushed me over the level.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± she replies, kind of harshly. I look at Brandon for an explanation, but he shakes his head. ¡°How about we get out of here?¡± Brandon asks. I look up, then at my stamina. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can make it up there yet. I¡¯m healing, but it¡¯s not doing anything for my stamina.¡± ¡°I was thinking we¡¯d go out the way we came in.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that closed off?¡± He shrugs. ¡°Hopefully, the dungeon removed that wall by now. If not, I¡¯m sure my sister will be happy to work off her anger on it.¡± He smirks as she glares at the back of his head. I push myself to my feet, then Brandon catches me before I tip over. ¡°Yeah. This was fun and all, but I think I¡¯m done with the dungeon.¡± ¡°You had fun?¡± Brandon asks as we leave the cavern, with him supporting most of my weight. For a moment I think it¡¯s hope I heard in the question, but it¡¯s probably surprise. I did almost die after all. That has to take the fun out of anything. So why isn¡¯t it for me? ¡°Well, yeah,¡± I say, speaking as I piece it together. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, nearly dying sucks. I don¡¯t want to ever do that again. But the fights¡­they were fun. I didn¡¯t have time to doubt myself, just act, that one especially. I literally turned falling into running down along the wall because what else was I going to do? Just let myself fall? I didn¡¯t know if it was going to work, but I was going to do something. And Bob and Weave let me dodge most of them, which was a good thing, because fuck it hurt when their talons got me.¡± I¡¯m grinning. Brandon pats my shoulder and looks at Helen with what I¡¯m pretty sure is pride. She glowers in return. Okay, I can see why. She doesn¡¯t really approve of Brandon pushing me to adventure. And to be fair, I really shouldn¡¯t be this okay with all of it. But it was my idea to go into the dungeon. And for all the pain and danger, I¡¯m alive, and I feel good. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve felt this good before. When Brandon smiles at me, I grin back. Then I¡¯m kissing him, hard. ¡°Woa, Buddy,¡± he says with a laugh, pushing me away gently. ¡°How about we let the adrenaline work its way out of your system before you do something even I¡¯m pretty sure is a mistake.¡± Chapter 55
Attributes
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 13
Endurance: 29
Intelligence: 23
Charisma: 13
Aether: 9
Health: 25
Available points to distribute: 8 Looking over my attributes, while floating in the lake, for the first time in¡­ I think the last time I purposely looked at it was with the caravan, shows me how disproportionately the points are spreading. I knew that. Class only boosts the attributes that apply to them. With the Explorer being about traveling and finding things, it makes sense Health, Intelligence and Endurance get the class points. Although, consider there¡¯s a combat side to it, I¡¯d have expected there to be something for Strength or Dexterity. Instead, I¡¯ll have to rely on the points I gain each level and training in those areas¡­I really should find a way to start on that again. It was easy, back home. There were weight machines, a lot of space within Base to run, and classes galore. The only thing I¡¯m not sure about how I¡¯d have gone training is my Aether attribute. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something, but magic has never been something I saw a point in training. I think that has to change. I want to dump all my points in Strength. Or Dexterity. Or maybe Aether. The one place I know I¡¯m not interested in putting them in is Charisma. I am perfectly average in that attribute and I¡¯m okay with it. Eight points in each of them would make a difference. But it would lock the points away forever. All those possibilities gone. I¡¯d have to live with the decision. Especially once I realized I¡¯d made a mistake putting them where I¡¯d put them. Spreading them evenly is tempting. Cover all my bases. How can I screw up that way? Oh, the ways that can be a mistake. Brandon was right. Every decision I make can be a mistake. Probably will be at some point. I wish knowing that helped more than it did. The rest of what he said does, though. Decide what you want to be, and build your sheet for that. I want to be a guard back home. That means combat. But I have to make it back home, so that¡¯s travel. Only, I have to survive the trek so I can make it home. And that¡¯s combat again. Okay. Maybe it¡¯s not as helpful as I¡¯d liked it to be. The reality of my situation is that I need to balance the two. I wish it was easier to do than it seems. At least, part of it does cover both. Endurance and Health help in combat and travel. But after that, do I go for Dexterity and Strength, which clearly benefit combat. Or Aether. I guess that one¡¯s not obvious, but I can get access to teleportation magic. Four more points in At It All Day, then the next one gives me that. I already have three points I can put in it, so two levels and teleportation becomes a thing for me. I doubt it¡¯s going to let me just move from here to Court from the start, but that¡¯s going to be a real boost to the traveling. Then, there¡¯s Aether Journey, five levels after that, although I don¡¯t quite get how that one works.
System Query: Aether Journey, Explorer ability
Prerequisite: Aether Striding, Rank 5 When a location designated as ¡°ruin¡± has reached 100% discovered state, it becomes a Travel Marker. Aether Journey allows the explorer to travel between two Travel Markers. Such journey is taken through the ¡®Aetheric Lands¡¯ and measures 2,197 Kilometers regardless of the distance crossed in the physical world. The Aetheric Lands are not a place where wandering off the marked path is advised.
I¡¯ve never heard of the Aetheric Lands, and two thousand kilometers is a lot to cross, so it¡¯s only useful for distances longer than that. Then there¡¯s the added issue of exploring two ruins completely at a minimum. There¡¯s the power station by Court, so there is that, but how far would I need to be to get a benefit from it? It¡¯s probably best not to think about that one until I¡¯ve research teleportation magic, and asked around about the lands. But you, Dennis, are getting side tracks. Attribute points are what I¡¯m supposed to be working on right now. Endurance, Intelligence, and Health are off limits. My class takes care of that. Aether should get something if teleportation will be magic I do. Actually, there¡¯s also healing magic. I really should look into that. Later. But it makes putting some points in Aether more probable. So Strength, Dexterity, and Aether. How do I spread my eight points among them? Do I want to put all of them in? Advantages? Aether boosts my mana pool. Important for teleportation and healing. Dexterity helps nearly all physical skills, which includes all the combat ones. Strength governs the damage I do, how much I can lift, and the size of my inventory. Hmm. That¡¯s definitely something I can benefit from. Pouches and backpacks help, but I can¡¯t access them if they aren¡¯t on me. Like right now, naked in this lake. If I need something other than what¡¯s in my equipment slots, I¡¯m kind of screwed because all I have in my four personal inventory slots it the jerky, since that lets me have a treen over treen in each instead of the treen each slot in other packs do. And it¡¯s only three points to get my Strength to thirteen. The increase to damage is probably insignificant, but I go from the twenty-six arrow in my quiver plus the twenty other in my backpack, taking two slots, to a hundred sixty-eight in one personal slot. And I go from four to nine slots. Okay, that¡¯s worthwhile. Five points left. As far as I can tell, for skills, level is the big factor in their effectiveness. Attributes have minor effects, but over all of them, which, if they are high enough, is what makes them so powerful. The thing is that I only have a handful of skill Dexterity affects that matter. My combat skills. That¡¯s six skill. I¡¯ll probably add some over time, but is that a good use of my points? I¡¯ll raise my skills through training, and I do train regularly. Points in Aether provide a definite effect, but I can¡¯t take advantage of them until I have magic. Which is¡­ Second Wind. That needs Grit Strike, which is under Taking it on the Nose. Great. I only have one point in that, so I¡¯m looking at ten levels until I get it. Not to mention the five I need for teleportation. Fifteen levels. Talk about investing in the future. Although, I get ability points from my class quest. Research just means reading books. The fighting monsters one doesn¡¯t require me to kill them. Finding ruins and caches will be a little more complicated, but that is where I¡¯m heading, so¡­ Okay. Three points in Aether because no matter what, I am getting healing magic. I can¡¯t always depend on others and healing foods. Not only that, but I¡¯m making that the focus of my next ability points. I bring up that tab and immediately hesitate adding the three points in Taking it on the Nose. I already invested in Momentum and that¡¯s going to be wasted now. No, I need it for Aether Striding. So not a complete loss. And I¡¯m getting distracted again! Attributes are what I¡¯m working on, and I have two points left. And immediately, I want to keep them in reserve. The rationale makes sense; there¡¯s no way to know when a boost will be helpful. Putting my points in Willpower training back at the power plant proved that. Only there¡¯s a flaw in that reasoning. Willpower training is a skill. I¡¯m dealing with attributes. The only ones that would have a noticeable effect for each added point are Strength, Endurance, Health and Aether, but their boost have to be small enough they probably wouldn¡¯t turn the fight. So I¡¯m better off placing the points now and figuring out how to make the changes work. So, Strength or Dexterity? I think Strength is only valid if my goal is to increase my inventory space. I¡¯m not the fighter Brandon is, and I don¡¯t think I ever will be. I want to be able to fight at close range, but fighting at range, after nearly dying again, is a lot more appealing. Dexterity doesn¡¯t help all that much, but it does. And I think I remember someone mentioning it helps with running too, which is to my advantage. And I have a way to check.
Stats pool
Hit Points: 276
Mana: 120
Will Power: 6100 This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Stamina: 378
Inventory Slots 9
Base Weight capability: 148.85 kg
Base Damage 14.9
Damage Soak 56.76
Running Speed 10.8 KPH
I put a point in Dexterity and¡­
Stats pool
Hit Points: 276
Mana: 120
Will Power: 6100
Stamina: 378
Inventory Slots 9
Base Weight capability: 148.85 kg
Base Damage 14.9
Damage Soak 56.76
Running Speed 10.8 KPH
Really? I was expecting a change. I put the other point and¡­
Stats pool
Hit Points: 276
Mana: 120
Will Power: 6100
Stamina: 378
Inventory Slots 9
Base Weight capability: 148.85 kg
Base Damage 14.9
Damage Soak 56.76
Running Speed 10.8 KPH
Did I remember wrong? Maybe it was about the running skill? I have points, so I put one there and¡­
Stats pool
Hit Points: 276
Mana: 120
Will Power: 6100
Stamina: 378
Inventory Slots 9
Base Weight capability: 148.85 kg
Base Damage 14.9
Damage Soak 56.76
Running Speed 11.5 KPH
Must be what I heard then. Okay, so my points are assigned. Now to work on my abilities, which should be easy, it¡¯s just three points, and I already said what I wanted to do. I¡¯m still waffling when Silver calls. ¡°Dennis? It¡¯s Silver.¡± I stand up, dismissing the windows, and realize the water only goes to my thighs, so I hurry deeper to cover myself. My face is burning when she steps out of the trees in into view. She looks at me, my clothes on the bank, and smiles as she looks back at me. ¡°Did I¡­interrupt something?¡± I stammer. ¡°I was working on my sheet.¡± ¡°Uh, huh?¡± She sits on a log. ¡°Can we talk?¡± she adds before I can stammer a protest. ¡°About what happened in the dungeon.¡± I almost tell her none of that was her fault, but then I realize the fight isn¡¯t what she wants to talk about and my face burns even more. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± the stammering makes me stop. I take a breath. ¡°You¡¯re a good-looking guy,¡± She says. ¡°I have someone,¡± I hurry to say. ¡°Back home.¡± ¡°So, the look you gave me in there?¡± I don¡¯t even bother opening my mouth. My body¡¯s letting me know in no uncertain terms how it feels about her. Thank the system I¡¯m deep enough that¡¯s not visible through the water. ¡°You¡¯re attractive,¡± I say, doing my best not to let the words run off. ¡°And when I was on¡­ I mean when we¡­¡± a hand over my face isn¡¯t helping the words come out properly. ¡°I think it¡¯s like Brandon said,¡± she says. ¡°It was the adrenaline. Because in the moment, if we hadn¡¯t been in a life or death situation, I could have kissed you and that would have led to more.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I admit. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°I just wanted to make sure you didn¡¯t get the wrong idea. But if you have someone waiting for you, whatever happens, you won¡¯t think¡ª¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen.¡± She tilts her head quizzically. ¡°I get that out here, the rules are different. That if we have sex, it doesn¡¯t have to mean anything back home. But it would mean something to me. Not that we¡¯re together, or anything like that, but it would still mean something, and I can¡¯t do that to Josie.¡± ¡°She¡¯s who you have waiting back home?¡± I nod. ¡°And is that why Brandon¡¯s not here? I expected him to ask if you were still serious about that kiss as soon as we were outside.¡± And my face is burning again. ¡°No, he¡¯s been keeping his distances. Letting me cool down.¡± Of course, the memory of how I kissed him is having my body react again. ¡°I came here to think and work on my build. He was right about that, at least. I need to commit to something, instead of accumulating points until it kills me.¡± ¡°I hope you figure that out, then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s progressing.¡± She stands and looks at me. ¡°Before I go, I just want you to know something. Even if it was because of the fighting. I don¡¯t regret the way you looked at me, or how I looked at you. You¡¯re a good guy, Dennis. I¡¯m glad to be your friend.¡± She¡¯s gone before I find my voice. Instead of calling to her, I look down. ¡°You¡¯re no help, you know that? First Rich, then Josie, then Brandon, and then Silver. Didn¡¯t we decide we were going to marry Josie years ago?¡± Of course it has nothing to say. All it ever does it get images going in my head. They¡¯re fun for taking care of it, but it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to go after everyone it¡¯s interested in. I shudder at the memory of Rich¡¯s smile, the invitation in it. His laughter as he pushed me into that hole. I¡¯m keeping myself for Josie. The rest is just fantasies, and that¡¯s all they will remain. I dunk myself under the water and use its coolness to chase those images away. I still have work to do before I take care of it. I move closer to the shore and sit with the water to my neck. I bring my sheet back up and look at my abilities. No more dillydallying. I need to commit, and that means all three points go into Taking It On The Nose. Now, on to skills. * * * * * When I get back to camp, I¡¯ve put three points in archery, four in quick-nocking and three in tumbling. That leaves me five for emergencies. I head for Helen, and she stiffens for some reason. After I ask, ¡°What¡¯s involved in me learning Aether Training?¡± she looks surprised. ¡°You want to learn magic?¡± She glances at Brandon, who¡¯s on the other side, adding wood to the fire. He raises his head, then shakes it. He rolls his eyes with a shrug. Maybe I need to instigate a no private chat rule? Instead, I wait until she focuses on me again and I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s just that I thought¡­ that Brandon¡­¡± She sighs. ¡°So, you want to learn magic?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get healing magic as part of my class, and later teleportation. Because it¡¯s never been something I even thought about. My Aether¡¯s only at twelve because I just put three points in it. I know nothing about how it works, but I¡¯m pretty sure that if I¡¯m going to rely on healing magic, I need more than my basic pool.¡± ¡°You do.¡± She looks at Brandon, but before I can sigh at yet another private conversation in front of me, she speaks. ¡°See, that¡¯s what thinking ahead and proper planning looks like. If you thought like Dennis, you¡¯d be able to actually heal yourself when you are seriously hurt, instead of spending all your money on those potions.¡± He flips her the bird. Okay. Maybe this should have been a private discussion. Chapter 56 ¡°Hey, Brandon,¡± I call out, running to catch up to him. He¡¯d stayed well ahead of us as soon as we were moving this morning. I figured that for all that he acts like he doesn¡¯t care, he doesn¡¯t look forward to the insults Helen throws his way. ¡°I have a question.¡± He looks concerned for a second, then smiles. ¡°Shoot.¡± ¡°How come I didn¡¯t get any advancement for the animals I killed on my fighting quest?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°I must have killed treens of different animals by now as part of practicing my bow and tracking. That should put me past the fourth step of that quest, but I¡¯m still not done with it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you didn¡¯t fight them.¡± ¡°I killed them.¡± He chuckles. ¡°Did you notice that you don¡¯t have to kill a creature for it to count?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t see what it¡¯s got to do with it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about killing it, it¡¯s about fighting it. Basically, it¡¯s about getting to know it, and that doesn¡¯t happen at a distance. You need to get in up close.¡± ¡°So, just exchange a few punches and it registers?¡± ¡°Never looked at if there¡¯s a ¡®minimum number of hits¡¯.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯d think you¡¯d look for a way to make it easier.¡± He laughs. ¡°I have way too much fun fighting. I don¡¯t want it to be easy.¡± ¡°Then, if I want those kills to count, I¡¯m going to have to get in with my sword.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bother. Those aren¡¯t about completing quests, they¡¯re about your skills. Archery is what you need to work on.¡± ¡°I need to speed up my quest completions.¡± ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I did like you said, figured out my build and committed to it. I need fifteen ability points.¡± He whistles. ¡°Are you looking to unlock everything?¡± ¡°Fifteen points isn¡¯t going to do that. I want to get healing and teleportation.¡± ¡°You know that ability isn¡¯t going to get you home all that much faster, right?¡± ¡°You know anything about the Aetheric lands?¡± ¡°They¡¯re dangerous. There isn¡¯t a lot written about them, and I haven¡¯t met anyone who admitted to traveling through them.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°That¡¯s interesting, but I want it for the teleportation itself. Blink sounds like it¡¯s going to be useful in combat, and there¡¯s bound to be more beyond the moving from one place to the other without crossing it. Helen didn¡¯t know much about that kind of magic. I¡¯m kind of surprised you haven¡¯t gone for that. It would give you an advantage in fights.¡± ¡°At a sacrifice of my strength and dexterity. Ten in Aether doesn¡¯t let you do anything significant when it comes to magic. You need the kind of numbers my sister has. Her Aether has to be in the triple treens at this point. We don¡¯t get class bonuses toward that. I worked out early on I wasn¡¯t smart enough to learn all the stuff needed to do magic.¡± ¡°But we get a class boost to our intelligence,¡± I counter, and he grins. ¡°And now I¡¯m smart enough to know I¡¯d rather punch my way out of a problem than magic it away.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be a good investment for me.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t forget you have to be able to survive what you¡¯re fighting for it to matter to the quest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, and on that subject again. How broad does a subject have to be to qualify for the research quest?¡± ¡°It has to be something different from what you¡¯ve already researched. What do you have in mind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking that researching creatures and animals will also count toward training my zoology and cryptozoology skills.¡± ¡°It will. But you need to make sure the book you¡¯re reading is accurate. There are a lot of people out there selling junk knowledge. The system doesn¡¯t accept that for the quest.¡± ¡°The clubs make sure the books they have are accurate, right?¡± ¡°Oh yeah. The last thing they want is to be caught with junk books. The libraries are also good about that, but because of how much more they hold, you can¡¯t be certain with recent additions. If you want to be absolutely certain about the information you get, then you want to deal with the academies, but those are expensive.¡± He grins. ¡°I have an in at the one in Detroit, which is how we¡¯ll find out everything we need about The Nox.¡± ¡°Someone you slept with?¡± My face heats up. It doesn¡¯t matter I made a conscious decision to say that, or maybe it¡¯s because of that. Sex isn¡¯t something I¡¯m used to talk about. ¡°Multiple someones, but¡ª¡± he looks at me. ¡°You actually asked that? I thought sex was one of those subject you really didn¡¯t want to deal with.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to get comfortable with it. Talking about it, not doing it.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll get comfortable doing it, too.¡± He smirks. ¡°Unless doing it while uncomfortable is what you¡¯re in to.¡± And now my face burns. So much for getting comfortable with this. And I am not referring to the tightness in my pants. ¡°And that kiss didn¡¯t mean anything.¡± ¡°I figured as much. Heat of the moment and all that.¡± ¡°So thanks for not taking advantage.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t Dennis.¡± I¡¯m surprised, but appreciative of the admission. For as forward as he is with everyone we¡¯ve encountered, he¡¯s good about respecting my boundaries. ¡°How many caches are in ruins?¡± ¡°It varies from ruin to ruin. The larger the ruin the more it will have, obviously, but unless you have access to a map where they are all marked, the only way to know you¡¯ve explored all of them is to hit a hundred percent on the ruin¡¯s exploration.¡± ¡°How tough is that to accomplish?¡± ¡°It¡¯s mostly tedious work. You need to walk all of it, so you want to map your progress. You need to find all the caches, and you need to defeat the area bosses.¡± ¡°I have to fight monsters for the exploration to be complete?¡± ¡°You, with the help of your team. It¡¯s the main reason we usually work with a team. It makes the whole thing easier.¡± ¡°You were alone when we met, and I get the sense it wasn¡¯t because they¡¯d stayed behind or gone ahead.¡± ¡°I mostly work alone, that¡¯s true. But I¡¯ll find people if I feel what I¡¯m going to do needs them. Unlike someone like Xander Poop, it¡¯s a case-by-case thing, instead of not being able to do anything without my entourage.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you agreed to work with me, then.¡± He rolls his eyes. ¡°And leave you at Poop¡¯s mercy? Not a chance.¡± Chapter 57 The next Treen or so days of travel aren¡¯t worth talking about. I mean, the scenery was amazing. In places, the grass went on as far as I could see. In others, the forest was so dense there were times it felt like the trunks formed wall. And the animals¡­. I knew there were more than what was around Court even before getting on Chuck¡¯s caravan and seeing new ones, but I still had a sense of what an animal was. That they were normal. Those glowing owls shifted what I thought of as normal. As did the slithering thing that was almost as much dog as it was snake. Then those two legged¡­ Brandon assured me they were animals and not monsters, and they all kept their distances. Enough, I couldn¡¯t get the system to tell me what they were. There weren¡¯t any monsters. We ended each day with plenty of sun left, and I hunted. When we were low on meat, I brought back an animal, otherwise it was just about tracking them and getting as close as I could before they scattered. Then I did an hour of archery practice and two of close combat training with Brandon. For someone who doesn¡¯t bother dodging or blocking all that much, he¡¯s good enough at it that I had to put in work to touch him with my sword. His sword play is basic at most, but he¡¯s fast, so that kept me on my toe if I didn¡¯t want the sting of the flat of his blade. By then, the sun would be setting and we moved on to eating the stew Brandon had gotten started as soon as we stopped. It was good, but man can I not wait to be in Detroit so I can have something other than meat and whatever foliage Brandon found during the day. That¡¯s one aspect no stories ever touched on. How boring the food is after a while. After that Helen taught me the basic of Aether which, I kid you not, amounts to sitting and feeling for the magic. * ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± I tell her. ¡°Feel for the magic?¡± ¡°You need to know what you have to work with.¡± I point to my Aether bar, which isn¡¯t visible at the moment since I¡¯m not¡ªcan not¡ªbe drawing on it yet. ¡°It¡¯s right there.¡± It isn¡¯t like she can see it, but she knows what I mean. ¡°That¡¯s the visualization of the pool,¡± she replies. ¡°Not your sense for it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± she struggles for an answer. ¡°Okay. Your pool tells you how much you can use, but not ¡®how¡¯ to you it.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s what you¡¯re here for, right? To teach me how?¡± ¡°And me teaching you to sit there and feel the magic is how it starts?¡± ¡°But why?¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°This is why I told mother I didn¡¯t want to teach,¡± she mutters, then smiles. ¡°Okay, pull on your magic.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have spells yet.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°If the only way to touch Aether was to use spell, there would be no way to train those interested in studying it ahead of time. Aether is a force within you, the same way your health is. When you get hurt, it doesn¡¯t just cause your health bar to drop. You get an injury, sometimes debuffs. You bleed. Your bar represents what happened to the pool. The injury shows you what happened to you. It¡¯s more abstract with Aether, but it¡¯s the same principle.¡± ¡°So I just sit here and¡­¡± ¡°Feel for the magic.¡± * Around a treen of evenings spent doing that, and I still don¡¯t have one clue what she meant. Still, she¡¯s the one who knows what she¡¯s talking about, so I sit there every evening for an hour or so and feel for it. After the second evening, Silver joined me, patting my leg and sitting next to me, and we¡¯ve been doing it together since. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s doing anything to make me figure it out any faster, but I don¡¯t feel like an idiot anymore when I do it. By the time we reach the water, my archery¡¯s gone up a level, quick-nocking two, tracking one, sword-play and shield one, and meteorology two. Aether training is still at zero. Of course, that isn¡¯t really what I¡¯m thinking of as I look out over the never ending water. ¡°What is that?¡± I know there¡¯s an ocean on each side of the country. But I also know there¡¯s no way we¡¯ve reached that. Court is closer to the Atlantic, the ocean on the east, and it¡¯s months to get there. The Pacific, on the west side, is a hell of a lot further. ¡°Lake Detroit,¡± Brandon says. ¡°That isn¡¯t a lake. A lake is¡­ a lot smaller than that.¡± He laughs. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten that. The utter disbelief something I couldn¡¯t see the other side of could be the same thing as what I¡¯d gone swimming in as a kid.¡± He looks at Helen. ¡°Remember when Mom and Dad took us to Lake Simcoe?¡± She chuckles. ¡°I don¡¯t think you believed them by the time we were moving on. You were still adamant we¡¯re reach the end of the world.¡± ¡°I was a very ignorant twelve,¡± he tells me, in his defense. ¡°But yeah, lakes comes in all shapes and sizes.¡± I look over the water and ¡­ I ¡­ feel ¡­ small. I know the world is big. Base told me about the trek he and Grandpa Louis took. How long it took to travel north from Houston to Calgary and then east to Toronto, and then Court. I¡¯ve known that walking for nearly two treens now was only a small step on the trek to wherever The Nox is. But I hadn¡¯t felt it. Until now. This is a lake, just a lake, and I can¡¯t see the other side. ¡°Easy there.¡± Brandon lowers me to the ground. Just how long is it going to take until I¡¯m back home? ¡°You okay?¡± he asks in a gentle tone, and all I can do is shake my head. ¡°It isn¡¯t going to feel like that all the time. There¡¯s going to be a day when you¡¯re going to look at a lake like this and you¡¯re going to ask yourself. ¡®How could I ever have been overwhelmed by something so small?¡¯¡± The snort of disbelief I let out as I look at him pulls me out of my funk. There¡¯s wistfulness on his face. He looks at me and smiles. ¡°Do me a favor. Try to hang on to this feeling for as long as you can. Once the wonder about this amazing world of our goes away, it gets just a little tougher to get going on your next adventure.¡± I want to tell him that there isn¡¯t going to be another adventure for me after this, but he¡¯s looking over the lake and I swear I can see him searching for something over the water until he shakes his head and smirks. ¡°Come on. There¡¯s still a lot of daylight and we are not in Detroit yet. We¡¯re going to have to walk around the lake to reach it.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± I stand. ¡°I thought you knew where it was. That we were heading right for it.¡± ¡°We are.¡± He points over the water. ¡°Detroit is right there. On the other side of the lake. But I suck at swimming, so I¡¯d rather take the long way around.¡± I look over the water, squint, trying to make out something, a hint that there¡¯s a city there; but all I see is water. Not even smoke to show that somewhere on the other side, there are people there. Chapter 58 I can¡¯t say that Detroit snuck up on us. It¡¯s tough for something as large as a city to hide itself. But when I first see it, it isn¡¯t what I expect. Nothing much happens over the ten days it took to reach where I can see something of the city. Blocking, perception, archery, quick-nocking and Meteorology all went up a level, and tracking went up two. There was one blow up between Helen and Brandon, but they took the argument away before I could get in the middle of it. They didn¡¯t say anything to each other during the rest of the trek. The reason I want to say Detroit snuck up on us is that it doesn¡¯t look like what I think a city should look like. Okay, even after Toronto, I was still expecting walls. But even forcing myself to remove that from my expectations, what I¡¯m looking at doesn¡¯t say city to me. Ruin? maybe. There are no fields between us and the buildings in the distance for a start. I don¡¯t care how efficient a city is. A need for food is a constant, and producing what you can is better than buying it. I didn¡¯t see all of it, but Herbert told me how Toronto is surrounded by farms producing the food they need. The biggest fight within Court, from what Base told me, was when the town had to expand and push away the farmers to make space. It¡¯s why they are far enough now, there¡¯s room for a few expansions. No one alive then wants to deal with a repeat of that fight. But here? The ground is patches of dirt and brown grass. The few trees are sickly; thin with leaves that barely qualify as green. ¡°What happened here?¡± Silver asks in disgusted awe. ¡°Detroit,¡± Brandon answered, a bundle of fabric appearing in his hand. ¡°Put that on, Dennis.¡± It unfurls into a dirty, ripped, and smelly cloak when I take it. ¡°Do I have to?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know who¡¯s seen your image by now.¡± ¡°We could have beaten that here,¡± Helen says, ¡°if you hadn¡¯t wasted so much time.¡± He whirls on her, hand in a fist. I can see how fed up he is in how it shakes. But he whirls back before I have to intervene. The look he gives me says he does that for me more than for her. I can¡¯t imagine what¡¯s going on between them that he¡¯s ready to come to blows. The look she gives me as a sense of ¡®are you going to let him get away with this¡¯ and I have to bury my annoyance at both of them. This is way beyond sibling animosity. But hopefully it¡¯s something they can deal with, because I can see it being a major problem down the line. ¡°Do you have one that doesn¡¯t¡­smell so much?¡± I ask when Brandon¡¯s breathing settles. He shakes his head. ¡°The point is to blend in as much as possible. It¡¯s less important for us, since it¡¯s just your image that¡¯s been distributed, and we all look travel wary, but you need to hide your face, and in the parts of Detroit we¡¯re going to walk through, nice clothing is just asking to be mugged. If you have clothing you didn¡¯t get a chance to clean, now is the time to equip it. Even you, Hel¡ª¡± He grinds his teeth and takes a breath. ¡°Helen, if you have something more common folks, now would be the time to equip that.¡± Or course, he concludes that display of self control with a glance in my direction for approval. What is he? Six? I equip the cloak and wrinkle my nose. I so don¡¯t want to pull the hood up. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Silver¡¯s now wearing old travel clothes and her hair is tied back with twine. Her violin case is in her inventory. Helen¡¯s clothes¡­ she certainly looks annoyed enough in them to tell me they aren¡¯t her best, but other than slightly dirty, she is the best dressed of us. Brandon doesn¡¯t change anything about what he¡¯s wearing, but his pants are already not in great conditions, and I think that¡¯s the shirt he¡¯s had on for the last four days. I¡¯d say he¡¯s been planning for this for a while, but other than dunking his clothes in lakes and streams we¡¯ve come across, he hasn¡¯t been doing much to clean them. When Brandon starts for the buildings, Silver points to the line of wagons in the distance. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go in through the city¡¯s entrance?¡± ¡°The city doesn¡¯t have one. That¡¯s just the road in. There aren¡¯t any guards or duty collectors or anything else you think of when you think of a city.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t settlements need those things for the system to register them as cities?¡± I point out. With Grandpa Louis the base commander, he¡¯s always aware of where Court stands with the system in relation to its growth. Guards are at the top of the list, from his point of view. ¡°It meets the minimum requirements,¡± Brandon answers. ¡°Otherwise, Detroit wouldn¡¯t be a city. But having the guards doesn¡¯t mean the city has to do anything with them.¡± ¡°No, they do. Settlements don¡¯t just need numbers, they need things to happen. There needs to be patrols, specific production numbers.¡± Brandon looks at me in surprise. ¡°I told you. My grand father is in charge of Base. That means that anytime things aren¡¯t going to the mayor¡¯s liking on that side, he¡¯s complaining about it to him as if Grandpa Louis can do anything about it.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t he?¡± Silver asks. ¡°If he¡¯s a base commander, doesn¡¯t that put him in charge of the settlement?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that straightforward,¡± I reply. ¡°Base is military. As such, he isn¡¯t a settlement the way Toronto or Detroit are. The only reason Court was able to become a town is that by the time Grandpa Louis, Base and everyone who traveled with them settled where Court is, there was such a variety of people and jobs it opened a section they weren¡¯t aware was there. Basically, the part that runs a city. Grandpa Louis ran that at first, but he didn¡¯t want the job, so when they found out they could divorce Base from that, he made it happen. They elected a mayor and they¡¯ve been handling that side. Until things aren¡¯t their liking,¡± I add, and can¡¯t help mimicking Grandpa Louis¡¯s grumbling. ¡°Then, it like he never handed off the position, and he¡¯s supposed to fix everything for them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know about bases and their commanders,¡± Brandon tells Silver. ¡°There¡¯s a military compound a couple of hours outside Montreal. As part of my bard training, I performed there and got to see some of how it works. It¡¯s very different from the city. More regimented.¡± ¡°The military had to be,¡± Brandon says. ¡°But Base doesn¡¯t do that,¡± I add before Silver can question that. ¡°He and Grandpa Louis don¡¯t go into details about it. I know he is a military node, I know Grandpa Louis and him met in Houston, that he was forced to become the commander. They didn¡¯t speak about the people who had the compound, but I got the sense they weren¡¯t nice.¡± ¡°Forcing someone to do something against his will isn¡¯t something nice people do,¡± Helen says. ¡°The only aspect of the military side Base deals with, is last lines of defense during monster waves, and providing shelter for the town¡¯s people while they are going on. He hasn¡¯t had to act in defense of Court in¡­well before I was born.¡± ¡°You keep saying ¡®he¡¯ when you talk about the node,¡± Silver says. I shrug. ¡°Base is a person. I don¡¯t know the details. But he¡¯s family. He and Grandpa Louis act more like they¡¯re brothers than commander and subordinate. And yes, Base considers himself a guy. When I ask him why, when I was a kid, he told me that wasn¡¯t a polite question to ask and I haven¡¯t bothered asking again. I mean, does it matter? Like I said. He¡¯s family. Who cares what he is?¡± ¡°Are all military nodes like that?¡± Silver asks. I shrug. ¡°I only know Base. And they never talked about encountering another military node, so I can¡¯t tell you.¡±
You have discovered a Settlement: Detroit, City.
You have explored 0% of Detroit
I dismiss the message and look at the dilapidated buildings ahead of us. ¡°Remember everyone,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Detroit is probably the worse place you will ever set foot in. Keep all your valuables in your inventory. Don¡¯t look at anyone. Don¡¯t let them look at you, and,¡± he looks at me, ¡°for the system¡¯s sake. Don¡¯t go off running just because someone¡¯s screaming bloody murder.¡± Chapter 59 I pull the hood tighter over my face. I¡¯ve stopped caring about its stink. I¡¯ve heard the expression ¡®hungry looks¡¯ often. I even thought I knew what it meant. Oh, how wrong I was. The looks the people give us go beyond hungry and well into famished. Our little group is now so tight we¡¯re bumping against each other and not one of us complains. The people look no better than the buildings. Thin; about to break. Although, instead of it being about falling down; with them, it¡¯s more like they look about to snap. And by the screams, distant and not, some already have. I want to ask how anyone can live like this, but I¡¯m terrified that any sound will make one of them attack. How anyone can allow others to live like this. This is beyond inhuman. Even the humans look at us like they¡¯re barely animals, and some of the non-humans¡­ I¡¯ve fought monsters with less demented expressions. When one of them lunges in our direction, Brandon reacts without hesitation and with more brutality than I think he should. He grabs the man by the neck, slams him down, punches him, then raises him to show the damage before tossing him away. There¡¯s defiance when he looks at me. He is clearly not sorry for what he did. And as much as I want to question the need, it clears the street for a few blocks so¡­ it worked? The man crawls away, so at least Brandon didn¡¯t kill him. Not that I think the Detroit¡¯s authorities would care. Brandon clearly knows where he¡¯s going, as he has us make turns on smaller and larger roads. We walk by what looks like a market, but I go out of my way not to look at what¡¯s being sold; or who. I definitely saw people tied to posts. I swallow the bile, hard. The quality of the buildings has improved slightly by the time I realize shadows stretch long. And by improved, I mean the lumber doesn¡¯t look quite as rotted; the buildings support a second floor, not that I understand how, and the look the people in the doorways give us is down to hunger, although the kind of hunger some of them have is made evident when a woman opens her rags of a shirt and fondles her breasts for us. Or a man lowers his pant to show¡ª Okay, I really didn¡¯t need to see that. No matter how big it looked. The things on it can¡¯t be healthy. ¡°Brandon?¡± Helen asks, sounding as worried as I feel. ¡°How far are we from that club?¡± ¡°Too far to reach it before full dark.¡± ¡°Tell me you are not planning on having us sleep out here.¡± ¡°No.¡± The lack of sniping from either of them is a good indication of how bad the situation is. ¡°So, what is your plan?¡± ¡°I know someone a block over. We can spend the night there.¡± ¡°Theres actually someone we can trust?¡± Her disbelief echoes mine. Brandon¡¯s snort doesn¡¯t help. ¡°He¡¯s too afraid of me to try anything.¡± The¡­house he finally steps up to is no better than the others. The only good thing I can say about it is that the second floor has already caved in. One thing we don¡¯t have to worry about. He bangs on the door once and the door creaks inward. He curses. ¡°That isn¡¯t good, is it?¡± Silver asks. ¡°Is this a good situation to get training boosts? Because I am terrified right now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Brandon says. ¡°Dennis, you¡¯re with me. Helen, you keep watch.¡± He locks eyes with her. ¡°Don¡¯t use magic. That is among the worse thing you can do in this part of Detroit.¡± ¡°Afraid I¡¯ll burn it all down?¡± There is no snark in her reply. ¡°This place could use being burned down. But a show of magic is the one thing that can get everyone here to band together to kill the magician. We don¡¯t need that complication tonight.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something we need ever,¡± I comment, joining him by the door. ¡°Tonight, less than the rest of the time.¡± He steps in and I follow him. He takes out his light and shines it about. The entry hallway is empty and smells bad. I mean, worse than the hood I¡¯m wearing. We step by a room on the left with a bench containing alchemical equipment. ¡°The guy who lives here is an alchemist?¡± ¡°Of a sort.¡± After that, on the right is a bedroom. Well, a place where someone sleeps, by the cot partially visible behind stacked crates. ¡°I take it he¡¯s paranoid?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t paranoia when they are actually after you. Walter had a lot of enemies.¡± ¡°Had?¡± ¡°The door wouldn¡¯t have opened if he was here, and nothing would make him leave his house. He¡¯d have to be carried. And he would rather die than let that happen.¡± ¡°Maybe they subdued him. If we find out where he is, we can¡ª¡± Brandon¡¯s expression is pissed, and I step back. He takes a breath. ¡°Dennis. I¡¯m serious. You have to stop. I get that you¡¯re a good kid. I get that you want to help everyone that needs it. But, especially in this city, that is going to get you killed. Detroit preys on idealistic kids just like you. Those who set forth to right every wrong they¡¯ve heard about. Detroit eats them up and doesn¡¯t even spit out the bones.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not out to right wrongs,¡± I tell him. ¡°No. You¡¯re worse. Them I¡¯m pretty sure I could reason with. You want to save people.¡± He walks again. ¡°And there is no saving Walter. When I said he¡¯d rather die than be taken out of here, I wasn¡¯t kidding. And he had enough alchemical knowledge to make sure it killed him.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. The next room on the left is where the worse of the smell comes from. At first I think it¡¯s from the rotting meat hanging from the ceiling, or whatever the things in bowls on the counter used to be. Then Brandon pulls the table away and crouches next to a trapdoor. That is where the smell comes from. He moves the padlock with a knife and curses. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The access to the cellar.¡± ¡°Do we need to get down there?¡± ¡°Most definitely not. But without Walter around, I have no idea when¡¯s the last time he secured the padlock.¡± ¡°Okay, then what is in there?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± I sigh. ¡°Brandon. Actual responses are good in this situation. You can go back to cryptic when I don¡¯t feel like an entire city¡¯s about to fall on me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s down there, or that there is anything down there at the moment. Back in the early days of the system, something dug tunnels under this side of Detroit and things come out every so often to¡­eat. It¡¯s the reason this place is a mess.¡± ¡°I take it trying to kill those things didn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°Killing them always works. But they have to be out already, which means people have died by then. And before you ask. Yes, they sent people in the tunnels to exterminate whatever make them.¡± ¡°I take it they never came back.¡± He smiles. ¡°Got it. One of those tunnels opens into this cellar. So Walter set up the trapdoor to keep them from coming out.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t burst through things like that?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t or won¡¯t. No idea. Although, in this case, because there¡¯s alchemy involved, it¡¯s a can¡¯t. The problem is that alchemy needs to be refreshed. The last time I saw Walter was three years ago. On my way to Toronto. I don¡¯t remember if he told me how often he needed to refresh it. It¡¯s still holding, so I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s fine. No idea when it¡¯s going to fail. But it¡¯s not like we have a choice.¡± ¡°You know that in movies, that¡¯s exactly the situation where something like this fails and we¡¯ll have to deal with an invasion from underground.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen movies?¡± ¡°Base has a collection of them.¡± ¡°When this is over, how about you have him show me¡­¡± he shakes his head. ¡°Hopefully, we aren¡¯t in that kind of story. Let¡¯s get the others and set up for the night.¡± * I don¡¯t sleep well. I have the ¡®improper sleep¡¯ debuff to prove it. It¡¯s not only that I had to take a turn at watch. Which consisted of watching the trapdoor, but I kept waking up, certain I¡¯d heard it smash open. The only one of us who doesn¡¯t look half asleep as we set out is Brandon. The long morning shadows hide a lot of the nastiness I saw yesterday, and I¡¯m happy for it. I don¡¯t look forward to seeing that in all its ¡®splendor¡¯. By the time there¡¯s enough light to make out details, the buildings have improved again. While it¡¯s nothing like the bad part of Toronto I saw, it¡¯s a marked improvement over the rest of this place. I can see effort put into making the buildings look decent. The smell also improves and, a block later, I know why, as we reach the waterfront. The road almost looks proper as it follows it. The buildings on the other side of the water look so different, I have trouble believing it. The brick work¡¯s good, even at this distance. Further back, some buildings do up four or five stories. And much further there is a tower that goes much higher. Compared to those, this side still feels drab. When Brandon slows, I make out a line of people. ¡°We so fucking don¡¯t have the time for that.¡± He looks toward the sun. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to be the line to get in the tunnel across the river. I was really hoping no one was controlling it today.¡± ¡°So, the guards are¡­it¡¯s not the city guards,¡± I finish at the roll of his eyes. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, it¡¯s one of the gangs.¡± ¡°You call that lucky?¡± Helen asks. ¡°The alternative is that it¡¯s the construction guild. Because they maintain the tunnel and bridge, every so often, one of them gets it in their head they should get something for the work they put in and start demanding ¡®tributes¡¯ from anyone looking to cross the river.¡± ¡°I take it that¡¯s the bridge over there?¡± I point to the hazy form in the distance. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look much further.¡± ¡°Except that¡¯s firmly in the guild¡¯s control, since that¡¯s how the caravans get in. Those have the good money. It¡¯s why they¡¯re okay letting whoever can wrestle control of the entrance here deal with it.¡± ¡°If you haven¡¯t suggested ferries¡­¡± ¡°Death traps. Once you¡¯re on one of them, they can demand whatever they want, or else.¡± ¡°I think we can deal with anything someone like that would try,¡± Helen says. ¡°Sure. Until they realize it¡¯s a lost cause and sink the ferry and then we have to deal with what¡¯s in the water. You don¡¯t want to deal with those.¡± ¡°So, there aren¡¯t any alternatives?¡± I ask. ¡°We can¡¯t go further still and have the land reconnect?¡± Brandon shakes his head. ¡°It¡¯s what gives these people so much power. The bridge, the tunnel and the ferries are the only way into the good part of Detroit.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s get in line,¡± Silver says, a smile forming. ¡°Or nothing at all?¡± ¡°Yeah, and we are going to be there for days.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure of that.¡± Her case is in her hands. ¡°I happen to be quite good with crowds.¡± * Against my expectations, she doesn¡¯t start playing, wrapping us in an illusion or something like that. Her violin is still in its case when we get in line, and she starts talking with the group before us. They¡¯re reticent, at first, but she draws them in as we move forward a bit. As far as I can tell, she talks about nothing much. About the weather, the city, them. But she does it with the enthusiasm of meeting friends she hasn¡¯t seen in years. The one thing she never brings up is her music. At least until one of them asks about the case in her hand. I can not believe how demure she is. It¡¯s like she¡¯s ashamed of her playing; with her ¡®No, I can¡¯t. No, you don¡¯t want to hear me play. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve listened to better.¡¯ I can¡¯t believe how hard she makes it for them to finally convince her to take her violin out and play. And play she does. A lively tune that has a few people dancing, clapping and laughing. When she stops, she refuses any payment. Their joy is enough, she tells them. Brandon is definitely not pleased. And then, someone further ahead calls to her. Motions for her to join them. She refuses. She can¡¯t get ahead of all these people. And the people she just entertained insist she goes. They fucking part to let us through. And then she¡¯s playing again. When she stops, we get a nearly identical result. And we move ahead again. And again. And again. It¡¯s barely past noon when the entrance to the tunnel is in view. Then we¡¯re among the first groups, Silver playing. I can tell she¡¯s tired. Her hair is stringy with sweat, but she isn¡¯t slowing. And the people guarding the entrance are gathering. ¡°Hey, bard,¡± one of them calls when she stops. ¡°Come here.¡± The attitude shifts as we follow her, but once she assures them we are with her, they are friendly again. ¡°The guild,¡± Brandon mutters unhappily under his breath. I think it might be good that it¡¯s them. I don¡¯t see gangs being willing to hold to any bargain Silver might make. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal,¡± she tells us when she returns. ¡°They want a show, which I can give them, but it¡¯s going to be a couple of hours, because they¡¯re getting everyone that¡¯s working to attend. I got us food while we wait.¡± That gets Brandon to shut his mouth. ¡°And a place to sit out of the sun. They promised that as soon as I¡¯m done, we go in and that we¡¯ll be on the other side without trouble, short of them also wanting a show, but that¡¯s not something they can control.¡± ¡°Unless they send word,¡± Helen says, ¡°with ensures you need to perform and delays us further.¡± ¡°Except she already put us well ahead of when I thought we¡¯d get here,¡± Brandon says, with some awe and Silver straightens. ¡°There are a bunch of safe place to rest¡ªwell, safe for Detroits anyway¡ªon the other side, so when we get there isn¡¯t as important anymore. And if we get the go ahead of the people here, that means we shouldn¡¯t have anyone bothering us along the way.¡± ¡°Short of demanding I play, I expect.¡± ¡°Possibly, but those left will be working, and I don¡¯t see them getting away with stopping for long.¡± ¡°So, I play while we cross and everyone¡¯s happy?¡± ¡°And the other side has no doubt a bard¡¯s coming,¡± Helen says, still not particularly happy. ¡°Are we in a position to refuse?¡± I ask. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Silver replies. ¡°They were polite and all that, but my instincts tell me we don¡¯t want to cross them.¡± ¡°So, is there a point in discussing it further?¡± I ask Helen. ¡°At least I get to sit down for a while. I am so tired of being on my feet.¡± ¡°Hey, you could have stayed home where your¡ª¡± Brandon looks at me as I shake my hand from the punch to his shoulder. ¡°You were doing really well being a good brother,¡± I tell him. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin it now.¡± He smirks and turns to Silver. ¡°Where¡¯s the food?¡± Changes to The Story as hard as I''ve tried to write this story as Crunchy LitRPG, I can no longer manage it. it is exhausting to constantly have to pause the writing to check the spreadsheet and make sure things add up. so, because I want to keep telling this story, I am dropping all the crunchiness. I''d drop the system if I could, but it is an integral part of the world this is taking place in, as well as the overall story being told (should I ever reach the end) Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Going forward (and really, you probably noticed how i''ve been avoiding putting system stuff on the page for a while now) at most, you should expect the occasional system message and interactions. everything else might be referred to, but I''m no longer putting that on the page in a LitRPG way. I apologize to any who was reading this for its crunchiness. chapter 60 It takes them nearly two hours to gather people. During that time, we¡¯re in the shade, enjoying good water and decent sandwiches. Nothing buff worthy, but better than I expect anyone else around here eats. It makes it hard to swallow the food, and I¡¯m pretty sure that of all of us, I eat the least. The ¡®stage¡¯ is by the lineup¡ªthe only space able to accommodate numbers. It means the people waiting get to listen, although they look at Silver¡¯s back. She¡¯s not happy about it, but she doesn¡¯t complain. She knows who this is for and gives them the best show she can. Although, I think, the few times her performance has her circling the area and letting the people waiting watch her play for a few seconds are improvised additions. She plays for a solid hour, and then another thirty minutes as she¡¯s asked¡ªdemanded¡ªencores. Then she gives the final bow and politely refuses to play again. Brandon¡¯s ready to intervene, but the organizer takes it with a laugh, then arranges for an escort to take us through the tunnel. Brandon is, again, not happy. He mutters about how they¡¯re going to force her to play for anyone who asks, and they¡¯re going to spend the entire night in there, if not have to fight them off so they don¡¯t kidnap Silver and chain her up to perform at their whims. I want to call him out of how distrustful he is, but there were people chained up in that market. I have to take his warning that Detroit isn¡¯t a good place seriously. But, in this case, the distrust is misplaced. When one of the workers demands a song, it¡¯s their escorts that shut them down, reminding them they are under contract to work, not be entertained. I don¡¯t see chains, but the way that¡¯s said leaves little doubt as to the meaning. It might be better than what they could expect, not working for the guild, but it¡¯s still slavery. I¡¯ve heard stories from Grandpa Louis and Base, as well as other old folks about the before system times, and the things they witnessed in the early days. I agree with them that it¡¯s wrong to force anyone into a situation they can¡¯t get out of, or take advantage of the situation they¡¯re in to get them to agree to it. But what am I supposed to do about it? Sure, I want to help them, somehow. But how am I supposed to go about it? I¡¯m not a politician, I barely have any social skills beyond what I gained living among other people. Being a guard doesn¡¯t need me to be charismatic, just effective. ¡°Are any of the spots they¡¯re repairing caused by what dug the tunnels under that side of Detroit?¡± I ask, so I don¡¯t have to think about the worker¡¯s situation. ¡°Nah,¡± one of the escort replies. She¡¯s not the biggest of them, but I definitely don¡¯t want to take her on in a fight. ¡°Those things don¡¯t like getting wet. Or that¡¯s the theory, anyway. That¡¯s all wear from decades of being up. I don¡¯t know how they dealt with it before the system, but now, by the time one section¡¯s repaired, we have another about to crumble away.¡± ¡°At least we can see the level of wear,¡± the man next to her says. ¡°So we know what to prioritize.¡± ¡°It¡¯s constant work, but we manage,¡± the third of the four people escorting us says. ¡°Have you considered using better material?¡± Helen asks. The woman snorts. ¡°You tell us what¡¯s better than old reliable concrete that we can afford and we¡¯ll switch to it.¡± She adds as Helen opens her mouth. ¡°None of that magical stuff wizards peddle.¡± She doesn¡¯t comment, and the rest of the walk continues in mostly silence, broken by our escort, telling workers to get back to work when they approach. When we exit on the other side, there¡¯s barely any light left. We find a room in the first inn we stop at and we have to pay far too much for it. We all agree on that. We also agree we aren¡¯t traveling at night, so we it don¡¯t have a choice to pay what a place like this thinks they can get away with. Silver doesn¡¯t offer to provide entertainment in exchange for a reduced rate, and it¡¯s got to be because she¡¯s tired of playing. She could easily wipe the floor against the two bards currently playing at each end of the room. We agree to taking watch, and I sleep through mine. Considering Brandon doesn¡¯t complain, I expect I¡¯m not the only one. I don¡¯t gain a buff, but at least yesterday¡¯s debuff is gone. We don¡¯t pay the ripoff prices they want for the food since I have plenty of jerky for everyone, and, according to Brandon, the club is less than an hour away. I¡¯ve tightened the hood before Brandon told me from the eyes I felt on me the moment we step outside the room. He keeps us on a main road this time, and it¡¯s lined with shops and artisans workshop. A section of them stinks from the leather workers lining it. Another is hot from the forges. There¡¯s an explosion on the other side of the road from what looks like an alchemical shop. From the burn marks around the door, and on the buildings around it, that¡¯s a common enough occurrence. Between groups of similar shops, and in groups of their own, we walk by all sorts of shops. But Brandon warns us not to venture into them. Shops in Detroit don¡¯t just sell stuff, they buy them too, and sometimes, they just take. And that includes people. ¡°You can get anything you want here,¡± He declares with mock pride. ¡°Just remember that it¡¯s nearly as easy for you to get taken instead.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Even without his warning, I wouldn¡¯t have stepped into one of them. There is an air of seediness about them I hadn¡¯t expected from looking across the river. The buildings are definitely in better conditions, and the people look healthier, but I can¡¯t say they look any more moral on this side than the other. A block after we leave the shops¡¯ road, we¡¯re among housing that, other than being better constructed, reminds me a lot of the other side of the river, and of the area where the club is in Toronto. ¡°Brandon, are all the clubs in bad parts of their city?¡± ¡°You only saw two, and you¡¯re already jumping to that conclusion?¡± ¡°I only saw one,¡± I correct. He points to a building taking a triangular block. The first impression is that of a castle in miniature, with the large stonework on the ground level and the two battlement towers. The stone work is more like brick work from the second story up, and where the windows used to be, they¡¯ve been bricked over. The door is thick looking wood with metal strapping for reinforcement. The wood is burned in places, and there¡¯s a gouge that might go halfway through. ¡°I think that supports my question.¡± The area surrounding the building barely inspires more confidence than in Toronto. ¡°Well, they aren¡¯t all like this,¡± he says, not sounding particularly convincing. ¡°But most, yeah. Nearly without exception, the explorers who founded their particular clubs picked buildings that had meaning to them. They weren¡¯t that different from us back then. So they went for old buildings with a lot of history. The kind of places that would inspire others to want to go out and explore this changed world. The problem with that is that most of those kinds of buildings are off the beaten path. Even before the system, the old buildings were out of the way. From what I¡¯m told, they were well kept, and quite a few had daily visitors, but near the bustling part of the city, they were not. After the system, the survivors congregated as close to the settlement nodes as they could, leaving areas like this to fend for itself against the wilderness. Or other people. Even here, where this was within the initial zone, the chaos was such that the club was the line of defense for those who couldn¡¯t make it closer. A lot of the buildings here are the result of the work the original members put in. For a while, things improved as this became the norm, but then, someone worked out how to move the node and¡­well, this area went to shit again.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Silver says. ¡°They can move a settlement node?¡± ¡°So I¡¯m told.¡± He looks at me. ¡°I don¡¯t think Base qualifies. Once he separated the settlement part of his node to be its own thing, it was put into the mayoral building and hasn¡¯t moved since.¡± ¡°What I¡¯ve been told,¡± he continues, ¡°is that Detroit used to be centered not far from the tunnel. Now, it¡¯s somewhere north of here, in the ¡®good¡¯ part of the city.¡± ¡°Anything we should know about this place?¡± Helen asks as Brandon grabs both wrought metal handles. ¡°You and Silver are guests. I¡¯m confident Silver will be respectful of everyone here, but Sis, do remember there are things in place to deal with people who cause trouble. So keep your opinions to yourself.¡± He pulls the doors and I follow him in, ignoring Helen¡¯s glaring at the back of his head. We step into a large room that reminds me of the one in Toronto only because there¡¯s a counter on the right, where a man behind it smiles as he looks our way, and there are chairs and tables spread about. Other than that? Nothing makes me feel welcome, certainly not the way the two dozen men and woman of more species than I¡¯ve ever seen in one place look at us. ¡°Well, well, well.¡± The man behind the bar rests an elbow on the counter and his chin in his hand. ¡°If it isn¡¯t my favorite explorer, somehow still alive.¡± He¡¯s thin, and when he straightens, there¡¯s a grace to his movement that makes me think he¡¯s a dancer, but in a place like this¡­? ¡°Malcolm,¡± Brandon greets the man, as he approaches the bar. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± The smile Malcolm gives him is wry. Brandon waits in silence for a few seconds. ¡°Are you really going to make me lean over?¡± ¡°Oh? And exactly what makes you think I¡¯m not going to deck you if you try?¡± Brandon frown, and he seems actually puzzled by the reaction. Malcolm stares. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s been four years.¡± ¡°Yes. Four years since¡­¡± ¡°Please tell me you didn¡¯t expect¡ª¡± Helen goes silent at the glacial look Malcolm gives her. His smile seems genuine afterward. ¡°Thank you.¡± He looks at Brandon expectantly. ¡°Malcolm, how about I say I¡¯m sorry, and really mean it? I don¡¯t know what I did to piss you off.¡± ¡°Oh, honey, you didn¡¯t piss me off. We¡¯d be taking this outside if you had, and I would hand you that so lovely ass of yours. What you did is disappoint me, Brandon.¡± ¡°Look, I really am sorry. Whatever I did, I promise¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. We both know what your promises are worth.¡± Brandon looks more reproachful than I¡¯ve ever seen him. I didn¡¯t think he was capable of feeling sorry for anything to that level. If not for the fact Helen¡¯s still silent, I¡¯d try to smooth thing over. Malcolm sighs. ¡°You really don¡¯t remember, do you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°The blood moon¡­ the jasmine on the wind¡­¡± ¡°Fuck, the diner!¡± Malcolm¡¯s smile is filled with sadness. ¡°I waited until the moon set.¡± ¡°I am so sorry, Mal. I got word that the Cut Throat had¡ª¡± he glances at Helen, then looks at Malcolm again. ¡°You know them, it wasn¡¯t going to that more than an hour to kick their asses and get them to hand it over, but by the time I got there, someone else had already wiped the floor with them, and taken it and¡­ I couldn¡¯t lose my chance to get it back.¡± ¡°Did you get it?¡± Brandon shakes his head. ¡°I lost their trail within the Cincinnati ruins. Best I can figure, they used Aether Travel.¡± Malcolm places a hand on Brandon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, hon. I know what it means to you.¡± He raised Brandon¡¯s chin, then kisses him. ¡°Before you get any idea, this isn¡¯t me forgiving you. But I get it.¡± Then he steps back and is all smiles. ¡°Now, who are those odd people who can somehow stand being around you for however long it took for all of you to get here.¡± I lower my hood. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you already know me?¡± He beams and crosses his arms on the counter. ¡°Dear, the moment you stepped in, I was notified of who you are. But I am not missing the chance to get dear Brando to introduce to his¡­whatever he considers the lot of you, to me. You don¡¯t understand how epic it is for him to stop in here with someone others than whoever¡¯s carrying his lovely ass back to safety after he got himself into more trouble than should be possible.¡± He smiles at Brandon. ¡°So, get on with it.¡± Brandon sighs. ¡°This is Dennis, fellow explorer. He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m¡ª¡± he shut up, considers something. ¡°I¡¯m escorting him until he¡¯s completed his quest.¡± Malcolm gets a somewhat disbelieving expression, but Brandon continues before he speaks. ¡°This is Silver, Bard. She saved both our asses in Toronto, and decide she¡¯d get good stories to sing by sticking with us. I think she¡¯s regretted it a few times, but not enough to do the smart thing and ditch us. And that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Miss butting in where she¡¯s not invited,¡± Malcolm says. Brandon chuckles, and Helen glares. ¡°That¡¯s Helen, my sister.¡± Malcolm¡¯s expression changes completely. ¡°You have a sister?¡± He beams. ¡°I don¡¯t see the resemblance.¡± Silver snickers. He puts an elbow on the counter and his chin in his hand. ¡°Honey, give me all the dirt on honky boy over there.¡± chapter 61 The choice of books the club makes available is extensive, but they¡¯re all geared toward research. History, geographic, zoology, cryptozoology, there¡¯s even books on combat styles. It makes sense, research is central to the explorer class. What it is not, is well organized. I look through it while lying in the bed. The room Malcolm assigned me has two, which is the least number of beds any room has. Silver and Helen have to stay at the rooming house, across the road, the club runs. The clubs has a strict rule of no visitors allowed to move out of the dining room. We can bring guests to eat and talk with, but after that, they need to leave. Even the bonding Malcolm and Helen did over Brandon¡¯s childhood antics wasn¡¯t enough to let her stay here. The books are listed alphabetically. That means there is a long section starting with ¡°the,¡± because, somehow, the system¡¯s not smart enough to know to ignore it in favor of whatever the next word is. I can do a search for ''The Nox¡¯, but if it isn¡¯t in the title, I don¡¯t get any result; which is the case here. It doesn¡¯t mean none of the books the club has talk about it. Just that no one has written one and titled it ¡®A history of the The Nox¡¯ or something like that. At least, Base knows his library well enough that when I ask for a movie or a book, I don¡¯t have to be specific about it. A ¡®western with a lot of drama in it¡¯ is going to get me a bunch of results. Here? I can¡¯t query the interior of the books, just the title list. Considering that Alexander Pope has to resort to putting a price on my head to get my Journal, I¡¯m thinking there might not be any information anywhere outside of it. Brandon says the Detroit Library will have something, but it¡¯s going to be a question of, one, getting in and two, finding it. He¡¯s supposed to have a way in, but at this point, I¡¯m not sure that person is still alive, considering his previous ¡®friend¡¯ was dead. Since I¡¯m not done with the book Brandon lent me, I read that. I¡¯m only three pages further into the tome when Brandon enters and drops on the other bed. ¡°Are Silver and Helen settled in?¡± He insisted on accompanying them across the road. He trusts the rooming house, just not the distance separating it from the club. ¡°Yeah.¡± He shimmers out of his armor and the clothing under that, and I forcefully look away. I try to make out his expression out of the corner of my eye, and there¡¯s nothing snarky about it, or even a glance in my direction to see if I¡¯m reacting to his nakedness. Instead, he¡¯s busy looking at something, moving his finger about. He¡¯s sending his clothing to be cleaned. A service the club offers, along with baths, long-term storage of our things, and a few others. I¡¯ve already sent mine, keeping only what I have on. That¡¯s going to be sent once I have something else to wear. I¡¯m on the waiting list for the bath. They have four, but there¡¯s a lot of people at the club today. The club also has an armor repair service, but I have to pay for it, and I can¡¯t decide if it¡¯s worth it. One dungeon, and my armor was basically ruined. How long until the repairs I paid for don¡¯t mean anything, again? I can see the appeal of putting a lot of points in any ability that increases my toughness. ¡°Brandon, what are your thoughts on magical protection?¡± I look away as soon as I catch myself glancing in his direction as part of talking to him. This time, he smirks when he looks up from the book. ¡°Magical armor¡¯s not worth the money anyone will charge for it. If you find a piece in a dungeon, or ruin, it¡¯s a toss up if it¡¯s worth more as currency than protection.¡± ¡°I was thinking more of something like an amulet of protection, or a ring. I know those aren¡¯t cheap, but they¡¯re tougher to damage, and the protection is constant.¡± ¡°Feeling the loss of your armor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not lost.¡± I protest. ¡°But what¡¯s the point of spending money getting it repaired if it¡¯s going to be ruined after the next serious fight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what raising your dodge skill¡¯s for.¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s high enough I can¡¯t be hit, what¡¯s the point of having armor, then?¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He sits on the edge of his bed, facing me. ¡°Dennis, you¡¯re¡ª¡± I have my eyes glued to the page, any closer and my nose will touch them. He sighs. There¡¯s the rustling of fabric. ¡°You need to get over that, you know.¡± I glance, and the sheet is over his lap. ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as you seem to think. We¡¯re not all the hunk you are.¡± I so wish I hadn¡¯t said that. He smirks and my ears burn. ¡°Look, you¡¯re over thinking things again. The armor, your skills, and your abilities, they¡¯re meant to work together. You don¡¯t dodge exclusively not to get hit, but to minimize the hits that connect. You¡¯re learning, so yes, you¡¯re going to go through a lot of armors until you¡¯re good enough. But you¡¯ll get there.¡± ¡°But what if I don¡¯t pick¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re back to wanting the perfect build, Dennis. It doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do, then?¡± ¡°The best you can.¡± I glare at him. ¡°How about you prioritize, instead? The way you¡¯re talking about the armor, it sounds like the problem isn¡¯t that it¡¯s not going to protect you, but that it¡¯s going to get damaged. Does it have emotional weight?¡± I start to protest and stop. ¡°I guess. It was Aaron¡¯s armor. I inherited it when I took his quest. Is it stupid that I feel like I have to protect it, instead of it protecting me?¡± He grins. ¡°You¡¯re asking me about what¡¯s stupid?¡± He sobers. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. However it happened, it means something to you. My advice is to put it in storage. Get some cheap equivalent you¡¯re not going to care that gets shredded, learn with it and all the others you¡¯re going to buy, because trust me, going the route of using armor is going to eat up a lot of your money until you get to the point of working with it and having them last longer.¡± ¡°Any idea where I can get one? You made it sound like I shouldn¡¯t get anything in this city.¡± ¡°You definitely shouldn¡¯t. Merchants here will take one look at you and, if you¡¯re lucky, leave you with your clothes on by the time they¡¯re done. I, on the other hand, know people. So my first question is, are you superstitious?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with getting a new armor?¡± ¡°If you insist on new armor, nothing. But if you want to save money, you want to go used.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t see what¡­. Oh. You mean armor someone died in.¡± He nods. Ghosts are real. They come up as a monster if you query the system about them. They are a lot of different kinds of ghosts. All of them are monsters. The old folks claim that every ghost is the spirit of someone who used to be alive. That the system somehow plucked them from¡­well, they believe odd stuff about what happens when someone dies, but that¡¯s how ghost are made. Dad, for all that he¡¯s one of the old folks, doesn¡¯t believe in that. When people die, that¡¯s the end of it. Base, oddly enough, isn¡¯t as adamant about that. He doesn¡¯t believe the System can take people¡¯s souls and turn them into ghosts, but he believes there is something left once someone dies. I? ¡°I don¡¯t care. I mean, even if the person became a ghost. The system¡¯s going to put it somewhere, not keep it attached to the armor.¡± ¡°Glad to hear it. Then it¡¯s easy. Talk to Malcolm. The club always ends up with armor they¡¯re willing to sell for basically the price of the repairs.¡± ¡°A lot of explorers die?¡± I can¡¯t keep the worry from my voice. He snorts, stretching on his bed and, of course, pulling the sheet off him in the process. ¡°People who like to think they¡¯re explorers do.¡± * Malcolm¡¯s behind the bar handing bowls of something steaming to a¡­ I don¡¯t stare. More because it¡¯s impolite than because I don¡¯t want to cause a query. Short fur on his, or her, head, brown with a green tint to it, going down under the layers of clothing they wear. The face is scaled, instead. The hands are clawed, the fingers thin and long. ¡°And how is Brandon¡¯s protege?¡± he asks beaming at me. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever sleep?¡± I came after my bath, which ended up being on the late side, and he was there, laughing with a group. Now it¡¯s first thing in the morning and he¡¯s looking way too perky for my liking. He sighs theatrically. ¡°Yes, I do. Unfortunately.¡± He smiles as I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Are you offering to keep me awake through the next night?¡± he winks and my cheeks burn. ¡°Oh, you are so cute.¡± And now my ears burn too. ¡°Do I have a sign? ¡®Easily embarrassed, tease heavily¡¯ or something?¡± He leans forward and lowers his voice. ¡°Hun, I¡¯m the kind of man who can tell when someone is ripe for learning about the joy of sex.¡± My ears are in the process of catching fire when the realization hits. ¡°Brandon told you, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Helen, actually. She said something about how you turn beet red anytime Brandon makes his clothes vanish. And considering what I know of the man, I¡¯m surprised he hadn¡¯t seen to your education yet.¡± ¡°I told him I wasn¡¯t ready.¡± He gives me a speculative look. ¡°See, that doesn¡¯t work for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sixteen. I¡¯m allowed not to be ready for sex.¡± ¡°I am so not the right person to comment on that. But I meant Brandon respecting that. I know the man.¡± I shrug. ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t know him as well as you think. Maybe there¡¯s someone decent under that smug, in your face exterior.¡± His smile turns sad. ¡°Don¡¯t go believing that, Dennis. You¡¯ll just end up with a broken heart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in love with him, you know. He¡¯s just a friend.¡± He searches my face, then nods. ¡°Enough maudling. What can I offer you? I¡¯m off the menu until the morning rush is over.¡± ¡°You never stop, do you?¡± He grins. ¡°When you decide you¡¯re ready, come find me and I¡¯ll show you.¡± ¡°How about coffee and breakfast? Brandon said the club sells armor for reasonable prices.¡± ¡°You superstitious?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Then, the club¡¯s prices aren¡¯t reasonable. They¡¯re ridiculously low.¡± He leans forward and smiles, so I ready myself for it. ¡°How about I take you in the back and measure you for a good fit?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll settle for breakfast and you eyeballing me.¡± There, not even blushing. ¡°Oh, honey, I¡¯ve been eyeballing you lots already. Been using my imagination, too.¡± I swear, between him and Brandon, I¡¯m going to end up catching on fire. Chapter 62 The armor fits, as I return from the ¡®back room,¡¯ although the pieces are mismatched. Entire armors can rarely be salvaged, and re-sizing isn¡¯t something they do here. Brandon lets out a wolf-whistle that has Silver and Helen, along with everyone else in the dining room looking at him, then me. Of course my ears burn. There¡¯s no reason for it. For one thing, it wasn¡¯t Malcolm who handled it, but Francis, the club¡¯s quartermaster. For another, I didn¡¯t have to get naked. Just wear the set of underclothes that anyone who wears armor seriously owns. I bought two more off the club because traveling doesn¡¯t lend itself to washing those. ¡°How did it go?¡± Brandon asks as I sit at the table. How he can make that sound suggestive is beyond me. ¡°It went without trouble.¡± ¡°So,¡± Silver asks. ¡°What are we doing, now that we¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Me and Dennis are heading to the library,¡± he replies between bites. ¡°I¡¯d strongly advise both of you to stay in your room, but I know my sister, so whatever you do, do it carefully. I¡¯m not going to be around to pull you out of whatever trouble she lands you in.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t cause trouble,¡± she replies, offended. ¡°Back home you don¡¯t, because you know how things work, and people know you. Here, you aren¡¯t just an unknown, you¡¯re a mark.¡± ¡°I can take care of myself, Bran.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not worried about you. I¡¯m worried about Silver getting caught in the crossfire between you and whoever your ¡®I¡¯m better than everyone¡¯ attitude pisses off.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not defenseless, Brandon.¡± ¡°With all due respect, Silver. You aren¡¯t ready for anything this city is going to throw at you. No one who comes here for the first time is. However bad you imagine the city to be, you aren¡¯t even scratching the surface. The simple fact you think you¡¯re ready means you shouldn¡¯t step out of your room unless you can get Malcolm to recommend at least one of the people in here to act as your escort. But that isn¡¯t going to be free.¡± She looks around. ¡°How much would one of them charge to¡­I don¡¯t know. Give me a tour?¡± He shrugs, downing his coffee. ¡°You have to ask Malcolm, but word of warning. They won¡¯t all take money as payment.¡± I join Silver in staring at him. ¡°Sex?¡± she asks in dismay. ¡°Some, sure. But for other it¡¯ll be an exchange of services, depending on what you¡¯re can do. So make sure you know what you get yourself into. Mal¡¯s not going to let someone nasty get close to you, but he doesn¡¯t know every detail about the people in here. One of them might want you to use your illusion magic to let them break into a building or something. The people who come here regularly tend to be comfortable with the kind of city Detroit is.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t here regularly?¡± Helen asks. Brandon grins. ¡°Thank you for making my point for me, oh sister mine. Big difference is I¡¯m on your team. None of them are.¡± ¡°So, just stick to someone who¡¯ll take money?¡± Silver asks tentatively. ¡°Ask Mal. He¡¯s the authority on the people here, not me. There might actually be a good one among the bunch.¡± He looks at me. ¡°You¡¯re not having anything?¡± ¡°I ate before getting the armor.¡± And whatever appetite I had left is gone after listening to his ¡®refreshing¡¯ talk. ¡°Good. Then we¡¯re off. Remember, you two aren¡¯t ready for this city. Wander at your own risk.¡± He pulls the hood over my head before we step outside, and I feel eyes on us before we cross the first road heading north. ¡°I really hoped we¡¯d get there without trouble,¡± Brandon grumbles. ¡°Can we lose them?¡± ¡°Maybe, but then there¡¯s going to be some other gang ready to take their place.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s going to be a gauntlet to get there.¡± ¡°If we stay on this road, probably. I¡¯m going to have to talk to Mal about it, if they¡¯re getting this close to the club. Last time I was here, they wouldn¡¯t dare get within three blocks.¡± I glance left and right, but the hood blocks nearly all my peripheral vision. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we¡¯d have to deal with attacks after attacks if we stayed on this road?¡± I ask after we cross the second intersection. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean we should get off it?¡± He looks at me, surprised, then around. I do the same, but don¡¯t see anyone. ¡°I guess we should.¡± ¡°You were looking forward to fighting them, weren¡¯t you?¡± He shrugs as he starts walking again. ¡°Not forward to it. I just take it as fact I¡¯m going to get jumped anytime I walk these streets and deal with it when it happens.¡± He chuckles. ¡°I¡¯ve never been the ¡®avoid trouble¡¯ type. We¡¯re going to take the next right. It¡¯s going to take us to Ward. It the main road from the tunnel, so it¡¯s busy with people shopping. Being mugged¡¯s less likely there. But they¡¯re going to know what we¡¯re planning as soon as we turn, so I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any avoiding this fight.¡± I shrug. ¡°I do my best to avoid trouble, but you¡¯ve seen I¡¯m willing to deal with whatever comes my way. Any idea what we¡¯re going to face?¡± ¡°Normally I¡¯d say a bunch of kids looking for easy experience, but they were watching the club. So, they might be tougher.¡± ¡°You think they were waiting for me?¡± ¡°That is a strong possibility. We adventurers aren¡¯t really the ¡®hide our faces¡¯ kind of people. I might have made you stand out the hood as much as if you didn¡¯t have it to anyone actively hunting for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to keep it on.¡± As irrational as it is. It makes me feel better to hide my face. ¡°If there¡¯s people on the street, we might get lucky. A lot of these gangs don¡¯t like being seen.¡± We make the turn to a deserted street. ¡°Looks like we aren¡¯t lucky,¡± I say. ¡°I never am,¡± he replies, although he doesn¡¯t sound particularly bothered by it. ¡°Be ready. I doubt we make it halfway to the Ward before they step out of the alleys.¡± We don¡¯t even make it a quarter of the way. Eight of them step out of the alleys like they own the street, blocking the way forward and back. They aren¡¯t impressive. Their clothing are mostly rags, wooden clubs and metal bars for weapons. It doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t dangerous, but how high level can they be and still dress that way? One looks directly at me. ¡°That¡¯s him.¡± ¡°And now we know,¡± Brandon says, stepping forward and punching the closest one. I equip my shield as I raise my hand to block, and it takes the blow. I step aside the coming pipe and slap its holder on the side of the head with the flat of my blade, hard. The goal is knocking him out, and he drops so fast I¡¯m stunned. I see he¡¯d breathing by the time the club slams into my stomach and I barely feel it. My health bar doesn¡¯t even flash. Brandon¡¯s heading for me, five already unconscious. ¡°Let me deal with this,¡± I tell him and unequip my shield and sword. Not jerking away as the metal bar comes for my jaw is lot tougher than I expect. The impact stings and my head moves in response, but again, no health loss. I move my jaw to see if there¡¯s any lingering pain, and only noticed the surprised, and slightly scared expression, on the guy in front of me once I¡¯ve done that¡­. oh, does that feel nice. This time, I don¡¯t have a temptation to move. I tense so that when the bar hits my head. I don¡¯t react. The smile forms without me thinking about it, and his eyes grow wide. Then my fist hits between them and he staggers back. He looks at me and we¡¯re probably both just as surprised he¡¯s still conscious. When the club shatters against my head, it actually hurts, and my health bar flashed. I can¡¯t see the sliver of health I lost, but I glare at him and the fear in his eyes makes me smile again. Is this what every fight feels like for Brandon? He¡¯s so built towards taking hits that he barely feels them? I punch him, and a second time. He¡¯s still standing, so I punch him again, then he falls and crawls away. I look for the other one, and all I see is his back vanishing into an alley. Not chasing him takes as much effort as not flinching from that previous hit. I¡¯m surprised at how serious Brandon is as I grin at him. ¡°I could get used to this.¡± Shit, if I dump all my points into Taking it on the Nose, I can probably take on anyone and not lose any¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t. Dennis, don¡¯t get used to this. Don¡¯t get addicted to that feeling.¡± ¡°Why not? It feels good.¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s how you become me.¡± That¡¯s¡­sobering. I mean, he¡¯s a nice guy and all that, but I definitely don¡¯t want to be like him. I have a town to go back to, Josie, my friends. And now that I¡¯m thinking clearer, dumping all my points in one ability is stupid; even if it¡¯s a good one. I doubt he¡¯s got all of his in one. ¡°How do I go about not feeling like this?¡± ¡°The first thing is you remember these idiots were way under leveled for you. They aren¡¯t going to be the norm. Getting your ass handed to you is going to be it for a good while. Unless, you know. You waste your time punching kids until you¡¯re the terror of the neighborhood and no one dares get close to you. You do that and then you venture out thinking you¡¯re unbeatable. You get lucky and those first few monsters don¡¯t kill you. Then you end up in a city and it chews you up so badly that if not for the intervention of one stupid man, you¡¯ll be dead.¡± For a second I think he¡¯d referring to how we met in Toronto, then I realize what he¡¯s talking about. ¡°Malcolm.¡± ¡°Look, Dennis. I¡¯m not a good guy. Me helping you doesn¡¯t make me one. If it helps, think of it as me paying off an obligation. You know, that you save someone¡¯s life and your become responsible for it, bullshit.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re giving yourself enough credit.¡± He chuckles. ¡°My credibility ran out years ago.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He stares at me. ¡°You¡¯re not a good guy. I get it.¡± He narrows his eyes. ¡°But you¡¯re still my friend. So I¡¯m going to keep thinking good of you, even if you can¡¯t seem to manage it anymore.¡± ¡°Dennis,¡± he says in exasperation. But I¡¯m already walking again. Chapter 63 ¡°Well?¡± Brandon motions to the building behind the booths filling the square. ¡°It¡¯s¡­nice?¡± I¡¯m not entirely sure what he¡¯s expecting. I figure that¡¯s the library, and it is in surprisingly good condition, considering the buildings I¡¯ve seen getting here. This is the ¡®better¡¯ part of Detroit, according to Brandon. The good part of the city is much further. And there is a marked improvement in the construction, but yes, none of them matches this one. With its clean stone work. I can tell what¡¯s been replaced because they went with a grayer and thicker stone, but they¡¯re cut in the same rectangle as the others, taking the exact place of the one replaced. ¡°That¡¯s it? How many buildings like this are there in this town of yours?¡± ¡°None. But I walked through Toronto. I saw abandoned towns. Fought in a dungeon. I¡¯m impressed with how good the building looks, considering what¡¯s around, but it¡¯s still just a building.¡± ¡°That houses more books than you¡¯ll be able to read in your life.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Those are going to be in the building¡¯s inventory.¡± He smiles. ¡°Ah. So that¡¯s the problem. Come on.¡± He guides me through the booths and merchants yell at us to buy what they¡¯re selling. There a sense of permanent temporariness to the structure. Unlike those in permanent market places, these are mostly fabric, which would be so they can be easily taken down to moved to another location, but a lot of the visible wear is along the wooden posts holding them up, like they haven¡¯t been removed in so long the sun bleached that more than the rest. ¡°We aren¡¯t going in the front?¡± I ask when he heads for the side of the building. He snorts. ¡°They¡¯d never let either ones of us in that way.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re going in the back door?¡± He gives me a surprised look, then a smirk, and I realize what I said and my ears burn. ¡°Side door, actually.¡± I see the guard just as Brandon says, ¡°Wait here.¡± I¡¯m tempted to say I won¡¯t get in his way, but I figure he doesn¡¯t want his contact to have a chance to see my face. Then, as the conversation turns visibly tense, I know why he probably didn¡¯t want me there. I¡¯m tempted to go stop him. I¡¯m really tempted. My willpower bar flashes and I lose some of it. That¡¯s how badly I want to stop him. When he motions me over, the guard looks greenish. The ¡®I think I might throw up¡¯ kind, not the ¡®I have non-human in my species¡¯ one. ¡°Did you really have to threaten him?¡± I demand, and Brandon looks offended. ¡°I didn¡¯t threaten him, did I, Jimmy?¡± The shake of the head is so fast the helmet can¡¯t keep up. ¡°Look,¡± I tell him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Can I do something to make it up to you?¡± ¡°Dennis,¡± Brandon grumbles. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s really good.¡± He speaks so fast even I can tell it isn¡¯t true. ¡°Brandon just had to remind me of the situation he¡­pulled me out of.¡± I open my mouth, then close it and settle for glaring at Brandon. ¡°We¡¯re going to talk about this.¡± The shrug he gives me is pure ¡®I don¡¯t care¡¯. I lose a bit more willpower not reacting to it. ¡°You¡¯re okay to go in,¡± the guard says. And there goes a bit more willpower not telling Brandon we¡¯re leaving. If I didn¡¯t have Xander after me. If I didn¡¯t need information about the Nox to both teach him a lesson and make sure he gets off my back, we would be leaving. Brandon doesn¡¯t help his case when he smiles and raises an eyebrow at me. ¡°Just fucking open it.¡± He smirks and motions me inside. I get a sense of space before the light from the door vanishes and the contrast of so much I think I¡¯m in total darkness for the few seconds it takes for my eyes to adjust. Then I¡¯m looking at shelves after shelves until they lose themselves in the darkness. The only light is at the end of the shelves on each side. To be honest, I don¡¯t know what I was expecting. But it wasn¡¯t this. I take a step forward and I¡¯m yanked back. ¡°How about you don¡¯t fall?¡± Brandon¡¯s voice sounds off, and I can¡¯t tell why. I look ahead of me, instead of in the distance, and there¡¯s a hip high railing then it¡¯s open space going down a fair bit. The shelves are going down just as deep. I count twelve lights along one until there¡¯s a floor. I can make out the spines of books on every shelf. I have trouble expressing myself. ¡°There is it,¡± Brandon says, and even with how¡­muffled. That¡¯s how it¡¯s different. Even with how muffled his voice sounds, I hear the amusement. ¡°What is all this?¡± I frown. ¡°What¡¯s with my voice? And yours?¡± He sweeps his arm across the expanse of shelves. ¡°This, is the Detroit library. And all these books make is so sound doesn¡¯t bounce around. Don¡¯t ask me why, but it changes how we sound to ourselves, too.¡± I file that as less important. ¡°But why all the books? I mean, are they the actual books or just some sort of decorations?¡± ¡°They¡¯re the books.¡± ¡°Then why? There is an inventory system here, right? That¡¯s standard in anything this big, isn¡¯t it?¡± He smiles. ¡°Because if they were in inventory, no one would react the way you did. Quite literally everything in those books can be found within the system if you know the right question to ask. Now, the only people who bother with a book are those reading stories, or those who feel it¡¯s important to get your information directly from them.¡± He sweeps his arm again. ¡°This goes a long way toward making that feel important.¡± ¡°How am I going to find the book I want among all that? I don¡¯t even know what it¡¯ll be called.¡± ¡°There is still search screens. And you don¡¯t have to go and get the book. This is still part of the system. It¡¯s just a different kind of inventory. One that lets everyone see just how much has gone into filling the shelves.¡± We walk along the wall, and the closest bookcase obscures my view of the rest. It¡¯s well out of reach and has to have a hundred shelves each filled with books. Thing and thick, tall and short. ¡°And every book available is displayed on those shelves?¡± ¡°No idea. Never did a check. But new books do come in all the time. And there is work going on digging a new floor.¡± We take stairs down three floors, then he leads me to a corner that¡¯s more like a balcony with six tables. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be disturbed here. Most people prefer the bottom floor.¡± Each table has an orb floating above it, providing comfortable light to read by. I join Brandon as he sits and a message appears. Please enter your search parameters ¡°So I just tell it what I want?¡± He nods. His eyes already scanning the air. ¡°If a book has a line through it, it¡¯s already in someone¡¯s hands. You can have the system notify you when it¡¯s returned. It¡¯s considered polite to return a book as soon as you¡¯re done with it.¡± I dismiss the window. ¡°Brandon, we need to talk.¡± He nods, his eyes still scanning. ¡°Without distractions. Please.¡± I make the word harsh and that gets him to pull his attention from his screen. He waves at hand it, probably so I know he¡¯s dismissed it. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°You have my undivided attention.¡± That smile is not helping my mood. Which is fine. ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± He raises an eyebrow like he doesn¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about. ¡°You can¡¯t just threaten someone into giving you what you want. And don¡¯t give me that ¡®I¡¯m not a nice person, bullshit,¡¯ I don¡¯t care how evil you are. I¡¯m not going to tolerate that kind of behavior.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯d rather we didn¡¯t come?¡± ¡°You said you had someone who could let you in.¡± ¡°I lied, Dennis. Come on, it¡¯s been three years since I¡¯ve been in Detroit. You think anyone I¡¯d know who¡¯s involved with the library would still be guarding a door? That isn¡¯t a job anyone wants.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you can just go around threatening people. There are other ways to get what you need.¡± He snorts. ¡°No, Dennis, there aren¡¯t. Not for a guy like me. There are three currencies in this world. Favors, money, and power. Favors die with whoever owes you, so you can¡¯t count on them. I¡¯ll never have the money to do anything with it, beyond paying for a decent bed when I can¡¯t convince someone to share theirs with me. So that leaves me power. And that, I have. Not enough to just waltz in where ever I want, but for a city like Detroit, it will get me into pretty much anywhere I need to, on this side of the line. I get it, Dennis. You want the world to be a better place. And maybe in another city, you¡¯ll be able to ask nicely and they¡¯ll give you what you need. Not in Detroit. Here you need currency. And trust me. You don¡¯t have the money to get in. If how we got in isn¡¯t something you can stand, fine, we¡¯ll leave.¡± I so wish he¡¯d smirk. He knows I need to look through this place and hope I find something. A smirk would get me angry enough to not care about Xander and the Nox, or the price on my head. Instead, his expression is serious; not one hint of amusement at me being cornered. ¡°You didn¡¯t even try,¡± I snap. ¡°Because there was no point in it. A guy like that knows exactly what he¡¯s worth. We aren¡¯t the first ones he¡¯s let in. We aren¡¯t going to be the last.¡± ¡°He might have¡ª¡± ¡°No, Dennis. He wouldn¡¯t whatever you¡¯re thinking. We needed in, that was the only way we were going to do it. I¡¯m sorry you aren¡¯t okay with it, but you have to accept that and move on.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I bring up the selection screen and brood for longer than I¡¯m happy with. Eventually I look at the box, waiting for my input. I enter ¡®The Nox¡¯ not expecting anything and I get¡­ The are no books containing ¡®The Nox¡¯ within the title. Do you want a list of the books in which the words are present? Y/N ¡­not exactly what I was expecting. Yes. A listing of Ruins A treatise on the dubious existence of specific ruins Are there any evidence these places exist? ¡°Brandon?¡± There¡¯s annoyance when he glances my way that he pushed back. ¡°There¡¯s three books about the Nox in here. How come Xander¡¯s after the journal if someone¡¯s already written about it?¡± He shrugs. ¡°No idea. Pick one, I¡¯ll take another. Hopefully, this is going to come down to Poop being an idiot, and we can get moving in a few hours.¡± I pick the second one because I fully expect the first to just be pages and pages of ruin names without information. The book that materializes before me is thicker than I expect and has a lot of writing in it. The front of it seems to be about why explorers would make false claims about ruins, but fortunately for me, there¡¯s also a list, on the first pages, of the ruins talked about in the book, and where to find them within it. I turn to the section about The Nox, and it¡¯s only two pages long. The Nox is a ruin whose discovery is claimed by Aaron Sentino, a well known explorer with an extensive list of explored ruins, as well as the discovery of the Mall of America, And Disney. Unlike The Nox, Aaron provided the location of those two ruins upon reaching an Explorer¡¯s club and they have been explored by others since. The only information that is recorded as to the location of The Nox is ¡®somewhere south of Indianapolis, north of Nashville, and east of St-Louis.¡¯ The lack of specificity makes the claim of the ruin¡¯s existence dubious. As proof of have explored the ruin, Aaron provided a vault door, which he claims to have taken from the center of the ruin, after defeating its guardian. Having traveled to the club where the door is displayed and studied it, I can state that it is remarkably similar to three other such doors found in three different ruins. Without having brought something unique to the ruin in question, further doubt has to be put on the claim of its existence. I have attempted multiple correspondences with Aaron, directly, through the clubs, as well as through his family, but I was turned away, then never received replies to my questions about the ruin. When one asks why an explorer with Aaron¡¯s Sentino¡¯s reputation would lower himself to making a false claim, it is important to remember that the Disney discovery was considered one of the most important ruin at the time, and that the Mall of America was a close second until the discovery of The Haunted City of the Texas Republic. While I could not find evidence Aaron Sentino lives of those discovery, everything points to him still being actively exploring the continent, it cannot be denied that many of his expeditions were funded on the strength of him having discovered two important ruins, and that in the years leading up to his claim of discovering The Nox, Aaron Sentino had been relegated to doing most of his exploring either alone, or with small teams. Therefore, it isn¡¯t much of a stretch to consider that Aaron Sentino needed a new important discovery to regain the importance he would have felt he had lost over the decades after his previous discoveries. It is not my intent to attribute ill-intent to a man of reputed integrity, but simply to point to the lack of evidence supporting the claim. And as a further indication, I also point to the lack of support Aaron received after making the claim. As of this writing, the largest team I can document Aaron putting together is eight people, each of whom are known friends and associates of the explorer. It seems that even Aaron¡¯s peers did not take his claim seriously. Well, that¡¯s not useful. ¡°System are some people idiots,¡± Brandon mutters, then slams his book shut. What I make out of the spine reads ¡®evidence¡¯ so I know what book he checked. ¡°Nothing useful?¡± He snorts. ¡°This thing was written by some scared little man who probably never stepped outside the block he grew up in.¡± He considers something. ¡°Or maybe Poop himself. This isn¡¯t about if some ruins are real or not, but how explorers are just desperate attention seekers who¡¯d claim anything just to one up each other. How about yours?¡± ¡°It sounds better thought out, but it¡¯s mostly the writer explaining why he doesn¡¯t think The Nox is real and what might have made Aaron lie about it.¡± Brandon shakes his head. ¡°I never met him, but I¡¯ve heard the name floating around. Anyone saying the name does so with respect.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t think that wanting to feel important might have made him make it up?¡± ¡°Anything¡¯s possible, but if Poop thinks it¡¯s real, I¡¯m inclined to think it is, too. Poop is a lot of things, idiot chief among them, but he doesn¡¯t do wild goose chases. My guess is he got Aaron to tell him something that sealed the deal.¡± ¡°The only information about where it might be is that it¡¯s south of Indianapolis, East of St-Louis, and North of Nashville.¡± ¡°Not sure where Nashville is. Is it on one of the maps in the journal?¡± I open it and unfold the map of what used to the be the United States. ¡°There here. With a few other names. Nothing called The Nox. Not on other maps, either. I checked for it.¡± I look thought for the one focusing on the east side. St-Louis isn¡¯t on it, but Indianapolis and Nashville are. There are more names on this one, but again, that one isn¡¯t there. ¡°If names aren¡¯t on a route, what does it mean?¡± ¡°Probably one of the town or cities that didn¡¯t survive the system¡¯s arrival.¡± ¡°Can they be ruins?¡± ¡°Some might. Others might just be dead. I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s worked out if something specific is needed for a place to have become a ruin, instead of just dying. The big ones, those everyone still talks about, even if they¡¯ve never been there, tend to have ¡®something¡¯ to make them memorable, but most ruins are just a bunch of buildings, a few caches and a guardian or two. There¡¯s probably something to those places too, but like I said, no one¡¯s worked it out yet, as far as I know.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re heard of Disney?¡± He grins. ¡°Oh, you have got to make it there at some point. If you can time it, you can get decent stuff, but even without that, it is a fun place. Used to be some sort of amusement park before the system and dealing with those is interesting, but it¡¯s the guardians that will drive you bonkers.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± ¡°Oh no. I am not the one who¡¯s going to ruin the surprise.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to go, you know.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t need to know, do you? But if you change you mind about being an explorer, give that place a go.¡± ¡°Any idea how to proceed from here?¡± ¡°Well, we have a general area, and we know that the Nox used to be an actual place.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not coming up in any other searches.¡± ¡°It probably wasn¡¯t called that, then. Maybe Aaron called it that because he didn¡¯t know the name of the place and had to knock a lot of stuff down.¡± ¡°Considering the number of names on the maps, I get the sense that if Aaron went someplace, he knew its name.¡± ¡°Then maybe he never got the chance to write it down.¡± ¡°He was able to talk about it, the guy who wrote this had the time to seek him out, message his family about it. Xander learned details. That seems like enough time to write down on his map.¡± Something occurs to me. ¡°If that¡¯s what he wanted.¡± ¡°Sounds like you have an idea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Aaron had Aether Travel. The one that lets you travel between ruins. What if he made that ruin like, his base of operation or something?¡± ¡°Two problems I can see. First one is that living in a ruin is a death sentence. Creatures just manifest in them. No rhyme or reasons to them. Not even a theme like dungeons have. Second. Why even talk about it then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about the first, but the second, what if he knew that one day he¡¯d have to pass the baton along? I mean, he was going to die once of these days, even without being killed. Maybe he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the person to take over his legacy¡ª¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°¡ªwhere it is. And he didn¡¯t pick me, I just stumbled over his body.¡± ¡°And got his class, along with his journal. If that doesn¡¯t say ¡®here is my legacy¡¯ I¡¯m not sure what does. But to stay with your thought, if that¡¯s true, the answers is somewhere in that journal.¡± ¡°Which I can¡¯t unlock until I¡¯ve done the quest. Maybe we should make getting to Kansas City the priority, then. After that, we¡¯ll have the location and we can go right there.¡± Brandon thinks something over. ¡°But doesn¡¯t that risk Poop figuring out where it is before then and robbing you of your chance to show him how wrong he was to take you on?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but it¡¯s not like we have anything to go on ourselves.¡± ¡°We have this library, your brains, and the better understanding of who Aaron might have been and why he might have done this. I say we give ourselves a change to work it out. A few days, at least. If we don¡¯t get anything from it, we head to Kansas City and work off the information in the journal.¡± ¡°Yeah, that works.¡± chapter 64 I don¡¯t sit at the table; I fall into the chair, then rest my head on in. I don¡¯t want to ever do this much reading again. I look up when the cup is placed next to my head. ¡°Mal thought you could use this,¡± she tells me. I haven¡¯t seen her before; shapely woman and her clothing doesn¡¯t hide her curves. I find myself watching her walk away and images come unbidden of what I could do with her. I shake my head to clear it, and then catch Malcolm smirking at me and my ears burn. I¡¯m not going to bet he sent her so I¡¯d react, but I¡¯m also not going to say having her serve me was entirely innocent on his part. The coffee does help settled the brain fuzz spending the day reading for no usable result caused. It¡¯s enough I remember I¡¯m famished. I snacked on jerky as I read, but it¡¯s not exactly filling. I bring up the club¡¯s menu as Brandon enters with Helen and Silver in tow. I¡¯ve selected a hearty meat and vegetable platter by the time they sit down. ¡°Had a good day?¡± I ask at Silver¡¯s excitement. ¡°The best!¡± She grins. ¡°Robert agreed to take me to a spot in the city where musicians gather, and we spent all morning and most of the afternoon just jamming together. Detroit has very eclectic music.¡± ¡°And Robert is¡­?¡± I ask, and I¡¯m surprised at how much I don¡¯t like the idea of her in the city with someone I don¡¯t know. She looks around. ¡°He isn¡¯t here right now. He¡¯s muscle for Johann. Much gentler than being a minotaur leads you to think.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he was very gentle,¡± Brandon says lewdly. ¡°Get your mind out of there,¡± Silver snaps. ¡°Not everyone only thinks with their dick like you. And before you imply anything else. No, he didn¡¯t talk me into helping him with a job. We agreed on a fair price for his services as a guide and he more than earned that money.¡± Brandon raises his hand in a surrender his smirk makes unconvincing. ¡°So you met a lot of other bards?¡± I ask to keep him from making other implications. ¡°Only two. Like us they¡¯re visiting, although they were there specifically for the music. The rests were just people who love playing instruments, so they gather in and around that club and just jam together. It¡¯s rarely the same people from one day to the other, so Robert¡¯s taking me back tomorrow, unless we¡¯ll be leaving.¡± Her expression makes it clear she¡¯d rather we don¡¯t. My laugh is on the bitter side. There is no danger of that. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Brandon says, standing. ¡°I need to take care of something.¡± ¡°Me and Brandon need to go back. I don¡¯t think the ruin¡ª¡± ¡°Keep your voice down, Dennis,¡± Brandon says before heading to intercept the woman entering the club. I look around and a lot of heads seem to turn away all of a sudden. While Malcolm confirmed that I¡¯m safe from the other explorers, I need to remember that explorers are always looking for new places, and by now, they have to know why Xander¡¯s willing to pay so much for Aaron¡¯s journal. I keep my voice low as I continue. ¡°The Nox¡¯s barely mentioned in three books, and that¡¯s just to contest its existence. I still think it¡¯s real, but I think Aaron didn¡¯t use the name of the ruin when talking about it to keep others from finding it.¡± ¡°How are you going to do that if you don¡¯t know what it¡¯s called?¡± Helen asks. I shrug. ¡°He hinted at where it is, but it¡¯s a vast area. We¡¯re going to spend tomorrow and the day after that looking for anything that might get us there. If that doesn¡¯t give me anything, we¡¯ll head to Kansas City to finish my quest and unlock the journal. The location has to be somewhere in it.¡± ¡°Why not just go there now?¡± Helen asks. ¡°And give Poop an advantage?¡± Brandon replied darkly as he sits. ¡°Everything okay?¡± I ask. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Yeah, that¡¯s not the tone I¡¯d use if it was. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t know anything,¡± Helen says, ¡°right? So how would he find out it?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s an asshole who isn¡¯t worried about who he pisses off to get what he wants.¡± ¡°Are you sure everything¡¯s okay?¡± I ask, and he glares at me. I continue looking at him and he takes a breath. ¡°It¡¯s personal. Just got a bit of not great news about something.¡± ¡°Is it something we can help with?¡± I ask. He shakes his head. ¡°I figure,¡± I tell Helen, ¡°that we have nothing to lose by getting in a bit of research done. We could get lucky. And two days, if we decide to go to Kansas City, isn¡¯t going to make that much difference.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Except that we¡¯re in this city for two extra days.¡± ¡°Not enjoying yourself?¡± Brandon asks innocently. ¡°No. But I¡¯m thinking about the price on Dennis¡¯s head. You¡¯re the one who said this is a bad city to be in. If you¡¯re not going to learn anything, I don¡¯t see why you want to put him at risk.¡± ¡°Because we can learn something. We just have to take the time to look.¡± The sharpness is back in his voice. ¡°Look,¡± I say before this escalates. ¡°It¡¯s my decision. I want to stay. I¡¯m going to be perfectly safe in the library with Brandon there. Two days. If we don¡¯t find anything in that time. We¡¯ll head for Kansas City.¡± * I stick with Brandon this time as we approach the guard. He¡¯s the same as yesterday, so I don¡¯t get to show him you get more with politeness than threats of violence. We sit at the same table, and I grab a book about the geography of what used to be Illinois. Brandon reads one about the south of Indiana. When he gets up, at some point, I watch him head to speak with someone. The conversation looks to be calm, so I go back to reading. When I close the book, it¡¯s more force than I¡¯d like. The reading induced headache isn¡¯t making me want to continue. As I bring jerky from my inventory, I notice the cup with liquid in it. The book Brandon was reading is gone, so he must have come by while I was engrossed and returned it and left me something to drink. I look around, but don¡¯t see him. Because it¡¯s Brandon, I test the liquid. Fruit juice of some kind. No alcohol. I start, realize how thirsty I am, and it¡¯s empty by the time I put the cup down. I pull the waterskin, because that was nowhere near enough to quench my thirst. Although it was much better than tepid water. Hydrated and with something to munch on, I feel marginally better about getting back to reading about the Shawnee National Forest hoping there¡¯s a clue in there about The Nox. It is so boring that within five minutes, my eyelids get heavy. I have heard of being bored to death, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been put to sleep by a book before. The yawn is jaw cracking and rubbing my eyes isn¡¯t doing me any good. I stand to stretch my legs, and they fold under me. I barely catch the table in time to fall on it; instead of the floor. It registers there¡¯s no way this is normal, and I notice the debuff as my vision fades to black. * Something registers as holding me up. * Sounds, and I pull away from the pit, trying to make them out, only for oily tendrils to drag me back down. * The suddenness of the stop shakes me to something resembling consciousness. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you just have that guy be here already?¡± Someone says. I want to say guy, but the whine raises the voice enough it¡¯s questionable. ¡°You do not want him hanging around here,¡± another replies, definitely a guy. ¡°He can¡¯t help himself. He¡¯s always going through people¡¯s inventory. He¡¯s going to be here in an hour. He¡¯ll get the journal, then he¡¯ll leave and we can go deliver it.¡± Well, thank you for telling me what this is about. ¡°What about the guy who came with him? He¡¯s not going to just go back to reading when he returns.¡± ¡°He left with someone in a hurry. And he¡¯s just going to think he went back home.¡± You do not know Brandon. But if he isn¡¯t around, it also means I can¡¯t wait here for him to rescue my ass another time. I can¡¯t move, can¡¯t open my eyes. But my overlay is there. And the icon is a body lying on the ground with swirls over its head. I think that¡¯s the unconscious icon. Fuck, I need to memorize them if this is going to keep happening. It¡¯s yellow leaning toward greens but I don¡¯t notice the shift, so this is a long-lasting debuff. Okay, so, let¡¯s apply some willpower to the task. Nothing. I either don¡¯t have enough, or this is something I can¡¯t will away. Like poison. I guess I shouldn¡¯t have drank that juice. If it¡¯s physical, it needs to be healed. I don¡¯t have anything against poisons. How about I add that to the list of stuff to get? Do the food bars remove those kinds of debuffs? Can¡¯t remember if the merchant said anything about that, but it¡¯s not like I have anything else. Okay. I can¡¯t will the debuff away. Can I will myself to act in spite of it? I lose some willpower, but I feel my hand close in a fist. At least I¡¯m not going to drop it. I equip the food bar and, with a bit more willpower, hold it. Now to raise it to my mouth. That isn¡¯t going to be easy. The motion starts with less willpower than I expect, then I feel my hand drag against something and I¡¯m hit with vertigo as my sense of position shifts. I¡¯m not sitting. I¡¯m lying on my side. ¡°What is he doing? I thought that drug was going to keep him unconscious for hours.¡± Interesting. My endurance? That is a lot higher than anyone would expect because of my class. ¡°How should I know? Maybe that herbalist scammed me. I¡¯ll go see her after this and make sure she knows I¡¯m dissatisfied with what she sold me.¡± Another possibility. ¡°Should we stop him? What if that¡¯s a cure?¡± ¡°N-gry. A-ol.¡± I hope chewing isn¡¯t this hard. ¡°He¡¯s angry?¡± ¡°I think he said he¡¯s hungry. That looks like those bars travelers carry around.¡± How about you help and unwrap it for me? ¡°I still say we should take it away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I doubt he¡¯s going to be able to remove the wrapper.¡± Yeah, that could be a problem as it slips through my teeth. I can¡¯t will them tight enough on the end of the wrapper. Okay, let¡¯s try on a thicker part. Really funny. Now the difficulty is opening my mouth wide enough. ¡°Is he going to eat it with the wrapper on?¡± And give the guy a prize. ¡°He must really be hungry.¡± My teeth sink into the soft ¡®meat¡¯ of the bar, but the paper doesn¡¯t rip until I pull, then I have a chunk in my mouth, but I can¡¯t chew it. Oh, this is not going to be pleasant. I probably use up more willpower forcing myself to swallow what feels like sharp edges, and it hurts going down, and I¡¯m panting from exhaustion. I hope that worked, because I don¡¯t have enough willpower to do that again. ¡°I think that¡¯s all he had in him.¡± Is the debuff turning green? ¡°See, I told you not to worry about him.¡± I use the sliver of willpower I have left not to smile in triumph. Pulling my hand to my mouth doesn¡¯t feel any easier, but I don¡¯t need willpower this time. ¡°You¡¯re right, he is hungry.¡± Biting into it is also easier, and I chew as the debuff turned fully green. I keep my motions slow as I regain control of my body, and finish eating the bar, wrapper included. It¡¯s a good thing it¡¯s going to heal the damage that did going down. I slowly open my eyes and I¡¯m¡­ disappointed at my two kidnappers. On the thin side. Dressed normally in what I¡¯ve seen those working in the library wear. When I push myself sitting, they back away in surprise. ¡°Let me guess. You two are after the reward.¡± ¡°How did he do that?¡± I have to use the wall, but I get to my feet and don¡¯t fall when I let go of it. I equip my sword and they back to the other side of the room. When I raise it, my hand is steady. The last of the debuff vanishes. ¡°Look. You tried, you failed. You promise to leave me the fuck alone, and I¡¯ll just walk out of here without making you pay for this.¡± They both eagerly nod, and I head for the door. I¡¯ve pulled it open and am about to step out when pain explodes in my side. chapter 65 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°
Now, all I have to do is wait for the scrolling to end so I can query the library for the books that will actually help. chapter 66 With a mental ¡®stop!¡¯, I¡¯m left with a list of things with only having ¡®nox¡¯ as part of their names in common. I swipe the window away. It¡¯s already told me what I need to know. Here¡¯s the mistake I¡¯ve been making since the start. I¡¯ve been thinking of it as ¡°The Nox¡±. I could blame Xander, since he¡¯s the one who said it, but I¡¯ll blame the lack of context for that. Once I considered Aaron might have been using it to hide the place¡¯s real name, though? I should have known better than to just keep thinking of it that way. Or of using it at all. The only reason Aaron would have had to keep the name similar was so someone could find the place if he wasn¡¯t there to show it to him. But that was an assumption on my part. It doesn¡¯t matter that I now think I was right. I should have broadened my search right then and there. I might have found the answer before those two drugged me. Okay, let¡¯s start with this search with a query to the library.
Geography: titles that include ¡®nox¡¯ in them.
Even steeling myself for it, the list of titles is extensive. Now to see if I can shorten it.
Geography: titles that include ¡®nox¡¯ in them, in what used to be Illinois
And that returns nothing. It¡¯s what I was worried about. The search function of the library isn¡¯t that of the system. But now for something I don¡¯t know how many people realize can be done. Although I¡¯m about to find out if it can be done here. Base isn¡¯t the system, but I don¡¯t know if the interfacing possibilities are the same. System, list the titles of geography books in the inventory of the library I am currently in that have ¡®nox¡¯ in the title. The list it returns contains three more titles. I don¡¯t bother tracking them down, this was about confirming the system can interface. Now to make use of the system¡¯s smarter way of processing things System, list the titles of geography books in the inventory of the library I am currently in that have ¡®nox¡¯ in the title that are located in what used to be Illinois. I grin as I look at the twelve titles. This might not work. Just like I had to get the library to list books that had ¡°The Nox¡± written in them, to get anything. It¡¯s possible none of those titles have the place I¡¯m looking for in them. Although the one about Knoxville, Illinois, looks promising. I take out the map from the journal and nearly have the stylus on it to draw a line from Indianapolis. I can¡¯t write on Aaron¡¯s map. I take a blank page out and copy a rough version of it. Then put the line across for Indianapolis, one more for Nashville, and one down where St-Louis is located. That¡¯s my search area. ¡°I swear, Aaron,¡± I mutter as one detail occurs to me. ¡°If you lied about where that place is located, I am going to find a way to bring you back to life so I can kick your ass.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Now to work out if this Knoxville, Illinois, is within that zone. There is no Knoxville in Illinois marked on Aaron¡¯s map, although there is one east of Nashville. It looks to be on the line for Nashville, so it is in the list or not? It¡¯s the only location with ¡®nox¡¯ in it, but half the other points just have been abbreviated to initials. Now isn¡¯t the time to get discouraged or distracted. I pull that book from the library and I¡¯m fortunate enough that I find a map flipping through it. And with locating Springfield on it and on Aaron¡¯s map, I can place this Knoxville north of Indianapolis, so I don¡¯t have to bother with this one. With the map, I find a list of cities in the state, and I locate those from the other books. Three of them are south of Indianapolis and east of St-Louis. I note them down to investigate once I have all of them. I move on to Indiana. Only four books. One has a map and Knox is on it twice, both north of Indianapolis, so I don¡¯t have to worry about it. One city is south, so I¡¯m up to four. Kentucky is next and with it entirely in the search zone, I get a lot more results. It adds twelve names. Nashville is sufficiently north in Tennessee that none of the cities that come up fit. Same with North Carolina. Then, I go for the states that were at the edge of my search zone since they¡¯re going to be easier to rule out. It gives me fewer states than I expected, just West Virginia and Maryland, of which so little is south of Indianapolis I almost decide to ignore it completely, but I still do the search and don¡¯t even get one result. Doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t any cities that fit my criteria, but I¡¯ll deal with that if nothing else works. I¡¯m writing down names from Virginia when someone approaching registers. I drop the book and equip my sword as I raise my hand, and mentally curse myself for not paying attention to my surroundings. That¡¯s how I ended up poisoned last time. The woman steps back, raising her hands. She dressed like the others working here. ¡°The library is closing for the day,¡± she says. ¡°Already?¡± Without clocks and no light from outside, I can¡¯t tell the time. Although, now that I¡¯m not focused on my research, my stomach is complaining. I look at the empty seats. I¡¯d have expected Brandon to be back before now. ¡°Thanks.¡± I stand and send the books to the library¡¯s inventory. ¡°I can see myself out,¡± I tell her when she doesn¡¯t leave. ¡°I have to escort you. We can¡¯t have anyone hiding to remain behind.¡± The papers go back in the journal, that and the stylus in my inventory. ¡°Keep your distances, then.¡± No point arguing. Although I almost do when she leads me toward the main entrance, instead of the side one. I guess that Brandon¡¯s warning about it only counts with getting in. I pull the hood up before stepping outside, then go around the market to reach the road. I feel the urge to equip my sword anytime I pass someone. I imagine eyes on me the entire way, especially once the club is in sight. I make it inside without being accosted, and the tension leaving my body is almost painful. I head for the bar, since I don¡¯t see Brandon, Helen, or Silver. ¡°Do you know where Brandon is?¡± I ask Malcolm once he¡¯s done handing the server drinks. ¡°He came in earlier, said to tell you that if he wasn¡¯t back for dinner, he¡¯d found someone for company.¡± Of course he did. ¡°Thanks. Did he tell you about us being followed right out of the club yesterday?¡± He nods. ¡°I¡¯ve had people patrolling. They¡¯ve had to give a few reminders that the club and its patrons are off limits. It won¡¯t protect you once you leave the area, but it means you can walk to the buildings around here without worrying about being jumped.¡± I head to the rooming house across the road and still imagine being watched. It distracts me from the fact I don¡¯t know which room Silver and Helen are in until I¡¯m inside, but then I see them at a table in the foyer. ¡°Brandon¡¯s not with you?¡± Silver asked. ¡°He had things to deal with,¡± I reply. ¡°Let Malcolm know he might not be back until late.¡± ¡°Is he okay?¡± Helen snorts. ¡°Knowing him, we won¡¯t be able to shut him up about his conquests when we have breakfast.¡± chapter 67 Brandon¡¯s not in the room when I wake up. He¡¯s not at a table when I come down, and Malcolm hasn¡¯t seen him. Dennis. Brandon, where are you? Silver. He isn¡¯t responding? I don¡¯t comment, since she can see the team chat as well as me. Helen. Asshole, stop worrying Dennis and say something. A glance at the team screens tells me he¡¯s fine at least. Dennis. He¡¯d probably still sleeping and isn¡¯t seeing the messages. Helen. He¡¯s seeing them alright. He¡¯s ignoring us in favor of whoever he¡¯s fucking. Dennis. Then he¡¯ll respond when he¡¯s done. How about you two come to the club for breakfast? I do my best not to worry as we eat. He¡¯s way higher level than I am and he knows the city. He¡¯s going to be fine. Silver¡¯s reluctant to venture out again, saying one of us should be around when Brandon returns. Helen laughs that off. I¡¯m not that insensitive about it, but I remind Silver of the things I¡¯m telling myself to keep my worry under control. Ultimately, I tell her that we can¡¯t stop living because we¡¯re worried. We¡¯re all adults, and Brandon can take care of himself. Placated is how I¡¯m going to describe how she is after that, but I have to head back to the library. I still need to figure out what The Nox is referring to. I have my hood up before we¡¯re out the door, then I take Adam to Woodland because those are the busiest roads I know of that take me to the library. While I feel eyes on me even as I mix with the crowd, I¡¯m counting on Brandon being right when he said the people who¡¯d try anything prefer acting where no one will see them. So my best protection is the crowd. So, of course, when I hear the cry of distress over the bustle of the people around me, I¡¯m nearly in the alley before the utter stupidity of what I¡¯m about to do registers. It sounds like they are in pain, and it sounds so fucking real and even knowing I¡¯ve fallen for that trick before, my willpower bar flashes and a quarter of it vanishes before I¡¯m able to step away. I don¡¯t feel good about it. Even telling myself it was almost certainly a trap doesn¡¯t help. Or that no one else bothered reacting to it. They might have grown callous to other people¡¯s pain here, but I haven¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to ever reach that point. Which means we need to get out of this city as soon as possible. There are two other attempts at getting me to enter the alleys, and the second one doesn¡¯t even cost me willpower. At that point, it¡¯s obviously a ploy. I mean, I hope it is; I don¡¯t want to think that so many people get hurt in this city and that I¡¯m not doing anything about it. I make it to the library without being accosted or even robbed. My kidnappers¡¯ comments about someone being able to access my inventory was a reminder that thieves don¡¯t need to actually put their hands on me to steal from me. I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on my inventory. The guard¡¯s surprised as I approach and I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s because I¡¯m here, in which case I should be worried, or because I¡¯m without Brandon. I chose to give him the benefit of the doubt, and immediately hate myself for being ready to equip my sword. He hasn¡¯t done anything to warrant me being that suspicious, I tell myself. And I can¡¯t help adding the ¡®yet¡¯. ¡°Hi,¡± I start. Probably the lamest greeting of all time, but I¡¯m distracted. ¡°Look, I wanted to apologies for how Brandon treated you the other day. I really appreciate you letting me in.¡± He stares at me in surprise. When he speaks, it¡¯s hurriedly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. He didn¡¯t say anything that¡ª¡± he stopped and looks around me like he expect a monster to round the corner. ¡°He isn¡¯t with you?¡± Or Brandon. I shake my head and go for casually nonchalant and smile. ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t need anything from the library and figures I can handle myself.¡± The way his eyes lock on me, widen, and he then takes a step back before hurrying to open the door tells me it might not have been the way to respond. I try to apologize, but I have no idea what I can say. If me being as none threatening as I know how to be is causing that reaction, what will trying to put him at ease do? I thank in and step in, wondering if the reaction is because of what he¡¯s experienced in the city, or if it¡¯s because of what Brandon told him on that first day. I decide that I probably don¡¯t want to know either way and look for a table to sit at. * * * * * I look at everything I¡¯ve written on my makeshift map as I drink from my lukewarm water skin. I distractedly make a note to look for one that¡¯s going to keep the content cold, as I try to find out what¡¯s nagging at me. I have twenty-three locations that contain ¡®nox¡¯ in their names; twenty-eight if I include those that are on the line of being inside or outside the search zone. I¡¯ve matched three of the names to places already named on Aaron¡¯s map, like the Knoxville in Tennessee, but on his map, it¡¯s clearly lower than Nashville. Most of the names fall in areas with nothing on his map, at best there are dots with a letter above them, possibly the initial for the location¡¯s name, or some sort of indexing system he put together with the list in the locked section of the journal. I¡¯m inclined to think that¡¯s what it is, because I can find A to Z, and then AA and moving up to AK. If that¡¯s the case, we don¡¯t have a choice, we¡¯re going to Kansas City. But it also means the odds of Xander working it out before us remain low. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Then the odd one out registers. FK. In the middle of the search zone, below Louisville. And I have a name in the same general area; Fort Knox. FK. Honestly, I can¡¯t even say it¡¯s clever. It¡¯s even so obvious I should have made the connection as soon as I had the name. Too tired from all the reading is the only excuse I can give myself. But not too tired not to call up a book on it. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s an easy way for Xander to know what books I look at, or what my queries were, but the system knows everything and it¡¯s just a question of him formulating the right query. I¡¯m halfway through the two hours of picking books from my previous queries I¡¯ve decided on when I slip the one about Kentucky. A quick flipping to the entry for Fort Knox and I¡¯m reading. I spent about fifteen minutes with the other books, so I have this long to get as much information as I can. So, Fort Knox was a military base that held part of the United states¡¯s gold reserve. On US route 31W. I whistle at that. Okay, so, the little I know about ruins, from what Brandon said, is that they come about in places that had something of interest. That Disney ruin, the Mall of America. If a gold reserve isn¡¯t something of interest, I don¡¯t know what is. Hopefully Brandon¡¯s going to be able to make use of that route thing to get us there. I find population numbers, numbers of servicemen, equipment and other things I can¡¯t come up with reasons it might be useful, but still write down. Then I close the book and move on to the next one. It¡¯s difficult for me to keep going. I want to run off and tell Brandon; see what he can make of the information. When I¡¯m done, it¡¯s hard not to run out of the library. I¡¯d be an idiot to think Xander doesn¡¯t have people watching me, on top of the bounty on my head. So I can¡¯t give away I have the information. The guard jumps when I open the door, then stands well enough away that I look around for an attack. But I¡¯m the reason he¡¯s nervous, it seems. If I had time, I¡¯d reassure him, but I need to get back to the club. Not running costs me willpower. That¡¯s something I never thought I¡¯d have to deal with. Not a lot, but still. I¡¯ve never been this excited in my life and I have to hold back. My need to tell Brandon even overrides my desire to respond to the cry of distress I hear. When I don¡¯t see him in the club, I head for the bar. ¡°Have you seen Brandon?¡± I ask Malcolm. ¡°Sorry, hun. He hasn¡¯t been by yet.¡± I curse. ¡°Any idea where he might be? It¡¯s important.¡± Malcolm chuckles. ¡°He¡¯s not in the habit of telling me what he¡¯s up to. He knows I¡¯m going to keep him from doing the more stupid stuff. And that the stuff he really enjoys.¡± ¡°Any idea how I can go about finding him, then?¡± ¡°I might be able to help with that,¡± a deep voice says and the guy against the bar who¡¯d just registered as large and dark-skinned in my hurry to talk with Malcolm turns to face me. First thing that registers is the fur. Short and dark brown. The face has a short muzzle that makes me think bear and the expression as he looks me over makes it clear how he expects me to pay. And I don¡¯t tell him to fuck off outright. Shit, would I? If it means getting Brandon so we can get out of here? ¡°Harry,¡± Malcolm says, while I¡¯m trying to work out how I feel, and how far I¡¯m willing to go. ¡°Leave Dennis alone. If you need that big rod of your polished, I¡¯ll be happy to lend you a hand.¡± The comment makes me look down, and the crotch is certainly filled enough that ¡®big¡¯ comment might not be an exaggeration. ¡°I think the kid is more than willing to¡ª¡± I look up at the abrupt stop and Harry is looking at the ceiling, a thin sword blade under his muzzle. ¡°Are you going to keep that brain of your out of his pants?¡± Malcolm asks with a clear threat in his voice. The nod is small, then the blade vanishes back in his inventory. ¡°You don¡¯t usually protect anyone like this,¡± Harry says, rubbing his throat. ¡°What can I say? I happen to like Dennis. So, what are you going to ask for your services?¡± The smile is back, but vanishes at Malcolm¡¯s disappointed sigh. I can¡¯t believe how conflicted I am about this. I mean, I don¡¯t want to have sex with him. And yes, a large part is because of Josie. But if that¡¯s the only way I get to find Brandon? I¡¯m a bit disappointed at myself that I¡¯m willing to entertain the possibility. ¡°A night,¡± Harry says. ¡°Harry,¡± Malcolm warns, and the bear looks at him. ¡°A night of you in my bed, as rough as I like it. Since you like him so much, I figure you might want to pay in his place.¡± Malcolm laughs. ¡°As rough as you like? Make is as rough as I like, and we have a deal.¡± ¡°Malcolm,¡± I start. ¡°Oh, shush, Dennis. We can discuss how you will pay me back later. But if Harry here is willing to strike this bargain, I am certainly interested in it.¡± The bear looks uncertain and I almost tell him he doesn¡¯t have to, then I remember he¡¯s the one who initiated this and I figure he can get himself out of it without help. ¡°Alright,¡± Harry says. ¡°A night in my bed, as rough as you like it, after Dennis no longer needs my services.¡± He offers his hand to the barman. Malcolm takes it, then pulls hard enough Harry¡¯s breath escapes him as he hits the counter. They are nose to muzzle and Malcolm smiles. ¡°Honey, keep in mind that if I find out you put the moves on Dennis while you are helping him. As rough as I like, will become as rough as you deserve.¡± The nod is vigorous, and then Malcolm kissed Harry¡¯s nose. ¡°Then we have a deal. You two have fun now.¡± And he goes back to serving one of the explorer like nothing happened. Harry looks at me like I¡¯m some sort of creature he¡¯s never seen before, and I can¡¯t shake the feeling he actually regrets the deal now. Chapter 68 I nearly walk into Helen, opening the door to leave the club. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± she says, surprised. ¡°I was going to ask Malcolm how to track you down.¡± Silver is a few steps away. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m skilled at finding people,¡± Harry says, behind me. ¡°He charges for his services in sex,¡± I say before I can stop myself. ¡°Sorry,¡± Helen tells him dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m not into fur. Silver got jumped, so I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s time we got out of this city.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Silver says, sounding exasperated. Looking at her, she looks like she¡¯d been in a fight. Her clothing looks fine, but she¡¯d have equipped her armor as soon as it started. She has a bruise on a cheek, and she seems to favor her left arm. I glance at the party window and realize I missed a few things. The big one is that Brandon is no longer part of the party. The second, somehow, I¡¯m the leader now, and third, Silver¡¯s health is down by a quarter. Not that I could have done anything about any of it, but the only reason I missed all these things happening was because I wasn¡¯t paying attention like I should have. Instead, all my attention was on the books. ¡°Was it because of me?¡± I ask, anger rising. They would have seen us together before Malcolm made sure they all scattered. Her shrug is answer enough. They tried to get her to get to me. It takes a few breaths before the anger is manageable. I can¡¯t afford to lose my head in this city. ¡°We¡¯re going to get Brandon, then we¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°You know where he is?¡± Silver asks. ¡°No, but that¡¯s where he comes in.¡± I thumb at Harry over my shoulder. Helen raises an eyebrow. ¡°You paid his price?¡± ¡°Malcolm agreed to pay in his stead,¡± Harry says before I can figure out how to answer her. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that was something he did,¡± she says. ¡°Turns out he likes Dennis,¡± Harry replies. ¡°Where do we start?¡± I ask before this turns into a discussion about my likability. ¡°First, add me to your party. If you don¡¯t have one formed, do it. The last thing we want is to lose contact with each other,¡± the bear says. ¡°Then, we¡¯re heading to the East Market. If there¡¯s anything to be learned, that¡¯s where we¡¯re going to find it.¡± I add him, then we get moving. We walk mostly in silence. The only time he speaks is to tell us we¡¯re going around a forested zone because we don¡¯t want to deal with what¡¯s in there. Silver tries to get him to elaborate, but he shuts her down with a, ¡°I¡¯m not being paid to be a touristic guide.¡± Unlike when he made me the offer to help, the tone makes it clear this isn¡¯t something he wants to be paid for. The forest has housing next to it the entire time we can see it. Leave it to Detroit to let people live next to a place that¡¯s clearly dangerous, and I don¡¯t even feel bad for thinking that. When we leave the forest behind, it¡¯s to continue among houses and taller buildings. Harry keeps us on the wider road, and the number of smaller ones reminds me of the neighborhood in Toronto where the Explorer¡¯s club is located. I definitely don¡¯t want to go in those. Then, we¡¯re standing in front of a field with booths, tables, and just people hawking stuff between them. It¡¯s maybe three blocks deep and four or five wide; all surrounded by building. It¡¯s like a merchant forest in how it reminds me of the actual one we passed. I expect this is just as dangerous. ¡°Welcome to the East Market,¡± Harry announces. ¡°I hope you have money, because everything¡¯s available, but nothing¡¯s free. Especially not information. The people I know will give you a better rate, and won¡¯t lie to you while I¡¯m there, but they are going to expect payment. Money. That¡¯s the only currency officially accepted here.¡± ¡°And unofficially?¡± Helen asks. ¡°You do not want to know.¡± He starts in. ¡°Stick with me. Don¡¯t speak to strangers, and for the system¡¯s sake, don¡¯t accept anything that¡¯s offered to you. I¡¯m here to help you find Brandy, not protect you from your own stupidity.¡± Helen looks at me. ¡°What? I¡¯m not stupid enough to just accept food or drinks from strangers.¡± Not after the library, anyway. The first merchant Harry stops at sells earthen wares. The conversation is cordial in a way that seems alien to the Detroit I¡¯ve experienced at this point. For ten dollars, he tells us he doesn¡¯t know anything. Helen starts making a fuss about paying for nothing, but Harry tells her to wait for them outside if she doesn¡¯t like how business is conducted. She glares but stays with us. And Harry takes us to another stall. * I¡¯m down two hundred and fifty dollars and still no idea where Brandon is. Ten dollars seems to be the going rate to be told they don¡¯t know anything, and after the fifth time, I¡¯m tempted to just walk off when they ask for it, but Harry¡¯s there to make sure we behave ourselves, which means not pissing off his contacts. ¡°You deal with this,¡± I tell Silver, opening a trade for five hundred dollars. ¡°I can¡¯t anymore.¡± Once she accepts it, I stay at the back as we move, looking around for threats, and seeing them everywhere without even trying. And I¡¯m not imagining them. People stand between stalls watching everyone greedily. I even watch as one steps behind a shopper and places a knife to her back. Helen grabs my arm before I can go help her and doesn¡¯t release it until it¡¯s too fucking late. It doesn¡¯t help that I know she¡¯s right to have stopped me. Even if that¡¯s not to target me, I¡¯d be an idiot to go after them and end up system knows where surrounded by people more than happy to cut me down. I fucking hate this place. When Silver and Harry are talking to a merchant, I look at what the stalls surrounding us offer. One look at my expression makes it clear I¡¯m not shopping, and if that¡¯s not enough, my tone, when I almost tell them to go fuck themselves and settle for ¡°no, thanks.¡± Clarifies things. How fucking hard is it to find out where Brandon¡¯s gone to? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s hard to miss. * ¡°Hey,¡± someone whispers forcefully for a third time, pulling my attention from whatever¡¯s on display. The woman¡¯s between two tents and moves back when I glance her way. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Oh sure, like I¡¯m going to follow you away from the others. Silver looks tired as she talks with yet another merchant. Helen looks about to set something on fire. I¡¯ve lost track of how long we¡¯ve been at this, but the sun¡¯s now approaching the skyline. ¡°Hey,¡± she whispers again and motions me to follow as she retreats. Really? She returns to the edge of the tent, looks around furtively and when she motions this time, she stands still. She¡¯s dressed normally enough for the area, and doesn¡¯t look armed, but I know better than to take that to mean anything. She motions again, and this time I approach, stopping when I¡¯m still well out of reach. ¡°I have something for you,¡± she whispers. Fuck this. I turn to leave. ¡°You¡¯re looking for Brandon?¡± I stop and face her again. ¡°What do you want with him?¡± she asks. She backs in the shadow as someone passes behind me and I split my attention between them until the man¡¯s moved on. And only then do I remember to look at my inventory, but nothing¡¯s missing. She¡¯s back. ¡°What do you want with Brandon?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my friend.¡± Tension leaves her. ¡°Thanks the system. I was scared you were after him, too. I know where he is. He¡¯s hurt and¡ªdon¡¯t,¡± she hisses as I turned to call to the others. ¡°You can¡¯t trust the bear.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? He¡¯s helping us find Brandon.¡± ¡°Is he? I¡¯ve been watching you for a while. Other than getting you to give money to people he knows, what has he actually done to help?¡± ¡°He guided us here. He said we can find out anything here.¡± ¡°So why hasn¡¯t he led you to someone who knows something already? I¡¯ve seen him here before, with people like you. When they¡¯re out of money, he takes them out, and no one ever sees them again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± She has to be. There¡¯s no way Malcolm would have let someone like that guide us. But does he know? It can¡¯t be just explorers Harry offers to help. And if Malcolm asks. He just says they left once they go what they were after. It¡¯s what I¡¯m planning on doing. Did I tell him that? Even if I didn¡¯t, he knows we¡¯re only here until we find what I need, so Harry telling him we left is credible. He can¡¯t know me so well to know I¡¯m not leaving without first thanking him for the help. ¡°Look, I¡¯m just telling you what I know. The bear bleeds people of their money, then just bleeds them. I don¡¯t want to risk Brandon¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t tell him, just let me get¡­¡± I can¡¯t get Silver and Helen without making Harry suspicious. I open the party chat and see his name there. Fuck. Is that why he told me to add him? So we wouldn¡¯t be able to tell each other our suspicions without him knowing. I can¡¯t even remove him, because he has to be alert for that. Unlike me. ¡°Look, Brandon¡¯s hurt bad,¡± she says, ¡°and I don¡¯t have anything to heal him.¡± I glance at the others, but I¡¯m on my own with this. ¡°Lead the way.¡± She hurries around tents and stalls. ¡°How do you know him?¡± I ask as I follow. ¡°I don¡¯t. He came stumbling out of an alley, all cut up and bruised. Said people were after him, that he had to get to someone names Dennis, then he crumbled. I dragging deeper, then some people came running by. Nasty looking people. He isn¡¯t healing as well as I think he should for how tough he looks. He might have been poisoned. I was trying to find someone here who¡¯d sell me an antidote for cheap when I hear your group asking after Brandon. Then, well, once you were far enough from them, I could get your attention without the bear noticing¡­¡± We exit the market and enter an alley. Three turns later, I can see a form on the ground partially covered by a dirty blanket or something. ¡°Brandon!¡± I pull ahead of her. I can¡¯t see him breathing. It¡¯s the distance. It¡¯s got to be. ¡°Brandon!¡± I drop next to him, pull the blanket off, and can¡¯t make sense of what I¡¯m looking at. Junk, piled together into something that doesn¡¯t even remotely look like someone. I look over my shoulder to ask her what¡¯s going on, and I get my answer by the three guys stepping out of the closest alley. This was a setup. This was a fucking setup, and I fucking fell for it! I tell myself she must have magic or something. There¡¯re races that can charm people. She has to be one of those. But I know better. She told me what I wanted to hear, and, like the idiot that I am, I bought it. Silver: Dennis, where are you? I stare at the message in the team chat. I almost answer, not that I can tell her where I am. It¡¯s not like I was smart enough to pay attention to where she led me. I dismiss the window, set it not to reappear as I stand. I don¡¯t want them to come save me. I got myself into this. I¡¯m going to fucking get myself out of it. Or not. But I¡¯m going to make them pay for this first. I make fists. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do this.¡± They exchange amused looks. They¡¯re in their early twenties at most. Definitely strength based builds. Which means I probably look like a weakling to them. ¡°Come on! You¡¯re after the fucking journal, right? Well, you can be fucking sure I¡¯m not handing it over, so you¡¯re going to have to beat me unconscious and have someone pick my inventory for it.¡± ¡°You want him?¡± the toughest of the three asks the one on his right. The guy grins and rubs his hands together, stepping toward me. ¡°Won¡¯t take me long.¡± I rush him. I¡¯m not fucking waiting for this to start. He gets over the surprise and swings, but I step out of the way. I miss my punch, but I¡¯m not surprised. I¡¯m being an idiot for trying this unarmed, but I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m barely adequate with my fists. I should equip my sword and cut him down. I stop to turn, and his fist connects with my face. It stings, but I ignore that. I punch him, and he grabs my arm. I fly over him and land face first in the ground. That hurts too, but I roll and kick at him. My foot lands in his stomach and he staggers back. I¡¯m up and on him. I land two punches before he can hit me back, one in his side and one that breaks his nose and has it spill blood down his face. His punch snaps my head to the side hard enough. I¡¯m the one who staggers this time. I can taste blood, and I grin at him. Not the reaction he wanted. Well, sucks to be you, I¡¯m not cowering my way out of this. It¡¯s what I deserve for being an idiot, again. I meet him halfway and put an arm around his neck to keep him from moving away as I punch him in the stomach as hard as I can. He hits me back, but my armor, as well as my toughness and ability, means I barely feel it. He doesn¡¯t feel my punches all that much from what I can tell, so I change tactic and knee him in the balls. He drops and I¡¯m on him, striking him in the face until he isn¡¯t moving anymore. ¡°That¡¯s one,¡± I snarl as I stand. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± The leader sends the other one at me and this fight goes more or less the same. I take a beating until I land my knee in his crotch and he goes down. ¡°Going to send the girl at me next?¡± The leader steps forward as the person who led me here backs away. Oh, no, you don¡¯t. I run as hard as I can, and at the last moment, I put my hand on the wall and run up it, over the guy, and throw myself at the girl. We crash down, and I pull her up as I stand, only to shove her the way we came. ¡°Stay the fuck there. We aren¡¯t done.¡± The leader looks at me, at her, and a knife is in his hand. ¡°That¡¯s how you want to do this?¡± I ask and equip my sword. ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± he complains. ¡°Come at me and see if I fucking care.¡± I block the way out, so it¡¯s not like he has a choice. Knife against sword. No contest. When he goes down from the pommel in his face, he¡¯s covered in cuts and one puncture through the biceps. I sent my sword to my inventory and turn to the girl. ¡°About this talk you ow me.¡± I grin as I approach, and she looks terrified. Good. I grab her by the collar and pull her to her feet. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± I punch her in the face. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking lie to me! Where¡¯s Brandon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Another punch. I get in close and she recoils. ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me, or I swear to the system, There isn¡¯t going to be anything left of you for these guys to help when they wake up.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! I was following you!¡± she yells as I raise my fist. ¡°Heard you say the name. The bear said yours. I just made things up, figured whoever you were looking for could be hurt.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Hit. ¡°You knew too much.¡± Hit. ¡°You fucking used the fact I care!¡± Hit. ¡°What is wrong with you fucking people!¡± Hit. I fly back and hit the wall hard enough I see stars. ¡°Dennis, stop it!¡± Helen yells. The glow around her hands matches the one surrounding me. Harry knells next to the sprawled girl. ¡°She¡¯s still alive,¡± he says, sounding relieved. ¡°Let me down and I¡¯m going to take care of that,¡± I snarl. I touch the ground, but Silver is in front of me before the glow¡¯s completely gone. ¡°What happened?¡± she asks. ¡°Why weren¡¯t your replying?¡± ¡°She said she could take me to Brandon.¡± ¡°And you believed her?¡± Harry demands. ¡°Shut up!¡± I¡¯m in front of him. ¡°Shut the fuck up. You aren¡¯t any better than them. All you¡¯ve been doing it taking our money and leading us around to nothing. So you fucking don¡¯t get to talk about me actually trying to find my friend, you got that?¡± A hand on my shoulder makes me jump and turn, fists in the air. Silver looks at me. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she says gently. ¡°We know where he is. One of Harry¡¯s contacts knew people who¡­ it¡¯s not important. We know where Brandon is. We can go help him.¡± ¡°You know?¡± Behind her, one of the guy I beat up groans. His face is a bloody mess. A look at the girl and she¡¯s in worse condition. Then Silver¡¯s supporting me. ¡°I wanna go home,¡± I whisper in her shoulder, crying. Chapter 69 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dennis. Let me handle this. Helen. That¡¯s my brother they¡¯re beating up. Dennis. It¡¯s Brandon. He¡¯s probably enjoying himself. Helen. I¡¯m not letting him go through that. Dennis. If I can¡¯t stop this, you can act. Deal? Helen. Fine. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Maybe next time you¡¯re going to believe me when I say that I¡¯m working on it.¡± Chapter 70 ¡°Where¡¯s Mal?¡± Brandon calls to the woman behind the counter. ¡°Still with Harry, I think.¡± ¡°How about you get us¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± I look at Helen and Silver. ¡°I¡¯ll get you in a bit so we can leave. But me and Brandon need to have a private talk.¡± ¡°Dennis,¡± Helen starts, and I can tell by the tone she isn¡¯t happy. ¡°He¡¯ll just¡ª¡± ¡°I can deal with him,¡± I cut her off, harsher than she deserves, but I¡¯ve been holding my tongue the entire way here. Silver leads her out of the club. ¡°The room,¡± I tell a smirking Brandon. I close the door behind us and lean against it, arms over my chest and trying to order my thoughts. Yelling isn¡¯t going to help. ¡°Look at you,¡± Brandon says gleefully, ¡°putting my sister in her place like that. You know she¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying that¡ª¡± ¡°I said; Shut the fuck up!¡± So much for not yelling. I send him an invite to the party and I know he sees it by the raised eyebrow. ¡°Accept it.¡± ¡°I think I should be the¡ª¡± ¡°Get in the fucking party, Brandon!¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s gotten a foul mouth all of a sudden.¡± Before I snap at him, his name appears at the bottom of the list, where he is going to remain. ¡°If you ever leave the party like that again, I am going to find you and fucking hurt you.¡± ¡°Dennis, there are things I¡¯m going to have to do you don¡¯t want a part of.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. You want to go off on your own to get your jollies getting beaten up. You tell us, you go, and you fucking stay in the party. Do you have any idea how worried I was when I noticed you were gone?¡± How pissed I was I only noticed it once I stopped reading? ¡°What I was doing didn¡¯t involve you. I would have been back once I had my mom¡¯s necklace.¡± I lose willpower not scoffing at that, but how important the necklace was to him deserves the respect. What doesn¡¯t, on the other hand, gets full derision. ¡°Oh? You mean after Roy had you beaten to death, you were going to somehow come back from that and steal it in the night? Do they make something that defeats death on those so precious ruins of yours?¡± ¡°No, but I had¡ª¡± ¡°You were worried, Brandon. I saw that in those cunning eyes of yours. Actual fear. Whatever you¡¯d planned for hadn¡¯t included getting strung up like that. If you¡¯d stayed in the party, you could have called for help.¡± ¡°I was fine.¡± The dismissiveness in the tone does nothing to calm me down. ¡°You are so full of shit. Do you ever stop lying, even to yourself?¡± He rolls his eyes. ¡°I was fine.¡± ¡°Of course you were. That¡¯s why I had to make a deal with Harry to track you down.¡± ¡°One Mal paid for you, I notice.¡± ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t have paid it?¡± The question comes out growled, and I realize that at some point, I found my answer. ¡°I¡¯d have fucking slept with that bear if Malcolm hadn¡¯t offered. Don¡¯t you get it? I¡¯m going to do whatever I have to help my friends.¡± He sighs. ¡°Dennis, we aren¡¯t¡ª¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°System message, Brandon! You¡¯re my friend. Fucking get over yourself and this ¡®I¡¯m too bad for friends¡¯ and deal with it.¡± He looks away and, for an instant, he looks in pain. I can¡¯t be the only friend he has. Malcolm has to consider him at least a friend. Why else would he put up with the macho bullshit? ¡°Don¡¯t, Dennis. I¡¯m not¡ª¡± I glare at him. ¡°You¡¯re going to end up hurt,¡± he finally says. ¡°Maybe you never found that out about life. But getting hurt comes with it. If what I wanted was to never get hurt, I¡¯d have stayed in the bunker when the town had a monster wave. I¡¯d never have trained to be a guard. I¡¯d have bowed my head and become the carpenter my dad wanted me to be.¡± ¡°I warned you,¡± he says, sounding defeated. ¡°And I¡¯m telling you that you are worth the risk.¡± He shakes his head, but at least this time he keeps his mouth shut. ¡°So, it¡¯s agreed? You don¡¯t leave the party. You need to wander off on your own, you tell us. And if you get in over your head, you ask for help.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re going to be able to rescue me, if I can¡¯t get myself out of it?¡± The disbelief in his voice baffles me. ¡°Excuse me, but what just happened back there? We went in and pulled your ass out of the situation you couldn¡¯t get out of by yourself.¡± ¡°I was¡ª¡± ¡°You finish that, and I¡¯m going to punch you.¡± He looks away again. ¡°Okay,¡± he whispers. ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± I finally relax. ¡°Good. Now. While you were busy getting beaten up, I worked out where The Nox is. Or rather, where Fort Knox is.¡± He looks at me in surprise. ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°Somewhere on Route thirty one, South of Louisville.¡± He frown. ¡°I know the city. No one ever mentioned a ruin in that area.¡± I shrug. ¡°According to Aaron, that¡¯s where it is. So grab your stuff. We¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that.¡± ¡°Oh, trust me. I want out of this fucking city yesterday.¡± ¡°We leave now. We¡¯re going to have to sleep somewhere on the south side of Detroit. You really want to sleep outside in the city? If we leave in the morning and we push, we can make it past the Rock Wood stop. Compared to Detroit, that¡¯s outright safe. After that, all we¡¯ll have to deal with is plain old regular wilderness.¡± I sigh. Even one more night in this city makes me sick. But from what he¡¯s saying, it¡¯s one night in it no matter what. At least here I have a bed and breakfast. And I get to thank Malcolm for his help. ¡°Okay. We leave first thing in the morning. I¡¯ll go tell Silver and Helen.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± he trails off as we head toward the dining room. ¡°Any chance I can get my leader position back?¡± ¡°Not a fucking one.¡± * I wake up and Brandon¡¯s bed is empty. My stomach drops, until I see his name at the bottom of the party list. At least he didn¡¯t pull a complete disappearing act. I dress and head downstairs and Malcolm motions me over. ¡°Okay, just what did you do to Brandon?¡± he asks in a severe tone. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°In the club, but don¡¯t change the subject, Dennis. That man doesn¡¯t come knocking on my door, looking like he¡¯s been kicked and then just asks to be held.¡± He narrows his eyes. ¡°Out with it.¡± ¡°All I did was make it clear I wasn¡¯t going to take bullshit like him cutting us off the way he did. I don¡¯t let my friends do stuff like that.¡± ¡°Dennis, he¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare tell me he doesn¡¯t deserve to be my friend. That¡¯s my decision to make, not his or yours.¡± Malcolm¡¯s nod is somber. ¡°He¡¯s going to make it hard on you.¡± ¡°Trust me, if that was something I wasn¡¯t willing to deal with, I¡¯d have left him with the Railers. Thank you for your help with that. You didn¡¯t have to pay in my place.¡± ¡°Honey, you weren¡¯t looking all that keen on paying Harry.¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯m an adult. I¡¯m going to have to make hard decisions.¡± He leans against the counter, elbow on it, chin on his palm, and smiles at me. ¡°In that case, let me put that little head of yours at ease. I had the time of my life, and Harry¡¯s going to think twice about taking me up on that if it comes up again.¡± He runs a finger against my arm. ¡°But, if you feel like you need to make it up to me¡­¡± I am¡­surprisingly not against the idea. ¡°We¡¯re leaving as soon as we¡¯ve had breakfast. But if I¡¯m ever forced to come to this city again, I¡¯ll be here.¡± He leans in and kisses my forehead. ¡°I hope you do.¡± I let Silver and Helen know over team chat to join me for breakfast and that we¡¯re leaving right after. Not long after they arrive, Brandon shows up, freshly washed and with the kind of grin on his face that tells me he has someone scrubbing his back. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan for the day, boss?¡± he asks me, and Helen stares in surprise. A flick of the eyes to the upper right and they grow wider. ¡°We are eating, then hitting the road. I want us as far from this place as possible before the sun sets. * We only stopped at the caravan stop to eat, and camp for the night a few hours later. I forgo hunting because the sun¡¯s already touching the trees, but I practice my archery until it¡¯s too dark. Then I read more of the book on the Appalachians. Silver spends time practicing magic with Helen, something that sounds like an exercise in frustration, before calling an end to that and filling the camp with gentle music. Brandon spends that time reading. Not long after the sun sets, another group of travelers sets up on the other side of the road. There¡¯s an attempt on their part to socialize, but none of us are receptive. They came from the north, which means Detroit. I have no way to know if they started from there, or just traveled through, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Just to possibility is enough for me to eye them with suspicion. No one on the team argues when I set up a guard rotation for the night. Chapter 71
¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Brandon: No! Helen: Don¡¯t be an ass, Bran. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I¡¯m not taking a chance with our safety,¡± I cut Helen off harshly as I watch the minotaur. Only once I can¡¯t see her anymore, do we get back to packing and then traveling. Chapter 72 ¡° ¡°
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A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dennis: I¡¯m fine. The minotaur was after the journal. I dealt with her. Helen: Did you kill her? Dennis: it¡¯s tempting, at this point, but no. She¡¯s still alive. Helen: Good. Don¡¯t kill her. Dennis: I don¡¯t think I¡¯d get in trouble with anyone, Helen. I doubt anyone would even notice. Helen: Do not kill her, Dennis. Trust me on that. Even Brandon will tell you the same thing. Dennis: fine. I¡¯m not a murderer, anyway. Helen: Patch yourself up and come back. Bring her with you. Dennis: I still owe Patrick a deer, and she can get herself back when she wakes up. I don¡¯t give a fuck if the wildlife gets her at this point. Helen: I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand. Dennis: Helen, I don¡¯t screw people if I can help it. And this, I can help. I¡¯ll be back in a bit with the deer. Getting it over my shoulders is an adventure that nearly has me drop unconscious from how hard I pull at my injured side once, but I manage it, then head back to the stop. Chapter 73 Not that I¡¯ve had a ¡®real¡¯ orgasm, but I¡¯m pretty sure that a thick slap of wild deer meat seared over an open flame covered in a honey pepper sauce and roasted vegetables is what it feels like. Fuck, have I missed real food over these last weeks. Not to diss on Brandon¡¯s campfire cooking, but if he doesn¡¯t want me to start complaining, he¡¯s going to have to raise his skill. Brandon¡¯s annoyed about the minotaur, but clearly relieved I didn¡¯t kill her. It¡¯s like him and Helen think I¡¯m some wanna be murderer or something. The bath is also amazing, even if I have to carry the water buckets from the heater to the tub myself. The bed is actually not impressive. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it¡¯s nice sleeping on a mattress. But, maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve grown used to the ground, but I had a tough time falling asleep. Breakfast was just as good as dinner. Omelet with thinly sliced meat and root vegetables and a tomatoee version of dinner¡¯s honey sauce. We¡¯re all in good spirits when we set out, and while I don¡¯t expect that¡¯s going to last, considering how things have been going. I¡¯m going to enjoy it as long as it lasts. * The trek to Indianapolis takes about a month. All things considered, it¡¯s uneventful. Maybe we¡¯re now far enough from Detroit, none of the people there know where we¡¯re at. There¡¯s a few monster attacks, one on the road itself. Something the system identified as a Boarik. Take a pig, make it the side of a horse, give it tusks sharp enough to slice through hard leather, and a temper to rival the worse tempered person you know. I don¡¯t really know anyone bad tempered. It was a nasty fight, but we won. And got a lot of meat out of it. Finally got my first level in butchering on it. A few days before we reached Indianapolis, killing a Jumps-a-Lot as part of my daily hunting got me to level eleven. It served as a reminder I had points, so I assigned them. For abilities, I put one in Taking it on the Nose, bringing it to five, which lets me put a point in Grit Strike. That first monster attack got me my thirteenth creature fight, so finished the fourth step for the fighting creature quest, which gave me an ability point For my attribute point, that went in Aether without hesitation. Distributing my skill points had me waffling again. The urge to keep all of them for ¡®the right moment¡¯ is so strong. But I buckled down and placed five of the eight points I had. Letting myself keep those three points for ¡®emergencies¡¯ is the only way I manage it. Aether training, of which I finally got my first level on this leg of the trip, got one of the points. Dexterity training got two, Leather Working, and First Aid, both got one. I cannot believe how hard doing that was, and how my relief at being done was mixed with anxiety I¡¯d screwed up beyond redemption. Everyone I¡¯ve ever listened to talking about going up in level and assigning points made it sound so simple.Stolen story; please report. ¡®I think too much,¡¯ is what Brandon says is my problem. It¡¯s so much easier with those I¡¯m training. I can feel my dedication to raising those skills. That way, Archery, sword fighting and shield all gained a point. Tracking, meteorology, and cooking gained two. Butchering gained three, and just as with Aether training, I gained my first research level from reading the book on the Appalachians, and starting the one on the North American Buffalo, Brandon handed me once I was finished. I¡¯m not going to claim it was an interesting read, but it¡¯s worth points, so I¡¯m going to push through. When we reach Indianapolis, it¡¯s with a mix of dread and hope on my part. It¡¯s a large city, surrounded by well-tended fields, and that means being able to resupply, have good food, and some entertainment that isn¡¯t Silver¡¯s violin. She¡¯s good, but I need a break from that. But the memory of Detroit is still there. And masses of people mean a different kind of danger to that of the wilderness. If I¡¯m being honest, I prefer the wilderness¡¯ danger. Brandon¡¯s just eager to reach the club, and we all know what¡¯s he¡¯s looking forward to. Helen looks like she might cry from joy as we walk through the city gates and are surrounded by shops. But she doesn¡¯t venture away. I think, I fucking hope, we¡¯ve all learned our lessons about venturing anywhere alone, and yes, I hope I¡¯ve learned that lesson too. I will give Indianapolis this. It is a beautiful city. The roads are large with maintained trees down the center of them. The buildings are in good condition, even those that are clearly older. The people smile and nod at us in passing and it¡¯s unreasonably putting me on edge. Detroit¡¯s made seeing people being nice come across as unusual. How fucked up is that? It¡¯s past noon by the time we reach the club, and, unlike Detroit or Toronto, it looks inviting. ¡°I thought you said the clubs are all in forgotten parts of the cities,¡± I say as we walk toward it. The road split to go around the grassy area around the building. There are people sitting and playing. ¡°There¡¯s away going to be someone who¡¯s going to buck the trend,¡± he replies with a shrug. ¡°I think this place needs to set it,¡± Silver says. We have to follow the right side road to reach the entrance. There is something that feels old about the building. It¡¯s all stone, massive blocks of them, that have the feel of being worked by hand. Wooden shutters are open, and they look recent, in contrast. The inside is mostly wood, with tables and people seated at them. ¡°Welcome to the club,¡± the older man behind the counter greets us. ¡°A bath,¡± Brandon declares, ¡°and someone to share it with.¡± I grab his arm before he throws himself at someone. ¡°Where¡¯s the hotel for those who aren¡¯t explorers?¡± I ask. ¡°In here,¡± the man laughs. ¡°We have a wing for those who assist our members. They have to pay, but our rates are fair, and come with things like a bath included in the price.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the arrangement if one of us needs an escort through the city?¡± He looks at me, his expression losing some of the joyfulness. ¡°Let me guess, you came here by way of Detroit. You don¡¯t need that here. Indianapolis is a safe city, but¡ª¡± He raises a hand as I open my mouth to protest. ¡°¡ªif you insist, you have the choices of off-duty constabulary or one of our members. Both at reasonable, and monetary only, rates. We don¡¯t do that trading ¡®favors¡¯ for work here.¡± I tell myself that the matter-of-fact way in which he recites all of that is because I¡¯m not the first to come here with a paranoid mindset, but it doesn¡¯t help with not feeling like an eel at the moment. I let Brandon go, and he¡¯s at the counter. The discussion is quiet enough I don¡¯t hear, and he¡¯s through the door at the end of the bar before the three of us reach it. ¡°Will you ladies want to room together or separately?¡± ¡°Together,¡± Helen answers. ¡°The baths are at the end of the floor.¡± He hands her a key. ¡°Let the attendant know and they¡¯ll heat water for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be taking mine alone,¡± I state. ¡°That¡¯s entirely your decision,¡± he replies, then hands me a key. ¡°Your friend said he¡¯d be rooming with you.¡± ¡°Lets wash up, then meet here to decide on our next steps,¡± I tell Helen and Silver, then head to take my much needed bath. Chapter 74 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡° ¡° ¡°
¡° ¡°I don¡¯t have that much use for it. It¡¯s just something that¡¯s good to have around for emergencies.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I take that as the reassurance it¡¯s meant and join the others at the table. Chapter 75 The dividing line between in the city and outside isn¡¯t as marked as I expect. It¡¯s midmorning as we reach it, and other than the ¡®wear and tear¡¯ on the building, nothing really changes. Shops are open, people go about their business. There is a ¡®shabbiness¡¯ to how they are dressed, but again, nothing that is all that different from some of the neighborhood we¡¯ve crossed to get here. The clearest sign is the sign on the side of the building stating that we¡¯re leaving Indianapolis and entering the wilderness. It¡¯s been there a while. Like I said, other than that, there¡¯s no sign we¡¯re stepped outside the city. The shops we step in sell stuff locally made, and except for the food, it all looks decent. Helen even buys a dress here. The food¡¯s basic. Being outside the city, they aren¡¯t connected to its commerce network, which makes trade more difficult. Goods have to be transported, instead of being moved within the city¡¯s inventory once it enters it. It also makes getting access to food stuff difficult. Unless an establishment manages to hit the requirements for a Travel Inn, which I expect isn¡¯t easy with this low wilderness level, there¡¯s nowhere here with an integrated inventory that preserves food. That means they can¡¯t grow all that much, and they make food geared toward easy preservation. The food we eat there is good, just basic. Which, after months on the road, isn¡¯t what I want. They aren¡¯t as quick to jump on the jerky I¡¯m offering as I expect, but over the morning of going from one food shop to the other, I unload all but one stack of it. I barely make a hundred dollars from that. By noon, we¡¯ve moved around enough, the area is under construction and beyond it there¡¯s nothing but grass. I¡¯m also not confident how I¡¯d get back to the city proper from here, and the rats I notice are much too large. ¡°I think we¡¯ve ventured far enough,¡± Brandon says, watching the workers. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Helen replies dryly. ¡°We could venture beyond civilization and return you to the wild, where you belong.¡± ¡°We¡¯re already in the wild.¡± ¡°Oh, no wonder you¡¯re eyeing the wildlife then. Looking to find someone to settle down with? Raise a bunch of little troublemakers and unleash them on people?¡± ¡°Children,¡± I warn. ¡°I think that¡¯s the sign we should head back,¡± Silver says. ¡°Yeah. So I can send them to their respective rooms without dinner or something. Any of you kept track of the way back?¡± Brandon points to the plain, visible through the partially constructed buildings. ¡°That¡¯s the wilderness.¡± He turns his back to it and points forward. ¡°Which means the city it in that direction.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°I meant more the roads we took and know are safe. That doesn¡¯t look like a good place to walk through.¡± It¡¯s nowhere near as bad as Detroit, but the buildings in that direction aren¡¯t inviting. Got to wonder why they¡¯re building more here, instead of somewhere the neighbor won¡¯t look at you like you¡¯re their next meal. He grins. ¡°Scared?¡± ¡°Brandon, I¡¯ve been lured into areas just like that too often at this point. I¡¯m not scared, but I¡¯ve learned to have healthy respect for them.¡± Silver squeezes my arm. ¡°But you aren¡¯t being lured into it this time, and you aren¡¯t going alone.¡± I accept the comfort and we set out, but the trepidation doesn¡¯t leave. It even increases as we enter a section that suffered a fire at some point and hasn¡¯t been rebuilt. And it¡¯s justified when, as we reach the center, people step around the still standing buildings at the periphery. A lot of people. Enough that I¡¯m worried, even knowing Helen and Brandon are much higher level than us, and the whole of them don¡¯t look like more than street thugs, if even that. Some look too young to be part of this.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. There¡¯s just so many of them. ¡°Did you know this was going to happen?¡± I demand. ¡°Nope.¡± He grins. ¡°Can¡¯t say that I mind, though.¡± ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t,¡± Helen grumbles. ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°The plan is that we rush ahead and go through, then we keep going until we enter the city. If they follow us that far, the guards and deal with them.¡± ¡°We can take them,¡± Brandon, unsurprisingly, says. ¡°I don¡¯t care. The odds are these guys are after the bounty. I¡¯m not giving one of them a change to slip a poisoned knife into me just so you can have fun bashing heads. Bash those you can as we run through them. Helen, anything you can do to get them out of our way?¡± ¡°On this scale, any magic I¡¯ll use is deadly.¡± ¡°Then, we run and fight as needed.¡± I take off. I see the problem well before we¡¯re close enough to do anything about it. There are just too many of them and they have the time to mass before us. I shoulder the first ones out of my way, and easily enough dodge hits, but then I¡¯m hitting a wall of people and I lose enough of my momentum Bob and Weave stops having an effect, then I¡¯m not running, and then I have to shove people away so I have space to fight. The hits I receive don¡¯t register beyond causing my health bar to flash, but so many hits that I eventually notice some of it is missing. ¡°They¡¯re going to wear us down! Brandon, can you shove through?¡± ¡°Not that strong.¡± Instead of hitting, I grab and throw people out of my way, but there¡¯s more behind them. And if I try to peer beyond, they take advantage of my distraction and pile up on me. The Strength of the Underdog buff appears before I realize I hear Silver playing. A glance over my shoulder is all I can afford, and it shows her playing, Helen at her side zapping anyone trying to reach them, but she looks worried. Otherwise, I see that while most of our opposition is in front, there¡¯s enough at all the accesses they can block us long enough for the others to reinforce them. They aren¡¯t letting us get out of this. Even with the boost, my problem quickly changes from my very slowly dropping health to my rapidly dropping stamina. I¡¯m going to exhaust myself before we¡¯re through. The music stops, and I¡¯m pushed back a few steps before I punch and shove enough of them away I can look over my shoulder. Silver looks panicked, even if Helen¡¯s still keeping anyone away from them. I can¡¯t make out the exchange, but it doesn¡¯t look to be helping. Then I need to focus on my fight. Stamina potions. I need to get stamina potions. I really need to stop figuring out what I need as I need it. The music starts again, and I relax slightly. Silver overcame whatever scared her. The buff doesn¡¯t reappear, but I don¡¯t have time to worry about it. Then I notice the music has a different tone to it. One I¡¯ve never heard her play. It¡¯s harsh. It¡¯s still music, but there¡¯s a rawness to it, and anger, and heat that¡­ no. I¡¯m feeling the heat around me. I can even see the air shimmering. ¡°Brandon! Retreat!¡± I make it halfway to Silver and Helen. Silver looks frantic as she plays, her bow moving so fast I barely make it out. Her face drips with sweat. Then, I¡¯m in the air. The heat and sound of the detonation catches up to me. I crash down, force myself to my feet, and look at the result of whatever that was. Brandon sits up, his clothing charred. He didn¡¯t make it as far as I did. Of our attackers, not one is standing, a few¡¯s clothing is on fire. The explosion was too strong for the fire to survive. I turn to ready myself for the rest to attack, but they¡¯re running off. I release the breath. I turn to thank Silver for saving our asses, but as I see Helen holding her, Brandon picks up some kid by the neck and winds back. ¡°Brandon, stop!¡± When I reach him I grab his arm; for the little good it¡¯s going to do if he decides to carry through with it. ¡°He was part of this,¡± he snarls. The kid¡¯s got his arm over his face and I look away quickly when I see he pissed himself. ¡°He¡¯s just a kid. He doesn¡¯t even look old enough to have a class.¡± ¡°You think that matters? I don¡¯t teach him a lesson, and he¡¯s going to be back. But with better armor, better weapons. Better allies.¡± I almost let go of his arm. He¡¯s not wrong. All being nice gets me is a knife in the back. A solid punch, and this kid knows not to mess with us ever again. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I tell him. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he comes back and tries this again. I don¡¯t want us to be the kind of people how kick those weaker than us just because they got dragged into something they didn¡¯t understand.¡± Brandon¡¯s laugh scares me slightly. ¡°Us? You don¡¯t want us to be like that? Just who the fuck do you think I am, Dennis?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be like that if you don¡¯t want to, Brandon.¡± I don¡¯t think I¡¯d seen him as angry before as when he looks at me. Instead of speaking, he shoves the kid away. ¡°Whatever happen¡¯s on you, Dennis.¡± He easily pulls his arm out of my hand and heads for Helen and Silver. I look at the terrified kid, trying to think of something to say. Some warning that he might take seriously. But Brandon¡¯s right. The kid¡¯s going to do whatever he wants. I join them and we leave this battlefield. Chapter 76 ¡°Food!¡± Helen yells toward the bar while still mostly supporting Silver to a table. She had her drink a mana potion, but other than refilling her bar, it didn¡¯t have a noticeable effect. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she protests. But she isn¡¯t convincing. Helen snorts. ¡°You could have killed yourself with that stupid stunt. So, no, you aren¡¯t fine. You need food and rest, and not the magically enhanced version. You¡¯re eating, then going to bed until you feel better.¡± ¡°We need to leave,¡± Brandon says. ¡°We¡¯re going to leave,¡± she snaps, ¡°when Silver¡¯s good and ready to leave.¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to regroup and¡ª¡± ¡°And if they jump us with Silver in this state, what happens?¡± I ask. He grumbles his response too low for me to hear, but he sits. The server brings a platter of meats, vegetables, and a glass of something thick for Silver, and I order food for the rest of us. Silver takes a tentative sip, then quickly drinks half of it. Her color is healthier after that, but she still looks barely able to stay awake. I¡¯m surprised by how little attention our arrival got. A few turned heads, not even one raised eyebrow. By the time our meals are brought to us, she¡¯s gone through half of hers. ¡°Okay,¡± Helen says. ¡°What was that? You said you didn¡¯t know any battle magic.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t know what I did.¡± ¡°Do you remember the song you played?¡± I ask. ¡°Of course not! I was too¡ª¡± Her eyes flick over system windows. ¡°It¡¯s right here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡± Helen asks. ¡°Explosive Tempo.¡± Brandon snorts. ¡°That¡¯s creative.¡± ¡°The system named it,¡± Silver says. ¡°I can rename it to something else.¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t have that song before?¡± Helen asks. ¡°It¡¯s not much of a song, a treen of bars set to repeat and built on itself.¡± ¡°Until it explodes,¡± I finish. ¡°Where did it come from?¡± Silver looks at Helen. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She glares at Brandon as he opens his mouth, then looks at Silver again. ¡°Okay. How can you not know? Didn¡¯t they teach you how your class works?¡± ¡°Of course they did. I spent weeks going over music theory, practicing the simple songs. I was doing that for two years before I was handed my first spell song.¡± ¡°So, they never said anything about making up a song on the fly?¡± ¡°Of course they did. Improvising in vital to a performance. Not every audience wants the same thing, so I have to be able to adapt.¡± ¡°I mean improvising magic.¡± ¡°No. We were handed a list of song, then we chose some and practiced them. As we go up in level, we gain more slots to know songs, and I have to go to a bard school to get access to the list and¡­¡± her eyes flick about again. ¡°There was this one class. The teacher told us something about how when it came to magic, it drove the music.¡± She closes her eyes. ¡°How we have to let it drive the music.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Helen asks. Silver shrugs. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t even remember his exact words.¡± Helen thinks. ¡°Okay. Do you remember what you were going through during the fight? How you felt?¡± ¡°Useless,¡± she replies with a snort. ¡°The best I could do was boost you two a bit, and it was clearly not enough. We were going to be killed, and I panicked. You ordering me to keep playing didn¡¯t help.¡± ¡°But you did.¡± ¡°Except I couldn¡¯t find the song again. I kept thinking that if I¡¯d just applied myself more to what you taught me, if I¡¯d just been able to make a spark, create some heat, do something with that. I could have been useful. Then I realized I was playing. I had no idea what, but I was playing and I wasn¡¯t entirely in control¡­I think.¡± ¡°The magic was,¡± Brandon says, before Helen speaks, and earns another glare. He grins. ¡°That¡¯s never happened before.¡± ¡°Do you have any new ability you didn¡¯t notice when you went up a level?¡± I ask. Her eyes flick about. She shakes her head. ¡°Did your class change?¡± Helen asks tentatively. ¡°No, I¡¯m a bard. Can that happen? I thought you kept you class until you died.¡± ¡°You hear stories,¡± Helen says. ¡°But I don¡¯t know anyone to whom it¡¯s happened.¡± ¡°I do,¡± I say. ¡°But it was a very specific situation.¡± They stare at me, so I continue. ¡°My Grandpa Louis had his original class overridden when he became a Base Commander. The way I remember him telling the story, he wasn¡¯t the first one the group who¡¯d kidnapped him put before the node, but it took to him because his class was already military related.¡± ¡°Nodes are weird things,¡± Brandon says. ¡°I can see one of them doing something like that.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± I ask. ¡°Have you come across anyone who changed class in your travels?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°Like Hel, I¡¯ve heard stories. But they¡¯re old. When the system arrived old, so I never took them seriously.¡± ¡°And she didn¡¯t change class,¡± Helen says. ¡°So this isn¡¯t that. Can you think of a reason they might keep that secret?¡± she asks Silver. ¡°No. I mean, if I make up a reason, it could be that bards don¡¯t throw themselves into the wilderness. We¡¯re entertainers. When we travel, it¡¯s always with large groups. Our magic¡¯s about that entertainment and helping with the traveling. I picked up strength of the underdog because I knew I wanted to adventure and it was the only song of those available that could help if those I was with got into a fight.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Did you tell anyone you were going to adventure?¡± Brandon asks. ¡°Sure, we all talked about our plans for the future. You can¡¯t imagine the looks I got when I told them I was going to have songs about my adventures in the wilderness.¡± ¡°I mean, did you tell any of your teachers?¡± She opens her mouth, then closes it. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. I must have.¡± He shrugs. ¡°If you did, and they didn¡¯t give you access to better songs, or explain about what happened, then they¡¯re not interested in your survival. If you didn¡¯t, then you gave a good reason why they might not bother. Did any of the bards you played with hint at having battle magic?¡± ¡°No, but we were jamming and just having fun. No one talked about how we ended up in Toronto or Detroit. I guess they just took for granted I traveled with one of the caravans.¡± ¡°Which is reasonable on their part, if hardly any bard is as brave as you.¡± Silver¡¯s pretty when she turns pink like that. ¡°With your other magical songs,¡± Helen says. ¡°Did you have to learn to not dump all your mana into them, or is it something specific to this one?¡± ¡°I think¡­That it was the situation. I was angry with myself. I didn¡¯t care what happened; I just wanted to do something to help. I didn¡¯t even try to restrain the song.¡± She nods. ¡°Then, the first thing we¡¯re doing once you¡¯re feeling better is running you through a few tests to check that. Then, you are sitting in with Dennis¡¯s Aether training. If you¡¯re able to perform combat magic, you want the largest mana pool possible, as well as a reserve of mana potion. So clear one of your personal inventory slot for them. We can never have too much mana potions.¡± ¡°And Stamina ones,¡± I state. I stand. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Brandon asks, eyes locked on me. ¡°To the bar, to buy some. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not leaving the club. As nice as this city is. I¡¯ve had enough of random people.¡± The woman behind the bar ribs me somewhat when I explain it wasn¡¯t until I saw how fast I was losing it in the fight I realized I needed some, and they aren¡¯t cheap. Four of them set me back a thousand dollars. When I return to the table, Helen escorts Silver to their room. Brandon finishes his food and moves to another table. He spends fifteen minutes there, then he and one of the guys head for the door leading to the rooms. And I¡­ Spend the rest of the day reading. * Silver is barely awake when she and Helen come for breakfast, then she heads back to their room. Helen goes out alone, against mine and Brandon¡¯s protests. He doesn¡¯t object when I suggest we follow her to make sure nothing happens. * Nothing happened. She shopped, so did we, and I learned not to buy at the club if I can avoid it. The stamina potions are half the price at the market. I kind of wish Brandon had stopped me from spending that money at the club, but he had told me, before, to plan and shop, so it¡¯s on me, really. Silver doesn¡¯t come down for lunch, and Helen checks on her. She¡¯s sleeping normally at this point. She¡¯s up an energetic by the time dinner comes around, putting on a performance for the people in the club. We agree there¡¯s no point in leaving now, so we go out with her as she goes from bar to bar, performing. She¡¯s exhausted again by the time we return to the club, but a lot happier about it. * It¡¯s a cool, but sunny morning, when we set out, and I¡¯m as upbeat as the others about traveling again. Until we step into the deserted construction zone. I keep walking as I bring up the team chat. Dennis: Anyone else have a bad feeling about this? Brandon: I am so glad you¡¯re learning to listen to your gut. Helen: What are you talking about? Silver: I¡¯m guessing this is about the lack of people? Brandon: Exactly. What do you want to do, team leader? Dennis: We¡¯re already inside the trap, if it¡¯s one. We stay on our guard and hope this is just Detroit still making me paranoid. I can¡¯t keep from looking around every corner, probably giving away I suspect something, if anyone¡¯s watching. But the alternative is that unshaking certainly I¡¯m about to get an arrow in the back when I don¡¯t. I¡¯m still surprised when the group step before us. It¡¯s so quick the only reason I recognize the kid holding the ball that¡¯s shoved forward is that when our eyes meet, he looks away. ¡°Do it,¡± the man who shoved him says. ¡°Show us you deserve to be one of us.¡± The kid straightens, I see resolve in his eyes as he holds the ball up and I ready myself for whatever¡¯s about to happen. I¡¯m pissed that this is just going to make Brandon¡ª I¡¯m stunned by the flash of light the spiderweb of lightnings causes as it travels over the kid and his allies, causing them to drop to the ground, twitching. ¡°What just happened?¡± Silver asks, as I¡¯m still trying to process that. ¡°He stunned himself and the others,¡± Helen says, baffled. I force myself to move to go check on the kid. He took the brunt of whatever that was. ¡°Did it malfunction?¡± Brandon asks. Crouching next to him, I see the other side of the ball. ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t malfunction,¡± Helen says. ¡°When it doesn¡¯t do what it¡¯s supposed to, it¡¯s always user error.¡± ¡°Or not,¡± I say, nudging his hand with a foot and dislodging the ball. It only looked like a ball from where we stood; I¡¯m not touching that thing. It¡¯s a cone with a rounded bottom. ¡°Does this look like ¡®point this way to shoot,¡¯ to any of you?¡± ¡°But it was pointed at him,¡± Brandon says, sounding more confused. I check the kid¡¯s pulse. He¡¯s alive. ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t know how it worked?¡± Silver offers. ¡°That guy seemed pretty adamant he uses it on us,¡± Helen replies. ¡°If he didn¡¯t explain how it works, he¡¯s more of an idiot than Bran.¡± ¡°But it was pointed at him,¡± Brandon repeats. I look at him. ¡°He saved us.¡± I think this kid might just have broken Brandon. I¡¯m going to laugh about it later. Right now, I need to deal with this. He¡¯s dead if¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Brandon says, as I reach for the kid¡¯s arm. ¡°We can¡¯t leave him here after he saved us, Brandon.¡± There¡¯s mostly the usual Brandon in his expression now. ¡°And what, Dennis?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. We take him with us. They¡¯re going to tear him apart for this.¡± ¡°You said it, Dennis. He probably doesn¡¯t have a class. We¡¯re not going anywhere safe, you know. And what about his family? Are you going to send a message to them telling them that you¡¯re going to keep him safe and all that? What about when it¡¯s time for him to get a class. You going to force him to get one of ours? Or you¡¯re going to stay in a city until it¡¯s time?¡± ¡°What do you suggest, then?¡± ¡°Let me think.¡± I stare at him in disbelief as he looks around. He catches me looking and rolls his eyes. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t get what just happened, but this is me trying to think of a way to help him.¡± His expression brightens. ¡°Hel, you were zapping those who got close to you and Silver the other day. Can you do that so it¡¯ll leave burns on their clothing?¡± ¡°How¡¯s that going to help?¡± ¡°Can you or can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, but to leave marks like that, it¡¯s going to hurt them.¡± ¡°Kill them?¡± ¡°Only if they¡¯re already near dying.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°I repeat, how is that going to help? It¡¯s lightning that hit them already.¡± ¡°What if it came from behind them?¡± Silver asks, and I look at the buildings. ¡°We turn them on their back, then.¡± Brandon rolls one over. ¡°They¡¯re not going to just believe that¡¯s what happened,¡± Helen exclaims in exasperation. ¡°Can you zap the side of that building hard enough to leave burns?¡± I point to the wall. ¡°Sure, but¡ª¡± ¡°Lightning leaves distinctive burn marks. If they see that on the wall, they¡¯ll have a reason to think that¡¯s where they were hit from. My dad had to¡ªI¡¯ll explain later, just trust me.¡± I turn the kid over, then move on to the others. ¡°Are you sure this is going to work?¡± I whisper to Brandon when I¡¯m next to him. ¡°Nope. But if it¡¯s going to keep you from bringing him with us, thinking you¡¯re doing him a favor, I¡¯m going to hope the system¡¯s on our side with this.¡± ¡°He saves us. If you had¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rub it in, Dennis. It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± The flash happens at the edge of my vision, but the thunder is a lot louder. When I glance up Helen is returning us, and the wall as the branching burns I remember from what my dad worked on. The people jerk and twitch again when she zaps them, leaving their clothing with scorch lines similar to what¡¯s on the wall. When she¡¯s done, and they¡¯re all on their backs again, I pull a worn shirt from my inventory and use it to reach for¡ª ¡°Leave it,¡± Brandon orders. ¡°They¡¯re going to use it on other people.¡± ¡°Think, Dennis. What do we want them to believe happened?¡± ¡°That someone zapped them from behind.¡± ¡°Which means we never saw what that thing can do. We take it, and they¡¯ve got to ask themselves why, and if somehow, we actually set them up, and if so how it was we knew this was going to happen and who is the one person who might have a reason to warn us.¡± I look at the kid. ¡°Look, we¡¯ve done all we can. You¡¯re going to have to hope he¡¯s smart enough not to give away what actually happened. Right now, we need to get out of here before they start waking up.¡± I hate that I can¡¯t be sure he¡¯s going to be okay. But I hurry after the others to leave the city. Chapter 77 It¡¯s well past noon when I feel like I can relax. We¡¯ve been pushing ourselves with the help of Silver¡¯s music, and I figure that if they¡¯d intended to chase us, someone would have caught up to us at this point. We¡¯re far enough they won¡¯t be able to catch up anymore. Not that I¡¯m particularly worried. The first time, they had overwhelming numbers. The second, they had surprise. They can¡¯t chase us with all those people¡ªI hope. And out here, we are always somewhat on our guard. ¡°Let¡¯s stop for food. I think we¡¯ve earned it.¡± We step off the road for the shade of trees. ¡°How do you know what lightning burns look like?¡± Helen asks. ¡°My dad built a cabinet out of wood that had been hit by lightning. I don¡¯t remember the details of how or what got hit, just that this guy showed up at the shop with a cart full of them. Dad explained what had caused those burns. That kind of branching pattern stuck in my head.¡± I look at Brandon. ¡°You think it worked? That the kid¡¯s not going to suffer for helping us?¡± He shrugs. He doesn¡¯t care. I mean, at this point, that¡¯s probably the right attitude to have. We did what we could. Worrying about it isn¡¯t going to change anything. It¡¯s just not that easy for me. The sky turns gray not long after we set out, then it rains. It¡¯s not bad rain, it¡¯s warm, and not particularly hard, but it means we don¡¯t have the benefit of Silver¡¯s magic. We might have grown to rely on it. The rain tapers off a few hours later, and I call an early end to the day not long after that because walking in wet clothes gets not fun after a while. Brandon finds us a clearing not too far off the road and he pulls me into the woods until we can¡¯t see the clearing, and before I can ask what that¡¯s about, he starts to undress and hang his wet clothing on branches. I¡¯m taken by surprise. I know he has another equipment set of slots. He could move his dry clothing in there and just switch. I could have done that while walking, but the sky¡¯s remained gray and I didn¡¯t see a point of storing wet clothing in my inventory. Of course, this is Brandon, so the fact he¡¯s doing that specifically to make me uncomfortable can¡¯t be ignored. I mean, he¡¯s not exactly putting himself ¡®on display¡¯. All he¡¯s done of take pieces off and hung them until he¡¯s not wearing anything. And I want to look away. But I don¡¯t. ¡°Enjoying the view?¡± Okay, now I know he did it on purpose. But that¡¯s the question, isn¡¯t it? I like guys. I¡¯ve known that since I was ten. Fuck, if I didn¡¯t, Rich couldn¡¯t have lured me away from town. Just like I realized then that I like girls too. The fact I liked both took more getting used to than the fact I liked either. Grandpa Louis is gay, dad¡¯s straight. So I was well aware either was normal. Wrapping my head around liking both? That was a trip. But Josie¡¯s the only one I like, like. ¡°You¡¯re good looking.¡± He stares at me in surprise, and that doesn¡¯t help deal with my blushing. The fact I am forcing myself to take him in doesn¡¯t make it ¡®easy¡¯, or ¡®natural¡¯. Being naked around others, or seeing naked people, isn¡¯t common for me. Even going swimming stopped being a place where that happened when we turned twelve and we became body conscious. ¡°Thanks?¡± That I¡¯ve unbalanced him helps, and I chuckle at the situation. Then I ask myself the big question as he stands there, still not posing, but not doing anything to cover himself up. Would I have sex with him? My gut reaction is no. I have Josie back home. She¡¯s the one I want to be with. Except¡­I know that¡¯s not all of it. I was willing to do it, back in Denver, if that was the price to be able to rescue Brandon. And I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have felt bad about it. If not for the fact I wanted out of that city immediately, I know I was ready to take Malcolm up on his offer. So, if this isn¡¯t that I¡¯m adamant about keeping myself for her, what¡¯s it about? So, if I ignore Josie, would I have sex with Brandon? How about Helen? Okay, with her it¡¯s a no. She¡¯s good looking enough, but that ¡®I have to push myself so people with know I¡¯m good¡¯ attitude isn¡¯t attractive.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Silver? Okay, but this is about Brandon. Well, guys, in general, I guess. Because of Josie, I never really thought about it. So, would I? Under the right circumstances, yes. And knowing that is surprisingly freeing. And, while it takes some effort on my part, I undress and also put up my clothes to dry. I don¡¯t have to ask if he likes what he sees, the way he smiles as he takes me in tells me. The thing is that I¡¯ve seen him look that way at fully dressed guys. I¡¯m pretty sure he has that same expression anytime a naked one comes in sight. Unlike him, I¡¯m naked only long enough to pull another set of clothing from my inventory and put it on. Only once I¡¯m dressed does he put on a pair of worn shorts, and nothing else. The way it pulls his package, I have no problem imagining that¡¯s gotten a lot of guys into his bed. ¡°You took your sweet time,¡± Helen says when we return. There¡¯s a firepit with a fire in it and a kettle is on a rack over it. ¡°Unlike what you seem to think, Hel. I do know how to take my time and make sure he enjoys himself.¡± The horrified way she looks at him is actually funny. She overreacts way too much to anything he says or does. ¡°That didn¡¯t happen,¡± I say. If I let her think he did something to me, she might blast him. ¡°Not going to happen.¡± I add, for emphasis. ¡°Oh, really?¡± There¡¯s challenge in his tone, and I laugh. ¡°You¡¯re good looking, and you can be a nice guy, Brandon. But that self-destructive streak of yours doesn¡¯t appeal to me.¡± I shrug. ¡°Maybe if you start believing you deserve to be okay, I¡¯ll change my mind.¡± He has no idea how to take that. Helen doesn¡¯t seem to know what to think of me right now. Silver is the only one who smiles, and I wink at her. And she blushes. I¡¯m going to have dreams. Definitely going to have dreams. * Silver¡¯s a lot more comfortable sitting and just¡­feeling for her magic. She makes it look downright easy. Not that I know if it is easy for her, or if her skill level¡¯s going up any faster than mine, but unlike me, she doesn¡¯t seem to be straining about it. It feels like it¡¯s been a month since I reach level thirteen. It¡¯s only in combat situation that reaching a treen is supposed to slow things down. ¡°Relax,¡± Silver whispers. ¡°Tensing doesn¡¯t make it happen faster. Just feel for the flow, breath in, and out. In and out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy for you to say that,¡± I grumble, and she chuckles. Still, it¡¯s not like I have anything else to do until Helen says we¡¯re done. * Louisville is¡­ I want to say rustic, but that¡¯s not accurate. Different, that¡¯s for sure. I kind of lost track of how long it took to get here. I gained levels in a bunch of skills from the daily training, including the hunting part. My butchering gain and cooking, that was already decent, means that I, again, have more jerky than I know what to do with. Might be time to upgrade to something less basic to train on. Aether Training finally went up to fourteen, so, there is that. Standing here at the top of the hill that leads to the bridge, looking at the city, well Brandon says it¡¯s a city, I only really see trees. There¡¯s a clear definition in the trees that are within the city and those outside of it. I can¡¯t put my finger on what it is, but I can almost make out a line where, on one side, the trees are¡­better? And on the others just trees. ¡°You¡¯re going to love it here, Sis,¡± Brandon says, then he¡¯s walking again. The bridge was definitely made with magic. Even with the system, trees don¡¯t grow to have branches perfectly formed to support the platforms that make the bridge itself. They also don¡¯t grow on each side of the river that cuts the land here in a way that makes them lean toward each other in the center. Like every city, the entrance is guarded, but there¡¯s no gate. No wall either. But the river must be enough of a deterrent. Looks to be fast too. The guards are Elven, being lanky, like Helen, with elongated faces. They¡¯re dressed typically enough, in leather armor that lets them move comfortably. They each have a polearm, but being Elven, I expect magic is their go to weapon. They nod to us as we approach, and don¡¯t stop us as we step onto the bridge. They don¡¯t even stop the carts to check what they contain. There¡¯s a relaxed atmosphere about them that can¡¯t be good for the city¡¯s safety. The bridge ends at a marketplace on each side of the thoroughfare. ¡°We¡¯re heading for the club?¡± I ask. ¡°Louisville doesn¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°I thought every city had an explorer¡¯s club.¡± ¡°Most do. But cities don¡¯t appear on the map fully formed. They grow. Louisville only reached that stage a decade or so ago. Without anything to draw explorers, to the area it might be a while until it gets one.¡± ¡°Might happen faster when we reveal Fort Knox,¡± I say, smiling. Knowing I¡¯m going to put one over on Xander still feels good. ¡°Until then, we need to rely on inns and rooming houses, like everyone else. Let¡¯s go deeper into the city. Those here are going to rob us blind.¡± As soon as we step out of the market, I understand Brandon¡¯s earlier comment to his sister. Eight out of every ten person we come across is Elven. Of the other two, it takes a while before I see another human. The inn Brandon leads us to is off the beaten path, and before I can question if we shouldn¡¯t find one in a more traveled area, a minotaur steps out with a barrel over his shoulder. He stops and looks at us, clearly surprised. ¡°Brandy?¡± He has a deep voice. ¡°You son of a bitch, you came back.¡± He goes to step in our direction, and the only reason I don¡¯t equip my sword is that Brandon¡¯s completely relaxed. ¡°I said I would, Sam.¡± Sam seems to remember the barrel is there, and he dumps the water into the trough, then drops it next to it. ¡°But you¡¯re a fucking liar, Brandy.¡± He¡¯s before us way faster than I expect him to be able to move, then he¡¯s got Brandon in his arms, hugging him so tightly I¡¯m surprised nothing breaks. ¡°I don¡¯t lie that often.¡± ¡°Just often enough to keep me guessing, I guess.¡± He lets him go and looks up over. ¡°Who are you traveling with this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Dennis.¡± I offer my hand. ¡°His friend.¡± I¡¯m surprised at the lack of reaction to that when he shakes my hand. Everyone else I¡¯ve met who¡¯s known Brandon always seemed doubtful of the statement. ¡°That¡¯s Helen, my sister. Don¡¯t ask. I¡¯ll tell you later. And that¡¯s Silver. If you want some entertainment for the people in there, you will do well to talk with her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bard,¡± she adds. ¡°Welcome to the Horn¡¯s Rest!¡± he bellows. ¡°I offer good food, a restful atmosphere, and comfortable rooms.¡± ¡°And great sex,¡± Brandon adds, ¡°if you can charm him.¡± Sam laughs, slapping him on the back hard enough, Brandon takes a step forward. Then, he has an arm over his shoulder and they¡¯re heading for the door. ¡°Does it feel weird to either of you?¡± I say. ¡°That Sam seems to actually like Brandon?¡± ¡°He clearly doesn¡¯t know him all that well,¡± Helen says. ¡°Maybe Sam¡¯s just the kind of guy who likes someone rough around the edges,¡± Silver offers. ¡°Or maybe,¡± I muse partially to myself. ¡°Sam¡¯s the kind of person Brandon doesn¡¯t feel the need to pretend with.¡± Helen¡¯s snort isn¡¯t flattering, but I ignore it. Unlike her, I figure there has to be one person out there Brandon can be himself with. Seems fitting it¡¯s someone bigger and stronger than he is. Chapter 78 I wake up to faint violin. Too structured to be Silver practicing, so she¡¯s already up playing for people. The room¡¯s small, but enough. Clearly intended for short stays. The bed, a table with a bowl that refill with warm water if it¡¯s empty for more than ten seconds, a chest for those who don¡¯t have enough inventory space for everything they carry, and that¡¯s it. The sound insulation¡¯s not great. Sam¡¯s already at the counter when I step into the dining room and the minotaur offers me a cup of steaming coffee. ¡°Free of charge. One thing I figure all travelers need in the morning.¡± ¡°Not food?¡± A long swallow and I fell more awake. ¡°Sure, but that I¡¯m not handing out.¡± ¡°Sausages and eggs. Toasts and jam.¡± Silver is on the small stage. The tune is lively, but not in a get-up-and-go kind of way. Just enough to enhance the coffee¡¯s effect. ¡°Any preferences?¡± It takes me a second to remember my order. ¡°Scrambled eggs. Whole wheat for the toast, and whatever jam you think is good.¡± Helen isn¡¯t there. Neither is Brandon. I can¡¯t ask about her, since she had her own room. ¡°Where did Brandon go to?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say.¡± I bring up the team chat as sit. Dennis: Brandon, what are you up to? Silver finishes her piece to light applauses and puts away her violin. Brandon: Checking with people I know here about Fort Knox. It¡¯s only been thirty years since the system showed up. Someone has to remember it. Dennis: Keep us up to date. I am tempted to remind him to call for help if he needs it, but he¡¯s a grown man, and I¡¯ve already told him a few times since having to rescue him. Silver returns from the counter with two plates; hers and mine. ¡°Simpler than having Sam bring it to you,¡± she says, sitting. ¡°Unless you were hoping to see him up close?¡± ¡°You know, teasing me like that is a Brandon thing to do.¡± She smiles. ¡°I just thought that since you¡¯ve grown comfortable with thinking of other people sexually, I, too, could indulge.¡± I return the smile. ¡°Then you can reassure yourself. I much prefer seeing you up close and serving me.¡± Her eyes go wide, her face turns red, and she looks at her plate. ¡°Do you know where Helen is?¡± Hopefully, this will bring things back to normal. ¡°I think she¡¯s still sleeping.¡± She eats a bit, then straightens. ¡°She said something about blowing anyone who bothered her all the way back to Toronto last night.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s just the two of us for a while.¡± She turns red again, and it is quite appealing. Is that why Brandon kept teasing me? Only, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. ¡°You want to walk around town? I have Jerky to unload, see if there¡¯s someplace that sells recipes. I need to make something other than jerky. We can see if anyone has violin stuff you can use.¡± She chuckles and regains her composure. ¡°Violin stuff?¡± ¡°Like stuff for your bow, you had to get some in Indianapolis.¡± ¡°It¡¯s call hair, like the stuff on your head. And yes, I should get some spares since there¡¯s no telling when we¡¯ll be in a city once we leave. As well as strings.¡± ¡°Cool, Sam probably knows the good places to shop at.¡± * I manage to unload three of my six slots filled with Jerky, but two of them were simply given to a group who helps people. I got fifty dollars for the other stack. There aren¡¯t a lot of recipes for preparing meat while in the wild that aren¡¯t just drying it to make jerky, or cooking it for near immediate consumption. There¡¯s Pemmican, which is pretty much just a different way to make jerky, although the additions of fruits would make it taste better, as well as create variety. The downside is that it¡¯s more involved. I have to render fat, powder the meat, dry the berries, find them, and foraging isn¡¯t a skill I even thought to get at this point. This is why I kept points in reserve. We track down a skill node and I got a level in foraging. The recipe was just given to me, so I¡¯ll see about trying it while we travel. Silver got two bow hair replacements and a set of eight strings. Her case has space to store them, so that¡¯s practical. We chatted about nothing specific while we shopped. Helen: Where is everyone? Dennis: Me and Silver are getting some shopping in. Dennis: Brandon? I bring up the team window. He¡¯s lost a bit of health and maybe half his stamina.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Dennis: Brandon, do you need help? Brandon: I¡¯m fine. Just had to deal with some idiots who thought they could rob me. Again, I¡¯m tempted to remind him he isn¡¯t alone. Dennis: we¡¯re heading back to the inn. Had any luck, Brandon? Brandon: Some. I¡¯m tracking someone who was alive before the system. From what I¡¯ve been told, he was a local, so if anyone knows about it, it¡¯ll be him. Dennis: Do you want help with that? Brandon: I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll be back in not too long. I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s Brandon¡¯s usual overconfidence, but I decide to trust him. When we reach the inn, it¡¯s a little past lunchtime, and it¡¯s busy. Sam hires Silver to provide entertainment, and includes lunch and dinner for the four of us as part of that. ¡°I¡¯m surprise you¡¯re charging Brandon for food.¡± I sit at the bar. ¡°Considering you two are¡­¡± He laughs. ¡°If I gave away free food to every guy I had sex with, those would be the only clients I¡¯d have, and I¡¯d go out of business. If I ever settle down with someone, he¡¯ll get free food.¡± Lunch is simple, tomato soup and cheese sandwich with a glass of juice. ¡°If you aren¡¯t too busy, I was wondering if you know anything about how Louisville got all the Elves living here.¡± He chuckles. ¡°Just about everyone around here who didn¡¯t pick a species when the system showed up got turned into an elf is the way I heard it.¡± ¡°I thought the species were assigned randomly.¡± He shrugs. ¡°Unless you¡¯ve queried the system about it and gotten it to answer, all I know is what I¡¯ve heard. My folks moved here from Lexington because they were the only minotaurs there, and there were only a handful of non-humans. Dad said it wasn¡¯t pleasant during those early years. So when they heard about all the elves here, he and mom booked it.¡± ¡°Where are they now?¡± ¡°Their place is on the other side of the city. Dad does hard labor, because, you know, minotaurs are good for nothing else.¡± I¡¯m about to protest, but he smiles. ¡°Actually, he loves it. Throw five hundred kilos over his shoulders and tell him to take it across the city and you¡¯ve made his day. Mom¡¯s a seamstress. Never got why she wanted to be a minotaur, but according to dad, she¡¯s the one who insisted.¡± ¡°You like it?¡± He looks at me, surprised, then his expression turns sly and he leans in. ¡°Look at me. I¡¯m pure muscle. Started life with strength of twenty, endurance at seventeen, and stamina as fifteen. You don¡¯t get a better combo than that.¡± He lowers his voice. ¡°And us bull are big, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s sexual.¡± As casual as I try to sound, my face heats up, and he laughs. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think I¡¯m the only one who isn¡¯t hyper sexual out here.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t,¡± Helen says. ¡°You just have had the bad luck of knowing Brandon and the kind of guys he attracts.¡± ¡°Come on, Helen.¡± I nod to Sam, who isn¡¯t looking pleased at her comments. ¡°Be nice. We are in his establishment.¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re a bad person, but my brother only likes one kind of guys.¡± Sam leans forward, and unlike when he did it with me, there¡¯s menace in his eyes. ¡°Considering you¡¯re his sister, that he be adopted or not, you don¡¯t seem to know Brandy very well.¡± She rolls her eyes. ¡°You have no idea the messes he¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stop you right there.¡± The tone is harsh enough she stops. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think of him. But I¡¯m not going to let someone badmouth one of my customers under my roof. You want to do that? Door¡¯s that away. Get it out of your system and then come back. I¡¯ll have lunch ready for you. It¡¯s part of Silver¡¯s payment for entertaining people for a couple of hours.¡± ¡°Helen,¡± I warn when she opens her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± She isn¡¯t happy. Helen: this isn¡¯t over. She storms out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. I know better than to say all elves are like that, but way too many of them are too full of themselves. I checked with my Elven friends, and there is no species drive to that, so it¡¯s just that they seem to gather and create the impression they¡¯re all like that. It¡¯s like us and being stubborn. Not all minotaurs are, but with willpower being influenced by endurance, and we all start with that above human average. When we set our mind to something, we don¡¯t change it easily.¡± He goes to handle other customer and I¡¯m through most of the soup when he passes by again. ¡°How did you meet Brandon?¡± He hands a mug to a woman and comes back. ¡°Same way I met you. He came into my inn with a group of people. Two explorers and three¡­I don¡¯t remember their classes. But more on the lean side. I figure they were passing through on their way to a ruin, since that¡¯s what explorers do, but they ended up staying for almost a week. Brandy made it clear he was interested in sex with me, and I never say no to that.¡± ¡°He is kind of blunt about it.¡± ¡°I like that about him. He doesn¡¯t lie or play games when it comes to sex. The rest?¡± he chuckles. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t believe half the things he¡¯s told you. And the rest is probably exaggerated too.¡± ¡°But you like him.¡± ¡°Of course I do. He¡¯s fun, and even if they¡¯re almost certainly made up, the stories about the places he¡¯d been to are entertaining. I just know better than to depend on him for anything important. He¡¯s all about fun.¡± ¡°But you told Helen she doesn¡¯t know him as well as she thinks, and that¡¯s pretty much what she thinks of him, if in a less flattering light.¡± He rests against the back counter. ¡°No. She thinks he¡¯s a bad seed. I kind of get why. Brandy did some pretty stupid stuff before and after he left home that didn¡¯t endear him to her. The fact his parents give him the benefit of the doubt doesn¡¯t help things. But just because he doesn¡¯t take stuff seriously, would rather lie about what happened than admit he screwed up, doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t someone who can be decent under there.¡± ¡°He told you all that?¡± ¡°Not that he¡¯s decent, I think he¡¯d throw himself off a cliff before admitting that, but yeah, he told my about how her parents took him in, the trouble he got in trying to live up to her expectations, then deciding he no longer cared what she thought and did his own things. Which weren¡¯t any smarter. I don¡¯t care how high his intelligent attribute is. Brandy isn¡¯t the smartest guy out there.¡± It¡¯s comforting to know there¡¯s someone else who sees Brandon¡¯s got a decent core hidden under all that roughness. ¡°Did he tell you what we¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°Something about chasing a ruin in the area no one¡¯s ever found before.¡± His expression makes it clear he doesn¡¯t believe that. ¡°We are. It¡¯s my expedition, technically,¡± I say as he opens his mouth. ¡°Brandon¡¯s helping.¡± He closes it. ¡°I was sure he¡¯d made that up. I mean, we¡¯d know if there was a ruin in the area, wouldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. From the research we did, no explorers believe it¡¯s real except one.¡± ¡°Other than you. So why do you believe it¡¯s real?¡± ¡°In part because that other guy is willing to have me killed over it. No one would go that far over something they weren¡¯t certain was real.¡± I take Aaron¡¯s journal out of my inventory. ¡°And because of this. I sort of inherited this with my class, and Xander is certain the truth about the ruin is in it. Aaron, its previous owner, went to great length to hide it, so I¡¯m inclined to think he¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t read it to be sure?¡± ¡°Aaron locked most of it behind a quest. If I was smart about it, I¡¯d get the quest done and then worry about Xander and the ruin, but having a price on my head is really pissing me off, and the only way I can¡¯t think to make him pay is to take the ruin away from him by finding it and revealing it to everyone.¡± ¡°Then I hope you manage it.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I finish my lunch and listen to Silver play for a bit. As she finishes a piece, I bring up the team window to check on Brandon and his health is below a quarter. Damn it. I was really hoping he wouldn¡¯t do that again. ¡°Sam, do you know someone I can hire who¡¯s good at finding idiots who get themselves into more trouble than they can handle and refuse to ask for help?¡± Chapter 79 I keep an eye on Brandon¡¯s health for the hour or so it takes Sam to contact the tracker he knows, and for her to arrive at the inn. It doesn¡¯t shift in any way I notice. It¡¯s slightly below a quarter still. I know health goes up slowly, but still. And why isn¡¯t he drinking a healing potion? Is he unconscious? She¡¯s an elf, but there is nothing ¡®haughty¡¯ about her. She wears leather armor like it¡¯s her everyday set of clothing; it¡¯s worn and patched. Everything about her speaks of practicality, over appearances. There¡¯s a quiver at her hip, which means she has a bow in her inventory, and a sword in a plain scabbard on the other side. ¡°Rachel,¡± Sam greets her. ¡°These are the people who need your help.¡± He motions to us in turn. ¡°Dennis, Helen, and Silver.¡± She looks us over, then addresses Helen. ¡°It¡¯s five hundred dollars upfront. After that, it depends on how difficult it is to find what you¡¯re looking for.¡± I raise my hand, then speak before she moves her attention to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it matters, but I¡¯m the team leader, and I¡¯m the one who asked Sam to contact you.¡± She looks at me in surprise, then at Helen, who just raises an eyebrow. When Rachel looks at me again, there¡¯s hesitation, maybe regret? She shrugs. ¡°Like I said, five hundred upfront.¡± Did she overcharge because she thought she¡¯d be working for Helen? ¡°You said it goes up from there. How will that work?¡± ¡°I have multiple ways to find something.¡± ¡°Someone. We¡¯re looking for our teammate, Brandon.¡± ¡°Okay. I start with the simplest. I¡¯d say half the time, that¡¯s enough. If that doesn¡¯t work, I move on to the other methods. Each one is slightly more complicated, requiring more time, more tools, and more ingredients. For each method I have to use, it¡¯s a hundred dollars.¡± ¡°And if you don¡¯t find him?¡± Helen asks. ¡°You give it back?¡± ¡°I will find him. I¡¯ve never not found what I was paid to find. It¡¯s just a question of how well hidden it is and how much you¡¯re willing to spend.¡± ¡°Whatever it takes.¡± I open the trade window and put the five hundred in it. She accepts it. ¡°Okay. I need something of his. What doesn¡¯t matter, but it¡¯s got to mean something to him. The importance doesn¡¯t have to be great, but it¡¯s got to be there. If you can¡¯t¡­¡± she trails off, looking at me as I¡¯m about to ask Sam if Brandon left anything in his room. She looks over her shoulder; at me again. ¡°Is there someone else in your party other than this Brandon?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just the four of us.¡± ¡°Then I have him. Follow me.¡± Silver and Helen look at me, but all I can do is shrug and follow Rachel. * She takes us halfway across town. To a neighborhood of stone houses among yet more trees. While I know Louisville was here before the system arrived from what Sam said, I can¡¯t help feeling like the trees have always been here, and the houses built in the spaces around them. ¡°He¡¯s in there.¡± This house is mostly field stones. There¡¯s a porch stretching across the front, and the bay window on the left is perfectly formed glass. Not something that¡¯s cheap to get. ¡°Do you know who lives there?¡± ¡°No. This isn¡¯t quite the wealthiest part of the city, but we aren¡¯t far from it.¡± ¡°Of course my brother would bother someone with money.¡± ¡°He was looking for someone who was alive before the system arrived. It makes sense they could set themselves up if they were in any way smart,¡± Silver replies. ¡°Are you coming with us?¡± I ask Rachel. ¡°No. I got you here. That¡¯s where my work ends. I can tell you he¡¯s in the far corner of the house, on the ground floor. Against the back wall.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I step to the door, and get confirmation Brandon¡¯s been here by the busted latch and door frame. ¡°Did he really kick in the door of a stranger?¡± Silver asks. I don¡¯t bother answering. At best, he might have knocked, then kicked in the door if there was no answer or if they refused to let him in. Manners are not Brandon¡¯s strength. I knock on the door, and it moves in slightly. ¡°Hello?¡± When I don¡¯t get an answer, I push it open the rest of the way. I¡¯m looking at a well-appointed living room. Couch, seats, fireplace, even a carpet under the low table before them. ¡°Hello? We just want to talk.¡± There¡¯s a hallway to the left of center. Maybe Brandon injured them in the process of getting hurt? Helen grabs my shoulder as I step in. ¡°Are you seriously going in there?¡± ¡°Brandon¡¯s in here. And probably the person he was going to question. They¡¯re probably both hurt. Someone would have replied when I called out otherwise.¡± ¡°Or this is another trap to get their hands on you.¡± Yeah. That¡¯s crossed my mind. I can¡¯t not consider that at this point. ¡°So what? Your suggestion is we leave your brother to get out of this by himself?¡± ¡°He got himself into this without any help.¡± I pull my arm out of her grip. ¡°I don¡¯t leave friends behind.¡± I really wish she¡¯d get that. They both follow me in. The hallway has two doors on one side, three on the other, and opens up at the back. I open the doors as we pass them to confirm there¡¯s no one hiding in them. One¡¯s a stairwell going up. The back of the house is a kitchen and dining room spanning the width. It¡¯s surprisingly modern, in the way of movies I¡¯ve watched. A long counter, stove and oven, even something that could be a microwave. The table is dark hardwood with six chairs. There¡¯s a glass patio door with a surprisingly large yard visible, considering how many trees are in this city. I can¡¯t even see one out there.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Brandon is to the left of that, up against the wall. I¡¯m halfway to him when an old man says, ¡°That¡¯s far enough.¡± I whirl to face him, sitting at the dining table. I have no idea how I missed him, although his next action gives me the answer. With a wave of the hand, the entire room changes. Gone are the appliances, the clean floor, the glass patio door. Even the walls are now just the field stones. The hallway we came through is also gone, but I¡¯m not confident that¡¯s not true. We did walk through it, and this speaks of illusion magic, rather than¡­wherever else it might be. The man¡¯s definitely old, human. He¡¯s gaunt. His white hair¡¯s thin, tied back. His clothing¡¯s also old and worn. There¡¯s an air of exhaustion about him, but his gaze is alert. I wave Helen down as fire spreads over her hands. The look she gives me isn¡¯t pleased. ¡°Hi. My name is Dennis. This is Helen, and that¡¯s Silver. We¡¯re just here to retrieve Brandon. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble he caused.¡± He snorts. ¡°The kid barges in, then proceeds to threaten me with violence if I don¡¯t answer his questions. Even landed a punch, the son of a bitch. I¡¯m not inclined to let you take him anywhere.¡± I glare at Brandon. ¡°Really? You attacked an old man?¡± without the illusion, glowing bands around his neck and arms hold him against the wall. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t answer me.¡± He sounds as weak as the old man looks. ¡°And he¡¯s tougher than he looks.¡± ¡°Maybe you need to start considering that before getting into fights I have to rescue you from.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. You shouldn¡¯t have come.¡± ¡°You are going to get this into that thick skull of yours. I am your friend. I will not leave you to deal with troubles alone, no matter what they are. And why the fuck can¡¯t you just ask for help?¡± He looks away. I¡¯m pretty sure what he says is ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯ But I can¡¯t make out the words. ¡°If your friends of his, I¡¯m also not inclined to let any of you go.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to see you¡ª¡± ¡°Helen,¡± I warn. Does she realize she seems to be as eager as Brandon to get into fights when she thinks she has the upper hand? About the only difference between them there is that she is more aware of her limitations, usually. There is no way she can think she, we, can take on this man when he had such an easy time dealing with Brandon. Not to mention the magic he pulled to make us see the house as normal. I focus on him again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the troubles Brandon caused. If you let us take him, I¡¯ll make sure he never bothers you again.¡± ¡°He knows about Fort Knox.¡± ¡°And if you hadn¡¯t made a mess of this, maybe we could have asked him. How about you stay silent and let me try to get you out of this?¡± The old man chuckles. ¡°You seem awfully confident you are getting out of here, boy.¡± ¡°Hopeful. There¡¯s no way we can fight you, so I¡¯m hoping we can come to an agreement about what it¡¯s going to take to let the four of us walk out of here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure you want to take him? You¡¯ve been nice and respectful, so I¡¯m inclined to let you and the two girls go, but him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t leave my friends behind.¡± I look at Brandon. ¡°No matter what stupid shit they pull.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯m not sure I can make it easy on you.¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry he punched you, but¡ª¡± He waves that aside. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I barely feel stuff like that anymore. It¡¯s the disrespect. I was old when his daddy was in his daddy¡¯s balls, and he barges in here with his demands. You, at least, know how to be polite.¡± ¡°My Dad and Grandpa Louis, and Base are big on politeness with strangers.¡± ¡°Lost art, that. Being polite.¡± ¡°I appreciate you¡¯re angry at Brandon, but there has to be something we can do, that we can pay, to balance what he did.¡± His chuckle is without humor. ¡°You are hanging a lot on the hope I¡¯m a reasonable man.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t blasted us to dust yet, so I think you are.¡± Now there¡¯s levity in the chuckle. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give you a chance. There¡¯s a dungeon outside the city that has something I want.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t get it yourself?¡± Helen mocks and I glare at her. ¡°Do I look like the adventuring kind, little girl?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, still glaring at her so she won¡¯t make matters worse. ¡°The core.¡± I keep glaring as I try to puzzle what that is. When I can¡¯t, I have to look at him. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He chuckles. ¡°That¡¯s not important to you. What is, is that it¡¯s going to be a crystal. I don¡¯t know what shape it¡¯s going to have, since they¡¯re never the same, but it¡¯s going to be at the bottom of the dungeon.¡± ¡°Okay, you let me have Brandon and¡ª¡± ¡°No, boy. He stays. Think of him as my insurance you¡¯re going to try your best to come back alive.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s to say he¡¯s going to be alive when we return?¡± Helen demands. ¡°I have no interest in killing him. I¡¯m perfectly happy to watch him suffer as he dies of hunger and dehydration. He looks like he¡¯s got a lot of endurance, so he¡¯s good for what, three weeks, a month without water? I doubt it¡¯s going to be pleasant, but it gives you ample time to reach the dungeon.¡± ¡°Do you have directions to it?¡± I ask. ¡°Do you have a map in your heads-up?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± He harrumphs in annoyance. Then, with a gesture, a piece of paper appears on the table close to me. I take it. There¡¯s a rough outline of Louisville as well as the trade roads, and a dotted trail from one of them to an ¡®x¡¯. ¡°X marks the spot,¡± he says. There¡¯s no scale, so I have no way to tell how far it is, but there are enough landmarks, I should be able to find it. ¡°Can you tell me anything about the dungeon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to kill the lot of you,¡± he replies, laughing. So it¡¯s going to be tough. Tougher without Brandon. ¡°Don¡¯t do this,¡± Brandon says. ¡°You lost the right to tell me what to do after the first time I had to rescue you.¡± He snorts. ¡°I had to rescue you plenty of time.¡± I glare at him. ¡°I¡¯m a kid out on his first adventure. What¡¯s your excuse?¡± He looks away. ¡°We¡¯re going to be back with this core of yours. I expect Brandon to be in the same condition he is in now.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to make him worse, I give you my word. I can¡¯t vouch for what time will do to him, so I suggest you hurry.¡± I turn to leave, and the hallway is back. The rest of the house is just as decrepit as the kitchen. It¡¯s like the old man never bothered taking care of it. Or he just moved into an abandoned house. Rachel¡¯s not there when we exit. The outside looks the same as before. Like it¡¯s been maintained, just like the other houses in the area. An illusion? Or does he make sure it looks normal to keep people from wondering about him? The first stop will be the inn. Sam might know something about the dungeon. Maybe people willing to help us. ¡°I think that was a lich,¡± Silver whisper and there¡¯s a shiver in her voice. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that species.¡± I look at Helen, who shakes her head. ¡°It¡¯s not a species. It¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°Like a debuff?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s like that, it¡¯s a combination of a buff and a debuff. According to the song, the man who became one gained an unending life, but only by taking other¡¯s hit points.¡± ¡°Like a Vampire?¡± ¡°That a species,¡± Helen says. ¡°But it¡¯s a bit like that, just without the drinking of the blood part. You noticed how Brandon¡¯s health never changed? He probably absorbs any points above a certain level.¡± ¡°Okay, so he can¡¯t ¡®suck Brandon dry¡¯.¡± ¡°He might be able to. The man in the song ends up being killed because he sucks so many people dry. The others in the town turned on him.¡± ¡°So we might get back, just find a dry husk,¡± Helen says. ¡°He said he wasn¡¯t going to kill Brandon,¡± I reply. ¡°And you believe him?¡± I round on her. ¡°What the fuck to you want me do to, Helen? Go back, kick the door in and end up like Brandon?¡± ¡°Unlike him, you have me.¡± ¡°You really think you can take him on?¡± She snorts. ¡°He¡¯s old. Attributes drop when you¡¯re old enough.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s balanced out with being high level, which works out in their favor.¡± She snorts again. ¡°My combat trainer is old. Probably as old as he is. She¡¯s Grandpa Louis¡¯s mother. And I watched her take down monsters in the last wave back home. You¡¯re not that powerful, Helen.¡± ¡°And he might be stronger than that,¡± Silver adds. ¡°In the song, the man uses a lot of those hit points to temporarily boosts other stuff. I think it¡¯s like a pool he can apply where he wants, at the cost of burning them out, so having to absorb more.¡± ¡°Then we tell the city about him. They¡¯ll take him down for us.¡± ¡°What crime has he committed?¡± I ask. ¡°He¡¯s holding my brother. Draining him.¡± ¡°Someone who kicked in his door and assaulted an old man.¡± I look at her. ¡°You really think they¡¯re going to look at Brandon and see a victim? How many others has he assaulted in the process of looking for information, Helen? Be realistic. If the city gets involved, they might take Brandon away from that man, but they aren¡¯t letting him leave. The only chance we have is to get him what he wants.¡± ¡°He said the dungeon was going to kill us,¡± Silver says. ¡°It won¡¯t be the first one to try,¡± I reply. ¡°And at least what he wants doesn¡¯t end up with us having to break laws. As far as I know, dungeons are fair game.¡±/ Chapter 80 ¡°Do you know anything about a dungeon west of here?¡± I place the map on the bar for Sam to look at. He shakes his head, then looks over the room. ¡°Al, come over here.¡± Al¡¯s an orc, and a woman. ¡°You¡¯ve traveled between here and St-Louis a few times.¡± He taps the ¡®x¡¯ on the map. ¡°You know anything about a dungeon there?¡± She looks it over. ¡°I know there is one. Came across a party going and coming back from it a few times. I can¡¯t tell you anything about it, though.¡± ¡°How far from the city is it?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯d say three days. But it depends on how hard you¡¯re pushing.¡± She taps a geometric shape on the other side of the line marking the trade route. ¡°That¡¯s Lime Rock, you can¡¯t miss it. There¡¯s a trail there. I figure it leads to that dungeon.¡± ¡°So, the city runs it regularly?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± ¡°Do you know how often? When they ran it last?¡± She looks at Sam. ¡°He is for real?¡± The minotaur shrugs. She looks me over. I¡¯m still in armor. ¡°Is this something you do?¡± ¡°No. Brandon, a friend of mine, got himself in trouble, and we need to get something from the dungeon to get him out of it. I¡¯m trying to get a sense of what to expect from it. What we need to prepare for.¡± She chuckles. ¡°For someone who doesn¡¯t do this for a living. You seem to know what to expect.¡± ¡°We have a dungeon back home. We have expeditions to it every month to couple of months. It¡¯s to give it time to repopulate.¡± ¡°Is there anyone you can check with?¡± Sam asks. ¡°Brandy¡¯s a friend of mine, so anything that helps would be good.¡± ¡°I can ask around,¡± she replies. ¡°But that won¡¯t be until tomorrow.¡± I want to convince her to work faster, but I also remember my other time in a dungeon, utterly unprepared for it. I probably don¡¯t know the questions to ask to properly prepare, but I know that more information is better than nothing. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be here tomorrow from dinner time on. If you can get details on it, I¡¯d appreciate it. I can pay for the information.¡± I get the feeling it¡¯s a way to go through the money I have left faster than I¡¯d like, but even in Court, people expect to be paid for the work they do. She chuckles. ¡°Let¡¯s start with what I can find out from the people I already have to talk to tomorrow. If that¡¯s not enough, or if you need something specific about it, we can talk about referral fees.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± I take the food to our table, and we talk over strategy. Other than going there and killing everything we come across, there isn¡¯t much more we can discuss. Brandon is our expert, but while he still shows up on the team list, he isn¡¯t answering questions in the team chat. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s being stubborn, or the old man¡¯s somehow blocking us. Falling asleep¡¯s hard. Worry makes me toss, and I wake up a few times thinking I just watched Brandon¡¯s life being sucked out of him. Or the four of us die in a dungeon. I really need Sam¡¯s coffee when I go for breakfast. Silver and Helen look better than I feel, but they too seem to have to force themselves to eat. After that, we shop for things we might need. Bandages, since potions are out of our budget at this point, food rations, mainly hard bread and dried fruit to go with the overabundant jerky I have. And water skins. Lots of them.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. It¡¯s only two slots, between them empty and full, and I don¡¯t want us to run out of water in the dungeon. This isn¡¯t like the other one. We don¡¯t get to just turn around and leave if we run out of something. Or at least not without it costing us time Brandon might not have. By lunch time I can¡¯t think of anything else we need that we can afford. Better armor, weapons, mana potions, along with health potions, would be useful, but out of our range. We¡¯ll just have to be careful. Silver keeps busy putting on a show for free in Sam¡¯s inn. I do my best to let that distract me, and Helen leaves the inn as soon as we¡¯re done eating. I know I should find a yard and practice¡­something, just so I¡¯m not sitting here worrying, but that¡¯s tough to do right now. Al returns not long before dinner time, and I have trouble staying seated. I¡¯m sure me pestering her about what she learned isn¡¯t going to make her want to tell me any more than she might already. ¡°So,¡± the orc says, once she¡¯s seated opposite me with a mug of something steaming that isn¡¯t coffee. ¡°I have information, and people you can talk with tomorrow if you feel you need more details. All free of charge. They actually seem happy to learn someone else was taking an interest in the dungeon.¡± ¡°Did you learn how often and when the last time was?¡± ¡°They try for every six weeks, but they go in with a party of ten, and they can¡¯t always get that many on time to stick to it. The last time they went in was a little over three weeks ago.¡± ¡°With a team of ten?¡± If they need that many, the old man¡¯s promise the dungeon was going to kill us might be more true than I¡¯d like. ¡°Yes. The sense I got from the conversation is that they like going in with overwhelming forces. They go in more to farm the items they can find, then for the leveling experience.¡± I breathe a little easier. ¡°Did they say how far in they go?¡± ¡°They clear it each time.¡± So, the dungeon will have repopulated somewhat. ¡°They take everything each time?¡± Why didn¡¯t the old man pay them to get that crystal he wants? Even if he doesn¡¯t have money, he¡¯s bound to be able to trade something. ¡°I don¡¯t know. When he said that they ¡®clear it,¡¯ I figure that¡¯s what he meant, but I didn¡¯t ask for confirmation. You can ask him if you want.¡± Is the crystal something that regrows? If so, again, why doesn¡¯t the old man have a deal with them? Or is it something only he understands the value of, and if they learn about it, he won¡¯t be able to get it anymore? That would explain why he¡¯s not dealing with these people. If I talk with them, or ask them to come with us, will that make it easier or harder for me to get the crystal? I tell myself that yes, of course their help will make things easier, but Xander¡¯s taught me that greed is a powerful thing. Detroit¡¯s taught me that anyone can fall victim to it. If the old man¡¯s going at it in this roundabout way, that crystal¡¯s valuable to him. Can I risk Brandon¡¯s freedom on the hope someone helping us won¡¯t realize that and decide they want to exchange that for money? Fuck. I hate that I see people that way now. But, better knowing this ahead of time than discovering the kind of assholes people can be when they take it from me and doom Brandon to die. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Do you want his name? Like I said, he¡¯ll be happy to answer more of your questions.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡± The words are out while I¡¯m still trying to convince myself I could trust that man enough to ask questions, but I¡¯m not sly, like Brandon. I can let something important slip and not realize it. ¡°Thank you. Are you sure I can¡¯t repay you in some way?¡± She smiles. ¡°It¡¯s all good. Like I said, I was already in that area, so I didn¡¯t need to go out of my way. Bring me back a souvenir from your time in the dungeon if you need to repay me. I¡¯ve never had something like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you something nice.¡± She leaves for another table, and not long after that, Helen sits down. ¡°Unless you need to shop for more things,¡± I tell her. ¡°We¡¯re leaving first thing in the morning.¡± * The weather doesn¡¯t cooperate with us. The rain, as we head out, is hard enough it make it through the trees¡¯ canopy like they aren¡¯t there. It doesn¡¯t get any better once we¡¯re out of the city. While pushing ourselves was part of the plan, we don¡¯t even make it halfway to the planned stop before we can¡¯t stand it anymore. Helen manages to get a fire started and maintained long enough for us to heat a meat and vegetables soup. Then it¡¯s cold misery in my tent. I get in more reading, but that¡¯s about it. The next morning, the rain¡¯s down to a drizzle that ends a few hours later, then the warmth of the sun and a beautiful blue sky accompanies us. I actually feel hopeful by the time we make camp, although I keep that in check. I don¡¯t trust the system to not make something happen just to remind me the world¡¯s harsh. Like I need the reminder. Two days later, we¡¯re at Lime Rock. I¡¯d wondered why the name, now I know. The rock pillar is kind of green. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s lime green, since I¡¯ve never seen one, but it¡¯s a reason for the name. The trail¡¯s easy to find, and by the end of the day, we¡¯re in a clearing at the foot of a cliff with an opening in it. There are extinguished campfires, as well as evidence of where tents have been set. We make camp and rest. Tomorrow we do in, and we aren¡¯t coming out without that crystal the old man wants. Chapter 81
Yes. ¡° Dennis: Helen, do you have a light spell? And will that alert them to our presence? Helen: I have something that might be better. Silver: why didn¡¯t you use this in the other dungeon? Helen: I didn¡¯t think about it.
¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Stolen story; please report. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°
¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I push away from the wall, my stamina fully regenerated. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± Chapter 85 Waking up¡¯s nice. The smell¡¯s really nice. The warmth is nice too. I really could get used to that. ¡°Good morning,¡± Silver says, then chuckles. ¡°Or whatever it¡¯s called in a dungeon without a way to know which time it is.¡± Then what I did before we slept slams into me and I lower my head, not quite stifling the groan of embarrassment. That put my nose squarely between her breasts. But, really, at this point, that might be the less¡­intrusive? Thing I¡¯ve done. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I mumbled. I have no excuses. ¡°What for?¡± her arms tighten around me. ¡°I kind of forced myself on you?¡± She laughed. ¡°You were definitely into it, but you didn¡¯t force anything. Actually, I have to ask. Was this really your first time?¡± I groan. ¡°Yes.¡± I definitely enjoyed it, but how good can it have been for someone who¡¯s been with other guys before. ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡± Okay, not the reaction I was expecting. I look up. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The light permeating around us is dim. Like I forgot to turn the reading lamp on my desk off, but it¡¯s too even for that. And we¡¯re in a dungeon. ¡°This was better than some of the ¡®experienced¡¯ guys I¡¯ve been with.¡± I hear the quotes. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You definitely fumbled about here and there, but you knew that and you asked how you should do it and¡­it was good.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± no matter how much I rack my memory, the only thing there is how good it felt. ¡°Are you okay? I mean, I didn¡¯t really feel like stopping you once you started things, but you have a girl back home.¡± I don¡¯t have to think about it long. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re engaged, or that I promised her I¡¯d keep myself for her.¡± Or even said anything about wanting to be with her? Did I take for granted it would happen, or was I just waiting for the ¡®right moment?¡¯ ¡°I think,¡± I continue, other things sort of falling into places. ¡°I was mostly using Josie, so I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with being tempted. Anytime Brandon put himself out there for me to see, I just had to tell myself it didn¡¯t matter if it turned me on. I wouldn¡¯t do anything about it because I was faithful to her. It was easier that dealing with¡­¡± ¡°Bad first experience?¡± I snort. ¡°Didn¡¯t get that far, although I fully believed that¡¯s where it was heading. The guy put all the right hints out there for me to fill in the wrong picture and go along. He¡¯s how all this started, really. The asshole lured me in the forest, playing on my teenage libido. Then he shoved me in a hole and left me to die.¡± ¡°Why would he do that?¡± My chuckle is bitter. ¡°I guess you missed my asshole comment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s way beyond being an asshole.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s pure luck I found Aaron¡¯s corpse and was able to get his class. Oh, right. He did that hours before my choosing day. If not for Aaron, I¡¯d have ended up classless, and definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to get out of there.¡± ¡°Classless?¡± ¡°Yes, if you aren¡¯t at a node on Choosing Day, the system assigns you whoever¡¯s class is nearest to you. If you¡¯re in the middle of nowhere¡ª¡± I shudder ¡°¡ªyou end up classless and are a drain on everyone around you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think¡ª¡± She stops. ¡°I¡¯m sorry he did that to you. I¡¯m glad you got out of it.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± We¡¯re silent for a while. ¡°Look, I know we sort of touched on this when we kissed the other time, but¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in love with you,¡± she replies. ¡°Oh good. I mean, I¡¯m not in love with you either. I think that once we¡¯re out of here, I¡¯d like to do this again, you know, with it not fueled by adrenaline. But unless you¡¯re interested in settling down in Court, I can¡¯t see us getting serious.¡± She chuckles. ¡°I plan on doing a lot of adventuring before I consider settling down. But even then, and don¡¯t get me wrong, you are a really nice guy, but I wouldn¡¯t make the decision of if it¡¯s with you based on our time out here.¡± ¡°Makes sense.¡± ¡°Does this mean you two lovebirds are done?¡± Helen asks, and I groan. ¡°Tell me we didn¡¯t¡­with her there.¡± ¡°And just where did you think I¡¯d go while you to had fun?¡± I groan again. ¡°Please,¡± she says, ¡°I had my back to you, and I was your age too, you know. I¡¯ve had my fun in places I probably shouldn¡¯t and with more people around than considered appropriate.¡± I groan more and Silver pats my back. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you too have done stuff with people watching.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. She chuckles. ¡°You know that reputation bards have, that we¡¯ll sleep with anything that will just look in our direction?¡± I¡¯m already groaning. ¡°It¡¯s not entirely undeserved.¡± I¡¯m going to burst on fire. ¡°But if it helps,¡± she says. ¡°I¡¯ve kept it to sentient guys.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± I mumble, my face pressed above her breasts. She pats my back again. ¡°How about I get us a fire and you practice your cooking skill?¡± Helen asks. ¡°Did you stand guard all¡­night?¡± I ask, untangling myself from Silver and pulling my pants to me. I don¡¯t care what she saw or heard us do. I¡¯m not standing up naked with her watching. ¡°I closed the door, made sure the other one didn¡¯t open outward and lied down against it. I figured creatures in here aren¡¯t smart enough to crack the puzzle that locks the entrance.¡± ¡°Are you sure it locked when you closed the door?¡± Silver asks. She¡¯s much more casual with standing to get dressed. ¡°No. But that¡¯s how locks work, and I wasn¡¯t staying up while you two got your beauty sleep.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I mumble. ¡°Stop it, Dennis.¡± She chuckles. ¡°You got carried away in the moment. It happens. Fuck knows Brandon¡¯s told enough stories of him and some guy in whatever party he was exploring with getting to it after a hard enough fight.¡± ¡°Except I¡¯m not him. I¡¯d like to think I have more of a head on my shoulder.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a teen out for his first adventure,¡± she replies. ¡°It was going to happen at some point. Just be happy it¡¯s with Silver and not my brother.¡± I snort. I made it clear enough to him that wasn¡¯t happening. Even with knowing how fun this is, and yes, I¡¯m kind of curious to know how it¡¯s like with a guy, the idea of doing it with Brandon? Yeah, it¡¯s not even interesting. Once dressed and with the fire going, I set to making what turns out to be more a thin broth with hard pieces of meat in it than anything resembling a stew or a soup, but no one complains, and it¡¯s filling. The door opens with a solid pull, more the resistance of stone against stone than anything meant to prevent us from leaving. And I have to stop at what waits for us on the other side. In the middle of a room no more than four meters on all sides is a display dummy wearing a set of leather armor. System Query: Arcadian Leather Armor set, Quality: Excellent, Type: Armor The leather armor favored by the warriors of Arcadia, made of the leather of the Wild Thrumbor Beast. Prized for its durability, flexibility, and lightweight. Perception Check Successful Arcadian armor is designed to be more effective when worn as a set, instead of individual pieces. I grin as I get a notification that my perception skill went up to twenty-two. Beyond it is another door. ¡°So¡­trap?¡± I ask. ¡°Or the room¡¯s reward?¡± Silver offers, although she sounds uncertain. ¡°Big fights have those, right?¡± I¡¯m looking at Helen for her opinion even as I realize she¡¯s not going to know anything about it. The roll of the eyes confirms it. ¡°Okay. You two stay by the door.¡± I arm myself. The dummy doesn¡¯t have a sword or a shield, but I am not taking for granted it can¡¯t just make those appear. ¡°The armor¡¯s magical,¡± Helen says after words that annoyingly slip between layers in my brain. ¡°Great,¡± I grumble. ¡°Any chance you¡¯re willing to try and get more information on the magic?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up,¡± she replies. I poke the dummy¡¯s chest with the tip of my sword, and nothing happens. Helen mumbles something, and man, is that irritating. How do people who adventure with magic users get used to that? Will I manage to tune it out at some point? Make it background noise? The helmet isn¡¯t attacked, so I use my sword to flick it off the dummy. It lands on the floor and stays there. I pause before picking it up. ¡°Either of you know anything about cursed objects being found in dungeons?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think those would be given out as rewards,¡± Silver says. Helen curses and starts mumbling again. ¡°So if we accept this is a reward, it¡¯s safe?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put the thing on,¡± Helen warns, interrupting her casting. ¡°At least give me the time to get this working.¡± I step away from the helmet, and when a few more pokes don¡¯t produce results, I go look at the door so I won¡¯t be closer to Helen and be able to make out the magic she¡¯s mumbling. It¡¯s very much like the one we entered, in that it¡¯s stone, but the hinges are on the other side. I lean against the wall next to it and wait. Helen curses three more times, then exclaims, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°You got something?¡± Silver asks. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have negative magic,¡± she replies, some of her triumph taken away by her panting. I can¡¯t hide my disappointment that¡¯s all she got. ¡°Can you get anything more?¡± I ask tentatively. ¡°How long to you want to stay here?¡± she replies sourly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you get how hard information magic is. And I only have magic detection in that field, so I start at a big disadvantage. I¡¯m going to have to learn, or figure out, a lot more spell there before the cumulative bonuses make this easy.¡± ¡°Cumulative bonuses?¡± I look at Silver, but she shakes her head. ¡°Have you ever wondered why magic users tend to focus in one field of magic?¡± ¡°I figured it was how those classes worked. Your abilities unlock a field. Like I¡¯ll get healing magic once I take the Second Wind ability.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°Yes, there is an aspect of abilities letting us build bonuses in one field, but beyond that, our spells build on themselves. Simply, the more spells in one field you have, the easier to use spells in that field is, in my case, the easier it is to have an attempt succeed.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you have like four different fields?¡± Silver asks. Helen grins. ¡°I have ambition.¡± ¡°Alright, so taking the armor off the dummy isn¡¯t going to cause problem?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. The armor itself doesn¡¯t have magic that will impact the wearer negatively. There is no magic on the dummy, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not trapped.¡± I take out rope. ¡°Silver, take one end and go on the other side. On my signal, we cross the room and trip the dummy.¡± ¡°And hope the trap¡¯s not a fireball?¡± she replies, taking it. ¡°No magic,¡± Helen says. Silver looks at the ceiling. ¡°No burning oil falling down on us, then?¡± ¡°Are there a lot of stories where that happens?¡± We move away. ¡°Not that I know, but I wouldn¡¯t go by them, anyway.¡± ¡°Helen, can you do something if burning oil falls from the ceiling?¡± ¡°If that happens and we survive it, we¡¯ll have to seriously consider that we¡¯re outclassed.¡± With a nod to Silver, we hurry to the other side. There¡¯s barely any resistance when the rope catches on the dummy¡¯s feet and it topples. Parts break off and the armor pieces scatter. ¡°I guess it was the reward for the fight,¡± Helen says, smug. I collect the pieces and put them in my inventory, where each takes a slot, until they are all in, and they the set is in one. Then I switch to my normal clothing. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Silver asks. I move the set to my equipment tab, replacing my damaged armor. ¡°Putting on the best armor I can.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t know what it does.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to hurt me, right?¡± Helen shakes his head. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s going to help you.¡± ¡°Magic that doesn¡¯t hurt me had to help in some way. Helen can keep trying to learn what the magic is when we¡¯re resting, but otherwise, that last fight proved we aren¡¯t properly equipped. So I¡¯m going to make use of everything the dungeon provides. I suggest you both do when we come across appropriate equipment.¡± Silver¡¯s not pleased, but she nods. I put my shoulder to the door and push it open. ¡°We continue like before. Kill at a distance as much as possible.¡±
Author''s Notes The dungeon. The aftermath
The talk was planned, although loosely. Silver was always who Dennis would have sex with first, and it was alway going to happen off page, after a battle that nearly kills him, adrenaline and surviving and all that.