《Elemental Heroes》 Chapter 1: Taken Aiden Heidi Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Dax Janet Chapter 2: Strangers When We Meet [Name] Heidi Paulson [Level] 0 [Race] Sol-3 Human [Strength] 5 [Agility] 6 [Endurance] 8 [Constitution] 8 [Mind] 8 The white light faded away and my vision was obscured by a screen like those augmented reality glasses I saw advertised online years ago. I could make out that I was in a jungle and I was not alone. There was a guy covered in dirt and dust wearing a high-visibility vest and a hard hat looking equally as confused as I was. Standing next to him was a girl sucking on her finger. She must have been really scared to revert to such a childish habit. Then I caught sight of the last person, standing immediately next to me. His hands were behind his head and a surprised look was on his face. He was completely naked, a fact I realized when I also remembered I was on my hands and knees staring at him. "OH just great, I died and went to Hell with a pervert. Not only that but now I look like the pervert trying to get a closer look." My thoughts flew through my head as I shot to a standing position as fast as I could. [Name] Dax Williams [Level] 0 [Race] Sol-3 Human [Strength] 8 [Agility] 4 [Endurance] 7 [Constitution] 8 [Mind] 6 This isn''t what I expected being struck by lightning to feel like. The blinding whiteness faded out to reveal a forest. There were three other people here. A Woman sucking her finger, which just seemed perfectly weird and still the most normal. Then there was a young man standing completely naked looking like her was about to get the best experience, minus the shock on his face. Then there was the weirdest part, the girl on her hands and knees staring right at the dude''s junk. "I must have interrupted some weird fetish thing." was the first thought I had. As I looked around I was also slightly distracted by the video game-like information hanging just in front of my face and moving with me to stay in the center of my vision. "Escape," I thought as I watched the woman on her hands and knees shoot to her feet and look a mixture of embarrassed and annoyed. "Yup. I interrupted them for sure." I thought and laughed quietly to myself. [Name] Janet Vicario [Level] 0 [Race] Sol-3 Human [Strength] 4 [Agility] 6 [Endurance] 7 [Constitution] 7 [Mind] 9 My finger really hurt as I looked around at the horrifying scene. A dirty man whose outfit did not look at all clean or well kept. A clear nudist exposing himself to an embarrassed helpless girl. The annoyance on her face as she shot up only confirmed my suspicion that this guy was just a creep trying to get some action. I noticed everyone else looking around at each other and as their eyes flicked across me there was a mix of confusion and something else. Was that pity in their eyes? "Your sucking on your finger like a child." The realization shot through my mind and I knew immediately it was true. Of course, I looked like a scared little girl standing in the middle of the forest with a bunch of strangers and sucking my finger. They all felt bad for me. "I just wanted to take a bath and calm my nerves! This is the opposite of that completely!" I was also really getting annoyed at the words that would not leave my vision. The numbers at least went in order of low to high but it just didn''t look good, and no matter where I looked it was there superimposed over my vision. [Name]Aiden Michaels [Level] 0 [Race] Sol-3 Human [Strength] 7 [Agility] 6 [Endurance] 6 [Constitution] 7 [Mind] 8 "Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is..." The prayer in my head was cut short as the world came back into view and I was no longer alone in my hot shower. I was standing in the forest and I could see strange words over everything. There was what appeared to be a guy in the middle of the construction and a girl scared beyond belief sucking on her finger. Then there was the one in front of me. She jumped to her feet and looked at me annoyed as if I put her in that position. Then I felt a shiver as the water cooled my body. "No no no no no NOOOOO!" I looked down and saw that I was indeed naked and standing fully exposed to the world. I was frozen in shock and embarrassment looking for the biggest tree to run and hide behind. "This is not how I was supposed to be seen in the nude for the first time!" I quickly dashed and dove behind a tree and I heard the construction guy laughing. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Heidi. A quick glance around the forest told me that there were no clothes for this naked guy. I grabbed off my hoodie and tossed it towards the tree he was standing behind. "Too hot in this forest anyways." I thought. The dirt-covered guy saw me toss my hoodie and nodded as he took off his vest and balled it up to toss. We both looked at the girl who had removed her finger from her mouth finally. She looked down at her clothes and then back at me. "Don''t worry kid, we aren''t going to ask for your clothes." I thought and smiled at her. "Where are we?" I asked taking a step closer to the center of where we were all standing. "This doesn''t feel like Florida. "It was summer in Florida, why am I hotter now than I was before?" I shook my head letting the errant thought disappear to the back of my mind. "Florida? I was working on a cement job in a Chicago suburb! And why is it so damn hot?" The construction guy wiped the sweat from his brow. "You''re both crazy! I was in my apartment in Seattle just a minute ago. There''s no way I am halfway across the country!" The woman moved and looked at me, "Or all the way in your case." She huffed and crossed her arms. "The lord must have brought us together." The last of this group came out from behind the tree blushing as he tied the sleeves of my hoodie around his waist. He had somehow managed to fit the head hole over his hips and wore it as a skirt, the sleeves working as a makeshift belt. The image was hilarious as he wore the high visibility vest as his only shirt. "I bet he is actually the most comfortable in this heat." the thought flashed through my head as he spoke. "There must be a reason, and distance does not matter to the all mighty. I was in the shower in my family''s estate in Louisville." He crossed himself and then stood there looking as if he were trying to be as small as possible to not draw any more attention. "This nutjob just said that we were kidnapped by big G God and dropped in a godforsaken, no! In a Him-forsaken forest." I chuckled at the joke in my own head and then looked to see if everyone else had an opinion on this theory. "That doesn''t quite add up. I see something that looks like a character sheet from a game." The dirty man waved his hand in front of his face as he talked. "You mean the one with your name and race and all that stuff?" The scared chick poked into the air as she was speaking. "These people would be locked up with white coats if I didn''t see it myself." I was thinking as I watched them. "I just want this thing to go away." I was about to reach up myself. "Hey! Mine went away!" I looked around with a mixture of excitement and fear. "What? How? What did you do?" The naked man stepped closer to me and I instinctively stepped back to keep away. "Now I wish I could see it again to avoid the attention." I thought and the words returned. "It''s back now." I focused on it with confusion and it became more opaque as I focused. "I think it''s controlled by thought!" I gave a little jump of excitement and then made the screen go away and come back a few times on purpose. "That is sooo much better" The other girl let out a huge sigh. "Who are you all then?" "Well, my name is Dax, I''m just a construction worker so all of this is above my pay grade." The dirty man turned from the other girl to look at me. "And thank you for figuring out how to hide that sheet." "You can call me Heidi. I was fixing a bouncy house at the fair I work at and then poof I''m here." I could feel my cheeks burn as I spoke and remembered the scene of appearing here. "I''m Aiden." The barely covered guy spoke. His cheeks turned red as he saw my blush. "I was in the shower when a white light appeared. I was supposed to start preaching tomorrow." he looked at the bright blue sky. "Or maybe it''s today." "You guys don''t know me?" The other girl spoke with genuine shock. "I''m Janet from Janet''s Planet! I was lighting a candle and getting ready to relax when suddenly I burned my finger and I was here with you guys." We all shook our heads and looked at each other as Janet finished speaking. She deflated as she saw that we honestly did not know who she was. We had just finished our introductions when there was a rustling in the trees. We were apparently not alone. "What now?!" That was all I had time to think before the real chaos began. Chapter 3: The Angel Janet [Name] Janet Vicario [Level] 1 [Race] Sol-3 Human [Strength] 4 [Agility] 6 [Endurance] 7 [Constitution] 7 [Mind] 9 [Stat points to distribute: 2] I was a level one! And I had stat points to distribute, but I don''t know what that even meant. ¡°I wish I was stronger for that fight.¡± I had barely thought this when my sheet changed in front of my eyes. [Name] Janet Vicario [Level] 1 [Race] Sol-3 Human [Strength] 4 [+2 = 6] [Agility] 6 [Endurance] 7 Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. [Constitution] 7 [Mind] 9 [Accept Changes?] I quickly thought yes and then suddenly my strength was a 6 instead of a 4. My muscles became extremely tired and sore without warning as if I had just worked out for 24 hours. This lasted only a few seconds before they felt normal again. They actually felt better than normal, and I noticed that they were a little more defined. I also felt the waist of my pants loosen just slightly and realized my body just became a little better defined. Even the little flaps of skin on my upper arms that bothered me so much seemed less noticeable. "Best exercise ever!¡± I thought as the fear from the fight was pushed to the side. I could tell from the way everyone else was inspecting their bodies, that they must have leveled up as well. I was about to ask when a loud howl sounded off in the forest. My head snapped to look in that direction when a matching call came from the opposite direction. It was only a few seconds before a howl came from almost every direction. I turned around and looked in the only direction that had no sound coming from it. "I think we should run." Heidi stepped up to stand next to me and we both nodded to each other. Aiden must have heard because he was quickly bobbing his head and glancing over his shoulder. "Why are you standing still then?!" Dax shouted as he spread his arms to push the three of us at once. "Let''s get out of here." There was no need for a further push as we all began to run as fast as we could in the direction where no sound came from. "I really hope this isn''t a trap.¡± I thought to myself as we ran. We had run for barely 3 minutes when we saw 5 of the rabbit-like creatures emerge from trees and gaining on us. I glanced back a few times to see how close they were getting, and this caused me to miss an exposed tree root and trip. Aiden saw this and slid to a stop, turning as he did, to face the monster hoard, "I''ll buy you time. Go!" I looked in shock at Aiden''s back. He was visibly shaking with fear, but he stood firm with resolve. I struggled to my feet and was about to run when suddenly a bright golden light shot from the direction we were running in and hit the creatures. The beam was small, but it somehow grew big enough to hit all of them at once when it collided with the target. ¡°Maybe it really is God!¡± I thought. Then an angel appeared. "Ahhh, there you lot are. Well come on, you are not equipped to survive out here yet." The angel landed and began walking without waiting for a response from us. Aiden crossed himself and ran to fall in step with the angel. "Guess we follow him?" Heidi helped me brush some of the dirt and forest debris from my clothes. I nodded in response, not being able to think of anything to say. "Worst goddamned heaven I could have imagined," Dax grumbled in a whisper as the three of us followed Aiden and his angel. We followed silently as the angel led the way. Several weird-looking creatures appeared and were quickly dispatched with a wave of the angel''s hand. After 15 minutes of walking, there were no more animals coming. There were no sounds of any animals at all. I assumed that meant that they must have all been scared by the display of dispassionate smiting the angel put on. After at least another hour of walking the angel looked back at us for the first time since saving us. "We are here." He said. Almost as he spoke a tall wall and a side of huge wooden doors appeared out of nowhere in front of us. The walls were so tall they seemed to stretch past the top of the trees and the doors looked like you could fly a plane sideways through them if you tried. With little effort, the angel pushed the doors open and we followed him through them. The walls protected the weirdest village I had ever seen, with buildings that looked like they could be from a steampunk fantasy, mixed with what looked like ancient roman buildings and even some buildings that looked like wooden houses that might have been straight out of an old western. Some of the buildings didn''t have any structure I could place. Stained glass walls supported some unrecognizable deep blue material, that was used to make a domed roof. The blue material continued from the roof and looked almost like streams of water running off the roof onto the ground creating a beautiful but unusual look. Individually each building was unique and looked amazing, but together as a single village, it drove my need to organize crazy. We followed the angel down what must have been the main road. The road ended at a large building at least 4 stories. It looked like a Japanese pagoda at first sight, but then the roof shingles appeared to be machine cogs. The pillars between each floor looked like stacked plates of glass with a golden bar running down their centers. The floors were tiled in mosaics and the ceilings had some weird geometric design. I could not place anything up close, it looked like it was just thrown together with whatever random materials and thoughts came to the builders. The only thing I knew for sure is that the building felt powerful. I expected to be led to stairs or an elevator but instead, the angel walked into an inner courtyard. "Please wait." The angel looked at each of us and then disappeared in a blur. "What is going on?" Dax turned around to take stock of our surroundings as he spoke. ¡°We have been saved from the dangers by God the same as he did for Daniel in the lion''s den. He sent us an angel to protect and shelter us.¡± Aiden was shaking with excitement as he preached. We were all staring at Aiden as he was visibly excited before a clear understanding must have washed away his dreams. Being a preacher only worked if people believed you and didn''t lock you in an insane asylum. If Aiden tried to preach and tell the world of this experience, the asylum is exactly where he would end up too. ¡°How about you tell us just what the hell is going on?¡± Heidi raised her hands as she shouted. Exhaustion and the stresses of the situation really must be getting to her. Chapter 4: Michael Aiden ¡°I don''t think this is God or heaven.¡± Dax began. ¡°I mean the sheet is exactly like a character sheet from an RPG game, and we got to even assign points to our stats with the level up.¡± ¡°I even got more toned!¡± Janet lifted her arm up to make a muscle, ¡°I put my points into strength so I could actually do something helpful if we got attacked again.¡± Dax raised his hand to point at Janet, ¡°Exactly, we were attacked. Doesn''t seem like heaven to me. Strength will most likely be more muscles, and will help us do physical feats. Agility is going to help us be more flexible, kind of like the dexterity of some games.¡± ¡°So endurance is how long we can push ourselves? What is constitution then? Is that our rights or something?¡± Heidi was staring into space as she spoke, probably looking at her sheet. ¡°No, its how quickly we recover most likely from being hurt.¡± Dax shrugged as he talked. ¡°That is how it would be in a game. Or ability to resist certain things like spell effects in D&D.¡± ¡°That''s helpful.¡± Janet rolled her eyes as the sarcasm dripped from her voice. ¡°Hey! I am speaking about games, this isn''t a game, so I can''t be sure, but at least I''m trying to get answers!¡± Dax''s face was getting more red as he spoke, and Janet was puffing up as well. Before they could continue though the angel reappeared and looked around at us. The expression on his face went from confusion to excitement as if he had just had an epiphany by looking at Dax. "Ah yes. An explanation; of course, you want one. Let''s see." The Angelic figure sat down on the ground with his legs crossed and his finger tapping his bottom lip. He reminded me of a little kid trying to think of an excuse to get candy in the morning. "Well, eons ago there was what I would refer to as universe prime. Some unknown power blasted through the entire universe altering it for better or worse. The inhabitants of that universe along with myself gained the interface and powers. We began to get stronger, we started fighting with weapons and moved on to fighting with skills and powers. The desire for power led to wars as it does. With the level of power, we were gaining our wars expanded from cities to continents to worlds to whole galaxies." Our host waved his hand and a table appeared out of nowhere with place settings for the four of us and steaming cups of tea at each spot. He waited until we took our seats before continuing. ¡°We fought with each other for millennia until only a respective few remained. That is when we discovered the ability to travel across universes and dimensions in search of new ways to gain power. We learned that as the same power that gave us our abilities was flooding a new universe it provided a conduit we could hijack. In these new universes we could build up the people and as they followed us we would get stronger, or we could just destroy them and take the power for ourselves. The remaining forces from universe prime split into two factions, those who worked at the creation of strong universes and those who destroyed them to gain power. This continued for a while until a third group formed. The third group, which I''m from, believes it falls to us to maintain a balance between the forces. After all destruction needs creation and vice versa." "Hey Mikey, got any sugar for this crap?" Heidi speaking up caused us all to look at her resulting in her blushing instantly. "Well, he''s an angel, right? So I thought Michael. But look at him. He looks like a kid sitting like that, admit it. So like, Mikey." She waved her hand as if she just explained the most logical thing in the world. Mikey waved his hand. I mean our host waved his hand, ¡°That crazy girl''s stupid names and thoughts are contagious.¡± A bowl of lightly glowing blue balls appeared on the table. ¡°It''s not sugar but should work the same. I''m not an angel either, this is the form of an Athriki. They were the controlling force of the last planet I took up as home. As for Mikey, that''s not my name. You can call me Michael though as my true name has sounds you wouldn''t be able to make.¡± The blue orbs were disconcerting, to say the least. When they hit the liquid they fizzled so much that the cup of tea looked like a mini fountain. None of the liquid spilled out of the cups surprisingly, and as the activity died down, the tea was sweetened as if it had been sugar but with a strange fruity hint that I could not place. The flavor complemented the flavor of the tea surprisingly well and I even felt as if I felt a bit stronger and mentally clearer after drinking it. From the expressions of surprise and happiness on the other''s faces, I would think the effect was universal. "Now where was I?" Michael tapped his finger on his lip once again as he thought. "Oh yes, those of us that went from universe to universe split into three groups, the destruction-prone ones, the ones who believe in growth and creating strong universes, and the third faction I am a part of, the ones to maintain balance. When we notice the scales tipping in for one of the other factions we intervene. At this point, the forces of destruction have been exceptionally lucky as of late, so I brought you all here to work for growth and creation. I will help when and where I can, but unfortunately, the powers here have not been concentrated, and are too weak for us older powerhouses, so I am limited in this universe. I also can not directly get involved, as natural laws have been rewritten by the system itself to stop us from steamrolling new universes in an instant. This is why we need to select champions to nurture and raise in power. Even the forces of destruction need to grow some new champions in every new universe. There are some loopholes and exceptions to these rules, but I won''t bother you with all the technical stuff yet, just know you are starting on an almost level ground currently with everyone you might compete with. For now at least." Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°So you are claiming to be a god that is being handicapped by an even stronger being?¡± Janet asked with skepticism and sarcasm dripping from her words. ¡°Oh no, we are not gods. We are lords with followers much like a king from your world, only infinitely more powerful. Gods as you know them are most likely banished champions who used the power they gained from an integrated universe to gain a following.¡± Michael chuckled and I could not take it anymore. "How do you know the lord isn''t what is limiting you? God is above all." I knew that I was right but even as I spoke I felt a pang of regret from speaking up. Michael smiled and looked into my eyes and I felt like my entire being was ripped away in an instant, leaving my soul bare in front of him. The gaze felt like it went on for eons as galaxies were both born and died in the span of a heartbeat while I was locked in his gaze. Michael finally broke eye contact and laughed. "That failed water manipulator actually did it!" Michael looked like he was struggling to stop from doubling over. "Jesus as you know him was a champion for me. I called upon him and he could manipulate water pretty well, even transmuting it with an alchemy skill. He became a bit too fond of the water to wine trick and I finally had to banish him back to his home world, which was your Earth. He must have sobered up and created a following. He told me he would be worshiped and I never believed him." Michael waved his hand and sat back. "No, the system is not a god or the God of your bedtime stories. It is a natural force unthinking but smarter than every being combined. Uncaring, just spitting out what is needed to keep the multiverse moving forward and becoming more, better, stronger. Some of the more philosophical among us believe it was birthed when the original power swept through the first of the universes and the goals of so many gave birth to the system and the interfaces. The system only gets smarter and stronger with each universe that it integrates with the release of the power." Michael shrugged, "That is one theory anyway. No one knows for sure." ¡°Tell us about these sheets with our names on them that popped up when we got here.¡± Janet crossed her arms. ¡°Tell us what it means, how it works, everything we might need to know.¡± ¡°The tricky thing about champion sheets is almost every creature starts with the same base champion sheet. Over time as each person separates themselves their sheets will change to be uniquely theirs, maybe displaying different bonuses or features that apply to their path better. There is a standard set of information that will maintain on all sheets though. This is your name, race, your level for example. Your base stats will also remain and will be a standard that can be compared to your peers. Though different things may cause the comparison to be quite misleading." This was a lot of information. We could compare our sheets with each other but they will begin to be different. I mentally willed my sheet into view and thought about how it might change. I honestly was bothered that the race of human had a qualifier. Did it really matter where I was from if I was still a human? As I watched a haze like the heat coming off a hot road went through my sheet and I stared in shock at [Race] Human. "Ummm my sheet just changed! I am no longer sol-3 human, I am just human!" I was looking from face to face and the glossy-eyed looks told me that the other three were checking theirs. "You figured out how to make adjustments. You can clean up your sheet for ease of reading for you. This is the first reason they start to change. The system is wise and learns from the changes you make, and the strengths you show and this guides the changes that happen to your sheet." Michael had a look that reminded me of someone watching a toddler barely manage to stand for the first time. It was only made worse with his next words, "Good job. You''re doing great." Heidi gave a little jump and a clap, ¡°Got it!¡± and we watched the other two. Janet looked like she was getting more and more upset. Dax furrowed his brows before grunting. ¡°I can''t figure it out right now.¡± He shrugged looking only slightly annoyed. Janet let out a huff and stomped a foot. ¡°You can''t get it either?¡± Dax was looking at Janet as he spoke. "No! I fixed the human part, but it won''t let me add or take things away. Like how come it doesn''t show I am a Virgo? I also wanted to move the stupid stats around to make them look more organized." Janet huffed and stared at Michael. ¡°You are still very low level, and the system won''t let you make many changes because it does not want you to hinder your own growth. And what is a Virgo?¡± Michael said the last work with confusion as if it felt overly weird to say. "It''s an astrological sign. Based on the Zodiac constellations around Earth, and it helps you understand your personality based on what stars were dominant or whatever." I tried to explain to Michael as best as I could. I had no belief in the Zodiac. Michael even began to laugh as I spoke. "The stars? They have no bearing on who or what you will become!" Michael was almost screaming because he was barely controlling his laughter enough to squeeze out words. "That is the craziest superstition I have heard in a very long time. Of course, the system would not put that in the sheet, it is nonsense made up information." Michael finished going over the character sheet and it really did correlate well with the RPG mechanics that Dax explained. "What about classes?" Dax asked with a chuckle. He looked at us with an expectant look, as we all shrugged and gave our attention to Michael for an answer. Dax seemed genuinely shocked when Michael began speaking again. ¡°Ahhhh yes! You are already familiar with classes. That is excellent, saves us some time. We seeded some information with your world just a few years ago. I am glad to see Gary was able to disseminate it quickly. When you hit level 10, the system will review your accomplishments, your personality, and your means of survival. Taking that into account, your interface will assign you a class. This can evolve as you hit milestones, but not always. We have noticed that some classes are stronger than others at a base, but it ultimately depends on the individual. Some of us elders from the stronger forces have developed a general sense of how strong a class is by its description and title. One thing you don''t want is a generic class. Soldier or fighter or some simple mage. Those will provide the hardest path to become truly powerful." Chapter 5: Lethal Weapons Dax ¡°Enough of that though, there is too much for me to explain it all right now. What you are here for is to help me maintain balance. My gift to you, as my champions, is to grant you affinity to the elements. Each of you had a strong presence of a specific element when you were transported here, and that same ability I used infused you with my gift. Dax, you have the element of land." ¡°I bet I got fire!¡± Aiden''s eyes lit up as he spoke in an excited whisper. ¡°Water is the element you have been infused with actually.¡± Michael continued speaking as though the interruption never happened. ¡°Fire was infused with Janet.¡± ¡°And of course the airhead gets air." Heidi rolled her eyes as she grumbled. "Do I at least get to fly?" The irritation that was there just a second ago seemed to have vanished as the question left Heidi''s lips. ¡°Flight is possible for all of you. You just have to get strong enough to do so." Michael''s tone was almost bored as if this was just a given that even children should have known. "Since you all seem to not need to listen though I will let you get started on your path." Michael had just finished speaking before he was gone. No flash, no movement not even a gust of wind. It was as if he was never there. A woman entered the courtyard a second later and walked over to us. She had half her head shaved with the hair folding over to one side barely touching the top of her ear. Scars could be seen as pale lines on the tanned skin of her shoulders and face with one looking as though she was nearly beheaded. She stood at least 7 feet tall and her muscles looked like she could have snapped most athletes on Earth in two with ease. A plain-looking cream-colored robe covered her body and he feet were bare. The image was of pure strength and power as she stopped standing before our group. ¡°I am Urdo. I will take you to the armory to get you set up for survival.¡± She then turned and started walking away without waiting for any reaction from us. I looked at the other three and shook my head. "Damnable NPCs always acting like you barely exist." I gave a smile as I spoke, but no one else seemed to find my joke funny. With a shrug, I began to follow Urdo. "I got land? So I guess I''m the rock dude. I can''t believe I have to be a tank in my real life too.¡± I couldn''t help but complain in my head. We walked down the streets in silence. I was looking at the buildings again. It looked like every type of civilization and even fantasy worlds all crashed into one town. There was even a thick tree that had windows in the sides and smoke steadily rising through the branches. I couldn''t help but immediately want some cookies when I saw that. We stopped at a building that was one of the less spectacular sights. It was a wooden shack by all appearances, and I suspected we were about to head into an oversized outhouse. The door flew open as if kicked by a horse causing us to all jump back except for Urdo. In the doorway stood a lizard on two legs. He was barely three feet tall and had little nubby horns coming out of the top of his head. The horns would have been a little more menacing if they didn''t look as if one was too far back and the other a little too close to the center. ¡°Well, come one, Nogge doesn''t have all day to tend to children.¡± The little creature sounded like a grumpy old man who had his oxygen tank swapped for a helium tank. I glanced at the others we all apparently had the same confusion as shrugs were the only answers I got. I nodded my head towards the door and lead the way. If this was the armory Urdo spoke of, then at least we can get something to defend ourselves. The shack surprisingly seemed much bigger on the inside than on the out. This wasn''t the weirdest thing I had encountered, but it was still another sign that my concepts of reality were being challenged again. Everything from small knives to long intricate bows lined the shelves. ¡°I am not taking a shield even if I get stuck tanking!¡± I made the vow in my head because I did not want to be pushed around more than I already was. I moved further into the building and the weapons gave way to shields and armor. ¡°I should definitely get some good armor though¡± I was reasoning with myself as I looked through what was available. "You can get geared up, but bear in mind, this is all beginner stuff. There are no living weapons or attuned armor in this stock. Now, hurry up so you can stop stinking up my space." Nogge barked at us as he disappeared behind a counter and pulled open a book. The little lizard looked annoyed that he had to work at all, and he seemed to hate people in general. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I found a chest plate that had some shoulder guards that looked as though they wouldn¡¯t restrict my movement too much. Urdo stepped up and offered to help me get the armor on when she saw me struggling with it. ¡°The pauldrons are not as easy as a cloth shirt.¡± She spoke as she cinched the strap to tighten the armor. ¡°Thank you.¡± I smiled as I tested my mobility. The armor was nice, but the design confused me. I had to slide one arm in then the other, and the chest closed like a cabinet door. It reminded me more of a clunky coat than of the armored shirt I expected. I found some metal gloves and a pair of thicker cloth pants. With the heat, I figured metal pants would be a bit too much. Once I was armored up, I went to check on the weapons. I felt pretty confident with both my hands, so I was hoping for two weapons. I found a pair of weapons. They had curved blades to one side and the metal ran around the wooden handle, with the opposite side being thick and flat. I could use this weapon to cut stab or bludgeon. They seemed perfect for me after having seen how I handled fighting with the hammer earlier. ¡°Armored breastplate, grieves, cloth pants, and two rejected kamas.¡± Nogge shook his head as he wrote down what I was taking. ¡°Try not to bleed too much on that stuff when you die, I might be able to salvage it for someone smarter.¡± I waited outside as everyone finished up. Just happy to be done with Nogge. "I don''t know why he brought a kobold to run the armory." Urdo spat as she walked out. "Nasty little things, rude and always trying to take as much as possible for themselves." This was the most I had seen from Urdo since meeting her and it made me laugh seeing that she also didn''t like the little lizard man. I only half paid attention to her as she spoke though because a new system notice had popped up. [Quest] Weapon Proficiency-Kama Work with the kama to survive to better understand the weapon and how to use it. [0%] [Quest] Armor Proficiency-Breastplate with pauldrons. Survive while wearing your armor to understand how to use it. [0%] ¡°Seems like the system knows I am a total noob,¡± I remarked quietly as I willed the messages to disappear. Janet was the next to come out, she was wearing brown cloth pants and what looked like a white linen top. She had a dark green cloak wrapped around her shoulders and a chain stretched between her hands. On one end of the chain was a dagger and the other end looked like a solid metal cylinder that ended at a point on the end not connected to the chain. She looked at me briefly before she took on a thousand-yard stare, letting me know she also received a message from the system. Aiden came out next and I was pleasantly surprised and very confused. Water affinity should have been stealthy, so a rogue build and gear are what I was expecting. Water flowing and being steady and can be silent all that. Instead, he was holding a tower shield in one hand and a war hammer in the other. "What''s with the shield?" I asked relieved that I wouldn''t be holding it but also bothered that we might have too many people filling the tank roll. "I suggested it," Heidi spoke up as she followed Aiden out. "He stopped to defend Janet when she fell, and I figured if he was going to do something crazy like that, he should be able to successfully protect instead of being an appetizer.¡± She laughed as she finished her reasoning. I joined her in laughing because it made sense and meant I didn¡¯t have to carry a shield. Heidi took on the stare of reading the system prompt and I took a chance to see what gear she chose. She had a Bo staff and some lightweight-looking leather armor. With her smaller frame and young look, she reminded me a lot of an elf without the pointy ears. ¡°Did everyone get quests based on the gear they chose?¡± Aiden looked around and we all nodded. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t have to do much fighting. Being violent is a sin.¡± Worry and fear overtook his features as he looked down at his hammer. ¡°Have you not heard of the god-damned crusades?¡± Janet was shaking her head. ¡°Not to mention, Michael already kind of explained you were following a¡­¡± Heidi began but I stepped up to rest my hand on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s a belief that he was born with. If he wants to keep it, let him keep it.¡± I looked at Janet with thinly veiled annoyance. ¡°And despite the aggressive tone, Janet is right. Fighting is wrong unless you are fighting to help those who are being taken advantage of. Michael explained if we don¡¯t fight, this whole universe will be destroyed.¡± Aiden looked from Hedi to Janet and then to me, before nodding. ¡°That is true, this could be where I have to show I am worthy of being a¡­¡± The sentence was cut short as a loud crash sounded out by the wall followed by horns being blown in long low notes. ¡°Seems the forces of destruction have found our compound. It was only a matter of time since they have one of their own so close by.¡± Urdo looked at as and waved towards the gate. ¡°Well, Go! Fight!¡± Chapter 6: Mortal Kombat Heidi We went towards the gate and saw some of the people running towards us to get away from the fighting. ¡°This is a terrible idea.¡± I felt like a lamb going to the slaughter as I was forced to move to a jog to keep up with the rest of the group. We reached the doors that were closed when we arrived and saw that there was a seven-foot-tall hole busted where the two doors met. ¡°Seems like a bit of overkill.¡± I thought as I caught sight of the attackers. There were five enemies that I could make out. They stood an average of five feet and below the neck, they had the same basic structure as any normal human. The arms and legs were a glossy black color and appeared to be covered in small feathers. The build of these creatures was thin and topped with bird-like heads. Foot-long beaks extended from the heads the color of bone. In the short time that I surveyed the scene, the defenders defeated one leaving only four. The last of the attackers saw us come into the area and began to retreat through the hole. ¡°Finally, something went right and we don¡¯t even need to fight.¡± The thought flashed through my head, and I audibly groaned before the prompt even appeared. [Quest: Track down and defeat the attackers before they can return to their base] ¡°Of-freaking-course! There is a quest that forces us to fight instead of enjoying the victory.¡± Me and my big freaking mind. I looked over at Janet and she was shaking her head as the boys were already moving forward. ¡°Guess we go with them?¡± I asked while internally hoping she would call me crazy and tell me no. ¡°Guess we don¡¯t have much choice,¡± Janet said through a sigh as she started walking. ¡°I should have played more games apparently.¡± Dax and Aiden stopped at the hole in the gate and waited for us. ¡°They aren¡¯t running very fast.¡± Dax was pointing at the receding backs of the birdmen ¡°And they are leaving quite the trail.¡± Aiden gestured to the path of broken branches and cut bushes that marked their route. ¡°I saw we follow but let them tire themselves out.¡± Dax shrugged and we left the safety of the compound. ¡°I already hate this. The heat is even worse in this armor.¡± ¡°There had better be baby powder here.¡± I walked into the back of Janet, whom I was following. She had stopped to turn and look at me. ¡°What did you say?¡± Janet was looking at me with a mix of confusion from my rambling and annoyance from being plowed into. ¡°Heat, leather, chaffing.¡± I pointed at the sky, then lifted the shoulders of my armor, and then gestured at my thighs. ¡°I said I hope there¡¯s baby powder here.¡± The look of awe followed by laughter and a shake of her head told me that Janet was not impressed with my reasoning. A few minutes passed and I decided to try connecting with her on a more basic level. ¡°So, I spoke to Urdo about the.¡± I paused trying to think of how to speak delicately. ¡°The monthly sanitation situation.¡± I blushed as I spoke. I am used to being around mostly guys, so this kind of conversation did not come naturally to me. ¡°Oh god. Please tell me they have something here. I do not want to have to deal with period cramps on top of everything else.¡± Janet didn¡¯t seem nearly as embarrassed, which made me a little envious. "I guess they have some primitive options, but they haven''t focused on that because after your constitution score hits 15, it doesn''t come anymore." I pulled my screen up to check where I was. ¡°WHAT?!¡± Janet stopped in her tracks and grabbed my arm turning me to look at her. ¡°Are you telling me we get sterilized?¡± Anger and fear twisted her face as she stared at me. ¡°No no no.¡± I backed away slowly as I spoke, ¡°It has something to do with your body not working unnecessarily and not having the dead layers to lose.¡± I was looking at my feet by the time I finished speaking, trying to avoid her wrath. ¡°This is not a conversation I want to have. Why do I keep opening my big mouth.¡± Janet relaxed as she let go of my arm and realization set in. ¡°I might learn to love this place!¡± She laughed and looped her arm through mine, steering me and forcing me to walk faster to catch up to the boys. ¡°What¡¯s taking you two so long?¡± Aiden looked back smiling as we caught up. ¡°We were talking about periods and how to handle the cramps and the blood¡± Janet gave me a sly smile as she spoke, and Aiden''s face turned so red I thought Michael mixed up and gave him the fire affinity. Dax overheard and shook his head laughing at the antics. Janet leaned in to just whisper in my ear. "That one is going to be fun." We had been walking for what felt like hours and the sun was setting. We could easily see three moons coming into the sky from 3 different directions. The four birdmen we were following had stopped and a fire could be seen as the light went away. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here,¡± Dax pointed at an area just off the path that had fewer trees and shrubs. "I will try to get a fire going. Heidi can get some water. Janet, look for something that seems edible and Aiden, help me get some wood." Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Who made you boss? And also, why not have me do the fire and Aiden look for water?¡± Janet crossed her arms and stared daggers at Dax after he split up the tasks. "I figured you probably had better attention to detail, so maybe you would spot something poisonous before the rest of us. Also with your time on the internet, I was hoping you picked up on some kind of saying or tip for food in the woods." Dax raised his hands as he spoke as if surrendering. "I also figured a pampered guy like Aiden could get wood just fine but looking for water might be a bit beyond his skill set currently.¡± Aiden looked like he was about to defend himself before closing his mouth and nodding. ¡°At least he knows his limits. He might not be a complete moron after all.¡± I looked at Janet who was visibly deflating after hearing the reasoning. "Shall we go?" I put my hand on her shoulder and nodded towards the woods trying to give her a way out of the conversation. Genuinely interacting with people has never been my strong suit. I could smile and be nice for the five seconds it took to get someone on a ride, but this was way beyond my interpersonal skill level. With a smile and a silent mouthed ¡°thank you¡± Janet turned and marched off on the hunt for something to eat. ¡°What if we don¡¯t find anything?¡± My fear was mounting as I realized the tea was the only thing we had to eat or drink since we arrived. ¡°I haven¡¯t even felt a little hungry or thirsty since the mad hatter¡¯s tea party.¡± Dax looked at the sky and laughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel that funny energy flood your body while we drank?¡± The content feeling returned as I remembered the way the tea made me feel. ¡°Magic tea! I could have used that as a traveling carnie.¡± I nodded, keeping my wandering thoughts to myself. ¡°Alright, be back soon.¡± I disappeared into the woods trying to figure out how I would even begin to look for water. I stumbled around in the woods for 20 minutes without any luck. ¡°Maybe I listen for bubbly sounds or splashes or..¡± My mind was trying to play every scene from every movie that depicted water at once. To say it wasn¡¯t helpful would be an understatement. ¡°Waterfall maybe. But that would need a cliff. This land is very flat it seems. I bet it would be a fun place for a haunted house. Oh god, there could be so many killers hiding out here at night." I shuddered as the thoughts turned even darker in my head. I should not have been such a big horror movie fan. I wrapped my arms around myself. Every small noise caused me to jump a little and turn my head quickly. My neck had started hurting and I had to convince myself I was paranoid. After another ten minutes of inattentive searching, I decided I had scared myself enough and started to head back to camp. That is when I heard a stick crunch, and my world went black. I groaned as I slowly sat up, the back of my head was sore and my whole head was throbbing. I looked over to my side and saw Dax on his knees with his hand raised, both of his weapons sat at his side on the ground as if he dropped them when he raised his hands. In front of his neck was the tip of a sword. I let my eyes follow the tip back along the blade to the bird creature holding it and then his other arm. The second arm reached out holding another sword, and as my eyes traced down the blade, I realized it was pointing right at me. ¡°Shit!¡± I almost screamed and jumped while my hands shot into the air to mimic Dax. As we sat there, Aiden marched back into camp with his arms full of wood he had collected. He stopped next to the shield he had left lying on the ground. ¡°Drop the wood and hands up!¡± Aiden complied with the screechy voice that gave the order. The smaller creature must have been obscured by the dimming light and Aiden¡¯s bigger body. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t fun while it lasted.¡± I silently wished I was back with those kids I hated so much as I prepared to meet my end. Janet I started heading back towards what was hopefully a camp by now. I was just about to shout out about how there was still no fire when I caught sight of Aiden with his hands up, one of the birdmen stood behind him with a spear pressed into his back. Dax and Heidi were on their knees and a second enemy was holding two swords leveled at their necks. It didn¡¯t appear as though anyone had been hurt yet, but it was clear that wouldn¡¯t last long. As best as I could, I tried to sneak up from behind the birdmen. They were talking to themselves in low tones, and both looking out towards their camp so it shouldn''t have been that hard, but I was also used to carpeted floors and slippers, so it took more concentration than I anticipated. I lined up almost directly behind the one with the spear and took a deep steading breath before acting on my terrible idea. I was going to try to use the length of my weapon to eliminate both with a single move. I channeled all the self-defense videos I had seen online and made my move. In less than a second, I swung the weighted end of my chain dart at the one holding the two swords and it hit him in the head. ¡°Yes! Perfect aim!¡± I silently praised myself as I lunged at the spear wielder with the dagger. He was alerted to my actions when he saw the hit and heard his partner¡¯s pained grunt. The reflex to turn meant his spear was not pressed against Aiden¡¯s back anymore. It also meant that my aim was off, and my dagger slid over his arm leaving barely a scratch. ¡°Well, so much for perfect aim,¡± I thought as pitch black eyes locked onto me. I was expecting the spear to come for me, but Aiden had moved fast and was slamming his shield into the spear birdman. The force of the shield and lunge of Aiden cause them both to fall to the ground, pinning the creature under Aiden who tried to punch it. ¡°Ow, what the¡­¡± Aiden cried out as his fist bounced off of the white beak and I dropped to my knees. I didn¡¯t hear the last of his sentence though as I focused on driving my dagger home into the enemy¡¯s skull. ¡°Well, that sucked.¡± Heidi was leaning on her bo staff looking down at the dented skull of the second attacker. ¡°Yep.¡± Dax barely managed to say as he fought to catch his breath while pulling his kamas from the chest of the same birdman. ¡°Oh, Hey!¡± I perked up as a system prompt appeared. [Name] Janet Vicario [Level] 2 [Race] Human [Strength] 6 [Agility] 6 [Endurance] 7 [Constitution] 7 [Mind] 9 [Stat points to distribute: 2] ¡°Two to constitution thank you very much! Going to solve at least one problem if I can help it.¡± Chapter 7: Failing Better Now Aiden We caught our breaths as we looked over ourselves for injuries. Heidi had a lump on the back of her head, but it seemed to already be going down, and her headache had already gone away. I grabbed my shield and kept an eye on the fire burning in the distance. I could see shadowy figures walking in front of it from time to time, so I knew at least one if not both remaining birdmen were still there. ¡°What should we do? They are going to be expecting their friends to come back after taking us out.¡± I pointed at the glow of the fire. ¡°I think we can take two of them if we can get close.¡± Dax looked at his kamas and shook his head as he spoke. ¡°This is not what I planned to be doing when I woke up this morning.¡± ¡°If we take out those two, we finish the quest, and we can go back to town, right?¡± Heidi rubbed the back of her head and shrugged. ¡°I would like to spend as little time in the open as possible.¡± Janet looked up from where she was wiping the blood off her dagger on the fallen enemy¡¯s clothes, ¡°Then let¡¯s go finish this and then get back to the compound in the morning.¡± We took another few minutes trying to figure out how we would attack the camp. During this time, we were able to watch close enough to determine that there were two different people around the fire as well. We had all recovered some energy and decided it was time to start creeping towards the other camp as the moons in the sky crossed paths. The plan was simple, sneak up, and Heidi would trip one with her bo staff while Janet took one down with her chain dart. Dax and I would pounce on the fallen guys, and we would finish the fight fast and with a lot less effort than the last one. But as the saying goes, the best laid plans and all that. We got into position, and the first move was great as Janet through the weighted dart and it wrapped around one of the guys legs and he let out a yelp of pain. The second one turned and took a step towards his partner causing Heidi to miss with her staff and whack him in the ankle instead. The one Janet had snared was going down but was caught by his friend. ¡°There goes the quick fight.¡± I thought as I pounced at the one who was now standing on only one leg fighting with Janet for his other. The crash of my shield against his body finally took him down to the ground. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dax launching at his target as I fell on top of mine. I raised my hammer and brough it down with all my might onto the beak of the victim pinned below me. ¡°Please forgive me, lord.¡± My hand shook as the hammer landed and only barely cracked the white boney material. I say the eyes widen before they closed, and my fight was done. I was looking up just as I heard Dax. ¡°Ow, damn it!¡± Dax stepped back from his target who was still standing, his sword drawn and a bit of blood running down his blade. I looked at Dax and saw that a wet spot was forming across the fabric of his pants around a clean cut on his thigh. Heidi must have seen an opening before me, because by the time I was swinging my hammer to help, her staff was already connecting with the face of the remaining enemy. The birdman stumbled and was falling backwards already when my hammer hit the back of his skull and a sickening wet crunch was heard as his head shot forward and a dent was already visible in the back. With both fighters down, I ran over to Dax who had fallen to the ground holding his leg. ¡°Oh my god! How bad is it?¡± I was on my knees looking at the blood seeping out around his fingers. ¡°It hurts like a bitch! But I¡¯ll be fine, I have honestly had worse injuries working construction.¡± Dax was pushing hard on the wound. I was still concerned but couldn¡¯t ask any more questions because a system prompt distracted me. [Quest updated] [One of the attackers has remained alive after you have prevented them from returning to their base. Use this opportunity to find a way into the enemy compound and eliminate the threat. Rewards will be adjusted to match the new quest objective.] I looked over at the fighter with the cracked beak and let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Are we being punished?¡± I moved my gaze to Janet and Heidi who looked as though they had just finished reading the prompt and were now both looking at the birdman who was still alive. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°I don¡¯t think we are. But I don¡¯t like this either,¡± Dax said as he grunted and sat forward. ¡°We should tie him up and we can interrogate him when he comes around.¡± He moved his hand to check his cut, and the bleeding had stopped. ¡°That is either a good sign or a really bad one.¡± We all took up spots around the fire and sat quietly. I looked at my screen to see how everything was coming along, [Name]Aiden Michaels [Level] 2 [Race] Human [Strength] 9 [Agility] 8 [Endurance] 6 [Constitution] 7 [Mind] 8 [Quest] Weapon Proficiency-Warhammer Work with the Warhammer to survive to better understand the weapon and how to use it. [10%] [Quest] Armor Proficiency-Shield Survive while wearing your shield to understand how to use it. [19%] [Quest] Eliminate Threat Infiltrate and eliminate the threat of the enemy compound. ¡°At least I¡¯m making progress on the proficiency quests.¡± I thought as I stared into the fire. We sat there quietly for a couple of hours before the sound of struggle brought all of our attention to our captive. ¡°What are you?¡± Heidi was the first to speak as she turned to face the creature. ¡°I¡¯m a kenku warrior, and you need to release me if you want to be spared.¡± The kenku puffed up his chest as he spoke. ¡°Oh, we are going to return you to your base, just as soon as you tell us where it is.¡± Janet moved to sit next to the tied-up fighter. She loosely held the chain of her weapon letting the dagger swing ominously over the kenku¡¯s thighs. The fighter visibly gulped while he watched the dagger swing. His friends dead body lay just off to the side, and once he saw that and realized the same fate must have befallen his other two comrades his head sank. ¡°It¡¯s about a one-day hike in that direction.¡± He nodded his head with little energy. ¡°It¡¯s suicide though, our strongest fighters will be waiting for a retaliation strike. ¡°How many fighters are there?¡± Dax had slowly managed to get to his feet and was looking down at the captive now. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just appeared here with some of my fellow fighters, and we got the quest to eliminate the opposing force in the area. I saw maybe five or six others before we decided to join the squad that was already marching towards your base.¡± Dax leaned down and grabbed the rope bindings and dragged the fighter to his feet. ¡°I appreciate the help.¡± Dax¡¯s voice was somber and even quivered a bit as he pushed the prisoner towards the woods. ¡°But we can¡¯t let you live to stab us in the back or alert the others.¡± Dax followed until the darkness hid them from us. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours as we waited. There was no sound of a struggle, no yells or screams just the sounds of the woods and the crackling of the fire. Dax returned from the darkness, limping his way back to the fire and almost fell as he sat in his spot. Everyone had the same question on their mind. ¡°Did you just execute that living creature?¡± but none of us wanted to ask, because we knew the truth, and no one liked it. ¡°It needed to be done.¡± Dax was staring at the base of the fire, as he spoke. His tone was quiet but firm. It was as if he was trying to convince himself as much as explaining it to us. ¡°I hate this place! I never even made a fist at another person before this.¡± I couldn¡¯t help myself as tears started to roll down my face. ¡°I was just a blogger, and not I have killed! Why us? Why not real soldiers?¡± Janet wrapped her arms around her folded legs and hid her face as her body shook from silent sobs. Heidi took a steadying breath before speaking. ¡°I want to stop the people from destroying this universe because I think it is the right thing to do. I don¡¯t think I want to commit myself to Michael and his forces though. Not if they take innocents like us and force us into fighting and killing.¡± ¡°I saw we finish this quest. We can discuss the next move after that. It seems the system or whatever it is has given competing quests to us and these kenkus. It is us or them who has to die, and I would much prefer it not to be me.¡± Dax was staring at the fire still, but his words made sense and I nodded along in agreement, tears still running down my cheeks. Janet let out a muffled ¡°mhmmph¡± as she stayed in her little ball. We continued to sit there around the fire, no one having anything else to say. I couldn¡¯t figure out what, but there was something in the back of my mind bothering me. As the sun began to rise, I realized that I didn¡¯t even feel a little tired despite the crazy day and pulling an all-nighter. We all stood up and got ready to head out. I was standing looking through the trees before I finally realized that this sun seemed smaller, closer, and kind of orange. I had to force myself to stop trying to look at it and to finish get ready to head out. ¡°Your limp.¡± I pointed to Dax¡¯s leg as he walked around the camp. He moved the fabric around on his pants to look at the cut, and it had already scabbed over. It wasn¡¯t fully healed but it was a lot closer than it should have been. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty neat trick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m traveling with fricking Wolverine here.¡± Heidi smiled and slapped Dax¡¯s leg as she spoke, drawing a pained grunt from him. ¡°Guess it¡¯s not that healed huh?¡± ¡°I can walk fine, but it still hurts!¡± Dax glared at the airhead before just shaking his head seemingly letting the annoyance drop away. Chapter 8: Roadtrip We began to walk through the trees in the direction that the kenku indicated. We moved slower than the group of fighters did. This was partly because my leg did not let me move too fast without pain. We were also slower because none of us were used to this type of hiking. I reached down to rub my leg after a particularly big stretch to get over a tree that fell on top of a rise in the ground. "Seems like it¡¯s healing way too fast.¡± I thought as I realized the wound felt stiff and tender but more like a bad bruise. The rest of the group saw me rub my leg and must have decided it was hurting too much because we decided to take a break. Aiden produced a canteen he had gotten from one of the birdmen and sniffed the contents before taking a testing sip. As soon as the liquid hit his mouth her swished it a bit before swallowing and taking a bigger gulp. The rest of us watched Aiden drink as we produced our own canteens and slowly unscrewed the lids. "It''s just clean water!" Aiden practically shouted between gulping in air. "I didn''t realize how thirsty I was." I sniffed my canteen to be safe and took a small sip to test. The moment the water contacted my tongue, it felt like all the moisture in my mouth and throat was ripped away. My throat burned from being parched and I felt my lips crack as they dehydrated in an instant. I tipped the container up and drank in large gulps of the water trying to quench the immediate and devastating thirst. Only when the bottle was empty did I lower it and look at the rest of the group who appeared to have finished all their water as well. ¡°Holy Sahara sands batman, that was a horrible feeling!¡± Heidi was taking in deep breaths to replace the air she had missed as she almost drowned herself to satiate her thirst. ¡°I wonder if it is an aftereffect of the blue fizzle balls. Like major class cotton mouth.¡± Janet had sat down on the fallen tree and was just staring at her empty canteen. ¡°We need to find a way to refill these now.¡± ¡°That guy.¡± I began and then paused, remembering what I had done the night before. ¡°That thing.¡± I took a deep breath trying to convince myself that, as an alien, I couldn¡¯t give him the same humanity I did for my group. ¡°There is supposed to be a river we have to cross according to the enemy information.¡± ¡°Should I dehumanize them, so I don¡¯t feel bad? Will that make me ok with killing anything that isn¡¯t human? Should I treat them the same, to keep myself from becoming a monster?¡± My thoughts were driving me crazy as I struggled with exactly how I should feel. We sat there for another five minutes before Aiden stood and rested his hand on my shoulder. ¡°We are all doing things we don¡¯t like, but you did what was needed to protect all of us. In the eyes of God, you are still a good person.¡± Aiden¡¯s voice was low, only meant for me to hear. I have never been religious but hearing his word did make me feel a little better, so I didn¡¯t hesitate when he turned to the rest of the group to suggest getting moving again. The sun was setting by the time we reached the river and all of us rushed to refill our canteens. The water tasted fresh and clean, thankfully. It was also cold, probably from some melted glacier somewhere far away. We all drank our fill before sitting back and looking out over the river. "I got the wood tonight." Aiden stood up and gave my shoulder one more pat before heading back towards the woods. ¡°I can get a fire started with this.¡± Janet smiled and held up what looked like a rectangle of rock. From my confused expression, she could tell I didn''t understand. "It''s a flint." She sighed, deflating from her victory as she had to explain why it was a victory. "I found it in the camp last night, I can make a fire by hitting it with my dagger." I nodded and turned my attention back to the river. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep an eye here for fish, I¡¯m not hungry yet, but if it hits like the thirst did, that would be bad.¡± Heidi held up a couple of rocks and showed them to us. ¡°Fire pit?¡± She looked very proud of her find that both Janet and I nodded, and Heidi did an excited skip-walk to build the rock ring a little way off. As I watched the water my eyes became glued to the rocks. They were worn smooth after countless years and gallons of water washed over them. I scanned the riverbed, my attention moving from one rock to the next. As I watched I could swear that I could see a small fog as the rocks were being broken down. I became hyper-focused while watching, all sense of self faded away as I sat there on the side of the river. The world faded into a haze as the rocks in the river sharpened in my eyes. I couldn''t help but marvel at how the marching of time had given this lazily flowing water the power to break the rocks into imperceptibly small particles. ¡°Is it the water that has this power or is it time that does?¡± My mind kept moving between the two, trying to understand. I felt a connection between myself and the rocks. I couldn¡¯t tell if the connection was imagined or if it was because of my land affinity, but it helped me focus on the fog flowing from the rocks. As I paid more attention I felt as though I could start to make out individual particles as they broke off from the rock and swirled in the water before depositing in the riverbed further down. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. My eyes moved on their own as they snapped between rocks and particles, catching different rocks as they were slowly wearing away. The particles washed away and went with the flow of the water and time. The erosion moving slower than should be perceptible to the human eye but happening as clear as day to me. I don''t know how much time had passed but I was snapped back to reality by shaking me hard. "Dax! Snap out of it! Come on man." I was confused as I looked at him, his features barely discernable in the dark. Over his shoulder, I could see the flickering of the campfire burning where Heidi ran to with her rocks. But there were still a few hours before it got dark when I sat down here. ¡°What happened? Why is it so dark all of a sudden?¡± I began to stand up as I tried to get answers, but Aiden push me back down by my shoulders as he looked at me with worry in his eyes. ¡°All of a sudden? You''ve been sitting here by the river for like 10 hours. We thought you were just avoiding work at the beginning. We got worried when you didn''t respond to anything, just your eyes occasionally moving and then staying glued in one spot. I don''t think you even blinked.¡± Aiden''s loud explanation caused Janet and Heidi to rush over. ¡°Dude! You were freaking glowing like a light bulb!¡± Heidi walked around me looking completely amazed. ¡°I was glowing?!¡± I quickly moved my hands up to examine them. They seemed normal enough, and there was no glow at all. ¡°Yeah, you glowed for half an hour and then stopped. We sent the choir boy to check on you when we couldn''t see your light anymore.¡± Janet stared at me but kept her distance. I can''t say I blame her. ¡°How are you feeling? Feel like you might go Chornobyl on us?¡± Everyone took a quick step back as Janet asked. My stomach sank as I thought about the possibility of blowing up without warning. I tried to check all over my body and focus my thoughts trying to find even the slightest odd feeling when a new prompt popped into view. [Origins added] Erosion. ¡°I don''t think I''m going to explode. My sheet changed though.¡± I explained the line that was added as I looked at my ever-expanding and confusing sheet. [Name] Dax Williams [Level] 2 [Race] Human [Strength] 8 [Agility] 6 [Endurance] 9 [Constitution] 8 [Mind] 6 [Origins] Erosion [Quest] Weapon Proficiency-Kama Work with the kama to survive to better understand the weapon and how to use it. [20%] [Quest] Armor Proficiency-Breastplate with pauldrons. Survive while wearing your armor to understand how to use it. [10%] ¡°We¡¯ll have to ask Michael about it when we get back.¡± Aiden stood and quickly crossed himself before heading back to the fire. I looked sheepishly at Heidi who laughed and slapped my shoulder before joining him. ¡°Great, now I¡¯m going to be the one everyone is worried about!¡± I shook my head at that thought. I slowly got to my feet and followed them. The three of us sat down and looked over at Janet, who was standing some distance away watching us with crossed arms. She walked over and joined us 10 minutes later. ¡°Just making sure you didn''t go boom when you warmed up,¡± Janet spoke with a guilty smile as she sat down. We sat there quietly watching the fire for a few minutes before anyone spoke again. When someone did choose to speak it was Heidi, ¡°Do you think that you zoned out and got that new addition because of your cut?¡± She was looking at my leg as she asked, a mix of curiosity and fear playing across her face. ¡°I don¡¯t believe so. I don¡¯t feel any other side effects, and I would believe there would be something if it was some kind of poison. The fact that the system gave me a prompt and added it to my sheet makes me hope that it is a good thing though.¡± I tried to sound confident, but I wasn¡¯t feeling very sure myself. This could be like a cursed status or maybe it means I will erode into dust. There was just no way for me to know, and I felt my stomach turn as I realized I could now have a very real countdown clock. ¡°We need to figure out a plan.¡± Janet thankfully changed the subject as she pointed across the river. There was smoke just beyond the tree line rising into the sky. ¡°It looks like there are a few small campfires like our own. Couldn¡¯t be much bigger.¡± She spoke with confidence but then looked surprised at what she said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand how I know that.¡± ¡°I just hope the light show didn¡¯t give us away.¡± I smiled at Aiden, noticing he had purposefully changed the topic back to strategy. ¡°We need to get into the woods tomorrow morning and try to scout the compound before we can make a full plan.¡± I sat back thinking of the handful of times I played Dungeons and Dragons in my teens. ¡°We will have to sneak and try not to be noticed though, otherwise it¡¯s going to be another frantic fight for our lives.¡± ¡°Wake up. Cross the river and hike into the woods like a true explorer, then go ninja. Plan the whole mission without being noticed and then the four of us are going to raid the base.¡± Heidi was looking off at an angle as she spoke. ¡°Nothing like a suicide mission to get your blood pumping in the morning, I guess. I really hate this place. More than Florida even." Janet laughed as she slid a little closer and nudged Heidi¡¯s shoulder with her own, doing a rocking motion from side to side. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Florida is pretty crazy.¡± Chapter 9: The Conquerors We found the camp pretty easily. It stood out because of the change to the land that the enemy caused. The entire thing looked hastily made, nothing at all like Michael''s compound. The dirt looked to be dug up in a ring, one or two feet deep with just a small path left to enter and leave. The removed dirt seemed to have been used to raise the land inside the ring, putting it a couple of inches higher than the surrounding land. The height difference wasn''t extreme, but it did present a problem with getting in undetected. To add to the difficulty, there was a wall made from small trees that were cut down and held together with dried mud. The hurried nature of the construction meant that the wall was not uniform at all. The height ranged from close to 8 feet at its tallest to barely 4 feet at the short parts. In general, the camp looked flimsy and would not withstand a full assault from an army, but to our small group, it was practically impenetrable. Where the path was, stood a hole in the wall that should have probably held a gate. There was no gate or even a door luckily. Unluckily there were guards stationed here to make up for this lack of defense. We could make out a little bit of the camp inside and it looked like it was all makeshift tents covered in leaves. We studied the camp for a couple of hours before backing off to discuss a potential strategy. ¡°We are not going over that wall,¡± I said as soon as I was sure we were outside of earshot. ¡°We can crawl through the ditch,¡± Dax began to outline his plan. ¡°I think it¡¯s called a moat.¡± Heidi interrupted without even a hint of humor. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure those are just for castles,¡± Aiden answered as he looked towards the camp, distracted by Heidi¡¯s outburst. ¡°Does it even freaking matter?!¡± I could hear my voice grow a bit louder and my tone deeper. I never was good at hiding annoyance. ¡°As you were saying,¡± I made a show of slowly looking at Dax. ¡°I was saying if we approach from the side, we can crawl through the¡­¡± Dax paused for a second to think. ¡°We can crawl through the moat, and maybe we can ambush the guards before they can raise the alarm. You and Aiden from one side, and me and Heidi from the other. You and Heidi have more reach with your weapons, and Aiden and I can provide support in case it comes to close combat.¡± ¡°What if they scream and alert everyone else?¡± Aiden looked scared as he spoke, his eyes drifting between the camp and the river we came from. ¡°It would be hard to run away.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we really have an option here.¡± I wasn¡¯t a fan of the idea of trying to fight a small army. ¡°Two days ago, I could brag about never being in any fight outside of an online forum!¡± I felt a pang of fear rising in my core. ¡°We have to do it.¡± Heidi looked squarely at me as she spoke, ¡°And I thought you would have noticed as well. There was almost no activity in that camp.¡± The conversation went on for a few more minutes before we finally decided to attack at dusk to hopefully gain a little advantage of sneaking around. The next couple of hours passed in almost total silence as we all tried to build up the courage and energy to attack. As the sun began to go down behind the trees, I watched as Aiden stood and began to check his shield and Warhammer. Dax walked over and got help pulling the straps on his armor tighter as Heidi approached me to ask me to help check her armor. I did what I could, tugging here and there, but I had no idea what I was doing at all. Thankfully Dax had a watch that still worked because he didn¡¯t like pulling his phone out while working construction. Heidi also had one because she would watch the time while working the rides. We synched them up and I took Heidi¡¯s watch so we could both plan to be at the gate at the same time. ¡°I feel very SEAL Team 6 right now,¡± I thought as I slipped down into the dugout hole. I glanced at my watch as we stopped just before we could see the opening, ¡°Five minutes.¡± I whispered back to Aiden, who nodded and hefted his shield to check that it was secure. We pressed our backs against the wall side of the ditch ¡°Moat is definitely for castles only,¡± The thought annoyed me as soon as it crossed my mind. The watch ticked away what felt like hour-long minutes until the appointed time. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. I rushed around the corner and took aim throwing the weighted end of my dart at the leg closest to me. As my dart flew, I chanced a look over and saw the other guard had fallen but was holding the other end of Heidi¡¯s bo staff. I felt panic grow in my chest as my dart wrapped around the leg of my assigned guard and I pulled as hard as I could. His leg came out from under him, and he fell into the ditch landing face down and driving his beak into the dirt. I jumped on his back while shouting at Aiden. ¡°Help the others!¡± My dagger was already passing into the first victim of the assault as Aiden scrambled onto the dirt bridge. I heard a scream of pain coming from the kenku before it was cut short with a wet thump of Aiden¡¯s hammer hitting flesh. I didn¡¯t dare look as I continued to plunge my dagger into the body that lay under me. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and my skin grew wet under the touch. I stopped and looked over at a blood-covered hand and fell off the body, and crab-walked back to the side of the ditch. Dax stood there, his hand covered in blood and his body looking like a terrifying Jackson Pollock painting. ¡°We need to keep moving, these two are done.¡± He spoke sternly and I could only nod silently as I use the wall to stand up. My legs moved with great effort, feeling as though they were made from Jell-O. ¡°This is worse than I imagined. I hate it here so much.¡± I thought as I climbed onto the dirt bridge with the others, barely fighting back tears and the mental breakdown that threatened to consume me. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I managed to get out, trying to reassure myself and the others, but only the words came out as more of a quivering whimper. We entered the camp proper, and there were tents around, and the beginnings of several fires but there was no one at the fires. We stood in the open and could see no one and no movement in the camp other than the shadows from the small flickering flames. ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Heidi asked quietly as the eerie lack of anything in the camp made the whole group uncomfortable. Slowly, we walked through the tents checking for signs of anyone who might be hiding. We made it through roughly a third of the tents before a noise made us all jump. Crashing of wood falling to the ground as we saw one lone kenku warrior standing in the middle of the camp. The wood he was carrying from fire to fire silently sprawled on the ground at his feet as he produced two thin swords. [Quest update: Defeat the camp¡¯s general to claim possession and eliminate the threat of the enemy.] I moved off to the side as Dax stood directly in front of the general. Aiden went to the other side while Heidi followed me halfway around before stopping to let me take the back. The movement was slow, and the general did his best to watch us as we moved to surround him. Dax was the first to act as the general turned his head to check on me. A swing down with both of his weapons gave Dax a strong swing, but his attack was deflected with a single sword while the second snaked out and sliced along the side of Dax. Aiden charged forward with this shield held between him and the enemy, providing an opening for Dax to move back, grunting in pain. A loud crash of metal against metal as the general took Aiden¡¯s charge with his swords crossed in front of himself. I thought this proved a great opening and I threw my chain dart at the general¡¯s legs. I was already enjoying the victory in my head when the enemy stepped sideways, disengaging from Aiden, and letting his forward momentum draw Aiden into the path of my weighted dart. The chain wrapped around Aiden¡¯s legs, and he tripped sliding on the ground and yanking me closer to the melee as he pulled on the chain. Heidi was already moving as the only standing fighter left. She held her staff like she was a jousting knight in a medieval festival. The attack must have confused the general with its complete lack of skill or finesse because he barely managed to sidestep it. This caused him to stumble over Aiden''s prone body. I was still in motion as I saw the birdman staggering towards me, and I raised my dagger in defense. A wet "shuluck¡± sound was made before a sudden weight landed against me causing me to fall. [Quest Completed!] [Hold the base through the night] The prompt told me what happened when I fell, and yet another quest was given. I struggled in fear and disgust under the weight of the dead body pinning me to the ground until Aiden managed to stand and help me roll it off. I stood and scanned the surroundings for any more attackers. ¡°No one else has appeared,¡± Dax grunted as he slowly moved towards the nearest campfire. Heidi was sliding herself under one of my arms to help me get to the fire as well. ¡°I¡¯m not even the injured one!¡± I was screaming protest in my mind, but I did enjoy the support, so the argument stayed internal. Aiden followed as we made our way to Dax¡¯s fire, he had managed to grab a few pieces of wood to add as we arrived. ¡°We got another level,¡± Dax spoke in a quiet almost monotone as he stared into the flickering flames. Chapter 10: A Home of Our Own Heidi [Quest Completed: Reward delivered] [Reward] Faction formed Faction base founded 1 building upgrade earned No governing building found Building upgrade assigned to faction headquarters You must report to the faction headquarters to set up your new faction [Elemental affinity unlocked: Air.] [Base ability added: Air Blast] [Fasting Tea Service] that I used to serve you when we first met. It can be used to serve four champions once per month. The tea with the added sweetener will satisfy hunger, hydration, and sleep needs for three days, the only downside is at the end of the three days you will be very thirsty, hungry, and tired. Use it wisely so you are not crippled in the middle of a fight by this downside." Michael waved his hand and several of the rabbit creatures that nearly killed us when we first arrived appeared. They looked as though they were freshly killed. Next to the pile of carcasses sat two barrels that looked like they were stolen straight off a pirate ship "This doesn''t count as a gift by the system''s standards, but this should be enough meat and drink to get you through the week." With that, Michael looked up into the sky and waved before disappearing in an instant. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. I am going to end up killing this chick if she doesn¡¯t lighten up.¡± I shook my head as the thought brought some pleasure back. [Establish faction as an oligarchy?] [yes or no] [Establish faction as ruled by a council?] [yes or no] [Name] Heidi Paulson [Level] 3 [Race] Human [Titles] Haven Founder, council member [Strength] 5 [Agility] 7 [Endurance] 9 [Constitution] 10 [Mind] 10 [Quest] Weapon Proficiency-Bo Staff Work with the bow staff to survive to better understand the weapon and how to use it. [30%] [Quest] Armor Proficiency-Leather Armor Survive while wearing your armor to understand how to use it. [43%] Chapter 11: Into The Wild Aiden "I received a new quest," Urdo spoke as she continued to browse her sheet. "Since my class is administrative, my quest is for Haven. I must take on two subordinates to help in managing and growing the faction." ¡°How are you supposed to do that if all of us are ranked higher than you in the faction?¡± I asked leaning forward and resting my elbows on the table. Urdo reached into her bag and paused as she stared into her belongings as if contemplating how to proceed. She slowly drew a map out and opened it up on the table. ¡°This is a rough map of the area; I made it while in the other compound.¡± She reached out and put her finger on a spot just to the side of the center, ¡°This is where we are. And here,¡± she tapped three more spots on the map as she spoke, ¡°There are reports of small pockets of people barely surviving in this new world.¡± Dax looked at the map and then at the rest of us. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to¡­¡± He was interrupted by a new quest being added to all of our sheets. [Quest Faction Growth] [Find followers for your faction and start growing into a true force.] [0/10 citizens] ¡°Of course, it¡¯s too dangerous, and of course, we don¡¯t have a god damned choice!¡± Janet sat back in her chair and angrily waved at the map. ¡°Where the hell are we going first?¡± Urdo reached out to tap a spot and then paused before tapping a different one first. ¡°This is the closest, but they are all about a day¡¯s hike from here.¡± She pointed at the other two spots quickly, ¡°I am led to believe these two have larger groups though, close to twenty each, possibly.¡± She pointed at the spot she almost touched first, ¡°This is the one I would recommend, it is easier terrain.¡± Heidi looked at the map and tapped the area with the smaller group, ¡°This would have enough to complete the quests though.¡± She traced a line back to the area Urdo had indicated was our base, ¡°The path doesn¡¯t seem that difficult either.¡± Urdo nodded and took in a deep breath. The look on her face said she was trying to think of a reason to say no. None of the other three seemed interested in asking, but I could see there was an internal struggle going on in Urdo¡¯s head. ¡°Why do you want us to go here?¡± I finally asked pointing at her recommendation. ¡°Please be honest with the reason.¡± ¡°Heyar.¡± She breathed out the word and looked down refusing to make eye contact. ¡°What is that?¡± Heidi asked sitting back and crossing her arms. ¡°Who,¡± Urdo shot her a look. ¡°Heyar is my husband. He was at that settlement the last time I got news about him. It has been a couple of months and Michael wasn¡¯t able to bring more people into his compound.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s personal?¡± Janet looked at Urdo with the first soft expression I have seen from the woman. "He is always a great builder from this planet. He was anyways. Before the system ruined everything.¡± Urdo puffed up as she spoke, ¡°I believe this would be the best option for people because we need to construct an entire town here. Heyar could¡­¡± I held up my hand to cut off her argument. ¡°I vote we get this one first.¡± I tapped the one with Urdo¡¯s husband and sat back. ¡°This is the wisest option.¡± Heidi tapped the closest one, ¡°we could use the extra people to get there after.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Janet tapped the map and looked softly at Urdo before shooting a heated glare at Heidi, ¡°We get the husband first.¡± Everyone turned to look at Dax who was studying the map. ¡°If we do this,¡± he turned his gaze to Urdo, ¡°You will swear allegiance to us, and to Haven for the remainder of your life. You will work to help us grow this to be a thriving place where people can live and grow.¡± Urdo nodded energetically and moved her hand to her neck, ¡°You have my loyalty,¡± she moved her hand into what looked like a surrender pose. ¡°What¡¯s with the move?¡± Dax pointed at her hand ¡°It is symbolic. My people used to wear neck guards centuries ago, and that movement would be them removing the protection from their neck, showing trust and vulnerability. We kept the movement as a way of saying we mean what we say upon penalty of death.¡± Urdo spoke in a serious and flat tone, creating a somewhat comical image as she looked like she was waiting for a high five. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Heyar isn¡¯t a word, but your husband.¡± Heidi leaned back with a scowl. ¡°I thought maybe it was something I couldn¡¯t understand because we are all aliens here.¡± She waved her hand indicating the four of us from Earth. ¡°But everyone here has been speaking English since we arrived.¡± Urdo gave Heidi a look of confusion before the first smile I had seen from her covered her face and she laughed uproariously. We all looked at her with our confusion. "She makes a good point. I just didn''t think of it." Janet added and Dax and I nodded along. ¡°We are not speaking this English you mention. The system and interface translate all languages. This is so we can communicate. When we can ask questions, get answers, and know who has what, it helps to generate conflict as everyone tries to get what others have.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s nifty!¡± Heidi said and stood up. ¡°I am going to get some sleep downstairs. We can go save Heyar tomorrow.¡± She walked off towards the stairs and Janet practically jumped up to run to her side. I stood and looked over at Dax with a bit of trepidation. ¡°No,¡± he said flatly as he stood up. ¡°We are not rooming together, let the girls do that, I want my privacy.¡± I must have been visibly relieved because he laughed as he passed me by and slapped my shoulder. ¡°Get some sleep kid, we got another shitty day tomorrow.¡± I followed the rest downstairs and found an empty office to crash in. The hard floor, lack of pillow and blanket, and overall bad accommodations had me worried that it would be hard to fall asleep. I laid down on my back and rested my hands behind my head for as much comfort as I could manage and was asleep almost immediately. In the morning, as I opened my eyes, I knew that this would have to be a very temporary situation. My back was sore, and I felt like I had all the mobility of a statue. Dax was stretching to loosen up his body as I shuffled out of the office that was my bedroom for the night. ¡°Haven¡¯t slept like that since my early twenties. I remember why now too.¡± ¡°Maybe some breakfast?¡± I asked as I leaned and arched my back trying to get it to feel better. ¡°Are the girls up?¡± ¡°Will you two shut up?!¡± Janet¡¯s voice came from the room across from mine and cracked from her half-asleep dry throat. "I''m up! I''m up!" Came Heidi¡¯s reply, confusion evident in her almost scared answer. ¡°They are now,¡± Dax laughed and began heading for the stairs, ¡°Let¡¯s see if Urdo is up and can help with breakfast before we do our death hike.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like your attitude, but I could use some coffee.¡± I shook the remaining sleep from my head as we walked up the stairs. Urdo was up and she must have anticipated our desires because there was some of the meat and tea Michael provided set out for us. The smell of the food made my stomach grumble but at the same time, it left a lot to be desired. The [Fasting Tea Service] set out smelled wonderful though and I quickly grabbed a blue ball and dropped it in my cup to watch it fizz. Dax was aggressively chewing at a piece of meat he bit off as he dropped a ball into his cup, ¡°Dghis dea, max it sho we don afe do ate?¡± He tried to speak through his chewing. ¡°Umm, gross.¡± Janet sat down and pulled a cup towards her, ¡°Don¡¯t talk with your mouth full. Dax took what looked like a painful swallow to clear his mouth, ¡°The meat is too chewy. I think we should drink the tea and hope for a cook in the settlement.¡± He looked over at Urdo and his face reddened, ¡°No offense.¡± Urdo laughed and ripped a piece of meat off and chewed on it. ¡°Do not worry, I am no cook. That is why I set the tea out.¡± I looked at the meat with something only slightly less than horror filling my chest before drinking my tea. ¡°A cook sounds like a top priority.¡± The others laughed before turning their attention toward their own cups. The morning passed quietly as we finished our tea and got a rough map from Urdo on our destination. I was very thankful that Dax and Heidi both had some ability for reading maps because I had none. Dax¡¯s experience came from his work and time playing video games, while Heidi learned because of the traveling she did with the circus. It was mid-morning when we left our dirt pile called a compound and began our trip towards the settlement of survivors. Urdo had helped us understand why a group who had already set up a settlement would even agree to come back with us. Being part of a faction allowed for benefits and improvements to the quality of life. Things like system-sanctioned stores, buildings, and rewards, as well as better quests for the non-combat classes. Most survivors would happily risk moving locations if it meant they could be accepted into a faction and reap the rewards, or at least that is how Urdo made it sound. ¡°So, can you find that ability Michael gave us?¡± I asked Dax as we walked a little ahead of the girls. I had checked my sheet several times and could find no mention of it since the message told me I received it. ¡°Nothing I¡¯ve seen, but I figure it will come up at the most inopportune time.¡± Dax shook his head and laughed at his own joke, ¡°Seems our life now is just trying to survive the garbage that gets tossed at us.¡± We must have slowed down because I could hear the soft sniffle Heidi did as she fought back her tears. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± she started and shook her head. ¡°How are we supposed to live like this?¡± Her voice raised to almost a yell as she finished her question. We all stopped walking as Janet pulled Heidi into a hug. I watched in shock as the short-tempered, blunt-spoken, rude woman rubbed Heidi''s back and cooed softly "it''s ok" and ¡°you¡¯ll be fine¡± affirmations. ¡°This world sucks, and everything we have had to do sucks.¡± Dax looked at his hands, but his expression made it seem as though he were looking through them and the very ground itself. ¡°I have done¡­¡± He began before swallowing hard and shaking himself out of his thoughts, ¡°We have done what we could to survive and now we have more to do to keep surviving." I looked at Janet and shrugged. She was shaking her head as she looked back at me, the two of us were managing to not break down now this time. ¡°I really hope they have a therapist class or something because we are all going to need a lot of help after this!¡± I nodded to myself and patted Dax¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We should try to keep moving, or we will be stuck out in the open longer than we want to be.¡±