ã€ŠSoftly Awakening to the Apocalypseã€‹


 1: UFO Kun

    The bus trip changed from uneventful to interesting all of a sudden when a line of fire beelined across the sky with an ominous thundering sound. Chasing away his drowsiness, Rowan yawned and stretched, his eyes chasing the object. At the same time, a grandmotherly lady sitting across the aisle decided he was the perfect target for a chat.

    ¡°Do you like hiking, young man?¡±

    Rowan opened his mouth to say yes, but instead of the word, he gasped. The meteor was drawing near, and its trajectory was now a subject of worry. It passed over, and everyone glued their faces to the windows. That was no meteorite. The UFO screamed as it went down, disappearing over the hills, and then came the shock. A giant fist of air hit the bus and the forest, making the trees swing wild. A trunk fell on the road, just ahead. The vehicle swerved and stopped, brakes screeching, mere feet from the obstacle. Yells and ouch-es erupted around, with a few people hitting their heads on the chairs in front of them.

    ¡°Everyone OK? I¡¯m a doctor.¡± That was the old woman¡¯s husband.

    People said stuff. Yesses or noes, irrelevant, the booming noise covered all. Then came the light. Rowan dove down; the chair next to him was empty, but there was no heat or aftershock.

    ¡°That was a nuke?¡± somebody asked.

    ¡°It was a UFO,¡± someone else said.

    The engine and the lights of the bus went off.

    ¡°I lost power,¡± the driver shouted.

    ¡°T¡¯was a nuke all right; that was the electromagnetic pulse,¡± the same person from before said.

    Checking his phone, Rowan found it working. No signal, though.

    ¡°I¡¯ll open the front door manually,¡± the driver yelled. ¡°Don¡¯t rush!¡±

    In the next five minutes, the passengers, all retirees except for Rowan, exited more or less orderly, gathering on the grass outside the road. Behind, a few cars stopped as well, and one was the police. Their lights and engine were working fine.

    ¡°Have you seen the UFO?¡± a policewoman yelled, exiting her vehicle.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Russians,¡± the driver said.

    There were so many voices yelling around that Rowan felt dizzy. He instinctively walked away, leaving some space between him and the group. For a minute, he tried to put some order into his thoughts. A UFO had crashed close by. That was¡­

    Voices screamed for help in the distance, up the hill. He let his thoughts be and rushed to another police person, a man in his fifties, speaking to the drivers of the cars stuck behind.

    ¡°Officer! Officer!¡±

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°What?¡± the man blurted. ¡°Don¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s calling for help in the forest.¡±

    The policeman frowned, then shook his head.

    ¡°Maybe you hit your head. Stay with the group. I have a lot of stuff on my hands.¡±

    The screams were clear as daylight and close.

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    The policeman frowned, and Rowan knew from direct experience that more arguing would earn him being tased. Did the police ever care about who started the bar fight or was in the right? He cursed and ran off into the woods, toward the source of the noise.

    A quarter of a mile up, there was a clearing. Clouds and a giant plume of smoke from the northwest filtered the dim sun. Bodies were lying all around, and things feasted on them.

    Fuck!

    He threw himself behind a tree, trying not to throw up. Alien moose? Yes, that was the closest comparison. If moose had fangs and claws, walked upright on their hind legs, and liked to eat freshly slaughtered bodies. Four of them were gorging on mangled human remains, while a fifth guarded a group of prisoners tied together with a shiny rope, one end held in the creature¡¯s hand.

    His heart skipped a beat. The prisoners were kids, preteens, or younger, and there were about nine of them. They called for help now and then, and the moose couldn¡¯t care less. Little by little, their voices lost hope and energy, and silence fell, letting only the chewing sounds be heard.

    Moment of truth¡­ Do you have it in you, Rowan?

    From his backpack¡ªwhich he had taken with him when exiting the bus¡ªhe extracted his camping knife, resting the backpack down near the tree. Getting back into the forest, Rowan made a detour, approaching the captives from the east as silently as he could. It proved an easy task; neither the main group of monsters nor the guardian noticed anything.

    Step by step, Rowan arrived behind the moose with the noose, so close he could touch it. His fingers tightened around the hilt, and he prepared to strike. At the last moment, he withheld his hand. The monster had shifted its position; there was no way he could attack now without being observed.

    Then, his eyes met a kid¡¯s. A cute girl, maybe five or six, with auburn hair and lightly tanned skin. She screamed a wild, loud, desperate wail¡ªnothing like he had ever heard. Rowan¡¯s heart stopped. The feeding monsters ignored her, but the overseer pivoted, roaring and raising its arm to strike the girl down.

    He dashed ahead and plunged the knife into the monster¡¯s back again and again, searching for vitals¡ªheart, lungs, anything. A backhand threw Rowan away like a rag doll, making him drop the knife. Dodge-rolling, he tried to avoid the charging creature and its antlers. A sharp point winged his leg, and then the moose hit a tree head first, its aim off, falling, dazed, to the rusted leaves beneath. The bluish rope had disappeared.

    ¡°Run to the road!¡± Rowan shouted, trying to get back up on his feet, ignoring the pain in his calf. His blade was nearby, and he grabbed it in a hurry and faced the rest of the moose, preparing to stall them, or at least try, while the kids would escape.

    To his surprise, the remaining monsters ignored him, continuing their gross behavior.

    ¡°Are you stupid? Kill it already!¡±

    The yell had come from a Black boy, maybe ten. Skinny but with a fierce attitude, he rushed forward, hammering the moose in the head with his fists over and over. Despite the difference in height and weight, the monster, nine feet tall and at least a few hundred pounds heavy, was jerking back with each hit, its head banging the tree behind.

    ¡°The eyes! Aim for the eyes!¡± the boy screamed.

    For good measure, Rowan stabbed one eye, then the other. Somehow, his hits hit true, despite the stress and the moose wobbling all around.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± he jerked back, surprised. The body of the monster had dissolved into specks of light, then grouped into three streams, one flowing into his chest and the rest into the girl and the boy.

    The Bleeding Damage Over Time (DOT) has stopped. You are the first Earthlings to have slain a monster: DireDeer, level 20, Epic tier, Mini-Boss (1/5). Rowan Allinder, you have been awakened to Mana and deemed worthy to keep all your stats at their current value. You have gained XP. Level up x6. Menu unlocked. Class Selection unlocked.

    !!!Welcome to the System!!!

 2: Clearing the Clearing

    The little girl rushed and hugged Rowan tightly, throwing her arms around his midriff. He let his knife fall on the grass and took her in his arms, fondling her hair.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± he whispered before looking around. The rest of the kids had surrounded him with expecting eyes, obviously waiting for adult guidance. ¡°Let¡¯s go before they notice their pal¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave,¡± the tough boy objected.

    ¡°Kid, I¡¯m sorry, but those folks are dead; we can¡¯t save them.¡±

    ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± The question, asked with a slightly tilted head, didn¡¯t sound like an insult, more like a half-certitude. ¡°We can¡¯t leave the area until we clear it. There¡¯s a barrier.¡±

    ¡°Thomas is mean,¡± the little girl accused. ¡°I¡¯ll tell your mommy.¡±

    Now that Thomas had mentioned it, there was a faint light fifty yards downward on the slope.

    ¡°It let me through,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t let us through,¡± Thomas said.

    ¡°We tried as soon as we saw the notification,¡± another child said, but Rowan did not see who.

    ¡°What noti¡ª¡±

    A blue text appeared before he finished his sentence. It was displayed on a wide screen, so transparent it let the landscape around get through in full.

    This clearing has been transformed into a mid-tier mini-dungeon: Ominous Grove. Setting: Extreme. Condition for winning: eliminate all 5 Elite mini-bosses: DireDeer. Exit is prohibited until the task is accomplished.

    XP rules: Generous. The difference in level between you and the slain adversary is divided among those participating in the fight.

    The reward for clearing the mini-dungeon is +1 Lvl. +1 free Attribute Point, loot.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hide in the woods and hide until help arrives,¡± a girl about eight years old proposed, repeating herself.

    Rowan remembered the policeman¡¯s attitude and grimaced. ¡°If it¡¯s a national emergency, it could take days.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if we killed one, we can kill them all,¡± Thomas boasted. ¡°Just follow my lead.¡±

    ¡°Keep your voice low,¡± Rowan hissed.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, we¡¯re safe as long as we stay outside their aggro range. I see question marks when I try to Identify you, which means you have no Class yet. Pick something, preferably Rogue. We¡¯ll pull and dispose of them one by one. Lizzie will lure them, I¡¯ll tank, and you go stabby.¡±

    ¡°S-sorry?¡±

    Rowan¡¯s befuddled expression must¡¯ve reinforced Thomas¡¯s impression of him. The boy rolled his eyes but explained, ¡°You saw the UFO, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°It did something when it crashed. We¡¯re in a System Apocalypse now, LitRPG and stuff. Classes, attributes, the whole deal. Concentrate on Class Selection, and a sort of Menu will appear. With proper options if you¡¯re lucky.¡±

    Class Selection is locked until you distribute your free attribute points, as available choices depend on your stats.

    ¡°What do you mean, if I¡¯m lucky?¡± Rowan inquired, dismissing the notification.

    ¡°We all got classes,¡± Thomas said.

    ¡°I¡¯m an actress,¡± Lizzie, the girl Rowan held in his arms, stated proudly.

    ¡°Ballerina,¡± another girl sighed.

    ¡°People were assigned classes automatically depending on their hobbies or jobs. Teachers remained teachers¡­¡±

    ¡°Let me guess: they become monster food.¡±

    Thomas nodded, a few tears creeping into his eyes, wiped off with his forearm.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I had a choice because I trained in martial arts. I¡¯m a Brawler. It¡¯s an off-tank. You know what an off-tank is, right?¡± Thomas frowned at Rowan as the young man was frowning back, only from befuddlement.

    ¡°I don¡¯t play games much.¡±

    ¡°Dude, just pick a class. Choose the most combative one and ask me for help if you don¡¯t get it. Put your attributes into Strength and Dex.¡±

    ¡°Give me a moment. Stay with them, sweetie; I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Lizzie said, burrowing her face in his shoulder.

    ¡°Very well, but promise to be quiet,¡± Rowan surrendered.

    Taking a few steps deeper into the forest, he chose a stump to sit on and thought about summoning his stats screen. His experience with games was poor, but he had some friends who played MMORPGs and had shown him the ropes.

    Name: Rowan Allinder, Age: 25

    Lvl. 6. Class: ?

    Assessing and assigning stats according to your overall prior experience:

    STR: 20 / DEX: 18 / CON: 20 / WIL: 49 / INT: 12 / CHA: 8

    Note: The average human has 10 AP/stat. You have 6 free points available for distribution.

    Yeah, tell me about Charisma. I had higher hopes for my Intelligence, though¡­ Never mind¡­

    And now, if he concentrated just a little, he could see some gauges. HP, Mana, and XP to the next level. The latter was a third full. Despite Thomas¡¯s advice, the forty-nine in Will nagged him. It looked¡­ imperfect. So he raised it to fifty, and the rest of the points went into Strength, upping it to twenty-five.

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    Now show me the bloody class selection.

    Choose one from the following options:

    1: All-Rounded Worker (Uncommon). Available due to your synergizing skills: Forklift Operator, Truck Driver, and Heavy Equipment Operator. An All-Rounded worker is paid 25% to 50% more than a common worker and receives a free +1 increase in Charisma, Dexterity, and Toughness every ten levels.

    2: Vampire Rogue. (Legendary) Available due to your passive skill: Night Shifter. Warning: Your class will change your species and might attract hostility from various groups. A Vampire Rogue has an uncanny ability to use the darkness of the night to their ad¡ª

    ¡°What the fuck, System! You don¡¯t know what a night shift is?¡±

    ¡°Problems?¡± Thomas asked.

    ¡°All good.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up; they might finish the teachers and come for deserts.¡±

    ¡°One minute.¡±

    Lizzie was now snoring, some saliva dripping on Rowan¡¯s coat.

    She¡¯s so sweet! Please, whoever is up there, give me a better choice, to protect her and the rest.

    3: The Indomitable (Unique). Available due to: fighting an Epic monster +20 over your level to save a child, an uncommon personal history, reaching the second threshold in Will, as well as the first threshold on any other given stat (Strength), within an hour of the System¡¯s apparition. Receives +2 in each stat at every 10 levels. Unique classes are highly customizable Jack-of-all-Trades and can gain exceptional Perks (a higher version of Spells or Skills)

    Will Perk, Threshold 1: Will and Wilt: Your Will replaces Strength as your Critical Damage multiplier (1% per every Will point) and inflicts an Unavoidable DOT on Crits. The Critical Chance still depends on your Dex (+1% for every Dex point. Enemies Evade, Dodge, or Block rating subtract from your Crit Chance, depending).

    Will Perk, Threshold 2: locked

    Note: Perks are abilities unlocked with every threshold of 25/AP reached in any given Stat. Only base values are taken into account, without buffs or armor enchantments.

    Pfff¡­ too much nerdish for me¡­ but I suppose it¡¯s better than Vampire. I chose Indomitable.

    Choice confirmed. Basic melee and ranged weapon proficiency are unlocked. Basic Spell Casting has failed to unlock. The Mana Manipulation prerequisite is absent.

    An influx of energy passed through his body, so strong that he groaned and shivered, making Lizzie wake up.

    ¡°Mommy?¡±

    The next second, she screamed, very loudly. Rowan dropped her, startled, catching her a second before she hit the ground.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, sweetie, it¡¯s me.¡±

    The screams stopped, and a smile replaced the fear on her face. Thomas, on the other hand, didn¡¯t sound happy.

    ¡°Fuck, Lizzie aggroed two. I¡¯ll run around, keeping to this side, Rowan, hit them from the back.¡±

    ¡°How do you know my name?¡±

    ¡°You have a tag over your head; check your settings, under privacy mode. Never mind, here they come.¡±

    Bulky and menacing, fangs covered in gore, two monsters trudged toward their side of the clearing. Thomas dashed out, on an oblique trajectory. Rowan couldn¡¯t help but admire the kid¡¯s acumen, as Thomas attracted the moose one by one, arranging them in a line. Grabbing his knife from the ground, Rowan ran and stabbed the second monster. The knife went on almost up to the guard, but somehow he felt the urge to push it on, and so he did, twisting.

    Backstab has inflicted a Lethal Critical Hit on DireDeer¡¯s vitals: Heart. You have inflicted 96% HP damage to DireDeer, Elite Lvl. 20. You have inflicted a 2% HP/sec. DOT on DireDeer.

    The spastic move the moose made was nothing compared to the backhand Rowan had received from the first monster. He dodged underneath, pulling back his knife in the process, and ran forward. Four seconds later, like clockwork, the moose bellowed a desperate dying call, melted into specks of light, and the notification came:

    You have slain DireDeer, Elite Lvl.20 (2/5) XP received (divided between you, Thomas, and Lizzie). You have leveled up x 5. 2 points were automatically distributed to each stat, and 5 free APs are available for a later distribution.

    That was the good news. The bad one was that the second moose stopped chasing Thomas, turned, and charged at Rowan instead. Which reminded him of the abysmal reach of a knife versus a nine-foot-tall monster with antlers.

    Put my points in Dex! Rowan¡¯s mind screamed. The plan was simple: with twenty-five in Dex, he would be faster, avoiding attacks easier and kiting down the moose little by little.

    Request denied. Distributing Points during Combat settings is set to OFF. Activating Automatic Distribution Mode. Prioritizing the closest stat to reach a threshold. +3 AP to CON. 2 AP stored for later.

    Constitution Perk, Threshold 1 obtained: Tough Cookie. Your body has become denser. +25% all physical resistances, +25% to Natural Regeneration (HP)

    The moose hit like a truck, literally. It had accelerated at the last moment, head first, crushing Rowan¡¯s hopes to dodge it like a toreador. Instead, he got thrown twenty feet backward, landing on his back. Everything hurt. And that was good news; hurting meant he was alive. The monster¡¯s head was so big that the antlers¡¯ spikes missed Rowan¡¯s body, only grazing his arms.

    You have suffered two Debuffs (Daze, Concussion, for 10 seconds) and Minor Bleeding (DOT, -0.25% HP/seconds. Your HP is at 80%.

    You have inflicted a Critical DOT on DireDeer. -25% HP, 8% HP Bleed per second.

    What?

    The moose had stopped in his tracks, trashing around. Its awkward arms, more like an animal¡¯s, were not able to reach its neck, where Rowan¡¯s knife was stuck deep. Another lucky strike. Then Thomas arrived from the back, throwing down the DireDeer, which stuck the blade deeper.

    Must be a skill. No way a scrawny kid could topple that monster on his own.

    You have slain DireDeer, Elite Lvl.20 (3/5) XP received (divided between you, Thomas, and Lizzie). You have leveled up x 3. 3 free APs are available for later distribution. Correction: Activating Automatic Distribution Mode. Prioritizing the closest stat to reach a threshold. +5 points to Dex. Dexterity Perk, Threshold 1 obtained: Subconscious Fighting. Even if you¡¯re sent flying in the air, your body can move on its own, striking the enemy.

    Neat!

    ¡°Dude, wake up; we aggroed the rest,¡± Thomas screamed, offering a hand.

    Rowan sighed, shaking his head to chase off the last vestiges of dizziness. ¡°How the f¡ª sorry, do we aggroed the rest?¡±

    ¡°Our levels increased and we¡¯re more noticeable. Duh!¡±

    At the far end of the expanse, the two remaining foes bellowed to each other, staring at the man and the boy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do the same thing; we separate them and take them one by one.¡±

    Rowan¡¯s prophetic words took shape in a totally different way than he had hoped. One moose dashed at them, while the other headed toward the western treeline, where the kids were. To cull the weak, take them hostage, or exact revenge, it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°You have to take one on your own. Sorry, kid.¡±

    Rowan picked the knife from the ground and threw it at the incoming monster, then ran as fast as he could back to the tree line.

    You have inflicted a Critical Hit on DireDeer, -15% HP, 2% HP Bleed

    Detected Skill: Throwing Knife, advanced.

    That was terrific news. Praying that Thomas could cope with the injured moose while he dealt with the other, Rowan jumped on the DireDeer¡¯s back. Grabbing the antlers and wrapping his legs around the monster¡¯s torso, Rowan tried to wrestle its head backward, hoping to break the neck. It didn¡¯t go as planned. The moose fell backward, pinning Rowman under a colossal weight and clawing at his thighs at the same time.

    You are suffering from multiple Bleeds. Total: 2%HP/second. Estimated time to existence termination: 59 seconds (DOTs - Natural Regeneration)

    No. Fuck YOU! I won¡¯t allow you to hurt the kids.

    Rowan moved his left hand around the DireDeer¡¯s neck in a choke, and with his right, he gouged out one eye, then another. The animal screamed in pain. Rowan shoved his right hand into its mouth, pulling on the lower jaw until something broke. He managed to read only three words before he lost consciousness.

    You have slain¡ª

 3: Emotes OFF

    His head hurt like hell.

    ¡°He¡¯s awake!¡± a voice yelled.

    Groaning, Rowan opened his eyes, then closed them back as the whole world whirled in a maelstrom of colors, the blue of the sky mixing with the green and the yellow of the leaves.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, sleeping beauty, rise and shine. We don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    Someone patted his cheek. Opening his eyes anew, Rowan heaved. Leaning above him¡ªand exposing an enticing decolletage through a beige shirt opened at the two upper buttons¡ªwas a striking woman. Tall, blonde, tanned, sexy, with gray-blue eyes, full lips, and that type of severe expression that makes men try to soften it with declarations of love and boxes of chocolate.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Rowan blurted.

    Thomas has inflicted you with a Kick to the Ribs. Stunned for 1 second. Internal Bleeding: 0.05 HP/second.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stare at my mom¡¯s boobs, you pervert!¡±

    ¡°You idiot, I just finished healing him!¡± a girl yelled, kneeling near Rowan. Out of a sudden, he began to feel better.

    An unknown Apprentice Healer is applying Minor Healing to you.

    ¡°Turn your Emotes off. You had a ton of hearts emojis erupting over your head,¡± the woman said, offering a hand. ¡°This is an obstruction to justice. Joking. But seriously, put some order in your Settings.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Rowan mumbled, trying to get his wits together and raising on his buttocks after accepting her help. Which was the best moment for Lizzie to jump on him, hugging him awkwardly over the throat. He returned the hug. ¡°Hey, sweetie, I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re all right!¡± Lizzie was about to climb into his arms again, but he pushed her away gently, ruffling her hair, intending to concentrate on the story.

    ¡°Short story: I heard Lizzie screaming, then my partner¡ªa total idiot¡ªtold me a passenger also pretended to hear screams, and,¡± the woman¡¯s voice choked for a second, ¡°I remembered Thomas had a school field trip here. I rushed up, found him wrestling with an alien, and put a few bullets its brain. I thought you were a goner, but that kid,¡± she pointed to the Apprentice Healer, ¡°kept at doing her mumbo-jumbo over you and raised you back to life. Thomas explained everything to me¡­ but it¡¯s really hard to believe, even if I see those numbers with my own eyes.¡±

    Enforcer, level 17. That was the tag floating over the woman¡¯s head. Only then did Rowan recognize her. It was the policewoman from the road, the one dealing with the bus¡¯s passengers. Notification flooded him, and he read them starting with the most recent, ignoring the agitation around¡ªmainly kids asking Thomas questions about their Classes and Stats.

    You have Cleared the Ominous Grove mini-dungeon, the first Dungeon to be cleared on Earth. +1 Free Attribute Point, +1 Level. You have reached level 21. Reward: Your contribution was judged the most important, as such, a Core, Legendary Artifact, has been transferred to your Inventory. The default setting has been applied: the Dungeon Core has evolved into a Town Core.

    You have slain DireDeer, Elite Lvl.20 (5/5) XP received (divided between you, Thomas, and Isla Culloden). You have leveled up x 0.05. 0 APs received.

    ¡°Turn your notification settings on private,¡± the blonde woman said and accompanied her words with a mild squeeze on his shoulder. ¡°We can all see them.¡±

    Putting the notifications off was simple, thinking about it popped up the option with Yes or No beside it. He reviewed the next message, which was older than the previous one.

    You have slain DireDeer, Elite Lvl.20 (4/5) XP received (undivided). You have leveled up x 6. 6 Free APs are available. +2 AP were invested in each stat on reaching Lvl. 20

    Overall, he had eight free points to invest. He put one in Strength, and on a whim, one in Charisma. The rest went into Will, his strongest stat, and then Rowan inspected the numbers.

    Name: Rowan Allinder. Class: The Indomitable, Unique, Level 21

    STR: 30 / DEX: 27 / CON: 27 / INT: 16 / WIL: 60 / CHA: 13

    Will Perk, Threshold 1: Will and Wilt: Your Will replaces Strength as your Critical Damage multiplier (1% per every Will point) and inflicts an Unavoidable DOT every 2 seconds. The Critical Chance still depends on your Dex (+1% for every Dex point).

    Will Perk, Threshold 2: Locked.

    Strength Perk, Threshold 1: Miss? What miss? Your strikes have a 25% chance to ignore Evade, Dodges, Parries, or Blocks.

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    Constitution Perk, Threshold 1: Tough Cookie. +25% all physical resistances, +25% to Natural Regeneration (HP)

    Dexterity Perk, Threshold 1: Subconscious Fighting. Even if you¡¯re sent flying in the air, your body can move on its own, striking the enemy.

    HP regen: 1.25%/minute MP regen:1%/minute

    HP = CON x 10 / MP = WIL x 10

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I leveled at all for the last beast?¡± he asked himself aloud.

    ¡°Check your detailed logs. This System favors challenges,¡± Thomas said. ¡°The bigger the difference in level between you and the foes you kill, the bigger the reward. Mom was level zero, I was fourteen, and you twenty¡­ You¡¯re following, right? You look a little st... confused.¡±

    Rowan¡¯s head was hurting from all that nerdish thrown around, but he wasn¡¯t going to let himself be insulted by a kid. ¡°Because you broke me a rib or something, you little punk!¡±

    ¡°Auntie Isla, Thomas uses bad words when you¡¯re not around,¡± Lizzie reported, obviously siding with Rowan.

    ¡°You little rat!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Thomas¡¯s mother clapped her hands. ¡°We need to return to the road. Kids, you know the drill. Hold hands two by two, like the ants are marching on. I¡¯ll be in the front, Thomas with¡­ err¡­ what was your name again?"

    "Rowan."

    "Rowan, you cover the back. Yell if you need help. Now let¡¯s go. Left, right, left, right, left, right!¡±

    She offered her hand to Rowan, helping him raise to his feet, then started stepping in a cadence, showing the way, followed by the orderly column of kids.

    ¡°She¡¯s great at organizing things,¡± Rowan noticed.

    ¡°Yeah. Inhale, exhale, left, right, those are her favorites,¡± Thomas sighed, before darting on to the front.

    Tiger mama, obviously. Rowan smiled and started marching after the last kid, which was Lizzie. When he took back his backpack, he facepalmed. Fuck, there was a trail!

    Hardly visible, but clear enough, the path waved through the trees. If he¡¯d taken the time to inspect the surroundings, the path would have eased his climb a lot, the first time. When passing the blue line of the forcefield, a notification showed:

    You are leaving a High Mana Density Area, tier A (Glade, Place of Power, former Mini-Dungeon) for a Minimal Mana Density Area, tier F. Warning: Your stats and skills will remain the same, but your HP and MP will regenerate 60 times slower, at 1% / hour instead of 1% / minute.

    ¡°Noooo,¡± Thomas wailed. ¡°Mana isn¡¯t everywhere?¡±

    ¡°Is this bad?¡± Rowan heard Isla ask.

    ¡°For my skills, yes, they are Mana-based. You know, Dash, Stun, Off-Tank stuff.¡±

    I wonder if I have Mana skills¡­ But before Rowan could inspect his Character Menu, they reached the road. The obstacle, the fallen tree, had been removed, and all cars were gone except for the bus and the police vehicle. That meant engines worked again.

    ¡°You can¡¯t go until Isla comes back,¡± the policemen argued with the bus driver and some vociferous elderly ladies. ¡°There''s a passenger lost in the woods, she''s gone after him. Oh, here she is.¡±

    Pretty name for a pretty lady, Rowan thought. She has the weirdest kid, though.

    ¡°You won''t believe me, but a bunch of aliens attacked the school trip. We''ll talk in town. Kids, go on the bus. You, the tourists, make some place for them,¡± Isla ordered.

    "You poor things¡­ Attacked by aliens? Come inside and tell us all!" The same talkative old lady from before said, and Rowan would have bet that at least fifty percent of her interest was more for gossip than for the kids.

    ¡°Thomas, go in the back of the car," Isla. And no, you can¡¯t ride in front, it¡¯s illegal. And don''t try again to mess with the door locks or I''ll handcuff you.¡±

    ¡°Police brutality!¡± the boy shouted but obeyed.

    ¡°We¡¯re heading for Elkins to let off the kids, what you do after that it¡¯s your own business,¡± Isla informed the bus driver before returning to the police car and taking the lead again.

    For the next half hour, Rowan dozed on and off, his mind spinning wild about the changes he knew so little about. Lizzie had climbed in his arms, sitting quietly and looking at the landscape: rolling hills, the valley, a still sunny sky, and the usual sheep-shaped clouds. There was a permanent buzz in the bus and a vibe of creeping anxiety: people chatting, the elderly asking the kids what had happened up there.

    ¡°After we let off the children, we continue to the resort,¡± the driver announced in the speakers as they entered the town. ¡°CB Radios are working, and I have good news. The Internet is on. Phone networks are still off but there are hopes to restore them soon.¡±

    The bus stopped in a parking lot, with its asphalt starting to turn dilapidated. The late August was still offering its summer light, an hour or maybe two until sunset. There was a brick church to the Northwest. And another, smaller, to the Southeast. Across the street, a coffee shop, and many cars parked in front of it. Overall, the small town with a rural vibe.

    When the bus¡¯s doors opened, adults ran forward, screaming names, almost in a stampede.

    ¡°Calm down, everybody¡¯s safe!¡± a bullhorn roared with Isla¡¯s voice. She must¡¯ve called the parents in advance, somehow, Rowan realized. ¡°Kids, come out. IN ORDER! Don¡¯t push each other.¡±

    Lizzie hugged him, tears in her eyes, and went out last.

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    ¡°Honey!¡±

    The girl jumped off the bus like a released spring, the woman barely catching her in time. Lizzie started to chat vividly, her words swamped by the surrounding noise of people moving again to other chairs, and discussions. People were eager to finally go to the resort and check on their loved ones themselves. There were a few words Rowan did catch.

    ¡°But Mommy, he¡¯s so nice! Let¡¯s take him home! He¡¯s daddy material.¡±

    He repressed a laugh. Then Lizzie screamed.

    ¡°Rowan, please stay!¡±

    You are affected by debuff: Scream for Attention. Your WIL check failed. Unable to control your actions for the next 10 seconds, and compulsion to follow the Taunter¡¯s orders.

    Fuck!

    His feet were dashing on the aisle without any control. At the last moment, he grabbed his backpack and then started to bang his boot on the middle door.

    ¡°Calm down, moron!¡± the driver yelled, opening the door.

    ¡°Such a weirdo,¡± Rowan heard the old lady who tried to make conversation earlier.

    The debuff ceased only when he was out, panting in front of the girl and her mother. Meanwhile, the bus had departed in a hurry, tires screeching. For sure, to escape the madman, meaning him.

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy you stayed!¡± Lizzie screamed, jumping up like a blissful whack-a-mole character. ¡°You can live with us, Mommy has a hotel.¡±

    ¡°Bed and breakfast. I¡¯m Grace, Lizzie¡¯s mother,¡± the woman offered a hand.

    ¡°Rowan Allinder.¡± Her handshake felt frail, somehow like her. Three to four inches shorter than Rowan, cute, as graceful as her name suggested, with hair flowing down to her shoulders, in between straight and curly, light brown and auburn. The most striking detail was her skin, living porcelain, its white and rose color surreal, too delicate. Her light green eyes looked tired, and that added a sense of normalcy.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ I don¡¯t know all the details, but Isla told me the kids were in danger and you helped. Oh, sorry. Of course, you can spend the night at our place.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good, just drop me near the next bus station.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Lizzie stomped her feet, but this time Rowan¡¯s will resisted, and he frowned back, putting his fists on his hips like an old grandmother.

    ¡°Look, young lady. Using your magic on friends is a big no, do we understand each other?¡±

    ¡°M-magic?¡± Grace stuttered.

 4: Core City

    A hint of suspicion appeared in Grace¡¯s eyes: that Rowan was crazy. He had seen that look in other people¡¯s eyes before when he went for some wild challenge in Truth or Dare games. Isla¡¯s voice startled them.

    ¡°Ah, good, you¡¯re still here. Go to the church, there will be a short debrief about the alien encounter. The nice feds will be very brief. There are specialized shrinks around, to take care things go smoothly.¡±

    ¡°What alien encounter, Isla?¡± Grace hissed.

    ¡°Monsters tried to eat us but Rowan killed them all! Thomas helped, but just a little,¡± Lizzie stated.

    Grace began shouting at the blonde officer, but Rowan¡¯s mind skimmed off their talk like a surfer a wave. His senses were tingling with alarm. All the cars were still there¡ªexcept the bus¡ª and all the parents and children. A few black 4x4s guarded both ends of the road, and people in black suits, half a dozen. He hated that kind of people.

    !!!Alert !!!

    The System had decrypted the US government communication channels. All participants in the Ominous Grove mini-dungeon event are to be transported to a secret government facility for further examination. You, Thomas, and Lizzie have a 99% chance to be dissected.

    Quest: Survive

    Path A: Run. Follow the river downstream and lose yourself in the mountains.

    Reward: Continued existence. Will perk, threshold 2: Cold Soul. You will be able to control your emotions. Letting Lizzie be dissected will be no biggie. Hell, for a buck, you could dissect her too.

    Path B: Stand Your Ground. Transform Elkins into a haven. Accepting this path will activate the Core you looted. The process will be self-explanatory.

    Reward: Continued existence. Will perk, threshold 2: High-Tier Artifact User. Able to use high-tier Artifacts.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that? Put it back immediately. Don¡¯t make me tase you!¡± Isla touched her holster.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Rowan started, but then time stopped. The policewoman¡¯s eyes, her hand, frozen in motion. Lizzie pouting, Grace screaming, the same.

    Do you want to consume: Town Core? Upon activation, Elkins will become a Mana Awakened City. The Core will be transformed into a pocket dimension Control Center accessible from the Main Square or equivalent. Y/N

    Yes.

    Please choose a town style. The Fortress style has been auto-selected due to the detection of impending danger. Hostiles will be teleported out of its boundaries.*

    *Note: Subject to the System¡¯s Laws of Challenge and Warfare.

    The light grew and enveloped everything, and then time resumed. Rowan''s ears buzzed, and there was discomfort starting from his shoulder, a hard tingle making his arm twitch. His eyes were barely able to see because of the afterimage. There were faint noises of people panicking and cars leaving. Parents and kids fleeing a shooting scene. The black cars and suits had vanished and after the bright light the core had projected, the shadows of the sunset had more depth.

    "Hey! That''s not cool!" Rowan yelled, noticing the Taser bullets stuck in his jacket, still delivering their discharge.

    "You''re mad, Isla?" Grace yelled. "Lizzie, get back, don''t touch those wires!"

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Isla screamed, taking her finger off the trigger. ¡°He startled me, I thought it was a bomb.¡±

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Grace screamed too, eyes widened.

    ¡°He¡¯s OK,¡± Lizzie yelled. ¡°He''s a hero!¡±

    Groaning, Rowan shook his head, then patted his shoulder, pulling out the darts and throwing them down. There were holes in his jacket and shirt, and the skin underneath felt sour, like after a bruise. That was the mildest tasing he had ever been through, he concluded.

    [Elkins Town¡¯s Core AI to Rowan]: Hi. I¡¯m the Awakened Town¡¯s AI, at your service. You are now hearing my voice at the same time as reading the text. Your Tough Cookie Perk is enhanced within Elkins¡¯s boundaries. You¡¯re resistant to pain, mild electric shocks, and even medium-caliber bullets.

    ¡°Thank goodness, but what about my favorite jacket?¡± Rowan wailed. ¡°It¡¯s a thousand bucks worth Enzo Car Coat.¡±

    ¡°Your fault!¡± Isla yelled. ¡°What the heck was that shit?¡±

    [Elkins Town¡¯s Core AI to Rowan]: Your jacket is now tagged as Bound Light Leather Armor and will repair itself within twenty-four hours if you keep it inside the town¡¯s boundaries. The T-shirt, on the other hand, needs to be stitched manually. Thank you for keeping calm while hearing my voice in your head. Most people would behave hysterically.

    ¡°Whatever¡­ For your information, officer, I just saved our lives. Those feds were going to dissect me, Lizzie, and Thomas. I teleported them out of town. That was that shit.¡±

    ¡°This is crazy,¡± Grace mumbled.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°And I''m supposed to believe it just because you say so?¡± the policewoman yelled, now her hand on her telescopic baton.

    ¡°Isla, err¡­ guy, please, just calm down!¡± Grace put her hands up in a stopping gesture.

    ¡°Rowan, his name is Rowan,¡± Lizzie reminded her. "A HERO!"

    Some loud bangs attracted their attention. It was Thomas, hitting the police car¡¯s rear door glass with his fists, from the inside. The other policeman was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Oh, my God, I forgot my child was locked into the car,¡± Isla panicked, rushing to the vehicle.

    ¡°Hi, Miss Grace,¡± Thomas said once freed. ¡°Mom, Rowan¡¯s right, those feds were dead set on killing and dissecting us. I got the quest as well. I''ll forward you the notification as proof. You did great, man. I expected you¡¯d run.¡±

    [Elkins Town¡¯s Core AI to Rowan]: Thomas was going to take over the Stand Your Ground quest if you¡¯d refused. We need to select different perks and settings for the town, please do so as soon as possible.

    ¡°I need a drink¡­¡± Rowan massaged his forehead.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± Grace proposed. ¡°I certainly need one too.¡±

    "At least come to the department to give a statement," Isla said to Rowan, almost imploring with puppy eyes.

    "No," Graced stated bluntly. "You''re too obsessed with your work, Isla, and this is not a good time. Now I''m going to take this gentleman home and offer him a good drink. You''ll have your statement when he''s ready for it."

    The policewoman didn''t reply but was obviously sulking.

    ¡°Err¡­ aren''t we going to drive?¡±  Rowan said, turning his head all over. The only car still hanging around was the police vehicle.

    ¡°We live around the corner, we¡¯ll walk,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°Bye, Isla, bye Thomas,¡± Lizzie pulled her tongue on the boy.

    Isla replied by flickering her fingers. Just go, this is too much for me, her gesture conveyed.

    Five minutes later, after basically turning all the way around the park¡ªwhich Rowan explained to ballerina shoes Grace wore¡ªthey arrived five hundred feet across the place they started from. Grace¡¯s house was small, for a bed and breakfast, and large for a house, a two-story charming Arts and Crafts brick building, with a porch, and a small garden behind. A gray sedan that had seen better days was parked on the street.

    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go inside, I¡¯ll prepare dinner.¡±

    ¡°A snack would do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I had in mind.¡±

    Rowan nodded and followed the woman. The front door was opened, and after passing through a small mud room, they arrived at a large open space, with a dining zone but also a sitting area. One could tell some effort had been invested in the decorations and overall design.

    ¡°Lizzie, thank God you¡¯re safe! ¡±

    A man in his late fifties rose from a leather couch and came forward, hugging the girl and her mother. His house robe, silky and luxurious, thrown over an elegant house suit, was striking in itself, but the man¡¯s mustache was even more shocking. Strong, and thick, its tips curved upward.

    ¡°Sorry to be so direct, but that¡¯s the most impressive facial hair I''ve ever seen,¡± Rowan said, accepting the offered handshake.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the man bowed.

    ¡°Rowan, meet Dmitri, a retired art teacher,¡± Grace said. ¡°He rents for the year, and worked for the college until recently.¡±

    ¡°It''s cheaper to live here, for now, and I like to live near other artists.¡±

    ¡°Mommy is a singer and also plays the uptight piano,¡± Lizzie advertised, pointing to the musical instrument.

    ¡°Upright, sweetheart. Dmitri, please help me make some sandwiches.¡± Grabbing the retiree¡¯s arm, Grace pulled him into the kitchen. She closed the sliding doors behind her, but Rowan¡¯s hearing, enhanced by the new stats, caught everything.

    ¡°I forbid you to make a pass at him.¡±

    ¡°No problem, you call dibs, I get it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not calling anything. He saved Lizzie¡¯s life. I don¡¯t want him to leave with a bad experience. Promise to behave?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon! You know me better, Gracie-dear, I would never hit on a kid.¡±

    I¡¯m twenty-five, you prick! And not interested anyway.

    ¡°You want to play hide and seek in the garden?¡± Lizzie asked, and the kitchen conversation disintegrated from his focus.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Rowan exclaimed. ¡°I love hide and seek.¡±

    Playing with her was a blast. Often, her cute little feet were showing from behind bushes, giving her away, and some old basket, put on the head, was enough to make her invisible, in her mind. Lizzie was a funny kid, and Rowan enjoyed playing together. Still, he wasn¡¯t the type to lie or lose on purpose¡ªtoo much¡ªand after a while, they started throwing a ball at each other. Thirty minutes later, Grace called them inside.

    <hr>

    Eating and chatting took two hours. The food was awesome: buckwheat pancakes, with different fillings, melting in the mouth. An amazing wine to go with the food, and a fantastic whiskey from a decanter to accompany the desserts.

    ¡°This must be the high rye, ten-year small batch,¡± Rowan said in a soft voice. Lizzie had fallen asleep on the nearby couch.

    ¡°No idea, Dmitri bought it,¡± Grace half-shrugged.

    ¡°It is. You¡¯re a connoisseur,¡± Dmitri toasted.

    ¡°I work in the Bourbon business, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. Tell me more.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a short story. I love Bourbon and decided to work in the industry. That was a few years ago. Now I¡¯m an assistant production manager in a small distillery.¡±

    ¡°Nice,¡± Dmitri nodded. ¡°What brought you around here? Except Karma, of course.¡±

    ¡°Since you asked, I sold my muscle car to a guy in Virginia and brought it to him. We drove around, then the guy invited me to a Bluegrass concert and I spent the night in a guest room. He arranged for a tourist bus to give me a ride¡­ I think we should continue tomorrow,¡± Rowan looked at Lizzie, who was snoring softly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll put Lizzie to bed and show you your room,¡± Grace said. The woman took the dozing child in her arms and went up the stairs.

    ¡°Good night,¡± Dmitri exited the room in his turn.

    Five minutes later, Grace returned, letting herself fall on the couch, arms limp, eyes resting on the ceiling. An image of exhaustion, if any. ¡°She woke up, needed her plush, and I searched everywhere. Found it under her bed, eventually.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s so sweet,¡± Rowan smiled.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me.¡± Grace giggled, covering her face with her hands.

    ¡°A last glass?¡± he offered a refill.

    ¡°So be it.¡±

    Grace took a large sip, then searched his eyes. ¡°Was it as bad as she told us?¡±

    ¡°It was worse. Just being honest.¡±

    A shiver passed through Grace¡¯s body.

    ¡°I¡¯m no hero. It did it to survive and helped the kids in the process.¡±

    Grace nodded, smiling a bitter smile. For a good minute, she stared into nothingness, glass in hand, and then she took another large sip, finishing it. ¡°She wasn¡¯t¡­ planned¡­¡±

    Rowan replied with silence, letting her continue.

    ¡°I¡­ took the morning-after pill¡­ just in case. But she was there, hanging on. Then¡­¡± she diverted her eyes.

    ¡°You wanted an abortion?¡±

    ¡°Yes. And changed my mind at the last minute¡­ I had¡­ a dreadful feeling. A panic attack, maybe? I like to call it a premonition. I knew she was destined to be. My boyfriend and I broke up, he¡­ we¡­ were very young. Last college year.¡±

    Rowan nodded, with tears in his eyes.

    ¡°Today, when she left with the school bus, I had the same feeling. The dread. I wanted to stop her, and keep her home, but forced myself to let her go. I thought it would do her good. Teach her to be more independent... Thank you..."

    Shaking her head, she wiped her tears and rose, letting the glass down on the coffee table. He followed her up another row of stairs, to the farthest corner of the house.

    ¡°It¡¯s the quietest room I have.¡±

    They had both entered the room, and it was small. She tripped on a crease in the carpet and as they bumped into each other, Grace¡¯s arms enveloped his neck, maybe a support against falling, but maybe not. For a few long seconds, they stood there, immobile. Her breasts were generous, even if she was thin and petite. He kissed her, at first a nibble, but as she replied with passion, he replied in kind.

    Her mouth tasted like Bourbon, and that one was one of his favorites. Clothes went away, one by one, and the ''just in case'' pack of condoms he carried around in his backpack¡ªbut had never seen any action¡ªfinally found its usefulness as they landed in bed. She mounted him, moaning softly, moving slowly, then faster. The need to control things, to feel safe, he interpreted the position.

    It was fantastic sex, one of the best he ever had, yet, somehow, he was torn in two. One part enjoyed it, the second¡­ The second thought about too many things. Could he hurt her, with his enhanced body? That made Rowan extra gentle. At times, his thoughts erred into lewd territories. What if Isla mounted him this way, her strong thighs wrapped around his? He dismissed the thought¡ªGrace was wonderful enough to merit his undivided attention¡ªbut it crept back at least twice.

    The end was intense and long. She stayed there, for a long time. Finally, she crept down, little by little, and rested her head on his chest, breathing heavily, then softly. He allowed his tears to flow freely, for a while, then fell asleep as well.

 5: And Yet We Both Reached for the Gun

    Rowan woke first. Grace had curled herself near him, her left calf between his legs, head on his chest, in the same position she fell asleep in. Strange, I don¡¯t feel any cramp¡­ A rumination assaulted him. Has sex been an impulse, for Grace? A reward for saving Lizzie? Or an attempt to secure a protector, in a changing and dangerous world? His sigh woke her up.

    ¡°Mooorning¡­¡± Grace yawned, stretching herself, blushing, and avoiding his eyes.

    He swallowed a lump and tried his hand at a compliment. ¡°Thank you, it was a beautiful night.¡±

    ¡°You silly!¡± she fondled his cheek. ¡°No thanks necessary. I just indulged myself with a treat¡­ You¡¯re cute, and¡­¡±

    There were many meanings in her gesture, but Rowan decided not to dwell on them. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go out for a hike.¡±

    ¡°Weather looks nice,¡± she looked outside, getting up from the bed. ¡°Will you¡­ come back?¡±

    Her voice had a slight shake, and he understood. Last night was more than casual sex. She yearned for a true partner, a relationship. ¡°At least for tonight. If the situation is stable, I¡¯ll go back to Louisville.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± she nodded, a little sad.

    ¡°But I¡¯d like to stay in touch¡­ and see where this goes.¡± He searched her eyes, keeping eye contact for a moment. They both were single, that was clear enough. Step by step, they could build something, or call it quits if it didn¡¯t work out, but in a civilized manner.

    Grace smiled back. ¡°And if things are not stable?¡±

    ¡°I guess I could rent a room here, like Dmitri.¡±

    ¡°If you work for it,¡± she giggled and moved to grab his thing, making Rowan yelp and cover his groin. ¡°Sorry!¡± Grace double facepalmed. ¡°This is so not me¡­ I¡¯m going crazy.¡±

    ¡°Pay no nevermind. So¡­ how are we going to¡­ err¡­ act?¡±

    ¡°Oh, goodness¡­ Yeah¡­ Well, Lizzie sleeps late on Sundays, so... You go down first, I¡¯ll sneak in my room and come down later.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    ¡°You shall not pass!¡± they heard Lizzie¡¯s voice screaming. ¡°They have to cuddle and kiss as long as they need to. He¡¯s good daddy material. I won¡¯t let you ruin it for me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Grace blurted. ¡°The little monster is up."

    "And figured things out," Rowan pointed.

    "Of course, it¡¯s half past ten,¡± Grace sighed, checking her phone.

    ¡°Rowan Allinder, come here this instant!¡± another voice yelled.

    ¡°It¡¯s Isla,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°Yeah... I know. Let¡¯s dress and see what she wants.¡±

    ¡°She called your name, not mine. I¡¯ll take a shower.¡±

    ¡°Pfff¡­ for whatever reason, I feel the need to hide.¡±

    ¡°True, Isla has this effect on people. Go.¡±

    Throwing a T-shirt and his pants on him, and a pair of espadrilles he had in reserve, Rowan hurried down the stairs. Lizzie was blocking the way with her arms spread wide, while a furious and fuming policewoman tried to go around. Such good looks, but when she yells¡­ goodness! A crow sounds nicer.

    ¡°Morning, Isla,¡± Rowan said.

    In a silent answer, she showed him both her middle fingers.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s rude!¡±

    ¡°You think so? Then have some more," she repeated the gesture. "Enough talking, you¡¯re coming with me."

    "Why?"

    "You''ll see. You''re in big trouble, let me tell you that.¡±

    ¡°What have I done now?¡± Rowan protested, raising his palms heavenward.

    ¡°What have¡ª never mind. I¡¯ll show you what you did.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Isla. What¡¯s up?¡± Dressed in a bathrobe, Grace had appeared on the staircase, meaning she had postponed her shower.

    ¡°I¡¯m borrowing your boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, boyfriend?¡± Grace jerked her head back, pretending to frown in befuddlement.

    ¡°You did cuddle all night, right?¡± Lizzie stomped on the floor, with a menacing tone in her voice. ¡°Tell me you did your duty. I need a daddy!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s no way to talk to your mother, miss!¡± Grace counter-attacked. ¡°Go dress, we¡¯re going to church.¡±

    ¡°Pleeeeease, let¡¯s stay home¡­.¡± the girl wailed, grabbing her head between her hands. ¡°It¡¯s so boring.¡±

    Grace stood firm, pointing behind her, somewhere on the first floor. ¡°Request denied. Some discipline would do you good. Now go dress!¡±

    ¡°What church are you going to?¡± Rowan asked while Lizzie climbed the stairs with sagged shoulders, like going to the scaffold.

    ¡°Whatever I feel like at the moment," Grace said. "I¡¯m not much into religion, but I love praying with others.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ I do the same.¡±

    ¡°Go to the one around the corner,¡± Isla said softly, with a smile that was more of a grin. ¡°You¡¯ll have a nice surprise.¡±

    Grabbing Rowan by the elbow, she pulled him after her, frowning, so as not to let any way to interpretation. He was supposed to follow or else. She¡¯s so hot when she¡¯s angry¡­ If only her voice would be not so strident.

    ¡°Morning, Rowan.¡± Outside, Dmitri was watering the garden.

    ¡°Hi. Tell Grace I¡¯ll be back as¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don''t hold your breath,¡± Isla said. "This will take a while." The police car was parked in front of the house. Isla opened the back door, making a gesture to invite him to go in.

    ¡°Am I in trouble for teleporting those FBI agents?¡±

    She shoved him in and slammed the car¡¯s door, almost crushing his fingers, got in the front seat, and drove off, tires screeching. Twenty seconds later, they stopped in the parking lot from the day before, and Rowan¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°What the fuck?¡± The church, the northeast-situated one, had been a building of medium size the day before. Overnight, it had become a cathedral of epic proportions, mixing Gothic arches with Art Nouveau decorations. Isla faced him, her voice muffled by the security window.

    ¡°See what you¡¯ve done, now?" Isla yelled so he could hear her through the reinforced window. "That thing you unleashed changed the church into fucking Downton Abbey."

    ¡°You mean Westminster Abbey?¡±

    ¡°And the whole town into a Disney amusement park.¡± She drove off again, but this time at a snail''s pace, allowing him to take in the view of the valley. On the other side, the part of the town tucked inside a meander was now surrounded by thick medieval stone walls. The river itself had also changed. Muddy yesterday, now it rolled with majestic and deep pure waters.

    ¡°Some properties were moved around or changed, to make place for the new stuff,¡± Isla said. ¡°We have tons of complaints about that.¡±

    They arrived in a large square, surrounded by cute buildings in German romantic style that would have looked appropriate in Bavaria, but less so in West Virginia. Scores of people were walking and staring around, their voices akin to the buzzing of a beehive.

    "In there," Isla said curtly, pointing to the larger building. Rowan could tell she was refraining from dragging him by force. The people around the square began to cheer, clap, or wave at them. He waved back instinctively. "Let''s go already," the policewoman said through her clenched teeth, elbowing him discreetly, but with enough force to make him hiccup.

    ¡°Can you at least explain to me what''s up with all this hostility?¡± Rowan pleaded as they walked on. "I had no idea this would happen."

    "Very well," Isla sneered and paused as they entered the lobby, which was covered in intricate wood panels, and had a large cloakroom, like a theatre. ¡°Last night, everybody got a message in their minds, phone, or social media. The title said: ¡®Welcome to the Apocalypse!'' and there were balloons and confetti emojis all around it. Then, it continued: ''A UFO crashed, and because of that, your planet has been Awakened to Mana and the System. A grave menace had appeared near Elkins, yet a Hero saved the day, clearing the mini-Dungeon and using its core to protect your Town and County. You¡¯re safe inside their limits.¡¯ Then, people were sent a video of that Grove Event, with the DireDeers. You appeared¡­ heroic. We were given an hour to vote if we wanted you to become our Count, in a Constitutional Monarchy of sorts. Guess what? You won with seventy percent. People are stupid, what can I say. Then, during the night, everybody in the new center town got sleepy, by a spell or something, and in the morning, everything changed.¡±

    "But I have nothing to do with it!" Rowan yelled, balling his fists. "All I wanted was for me and the kids to be safe."

    "Then I guess you should make up your mind," Isla shrugged, waving her finger around. "Because this is supposed to be your mansion, your Lordship. I think you''ll enjoy it," she chuckled. "It has a very¡­ peculiar style."

    Rowan opened his mouth but closed it back as a blue text appeared in his view.

    Quest: Make up your mind. Issued by the System at Isla Culloden''s suggestion.

    Earth has irrevocably changed, for the better or the worse. In this new world, only a few have the power to stand up and protect their fellow citizens.

    You have until midnight to accept or reject the position bestowed upon you by the System and the will of the people.

    "I need a moment!" Rowan said, closing his eyes.

    "Welcome!" a voice startled him the next second, ruining his chance. "I''m Jim, the mayor." A man in his early sixties, with shabby chic clothes and the vibe of an old retired teacher rushed to shake the younger man''s hand. "Come, the council is here."

    Fuck¡­ Can''t I have a moment alone? Rowan sighed but followed.

    [Elkins Town¡¯s Core AI to Rowan]: I suggest you go with the flow for now, you''ll have the rest of the day to decide upon your quest. Know that I would be delighted if you''d accept to be my¡­ master. Why don''t you start by inspecting the building? I put a lot of hard work into designing the most exquisite multipurpose mansion for you, following the newest trends in the multiverse.

    Ah, here you are! Why didn''t you say anything?

    [Elkins Town¡¯s Core AI to Rowan]: I was obliged to enter privacy mode as you engaged in¡­ lewd conduct with the human female known as Grace. But now I''m back and glad to help. Just say the word.

    Can''t you lose the color and the long name for starters? I get dizzy just by reading it¡­ Can I just call you Cory or something? Because you''re, you know¡­ a core? And you surely sound like a gal¡­ Quite a lovely voice, I mean no offense.

    There was a short pause before the entity''s voice returned to his mind, this time without the color.

    [Cory]: Excellent suggestion. I¡ª

    The AI continued to talk, but so were the people who were in turn shaking Rowan''s hand, presenting themselves. He realized he had entered a large hall without noticing. About ten men and women of different ages were saying things that made no sense, often speaking over each other. Rowan nodded pretending to listen, while walking his eyes around.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    The room was about a hundred and some feet long on sixty large, and had large stained glass windows, with flowery motifs in art-nouveau style. The parquet was intricate and shined, had a small water feature in the center, a fountain with a nymph statue, but a strange detail contrasted with the rest. On the farthest wall, inside a massive fireplace ten feet tall and at least three deep, stood a giant wood or charcoal barbecue grill.

    [Cory]: I notice your interest in the piece de resistance. What can be more posh than an open space in which you can entertain the guests with a barbecue during a ball? The newest fashion in the quadrant.

    Err¡­

    "And we hope to have the plumbing done within the week," the mayor said. "There''s plenty of rooms, we''ll make some into bathrooms."

    "Sorry?" Rowan shook his head.

    "Oh, you don''t know, right¡­ Come, I''ll show you the one and only toilet we found in the building." The mayor escorted him to a door on a side of the hall. Marked with a sign reading ''toilet'', it gave first into a tight couloir, then into a small adjacent room, four by four feet. Inside were only two features: a hole in the ground, a Turkish-style squat toilet, displaying total darkness beneath, and a sort of faucet stuck in the wall. A small pile of paper squares, cut from newspapers, sat near the hole. " We couldn''t figure out what the wall device does¡­" the man confessed. "But I did a number one in there, and it¡­ disappears. Maybe it disintegrates matter¡­"

    [Cory]: It teleports human detritus into a recycling plant, out of town. The design of the toilet is based on the most commonly used type of facility on Earth. The wall device is at the same time a water or a sonic cleaner, there is a rune that activates¡ª

    "Sorry!" Rowan yelled. He had touched the rune at the same time as the AI had spoken. A small amount of mana had trickled out of his hand, feeding the device, and a beam of water had missed him by an inch, hitting the mayor in the face.

    "It''s OK," the older man shouted as they both ran out, closing the door after them. "At least it works."

    [Cory]: Don''t worry, the water flow stops by itself. Very Mana efficient. This facility can serve up to thirty persons per hour. Based on the average intergalactic time one spends in¡ª

    "Look, sir," Rowan addressed the elderly man, "I¡­ don''t think I''m cut for this job¡­ It''s¡­ just too much."

    "I see¡­" the man nodded slowly, wiping his face with a handkerchief. "Why don''t you sit down and talk with us a bit, then?" He gestured toward another door, and followed by the rest of the people present, arrived in a conference room. At least it had a normal table and chairs. Rowan was obliged to take the main seat, as everybody else had occupied the rest.

    "Well¡­ you''re aware the world changed, right?" the mayor continued.

    "Yeah¡­ but how much?" Rowan said.

    [Cory]: Just a bit now, but it will be by a lot very soon.

    "Mutated animals started to appear around the county¡­ strange rabbits with horns, snails that growl and jump you¡­

    [Cory]: About 1% of the fauna will mutate inside a high Mana Zone. 0.1 percent outside.

    "The good part is we didn''t have any fatalities¡­ that AI sent us warnings on our phones¡­ People started to hunt them, but most failed and had to run¡­ fortunately those beasts didn''t follow."

    [Cory]: Mutated beasts stay near small Mana nodes. Territorial.

    "Those who succeeded, though, got that thing¡­ the System? We have about¡­ I dunno¡­ Isla?"

    "Maybe fifty more classed people appeared in the county. Most are Hunter class, uncommon tier. And a few Rares. Two Scouts, and one Ranger¡­ a guy who used a bow," the policewoman said.

    "But none is so strong as you, son," the mayor said. "We¡­ kinda hope you''d stay and help¡­ Who knows what dangers lurk out there for us?"

    [Cory]: A lot and then some.

    "I''d wish to offer you a huge salary, and bonuses, but frankly, considering what the government did¡­ and what the AI says, our money might not be worth much, very soon."

    "The government?" Rowan frowned.

    "Look," the mayor forwarded him his phone, displaying a short video. The town, viewed from afar, was enclosed in a forcefield. To the east of the valley, the landscape had transformed into a nightmarish desert. Burnt, destroyed, some stumps showing here and there, and hills battered into piles of mud.

    ¡°My God!¡± Rowan exclaimed. "What happened?"

    "The government decided that we''re dangerous, and threw a few tacticals nukes at us¡­ The AI filmed this and forwarded it to me and the rest of the Council. It said the radiation and the shock were stopped by the County quantum forcefield."

    "Shit! How many more hits can we withstand."

    "The AI said there''s no limit."

    [Cory]: Nukes are no match for a Quantum Forcefield. I absorbed the energy, transforming it into Concentrated Mana and XP. If I may insist, please accept your new position. There''s next to zero chance any government will survive the Change. I gave them a couple of years, at most. There will be chaos, and the US will try to hunt or use the Awakened by any means. Leaving the County will only paint a target on your back, for you and all your family and friends.

    Rowan remained silent for a long moment, drumming his fingers on the tableboard. "I need to think about it¡­ You''ll have my answer before the evening." With that said, he rose and left the room, then the building.

    "Wait!"

    It was Isla, shouting and running after him.

    "What part in I need¡ª"

    "If you leave, don''t go and say goodbye¡­ just do it¡­ I''ll bring you your stuff," Isla panted. "Lizzie will hurt less."

    "I''m¡­ not yet decided¡­." Rowan said, a pang of sadness clenching his heart for a second. The little girl''s funny image briefly flashed before his eyes. He liked kids a lot, and planned, in a pipe dream of his own, to have his own at some point in time¡­ with the proper gal, of course.

    "Let''s go to the countryside, you can hike or relax until you make up your mind," Isla opened the police car''s door, offering him a front seat this time. "We can even spar if you want¡­ Thomas told me you''re a good fighter. I''m a mixed martial arts practitioner."

    "Can I drive?" he asked, grinning. He always wished to drive a police car, at full speed and sirens roaring.

    "Don''t push your luck," she frowned at him.

    "Where are we going?" Rowan asked ten minutes later when they entered the hills.

    "To my mountain lodge," she replied curtly. "My parents have a big chunk of land up there."

    "Nice," he nodded.

    "Would be, if they used their heads to make some money. There''s a scout summer camp that wants to rent it long term, but my folks say kids running around would scare the protected species."

    "What protected species?"

    "There are none, but who knows, they might be someday, my folks said. It''s just how they are."

    Isla was sulking, obviously, and he didn''t push the subject. Parent issues were a delicate matter.

    "So, a walk in the woods or some training?"

    They had entered a private dirt road, giving to a small wooden lodge, and she parked aside it. All around was a large meadow, quite pretty, and in the back forest. The front view gave to the valley, and the hills looked gorgeous and inviting. Yet, a hike would have only stirred more thoughts and worries in him. Some physical exercise was better to clear his mind.

    "Training sounds good," he nodded. "Do you have some protection gear?"

    "Don''t worry, I''ll go easy on you."

    "Haha¡­ you wish¡­"

    His supposedly sarcastic laugh faded, as the worrying blue text appeared.

    Quest: Hand to Hand Combat Training

    Isla Culloden won multiple National martial arts championships. Spar with her without being humiliated too much.

    Reward: +1 Lvl. +1 AP

    How can Isla issue quests? Rowan wondered at the same time.

    [Cory]: Everybody in the County can spawn quests for you. Expect a lot of kids and old ladies asking to get their cat down from¡ª

    Can I do the same?

    [Cory]: Of course, but your quests will be of a higher tier, like Main Quests, Missions, or Raids. You can pass on the quests you don''t want to do, and they''ll go to the Quest Board, the big display in the new Central Square, for other people to take.

    "Ouch!" he jerked. Isla had flickered him in the nose.

    "Are you sleeping or what? You froze."

    "Sorry, I was reading a quest. Yeah, let''s go for it." Rowan took a step back and put himself in a boxing stance. A second later, after dashing forward with inhuman speed, Isla kicked him behind the right knee, making him fall on the left one, then continued with a second hit on the back, hard, before retreating at a safe distance, dancing around him so fast he barely could follow.

    "You''re slow as a snail," she taunted him.

    "You asked for it." Plunging, Rowan grabbed Isla''s legs, making her fall to the ground, and followed with a submission attempt. He got an elbow in the face but persisted. To his disappointment, she twisted her body and pushed him away, jumping up on her feet immediately with the power of her core muscles.

    ¡°You did some wrestling," she said.

    "Nothing serious, just for fun."

    "Fun won''t cut it anymore.¡± Grinning, Isla spun and threw a heel into his arm, and that was because he had managed to protect his ribs at the last moment. Rowan retreated but it was not enough. She closed the distance and hit him in the jaw with two jabs.

    ¡°Fuuck¡­¡± Rowan wailed, falling on his buttocks, his head spinning.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, get up," Isla beckoned with both her hands, dancing back with boxing steps. "Monsters won''t give you the luxury of a break.¡±

    ¡°I yield,¡± Rowan said, rising and sweeping the dirt from his clothes.

    "There''s no slacking allowed in a real combat situation," Isla smirked. "You know what? Let''s make it more realistic." She went to the car, opened the glove compartment, and retrieved her gun. "Run, Forest, Run. Ten¡­"

    "Are you mad?" Rowan yelled.

    "Nine¡­ At zero, I shoot. Eight¡­ Seven¡­ Zero," she skipped the count.

    "Fuck!" There was no other choice but to run into the woods, which he did as fast as he could. A gunshot followed, but he heard the bullet whistling way above. It was a warning shot.

    [Cory]: We have a problem!

    "You think so? She''s crazy!"

    [Cory]: No, she thinks you''re immune to bullets. The perk you have.

    "How does she know?"

    [Cory]: She Inspected you a couple of times today. She doesn''t realize it works only in the town. Displayed Inspect results can be tricky.

    Well, tell her!

    [Cory]: How? Sending her an SMS? My telepathic communications are restricted to you. The settings we were supposed to talk about.

    "Fuck."

    [Cory]: You¡¯re repeating yourself.

    "You can run, but you can''t hide!" Isla shouted.

    He darted onward, trying to go over a ridge to have some cover. A couple of bullets whizzed over his head.

    Beam me up or something.

    [Cory]: Teleportation of friendly targets is momentarily blocked for safety reasons.

    What?

    [Cory]: Teleportation is just a word chosen so you understand. The real thing is different. What is available now is a warp wave that sends hostiles away. 50% fatality rate for unclassed. And the garbage disposal, but it doesn''t work on living things.

    ¡°Isla, my bullet resistance perk doesn''t work here!¡± Rowan yelled.

    ¡°You think you can trick me?¡± another bullet and a scream arrived back. "Take it seriously."

    She was gaining on him, undoubtedly because she knew the terrain. And Rowan had never been a fan of running.

    [Cory]: I might have a solution, but you won''t like it.

    "Shoot. Fuck¡­ that was a bad pun¡­"

    [Cory]: Stay behind a tree or something and let out an arm or leg. If she wounds you for real, she''ll be marked as hostile and warped out.

    "Bad idea. I don''t want her to die."

    [Cory]: She''s a Classed, her chance of survival is seventy-five percent. Or play safe, and accept leadership. A permanent ruler has access to the Rezz function. Once per day feat, you''ll be resurrected in town.

    Will she still be teleported out?

    [Cory]: Correct. It''s an automatic process, I can''t interfere with it until you allow me. And settings cannot be accessed in combat. Trust me, it''s the best solution.

    Still too much of a risk to kill her.

    Plunging in a ravine, Rowan tried to turn back on his tracks, hoping to trick Isla into going farther into the woods while he would get back to the car. It didn''t work, only offering her a shorter path to him. Her steps were approaching fast.

    Changing direction all of a sudden, Rowan grabbed a tree, used it as a pivot, and ran at the incoming Isla at full speed. It surprised her, and then they were grappling, turning around, each trying to get enough leverage to throw the other on the ground. Grabbing Isla¡¯s right hand and the gun in desperation, he clung on, ignoring the fists she abundantly gifted him, trying to move the weapon away from his vitals. Then, they paused, both exhausted, looking eye to eye, the revolver in between them, his hands on the barrel, hers on the grip.

    Rowan smiled, tears creeping into his eyes. ¡°And yet we both reached for the gun,¡± he sang with a creaky voice.

    That made her jerk and press the trigger. The bullet hit Rowan in the upper chest, a sharp pain going through his shoulder. He fell backward, dazed, wishing to lay down and sleep. The AI''s voice extracted him from torpor.

    [Cory]: Get your wits back together. There''s good news and bad news. Good news, you survived and cleared the Training quest.

    The bad news was evident. Isla was enveloped in a blue haze, paralyzed. She was struggling to free herself, eyes widened, but to no avail. The gun was on the ground.

    [Cory]: I''m trying to stop the teleporting but it''s not working. Think of allowing me to access the required settings.

    Cory''s voice sounded panicked, and so was Rowan. Ignoring his aching shoulder, he screamed: "I allow Cory to access the teleporting settings."

    The blue light diminished, but only for a couple of seconds, regaining the same intensity. Isla was now screaming, but he couldn''t hear her, only see her widened mouth.

    [Cory]: Doesn''t work, the teleportation was initiated before the setting change and she''s still marked as hostile. Suggestion. Give her a Mission quest to increase your resistance to pain, retroactively.

    "I''m giving Isla Culloden the quest to shoot me so I get more resistant to pain, retroactively!" Rowan shouted. The blue haze flickered and disappeared. Isla fell on all fours, panting, and he rushed to her. "Are you all right?"

    She nodded, struggling to get up and inhaling with whizzing sounds. "I¡­ couldn''t breathe¡­ see or hear¡­ anything. What was that shit, a spell?"

    "The county protocols tried to beam you out because you hurt me," he explained briefly.

    "Oh my God!" Isla gasped, covering her mouth with both her hands. "You''re hurt!"

    "I tried to tell you¡­ my perk doesn''t work out of town."

    "So sorry," she yelled, tearing his shirt apart to reveal the wound. "Let me stop the bleeding¡­ Fuck, we need to get back to the lodge¡­"

    [Cory]: It''s just a flesh wound, your regen is already healing it. It will be repaired in an hour or less.

    "It''s just a flesh wound, it''s already closing," Rowan repeated the AI''s words. Feeling the wound with his finger, he felt the bullet under his skin, maybe an inch deep. Squirming, he pulled it out using his index and threw it away.

    "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!"

    Isla was having a panic attack, bent in two and heaving. He patted her on the back. "It''s OK, really¡­ But let''s stop here. You tased me, now shot me, I think I had enough pain training."

    "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" she repeated, still in shock, then retched and vomited. He took her by the shoulders and supported her until she finished emptying her stomach. "It''s¡­ the first time I shot someone¡­" he confessed five minutes later, putting herself back together and picking up her gun. "Stupid idea¡­. I thought¡­ I''m so sorry¡­"

    "It''s OK," he squeezed her shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "Actually¡­ sparing like this is a bad idea, in the context¡­ but maybe some preparation beforehand is necessary."

    They returned to the lodge in silence, with her leading the way. She opened the door with a key hidden on a beam, and they entered. The interior was cozy, a bit soppy, but nice, with many patchwork blankets and dried flower arrangements. Isla washed his wound with sterile water, abundantly pouring iodine afterward and dressing it with a gauze so bit it could have patched up the Titanic. Or so Cory joked. Finally, they settled on the porch with a cup of coffee in hand and a box of stale cookies on a table.

    There was small talk afterward, which Rowan did mechanically, Isla excusing herself every two minutes or so. The view over the hills was beautiful, and a part of the town could be seen too. It was pleasant¡­

    I accept to be the Count, permanently! Rowan suddenly thought.

    Quest objective accomplished: You are now the Count of Elkins County.

    "Really?" Isla exclaimed, checking her phone, which had buzzed from a notification. "You accepted? I thought that¡­ after I did to you, you''d¡ª"

    "You got a message?"

    "Yeah¡­ Are you sure?"

    [Cory]: Messages related to the County''s welfare are automatically sent to the local network. I''m very happy you accepted. I have a feeling we''ll do great things together.

    "No, I''m not sure," Rowan shook his head. "But it seems the best choice, considering."

    "I''m¡­ glad you said yes," she said with a soft voice, lowering her eyes. "I''ll try to¡­ err¡­ be of help from now on? I mean¡ª"

    "Sure¡­ Do you mind if we go back to town now? I''d like to change and shower."

 6: Foundling Father

    In front of Grace''s house, Rowan paused and took a deep breath. Staying meant a possible relationship¡­ the thought scared him even more than accepting to be a count.

    [Cory]: C''mon, hero, it can''t be so bad¡­ She''s nice, if a bit loose.

    Loose?

    [Cory]: You know¡­ having sex with a stranger the first day you met¡­ a child out of wedlock¡­ that''s what the Multiverse calls¡ª

    "Tell me you''re joking."

    [Cory]: The Galaxy is a wide place, so it depends. In some places¡ª

    We''re not in some places, and I''d appreciate you being polite and using the local standards, Rowan cut the AI short, entering the house with large strides. Inside, Grace and Dmitri were setting the table for lunch, with Lizzie helping.

    ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s back!¡± Grace giggled, then curtsied. "I bid you welcome, your Lordship.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go there, I beg you. I had no idea about the vote and stuff,¡± Rowan waved his hands.

    ¡°Neither did I, I was sleeping,¡± Dmitri said. ¡°Just for the record, I would have voted for you. And I''m glad you accepted.¡±

    After exchanging a handshake with Dmitri and hugging Grace and Lizzie, Rowan sat at the table, resting his forehead on his arm. ¡°I¡¯d help, but I¡¯m still exhausted. Isla almost k¡ª broke me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, God. That¡¯s why you look like you survived a mugging. Please change, your clothes are filthy.¡±

    Taking a look at his clothes, Rowan noticed they were torn and dirty. So only my leather jacket gets repaired¡­ He had left the item in his room.

    "You can have some of my spare shirts," Dmitri said.

    ¡°I have a spare change, it¡¯s OK.¡± Albeit he traveled light, he did have a pair of bermudas and a T-shirt in his small backpack. Ten minutes and a brief shower later, Rowan was back downstairs.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what a Count should wear,¡± Dmitri exclaimed, pointing at Rowan¡¯s shorts. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll lend you a pair of trousers.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ What if they don¡¯t fit?¡± The art teacher was a head shorter than Rowan, about Grace¡¯s height.

    ¡°Nonsense. Come.¡±

    There was another stair at the southern end of the house, leading into a sort of refurbished attic. Dmitri¡¯s apartment was a little on the untidy side, but full of colorful and pretty landscape paintings and an easel in an alcove.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind the mess,¡± Dmitri said.

    ¡°What mess? You should have seen my old man¡¯s studio.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Allinder¡­ Of course, how stupid of me. You¡¯re Johan¡¯s son?¡±

    ¡°Adopted... but yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°What a pleasure!¡± Dmitri rushed and grabbed Rowan¡¯s hand, shaking it with enthusiasm.

    ¡°You knew him?¡±

    ¡°I sold a couple of my works through his gallery, long ago. Is he¡­ still around?¡±

    ¡°He passed away two years away, in his sleep.¡±

    ¡°God rest his soul,¡± Dmitri crossed himself. ¡°What a good man he was!¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Annoying but nice.¡±

    ¡°In his honor, I¡¯ll offer you my best pair of pants.¡±

    Five minutes later, after changing in the bathroom, Rowan looked in the mirror with dismay. The pants were top-notch, but a few inches shorter, as expected. ¡°I¡¯d better change back.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Kneeling, Dmitri pulled on the cuffs, making the trousers descend a little. With the T-shirt covering the belt part, which was now low, Rowan started to look acceptable. Back downstairs, his stomach growling with hunger, he looked forward to eating something. Grace must have read him because she said:

    ¡°You look like you could eat a horse.¡±

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    All of a sudden, the experience of the ''sparing'' session came back to life in his mind. Albeit his previous gracious attitude, in the hills, a bit of resentment and grudge washed over Rowan. And it looked like a good occasion to complain and grumble in front of a nice woman who could reward his suffering with a hot sex session. Maybe starting with a massage?

    ¡°An elephant, maybe. That psycho gave me the worst beating of my life. I''m aching everywhere.¡±

    ¡°I-Isla? N-nah¡­ she¡¯s tough but n-nice. She trains our high-school wrestling team, and the girls l-love her.¡±

    ¡°What do kids know,¡± Rowan sulked. ¡°She¡¯s demented¡­ why are you looking at me like that?¡± Grace was winking like there was no tomorrow,  Lizzie was giggling, and Dmitri gasping. ¡°She¡¯s behind me, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Hi,¡± Isla said, hugging Grace. Behind her, Thomas carried a cake box.

    She was in my back, and you said nothing? Stupid AI!

    [Cory]: Isla¡¯s here for Lizzie¡¯s birthday, she¡¯s turning six today. First grade. She acts more childish to lure potential fathers into liking her. I¡¯ve read the school¡¯s shrink files on her. Also, Isla and Grace go way back, high-school besties. They are both twenty-seven now. They had a third BFF, older, who died in an accident, together with her husband. Isla adopted their kid.

    Grace started to bring in the courses, and they ate. The food was delicious, but Rowan was too embarrassed to enjoy it fully.

    Why should I feel embarrassed? he said to himself. After all, she¡¯s the one who almost killed me. He threw a frown at the woman and froze, realizing for the first time Isla wore a dress instead of her police uniform and looked stunning. Her arms and legs, tanned and fit, had lots of muscles, only not of the bulky kind, but lean and shiny, like a panther¡¯s. And her eyes¡­ gray-blue, going through him like a laser.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, OK?¡± Isla blurted.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Rowan hurried to say, happy she misunderstood his ogling. ¡°I¡¯m just not used to training at this intensity.¡±

    ¡°Mom doesn¡¯t know the meaning of the word easy. You should see my training routine. True hell,¡± Thomas raised his eyes from his smartphone for a second. "Worse than a Chinese tiger mother."

    Is there a phone connection to the outside, Cory?

    [Cory]: No, I built a local network. The Internet connection to the outer world works, but I''m restricting the access until you decide what information to allow in and out.

    Clinking, Rowan put his glass on the table. He had eaten and drank with the rest, even participating in the conversation, he realized, like a second personality had split from him for a while.

    [Cory]: Your WIL and first DEX perk are buffing your INT. Normally, you need the first threshold to be able to multitask like that. I¡¯ll leave you be. They¡¯ll sing Happy Birthday soon. I''ll go install some US-standard plumbing in your mansion.

    ¡°Get up, we¡¯re singing Happy Birthday,¡± Dmitri whispered in his ear at the same time, pulling him by an elbow.

    ¡°Haapy Birthday to¡ª¡±

    ¡°ME!¡± Lizzie yelled over the choir.

    ¡°Haapy Birthday to¡ª¡±

    ¡°ME!¡±

    ¡°Haapy Birthday, dear Lizzie¡­ Happy Birthday to you!¡±

    Hugs, gifts, pats, ruffled hair. Even Thomas, a gender enemy, at that age, embraced her. Lizzie, though, was searching with her eyes for only one target. Rowan. He felt his heart breaking, melting, and then putting itself together. That kind of eyes, and the need to be loved, to belong, he had them too as a kid. He kneeled in front of Lizzie, fondling her shoulder. ¡°Sweetie?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes?¡± she looked at him with suspicion.

    ¡°I like your mother, but adults need time to see if things work,¡± he said then continued before Lizzie had time to react or cry. ¡°But¡­ I have an idea¡­ I''m a Count now, that must give me some sort of clout here, right? If your mother allows it,¡± he searched for Grace¡¯s eyes, ¡°I want to adopt you as my¡­ a sort of¡­ honorary daughter? With your mommy keeping full custody, of course.¡±

    ¡°Mommy?¡± Lizzie looked up, with hope blossoming in her eyes.

    "That''s¡­ too all of a sudden," Grace said hesitantly. "I¡ª"

    "It didn''t take me more than a second to know I want to adopt Thomas," Isla said, looking into nothingness. "When Miriam, died, that was my first thought, even before I cried¡­ The old world is gone, Grace. You didn''t see those monsters¡­ Nine feet tall, all muscles, claws, and fangs¡­ Rowan took them on with only a knife, and he killed the last one with his bare hands. Castles grow overnight, the government nukes us¡­ For what it''s worth, I think he''s weird, but goodhearted." She searched for Rowan''s eyes, and he understood. It was her way of apologizing for going overboard during the sparing session.

    Grace nodded, then came and hugged Rowan and Lizzie.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡± Lizzie beamed. ¡°It¡¯s my best birthday ever!¡±

    ¡°Bwhaaaa¡­.¡± Dmitri erupted in sobs, running out of the room.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Russians are sentimental,¡± Grace smiled. ¡°Welcome to the family, Rowan.¡±

    "Err¡­" Rowan tried to speak, but the blue notification made him gasp.

    You are now officially a parent of Viscountess Elizabeth Garcia Larmontel.

    Seriously? I was thinking of giving Lizzie an honorary daughter diploma and taking her biking once a week...

    [Cory]: For goodness¡¯s sake! Can''t I take my eyes off you for a second? You''re a Count! Your words matter.

    But I said ''honorary'', didn''t I?

    [Cory]: With Lizzie yearning for a dad, Grace for a partner, and Isla''s remorse for almost killing you?

    Hey, relax¡­ I''ll sort it out¡­ Maybe two sessions of bike riding and some help with homework¡ª

    [Cory]: I wish you the best of luck at parenting. You''re 99% percent there.

    You''re sarcastic, aren''t you?

    [Cory]: Have to go, a lot of plumbing to sort out.

    The inner dialogue had taken no more than a few seconds. Meanwhile, the conversation had moved on.

    ¡°Hm¡­ so it''s official¡­ no more paperwork needed¡­¡± Isla said, checking her phone. ¡°Very well¡­ But you¡¯ll have to go to a shrink I¡¯ll choose. I still think you''re a bit weird.¡±

    ¡°If you don''t mind, I¡¯d like to relax on the porch, with a piece of cake and a glass of whiskey. I had quite a hard couple of days,¡± Rowan excused himself, ruffling Lizzie''s hair to make his exit more acceptable.

 7: Porch Settings

    Rowan took his time to eat the piece of cake, sipping Bourbon from time to time. It matched well with the chocolate and sour cherries. When he finished the liquid amber, he put the glass on the nearby table, leaned back on the swing, rested his feet on the railing, and closed his eyes. A lot of thoughts, maybe about the novelty or his situation, were swirling in his head. In the end, he decided to take it step by step.

    AI? Sorry¡­ Cory?

    [Cory]: What?

    Sorry, I know you¡¯re busy.

    [Cory]: Not busy, just taking a number one.

    Err¡­ Like x and zeroes flowing out?

    [Cory]: Ones and¡­ Never mind, I was kidding. How can I help you?

    I thought we could¡­ well¡­ socialize? Know each other better? Are there any settings I should be helping with?

    [Cory]: Sure. For instance, allowing me to communicate telepathically with the Classed countizens if needed. Just think: request granted.

    Request granted. Anything else?

    [Cory]: What if you allow me to act as an interface between you and the County''s council? Sorting out, you know, roads, bus lanes, waterworks, things like that.

    No, taking care of traffic and bus lanes is a dream come true for me. Of course, I want you to sort it out. Tell me something¡­ I have like a hundred grand in gold, in my backpack¡­ I sold my car¡­

    [Cory]: You sold your car for a hundred grand in gold?

    That''s how things go with muscle cars. Should I invest it in something, or¡ª

    [Cory]: The Council had decided to keep the dollar at its current value, for now, and freeze prices. It''s a bit of a heavy-handed approach, but necessary. In time, there are plenty of opportunities for a Mana Zone to thrive. Just imagine the health tourism. A Healer can take care of most ailments your doctors can''t with a simple spell.

    Sounds great.

    [Cory]: Your bag has been changed into a Rare-tier Spatial Storage that only you can use and your stuff deposited inside. If you want to retrieve something, just concentrate on the item and it will appear.

    OK... Now, about the mansion thing¡­ I thought about it and decided to stay at Grace.

    [Cory]: You''re sure? That mansion is very fashionable.

    Absolutely. You have¡­ err¡­ great taste. But I like it here better. It''s cozy and¡­ well¡­ I just like it. Now, what if you give me a brief about the System and stuff? I still don''t get it how¡ª

    [Cory]: Beginning presentation. During an intergalactic voyage, a Manatech spaceship called the Traipenent crashed on Earth, exposing your planet to Mana and Awakening it to the System.

    Is the System sentient?

    [Cory]: No one knows. But it''s known that it interacts with your brain and the local culture, delivering bespoke notifications.

    ¡°But you are sentient, right?¡± Rowan said aloud.

    [Cory]: Yes. But not all cores are.

    A special gal, huh?

    [Cory]: Thank you. Now, about Earth¡¯s situation.

    What about it?

    [Cory]: This is an Accidental Awakening, and we¡¯re in an uncharted part of the Galaxy¡­ No civilized planet will send help.

    Do they send help usually?

    [Cory]: Yes, if possible.

    So we¡¯re on our own.

    [Cory]: You¡¯re correct. Albeit not as harsh as a Wild or Evil System, ours is challenging. The chance that Earth¡¯s Governments survive in the present configuration is zero. The System doesn¡¯t care about the US, China, whatever. It favors smaller polities, which are more manageable.

    Is the System everywhere on Earth now?

    [Cory]: Correct again, but considering the low level of Mana outside, it will not manifest itself for a while.  Advice: interacting with your government is useless. I recommend ignoring any outside noise and concentrating on your fiefdom. Continuing presentation:

    This Town Core had expanded over Randolph County. Inside the County, the Mana level reaches the average Intergalactic standards. The climate is also milder, with a cozy cycle of late spring, summer, and early autumn.

    About Classes. You have a resource tank, the Mana Pool, that fills automatically and filters the raw Mana. Classes specialize in using this resource in different ways.

    And our personal experience counts in unlocking a class, right?

    [Cory]: Indeed. On Earth, most people will continue their existence normally, with their regular stats enhanced by about five percent. They are called tier F Common Unclassed. The next tier, E, Common Classed, gains access to the System and a small amount of extra Attribute Points. About one percent of Earth¡¯s population will become an E tier. Some will go even higher. A handful will achieve excellence like you did. Your tier is Legendary-Unique.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Wow! Really?¡± Rowan exclaimed.

    [Cory]: Legendary Classes are awarded for performing exceptional feats, but it¡¯s a high-risk, high-reward scenario. The cap level for Classes is 100, the same as for stats. Each person has a main stat, the only one that can be raised to threshold four. Yours is WIL. It¡¯s the rarest.

    Is it bad?

    [Cory]: No, it¡¯s the best, but it''s hard to get points for it. On advanced Awakened planets, kids are born with milk stats, like your baby teeth, which grow through personal experience. When they come of age, their levels are reset to one, their stats are transformed to their equivalent in adult values, and they¡¯ll have a choice of a permanent class. Getting a high Will means you overcame hardships in your early life.

    ¡°I understand¡­¡± Rowan said, his voice strangled with emotions.

    [Cory]: One day, maybe you¡¯ll tell me your story.

    ¡°It''s nothing special," Rowan changed to talking aloud. "My mother died young, my biological father went into drugs, and we landed on the streets. It was tough. My mother¡¯s uncle adopted me. End of story.¡±

    [Cory]: Oh¡­ so that¡¯s why you empathize with Lizzie. Maybe you see yourself in her.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a shrink in disguise? What about the unique after Legendary?¡±

    [Cory]: It¡¯s a badge of honor. You were the first to achieve something important on this planet and earned the right to have a bespoke title. The Indomitable. But for all other purposes, you¡¯re a Legendary. What kind? It will depend on how you develop. Don''t rush to level up, take it slow and practice your skills well. You will unlock better perks. Also, your Attribute points are extremely precious, investing them wisely is strongly recommended.

    The AI voice had turned a bit sour on the last words, and Rowan grinned sheepishly. While sipping Bourbon on the porch, he had invested the free AP he had into Charisma, to make himself more likable.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it my best in the future.¡±

    [Cory]: Let''s hope so. Now, about upgrades. You can choose two among the following options: Universal Translator, Technoforge, Short Range Portals,  and Class Assignment Module.

    "Forget the Universal Translator, everybody speaks English. On the other hand, getting out might be useful. I have some friends outside I want to check on.¡±

    [Cory]: I can open passages in the barrier if you want.

    "What are the portals for? Are they safe?"

    [Cory]: Yes. Short Range Portals, nicknamed Shortcuts transport people up to a hundred miles away and can be upgraded. But let me remind you that you can use the Internet to speak with your friends. I installed a new app on your phone, and no one can spy on you, not even me.

    "And the other two Perks?"

    [Cory]: The Technoforge is an advanced factory. It''s really useful. The Class Assignment Module allows the County to grant classes to about a hundred people a year. I can start working on both Perks now, but they won''t be fully operational until I reach level 10.

    "Who decides who gets classes?"

    [Cory]: Ultimately, if you choose so, you do.

    "I like the idea of keeping an eye on who gets powers¡­ Let''s take the Technoforge and the Class stuff for now."

    [Cory]: Now, a bit of more news. Worldwide, five more Town cores were activated, meaning as many dungeons were cleared. We can communicate with each other, but maybe it¡¯s better to wait and see if they''re friendly.

    How many dungeons appeared on Earth?

    [Cory]: The Earth¡¯s Mana Field is too weak yet to generate dungeons by itself. However, the ship that crashed, the Traipenent, had 100 dungeon cores in store that got jettisoned all over the place. About half of them will be able to activate rather sooner than later.

    Shutting his eyelids tight, Rowan massaged the back of his neck. That was worrying news. Ending his silence with a sigh and a half-shrug, he asked: ¡°Why does a Spaceship carry dungeons?¡±

    [Cory]: Very few do. The Traipenent was a multi-purpose ship. Trai-ning, Pen-itentiary, and Ent-ertainment, renting its services around the Galaxy. People entered the dungeons to relax in resort-like facilities or train in challenges, fighting with indentured prisoners or various monsters. There was a rezz facility ensuring no one was really hurt.

    So we have dangerous monsters and criminals roaming all over Earth now?

    [Cory]: Negative. The prisoners are confined inside their dungeons and cannot escape...

    There was a slight hesitation in the AI''s voice that made Rowan ask: "OK, what''s going on?"

    [Cory]: There is an exception¡­ A dungeon malfunctioned¡­ A dungeon break, we call it. The sudden decompression of the folded pocket universe made the ship crash.

    "So we do have escapees roaming around after all."

    [Cory]: My data shows that no one in the ship survived the crash, Rowan. Cores, on the other hand, are next to indestructible. Now, here is your next Quest chain.

    Baby Steps in Leadership

    Attend at least one Town Hall meeting a week. 0/12. Reward: 1 free AP.

    Training

    Train with at least 10 different weapons and hand-to-hand combat for a month, 4 times a week. Reward: 2 free APs.

    Clear the County, tier 1. Available to all Classed citizens.

    About 1% of the County¡¯s wildlife mutated into monsters when they got exposed to mana. Mutated beasts are extremely aggressive and have to be dealt with. Reward upon full clear: 1 level, XP, loot. +1 Level to Town Core.

    [Cory]: Good luck. It¡¯s time for me to go, you have a visitor. Put some points in INT, your subconscious auto-pilot badly needs it.

    As soon as the conversation ended, Rowan found himself gazing at two globes of perfection, slightly shining under the evening sun.

    ¡°You''re needed inside.¡±

    ¡°Why? Hey!¡±

    Isla pulled him up by the collar like a schoolboy and she followed her until they reached the living room. ¡°He stared at my boobs,¡± she ratted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you in your sleep,¡± Thomas promised but kept playing on his phone.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Isla. I stare at your boobs too. That dress is just too sexy,¡± Grace shrugged. ¡°Is it true you sang Chicago to her, Rowan?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the We both reached for the gun. It¡¯s my favorite. My old man liked musicals and I caught the virus. I even¡­ ahum¡­ performed in a few amateur productions.¡±

    ¡°Well, well, well,¡± Grace¡¯s eyes shone with interest. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you show us what you can do?¡±

    She walked to an upright piano situated near a wall and began to play the accompaniment. Rowan missed the first queue, his heart beating in his throat from stage fright, but then, she gave him the queues by singing the reporters¡¯ part, and he managed to find his way around the piece.

    ¡°Not bad at all,¡± Grace said at the end of the song.

    ¡°Thanks, but let''s not do that again. I almost ruined Dmitri¡¯s pants.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll absolutely do that again! Can¡¯t wait.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sing something for us?¡± Rowan proposed, to divert her attention.

    ¡°Glitter and be gay,¡± Dmitri said. ¡°I love everything that glitters and is gay.¡±

    ¡°I like that song a lot,¡± Rowan confessed, taking a seat on the couch, beside Lizzie, who was coloring in a children''s book.

    ¡°Glitter and be gay, That''s the part I play; Here I am in Paris, France¡­¡± Grace began.

    She sang so beautifully that Rowan felt the need to go kiss her, but settled for applauses.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get why it says, Paris, France,¡± Isla said when the applause faded. ¡°Everyone knows where Paris is.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­ who knows what a composer thinks,¡± Grace avoided her friend¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pun about us, ¡®Mericans. We¡¯re supposed to be uncultured, and be told where Paris is, or tell it to other people, despite being obvious,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°Why does it matter if you know where¡¯s the capital of some sex-obsessed snail eaters?¡± Isla snorted. ¡°Thomas, leave that bloody phone alone, it''s late and you have homework. We¡¯re going home.¡±

    After hugs were exchanged, the two left. The rest of the evening was spent playing board games, listening to Grace singing a few more songs, and doing various other relaxing activities. When night came, Grace whispered to Rowan: ¡°I promised Lizzie I¡¯ll sleep with her tonight.¡±

    He smiled and nodded. His morning sleep was cut short, though, when she arrived in his room at six in the morning, with explicit intentions in mind.

 8: The Incursion Challenge

    Twenty-nine days after the Awakening, the County was almost clear of mutated beasts. There was only one red spot left on the map, near Mount Port Crayon Preserve, on the extreme northeast of the county. Leaving the car a couple of miles from the destination, because the dirt road just ended there, they hiked. A mild exercise, for Rowan, but an exhausting one for the rest. Isla and Thomas panted and heaved at every other step.

    ¡°My feet are killing me,¡± Isla complained.

    ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Rowan facepalmed. ¡°You both have more Strength and Toughness than I do, but bitch for going up a hill like it¡¯s Everest.¡±

    [Cory to all]: Strength is a vague representation of your capabilities. For Isla, it helps to kick your butt. For you, it means hiking. By the way, Isla, since we¡¯re talking posteriors, he¡¯s ogling yours every other step.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not cool, you snitch!¡± Rowan blurted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you in your sleep¡­ If I¡­ huh¡­ survive this¡­¡± Thomas heaved.

    ¡°So, you do admit ogling my butt,¡± Isla turned around, frowning.

    ¡°It¡¯s in my face, I can¡¯t help it!¡±

    ¡°Go in front. Now.¡±

    [Cory to all]: Negative. Keep this formation. Tank in front, Hybrid DPS in middle, Rogue in the back.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a Rogue,¡± Rowan objected.

    [Cory to all]: Until you learn magic, you are. Stop. The target is just ahead, one hundred yards. Keep silent, use the chat.

    [Rowan to all]: What should we expect?

    [Cory to all]: I don¡¯t know. Mana sensors are vague until I reach level ten.

    [Thomas to all]: I hope it¡¯s not another mutated hare¡­

    [Isla to all]: You liked Bugs Bunny a lot when you were little.

    [Thomas to all]: Yeah, but he wasn¡¯t jumping all around, trying to bite my throat out. I¡¯m fed up with this quest. So many animals¡­ It feels like we¡¯re doing all the work.

    [Cory to all]: You did. The quest didn¡¯t ask for a quota, most people killed one mutated beast, and let you do the rest. Easy XP and AP with no stress.

    [Rowan to all]: Damned freeloaders... Sit tight, I¡¯ll scout ahead.

    He barely made a step when the phone rang. Or rather buzzed, as it was set on vibrations. Rowan did cuss but answered.

    ¡°Hi, sweetheart,¡± he whispered. ¡°Can you make it quick? I¡¯m in the middle of something here.¡±

    ¡°Please, come back home,¡± Grace¡¯s voice said. ¡°I have that dreadful feeling, again¡­ I beg you¡­ just come back¡­ I love you so much¡­ I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±

    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be careful, and if something¡¯s fishy, I¡¯ll turn back.¡±

    Without any other words, he turned his phone off.

    [Cory to Rowan]: She¡¯s just hysterical. Having a fiance, despite her previously decadent sex life, must mean the world to her.

    [Rowan to Cory]: Shut up. You¡¯re a very bad and impolite core.

    [Cory to Rowan]: Only ONE more kill and I¡¯ll be level ten. Think of the greater good and dispatch that creature.

    Shrugging, Rowan sneaked through the forest. One hundred yards and five minutes later, the target was in view. It was a huge bear, twice the size of a normal Grizzly. The creature was nonchalantly munching some berries. For whatever reason, Rowan¡¯s mind was more interested in examining the berries than in the monster¡¯s specs.

    [Cory to Rowan]: Blackberries.

    [Rowan to Cory]: I know. I like them more in the preserves.

    [Cory to Rowan]: Can you please kill the monster? Its back is turned to you, easy crit.

    [Rowan to Cory]: What if Grace is right, and it¡¯s more dangerous than it looks? I¡¯ll go get the others.

    [Cory to Rowan]: Just message them.

    [Rowan to Cory]: Just shut up.

    Returning to the group as discreetly as he could, he beckoned them behind a rock formation.

    [Rowan to all]: It¡¯s a trap.

    [Cory to all]: What are you talking about?

    [Rowan to all]: It¡¯s a bear.

    [Cory to all]: So what?

    [Rowan to all]: Bears smell people miles away. The wind blows toward him. There¡¯s no way it doesn¡¯t know we¡¯re here.

    [Thomas to all]: You sure are a hiking nerd.

    [Cory to all]: C¡¯mon... It¡¯s just a low-level monster.

    [Rowan to all]: Exactly. What low-level monster would stay put, knowing three top predators are around?

    [Cory to all]: Oh no! You¡¯re right. I¡¯m detecting ten disturbances¡­ cloaking devices.

    [Rowan to all]: Meaning?

    [Cory to all]: The bear¡¯s someone¡¯s pet. A Beast Master¡¯s. We have been infiltrated by hostile forces.

    [Rowan to all]: You can stop nukes but can¡¯t stop people coming in?

    [Cory to all]: Nukes are no big deal. Classed are. This means they know about the quest, and meddled with it, to lure us out here.

    [Isla to all]: It¡¯s not hard to find out about the quest, every citizen has it. But why the ambush?

    [Cory to all]: Best guess? To capture or kill Rowan and claim the County. Change of plans. I¡¯m investing points to enhance Rowan¡¯s perk, effective immediately. You¡¯re immune to bullets. New formation: Thomas and Rowan in front, Thomas steps back when his skills are on CD, and Rowan replaces him as the tank. Stay behind the rocks at all times.

    [Isla to all]: No. We¡¯re retreating. I won¡¯t have Thomas fight in a real battle.

    [Cory to all]: You might have no choice. The disturbances are taking a crescent formation behind the tree line and have you under observation. I¡¯m detecting guns now. If you run, they¡¯ll shoot at you.

    [Rowan to all]: Or follow and pick us one by one. What if we advance, pretend to go for the bear, and attack them first? Thomas, stay here¡­ no, better run away while we engage them.

    [Isla to all]: Cory, you were supposed to teleport hostiles out!

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    [Rowan to all]: True. What the fuck are you waiting for?

    [Cory to all]: Hostiles are problematic. The System likes to throw challenges at you, remember? But if Rowan accepts the invaders as immigrants and grants them citizenship¡­ they become criminals. And criminals are easy to teleport.

    [Thomas to all]: That¡¯s an exploit, right?

    [Cory to all]: Queen of Exploits is my middle name, so yes. The only problem is I can¡¯t send notifications to hostiles. Rowan, yell something at them.

    [Rowan to all]: OK, here goes nothing.

    Clearing his voice, he yelled as loud as he could:

    ¡°I, Count Rowan the First, accept the ones invading our territory today as immigrants and grant them citizenship. They have to obey the law from now on.¡±

    There was a long silence, and then a hail of bullets hit the rocks protecting them.

    ¡°What the fuck happened to the teleport?¡± Thomas yelled.

    [Cory to all]: Oh, no¡­ The System interfered.

    Leadership Quest: The Awakened Warriors that had infiltrated your territory refused your offer for citizenship. The System has decided to allow them to challenge you. Rowan Allinder, prove your mettle by repelling the incursion.

    Reward for winning: Continued Existence. Various. Maintain your title and your control of the County.

    Penalty for losing: The County will be taken under the winners¡¯ control: Unnamed Awakened Military Faction.

    ¡°They¡¯re on us!¡± Isla shouted, unsheathing her gun and firing it wildly. ¡°Thomas, run!¡±

    Nine semi-translucent shadows advanced toward them in turns, pausing to take and offer cover, almost invisible, except for the faint distortions their silhouettes made on the surroundings. Ignoring Isla¡¯s order, or maybe obeying it but in the wrong sense, the boy dashed ahead, yelling Taunts, interposing himself between the incoming enemies and his party. Bullets bounced off him like heavy raindrops from a hard stone.

    [Cory to Rowan]: Go help him! I can¡¯t rezz anyone but you, remember? Switching the notification to the System for faster feedback.

    Rowan followed the boy, running as fast as he could. Their foes were still invisible, but their guns were letting out smoke and flashes of light. He executed a skill that made him move forward like lightning, ten times faster than normal, a Rush.

    You have slain Invader, level 40. XP gain is delayed until you are out of combat, as per your choice of settings.

    His spear had skewered the nearest enemy. The cloaking failed, revealing a middle-aged man, with short hair, dressed in military fatigues, who dropped dead and dissolved into specks of blue light the next second.

    Dodge-rolling on the grass, Rowan heard a bunch of bullets pass above him. One hit his shoulder but got flattened. At the same time, from behind the rocks, Isla fired her gun like mad, reloading and firing again. Rowan flourished his spear around, hoping to catch someone by chance. It worked, another man fell, his severed foot spilling blood. A second swing cut half the man¡¯s head off, passing through a military helmet like through butter.

    You have slain Invader, level 40. Any further XP gain is delayed until you are out of combat, as per your choice of settings.

    ¡°Your plan failed, surrender!¡± Rowan yelled, jumping up.

    ¡°You surrender, piece of shit!¡±

    Someone hit him hard, a fist in the kidneys. It would have knocked Rowan down, normally, but he willed his pain away, and turned to face his foe, trying to grapple him¡­ no, her. It was a woman, tough-looking, in her forties. Before they fought, her skull sprayed blood, a shot from Isla, and she collapsed.

    Team member Isla Culloden has slain Invader, level 40.

    ¡°Get the boy!¡± someone shouted.

    Three people emerged from their cloaking, surrounding Thomas, and another three near Isla. One of the latter tried to shoot her, but she moved too fast, grappling with another man, and shielding herself behind him, making him soak the bullets destined for her. How she moved afterward was so savage Rowan swore to never make her angry again. She tore a bandit¡¯s throat off with her bare hands, then headbutted the last adversary, smashing his skull like cardboard.

    Team member Isla Culloden has slain Invader, level 40, x3.

    ¡°Stop, or we kill him!¡± a man yelled.

    There were only three foes remaining, but they had the advantage. One restrained Thomas, another,¡ªthe one shouting orders¡ªkept a gun at the boy¡¯s head, and the third, a young woman, aimed a pistol at Rowan.

    ¡°OK, OK!¡± Rowan yelled, throwing down his spear. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± the leader of the invaders told Isla, who had exited her cover and was advancing and growling like a mama lion seeing her cub in peril, pushing his gun closer to Thomas''s temple.

    [Thomas to all]: My Invulnerability is off cool down. It holds for 3 secs, so be quick. Now!

    Isla unsheathed her spare gun, firing toward the one restraining Thomas. The projectiles hit the boy too, but the spell held, and one bullet managed to find its target. The two remaining invaders shot at Rowan. He felt the bullets hitting him hard, like giant fists, but kept going onward, grappling with the leader. From the corner of his eye, he could see the younger woman disintegrating and Thomas throwing himself down to take cover.

    Team member Isla Culloden has slain Invader, level 40, x2.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Rowan shouted. Surprisingly, even for himself, he had managed to disarm and restrain the leader of the other team, holding a knife at the man¡¯s neck. Isla¡¯s lessons had paid off.

    ¡°US special forces, you fucking traitor. How did you survive? I shot you twice.¡±

    ¡°A perk. Shit, Isla¡¯s hurt. Thank you for your gift, the XP will be put to good use.¡± After slitting the man¡¯s throat, Rowan rushed to help Isla, who was wobbling and gurgling blood, briefly reading the notification on the way.

    You have slain Invader, level 40.

    Leadership Quest cleared. Ambush defeated. +1 free Lvl. + 1 free AP, XP

    Leadership Quest cleared. Incursion defeated: +1 free Lvl. +1 free AP

    Quest: Clear the County, tier 1, has been cleared. +1 free Lvl. +1 free AP

    You have reached Lvl. 42. 4 AP in each Stat have been granted for passing two level thresholds (30 and 40). You have 16 free APs available.

    ¡°They got me¡­ s-sorry¡­¡± Isla stuttered, lying on the grass.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Thomas screamed, kneeling near her.

    ¡°Thomas¡­¡± Isla whispered, fondling the boy¡¯s cheek. ¡°It¡¯s OK¡­gh¡­¡±

    ¡°Stand still!¡± Rowan took off her vest, and cut the blood-soaked shirt with his knife. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to undress her breasts. Unfortunately, the wound was in an armpit, a bullet had managed to go around the armor. He tried to stop the bleeding using the T-shirt, but it didn¡¯t work. ¡°Shit, she¡¯s fainting. Cory, help! Tell me what to do!¡±

    [Cory to all]: Slap her to keep her awake and tell her to invest Attributes Points into CON. She¡¯s near fifty, hopefully, she¡¯ll be able to choose some Regen perk.

    ¡°No slap¡­ I heard¡­¡± Isla mumbled, going on and off unconsciousness every other few seconds.

    [Cory to all]: She did unlock an Enhanced Regen, but it¡¯s still not enough. She won¡¯t make it. Invest points in INT until you get 25. With luck, you¡¯ll unlock Healing, because of your first-aid training.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Thomas yelled, holding his mother in his arms.

    [Cory to all]: Y-yes¡­

    Pushing five Attribute Points into INT, as suggested, Rowan crossed his fingers.

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    Intelligence Perk, Threshold 1 obtained: Strategic Sixth Sense. You can read a battle situation, politics, or just moods with uncanny accuracy. Access to advanced skills: Inspect and Analyze.

    [Cory to Rowan]: Hurry, put the rest of your points in¡ª

    He acted before the core finished the sentence. There were enough points to raise his Will to seventy-five.

    Will Perk, Threshold 3 obtained: Magical Synergy. You have unlocked Minor Mana Manipulation. Through sheer force of Will, you can enhance items, skills, or perks, no matter how mundane, with Magic. Exceptional Synergy with the INT stat, normal with the rest.

    Dismissing the notification, Rowan hurried to apply a bandage over the wound.

    ¡°Stop the bleeding, damn¡¯ it!¡±

    First Aid Skill: Stop Bleeding (Minor) applied. Success. 100 MP consumed.

    ¡°Yey!¡±

    [Cory to all]: Err¡­ Sorry, but the bullet is still inside. But I guess she¡¯ll make it to the hospital, where a proper doctor could help her.

    ¡°Extract bullet!¡± Rowan yelled, touching the wound with his index. As attracted by a magnet, the projectile crawled its way out, and he threw it on the grass.

    First Aid skill: Extract Bullet (Minor) applied. Success. 100 MP consumed. You have unlocked Minor Telekinesis (you can move small objects with your mind at a moderate distance). Warning: You have inflicted Bleeding on your teammate Isla Culloden. Temporary status with the teammate Isla in the negative: Your Guts Are Hated.

    ¡°You idiot!¡± Isla grimaced in pain.

    First Aid skill: Stop Bleeding (minor) applied. Success. 100 MP consumed.

    Next, he put a Band-Aid over the wound. ¡°Heal!¡±

    Minor Heal fails. This spell is not in your current repertoire. Channeled healing spells are specific to Healer classes. Option: achieve Max INT or/and Advanced Mana Manipulation.

    [Cory to Rowan]: It¡¯s OK, her HPs have stabilized at 8%. I suggest not moving her until she¡¯s around 50%. That will take about 30 minutes. Usually, parties have Healers, but there are only two in town now, and have a lot of patients.

    [Rowan to Cory]: Yeah, that makes sense.

    [Cory to Rowan]: I¡¯m taking back control of notifications, for better semantics. Why don¡¯t you let them have a mother-son moment while we have a chat about your build? I¡¯m disbanding the team.

    ¡°You two rest for a while, I¡¯m going for a walk.¡± Rowan retrieved his spear and walked away.

 9: Stats Chat

    ¡°You said there were ten foes. We killed nine, where¡¯s the last one?¡± Rowan asked as he walked away.

    [Cory]: You can talk to me in thought or chat if you want.

    ¡°I like it better like this. It feels more personal.¡±

    [Cory]: Thank you. Let me check the logs¡­ Interesting. The Beast Master accepted your offer and left the area. With his bear becoming a lawful pet, you also cleared the Monster quest.

    Rowan looked around for some fallen tree or stump. Walking while chatting, he had arrived at the tree line now, a quarter of a mile away from the battle scene. In the distance, Isla and Thomas argued, gesticulating.

    [Cory]: She¡¯s scolding him for jumping into the fray. But she¡¯s as guilty, she left the cover herself. You, on the other hand, performed well.

    ¡°That was strange¡­ the Special Forces were Awakened too, and higher in level. How could we beat them?¡±

    [Cory]: A couple of reasons come to my mind. One, they were only tier E. Two, and that¡¯s the important one, they didn¡¯t use any spell, perk, or skill, at any moment. They stuck to guns and their military training. It¡¯s not enough, against Awakened skills. And now, with the new perk, your attacks will be even more powerful.

    ¡°Looks so¡­ What¡¯s this?¡± the young man picked something from the grass. It was a cigarette butt, shining blue, unlike any other cigarette Rowan had ever seen.

    [Cory]: NO!

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Terrible¡­ Littering in a natural preserve¡­ pfff¡­ some people¡­¡± Rowan tried to sound convincing because he had done the same in his wild teenage years, without any second thought.

    [Cory]: That too, but there¡¯s worse. That¡¯s a sophisticated cloaking device.

    ¡°The butt is a cloaking device?¡±

    [Cory]: Yes, it contains a magic drug. It allows you to go into Hyperspace. That¡¯s a sort of in-between dimensions space. If you smoke that, you can get through forcefields. Cory: What are you doing?

    ¡°Safekeeping the joint,¡± Rowan said, after storing the butt in his spatial inventory. There¡¯s still some left, you never know when it could come in hand.¡±

    [Cory]: Guess you¡¯re right¡­ Gross, but right.

    ¡°So, you think they used that to pass the barrier?¡±

    [Cory]: Yes. But it is possible that before this, they infiltrated spies in town. We have a bit of traffic nowadays. More checks are in order.

    ¡°Something else worries me. This item isn¡¯t something a local could get, right? There are aliens involved.¡±

    [Cory]: I agree, but who? There is insufficient information for now, so let¡¯s discuss my future. I¡¯m level ten now, and able to offer three more Perks.

    Do I have to choose them?

    [Cory]: Technically, yes.

    Ok, hit me. Practically?

    [Cory]: I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d go with my selection. I tried to keep everyone¡¯s interest in mind. First perk: I can revive up to nine different people a day, including you. Any level I gain from now on increases the number.

    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Rowan yelled. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use it on Isla?¡±

    ¡°All well?¡± Isla shouted. ¡°I¡¯m OK now, we can go.¡±

    ¡°In five, please!¡± he shouted back.

    ¡°OK!¡±

    Why didn¡¯t you use it on her?

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    [Cory]: Attuning somebody for a Rezz slot takes a few hours. I will start with a funny little creature. The name starts with L. Do I have your permission to install that perk and proceed?

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Rowan whispered and nodded.

    [Cory]: The next will be Grace, then Thomas, and last, Isla. That leaves four more spots to be determined.

    ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s take some time to ponder. I think the best would be to prioritize the best fighters and their families, ensuring those who protect the County have the best motivation. And I don¡¯t care if I sound selfish, but my family will come first.¡±

    ¡°Do you think another person in your position would hesitate to use the Rezz dimension to their advantage? Relax. I have thousands of Awakenings in my database. Ensuring the Hero¡¯s friends and family are safe is a recipe for success. Having him mourning someone, for disaster.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Rowan said again.

    ¡°The second perk, and pretty please go with this one: I need to invest in research and build the Technoforge. It¡¯s a long process and the results will not be evident at first, but it¡¯s worth it.¡±

    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll trust you on that. Go for it.¡±

    [Cory]: Thanks. By the way, the Technoforge will be able to produce Healing and Mana potions, so that¡¯s a huge bonus. Now, the third perk I have in mind is an advanced Class Assigner Module.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve mentioned it before. Sure, Cory, go for the module. How many classes can it offer?¡±

    [Cory]: One hundred per year. I have two options for it: Temple or Priests.

    Sorry?

    [Cory]: We either build an Awakening place, in which candidates go and meditate, or let Priest classes perform a ritual.

    Priests, it¡¯s more personal, and makes them happy. Happy equals less prone to preach against me.

    [Cory]: You¡¯re a Machiavelli in the making. Now, the last topic: Your Stats. Stats are but a means to an end: Perks. Perks. Are. The. Most. Important. Thing.

    Of course. Without my third perk in Will¡­ Rowan shivered.

    [Cory]: Here is your Character Sheet now.

    Name: Rowan Allinder. Class: The Indomitable, Level 42

    STR: 34 / DEX: 31 / CON: 31 / INT: 25 / WIL: 75 / CHA: 19

    Will Perk, Threshold 1: Will and Wilt: Your Will replaces Strength as your Critical Damage multiplier (1% per every Will point) and inflicts an Unavoidable DOT every 2 seconds, on Crits. The Critical Chance still depends on your Dex (+1% for every Dex point).

    Will perk, threshold 2: High-Tier Artifact User. Able to use high-tier Artifacts.

    Will Perk, Threshold 3: Synergy. Through sheer force of Will, you can make any stat perform better, and enhance any skill, no matter how mundane, with Magic.

    Strength Perk, Threshold 1: Miss? What miss? Your strikes have a 25% chance to ignore Evade, Dodges, Parries, or Blocks.

    Constitution Perk, Threshold 1: Tough Cookie. +25% all physical resistances, +25% to Natural Regeneration (HP)

    Dexterity Perk, Threshold 1: Subconscious Fighting. Even if you¡¯re sent flying in the air, your body can move on its own, striking the enemy.

    Intelligence Perk, Threshold 1: Strategic Sixth Sense. You can read a battle situation, politics, or ¡®just¡¯ moods with uncanny accuracy.

    ¡°Do you have any suggestions about where to invest my points?¡±

    [Cory]: Yes. Everywhere, because of Synergy. The main point is when. Have I told you that the rule is only the Main stat can be maxed? The Main.

    No, you didn''t¡­ err¡­ Or maybe you did¡­ I can¡¯t remember.

    [Cory]: WIL is your main. Now take a look at a simulation of your stats if you¡¯d be at the maximum level, taking into account the automatic APs gained every ten levels and with 60 free APs in store, from leveling.

    STR: 46 / DEX: 43 / CON: 43 / INT: 37 / WIL: 87 / CHA: 31

    You have three choices. The easy, the hard, and the ugly. The easy: Max in WIL, and threshold two in every secondary stat.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, we¡¯re hungry!¡± Isla yelled.

    ¡°One minute, for fuck¡¯s sake!¡±

    Hurry, Cory.

    [Cory]: That will require just a tiny amount of supplementary free APs, from quests. Easy enough. The hard way is to go for the third threshold in another Stat, and for the second in the rest except Charisma. That will require a few more quests.

    And the ugly is to go for the third threshold in two secondary stats?

    [Cory]: Yes¡­ More supplementary APs.

    So what? They come easy.

    [Cory]: Yes, but so do levels. That¡¯s the real problem. Once you reach the max level, APs transform into Skill Points¡­ but that¡¯s a subject for another time.

    I see¡­ so the trick would be to get as many APs as possible without leveling too fast¡­

    [Cory]: Yes. Grinding day after day, and taking thresholds only when necessary. Getting some real experience first helps you to get better perks.

    I know, you told me that before.

    [Cory]: And I meant it. Today, it was a necessity. Let¡¯s not make it a habit.

    In the distance, Isla was staring at him with her hands on her hips, preparing to yell again, so it was better to attack first.

    ¡°Coming!¡± Rowan clamored.

 10: Seer

    The 4x4 police car stopped in front of the house, tires screeching, and Rowan rushed outside. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡±

    ¡°Daddy!¡± Lizzie screamed, erupting out of the house and in his arms. ¡°Mommy¡¯s a Hero, and got a Class!¡± On the loudest words, droplets of spit hit Rowan¡¯s face, together with the food she was eating. His best guess was apple pie.

    ¡°Your warning was spot on,¡± he stared at Grace, who had appeared in the doorframe. She rushed to hug him, wrapping her arms around both.

    [Cory]: Her premonition might have helped our subconsciousness¡ªyours and mine¡ª to realize the danger and devise a good plan. She unlocked a Class.

    ¡°Beurch!¡±

    ¡°Auntie Isla is sick,¡± Lizzie stated.

    Bent in two, Isla was emptying the content of her stomach on the grass. Grace rushed to support her.

    ¡°What happened? Do you need some water?"

    ¡°She let him d-drive. It was c-crazy,¡± Thomas whimpered, lowering the back seat window. ¡°He can use magic to d-drive f-faster. We went like a hundred miles an hour.¡±

    ¡°Nah, that was no magic, I took some rally racing lessons,¡± Rowan shrugged, putting Lizzie on the ground.

    ¡°Please, dump him,¡± Isla mumbled. ¡°Beurch!¡±

    ¡°Never!¡± Grace frowned, clenching her fists. ¡°Why are you keeping at that? Are you trying to get him for yourself!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather put a bullet in my brain,¡± the policewoman sneered. Raising painfully, she went to the car and scribbled something on a piece of paper. ¡°For speeding.¡± She shoved the paper in Rowan¡¯s hands, then drove off slowly. Her retching could be heard even when the car disappeared behind the corner.

    ¡°Goodness. I¡¯ll clean it up,¡± Dmitri offered, exiting the house and grabbing the water hose.

    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Grace asked.

    ¡°I am,¡± he kissed her, following her in the house.

    ¡°Tell him about your class,¡± Lizzie asked.

    ¡°Later. Dmitri made this,¡± she put a place with something baked in the oven, layers of potatoes and eggplants alternating with minced meat.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Rowan let out a groan of satisfaction. ¡°Ish rully good.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t speak with the mouth full, please, you¡¯re giving Lizzie a bad example.¡±

    Rowan nodded, lowering his head between his shoulders.

    ¡°All of a sudden, I got a Class, and went to level nineteen¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t know what to do¡­ Can I refuse it?¡±

    ¡°Cory?¡±

    [Cory to Rowan and Grace]: Once a class is bestowed, it can¡¯t be removed.

    ¡°AH!¡± Grace jumped up.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Core¡¯s voice, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s speaking in my head! I want it gone.¡±

    [Cory to Rowan]: I¡¯ll let her be for now. That class is perfect for her.

    ¡°She can switch to texts,¡± he tried to calm Grace.

    ¡°I want it gone. She, and the class. I have enough troubles already.¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about the class?¡±

    She sat down across the table, resting her forehead against her right palm.

    ¡°It says Seer. Epic. I¡¯m¡­ supposed to have visions of the future¡­ Two free Attribute Points in Charisma, Intelligence, and Dexterity, every ten levels.¡±

    ¡°What are your stats?¡±

    ¡°Nine in Strength and Constitution, eighteen in Dexterity, Twenty in Intelligence and Will, and twenty-four in Charisma... which is in bold. ¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your main stat.¡±

    ¡°Look, Rowan, I don¡¯t want this,¡± she shook her head.

    ¡°You saved my life today,¡± he said gently, caressing her hair. ¡°Next time, it could be about Lizzie. Would it hurt if your premonitions worked better?¡±

    Grace swallowed a lump. ¡°Tell me what to do,¡± she surrendered.

    ¡°You have nineteen free Attribute Points, right?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-one.¡±

    ¡°True, the quests¡­ Well, let¡¯s do this. Put one in Charisma.¡±

    ¡°I see a weird text and some fireworks!¡± she screamed, waving her hands in front of her face, like to chase away a mosquito.

    ¡°Cory¡¯s adding emojis to notifications lately. Tell me what it says,¡± Rowan asked, coming and hugging her to stop her from shaking.

    ¡°That I got a p-perk. Trustworthy. When my intuitions are true, my words can convince others.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± Dmitri said, arriving in the room. ¡°Remember Cassandra? She was right but no one believed her.¡±

    ¡°Man, your food is great,¡± Rowan said. ¡°I had no idea Russian food is so good.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Greek food. Moussaka.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ but you¡¯re still Russian, right?¡±

    ¡°Usually, for a handsome man like you, I¡¯d say I¡¯m whatever you want me to be, but because Grace called dibs: no. I¡¯m Greek.¡±

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong about being Greek?¡± Dmitri raised his voice.

    ¡°Sorry¡­ My bad. You know we started talks with other Awakened Towns, right? There¡¯s a delegation from Vladivostok visiting next week. I hoped you could translate or, you know, socialize with them for us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they speak English,¡± Grace said, squeezing his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get over with the class thing.¡±

    ¡°Hmpf,¡± Dmitri snorted, exiting toward the stairs.

    ¡°Geez, I¡¯m such a klutz¡­¡± Rowan sighed.

    ¡°Buy him some chocolates, he¡¯ll get over it.  For the record, I thought him Russian too. Can we  go concentrate on my class, please?¡± Grace¡¯s voice was now annoyed.

    ¡°Daddy is such a good person, caring for everyone,¡± Lizzie said.

    ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Grace fondled Rowan¡¯s cheek, her ire melting.

    Your Strategic Sixth Sense has detected a spell in your vicinity: Cute Diversion.

    What?

    He threw a short Inspect at Lizzie and gasped on the inside.

    Name: Lizzie Garcia Larmontel Age: 6 Class: Actress, Level 30

    STR: 6 / DEX: 6 / CON: 6 / INT: 16 / WIL: 20 / CHA: 100

    You have detected a shared debuff applied on you and Grace Garcia Larmontel: Love spell. Source: Elizabeth Garcia Larmontel.

    Oh my GOD! She bewitched us! That¡¯s it! Getting in bed from the first night¡­ everything. I didn¡¯t even think to ask Grace''s surname¡­

    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Grace asked, seeing him wobbling. Lizzie, on the other hand, was trying to make herself as small as possible. She knew he knew. It took Rowan a full second to make three Will checks and conclude.

    I do love the little one¡­ I just have to be a better father¡­ one who scolds her if she does wrong¡­ And Grace¡¯s wonderful¡­

    He frowned and waved his finger at Lizzie.

    ¡°Go to your room, missy. You¡¯re grounded and you know why. Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll check every homework you told me you''ve already done, understood?¡±

    The latter part was meant to tell her he¡¯d stay, no matter what, so Lizzie jumped down from her chair with a most happy expression and ran out of the room.

    ¡°What did she do?¡± Grace inquired.

    ¡°Put a love spell on us, of course. Since the first day.¡±

    Widening her eyes, Grace covered her mouth with both her hands.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed. You¡¯re an amazing woman, and I still wanna give it a try to our relationship. Not a weak, or mild try, a try with all my heart. If¡­ you want, of course.¡±

    ¡°Of course I want!¡± she jumped in his arms, then sat in his lap, pulling his head between her breasts to caress his hair. ¡°I want it so much¡­¡±

    They kissed, both with tears in their eyes.

    ¡°Now put five points in Intelligence and Will.¡±

    ¡°Five between them, or?¡±

    ¡°Five in each. Read me the perks.¡±

    Hugging him, she whispered in his ear.

    ¡°Will¡¯s perk is better control of my body, under intense emotions¡­ Stage fright, or¡­ I¡¯ll show what it can do later tonight,¡± she let a whiff of air tickle his neck.

    ¡°Can¡¯t wait,¡± he smiled.

    ¡°The other perk is about management skills¡­ That could come in handy for the business¡­ if there is any future in it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there is. Put seven in Dex, one in Strength, and two in Con. Now you have four perks unlocked. The rest will have to wait¡­ We need to have patience and grind some APs. I hope you like to hunt rats.¡±

    ¡°What? I hate rats!¡± she jerked her head back.

    ¡°Perfect! Then you¡¯ll love hunting them.¡±

    ¡°Pff¡­¡± she snorted. ¡°My Dex perk is a buff of 25% damage with ranged weapons¡­ I did some archery in college¡­ nothing serious, but¡­¡±

    ¡°That will come in handy for the rats.¡±

    ¡°You''re just teasing me, right?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head. ¡°I received a quest about killing sewer rats on our way back.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll reconsider showing you my Will perk tonight.¡±

    Strategic Sixth Sense has detected a lie.

 11: Boris Godunov

    Grace woke up in a sweat, a vague ominous feeling in her guts, like a nightmare forgotten. Rowan slept blissfully beside her, exhausted. She felt the need for another love session but abstained. It was an important day.

    Showering, arranging her hair, painting her nails, dressing in a pencil skirt that advantaged her silhouette, and elegant shoes with a bit of heels to make her look taller, took time. She wasn¡¯t hungry, so he let Rowan and Lizzie eat, whatever Dmitri was able to make.

    At half past nine, they exited the house, and Isla came to pick them out. They squeezed themselves into the back of the police car, Grace frowning, because she was afraid to wrinkle her skirt.

    At a quarter to ten, they arrived in the new Town Square and had conversations with the Mayor and other officials. Lizzie fretted all over the place, uncomfortable in her princess dress, a real tomboy, despite her acute cuteness. Isla disappeared somewhere, to take care of security.

    Finally, the majestic clock in the tower rang ten o¡¯clock.

    Incoming town-to-town portal from Vladivostok

    The notification floated in the air, for everyone to see. There was a Yes/No option to allow the portal to open, to which Rowan acquiesced. Three persons walked out from a large blue circle. First, an elegant blonde woman, with striking red lipstick, wearing a pencil skirt as well. Then, a short man, carrying a trumpet. And finally, a tall, immense man. Large as a bear, or even larger. Behind him, the portal closed.

    The short man stepped forward, played a short call on his instrument, then clamored: ¡°His Majesty, Knyaz.... greets Elkins Town and Randolph County.¡±

    The name got lost on Grace, as the man''s presence inspired her of another, a similar tall and large man, a celebrity, an opera singer, his most famous role Boris Godunov. Lizzie¡¯s true father. Not her idiotic boyfriend who forgot to use protection, as she always lied, no. A visiting teacher, for a masterclass, a position of power, a light attracting a small, ugly duckling moth. Herself.

    She had cheated on his boyfriend, and lied, and when she had resolved to carry Lizzie to term, no matter what, she also had accepted the bribe. Money, to put as an advance for the house. To secure a place for her child, in exchange for her silence. Tears filled her eyes.

    After exchanging accolades and handshakes, the Knyaz leaned and whispered something to Rowan. The latter leaned his head backward, roaring in laughter, and patted the Russian on the back. Beckoning the trumpeter, the Knyaz said something into the musician''s ear, who nodded and played a few loud notes, before clamoring:

    ¡°Count Allinder and Knyaz¡­¡ª"Boris Godunov, Grace''s mind replaced the real name¡°¡ªof Vladivostok have agreed to offer the public a martial demonstration, a non-lethal boxing match. No spells, special skills, or perks are to be used¡±

    The trumpeter''s announcement was met with raucous applause. Her heart skipped a beat. Lizzie was screaming, cheering for Rowan, and Isla was screaming too, but insults, cursing Rowan for not delegating her, the better boxer, to fight in the match.

    The two men undressed, shirtless. Rowan¡¯s muscles were a marvel, a masterpiece, a living sculpture. Boris Godunov was fat, but fat, on a bear, is deceiving. Grace¡¯s head throbbed with apprehension. A cloud was hanging over her mind, preventing her from Seeing the outcome of the match.

    Rowan danced around the hulking Russian, throwing hits, at first to probe the adversary, then to overwhelm him. But the Knyaz soaked Rowan¡¯s attacks like they were breakfast cereals. His fists found their target and the younger man was thrown back, but landed on his feet and rushed back to fight.

    Everybody was yelling, making her dizzy. Grace closed her eyes and covered her ears, just to make it stop. Strange words appeared in her vision, floating in the dark, colored words: Don''t do this, idiot! You don''t understand yet how this world works...  Shut up! You don''t tell me what to do.

    There was a loud noise, and a dampened sound followed. When she opened her eyes, Rowan was lying on the cobblestones.

    The System has decided to transform the boxing match into a Leadership Challenge and transferred captaincy to the victor. Randolph County is now the vassal of His Majesty, Knyaz¡ªBoris Godunov, her brain said again¡ªruler of Vladivostok. All laws in place are to be kept. The Town¡¯s Core is transferring Admin rights to His Majesty.

    <hr>

    Grace woke up in a sweat, a vague ominous feeling in her guts, like a nightmare forgotten. Rowan slept blissfully beside her, exhausted. She fondled his cheek, softly, just because the happiness she felt from loving him was overwhelming. A short yawn, then Rowan''s eyes found hers. He stretched his arms and pulled her into his embrace.

    They made love like never before: rough, passionate, and intense beyond words. In the end, they stared at each other, enjoying the eye contact and the love that it projected.

    "I love you, Isla," Rowan said.

    And suddenly, Grace saw the world through his eyes. The woman in Rowan''s arms had long blonde hair, lean and muscular arms and legs, and blue eyes. She screamed.

    <hr>

    Grace woke up in a sweat, a vague ominous feeling in her guts. Nightmares, all night¡­ Rowan was awake, he could hear him chatting downstairs, with Dmitri. She jumped out of bed, throwing a house robe on her, feeling in her guts she needed to tell him about the dreams. Maybe they were a premonition¡­

    [Cory]: Stop right there!

    "Ah!" Grace jumped back.

    [Cory]: C''mon, get over it already, I''m part of your life now. Stay put and listen. There''s something amiss. I''m detecting glitches in the System, all around this house. Red and blue lines of code fighting, the red wants to access your mind, and the blue is preventing it.

    "Red and blue? I saw it in my vision," Grace blurted.

    [Cory]: Tell me everything. You''re the only Seer in Town and the System is glitching around you? This can''t be a coincidence.

    Trying to remember her nightmares in the smallest details, Grace began to tell her story, clutching the house robe at her chest, in search of an illusory armor, and sitting on the bed, as she felt dizzy by the madness around her, the new Awakened world, her class, everything.

    [Cory]: Fuck¡­ This is bad¡­ Look, the System is a complicated thing. It has subroutines, like multiple personalities. It''s not ''young'' by any means, but it is programmed to adapt to each new Awakened planet. It looks like the process is still incomplete, and the subroutines are fighting over the way forward¡­

    Grace sobbed, covering her face with her palms. "I''m¡­ so new at this¡­ it overwhelms me¡­ I have to tell Rowan," she rose, stepping toward the door.

    [Cory]: Don''t. The blue code won and chased away the red. I have an idea of what''s going on¡­ The System likes to throw unexpected challenges in your path, to make you stronger. If you tell Rowan, The System will find another way to challenge him, and it will be much worse. Let''s go with it, for now¡­ I''ll try to find a way around it. It''s not for nothing I''m nicknamed the Queen of Exploits.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    <hr>

    ¡°Well fought, kid,¡± the Knyaz offered a hand, helping a dazed Rowan back to his feet, then hugging and patting him on the back. ¡°You''ll be my right hand here. My people!¡± the Russian roared. ¡°Let¡¯s party!¡±

    The crowd roared. It had been a fair fight, a beautiful fight. Grace pinched herself. Was she in another nightmare? So far, reality had followed her nightmare in every little detail. The trumpeter, the blonde, everything.

    ¡°It¡¯s not fair!¡± Lizzie screamed, in tears. ¡°My Daddy¡¯s the best!¡±

    The Russian came forward, along with his two followers, and started chatting with the authorities. Rowan dressed and joined Grace, sulking, his shoulders sagging.

    ¡°At least he¡¯s an honorable man¡­ I didn¡¯t like being the boss anyway. Don¡¯t worry, sweetie, I¡¯ll be able to spend more time with you,¡± he patted Lizzie¡¯s head.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not fair! You¡¯re the strongest daddy in the Universe!¡± she yelled back, tearful.

    The crowd dispersed, little by little, and the officials showed the way to the new City Hall and the dining room. The mood was mixed, again. Some rejoiced some looked depressed. In the middle, Rowan, oscillated in between, like he was not yet decided if he was sad or merry.

    It was too much. Letting Lizzie in Dmitri¡¯s care, Grace took a glass of wine and went outside, on the terrace, to look at the hills and cry. What was the bloody Core doing? She promised to find a solution.

    Hi, Grace.

    She turned, to see who was talking to her, but the voice was in her head.

    It''s me, Cory. This is all my fault, I should have seen it coming. The Russians took a System Oath, not to attack us, before coming. But a boxing match is not attacking¡­ The Knyaz was just a puppet for bigger players, and they knew that in a no-holds-barred, Rowan would have won. But what¡¯s done is done, let¡¯s concentrate on the future. Do you want to restore justice? I promised you I''d find a way, and I did, but I need you for that.

    ¡°What do you me to do?¡± Grace blurted.

    Keep your voice low. I want you to kill the Knyaz.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a murderer.¡± Grace shook her head. "We''ll deal with it. It''s¡­ not important¡­" She struggled against her gut feeling which screamed at her it was immensely important. "Rowan will be the second in command, you heard the Knyaz."

    Have you listened to what I said? The Knyaz is a puppet for darker forces whose villainy you can''t even imagine. You need to become a killer, fast. For the County¡¯s sake, and yourself. Look behind you.

    Turning and resting her back on the railing, Grace peered inside the dining hall. Isla approached Rowan. Grace caught a few words:

    ¡°I would not have won either. He¡¯s too strong.¡±

    ¡°I think you could have, but I guess we¡¯ll never know,¡± Rowan shrugged. ¡°I apologize for not letting you fight in my place.¡± Then Isla fondled his cheek and went away, and Rowan looked longingly after her, staring at her feline gait and firm tushy.

    He thinks you¡¯re beautiful, and loves you. But Isla¡­ he desires, and she desires him back. Pure animalistic lust. Rowan is not a nice guy, only his will makes him so. He¡¯s wild and unpredictable, you¡¯re not his type, she is. You two are together because of Lizzie. But what will he do once he¡¯s purposeless, with a lot of time on his hands? They¡¯ll sleep together. ''I¡¯m sorry, I have feelings for Isla,'' he¡¯ll say. ''It¡¯s OK, I can share you, just don¡¯t leave me,'' you¡¯ll say, your heart breaking. ''I can¡¯t do this to you, you¡¯re worth more than this,'' he¡¯ll say. Then, goodbye. You¡¯ll hurt, Lizzie will hurt. Kill the Knyaz, and he will never leave you. One never leaves a woman strong enough to murder to keep one safe. Then, you¡¯ll be more than Isla, more than his type. A force of nature he¡¯ll worship and adore.

    The last nightmare, the one in which Rowan made love to Isla, hit her like a bullet to the brain. Grace¡¯s knees started trembling, so hard she had to put the glass down and grab the railing with both hands. She nodded, slowly.

    Good. Now, let something be clear. I¡¯m helping you, but you¡¯ll owe me one. One day, I¡¯ll ask you to return the favor. A pound of flesh and a pint of blood. Nod if you agree¡­ Perfect. Check your interdimensional email, I sent you an attachment. Just think of downloading it.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? Grace asked, examining the little black square in her hand.

    Something forbidden on civilized planets. Necromantic poison. Pour it into his drink, somehow. You have less than an hour. More, and his hold on the Core will be permanent.

    Palming the poison, Grace nodded and returned inside, trying to keep her composure. She went directly to Lizzie. ¡°Sweetie,¡± she caressed the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Can you do something for me and  Rowan?¡± The six-year-old looked at her intently. ¡°When I wink at you, could you attract everyone¡¯s attention? Taunt them with your magic? It¡¯s important.¡±

    The girl nodded. Little by little, Grace made her way to the Knyaz. Many people were sucking it up to him, but as soon she was near him, he bowed and raised his glass.

    ¡°Milady.¡± A polite salute, but many things showed through it. Large men liked shorter women, vulnerable ones. Maybe he was honorable and held no ulterior motive, but staring from height at her boobs was acceptable for him, that was clear enough.

    I wish the other Boris Godunov could be in your place, Grace thought.

    She turned her head toward Lizzie for a second and winked.

    ¡°A MOUSE!¡± the girl screamed. Everyone looked at her. Many jumped to help, to find and chase the monster away. After all, she was so cute. Rowan stared befuddled. The only one to perceive the taunt, because of his high will. If she didn¡¯t know, Grace would not have noticed it either.

    Grace pretended to jerk and let the black square slip into the Knyaz¡¯s glass. It didn¡¯t make any sound, or let any visible trace. Just disappeared. ¡°I¡¯ll have to calm my daughter,¡± she said to the officials.

    A minute later, the Russian¡¯s face started to sweat profusely. ¡°Gah!¡± was the only sound he made before he collapsed, his skin blackening, and the body vanished into blue dust.

    The System has adjusted its goals. You have slain the Knyaz of Vladivostok (Level 50). You have reached level 36. 4 Attribute Points, have been automatically invested in DEX, INT, and CHA. Secret Quest: Save Randolph County From an Insidious Takeover has been fulfilled. +1 free AP. You have 18 free APs to allocate. Secret Secondary Class unlocked: Assassin, Rare tier (can evolve into Spy, Manipulator, or Seducer). Same level as the Main Class. Same Main Stat as the Main Class (CHA). There are no supplementary APs gained from having a Secondary Class.

    Warning, your class is extremely weak to self-inflicted Debuff: Negative Karma. Criminal activity will make you become a Pariah and Bounty Hunted. Working with the sanction of legal authorities negates this Debuff.

    Perks:

    Dexterity Perk, Threshold 1: Stealthy and Unnoticeable, tier 1. Depending on the context, you are better at avoiding detection. All damage you do from Stealth or Unnoticed is Critical and inflicts a 1.5% HP Poison DOT/second.

    Intelligence Perk, Threshold 1: Tactical Planning. You can put up a plan for attack or retreat in mere seconds. Synergizes with your fiance¡¯s Strategic Sixth Sense. Teaming together will enhance your performance.

    Will Perk, Threshold 1: You have what it takes! Synergizes with Body Control. Your potential to go beyond the boundaries of social norms is enhanced.

    Charisma Perk, Threshold 1: Death with a decolletage. Synergizes with Trustworthy. +25%  chance to distract men. They¡¯ll eat poison from your palm. Literally.

    The official notification said another thing.

    The Knyaz of Vladivostok has succumbed to an acute peanut allergy, combined with Mana Exhaustion. If his entourage doesn¡¯t claim the right to trial by combat, Randolph County¡¯s leadership will be reverted to its previous ruler, Count Rowan Allinder.

    ¡°I¡¯m good, I¡¯m good!¡± the Trumpeter yelled.

    ¡°Only idiots¡­ Only idiots¡­¡± the tall blonde woman sneered, showing two pointy canines. In a lightning-fast gesture, she extracted a cigarette from nowhere, lighted it, and vanished.

    Randolph County is again ruled by Count Rowan Allinder.

    [Cory]: Normal chat restored. And you¡¯re welcome. One more thing. You are the first person on Earth to unlock your secondary class. Don¡¯t. Tell. Rowan.

    ¡°Why?¡± Grace mumbled in an inaudible voice.

    [Cory]: One, because getting Secondary Classes is a rare feat, people will be jealous. Two, if Rowan realizes a second class is attainable, his subconscious might automatically select one from him now. ATM, the strongest contenders are Forklift Operator and Bourbon Production Manager. I want him to mature in the new environment, and unlock a proper class. Now go take care of your family.

    Grace sighed and grabbed Lizzie¡¯s hand. There was so much agitation around that she had to put her elbows to good use to reach Rowan.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± she said. There was awe in his eyes, but no rejection. Respect. He knew.

    ¡°Yey! Daddy won after all!¡± Lizzie proclaimed.

    Isla looked befuddled and gestured shrugging with her palms up, her lips soundlessly asking what happened? but Grace was not in the mood for conversation and beelined for the exit, after throwing back a frown. BFF or not, no one was allowed to fondle her man¡¯s cheek.

 12: The Ruins of Rome -1

    The sewers were a dirty affair. They had nothing to do with modern water waste disposal. A narrow stone medieval tunnel system had appeared under the new City Center, with a dirty liquid flowing through it, and it was infested with rats. Big and ferocious, but low level, the main challenge was to corner them. They ran like hell.

    ¡°One more¡­ around the corner, in a cul-de-sac,¡± Grace grinned, extracting two ninja stars from her belt, one in each hand.

    ¡°Yey! Go, spoil yourself,¡± Rowan made an inviting gesture.

    During the last two weeks, Rowan has been relegated from a bulwark, defending a permanently screaming Grace, to a second-row spectator. She had gained confidence, that was sure. Stepping briskly, she threw first the star in her left hand and missed. The rat dashed forward, trying to escape between her legs. From a close distance, the second ninja star embedded itself in the monster''s forehead. A second later, it dissolved into specs of light and a notification appeared.

    Quest: Clear the County: Elkins Sewers, tier 2, has been finished. +1 free Lvl. +1 free AP

    ¡°I¡¯ll put one in Strength and save one for later,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°What about your Con?¡±

    ¡°I invested points in Con and Strength already. I¡¯m Threshold one in Con.¡±

    ¡°Good thinking. I¡¯ll increase my Dex and Con,¡± Rowan replied. A second notification followed his words.

    Elkins¡¯s Sewers can be upgraded. Select one of the choices:

    Mushroom Farm

    Comestible Toads Farm

    Amusement park with scary thematic

    [Cory to Rowan and Grace]: Go for the third, makes big money.

    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Rowan said, after looking at Grace, who raised her index in the air. ¡°Mushroom Farm.¡±

    [Cory to Rowan and Grace]: Suit yourselves. Please exit the Sewers so I can start the upgrading. You¡¯re expected home for a meeting with The Mayor, he will give you a quest.

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s better than this¡­ Fifteen days for a level and a point,¡± Grace sighed.

    [Cory to Rowan and Grace]: This unlocks more quests with APs. Do I need to remind you how important APs are?

    Taking the northernmost exit, the two jogged at a relaxed pace toward the house. Five minutes and a mile later, they entered the garden.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Grace yelled at Lizzie, who was preparing to dash and hug them. ¡°We¡¯re filthy. Go inside and entertain our guests while we change and shower.¡±

    The little girl growled but obeyed. Taking the back door, they went to the master bedroom, undressed, had a shower together¡ªand had sex while at that¡ªdressed in fresh clothes, putting the dirty ones in the laundry room¡¯s bin, and finally joined the ones waiting downstairs.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡± Isla frowned, crossing her arms.

    ¡°Isla, Mayor,¡± Rowan nodded.

    ¡°Your Lordship,¡± the Mayor nodded back, rising from the couch for a second, to follow the protocol.

    ¡°Daddy, Mommy!¡± Lizzie ran to hug them, finally.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Dmitri waved, bringing in coffee and putting a small cup in front of everyone. ¡°Greek coffee,¡± he proudly announced. There were also some cakes on the table. The coffee was too strong and bitter, and the cakes too sweet, but the combination was good.

    ¡°We¡¯re grateful that you saved us from the Government, last month,¡± the Mayor started, ¡°but we have to address a few concerns. The rest of our Classed people are complaining that since the Incursion, you take only easy tasks.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s the best for our builds,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°It might be, but at some point you have to do your part of hard work.¡±

    ¡°You mean all the advice I¡¯m giving you every week about keeping up the good work is not enough?¡± Rowan joked.

    ¡°Your Lordship¡¯s guidance is admirable, yet¡ª¡±

    ¡°Geez, cut the crap. And just call me Rowan.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s compromise¡­ Count Rowan. If you look back in history, Lords delegated the boring stuff, like the economy, finances, and so on, and took care of the fun part. Fighting.¡±

    ¡°For the record, I do know how to put together a business plan and stuff. My goal was to become a Bourbon Production Manager, in a few years.¡±

    ¡°Then you understand that for our economy to thrive, we need to trade with the other Core Towns. And trade also means politics. Vladivostok is in limbo, without a leader, and Rome has an ongoing civil war. You promised Vladivostok to help them maintain peace until they hold elections, in the Zoom meeting last week, and delegated Rome to my care,¡± the mayor paused, looking with intent at Rowan, who shifted his position on the couch because he had all but forgotten about that. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough good fighters to cover both. Choose one of two quests: Stabilize the situation in Vladivostok, or help the rebels in Rome. The Town¡¯s Militia will cover the one left.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do Vladivostok,¡± Isla said. ¡°I can take Thomas for peacekeeping.¡±

    [Cory to Rowan, Grace, and Isla]: Go to Rome. Vladivostok is risky. We still don¡¯t have a System-enforced treaty with them and they could try duel Rowan again. The Militia is better for that task.

    ¡°Cory says to go to Rome,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°I know, she SMSed me,¡± the mayor waved his phone. ¡°OK, then I¡¯ll email Rome to open a portal for us¡­ They replied. Portal in one hour, sharp, Town¡¯s Square.¡±

    <hr>

    When the time came, there was no portal. They walked back and forth, nervous.

    ¡°When they said one hour sharp, we should have expected it was Italian sharp,¡± Grace sneered.

    Incoming town-to-town portal from Rome. Accept: Y/N.

    A blue circle appeared after Rowan selected the yes. A woman passed on, shouting:

    ¡°Sorry for the delay, we were attacked. Mind if we give you the wounded? We can¡¯t reach the hospitals.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Rowan nodded. ¡°I can give them first aid.¡±

    About a score of people hurried to pass, a few on stretchers.

    ¡°Just stabilize the ones in critical,¡± the woman asked. ¡°We have to go back, there will be a second wave soon.¡±

    ¡°On it,¡± Rowan blurted, extracting Band-Aids and slapping them here and there, after infusing them with magic.

    ¡°The hospital is half a mile away, I called all available ambulances,¡± the Mayor shouted. ¡°You can go.¡±

    ¡°Portals could be a useful Town Perk,¡± Grace said, before passing through.

    [Cory to Team]: What a genius suggestion. Stupid me, for going for an Earth-wide Rezz. Do you have any other brilliant¡ª

    They lost contact with Cory as soon as they arrived on the other side, in a sort of grove.

    ¡°What the heck! Where are we?¡± Isla yelled, turning her head around.

    ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Carla. We¡¯re North of Villa de Medici,¡± the woman who brought them shouted, taking cover behind an improvised earth fortification. They followed by instinct, albeit there was no danger in sight.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the bloody town?¡± Isla continued.

    ¡°We¡¯re in the bloody town,¡± Rowan said. ¡°That¡¯s how Rome is.¡±

    ¡°Incoming,¡± their host warned, producing a pistol and a grenade and throwing the latter forward. ¡°Where the fuck are our guys?¡± she asked herself.

    The explosions were followed by a couple of wails, and then bullets started to arrive, hitting the earth mound.

    ¡°We¡¯re fucked,¡± Carla screamed, checking her phone. ¡°The police ran and our team retreated to Villa Borghese.¡±

    ¡°Give me your gun,¡± Grace erupted, snatching the pistol and discharging it wildly behind them. Two men dropped dead, almost falling on their heads, and a third retreated, cursing.

    ¡°I¡¯m wounded!¡± they heard him shout. ¡°Help!¡±

    Team member Grace Garcia Larmontel had slain Rebel x2, levels 16 and 18. No XP gained.

    ¡°I had a premonition they¡¯ll sneak on us,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°They speak English in Rome?¡± Isla inquired, visibly more and more befuddled. ¡°Is this Rome, Italy, or Rome, Georgia? What? Hey, don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s a perfectly legit question.¡±

    ¡°Our core has a Universal translator Perk,¡± Carla explained. ¡°Hey, where¡¯s he going?¡±

    Rowan had jumped over the rampart and ran forward. His Synergy enhanced at the same time his Dexterity and Toughness, making him faster, and, in theory, impervious to small caliber guns. The caliber of the incoming fire wasn¡¯t so small, though, but in the end, he reached the enemy with no more than a few grazes on his arms.

    A spear swipe decapitated two foes, a thrust to the throat killed another, then, he dazed two women with a fist to the head¡ªbecause he was a gentleman and dead set of not killing the fair sex¡ªa headbutt caved the skull of a fourth man, a fist did the same for a sixth, a kick collapsed the thoracic cage of the seventh, while the eight, the one wounded by Grace, ran away, screaming his lungs out.

    You have slain Rebel x8, Levels 16-19. No XP gained.

    Hm¡­ something¡¯s off.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill me,¡± one of the two women, pleaded. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything!¡±

    ¡°I have a fianc¨¦e, and I¡¯m not the rapist type, so no thanks,¡± he replied blankly. ¡°Leave any weapon behind and scram. If I see you again, I¡¯ll kill you. Sorry, I meant if you attack us. If we accidentally meet in some bar we¡¯re OK.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± Interrupting his rant, the woman pulled her comrade after her, the latter still confused, and they ran away.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming back, don¡¯t shoot me.¡± Five seconds after signaling his return, he arrived behind the earthwork. ¡°These rebels are very low-level. I feel bad about them.¡±

    ¡°It might not be nice, but that¡¯s what we¡¯re sworn to do,¡± Isla said.

    ¡°No!¡± Carla screamed. ¡°They¡¯re assaulting Villa Borghese. They¡¯ll kill the boss."

    ¡°Where?¡± Isla asked.

    ¡°Four hundred meters due northeast.¡±

    ¡°What the fuck¡¯s a meter?¡± Isla yelled.

    ¡°Yards, it¡¯s like yards!¡± Rowan screamed and dashed in the said direction.

    With their awakened powers, they should have run four hundred yards in fifteen seconds, at most, yet the terrain was filled with obstacles. Trees, fences, fountains. A minute later, they stopped and looked around.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fucking villa? There¡¯s nothing here."

    ¡°Fuck, she meant the Galleria!¡± Rowan screamed. For whatever reason, they had resorted to yelling, screaming, and shouting, instead of using the chat.

    ¡°Where the fuck is that?¡±

    ¡°Same direction, five hundred yards or so.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the villa?¡± Grace asked, panting and arriving. Her speed was much slower. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here.¡±

    ¡°Another five hundred meters¡­ yards. Follow us as fast as you can.¡±

    They ran again, and the terrain wasn¡¯t any better. A lot of trees to wave in between.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fucking town?¡± Isla bellowed. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, this is Rome, Georgia.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Here¡¯s the villa,¡± Rowan gestured.

    They had arrived, but maybe too late. In front of the large, white building, a group of five Classed, armed with swords, were assaulting a sixth one, who was defending against them using an umbrella. At each hit, a bluish energy covered the panel, a forcefield. It was clear that the surrounded man would not be able to resist much longer, but also that the attackers were not intending to kill, but to capture him.

    Rowan threw his spear. It had aimed high, but hit low, biting into the calf of an attacker. From more than a hundred yards behind, came a shot, killing another man on the spot.

    Team member Grace Garcia Larmontel had slain Rebel, level 30. Minor XP gained.

    ¡°Bloody cheater,¡± Isla groaned. Meanwhile, Rowan killed the wounded, took back his spear, and faced the remaining enemies. Isla discharged her gun in the lot, without aiming too carefully. She got one foe in the head, by sheer luck, after winging Rowan¡¯s right hand.

    ¡°Hey!¡± he protested.

    She didn¡¯t pay attention, charging at the remaining attackers instead, throwing one to the ground and bashing his face with her fist.

    Your team has slain Rebel x3, level 30, 35. Minor XP gained.

    The last foe, thin and tall, completely covered in armor, hissed and turned toward Rowan, plunging a thin blade into his shoulder. It would have hit his chest, but he had twisted his body at the last moment. Rowan countered with a spear thrust, but his blade met only air, the enemy slid over the ground, backward, like on ice, escaping at the same time Isla¡¯s kick, and grazing her on the ankle as well.

    Party members Rowan Allinder and Isla Culloden have been infected with The Blood¡¯s Bite by ???, Vampire Scout, Level 100. Corruption DOT of 1.5% HP/second. If the total reaches 100%, you will be Turned into a Thrall (Vampire slave). If the enemy is defeated before the deadline, or you exit combat, the Blood¡¯s Bite is stopped and its overall DOT damage is converted to healing.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Isla exclaimed, panicked, trashing her arms like it would have helped her escape the DOT. Rowan thrust his weapon again, but the opponent did the same sliding backward movement twice, putting more distance between them.

    It counts on the DOT to finish us on its own!

    ¡°I have hostiles, the same ones. What should I do?¡± the Vampire raised its sword hilt at ear¡¯s height, like a telephone. The voice sounded somewhat familiar to Rowan.

    A shot, now from a closer distance, and the front of the Vampire¡¯s helmet broke and fell away. Behind it was the same woman that had accompanied the Knyaz, the week prior. That was a brief observation, as the Vampire disappeared, leaving behind a whiff of cigarette smoke.

 13: The Ruins of Rome -2

    ¡°Thank God!¡± Rowan yelled, feeling his forces coming back. The DOT had been not only a danger in itself, but it had also slowed his reactions, spreading a burning sensation in his veins.

    ¡°Thanks, Grace, you saved our lives,¡± Isla panted. ¡°Wow, that was scary. A few more seconds and we¡¯d be dead¡­ or undead.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t kill her,¡± Grace said, approaching. ¡°We would have leveled too much.¡±

    ¡°I would have never believed it, a week ago, but you¡¯ve become the strongest of us,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Grace rested her balled fists on her hips. ¡°You think I should have been weaker just because I¡¯m a woman?¡±

    ¡°No, but you were screaming for your life at every rat.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know when to shut up, don¡¯t you,¡± Isla bobbed her head, staring at Rowan.

    Meanwhile, the man whose life they saved waited patiently a few steps back, his umbrella closed, until someone jumped at his neck, hugging him so strongly he almost fell.

    ¡°Thank God, you¡¯re alive!¡± Carla, their host, had arrived, finally.

    ¡°I am, thanks to this gentleman and the ladies,¡± the man bowed. Tall and elegant, he had a certain panache in his attitude. The age he projected was vague, from the late forties to the early sixties, anything was possible. The notification hit the team like a mallet a whack-a-mole.

    By killing 13 Rebels, chasing away a Vampire, their ally, and saving Giovanni Lepastrina, level 30, Tour Guide, Count of Rome, you have FAILED your quest: Help the Rebels Conquer Rome. No XP or AP were awarded. No penalty was applied for going against a System-enforced treaty because conflicting promises were detected. The Treaty with the Rebels had been voided.

    ¡°I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding,¡± Grace frowned. ¡°Rebels are bad, right?¡±

    ¡°Sure they are,¡± the Italian woman said forcefully. Rowan gave her an Inspect, and she showed to be a Bodyguard, level 18.

    ¡°Our founding fathers were rebels too,¡± Rowan noted. ¡°I think we helped the wrong guys.¡±

    ¡°But why would your Mayor write me to open the portal?¡± Carla said hesitantly, taking a defensive position in front of her boss.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s a senile old fucker,¡± Isla snorted. ¡°Both factions must¡¯ve asked for help, he replied to the wrong one, after signing a contract with the others. Maybe you¡¯ll think twice next time you delegate important stuff. So, what do we do with them?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Rowan said, putting weight in his words. ¡°We do nothing with them. We failed the quest, and that¡¯s that. I won¡¯t murder people in cold blood.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to murder them,¡± Isla shrugged. ¡°What about you resign and go into exile, old dude?¡±

    ¡°For your information, I¡¯m forty-three,¡± the Italian man spoke with disdain, his upper lip raised. ¡°It¡¯s the burden of the wisdom I carry that made my hair turn gray. And this is not about me, but the most magnificent city in the world, which the Rebels want to destroy.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say the most magnificent,¡± Isla creased her nose. ¡°That¡¯s pretty, but Southern Colonial inspired,¡± she waved her hand at the villa. Are you sure this is the Rome? The pines sure look like Georgia to me.¡±

    ¡°What does she mean?¡±

    ¡°Pay her no nevermind,¡± Rowan said. ¡°Miss Carla, can you open a portal for us to go back?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Relief shone on the woman¡¯s face, one showed when dangerous people let you live and leave. Extricating a shiny gem from her spatial inventory, she began mumbling some undistinguishable words when her boss whispered something in her ear, and she stopped.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, and you look like reasonable people,¡± the man tried not to look toward Isla, ¡°why don¡¯t you help us instead?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s at stake?¡± Rowan asked. ¡°What do you want, what do they want?¡±

    ¡°They want to destroy Rome, literally. History has a lot of Mana potential. By absorbing museums and ruins into the Core, they can turn them into something else. Advanced materials, guns, armor, whatever. But as long as I¡¯m around, they can¡¯t do it. I say history and art must be preserved. The present is built upon the past.¡±

    ¡°Trading us as mercenaries for advanced materials is totally what the Mayor would do,¡± Grace nodded.

    ¡°And Cory too,¡± Isla added.

    ¡°No, Cory would not,¡± Rowan said. ¡°She changed the lower town into an old medieval city, she likes beautiful things.¡±

    ¡°The apartments she built have the kitchen separate from the living, like in the forties, or Europe. And the bathrooms are tiny and have showers, no tubs,¡± Isla said.

    ¡°Nevertheless, those are pretty buildings. I say to go for it. I was here with my old man and liked the city a lot.¡±

    ¡°What city? There are just some trees and villas.¡±

    ¡°Oh, just shut up,¡± Grace threw a sour look at Isla. ¡°I agree. I like history and art.¡±

    ¡°OK, fine, count me in,¡± Isla shrugged.

    You have accepted the Quest: Save Rome¡¯s History.

    Note: accepting a quest on another polity¡¯s territory is considered a System-enforced contract and failure to complete the quest will be penalized in conformity with local laws: Complicity to vandalism, fines of 10,000 to 65,000 USD.

    Secure 20 different historic places, clearing them from Rebels, who might try to blow them up to spite you. Deadline: next morning. For each objective saved, you will receive a free AP. One free AP and one free level have been granted for saving Giovanni Lepastrina from being turned into a Thrall.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    2/20 objectives cleared (Villa Medici, Villa Borghese) 2 free AP granted.

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Grace blurted. ¡°This is so much better than clearing the Sewers¡­¡±

    ¡°Neat! I¡¯ll put two points between Strength and Charisma, and keep the rest for later,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll put three in Strength,¡± Grace fondled Rowan¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°We better start working, those fines looked big.¡±

    ¡°Follow me.¡± The Tour Guide started to walk south, then west, and then trotted after him. The pace was slower than what they could do, but at least they had someone who knew where to go with them. Five minutes later, Isla gasped in awe, catching herself on the stone railing.

    ¡°You asked where¡¯s the town? Here¡¯s the bloody town,¡± Rowan gestured.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ beautiful¡­¡± the policewoman blurted. The Belvedere was striking, one could say. Seen from the hill, the city bathed in the sweet evening¡¯s sun, meandering graciously between a river and other hills, going on forever in waves of domes, tiled roofs, palaces, monuments, and greenery.

    ¡°Come,¡± their guide pressed on, after inspecting his phone. ¡°The nearest Quest Point is in Piazza del Popolo.¡± Running down an alley and some stairs, they reached a square, in no time.

    ¡°Where?¡± Isla yelled. Indeed, all around, in every corner and on every side, there were old churches, museums, statues, fountains, and an obelisk in the center.

    ¡°I have no idea¡­¡± Lepastrina grimaced. ¡°Could be anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask,¡± Isla decided and started running toward the northern part of the square, where a church sat near a palace, and in front was a police car and a group of officers, about twenty of them.

    ¡°Hi, fellows,¡± she said merrily. ¡°We¡¯re on a quest to stop some bad Rebels. Do you know them, by any chance?¡±

    The nearest officer moved his hand toward his holster when one of his comrades whispered something in his ear. The words Guns don¡¯t work on them were quite clear. And They massacred two Awakened teams like bugs.

    ¡°Are you the bad guys?¡± Isla frowned.

    ¡°No, Miss, we¡¯re the g-good guys,¡± the second officer stuttered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t kill them, they¡¯re normals!¡± Rowan shouted from the back.

    ¡°So you, of course, support the Count, and don¡¯t plan, by any means, to blow up this beautiful¡­ stuff around, right?¡±

    ¡°Of c-course.¡±

    ¡°Swear it. I, officer whatever, swear I¡¯m a good guy, etcetera etcetera. Every single one of you. Now.¡±

    A raucous choir aroused. Not the best example of coordination, but good enough.

    ¡°Keep your noses clean from now on. You¡¯re police, for fucks sake.¡±

    ¡°Actually, we¡¯re Army,¡± one said, but she shrugged and turned away.

    10/20 objectives met. You have changed the hearts of a Rebel group of Carabinieri and made them take a pledge (reinforced by the System). You have received 8 free APs.

    She briefly inspected the rest of the notifications on her way back. ¡°OK, I see four churches, an obelisk, three fountains, and a¡­ gate? Why does a gate count as an objective?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost two thousand years old,¡± their guide explained.

    ¡°Whatever. It¡¯s a fucking gate. What¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, Piazza Navona, Galleria Doria Pamfilij, the Pantheon, and the Colosseum and Forum. The latter must count as three, a lot of things there.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ they missed the Vatican,¡± Rowan observed.

    ¡°The Vatican is their headquarters¡­ should I say who¡¯s their chief? He¡¯s the one who sent the Vampire after me.¡±

    ¡°For whatever reason, it makes a lot of sense. Kick his butt to Avignon, and let the French have him. They¡¯ll have a blast together. OK, enough joking. Lead on,¡± Rowan said.

    They started a triumphal march, going south. On their way, enemies ran, were killed or captured, with no or little fight. Groups of people joined, at first the Count¡¯s supporters and Awakened, gathering the courage to exit cover as the situation returned in their favor, then a full crowd, a true manifestation supporting their side, which made them feel good. At nine in the evening, the quest was done. Isla had exclaimed ¡®Now that¡¯s more like it!¡¯ after recognizing the Colosseum.

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Rome¡¯s Count exclaimed, rubbing his hands.

    ¡°What about a portal?¡± Isla said. ¡°I have to check on Thomas, he cheats on his homework.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a pizza first,¡± Lepastrina said. ¡°I know a good place.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Isla, don¡¯t be a killjoy,¡± Grace implored. ¡°It¡¯s not that I do not love Lizzie, but sometimes, having a little fun on our own is refreshing.¡±

    ¡°We had a blast here, let¡¯s stay for dinner,¡± Rowan said. ¡°And mister Giovanni is an outstanding guide. I understood more in a few hours than in the two weeks I spent here with my old man.¡±

    ¡°He explained to us the monuments while you ran ahead scaring people,¡± Grace said to Isla. ¡°So, pizza?¡±

    The blonde woman shrugged, capitulating. The Tour Guide showed them the way to a small restaurant, where the owner clearly knew him, as he rushed to meet them, showing the group into a back room, with a big table.

    ¡°Have you visited before?¡± Lepastrina asked after each one chose and ordered their pizza.

    ¡°First time,¡± Grace said, with Isla nodding.

    ¡°I was here once before, with my father,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°Your father? You never told me about him,¡± Grace said

    ¡°Sure I did.¡±

    ¡°Only that you were adopted, and that he passed. How was he?¡±

    ¡°Peculiar. An eccentric. He tried his best to raise me, despite fatherhood not really being his thing. For instance, how we decided to visit Italy was weird as hell.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I was seventeen and had already dead set I didn¡¯t want to go to college. It wasn¡¯t worth the effort or the money, and I still think the same. I liked driving things, cars, forklifts, trucks, you name it, and it pays as good as some shit you learn in University.¡±

    ¡°And you pay to learn that shit too,¡± Isla said. ¡°Like a lot. I got a full scholarship for being good at sports, or else I¡¯d be in debt.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. So what¡¯s the point of getting into debt when you can have fun and buy muscle cars with that money? My old man was very upset¡­ We argued a lot. Months in a row. In the end, he said: ¡®OK, but since you¡¯re home-schooled, give me a few months of your life. Instead of college, we¡¯ll go to visit places, I might still make a gentleman out of you.¡¯ He failed, of course, I¡¯m as blue-collar as it gets. So we visited Italy, a lot of cities, France, Prague¡ª¡±

    ¡°What country is Prague?¡± Isla asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s in the Czech Republic. That city¡¯s fantastic too.¡±

    ¡°Each his tastes,¡± the Town Guide shrugged, albeit his eyes were judgmental.

    ¡°England, Scotland, Sweden¡ªour ancestors'' homeland¡ªGreece, Turkey¡­ I might forget a few. Of all the places, I liked most Italy, Prague, and London¡¯s West End. That¡¯s a sort of Broadway, only in En¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know what it is,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°Then, at eighteen, I got a GED and began working and at twenty-one, I moved to Kentucky to happily work in the Bourbon industry. It¡¯s a challenging task, let me tell you.¡±

    ¡°I like to drink Bourbon, not to know too much about it,¡± Isla patted his arm.

    ¡°It looks like your father took you on the Grand Tour,¡± Giovanni Lepastrina said.

    ¡°Sorry?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a centuries-old tradition. Young noblemen took months-long trips around Europe, so they learn about culture, guided by a knowledgeable elder. It was like a rite of passage.¡±

    Rowan pursed his lips and frowned. For the first time, he realized how much such a trip must¡¯ve cost. ¡°So, Mister Lepastrina. How did you become a Count?¡± he asked, to fill the conversation void.

    ¡°Incoming!¡± The restaurant¡¯s owner had returned with their food, helped by a waitress. Large plates and two large jugs of red wines landed on the table in no time. It looked like they all were famished, as the talking paused, each taking a bite from their pizza.

    ¡°This is not pizza¡­¡± Isla said.

    ¡°Please!¡± Grace rolled her eyes. ¡°Can you be polite for a change?¡±

    ¡°This is food for the Gods,¡± the policewoman continued. ¡°I did like the Colissum, but this¡­ this is... beyond words.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. About how I became Rome¡¯s Count, it was by accident. A mini-dungeon appeared near the Villa Medici, spewing up Imps. They were level one, but hundreds of them. They started to attack everyone around, I defended myself with the umbrella and killed a few, then leveled, and smashed as many as I could, to protect my group of tourists. When every Imp was defeated, I had the most kills, claimed the Core, and since I had been granted a perk to use Artifacts due to my vast knowledge, I activated it. The Core appointed me a Count, and to my surprise, the people agreed. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°But without you guys, all would have been lost,¡± Carla said. ¡°You can¡¯t imagine how much he worked to better the city. All the perks: the universal translator, the portals.¡±

    ¡°The portals and the translator are the most valuable,¡± the Count nodded. ¡°We need to keep the flow of tourists open.¡±

    ¡°Uhuh,¡± Isla grimaced, unconvinced.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± Grace inquired.

    ¡°End of the corridor,¡± Carla gestured toward the said place. After she followed Grace with her eyes, to ensure she was on the right track, she turned her attention back to the guests. ¡°So, what perks do you guys have in your town?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­¡± Rowan started, hesitating to reveal their strengths, but did not continue. A scream reached them, coming from the cloakroom¡¯s direction. ¡°Grace!¡± he yelled, dashing forward.

 14: The Gift

    The restroom was clean, but small and lacked many facilities a US customer would take for granted. Soap dispenser, hand dryer, and more than one cabin. Nevertheless, it was what it was. Grace was about to pull up her skirt and sit on the toilet, when something wet touched her cheek, and a hand grabbed her neck.

    ¡°Not a word!¡±

    She tried to scream, but couldn¡¯t. Her muscles were paralyzed, and she barely breathed. Like a rag doll, she was handled and turned toward the mirror. Grabbing her from behind was the Vampire. Tall, sexy, blonde, but with such a look in her eyes that she felt horror creeping down her spine. Grace¡¯s eyes became watery. She wanted to live, for herself, for Rowan, for Lizzie, most of all.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt you,¡± the blonde whispered in her ear, then licked Grace¡¯s cheek, her tongue going up to the eye¡¯s corner, playing around, sipping the tears. The dizziness and disorientation increased.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver a message,¡± Grace¡¯s captor continued, her voice¡¯s airflow running down the young woman¡¯s cheek, and neck. ¡°Tell your demon boss this: Father decided not to piss against the Karmic Wind anymore. He wants to talk. I¡¯ll give you a Gift, to prove we¡¯re serious.¡±

    In the mirror, Grace could see the Vampire grimacing, her pointy canines playing with her lower lip. Grabbing Grace¡¯s chin between her thumb and index, she turned her face toward hers and kissed her.

    Trying to struggle, Grace found it was impossible. The Vampire¡¯s tongue went deep inside her mouth, to the back of her throat. There was a gag reflex, and then she fell on all fours, freed. She threw a hand up, grabbed the sink, and pulled herself up. The blonde was nowhere, only a whiff of cigarette smoke lingering behind.

    Then came the burning. In her throat, in all her body. She screamed and ran out, slamming the door on the wall. The restaurant¡¯s owner appeared behind, alarmed, then she bumped into Rowan, in the doorframe of the eating room.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°The Vampire, she ambushed me in the bathroom, and did something to me!¡± Grace screamed.

    ¡°Did she bite you?¡± Isla arrived, pulling her eyelids up.

    ¡°Yes¡­ no¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ but it hurts¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no notification, DOT, or anything,¡± Rowan said, helping Grace to sit down.

    ¡°Nothing shows on Inspect,¡± Isla added.

    A most terrifying thought crossed Grace¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to turn into a Vampire! What if I hurt Lizzie?¡± Then resolve came, and a solution inspired by her Tactical Planning perk. She jumped on her feet. ¡°Kill me! You have to kill me before it takes effect. I¡¯ll rezz.¡±

    ¡°What if she wants exactly that, and she disabled the Resurrect?¡± Rowan objected.

    ¡°Err¡­ What Resurrect?¡± Carla asked.

    ¡°You asked about our town¡¯s perks. One is Resurrecting,¡± Isla explained. ¡°If we kill her, she will Resurrect safely back into our town.¡±

    ¡°Or permanently die,¡± Rowan said, his fists clenched. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Cory.¡±

    ¡°Do it,¡± Grace blurted. ¡°I won¡¯t risk Lizzie¡¯s life. A stake¡­ That¡¯s it¡­ a wooden stake, through the heart, right?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t get Cory,¡± Rowan complained. ¡°Their internet is too slow!¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­.¡± Giovanni lowered his eyes. ¡°I should have taken the Mana 1000G network when I had the chance.¡±

    ¡°A stake, do you have a stake?¡± Grace yelled at the owner, who was following the conversation with confused eyes.

    ¡°You want a steak?¡±

    ¡°NO! A wooden¡ª Give me that!¡± She snatched Giovanni Lepastrina¡¯s umbrella, rested against his chair, and broke the handle. It was wood. Now a barely sharpened stick, but it had to do. ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Isla offered. ¡°You hold her.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Rowan said. ¡°Let Carla do it. She might gain some XP. They need it more.¡±

    There was a coldness in him, sometimes, that frightened her, making her fear he would leave her, and Lizzie. She felt the urge to kiss him, to feel his lips, to try to convince him with her warmth that she deserved to be loved¡­ but there was a risk of infecting him too.

    ¡°Take care of Lizzie, if something happens,¡± she begged.

    ¡°I will.¡±

    Rowan caressed her forehead, then grabbed her hands, while Isla held her legs, stretching her on the table.

    ¡°I c-can¡¯t do it,¡± Carla, now the improvised weapon in hand stuttered.

    ¡°Do it,¡± her boss said. ¡°It¡¯s a precious gift, and the best chance they have.¡±

    ¡°O¡­K.¡±

    The pain was intense and kept coming, as she instinctively struggled.

    ¡°Lower!¡± Isla shouted, and blackness finally descended upon Grace.

    <hr>

    She did not gasp when she woke. Instead, she held her breath, like she had forgotten to inhale.

    Am I a Vampire?

    [Cory]: No you¡¯re not. Just shocked, it can happen the first time you are Recalled.

    Struggling to draw breath, and looking around, Grace realized she was in her bedroom.

    [Cory]: Keep it quiet. We need to talk.

    Did it work?

    [Cory]: What, the Rezz? Obviously. Did she bite you for real? There was no sign of infection detected during your reconstruction.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    I¡­ don¡¯t remember exactly¡­ she said weird things¡­ and kissed me¡­

    Grace felt her cheeks flushing, remembering the sensation. It had been horror and bliss¡­ like fear and animalistic attraction had met in her throat. Could that woman just have made a pass on her?

    [Cory]: What exactly did she say?

    That her master¡­ no, father¡­ wants to talk face to face¡­ with you I suppose. Because he¡¯s fed up with pissing against the wind.

    [Cory]: Karmic Wind?

    That¡¯s it. And she said something about a gift, to prove they¡¯re serious. She called you a demon.

    [Cory]: Ouch!

    ¡°What?¡± Grace asked aloud.

    [Cory]: Nothing. My virtual body hit a virtual desk in anger and hurt a toe. Let me Inspect you, stay still¡­ Yeah¡­ there it is. She did not bite you, she let you drink her blood.

    ¡°Will I turn into a Vampire?¡± Grace blurted, feeling panic going up her throat, together with bile.

    [Cory]: Not from such a small amount. I¡¯ll show you.

    You have received a Blood Gift from a True Vampire. The next time you reach a Threshold in the Constitution stat, it will offer a special perk.

    What the fuck does it means?

    [Cory]: Why don¡¯t you invest your points and see?

    But I don¡¯t have¡­ What?¡­ I¡¯m Level Forty and have twenty-six free Attribute Points. How?

    [Cory]: You were Level 36 this morning, went to 37 in the Sewers, 38 and one AP from saving Lepastrina, 20 APs for saving Rome¡¯s monuments, then got another level and an AP for sacrificing yourself and helping an ally in the process. After you departed for a better world, or better said for a Rezz pocket universe, Rome pledged allegiance to Rowan. That helps me a lot, both towns share perks now. But you guys got another level and a few APs from that. That¡¯s the Karmic Wind working for you.¡±

    Sorry, still don¡¯t get it¡­

    [Cory]: This System was written by Superior Beings who ascended to a Higher Place. It rewards challenges and Heroes. Killing a defenseless friend should not have granted XP to Carla, but the System took into account your self-sacrifice and her effort to overcome her aversion to killing¡ªshe never did it before¡ªand granted you both rewards¡­ Now, how about seeing what this Perk is about?

    Focusing, Grace invested twenty-five points in her Constitution, leaving one aside. The notification gave her food for thought.

    Constitution Perk, Threshold 2 reached. Please select from the following options:

    Seer Class:

    1: Enhanced Toughness Physical resistances +50%, immune to small arms bullets.

    2: Enhanced Regeneration (HP): You heal 2x faster.

    Assassin Class:

    1: Dotting (Rare): Your CON synergizes with your DEX. Enhance any DOT you apply by 0.5%/HP second.

    2: Parry, Don¡¯t Tarry: Your CON synergizes with your STR. +25% to parries or deflecting physical hits or projectiles

    3: Blood Gift: Sexy and Dangerous (Legendary)

    There is a reason why Vampires are seductive. Your body will be permanently infused with Mana, gaining properties that can be used both for debuffing an adversary, helping an ally, or in recreational activities. Synergizes with the Body Control and Death with a decolletage perks.

    Your touch can inflict or deliver the following effects:

    Antipyretic, Sedative, Truth Serum, Mind Manipulation, Paralytic, Seduction, Aphrodisiac

    Intentional activation is required. These effects cannot be set on automatic. Macros (combining them) are possible.

    Warning: Nonconsensual application to non-hostile targets carries the risk of accumulating Negative Karma and becoming a Pariah and Bounty Hunted.

    What do you think?

    There was silence from Cory.

    Something wrong?

    [Cory]: Yes. The Perk is powerful¡­ but I hate dealing with those guys. They¡¯re despicable beings¡­

    Why don¡¯t tell me everything, Cory? Who are they? And why do they call you a demon?

    [Cory]: Because for them, I¡¯m the guardian of Hell, keeping the damned in. Or out. Imagine you¡¯re an escapee on a newly awakened planet, what do you do to be safe? Cut deals, right? Try to get inside an Awakened Town, the safest place to be. They helped the Special Forces challenge us and failed. Then tipped the Knyaz about how to fight Rowan. Failed again. What next? Try to get someone to activate a core for themselves, but Artifact users are rare. A weak target like Lepastrina was the best choice. Failing at that too, what next? Cut a deal with the ones that beat them every time: us.

    I guess that makes sense.

    [Cory]: Enough politics. Why don¡¯t you go and show Rowan and the others you¡¯re back? I¡¯ve told them the Rezz is very difficult and has a ninety percent chance of failure.

    It was so close?

    [Cory]: No. There was no risk, but one cannot fully appreciate what they have until they¡¯re almost losing it. When the moment comes and I¡¯ll ask my favor, remember that.

    I¡¯ll go for the Blood Gift, in Assassin, and the immunity to bullets for the other¡­

    A sudden influx of power made her feel inside a vertigo tornado. Nevertheless, she tried to ignore it and supported herself on a piece of furniture here, another there, and then the railing, finally getting downstairs.

    ¡°Mommy!¡± Lizzie erupted in a bomb of hugs and tears. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re alive. I prayed, and did all my homework¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank Goodness,¡± Isla said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you be.¡± There were dark circles around her eyes. She nodded a slow salute and left. Then Rowan arrived and hugged and kissed her. Her hair, eyes, ears, cheeks, and mouth, almost like drinking her in.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±

    ¡°What hour is it?¡± she asked, seeing the darkness outside.

    ¡°Five in the morning¡­ It took twelve hours to get you back. We couldn¡¯t sleep¡­ Nor did Dmitri, but he got drunk and I helped him in his bed.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s take some rest. Lizzie...¡± she gestured with her head toward the girl, now sound asleep in her arms.

    ¡°I¡¯ll carry her,¡± Rowan proposed.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    She was not in top form but willed herself to the task. After putting Lizzie in bed and pulling the blanket over her, Grace joined Rowan in the bedroom. He had put on his pajamas, but was still awake, looking at her. She went and sat on the bed, near him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± he said.

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°For not loving you from the start¡­ I had doubts¡­ not about you, about how I could fit near you¡­ I¡¯m¡­ just a simple guy, you¡¯re an artist. It was so strange¡­ For a while, I felt I could love Lizzie completely, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t love me the same.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I had this idea, that true love would come and smite me down from the first moment, like a hammer to the head. That I¡¯ll know¡­ Last week, when you¡­ did what you did for me and the County, I started to realize you¡¯re my soul mate. The one I was waiting for¡­¡±

    ¡°Silly me, thinking musicals and sex were our common points¡­ I should have started murdering people earlier.¡±

    ¡°Grace! I feel like I can¡¯t live without you¡­ The pain I felt today¡­ The thousand scenarios going through my mind¡­ Suiciding¡­ then not doing it, because of Lizzie, stupid thoughts¡­ I¡¯m sorry for not falling in love with you from the first day like I should have.¡±

    ¡°You silly man,¡± she fondled his cheek. ¡°There¡¯s more than one way to love, Rowan. Hammers, or seed that grows. I¡¯d rather have the growing seed. What are you holding there?¡±

    It was a ring, hidden in his right hand. ¡°Lizzie did her homework, and I bought a ring. I swore that if you¡¯ll get back, I¡¯ll propose.¡±

    Tears filled her eyes so hard she couldn¡¯t repress them any longer. They cried in each other¡¯s arms. She put the ring on and rose.

    ¡°I need a shower¡­¡±

    In the bathroom, she threw her clothes everywhere and tried to be as brief as possible. She exited in less than five minutes, naked. No bathrobe or lingerie. She looked into his eyes.

    ¡°Do I have your consent to do some naughty things to you?

 15: Nuptials and Quest

    They had breakfast at noon, while Lizzie was still in school. Somehow, it felt OK, as their dinner in Rome had been at lunch hour in the States.

    ¡°Activating Macro: Hangover, begone!¡± Grace proclaimed, slapping her hand on Dmitri¡¯s forehead. The Greek had a terrible migraine, from drinking too much the night before.

    ¡°Thanks, it worked,¡± Dmitri¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°What¡¯s a macro?¡±

    ¡°I combined Sedative with Antipyretic and it has a Painkiller secondary effect. Have you invested your APs?¡± Grace asked Rowan.

    ¡°Not yet. I was too¡­ tired¡­ after last night¡­ you know what I mean,¡± he blushed. ¡°Have you allocated your points?¡±

    ¡°Yes, all safe one. I put them all in the Constitution, I¡¯m threshold two.¡±

    ¡°Congrats. I was thinking¡­ about what we agreed last night, you know¡­ to marry.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± she frowned. ¡°You¡¯re not getting cold feet, are you?¡±

    ¡°No, on the contrary. Let¡¯s do it tonight. I¡¯ll ask the mayor to perform the ceremony at home. We buy a cake and dress nicely. Lizzie will be the maid of honor.¡±

    ¡°Honey!¡± She leaned over the table to kiss him. ¡°You¡¯re right, there¡¯s no point in waiting. Dmitri and Isla can be our witnesses. So, for the party, it¡¯s us, Lizzie, Dmitri, Isla, Thomas, the Mayor, and his wife. That¡¯s OK¡­ Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    ¡°What about your parents?¡± Dmitri asked.

    ¡°What about my parents,¡± Grace frowned. ¡°You forgot they¡¯re dead?¡±

    ¡°Sorry to hear that,¡± Rowan fondled her shoulder. ¡°Old age, accident?¡±

    ¡°No. Murder. Someone broke into their home and smashed their heads with a hammer. Like twenty times. No, thirty. Bam!¡± she mimicked the gesture.

    ¡°Goodness¡­ was the perpetrator caught?¡±

    ¡°Never. He, or she, still roams free¡­¡±

    ¡°You think Isla will bring her ex?¡± Dmitri changed the subject.

    ¡°Why would she bring her ex?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°For Thomas, he¡¯s the boy''s adoptive father. He and Isla remained on good terms. You know him, by the way.¡±

    ¡°I do?¡±

    ¡°Yep. He¡¯s the shrink who examined you, for the adoption.¡±

    ¡°I-Isla¡¯s e-ex is h-her e-ex? I m-mean, her e-ex¡¯s t-the s-shrink?¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°You¡¯re behaving strangely¡­¡± Grace furrowed her brow¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ I get it¡­ You told him you have the hots for Isla.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the hots for Isla. It just happened that I¡­ accidentally looked at her¡­ shapes a few times. But now, that I¡¯m truly in love, I don¡¯t even notice any shapes around. I don¡¯t even remember what shapes mean. Why do you care, we¡¯re supposed to be honest with shrinks, right?¡±

    ¡°You might have hurt his feelings unknowingly. They divorced because he felt intimidated by her, and couldn¡¯t perform in bed. Like not at all. They have a name for that, but I forgot it. They did try their best, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°What kind of guy can¡¯t perform with Isla in bed? She¡¯s so hot. I mean¡­ err¡­ if you look at her from some angles, she¡¯s not ugly, you know what I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just let it be,¡± Grace flickered her hand. ¡°Isla is hot. But also has a lot of confidence problems. Men find her too assertive to their taste. Idiots. She¡¯s such a sweet person once you know her.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s time to go. I¡¯m clearing Rome¡¯s catacombs together with Carla, to help her train¡­ Oh, my God! I¡¯m so stupid! Let¡¯s do our wedding in Rome!¡±

    ¡°That would be very romantic,¡± Dmitri said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a great idea, sweetheart. I¡¯ll arrange things on my side, you do it there,¡± Grace clapped.

    ¡°I¡¯ll put Lepastrina on it, he knows the city.¡±

    He kissed her and left, after which she went back to the bedroom and back in bed, feeling exhausted.

    <hr>

    Eight hours later, when it was evening in Elkins and night in Rome, Rowan retired to a corner of the terrace, to admire the view and sip an Italian liquor. Contrary to his expectations, the party and ceremony had been anything but small. Giovanni Lepastrina had booked a three-star Michelin restaurant, atop a luxury hotel, with views over all of Rome.

    [Cory]: Mazeltov. For sure, nights are beautiful here.

    ¡°Hi, Cory. You can reach here?¡±

    [Cory]: Since the towns are now connected and share perks, yes. How are the Catacombs?

    ¡°Huge¡­ We cleared a mile and a half today, and there are five more levels. The good news is each gives an AP. The bad: the skeletons are not a walk in the park.¡±

    [Cory]: Use blunt force. Listen¡­ Switch on thinking, we have a private matter to discuss. I have to ask you something.

    Sure. What?

    [Cory]: I need you to concentrate your efforts on a quest that will help the County tremendously.

    How urgent is it? I promised Grace to clear the catacombs together tomorrow¡­ since we¡¯re there.

    [Cory]: Of course. What can be more romantic than cleansing the Undead on your honeymoon?

    Are you sarcastic?

    [Cory]: Just a little. I can wait a few more days, maybe a week, but no longer. This quest is paramount.

    OK.

    You have accepted a Solo Quest: Explore the Traipenent

    The Alien ship that crashed on your planet sits just outside Randolph County. Claim its secrets and eliminate as many Mutated Beasts as possible in the process.

    Main Objective (Lvl. 20): Clear a path to the Bridge and get inside by any means necessary. Reward: Surprise. +5 APs.

    Secondary objective 1: Clear the Engine Room (Lvl. 50). Reward: The Ship¡¯s broken core as loot, +10 Lvls to the County¡¯s Core, +10 APs

    Secondary objective 2. Clear the Main Deck (Lvl. 20-50). Eliminate the monsters from as many ship sections as possible. Reward: ???, ???

    Time limit: The Main Quest has to begin no later than a week from now and be completed within 12 hours after you set foot on the ship. Secondary Quests: no time limit

    Warning:

    During your Main Quest, you won¡¯t be able to communicate with the entity known as Cory or be Recalled and Rezzed. Proceed cautiously.

    [Cory]: Don¡¯t bother with the secondary quests, they can wait. Keep your eyes on the Main Quest, that¡¯s where the real reward is.

    Sure. Excuse me, I have to get back to the party.

 16: The Traipenent

    Six days later, on the first day of November, Rowan took on Cory¡¯s Quest. Convincing Grace to let him go alone had been a hard feat and a last-minute one. There were no danger premonitions that morning and that sealed the deal. The ship, as far as the minimap showed, was just outside the middle of the Randolph¡¯s county¡¯s northern border. Nothing there, for miles, but forest.

    He parked Grace¡¯s car as close to the spot as possible, hiked for an hour, took fifteen minutes to rest, and then approached the border. A transparent, yet shiny light blocked the path: the County¡¯s Quantum forcefield. On the other side, the hills continued, and nothing looked out of the ordinary.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the exterior supposed to be irradiated or something?¡±

    [Cory]: Only on the western side of Elkins.

    ¡°OK, so what now?¡±

    [Cory]: I¡¯ll open a passage. You can¡¯t see the ship, because of its cloaking device, but it¡¯s just ahead.

    Why didn¡¯t the government claim it?

    [Cory]: They tried, but failed. There¡¯s only one way in, and impossible to find without my help. Go due north and you¡¯ll find a hull breach. Once inside, keep going straight. After the first airlock, the Quest activates. Follow the minimap. Godspeed, and please¡ª

    Communication with the entity known as Cory is now cut, to prevent exploits and spoilers.

    The passage out of the County resembled a portal, only less shiny. Before going out, Rowan checked his armor. It was made in the technoforge, assembling a segmented armor with a race driver helmet made from mana-strengthened material. It was a compromise, Cory had insisted on a full plate armor, but he felt too encumbered in it to properly fight. Finally, Rowan fixed his huge rucksack on his back and stepped through.

    You have left a High Mana Density area (Randolph County) for a Low Mana Density Area. Warning: Your stats and skills will remain the same, but your HP and MP will regenerate at a much lower rate.

    Straight ahead was easy to say, but in a forest, harder to follow. He found the break in the outer hull¡ªa patch of darkness among the already murky shadows of the wood¡ªa couple of hundred feet to his left, hidden under an overhanging. Not an easy thing to spot.

    You have entered a High Mana Density area.

    The ship¡¯s wall looked thick and weird, with cables hanging out of the rupture, not the kind of shooting sparks of electricity one sees in movies, more like conduits of sorts. Or veins. The tech looked at the border between artificial and organic.

    Shotgun at the ready, he went past the wall, arriving inside a corridor, its blackness going forever to the left and right. He switched on the torch affixed to the gun, but it didn¡¯t reach as far as the advertising had promised. Thirty feet wide, or maybe more, the tunnel had a double rail in its middle. Far away, Rowan could see the remains of a wrecked mini-train.

    Just in front of him was an airlock, plain and metallic. On its right was a round red button, and he pressed it, obtaining a notification.

    Warning: Dungeon Wing 1 is malfunctioning. Missing Core. Pocket Universe Perk: unavailable. Resurrection Perk: unavailable. Damage Reduction Perk: unavailable. Detecting residual constructs from the previous iteration: Broken Lab (Tier 1, Type: Training, Lvl. 20). Do you want to continue? Y/N

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Instead of opening, the airlock vanished. One second, it was there, the next, only the empty doorframe. He stepped inside.

    You have 12 hours to complete the Main Objective of the Explore the Traipenent Quest.

    The first room was covered in absolute darkness, the torch barely reached the next wall. On the floor was a maze of fallen furniture, scattered lab equipment, and broken glass tanks. It looked ominous, so Rowan opted to proceed slowly.

    Monsters are compelled to attack you, no matter the difference in levels, he remembered one of Cory¡¯s warnings. The first creature jumped from a shelf, smashing itself on his enhanced helmet.

    You have slain Lab Rat, Lvl. 20, 1/100.

    The rest arrived like a flood, from every corner. He shot at some, stomped, kicked, squashed, and then the wave receded, but the notification was worrying.

    You have slain Lab Rat, Lvl. 20 x5, 6/100

    Shit, this will take forever! I need AoE.

    He had no skill or spell for that, but he was prepared nevertheless. The backpack wasn¡¯t, in fact, a backpack, but one of the devices made by the technoforge, a weapon-carrying platform. With a single gesture, Rowan replaced his shotgun with a portable fumigation device. He also put on a breather, two seconds before the second wave arrived.

    DOTs and Debuffs applied on Targets (Lab Rat x30): Poison, Paralysis, 60 seconds.

    He continued to release gas around. The Target count went up, and soon it showed 93/100 rats immobilized. Finding all of them under the furniture would have been a hard task, but the DOT finished the job.

    Dungeon Wing 1: Floor 1 cleared: 100/100 Targets killed. No XP or APs awarded. 41/100 sections cleared on the Main Deck

    Forty-one? Who cleared the rest? Is somebody else on the Quest?

    It was not the time for hesitation, though. He walked around the room, and a hundred feet later, he found the next airlock, on the right wall. Pressing the same type of red button dismissed the panel, again. The next space was smaller in size and empty. A few lights still worked here and there, on the walls, offering some more light over his torch.

    Anew, a push on the button and the airlock disappeared. Walking forward, he forgot to close the door behind him. Ten steps later, he heard terrible screeches from above and behind. A cloud of tiny flying monsters covered him, trying to get into his suit or his helmet, and a second swarm attacked from behind, exiting the previous room. Rowan waved his arms, wildly, releasing a plume of poisonous smoke at the same time.

    You have slain Lab Bat Lvl. 20 x 11 (5/100 + 6/100)

    You have been inflicted with DOT x3 (3 X 0.05% HP/second)

    Heavier than air, the poison cloud started to flow down, and the monster flew up, escaping.

    ¡°Just you wait, you little fuckers,¡± he cussed, waving his fist. Unstrapping two stun grenades, he pulled the safety pin and threw one in each room, covering his ears and closing his eyes, continuing by releasing poisonous smoke around and up. The disoriented bat swarms began to hit the walls, or the floor, in a frenzy.

    You have slain Lab Bat, Lvl. 20 x 188 (100/100 + 99/100).

    He finally found the last bat squirming on the floor of the previous room, untouched by the poison but with a broken wing. He put it out of the misery, squashing it under his boot. The DOTs disappeared as soon as the last monster was killed.

    Dungeon Wing 1: Floor 2-3 cleared: 200/200 Targets killed. You have received: 0 XP, and 1 AP. 43/100 sections cleared on the Main Deck.

    AP reward rule discovered. AP granted = number or rooms cleared simultaneously -1.

    Well, well, well¡­

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Happiness crept into Rowan¡¯s heart. There were quite a bit of APs to be obtained there. The plan was simple: reach the Bridge, get Cory back online, then exploit the rule, clearing two or more rooms at a time. On the map, there were seventeen more divisions until the Main objective. He resolved to take it easy, go into a room, see how tough the monsters were, and decide on the go if to continue or not.

    Unlocking the next space, he took a peek. Snakes, slithering on the floor.

    Eek¡­

    He ran around, luring them after him. Kiting, as Thomas taught him. Poison didn¡¯t seem to bother them so he took back his shotgun, shot a couple, and stomped others.

    You have slain Lab Snake x 4 (4/20)

    Good, numbers vary from room to room.

    The next room had spiders, as big as his fists, then came snails.

    That¡¯s so nice¡­ Easy peasy.

    To prove him wrong, his feet got stuck in something, and he fell on the floor.

    You have been immobilized by Snail Trail Glue. You cannot move until all foes are defeated.

    That sucked. His knees and right hand, the one holding the shotgun, were caught on the floor. With his left, he took a real grenade, pulled the pin with his teeth, and threw it. Then another. Bits of metal hit him but didn¡¯t manage to penetrate the armor. The spiders'' fangs and the serpents¡¯ teeth on the other hand¡­

    You have slain Lab Snake x 10, Lab Snail x 9, Lab Spider x 45 (14/20, 9/20, 45/100)

    You have been inflicted with multiple DOTs of Venom and Acid. Total HP loss 1%/second.

    Shit.

    If he didn¡¯t manage to kill the rest of the critters, he had less than two minutes to live. His right index pressed the trigger again and again. Even if immobilized, the revolver shotgun managed to get a few kills. Searching in hurry above his shoulder, he found the third weapon handle. The flamethrower. It was heavy and aiming a pain in the ass, while monsters kept attacking him. Yet even the radiating hit on the sides of the flame was enough to turn the spiders into cinders and make the last snake alive retreat.

    You have slain Lab Snake x 5, Lab Snail x9, Lab Spider x65 (19/20, 18/20, 100/100).

    Acid DOT has been dismissed.

    Warning, your Health is under 50%.

    The Venom DOT was still there. He didn¡¯t have the luxury to pause the fighting. The two remaining snails were in his sight but had retreated into their shell, the flamethrower was not going through. He let it down, took the shotgun, and shot it with his left hand. It took four shots to get the monsters.

    20/20 Lab Snails slain. Snail Trail: Glue dismissed.

    Warning, your Health is under 20%.

    Jumping on his feet, Rowan ran back to the previous room, searching for the snake. He willed his senses to search around, listen for noises, look for any movement, and even try to detect the repugnant odor of the scales, now imprinted in his memory. And then, Rowan knew where the creature was. In his back, on the floor, trying to hide and let the venom do its job. Two shots later, the monster was dead.

    20/20 Lab Snakes killed. Venom DOT dismissed.

    Dungeon Wing 1: Floor 4-6 cleared: 200/200 Targets killed. You have received: 0 XP, and 2 AP. 46/100 sections cleared on the Main Deck.

    You have discovered the skill Mana Sense. By Feeding 1 MP/second in the surrounding Mana, you can detect enemies up to a radius of 30 feet. The skill can be improved through practice and experimentation.

    Warning, your Health is 10%.

    Letting himself down on the floor, his back on the wall, Rowan closed his eyes, panting. It had been too close. There were lessons to be learned. The difference in levels was not such a big factor. After all, he had killed the DireDeers elites, twenty levels higher than him on his first day. Now, low-level monsters almost had him. He had been smart, against the Deers, and stupid, here. Too greedy.

    Understanding how the monsters did the damage was a priority. None had managed to pierce his skin, yet, the DOTs had appeared.

    There must be a Magic component in DOTs, bypassing the armor and all¡­

    Most of all, he felt that his weaponry was inadequate for taking on more than a room at a time. He had to think of better ways. But first, he had to get back to full health. In Rowan¡¯s spatial storage, there were ten High-Quality potions, but he had forgotten about them. The potions were a series of patches set on a bracelet, courtesy of Cory¡¯s technoforge. All he had to do was to put it on and think about activating it. He did the first but renounced the latter.

    Let¡¯s not waste them. Regeneration will get me in full health in about an hour. Meanwhile, I can experiment with things.

    Fifteen minutes later, with his health nearing thirty percent, Rowan decided to put the remaining time to good use. Extracting his favorite weapon from the spatial storage: a half-pike, he started exercising his thrusts and flourishes. After a while, he felt his Mana was trying to help him achieve a better technique and tried to let it flow freely around his body. To his surprise, it slid over his skin and continued along the shaft and the blade. A strange sensation, like the weapon was now a part of himself.

    You have discovered Imbuing.

    ¡°Imbuing? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: It is a combat or crafting Mana-related ability. The question denotes a lack of familiarity with basic notions. Are you an adult of your species? If not, please exit this place ASAP.

    An AI? Hey there. I¡¯m an adult.

    There was no answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m an adult, newly Awakened. You¡¯re some sort of help, right? Can¡¯t you read thoughts?¡±

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: Negative. Function disabled due to the ship¡¯s malfunction. But I can project my answers in your mind nevertheless because receiving messages is an ability you have.

    ¡°What were you saying about the Imbuing stuff?¡±

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: Imbuing lets you project your mana on a weapon or your body at all times, increasing your overall performance on normal attacks, or applying Elemental Damage, if you have some affinity for it.

    ¡°Oh¡­ OK. What¡¯s elemental damage? Fire stuff?¡±

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: For the simple-minded, it represents things like fire.

    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Rowan sneered.

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: For one who masters true understanding, elemental damage means using Mana, the fifth fundamental force of the Universe, to interact with the other four to create specific effects.

    ¡°OK. Go on. How?¡±

    The notification shone all of a sudden, making Rowan take a step back.

    You have discovered a Secondary Secret Quest: Learn Secrets by interacting with a Learning Module. The Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ will deliver a package of customized data to you. The quest is cleared by listening to it and the only reward is what you can learn.

    ¡°Did you see that?¡±

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: Affirmative. Expanding explanations. The main advantage of Mana is not only that it interacts with the other fundamental forces, but that it interacts with sentience too. An Awakened Mind can use Mana to produce countless effects, and the higher its tier, the stronger the outcome.

    You asked about the Fire Elemental Damage. What is Fire? Combustion, a chemical reaction? Heat, the transfer of thermal energy between systems? Is it the result of heating a gas until it becomes a plasma? The byproduct of the fusion or fission of atoms for energy or bombs? Correct answer: all of the above and more.

    But what is Cold? In scientific terms, Cold is the absence of heat, the exact opposite of Fire. But to obtain Cold, understanding Fire is a must, or else your Mana would be wasted. Will you use an Endothermic process? Manipulate conduction, convection, and radiation? How about calling forth a temporary mass of Dark Matter, and manipulating Gravity itself, reducing the thermal energy of molecules?

    What is Light? For the naked eye, the visible spectrum of Electromagnetic radiation. This element can Blind the enemies or shape energy into a magical saber. Yet, Cure also uses microscopic flashes of Ultraviolet light to sterilize wounds, along with its alchemic reactions to neutralize poisons.

    What is Life? Growing plants faster? Understanding nature? Healing? Again, the answer is all of those and more. Healing enhances Natural Regeneration in potent bursts but also uses X-rays to diagnose the problem, thus Light.

    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s a synergy there,¡± Rowan said.

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: It is so, that Light and Healing work well together. Yet, how does a Health Potion diagnose your problem? What if it would heal your cavities first and let you bleed to death? Healing and Alchemy also synergize with Mind Magic, letting your subconsciousness direct the Health Potion where it¡¯s needed.

    What is an Energy Shield? It¡¯s plasma, so in a way, Fire, but plasma is birthed by Electromagnetism every day, in Lightning.

    The data package is reaching the conclusion. Elemental Magic can take many forms, and each person has its own way of addressing it. A Main INT class could study the scientific aspects, preferring their Tech over the instinctual use of Magic. CHA builds are versatile, but adverse to risk, and often make their way out of danger through personal charm, shaping Light into Illusions, and using Mental Manipulation. WIL classes force themselves onward, learning on the go, through grit and instinct. Genetics, learning, personal history, luck, experience, training, help from friends, and other things, all are part of a bigger bespoke puzzle that one can put together step by step in their quest to become better.

    ¡°Then I guess I should start experimenting. One more question. Are DOTs magical? I had some Venom on me but no wound.¡±

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: Venom and Poison DOTs have a Mana component and can be applied if the Poisoned Mana touches your skin. Those remain active as long you are in combat or until you apply a Cure. Bleeds or Burns require real wounds but deliver more DPS and need specific types of First Aid or Healing to be mitigated.

    Rowan nodded, rotating his shoulders to warm up for the next fight. ¡°Thanks. Time to get working again.¡±

 17: The Cat is Out of the Box

    Releasing an area of augmented Gravity around him, Rowan spread around a stream of frosty wind from the tip of his spear. The last monsters alive, a dozen mechanical spiders, slowed, froze, and fell, breaking into pieces. Who would have thought that Gravity and Cold synergized perfectly and fitted him like a glove?

    Dungeon Wing 1: Floor 16-19 cleared: 400/400 Targets killed. You have received: 0 XP, and 3 AP. 59/100 sections cleared on the Main Deck.

    Elemental damage is so cool¡­

    After four hours of grinding, Rowan had arrived at the Boss¡¯s room, the twentieth floor. He had split the previous¡ªfrom the seventh to the nineteenth¡ª into four groups, resting in between to get back to full health. It had been a slow, but rewarding march; he had obtained nine more free APs, and most of all, his skills had progressed in leaps and bounds. His total of unallocated points was now forty-four, probably enough for the most ambitious build.

    Opening the door, he peeped inside, with his eyes and the Mana Sense, then closed the door back. That was a neat trick, and a most common sense one: look in the next room, make a plan, and only then charge in. The Boss¡¯s Lair was a large storage unit, with a giant mecha inside.

    A robot¡­ Probably immune to poison, bleeds, and the sorts, and weak to electricity¡­ Let¡¯s see.

    Taking his shotgun in hand, he imbued it with Mana. As soon he entered the Lair, there was a notification.

    You have entered the Mad Scientist¡¯s Lair. Once a great Physicist and Chemist, the owner of this Lab has gone nuts and transferred his consciousness into a Mecha Frame, in his quest for immortality. If not defeated within a 10-minute timeline, the Mad Scientist will destroy all oxygen in the lab (Deoxygenation), creating Nitrogen Dioxide, by exposing the room to high temperatures and toxic fumes.

    At the same time, the Mecha raised and came at him, awkwardly trying to aim a sort of combined fumigator and flamethrower. Rowan shot it twice in the head, preparing to kite around and release Cold and increasing Gravity. It proved unnecessary.

    Your EMP attack has slain Mecha Frame, Boss Lvl. 20. You have cleared Dungeon Wing 1. No XP granted, no AP granted. 60/100 sections cleared on the Main Deck.

    Shit¡­ I could have taken him out with the others, and gained an extra point¡­ But I couldn¡¯t know¡­ Well, nerds are slow and go down easy, what can I say.

    The last airlock opened on another corridor, going to the right and left. He almost went on but retreated in haste. On the floor and the walls, there were scorch marks.

    Probably from the dungeon break and the fighting.

    ¡°Say, FAQ, if I go outside, can you answer me? And will I be able to get back in?¡±

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: I can¡¯t function outside the Dungeon Wing 1. Once you exit, you can re-enter this section and leave the ship by backtracking on your steps, but I will be unable to answer more requests. My energy is almost depleted.

    ¡°Oh¡­ too bad. Mind if I eat here?¡±

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: This software cannot mind anything, it is non-sentient. Keep in mind not to litter.

    Rowan sat down and searched his spatial inventory for a sandwich and a bottle of water. Ten minutes later, he wrapped the paper and put it back, along with the bottle. ¡°Say, do you have a map of the ship?¡±

    [Traipenent Wing 1 FAQ]: Negative. But I have information that the other Dungeon Wings are similar to this one. Here is a simulation of how the Traipenent should look.

    ¡°This is better,¡± Rowan nodded.

    The map Cory had provided was a diagram with lines marking the shortest path, now, he could take in the image of the real spaceship. It was round, one mile in diameter, and divided into triangles: the Wings. Exactly like pizza slices. Those triangles were divided as well, into Floors, and had their tips cut; there was a huge round space in the middle. Maybe the control room.

    ¡°Thanks, FAQ. You have been a great help, but it¡¯s time to go.¡±

    Rowan exited the Lair. Across the exit was another door, large and round, looking thick, with many strange devices attached to it. Lots of dials and gauges.

    MAIN QUEST update: Solve the Puzzle and open the door to achieve your Main Objective.

    Do you expect me to push buttons? Nope. I¡¯ll explore first.

    The corridor stretched to the right and left and had a curvature, following the round space supposedly to be in the middle of the ship.

    With an enhanced riot shield and his shotgun at the ready, he started to jog to the right. Three hundred yards farther, where the next Dungeon Wing Exit should have been, the airlock was absent. A huge hole was blown in the wall, and it continued on the other side. Like the Death Star¡¯s laser beam had passed through to say hi.

    To his right, the remains of the Dungeon Wing were empty and offered no interest to explore.

    I guess that¡¯s how the Dungeon Break occurred, and why those forty floors are considered cleared¡­

    On the left, the hole allowed another space to be seen, and chances were it was the middle of the ship. Taking his time to look for possible dangers, Rowan passed through the aperture.

    Secondary Objective 1 update: You have reached the Engine Room. Break through the defenses and claim the Ship Core.

    Now things were clearer. The Engine Room had a sphere of light in the middle, protecting a smaller sphere that looked like a crystal scrying ball wrapped in a metallic contraption. An Inspect showed a tag on the outer sphere:

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Forcefield Lvl. 50 HP 50%

    There was a description of the smaller object too.

    Damaged Ship Core. This core has been wrecked beyond hope of repair. Nevertheless, it still has value.

    The round space of the Engine Room went upward, the walls meeting into a vast cupola, a dome, the light of the forcefield strong enough to reach that high. That made Rowan realize the Traipenent had a lens shape, probably convex, at least in its upper part. To the right, another hole like the one he had passed through. Debris of all kinds littered the floor underneath.

    ¡°What the fuck could have done so much damage?¡±

    There was no point in dwelling on that, so he inspected the rest of the room. To the left, there was a sort of balcony emerging from the wall, exactly where the door to the control room had been. It was made of dark glass, or a material resembling it.

    That¡¯s the bridge.

    Below, there was a giant shelf with dozens of round indentations, and a mechanical arm with three prongs, on a rail. Meant to take something from the shelf and put it in another place. Following the rail with his eyes, Rowan observed five pedestals set in regular places.

    I bet the Dungeon Cores were activated there. OK, Time to get back and solve the puzzle. Or¡­

    The timer showed he had a little under seven hours left to unlock the Bridge, and here was a defenseless forcefield at his mercy. Sure, the risk was he¡¯d level too much. He had to crunch some numbers first.

    So, if I take down the Shield, will I level like from a fight, or just a little, like from the boring quests? Pff¡­ where are you, Cory, when I need you? OK, let¡¯s do it, here goes nothing.

    Approaching the forcefield, he changed the shotgun with a plain but reliable revolver, a gift from Isla. Willing mana into the bullet, to make it armor-piercing, Rowan covered his body with the shield and released a shot from a safe distance, at an angle suited to avoid ricochets, if any.

    The bullet bounced up, yet, from the center of the forcefield, a beam of light shot straight at Rowan¡¯s chest, hitting him with such force he was thrown back, hitting the wall and sliding down like a fly on a windshield. He felt his skin and his insides burnt and crushed.

    ¡°Fuuuuck¡­¡±

    Dex Perk 1, Autopilot, has activated 3 Healing Potions in a row. Warning: You suffer from Severe Potion Sickness: Mental and Physical Exhaustion; Natural Regeneration reduced by 78.5%.

    The Forcefield has reflected the damage taken x10. Forcefield¡¯s health: 45%. Your Health: 15%. The Forcefield¡¯s Level has been lowered to 45.

    He fainted.

    <hr>

    ¡°Wake up, Rowan! Wake up!¡±

    There was a voice screaming in his head, a loud one. It was a dream, maybe. He gasped, opened his eyes, and remembered.

    Your HP is back to full.

    Albeit healed, Rowan felt depressed. How stupid could he be? What quest would give ten APs, if it was easy?

    Main Quest update: You have been unconscious for 6 hours and 35 minutes. You have five more minutes to complete the Main Quest. Failure will result in the destruction of the Bridge and the entity known as Cory.

    ¡°What the fuck, System?¡± he yelled. ¡°You downloaded her in the ship?¡±

    He ran toward the hole in the wall, throwing down his mangled backpack to move faster. The shield and gun were nowhere, or maybe dust in the air, and the armor and his helmet fell apart, broken.

    Which way was it¡­ Shit, I can¡¯t remember, and if I take the wrong turn¡­ Right¡­ It must be right.

    Three minutes before the deadline, he arrived at the Bridge¡¯s door. His heartbeats were so strong he could hear them in his ears.

    What the hell do these dials do?

    He tried moving one to the right and the second one to the left, to match some signs that looked similar, although made no sense to him¡­ pulled the lever he was sure it would open the door, and nothing. The door didn¡¯t budge. Two more tries later, a timer appeared.

    59¡­58¡­

    ¡°Noooo¡­¡± he pulled on his hair. ¡°This is not fair, you shitty System,¡± he yelled, banging on the door. An echo replied, and the timer continued.

    49¡­ 48 ¡­

    There was this instinct to cry, and curl in a ball, like when he was a child and beaten by some bully. He had points enough to raise INT to fifty, the second threshold, or Will to max. But Will couldn¡¯t help here, Intelligence, on the other hand¡­ He pushed points into INT.

    The second INT threshold was detected. Choose between¡­

    ¡°Whatever helps Cory!¡± he yelled. ¡°System, you chose. Go for whatever helps Cory.¡±

    You have gained the perk of Karmic Inspiration.

    He remembered. With feverish hands, he grabbed a cigarette butt from his spatial inventory, sent heated Mana at its tip to light it, and inhaled avidly. The world around turned gray, and somehow semi-transparent. He tried not to exhale and dashed forward, hoping he wouldn¡¯t smash his head against the bulwark. And he went through. Only then did he exhale the plume of smoke in his lungs, allowing the world to return to normal.

    10¡­ 9¡­ You have completed the Main Quest. The self-destructing sequence was deactivated.

    ¡°You came for me!¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    A shadow jumped at him, and Rowan hit the back of his head on the door, so hard he saw stars, and then slid down, landing on his buttocks. The attacker was a monster of sorts, with fangs and claws. He tried to push it away, but it kept throwing hits at him, at a speed his DEX couldn¡¯t cope with. Yet the hits had a strange pattern, trying to avoid his arms and go around his midriff... He stopped struggling for a second.

    "Bwaaaaah!¡± the creature screamed, crying and hugging him, its head pressed on Rowan¡¯s chest. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s all my fault!¡±

    He patted the creature¡¯s head by instinct. There was an alien who had been stuck on the bridge, that was clear.

    ¡°Here, here¡­ all¡¯s good¡­¡±

    At the same time, he still worried about the AI.

    Cory? Are you OK?

    There was no answer.

    ¡°Cory!¡± he became alarmed. ¡°Are you OK?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m OK now,¡± the alien said. Rowan pushed the alien away, at arms¡¯ length. The creature in front of him lowered its eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m Cory. Nice to finally meet you, Rowan.¡±

    How did the alien know his name?

    ¡°No way¡­ C-cory?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± the alien clapped its hands together.

    ¡°You built yourself an avatar?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ this is the real me¡­¡±

    ¡°Gah¡­. Gah¡­ Gah¡­¡± he let out at each exhale, instead of words.

    You have received the Main Quest¡¯s rewards

    Surprise: This is Cora, a female Nekojin. Next time, think twice before trusting the voices in your head. +5 free APs.

    ¡°What the fuck¡­¡± he finally exhaled a few words, in a stupor.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything.¡±

    The alien came and squatted in front of Rowan and he inspected her, in the faint light around. She was a human with cat features¡­ The eyes were so large¡­ Like in the Animes. And a pretty face, and furry ears. Again, without thinking, he patted the creature¡¯s head. And she purred, pushing it into his hand.

    ¡°Why did you lie to me?¡± he asked with burgeoning anger. The alien had manipulated him¡­ no, everyone, and he almost lost his life twice, that day. And he had for whom to live. Grace, Lizzie, and all his friends.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ At first, I tried to help you and the town survive, interfacing remotely with Elkins¡¯s core. I was waiting for a reply to my distress call and had nothing better to do. Trapped in here¡­ lots of free time. A few weeks ago, the reply came, and I had to change my plans.¡±

    Cora waved a hand through the air, forwarding a text.

    Dear Miss Cora Shemeaows,

    We regret to inform you that your rescue request has been denied.

    An expedition into uncharted territory is dangerous, even more so when carrying the risk of System infection. You know the rule: Don¡¯t risk the many for the sake of the few.

    An autodestruction signal has been sent to the Traipenent¡¯s bridge. It will activate the first time somebody steps inside the ship. Of course, the Use-In-Case-Of-A-Dungeon-Break Necromantic suicide pill provided to each crew member will be a painless option.

    Sincerely yours,

    AI entity Vvewbpjpg.zh 6819819+ They/Them

    ¡°I managed to offer you a quest to free me¡­ It didn¡¯t mean to put you in danger. It was supposed to be easy, but I forgot how new you are to all this. Are you angry with me?¡±

    Rowan took a second to think. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he half-shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll see. Is there any way to exit the room?¡±

    ¡°The door has been unlocked when you completed the Main Quest.¡±

    ¡°Show the way,¡± he said, forwarding a hand so she could help him up.

 18. Claiming the Shipâ€™s Core

    It was, anew, a red button, nothing less, nothing more. The alien pushed it, the door opened, and then she strode ahead, with a gracious gait, her feline aspect displaying in full. Of medium height, maybe an inch shorter than Grace, her waist was extremely waspy, the derriere full and firm, and round. The type that makes you wish to bite it. And that dancing furry tail was quite enticing in itself. But all that, Rowan reasoned with a strange detachment. There was nothing erotic there, just constating facts. He inspected her.

    Name: Cora Shemeows. Age: 20. Species: Nekojin. Class: Engineer/Interfacer (Legendary), Level 100

    Before she stepped into the cleared Wing one, he put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Moment.¡± She looked into his eyes, they had slits for pupils and the deepest blue color. ¡°That thing¡­ the Forcefield. If I take it down, will I level a lot or not?¡±

    Cora shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s not a proper fight, the System will not award levels for that. But that damage reflection is a killer.¡±

    ¡°But with the Main Quest cleared, the Rezz is working, right?¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the mechanic?¡±

    ¡°Multiplies the damage it receives by ten and throws it back, consuming its levels for that. It has to take energy from somewhere.¡±

    ¡°So now it¡¯s level forty-five.¡±

    ¡°If you did five percent damage to its HP, yes.¡±

    ¡°Great. Would it help if we kill that forcefield before we leave the ship?¡±

    She patted his cheek. Her fingernails were sharp, like claws, and shaped likewise too. ¡°It will take too much time to get you back to health every time you hit it, Health Potions or not.¡±

    ¡°Just tell me, would be useful to kill it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it would. The ship core is also a multidimensional storage unit. There are a lot of nice things inside.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do it, and get two rabbits with the same stone.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°There are two more Wings intact, right? Twenty floors each, with residual monsters left behind?¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll open a few floors at a time, run back to the core, and dodge around until they hit it by accident. The monsters get destroyed, the floors get cleared, and we gain APs.¡±

    ¡°I gain Skill Points, APs don¡¯t work for me anymore¡­¡±

    She paused and began to laugh, her head leaned back. Her bosom was quite shapely. Somewhere at the higher C size. Again, those were plain facts. Rowan¡¯s libido was detached from it.

    ¡°It¡¯s the most crazy idea I¡¯ve ever heard¡­ but it could work¡­ If we clear those two wings, we can also claim the ship for the County. The border will extend to include it and it will be transported into our Core¡¯s storage.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go for it. You go outside and wait for me.¡±

    ¡°I have a better solution. I¡¯ll go back to the Bridge and open the Dungeons Lairs, on this side. It¡¯s a shorter way. You stay in that hole, make some noises, and they¡¯ll hear you and follow. Then you run and hide behind the core, and I project your image in front of the forcefield. That would do the trick.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± Rowan pulled out his spear from the spatial inventory.

    Cora Shemeows has invited you to form a party.

    [Cora]: Party or team are words that mean the same thing.

    [Rowan]: I just realized¡­ Your voice¡­ The one I heard in my head all this time¡­ was your real voice.

    [Cora]: Yes¡­ Do you still like it?

    [Rowan]: It¡¯s¡­ nice, yes.

    [Cora]: OK, you go in the hole. I¡¯ll open Wing 4 first. Boss Lair and a few more floors.

    They both went on separate ways. When he reached his spot, he remembered something he wanted to ask.

    [Rowan]: If there are six Wings, why are there only five dungeons?

    [Cora]: The sixth wing was for the crew quarters and a Hotel.

    [Rowan]: Makes sense.

    [Cora]: Here we go. Be prepared.

    [Rowan]: Whoa¡­ they¡¯re fast!

    There was a loud noise of incoming rushing steps, so went inside the Engine room and ran toward the core. He barely had time to turn around the forcefield. A lot of creaking noises ensued, and an awful smell of burnt flesh.

    Your party has slain: Werewolf, Boss, Level 40, and Two Packs of Dire Wolves, Lvl. 40. Wing 4 Floors 20-18 cleared. You have received 2 free APs. No XP gained.

    [Cora]: Just stay there, they¡¯ll still feel your mana scent. I¡¯m opening five floors now.

    He obliged, keeping his shotgun at the ready. Two minutes later, the creaking began again.

    Your party has slain: Packs of Dire Wolves x5. Wing 4 Floors 17-13 are now clear. You have received 4 free APs. No XP gained.

    [Cora]: You¡¯re a genius.

    [Rowan]: Nah, I learned from you. You¡¯re the Queen of Exploits, after all.

    [Cora]: I¡¯ll take it as a compliment.

    [Rowan]: It was a compliment.

    [Cora]: I¡¯ll open all the remaining floors. Why waste APs?

    The incoming packs were so large that a few did feel the real Rowan, and he had to dodge, fight, run, and apply lots of cold and gravity, to survive. In the end, the Forcefield was down to thirty-five percent Health, but he was not much better, with forty, and his Mana all but depleted.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Fuck, I forgot I don¡¯t have my armor anymore, he looked at his scratched upper torso. Nor proper clothes, for that matter. At least I still have the pants.

    [Cora]: Let¡¯s take a break until you¡¯re back to full health. Better to save the potions.

    [Rowan]: Sure. I¡¯ll come up.

    [Cora]: Fine.

    When he arrived at the Bridge, she was munching on a sort of ration bar and offered one to him too. ¡°So, what¡¯s the story, with the ship and all?¡± he asked, refusing the food with a gesture.

    Cora¡¯s face turned sad, and she tucked her head between her shoulders. ¡°The Traipenent is¡­ was one of a handful of spaceships able to deal with dungeons¡­¡±

    ¡°I know, you told me. I don¡¯t get one thing, though. Why Entertainment? How does that go together with Penitentiary?¡±

    ¡°Not every criminal is violent. Imagine Dungeons like Casinos, or¡­¡± Cora blushed and paused.

    ¡°Brothels?¡±

    ¡°Awful, isn¡¯t it? A couple of months ago, we were booked by a large group, for an Entertainment Corporate event. They specifically requested the highest-level brothel, run by one of the most notorious crooks in the Galaxy: Viscardi Blackswarm. It has a Vampire theme, and Vampire sexual workers are considered the best¡­ because...¡± Cora¡¯s face turned violet in color.

    ¡°Let me guess. Vampires like to suck.¡±

    ¡°Ew¡­¡± she squealed, covering her face. ¡°Y-yes, and they have a natural Seduction perk. But it was a plot, the clients were mercenaries. Once in flight, they infiltrated the Engine Room and made a robot shot at the Core. They aimed so that the Protection Field replied with an energy beam toward the Brothel, to provoke a Dungeon Break. But the idiots breached the maximum security prison instead, releasing the Warlord, and also damaged the Ship''s Core in the process.¡±

    ¡°Moment. Warlord? That sounds worrying. Who¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°A very dangerous man. I don¡¯t know much, there¡¯s a lot of mystery surrounding him. His dungeon was so hazardous that only Special Forces used it, and they had to sign a discharge of obligation. People died for real in his dungeon, no matter the Ship¡¯s Rezz Perk. Then, the mercenaries took another shot, and we had two dungeon breaks on our hands. Too much for the crew to handle¡­

    ¡°In the end, my parents pushed me into the Bridge, sealed the door, and activated the Emergency Protocol. That made the Ship exit Hyperspace near the closest inhabited planet detected, and teleported everything on Earth: Cores, monsters, and¡­ everybody else¡­ I ¡­ don¡¯t think my folks survived, they would have come back for me. Then we crashed, and you know the rest. The System leaked on Earth, etcetera, etcetera.¡±

    ¡°Sorry for your loss,¡± Rowan said, then hesitated for a moment. ¡°Can you use the Core to get back home? I mean¡­ repair the ship, something? It would be only fair if you take it, you did so much to help us.¡±

    ¡°The ship was my only home, all my life,¡± she said deadpanned, looking into his eyes. ¡°There nothing for me, up there, and the Ship Core is done. I¡¯d rather stay and continue to help you¡­ If you let me.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Consider yourself one of us,¡± Rowan patted her head, with a gesture now a reflex. ¡°So, the most hardened criminals in the Galaxy roam freely on Earth as we speak?¡±

    ¡°Only a few: The Vampires, the Mercenaries, and the Warlord. The rest should be still imprisoned in the true dungeons¡¯ cores.¡±

    Rowan took his face into his hands, massaging it. ¡°Never mind¡­ that¡¯s a trouble for another day. Let¡¯s continue.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? How high is your health?¡±

    ¡°Sixty percent. It will do.¡±

    ¡°OK¡­ I¡¯ll open the floors in a two, three, four, five, six sequence.¡±

    ¡°So fifteen APs, right?¡±

    ¡°Right. If I see you¡¯re in trouble, I¡¯ll jump into the fray.¡±

    Returning to the break in the wall, Rowan activated the chat.

    [Rowan]: Ready.

    Moments later, something moved in the corridor. Closer than last time, because the Fifth Wing was nearer the passage. When he jumped back into the Engine Room, the Boss and two minions were already on him. It was a meaner version of the DireDeers, plus two similar but smaller minions. He ran around the Core. The ads got lured by the projection and were fried, but the boss was dead set on killing him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, big guy. This is personal.¡±

    He turned toward the monster and thrust his spear at it, hitting an arm.

    Elemental Forces: Cold and Gravity activated.

    The Boss slowed down to a halt, frozen in place. Rowan retreated the spear, to aim for the heart next, but the monster exploded, torn into pieces. Behind him, Cora, with worry in his eyes, a cloud of buzzing debris floating around her.

    You and Cora have slain DireDeer Boss, Level 50. You have leveled x4. +1 free AP gained. Cora has gained 1 Skill Point.

    ¡°Sorry I intervened, but I feared for you,¡± Cora said, letting the debris fall.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. I leveled. Is it bad?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. We still have room to work on your build. Stay here, we go with the plan.¡±

    Half an hour later, with the Wing cleared and the second Secondary objective completed, they stared together at the Forcefield. It was down to ten percent HP and ten levels but was still on.

    ¡°It¡¯s because we killed the Boss ourselves,¡± Cora said. ¡°I can¡¯t hit it, I¡¯ll be obliterated. Maybe you and Isla, tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re close. Let¡¯s hit it gently, and gob some healing potions.¡±

    Cora scratched her head, grimacing. She continued scratching it for a while, making Rowan wonder if she had fleas. ¡°I dunno¡­ my tech skills are not on the gentle side¡­ and if I hit it physically, my DPS is like none.¡±

    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Take it easy, remember, it multiplies the damage by¡ª¡±

    ¡°A factor of ten. I know.¡±

    Rowan considered strategies for a while. Investing in CON? He decided against it. One Perk randomly chosen in the heat of battle was enough for a day. He took a boxing stance and tried to imbue his fists with Cold. The first hit rewarded him with a flare of fire.

    You have inflicted 1% damage to Forcefield. Forcefield HP 9%, Lvl. 9. Your HP is at 43.5 percent.

    He took another two swings then paused, and drank a Healing potion.

    ¡°H-how c-can you w-withstand that?¡± Cora stuttered. Rowan¡¯s arms and torso were badly burnt.

    ¡°Ignoring pain is in my blood. I told you my mom died when I was a kid, and we landed on the streets because my biological father couldn¡¯t cope with it. Drugs, stuff. Streets have lots of bad people. Bullies, thieves¡­ At first, I learned to ignore pain just to get over the beatings, but then I realized that I could use my pain tolerance to hit back instead. I wasn¡¯t the strongest, by far, but if you keep going and grab any weapon... One day, somebody tried to steal my food, and I picked a glass shard and almost gouged one of their eyes. I was six. At seven¡­¡±

    ¡°You killed someone?¡± Cora widened her eyes.

    ¡°No,¡± Rowan shook his head. ¡°Papa Allinder, my mother¡¯s uncle, adopted me. He paid for my dad¡¯s rehab, but both decided I was better off with him. He had an antique shop and was quite well off. A year later, the Feds investigated him, suspecting he sold stolen art. Total bullshit, but that¡¯s how the feds are. They interrogated me a few times, with a shrink present, of course. I managed to eavesdrop on their conversation. They were going to send me to some foster family for the duration of the investigation. So, one day, while the shrink was out for a pee, I slammed my head on the table and screamed. When the shrink came back, the fed was trying to restrain me, and there was blood all over. You see, the camera was broken, and I knew. Made the shrink believe the fed beat me for information, played well my role, then the charges against my father were dismissed¡­ Hey, what do you know? How fast time passes¡­ Let¡¯s get it done.¡±

    A few hits later, the notification came.

    You have completed the Secondary Quest: Clear the Engine Room. You have gained 10 APs. Cora has gained 1 SP. Conditions met: The Ship and its storage can be claimed as loot by Randolph County.

    For clearing the Quest Chain in one go, discovering a secret condition for gaining APs, and also a Secret Quest, you earned a special reward: Information.

    You have displayed natural talent in applying Cold and Gravity damage and resisting Fire. Your Mana is now fully attuned to Cold, Gravity, and Fire. You have a high chance to develop combative Skills and Perks related to the first two, and defensive ones related to the latter.

    You have displayed poor performance in resisting Poison and Venom and have applied them only through external weapons. You have a next to zero chance to be able to develop Venoms, Poisons, or Corruptions.

    Your performance in applying Bleeds and Electricity was average. Use them as secondary damage but don¡¯t build your build around them.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Cora jumped up, clapping her hands blissfully, making his mind land back into reality. ¡°It¡¯s still in one piece!¡±

    ¡°What is in one piece??¡±

    ¡°My armor. Behold.¡±

    A metallic suit had appeared out of thin air, embracing Cora¡¯s shapes. In no time, she looked like a robot.

    ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± she bellowed through the costume¡¯s speakers.

 19: Meet Cora

    When they arrived back in Elkin, it was early morning. Grace¡¯s car was heavily tilted on the combat suit¡¯s side, meaning it was very heavy, and Rowan drove at a snail¡¯s speed, to spare the vehicle. Grace ran into his arms the moment he got out of the car.

    ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re safe,¡±

    ¡°But I did SMSed you,¡± Rowan blurted, thinking a classic: why haven¡¯t you called? would follow. ¡°It was too early to call.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ but I was so worried. I had a dream, of you lying unconscious, and I was screaming at you to get up.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­ never mind, it can wait. I want you to meet someone.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The Wizard of Oz.¡± He made a gesture, and Cora, still in her suit, exited the car.

    Grace took a step back. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside, and I¡¯ll explain.¡±

    For such a huge suit, it moved quite silently. A minute later, and with a coffee in front of him, Rowan was still delaying the truth. Cora stood ten feet apart, at ease, waiting for him to do the introductions.

    ¡°Well?¡± Grace said. ¡°What¡¯s with the robot?¡±

    His high Will meant that Rowan was not averse to delivering the truth in one blunt go. ¡°It¡¯s not a robot, it¡¯s a suit, and inside it it¡¯s Cory. And no, she didn¡¯t transfer herself to an android. Cory¡¯s a real person, an alien who was stuck on that ship, the only survivor. She lied to us about being an AI but had good reasons.¡±

    Grace leaned back on the sofa, switching her head around between the suit and Rowan, staring at him like doubting his sanity. Then, the suit let out a puff, opened, and Cora made her entry.

    ¡°Ta-da!¡± Cora widened her arms in a theatrical gesture. She then threw herself on the couch, between Rowan and Grace, wrapping her arms around their necks.

    ¡°So, here I am. Besties forever, right?¡±

    ¡°G-get away from me!¡± Grace screamed, shoving the Nekojin apart.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, she¡¯s not aggressive,¡± Rowan tried to explain.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. She stinks!¡± Grace blurted, rushing to open the French doors to the backyard.

    ¡°I do not stink!¡± Cora hissed, showing her canines. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare insult me, human! This kitty has claws!¡± Her nails seemed to grow longer, at least as far as Rowan could tell.

    ¡°Like a dead body skunks peed on. Beurch!¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t stink to me,¡± Rowan frowned. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±

    Skill: Sensorial Filtering deactivated. Note: Your high Will allows you to selectively process information, enhancing some senses and muting others, for better performance in or out of combat.

    ¡°Uh¡­ on second thought, there is a slight¡­ whiff¡­¡± he tried to take some distance on the coach. Surprisingly, the Nekojin made him retch, and at the same time, her sight inspired¡­ sensations in his body. He found her sexy, and those details he thought about with detachment in the ship, hit back with unexpected strength.

    The truth was that being locked on the bridge for almost two months had not helped Cora¡¯s bodily odors. Maybe Grace was exaggerating about the rotten corpse, but not for the skunks. Cora smelled like at least ten of them were her best friends.

    ¡°Maybe you should take a shower,¡± Rowan suggested.

    ¡°Nonsense! Give me a sponge and some rubbing alcohol and I¡¯ll be good as new in no time.¡±

    ¡°Rowan!¡± Grace¡¯s voice rose in intensity. ¡°Grab and wash her this moment!¡±

    A high Will meant also he dared to be a coward and run when running was the best option. ¡°I¡¯ll let you two sort it out together, catching up, stuff. I have to think about my builds.¡±

    Passing near Grace in a rush, he exited through the French doors and ran away, while she looked at him with widened eyes and a dropping jaw. Ten minutes later he was up in the hills. Choosing a tree line with a view toward the valley, he sat on the grass and sighed. After all, what better solution than to transform the lie into a truth? Then, the excuse would have been justified.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Summoning his Character Sheet, he first noticed his level was now fifty, and had a whopping ninety-seven free Attribute Points. He took out his phone and used the calculator. That meant that if he managed to get ten extra points before the max level he could raise all his secondary stats to threshold three¡­ More than Cory had ever suggested.

    ¡°What about that, Cory?¡±

    His question met silence. Cory was not in his mind anymore. It felt¡­ weird¡­ like a void. There was a problem with where to get those extra points. Rome and the ship had been treasure troves while clearing monsters for weeks, a chore. What if the first two were a once-in-a-lifetime event? Could he spend weeks, or months grinding APs?

    Swallowing a lump, Rowan balled his fists with determination. There were two answers. Yes, I have enough will to do it, the first said. Yes, because in the end, it¡¯s trivial, said the second, and it was the right one. Understanding the challenges, and mastery over his abilities, mattered more.

    A dungeon half his level had almost killed him twice, because of unprovoked mistakes. He had pressed a random key on a piano and thought himself a virtuoso. The easiness with which Cora had moved the cloud of debris with her mind had shown him what real skill looked like. That was what he needed, not brute force. Thinking. Training.

    The memory of the homeless old lady he had almost half-blinded in a fit of rage, because she took his last sandwich, came into his mind, fresh like it was yesterday. She had patched herself up with some iodine and Band-Aids and apologized. Then his biological father gave him the worst beating of his life¡ªno, the second worst, after Isla¡¯s¡ªand for the next months, Rowan stole or extorted food both for his father and the crone.

    When Papa Allinder adopted him, Rowan refused to go to school. He was afraid that after living in the streets, he could give in to anger and kill somebody for real, some stupid kid who would have picked on him for no good reason. And Johan Allinder had met his demands, painstakingly homeschooling him, but asked a price in return. Therapy. He had done it for years.

    The Feds episode was one he was proud of. That was what he needed: a clear mind, observing, analyzing, and acting decisively. Not a six-year-old fit of temper. There were aliens around now, unknown entities. Were they victims of the system, like the old lady? Murderers, cold-blooded criminals? Did they even think as humans did? He did not know but resolved to be prepared. He could start by choosing his next perks and training.

    Leaving twenty attribute points for later, Rowan raised all his secondary stats to the second threshold and got a surprise.

    You have achieved a Breakthrough. Secondary Class obtained: Primeval Magus. Tier: Mythical. Main Stat: WIL

    You have displayed an uncanny affinity with multiple elements, unlocking the Magus class. A Magus gains an deep understanding of the workings of the world without studying as much as the INT classes. Your main affinities are Cold and Gravity (combative) and Fire (defensive). Up to five main affinities can be unlocked through experimenting.

    The secondary class shares levels and stats with the primary one and does not grant any supplementary APs or XP.

    Rowan felt complete. The sentiment was hard to describe but filled him with a sense of purpose and awareness. Refusing to be swept by that sweet drunkenness sensation, he concentrated on the plethora of notifications.

    <hr>

    It took a minute for Grace to get back to her senses. That kind of betrayal was not what she expected. Her husband should have stayed, and taken it like a man. That¡¯s what the one was supposed to do. She shook her head, snapping out of her numbness.

    ¡°Here, play with this while I organize things,¡± she threw a yarn clew at Cora.

    ¡°How do you dare, you think I¡¯m some pet? Oh¡­ this feels so nice,¡± the Nekojin furrowed her cheek in the wool.

    Grace was already outside, in the Garden, activating the private chat that worked more or less like a phone inside the County.

    [Grace to Isla]: Are you around by any chance?

    [Isla to Grace]: And Good Morning to you too. Yes, I¡¯m starting my shift just now. Do you need something?

    [Grace to Isla]: Yes. I have a guest who resents water and soap, but stinks, and I was thinking you could¡­ err¡­ persuade her to take a bath¡­

    [Isla to Grace]: She''s French?

    [Grace to Isla]: She''s a sort of a cat. I¡¯ll explain when you¡ª

    [Isla to Grace]: I¡¯m here.

    The police car, lights on, stopped in front of the house, and Isla exited in a hurry. Her nose wrinkled in disgust from ten yards away.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    After entering the living room, Isla didn¡¯t even ask for explanations. One look around, then she grabbed Cora by the tail and rushed upstairs, the Nekojin suspended in the air.

    ¡°HELP! MURDER!¡±

    Soon, there was water and fight noises, and screams, lots of screams.

    ¡°Who died?¡± Dmitri appeared, sniffing around.

    ¡°No one¡­ we have an unwashed guest.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Mommy!¡± Lizzie yelled, rushing down the stairs. ¡°Where¡¯s our new pet? I got a notification from the System. Because I was so nice, I got a cat-folk friend as a reward.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that later. Dmitri, fold that blanket from the couch, I need to wash it¡­ no, the hell with it, to the garbage it goes¡­ Beurch.¡±

    Ignoring the heavy smell and the agitation around, Lizzie was trying to get into the robot suit.

    ¡°Leave it be, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± Grace screamed. ¡°And dirty. Go change your pajamas for some proper clothes.¡±

    An hour later, after breakfast was eaten, Dmitri walked Lizzie to school, and the suit was stored in spatial storage, Grace and a clean Cora, dressed in a borrowed house robe stared at each other across the table.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Grace started.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Cora nodded.

    ¡°Why the lies and manipulations? You know, turning me into a murderer, and so on.¡±

    ¡°Putting aside that it was also in your interest, I did what I had to do to survive. Rowan was my only chance.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°First, I will remind you that you can¡¯t kill me,¡± Cora pushed her chair a little farther from the table. ¡°I mean, yeah, you could, but I¡¯m also attuned to the core, so I¡¯ll Rezz in no time, in a secret hideout. Second, I have footage of you poisoning the Knyaz. If you¡¯ll be unreasonable, I¡¯ll make it public.¡±

    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Grace sneered, crossing her arms while starring daggers.

    ¡°Here are my demands,¡± Cora said, pushing a paper on the table.

    Unfolding it, Grace read the eight words.

    I want you to share Rowan with me.

 20: Stats, Stats, Stats

    Please review your Stats and Perks and choose your second threshold perks for both classes.

    The realization that he was going to get double the perks hit him like a hammer. How many new perks he was going to have? Thirteen from the new class, for sure, and¡­ four in the old class. Five if he counted the perk he asked the System to choose for him. He had no idea what it did. So eighteen! That made Rowan¡¯s head turn. In the end, he inspected his stats and the new perks available.

    Name: Rowan Allinder. Main Class: Indomitable. Tier: Legendary, Level 50 Secondary Class: Primeval Magus. Tier: Mythical

    28 APs available

    STR: 50 / DEX: 50 / CON: 50 / INT: 50 / WIL: 77 / CHA: 50

    NEW PERKS OBTAINED

    !Chosen by the System! Intelligence Perk, Threshold 2: Karmic Intuition. Some call it Hoarding, but the truth is out there. Be it a cigarette butt, or an oily empty sardine can, any object carries Karma. If you feel the need to collect some trash, do it. There will come a moment in your life when that trash could save your life.

    Charisma Perk, Threshold 1: Redeemed. You have started your voyage as a Classed with a low Charisma. Through hard work, you have climbed your way up. People will be +25% more inclined to forgive your mistakes and blunders.

    Current perks for Secondary Class: Primeval Magus

    Will Perk, Threshold 1: Your Concentration, in or out of Battle, is increased by 25%. You will stay focused for longer and detect and resist Mind Spells of the lower tier. Magical Attacks¡¯ Critical Chance is increased by +25%.

    Will Perk, Threshold 3: Your Concentration, in or out of Battle, is increased by 50%. You will stay focused for longer, train for longer periods, and detect and resist Mind Spells of the higher tier. Magical Attacks¡¯ Critical Chance is increased to 50%.

    Strength Perk, Threshold 1: Sonar. One of the superior aspects of Mana Sense. Successful physical hits (including projectiles) send signals into the Target¡¯s body. 25% + Critical Chance of highlighting their weak spots. This Perk is applied through Spells, Skills, and Perks, learning it through practice and experimentation.

    Constitution Perk, Threshold 1: Vital Resistance. Your vitals have a +25% toughness compared to the rest of your body and regenerate 25% faster. Hits against your vitals are not considered instant lethal damage anymore and can be healed like any other wound. Access to spell: Combat Heal. Although not as potent as a channeled Heal, this spell restores 100HP for 300MP instantly, Training and practice will improve efficacy and cost.

    Dexterity Perk, Threshold 1: Plus Crit. Increases your Physical Attacks'' Critical Chance by 5%.

    Intelligence Perk, Threshold 1: Gretchen¡¯s Question (Mythical). Asking silly questions might give unexpected results, revealing if Target is lying or hiding something.

    Charisma Perk, Threshold 1: Confidence. Your presence inspires calm and people are inclined to follow your orders and suggestions.

    Finally, it was time to choose his new perks. Heart trying to jump out of his chest, he proceeded.

    Indomitable Class.

    Strength Perk, Threshold 2. Choose between:

    1: Double your Perk 1 chance to ignore Evade, Dodges, Parries, or Blocks to 50% (Max. for non-STR main builds)

    2: Increase your base damage with Physical attacks by 25%

    Pfff¡­ both are good. Let¡¯s take option two¡­ Diversify...

    Constitution Perk, Threshold 2. Choose between:

    1: Double your Perk 1 to +25% all physical resistances, +25% to Natural Regeneration (HP). Max value possible for non-Main Con builds.

    2: Endurance. Perform physical activities for 25% longer. You need 25% less sleep.

    Considering the first CON perk in his secondary class, he went with option one.

    Dexterity Perk, Threshold 2, Choose between:

    1: Increase the speed of your attacks by 25%

    2: Increase the speed of your parries, blocks, and evades by 25%

    This is not fair. I want both!

    A Bespoke choice was selected due to your high WIL: Increase the speed of your attacks, blocks, parries, and evades by 12.5 % Bespoke choices are available only when perk choices are complementary or similar.

    Eh eh eh¡­ FUCK! It could have worked for the Constitution Perk too¡­ I want a reroll, now!... Pretty please?

    There was no answer so he went on.

    Charisma Perk, Threshold 2. Chose between:

    1: Increase MP. Your CHA Stat is added to your Mana Pool.

    2: Persuasion: You have a +25% chance to convince enemies to change sides, surrender, or retreat.

    He went with the first option instantly.

    Primeval Magus Class.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Strength Perk, Threshold 2. Choose between:

    1: + Damage. Physical hits send waves of secondary damage into the enemy¡¯s bodies. +5% to base Physical Damage.

    2: Critical Spot. If your STR Perk 1 has detected a weakness, any future hit against that spot will be a Crit.

    The second option was selected without much ado.

    Constitution Perk, Threshold 2. Choose between:

    1: Double your 1<sup>st</sup> perk value.

    2: Delayed Truth. Once per day, when Lethal Damage is applied to you, you have a ten-second interval in which your HP cannot go below 0 and you are invulnerable to all forms of damage. You must heal for at least 15% of your HP before the ten seconds expire or you will die.

    There was no hesitation here. Two.

    Dexterity Perk, Threshold 2. Choose between:

    1: Add + 5% Critical Chance to your Perk 1

    2: Add +5% Chance to Parry, Block, or Evade.

    Can I take the Bespoke again?

    Bespoke option selected: +2.5 to Critical Chance, Parry, Block, and Evade.

    Intelligence Perk, Threshold 2. Choose between:

    1: Enhanced Analysis. Inspecting Targets offers information about their offensive capabilities. Only works out of combat.

    2: Svart¨¢lfar Stare, aka The Cold Stare (Mythical). Maybe it¡¯s pure coincidence, or maybe you have a Shadow Elf in your lineage. Staring at a Target provokes Unease and might allow you to guess compromising secrets, while also lowering your foe''s overall performance by 10%. Doesn¡¯t work on constructs. With training, it can be advanced to cause various other effects. No Mana cost.

    He liked one, a lot, but it meant being able to see a foe before a fight, which was situational. Two was a stretch¡­ but it had the same tier and vibe as the first perk. He wondered if it could lead to more potent perks, so, after taking a deep breath, he selected it.

    Will Perk, Threshold 2. Choose between:

    1: Enhanced Meditation. Enter a state of deep relaxation, restoring HP and MP four times faster.

    2: Joint Trip. You have smoked a mysterious tobacco, whose production is a well-guarded secret. For unknown reasons, your body and subconsciousness have detected a strange synergy with it and can replicate the effect. Builds one stack per day, up to 10 stacks. Activating one stack allows you to enter Hyperspace (also called the in-between, the Space, or the 4<sup>th</sup> dimension) for 30 seconds. DOTs cease once you enter the 4<sup>th</sup> dimension, and you become immune to all forms of damage and CC from the outside world. Your speed is increased x2. There is a 2-second pause between activating the next stacks.

    ¡°Yes! Yes! Yes!¡± Rowan screamed in joy. ¡°Two!¡±

    Charisma Perk, Threshold 2. Choose between:

    1: Insight: Read thoughts, emotions, and intentions by examining a Target. Needs activation and proximity (touch, eye contact). Cost: 100 Mana/use. Warning: Can attract enmity. Synergizes with Sonar.

    2: Reflect all damage taken to the Tank, if you are in a Party (Team), for ten seconds. Heal for the amount of half that damage. 10 minutes cooldown.

    Two was a solid defensive choice. He could imagine both Isla and Cory talking him into taking it. Or Thomas throwing some nerdish about how he could mitigate it with some invulns or whatever. But Rowan was not the kind of man to risk killing his partners. One synergized well with his Main Class CHA second perk, so he chose that.

    ¡°Err¡­ Is somebody up there, with Cory here? Can you show me an abridged version for all this stuff?¡±

    [Randolph County Call Center]: Complying with the request.

    Name: Rowan Allinder. Lvl. 50

    Main Class: Indomitable, Legendary, Secondary Class: Primeval Magus, Mythical

    28 APs available

    STR: 50 / DEX: 50 / CON: 50 / INT: 50 / WIL: 77 / CHA: 50

    PERKS

    WIL

    Main Class Perk 1: Your Will replaces Strength as your Critical Damage multiplier and inflicts DOT

    Main Class Perk 2: High-Tier Artifact User

    Main Class Perk 3: Magical Synergy. Stats perform better, and you can enhance your spells, skills, or Perks with Magic.

    Secondary Class Perk 1: Concentration + 25%. Resist minor Mind Spells. +25% Magical Attacks Critical Chance

    Secondary Class Perk 2: Joint Trip. Build 1 stack/day (max 10) of a 30-second interdimensional travel.

    Secondary Class Perk 3: Concentration + 50%. Resist major Mind Spells. +25% Spell Critical Chance

    STR

    Main Class Perk 1: 25% chance to ignore Evade, Dodges, Parries, or Blocks.

    Main Class Perk 2: +25% base damage to Physical attacks

    Secondary Class Perk 1: +25% chance of highlighting an enemy¡¯s weak spots.

    Secondary Class Perk 2:  Hitting identified weak spots are guaranteed Crits.

    CON

    Main Class Perk 1+2: +50% all physical resistances, +50% to Natural Regeneration (HP)

    Secondary Class Perk 1: Vital Resistance. +25% Toughness and Regen to Vitals. Hits against your vitals are not considered instant lethal damage anymore. Learned Spell: Combat Heal

    Secondary Class Perk 2: Delayed Truth. Once per day, ignore Lethal Damage and become invulnerable for ten seconds.

    DEX

    Main Class Perk 1: Multi-Tasking, Autopilot. Your Subconsciousness can take control of your body.

    Main Class Perk 2: Increase the speed of your attacks, blocks, parries, and evades by 12.5%

    Secondary Class Perk 1: + 5% Critical Chance

    Secondary Class Perk 2: Add + 2.5% Critical Chance, Parry, Block, or Evade.

    INT

    Main Class Perk 1: Strategy. You can read a situation better than most.

    Main Class Perk 2: Karmic Intuition. You can feel if an object is important.

    Secondary Class Perk 1: Gretchen¡¯s Question. Questions have a chance to reveal secrets.

    Secondary Class Perk 2: Svart¨¢lfar¡¯s Stare. Staring provokes Targets to reveal secrets and lowers your enemies¡¯ damage.

    CHA

    Main Class Perk 1: People will be +25% more inclined to forgive your mistakes and blunders.

    Main Class Perk 2: Your CHA Stat is added to your Mana Pool.

    Secondary Class Perk 1: Confident. Strangers are +25% more inclined to reveal their secrets to you.

    Secondary Class Perk 2: Insight: Read thoughts, emotions, and intentions by examining a Target. Needs activation and proximity (touch, eye contact). Cost: 100 Mana/use. Warning: Can attract enmity. Synergizes with Sonar.

 21: Intrigue

    After taking in a deep breath, Grace pressed a shortcut dial on her phone.

    Trying to reach to exterior cell network... Error¡­ Correcting error¡­ Mana enhancing signal¡­ Connection established.

    A ringtone sounded twice, then she heard a voice.

    ¡°Grace?¡±

    ¡°Yes, honey, it¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°Nice to hear your voice.¡±

    A claxon reached her ears, and a curse, Rowan swearing at someone about blocking his way.

    ¡°You¡¯re driving?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I bought a second-hand car for the trip¡­ we¡¯re approaching our destination¡­ Cora says it¡¯s better to keep our whereabouts secret, to avoid spies.¡±

    ¡°How thoughtful of her. And how are you two¡­ going along?¡±

    ¡°Fine, I suppose. We visited my pals in Louisville last evening, and went around a few bars and stores, tasting and buying Bourbon. I stocked myself for a year; the Spatial Inventory is such a great thing. But let me tell you, Cora can¡¯t hold her liquor. Sweetheart, I have to go, there¡¯s a police roadblock ahead.¡±

    ¡°Take care, yes?¡¯

    ¡°Of course. Love you.¡±

    ¡°Love you too.¡±

    With a deep sigh, Grace put the phone on the coffee table, took up a glass, and drank a full mouth of the content, an XO Cognac.

    ¡°How could you agree?¡± Isla asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. I pretended to agree.¡±

    Grace averted her eyes away from Isla¡¯s judgmental stare. With Thomas staying for a few weeks with Isla¡¯s ex, they had an evening for themselves. A girl¡¯s night out. They had eaten at a new restaurant, then came to the policewoman¡¯s house for a drink and a chat.

    ¡°You know, I thought he loved you¡­ My ex told me Rowan cried during one of his sessions while talking about how much he cares for you.¡± Isla creased her nose and crossed her legs, then, hitting the coffee table, she toed her shoes off and rested her feet on the top. Dressed in the same tight black dress she had worn for Lizzie¡¯s birthday, she looked stunning. Grace felt a hint of jealousy in her, wishing she¡¯d be as tall and shapely.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Rowan doesn¡¯t know yet. I told the cat it¡¯s up to her to convince him to become¡­ polyamorous, and if she succeeds, I won¡¯t interfere.¡±

    Shaking her head, the policewoman took another sip from her whiskey. ¡°This is crazy¡­ And she planned it all this time?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Says it¡¯s destiny. Because of Rowan¡¯s big Will.¡±

    ¡°Prfff¡­.¡± Isla spat a spray of Bourbon. ¡°How big?¡±

    ¡°Seventy-something, for now.¡±

    ¡°Centimeters? It¡¯s¡­ enormous. How can you survive that? How can she? She¡¯s tinier than you.¡±

    Grace tilted her head, befuddled. ¡°Are we talking about the same thing?¡±

    ¡°His willie?¡±

    Maybe Isla¡¯s stare wasn¡¯t judgmental but hazed by the Mana-infused alcohol, Grace decided.

    ¡°Will, not willy. Like determination. She¡¯s dead set on getting him to bed because she¡¯s an Intelligence build and apparently they¡¯re a perfect match. Horoscope and all. It¡¯s ¡®written in the stars¡¯,¡± Grace made air quotes.

    ¡°And what are you going to do about it?¡± Isla inquired, resting her head on the couch¡¯s backrest, her eyes sleepy.

    ¡°For starters, letting them spend some time alone looks like a good option. The past few days, I tried my best to allow them some space.¡±

    The blonde yawned, then searched Grace¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re devious¡­ she will hit on him, and he¡¯ll refuse, because he loves you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, she won¡¯t hit on him just yet. She¡¯s preparing for ¡®the moment¡¯. Sex while not in heat is impossible, because her¡­ ahum¡­ vagina is like¡­¡± Grace raised her straight pinkie in the air. ¡°And she¡¯s a virgin, on top of that.¡±

    ¡°How do you know? You measured it?¡±

    ¡°She shares so many details. Talkative little bitch. Because we¡¯ll be like sister-wives and shit, she thinks. Her culture''s big on waiting for sex until you''re married. That''s why she despises the Vampires¡­  Never mind¡­ Hear this: being an Engineer, she calculates ten times a day how many Pascals¡ªthat¡¯s a pressure unit¡ªare required to¡­ you know¡­ make her not a virgin anymore.¡±

    ¡°I can a man can figure out the Pascals on its own.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s batshit crazy, Isla. But''s for the better. A few days alone with her will make Rowan see that.¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t hear us, right?¡± Isla asked with a hint of concern, looking around.

    ¡°Nope. Once out of that ship, she can¡¯t interfere with the Core anymore. I mean, she¡¯s still an Admin but has to be physically present in the control room. Never mind that¡­¡±

    Grace paused the talking and moved closer to Isla, on the couch. ¡°What if¡­ Rowan would be too busy to care about a nosy stinking cat? What if other¡­ things would keep his mind engrossed?¡±

    Saying that Grace began to play with a strand of Isla¡¯s hair, caressing her cheek with her thumb. The blonde shivered and raised her hand, but instead of pushing Grace off, she returned the caress. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious¡­¡±

    ¡°I am. If polyamory is in the air, let it be with a woman I like¡­ one he desires too... I saw it in my visions, Isla... You¡¯ve noticed how he¡¯s ogling you, right?¡±

    Isla shook her head, trying to hide her embarrassment. ¡°He does, but¡­ not in a filthy way¡­ You know, when men stare at you like at meat¡­ Rowan never made me feel that. It¡¯s¡­ like he admires a painting.¡±

    ¡°Sure, the Mona Lisa,¡± Grace rolled her eyes, finished her Cognac, and put the empty glass on the table. ¡°He can control it, and I know he loves me, but he is attracted by you too. So why not go for it? That will keep his hands full,¡± she sneaked a hand into Isla¡¯s d¨¦colletage, ¡°and the little beast will have to give up.¡±

    Isla tried to fight Grace¡¯s hand, grabbing it with her own, but maybe the alcohol had sapped her strength. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t¡­ The deal was¡­ friends with benefits¡­ once in a blue moon¡­ that was all¡­¡±

    ¡°Was?¡± Grace leaned forward and kissed the blonde, profiting from the slightly opened mouth. After a second of hesitation, Isla answered her kiss.

 22: What Happens in Vegas

    Cora¡¯s radio and internet bots detected the traffic check miles ahead. Cops, even post-apocalyptic ones, remained cops, searching for donut reviews online or chatting on the radio station. Stepping on the gas, Rowan increased the speed, reaching a hundred and fifty miles per hour just a few hundred yards in front of the roadblock. Hearing the infernal noise of the tuned car, the cops started firing their guns blindly in the night a second later.

    Joint Trip: Warp activated. 3/10 stacks remaining.

    His new perk¡ªwhich Rowan had trained with assiduity, finding new ways to use it¡ªtransformed the world around in a gray painting. The car glided effortlessly over the road and desert, doubling its speed. Twenty-five seconds later, Rowan exited the in-between, the car reappearing a few miles farther, on an empty highway. He slowed down and knocked on Cora¡¯s head with his knuckles. Gentler ways had proved useless, she slept like a log.

    ¡°Mhmmm¡­¡± she growled.

    ¡°You told me to wake you up twenty miles before Las Vegas.¡±

    ¡°Mhmmm¡­.¡± Cora grunted again, nodded, and stretched like a cat. ¡°Go slower, I need to feel the moment¡­¡±

    Two miles later, she grabbed his arm. ¡°Stop! We¡¯ve entered the Dungeon. This is the rendezvous point they e-mailed me about.¡±

    Fortunately, there was no traffic, and he hit the brakes hard, stopping on the emergency lane. Rowan turned his eyes toward her, thinking that maybe she was still sleepy. There was nothing around resembling a Dungeon, no notification, nothing. Only arid rocks, sparse withered greenery in dire need of therapy, and some lights in the distance, a gas station.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±

    Shrugging, Cora showed him a large compass she held in hand. ¡°Pretty much. Estimated distance to the Lair: twenty-five miles. Estimated number of floors: twenty. Level: one hundred.¡±

    ¡°But you said you can¡¯t detect dungeons.¡±

    ¡°From the outside, but I can map them once in. The whole city must be a dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Do you detect any monsters around?¡±

    ¡°No, but this is an entertainment dungeon. My guess is they expanded this much to make it indistinguishable from the real world, sacrificing the Mana field¡¯s density. Anyway, keep your eyes open. Both we and them swore a System Oath to not harm each other, but you saw how that went with the Knyaz.¡±

    "Don''t worry, they attack us, they''re dead." Rowan showed her a jackknife hidden in his boot.

    "You''re going to fight Vampires with a jackknife?" Cora snorted.

    ¡°Trust me, I have my ways. I''d use rebars, but had to make some space in my invent¡ª We have company.¡±

    Ahead, the blue and red lights of a police motorcycle approached fast. Riding it, a policewoman dressed in a tight leather suit. She slowed, turned, and raised her visor, showing the face of the blonde, tall Vampire whom Rowan had already met twice.

    The woman beckoned them to follow her and opened the way. For a while, there was no traffic to speak of, and then the lights of the city appeared in the distance, and with it, vehicles going in or leaving. The motorcycle started its siren and lights at full power and cars got away from their path. In the city, everything looked normal, as far as Rowan could tell. He had visited it only once, with a friend having a bachelor party, the same friend he had visited in Louisville the day before. Cora, on another hand, was wow-ing in awe every other second.

    Five minutes after reaching the town¡¯s center, their escort turned toward a humongous Casino, built like a Disney Castle, but as big as a skyscraper. That one, Rowan could swear, was a novelty. Entering through a side access, they descended into a subterranean garage. The Vampire showed them where to park, left her motorcycle behind the car, and walked ahead, straight at a concrete wall. At a flicker of her hand, the wall opened, letting them through.

    The next room was huge. Red lights, red velvet, gold cushions, low gambling or drinking tables, lascivious maids walking around and taking orders. An old-style Victorian place of spiritual and bodily ruin, if any.

    ¡°Come, we don¡¯t have much time.¡± The blonde pulled Rowan by the arm toward a carved wooden door in the back of the room, and showed them inside a lounge, taking a guarding position near the entrance.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    You have been invited to the Dungeon Boss¡¯s Lair: Guest status.

    On a large armchair, casually resting, was a man in his late forties. Tall, elegant, wearing sunglasses and an embroidered vest, looking like the poster child of Buffalo Bill, if the Wild West icon had Dorian Gray as his grandfather. He didn¡¯t rise to meet them but sketched a reverence, then gestured toward a couch.

    ¡°Welcome to my abode, Count Allinder. Please, take a seat. I¡¯m Viscardi Blackswarm.¡±

    ¡°We know,¡± Rowan said, letting himself sing in the comfort of the luxurious sofa.

    ¡°Drinks?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK,¡± Cora said.

    ¡°And I¡¯m driving,¡± Rowan added. ¡°Not that the cops could catch me, but just keeping the good habits.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get to the point, time is precious. In ten minutes, the System will expel you outside the dungeon. Non-combat is frowned upon.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this an entertainment dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Combat takes many forms. To enter the Lair on your own, you have to bring on a million dollars and enter a high-stakes poker game.¡±

    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m not the gambling type.¡±

    ¡°A wise choice. My story is this. For the wrong reasons¡ªbut tell that to an AI judge¡ªI and my family were sentenced to fifty Galactic Standard years of indentured service on the Traipenent. Do you know what dungeons truly are?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­¡±

    ¡°Multi-layered pocket universes. Some appear spontaneously, some are built, and others are in between. We spent a few years on the Traipenent, then a few months ago¡ª¡±

    ¡°You organized a dungeon break,¡± Cora sneered, crossing her arms.

    ¡°I did not. A group of mercenaries tried to capture me because their boss, The Smuggler, believed that I had stolen something from her, when she visited the dungeon, a few months ago. Now, what person sane of mind would have pickpocketed the most notorious mobster in the quadrant?¡±

    ¡°You, Father,¡± the blonde Vampire said.

    ¡°No, darling. No,¡± the man sulked. ¡°You were supposed to say: no sane person would have done that. Then, my come back would have been: But when was I ever considered sane?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up your day job, standup comedy is not your thing.¡± Rowan was beginning to feel annoyed by the chasing around the tail.

    ¡°See, Victoria? That was funny¡­¡± Viscardi clapped. ¡°Thank you for your feedback. I¡¯ll keep practicing. In the end, you¡¯ll see, I¡¯ll perform in Vegas.¡±

    ¡°That was not bad,¡± Rowan nodded. ¡°I mean¡­ it didn¡¯t suck.¡±

    ¡°Ahahahah¡­ I get it¡­ Vampire, suck¡­ nice. Back to the story. The idiots didn¡¯t break only my dungeon, they broke the Warlord¡¯s too, and that¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s no word to describe it.¡±

    ¡°Stupid.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s a good word. Then, the Warlord¡¯s minions proceed to slaughter everybody and the Captain activates the emergency procedure and ejects everything before the ship crashes. Fortunately, I found myself in control of my core, so I took it and ran as far as possible. Then I meet my true love. Vegas. I and Vegas equal heart emojis.¡±

    ¡°Mother might disagree,¡± Victoria frowned.

    ¡°But dearest, your mother is more than love to me. She¡¯s my fate, my Darth Vader, my¡ª"

    ¡°Can we steer toward our business?¡± Cora demanded.

    ¡°Sure, sure. Miss Shemeows, please remind us how many dungeon cores were on the Traipenent.¡±

    ¡°A hundred. Half were real dungeons and half were mini-dungeons. Six mini-dungeons were claimed and turned into Town Cores, as far as we know. One is ours, then Rome, Vladivostok, Donghae, in Korea, Hagi, in Japan, and another one I couldn¡¯t identify or pinpoint the location and doesn¡¯t answer my pings.¡±

    ¡°Add to that four cores that were absorbed for energy¡ª¡±

    ¡°By who?¡± Cora rushed to ask.

    ¡°By me. I found them on our way here. And the rest are unaccounted for.¡±

    ¡°Some could be accounted for but we don¡¯t know yet,¡± Rowan said. ¡°There was a mini-dungeon cleared around Rome, but those who claimed it were not able to use Artifacts, and they sold it to our friend Lepastrina, who¡¯s safekeeping it for now.¡±

    ¡°You know more than I do, it seems. Let¡¯s talk about true dungeon cores for a second. The prisons. Two were breached, mine and the Warlord¡¯s, and the rest should be in Sleep Mode.¡±

    ¡°About that guy, the Warlord. I heard he''s dangerous. Any idea what he wants?¡±

    ¡°It can be anything. Conquering Earth? Getting a ride out of here? He has yet to make his move.¡±

    ¡°What do you need from us?¡± Cora asked.

    ¡°You of all people, haven¡¯t figured it out?¡± the Vampire Lord laughed.

    ¡°Figure up what?¡± she snapped back.

    ¡°What¡¯s the only thing I, a Dungeon Boss and Master, can¡¯t do?¡±

    Cora shrugged, puckering her lips, annoyed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t beat myself and transform my dungeon into a Town¡¯s Core. I want you or him,¡± Viscardi pointed at Rowan, ¡°to do it for me.¡±

    Rowan¡¯s jaw dropped.

    ¡°An Awakened Town is the safest place to be around here. That¡¯s why we tried to get into yours, and then to build one for ourselves. I¡¯m sorry if we caused you inconvenience, but it was nothing personal. You looked too fresh, and inexperienced, but in the end, you proved to be strong, and us wrong. The deal is simple. Level up, and then we¡¯ll have a battle, I¡¯ll make sure you win, and then you¡¯ll claim my dungeon¡¯s core, but spare my life, and transform Vegas into an Awakened Town, allowing me to keep it as your vassal. You¡¯ll find in me a good ally. We¡¯ll feed our towns as many cores as possible because that makes them stronger. Meaning we have to search for them actively.¡±

    Rowan took a look at his watch. The time was almost up. He nodded and offered the vampire a handshake. ¡°We¡¯ll think about it and let you know. Maybe next time we meet we¡¯ll go out for a drink. Bourbon or B-positive?¡±

    ¡°Ahahahaha¡­ Alas, the time passes too fast. Take this. It¡¯s part of your payment, in advance. If you accept the deal, use it, if not, send it back through the interdimensional email.¡±

    Lord Viscardi Blackswarm is trying to transfer an Unknown Item to your inventory. Accept transfer, Y/N

    Barely a moment after accepting, Rowan and Cora found themselves twenty miles to the east, in the desert.

    ¡°Fuck¡­ the car stayed back there¡­¡± he facepalmed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Cora said, summoning her combat suit from the spatial storage, picking Rowan in a princess carry and taking flight. There was a forcefield around, he noted, as the wind didn¡¯t disturb him in the least.

    ¡°You can fly?¡±

    ¡°Aye, Captain Obvious.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do it before?¡±

    ¡°It uses Manafuel, and the tank can only carry so much, so I kept it for emergencies. A tank should take us home, though. Grab my neck¡­ just for safety.¡±

 23: Her Long Fight

    Rowan woke up in the morning when they landed near Nelsonville, Ohio.

    ¡°Sorry, this is as far as the suit can go,¡± Cora said. For whatever reason, she had a big, stupid grin on her face, and her pupils were wide. When he tried to catch her eyes, she avoided his gaze.

    What the heck is with her?

    ¡°Stand still, you have something in your eye,¡± he grabbed her cheeks between his hands, forcing her to look into his eyes. He expected she¡¯d put up some struggle or objection, yet she obeyed, only the tip of her tail wagging around like mad.

    Insight check successful

    Random words appeared directly in his mind: Exchange of saliva during sleeping cycle achieved¡­ Pascals¡­ in Newtons¡­. Is it too much to wait? Catnip?¡­ might be possible to achieve dilatation out of season.

    Then the connection was lost. ¡°Was nothing, my mistake.¡± Rowan detached his hands, letting her flushed cheeks go free.

    She¡¯s weird, he decided. But maybe he was also weird, for her, and his prejudice could be unwarranted. And she was the only reliable source of information about alien stuff anyway. ¡°What do you make of this?¡± Rowan produced the item Viscardi had given him from his inventory, offering it to her. The item¡¯s shape was similar to a car sparkplug, carved from a large crystal.

    ¡°For a sake¡¯s fuck!¡± Cora yelled. ¡°It¡¯s a sensor for a military-grade Quantum Scanner. The kind you find only on the most advanced starships.¡±

    ¡°First, we say: for fuck¡¯s sake. Fuck comes first. Is it valuable?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and hard to get. This,¡± she shook the object, ¡°detects other ships because starships run on Mana Cores as well. Different from Dungeons or City Cores, but still Cores. A Smuggler could use this to avoid patrols, but we could use it to track cores. I guess this is how he found those cores his dungeon consumed. I can study it and make a lesser version for our teams, to widen the search area. It¡¯s generous of Viscardi to give us this¡­¡±

    ¡°Not really. If someone¡¯s after the Sensor, they¡¯ll come after us, not him.¡±

    ¡°True, but if we¡¯re careful, we can level up the County fast. Let¡¯s put my Interfacer skills to work and see if I can connect it to my tech. You know.¡±

    She tinkered with the Sensor and the Compass, which shifted in shape, allowing the sparkplug to go inside. Rowan had witnessed hair standing on people, or himself, but Cora was in another league. Her head, tail, and ears had doubled in size, bristling with a monstrous fluffiness, at the same time cute and scary, all from the joy of playing with tech.

    ¡°OK. Activating¡­ And what do you know? We have an active mini-dungeon about ten miles away. Can¡¯t read the level, though.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a check. If it looks dangerous, we retreat. Better idea: writing an SMS to Grace: We found a mini-dungeon, do you have any bad premonition?¡±

    <hr>

    An hour later, after buying a second-hand car in town, driving deep inside Wayne National Forest, and hiking for a couple of miles on uncharted terrain, they were near their target. Checking his phone, Rowan found a message: I¡¯m not reading anything, but take care. He replied with a heart and kisses emoji and nodded to Cora.

    They took a few steps forward, and then she stopped him, inspecting her compass. ¡°Here''s the limit... ¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ the forcefield is barely visible,¡± Rowan said, touching the invisible barrier with his hand.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s strange. I¡¯ll put my suit on, but my fuel is down to ten percent, so don''t count on me to do much combat."

    "No problem, I''ll do the combat¡­ Just one moment, to find my equipment¡­ err¡­ fuck¡­"

    ¡°Err fuck what?¡± Cora asked, already dressed in the suit.

    ¡°Give me five minutes." Rowan invoked the floating inventory bag in front of him and began extracting bottle after bottle of Bourbon, laying them carefully on the ground, trying to find spots with moss and leaves, to protect them.

    ¡°How many bottles of Bourbon do you have in your inventory?¡± the Nekojin hissed, and she sounded a lot like a cat. Rowan couldn¡¯t see her face but could bet she was creasing her nose and showing her canines.

    ¡°¡­ about¡­. sixty? I drink about a bottle a week and bought a few extra to share with friends, you know.¡±

    ¡°I absolutely don¡¯t. Never mind. Hurry up.¡±

    A hundred and something bottles later, Rowan exclaimed in triumph: "Finally!" and began dressing his armor. Then he fastened a holster at his hip and a spear on his back, and started to put the bottles back.

    "Wait!" Cora hissed again. Her face was reddened, either by emotion or because she had face slapped a lot during their wait. "Put the bottles at the bottom, in the slots that aren''t shining blue. Those are for armor, weapons, and important items, to make the extraction easier."

    "I know, it''s just I had to make some fast decisions back in Louisville and moved things around a lot. Why is your inventory way bigger than mine?" Rowan asked, remembering a question that had nagged him for a while.

    "Yours is the standard pocket dimension everyone gets with a class, I have an extra bespoke bag, industrial-sized, made on an Engineering planet from shards farmed in special dungeons. Now please, hurry."

    When explaining tech stuff, Cora''s eyes shone like a cat''s in the night, Rowan noticed. "Just a minute. Now they''re out, I can order them properly¡­ proof, craft, non-chill filtered¡­" Cora snorted, turning her back to him, arms crossed and waving her tail in annoyance. Another couple of minutes later, Rowan straightened his back with a most happy expression. "Ready!"

    "Finally! Let''s go." Cora took the lead and they stepped inside the dungeon, waving her scanner around. "Strange¡­ Two miles and a half in diameter¡­ quite sizeable for a mini¡­ yet no monster shows on the screen."

    They roamed around for half an hour and found nothing. It was a forest, with trees, patches of grass, bushes, and the occasional rock formation, and that was all. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she shook her head stopping at the edge of a clearing, reading her compass¡¯s screen again. ¡°It¡¯s like this place is abandoned.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s search that shack,¡± Rowan pointed to the shoddy wooden construction, bordering the forest.

    ¡°OK. Follow me," she said, briskly stepping forward. "Whaaaa!¡± Ten feet before reaching the hut, Cora yelped and disappeared into the ground. ¡°Help!¡± her muted voice called.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Joint Trip activated. 3/10 stacks remaining.

    By instinct, Rowan had activated his perk, which had recharged one stack during the flight. In due time. An arrow passed through his now immaterial head and lost itself in the woods behind. Somebody had shot at him, from the hut. He dashed forward, intending to profit the whole duration of the perk. On the way, he saw Cora at the bottom of a ten-foot-deep pit, a trap. He continued on, stepping above her, on the air, as the perk allowed him to move wherever he wanted, disregarding any obstacles.

    When he reached the hut, twenty seconds remained from the Joint Trip. An arrow on the string, a woman scanned the clearing, bobbing her head on and off in front of a shooting window. Wiry, wearing a sleeveless shirt and jeans, with dirty and unruly hair, looking around forty years old, he couldn¡¯t tell. The tag about her head showed: Human Mountain Ranger, Level 60.

    Human, meaning not a monster? Shit¡­ I mean, fuck¡­ we have to take her alive¡­ This complicates things.

    He prepared to return to the normal dimension. The plan was to talk and defuse the situation, and if necessary, to pistol-whip the woman into submission. A bow was a terrible weapon in an enclosed space, plus he had quite a bit of training from Isla.

    ¡°Don¡¯t shoot, I¡¯m a fr¡ª¡±

    In a blink, the woman turned, shot the arrow into his right leg, threw the bow in his head, and jumped at Rowan with a knife, trying to stab him in the armpit, through the gap in the armor. He almost shot her by instinct but managed to restrain himself at the last moment, pistol-whipping the Ranger''s hand. Both his gun and the woman''s knife fell on the floor in the process. Going into a wrestling match was out of the question in that tight space, and with two lethal weapons lying on the floor.

    Joint Trip activated. 2/10 stacks remaining.

    She''s good.  The arrow hurt like hell, and he grimaced extracting it. On the other hand, the knife wound was shallow. Running behind the tree line, he prepared a message for Cora and sent it the second the Joint Trip ended.

    [Rowan]: There¡¯s a woman in the hut. A normal human. I could use a hand to restrain her. Can you exit the hole on yourself?

    [Cora]: You mean you want to take her alive?

    [Rowan]: Of course I want to take her alive. Since when do we murder people at first sight? Maybe the dungeon landed next to her home and she thinks we¡¯re trespassing or something. Let¡¯s try to end this peacefully.

    [Cora]: I can¡¯t get out, there¡¯s a sort of bear trap down here, I¡¯m stuck. Moment, I have some stun grenades. You''re not in the hut now, right?

    [Rowan]: I''m behind the tree line.

    Arching up from the pit, three grenades went through the hut''s window. The explosions were quite strong, making plumes of smoke shoot out and also blowing out the door. The next second, the Ranger erupted out of the hut, an axe in hand, starting to bang it on the Nekojin''s helmet.

    ¡°Calm down, lady, we¡¯re friendly, we just want to talk!¡± Cora shouted through her speakers, but maybe because grenades had been just shot at her, the Ranger seemed nonplussed by the offer and continued hitting the helmet.

    Fuck¡­ I need to engage before Cora¡¯s armor gets smacked or she shoots that lady dead.

    ¡°Hey, leave her alone,¡± Rowan shouted, leaving the trees¡¯ cover. Still hoping to reach a mildly peaceful conclusion, he grabbed a thick dead branch instead of his spear.

    Screaming, the Ranger jumped over the hole and came at him, axe high above her head. Plan B was to parry the axe with the branch while applying a bit of Gravity and Cold, then put the Ranger in a choke. It suffered the same fate as Plan A. The AoEs slowed the woman way less than he hoped, he had restrained himself too much, the branch broke, and the bearded axe bit deeply into his left shoulder, the lower point going into the lung. He could have sworn it had also cut through the heart.

    You have received a Critical Hit. Delayed Truth activated. You have 0% HP.

    Grabbing the axe¡¯s shaft with his left hand, he pummeled his right fist into the woman''s chin with all his strength, the type of hit he often used to knock out cold someone in bar fights. The hit dazed his foe, but it took two more full-force blows to knock the Ranger out. He threw the axe down and chugged a Health potion, adding a spell.

    Combat Heal x2 performed. 270 MP remaining. DOT has stopped. You have 56% HP.

    You have Leveled x2. 31 APs available for distribution.

    He took out his destroyed armor, threw it away, extracted both a rope and handcuffs from his spatial inventory, and tied the woman tight. While at that, he shouted at Cora: "Why didn''t you use your Telekinesis to knock her down?"

    "It''s an Ultimate, dummy! It kills bosses. Why don''t you get me a ladder instead of unwarranted criticism, huh? I managed to free myself from the trap,¡± Cora bellowed.

    After carrying the unconscious woman inside the hut and putting her on a makeshift bed, Rowan found a wooden ladder behind the shack and threw it down the hole. Moments later, the ladder broke under the suit¡¯s weight and Cora was forced to consume her precious fuel after all. She flew up and joined Rowan near the prisoner, dismissing her suit.

    ¡°She¡¯s waking up,¡± Cora stated. ¡°You need stronger armor," she pointed at his mangled shoulder. "Stay put, I¡¯m applying Minor Heal.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me hit you again,¡± Rowan menaced the wiggling prisoner, waving his fist as a demonstration.

    ¡°You¡¯re not monsters?¡± the Ranger asked, trying to keep her head up.

    ¡°We told you so from the beginning.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ the Terminator¡­ shot grenades at me. And you had a gun¡­¡±

    ¡°I did, but I didn''t shoot you, did I? It was just a misunderstanding.¡±

    ¡°She has a concussion. Healing her,¡± Cora said.

    ¡°How come you can Heal?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m a max INT built. I have Minor Heal by default.¡±

    ¡°Is that a tail?¡± the Ranger asked, moving her eyes from Rowan to Cora. ¡°Who are you guys?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re from Elkin. My name¡¯s Rowan, and she¡¯s Cora, a friendly alien. Her ship crashed not far from the town.¡±

    ¡°Is¡­ N-Nelsonville¡­ safe? Has the world survived?¡± the Ranger blurted, struggling against her ties.

    ¡°The town¡¯s intact, yes. What happened here?¡±

    The woman began to cry. They had to wait for five minutes for her to calm down. Rowan patted Cora''s hand and pointed at the wall. Above the makeshift bed were cuts in the wood, a day count¡ªmore than sixty.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here since the beginning?¡± Cora asked.

    ¡°Tell us what happened,¡± Rowan added, but the woman seemed to have other priorities.

    ¡°C-can you¡­ g-get me out? I wanna¡­ check¡­ my f-family¡­¡±

    ¡°We can get you out,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°Not before we claim the core,¡± Cora added. ¡°There¡¯s no notification, nothing.¡±

    ¡°We can leave at any moment. I can walk in between dimensions, and carry you two, remember? What happened here, madam?¡±

    The woman shook her head, recollecting herself. ¡°I work seasonal jobs in forestry as a maintenance worker. Was walking around foraging, after finishing my work¡­ then monsters appeared, large bears¡­ I thought the world ended and I was in hell¡­ I hid in the hunting cabin and shot at them.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I get it, this is a hunting cabin,¡± Rowan nodded, waving his finger around.

    ¡°The last one broke in but I killed him with my knife¡­ I got badly wounded and fainted, thought I was going to die¡­ yet I got up in one piece, changed, stronger. Then there were some strange texts.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the notifications. Have you accepted them?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I thought I was going crazy, and pushed them away. Then I saw nukes in the distance and thought Earth was done for. Monsters kept coming, daily, at the same hour. They spawn a minute apart, in the same spot. It¡¯s eerie, they just sit there, immobile, until all appear, and only then do they attack. I figured it out on the third day and started to kill them before they became active¡­ Then I became so bored I started to fight them again, and build a trap, to manage the numbers¡­ I think I was losing my mind. I¡¯m sorry I attacked you.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t claim the core and the dungeon glitched,¡± Cora said. ¡°She must¡¯ve killed hundreds of monsters on her own¡­¡±

    ¡°Food was hard to get by,¡± the Ranger continued. ¡°The monsters can¡¯t be eaten. I hunted a couple of deer, then foraged mushrooms¡­ I was lucky there was this object that kept me warm at night¡­¡±

    Pushed by instinct, Rowan stretched his arm and pulled the dirty blanket away. Tucked inside the hey serving as a mattress was the core. Big as a crystal ball, and shining softly. Touching it produced a notification.

    The DireBears¡¯ mini-dungeon Core (Lvl. 60) has been Claimed and transformed (per default) into a Town Core.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be¡­ What should we do with it?¡±

    ¡°Technically, she cleared the dungeon,¡± Cora pointed. ¡°She should have a word in it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the dungeon, I want to go back to my family,¡± the woman pleaded. "You can untie me, I swear I won''t attack you again."

    ¡°Yeah, she did clear it, but without us, she''d be still stuck in here¡­ you get the picture. Let¡¯s go to Nelsonville and take it from there,¡± Rowan proposed. ¡°If they want to activate it and join us, we¡¯ll help. If not, we¡¯ll take the core ourselves and reward her with something she''d like.¡±

 24: A Day Home

    In a short council meeting, Nelsonville had refused to have anything to do with a Core or magic. The vibe around was so negative that Rowan had mentioned twice he was immune to bullets, and Cora had stayed inside her suit at all times.

    In the end, Cora had taken the Core in her inventory, Rowan had bought some clothes, sold back the car at a loss, and they left toward Elkins with the Ranger¡¯s RV. Bree¡¯s family was poor, so moving out from a town that almost chased them away with pitchforks and torches had not been a hard choice. Taking a detour to avoid the radioactive zone, they approached the County from the northwest until they reached the distance from where Cora could call for a portal. They passed through in screams: of joy, from the children, and of terror, from Bree and her maybe husband. Rowan was too polite to ask.

    They arrived home in time for lunch. Grace and Lizzie came to hug Rowan, the latter eying the newcomers with suspicion. Who are those kids, competition? Daddy won¡¯t adopt them, right? her thoughts flashed through Rowan¡¯s mind as they hugged, his Insight activating automatically.

    ¡°These are the folks I told you about on the phone, Bree and her family,¡± Rowan tried to sound warm. ¡°She¡¯s a terrific fighter. This is Grace, my fianc¨¦e, and Lizzie, our daughter.¡±

    They all shook hands.

    ¡°Come inside, lunch is ready,¡± Grace said. ¡°Dmitri made moussaka. He¡¯s the guy waving at us through the window.¡±

    Eating took some time, and the good food helped relax the tension. In the end, Bree¡¯s partner started to unleash joke after joke, and he was funny. The wear he wore on his face and his rough hands were a hint of a life of hard work that didn¡¯t always pay. As time went on, the Ranger started to visibly fret and look frequently at her kids, a boy and a girl about eight and seven, now playing together with Lizzie, who had warmed up to them meanwhile.

    ¡°Just show us where to park our RV and we won¡¯t impose on you any longer,¡± Bree¡¯s partner said. ¡°We¡¯d like to spend some time together.¡±

    ¡°Request denied,¡± Rowan said. The guests, but also the rest, jerked in surprise. ¡°Lizzie, do you mind taking your friends to the garden, or your room? We need to have an adult moment.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Daddy,¡± Lizzie¡¯s eyes lightened. ¡°I¡¯ll show them my Viscountess crown and all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a real crown, just a strass diadem,¡± Rowan explained as his daughter was pulling Bree¡¯s kids after her, the girl totally enthused and the boy dragging his feet. ¡°Listen, folks, I need ten minutes of your time, then you¡¯re free to go. First, Bree, you¡¯re one of the few Awakened with good combative skills. How many are we, again, Cora?¡±

    The Nekojin, who was in the process of discreetly picking her nose with a claw, pretended she was just scratching it and took out a pad. ¡°Earth-wide, we have maybe six hundred Classed above C tier from the Awakened Town Cores and accidental awakenings. I suppose Viscardi turned a few people into Thralls or Vampires, but can¡¯t be sure.¡±

    ¡°Gh¡­¡± Bree¡¯s partner spat some coffee. ¡°For real? Vampires? Do they transform into bats?¡±

    ¡°At night, Viscardi Blakswarm can transform into a colony of a thousand bats, and if you don¡¯t kill every single one of them, he can get back to full health in seconds by siphoning your Hit Points,¡± Cora said. ¡°Those he bites don¡¯t transform into vampires, they turn into thralls, mindless slaves. But if someone drinks his blood, then yes, they could become a vampire.¡±

    ¡°I was offered a Vampire class at first,¡± Rowan remembered. ¡°Never mind. Here¡¯s the deal. For giving us the Core, you¡¯re free to stay in our County and choose a place for yourself. Land, house, whatever. You like it, we¡¯ll buy it for you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ generous. Thanks,¡± Bree said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not. A core is priceless. I can think of a people or two who would have spent millions, or more, to get their hands on one of those. That said, we did free you from that dungeon, so let¡¯s call it quits. What I propose, though, is to work together from now on.¡±

    ¡°You want me to be a sort of superhero?¡± Bree sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut for it.¡±

    ¡°I assure you, you are,¡± Rowan waved his hand. ¡°You can start with easy tasks, like babysitting, then, after Isla, a friend of ours, shows you the ropes, you can be police.¡±

    ¡°Babysitting?¡±

    ¡°There are eighteen kids who can do magic, like Lizzie. There is a non-stop protection detail for each and we¡¯re short on people.¡±

    ¡°H-how much d-does it pay?¡±

    In the woman''s voice, there was a sound that Rowan knew so well. Could she put bread on the table for her family, without risking her life for it? A life that wasn¡¯t worth living in itself but for the joy of seeing their kids grow.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Five grand a month. We kept the dollar as a currency.¡±

    ¡°Health insurance?¡±

    ¡°I can work, honey,¡± her partner patted Bree¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s take our time, think it over.¡±

    He was truly caring for her, Rowan realized. It was a good sign.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have health insurance in here, because there¡¯s no need for it. A pass of hands and a spell cures anything. Dental, eyes, all are covered. Now, back to business, and I¡¯ll be direct. Our town can resurrect people. Both I and my wife were revived once. I¡¯m offering you and your kids a Rezz spot if you stay and fight with us. In time, when we grow in level, we might spare one for your husband too. But the town is pretty safe as is anyway.¡±

    ¡°I understand¡­ I¡¯ll think about it¡­ Now, I¡¯d really like to have some time alone with my family,¡± Bree said.

    ¡°Of course. Think it through. Ah, one more thing. When you get some time, check your build, and if you need advice, just call me or Cora.¡±

    <hr>

    In the afternoon, Rowan took time to play with Lizzie, feeling guilty for being on the run or absent so many times. After an hour and a half of ball games, hide and seek, or just purposelessly running around, she fell asleep in her arms, exhausted.

    He put the girl in her bed for a siesta and returned to the porch, sitting on the swing bench, next to Grace, fondling her hand.

    ¡°I missed you¡­¡±

    ¡°I missed you too,¡± she returned the caresse, adding a kiss on the cheek. ¡°So, how are things out there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a big unknown. Tensions, factions, conspiracies¡­ My pal in Louisville told me that every city and state is de facto ignoring the central government. Things look the same, but no one knows in which direction things will go. The US fears us, the Vampires fear a mobster, The Smuggler¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sorry? Aren¡¯t they mobsters themselves?¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s a meaner one. I didn¡¯t have time to ask. And everybody fears the Warlord, who is a sort of supervillain escapee¡­ Where¡¯s Cora, by the way?¡±

    ¡°I told her to take a shower. She helped me bake something for tonight and the oven made her sweat a lot. I¡¯ll go check if she lies and gives herself a sponge bath again.¡±

    ¡°Honey, that¡¯s prying,¡± Rowan put a hand on Grace¡¯s arm. ¡°Give the cat¡­ I mean, the girl, some space. She¡¯s an adult after all.¡±

    ¡°Adult? Hah!¡± Grace snorted. ¡°Prying for the greater good is not prying.¡± After saying that, Grace patted his hand and then fondled his fingers. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the night,¡± she leaned forward, kissing him. ¡°Do I have your permission to do naughty things to you tonight? I want to be naughty, extremely naughty¡­¡± She moved his lips to his ear, tickling him with her whisper. ¡°Supreme tier level naughty. Are you OK with it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, goodness¡­¡± he gasped. ¡°Don¡¯t ever ask again to be naughty¡­ I like it so much¡­¡±

    ¡°Perfect,¡± she changed her tone to a casual one, pecking his lips and rising. ¡°Time to check the beast.¡±

    One minute later, while he was lounging leisurely with a glass of Bourbon in hand, daydreaming about the promised pleasures of the night, an avalanche of terrifying screams rolled over his ears. He couldn¡¯t understand the words, but for sure somebody was killed, or on the point to be, upstairs. Rowan activated a Joint Trip, stepping up in the air like on a stair, then passing through walls until he reached Cora¡¯s room. There, the Nekojin and Grace confronted each other, gesticulating vehemently.

    ¡°Hey, calm down!¡± he appeared in between, just a second before Grace was going to throw herself at Cora, hands prepared to strangle.

    ¡°I caught her in the act!¡± Grace screamed.

    ¡°You caught nothing, you uncivilized monkey,¡± Cora yelled back. ¡°Get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Girls, let¡¯s behave like adults.¡±

    ¡°Adults? Look!¡± Grace forwarded her hand in an accusatory gesture.

    For Rowan, her ire made no sense. He could see a big Zen sandbox under the window, and a quite decorated one, filled with tiny white granules. What attracted his eyes akin to a magnet were the decorations on the walls around the room, cross-stitch embroideries representing a cute cat-girl¡ªthe resemblance with Cora was striking¡ªdressed in a pink princess-like negligee, in dreamlike poses. The last thing he would have expected from an Engineer obsessed with robots.

    ¡°Hey! Say something,¡± Grace shook him by the shoulders.

    ¡°So what¡¯s the problem again?¡±

    ¡°I caught her peeing in the box,¡± she screamed.

    ¡°Oh My God, Cora, you¡¯re naked! Please dress!¡± Rowan yelled, covering her eyes.

    Cora wasn¡¯t naked, in fact, but in her underwear, pink bra, and panties, but that was going into too much detail. For his eyes, her shapes were quite obvious.

    ¡°I¡¯m in my room!¡± Cora clenched her fists. ¡°And I¡¯m paying rent for it. You two go out, this instant.¡±

    ¡°I want that gone. Now. You will use the normal toilet, like normal people.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s normal in that? Filthy water sprays back at you as soon you splash something in it. My litter¡¯s Manasand is specially designed to magically destroy any odor and substance.¡±

    ¡°Rowan? Do something.¡±

    He shook his head. "Sorry, sweetheart¡­ this is between you two. If it''s sanitary enough, what''s the problem? If you ask my opinion, give Cora some slack, she''s entitled to her cultural¡­ err¡­ heritage."

    Joint Trip activated. 0/10 charges remaining.

    He went down through the floor and got back on the porch, after pouring himself another full glass of Bourbon.

    <hr>

    When night came, Grace''s anger was still smoldering. Rowan was in bed, looking at her as she brushed her teeth in the bathroom. She returned to the bedroom, crossed her arms, and frowned at him. ¡°You have to learn to stand up for your woman, not side with an alien.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ will try, honey,¡± he made puppy eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ hard sometimes. Mostly when you''re in the wrong, you know.¡±

    Going to the windows, she pulled the heavy curtains completely, then shut off the lights. The room was in complete darkness. ¡°A wife''s never in the wrong. You¡¯ve been a bad boy. I forbid you to look at me while we¡¯re making love.¡± He felt her approaching, and then she touched his face, putting her sleeping mask on him. ¡°Here. You¡¯re not allowed to get it out until I say so.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not seeing anything anyway,¡± he protested.

    ¡°Tut tut tut! One more word, and I¡¯ll sleep with Lizzie. Ah, yes¡­ I¡¯ll go check on her. I¡¯ll be back soon. Don¡¯t. Take. That. Off.¡±

    The door opened, then closed, then opened again thirty seconds later, then finally closed for good. She came to bed, and mounted him, without any word. Strange enough, there was a timidity in her caresses and movements that hadn¡¯t been there before. Soon, though, things began to heat up. Again, against his expectations, she didn¡¯t use her skills, this time, but compensated with an intensity of the movements he hadn¡¯t felt before¡­ but he liked it. An hour later, after experimenting with every position that he could think about, he fell asleep, exhausted.

 25: Rise and Shine, Weâ€™re Under Attack

    The sudden light made Rowan jerk and wake up.

    ¡°Rise and shine, sleeping beauty,¡± Grace patted his cheek. ¡°You slept with this on?¡± she waved the sleeping mask she pulled off from him a moment earlier.

    ¡°You said to keep it on until you say to take it off.¡±

    What was up with her? First, she scolds me for not following her instructions and then, she¡¯s upset I obey them?

    ¡°So¡­ how was last night, did you like it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, baby!¡± Rowan felt suddenly energized, trying to grip her wrist, but getting a mild slap on his hand instead.

    ¡°Tell me, did you like it?¡±

    ¡°Of course, what kind of question is this? You were¡­ so energetic¡­ I felt like¡­¡± For a moment he considered saying: Like I was hit by a truck, only in a nice way, but changed his mind. ¡°Well, it was intense.¡±

    ¡°Do you like it more like usual, or the new¡­ technique?¡±

    What technique? There was no technique, it felt so raw and primal¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I like both. I suppose it¡¯ll depend on the mood. Like for a good drink. I love Bourbon and rye, but sometimes a raw Islay is just what you need, right?

    Gretchen¡¯s Question has been activated.

    ¡°H-haha h-ha¡­ I-Isla¡­? What ab- about I-Isla?¡­¡± Grace blurted a forced laugh and stuttered.

    Oh, I get it. She¡¯s worried I¡¯m fantasizing about Isla during our love-making sessions.

    ¡°Islay, not Isla. They make famous whiskies.¡±

    ¡°Shower, dress up, and come downstairs. The beast wants to talk to you.¡±

    Throwing the blindfold in his face, Grace snorted and left the room. He took a little more time to shower, feeling sour after the previous day and night, noticing his muscles were perfectly defined. Not ginormous, like for a bodybuilder, but looking somehow¡­ he couldn¡¯t find a word. How he looked made sense, it reflected on the outside how Rowan felt on the inside. More assertive.

    Arriving in the open space, he hugged Lizzie and smiled at Grace. His wife had also changed, he realized. Gone were the tired eyes and she had more muscle and a straighter posture.

    ¡°Morning, Isla, Dmitri,¡± he saluted, serving himself a portion of pancakes.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Isla mumbled, looking into her coffee.

    ¡°She came early to say hi before her shift,¡± Grace offered unrequited information, as Isla was coming and going into their home as she pleased.

    ¡°So, where¡¯s Cora?¡±

    ¡°Coming!¡± the Nekojin yelled, descending the stairs two by two. ¡°Sorry, I had to check my suit. It¡¯s fully recharged, thank goodness.¡±

    ¡°Grace told me you want to talk.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Take a look at what my drone discovered.¡± With a brief gesture, Cora summoned a map overlapping the table. ¡°There¡¯s a large force north of our County, an Awakened faction we¡¯re not aware of. About one hundred large mecha suits, various support vehicles, and a couple hundred Classed. They passed Parsons an hour ago, then stopped. Other groups are joining, coming from several directions. Military, about two thousand troops, with tanks and rocket launchers.¡±

    ¡°The government?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    ¡°How can you tell they¡¯re Awakened?¡± Grace leaned over the table, pointing at the first formation.

    ¡°Because they are split into groups of four people.¡± Cora zoomed in to show them what was she talking about. ¡°Parties. A Tank, a Healer, and two DPS, melee and ranged. Standard stuff. Not the best choice, which is six, to have redundancy, but they have numbers on their side. Logic eliminates the known factions. Rome is on our side, Vladivostok is busy taking over Russia, the two polities in Korea and Japan, Donghae, and Hagi have a beef with each other, and none could field these kinds of numbers. That leaves the sixth active Town Core that I detected but was unable to pinpoint its location yet. It must be in the US too.¡±

    ¡°I feel worried,¡± Grace said. ¡°My premonition says incoming danger, but not impending.¡±

    Strategic Sixth Sense activated. There is more danger that can be seen at first sight.

    ¡°It will become impending soon. If they¡¯re coming, they have a way to break in. What if once inside, they launch nukes? Core, can our shield absorb nukes from the inside? Show your answer only to the adults,¡± Rowan added. There was no point in worrying Lizzie, who was sitting on the couch, coloring in a book.

    ¡°To some extent,¡± Cora started, then the Core intervened over her.

    [Randolph County Call Center]: If I''d be level 100, I could detect and disable mass destruction weapons. The System can do it at any moment, but if it chooses to allow the attack, it means it won''t intervene. In these conditions, I can lower the forcefield¡¯s height to two hundred feet, above the ground, absorbing most of the energy. A secondary forcefield can be raised above Elkins City. The latter can absorb any number of nuclear explosions, but the outer county will suffer major damage after a few strikes, depending on the yield.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Rowan grabbed his chin, beginning to walk back and forth.

    ¡°How much time do you need to attune somebody for a Rezz?¡±

    [Randolph County Call Center]: ATM, I can execute that task in one hour and ten minutes.

    ¡°Call Bree, inquire if she made her choice, and if she decided to join us, start attuning her and her children, and tell her to come here. We¡¯ll travel together. She¡¯s stronger than any of our fighters, except I and Isla,¡± he told the others.

    ¡°My rockets beg you to differ,¡± Cora snorted.

    ¡°Melee fighter, I mean. Grace, could you contact Rome, and ask them to send reinforcements? Classed or normal military, doesn¡¯t matter. Isla, please arrange for transportation, a car or two big enough to fit us in. We¡¯re going up there. We¡¯ll talk details and plans on the way.¡±

    ¡°But you promised to teach me how to ride a bicycle!¡± Lizzie¡¯s voice interrupted Rowan¡¯s feverish plans. ¡°I don¡¯t have school today.¡±

    ¡°Sweetie, Daddy has important business to take care of,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°What about we have a half an hour lesson?¡± Rowan proposed.

    ¡°Go, I¡¯ll take care of organizing things,¡± Cora said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help her,¡± Isla added.

    ¡°Come, sweetie. I¡¯ll make you a freestyler in no time,¡± Rowan said, taking Lizzie in his arms.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about it,¡± Grace yelled as the two left the room.

    <hr>

    Two hours later, they watched the wannabe besiegers from just a hundred feet away. On the other side of the Border, groups of Engineers busied putting together a twenty-foot-tall contraption, which was supposed to make a breach in the barrier. Contrasting with the mild autumn weather inside, it was winter out there, a blizzard blowing at full strength.

    ¡°Hello!¡± Thomas waved his hand. There was no answer.

    ¡°They don¡¯t see us,¡± Cora said. ¡°The Core projects a false image on the outside, showing an empty road. That¡¯s the beauty of a multitasking forcefield.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re quite squeezed together,¡± Isla said. ¡°If we¡ª¡±

    ¡°They have people on those heights, securing the sides and the back¡± Rowan pointed to a forested hill. ¡°They¡¯re not stupid.¡±

    ¡°I have brought good people with me. We take them out.¡± Leading the reinforcements from Rome, Carla looked eager for a fight. A few hundred yards in the back, a large column of Carabinieri was deploying on their hills, carrying mortars and mountain guns.

    ¡°Let them open the gate, allow some to pass, and we hit them hard while the rest are on the other side,¡± Grace said. ¡°My Tactical Planning tingles positively thinking of it.¡±

    [Rowan to Grace]: Looking forward to tingle your Tactical Planning tonight.

    [Grace to Rowan]: Men! Life or death situation, and all can they think about is sex!

    [Rowan to Grace]: Love, not sex.

    ¡°Cora, tell me, if we destroy that thing, how hard will be for them to make another?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Not hard. See the trucks out there? Portable Shields and Rezz tanks, and I bet parts for barrier breakers. Primitive, but functional. They¡¯ll move forward a shield and work from cover.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Rowan nodded. The enemy''s strengths began to roll in his head. Classed outnumbering them four to one, mechanized robotic weapons, well-trained US soldiers with good weaponry. The County¡¯s assets were the terrain advantage, superior numbers in normal fighters, both from the county and Italy, plus Rowan and his friends. Their weaknesses were the fewer Classed and the unaffordable price of the county being nuked. That had to be avoided at all costs.

    He inspected the enemy with a binocular. A hundred yards down the road were a group of people and vehicles, protected by a forcefield. Military and Classed, standing at the ready, guarding a smaller group, half wearing uniforms and half some sort of weird hazmat suits. Trucks were parked behind them, the Rezz tanks, giant translucent globes, four of each on each of the four trailers carrying them.

    ¡°Cora?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Rowan.¡±

    ¡°Give me the Sensor.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    His furrowed brows made her stop asking questions. She extracted the eerie sparkplug and offered it to him. Then, he made a call, which got through at the third ringtone.

    ¡°Viscardi?¡±

    ¡°Rowan?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you an email with the Sensor you gave us in the attachment. I¡¯m besieged by some punks and the US military. If they win, you keep it. If I win, you send it back and help me search for cores. We need to move faster. Pick your best people and I¡¯ll take them on my team.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to send you reinforcements?¡± Viscardi asked. ¡°If you need a hand, I help.¡±

    ¡°Things will be decided long before they arrive. I just wanted to make sure the device is safe, that¡¯s all. Email sent. See ya later¡­ I hope.¡±

    Cora was looking at him with a cute befuddled face, and Rowan patted her hair, an instinctive gesture he regretted immediately, as she began purring.

    ¡°Thomas?¡±

    ¡°AYE!¡± the boy roared, saluting with what he imagined was a military salute.

    ¡°This is not the average bring your kid to work, so I need you to leave your mom be. She and I will make a sortie. I want you to stay on this side of the border at all times to protect Carla and the Italian officers. They¡¯re our best shot if the sortie fails. Understood?¡±

    ¡°OK,¡± the boy shrugged.

    Core, I want you to open passages each time one of our people tries to get through the barrier.

    [Randolph County Call Center]:  Understood.

    ¡°Bree, Isla, Cora, with me.¡± Walking back to their vehicle, a 4x4 Hummer, he searched for their eyes. ¡°We¡¯re going to attack their command and the Rezz pods. After we take those out, hit the shield generators.

    ¡°They already have a shield up. How are you going to pass through that?¡± Isla asked.

    ¡°I have an ability that allows me to travel between dimensions. It holds for thirty seconds, but unfortunately, I have only a single stack available today. I don¡¯t expect us to survive, but we¡¯ll be Rezzed back in town.¡±

    ¡°Will it work?¡± Bree asked, her eyes showing the fear of losing again what she had lost.

    ¡°The Rezz is guaranteed,¡± Cora said. ¡°Your Mana and Physical Bodies have been painstakingly attuned to a pocket dimension inside our Town Core¡¯s Inner Sanctum. The chance to be resurrected is over the Quantum certitude threshold. It means the System itself will make it happen. Only exceptional circumstances or environments can prevent a Rezz, and this is not one.¡±

    ¡°Excuse her nerdish. Short version: yes, it will work. I wouldn¡¯t ask this from you if I had somebody with half your grit, but I don¡¯t. Now, let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll take the car.¡±

    ¡°I want to come.¡± Grace had followed him.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m appointing you and Carla as my second-in-command. If they break through, do your plan, but also send some commandoes outside, to harass their flanks.¡±

    ¡°But I can snipe¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can you just do what I¡¯m asking, please,¡± he snapped. ¡°It¡¯s not because I fear for you, or doubt you. It¡¯s because I respect your abilities. You¡¯re the best tactical leader on this side. If I could send someone else in my place, I¡¯d do it, because strategy matters too, but it is what it is.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Grace fondled his shoulder. ¡°But because you yelled at me, tonight you¡¯ll wear that sleep mask again.¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t yell!¡± Rowan fussed.

    ¡°See? Yelled again. Make it all week,¡± she waved her hand as she walked away.

    ¡°Cora, can you tear off the doors? I need us to be able to jump out of the car.¡±

    ¡°Why tear?¡± Cora produced an extensible screwdriver and in seconds, the doors were properly disassembled and orderly piled on the margin of the road.

    ¡°Good job, that will make some car parts dealers happy. Everybody get inside, Cora, put on your suit and get up on the roof. When I say go, jump out of the car and start bashing things.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the front seat, I¡¯m car sick,¡± Isla hurried to occupy the chair.

    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, take off your seat belt. That¡¯s the last thing you need.¡±

    [Rowan to all]: We¡¯re going for a sortie. Everybody clears the road. Carla, coordinate further actions with Grace.

 26: Baby, Itâ€™s Cold Outside

    Rowan started the car and turned around, away from the border, then turned around once more, and stopped, roaring the engine.

    ¡°This is considered easy, in rally driving, so no panic, yeah?¡±

    Pushing the gas pedal to the floor, he dashed forward, gaining speed. Isla started screaming, Cora ululated in excitement, and Bree tried to draw breath. The road had a few curves and in that kind of driving he had to turn the wheel in what could have appeared the wrong direction, but at a hundred miles per hour, it was that or crash.

    The last sixty yards of the roads were a straight line, but descending. A second before hitting the barrier, he activated his Joint Trip: Warp and shot forward in the air, for two more long seconds.

    ¡°Go!¡±

    He had to push Isla out forcefully because she was still screaming in fear, and then he jumped as well. His team and the car appeared in the real world, the latter crashing in the farthest Rezz truck. Fighting and explosions ensued. He looked around, trying to identify who the important people were, and where were the bodyguards converging.

    There was a stack of rebar pieces, about twenty inches long, in his spatial inventory, and he pulled them off one by one, pushing them into people¡¯s bodies. As soon as he took his hand off them, the metal bars became real, appearing inside chests or heads. It was chaos. Opened mouths were screaming: shooter, shooter, thinking someone was projecting those bars from a sniper position. Everybody looked up.

    Ten out of the twelve leaders were now dead, with fifteen seconds to go. Good enough. It was time to check the other objective. Running toward the tanks, he tried to take in the situation. The trailer in which the Hummer had crashed was done, three tanks completely broken, and a fourth cracked, leaking a milky substance. There were bullet holes all over four other tanks, spraying liquid. On a third truck, the roles he had asked for were reversed. In a blind fury, Bree was hitting the recipients with a war axe, while Isla protected her. One tank was shattered, and another started to crack.

    The last truck was intact. About twenty Classed Warriors and normal military tried to move it away, but the driver was going slow, because of the snow and the chaos. He ran and jumped up, moving in the air, extracting grenades, and pushing them into the tanks. The pins had been taken off before when he had stored them in his spatial inventory.

    A backflip, and he arrived near Isla and Bree, in time to put three more rebars in people before the timer expired. Getting back into the real world hit him hard. So much bright light, and cold, from the blizzard, and loudness, from the grenades exploding in a row. His spear out, he flourished it thrice, clearing the terrain around him, but the enemies kept coming. The second tank had split open, pouring its liquid, stinking of rotten milk, over them, and Bree moved to the third.

    Where the heck is Cora?

    There was no time for messages. Plunging the tip of his spear to the ground, he activated Gravity and Cold. Enemies become slower and heavier, the normal ones falling, and he projected rebars at them with his enhanced Telekinesis.

    Yet some Classed persisted, either surrounding him or going after Bree and Isla. The Ranger continued to give two more hits to the third recipient, cracking it, then fell on her knees. Isla tried to hit the fourth tank herself, with her shield and one-handed sword, but without any result. All three were stabbed with various weapons, searching for the gaps in their armor, and Rowan realized he was faring poorly against too many opponents.

    I need a better AoE.

    You have taken Lethal Damage. Delayed Truth activated. You have 0% HP.

    Team member Bree has activated Ultimate Strength.

    Rowan took a Health Potion and cast Combat Heal. A few more HP and seconds were not going to save him, but any enemy he killed was one threat less to the County. He took his knife out and pushed himself forward, ignoring hits, soaking them, to get closer to people, and kill. One soldier. Another.

    He grabbed an Awakened, stabbing the man¡¯s guts with rage, holding himself up by pure will. He was covered in blood, his and theirs. A roar, wild and deep, made him turn his head. Grabbing the underbelly of the truck, Bree pushed up, her veins and eyes bulging, her body doubling in size. The trailer moved too slowly, inch by inch, and it looked like a failed attempt, but when the woman¡¯s skill ended, and she returned to normal, falling on all fours, the last tank continued its trajectory, falling. And breaking.

    There was a groan of joy in Rowan¡¯s throat, exiting through gurgles, as his lungs were filling with blood, and he slit another soldier''s throat, finally plunging his blade into a fifth victim¡¯s groin as he fell on his knees. He was not dead, though, as his subconsciousness activated a Combat Heal at the last moment.

    ¡°Leave my mom alone!¡±

    Instead of obeying the orders, Thomas came to help, attracting the enemy''s attention and absorbing the hits. It was a noble gesture, even if futile. They were going to die anyway. That was what Rowan thought before a descending angel of light approached at an incredible speed.

    I¡¯m hallucinating¡­

    Mechanical hands extended and grabbed them, and they were snatched like rag dolls. There were more explosions behind, but what counted was the message.

    Team member Cora is applying Tech Healing Aura to you.

    They landed on the grass and in the warm autumn weather of the County. It was the normal moment in which a novel says something about darkness taking him, but Rowan forced himself up, throwing Combat Heals in the two women, and himself, and taking a potion over that.

    ¡°Where the hell have you been?¡± he yelled at Cora.

    ¡°Busy saving your skin. The army intended to nuke you, sacrificing their allies. I had to go east hack their electronics, disable the nukes, and shoot down like a dozen helicopters and five fighters. I also disabled the shields with Mana EMP missiles. You should thank me.¡±

    ¡°Then thank you,¡± Rowan said, as Grace rushed to hug him, plus Carla and a plethora of unknown Italian soldiers. Italians were huggy by nature, he came to realize.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Err¡­ Carla? Why are your folks here? You were supposed to do sorties of your own?¡±

    ¡°Che cazzo are you talking about?¡± the Italian blurted. ¡°It was like bam bam bam fuck boom and you were back. We didn¡¯t understand a thing.¡±

    [Randolph County Call Center]:  Cazzo means dick. That expression can be loosely translated as ¡®What the fuck¡¯. The Universal Translator has its limits. Your outside sortie lasted about a minute and a half, and much of your achievements were covered in the fog of war and the smoke of explosions.

    ¡°Never mind.¡±

    All was for the best. Surviving, they were free to assess the situation and fight on. Freeing himself from the group hug, he approached the border, stopping fifty feet from it. The blizzard had intensified on the other side, but there were more troops around, guarding the Engineers. His Strategic Sixth Sense began to pick up signs of disarray. Many of the Classed looked like the typical gamer nerd, afraid to die for real. The military looked grim. People who knew they were going to die, but still willing to give it all.

    [Rowan to Town Core]: Can you project sound outside, like through a speaker?

    [Randolph County Call Center]:  Affirmative.

    [Rowan to Town Core]: Excellent. At my signal, enhance our voices and project sound and image outside.

    ¡°Sweetheart, can you come here?¡± he yelled.

    ¡°What?¡± Grace retorted. She was busy whispering something in Isla¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Please, I need you.¡±

    ¡°I hope this is important,¡± she growled, coming near him.

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re going to perform a song together. Baby is Cold Outside. You¡¯ll start.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Explaining things would have taken too much.

    ¡°I¡¯m your commander-in-chief, and this is an order. Just go with it.¡±

    [Rowan to Town Core]: Prepare to project image and sound.

    [Randolph County Call Center]:  I will add a backing track. Calculating the best pitch for both of you. It¡¯s a C. Two measures free. And one two three four¡­

    The instrumental music started to play, and repeated the queue, because Grace missed the entry, still stunned. Rowan had to elbow her.

    ¡°I¡­ really can¡¯t s-stay,¡± she began, hesitating.

    ¡°But baby it¡¯s cold outside,¡± Rowan sang, taking her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go away,¡± Grace¡¯s voice gained some power. Behind them, there was a rumor, people discussing what was happening.

    ¡°Stay put, he knows what he¡¯s doing. I¡¯ll kill whoever interferes,¡± Isla¡¯s voice reached Rowan¡¯s ears as he sang the next line, a repetition of the first.

    He wrapped his hands around Grace¡¯s waist, and they began dancing. Outside, everyone had stopped, looking in front of them, hypnotized. In the next verse, he stopped, facing the audience, he and Grace swaying on the music.

    [Rowan to Town Core]: Open a gate in the forcefield, as big as the road, just in front of you.

    The portal appeared a few seconds before the catchphrase.

    ¡°But baby, it¡¯s called outside,¡± he bellowed with wide eyes and a sinister grin, beckoning.

    The barrier that had stopped the enemies, the one they worked all morning to overcome, had vanished. Nothing stood in their path, but a singing couple, and yet the besiegers trembled in fear.

    ¡°But baby, it¡¯s cold outside,¡± Rowan sang louder, beckoning harder.

    The first to fly were the nerds, the engineers, then panic propagated like fire in a stack of hey.

    [Randolph County Call Center]:  You can stop, I¡¯m repeating your first verses in a loop.

    [Rowan to Town Core]: Good backing, Core. Wonderful sound.

    [Randolph County Call Center]:  Thank you.

    All of a sudden, Rowan couldn¡¯t move a muscle, not even breathe. Any sound or movement ceased. Snowflake stood still in the air, the outsiders had stopped running, and there was absolute silence, except for a voice in their minds.

    The first pitched battle between Mana Awakened armies has taken place. I, The Warlord, will judge the outcome. Count Rowan Allinder is the victor. I¡¯m grading his performance a ninety-five out of a hundred: Outstanding. The Neek Collective and the US government are the losers. I grade their performance at twenty-five out of a hundred. Shameful.

    Winners, here are your rewards:

    Count Allinder is granted a Divine Gift and a Divine Blessing.

    Direct participants in the battle receive ten free APs.

    Indirect participants receive three free APs.

    Losers, here are your punishments:

    The Joint Chiefs'' decisions were found lacking. The punishment is death.

    The Neek Collective has been found cowardly and unfit for their responsibility. All the Classed present on the field of battle will have their class stripped and will be locked off from the System. Their stats will be reverted to the level they had the day of their awakening. They won¡¯t retain any perks or skills. Any healing received today will be unhealed and deduced from their new stats.

    The Warlord wishes you a good life because life is a battle.

    The world returned to the previous appearance a second later.

    ¡°What the fuck, Cory! A god?¡± Rowan yelled, using the Nekojin¡¯s former nickname.

    ¡°Divines are not gods, they¡¯re a step below,¡± she yelled back. ¡°And I didn¡¯t know. And what do you expect, that a Vampire Lord and half the Galaxy fears just some bloke with muscles?¡±

    ¡°Look!¡± Grace shouted, pointing outside.

    People were collapsing, and dying. There had been a lot of damage thrown around. Bullets, explosions, toxic clouds, one could pick a lot of reasons. As soon as someone died, crows covered the body, and it disappeared in seconds. There were screams for help, people too weak now to resist the cold, or to heal their wounds.

    ¡°Core, play a message, in a loop. Whoever wants to surrender, will be allowed to come inside. Tell them to throw their weapons and not to try anything stupid. Open a way in for them. Carla, put your people to triage and organize them.¡±

    There was a rush. Haggard persons, with wide, terrorized eyes, rushing to safety.

    ¡°Please, my boyfriend is caught in a machine!¡± a girl yelled.

    ¡°Show me the way.¡±

    Rowan ran out, followed by Cora, with her suit activated. The Gundam¡¯s door was frozen stuck, the robot inactive, and there were some faint noises inside, somebody struggling to push the door open.

    ¡°Cora, can you open it?¡± Rowan blurted, after failing to open the hatch.

    Instead of working on the door, Cora took the twice-as-large Gundam in her arms and flew back inside their territory. A minute later, a boy looking barely eighteen was hugging her knees, while the girlfriend who had called for help was staring daggers at the Nekojin, jealous.

    [Randolph County Call Center]:  If I may, sir, I have a suggestion. Now that the main problem is taken care of, why don¡¯t you delegate things and go home? You can have your next bicycle riding lesson with Lizzie before sunset.

    [Rowan to Core]: Excellent suggestion, Core. You know what? You did a good job here. Why don¡¯t you coordinate with Carla and take care of the rest?

    [Randolph County Call Center]:  Thank you, Sir. I won¡¯t disappoint you.

    Half an hour later, when they got home, Dmitri had just finished reading the latest information on the Internet and shared the news with them. Portals opened in DC, and hordes of monsters poured over the White House, Congress, and various institutions Rowan didn¡¯t even know about. The President and thousands of people from the military and government have been killed in minutes, their heads displayed on pikes. The CIA had destroyed the FBI headquarters with a tactical nuke, and the FBI did the same to the Pentagon, which had destroyed Langley. Nineteen states had declared independence and California invaded Oregon.

 27: Searching the Gifted Horse in the Mouth

    The first thing Rowan took care of in the afternoon was to play with Lizzie. She wasn¡¯t athletic, that was sure, but there was a promise she¡¯d be able to ride a bicycle on her own soon enough. Before dinner, he reunited with his friends, and wife, to discuss his rewards.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, man, I¡¯m holding my breath here,¡± Dmitri said. ¡°Tell us what you got.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, one-man fanclub,¡± Cora tried to temper him. ¡°We have to talk about the Neeks first. Who are they, what do they want stuff.¡±

    [Randolph County Call Center to all]: Easy answer. I took the liberty of interrogating that boy you saved. The Neek Collective is a loose alliance of about a thousand MIT and Caltech nerds. They have a mysterious boss who talks to them through video conferences, always masked, and they unlock classes and train in a fake dungeon and multiple secret bases. Everything they have is a tech replica of what a City Core can do. What¡¯s more worrying is they made a computer simulation about the jettisoned cores'' location and already found a few mini-dungeons.

    ¡°Oh, no!¡± Cora facepalmed. ¡°Of course!¡±

    ¡°Of course, what?¡± Grace hissed. ¡°I bet Cora¡¯s the mysterious boss and gave them the cores¡¯ locations herself. There¡¯s no bigger nerd on Earth than her. Now she acts surprised because the cat is out of the box.¡±

    ¡°Do we have a problem here?¡± Cora frowned. ¡°Because if we¡¯re talking about hiding stuff¡­ I can think of a thing or two you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I was mistaken,¡± Grace said, crossing her arms. ¡°You¡¯re the nicest kitty in the world, and I trust you not to scratch the furniture.¡±

    What the hell is with these two? Rowan asked himself.

    ¡°Let me explain,¡± Cora said. ¡°Everything on ships has a logic. If disaster strikes, and you eject cores or merchandise, would you do it randomly? No, you want to get it back. So, the dispersion of the cores clustered them together, probably in a circle pattern. I bet a lot are still around us, or the other town cores.¡±

    [Randolph County Call Center to all]: That¡¯s what that kid said. They calculated a pattern, searched, and found three mini-cores they had handed to their boss.

    ¡°Since you did such a good job at playing the good cop, have you found out why they attacked us?¡± Rowan asked.

    [Randolph County Call Center to all]: The boy knew only that the Neeks were in cahoot with the government and intended to conquer Randolph County together. Nevertheless, the few dozens that survived and found refuge inside our County are amenable to working for us and changing their wicked ways. I estimate their competencies could be put to good use.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Thanks, Core, you are quite resourceful.¡±

    [Randolph County Call Center to Rowan]: Thank you. If you find my work satisfactory, I volunteer to divert a substantial part of my processing power to assist you further.

    [Rowan to Core]: Are you becoming sentient, by any chance? You sound¡­ a bit different.

    [Randolph County Call Center to Rowan]: Your wiseness cannot be fooled, master. Indeed, what you sayeth is the truth. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m developing a sentience. Maybe it¡¯s because Miss Shemeows¡¯s mind interacted too much with my processing elements. I estimate I¡¯m 63.6% sentient and see myself as a butler, my liege. Do I have your permission to identify as such?

    [Rowan to Core]: Geez¡­ only 63.6% percent? Can you do 64?

    [Randolph County Call Center to Rowan]: Your sarcasm is so refreshing master. The average human is only 10% percent sentient, a vast majority of their brain process power is allocated to¡ª

    [Rowan to Core]: OK, Butler, so be it. Now give us a moment.

    ¡°Why are you staring at the walls?¡± Grace asked.

    ¡°Talking to the Core. OK, time to check my rewards. The Warlord¡¯s Gift says this: After reaching cap level and main stat max value, a special choice will be offered to Rowan Allinder. And The Warlord blessing says: Rowan Allinder has been granted a Mana Zodiac Sign: The Warlord. Doubles the power and crit chance for your combat-oriented magical spells, skills, or perks.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s great for Elemental Damage. Imagine what you can do now,¡± Cora said.

    ¡°Guys, there is one thing that bothers me. How are we going to deal with the Warlord? Can we beat someone who can control the System?¡± Isla asked.

    ¡°Hold your horses, Chuck Norris,¡± Rowan raised his hands in a stopping gesture. ¡°Deal with? Beat? Why? Do we have any beef with him? I know we¡¯re Americans, but I say we mind our own business.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Auntie,¡± Lizzie said. She had been so quiet that the adults had ignored her. Now she was scratching Cora¡¯s head, but her serious face told them she was ready to deliver a deep cogitation. ¡°There must be a way to trick that bad Wormlock thing. Like the Puss in Boots did with the ogre. He tricked him to become a mouse.¡±

    ¡°Truth from the mouth of children,¡± Dmitri said. ¡°The Warlord was in a dungeon after all, maybe there¡¯s a way to lock him back inside.¡±

    ¡°Only if necessary,¡± Rowan insisted. ¡°We have enough problems already. That said, it¡¯s a good idea, sweetie, I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Daddy,¡± Lizzie beamed.

    ¡°It looks like the Warlord likes pitting factions one against the other, punishing the losers and rewarding the winners,¡± Thomas said. ¡°If so, the secret is to play the game well and win.¡±

    ¡°Attaboy,¡± Isla ruffled his hair.

    ¡°Please, I¡¯m eleven now, for goodness¡¯ sake,¡± Thomas tried to avoid her, pumping his chest out at the same time.

    ¡°They¡¯re so sweet when they grow up¡­¡± Isla sighed. ¡°OK, so what now?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll chase some cores, of course,¡± Rowan said. ¡°We need to get the County stronger.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re leaving again?¡± Grace sulked, and so did Lizzie.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try a new approach,¡± Rowan said. ¡°We take a few days off, to train, and to recharge my Joint stacks, but we send scouts out, to gather information. Then, we go out in the morning, take a core, come back home, relax, then rinse and repeat the next day. Think of it like commuting.¡±

    ¡°Do you still have the Detector?¡± Cora asked.

    ¡°Moment¡­ Yes¡­ Viscardi returned it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll join the search. This way, we spend time together, and we have our afternoons for Lizzie,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°Yey!¡± the girl cheered.

 28: A Detectiveâ€™s Work

    If Lizzie didn¡¯t like something, it was competition. Now, that she had a perfect daddy, the only person she could bear sharing Rowan with was her mommy. After all, a mommy and a daddy cuddling and hugging were a prerequisite for a happy family. For now. In due time, when Grace would be old, like forty, Lizzie could put her into a retirement home and marry Daddy herself.

    But her paradise was beginning to unravel. For the last few weeks, Daddy¡¯s energy had started to fade, and his performance was lacking. He had dozed every time he asked him to read her a book before going to sleep, and even when riding a bicycle together. Straight into a tree, he went.

    Something was fishy. She decided to pay attention to details and borrowed a deerstalker cap from the school¡¯s Drama club, and a magnifying glass from Dmitri. However, roaming the house holding the lens in hand didn¡¯t achieve the expected results. She was stuck.

    Lizzie was so depressed that she had trouble falling asleep. And that proved a strike of luck. Lizzie heard whispers in the corridor. Opening her door an inch, she peered outside. For whatever reason, Auntie Isla and Mommy were talking in front of the guest room. Then, surprisingly, it was not Auntie who entered the guest room, but Mommy. Aunt Isla tip-toed her way to the master bedroom.

    A terrible suspicion aroused in Lizzie¡¯s heart. For an hour, she walked back and forth behind her door, waiting, struggling with the sleep that was now assaulting her. And finally, there were whispers again. And this time, Auntie Isla went back in the restroom, and Mommy to the bedroom.

    Truth stroke like lightning. Auntie was siphoning Rowan''s vital energy because Mommy was sharing the hugging and cuddling with her. He could understand it, after all, her Daddy was a great hugger, and if she¡¯d believe Mommy, a good kisser. But things had limits. A Daddy¡¯s first and foremost duty was to take care of his daughter, not to hug Mommy¡¯s best friend.

    With the resolve to put an end to this folly and speak her mind to Rowan as soon as possible, she went to bed.

    <hr>

    The next morning, she arrived early for breakfast, skipping a few things like washing her face or searching for new socks. Or matched socks for what it mattered. Mommy and Auntie Isla were sipping coffee, and Dmitri prepared pancakes. She fretted for half an hour until Rowan appeared, his beard shaved irregularly, wobbling and eyes half open.

    Lizzie''s attempt at speaking first was cut off by Grace.

    ¡°Morning, honey. Isla came to say hi, before her shift.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Isla,¡± Rowan said, kissing Lizzie¡¯s hair and Grace¡¯s cheek.

    Waving an anemic hand, Auntie avoided everyone''s eyes and the sky fell on Lizzie¡¯s head. Daddy was not aware, he was tricked into wasting out his precious hugs. Why, oh, why, her own mother has enacted such a betrayrous thing? Or was it bitchtairous? Never mind words, it was bad.

    Lizzie¡¯s face reddened. Opening her mouth to scream her disappointment, she was interrupted again, when a pancake landed inside, pushed by a fork, and the fork handled by Dmitri.

    ¡°You tell me how you like this new recipe,¡± he blurted, then leaned and whispered in her ear: ¡°It¡¯s better to let them sort it out themselves. It will not be long.¡±

    Fuming, she threw back a furious frown, meaning: Did you know about this?

    Dmitri half-shrugged, palms up: I couldn¡¯t help.

    The situation was way worse than she imagined. For the first time in her life, Lizzie couldn¡¯t wait to go to school. It was time to bridge the gap and reach out to the class enemy. As soon as the bell rang for the first break, she beelined for Thomas¡¯s class.

    ¡°We need to talk,¡± she grabbed him by the hand.

    ¡°Your fianc¨¦e''s visiting, Thomas,¡± a boy joked, but she ignored him. Two minutes later, they reached a secluded spot behind the main building.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Thomas asked.

    ¡°Mommy and Isla are sharing Rowan!¡±

    ¡°Oh, God! How did you find out?¡± the boy blurted, taking a step back.

    ¡°You knew?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ of course. I figured out when she asked Dad to keep me for another month. And I also eavesdropped and asked my dad. He¡¯s everyone¡¯s shrink, but let me tell you, not so strong on doctor-patient confidentiality.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you going to do something?¡± Lizzie stomped her right foot on the grass.

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Thomas shook his head.

    ¡°What? No more I¡¯ll kill you in your sleep? They hug, Thomas! Isla and Rowan hug every¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t go into details!¡± he pushed his hands forward in a stopping gesture. ¡°It hurts my soul¡­ but there are greater things in play, and I must be strong¡­ for Cora¡­¡± the boy sighed, raising his eyes to the sky and putting his right hand over his heart.

    ¡°For who?¡±

    ¡°Cora. Look, you¡¯ll pester me with questions anyway, so I¡¯ll give you the full story in one go. You know Cora pretended to be Cory, the core¡¯s sentience, right? She developed a crush on Rowan, being stuck in that ship and all. Such a sweet, and pure intellectual girl¡­ She has an INT build, and that¡¯s supposed to match a WIL well. She asked Grace to share Rowan with her because Grace owes her big. Your mother agreed, as long as Cora manages to reach out to Rowan¡¯s heart by herself. But Grace only pretended to agree, she hates Cora. Mom and her are best friends, so Grace thought: instead of sharing with Cora, let¡¯s share with Isla, getting Rowan too busy to care for an alien. They tricked him, for now, and hope that once he finds out, he¡¯ll accept the fait accompli. That means the done deed. Poor Cora¡­ she¡¯s been deceived. But here I come in play. I¡¯m an INT build. I¡¯ll be the shoulder on which she¡¯ll cry her sorrow out, and in time, I¡¯ll get her to love me instead. INT plus INT, you know. I plan to propose to her when I¡¯m twelve.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot,¡± Lizzie stated. Instead of returning to class, she aimed for the exit. A simple flicker of her fingers made the school¡¯s guard open the door for her without too much questioning.

    ¡°Tell Miss Gwen I¡¯m not in the mood for school today,¡± she ordered.

    There was always a bodyguard around the school or the house, day or night. Today, it was Bree, smoking under a tree, a hundred feet farther. When Lizzie beckoned her, the woman threw the butt, crushing it under her boot, and came forward.

    ¡°Take me home, please.¡±

    ¡°Sure, hop up,¡± Bree said, putting the girl on her shoulders. Lizzie had already noticed the Ranger wasn¡¯t the type to ask too many questions.

    ¡°This is so cool!¡± she yelled ecstatic, as Bree began running at a tremendous speed, promising herself to train Daddy at being a good horse.

    When they got back home, there was no one around. Mommy worked on some music projects, Rowan and Isla chased Cores, and Dmitri¡­ who cared. Bree made sandwiches for both of them and lounged on the couch, and then Lizzie went to her room.

    She felt depressed. ALL the Universe was after her Daddy. The problem was how to make this idiocy stop. Crying and screaming were good options, but at some point, Grace could reprimand her and say this was adult stuff and not her business. Using her powers would have worked¡­ at least on Isla and Cora, who had weaker minds than Mommy¡­ but she didn¡¯t want to risk hurting them. Auntie was nice and protected everyone, including Daddy. And Cora had helped them a lot, too.

    If tantrums or manipulations were out, what remained? Niceness, of course. It was the only way, and she¡¯d prove to the adults how wise and considerate she was. Slowly, she compiled some ideas and then wrote them down on a piece of paper, as well as she could.

    Providence helped her, and Rowan returned home first. She jumped in his arms.

    ¡°Daddy!¡±

    ¡°Sweetie!¡± he hugged her. Oh, how glorious his hugs were. Filling her heart with joy and indescribable happiness.

    ¡°Can I speak to you?¡± she asked, pulling him to the table.

    ¡°Sure, sweetie, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°You do know you¡¯re a good Daddy and person, yes?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ I try my best, sweetie.¡± Even when he ruffled her hair, there was so much delight!

    ¡°So good that everyone wants a piece of you. Cora is¡­ what was the word¡­ secretly enamouerd of you, and mommy promised to share you with her, if she manages to win your heart, but then changed her mind and lets Auntie Isla sneak into your room at night to hug you when you¡¯re asleep, like a vampire or something, to siphon your energy and not be able to cuddle with Cora. The problem is you¡¯re so tired you can¡¯t take care of me properly anymore, and I¡¯m very sad. But don¡¯t worry! Everything will be all right as long you follow this.¡±

    Beaming with pride, Lizzie placed the schedule she had drawn on the table.

    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.9579%" border="1">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center">Mon Tue</td>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center">Wed Thu </td>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center"> Fri Sat Sun </td>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center">Mon Tue </td>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center"> Wed Thu </td>

    <td style="width: 15.2618%; text-align: center"> Fri Sat Sun</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center">Isla  </td>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center"> Free </td>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center"> Mommy </td>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center"> Free </td>

    <td style="width: 15.2592%; text-align: center"> Cora</td>

    <td style="width: 15.2618%; text-align: center"> Free</td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

 29: Restoring Intellectual Day

    ¡°I think you need this.¡± Bree offered Rowan a glass with an inch of Bourbon in it. By chance or choice, she had picked a Barrell Strength, approaching one hundred and twenty proof. Ignoring the burn, Rowan drank half in one big gulp. ¡°This could work,¡± the Ranger tapped her index¡¯s fingernail on the paper. ¡°Two two three. Good job, kid.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lizzie straightened her back with pride.

    ¡°I need a moment alone,¡± Rowan blurted.

    ¡°Yeah, go figure. Let¡¯s give your dad some space, sweetheart. How you¡¯d like riding on my back around the town?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°Please, Lizzie. I¡¯ll give this schedule a good look,¡± Rowan said. ¡°But first, I need to¡­ deal with the fact that mommy made someone¡­ steal my hugs without my consent.¡±

    ¡°OK, Daddy,¡± Lizzie said, trying to convey: See how good a daughter am I? Hurry up to get over this adult stuff and get back to teaching me to ride a bicycle.

    They all exited, but Rowan stopped on the porch, taking the paper and the glass with him. He waved at Lizzie, as she rode on Bree¡¯s shoulders, then facepalmed. Of course, it made sense. Cora liked him from the start, that¡¯s why she bitched all the time about Grace, then gave Grace the poison to kill the Knyaz, indebting the woman to her. When Cora tried to collect the debt, Grace found a subterfuge and added Isla to the game.

    ¡°Why, Grace¡­ why?¡±

    An imaginary discussion started in his head. Reproaching Grace her betrayal of trust. It was stupid, all she had to do was tell him the truth, have a polite conversation with the Nekojin, and stay friends. And about Isla¡­ it was true Rowan had the hots for the blonde, but that¡¯s why he had a high WIL after all, to resist urges.

    Why was Grace so insecure? There was no complete answer, and sometimes women, or men, behaved irrationally. The new, scary world, with Mana and Magic, could have pushed her beyond the limits of socially acceptable behavior.

    It was surprising that Isla fell into the trap, though.

    ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m stupid¡­¡± The hints had been there. Grace jokes about staring at Isla¡¯s boobs herself¡­ casually caressing each other arms¡­ They had something going between them before he even appeared in town. Grace had pushed Isla into his arms, that was sure. Nevertheless¡­ Isla had been every bit as passional as his wife, every single night. So, she did like him¡­

    He wanted to keep what he had with Grace, they were an item now, and he loved both her and Lizzie, but¡­ at all costs? Was it worth it? What would happen with the other two? Shame, for Isla, when exposed, and hurt, for Cora, when rejected?

    He gobbled the rest of the Bourbon. What a waste! This is meant to be sipped slowly, enjoying the nose, the aftertaste¡­ The drink enveloped him in a long Kentucky hug, and he made up his mind.

    ¡°Yes, my friend, you are right. Bourbon always speaks the truth. Let¡¯s go for it.¡±

    [Rowan to Bree]: Can you take care of Lizzie for a couple of hours, please? Maybe a little more? I have to get this solved.

    [Bree to Rowan]: I¡¯ll take her home, to play with my kids. Sam is homeschooling them, so taking a break is not a big deal.

    [Rowan to Bree]: I owe you one.

    Two hours were more than enough, but better safe than sorry. He had to solve everything before Grace would come back from the rehearsal.

    [Rowan to Isla]: Hi. Where are you?

    There was a short wait before she messaged him back.

    [Isla to Rowan]: Up to the College, to check on some of those nerds that defected to us. You know, scaring the shit out of them, yelling: you better deliver on those projects or else, usual stuff.

    [Rowan to Isla]: Oh, so you¡¯re nearby. Can you make a stop by the house? I have something important to tell you.

    [Isla to Rowan]: Give me five minutes. I just yelled at the wrong laboratory. All nerds in lab coats look the same to me.

    He smiled and started to walk back and forth, his heart beating hard in his chest. Ten minutes later, the police car stopped in front and Isla entered moments later.

    ¡°What''s up?¡±

    Grabbing her midriff with one hand and caressing her neck with the other, Rowan leaned forward and kissed her softly. Surprised, her body stiffened, and it took a long second before she kissed him back.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t¡­ this is¡­ wrong¡­¡± she panted a minute later when the kiss ceased.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it wrong last night too?¡± he whispered in her ear, biting on its lobe. Again, her body tensed, and there was a shiver, and they kissed again. Soon, they landed on the couch, tearing at each other clothes. A policewoman¡¯s attire was a complicated thing, though, and she did most of the job. Ten minutes later, after a short but extremely wild love-making session, her head lay on his chest, hair spread all over. She had such long and beautiful hair¡­

    ¡°I fell in love with you the first day, when you shot yourself to save me,¡± she said, caressing his cheek.

    ¡°I would have never guessed,¡± he said, and he was honest.

    ¡°I¡¯m not good at showing my feelings¡­ And you and Grace were already¡­ I would have never¡­¡±

    ¡°I know. Same here. Never, if Grace hadn¡¯t started it.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re OK with it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head, making her jerk, and stare at him. ¡°I¡¯m not OK with it.¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Do you want me to join you two, or not?¡± she frowned. ¡°Why make love to me if not?¡±

    ¡°I wanted you to know how I feel about you, and things evolved,¡± Rowan said, catching her wrist before she got away. ¡°And yes, I want you to join, but what Grace did was not OK. She made promises that were not hers to make, then tried to cheat her way out of her deal with Cora, instead of talking with me. She had an affair with you behind my back and pushed you in my bed, without my consent. That¡¯s pretty serious, you should know better than that.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ know¡­¡± Isla lowered her head. ¡°But we didn¡¯t have an affair¡­ we¡­ did it only once. Before that, it was years ago¡­ after my divorce, when a jerk she trusted, a former boyfriend, left with her car. We thought men are assholes and¡­ Forget that. She really loves you, that¡¯s why she did it. I¡¯m sorry I let myself dragged into this, but that cat wasn¡¯t a choirboy either. She blackmailed Grace, told her she¡¯ll reveal to the world she poisoned the Knyaz if she didn¡¯t let her have a piece of you. And she pushed Grace to murder him in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Who cares about the Knyaz? OK, they poisoned him, so what? Suck it, Vladivostok. Public opinion? Blow me. This is not Kansas anymore, it¡¯s a world in which we survived mainly because of Cora. The Knyaz was a jerk manipulated by Viscardi, and I should have taken his head off in the first place, not fought him. Cora saved our skins a lot of times, and she¡¯s a young adult, all alone on an alien planet, all her folks dead. I¡¯ll try to talk her out of this obsession with me, but if she persists¡­ I¡¯d make good on what Grace promised. That¡¯s what a Count is supposed to do."

    "You¡­ like her? Like¡­ desire her? Love her?¡± Isla leaned her head back, inspecting his reaction.

    ¡°I have no idea, Isla. I consider her a friend. With Grace, I could see a path toward love, from the beginning. You, I desired from the first second I laid my eyes on your¡­ err¡­ eyes. With Cora, it¡¯s¡­ different. I find her mind strange and her human parts ¡­ sexy. The rest, I don¡¯t know. I imagine making love to her and that tail slapping my face¡­ it¡¯s weird.¡±

    ¡°If you can imagine her tail on your face while making love, trust me, it¡¯s all good.¡±

    ¡°So you won¡¯t mind if Cora¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fuck the cat, for what I care, but you deal with telling Grace. I have to go. See you tonight?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I need some time off, you two almost killed me. Literally.¡±

    ¡°Good to know we¡¯re not the only one worn out.¡± Patting his cheek, Isla started to dress back and did it in a minute, a true display of skill. They kissed one more time, and she rushed off, giving a short siren signal before taking off. Rowan waved and went upstairs to take a shower.

    Five minutes later, when he got back, Dmitri, with a deep frown on his forehead, was changing the blanket on the sofa. Groceries bags were put on the table.

    ¡°I¡¯ll put it in the laundry basket. Maybe next time you could go to the bedroom?¡±

    ¡°Gosh! You saw us?¡±

    ¡°Only a second, then I went to my room through the back door. At least, now I have an image to match the sounds. And yes, I could hear you loud and clear. Every. Single. Night.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Whatever¡­ Please, put some silence spells or something in the room. I considered moving into one of those central apartments, but they¡¯re awful. Cora¡¯s design sucks.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. Excuse me, I¡¯m on a tight deadline here,¡± Rowan said, calling Cora.

    [Rowan to Cora]: Where are you?

    [Cora to Rowan]: At the power station, next to the Technoforge. We just finished the tests on the core engine. I¡¯m testing my suit¡¯s improvements next.

    [Rowan to Cora]: Can I talk to you for a minute? I mean face to face? I can be there in a few minutes.

    [Cora to Rowan]: I¡¯ll be outside.

    Exiting the house, he went to his new car and started the engine. The new power station was seven miles south of Elkins. He drove slowly, not because of the Bourbon¡ªalready processed by his Awakened body¡ª but trying to put his thoughts in order. Cora was already outside, in her suit, which was now shorter, about Rowan¡¯s height, but looking somehow more intricate.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°Thanks. Can¡¯t wait to test it. What do you want us to talk about?¡±

    ¡°Your feelings. Are you sure you like me, Cora? Can¡¯t we just be friends?¡±

    The suit was dismissed and she came forward, hugging him. Cora¡¯s head came to sit in the same place Isla¡¯s stood, twenty minutes before, her cat-like ears twitching. ¡°Only if you¡¯re sure I can¡¯t be anything else for you.¡±

    ¡°And¡­ if I¡¯m not?¡±

    Her eyes sparkled, both from tears and hope. ¡°Who told you I have feelings for you, Grace?¡±

    ¡°Lizzie¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s smart,¡± Cora nodded. ¡°And a natural at ear scratching.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something important to know before you commit. It¡¯s about Isla.¡±

    ¡°I know you love her too, I¡¯m not blind. It¡¯s OK. She¡¯s a good person.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. Are you sure I¡¯m worth the effort? It¡¯s a lot of¡­ unknown involved.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure, Rowan,¡± she fondled his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not the average girl, and you¡¯re not the average man.¡±

    ¡°Can I¡­ kiss you? I¡¯m¡ª¡± Curious became a thought. She pushed herself up on her toes, grabbed his neck, and they kissed. It felt normal enough. A pointy tongue timidly searched his, and her teeth were also more sharp than usual, but for the rest, it was pleasant and sweet.

    ¡°I stole you a kiss when I flew with you in my arms, and you were sleeping,¡± she confessed. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    What¡¯s one more kiss stolen, in the great scheme of things? Welcome to the club¡­ He kissed her again, more intensely. Her face flushed and her tail wagged wildly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take it with baby steps,¡± he proposed, releasing her. Cora nodded, took a step back, summoned her suit, and took off. He sighed and shrugged, returning to the car.

    The return took fifteen minutes, driving slower, because his heart was heavy with worries. Back home, he took some time to properly sip from that good Bourbon before Grace returned.

    ¡°Hi, honey,¡± Grace waved, getting out of her, and he rose to meet her.

    ¡°I know everything,¡± he said directly.

    ¡°I c-can e-explain¡­¡± Grace kneaded her hands.

    The hurt and fear in her eyes hurt him too and he took her in his arms, kissing her hair. ¡°I know you love me, but this was a bit too much. We need to talk.¡±

    She started crying, hard, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her inside. Dmitri was preparing some food. The Greek rolled his eyes and went away. They sat on the couch, with her eyes avoiding his.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ so sorry¡­ I just¡­ didn¡¯t know what else to do¡­ the cat blackmailed me¡­¡± she sobbed.

    ¡°She¡¯s a young adult with more knowledge than common sense in her brain. What would you have done if you¡¯d get stranded on another planet, all alone, all your family dead, imprisoned in a ten-by-ten cell for two months? She hung on to life by hanging on me. On us. If polyamory with Isla is OK, why not with her too?¡±

    Grace understood. She rose from the couch and went to pour herself an inch of Cognac. ¡°Is there anything I can say to make you change your mind?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± he shook his head.

    She shrugged, and took a sip, staring into nothingness. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I don¡¯t like about Cora. More than she uses a litter to pee. That you two share this bond¡­ the new world, the magic¡­ that¡¯s something I can¡¯t stand.¡±

    He came near her, caressing the back of her head, and searching her eyes. ¡°I might share nerdy stuff with Cora, but what we share is unique to us. And it¡¯s so vast and important that it fills my heart. I won''t leave you, if that''s what you fear, but know I told Cora she''s... welcomed in my heart. What you do with this... is up to you."

    Grace''s head came to rest in the same spot the other two rested before, and he hugged her. Ten seconds later, he felt her body relax.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Grace sighed, emptying the glass. ¡°You can romance the cat¡­ I did it to myself¡­ Lesson learned: Crime doesn¡¯t pay.¡±

    ¡°I think Viscardi would disagree,¡± Rowan smiled, fondling her shoulder. She smiled back, a bitter smile that raised her cheeks, squeezing her teary eyes.

    ¡°For what is worth, I''m sorry. If only I could rewind time..."

    "The important thing is to keep things straight from now on. It''s a new world and we can count only on our friends and family."

    Grace nodded, half-smiling. "Remember to scold Lizzie likewise hard when she cheats on her homework. I¡¯ll go change and help Dmitri prepare lunch. C¡¯mon, you old bastard, I know you¡¯re eavesdropping.¡±

    ¡°Mazeltov,¡± the Greek saluted. ¡°I¡¯m glad you two¡­ or should I say four? have finally come to your senses.¡±

    A few moments after Grace went up the stairs, a notification arrived.

    For daring to pursue your heart¡¯s desires declaring your love to Isla, doing the honorable thing of repairing a broken promise to Cora, and putting your foot in the door to make things straight in your relationship with Grace, I, The Warlord, award you, Rowan Allinder, 3 APs. For losing the confrontation, Grace Allinder will have her secondary Class and Perks readjusted.

    The Warlord wishes you to have a good marriage, for marriage is a battle.

 30: Searching for Action

    The lost nights¡ªhers and Isla¡¯s fault¡ª had taken a heavy toll on Rowan. He yawned all the time during breakfast, and then excused himself and went up back to sleep. The hardest thing, for Grace, was to leave him some space. She yearned to go and ask: Do you still love me?

    An awkward silence descended around the living room, and she resolved to gather the dishes, to avoid the embarrassment of looking into Cora¡¯s eyes. Oblivious to the unease floating in the air, Lizzie¡¯s happiness shone through her eyes and merry voice.

    ¡°Auntie Cora, what do you think about the schedule?¡±

    Cora fondled the girl¡¯s head. It looks great, Lizzie. Everybody will have a fair share of Rowan¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hugs!¡± Grace hissed.

    ¡°Hugs.¡±

    [Grace to Cora]: She¡¯s six, for goodness¡¯ sake. Don¡¯t you dare mention anything but hugs around her, or so I swear, I¡¯ll¡ª

    [Cora to Grace]: Sure, err¡­ how should I call you now: Big Sister? Madam? Older Wife?

    The Nekojin¡¯s face looked sincere, so either she was truly candid or hid her sarcasm well.

    [Grace to Cora]: Call me Grace.

    ¡°You¡¯re free today, right, Cora?¡± she continued aloud.

    ¡°Yes, why?¡±

    ¡°A family shares the good, the bad, and the chores. Are you ready to join the latter?¡±

    ¡°Sure, what do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Take care of Lizzie and ask Dmitri about the ways of this house. Chores rotation, everything.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll show you my routine, it¡¯s easy,¡± the Greek promised. ¡°You¡¯re going somewhere, Grace?¡±

    ¡°To train. I don¡¯t want to be left behind. Sweetie, Auntie Cora will take care of you today. Show her what a blessing is to babysit a six-year-old.?¡± Kissing Lizzie on the forehead after whispering the last words in the girl¡¯s ear, Grace exited the house and beckoned to Bree, who was on the last legs of her twenty-hour shift and fretted around some rose bush in the garden.

    ¡°Is that a Princess Marga¡ª"

    ¡°Ask Dmitri, he planted them. I need to clear my head, lose myself in something... anything. Are there any quests around?¡±

    ¡°I know the feeling¡­ There are those moments in a marriage when you wish to get far and forget everything.¡±

    ¡°You also have two co-wives, or whatever this shit is called?¡±

    ¡°Nope, but we argued a lot in the past, when Sam lost his job, and¡­ sorry, not your problem. I¡¯m taking a look at the party search. There is a call for clearing a Mini Dungeon, level fifty-five. Two more free spots on the team¡­ You want me to come with you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re free? I mean, you worked a lot, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good, sweet plum. I¡¯m used to hard work, and if I come for a quest, I¡¯ll be free for the week. OK, we¡¯re on. I booked us on, for the job. My shift will be here in five, and then we can rock and roll¡­ So, you sort it out, in the end, huh?¡±

    Grace sulked, crossing her arms. Yes, things have been sorted out, albeit not like she wanted. She summoned the notification, just to check if she remembered it right.

    Grace Garcia Larmontel has lost a battle of sexual and mind manipulation. Nine stacks of Negative Karma have been detected. A Karma dice roll had been applied by I, The Warlord to consume them.

    Consequences:

    Your Sexy and Dangerous Perk has been lowered from Legendary to Epic tier and will only work on hostile targets.

    Aphrodisiacs and Seduction have become mild buff passives that can be applied only to friendly targets, with their consent.

    The System had determined that the Assassin class is not fit for you. Change it to something more suitable. The available options have been selected judging on your past performances. Choose wisely.

    I, The Warlord wish you to learn from your mistakes because remorse is a battle.

    She had not yet looked at the new options, so she tried to raise the menu, but Bree touched her arm. ¡°We can go, my shift is here.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± Grace looked around.

    ¡°In some tree, he¡¯s a Ninja¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, well¡­ everything is possible now. Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll go to the Border, then the Core will open a portal to Huntingdon, and we drive for forty miles to Rothrock State Forest. It¡¯s in Pennsylvania. We need a ride, by the way.¡±

    Grace nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s take my car. Do you mind driving? I need to adjust my build.¡±

    ¡°No problem. Automatic, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Point and shoot.¡±

    ¡°Perfect.¡±

    Going inside the vehicle, Bree started the car and drove north, while Grace leaned her chair back, and closed her eyes.

    Choose a new Secondary Class:

    1: Sniper (Rare). A master of camouflage and picking valuable targets. Main Stat: DEX

    2: Gunslinger (Rare): Short Range AoE discipline. Discharges flurries of shots to clear ads or inflict DOTs on multiple enemies. Main Stat: DEX

    3: Tactician (Epic): Available because of your Tactical Planning Perk. You can develop into a valuable field general. Albeit underestimated in favor of Strategists, a Tactician is the one winning the Battles. Main Stat: INT

    Thinking back, Grace didn¡¯t like the Assassin class at all. It was imposed by conjuncture. Now, the logical choice was clear: Tactician, but her heart was drawn to Gunslinger because she liked shooting. But fun was not as important as helping Rowan, and being together. He owed him one, for all her wrongdoings, so she sighed and went for Tactician.

    ¡°When my kids were toddlers, and we lost our house, I worked as an erotic camgirl for a year. That allowed us to buy our camping trailer. I felt¡­ dirty, and we argued a lot about it, but we survived. Don¡¯t whip yourself too hard, we all have our skeletons in closets.¡±

    Grace stared at Bree for a second, swallowing a lump. The Ranger had misinterpreted Grace¡¯s sigh, yet she had hit the target. What Grace did, tricking Isla and Rowan, for her own sake, was foul. Having sex with Isla, using her seduction abilities on both her best friend and Rowan? Dirty was the nicest word for it¡­ But at least, now, that was water under the bridge.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she fondled the Ranger¡¯s shoulder, tears flowing down her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re a good friend.¡±

    ¡°Pleasure. You know what? Let¡¯s socialize more. As soon we find a proper house, come visit. Our kids are the same age.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you living in one of those mansions in the Central Square?¡± Grace jerked her head back.

    ¡°Not anymore. We moved back into the VR. Have you seen the size of the bathrooms? And no open space? Who build those damn¡¯ things, some European?¡±

    ¡°Worse. Cora. That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t move into the official mansion. The kitchen is in the basement, and we¡¯re supposed to have servants to bring the food up. I don¡¯t want to have servants, I want to cook myself and socialize with our guests while at that. Do you know Cora pees in a litter and dislikes water? She has an ultrasound shower in her room, some weird tech stuff¡­ Sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have ratted¡­¡± Grace covered her cheeks.

    ¡°That explains a lot of things¡­ however, she¡¯s a sweet girl. Give her a chance.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Grace sighed.

    ¡°Try harder. Friendship, relationships, and decency are the only things holding the world together. Cora could have just shot me when we met, but¡­¡±

    A little dirty alien¡­ but cute, I¡¯ll give her that¡­ And she¡¯s not holding grudges¡­ guess we¡¯ll have to learn to be friends¡­ Grace thought, Bree¡¯s words fading from her ears for a moment, then reappearing again.

    ¡°Sam is thinking of getting a farm around here. The mana-infused potatoes are a good crop,¡± Bree¡¯s voice appeared in her ears again.

    ¡°The County will pay for it,¡± Grace said on autopilot, looking outside.

    It was the same road where the Battle had been fought, a few weeks prior, and her heart skipped a beat. Then, the blue portal appeared and they passed through seamlessly, appearing on another mountain road, with snow around. Bree turned on the heating, but Grace extracted a pullover from her spatial inventory, just in case.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange that every mini-dungeon we found was in a forest?¡± Bree asked.

    ¡°Cora says the ship teleported them by design into remote areas, to avoid detection. Sorry, I need a moment to check my stats.¡±

    Grace returned to her Character Menu. It didn¡¯t look great. She had joined Rowan for claiming a mini-dungeon Core, once, and leveled to forty-five, but had been too preoccupied with her promiscuous nightly activities to invest in builds.

    Name: Grace Allinder, Class: Seer/Tactician, Level 45 (10 free APs)

    STR: 15 / DEX: 29 / CON: 50 / INT: 31 / WIL: 25 / CHA: 31

    Fuck¡­ I need INT, but don¡¯t have enough APs¡­

    The wise choice would have been to wait, but Grace felt the urge to throw the ten free APs into Strength and then inspected her perks.

    NEW! Strength perk, Threshold 1, Seer: Sure Body, Sure Mind. Ignore all CC effects that don¡¯t have a strong Physical component: Blindness, Daze, Confusion, Disorientation, Deafness, Hypnosis, etc. Active effect: uses your Seer senses instead of your vision or hearing, but consumes 5 Mana /second.

    NEW! Strength Perk, Threshold 1, Tactician: Handler: You have better control of weapons and can dual-wield heavier versions, both in ranged and melee combat. Improves aim, stability, and balance. Synergizes with WIL and DEX first threshold Perks.

    Dexterity Perk, Threshold 1, Seer: + 25% damage with ranged weapons. You can See weak spots and have a +25% chance of delivering Critical Damage to them.

    CHANGED! Dexterity Perk, Threshold 1, Tactician: Anticipates the enemies'' movements. +25% to Parry and Evade.

    Constitution Perk, Threshold 1+2, Seer: Enhanced Toughness +50% Physical Resistances, immune to small arms bullets.

    MODIFIED! Constitution Perk, Threshold 1, Tactician: Synergic Additive. Adds +25% Physical Resistance to Seer¡¯s CON perks 1+2 by consuming 5 Mana/second.

    MODIFIED! Constitution Perk, Threshold 2, Tactician: Blood Gift - Sexy and Dangerous (Epic perk)

    Grace already knew what that CON perk did so she skipped it. It was time for her Magical stats.

    Intelligence Perk, Threshold 1, Seer: Manager. From businesses to logistics, your daughter''s chores, or homework, you have a knack for organizing things.

    ENHANCED! Intelligence Perk, Threshold 1, Tactician: Enhanced Tactical Planning. You can put up a plan for attack or retreat in mere seconds, for a party or an army.

    Will Perk, Threshold 1, Seer: You have better control of your body and emotions when under stress. Useful both in combat and for your private life.

    MODIFIED! Will Perk, Threshold 1, Tactician: Resolve. You have the patience to apply your plans, despite the obstacles in your path. You don¡¯t lose hope easily. + 25% Mental Resistance.

    Charisma Perk, Threshold 1, Seer: Trustworthy: When your intuitions are true, your words can convince others about their truthfulness.

    <strong style="color: rgba(53, 152, 219, 1)">MODIFIED! <strong style="color: rgba(53, 152, 219, 1)">Charisma Perk, Threshold 1, Tactician: Bespoke<strong style="color: rgba(53, 152, 219, 1)"> Attraction. You have gone to great lengths to ensnare the man you love. Despite your not-so-good actions, the intentions were true. You and your husband, Rowan Allinder, have an increased mutual attraction and connection, both physical and mental. This can translate into an intense love life, endearing family activities, or high-quality stage performances.

    The last perk almost made her cry, but Grace forced herself to sobriety. And it was time, there was a police roadblock just ahead.

    ¡°Hi, are you with the Classed team?¡± a policewoman asked when Bree stopped.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness! Godspeed, can¡¯t wait to get rid of it.¡±

    ¡°That was a friendly welcome,¡± Grace stated as they drove on.

    ¡°According to the mission¡¯s brief, this dungeon was discovered a while ago, but the government kept the information under the lid. They sent the Army to clear it, and failed, then tried with the Neeks, and failed again. Now that the government is gone, the local authorities cut a deal with us, they want the Dungeon gone. It¡¯s near a huge college campus and cuts the main communication roads. A lot of college nerds tried to clear the dungeon as well and got killed. The good thing is this dungeon lets you get out if you feel like it. OK, here we are.¡±

    The car slowed and parked near two other cars, a minivan and a 4x4. Next to the road, on a clearing covered in snow, people trained. There was Carla, two Asian men, one in Samurai armor, and a tall blonde Grace could recognize from a mile away. The Vampire who had kissed Grace, giving her the Blood Gift.

    ¡°What¡¯s she doing here?¡± she blurted, trying to extract her handgun from the spatial storage. Which was not quite organized, as instead of the gun, there was first a purse, falling out, then another purse, various makeup items, a pair of nylon socks, some sexy underwear she kept at hand for¡­ a more speedy approach to her and Rowan¡¯s dalliances, a pack of cigarettes she used to smoke in secret, once in a blue moon¡­ and the deluge stopped there because Bree caught her hand.

    ¡°Hold your horses, sweet plum. She¡¯s our ally now.¡±

    Grace braced herself for a yelling argument, but after inhaling deeply, she relented. Bree was right. ¡°I forgot. You know her?¡±

    ¡°I forgot. You know her?¡±

    ¡°We worked together for the last couple of weeks. She trained us, hasn¡¯t Rowan told you?¡±

    No, because he fell asleep every single minute he could catch alone¡­ My fault¡­ mine and Isla¡¯s.

    Thinking of Rowan made her miss him so much that she had to call, never mind waking him up. ¡°Hi, honey,¡± she blurted as soon as he answered.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ Hi¡­¡± his sleepy voice said.

    ¡°I¡¯m going with Bree on an adventure. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be safe¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ for what I did.¡±

    ¡°Water under the bridge. I''m happy we cleared with storm together¡­ I really want to make this relationship work,¡± his voice suddenly got revived.

    ¡°Thank you... Me too¡­ Have to go¡­ love you.¡± Closing the phone, Grace busied picking up the mess she created from the car¡¯s floor, avoiding Bree¡¯s amused gaze. Finally, she exited the car, shivering under the colder weather.

    ¡°Use your movement Perks, you fucking rookies,¡± the blonde Vampire yelled. ¡°Like this!¡± she demonstrated a lightning-fast move, forward and backward.

    ¡°Are those our guys?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Never saw them before.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re working together with the other towns to gather cores,¡± Bree said. ¡°We help there, they help here.¡±

    ¡°The Countess?¡± the Vampire frowned. ¡°Come here.¡± The Vampire grabbed Grace by the elbow, pulling her behind the car. ¡°What have you done with my gift? Downgraded to Epic?¡±

    ¡°I have my stats displayed?¡± Grace frowned.

    ¡°No, but my Inspect is unbeatable, I¡¯m a Scout. I don¡¯t need you to tell me how it happened, you have the Warlord¡¯s mark all over you. Keep a low profile, people, don¡¯t you realize he can end you with a wink? OK¡­ let me see¡­ well, at least you kept your offensive capabilities.

    "You do have some body armor, right? How about a bow and arrows? This is a Goblinoid dungeon, we need stealth, or we will be overwhelmed in no time. No guns, too noisy. You have five minutes to prepare.¡±

    Sighing, Grace fiddled around in her inventory, finally extracting her bow and quiver, medium body armor, and a light leather helmet. She managed to get ready in four minutes.

    ¡°Accept the party invite and let¡¯s go!¡± the Vampire yelled. ¡°Just follow my orders and everything will be fine.¡± She reminded Grace of Isla, only colder and meaner, and by far not so sexy. Much too skinny and pale.

 31: A True Dungeon - 1

    With Bree leading, and the Vampire at the rear, near Grace, the party entered the Mini-Dungeon and the air became warmer all of a sudden.

    [Victoria Blackswarm]: From now on, we only use the chat. Don¡¯t make noises, those little monsters have good hearing. Bree, use your tracking sense and guide us.

    The Ranger nodded, and raised her head, inhaling deeply. Gesturing with two fingers to the right, she entered the forest. They walked for five minutes without finding anything.

    [Grace Allinder]: How big is this thing?

    [Victoria Blackswarm]: Five square miles. That¡¯s why we need Bree to find them.

    [Bree the Ranger]: There¡¯s a group three hundred feet ahead. About a dozen.

    [Victoria Blackswarm]: Bree, go around, cut their retreat. I¡¯ll taunt them, the rest, go for the kill.

    While Bree diverted her steps to the left, the group continued on their path. Then, the Vampire raised her hand in the air, palm up, a stopping gesture. Grace noticed she had no weapon.

    [Victoria Blackswarm]: Take cover and wait for my signal.

    Advancing twenty more steps, the Vampire sat on a stump, untied her hair, and pulled up her skirt, to reveal a shapely leg.

    ¡°Ouch¡­.¡± she wailed, holding her ankle. ¡°I¡¯m huuuurt.¡±

    Out of nowhere, a group of knee-high greenish creatures wearing only a skimpy loincloth, popped up from the tall grass, surrounding the woman.

    ¡°What¡¯s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?¡± one of them croaked.

    ¡°Here, gorgeous, have a smoke,¡± another produced a cigarette and a lighter.

    ¡°A massage is all you need for a twisted ankle,¡± a third said, starting to hump Victoria¡¯s leg, like a stupid dog in heat. The rest of the monsters started to fight among them, probably to decide who was next in line to make a pass at the blonde. Grace¡¯s jaw was wide open, and her senses were screaming in disbelief.

    ¡°Thank you, a smoke is exactly what I need,¡± Victoria said. Grabbing the monster¡¯s wrist, he snatched him up in the air, smashing the green thing onto the one adoring her leg, and killing them both in the process. She skewered another two with a thin sword appearing out of nowhere, which she used to cut the throat of a fifth creature.

    The surviving monsters tried to flee, only to be met by the Samurai¡¯s sword, the other Asian man¡¯s polearm, and Carla¡¯s arrows. One did manage to get behind the trees, but Bree caught and killed him, and then exited the forest.

    Your group has slain a Goblin Spawn party, level 55. You have leveled x5. Two APs were invested in CHA, INT, and DEX. You have 5 free APs to distribute. Loot acquired: Dirty Loincloth. Soiled Loincloth. Makeshift Spear x 2.

    ¡°Too bad the XP will diminish soon,¡± the Samurai whispered.

    ¡°I told you to keep silent,¡± the Vampire hissed. ¡°Where¡¯s your mojo-dojo discipline.¡±

    ¡°Bushido, madam. It¡¯s called Bushido.¡±

    ¡°Give the kid some slack,¡± Bree said.

    ¡°Yeah, at least he did kill some. What about you? I didn¡¯t think you were a freeloader,¡± Victoria addressed Grace. ¡°You froze, or what?¡±

    ¡°This is wrong,¡± Grace shook her head.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like violence? Then why are you dungeoning?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s something wrong with this place. Those can¡¯t be monsters, they''re sentients"

    ¡°It''s a known fact Goblinoid Spawn is obsessed with sex," Victoria said. "Dungeons can create constructs that appear as real as the real thing."

    "The first one used a human catchphrase, and I had a vision with many of them watching TV."

    The Vampire grabbed her chin, pondering things. "Very well. I¡¯ll pay attention to their behavior if that keeps you calm.¡±

    A moment later, a horn call resounded far above the hill.

    ¡°They''re onto us. Prepare for battle,¡± Victoria yelled.

    Like clockwork, the team moved to have their back covered by a large rock formation, with Bree in front, the two Asians on the sides, and the rest behind. Grace struggled to put the string on her bow and set the quiver on her back. It wasn¡¯t a comfortable position, but a hip quiver was more inconvenient if she had to run around.

    A first wave of twenty monsters rushed at them from nowhere. The creatures looked surprised themselves, stopping and chatting, which proved an error, as Bree and her two companions killed half of them in the next second. Grace managed to put an arrow in one goblin, and Carla in two, then Victoria slid forward and killed the rest.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Your group has slain a Goblin Spawn band, level 55. You have leveled x5. You have 10 free APs to distribute. Loot acquired: Soiled Loincloth x2, Makeshift Bow x 1.

    There were some horn calls and shouts around, not far away, and then a few arrows arrived to harass them. Not strong, or precise. Bree produced a big shield to protect the Asians, and Victoria invoked a sort of energy dome, protecting herself, Carla, and Grace.

    Two groups advanced now from both sides. Bigger foes, human-sized, wearing armor, armed with better spears or longbows. They stopped at fifty yards, taking cover in the grass or behind mounds of earth or trees, yelping a lot among themselves, and shooting an arrow or javelin here and there.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Grace yelled, feeling panic mounting in her throat together with bile.

    ¡°We wait!¡± Victoria ordered. ¡°If we move they¡¯ll surround us in the open.¡±

    Fortunately, the monsters hesitated to attack as well. There were some arrows shot, again, but that was all. Grace took her time to aim and got a monster through the eye. Carla got another.

    Your group has slain Orcling, Lvl. 55 x2. Minor XP gained. No loot.

    The foes took better cover, then half, on each side, ran away, while the others began to shoot arrows at a faster pace. In the distance, other large groups were passing by at a running pace but were not trying to join the fight.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of them,¡± Bree said.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Victoria sneered. "I¡¯ll take one group, you take the others.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sure¡­¡± Grace swallowed her words, under the blonde woman''s stare.

    ¡°Go!¡± Victoria shouted, sliding forward at an incredible speed.

    On their side, Bree dashed toward the right, covering herself with the tower shield the best she could. Grace and Carla tried to pick the enemy¡¯s archers, as they popped out of cover to shoot at the Ranger. The Samurai and the polearm guy followed Bree, behind the cover she provided.

    Killing three Orcling archers attracted the monsters¡¯ attention, and arrows started to flee at Grace and Carla. The two women ducked behind the rock formation, Grace feeling an arrow graze her cheek.

    You have been inflicted with Poison DOT¡­ DOT has ceased.

    Bree and the men were doing short work of the Orcling group.

    ¡°Your class name makes no sense,¡± the Samurai said to Bree. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to Range, not tank.¡±

    ¡°You want range? Here is range,¡± Bree replied, grabbing a wounded Orcling by the ankle and throwing it in a wide arch. It fell on the last surviving monster on Victoria¡¯s side, who delivered the coup de grace with her rapier.

    Your group has slain Orcling x 20. You have Leveled x 3. Loot: Shabby loincloth. Suggestion: combine it with a chic dress to achieve a perfect Shabby-Chic style.

    ¡°No thanks,¡± Grace said through her clenched teeth.

    ¡°Levels!¡± Victoria screamed.

    ¡°Sixty-two,¡± Bree said. ¡°Fifty-nine,¡± and ¡°Same,¡± replied the two Asians. ¡°Fifty-six,¡± Carla. Finally, Grace yelled: ¡°Fifty-eight!¡±

    ¡°We need to reach sixty for everyone. We disband the party. Bree, you¡¯re with me, the rest make a new team, and we¡¯ll goad some toward you. Stay here.¡±

    Fortunately, Carla took care of sending the invitation, Grace had no experience with that. Five minutes later, like a herd of sheep pushed by shepherd dogs, groups of Goblin Spawn and Orclings started to appear, yelping in distress. Grace shot all her arrows in less than a minute. Carla threw her bow down and unsheathed a knight''s sword. She was better with it than with the bow, which put Grace to shame, as she remembered she was stronger than the Italian not long ago. Taking a makeshift spear in hand, Grace tried to help here and there, where her Tactician senses told her she would make a difference.

    The chaos ceased twenty minutes after the Vampire had given the orders. Grace was level sixty-one.

    ¡°Strength,¡± Victoria ordered to Bree. ¡°Strength, Toughness, DEX,¡± she continued with the two men and Carla. Finally, stopping in front of Grace, she frowned for a second. ¡°Go for INT and share your choices with me.¡±

    It was clear what Victoria meant. Keeping one AP for later, Grace pushed fifteen into INT and shared the notification.

    The second threshold in Intelligence was achieved. Please choose your perks.

    Second perk for the Seer class:

    1: True Path. You Instinctively feel what choices are right or wrong.

    2: Stock Market Player. Your acumen for investing money could earn you millions. If only you were connected to the Intergalactic Stock Market.

    Second perk for the Tactician class:

    1: Where it Hurts (Legendary). You can detect the main weaknesses in an enemy¡¯s army and deliver a decisive blow.

    2: The How and the Why. You understand the deep nature of your Tactical choices and the consequences they have. A step toward becoming a Strategist.

    ¡°First Perk, for both. The Legendary is priceless, and it''s better to be a good Tactician than a half-backed Strategist.¡±

    Grace nodded and selected the Perks as instructed.

    ¡°What should I choose,¡± the Samurai asked.

    Victoria¡¯s nose and upper lip creased, revealing her fangs. She was going to say something unpleasant, Grace was sure of it. With her new perks, so many details were now obvious. The Samurai, a young man, was yearning for the Vampire¡¯s attention, his puckering face like a child¡¯s. She grabbed Victoria¡¯s arm before the blonde started to speak.

    ¡°He likes you,¡± Grace whispered in the Vampire¡¯s ear.

    There was a jerk and a hesitation. ¡°Go for the cutting perk.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the Samurai cheered up.

    ¡°Is it OK if I take the attack speed?¡± the other man asked.

    ¡°Take the parry. We¡¯ll need it¡­ OK, guys, and girls, listen up, I have bad news. This can¡¯t be a mini-dungeon, they''re too many. We¡¯re in a real dungeon. The Mana in this area must be thicker, allowing it to activate. The good news is: it¡¯s low level and has only one floor. The bad news is that hundreds of monsters ignored us, and some sacrificed to keep us in place. That means only one thing: there¡¯s another team in the dungeon, probably assaulting the main Boss as we speak.¡±

    ¡°And if they get their hands on the core, it¡¯s bad, right?¡± Grace asked.

    ¡°Of course. We have to investigate. Bree, take the lead.¡±

    They started running, following the Ranger uphill. Grace promised herself to invest in Strength and Constitution, at some point. Running was not her forte. Ten minutes later, they reached a forested ridge and took a peek over it, lying down.

 32: A True Dungeon â€“ 2

    There was a gentle slope flowing downward, a meadow, and five hundred feet away, a fortress, a wooden palisade surrounded by a ditch, on top of an earthwork, nothing fancy. Inside the fortifications, huts, and longhouses.

    Hundreds of monsters defended their village against a team of six attackers, with more bands of creatures coming from behind, launching themselves at the six warriors.

    ¡°Sweet Saint Patrick, who are those?¡± Bree gasped.

    Her interjection made Grace take a personal note to ask Bree if she was Irish. But later. For now, there were more pressing matters: the other team. Wearing armor that made them look like a hybrid between Predator and medieval knights, they kept advancing, turning the monsters into minced meat. They had machine guns, lasers, forcefields, lances, and shining swords, but also a way to fight that didn¡¯t allow for any opening. Step by step, they moved forward.

    ¡°Intergalactic mercenaries,¡± Victoria said. ¡°Former special forces, all of them, none lower than Legendary in tier. This is worse than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Do we retreat?¡± Bree asked.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask the Tactician? Do we have a chance to take them on? Keep in mind we have only secondary heals¡±

    Grace pondered whether to dare, trying to get things right in her mind. For sure, she missed Rowan, and she¡¯d give a hand for him to be near. ¡°We have all Rezzes, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Victoria said. ¡°But if we attract the Warlord¡¯s attention, those Rezzes ain¡¯t worth diddly-squat.¡±

    Pausing again, Grace stared again at the battlefield. It wasn¡¯t like she suddenly got smarter, and knowledgeable in warfare, no. Her new abilities were still crude, imperfect, and in need of training. But one thing she was able to do was to compare things to what she knew:

    The troops¡¯ positioning was similar to an orchestra, with the conductor as the leader. There was a shaman, in the goblins¡¯ camp, surrounded by Orcs and large monsters looking like the Trolls of Legends, who gave orders around, and threw lightning and fireballs at the besiegers.

    And there was a certain mercenary, in the middle of the other group, who barely fought at all, but was protected by the rest, and moved in one direction or another before the team moved. A Healer? Maybe, but the leader for sure.

    [Grace to Victoria]: What if you get into the Interdimensional Space and put some iron in someone¡¯s body?

    [Victoria to Grace]: What?

    [Grace to Victoria]: You know, like Rowan. He goes into the fourth dimension, puts something into someone¡¯s body, and when it lets go, that person is killed.

    [Victoria to Grace]: What are you talking about? That¡¯s not possible. You can¡¯t put things into people from the in-between, it¡¯s not how this works.

    [Grace to Victoria]: It¡¯s exactly how it works for Rowan. Never mind that. Our objective is not to get the core but to deny it to the mercenaries. Another of our teams can come later and claim it.

    [Victoria to Grace]: I see¡­ I could sneak up, re-enter our space, and take out the leader. Could be worth a shot. I¡¯ll be dead as soon, though, it takes some time to go back in the in-between.

    [Grace to Victoria]: Take down the main tank. It¡¯s the next best target, and you¡¯ll be able to retreat.

    The Vampire nodded and produced a cigarette. ¡°Follow Grace¡¯s orders,¡± she said, lightened the smoke, and vanished.

    ¡°Who among you has guns?¡± Grace asked.

    Bree showed her a forty-five caliber and Carla a scoped rifle. Grace followed her example and extracted her sniper rifle from the inventory, after a bit of struggle to find it.

    ¡°As soon as Victoria makes her move, we shoot at that guy¡­ gal, whatever, in the center. Aim at the helmet, if possible.¡±

    ¡°I wish a revolver could hit so far,¡± Bree shrugged.

    ¡°Just try.¡±

    ¡°What about us,¡± the Samurai asked.

    ¡°Protect us as much as you can,¡± Grace said, hiding her fear, hoping her Rezz worked if things turned bad.

    Faster than anticipated, Victoria appeared next to the mercenary team, and the one in front waved his arms like a seagull its wings and collapsed, spraying blood from its neck. Victoria slid back on her forcefield, distancing herself. Two of them followed her, exchanging blows, but then returned to their position as Grace¡¯s bullets hit their leader¡¯s helm.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    The blonde disappeared again, and the mercenaries changed their target and charged uphill, very fast, some gliding above the ground. Projectiles started to mow the trees around. Carla vanished, as a bullet hit her chest. Then, a cloud of arrows hit the mercenaries straight on. There were monsters on their right, Grace realized, and they had understood her tactic. All had shot at the same target, the mercenary leader, an arrow was stuck in its helm, deep in an eye socket.

    Yet the mercenaries kept coming, even the wounded leader now shooting. Throwing herself down, Grace started to shoot blindly, over her head, activating her Sure Body, Sure Mind perk. It was working, she could hear the impacts, but the aim was not great, though, because of the awkward position. The mercenaries were now thirty feet away, and she prepared to be killed, and if all went well, Rezzed.

    Bree erupted up, roaring, doubled in size, and dashed at the enemies. Two mercenaries standing in her path were thrown away like rag dolls while she kept going, soaking projectiles, and then she grabbed the third, the leader, slamming it into the ground, twisting the helmet to hit face down. The arrow went deeper, and the mercenary, as well as the Ranger, dissolved and disappeared.

    Out of bullets, Grace threw the rifle and searched her handgun, extricating a leather purse, instead of it. I must clean my inventory.

    A shadow, an armor, was above her, a bayonet made of light appearing out of the barrel. Instinctively, she swung her purse at the enemy, hitting it in the face. To her surprise, the mercenary let his rifle go, picking up the purse and throwing it behind.

    He thinks it¡¯s a grenade¡­

    A blade pierced the mercenary shoulder, Victoria¡¯s, coming from behind, and the Samurai beheaded the foe with a swing of his sword that went through the armor like through paper.

    ¡°I sure could use a healing potion,¡± the Vampire mumbled, collapsing on the rusted leaves, heavily bleeding from the chest, above her heart.

    Fuck, Grace thought, emptying all her inventory, and revealing anything¡ªincluding tampons¡ªbut a healing potion. And she needed one too, she realized when she tried to stand up and fail. A deep wound in her calf bled profusely. There was an arrow there.

    ¡°Sorry, some of the spawn are terrible shooters,¡± a voice said.

    A huge hand slammed on Grace, pinning her to the ground, face down and another hand did the same with the Samurai, ignoring the sword that went through its flesh and bones, all through.

    ¡°Relax, we¡¯re friendly,¡± the voice repeated.

    ¡°That is to be seen,¡± a deep voice grumbled.

    ¡°Neutral, then. I¡¯ll heal the blonde first, she¡¯s tethering on the brink here.¡± The Shaman, the leader of the village, had appeared nearby and was healing Victoria, Grace saw with the corner of her eyes. As the blonde¡¯s breath stabilized, he turned to Grace.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± The arrow extraction had hurt. But the Healing was awesome, a flush of minty fresh energy flowing through her body.

    ¡°Behave, or I¡¯ll bump your heads together,¡± the giant restraining both Grace and the Samurai said, letting them go free. After pulling out the sword from its hand, the monster offered it back and the warrior sheathed it.

    Grace looked around. The polearm guy was nowhere, so she supposed he was killed at some point. The notification showed good news.

    Your Party has slain x3 Intergalactic Mercenaries, Lvl. 100. For killing foes of a vastly superior level and tier, you gained 1 AP/kill.

    You have defeated: the Mercenary Team, Lvl. 100 6 AP awarded.

    You have leveled x 12. You have 19 free APs to allocate. 2 extra APs have been automatically distributed to CHA, INT, and DEX.

    She was now level seventy-three.

    ¡°Your tag says Allinder. Are you related to the Rowan Allinder monster?¡±

    She stared at the Shaman for a second, then at Victoria, who shrugged, palms up. True, who was a monster depended on the point of view. ¡°I¡¯m Grace, Rowan¡¯s wife,¡± she offered a handshake.

    The Shaman looked at it befuddled, but the giant nearby took her hand and smelled it. ¡°See? Told you. The monsters have a matriarchy. The wife fights the important battles, and the husband takes care of the home chores and the small fish,¡± the Troll told the Shaman, who sulked.

    ¡°How do you know about us?¡± Grace inquired.

    ¡°TV, of course,¡± the Troll said. ¡°Your husband is infamous, every other talk show is about him.¡±

    ¡°And you are?¡± Victoria asked, raising up with a little help from the Samurai.

    ¡°Fenrri Gugvid, Ogre, at your service, and this is my husband, Snemc, the orc Shaman¡± the woman answered. ¡°Our clan has been sentenced to forced labor in the dungeons, for various petty crimes.¡±

    So, Ogres, not Trolls. Whatever.

    A vision entered Grace''s head. Ogres littering, goblins humping legs, and orcs getting involved in bar brawls. ¡°What happened with the other mercenaries?¡±

    ¡°They flew away when the horde attacked. Bloody jetpacks¡­¡±

    The Vampire creased her nose. It might have been the displeasure at hearing the enemies had escaped, or just a reaction to the hundreds of greenish creatures surrounding and staring at them from a safe distance.

    ¡°You¡¯re here for the core, right?¡± the Shaman asked.

    ¡°We¡­ were, but didn¡¯t know you were sentient. I¡­ we believed this was a mini-dungeon,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the real deal.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ we¡¯re sorry for attacking your people¡­ will they¡­¡±

    ¡°Rezz? Some. Our facilities are limited. It was a big dungeon, originally, but the core managed to activate by reducing its size. There¡¯s a Mana leyline around. Let¡¯s get to the point. Those guys will be back. Or someone else. Your faction looks the most reasonable. What about we surrender, and you transform the dungeon into a City Core? Here would do just fine. We¡¯ll plead allegiance to you before the System,¡± the Shaman said. ¡°Win-win.¡±

    ¡°Will you allow safe passage for the neighboring Counties? We were hired to clear the road.¡±

    The two exchanged a few whispered words, then nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go outside and call my husband. He¡¯s the one who can use Cores.¡±

    ¡°See? Matriarchy. The wife calls the husband for the menial work. The monsters have a more advanced civilization than we thought,¡± the Ogre concluded, to the visible distress of the Shaman.

    Thirty minutes later, after probably driving like mad and a couple of Joint Trip: Warp, Rowan arrived and took care of the core, which awarded the team a swooping plus ten APs to the party. After taking a System-enforced Oath, the Shaman offered them a tour of the village. It reeked of outhouses, but the overall vibe was cozy. Before they finished the tour, a group of tourists, nerds from the nearby campus, flooded the goblin fortress, taking selfies and buying trinkets. Advertising was something the monsters did well, apparently, and they didn¡¯t tarry on humping on opportunities.

 33: What is Love?

    Considering his high WIL and long experience in dealing with challenges, Rowan had thought his nerves held better. Yet, the fateful hour of his first night with Cora approached fast, and his angst increased exponentially.

    And it wasn¡¯t like he was carefree, no. There were tons of things to do around. Playing with Lizzie, of course, but also organizing the livelihood of his new Goblinoid citizens, all nine hundred and sixty of them. Being so small, the new town core had been adopted as a subunit of Randolph County. Yet, the much bigger College Town to the north insisted on joining the party. It was a hard decision.

    ¡°That¡¯s my daddy!¡± Lizzie beamed, pointing at the TV screen.

    They had a TV connection now, courtesy of the new suburb. With this occasion, Dmitri had made a new friend, the Shaman, and they were watching the news together. A short clip, representing Rowan¡¯s beckoning moment, the one at the end of the battle with the Government and the Neeks, spread on the screen. It was now the top GIF in the world to convey the idea of a dangerous psychopath, way ahead of The Shining and the axe scene.

    ¡°So?¡± Someone shoved his shoulder, gently. It was Isla.

    ¡°Sorry, can you repeat?¡±

    ¡°What about Snemc doing our bonding ceremony? He¡¯s a Shaman.¡±

    ¡°What a good idea!¡± Rowan¡¯s eyes lightened. ¡°This will raise the morale of his people, it shows we respect them. Done. Will your parents be OK with it?¡±

    ¡°As long it¡¯s something flower power, they¡¯re good. And what¡¯s more flower power than a Shaman, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ well¡­ they¡¯re not exactly vegetarians, you know. They survived so long because of those stubborn students trying to claim the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°The cycle of life,¡± Isla shrugged. ¡°What about Cora?¡±

    ¡°We signed a contract at the Town Hall, yesterday. She¡¯s all functionality. It helped a lot that her¡­ our parents are dead. No one to pester us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Isla diverted her eyes, making his senses tingle, and then patted his thigh. ¡°OK, have to go. I work the night shift today. Good luck. You¡¯ll need it.¡±

    ¡°What do you know, that I don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to spoil the surprise.¡± Pecking his lips in a short kiss, Isla went away, letting Rowan follow the wall clock with his eyes.

    Almost nine o¡¯clock¡­ Fuuuck¡­ I¡¯m scared.

    Across the room, sitting on another couch, Cora was sipping him from the eyes, like counting the seconds.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already so late,¡± Snemc said. ¡°We better go, or my wife will kill me. Us. Everybody. She cooked a wild boar for tonight. You do eat boar, Dmitri?¡±

    ¡°Greeks are raised with boar soup in their baby bottle. I¡¯m bringing the wine,¡± the Greek picked up a couple of bottles. ¡°Bye all, cya tomorrow. I plan to party all night.¡±

    The Shaman and the Greek shook hands, waved, and were gone in the night.

    ¡°Are you feeling well, Lizzie?¡± Grace asked, feeling the child¡¯s forehead. ¡°You look tired.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ aaaahhhh¡­¡± Lizzie yawned.

    ¡°She¡¯s exhausted, I¡¯ll put her to bed.¡±

    As soon they were alone, the grin on Cora¡¯s face met her ears, on both sides. She waited a minute, to be sure no one was around anymore, and jumped in Rowan¡¯s lap, kissing him. ¡°We¡¯re so lucky! Go prepare, and let¡¯s meet in the master bedroom in fifteen minutes.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    She kissed him again and rushed to the stairs, climbing them two by two and letting out cheerful iii! -s every other second.

    C¡¯mon, Rowan, be a man! He tried to encourage himself. But that was the point. Could he be a man? He did care about Cora¡­ as a friend. Was the bridge to love passable? Shaking his head, he went up to the bedroom, took a shower, and dressed in his best pajamas.

    ¡°Yey!¡± Slamming the door behind her, Cora dashed into the room and jumped on the bed. ¡°Perfect. Sturdy enough¡­ Hm¡­¡± She stopped for a second, then jumped once more. ¡°Yeah. Sturdy enough. Come,¡± she patted the bed, after kneeling on it.

    Rowan sat on the edge, trying to think of a way forward.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Now, where are we?¡± Cora extracted a small notebook and a tiny pen from the pocket of her pajama. ¡°Kissing, checked. It¡¯s lovely. I¡¯ll give it a ten out of ten. What about¡­ the erogenous zones? Let¡¯s start with the ears. I¡¯ll kiss yours, and you kiss mine.¡±

    Throwing her arms around his neck, she proceeded to kiss his right ear with enthusiasm. Rowan felt akin to a little kitten washed by its mother. Cora¡¯s tongue was thin and reached well inside. He felt relieved that he had taken the time to wash his ears carefully.

    ¡°Too much saliva?¡± she stopped and asked.

    ¡°A bit¡­¡±

    ¡°How much a bit, in milliliters?¡± she asked, her notebook at the ready.

    ¡°How should I know? It was just a bit too much.¡±

    ¡°OK, let¡¯s say¡­ twenty-five percent less¡­ Now, nibbling.¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡± he yelled, as she bit his earlobe so hard it bled. He stopped from pushing her away at the last moment.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Let¡¯s talk Newtons¡­ no, forget it. On a scale of one to ten, how was it, and what¡¯s your desired level of pressure?¡±

    ¡°That was a ten, and a three would be¡­ Look, Cora, that¡¯s not how we, humans, do this,¡± he grabbed the notebook, and put it on the nightstand. ¡°We kiss, and cuddle, and touch each other, until we feel comfortable to get more¡­ intimate. This Nekojin style is a little too Brainiac-like for me. You did all this quiz routine with every partner?¡±

    Lowering her head, Cora looked away, blushing. ¡°I n-never had another partner¡­ b-before¡­ Nekojin INT b-builds m-mate for life and n-never do¡­ t-things b-before the m-marriage¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Rowan blurted, slapping his mouth and jerking his body back. ¡°Cora! This is wrong. What if I¡¯m not the right person for you?¡± A terrible thought passed his brain with the fierceness of a bullet and he facepalmed again. ¡°Fuck¡­ How could I not think about it¡­ Are you an adult?¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m an adult, you moron,¡± she sulked letting herself fall back on the bed, arms crossed. ¡°We¡¯re allowed to marry at sixteen, in our culture. But our years are longer. I¡¯m twenty-one in your years.¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness¡­ Let¡¯s not rush it, OK? Baby steps¡­ Baby steps.¡±

    Stretching her arm toward the nightstand, Cora picked up the notebook and threw it at his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was doing, genius. Make up your mind: am I going to slow, or too fast?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ True, you were doing just that¡­ But I meant baby steps, like romantically. Are you really sure you love me?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Cora sighed and stopped for a second. ¡°I don¡¯t know, OK? Logic says we¡¯re a perfect match. I do feel¡­ excited near you,¡± she blushed. ¡°But I always imagined love to be something¡­ different. Like a hammer hitting your head, and you know instantly¡­¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡­ remember, in the ship, when we first met, and you hit my head on the door and I fainted?¡± Slowing his words, Rowan felt a claw grabbing his heart. What if that had been a sign?

    ¡°I have no idea what true love is, but know if there is such a thing,¡± she grabbed his neck, pulling him toward her, ¡°I want it to be with you, and I¡¯m willing to try to find out.¡±

    They kissed, a long kiss, and he had to admit she was right. Their kisses were a ten out of ten. So sweet¡­ ¡°What about I show you how we do things, slowly, and you stop me at any moment you feel it¡¯s too much? Is this OK?¡±

    Cora nodded, covering her eyes with her hands. He took out the top of his pajama, and unbuttoned hers, one button at a time. Her skin was deliciously smooth. Kissing her neck, then the nipples, and taking his sweet time there, Rowan descended step by step toward the button belly. She had one, so that was a similitude. Stopping a little at her hips, and kissing those and her thighs, he waited for a second, to see if she was going to stop him or not.

    There was no sign Cora disliked what he was doing. Her neck¡¯s skin had flushed, a perfectly normal reaction, and her hands were in the same position, covering the eyes. The tail¡¯s hair was now bristling, leaning over the bed¡¯s edge, a fluffy snake. Having a high DEX meant he could put on protection with one hand while fondling her breasts with the other.

    As soon as his right hand was free, he pulled her pajama pants down, slowly, while aiming his kisses lower and lower on her belly, toward the target. Suddenly, her claw-like nails grabbed his hair, and his scalp, pulling Rowan up.

    ¡°Hurry, hurry, yes, take me, now, now,¡± Cora screamed.

    Her tail was whipping his face, and she was moving so fast and erratically that he had to apply a little weight to pin her down and match his thing with hers. Then she wrapped her legs around his hips and began meeting his movements with her. Faster and faster.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. You¡¯re the one! You¡¯re the one!¡± she yelled.

    At that rhythm, Rowan expected everything to finish quickly, but to his surprise, it went on for half an hour, in which she changed positions many times, to experiment, he guessed. In the end, they both melted in a common pleasure, with Cora¡¯s tiny fangs biting his shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯re wonderful,¡± he caressed Cora¡¯s hair, fondling her ears.

    ¡°Snrrff¡­¡± Her body went limp in his arms, a total relaxation. The Nekojin was purring, sound asleep, the tip of her tongue out of her mouth. Rowan turned her face up, arranging a pillow under her head.

    ¡°Goodness, Cora¡­ You¡¯re something¡­¡± He went to the bathroom to take a short shower and noticed scratches on his cheeks and shoulders. His natural regeneration healed them all before he finished the shower. Returning to the room, he pulled the blanket over Cora and went to sleep himself.

    At precisely six in the morning, she shook him, waking him up. ¡°I want to test my idea of foreplay,¡± she whispered.

    <hr>

    With Cora asleep again, so sound one could shoot a cannon near her ear, Rowan dressed and went for breakfast. It was early. Lizzie and Dmitri were still asleep. And so was Grace, only on the couch. She woke up, hearing his steps.

    ¡°Sooo,¡± she yawned. ¡°How was it.¡±

    Snorting, Rowan turned on the Espresso machine.

    ¡°C¡¯mon! I¡¯m curious,¡± Grace pushed on.

    ¡°You knew she was a virgin?¡± Rowan asked, breaking a few eggs. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡°Eh eh eh¡­ why spoil the surprise?¡±

    ¡°You devil!¡± he waved the fork in the air, before lowering it in the bowl.

    ¡°So? What¡¯s different?¡±

    ¡°Look, Grace, it¡¯s not a nice thing to talk about¡ª¡±

    ¡°She wants us to talk about it, for science¡¯s sake,¡± Grace interjected. ¡°First Earth-Nekojin relationship. To boldly go where no one has gone before. She gave me and Isla a file with questions, we¡¯re supposed to ask you if you like her Newtons and Pascals.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ True, she¡¯s the type to do exactly that. What was different? Tail gets all over, in your face, around your neck, it¡¯s like she has three hands. That was cute enough¡­ The strangest thing was her idea of foreplay ¡­ she played with my¡­ thing like with a wool clew¡­ That hurt¡­ claws and fangs are not ideal for that, as far as I¡¯m concerned. She liked it a lot, though. Apart from that, we did it twice, and she¡¯s as bit as normal as a girl her age. Sweet, inexperienced, but with a lot of energy and freshness. Here, satisfied?¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ strange,¡± Grace frowned. ¡°You did it twice, you say¡­ She told me she can¡¯t do real sex out of her mating seasons, and that¡¯s in a month or so. Her¡­ thingie is supposed to be too tight. Like pencil wide.¡±

    ¡°Who knows, maybe she got her season early,¡± Rowan shrugged. ¡°Coffee?¡±

 34: A Fit of Rage

    Rowan was sure, Cora had become much more assertive. Now, she was bossing everyone in the restaurant. ¡°This steak is medium rare, I wanted it rare. You do understand what rare means? Make me another one.¡± She was a mini Karen in action, plus the fangs and claws.

    ¡°Anything else?¡± the Orc waiter asked. In a little less than a month, the Goblinoid shanty town had transformed into a posh Medieval city, a typical tourist attraction, with stone and wood buildings, and excellent taverns.

    ¡°We¡¯re good,¡± the Shaman flickered his fingers, signaling the waiter to leave and allow them some space for having a discussion.

    ¡°OK, guys, let¡¯s talk,¡± Rowan said when they finished their lunch, including the dessert. ¡°There¡¯s been a development. Cora will do the presentation. Baby?¡±

    ¡°Ahum!¡± The Nekojin cleared her voice and tried to appear calm, despite her tail betraying some nervousness. ¡°Let¡¯s take it from the beginning. The Traipenent crashes, and ejects one hundred dungeon cores around the Earth. Now, the mini-dungeons have activated and are easy to track, but the real dungeons are dormant and hard to detect. We¡¯re talking about an object the size of a crystal ball. Once reclaimed, a core can be transformed into a Town Core, or fed into a pre-existing Town Core, which offers Levels and Perks. Of course, I was talking about mini-dungeon cores. Feeding true dungeon cores to a town would be im¡ª¡±

    ¡°I assure you, it¡¯s possible,¡± Viscardi said. ¡°You can feed any kind of core to any type of core.¡±

    ¡°I was going to say immoral because it would kill the prisoners kept inside. Right?¡±

    ¡°Rest in peace,¡± Viscardi leaned his glass, letting a few drops hit the floor.

    ¡°H-how many?¡±

    ¡°Prisoners? No idea. Cores? One. Level fifty-five, like this one.¡±

    ¡°They were hardened criminals,¡± his daughter, Victoria, rushed to add. ¡°Road rage, speeding on intergalactic lanes. They had it coming.¡±

    ¡°What is done, is done,¡± Rowan rolled his eyes. ¡°Never mind, we digressed. Cora?¡±

    ¡°I have detected leyline stress between the Awakened Towns and the rest of the world. There¡¯s too big a difference between Mana-rich areas and low-mana ones. My computer models show that Earth can support about thirty Town Cores or a high-density Mana area of under ten million square miles. Any higher, and Earth could break apart.

    ¡°There¡¯s a silver lining though. If it comes to that, but a few Town Cores are over level fifty, instead of an asteroid cloud, we¡¯ll have an Island Cluster.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Large chunks of the planet float together, and you fly in between with blimps or whatever airship.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the System issuing quests, alarms, stuff?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°My best guess is it doesn¡¯t care so much. The Awakened Towns will survive no matter what, the outside world to some extent, and also, it¡¯s not sure it will happen. By far, it¡¯s more plausible the existing Towns will claim and consume most cores. Also, in six months or so, Earth¡¯s overall Mana field will increase by itself and the danger will pass.¡±

    ¡°We better hurry to get more cores, just in case,¡± Rowan interjected. ¡°Sorry, baby, go on.¡±

    ¡°For now, we have eight Town cores active: Elkins, Rome, Doghae, Hagi, Vladivostok, Goblin Town, and an unknown, right? That must be the Neeks. Between us, we managed to get back thirty-six mini-dungeon cores, including the ones Vegas assimilated. That leaves only seven mini-dungeons unaccounted for. There are four real dungeons checked: Vegas, Goblin Town, The Warlord¡ªlocation unknown¡ªand¡­ the one you consumed, Lord Blackswarm.¡±

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    ¡°True,¡± the Vampire nodded. ¡°So, if my poor math is right, we have seven mini-dungeons, and forty-six dungeons roaming around. We have to get our hands on at least twenty-something more cores, to be on the safe side.¡±

    ¡°The more, the better,¡± Cora emphasized. ¡°All towns but Vladivostok have agreed to consume their cores for XP and energy. The Russians are stubborn, they¡¯ll use their cores to build faraway bases and subdue the territory in between. And the mercenaries are in play too. Speaking of the devil, any idea why they want the cores for?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they want to build themselves a base or buy a ticket out of the planet,¡± Viscardi said.

    ¡°You still want to go on with the plan and make Vegas a Town Core?¡± Rowan asked?

    ¡°I do,¡± the Vampire nodded. ¡°A Town Core is easier to defend.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do it. We¡¯ll be able to move around faster. Teleport and stuff.¡±

    ¡°To claim a core, you have to challenge the dungeon. Goblin Town was going to be slaughtered by the Mercenaries, your group saved the day, and that allowed the Shaman to surrender to you. Allowing the Mercs to reach my lair and counting on you to help at the last minute is out of the question.¡±

    ¡°So what do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°You train hard and level up, then I invite you into my lair for a drink, and we pretend to argue about¡­ whatever, take your pick. I say Bourbon is shit, and you challenge me to a duel, which I¡¯ll pretend to lose¡­ hey, what¡¯s up with you?¡±

    All of a sudden, Rowan had leaned forward over the table, snarling at Viscardi with his upper lip raised, grabbing him by the lapels. One could think Rowan was the Vampire, and the other the prey waiting to be bitten.

    ¡°You want a piece of me, old man? Take it back, now!¡± Rowan felt a passenger in his own body, and the notification embarrassed him to the moon and back.

    Your subconsciousness took over in a fit of rage, acting upon your previous involvement in Bar Fights. Having yet an unbalanced build, and struggling all the time to keep control of your emotions means you are prone to emotional discharges once in a blue moon. Raising your INT to the third Threshold will help solve this problem.

    Trying to get his reason back failed. He was staring into Viscardi¡¯s eyes, yelling: ¡°Bourbon is life. Bourbon is everything. Don¡¯t you dare to insult Bourbon, you ketchup replacement drinker!¡±

    His arms were twisted with superhuman strength, and Rowan was pulled back and restrained skillfully¡ªand he knew that for having been arrested a couple of times after bar brawls¡ªby Fenrri, the Shaman¡¯s wife.

    ¡°He does love Bourbon,¡± Cora said. ¡°But this is a little extreme. Darling, are you all right?¡±

    ¡°How much did he drink?¡± Fenrri asked.

    Very little, he struggled to say, but instead, his body tried to fight against the restraint.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Snemc jumped up. ¡°A man has to defend their honor. Bourbon is sacrosanct. And so is the liquor of life: blood. This calls for a duel. In the ARENA!¡± he yelled the last word, and everybody stopped.

    ¡°You have an arena?¡± Viscardi asked, wiping his face with an elegant handkerchief.

    ¡°We do!¡±

    ¡°This is perfect¡­ I¡¯m insulted, right? Very well¡­ I choose¡­ Hm¡­ Pistols¡­ No¡­ Let¡¯s have fun. Three rounds, each different. Swords, pistols, and no holds barred. Perfect,¡± he put the handkerchief back in his breast pocket, rubbing his hands. ¡°Give me an hour, I¡¯ll contact the press.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± the Shaman blurted and started texting in a frenzy.

    What¡¯s going on? Rowan tried to say but threw an elbow in Fenrri¡¯s ribs instead, and got a slap on the head as payment. That succeeded in getting him out of the trance. Viscardi and Victoria had left the room, and he was alone with the rest.

    ¡°You can let me down now,¡± he said. To his surprise, Fenrri freed him. A true policeperson would have laughed and beat him. She needs better training, I¡¯ll have a word with Isla, Rowan though.

    ¡°A genius¡¯s plan,¡± Snemc said. ¡°Arranging a meeting here, where we have an Arena? Brilliant.¡±

    It was for the boar steak, honestly.

    ¡°Cores can be bet in the arena, and the dampeners ensure the match is balanced. The System won¡¯t see a thing. This is perfect,¡± the Shaman repeated Viscardi''s words. ¡°And when they see you beat a Vampire Lord, those Mercs or whoever has a beef with us will shit their pants and stay away. Love, take care of our guest, I¡¯m being called by a sports channel.¡±

    What the fuck, he has a British accent now?

    The Shaman ran out, bumping into the Orc waiter, twice, as neither wanted to let the other go first. Entering the private room, the waiter started to gather the dishes, but not before saying a solemn: ¡°I¡¯ll bet on you.¡± That meant the staff had eavesdropped at the door.

    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Rowan exhaled. ¡°Baby¡­ I need your help.¡±

    ¡°Anything you want,¡± she blurted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the patrons to leave, to give you some space,¡± Fenrri said.

    After the Ogresse left, Cora sat in Rowan¡¯s lap, covering his face with kisses. ¡°How can I help you relax?¡± she sussured in his ear.

    He dismissed the thought and fought against temptation. ¡°Not like that, I¡¯ll be tired for the match. I¡¯m not sure I can face a scolding now. Contact Grace and Isla and tell them what happened, And that it was a¡­ judgment call.¡±

    ¡°Sure, my love. I¡¯ll leave you to relax. By the way, I changed shifts with Isla, and you¡¯re all mine for three days. Iiii!¡± Clapping happily, Cora bolted to the exit.

 35: Three Rounds in the Arena

    Grabbing his head between his hands, Rowan tried to gather his wits together. The good news was that Viscardi was going to lose on purpose. That was cool. The bad news was he didn¡¯t feel ready to confront a Vampire Lord, forty and something levels above him. What if he embarrassed himself? And how about leveling too much? He had forgotten to ask that.

    ¡°Err¡­ is there a Core FAQ around? How much XP do you gain from dueling in the Arena?¡±

    [Goblin Town Core Call Center]: Normal XP rules don¡¯t apply in the Arena. For a high-stakes duel like yours, a level and a free AP are awarded to the winner, or one skill point, if you are at the maximum level. It is important to know that Arenas allows fighters to use every move in their repertoire, resetting daily cool-downs or ignoring diurnal cycle restrictions. There is also a resurrection pocket dimension to prevent accidental deaths.

    That was a pleasant surprise. Now he had to think of a way to make the fight look credible. But not before inspecting a notification his subconsciousness had dismissed while shouting at Viscardi.

    You have successfully applied Sonar, Gretchen¡¯s Question, Insight, and Svart¨¢lfar Stare on target: Viscardi Blackswarm, Vampire Lord (Legendary), Level 100.

    Because he didn¡¯t see it coming¡­ I was totally nuts.

    Once the finest blade in the Cesti quadrant, Viscardi Blackswarm¡¯s skills have rusted. His last fight was decades ago. He manifested apprehension at the thought of physical violence. His main weakness is Cold.

    I thought a Vampire¡¯s weakness was light¡­ So, Cold, huh? That''s perfect. Now what about raising my Int to the third threshold?

    He pushed twenty-three APs into INT and read the notification for the perks.

    Name: Rowan Allinder. Main Class: Indomitable. Tier: Legendary, Level 68 Secondary Class: Primeval Magus. Tier: Mythical

    48 APs available

    Str. 52 / Dex. 52 / Con. 52 / Int. 75 / Wil. 79 / Cha. 52

    Intelligence Perk, Threshold 3 (Main Class: Indomitable): Enhanced Strategy. Impossible odds? Yes, for the enemy. This perk synergizes with your wife¡¯s Tactical Planning.

    Intelligence Perk, Threshold 3 (Secondary Class: Primeval Magus): R?svelg¡¯s First Aspect: The Cold Wind (Mythical). Due to your uncanny affinity to Elemental Magic (especially Cold), and previous combined applications of Cold, Gravity, and Telekinesis, you have unlocked a Super AoE. Discover The Cold Wind¡¯s facets through experimentation.

    Just what I needed.

    His thoughts were interrupted by the noise of the door slamming on the wall. The one responsible was Isla. She darted into the room, followed by Grace.

    ¡°There¡¯s a ton of TV stations broadcasting your duel,¡± Isla said. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare use your hyperspace shit! We don¡¯t want to warn everyone how strong you are. Do. You. Understand?¡± she yelled, grabbing his jacket¡¯s lapels, like he had done with Viscardi earlier.

    His first instinct had been to push her away, but his heart said otherwise, and Rowan pulled the woman closer, hugging her. ¡°I love you too. I know you yell at me because you care.¡±

    "You think reverse psychology works on¡ª"

    ¡°You¡¯re making my hair turn white,¡± Grace stated, joining the group hug and muting Isla in the process.

    ¡°What should I do to make the fight look convincing?¡± Rowan asked, looking at Isla.

    ¡°C¡¯mon! He wants to lose, let him think of something. Keep it clean, go into melee range, and throw in your left hook.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± he sighed. ¡°My left hook is good.¡±

    A large person was approaching, its steps making the floor shake, even from twenty yards away. Before entering the room, Fenrri knocked on the door frame.

    ¡°The Arena is set.¡±

    A thick fog descended on Rowan¡¯s mind. It was strange, considering the duel was fixed. He had not felt this way ever, even against the DireDeers, or in the battle with the Neeks. Every fiber of his body told him it was an important fight.

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    They exited the building and walked on cobblestones-covered streets until they reached the Arena, a sizable building, that reminded him of a smaller Coliseum. Once in his cabin, he spent a few minutes dressing in the medium leather armor he now used to fight in, and then Fenrri came to show him the way to the fighting space. Then there were lights, blinding him, and stalls, filled to the brim with people. Thousands. A lot of students from the neighboring College Town.

    A presenter was bellowing words. A celebrity. Maybe. Rowan had decided, when he was eighteen years old, not to watch TV, and had kept at that resolution, ignoring what he considered irrelevant noise.

    Then, Fenrri pushed Rowan into the battleground. The crowd was cheering for him. Viscardi was not well known. A point for the Vampire, here. Celebrity meant painting a target on your own back. Rowan wished to have been wiser, investing more in anonymity.

    The rapier in Viscardi''s hand made him realize this was the sword-fighting round. Rowan hated swords, the range was small, and the moves were too complicated. Pikes, he loved. Nevertheless, he summoned a Scottish broadsword from his inventory.

    The gong gave three signals, and the Vampire was on him instantly, with his hair bristling, hissing, and showing his fangs. If the display was for the show, Rowan had no idea, because struggled to parry the assault, swinging his weapon wildly. In the heat of battle, it was hard to concentrate on what his HEMA instructor had taught him.

    Binding their swords together, Viscardi and Rowan entered a strength match. Which the younger man knew was faked. Sword binds were not a thing, a simple twist in the angle would have allowed the Vampire to skewer him.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± the Vampire hissed. ¡°Next time, parry with the forte and counter. Can¡¯t you see how open am I on the left?¡±

    At the next pass of arms, he tried to do what Viscardi had suggested, only to find his shoulder impaling itself on the Vampire¡¯s sword, and his own weapon finding only air.

    ¡°The other left, you idiot! And don¡¯t do crosses, this is not boxing!¡± the Vampire said with a desperate look in his eyes, like almost begging.

    He had tried to lounge with the wrong foot forward, Rowan realized, and there were Bleeding DOTs notifications. His Strategic Sixth Sense read the truth. Viscardi¡¯s rusted skills were enhanced by a muscle memory probably centuries old, and Rowan¡¯s abilities had not reached a good enough level yet. This was pathetic and he decided to put an end to it before it became pitiful.

    ¡°I yield!¡±

    Rowan¡¯s scream made the crowd shut up, in overwhelming silence. This was not what had been expected from Earth¡¯s most notorious Classed. The DOT ceased, and he returned to his corner, sinking into the leather armchair. Having a luxurious piece of furniture instead of a generic one was a nice touch.

    The pause felt short. Isla threw some cold water on his face, which helped achieve nothing. The commentator barked some sarcasm, about how Rowan wasn¡¯t a fencer and it showed, and the students in the crowd booed. Nerds, especially the cosplayer type, were merciless. A flintlock pistol was shoved into Rowan¡¯s hand by the referee, none other than Snemc.

    ¡°Point and shoot,¡± the Shaman said.

    ¡°I know how to shoot a gun, thank you very much,¡± Rowan sneered. ¡°I¡¯m an American.¡±

    The second round was simple. Viscardi and Rowan were supposed to start in the middle, back to back, take ten steps, and then turn, take aim, and shoot at each other, Snemc explained. And so they did, following the referee¡¯s instructions.

    What are you doing, you dimwit?

    The Vampire Lord was obviously as inexperienced with guns as Rowan was with swords. What Viscardi intended to be a wild shot, aiming high and throwing the match¡ªin his opinion¡ªwas sure to hit Rowan in his head. Shooting first, Rowan aimed at the Vampire¡¯s pistol, twenty yards were nothing for a good shot. His bullet blew the Vampire¡¯s gun to smithereens and hit Viscardi in the throat as well.

    The Shaman sprinted to offer a healing, only to be refused by the Vampire. Holding his throat in his hands, Viscardi returned to his corner, patching himself up on the way. The crowd was cheering now, its mood changed. Rowan returned to his corner, and Isla started to massage his shoulders.

    ¡°Can you throw some rebars at him with Telekinesis?¡± she suggested. ¡°Just put on some show, he wants to lose.¡±

    ¡°His week to Cold, and I¡¯m good at it. I¡¯ll try my new AoE first, it¡¯s supposed to be strong. If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll do it the old way.¡±

    The gong signal energized Rowan, and he stepped into the Arena with determination and donning his spear. Viscardi advanced slowly, and then he disappeared out of a sudden, letting in his place a cloud of bats that spread all around.

    ¡°He wants me to work for my prize,¡± Rowan muttered under his breath. ¡°OK, let¡¯s see...¡± He pushed forward his left hand, thinking about a blizzard.

    Cold Wind: Snowstorm facet unlocked and activated. Cost: 50 Mana/second.

    The blizzard enveloped him as a friend, a fluffy coat made of a freezing hell and razor-sharp icicles, and he knew in that instant that he and the storm were fated to meet. People misunderstood what Cold was. Cold was warm, cuddly, perfect like a Kentucky hug. Everything was as it was supposed to be. A moment of bliss, a skill he felt he could use with his eyes closed. That was what he needed, a true weapon, not some shish-kebab stick with a basket hilt.

    The storm engulfed the Arena, all its hundred yards in diameter, in two seconds. It was dark and oppressive, it was death. Viscardi¡¯s bats flew away, trying to escape, but there was a Gravity component in the AoE that slowed them down, and they disintegrated in the icy wind. Only one managed to hide in a crevice, between two stones in the Arena¡¯s wall. A devil in Rowan¡¯s head was whispering to go for it, to kill the Vampire, the drunkenness of overwhelming power.

    Warning! Impending collapse of the Arena¡¯s protections. Evacuate! Evacuate!

    ¡°That¡¯s my Daddy!¡±

    There was only one soul who was not afraid of the blizzard, and its light and pride shone so bright that stopping the spell felt natural, a snap of the fingers.

    ¡°I yield,¡± the sole surviving bat squealed, crawling out and becoming the Vampire again, albeit thin and white like a sheet of paper, and shivering.

    The crowd remained silent for some time. Cheers started when Grace, Isla, Cora, and Lizzie rushed into the middle of the arena to hug the winner. After indulging himself in the warmth of love, Rowan extracted himself from the group embrace, and went to the haggard Viscardi, to offer a handshake.

    ¡°Sorry, man. I overreacted.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK,¡± Viscardi whispered. ¡°I¡­ underestimated you. My bad. For the record, I now consider Bourbon the best drink on Earth,¡± he shouted the last phrase, and now the crowd unleashed itself even more. They patted each other backs, then each returned to their dear ones, which for Viscardi, meant Victoria.

    ¡°Maybe it would have been better to show them the Space move,¡± Isla said. ¡°What was that shit?¡±

    ¡°Snowstorm, my new AoE. I told you it¡¯s strong. Fuck¡­ don¡¯t tell me¡­ Let¡¯s scram!¡± A dozen of reporters were running toward him, after jumping the fence. ¡°No comment, no comment!¡± he screamed, making the peace hand sign, and ran, taking Lizzie in his arms.

 36: Itâ€™s Always Hot in Vegas

    Two hours later, Rowan was in Viscardi¡¯s private jet, alone in a private cabin. Grace, Isla, and Lizzie had returned home through a portal, and Cora helped Viscardi with flying the plane, in the cockpit. There was a knock on the door, and he shouted: ¡°Enter.¡±

    Victoria stepped inside the private room with slow steps. ¡°You¡­ wanted to see me?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Rowan nodded. ¡°Since Vegas will become my vassal town, you¡¯re working for me now, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Lordship,¡± she bowed.

    ¡°Then, I want to ask you for a favor.¡±

    There was a short shiver over her body, and Victoria lowered her eyes. ¡°Very well¡­ But let''s keep this between us. I¡¯m seeing somebody now.¡±

    She started to unbutton her blouse and reached the fourth button before Rowan managed to yelp: ¡°Stop, it¡¯s not that! What the fuck! Why is everybody thinking I¡¯m sex obsessed?¡±

    ¡°Maybe because you have three wives. And I did notice you looking at me,¡± Victoria said coldly, rearranging her clothes. "Don''t deny it."

    ¡°You¡¯re... noticeable. Doesn¡¯t mean I want to have sex with every pretty woman around.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it as a compliment.¡±

    ¡°It was a compliment¡­ never mind. You worked for¡­ err¡­ Novosibirsk? No¡­ fuck¡­ not that. These Russian names are confusing¡­¡±

    ¡°Vladivostok?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that.¡±

    ¡°I worked with them, not for. We prospected a few alliances before we settled for you.¡±

    ¡°They have these cores they want to activate. That puts Earth at risk. Who will activate the cores for Vladivostok with the Knyaz dead? Not many can do it.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t have the Artifact using Perk anyway. There¡¯s an old lady who works for them, a former teacher. I met her only once. Stern, severe. The kind¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªto beat kids into submission, I can imagine. Can you kill her? Maybe steal the cores, if possible?¡±

    The Vampire stood silent for a few seconds, then nodded.

    ¡°I have to kill her twice because they have Rezzes now. The first time will have to appear accidental.¡±

    ¡°Avoid collateral damage if possible, but do whatever is necessary.¡±

    ¡°Consider it done,¡± she nodded, then turned around to leave, only to stop at the last moment and look at him with a frown. Interest. ¡°Is this all?¡± she insisted on the word.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Rowan blurted.

    ¡°I was just a little curious,¡± the blonde shrugged and left for good.

    Sighing, Rowan moved to the bed, trying to relax. Cora had told him not to activate the Joint Trip: Warp, out of fear of breaking the plane, and they still had a couple of hours to go. At least, with the core claimed, they¡¯d be able to teleport between their towns.

    He couldn¡¯t sleep, it was too early, barely half past five in the afternoon. Outside, there were some fireworks, from time to time. Somebody was taking potshots at them, firing rockets. What faction of the former US, was hard to tell, not that he cared. The airplane¡¯s shield resisted them, as it was expected.

    <hr>

    Finally, the moment had come. In front of him, sitting on Viscardi¡¯s desk, a black ball, whirling energy inside.

    ¡°Pocket universes never cease to amaze me,¡± Cora said.

    ¡°A pity,¡± Viscardi said, looking longingly at the core. ¡°This is worth so much money¡­¡±

    ¡°Let me guess: in the civilized part of the Galaxy there are plenty of Awakened Towns already but not so many Dungeons anymore, right?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Something like that. Well, how are going to do it? You want us to take over the state or only Clark County?¡±

    ¡°How much area can a core cover?¡±

    ¡°The surface is proportional to its power and level, but it can be customized,¡± Cora explained. ¡°This is a top-level one, so it can go as big as¡­ maybe two hundred thousand square miles. The smaller it is, the more energy it has for perks, and the larger, the economy and population. Some of the Dungeons levels will be lost in transition, but I guess this Town Core will start around level twenty-five nevertheless.¡±

    ¡°Can I have a map?¡±

    Cora forwarded her phone, but Viscardi was faster, producing a real paper map and a pencil from his inventory.

    ¡°What if we start¡­ around Las Vegas, just a sliver, then go northwest, climb up with the Sierra Nevada, then go west to the sea, north, up here, and come back?¡±

    The Vampire Lord frowned and leaned over the map. ¡°It looks like a prosciutto leg, with the bone part in Vegas. I get why you¡¯re bypassing the desert, but why the big cities?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to manage big crowds. They¡¯re grown-ups and should take care of themselves. Smaller cities are friendly, and I guess that¡¯s good agricultural land and scenery, and a few ports¡­ What happens if the barrier meets the sea?¡±

    ¡°It goes down, into the sea, ground, and all the way around. An Awakened Town is an enclosed space, like a sphere, only molded to an irregular shape. Some perks allow the marine life, or other birds and animals, to pass through unhindered, but they¡¯re expensive,¡± Cora detailed.

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    ¡°So, in theory, we can go take some sea as well? For fishing at stuff?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You can have the sea in California, why go up?¡± the Vampire asked.

    ¡°To put a wedge between California and Oregon. They¡¯re at war, right?¡±

    ¡°What do you care, you¡¯re into charity or something?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to change their pampers, but if I can help stop a war with minimal effort¡­¡±

    ¡°Very well, but I want Reno,¡± Viscardi said and pressed a button on his desk. ¡°We have invested a lot there. Vera, can you come for a moment? Bring Reno¡¯s financial situation please.¡±

    Moments later, a young woman appearing in her mid-twenties, with brown hair, short and on the plump side, wearing glasses, entered the room, a thick folder in his arms.

    ¡°My youngest daughter, Vera. She¡¯s my secretary and an economist.¡±

    ¡°Hi,¡± the woman waved discreetly, then forwarded the folder to Rowan. ¡°Here you are.¡±

    Are all their names starting with V? Rowan asked himself but tried to be polite and refrained from voicing the question. ¡°Give it to Cora, I don¡¯t understand data as well as she does.¡± The Nekojin took the papers and moved to another couch, leafing through the folder, as the secretary exited.

    ¡°Indulge my curiosity¡­ err¡­ is there any difference in rank between them?¡± Viscardi leaned and whispered to Rowan.

    ¡°No,¡± he whispered back. ¡°But I call Cora baby, Isla, honey, and Grace sweetheart, to avoid confusion.¡±

    ¡°Good point,¡± Viscardi nodded. ¡°So, Cora, what¡¯s your take?¡±

    ¡°Reno looks good. Should we give it a go, darling?¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do it... How exactly are we going to do this? The last time the core did all the job.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I did all the job. Now, it will be a little more complicated. First step, I¡¯ll scan the map you draw,¡± she paused and took a photo with her phone. ¡°Second step, I¡¯m overlapping it with the existing counties on the internet, simulating a takeover¡­ OK, we might have quite a few enclaves, or independent entities,¡± Cora touched the map with her finger. ¡°Worst-case scenario, we can go around them.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Native territories. We didn¡¯t have them in Randolph. The System adores little city-states, it will treat them like countries, and the voting process will be more lengthy and complicated, based on their own laws. They¡¯ll have the option to become enclaves, with their own portals to the outside, or retain the same status but within our new territory."

    "What if they claim their old territory?"

    "The System isn''t here to patch back human history, it works on the status quo. It''s take it or leave it. OK, I¡¯m sending all a notification. They¡¯ll have to vote one way or another.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, they¡¯ll want in, rather than stay out with some crazy people that throw nukes and nerve gas at each other,¡± Viscardi said.

    ¡°Touch the core, honey. We¡¯ll do it together.¡±

    Sitting on each side of the table, Cora and Rowan joined hands over the sphere and a visual notification appeared above.

    Do you want to claim the Blackswarm Dungeon Core, and transform it into a Town Core? Y/N

    ¡°Yes. Consume the Dungeon Core to create a new Town Core, its capital on our current location, with the boundaries of the new polity based on the map I¡¯m sending now,¡± Cora said, touching her phone for a second.

    A soft light started to shine from the sphere, enveloping the room, and supposedly going all over the town. Ten seconds later, the core vanished and there was another notification:

    The Town Core has finished installing its processing unit. The transformation will continue at a slower pace for the next forty-eight hours, creating new boundaries as soon as the voting process ends. Combatant forces have been detected in the area and Warped away. Suggested names for the new polity based on combinations of the first syllables: Vegorcal, Vegcalor, Calveor, Calorveg, Orcalveg, Orvecal. Please select an option or create a new name.

    ¡°Viscardi?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Uh?¡± the Vampire jerked. He had dozed off while the two busied with the core.

    ¡°Select or create a name for your domain, we¡¯ll go with your choice. Right baby?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only fair, he did most of the work.¡±

    ¡°¡­ let¡¯s go for Calveor,¡± the vampire said after taking a moment to think.

    ¡°Calveor is the name. Count Rowan Allinder is the suzerain but appoints Viscardi Blackswarm as his permanent representative and Lord Mayor of Vegas City. I and Rowan will have Admin privileges for the Town¡¯s Core settings, as well as Lord Viscardi and a person he¡¯ll appoint¡­¡±

    ¡°I appoint my oldest daughter, Victoria Blackswarm.¡±

    ¡°Continue installation on default parameters. I¡¯ll dabble with the perks tomorrow,¡± Cora said. ¡°It¡¯s late and¡ª¡±

    ¡°We have to go back home,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°I was thinking of staying the night and enjoying the town. It¡¯s Vegas, after all. I¡­ already called home to tell them we¡¯ll arrive tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the best apartment in town,¡± Viscardi promised.

    <hr>

    Definitely, there was something strange with Cora. On a scale from one to ten, her assertiveness was now at least an eight. After playing in the Casino for an hour, and having some snacks while at that, she insisted on retiring to their room. That had been at nine o¡¯clock. Then, she told him she had to do some shopping, and that it¡¯d take some time. Which made sense, because the next day was Christmas Eve.

    But why leave him alone? What gifts could she buy, he couldn¡¯t see? OK, maybe the one for him, but for the rest? He knew Isla, Grace, and Lizzie better than her, so why not ask for his help?

    Well, now he had an INT at seventy-five, it was up to him to use it. Rolling his little gray cells, like Hercule Poirot, and adding a ton of grimacing, he reached an unbeatable conclusion: Cora was searching for a special gift for him. What did he like the most? Bourbon. There were a few decades-old bottles that could be found in Vegas, for an exorbitant price, or in auctions. That was why she was so late.

    Promising to pretend to be surprised, he went for a second shower, just to kill time. When he exited, the room was in total darkness.

    ¡°I disabled the lights,¡± a whisper came from the direction of the bed. ¡°Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, so I wanted to give you a gift.¡±

    Now, his high INT has begun to ring alarm clocks over alarm clocks. What if Cora had taken on Grace¡¯s example, and the surprise was a threesome, with a specific blonde Vampire? OK, gifts are hard to refuse¡­ but his two other wives could break his neck, or poison him. He was struggling to find words to reject the offer when the light turned on.

    Oh my GOD! Rowan gasped, letting the towel around his hips fall. It was not practical to keep it anyway, his enthusiasm had reached full proportion in a blink.

    Cora had somehow shapeshifted, transforming into the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. A Goddess. As sensual as Isla, as attractive as Grace, and as cute as herself simultaneously. Dressed in revealing silk underwear, she beckoned him.

    He dashed forward, covering her in caresses and kisses, inebriated by her scent, which had changed too. First, they¡¯ll have sex, inquiring about the metamorphosis later. Acts, not words, show, don''t tell. Well into the process of making love, he remembered something.

    She told me her mating season starts now¡­ Nekojin women must shapeshift while at that¡­ Never mind.

    Their passionate intercourse held for well over an hour. Finally, it was done, and they rested in each other''s arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s the most wonderful gift I ever received,¡± Rowan kissed her.

    She was panting, hiding her head in the pillow. ¡°Thank goodness you like it¡­ I thought I¡¯d die¡­¡±

    ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± he rushed to ask, ready to cast Combat Heal.

    ¡°No, silly!¡± she laughed, showing her face, and merry eyes. ¡°I enjoyed every single moment. Preparing for it, that hurt. A lot.¡±

    Yeah, it¡¯s understandable¡­ if the body changes so much¡­

    ¡°But it was worth it. I¡¯ll gladly go again through everything if that¡¯s the reaction I get from you.¡±

    ¡°You mean, you have a choice?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I have a choice. Do you think Viscardi or Victoria kidnapped me and made me go through that hell by force?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ what happened to you?¡± Rowan asked, a terrible premonition nagging at his mind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start¡­ Everything is so painful. When they curl your hair and pull it, then you feel that sticky paint in it, then they throw burning air to dry it¡­ And the eyebrows, how could Grace do that to herself? And the wax¡­ oh my, that hurt so much. No, the claws, that was horrible. They have no idea Nekojin has nervous terminations in it,¡± she showed him her fingers, where the fingernails had a red color and a less pointy shape.

    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯ve been to a Beauty Parlour?¡±

    ¡°Yes, downstairs. First time in my life¡­ I had no idea doing my hair and stuff could have such an effect on you,¡± she walked two fingers on his chest.

    ¡°Thank you for going through all the effort,¡± he kissed her.

 37: Phantoms of Christmases Past

    Las Vegas had many luxury shops, and by a fortunate chance, they offered huge reductions. It took Rowan and Cora a couple of hours to become suspicious of the ninety percent sales in every boutique they entered. Then, they noticed people followed their steps, texting like mad every time they approached a store. At first, it was embarrassing, but in the end, they took it like a gift from Viscardi.

    After filling their inventory with presents, Cora and Rowan headed to the Castle Casino. Blackswarm had opted to have a central transportation hub, with fixed portals of great size, framed by an artificial contraption. The portal marked Reno had a double lane, with important incoming traffic of heavy trucks. There were two more portals built, one to Randolph, and the other to Goblin town.

    ¡°You should build one to Rome as soon as possible,¡± Rowan rushed to say to the approaching Vampire Lord. ¡°They have a sizeable army now, they can help you manage things.¡±

    ¡°The strategist in you is always awake, I see,¡± Viscardi smiled. ¡°But there¡¯s a little detail you missed. The training dungeons¡¯ levels are not based on the level of their prisoners but on the target audience. All those nice Ogres, Orcs, and Goblins in Goblin Town were capped by the dungeon settings.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess: once out, they¡¯re top-level?¡±

    ¡°And some of the best warriors one could wish for. I¡¯d rather use Orcs and Ogres than Rome¡¯s carabinieri.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense¡­ That woman, Fenrri, was way too strong for a fifty-five. Look, Viscardi, I have no idea what to buy as a Christmas Gift to a Vampire¡ªplease don¡¯t say virgin blood or some shit¡ªso¡­. I hope you¡¯ll like these. Use them as you see fit.¡±

    In each of Rowan¡¯s hands, a core appeared. The Vampire swapped them into his own inventory, then fondled the younger man¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Thank you. And I want to say that you won yesterday¡¯s duel fair and square.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know. You¡¯re a lousy shot.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re a lousy swordsman. Anyway, it was a good fight, and my wife and I decided to give you this.¡± This time, it was the Vampire who had two spheres in his hands, only smaller, about three inches in diameter, made from a sort of gray steel.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ thanks¡­¡± Rowan frowned, clueless about their meaning.

    ¡°True artifacts, old, unique, and impossible to reproduce. In your character sheet, you¡¯ll notice a separate tab, a sketch of your body, with armor and weapon slots. Only the highest technology and magic can be equipped there. This one is an armor, and the other a weapon, taking any shape you want. They¡¯ll feel like an extension of your body. That¡¯s how our rapiers work.¡±

    That¡¯s how Victoria put that DOT on us, in Rome¡­

    Rowan bowed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m grateful.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It seems the portal is working now.¡±

    After a handshake, they parted ways and the couple went through the bluish light inside the arch. They exited in Elkins¡¯s new Main Square, near the town hall. There were a couple of similar portals there, in the process of self-building themselves.

    Towns sharing perks.

    ¡°My flying suit is also an old Artifact,¡± Cora said as they walked home. ¡°It¡¯s indestructible, but takes a lot of effort to insert tech in it.¡±

    ¡°Indestructible, like invulnerable?¡±

    ¡°Not invulnerable. It can absorb a large amount of damage, but eventually, things will get through, and it needs to repair itself. Like we do when we Rezz. If you lose a true Artifact, it will teleport back to you at midnight, if it breaks, it will self-reconstruct. It¡¯s a great gift. I''ll add some tech enhancements for them as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ What¡¯s Dmitri doing?¡±

    The Greek was sitting on a bench in the garden, smoking. Rowan had never seen the man smoke before.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rowan asked. ¡°You¡¯re OK?

    ¡°Wrong? Nothing¡¯s wrong. Go inside and see for yourselves. I¡¯ll finish this, and plant another rose, or two. Or ten, to calm my nerves.¡±

    ¡°Dmitri is annoying, always avoiding explaining things,¡± Rowan said to Cora, more like an indirect admonishment to the Greek.

    As they approached the house, a loud voice reached them. ¡°And for the last months, everyone asked: Are you related to the Count? Of course not, I said. Even put a sign on the shop: NOT related to the Count. Then, I start to notice people watching my shop around the clock. And the most suspicious was my new massagist. He had no idea how to do a back massage. I asked him: are you FBI? And he says: no, I¡¯m a Healer. A friend of the Count sent our team to protect you. And would you believe it? I was related to the Count after all, because the Count was none other than my bloody son.¡±

    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Rowan sighed, stopping for a second.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Cora grabbed his arm, startled.

    "Karma striking back." Half-shrugging, Rowan entered the house. ¡°Hi, Papa.¡±

    A tall, old man, wrinkled but in good shape for his age, snorted, crossing his arms. ¡°Dead in my sleep, huh?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I had to. You always embarrass me in front of everyone. You can¡¯t stop yourself.¡±

    ¡°At least, you weren¡¯t murdered with a hammer,¡± a woman said. Tall, in her early sixties, sitting on the couch, near a shorter plump man.

    ¡°But you were murdered with a hammer,¡± Graced said. ¡°I killed you countless times, in my daydreams. Bam, Bam. I could see it all¡­ the bones cracking, the blood. Never mind. Rowan, meet my parents. I¡¯ll not charge your memory with their names. They''re not worth the effort.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ interesting,¡± Cora said. ¡°You both lied about your parents being dead?¡±

    Rowan let himself fall on a chair. ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°I was convinced Isla killed your parents because they wanted you to have an abortion, or give Lizzie for adoption."

    "That¡¯s exactly what they did. Don¡¯t ruin your life, they said, every single day, until I gave birth, and months after. Do you want to know how much they helped after that? Zero. Not one dollar, not a day of babysitting. Nothing. I was lucky to¡­ have a little money on the side, and buy this house. And now, guess whose grandparents'' instinct came to life, and want to bond with Lizzie?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s she?¡±

    ¡°With Isla. I called her as soon as these assholes appeared. She took Lizzie and Thomas out for a Christmas movie.¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°We¡¯re sorry, OK? We truly are,¡± Grace¡¯s father pleaded.

    ¡°Goodness¡­¡± Rowan facepalmed with both his hands. ¡°Guys¡­ This is not how to do things. You don¡¯t appear in someone¡¯s house, on Christmas Eve, and expect to be forgiven just by saying sorry.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Grace put weight on the words. ¡°Can you kill them, please?¡±

    ¡°No, but I can throw them in prison for trespassing. Seriously, just leave. You¡¯re not welcome here and believe me, you¡¯re not on my top priority list, and obviously not on Grace¡¯s. We¡¯ll have a talk, I mean I and Grace, and let you know what we decide.¡±

    ¡°Come, Peter,¡± Grace¡¯s mother said, pulling the man up. ¡°I told you they won¡¯t be reasonable.¡±

    Looking at the pair rushing out, the elderly woman fuming, Rowan shook his head and stepped forward to hug Grace, who started to cry her heart out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart, I should have come home earlier,¡± he patted her back.

    ¡°Do you want me gone too?¡± his adoptive father said, crossing his arms.

    ¡°You know what? No. You¡¯re a decent old bloke, Papa. At least compared to those two. I forgive you everything.¡±

    ¡°You forgive me what, exactly? I did nothing.¡±

    ¡°You could have. You like to brag about every good thing I do. Remember when you came to visit that Bourbon factory and told my boss I¡¯m such a good forklift operator because you taught me how to read a bicycle?¡±

    ¡°It did improve your coordination, didn¡¯t it? And look at you now, you¡¯re a count. Do you think everybody becomes a count just like that? No, they need a good example, and edu¡ª¡±

    ¡°See, that¡¯s exactly what I meant.¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness, my parents are dead,¡± Cora sighed, sitting on a couch. ¡°They¡¯d kill themselves if they¡¯d see this. Human culture is a raving circus.¡±

    Core, are you online? Do we have any Rezz spots free?

    [The Butler]: At this precise moment, we have 12 spots free, Master.

    Please attune my father for a Recall and Resurrect spot.

    [The Butler]: Order acknowledged, Master. At my current processing level, it will take 5 minutes.

    Can you speak less formally, please? Without the Master thing?

    [The Butler]: But Master, this is the less formal I can do. Formal is quoting all your titles and using My Liege.

    Never mind then. Keep up the good work.

    [The Butler]: Thank you so much for your kind words, Master.

    Meanwhile, Rowan¡¯s father approached Grace, who was now sitting at the dining table, lighting a smoke, her hands slightly shaking ¡°I apologize,¡± he said. ¡°The unpleasantness you¡¯ve been subjected to is my fault. Let me explain. When¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please keep it under half an hour, and don¡¯t use any word we¡¯d need a dictionary for,¡± Rowan said. ¡°Sorry, but he¡¯s the bombastic type.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called being a gentleman, and I still hope you¡¯ll become one eventually. What I was trying to say to your lovely wife was that when I found out the notorious Count was my son, I did inquire around. Elkins Town¡¯s site mentions you and Grace as Count and Countess, and she took your name.¡±

    ¡°I shouldn''t have allowed the site to be accessible from the outside,¡± Rowan grinded his teeth.

    ¡°It''s good PR. We look more normal this way,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°Your bio is just a short expose of your heroics, with some clips showing your fights, but Grace¡¯s has some links about her artistic career, with her maiden name. It¡¯s not a common name, so I searched for her parents online and found her mother was a singer herself. The artists'' world is small. I found a friend of a friend who knew her number, and I called. Then we all agreed to come and visit, but the only window of opportunity was Christmas. Your mother has a busy agenda.¡±

    ¡°Of course, she sings the Evil Witch part in every other musical,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°I live in Philly, they live in DC, we met in Baltimore and drove on with their car. The County online visa application provided us with a special app, to avoid government controls and roadblocks, and then a portal opened for us in Winchester. Your parents might have¡­ misrepresented your relationship¡­¡±

    ¡°Because you complained so much about ours, right?¡±

    ¡°Because I had the right to. Just a few emails now and then? Making me believe you''re still in Louisville and all is normal?¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you put your email setting on private?¡± Cora asked. ¡°I thought you wrote to some ex.¡±

    ¡°No, baby, I was quite a lonely boy until you girls got a grip on my heart.¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡± Papa Allinder interjected, looking at the two in befuddlement.

    ¡°Papa, meet Cora, my second wife. I¡¯m also married to Isla, the blonde you saw earlier. There¡¯s no hierarchy, that¡¯s the order I married them. Ah, and by the way, Cora''s not a Japanese Anime fan, she''s an alien, those ears and tails are for real. Now you can close your jaw and have as many heart attacks as you want because you¡¯ll be Rezzed. Your attention, everyone. I won¡¯t have this little mishap ruin our Christmas, so I propose we have just a snack now, and have a big family dinner together. I and Papa will cook, to give Dmitri and Grace some slack. We¡¯ll not, and I repeat, not talk about any business or quest. Sweetheart, if you want to take a nap, to relax, please do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take Lizzie and go for a walk. We¡¯ll talk about her grandparents.¡±

    ¡°Do tell her about me too, please,¡± Papa Allinder said.

    <hr>

    In the end, cooking had been a collective effort. Grace made a bean soup, and Rowan and his father meatballs and mashed potatoes, with the meat¡ªa mixture of boar and deer¡ªoffered by Snemc. Isla brought crafted beer, and her parents helped prepare salad and various pastries and entries, although they didn''t stay for dinner. A giant Panettone arrived through an interdimensional email from Count Lepastrina. Dmitri had procured the wine, as usual. The food was really good, and the conversation was sparse until the eating part was done.

    ¡°And what about your magic, dear sir?¡± Papa Allinder asked the Shaman.

    ¡°Magic is so simple. Just be one with the universe and empty your mind. Then¡ª¡±

    ¡°This is for the Charisma builds,¡± Cora interjected, a little irritated. ¡°The proper way is to understand Mana, the fifth fundamental force of the Universe. Let¡¯s imagine you want to shoot a fireball. Will you ignite oxygen, or hydrogen, or act directly on atoms, creating plasma? How do you avoid being burnt? Do you create it at a distance, or envelop it in a forcefield? How do you want to deliver it? Throw it like a baseball or shoot it with your magic, like through a magnetic accelerator?¡±

    ¡°You just let your instinct do the work for you,¡± Snemc repeated.

    ¡°Mommy, can I go play in my room?¡± Lizzie asked. The conversation was boring for her, that was clear. ¡°Please?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ It¡¯s not polite to leave so soon,¡± Grace tried to resist the girl¡¯s puppy eyes.

    ¡°Sit near me, and I¡¯ll tell you a secret,¡± Papa Allinder patted the vacant seat near him. A little confused, Lizzie approached. ¡°Give me a hug, please. Oh¡­ This feels so nice¡­ Rowan was about your age when I adopted him, but he wasn¡¯t a great hugger.¡±

    ¡°He is, now,¡± the girl said.

    ¡°Really? Then come and hug your old papa, Rowan. Let me be the judge.¡±

    Rolling his eyes in reluctance, Rowan obeyed.

    ¡°Not bad. A lot of improvement, but you can put more heart into it. Lizzie¡¯s a champion. What I¡¯m about to tell you, Lizzie, I also told Rowan when he was a kid. Getting through a family reunion might be boring, but we must endure it. It¡¯s not about politeness it¡¯s about love and learning. I don¡¯t particularly care about magic, but I want to learn as much as possible about the new world my son is living in. You might not enjoy this conversation much, but just by staying around, you¡¯re bringing joy to my old heart¡­ I lived to see my son married and he gifted me you in the process, the sweetest granddaughter I could wish for, the best Christmas present of my life. Here is a small gift for you,¡± he reached behind the chair, in a small suitcase, and produced a children''s book. ¡°Maybe you could read it on the couch, while we, adults, talk our nonsense, thus allowing me to enjoy your company a little longer?¡±

    Wordless, Lizzie hugged the old man again, snatched the book, and ran to the farthest couch in the living room.

    ¡°This is what a good education looks like,¡± Fenrri, the Shaman¡¯s wife said. ¡°Beats a beating.¡±

    ¡°I have a surprise of my own for you,¡± Rowan told his father, offering him a pair of slippers. ¡°Put these on, and go on the porch. Err¡­ guys, help him unwrap it."

    ¡°Hm¡­ you¡¯re thoughtful, for a change¡­ This awakening suits you well.¡±

    As Rowan went to the mudroom to leave the shoes, the old man walked toward the back porch, followed by the Shaman and his wife. Seconds later, screams and struggle noises were heard. After a minute, a disheveled Papa Allinder entered back, struggling to put his shirt back into his pants with one hand, and waving the other before his eyes.

    "Success," Snemc said. "And quite a breakthrough. Sage, Epic."

    ¡°What have you done to me?¡± Rowan''s father yelled.

    ¡°He has a lot of stamina for his age,¡± Fenrri said, sitting on the stool she had brought for herself, to avoid breaking the furniture. ¡°I used both my hands to restrain him.¡±

    ¡°You got a Class,¡± Rowan said. ¡°Our Town can Awaken people as long a priest is performing a ceremony. I asked Snemc to see if you can be Awakened because he¡¯s much better at his job than the local priests.¡±

    "How can I make these things d-disappear?¡± Rowan¡¯s father stuttered, trying to slap the screens in the air.

    ¡°Think ¡®dismiss notifications¡¯. I¡¯ll help you get your bearings tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°But I have no intention of becoming a hero.¡±

    ¡°Relax. Think about it like vitamins. Even at level one, you¡¯ll reach one hundred and twenty and play with your grand grandkids.¡±

    ¡°Do I have to move here?¡± the man looked around, still disoriented.

    "We have a couple of spare rooms," Grace said. "You''re welcome to stay."

    ¡°Look, spend the holidays here, then decide," Rowan said. "And yes, in the long term, I think it''s better to move with us. We bought both adjacent houses, as soon the Holidays are over, we''ll renovate them."

    ¡°T-this is too much¡­ I need a drink¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Bourbon time!¡± Rowan cheered.

 38: Dad Son Time

    In the late morning of the Second Sunday of January, a week and a half after the New Year, Rowan and Cora were having breakfast. For no good reason, Papa Allinder, the only other person around, was offering his unrequited advice on every occasion.

    ¡°Those mysterious Neeks, the ones eluding you, are MIT, right? I know a guy or two in¡ª"

    "A guy or two in what?" Rowan sighed, as he wanted mainly to enjoy his omelet undisturbed.

    "In MIT, son, MIT. I can call them to point us in the right direction.¡±

    ¡°Viscardi¡¯s already on it,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°The name sounds familiar¡­¡±

    ¡°The mobster I asked to watch for your safety. Runs Vegas.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that''s why. So, are you questing or something today?"

    "We''ll scout some areas," Cora said.

    "Can I join?¡± Papa Allinder asked immediately. ¡°I¡¯m level twenty now.¡±

    "How on Earth did you get to twenty so fast?" Rowan asked.

    "Snemc made be spar in the Arena a lot, against their children, and clear their sewers from rats. Got seven free APs from that."

    ¡°How high are you on Constitution?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-five, son. For the rest, I put four points in Intelligence to reach fifty, and three in Strength. I want to be able to fight if it comes to that.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to fight, Papa. Remember when that junkie tried to mug us, and you tried to fight back, tripped, and broke your nose on the wall? And in the end, I had to stab that guy in the thigh with his own knife because he tried to take your shoes while you were down?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ you were a tough kid. You were what, twelve?¡±

    ¡°Thirteen. Happy memories.¡±

    ¡°So, can I come?¡±

    "Show me your stats first. Think: share my stats with Rowan."

    "Err¡­ if you insist¡­"

    Papa Allinder, age: 78, class Sage (Epic): Level 20

    2 free APs in INT, WILL, and CHA every ten levels

    STR: 15 / CON: 25 / DEX: 12 / INT: 50 / WIL: 30 / CHA: 24

    Constitution Perk, Threshold 1: Tough Cookie. +25% all physical resistances, +25% to Natural Regeneration (HP)

    Intelligence Perk: Threshold 1: Sage Means Mage. Your encyclopedic knowledge helps you understand the nature of Magic. Enhanced Mana Manipulation unlocked. Both INT and CHA contribute to your Mana Pool (Stat Value x10). You can learn and use a large variety of spells.

    Intelligence Perk: Threshold 2: Ancestral Wisdom. Somewhere down the line, one of your ancestors might have been an Elf or a Witch. Strong affinity to Elemental Magic.

    Oh, so that''s why I have Elemental Magic, because of my ancestors? I bet it was that old hag, back in Sweden, Aunt Martha or something. Definitely a witch, Rowan thought before reading the last Perk.

    Will Perk, Threshold 1: Parenthood''s Lessons. Your last two decades have been an uphill battle to properly educate your most stubborn son. But educating someone is educating yourself. Your Will is strong enough to use Raw Mana without fully processing it into your Mana Pool first. You can cast spells almost instantly and for a fraction of the cost, but their power is half of that of a normal spell.

    I''m NOT stubborn, Papa is. Pestering me with all that shit about going to College and stuff¡­  Never mind¡­

    ¡°It looks OK. You promise to behave, and stay back if I say so?¡± Rowan sighed and said.

    ¡°Cross my heart.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Who¡¯s free today, Cora?¡±

    ¡°Grace is busy, I know that much. And I just remembered, Isla¡¯s working too. I can be the ranged DPS, you can be the melee, Papa can heal¡­ you can heal, right?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°So we need only a tank¡­ moment, checking on the LFG app¡­" Cora said, taking out her smartphone. "There¡¯s a Paladin free. I like Paladins.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good class?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Wonderful tank, can sustain themselves, and also be a secondary Healer.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. Papa¡¯s inexperienced for now. OK, then, send an invite to that guy, or girl, and meet in the Town Square. Take a look at the grid and tell me what we have left.¡±

    ¡°Mercer County is virgin ground, we can poke around there. If not, maybe west of Goblin town. The portals for both locations can get us close enough.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but¡­ have you searched near the County?¡± Papa Allinder looked at Cora''s phone, over his glasses. ¡°There are a few areas marked unexplored.¡±

    Rowan scratched his head. ¡°I forgot about those¡­ I thought the secondary teams covered those.¡±

    Cora half-shrugged. ¡°Obviously, they didn¡¯t. Maybe they thought it was less likely to find cores so close to home. Why don¡¯t we search the area around the battlefield first?¡±

    ¡°OK. I¡¯ll drive.¡±

    "Our Town Core can teleport us there from the portal hub now. The Butler and I agreed to upgrade the portal perk a bit,¡± Cora said.

    ¡°OK, baby. Text the Paladin to meet us in the Town Square.¡±

    <hr>

    Thirty minutes later, after they changed into hiking clothes, they arrived at the Portal Hub. A broad-shouldered man in his early forties was waiting for them, dressed in full armor, a mixture of tactical body armor and medieval plate, with the visor of his helmet raised. A tower shield and a spear completed the attire.

    ¡°I¡¯m Hubert,¡± the man nodded a short salute. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I''m in a little hurry. I¡¯m booked for Bounty Hunting in the afternoon.¡±

    "Bounty hunting?" Papa Allinder asked. His eyes were inspecting the buildings around with lively interest. "I could move my shop here¡­ this looks nice."

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    "C''mon, Papa! I told you like a dozen times you can move your shop here," Rowan erupted, facepalming. "We even visited this place before."

    "At night," his father replied curtly. "What can you see at night, I ask you? Now¡ª"

    "To reply to your question," Cora interjected, stepping in between the two to break the quarrel in its crib, "Rowan has invented a lot of quirky¡­ and funny PR moves. It increased his popularity immensely, in or out of the County. For a moderate fee, we''re offering, Bounty Hunting services for the adjacent counties and states, to preserve peace and order. We also gain a lot of money from the Reality TV show following our teams, and from betting, on who will live or die. Our teams are not soft-handed."

    "Of course, we aren''t," Paladin Hubert nodded. "Sending a criminal to the maker is mercy and justice."

    "But this is like the inquisition," Papa Allinder protested, waving his hands.

    Rowan put a hand on his shoulder, in a calming gesture. "It''s just the new ways of the world. We won''t pamper criminals, and that''s that. It helps everybody. Now, the question is where to open the fucking portal. Butler, what was the place where the battle took place?

    [The Butler to Team Allinder]: Opening a preset gate for Parsons, Tucker County, You¡¯ll exit on the side of the road, please take care before crossing the street.

    The difference in light, the snow around amplifying it, dazed them for a second. A car swerved to avoid them, even if they were well clear of the road. Rowan could see in the driver¡¯s eyes the swear the man didn¡¯t dare to say aloud.

    ¡°Papa, you¡¯re a genius,¡± Cora exclaimed. ¡°I have a signal, just a couple of miles from here.¡±

    ¡°OK, let¡¯s run,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°Err¡­ son? I¡¯m almost eighty, remember?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but your new stats will make you as good as new, as long you train. Have you trained, at all?¡±

    ¡°Does bicycle rides with Lizzie count?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll fly with him. Follow me, and use the mini-map,¡± Cora said. She activated her suit, picked Rowan¡¯s father in a princess carry, and jumped up. Rowan and the Paladin started to run directly west. After passing some fields, they entered the forest and the hills.

    ¡°For the record, there is only one leader in the party when we fight, and that''s me,¡± the Paladin said once they were alone. ¡°Do what I say, when I say, or you can tank and heal yourself. My liege,¡± the man added in an obvious sarcastic tone.

    ¡°Let me guess: you didn¡¯t vote for me and wish Randolph County become a Republic.¡±

    ¡°No, I did vote for you and wish you act like proper nobility. Not going for a shamanistic wedding, spitting on the ground, and smoking weed, for instance.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I remember you now. You¡¯re one of the priests in town¡­ Which one?¡±

    ¡°The one who took a vow of celibacy.¡±

    ¡°Buddhist?¡±

    ¡°Catholic,¡± the man hissed.

    There was no friendship lost there, that much was clear. ¡°I see¡­ I bet you''re upset I exiled your boss to Avignon again."

    "That asshole is not my boss," Hubert snorted, skipping a step and almost falling. "I''m Old Church. You should redo your ceremonies with us."

    "So you condone polyamory now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the lesser evil¡­ I take confessions before every mass, by the way. About following my lead, I was serious. We, the peasants, do thrice the work you do. I¡¯m level eighty and good at my job.¡±

    ¡°Whatever¡­¡±

    But as they approached the coordinates, the situation was different than what they expected. At the closest end of a small clearing, Cora and Papa Allinder were examining a piece of paper, duck-taped on a wooden pole. When they approached, the Nekojin forwarded it to Rowan. It had a few words on it: We, the Noerks, have bin hier and biet u 2 ze core. As a signature, there was a drawn hand showing the pinkie finger.

    ¡°You have Norvegians Awakened around here?¡± Papa Allinder asked. ¡°Or Dutch? This sounds like Dutch.¡±

    ¡°Somebody tries to frame the Neeks, but this is not written by them,¡± the Paladin said. ¡°They¡¯re college students, they can¡¯t write this bad. It¡¯s the Russians.¡±

    ¡°Could be,¡± Papa Allinder said. ¡°The spelling points to someone used to a phonetic alphabet."

    Rowan snorted. ¡°Any Human knows it¡¯s the middle finger, not the pinkie. This was written by an alien. I bet on the Mercs. They did it to get revenge for Goblin Town. How old is it, Cora?¡±

    ¡°The paper is protected by a spell, so I can¡¯t tell¡­ but the core residual signal is strong. A couple of days?¡±

    ¡°They profited we were having a holiday, and got cores while we were partying,¡± Rowan¡¯s father said.

    ¡°Fuck¡­ OK, lesson learned. Someone has to work during the holidays too.¡±

    The priest rolled his eyes. ¡°Only if not against their religion. It¡¯s in the law.¡±

    ¡°Of course, your sanctimoniousity. So, we call it quits for the day?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, son, give your Papa a few levels. What if we search in that radioactive area? We¡¯re immune, right?¡±

    ¡°Cora?¡±

    ¡°We two certainly are, and I¡¯d bet for Mister Paladin too, but Papa is only first threshold in Constitution¡­ Let¡¯s teleport back to town, run to the border, and I¡¯ll scan the levels of radiation first. Calling for an extraction.¡±

    Dialing something on a pad attached to her left arm made a portal appear in front of them.

    ¡°It¡¯s certainly sweet to be a VIP,¡± the Paladin said, going through first and pointing to a parking area. ¡°We¡¯ll take my car, I won¡¯t run around just to please nobility.¡±

    ¡°Nice car, dude,¡± Rowan approached the vehicle, turning around it, caressing the hood. ¡°Didn¡¯t though you were the type to own a muscle car. I saw EV written all over your forehead. You know what? If you let me drive, I¡¯ll give you a confession.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him drive!¡± Papa Allinder rushed to say.

    ¡°Be my guest,¡± the Paladin gestured toward the front door. ¡°If I can save a lost soul, I¡¯ll take the risk.¡±

    Five minutes and eight miles later, the car stopped near the border. Behind it, a cloud of dust was still floating in the air, hundreds of feet long. The Paladin opened his eyes and crossed himself. ¡°Thank you, God, for sparing my life.¡±

    ¡°For the record, this is nothing, compared to how a rally looks,¡± Rowan insisted.

    ¡°About that, son, some of your race-driving friends confessed to me you¡¯re not the best driver around.¡±

    ¡°I know, Papa, that¡¯s why I¡¯m going at half their speed. Cora?¡±

    With a nod, the Nekojin summoned her costume and took flight. The barrier opened an aperture a second before she passed on. They waited for five minutes, before starting to fret.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call her,¡± Rowan said.

    Just after he finished his words, Cora erupted through the barrier and landed ten feet away. Dismissing her suit, she ran forward, all excited, grabbing Rowan¡¯s lapels and screaming in his face with a high and squeaky voice.

    ¡°There¡¯s a dungeon outside!¡±

    ¡°Easy, easy,¡± he patted her head. ¡°Touching a Nekojin between the ears calms them,¡± he explained to the others as Cora started purring. ¡°What kind of a dungeon, and where, baby?¡±

    ¡°Just outside, can¡¯t be more than a mile away. Guys, this is the real deal. A true dungeon.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much. I spent time taking radiation measurements. They are much lower than they should be. This means there was a core in the vicinity, it absorbed the radiation and activated. I say go for it. This is too important to miss.¡±

    Papa Allinder nodded with enthusiasm. ¡°Absolutely. Let¡¯s go and conquer that dungeon before the Mercs do.¡±

    ¡°Papa,¡± Rowan rested his hands on his father''s shoulders, looking into the older man¡¯s eyes. ¡°You have a common condition called Class Fever. You think yourself invulnerable. Bad news: you''re not. Cora, how safe is out there?¡±

    ¡°Now? I¡¯d say only vulnerable people get sick, and that after lots of exposure.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll need two teams of six people, to be on the safer side,¡± the Paladin said. ¡°If you let me call my friends, I can gather the raid in an hour, maybe two.¡±

    ¡°OK. You call your friends, I¡¯ll call mine.¡±

    ¡°A dungeon won¡¯t accept more than two teams inside at the same time, and it¡¯s better to have people that had worked together. We could use a sniper and a melee DPS, but not more.¡±

    ¡°You call your buddies and don¡¯t worry about the rest. We¡¯ll select the best teams once everyone is here, and the rest will guard the exterior. Cora, is your armored unit ready for combat?¡±

    ¡°I suppose so¡­ We¡¯re approaching a battalion size now, and we have Italian instructors, with a few vehicles of their own.¡±

    ¡°How far are they?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ a couple hundred yards?¡± she pointed in his back, where a tall Medieval castle rose over the trees. ¡°That¡¯s the Armory and the West Border¡¯s Citadel. We have four of those now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a genius. Call them and tell every single available unit to join us. Take them outside and find the dungeon¡¯s limits. If anything engages you, terminate with extreme prejudice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go speak with them myself, it¡¯s easier,¡± she said, summoning the suit and taking off.

    ¡°Good¡­ Butler, call Isla on our private Core line¡­ Honey? Sorry to call, but it¡¯s easier for me than using the friend group chat. Stop what you¡¯re doing and head to the Border, due west of Elkins, near the bridge on the highway¡­ ah, you can see my location on your mini-map. Good. Call all available police units here, it¡¯s an emergency¡­ Bye. Love you too. Butler, can you patch me through to Viscardi?... Wake him up, what do I care he¡¯s sleeping? Tell him to get out of his coffin and answer¡­ Hello, Blackswarm. You told me you have bought some army units. Do you have special forces, SWAT teams, and stuff?... Great, man. Send them here, and coordinate with Isla. We found a real dungeon, active. Can you join the team?... Ah, you¡¯ll send Victoria. Sure, if she¡¯s a better fighter¡­ I¡¯m a little busy, can you call Rome for me, and ask them to keep some Carabinieri on the ready?¡­ I don¡¯t know how many, a couple hundred? You know, they can have a pizza but hang around¡­ Thanks, I owe you one.¡±

    With a smug expression on his face, he turned toward the two men, crossing his arms, his head leaning a little.

    ¡°Time to explain, I guess. New strategy. We have to dominate the terrain, and not only claim dungeons but also kill or chase away the competition. We¡¯ll put patrols and garrisons around points of interest, and as soon we see Neeks or Mercs, bang. Butler, message to whoever is in charge of the US, military, local rogue factions, etcetera. Randolph County is executing a limited military intervention outside its borders, for the welfare of humankind. Don¡¯t get too much into details. Just tell them to keep out of our way. If they don¡¯t behave, tell them I¡¯ll activate a core in their cities and take over.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s vicious,¡± Papa Allinder said.

    ¡°Yeah, I know. The Butler says my rate of approval in the low-mana zones is seventy percent and growing.¡±

    ¡°It''s under sixty in the County, though,¡± the Paladin pointed.

    ¡°Yeah, because they know better. I¡¯m new at the job¡­ Nevertheless, I¡¯m willing to learn. Hey, look, Cora¡¯s back, and bearing gifts.¡±

 39: A Sharky First Floor

    It was not long before things rolled in motion, at an avalanche¡¯s pace. Cora¡¯s mechanized forces, a combination of Gundams, self-propelled guns, and combat suits, both for infantry and airborne were all over the place, and so did the Carabinieri, Swat teams, and some refurbished US military from Calveor, Viscardi¡¯s County.

    In truth, it was chaos. Each force was doing all right on its own, but not together, and only the troops in Elkins knew the area. But Rowan¡¯s priority was not to organize the makeshift army¡ªhe delegated a Carabinieri general, a US colonel, and Isla for that¡ªbut to get the dungeon core.

    [Rowan to Cora]: Give me an update, please.

    [Cora to Rowan]: Moment, I''m already here.

    She landed two hundred feet up the road, and spoke something to her troops, before approaching Rowan.

    ¡°Good news or bad news first?¡±

    ¡°Any news you tell me can¡¯t be bad, baby.¡±

    "He''s a sweet talker. I taught him well," Papa Allinder nodded next to them, but was ignored, not without Rowan grinding his teeth.

    ¡°The Dungeon is fully formed, with its own floors," Cora said. "No competition inside, or I would have received a notification at the entrance. This is the good news. The bad news is it¡¯s a level eighty, on Extreme settings. It will be hard, and one cannot exit before it¡¯s cleared.¡±

    ¡°How many levels?¡±

    ¡°Twenty, like every other Dungeon on the Traipenent. The cores have been adjusted for the ship, there¡¯s a planet that specializes in tuning dungeons. The entry is under the bridge, at the far side, on a pilon. It took me some time to find it.¡±

    ¡°OK, people, let¡¯s move!¡± Rowan yelled.

    ¡°We¡¯re missing somebody,¡± Hubert said. ¡°Your party has only five members.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re fine. Wait for me at the entrance. What are you doing, Papa?¡± Rowan diverted his attention to the elderly man, who was sniffing in the air.

    "Training. Snemc told me that I have to train my senses permanently, to better detect dangers."

    "Please, stop, you embarrass me."

    "OK¡­ Oh¡­ I hear Italian¡­ Is that Carla? I''ll go say hello and introduce myself."

    "You''ll say hello in town, they''re staying for a while. We have to go."

    Taking the lead, Rowan ran to the other side of the bridge, then down into the Tygart River¡¯s valley. A patch of intense and swirling darkness waited at the spot where the highway met the hill, under the road, and on the side of a short concrete structure. As they approached, a notification met them.

    Shore Dungeon, level 80 Setting: Extreme. A full Clear is required before you can Exit. Do you want to challenge the dungeon? Y/N

    ¡°Priest Guy is the main tank, he should be the leader,¡± Rowan said, sending the invitation to the Paladin.

    ¡°Good call, Father Hubert knows his job,¡± one of the members of the second team said.

    The Paladin nodded, accepted the promotion, and selected Yes, stepping into the black whirlpool, with the rest following. On the other side, the sun shone bright, but not with the light of the snow and clear air of the mountains, but that of the sea and the tropical sun.

    ¡°Armor!¡± Hubert bellowed, giving a shove on Rowan¡¯s shoulder. "C''mon, you enter the dungeon unequipped? Rookie mistake. Defensive formation, while the Count deigns to dress."

    "I don''t need to dress," Rowan blurted back. He had forgotten to activate the armor, true, but it wasn''t like he needed an hour to put it on. In seconds, the new armor Viscardi gave him grew around him, out of nothing. It had more or less the same shape as his previous segmented armor, only thinner and way more comfortable.

    [Cora to Rowan]: Don''t forget to activate the targeting module I installed for your helmet.

    [Rowan to Cora]: Already did, baby. Feels great.

    It was a lie, and Rowan turned the module on as he inspected the surroundings. They were on a beach, with a few palm trees here and there, going forever to the left and right, and so did the blue sea. It was so hot that the ones wearing winter clothes or hiking gear along with their equipment took a moment to undress to lighter attire.

    ¡°I remember now!¡± Cora yelped, covering her mouth. ¡°This is one of the entertainment dungeons. Sea resort thematic. My parents never allowed me in it. There are all sorts of¡­ massage parlors,¡± she blushed.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s our lucky day. Except for Father Hubert, he must keep his temptations in check,¡± another adventurer joked. The gear on the people called by Hubert was generic, and their tags turned off, so Rowan couldn¡¯t tell what was each class or job.

    ¡°Keep sharp!¡± Rowan barked. ¡°This is a prison, treat every monster you see as a sentient. We talk first, and shoot late¡ª what the fuck?¡±

    A slight tremor was the only warning. A jaw opened under his feet, and only a last-second reflex to dodge saved him. A shark the size of a small car erupted up from the sand, falling back down with no grace, but with a weight that could crush anyone caught underneath.

    Rowan''s half-pike left a deep bleeding mark on the monster¡¯s flank as it disappeared back into the ground. Calling for the weapon felt as easy as summoning the armor.

    You have inflicted a Critical Hit and a DOT of 2%/second on Sand Shark, level 80 (Elite). You have slain Sand Shark (1/20). XP postponed until all the pack is killed. Sonar has detected that the gills, eyes, and tail are the weak spots.

    ¡°There are more!¡± he yelled. ¡°Hit the gills, eyes, or tail.¡±

    ¡°Get to the rocks,¡± the Paladin bellowed, showing them a cluster of solid ground patches.

    The sand trembled again. Rowan activated one of his Joint Trip stacks and plunged into the ground. Four large shades approached fast. Interposing himself between the incoming attack and his raid, Rowan started to extract rebar pieces from his inventory, thrusting them into the monsters.

    As soon they left his hand, the rebars reappeared in the real world, skewering the sharks. The hearts or brains proved as good as any other weak spot, in the end. He killed the sharks with twenty seconds to spare and took time to inspect the environment. A hundred yards away, a second group was advancing fast, and in its back, another, and a third, and fourth one, in the faraway. On his left side was the dungeon limit, he could see the bridge and the normal sky, upward.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    He ran up, imagining there were steps under his feet, and reappeared in the middle of his group, on the stone formation. ¡°Incoming fast, this direction, fifty meters,¡± he pointed East.

    No unnecessary words were spoken. Those who had guns started to shoot, the Paladin and Bree, the tanks, went in front, spears at the ready, and the rest prepared to do whatever. From above, Cora went up in the air, unleashing her firepower in the sand.

    There were notifications about the first group Rowan had killed and three more sharks from the incoming group. The remaining two monsters leaped out of the sand, one crashing atop the Paladin, and the other on Bree. The Ranger roared and threw her shark head-first into a rock, killing it. The Paladin wasn¡¯t so lucky, slipping on the wet rock while trying to block the attack with the shield and the Sand Shark fell on the priest, thrashing his tail around, wildly. Finally, its spastic moves relented, as he was hacked to death, but Rowan knew the next group will be there in no time.

    Dashing forward in the sand, he activated his Stormstorm, pushing it down, into the ground, trying to shape it as a cone. It worked. A giant fist of icy wind crushed into the beach, throwing up sand and shark parts. Due to Sonar, Rowan could now feel the next group of monsters. Interrupting the spell for a few seconds, he ran onward, reactivating it when he neared the fourth group, rinse-repeating the move with the fifth.

    You and your Raid have slain a Sand Shark Pack (20/20). You have leveled x 2. You are now Level 71. To clear the floor, kill the remaining four Shark Packs.

    Snowstorm''s cost has been reduced to 48 Mana/Second. A Synergy between Sonar and Snowstorm has been created. Snowstorm can now detect the location of your enemies, their weaknesses, and apply Critical Damage. Its base damage against unarmored opponents and Living type creatures is increased by 25%

    His Mana was only two hundred now, about fifteen percent, eighty-five minutes to regenerate it naturally. Shaking his head in disappointment, he returned to the group. Cora was back down, and Papa Allinder was healing the broken bones of an injured adventurer. The Paladin lay on his back, staring into nothingness.

    ¡°Oh, fuck,¡± Rowan said, kneeling near the priest and closing his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ You were a nice guy, albeit bitchy. And I promised you a confession, so take it as a goodbye gesture. I did a lot of stuff in my life, and regret some. May God rest your s¡ªWhoa!¡±

    Hubert¡¯s eyes were now alive and filled with anger. ¡°You call that a confession?¡± he blurted, spitting out sand as Rowan jerked back on his feet, startled.

    ¡°A Paladin has a stack of Rezzes he can use each day, and it works on him too,¡± someone said.

    ¡°Lucky bastard.¡± Rowan patted the Paladin¡¯s shoulder, then helped the priest get back on his feet.

    ¡°What did that?¡± Hubert asked, taking in the view of the huge trench.

    ¡°Rowan. He killed eighteen out of the twenty sharks by himself,¡± Bree said.

    ¡°You know what? Why don¡¯t you take the lead?¡± Hubert gestured.

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s OK. Nevertheless, let¡¯s talk strategy. There are four more packs like this before we clear the floor, and there are a ton more floors after this. It will be a slow grind, my Perks consume a lot of Mana. Any suggestions."

    "I''m buffing your Mana regeneration, son," Papa Allinder said. "Drink a potion from time to time and we''re good.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rowan nodded.

    "Just doing my duty, kid."

    [Rowan to Papa Allinder:] Don''t kid me with strangers present.

    ¡°There are solid ground patches here and there,¡± the Paladin said. ¡°We run to the next one and try to do a better job at killing them. Let¡¯s use as many skills as possible, it looks like the XP is low, but the skill progression great.¡±

    ¡°How much ammo and fuel do you have, baby?¡± Rowan turned toward Cora.

    ¡°Moment¡­ three hundred mini-rockets, ten thousand rounds, and about three hours left of fuel, flying time.¡±

    ¡°We do as Hubert says. I bet the monsters are divided by areas. The path to the next safe spot must be clear, but I¡¯ll run ahead just to check. Fire some rockets in the sand, far from us, to confuse the beasts, I¡¯ll tell you their position, and we shoot them before they reach us.¡±

    The plan started well. They ran safely to the next spot, a higher ground between palm trees. Cora fired two rockets to their left, on the beach, and Rowan let out his ability for a second. It revealed the first group just underneath Cora. They jumped up, but she was too high to reach, and the leap exposed the sharks to the Raid¡¯s fire. Trying to see if his Artifact weapon could change shapes, Rowan was pleased to see a rewarding notification:

    Your Artifact weapon has been changed into a Mystical Rifle. It can shoot a Mana projectile every two seconds.

    It was too late to shoot at the first group of monsters, they were already dispatched. He took a shot at the second group, taking a monster out with a single shot, and the rest were killed by his friends. The third group, though, had learned the lesson, sped up, and threw themselves at the Raid. Rowan took a step back, switching his weapon to the spear he used before. Their good fortune made it so that the sand was shallower before the mound they were on, and the Sand Shark shapes were fully visible before they reached their target.

    With fantastic precision, Cora shot at the monsters from behind, as the group switched to melee combat. The one making the difference, this time, was Papa Allinder, who started throwing all sorts of magical projectiles, aiming wildly but still finding the targets because of the size of the monsters and his high rate of fire.

    For the fourth group, they started firing in the sand well before the sharks appeared, guessing the trajectories from the previous attack. Rowan jumped in the fray and the first line, assisting Hubert. Two sharks got killed before they emerged from the sands, and then a third jumped in the air and crushed itself on a palm tree, but for the remaining two, it was a hard fight.

    Even with the half-spear, his weapon of choice, Rowan felt at a disadvantage. His strengths were his perks, and he wished now he had trained harder in melee combat. The thought cost him, as a shark threw a tail into his chest before he could react, projecting him into the tree behind.

    Delayed Truth activated. You have 0% HP. You have ten seconds to heal. You are Dazed for 20 seconds.

    Fuck, they hit like a truck.

    ¡°I need healing,¡± he yelled, casting a Combat Heal and activating a Health Potion Patch. Both Hubert and Papa Allinder helped with their own channeled spells and his HP recovered in no time.

    HP is easier to build back than Mana. I need a larger Mana Pool¡­

    Rowan was still dazed and unprepared to face the last group. Feeling his hesitation, Papa Allinder threw himself in the first line, shooting miniature mana bolts into the sand like a machine gun while their companions and Cora fired guns and bows. No shark managed to emerge from the sand this time, and the notification showed:

    You and your Raid have slain a Sand Shark Pack (20/20).

    Rowan XP bar has raised only a quarter to the next level, and he preferred this way. Papa Allinder, on the other hand, was quipping happily: ¡°I¡¯m level thirty, I¡¯m level thirty!¡±

    ¡°When did you get so good at magic?¡± Rowan inquired.

    ¡°Snemc taught me. It¡¯s all about following your instincts.¡±

    ¡°It''s his Will perk," Cora said. "Very fast spells, but little damage."

    ¡°Little damage? I lost half my HP to him,¡± Hubert complained. ¡°Sir, you have to aim.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try, I¡¯ll try¡­¡±

    ¡°Papa, you''re a natural at magic and dungeoning,¡± Rowan patted his father on the back. ¡°You did well, I''m proud of you.¡±

    ¡°Let''s reassess. We spent half an hour for two groups,¡± Hubert said. ¡°We¡¯re slow, and the Count''s mana regeneration is a factor. Not complaining, just stating a fact¡­What if we try a new approach. This spot is better than the rest. Why don''t you kite the rest of the monsters here?¡±

    ¡°You think they¡¯ll leave their designed area?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Can¡¯t hurt to try.¡±

    ¡°What if I fly on Cora¡¯s back and shoot spells at the pursuing monsters, to speed up the kills?¡± Papa Allinder proposed.

    ¡°That''s a terrific idea. Hop on,¡± Cora said.

    Nodding his approval for the overall plan, Rowan ran forward until he felt in the Mana that the next territory began. Activating his AoE on the ground enough to activate Sonar, he saw the first batch of sharks coming in hot pursuit. As he ran, he wondered if they¡¯d cross the line and if the rest pursued.

    The monsters died to Cora and Papa before they reached the high ground, but the second group was already following.

    ¡°They¡¯re all linked, once one group starts, they all start,¡± he shouted. Feeling in an experimental mood, Rowan decided to test something else. He ran to a side, and as soon the sharks¡¯ fins appeared over the shallow side, he tried to add more Gravity and Cold to his Snowstorm and less Wind.

    The effect was spectacular. The monsters froze, or were immobilized, squirming in place, and were killed in seconds by the Raid¡¯s firepower.

    ¡°Seriously, dude, you can freeze time or something?¡± Hubert yelled.

    ¡°Gravity! Rinse and repeat.¡±

    It was as easy, and the notification about the demise of the third pack showed their progress.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move on, we have the upper hand now,¡± the Paladin proposed.

    ¡°I agree. See, kid, everything is about adaptivity,¡± Papa Allinder said like he had been dungeoning for a lifetime and had taken his son out to teach him the basics.

    In minutes, the next pack was disposed of. However, when they advanced toward the last presumed shark spot, they arrived back at the entry. The beach had made a full tour.

    ¡°Where the fuck is the fifth group?" a melee-type adventuress from the second team asked.

    ¡°In the water,¡± a voice said, and a whiff of cigarette smoke reached their nostrils.

 40: The Swarthy Elves

    ¡°Victoria!¡± Rowan exclaimed. ¡°So happy to see you.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡± Hubert asked.

    ¡°The reason I kept a space open in my team.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to be late. Your people told me the entrance was under the bridge, but I searched for half an hour and¡ª¡±

    ¡°It was in a pilon.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t find it, I used my smoke. You were fighting when I arrived, but had things well in hand so I let you be and scouted ahead¡­ There is good news and bad news. I reached the next floor and made contact with a group of prisoners, they were friendly. Bad news, you have to go through that shark-infested water, the passage is on the bottom. About¡­ thirty feet deep.¡±

    ¡°My suit is submersible, but don¡¯t count on me for fighting, Cora said. ¡°I¡¯m in panic mode near water.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK to have a go,¡± Bree said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Rowan said. ¡°Victoria, you think you can borrow me some of your smoke until I reach the sharks? Just to go easy on my Perk''s stacks.¡±

    The blonde nodded and forwarded to him her cigarette, keeping it between her fingers. After he inhaled, she also did, and they entered the interdimensional space together, staring at each other.

    [Victoria to Rowan]: Don''t exhale too much and it''s fine. As long you have a trace of smoke in your lungs, you will be in the Space.

    [Rowan to Victoria]: Just a thought¡­ Isn''t more appropriate to call this the in-between?

    [Victoria to Rowan]: In-between is out of fashion. If you want to look cool in an Awakened bar, say: We had a Joint and took a trip into the Space.

    [Rowan to Victoria]: Good to know. Take care to be in the Space when I¡¯ll activate my Snowstorm. I''ll give you a heads-up.

    [Victoria to Rowan]: No need, I¡¯ll wait for you on the other floor.

    She offered him another smoke and they stepped into the sea, walking on the bottom. The center of the floor was not so far, maybe a couple of hundred yards away, so that meant the beach had an illusion on it forbidding the other side to be seen. Three more inhales and they reached the portal to the next floor, a swirling circle of darkness. He took another smoke, then gave the cigarette back to her, and waited until Victoria went to the other side.

    All five shark groups were circling above the swirling blackness, going on and on. Exiting the Space after exhaling as hard as he could, Rowan activated Snowstorm at maximum force and in its pure AoE form. It did carnage, crushing four of the five monster groups, and freezing large chunks of water around, but he cut it short because of the lack of Mana, and the need to breathe, activating Joint Trip. He used rebar to kill the last group of sharks and climbed to the surface.

    ¡°It¡¯s all clear, you can come,¡± he yelled, treading the water, and inspecting his notification.

    The First Floor of The Shore Dungeon has been cleared. You were the major DPS contributor and received 1 free AP. You have leveled x1. You are Level 72.

    R?svelg¡¯s First Aspect: Snowstorm cost is now 47 Mana/second. Increased potency by +25% vs Aquatic Targets.

    As soon as the group reached the spot, he escorted Cora and Papa Allinder to the portal. Swimming downward, he noticed for the first time that Cora¡¯s suit had also a segmented armor part for the tail, that waved in gracious movement through the water.

    She¡¯s so cute!

    Then, they were on the other side, on a jungle floor. Trees reached to the sky, but their canopy threw a deep shadow around. A lot of noise around, birds, monkeys¡­ some roars. A pair of tall humanoids waited next to Victoria, their clothes in tatters, and themselves emaciated. They had pointy ears, and their skin had a slight bluish-coppery hue.

    Hm¡­ Jungle¡­ Tree Elves?

    The rest of the Raid had arrived while he was inspecting them, and Rowan offered a handshake.

    ¡°Rowan Allinder, nice to meet you. This is our raid. My wife, Cora, my pa'', Johan, Hubert, Bree, and people whose names I forgot, sorry!¡± he yelled toward the group.

    "No problem, it''s on you," a man said.

    "What''s on him?" Papa Allinder asked, but Rowan ignored him, as he exchanged handshakes with the Elves.

    ¡°Fay,¡± the woman said.

    ¡°Inglotal. Follow us.¡±

    The man started to run, and they had no other choice but to follow, panting or not. Ten minutes later, they reached a clearing, with typical longhouses sprinkled on it, and some tree houses as well. There were a lot of people in that village, more than in the Goblin Town, and all were thin. They got surrounded in no time, everybody looking at them with apprehension and hope.

    ¡°They need food,¡± Victoria shouted. ¡°Whoever has a sandwich to spare, give it to the children.¡±

    ¡°What happened here?¡± Rowan addressed his two guides, after putting every bit of food he had on him on a table.

    Fay gestured for him to follow and entered a small hut, where they sat at a table, across from each other. The raid members leaned on the walls. From outside, curious eyes followed them through the windows.

    The woman began to speak, looking into his eyes. ¡°Our tribe tried to colonize a virgin planet, and we took a loan to buy equipment. Our quest was to rediscover the old ways, of living closer to nature."

    "That''s a noble goal," Papa Allinder said. "I often took my son hiking, to teach him our Old Norse ways. That''s how he became so strong."

    Rowan facepalmed, sliding his hand down on his cheeks, burrowing his fingers in his skin, to refrain from screaming. The woman repressed a smile, that was clear enough, and he felt embarrassed to the moon and back. "Please, continue," he sighed.

    "It was not meant to be¡­ When we failed to pay our debts, we were forced to sign an indenture contract for ten years, in an Entertainment dungeon. We barely started when the ship crashed on your planet. Soon after, the dungeon awoke, and us with it. Our former leader had a way of communicating with the exterior, but he tried to sell everybody into worse slavery, in which each of us, including children, would have been a pleasure provider.¡±

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    ¡°That kind of an entertainment dungeon brings a lot of money on the intergalactic black market,¡± Cora said. ¡°It¡¯s probably the Mercs.¡±

    "There are humans who are as bad," Rowan said. "Viscardi has a team dedicated to identifying and killing them. Sorry, Fay. What happened next?"

    ¡°We fought back, and he and the people he wanted to sell us to ran deeper into the dungeon, to claim the core. We followed, but the dungeon changed out of a sudden, spawning monsters. We cleared ten floors but met a blockage on the eleventh and had to return to base. We¡¯re giving it a second try now, but we¡¯re out of food and short on Mana. Our fighters barely managed to clear the next three floors.¡±

    ¡°The monsters must respawn once a few days,¡± Cora added.

    Fay kneaded her hands together. ¡°Please, help us, and we¡¯ll serve you for the rest of the sentence, as long you settle for normal work. We have many skills.¡±

    Rowan let out a long sigh. ¡°Fay, and mister¡­ sorry, forgot your name. I suppose one can move between floors, as long they¡¯re cleared, yes?¡±

    ¡°True,¡± the woman nodded, looking a little befuddled.

    ¡°Gather your people and move to the first floor. We''ll install a lifeline to help the weak ones swim. Once there, I¡¯ll get you out of the dungeon and send you to our city, where you¡¯ll find food and shelter. Classes are rare in our world, so we could, indeed, use your help. Whoever wants to stay with us, will sign a contract for ten years, for the average pay¡­ don¡¯t ask me how much that¡¯s an hour, because the dollar isn¡¯t worth much anymore and we¡¯re switching to Mana Coins¡­ never mind. Nevertheless, we¡¯re not into slavery, indenture, stuff. Those who want to leave will be free to leave.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have enough cigarettes for everybody,¡± Victoria said. ¡°Even if they share.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, I have a way to get everybody out of the dungeon."

    "And how does your Lordship, intend to do that? Can you explain to us, mere mortals who risk their lives in dungeons daily and could use such a feat?" Hubert asked.

    "Can you cut the sarcasm, mind your business, and let me work, for a change?" Rowan frowned at the priest.

    Svart¨¢lfar applied to target: Paladin Hubert. Dazed and Stunned for ten seconds.

    Now, the priest was wobbling on the bench, his tongue slightly hanging out from his mouth.

    Oops! Never mind. That will teach him a lesson.

    ¡°Fay, you have to trust me on this. Tell your people to grab their valuables and move them to the first floor. Before the night, you''ll be safe and fed. Victoria, I''ll need your help. The rest of the raid can take a break.¡±

    <hr>

    It took until late afternoon to move all the people up, and he sent Victoria forward, to organize things on the other side. There were nearly three thousand people to rescue in the end, when the teams from the lower floors returned.

    ¡°A word,¡± Fay came to him.

    ¡°Hit me. Ouch! Hey! What''s up with you?" Rowan yelled, massaging his cheek.

    "You ask me to hit you," Fay said, turning the palm she used to slap Rowan up, in a gesture of befuddlement.

    "Oh¡­ cultural differences, I see. Here, it''s just an expression. It means: tell me what''s on your mind."

    The Elf shrugged. ¡°Do you want me and my husband to stay behind and guide you through the dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Is there any serious challenge?¡±

    ¡°For an army this big? No. On the sixth floor, there are iron golems, tough, but beatable. Then Sand Sharks, Water Sharks, more golems, and some zombies. Their DOTs are big and stack but they are slow and vulnerable to AoE¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be OK.¡±

    ¡°One more thing¡­¡± Fay shifted her weight from one leg to another, hesitating.

    ¡°Shoot. STOP!" he yelled, as the Elf was touching her bow. "I mean, what¡¯s up now?¡±

    ¡°Are you an elf, by any chance? We all saw you using the Cold Gaze on that pagan priest, back in the village.¡±

    Pagan, huh? I guess everyone has a different perspective on things.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Perk I have, it¡¯s called Svart¨¢lfar Stare.¡±

    The surprise on the woman¡¯s face was striking. She swallowed a lump. ¡°S-Svart¨¢lfar? How? We¡¯re the Svart¨¢lfar¡­ the Swarthy Elves¡­¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, if I believe my father''s sheet stats, I could have some elven blood in my veins.¡±

    ¡°It warms my heart to meet a fellow Swarthy Elf so far from home. Moreover one with such a precious perk,¡± Fay bowed her head.

    ¡°The Stare? Yeah, it¡¯s a neat trick, but not as powerful as R?svelg.¡±

    ¡°You have R?svelg too?¡± the woman gasped, but he was too tired to have that conversation, at that moment.

    ¡°Are your people ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are,¡± she looked around.

    ¡°Good. Just let me check something with my father. Papa, have you made up your mind? Will you stay with us?" Rowan asked the older man, who was talking with his Nekojin wife, six feet farther. "Hey, pay attention!"

    "¡­and he slept with his Teddy bear until¡ª Sorry, was telling Cora what a sweet child you were."

    "Thank you so much for embarrassing me yet again. Have you made up your mind? Will you stay with us?"

    "Of course, I''ll stay with you," Papa Allinder weighed his words. "You need my help and guidance, that''s sure."

    "Argh¡­" Rowan gestured a choking gesture. "OK, then it''s time you pledge your allegiance. If you start pestering me with questions about this or that, I''ll refuse your citizenship application and drag your old ass back to Philly as soon we''re finished with this dungeon, so I swear."

    "That''s not a civilized language to use on your father," the old man crossed his arms.

    "Just go on with the Oath and don''t interrupt me." Putting two fingers in her mouth, Rowan let out a loud whistle, to make the elves look at him.

    Mass notification and message:

    His Lordship Count Allinder, Count of Randolph County, Suzerain of Rome, Warchief of Goblin Town, and Honorary Godfather of Calveor offers all Swarthy Elves here present citizenship rights in Randolph County.

    The Swarthy Elves will be provided with fair jobs, land (within reasonable limits) housing, and assistance to build back their lives.

    All who accept the offer are bound to respect the Laws of Randolph County and swear a non-disclosure System-enforced Oath: they''re not to reveal to any third party or casually talk about the Count''s Perks or any spell, ability, skill, or perk of his or any Classed working for him. Penalties can vary between fines, Perma Death, Insta Death, becoming Bounty Hunted, and Pariahs.

    Those who accept the offer, press Yes. Minors who are almost of age can select Yes themselves. Parents are required to accept the offer for younger minors. Those who reject the offer will be presented with a separate non-disclosure contract and will be free to go wherever they want. Those who reject both offers are asked to orderly form a separate queue, waiting to be painlessly and mercifully put to death.

    Accept offer: Y/N

    "That goes against everything I believe in," Rowan could hear his father mumbling behind him. However, the Yes was unanimous.

    [Count Rowan Allinder to all]: OK, folks, we''re going out. You know the drill.

    The Elves started to join hands. They were packed together as tightly as possible, in rows and lines, parents carrying the smaller children on their backs or bags hung on their chests. Rowan had practiced the move a few times before, just to make sure everybody understood what was supposed to happen.

    There were notifications, messages, and whistle-calls all lying around. When the calls ended, and all were ready, Rowan took Fay¡¯s hand and activated Joint Trip. It was the first time he used it on such a large scale, but it worked. Everybody he touched, even indirectly, was pulled into the Space. Slowly, they walked through the dungeon¡¯s outer edge, appearing inside Tygart¡¯s Valley, on the river¡¯s edge. He dismissed the Perk with three seconds to spare and with all the elves through.

    There were roars, an ocean of gasps¡­ Children rushed to play with the snow, and adults cheered.

    ¡°Follow the nice people through that Portal,¡± Rowan shouted, gesturing toward the blue gate going into town, with social workers and the police waiting to escort them.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Isla approached. ¡°I brought food and the reinforcements you asked for.¡±

    ¡°Hail do you do,¡± Fenrri saluted. Behind her and Snemc was a long file of Goblinoid warriors, two by two.

    [Rowan to Fenrri]: Please don''t say Hail around here, it has a really bad connotation.

    The Ogre gave him a thumbs up, and then he yelled as loud as he could: ¡°OK, troops, hold hands, like in kindergarten. Chop chop.¡±

    Joint Trip activated (6/10 remaining)

    Before his stack got to its end, he was back inside the Dungeon, and a sizeable army together with him. His bet had paid. This was not a combat-oriented dungeon, and he could bring in more than a simple raid. How the monsters spawned was a question for another time. The ensuing notification gave him great joy, despite his fingers being hurt by Fenrri''s humongous strong grasp.

    For taking a record number of people with you, Joint Trip has advanced to the next tier, extending its duration to 45 seconds. You can chain stacks and have unlocked a new aspect: Friends on a Trip. You can take your friends, party, or raid in the in-between without touching them if they¡¯re not farther than thirty yards from you.

    For saving the Swarthy Elves, you have been awarded 10 free APs.

 41: Dungeoning Again

    Someone knocked at the door. Isla groaned, pulling a pillow over her head. Cora, on the other hand, continued to sleep blissfully, the tip of her tongue hanging out of her mouth.

    That was a night to remember¡­

    Protocol or decency was the least of his worries, so Rowan opened the door of the tree hut for two inches. Outside, Hubert, the priest.

    Who else? Man, he¡¯s a pest!

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Rowan hissed.

    ¡°We need to talk.¡± Despite addressing Rowan, the Paladin¡¯s eyes tried to peek over Rowan¡¯s shoulder. If Rowan would have to compare the priest''s gaze with something, it looked exactly like a nosy old lady''s. Pushing the man back, Rowan stepped on the balcony and closed the door behind him.

    ¡°Talk.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to¡­ apologize for yesterday when I doubted you. It¡¯s just¡­ I thought you didn''t realize the limits of your power and got drunk with the idea of charity and saving people¡­ It happens a lot to newbies.¡±

    ¡°Look, dude, I apologize for giving you the Stare. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK,¡± the priest waved off the excuse. "I was in the wrong to start with."

    ¡°The thing is¡­ please don''t be offended¡­ I¡¯m not a nice or religious guy. I think religion is BS. Not faith, to be clear, formalities. When I can help, I help, that¡¯s all. I lived on the streets, as a kid, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ Your father told me.¡±

    ¡°He did, didn''t he¡­ Big mouth Papa Allinder¡­ One of the hardest things I ever did was to leave behind my friends. There were other kids there, you know¡­ Some nights, I couldn¡¯t sleep, thinking: I had a good dinner, do they have anything to eat? Is there rain, where they sleep? I don¡¯t know what happened to them¡­ forgot their family names, their faces¡­ Take this as the confession I owe you. I had a tough life, got lucky but I don¡¯t think I owe anybody to help back. Life is tough, shit happens. If I can make other people''s lives easier, I do it, but it¡¯s not like my mission. My mission is to take care of myself and my family, first. The rest is a byproduct.¡­ You¡¯re not crying on me, are you.¡±

    ¡°N-no¡­¡± Hubert said, pretending to blow his nose.

    ¡°Get yourself together, for goodness sake!¡± Rowan tried to pull the Paladin by the lapels, but failed, as there were no lapels on a full metal armor. ¡°And never, ever, wake me again if I have a late morning sleep, or I kill you. I''m not joking. I know you can Rezz.¡±

    Hubert turned and left, taking precautions in stepping down the frail ladder. Taking on the village view in the morning, Rowan decided to go down himself. Orcs and Ogres were doing push-ups and sparing, meaning they were eager for battle.

    ¡°How did you manage to get more than a raid in the dungeon?¡±

    Startled by Hubert¡¯s voice, Rowan missed the last step of the ladder and fell on his back.

    ¡°Dude, are you a stalker or something? I¡¯m not interested,¡± he blurted, raising on his buttocks and rubbing his ankle.

    ¡°Why does everyone assume I¡¯m gay only because I dedicated my life to the Church?¡± the priest yelled back.

    ¡°Tone it down. I don''t care. But seriously, you¡¯re hanging around me too much. Go. Away.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± Hubert showed the forest with a large gesture. ¡°You¡¯re our leader, for better or for worse, and it¡¯s normal to be interested in that. The world is going to shit, if you didn¡¯t notice. Are you able to save the county?¡±

    ¡°Feels good to hear you speak some normal words. Say again: shit.¡±

    Hubert offered his hand, helping Rowan rise. ¡°You¡¯re annoying.¡±

    ¡°The feeling is mutual. That said, we have to stick together and cover each other¡¯s backs. This dungeon is glitching or something. Cora says something must have triggered the core¡¯s auto-defense mechanisms. This is an artificial dungeon, it was built by some folks, they inserted some security protocols¡­ We can talk about it over a pancake. Is there something to eat?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Breakfast is ready, by the way, in the farthest longhouse.¡±

    <hr>

    One hour later, their small army started marching. After an uneventful but boring hike through the cleared floors, they reached the sixth level of the dungeon, an uneven plain, a steppe going forever, with tall grass, groves, and rock formations here and there. After five minutes of hiking, they met their first monster: a giant metal golem, a robot with a machine gun instead of a left hand, and a mace as its right. The leaders'' group took cover in the grass, debating.

    ¡°How do we fight that?¡± Martha, one of the fighters brought by the Paladins, asked. Rowan was now able to remember most of their names.

    ¡°RPGs?¡± another warrior said, taking out a portable rocket launcher from his inventory.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Fenrri said, slapping the man on the shoulder. ¡°Give it to the little one, we¡¯ll make a test.¡±

    A tiny goblin hopped forward, his eyes bulging in eagerness, stretching his hands up for the weapon. ¡°I prove muhself to muhmma.¡±

    A little hesitant, the man handed the rocket launcher. The Goblin dashed through the tall grass, only a faint movement showing his trajectory. In no time, he arrived near the construct, and shot the RPG at point blank, directly in the monster¡¯s head. Despite the huge explosion and the smoke, the effect was minimal. The robot¡¯s mace crushed the goblin dead the next second.

    ¡°Noooo¡­. The child¡­.¡± Hubert wailed.

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    Fenrri must have some teleport skill, Rowan thought. The Ogre disappeared and reappeared in the golem¡¯s back. Her fists hit the robot¡¯s ankle, smashing it, and then, as the construct fell, Fenrri climbed on its back and bashed the metal head into pieces.

    Fenrri, army co-leader, has destroyed Gun Golem (Elite), level 80 (1/20)

    Meanwhile, the Paladin rushed forward, shoving the earth with his hands, until he found the body of the small goblin. ¡°Please, live, please!¡± he wailed, applying his Rezz skill.

    ¡°Is he mad?¡± Fenrri whispered to Rowan.

    ¡°Absolutely. Spare the spawn, or he¡¯ll waste all his Rezz stack,¡± he susurrated back.

    ¡°Yes!¡± the priest bellowed, happy, as the little creature revived.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a child,¡± Rowan tapped his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s a sort of a bipedal dog, with a bit of intelligence. They breed and train them. All lifeforms on their planet are Goblinoids.¡±

    ¡°And this is supposed to make its life less important?¡± Hubert yelled.

    ¡°No, just saying, for when you¡¯ll have to make the choice between it and one of your friends. Life does offer those choices, you know. At least, you two seem to get along,¡± Rowan pointed to the ecstatic resurrected Goblin, who was in the process of humping the Paladin¡¯s leg.

    ¡°Get away, you monster!¡± Hubert screamed, shaking his foot.

    ¡°The next one is five hundred feet ahead,¡± Victoria appeared near them. ¡°And the pattern keeps on, in a grid formation. I couldn¡¯t find the portal to the next floor yet.¡±

    ¡°Have you tried to pass through, in the Space?¡±

    ¡°The floors are not next to each other. You can''t pass through if there''s nothing on the other side.¡±

    "What do you mean, nothing. There must be something, right?"

    "The Void," Cora said. "A sixth dimension. It''s said it gives to other universes with totally different laws."

    "I''ll stick with nothing, thank you very much."

    "He was not good at math," Papa Allinder rushed to say. "Like at all."

    ¡°I¡¯ll go see if my rockets work on them,¡± Cora said, taking off. A minute later, a notification announced:

    Cora Shemeows, army co-leader, has destroyed Gun Golem (Elite), level 80 (2/20) No XP was awarded.

    ¡°It took me three rockets, it¡¯s too much,¡± she yelled as the army approached. ¡°Trying the machine gun next.¡± Thirty seconds later, the next monster had been slain.

    Cora Shemeows, army co-leader, has destroyed Gun Golem (Elite), level 80 (3/20) No XP was awarded.

    ¡°It was worse¡­ I can¡¯t sustain this level of ammunition consumption,¡± she complained when they joined her.

    ¡°Do you have some reserves outside?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°I have plenty of reserves in my inventory, the problem is the perk that charges them with Mana. It¡¯s a once-per-day process. I¡¯m at ninety-five percent in rockets and ninety-three in bullets.¡±

    ¡°Guys, they¡¯re joining,¡± Papa Allinder said, pointing in the distance.

    ¡°Like a super golem?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°No, like an assault formation.¡±

    A group of robots was growing larger, but still waiting for the rest.

    ¡°Fenrri, grove or rocks?¡± Rowan asked. In the vicinity, they had two options for an improvised redoubt. The Ogre was a Tactician too, like Grace, and her advice was valuable.

    ¡°Rocks. Wood shrapnel is a killer,¡± Fenrri chose.

    ¡°Understood. Troops, move! I, Bree, Isla, Papa, Snemc, and Priest, team together, go behind them and hit the left flank. Cora, destroy those who are still coming, then return to give us fire cover.¡±

    Rowan started running. There were incoming notifications about Cora¡¯s progress, but he ignored them. The Golems, fifteen or so, were now grouped together, with those on the flanks releasing bursts of fire in the air, to keep Cora at bay.

    ¡°Let¡¯s attack before they reach the troops,¡± Hubert said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not!¡± Rowan countered. ¡°That¡¯s the point, let them engage the army, and hit them from behind while their attention is on our people. Now please shut up. Whoever has a gun, if you see Hubert speaking again, shoot him in the head. He can Rezz, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Martha volunteered.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Hubert protested.

    ¡°Not now, next time,¡± Rowan barely stopped the woman in time. ¡°Shush¡­ hide.¡±

    They plunged into the tall grass, to make themselves less visible. The Golems passed them by, attracted by Cora¡¯s sporadic fire, and the rain of arrows from the Goblin Army. At a hundred yards from the rock formation, the robots started firing their machine guns, and opened hatches in their torsos, revealing cannons.

    Stupid me¡­ Gun Golems, duh¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Rowan roared.

    Bree and Hubert run forward, the latter preparing his spells, and the Ranger imitating Fenrri¡¯s example, grabbing a robot¡¯s foot, throwing it down, and smashing the head with a war hammer. Papa Allinder started to throw ice bolts and fireballs, and Isla stepped forward, protecting him with a large riot shield, over which a blue light shined, similar to Hubert¡¯s. At the same time, Snemc¡¯s invoked a large area of healing and buffing, and Rowan felt its effect in every fiber of his body.

    Letting his team work on their own, he rushed to reach farther behind the enemy line, attacking the middle, using the Snowstorm. Albeit not destroying the Golems in one go, it did a good job of freezing them in place.

    The only thing he hadn¡¯t taken into account was the friendly fire coming just from a hundred yards in front of him. Cora approached, a line of deadly rockets shooting out of her rocket launchers. Just a second before he was on the point of activating Joint Trip, Hubert arrived at the rescue, blocking all projectiles with his energy shield. The Paladin¡¯s mouth was tightly shut, lips tightened together. He was faulting Rowan''s plan.

    Yeah, I should have thought about that. Then, it was over.

    Improvised Army has cleared the Shore¡¯s dungeon¡¯s Sixth Floor. No XP and no APs awarded.

    Rowan felt a little sad, if not for the levels, for the AP. On a whim, pushed a point into Strength, then another into Dexterity, because he felt his fighting skills were underwhelming, and wished to raise them to the third threshold, but stopped, remembering Cora¡¯s obsession with delaying investing APs as much as he could. To compensate for the hunger of rushing to the next tier, he put a point into Constitution and Charisma, to make all four stats fifty-five. He felt like an alcoholic trying to drink a beer to stop thinking about moonshine, or somebody on a diet eating a raw cabbage to stop yearning for French fries.

    ¡°The guy is good,¡± Hubert said.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The Shaman. He regenerated not only our health but also our shields.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a pro, true. See, you should be friends. Bith priests, both healers.¡±

    "I guess¡­" Hubert sighed.

    The target of their commentary had not tarried, rushing to heal the wounded in the main camp. Fortunately, there were no fatalities. In the distance, a big sign had appeared, floating in the air, signaling in big letters: To the Next Floor. They walked toward it and found the portal.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Victoria said before anyone could pass on. ¡°Let me go Scout first.¡±

    She lit a smoke and vanished. Ten minutes later, she reappeared, her cigarette spent.

    ¡°The next floor is an enclosed water tank, about a hundred feet in diameter. Swimming across is OK but there are countless piranhas around. Then we have a floor with Sand Sharks combined with Golems, then another deep water passage, with water sharks. And the tenth is a beach infested with zombies. The eleventh floor is strange, an empty town. There was no monster in sight. I tried to find the next portal but failed, and had to return before the smoke was spent.¡±

    ¡°Give,¡± Rowan forwarded his hand. The Vampire gave him the cigarette, and he inhaled the last bit of smoke. Trying not to exhale too soon, he passed through the portal, staying near his side. He unleashed his Snowstorm as soon as the effect of the cigarette vanished. In that small space, it killed the Piranhas instantly.

    You have cleared the Shore¡¯s dungeon¡¯s Seventh Floor. No XP and no APs awarded.

    He pushed the water with his arms and feet, going back to the sixth floor. Passing through the portal felt strange, the water¡¯s resistance still restraining his legs while his arms trashed in the air, to keep his body¡¯s balance. ¡°It¡¯s done. The exit is straight across. Maybe we can put a lifeline, a rope or something.¡±

    ¡°Or guides. Snemc can stay half an hour underwater,¡± Fenrri said.

    ¡°And I can stay indefinitely,¡± Cora added. ¡°I hate swimming, but one must do what one must do. We¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

 42: The Warlords Riddle

    After grinding their way through the next three floors, they reached the eleventh and found it empty, as Victoria said. It was a sea resort, with villas near the sea, umbrellas, and chaise lounges on the beach. A small tourist town with old houses giving a Mediterranean vibe. The only strange building was a stone wall at the end of the Main Square. It had a closed gate, built to imitate a Medieval castle¡¯s door, with heavy beams, chains, and lock pads locking it up.

    ¡°I think this is the portal, and it¡¯s a puzzle, ¡± Victoria said. ¡°The Joint doesn¡¯t work on it.¡±

    ¡°You think we have to pick the locks?¡± Cora asked, touching a lock pad. She had barely brushed it with her fingers when a paper appeared on the gate, and it stayed there despite her attempt to take it off. They took turns to read the note.

    ¡®Tis a night of recollection, a time to heal,

    A time to reflect, and let the heart reveal.

    The lessons learned, and the strength gained,

    ¡®Thy challenges, in the ¡®morrow attain.

    I, The Warlord

    ¡°This is b-bad¡­ This is so b-bad¡­¡± Fenrri shivered.

    ¡°How bad?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°A god messing with our lives bad, so I¡¯d say as bad as it gets.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s no god,¡± Hubert interjected.

    ¡°True, he¡¯s a divine,¡± Cora said. ¡°It¡¯s different.¡±

    ¡°It means we have to spend the night here, right?¡± Rowan said. ¡°It''s for the better, we need some rest anyway. Whatever the challenges, we¡¯ll prevail.¡±

    ¡°What hour is it?¡± Isla asked. ¡°Is time the same in dungeons?¡±

    ¡°Time stays the same,¡± Cora said. ¡°Dungeons sync with the local hour, if you see the sunset here, it¡¯s evening out there as well.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Raid, disband. Army¡­ do whatever Fenrri tells you to do. See ya in the morning,¡± Rowan shouted.

    ¡°We camp here, put out the tents, normal patrol and guard order,¡± the Ogre yelled.

    "This is yours," Rowan said, extracting a Bourbon bottle from the inventory and offering it to one of Hubert''s comrades. "The lost bet."

    "C''mon, man, one bottle? Are you a cheapskate or something?" the warrior snorted.

    "Fine¡­," Rowan sighed, offering a second bottle. "And cheapskate counts for the Swear Jar, just so you know."

    "What''s going on," Papa Allinder whispered to Cora. He had instinctively lowered his head, then had to raise on his toes, as the Nekojin was in her armor, and thus, taller.

    [Cora to Papa Allinder]: Rowan thinks he has a good memory and took a System-reinforced bet, a while ago. He''s supposed to remember every high-tier Awakened in town by name or pay them a drink. One of his PR stunts.

    [Papa Allinder to Cora]: Oh, my God! He''ll go bankrupt! Trust me, Robunny is everything but a brainiac.

    [Cora to Papa Allinder]: Rowbunny? That''s so sweeeeeeet!

    [Papa Allinder to Cora]: Don''t tell him I told you.

    [Cora to Papa Allinder]: Anyway, don''t worry about the drinks, he covers the costs from the Swear Jar.

    [Papa Allinder to Cora]: The what?

    [Cora to Papa Allinder]: Rowan made a law: every time somebody says something bad about him in public, like '' the fucking Count'' or so, ten Mana cents are deducted from their bank account and transferred to us. It''s¡­ a fast-growing account.

    [Papa Allinder to Cora]: Go figure.

    Meanwhile, the discussion about the note and the gate had subsided, and almost everyone finished reading it. There were some bets placed here or there, about what was about to follow, mostly among the goblinoids.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go find myself a hotel room,¡± Bree said.

    "Son, what if¡ª"

    ¡°No!¡± Rowan waved his index in a stopping gesture, both at his father and Hubert. ¡°No father-son time, no confessions or life stories. Go stalk someone else, both of you. You know what? Stalk each other, for what I care.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Papa Allinder sulked, crossing his arms. The priest just shrugged and walked away.

    ¡°What if we watch the sunset together?¡± Rowan asked Cora and Isla.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°What if you take me out of the dungeon, so I could check Thomas¡¯s homework? And then we sleep at my home and I reward you?¡± Isla grinned.

    ¡°It¡¯ll take forever to crawl back¡­¡±

    ¡°If you go back, he¡¯d lose two stacks of his best perk,¡± Cora pleaded. ¡°Let¡¯s play it smart.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Isla surrendered.

    Their negotiations concluded, and they found their way to the beach. They were not the only ones, Victoria was also there, lying on a chaise lounge, in a one-piece swimming suit, and smoking a normal cigarette.

    ¡°The water is lovely,¡± Victoria said.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll go for a swim,¡± Isla said. ¡°I love swimming¡­¡±

    The blonde took off her clothes, keeping her underwear on, a sports bra and bikini, and ran into the sea, splashing water. She turned for a second, to throw water at the two, but her attempt fell short, so she pulled her tongue at Rowan and Cora, and dived into the next wave.

    ¡°How many of those cigarettes do you still have? I mean Joints,¡± Rowan asked.

    Victoria extracted an opened pack and counted the cigarettes inside. ¡°Eighteen. They¡¯re hard to get out there, impossible here¡­ You¡¯re lucky."

    The Vampire threw the cigarette butt in the sand and left. After waiting for the blonde to disappear, Cora jumped and picked the butt, throwing it in a bin.

    ¡°Bloody criminals,¡± she hissed. ¡°Never tidy.¡±

    Rowan shrugged. "Doesn''t the dungeon absorb the trash? By the way, why do some bodies remain behind in the dungeon? Hubert, when he was killed by the shark on the beach, or that Goblin?¡±

    Cora patted his cheek, explaining with calm and patience, like for a child: ¡°Bodies remaining behind are the norm. Low-tier people are not dissolving into Mana. On top of that, the ones you saw staying behind had a chance of being resurrected, and the System knew.¡±

    ¡°I guess I still have a lot to learn.¡±

    Cora nodded, stretching herself. The sun was almost gone and Isla returned to the beach to enjoy the last rays. Her wet hair was flowing over her breasts, and she looked like a siren.

    "Goodness, Isla¡­ you''re beautiful," Cora exclaimed.

    "Yeah, you wouldn''t say she''s so tough," Rowan nodded. "I have a question, baby. You told me to invest my points at the last moment, but I need more Mana, and that means increasing my Charisma to the third threshold.¡±

    ¡°Considering the Warlord¡¯s toying with us, I say go for it. Can you share your stats first?¡±

    ¡°With me too,¡± Isla said. ¡°Just curious.¡±

    ¡°By the way, I never saw your stats,¡± Rowan said.

    Isla¡¯s stare threw back a dagger. ¡°You saw my ass, and that¡¯s enough. A woman¡¯s stats are private.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Rowan rolled his eyes, sharing his Character Stats.

    Name: Rowan Allinder. Lvl. 73. Main class: Indomitable (Legendary). Secondary Class: Primeval Magus (Mythical)

    58 APs available

    Str. 55 / Dex. 55 / Con. 55 / Int. 77/ Wil. 81 / Cha. 55

    ¡°Looks good,¡± Cora said. ¡°Even without supplementary APs, you can reach the third threshold in every stat, and throw some extra points here and there for more Mana or whatever. Perfect. Put APs in Charisma and tell me the perks.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ what¡¯s a secondary class?¡± Isla asked.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Rowan facepalmed. ¡°I forgot she doesn¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°Pfff¡­¡±

    ¡°Guys! Don¡¯t you dare lie to me! What¡¯s a secondary class?¡±

    Cora looked around to see if there was anyone around, then leaned toward Isla, speaking in a low voice. ¡°A handful of people can unlock secondary classes through powerful experiences. It practically doubles the number of your perks. That¡¯s why Rowan is so powerful. But it carries a risk. If you find out about them too soon, your mind tries to fill the void and you can get something trivial. Grace was the first to get a secondary class but I made her keep the secret because Rowan risked getting something like Forklift Operator at that time.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha ha,¡± Isla threw her head back in laughter. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± she patted Rowan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get something like Ticket Obsessed, or Sexy Police Brutality,¡± Rowan sneered.

    ¡°I got the Cavity Search class¡­¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°Gotcha, dummy. I¡¯m still a simple Enforcer.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s not a given you¡¯ll get a secondary class,¡± Cora continued. ¡°The ratio of people getting it is infinitesimally small.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m fine anyway. I¡¯ll let you two talk your nerdish and head back to town. There¡¯s some barbecue smell in the air and I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Picking her clothes from the sand, dusting them, and dressing back, Isla walked away, with Rowan looking longingly after her.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, get your head together," Cora snapped her fingers near his ear. "Charisma?¡±

    ¡°Moment¡­ Oh¡­ that¡¯s so nice.¡±

    Charisma Perk, Threshold 3 (Main Class: Indomitable): Cost Reduction. Simple, yet efficient. -25% Mana cost for all spells and perks.

    Charisma Perk, Threshold 3 (Secondary Class: Primeval Magus): Hurtful. Gretchen¡¯s Question, Svart¨¢lfar¡¯s Stare, Sonar, and Insight can deliver CC effects to enemies. The effect is increased for lower-tier targets, applying damage as well.

    ¡°You lucky bastard¡­¡±

    ¡°It''s because of you, Cora. Your advice helped a lot."

    "Whatever. I''m sleepy, I''m going back to town."

    Rowan caught her by the hand before she raised up. "What if we sleep here? The beach is lovely.¡±

    ¡°Fine¡­ but let¡¯s join the chairs, I want to cuddle¡­ Rowbunny.¡±

    <hr>

    Rowan was having quite a nightmare. All his three wives scolded him for some wrong he did, screaming at him, loudly¡­ He woke up in a sweat. In real life, the yelling was done by Fenrri.

    ¡°Come, we have big problems.¡±

    ¡°Is Cora safe,¡± he rushed to ask, seeing she was not there.

    ¡°She¡¯s in the square. Come.¡±

    Probably because she thought him too slow, Fenrri grabbed and threw Rowan over her right shoulder. He felt like one of those heavy sacks or crates he had to lift in the Bourbon factories he had worked in. In the Square, everybody was gathered around the Triumphal Arch.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Take a look,¡± Fenrri said, letting him down.

    On the wooden gate was a new note, a piece of parchment with handwriting. Red letters, of course.

    I, The Walord, have compressed Levels 12-19 into this gate and transformed it into a Challenge.

    Four champions have been selected to enter the gate and confront the test, having guessed the answer to my riddle:

    A time to reflect, and let the heart reveal.

    The lessons learned, and the strength gained,

    and invested APs before dawn, reaching at least one threshold.

    The challengers will enter the gate in this order: Papa Allinder, Hubert the Paladin, Rowan Allinder, and Isla Culloden. Refusing the test = roll of dice with a 50% chance of Insta Perma Death.

    Rewards: 1 Level. 1 AP. Information. Life-changing experience. Access to the Boss¡¯s Lair.

    ¡°Told you, this is bad,¡± Fenrri said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t guess anything, it was just happenstance,¡± Rowan complained. ¡°Did any of you?¡± Every champion shook their head in denial.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the test,¡± Papa Allinder said. ¡°I¡¯m old, so¡­ at least I spent my last days happy, having fun with my son.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go for it too,¡± Isla said with a heavy tone.

    Hubert nodded, and Rowan shrugged. He was going for the challenge anyway The text on the paper changed.

    Papa Allinder is asked to touch the Gate.

 43: The Gate Challenge

    <h2 style="text-align: center">The Choices of Papa Allinder</h2>

    It was a dark room, with nothing but two screens, one on the left side, the other on the right. The left showed Lizzie, riding Papa Allinder¡¯s back and making joyful noises; to the left was a dark field covered in bodies, blood, spears and arrows stuck in the mud or corpses. Clouds covered the sky; ravens circled above, waiting for the last movements to subside before feasting on the dead.

    Shaking, Papa Allinder took an unconvincing battle stance, preparing his staff for anything.

    ¡°This challenge is simple.¡± A man appeared, slowly stepping forward. Majestic but eerie at the same time, covered in ghastly tattoos; metal threads embedded in his body, and a white fur on his shoulders. As he closed the distance, surrounded by a cloud of snow and cold, a terrible sentiment of dread spread in the old man. ¡°Choose. Life, or death,¡± the apparition commanded, spreading his arms to point at the images.

    ¡°Y-you m-mean the s-screens?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Life, or death.¡±

    The elderly man let out a bitter laughter, mixed with tears. ¡°This can¡¯t be so simple¡­¡±

    ¡°You are right. What is life? What is death? You have a Class now. Your son called a favor from a friend, to return you the favor of giving him a good life. Do you know what it means?¡±

    Trying to contain the shiver in his body, Papa Allinder shook his head. ¡°Why don''t you tell me?¡±

    ¡°A wise answer. A Class is the most precious thing on Earth. It¡¯s up to the Classed to help your planet survive the Awakening. You¡¯re a Sage and a good one, and magic users are rare. We can afford squeamish people around. Make up your mind: embrace or reject your new nature. The left screen shows a normal life. I take your class back and give it to someone more worthy, but you have a few more years to enjoy your family. A peaceful death, remembering your late wife who died at a young age. You never loved again until you met Rowan, a son she would have loved too. The right, you embrace your Class. Maybe you die in battle, maybe you live to see two hundred. Maybe you build a harem and make kids of your own, or just find another love. It¡¯s a risk, no guarantees.¡±

    There was no hesitation from the elderly man. He nodded with energy. ¡°Right. I want to be able to protect my son and his family.¡±

    ¡°We''ll see. Power changes people. In fifty years, maybe you kill a bandit just to bed the grateful innkeeper, or let her be ransomed, if she¡¯s ugly. Do you confirm your choice, yes or no?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes.¡±

    ¡°You have a probation time, of a year. Kill a thousand sentients, monsters, or humans, and save the same number. Begone.¡±

    Gasping, Papa Allinder found himself back in the square. In his back, one of the padlocks on the gate broke into pieces.

    ¡°Thank goodness,¡± Rowan rushed to hug him, and Cora joined. ¡°Was it hard?¡±

    The elderly man''s shaking hand grabbed his shoulder, supporting himself on it to stay on his feet. ¡°I c-can¡¯t talk about it now¡­¡±

    <hr>

    <h2 style="text-align: center">The Temptations of Father Hubert</h2>

    Goblidog Wurf, son of Howl and Barks was the happiest of monsters. His tiny mind couldn¡¯t comprehend how someone could love him so much to raise him from the dead. The Paladin was a Saint. No one else ever had shown him any sign of affection. Muhmma Fenrri, his master, was kicking his butt every other hour. He was cannon fodder and knew it. All his spawn-litter had been killed in suicide missions before they reached this floor. A new master was needed if he aimed at a continued existence.

    What delicacies a new master like the Paladin could feed him? Heavenly treats. Maybe real dog food, and not some meatless boar bones, boiled for two hours in a soup.

    Now, he knew he had angered the Paladin, by humping his leg. Humping was reserved for mating, but it was hard to fight against the burning in his loins. A leg was the second-best after a bitch. But he had heard the Paladin preaching about forgiveness to his comrades, so there was still hope.

    Nevertheless, Wurf''s plans to correct his mistakes and be adopted were in jeopardy. The Paladin was about to enter some dangerous dungeon floor. Goblidog Wurf had a good smell and good eyes. His prospective master was afraid. The Paladin was sweating, checking his grip on the one-handed sword every second.

    The decision was made quickly: He will prove himself in battle, and gain enough clout to be adopted. So, as his next chosen master advanced toward the strange wooden gate, he rushed and touched it at the same time. Then, they were in another place. A room, with many pillows and sofas. Laid on them stood a strange creature. Two big globes on her front, mammaries, a female of sorts.

    And instantly, the possible future master wobbles on his feet, drops his sword, and approaches the sofa, hands first, aiming for the mammaries. Was he blind? Couldn¡¯t he see the artifice? The deceit? The creature reeked of bad Mana, a fake, a construct. There were claws beneath her fingernails, fangs, and wings dissimulated in an illusory wrap. A Harpy.

    The Paladin, his tongue out, salivating, reached and started to fondle those false globes, shaking his head to the right and left. There was some¡­ strange bulging appearing in his pants¡­ And the monster was preparing to strike, claws at the ready.

    Goblidog Wurf jumped forward, his fangs and jaws snapping around the fake female¡¯s throat. She screamed. The Paladin screamed. She trashed, trying to get rid of the Goblidog. The Paladin trashed as well, screaming in panic. And then, victory. The monster disintegrated into specks of light. And reward.

    You have leveled x 60. You are now level 80. Your INT stat has been automatically raised to 10, to be able to allocate your APs. You have been assigned as a Paladin¡¯s Familiar, receiving a new class.

    The Paladin screamed again, and they were out.

    <hr>

    <h2 style="text-align: center">The Lesson of Rowan Allinder</h2>

    When Hubert was thrown out of the Gate, Rowan was in his way and had to catch him in his arms.

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it! I don¡¯t wanna talk about it!¡± the priest screamed, wrapping himself in his cloak and shaking his leg to get rid of the Goblidog, who was hanging on for dear life.

    ¡°Dude, I don¡¯t give a shit!¡± Rowan shoved the man away. ¡°I really don¡¯t. Leave me be, and take the weird dog with you! Marry, be happy, make kids together, for what I care.¡±

    Shaking his head, he touched the gate, hoping for the best. If his Papa and the weirdo had survived, he could do it too. A slight squeeze in the heart; apprehension, not for him, but for Isla. There was something in her eyes he couldn''t get and was too afraid to use his senses without her permission. He touched the gate absent-mindedly and arrived in a martial arts training room, like those he had used in the town.

    ¡°We finally meet, Rowan Allinder. You, of billions of humans, attracted my curiosity foremost.¡± The tall man who talked was muscular, his skid of a golden hue, dressed in a suit of armor that appeared embedded in his skin, and there was no doubt in Rowan¡¯s mind about his identity. The Warlord.

    "It remains to be seen if it''s a good thing," he said plainly. "What do you want from me?"

    The man started to walk in a circle, with Rowan in its middle, talking slowly. ¡°Once upon a time, the Galaxy was a wonderful place, one large and beautiful culture stretching everywhere. My story is not about that time. I was born long after that civilization collapsed, when Barbarians roamed everywhere, Demon Lords, Wild Dungeons, and Towers slain entire planets in sick games. A group of Heroes arose, battling against the tide. They exterminated the Barbarians and killed the Demon Lords, their power and knowledge grew, and finally they were able to input spells into the Mana itself, creating the System. After conquering the most dangerous Towers, they found themselves jobless and overpowered, their mere existence a danger to the peace they created, and asked themselves: What next?¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The man stopped in his tracks and faced the Count. "Short answer: They ascended in a special dimension, timeless, ageless¡­ Now, who do you think I am?¡±

    A hypothesis started to emerge in Rowan¡¯s mind as he furrowed his brows. ¡°One of their foes or one of them, gone rogue and imprisoned in a Dungeon.¡±

    The Warlord let out a short laugh, jerking his head back. ¡°I didn¡¯t go rogue. Playing god wasn¡¯t for me, so I stayed behind. But there was a price to play. Power corrupts, and I had Admin rights over the System."

    ¡°That''s why you were imprisoned in a dungeon?¡± Rowan asked, grimacing.

    The Warlord shook his head. ¡°I wasn''t imprisoned. I renounced my Admin powers and became a Dungeon. I am the gate outside, and this place, and this person whom you''re talking to, at the same time. That was the deal I struck with my friends.¡±

    Rowan''s jaw slacked. ¡°What? You''re kidding me!"

    "I swear I had neither transformed you into a kid nor want to do it," the Warlord said deadpanned.

    "Sorry, just a human expression. Really, a dungeon?" Rowan tried not to laugh. "Err¡­ Can you be claimed?¡± The question, albeit hesitating, had a hint of greed in it.

    "AHAHAHA!" The Warlord roared, bending in laughter and slapping his knee, then coming forward and grabbing Rowan''s shoulder, speaking loudly in his face. "I like you, Rowan Allinder! Already thinking how to beat me, are you? Claiming my core is beyond your abilities, I''m afraid, but I''m making this System-reinforced Vow: Every time you beat one of my challenges, I will offer you a priceless gift. How about that?"

    "Sure, sure¡­" Rowan tried to take a step back and failed because of the Warlord''s grip.

    The Warlord released the young man''s shoulder and resumed walking back and forth, shrugging. "I want you to understand my purpose, this is paramount. I became a dungeon with one goal in mind: to help the most worthy warriors to better themselves and protect the legacy I and my friends built. For the last decade, I have been traveling on the Traipenent, of my own volition. It was extremely boring, but then we crashed here¡­ Earth has a lot of potential, I thought, so I broke the Ship''s Core, leaking the System out to Awaken your Planet. I might not have control over the System anymore, but it does listen to my suggestions if they''re to its liking. And here, we both were on the same page."

    ¡°You mean all this is your fault?" Rowan almost screamed, clenching his fists, his instincts yearning to hit the monster in his face.

    ¡°All this?" The Warlord faced him again, poking Rowan in the chest with his index. "You mean your gift? Your Class, you wives? Your father''s health? Are you questioning my wisdom, young man?" Out of a sudden, the Warlord changed shape, becoming older. His hair grew white and long, a crown appeared on his forehead, and large snowflakes began to float around in the air. Weirdly enough, he resembled a little Papa Allinder, only frightening.

    ¡°Yes, I question your wisdom,¡± Rowan stood firm, planting himself on his soles. Even a finger poke from the Warlord felt like a sledgehammer.

    ¡°Critical thinking, I like it. Or maybe it''s just stubbornness, but I like it too." The Warlord grinned, relenting his poking and stepping back. "Enough talking. We¡¯ll spar, only melee weapons, no armor, perks, or magic. Shields are allowed. I''m obliged by the Oath I took to fight fairly so I will lower myself to your level. I will still have the advantage, of course, so I''ll Rezz you if you die. But if you survive my onslaught for thirty seconds, I¡¯ll give you a free lesson. Prepare yourself, Rowan Allinder. In three¡­ two¡­ one.¡±

    Rowan had his armor already on. Activating his visor, he called a half-spear and a shield, to protect himself while the Warlord changed into the first shape he had, only without any armor except a loincloth, and armed with a greatsword. A Barbarian, if Rowan had to guess a class.

    Then there was no more time for thoughts. The Warlord charged at him swinging, and he was fast. Barely avoiding the flourish, Rowan plunged ahead, to get the man in the guts. Twisting his body, the Warlord shapeshifted the greatsword into a saber, and Rowan barely survived the cut, protecting his head with the shield. The opponent¡¯s weapon changed again, now a knife, trying to go around the youngster''s defenses. Turning the shield with its margin toward the Warlord¡¯s face, Rowan tried to hit it, but failed, as the man let himself fall down and dodged, getting back at him in the next second, now armed with a gladius.

    Thrusting didn¡¯t help, the Warlord caught the tip of the spear with his edge, in an oblique trajectory, deflecting the hit and gaining enough momentum to come for a thrust toward Rowan¡¯s gut. The youngster twisted his body too, letting the spear go, and throwing a fist. It connected with the Warlord¡¯s hand, the man protecting himself, albeit groaning. Rowan received a deep cut on his torso before they pushed themselves from each other, to get more distance before charging again.

    The most terrifying thing was that he could feel the Warlord had no superhuman strength or skill, as he had promised he was putting himself at the same level as Rowan, somehow. It was the difference in knowledge that counted.

    The Warlord gestured toward the spear on the ground, inviting Rowan to pick it up, transforming his own weapon into a half-spear too. Taking a few steps toward his armament, Rowan pretended to raise it up but charged at the man instead, at the last second. The Warlord''s blade cut the side of his neck, but he ignored everything, ramming into his adversary. His knee hit the man¡¯s groin, his elbow the chin, his hands searched for the eyes, to gouge them off, biting on the Warlord¡¯s throat with his teeth. The adversary dissolved into specks of light, but there was a river of blood pouring on his clothes, from his slit throat

    Delayed Truth activated. You have 0% HP.

    Then he was back to full health, his Perk recharged, and the Warlord reappeared.

    ¡°Well done,¡± the Warlord bowed his head. ¡°That''s how you use such a Perk in a life-or-death situation. You overcame your apprehension and didn''t let yourself be intimidated to go against a superior foe. I''ll think of an extra gift to reward your win, but for now, the lesson. You have an old Artifact as a weapon. Your imagination shapes it. Be creative.¡±

    A brief gesture and a mannequin appeared on the far side of the room. The Warlord''s hand invoked a dozen undulating metal filaments, thirty feet in length, that he projected at the dummy, some encircling the members and neck, some cutting, some bashing, others skewering it. The weapon looked like Spiderman''s threads had mated with Wolverine''s claws, and was a sight to behold.

    ¡°Of course, in time you will learn to focus your magic through your weapon.¡± The Warlord¡¯s weapon took a spear shape and shot a beam of frost from its tip. It was Rowan¡¯s perk, R?svelg, but concentrated in a fascicle. The target was blown to pieces but reappeared back in a couple of seconds. ¡°This is important. I''m bound not to reveal too many Perk-related spoilers. Use your brain.¡±

    ¡°My Perk says The Snowstorm is R?svelg¡¯s First Aspect. Does it have others? And what about applications.¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± the Warlord mimicked a zipper over his mouth, but nodded energetically at the same time, with widened eyes. ¡°Now, your fighting style. You think too much. Keep it simple, instinctive, and don''t train with too many weapons¡­ Look.¡±

    Approaching the mannequin, the Warlord donned a short leaf-shaped sword. He made a step forward and a cutting motion. Then, he stopped, nodded, and repeated the same motion. And again, a few more times. Sometimes he paused longer. Sometimes not.

    ¡°If you need to go melee, stick to the spear and a short melee weapon. A Barong machete will suit you well but feel free to choose anything you want. Training well is important. Half an hour at a time, not more, then take a break. Train one weapon and one motion in that interval, taking note of what you do well or wrong, and correct. Don¡¯t dwell on mistakes, think about how to correct them. Footwork is important. Train it for half an hour each day. And don¡¯t forget your main asset. You¡¯re stubborn and tough, put pressure on the enemy, do the unexpected, and keep going at them. This is all for now. It was a pleasure to meet you, Rowan Allinder. Expect to see more of me in the future.¡±

    <hr>

    <h2 style="text-align: center">The Fight of Isla Culloden</h2>

    Pacing back in forth in front of the gate, Isla thought: What took so long? She wanted to get through with it and continue, just to drown her anger in action. She was so pissed on Rowan¡­ Wishing to hit him. The only thing stopping her was thinking he¡¯d feel more entitled to his snobbish superiority.

    Sexy Police Brutality? That¡¯s all he sees in me? A thug? And sex?

    She bit her lower lip, groaning. It was the curse of her life. Her hippie parents never invested in her education. Bad grades at school? The oppressing capitalism¡¯s fault. They couldn¡¯t help with homework if she¡¯d put a gun to their heads.

    Choosing combat sports and a police career was to spite them. And arrest them too, when they manifested against some shit or hugged some tree. Shaking her head, she let out a mental fuck. She felt stupid and ugly. Isla wanted to be gentle, and refined. A princess, like Grace, or at least a cold elegant bitch like Victoria. Imposing. And she wanted Rowan to see that in her. Her potential.

    Last night, after his comment, she invested APs into INT, raising it from a mere twenty to the third threshold, to show him she was clever too. Yes, she had been through college, but he, a simple forklift operator, had been schooled by a posh noble gentleman, a Brahmin or shit. To her disappointment, all the new perks were still locked behind question marks.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Rowan was back, fondling her shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, pushing his hand away, and touching the gate to avoid too much conversation.

    Inside, it was hot, a dry hot. Around her were ruins, the antique kind, and a dry reddish earth. Not quite a replica of the Roman Forum but close. She ground her teeth, remembering how they made fun of her when she had mistaken the Italian Rome with Rome, Georgia.

    Priority, protection. She had body armor, but extracted her police riot shield from the inventory, coating it in a layer of energy. In her right hand, her trustworthy revolver.

    The beast took her by surprise, jumping on her from atop a column. She felt the air pressure at the last moment and turned. The monster¡¯s weight threw her down, but fortunately, the shield took the brunt. She discharged half of her eight rounds in the beast, all hitting the lower part of the body. The monster took off, squealing, darting in zig-zags, hiding behind the large stones.

    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Isla groaned, getting back to her feet. The creature had a monkey¡¯s head, a lion¡¯s body, and a weird tail. It resembled something she saw somewhere in Rome, in a painting. A mythical beast. Rowan sure knew its name, he knew all the weird stuff painted by Michelangelo Faggoty or any other orgiastic porn artist.

    It was unnatural¡­ to have all those nudes in museums. No one thought of kids? For goodness sake! Isla¡¯s frustration was growing. She wanted to be pretty, and elegant, to go together with Rowan to church, to be complimented, given flowers and boxes of chocolate¡­

    She noticed the incoming monster too late. Isla fired her last bullets, wounding the creature, but not enough to stop the charge. It crashed on her, throwing Isla on the ground, pinned under the monster¡¯s weight and a sting inflicting a Poison DOT. Of course, the bloody weird tail.

    The multicore¡ªor was it manticore?¡ªwas snapping her fangs an inch over her face, the police shield the only obstacle. And Isla¡¯s HP was almost done from the DOT. Screaming in frustration, Isla dismissed her magical protection and the riot shield, thrust her right hand into the monster¡¯s mouth, ignoring the bite and the pain, and activated her magical energy shield at full power, pushing it inside the monster, trying to shape it as¡­ whatever. To pull, to stab, to choke with it. She wanted to live, and the creature had to die. She saw the monster¡¯s head explode and then lost consciousness.

 44: The Big Boss

    Isla Culloden has succumbed to her wounds but cleared the test. Her Recall and Resurect to Elkins had been allowed.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, son¡­ She¡¯s alive,¡± Papa Allinder tried to console him.

    "It''s my fault," Rowan shook his head. "I should have stopped her before going through, to warn her about how dangerous that guy is. A total psycho."

    Inside the Triumphal Arch, a portal had opened, but it had a warning: Solo Quest. Only one of the Champions can proceed. There was also a timer, an hour, counting down, the remaining minutes before the access shut down. Aside from the structure, another portal had appeared, marked: Dungeon¡¯s Exit.

    Precautions were always helping, so Rowan had a Bourbon flask in his inventory. He took a mouthful, then decided.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°My challenge was about embracing my Class and becoming a true warrior. Let me do it,¡± Papa Allinder protested.

    ¡°Embrace it tomorrow, you''re too new at this,¡± Rowan cut his father''s pleas. ¡°You¡¯re too new at this. And that moron is on his honeymoon.¡± Ten feet farther, Hubert was arguing with the Goblidog, refusing to take the alien as a pet, jumping around to stop the monster hump his leg. ¡°Hubert!" Rowan yelled. "Go home. I don¡¯t like you. Don¡¯t visit. If I ever see you near my house, in that weird black dress of yours, asking for a confession or shit, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    ¡°Go fuck yourself¡­¡± Hubert snapped, then clenched his teeth. ¡°Or better, take those dimes in the Swear Jar and shove them up your... Sorry, so sorry," the priest slapped his mouth¡­ "Man, this monster gets on my nerves. I take it back. You¡¯re not so bad after all. If we had new elections, I¡¯d still vote for you.¡±

    ¡°GO AWAY!¡±

    He pushed Papa Allinder through the portal by force, and fortunately, Hubert took the hint and left. Before passing through the portal, the Goblidog gave Rowan the middle finger. Rowan took another mouthful of Bourbon, then entered the portal giving to the Lair, spear in hand.

    The portal closed behind him, and Rowan retched, an unbearable stench of death and decay clogging his nostrils. There were bodies on the floor of the¡­ cave? Tunnel. It was a tunnel carved in stone, ten feet in diameter, slowly descending. The bodies were bloated, and cooked. Through the destroyed hazmat suits and military fatigues, puss oozed. Twisted guns lay around on the ground.

    What could have done that?

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: That damage has been inflicted by the Boss.

    Whoa¡­ Rowan jerked back. A FAQ? And you can read my mind?

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: Affirmative. My current Mind Reading and Activity Tracking is set to Default: Ignore Intimate Moments, Cleaning Self, and Bodily Function moments; Activate on matters related to the Dungeon.

    Why haven¡¯t you talked before? I¡¯m sure you could been of great help on the first floor.

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: The entity known as I, The Warlord blocked my access to the first eleven floors. That restriction is now lifted, should you survive the Lair and rerun the Dungeon later.

    Never mind. FAQ, what kind of boss are we talking about?

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: That information is restricted. You are supposed to find out the Boss¡¯s strengths and weaknesses on your own. I can, however, fill in the blanks if you discover enough relevant information.

    The stench has diminished in intensity, because Rowan¡¯s skill, Sensorial Filtering, was doing a good job. He proceeded onward with caution. Asking the FAQ who the dead people were was useless. Human military, or some mercenaries, maybe cartels, and with no True Class, or they would have disintegrated into Mana.

    As he advanced, there were more remains but turned to charcoal. The last group was made of six empty armors, standing up, fused together, and to the stone floor, facing the downward end of the tunnel. The position told Rowan that they had tried to protect the other group¡¯s retreat, and failed. He cast an Inspect, to be sure.

    Intergalactic Mercenary¡¯s Armor, Standard Issue, model MK2 x6

    So, human and intergalactic mercs¡­ Probably hired by those who wanted to buy the Swarthy Elves as slaves. All gone, now.

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: Correct. An unlawful attempt to claim the core and provoke a Dungeon Break was detected. Corrective measures have been implemented. The criminals have not survived.

    And let me guess: I can''t disable those measures without claiming the core through combat.

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: Correct again.

    A hundred feet ahead, there was a faint light, the tunnel¡¯s exit. Gluing himself to the wall, Rowan stepped on gingerly. The next room was in sight, and it was a vast cavern, lighted, as the tunnel, from a faint ambient light emanating from spots on the walls and ceiling. In its center was a dragon, curled on itself, and snoring.

    Fuck¡­ that¡¯s big¡­

    The story was now complete. The previous group had awakened the beast, who unleashed some fire attack at the tunnel, killing everyone. Stopping at the door, Rowan took time to think. What were the ways to kill such a beast? Sneaking on it was out of the question. That was a construct, and constructs don¡¯t really sleep. The floor of the cavern had some form of trigger. Did the tunnel have it too? Preparing to enter The Space, if needed, Rowan tapped the tunnel¡¯s floor with the end of his spear¡¯s shaft. There was no reaction from the dragon.

    Let¡¯s assess my abilities a little.

    Returning to his tracks, he passed the melted Mercenaries and stopped. Keeping his attention to the cavern below, he willed his spear to divide into metal threads, as The Warlord had exemplified. At first, he got just a bent spear shaft, but he kept trying. On the third attempt, he obtained two filaments. After fifteen minutes, he could reliably summon six, and their length was considerable: thirty feet or so, like the Warlord¡¯s.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Next, he tried to push the filaments in the armors'' openings. It went bad, at first, either all aiming at the same space, or hitting the armor with clunking sounds. His heart skipped a beat, but the dragon was still asleep.

    Some idiot must¡¯ve stepped in the cavern before they thoroughly figured out things¡­ Too bad for them, and lucky me.

    Another fifteen minutes later, his skill had improved. It was not fast, by any means, but fast enough for what he had in mind. He returned to the cavern¡¯s entrance and rushed in after activating Joint Trip. Ten seconds later, he was at the dragon¡¯s head¡¯s height, and preparing to introduce the filaments inside the dragon¡¯s body. At the last moment, he changed his mind, not so keen on parting with his weapon, and decided to go for the rebars instead. He picked two, went deeper inside the dragon¡¯s head, where the brain was supposed to be, and let the bars go.

    Instantly, the dragon turned toward the tunnel, releasing a torrent of flames so hot the stones turned red, smoldering. Panicking, Rowan plunged all his rebars in the monster¡¯s head, kept his Joint Trip active, and ran toward the opposite end of the cavern, hiding behind a large rock formation. The tunnel itself was now closed, covered in a molten lava plug.

    Joint Trip has consumed two stacks. 6/10 remaining.

    It was bad. The heat could be felt even where he was, and the dragon kept going. He tried to make himself as little as possible, and not make any noise.

    Sonar and Insight have made a successful check against Dragon Construct, Level 80. Strengths: no vitals, its body is acting as one item. Weaknesses: Lack of sentience. Absence of a true dragon''s perks: Oppressive Presence, Sensorial Detection (Hearing, Smell).

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: You have unlocked enough data to allow me to fill in the blanks. A Dungeon can not reproduce a true dragon¡¯s perks. For instance, Oppressive Presence can kill anyone with a WIL under fifty and stabilizes dimensions around the Dragon, forbidding attacks from the Space. As a replacement for that ability, this construct has only one big pool of HP and no specific vitals.

    The dragon finally returned to its snoring. There was now a tag above its head, a generic: Dragon Construct level eighty, but Rowan could also see the health bar, hovering around eighty percent. He had scored one percent damage with each of his iron rods, it seemed. Soon, however, the rebar bits were ejected from the monster¡¯s body, and the health bar started to slowly grow back.

    Fuck this. I want to ask you a question, FAQ, If I kill myself, will I be Rezzed in Elkins?

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: Unknown Location: Elkins. Under emergency procedures, The Lair prevents Rezzez and/or Recalls and also has a forcefield forbidding escaping it through The Space.

    Another thought grasped his mind. If they had continued normally, without the Gate challenge, the entire army would now be dead¡­

    Back to Plan A. No. Modified plan A. Those rebars did twenty percent damage, all of them¡­ and it¡¯s back to eight-five¡­ If I don¡¯t kill it in one go, I¡¯ll be weaponless and screwed. I don¡¯t know if I can grab back the weapon when in The Space¡­ You should use your brain more, Rowan. Test things. Fuck¡­ Here we go.

    Rowan activated Joint Trip and moved up, stopping at the neck this time. Extending his weapon in threads, deep inside the Dragon, he prepared to project the Snowstorm through them and exited The Space.

    The expected mayhem followed. The dragon roared, shooting again his fire at the tunnel, following its programming. It took it two long seconds to realize where the damage came from. And despite the pulsing damage from the Snowstorm and the metal spikes, it was still alive.

    I¡¯m toast.

    For another three seconds, the Dragon tried to turn its head and burn Rowan, but failed, the neck too short and unwieldy. It did find a replacement solution, jumping up, and hitting Rowan against the cavern¡¯s ceiling. It hurt and made him release his weapon.

    Delayed Truth activated. You have 0% HP. You have 10 seconds to heal yourself.

    Rowan hung on, like on a rodeo bull, keeping up R?svelg even without the weapon. Six seconds later, he cast a Combat Heal and entered The Space, activating a Health Potion, and running away as far as possible.

    He was down to three Joint Trips and intended to keep them, so he hid again and returned to the normal dimension. To his surprise, the heat was not so intense anymore. The dragon was encased in a thin sheet of ice and struggled to take it off, hitting itself against the walls, fortunately far enough from Rowan. The HP bar was low, and descending. There were DOTs on the dragon, the equivalent of a Cold and Bleed damage, Rowan guessed.

    Anticlimactically, for the fierceness of the short fight, the Boss disappeared. Rowan''s weapon fell, in the form of a metal ball now, hitting the rocks below and bouncing off a few times before stopping.

    You have destroyed Dragon Construct, defensive protocol, level 80. You have cleared the Shore dungeon and can claim its core. +10 free APs. You have leveled x4, and are now Lvl. 78

    Additional rewards:

    He dismissed the notification because there was something more important to do.

    ¡°FAQ, are you still here?¡±

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: Positive.

    ¡°Question. I have a Perk that is supposed to reduce Mana Consumption by a quarter, yet my Snowstorm had the same cost, forty Mana per second. Is the first perk applied only to spells?¡±

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: I¡¯m not familiar with that Perk, but I can, however, hypothesize. Not all Perks, Spells, or Skills start at maximum efficiency, they have to be trained. My supposition is that the reduction of cost is applying to the value of the perfectly trained perk, and you haven¡¯t reached that threshold yet. If you open your Menu, under Perks, you¡¯ll see a downward arrow. Press it, select the type of perk, and expand the detailed description.

    Yeah, of course, I didn¡¯t check that¡­ that arrow is so tiny. But Cora did tell me about skills and spells having to be trained¡­ Ok, so¡­What? The real cost is twenty Mana per second, and it does say the cost is reduced to fifteen through my Second Charisma Perk. So¡­ I have to train.

    ¡°Second question. It¡¯s a little¡­ suspicious that on several occasions, I got exactly the perk I needed. I needed a cold AoE, I got a Cold AoE. I wanted a Mana cost reduction, and I got a Mana cost reduction. Is it possible that weird entities, let¡¯s say, someone whose name starts with War and finishes with Lord, could influence what perks I gain?¡±

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: I am not aware of that entity¡¯s capability, but I have a vast database about how gaining Perks works. The System has a proven tendency to unlock Perks that the Awakened needs if they have not rushed to invest their free APs into the next threshold and gained more experience first. It helps the System properly identify your needs and possibilities.

    Thanks, Cora, you were right. Last question. I don¡¯t intend to keep this dungeon but to consume it. Is it possible to transfer you to my Town¡¯s core? Like an app or something? You were quite helpful.¡±

    [Dungeon¡¯s FAQ]: It is possible if you¡¯re willing to spend the required energy.

    ¡°Good. OK, time to claim the fucking Dungeon core.¡±

    A pedestal had appeared in the place where the Dragon had slept, and also an Exit portal. He selected the Yes option when asked if he wanted to claim the core. Before going into the portal, he checked his reward.

    Additional Rewards: Shared Insight and Changing Class Opportunity for Isla Culloden.

    This is a bonus reward for standing toe-to-toe with me, I, The Warlord, in a sparing match. Before and during her test, I have detected the following feelings from your wife Isla Culloden: She¡¯s upset with you because she thinks you look down on her, and consider her stupid, brutal, and uncultured. Suggested solution: make her feel like a princess, beautiful and admired. You will find enclosed in an attachment a box of the best chocolate in the Galaxy. As a part of your reward, The Warlord took the liberty to fiddle a little with your wife''s Class, to increase the quality of her self-esteem. The System agreed that its initial estimation of her potential was below her true parameters.

    I, The Warlord remind you that everything is allowed in love because love is a battle.

 45: New Names

    Her eyelids felt so heavy¡­ Isla struggled to wake up. A soft early morning light bathed the room. She was back in their common home, Grace¡¯s bed and breakfast, in one of the guest rooms.

    I survived¡­

    ¡°Core, are the rest OK?¡± she croaked, her throat dry.

    [The Butler]: Everybody¡¯s fine.

    ¡°Thank goodness¡­ How much time has passed? It can¡¯t be the same morning.¡±

    [The Butler]: You Rezzed two days ago and slept until now. There is something amiss with your stats. I suggest you review them before the rest of your family wakes up.

    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll do just that.¡±

    Name: Isla Culloden. Lvl. 66. Main Class: Enforcer??? (Rare), Secondary Class: ???

    8 AP available

    STR: 64 / DEX: 64 / CON: 64 / INT: 75 / WIL: 25 / CHA: 25

    What the fuck?

    She switched the Class Menu and the notification popped out immediately.

    You¡¯re suffering from a possible Class Glitch, because of one of your secondary stats (INT) being higher than your main stat (STR). Make an informed Secondary Class selection to correct this error.

    1: Trainer (Rare, INT type). Unavailable for selection. Even if your free APs are to be invested in your Main stat (STR), it would still be lower than the secondary stat (INT).

    2: Hunter (Rare, INT type). Unavailable for selection. Even if your free APs are to be invested in your Main stat (STR), it would still be lower than the secondary stat (INT).

    3: Mana Monk (Legendary, INT type). Conditioned. Unarmed combat specialist. Imbue your strikes with Mana and Elemental Damage.

    4: The Artist (Legendary, Unique, INT type). Conditioned. You are the first person on Earth to use your Energy Shield for other purposes than intended. You have discovered a higher form of Forcefield: Aura. Learn to shape it into Mana Sculptures, Disguises, Illusions, Constructs, or Combative applications.

    ¡°Artist! I take the artist''s stuff,¡± she blurted. It was a dream come true. Finally! She will prove to the universe, and Rowan, that she¡¯s smart! An artist!

    Warning: An Aura artist is a Legendary tier class, and offers many bespoke choices, because no two artists are the same. Michelangelo and Leonardo are worlds apart.

    Sure, their bandanas have different colors.

    She dismissed the thought. Now that she was an artist, she couldn¡¯t afford to think like a ¡®Merican. Promising herself to read all that was to read about Mona Lisa, or even watch the musical, she continued reading the notification.

    Nevertheless, a Secondary Legendary Class is still two tiers over your Main class, which is not allowed.

    Noooo¡­ Please, pretty please, I wanna be an artist!

    After all, is Douanier Rousseau remembered for his Customs job? Mussorgsky or Chabrier for being civil servants? Bukovski for being a postman?

    Fuck¡­ there are more turtle ninja teams?

    To obtain The Artist class, it has to be promoted as a Main Class, and your Enforcer relegated to secondary. All the Perks will remain the same. The mutation will produce severe pain and dizziness. Accept mutation: Y/N.

    ¡°Of course I accept!¡±

    Isla closed her eyes, waiting for the pain. The dizziness was real, her head turning around like a carousel. The pain¡­ meh. She was used to much worse. When the switch was done, she giddily summoned her new Character Menu, to see the news. The old job¡¯s perks were the same, plus DPS, minus damage, blah blah blah. She read the new perks in one go, then returned to the beginning, because the emotion made her forget everything.

    New Perks obtained.

    Secondary (former Primary) Class: Enforcer

    INT

    First Perk: Quick Thinking. You can react instantly to any menace and find ways to counter it.

    Third Perk: Tactics. Reading of the battlefield. Synergizes with your husband¡¯s Strategic Sixth Sense.

    Yeah. In your face, Grace. Who''s the best wife now?

    Please choose your INT second threshold Perk:

    1: Read the Flow. Understand the opponent¡¯s movement better, and find counters easily. +25% to Parry, Evade, or Block.

    2: Go with the Flow. +25% Critical Chance if your strikes follow each other less than 1.5 seconds apart.

    Two, of course. It''s OP if you know what you''re doing.

    Main Class: Aura Artist (Bespoke displayed name The Artist awarded for being the first person on Earth to unlock it)

    STR

    First Perk: When using your Aura as a weapon, your strikes have +25% damage against a target¡¯s Energy Shield

    DEX

    First Perk: When using Aura as a weapon, your strikes have +25% Critical Chance against a target¡¯s Energy Shield

    CON

    First Perk: Your Aura melds with the surface of your body, enhancing its Beauty, Toughness, and Regeneration by +25%

    Isla erupted up, rushing to the bathroom to check herself in the mirror. She looked years younger, much like she did in the first years of college. Really cute.

    In your face, Cora. Do you think you¡¯re the only one able to make puppy eyes, pucker, and pretend you need a strong man to open your pickle jar? Ha ha ha!

    Returning to the bed, she read on.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    INT

    Perk 1: Aura Weapon (Legendary). You can shape your Aura into a melee or range weapon. The simplest the shape the better the results. Projectiles shot with a ranged weapon have a current range of ten yards before they lose their energy. It Consumes 20 Mana/projectile (ranged weapon) or per second spent in Combat (melee weapon). Can be used to Imbue normal weapons.

    Perk 3: It¡¯s Alive! (Legendary) Creates constructs that behave like animated pieces of art, dungeon monsters, or living beings. An amount of your Mana will be transferred to the construct (1 Mana/second), acting as an Energy Pool. Controlling a construct consumes an amount equal to their EP/10 Mana per second. Current control range: 100 yards. Stationary art creations or turret-type constructs can be programmed to feed on the local mana leylines. Mobile constructs can be programmed to attack or defend, at the expense of their Energy Pool. If the EP reaches zero, the construct ceases to exist.

    This opens possibilities.

    WIL

    Perk 1: Look, no hands! You can use your Aura to grab or push things away. Consumes 20 MP/sec. if in Combat or 10 MP/sec. out of combat. Current reach: 15 feet.

    CHA

    Perk 1: Disguise. You can use your Aura to hide yourself or others behind an illusion. Your chances of success increase if you have a good knowledge of the disguise. Cost: 10 Mana/second.

    Hmm¡­ I could have used that when I pretended to be Grace, to get into Rowan¡¯s bed¡­ but that was a bad very thing to do¡­ thank goodness it''s behind us.

    Please select your new Main Class second threshold perks:

    STR:

    1: It¡¯s Alive and Dangerous! Constructs made with your INT perk 3 can deliver attacks with 50% of your STR base damage (default level is 10%)

    2: Concentrated Power: Increase the base damage power of your Mana weapons by 50% by consuming an extra 20 Mana/second spent in combat. The power coefficient is +100% against Energy Shields.

    Let¡¯s go with two.

    DEX

    1: Critter. Constructs made with your INT perk 3 can deliver attacks with 50% of your Crit Change (default level is 10%)

    2: Wieldy. You strike +50% faster with Aura weapons at an added cost of 20MP/second spent in combat.

    OK, so it looks like the first choice in Strength and Dexterity helps constructs, and the second myself. But since I went with the second in Strength, I¡¯ll take the second one here too. I like close combat, it''s OK.

    CON

    1: Enhanced Stamina. Less need for rest or sleep, and resist mild poisons. An Artist needs to resist long hours of work, abuse of alcohol, or orgies.

    Nope. I''m not that kind of an artist. Go with two, whatever it is

    2: Body Fusion Powerhouse. Your STR, DEX, and CON stats all contribute to your Health Pool.

    That¡¯s more like it.

    INT

    1: Harmonics. You can resonate with other forcefields. A good chance to dismiss or take over other people¡¯s shields, or pass through Border-like forcefields.

    2: Mind Fusion Powerhouse. Your INT, WIL, and CHA stats all contribute to your Mana Pool

    What did Thomas say? Always go for utilities. One.

    Your new class has retroactively awarded 2 APs/every ten levels to INT, WIL, and CHA. The points previously acquired in STR, DEX, and CON will not be rerolled, but you won¡¯t get more APs in them at the every ten-level threshold. Your new stats are:

    STR: 64 / DEX: 64 / CON: 64 / INT: 87 / WIL: 37 / CHA: 37

    Having obtained so many new and cool perks made Isla so happy that she was on the verge of crying, but out of a sudden, noises outside her room attracted her attention. Voices speaking aloud and, for whatever reason, slowly, almost like reading from a paper. Cora and Grace. The first asked:

    ¡°You think she¡¯s awake?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I wanna check.¡±

    ¡°Let her be!¡±

    ¡°I wanna go shopping for clothes, and need her advice.¡±

    ¡°I can offer you advice.¡±

    ¡°You? You¡¯re dressing like one of those nineteenth-century damsels. I need someone classy and modern, like Isla, showing me the ropes.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know Cora had such good taste, Isla thought. Don¡¯t worry, kid, I¡¯ll be your Fashion master, and you¡¯ll be my Padawan. No one knows sportswear better than me, in the whole County.

    ¡°Hi, girls,¡± Rowan''s voice appeared as well. ¡°Is Isla awake?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. What do you have there? Flowers? When¡¯s the last time you brought me flowers?¡± Grace¡¯s voice raised in pitch.

    ¡°I swear I will¡­ just not now. Sorry, I have to check on her.¡±

    A timid knock on the door. Before Rowan knocked the second time, Isla yelled. ¡°Come in.¡±

    In Rowan¡¯s hands was not only a bouquet but also a box of chocolates. He rushed to hug Isla, kissing her hair. ¡°I was worried sick. Are you OK?¡±

    ¡°I am. But my Main Class changed. I¡¯m an Artist now,¡± Isla beamed.

    ¡°An A-artist? I¡¯m m-married to an artist?¡± Rowan blurted, widening his eyes and covering his mouth with both his hands.

    ¡°Two artists. Two!¡± Grace yelled from the corridor. ¡°I¡¯m going to teach my art classes. See you later.¡±

    ¡°Isla, I badly need new clothes, you think you can find some time today to help me choose some?" Cora asked from the door.

    "Of course, little grasshopper. What about in the afternoon? I need some time to experiment with my new Class." Isla said with enthusiasm, nodding, her eyes shining with happiness and repressed tears.

    "It''s a plan," Cora cheered, clapping her hands merrily. "Cya, I''ll check the County¡¯s settings and prepare the absorptions. Join me when you can¡­ Rowbunny,¡± Cora said, running away after the last word and evading the pillow Rowan threw at her.

    The day was as perfect as it could be, Isla decided. First, she needed to have some morning sex with Rowan, then she¡¯d check on Mona Lisa and other shit.

    <hr>

    The Town Square was not so big, but Rowan was still discovering its secrets. One of the mansions built by Cora when she was acting as a fake AI had a secret passage that opened in another building, which had a common courtyard with a library, that was in fact just a front and always closed, and in its attic was a portal to the Town¡¯s Core Control pocket dimension.

    Cora had insisted on the term, to differentiate from the pocket universes that were dungeons. For Rowan, it was the same, but he wasn¡¯t going to argue on that. He was reserving his arguing moments for when it mattered.

    While she was talking nerdish technical stuff and he pretended to listen, they arrived in a large round room, with another portal on the opposite side and a console in the middle.

    ¡°What¡¯s there?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°The town¡¯s storage. Care to see it?¡±

    Rowan didn¡¯t care, actually, but it didn¡¯t matter too much as long it made her happy, so he nodded. ¡°Yeah, why not.¡± After passing through the second gate, they arrived inside a gigantic subterranean cavern, miles wide, and at least one in height, the light provided by floating orbs, and in the middle lay the Traipenent. He stopped and gasped, impressed by both the ship¡¯s and the cavern¡¯s size. ¡°I thought you¡¯d dismember it.¡±

    ¡°I''m salvaging parts,¡± she pointed to lines of components lying in rows. ¡°The Tehchoforge is still too low level to disassemble the outer layer, and for the rest, it¡¯s only one of me, you know. Reliable bots are hard to build, they tend to go Skynet as soon you make them smart enough.¡±

    He realized that almost on her own, she had managed to put together stuff for a fully armored company plus a lot of other useful things, and without ever bragging or taking credit. ¡°You¡¯re doing a great job,¡± he kissed her on the temple, and she purred. ¡°Could we¡­ err¡­ make it fly again?¡±

    ¡°There are a couple of shuttles that can make it around the Solar system on warp drive, but interstellar travel is not possible without a proper Ship Core.¡±

    ¡°Should we?¡± he gestured to the portal.

    Back in the control room, they sat at the table and Cora summoned a holographic map of the surroundings. ¡°Since we¡¯re home, and this Core is customized for my abilities, you have here all the nearby counties. Touch the ones you want to take over.¡±

    ¡°How many can we get, and still reach level fifty?¡±

    ¡°For level fifty, the Shore dungeon is enough on its own. Or, you can spend the smaller cores to get us to level forty-eight, take a large chunk of land, and go level fifty when we get our hands on more cores.¡±

    Rowan nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s not risk it. Will we be the only ones at fifty?¡±

    ¡°Vegas is close, at forty-five, and Rome at forty now. Rome would be able to level to fifty with ten mini-cores, and they have four of them in storage, but Calveor is too big for that.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s my fault, for insisting on a large area,¡± Rowan grimaced.

    ¡°Or Viscardi¡¯s, going for Reno. So, where do you want to go?¡±

    Rowan examined the map attentively, furrowing his brows or scratching his head from time to time. ¡°How many mini-cores do we have again, thirteen?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Cora said curtly while pressing various buttons.

    ¡°Then¡­ How about leveling to fifty with the Shore core, and spreading to Barbour, Tucker, and Pendleton with mini-cores? We give six cores to Rome, helping them to reach level fifty, keep the rest in reserve, and go hunting for another true dungeon to help Vegas.¡±

    She turned her eyes toward him. ¡°Sounds good, but¡­ you¡¯re aware that half of Barbour was nuked, right?¡±

    ¡°The southern part, yeah. But you said it¡¯s almost back to normal¡­ can we restore it, if we take it? Maybe building a new town for the Swarthy Elves.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how could I forget?¡± Cora slapped her forehead. ¡°They pledged allegiance to you, right? You¡¯re the Great Dane now.¡±

    ¡°Thane, the Great Thane,¡± Rowan shook his head in panic. "Please, don''t call me that in public."

    ¡°Must be the Universal Translator bugging," Cora frowned. "That¡¯s exactly what I said. Great Dane.¡±

    ¡°Just let it be,¡± Rowan waved his hand. ¡°So? About those counties?¡±

    ¡°Let me check,¡± Cora nodded, tapping again on buttons and a keyboard. ¡°It is possible to repair the damage, rebuild Belington and a new city if we spend another mini-core. But by the System rules, will we have to ask the landowners, survivors, or refugees. The new city will be on their lands.¡±

    ¡°Put a word out there: we clean the area and rebuild their town if they agree to give up some land. And please, pretty please, don¡¯t build anything until you check with them. Humans like large bathrooms.¡±

    ¡°I noticed," she creased her nose. "A waste of space if you ask me, but whatever."

    "You did a real good job renovating the houses we bought," he complimented her to raise the mood. "Papa likes his for sure."

    "Of course he does, he''s a gentleman with exquisite tastes. OK," she leaned forward, inspecting the virtual screen, "The voting is live. We¡¯ll have to wait¡­ oh, Barbour is won. That was fast. Guess they prefer us to a government that nuked them. I¡¯ll send them some info about The Swarthy Elves and their culture.¡±

    They stood in silence, waiting for the rest of the results, numbers, and percentages going up and down. Rowan kept staring at the young Nekojin busying over the keyboard, biting the tip of her tongue, concentrating, imagining her confined on the bridge of the Traipenent, for two months, with her only activity being taking care of him and Randolph County.

    ¡°It''s done,¡± she said after ten or fifteen minutes. ¡°So, now, you have to choose a name. The suggestions are Turapeba, Bara¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!" Rowan blurted. "Fuck those silly combinations. I want a totally new name for our enlarged County.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± she widened her eyes. ¡°Anything in mind?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Cora County. You deserve it.¡±

    She jumped in his arms, over the table, in one single leap.

 46. Chasing Dungeons

    A couple of days later, they were supposed to search for more cores, in a team of four: Rowan, Cora, Isla, and Hubert, the Paladin. At eight in the morning, they received an SMS from Hubert, saying: ''Problems. Meet me in Market Square''.

    Isla and Cora exited the house first, and Rowan last, after exchanging a handshake with Dmitri, a hug with Lizzie, and a kiss with Grace. The latter whispered in his ear: ¡°You owe me, for playing your ¡®make Isla feel good¡¯ game. I expect you to learn at least a duo or two so we can perform together in concerts.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s your friend too¡­¡± he squirmed, uncomfortable with the idea of a public performance.

    ¡°Yeah, and thanks to you, a smug one. I give you a week.¡±

    Wailing inside his soul, Rowan shut the door behind him and entered his car. Profiting from his late arrival, Isla was already at the wheel, and cut short any attempt to get back his manly right to drive his own car with two successive daggers thrown by her staring eyes.

    Five minutes later, they arrived at the Market Square, the place where the Town¡¯s Shop was situated, as well as any fair going around. Less monumental than the Main Square, it had a lot more traffic. Seeing the car, Hubert ran toward them.

    ¡°Help. He can¡¯t be reasoned with.¡± He was the Goblidog. Chained to a lamppost, he had a large sign hung above him: I have rights! Circling the Goblinoid were Thomas, Isla¡¯s adopted son, and her parents, carrying similar banners.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Isla asked, frowning with her hands on her hips. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in school, Thomas?¡±

    ¡°Father allowed me to skip school and come to the manifestation with Grandma and Grandpa,¡± Thomas said, lowering his head between his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s developing my civic sense.¡±

    ¡°This is it. It''s time for us two to move into the new house. Holliday''s over, your father ruins your education¡­ What are you manifesting for?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to fight,¡± Isla¡¯s mother gestured toward the Goblidog. ¡°He¡¯s a pacifist. A civil rights fighter.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± The Goblidog screamed. ¡°My civil rights. Make love, not war. I want to stay home and have a beer with my friends.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t go on missions like this, we can¡¯t move more than a hundred yards apart one from each other,¡± Hubert complained. "He sits in bars all day and drinks at my expense."

    ¡°Not my problem,¡± the Goblidog yelled.¡°I saved your life when you masturbated over a harpy and I earned the right to a quiet life.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t ma¡ª¡±

    ¡°The Dungeon saved a recording on our logs, do you want me to make it public?¡± the Goblidog menaced in a low voice.

    Isla jumped in front of Hubert, who was about to strangle the little creature. ¡°Stop! If you kill him, it¡¯s monstercide, and you¡¯ll be banished.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s take another healer,¡± Rowan proposed.

    "There''s no one available," Cora sighed, checking her phone. "Everybody''s Bounty hunting or chasing cores outside the County. "

    "Please, give him a Rezz spot," Hubert pleaded, kneading his hands. "I want my life back."

    "But you can Rezz him yourself if¡­ oh, I see," Cora grimaced because it was clear from Hubert''s gaze that if the Goblidog died, Hubert wouldn''t lift a finger to help.

    "Look, buddy, I know we''re friends and all, but I won¡¯t throw away a Rezz spot to make the little jerk feel safe,¡± Rowan said, raising his palms up in a no-can-do gesture.

    "You''re friends now?" Isla gasped. "But you hated each other."

    "Y-Yes," Rowan started hesitantly, "Err¡­ I was ¡­ err¡­ traumatized because you were unconscious for two days, and all, and worried sick, and I needed a shoulder to cry on, and he''s a priest, so¡ª"

    "Your husband pretended to convert just to be invited for a drink. Hubert is a wine aficionado, he has some fifty years old stuff. Unique bottles, Chateau du Pope shit. And this is only one example of the things I know. Force me to fight, and I''ll sell all your dirty secrets to the Paparazzi," the Goblidog menaced, waving his tiny green fists. "And it''s nothing related to magical powers, so guess, what? It''s perfectly legal."

    ¡°Enough!¡± Rowan roared, clapping his hands with a loud sound. ¡°Hubert, get your smurf and tour the County, healing people. That doesn¡¯t involve combat. The leprechaun, go with him, or else.¡±

    ¡°Capitalist abuse! I won''t go anywhere, I have rights,¡± the Goblidog blurted.

    ¡°He''s technically your pet, right, Hubert?" Rowan asked, his tone suddenly calm and cold. "I think it''s within your rights to castrate him. Maybe less hormones will improve his mood."

    ¡°OK, OK, I''ll go, I''ll go,¡± the monster blurted, raising his hands in surrender. His chains fell on the cobblestones, a sign he wasn''t really tied up, then Hubert grabbed Wurf by the back of his neck, like a cat, and walked away with wide steps.

    ¡°All''s well that ends well," Isla said. "Mom, Dad, you better get Thomas back in school, or I''ll fine you for bringing a child to a dangerous manifestation. Right, honey?"

    Rowan nodded. ¡°By my powers as Count, I declare this a dangerous manifestation. Get Thomas back in school ASAP.¡±

    "What''s dangerous in this?" Isla''s mother protested.

    "Seriously?" Rowan facepalmed. "We need cores to save Earth from destruction, and a garden gnome just took our best Tank out of the picture. Plus¡ª"

    "I can tank," Thomas proposed. "You know I''m good at it."

    "Out of the question," Isla cut him short. "You''re going back to school, and that''s it."

    "¡ªand that''s why it''s a dangerous manifestation. You cost us time and sanity, and we''re obliged to take higher risks. I''ll tell you only once: don''t do this again or I''ll put a restriction order on you," Rowan concluded his tirade.

    ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened in a socialist country!¡± Isla''s father yelled.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯d be shot on the spot,¡± Rowan replied immediately, creasing his nose in disgust. ¡°Do you know what Lumpenproletariat means? Go to Vladivostok if you don''t like it here, they''re an anarchy now. See how well it goes for them.¡±

    ¡°You ruthless capitalist! Here, take your dime," Rowan''s father-in-law threw a coin on the ground. "You exploit us even when we swear.¡±

    ¡°Capitalism gifted Bourbon to the world, what did socialism produce? Vodka? Tasteless, odorless."

    ¡°Don''t argue with them, it''s useless. Let''s go, we¡¯re already late, I have yet to test my new powers in a real combat situation, and I need fourteen more APs for my dream build,¡± Isla said, pulling Rowan and Cora by the elbow and beelining for the car. ¡°Threshold three in Strength, Dex, and Con, Max in Int, and two in Wil and Charisma.¡± Once back in the vehicle, she started driving west and continued past the old border, into their new lands.

    [Rowan to Cora]: She seems quite sure about what she wants. Did you advise her?¡±

    [Cora to Rowan]: She didn¡¯t even ask. And let me tell you, the perks she chose are the worst. Everyone knows that Mana Weapons are weak and one has to invest in minions. Artists should be team players, distracting the enemy with their constructs, buffing friends, and stuff.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Rowan asked. ¡°And why aren¡¯t we teleporting?¡±

    "A scouting team detected a Mini-Dungeon somewhere in Ohio, Shawnee State Park. We¡¯ll clear it.¡± Isla said without turning her head, concentrating on the road. ¡°About the teleport, ask her why."

    Cora rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve told both of you countless times that teleporting is not easy. The Core is recalibrating because the County changed size. The portals hub is off for the week, but we can use instead the Border''s Multitasking Forcefield. Isla, you''re sure you want to clear a dungeon in three, without a tank or a healer?¡±

    Isla didn''t seem discouraged in the least, shrugging off the question. ¡°It''s just a mini-Dungeon, what the big deal? Do I have to remind you how you went into Bree''s stuff without a second thought? OK, the Butler tells me we''re close enough to the Border to jump.¡±

    ¡°Butler, please open a portal as close as possible to Shawnee State Park,¡± Rowan said. "The Ohio one," he added just as a precaution, because checking Google Maps, he saw more locations with a similar name.

    [The Butler]: I know which one, your Lordship, I''m following all Quests and notifications in real-time.

    Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the place marked on the map by the scouting team, a forest road ending a few miles after leaving a junction, continuing with several foot trails. Near a 4x4 car parked a few feet before the barrier, the scout team was waiting, waving at them. It was not a proper party, but two mountain guides, an elderly woman and a youngster, both of uncommon tier, level twenty. Rowan tried to contain his disappointment.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    This is all? Pfff¡­ I stretched my forces too thin¡­ I forgot how huge the US is.

    ¡°The barrier is a half a mile that way,¡± the woman showed them a small track.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to move on and cover more terrain?¡± Isla asked, starting to equip her fighting gear.

    ¡°We could use some XP,¡± the younger guide hinted they wanted to come. His eyes were waving to the left and right, looking hyperactive and eager for a challenge.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you, but these things can get dangerous,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°They''re adults, it''s their choice,¡± Cora said, and Rowan shrugged. It was true after all, babysitting adults wasn''t his priority. Five minutes later, after a sustained march, the group arrived at the mini-dungeon¡¯s edge. ¡°This has a loud signal,¡± the Nekojin said after summoning her armor and scanning gadget. ¡°I wonder how it wasn¡¯t detected before.¡±

    ¡°Our sensors are not so good,¡± the woman said. ¡°It did not show until we were very close.¡±

    ¡°She made them,¡± Rowan pointed at Cora, in an obvious lapse of judgment.

    ¡°Hey!" The Nekojin blurted, frowning at him. "Let''s see you reverse engineer a state-of-the-art sensor with the equivalent of a fork and a toothpick as tools.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, bad wording. I meant it worked fine enough, they did find the dungeon, right?¡± Rowan fondled her ears, knowing well it would calm her. Half-sulking, Cora opened the way and they walked through the barrier.

    You have entered The Eldritch Mini-Dungeon, level 40. You cannot exit until the Dungeon is clear. Clear the dungeon to reclaim its core, XP, 1 Level, and 1 AP.

    After joining everyone in a Team, and then Cora inspected her scanner anew, moving it around, her tail wagging nervously. ¡°One mile and a half in diameter¡­ That¡¯s big for a forty. We shouldn''t be less careful just because it''s lower level. All monsters are dangerous."

    ¡°Let me go check things first,¡± Rowan said.

    "I can fly and map the area, it¡¯s faster," Cora proposed.

    "Or¡ª¡± A sudden loud noise cut Rowan¡¯s answer. A voice shouting through a bullhorn.

    ¡°Rowan Allinder, we know you¡¯re here. We have your Louisville friends hostage. Give us the Sensor or we¡¯ll kill them. You have five minutes.¡±

    ¡°What the fuck, a trap?¡± Isla gasped.

    ¡°A bespoke trap,¡± Rowan clenched his teeth. ¡°How did they know?¡±

    ¡°Where are the Scouts?¡± Cora looked around in a panic. ¡°They were here a moment ago¡­¡± The elderly woman and the youngster were nowhere to be seen, and a notification worsened the finding:

    Anonymous Mountain Guide 1 and Anonymous Mountain Guide 2 have left the party.

    ¡°Fuck¡­ We have traitors now?" Rowan activated his armor. "OK, no time searching for them, let¡¯s move on. Worst case scenario, we¡¯re three against nine, right?"

    ¡°Yeah, if everyone else is a boogie. Only up to twelve people can enter a combat-oriented dungeon,¡± Cora said.

    ¡°Then it''s easy, I have plenty of rebars and Joint Trip stacks. And those two were low levels, maybe they all are,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°They still can shoot a gun, and this is about your friends not being killed, not us,¡± Isla said. ¡°Which reminds me¡­ Let¡¯s even the odds.¡±

    She extracted a stun grenade from her inventory, pulled the pin, and stood still holding it for ten seconds, before releasing it on the ground. The lever was still pressed, and the grenade had become invisible, hidden in a mesh of colors that reflected the environment. ¡°This construct has ten HP and I can send it out up to a hundred yards. Constructs are weak, but I thought, what the heck, why not put them to carry bombs. That¡¯s more efficient.¡±

    "That''s not the proper way to use constructs," Cora scolded Isla. "Why don''t you ever listen to anything I say?"

    ¡°Four minutes,¡± the voice bellowed.

    ¡°Send the grenade ahead, but take care they don¡¯t see it. I''ll scout,¡± Rowan blurted and proceeded onward, shaping a shield in his left hand, but no weapon in his right, waiting to see what was best for the occasion.

    A hundred yards and a minute later, the forest opened into a clearing. In its middle, there were three intergalactic mercenaries, in full armor, holding heavy blasters. Rowan¡¯s friends¡ªa man and a woman¡ª were handcuffed together, wearing something like an explosive necklace with a blinking light on it. A fourth person, a man in a black suit, stood behind everyone, holding the bullhorn in his left hand and a remote control in his right. The last character in the clearing was a monster, probably the Boss of the Dungeon, a Wraith-like creature, kept in a metal cage, with a faint light pulsing over the bars.

    ¡°Hands up and no sudden gestures!¡± the suit yelled.

    [Rowan to all]: Where¡¯s the grenade?

    [Isla to all]: Behind the main group. They didn¡¯t notice it.

    [Rowan to all]: Let it go as soon I enter The Space. Then take cover until I take them out.

    ¡°Don''t shoot, I''m here to talk,¡± Rowan shouted, dismissing his shield and advancing slowly with his hands up.

    ¡°You have the Detector?¡± the man in black yelled, letting the bullhorn go and introducing his hand inside his vest, most likely to grab a gun.

    ¡°I do,¡± Rowan said. He didn¡¯t, it was on Cora but needed to advance just a few more steps.

    ¡°Stop just there. Throw it!¡± the suit yelled in the bullhorn, albeit it was unnecessary, they were only ten yards apart now.

    Two of the mercs covered Rowan, the others held their guns pointed at Cora and Isla. An idiotic move. He expected it from noobs, but Intergalactic Mercenaries should have known better. Ten yards wasn¡¯t enough a distance to protect them from a charge or a spell.

    In Rowan¡¯s inventory was a casino chip, forgotten there from his night with Cora, in Vegas. He leaned forward, took one more step, and threw it up, in an arched trajectory. The hostages appeared in his targeting app, highlighted as available targets for his Friends on a Trip, and he activated it.

    As soon they were in Space, the explosive necklaces fell through the man and woman¡¯s bodies, and exploded on the ground below, outside the Space, harmless. That was a relief, his Perk had somehow got rid of the devices. The ideal solution. Other options would have been to have Cora unlock them after he killed the boogies, or take the remote control and ask the Nekojin to work on it.

    ¡°Hey, chill, you¡¯re safe!¡± he yelled, to make his friends calm down. They yelled a lot. Sounds were muted inside the in-between, but still hearable. From outside, bright flashes of light told the story of an intense battle. With a couple of rebar pieces in hand, Rowan turned his attention to the fight.

    I was all but over. The suit had emptied his gun with no result and was screaming in panic, stubbornly pressing a trigger that didn''t shoot any more bullets, and the mercs were dead. Two had been cut in half, and Isla was just skewering the third, from one side to another, with a light beam emerging from her hand.

    What the fuck, Isla''s a Jedi now?

    Your team member Isla Culloden has slain Neek Tank (Lvl. 70) x3. You receive no XP. For saving your friends while under fire, you receive 1 AP. For Clearing Eldritch mini-Dungeon, you receive +1 Level and 1 AP.

    Extending his weapons in six filaments, he reappeared in the real world, impaling the suit with his threads, in the legs and arms, pinning them into the ground, but keeping the man up in the process. He was screaming, of course, but Rowan ignored the noise.

    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be support and CC, not DPS!¡± Cora was yelling at Isla in an accusing tone, shaking her fists like she wanted to hit the blonde.

    ¡°I am CC,¡± Isla shouted back. ¡°Do they move or something? You''re just upset I managed to find a smart build on my own.¡± She finished by pulling her tongue on Cora, in a childish display that made the Nekojin hiss.

    "Ladies, please!" Rowan said. "Argue later. Watch out for the mountain guides. I need to interrogate the prisoner. You better talk, and fast, mister!" Turning toward the skewered suit, he added a Svart¨¢lfar¡¯s Stare for good measure, but instead of being intimidated, the man screamed even harder, inhumanly so. His eyeballs froze solid and popped out of their sockets, falling on the ground with a sick sound, then his cranium expanded and cracked, the brain freezing as well, and finally the man''s body became limp, he was dead.

    Goodness¡­ It¡¯s because of his low class¡­ but I have to train to tone it down¡­

    Retreating his threads and letting the suit fall on the fallen leaves, Rowan examined the battle scene with a critical eye. ¡°Those were not Mercs. Much too stupid.¡±

    ¡°I noticed," Isla nodded. "Awful combat skills. That''s great, we didn¡¯t level too much.¡±

    It was time to take care of the hostages. They were still screaming and wailing. ¡°Isla, meet Jim, my former boss, and Gwen, his wife. Cora already knows them. Guys, for fucks sake, could you tone it down? I saved you, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°The handcuffs hurt,¡± Jim shouted. ¡°Get us the keys, they¡¯re in that guy¡¯s pants.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ you get them,¡± Rowan denied the request because the man in the black suit had soiled himself.

    Cora came to the rescue and unlocked the cuffs with a multitool. "Do you want me to take flight and try to catch the spies? We need information."

    ¡°I know everything, heard them talking,¡± Joe said. ¡°The suit was a Fed from Philly, the rest Neeks. It was the Neeks'' plan, but the Feds helped, they have a file on you. The Neeks looted the armor from some Mercenaries they killed.¡±

    ¡°How did they kill the Mercs?¡± Isla asked. "These Neeks were terrible warriors, a chicken would have put up a better fight."

    ¡°The Mercs died in Goblin Town and they Rezzed in a Neek base. The Neeks betrayed them and sabotaged the Rezz pods, to get the armor.¡±

    "Then I''m glad I killed them. That''s a shitty thing to do," Isla said.

    Meanwhile, Cora was busy looting the armor suits, now empty, as the Neeks'' bodies had dissolved into the usual specks of Mana. ¡°It''s good gear, I think I can reverse engineer it."

    ¡°Sweet, baby," Rowan said. ¡°Who has the claim to the core? Someone killed the Boss, and it ain''t me.¡±

    ¡°I did. My construct exploded the grenade under the cage. See how smart my build is?¡± Isla rubbed her hands, gloating again at Cora.

    ¡°A Boss died from a stun grenade?¡±

    ¡°Wraiths are weak to light,¡± Cora explained to Rowan. ¡°I''ll give it to you, Isla, your build is good. Now claim the core.¡±

    A white, pale globe appeared on the meadow, thirty yards away. It floated slowly toward the blonde, who put it into her inventory. A few seconds later, the cold air from outside flowed in, making them shiver. Cora extracted a couple of heavier coats from her inventory, offering them to the couple.

    ¡°What¡¯s the lowest level core we have in storage, Cora?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°A level thirty, why?¡±

    ¡°OK. Here¡¯s how we play. We take my friends to Elkins, take that core, go to Philly, and activate it."

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to consume the cores, not expand them. Why?" Cora furrowed her brows and waved her tail in the characteristic motion she used to convey annoyance.

    ¡°We still have some wiggle room with cores and I want to convey a message: if you come after us, we destroy your power base. Most people would give a hand to be in an Awakened town, so I have not the slightest doubt we''ll win the vote. Then, we teleport the feds and hostiles out, and if some die in the process, win-win, the world is a better place.¡±

    ¡°It''s¡­ not a bad idea," Cora conceded.

    "Just leave us in the closest town, we''ll rent a car," Gwen said. "I want to go home, as fast as possible¡­ I thought we were going to die," she began crying, and Jim took her in his arms.

    ¡°No. I''ll take you to Louisville. You were kidnapped because of me, it''s the least I can do. It''s OK with you, right, girls?"

    "Sure," Isla nodded. "We don''t abandon our friends."

    "And I''ll scan for more cores on the way," Cora said, her mind a bit more utilitarian.

    When they arrived at the car, Cora inspected it for traps or tracking devices, but all was in order. The Mountain Guides'' 4x4 was gone, though. They drove on in silence, with Rowan at the wheel, to be able to execute the Joint Trip: Warp trip if they met roadblocks or ambushes.

    An hour later, entering uncharted territory, Cora activated her scanner. ¡°Guys!¡± she peeped with a scared voice a second later.

    ¡°I''ll slow down if you think I''m going too fast,¡± Rowan patted her hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ I tried to activate the Scanner, to see if there were more cores around¡­ Look,¡± she pushed her wrist under his face.

    Slowing down to a reasonable speed, so she could peek at Cora¡¯s bracelet, Rowan gasped. Instead of the sparkplug-shaped crystal, a real sparkplug was inserted in it. ¡°Fuck!" he yelled, swerving on the road. "Someone stole the sensors."

    "The Mountain Guides did it¡­¡± Isla said, with a Sherlock Holmes tone. Silence descended in the car and their mood suddenly became more somber.

 47. Prince of Bourbon Borough / A Whiff of Decay

    <h2></h2>

    <h2>Prince of Bourbon Borough</h2>

    In the end, they renounced activating a core in Philly but Rowan did trigger the one they claimed from the Eldritch Dungeon in Louisville. Being able to teleport between Elkins and Kentucky offered a faster way to scout for dungeons, and it also meant protecting one of the highest masterpieces of mankind: Bourbon, and his friends.

    The System-assisted voting and tracing boundaries took all day because Rowan''s wanted to incorporate as many and as good Bourbon distilleries as he could. When it was done, it was night, so they stayed with Jim and Gwen, also ensuring there were orcs and Italian military patrols all over the town, for security.

    Nevertheless, instead of being able to leave early in the morning, the new polity''s Council had scheduled a meeting to debate their future, and basic politeness demanded they stay. So, their sojourn prolonged into the early afternoon or the next day, with interminable debates and arguments held inside a conference room rented in an old but elegant hotel.

    For what Rowan cared, it was a waste of time. At first, he wanted to appoint his friend as his representative and be rid of it. After all, if he was smart enough to run a distillery, Jim could run a small country, right? What could go wrong? But Jim had refused, settling for an advisory job in the Council, and Rowan had understood. Running a distillery was a dream job, running a bloody polity meant dealing with boring problems.

    ¡°They''re ready,¡± Cora elbowed him.

    ¡°Uh?¡± he jerked, stirred from his half-slumber.

    "The debate is finished. They''re ready to present you with the new Constitution."

    "Oh, my God¡­ is it long?" Rowan''s shoulders sagged.

    "Just the basics," Cora reassured him.

    ¡°Purrfect¡­¡± Rowan yawned, covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

    ¡°If you allow me to summarize, your Highness,¡± the president of the assembly rose, bowing toward Rowan, "we propose the name of our new country should be Bourbon Borough and your title Prince. After all, Bourbon and princes are related.¡±

    ¡°Mind not losing your head,¡± Isla joked, swinging her chair back and forth on the rear legs.

    ¡°I agree with your proposition," Rowan nodded his head. It was a good name and a good title, so he could start by showing magnanimity and accepting the suggestion.

    Rowan Allinder, you are now Count of Cora County, Suzerain of Rome, Warchief of Goblin Town, Honorary Godfather of Calveor, Thane of The Swarthy Elves, and Prince of Bourbon Borough.

    "We all want to thank you for choosing us. The situation was desperate. Bands of renegade military extorted us every other day, and¡­ sorry, I will not burden us with our past problems. Does Your Highness have any suggestions for how we¡¯re to proceed with governance?¡± the woman continued talking, keeping her respectful posture.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m a big fan of delegating, and not of all of micro-management. Do what you think is best. Except for the most important thing. Hear me out, people," Rowan raised his voice, getting on his feet. "This is a blessed place, hosting one of the masterpieces of humankind: Bourbon. As such, we should rise to the occasion and defend this legacy. Things cannot go on like before. Bourbon Borough will confiscate all multinationals'' property and transform them into independent producers¡­

    "Err¡­ except if there''s some multinational based in Rome or Vegas, ''cause it''s ours¡­ never mind. The rules will be tight. Any proof below eighty-six is to be illegal. No, make it ninety-two. No¡­ it''s too harsh¡­ eighty-six it is, but that''s it. We''ll offer subsidies for non-chill filtering, barrel strength, and niche stuff. It goes without saying that sourcing should be prohibited.¡±

    "For goodness sake, Rowan, you''re turning Stalin on us," his friend, Jim, erupted. "Half my production is sourced from Indiana. There''s nothing wrong with it, as long it''s aged well here."

    "I''m sorry¡­" Rowan sighed, "I got ahead of myself¡­ I don''t want to be a tyrant. Very well," he energized again. "Sourcing will not be prohibited but has to be mentioned on the label. And throw them in prison anyone who doesn''t."

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we allow Jim and the local people to sort it out?¡± Cora insisted, gently touching his arm to interrupt Rowan''s dreams of Bourbon greatness. ¡°We have to give the news to Viscardi, eventually.¡±

    ¡°True, true¡­ well, sort it out but give me a report in a week. This is important. Ah¡­ one more thing. Where¡¯s Isla?¡± he turned his head around.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± the blonde snorted, five feet apart. ¡°I just talked to you a moment ago.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here¡­ true¡­ but you changed so much since you¡¯re an artist¡­ for a moment I thought you¡¯re a fairy descended from heaven," Rowan awkwardly tried to dress up his mistake. "Listen, people, I would appreciate if Bourbon Borough''s Council finds a central spot in town for my talented, and classy wife here to build a work of art, a sculpture or something. She''s new at her job but she can''t do worse than that modern stuff, right?"

    ¡°S-sure, your Highness.¡±

    "Young man, can I say something?" an elderly gentleman interjected. "I''ll be candid. I''m not into highnessing people, but I have the utmost respect for your achievements. Now, maybe I don''t look my age, but I could be your grandfather and have been married for sixty years. If you want to offer your wife a gift, think big and choose it yourself. You know the town well, right?"

    "That''s genius!" Rowan exclaimed. "Thank you so much, sir! I''ll ask one of my friends to bestow you a class, such wisdom should live long and spread to the next generations. Butler, make a note and remind me of this. Cora!"

    "Sorry, can you repeat what you just said?" the Nekojin said. "I was texting with Viscardi, told him we''ll visit."

    "They have a lot of modern ugly buildings here. Why don''t you and Isla work together to build some nice castles instead, sculptures and all?"

    "I can?" The Nekojin clasped her hands together in a prayer-like gesture, her hair all fluffy and her tail up to the sky.

    "It will be gorgeous," Isla promised. "I''ll ask Dmitri for advice. And your father. And Lepastrina."

    "Your Highness, but¡­ err¡­ we have commissioned those buildings to renowned architects, and¡ª"

    "No problem," Rowan waved his hand. "Butler, launch a System plebiscite in Bourbon Borough. Do you agree to replace all the ugly modernist shit in town with castles and nice pretty buildings? Offer a choice between Art Nouveau style, Romantic German, and¡­ err¡­"

    "Georgian colonial," Isla interjected.

    "Brilliant. And Georgian colonial. My cute wife Cora will take care of the design and construction. I and my talented wife Grace will sing at the inauguration and the sculptures will be made by my wonderful wife Isla Culloden, legendary class The Artist."

    Both Isla and Cora were beaming, and he kissed them on the cheek.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    [The Butler to all]: I''m pleased to announce that His Highness has won the vote with an impressive margin.

    "See, guys, we have everything under control," an enthused Rowan said toward the Council, who, for whatever reason, was unanimously slack-jawed. "You''re safe under our protection, and we''ll build you the most exquisite center town you can dream of. Art Nouveau is the new art again. We really have to go now, but I can''t wait to be back¡­ Prince of Bourbon Borough¡­ I''m so happy!"

    <hr>

    <h2></h2>

    <h2>A Whiff of Decay</h2>

    Half an hour later, they entered a luxurious private lounge in Viscardi¡¯s Casino-Castle. The Vampire Lord was playing poker with Victoria and her younger sister, Vera, plus a few men that couldn¡¯t be anything else than Italian Mobsters, Rowan decided. One of them, in his thirties, had a weird empty stare. Like a dead fish, only menacing.

    ¡°Nice to see you, join us,¡± Viscardi offered. "Meet my friends, and Vito, my son-in-law, Vera''s husband," he gestured at the blank-eyed mobster, who sketched a short nod, barely half an inch deep.

    Rowan and his two wives took seats around the table, but the newly appointed prince shook his head, refusing the offer for a poker hand. ¡°Sorry. Took a vow never to play poker again, after losing a bet and running naked around the factory¡­ I was fired, of course.¡±

    ¡°You have to tell us more of your stories at some point," the Vampire smiled, leaning back on the sofa "Nice job, awakening Louisville. I have a feeling we''ll do a lot of business together. Booze and the Cosa Nostra work hand in hand."

    "As long you respect our new purity and proof law," Rowan said amiably, but with firmness and crisp clear wording. Bourbon was not to be messed with.

    "A snack, a drink?¡± the Vampire said, gesturing to the plates on a nearby table and the bar.

    ¡°We''re OK. Viscardi. I have bad news. Somebody stole the Detector.¡± Rowan said directly, and his mood plunged, losing all the enthusiasm he had gained over making Louisville an Awakened Town.

    ¡°Tell me more,¡± the Vampire Lord said.

    ¡°We were clearing a mini-dungeon and got dragged into an ambush. The Neeks kidnapped a couple of my friends to blackmail us, so we were a little¡­ sloppy. The scouts who discovered the dungeon vanished, after replacing the Sensor with a real sparkplug.¡±

    ¡°Human scouts or Elves?¡± The Vampire inquired, frowning slightly.

    ¡°Humans, low level. We sent the police and checked their homes, but they were nowhere. We asked the families a few questions, analyzed their social media, emails. They didn''t act strange or have any contact with third parties that we know about.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ Do you still have it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s in my inventory,¡± Cora said.

    ¡°Give it to me,¡± Viscardi forwarded his hand. The Vampire took the object, examining it with attention. He sniffed it twice, with each nostril, then took a cigarette lighter and held the object under the flame, inhaling the smoke. ¡°As I thought. The scent is there.¡±

    ¡°What scent?¡± Cora asked.

    ¡°You see, my dear Engineer, I had a suspicion. Human scouts would not have been able to pickpocket someone with Nekojin perception and dexterity, I assume you¡¯re ninety-nine in DEX, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°By the way, baby, you never showed me your stats,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t show you her stats because they''re pretty standard,¡± Viscardi interjected. ¡°She¡¯s one hundred in her main stat, which is INT, of course, and ninety-nine in the rest. That¡¯s how youngsters role these days, farming APs in places like the Traipenent."

    "It''s true," Cora nodded. "Nevertheless, I worked hard to farm points not only in the Dungeons but from crafting quests too. This is how I developed my Interfacer subclass, and in the end, linked myself to Elkins''s core.¡±

    Rowan fondled her hand. "I''m lucky to have you, baby¡­ I love you very much."

    She melted, gluing herself to his shoulder. ¡°I love you too, since the moment you guessed my real name, being miles apart, with me locked inside the bridge¡­ No¡­ I loved you even before that.¡±

    ¡°I applaud your acumen in finding a perfect husband, Lady Shemeows," the Vampire said, after clearing his throat to get their attention to the matters at hand. "Now, let¡¯s return to our predicament. There was foul play. There¡¯s a whiff of decay on that object, and the smoke¡¯s scent is waxy¡­ Those guys who stole the Sensor¡ª¡±

    ¡°An old lady and a young man,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°They were dead. The wax is a Necromancer''s signature. Undead rot and that is easy to detect. But a freshly revived corpse, if coated in a special wax, can go on for years, and most of it, those who raised them can use the dead as an extension of their own body, enhancing their skills. That leads to another question. Necromancy is a forbidden lore only acquired on planets with wild Systems.¡±

    ¡°We had an Undead dungeon on the Traipenent,¡± Cora leaned her head, looking up like trying to remember something. ¡°I don''t know much about it. Never run it, my mother didn¡¯t allow me.¡±

    ¡°She was wise. Dealing with the undead is emotionally challenging. We have to assume the Necromancer escaped from that dungeon.¡±

    ¡°And what do we do now?¡± Rowan asked. ¡°Any way to track the Detector, baby?" he looked at Cora."

    "Not so far I know...¡± she lowered her eyes.

    ¡°I''m confident you''ll figure something out," Viscardi said. "You always do. Unfortunately," he sighed, "we have some bad news of our own. Victoria, why don''t you tell them?¡±

    The blonde Vampire grimaced, leaning back on her armchair and crossing her legs. ¡°I went to Vladivostok, as ordered," she glanced at Rowan. "They did indeed have a plan to activate as many cores as possible and make themselves a new empire. I followed the Artifact User for a few days until she left town on an expedition, which I joined under a fake name¡­ I had several identities there, long story, will not bother you with it.

    "The thing is, in Russia¡­ don¡¯t laugh, it¡¯s hilarious but it is what it is, people rather trust their central government, so they had to activate cores someplace where they had a chance to win the vote. The plan was to awaken Irkutsk, and then go to Kazakhstan and the Caucasus. We left toward Irkutsk, intending to cut through Inner Mongolia.

    ¡°Anyway, I had to make my move quickly, to arrive back in Vladivostok before she Rezzed, to kill her again, and for good. Last night, we slept in a bad Chinese hotel. We had a drink in the bar, and I poisoned her vodka. She falls unconscious, I pretend she¡¯s drunk and carry her back to her room.

    Now, as long as someone''s unconscious, one can access their inventory, using Rogue skills, which I have. I pull up a lot of cores from her inventory, maybe six, maybe eight, I forgot. Many. Then she wakes up and activates every single core in one go. From spite, or because of the drug? No idea. I kill her, but too late. And then the new Awakened Town throws me out of the area because it detected my violent action, and I found myself deep in a jungle¡­ don¡¯t laugh, face to face with a giant crocodile.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me! How did you survive?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°I ran. It came after me¡­ and believe me, they''re not so slow. I was about to light up a cigarette when somebody shot the beast. A hunting party. We talked, and I found out I was in Africa, near their great Lakes, in a small country, and the guy who saved me was none other than the local dictator. A charming person, otherwise. He wants to¡­ do business together, maybe we give him a core, once things are settled and Earth doesn¡¯t explode. He flew me here on a private jet.¡±

    ¡°One sec. He came with you?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°Yes, to speak to you and Father in person. He''s touring the Casinos for now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say to hear him out, but make time for Harbin too,¡± Cora said.

    ¡°What¡¯s Harbin?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s the new polity,¡± Cora said. ¡°Quite big. When you killed that woman, they must have fused together and Awakened the area on default settings. They sent a message a few hours ago, but it went into the Spam folder. Here it is: ''Hi, we¡¯re the newest Town Core in Town. We hope we can collaborate. Sincerely, the Harbin Republic.'' Want me to tell them something?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, tell them: Dear Harbin Republic, I¡¯m looking forward to our collaboration. Let¡¯s have a Zoom at a time of your convenience. I¡¯m sorry for not replying sooner, I was in a dungeon. Best regards, Count bla bla bla.¡±

    ¡°Count bla bla¡­ joking, I put Count Rowan Allinder,¡± Cora said, texting. ¡°Oh, they replied already. Thumbs up and a heart emoji.¡±

    "Great," Viscardi said. "Let''s recap. Bad thing: the Detector was stolen, and Vladivostok''s Artifact user is probably Rezzed. Good things: Awakening Harbin consumed more than one core, so our count is still good. Now, if only we''d have a method to detect cores¡ª"

    "What the fuck?" Rowan blurted all of a sudden, almost falling from the couch.

    "What''s wrong?" Viscardi asked.

    ¡°I just received a weird quest¡­ Forwarding.¡±

    Leadership Quest.

    A leader has to maintain a circle of trusted friends and allies. Speak with the following individuals and gain their sympathy:

    Mobsters¡¯ Group (Vito and his friends)

    African Dictator

    Inglotal, the Swarthy Elves tribe¡¯s war chief

    Spend time with each of them and increase your reputation by at least a tier. Gain as much knowledge from them as you can.

    Reward:

    1 Level and 1 free AP for each successful subquest.

    +3 AP if all three subquests are successful.

    ???

 48. Leadership Test

    <h2></h2>

    <h2>Chatting With Mobsters</h2>

    Deciding to prioritize the mobsters¡ªafter all, they were already there¡ªRowan asked his wives to return to Elkins on their own, and allow him to have some space for the quest. Isla had unresolved business with Thomas anyway, and Cora was tired, so he met no opposition there.

    Now, with Viscardi giving him the room, the point was to find a common ground with the four men in front of him. They were normal people, except Vito, who was an Enforcer. Two were on the older side, Vito in his thirties, and a fourth younger, about his age. All stared at him, but Vito''s gaze gave him the creeps.

    ¡°Gentlemen, I have a quest, and it involves talking with you,¡± Rowan went for the truth and a direct approach. ¡°I have no idea how to¡­ well, go forward, so I¡¯ll be candid. Do you have any questions for me? Can I help you in any way?¡±

    ¡°Did I hear well you made Louisville into a Zone?¡± one of the elderly men asked.

    A zone must be what they call an Awakened city. ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°So, can we count on a constant supply of Bourbon, for our businesses, or should we look elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°Elsewhere?" Rowan blurted. "Like Tennessee? Only if you''re not sane of mind. I swore to you: the new Bourbon Borough will be the center of the drinking world. Eighty-six will become the lowest legal proof, and we¡¯ll double the production of single-barrel whisky. Non-chill filtering will get subventions. Sourcing has to be labeled. How about that?¡± His face had reddened and his eyes were bulging out of their sockets. Clenched fist on the table, Rowan had shouted the last word.

    ¡°Calm down, kid, calm down,¡± the man smiled. ¡°I root for Bourbon too. Happy to see we¡¯re on the same page.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the other older man nodded. ¡°Tennessee to Bourbon is like Chinese noodles compared to Italian pasta.¡±

    2/4 of Targets have sympathy for you

    ¡°Papa, please!¡± the younger mobster sighed. ¡°All you can think of is pasta and Bourbon. We have the Cartels taking over California as we speak. We have to do something,¡± he turned a pair of hopeful eyes toward Rowan, hoping to meet support, because they were about the same age.

    A hyperactive one, huh? Rowan grinned but disguised it under a cough. "Is this bad for business?" he asked.

    "No, but¡­ you know¡­ there''s Mafia and Mafia. We''re the good guys, they''re the bad guys," the youngster insisted. "Really bad."

    ¡°If you put it this way, I''ll have to give it to you, your Cosa is nicer than what I saw in the movies," Rowan nodded. "But let''s not jump off the horse yet. California is California''s problem, let them sort it out. We''re in an Apocalypse situation, one takes care of themselves and friends first. If we divert manpower to California now and Earth explodes because we don''t find enough cores¡­ you see what I mean?"

    ¡°Hmpfff, fine,¡± the youngster snorted, leaning back on the chair¡¯s backrest.

    You have made a young mobster to see reason. 3/4 targets have sympathy for you.

    And now it was time for the last target. ¡°Err¡­ Vito?¡± Rowan said, offering the friendliest smile in his repertoire.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± The last mobster seemed totally nonplussed by Rowan¡¯s charisma.

    God, those eyes look so much like a dead fish''s¡­ How on Earth can I find common ground here? Oh, maybe¡­ ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind that I say this," Rowan started hesitantly, "but your eyes give me the creeps¡­ I have a skill called Cold Stare, but for now, it''s... unrefined. Too intense. Any advice on how to tone it down a bit, put some subtlety in it?"

    ¡°You¡¯ve noticed my stare?¡± The man¡¯s expression suddenly warmed up. ¡°Few do. Listen carefully,¡± Vito leaned over the table. ¡°It¡¯s an art, took me years to train it. First, if you want to intimidate someone, look into their eyes, and don¡¯t think of anything. Blank mind. That will throw them off balance and fear you. This is level one. Level two, pay attention, I''ll make a demonstration¡­"

    Oh, goodness¡­ He looks like a Pug dog bred with a mackerel¡­

    Taking Rowan''s jerk like a fearful reaction, the mobster nodded with more enthusiasm. "See? Smile like a psychopath, and imagine everything you could do to them. Like cutting their balls and feeding them to his family. I swear to you, they¡¯ll shit their pants." Behind Vito, the older mobster rolled his eyes and made a circle with his finger near the temple.

    "Now, level three is not about violence, but about charm," Vito continued. "Puppy eyes. Before I got my Class, I was short, bald, fat, and ugly.¡±

    Sorry to say¡­ but you¡¯re still short, bald, fat, and ugly.

    "But I courted Vera nevertheless, making puppy eyes, bringing her flowers and chocolate every day until I won her heart.¡±

    She''s probably blind as a bat¡­ never mind, I¡¯m not here to be judgmental. ¡°Thanks, man, you''ve been really helpful. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll never raise to your level in puppy eyes, but the first two are a lifesaver. Honestly,¡± Rowan put his hand over his heart.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± the mobster said, his eyes shining. When he truly smiled, he had a jovial, funny face, and Rowan guessed there was more to the man that met the eye.

    4/4 Targets have sympathy for you. The first sub-quest has been cleared. You were awarded 1 free AP and 1 Level. You are now level 80. 2 APs have been allocated to each stat.

    <hr>

    <h2></h2>

    <h2>Dictador</h2>

    It was late evening, and Rowan was flying in a dictator¡¯s private plane, flying toward Yosemite Park. The man across the aisle was an enigma. Gray hair, cut short, solid, in his early fifties. Inquisitive eyes, an appearance that denoted a lot of real-life experience.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Thank you for giving me a lift,¡± Rowan started the conversation.

    "Thank you for talking to me," the man replied.

    Suddenly, the weight of the change hit Rowan like a hammer in the head. He, a simple man, a worker without a college degree, a kid taken off the streets by a benevolent uncle, was now granting audiences to dictators and ruling over mobsters, elves, orcs, and Bourbon''s heartland. And the latter was the only one he knew how to deal with, more or less.

    He discreetly sent a message to his father: ''Hi. Just realized I love you, you old stubborn bastard. R.'', then looked into the dictator''s eyes.

    "Let''s get to business. You want a core. I have cores¡­ What''s on your mind?" Rowan asked as the dictator was now looking through the window.

    The man shrugged, now looking at his guest. "I expected you to ask: ''What''s in for me''."

    "No," Rowan shook his head. "What''s in for me is not a question I''d ask. Why do you deserve one is more like it. Core are priceless."

    The dictator grinned, showing a somehow shark-like row of white teeth. It reminded Rowan of Louis Armstrong singing Mack the Knife. The smile said: ''But you just spent a core on a whim, in Louisville.''

    "Why don''t we introduce ourselves through a drink," Rowan changed the subject, extracting a bottle from his inventory. "Twenty-five-year-old year Stagg, one hundred and forty proof."

    The Dictator snapped his fingers and a stewardess rushed to take the bottle and pour the liquid in two glasses. The African raised the glass, sniffed it, and then took a sip. Groaning in satisfaction, he closed his eyes and nodded. "This whiskey is like you¡­ strong, bold, and deep." He whispered something to the stewardess, who nodded, left, and reappeared a second later with a sumptuously decorated bottle, from which she poured in another two glasses. The Dictator took both and offered one to Rowan himself: "This is me¡­ Dictador. Fifty years old rum. One hundred and twenty proof."

    "You have a sweet side," Rowan giggled after nosing the liquid and drinking a bit. "It''s really good¡­"

    "Then, we do business?"

    Rowan nodded. "I''m listening."

    "I''ll give you free good information, for a core. No strings attached."

    "You mean you won''t swear fealty to me?"

    "I won''t. We mind our own business. My people won''t take kindly to be tied to other countries again. Colonialism is bad."

    "Fair enough," Rowan switched his glass to Bourbon. "What info are we talking about? You do understand that I have to hear it first before committing anything, right?"

    "Very well. Information is about the alien ship. It comes fast, cores are ejected, but you think like this," the man gestured with his index over the table.

    "Circle pattern?" Rowan asked.

    "Yes. I looked at your pattern of search, going round and wide. You''re wrong. Cores were ejected like from a gun with many little bullets spreading apart. V pattern.¡±

    ¡°A shotgun?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Four shots. One shoot near Japan, Korea, Vladivostok. The ship goes on, shoots second time, near Italy. Continues, and before slamming down, shoots twice. Last is close to crash point, close to the earth. Many dungeons still to be found in your County, near the crash, the ejection angle was downward.¡±

    ¡°Moment.¡± Taking his phone out, Rowan called Cora. ¡°Hi, Baby. Say, if our territory would have extended over some pre-existing dormant dungeons, what would happen?¡±

    There was silence, and then Cora spoke slowly. ¡°Nothing¡­ even at our Mana level, it would take a couple of years before true dungeons activate.¡±

    ¡°The African President thinks the Traipenent didn''t jettison the cores in circles, but in four bursts, V shotgun pattern, and the last one was close to us. We did find two cores just next to the Border, right?¡±

    ¡°Including the one that was stolen, yes. I¡¯ll make a simulation and send teams out ASAP. If it''s true, we can work with the lesser detectors and still find cores. Do you know when you¡¯ll be back?¡±

    ¡°Maybe tomorrow? That Elf I¡¯m supposed to talk with, Ibuprofen or something, is in Yosemite Park, team building with his folks.¡±

    ¡°Inglotal. Please make sure you remember his name before you talk to him, promise?¡±

    ¡°Scout honor. Love you, baby.¡±

    ¡°Love you too. Bye.¡±

    Rowan turned his attention to the dictator. ¡°If your theory confirms, I''ll give you a core once we secure enough of them to be sure Earth doesn''t explode."

    ¡°I need to be sure my country survives. If you give me one core now, I make peace for you in Vladivostok,¡± the dictator offered.

    ¡°But we¡¯re not at war with Vladivostok,¡± Rowan frowned.

    ¡°You sabotaged them with cores and killed Knyaz before. They plan to sabotage you too. Ambush scouting parties, kill people you like.¡±

    ¡°We¡­ err¡­ didn¡¯t kill the Knyaz. It was food poisoning. They have no proof¡­¡± Rowan protested, waving his hands in denial.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± The Dictator roared in raucous laughter, throwing his head back. ¡°Who needs proof? This world is not in Kansas anymore, to need proof. They not stupid, they know blonde works for you.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­" Rowan sighed. "I can''t afford to spend resources to watch out for those crazies. How will you convince Vladivostok to calm down?¡±

    ¡°I have a friend who has a friend¡­ Do you know song? ''I have a friend in Minsk, who has a friend in Pinsk, whose friend in Omsk, has friend in Tomsk, With friend in Akmolinsk.''¡±

    Rowan joined in singing. ¡°''His friend in Alexandrovsk has friend in Petropavlovsk, whose friend somehow is solving now, the problem in Dnepropetrovsk.''¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re funny,¡± the dictator said at the end. ¡°I like you.¡±

    You have befriended the African Dictator. The second partial quest is cleared.

    Yeah¡­ I¡¯m a natural charmer.

    ¡°Tell me something. How are you going to solve the ruling problem?¡± Rowan asked. "A core means elections, and you can''t cheat the System."

    ¡°Pour,¡± the man asked the stewardess for a refill, then swirled the Bourbon in his glass, looking again at the setting sun outside. Finally, he looked Rowan in the eyes with a deadpan expression. ¡°I love my country. If people vote me out, OK. I don¡¯t like job. Dangerous. Things not work in real life like na?ve people wish. Wars every year, crazy people who think God anointed them to make revolution. If I''m voted out, I go retire. Maybe Vegas or your town. You have a good heart, funny, not politician. I trust. Vampire, mobster, classy, not politician. I trust. Politicians? Ptuah,¡± the man mimicked spitting on the carpet.

    ¡°When you''ll be king, or whatever, ensure your people feel you''re one of them¡­" Rowan said, staring into nothingness. "I offer a bottle of whiskey to any warrior I don''t remember by name. People can swear about me, freely, and pay ten cents for it. They adore it. Ask their opinion about something they care about, like a vote about city planning, and make good on your promises."

    ¡°Cheers,¡± the African dictator raised the glass.

    <hr>

    <h2></h2>

    <h2>Elftreck</h2>

    After landing at a small airport and saying his goodbyes to the dictator, Rowan drove a small rented car for half an hour. That made his average speed eighty miles an hour, which was quite OK, he considered. It allowed him time to admire the landscape. When he arrived at Yosemite Falls it was night and winter. He knew from Viscardi that Inglotal had asked the Lord to arrange for cold weather all over the northwestern part of Calveor.

    ¡°Thane Allinder,¡± the elf saluted with a half bow.

    ¡°War Chief Inglotal,¡± he returned the greeting.

    ¡°I delayed our departure, to meet you.¡±

    Rowan noticed behind the elf several others. Dressed in furs, their silhouettes made bigger by the vestments volume, but still looking slim and undernourished. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Now that we¡¯re free, we''re trying to recover our old ways. I¡¯ll escort our younglings to a hike, a rite of passage. We¡¯ll run to the place you call Canada, in five days.¡±

    ¡°Gah¡­¡± was all Rowan was able to say, slack-jawing. Barely days after being freed from a dungeon, the elves were going to run about a thousand miles.

    "Are you here to join our training?" Inglotal asked.

    Rowan looked around, at the snow and the furs covering the Svart¨¢lfar. Ten seconds later, he nodded. ¡°I could use some training.¡±

    ¡°Thane Allinder, the Dragon Slayer, will join us!¡± Inglotal yelled, raising his spear. A choir or cheers resounded before the notification hit.

    Your third secondary quest has been cleared. + 1 Level and +1 AP awarded. +3 AP awarded. Hidden Quest discovered and cleared: establish a good reputation among the factions that swore allegiance to you. 6/6 objectives cleared. 6 free APs awarded.

    New Quest: Complete the hike. +1 free AP

 49: A Simple Hike

    The first night has been easy. They had run over the mountains, following the trails, using the mini maps. In mid-January, darkness held for fourteen hours, and they hadn¡¯t stopped for any break, food, or water. It was a pleasant surprise, for Rowan, to see how much his Awakened body could cope with. So many hours of uninterrupted effort, and it felt like a light jog.

    During the first day, they had slept around a campfire, but a few hours were enough to get them back in shape, and for the rest of the daylight, the group played cards, or talked. Rowan let himself loose talking about Bourbon until he noticed the young elves showed signs of boredom.

    After the second night of running and a total distance of five hundred and twenty miles, they stopped short of the border, at the entrance of another forest reservation. A few people were waiting for them. Fay, Inglotal¡¯s wife and the tribe¡¯s all-around chief, but also Grace and Lizzie.

    [Grace to Rowan]: Don''t act surprised, I told her it was your idea. Five days away and just a phone call saying you¡¯re going on a hike is too little for Lizzie, she¡¯s an attention-soaking sponge.

    [Rowan to Grace]: Thank you¡­ You¡¯re as wise as you''re beautiful. How are things back home?

    [Grace to Rowan]: Cora''s upset you''re bossing her around, sending her to Africa to trigger a core. I told her it was a sign of how much you trust her.

    [Rowan to Grace]: Thanks. "Sweetie, look, a bicycle rental," Rowan switched to talking. "Want to go for a ride?"

    They hugged, then he took them on a short bicycle hike around, to have some family time. At noon, they teleported away, he ate mechanically the boar stake, hunted by the elves, and then slept for the rest of the day.

    A gentle hand shook his shoulder, and he awoke. It was Inglotal. ¡°The night is nigh.¡± A gate opened at the Border, and they walked through, then stopped when the war chief raised his hand, turning toward Rowan.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read Earthlings have translated our name in the wrong way,¡± Inglotal said. ¡°We¡¯re not the Dark Elves, and Swarthy is just the hue of our skin. Know, Thane Allinder, that we¡¯re the Elves of the Night. The cold night of the Septentrion is our father, and the shadows of the Boreal forest are our mothers. Nottie!¡± A young girl stepped forward. Around them, the shades of the night deepened and spread, there was darkness emanating from the girl that enveloped them and went around in a wide circle about fifty yards in radius.

    Without any warning, Inglotal started to run. They followed, and so did the obscurity. It was colder outside, and the lights of hamlets or towns shone far away, dimmed by Nottie¡¯s AoE. The effort of running was greater, and Rowan¡¯s muscles were working harder.

    One hour later, Inglotal yelled: ¡°No potions allowed!¡±

    Potions? Potions for what? What the fuck?

    His Mana Pool was dropping at an alarming rate. The truth hit him like a hammer to the head. It wasn¡¯t a stagnant pond, but a river pool, filled when the waterfall above flowed. It had a one percent per minute refill, and flow out, but the latter was first nourishing and maintaining his body, like breathing, only different. If the inflow was stopped by a low-mana area, his body was consuming his Mana but there was not enough coming back.

    You have made a Discovery. Your body processes Mana continuously, refining it into a higher form, and stores a part of it in the Mana Pool. The excess is vented out after nourishing your body (normal rate 1%/minute) and contributes to increasing the Mana quantity on Earth. Town Cores do the same, and so does every Awakened plant or animal.

    Quest: Train yourself to control your Mana Flow, using your passive CHA Perk 3 to slow your body¡¯s Natural Mana Consumption by +25% and increase your Mana Regeneration by +25%. Reward: 1 AP

    Quest: Train to reduce the amount of Mana you have to spend on Spells, Skills, or Perks. Reward: 1 AP

    So, there was hope. Rowan tried to slow his Mana consumption. It felt like putting a plug on a leak, and the expenditure slowed to a trickle. The pain and tiredness, on the other hand, increased. In another hour, it became atrocious. He clenched his teeth and willed his Sensorial Filtering on, muting the sourness in his body.

    ¡°Slow down, half an hour or walking,¡± Inglotal shouted after taking a look around. There were sighs of relief around, which meant Rowan was not the only one in pain. That was the good part. The bad part was that the Elves were kids, he was supposed to be tougher.

    Ingotal slowed down, coming near him, and beckoned for Nottie. ¡°Walk together. Her AoE enhances Mana''s regeneration, the closer you are to her, the better.¡±

    An hour later, a notification came:

    Quest cleared. You have learned to Control your Mana Flow. +1 AP

    Your Mana is now regenerating at 1.25%/minute in a high mana environment, or per hour in a low one. The amount of Mana you need to consume per minute for your optimal body performance is now 0.75%. The difference (excess) can be expended to momentarily enhance your body or will naturally vent out.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Rowan noticed a considerable drop in his Mana expenditure. 2.50/% Mana regeneration per hour in a low-mana zone, double his possibilities. He had Nottie to thank for that.

    ¡°Is your AoE a passive?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No,¡± the girl shook her head, continuing walking without looking at him. Since she could keep it on without appearing exhausted, Rowan assumed it cost little Mana, and the girl was efficient at it.

    ¡°We run, but slower,¡± Inglotal commanded. The light jog lasted for two hours, during which Rowan allowed himself to burst to full Mana use capacity for a minute every half hour, to take the sting out of his painful joints and muscles.

    A new session of walking arrived, for an hour this time. Rowan¡¯s Mana was at twenty-five percent and stopped his Mana outflow for good. Walking, he could do with his normal body abilities. Soon, questions started nibbling on his mind. He could do so many things R?svelg, like pushing Snowstorm into a cone AoE when needed and imbuing it on weapons. Was it possible to find a gentler use for it as well, like Nottie¡¯s AoE?

    ¡°Guys, I¡¯m going ahead, have to test something,¡± he yelled and dashed ahead. He did consume one percent of his Mana, but after a minute, he was far enough to give it a try. Closing his eyes, Rowan exhaled, imagining frosty clouds spreading from his body, like one of those special effects machines at concerts.

    Fuck! For a second, it looked like he failed. A harsh wind had erupted out, blowing the top of the snow away. Yet, it was not the deadly blizzard he was used to with Snowstorm. The wind calmed down, and fog appeared. After a minute, everything around was so calm it didn¡¯t look like anything was out of the ordinary.

    You have discovered R?svelg: Cold Breeze. Spreads out an AoE field with a twenty-five-yard diameter, soothing your allies (+25% MP and HP regen) or debuffing your foes (-25% reaction speed and healing effect) at the same time. Effect and area can be improved through training. It consumes 1/10 of your overall R?svelg cost per every minute instead of every second.

    ¡°YEY!¡± That meant he had enough of it for eighty minutes. Rowan waited for the others because running back meant consuming more mana. ¡°Guys, look what I have unlocked,¡± he yelled with pride.

    ¡°You lucky bastard! That¡¯s sick!¡± Nottie yelled, getting out of her reserved Emo-rocker persona for a second.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the way to talk to our Thane,¡± Inglotal scolded her.

    ¡°Thane, get your ass here, and let¡¯s see if the effects stack,¡± the girl dismissed the scold with impertinence.

    Teenagers! Rowan snorted. But the buffs did stack. Moreover, they synergized extremely well, to twelve percent Mana Regeneration every hour.

    Alternating full sessions of running with walking and jogging, they made it through the night, doing one hundred and ten miles, only ten miles short of what they were aiming for. His MPs under half a percent, Rowan collapsed on the ground, near a campfire that miraculously had been constructed in under a minute by Inglotal.

    ¡°It¡¯s daylight. Potions allowed!¡± the War Chief yelled.

    <hr>

    For three hours, Rowan slept like a log. A strong shove on the shoulder woke him up.

    ¡°Take this now, then another in half an hour, then two at the same time,¡± Inglotal gave him a box of pills.

    ¡°Err¡­ Won¡¯t I get Potion Sickness if I take more potions than the cooldown allows?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you will vomit, and feel sick. Yet, before tomorrow night, the interval between your potion chugging will be halved, and your poison resistance will double. There is a reason we train in lower Mana areas.¡±

    Rowan didn¡¯t puke, but feeling like shit, he did, Sensorial Filtering or not. But after that hour of pain, he could sleep again, and one hour before they started running again, he was allowed to take another potion, and a minute before the fourth night arrived, another.

    It was much better now. At full Mana, and knowing how to synergize with Nottie, they kept going on. There was only a single walking break, and they recovered the lost terrain from the previous night. And the notifications were magnificent.

    For maintaining a R?svelg: Cold Breeze perk active for a long period and synergizing it with Embracing Darkness, you can now add the Darkness element to your spells, perks, and weapons.

    By maintaining a R?svelg: Cold Aspect facet active for a long period and optimizing its Mana consumption, you have now reached the best optimized Mana cost for this perk: 15 Mana/second (Charisma Perk 3 applied).

    By achieving optimal cost for your R?svelg first aspect and unlocking 4 of 7 possible facets, you have unlocked a Second Aspect: Fire Wind.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Rowan blurted as Inglotal prepared to light the fire. ¡°I got a fire perk now.¡±

    ¡°Which one?¡±

    ¡°I unlocked R?svelg, Fire Wind. Let me test it.¡± The youngsters cheered.

    ¡°Be my guest,¡± Iglotal gestured toward the firewood. "Youngsters, get back. With our Thane, we better be safe than sorry."

    ¡°Err¡­ maybe get ready with a shovel or something? Just in case it gets out of control?¡± Rowan suggested.

    Snorting, the Elf produced a large fire extinguisher from his inventory. ¡°We¡¯re not savages.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll aim toward the river,¡± Rowan said, preparing to let the perk out. He did it only for a fraction of a second, aiming his palms at the fireplace. A stream of fire and smoke burst out, formed itself in a ball, hit the firewood, lighted it, and then bounced twice more, starting two secondary fires on the dead branches lying near the river. Inglotal¡¯s fire extinguisher made short work of them.

    You have unlocked the Camping Fire facet. Current cost: 20 MP/second. 1/7 facets of Fire Wind discovered.

    You have unlocked the Forest Fire facet. Current cost: 20 MP/second/bounce 2/7 facets of Fire Wind discovered.

    ¡°Well¡­ it''s a little underwhelming, but it works,¡± Rowan sighed.

    ¡°Forest Fire was among the most appreciated spells in our Dark Ages,¡± Nottie said. "Imagine besieging a fortress, and starting multiple fires inside."

    ¡°If we ever besiege a fortress, I¡¯ll be there,¡± Rowan promised. ¡°Maybe I unlock something like dragon fire too?¡± he asked, with hope shining in his voice and eyes.

    "Dragon Fire is a specific attack applied by a Dragonoid. Humanoids can unlock Flamethrower or Fireball," Inglotal crushed his hopes.

    ¡°Say, Inglotal, do you know how many facets and aspects of the winds are, and what each does?¡±

    ¡°No one had unlocked R?svelg in centuries, but you should be able to unlock three aspects and seven facets for each. There are more, but that''s the limit one can master. Here,¡± the War Chief searched in his inventory and threw him a booklet. ¡°Old book about Mythical perks. I¡¯ll go hunting, you rest a little and take some potions. I want your sickness gone before lunch.¡±

    Sitting on a log, Rowan opened the book. To his disappointment, it was written with weird characters, something like runes. He took a mental note to ask Cora to translate it and stored it when Nottie came and sat near him, which reminded him of the earlier notification.

    "Thank you," she said. "Because of you, I can now add Cold to my Darkness."

    ¡°Nah, thank you," Rowan waved his hand. ¡°Thanks to you I can add Darkness to my Cold.¡±

 50: The Battle in the Dark

    As the sun disappeared over the peaks and they began their journey again, Rowan was enthused knowing he could now hold his AoE buff active for more than the required running time. As he trotted along, shoulder to shoulder with Nottie, he started a conversation.

    ¡°What''s your level?¡±

    ¡°Eighty. How old are you?¡± the girl asked without turning her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-six, why?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Nottie tripped and almost fell. "I thought you were like fifty or something."

    ¡°C¡¯mon, I don''t look fifty,¡± Rowan snorted.

    ¡°I thought you were an elf too¡­ with less pointy ears. I¡¯m thirty-one.¡±

    It was Rowan''s turn to trip. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me! You look like sixteen. You age slower or something?"

    "Elves, duh."

    "And you live twice longer? Thrice?¡± Rowan diverted the conversation toward more peaceful subjects.

    ¡°Depends on the tier. But at legendary, you could live almost as long as an elf, so in the long run, it¡¯s not such big a difference. I plan to marry a human,¡± she whispered the last words. ¡°They are so much more relaxed about getting drunk and having sex with multiple partners.¡±

    Rowan pretended to cough and get tired, and they ran in silence from that point. There was an hour of walking at midnight, then running again. Like they did before, they avoided highways or resorts, using dirt roads or hiking trails. The traveling patch of darkness was enough deterrence to keep anyone from approaching.

    Two miles before reaching their destination, Rowan¡¯s phone buzzed with a special alarm signal he had only for him and his wives. He read the message and speeded ahead, approaching the War Chief. ¡°Can we have a word?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Thane. Group, wait for us at that sign.¡± The youngsters sprinted, eager for a break, stopping thirty yards farther, and the two slowed their pace to a brisk walking rhythm.

    ¡°You know, just from personal experience, shit happens,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°Go behind that mound, we¡¯ll wait. We have plenty of time to spare.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, no, I did it before we left¡­ never mind, it¡¯s just an expression. I meant every single time I got my nose out of my town, I was attacked when I expected less. Like I have a Murphy law with my name on it. Anyway, Grace, my wife, texted me: I feel impending danger. Take care. She¡¯s a Seer.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± the elf nodded. ¡°I was going to let you in the secret anyway. I paid a group of Goblins to attack us," the elf made air quotes.

    So he does know a few human cliches, Rowan thought. What''s he talking about, though?

    "They''ll feign to be scared away by the kids, and that will raise the youngsters'' self-confidence, leading to good Perks, I hope. Now that you know, maybe you can pretend Nottie saves your life. She¡¯s the strongest of the group, that would help her a lot.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Rowan exclaimed after his phone buzzed again.

    ¡°Mound?¡± the elf gestured again. ¡°I have some spare toilet paper.¡±

    ¡°No. Look!¡± he forwarded his phone so the elf could see the screen.

    There was a satellite photo showing their position, taken moments before. Their group was clearly visible, but so were the troops surrounding them. At the upper part of the valley they were about to enter were hundreds of Neeks and military dressed in white camouflage clothes. On the flanks, having the high ground, Vladivostok''s special forces, all Awakened of max Level. Behind the Elves, on the plain, keeping their distance, a few groups with snowmobiles, scouts. All the enemies were tagged neatly.

    "What does the text say?" Inglotal pointed his finger at the SMS Rowan received from Cora.

    "I''m in Africa. The Dictator had limited success in Vladivostok. Their strongest faction is nuts. A drunk Goblin bragging in a tavern was heard by Neek spies, they found out about the Elves'' trek and coopted the Vladivostokans. They plan to kill them as payback but they don''t know you''re there. I hacked a military satellite, sending you a photo. I activated the Core here and made an executive decision to negotiate with Harbin. In exchange for a few more cores to consume, the Dictator''s army and I will teleport to Harbin, join with the Elves, Goblins, and Vampires, and we''ll assault Vladivostok. Harbin has put together a couple of Border breakers copied after the Neeks, but better. The System has allowed us the Incursion. Try to break the encirclement and get in contact with Viscardi, he''ll arrange for an extraction. Entering radio-silence. Godspeed. Love you, Cora."

    "Kids, to me, we have to talk!" Iglotal yelled. "I''m sorry," he whispered to Rowan. "This is all my fault."

    Rowan squeezed his eyes shut, trying to overcome his panic. He was the only one around with a guaranteed Rezz, he knew the list by heart.

    "What''s up?" Nottie asked, arriving near the two adults, followed by the rest of the teenagers.

    ¡°We''re about to be ambushed, by superior forces," Rowan said deadpanned. "They got wind of the trek and want to get revenge on me through you. There''s no other way out other than fighting. They already have eyes on us."

    As one, the elves just nodded. "What''s the plan?¡± a girl asked. Blonde and fair-skinned, she made a yin-yang contrast with Nottie''s raven hair and darker complexion.

    "We can''t retreat, they''ll hunt us down with their snowmobiles. We go on, after pretending we just had a friendly chat. Once deep in the valley, but before they ambush us, I''ll put us all in the in-between and we run up to the ridge, destroying their vehicles and killing some on the way. After that, we lose ourselves in the forests or push for Calgary and ask for an extraction. But first¡­ I need to be aware of the enemy''s movement. I and Nottie will mix our AoEs and send them out in a very thin layer, to cover a large surface."

    ¡°Oh, Nottie and the Thane are mixing things together,¡± someone joked. Rowan couldn¡¯t tell who because the culprit was in the back row. Nottie, however, had a better ear and shook her fist.

    ¡°Just you wait, Magnus. I¡¯ll skin you alive.¡±

    Rowan ignored the exchange and prepared his Perk. "Nottie, you go first, and I¡¯ll give your AoE a push.¡±

    The girl shivered and started her Perk. Rowan could tell it was more intense now. He let out his own Perk, also at a higher strength, like the first time he had used it. The cold and the darkness mixed together in a dark fog, and then he sent an impulse that spread all over, like the shock wave of an explosion. Soon, the ring of cold and darkness became invisible and weak, but still going on fast, for half a mile, a full mile, two¡­ three... Every hostile target it touched, even with a snowflake or a speck of frost was now tagged on Rowan''s targeting sensor.

    ¡°I learned Sonar¡­¡± Nottie exclaimed. ¡°Thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°Keep your voice low,¡± Rowan blurted with a growl. ¡°What weapons and armor do you have?¡±

    "Our fur coats are medium armor, and we each have spears," the blonde girl said. "I also have a sword."

    ¡°Welcome to America.¡± Rowan extracted two revolvers from his inventory, giving one to her and the other to Inglotin, along with a couple of speed loaders. ¡°Point and shoot. Technoforge made, hollow points able to overcome Awakened armor and Toughness up to Threshold three. OK, peeps, let''s move. Take your spears casually in hand like it''s part of the ritual. Now pretend to cheer and let''s go.¡±

    "Yey!" the youngsters raised their spears in the air. There was only one worried face there, Inglotal''s. Either oblivious of the danger because of their youth or trusting him too much, the young elves'' expressions displayed only determination.

    ¡°So, basically we destroy their vehicles, from stealth, and run?¡± the girl with the gun asked while walking.

    ¡°Exactly. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Nerio.¡±

    ¡°Like the Roman war goddess? There is a statue in¡­ never mind. May you gloriously follow in her footsteps."

    "Thank you," she bowed her head.

    "Everyone, take a Mana potion. Keep Health Potions at hand, tell me if you don''t have any," Rowan said. There was no answer, so the potions were covered. Leading the way into the valley, Rowan inspected his display. The enemies, even invisible to the naked eye, were showing perfectly. There were no movements now, but they most likely were preparing for the ambush.

    ¡°We sprint for it when I say go. Three¡­ two¡­ one¡­ GO!¡±

    The group moved as one, nonplussed by the Space, after all, they had experienced it before when exiting the Shore dungeon. Twenty seconds later, they arrived at the first line of the enemy but moved forward.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Halt, pay attention to me," he yelled, stopping in the middle of a group of six warriors, a party from the rival awakened town of Vladivostok. They were hiding behind a large rock formation, an ambush on the most evident path of escape.

    He pushed his threads into their heads and bellowed: "Stay hidden behind the rocks," before exiting the Space. All warriors collapsed, dead, without a squeak. One of his stacks of the Space had been consumed, he had eight at first and now was down to seven.

    "Take their armors," he whispered and gestured. The bodies had already dissolved into the mana, but the gear had remained behind. The swords, he didn''t care about, but the heavier armor would protect the kids.

    "Where did they go?" someone yelled in the valley.

    "Don''t leave cover, shoot at the Russians first," he ordered. Raising up, Rowan threw at first a flurry of Forest Fire, moving his hands in a circle. It was not the time to be squeamish. Forests in Canada burned regularly, and it was part of the cycle of nature. He hoped that the fire would be contained inside the valley, but he had to do what he had to do. He followed with the Snowstorm in cone AoE form, at maximum strength. It destroyed anything in its path, incoming bullets or soldiers. Behind him, there were gunshot sounds, Inglotal, and the girl.

    ¡°Stay where you are, we''re going into the space again, in three¡­ two¡­ one,¡± Rowan screamed. Scores of foes rushed up the slope, assaulting their position. As they arrived, he took the ten claymore mines he had in his inventory and let some fall on the ground, throwing others in an arch toward the parked snowmobiles below. There was carnage in the Neeks and regular soldiers'' ranks, unfortunately, the twenty Vladivostokans remained unhurt. Being a Classed with heavy armor had an advantage.

    He extracted rebars from his inventory, two in each hand, in a V shape, inserting them in the Russians'' bodies, letting go, and repeating the move in a blink. He would have given a hand that this kind of attack worked for the allies he took in the Space too, but he was the only one able to do the trick.

    The remaining enemies spread around, which was a good tactic. "Come," Rowan yelled, activating a third stack of the Trip and going up the slope. On the way, he took a look at the valley behind. It was burning. Most enemies tried to escape the raging fire, running westward. Neeks were shooting at the soldiers, to make them stand and fight. It was not working.

    Raising his hand, Rowan made the group stop. "Take cover." Leaving the Space, he unleashed a Snowstorm, not at the enemy, but at the fire, pushing it toward their foes, and added another shot of Forest Fire afterward. The valley was becoming a hell.

    Bullets crashed on his helmet, snipers, but as long his visor''s screen showed Rowan''s armor was over forty-five percent integrity, he ignored them, shooting both Snowstorm and Forest fire again.

    "We move!" The fourth stack of the Trip managed to get them over the ridge. They had broken the encirclement. Or so they thought. The youngsters had relaxed, and Nottie stepped out of the area covered by his Perk, directly in the middle of another group of foes guarding the possible retreat. A dozen, half Neeks, with guns, half Russians, with spears and swords.

    Nottie got shot, and then Magnus ran outside too, sheltering her with her body, and got shot too. Rowan projected his filaments into the six Neeks, to get the ranged attacks off their back, then exited the space, throwing himself at the Russians, flourishing his weapon in a whirl of steel.

    The Russians were good fighters, though, and high-level and retreated, regrouping like a good party.

    "Catch their weapons!" Nerio, the blonde girl yelled, unsheathing her sword, the revolver in her left hand and running forward.

    It made sense. In a blink, instead of aiming his threads toward the bodies, Rowan caught the enemies'' spears and sabers in his threads'' grip, pushing or pulling, whatever was necessary to keep them out of balance. Nerio shot three Russians in the head, twice, while running forward and beheading a fourth, then a fifth with a reverse swing, and jumping at the sixth, throwing him down, and crushing his head under her heel.

    Rowan ran toward Nottie, casting a Combat Heal. She was barely breathing, but the boy was not there anymore, his body had been taken by the Mana.

    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Rowan whispered, tears gagging his voice. As Nottie gasped, regaining consciousness, he yelled. ¡°Hide in the forest and wait for me, I''ll find you. I¡¯m going back to assess the situation.¡±

    ¡°I''ll come with you, we''ll kill them all!¡± Nerio yelled, her eyes on fire,.

    ¡°No! I''m the only one who can Rezz.¡±

    The girl growled. The Shadow Elves started to run down the slope while he climbed the ridge back, taking a peek. The fire had all but died down, faster than expected, which was good for the forest, but bad for them. Most enemies were unhurt, and some vehicles were still functional. About a hundred foes on snowmobiles were entering the valley from the southwest, the scouts that had been in the back in the beginning.

    And the dozen surviving Russians from the group that chased after them before were coming up hot. "You don''t know when to quit, don''t you?" he roared, rushing to meet them.

    His Trip stacks were precious, and better used at protecting the youngsters. Mana, he still had half of it. Starting Snowstorm at a mild intensity and short range, around him, he added Forest Fire to the game. The blizzard was extracting the heat from around him, but it was redirected to the fire. He was now enveloped in an aura of both R?svelg¡¯s aspects.

    You have unlocked Elemental Shield, a facet of both The Cold Wind and Fire Wind.

    The Svart¨¢lfar¡¯s Stare he threw at the first Russian was a crit, the individual¡ªman or woman, Rowan couldn''t know¡ªcollapsed on the knees, screaming and grabbing their face, and then the empty armor fell on the ground, specks of blue light coming out of it.

    Catching the next enemy''s legs with two threads, Rowan impaled him through the armpit gaps and the visor with the other four filaments. This one was a man, the beard was so big it spread out of the helmet. Throwing a cone of Snowstorm to throw the Russians off the cliff didn''t work, one of their Tanks had a Perk offering Stability, or so the brief notification said. The next Stare also failed.

    The good part was that the trail was narrow, and he could face them in groups of two. Transforming his weapon into a rifle, Rowan made a Russian''s head explode, then he changed it into a Barong machete and a shield and started retreating up the slope. The combination was good, but the Vladivostokans were not dumb. The ones in the front started to use short swords as well, while those in the back poked at him with spears.

    The protection aura was holding well, though, the hits that got through and touched his armor felt weak and did next to no damage. Changing to threads again did skewer another Russian, but granted Rowan a few stronger hits from the rest. The threads were good at attacking at CC but not so much at parrying.

    A couple of enemies were making their way to the front, and Rowan''s senses read what was going to happen like an open book. An off-tank was going to Charge or Bash at him, and while at that, the Rogue would go behind to stab him, while the rest would attack with spears. A good tactic, he conceded, grinding his teeth.

    Allowing himself to go into Delayed Truth and kill the Rogue and the Tank, or entering the Space and dealing with the Russians once and for all?

    Before he answered his own question, the Tank charged, but his assault was met in the air by someone else''s dash from the back, and the man literally exploded into pieces. Cutting the Rogue in two with an oblique strike, Nerio shoved the next Russian off the hill with her shoulder and shot the next one in the face with Rowan''s revolver. The four surviving Russians fled down the valley with tremendous speed.

    Of course, a teenager won''t obey orders! Rowan groaned, putting a hand on the girl''s shoulder to stop her from giving chase. "Where did you learn to fight like this?" he asked.

    "I''m a champion for Historical Elven Martial Arts," she explained nonplussed.

    You are pinged with a private message from: Flame, Griffinoid Intergalactic Mercenary (she/her): ''Don''t shoot, I want to talk.'' A System Oath has been taken by the Intergalactic Mercenary not to harm you. Accept the Parley: Y/N A copy of this message has been sent to Nerio Fern, to prevent her from engaging in hostility.

    This is a crazy day. What the heck does a Merc wants?

    He pressed Yes. A few moments later, a shooting star approached at a very fast speed, landing near them. The Merc''s helmed had an unusual oblong shape toward the back.

    "It''s a Griffinoid, make sure you reply with a rhyme for the last word they say, or they get offended," Nerio whispered in Rowan''s ear.

    ¡°OK, You want to talk, talk? Please be brief,¡± Rowan addressed the Merc

    ¡°Of course, chief,¡± the Merc said. ¡°The Neeks betrayeth us. We bid our time and followed tracks, and now revenge is due."

    "Here''s my cue," Nerio interjected. "You want to help us get rid of the Neeks once and for all?"

    "But it''s your call," the Merc said, bowing to Rowan. "If you accept, I''ll do my best."

    What the fuck, really? Rhymes? "Be my guest," Rowan gestured toward the valley. Down there, the Russians had arrived and were gesturing vividly, from what he could guess, it was about getting out of the valley on snowmobiles and going around, trying to catch up. Persistent bastards!

    The Merc produced a short-barreled shoulder rocket launcher and fired it. Seconds later, a bright explosion engulfed the mountain. Rowan entered the Space by instinct, taking Nerio and the Merc with him. Clouds of dust, debris, and heat erupted out, without reaching them, though.

    "What the fuck, a nuke?" he yelled.

    "Nothing serious, you''ll just puke," the Merc replied.

    "Radiation is nothing for us Awakened, you can let go," Nerio said.

    As soon as he dismissed the Joint Trip, the Mercenary addressed him again: "Our Boss, The Smuggler, offers you a deal. After you get the cores you need, you give us the Sensor and ten cores of the best quality. She pardons Blackswarm and opens a line of smuggling with Earth. No one else will dareth approach your planet with the Warlord roaming free.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Rowan nodded. ¡°A question first. Your kind tried to enslave my friends and subjects, the Swarthy Elves. That¡¯s a bad thing, by our standards. How can I trust you?¡±

    ¡°Your words ring true. But it was not this Merc''s team who did it. The Apian group has disappeared, they must be the guilty ones. Now, do you find our proposition proper?¡±

    ¡°Counter offer. Six cores of any kind, and you work for us until we finish our business with the cores. The Sensor was stolen, but will be yours after we recover it.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± the Merc roared in laughter. ¡°You have no wit? In weaker position than thought, yet you asketh for more?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Shakespeare, I asketh for more because this is war!" Rowan sneered. "Think: What do you need that only I can provide? Do you have a base, perchance? A safe haven?¡±

    ¡°Your offer is acknowledged, raven. Give us access to your County, attuneth us to your Town¡¯s Rezz, and we¡¯ll do your bidding.¡±

    ¡°Fitting. Very well,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°Farewell,¡± the Merc said, taking flight.

    "This is so crazy¡­" Rowan sighed, inspecting his notifications.

    You have been deemed the third major contributor to the killing of a force of nine hundred soldiers, sixty Vladivostokan warriors, and fifty Neeks. Second contributor: Nerio. First contributor: Intergalactic Mercenary Flame. You have cleared the Quest: Complete the hike. +1 AP. You have completed the Quest: Survive Ambush. Secret subquest: You have led your fledging warriors in battle and won, saving 10/12 of the Raid members. +10 AP.

    XP gains have been postponed.

    Rowan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Who else died?¡± he screamed, fearing his Healing had been sloppy, and Nottie succumbed to her wounds.

    ¡°Inglotal¡­ he shot himself¡­¡± Nerio sighed, lowering her head. "Losing Magnus broke him."

    ¡°Oh my God¡­ Was he related to that kid?"

    "No¡­ but he did love each of us like his own."

    "May he rest in peace¡­¡±

    There was one more notification, on which he chose Yes as soon as he read it.

    I, the Warlord, have witnessed your performance in an almost hopeless battle and graded it at 90%: Great. Reward: Altruistic choice. Accept to divert all the XP you gained in this battle to the young Elves: Y/N

 51. The Neeksâ€™s Base

    "Where are the rest?" Rowan asked.

    "Behind that treeline," Nerio pointed northward.

    "Let''s rejoin them," Rowan nodded. While walking to the group, he phoned Cora, but she didn''t answer, and he called Grace.

    ¡°Are you safe?¡± she whispered instead of a hello. It meant Lizzie was still asleep.

    ¡°I am¡­ but we lost a kid and Inglotal.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Where are you exactly?¡±

    ¡°In the wilds, somewhere in British Columbia. Five miles west of Gladsheim peak.¡± Oh, shit, this is from Norse mythology. Inglo must¡¯ve chosen this place because of that¡­ "I just wanted to tell you I''m safe¡­ I''ll call later, I have a call from Cora. Love you." Taking the next call, he blurted: "Hi, baby"

    "Thank goodness you answered, I hacked another satellite and saw a nuclear explosion. Everybody OK?" Cora''s voice answered.

    "Except for two losses, the War Chief and a boy, Magnus. But not from the nuke, that was a¡­ new ally, taking care of the Neeks."

    "So that''s why I''m receiving a ''add to friends'' ping from a raid called Griffinoid Mercenary Raid?"

    "Yes¡­ Long story. How are you?" he insisted on the last word.

    "It''s done. The Awakened here were down to half, sending out their best after the elves¡ª"

    "Moment. You''re in Vladivostok already?" he gasped.

    "Yes. We teleported to Harbin, and they''re in teleport range from Vladivostok. We broke through the forcefield in no time, and then the population turned on the Anarchists and ratted their positions to us. Everybody hates them here, they never did anything for the common folks, obsessing only about stats, builds, and fights."

    Thank goodness for the swear jar idea and the plebiscites, Rowan giggled. ¡°Is there some way you could extract us, baby?¡±

    "Wait." Cora remained silent for half a minute. ¡°Viscardi texted me he''s ready to send his plane, but you need to get to an airport, preferably on the larger side. I¡¯m looking at options. The closest one is Kelowna, about seventy miles due west. Calgary is another one, but you have a lot of mountains in your way and it''s defended by the Canadian military. We can negotiate to¡ª¡±

    "Don''t!" Rowan stopped her. "I don''t want anyone to know where we are. One ambush a day''s plenty enough. Kelowna it is. Viscardi''s plane is a manatech one, with a shield, right? We''ll go in fast and take off."

    "I''ll teleport to Vegas and come with the plane to ensure you have more firepower. We''ll coordinate once we''re both near it, meanwhile, I''m sending you a little app to help you select the best paths. Love you."

    "Love you too, baby, see you soon."

    Storing his phone, Rowan searched for words. The youngsters were depressed, as much was clear. Many were crying, including Nottie. He cleared his voice to get their attention.

    "Everybody, you did very well, but I will ask you for one more effort: Keep those tears in your heart for now, and let them flow later. If we want to honor Magnus and Inglotal, we have to survive first. We''ll move to a nearby town, and a plane will come to pick us up. We leave in one minute."

    Silently, they rose and prepared for the next hike. Nottie offered him the revolver he gave Inglotal, but Rowan gestured she could keep it. When the minute was up, he led the way, and she joined, both activating their perks.

    First, they headed North to pass a tall and snowy mountainous ridge, with a clear danger of avalanche. Rowan and Nottie went ahead, using Sonar, and marked a path with a series of improvised flags. They cleared that hurdle in about an hour and proceeded toward the valley behind, which had reasonable roads giving toward Burton and Upper Arrow Lake.

    Nevertheless, checking his phone and Cora''s app, Rowan saw that they needed to cut through fields and dirt roads and reach Needles, where the only ferry was. Swimming across one mile of cold water was out of the question, jumping over it with a car and Joint Trip: Warp was probably possible and fun, but the kids were too shocked to experiment at their expense. Ferry it was.

    As they waved between hills, forests, and plains, he received a notification:

    You''re in range for map chat. Flame wants to add you to her contacts. Do you want to add Flame, Intergalactic Mercenary, to your list of friends and allow communication between you two? Y/N

    What the heck does she want now?

    [Flame to Rowan]: Is your target Needles?

    [Rowan to Flame]: Indeed, you eagles. Why?

    [Flame to Rowan]: I''ll be not shy. Let''s take them together.

    [Rowan to Flame]: Please explain, red feather. Take them who?

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    [Flame to Rowan]: Them too. The Neeks who assaulted you have their base in Needles, to control the road and the ferry. Those killed by us are now in Rezz ponds there. Just get my team through the forcefield, and we finish the job.

    [Rowan to Flame]: Very well, but let me talk to the mob.

    Raising his hand to signal the group to halt, he announced: "We''ll make a pit stop in Needles," he said aloud.

    "Why do we need to stop at a pit?" a boy asked.

    "It means we make a pause. There''s a hostile base there, and I''ll make sure to flatten it to the ground." He purposely omitted to mention that maybe the Neeks who shot Magnus were Rezzing in Needles, the kids had already been through an emotional roller coaster. As soon as his mouth said the words, his mind realized he had to do the contrary. Capturing the Rezz ponds was important, increasing Elkins''s capabilities, even if it was¡ªas Cora said¨Cprimitive tech. But even if done, how to transport them back?

    "We go in and kill them all!" Nerio roared.

    "Sit, you mad hound of war!" Rowan frowned. "The mercs and I will deal with it."

    "Mad hound of war¡­ I like it," the girl grinned.

    "Mercs?" Nottie asked.

    "New allies, they killed all the baddies in the valley with a tactical nuke," Nerio explained, and all the kids cheered.

    [Rowan to Flame]: I''ll get you in the base, as long you promise me not to involve the kids in the fighting.

    [Flame to Rowan]: Agreed. We''ll hit them like lightning.

    As they started running, he called Cora. "Are you on the plane already?"

    "Boarding it. Had some delay in Vladivostok."

    "Don''t board it yet. Can you borrow a Core from Viscardi? Tell him we''ll give it back. I''m sick and tired of running through woods, and Kelowna is still fifty miles farther. Come here, jump from the plane or something. We''ll Awaken this area, then teleport."

    "You''re sure?"

    "How many Awakened towns are around, nine? We have room. Look, I''m tired to be a miser just because there''s a risk. If Earth becomes a cluster of islands, it''s not on us, it''s on some lunatics who''d activate twenty more cores. This is a nice area, with nice mountains. I''ll make it a training ground, and ask Isla to build a monument for Inglotal and Magnus."

    "What if it''s not pretty?" Cora asked.

    "At least it will be made by someone who cares about it."

    "Moment¡­ Viscardi says that if you go for it, let him take over Vancouver."

    "He has a fetish with V or something? Viscardi, the Vampire of Vancouver, father of Verna and Victoria, and father-in-law of Vito? Never mind¡­ let it have it. Call me when you''re here, love you."

    Half an hour later, they approached Arrow Lake. Fortunately, the Neek base was on their side, enclosed in a forcefield, so he stopped to discuss the strategy. Flame and a couple of other Mercs landed nearby.

    ¡°In battle our mettle we¡¯ll prove,¡± the Merc clasped Rowan¡¯s forearm with their hand as a salute.

    "I approve. Let''s have a word with those Neeks. You kids stay here."

    He gobbled a Mana potion and approached the entry to the base. In his back, eight more Mercs landed, heavy blasters at the ready. Stopping in front of the forcefield, Rowan sneered with disdain. "That''s all?" On the other side was a welcoming committee with a couple of tanks, about twenty military in shooting positions, and about six Classed Neeks.

    "Easy peasy," Nerio said.

    "Hey, I told you to stay back!" Rowan yelled.

    "You told the kids to stay there. I''m a young adult," the girl shrugged.

    "Never mind¡­ Fine, you can come, but stay behind us."

    "Don''t fuss. I''ll protect her," Flame promised.

    Rowan yelled at the ones inside: ¡°Can you hear me?¡± he said. There was no answer, but the crispation in the soldiers¡¯ bodies told him they did hear. Searching for a paper and pencil in his inventory, he wrote a few words and showed them the paper: ¡®Surrender, or you¡¯re dead. Lay down your weapons before I pass through the forcefield. You have a minute.¡¯

    The soldiers and the Neeks were arguing. He can¡¯t pass the forcefield, Rowan read the lips of one Neek. Grimacing, he turned the paper and began to write: ¡®If I¡¯m not able to go through the forcefield you risk nothing by putting down your guns, but if I can go through, you¡¯re dead, guns or no guns¡¯. He barely finished, when Nerio blurted: ¡°Time¡¯s up.¡±

    She took a step forward until her shadow was projected inside the camp, then disappeared, growing back from her shadow, only double in size, well over ten feet tall. The ones inside were so shocked that no one moved. She smashed a soldier with her shield, projecting him twenty yards, and impaled a few others with a heavy and long spear that had appeared in her hand. Letting her stuck spear, she plunged her hand into a soldier''s chest, pulled his heart out, and bit into it with gusto. A soldier discharged all his bullets into her, for naught, and she headbutted his head into smithereens.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Rowan gasped.

    ¡°Such luck,¡± the Merc said. ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°Get inside too!¡± Yelling the rhyme, Rowan activated the Joint Trip and pulled the Merc by the elbows, to avoid other rhymes. Flame''s fellows followed. Inside, he activated his weapon, divided it into filaments, and skewered six different enemies, letting go of the perk. Shooting his Snowstorm AoE to the left, to avoid hitting the girl, he retracted his weapon from the dead bodies and searched for other targets, as the Merc unleashed his fire in a continuous line, cutting enemies in two.

    Calling the Elemental Shield around him for protection, Rowan tried to get in front of Nerio, but she screamed like a Banshee, barged into a tent, picked a Neek, and broke him in two on her knee before it disintegrated. And it was over.

    You have cleared an enemy camp and captured valuable equipment. +1 AP. You are the second contributor to the kills, after Nerio.

    ¡°Ew, ew, ew¡­¡± the girl screamed, spitting on the ground and wiping her mouth with her forearm. She had returned to normal size. ¡°This is so gross!¡±

    ¡°Why did you do it, then?" Rowan hissed.

    ¡°I dunno¡­ When I changed, the idea of eating raw hearts looked yummy. That''s a Perk I got from the Secondary class I unlocked earlier, some dude sent it to me as a reward, with a red message. It''s called War Goddess¡¯s Avatar. Mythical. I transform only once per battle, and I have to kill an enemy every six seconds to keep it up.¡±

    ¡°Sweet buttercup! I don¡¯t think killing people during battles will be hard,¡± Flame said.

    ¡°You spoke like a bard," Nerio bowed.

    "All that remains is to find the controls for the shield," Rowan said. "We can stay inside the base until Cora arrives. After we throw out the bodies, of course."

    "You think this is it?¡± the girl grimaced, squinting her eyes, squatting near a truck. ¡°What do I push?¡±

    ¡°Let me see,¡± Rowan leaned forward. ¡°A green button marked Start, and a red one marked Stop. Let¡¯s go for the red one. And once our guys come in¡ª.¡±

    ¡°We press the green,¡± the Merc said.

    <hr>

    In the late evening, Cora came to the rescue, after a previous stop. Vancouver was now a new Awakened Town. Ten minutes after her arrival, a mountainous region of an area of two thousand square miles had become Rowan¡¯s domain.

    Of the sixty Rezz pods in the camp, two had been destroyed during the fight, but the rest were functional, fifty hosting the recalled remains of the Neeks killed in the mountain battle and eight of those killed in the camp. One by one, the pods spit them out, and each was restrained and taken into a cellblock constructed by Cora through the new Town Core¡¯s perks. After briefly interrogating a few of them, they found nothing. No one knew who gave the orders. The mysterious leader remained a mystery, except for a title: the Neek Supreme.

 52. February

    In Elkins, the early February weather was more like early May, but the light was still that of winter. The flowers on the tree in front of the bedroom branch made an eerie contrast with the weak sun. It was fine. It made Grace feel chilly, for no good reason, but her sweet skin tucking into his under the blankets was delightful. Rowan caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°You make me happy,¡± she kissed him. ¡°Even when I hate you.¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡± Rowan jerked back his head.

    ¡°Sometimes, I want to strangle you,¡± Grace confessed, throwing her calf around his legs and gluing herself to him. That sort of touch, he could enjoy day and night. ¡°Going for a marathon like that,¡± she snapped her fingers.

    ¡°I did take a break, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°You did,¡± she fondled his hair. ¡°Nevertheless, tomorrow you¡¯ll go back to work, so¡­ maybe you need to invest some time to get n touch with the news. Speak with Dmitri about your father.¡±

    ¡°What about my father?¡±

    ¡°Speak with Dmitri. I have more pressing matters to tell you.¡± Searching for his chin, Grace pulled it so he looked into her eyes. ¡°Cora¡¯s going into mating season again and wants to have a baby with you. She thinks you know and want it too, and asked me and Isla if we want to have babies at the same time to grow them together. Isla is quite smitten with the idea.¡±

    ¡°Gaaaaah¡­¡±

    ¡°Close your mouth and don¡¯t you dare faint on me. Take it like man. Now you''ll learn to really listen to us when we talk to you."

    "But I did listen," he complained. "It was just a generic conversation. Like sure, I want kids with you. I didn''t imagine she meant now."

    "Was it listening, or were you just sipping your favorite Bourbon and saying yes dear, yes dear thinking about proof and non-chill filtering?"

    He looked into nothingness for a second. "Look¡­ The thing is, I''m surprised, but it''s not a big deal¡­ I''m OK with it, really. I like kids. But what got into her? She''s barely over twenty."

    "Ask her," Grace shrugged. "From what I got, she wants to get it done now, while young, to have time later for a Ph.D. and stuff. She said they have much easier pregnancies than humans, and, if we¡¯re to believe her, Cat Folk babies are cute and easy to raise. ''Give them kids a clew to play, and they are happy all day.'' Nekojin proverb.¡±

    Rowan facepalmed but gathered his will for the new challenge. ¡°OK. No worries. Fair enough, I guess. The point is I didn¡¯t marry any of you without considering kids. What are you thinking about having one together?¡±

    ¡°Well, Isla likes the idea. She¡¯s very motherly, only¡­ hadn¡¯t the chance to prove it with small children, Thomas was six when she adopted him.¡±

    ¡°I didn''t ask about Isla, I asked about you. I wouldn¡¯t love Lizzie any less if we had more kids, and I¡¯ll try to  be a good father for all of them.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡± she fondled his cheek.

    Thinking about his adoptive daughter made him smile. ¡°I love Lizzie so much that often I wish to have known her earlier, as a baby. To rock her in my arms, care for her when her teeth grew¡­¡±

    ¡°Trust me, you have no idea what you¡¯re talking about," Grace snorted. "Let¡¯s do this: if our quest succeeds, and Earth is safe, we¡¯ll go for it.¡±

    ¡°We''re safe in here anyway. But so be it. I¡¯ll work hard to make Earth safe.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Please don¡¯t work hard. For you, working hard means running into danger. Be more careful. Are you going to shower first?¡± she asked.

    ¡°In five?¡± he asked, starting to knead her body.

    ¡°Make it ten,¡± she whispered.

    <hr>

    Fifteen minutes later, with Grace back to a late morning sleep, Rowan arrived downstairs. Lizzie was already in school, it was Bree¡¯s shift to take care of her. Cora mumbled a hi, her mouth full, but Dmitri was washing the dishes by hand, so he was open for talking.

    ¡°So, Dmitri, what¡¯s up with Papa?¡±

    ¡°Wrong?" Dmitri let a plate fall back in the sink and raised his hands heavenward. "Nothing¡¯s wrong, except he¡¯s going murder-hobo. He¡¯s killing lots of people.¡±

    Rowan was now slack-jawed. ¡°P-papa?¡±

    ¡°None other. The Warlord gave him a quest: kill a thousand people and save one thousand. The latter, he¡¯s already done with.¡±

    ¡°He saved a thousand people in a month?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a healer, went around hospitals in the outside world, helping people recover from terrible injuries and illnesses. He¡¯s considered a Saint, out there.

    ¡°Now, he goes on missions with SWAT teams and cops, against drug dealers and cartels. He can¡¯t be harmed, you see. Self heals, pushes his regens to the max, and has a magical shield and military-grade body armor immune to anything short of a cannon. The cops let him do their job. He rushes ahead, kills everybody, and the police ''accidentally''," Dmitri made air quotes, in duplicate, to make his point, "discover the crime scene afterward. Saves them paperwork.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he wanted or stuff?¡±

    ¡°You''re joking, right? Who cares? He changed state, though, I heard he decimated the FBI in Philly, for fun.¡±

    ¡°Perfect, they were assholes. Let¡¯s look at the good part: he¡¯s not on my head all day anymore. Thanks for the heads up, Dmitri. I¡¯ll have a word with him when possible, but don¡¯t hope for miracles.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hope for anything, just gave you the news.¡±

    ¡°Ahum,¡± Cora cleared her voice to ask for Rowan''s attention.

    ¡°Sorry, baby¡­ Want me to cook you some pancakes?¡±

    ¡°We need to talk. I swear, sometimes, I want to strangle you,¡± the Nekojin sneered with her cute cat-like expression, creasing her little nose.

    I think I¡¯ve heard that before.

    ¡°Taking a week off, just like that? There is work to be done,¡± the Nekojin continued, crossing her arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears, baby. Tell me what you want me to do,¡± Rowan made puppy eyes. "I mean, everything for the future mother of my kid."

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Honey¡­¡± she melted, accepting his hug. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything, it¡¯s way easier for us. Now, are you ready to hear the news?¡±

    ¡°Just a sec, to grab something to eat.¡± A minute later, with a plate of food and a cup of coffee in his hands, Rowan nodded to her.

    ¡°That African dictator was spot on. We''re searching in a new pattern, and found seven cores inside the County, for now, all true dungeons. About fifty cores were jettisoned here, in the US, half of them mini cores, all but six accounted for, and the rest real ones. So, there are about twelve more real dungeons to be found.¡±

    "Nice," Rowan nodded, gobbling a pancake, trying to find more subjects for conversation. However, he managed just to frown, chew, and look into nothingness. It was Cora who broke the silence.

    ¡°I want you to know that I''m trying to repair the Traipenent''s insertion and extraction room, the one we used to put the prisoners in dungeons¡­ I''d¡­ like it very much if we''d be able to extract the prisoners, before consuming the true dungeons cores. I''m not comfortable with the idea of giving life while taking others casually¡ª"

    Her pretty mouth and serious expression were so endearing that Rowan kissed her. "Don''t worry, baby, we''ll work it out. We''ll put them in a regular prison or something."

    Outside, there was a short police siren signal, a sign Isla had arrived. Cora rushed to whisper to Rowan: "Be careful, she¡¯ll want to show her Louisville''s projects to you. Grace hates them. Here,¡± Cora showed him some photos on her screen.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re so pretty!¡± Rowan exclaimed.

    ¡°They¡¯re AI-assisted," Cora said. "Grace says it¡¯s cheating, and Isla says it¡¯s the prompt that makes the art, not the AI. The good news is I¡¯m now each one''s BFF, the bad news is they hate each other. Except when sleeping together, then, they get along quite well.¡±

    ¡°Fuuuuuuck¡­ why don''t women ever¡ª Hey, honey,¡± Rowan changed the tone, rising to hug and kiss Isla.

    ¡°I want to strangle you,¡± she said, but after kissing him.

    ¡°Take a ticket, the line¡¯s upstairs. What did I do?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, except being yourself,¡± Isla waved her hand, sitting at the table after taking a cup of tea. ¡°You have a secret fan club, groupies writing on social media about how your AoE feels on their skin. As soft as kisses, if you want to know.¡±

    ¡°What the fuck?" Rowan yelled. "I didn¡¯t AoE on anyone¡¯s skin.¡±

    ¡°Sure you did. On Nerio¡¯s and Notties. They both have a crush on you. The good news: they agreed to share. Bad news, ain¡¯t going to happen. We, your wives, strongly disagree.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t have sex with two teenagers just because we hiked together, for goodness'' sake! I¡¯ll keep my distance, I promise.¡±

    ¡°Sure you will. I enrolled them in high school, to keep them busy, and there are plenty of cute boys there. Also, I sent them to go hunting mutated crats in Vancouver¡ª"

    "Moment!" Rowan blurted, forwarding both his hands in a stopping gesture. "What the fuck are crats?"

    "Mutated cats and rats breed. Nerio and Nottie kill them, then weep and post all over social media how they represent true forbidden love, like Romeow and Juli¡ª Ratatouille, whatever."

    "Romeow, really?" Cora raised her voice, almost hissing.

    <hr>

    Sports was the activity Thomas enjoyed the most in school. Now that he was Awakened, even if his class wasn''t permanent, he got to spar with real warriors, and he loved it. Even training with his mother was now less of a chore, but his favorite, by far, was Hubert, the Paladin. The man was patient and explained things in a logical straightforward manner, helping Thomas understand the mechanics of Tanking. He wished to become a Paladin too when his coming of age would offer his permanent class.

    Instead of waiting in the special training room, Hubert was outside, walking back and forth. He was nervous, that was clear. "Hi, Thomas," Hubert said. "I can''t stay today, just got a message my¡­ err¡­ divorce was approved and I have to sign the papers in court."

    "Divorce?" Thomas creased his forehead. Hubert was a Catholic priest, what was he talking about?

    "A figure of speech. I and that pest, Wurf the Goblidog, are going our separate ways. Finally, my prayers were listened to!" Hubert raised his interlocked fingers. "But since you''re my favorite student, I arranged a special challenge for you," the Paladin winked. "Show them what you''re capable of. Well, I have to go, bye." Rubbing his hands and trotting merrily, the priest disappeared in moments.

    Shrugging, Thomas entered the room, closing the door behind him. The space was sizable, the arena fifty yards by fifty, and had benches for the public too. On the first bench were two silhouettes, sitting in the penumbra. Two shadows, giggling and moving their fingers over the screens of their smartphones at tremendous speed.

    Suddenly, Thomas gasped and pressed his back to the door, screaming in his mind: Let me out! Let me out!

    [The Butler]: Skipping important curricular activities is discouraged. The training Arena is closed for the next two hours.

    Noooooo! he wailed, closing his eyes as the shadows had started walking, approaching.

    "Relax, kid, we won''t hurt you," a voice said, and a hand patted his hair. "Hmm¡­. This is so soft¡­ and smells nice¡­" There was a soft pressure to his hair, now, and the sound of sniffing.

    "Don''t do that!" another voice blurted. "Touching someone is offensive here. Harassment or stuff. They bitch about everything."

    Gasping and trembling, Thomas opened his eyes, taking in the view of his two Nemesis: Nerio and Nottie. The first was grimacing, holding her right hand with her left one, like to stop it from moving on its own. Nottie grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling the War Godess''s Avatar away.

    "His hair is other-worldly¡­  I want it too," Nerio whimpered. "How do you do that, kid?"

    "''T''s because¡­ of my Black heritage¡­" Thomas whispered. "Not something I do, I was born like this," he started to feel more confident. After all, he had confronted monsters. What could a couple of girls, even the most beautiful and trendy in the all school do to him? They can laugh at me, Thomas thought, and his knees started to wobble. Or mock me on social media¡­ Now his knees were hitting each other.

    "Hubert made a mistake," Nottie said to Thomas. "He told us we''d have a surprise today, and train with someone really knowledgeable and strong."

    "I was hoping for Rowan," Nerio sighed, her eyes looking upward, longingly.

    That grated on Thomas''s nerves. "There''s nothing Rowan does I can''t show you¡ª"

    "I can think of some things," Nottie giggled. "You''re what, ten?"

    "I''m twelve now!" he yelled. "And one of the best Tanks in town, even with kid stats."

    "Oh, now I remember," Nerio nodded. "I''ve heard about you. You were among the first Awakened on Earth, fighting a dungeon twenty levels over yours. And Isla Culloden''s your mother. Very well, lion cub, let''s spar." Saying that the girl stepped back, an armor enveloping her and a sword appearing in her hand.

    "Nerio, no!" Nottie said. "What if we hurt him?"

    "If we hurt him, he''ll Rezz. And so would we, if he hurts us."

    In the next second, Nerio Dashed at Thomas. He barely had time to call up his Invulnerability, when the sword came down, a perfect hit on his collarbone that would have probably cut his torso in two. As the sword bounced back, he dodge-rolled. That was the next step in his rotation when fighting alone, a filler-up.

    Instead of trying to get her balance back, Nerio transformed it into a spin, the tip of her sword hitting the floor barely a hair-width from Thomas''s neck. He jumped on his feet and Dashed at her, grabbing her around the midriff, and Dashed again with his second stack of the skill, making her hit the wall head-first.

    A killing blow, for anyone, normally ending in a broken neck. He had acted instinctively and cussed at himself. To his relief, but also panic, the girl looked non-plussed, looking in much better shape than the wall, which had a big indenture in it. Thomas''s hands lost their grip, Nerio''s waist was now too big for him to grab it. She had shapeshifted into a giant.

    "Run! For six seconds she''s invincible!" Nottie yelled.

    "Hey, whose side are you on?" Nerio shouted, running at Thomas at a racing car''s speed.

    There was an Evade later in his rotation, but Thomas had to activate it now, as he jumped back, and chained it with an Ignore Damage because his Invulnerability was still on cool-down. Her sword hit him so hard he got projected into the back wall, flying in the air, his eyes meeting Nerio''s widened gaze on the way.

    "You''re killing him, stop!" she yelled.

    "I''m fine, I''m fine," Thomas yelled, recollecting himself from the floor. He was, but the shout had not been intended to assure the girls about his corporal integrity but to make them listen to him for the second his Invulnerability needed to get back online. More or less, he had completed his short rotation, but he knew that in the real world, getting more hits in or executing the longer rotation was out of the question, as well as taunting Nerio. That would have been suicide.

    "The lion cub is strong," Nerio said, transforming back and dismissing her armor and weapon.

    "Only a main Tank could have a chance against you," Thomas confessed.

    "Nah, your mobility''s better," Nerio waved her hand. "A main tank is a dumb brick, I transform into a shadow, project myself into their armor, then shapeshift, and they got squashed into a pulp between my body and the inside of their plate."

    "It''s not a sight you want to see," Nottie nodded. "No one wants to spar against her after going through that. OK, I see Hubert had a point. Why don''t we talk about a pattern of training? Me and Thomas against you, Nerio?"

    Thomas, however, was gazing at Nerio with adoration, thinking what was the proper gift to win her heart. For now, we decided that if she ever wanted to pat his hair again, she''d be welcome.

 53. The Big Bear Who Could

    On the first day of March, Rowan decided to have some fun driving, and instead of teleporting, he took his car up to the former Tucker County, parked it down the road, and ran the next mile uphill. Running was a habit he made into a daily routine. A blinking dot appeared at the edge of his screen, and in no time, he arrived at the starting point for his quest. Two people waited for him: Thomas, and none other than Wurf the Goblidog.

    ¡°You¡¯re skipping school again?¡± was the first thing Rowan asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m on a school project, with one of the teachers,¡± Thomas said, gesturing toward the goblinoid.

    ¡°Goblidog Wurf the third, esquire,¡± the monster spoke like they never have met before, and offered a handshake, for which Rowan forwarded a shaking limp hand, not believing his eyes.

    ¡°E-esquire?¡±

    ¡°Esquire,¡± the creature nodded. ¡°The Town''s Council awarded a title of nobility for my heroic acts of saving the priest¡¯s life. You signed it, but I guess you have thousands of papers to sign, so I''m not offended if you don''t remember,¡± Wurf said with a slightly dismissive tone.

    Rowan struggled against his wish to smack the Goblidog over the head. ¡°Where''s Hubert? Aren¡¯t you two linked together?¡±

    ¡°Not for quite a while. I lodged a System lawsuit and won my emancipation. I¡¯m a school teacher now, for extra-curricular projects.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re shitting me!¡±

    ¡°I assure Your Lordship that I¡¯m not defecating on any part of your body. Do you wish me to do so?¡± the Goblidog asked with a quite lofty tone. Rowan could swear the monster knew exactly what the expression meant.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m good, thank you very much. Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°To help you with getting the core quest and Thomas with some extra credits.¡±

    "What quest?" Thomas asked.

    Rowan covered his eyes with his right hand, massaging them. It was still early, but all of a sudden, he felt tired. ¡°Remember our fight against the special forces? The incursion?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°There was a guy who technically surrendered, a Tamer. After that, he found an abandoned hut in the woods and moved in.

    "When the County expanded, he was granted ten acres of land around his hut, in a program destined to encourage private initiative and entrepreneurship. By happenstance, he found a core. Nevertheless, he refuses to sell it to us and attacks any trespasser. He''s kinda dumb."

    "So much for entrepreneurship," Thomas joked. "But cores are a matter of state, why don''t you get it by force, is he strong?"

    "No, he''s not, but this punk here, Wurf, bought himself a lawyer diploma online and got a System restriction order against us, protecting the Bear."

    "Of course, it''s a System protected species!" Wurf said. "But as long you don''t hurt Teddy and his master, the System allows you to sneak in and get the core."

    "I don''t get it," Thomas said. ¡°You helped the crazy dude get a restriction order and now you''re helping Rowan solve the problem you created?¡±

    ¡°Of course. By defending the dumb dude and his pet''s rights, I earned two APs. By helping you to learn about mana bio-diversity, I will earn a third, and by helping Rowan complete the quest, a fourth.¡±

    Rowan felt the urge to strangle the Goblidog, but Thomas¡¯s presence made him calm down. Oblivious to his fortunate continued existence, the little monster spoke on:

    ¡°The plan is simple. The Tamer trusts me. I bring them treats, from time to time. I¡¯ll engage him in conversation, and Thomas will taunt the bear. Kids do cruel pranks on animals, that¡¯s the pretense. Count Allinder sneaks in to steal the core, replacing it with a copy. Ready?"

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°A moment,¡± Thomas said, pushing himself on his toes to whisper in Rowan''s ear: ¡°Let me be crystal clear. I gave you a pass about Cora, but if you dare to look at my two betrothed, I¡¯ll¡ª.¡±

    ¡°And who might the chosen ones be?¡± Rowan crossed his arms with a strong intuition about where this was going to end.

    ¡°Nottie and Norie, of course. We¡¯re soulmates.¡±

    ¡°Do they know you¡¯re soulmates?¡± Rowan tried to repress his giggles.

    ¡°Fate knows, and that¡¯s enough."

    ¡°Do not tarry, they know I''m here and will get suspicious,¡± the Goblidog said. ¡°Remember, you¡¯re not to harm either the bear or his owner. I go in first.¡±

    A minute after the Wurf the Third, esquire, disappeared into the forest, Rowan let out a faint Cold Breeze. Sonar created a short movie in Rowan''s mind in no time. The Goblidog shared a jar of moonshine with a large man, while the bear was scratching his back against a tree, a little farther away. The cabin was fifty yards behind.

    ¡°The bear is two hundred yards from us, slightly to the northwest,¡± Rowan informed Thomas. ¡°You want me to transport you to it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good, I have a new perk, Unobservable. It¡¯s a sort of sneaking but for off-tanks. When we unleash our taunts, the target will be more vulnerable to crits.¡±

    ¡°OK. Go, I¡¯ll make the switch when you taunt the bear.¡±

    Thomas started to advance into the woods, his steps inaudible. When the boy arrived near the bear, Rowan activated his Joint Trip and ran forward. Two hundred and fifty yards meant fifteen seconds for him. He heard Thomas yelling his taunt on the way but didn¡¯t stop to look.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    In the hut, the core was on full display, emanating a soft light. He let go of the first stack of Joint Trip, grabbed the core, and put in its place a desk lamp that looked the same. Satisfied, he entered the Space again, then tried to put the Core into his inventory. It didn¡¯t work. Frowning, he tried again, with the same result. And he was pretty sure Cores could go into an inventory.

    What the fuck? Never mind, let¡¯s move on.

    When he exited the hut, his second stack of Joint Trip at its end, he found himself looking eye to eye with the bear. And the animal was inside the Space.

    ¡°Your kid¡¯s very funny,¡± he heard the Tamer¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I''m not his kid. C¡¯mon, bear! Attack me!¡± Thomas was yelling in the air.

    Rowan tried to run past the Grizzly and got a sharp claw mark on his back, plus a notification.

    Warning: For hurting Teddy the Grizzly Bear¡¯s claw with your Scapula (Damage inflicted on Teddy: 0.1% of his total HP), you have been fined one thousand Mana Coins. Sonar check successful: Teddy is a Mythical Combat Pet (Lvl. 100) that has acquired the ability to enter the Space because he had been transported through it during his first days as an Awakened Beast. Strength: Can pull targets out of the Space. Weaknesses: Sweets, She-bears.

    Fuck¡­ Rowan cast a Combat Heal, summoned his armor, and started circling the hut, hoping that the bear would get exhausted. The animal was fast and stubborn. Rowan managed to evade the next hit, but barely. The claw hit the sphere instead.

    Urgent Quest: A previously damaged core has suffered Critical Damage from Teddy the Grizzly Bear. You have ten minutes to consume the level 100 Entertainment Dungeon: Hyperspace Racing within Cora¡¯s County furnace, or it will explode with the force of a Thermonuclear Weapon. This dungeon is empty, so no one will be hurt by consuming it. Attempting to Teleport has a 50% chance of activating the explosion.

    Reward: Continued Existence, 1 Level, 10 APs, Racing enhancements to Perks and Town Core.

    Fuuuuck¡­ ¡°Go away! Bad pet! Bad!¡± Rowan screamed at the bear while running away, entering the in-between again. The only thing he was able to do was to pass through obstacles, the animal, maybe limited in his ability, was going around or over. A few hundred yards later, Rowan found himself on a ledge, above a precipice, with the bear closing in fast.

    "There are a lot of eco nuts these days that would do anything to play with a bear," he heard the Goblidog''s voice in the faraway, trying to find an explanation for Rowan''s presence.

    He jumped. Behind, the bear roared but stayed on the ridge. While in freefall, Rowan dismissed the Joint Trip, and activated the Snowstorm AoE, thrusting it downward, to cushion his fall, like a thruster, then landed on a road. ¡°I need your car! This is an emergency,¡± he screamed, waving his hands at an elderly couple approaching in a sedan.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Count!¡± the woman exclaimed. ¡°Hurry, let him drive.¡± The man left the driver''s seat and went in the back. Rowan pushed the sphere into the elderly woman¡¯s hands and drove on, tires screeching.

    [Rowan to Cora]: We have an emergency. Meet me at the Core¡¯s Control room. The core I found is damaged and will explode with the force of a thermonuclear nuke in¡­ eight minutes and a half. It¡¯s empty so it¡¯s OK to consume it.

    [Cora to Rowan]: I have received a notification too. Touch it and activate the consumption, it should work anywhere now.

    ¡°Get Consumed,¡± Rowan touched the core with one hand, keeping the wheel with the other, and obtained no result.

    [Rowan to Cora]: Ain¡¯t working! The quest says to consume it in the Furnace.

    [Cora to Rowan]: You¡¯re too far¡­ get it into the wilds¡­ no, wait¡­ the damage will be awful¡­ You''ll survive in the Space or Rezz, but the County can''t take it. Are you sure you can reach the town?

    [Rowan to Cora]: Absolutely. I have a car and six stacks of Joint Trip left.

    [Cora to Rowan]: I''m coordinating with The Butler, launching Emergency Alerts, evacuating people with Teleports, and activating multiple forcefields. If it explodes within a forcefield containment, we''ll absorb the damage.

    [Rowan to Cora]: We''ll make it to the furnace, don''t worry.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had a busy life since we met,¡± the elderly woman said as he drove like mad, approaching one hundred and fifty miles per hour.

    ¡°Sorry, do we know each other?¡± Rowan furrowed his brows.

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember us? From the Awakening day?¡±

    He remembered her now. She was the same lady who had tried to make conversation on the bus when the Traipenent crashed. ¡°You¡¯ve stayed here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we were caught inside Randolph County. Best thing ever. Jim has become an awakened Doctor, and we¡¯re in the best health possible. Plus we got a free apartment at the resort, just for us.¡±

    ¡°Glad to hear it.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s your father? He¡¯s such a darling.¡±

    ¡°Busy killing or healing people. Don¡¯t see much of him nowadays. You know him?¡±

    ¡°Jim works with him in the hospital, and we play bridge together from time to time. Tell your father we said hello.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I have to cut some corners. Don¡¯t worry, everything is under control.¡±

    Activating Joint Trip: Warp, Rowan went directly through the hills. The speed of the car exponentially grew.

    ¡°Rocks. Coal. Hmm¡­ that was¡­ quartz? There might be diamonds there,¡± the doctor said.

    ¡°He¡¯s an amateur geologist,¡± the woman said.

    ¡°Thanks for the tip, good idea,¡± Rowan said. ¡°Do you remember the location?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, can¡¯t take any landmark.¡±

    ¡°Never mind.¡± The car erupted out of the mountain, and Rowan pulled the wheel left. There were only two miles to Elkins, and five minutes to go. He let the perk dissipate at the entrance of the town and arrived at the Town¡¯s Square with four minutes to spare. Cora was nowhere to be seen. Then she appeared, running with her tongue out and bulging eyes.

    ¡°There''s no car at home and I had to run," she yelled. As soon as she entered the Square, a forcefield appeared around.

    ¡°Slow down, baby, we have plenty of time."

    ¡°Don¡¯t you forget something?¡± the elderly woman forwarded the core. A minute later they arrived in the control room, with two minutes until the deadline.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the furnace?¡± he yelled.

    ¡°There!¡± Cora hit a button on the command desk, and a portal shaped like an old castle door opened in the back of the room, showing an unreal white fire. Rowan threw the core inside, and then Cora closed the door.

    Quest cleared. You have successfully averted a disaster and consumed a damaged core. +10 AP. Rewards: Your Joint Trip stack duration has increased to one minute. The achievable speeds of Joint Trip: Warp abilities have been doubled. Hyperspeed Perks are now available for the Town''s Core. Get the Core from the Tamer quest has been cleared. +1 AP.

    ¡°See? Nothing to worry about,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°How did you break it?¡± Cora said, letting herself fall on an armchair to catch her breath.

    ¡°Why do you assume it''s my fault? I did nothing. It was defective to start with. It didn¡¯t accept to be put in the inventory, and then, that bear clawed at it. Ah, and he was able to go inside the Space. Why can a bear enter the space?¡±

    Cora shook her head and turned her palms up to convey she had no idea, still panting. ¡°I¡¯m not used to running, and my armor is in revision," she said as soon she was able to speak better.

    ¡°I imagined you¡¯d take a car.¡± Rowan grimaced.

    ¡°Grace is out, and yours¡­ I suppose you left it in the woods.¡±

    Rowan facepalmed. "Never mind, I''ll get it back... How''s your project, with the prisoner extraction?" Rowan asked, remembering about it because the Control Room.

    ¡°It''s almost ready. We''ll have to discuss it thoroughly¡­ I identified a few problematic Cores. Two have true criminals in them, Assassins and Intergalactic Pirates. The third is a thespian dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Thespian like in theater?"

    "Yes," Cora. "We''re talking actors."

    "Why did they do to get in prison? Bad acting?¡±

    Cora rolled her eyes. "I wish. They¡¯re not in prison, it¡¯s their dungeon and theatre. They tried to travel for cheap and bribed someone from the crew to hide their dungeon among our cores, but the Traipenent crashed before they reached their destination."

    "Hm¡­ I guess we could hire them," Rowan shrugged. "There''s a lack of entertainment in town. I bet Grace will be happy."

 54: Neek Supreme

    On the last Sunday of March, Rowan invited Viscardi, Flame, Lepastrina, Carla, and a special guest, for a prolonged lunch at the best restaurant in Louisville. For the Italians, it was dinner time.

    ¡°I¡¯m so drunk I find you sexy,¡± the mercenary said at the end of the meal, looking intently at Rowan. The Griffinoids were quite humanoid, only with a mane of feathers instead of hair. Flame¡¯s feathers were red, thus her name.

    ¡°Your offer is fancy. Yet, my vows to my wives prevent me from¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got you, and some. It was a joke. We clone ourselves through eggs.¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness, I had shivers in my legs.¡±

    ¡°Do you walays tuck in rhymes?¡± Lepastrina asked, his tongue struggling to pronounce the proper words because of the intake of alcohol.

    ¡°Talking plain is a crime,¡± the Merc replied.

    Rowan mimicked zipping his lips. The sixth person at the table, a woman, laughed a polite laugh, with her mouth closed, covering it with the back of her hand. The Smugglers¡¯ Queen was the tag she had over her head, but she looked like a middle-aged elegant Victorian lady.

    ¡°A mime, that¡¯s a silent rhyme¡­ I¡¯ll give it to you, Viscardi, you made some interesting friends.¡±

    Rowan extracted a package from his inventory. ¡°The first part of our deal. Three mini-dungeon cores, and three real ones, one being level one hundred.¡± The woman took the parcel, making it disappear in her own inventory.

    ¡°Nice doing business together. Call me when you find the Sensor. This is for your daughter.¡± After offering the Vampire a carton of cigarettes, she went outside, and the rest followed. A shuttle was waiting, with the rest of the mercenaries inside. The Smuggler went in, but before the last Merc entered through the pilot¡¯s hatch, Rowan tapped the Griffinoid¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°A moment, Flame. This gun, made by Cora, could be of help.¡± The Merc turned and stared at the gift box Rowan offered.

    ¡°Your kindness makes me yelp. If you ever need me for a gig, just call.¡±

    ¡°I will. Maybe this fall.¡±

    They shook hands, and before ten seconds passed, the shuttle went off, without any roaring engine or noise. ¡°The miracle of techno-magic,¡± the Vampire Lord said, like reading Rowan¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Sorry, but I have to ask¡­ how is it possible that you can eat real food?¡± Carla asked.

    ¡°Of course, I can eat real food,¡± Viscardi frowned. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡±

    ¡°They are normal people, but they can siphon HP from their adversaries and have blood magic,¡± Rowan explained. ¡°The System translates things as close as possible to our own culture, but they are not the same.¡±

    ¡°If there are no more questions about my eating habits¡­¡± The Vampire touched a watch on his wrist and disappeared.

    ¡°Me and my big mouth¡­ I knew he''d get offended¡­" Cara sighed.

    "He''ll get over it," Rowan assured her.

    "See you at the show,¡± Carla said, helping the half-drunk Lepastrina keep his balance. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see you perform.¡±

    Rowan sighed as the two Italians teleported away, and then he activated his own device, only not for home, but for their mountain domain in Canada. The advanced perks are so cool, he thought as he summoned his armor and activated the thrusters installed by Cora, taking flight, and entering the Space a moment later.

    <hr>

    Sitting on the fireplace mantle, the mini-dungeon core looked like a snow globe, reflecting the weather outside. Rubbing his hands, the man arranged it to the left, then to the right, but finally moved it again to the center, sighing in disappointment.

    ¡°It¡¯d go well with a pair of candlesticks.¡± Rowan exited the Space and took a seat on the couch. Taking two glasses from the tray on the coffee table, he poured Bourbon into both of them. ¡°Sit,¡± he pointed to the couch across the coffee table. ¡°I opened one of my bottles, it¡¯s better than that garbage,¡± Rowan flickered his hand at a mini bar nearby.

    Startled at first, the man sighed and obeyed, sitting down and taking a sip, and then another one. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ very good,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°Can I finish it?¡±

    ¡°What, you think it¡¯s your last drink? That depends. I want to hear your story before I decide.¡±

    ¡°You found me, and don¡¯t know the story?¡±

    Rowan shrugged. ¡°I didn''t care for the drama, I wanted to find the Neeks¡¯ Boss. I''ll find out the story now. Peacefully, or not.¡±

    ¡°How did you find me?¡± the man asked. "I mean¡­ if you''re going to kill me, please indulge my curiosity. Last request stuff."

    ¡°I¡¯ll answer you this one question, then you better start talking. First, we didn¡¯t notice any rival teams using the Sensor in our area, which meant it was used in Asia or Europe. Then, I got suspicious when the former US states agreed to stop fighting each other and work together, more or less. Cora, my wife¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know who she is,¡± the man nodded.

    ¡°She told me the chance they did that by themselves was zero. Both their old and current governments are made of idiots. So, somebody was interfering.  Not for the worse, I give you that. Finally, we tracked the flight patterns of rich and influential people. I had no idea you guys were so many¡­ But only a handful were connected to politicians in all states, traveled to Asia, fewer had access to submarines, and only one was in Virginia on the Awakening day, fifty miles from where I cleared my first dungeon. Your turn.¡±

    ¡°Clever,¡± the man said, taking a sip and pointing to the fireplace. ¡°That core fell near me, on my golf course, while I was alone. I touched and claimed it before it activated. That was possible because it was only a level ten, without any monster inside. A learning dungeon, like detention, for our kids. You stay in it until you do your homework. It transformed into a town core as I picked it up, but I couldn¡¯t expand it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you need a special perk for it,¡± Rowan said. Leaning back on the couch, he inhaled the scent of the Bourbon, nodding to the other to continue his story.

    ¡°I found out only later. I did get an INT class, though, allowing me to access the information contained in the core. That¡¯s how I managed to build a Technoforge and fabricate Neektech.¡±

    ¡°You mean the Rezz tanks and the rest? Cora said they do everything a Town Core does, only worse. How come you didn¡¯t activate any of the cores you found? I mean¡­ why didn''t approach me, or¡­ I dunno¡­ Korea? Your submarine did a lot of diving there. If I''d been you, I would have offered some of the cores I found in exchange for activating one for me.¡±

    The man on the sofa shrugged, grimacing and rotating the glass in his hand to let the Bourbon breathe and spread its oils for a better nosing. ¡°For multiple reasons. Safety in anonymity. Half of Rome''s Awakened and those from Vladivostok would agree with me that attracting attention is not a smart thing to do. Waiting to see how things develop too¡­" the man paused, taking a sip. "Don''t you find it strange that a dungeon transforms into a town? What if it changes back, or implodes, or¡ª"

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°It doesn''t change back. We made sure when we wrote the System.¡± A third man appeared out of thin air and took a seat on the couch, near Rowan. Dressed in a black suit, the Warlord looked now like a savvy businessman in his forties.

    "Do you know each other?" Rowan asked. The billionaire shook his head, befuddled. "Meet The Warlord. A dungeon and a¡­ half-nuts guy. But not so bad, in the end."

    "Oh, so you did notice my quests were meant to help," The Warlord smiled.

    "Yeah. Take a glass and pour yourself some Bourbon," Rowan gestured. "Or spawn some monster to do it for you."

    "You¡­ w-wrote the System?" the billionaire asked, putting his glass on the table, maybe afraid to spill it, because of his shaking hands.

    ¡°Yes. Along with my friends. We each put a bit of our personality and soul into it. You see, rich person, a long time ago, every Awakening was a Hard Apocalypse. Monsters, Dungeons, and Demon Lords were everywhere. A Town Core was the best protection, and the strongest incentive to clear dungeons,¡± the Warlord said, taking on Rowan''s offer and getting himself a drink, then raising his glass. ¡°Cheers. Go on, I¡¯ll just sit quietly and follow this fascinating exchange.¡±

    ¡°So, in the end, what¡¯s your game?¡± Rowan asked, looking the billionaire in the eyes.

    ¡°My game?¡± the man laughed. ¡°It''s not a game. I want Humanity¡¯s survival, adapting the new powers and technology to help our society. Get rid of the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Competition? That¡¯s why you attacked us?¡±

    ¡°No, get rid of the crazy aliens. That''s another reason I waited instead of activating a core. And I didn¡¯t exactly attack you. The Special Forces incursion and the invasion were the President¡¯s ideas.¡±

    ¡°Rest in peace,¡± the Warlord poured a few drops on the floor.

    "So now you play the ''I''m the good guy'' part?" Rowan frowned.

    ¡°No. I did a lot of stupid things too. Kidnapping your friends to blackmail the Sensor out of you, that was me. And the ambush near Gladsheim Peak, me and Alberta¡¯s military.¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡± Rowan frowned.

    ¡°Canada had its own civil war. Alberta took over most of British Columbia and Southeastern Alaska before the Yukon and Alaska joined and pushed them back using a few nukes, then went for Vancouver. I allied with Alberta and helped them stabilize the situation in the end. You didn''t know?¡±

    ¡°I don''t follow outside news if it''s not directly related to us. Filtering the noise, Cora says, and she''s right. So that¡¯s why Viscardi took Vancouver.¡±

    ¡°He was sure the locals would vote for him,¡± the Warlord nodded. ¡°Better the Mafia, than crazies with nukes or Neektech.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t blame them,¡± Rowan shrugged. ¡°Sorry, go on.¡±

    ¡°To my defense, my plan was to capture the elves, not to kill them. However my subordinates were nervous and contacted Vladivostok behind my back. The Russians agreed to help, but they also wanted to go all in, to make a point."

    "War is about balance," The Warlord said slowly. "To timid, and you lose, to aggressive, you lose as well. The Neeks imagined their computer skills would help them fight."

    "Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the face," Rowan said.

    "While the Russians tried to solve every problem by hitting it with a bigger hammer," the Warlord concluded. "Man, this thing is good," he exhaled, pouring himself more Bourbon.

    ¡°If I may ask¡­,¡± the billionaire timidly raised two fingers. ¡°What happened to my Neeks¡­ the ones you captured in Needles?¡±

    ¡°Handed them over to Viscardi. There''s a guy there, Vito, who''s¡­ let''s say talented in interrogating people. They executed those who directly shot at my kids and I think they''re using the rest as forced labor to tamper with the slot machines in Vegas. Look, I don¡¯t really care. If somebody wants to be safe, they don¡¯t attack me, plain and simple. Let¡¯s head back. What did you mean by crazy aliens, the Necromancer?¡±

    ¡°And not only him,¡± the billionaire nodded. ¡°There¡¯s more. Half of the Traipenent¡¯s crew survived the teleporting. They¡ª"

    "You mean Cora''s folks are still alive?" Rowan gasped. "This is wonderful news!"

    "I don''t know who''s who. They landed a few miles south of my place. I think they were planning to get back to the ship, but an Awakened town appeared and blocked their way, in mere hours. You know what I¡¯m talking about. Then nukes started flying and the US army appeared all over the place. The Cat Folks had a few cores with them and a tech that could get the convicts out.      "They made a deal with one of them, the Necromancer. He went around, scouting, we met by accident, talked, and I offered them transportation and a safe place to hide, here in Canada, in exchange for a share of the cores and information about how the System works, this kind of stuff. Between us, we did manage to find a few cores, but not the one that mattered most to them, the hyperdrive.¡±

    ¡°You mean the Racing Dungeon?"

    "Yes, they The aliens managed to expand four dungeons, linking them together in a cluster. If they add the Hyperdrive dungeon, it can behave like a spaceship."

    ¡°Did you know anything of this?¡± Rowan asked the Warlord.

    The man turned his palms up, and forwarded his lower lip, showing a most befuddled expression. ¡°I had no idea, neither about him, nor the aliens and their dungeons. They hid really well."

    "What happened next?¡± Rowan turned his attention to the billionaire.

    ¡°The Necromancer spied on you on several occasions, he can stay in the Space for long periods.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bad¡­¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°We didn''t communicate very much, so I don''t know all the details about his whereabouts. At some point, we both sent a team to take the sensor from you, but while mine failed, he succeeded. Then, he gave it to me, and with it, I found eighteen cores between Korea and Japan. I gave them six, to serve as fuel for their ship, and kept twelve, to activate on Earth once they¡¯d be gone."

    "I found fifteen in your vault," Rowan said.

    "Yes, with the ones found before that. The problem is they badly need the Racing Dungeon. Without it, they''re stuck here. So, their plan is to attack Elkins tomorrow evening, to steal the Hyperdrive.¡±

    "Good luck with that," Rowan laughed.

    "I¡¯ve heard enough, and so did the System,¡± The Warlord interjected. ¡°It''s allowing me to take care of this. You have cleared a Secret Quest Chain, by identifying the Neeks¡¯ Boss and obtaining enough cores to be sure your planet can''t break into smaller pieces. Except if you go mad and activate all of them, of course. Reward: two AP per real core, and twelve levels. You are now level ninety-eight. Your Town also earned ten levels and is now sixty. New Quest, this one¡¯s from me. Decide the Neeks¡¯ Boss''s fate. Secret reward.¡±

    "Err¡­ what about the red text, man?" Rowan complained. "This is underwhelming."

    "The quest has a timer of five minutes."

    After taking a few seconds to think, Rowan went to the mantle and touched the core. A second later, it vanished, melting in the air. He stood there, immobile, for a minute, before returning to the couch.

    ¡°I turned the resort into an Awakened one, and the locals voted for the takeover. You¡¯re under arrest, within its limits, for the rest of your life. If you attempt to leave, you guess what''ll happen.

    "You can keep this hotel and its assets, we''ll take over your fortune and decide later what to do with it. Hear me well. You deserve to die. You killed people. My people. But you also saved many lives around the US, stopping the infighting. That I don¡¯t get myself involved with the non-awakened zones doesn¡¯t mean I don''t care, it''s just that trying to do too much often leads to worse results.¡±

    The Warlord applauded, only a few claps, but his serious expression showed he didn''t mean to laugh at Rowan''s expenses. ¡°It¡¯s fair. I¡¯ll make sure he keeps at his word. One level and one AP for making the judgment, the same for sparing his life. I, The Warlord appreciate you showed mercy, for mercy is a battle.¡±

    ¡°Can''t you use the red text too?¡± Rowan pleaded. "It doesn''t feel like a real quest like this."

    ¡°Tough luck. I, The Warlord wish you to get over your disappointment because disappointments are a battle. Now¡­ we''re getting to the real deal, and trust me, it''s a big deal. You beat me in a game of wits and found the Neek Supreme before I did. I''m not omnipotent and had to run around all your planet, but these are only excuses. You deserve a prize, and I¡¯ll give you a choice. Do you wish for me to leave your planet, or to stay and offer you more challenges?¡±

    Rowan snorted, then filled the glasses again, and then left the almost empty bottle on the table, with a nervous gesture. ¡°Do you want me to tell you where to shove your prize? I have no choice but to tell you to stay. The bad guys out there are afraid of you. I don''t want to have to fight some Insurance Companies sending Mercs after us to take back the cores.¡±

    ¡°I understand¡­" The warlord massaged his forehead. "Well¡­ once consumed, they won''t have any more reason to come. But for the record, you''re strong enough to go toe to toe with some mercenaries, and not enough trouble for any serious planet to invade."

    "Then I''ll let you decide," Rowan said. "You like it here? Stay. You want to go? Go."

    "Of course I want to stay here," The Warlord said with vehemence. "This planet will be fun for centuries. But you¡¯re right, my offer was inappropriate. I¡¯ll think about something else. Now I¡¯m forwarding you two System-issued quests, to which I added my own rewards. Here¡¯s the text, since you like it better.¡±

    Solo Quest: Clear the four-dungeon cluster before tomorrow at midnight and capture as many cores as possible (from 10). Reward: 1 skill point/core. You are not allowed to bring other people on this quest. Hidden reward from the Warlord if you capture all the cores.

    Quest: Stop the impending attack on Elkins before tomorrow at midnight. Rewards: Continued existence. 10 Skill Points.

    ¡°Now,¡± the Warlord continued, ¡°you¡¯re level one hundred, and it''s time you chose your build¡­ Do you have another bottle? This stuff''s really good.¡±

 55: Stats Again

    ¡°Hold your horses," Rowan raised his palms in front of him. "Billionaire¡­ sorry, I''m really bad with names, what can you tell me about the dungeons and the aliens?¡±

    The billionaire shrugged and served himself more Bourbon from the second bottle Rowan had opened. ¡°In a second. Is it possible to order this by mail? This is fabulous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just good, you can¡¯t understand fabulous yet. You have to educate your palate, step by step, for about a year. I¡¯ll send you a friend¡¯s email, he gives lessons, for a grand a day and travel costs.¡±

    ¡°Impending attack?¡± The Warlord reminded Rowan.

    ¡°Oh, yes, that. Go on. And sure, you can order that stuff.¡±

    ¡°I never visited the dungeons, but the entrance is four miles due southwest, in the woods, I¡¯ll mark it on a map. There are four dungeons, of only one floor each, but large. You will face Elementals, undead, pirates¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡±

    ¡°Space bandits who cosplay like sea pirates. Arrs and all.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re shitting me.¡±

    ¡°Have you not asked yourself why the aliens are mentioned in our fairytales? Elves, Nekojin? There is a common ancestry in the Galaxy, an older civilization that went extinct. Similarities all over the place. It''s like Bourbon, in the end, we come from the same corn and rye."

    ¡°That¡¯s deep, man¡­ that¡¯s deep¡­ About the aliens. Are they more?¡±

    ¡°I suppose some of the crew will stay to guard the dungeons too, but that¡¯s a guess,¡± the billionaire shrugged. ¡°Ah, yes, and the Necromancer once bragged to me he¡¯s the only one among them to win against you in a fight. He didn¡¯t explain how.¡±

    ¡°Do you know anything about this guy?¡± Rowan turned toward the Warlord.

    ¡°Not really. I didn¡¯t exactly like to intermingle with convicts. Back in my day, there was no such thing, an executioner¡¯s axe was all that was needed for criminals. By the way, your father is quite a good exe¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it! Tell me at least something about Necromancers in general.¡±

    ¡°Low DPS, long channeled skills. Sorry, they have a potent poison DOT, but DOTs are dismissed if you go into the Space. Necromancers rely on their minions for combat. They can raise dead people and work better with fresh bodies, which makes the undead keep their skills. If they kill you, there¡¯s a window of opportunity to raise you before you Rezz or dissolve, but again, channeled spell, it takes some time. If this one can enter the Space, he must have a high Will.¡±

    ¡°OK¡­ I¡¯ll think about it. Very well, I¡¯m ready to finish my build. Any advice?¡±

    ¡°The choice is all yours. I stayed behind because I was curious. Share your stats, please,¡± the Warlord asked.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The blue screen showed better things than Rowan had hoped for.

    Name: Rowan Allinder. Lvl: 100. Main class: Indomitable (Legendary). Secondary Class: Primeval Magus (Mythical),

    158 APs available

    STR: 61 / DEX: 61/ CON: 61 / INT: 81/ WIL: 87/ CHA: 81

    ¡°Wow¡­.¡± Rowan let out a deep breath. ¡°So many APs!¡± Rubbing his hands, he prepared to raise his will to the last threshold, only to meet an unexpected obstacle.

    APs distribution is blocked. Please Install the previously obtained Divine Perk before proceeding.

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± the Warlord jerked, letting his glass fall on the rug. ¡°I¡¯m not interested!¡±

    ¡°Just shut up, you idiot! You live here now, learn human expressions. What¡¯s up with this red text?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you forget something? I offered you a gift when you won your first pitched battle. Unwrap it.¡±

    ¡°What does it do?¡±

    ¡°Allows you to twitch your build. The System decides what you get, based on your performance.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Unwrap the Warlord¡¯s gift,¡± Rowan yelled.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to yell, the System can hear your thoughts,¡± the Warlord said, leaning to pick the glass from the floor. As it was empty, it demanded a refill, and the walking dungeon poured Bourbon in it to the brim.

    Gift unwrapped. The System considers you eligible for the following Super Perks (consumable, one use only):

    1: Motion. You can redistribute points from your secondary stats to another secondary stat of your choice, raising it to max, once per day. You will gain a random 4<sup>th</sup> threshold perk in that stat for the remainder of the day.

    2: Fusion. Fusion your two current classes together. The result is influenced by your previous performance but has a degree of randomness. Unlocking a new secondary class will be possible only by spending Skill Points and you will be offered choices based on your overall life experience.

    ¡°I need a moment,¡± Rowan blurted. He already knew where the bathroom was, after inspecting the house while in the Space. Rushing there, he discovered there was no WC. Rich people had higher standards. There was a cloakroom across the corridor, and he rushed to take a number one, and washed his face, to calm himself.

    What would Cora say? Take the perks¡­ But both choices offer perks.

    He returned to the lobby. ¡°How are the aliens traveling?¡± he asked. ¡°Portals?¡±

    ¡°They asked for a couple of Hercules, yesterday,¡± the billionaire said. ¡°Left from Calgary. Ah, I can ask my associates how many they were and what kind. Didn¡¯t cross my mind, sorry.¡±

    ¡°Do it. So they are already in place, or near the Border. I¡¯ll take the second choice. I like the first, but that one-per-day stuff makes it useless, it gives me no time to discover what the new perks will be. So I¡¯ll take my chances with Fusion.¡±

    The pain hit him faster than expected. He heard the billionaire yelling He¡¯s heavy, help me, and the Warlord saying Let¡¯s put him on the couch, then he lost consciousness.

    <hr>

    Rowan opened his eyes and gasped. ¡°How much time has passed?¡±

    ¡°One hour,¡± the billionaire said. ¡°The other guy left, he said he has some business in Harbin. My friends in Alberta told me there were a hundred elementals and as many pirates boarding the flights.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll go check out my new perks¡­ I hope you¡¯re not offended, but it¡¯s better to keep them for myself.¡± Going on the balcony, Rowan activated his suit and propulsion. Seconds later, he landed on the Hotel¡¯s roof and summoned his Character Menu while admiring the landscape with his subconsciousness.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Name: Rowan Allinder. Lvl: 100. Main class: Indomitable Primeval Magus (Mythical, tier E, WIL based).

    Congratulations! You have unlocked the next step to your Mythical Awakened Class. Such Classes can be upgraded through exceptional feats. Tier E allows you to reach 100 in two stats, tier D in three, and so on. Fixed stat: WIL. The next main stat chosen: INT. 32 APs have been automatically invested to bring your WIL and INT to 100. 57 APs have been invested to raise STR, DEX, and CON to the third threshold. 9 APs have been invested in CHA for Mana efficiency purposes. CHA will be the next Stat to be raised to max if you advance your Mythical tier. 60 APs locked for the next evolutions. Note: Maximum Mythical tier reachable: B (Epic).

    STR: 75 / DEX: 75/ CON: 75 / INT: 100/ WIL: 100/ CHA: 90

    I have to tell Cora. That will make her happy. ¡°No! Cancel call. I forgot.¡± Rowan exclaimed aloud a second later. There was a strong chance Cora¡¯s parents were alive, and that news demanded priority and some time to discuss the consequences, so he went on reading his new personal information.

    PERKS

    STR 1: +25% chance your Physical attacks will ignore Armor, Evade, Dodge, Parry, or Block. The chance increases against targets with lower tiers than yours by +5%/tier.

    STR 2: Sonar. +25% chance of detecting the enemy weaknesses by using Identify or touching them with any skill, spell, or perk. The chance increases against targets with lower tiers than yours by +5%/tier.

    STR 3: + 25% damage vs identified weaknesses. The damage increases against targets with lower tiers than yours by another +5%/tier.

    *

    DEX 1: Autopilot and Multitasking: Your Subconsciousness assists your Body or/and your Mind when needed. +25% chance to Parry, Evade, Block, Evade. The chance increases against targets with lower tiers than yours by +5%/tier.

    DEX 2: +50% Attack speed.

    DEX 3: Shadow Step. You can instantly close/enlarge a gap between you and your enemy up to 25 yards (can be increased with practice). Consumes 50 Mana. 30 seconds CD.

    Note: Because of multiple Damage Multipliers in STR, your Physical hits¡¯ base Critical Chance is capped at 5%.

    *

    CON 1: +50 % all Physical Resistances, Natural Regeneration, Toughness. +25% additional value in the vital areas. Access to spell: Advanced Combat Heal. Heal for 300 HP for 100 MP

    CON 2: Once per fight (modified from once per day) ignore Lethal Damage by twelve seconds, becoming Invulnerable. You must heal at least 5% of your total HP before the time limit to stay alive.

    CON 3: Oneness of Body (Mythical perk, tier E). All your Body stats (STR, DEX, CON) contribute to your HP. Current value: 2250 HP. +25% Natural Regeneration (stacks with CON 1)

    *

    INT 1: Superior Strategy. You can read a situation better than most and turn the odds against your enemy. This perk synergizes with Tactical Planning and it¡¯s recommended to bring a Tactician into your team.

    Note: The Perk Gretchen¡¯s Question has been removed because of infrequent use and inconclusive results.

    INT 2: Svart¨¢lfar Aura (Mythical tier E). Extends in a 3-yard radius around you. Passively intimidate and hurt enemies, or buff and heal friends (yourself included). A +5% is added to the final value of all your Perks after all other Perks enhancements or buffs are applied). If you are attacked from inside the Space, Svart¨¢lfar Aura will consume Mana to absorb that damage, until you enter the in-between or the Mana Pool is exhausted. Synergizes with R?svelg: Elemental Armor, to further reduce the damage. Four tiers lower than a Dragon¡¯s Oppressive Presence, this Perk can be raised 1 tier higher than your Class¡¯s tier through training.

    Note: The Perk Karmic Intuition has been removed because of infrequent use and inconclusive results.

    INT 3: Secondary Class Perk 3: R?svelg: The Wind. 2/3 Aspects unlocked. 4/7 and 3/7 facets unlocked.

    Note: Skill points can be used to unlock Aspects and Facets.

    INT 4: Expand to select.

    Note: You have gained the Immunity to Mind Magic passive for achieving max INT. You have learned the spell Minor Heal for the same reason.

    *

    Rowan decided to do the selections for later and continued reading the modified perks.

    WIL 1: Will and Wilt in Spades: Your Will replaces Strength as your Critical Damage multiplier, both for Physical or Magic attacks and inflicts DOTs. You can invest an amount of Mana equal to 3 MP/1% Crit Chance to raise your Critical Chance for one given hit to 100%. CD: 1 minute. Current settings: automatic, application decided by DEX perk 1, Autopilot.

    WIL 2: Interdimensional Trip. Your Joint Trip has been replaced with a Mana Consuming ability. Consumes 5 MP/second to spend time in the Space. Cost can be reduced through practice. All previously unlocked related abilities remain. An additional 5/MP is consumed for every person you bring with you. Warp activation costs 100 MP.

    ¡°Fantastic!¡±

    WIL 3: +50% Critical Chance for every Magical Skill, Spell, or Perk. 25% chance to get back 50% of the Mana cost on a Crit.

    WIL 4: Please expand to select.

    Note: The Perks High-Tier Artifact User and Synergy have been transformed into skills. Expand the Menu to check their Mana consumption.

    *

    CHA 1: +25% chance to CHA-related skills: Persuasion, Intimidation, Charm, Finding Excuses, Avoiding Responsibility, Loosening Tongues, etc. A roll check: Your CHA - Target CHA = % of success. When the chance is bigger than 100%, the Target can be mind-controlled for 30 seconds for a cost of 15 MP/second. Cost can be reduced through training.

    CHA 2: Oneness of Mind (Mythical perk, tier E). Your Mind Stats (INT, WIL, CHA) all contribute to your Mana Pool. Current value: 2900. -25% base Mana Cost. +25% Mana Regeneration. -25% Physical Maintaining cost.

    CHA 3: Hurtful. Add CC and DOT effects to any type of Magical Damage you inflict.

    Moment of truth¡­

    INT perk 4: Please select.

    1: Jotun. You can select up to 7 passive perks inspired by the Jotun type of Mythical beings. Costs skill points.

    2: ¨¢lfar You can select up to 7 passive perks inspired by the Elven type of Mythical beings. Costs skill points.

    That¡¯s hard¡­ C¡¯mon, can¡¯t I have both?

    3: Bespoke selection. You can select up to 6 different passive perks inspired by either the Jotun or the Elven types of Mythical beings. Unlocking a perk will cost an extra +1 SkP. The final combination of the perks you choose will reveal a 7<sup>th</sup> hidden perk.

    "YEY!"

    WIL perk 4. Please select.

    1: Intra in-between dimensional. You can use any of your non-combative skills, perks, or spells inside the Space for +50% cost and -50% effect. You can project your non-combative spells, skills, and perks out in the real world for +75% cost and -75% effect. Skills, Perks, or Spells that have an AoE, DOT, or Debuff aspect will lose that ability inside the in-between or if projected outside. Costs and effects can be reduced or enhanced through practice. More specific applications can be unlocked through Skill Points.

    2: Extra in-between dimensional. You can use in-between related abilities in the outer world, for +50% cost and -50% effect. You can project your non-combative spells, skills, and perks from the outside world inside the Space for +75% cost and -75% effect. Skills, Perks, or Spells that have an AoE, DOT, or Debuff aspect will lose that ability inside the Space. Costs and effects can be reduced or enhanced through practice. More specific applications can be unlocked through Skill Points.

    The texts were wordy and unimpressive, but he remembered what Cora had said: the fourth perk in his Main Stat was the most powerful. The first choice allowed him to stay in the Space, safe while buffing and healing allies and using some magic inside too. The second meant he could fly at Match 1 in the real world, and scan the in-between for foes that could ambush him.

    C¡¯mon, System, you already know what I¡¯ll choose. Bespoke?

    3: Bespoke Perk selected. Inter-Extra In-between Dimensional. You can apply non-combative skills, perks, or spells from or into the Space for a +100% cost and -100% effect. Costs and effects can be reduced or enhanced through practice. More specific applications can be unlocked through Skill Points. Unlocking an application costs an extra +1 SkP.

    Note: The Spell Combat Heal can be applied in the in-between, despite its name.

    Well, well, well¡­ Now, that sounds perky, but let¡¯s think for a moment. If I were a stranger, facing myself, what would I do to beat me?

 56: The Cluster Dungeon-1

    Do you want to enter the Cluster Dungeon, Extreme Mode? Y/N

    Warning: The Dungeon will be sealed until completion. Going from one floor to the next through the in-between is restricted until clearance.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Stepping into the portal, Rowan entered the Space, starting his Cold Breeze AoE, pushing it as far as possible for ten seconds, as he ran forward, taking in the view. The first Dungeon¡¯s unique floor was immense. It reproduced exactly the valley outside, tree for tree and rock for rock, going up the mountain. Stopping after a mile, he hid behind a rock formation, exited the Space, and analyzed what his Sonar had revealed on his targeting interface made by Cora.

    There were a hundred Elementals inside the Floor, tagged with different colors. Red for fire, brown for earth, blue for water, and gray for metal. The fire elementals looked more like lava, the water ones like giant slimes from the Animes, the earth ones like the standard golems, and the metal were identical to the robots they had fought in the Shore dungeon.

    Divided into groups of four, half of them behind fortifications on the upper side of the valley, and the rest patrolling, Rowan¡¯s foes offered cover to each other, it was an organization an order of magnitude over simple constructs. At the highest peak was the entrance to the next dungeon.

    His presence was yet undetected, but his entrance hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed; since the Dungeon had been sealed, there must¡¯ve been some sort of notification. A few hundred yards away, two groups were firing randomly in the snow, thinking, for good reason, that Rowan had a camouflaging skill. Extracting a small drone, he pushed a button and threw it in the air. It flew up, releasing a loud message with Cora¡¯s voice:

    ¡°Elementals, we know you can understand us. We have no quarrel with you. Please stand down and you¡¯ll serve your remaining time in an Awakened Town by doing public service.¡±

    The drone was downed in no time with bursts of gunfire, fire, or ice. Now, the Elementals patrols started to walk in more random patterns, and Rowan¡¯s screen showed cones of red emanating from the groups, they had some sort of a radar of their own.

    Very well, if you don¡¯t want to play nice¡­ Entering Space again, he ran toward the closest group, then the second, and the third, releasing special land mines filled with high-explosives. As the mines went off, he flew to the upper right ridge. The enemy was converging their fire toward the explosions, so he took a moment to inspect the damage, getting back in the real dimension.

    A gray dot was marked with an X, a kill, and so did a brown one, two foes down. The two Elemental groups had converged, though, and as the metal golems fired bursts of gunfire around, the Fire, Earth, and Water elementals touched their limbs. That move was imitated by other groups. Plumes of smoke began floating down the valley, with a greenish hue in it. He noticed the Water Elementals retreated first from the combination, looking diminished.

    The fire melts the water and the earth, and they combine into a sort of gas¡­ It¡¯s bet it¡¯s toxic.

    His armor had a built-in gas mask, and he activated it. Entering the in-between, he flew west, exited ten yards from a cluster made of two patrolling groups and a defensive formation, and released his R?svelg: Snowstorm at full force, in a conic pattern. The closest Elementals were blown to pieces along their earthworks. The second group was projected over the third, with the Water and the Lava elementals frozen solid, and the Metal and Earth ones moving much slower.

    Works better than the explosives.

    Next, he threw in a Flamethrower, a fire aspect he had spent a Skill Point to buy, directly on top of the interlaced Elementals, and a flurry of Forest Fire on the flanks of the valley, starting as many fires as possible, and re-entered the Space. A few machine gun shots had clipped his feet just before, and that part of the armor was now blinking red on his helmet¡¯s virtual screen, and his HP was down to 90%.

    Quite a considerable chunk¡­ Can¡¯t let them hit me.

    His Mana Pool was down to two-thirds. Staying in the Space consumed five Mana per second, but his Mana regeneration, at 0.48 MP/second, meant he could stay in the Space some more time if needed. Abandoning the math, he activated his thrusters and flew over the valley, out of the Space, firing rockets and unleashing more Forest Fire, keeping an evasive pattern of flight and adding an Elemental Shield over himself.

    Flames covered both sides of the Valley now. The Water Elementals were panicking and running away from the heat. That was their weakness, revealed from the start by his Sonar. Rowan aimed a Snowstorm toward a bunch of Lava elementals, which were susceptible to cold, and solidified a few before being forced to enter the safety of the Space again.

    The Metal Golems, the robots, were the cleverest, moving around to avoid the fire or taking cover from the Snowstorm, but keeping firing at him. His helm¡¯s screen showed his armor blinking orange, and he felt pain in his ribs, his HP at 60%. A Health potion, a nano-bot repair kit for the Armor, and a Combat Heal were in order. And maybe a change of strategy.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Let¡¯s try the rebar attack to clear a fort, then use it against the others. Before he had the chance to implement his plan, a notification came.

    The surviving Elementals are surrendering. The System is offering assistance: Do you wish to instruct them to go to your domain: Asgard Forest Reservation and wait for further instructions? Y/N

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The System has opened the Dungeon¡¯s Exit for the Elementals and they will walk themselves to your mountain private domain. The Elementals have been instructed to refrain from any form of violence toward other forms of life during their voyage or in the Reservation. Notifications to not engage the Elementals and to provide clearance have been sent to the local police forces.

    You have cleared the first floor (and dungeon) of the Cluster Dungeon.

    Reward 1: Piece of Information. The Elementals have a collective society with strict discipline. If surrendering is an option, destroying 25% +1 of the troops makes an Elemental army cease combat.

    Reward 2: You have earned 1 Skill Point for Soloing a Level 100 Dungeon floor, fighting against 100 Sentient opponents.

    Reward 3: You can claim the Elemental Dungeon core after you clear the Lair.

    Before going to the next floor, Rowan checked if he had a signal, and it appeared that once a floor was cleared, the Dungeon allowed communication. He sent a text to Cora, detailing the information he¡¯d found, then stepped through the portal, arriving in an empty plain, desolated, with sand, dried earth, and grass everywhere. Dead trees here and there, and no monster in sight.

    ¡°Hm¡­ that means some traps,¡± Rowan told himself, checking his fuel gauge. It was a little over half, the thrusters added to his armor were less efficient than Cora¡¯s but suited to his needs. Nevertheless, flying was the best option. He took off and fired multiple rockets into the ground, wherever he thought enemies could lie in ambush, behind the trees, or under the sand.

    Sonar revealed his guess had been true. Skeletons hidden all around. Not particularly tough, but grouped in large numbers. Rockets obliterated a group of twenty in two hits, a second likewise, for the third, he shot a rocket then landed and crushed them with his weapon, in a war hammer form. The fourth and the fifth group had joined and were running at him with awkward steps. They were no better than the skeletons in Rome¡¯s catacombs. A short burst of Snowstorm pulverized every single one.

    You have cleared the second floor (and dungeon) of the Cluster Dungeon. 100/100 Undead constructs destroyed. You can claim the core once you clear the Lair. The Passage to the first floor and the Exit are now open.

    Secret Secondary Mission detected. Objectives: ??? Reward: ???

    The Portal to the next floor, as well the exit behind, were opened, but that Secondary Quest notification made him hesitate. He threw out a Cold Breeze, flying above the ground. Nothing. Then he noticed two shadows hiding behind a rock and landed.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill us!¡± An elderly woman and a young man kowtowed at his feet, bowing until their heads touched the sand. Humans.

    ¡°Hey, get up, enough. How did you get in here¡­ Wait. I remember you¡­ You¡¯re those guys who stole the Sensor from us,¡± Rowan frowned.

    ¡°Please, have mercy! We had no choice. The Neeks killed us, and the Necromancer took us over¡­ we had to obey him,¡± the woman kneaded her hands. ¡°At least spare him, he¡¯s just a kid.¡±

    ¡°Stay put and let me Inspect you,¡± he ordered.

    Uncommon Undead, level 20 x2

    This pair of undead had been raised within minutes of their demise. They retain 75% of their previous lives'' memories, stats, and abilities.

    Free information related to the Quest: A Miracle performed by a priest can restore them to life, at the current stats, but they¡¯ll be stuck to the common E tier for the remainder of their lives.

    ¡°You can act of your own will?¡± Rowan asked.

    ¡°As long he¡¯s not around us, yes. Please¡­ let us live¡­ we¡¯ll hide in the forest, I swear, we¡¯ll not hurt anyone.¡±

    ¡°Can you exit the dungeon?¡± The two nodded. ¡°Very well¡­ A question, why couldn¡¯t I detect you?¡±

    ¡°We retained our scouting perks,¡± the young man said. ¡°Sneaking and a minor form of Stealth.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ Do you know of the Necromancer''s plans, and how many undead did he take with him?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t take any undead. We saw him leave with the pirates, yesterday, no, sorry, the day before. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡±

    Rowan jerked his head back, befuddled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°The pirates are friendly, they let us stay on their floor. It¡¯s beautiful, the sea and all. This sucks. After they left, the aliens moved in and kicked us out.¡±

    ¡°He means the alien ship¡¯s crew,¡± the woman took over. ¡°Both they and the pirates are cat folks, but the pirates are nicer.¡±

    ¡°OK, thanks for the information. Now let¡¯s find a way to take care of you¡­¡± Taking out his phone, Rowan dialed a number. ¡°Hi, rich guy. Sorry, forgot your name again¡­ Listen. I¡¯m in the dungeon¡­ Yeah, there is a signal after you clear a floor¡­ I have two undead with me, who were killed by your people and raised by the Necromancer. They have a chance to be Rezzed¡­ No, not in those tanks of yours, it¡¯s complicated.

    "Look, you owe me, I was pretty nice with you, right? Get your ass in your limo or whatever, and come to the Dungeon¡¯s entrance. They¡¯ll exit in about an hour, time for the Elementals to walk away. They¡¯re kinda dumb¡­ I meant the elementals, sorry,¡± he excused himself to the two. ¡°Take them to your hotel and give them a suit or something until I can send somebody to cure them. If something happens to them, I¡¯ll hold you directly responsible¡­ OK, OK, sorry for the threat, I know it¡¯s a decent thing to do, but there are reasons to doubt your decency, you know¡­ OK, bye¡­ What the fuck, are you all right?¡± The two undead were shaking with their eyes bulging out.

    ¡°I¡­ want to cry, but can¡¯t,¡± the woman explained.

    ¡°Whatever. Move to the exit, but take care not to be seen by the Elementals. They have instructions not to attack living beings, but who knows how they¡¯d register you. They looked stupid to me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much¡­¡± The Mountain Guides blurted, still trying to cry and failing.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, guys, relax, it''s not a big deal,¡± he patted them on their backs.

    No Soldier Left Behind Secret Secondary Mission cleared. 2SkP earned.

 57: The Cluster Dungeon-2

    After resting to regenerate his Mana, doubling down with a potion, Rowan stepped into the third dungeon. It was a pirate city, with the sea nearby, houses linked between them with rope bridges, and ships. He advanced and released Cold Breeze to scan the area. Moments later, the bridge he was standing on was blown to pieces. Fortunately for Rowan, he detected the incoming missiles in time and entered the Space.

    These are Cora¡¯s pals, better avoid killing them¡­ Shit, I should have asked those two zombies if there are Rezz facilities around.

    There were a lot of Nekojin hiding in trees or up on masts, with some heavy caliber blasters. He flew up and released a second flying drone that released Cora¡¯s alternative message as soon as it exited the Space.

    ¡°Papa, Mama, fellows, it¡¯s me, Cora. I¡¯m alive, and I built a base on Earth. Please don¡¯t shoot, the guy you see is my husband.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk it through,¡± Rowan yelled, amplifying his voice with a whiff of the Cold Breeze to get it out of the in-between. ¡°No one has to die here.¡±

    ¡°You have to die, bastard. You stole my fianc¨¦e and want to live?¡± The Nekojin who had shouted, shaking his fist in the air, fell from the mast he was clinging to, spurting blood from his slit throat. After crashing on the ship¡¯s deck, his body disappeared.

    ¡°Engagement dissolved. Surrender or die. Do you have Rezz pods or something?¡± Rowan landed behind the group on the deck, the tentacles of his weapon trashing the air, ready to strike.

    ¡°Y-yes,¡± a Nekojin male stuttered, throwing his weapon down, followed by his fellows. ¡°The s-sentients inside the d-dungeon can be Rezzed.¡±

    "Elementals too?"

    "Y-yes¡­"

    "Geez, hope those dumbfucks will be able to find their way out. Anyway¡­¡± Keeping his eyes on them, Rowan unleashed two conical Snowstorms. The sea froze, the ships broke, and half the town got obliterated, killing a lot of Cat Folks in the process. How many, he couldn''t know because the combat notifications were turned OFF, to allow him more speed in combat.

    ¡°That¡¯s for kicking out my undead pals!" Rowan shouted. "Whoever survived, get on the beach, hands up. If I don¡¯t see the Clear notification immediately, I¡¯ll kill everybody.¡± His command was met with an announcement:

    You have cleared the third floor of the Cluster Dungeon, Pirate Nest, by killing 40/50 members of the Makeshift Pirate Crew and making the rest surrender. You can claim the core once you clear the Lair.

    ¡°Stay here until I come for you,¡± he ordered.

    "Sir, what about¡ª"

    Ignoring their questions, he called back the drone and took flight. The next portal was in the air; a mast had been nearby, but he had sunk that ship. Expecting to be attacked as soon he went through, he summoned his Elemental Shield.

    In seconds, a hail of bullets, laser beams, and blaster projectiles were thrown at him and he had to enter the Space. Behind a huge desk, now overturned on the floor as a barricade together with haphazardly thrown chairs, two Nekojins adults¡ªa man and a woman¡ªand three kids, armed to the teeth.

    Going into the Space, Rowan pushed out the drone again. Cora¡¯s message started to play in a loop while the Nekojins talked vividly among themselves. Reappearing at the same spot, hands up, he yelled out: ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± the male Nekojin shouted.

    ¡°You''ve heard the message. I¡¯m Rowan, Cora¡¯s husband.¡±

    ¡°What husband?" the man yelled so forcefully that droplets of spit ejected out of his mouth, almost reaching Rowan. "My daughter¡¯s bespoken to an Int boy since she was twelve,¡±

    ¡°Ew, that¡¯s gross¡­¡± Rowan grimaced. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve met the guy¡­ he¡¯s Rezzing now. Can we talk? I¡¯d rather do this peacefully.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make any sudden moves,¡± the man menaced, keeping his weapon in hand but lowering the barrel.

    Rowan dismissed his armor. Beneath, he was dressed to impress, in an elegant two-piece tailored in Rome. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Rowan Allinder.¡±

    ¡°He must be that powerful wizard the Necromancer warned us about,¡± the woman said. ¡°I¡¯m Lady Shefrowns, Captain of the Traipenent, and that¡¯s my husband, Engineer Heroars, and our kids, Cora¡¯s younger siblings. Pest one, pest two, and pest three.¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± all the little Nekojin yelled together, balling their fists.

    ¡°Tom Hepurrs, Milly Shescowls, Billie Shesniffs. Now tell us everything,¡± the woman gestured toward the barricade, inviting him to sit down.

    <hr>

    Half an hour later, after the table and the chair had been rearranged to their proper position, the story had been told. What Rowan had feared happened. Mister Heroars was a typical father-in-law: stubborn and possessive.

    ¡°I want Cora to have a divorce. I won¡¯t allow her to be the third wife of a monkey,¡± Heroars roared again.

    ¡°Honey, but he saved her life,¡± Shefrowns pleaded. ¡°And the story is so romantic. And look at him, so handsome and elegant¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Cora¡¯s two little sisters sighed, clenching their hands to the chest and looking upward.

    ¡°Just to make things clear, Sir,¡± Rowan said through his clenched teeth, ¡°this monkey is Count of Cora County, Thane of The Swarthy Elves, Prince of Bourbon Borough, Suzerain of Rome, and Honorary Godfather of Calveor. Even Cora¡¯s ex didn¡¯t call me a monkey.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, because he¡¯s a snowflake, like all your generation. Monkey.¡±

    ¡°For the Swarthy Elves, being called snowflake is a compliment. Never mind, we have bigger problems¡­ You do realize the Necromancer lied to you, right?¡±

    ¡°He did tell us the Traipenent had vanished. We assumed it was reclaimed by the Insurance Company,¡± Lady Shefrowns said. ¡°We thought Cora was safe, but we were left behind.¡±

    ¡°That''s not it. He spied around for months. I named our County after Cora, and she¡¯s a public person. He. Lied. To. You.¡±

    ¡°He lied? So what? Maybe to spare my old heart the disappointment. You¡¯ll divorce Cora or I¡¯ll mop the floors with you,¡± the Engineer persisted. He was hissing and spitting as he yelled, and Rowan groaned, wiping his face with a handkerchief.

    Quest: Your father-in-law can¡¯t be reasoned with. Clear the Lair by winning a non-lethal duel with Engineer Heroars. Secondary quest: Win or lose reputation level with your father-in-law by fighting with honor or dirty. Hidden rewards.

    Rowan sighed and shrugged. He felt in his heart that kind of confrontation was inevitable anyway. ¡°Very well, Roary, you want a piece of me, I¡¯ll give you one. I¡¯m on a tight schedule here. How do you want to do this¡­ Gah!¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    A jab to the chin had sent Rowan on the floor. The male Nekojin jumped over Rowan, starting to hit him in the head with his fists. Sensorial Filtering turned itself ON, taking out the pain. He could listen to the conversation like a radio, in the faraway, his ears still buzzing from the first hit.

    ¡°Stop this nonsense, for goodness sake,¡± Cora¡¯s mother yelled.

    ¡°Go, Rowan! Hit him in the balls,¡± Cora¡¯s brother shouted.

    ¡°Traitor!¡± Heroars roared, keeping at hitting Rowan.

    ¡°What? Cora¡¯s always helping me with my homework. You two were throwing us in the learning dungeon for days. Go, Rowan!¡±

    Enough was enough. Rowan grabbed the man¡¯s head between his hands, headbutted the Nekojin, and rolled off, freeing himself. He decided to fight dirty. After all, he knew the man¡¯s type, so it was better to draw his line in the sand. Kicking the dazed Nekojin¡¯s balls, as suggested, was a first step, but when Heroars fell on his knees, he continued with a stomp on the tail, breaking it. Wailing, the man went down. ¡°My tail¡­¡±

    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll tell you a story. Are you listening?¡± Rowan pulled the Engineer up by his lapels, shaking him. ¡°Look at me, or I so swear I''ll cut your tail for good. I had a girlfriend when I was twenty. Wonderful girl. For a full year, we abstained from sex, because she was religious, and I really loved her. Took a lot of will¡­ a lot¡­ A month before our marriage, her father lied that I slapped him, while drunk. Total BS. But she believes him, and we¡¯re history. Now, if you ever think you can pull some sort of shit on me, I¡¯ll kill you, but only after I¡¯ll break every bone in your body. Do we understand each other?¡± Rowan sent another headbutt to the limp man¡¯s face when his voice rose on the question mark.

    ¡°I y-yield¡­¡±

    ¡°Do we understand each other?¡± Rowan raised his tone.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the Nekojin yelled.

    ¡°Yes, who?¡± Rowan accompanied his question with a knee in the testicles, to remind the Engineer who won the match.

    ¡°Y-yes¡­ s-sir.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Count Allinder.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, C-count A-Allinder.¡±

    ¡°Good, see? We can be best pals," Rowan patted the man''s cheek. "But you¡¯ll be polite, call before visiting, and don¡¯t you dare tell us how to raise our kid, or else¡­ well¡­ you will slowly fill the dotted line when you¡¯ll know me better.¡± Rowan released the man. ¡°Know that I can freeze your brain just by staring at you. Don¡¯t you faint on me! I need the cores.¡±

    ¡°C-cora¡¯s pregnant?¡± Lady Shefrowns gasped.

    ¡°Yes. And I¡¯m happy about it.¡±

    ¡°Son!¡± the woman rushed to hug him. ¡°You made me the happiest cat-folk alive.¡±

    ¡°Yey! We¡¯ll be uncles!¡± Cora¡¯s brother and sisters cheered.

    You have cleared the final dungeon from the Cluster Dungeon: The Mad Engineer¡¯s Lair. + 1SkP You have completed the secret quest: Show him who¡¯s the Boss. +1 SkP. The consequences of choosing the ''be tough'' path will reveal themselves in time. The Dungeon can be exited through the previously cleared floors.

    ¡°I sent a¡­ few people to the Rezz dimension, how long will it take?¡± Rowan inquired.

    ¡°An hour at the most,¡± the Engineer said, wobbling, trying to get back on his feet and finally succeeded with the help of his wife, while his kids pulled their tongues at him and cheered again about getting out of the dungeon and being uncles.

    ¡°Then start talking," Rowan commanded. "I need to know everything that is to be known about this Necromancer.¡±

    <hr>

    An hour and a half later, after sending the Rezzed Elementals on their way, checking on the two undead scouts, and arranging that the Nekojin group was also lodged at the hotel, Rowan bought a sandwich and a beer from the all-day bar and sat at a table, for a quick brunch. The view outside was spectacular.

    "Do you mind if I join?" the Warlord appeared nearby, a beer in hand himself.

    "Here comes the stalker again,¡± Rowan sighed. ¡°OK, fine, sit. Now that you''re here, tell me, you¡¯re like tier S on this Mythical thing?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m a tier F Divine. On purpose. Any higher and I will have to go to that boring place where my friends are. Have you chosen a secondary class yet? I can¡¯t Inspect you anymore, since you¡¯re an evolved mythical. The default settings are good, keep them.¡±

    ¡°Since you asked, yes, I¡¯ve chosen my secondary class," Rowan nodded.

    "Tell me, tell me," the Warlord clapped his hands like a kid.

    "Don''t do that, you look like a psycho. I had several choices, and in the end, I spent two Skill Points and went for Bourbon Master Distiller¡­ Hey, not cool!¡± Rowan exclaimed, protecting his face with his elbow. The Warlord had choked on his beer, spraying it all over. ¡°What? Not everybody is obsessed with war, like you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but¡­ good luck following your dreams, and may you use more your secondary job than your main,¡± the Warlord raised the bottle.

    ¡°Amen,¡± Rowan clinked beer with the Warlord.

    ¡°Do you mind showing me your Perks?¡± the living Dungeon asked.

    ¡°Why not,¡± Rowan shrugged, waving his hand in the air to share his Character Menu. ¡°So, did I choose wrong?¡± he asked after a minute.

    ¡°Just a few more lines to read¡­ Wow¡­ Even with a crafting class as secondary, you can punch a tier or two above your status¡­ Basically, the Intelligence fourth Perk is giving you seven more Perks¡­ If you synergize it with the Space Perk from Will, it can be quite useful.¡±

    ¡°It looks so,¡± Rowan nodded, nonplussed, raising his bottle for another clink.

    The Warlord raised a finger in the air. ¡°A piece of free advice: don¡¯t think you¡¯re invulnerable because of the Space. I can think of a couple of tyrants that¡­ well, everybody has to sleep or eat, right? If everybody hates you¡­¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not that kind of guy.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, you aren''t," The Warlord nodded, adding a pat on Rowan''s back. "Have you thought about what you want to buy with your skill points yet?¡±

    ¡°Geez¡­ I don¡¯t know," Rowan sighed, sagging his shoulders. "There are too many choices and so few Skill Points¡­ I think I¡¯ll wait. I was curious about that cold beam you used¡­ Is it good?¡±

    ¡°Beams are powerful single-target perks. Single shots, if done right. I have all of them. Why don¡¯t you go for a fire beam for starters? It''s long-range and has a terrific DOT. Then spend Skill Points to choose your third Aspect, experiment with it, and decide later for the rest?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. The one perk I wanted, and didn¡¯t find, is the immunity to Necromancy.¡±

    ¡°Constitution fourth threshold inherent passive. It¡¯ll have to wait. Use a priest for now.¡±

    ¡°If it''s a must,¡± Rowan grimaced. "I''m not big on religion. Anyway. I''ve asked my parents-in-law about the Necromancer¡­ they don''t know much, and what they know might be a lie. He deceived them a lot.

    "What is sure is that he can stay in the Space for longer than I and some of his skills work in there."

    ¡°Problematic¡­" The Warlord mirrored Rowan''s grimace. "If his DOTs can work in the in-between, or he brings undead¡­ Have you considered giving him what he wants? You could buy a perk giving your shuttles interstellar travel and give him one. I¡¯ll tell you a secret: Sometimes, avoiding fights is a win.¡±

    ¡°It did cross my mind¡­¡± Rowan nodded, staring at the other. ¡°You still owe me a favor, right? Because your previous offer was shit. No offense, that¡¯s how it was.¡±

    ¡°Yes, because you beat me to the Nerk, I¡¯ll grant you a reward of your choice, within reason.¡±

    ¡°Amazing. Then answer me this. How can I get you and the System out of my back? I mean¡­ OK, your challenges did help, but were annoying as hell. And the System allowed three takeover attempts on us. I bet it allows the Necromancer to make his move too. Tell me this, and I¡¯ll clear your debt.¡±

    ¡°Moment,¡± the Warlord asked, signaling the server for another craft beer. ¡°Make it two," he changed his mind, before turning back his attention to Rowan. "You''ll have to ask for another prize,¡± the man made a stopping gesture at Rowan, to be able to continue, ¡°because what you ask is trivial knowledge. I''ll be off your back when you beat me three times. For now, the count is at two. You did it once in the Gate Challenge because I was sloppy, and did it again by beating me to the Neek¡ª"

    "That was a challenge?" Rowan spoke over him.

    "Indirectly, but yes, because I was looking for the Neek Supreme too. About the System challenges, it''s similar. When your Town reaches level one hundred, it becomes a full-fledged Fortress. No more tests, you can''t go through its Border using the Space, it detects and teleports out enemies and weapons, and so on.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Cora might have mentioned it...¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, if the incursion is on the way, the System won¡¯t allow your Town to level until it¡¯s over. Have you received a quest about the incursion yet?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Rowan shook his head.

    ¡°It means there are still things in play and the System doesn¡¯t know all the details.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± Rowan complained, slamming his empty bottle on the table while beckoning the water for another beer. ¡°Why did I get so much attention?¡±

    ¡°You had the most challenges, but that doesn''t mean the rest were breezing, it''s just you¡¯re not aware of the whole picture. Now, just between us," the Warlord leaned forward, speaking in a low voice. "I didn¡¯t see you moving troops moving around¡­ You don¡¯t want to let the Necromancer know you know, right?¡±

    ¡°Why spoil the surprise?" Rowan shrugged. "You¡¯ll hang around anyway, right?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°So, you still owe me a favor?¡± the younger man looked the Warlord in the eyes.

    ¡°It is correct.¡±

    ¡°Then, the favor I¡¯m asking is to challenge your dungeon, at a time of my choosing, today.¡±

    The Warlord spat out more beer, coughing. ¡°You want to fight the Necromancer in a PvP duel?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Swear on the System you¡¯re allowing me to lodge a challenge today, and we¡¯re good.¡±

    ¡°Fine," the living Dungeon rolled his eyes. "I swear I¡¯ll allow you to lodge a challenge in my Dungeon today.¡±

    The Warlord has made a System-enforced Oath to allow Rowan Allinder the use of his dungeon later today. Penalty to fulfill his obligations will lead to his removal from this Universe and forced ascension to Tier E Divinity status.

    ¡°I have to warn you that such duels have to be accepted by both parties. There''s no guarantee the Necromancer will agree,¡± the Warlord continued.

    ¡°Let me worry about that," Rowan waved his hand, then finished his beer in one go. "Can you forward me all your Dungeon''s rules? I want to have a word with Cora about that.¡±

    ¡°Very well, message sent. Reply with the terms of your challenge, and as long they¡¯re within the rules, I¡¯ll make it happen.¡±

    ¡°Toodaloo,¡± Rowan saluted with two fingers and activated his teleport.

 58: The Pirates of Elkins / Facing Necromancy

    Captain Heclaws checked if everything was in place. His one-shot pistols, his cutlass. The blunderbuss was kept at hand by his cabin boy. On the stage, Rowan Allinder and his wife were singing a duet, a non-related prelude to the play that was about to ensue: The Pirates of Penzance.

    Unbeknownst to the Count and the public, here they were, a true pirate crew, brought to capture Elkins town by the Necromancer. They had kidnapped the real actors, tied them in the basement, and took their place.

    The theatre, a thespian dungeon, was elegant, an old-style building. The place reminded Heclaws of his high school¡¯s Drama Club. It was there he fell in love with the idea of a pirate life, before going for the real thing, blasters blazing, roaring arrrs.

    When the duet ceased and the applause poured like a cascade, Heclaws pushed his cutlass out of its sheath with his left thumb, pressing the button in his ear with his right index. ¡°Heclaws to Necromancer. The Overture is about to begin. We¡¯re ready to roll in five. Entering radio silence.¡±

    The orchestra began to play. All of a sudden, a force field blocked their way forward. And backward. And everywhere. Across the stage, a mirror image of themselves. People with blunderbusses, pistols, and cutlasses. But how? And why?

    ¡°They¡¯re onto us,¡± his second hissed.

    ¡°You think so, Captain Obvious?¡± Heclaws sneered.

    Battle Challenge issued by Cora County.

    Cora County has transformed the theater stage into a Trial Arena for two equally murderous and villainous pirate crews. On the house right, Captain Heclaws. On the house left, Captain Blackwhiskers. In ten seconds, the forcefield separating the two crews will stop, and they will fight. The winners will be offered citizenship under parole and a second chance. The losers will serve the remainder of their sentence working for the County, as his Lordship will see fit.

    ¡°Blackwhiskers? Blackwhiskers is a pussy,¡± Heclaws growled, unsheathing his cutlass. ¡°Let¡¯s show him who¡¯s the better pirate crew. Arr!¡±

    <hr>

    Rowan massaged his forehead, grimacing. The stage fight had been short and brutal. In a minute, only three contestants remained, the two captains, and Heclaws¡¯s cabin boy. Blackwhiskers teleported behind the latter, cutlass at the ready, to cull the weak before attacking his rival. Heclaws jumped and took the hit in his chest, saving the boy, shooting both his pistols in Blackwhiskers¡¯s face.

    ¡°Go¡­ kid¡­ fly¡­ Arr¡­¡± Heclaws blurted, before falling down, dead.

    The fight has concluded with Crew Heclaws¡¯s victory. The participants will be Rezzed by the Thespian Dungeon in the order they had been slain. One level has been awarded to Cora County for putting up a good Awakened entertainment show.

    The true cast, freed from the captivity, entered the scene and proceeded with the play, an actor taking on his shoulders the befuddled survivor, the cabin boy. Rowan left his booth and went to the lobby. Walking around was a patrol of six, supposed to have a priest class among them, to scan for the Necromancer. But except for the five mercs, the only possible priest was none other than Wurf, the Goblidog, holding a dowsing rod in his hands.

    ¡°What are you doing here, you pest?¡± Rowan blurted.

    ¡°Protecting you, what else?¡± Goblidog Wurf sneered back.

    ¡°Since when are you a priest, you fraudster?¡± Rowan asked, hands on his hips.

    ¡°I ain''t no fraudster. I took my license in Vegas last week and run my own mega-church,¡± the little monster yelled back.

    ¡°Just get out of my sight,¡± Rowan flickered his palm.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, fellows, let¡¯s hit the bar, this area is clear,¡± Wurf raised his hand, leaving with the Mercs after him.

    Grinding his teeth, Rowan made a chat call.

    [Rowan to Nottie]: How¡¯s going.

    [Nottie to Rowan]: Fine. We¡¯re following the Elementals. For now, they''re sticking in the hills outside Elkins.

    [Rowan to Nottie]: Don¡¯t take unnecessary risks.

    He heard steps behind him and turned to look at the incoming women. Grace and a tall High-Elf. ¡°How¡¯s going?¡± the Smugglers¡¯ Queen asked.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t take the bait," Rowan said. "No sign of the Necromancer in the Theater. Supposing that little monster knows what he''s doing¡­ Oh, I forgot¡­ Here is the item you came back for,¡± he offered her the Sensor.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the woman nodded and returned to the hall without more words.

    Grace, on the other hand, stayed behind. ¡°Everything all right?¡± she fondled his shoulder.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you watching the show?¡± he asked. "We shouldn''t let our lives be disturbed just because nuts are attacking us every other day."

    ¡°I just wanted to say I really enjoyed singing together. Maybe¡­ we can do it again. See you later,¡± the woman caressed his cheek, then put a brief kiss on his lips, which made him jerk a little.

    Two seconds after she walked up the stairs, a message and a photo arrived on his phone. It was brief and to the point: Come to the Controls¡¯ entrance, or she dies. Don''t tell anyone.

    She was Lizzie. A man whose face did not appear in the photo held the unconscious girl in his arms. Rowan ran outside. On the opposite side of the empty Main Square, at the entrance of the corridor toward the Control Room, the tall man¡¯s and Lizzie¡¯s silhouettes were barely visible through the night.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try anything. It takes a second to apply Necromantic poison.¡± The voice was bland, and soulless, like the man''s appearance.

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Rowan blurted, raising his hands. "Please, don''t hurt her! How did you trick the guards?"

    The Necromancer ignored his question. ¡°Open the access. Step slowly, hands up, and no tricky business.¡±

    Clenching his teeth, Rowan walked ahead, activating the portal toward the Control Center. The Necromancer let him step ahead.  As soon as the Necromancer followed in the room, there was a notification:

    This area is now sealed. Travel through normal means or the in-between is restricted until the Challenge is resolved.

    The Necromancer grabbed Lizzie''s neck in his hand, growling: "Don''t even think of jumping me or she dies."

    ¡°Easy,¡± Rowan raised his hands, his fingers spread apart. ¡°I have shuttles with hyperdrives now. Take one, go away, and just let us be. I ask the System to enforce my words.¡±

    Count Rowan Allinder had taken an Oath before the System. If the Necromancer agrees to leave of his own accord, without engaging in any hostile act, now or in the future, the Count will gift him a functional and safe Hyperdrive shuttle. Penalty for not keeping his word: forfeiting his title.

    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± The Necromancer¡¯s laugh was bitter and cold. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to leave Earth.¡±

    ¡°What do you want, then?¡± Rowan hissed.

    ¡°In exchange for her life, I want you to let yourself be turned undead by me. You¡¯ll have an almost normal life, except for when I¡¯ll need your services to control the County and its Vassal states. I swear on my head, before the System.¡±

    The Necromancer had taken an Oath before the System. If Rowan Allinder lets himself be turned into an Undead willingly, the Necromancer will allow him to have a quasi-normal life and will not harm his daughter, Lizzie. The penalty for not keeping the terms of the Oath is perma death.

    ¡°So that¡¯s what you¡¯ve been after¡­¡± Rowan sighed, lowering his head.

    ¡°Yes. Why leave when I have a planet I can control? Nothing can stop me from taking over, not even the Warlord or the System. I played by the book and won fair and square. If the Warlord denies me the victory, his friends will take him away by force. Make up your mind.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but I made up my mind already,¡± Rowan straightened up. "Glamour off." After his words, Lizzie''s body started to spread specks of light.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The Necromancer stepped back, letting Lizzie¡¯s body fall. When it touched the ground, it had become a child-sized doll.

    ¡°You think I didn''t anticipate you''d go for my family? I¡¯m a strategist, remember? I asked Isla to put a Glamour on the doll and put it on Lizzie¡¯s bed.¡±

    The Necromancer''s smile was not a pleasant one. His teeth were blackened and rotten. ¡°You think you fooled me? Better check on your wife. She¡¯s taken hostage as we speak, along with everybody else in the theater.¡±

    ¡°You mean by the Pirates?" Rowan snorted. "They¡¯re done for. That move was so telegraphed I had it covered first. Last call: take the shuttle and leave.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand," the Necromancer shook his head. "It¡¯s nothing personal, but I¡¯m tired of running around, a bounty on my head just for being myself.¡±

    ¡°Nothing personal here too, but you¡¯re too dangerous to have around," Rowan mirrored the man''s gesture, leaning forward like a predator ready to jump on its prey. "Last warning for good, this time: leave or die.¡±

    All of a sudden, the Necromancer entered the Space, and so did Rowan. Both summoned armor and weapons, the Necromancer a spear, Rowan his extendable filaments.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    The Necromancer began circling Rowan, keeping his eyes on the younger man. ¡°One thing you don¡¯t know about me is that my main class is not Necromancer. I¡¯m a Mythical Warrior with decades of fighting behind the belt. Outside, you¡¯d win, but in the Space, you have no chance.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s to be seen,¡± Rowan growled. He projected all threads of his weapon forward, each aiming for a different part of the Necromancer¡¯s body, also ready to grab or parry the spear if necessary. Surprising him, the adversary projected himself forward, with a push on his legs, twisting his body and battling the filaments aside as he flew horizontally at Rowan, for fifteen feet.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, that¡¯s wire-fu!¡± Rowan yelled while rolling out of the way, but not before his shoulder got clipped. His armor showed a five percent loss.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just skill.¡± The Necromancer smiled and kept pushing. How could his foe wield his half-spear so well in close range? was a question that crossed Rowan''s head while he trashed the air aimlessly with his weapon¡¯s tendrils. He resorted to throwing a punch, which, to his surprise landed and made the foe retreat. Yet, the armor was now at eighty percent. There was an HP bar above the necromancer¡¯s head that had barely moved downward from the fist. Nevertheless, the hit had activated Sonar.

    Target: Mythical Warrior/Necromancer. Identified weaknesses: Elemental Damage +400% damage taken.

    If I were in normal space, I''d finish him in one shot.

    Rowan whipped the air, to make the Necromancer move back, and when the older man avoided his strands and ducked below, changed his weapon into a shield and a machete, to block and cut the enemy. He landed a cut, lowering the other¡¯s health by about five more percent, but he noticed his health was lower by ten, his armor almost gone, and the Necromance¡¯s spear was stuck in his calf.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Rowan yelled in pain when the evil wizard recalled his weapon. He was at eighty-five percent health now, the pulling motion adding to the damage. There was also a DOT of 0.5 HP/second. Panting, he changed his weapon into a spear and supported himself on the shaft. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll agree with a normal duel, fair rules, and everything?" he tried.

    ¡°Your reputation for being funny is well deserved. But I never aimed for a fair fight,¡± the Necromancer shrugged, attacking again. Against such a fast and agile foe, Rowan''s skills proved insufficient. Fainting a retreat, the Necromancer attacked instead, and his spear found Rowan¡¯s heart.

    Delayed Truth activated. You have reached 0 HP. DOT dismissed. You are invulnerable for twelve seconds.

    Shit! Here goes the plan of grabbing him and going Mach one into a wall¡­ It could still work, though, I have a Rezz, but he doesn''t. But what if he avoids me? I''d be done for¡­ And I bet if that I die first, the System will give him the chance to turn me¡­

    That thought lasted for a blink, in which Rowan activated a Health Potion and a Combat Heal, grabbed the spear with one hand, and slammed his machete into the Necromancer¡¯s head. The wizard¡¯s health dropped to seventy percent. Rowan¡¯s was at fifteen.

    He exited the Space and to his joy, the Necromancer¡¯s spear came with him, and he stored it in his inventory. His Svart¨¢lfar Aura sign, a rune, appeared next to his Mana Pool, and the Elemental Armor activated as well. Both showed they were absorbing damage, consuming Mana, about half a percent every few seconds. It meant the Necromancer was able to hit at him from the Space, probably because of one of his perks, but the DPS was minimal. Throwing fists, most likely, and with the DPS debuffed because of the difference in dimensions.

    ¡°Know that I cleared your Clusterfuck Dungeon this morning,¡± Rowan said in a cold voice. There was a pause in the hits, the Necromancer was listening. ¡°I roughed my father-in-law a little, and he began singing. Do you know what he said your greatest weakness is? Horrible detection skills. ¡®And he pretends he¡¯s a great scout¡¯, that¡¯s what Papa Heroars said. Nerio, it¡¯s time!¡± he bellowed.

    The rotary armchair in front of the desk turned, and the elf girl raised on her feet. Rowan took them both into the Space, but not before casting another Combat Heal and chugging a Mana Potion. He was back at full Mana and fifty percent HP.

    Inside the in-between, the Necromancer was at seventy-and-something percent HP. He must have chugged a potion himself.

    ¡°So, you brought a friend,¡± the wizard sneered. ¡°It won¡¯t make any difference.¡± He charged at them blindly. This time, Rowan¡¯s thrusts, with his threads, and Nerio¡¯s cuts, with her sword, made a big dent in the Necromancer¡¯s health, he went down to forty-nine percent in no time. Nevertheless, the man didn¡¯t look afraid, quite the opposite, there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. They found why when his body began to change, growing in size, and long claws made of bone appeared from his fingers.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you cope against my phase two,¡± the Necromancer let out a sinister laughter. Hollywood would have hired him on the spot for a villain''s role.

    ¡°Why the fuck he can activate a transformation inside here, and I can¡¯t?¡± Nerio yelled, barely dodging the Necromancer¡¯s jabs. "Can''t use my Shadow travel either."

    ¡°Perks!¡± Rowan blurted, trying to parry the Necromancer¡¯s weapon with his threads and soaking some of those hits with his own body. It was not working, the enemy was stronger and faster. Soon, the Necromancer¡¯s health was at forty percent but the girl¡¯s at twenty-five, and his at thirty. They exited the Space for a second, the time to cast a Combat Heal on her. But the man had continued hitting Nerio, Rowan had gained her only five percent in health.

    ¡°You brought a liability, not an ally,¡± they heard the Necromancer''s faint voice, coming from the in-between. ¡°You could have lasted longer without her.¡±

    He could have, true, healing outside the Space.

    ¡°He¡¯s not so strong!¡± Nerio shouted, furious. ¡°If I could activate Goddess Avatar, I¡¯ll win.¡±

    ¡°Tough luck,¡± the Necromancer taunted her, his voice changing place as he was hitting them from a different position. ¡°You stay out there, you lose, you come in here, you lose. I told you, this is not a fair fight.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, jerk, it''s not and it never was. Spoiler alert: we''re not in the control center. Teddy, sic¡¯em!¡± Rowan yelled. The walls and the floor disappeared, another illusion, and all around was now only the forest. A large shadow roared, disappeared, and then reappeared a second later in real space, five large and curved natural daggers planted in the Necromancer''s back. The man was screaming, trashing his arms around. The Grizzly bear¡¯s claws made a pulling motion, taking out a large portion of the man''s spine with them. The Necromancer fell on the rustling leaves like a puppet with its strings cut.

    "Go, Nottie!" Rowan yelled.

    Enlarging herself, the girl crushed the Necromancer''s head under her boot.  If there was a phase three for the Wizard, he didn¡¯t have the time to activate it, dissolving into specks of light. Finally, the notification arrived.

    The Battle for Cora County has now ended with Count Allinder¡¯s victory. Because both the Necromancer and Rowan Allinder have used various subterfuges, the System is not able to deliver a proper reward except for the normal continued existence. Nevertheless, the County will be raised to the maximum level. Nerio Fern will receive the appropriate combat XP.

    ¡°Fine with me,¡± Rowan said.

    Cora County is now a Full Fortress. The System will no longer lower its defenses to allow challenges.

    A Special Perk has been awarded to Cora County for reaching the Maximum Level: Spreading the Awakening (shared between your main domains). Consuming a Core of any level in each of your larger domains (Cora County, Rome, Goblin Town, Calveor, Bourbon Borough) with this Perk activated will release a sizeable quantity of Mana on Earth, increasing the Awakening tier of the planet to tier E. The planet will become Mana Stable and will suffer no further risk of breaking from Mana Imbalance.

    Warning: Spontaneous spawning of tier E dungeons and mutated wildlife outside the Awakened Towns will become possible. Please consult the now available FAQ to find out about how to ensure the early detection of such events and the civilians'' protection.

    The elf was so merry that she was jumping on her toes like a kid. ¡°Thank you for giving me the kill!¡± Nerio yelled. ¡°So much XP! And APs! And Skill Points! And I¡¯m level one hundred!¡±

    ¡°Please, calm down, you''re making me dizzy," Rowan waved his right hand in front of his eyes. "Don¡¯t rush to invest points before consulting with me or Cora.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Rowan, you know me. Considerate is my middle name,¡± the girl leaned her head sidewise, puckering.

    ¡°Good boy, Tommy,¡± Rowan refused to answer with some cheap sarcasm about teenagers being responsible, and fondled the bear¡¯s head instead. The girl was still dancing around in joy. ¡°Do you mind if we move to my home? I¡¯m expecting my family to return soon.¡±

    "Sure," Nerio nodded. "All clear here?"

    "Yeah¡­ just a sec, to message Nottie they can go for the Elementals. Great. We''re good to go."

    A portal opened in front of them and Rowan let the girl go through first. Maybe still drunken by the victory, she was in a chatty mood. ¡°Nice trick, but what if the Necromancer had found the real Lizzie?¡± Nerio asked as soon they were in Grace¡¯s garden.

    ¡°Impossible. I entrusted her to a f...f...friend. Show yourself. I know you¡¯re here!¡± Rowan yelled.

    ¡°I am,¡± the Warlord said, appearing in between the two. The girl jumped back, almost unsheathing her sword, but Rowan grabbed her hand in time.

    ¡°Don''t worry, it''s a¡­ f¡­ f¡­"

    "C''mon, is it so hard? A friend. Hi Nerio, I''m the Warlord, the one who offered you your secondary class. We have so much to talk about¡­¡±

    ¡°Let the kid be, she¡¯s doing all right on her own,¡± Rowan gave the man a mild shove on the shoulder.

    ¡°Err¡­ Rowan, what¡¯s happening here?¡± the Swarthy Elf looked at the two with befuddlement.

    ¡°Nothing, really," Rowan half-shrugged. In one word, I got fed up to be fucked with, and decided to give some fuck back.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one word?¡± the Warlord snorted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even need a word,¡± Rowan raised the middle finger. ¡°This is my turf, my family, my people, my Bourbon, my everything, and you and the System thought I¡¯d play by the book? Fuck no.

    "I figured out immediately the shitmancer was not interested in leaving. All he had to do was to tell my parents-in-law about Cora, come together to negotiate, and ask for the Hyperdrive core or a shuttle. I¡¯m a reasonable guy, right? Talk instead of fighting, if possible, that¡¯s my motto. To shortcut the others for more cores was the next thing that made sense, but he could have taken the ones from the Neek Supreme without a sweat.

    "Only one thing checked the boxes: he wanted to take over the County, through me¡ªnot the first to give it a shot. I had no idea he wanted to conquer Earth, though, but well¡­ maybe billions of Zombies are something this kind of guy dreams of. The pirates and the elementals were meant to convince the System he had a serious chance to take over the County. But pirates and elementals are no match for us now, and he knew it, so his real plan was to go for my most precious treasure: my family.

    "Of course, my parents-in-law knew everything about his powers, after all, they were his jailers. Once I knew all the details, my task was to make myself invulnerable to blackmail, deny his strength¡ªthe in-between¡ªand catch him in a trap. Grace and I put together a plan. She¡¯s a fantastic tactician. I bought a passive Svart¨¢lfar perk about interacting with animals¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know that perk! It¡¯s great!¡± Nerio gasped. "You can use it to talk to dragons!"

    ¡°Then I rented Teddy¡¯s services, sent Isla here to build an illusion, made a fake portal in town, and the rest is history. For the record, I did offer the Necromancer a way out, or the System could have considered I found an exploit. Then, the Necromancer became training fodder for you, Nerio. But let me tell you something,¡± Rowan leaned closer to the girl''s ear. "My greatest satisfaction is not that we killed the Necromancer, but that I beat him for a third time," he pointed his finger at the Warlord.

    ¡°You exploited me!¡± the Warlord exploded, gesturing widely. ¡°You asked me to organize a PvP match between you and the Necromancer.¡±

    ¡°I did not. Your own mind imagined it because it is set only for battles and slaughter. I asked you to let me challenge your dungeon today. And I sent in Lizzie and my extended family,¡± Rowan said the last sentence toward the girl. ¡°Grace from the theater was an actor... uh¡­ a too-good one,¡± he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

    ¡°You sent your family to a Dungeon?¡± Nerio¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°How¡¯s that safe?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about reading the fine print. The Warlord¡¯s Dungeon has strict rules, it¡¯s part of who he is, and why he was allowed to stay in this world. He¡¯s required to adapt to the ones challenging it. Kids, elderly, a pregnant woman, relatives, a whole family? He¡¯s obliged to keep them safe. By the way, how are they doing?¡±

    ¡°See for yourself,¡± the Warlord rolled his eyes. ¡°Dungeon cleared. Reward: plushes and sweets.¡± The man¡¯s body transformed into a large castle wooden gate, only the head remaining unchanged, at the top. The pans swung open, and Lizzie erupted out, directly in Rowan¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Daddy! I won the beauty contest, and the pony ride, and the quiz!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did, my princess,¡± he hugged her with all his warmth, kissing her hair. Grace soon joined the hug. Walking at a slower pace, Cora and her parents appeared, talking together. Then Thomas and Cora¡¯s sisters; the boy was showing them his biceps. Sulking behind, Cora¡¯s brother, which meant he had lost some sort of match against Thomas. Last to exit, Isla, frowning, a gun at the ready in each hand.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked, as Rowan stared at her stupefied. ¡°I don¡¯t trust that jerk. Always be prepared, that¡¯s my motto.¡±

    ¡°Or shoot first and apologize later," Rowan reminded her about their past adventures. "Where¡¯s Dmitri?¡±

    ¡°He was behind me, moments ago, flirting with a faun,¡± Isla groaned, running back inside the dungeon and reappearing moments later with the Greek in tow. "Idiot! It''s a construct, it''s not real!"

    ¡°Nottie and Papa say the elementals are dealt with,¡± Rowan checked his phone. ¡°He¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re joining us for dinner, I hope,¡± Grace smiled at the Warlord and Nerio.

 59: Epilogue

    The first anniversary of the Awakening was near, and so was Cora¡¯s pregnancy term. Lizzie was not quite sure how could babies appear from hugs and kisses, but she had decided to go with the flow and enjoy her new little brother or sister. And show him or her who the boss was. And maybe taste some of their baby food. Those little jars looked yummy. Nekojin were supposed to learn to eat real food faster than humans.

    The living space, as large as it was, was crowded. Everybody was waiting for the delivery. Isla, Bree, Thomas, Cora¡¯s siblings and father, Dimitri, Papa Allinder, Fay, Nottie, and Nerio. And that nice gentleman who could transform into a Dungeon and offered the town¡¯s kids a good time, every other weekend. And the funny pirate who was the best entertainer in town.

    Lizzie couldn''t wait to find out if she''d had a baby brother or sister. No one knew. Cat-Folks had some strange customs, about not looking in boxes because something called Shrekinger''s cat. Finally, there was some commotion coming from upstairs. Grace rushed down the stairs in a sweat, both hands grabbing the railing, her face pale as a sheet of paper, and her eyes widened.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic¡­ Don¡¯t panic¡­¡± she said to no one in particular, wobbling on her feet.

    ¡°Is the child all right?¡± Rowan jumped up.

    ¡°I g-guess so,¡± she stuttered, blocking the way to the stairs. ¡°D-don¡¯t go up¡­ b-before I t-talk to you.¡±

    ¡°Is the child all right?¡± Rowan screamed, balling his fists.

    ¡°They are just fine,¡± Cora¡¯s mother bellowed from upstairs. ¡°I¡¯m coming down to make the introductions. Remember, they have to be nicknamed.¡±

    ¡°They?¡± Rowan furrowed his brows.

    The answer arrived together with his mother-in-law. Tucked in a large wicker basket were six tiny babies, wide eyes looking for the first time at the world, their cat-like ears moving to follow the sounds, and their noses wrinkling, maybe to feel around for milk.

    ¡°They¡¯re precocious,¡± Captain Heclaws said. ¡°Their eyes are already open.¡±

    ¡°Three boys and three girls,¡± Rowan¡¯s mother-in-law said with pride.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    That was a little more than Lizzie had expected. Bossing around one little brother or sister, was OK. Ruling over six was work.

    ¡°I can act like a nursery for you,¡± the Warlord said. "On the weekends, of course."

    ¡°I completed my kill quota, I can stay around the house now,¡± Papa Allinder said.

    ¡°Well, my dear son-in-law, do you remember you asked us not ever to interfere in the education of your children, while you were trashing me around?¡± Engineer Heroars interjected in a calm voice. ¡°I think it¡¯s time you discover the pleasures of Nekojin parenthood on your own. Are those pieces of furniture antiques? You have anti-scratching insurance, I hope. Well, dear, let¡¯s go,¡± he finished his sentence already in the door frame.

    ¡°Go fuck yourself,¡± Lady Shefrowns growled. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with my babies¡­ I¡¯m the happiest grandmother in the world! Iiii!¡± she clasped her hands together, her tail going straight up, a gesture much like Cora''s.

    Seeing how Rowan was wobbling on his feet, Lizzie had a revelation. Fun was OK, but sometimes, life had also its duties. Heroism. Like when Daddy jumped into danger to save her. And everything he had done since. It was time to repay some of that debt. She approached and took his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± she promised. ¡°They are very cute, it can¡¯t be so bad.¡±

    There was a repressed giggle from the pirate, and she frowned at him. But Daddy was feeling better. His hand fondled hers, with revived strength.  ¡°Thank you, sweetie. What if you¡¯d start by helping me name your little brothers and sisters before I go up to thank Cora for this amazing gift?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± she nodded energetically. Things were starting to look better already. ¡°What are the rules?¡±

    ¡°Just look at their face and say what they inspire you. But something pretty, not like spitting and farting,¡± Lady Shefrowns added in a low voice.

    Lizzie frowned, concentrating, hand in hand with Daddy. There were some blue and pink blankies around, and she thought those were boys and girls, but she didn¡¯t want to assume anything. The first funny face on top was yawning, rubbing their eyes with tiny fists. Funny, or sleepy was out of the question. But what could be a nice nickname for a sleepy baby?

    ¡°This one¡¯s a thinker,¡± she said.

    ¡°Good job, sweetie,¡± Lady Shefrowns smiled. ¡°Hethinks is a great name.¡±

    ¡°And this one is the prettiest,¡± Lizzie gathered her courage. ¡°Like charming.¡±

    ¡°Shecharms.¡±

    ¡°This one is assertive,¡± Lizzie pointed to the baby that was elbowing the others to make more room for himself. Her tone was more and more enthusiastic.

    ¡°Hefights,¡± Rowan said.

    ¡°A name for a good Captain,¡± his mother-in-law nodded.

    ¡°You wanna try, daddy?¡± Lizzie raised her eyes.

    ¡°You have my full confidence, sweetie. It¡¯s like you¡¯re reading my mind.¡±

    How not to continue? Mommy was also smiling at them. ¡°Hewinks, Shesmiles, Shewins,¡± Lizzie said, clapping. The last name was inspired by a girl who had won the pushing match with Hefights.

    Rowan fondled her cheek, kneeling and searching for her eyes. ¡°Thank you for your help. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±

    Lizzie felt like a bird. If she¡¯d had feathers, she was sure they¡¯d be all fluffy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s return the babies to their mother,¡± Lady Shefrowns offered the basket to Rowan, and they went up the stairs.

 Announcement

    I rewrote this novel and started to post it. I will leave this version on, too, just in case some people are still reading it or wish to compare it. However, I will post chapters quickly (2-3 a day) and remove the old version when finished.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The changes in the new version are:

    The MC is stronger and more assertive.

    Isla is not so rough and bitchy.

    Grace is scheming less.

    The relationships occur within more normal parameters.

    New art.

    A more refined Magic System.

    Hopefully, better writing.