ã€ŠReborn in a Magical World as a Crowã€‹


 Prologue

    It¡¯s not easy to be a Hero. Heroics are for romantics. Realistically most people on the continent of Lisaria imagine soldiers as heroic, but soldiers have had their heroics tempered out of them.

    Other people believed that adventurers would chose a better class if they weren¡¯t all selfish layabouts that failed to learn a practical trade. Those same people would tell you that mages are ten times worse for dabbling in dangerous addictive combat magic.

    Only the bards believed in the old stories. Legends about heroes that defeated the demon lord a thousand years ago. In reality, everyone knows heroes rush headlong to their deaths.

    Drew watched the trees pass by him slowly. Their train of merchant carts was setting a sedate pace. There were three comfort wagons and 4 mundane merchant carts. There was also a cart loaded with empty cages of all sizes.

    They trust in their wards completely. It¡¯s a good thing I looked them over and tuned them up or we would be fighting off monsters every day.

    The merchants had hired 3 teams of adventurers from the guild. Their trip was planned to take them through the deep mountains of the elven kingdom.

    After the first day of marching Drew had already done his fair share of eavesdropping.

    The merchants exclusively talked amongst each other. They drank fine wines and ate fresh cuts of roast meat pulled from enchanted containers. They refused to eat anything that was foraged or butchered along their route.

    Drew sat quietly atop the wagon of the head merchant. The man loved to drink almost as much as he loved to talk. He looked human, with a large belly wrapped in expensive silk to support his girth.

    ¡°These adventurers were damn expensive! And they haven¡¯t shown us anything for your coin yet.¡± The head merchant said.

    ¡°That¡¯s all for the better. Statistics show that many monster attacks are more damaging to the merchandise than the people guarding them.¡± Another merchant replied.

    He was just starting to feel the buzz from the pipe he was smoking. It smelled like rose water.

    ¡°Well if monsters don¡¯t attack then the adventurers could be appreciative and earn our coin another way! Ha ha! Some of their women are very lean and fine to look at.¡± The head merchant said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not written into their contracts. Although there may be some entrepreneurial ones that could be interested.¡± The second merchant blushed a the thought.

    ¡°Idiots. These women are trained adventurers. Lay a hand on them without their consent and they will rip your arm of.¡± Drew said to himself. ¡°And I won¡¯t heal it for free.¡±

    Drew dropped off the wagon and slipped past two groups of adventurers. They were on foot and easily keeping pace with the merchant wagons.

    ¡°Easiest quest I¡¯ve been on yet.¡± A man said. He was walking with a large broadsword over his shoulders as he hung both elbows over it.

    A female archer shushed him quickly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t jinx us. These woods are full of dangerous monsters.¡± She said.

    Drew kept his head on a swivel, eying either side of the road.

    ¡°And don¡¯t forget there are a few demons that would love the irony of proving you wrong.¡± A dwarven man chimed in. He walked alongside his two teammates carrying his shield and mace.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying. It must be safe since they hired on a kid. The switch with the daggers. If she¡¯s so weak she couldn¡¯t find anyone to party up with then it can¡¯t be that risky.¡± The swordsman said.

    The fourth member of the group was their support. He led their pack animal with two saddle bags strapped into the beast. He kept his thoughts to himself as they walked on.

    Sure Andalla is young, but she is very capable. They will see soon enough.

    Andalla was walking alone, she was carting a backpack that looked like the kind you you could find in any general store. But Drew had enchanted it to be a soul bound storage device for her. She could carry everything she owned in the pack. It was enchanted to never weigh more than 10 kilos.

    Drew swooped down on her and tussled her hair.

    ¡°Hey quit it!¡± She said smiling.

    ¡°You look so glum! It better not be anything someone else said to you. I¡¯ll scratch their eyes out.¡± He said.

    Andalla make mock claw swipes in the air towards Drew and laughed.

    ¡°Yeah right! You know I¡¯d be the one cutting them a new hole to breathe through and you¡¯d be the one healing them up.¡± She said skipping ahead.

    ¡°I just want to show them what I can do so they stop doubting me. Ya know?¡± She said.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to be underestimated than understood.¡± Drew pantomimed.

    ¡°Shut it. That only applies to duelists. These merchants and adventurers don¡¯t think I¡¯m worth the coin. But I¡¯ll show them!¡±

    She did a cartwheel and picked up a stone from the road. She threw the stone up and over the cart, far into the forest.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Annnnnd it¡¯s outtaaa here!¡± Drew cheered.

    That stone would clear a home run fence back on earth.

    The stone thwacked off of a tree somewhere in the woods a second later. Something roared, and then something else roared back.

    -

    Drew threw a talisman in place and then used his mage hand spell to summon a spectral hand to trip up one of the Bushcat. It was slowed down enough for the bind enchantment to take hold of the beast.

    Andalla slashed into the beast twice with her long curved daggers as she ran past.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget there are two of these bushcats for us to fight!¡± Drew shouted as he pinwheeled out of the way of the other Bushcat¡¯s long claws.

    He launched the second talisman and it hit its mark. The next enchantment in his toolkit stacked onto the beast draining its stamina further.

    ¡°One more Talisman and this Bushcat is out of the fight.¡± He said.

    Andalla danced between the two cats.

    She is so mall compared to these beasts. They looked more like a 500 lb boar crossed with a mountain lion put on a gilly suit.

    She ran by scoring their sides with her Khavala, short curved swords from the western desert kingdom.

    She was showing off her range of abilities, peppered both beasts with close range elemental attacks. Neither beast was able to land a hit with the attacks coming from above and behind.

    ¡°And switch!¡± Andalla called out the signal.

    She jumped off the downed beast¡¯s bramble covered back to get some space as she combined a Lesser Flame spell with a Wind Slash spell to create a fireball that ripped into the beast, killing it and roasting it.

    Their remaining Bushcat was able to slash her arm.

    Drew got the last talisman in place. The enchantment powered up off of the ambient mana in the air. Bright blue chains jumped out of the spell script and tied down the fierce beast. Drew flew over and picked up Andalla. He activated both of his healing abilities and checked his mana levels.

    MP: 65%

    The Bushcat struggled to get up as the chains took on a green hue and grew thorns. The combination drained the monster¡¯s stamina and mana to strengthen the spell.

    The talismans worked together seamlessly, simultaneously weakening the Bushcat and empowering the other enchantments locking down the beast completely. The enchantments were designed to stay active until their target ran out of stamina.

    Drew flew them back to the relative safety of the caravan as the other adventurers around them took down the rest of the pack. Drew watched each team of 3 or 4 sustain significant injuries, one team¡¯s tank lost an arm.

    These were traditional teams of adventurers getting by with the strength of their swords or shields with few magically empowered skills. They were cautious, using their healing potions and spells sparingly. Excellent examples of the Adventurers Guild training.

    MP: 55%

    ¡°The caravan¡¯s healer will make a few pretty coins from this lot!¡± Andalla crowed as her wounds healed up.

    The merchants stayed huddled in their carts, enchantments fully charged to ward off mid tier monsters. This was the first of many attacks they expected along their journey. Their hired adventurers were earning their keep.

    -

    The captured Bushcat was caged and loaded onto one of the merchant carts.

    The merchant sat on his mat eying the young adventurer before him.

    Keep your eyes to yourself creep.

    He counted out Andalla¡¯s coins a second time before he spoke.

    ¡°Of the 7 beasts that attacked, only one other beast was captured but they severely damaged it. Another team paid for expensive healing, cutting into their profits.¡± The merchant said before handing over their coins.

    She pocketed the coins in her purse, where they disappeared without a sound.

    ¡°Fine job capturing that beast adventurer. And in near perfect condition. I can sell it for round coin when we arrive at the capital.¡± He said.

    ¡°Your coin is well appreciated, we will come back to spend it here before too long.¡± Andalla said overly formal.

    She gets so nervous around merchants. If I wasn¡¯t a crow I could haggle for her.

    The merchant jotted down the details of the transaction in a ledger then looked up at Drew.

    ¡°How much for the Gallow Bird? It¡¯s not everyday we see well trained companions, he could fetch a fair price too.¡±

    Ha! You couldn¡¯t afford me!

    ¡°Drew is not for sale,¡± Andalla replied quickly. ¡°He¡¯s my familiar and more valuable than you can know.¡±

    Drew preened at the compliment. He strutted along behind Andalla as they headed towards the cook¡¯s wagon.

    ¡°We made a good first showing Drew.¡± Andalla was cleaning her khavala between bites of food.

    ¡°The extra funds from capturing the beasts along the way will go towards a nice room and a fine meal at an Inn.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°You were amazing out there Andalla,¡± the archer sat down on a camp stool at their fire, her own plate of food in her lap.

    ¡°Our team barely killed one of those monsters. I don¡¯t even want to think of how expensive the potion to patch up Charlie would be if we didn¡¯t have a healer along.¡± Rita said.

    Like most other archers, the young woman wears leather armor in shades of green and brown. She likely doubles as her team¡¯s scout or auxiliary member.

    ¡°Drew here does all our healing. His services could be available to you at half the price of the caravan¡¯s healer! Rita, if your team needs healing, give us a shout.¡± Andalla replied and the adventurers shared a short smile.

    ¡°How did you capture that monster while fighting the other? I mean, they are big and fast. That¡¯s a bad combination.¡± The archer asked.

    ¡°It helps to be smaller and faster. Plus, having a reliable familiar is the other half of it.¡± She gestured to Drew who was using Mage Hand to repair a meter long wooden stake covered in runes; one of the combat talismans that was damaged in the fight.

    ¡°Drew did the capturing, his specialization is in enchantments and status effects. He¡¯s always stunning or paralyzing monsters, rarely killing any if we have a good buyer and the breathing room to safely contain them.¡±

    Drew returned the enchanted stake to his storage ring. He mentally checked the durability of his leather armor breastpiece and matching vambraces.

    Their enchantments are holding up well.

    He hopped over to grab a bite of food from Rita¡¯s plate. She stared at him then read through a screen only she could see.

    ¡°He¡¯s an intimidating bird especially in that armor. I''ve never seen a Greater Gallow Bird before, is that the third or 4th rank?¡± Rita said.

    She considered trying to take her plate back from Drew.

    ¡°He¡¯s larger than any Gallow Bird I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Andalla admitted.

    Rita finally overcame her fear of losing a finger and snatched back her plate from Drew. She moved her body between the plate and the hungry bird.

    ¡°That¡¯s third Rank. He¡¯s the size of a small Griffin, with a wingspan of over 5 feet. His stormcloud feathers help him blend into the sky better than the traditional black.¡± Andalla tossed him a roasted Mishroom from the skewer on her own plate.

    These delicious rodents grow everywhere in this region, like the fungus they are.

    Drew ate happily, thinking back to how his life in the 5 kingdoms had started.

    I¡¯ve come a long way from my days as a little chick. I have found a partner to rely on. She is fearsome and compassionate. I¡¯ve come an even farther way from the guy that got himself killed all those years ago.

    Drew checked his status screen. The Hero trait was still there. He also checked his quest list and still had his quest to defeat the demon lord.

    The gods are playing reckless games and the five kingdoms are not ready.

    Drew settled down beside Andalla and tucked his head under his wing thinking back to how things changed for him in his second life.

 Part 1

    - The Wrong World for a Hero -

    - 1 -

    San Lomadas was 3 different cities on a peninsula in California way back before the interstate was built. The cities grew to their limits and merged together. About 50 years ago a major expressway system replaced the old railroads and warehouses. Despite the experts intentions, traffic got worse.

    It wasn¡¯t the worst city in California. The cost of living was high, the education system was middling, and their crime rate was ¡®getting better¡¯. They were over crowded, short on water half the year, and at risk of fires the other half of the year. But they were firmly middle of the pack for the state.

    The Urgent EMT Services building was a crisp clean building in the popular utilitarian design. The only feature that set it apart from the Police Department were the garage bays for their ambulances.

    Their logo was a stern face of a tribal style dragon, red snarling face over a blue shield. It glared at Drew as he walked through the open garage bay doors.

    When Drew had walked into the building the week prior to submit his resume he had felt the dragon staring down at him, as if it knew the kind of trouble he brought with him. His heroics ended up getting him terminated on his first day.

    Drew took a deep breath as he walked through the ambulance bay and into the front lobby.

    This is it, my first day as an EMT.

    Drew approached the front desk at a brisk walk. He was already wearing the light blue on dark blue uniform of Urgent EMT Services. The woman behind the desk jolted in her seat when Drew suddenly reached out his hand to introduce himself.

    "Hi, I''m Drew. It''s my first day here." He said with a smile.

    The woman eyed him skeptically. She was in her mid 40s. She had been with Urgent for several years. As far as she was concerned, energetic people like Drew seemed to drain the energy from those around them. Her ex-husband was this same kind of energetic in the mornings.

    "I know who you are, Andrew Bonsen. I¡¯m Sadie Manteca, I work the phones and run the office side of things. Ms. Ramirez already told me about the early bird we were hiring. You better quit with the chipper attitude before she sees you, she¡¯s been having a bad day.¡±

    Drew''s smile faded a little as Sadie spoke. He had been hoping to start off on the right foot this time.

    "Of course," he said, trying to keep his disappointment from showing. "Just a little extra excitement for my first day. That''s all."

    He made a zipping gesture over his mouth and threw away an imaginary key.

    Sadie nodded and handed him a stack of paperwork.

    "Good enough. Fill these out, then come back to me when you''re done. Your training partner should be here soon."

    Drew took the paperwork and went to a nearby table to fill it out. Paperwork had never bothered him like it did other people. The form was simple. He knew all the information off the top of his head.

    The lobby was clean and well worn. Large enough for 6 people to sit comfortably in wood and pleather chairs. The kind you see everywhere in hospitals or dentists offices.

    As he worked, a few other EMTs walked through in their street clothes, carrying duffel bags and backpacks towards the locker rooms down the hall.

    Keep it together Drew, becoming an EMT will be different than being a cop.

    Paperwork complete, he returned to the front desk.

    No matter how jaded people at Urgent were, they weren¡¯t outright racist.

    Drew was startled out of his thoughts by someone calling his name.

    ¡°Andrew. Mr. Bonsen. Step into my office for a minute.¡± Ms. Rameriez waved him forward from the threshold to her office.

    - 2 -

    Drew entered Ms. Ramirez¡¯s office. She was already sitting at her desk behind a pile of paperwork.

    The room was central to the building. It did not have any exterior windows. But it did have fluorescent lights. The over-all effect was to drain the joy out of the room with flickering greenish highlights.

    Ms. Ramirez was toned from her career as an EMT. She looked like she could get right back out there in a moment''s notice. The green light made her seem like a buff forest elf. During his interview she had been all business and matter of fact. Today she was simply tired. She looked up when she heard him knock.

    "Andrew, have a seat. So here we are, this is your first day. I want to set some ground rules." She said.

    ¡°Thank you, for this opportunity Ma¡¯am. By the way, you can call me Drew, I prefer it. Andrew is my grandfather¡¯s name and he is still using it.¡± He said as he crossed the room.

    She glanced at her papers. Her desk was large enough to fit three plush chairs on his side. Ms. Ramirez had opted for three stoic hardback wooden chairs instead. One for herself, and two on Drew¡¯s side, placed precisely in the middle of the desk.

    The extra large desk gives her room to clutter up her desk. A single match and this place would be a furnace.

    Drew chose the right-hand seat and sat up straight.

    "It¡¯s good to be back in a uniform, I¡¯m looking forward to saving lives."

    "I heard about your little stunt with the mugger last week.¡± Ms. Rameriz stated calmly.

    Drew''s heart sank. Her tone was level and controlled and Drew fell into a practiced cadence.

    "I''m sorry, Ms. Ramirez. I know I took a risk getting involved, but I just couldn''t stand by and do nothing, the guy had a knife."

    "I know, Drew, I¡¯m glad you weren¡¯t hurt. But the you two ended up in traffic and nearly run over by a truck.¡± She said.

    It was an accident, he threw us both into the street. I was able to pull him back in time to save him.

    ¡°I understand where you''re coming from.¡± Ms. Ramirez sighed.

    ¡°You need to understand that this is not the police academy. I told you when we last spoke, we are not the police.¡± She slammed her palm on the last clear space on the desk.

    ¡°We can get sued for any little thing. Believe me, they all try to sue. Our job is to provide medical care, not fight crime. We leave that to the actual police."

    "I know, and I''ll do better. I was trying to do the right thing.¡± Drew said with a nod.

    Ms. Ramirez shook her head, "You can''t be playing hero like this, Drew. We''re here to provide life saving emergency care. Deliver patients to the ER. Do not start fights. When I hired you, I warned you to keep your head down, focus on the work or it would be the end of your job. Was I unclear?"

    Drew held her gaze. ¡°No ma¡¯am. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    Ms. Ramirez smiled. "Good. I believe you. You¡¯ve got what it takes to be good. I don''t want to lose you because of a silly mistake. But remember, if something like that happens again, you need to call the police. Let them handle it."

    Drew nodded again. "I understand. Thank you for talking to me about this, Ms. Ramirez."

    She sighed and looked at him for a couple long seconds.

    ¡°My guess is you¡¯ve had this conversation before, so you know how to say the right things. Let me make something clear, we''re not looking for any heroes here.¡± Ms Rameriz stood up behind her desk. She leaned across towards Drew and lowered her voice.

    ¡°I have friends in the police force, so I know what it¡¯s like there. There are more good cops than you realize. Sure, the cops you stood up to are assholes. Maybe they deserve to be fired. Except now they are on paid leave and there¡¯s less cops on the streets. That¡¯s not helping the good cops stay alive.¡±

    She stared across the desk at him.

    All the good people are tired. When good people do nothing bad guys win.

    ¡°All I want are people who can do the job without creating more of a mess." Ms Ramirez sat back down amongst her paperwork.

    Can I just let things like this slide? There will always be bullies. People that end up hanging with the wrong crowd and change for the worse, or maybe they have been a bad all along. It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll call them out and stand up to all of them.

    Sure I may have made too big of a scene. Ms. Rameriez has a point, the good cops need all the backup they can get, or their lives were more at risk.

    ¡°Am I clear Mr. Bonsen?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Understood, thank you ma¡¯am.¡± Drew forced himself to respond without looking away.

    Stolen novel; please report.It was a fair warning. I got officers investigated. That¡¯s something. But I lost my chance at being one of those good cops fixing things from the inside.

    "I hope your first day is uneventful. Now get out of my office, I have work to do.¡± She said.

    Drew turned to leave but Ms. Ramirez caught up to him at the door with a sympathetic look on her face.

    "I know you have a good heart, Drew. But you need to be careful. This job can be dangerous and you don''t want to get yourself or anyone else hurt. Just make sure you keep your head on straight from now on, okay?"

    Drew nodded once more, "I will, Ms. Ramirez. I promise."

    - 3 -

    Drew nearly ran into a woman as he exited the office.

    She was in her thirties with short brown hair, the kind you associated with Bieber fans. It paired well with her no-nonsense attitude. She stood about his height and her neck and shoulders were so toned she probably could do more chin ups than half the cadets at the police academy.

    She easily pushed him back out of her space. ¡°You Andrew Bonsen?¡±

    "Yes ma¡¯am, I am, my friends call me Drew." he said, holding out his hand.

    She shook it briefly, her grip was firm.

    "I''m Sarah, I¡¯m not your ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll be your trainer and if you do well today we will ride together for a while. Let''s get started."

    They headed out to the ambulance and started checking their supplies.

    ¡°Alright Drew. What¡¯s the first thing we check before hitting the road?¡±

    Drew quickly responded.¡°Vehicle readiness. Ensure the ambulance is in good working condition.¡±

    Sarah nodded approvingly and Drew quickly checked the vehicles systems.

    ¡°Now, show me how you check the medical equipment.¡± Sara said as she checked off a few things on their inspection sheet.

    Drew efficiently went through the compartments, listing off each item as he inspected them.

    ¡°Good job, but remember to check expiration dates on medications. We can¡¯t afford any oversights.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Drew said as they moved on to supplies.

    ¡°It¡¯s crucial to organize the supplies logically, so you can grab what you need without hesitation. Efficiency can make a difference in critical situations.¡± Sarah said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the way I like to do things so you will learn that way. If you ride with anyone else then you learn their way. Got it?¡± She continued.

    ¡°Got it.¡± He said.

    ¡°And what¡¯s the last thing?¡± Sarah asked.

    ¡°Check the radio and make a test call to dispatch.¡± Drew said with confidence.

    ¡°Perfect. They really teach you new recruits good.¡± Sarah stowed the clip board behind the driver seat. ¡°Now, let¡¯s hit the streets.¡±

    - 4 -

    The sun had come up an hour ago. A hazy morning was still building over the city of San Lomadas. Drew and Sarah were cruising along the interstate in 7 am traffic, at a refreshing 35 miles an hour. Their overpass afforded Drew a view of the city that would be ruined in a few minutes by the smog.

    Down below, the residential blocks had a few cyclists, and homeless folks starting their day. He could see a group of police cars and a backhoe clearing out an encampment that had taken over Lockley Park.

    If I was still a cop I might be down there clearing those people out and helping them find beds for the night.

    A semi truck merged out of the far right lane and into the second lane. They started to drift too far over into their lane. Sarah honked and the semi straightened out.

    Two patrol cars pursued a small Honda northbound on the opposite side of the highway and Drew imagined himself behind the wheel of the speeding vehicles.

    ¡°I hope we don¡¯t get called in for that.¡± Sarah said with a nod to the car chase. ¡°High speed chases usually end up with an ambulance on the scene. And that¡¯s not something you want to see on your first day.¡±

    Dispatch called in on the radio and it made Drew jump. Someone died at City Lights Senior Center.

    ¡°And there you go, your first pick up.¡± Sarah said to Drew before she responded to dispatch that they were in route.

    Drew and Sarah arrived at the City Lights Senior Center right after their breakfast service ended.

    It was a nice building when it was first built. They had kept up with the repairs but the architectural style of the city had changed.

    The building looked dated, it had yet to get the face lift that the shopping center across the road was sporting. The open areas were in need of good landscaping.

    A large group of crows was sitting on the fence surrounding the property.

    Sarah parked the ambulance right in front.

    She went around the back and pulled out the gurney and a body bag.

    Sarah took the back and Drew grabbed the front of the gurney.

    They walked inside to find the staff gathered around a guest¡¯s room just off the lobby. Drew could see a frail old woman lying in the bed.

    Mrs. Chen, the nursing home director, approached them and spoke quietly. "Thank you for coming so quickly. Doris passed away peacefully this morning."

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad we were close by, we are short handed today.¡± Sarah responded in a hushed tone.

    Doris¡¯s room was quaint. She had a couple spare cardigans in the closet, a small kitchenette with a mini fridge. Drew could see packages of fig newtons, and Lipton tea. If Doris ate anything else she kept it hidden.

    The room had two beds and two sets of dressers, but her roommate was either really tidy and elsewhere, or Doris had lived alone.

    The staff dispersed to let the two EMTs do their job.

    ¡°Oh, would you look at that,¡± Drew whispered to Sarah as they went about processing the body.

    Sara didn¡¯t respond. She filled out the paperwork.

    Zip the lip Drew. It¡¯s still your first day.

    After ten minutes they were moving the body to their gurney.

    ¡°The crows outside are all gathering around the window.¡± He said.

    Sarah shrugged and said, "So what? Crows are smart birds. Maybe they''re just curious."

    ¡°So maybe they knew Doris here.¡± Drew suggested as he zipped up the body bag.

    ¡°With them all watching it feels like a wake. Should we say some words?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Quit joking around.¡± Sarah said, then after a pause she replied. ¡°We didn¡¯t know her, what would we say?¡±

    They wheeled Doris out of the building. The crows on the fence started to follow them. As they loaded Doris into the ambulance and prepared to drive away when they heard loud cawing sounds.

    The crows had flown down to sit on the fence and on top of the ambulance. They seemed to be holding a vigil for the old woman.

    Mrs. Chen came outside and saw the crows sitting silently everywhere.

    "Oh my," she said. "Doris used to feed those crows every day. They must know that she''s gone."

    ¡°They probably brought her a bunch of shinny stuff.¡± Drew said.

    Mrs. Chen smiled politely for a moment then went back inside.

    Drew turned to see a confused look on Sarah¡¯s face as he joined her in the cab of the ambulance.

    ¡°Are you some kind of crow fanboy?¡± Sarah asked.

    ¡°I saw a documentary once, that if you befriend crows they bring you bottle caps and buttons and coins. Anything shiny actually.¡± He said.

    Sarah put the truck in gear without a word. As they drove away, the crows continued to follow the ambulance, swooping and diving overhead for a few blocks.

    - 5 -

    Drew sat in the passenger seat of the ambulance, gazing out of the window as the crows still followed them. They had delivered Doris to the county morgue and were heading back to the garage for lunch.

    Sarah focused her eyes on the road silently.

    ¡°You are some kind of lucky, Drew.¡± Sarah passed a car that was waiting to turn left at a light, trusting their siren to keep the other cars out of the intersection while they sped through.

    ¡°I thought for sure Ms. Rameriez was going to boot you on your first day. I¡¯ve not seen her that mad before.¡± She said.

    ¡°She was pretty harsh, but I get it. I¡¯m not a cop. I missed my shot at that already. She gave me a second chance knowing how I screwed up at the academy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true then? You did flunk out of the academy?¡± Sarah asked looking at Drew from the corner of her eye.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t flunk, I graduated 3rd in the class.¡± Drew leaned towards Sarah taking his eyes off the road.

    ¡°I got in an argument with some senior officers that had been on the force a long time. They were assholes to this kid they handcuffed to a chair threatening gang related charges and I called it like I saw it.¡±

    A call code came through the radio for a non lethal fender bender a few blocks away.

    ¡°That¡¯s us.¡± Sarah said. As the closest truck, she notified dispatch they were diverting to check it out.

    ¡°Well shit, you must have really pissed them off. Congrats.¡± She said.

    They arrived at the scene a few minutes later. Sarah pulled the ambulance over to the curb in front of City View High school.

    Sarah tossed the keys underhand to Drew. ¡°You earned the keys. After this, you take us back to the garage.¡±

    Drew stepped out of the truck and grabbed his medical bag. A police officer was speaking to some witnesses nearby.

    Sarah radioed in to dispatch. ¡°Dispatch this is Ambulance 23-19. Scene looks good, police are on-site, both vehicles present with minor damage, drivers are up and about. Will assess and call for another truck if necessary.¡±

    Drew approached the first driver, a woman with a minivan.

    The front of her vehicle has some damage but it¡¯s one of those newer cars that crumple in collisions. Likely totaled but that¡¯s safer for the drivers. She¡¯s dressed to run a marathon, or attend some kind of cycling class. She¡¯s on the phone with her insurance, talking fine if not a little impatient. Seems to be favoring her right leg.

    Sarah watched Drew approach the driver and took notes.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, hello I¡¯m with Urgent EMT Services, do you need assistance?¡± She waved him off without looking his way.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s standard procedure when the police are called for an ambulance to do a preliminary check.¡± When that got him the cold shoulder Drew made a mental note.

    Possibly hard of hearing. Refused medical services.

    ¡°You have a good day ma¡¯am.¡± Drew said.

    He walked to the other vehicle to check the other driver.

    ¡°Hello ma''am, I¡¯m with Urgent EMT Services, my name is Drew. Do you feel alright?¡±

    She seems fine, she could be a young grandma, and she has a small dog in the car with her.

    ¡°Oh, no thank you young man. I¡¯m alright, just worried about how I¡¯ll pay for repairs after being rear ended.¡±

    She definitely has the ¡°I bake cookies¡± vibe.

    ¡°Sorry to hear that ma¡¯am, if anything starts to feel odd, don¡¯t come find us. There are fast moving trucks that drive by here. Just give us a holler, we will stick around for a few more minutes.¡± Drew said.

    Drew wandered back over to their ambulance while Sarah spoke to the cop at the scene briefly.

    They were about to leave when they heard gunshots coming from the direction of the school.

    More gunshots sounded and a police call code came over the radio. ¡°10-33, gunshots fired at City View High School. All officers report. SWAT in route.¡±

    Drew threw the keys behind him as he took off running towards the school. ¡°Call for backup Sarah!¡±

    Sarah shouted at Drew but he cut her off. ¡°I have to go in and help!¡± Every second someone could be dying.¡±

    As he got closer, Drew saw people running out in a panic, and he could hear more shots coming from the school.

    He pushed the doors open and rushed inside. The hallways were chaos, with people screaming and running towards the exits.

    I¡¯ve got to stay focused. Which way would they be?

    Drew charged down the hallway, staying low, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he followed the sounds of gunfire.

    I''m going the right way if everyone is running against me. It¡¯s like driving the wrong way on the highway.

    He turned a corner at a sprint. The shooter¡¯s back was 10 feet away. A young man dressed in black, aiming his shot gun at a group of terrified students huddled in a corner.

    Without hesitation, Drew tackled the shooter, wrestling the gun from his hands. The gun went off, shattering tiles on the wall.

    ¡°Stay down you are under arrest!¡± Drew shouted.

    Drew pinned the shooter on his stomach with his knee. The devastation around him was like something out of a B-movie. Children and teachers lay injured and dying all around him.

    Alright, got this kid down, need to start triaging the people around-

    Another shot rang out.

    Drew looked down at the blood spreading across his chest.

    ¡°What?¡± Drew barely had time to register the second student with a rifle. The kid had popped up from around the other corner and fired on him.

    Drew stumbled back, his vision blurred as he collapsed onto the floor. Screams mixed with the sound of police sirens and the sporadic dubstep of his heartbeat in his ears led him into the darkness as he passed out.

    The police arrived on the scene and stormed the hallway, taking down the shooters with a barrage of gunfire.

 Part 2

    - 6 -

    Warm sunlight cooked their cardboard boxes in the driveway. Drew stared into his parents garage.

    The scene was familiar to him. Standing in the shade of the open garage door of Drew''s childhood home. His parents were walking back and forth carrying boxes. They were smiling, organizing and cleaning.

    Their home was in a suburb, a relatively new one and according to his uncle, his parents had paid an arm and a leg for it. It was a simple 3 bedroom 2 bath with connected garage, it shared a wall with the house next door.

    It was a happy summer day, the kind that 8 year old Drew would never see again.

    Young Drew sorted through a box of foam dart guns and reloaded the bullets into the chambers.

    A plain white van screeched to a halt outside their home. The kind you could rent by the hour. Or in this case, steal the night before and drive around to rob people for 24 hours.

    ¡°No, not today.¡± Drew whispered.

    Two men jumped out of the van, violence hidden beneath their everyday clothes. Drew''s young mind had been unable to comprehend the impending danger, but he has lived with it every day since.

    His father grabbed a hockey stick and clubbed one of the intruders before young Drew knew anything was wrong. The second man pulled out a gun and aimed it at Drew''s father.

    Drew was unable to move or cry out in time. Again.

    Drew''s mother hurled their 10 foot synthetic Christmas tree at the man with the gun. The tree¡¯s string lights tangled around him. In his struggle to get himself free, his finger tightened on the trigger.

    The gunshot echoed through the serene neighborhood and the bullet ripped easily through Drew''s mother. She crumpled to the ground. Drew¡¯s heart tightened in his chest with the familiar old pain.

    Drew''s father charged the shooter, swinging down with the hockey stick, and knocking the gun from the man''s hand. He swung again and the man collapsed with a dent in his head, never to get up again. The screech of tires filled the air as the other mugger fled.

    ¡°No. Mom.¡± Standing frozen, Drew watched his younger self rush to his bleeding mother.

    His mother looked so small lying down in the driveway in a growing puddle. Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder and louder until an ambulance arrived. They rushed Drew''s mother away, fighting to stabilize her.

    Surgeons removed the bullet and repaired the damage. But her legs remained paralyzed. The once vibrant and energetic woman was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

    The police apprehended the second mugger the next day. They had been brothers, now one was dead, one in jail. Two families had things that much harder now.

    Drew''s mother stayed strong for years after overcoming death.

    Even though his mother kept up a good front and they had occasional happy days again, Drew still carried the weight of the darkness he witnessed lurking in the world.

    How could I just stand there? I couldn¡¯t do anything then. And so what if I took judo and karate, so I won a few fights. Protected a few people; rescued a couple purses? It didn¡¯t heal my mom¡¯s legs. At the police academy I gave it my all, but I didn¡¯t really change anything.

    He remembered the look on Ms Rameriez¡¯s face as she walked him out the door.

    Her advice would have saved my life. If I had just listened to her, I¡¯d be alive. At least I was able to protect some people.

    A kid in a black coat appeared around the corner of the garage with the toy guns young Drew had loaded.

    Drew could see down the barrels. They were Impossibly long and deep. The voids within them were cold resolute. The kid pulled the triggers and dark birds scattered at the sound of a shotgun as everything turned black.

    ¡°Dying is taking a while¡­¡± Drew said to himself. ¡°And it''s kinda painless¡­¡±

    He opened his eyes.

    - 7 -

    Drew was standing in a subway station, waiting. He realized he was queued up with ghostly echoes of other people. He should be terrified but the emotion failed to bubble up.

    The ghosts were all lethargic and staring off into space, bobbing silently by themselves through a kind of velvet rope maze that would have fit in at a rundown movie theater.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Drew said.

    Drew strained to lift up his hands. They were transparent and blue. He tried to panic but a pressure dropped down over his shoulders and he almost blacked out.

    All around him, the ghosts of people of every age and ethnicity took a shuffling step forwards. Nothing but wheezing breath and the faint rustle of denim and linen as clothes shifted.

    The faces around him were somber. One person was pushing a cart with a ghostly infant swaddled and asleep. They all shuffled slowly forward together avoiding each other''s eyes.

    His eyes started to droop again until he shook off the silent pressure. He forced his eyes back open.

    Most of these people are older folks, and a few are like something out of a blockbuster movie. They could have survived an industrial accident. The other half just escaped from a hospital bed and are still in their gowns. That guy¡¯s pale wrinkly cheeks are catching a breeze from the stairs behind us.

    ¡°Do those stairs lead back up to the street? Wait, when did I walk here?¡± Drew asked.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Drew tried to turn around and reach for the velvet rope. The same pressure dropped down on him again. He strained against it and it took all of his willpower to barely touch the velvet rope. The pressure doubled and his vision went white for a moment.

    Okay, don¡¯t touch the ropes. I get the message.

    A glowing being walked down the steps, radiating green light that felt like sunlight through the trees of an ancient redwood forest. They looked across the crowd and their eyes flashed over everyone without stopping.

    Drew sensed their eyes on him in a rush. He had never been scuba diving, but he imagined this was what the bottom of the ocean felt like. He looked away overwhelmed by their gaze.

    They were beside him in the next moment, out of the line on the other side of the velvet rope. They were looking at him while the seconds ticked by.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Drew asked as he took a step forwards with everyone else.

    He stared at the being¡¯s feet. Their sandals were simple, but well made. Their feet were beautiful.

    Are those women¡¯s feet? Or men¡¯s feet?

    ¡°Perhaps it is us that can help you. If you are willing.¡± The being said.

    Their voice was a crisp breeze on a cool sunny day. It carried sunshine in every syllable.

    Several ghosts around him turned to look towards their voice. The being reached over the velvet rope and lifted Drew¡¯s chin up to stare into his face.

    ¡°Do you know where you are Andrew?¡± They asked.

    Their eyes were unavoidable. There were no whites to their eyes, only the light green of spring, rutilated with opalescent geometry without any pattern.

    ¡°Do you fear death Andrew Bonsen?¡± They demanded.

    Drew was locked into their terrifying gaze. Like looking over the edge of a high cliff at night into a forest far below, unable to see the bottom, knowing it''s a deadly drop over the edge.

    ¡°Unless you don¡¯t want our help?¡± They asked.

    ¡°I must be dead. I was shot.¡± Drew finally spoke up, his words were barely a whisper.

    The ghosts behind him bumped into him gently. The divine being released him and he took a step forward to catch up to the ghosts ahead of him.

    ¡°You were shot. In your world most people avoid getting shot so they don¡¯t die. But you aren¡¯t one of those people, are you? Your actions saved lives and that is rare in many worlds. I am a representative of the god of nature, and therefore life. You have caught our attention. We would like to help you.¡±

    ¡°Where are we all going?¡± Drew asked.

    Up ahead their one queue split into three roped off paths.

    ¡°You are currently waiting to be recycled into new life. It¡¯s actually a rather ingenious way to automate the process since there¡¯s nobody here to guide you all.¡±

    The glorious being stepped forward to keep ahead of Drew.

    ¡°Along with everyone else here, your life experiences will be amalgamated and formed up into new souls for the next generation. This is a good batch, your world is overpopulated and there will be a surplus of life energy for the next round of souls.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m being reincarnated?¡± Drew asked.

    Did I go to church enough? Oh geeze¡­ I never really thought much about death or the afterlife.

    They called up a screen with the image of a globe, and graphs and charts showing the global population, death rates, and birth rates. There was a section of the screen with the results of the last season of America¡¯s got Talent.

    ¡°Not exactly. Imagine if everyone¡¯s life was a lemon. That lemon grows as you experience life, and you all are now waiting to be blended up and made into lemonade; portioned out into single servings that will be distilled and used to create new lemons, eventually turned into a new life that can grow here on earth.¡±

    What the what? That¡¯s a terrible explanation.

    ¡°Andrew, we would like to offer you an alternative. I come from another world a million light years away.¡±

    The screen changed to show a planet with one large continent stretching across the globe. It was mountainous in the north, encompassed my massive forests around the eastern side, and then sharply changed into flat grasslands and farmland. There was a large desert in the western third of the globe. But the image was hard to track.

    Is this a video? There are clouds moving. Is that a dragon flying around the mountains?!

    ¡°Our world needs heroes like you. Rather we would like to transplant you into a new life in our world. You would keep your soul intact, all your memories and achievements will be retained.¡±

    Purple dots peppered across the desert area and long purple arrows stretched out to collide with blue red and green arrows coming from other areas of the continent.

    ¡°Our world suffered a huge loss of life due to a recent demon lord¡¯s war. And among other things, we need more people to give it a strong try at life so there is enough of that lemonade for the population growth to stabilize.¡±

    This can¡¯t be real. Am I even really dead? Demons taking over the whole world is just insane.

    Drew looked around at the line of ghosts. He could see a teen with a burn on his forehead and a bruise from an over the shoulder seatbelt.

    ¡°This is a lot to take in. It sounds like something from one of those bad anime.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Of course the demon lord was defeated generations ago so everything is safer now.¡± They replied.

    ¡°Is it really that easy to be reborn?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a magical world of adventure. Strange beasts to fight, spells to learn, and dungeons to explore. We could get you a great start with wealthy parents in a major city, with a cute childhood friend. Consider it a sort of starting bonus package if you want to think of it that way. And you can start as any race in any city on the planet.¡±

    ¡°Could I be a hero, wielding magic and a sword?¡± Drew asked.

    I can see it now, golden armor, wielding a shining sword, slinging magical spells, standing up to an evil demon king.

    ¡°We can get you the sword if that¡¯s how you want to do it, becoming a hero is not easy. You could have an easy life instead. If you are certain I will do everything I can to help you achieve it.¡± The deity looked up at the sound of a train coming down a long tunnel.

    I¡¯ve never backed down from something just because it¡¯s hard.

    ¡°What we can promise you is that we can protect you from earth¡¯s cycle of death, and give you another chance to live as a true hero in a new way. This is your chance to continue to protect life in a new world that needs heroes. With magic and swords.¡± They said.

    The deity leaned across the velvet rope and offered its hand to seal the deal.

    ¡°What do you say? It¡¯s not like you have all day to think it over.¡± The deity pointed ahead to where the que split into three.

    There¡¯s no going back. I can still save people.

    ¡°Do we have an accord Andrew Bonsen?¡±

    Drew could feel the green aura seeping into his ghostly form and giving him substance and warmth.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Drew shook the hand. ¡°If I can do some good in your new world, then I¡¯m in. How do we start?¡±

    The being clasped Drew¡¯s hand with both of theirs and a note rang out in Drew¡¯s head. A message popped up in front of his eyes, exactly like a floating screen from an RPG game but the words were in a language he couldn¡¯t read.

    The deity gently plucked the floating screen up and turned it around so they could see it.

    ¡°Perfect! Andrew select this confirmation on the left, it¡¯s the affirmative one. Then select the left option on the next two screens that pop up. And the fourth screen will ask for your signature. Then we will get things moving. We will have to get you a language skill before your interview.¡±

    Drew quickly selected yes on 4 screens and signed on the dotted line on the fifth screen.

    ¡°Amazing. Please call me Agusta, I¡¯ll be your caseworker. We begin immediately.¡± She said.

    Her stunning presence faded and Drew was able to look at her directly for the first time.

    She is handsome. Like a Greek statue of Athena.

    The green aura that surrounded her blinked out.

    Agusta unhooked the velvet rope from a brass post next to Drew, and pulled him out of the line like it was nothing.

    ¡°Best to close this back up before anyone wanders out.¡± She said.

    She reached out rapt on the wall with her knuckles. A small section opened to reveal a gold panel with an ¡°up¡± button.

    ¡°Elevator going up!¡± She said cheerfully and pressed the button.

    The wall slid open to reveal a shining glass elevator wrought in gold and they stepped inside.

 Part 3

    - 8 -

    The ride in the elevator was incredibly smooth. Drew did not feel any acceleration when they departed or any deceleration when they arrived at their destination.

    Drew watched the Earth shrink to nothing before Augusta pressed a button and the glass frosted over.

    I guess earth is gone. I really jumped off the deep end here.

    ¡°Okay Andrew, select the left option on this next prompt, I¡¯m giving you access to speak with me, and others like me for now.¡±

    Drew followed the instructions and the prompt dropped away before the words could translate.

    "Great now that that is done. You''ll be meeting with a panel of 4 representatives, one of whom will also be from the nature faction like me." Agusta said.

    "They''ll be reviewing your achievements from your first life and translating them to your stats for your new life. Since I¡¯m essentially your caseworker for the time being; I¡¯ll be there with you. I¡¯ll give them a little intro about Earth to rile them up so they give you a lot of points for next life here on Lisaria.¡±

    Drew nodded, trying to calm his nerves. ¡°We have interviews on earth, what is going to happen here?¡±

    "The four factions are the Mages, the Crafters, the Death Faction, and our Nature Faction," Agusta continued on with her speech as if Drew hadn¡¯t spoken.

    "Each faction values different skills and abilities, so it''s important to be honest and open about your strengths and weaknesses.¡±

    ¡°People tend to have faith and a trade that align with one faction and build credit with that faction over generations. They usually have a special ability or blessing their family has earned that helps them in their next lives.¡±

    Oh geeze. I really am dead and starting over in a new world. I am going to be the first of my family line. The patriarch. Will I get married and have a family? My mom and dad are probably identifying my body at the hospital by now. What are they preparing for my memorial?

    ¡°The average person reincarnates with 1000 points, 800 of which may come from the two factions their life experience aligns with most. In your case you are starting from scratch you are going to want a special ability more than the points. And if you can get both then you are doing really well.¡± Agusta continued.

    My friends and family would have heard the news. Many of them would not be surprised I was gunned down, they likely don¡¯t know I wasn¡¯t a cop. I bet my cousins had placed bets on how I would die.

    I will never see anyone I knew ever again.

    My parents must be devastated.

    He put his concerns in the back of his mind for later and squared his shoulders.

    If this interview goes badly then I could end up as some weakling without the ability to help anyone. Thats not the hero I want to be. No pressure.

    ¡°Alright let¡¯s do this, make me a hero.¡± Drew said.

    The elevator doors slid open to reveal an amphitheater, like a college lecture hall for about 500 people. Drew¡¯s definition of people broadened quickly as he saw what he could only describe as elves, orks, minotaurs, hobgoblins, dwarves, fairies, and even a handful of mermaids. Each was wearing a cloak of white, black, or gray accented with a shoulder sash of red, green, blue, or purple.

    A middle-aged human woman in medieval peasant clothes stood center stage before a table of 4 representatives. A ghostly woman in flowing black robes stood beside her. Drew realized he and Agusta were in a glass viewing booth unable to hear what was being said.

    Agusta stepped up to the glass and gestured to the room.

    ¡°This is a small quorum of representatives of the 4 Deities. One of a hundred that the factions sit in audience for at one time. The members gathered here achieved greatness in the name of their deity and earned their a seat. For now, just know they completed a bunch of quests for one faction or another. The woman down there will be awarded with points to select her race, racial options, stat points, abilities etc in her next life.¡±

    Holy crap¡­ this is just like an RPG game!

    ¡°Wait, she¡¯s getting stat points? Can she customize her whole build for her next life?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Yes, if she can afford it. Mostly she will get to make alterations here and there.¡± Augusta said.

    ¡°Will she retain her memories? Or is she going to become lemonade?¡± Drew asked, thinking back to the spectral crowd he was in moments ago.

    ¡°Oh her? She¡¯s lemonade. But if she gets lots of points or strikes a deal today she could get a fuller glass of juice for her next self to work with this time around.¡±

    Drew watched as two representatives discussed the woman¡¯s life as if it was the weather.

    ¡°This will be interesting, the speakers today might work well in your favor. Well except for Valerius Nightshade; the Death Faction¡¯s current Speaker. You can see him there on the far right with the purple sash.¡±

    Agusta pointed to the tall dark skinned elf in a black robe with white hair. He seemed to be bored with the interview already.

    ¡°He¡¯s from Ghrimmoor, the holy city for the death faction in Eesayum. He¡¯s a bit of a fanatic and won¡¯t like that you were anything less than a mass murderer back on earth. We are going to have to get tricky if we are going to get an ability for you from him.¡± She said with a shrug.

    Agusta pointed to the next person at the table. She was one of two fair skinned elves at the table. Her blond hair cascading down over her blue sash and white robes. She had her hands clasped lightly on top of a book while she asked questions.

    ¡°She is Teraphine Winterthorn, the Speaker for the Mage Faction. She hails from Arcanum City, in the southern deserts. She should recognize that earth has a lot of knowledge to offer.¡±

    ¡°Next to her is Thoren Stonebeard. He ascended to the Speaker¡¯s seat for the Crafter in the last hundred years. He hails from the mining city under Mount Titanus in the North. He will be excited to see your Earth technology.¡±

    Thoren was exactly what you would expect a dwarf to look like. He was tinkering with something on the table in front of him, completely checked out from the interview.

    Drew had once seen an alarm clock break open at his grandfather¡¯s house, and recognized that Thoren was working on something similarly complex but with a steam engine inside. The dwarf had engine grease stains up to his elbows and large globs of the grease stained his bushy red beard.

    Agusta nodded to the other tall Elven woman, this one had green hair and green eyes. ¡°And that is Elara Sunleaf. She and I are in the Nature Faction. She has been our Speaker for over a thousand years. I used to work with her back in Sylvanvale. Although I have not spoken with her in the last 400 years or so.¡±

    Elara stood and spoke with a flourish, the white robed members of the audience clapped. She sat and looked over at Drew.

    A status card appeared in front of the human woman. Her representative picked it up and the two of them were enveloped in a purple column of light and then disappeared.

    Alright, here we go. It is just the most important interview of my life. I can do this.

    Drew took a deep breath to steady his nerves.

    The seam in their glass booth separated and the panels dropped into the floor. Agusta walked him forward to the center of the room and stood by his side.

    ¡°I present Andrew Bonsen for the quorums consideration.¡± Agusta said.

    ¡°Welcome, Andrew. I am Elara Sunleaf, I represent the Nature Faction. Since we are sponsoring you, I will be hosting the interview. If everyone is ready we shall commence."

    After nods from each of the other Speakers, Elara continued.

    ¡°My fellow Speakers, the Nature faction is presenting something rather rare today. Before you you see a transfer from the newly discovered planet; Earth. He has agreed to be reincarnated in our world with his retained memories.¡±

    Thoren waved his hand over the trinket and tools in front of him and they vanished.

    ¡°Earth is an interesting planet, nearly overrun with people like Andrew and no other sentient races. It is a world entirely without magic. The Nature faction has recently acquired a transfer permit. Andrew is the first to come over and we are still assessing the rate and volume of transfers their system can handle.¡±

    The other three speakers all started making demands at once. Elara silenced them with a gesture.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°I know you all have many questions. No, we do not have approval to open Earth up to other factions. The interview will proceed as normal, and any updates regarding contracts or permits with Earth will be handled outside of this session.¡±

    - 9 -

    "Let us begin. Agusta, you have been to the planet and will have insight for this quorum. What was your observation of Earth?¡± Elara sat as Agusta stepped forward to address the room.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed and respected representatives of the Crafter and Mage, Valerius.¡± Agusta raised her hands and an image of Earth appeared above her.

    ¡°Earth is a world devoid of magic but people have achieved extraordinary feats through their ingenuity and scientific prowess. Watch as I show you a planet where massive cities bustle with millions of inhabitants, living harmoniously despite the absence of magical aid.¡±

    Elara raised her hand to ask a question. ¡°How do they manage to sustain such large populations without magic?¡±

    Drew stood passively as the images of Earth shifted to show massive industrial farms with chickens and pigs, huge swaths of corn and wheat, and semi-trucks delivering food by the ton to stores.

    ¡°Earthlings, or Humans as they call them selves. Humans have mastered the art of efficient resource management and sustainable practices. Their advancements in agriculture and infrastructure ensure a stable food supply, clean water systems, and adequate shelter for all.¡±

    Teraphine raised her hand next. ¡°Surely such population density creates conflict and spreads disease. How do they heal the wounded and cure diseases without magic?¡±

    The images of earth showed bustling urban streets, supermarkets, hospitals, and highways packed with cars.

    ¡°Earth''s medical advancements are truly remarkable. They possess advanced knowledge of physiology, advanced surgical techniques, and thousands of years of breakthroughs.¡± Agusta received a nod from the Mage¡¯s Speaker and Thoren raised his hand to speak before Valerius could.

    ¡°What about their art and engineering? Can they rival our craftsmanship?¡± The dwarf asked.

    The images of earth changed to show skyscrapers, jet airplanes, massive cruise liners. They shifted again to show oil paintings and marble statues, Big Ben, and the Eiffel Tower lit up at night with a drone light show.

    ¡°The humans of earth have freed up much of their time for leisure and crafting. They have created thinking machines, and advanced tools that allow them to build flying carriages. Their artists and craftsmen have had millenniums to pursue their craft.¡±

    Valerius spoke up, cutting Agusta off. ¡°And what of their weapons and war? Without magic how do they fight their monsters?¡±

    Agusta glanced at Thorin to confirm her answer had satisfied him, he nodded back and relinquished his turn to Valerius.

    The image shifted to scenes of war. Heavy artillery, infantrymen charging across the sands and firing assault rifles, a nuclear bomb detonating over Japan.

    "The humans of Earth have developed powerful weapons, ranging from intricate firearms to devastating explosive devices. While their technological prowess lacks the elegance of our magical weaponry, their creations are worth studying. They have overcome their natural predators thousands of years ago and begun turning against each other."

    Teraphine pondered aloud. "Indeed, their achievements are impressive. I wonder how their innovations could complement our own magical practices."

    Thorin mused to himself. "While their creations may lack the finesse of our craftsmanship, they hold value for further review."

    Valerius Nightshade interrupted, standing up. "And who is this plain looking man you bring before us? Your stories of this new world sound intriguing, but who is this man here today?"

    Agusta began to explain.

    "Andrew is an example of an average human. He has benefited from Earth''s global education system, possessing knowledge of mathematics, and combat typical of most Earthlings by mid-life. On Earth, his career as a medic, allowed him to specialize in non-magical healing. He is highly proficient in this area."

    Valerius raised a screen over the table, displaying combat logs. "If he was in the field of battle, where are his combat records?"

    "Andrew did not participate in the war; it happened before his life time. Drew, tell us about your experiences thus far and how you have utilized your unique abilities to aid others." Agusta said.

    Here we go. Become a hero. You got this Drew!

    "Hello your Honors. Everything you have heard about earth is true. From what I have heard of your world we are a couple thousand years ahead of you.¡± Drew said.

    They have a different definition of combat. How do I explain to them that my highest kill count is in a video game?

    ¡°I haven''t seen much combat outside of training or simulations. Most people in cities don''t fight unless they are criminals. Killing is a crime on earth. I trained to be a police officer, you could compare them to a town guard, but ended up as an EMT, focusing on saving lives and protecting them. While I''ve been in a few fights and I can defend myself reasonably well by earth standards, nobody kills anybody."

    Valerius scoffed, gaining murmured support from the audience.

    "It seems you have avoided engaging in anything remarkable that your planet might have to offer us. The Nature faction has painted a grand picture of these humans from Earth, but you, an average specimen, have seen less combat than the children of our world. How can we assess your true capabilities if you shy away from confrontations?"

    Elara raised her hand to silence the room.

    "I must interject, Valerius. Andrew''s ability to find peaceful resolutions should be applauded. He has displayed resourcefulness and a deep understanding of strategy in his endeavors. Experience is not solely measured in lives taken or duels won."

    Valerius turned his cold stare towards the representatives in the crowd.

    "While peaceful resolutions have their merits, let us not forget the harsh realities of our world. Experience gained through combat is a necessary part of growth. Drew''s background as a healer and pacifist does not qualify him for any significant recognition. The Death faction would consider it a waste to spend more than 10 stat points on his creation."

    The crowd was excited by the strongly negative offering. Conversations bubbled up around the gathered crowd. Elara raised her hand to quiet the room and give Agusta the opportunity to speak.

    "If it pleases the quorum, let us clear up some misconceptions about Earth before we proceed. It seems that some of us are making hasty and ignorant decisions.¡± Agusta said.

    Valerius scowled across the table at the second affront. Decorum forced him to wait for his chance to speak.

    ¡°Earth is a violent planet without magic or status cards. There is no system to guide humans to level up. Merchants have taken over, and violence is now a sport for a few eccentric individuals. Andrew''s knowledge from Earth, is average by earth standards, but it is exceptional by our own.¡±

    ¡°His knowledge of earth technology could benefit the magic and craft of our world as much as it can teach us new ways to kill each other. With the right advantages, he could lead us to great advancements for any faction. Each Speaker must carefully consider their nominations and not undermine the potential of a nominee for personal gain. Let us not neglect our duties."

    The room filled with murmurs as various factions discussed amongst their peers.

    Valerius grinned as the other Death representatives whispered amongst themselves.

    Thoren Stonebeard stood up on his chair and spoke.

    "Valerious speaks truthfully. This quorum is not here to speculate about a candidate''s potential future behavior; our focus is on their past life, and no faction can afford to throw away hard earned stat points, even for a transfer. Unless the Nature faction discloses the location of Earth for the other factions to assess these claims ourselves, our decision would align with the Death Faction."

    "Tell us, Andrew," the Mage faction representative leaned over the table. "Our world is not a game to be taken lightly; it is all too real. You will not get another chance to bring your memories to your next life the next time you die. You would need to think for yourself, and push yourself to learn and grow rapidly to protect yourself and others. Could you fight for your life? Could you maintain the focus necessary to wield magic in battle?¡±

    Drew responded quickly, though his confidence was shaken.

    "Magic was the main reason I signed up to come here. Now that I have died, realize that I did not fit in on Earth. Maybe I would have been better off as a soldier. I never got the chance to fight for my life, or truly protect the lives of others. I certainly would like the chance to try.¡± He replied.

    His thoughts drifted to the moment when his life was ended by a kid with a shotgun.

    Valerius went back on the offensive, gaining confidence from the support of the two other faction leaders.

    "Surely you realize that criminals in our world would be high-level fighters, constantly slaughtering everything on their path to grow stronger. To survive, you would need to be strong as well. Pacifists and healers do not level up quickly." He said.

    Drew looked around the room searching for support from Agusta or Elara.

    Agusta attempted to interject, but Valerius kept speaking over her, driving his point home.

    "Clearly, there is no evidence that Andrew could keep up with our violent world or fight daily for his life. He is a healer from a world of pacifists. He is not a frontline fighter. If the death faction were to grant him one of our blessings, he wouldn''t use it for fear of killing his opponents. He wouldn''t even level it up in his lifetime!"

    The Death faction representative laughed, glancing at the other speakers.

    Agusta quickly stepped forward, keeping Drew quiet with a hand on his shoulder.

    "Drew accepts the blessing from the Death faction, and we acknowledge their nomination for 10 points."

    A murmur rippled through the room as Valerius kicked a leg of the table in frustration. A Death representative approached him, whispering in his ear for a few seconds before he composed himself.

    "Deceit from the Nature faction, a rare success indeed. Well played, we concede. The Death faction awards him the Assassins Bane ability at level one." Valerius replied with a sneer. ¡°Be warned Andrew it is a powerful blessing, you may end up relying on it more than you expect.¡±

    The room grew tense as they awaited the next speaker''s decision. The Mage speaker stood up.

    Valerius typed something on a screen visible only to him and then sent it.

    "We acknowledge that earth¡¯s higher standard of education puts him at the level of our scholars.¡± Teraphine said.

    She looked down for a moment at a screen only she could see.

    ¡°But we are concerned with his lack of magical experience.¡± She said.

    ¡°In favor of providing Drew with the Scholar trait at Rank 1, the Mage faction nominates him for 10 points towards his next life."

    Valerius smiled. He leaned forwards to hear the next speaker make their commitment.

    Whoa whoa wait. What¡¯s happening here? These traits sound good but don¡¯t I need those points?

    Agusta put their hand on his shoulder before he could speak.

    "Indeed, Elara. Drew''s knowledge of Earth technology, even diluted, would ratchet up the technology of our world.¡± Thorin said. He flipped a slate device over to hide the screen before he continued to speak.

    ¡°The Crafter acknowledges the potential that this candidate brings new technologies into our world. We would nominate him for 11 points to get his engine started. At Rank 1 we award him the Tinker trait so that he may quickly start creating new wonders for our world.¡±

    The representatives in red sashes grumbled. Some seemed pleased with their speaker¡¯s commitment. Teraphina scowled at the one-upmanship.

    Elara, the Nature Speaker, stood up and smiled warmly at Agusta.

    "Finally. The Nature faction awards Drew 200 points towards his next life and grants him the ability Basic Heal at level 1, and the Healer''s Blessing ability at the first rank.¡±

    Representatives in green sashes cheered around the room at the extremely strong commitment. Valerius looked outraged and slammed his fist on the table.

    ¡°It is my honor, for the first time in a thousand years, to announce that this quorum recognizes Drew as a Hero with a blessing from each faction!"

    A hero! Damn right I am! Suck on that Valerius!

    Applause echoed throughout the room, and Drew felt a mix of emotions as he received recognition as a hero. He caught a nasty look from Valerius before his status card appeared floating in front of him.

    Grasping his card, he was beamed up in a shimmering green light.

 Part 4

    - 10 - Reborn in a Magical World -

    The great continent Lisaria spread out below them. One major continent stretching across both horizons.

    Drew was still reeling from his experience with the quorum and itching to view his status card to study the new abilities he had received. The extreme height and lack of floor was not healing him calm down.

    How many stat points did I get anyways? Agusta said that 1000 was good. Did I even get 200? And that psycho elf has a good point, but he¡¯s got to be wrong. There has to be a way to level without massacring the ecosystem.

    Drew hovered closer to where the wisp and Agusta were pouring over some screens that hovered in the air.

    That wisp has my stat card, when do I get a look at it?

    The small wisp snapped its ghostly tendril at him to get his attention.

    ¡°I won¡¯t repeat myself again, Ressian.¡± It said.

    The wisp had been there when Agusta and Drew materialized out of the beam of green light high above Lisaria. It was clearly a history fanatic, because it had been going into extreme detail on the political relationships between the 5 Kingdoms below them.

    ¡°Sorry, I was listening.¡± Drew said quickly, recalling what had just been said.

    ¡°There was a demon lord from the southern desert kingdom Solakim. Apparently there were a ton of ancient cities buried in the sands, many of them holding the secrets to dark magic. It had been 350 years since the last demon lord was defeated and scholars don¡¯t expect another one for at least 700 years. Did I miss anything?¡± Drew recited rapidly.

    ¡°Borealis, thank you for that brief history.¡± Agusta interjected.

    ¡°Drew, what you need to know is that there are 5 kingdoms that are generally at peace right now. Eesayum is that heavily forested area just above the heart of the continent, if you want to be an elf wielding magic then we can start there. Rodokk is the kingdom in the northern Mountains, if you want to be a dwarf and live underground then we can get you started up there.¡± Agusta was interrupted in her quick summary by the wisp Borealis.

    ¡°The elves of Eesayum and the Dwarves of Rodokk were at war for thousands of years!¡± Borealis blurted out. ¡°It¡¯s not uncommon to see a dwarf or elf dueling in the streets when the weather is warm.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Borealis,¡± Agusta said with an exasperated look before continuing.

    ¡°Ressellia is the kingdom of rolling grasslands and is home to most of the Ressians in Lisaria. You will recognize them as human. They tend to be merchants and soldiers, there are also scholarly magic societies and adventuring guilds.¡±

    ¡°Solakim is a giant desert full of nomadic tribes and you shouldn¡¯t start there. And lastly, Callapeia is the seaside kingdom, they are all pirates of any race, including the dark ones, and their kingdom doesn¡¯t have a king, it has a few barons. They govern their own Islands.¡± Agusta looked down at a prompt on her tablet.

    ¡°The pirates of Callapeia elect the strongest baron as their king. King Platheus died at sea last year and they will remain Kingless until the next challenge can take place.¡± Borealis raced through the explanation without taking a breath.

    ¡°Borealis will be helping us quickly select a starting kingdom, region and city for you.¡± Agusta turned to look directly at the wisp. ¡°With relevant facts only when absolutely necessary, please.¡±

    - 11 -

    Borealis pulled up a large screen that showed a list of nations and their capitals. He used several filters to bring up a comprehensive list of all the races available by location. Agusta quickly changed a bunch of the filters and the list narrowed down to about a hundred cities.

    ¡°Okay Andrew Bonsen, what race would you like to be? Elf, Dwarf, Ressian? Or you could be a gnome, or some of the lesser ¡®sentient¡¯ races like merfolk or beastkin. Once you decide, we can select a few starting cities to look at.¡± He made little ghostly air quotes when he said sentient.

    ¡°Oh call me Drew. And I hadn¡¯t thought about that.¡± He said.

    ¡°I can change your name easily, one moment.¡± Borealis said.

    Drew turned to Agusta and she flicked her eyes up from her screen.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t I be a human anywhere?¡± Drew asked.

    The wisp made a couple selections on the screen and simple as that, Drew¡¯s name was ¡®Drew¡¯.

    ¡°Now, yes you could start anywhere but it might cost more of your creation points. Borealis, can you pull up Drew¡¯s character panel?¡± She said.

    Agusta looked down at her tablet and made a couple notes.

    ¡°We will be looking for planned births for the race you choose. Each pregnancy is sorted by the race of the parents and then we identify if there is a new soul for the birth already. If that family is the one you pick then we will swap out your soul for the one assigned to them and you get born instead.¡± Borealis said.

    ¡°Oh, that seems¡­complicated. Can¡¯t I just start as an adult somewhere? I don¡¯t want to steal someone else¡¯s life right?¡±

    Drew watched the wisp set up a human shaped avatar with features similar to Drew¡¯s, and nearly all of his available points went towards the race¡¯s base traits. The wisp was going into the settings and sliders to make the generic human body and face look like Drew.

    ¡°It¡¯s not really feasible to create a brand new body from scratch.¡± The Wisp replied. ¡°And you didn¡¯t bring one with you for recycling. It¡¯s too expensive, and would get you into weird situations in your starting town.¡±

    ¡°Why would that cause problems don¡¯t people travel to new cities.¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°For one, everyone would be very suspicious of you, being an adult at level 0.¡± Borealis said.

    Agusta looked up from her device. ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t have any points left to boost your stats or customize your skills. You would be a generic blank guy, or gal, that just popped up out of nowhere. They¡¯d think you were some kind of illusion, or something worse.¡± Agusta looked to the wisp apologetically. ¡°No offense.¡±

    Borealis shrugged it off. ¡°My race has a bad reputation as tricksters. People are always saying we steal babies.¡±

    Drew stared silently at the wisp.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Do you steal babies?¡± Drew couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking.

    ¡°No, we just borrow them. If they escape then we bring them back.¡± Borealis turned the two windows towards Drew and Agusta.

    ¡°Something is going on here. It won¡¯t let him pre-select Ressian. Who is this guy?¡± Borealis asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s getting reincarnated, he was not Ressian before, he was human.¡± Agusta said tersely.

    ¡°Well then he won¡¯t be inheriting his base stats and traits along with the Ressian race.¡± Borealis said.¡°

    ¡°Just buy them with his points.¡± Agusta said. ¡°He needs to make it to Rank 1 and start doing favors for the Mage and Crafter.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°So are we choosing Ressian then? Even without the customized features. The only reason he can even afford it is because of the seasonal discount.¡± He said.

    Seasonal discount? How many points am I spending to get a discount human model?

    ¡°What seasonal discount?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°They just had their springtime fertility festival so there are tons of babies to choose from but they are all from wealthy families so it will cost you a lot of points.¡± Borealis said.

    The wisp scrolled through a list of babies and locations that were all highlighted in red.

    ¡°Actually you don¡¯t have enough points for any of these wealthy families.¡± Borealis said.

    ¡°Well wait, let''s just wait a moment,¡± Drew said, pushing the screens away trying to get some space. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to replace some kid¡¯s soul? It just doesn¡¯t seem right.¡±

    Agusta gave him a sad look and Borealis threw its little spectral jelly hands up in the air.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Ressian. This is how we do things all the time. The other soul isn¡¯t awake yet and won¡¯t even know they got recycled.¡± Borealis said quickly

    Agusta grimaced.

    ¡°Yeah. See I knew it! I¡¯m not recycling some new soul back into lemonade so I can get wealthy parents. Thank you for the truth Borealis, Agusta let¡¯s look at other options.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s lemonade?¡±

    - 12 -

    Agusta moved the screen closer for Drew to see.

    ¡°Okay Borealis, reset the creation everything. Lets take it from the top. Your situation is not ideal. You got 5, 10, 11, and 200 points from the Quorum. That is a measly 226 points.¡± She said.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking into it but Valerius seems to have some leverage over the other representatives. He played his cards to force you to have a harder start.¡± She said.

    ¡°You won''t get to choose the offering of nobility or master crafters, you can''t afford to inherit their traits and blessings by default.¡± Borealis said.

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is you are not going to be able to join a family line with high base stats or strong traits.¡± Agusta said.

    ¡°He can¡¯t afford to be anybody with these points. I could look for orphans and feral children and we might be able to make some cuts to their stats.¡± He said.

    ¡°No no no. I¡¯m not killing orphans. There¡¯s got to be something I can do with my points.¡± Drew said.

    I¡¯ll have to do this on my own.

    ¡°Any points that you use for selecting your race and starting stats are subtracted from your total. Then once you get to rank one you can spend the remaining points to buy attribute points or upgrade skills.¡± Said the wisp.

    Yeah this is getting really complicated.

    Borealis popped up between the screens to remove a few of the settings Agusta had loaded, revealing a few other racial options.

    ¡°Some races, like goblins, rank up sooner than others and also cost less points at creation. There¡¯s actually strategies for selecting a cheaper race, and then using the remaining points to become uniquely powerful at Rank one.¡± The wisp said.

    ¡°Wait, goblin is a selectable race? Aren¡¯t they monsters?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Well technically they are not monsters.¡± Borealis replied. ¡°But they are considered a dark race and have the negative racial trait Feral from when they joined the demon lord¡¯s army.¡±

    ¡°What that means is they act like monsters unless they are part of a tribe that paid the points to remove the racial trait.¡± Agusta said.

    ¡°Umm actually, the concept of race is misleading. All creatures have a race, and have racial traits. We get the social construct of ¡®Race¡¯ from the ancient elvish definition.¡± Borealis said.

    Drew turned excitedly to his creation screen.

    Agusta typed something out on her tablet quickly and Borealis drifted closer to her screen to take a peek.

    ¡°Okay so what is the full list of available races? Let¡¯s find one that¡¯s cheap but has cool benefits. And I could save my points for rank 1. I wouldn¡¯t mind being some rare type of flying humanoid beast with cool magic powers.¡±

    Borealis opened up a long list of names, the wisp scrolled through them so fast that Drew did not get a chance to recognize any of them.

    ¡°Again, all beasts could become sentient, and many individual monsters do achieve higher intelligence at their highest ranks.¡± Borealis said.

    ¡°The demon lord¡¯s Feral trait is very expensive to remove, you couldn¡¯t afford it in your lifetime. So let''s remove those races from the list.¡±

    Half of the races dropped off the list.

    ¡°And if we consider how few points you have there are many races that would be too expensive for you to upgrade on your own. Most fish for example wouldn''t be intelligent or organized enough to assist you.¡±

    Nearly all of the remaining races dropped off the list.

    ¡°These 10 races would be cost effective enough for you to start out and still be intelligent.¡±

    ¡°Wait I could end up stupid? No way. I need to be at least as smart as a human.¡± Drew said.

    Agusta looked through the list. ¡°There aren¡¯t that many appealing options here. Which ones are the closest to human intelligence levels?¡±

    An image came up on the screen. It was a fat juicy slug, the color of a ripe banana with leopard spots. With three eyes, two short horns on its forehead like a rhinoceros, and rows of teeth like a shark.

    ¡°The closest would be these two. The glurmak are a race of cave invertebrates underneath the northern mountains that would need their base intelligence raised by 5 points to qualify for Sentience, and their charisma raised by 200. But that might prove difficult since all of your fellow glurmak are going to be super aggressive.¡±

    Drew paled at the thought of being a slug surrounded by other extremely aggressive slugs.

    ¡°And the Dwarves consider them a delicacy so they are hunted during their major holidays.¡± Borealis said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see the next one.¡± Drew said.

    The image changed to a sleek black bird with a hooked beak, intelligent eyes, and a metallic sheen to its feathers.

    It¡¯s like those cars you would see downtown that change color as they pass you.

    ¡°The other option is the skurr. They are known as gallow birds all over Lisaria. They are organized, have social and communication skills and are generally not considered edible due to their reputation for eating corpses.¡± Borealis could read the look on Drew¡¯s face.

    These look just like the crows on earth. If Batman redesigned them.

    ¡°But they are omnivorous, and eat most anything, they are unique in that they are immune to the Undead curse that other races get from consuming cursed corpse meat.¡±

    Am I going to be eating corpses?

    ¡°Furthermore, as a race, they only need 120 more points to qualify for Sentience. With their high base intelligence it would take all of your points to get things started. You could spend those last points elsewhere, like constitution or strength.¡± Borealis paused his gatling gun monologue to look at Drew who was almost completely lost at this point.

    ¡°Can they use tools like crows?¡± Drew asked.

    Borealis looked to Agusta for confirmation. ¡°Crows are birds from earth, they actually are remarkably similar, only much smaller and more docile.¡±

    ¡°Ground birds? These birds fly and roost in trees and on rooftops.¡± Borealis said. ¡°They are ingenious and learn to do all sorts of things, causing mischief for the other sentient races.¡±

    Andalla gave the wisp a hurry up hand gesture and he continued on topic.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t evil right?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Actually there aren¡¯t any evil races. That¡¯s another concept sentient races get from ancient elvish sentimentalities. Individuals of any of the races can do evil things.¡±

    Agusta jumped in. ¡°Are you really considering this Drew? It would mean a lot of paperwork for me, and it would take several years before any of these birds would be smart enough to help you.¡± Agusta said.

    ¡°Once you are there, you would be the smartest Skurr around due to your base stats.¡± Borealis said. ¡°You should be able to get the other Skurr to start helping out by contributing their points towards the race upgrade in time for the paperwork to be done.¡± Honestly this is bad ass. Skurr look like someone had mixed an eagle with a crow. I can work with that, striking the fear of the gallows into criminals as a giant Crow.

    ¡°Let''s do it.¡± Drew said as he selected Skurr as his starting race.

    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll get those 12 Intelligence points and 10 constitution points for you so you don¡¯t die from the first thing that hits you. After the costs of your race, and base stat modifications you¡¯ve still got 3 points left to spend at Rank 1.¡± Borealis quickly made the selections on Drew¡¯s character creation sheet.

    ¡°Do you want to be the normal black? We could make you another color, like blue or red if you trade in some of these leftover points.¡± The wisp suggested.

    ¡°No, I think black is a great color.¡± Drew was thinking back to the crows he saw a lifetime ago.

    What is it going to be like being part of the flock?

    ¡°Great, let''s go find you a starting town.¡±

 Part 5

    - 13 -

    Drew and Agusta soared above the kingdom of Ressellia with the wisp Borealis following along. In their invisible, spirit-like forms nobody could see them.

    This is amazing. Is this what earth looked like before humans colonized the planet? Will there be dinosaurs? That forest stretches across both horizons! And those trees are walking, they definitely are walking. Those are magic lakes. What is that huge fish swimming across the surface? One of those mountains looks like someone blasted a hole clean through it. Can magic do that?

    As they flew, Borealis explained that there were different tiers of cities and quests, each offering different rewards and challenges but Drew tuned him out.

    "Things are going to be different since you are starting as a non sentient. You will have access to the Skurr¡¯s racial quest line. They don¡¯t exactly have quest givers in the traditional sense. It¡¯s more about what the flock needs to survive and thrive. Although your Hero title will change your access to quests around for you.¡± The Wisp droned on uninterrupted.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry this up. There are countless cities that will be a good start.¡± Agusta said.

    ¡°You likely want a frontier city.¡± Borealis continued. ¡°Most frontier towns are formed around profitable dungeons. For extra safety you could look along the borders of Eesayum and Ressellia, or Eesayum and Rodokk, since there will also be a garrison nearby.¡±

    Borealis produced a chipper squeak that startled Drew and Agusta.

    ¡°There¡¯s actually a region up north where all three countries are sandwiched together in the foothills of the Northern Mountains.¡±

    ¡°Lets check it out.¡± Drew tried to float faster as they headed off towards the mountains.

    - Interlude -

    Elara - Agusta, long time no see darling. How long has it been?

    Augusta - Elara, certainly too long. We must get together in Sylvanvale soon.

    Elara - Certainly. I have to say, I could barely contain my laughter at the quorum today. Valerious embarrassed himself, his eloquence faltered like leaves in a storm. And we finally have our hero.

    Augusta - Yes, well our mischief may be little used, but is used to great effect. While he may be a hero, but this earthling has a long way to go. He got a truly miserable start. Have you seen my report? He chosen Skurr as his race.

    Elara - Oh? I have not read it yet. I¡¯ll take a look. How are our plans for Earth coming along? Any sign of their mana or deities?

    Augusta - None yet, they have shut themselves away quite tightly. I will return after I have this all sorted for our earthling. As long as he is here the link will remain open.

    Elara - If you don¡¯t find them then the contract cannot be finalized. I will think on this. I just had a splendid idea. Lets add a new sub race to the Beastkin. I believe sentient birds would be a lovely addition. I trust you can make this happen for me.

    Augusta - Indeed. I will wrap this up quickly. I¡¯m starting the paperwork now. Do you know someone that can help balance out the Skurr base stats?

    Elara - Oh yes, I believe a request recently came across my desk for sentient rats. I see it here, Burl proposed it. Of course I put it out to grow moss. Rats would be a disgusting race to have mingling about on Lisaria.

    Augusta - Oh yes, our old friend Burl, always such a bleeding heart. I¡¯ve sent him the assignment just now. I will return to Earth shortly and send you favorable news of our conquest.

    Elara - I have no doubt. The nature faction will rely on Agusta the conqueror. May the sun shine upon you my friend.

    Augusta - May the sun shine on you as well.

    - 14 - Rottervale: A High Level Starting Town -

    As they soared over a range of towering mountains, Drew¡¯s eyes followed a road as it wound its way up one mountain and into the valley at the top. Borealis pointed out a walled city with a river forking around it.

    A medieval fantasy city sprawled like an elaborate patchwork quilt in the late afternoon sun.

    They approached the city from the west, a few remnants of the original frontier town still stood, weathered buildings echoing tales of the decade when the dungeon hosted adventurers from all corners of Lisaria. Winding alleys and cobblestone streets meandered through the old town.

    These homes are so close together, and run down.

    ¡°This is the city of Rottervale," the wisp replied. "It was a dungeon town with an Undead dungeon, but after it grew to a city, the Holy Church destroyed the dungeon. My records indicate that the dungeon was overrun by demons.¡±

    ¡°Why are there bars on all the windows?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Originally these first buildings had bars on their windows to keep out any roving undead that wandered out of the dungeon. Now these homes belong to some of the dark races of Rottervale. Less commonly accepted amongst the wealthier families, they are mostly Dark Elves, and Goblin families, but my data suggests there are half-Orcks as well. As you can see they live in relative squalor.¡± Borealis looked sad for a moment then zipped forwards to continue the tour.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    The group circled eastward while the wisp spoke. Large estates with mansions were popular in the next part of town.

    ¡°Records show there was a demon outbreak here and the dungeon core was shattered. Most of the people left for other frontier towns, and veteran adventurers moved in to buy up the land and retire to their crafts."

    These are huge properties, more like parks or universities!

    ¡°This part of town is home to many retired adventurers and merchants. There aren¡¯t many people who can live here comfortably due to the high-level monsters in this area.¡±

    Fancy shops and inns lined the streets, welcoming travelers with hand carved signage and precious metals etched into their stonework.

    From their vantage point, the spectral party could see beyond the city walls. Farms stretched right up the the thick tree line. The land was remarkably uniform and flat.

    ¡°Agriculture is Rottervale¡¯s number one export. Among other things, they raise the highest quality Soft-shell Spider Melons in Ressellia.¡± Borealis said.

    Not sure I want to meet a spider melon even if it¡¯s got a soft shell.

    They flew over crafting districts, humming with activity in the northeastern quarter. The rhythmic clatter of blacksmiths and the scent of leather tanners blended seamlessly as skilled hands worked into the evening.Borealis pointed out two mage towers that framed the northern skyline, their spires reaching far above the city walls. Their circular foundations fit awkwardly against the square buildings on either side.

    ¡°There are still plenty of educated and wealthy citizens who would offer beginner quests.¡±

    Borealis pointed off into the distance to where the valley stretched into a thin pass.

    ¡°And at the end of the valley there is a garrison. As you take the road down the mountain you enter the Elven kingdom of Eesayum. The garrison is perfect for more mid-level quests."

    Drew nodded, impressed.

    "This sounds like a good starting town."

    Agusta clapped her hands once.

    "Excellent choice. Let''s get you settled in."

    What a cool city! This is going to be my home. I can do some good here. Maybe help out the poor folks in old town. These people will be my neighbors after all.

    As they descended, Drew could see the bustling streets with a few groups of children running in different directions. They approached a few large buildings near the middle of town.

    There were at least a hundred crows around the town, each busy wrapping up their plans for the day. Watching people, foraging for food, and providing for the flock above the unsuspecting heads of the citizens below.

    ¡°Well Drew, this is where we part ways for now. Be safe, take things slow and don¡¯t die.¡± Agusta said.

    Agusta reached out to grasp Drew¡¯s shoulder as she pointed towards a cluster of eggs in a nest.

    An egg with an embryo of a newborn male bird was highlighted in Drew¡¯s vision.¡°I found a chick that is about to hatch. I¡¯m sure with your individual stats you will do well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Agusta can you make sure the other soul gets a good start next time?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let Borealis handle that. Are you sure about this Drew? A beast is a significantly harder start. With your stats you will be the only sentient Gallow Bird, there won¡¯t be anyone to talk to and you will still be relatively weaker than every other sentient creature.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Augusta, I cannot thank you enough for this second chance. I know it will be tough, but life is tough. And I¡¯m going to be a hero right? That means I can do tough things. So I guess you can count on me.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Good luck Drew.¡± And Augusta disappeared with a pop.

    ¡°Um actually, some Skurr do learn to speak by interacting with other sentients.¡± Boreal is said. ¡°You can¡¯t afford to purchase Speak Common now, the cost for the physiological growth is too high. You could find a skill book to learn the language and practice. Any Guildhall will have some lying around. But you wouldn¡¯t be able to understand or read anything until then.¡±

    Drew nodded to Borealis.

    ¡°Yeah better get myself to studying then. Go ahead and beam me down.¡±

    Borealis gave a thumbs up to show they were ready.

    "Alright I¡¯m ready, it will be an adventure.¡± Drew said as his soul was rapidly drawn into the egg.

    Borealis drifted over and snatched up the small spherical orb of light that popped out.

    He looked around enjoying the view.

    ¡°What a nice town.¡± He said and bit into the little soul like an apple.

    - 15 -

    What? Where am I? Everything is blurry and I can¡¯t move?

    He had a notification blinking in his head and his field of view was blocked by a quest.

    New Quest: Hatch: Escape the egg before your stamina runs out.

    What now?

    Drew started bending and flexing his back.

    Shit. ShitShitShitShit. SHIT!

    It¡¯s suffocating and he panicked; flailing and bumping his head against what he realized was an egg shell.

    OK. I¡¯m a Gallow Bird now. I¡¯ve got to hatch right? That¡¯s what the quest says.

    I¡¯ve got to calm down.

    He tried to stop his thrashing. He tried to take a deep calming breath, but that made things worse since there wasn¡¯t any air. Drew¡¯s tiny body was acting on its own to break out, thrashing back and forth.

    Stamina 50%

    OK, here goes everything! Maximum Effort!

    He leaned into each peck.

    Drew lost count of the times he threw his tiny body against the egg.

    He made a few solid connections with his beak and a notification popped up for a moment before he willed it away.

    Eventually something gave out and blinding light poured through a crack in his shell.

    Got you now you crappy egg! This it it one more hit!

    The next thrust broke him out. He hung limply halfway out of his shell, victorious.

    ¡°Yeah! Take that! Can¡¯t hold me back!¡± Drew said.

    But it came out as a series of screeches that made him cough.

    Stamina 9%

    Drew tried to open his eyes but the world was too bright.

    Quest Complete: Hatch Exp 10.

    New Skill: [Peck] lvl 1

    Level Upgrade Available: Level 1 Skurr (Chick) - (10/10 exp)

    Strength +1

    Stamina +1

    He confirmed the level up before he passed out.

    - 16 -

    Drew woke up and kept his eyes closed this time. He was hungry.

    Like capital ¡°H¡± hungry.

    New Quest: Hunger:

    A baby Skurr has got to eat to grow up healthy and strong. Consume 10 units of food. (0/10)

    Are all quests like this? There¡¯s actually a hint built into the quest.

    He was sitting on the remains of the shell he hatched out of and resisted the urge to eat them. He settled deeper into the warmth of his siblings beside him, the sensation was like being made of soggy noodles.

    I¡¯m not eating this egg shell. Am I that hungry? It¡¯s basically part of my body right?

    One of his siblings leaned over and munched on his shell.

    ¡°Hey that¡¯s mine!¡± Drew screeched.

    He chomped down on the nearest piece of shell.

    It¡¯s bland and slimy and crunchy but it¡¯s not half bad.

    It took him a while to eat the remainder of his egg, with his eyes squeezed closed he was mostly blind. He spent most of the time feeling around by instinct.

    I guess it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s my shell or some other shell? It still counts towards the quest. So that¡¯s a win.

    Drew stumbled around the nest one more time looking for scraps of anything to eat before he checked his quest.

    Quest: Hunger: Progress (3/10)

    Man, this is a Crow¡¯s first meal? That¡¯s rough. And here I was complaining about leftover orange chicken for breakfast. What I wouldn¡¯t do for some oatmeal. Or pancakes. My mother made the best pancakes. As soon as I find a bakery I¡¯m getting some breakfast.

    The air was chilly and he checked his stamina.

    Still above 60%. Nice it doesn¡¯t alert me all the time.

    One of the adult Skurr returned to the nest as dusk fully settled in. Drew squished up to his siblings to make some room for the larger bird.

    I guess that¡¯s my dad, my crow dad. Or crow mom. Kinda hard to tell with all the feathers.

    The adult skurr settled down on top of the chicks to keep them warm.

    I¡¯m really a crow, Skurr, now. This has been a wild day.

    How long has it been for mom and dad? I mean, really, assuming I woke as a ghost immediately after I died. Who knows how long I was cued up before Agusta found me.

    No, I can¡¯t let that phase me. Sure they will be sad that I am gone, and I will miss them as long as I live, but I am alone here and now. I¡¯ve got to get moving. I am something¡¯s snack right now.

    All I have is this hunger quest, so that¡¯s what I got to do. Might as well take a nap until more food arrives.

    He curled up between his new family members and quickly fell asleep.

 Part 6

    - 18 -

    Drew woke up to screeching and realized his siblings were stumbling all over him.

    There are 4 of us in this nest and there isn¡¯t much extra room for them all to be rushing about.

    An adult bird had returned and was coughing up breakfast directly into the mouths of his siblings. The adult Skurr gave him a look, as he wobbled up. Drew gestured with his wobbly appendage to the floor of the nest.

    Can you just spit it into the nest? I¡¯ll pick it up from there.

    But the other bird couldn¡¯t read his mind and pushed their beak close to his.

    Ewww yuck. A bird has to eat tho.

    Drew let his bird instincts take control. He closed his eyes and mentally escaped to his status screens.

    The screeches of his siblings were loud and he wished he had a volume slider to tune them out.

    Status Screen

    Name: Drew Level: 1 Race: Skurr (Chick) Title: N/A

    Health: 10 (H-Regen: .01/sec)

    Mana: 0 (M-Regen: 0 / sec)

    Stamina: 5 (S-Regen: .05/sec)

    Physical Attributes:

    Strength: 3

    Constitution: 10

    Agility: 3

    Perception: 3

    Arcane Attributes:

    Intelligence: 15

    Willpower: 3

    Charisma : 5

    Wisdom: 3

    Blessings:

    1. [Assassins Bane II]

    2. [Healers Blessing I]

    3. [Consume Undead I]

    Skills:

    1. [Basic Heal] lvl 1

    2. [Peck] lvl 1]

    He checked his active quests.

    Quest: Hunger: Progress (8/10)

    Well that is disgusting. But at least I don¡¯t have to think about it too much. New goal, I need to get some real food.

    When he didn¡¯t receive a new quest he checked his notifications.

    New Ability: [Peck] A focused attack that deals piercing damage. 5% chance to do additional damage when striking weak points.

    Under my Race, I¡¯m listed as a level 1 Skurr chick. I need 15 exp to reach level 2. This says I can rank up to a juvenile Skurr once I reach level 5. Is this the first rank up that the speakers were talking about. Its not that complicated, I¡¯ve played worse MMOs.

    Quest Complete: Hunger: Reward: 15 exp!

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Level Upgrade Available: Level 2 Skurr (Chick) - (15/15 exp)

    New Quest: Hunger: Progress (1/11)

    He spent his 15 exp on the level up and checked the next level cost.

    23 exp! Seems like the exp required to level up increases each time by 50%.

    Drew did some quick math.

    I¡¯ll need 23 plus, 35 and 53. What¡¯s that, close to a hundred exp to reach the rank up to Juvenile? There are other branching options for skills and attributes but the details are locked out behind ¡°conditions not met¡± boxes.

    Area Quest: Predator Alarm: A predator has been sighted near the nests. All adult Skurr able to defend the nests are encouraged to respond. 100 exp for fending off the attacker. 1500 shared experience for defeating it.

    Drew could hear birds crowing all around him, his siblings were huddled up tightly at the back of the nest. Still mostly blind, with his eyes barely able to open, Drew couldn¡¯t see what kind of predator it was let alone where they were.

    I¡¯m completely blind here. I¡¯m what, one day old? Do I die this soon? Do I die as a snack?

    A shadow passed over the nest. His siblings were screeching and Drew got in on the action too. He could hear other Skurr echoing the call all around them.

    This is so frustrating! How long will I be a pile of jello? I need to level up enough to do something more to help.

    A very different screech echoed out and Drew was hit with a debuff and he passed out.

    - 19 -

    Drew woke up hungry again. An adult skurr was feeding his sibling so he wobbled over and crowded in for his share.

    How long is this going to be a daily thing?

    He looked inwards to check his notifications and saw the log with the debuff. After looking closely at it, details popped up.

    Fear: Debuff: Chance to cause loss of consciousness. You are not able to move or use skills or abilities.

    He also noticed that the area quest was completed.

    Area Quest Complete: Predator Alarm: Reward 1 exp. A double hawk was spotted near the nests, your contribution helped others drive it off with minimal casualties. Good job!

    Quest: Hunger: Progress (6/11)

    Things quieted down in the nest, and his belly was full.

    I¡¯m not dead yet. At least I can zone out while feeding. I¡¯ve seen videos of what baby birds eat and I do not need to remember it first hand.

    ¡°Drew. Drew. Wow why do baby Skurr look like meatballs that rolled around on the floor. Wake up Drew.¡± Agusta said.

    Drew rolled over in the nest as Agusta tapped him gently on his beak. Her hand was massive compared to the size of his head.

    ¡°Drew, that''s you right? It¡¯s me, Agusta. I¡¯ve got a couple minutes between meetings and wanted to pop down to give you the rundown on your interface since the other Skurr can¡¯t access it. Wouldn¡¯t want you wasting your points and dying.¡±

    Drew shook himself awake.

    ¡°Agusta! We got attacked by a double hawk earlier, you just missed it.¡± Drew squawked.

    ¡°I saw the results in your combat log. Interesting, you are already level 2. That¡¯s good, keep leveling up like that and you will rank up by the end of the season.¡±

    Agusta sat across from the nest, her leather-bound tablet open in front of her.

    "Now Drew, let''s talk about your status interface," she began.

    ¡°And just so you know, only you can see or hear me. You can just think your words in your head and I¡¯ll hear them. Not that the other birds will care if you sit there squawking to yourself, that¡¯s pretty normal for your race.¡±

    Got it. Like this? Drew cocked his head, listening intently.

    "Indeed. Okay so every person has a status interface that displays their current level, experience points, stats, and abilities. You can access it by focusing on it with your mind since you have a sentient level of intelligence. The other birds won¡¯t be able to spend their exp manually. All beasts and animals learn their skills organically." Agusta said.

    Drew nodded, opening up his status interface again to follow along.

    "Whenever you gain experience points, you can use them to upgrade your spells, stats, or even contribute towards your race upgrade," Agusta continued. ¡°But first rank up once, just keep spending exp on the level ups.¡±

    "Be careful how you use your experience points. Once you spend them, you can''t get them back. Each level up after Tank 1 will get you 2 points to spend on stats. You should spend exp to put a point into constitution and strength to toughen up each level.¡±

    "Now, Elara has a great idea. She wants to encourage you to become a Beastkin. She¡¯s fast tracked Cats and Dogs a couple hundred years ago. Now she wants sentient birds for Lisaria. So expect to see a few quests with Race Upgrade Points as the reward down the line. You can of course buy Race Upgrade Points with exp, but they are expensive. You will want to wait until you have a few ranks in your purse."

    Drew nodded, squawking in his excitement.

    Does that mean I could have hands again?

    "I don¡¯t see why not. As things stand, it looks like it would be an optional 5th Rank, instead of Dire Skurr.¡± Agusta checked something on her tablet.

    Drew jiggled his useless baby wings.

    It will be good to have hands again. And I¡¯m looking forward to flying. When can I start flying?

    "Juvenile Skurr usually learn the Flying skill at Rank 1. And you¡¯ll need to level it up to 5 before you are really proficient at it. Is there anything else you''d like to know? Otherwise I¡¯m off." Agusta said.

    Yeah, what about getting mana? Drew asked. I''ll need it for my healing spells.

    Agusta checked her tablet.

    ¡°Looks like one point of Mana will cost you 5000 exp. That¡¯s because it¡¯s an attribute Skurr do not normally develop until their first rank up. Better to develop your mana naturally.¡± Agusta said. ¡°Sorry that¡¯s all the time I have. I¡¯ll pop back in later to check on you once you rank up again.¡±

    What? Wait! Drew said, as she popped out of existence.

    Drew shook his head and looked at his pale pink featherless wings.

    I¡¯ll figure it out on my own then.

 Part 7

    - 20 -

    Drew was surrounded by the bustling activity of his siblings, who eagerly pecked at the small live bugs their mother brought them.

    They squabbled and fought over the juiciest morsels, their sharp beaks clashing as they asserted their dominance.

    Drew, however, struggled to snatch up his own food, his uncoordinated attempts were slow and he had not been getting a fair share.

    Not sure if I can keep missing bugs like this. Atleast they are better than the barf we¡¯ve been eating so far. If I could catch one.

    Drew watched his siblings effortlessly snatch up their meal as he checked his progress.

    I still need 45 more experience to level up to level 5. I¡¯ve completed this Hunger Quest 5 times already. They seem to possess an innate understanding of their instincts.

    Drew was over thinking things that whole day. He had been relying more on his ability to ¡°check out¡± while eating and eventually had to give up on it to catch a bug.

    Combat Results: Skeeble (red) lvl 1 - 3 exp.

    Quest: Hunger: Progress (8/17)

    What! These are delicious? Just like gushers!

    With his first bite he got some info on the tasty snack.

    Skeebles - Very common pests in Ressellia. They come in a variety of colors and they have six legs and armored wing-cases. Each has its own juicy filling depending on the fruit it eats.

    Adult Skurr continued bringing live bugs back to the nest and his new found motivation was demanding his full attention to hunt them down before his siblings could grab them.

    It¡¯s not just that they are bigger than me, they are able to peck and scratch each other without serious risk. If I peck back my Assassins Bane trait could activate and likely kill them.

    [Assassins Bane I] - Trait: 10% chance for damage dealt to corporeal targets to inflict one point of [Bane] on your target for 5 seconds. Each point of [Bane] reduces the target''s HP by 1 point each second, restoring your HP by 1%.

    After losing several Skeebles to his larger and faster siblings Drew got fed up and pecked back.

    His sibling seemed shocked. It reared back and tripped over itself. When it scrambled to its feet and gave an indignant peep. As if to say: ¡°how dare you peck me!¡±

    Meanwhile Drew managed to catch his second bug.

    By the end of the day, Drew gained a point in agility, a point in wisdom, and a point in willpower that helped him out maneuver his siblings and stomach live bugs much easier.

    He was able to work his way through two more hunger quests and was on track to level up to level 4 by the end of the next day.

    With his new abilities he could let what he considered his crow instincts handle the targeting and swallowing of the bugs while he toddled after the next one and avoided the scratches and pecks of his siblings.

    After a viscous peck from one of his siblings, just as Drew was about to snatch up a Skeetle, his instincts took over and he pecked his sister.

    [Bane]: (0:05)

    HP: 89%

    Oh shit!

    His sibling shrieked and scrambled to the opposite side of the nest.

    No no no! You better not die!

    [Bane]: (0:02)

    HP: 92%

    If her HP is the same as mine, then one peck does about 22% damage. that¡¯s 2 points of damage. So if she loses 5 points to my bane ability then she should have 3 points left still. Right?

    The timer on Bane ran out and the crow chick shuddered, then collapsed.

    Shit! Is she dead? What if she wasn¡¯t at full health? Or did my peck crit? Is that a thing here? If there are other game mechanics then crits could be a thing too.

    Drew hesitated to get close, he wobbled in place as the seconds ticked by, then his sibling took two solid deep breaths in her sleep.

    She''s alive! That was too close! This ability is way too dangerous for a little crow like me to have.

    - 21 -

    As the days progressed he got the hang of sharing the nest with his siblings. They all grew and the nest got more crowded. Drew had to be very careful not to attack his siblings since his Assassins Bane ability could activate.

    His siblings competed fiercely with one another, not only for food but also for shiny objects their parents dropped into the nest.

    New Quest: All that Glitters: Progress (2/10)

    They squabbled over trinkets, their eyes fixated on the glittering prizes. Drew, on the other hand, hesitated to engage them; there were several trinkets in the nest and his quest required him to have 10 at once. But without being able to peck back, he could not claim many of the trinkets for himself.

    These bird quests aren¡¯t getting me anywhere. And I¡¯m not able to access my blessings from the other factions until Rank 1. How can I complete these quests in a different way? Doing it the bird way isn¡¯t working.

    By the end of the day, his bare wings were marked from pecks from his siblings. He had been using his wings as shields but they were too fragile and sore from repeated attacks. They did not break since he still had plenty of HP left and the chicks all slept regularly to heal naturally.

    This is dumb, I have a healing skill but no mana to use it. And it costs way too much exp to buy a point of Mana. That¡¯s insane.

    I guess one positive side effect of getting pummeled so much was that my health regeneration stat increased to 0.15/second.

    He watched his siblings closely, studying their movements and behaviors. He observed how they positioned themselves, how they angled their beaks, and how they timed their strikes. From his perch atop his 2 trinkets, he waited for his chance.

    ¡°Aha!¡± Drew shot out and snatched a chipped coin from under his sibling while it was squabbling with its neighbor.

    He was able to tuck it underneath himself alongside his length of a bracelet, and a hand from a small metal statue.

    There are still seven more trinkets. If I focus on the smaller ones first, then I can keep them all to myself.

    No other opportunities to claim a trinket came until that evening when his siblings all fell asleep. Drew forced himself to stay awake. And he even cooed softly lulling his siblings to sleep.

    Shh. big guy. No need to worry about little Drew.

    He slipped his claw under the sleeping chick and withdrew a twisted piece of wire.

    Charisma +1

    New Quest: All that Glitters: Progress (9/10)

    Wait, did I miscount? I should have ten.

    Drew looked back to his pile of trinkets he¡¯d squirreled away. He had been burying them into the nesting materials where his siblings couldn¡¯t get them. One section of the nest had been dug up and his chipped coin was in the hands of a small mouse.

    The mouse was immediately strange to Drew. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was wearing a mushroom cap for a hat, or had one growing out of its head.

    It could easily be mistaken for a furry mushroom if it sat just right and stayed completely still.

    ¡°Hey! Back off mouse!¡± Drew squawked at the mouse and swatted it with the twisted piece of wire.

    [Bane]: (0:05)

    The mouse dropped the coin and retaliated with a swipe of its claw scoring Drew¡¯s wing and body.

    [Bane]:(0:03)

    HP: 88%

    The fight woke up his siblings, their eyes targeted the intruder immediately.

    Drew hopped back, avoiding a bite from the mouse, and swatted it with the wire again before his siblings piled on. They each landed pecks and scratches on the mouse.

    [Bane]:(0:01)

    HP: 90%

    [Bane]:(0:04)

    HP: 92%

    Drew stashed his wire, and lunged for the chipped coin while his siblings crowded in on the mouse.

    Quest Complete: All that Glitters: Reward 25 exp!

    Perception +1

    Combat Results: Brown Mishroom - level 5: Reward: 10 exp

    Strength +1

    Drew looked over to see that his siblings were each chowing down. They had dealt the fatal blow to the mouse and were now eating it.

    Hey guys! I helped kill it too, don¡¯t eat it all!

    Drew squeezed his way in to grab a bite of the Mishroom. He read through the notification to ignore the eating process.

    Mishroom - Fungal mice that are fast, and grow in cool damp dark places. They are excellent diggers and can survive well in damp earth and in downed trees. Mature Mishrooms can release paralyzing spores from their caps as a defense. When cooked, they have earthy and sweet flavor.

    Mmmm, these taste like Portobello''s. Finally something other than bug meat!

    Quest: Hunger: Progress (18/19)

    - 22 -

    Drew woke up before his siblings and took look at his trove of trinkets. He had a new quest too.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Through careful observation and trial and error there is insight to be found everywhere. (Progress 1%)

    Is there something about these trinkets that is interesting? I know I used the wire to smack that Mishroom, what else can I do with what is here?

    The pile included a broken off copper hand from a small toy, some wire, a chipped coin, various bits of metal, a 3¡± length of bracelet with stone and crystal beads, a shirt button with symbols carved into it.

    Puzzling: (11%)

    What happened? I didn¡¯t do anything.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Drew clacked his beak in frustration. He pulled together the bracelet and button and tried twisting the wire with his beak to create a clasp. But his claws were too clumsy to make any progress. After a couple breaks over the next hour Drew¡¯s effort paid off.

    Willpower +1

    Looking at the bracelet again, Drew could see that there was room to push the wire through the button and into the beads at the ends.

    Puzzling: (51%)

    With renewed confidence, he was eventually able to get the wire into the beads, and got a new achievement.

    New Item: [Repaired Bracelet - Crude]: A simple beaded bracelet too small for an adult to wear. Effect: unknown Value: unknown.

    Alright! Even without thumbs I can still do something!

    Equip [Repaired Bracelet - Crude]: Yes/No? Not available due to incompatible physiology.

    Well that sucks. How am I supposed to wear this? It even says it¡¯s too small for adults, what''s the difference between a small bracelet for humans and a necklace for a bird anyways?

    Puzzling: (91%)New Item: [Lucky Bird Necklace - Crude]: A simple beaded necklace just the right size for a fashionable bird. Luck +1 Value: unknown.

    Wait Luck is a thing?

    Drew checked his status screen but could t find any information about luck.

    Is it a hidden stat? Can¡¯t hurt to be more lucky I guess.

    Equip [Lucky Bird Necklace - Crude]: Yes, No? Drew Selected yes and the necklace appeared around his neck.

    Quest Complete: Puzzling: Reward 25 exp.

    Level Upgrade Available: Level 5 Skurr (Chick) - (55/53 exp)

    ¡°Booyeah!¡± Drew cawed and selected the level upgrade and waited for something to happen. His siblings started to wake up and screech for breakfast.

    When nothing else happened he pulled up his character sheet.

    Rank Upgrade: Level 1 Skurr (Juvenile) - (2/100)

    Well that¡¯s just perfect. Guess one point of luck isn¡¯t enough to catch a break.

    - 23 -

    It was three days later that Drew reached Level 1 as a Juvenile.

    Combat Results: Large Skeetle: Reward: 10 exp!

    Quest Complete: Hunger: Reward 16 exp

    Quest Complete: Hunger: Reward 17 exp

    Quest Complete: Puzzling: Reward 25 exp.

    Wisdom +1

    New Item: [Button Buckler - Crude] - Value: unknown

    Quest Complete: Hunger: Reward 18 exp

    Quest Complete: Hunger: Reward 19 exp

    Rank Upgrade Available: Level 1 Skurr (Juvenile) - (107/100)

    He selected his Rank Upgrade and several things happened at once.

    Rank Upgrade: Skurr (Juvenile) - Complete!

    All stats + 1

    All Attributes + 2

    New Blessing: [Scholar] -Trait: Proficiency at learning languages increased by 5%.

    New Blessing: [Tinker] - Trait: Increased proficiency with basic crafting tools, all crafting with basic quality tools has a 10% chance to produce better quality work.

    New Title: [Hero] - Title: All quest givers are friendlier towards you. 5% bonus to exp gain from completing quests.

    Stat Points Available: 11

    Holy crap that¡¯s a lot of text.

    Drew could feel his body going through several changes as his body grew to match his new stats and attributes.

    His lucky necklace and button buckler were momentarily tighter as he grew larger, then they quietly adjusted to fit. He looked down at his siblings for the first time.

    I am a full head taller now. And while they still look like naked chicken nuggets, I¡¯m sporting some mottled gray and black plumage. Not quite the fearsome dark knight of Rottervale yet.

    He was too big for the bottom of the nest so he hopped up onto the edge where the adult Skurr usually sat.

    Wow would you look at that? The nest has a great view of the town!

    Drew took in the area around the nest. He could see across the red roof tiles, down to the market place below, as well as up and over the roof into the courtyard of their building. The nest was situated at the top of the roof beside a pergola.

    ¡°Why hello Drew! You are a real Gallow Bird now. Looking much more sleek with your juvenile plumage.¡± Borealis faded into existence nearby.

    The wisp floated within another corner of the pergola.

    ¡°You can see the whole area from up here. And there is lots to see. This is where you are going to level up and start building your skills. Hop on over here when you are ready to look at your quests. And flap your wings as much as you can, you want to unlock the Flight skill as soon as possible and start leveling it.¡±

    Drew tottered over to the edge of the roof, flapping his wings cautiously.

    Wow it really throws off my balance when I flap my wings. I guess that kinda makes sense.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Flight: The most coveted form of transportation. With some practice you will move beyond falling with style and learn to soar.

    He took off at a brisk pace along the gutter using his wings for boosts of speed. He stopped at a spot where the gutter had cracked and fallen out. He looked straight down to the ground three stories below.

    Oh dang! That¡¯s actually really high up. Drew squawked and backpedaled away from the edge checking his stamina.

    Stamina: 68%

    Drew sprinted up the slope of the roof flapping his wings like a maniac. He hopped up into the pergola and gained a little more height from a well timed flap of his wings.

    Stamina: 36%

    ¡°Well done Drew, let''s take a look at your skills and find you a quest.¡± He said.

    Message: Boorealis woudl like to share your Character screen. Approve Yes/ No?

    ¡°So do I create my own quests? Or how will that work with my Hero title?¡± Drew asked as he mentally selected yes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure. A hero can find quests naturally, as if drawn to them with a 7th sense.¡± Borealis said. ¡°I¡¯d be very interested to find out how things work out for you.¡±

    Borealis pulled up a screen showing Drew¡¯s details.

    ¡°Okay this looks good, all your blessings are in effect. Can you pull up your Quest list?¡±

    Drew pulled up his active Quests list.

    Active Quest: Hunger: (3/25)

    Active Quest: Puzzling: Flight (33%)

    ¡°Anything look new? As a Gallow Bird you should have access to all of the quests in the puzzling quest chain. It¡¯s how your race usually gets their quest prompts.¡±

    Borealis tapped a couple times on a screen Drew couldn¡¯t see and then watched him expectantly.

    Drew cocked his head at the wisp, feeling more than a little like a lab rat, then turned to look at it with his other eye.

    ¡°I¡¯m not seeing anything. Are you sure you-¡±

    New Area Quest: Gutted Gutters: The academy¡¯s gutters haven¡¯t been cleaned in a while, find and clear out the blockages. (0/12)

    New Hero Skill: [Sense Quest] - You inherently know the direction of a quest hook.

    Nice! I found the quest. And got a new skill. Drew flapped his wings in excitement.

    ¡°Okay great, looks like the Sense Quest skill is from your Hero title, that will be really handy. Especially since nobody else will be able to hear you until you can learn to speak Common.¡±

    Borealis pulled up something on its screen to double check.

    ¡°Actually spend a couple of your points on your stamina, and a couple more on your wisdom. The wisdom will help you learn to speak common, and the stamina will immediately help you practice flying.¡±

    Drew spent his stat points raising his stamina to 12 and his wisdom to 9. Leaving 4 available points to spend.

    I better hold onto these last 4 points for an emergency.

    ¡°And also see if you can find the adventurers guild, they have some training sessions you will want to sit in on. Once kids learn their letters they move on to developing their physical and arcane stats.¡±

    Seems a little early to be starting kids on combat if they are still learning to read and write.

    Drew nodded and hopped down from the pergola to start looking for the blockages in the drains. He flapped his wings to help with the landing but still landed awkwardly and scrambled to stay on his feet. He over corrected and ended up on his back.

    Puzzling: Flight: (43%)

    ¡°OK. Good luck! I¡¯ll be watching to see how you do. This really is an interesting experiment.¡± Borealis faded from view.

    Stamina: 5%

    Yeah I¡¯m exhausted.

    - 24 -

    It took the rest of the afternoon, but Drew cleared several blockages from the gutters and found some Skeetles and a twisted sheet of metal that was too heavy to drag back to the nest.

    Drew stopped to rest and pulled up his list to check his progress.

    Combat Results: Large Skeetle: Reward: 25 exp!

    Combat Results: Small Skeetle: Reward: 10 exp!

    Combat Results: Small Skeetle: Reward: 10 exp!

    HP +1

    Active Quest: Hunger - (12/27)

    Puzzling: Flight - (87%)

    Gutted Gutters - (6/12)

    There weren¡¯t any other blocked gutters in sight so he went up and over the roof to look at the other side.

    He spotted other Skurr nesting in the area as well as a few flying out and back to the roof and trees in the area. An older Skurr looked him over when he got too close to its nest, then dismissed him.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Explore: Get familiar with the city. Find ten points of interest. (0/10)

    Is it triggered by my curiosity? Can I just create the quests, or do the quests exist already?

    He spotted a man leaning out of a window below him.

    Seems like a vanilla human type. He has the look of a professor that teaches brewing and drinks his own curriculum.

    The man looked up at Drew for a moment, and looked confused for a second. The man swiped away something on a screen he¡¯d been looking at. He called out to Drew.

    ¡°Hey little bird, you hungry?¡±

    He reached out of view and grabbed a loaf of bread, from which he tore off a chunk and tossed it up onto the roof.

    ¡°Miia¡¯s grace. Look at me now, throwing bread to the birds, as if there weren¡¯t enough of them crapping on the paths already.¡±

    Shaking his head the man closed the window.

    Drew ran over and took huge bites of the bread before a pack of adult Skurr crowded around him and took the rest for themselves.

    Quest Complete: Hunger: Reward 25 exp

    New Quest: Hunger - (3/28)

    ¡°That¡¯s delicious! Hey bread man! Come on back out here!¡± Drew cawed, but the man didn¡¯t return.

    The adult Skurr cawed at him. So Drew hopped away to give them space.

    These jerks, taking bread from a baby like me. First place I¡¯m flying to is going to be a bakery. Then we will see who has the last laugh.

    Drew cleared the blockages on this side of the roof. The Skurr watched him do his best to hop and flap his wings without falling off the roof.

    Then it finally happened.

    Quest Complete: Gutted Gutters: reward 50 exp.

    Quest Complete: Puzzling: Flight: reward [Flight] skill.

    Stamina +1

    New Skill: [Flight] - Its like running through the air. Requires functional wings. Costs 1 stamina per second of active flight.

    Yes! He we go baby! Next stop, a bakery! Drew ran off the roof flapping his wings as fast as he could.

    Stamina 75%

    New Quest: Puzzling: Gliding: Flying is exhausting, Gliding is going to be critical to staying aloft. (1%)

    Stamina 56%

    Oh shit! Oh Shit! I¡¯m falling way too fast. Which way is the ground? AHHHH!

    Drew tried to let his instincts take over but the instincts couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the situation.

    He tumbled through the air while he tried to steady himself with his wings and tail feathers. The breeze finally filled his wings.

    Stamina 38%

    Puzzling: Gliding (11%)

    He had stopped his wild tumble through the air and coasted along where the wind was blowing. The ground of the courtyard below him was clear except for a cart full of crates.

    Okay this isn¡¯t so bad. I¡¯m still falling rapidly. But I¡¯ll be able to make a running landing. I hope. Once I land I¡¯ll be able to recover and then work on flying back up to the roof.

    Stamina 30%

    Puzzling: Gliding (35%)

    Drew landed badly on the cart parked in the courtyard.

    HP: 85%

    Debuff: Minor Broken Bone (wing) (1/1)

    Ouch! Crap, got to work on my landings. Doesn¡¯t feel like a minor broken wing.

    Now that I have a couple points of Mana how do I activate my healing skills?

    [Minor Healing]: HP +5

    [Healers Blessing]: Minor Broken Bone (wing) - failed.

    MP: 1%

    Drew stopped the spells before his mana zeroed out.

    Got to take it easy with the mana expenditures, it runs out fast and I don¡¯t want to know what happens if I zero it out.

    Drew waited until his 2 mana points refilled and tried again.

    [Minor Healing]: HP +5

    [Healers Blessing]: Minor Broken Bone (wing) - failed.

    MP: 1%

    Geeze, it failed again. At least my health is back up above 90%.

    It took three more attempts over the next hour before Drew¡¯s wing was healed.

    Debuff Removed: Minor Broken Bone (wing) reward 15 exp.

    Mana +1

    Alright! And I got a third point of Mana! That¡¯s the way to do it.

    Gotta keep spending my mana to earn more mana!

    Drew did a little dance to celebrate.

    My HP is back at 100 percent and that debuff on my wing is gone. Not my new favorite way to get exp but I¡¯ll take it.

    He stretched out his wings to get a feel for the wind, but there wasn¡¯t much more than a breeze blowing around the courtyard.

    Drew looked around to get his bearings. He could see the roof three stories up and the pergola where his nest was.

    There were several Skurr cawing loudly and circling about above him.

    Laugh it up guys! I¡¯ll be flying laps around you all soon.

    Drew extended the middle talon on his claw and made a rude gesture at the jerks flying above him. But the birds kept laughing at him.

    - 25 -

    There were some houses across the street. A steady stream of people walked past the entrance to the courtyard but none paid him any attention.

    He saw a mix of men and women dressed in fine clothes. Many of them held baskets with fresh produce.

    They could fit in on the set of a history channel movie about early colonial America.

    Several different groups of people walked by with weapons or shields in hand. Always with one member of their group carting a large backpack. The finely dressed people have them plenty of space to pass.

    It¡¯s like the renaissance fair, if the people also had to do an obstacle course. These people are equal parts beautiful, well equipped, and athletic.

    There were a few benches and a fountain in the courtyard so Drew rested on top of the cart until his stamina was recovered. Then flew down to the closest bench. Something moved nearby and he jumped.

    A few Skurr were rooting around in the fountain. They flew away when they saw him looking their way.

    Not the friendly type?

    Drew flew across the courtyard over to the fountain for a closer look.

    The fountain was a statue of a beautiful woman with pointed ears and a Gallow Bird on her shoulder. She was crouched down on one knee holding two gilded plates up above her head on outstretched arms. People had thrown rings and coins into the two plates in her hands.

    You couldn¡¯t tell for certain. The artist either depicted her begging for money or giving it away depending on how you looked at her.

    The water flowed out from her plates steadily but Drew couldn¡¯t see any piping for the water.

    Apparently people still throw coins into fountains in magical worlds. I guess luck is real here, I do have a lucky bracelet but I can''t see my luck stat on my sheet.

    Drew stopped himself from reaching for a coin in the fountain.

    I probably shouldn¡¯t take these. Can I even swim?

    He looked closer at the fountain and there were strange symbols carved in the base where the water flowed out.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Strange Symbols: This isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve seen these symbols. What could they mean?

    Nice! Love a new quest, I''m glad it''s not a swimming quest. So these symbols are important then? Cool.

    Drew looked around and weighed his options.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯m flying back up there anytime soon. I bet I can find some more quests if I go around the building. Might even find another way up? Or maybe some Mishrooms.

    But no new quests popped up as he walked across the courtyard. He spent an hour gliding, and flying short distances unable to get much altitude in the shelter of the courtyard.

    This is not the way to learn to fly, I should be up in the sky. It¡¯s way too slow if I¡¯m stuck here on the ground.

    He checked his flight skill progress and focused on the upgrade cost.

    Upgrade Skill: [Flight] (27% lvl 2) - cost 110/94 exp. Upgrade: Yes/No

    He selected yes and his Flight skill went up to level 2.

 Part 8

    - 26 -

    Drew flapped his wings, trying to gain altitude.

    He struggled at first, after a few tries, he finally lifted off the ground and really flew for the first time.

    Wahooo!

    Stamina: 74%

    He felt a rush of exhilaration as he caught a strong breeze and it lifted him higher.

    He reached the height of the roof around the courtyard before evening out to practice gliding.

    Stamina: 55%

    Quest Progress: Gliding: 85%

    There really is a trick to it or the wind blows you off course. I need to keep track of where the wind is coming from, and also how much stamina I have.

    It¡¯s kinda like sailing with my dad on the lake, except you go up and down too.

    From above, Drew could see the neighborhood. He spotted a group of Gallow Birds landing on another large building several roofs away and decided to check it out.

    The air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers and the sweet aroma of baked goods from the nearby caf¨¦.

    Drew landed atop another large building before his stamina got too low and saw a group of people in leather armor exit the building. They were equipped with weapons and had packs on their backs. As he looked closer, the clinking sound of swords and armor, the bustling of beer mugs and bar room banter, and the distant rumble of thunder as a storm approached blended together.

    He cocked his head away from the wind, he could feel the rush of the wind against his feathers and the sunlight warming his wings. There were Skurr flying down into the open air dining area. A few of the birds gave him a sideways look then shrug before gliding down to join the others.

    He flew down awkwardly, trying to adjust his wings and tail feathers to land on to a beam in the rafters.

    Drew managed it on his first try, and sat to rest while getting a better look around. The dining hall area was rectangular, with the two shortest sides open to the courtyards on either end. There were a few banners with Skurr and Gallows motifs, green on black.

    It¡¯s way too loud in here.

    Skurr were freely strutting around under tables picking up scraps. Any that strayed too close to an adventurer were shooed away but it all seemed neighborly. Some adventurers gave out scraps. But mostly the two races ignored each other.

    It¡¯s exactly like food courts back on earth. Seems like Borealis was right, people are mostly indifferent to them, treating them like crows. They aren¡¯t pests and they aren¡¯t food. Nice!

    From his new vantage point he could see people buying and selling equipment along one of the long walls. Some folks were talking with a pretty guild representative about a quest, and a few others were practicing their combat skills in the training area in the courtyard just outside.

    The adventurer that was speaking with the guild representative was suddenly covered in glowing light. Drew ducked his head behind his wing and several Skurr took flight before the sudden burst of light started to dim.

    The surrounding people cheered as he pumped his fist in the air.

    He must have just leveled up. If I can start completing guild quests in addition to my crow quests I should be able to level up in no time.

    A young woman entered with a child toddling along. The woman was dressed in light leather pants and a linen shirt. She wore an apron and it was covered in sawdust and wood shavings. She wore a short axe in a loop on her belt.

    I bet she¡¯s some kind of craftsmen. Craftswoman.

    They walked up to the guild receptionist and spoke with her for a bit. They laughed together, and the receptionist leaned over the counter to hand the child a slim book.The two walked over to order a meal and took up a small table near the front where it was less rowdy.

    If that¡¯s a children¡¯s book then I can use it to learn to read.

    Drew swooped down to do a fly by, he got a look at the book before the woman swatted at him, shooing him away casually.

    New quest: Puzzling: Learn Common (1%)

    Jackpot! It¡¯s definitely a picture book with the alphabet. That was a drawing of a sword, with some kind of letters.

    He landed below the table next to the woman and child. He pecked at some crumbs doing his best crow impression.

    The woman was patiently helping the girl sound out the letters and words while Drew listened from below.

    A waitress came by to help them order some food, she had on the same working smock and skirts as the other two waitresses, except on her it was tight and short in all the best places.

    Drew quickly looked away blushing.

    I don¡¯t think she was anticipating someone might have such a low vantage point.

    The waitress flounced away with their order and the craftswoman went back to studying the book with the little girl.

    I need to get closer, could I read the book from the table nearby? Or should I listen from underneath?

    A man walked up to the table in miss-matched armor and leaned over to flirt with the woman.

    ¡°Oh hello, back again tonight? Could you stay for a drink this time?¡± The man said.

    He was holding two ales and slurring his words a little.

    ¡°Not tonight, I¡¯m teaching my sister her letters.¡± The woman replied. ¡°But thank you for the offer.¡±

    Their conversation was gibberish to Drew. But the woman¡¯s body language was clear.

    She¡¯s not into you buddy. She''s busy. Buzz off.

    The man placed a full ale down on the table.

    ¡°No strings attached, here¡¯s a free ale. Maybe I¡¯ll see you again sometime.¡± He said.

    He better get lost or he¡¯s going to get pecked. I bet a nip in the shin would get the message across.

    The waitress came back with a tray of food and an ale.

    ¡°She ordered her own ale already Clyde.¡± The waitress said and shooed the adventurer away.

    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t mean no harm.¡± He tried to grab his ale back but spilled it across the table.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The ale spilled down through the gaps and Drew skittered out of the way to stay dry.

    ¡°Watch it jerk!¡± Drew squawked.

    The woman scooped up the child and narrowly avoided getting her soaked. The book was not so fortunate.

    ¡°My bad,¡± The man said and stumbled back a step. ¡°Sorry for the mess.¡±

    He placed a few copper coins onto the table and wandered off.

    What a jerk! He got everyone soaked.

    The waitress turned and set down her tray of food at a nearby table and helped the woman and child find clean chairs so they could sit and eat.

    ¡°So sorry about that. Adventurers can be lazy jerks when they have the coin. Let¡¯s set you up at this clean table. I¡¯ll get you another primer.¡±

    Drew started to notice consistent inflections in their nonsense conversation.

    Quest progress: Puzzling: Learn Common (12%)

    I don¡¯t think listening to them speak is enough to help me learn the skill.

    The waitress hurried off to grab a dry book from the receptionist and didn¡¯t notice the juvenile skurr hop onto the table and casually push the soiled book off onto the ground.

    It¡¯s still a good book, shame to let it go to waste¡­

    Drew dragged the book off under an empty corner booth. He was able to turn the pages with his beak. He read the book front to back 6 times before an adventurer came to sit in the booth.

    Drew was forced to cram all the way to the back out of the light and away from their feet.

    It was harder to read in the dark under the booth but after the tenth time reading through, Drew started to notice a pattern to the letters. He turned each page and traced the shapes of the letters with his claw.

    It finally happened when he reached the last page.

    New Skill: Understand Common lvl 1: You are familiar with the alphabet of the common language of Lisaria. Higher levels of this skill increase your proficiency with reading and writing.

    Alright!

    ¡°What the shit?¡± The adventurer in the booth stood up quickly, startled by the illumination of Drew¡¯s level up under his feet.

    ¡°Is that Skurr eating a book? Shoo! Shoo!¡±

    Drew hopped to the side and got a running start, pumping his wings to get airborn.

    The adventurer didn¡¯t chase him, instead he went to pick up the primer and shake it out.

    Yeah! I could understand him!

    From the safety of the rafters, he listened to the crowd of adventurers below him and could track a conversation here and there.

    He spent an hour listening, and leveled up Understand Common to level 3.

    It was getting late and Drew¡¯s feathers ruffled, hinting at the weather starting to change.

    He high tailed it back to his nest before the rain came down.

    Quest Complete: Learn Gliding: Reward New Skill: [Gliding]

    New Skill: [Gliding] - Gliding is a great way to reserve your stamina while flying. Higher levels of this skill improves your speed and agility, and reduces the stamina drain during use.

    New Quest: Puzzling: The adventurers guild is a great source of food and quests. But how do things work there? Discover the basics of how the guild functions.

    - 27 -

    Two days later, the Adventure Guild hall was bustling with excitement. The guild hall was always busy, there seemed to be a handful of adventurers drinking at all hours of the day, and things really picked up at night when the bards came out and everyone sang and drank.

    My leveling has slowed now after I Ranked up. It took me two days to get the 300 exp for level 2. And level 3 is going to be 500 exp.

    He had spent each day following other Skurr around, flying and exploring the city. He leveled up his flying skill three times to level 5, and his gliding skill reached level 6.

    All three of his siblings had ranked up into juveniles too and were just beginning to practice flying.

    They at least were smart enough not to hop off the roof at level 1 like I did. But that¡¯s how you grind levels like a pro.

    He spent each afternoon in the rafters of the guild hall listening and his wisdom gained a point after 2 days. He also leveled up his Charisma to 9.

    Dancing on tables is a great way to get food scraps. Especially if a good bard is performing. Turns out, the adventurers consider it good luck if you toss scraps to a Gallow Bird and it leveled up.

    He learned quite a bit about how the guild worked. And completed the puzzling quest.

    Quest Complete: Puzzling: The adventurers guild is a great source of food and quests. But how do things work there? Discover the basics of how the guild functions. Reward: 55 exp.

    The Guild has all the services an adventurer might need. You can get a bed to sleep in upstairs in a communal sleeping area, or private rooms for extra coin. You can buy food and drink, equipment, health potions, additional training, and sell any materials they¡¯d gained from fighting monsters.

    It was a place any adventurers could find work, and make enough money to spend it all on a round of drinks and room and board for a week.

    They are a happy bunch, but they are basically living paycheck to paycheck. I guess you can do that when all you have to do is complete a couple quests a week to pay your expenses.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Quests and leveling up. How does the guild train their members? Discover the process and complete a guild quest. Reward: 1 Race Upgrade Point.

    Today a group of small children gathered around Guild Master Roderick. He was a dwarf from the northern kingdom of Rodokk. With a twinkle in his eyes, the Guild Master cleared his throat.

    "Welcome, young adventurers, to the Rottervale Guild training hall!" His voice resonated up to the rafters where Drew perched listening.

    "Today, I will introduce you to the foundations of becoming true heroes in our realm. And how to earn experience points and actual experience to develop your skills.¡±

    Why does this quest award a Race Upgrade Point? Is it from the Nature faction? I guess they want me to become an adventurer?

    A young girl raised her hand, and her voice quivered as she asked her question. "Guild Master, why did you say experience twice? Are there more than one kind of experience points?"

    Master Roderick smiled warmly at the girl. "Ah, an excellent question! Experience points, or EXP, are the rewards you earn for completing quests. You will also gain more knowledge, or life experience, by living in challenging ways. Real life experience is not represented by a number, it is the valuable lessons and growth you gain from your adventures."

    A boy eagerly raised his hand. "And what do we do with experience points?"

    The Guild Master nodded, acknowledging the boy''s enthusiasm. "Another great question! We have a smart group this season. With experience points, you can improve your attributes and upgrade your skills. They are bestowed upon us for doing the gods'' will. You will be able to shape your destiny and become even more formidable in combat, crafting, and magic."

    The same boy had been waiting impatiently with his hand raised. "Actually, guild master, my mother told me people can increase their maximum Health Points, Mana Points, or Stamina Points with their experience."

    Master Roderick chuckled. "Indeed, young scholar! Your Attributes such as Health Points, Mana Points, and Stamina Points are crucial for your survival and success. Increasing these attributes allows you to withstand more damage, cast more spells, or perform actions with greater endurance."

    A shy boy near the back raised his hand timidly. "Um, guild Master, what are skills?"

    Master Roderick''s gaze shifted to the shy boy. "Skills are special abilities or proficiencies that you posses. They can be anything from a powerful strike with a sword, or a special technique to use while crafting armor or even speaking loudly so everyone in the room can hear you. The more you use a skill, the better you become at it. So, keep practicing!"

    The children all listened intently as the guild master addressed their questions and guided them through the intricacies of their recent Rank ups. Drew followed along as he showed them basic adventurer skills to recover MP and Stamina faster.

    New Quest: Puzzling: [Mana Recovery]: (1%)

    New Quest: Puzzling: [Stamina Recovery]: (1%)

    Drew did his best to practice along and was rewarded for his efforts.

    Mana +1

    Wisdom +1

    Quest Progress: Puzzling: [Mana Recovery]: (67%)

    Quest Progress: Puzzling: [Stamina Recovery]: (78%)

    As the training session drew to a close, the guild Master¡¯s voice rang out one final time.

    "Remember, young adventurers, your character sheets are your gateway to greatness, convene with them, study them, live and breathe your stats and attributes. And as you level up, it is my hope this guild will become a second home to you. Craft here, find quests here, sell and buy gear and materials, and revel with the life long friends to make on your adventures! Today your journey begins!¡±

    He turned to take in the whole room. ¡°The guild sponsors your training for your first 5 levels. You will then test and those who qualify will form an adventuring team or choose to join an existing team. The realm awaits your heroic deeds!"

    The children cheered, excited to take this first step towards adulthood.

    ¡°You are ready to embark on their first grand adventure, armed with the spirit of youth! I¡¯m assigning you all a beginners set of quests.¡± The guild master casually created his standard Rank 1 beginner quest line bundle and activated it for all the people nearby at rank 1 .

    New Quest: Gather Herbs - Gather 10 mint sprigs. The leaves are shaped like saw blades and it tastes good when used in cooking. This quest is repeatable.

    New Quest: Gather Grass Fibers - gather 10 bundles of grass fibers. This tall grass is everywhere, and great for making rope or baskets. Beware of monsters in the tall grass. This quest is repeatable.

    New Quest: Craft a Basket - make a basket of any size. Baskets can be used to help carry things. Some baskets are woven so well they can carry water. This quest is not repeatable.

    Quest Progress: Puzzling: Quests and leveling up. (85%)

    ¡°Feel free to work together and gather these materials. You will each need to bring enough materials to complete the quest and you each need to craft your own basket.¡±

    ¡°If you come across any monsters outside of town, run away. As safe as the fields around our city are, there are still dangers for you beginners. True adventurers take these risks head on. While I don¡¯t expect to lose any of you today, please be careful. Run away from monsters. We will cover basic combat tomorrow after you have completed your beginner quests.¡± The guild Master said.

    Awesome! I got the quests! And with these two meditation techniques I can really get to grinding my skills!

    The children rushed out the door in small groups to start their quests. And Drew flew along silently behind them.

 Part 9

    - 28 -

    At the edge of town, just beyond the sturdy gates that marked the boundary between safety and the untamed wilderness, Drew watched seven children forage through the tall grass.

    They were each clad in traditional canvas tunics. And each carried a small gathering knife, and either a wooden short sword or a sling and stones.

    Today was a special day. The first day of the season, when all newly ranked children received their starting gear and their first quests.

    On their way out of town, the shopkeepers handed them small scones as part of the celebration. Their mission seemed simple enough to the town guards manning the gate, but for these young adventurers, it was an opportunity to prove their worth outside the safety of the town walls.

    As the children spread out in their search for mint, their excited voices mingled with the rustling of leaves and the occasional chirp of birds.

    They all knew to stay far back from the edge of the forest where the more dangerous monsters roamed.

    "Hey, Sarah, over here! I found a bunch of mint sprigs!" called out a boy named Ethan, waving his discovery in the air.

    Sarah, a girl with long braided hair, replied. "Great job, Ethan! Let''s gather as much as we can. We need a lot for all our quests.¡±

    Sarah was the oldest of this group, having ranked up 2 weeks after the previous season started. She stood an inch taller than her peers and spotted two siblings nearing the fence.

    ¡°Gessica, Gonnathan, don¡¯t wander too close to the fence. We have to find mint somewhere else. My momma says you will attract a dragon to eat you right up!" Sarah shouted.

    ¡°There¡¯s a bunch of mint over here tho. We can grab it quickly. It will be fine.¡± Gonnathan said.¡°My momma says there are no more dragons around here. She says our grandpa killed the last one 50 years ago!¡±

    Gessica replied as she pulled her brother back towards the group empty handed.

    Gessica''s eyes widened in surprise as she noticed a black shape swoop down on a mint plant close to the fence.

    "Hey, guys, look! That gallow bird is picking the mint too, that¡¯s amazing!" Gessica pointed in Drew''s direction.

    Her brother Gonnathan frowned, crossing his arms.

    "Hey! He¡¯s taking our mint! Why should a bird get any? We''re the ones doing the quests. It''s not fair." Gonnathan grumbled.

    Gessica glanced at Ethan.

    "I heard that gallow birds make mint tea. Maybe he¡¯s got a girlfriend and he¡¯s bringing it as a gift?¡±

    ¡°Who said birds make mint tea? That¡¯s a lie. Birds can¡¯t make things.¡± Gonnathan replied as he came back to the group with another handful of mint leaves. Gessica ignored her brother¡¯s interruption.

    ¡°Hey Sarah, I wonder if it would help us? My cousin has a gallow bird as a pet and it can fetch him anything he asks for." Ethan said.

    Sarah looked over at Drew.

    "Alright, let¡¯s go ask if it wants to team up. It''s not like we are getting close to the wards, the gallow bird did. But keep your weapons ready if it causes any trouble, we''ll have to send him away.¡±

    The children approached Drew with a mix of curiosity and caution. Gonnathan had a hand on his wooden sword.

    Sarah, the group''s unofficial leader, took the initiative to speak to him. She spoke gently, as if expecting a response.

    "Hello there, little bird. What a pretty necklace you have. It seems we are all looking for mint. If you want to help us with our quest we would share what we gather.¡± Sara paused. ¡°We aren¡¯t allowed near the fence over here at the edge of the forest, could you look for mint over there?"

    Drew tilted his head to look at Sarah.

    These kids seem nice enough. But I¡¯ll be here all day if I¡¯ve got to collect mint for all of them. And I¡¯ve got a good thing going so far with my sneaky solo act.

    Sarah had recently gained two points of charisma, she had been helping her mother do the shopping and knew when someone was close to agreeing.

    ¡°If you can get us 15 mint sprigs, I¡¯ll make you a basket.¡± Sara said. ¡°And we will share some of our food.¡± Gessica chimed in.

    You''ve got a deal kid.

    Drew, unable to reply in words, dipped his head and let out a soft caw, to acknowledge their partnership.

    The boy named Ethan, who had a natural affinity with animals, knelt down and extended his hand, offering a bite of scone to Drew.

    "Here you go, Buddy. Thanks for joining us."

    - 29 -

    The children continued to chat and direct each other as they moved on from gathering mint to gathering fiber from the tall grass near the road.

    Drew was able to gather mint quickly from the plentiful outcroppings near the fence. He would snap a few sprigs with his beak and fly them over to Gessica who would bundle them up in sets of 15.

    As the sun cast its midday heat over the forest, the children''s conversations simmered down. They discussed how they would present their completed quests to the guild and what fighting classes they wanted to be.

    Drew remained silent, his actions speaking louder than words. He diligently continued gathering mint until he had 4 times as much as the children needed. He also had enough for himself to complete the quest four times over.

    His portion was stashed up in a tree near the fence line.

    Quest Progress: Gather Herbs: (60/15)

    Quest Progress: Gather Fiber: (5/15)

    Drew watched the kids gather fiber, noting the specific ways the children were gathering grass and twisting it to make fiber.

    Together, they scoured the area for tall grass, their hands running through the foliage to collect enough fibers for their baskets and their quests. Drew¡¯s instincts helped him pluck the long strands of grass, placing them beside the children''s collection.

    My claws work great for slicing up grass. But twisting it into fiber is tricky.

    He found a couple short lengths to tie off one bundle of fiber for his own quest.

    Fiber wasn¡¯t part of our deal, better not take too much for myself.

    Quest Progress: Gather Fiber: (15/15)

    As the sun climbed to its peak in the sky, the group reconvened.

    Sarah called out to Drew as the rest of the children sat down in the shade of a tree to eat a snack.

    ¡°Mr. Bird! That¡¯s enough. We all have a quest to weave baskets so we are stopping for a snack. We have enough mint and fiber now.¡±

    They are good kids. They aren¡¯t thinking twice about treating me like a member of the group. Drew flew over and landed between Sarah and Ethan to munch on bits of scone the boy held out for him.

    Quest Complete: Hunger: Reward 25 exp

    True to her word, Sarah showed Drew how to weave a basket. Working together, they interlaced the grass fibers, forming a sturdy base for the basket. Drew was able to follow along by sitting in the basket as he wove it. It was an exhausting process, that took all his focus, holding all the different fibers in place with his claws while he twisted the fibers together and wove the basket with his beak.

    Quest Progress: Weave a Basket: (1/1)

    Strength +1

    Alright! That was hard but it paid off. Strength has been a hard stat to raise.

    Drew puffed his feathers as he sat in his basket while the other children filled up their own baskets. Though he couldn''t express his gratitude in words, the happy caws and squawks and rhythmic bob of his head conveyed his appreciation.

    ¡°Look at that! Buddy can dance!¡± Gionnathyn exclaimed and the other kids cheered for Drew as he flapped up in the air in a tight spiral.

    Sarah approached as the other children were packing up to head back to the guild.

    ¡°Well Mr. Bird, we are heading back to turn in our quests. Thank you for all your help today. We were able to finish in one morning. I hope you enjoy your basket. Now we can start our combat practice instead.¡± Sarah knelt down to offer Drew some more scone, which he happily accepted and placed in his basket.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Too bad you cannot come back with us and turn in the quests too. Guild points are really useful.¡± She stood to go, waving goodbye, and ran to catch up with the other kids.

    Nice kids, I¡¯ll have to keep my eye on them. I have a feeling combat practice will mean that they are going to fight monsters soon. I could help heal them as they level. What monsters are around for beginners to fight anyways?

    Drew continued to worry about the kids as he flew back to his stash of mint and fiber in the tree and brought them over to his basket.

    Quest: Puzzling: Strange Symbols (12%)

    Drew landed on a fence post to look around.

    What set this quest off? I¡¯m out in the middle of nowhere.

    The post underneath him hummed to life, more of the strange symbols were carved into disks on the post. With a crash, a massive face ran into an invisible wall, other fence posts nearby in both directions lit up and Drew fell off the post in surprise.

    The face was massive, scaly, green, and had horns on its head. It glared at Drew and licked its lips before slinking back into the woods. It was some kind of giant lizard.

    Holy crap. I nearly died of a heart attack! That thing¡¯s mouth was bigger than my whole body!

    Drew looked at the fence post, it was covered in wooden disks covered in strange symbols. The fence hummed with power. The energy dropped off as the strange symbols grew dim. Some of the disks had cracked and several had broken completely.

    Quest: Strange Symbols (32%)

    His quest got a massive boost. He reached down and snatched up as many of the broken disks as he could find.

    He gathered up all his materials in his basket and flew back towards the safety of town.

    As he flew over the gate, an old man with a large toolbox slung over his hunched shoulders passed through the gate and they locked eyes for a second.

    Drew gave the man a nod as he tipped his wings like a fighter jet and circled off in the direction of the guild hall.

    ¡°Frisky bird, stealing some poor child¡¯s basket.¡± The old man made a beeline for the fence to start repairs.

    - 30 -

    An hour later, Drew spotted Sarah and the two siblings Gionnathyn and Gessica speaking with the town guard.

    ¡°Alright you lot. Pay attention, the guild master has loaned you to me for a few hours while they get ready for your combat training.¡± He said.

    The children listened at attention while the captain of the guard spoke.

    ¡±You kids got your quests done quickly this morning. And you are lucky too, there was a Green Drake around the perimeter and it gave the barrier a good thrashing trying to break through.¡±

    Gessica and a few other kids gasped.

    ¡°I told you so.¡± Gionnathyn whispered to Sarah. ¡°No more dragons around here.¡± I¡¯ll have to see if I can find out more about this barrier later. It¡¯s likely part of the strange symbols quest.

    Drew hopped closer to the group and stood among the children so he could accept the quests again.

    ¡°Quiet in the ranks over there! Now you kids are going to be cleaning up our fine city. I¡¯ll pay you a copper for every bag you fill with stones, sticks, leaves, or any trash. We are cleaning a block in each direction of this intersection. Get to it!¡± The captain shouted.

    They ran around, picking up sticks, weeds, and rocks that had popped up overnight. They collected them in their baskets and brought them back to the guard, receiving experience points and copper coins for their efforts as they filled the designated bags.

    Drew picked up some branches that had fallen on the bakery¡¯s roof, and was flying it over to the pile for the quest when the guardsman took a swing at him with his spear.

    ¡°Hey get out of here you pesky bird!¡± He shouted.

    Drew squawked in reply and threw the branches at the guard.

    I can take a hint jerk! You don¡¯t want my help then I¡¯ll find someone who does.

    Drew sat beside his basket of mint and fiber on top of the guild hall. He had tried to turn in a single bundle of mint to the guild master. But the man had chased him off. Shouting about thieving no good buzzards.

    That¡¯s two bird haters around here. First the guard and then the guild master won¡¯t let me turn in the quests. I need to win someone over to my side and get access to more quests. The children like me, but I¡¯ll need an adult to get the experience myself. The clerk at the front desk was a young woman named Vivian. She was very kind to the children and very stern with the adult adventurers.

    She seems to run the guild, or at least the public facing side. If I could win her over, she might be my contact for turning in quest materials.

    A man came running into the guild, one arm missing above the elbow, replaced with a sporadic fountain of blood. He finished off a health potion, taking extra time to frantically get every last drop, and the bleeding subsided some.

    The two guild healers sat in their corner with at least 20 adventurers in line awaiting healing. The one-armed man tried running to the front of the line.

    ¡°Hey, no cutting in line! I¡¯ve been here for 30 minutes.¡± Said an adventurer with a broken arm.

    ¡°My arm is completely cut off!¡± The adventurer retorted, and took a sip of another healing potion.

    Seeing the wait was too long, he ran over to a group of adventurers, asking for a healer.

    Why isn''t anyone alarmed? This guy is bleeding all over.

    The one-armed adventurer got in an argument with a healer, then put his good arm deep into a small bag at his waist.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the arm right here, just need you to reattach it, I don¡¯t need you to regrow it. I¡¯ll pay 6 gold coins for the healing. I¡¯m good for the money but I¡¯ve got to turn in a couple quests first.¡± But the healer declined.

    The man ran across the room to the bar to try his luck with an adventuring party there but was rejected again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry my healing spell has a long cooldown and we are going to hunt drakes after this.¡± Their healer said.

    Defeated, the man called out to the room.

    ¡°If anyone has a healing ability, please, I don¡¯t have more than 3 gold on me right now but it¡¯s yours if you can get my arm attached. I¡¯ve only got a minute left on this Disarmed debuff. I¡¯ve got this one last healing potion. If I cannot get my arm reattached before the time is up then I¡¯ll be done as an adventurer!¡±

    He looked to Vivian the clerk and the room responded with silence.

    ¡°I¡¯ll add in one item from my inventory too. Please!¡±

    I¡¯ve got a healing spell but it may not help much.

    Drew cawed as he flew down from the rafters.

    ¡°No! I¡¯m not dead yet!¡± the man cried in despair as he saw a juvenile gallow bird land on the table beside him.

    He took a couple swings at Drew with his severed arm. Drew took to the air and dodged the feeble swipes. Once the adventurer went down on his hand and knees Drew landed again on the table. The adventurers around him laughed.

    Calm down, I¡¯m here to help.

    Drew touched the man and activated his Basic Heal spell and Healer¡¯s Blessing ability and the man¡¯s health started ticking up.

    ¡°Wait what? Who is using a healing spell?¡±

    Looking around there wasn¡¯t an answer, but the man stuck his arm back on, and tried to line it up as straight as possible.

    ¡°Oh damn that hurts!¡±

    MP: 75%

    Drew¡¯s MP was dropping rapidly he still only had 4 MP.

    [Disarmed] Debuff: (-1) Failed

    MP:50%

    [Disarmed] Debuff: (-1) Failed

    MP:25%

    Come on, come on. Work damn you!

    The adventurer turned the arm and it seemed to click into place.

    [Disarmed] Debuff: Removed: Reward 75 exp.

    Mana +1

    MP: 1%

    Drew dropped control of the spell and laid down on the table with a headache.

    ¡°I¡¯m healed!¡± The adventurer downed the last of his health potion and his health shot up to 90%.

    You are welcome. Although you cannot hear me.

    Drew chattered with his beak while nearly exhausted. At least it was worth more experience than healing myself.

    Skill Upgrade: [Basic Heal 2].

    The glow from Drew¡¯s skill upgrade caught the adventure¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Was it really you? Did you heal me? Is that even possible? I thought Gallow Birds ate corpses.¡± The adventure asked quietly.

    Yes I¡¯m amazing.

    Drew clacked his beak and nodded to the adventurer.

    ¡°Then this gold is for you! And here you can have this Gathering Ring too.¡± The adventurer placed a silver metal ring from his belt pouch on the table.

    ¡°This ring can hold 10 of anything that you can hold in your hand¡­ or claw. It''s a good quality one that sorts and can hold stacks of 10 of the same items.¡±

    He placed 3 gold coins onto the table beside the ring so Drew could grab them.

    New Item: Ring of Gathering - good quality. Equip? Yes/No.

    Drew selected yes and the ring shrunk down by about half to hang comfortably under his feathers on his right leg.

    ¡°It was my father¡¯s when he was an adventurer. My name is Kent by the way.¡±

    Drew didn¡¯t know what to say so he dipped his head to the man as the children started to cheer.

    What? When did you all get here?

    Drew squawked at the children and they ran over to hoist him up but he flew out of their reach.

    ¡°Yay Buddy, you are a healer huh? Who knew?¡± Gionnathyn exclaimed.

    ¡°I knew he was special, he¡¯s a magic bird!¡± Gessica cheered.

    Vivian came over to see what all the ruckus is about.

    "Kent, what is this scene you are causing? Who¡¯s going to clean up all this blood?¡±

    ¡°The kid¡¯s bird healed me Vivian!¡± Kent exclaimed.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, we saw it. And Mr. Bird helped us with our gathering quests this morning Ms. Vivian.¡° Sarah said.

    Drew broke away from the circle of children and flew up to grab his basket of materials.

    ¡°Oh Buddy has gone and gathered more since this morning.¡± Gionnathyn exclaimed.

    Sarah reached out her hand for Drew to land on her arm.

    ¡°Mr. Bird, do you need help turning in your quests?¡± She asked.

    Drew clacked his beak in laughter.

    Sarah you are a smart Kid. Thank you, yes.

    Sarah carried his basket to the desk. Drew landed besides it after she set it down.

    ¡°Whoa, shoo! Get that bird off my desk!¡± Vivian exclaimed, rushing to sweep up her papers as if Drew would eat them.

    She does have some shines on her desk though¡­

    ¡°Wait Ms. Vivian, this is our friend, he¡¯s a smart bird, and has been helping us complete our gathering quests since this morning.¡± Gessica spoke up from beside her brother. ¡°The guards were mean and wouldn¡¯t let him with the clean up quests.¡±

    Vivian looked skeptically at the children and their nods of reassurance. She decided to play along for now.

    ¡°You kids are so funny. As if this bird could heal Kent, and skurr cannot accept a collection quest.¡±

    She moved her Guild stamp over the materials as she normally would to distribute rewards and sure enough, there was an active quest. The magic activated, and accepted the materials, and plopped down one stack of copper coins after another.

    Quest complete: Gather Materials x3: Reward 9 copper, 75 exp

    Quest complete: Gather Fiber: Reward 3 copper, 25 exp

    Quest complete: Craft a Basket: Reward 48 exp, you keep the basket.

    Quest Complete: All that Glitters: (10/10) - 35 exp

    ¡°Oh what?¡± She looked at the coins for a second before turning to the children. ¡°You kids are playing some kind of trick on me aren¡¯t you? Who got the experience for those quests?¡±

    ¡°It was Buddy! Honest!¡± Gionnathyn said. And the other children echoed him.

    Kent was too busy flexing his fingers testing out his restored arm to answer.

    ¡°Show me your guild cards. If you are lying then you will all be in trouble.¡± Vivian warned. ¡°You too Kent.¡±

    They quickly brought out their official guild status cards. As trainees the children¡¯s cards were enchanted sheets of paper with their name and stats on there and some skills.

    Kent¡¯s looked the same but it was metal and had more information.

    Vivian used her guild stamp to hover over each card, pulling up a screen for each of them.

    ¡°Well if you are tricking me, you are doing a great job of it. And great job on all the hard work today. If you three keep up this pace you will be adventurers in no time at all.¡± Vivian looked over to the young Gallow Bird on her desk. ¡°And you Mr. Bird, Buddy, thank you for helping Kent and these children I guess. I¡¯ve never seen a bird heal anyone or complete quests before. If you want to bring me more materials I¡¯ll pay you the walk-in rate since you aren¡¯t a guild member.¡± She smiled towards the children.

    Alright! This could not have gone better!

    Drew cawed happily at the praise, and clacked his beak in an imitation of a laugh while he gathered his coins into his new ring. Which got the children laughing. They all waved goodbye and headed out to the courtyard for their combat training.

    ¡°Vivian, how is this possible?¡± Kent joined her at her desk as the children and the bird went outside.

    ¡°That little bird healed me. Skurr cannot learn healing spells, can they? And he completed quests. Could he become a registered adventurer?¡± Kent asked.

    Vivian looked at her stamp in her hand. ¡°He must be someone¡¯s familiar. Either one of the children¡®s or someone else that is playing tricks on us. They are channeling the healing spell through the bird. And accepting quests through it too.¡±

    ¡°But why the charade? Why not come in person?¡± Kent asked.

    ¡°Who knows? You adventurers are a weird bunch.¡±

    She looked at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be out killing Drakes?¡±

 Part 10

    - 31 -

    Outside the courtyard was filled with new adventures, none over the age of 8 or 9.

    "Welcome, young adventurers!" The Guild Master boomed, his voice echoing to the back of the courtyard.

    "Today, I shall enlighten you on the importance of teamwork and the various roles within a well-balanced team. If you learn one key thing today, it¡¯s that the strength of a team lies not only in its individual members but in the synergy they create."

    He gestured towards a banner hanging nearby, adorned with the different roles within an adventuring party.

    "The first role we have is our Damage Dealer, or Stryker," the guild master began.

    "This brave soul wields powerful weapons and unleashes devastating attacks upon enemies. Their skills are focused on dealing heavy damage, but remember, they rely on their teammates to protect them."

    Next, he turned to a sturdily built warrior beside him. The man¡¯s shoulders were as broad as a cart and Drew could feel a chill from the man¡¯s shadow.

    "Behold, Gruss, the half Ork Tank! This man possesses remarkable endurance typical of Orks and serves as the shield for his team. Tanks have an important role to draw enemy attention and deflect or soak up damage, protecting their allies from harm. Without a strong tank, the team''s survival can hang by a thread."

    With a flourish of his hand, he motioned to a nimble figure darting between training targets at the end of the courtyard.

    "Aggers is a switch, the most versatile role, a switcher adapts to the needs of the moment. They can temporarily step into the tank''s shoes drawing attention off of the stryker or tank for a short time or unleash their own damage as a temporary stryker. While the switch doesn''t have the specialization to match the striker or the tank, he can give the team breathing room to recover and take down a powerful opponent. Their ability to swiftly change their approach in battle keeps the target on their toes and ensures flexibility in strategy.¡±

    ¡°Every adventuring team needs these three roles to be certified by our guild. If you are forming a new adventuring party you will not be assigned quests until you have these 3 team members and at least one more from these last two roles.¡±

    ¡°In no way are these roles less important, but the team can complete simple quests with one of these roles filled. First, we have the healer. This compassionate soul mends the wounds of their allies, ensuring they stay strong and resilient throughout their journey. The healer''s presence means the team can survive lethal damage or devastating status effects. It is often the difference between life and death, so never underestimate their value."

    Lastly, he pointed to a distant figure gracefully firing arrows from a distance at the switcher amongst the targets.

    "And here we have Fleek. This expert marksman excels in long-range combat, using their bow to rain down deadly precision upon enemies. They bring a mix of damage and utility, able to sense traps, and set them, scouting ahead for signs of danger and providing invaluable precision strikes with bow or daggers in combat. Where a healer can help the team survive an unexpected danger, the Ranger can help the team avoid it in the first place."

    The guild master smiled, his gaze encompassing the eager faces of the children.

    "These are the 5 roles that our Guild trains to perfection. Our trainers have survived to teach you these same skills and tactics that kept them alive. Remember, young adventurers, every role is crucial in a team. Each member has a unique contribution that creates a powerful synergy, leading to victory against formidable foes. No matter which role you embody, respect and cooperation are the foundations of a successful adventure."

    Where exactly does a Crow like me fit in best?

    "Alright, my young adventurers, it''s time to put your skills to the test!" The guild master announced.

    - 32 -

    The guild master left the training area. The children had worked hard but he had other things to do instead of standing out in the sun.

    A group of experienced trainers stood at the center of the training area.

    The newest batch of children had performed reasonably well. The trainers were comparing notes and speaking in hushed tones regarding who impressed them.

    Sarah, Gionnathyn and Gessica sat off to the side having a snack. The hours of tests and training had been tough on them.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t keep up with me at all in the sprints Sarah.¡± Gionnathyn said as he reached into his bag for his water skin.

    ¡°I was minutes ahead of everyone but you were nearly last place!¡±

    ¡°Speed isn¡¯t everything Gonnathan.¡± Sarah said. ¡°I may have lost to you in speed but as soon as they gave us weapons I left you with you mouth hanging so wide open a Skeetle could have flown in!¡±

    She turned to Gessica and flexed her bicep.

    ¡°I nearly knocked the practice dummy out of the ground!¡± Sarah said.

    ¡°You two did great today. I¡¯m sure you will both be strikers.¡± Gessica said.

    She looked down at her scone without taking a bite.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Gessi?¡± Sarah asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± The younger girl replied.

    ¡°She says it¡¯s nothing leave her alone.¡± Gionnathyn said.

    ¡°Boys are so dumb. Gessica, what is it?¡± Sarah insisted.

    Gessica looked up with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°I could really keep up in the sprints, or living all those heavy stones. The trainers were nice, but you could tell they  didn¡¯t think I could do it.¡± Gessica started to cry.

    ¡°Thats okay Gessi, you can be our rogue or healer.¡± Sarah said.

    ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll be the striker, Sarah will be the Tank. Because she¡¯s so tough. And you can be our rogue. And Ethan could be the healer.¡± Gionnathynsaid.

    ¡°Thats right. I saw a trainer for slings, let¡¯s go practice and then we can complete some quests and buy you a bow and some arrows!¡± Sarah said.

    The younger girl visibly cheered up and wiped her eyes.

    ¡°Yeah? Let¡¯s do it! I¡¯ll be a great ranger and keep you two out of trouble!¡± She said.

    They ran past Drew, he was swinging from a rope and trying to climb up it like the kids had, using only his claws.

    Not as easy as Gionnathyn made it look. The kids all did really well today. And in the excitement I was able to test my self against the guild¡¯s training too. I¡¯ve still got a long way to go before I can knock a test dummy off its post.

    Drew flew over to a perch near the trainers to recover his stamina.

    Maybe I¡¯ll get a few tips if I listen in.

    The guild trainers were analyzing the strengths displayed by each child and mapping out who could team up and what their roles would be.

    "Gionnathyn shows great potential as a Striker," Aggers suggested. ¡°He performed well climbing rope, striking the target dummy, and was first in the sprints.¡±

    ¡°He could be a good switch if we needed him to be, I know there are at least two teams that lost theirs recently.¡± Fleek said.

    "Kid¡¯s friend Sarah''s agility and strength make her a natural fit for a Tank." Gruss chimed in. "Gessica is an ideal candidate for a Rogue.¡± Aggers said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure.¡± Fleek said. ¡°She may be a better healer. Or better yet, she become a crafter and stay out of danger.¡±

    He¡¯s got a point. They are just kids. They should all be crafters and stay out of danger.

    ¡°Did you see the gallows bird? It healed Gessica after she dropped a stone on her foot.¡± Aggers said.

    ¡°Is that the same bird that healed Kent earlier? Seems like the kids are befriending it. Maybe Gessica could take it as a familiar, the materials shouldn¡¯t be that expensive for a rank one monster.¡± Gruss said.

    Fleek shrugged, then elbowed Aggers in the ribs.

    ¡°I saw the Skurr. He was able to peck the dummy pretty hard, and also was pretty fast doing the wall relay despite his little legs.¡± He laughed.

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    ¡°Yeah!¡± Said Gruss. ¡°He would make a good switch eh?¡±

    ¡°Oh that¡¯s true!¡± Fleek said. ¡°Weren¡¯t you a switch Aggers? Take the bird on as your trainee.¡±

    The two trainers laughed and Aggers closed his notes.

    ¡°Hah ha, very funny.¡± Let¡¯s turn these results into the guild master and grab a drink.¡± Aggers said. ¡°Fleek. You can buy the first round.¡±

    Drew watched the three men walk into the guild hall.

    I¡¯ll show them. I¡¯ll train so hard that I¡¯ll be back here knocking dummies over the fences!

    Drew flew over to see what new training the kids were up to.

    An old man walked out of the Guild, having just filed a quest, he scowled at the beginner adventurers.

    ¡°They are starting so young these days. And none of these backwater guilds test aptitude for magic or healing. They say that all roles are equal, but these challenges are geared for Strikers and Tanks only.¡±

    He watched a moment longer as a Skurr flew about deftly dodging stones as two girls practiced with their slings. The Skurr caught a stone in its beak and threw it back at the young Rogue hopeful.

    ¡°Hah! These children can barely keep up with a Gallow Bird. Humph!¡± he harrumphed and headed back to his workshop.

    - 33 -

    The moon rose early that afternoon. The guild was bustling. Drew perched in the rafters beside his fellow skurr. As the dinner rush ended and the drinking began in earnest the real excitement began.

    Area Quest: Dinner Service: Adventurers have left their meals half eaten and forgotten. All able skurr are to collect as much food as they can before the plates are cleared up.

    Here we go again.

    Skurr started dive bombing the forgotten meals.

    I better get my share too.

    The waitresses did their best to shoo away the scavengers but they were greatly out numbered.

    ¡°Get out of here you crazy birds!¡±

    ¡±Every day! Damnit!¡±

    ¡°Watchout! That table is going to tip over!¡±

    ¡±That Skurr flipped up my skirt!¡±

    Wahoo!

    Plates were scattered across the floor as a table toppled. The flock of birds ravaged the dining area. Drew flew along with them, getting his fare share of food and exp.

    Five frantic minutes later the food was gone, and the adventurers were laughing at the flock¡¯s intensity. There were cheers when each Skurr lit up with the glow of a fresh level.

    Quest Complete: Dinner Service: exp earned 327

    Agility +1

    Quest Complete: Hunger: exp earned 125

    Quest Complete: Hunger: exp earned 125

    The guild hall was a lively symphony of laughter and chatter, a haven for both the triumphant and downtrodden adventurers.

    Tankards clinked, bards played merry tunes, and the glow of lanterns illuminated the weathered faces of veteran and rookies alike. Drew watched them all with his unblinking eyes.

    I might level up my proficiency with Common today. It¡¯s at 87%.

    He watched as Vivian pulled down the quest fliers and locked them away in her desk. She updated a ledger and started clearing her desk for the night.

    It had been another busy day for Vivian. She spent the whole day surrounded by a whirlwind of adventurers seeking quests, exchanging rumors, and boasting of their recent escapades. She smiled despite it all and kept a professional attitude.

    She headed upstairs to bed, her business desk sat deserted. Her stamp and quests locked up tight. The desk sat silently, awaiting the next day''s influx of hopeful adventurers.

    As the night wore on, and the revelry at the adventurers'' guild reached a new octave, Drew sat watch studying the adventurers below and drawing closer to the next level in Common.

    How high does my level need to be before I can speak?

    Drew spotted a person lurking in the shadows.

    A figure slipped past the quest board without making a sound. As they passed the light of the dining hall they were temporarily illuminated.

    She''s a woman, on the shorter side, with pointed ears. Could be an elf, or half elf.

    The lithe figure slipped behind Vivian¡¯s desk and ducked down.

    Well she is clearly up to something. Maybe I can stop her and get on the guild master¡¯s good side? Would I get a quest for catching a thief?

    The thief quickly unlocked Vivian¡¯s desk drawer and found her keys. She opened the door to the guild master¡¯s back offices.

    Drew launched himself off the beam to dive bomb the thief before she could close the door behind her.

    ¡±Stop thief!¡± Drew¡¯s police training betrayed him as his shriek alerted the thief he was coming.

    Drew¡¯s first attack tore open her scalp as she turned to face him. He circled back around to come at her again with his claws.

    ¡°What the shit??¡± The thief hissed.

    She ducked his second attack on instinct. Her own blood was getting in her eyes and blinding her.

    In the near darkness of the back office Drew¡¯s grey plumage made him almost invisible. And he also couldn¡¯t see very well.

    Drew pulled up quickly before he ran into the wall then landed poorly on top of a bookcase on the side wall.

    This is not a very big room. Flying is going to be tough.

    The only light in the room came in through a couple windows opposite the door.

    The thief stood in the center of the room holding her scalp and wiping her eyes.

    I guess I keep the pressure on. Heads up!

    Drew did his best eagle impression, screeching as he swooped in towards the thief again.

    Using the noise to target him, the thief threw a handful of powder into Drew¡¯s face.

    Ack! It burns!

    Drew squawked as he crashed on to the guild master¡¯s desk behind the thief.

    HP: 90%

    Debuff: Blinding Powder (0:24)

    I got to keep moving or I¡¯m dead.

    Drew dragged himself up and scrambled out of the way of the thief¡¯s attack. She slammed a short club onto the desk in three quick strikes, she caught Drew¡¯s wing in the last strike and he blindly threw himself off the desk and onto the floor.

    Debuff: Broken Bone (1/1)

    Debuff: Bleeding: -2% HP/second

    This is not going to plan at all.

    He dodged a kick and squeezed in between a couple bookcases, managing to get all the way back behind where she couldn¡¯t reach him before he activated both of his healing spells.

    Debuff Expired: Blinding Powder

    HP: 75%

    MP: 50%

    Debuff Removed: Broken Bone (Wing), exp 125

    Drew¡¯s Broken Bone debuff flashed then faded away as the bone snapped into place.

    Damn that really hurts!

    After another few seconds his shoulder popped back into place.

    Debuff Removed: Bleeding exp 35

    Who throws powder in your eyes?! Sneak attacks are cheating! And she broke my wing. That''s just rude.

    While he was healing, the thief quickly unlocked multiple cabinets and took things from a couple  shelves.

    What is she taking?

    Drew was focusing on regenerating his mana with meditation to keep his reserves up.

    She knows exactly where to look for what she is here for.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try anything you crazy bird! I won¡¯t hold back just because you are injured.¡± The thief said.

    Her voice was higher pitched than he would have expected and her accent thick. Her accent reminded him of an Eastern European or Russian person back on earth.

    She held a couple small bags in one hand and was struggling to open the window. With the short club and Vivian¡¯s keys in her other hand, the window was giving her a hard time.

    HP 90%

    Mana 35%

    Drew dropped his healing spell and meditation skill and slipped out from behind the desk. He skittered across the floor towards her back.

    She turned to kick him but Drew was ready and hopped over her kick. He flapped his wings as he swiped her hand holding the club and keys. The club clattered to the floor and he secreted the keys away into his gathering ring.

    Not so tough without your club now are you?

    The thief smacked him with her bag of loot then swore while she jumped out the window.

    HP: 65%

    Nothing broken this time, the chase is on!

    Drew hummed the Airwolf theme song to himself, as he jumped out the window and followed the thief into the night.

    - 34 -

    Drew followed her for  half an hour, down winding alleys, and taking multiple switchbacks. He flew up above the rooftops easily keeping track of her from a distance. It was plenty of time for his mana to refill and his health to fill up naturally.

    I¡¯ve not really flown much at night, the city looks so different. I hope there aren¡¯t any strange nocturnal predators out.

    The thief stopped before crossing a wide intersection and snuck a peek around the corner. She spotted two town guards on patrol and retreated back down the alley to stash her stolen goods. She settled on stowing her loot under the cover of a weathered cart.

    Seems like she has more than a little skill. I bet most folks would have lost track of her by now. Except most folks don¡¯t have eyes in the sky.

    The thief crouched looking at the cart.

    Maybe she¡¯s feeling remorse about kicking a handsome crow? Or she could be rethinking her life of crime?

    The city guard patrol approached the mouth of the alley and the light from their lantern sent the thief running back the other way.

    She turned the corner into the labyrinth of nocturnal streets, leaving her haul unguarded as the guards carried on their way.

    She will have to come back to get her bags. They look heavy, but if I can move them to where the guards can find them then the guards can return them to the guild.

    He landed gracefully on the cart and pulled the canvas blankets back with his beak to uncover the stolen items. He pulled the first bag up and off the back of the cart, and it fell with a loud thump.

    Drew opened the bag to spill out a full set of leather armor.

    To his surprise, the second bag was much lighter it only contained a few books.

    What? Not gold and silver coins? She just stole gear and books?

    The first tome was labeled "Mana Regeneration, a basic skill guide¡±.

    No quests are popping up, maybe these are just books? Maybe it¡¯s one of those hollow books people hide stuff in?

    Drew flipped the book open with a claw and the pages started turning on their own.

    Skill Upgrade: [Mana Regeneration 2]

    What? Seriously? Didn¡¯t Borealis say that skill books are a thing here?

    Drew hopped over to the next book and practically tore the cover open without reading the title.

    Skill Upgrade: [Stamina Regeneration 3]

    The books dissolved into particles of light.

    Drew¡¯s beady eyes fell upon the third book, it was larger and more ornate than the first two, with silver filigree inlaid on the cover.

    Wait, I didn¡¯t know they were single use. I really shouldn¡¯t read this last one. It¡¯s so shiny.

    Do you want to read [Light Armor Mastery] Grimoire? Yes/No

    ¡°Yes¡± Drew squawked.

    The pages of the book turned themselves, flashing light into his eyes for nearly a minute, then it too dissolved into light particles.

    New Skill: [Light Armor I] lvl 1

    New Quest Line: [Light Armor Mastery]: You have started a Grimoire quest line to master light armor. Follow each sub quest until you complete the quest line.

    New Quest: [Light Armor Mastery]: Equip a full set of light armor.

    Oh man my head is killing me. But so totally worth it, they wouldn¡¯t have given me the Grimoire anyways. And a crow¡¯s got to do what he can to survive. I promise to use my powers to protect the weak.

    [Light Armor I] lvl 1 With practice, light armor will no longer slow you down. Reduction to Stamina costs at higher levels.

    Can I even wear light armor?

    He hopped over to the armor from the first bag and picked up the smallest piece, a Leather Bracer.

    New Item: [Leather Bracer] Light armor. Not available to equip, incompatible physiology.

    If it¡¯s like my bracelet I will have to modify it. It¡¯s basically the size of my entire body, maybe I could cut it to size for a breast plate? I¡¯ll need tools.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Craft a breast plate.

    Alright then, asking for quests works sometimes.

    Drew stashed the Leather Bracer in his storage ring and was going to grab a few more pieces of armor when the thief returned.

    ¡°Shoo! Get out of here! What¡¯s up with the Gallow Birds tonight?¡±

    She threw a half hearted kick his way but then stopped in her tracks when she saw the armor on the ground.

    ¡°Shit! Who stole my skill books?" She dove past Drew to look in the cart.

    Drew took to the chance to escape without a fight.

    I better return these keys before Vivian notices they are missing.

 Part 11

    - 35 -

    Drew was perched on a rooftop, keeping an eye on the Adventurers Guild Hall and the bustling activity within and weighed his options. After leveling his new mana and endurance regeneration skills, he was able to train his agility and strength each up a point this morning.

    After his initial participation, the instructors had quickly grown tired of a Skurr completing their challenges and started kicking him out.

    And in a strange symmetry, he and his siblings had been kicked out of their nest that morning. Drew chose to build his own nest in the adventurers guild. He was able to repurpose his basket, and also pulled a stone out of the wall to create a nook for his stash of goods.

    I¡¯m feeling a little over leveled stat wise. I need to find a way to craft more. Maybe find a weapon? And if I can convert the Leather Bracer into Skurr armor then I can start advancing my Grimoire quest.

    It had been a productive morning. He had been able to grind most of his skills and abilities to their next levels. He found a couple Skurr that had a small fight and healed them both. And he completed the guild quest for basic training. Which gained him enough exp to level up.

    Drew spent his 6 stat points to raise his HP by 2 and his MP by 1.

    Guild Quest Complete: Basic Training: Reward: 200 exp

    Strength +1

    Stamina +4

    Agility +1

    Level Upgrade: Level 3 Crow (Juvenile) - (Complete)

    Skill Upgrade: [Flight] lvl 6

    Skill Upgrade: [Gliding] lvl 7

    Skill Upgrade: [Basic Heal] lvl 3

    It was nearly lunchtime when Sara, Gionnathyn, Gessica, and Ethan stepped out of the adventuring guild. Gionnathyn had a large two handed wooden sword and Sarah carried a wooden mace and wooden shield. Gessica was their ranger and carried a sling and bag of small stones. Ethan carried a large backpack with their lunches and a large picnic blanket.

    I could spend the rest of the day observing the children as they completed beginner quests, or sneak into some more training classes. Or I could pursue crafting quests on my own.

    Mind made up, Drew followed the group of children as they made their way towards the outskirts of town. They looked like an official rookie party, and talked about their quest to gather herbs for a local healer while they walked.

    I could look at the medallions around the fence again, I think I''ve learned as much as I can from the broken discs anyways.

    They were in a different part of the fields near the east gates. It was more woody and had tall trees that came right up to the fence. Drew followed them from above, keeping an eye out for potential danger.

    "Hey Buddy! Want to help us gather some berries?" Ethan called up when he spotted him flying above them.

    Drew cawed in the affirmative and took a lap to get a better look around. A small creek followed the road and brambles and berry bushes were popular. The children found a good spot to set down their packs and got to work on their gathering quest.

    ¡°Gessica, did you find anyone else that we can help out around town? The guard quests aren¡¯t paying as much in exp anymore now that we both leveled up.¡± Gionnathyn asked while picking berries. ¡°I tried talking to the old enchanter but he wouldn¡¯t give me any quests.¡±

    Gionnathyn pointed at a building outside of the town walls.

    It had been repaired recently and seemed to have been renovated, a storage shed and a workshop stood out on two sides of the main structure.

    ¡°He¡¯s such a meanie. The other kids say he doesn¡¯t give out any starter quests.¡± Gessica replied. ¡°I spoke with the baker across the street and she has some deliveries we can do in the mornings. But they will be heavy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if the enchanter is mean, maybe he¡¯s just old?¡± Ethan said. ¡°My mom says he is from the capital, maybe they don¡¯t give out beginner quests in the capital?¡±

    A rustle near the fence put the children on edge. They all looked up, their hands moved to their weapons. Ethan took a step back.

    From up above, Drew saw a Horned Rabbit charge the children, its teeth bared and eyes wild.

    It looks like a normal jackrabbit, except maybe 50 lbs. heavier and sporting a spiral horn on its forehead, exactly like a unicorn.

    Gessica stumbled moving backward, the rabbit was fast, but Drew was faster. Drew swooped down, his claws extended, and raked them across the rabbit''s back. The rabbit squealed in pain and turned to face Drew, but he was already too high up in the air for it to reach.

    The children quickly took advantage of the rabbit''s distraction. Gessica pelted it with a stone from her sling, dealing a little damage and causing it to flinch. Gionnathyn ran forward with his wooden sword ready, he swung with both hands. He struck the rabbit across the body and it screamed in pain.

    He¡¯s overextended himself like he was swinging for an outside pitch.

    The rabbit snarled and lunged towards him frantically, clearly injured, and Gionnathyn stepped backwards avoiding the blow.

    ¡°Ha! Can¡¯t touch me!¡± Gionnathyn gloated.

    Gessica hit it in the eye with her next rock, blinding it. It couldn¡¯t zero in on Gionnathyn with the one eye out of commission.

    Drew circled above, watching the battle for his next chance to fly down and strike.

    Sarah had been foraging farther away from the group and had to run back to them before she could join the fight.

    She arrived and slapped the rabbit¡¯s face aside with her shield, and followed through with her wooden mace. The rabbit finally fell to the ground, broken, head caved in, defeated.

    Combat Rewards: level 5 Rabbit: 150 exp

    Skill upgrade: [Flight] lvl 7

    The siblings cheered while Drew''s level up made him glow. They celebrated the victory, hugging each other in excitement.

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    Sarah took a pose with her mace over her shoulder while she caught her breath.

    ¡°You almost didn¡¯t make it Sarah, we nearly took it down on our own.¡± Gionnathyn teased.

    Sarah didn¡¯t respond to his teasing and sat down to eat a scone from her bag.

    With the battle over, Drew flew to the fence post to look at the disks. He had been studying the broken disks back at his nest and had a few ideas on how they might work.

    ¡°Hey Ethan?¡± Gessica asked tentatively. ¡°Why didn''t you fight? You have a sling, we could have used your help back there! We could''ve been hurt!¡±

    Ethan turned to face Gessica, she was holding her sling tightly. Ethan focused on cleaning the rabbit. he deftly sliced open the carcass to spill out its blood. It was a long moment before he answered.

    ¡°I don''t like hurting animals. I want to be a crafter, not a fighter.¡±

    "But we''ll have to face dangerous monsters! We need to get stronger to protect each other. Don''t you care about that?¡± Gessica asked.

    Ethan silently looked down at the rabbit pelt in his hands, hands still covered in blood.

    Drew was looking at the disks while they are active, his broken discs seemed to have a big piece missing from the center. Seeing them active they contained gems.

    The gems must have shattered, that¡¯s what broke the discs I found.

    Active Quest: Puzzling: Strange Symbols: 90%

    ¡°I want to help in a different way. I want to make and fix things instead of hurting creatures. That is going to be my strength.¡± Ethan said.

    ¡°I thought you would want to protect me, Ethan. Like the heroes in the stories... I thought you cared about me.¡±

    ¡°I care about you and our friends. But being strong doesn''t always mean fighting. I want to find my own way to be strong.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Ethan. I guess so. We can still be friends, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course, silly,¡± Ethan smiled warmly. ¡°We''ll always be friends, no matter what.¡±

    Drew was about to pull a crystal out of a disc when two horned rabbits bound past the fence and charged the children.

    Ethan was still crouched beside the carcass of the rabbit, gathering knife in his hand as the two rabbits used their Lunge skills and speared him in the back with their horns.

    - 36 -

    Drew was in the air, flying as fast as he could towards the fight.

    ¡°Ethan!¡± Sarah yelled as she stooped to grab her shield and mace as the two rabbits landed their empowered attacks.

    Gessica backed up and fell on her butt in shock. Ethan¡¯s blood splattered her tunic.

    The rabbits withdrew their horns and prepared to attack again. Ethan''s blood gushed out sporadically from both wounds.

    We need to get him away from the monsters quickly, my healing spells only work in direct contact.

    Sarah tackled a rabbit and they tumbled away from Ethan''s prone form.

    The second rabbit bit down onto Ethan¡¯s leg and throttled it back and forth.

    Drew clawed the rabbit¡¯s face causing it to spring back and drawing its attention away from Ethan.

    Gionnanthyn joined the fray swinging wildly and missing the rabbit he aimed for, but that was all the time Drew needed to land and activate both of his healing spells.

    [Basic Heal]: +10 HP

    MP: 95%

    [Healer¡¯s Touch]: -1 Bleed

    He was only able to channel them a moment before before he had to release the boy and dodge back into the air with a rabbit chasing him.

    Sarah was picking herself up and wiping a cut across her brow.

    Come on, you buck toothed cartoon knock off, come and get me!

    Drew swooped low to the ground screeching, he taunted a rabbit to use its Lunge attack.

    The rabbit took the bait and launched itself towards Drew. Drew pivoted in the air, narrowly avoiding the rabbit''s attack and it landed farther away from Ethan.

    Drew hightailed it back to the boy to find him unconscious.

    The other rabbit was facing Gionnanthyn and Gessica and Drew activated and channeled his healing abilities again.

    [Basic Heal]: +10 HP

    MP: 80%

    [Healer¡¯s Touch]: -1 Bleed

    Sarah re-entered the fray bashing the further rabbit with her shield and landing two quick hits with her mace. The rabbit shook the hits off and took a swipe at her, but missed.

    ¡°Get away from Ethan you monsters!¡± Gessica shouted as she fumbled in her bag for a bandage.

    [Basic Heal]: +10 HP

    [Healer¡¯s Touch]: -1 Bleed

    [Basic Heal]: +10 HP

    [Healer¡¯s Touch]: -1 Bleed

    MP: 40%

    Damn, my mana is dropping too quickly, that can¡¯t be good. The bleed effect isn¡¯t resolving. Shitty healing spell doesn¡¯t even show me how much health the kid has.

    One of the rabbits kicked Gionnanthyn in the side knocking him down. Sarah bashed the rabbit with her shield, stunning it, and disengaged to cover Gionnanthyn.

    Gessica was applying a third bandage to Ethan¡¯s back, the first two disappeared after being used up.

    ¡°Guys! Ethan is hurt really bad! Buddy is healing him but the bandages keep disappearing!¡± Gessica shouted.

    [Basic Heal]: +10 HP

    MP: 18%

    [Healer¡¯s Touch]: -1 Bleed

    Drew could see that Sarah and Gionnanthyn are trading blows with the two rabbits and were doing ok. Ethan was not doing well.

    Shit that¡¯s a lot of blood, too much-

    MP: 0%

    Debuff: Mana Backlash: (1:59)-15 HP

    [Basic Heal] - Failed

    [Healer¡¯s Touch] - Failed

    Drew flopped to the ground with a piercing headache unable to maintain his spells.

    ¡°Gionnanthyn! We need more bandages, Ethan is bleeding. He¡¯s bleeding everywhere!¡± Gessica screamed to her brother.

    Gionnanthyn slammed one rabbit with a home run swing and stunned it. He looked towards his sister, then to his pack 10 meters away and sprinted towards it. The downed rabbit shook off its stunned effect and charged Sarah.

    Watch out!

    Drew cawed weakly, still struggling to see straight. Sarah took the brunt of the rabbit¡¯s charge on her shield, it¡¯s horn skipped off the shield and cut across her bicep, she staggered backwards. She went to counter, but the other rabbit slammed her shield with its shoulder interrupting her counter attack.

    Two against one and she can¡¯t find room to strike back! I need to get my ass up and help!

    Instead of bringing the pack the rest of the way to his sister, Gionnanthyn dropped the pack and ran to support Sarah.

    Drew shook off his headache and accessed his character screen.

    How much exp to purchase a Mana Point? Cost 4 Stat Points? Yeah that''s wroth it.

    Drew selected yes to spend the last of his remaining stat points to quickly purchase another point of mana.

    MP +1

    Debuff: Mana Backlash: (0:55)

    Drew scrambled over to Gionnanthyn¡¯s pack, tearing it open and grabbing the bandages.

    Shit! Still no Mana?? I guess increasing my capacity isn¡¯t a cheat to add mana to my reserves.

    Sarah was down on one knee with her shield up getting hammered by the two rabbits. They had a combo of hind leg kicks going and were steadily landing each 5th or 6th kick. Each successful hit left behind another bruise. Gionnanthyn was behind her attacking over and around her shield with his sword tip when possible.

    Heads up!

    Drew tossed the bandages to Gessica without stopping and flew over to help Sarah and Gionnanthyn.

    My mana isn¡¯t regenerating, this damn backlash debuff is terrible. And of course my bane skill isn¡¯t activating when I need it.

    Drew dove on the horned rabbit and blinded one of its eyes with his claws.

    [Assassins Bane] x 1: (0:05)

    HP: 86%

    MP: 1%

    Now it works? Finally!

    The rabbit reared up and tried to bite him, but Drew pinwheeled in the air staying close and landed a swipe with his talon across the rabbit¡¯s face. The rabbit thrashed on the ground and pawed frantically at its ruined eye.

    I¡¯m getting pretty good at hitting their eyes! Maybe they will run off since they are blind?

    Sarah jumped up and slammed down on top of the rabbit with her shield and her full weight. Something important inside the rabbit snapped. It struggled for a couple seconds then was finally still.

    Combat Rewards: level 8 Rabbit: 250 exp

    Skill level up conditions met: [Assassin¡¯s Bane] level 2.

    The last rabbit kicked dirt up into Gionnanthyn¡¯s face and he backed up, wiping his face on his sleeve. The rabbit rushed him and hit the boy solidly in the stomach with its shoulder. Gionnanthyn fell to the ground winded and dropped his sword.

    ¡°Gionnanthyn!¡± Gessica screamed.

    She struggled to her feet, hands covered in blood. She tried to load a stone into her sling but it was slick with blood. The stone fell out of the sling before she could wind up and throw it.

    The remaining rabbit was trying to claw at Gionnanthyn''s face but he had his arms up batting the swipes aside.

    Sarah picked herself up and tackled the rabbit off of Gionnanthyn. The two rolled on the ground until the rabbit broke free and scrambled back.

    Drew swooped in aiming for its eyes and was able to blind it with his claws again.

    [Assassins Bane] (0:10)

    HP: 88%

    Gionnanthyn picked up his wooden sword and landed a heavy strike to finish the monster off.

    Combat Rewards: level 9 Rabbit: 285 exp.

    Stamina +1

    HP +1

    Mana +1

    [Assassins Bane II] - Trait: 15% chance for damage dealt to targets to inflict one point of [Bane] on your target for 10 seconds. Each point of [Bane] absorbs 1 point of the target''s HP each second, restoring your HP by 1%.

 Part 12

    - 37 -

    Gessica, Gionnathyn, and Sarah were gathered together, bodies sagging with fatigue. Gessica knelt beside Ethan¡¯s lifeless body.

    The sunny meadow that was once filled with the joy of victory now seemed overcast with the shadow of grief.

    Gessica''s hands were stained with blood, evidence of her futile attempts to save Ethan. She looked down at the remaining bandages in her trembling hands, her heart breaking with every beat.

    ¡°I-I tried... I tried to stop the bleeding, but... I couldn''t¡­¡± Gessica whispered, tears in her eyes.

    Gionnathyn¡¯s usual cheerful demeanor was gone, replaced by a somber expression. Tears welled in his eyes as he silently put a hand on his sister''s shoulder.

    ¡°You did your best, Gessi. We all did. It''s not your fault.¡± Sarah said, crouched down beside Gessica.

    Gionnathyn wiped sweat from his forehead and stared silently towards the fence where Drew stood silent vigil.

    ¡°It was a tough fight. We all fought as hard as we could, we all could have died.¡± Sarah continued.

    ¡°But it wasn''t enough... I couldn''t save him.¡± Gessica sobbed.

    ¡°Those horned rabbits were way above our level, Ethan knew the risks the same as us.¡± Gionnathyn said gruffly, his voice cracking as he looked at the blood on his wooden sword.

    ¡°Gionnathyn is right. We were fighting together, as a team. We need to get stronger so we can protect our friends.¡± Sarah sat down with a thump.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get it! He didn¡¯t want to be a fighter. Ethan wasn¡¯t like us. I needed to protect him, I shouldn¡¯t have invited him along with us. I thought he would fight, I thought he would want to share the exp. He shouldn¡¯t have been out here.¡± Gessica threw her sling on the ground. ¡°I feel so useless. I couldn''t heal him, and I couldn''t protect him.¡±

    Gessica is right, we need to protect each other.

    Drew watched as the weight of their friend''s death hung heavy in the air, the three of them leaned on each other for support.

    I couldn''t save even one child, if I was out here alone maybe I could have flown away. Who are these children to me? Are they my friends? None of them blame me for his death. Who am I to them? What am I to them?

    In the distance, a town guard hurriedly approached them. He was tall and broad for a human, as if someone had scaled up an already big man by 20%. He was sporting a thick beard on his jaw visible where it puffed out from his helmet.

    Although he is not human, he¡¯s Ressian.

    What seemed most out of place were his kind eyes. On such a large man in heavy armor, the kind eyes seemed too personal. He held a grim expression on his face.

    ¡°Gessica, Gionnathyn, Sarah... I''m so sorry for your loss. Are any of you low on health? I have a health potion. We just received the notification... I''m here to take Ethan''s body back to town. We''ll make sure he''s returned home.¡±

    The guard bent down and scooped up Ethan¡¯s body. When none of the children responded the guard spoke again.

    ¡°Would you three like some advice?¡± The guard asked as he started the trek back to the city.

    Gessica, Gionnathyn, and Sarah walked silently along with the town guard. He didn¡¯t look at the three rookie adventurers while he spoke.

    ¡°Children, I wont tell you to put adventuring behind you. I can tell that you are not the type to become crafters or farmers." He paused here to let that sink in.

    "I know you''ve just experienced a great loss, but I want to talk to you about something important. It''s about your safety and the path you choose to take from here as adventurers.¡± He paused, weighing their silence, and then proceeded with his explanation.

    "You see, being adventurers or being guards requires more than just skill with a weapon. It takes resilience to honor those who have fallen, friends like Ethan.¡±

    ¡°What kind of advice did you have for us sir?¡± Gionnathyn asked.

    ¡°If you want to proceed, you need to build up your attributes. There is a regimen the guards use to build up your Health reserves, your stamina, and your physical stats. Make yourselves harder to kill, more capable of facing the dangers that lie ahead.¡±

    ¡°Tell us, please sir.¡± Sara responded after a moment.

    ¡°The town guard have a daily training regimen. We carry heavy loads to build up the strength in our bodies, not just our arms. Swinging a weapon or raising a shield builds strength, dexterity and agility, but pushing your limits with weight on your back strengthens your very core, which in turn fortifies everything else. Start with smaller weights and gradually increase as you become more comfortable. Train your bodies to bear the burden."

    ¡°We can do that.¡± Gessica said tightening her hands into fists.

    ¡°Next, run laps around the city. Push yourselves to improve your stamina. The more you run, the longer you''ll be able to keep going in a fight or during a dangerous journey.¡±

    ¡°We''ll run until we throw up.¡± Sarah said.

    The guard gave her a look and continued his lecture.

    ¡°Lastly, practice holding your breath underwater. It strengthens your lung capacity and helps prepare you to stay calm in intense situations.¡± He said.

    The guard stopped to turn and look at them.

    ¡°Remember, these training techniques won''t make you invincible, but they will make you stronger, physically and mentally. Ethan would want you to survive to become the best versions of yourselves.¡±

    ¡°We won''t let him down.¡± Gessica said.

    The guard reached down to place a heavy armored hand on her shoulder.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°I know you won''t. Keep his memory with you, and let it fuel your training. Lisaria is full of different paths you can choose, the path of an adventurer is challenging, you must believe you have what it takes to face it head-on.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± she said.

    Gessica''s tears flowed freely as she plodded along, her voice barely a whisper.

    ¡°Thank you for bringing him back.¡±

    I really chose a hard life this time. Even now while these people are grieving they are talking about their stats and levels. And here I am sneaking along stealing the info for myself.

    ¡°Drew!¡±

    A whisper came form a nearby tree and Drew saw an Agusta shaped shimmer in the air. He circled around to land on a tree branch.

    Agusta solidified as a translucent figure beside him.

    "Sorry for your loss Drew, I saw them carrying away that boy, did you know him?¡±

    Thank you. I''m trying my best. I''ve been helping them out for a while, he was a nice kid.

    ¡°Someday you will be able to level up your healing spells and be able to save the next person." She replied.

    She checked his combat logs on her tablet.

    ¡°Getting the Remote Healing spell would be good idea if you want to go that route.¡±

    After looking down again at his combat logs she looked back up to Drew.

    "And I suggest leveling up your mana regeneration. It will indirectly raise your max mana reserves. Then you can channel your healing spells longer."

    What? That¡¯s so obvious! Why didn¡¯t I think of that? Is the same true for Stamina and Health?

    Drew¡¯s mind shut down from the implications.

    ¡°Yes Drew, I told you that using a skill more levels it up. The same is true for stats and attributes.¡± Agusta said offhandedly.

    Shit! I should have been draining my mana constantly!

    "What I came down to tell you was that the race upgrade is progressing. You''ll need to spend 10,000 exp on the next stage of the race upgrade."

    Wow that¡¯s expensive. That¡¯s a lot of hunger quests. That¡¯s a lot of risk for no reward. I could raise my mana instead. Seems like a waste to do it so soon.

    "It might be premature, unfortunately the Elara is not budging on this. But trust me, it''s worth it.¡± Agusta said checking an alert on her tablet.

    ¡°Once you complete the race upgrade, your base stats will get a significant boost. It''ll make the investment worth it in the end."

    Drew nodded, barely taking in the information.

    "Last thing," Agusta continued. "there''s a special quest for you to complete as a favor for the Mage faction. We need them to sign off on the next part of your paperwork."

    Drew cocked his head. What kind of quest?

    "It''s a simple one," she said. "They need you to complete a certain quest that¡¯s posted at the guild hall. You got to retrieve a rare herb, some kind of flowering moss, from a nearby forest. They''ll sign off on your paperwork once you turn it in at the guild."

    Drew nodded again, barely taking in all the information.

    Thanks for the advice, as always.

    She popped away without another word.

    - 38 -

    Instead of following the children back to the guild, Drew flew around the city to sort out his thoughts.

    How is everyone treating this like it¡¯s normal? A boy died because he wasn¡¯t a fighter, and his friends could barely save themselves. If there had been one more rabbit we all could have died. And I couldn¡¯t do anything.

    He wandered near the river and found a small jetty. It was old but well maintained. A well worn three legged stool near the end of the wooden decking, overlooking the river.

    This world is so violent. How can people just accept that a child can die collecting berries? Why couldn¡¯t the guard have stepped in to help? Or a stronger guild member? Could I really get strong enough to protect the next child?

    The sound of the rushing water filled the air. The breeze ruffled Drew''s feathers as he perched on a weathered wooden post at the end of the jetty.

    There¡¯s no guarantee it won¡¯t be me dying next time. I won¡¯t run away. But I won¡¯t butcher my way to the top either. Even Agusta has written these children off, spending 100000 exp on her paperwork instead of leveling my healing spells and raising my mana reserves. That¡¯s so backwards. If I¡¯m not stronger I wont get the chance to save others.

    Drew watched fish dance in the sunlight, but his thoughts were heavy with grief.

    They clearly punctured something vital, his heart or lungs. My healing spells couldn¡¯t even get ahead of the injuries. You always see some kind of analyze or x-ray ability to help healers see how they are doing. I was doing it blind!

    As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, a weathered-looking fisherman approached the jetty with a fishing rod in the crook of his arm and a tackle box in his hand. The man had a grizzled beard and a kind smile. He noticed the sorrowful bird and sensed that something troubled him.

    His footsteps made soft thuds on the wood as he walked out over the water.

    ¡°Hey there, little fella. Looks like you''ve got a lot on your mind.¡± The fisherman set down his tackle box beside the stool. ¡°Mind if I sit here?¡±

    Drew blinked, acknowledging the man''s presence with a nod.

    Thanks sir, it would be nice to talk about it. But I went and chose to be a crow that can¡¯t speak or use a sword.

    Drew clacked and chattered away nonsensically and the fisherman nodded back.

    ¡°Sometimes, it helps to be by the water when things are tough. Clears the mind, you know?¡± The fisherman said.

    The man set up his fishing rod with practiced ease, his hands moving perfectly after countless times performing the same actions.

    He cast the line into the river, and his eyes sparkled with the anticipation of his next catch. He looked back at Drew, noticing the curiosity in the bird¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°You want to learn how to fish, little friend? It might take your mind off things for a while.¡±

    Drew cocked his head to the side.

    Fishing isn¡¯t really going to help me is it?  But it couldn¡¯t hurt to gain a new skill.

    The fisherman motioned for Drew to come closer, and the bird hopped down to join him.

    The man reached into his tackle box, his arm disappearing up to his elbow, and retrieved a plain fishing rod.

    ¡°This is a basic fishing rod, it¡¯s perfect for beginners like you. It has a fixed line, so if it snaps then I can tie a new length on for you.¡±

    With a patient hand, the fisherman showed Drew how to hold the fishing rod and showed him how to cast the line out into the river. It was difficult for the bird but he managed after a few tries.

    Its a little like riding a skateboard, or balancing teeter totter. If I balance it with one claw I can hop on and use my weight to lean back and pull the fish.

    ¡°We are using some of my secret bait, I make it myself out of day old bread and cheese. All you need to do is channel some of your mana down the rod, line, and into the hook and bait on the end.¡± The man pointed to each part as he spoke.

    They sat in silence for a while. Drew had time to think about his life so far in this new world.

    I¡¯m leveling fast by Skurr standards, and once I get that quest done for Elara I¡¯ll be on my way to getting my race upgrade. But I¡¯m miles behind the kids. I can¡¯t use any of the beginner weapons, and most spells are beyond me. I haven¡¯t even seen anyone use magic yet. Maybe I won¡¯t be a fighter? Swords and shields are too big for a bird like me.

    Drew stared at the rod in his claws.

    It seems like a normal stick of wood, without any enchantments. Nothing magical about it.

    He checked his stats and he had 9 points of mana and three levels of Mana Recovery but he had never tapped into it other than using his healing spells.

    Is Mana Channeling the same as meditation? Maybe that¡¯s how fishing works.

    Drew discretely looked over at the fisherman.

    He seems to be meditating, or he is asleep. If he¡¯s a master fisherman, he¡¯s got to have all kinds of fishing magic. For all I know the guy is spying on the fish with his mind.

    Drew settled down and tried to think about how it felt to use his healing spell.

    I know what it feels like when I run out of mana, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what I¡¯m going for here.

    The fisherman spoke softly without stirring from his comfortable resting posture.

    ¡°Fishing is about more than just dropping a line in the water. It''s about understanding the flow of the river and the movements of the fish. Just try to feel the water rush over the hook and the line, feel the constant pull on the rod as the current makes the bait dance around. Extend your mind out to the bait, your every emotion pouring out to make it glow, or fill it up. It takes time and patience to become skilled at it.¡±

    Drew let his mind rest, and imagined he could feel his mana moving along the rod and line, feeling it move in the same way it felt when his mana refilled after draining it completely. Several times he got close but never quite got it. The ability just wasn¡¯t clicking on.

    The line and hook are hungry for my mana.

    MP: 89%

    New Quest: Puzzling: [Mana Channeling] (2%)

    The fisherman nodded his approval.

 Part 13

    - 39 -

    They sat by the water for a half hour quietly waiting for fish to bite. Drew''s sadness didn''t disappear entirely, but it eased slightly, as if it was carried away by the rushing water.

    A boy died. I did everything I could. I need to be stronger.

    Drew cawed sadly and checked the progress on his new skill.

    [Mana Channeling]: 89%

    There was a slight tug on his line but Drew was still lost in his thoughts.

    I did save the rest of the children, they all survived. And they couldn¡¯t save him either, they could barely protect themselves.

    Another nibble tickled the hook. Then the line went tight! It nearly jumped out of Drew¡¯s claws. The fisherman sat up straight on his stool.

    ¡°Focus! Ride it out, let out some slack, let it tug and tire itself out, then when you know you are stronger whip it up and bring it back.¡± He said.

    Easier said than done! Dammit this thing must be huge! It¡¯s nearly pulling me off the dock!

    Drew struggled against the fish on the end of his line. Twice, he nearly was pulled off the jetty into the water. But at one point, when his stamina was down to 25% the line froze up and he knew it was his moment to rip the fish out of the water.

    The surface of the water seemed to bend upwards then a dark shape surfaced, like a torpedo from a submarine. Drew pulled the rod all the way back and the fish flew at him in a straight line. He had to duck to avoid the flying fish landing on the boards where he had been.

    New Skill: [Mana Channeling] lvl 1 - Proficiency holding active mana has improved. Efficiency channeling spells increased by 2%.

    Woo! I got one! Drew Screeched.

    ¡°Hah ha! Fine fishing lad! Well done! You''re a quick learner, little fella. Fishing takes time and practice, but I can see you''ve got the potential for it.¡±

    The fisherman reached down to touch what Drew could only describe as a small log.

    ¡°This here is a Log Fish. Judging by its size it¡¯s about lvl 5. Tough as tack to eat but remember, it''s not just about catching fish. It''s about finding peace within yourself.¡±

    You must be joking! All that work for a damn log?

    Drew looked down at the waterlogged branch and would have thrown it back in if it didn¡¯t flare its gills and try to flop over onto its belly.

    He attacked it without thinking and killed it with little effort. The fisherman laughed as Drew was flapping about wrangling the fish away from the edge of the jetty.

    Combat results: Log Fish lvl 5 35 exp.

    Drew checked his stats to see how much farther he needed to save up for his next rank.

    I¡¯ll need 800 exp for level 6. I reach the next rank at level 10. That¡¯s alot of hunger quests but fishing will do double duty. Helping me level my mana abilities and get food. I wonder if I can find a way to cook this?

    When a quest didn¡¯t pop up he looked over to the fisherman, embarrassed by the carcass of the fish under his claw.

    ¡°Go ahead little fella, it was a twice won battle. Enjoy your victory and the prize that came along with it.¡± He said.

    The fisherman settled back down on his stool and faced the river as Drew tore into the log fish.

    This is delicious, although kinda grassy with an earthy aftertaste. I could definitely keep fishing.

    Quest Complete: Hunger: 25 exp

    Quest Complete: Hunger: 25 exp

    Wanting to thank the fisherman, Drew hopped over to where the man sat at the end of the jetty.

    Thank you for the fishing lesson, sir. Drew cawed and lifted the fishing rod to return it.

    Without turning, the man shook his head. ¡°Keep the rod little fella. It¡¯s a gift. Keep fishing and that is thank you enough for me.¡±

    Drew bobbed his head and transferred his new rod to his gatherer ring and flew back to town.

    - 40 -

    Drew returned to the Adventurer¡¯s guild and stashed his rod in his nest.

    News had spread of Ethan¡¯s passing and there were more adventurers in the bar than usual.

    There was a somber tone to the drinking but it was in no way diminished.

    A few adventurers meditating in the shade outside.

    He hunkered down and tried meditating, but his mind kept wandering to his skills.

    If I had leveled up more I could have saved Ethan. If my mana pool was larger I could have healed him longer. And if I leveled up my healing spell it would heal faster.

    After 30 minutes of meditating he¡¯d only gained 12% proficiency in his Mana Regeneration skill. His gaze wandered to look at the strange carvings on the bakery across the street.

    The most common were the medallions with crystals embedded in them. Most homes and businesses have several active medallions out front.

    I have seen people swapping out crystals more than once. What do they do with them once they swap them out?

    Drew flew over to follow a woman back into her bakery where she took the crystal to her oven. There was a slot surrounded by the same strange script that the crystal fit into perfectly.

    Quest Complete: Puzzling: Strange Symbols: Reward - [Mana Script] Unlocked. Exp 450.

    New Quest: Learn [Mana Script] - The language of mana, all enchantments and spells follow this script. Used by Enchanters and Alchemists to create their spell arrays.

    Oh cool! It¡¯s enchantments, do they charge off of solar power? It must be Mana, it¡¯s in the name. So these crystals are all batteries!

    Drew squawked in excitement and the baker chased him out of the bakery smacking him with a stale baguette.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    He used his Basic Heal spell to top off his health.

    These scripts are all pretty long and convoluted. Too bad I don¡¯t have a decoder ring. I guess I need to find a few more scripts and brute force a translation.

    An hour later, Drew was scratching runes into the dirt with his claws.

    These are the runes that I see the most often in the mana charging enchantments. If they are the important ones then what are all these other symbols? Are they letters or words? What if enchanters each have their own phrasing¡­

    Drew huffed and ruffled his feathers.

    The old enchanter walked by and stopped. He recognized the script and mistakenly thought the young Skurr was scratching it away.

    ¡°Hey, shoo bird. That¡¯s someone¡¯s script they are practicing.¡± He said kicking dust at Drew.

    Jerk! Buzz off! It¡¯s my script!

    Drew cawed at him and stood his ground before pointing at the script and carving another symbol into the dirt.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s a neat trick.¡± The enchanter said. ¡°So you can copy symbols? Who taught you that?¡±

    Drew carved a short phrase he had seen repeated multiple times.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned, you are a smart bird, you have almost got the basics down. You just need the command runes.¡±

    The enchanter pulled out a medallion for charging crystals and pointed to a few runes that sat at cardinal points of the circular rune script.

    ¡°These runes tell the mana exactly what to do, how much, and how fast to do it. A little wooden disk like this is inexpensive so it cannot gather too much mana too fast, or cover such a wide area.¡±

    Drew¡¯s instincts had him halfway in the air before he registered that the enchanter was explaining how the charging enchantment works. His bird instincts were screaming to flee. Drew tamped his bird instincts down and gave the man his attention, canting his head so that he could look at the man¡¯s face and the medallion at the same time.

    ¡°See here, where the enchantment is wearing out? The connecting lines get rough and need to be carved again, the crystal gets full and can scorch the runes nearby when overheating, the ambient mana may drop below the minimum level and a different enchantment should be swapped out that operates at lower levels.¡±

    It¡¯s all very practical, like radio transmitters clashing, or trying to program dad¡¯s VCR.

    ¡°Oh but you aren¡¯t really understanding me anyways. Where¡¯s your master?¡± The enchanter asked and looked around.

    When he looked back down at the bird he noticed Drew completing the line with the command phrase he¡¯d just shown him.

    ¡°This is remarkable! You copied it down so quickly. Do you understand me? Who¡¯s familiar are you?¡± Damien asked excitedly.

    Drew shook his head.

    ¡°Interesting, would you care to come see the medallions in action?¡±

    The old man walked to go look at the fences. It was a 30 minute walk at his pace.

    The old man was going on and on about hereditary proficiencies with skills and abilities. He kept coming back to the idea of a Skurr that could teach itself something new being extremely rare.

    Maybe I stood out too much? I guess it¡¯s pretty obvious I¡¯m not like other Skurr. I might need to tone it down some.

    The enchanter continued his lecture and Drew swooped and glided along behind him. Now he was explaining how mana flows through the world from the stars in the sky.

    Wisdom +1

    It¡¯s more like wind power than solar power. But the idea is somewhere in between. This guy really likes talking about mana and enchantments.

    They arrived at the perimeter of fences that protect the town from monsters.

    The Enchanter showed Drew each wooden medallion, and how they are wearing out. He removed the charged crystals and placed them in the warding enchantments nearby, and puts the drained crystals from the wards into the charging enchantments.

    He proceeded onto the next fence post 10 meters away, to repeat his inspection. This time the gem in the ward still carried enough charge so he pocketed the charged gem and pulled a new one from a bag at his waist.

    ¡°This type of charging and warding array works great in areas like this with high levels of ambient mana. If you were to travel to the capital, this charging script wouldn¡¯t work at all until you arrived. They have mana gathering arrays in the Royal Palace that amplify the mana levels.¡± He said.

    The man was old, and he took his time walking to each post. Drew flew on to the next post and he could tell that the enchantment was not functioning correctly.

    Huh, this one is stuttering, and flickering. It is corroded like a battery that got wet. It¡¯s growing crystals where it shouldn¡¯t be. Are these mana crystals?

    He pecked at it for a few minutes, and scratched the corrosion out of the script. It hummed back to life, no longer flickering.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Learn [Carving] - If it¡¯s artistry or craftsmanship you are after, carving is the first step.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Learn [Enchanting] - The art of forming magic with mana script. Some say this is the most powerful magic there is. Those people are called enchanters.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± The old man asked as he caught up to Drew. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. You got it working again didn¡¯t you? I see, it was corroded with mana crystals.¡±

    He removed the crystal from the medallion, and put the medallion in his pocket.

    ¡°Looks like you got it working again, but we can clean it up completely back at my shop. Come along and I¡¯ll show you how.¡±

    If I can learn Enchantment and Carving from him then I can get a ton of exp more safely.

    Drew followed him to his workshop, it was the shack sitting outside of town that Gionnathyn has pointed out.

    So this old guy is the big meanie from the capital they were talking about? Seems nice enough to me.

    There was a small apartment on the second floor with a small balcony garden on the back. The first floor was divided in thirds by his storefront, workshop and storage areas.

    ¡°Sorry it¡¯s not as fancy as the workshop I had in Crownsgate. Retired enchanters like myself are employed by a town, or sometimes private individuals to maintain the enchantments. I spend most of my day just fixing the charging arrays and the wards around the city.¡± The enchanter said.

    Inside, the enchanters shop had two workbenches, and shelves and cupboards from floor to ceiling.

    The enchanter waved his hand and glowing crystal chandeliers came alight above the tables and shutters opened on windows high up near the ceiling.

    Drew looked around at the workshop. The shelves lining the walls were filled with a variety of arcane items. There were jars filled with strange powders, wands of various shapes and sizes, and even a few glowing orbs in sconces around the room.

    Damien noticed Drew''s wide-eyed expression and chuckled. ¡°I take it you''ve never seen an enchanter''s workshop before?"

    Drew shook his head.

    No, I haven''t. It''s all so fascinating.

    Damien chuckled at Drew¡¯s pantomime.

    ¡°Enchanting is a difficult craft, but it''s also incredibly rewarding. Enchanters get to create items that can help people in ways they never thought possible."

    Drew nodded and Damien sat down at his work station and took out a small book. He turned to the middle of the book, and then past a few more pages of scribbled notes and diagrams to get to a blank page.

    "So, you understand Common. Are you someone''s Familiar? You seem quite intelligent for a Gallow Bird." Damien asked as he sketched out a rough image of Drew.

    Drew shook his head noticing the extra meaning behind the words. He hopped over to look at another book that was open on the table but it was written in a language he couldn¡¯t read.

    "Interesting," said Damien. "And how smart are you?"

    Drew tapped his beak against the open page of the book. Tap, tap tap, tap tap tap¡­ Counting out consecutively higher taps up to ten.

    "Interesting, you can count. And you know enough that other Skurr can¡¯t count." He said.

    "Can you do anything else?"

    Drew tapped out a raunchy tune that he had heard in the adventurers guild hall, causing the enchanter to chuckle again.

    "Well, you certainly are a talented bird. Let¡¯s take a look at that corroded medallion then, shall we? Where do you think we should start?¡± He asked.

    Drew nodded enthusiastically and they got to work.

    - 41 -

    Drew perched on the workbench, watching as Damien deftly handled the tools and materials around the workshop.

    He had brushed a solvent onto the corroded medallion and it was dissolving the mana crystal from the scripts.

    He handed Drew a blank wooden medallion with rune script marked out on it in charcoal.

    ¡°Here, can you start tracing these lines? The edges on this script need to be square so once you trace them we can file them down.¡±

    After a few minutes, Drew was struggling to work the edges on the fine script with his claws.

    Damien looked up from something he was writing, observing Drew''s difficulty and quickly realized that he had a tool the right shape for a bird to use.

    "Here," Damien said, holding out his hand. "Try this tool."

    A ghostly hand extended from his physical one and grasped a tool with a delicate handle. The ghostly hand floated the tool up off the rack across the room and into Drew''s claws.

    "Try this one. It''s small, easy to grasp for someone with, well, claws." He said.

    Drew''s eyes widened in surprise, and he looked up at Damien.

    "It''s called Mage Hand. It''s a simple spell, but very useful for doing things like this." He said.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Learn [Mage Hand]

    Damien startled and reached out to touch a screen Drew could actually see.

    Drew is asking to learn the spell [Mage Hand]. Would you like to teach it? Yes/No

    ¡°What? How is this even possible? Is your name Drew?¡± He asked. Drew nodded excitedly.

    Oh yes! This is perfect!

    ¡°How does a Gallow Bird have a normal name? It should be something like Skycrumbs or Feathershaker¡± He asked and accepted the prompt. ¡°This cannot possibly work, can it?¡±

    Damien watched Drew closely.

    Quest Complete: Learn [Mage Hand] - Reward [Mage Hand] lvl 1

    New Skill: [Mage Hand] - Uses Mana to create a spectral hand. Able to reach 1 meter and manipulate physical and spectral objects. At each new level the hand becomes more durable and can reach farther.

    Awesome! Okay lets give it a try.

    Drew used Mage Hand to pick up the new tool. He was clumsy with it and he could only maintain it for half a minute at a time before his mana ran low.

    It¡¯s actually more practical to carve with the tool in my claws. At least for now.

    He nodded his thanks to Damien, clicking his beak in appreciation.

    ¡°But how is that possible? Gallow Birds shouldn¡¯t be able to learn this type of magic, their Mana reserves aren¡¯t developed until their third Rank. They do not have hands¡­ How can it imagine having hands? You would think it would be a mage claw¡­¡±

    Damien looked across the workbench at the strange bird carving enchantments into a medallion as proficiently as any novice.

    ¡°One second, Drew?¡± The enchanter called over, causing the bird to look up. ¡°I haven¡¯t introduced myself, my name is Damien Hornbrush. I would like to create a party with you.¡±

    Drew looked confused for a moment until he received a prompt.

    New Party Invitation: Damien Hornbrush is inviting you to join his party. Accept? Yes / No

    Yes.

    ¡°It worked? How is this possible?¡± Damien was shocked that he received the party invite prompt. ¡°Your name is really Drew?¡±

    Drew nodded, then shrugged.

    "Alright another test then. Drew. I have a skill book for you around here somewhere.¡±

    Damien rummaged around in a trunk, leaning in up to his waist, and tossing all sorts of parchment and tools and materials out. Until he finally brought out a fine red skill book.

    ¡°Drew, if you read this, if my theory is correct, and I think it is, you should be able to Speak Common. Give it a try, this would usually bring an apprentice¡¯s proficiency up to level 8. Technically languages are just like any other skill proficiency. But you will need to overcome your physiological conditions.¡±

    Drew accepted the book and opened the cover.

    Do you want to upgrade [Understand Common] to [Speak Common]? Yes/No

    Drew selected yes immediately and was rewarded with a burning pain in this throat.

    New Skill: [Speak Common] lvl 1 (10%)

    HP: 75%

    Drew¡¯s throat was sore, and his body felt tight in a few places.

    ¡°Well? Are you able to talk?¡± Damien asked excitedly.

    ¡°No.¡± Drew choked out, causing Damien to laugh.

    ¡°Only,¡± Drew¡¯s beak locked up painfully. ¡°Ten percent.¡± He clacked his beak in frustration.

    ¡°Well at least it is a start, we could go purchase a master level skill book but you likely don¡¯t have the coin. You will have to practice speaking to make any real progress. We will keep to single words for now.¡±

    Damien checked the sky and realized how dark it was getting. He looked at his notes in his book then turned back to Drew.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting dark, come back tomorrow and we can practice, eh?¡±

    - Interlude -

    To the office of the King¡¯s Adviser

    Crownsgate, Ressalia

    Dear Duke Deepwhisper,

    I trust this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. Despite my unfortunate exile from the bustling heart of the capital, I feel compelled to share with you a most remarkable discovery.

    Recent observations have unveiled a subtle yet undeniable awakening within the region''s arcane fabric. The ambient mana levels have surged to unprecedented heights, suggesting a potent source of magical resurgence. This phenomenon, I believe, heralds a significant shift in the dormant forces of the dungeon this frontier city was named for.

    Furthermore, the frequency and strength of formidable beasts traversing the surrounding areas have increased greatly. It is as if the very ground trembles beneath their formidable presence.

    A most curious development involves the local wild Skurr, whose intelligence appears to be evolving at an alarming pace. One particular specimen, a Juvenile Skurr with an astonishingly sentient name, has shown the ability to learn on its own, the essential skills for carving enchantments and has managed the comprehension of common speech, and after a quick experiment, successfully utilized a skill book to learn to speak Common.

    I¡¯m sure you are aware of the significance, if you wish to send an assessor in light of these extraordinary findings to validate my observations I would be more than happy to host them.

    I believe my discovery may hold the key to you have been searching for, secrets long buried.

    Wishing you continued prosperity and anticipating your invaluable insights on this matter.

    Sincerely,

    Damienous Bombastic Thornbrush

 Part 14

    - 42 -

    Drew woke early.

    Don¡¯t want to miss breakfast.

    He followed a group of Skurr to a private garden behind a large estate.

    They had an orchard full of thin skinned fruit, similar to apples, but they were soft like jelly inside, and rows upon rows of old vines with what looked like spiked grapes growing in long strands.

    The Skurr regularly raided the larger estates, a new one each week. Taking just enough before they could escape and sharing it with the rest of the flock.

    The guild hall doesn¡¯t serve breakfast after all.

    Drew would then fly down to the river to fish for about an hour. Using the spiked fruit as bait and usually caught 2-3 fish.

    Combat Rewards: level 4 Logfish - 115 exp

    Combat Rewards: level 5 Bootfish - 125 exp

    Quest Complete: Hunger: exp 250

    I got lucky today and hooked two large fish.

    Drew swooped in around the rafters of the Adventurers Guild.

    He surveyed the scene below. Adventurers were scattered all around the guild hall, eating and drinking, training, and swapping stories of their latest exploits.

    A group of adventurers huddled around a table, eagerly discussing their next quest. Their weapons and armor glinted in the flickering light.

    Man, they are taking their abilities for granted. I¡¯ve got a long way to go before I could join a team that powerful.

    The guild clerk Vivian was busy at her desk assigning quests to adventurers and accepting completed ones.

    If I am going to complete this quest I need the flier and I need it stamped.

    He stayed back and acted like one of the normal Skurr that haunted the rafters.

    I need to be careful not to be seen near the quest board, or Vivian would be on me like a hawk.

    Vivian turned her back to talk to an adventurer and Drew made his move.

    ¡°How¡¯s that sewer quest coming along?¡± Vivian asked.

    ¡°Now Vivian, I don¡¯t want to return this quest. I just have to approach it differently.¡± The man was broad in the shoulders and had a bald head.

    ¡°Phadant, I told you that you shouldn¡¯t take this quest.¡± Vivian said shaking her head.

    He gave her a wink and shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°I don¡¯t give up just because things are too hard.¡± He said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bad match for you. Your frame would hardly fit in the sewers. And no natter how good with a sword you are, there¡¯s little room to swing it down there.¡± Vivian said.

    Drew flew to the quest board to search for the quest Agusta mentioned.

    Vivian would beat me with that stamp of hers if she saw me steal one of her fliers.

    The man leaned forwards across Vivian¡¯s desk casually.

    ¡°You and I wouldn¡¯t be a bad match, would we?¡± Phadant said.

    Drew spotted one for a rare flowering moss in the forest and read it over.

    Heading out into the forest alone is going to be difficult. I guess if I see Drakes I can fly away. Do drakes have wings?

    ¡°Phadant, we¡¯ve talked about this. I don¡¯t date adventurers. Give up on this quest and on us.¡± She said.

    But once I complete it, the mage faction will owe me that race upgrade point.

    Drew snagged the flier off the board and flew back up to the safety of the rafters.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t I at least buy you an ale?¡± Phadant said.

    Drew sat quietly in the rafters above the clerk''s desk. The adventurer was still trying his best to win Vivian over.

    So far so good, now I need to get the quest flier stamped without her noticing, she would surely take it and my life away from me if she catches me.

    He cleaned his feathers and watched as Vivian rebuffed the adventurer again and he returned the quest.

    One of the Phadant¡¯s friends called him over and their group bought him an ale to help him cope with the rejection.

    Vivian copied down the details in her ledger, logging the quest was returned and available again.

    I don¡¯t need to rush anything, I can wait all night for that stamp. I¡¯m going to get this race upgrade and get my hands back.

    An adult Skurr sauntered down the beam Drew was perched on. It stopped and ruffled its feathers and snorted at Drew.

    What? Am I in your way or something?

    The adult Skurr huffed and shoved Drew out of the way with its wing. The flier in Drew¡¯s claw caught its eye and it tried to snatch it away with its beak.

    Hey! That¡¯s mine!

    Drew dodged back, nearly falling off the beam. He stumbled into a couple other Skurr and they squawked at him.

    Sorry it was an accident!

    Drew stored the flier in his gathering ring and flew to another beam.

    The adult Skurr shuffled around, getting their pecking order sorted out as each one found its preferred perch.

    Heh, some people are just rude. Just because I''m smaller than them. Best to keep things in my storage ring when I can.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go fellas! Drinks are on me!¡±

    A group of rowdy adventurers stumbled in, knocking over a table and making a commotion.

    Vivian stormed over to yell at them, leaving her desk unattended.

    Now''s my chance!

    Drew quickly flew down and landed on her desk.

    Okay stamp, stamp, stamp. Crap where is it?

    He looked around frantically for the stamp. He finally spotted it on a shelf and hopped over, picking it up in his claw.

    He tried to stamp the flier, but his wings got in the ink, and he dropped the stamp a few times trying to get the angle right.

    She¡¯s got to be returning soon. Think!

    Drew''s heart was pounding, and he could hear the ruckus dying down.

    Stopping to take a breath, he activated Mage Hand. He grasped the stamp and used it to activate the quest flier.

    Just as he let out a sigh of relief, Vivian turned around and spotted him. She rushed to grab him, but Drew was quick to fly up to the rafters, narrowly escaping her grasp.

    He flew out of the guild hall with the activated quest flier clutched in his claws.

    - 43 -

    Drew soared above the trees, scanning the forest for any sign of the flowering moss. His heist boosted his morale and he was swooping and soaring happily around the tops of the trees.

    The flier mentioned that it grows near water and pineolle trees, but I haven''t come across any yet. And what do they look like anyways?

    The sun beat down on him, and he felt the cool breeze on his feathers as he flew on. The forest spread out and up the slopes of the mountains to the north and west. Their dark foliage and darker bark gave the forest a foreboding look.

    These trees are massive, they must have been here for hundreds of years. This is the kind of forest that Hansel and Grettle would get lost in. I wonder if anyone reincarnated as a tree before¡­

    A rustling in the trees below him gave him a split second warning before a vine monster emerged from the branches. Drew quickly dodged out of the way, narrowly avoiding being tangled in the carnivorous vines. He pumped his wings, flying higher to avoid the monster''s reach.

    Oh wow, I cannot get too comfortable out here.

    He checked the sky above him for any other predators.

    After an hour of searching, he found a small ravine with a creek running through it. From above, it stood out starkly in the forest, as if someone with a massive sword had sliced into the ground over a century ago. Drew looked back to orient himself to the two tall towers of the town and then descended towards the ravine.

    A ravine like this could have a creek and some pineolle trees.

    As he followed the ravine, he spotted a group of trees in the distance and flew towards them.

    They look like pine trees, maybe that¡¯s where I need to look.

    A small clearing opened up amongst the trees and there were several horned rabbits grazing around. They spotted him as he approached and become aggressive.

    Crap. That¡¯s a lot of rabbits! And there¡¯s one at least twice the size of the others.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Drew circled away up into the branches of the trees and out of sight.

    The rabbits circled the tree for a few minutes but then lost interest. From his vantage point in the tree Drew spotted some of the moss he was looking for at the base of the trees.

    I¡¯m not going to be able to fight all these monsters alone. If I can get them all to chase me, I know I can out run them.

    He snuck away and found a shallow part of the creek and loaded up his gathering ring with stones the size of softballs. With 5 slots filled up with ten stones each he had 50 hefty stones.

    I can actually feel them weighing me down now that the ring is full. What could it¡¯s weight limit be? Could I fill it up with liters of water? Or would I need containers for the water?

    Drew flew above the rabbits as they foraged near the pineolle trees and lined up to dive bomb them. He took aim and unloaded all his stones down on the beasts scoring several nasty hits on them.

    Hah Ha! For Ethan!

    He landed a particularly good shot on the nose of the largest rabbit.

    Combat Rewards: Horned Rabbit lvl 2: 100 exp

    Combat Rewards: Horned Rabbit lvl 3: 150 exp

    Cawing loudly, he taunted the rabbits and lead them away through the trees. Zig-zagging between the trees he kept a safe distance but didn¡¯t want to pull too far ahead.

    They really can move quickly. They got close a couple times with those Lunges. I wonder if my Peck attack will turn into a skill that does something extra like that too.

    Drew circled back to the trees after a 10 minute chase. He gathered up some of the stones and carefully plucked the green and white plants from the ground and stored them in his ring while he checked the details of his Peck ability.

    [Peck] - A focused piercing attack with your beak. 5% chance to cause [Bleed] effect. Costs 1 stamina.

    He heard a twig snap and looked up in time to see a rabbit hurtling through the air at him.

    Drew had time to flip upside down to meet the rabbit mid-air, talons first. He scratched the beast¡¯s snout and throat as they rotated in the air. And took a paw to the beak before they hit the ground with Drew on top.

    He came to his senses and mentally triggered Peck. He scored a direct hit on the rabbits exposed neck.

    Bane x1: (0:10)

    HP: 75%

    HP: 76%

    Drew activated his Minor Heal spell and feinted left. The rabbit took the bait, launching itself where it thought Drew would have been with another Lunge attack.

    Instead, Drew scrambled to the right and flew off.

    SP: 64%

    HP: 85%

    Combat Rewards: Horned Rabbit lvl 4: 225 exp

    Huh, I guess the Bane effect got him. How much HP do these rabbits have? It¡¯s rank 1, level 4. They must have more HP than me right?

    With enough moss in his possession to complete the quest, it was only a few flaps his wings until he was soaring above the trees back towards the towers of Rottervale and the adventurers guild.

    - 44 -

    ¡°Not you again!¡± Vivian shouted.

    She tried to pick up the papers on her desk as  Drew landed. He had the quest flier in his beak. The guild clerk gave him an annoyed look.

    ¡°What am I supposed to do about you? First you steal my quest flier, and now you simply bring it back? If you damaged my flier I¡¯m not rewriting it. That¡¯s an old quest anyways nobody is going to go that far out into the woods for that low reward.¡± She said.

    Drew clicked deep in the back of his throat. He unloaded the moss from his ring onto the table.

    You pay me.

    He stepped closer and dropped the flier in front of her.

    ¡°Who completed this quest? Was it really you bird?¡± Vivian shook her head.

    He stared at her expectantly and she stared right back.

    I never blink.

    He locked eyes with her and let out a squawk. She didn¡¯t flinch. After a tense moment, the clerk sighed and reached for her stamp. She reluctantly passed it over the flier and the moss. The magic activated and accepted the quest items, whisking them away to a storage device somewhere in the guild.

    The stamp paid out the 2 silver coins.

    Quest complete: Gather Flowering Moss: 2 silver, 325 exp

    Race Skill Point awarded.

    I should get these in Copper so they stack better in my ring?.

    Vivan was glaring at him.

    On second thought, I better not push my luck with her. She still looks mad.

    Drew took his silver coins into his ring and flew up into the rafters, blending in with a few of the other Gallow Birds that are always up there.

    Kent approached the desk. He looked puzzled.

    "Was that the same Gallow Bird that healed me? Or are other ones completing quests now? I¡¯ve really seen it all." Kent said.

    Vivian shrugged.

    "I have no idea. But I''m still betting the healing one is someone¡¯s familiar. I''ve requested a look at the records for a guild member with a Gallow Bird as a familiar. For now, I suppose it doesn''t matter as long as he completed the quest. Someone is going to pay the quest fees soon.¡±

    ¡°Vivian?¡± The guild master called.

    He opened the door from his office and popped his head out.

    ¡°There you are. I¡¯ve noticed a few discrepancies in your log book.¡± He said.

    Vivian nodded to Kent and he took off towards the exit.

    ¡°Guild master, let me lock things up here and we can take a look. I think I know what is Amiss.¡± She said.

    ¡°Indeed. Close the desk for the afternoon. We also need to prepare the next shipment and take inventory.¡±

    Vivian followed the guild master into the back office where he had three ledgers arrayed on his desk.

    ¡°Take a look here at the quest logs you recorded this week.¡± He said.

    She sat and looked them over.

    ¡°We have had an influx of new teams completing quests. The numbers look good, profits are up.¡± She said cautiously.

    ¡°As we would expect. And yet why is this log incomplete?¡± He asked.

    He pressed his finger to an entry in the quest log where there was no record of a service fee, or guild member assigned.

    ¡°Who completed this quest? And why weren¡¯t they charged a service fee?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Guild master. It was a gallows bird. It stole the quest flier and activated the quest with my stamp.¡± She said.

    The guild master scowled.

    ¡°Vivian, it is your responsibility, has clerk, to ensure all quests are properly logged and paid for. You are not in a position to offer for free. it is your responsibility to keep the guild stamp secure at all times.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir. I understand.¡± She said.

    ¡°Stand up, out of my way.¡± He said.

    She moved from his seat at the desk and he sat. He had a serious look on his face.

    ¡°Now what is this nonsense about Skurr completing quests?¡± He asked.

    ¡°There have been multiple Skurr, or possibly the same one, completing quests. Just today it completed another one.¡±

    He waited patiently for her full explanation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve checked the register of adventurers for someone with a gallows bird for a familiar but none existed. As soon as I have found them, I will ensure they are registered and pay the overdue fees.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, and with interest I imagine.¡± He said.

    Vivian nodded.

    ¡°The guild stamp is accepting the materials and paying the rewards so someone must be behind this. Beasts can¡¯t accept guild quests. I will find them eventually.¡± She said.

    ¡°Very well. I will reach out to the main branch in Crownsgate to see if we have a registered member that is visiting from out of town.¡±

    Vivian relaxed her hands and let them drop to her sides. She straitened the hem of her uniform.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible whomever is behind this has been running the same scam at our other locations.¡±

    The guild master handed her another ledger.

    ¡°Do a full inventory and prepare any additional materials for trade. The month is ending and I want to clear things out to make room for all the new things our rookies are bringing in.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir.¡± Vivian said.

    ¡°Bring me a list of anything that we are short on and we can renew the open gathering quests and restock.¡± He said.

    ¡°Consider it done guild master.¡± She said.

    He dismissed her with a wave.

    Once he was alone he opened up a cabinet set into the wall and took out a bag of gold coins.

    - 45 -

    It¡¯s still early in the day. I¡¯m not sure if Damien is awake yet.

    Drew was scoping out the quest board and noticed there was a quest for rare mushrooms found in the sewers of the city, and the reward was a few silver coins.

    Those sound like the mushrooms that are down where the sewer drains into the river.

    Drew flew down to grab the flier and brought it to the clerk''s desk. Vivian snatched up her stamp and held it close to her chest as she gave him a suspicious look.

    ¡°Not you again, you aren¡¯t supposed to touch this stamp. I¡¯m the only one that can stamp fliers, and you are supposed to pay a deposit for quests like the moss one and this mushroom one.¡± She said.

    Drew pretended not to understand and cocked his head to one side.

    Who me? I¡¯m just an innocent crow. I can¡¯t pay fees or taxes.

    ¡°When I find out who¡¯s familiar you are, they are going to pay the guild back for the missing deposits.¡± Vivian said.

    She stared at Drew for several seconds, but Skurr don¡¯t need to blink.

    She stubbornly stamped the quest and held onto it.Drew felt a sudden intensity from her, he became uneasy under her scrutinizing gaze.

    "Are you someone''s familiar? Your master needs to come register with the guild as owning a familiar." She said.

    Well how do I answer that? I am not a familiar and I am sure I don¡¯t want to be owned by anyone.

    He shifted uneasily on his feet, hoping the clerk wouldn''t notice his discomfort. Drew finally squawked trying to sound remorseful.

    Vivian handed him back the quest flier and Drew quickly flew out of the guild.

    Drew had followed other Skurr to this area of the river before while they foraged for mushrooms. It was a good shallow spot where the sewers drained into the river and he was able to quickly locate some of the mushrooms only a short way into the sewer pipe.

    Being small enough to fit in these pipes makes this really easy.

    He unloaded ten of his stones to free up space and picked up twice as many mushrooms as the quest asked for.

    Quest: Gather Rare Mushrooms: The Gloomblosom mushroom can be found in the few sunlit sections of the sewers. Recognizable by the sad expression their patterning appears to have. (16/8)

    He checked the quest to confirm he had the correct ones and flew back towards the guild.

    Urgent Area quest: racial enemy spotted. The enemy had been spotted near the river again. He has failed to abide by the agreement and failed to pay the tax. Collect the tax. 5000 shared exp.

    Drew turned in the air to look for the attack.

    Is it another double hawk? I¡¯m not the chicken nugget I was before I¡¯ll tear that thing apart.

    But he could not see anything in the skies near the nests. Looking back towards the river he could see over 20 Gallow Birds dive bombing and harassing something on the jetty. He came about and rushed over with the wind at his back.

    ¡°Get off you dang crazy birds! These are my fish and you know it! You won¡¯t be stealing any more of my fish today!¡±

    Sure enough it was the same fisherman that Drew met the other day.

    ¡°Fisherman!¡± Drew spiraled down and swooped low.

    ¡°Little fella! Is that you? Can you calm these fool birds down?¡± The fisherman responded back with his arms over his bucket of fish.

    ¡°Will ¡­ try¡± Drew choked out.

    Drew circled back above the flock that was actively dive bombing the poor man.

    Well crap, what do I do?

    Drew flew through the middle of the flock squawking and generally trying to get in the way of the other birds.

    Hey guys, uh and ladies? Back off! Get back!

    ¡°Wait stop!¡± He squawked but they couldn¡¯t understand him.

    When nothing worked Drew landed near the fisherman and took a look at the quest again.

    Urgent Area quest: racial enemy spotted. The enemy had been spotted near the river again. He has failed to abide by the agreement and failed to pay the tax. Collect the tax. 5000 shared exp.

    They are diving on him but not attacking. They need payment, a tax. Something shiny? Or is it fish? He is a fisherman.

    ¡°Fisherman!¡± Drew squawked. ¡°Give fish.¡±

    HP: 95%

    ¡°What? I thought you were on my side? You bastards are always trying to steal my fish.¡± He hollered as a couple larger Skurr scratched at his back.

    How do I explain this to him?

    Drew nipped the man in the hand causing him to flinch back.

    ¡°Fish payment.¡± Drew pecked at him again. ¡°Fish tax due.¡±

    HP: 85%

    ¡°What? What tax? What agreement?¡± The fisherman stuttered.

    ¡°You agree, give fish!¡± Drew squawked, choking on his words. ¡°Give already!¡±

    HP:75%

    Skill upgrade: [Speak Common] lvl 2

    Oof, maybe it won¡¯t hurt so much to talk now?

    ¡°Fine! But they only get one!¡± The man yelled, tossing one fish up into the flock.

    The dark birds closed in on it and two birds tore it in half. Then the whole flock dispersed.

    Area quest Complete: racial enemy tax collected. Exp 2000.

    Constitution +1

    Alright! and an attribute point. Time to spend that exp on a level up.

    Drew pulled up his status screen to select his upgrade but it was grayed out.

    Level Upgrade: Level 6 Crow (Juvenile) - (2345/1300) (locked)

    Race Upgrade Point: (1/8) (2345/1000) purchase Yes/No

    What the hell, I don¡¯t get to choose? It¡¯s forcing me to buy the race upgrade points before I can level?

    Drew selected two race upgrade points, and watched his exp drop to nearly nothing.

    The fisherman and Drew were left standing alone on the jetty.

    ¡°Wait a second little fella, you can talk.¡± The fisherman was staring straight at Drew.

    ¡°Only some,¡± Drew squawked. ¡°level¡­two.¡±

    ¡°Well that¡¯s not something you see every day now.¡± The fisherman stroked his beard and looked up to the sky.

    ¡°What name¡­fisherman.¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Oh? Well my name is Calix Silverwood, retired adventurer, and master fisherman.¡±

    He extended his hand instinctively mid introduction, then realized Gallow Birds have no hands to shake with.

    ¡°Drew, invite party¡± Drew choked out.

    They both received the notification for the party request.

    ¡°What¡¯s this now? My apologies little fella, Drew. I didn¡¯t realize Gallow Birds had names. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Now let¡¯s fish!¡± Drew exclaimed.

    Skill Upgrade: [Mana Channeling] Level 2

    Skill Upgrade: [Mana Recovery] level 5

    Skill Upgrade: [Speak Common] Level 3

    Skill Upgrade: [Peck] Level 2

    Combat Rewards: level 5 Bootfish - 125 exp

    Combat Rewards: level 4 Logfish - 115 exp

    Combat Rewards: level 6 Bootfish - 135 exp

    Combat Rewards: level 3 Stonefish - 105 exp

    Combat Rewards: level 2 Logfish - 75 exp

    Combat Rewards: level 2 Bootfish - 65 exp

    Quest Complete: Hunger (x10) : exp 2500

    Race Upgrade Points: (5/8)

    New Skill: [Unarmed Combat] Stamina costs reduced by 1% when fighting without a weapon. Damage dealt with unarmed skills increased by 1%.

 Part 15

    - 46 -

    Drew returned to the adventurers guild after an uneventful hour of fishing. There were two other gallow birds on Vivian¡¯s desk pecking at her papers. They were second rank adult Skurr, fully covered in black plumage and clearly looking for anything shiny.

    ¡°Wait a second, you can¡¯t bring your friend. This is not a place where birds can hang out.¡± Vivian scolded the two birds.

    Drew landed on the desk and the other two birds flew off. He clacked his beak and growled deep in his throat at Vivian.

    Do all us Crows look alike to you? Pretty sure that¡¯s racist. Maybe I should speak to her too. After leveling up my proficiency I would really blow her mind.

    "Hey, are you the same bird?¡± She said.

    Drew produced the mushrooms and spread them out on the desk.

    ¡°You have the quest items so it must be you. Or are you all working together?¡± Vivian asked.

    Drew chose not to respond.

    ¡°You really are a busy little bird, aren''t you? We¡¯ve got some adventurers that aren¡¯t half as proactive as you." She said, she scanned the items with her stamp.

    Drew took the coins into his storage ring and flew up to the rafters of the guild again.

    Quest Complete: All that Glitters (11/10) 35 exp.

    After completing that last guild quest he had enough to buy another race upgrade point. But something made him want to check his status screen first.

    Name: Drew Level: 5Race: Skurr (Juvenile) Title: Hero

    Stat Points 4Race Skill Point: 5/8

    Health: 15H-Regen: .15/sec

    Mana: 7M-Regen: .007 / sec

    Stamina: 17S-Regen: .17/sec

    Physical Attributes

    Strength: 8

    Constitution: 13

    Agility: 6

    Perception: 6

    Arcane Attributes

    Intelligence: 17

    Willpower: 6

    Charisma : 9

    Wisdom: 11

    Blessings:

    1. [Assassins Bane II]

    2. [Healers Blessing I]

    3. [Consume Undead I]

    4. [Scholar I]

    5. [Tinker I]

    Skills:

    1. [Basic Heal] lvl 3

    2. [Peck] lvl 2

    3. [Sense Quest] lvl 1

    4. [Flight] lvl 7

    5. [Gliding] lvl 7

    6. [Mana Recovery] lvl 5

    7. [Stamina Recovery] lvl 2

    8. [Light Armor - Novice] lvl 1

    9. [Mana Channeling] lvl 2

    10. [Mage Hand] lvl 1

    11. [Speak Common] lvl 3

    12. [Unarmed Combat] lvl 1

    13. [Enchanting] lvl 1

    Items:

    [Bird Necklace] - Luck +1

    [Gathering Ring] - Holds 10 x 10 items.

    Really starting to become a long list. I¡¯m making good progress.

    Drew watched from the rafters as Damien entered the adventurers guild. The old man shuffled over to the desk, where the guild clerk handed him a bag of mushrooms. Damien took the bag and handed the clerk a stack of silver coins.

    Drew flew down to a table to catch Damien¡¯s eye. He cawed and made a ¡°come over here¡± gesture with his wing.

    Drew dumped the silver coins he earned out on the table.

    "Caw, caaw..." he said, indicating with his wing that he completed the quest and brought back the mushrooms.

    "Where did you get these coins Drew?¡±

    The enchanter reached over and Drew stepped aside so the man could pick them up. After counting them he looked over at the clerk. Then back at Drew.

    ¡°Did you complete my quest?" he asked.

    Drew nodded and puffed up his feathers.

    After confirming with Vivian, Damien returned the silver coins and the bag to Drew.

    "Well, aren''t you a clever one?" he said. "I suppose I owe you my thanks.¡±

    Then he whispered to Drew. ¡°We can start assigning you these quests directly, and I can save the service charges by cutting out the guild altogether.¡±

    Drew tilted his head and followed Damien, across the street, curious about what the enchanter had planned for the evening.

    They checked a few enchantments around town and changed out mana stones. Drew picked at the grass on the ground and practiced making twine but still couldn¡¯t get the hang of it.

    Damien seemed to open up completely while he worked. He shared a couple stories about his younger days in the capital.

    ¡°It was around that time that the Royal Guard went on the march, and I went along with them. An army had many uses for an enchanter. You can purify water, lighten the weight of wagons, enchant armor to deflect arrows, and enchant tents to resist fire.¡±

    Being an enchanter is kinda a blue collar job.

    ¡°It was a busy time for me, far more so than my time working for the royal castle.¡± He said lost in thought.

    A noise near a stack of crates startled Drew and he flew up and in a tight circle around the enchanter to get a better view of the area.

    Must have been nothing.

    Drew landed on the crates and Damien leaned towards him, his eyes alight with excitement.

    "Imagine, a bird who can speak like a Ressian, and craft enchantments. You could be a legend, Drew. The first of your kind to wield such power. What enchantments would a Skurr dream up?"

    I am the first of my kind, the first Earthling to come to this world.

    Drew let out a low squawk to show he understood the weight of Damien''s words.

    Damien smiled, patting him gently on the head.

    "We''ll start with the basics, of course. But I have a feeling you''ll catch on quickly. And who knows, maybe one day you''ll surpass even me."

    With enough time I might catch up to you. My leveling has been slowing down each time I level up. So I can only imagine how long it would take him to get his next level.

    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you enchanting to the best of my ability, I¡¯ll pay you for any good quality enchantments you make, and you do all the busy work I don¡¯t want to. Everybody wins.¡± Damien said.

    Drew spent the better part of the day in the workshop with Damien. He practiced his mana manipulation, mage hand, and started to craft the simple mana gathering disks. Drew also familiarized himself with the different tools and materials in the shop but Damien wouldn¡¯t let him touch most of them. He claimed that he had them organized the way he wanted them.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    I was only looking. It¡¯s not like I was going to steal any of them.

    All that glitters: (9/19)

    But the afternoon his Mana increased by one point. He ended up spending his exp on the next race upgrade point.

    ¡°While you are leveling up Mage Hand you should unlock a proficiency called Mana Channeling.¡± Damien went into a long description as to how all skills are essentially proficiencies but people didn¡¯t call them that.

    ¡°Channeling¡± Drew echoed.

    I already got that one fishing. I¡¯ll wait a bit then say I unlocked it when it seems natural.

    ¡°Synonymous¡± Drew clacked job beak, laughing at the success of such a long word and the scowl on Damien¡¯s face.

    Proficiency? Isn¡¯t it just a mana powered move like in a video game? Does Damien see the same kind of status screen I do? Or is mine based on earth ideas of video games?

    As the evening approached, he felt the urge to go outside and explore. Could be good to spend the afternoon fishing again. Might increase my mana reserves.

    Drew cawed at Damien, who looked up to see what Drew wanted.

    ¡°Heading out,¡± Drew easily managed a couple words.

    His ability to speak common was halfway to level 4 and progressing steadily.

    Drew flew over to the workbench where Damien was sitting, and cocked his head inquisitively.

    ¡°Need anything?¡±

    "Actually I do have a favor to ask you. Could you go to Ireal¡¯s Smithy and order some 10 cm medallions?"

    ¡°Medallions.¡± Drew echoed.

    Drew nodded his head rapidly to confirm so Damien continued.

    "I need you to ask for some 10 cm polished steel disks, exactly 7mm thick. About 20 will do for a while. She will know what you mean if you tell her they are for me. Here''s some coins to pay her and a biscuit as a reward."

    I won¡¯t be bribed so easily with food old man.

    Drew sent the coins to his gathering ring and snapped up the biscuit from Damien''s hand with his beak, and then hesitated for a moment before trying for a long sentence.

    ¡°Disks,¡± he paused, ¡°from Ireal¡¯s, 7mm.¡± Drew choked out.

    He cocked his head to the side to look directly at Damien with one eye.

    ¡°Two biscuits.¡±

    Damien chuckled and tossed the cheeky bird another biscuit.

    ¡°You got it.¡±

    Drew nodded his head again to force out a couple more words.

    "almost¡­leveled" He shook his head, his beak was cramping up.

    Damien was overjoyed, "This is excellent progress. We can teach you more words and eventually full sentences.¡±

    I am really spending a lot of time with Damien, yet I haven¡¯t told him anything about my situation. He must think I¡¯m some smarter than average crow. What would he think if he knew I was a guy from another world?

    -

    The smithy was in the same part of the city as the adventurers guild. Drew had seen many of the children go there to purchase their beginner gear.

    To Drew¡¯s modern sensibilities it was a highly advanced shop that worked with a combination of traditional tools and enchanted equipment. They crafted everything from swords and shields, simple banded armor for arms and legs and chests. Also knives, cups and plates and forks for eating.

    Ireal was a large friendly woman that had very exacting standards for her smithy, her business, and knew exactly how her two apprentices should conduct themselves. The apprentices had perfect behavior and never made a mistake.

    Drew ordered the medallions without issue and was even able to pick up 8 they had in stock. Saying he worked for the enchanter smoothed over the process.

    They fit easily as a single stack in his gathering ring.

    As he left the smithy, Drew saw Gonnathyn and Gessica follow some well-equipped adventurers into the adventurers guild.

    Over the last few days, the children had been following the guard¡¯s workout regimen and they were visibly stronger.

    I should find a way to adapt that routine for myself.

    He joined the Skurr pecking around for scraps but didn¡¯t find enough scraps to complete another hunger quest.

    Drew flew up into the rafters and sauntered down the beam to his nest. He bobbed his head as he passed larger Skurr, and they let him pass without issue.

    Home sweet home.

    He and his siblings had all grown and their parents had kicked them out a few days ago to make room for more eggs.

    Building my new nest wasn¡¯t hard and I like having a place of my own.

    Kinda reminds me of my first apartment¡­ hah ha! Drafty, cluttered, but with a good view.

    Drew could see the whole mess hall and training areas from his corner of the ceiling. And he could not be seen from Vivian¡¯s desk.

    He watched Gonnathyn and Gessica talking with the adventuring team.

    They seem like a good group. They already have a tank, striker and switch. With Gessica as a budding healer, and Gonnathyn as an additional Stryker they would have a large party.

    Large parties could work out to be safer for everyone but the rewards were spread thinner, the coin and experience both.

    Watching the group plan their next quest, Drew could tell that the Tank was their leader.

    She might be 2 or 3 years older than Gonnathyn. She looks like someone you can trust.

    She was helping the siblings understand their battle tactics and formations over a couple watered down ales.

    ¡°Our goal is to track down some rabbits to their warren, thin their numbers along the way.¡± The tank said. ¡°The area we need to search has been reported to be overrun with them so be prepared for a tough fight.¡±

    Gonnathyn put his hand on Gessica¡¯s shoulder and kept his eyes firm.

    ¡°Rabbits can attack suddenly in numbers, and they¡¯ll fight tooth, horn, and claw to protect their own.¡± The tank said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gessica.¡± The Striker said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure none of them get too close to you.¡±

    The striker was a young woman about the same age as the tank, she had a sturdy frame and steely eyes.

    Gessica managed a small smile in return. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the high ground and provide cover fire.¡± Their Ranger said. ¡°Once we engage, I¡¯ll target any rabbits that are about to flank you.¡±

    The ranger was a much older man, with gray in his beard. His skin was tanned like oiled leather and he sat straddled in his chair turned the opposite way. He turned and noticed Drew looking at him. Drew quickly looked away.

    Gonnathyn tightened his grip on his sword.

    Poor kid, he must be eager to prove himself. He has been training diligently, but this will be his first real test in the field.

    ¡°Gessi and I will stick together.¡± Gonnathyn said confidently. ¡°She is good with her sling. We¡¯ll make sure none of them make it out alive.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± The tank replied. ¡°Gessica, remember to stay back and keep an eye on your brother. If he gets injured, your healing skills will come in handy.¡±

    She nodded and checked her spell¡¯s details again.

    So much responsibility for a child so young. She must know her role is crucial, especially with her brother¡¯s safety on the line.

    The striker slapped Gonnathyn on the back.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t slow us down, alright? We¡¯ve got a reputation to uphold.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t hold you back. We are ready to go, just waiting on you now.¡± He said and squared his shoulders.

    The more experienced team members shared a knowing look.

    I should tag along. They are going out after a pack of Rabbits in the northern woods. Having the extra eyes in the sky plus the experienced adventurers on the team would ensure that the group wouldn¡¯t be surrounded.

    - 47 -

    Gessica and Gonnathyn exited the adventurers hall and ran to join up with their new adventuring party. Drew fell in behind them, gliding along behind and above them.

    The sound of cawing and wings alerted him that something was wrong before the first gallow birds started to swoop down on him.

    Hey what gives?!?

    ¡°Leave me alone jerks!¡± Drew shouted.

    The much larger birds buffeted him with their wings driving him to land on the roof below them.

    He landed poorly and scrambled to stand. Looking around at the flock above him he counted over 30 adult Skurr, they circled quickly and it was hard to track a single one in the chaos.

    We really are imposing birds. No wonder folks are intimidated by us. What¡¯s this all about¡­

    One bird, larger than the rest, swooped low and Drew had to duck to avoid him as he landed solidly. The rest landed on the roof in a large circle around them, boxing Drew in.

    That¡¯s a super hero landing if I ever saw one. This guy looks hardcore. I wonder how he got that scar over his eye?

    The large Skurr turned to look at Drew with his good eye and fluffed up his feathers. He shrieked and gestured up the roof with a nod. Drew followed his gaze to the pergola and nest where he had hatched.

    This is where I hatched, this is where all my siblings and the rest of the juvenile Skurr hang out.

    The large Skurr stomped its claw and snapped at Drew with his beak.

    New Quest: Stay in the Rookery: Skyclaw commands that you remain with the juvenile Skurr. Where it is safe. Only the adults hunt. Do you accept? Yes/No

    What? This guy Skyclaw can assign quests? Is he our leader or something? Like hell I¡¯m going to sit quietly waiting for the adults to bring me their scraps.

    ¡°Skyclaw, I am strong.¡± Drew croaked. ¡°I fly, I hunt.¡±

    New Quest: Stay in the Rookery: Skyclaw commands that you return to juvenile flock. You have not been tested. Do you accept? Yes/No

    No way am I slowing down to the Juvenile Skurr pace.

    Skyclaw got the message, either from Drew¡¯s face or posture.

    Area Quest: Stay in the Rookery: Failed.

    Skurr social standing: Civil (50%) your standing with the ruling faction of Skurr had dropped to Civil.

    Skyclaw challenges Drew to a duel. The terms of the duel-

    Skyclaw rushed Drew before he could read all the prompts popping up in his view. Drew dodged to the side barely avoiding the cruel beak that clamped down where his leg was a second before.

    The circle opened up and Drew threw himself off the roof flying as fast as he could. Skyclaw was right on his tail. He led Skyclaw on a short chase aiming to crash him into other Skurr in mid air. He had to keep pumping his wings to stay ahead of his opponent.

    I can¡¯t keep this up forever. My stamina is already below 50%.

    He flew through a large tree zig zagging and taking tight last-second turns to throw off Skyclaw. The larger bird took the turns a little slower avoiding the branches that Drew could slip past more easily due to his smaller size.

    Drew took another look at the rest of the prompt for the duel as he cleared the tree branches.

    The terms of the duel are to first blood or forfeit. Reward: increased standing with-

    Drew shut the prompt, dropping down in a steep dive towards the roof and the crowd of Skurr watching the duel.

    I can out maneuver him. I¡¯m smarter, and I¡¯m more agile. I should be able to get him to charge me if I can stand my ground. If I can get him first then I win.

    Drew mentally prepared his Mage Hand, and pictured his landing in his mind. He flew straight back to the roof.

    This plan better work.

    Drew snuck a peek back over his should and Skyclaw was closing in fast. As close as his own shadow and twice as dark.

    Alright here goes nothing!

    Drew landed with barely a second to activate Mage Hand. He reached out to slap aside the diving Skurr. Drew was prepared to nail him with a Peck while he recovered from the surprise attack.

    Skyclaw¡¯s form was flawless, his claws outstretched.

    Drew marveled at him for a split second as the larger bird easily shifted his wings and corkscrewed around Drew¡¯s attack. At the last moment Drew threw himself to the side but it was too late. Skyclaw crashed into Drew breaking the bones in his leg in two places.

    HP: 35%

    Debuff: Broken Bone (leg) (2/2)

    Debuff: Bleeding: (3:00)

    Skyclaw stood over Drew as he bled onto the roof.

    Duel Results: Drew Loses by first blood. Penalty: Social Standing with Skurr dropped to Civil (20%)

    New Quest: Stay in the Rookery: Skyclaw commands that you stay with the juvenile flock and recover. You have been tested and you failed.

    Skyclaw and the flock took to the sky and flew in a circle before heading off to the west.

    Shit this sucks on so many levels. What level is that guy?

    Drew removed his button buckler from his broken leg and activated his two healing spells.

    A couple juvenile skurr came over and sat beside Drew. They checked out his wounded leg and then took his button buckler that was lying loose beside him on the roof.

    ¡°Go ahead keep it!¡± he said.

    It didn¡¯t do me any good anyways!

    Drew sat there ignoring the pain of his healing bones and replayed the duel in his head.

    Well crap, he¡¯s smarter and more agile than I am. Is that it then? Do I have to sit tight and eat bugs?

    Drew checked his active quests.

    I¡¯ve got the tried and true hungry quest. I¡¯ve got the gather shiny stuff quest, I¡¯ve got the explore the city quest, and the craft armor quest, and the two puzzling quests to learn enchanting and Carving. Can¡¯t do these last two if I¡¯m stuck on this roof.

    Debuff Removed: Bleeding exp 35

    Well that¡¯s a start. I guess I could always power level by healing if I get desperate.

    Debuff Removed: Broken Bone (1/2)

    Drew¡¯s leg bone snapped back together and he nearly threw up.

    I¡¯m not actually going to sit here and wait to be fed exp. As soon as I¡¯m healed up I¡¯m flying out of here. I need to fix myself some armor, and then start leveling my light armor skill. I need to get to Juvenile 10 before I can rank up. And I could work on my agility and strength too.

    Debuff Removed: Broken Bone. exp 50

    Officially my least favorite way to earn experience. Yuck.

    Drew looked around for Skyclaw and then dropped off the edge of the roof. He stayed below the rooftops as he flew away.

 Part 16

    - 48 -

    Drew kept below the roof lines, gliding around the heads of people walking down the streets. He was looking for Ireal¡¯s blacksmith¡¯s shop.

    I need to modify this armor and level my proficiency up. It should be enough of an advantage that I can hold my own against that bastard Skyclaw.

    As Drew came around the last corner he saw Damien enter the smithy. He flew in and landed on the counter where the smith completed her sales.

    ¡°Damien, glad you are here.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Oh Drew! What are you doing here?¡± Damien asked with a jump. ¡°Why are you so filthy?¡±

    ¡°Got in a fight, need to craft armor¡± Drew replied.

    ¡°Wait, Damien, isn¡¯t this your familiar? Why are you surprised he is here?¡± The apprentice smith asked, stowing the iron he was polishing.

    Ireal quenched some iron she was forging and walked over.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, you sent him in here earlier to purchase some iron disks, and I sent him along with 8 my apprentice made just this morning.¡±

    ¡°Well, no, not really. He is not my familiar, but an acquaintance of mine. And we have an understanding. I¡¯m teaching him enchanting as an experiment.¡± Damien rambled a little through the explanation.

    ¡°So you finally took a monster apprentice? Ha! I didn¡¯t think I would live to see the day. But you were always such a picky one. Looking for a star pupil.¡± The smith turned to Drew and gave a friendly wave of her hand. ¡°Nice to meet you officially Drew, I¡¯m Irael Stroonghammer¡±.

    Drew bobbed his head and replied. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Hah ha! It is indeed. It¡¯s not often you meet a Skurr that can talk. And Damien claims you can carve enchantments? Might you carve something for me?¡± Irael asked. Her cheerful demeanor set Drew at ease.

    She reached over and set a blank hammer on the counter. It was rough around the edges and recently fitted to it¡¯s handle. Unlike the other tools in the smithy, this one was brand new and pristine. Irael also brought over a small leather bound folio and flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.

    ¡°Here give this a try. This is an schematic for the Stamina Efficiency enchantment. I¡¯ve got an order for a training hammer here. It should be a good test of your mettle.¡± She said with a grin.

    Drew read the page and a prompt popped up in his vision.

    Learn the Enchantment [Stamina Efficiency] - Stamina Efficiency reduces the Stamina costs of whatever it¡¯s been enchanted on. Yes/No

    ¡°Wait Irael, I haven¡¯t shown him any schematics yet.¡± Damien said.

    Damien swiped the folio off the counter but Drew selected yes on the prompt.

    ¡°No problem.¡± Drew Said. ¡°Give me some tools.¡±

    ¡°Hah ha! Well said little bird. If you can lift it, bring that little hammer over here to this bench and get started.¡± Irael plucked the folio from Damien¡¯s hands and pushed the enchanter back so Drew could fly past the customer counter.

    It took half an hour. Drew was able to trace out the enchantment onto transfer paper and then to the face of the hammer and the handle. It was the first time he was doing these initial steps and that took most of the time. Now he was in the etching and carving stages he was familiar with and he finished quickly.

    Quest Complete: Puzzling: Learn [Enchanting]: [Enchanting] lvl 1 Unlocked. Exp 450.

    Quest Complete: Puzzling: Learn [Carving]: [Carving] lvl 1 Unlocked. Exp 450.

    New Skill: [Enchanting] lvl 1

    New Skill: [Carving] lvl 1

    Damien sat nearby and read a book, writing notes in the margins. Irael had gone right back to work at her forge.

    Irael quenched her iron and walked over to congratulate Drew on his level ups. Picking up the finished hammer she looked it over.

    ¡°Great work for an apprentice. For this kind of work, you need to carve the enchantment a little deeper, helps the piece survive the rough treatment it¡¯s going to receive. Not something an apprentice would usually need to do. There are other skills you¡¯ll need first, but ask Damien to show you the Mana Reinforcement skill when you are ready. It strengthens your body and mana paths and allows you to produce higher quality work.¡±

    Irael picked up the carving tool and quickly went through the whole enchantment. Her hand moved so quickly and precisely that it seemed to glow.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Learn [Mana Reinforcement]

    Irael stopped what she was doing and looked at a screen.

    Drew is asking to learn the skill [Mana Reinforcement]. Would you like to teach it? Yes/No

    ¡°Well now, seems like you are not quite the beginner apprentice I thought you were. Here you go knock yourself out.¡± Irael said as she selected yes.

    New Skill: [Mana Reinforcement] level 1 - Mana reinforcement imbues your body with Mana. Extensive use and proficiency will increase your physical stats. This skill cannot exceed your level of [Mana Channeling].

    ¡°You can use it to make your fingers more precise, and your arms stronger. Now me, I use it pretty much all the time. On my whole body. I know some monks that can maintain the skill even in their sleep. These guys can punch through boulders. Crazy I know, but I have seen it myself.¡± Irael said with a wink.

    Drew activated Mana reinforcement and focused on his claws.

    MP: 99%

    Its not that costly. Is this going to be one of those abilities that turns me into a super saiyan?

    Drew gripped the workbench and his claws sunk easily into the wood.

    ¡°Hey now, don¡¯t go scratching up my tables.¡± Irael said.

    Drew nodded in apology and pulled his bracer out of his storage ring. He used his reinforced claws to slice through the stitching.

    Wow I can cut through the stitching easily now.

    ¡°Well now where did you get that?¡± Irael asked picking up the bracer. ¡°Isn¡¯t this one of mine? I think I sold this to the guild a while back. How did you come upon it Drew?¡± Irael asked.

    ¡°Found it.¡± Drew said quickly. ¡°Need armor.¡±

    ¡°Were you taking it apart? Why would a young Skurr like you need armor?¡± Irael asked.

    ¡°For defense.¡± Drew said and ignored the rest of the question.

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s not an easy thing to accomplish. This is all triple stitched and reinforced. It would be better to build one from scratch¡­ Or we could scale down some Gryphon armor and design something new for you.¡± Irael was off and thinking to herself.

    She crossed the smithy to her drafting table and started drawing out a new schematic.

    Damien put away his book and walked over.

    ¡°Irael, what are you doing? Do you really have time to be playing around making armor for a Gallow Bird?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°Gawh, don¡¯t get your robes twisted Damien. It won¡¯t take all night. And the little guy here is going to enchant everything in my shop¡¯s backlog for me as payment so it¡¯s a win win. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Irael said.

    ¡°Aye aye Ma¡¯am.¡± Drew said and gave a salute.

    ¡°Weird bird Damien, you got a weird bird.¡± Irael said and laughed as she got to work.

    New Enchantment [Durability]

    New Enchantment [Resist Rust]

    New Enchantment [Resist Grime]

    New Enchantment [Emit Light]

    New Enchantment [Emit Warmth]

    New Enchantment [Absorb Warmth]

    New Enchantment [Weight Reduction]

    New Enchantment [Stamina Regeneration]

    Skill Upgrade: [Speak Common 4]

    Skill Upgrade: [Enchanting 2]

    Skill Upgrade: [Carving 2]

    Wisdom +2

    Mana +1

    Stamina +1

    Strength +2

    Willpower +1

    New Item: Skurr Breastpiece - Fine - reduces incoming attacks by 2 points when taking piercing or slashing attacks to the breast.

    Drew did not sleep that night. Irael had not stopped working on the breastpiece so she expected Drew to keep working as well.

    Her apprentices had shied away from any chores that didn¡¯t involve a hammer and a forge, so there was an understandably large backlog of hammers, shields, swords, rings and all manner of dinnerware that needed enchantments.

    Damien left after the third hour past sunset claiming that they were both insane.

    Irael only stopped for a moment when her apprentices tried to head home for the night. The two apprentices were both dwarves and they looked so similar they could have been brothers. Their beards would have reached the floor if they weren¡¯t tucked in behind their blacksmith aprons.

    They looked older than Irael by at least twice her years. Each one called her master blacksmith, and she hit them with a length of stock iron before getting them set up forging other jobs for the shop. They knew their business and needed no further instruction after they got started.

    As dawn came around, Irael had finished up the breastpiece. It was a hardened leather harness that Drew could remove with his beak using a single clasp at his belly. It had a fine mesh of steel wire sandwiched between two layers of Drake leather. There was a beveled triangle of iron in the center stamped with the guild¡¯s gallows image. Irael had dyed it all black. The inside was enchanted for Weight Reduction.

    Quest Progress: Light Armor Mastery: Equip a full set of light armor. (1/4)

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°You look rather fearsome Drew. At least for a young Skurr. This kit is going to be a little small on you once you grow up. But by then we can make you an even better one.¡± Irael said as she admired her work.

    ¡°What would I need,¡± Drew squawked ¡°For a full set?¡±

    ¡°Ho ho, never enough for you eh? You keep that attitude and you¡¯ll be a great adventurer. For a Gryphon, the full set of light armor would usually be the breast-piece, helmet, gorget, pauldrons for the shoulders and wings, vambraces for the arms, and greaves for the legs I won¡¯t even mention what the tasset is for.¡± She said.

    Ireal consulted a folio with blueprints. One of her apprentices leaned over and whispered to Drew.

    ¡°Tis for the arse.¡± He said discretely before hurrying away.

    ¡°Since you haven''t got four legs we can do the breastpiece, mantle for your neck and back, a pair of greaves, and a circlet instead of a helmet. A visor would make it hard for you to see. So a 4 piece set? That sounds right.¡± She said.

    Sounds great to me! And that aligns with the quest so it should count. Right?

    ¡°Anything else will just slow you down. Will you be wanting a sword too? Hah ha!¡±

    ¡°Thank you Irael.¡± Drew said with a nod and slumped down exhausted. ¡°Now I need rest.

    Drew flew up on top of a shelf of the smithy and found a spot amongst some oily rags to lay down.

    I¡¯ve got enough exp to purchase the 6th and 7th Racial Points. May as well bite the bullet and spend them.

    Race Upgrade Point: (7/8) (373/1000) purchase Yes/No?

    He fell asleep despite the sound of hammering.

    - 49 -

    Damien returned to the smithy by midmorning to find Drew carving a Weight Reduction enchantment into a buckle on leather belt.

    ¡°Drew, would you care to join me on a monster hunt? There are anomalies to the south at the perimeter fence, and I suspect slimes are eating our mana crystals.¡±

    ¡°Certainly, just finished.¡± Drew said and finished up the enchantment he was working on. He used Mage Hand to quickly put away the tools.

    ¡°Be careful out there with my new carver Damien!¡± Ireal shouted from her forge.

    Damien scoweled into the back of the Smithy.

    ¡°Certainly Ireal, when have you ever known me to not be careful?¡± Damien scoffed.

    ¡°Why, there was that one time in Callapeia, what was the name of that little fishing village again?¡± She said.

    ¡°No! That¡¯s quite alright! We are on our way now!¡± Damien said and hurried out the door.

    ¡°Drew, don¡¯t let any fishwives get Damien into too many ales. Hah ha!¡± Ireal sang.

    I¡¯m not sure I want to know what happened.

    Drew and Damien crossed the city to the southern gate quickly. Nobody offered any greetings to the old enchanter and they did not seem surprised to see him moving quickly towards a town gate.

    They arrived at the edge of the woods to the south of Rottervale within 30 minutes. As they approached the area, they noticed a group of slimes gathered together, bouncing and squishing around.

    Each slime was taller than Damien, flat against the ground and twice as wide as they were tall. They bobbed around the fence like water balloons on a lawn. Squishing up against each other to envelope the mana crystals. Each was a transparent blue of varying shades, and there was one really dark blue one that was larger than the rest.

    ¡°Aha! See! Didn¡¯t I tell you that there must be some slimes around sucking the mana from the crystals? These vermin are basically 50% water 50% mana and 100% a pain in my backside.¡± Damien pulled a staff out of his inventory and set down his toolkit.

    These things are as big as a car, and they are pests to Damien? These would likely wipe out a beginner party.

    ¡°Drew, take this wand. It¡¯s got a few charges of Chain Lightning. Don¡¯t bother with physical attacks, they will barely do any damage to slimes. And you better take a combat talisman.¡± Damien said as he held a wand out with one hand and had his other arm in his toolkit up to his elbow.

    The wand was made of white wood with veins of copper and silver wandering from handle to tip. And he pulled out a 18¡± wooden stake with a complex script spiraling around it. There was already a charged mana crystal slotted into the top.

    ¡°The talisman will activate once you channel mana into it. So stake it down in the middle of those slimes. And you have 5 seconds to get clear once you activate it.¡±

    Damien activated a shield spell and stood behind the shimmering circle, ready to cast his spells. Drew flew up into the air and held the wand tightly in one claw, and the enchanted stake in his other. He took a deep breath before channeling some mana into the combat talisman. It whirred to life and he threw it at the slimes below.

    It stuck squarely in between 5 slimes. The enchantment hummed into action sending mana tendrils out to grab the 5 slimes, anchoring them in place.

    With a flick of his wand, Drew shot a bolt of lightning, striking one of the slimes and sending it bouncing away. The lightning carried on and struck another slime. Drew fired 4 times before the wand¡¯s charges ran out.

    Combat reward: Slime lvl 7 defeated - reward 365 exp

    Combat reward: Slime lvl 9 defeated - reward 387 exp

    The rest of the slimes responded by bouncing and rolling towards Drew and Damien, attempting to engulf them.

    They aren¡¯t very fast are they.

    The closest slimes started lobbing globs of slime. But the force shield protected Damien, and Drew was too quick to get hit by the projectiles, flying out of the way of any incoming globs. The five slimes trapped by the combat ward were still out of the fight.

    The battle turned as Damien drained the mana of the slimes to fuel his spells, casting a variety of offensive spells, and recharging Drew¡¯s wand when it ran out. Drew continued to shoot lightning, taking down slime after slime as it chained to 2 and sometimes 3 targets with each hit.

    The combat enchantment ran out of power and those 5 slimes joined into the brawl. They moved slower than the first wave and when they were in range they didn¡¯t throw any globs, just moved forward like a wave in slow motion as the duo wore them down.

    Drew and Damien slayed 13 slimes in about 30 minutes. Drew earned enough exp to pay for his last Racial Upgrade point and his next level. He spent his 6 Stat points to raise his HP, MP and Stamina up by 1 point each.

    Skill Upgrade: [Flight] lvl 8

    Skill Upgrade: [Light Armor - Novice] lvl 2

    Racial Upgrade Point: (7/8) (2375/1000) purchase Yes/No?

    Level Upgrade: Level 6 Skurr (Juvenile) - (1375/1300) Purchase Yes/No

    HP +1

    Mana +1

    Stamina +1

    Heck yeah! Finally done with those racial points! Going to rank up and challenge Skyclaw again.

    Drew glowed with his level up and swooped and spiraled around Damien.

    ¡°Well done Drew! Much better than working in a smithy if I do say so myself. Remind me to teach you how to charge your own wands when we get back. You would be a force to reckon with!¡± Damien said.

    Drew flew over to the closest puddle of slime and noticed a couple globs of blue jelly.

    Is this all that is left of the slimes?

    He went around to touch the goop and pull it into his gathering ring. He collected 9 globs of Blue Slime Jelly in his ring.

    Now that the area was clear of slimes Drew flew down to inspect the combat talisman.

    ¡°How does this work?¡± Drew asked while he brought the wooden stake back to the enchanter.

    ¡°Take a look for yourself. What does the script instruct the mana to do?¡± Damien encouraged him to look over the enchantment while he focused on repairing the fence wards.

    The script details the activation conditions. This part waits for a source of mana to ignite the script. Then this part would drain the mana crystal, and turn that mana into what are essentially mana vine spells. But something else is mixed in there too. And then here is the complex phrase for targeting.

    Wisdom +1

    It finally clicked for Drew after several minutes. ¡°This targets stamina.¡± He cawed to Damien.

    ¡°Correct, at least partially. This phrase here targets sources of stamina, that is true.¡± Damien pointed to a phrase in the middle of the script that Drew had interpreted correctly, then traced the script to the next phrase. ¡°But if that phrase targets sources of stamina, what does this part do?¡±

    It¡¯s doing something with the stamina the previous phrases found. This is similar to the sockets for mana crystals. It¡¯s how the scripts identify sources of mana.

    ¡°Does this drain Stamina?¡± Drew was still confused, and Damien smiled patiently so Drew looked again. ¡°Powered by stamina!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, this ward is powered by the stamina of any thing it catches. All you need to do is turn it on. And as long as the mana crystal has a charge it will target sources of stamina for 10 feet in every direction.¡± Damien excitedly copied out the targeting script in a page of his book.

    ¡°Stamina drain is one of the best non-lethal combat enchantments. Second only to mana drain. The way this script is set up, your target will become unconscious before they lose any HP. It¡¯s great for duels against all classes and beasts. Except for ghosts, they don¡¯t have stamina, nor do they have health pools. They are just beings made of pure mana, bad luck, and regrets.¡± Damien¡¯s excitement dropped off near the end and he rubbed his neck with his other hand. ¡°Well, time to get to work.¡±

    It took Drew and Damien an hour to replace the rest of the medallions that had been damaged by the slimes.

    They both were exhausted and stopped for tea and scones once they were back in town.

    Damien started on his second cup of tea and finally broached the subject that had been on his mind.

    "Drew. Why do you need the armor? How do you know about armor? And if you are going to be grinding levels then there are things I need to teach you." Damien said.

    "I''m a Juvenile Skurr." Drew said. "The flock won¡¯t let me hunt."

    Drew pecked at his scone some more. Damien waited quietly while Drew struggled with the long explanation.

    "Only Adult Skurr hunt, and I''m going to rank up quickly." Drew said with a shrug.

    "If you were to rank up, would that solve your problems?" Damien asked.

    "Not all of them, but that''s a start."

    "We can go hunt more slimes, or Drakes, there are standing kill quests in the guild hall. I''ve got an array of talismans that could take down a rabbit warren given enough time."

    ¡°I won¡¯t massacre rabbits.¡± Drew said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to become a butcher.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, I can respect that. Its time we head back to my workshop. I have an idea.¡±

    - 50 -

    Damien laid out three combat talismans on the table for Drew to look at.

    Each of these is similar to the one I¡¯ve already seen. Except this one targets and drains sources of Mana. This one targets Stamina, but inflicts noise? Or Deafness? Like static in a radio. This one inflicts absorbs light, for a set distance, 5 meters.

    Damien pulled a folio from his pocket and showed the schematics to Drew.

    New Enchantment [Drain Stamina]

    New Enchantment [Drain Mana]

    New Enchantment [Inflict Noise]

    New Enchantment [Absorb Light]

    Skill Upgrade [Enchanting] lvl 3

    Wisdom +1

    ¡°Drew, I want you to craft your own talismans. Starting with these four. I recommend you make multiples of each one.¡± Damien said.

    Damien brought out 10 wooden stakes about a yard long and set them on the work table. He also brought out the Chain Lightning wand.

    ¡°Wands are a lot like talismans. Both are prone to overheating and exploding after too many uses. Wands tend to last longer since they don¡¯t need to manage their own power supply like a talisman. They draw from the caster directly.¡± Damien handed the wand over to Drew.

    ¡°You need to channel your mana into this part of the script on the wand. It will take 1 Mana for each charge. So be mindful of your Mana Pool while in combat.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Now get to work on your talismans and then we can go clean up some slimes.¡±

    Skill Upgrade: [Carving] lvl 3

    Skill Upgrade: [Enchanting] lvl 4

    Mana +1

    After an hour of crafting Drew had created 5 Stamina Drain Talismans, 3 Mana Drain Talismans, and one each of the light and noise talismans.

    What¡¯s to stop me from changing these enchantments around? Could I create an inflict HP Enchantment?

    He wrote it out on some drafting paper but the ink sizzled and burnt itself through the paper when he sent a test charge of mana into it.

    Huh weird. I¡¯ll need to find different words for restoring health.

    ¡°You seem ready to go Drew. If we head south, we should find more slimes. I¡¯ve been interested in exploring the area anyways. Something is going on with the flows of mana to the south and I have the feeling it¡¯s going to cause more problems for us if we don¡¯t go and sort it out soon.¡±

    The southern fields looked the same as they had a couple hours before. Damien led Drew past the fences and onto the path made by the slimes.

    Easily 3 meters wide, the ground was scorched bare by the passing slimes. It meandered a little for a mile or so and then turned south west.

    Oh man, these things melt everything. Does that mean there was mana in the grass here?

    Damien wore boots enchanted for Stamina Efficiency and Weight Reduction and he still had a hard time keeping pace with Drew¡¯s flight speed.

    Drew had plenty of time to circle about overhead and check their orientation to the city behind them. Twice he saw vine monsters moving through the treetops, but they weren¡¯t close and they were heading in the opposite direction so he left them alone.

    The sun hung low on the horizon, casting long shadows as Drew and Damien ventured through the dense forest. Their steps were cautious, the foliage showing traces of many kinds of monsters having passed by recently.

    They were following the path of destruction left behind by the slimes, like a snail trail of bare earth, glistening with a light coat of slime.

    Drew flew down to perch on a branch near Damien¡¯s shoulder while he took a sip of water.

    "Damien, is it normal for slimes to travel this far?" Drew asked.

    Damien''s brow furrowed as he analyzed the surroundings.

    "Slimes are sensitive to changes in mana flow. If they''re moving this far in these numbers, something''s drastically altering the natural mana currents."

    "Mana Currant, is that a fruit?¡±Drew asked.

    ¡°What nonsense is this? Are you scavengers hungry all the time? No currents, like a river.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Mana flows like water? Or like the wind?" Drew whispered.

    His voice had transitioned away from his squeaking and croaking into a high alto raspy voice. He hardly got choked on his words anymore, especially while whispering.

    "Exactly. It''s a cycle.¡± Damien paused again to look through a prism he was carrying.

    ¡°With this Mana Lens I can see the mana flowing and take measurements for my enchantments.¡±

    Damien held it up again so that the sky above them was reflected in the prism and Drew could see the mana in the sky flowing towards a single location to the south.

    ¡°You see. The mana flows from the stars, through the mountains, the trees, and everything." Damien said as he made some notes in his journal.

    ¡°Seems like the mana is all moving towards a tower over there. I¡¯ve seen it a few times already.¡± Drew said.

    Now that I can see the mana flowing towards it it¡¯s hard to miss.

    Damien squinted into the distance, narrowing his eyes as he spotted the towers peak.

    "Your eyes are better than mine.¡± He looked through the prism again. ¡°That tower... is all wrong, it''s disrupting the mana flow."

    They headed off the trail and made a bee line for the tower. An hour later they broke through the thick underbrush and could see the tower clearly.

    It was still a mile away and its strange aura was a palpable distortion in the air around them.

    Is that tower made of mana crystals?

    "Look at that, Drew," Damien murmured, awe and concern lacing his words. "The mana is solidified on the tower. It''s as if the very stone has been corroded like the medallions, transformed."

    As they watched, a pulse as fast as lightning went through the tower from the bottom to the top and the whole area was illuminated in a purple/blue glow.

    ¡°The magnitude of power being collected here is outstanding. Even the arrays in the capital don¡¯t gather and store this much at once. The wizards involved must be experts in their field. What are they doing out here?¡±

    Drew finally peeled his eyes away from the tower itself to the clearing surrounding it. The ground was parched, devoid of all living tissue. Withered trees were scattered everywhere, petrified where they fell. And the ground itself glowed faintly.

    Its like radiation. This tower is toxic.

 Part 17

    - 51 -

    ¡°Drew, fly ahead and see if anyone needs help. The levels of mana are very unstable.¡± Damien urged.

    Drew shot forwards closing the distance in a matter of minutes.

    You have entered a Mana Dense zone, your mana regeneration increases by 30%.

    I can feel the energy buzzing in the air. Even the wind is bending towards the tower. If this mess is radioactive how do I warn Damien?

    There were aged wagon wheel tracks leading off to the west away from Rottervale. They were so grown over that he doubted anyone had used them in years.

    Drew did a lap around the tower, staying 30 meters away. He could not see a functional entrance. Even the upper floor windows were grown over with mana crystals.

    Damien caught up to drew and he flew back to report.

    ¡°No windows, no doors, no sign of anyone. Feels dangerous.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Yes indeed, likely quite dangerous.¡± Damien said as he wrote some calculations down in the margins of a book. ¡°If I¡¯m correct the tower could simply explode any minute.¡±

    ¡°Would the explosion affect the city? What do we do?¡±

    ¡°My first theory involves draining the mana from the tower. We could create an enchantment that expends a lot of mana. To let the pressure off in a sense.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°My second is to rupture the enchantment or spell that is storing all this mana and cause a slow burn where the mana destroys the spell and everything fizzles out.¡± Damien said. ¡°Although if my math is wrong then it will not fizzle, it will explode.¡±

    ¡°I like your first idea. What are some mana intensive enchantments we can create to draw out some of this pent up mana?¡± Drew asked.

    Damien opened up his folio to a page at the back and Drew read the schematic quickly.

    New Enchantment [Crystallize Mana]

    ¡°This is the most expensive spell I know. It forms mana crystals. And I expect it to work since they are forming naturally here already.¡± Damien said. ¡°If we carve it into the stone at the base of the tower it might go a quarter of the way around. We could carve 4. And then see if we have enough room for a 5th.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like plan, let¡¯s do it.¡± Drew said.

    The tower shuddered and the silhouette of a door appeared in the crystal walls. Light came bursting out around the seams and the door flew the rest of the way open.

    ¡°That¡¯s an idiotic plan! How dare you try to try to steal my mana! Burn fool! You know not the magnitude of power you offend with your limited understanding.¡± A clearly insane wizard stepped through the door throwing fire bolts.

    Drew and Damien barely had time to move out of the way of the bolts. Damien had his shield up a second later and it absorbed two bolts in quick succession.

    Drew flew high and circled behind the tower out of the wizards sight. The man had a wild look in his eyes, his clothes were once fine and expensive were now greasy and disheveled. He was unkempt and had several weeks of scraggly beard on his chin, and could use a bath. His hair was matted and stuck up in two large unbalanced horns on the top of his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s is auspicious for you to come, I need an audience for my triumphant finale! They all said I, Thadeus Wainwright was mad, mad I say! But I have established them to be the fools this day!¡± He punctuated his words with more fireballs.

    Damien¡¯s shield was holding up just fine. He threw a couple Mana Drain talismans and they started draining the mad Wizard.

    ¡°Fool! I have unlimited mana at my disposal. I¡¯m connected directly to the enchantments inside. I have cracked the code hidden by the gods under our very noses. I have created pure limitless mana. You are trying to siphon a bucket of water out of an ocean.¡± Thaddeus raved as he threw more fireballs.

    Well if draining his mana won¡¯t work let¡¯s drain his stamina.

    Drew threw a Drain Stamina talisman at the wizard. It pierced him through the thigh.

    Bane x1: (0:10)

    ¡°Ahhh! Shit! Who is throwing spears??¡± He screamed.

    oh, sorry man, my mistake.

    Drew circled back around the tower and threw another Drain Stamina talisman at the wizard. It pierced him through the other thigh.

    Bane x1: (0:05)

    ¡°Ahhhhh! Shit! That really hurts!¡± He screamed. He was gripping both talismans in his hands. Thaddeus tried pulling them out but ended up dancing around in pain. ¡°Why would you spear me with talismans? That¡¯s awful, who does that?¡±

    My bad! What is going on with the cross-breeze here?

    Damien pulled a wand from his pocket and lifted a spherical chunk of earth out of the ground. He threw it at the tower trying to knock it down.

    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t! Greater Summon Golem!¡± Thaddeus yelled.

    A spell circle 3 meters tall appeared on the side of the tower and a hand reached out. Followed by a golem twice as tall as a man and completely made of mana crystal.

    It swatted Damien¡¯s next boulder out of the air. Damien pulled a second wand out and started launching boulders in double time.

    Well time for plan B I guess.

    Drew flew into the tower through the open door.

    You have entered a Mana Dense zone, your mana regeneration has increased by 55%

    The room was circular and there were stairs across the room. The inside was poorly lit and every available inch of the floor was covered in research notes and paper. The only light came from a pair of plinths in the middle of the room. They were paired up like a stalagmite and stalactite with only a hand width separating them. They were covered in overlapping glowing script. A single drop of energy was forming on the bottom plinth and trying to drip up to the plinth on the ceiling.

    Oh crap, what the hell is going on in here? Where do I even start to unravel any of this wacky lava lamp insanity? None of these scripts make sense.

    Drew landed on a chair near the plinth but couldn¡¯t read much of the script. He checked the closest table but the notes there had nothing to do with the experiment.

    I need to find his schematics, or his folio. Something that can give me a hint at what these plinths do.

    Drew flew to two more tables and took as many notes as he could but he didn''t find a clue as to what was going on.

    This is all way abstract stuff. And some of these notes are written in a language I can¡¯t read.

    Drew peeked outside, Damien was lobbing boulders at two golems now. And Thaddeus had removed one of the talismans. His wound started healing immediately. Drew flew across the room and up towards the second floor.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°Oh ho ho, you really did it now. Did the academy send you? They can¡¯t stop me, I¡¯m too close to creating crystallized experience points. It will be PERFECT!¡±

    ¡°What? That¡¯s impossible, exp is given to us by the gods. It cannot be created by mortals. The amount of power you would need-¡° Damien dodged a fireball.

    ¡°GREATER SUMMON GOLEM!¡±

    Thaddeus summoned a third Golem and it lumbered over and joined the fray.

    ¡°Can you imagine it? No more grinding low level monsters. Just sit back and make exp out of mana!¡± Thaddeus cried.

    Drew reached the next floor of the tower. The stairs were so cramped his wings touched the stone walls on both sides. The second floor was perfectly clear of any mess. Every inch was covered in enchantments. Ring after ring of the same enchantments.

    Oh dang, this guy needs a new hobby. These all say the same thing. He¡¯s compounding the enchantment, multiplying the effect inside each ring of the script.

    Drew flew up another flight of stars and came to an identical room full of the same enchantments.

    You have entered a Mana dense zone. Your mana regeneration temporarily increases by 100%.

    Mana +1

    Okay think Drew, think. He¡¯s gathering mana from the whole area. It¡¯s coming here and going through repeated enchantments. Okay these enchantments move mana. They are making it higher the higher up I go. But they aren¡¯t crystallizing it. But it¡¯s similar.

    Drew passed a window and could see Damien fending off 4 golems. They all were pounding on his mana shield to no effect.

    Thaddeus pulled the second talisman from his leg and threw it on the ground.

    Damien¡¯s holding his own, but that crazy wizard is going to be back in the fight soon. These windows are crusted over with mana crystals so I can¡¯t fly out and help him without going all the way back down.

    The crystal warbles like old glass on houses. These were liquid before they hardened.

    Drew watched as Damien used his wand to pull the ground out from under one golem, knocking it off its feet, and threw that boulder at another golem. The ground around the enchanter was riddled with these holes making approaching him that much harder for the golems.

    What if the crystals on the outside are the side effect, like perspiration condensing on a cold drink. Then crystallizing.

    Now that he knew what he was looking for, he noticed the word ¡°Condense¡± appeared in every script around the room repeating itself a hundred times.

    Okay here goes nothing.

    Drew changed the word for ¡°Condense¡± to ¡°Crystallize¡± in the enchantment in the very center of the room. Immediately a mana crystal grew out of the floor. It grew so quickly it speared the ceiling. The whole tower shuddered. The script around the crystal caught fire.

    The fire spread very quickly.

    Yep. Time to go!

    Drew flew down two flights of stairs and out the door to see 5 Mana crystal golems pile onto the mad wizard Thaddeus.

    ¡°You fool! Witness my true power!¡± Thaddeus said.

    Five golems interlocked their arms and joints, forming a larger golem with Thaddeus held suspended inside.

    ¡°Damien, it¡¯s time to go! Plan B is now plan C!¡± Drew said as he flew past the old enchanter.

    Damien and Drew ran as quickly as they could. Damien pulled out the mana lens to look at the tower and yelped. He immediately summoned wall after wall of stone up out of the ground to cover their escape.

    A sixth and final golem seated itself on the shoulders of the fusion golem and unfolded, revealing the head.

    ¡°BEHOLD! GIGA GOLEM! I¡¯m iNdEstRucTibLe! I have an unlimited reserve of Mana to- GAHHHHHHH¡° Thaddeus was interrupted by a tendril of mana from the tower latching onto him.

    The tower behind him burst into flames and then imploded, folding in on itself creating a tiny apple-sized gem that followed the winding tendril of mana into the giga golem and Thaddeus at its heart.

    ¡°Not good. Not good at all.¡± Damien grabbed Drew out of the air and tore a hole in the ground, lifting the stone up above their heads as he jumped into the hole. At the bottom, he wrapped them both up in multiple layers of shields.

    He brought the stone back down on top of them just as everything exploded.

    - 52 -

    Damien and Drew sat in the hole he had dug, wrapped in Mana Shields. The ground shook for nearly a minute. And it got oppressively hot.

    ¡°How many shields did you wrap us with?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°All of them, I can summon 6 at once. This hole we are in is 10 meters deep.¡± Damien said. ¡°By my calculations in the likely event the tower explodes, we would need to be at least 100 meters away. We managed about 120 meters.¡±

    Okay maybe I was a little too reckless¡­

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°He had a series of enchantment building up the mana density within the tower. I changed his enchantment from ¡®Condense Mana¡¯ to ¡®Crystallize Mana¡¯ and then a big crystal formed and everything caught on fire.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, that would do it.¡± Damien replied, and jotted it down in his notes.

    ¡°Do you think that mad wizard survived?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± Damien replied and used his Channel Earth wand to lift a column of dirt and stone off their heads.

    They listened for any sign of movement. Hearing nothing, Damien dropped his 6 shield spells.

    Drew flew up out of the hole and circled the new crater. From above it was nearly spherical and fell just short of their hiding spot.

    Nothing remained of the tower or of the golems.

    ¡°It seems my math was not quite as accurate, I¡¯d say we had about 2 meters of extra space... we were really too close to this explosion.¡± Damien made a few more notes in the margins of his book.

    ¡°This much power will likely attract a dragon or something worse. I much prefer to be back in my workshop.¡± He said.

    The walk back to Rottervale was a quiet one, they took a direct route, with Drew scouting from the sky overhead. Damien spent most of the time taking notes in his book while he walked. They avoided a vine monster, which Damien confirmed were feral soft shell spider melons.

    After two hours they crossed over the perimeter fence surrounding the city. Dusk was falling and the light enchantments were turning on across the west side. Drew had plenty of time to think about his part in killing Thaddeus.

    It was him or us really, he would have killed us both. He attacked Damien with multiple golems. Could he have summoned an army? The guy was crazy.

    The town guards were waiting for them. They were ushered into their guard room adjacent to the southern gate. After 10 minutes they were offered some water. Then the captain of the guard opened his office door and they were escorted in.

    ¡°Mr. Hornbrush, its been a while since you have moved to Rottervale. I thought your adventuring days were behind you.¡± The guard captain said.

    Drew had sat perched on the back of a chair beside Damien. The guard captain¡¯s office was spartan, with only a desk and three identical wooden chairs. Damien had produced a small cushion for himself before sitting down. Damien and Drew were on one side and the captain paced back and forth behind his desk.

    ¡°Now Roland,¡± Damien began, but was interrupted by a look from the guard captain. ¡°Sir Ironwatch. I am certainly no longer an adventurer, I was simply in the inopportune place at the appropriate time to prevent a major catastrophe.¡±

    ¡°Seems to me a something catastrophic has occurred despite your efforts. I expect a full explanation for my report.¡± He said. ¡°If I find your story to be false then I will bring an oracle to this city and review your memories directly.¡±

    Damien relayed the story in its entirety, leaving out a few details. As Damien told it, he defended himself after accidentally interrupting a dangerous experiment. He did not mention Drew¡¯s involvement, he did not mention the golems fusing with Thaddeus.

    He painted a flawless picture of a mad wizard whose research would have exploded and blown up without his involvement. It took half an hour, the guard captain asked for several parts to be described again, and he recorded everything down.

    Refreshments were brought and Drew had time to review his combat logs again while he waited.

    Combat rewards: Level 99 Giga Golem - 2045 exp

    Combat rewards: Level 49 Mad Wizard - 1085 exp

    Trait level up conditions met: [Scholar] level 2

    Skill Upgrade: [Enchanting lvl 5]

    Skill Upgrade: [Enchanting lvl 6]

    Level Upgrade: Level 7 Crow (Juvenile) - (3579/1300)

    Level Upgrade: Level 8 Crow (Juvenile) - (2279/1500)

    HP: +1

    MP: +2

    ST: +1

    Ranking up twice in a row really does a number on your stats. Nearly all of my stats went up a point or two from the fight and I was able to spend a few points on increasing my health pool to 19.

    ¡°Damien, that¡¯s all our questions for now. Do not leave town. If we need your further assistance in this matter we will contact you.¡± The captain said.

    Damien stood up from his chair and gave a polite bow. ¡°Thank you for your time captain. I would be happy to answer any of your questions in the future but an old man like me must rest after an adventure such as this. Good evening.¡±

    Damien and Drew returned to the enchanter¡¯s shop and Damien invited him in but Drew waved him off.

    I need some time to sort all this out. And I¡¯ve got to prepare for my rematch with Skyclaw.

    ¡°Fine enough, it¡¯s likely going to be an early dinner and bed for me. I¡¯m not cut out for all this excitement. Come find me tomorrow, I believe that we will need to send word to a colleague of mine in the capital about the spell Thaddeus was working in his tower.¡± Damien said.

    -

    The next morning, Drew sat in his nest within the rafters of the adventurers guild. He was cleaning off his armor and trying to wrap his head around what to do next.

    Yesterday was a busy day. I can count the times I nearly died on one claw.

    The guild hall was quiet, most adventurers weren¡¯t even up yet. The few that were awake were on their way out the door without breakfast. And there weren¡¯t any Skurr about since breakfast hadn¡¯t happened yet. He stashed his armor in his storage ring and checked his inventory and quests.

    I¡¯ve got these globs of slime from the fight. And have some of these research notes from that crystal tower. I should give them to Damien, they seem right up his alley. I bet there is a quest for slime globs I could cash these in for.

    He flew down to the quest board and started perusing.

    Gather rabbit horns, slay feral spider melons, investigate unusually large rat sightings in the sewers, slay giant frogs to the south west of town, slay pixens in the northern fields, deliver barrels of ale to the garrison, investigate the old dungeon for signs of activity, the chapel needs wood for a new roof, nothing about gathering slime globs. I could check out a potion shop, that¡¯s usually how this goes right? They make health or mana potions out of slime and-

    ¡°So. You are Damien¡¯s familiar then.¡± Vivian said. She was standing immediately behind Drew. And she was angry.

 Part 18

    - 53 -

    Vivian had on a light fabric shoulder wrap over her uniform. The mornings had been cold. But her stare was colder.

    ¡°I saw you working with Damien, I didn¡¯t think that nice old man would pull something like this. He¡¯s going to get an earful from me next time I see him.¡± Vivian said with a glare.

    Oh man, she¡¯s really gearing up to tear someone¡¯s head off. Which she has done once if the rumors were to believed.

    ¡°Please, it¡¯s not his fault.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t start making excuses for him¡­wait what? Did you talk?!¡± Vivian shrieked.

    She quieted down and looked around, but nobody else noticed the conversation.

    ¡°Yes, Vivian. Let¡¯s grab a table.¡± Drew said.

    Drew flew over to a table with two chairs near the back of the dining hall. Far enough away from the stairs to the sleeping quarters that they wouldn¡¯t be in earshot of the adventurers waking up.

    That was a really great reaction. If I can keep my ability to speak a secret then I can keep surprising everyone. The kids would likely lose their minds.

    Vivian ran her hand across her face and stifled a frustrated scream. Then she straitened up and set her face right. She looked at her desk, then confidently strode over to join Drew at the table.

    ¡°I swear, if this is another trick to avoid paying dews and taxes you will regret it.¡± Vivian said.

    ¡°Sounds fair. My name is Drew, I would like to form a party with you Vivian.¡± Drew said.

    Vivian looked the prompt over 3 times before selecting No.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you accept?¡± Drew asked. ¡°I am a smart crow, I can talk-¡±

    Drew was interrupted as an adventurer came stumbling down the stairs and looked their way without seeing them, then he headed over to the bar.

    ¡°I know a healing spell, and I¡¯m learning combat enchantments from Damien.¡± Drew continued in a whisper until Vivian shushed him.

    ¡°Okay what ever this is.¡± Vivian made a circular gesture with her hands encompassing Drew and everything he just said. ¡°I don¡¯t need to party up with you. You want a real test? Then we get you a guild membership card. Meet me at my desk.¡±

    She got up and swept her arm towards her desk in an ¡°after you¡± gesture. Drew flew over to her desk a little too quickly.

    Oh yes! This is going to be great, I¡¯ll get a guild status card and can get guild access and benefits. I¡¯ll get to earn credit with the guild and use their training facilities. I could buy food!

    Vivian pulled out a short sturdy knife and stepped in close grabbing Drew by the neck.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are. But if you are some kind of shape shifting demon, or if you are, I don¡¯t know, casting an illusion on yourself. Then we will find out what your insides look like.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes were stone cold.

    Vivian reached into a drawer on her desk with one hand, the hand holding the knife to Drew¡¯s belly didn¡¯t waver.

    She produced an orb, perfectly cloudy and white. Like it was filled with milk. It didn''t reflect light like one would expect, but seemed brighter inside than the reflection would have been.

    She set it in an ornate metal tripod on her desk and pulled out a plain wooden slat used to make rookie guild member cards.

    ¡°Touch the orb. It is going to pull mana from you and appraise your character sheet. You do have more than one mana, right?¡± Vivian asked.

    Drew visibly gulped.

    I have not taken her very seriously. When she sees my Light Armor skill from the stolen Grimoire she may kill me anyways. And she¡¯s going to see my name, and all my blessings and my Hero title.

    ¡°Well? Hop to it Drew, if that is your real name.¡±

    Drew placed his claw onto the orb. It was cool to the touch. The glass was impossibly thin and delicate.

    MP: 94%

    The orb whirred into action. White smoky tendrils reached out and touched Drew all over, passing through him with only a sleight tug. After 20 seconds they retracted and started burning his details into the guild card.

    [Guild Card]

    Name: Drew

    Lvl 8 Skurr Juvenile

    Guild Rank: N/A

    Guild credit: 0

    Top skills: Flying, Gliding, Enchanting, Mana Recovery, Speak Common.

    Vivian leaned around Drew and applied pressure with her knife to back him away from the guild card.

    ¡°Alright enough gawking, let¡¯s see what we have here. What the heck is this?¡± She tightened her grip on the knife.

    ¡°See it¡¯s my name. Drew.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Is that the kind of names Gallows Birds usually have? Aren¡¯t they usually something like Sconekiller, or Fleetbeak?¡± Vivian demanded.

    The guild clerk was getting increasingly upset.

    ¡°It¡¯s my name. I was born with it.¡± Drew said.

    How much can I tell her? If I claim I''ve got my memories from my past life, let alone from a completely different planet, would she believe me?

    ¡°Vivian! What¡¯s going on?¡± guild master Roderick asked suddenly. "I can hear you raving out here from the back."

    ¡°Guild master! This is the Gallow Bird that I have been talking about. He¡¯s been stealing quests and completing them. Three or four already. I¡¯ve been investigating to find out who¡¯s familiar he is but today I find out that he is a named Skurr, and can talk.¡±

    Vivian spoke quickly and grew more exasperated as she went.

    ¡°You are telling me this young Skurr has completed more quests than half the adventurers here have in 2 weeks? Is that his guild card?¡± Roderick said.

    She switched the knife to her other hand and passed Drew¡¯s guild card over to guild master Roderick.

    ¡°Hmmm, oh I see. Drew is it? Did you attend the rank 1 guild training? Yes that was you. You have Mana Recovery and you¡¯ve leveled it a few times.¡± The guild master said. ¡°And you can speak?¡±

    ¡°I can.¡± Drew said and looked behind himself at Vivian. ¡°Could we put away the knife?¡±

    ¡°Certainly, Vivian. Enough with the knife. He¡¯s no common monster with a card like this. But what are you Drew?¡± The guild master asked.

    ¡°I have been wondering that too. The Skurr aren¡¯t sure what to do about me.¡± Drew shrugged.

    Another adventurer wandered down the stairs to breakfast and Vivian took a step back. She looked over to the guild master.

    ¡°Well, he is novel monster. I bet he would sell for a small bag of gold.¡± The guild master said as he reached into a pouch on his belt and threw some powder into Drew¡¯s face.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Wait what?

    Debuff: [Sleep] (30:00)

    - 54 -

    Drew could vaguely hear a hushed conversation.

    Ughh, my head. How much did I drink last night?

    He tried to climb to his feet but he had no hands, only feathers for hands so he stumbled. It all came back to him slowly.

    Oh right, I¡¯m a crow. A wannabe adventurer. Some hero I turned out to be.

    Drew tried hopping groggily to his feet. But failed to stand again.

    What happened to me? Am I poisoned?

    Drew checked his logs.

    Debuff: [Sleep] Resolved

    New Debuff: [Captured] - All activated skills are locked while caged, collared, or shackled. Physical Stats limited to 1.

    Oh no. I¡¯m in a wooden cage. Like a crate, woven with some kind of flexible wood fibers.

    He tried to pry at it with his beak but it wouldn¡¯t even splinter.

    ¡°That¡¯s hardly the issue here guild master, the price for the Skurr, if that is truly what he is, no? It is simply too high a price without an appraisal.¡±

    Is this for real? My stats are set to one so I cannot even stand? And I can barely hear a conversation 5 meters away.

    Drew could see the guild master speaking with a scrawny man.

    He¡¯s likely a human but unusually tall. At least I cannot see any pointy ears.

    The man was loosely dressed, with a fine quality vest under a large coat that fell past his knees and a wide brimmed hat. The man had seen rough weather and his clothes had been well cared for.

    Nope. I don¡¯t like his shrewd smile. It¡¯s fake.

    ¡°We have this guild card. It shows that he is a Skurr and unusual enough to merit the price or more. You are a merchant, if you want to have the monster appraised by an expensive expert after you buy him then that¡¯s your business.¡±

    He¡¯s a merchant? He can¡¯t sell me, he doesn¡¯t own me!

    ¡°I¡¯m satisfied that he¡¯s worth 10 gold. I won¡¯t pay a copper to appraise him.¡± Guild Master Roderic said. ¡°I¡¯ll throw in the cage for free.¡±

    ¡°You drive a hard bargain my friend. You have done good business with me in the past yes? I will honor your price for the sake of friendship. In three months time, when I come this way again, a good friend would have cords of Ironwood stacked as tall as a house. For that I would be happy to pay 100 gold yes?¡± The merchant said with a smile.

    ¡°Then we have a deal. Always good doing business with you sir.¡± The guild master said behind a fake smile of his own.

    They separated and the merchant starting loading things from a pile into his cart outside.

    The guild master watched without offering to help.

    ¡°Hey Jerk!¡± Drew shouted.

    The guild master ignored him.

    "Hey you! Shorty!"

    ¡°Hey ugly!¡±

    The guild master scowled and stomped over to Drew¡¯s cage.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± He growled.

    ¡°Why sell me off?¡± Drew said.

    He grimaced and turned to walk away.

    ¡°I can do quests.¡±

    He can¡¯t do this!

    ¡°I am an adventurer." Drew croaked out.

    HP: 95%

    Drew¡¯s throat locked up from all the yelling.

    The guild master turned on his heel to face Drew.

    "You are a Gallow Bird, a Skurr. You aren''t a person. Whatever trick this is that lets you speak is just that, a trick.¡±

    The guild master stabbed his finger into the cage to emphasize his point.

    ¡°Half the children this season aren¡¯t worth our resources either, but that is the price we pay, giving back to the community to level them up and then let them go off and become farmers.¡±

    He straightened up and ran a hand through his beard.

    ¡°You can¡¯t sell me.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal. You simply aren''t worth my guild''s resources or time." The guild master said.

    "That''s it?" Drew asked.

    ¡°Indeed it is.¡± He replied them strode away.

    The merchant finished loading up his cart and checked his harness.

    How does he plan to move it without some kind of beast to pull it?

    The merchant came back for Drew¡¯s cage and dropped a bag of coins into the guild master''s hand without a word.

    Drew stared daggers at the guild master as he was carried away in a cage.

    ¡°Alright my little friend. Climb aboard, you are my special guest eh? Anything you could want please ask.¡± The merchant said with a smile.

    ¡°Freedom.¡± Drew said.

    The merchant laughed and tossed a small bit of food into the cage.

    ¡°See we are getting along nicely! How about a free biscuit for the smart bird.¡±

    Once he lets his guard down I¡¯m breaking out of here.

    The Merchant quickly slipped a thin dagger into the cage. Drew was able to avoid the tip by pressing himself all the way to the back of the cage.

    "I don¡¯t like that look in your eye. Don''t be getting any smart ideas yes? The city guards will attack a demon on sight." The merchant said.

    His cheerful tone did not drop for a moment.

    "I paid good money for you eh? I don''t want to waste coin patching up my investment."

    He slowly withdrew his dagger from the cage and Drew realized he was holding his breath.

    Okay, maybe once he''s asleep I''ll turn the tables on him. See how he likes a knife in his ribs...

    Drew sat and picked at the biscuit, it was stale and musty.

    The merchant stepped to the front of his cart and grabbed hold of the two poles and the harness. He hoisted it up and onto his own shoulders. It hung low enough for the poles to rest comfortably in his hands. He started pulling the cart and set a brisk pace.

    He is stronger than he looks. I need to stop underestimating people. First it was Skyclaw, and then Vivian and the guild master.

    From his place of honor on the front bench of the cart, Drew could see countless crates covered in canvas, and an assortment of bags and bundles tied up tightly.

    There were several empty cages like his own and a few thin wooden cases made of fine wood, carved and inlaid with intricate designs. About the size of briefcases.

    Within the hour the merchant had wound his way through the city until he hit the main road leading out the west gate.

    Drew tried opening the lock with his beak and claws but the mechanism was too sturdy and complex for him to manipulate.

    No sign of any Skurr to come to my rescue. Maybe I can spot Damien or the kids and they can spring me out?

    The merchant joined a line of carts leaving town. He greeted a few other merchants and a couple guards as they all moved forwards slowly.

    ¡°So, I hear you are smart yes? Do you play Cabal?¡± The merchant asked. ¡°We seem to have come into a fair bit of time.¡±

    Drew stared at him silently.

    The line of carts had come to a complete stop and the guards were inspecting a merchant¡¯s cart, pulling out bundles and boxes and cluttering up the street. There were 15 carts and twice as many people with pack animals between their cart and the gate.

    The merchant pulled out a canvas play mat and a deck of cards. He proceeded to set up a representation of a city, and dealt two hands of 11 cards. The cards ranged from criminal businesses like gambling houses, money laundering fronts, safe houses, and market stalls, to character cards like thugs, pickpockets, con men, cut throats, sub bosses, and bosses.

    ¡°You try to take over the city by placing businesses on the mat, and each business gets you coin each turn. You use the coin to build your crew, you see. Or buy new businesses. You can attack your opponents businesses and destroy them or capture them but you will lose some of your crew in the scuffle. Or flat out buy them off. There¡¯s a few other things to know but that¡¯s enough to get you started.¡± He smiled. ¡°I play both hands for now and then you can start playing along once you get the idea eh?¡±

    The man started to deal out cards and played a couple turns showing Drew both sets of hands and he picked up things quickly.

    ¡°You see the general game yes? My crew can take the market stall here from you and your crew is away defending your other property. Not good for you eh? The game will end quickly for you.¡±

    ¡°New round.¡± Drew said. ¡°I will win.¡±

    Maybe if I win he will realize I¡¯m not a pet and let me out.

    They played three more games before the cart arrived at the gate. Drew lost each game.

    It¡¯s hard to play when your opponent is literally holding all the cards.

    ¡°Let me out.¡± Drew said. ¡°Win the next game.¡±

    ¡°Oh ho! I think not. I have seen the way you play now. This game tells you much about your opponents. Everyone will tell you Maurice can tell a tricky one with my eyes covered.¡± Maurice the merchant said.

    ¡°Hail. Maurice you strange bastard. You are up next, quit talking to yourself and move your cart forwards.¡± The guard at the gate said. The other to guards at the gate chuckled.

    ¡°Oh my friend! I hope you have been well. How are your children? A beautiful day for a ride through Rottervale.¡±

    He handed over official looking paperwork. ¡°My charter and papers are all in order yes?¡±

    ¡°I have no children you dusty fool. Let me see about your papers here.¡±

    The guard took them over to a small table set out beside the gate for this purpose. The table was inlaid with an enchantment. It shone white for a second then turned a calm golden color.

    ¡°Your charter is valid. What are you carrying today?¡±

    ¡°Oh I have the usual goods and materials that the rural outreaches of the valley may want and need.¡±

    Maurice accepted the papers back from the guard and reached into his vest to pull out a small trinket that looked like a dried flower and some bones tied together with wire.

    ¡°I also have a few trinkets handsome guards may be interested in.¡± He whispered loud enough for all three guards to hear him.

    The guard looked at the merchant skeptically. But gestured for him to continue.

    ¡°This one here glows green if a man has any misbegotten children, do you wish to give it a try yes? Only two silver for a friend.¡±

    The other two guards burst into laughter as the first guard blushed behind his helmet.

    ¡°Hey enough of that nonsense. Move along!¡± The first guard said.

    ¡°For you, one silver. You drive a hard bargain. I can tell you truly need it.¡± Maurice said.

    The merchant raised his hands in a shrug pandering to the two guards.

    ¡°Or perhaps a fertility potion would be more desirable eh? They all say that Maurice is a compassionate man yes?¡±

    ¡°Move along Maurice¡± one of the other guards said as he waved the next cart forwards.

    Maurice got his cart moving as the guards laughed more at their friend¡¯s embarrassment.

    This guy thinks he some kind of comedian. he''s a sly fox, they didn''t even check his cart. What does he have back there?

    - Interlude -

    To Damien Hornbrush

    Rottervale, Ressalia

    Dear Damien Hornbrush,

    I trust this letter finds you well in the frontier. Your missive detailing the fascinating occurrences and speculation as to the status of the dungeon has reached me, and I must express my gratitude for your diligence in unraveling such mysterious developments.

    While the information you''ve provided is undeniably intriguing, it regrettably falls short of the necessary evidence to warrant an official audit at this juncture. However, your findings have piqued our interest, and we invite you to journey to the capital and present your specimens in person.

    Your firsthand account and the creature that has naturally acquired the understanding of common speech are phenomena that demand closer scrutiny. A meeting has been requested by the Royal Observatory in Valoria, where experts await your presence to assess the nature of these events.

    Travel safely, and we look forward to the discourse that your discoveries may promise to unfold.

    From the office of the Kings Adviser

    Crownsgate, Ressellia

 Part 19

    - 55 -

    The merchant marched along the road to the west whistling a tune. He took the next left fork, and then the right fork after that.

    He must know where he is going.

    Drew tried chipping away at the corners of his cage, where the woven wood met and interlaced, but it was fused firmly.

    Maurice spoke very little for the first hour as he covered several kilometers without needing a break.

    The merchant passed the time mumbling to himself and checking a screen that Drew could not see.

    They passed fields of grain that looked like wheat and corn had a baby. Other fields that had what looked like watermelons, that had grown legs and were trying to climb up off the ground, but the farmers had tied them in place with ropes and stakes.

    Where are we going? This isn¡¯t a main road. Are we leaving the valley? Will I end up sold to some rich nobles kid as a novelty? Do they have circuses here?

    Then they took a right fork and their path cut between fields flooded with water where they were growing starchy grains.

    They came upon a gate and a dirt road leading up to a farm house and a large outbuilding. The buildings were well cared for, repaired and recently painted.

    The gate and surrounding fence were warded for monsters, and Drew could see that they were charging their own crystals on the roof of the barn behind the house.

    The house was almost an inn, it had two stories, and possibly an attic and basement. The porch wrapped around from the front steps and around to the right of the house.

    I could have been a simple farmers son if I had put my mind off the idea of being a hero.

    The merchant reached into his coat and produced a hand bell. He rang it three times, then three more times. A bell replied from the farmhouse and a woman walked out on the porch. She was stunning, with the pointed ears of an elf, amber hair, and a sun dress with a pattern of yellow flowers.

    ¡°Oh wow, she¡¯s beautiful.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°You are not wrong my friend. I am not partial to Elvish women myself but her beauty is undeniable. Her husband is a very lucky man.¡±

    ¡°Hail fair m¡¯lady, is your mother home? I am Maurice, a traveling merchant and I have goods to trade if your family will have them. I coin to buy fresh produce if you can spare it.¡±

    ¡°You flatter me merchant, I¡¯ll fetch my husband from the fields to barter with you. He is busy this week with a ripe bumper crop of Spider Melons we would trade for coin or goods.¡± She said, her voice had a soft melody to it that left Drew¡¯s beak hanging open.

    A young boy, nearly the height of a man, came running up to the porch and spoke with her. He bolted off again shortly after.

    ¡°Cross the threshold Maurice, my son is fetching his father. I have a list of things we need from the market, if you have any of it we would be glad to do business.¡±

    She went back inside the house and Maurice brought his cart into their yard.

    The man that came around the side of the house was the spitting image of the boy that dogged his heels. Only 20 years older, with the broad shoulders and muscular arms that came from farming. He was Ressian and tan and considered the merchant with hard blue eyes. He wiped his forehead with a cloth and walked over to a well to get a drink of cool water before he gave a nod.

    ¡°Well met sir, I am Maurice a traveling merchant I come fresh from Rottervale and was hoping to buy produce at a fair price.¡±

    ¡°Good day Maurice, my name is Laurent, and it sounds like you have met my wife Isabella. It¡¯s always good to get a visit from a merchant when you have been wrestling spider melons in the back fields all morning.¡± He wet his cloth in the well and tied it around his neck to keep cool.

    ¡°Alder, go and mind the fields, we may have a few unruly ones feeling ripe now that I am distracted.¡± Laurent turned to his son and sent him running.

    ¡°You passed our fields on the way here. Is there something you are looking for in particular? Would you take Spider Melon? We have more than enough for our commitments.¡± Laurent said.

    ¡°I can sell melon well enough in the capital. If you have grain to spare I would take it off your hands for a fair price.¡±

    The Elvish woman Isabella returned with a sheet of paper in one hand and a cold pitcher dripping with perspiration in the other.

    ¡°Laurent I have a shopping list. Bring him up to the porch and out of the sun.¡± She called.

    ¡°Now you mind the cart my friend. Maurice needs to go to work.¡± Maurice said to Drew with a wolfish grin.

    This guy gives me Grinch vibes. If he attacks these nice people I¡¯m breaking out of here.

    After 10 minutes, Drew couldn¡¯t watch the two men haggling on the porch anymore. He tried pecking the lock but couldn¡¯t activate the ability, and the angle still wasn¡¯t very good for his beak or his claws to reach inside.

    What ever they are drinking looks delicious. Is it tea? Or juice? Damn this guy, enjoying himself in the shade while he¡¯s got me locked up in here out in the sun.

    A noise behind the cart caught Drew¡¯s attention. It was the farmers son creeping up through the tall grass.

    He moved slowly with his eyes on his father. He tried to open up some of the cabinets on the outside of the cart. When they all proved locked, he tried the back gate to get inside. That was locked too. He came around to the front and tried lift the cart by the poles Maurice had used but couldn¡¯t lift them at all.

    ¡°Hey kid.¡± Drew whispered. ¡°What was your name? Alden! What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Oh hey, you can talk? That¡¯s neat.¡± Alder said. "I¡¯ve not met a talking Skurr before. Most just screech or caw and steal our crops. How did you learn to talk?¡±

    ¡°By being smart. Hey anyways. Can you open my cage?" Drew said. "I want to stretch my wings.¡±

    ¡°Naw I better not. You Skurr are a sneaky lot. Why, it was only yesterday you all were here stealing our crops. And if it¡¯s not Skurr it¡¯s some other wild monster trying to break in. Too bad it¡¯s bad luck to cook and eat you, we killed more than a few hale birds in the scuffle.¡± Alder said.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Yeah most Skurr are tough and stringy anyways, not good eating. Hey if you let me out I¡¯ll give you a gold coin.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Yea right, you ain¡¯t got a gold coin.¡± The boy said but he seemed interested.

    ¡°I do, in fact I have 2 and they could both be yours if you let me out.¡± Drew said.

    "Well now little friend, what¡¯s going on over here?¡± Maurice said as he returned to the cart with Laurent.

    ¡°Your Skurr says its going to pay me 2 gold coin to let it out. But I ain¡¯t fooled.¡± Alder said as his father and the merchant stepped up to the cart.

    ¡°The Skurr can talk?¡± Laurent asked.

    ¡°He can. I picked him up just this morning as a curiosity eh? He would make a good familiar for a noble in the capital, that was my idea. If you are interested I could part with him here. Only 50 gold.¡± Maurice said.

    ¡°Ha! No thank you. For that price we could expand our northern fields. We have no need for more Skurr. Especially smart ones.¡± Laurent said.

    "I''ll pay you back." Drew said.

    The farmer gave him a look. ¡°No we will stay with what the missus needs and leave it at that."

    Laurent stopped in his tracks and looked at a prompt only he could see. Then swiped it away.

    ¡°Alder help the merchant unload what we purchased. Your mother will be out shortly with payment. Since you are here and not in the backfields like I asked. There¡¯s been a rank up and I¡¯ve got to get back to work.¡± He took off running past the house and Drew could hear something roaring.

    ¡°Oh now I¡¯m going to be in trouble later.¡± Alder said as Maurice chuckled. He started opening cabinets and pulling down bags of goods.

    ¡°Young man, you are perhaps too smart for your own good. Maurice knows. You are right to not be fooled by monsters, you must stay vigilant in the fields, and on the roads. This Skurr here is also a tricky one, he may be a demon in disguise, but not smarter than you or I yes?¡± Maurice Laughed.

    We will see.

    - 56 -

    Maurice led them out the front gate again waving goodbye to the family of farmers.

    ¡°Such a nice family. And shrewd hagglers. Anyone else would have taken a loss there, but not Maurice.¡± He eyed the cages in the back of the cart filled to the brim with Spider Melons. One was reaching out with it¡¯s vine to pluck at Drew¡¯s tailfeathers. But he snapped the tip off with his beak and it left him alone.

    ¡°They will sell well even a day down the road. Fresh and a great color. You can tell they are ripe by their aroma.¡± Maurice said.

    They do smell extremely sweet. I¡¯m not sure I could eat them. They look like watermelons, but are they full of meat? Or are they full of pulp? And their eyestalks. Too much like a crabs for my taste.

    ¡°Now my friend, tell me about your gold coins you promised the boy. Where are you keeping them? Are they stashed somewhere?¡± Maurice asked looking back over his shoulder as he walked.

    ¡°Let me out and I¡¯ll show you.¡± Drew said.

    Maurice laughed and set a brisk pace for almost an hour.

    After they came to a crossroads and chose the road heading north up into the hills around Rottervale the merchant pulled over to rest in the shade of the forest.

    ¡°A gallow bird like you likely knows more about these ranges than I do eh? Any secrets I should know about?¡±

    Drew shook his head no.

    ¡°Fine with me if you want to be cagey, eh?¡± Maurice said and laughed at his own joke.

    He pulled a large cooking stone from a cabinet in the side of his cart. It had two smooth spots, each large enough for the teapot he brought out. Each one had an enchantment inscribed around it. He set it up on the ground and powered it with a mana crystal. He boiled water for tea and then pulled out a loaf of bread, a fist of soft cheese, and a roasted leg that could have been from a bird or beast.

    He tore into his meal with gusto and moaned about how delicious it all was.

    ¡°A feast fit for a king yes? Would you like some? Then tell Maurice some secrets eh?¡± He said.

    I wouldn¡¯t tell you a secret if your life depended on it.

    When Drew kept his beak shut he gobbled the rest down.

    He poured himself tea and set it down to steep then turned to look at the tree line behind him.

    ¡°Oh now, who comes to see Maurice eh?¡± He called into the trees.

    At first Drew thought the leaves had fallen off of the trees closest to them. But they were actually small winged people, each only 10 centimeters tall. They were dressed like leaves, and they dropped down from the trees and launched a volley of arrows at the merchant.

    Maurice pulled a tower shield from his satchel and planted it in the ground. As the hundreds of toothpick sized arrows bounced harmlessly off the shield he pulled out a vial of fire red liquid.

    ¡°Pixens! You won¡¯t be eating Maurice today!¡±

    ¡°Let me out! I can help.¡± Drew said.

    He tried activating his Mage Hand but nothing happened.

    Gahh! The cage! I cant use my spells!

    Maurice took a deep breathe and filled his mouth with the liquid from the vial, careful not to swallow any of it.

    The swarm of Pixens bore down on the merchant and he stood his ground until the last moment. He spat the liquid out directly into the swarm and it immediately burst into flame. His attack lasted for ten seconds and the Pixens fell by the dozens. But there were a hundred more pouring out of the trees.

    The ground behind Maurice erupted and Drew got his first real look at the Pixens as they stabbed, clawed, and bit the merchant.

    They pulled him down into the ditch beside the road and the ground enveloped him like water. The only trace that Maurice had been there at all was his tea steeping.

    What the hell was that? Were those fox pixies? They had fox heads and canine feet, and armor made of leaves and bark.

    The Pixens started ransacking the cart. They easily broke the hidden enchantments on the cabinets, tearing the wood panels from the frame, taking everything. Among the first things they took were the spider melons. If something was too heavy for ten Pixens to carry then they would bring 10 more and carry it off into the trees together.

    Two came over to his cage and chattered to each other. They spoke with a kind of squirrel like chattering and high pitched yips.

    They gestured at Drew and his cage.

    ¡°Hey, can you let me out? I¡¯m captured. I can heal anyone that is injured. Can you guys understand me?¡± Drew flapped frantically in his cage.

    They argued a bit longer then flew away.

    One group of Pixens was fiddling around with the wheels of the cart until they pulled it off it¡¯s axle. The cart tipped and Drew¡¯s cage toppled out. He landed in the dirt and struggled to right himself.

    ¡°Hey watch it!¡± Drew said.

    How am I going to get out of this with my spells and abilities blocked by this captured debuff.

    He took another look at the lock on his cage and tried using a stick he grabbed to pick at the lock.

    Not good. Note to self, don¡¯t get captured until after I learn lock picking.

    Racial Quest: Learn [Lock Picking]

    Yeah, thanks, whole lot of good this will do me now.

    Another Pixien arrived, this one had some small metal tools and goggles. It hovered over by the lock to Drew¡¯s cage and eyed him suspiciously.

    ¡°Yes! Thank you! Can you open the lock?¡± Drew said excitedly and tapped on the lock with his beak.

    The little monster fiddled with the metal tools for a few seconds and drew tried to watch and see what he could learn.

    Did he make those little tools?

    The Pixen flew back and gestured for Drew to back up.

    ¡°Alright no problem just let me out.¡± Drew said as he moved to the far back of his cage, away from the lock.

    The Pixen returned to the lock tried a few different tools. When none of them worked he pulled out some tacky sappy substance and started stuffing it into the lock.

    What¡¯s that gum he¡¯s stuffing into the lock?

    ¡°Swueek squeek. yip-yip.¡± The Pixen said.

    ¡°Sure thing, yip yip or whatever.¡± Drew said.

    The lock exploded.

    HP: 85%

    Debuff: [Concussed] (0:15) - You are concussed, a loud noise has rattled you. You cannot hear or walk strait.

    ¡°Oh crap!¡± Drew said as he staggered out of the cage. ¡°Big yip-yip man! What was that stuff?¡±

    Debuff Resolved: [Captured]

    ¡°Freedom! Wahoo!¡± Drew shouted as he dusted himself off and equipped his armor from his gathering ring.

    Wow, I really missed not having my full stats.

    He activated his healing abilities and they topped off his health and resolved the Concussed debuff in a few seconds.

    There was very little of the cart left standing in the road and Drew turned to thank the Pixen that released him to find 20 Pixens glaring at him, their bows drawn.

    ¡°Whoa wait. We are cool right guys? Here, do you want some coins?¡± Drew dropped 5 coppers on the ground but the arrows were all still trained on him.

    ¡°Or how about some Slime Jelly?¡± Drew dropped all 9 of the slime jelly globs out of his inventory and the Pixens swarmed on them.

    In the chaos he ran off down the road.

    Arrows started to rain around him and he ran in an zig zagging pattern until he got enough speed to get in the air.

    HP: 80%

    Debuff: [Poisoned] x 3: HP - 3 points / second.

    HP: 50%

    Ouch they got me a few times. I guess you can¡¯t dodge them all when there are a hundred of them.

    Drew activated his healing spells again and flew as fast as he could easily out pacing the Pixens.

 Part 20

    - 57 -

    Shit, which way was the city? Even from up here I cannot spot it. How far did that fast marching merchant go?

    He circled higher and was able to spot the city in the distance. There was a days worth of forest and farmland between him.

    Drew flew for a half the afternoon in the direction of Rottervale. He was attacked 5 times.

    Three times he felt the shadow of a Double Hawk loom over him and dodged out of the way. He was able to escape each of them by flying low through the tops of the trees.Twice he was attacked by feral Spider Melons and he escaped the first one. The second, and much larger one chased him below the canopy and a prolonged battle took place ending with Drew stacking Bane 5 times, blinding the monster, and then kiting it around through the trees until it died. He did not stop to eat opting to hurry on his way and avoid other predators.

    Combat results: Feral Spider Melon level 19. 732 exp

    Skill Upgrade: [Unarmed Combat] lvl 2

    Drew was perched at the top of the tallest tree around looking at the city¡¯s towers on the horizon.

    That¡¯s too far for me to make it there before dark, especially if I keep getting attacked every time I turn around. And why am I going back anyways? The guild master sold me like a cheap handbag. I guess Damien and Irael can be relied on, but I would need to keep my head down around the guild.

    He checked the darkening sky for predictors before he flew up high enough to get a better look at the city in the distance again.

    ¡°Where else would I go?¡± Drew said to himself.

    He flew towards the city with one eye on the sky above him, and the other on the forest below. He had to stay high enough to avoid feral spider melons in the treetops.

    I don¡¯t want to find out what night predators roam the evening skies.

    He flew on until he spotted a familiar set of fields and two farm buildings.

    Oh! That¡¯s the farm we were at this morning. It¡¯s a fine place as any to spend the night. Maybe I can crash in their barn.

    When he flew near the fences something tickled the back of his mind and made him veer away.

    He circled around and tried again but it happened again.

    Huh, that¡¯s weird. It¡¯s not the wind pushing me away, is it the enchantments?

    He flew around the perimeter of the property to the gate and flew through the arch easily without issue.

    Hah, works like magic, but it has a loophole.

    Drew circled the two farm buildings and landed on the house at the peak of the roof.

    Laurent and his son were out in the back fields, working hard until it was too dark to see. They were turning over the soil now that the last of their spider melons were all caged up.

    The produce growled and foamed at the mouth, may of them chewed at their cages. Drew could see over three dozen cages with 2 or 3 melons packed in each. The farmers were hard at work racing against the fading light and didn¡¯t notice him.

    I shouldn¡¯t bother them until they are done. It¡¯s not like a Skurr can farm anyways so I couldn¡¯t be of any help.

    An aroma like someone made a fresh pie out of a field of flowers reached his nose from a window below him and he realized how hungry he was.

    I could introduce myself to Isabella and see what she is baking.

    Drew dropped off the roof and followed the aroma to an open window with steam coming out. He landed on the sill and called out a greeting that got caught in his throat.

    ¡°Hello again, we didn¡¯t get intro-¡°

    Isabella stood frozen in the shower hands on her head massaging shampoo into her golden hair. She was naked, and as a bird, Drew¡¯s monocular vision let him quickly take in the whole room, including all her curves.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± She screamed, covering herself. She screamed again.

    ¡°Lightbolt!¡±

    Drew covered his eyes with a wing as the bolt of light knocked him off the bathroom windowsill.

    HP: 75%

    Debuff: [Blinded] (4:55)

    Oh damn, that hurts. Not the treat I meant to find but I¡¯m not complaining.

    He activated both of his healing spells and took cover under the deck that wrapped around this side of the house.

    ¡°Isabella! What happened?¡± Laurent and Alder came running.

    Isabella came out onto the porch above him. Between the boards, Drew could see she was wrapped only in a towel. He looked away again before he saw too much.

    I¡¯ve peeped once today already, I don¡¯t need to make things worse.

    ¡°I was washing off and a gallow bird flew in the window! I nearly jumped out of my skin Laurent.¡± Isabella said.

    Laurent looked concerned and pulled up a screen Drew couldn¡¯t see.

    ¡°Are the wards down again? The Skurr don¡¯t usually return this often.¡± Alden asked.

    Laurent swiped his screen away a second later.

    ¡°Alder, grab your spade and let¡¯s do a sweep of the farmhouse.¡± He said.

    ¡°Wait, wait. It was me.¡± Drew said as he shuffled out from under the porch.

    ¡°I was with Maurice.¡±

    Drew¡¯s speech was coming in two and three word bursts.

    ¡°What? Are you the same talking Skurr?" Laurent turned to look at the young Skurr and readied a hoe he was holding. "How do we know you aren''t some demon in disguise?"

    "I¡¯m Drew. Never met a demon." Drew ducked his head and tried to look sincere. ¡°Scout''s honor.¡±

    "I''ve known many dishonorable men calling themselves scouts." Laurent said. "Where is Maurice now?¡±

    ¡°We were attacked by pixies. They pulled Maurice into the ground.¡± Drew stammered. ¡°He called them Pixens, little winged fox people."

    ¡°Pixens are vicious. We haven¡¯t seen any in weeks. How close to the farm were they? Did they follow you?¡± Laurent asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I flew for hours.¡± Drew said. ¡°They had the cart to dismantle.¡±

    Drew coughed out the last words.

    "You stay put. I''m going to check the north fence. You came over that way?" Laurent said.

    "No, the ward pushed me away.¡± Drew said. ¡°I came in the gate."

    "Laurent, if the enchantments are still up they wouldn''t permit a Demon or any greater monster through even the gate." Isabella said.

    Drew turned back towards Isabella.

    ¡°Sorry to surprise you ma¡¯am¡± Drew croaked out. ¡°I was looking for help.¡±

    ¡°What a polite young bird.¡± She said as she calmed down and realized how she was dressed. ¡°Laurent I¡¯ll get dressed and then we can look for signs of any Pixens together.¡±

    ¡°Yes, good idea. Alder, show our little friend here to the barn. Get him set up in Rebel¡¯s old hutch. Keep an eye on him and get him something to eat. He¡¯s had a busy day.¡± Laurent said.

    ¡°Come along. We¡¯ve got a hutch for dad¡¯s old bird hound that passed a year ago. You can use that.¡± Alder said.

    ¡°Thank you, Alden. My name¡¯s Drew by the way.¡± Drew said as he walked along behind the lanky boy. He had to hop frequently to keep up.

    ¡°Alder, not Alden.¡± The boy said as he led Drew into the second farm building.

    This one was larger than the farmhouse by about half. It housed two pack mules with leopard spots and a pair of eyes on stalks. There was a coop off to the side where a flock of beasts lay coiled up for the night. They had wings and legs of a chicken on a snake''s body. Parts of their bodies were both feathered and scaled.

    Seems like the family collects eggs from these fowl creatures.

    ¡°There¡¯s the hutch and Garnt pens. Don¡¯t get too close, they bite. Over here by the office is the coop for our Widgets.¡±

    Drew gave it all a once over while Alder got some straw for the floor. It was spacious for a Skurr, there was room for at least 4 adult Skurr.

    But the coop has a latch and it could be locked.

    ¡°Thank you. I won¡¯t be staying long.¡± Drew said.

    I¡¯m not getting locked in there.

    ¡°Da said to set you you up to stay here. And after this morning I¡¯m going to do exactly as he says for a while.¡±

    Drew shrugged ¡°Where is the key? For the hutch?¡±

    ¡°What? Why?" Alder asked.

    "I don''t want to be locked up again." Drew said.

    "Oh, well, the key is over there in the office.¡± Alder brought over a small bale of grass and scattered it into the hutch.

    Yeah I¡¯m not some farm animal. And I¡¯m not his pet. Although his mother may want a lap bird¡­ no I¡¯ve got to get back to the city.

    ¡°Do you want the key?¡± Alder asked. He had gone to fetch it while Drew was lost in thought.

    ¡°Yes thank you.¡± Drew took the key into his storage ring making Alder exclaim.

    ¡°Whoa where did the key go?¡±

    ¡°Hidden with my gold.¡± Drew said slyly.

    ¡°Are you really a Demon then?¡± Alder asked stepping back.

    ¡°No. Just a smart bird. Quests aren¡¯t working out. Going to be a hero someday.¡± Drew said trying out the title.

    ¡°Ha! Me too! You know my parents are retired adventurers. They don¡¯t know it yet but I¡¯m going to be an adventurer and a hero.¡±

    ¡°Hey that¡¯s a great attitude Alder.¡± Drew said.

    Maybe I will stay a day or two, I like this family. And I¡¯m a crow right? I can go wherever I want later.

    - 58 -

    Drew followed Alder out of the barn, Isabella was on the porch casting light magic that Drew hadn¡¯t seen before. She conjured small orbs of light and sent them off to glow in the fading evening sky. Illuminating the field of grain to the north.

    Laurent stood with a small tool box in one hand and a wide sword two thirds his height strapped to his back. He bent to pick up a small buckler and long dagger and handed them to Alder with a few whispered words.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    "Don''t turn your back on the Skurr." He whispered to his son discretely, keeping his eyes on Drew.

    ¡°Alright you know the drill son. We need to go check the wards on the north fence. Watch for any sign of Pixens, and if there are any wards shattered or burnt out then report back immediately.¡± Laurent said standing up. ¡°If they have breached the fence then we need to lock down the barn and house and can go to the city in the morning to hire an enchanter.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Laurent?¡± Drew Said. The man stopped in his tracks to turn to look at Drew.

    ¡°I can repair enchantments.¡± Drew said. ¡°Tonight to keep the farm safe.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible? You are a Gallows Bird. Who would teach you enchanting?¡± Laurent asked.

    ¡°Rottervale¡¯s Enchanter, Damien Hornbrush.¡± Drew replied. ¡°And Ireal Stroonghammer.¡±

    ¡°Well if what you say is true then we can repair any enchantments as we go. Alder, take these mana stones and start over there and work your way anti-clockwise and we can meet at the back of the field.¡± Laurent said as he handed Alder a small bag.

    Drew and Alder set off to confirm that the enchantments on the fence protecting their farm were intact.

    "Laurent, what do we do about the merchant? Do we go looking for him?" Isabella asked. "I''m not sure why, but I like this Skurr, Drew. Lets give him a chance to open up."

    "We will see." Laurent said.

    Drew and Alder didn''t find any breaches on their inspection of the north fields. They did swap out a few mana stones that were less than half charged, and Drew showed Alder where a few of the discs would need to be replaced soon.

    ¡°We only have a few spares, we should let Da know once we meet up at the back field.¡± Alder said.

    ¡°What¡¯s growing here?¡± Drew asked. In the cool white light of the orbs, the swaying stalks of grain looked ominous.

    ¡°This is Hopper Grass, it¡¯s used in ale and bread all over Ressellia. It¡¯s slow to grow so you almost forget that each stalk can grow multiple ears after they rank up.¡± Alder replied.

    The boy reached over to gently pull open one of the ears he was referring to. To Drew it looked like an ear of corn but the kernels were all wheat and chaff. The ear chirruped softly and moved it¡¯s large spring-like back legs.

    It¡¯s like a grasshopper but it¡¯s body is an ear of corn? This world is so wild.

    ¡°If you have a field any bigger than this they can ripen and rank up before you know it and swarm over your other fields devouring everything down to the roots.¡± Alder continued.

    ¡°Wow, seems really dangerous.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Well it can be if you don¡¯t know what you are doing and let too many rank up at once. That¡¯s when they swarm. My Da has meticulous notes from growing these crops for years and we can tell when they are about to ripen. We harvest the Hopper Grass for 2-3 weeks. But the first ones aren¡¯t due for a month at least.¡±

    They turned the corner in the fence and started on the last leg of their inspection. No issues with the fence so far. The land on the other side of the fence was wild fields of weeds and rocks and stumps, with a few trees and larger boulders.

    ¡°That your land too?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Yes, but we haven¡¯t plowed it yet. It will be a big undertaking. My Da is leaving it fallow for now. I usually have to spend the afternoon breaking rocks or hauling out stumps to keep it from going wild. Even had a mud elemental show up during a rainstorm last year. My Mom struck it down with a single lightning bolt.¡± Alder said proudly.

    ¡°I helped some too son.¡± Laurent said appearing from behind them with a chuckle. ¡°Your mother wouldn¡¯t have had time to charge up that big of a Lightning Bolt if I hadn¡¯t distracted it.¡±

    ¡°If by distract it, you mean let it beat on you so much that I had to heal you twice then I say thank you.¡± Isabella said as she caught up to the group.

    ¡°All clear on our half of the fence.¡± Alder said. ¡°Drew says there are a few medallions that will need to be replaced soon but none were damaged or broken.¡± He handed back the bag of mana stones to his father.

    ¡°Show me where, I¡¯ve got a few spares with me we can swap them out now.¡± Laurent said.

    Drew showed Laurent the three medallions that were the most in need of repair and they swapped them out. Isabella and Alder had split off and were in the house preparing dinner so Drew and Laurent had a moment to talk.

    ¡°I¡¯m trusting you quite a bit here Drew. I¡¯m not sure why.¡± Laurent said. ¡°I take my family¡¯s safety very seriously. Any risk or danger is a serious issue. And you are strange and different, which always means danger.¡± Laurent said as the swapped out the last medallion.

    ¡°I¡¯m new here. Two people died recently.¡± Drew said.

    Laurent waited for drew to continue.

    ¡°I can leave.¡± Drew said. ¡°The dark is dangerous.¡±

    Laurent nodded as he replaced a medallion in the wards.

    ¡°I want to protect everyone.¡± Drew said.

    Laurent watched Drew for a moment longer until he was sure he wouldn¡¯t interrupt him.

    ¡°That¡¯s nice to say but heroics can get you killed. I was an adventurer once. Long enough ago to have challenged the dungeon that gave Rottervale it¡¯s name. I learned that I could not ¡®protect everyone¡¯, that¡¯s for bards tales and bedtime stories. I could protect my love, and myself, and now I¡¯ve added this farm and my son to that list. That¡¯s more than enough for me.¡±

    ¡°An adventurer sticks up for others. You survived the fight with the Pixens. Did you do that by protecting Maurice?¡± Laurent asked.

    ¡°I was caged. I couldn¡¯t fight. I would have saved him.¡± Drew answered angrily, before calming. ¡°Who knows.¡±

    He bought me like I was going to be a puppy in a pet store window. All he knew was that I was smart enough to talk, that was novel enough. He didn''t care that I was trying to become an adventurer. He didn''t ask anything about me.

    ¡°He was a friendly man. He did not show me the respect that your family has." Drew said and choked after the long sentence.

    Laurent made a circular gesture with one hand and looked up to the sky.

    ¡°I think your heart is in the right place Drew. But you are striking well above your rank. How about you spend the night tonight and we can put you to work in the morning repairing these medallions as payment. You can go anytime after that. Deal?¡± Laurent said.

    New Quest: Helping Hand. Repair 3 medallions and help around the farm. Reward: increased renown with Laurent¡¯s family.

    ¡°Deal. Payment for what?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Payment for a warm place to sleep and my wife¡¯s cooking. You may want to stay longer once you try it.¡± Laurent said and gestured towards the house.

    -

    When Drew and Laurent entered the farmhouse, the meal was set out for 4 already.

    They were having fried vegetables, charbroiled Mishrooms and steamed grains.

    Quest Complete: Hunger: 25 exp

    Quest Complete: Hunger: 25 exp

    If this hunger quests responds to the quality and the quantity of the food I eat then this food is amazing.

    ¡°Your kitchen is amazing.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Oh we have built it up over time, it¡¯s nothing too outrageous.¡± She brushed off the complement.

    Everything from the sink, to the walk in icebox, and pantry were enchanted. She had a cutting board that was enchanted to dice anything on it to specific size cubes. She had a stove top that had 4 heating circles on it and one area in the center where you could cook over open flame. It was enchanted to be smokeless.

    Their table was set off in an alcove just off the kitchen, with a bench on each long side and a chair at each head. Alder and Drew were seated side by side, and Drew perched on the back of a chair they set out for him.

    As the family ate, they talked about their day, and Laurent even told the story of how he met Isabella in full detail.

    ¡°I was sure she wouldn¡¯t even join my party, let alone go on a date. She is a fantastic healer and stryker. Her lightning magic is second to none. So she was at the top of everyone¡¯s lists within the guild.¡± Laurent said.

    ¡°What Laurent didn¡¯t know at the time, was that I was already struggling with a secret crush on him. I had seen him around the guild a few times, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice me. Then I saw him save his teammate from a charging drake and he won me over.¡±

    The married couple beamed at each other.

    ¡°So Drew,¡± Isabella asked. ¡°I¡¯ve not spoken with a Gallows Bird in many years. How has one so young as you learned to speak? Alder tells me you are an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°Just smarter than most. I tried a few quests. The guild refused my help.¡± Drew thought for a moment. ¡°Damien taught me common.¡± He paused to take a bite of food then continued.

    Isabella nodded silently, and Laurent and Alder ate silently while he worked on sharing his story.

    ¡°Skurr just eat and collect shiny things.¡± Drew struggled with the last words and had to take a break.

    Skill Upgrade: [Speak Common] Lvl 5.

    Alder gave Drew a thumbs up as his glow subsided after the level up.

    How are they so nice? They are treating me like a person. I¡¯m not some novelty pet, or side attraction to them.

    ¡°I was born with Minor Healing and it allowed me to push my self physically.¡± Drew said.

    Wow I can talk a lot easier now at level 5!

    ¡°And I reattached a man¡¯s arm once.¡± Drew said with a flourish of his wing.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t long before I¡¯d joined up with some rookie adventurers and completed my first guild quests.¡± Drew said as he picked at the last of his food.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t until I was sold to that merchant that the world lost it¡¯s sheen. I guess I¡¯m at a bit of a crossroads now?¡± Drew said with a shrug.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if heading back to Rottervale is the best move.¡± The table was quiet, and Isabella¡¯s eyes were sad with understanding.

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve had a hard time of things Drew. If it¡¯s any consolation, this is what all people go through. You are growing up quickly.¡± She said.

    ¡°Well enough of this sad talk.¡± Laurent said. ¡°Drew have you heard of a game called Cabal? It¡¯s easy to learn but hard to master.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it played a few times. Yes.¡± Drew replied.

    ¡°Then lets play a game I¡¯ll show you the ropes and then you can try your hand, or claw against Alder.¡± Laurent chuckled awkwardly at the slip up as he stood from the table.

    Alder started clearing the table. Drew activated Mage Hand and grabbed his plate and followed him over to the sink. The startled look on Laurent¡¯s face made Drew laugh, which came out as a fit of cawing. Which made Isabella and Alder laugh too.

    Drew and Alder played Cabal for 30 minutes and in 3 games Drew still didn¡¯t win once.

    My intelligence must be higher than this kid¡¯s right? Or is there a skill that he¡¯s learned that helps him out maneuver me at this stupid game?

    Laurent and Isabella sat together on a small couch beside their fireplace sipping some kind of alcoholic beverages, something between an ale with the floral aromatics of a cider. The room was very cozy and warm, and there was a small entry room that lead to the front door just beyond the reach of the firelight.

    The sun had fully set now and all three of Lisaria¡¯s moons were in the sky. The world outside the windows was crisp and bright.

    I could get used to this.

    Laurent lazily checked a screen only he could see then quickly expanded it with both hands.

    ¡°Shit. The wards are breached. Arm yourselves they are nearly across the east field.¡± Laurent shouted as he jumped up.

    The family ran to the entry room to don their armor and pick up their weapons. Alder had a set of pressed leather, including a chest piece, vambraces and shin guards, and his long dagger and buckler. Isabella donned a heavy cloak, a necklace carrying a large gem that hung down into her bosom, and she pulled a long staff with a yellow orb in the top from a closet.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening??¡± Drew asked as he equipped his own armor.

    Laurent equipped some iron plate armor, fully covering his chest, back, and arms and legs. His large sword materialized over his shoulder.

    ¡°The Pixens, they must have followed you.¡± He said. ¡°They¡¯ve broken through the east field fence. And are heading towards the house.¡±

    Drew followed the family out into the night. The east field was on fire in several places. Ears of Hopper Grass were screaming and popping off in little puffs.

    Isabella had already cast 4 glowing orbs of light to illuminate the open space in front of the house. From their glow Drew could see that many of the stalks of Hopper Grass were flying away.

    Or rather there were Pixens flying away with the stalks in their claws.

    ¡°Stay close. They can have the crops, but we need to keep them away from the buildings.¡± Laurent said.

    From his vantage point above the house, Drew could see that the Pixens were taking what they could and burning the rest.

    He could also see two large shapes lumber through the broken fence in the dark. He swooped down to alert Laurent.

    ¡°Sir, there are two somethings that also just wandered in. I couldn¡¯t see them well in the dark.¡± Drew said as his circled down to where Laurent and his family were.

    ¡°On it.¡± Isabella said and she summoned 4 more light orbs and sent them over the chaos to the broken fence. The Pixens fled from the light and seemed to be retreating quickly. Two large Bush Cats were settling in to feast. One was shoulders deep into it¡¯s second stalk of Hopper Grass, and the other was munching on a Pixen. The lights caught their attention and their eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Not good, not good, not good.¡± Laurent said.

    He stepped up in front of his family and prepared to charge. Isabella buffed him twice with spell Drew didn¡¯t quite hear, and then he started to approach them slowly.

    ¡°I¡¯m with you Laurent. I¡¯ll slow them down with some talismans.¡± Drew said.

    He flew around and behind the beasts and threw his three Mana Drain Talismans in quick secession.

    One was immediately smashed by an Bush Cat and the other two started doing their work. But they couldn¡¯t quite get a grip on the Bush Cats, merely slowing them down as they both pulled themselves out of range.

    Laurent joined the fray and bashed one Bush Cat back with a tower shield. It staggered and fell near the talismans and their tendrils latched onto its legs pinning it down prone.

    Drew circled around and brought out his Chain Lightning wand and zapped a swarm of Pixens that were waiting in the wings. He hit the swarm three times before the rest of them fled.

    Drew earned 700 exp from defeating five Pixens, the rest fled.

    Yeah, you better run!

    Laurent was trading blows with one Bush Cat and deflecting with his shield or dodging the attacks. Drew used his last charge of the wand to stun the Bush Cat and then changed targets and dove in to swipe the eyes of the prone Bush Cat with his claws.

    Bane: (0:15)

    Skill Upgrade: [Unarmed Combat] lvl 1 converts to [Slash (Claws)] lvl 2 Yes / No.

    Yes please!

    [Slash (Claws)]: Slashing attacks use 10% less stamina and deal 10% more damage to unarmored targets.

    Stamina: 45%

    Alder joined his father and they were taking turns leaping in and slashing the stunned beast. Playing it as safe as possible.

    Isabella was channeling a large water spell to put out the fires, and seemed to have taken down a dozen Pixens herself.

    Drew recharged his wand dropping his Mana down to 30%.

    The blinded Bush Cat got up and tried to stumble towards the two farmers, but it staggered, gripping it¡¯s head and fell prone again. The talismans shut down, having done their work.

    Hah! It must have a small mana pool. How''s that mana headache feel?

    The other cat is too far away for the Talismans to grab it.

    Drew flew over to help the farmers and used his new Slash skill. He could feel the strike hit with a little more power behind it as the logic of the world made the same attack he¡¯d used a dozens times before do more damage.

    [Bane]: (0:30)

    The bear reared back and targeted Drew with a swipe, which he only partially dodged. As the Bush Cat¡¯s forearm collided with Drew he latched on and used his mana reinforced claws to grip down through the meat and sinew to the beast¡¯s bone. It roared and flailed it¡¯s arm around, trying to shake the bird loose. Laurent took the chance to swing down with his large sword, taking the beast¡¯s arm off near the shoulder.

    Drew rode the arm down to the ground flapping his wings to try and land on top of it.

    Man this thing is heavy! Glad it didn¡¯t catch me with it¡¯s claws.

    ¡°Get down!¡± Isabella shouted, and the farmers scattered back. She released a powerful Lightning Bolt and roasted the prone Bush Cat.

    Combat Rewards: level 20 Bush Cat - 600 exp.

    The remaining one-armed Bush Cat charged at Drew while he was struggling to detach himself from the arm.

    Nothing personal Mr. Cat!

    Drew hit it twice with his Chain Lightning wand. It sizzled and shuddered on it¡¯s feet but kept loping towards him.

    Oh no, I¡¯m still stuck to this severed arm.

    Laurent was between him and the Bush Cat the next instant and took the charge on the center of his shield. The man¡¯s feet didn¡¯t move an inch as the Bush Cat hit him like a truck. In one fluid movement, he lifted the shield up deflecting the Cat¡¯s face and body up in a perfect parry. He then spun on his heels to slice the beast¡¯s stomach open.

    Blood and guts splattered over everything, Laurent and Drew were soaked and the beast gurgled on the ground as it died.

    Combat Rewards: level 24 Bush Cat - 635 exp

    Skill upgrade: [Assassins Bane III] - Trait: 20% chance for damage dealt to corporeal targets to inflict one point of [Bane] on your target for 15 seconds. Each point of [Bane] absorbs 1% of the target''s HP each second, restoring your HP by 1.

    Level Upgrade: Level 9 Crow (Juvenile) - (3366/1900) Yes/No?

    ¡°Laurent, what have I told you about slicing open stomachs? It¡¯s such a mess to clean up.¡± Isabella teased from the sidelines.

 Part 21

    - 59 -

    Drew woke up with the sun the next day.

    He had helped the farmers repair the fence as best they could before the light Orb spells ran out. Drew carved a couple new medallions to close the gap in their protective enchantment around the North field.

    Alder and Laurent had harvested the corpses of the Pixens, Hopper Grass, and the two Bust Cats. Isabella was able to butcher and store the beast meat in her freezer. The rest of the corpses were burnt.

    Despite the late night, the family was up before the sun and in the middle of their morning routines.

    Drew found Alder and Laurent in the grain fields spear fishing in the early dawn light. They walked on long stilts above the water of the paddies. With baskets on their backs and quivers of spears at their waists.

    ¡°Need a hand?¡± Drew called out.

    Drew picked up one of the discarded spears. They were about 3 meters long, flexible, and were forked with two barbs at the tip.

    ¡°Sure thing! We are fishing for Luggs! They swim under the water and suck the life out of the Glimmergrain. You¡¯ll see them, they glow blue. They can move quick and can jump out of the water sometimes.¡± Laurent said. ¡°Don¡¯t let them sting you.¡±

    Drew helped them search the flooded fields for the eel like slugs most of the morning. According to Alder, their bite was electric and could deliver a shock strong enough to Paralyze a grown man. They were a real risk if you got shocked multiple times and it was not uncommon for farmers to drown in the water.

    They were easy for Drew to spot as he flew above the flooded fields. Their neon blue phosphorescence stood out in stark contrast to the mud and plants around them. After 3 hours, the exercise was good enough to raise Drew¡¯s stamina one point and and his strength up three points. He earned 450 exp after killing 13 Luggs.

    After that, the day went quickly. They spent the hour before lunch helping Isabella brine the Bushcat meat. Laurent also grilled some and they ate sandwiches for lunch.

    After lunch Laurent and Alder pulled some new posts and fence boards from their lumber stores behind the barn and repaired the east fence. While they worked, Drew repaired the three medallions, and carved ten spares. He also prepared a stack of blank talismans.

    Skill Upgrade: [Carving] lvl 4

    Skill Upgrade: [Enchanting] lvl 7

    Drew followed Alder over to the fallow field and helped carry rocks and logs as the boy broke them down. He collected two stacks of fist sized stones and rounded them into rough spherical shapes.

    Dropping these on my attackers was just too good of a tactic.

    After two hours of that exercise, Drew gained a point in his Strength and another in his Constitution.

    ¡°Hey Alder, what¡¯s your strength stat? Mine¡¯s 10, and my Constitution is 13.¡± Drew said while they picked up the tools and headed back to the barn before dusk could settle in.

    ¡°Oh that¡¯s not too bad. My strength is 55 and my constitution is 65. I wonder what¡¯s for dinner¡­¡± Alder said.

    Drew dropped the hoe he was carrying, and Alder picked it up without missing a step.

    No way, how could I be less than half the strength of a random farmers kid?

    ¡°You serious? That¡¯s insanely high right?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s normal I guess? My dad¡¯s stats are five times mine. His Health Pool is over 500.¡± Alder said as he hung the tools up on their hooks in the barn.

    I have so far to go. Imagine what level Sarah and the siblings are at by now after they have been doing their new training. I¡¯m years behind, decades. Skurr are so weak. Is that why it was cheaper to reincarnate as one?

    Area Quest: Raiding Party: All adult Skurr are required to respond. 1500 shared experience for each racial enemy defeated.

    Area Quest: Perimeter Breach: Skurr have broken through the enchantments and are raiding the farm. 3500 shared experience for defending the farm. 250 additional exp for each Skurr defeated.

    ¡°Alder! To me! The flock is attacking again!¡± Laurent was shouting from the porch. He had his sword in his hand and Isabella was just exiting the door with her staff and heavy robes.

    Alder ran past his parents and into the house to arm himself.

    ¡°Drew! What¡¯s the meaning of this? Did you invite them here? Did you let them in?¡± Laurent demanded.

    ¡°No I would never.¡± Drew shouted. ¡°They are bringing every Skurr they can. They are here to kill you.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Or are they here to kill you? Have you left the flock?¡± Isabella asked.

    Shit, they could be here for me. Or because of me. I cannot get this family killed. They are the nicest people I have ever met.

    ¡°It¡¯s your move Drew.¡± Laurent said. ¡°What can you do?¡±

    The family held formation with their home at their backs.

    The flock circled overhead ominously. There were easily more than 30 Skurr, their ebony wings slicing through the air in a seemingly random pattern, casting eerie shadows on the family of farmers below.

    He¡¯s got to be here, up there somewhere hidden in the flock. Do I challenge Skyclaw? Do I fight them all? Or do I turn on this family and fight with them?

    Drew withdrew his Chain Lightning wand from his ring, uncertain who to point it at.

    These Skurr are monsters, they aren¡¯t people, but they could be. If everything I¡¯m doing to gather experience and rank up this race into humanoid beastkin works out then these Skurr will be people too. What kind of a race would they be? Farmers? Merchants? Bandits attacking families and stealing crops?

    He missed his chance to decide as the flock rippled and then dove towards the family below.

    Drew reflexively fired the spell from his wand twice into the flock.

    Area Quest: Raiding Party: Failed. Penalty: Social standing with Skurr of Rottervale decreased to Hostile (10%)

    Isabella fired off her Lightning Bolt spell and Laurent shouted a Taunt to draw the flock¡¯s charge towards him and his shield.

    Alder stood behind his father protecting his back, ready to strike around his father''s shield and finish off any wounded Skurr his father cast aside.

    Drew was harried and jiving in a circuit around the farmhouse. In and out of the porch posts and around the side of the house. Ten Skurr had been hit by his two spells, the maximum possible for two uses of the Chain Lighting enchantment.

    Just my luck! It spread out so far none were seriously hurt. And now they are pissed off!

    Drew narrowly avoided a surprise attack and circled back around to where Isabella was sniping Skurr out of the sky.

    ¡°Isabella! A little help here?¡± Drew shouted.

    She obliged, easily telling his lighter juvenile coloring apart from the midnight black of the other Skurr. Her Light Bolt spell scattered the Skurr behind Drew and he broke away to soar up over the scene of the battle.

    Where is he? If I can find Skyclaw then I can end this. There are so many Skurr, how could he not be here?

    Drew was hit from above by a Skurr as dark as night. He managed to turn his spent wand towards his attacker as they tumbled a couple times in the air then crashed into the roof.

    HP: 35%

    Bane: (0:30)

    Drew broke free and screeched as he activated his healing spell. He had lost his wand in the crash. It was lodged in the shoulder of the Skurr that attacked him.

    Skyclaw stood proud despite the wand sticking out of him.

    Even with his wing hanging limp at his side he seems ready to break my neck.

    HP: 42%

    Bane: (0:28)

    ¡°Skyclaw! I challenge you to a duel. This is my test. To forfeit are my terms. If I win you leave this farm alone forever!¡± Drew shouted in common.

    Duel Accepted: Skyclaw vs Drew. The terms of the duel are to forfeit or death.

    Skyclaw rushed headlong towards Drew. Around them the battle raged on and Skurr died left and right.

    HP: 65%

    Bane: (0:15)

    Drew summoned a Mage Hand and lobbed two stones towards his opponent throwing off the Skurr''s charge.

    Drew flapped his wings to vault over Skyclaw and narrowly avoided his snapping beak.

    Drew spun about in a barrel roll and Slashed his opponents beak. His mana reinforced claws kicked off sparks against Skyclaw¡¯s much stronger beak, his higher level constitution allowing him to shrug off Drew¡¯s attacks.

    Now farther up the roof and above Skyclaw, Drew swatted repeatedly at the larger Skurr¡¯s eyes from the high ground with his wingtips. Distracting and blinding the larger bird from seeing the blank talisman in his spectral hand.

    Skyclaw lashed out in a blur and clamped his beak down on Drew¡¯s wing. He bit deep and his lunge was so forceful that he barreled over the juvenile Skurr.

    HP: 25%

    Debuff: Broken Bone - Wing

    Bane: (0:30)

    Got you now!

    Drew pushed a little deeper with the blank talisman he had stabbed into the larger bird. He had used Mage Hand to spear it forwards under his wing as the larger bird snapped out with it''s beak.

    The Skyclaw shuddered and released Drew¡¯s wing only to stagger and fall on its side. Drew dropped Mage Hand and focused on his healing spells.

    Bane: (0:25)

    HP: 30%

    MP: 45%

    ¡°Do you forfeit?¡± Drew asked.

    But Skyclaw glared at him unblinking as blood gurgled out of his beak.

    Bane: (0:15)

    HP: 38%

    ¡°You lost, you stubborn bastard! This is how you like to do things right? Picking on weaker guys to enforce your way. Might is right?" Drew shouted. "Forfeit or I¡¯ll heal you and kick your ass again!¡±

    Skyclaw took a swipe at the juvenile Skurr but Drew hopped back.

    Maybe he¡¯s not nearly as close to dead as I thought. He could still kill me if I get too close.

    Bane: (0:05)

    HP: 50%

    MP: 28%

    Debuff Removed: Broken Bone - Wing, exp 35

    ¡°Fine, have it your way.¡± Drew stepped around the side of the dying Skurr to Peck him.

    Drew hit him with the ability three times before a Bane debuff stacked on again.

    He¡¯s got to have at least two or three Bleed debuffs by now. When is this asshole going to forfeit?

    Drew stepped forwards to try to use his healing spell on the larger Skurr, but it tried to slash him once more.

    Combat Results: Skyclaw level 35 named Skurr, exp 1550

    Skill Upgrade: [Peck] lvl 3

    Duel Results: Skyclaw loses, by Death. Reward: Social Standing with Skurr increased to Civil (30%)

    Shit, the idiot was too proud to forfeit and now he and a ton of other Skurr are dead.

    Area Quest Complete: Perimeter Breach: 950 exp.

    The flock of Skurr swooped up and out of reach of the family of Farmers. They circled around and flew back to the city of Rottervale in the near darkness of the encroaching night.

    So many Skurr died today because of Skyclaw''s leadership. What a waste.

    Isabella let her lightning spell she was channeling disperse as the last few stragglers left the area.

    ¡°They are just leaving! Drew what in the name of Ella¡¯s holy light was that about?¡± Isabella asked.

    ¡°Drew dueled that huge Skurr and won.¡± Alder said. ¡°He won and the rest of he Skurr left.¡±

    ¡°I defeated Skyclaw. I¡¯ve had a run in with him before.¡± Drew said. ¡°I gave him the option to surrender but he wouldn¡¯t take it.¡±

    ¡°Well you have earned my respect Drew. That was a hard fought battle and you have honored the conditions of the duel.¡± Laurent said. ¡°Our home is safe and more importantly my family is safe.¡±

    The fields were mostly intact. A few Skurr had flown off with stalks of Hopper Grass but the field was no worse for wear, except for the arcs Laurent had made with his sword. Laurent himself was covered head to toe in blood and feathers and leaves from the Hopper Grass he¡¯d sliced up while waving his sword around.

    ¡°Laurent, you are a mess, how do you always manage to get so filthy?¡± Isabella asked.

 Part 22

    - 60 -

    The farmer¡¯s cart was loaded to over flowing with caged spider melons, two large Bush Cat pelts, and some extra ironwood that Alder had split last season.

    Drew sat on the bench of the cart alongside Isabella and Alder. The boy held the reins of the garnt while his mother read a book. Laurent rode on ahead atop their second garnt.

    They had left early that morning after a quick breakfast. Bowls of porridge and jelly on toast with slabs of fried sausage.

    The trip back to Rottervale seemed quicker than the one out. The fields and forests sped by. They came over a rise and the city suddenly loomed over the horizon. It looked like a postcard of Vienna or some other alpine city back on earth.

    There were groups of adventurers battling Horned Rabbits to the left of the road and another three teams harassing a drake a hundred meters to their right.

    Drew recognized Gonnathyn and Gessica amongst the group fighting the drake. Gonnathyn was a was using a bow now, and Gessica was wearing a robe and using a staff typically carried by healers.

    They are doing well then. They found a strong party. It¡¯s still a death wish to go looking for trouble. Crafting is going to be the safest bet for me. Even farming is dangerous in this world.

    Their cart rolled on towards the gates of the city and joined a short line of other carts waiting to enter.

    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t come back with us?¡± Alder asked without taking his eyes off the road.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got to get back to the city. I need to gain experience and keep up with my enchanting and crafting. It¡¯s what has kept me alive so far.¡± Drew replied.

    The crafter and mage representatives will give me good quests. I can win them over with some inventions from earth.

    He had said as much to Alder when he leveled up the night before.

    Level 10 cost me 2300 exp. The next rank is even more.

    Rank Upgrade: Level 1 Skurr (Adult) - (1796/5000)

    I need 3300 exp to rank up, and I need to level up my crafting before I can make anything from earth. I¡¯ve got these other two blessings and I need to put them to work earning me exp safely.

    ¡°The farming life is not for everyone Alder. You have been born into it and do not know anything else. Your father and I were lucky to adapt to it. Many farmers fail within their first years.¡± Isabella said.

    The guard at the gate greeted Laurent and waved him and his family through without checking any of his papers or the cart.

    The family pulled up to a market on the eastern side of town that Drew had not visited before. Laurent rode strait to a merchant stall and clasped hands with the woman running it.

    ¡°This seems like the time to take my leave.¡± Drew said. ¡°Thank you for bringing me home safely.¡±

    He tossed the key for the hutch back to Alder, who caught it easily.

    ¡°Be safe Drew, no need to grow up so fast. You are safe here within the city walls. Take your time.¡± Isabella said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger now, you can come help fish for Luggs, or clear that fallow field anytime.¡± Alder said.

    ¡°I guess this is good bye for now eh Drew?¡± Laurent said. ¡°You are welcome back anytime. Just stay out of our shower in the future okay kid?¡±

    ¡°It was an honest mistake. I promise,¡± Drew said as he jumped into the air angling his wings to catch a breeze. ¡°but I don¡¯t regret it! Thank you for you hospitality!¡±

    The family of farmers and the merchant stood near the market stall watching as Drew flew off over the roofs and out of view.

    Drew circled above the market to get his bearings. He heard the merchant from the stall turn to the ask Laurent a question.

    ¡°Did that Skurr talk? Wait, did you shower with that Skurr? No. Never mind Laurent, I don¡¯t want to know.¡±

    -

    This is such a big city and I¡¯ve barely explored any of it.

    He followed the wind towards the taller of the two mage towers and his flock¡¯s nesting area.

    He spotted Irael outside of her smithy smoking a pipe and he swooped down.

    ¡°Hello Irael, long time no see.¡± Drew said as he landed on the railing outside her smithy.

    ¡°Drew! Where have you been? Damien has been worried sick.¡± She said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. He hasn¡¯t really been that worried has he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been by twice this morning just to ask if I saw you. And twice that many times yesterday. Gods, it¡¯s barely mid day!¡±

    ¡°Well then I need to go look for him. Any idea where he would be?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d wager he¡¯s asking around the guild again.¡± She said.

    I¡¯m not sure if I want to go back there.

    New Racial Quest: A Debt Unpaid: Skurr never forget those that have done them a favor, nor those that have wronged them, and their ledgers are always cleared. Obtain 10 gold or an equivalent value from the guild master. Reward: 1000 exp.

    Now this just seems wrong. Although he does have it coming. How can this be part of the Skurr¡¯s racial quest lines? We eat, explore, collect shiny things and hold grudges? Is that the race that I am trying to rank up?

    ¡°Alright. Once I find him I¡¯d like your help with a project.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Wait, since you are here I might as well give you this.¡±

    Irael reached into a bag on her tool belt and pulled out a leather collar with flared metal plates on it to protect his neck and back. It was painted and dyed black to match the breast piece Drew already wore.

    ¡°I went ahead and kept working on your set of light armor. This here is the mantle. Let me know how it fits.¡±

    Drew equipped the mantle. It was was enchanted to increase agility.

    New Item: [Skurr Mantle - Fine] - Increases Agility by 2 points.

    Quest Progress: Light Armor Mastery: Equip a full set of light armor. (2/4)

    ¡°It¡¯s a perfect fit. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I started on the Greaves already but I¡¯ve only been working in my spare time. Not really got time to rush this kind of work.¡± She said quickly.

    ¡°She¡¯s been working like a mad woman. Don¡¯t let her fool you, she¡¯s just as happy that you are back again as the grouchy old enchanter is.¡± One of the dwarven apprentices said before Irael punched him in the face.

    He grit his teeth then turned to Drew. ¡°And congrats on the level in Speaking Common. Ye chatter like a true adventurer now.¡±

    ¡°Get back to work, if you have time to gossip then you can clean out the forge!¡± She yelled.

    ¡°Thank you Irael, it really is fantastic. I owe you a day¡¯s worth of enchantments.¡± Drew said and flew off towards Damien¡¯s workshop.

    New Racial Quest: A Debt Unpaid: Skurr never forget those that have done them a favor, nor those that have wronged them, and their ledgers are always cleared. Perform a days work for Irael. 1000 exp

    What¡¯s the deal with all these quests popping up? Well at least this one isn¡¯t about revenge.

    He flew in through the open door of the enchanter¡¯s workshop and did not see his friend anywhere.

    There were several open books on the table and Drew could see that Damien hadn¡¯t touched any of his projects in a while.

    Man, he really is going to be at the adventurer¡¯s guild isn¡¯t he? It¡¯s really not the kind of place that I want to be.

    They are forcing these kids to fight for their lives and do 1 in 4 die? That''s unacceptable. But I bet the guild master thinks it''s a reasonable loss. That guy is heartless.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    As soon as he found out I wasn''t a familiar, he sold me to a merchant for quick coin.

    Drew looked around again and saw a cold breakfast of eggs half eaten.

    Maybe the old guy really is worried about me?

    Drew left the Enchanter¡¯s workshop and flew to the guild hall. He circled above considering how to get in and out of there without drawing any unwanted attention. There were a dozen or more Skurr loitering about.

    New Racial Quest: Skysong requests an audience, she is waiting on the rookery. Accept: Yes/No

    Who¡¯s this now? Is she related to Skyclaw?

    It only took Drew a minute to reach the rooftop where he was born. He spotted a group of solemn looking Skurr standing in a tight group on the roof and landed nearby. Many of these Skurr were as large as Skyclaw had been, and they watched him with a knowing look that hinted at higher intelligence. He approached cautiously.

    ¡°Um hello? Is Skysong here?¡± Drew asked.

    The Skurr in front of him stepped aside ceremoniously. As he passed through their group, a large Skurr stepped into his path and stared down at him.

    ¡°Skysong?¡± Drew asked, but the Skurr snorted and stepped aside revealing an average sized adult Skurr. Her feathers were just as black as any other but their glossy sheen was more purple.

    What the heck is going on here?

    Skysong is asking to learn the ability [Speak Common]. Would you like to teach it? Yes/No

    I don¡¯t see why not. She must be the flock¡¯s new leader right? Could get me some good credibility.

    He selected Yes, and Skysong glowed.

    Skysong croaked out her first words.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said, causing the Skurr around her to caw loudly.

    ¡±Happy to help, you or the flock in any way.¡± Drew said.

    ¡±You strong.¡± Skysong croaked out. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡±I have put my points into Intelligence.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Intelligence,¡± she said with a nod to a Skurr beside her. ¡°More.¡±

    What else has helped me survive?

    ¡±I learned skills from the adventurers.¡± Drew said. ¡°They have two skills they teach all their young. Mana Recovery and Stamina Recovery.

    Skysong is asking to learn the ability [Mana Recovery]. Would you like to teach it? Yes/No

    Skysong is asking to learn the ability [Stamina Recovery]. Would you like to teach it? Yes/No

    He selected yes to each of them and Skysong glowed again.

    ¡±Yes. Flock. Strong¡± Skysong coughed.

    Quest Complete: Skysong¡¯s Audience. 1500 exp.

    Wow, that¡¯s a lot of exp!

    Social standing with Skurr of Rottervale Increased to Civil (50%)

    Well that¡¯s a good sign.

    ¡°My pleasure.¡± Drew said with a short bow. ¡°How else can I assist the flock?¡±

    ¡°You must go.¡± She said slowly.

    ¡°What?¡±

    New Racial Quest: You have been exiled from the flock. Leave the valley peacefully. Accept Yes/No

    ¡°Too strange.¡± Skysong said. ¡°Danger to flock.¡±

    She coughed from the strain of speaking so much.

    What the hell? I just got back. And my Social Standing went up. How does this measurement even work?

    ¡°How quickly must I go? I have a few things to do in the city. And I¡¯ll need to pack. And-¡±

    ¡°Leave tonight.¡± She said and coughed some more.

    ¡°Leave valley.¡± She dismissed Drew with a nod.

    Skysong flew away with her entourage and Drew was left standing on the roof alone.

    I¡¯m not sure I get it. Why ask for those skills? Why kick me out?

    The third moon Miia peeked above the mountains and watched as Drew walked across the roof.

    Where will I go?

    Drew pecked at one of the clogs in the gutter he didn¡¯t find anything.

    Laurent¡¯s family farm is in the valley, so even  that¡¯s off limits.

    Drew jumped off the roof and rode the breeze down to the fountain. He looked into the pool at the base of the statue. The coins danced in the ripples like stars around the reflection of the moon in the afternoon sky.

    Who is she that she can she decide this for me?

    He pulled a silver coin out of his gathering ring and tossed it up into one of the statues two dishes where it landed with a splash.

    I¡¯ll rank up and challenge her to a duel. I beat Skyclaw I can beat his replacement.

    Drew turned and flew out of the courtyard. Nobody looked up from their busy day to see a melancholy Skurr fly overhead.

    Then what? Will I be the leader of the flock? I could stay in Rottervale then.

    Drew landed on the roof of the guild hall.

    The guild master exited the building and crossed the street. Adventurers bowed politely to him and stayed out of his way. Drew watched him head towards the entertainment district.

    I don¡¯t want to be the leader of the flock anymore then I would want to be the guild master. So I guess that means I go? I¡¯m not really a bird anyways, why should I live like one?

    Drew selected yes and accepted the quest.

    ¡°Drew! Is that you up there?¡± Damien yelled up from the ground. ¡°Drew!¡±

    ¡°Damien!¡± Drew called down. ¡°I¡¯ve had the wildest couple of days!¡±

    Drew flew down to land on a railing near Damien. The old enchanter nearly hugged him but then stopped himself.

    ¡°Drew where have you been? You¡¯ve been gone for days.¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°I was captured and sold to a merchant. I¡¯ll tell you the rest later but there¡¯s bad news.¡± Drew said.

    Damien grimaced but his concern withered on his face.

    ¡°Alright. You are safe now. What is it?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been kicked out of the flock, I¡¯ve got to leave the city. I¡¯ve got to leave the valley entirely.¡±

    Damien responded without missing a beat.

    ¡°Oh, then I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Damien said. ¡°I¡¯ve got friends in Valoria. We could leave the valley tomorrow and catch a wagon at the garrison.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯d really go with me?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°What else am I going to do? Grow old out here in the frontier? Lets go see the capital. One of my friends in Valoria is an Alchemist and she could teach you about alchemy.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll grab a few things from my nest and meet you at your place.¡± Drew said.

    Damien watched as Drew flew into the guildhall.

    He put his wand back into its loop on his wrist and made a circular gesture and looked up to the sky where two of the three moons were visible, stark white in the afternoon sun.

    Drew stood looking at his nest. Or what was left of it. It was a scattered mess of grass and scraps of fabric.

    They took anything that was remotely shiny, or could be used for a nest.

    But honestly what was I expecting to take? I don¡¯t really have a bag to pack. And I¡¯ve got my fishing rod and everything I need in my inventory.

    Vivian crossed the floor of the guildhall and went into the bar area. She was chatting with a handsome adventurer and they ordered a bottle of amber liquid.

    Happy and living care free as if she didn''t force a guy into captivity at knife point. I''m a hero but anyone who wants to catch me will catch these hands, well claws.

    New Racial Quest: A Debt Unpaid: Skurr never forget those that have done them a favor, nor those that have wronged them, and their ledgers are always cleared. Take one precious object from Vivian. 1000 exp

    Oh yeah, she¡¯s got a debt unpaid for sure. That stamp will be mine.

    Drew snuck down the rafter until he was out of view. He flew down to Vivian¡¯s desk near the back offices and grabbed her stamp, storing it in his ring but the quest didn¡¯t update.

    Huh, the way she raves about this stamp you¡¯d think it would count for the quest. What else does she have?

    He used Mage Hand to open her desk drawers and within one of the larger drawers he found a satchel. Inside of it was a thin sheet of wood etched and burned with a picture of a much younger Vivian. She was standing with a man dressed as an adventurer who could only be her father.

    Oh that should do it, but it¡¯s really too mean.

    In the bottom of the bag were twelve throwing knives in a fine leather folder. They had an enchantment that Drew didn¡¯t recognize.

    They were also engraved with a mans name: Arthur.

    Yeah I can use these.

    Drew took all 12 knives into his storage ring and the quest resolved.

    Quest Complete: A Dept Unpaid - Vivian - 1000 exp.

    He looked back to see that the guildhall was still quiet.

    On next to the guild master''s debt.

    He used one of the throwing knives to pry open the latch on the office door and slipped into the back.

    I haven¡¯t been in here since that night I fought that thief.

    I wonder what the guild did to wrong her? Did she have a bad history with the guild master too?

    He looked through a few cabinets and smashed some jars that were lying around, all he found were health potions, stamina potions, and mana potions. He took ten of each.

    My ring is really starting to fill up. Got to find some gold and get out of here before I get caught.

    In a trunk behind the desk Drew finally found a bag of gold coins. He took ten and the quest resolved.

    Quest Complete: A Debt Unpaid: guild master Roderic - 1000 exp

    Might as well fill up the ring with gold coins.

    He took 27 more gold coins, to fill up three slots with gold coins. Dropping ten of his stones to make room.

    Quest complete: All that Glitters: 35 exp

    Quest complete: All that Glitters: 35 exp

    He had to remove the stamp from his ring and he flew back out into the guild hall with Vivian¡¯s stamp and his fishing rod in his claws.

    Once outside, his next stop was the rooftop where he hatched. Drew landed near the pergola. He tossed the stamp into the closest nest and checked his status sheet for the rank up he knew was waiting for him.

    Rank Upgrade Available: Level 1 Skurr (Adult) - (5296/5000)

    He selected his Rank Upgrade and he could feel himself shift and change.

    Rank Upgrade: Skurr (Adult) - Complete!

    All stats + 4

    All Attributes + 2

    Stat Points Available: 10

    Skill Upgrade: [Peck II] lvl 1

    Skill upgrade: [Slash (Claws) II] lvl 1

    Skill upgrade: [Flight II] lvl 1

    Skill upgrade: [Gliding II] lvl 1

    Drew grew again. He was almost as tall as Skysong now. But broader in the shoulders, legs and claws. He loosened his leather armor pieces and found that they still fit comfortably at their largest settings.

    His lucky necklace and storage ring resized themselves on their own.

    His ability to see improved dramatically. Before, he was able to read a storefront sign from two houses away now he could manage the same feat from three houses away. And he could hear with more clarity.

    The next biggest difference was his plumage, he lost his gray and black mottled coloring in favor of the crisp black stiff feathers of an adult Skurr.

    Oh yeah, looking good! Man, it¡¯s like upgrading from a T-shirt with a print of a tux to the real deal. I bet I just look faster.

    Drew inspected his wings and noticed that his sheen was gray where Skysong¡¯s had been purple, and Skyclaw¡¯s had been red.

    He spent his ten stat points raising his mana capacity and health pools by 4 points each. And raised his strength and constitution each by 1 point.

    ¡°Hey congrats to you my grim friend! Cheers to the rank up!¡± Drew turned to look at the man leaning out his window waving a glass of ale.

    It¡¯s the same guy with the bread!

    ¡°Thank you sir! Have a nice day!¡± Drew said as we opened his new wings and let the wind whip him back into the air. The man looked astonished as Drew took.

    Area Quest: Predator Alarm: Defend the nests! A predator has been sighted near the nests. All adult Skurr able to defend the nests are encouraged to respond. 100 exp for helping fend off the attacker. 1500 shared experience for defeating it.

    Drew turned and locked eyes with the double hawk. He screeched at it and all four of its wings trembled. Other adult Skurr were taking to the air to join the fight but Drew was already in range.

    The wind carried Drew up like a kite above the predator as it aimed for a dive in a last ditch attempt to steal a Skurr chick snack.

    Drew used Mage Hand to pelt it with a stone. His aim was spot on and the stone bashed into the double hawk¡¯s forward left wing. Drew was not far behind.

    He came barreling down on the hawk and hit it center mass. Drew slashed it with his mana reinforced claws repeatedly and nearly tore the hawk in half.

    Combat rewards: Double Hawk level 11 725 exp

    Quest Complete: Predator Alarm: 1400 exp

    His altitude dropped quickly with the weight of his kill. Drew circled around above the flock in the breeze so the other Skurr could see.

    A hero doesn¡¯t care if they are not part of the flock anymore. I''m still going to be the guy that saves lives.

    He tore the hawk¡¯s carcass into two and tossed one half down to the roof.

    ¡°A debt paid for all you have done for me!¡± He shouted and soared off towards Damien¡¯s workshop.

 Part 23

    - 61 -

    Drew woke slowly.

    ¡°Ughh, wow. I feel terrible.¡± Drew said.

    He groggily rolled to stand up. He had slept on top of a canvas satchel, there was also a familiar large wooden chest nearby. It had an ornate lock and gilded bracings. It sat on a rough wooden floor made from weathered planks that had been worn down by countless feet.

    What¡¯s going on? I have never slept in late in my life. In either life. Except for that one time after Kyle¡¯s wedding, but we got really drunk.

    The morning air was crisp and laced with the scent of dust and leather.

    Damien groaned and rolled over in his sleep. He was curled up on the floor in his heavy robes and a large coat. He was snuggled up with a large canvas bag and he had drooled on it in his sleep.

    ¡°What the heck happened last night?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Well I¡¯ll be damned. Night watch wasn¡¯t lying. The Gallows Bird can talk.¡± A soldier said from the other side of some wooden bars.

    The man was decked out in heavy plate armor, covering his chest and arms and hands, he wore a full helm over his head and face with barely enough of a slit for Drew to see his eyes.

    He carried a spear that was his height and half again as a tall with a cruel looking hook and spear tip. His gear was well maintained and showed signs of heavy use.

    ¡°Care to wake up your master over there? It¡¯s an hour past breakfast and if he wants a warm meal then you better hurry before the kitchen closes.¡± The soldier said as he unlocked the holding cell door and swung it open.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Drew asked again. He took in his surroundings a little bit at a time.

    The sun glinted down on them with midmorning intensity. He could see a courtyard beyond the bars and could hear men talking, their voices echoing in the large area.

    He checked his logs and he was relieved to see that he wasn¡¯t captured again.

    ¡°You two climbed over the garrison wall in the early hours, then proceeded to cause a general ruckus in front of the gatehouse. I w had complaints that your master should never sing the Beastly Maiden again.¡± The soldier said.

    Oh man, it¡¯s starting to come back to me. Ireal and her apprentices really like to drink. I¡¯m never drinking with Blacksmiths again.

    He got to work removing a couple debuffs with his Healer¡¯s Blessing ability.

    Debuff: Hungover: (4:37)

    Debuff: Overtired: (3/8 hours)

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to bird sit you all day. Wake him if he¡¯s alive, or eat him if he¡¯s dead. He can head over to that dining area straight ahead. You can¡¯t miss it. Tables and canvas shades on poles near the kitchen.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what are the charges? When can we go?¡± Drew asked. ¡°We have to leave the valley.¡±

    Debuff: Hungover: (2:16)

    ¡°You are already out of the valley, you are in the Bloodstone Garrison. This is just our drunk tank, you are free to go anytime you sober up. And you are free to miss out on breakfast too.¡± He said and then marched off.

    Oh man, I still feel terrible, what the heck happened, how much did we drink last night?

    Drew dragged himself over to place a claw on Damien and swapped the target of his healing spell to the unconscious enchanter. After about 10 minutes the man started to sleep a little easier.

    Debuff Removed: Hungover: 100 exp.

    Drew switched the ability back to himself and tried to piece the events of last night back together.

    -

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Drew had found Damien packing his bags when he arrived at the enchanters workshop.

    ¡°Wow Drew! You ranked up, Congratulations! I had no idea you were close yet.¡± Damien said.

    He was loading up a chest with all sorts of books and journals. And materials that he thought they would need.

    ¡°Come over here I¡¯ve got a gift for you.¡± Damien said.

    He reached into a drawer and pulled out a small coin purse.

    ¡°This is a coin purse with spacial storage. I saw that you were completing quests and this is a very efficient and secure way to store coins. It collects and sorts your coins for you when you drop them inside.¡±

    He handed the purse to Drew and continued his explanation.

    ¡°You put your blood here on the enchantment on the inside and then it only works for you.¡±

    ¡°Wow Damien this is great! I have so many coins they are filling up half the slots in my Gathering Ring.¡± Drew said as he took the purse and flew to a work bench.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s why you weren¡¯t using the talisman quiver for our trip to the tower.¡± Daminen clapped his hands once. ¡°Wait you have a storage ring? Where did you get that?¡±

    ¡°I re-attached an adventurer¡¯s arm a while back and he gave it to me.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Wait, you have a healing ability? Once we are on the road we should go over your abilities and see if we can get your build sorted out.¡± Damien said, mostly to himself.

    Drew used a carving tool and sliced open one of his talons to add his blood to the purse¡¯s enchantment. It glowed green and then faded into a discrete silver line of spell script.

    New Soul-bound Object: [Coin Purse I - Soulbound] - good quality. This purse can hold up to 1000 coins. It self sorts, and will provide you with an exact amount of coins when you reach inside.

    ¡°Ha! It works great!¡± Drew said. ¡°How does this ¡°Soul Bound¡± portion work?¡±

    ¡°Oh it¡¯s quite simple once you have the core concept. Here let me show you the schematic.¡±

    Damien brought out two leather portfolios. One was bound in black leather, the other in a warm shade of red. He opened up the red one and turned to the page for the Coin Purse, then flipped over to the schematic he had for a Gathering Ring. Both had variants for soul binding enchantments.

    New Enchantment: [Coin Storage - Soul Bound]

    New Enchantment: [Spatial Storage - Soul Bound]

    Wisdom +1

    ¡°What¡¯s great about both of these enchantments is that their capacity can be upgraded with experience since they are soul bound.¡± Damien said. ¡°They are mana intensive to create and require high level materials and tools to create. And the base quality of the ring has to be of high enough quality to sustain the enchantment.¡±

    ¡°What really? Wait, I never bound my ring to me.¡± Drew said.

    He unequipped the ring and looked inside to see that it held a similar script circle for him to press his blood into. There was some faded remnants of a bloody thumbprint in the script already.

    ¡°Wait Drew, what level-¡° Damien didn¡¯t have time to finish his question before Drew pressed his blood into the ring and re-equipped it.

    New Soul-bound Object: [Gathering Ring I - Soulbound] Good Quality. This ring can hold 5 unique items. You may only store items that could fit in the palm of a hand.

    In a burst of light, everything tumbled out of his storage ring. Stones, coins, throwing knives, and three kinds of potions spilled across the table. All that remained were his fishing rod, one stone, one health potion, one mana potion and one stamina potion.

    ¡°Oh crap!¡± Drew screeched.

    ¡°What? Where did you get all this stuff? So many coins? These are gold coins!¡± Damien shouted.

    ¡°I completed a few quests.¡± Drew said quickly. ¡°Why did everything fall out of my ring?¡±

    ¡°When you bound it to you it reset to its base level. The person you got it from must have leveled it up a fair amount to be able to hold so much. There must be a hundred things here.¡± Damien said looking around at the mess.

    Drew looked closer at his status sheet and could see a tool tip for both the coin purse and the storage ring. He selected the storage ring and was given the option to level it up.

    Soul Bound Object Upgrade: [Gathering Ring] (2521/4000)

    Soul Bound Object Upgrade: [Coin Purse] (2521/3000)

    ¡°Oh that sucks! I can¡¯t afford to upgrade either of them yet but it¡¯s going to be worth the experience to have more storage.¡± Drew said. ¡°It used to told ten of any ten things! Now it just holds 5 unique things without stacking.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate Drew, you will need to rank it up before it gets back to the same capacity.¡± Damien said. ¡°At least now people cannot loot your ring unless you are dead. What you are able to store in there is very safe.¡±

    ¡°Yes well I guess I need to clear out all these coins.¡± Drew said and swept up the coins on the table before swooping down to the floor to sweep them into his new coin purse.

    I¡¯ve got 40 gold coins, 9 silver coins, and 9 copper coins. This purse holds plenty coins for now, I don¡¯t need to level it up too urgently. Shit that hurts losing the carrying capacity of the leveled up ring.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite the collection. If you need all those stones and potions then toss them into this Traveling satchel.¡± Damien said. ¡°It can hold 100 kilos and make it weigh one kilo. But it won¡¯t sort or organize any of it.¡±

    Drew moved his fishing rod and 10 stones into the satchel, along with all the potions and all but one of the throwing knives, as well as all his unfinished combat talismans.

    He kept a throwing dagger, the lightning wand, and one mana potion and one health potion in the storage ring for quick access.

    ¡°I won¡¯t need all these stones, do you mind if I leave them in the shop?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Fine with me, I don¡¯t expect to be back this way anyways. The next enchanter can throw them out.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Well if you are all packed then take these books here, and these mana stones into that satchel. We can sell them in Valoria and clear out our reserves then.¡±

    ¡°Before we go we have to swing by Ireal¡¯s smithy. I owe her for this Mantle and I hope to pick up the rest of my armor set.¡±

    ¡°Oh dear, this will be an interesting night.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Why?¡± Drew asked.

 Part 24

    - 62 -

    Debuff Removed: Hungover: 100 exp.

    Drew and Damien sat hunched over at a table in the Bloodstone garrison. Their heads were throbbing. The echos of the farewell party that the blacksmiths had thrown them the night before rang in their ears.

    Damien¡¯s trunk sat beside them with the two canvas bags on top. They ate a spartan breakfast of eggs, fried steak, and some kind of grain porridge that resembled oatmeal but tasted like papayas.

    ¡°Drew, I¡¯m not sure what sent our farewell party to the bottom of the barrel last night but I¡¯m exhausted.¡± Damien spoke slowly between bites of breakfast.

    ¡°Last thing I recollect we finished up your new armor and then Ireal opened up a bottle of Dwarven wine. Thank you by the way for removing my hangover, very handy spell. Don¡¯t worry about my other debuff, Over tired won¡¯t go away until you sleep.¡±

    Damien paused to swallow a mouthful of food and drink some watered ale.

    ¡°I¡¯ll catch some sleep once we buy a ride on a wagon train. I¡¯ll feel right as rain tomorrow.¡± He said.

    I guess there are limits to my Healer''s Blessing blessing, we can''t magically recover lost sleep.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much more than you.¡± Drew said as he tore into his second fried steak. ¡°I do remember the armor. It¡¯s amazing.¡±

    [Skurr Greaves - Fine (Set of Two)] Greaves built for a Skurr. Increases strength by 1 point, increase charisma by 1 point, increased chance to reduce incoming slashing and piercing damage by 2 points.

    [Skurr Circlet - Fine] Circlet built for a Skurr. Crafted from braided Drake leather in the Elvish style. Increases constitution by 1 point, increases Agility by 1 point, mana regeneration increased by 1%.

    Quest Progress: Light Armor Mastery: Equip a full set of light armor. Complete - 1250 exp

    New Quest: Light Armor Mastery: reach [Light Armor II].

    ¡°It¡¯s rather nice, the wing motifs on the sides are rather intimidating. The whole set is based on the royal gryphon''s armor-¡° Damien winced. ¡°When we arrive in Valoria you may want to invest in similar formal wear.¡±

    ¡°I also remember how she put me to work paying off my debt before skipping town.¡± Drew said.

    I must have carved a hundred enchantments. My carving and enchanting skills went up a level each and my mana regeneration jumped up to .81/ second.

    ¡°What was the name of the bar she brought us to?¡± Drew asked. ¡°Or did we visit two?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m uncertain, but we may have visited three. Yes, the third was called the Wayward Garnt, I think the second one was the Lords Listress?¡± Damien said.

    The evening had spiraled into a raucous night. The Master Blacksmith and her apprentices had decided to send them off in a storm of merriment in true dwarvish style. Ale flowed like a river, songs were sung loudly and off key, laughter echoed through the city¡¯s entertainment district until the early morning.

    ¡°Oh ho! There he is! Damien you scoundrel! By Ella¡¯s gentle light, did you royally get out of hand last night!¡± A loud friendly man shouted from across the dining area.

    ¡°Am I seeing double?¡± Drew whispered to Damien as two identical men walked towards them with their own trays of breakfast.

    ¡°Not unless I am too. Aria¡¯s golden rays, I¡¯m seeing three of them. What did I drink last night?¡± Damien groaned and held his head.

    ¡°Well well well brother John, here is our fine friend. After a night like that, you sir are an honorary cousin. So says John, I do indeed. You look like you met a beast of a woman of your own at the bottom of that bottle!¡± The rightmost John said.

    ¡°Sir Damien, hope you feel better shortly. Our wagon train is loading up to leave this morning and there¡¯s much for a handy John to do yet before we move along.¡± said John¡¯s leftmost brother.

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s right, I purchased a seat on your wagon, haven¡¯t I?¡± Damien asked. ¡°You are heading to Valoria?¡±

    ¡°Yes indeed, among other places. My brother and I must be off, readying the wagons soon, and we¡¯ve picked up a fourth cart, belonging to the merchant Thrain Battlebeard. He and his man will be joining us as we cross the wilderness.¡± The rightmost John replied. ¡°Once you are done breaking your fast meet us outside the gate, we leave before lunch.¡±

    The middle brother watched Drew silently as he used Mage Hand and a claw to eat with a fork and knife. Drew then dabbed his beak with a cloth napkin.

    The man turned a skeptical eye to Damien.

    ¡°I still can¡¯t figure out how you do the trick with the talking Skurr. Next time you perform I will solve the riddle I¡¯m sure of it.¡± The middle John said.

    Damien and Drew shared a momentary look of confusion then burst into laughter making their headaches worse but unable to stop.

    The three identical men named John took their leave without waiting for the fit of laughter to simmer down.

    -

    ¡°Brother, are you sure we want that enchanter on this trip?¡± John asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s an odd one. And Ressians that get to be his age have surely made some hard choices to save their skin. I get a bad feeling about him and his bird.¡± John replied.

    ¡°He¡¯s no stranger than us or our other customers. Plus he can get quite drunk.¡± John said. ¡°And he paid well so he comes along.¡±

    - 63 -

    The sun glared with impending adventure as Drew and Damien trudged towards the gates of the garrison. Damien¡¯s traveling trunk tip toed along behind them, its five mechanical limbs methodically piercing the ground as it gracefully crossed the rocky terrain.

    The hazy light of midday lit up the walls around them, Drew could make out the scars of battles fought long ago on the garrisons walls.

    The fortress is carved directly in to the cliffs on both sides of the valley. There¡¯s maybe 100 meters between either side. I can see how this is a very defensible pinch point for any invading army.

    They approached the main battlement and the gate house within. Their footsteps echoed in tandem with the residual beats of a dwarven wine- fueled celebration.

    Drew imagined the sounds of siege engines, archers calling volleys, and men dying on the ground in droves.

    The cliffs loomed, their ancient bloodstained stones carrying tales not just of wars but of carousing echoes that had clung to the fortress like the remnants of men¡¯s faded dreams cut short.

    Damien squinted against the morning light, rubbing his temples as if to banish the spirits of times past. "A dwarven farewell," He mumbled. "leaves no room for moderation."

    As they approached the gatehouse, the scent of ale still clung to them like a second skin. Damien, his usually stoic demeanor now weathered, gazed at the ancient stone walls with a mix of awe and reluctant respect.

    Towers flanked the gate, offering vantage points for archers, and the imposing portcullis hinted at the fortress''s impenetrability. Signs of recent repairs and reinforcements¡ªmingled with the ancient stones, a reminder that even in times of relative peace, vigilance prevailed.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    "This garrison," he muttered. "has seen its share of hangovers. The wars, the farewells, the lives ended too soon¡ªthey live on in every stone."

    He made a simple hand gesture towards the sky and dipped his head for a moment in reverence.

    The guards at the gate checked Damien¡¯s papers without a second look and waved them forwards.

    The massive doors creaked open, revealing the valley beyond a short tunnel. The tunnel was completely enclosed and there were glowing mana stone torches every 5 meters. Drew, lost count of how many arrow slits, and murder holes they passed before they stepped out into the valley.

    As they crossed the threshold, the garrison gates closed like heavy eyelids rejecting a new day.

    ¡°Why are they so well fortified here?¡± Drew asked as their sedate pace carried them out of earshot of the guards atop the massive fortifications.

    ¡°Oh, they are garrisoned here to fend off against any invasions from the Elves or Dwarves, but also they are here as a religious order.¡± Damien turned to point back at the two flags hung over the battlements.

    One was the red and green flag of the nation of Ressellia beside it was a flag with the golden visage of a winged person on a white field.

    ¡°The soldiers here protect the holy priests of Ressellia. And they are here to ward off a demon incursion from ever returning.¡± Damien said. ¡°There was a portal opened to the demon King¡¯s lands during the last war. And it has not been closed. Only blocked with willpower and vigilance.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous? Why wouldn¡¯t they close it?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°They don¡¯t know how. It¡¯s dark magic.¡± Damien said.

    As they put the fortifications behind them, the sheer scale of the curtain wall became evident. It rose with the cliff, a barricade against any threat that dared venture through the valley. The cliffs themselves seemed to be an extension of the fortress, nature and architecture blending seamlessly.

    Drew got a look at the colossal doors now that they were closed. Constructed of sturdy wood and adorned with iron reinforcements, they bore evidence of the immense abuse the garrison had faced during hard times.

    Damien studied the structure for a moment longer, his face sagged into a mixture of admiration and wariness. "This garrison," he began, his voice low. "bears the scars of history. The demon king''s shadow lingers here."

    Drew cawed softly, his eyes darted from detail to detail: the occasional mark of a once-protruding boulder. Ivy and moss clung to the stones, nature''s attempt to reclaim a place once ravaged by war.

    This was my home here in Lisaria. It has shaped me in so little time. I will return one day.

    ¡°Well lets head to the Inn and procure a bath before we leave. I¡¯m sure the other travelers do not want to smell us the whole way.¡± Damien grumbled.

    Drew landed on the traveling chest as it followed the enchanter to the only building outside the walls. The inn was a simple one, a two story affair for people waiting to enter the gates or loiter until their carriage was ready.

    Drew¡¯s gaze continued past and to the scenic view of mountains sawing back and forth across the horizon. The forests would have fit in in any wilderness in the northern hemisphere of earth. Dark green forests stretched all the way to the horizon.

    And we are heading out there? That¡¯s some wild forest. There were large drakes near town. What beasts will be hunting the roads?

    ¡°Drew, watch the trunk, it may try to wander off.¡±

    Damien paid for a bath and disappeared upstairs without another word.

    Drew looked around at the people fiddling with their carts.

    There were two camps of wagons a short walk away from the small inn. The inn was equipped with a corral of Garnts around back and a stable of you could call covered stalls stacked in a row a stable.

    ¡°Stay put Dumbo, I¡¯ll be right back¡± Drew said to the trunk.

    He flew around the Inn and noticed they had a small kitchen and a few barrels of ale. His inspection took him over to the water trough near the corral and he quickly bathed before returning to where the traveling trunk was waiting.

    ¡°Perfect, right where I left you.¡± Drew said as he settled down for a nap on one of their canvas sacks.

    There were 2 covered coaches for people to ride along in. One heavily enchanted wagon, and a mundane storage wagon. They each followed the same basic build: they had 4 wheels banded with metal and sported metal suspensions. The carts themselves were twice as tall as the Johns they spoke with earlier. A man could crouch to crawl underneath there was so much clearance. A storage frame on the back could accommodate 4 trunks the size of their Traveling Trunk.

    They are painted dark shades of green and brown to match the forests of the area.

    That heavily enchanted one is the same kind of cart that Maurice had used, only larger and more elaborate.

    Drew pulled out the Mana Lens and watched the enchantments surrounding the carts pulse and glow.

    The wagons are enchanted to ward off monsters and there are a few arrays to charge mana crystals.

    While he watched, the heavily enchanted cart reshaped itself like a Rubik''s cube and a new set of compartments and drawers revealed themselves.

    A broad shouldered half-ork man lifted a crate up with one arm and loaded it onto the enchanted wagon. His skin was ashen and gray, and his long hair tied up in a messy bun on the back of his head. When he turned to look at the finely dressed Dwarf at his knee Drew got a look at his pug-like face and protruding tusks.

    Whoa, he¡¯s got more of a dog with tusks face than than a pig, although he lacks dog ears so maybe that is what a boar looks like?

    Who am I to judge, maybe he¡¯s handsome by Ork standards.

    ¡°That¡¯s the last of everything Krag, grill up something for a late breakfast, I¡¯m famished.¡± The dwarf said with a friendly knock on the half-ork¡¯s knee.

    Krag grunted and pulled a crank on the cart, reconfiguring it into a new amalgamation of wardrobes, crates, and a section that folded out into a kitchenette and table.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fine enchantment you have there.¡± Damien called out as he stepped out from the inn clean and fresh. He wore fresh traveling robes and his heavy coat.

    He raised his hand in a friendly wave. ¡°I envy your luck to travel in such fantastic luxury.¡±

    ¡°Well met stranger, I am Thrain Battlebeard, am I to guess that we are to be riding together to Crownsgate?¡±

    Krag was frying some pale fish on the stove and set out a small pitcher of breakfast ale for his employer.

    ¡°We will be riding a more mundane wagon as far as Valoria unfortunately. Damien Hornbrush, retired enchanter, and adventurer it now seems. I would love to get a look at your spatial enchantments. Do you happen to have the schematics?¡±

    ¡°Would you care to join me for breakfast?¡± Thrain offered. ¡°I am a merchant after I eat, until then I am merely a hungry dwarf.¡±

    He laughed at his own joke and he had a hearty laugh that rumbled in his belly. He drank from his pitcher deeply and lifted it as an offer to share.

    ¡°Sadly, my appetite is faltering today, our departure was rather over celebrated last night and all I need now is a long rest.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Tomorrow then. Well met Damien.¡±

    ¡°Sir Thornbrush,¡± a John said as he walked up. ¡°Your wagon is this way.¡±

    - Interlude -

    Borealis popped into existence near the pergola in Rottervale and looked around for Drew.

    ¡°He should be around here somewhere. I wonder if he has ranked up yet¡­¡±

    He floated down to the edge of the roof and watched the Skurr loitering about in the courtyard. They hopped about dragging bags of sand, some were even flying with the extra burden. The wisp floated there for a minute with an incredulous look on his face.

    ¡°Are they doing physical training?¡± Borealis asked. ¡°Drew! Where are you at little one? Drew!¡±

    Some Skurr scattered at his shout and left the area. The ones that remained glared at the wisp.

    ¡°He must have helped them level up. I don¡¯t feel welcome here.¡± Borealis said to himself as he floated towards the adventurers guild.

    ¡°Whoa-ho! Is that a wisp or am I dunk?¡± A brewer shouted from his window. ¡°Thats a sign of good luck, I think-hiccup! Better go out tonight, I may finally have that fateful encounter!¡±

    Borealis zipped away easily. His momentum did not rely on mechanically flapping wings, but rather was powered by levitation, he could travel in any direction up, right, left, down, or back with a thought.

    ¡°I may not be the fastest wisp I can out pace a drunk.¡±

    Borealis flew eastwards and circled the town. He passed bakeries, smithies, shops and tenant housing. Every so often he would see a group of Skurr and would call out for Drew. But he did not see him.

    ¡°Go away!¡± A sleek Skurr said, as Borealis hovered above the adventurers guild.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Not excused. Leave.¡± The Skurr said. ¡°Not welcome here.¡±

    Another two of the intimidating birds landed beside him.

    ¡°Leave. Upset guild master.¡± The second Skurr said. She clacked her beak menacingly to emphasize her point.

    ¡°Um actually, I¡¯m a wisp we go where we please.¡± Borealis said and inflated himself to be twice the size of the Skurr. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a Skurr named Drew. You will lead me to him.¡±

    ¡°Banished.¡± The third Skurr said.

    She was an older Skurr, with a purple tint to her feathers.

    ¡°He brought much attention, and risk, sent out of the valley.¡± Skysong said.

    ¡°And yet he taught you all to speak. Why banish the one driving your race¡¯s rank up?¡± He asked. ¡°It would be sensible for you to keep the source of racial upgrade points around.¡±

    ¡°Not one of us.¡± She said. ¡°Once hatched he changed.¡±

    A screen popped up and she chose the ¡°no¡± option with a gesture of her head before Borealis could read it.

    ¡°Learned what was needed from him. We careful.¡± She said without sorrow. ¡°Always calculated. Skurr survive.¡±

    ¡°Well if that¡¯s the path you chose then where has Drew gone?¡± Borealis asked.

    ¡°I know not. Gone from valley.¡± She said. ¡°Was his quest.¡±

    ¡°He could not have gone far on his own.¡± He said.

    The conversation was taxing her and she coughed before answering.

    ¡°Close to people. Blacksmiths, children, fisherman, enchanter.¡± She said. ¡°Not alone. Not long.¡±

    The wisp looked around and listened to the mana in the air. There were faint strings of fate drifting around, resonating at their own tones. Some tying the Skurr to her flock. And one dark line, thick with potential, leading off to the south.

    ¡°Now go. Our feud. All on guard.¡± She said.

    The adventurers guild had a new sign over the door, and a rough enchantment carved on the beams.

    ¡°Apparently Skurr are banned from the building.¡± Borealis said reading the enchantment.

    She glared over her beak at the wisp.

    Borealis took the hint a left without a word. He phased out of sight as he passed the smithy and could see the smith at her forge.

    The smith was busy berating her apprentices, apparently their backlog of enchanted orders was piling up.

    ¡°Not with her then.¡± Borealis said.

    Listening for strings of fate, he saw two dark threads stretching south from the smithy, far over the horizon.

    He flew south to the river and could not find any fisherman.

    ¡°You can always recognize a fisherman by his gear and bucket of fish.¡± He said.

    He looked around at a few of the eateries and ended up at the enchanters hut.

    ¡°This place is clearly abandoned. So Drew has left the valley going south with the old enchanter and fisherman with him?¡±

    Borealis looked up to the noon day sun. The lines of fate thrummed around the city, mostly keeping within its high walls. He broadened his focus and 5 strings stretched out over the horizon to the same point far to the south.

    ¡°No way I¡¯m heading out there on my own. Agusta would know where he is. She can send me right to him.¡±

    With one last look at the enchanters hut he blinked away.

 Part 25

    - 64 -

    Their wagon was comfortable if cramped. It was a plain version of Cinderella¡¯s carriage, and had padded canvas benches within.

    The whole thing was covered in enchantments and mana charging arrays. It was made of sturdy wood that looked like it could stop a bullet. It had arrow slit windows for defending from within.

    You could escort cash in these back on Earth. How often are we going to get attacked on this trip?

    The carriage door was open and Damien stepped inside. His traveling trunk climbed up onto the back of the carriage where it cozied up against two other trunks.

    Drew circled above the wagon train, he could see all three of the identical men named John working to strap things down in preparation for their departure.

    How strange that they are triplets, I bet they really get along. Must be nice to have siblings to rely on in this dangerous world.

    One brother was speaking with a large group of 6 mercenaries standing off to the side of the wagons, clearly hired to protect them on their trip.

    The group was hard tacked and armored like experienced soldiers. Two of them had some mismatched armor but the majority had matching chain mail, metal caps, and carried large square shields and spears.

    You can¡¯t tell if they were all humans, elves or something else. Or a mix of genders under all that armor.

    One mercenary had a large weighted net over his shoulder and another carried a tasseled banner of two spears crossed in an ¡®X¡¯ on a red background. The band of mercenaries had their own small cart with their supplies drawn by a Garnt.

    An adventurer trotted by. He was of average height and wore a wide brimmed hat on his head. He had a thick woolen riding poncho that slit open on the side, revealing a long rapier and knife on a belt at his hip. His clothes were in the elven style but so road-worn and dusty that their fine details were worn off. He carried two overstuffed packs, tied together and hung off both sides of his garnt¡¯s rump. He was also carrying a small crossbow, strapped to his saddle, and a blanket and pop shelter for spending nights on the road.

    He rode past where Drew was perched on the wagon. He startled, nearly drawing his weapon before calming himself. He had a young handsome face, with watery eyes. His hair was light brown or auburn and his ears were the pointy ears of an elf.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a Skurr, Marcus.¡± He said to himself. ¡°I can¡¯t let my nerves get to me before the trip gets underway.¡±

    Marcus opened a pouch and brought out some dried leaves and berries and tossed them into his mouth. He chewed them for a few seconds and the tension visibly released from his shoulders. He tipped his hat to Drew then rode to the front of the wagons to speak with one of the Johns there.

    Strange guy but I bet he is fast with that sword. Why does he have so much packed into his bags? Does he not have a storage ring?

    A tall and slender elven woman in a gown swept out from the inn and walked gracefully to the third carriage. Her long flowing arms were pale as moonlight, and her snow white hair was braided into a simple crown to keep it out of her face while traveling.

    She¡¯s beautiful, is it some kind of spell? Elves seem to be all around gorgeous here! Maybe I should have started in the Elven kingdom.

    She looked up to where Drew was perched on the wagon and made a sign to ward off bad fortune, a circle with her thumb and second and third fingers.

    ¡°Shoo, shoo! Vile Gallows Bird,¡± she hissed. ¡°Take your dark luck with you!¡±

    Drew flew away and she climbed into the other wagon. He landed on the open door of Damien¡¯s wagon and looked inside. There were two people sitting across from Damien. One was an older Ressian woman with hair graying to a lavender or blue hue. The other was a young Ressian girl with blond hair in two braids on either side of her head.

    Based on their similar faces, this girl is her granddaughter, or great grand daughter.

    ¡°Drew! Come meet our companions.¡± Damien waved him over to his side of the carriage. ¡°This is Isabella Moorshadow and her granddaughter Alicia.¡±

    They look so similar! As if one is a copy of the other and 100 years older.

    Drew nodded his head to them both. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± He said.

    ¡°Wonderful!¡± Little Alice clapped her hands and laughed. ¡°He truly does speak!¡±

    She must be in her early teens, I wonder where her parents are. Is it just as common for parents to lose children as it is for children to lose their parents in this world?

    ¡°That¡¯s a cruel trick sir, beasts cannot learn to speak. We aren¡¯t paying for a side show performance.¡± Isabella growled.

    ¡°And we would prefer to ride in privacy and paid as much for the whole carriage. The Johns have been great to us over the last two weeks and we accepted their refund to share the carriage to Valoria, at the least it may be in silence.¡± She hurumphed.

    Damien put his hands up in an apology.

    ¡°So sorry madam, worry not. For you are in fine company for this trip.¡± Damien said. ¡°We aren¡¯t looking for any copper from you. And in fact I feel ready to sleep or read a book silently the entire way.¡±

    I will keep my jokes to myself around her. Alice seems nice tho, at least her first response wasn¡¯t that I might be a demon.

    She scowled at Drew and eyed Damien again. ¡°We shall see.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Excuse me, sir?¡± A short man with a stack of scrolls in his hands stepped up into the carriage and turned to Damien. ¡°I believe you are in my seat.¡±

    Damien stood partially and reached out to steady the man¡¯s stack of scrolls. ¡°So sorry, are you looking for carriage 2? My name is Damien, I¡¯m a retired enchanter. One of the Johns told me I was to ride in the second carriage.¡±

    ¡°We are over full as it is, you fool!¡± Isabella screeched.

    ¡°Oh, my apologies. I am Alphonse, Alphonse Glennfyurd, I¡¯m a journeyman cartographer.¡± He reached out to shake Damien¡¯s hand but dropped a few scrolls and reached down to pick them up instead.

    ¡°Oh! Pardon me. I am looking for the third coach. Yes. You see I¡¯m joining the group today and moving on to map the west or Ressalia. I¡¯ve spent the last 6 months traveling south from the frozen north and mapping out the lands between Rodokke and Eesayum. Oh, it¡¯s really been a wonderfully rugged trip and I¡¯ve nearly come to my end.¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    The guy can really ramble on.

    ¡°Enough, you are disturbing our peace and quiet. Your carriage is elsewhere.¡± Isabella barked.

    ¡°Oh, my apologies madam.¡± He waited for her name but received only a glare.

    ¡°Have we met before?¡± Alphonse looked quickly from Damien to the old woman and her daughter for a moment. When nobody helped him out of the awkward situation he turned to leave.

    ¡°My apologies for my intrusion. I will be going.¡± He said and scampered away.

    He rushed off towards the front of the wagon train with his scrolls.

    ¡°Quite an intriguing man. Cartography is not an easy trade, and the Northern regions are inhospitable and full of strange beasts. Traveling those regions alone is no meager feat.¡± Damien said.

    Damien leaned out of the carriage door to look for the cartographer only to duck back in as Alphonse hurried past to the carriage behind them and climbed inside.

    Can a cartographer have a bad sense of direction?

    - 65 -

    Their first day on the road was uneventful. Without any attacks they traveled for 6 hours without stopping. They managed to leave the highest peaks behind them.

    Damien wrote in his book for a couple hours then leaned against the wall to nap. He made sure to keep his knees to himself.

    Alice was reading a novel of some kind and would giggle to herself occasionally.

    Drew read through one of the books Damien gave him on Alchemy. It was a mundane book, not a skill book, and it covered the basics of material identification and preparation. Occasionally a particularly large bump in the road would startle him and he had to stifle a squawk.

    Isabella spent the morning glaring back at the mountains behind them as if they had offended her personally.

    The merchant Dwarf and his driver chatted amicably and rolled along in the second wagon position.

    Lunch was held in transit and their wagon ate in silence. A thick slab of meat and a fist of cheese wrapped in bread. And a mug of watered down Ale. Drew picked at the remnants of Damien¡¯s meal. Isabella¡¯s dour mood covered them heavily like a wet blanket.

    That evening the wagon train was making its way down a steep set of switchbacks. Drew flew out of the wagon to glide along on the gentle breeze above the group. They were on an open cliff face with few trees and shrubbery holding the mountain together.

    One of the moons is out, there¡¯s a cool breeze and the sunlight isn¡¯t so hot now that it¡¯s nearing dusk. The perfect time to stretch my wings and get away from that stuffy old lady.

    The wagon wheels crunched and rolled over the packed gravel of the road. The occasional stone came loose and flipped up onto the path.

    All of this Alchemy study is really fascinating. Magically enhanced plants and animals retain mana in them in different ways. An alchemist is kinda like a chemist and a chef and a spiritualist all wrapped into one.

    One of the mercenaries kicked a loose stone out of the road off to the side of the cliff.

    There must have been frequent landslides here. Glad it¡¯s not the rainy season. Are there magical engineers that reinforce these paths against landslides? Damien would know. I bet these roads are paved with magic in the first place.

    Polite laughter burst from the third wagon as the John driving cracked a joke.

    We really need to see about switching up wagons for tomorrow. The next leg of the trip will be unbearable.

    A new sound wiggled its way into the mix and Drew couldn¡¯t place it.

    What¡¯s that swishing noise? Is it paper? Or fabric?

    He let the wind blow him back to the supply cart at the end of their procession but the sound grew fainter.

    One of the mercenaries pointed towards Drew with a nod.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the enchanters familiar. If you want an enchantment, could help to share some snacks with the bird. Get on the man¡¯s good side, eh?¡±

    Well, the sound is not from back here. But I will have to come back to see what snacks they have.

    Drew pumped his wings to catch up to the first wagon and the swishing papery sound wasn¡¯t any louder up there either.

    How strange, where is it coming from?

    He veered to the side and peeked over the cliff¡¯s edge to see over a dozen flying snakes just beyond the sheer drop.

    ¡°Oh shit.¡± Drew said.

    The snakes rode the updrafts past the edge of the cliff and swarmed through the wagon train. Each one was at least 2 meters long, with large dove like wings in gray or white. Their bodies were green, and each flying snake had two serpentine heads and two snake tails.

    ¡°Form a perimeter! Those of you with a net ready it. To arms men!¡± The mercenary Captain shouted as he hoisted his banner.

    In moments, a few flying snakes were down, ensnared by nets or ropes, and efficiently finished off with spears.

    Two snakes were trying to wiggle their way into a hole in the canvas of the supply wagon. Drew swooped down on them scoring a direct hit with his Slash.

    Bane x1 (1:00)

    He clawed one across the back, his attack skipped off their scales, until he hooked the joint where its wing connected and his momentum tore the wing off.

    The other snake was too tangled in the canvas to attack so Drew had time to snap out and use his Peck ability to break one of the serpent¡¯s necks. The second head reared back and bit him before he could dodge.

    It bit Drew twice more in quick succession before he could release his claws and hop back. The dead half of the serpent fell away from the pissed off half as the wagon slid to a stop.

    ¡°Guiles!¡± A John shouted. ¡°Stop everything! Shut your doors and windows! John, fetch the long nets!¡±

    Damien jumped from his wagon and put up his spherical Mana Shield.

    ¡°Stay back ladies we are under attack!¡± He shouted to Alice and Isabella.

    Thrain and Krag readied their weapons but stayed by their cart. Thrain favored two long handled war-axes, and Krag drew a massive broad sword from a slot in their cart. End to end it stood as tall as he did. Not a single one of the flying monsters dared come within 10 meters of them.

    Drew squared off with the remaining half of the Guile, neither giving an opening as they circled each other on top of the cargo wagon.

    What the heck? The two heads aren¡¯t attached? Was it two flying snakes holding onto each other?

    The other pair of entwined Guiles slithered up together and struck out at Drew from the side. He flapped his wings out at them and they sunk their fangs into feathers.

    He turned around quickly and sliced them with a throwing dagger held in a Mage Hand. The attack did little damage against their scales. He did chip a fang off of one of them and it nearly knocked the knife from his grip. The two snakes unwrapped from each other to flank him.

    Crap these things have tough scales! My knife barely leaves a scratch.

    A bolt of freezing water flew past Drew and turned one of the serpents into an icicle.

    The fair Elven woman shot twice more at the other serpents but couldn¡¯t hit them. A pair of Guiles swooped down on her and she had to defend herself.

    Two John¡¯s ran past Damien¡¯s shield waving nets on long poles with both hands chasing Guile¡¯s left and right.

    The mercenaries advanced from both ends of the wagon train steadily. They were calm and collected. Each pair of shields supported by a spearman in the back. They methodically cut down the flying snakes and met in the middle of the wagon train.

    Drew was locked in a staring contest with the last two snakes. He watched, poised to dodge as the Guiles slowly flanked him.

    It¡¯s so weird that they would have one wing each, why does that make sense? And no feet? And these two are both right wings¡­ could they still-

    The snake on his right moved first and the one on his left was a second behind.

    Drew hopped up and spun over in the air. He used Mage Hand to shove his knife down the throat of one serpent, and was trying to complete his aerial roll with a stone from his storage ring in one claw when a net on a pole swiped the remaining Guile out of the air.

    ¡°Hey John! I got another one!¡± A John shouted back to his brother. ¡°That¡¯s 3 halves for me, how many did you catch? Do you think we have enough to make matching belts?¡±

    What? I had that one covered. I was about to smash its face in with my ninja moves.

    A snake flopped messily in the ground choking on Drew¡¯s dagger. A rapier struck out lightning fast from under the wagon. Killing the Guile in two perfectly placed strikes. Marcus cleaned his weapon and crouched down a little lower under the wagon.

    A mercenary bent down to pick up the carcass of the serpent and removed the throwing knife. ¡°You fought bravely young one. But that knife is for throwing not slashing.¡± He said. ¡°It is a fine blade, take care of it.¡±

    Drew nodded his head and took the knife from the man¡¯s hand, storing it in his ring once the man looked away.

    ¡°Drew! Are you alright? Did any of the Guiles bite you? They are highly venomous and very dangerous.¡± Damien said as he rushed up.

    HP: 35%

    Debuff: Venom x3 -3 HP / second (0:34)

    Oh shit, how long has that been there?

    Drew activated his healing abilities and checked his combat logs. He had helped kill 4 Guiles earning 1,121 experience.

    He stooped down to grab the carcass of a serpent and held it out to Damien with his talon.

    ¡°Are they safe to eat?¡± Drew asked.

 Part 27

    - Interlude -

    ¡°Guild master, as guardsmen Monroe has explained to you multiple times already, your case is closed.¡± Sir Roland Ironwatch, captain of the guard said with a heavy sigh.

    ¡°That¡¯s unacceptable! Thousands of gold worth of potions and gear are stolen.¡± The guild master shouted.

    He leaned directly into the captain¡¯s face, his mead soaked beard threatening to smear the man¡¯s plate armor.

    They were in the guild master¡¯s office. Roland barely fit in the chair he¡¯d been offered.

    The scene had already been cleared of evidence and he could see at a glance the room had yet to be put back to order.

    ¡°Begin again! You caught the thief, force her to reveal the stolen goods!¡± The dwarf shouted.

    His chair creaked and Roland stood quickly lest it break. He opened the folio in his hand again to review the details of the investigation.

    The captain was much taller than the furious dwarf before him and resisted the urge to use the top of the man¡¯s head as a podium.

    ¡°She did confess to stealing some armor and skill books, but we did not find them amongst her possessions.¡± He read from the file before continuing.

    ¡°The thief, one Claris Woodthrush, was captured last night and confessed to breaking into your private offices. She was a barmaid here for a month a year back.¡± Guardsman Monroe stated the facts with a nod.

    ¡°She has some interesting and rather personal claims against you guild master. But we determined she has not committed this grand theft. She confessed to stealing skill books and light armor. This has been corroborated with officer Monroe¡¯s Detect skill.¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Captain Ironwatch read methodically from the files as he paced the room.

    ¡°Additionally, officers have inspected the guild hall and found no other trace of any person trespassing, all we are picking up with our spells are you, your staff, the layabouts you employ, and these Skurr that are everywhere. Hardly unusual.¡± Captain Ironwatch said.

    ¡°Is there anyone else you suspect from your staff?¡± He asked. ¡°Perhaps Vivian? She knows her way around your private office.¡±

    ¡°Impossible, and the thieves even stole from Vivian¡¯s personal belongings. No this was clearly an organized group of professionals! It required weeks, if not months of planning. They knew exactly what to take. And in broad daylight! Nobody else could have pulled this off.¡± The guild master stomped over to an empty crate that no longer held health potions and stomped it to splinters with one foot.

    Roland dismissed officer Monroe with a nod and they both marched out of the back offices of the guild into the early morning.

    The guild master had to jog to cut them off at the warehouse doors.

    ¡°Wait wait! There must be more you can do. You can¡¯t just let this go. I pay the governor for protection, he will hear about this.¡±

    ¡°Guild master, compose yourself. This investigation has already gone beyond standard procedures. Your outlandish claims as to the wealth stolen from you, wealth that was not recorded in your ledgers, is highly suspicious and would merit its own investigation by the governor¡¯s auditors.¡± Captain Ironwatch said.

    The guild master shut his mouth with a snap.

    ¡°The governor has been made aware of the situation already. His office requested a copy of the case folio when you demanded the captain step in personally.¡± Guardsman Monroe said.

    ¡°In light of the available evidence, we have done more than our due diligence and are closing the case for the foreseeable future. There is no evidence to suggest the location of your stolen goods if they existed in the first place. Our investigation concludes it was either the work of a professional team, or an inside job.¡± The guard Captain snapped the folio closed.

    ¡°Unacceptable! You need-¡± the guild master was interrupted by Skurr excrement hitting his shoulder.

    ¡°Damn these rotten birds!¡± The guild master shouted.

    He wiped the hot mess from his shoulder and neck but it was sticky and greasy and the mess only got worse.

    ¡°Ha hah ha!¡± A particularly green Skurr cawed. It was remarkably like laughter.

    Guardsmen Monroe made a circular sign with the fingers of his left hand and silently asked the goddess of the moon to ward off bad luck. Miia looked poorly on those who swore against her children.

    ¡°Good day guild master.¡± Roland said and the two guardsman marched off. Leaving a furious Dwarf to tantrum on his own.

 Part 26

    - 66 -

    They set up camp at the bottom of the slope. Drew flew above the small clearing. There were weathered stone fences and the bones of past campfires were scattered around the small clearing.

    A couple vending machines, a shower, and this could be a good rest stop. Other remains from many travelers littered the area, further proof that most everyone camped here before heading up the steep slope.

    It makes sense that this is a good stopping point if you are about to enter the high peaks.

    Seriously an inn could make a killing here.

    The Johns parked their wagons in a loose circle and corralled the Garnts after a quick wash and feed.

    The mercenaries pitched their tents and set up their own camp in minutes just outside the circle of wagons.

    Are they expecting to be attacked at all times? They are putting those fat sacks on the police force back home to shame.

    A few of them started to dig a low trench, piling the dirt and rocks on the inside to create a simple fortification on the opposite side of their camp, away from the wagons, between them and the encroaching forest.

    If they knew I could talk then I could ask them what¡¯s out there. Would they try to capture and sell me?

    The Johns set out enchanted canvas bundles in a semicircle around the camping kitchen. They grumbled and looked at some dark clouds building up against the peaks above them.

    ¡°We will wake up to rain tomorrow.¡± One John said to the other.

    ¡°5 copper says the storm hits before dinner ends.¡± The John replied. ¡°Kitchen area needs a canopy.¡±

    Each of the bundles held a simple enchantment that would set the tents up on a thin platform. They were large enough to bed 4 and came with cots and space for trunks. Each corner of the tent was divided by fabric walls enchanted to block the sounds of sleeping.

    Damien, Alphonse, and Marcus were bunking together. And Isabella, her granddaughter, and the snowy elf all bunked together.

    Thrain and his driver Krag had their own tents in the same style as the mercenaries.

    ¡°Simply not warded enough for low rank monsters. Of course you do want to focus on the more deadly higher level ones.¡±

    Drew followed Damien and the trunk into the tent. He chose the back right bed. He was talking to himself and digging around inside his trunk.

    ¡°That¡¯s how the Guiles snuck through.¡± He said.

    Alright, we are alone.

    ¡°Damien, I¡¯m going to go see if I find any of the ingredients from the Alchemy book nearby. Hoping to pick up a new skill.¡±

    Drew pulled his armor out of the trunk and equipped it.

    ¡°What skill helps you find miscellaneous things? Like food or gold?¡± Drew asked.

    Damien didn¡¯t take his eyes off his notebook.

    ¡°Skurr get a skill called Scavenge but I don¡¯t know it. People adept at gathering from the forest learn Forage. I don¡¯t have either one so I won¡¯t be any help.¡± He said.

    Drew adjusted his armor, loosening the breast piece some, and flexing the braces over his legs.

    Ah yes the buffs really do give a significant boost. Would have helped in the Guile attack. Maybe I¡¯ll keep these on for tonight.

    ¡°How dangerous is the area around here?¡± Drew asked. ¡°Should I get someone to go with me?¡±

    ¡°Apprentices usually head out together in a gathering party. Actually I¡¯d be interested to see how quickly you can learn a skill on your own. How much time have you spent foraging or scavenging already?¡±

    ¡°Not that much. A few fetch quests. Maybe I could unlock both skills?¡± Drew replied.

    ¡°Be careful not to range too far, I have placed repelling wards around the camp but they only extend about 10 meters into the forest.¡± Damien said.

    With a nod Drew flew off to explore the tree line around their camp.

    A couple mercenaries left camp to the south and Drew followed along above them. They continued on more than ten meters into the woods, towards the sound of a stream and Drew dropped to the ground.

    Better not go any farther. There¡¯s plenty of herbs and flowers I don¡¯t recognize around here.

    Drew strut over to root them up and stacked them in a pile.

    Too bad I don¡¯t have my basket anymore that would be a huge help.

    Area Quest: Inspect the Strange Glen: A strange glen glows with the light of the moon, even during the day. It seems to host a different variety of flora and fauna. Discover the glen¡¯s secrets. Accept: Y/N

    Nope nope. Not today, this is clearly something that is going to get me in a ton of trouble. Flora or fauna means big dangerous beasts, even plants are dangerous here. No way.

    Drew spent an hour pulling herbs out by the roots, and stacking them up in piles. He was able to identify Mindy Flower and Stone Wart based on the descriptions in the Alchemy book.

    Dang. Now that I¡¯ve lost the space in my storage ring I can¡¯t tell how many I¡¯ve got. I cannot use my quest list to identify these herbs or flowers. I don¡¯t know if these other plants are weeds or something rare that¡¯s harder to identify.

    He spotted some tall grass and decided to make a basket to cart his herbs and flowers back to camp.

    It took half an hour to gather the grass and weave the basket. He was attacked three times before it was complete. They were each one on one fights and he easily used his aerial advantage to defeat them without taking any damage.

    Combat results: level 4 red skeetle. Exp 12

    Combat results: level 5 red skeetle. Exp 15

    Combat results: level 8 mishroom. Exp 21

    Quest complete: Hunger: exp 150

    My Hunger quests are really getting more demanding. The requirements have grown each time I complete one.

    Racial Quest: Hunger: (35/321)

    Drew spent the 4000 exp to upgrade his gathering ring to hold 6 stacks of 2 items. The next upgrade would be 5000 exp.

    I¡¯ve got a long way to go to get it back to what it was.

    ¡°Anyone who¡¯s hungry it¡¯s herbed Mishrooms and Guile meat for dinner!¡± A John called out.

    I wonder what herbs they are, I could gather them as we travel. Could the John¡¯s give me a fetch quest?

    Drew returned to the camp, dropping his basket and armor off with the trunk on the way. He could see that everyone was already getting their food.

    The two mercenaries must have returned from another direction.

    Food was plated and passed around to the travelers. Everyone was seated around one of two fire pits the Johns had set up inside the ring of wagons. One of the Johns was softly strumming an instrument that looked like a guitar but only had three strings.

    There was a relaxed attitude amongst the travelers. But at a sudden pop from the fire people¡¯s eyes were sharp and weapons were checked.

    I almost feel bad for any beasts that attack our group.

    Damien brought Drew a small plate of food and he pecked at it. The meal was good, the mossy combination of herbs and Mishroom going well with the Guile meet, which had a lemony tang to it. The quality of the meal completed another hunger quest and pushed Drew halfway into the next Hunger quest.

    ¡°I¡¯m stuffed.¡± He said drawing the eyes of several of the other travelers. They looked towards Damien who happened to be drinking mead from a large glass when Drew spoke.

    Alicia laughed from a few seats over.

    Damien must seem like a real oddball to these people. Ha!

    ¡°My complements to the chef. You have outdone yourself John!¡± Drew said.

    Damien gave him a confused look that caused Alicia to laugh again.

    She tossed Drew a bit of Mishroom which he caught easily with his beak and the Johns cheered. The icy elf tried to hide a smile behind her hand.

    ¡°Well Damien, would ya care for a game of Cabal?¡± Thrain asked as he got up and strode over to his cart and brings back a travel set with its own stand.

    ¡°I would be happy to,¡± Damien replied. ¡°I played quite a bit in my youth. It is hard to find a partner that can give me a challenge these days.¡±

    Damien and Thrain proceeded to play and drink. They caught the attention of the cartographer Alphonse. Isabella stopped her daughter from walking over as well, instead they both retired to their tent.

    Krag stood behind Thrain and sharpened a dagger with a whetstone.

    The game was close and longer than any that Drew had seen yet. Damien played defensively, his strategy was nearly as impenetrable as his mana shields but Thrain prevailed in the end.

    ¡°Well played, well played. Krag would ye care to take my seat, ya could learn much from our friend here.¡± Thrain boasted.

    Krag said nothing and went to lean against the cart to start fletching some arrows.

    ¡°Might I give it a try?¡± Alphonse asked. ¡°I¡¯ve played some in my travels and have met a variety of different tactics.¡±

    ¡°Be my guest, young lad. If ye can beat the enchanter then ya can challenge me.¡± Thrain laughed and finished his mead calling for another.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    They sat down to play after clearing the board and Drew could tell that Damien was playing differently than before. Alphonse was quiet for the first few turns.

    ¡°Ah, yes the Demon Lords Offensive, a classic offense that can speed up the midgame.¡± Alphonse said. ¡°I have tried the same tactic on the mountain tribes in Eesayum. The elves there have a defense for this called Water Flows Downstream. Here I¡¯ll have it set up for you in a couple turns.¡±

    ¡°I had a friend like you back when I was studying in Valoria, a good friend Alonzo. He was a scholar and knew many strategies for Cabal. His downfall was that he could not help but switch them around. He did not win many games.¡± Damien said deep in thought.

    Alphonse upgraded his keep and summoned a knight to the board threatening Damien¡¯s harbor.

    ¡°Do you mean Alonzo Fairshadow the bard? He is famous for traveling with the prince¡¯s retinue. Wait are you Sir Damienous Bombastic Thornbrush?¡± Alphonse asked with a gasp.

    Damien stood quickly. ¡°No that¡¯s not me. I¡¯m just a simple enchanter. I forfeit, you would have won in three turns with your defense.¡±

    ¡°Wait wait! It must be you, the Butcher of Siengard. Your great arcana stopped the largest fleet of pirates the kingdom has ever seen. You killed them all before-¡°

    ¡°No!¡± Damien shouted wand drawn. ¡°I am not that man. He is the lowest of the low. That¡¯s how you get the title of butcher.¡±

    All of the eyes in the camp were on Damien, Marcus was cowering behind one of the Johns with his sword drawn and held in a defensive angle. Damien visibly deflated and stowed his wand.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my outburst.¡± He said with a strain in his voice. ¡°I will be heading to bed early.¡±

    He disappeared into his tent and the light within was quickly extinguished.

    - 67 -

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh! He¡¯s dead!¡± Someone screamed.

    Drew was up and had his armor on in seconds. He was out of the tent in a flash.

    Who screamed? Alicia? The beautiful elf? Who is dead?

    The scene in the middle of the camp was like something out of a horror movie. There was a body mauled to pieces, camp furniture broken and scattered everywhere. Entrails and limbs littered the ground.

    Marcus stood at the edge of the massacre clinging to a wagon with a slim dagger clutched tightly in his fist. The man screamed again when a John placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

    The group of Mercenaries were at regular intervals outside of the wagons standing guard.

    ¡°By the moons, what could have done this?¡± Damien said as he stepped out of his tent. ¡°Is that the cartographer?¡±

    Oh, I can see it now, those are his clothes. He was killed while wearing his day clothes, and he even has his drafting materials there.

    ¡°A beast must have snuck in to kill him in the night.¡± A John said. ¡°How could this happen?¡±

    Thrain and Krag walked up with another John, all three armed to the teeth.

    ¡°What happened here?¡± Thrain demanded.

    Another John replied as he knelt beside the corpse. ¡°Alphonse Glennfyurd was killed by a monster in the night. Look at these claw marks, it must have been a big-¡°

    ¡°It was no monster.¡± Damien said drawing his wand. ¡°It was murder.¡±

    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Marcus shrieked for the third time.

    ¡°Murder? How can you know? Or more so, why would anyone want to kill the young lad?¡± Thrain asked.

    The flap to the women¡¯s tent opened to reveal Isabella and Alicia. The snowy Elf exited the tent and Isabella covered her granddaughter¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°This is quite the mess.¡± She said, stepping gingerly around the perimeter to stand near one of the Johns. ¡°Surely a monster has done this. Or are you suggesting one of us would be so ruthless?¡±

    ¡°Seraphina, you don¡¯t need to witness this.¡± One of the Johns said and gestured to walk the snowy elf away. But she declined.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the first corpse I¡¯ve seen and it won¡¯t be my last.¡± She said. ¡°He was a nice boy, Alphonse.¡±

    A moment of silence followed. The travelers were tense as they looked at each other.

    We are traveling with a murderer. They must be stopped.

    ¡°No beast could have entered the camp last night. I added an additional layer of warding on top of the wagon¡¯s enchantments. Any beast strong enough to notice us would have been forcibly stopped and turned away.¡± Damien explained.

    Damien knows his enchantments, I¡¯ve seen them stop a Drake. He¡¯s got to be correct. Someone here killed the cartographer. But who?

    ¡°Who saw him last?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Yes Drew, good idea. Who saw him last? Judging by his clothes he did not make it to bed.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°And his kit is here, he was up by the fire working on his maps by the firelight.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°I saw him drawing when I turned in for the night.¡± Seraphina said.

    ¡°As did we.¡± One of the Johns said. ¡°We cleaned up dinner and prepped for breakfast and he was drafting away.¡±

    ¡°Marcus and Krag were by the fire with him.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Damien quit the tricks with your familiar. You would be one to talk, you nearly killed the boy last night. We all saw you.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°I did no such thing. And Drew is not my familiar. He¡¯s a named Skurr from Rottervale and he has saved lives more than once.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°What nonsense is this? You mean to tell me there is a named monster traveling with us?¡± A John said. ¡°Did he come from the dungeon?¡±

    The mercenaries readied their weapons but another of the John¡¯s waved them down.

    ¡°That explains it! How you did your talking act! I knew it was too perfect.¡± The third John said. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned, a talking Gallows Bird! I bet they¡¯d go for a fortune.¡±

    ¡°Ten gold actually,¡± Drew said with a shrug. ¡°I was captured and sold once, didn¡¯t like it very much.¡±

    ¡°Quiet evil Demon!¡± Seraphina said and readied a spell.

    ¡°Now wait. Calm down. Drew couldn¡¯t cut up this man like this even if he was feral. Which he is not.¡± Damien said.

    Krag knelt beside the body, without a care for the gore that got on his clothes.

    ¡°Killed by large beast, five claws. Two. Three meters tall. White fur, slick and thermal for northern weather. He fought back.¡± Krag said.

    How can he tell so much from just this chaos? We could use him back on earth!

    ¡°There are only a few things that big in these forests. Bushcats and Drakes the most common.¡± A John said.

    ¡°Neither would make it through our wards.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Unless you wanted them to!¡± Marcus said pointing his dagger at Damien. ¡°Nobody knew these wards were here, what¡¯s to stop you from turning them off and luring a monster here?

    ¡°My dad always said to be wary of old adventurers.¡± A mercenary said.

    ¡°They have lived hard lives. The merciful die young, only the ruthless and cowardly ones survive.¡± Another mercenary said.

    ¡°Stand at ease. Eyes sharp.¡± The captain of the mercenaries said.

    ¡°He speaks true,¡± Thrain said. ¡°Either way, a man loses everyone he loves. Ye are lucky if ya never had anyone to care about at all.¡±

    ¡°Nobody left the camp last night, and no monsters got within a spears throw of the wagons. My men kept our oath. We didn¡¯t know there were additional wards so we posted a full sentry last night.¡± The Captain said.

    Drew watched the group around him. Everyone¡¯s faces were tight with concern.

    This is a bloody massacre, a closed room case. Someone here killed Alphonse and tried to make it look like a beast did it. But who would do that?

    Drew looked at Damien. The man had his wand out still, loosely held at the ready.

    He¡¯s ready to fight everyone here. But so is everyone else. They are all living dangerous lives and have the reflexes to survive.

    ¡°Can everyone stand down?¡± The captain said. ¡°I¡¯ve been hired to keep you all safe and it gets much harder when you are all about to kill each other.¡±

    ¡°Would you all take a moment and breathe? One of my men was a town guard and has the Detect skill.¡± He gestured to the guard that had spoken up before. ¡°If you would submit to questioning then we can get to the bottom of this.¡±

    Around the circle people agreed silently.

    ¡°Start with the enchanter.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°Fine with me, I have nothing to hide.¡± Damien said and pulled up a camp chair to sit down.

    ¡°Jeff, Maggie. Can you clean up the remains of our friend here? Call out if you find any potential evidence. I will take a look and then we will place it over there.¡±

    ¡°Detect.¡± The mercenary said. ¡°Mr Hornbrush, did you set an additional ward around the camp last night?

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What was the effect of the ward?¡±

    ¡°It was a standard monster ward for rank 3 monsters. The same that I maintained for the city of Rottervale.¡±

    ¡°You speak the truth. Did you turn off the enchantment at any time since you activated it?¡±

    ¡°No, in fact it is still active even now if you would like to see it.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, I don¡¯t know the first thing about enchantments.¡±

    ¡°Is your Skurr your Familiar?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°He is not my familiar.¡± Damien replied and looked at the mercenary.

    ¡°True.¡± The mercenary confirmed.

    Two of the mercenaries moved Alphonse¡¯s remains over to the other side of the camp.

    Which one is Jeff and which is Maggie? Wait is Maggie a woman? You can¡¯t even tell them apart in all that armor.

    ¡°Skurr, eyes over here.¡± The mercenary said. ¡°Are you a shapeshifter or demon?¡±

    ¡°No. I am simply a smart bird that has leveled up faster than average by completing guild quests.¡±

    ¡°A partial truth. Explain it again differently.¡±

    ¡°I was smarter to begin with. Although that has made it harder for me in other ways.¡±

    ¡°True. Shorter answers from now on everyone. I don¡¯t want to hear you lot jabber all morning.¡± He said.

    The guard questioned Marcus, Thrain, Krag, and all three Johns. None of them were lying about the death of the cartographer.

    By the time the other mercenaries had dug a grave and spread fresh dirt over the blood stained ground, the investigation had moved to the snowy elf.

    ¡°Seraphina, you were the last to see Alphonse alive. When you saw him did he speak to you?¡±

    ¡°Only to say goodnight, he was focusing on his papers.¡±

    ¡°Truth, but there is something more there.¡±

    ¡°No that¡¯s all he said. Simply good night. Without looking up.¡±

    ¡°What about his papers? Did you get a look at them? Do you know anything about them?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, we spoke about them earlier, it was the most recent map he was working on. The lands around Eesayum. I particularly remember the way he drew the holy mountain, from the opposite side. In Eesayum we draw the northern face as it is seen from the capital.¡±

    A John sorted through the bloodstained scrolls and separated out a few that were damaged before turning to the group.

    ¡°One map is missing.¡± He said. ¡°I know because he had asked me to make a leather sling to hold all 8 and there are these two damaged ones, and 5 intact ones. This last one is missing.¡±

    ¡°Where could it be? Is it around somewhere?¡± Marcus asked, looking around quickly, as if the scroll would jump out and bite him.

    ¡°The killer must have taken it.¡± Drew said.

    Isabella looked out of the tent and saw that the mess was mostly cleaned up.

    ¡°Alicia it is safe to come out my dear.¡± She said over her shoulder. ¡°The mess is cleaned up and the riff raff has calmed down.¡±

    She stepped out on to the dirt and moved towards the wagons, Alicia following closely at her elbow.

    ¡°Lady Moorshadow, we are not yet ready to make way. There has been an incident and one of our fellows has been killed.¡± A John said.

    ¡°Has the Glennfyurd lad been buried yet? We can sort this out simply and be on our way. People die all the time.¡± She said.

    So cold, why am I not surprised? She¡¯s been harsh and cruel. She would fit in well in the cold northern wilds.

    The old woman and young child reached their wagon and she opened the door for her granddaughter to enter first. But she winced as her granddaughter gripped her arm for support.

    The mercenaries tensed, and made a few quick hand gestures to each other.

    ¡°Lady Isabella, if you are hurt I can heal you.¡± Drew said. ¡°I have a healing spell that works quickly.¡±

    A mercenary came around from behind the wagon and stopped a few meters away from Isabella. The other travelers went quiet.

    ¡°Drew get back.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Well now, shit. This doesn''t need to happen this way.¡± Isabella said uncharacteristically snide and sharp.

    ¡°You idiots think you figured something out eh?¡± She said as she unruffled the several folds on her long sleeves.

    ¡°What do you expect to see? A wound perhaps?¡± A too-large wolfish grin spread on her face.

    The mercenary behind her acted first. Throwing his weighted net over the old woman.

    Seraphina and Damien launched their ranged elemental spells and ice and stone slammed down on the growing mass of white fur beneath the net.

    Krag and Thrain charged in yelling as the woman in the net stretched to her full height. No longer an old woman but a large furry white beast. She shrugged off the net now that it barely fit her.

    ¡°Hehehehe.¡± She growled through her needle like sharp teeth.

    Faster than something so large should be able to move, she slipped to the side like liquid death and dodged the large sword Krag swung down on her. He took a defensive stance between Thrain and the beast as she circled the group to slash at the mercenary behind her.

    The mercenary¡¯s armor took the brunt of the attack and his spear was battered from his hands.

    Marcus was beside the Mercenary with his sword up in a defensive position. As her second and third swipes came down he frantically Parried them both, and followed up with a deep Lunge that seemed to be entirely muscle memory since the Elf was screaming in fear the entire time.

    Drew fired off his lightning wand twice and it seemed to have some effect. Causing the giant monster to flinch. Marcus took the opportunity to run away and slipped between the wagons.

    The beast slithered again, snakelike and bore down on the three Johns who were drawing bows. Two got off shots before the beast was too close. She would have slashed them but she was intercepted by two mercenaries with shields.

    The two Bash attacks knocked the beast up onto her hind legs and Drew got a look at her scaled belly.

    She¡¯s like a snake with legs and fur? What the hell? She¡¯s too big for me to even get closer.

    Damien threw out a stamina Talisman and its tether gripped the beast, locking her in place.

    She snarled and bit at the tendrils of mana as they turned icy violet and entered their second phase, draining her stamina to power the Binding enchantment.

    Thrain slammed both of his axes into the beast¡¯s back. Slicing easily through the white fur and into the muscle beneath. He activated an ability and his two axes burst into flame, searing the beast¡¯s flesh and lighting its fur on fire.

    ¡°Ahhhhhh, you damn slug eater!¡± She screamed and reached around with both claws to grab the dwarf and throw him to the ground.

    Before she could tear Thrain to shreds, Krag threw himself in the way of her Swipe. He took the brunt of her first attack on the broadside of his sword, but the second and third attacks slipped through.

    Krag was slashed on his thigh and as he lost his footing the third swipe took off his arm below the elbow.

    ¡°Krag!¡± Thrain shouted.

    Two Mercenaries intercepted again, their Bash attacks knocking the beast back. This time their formation was solid and the three spearmen in their back line struck deeply into the stunned beast¡¯s exposed belly.

    ¡°She¡¯s starting to fatigue!¡± Damien said. ¡°Keep her occupied a little longer!¡±

    He used his stone wand to form the ground up over three of her feet.

    Seraphina blasted freezing water over the beast¡¯s face and it froze solid, blocking her airway.

    Drew landed beside Krag where Thrain was scrambling to pour a potion over the wound.

    ¡°Dammit Krag you big brute, where¡¯s your stupid arm gone?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it!¡± Drew said.

    Crap. Crap. Crap. Where¡¯s that arm? This all went sideways really fast.

    He circled the campsite until he found the half orcs arm.

    He swooped down to pick it up but was tackled out of the air by a small white blur.

 Part 28

    - 68 -

    They tumbled over the ground, pecking and clawing as they rolled. Half the attacks glanced off his armor but the few that still got through cut deep. Drew dropped the arm in the fray and the small beast ended up on top of him.

    It bit down on his shoulder, just between his breastpiece and mantle. Drew was overwhelmed by the pain.

    HP: 28%

    Debuff: Stunned. You lost more than half of your health in one hit. (0:05)

    Debuff: Bleeding. (0/1)

    ¡°Alicia¡­¡± Drew said as he choked out blood.

    She reared back to bite again but stopped.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry missshter Drew. This is how it hasssh to be. Grandmother is ssstrict and teaching me well.¡± She struggled to speak with her weasel snout full of needle like teeth.

    Her little red eyes welled up with tears.

    ¡°I can help you.¡± Drew said.

    She prepared to bite down again.

    The long tip of a rapier protruded through her throat, covering Drew in her blood as she gasped.

    Alicia whirled on her attacker and Marcus cowered back with his sword point between him and the beast.

    Drew activated his healing spells and his health started ticking up.

    She shot in for a bite of the elf but she pulled back just as quickly, not able to find an opening.

    Debuff Removed: Bleeding. Exp 25.HP: 45%

    Drew¡¯s wounds closed up as his MP dropped, until he was able to stand.

    My health is above 50%.

    He let go of his healing spells and focused on Meditation to get his MP back above 50%.

    Marcus cowered behind his sword, slashing and thrusting with the tip. The little monster could not reach him with her claws or teeth no matter how she tried to slither past his guard.

    That poor girl, raised to be a monster.

    Krag¡¯s severed arm on the left, on the right was Marcus and Alicia locked in combat.

    Maybe we can stun her, take her out of the fight?

    Isabella let out a roar and broke free of Damien¡¯s stone restraints, she slashed through a mercenary¡¯s shield and gutted the next mercenary with her second attack.

    Drew fired the last charge of his lightning wand into the elder beast and scooped up Krag¡¯s arm.

    I can heal Krag and hope this fight ends peacefully.

    The Johns fired a volley of arrows into Isabella and her screech of pain distracted Alicia long enough for Marcus to strike.

    Except Marcus took that chance to turn and run instead, but the smaller beast bound after him a second later.

    Drew used his Mage Hand to club her with Krag¡¯s forearm, preventing her from goring Marcus¡¯s back.

    She coiled up and sunk her claws into the arm on reflex, and Drew let her take it. She scrambled over the arm in the dirt, trying to get to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Drew said as he used Mage Hand to stab his throwing knife into her neck. She was lithe and muscular under all the fur and his knife did not penetrate far.

    He stabbed at her again before she threw the arm off and rounded on him.

    Drew flew up out of her reach and the Johns released a volley of arrows into her.

    Combat results: Snowy Skizzard level 34. 1100 exp.

    This is so wrong! I should be able to save children like her!

    Drew grabbed the arm and swooped around the outside of the wagons avoiding the fight. He came around to where Thrain and Krag crouched.

    ¡°Hold on you idiot.¡± Thrain shouted as he unstopped another health potion.

    ¡°Here! I¡¯ve got the arm. Get it attached.¡± Drew said.

    He activated his healing spells for Krag as Thrain washed the arm¡¯s stump off with his canteen of water.

    ¡°Damn thing is filthy, what did you do roll around in the dirt with it?¡±

    ¡°Actually yeah. Then I used it to punch a Skizzard in the face. Now get it lined up properly while I work on his Disarmed debuff.¡±

    ¡°Ye weren¡¯t kidding about the amazing healing spell were you?¡± Thrain asked as the Bleed debuff faded away.

    Debuff Removed: Bleed. 25 exp.

    ¡°It works, just takes time and mana. But you got to line it up right first.¡± Drew said. ¡°You got a spare a mana potion?¡±

    ¡°Anything if you can save my friend.¡± Thrain said

    ¡°Noooooo! You bastards!¡± The elder Skizzard shrieked.

    She staggered towards the corpse of her granddaughter but couldn¡¯t break free of the Bind Talisman¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Damn you! Damn you vile city trash, invading my home! Bugger off to your slimy corrupt cities and just leave the desolate corners of the world alone.¡± She dropped to her belly gasping for breath and bleeding profusely.

    The mercenaries had her surrounded and weren¡¯t letting their guard down again. With their one brother gutted and another out of the fight admitting first aid, they were down to four fighting men. They cautiously took opportunities to stab her with their spears and then jump back before she could swipe at them.

    ¡°Krag, can you hold this?¡± Thrain asked as he handed the Orc his own arm to dig into a pouch at his hip for a mana potion.

    Krag slammed it onto his stump with enough force that Drew felt it shake the ground.

    Debuff Removed: Disarmed. Exp 175.

    Drew downed the offered mana potion and his pool filled up to 100%.

    ¡°That¡¯s one way to do it. Good to have you all in one piece my friend.¡± Thrain said and punched the Orc¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Humph.¡± Krag smiled a massive grin.

    ¡°I need more bandages over here! Maggie is bleeding out!¡± A mercenary shouted.

    ¡°Alright, more folks to heal!¡± Drew said as he flew across the camp.

    He landed poorly beside the fallen mercenary and kicked up some dust as he scrambled to stand.

    ¡°I can help. I have a healing ability.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°She¡¯s bleeding too much. I got almost all her guts back inside but they are all scrambled and her wound won¡¯t seal up. She wouldn¡¯t stop bleeding.¡± Jeff said.

    ¡°Then she¡¯s got bigger problems. Let¡¯s get those guts back out. Bring me a clean tarp! Stat!¡±

    Drew activated his two healing abilities and got a list of debuffs.

    Debuff: Disemboweled: (1/4)

    Debuff: Bleed: (2:00)

    Debuff: Bleed: (2:00)

    Debuff: Bleed: (2:00)

    Debuff: Fractured Bone: (1/1)

    Debuff: Fractured Bone: (1/1)

    Debuff: Fractured Bone: (1/1)

    Debuff: Unconscious.

    Oh damn. That¡¯s a lot of debuffs. I don¡¯t know what the difference in timers or fractions is about but it¡¯s got to be bad either way.

    Probably good that she¡¯s unconscious.

    He activated Mage Hand and stuck the hand into her torso.

    What happens if there''s foreign objects inside still after I close her up? No way this makes any sense but let¡¯s get going.

    ¡°Feels like her ribs are fractured. And her guts are just shoved back in helter skelter.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Speak Common! I don¡¯t know what any of that means.¡± Jeff said as he brought a clean canvas tarp out of the nearest cart. He laid it out next to Maggie and then dragged her onto it.

    ¡°How much of her guts fell out earlier?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Too much, a couple handfuls? Five?¡± Jeff said.

    Debuff removed: Bleed. Exp 125.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to pull some back out and you are going to wash them off. Then we put them back in better.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Damn, okay. I¡¯m ready.¡± Jeff said.

    MP: 25%

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need some mana potions and she¡¯s going to need health potions. Do you have any on you?¡±

    Jeff swore then shook his head.

    ¡°I ain¡¯t made of gold, I can only afford bandages. I used them all on her already.¡±

    ¡°Damien! I need that bag of potions!¡± Drew shouted.

    Damien was crouched down in the dirt carving an enchantment into the ground around the immobile Skizzard.

    ¡°Trunk! Bring Drew those bags!¡± Damien hollered.

    His trunk came skittering out of the tent and made a beeline directly for Drew.

    Drew used Mage Hand to pull out some of the woman¡¯s guts.

    Debuff: Disemboweled: (4/4)

    Okay that was a few handfuls¡­seems like everything else is tightly packed in so I better leave the rest alone. There¡¯s dirt and who knows what else in here.

    The trunk opened and Drew grabbed the travel bag. Drew took out two mana potions and a health potion. Jeff¡¯s eyes went wide as he saw into the bag.

    Drew downed one mana potion and set the other aside for later. He took the health potion and dumped it directly into the woman¡¯s open wound.

    It works like magic right? Does it prevent disease and infection too?

    Debuff removed: Fractured Bone x1. Exp 250.

    Debuff removed: Bleed. Exp 125.

    ¡°Is it working?¡± Jeff said.

    Jeff poured water from a second canteen onto the guts and once they were cleaner Drew started laying them back into her exposed torso.

    Just like the switchbacks we came down the mountain yesterday. Just got to feed them in. They all fit before so they will fit in again right?

    Debuff removed: Fractured Bone x1. Exp 250.

    Debuff: Disemboweled: (1/4)

    ¡°Alright, nearly there Jeff.¡± Drew said as he tucked the last of her guts in and closed the flaps of her stomach with a claw.

    I guess her missing tissue and muscles will grow back too. She will likely get an infection when I seal her up, but if it¡¯s a debuff then I¡¯ll fix that later. Here goes nothing.

    Debuff: Disemboweled: Removed. Exp 350.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Drew downed the next mana potion as his MP hit 10%.

    - 69 -

    Isabela turned out be be a giant were-ferret-snake thing? Who knew? I guess she did growl an awful lot. But maybe it¡¯s a curse? Like did she want her granddaughter to be one too?

    Drew looked at his combat results again.

    Combat results: Elder Snowy Skizzard level 94. 6100 exp.

    The John''s had wordlessly started to break down the monster''s corpse and bury the remains. They did not add any of the parts to their food reserves, opting to bury them instead.

    I¡¯ve got enough to level up. But the storage ring is more of an issue right now. My speed run is slowing down to a crawl now that I¡¯ve ranked up.

    Drew spent the exp on his Gathering Ring and upgraded it once. The upgrade increased each of the 6 slots capacity by 1 each.

    He quickly loaded three of the slots with mana potions and two slots with health potions, the last slot held throwing knives.

    Now I¡¯m a walking medical station.

    ¡°Captain I¡¯m telling you the Skurr saved Ruth¡¯s life.¡± Jeff said.

    ¡°I heard you Brother, that¡¯s not the issue. Your fellow was mortally wounded because you couldn¡¯t keep your shield up.¡±

    The captain delivered two punches quickly into the other man. One at the knee, and the other at his neck.

    ¡°The shield wall only works when you protect the man to your right from knee to neck. Do you know now where that is Jeff?¡±

    The man gasped on the ground from the neck strike. He managed to nod his head yes.

    ¡°Good, dismissed.¡±

    The captain turned to where Drew sat nearby. He pretended to mind his own business while he cleaned his armor.

    ¡°Do you have a problem with how I disciplined Jeff?¡± The captain asked.

    Drew shook his head no and the man stood silently at ease thinking.

    ¡°You are not a member of our brotherhood. I have taken no oaths from you. I have given you no oaths.¡± He paused to think.

    ¡°I will grant you the same reward for saving a brother¡¯s life that I would offer any of my men.¡±

    At this point I¡¯ll take anything. Gold, or food, an iou to use later.

    ¡°Better armor or weapon or gear. It¡¯s yours to choose.¡± He said.

    Drew stared at the man.

    Until today I thought they were invincible. I had not seen any of the mercenaries without their armor on. Now I have seen three of them. Jeff and Maggie are both battle scared and grisly but still human. The captain puts them both to shame. Every part of this guy¡¯s face has been broken at one point.

    ¡°Speak up, you make me look like a mad fool talking to myself.¡±

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯d like a knife. The only one I have is this throwing one and it has nearly failed to penetrate every foe I have fought.¡±

    ¡°We can get you a knife. But that hardly seems enough. You used three potions to save a life I am sworn to protect, that is a heavy burden.¡±

    ¡°A heavy knife then. And a skill book. What can you offer a hero like me?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fair trade hero. But we are not wealthy enough to travel with skill books. And they encourage lazyness." The Captain said.

    "My men are incentivized to train all their skills above level 20 so they can teach them to their brothers as needed. Ask around amongst the brothers and when you find a skill you like let me know.¡± He donned his helmet.

    ¡°When Maggie wakes up, ask her for a knife. She is our quartermaster and a weapons expert.¡± He quickly marched away.

    Damien waved from over by the wagon, his trunk was packed and loaded up, the wagons were getting ready to go.

    Drew looked back down to the small stone marker Damien had erected for Alphonse.

    The mercenaries buried him deep. They set his kit and tools on his grave.

    Their burial ritual was simple. A minute of silence then they sang. It was a wordless harmony, started by one mercenary, and picked up by the next so that the note never faltered. Then new pairs chimed in with their own sounds. Some humming, some groaning, one pair took turns whispering ¡°tah tah tah tah tah¡± without pause.

    It was awful, chaotic, and mesmerizing.

    ¡°Ye saved the life of my friend, one I care about as much as my own.¡± Thrain and Krag stepped up beside Drew and they both stared a moment at the stone as well.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do it. I heard from that cowardly tink Marcus that you risked your life to regain Krag¡¯s arm.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing the best I can, healing is something I want to be good at.¡± Drew said.

    Krag nodded. He reached down and handed Drew a ring with a hooked fang icon on top.

    New item: [Blacktooth Family Ring]. You have been given a favor by Krag Blacktooth. Your standing with the Blacktooth clan has increased to Friendly.

    ¡°You have both our thanks.¡± Thrain said. ¡°If you need anything simply ask and if it is in my cart you can have it.¡± He laughed and the two of them went to get their cart ready.

    Drew flew over to the wagon he shared with Damien and landed on the open door.

    ¡°Well Drew we¡¯ve made some friends the hard way. How are you feeling?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°You know, actually pretty bad. I fought and killed a little girl. She sat there across from us for a whole day. She laughed at my jokes. She loved reading that book right there! She was a real little girl.¡±

    Damien sat patiently with his book open and listened.

    ¡°But guess what! She was also a monster, trained by her grandmother to be a deadly killer. Dragged along on some kind of vendetta to kill that cartographer? For what? Because he drew a map of her forest? That¡¯s fucked up. Right?¡±

    Damien closed his book and looked out the window.

    ¡°Skizzards are a strange story, a strange species. They don¡¯t reproduce the way you would expect, they don¡¯t give birth. They infect themselves into others and forcibly convert them to their race. I have never heard of one so young as Alicia being turned. Nor have I heard of a Skizzard quite so old or adept at appearing Ressian.¡±

    ¡°Could I have saved her? Is there a cure?¡±

    ¡°She was already a monster, there¡¯s no changing that. Her family would have already mourned her as lost. Any government in the world would consider her dead already. Born again as a monster no matter if she still answered to her Ressian name.¡±

    A John called back to the other wagons.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move out!¡±

    Drew hopped down into the wagon and took the spot opposite of Damien. He closed the book forgotten there by the dead little girl.

    Lover in the Lost Woods... a Novel?

    Alicia¡¯s spot. Was she that much more of a monster than I am? Was Marcus¡¯s life worth more than hers? If I had chosen her side could I have killed Marcus? Would I have gone to live with the Skizzards?

    ¡°Do Skizzards have cities?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°No. They hate the noise of cities. Scholars theorize that they have heightened senses that are overwhelmed by urban sights and sounds and smells. One can sneak into a city to create more of their kind. But they always retreat back to their lairs.¡±

    ¡°But then there¡¯s me, right? People are either calling me a demon or a shapeshifter or trying to sell me off for a handful of gold as a novelty.¡± Drew shouted.

    ¡°What do you mean Drew?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had time to tell you the whole story. When I was gone those few days. It was because the guild master captured me and sold me to a merchant. The merchant took me out of Rottervale in a cage and I wasn¡¯t able to do anything until some Pixens killed him and tried to kill me too.¡±

    ¡°Anyways, a lot happened, but nobody treated me like a person. Not until I met a family of farmers. They trusted me and helped me return to Rottervale.¡±

    ¡°Drew, this is a fantastic story, but it¡¯s more than anyone would reasonably expect a Skurr to be able to do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the hardest part. I¡¯m not a Skurr. Well I am now. I was a man before I died. But I couldn¡¯t afford to come back as a person again.¡±

    ¡°You are godsent? Drew that¡¯s fantastic, how much of the godly realms do you remember? There¡¯s so much you could tell us!¡±

    Damien opened up his book again and started scribbling across the pages.

    Maybe I said too much.

    ¡°This explains everything! Your name for one, and increased intellect, why it would explain how you can learn skills for Ressians. Godsent, fascinating.¡±

    ¡°Is it so rare?¡± Drew asked, but Damien didn¡¯t hear him.

    ¡±Tell me everything. Which gods did you meet? What were the hallowed halls like? Were they full of angels?¡±

    ¡°It was a while ago, but I didn¡¯t meet any gods.¡±

    ¡±Their angels then, was there a holy choir of angels?¡±

    ¡°If there were angels I didn¡¯t meet them. I met their employees. They called themselves representatives.¡±

    What do I know? I have my blessings. And what¡¯s his face the death faction guy was super rude¡­ when was the last time I thought about the gods anyways? And wasn¡¯t there a sprite? He hasn¡¯t shown up in a while either. Holy shit I can¡¯t remember much at all.

    ¡°My case worker was Agusta, she was an Elf, not an Angel. Atleast she didn¡¯t have any wings. She seemed pretty good at her job. Got me my blessings by tricking this other Elf from the other faction.¡±

    Damien was writing everything down quickly.

    ¡°They argued and had petty vendettas. They were flawed people like you or me or anyone.¡± Drew said with a shrug.

    ¡°Fascinating, truly astounding.¡±

    ¡°There was a wisp! That helped me select my starting city and race. They knew a lot of history about all the kingdoms and races. You two would get along actually.¡±

    Damien made the sign of the moon and spat out the window.

    ¡°I hope a wisp never finds me. They are untrustworthy tricksters that steal babies.¡±

    ¡°They bring them back sometimes.¡± Drew said under his breath.

    ¡°Damien, I don¡¯t know how but a lot of the things about the gods are fuzzy and hard to remember. I know that I got to choose to be Skurr, Ressians and Elves were better but I couldn¡¯t afford it. Not enough juice to make lemonade, does that make sense to you? I got short changed on points because of the blessing I got in my interview.¡±

    Damien stopped writing. ¡°You have a blessing? Is it your healing ability? What¡¯s it called?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Basic Heal. But I have Healers Blessing which removes debuffs, like Bleed or our hangovers.

    ¡°Fantastic, so you are aligned with the God of Nature. You must have been a healer in your previous life.¡± Damien said to himself as he jotted down notes.

    Still can¡¯t tell him I¡¯m from Earth. Having one blessing was enough to make him forget I used to be human. Being godsent apparently is overwhelming enough.

    The wagon trundled along while Damien scribbled new notes down in his books. Drew had time to think about his whole situation.

    Is this what Agusta had planned for me? Is she some all powerful Angel? Did she set me on this course? Am I destined to travel across a dangerous fantasy world where the plants and animals are dangerous? Even the people beside me could be monsters.

    Damien really put himself into harms way to go with me across the kingdom, it¡¯s the second day and three people were killed by the other party members. Even Damien was a dangerous killer in his younger years. Maybe that death elf guy was right.

    Will I survive the trip? Will I be me when we reach Valoria? Or will I be hardened killer? And then where do I go?

    Getting kicked out of the valley by the flock is basically a death sentence.

    I really have gotten myself into a big mess.

    - 70 -

    ¡°Alright everyone let¡¯s get cleaned up and try to find a place to get this wheel fixed.¡± A John said.

    By noon the next day, they had crossed a soggy patch of countryside between two low hills. By midmorning the ground was spotted with puddles. They turned out to conceal some kind of skeletal turtles. Three erupted from out of the muddy puddles damaging the wheels of the lead wagon and killing one of the garnts.

    Damien and Drew jumped as their wagon rocked and jolted so extremely that Damien¡¯s trunk fell off the back.

    Drew jumped out the window without time to put on his armor. From above he could see two massive skeleton turtles trying to flip the front wagon over.

    Whoa! Undead Turtles! Those look like they are strait out of a Necromancer¡¯s wet dream.

    The John driving their wagon pulled over to the side of the road where it was dry and tried to calm his Garnts.

    ¡°They are called Bone Snappers. Strong surprise attackers, they can wreck a wagon easily.¡±

    Damien stepped out of the wagon and called his trunk back over and got it reattached to the wagon as he spoke.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t actually made of bones, they collect them and wear them. They are related to lizards under all that bone.¡±

    The mercenaries had been more than capable of handling the monsters, and they chipped the bones off of the turtles to harvest the soft meat inside.

    Marcus¡¯s garnt was drafted to help pull the damaged wagon and he was forced to ride with Seraphina. They made it another hour without issue when a John called for a stop.

    ¡°Hey John! My wheel is cricked. If you can come set it right I¡¯ll make an early lunch.¡±

    ¡°Is it the front right one? I told you it was going to need more attention. I¡¯ve got some strips of canvas and glue, let¡¯s patch it up and get a move on.¡± The other John replied.

    ¡°Damien, let¡¯s go pay a visit to our friends Thrain and Krag. He promised me one thing on his cart and I haven¡¯t even taken a look.¡± Drew said.

    Drew strapped on his armor.

    Just to be safe.

    ¡°Oh certainly, I will grab my mana lens. I have been wanting to preview his enchantments. His cart seems to be very complex.¡± Damien said.

    He grabbed a small kit from his bag and joined Drew beside the wagon.

    As they passed the second wagon the door opened and Marcus rushed out. He had his heavy wrap cinched tightly over his shoulders. Cold air wafted out behind him and he rubbed his arms with his hands to shake off some ice.

    ¡°Oh!¡± He said with a start. ¡°Hello Damien, Drew. Care for some company in your wagon after lunch? I¡¯ve been given the cold shoulder.¡± He said.

    It¡¯s like a walk in freezer in there. No wonder he doesn''t want to ride with her anymore.

    ¡°Certainly Marcus. We have more than enough space.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied, ¡°where are you two off to?¡±

    ¡°Heading over to Thrain¡¯s cart to go shopping.¡± Drew replied.

    ¡°Oh, well I hope you find what you are looking for. I¡¯ll move my bags and we can meet up after lunch?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°We should be back in time for lunch save us a seat.¡± Drew said.

    The elf loosened up some and smiled before hurrying over to where a John was prepping lunch.

    ¡°Ho friends!¡± Thrain shouted as they approached. ¡°Come to see my wares?¡±

    Drew swooped over quicker than Damien could walk and circled the cart.

    Krag had opened up the kitchenette portion again and was pouring an ale for Thrain.

    ¡°I may buy something, but I¡¯d be more than content to simply see your enchantments working. I never did get the answer from you, regarding the schematics.¡± Damien replied as he stepped up to grab a seat.

    ¡°Drew, come down and look at this catalog, if you cant read then ask Krag to read it for you, he can use the practice.¡± Thrain said and tossed a small leather folio onto the table for Drew.

    Drew was relieved to see the book was written in common, a neat record of every item on the cart.

    There¡¯s got to be over a hundred pages here. Some of these items have to be huge. A bathtub for two? How does it all fit in this cart?

    Krag poured an ale for Damien who sipped at it before speaking.

    ¡°Thrain, why did you side with me when nobody else did this morning?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Well you don¡¯t know me. I haven¡¯t earned your trust, and yet you knew in an instant I wasn¡¯t the one who killed Alphonse.¡± Damien said staring into his ale.

    ¡°We have not known eachother long, you and I. But I have known many men and I know when one is haunted by his past.¡± Thrain said looking away towards the forest.

    Damien looked pensively into his ale before his eyes hardened.

    There¡¯s so many things here, what do I want to begin with anyways? I can¡¯t carry much at all. Stat points and health are what I need most. I was taking too much damage.

    ¡°Krag, what do you have for raising my defense that is easy to carry? I can avoid hits, but when they do hit I lose a lot of health.¡± Drew said.

    Some kind of armor? Maybe a light elven chainmail woven from high grade mythril?

    Krag turned the pages of the leather folio to a section near the back where there were alchemical items.

    ¡°Here.¡± He grunted and pointed to a section on alchemical baths.

    I¡¯ve read about these in that Alchemy book. They come in powdered form, kinda like bath salts and are added to water.

    New Quest: Learn Alchemy: The art of understanding and directing the mana of the world around you. It takes understanding and precise control. The Mage expects great things from you.

    Yes Please! There are treatments to raise each of the earthly stats, and also ones to raise my defense against a specific element.

    ¡°This is amazing. Which stat would give me more survivability? Increasing my HP, or raising my constitution?¡±

    Krag stabbed the page with one large finger. The writing was so fine that his finger indicated three different line items.

    ¡°How much would this treatment raise my defense if my CON is 18 and my HP is 35?¡± Drew asked.

    Krag pulled a lever on the cart and a few sections shuffled around to reveal a shelf with several paper wrapped boxes in different colors.

    ¡°Oh ho, savvy choice Drew. A creature as light and fast as you needs help increasing your constitution.¡± Thrain said as he leaned over to pick up a red box from the shelf.

    Damien was squinting through his Mana Lens jotting down notes on how the cart shifted.

    Krag reached for a different box of a deeper shade of red placing it in front of Drew instead.

    ¡°Needs HP more.¡± Krag said and put the other box back on the shelf.

    ¡°It won¡¯t matter how much HP he has if he keeps losing it due to low CON.¡± Thrain rebuffed, returnig the box to the table.

    ¡°Could I buy both?¡± Drew asked checking the price for the alchemy kits.

    Wow that would be all my gold. Maybe I can haggle them down some.

    ¡°For two together it could run you 50 gold, but with the friends and family rate, and considering the favor we owe you it comes out to 30 gold.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°Wow 30 gold, that¡¯s a hefty investment. Maybe I¡¯ll only need one for now and then I¡¯ll come back and buy the other after I get more coin.¡±

    Krag placed 5 gold coins down on the table beside the two boxes without saying a word.

    ¡°There you see we are a generous merchants.¡± Thrain said.

    Damien placed down 5 gold coins of his own.

    ¡°Throw in a vessel made of mirror steel, and mana enriched water for the bath and you have got a deal.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Done. Ye drive a hard bargain my friend. I could use ya help with the housewives in the next town we pass through! Hah ha!¡±

    Thrain¡¯s laugh was honest, rumbling deep in his chest.

    The two men clasped hands to seal the deal and Drew hopped onto the table to drop 20 gold coins onto the table.

    ¡°Bella¡¯s moon lad, you have been carrying such a heavy purse, it¡¯s a miracle you can fly at all!¡± The merchant said.

    Thrain laughed some more.

    ¡°Happy to share the burden of my wealth with you. Hope it¡¯s not too much for you to carry.¡± Drew said.

    Krag scooped the coins off the table into a red leather coin purse.

    ¡°Thats why I have Krag, he¡¯s great with the heavy lifting.¡± Thrain laughed.

    ¡°Krag get our friends our finest wash basin, and two stone of that purified water from lake Lira¡¯D Real.¡±

    ¡°Lunch is served all. Come and get it!¡± A John called out.

    Krag carried the materials over to their wagon in the wash basin and then joined them for lunch.

 Part 29

    - 71 -

    Jeff came running up to their group at dinner time. Damien, Thrain and Krag were circled around a simple camping table eating roasted Guile with Skeetle compote they had fire-roasted Hopper Grass cobs too.

    It¡¯s amazing how well we can eat considering we are traveling through the most dangerous woods I¡¯ve ever heard of.

    ¡°Drew. Maggie woke up and she is eating. She¡¯s got a debuff capping her health and constitution. Do you want to come take a look?¡±

    ¡°Lead the way.¡± Drew said.

    Maggie woke during lunchtime earlier that day but wasn¡¯t coherent enough to talk. She received some medicinal broth the mercenaries made from wrapped cubes of herbs and tallow.

    She looks pale, something is definitely still up.

    ¡°You are serious Jeff? The enchanter¡¯s familiar healed me? Looking at my logs I would have been dead. A whole team of medics and a hospital tent would have struggled to heal me.¡± Maggie said.

    She pulled up her logs again and couldn¡¯t help but look confused.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, I have a powerful combination of healing spells that when channeled, remove debuffs and restore health directly.¡± Drew said fluffing up his feathers. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure how much better they are than a health potion.¡±

    ¡°Well you will have a chance to show me. I¡¯ve got this debuff, Mild Infection. It¡¯s capping my max HP at 80% full.¡±

    ¡°Sounds tough, that¡¯s a new one for me. I¡¯ll give it a look.¡± Drew said. ¡°Put your hand up here on the table near me. I¡¯ve got to be touching you for my spells to work.¡±

    She hesitated but then rested her hand onto the table where Drew could reach it. He hopped over and placed one claw on her hand and activated his healing abilities.

    Debuff: [Mild Infection] (20%)

    Focusing on it, he was able to pull up a description.

    [Mild Infection] You have an infection that is approaching severe. 20% Reduction in max HP until the infection removed. Failure to tend to the infection will allow it to increase.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s possible this infection could kill you eventually.¡± Drew said. ¡°It would get worse over time.¡±

    Maggie was shocked. ¡°Bleed effects always have a timer based on my passive healing rate and the severity of the wound. You are basically saying my own natural healing rate can¡¯t out pace this debuf?¡±

    Oh right, so that¡¯s how it works eh? If there¡¯s a timer then the inflicted person won¡¯t die from that debuff?

    Debuff: [Mild Infection] (18%)

    HP:80%

    ¡°Well, good news is my spells work, the debuff is counting down. But this is going to take a while.¡± Drew said. ¡°Considering that 20% of my mana pool reduces 2% of your infection then we will need to take a break or two for me to recharge.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great! Maggie you are going to make it.¡± Jeff exclaimed.

    ¡°Well then we have time to discuss your request. The captain ordered me to find you a knife and a skill.¡° Maggie said.

    ¡°I¡¯m the group¡¯s quartermaster. I am more than happy to give you a heavy knife. It sounds like you could use a Shirk.¡±

    She pulled a long double edged dagger from the trunk beside her. It was finely built and symmetrical. Its guard and hilt were lightly adorned with mundane geometric patterns.

    ¡°They are used by dwarves when they fight mounted, they leap from their mounts as they enter close combat. Because of their increased length and weight they are good for the Parry skill as well as the Thrust skill, especially good at penetrating weak spots in armor.¡± Maggie said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use up your favor with the captain on any knife skills. I¡¯d recommend training with the knife to develop those skills. You need to build the muscle memory for the timing.¡± She said. ¡°Save it for a hard to learn skill.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. I guess. So then what makes a skill hard to learn?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Any number of factors. Materials cost to practice it, like Archery, you need to break a lot of arrows practicing, or something dangerous like Explosives proficiency.¡±

    ¡°Or blood magic, it is fueled by drawing your HP. Really dangerous to practice.¡± Jeff said.

    Debuff: [Mild Infection] (12%)

    HP:20%

    ¡°I had better take a break.¡± Drew said and switched his focus from his healing spells to his Meditation skill.

    ¡°Jeff! Have you been keeping up with your knife training? What levels are your Thrust and Parry skills at?" Maggie called out.

    "Yes Ma''am. 25 and 28 respectively." Jeff responded.

    "Great, come over here and spar with Drew.¡± Maggie said. ¡°You are going to train him until he unlocks both skills.¡±

    Maggie handed Drew the Shirk and Jeff took a ready position with his own slender knife.

    ¡°Okay, here we go. If I cut you I promise I¡¯ll heal you back to full health.¡± Drew said as he hopped into the air.

    There was a fair breeze blowing across the camp and Drew let it lead him to Jeff¡¯s left side. He spun in the air and swung the knife out at the man with his claw. His strike was slower with the heavier knife.

    Jeff easily blocked the attack with a well timed Parry. He swung out at Drew with a slice of his own. All he cut off were a few of Drew¡¯s feathers from his wingtip.

    ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s really fast Jeff!¡± Drew said as he circled around and above the mercenary.

    ¡°It helps to have a high knife proficiency, and my dexterity is pretty high.¡± Jeff said with a shrug.

    Jeff struck again, and again, aiming to knock Drew¡¯s knife out of his claws.

    Drew¡¯s claw was getting tired after the third clash so he switched claws.

    Drew kept close and swung his knife at Jeff whenever he saw an opening.

    If I stay close and keep the pressure on I might be able to catch him on his back foot. Since I¡¯m flying I can attack from strange angle.

    Jeff¡¯s next strike got really close and Drew barely spun out of the way.

    Jeff stabbed out with his Thrust ability, striking the knife from Drews¡¯s claw.

    Ah ha! Got him!

    Drew activated Mage Hand and caught his knife. He swooped down and thrust out with the knife. The knife looked more like the head of a spectral spear as he extended his reach.

    The attack glanced off Jeff¡¯s knife and the flexibility of the magical arm allowed the knife to slip past and down the inside of his arm drawing blood.

    New Skill: [Thrust] lvl 1

    ¡°Alright! I got Thrust.¡± Drew shouted. He dismissed the details of the skill so he could keep his eyes on the mercenary.

    ¡±Congrats! I¡¯ve got something else for you.¡± Jeff said and grit his teeth.

    Jeff didn¡¯t let up, and came back with a flurry of swings that drove Drew back.

    Stamina: 18%

    ¡°Whoa Jeff, that¡¯s enough man.¡± Drew said flying backwards some more and trying to gain some altitude.

    Stamina +1

    Jeff rushed in with a big Thrust and Drew put his blade into its path. The momentum and angle of his blade clicked into place, turning aside Jeff¡¯s strike. Drew didn¡¯t miss the opening to slide the knife inside Jeff¡¯s guard again.

    New Skill: [Parry] lvl 1.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Before Drew¡¯s knife struck him, Jeff swiped through the spectral arm with his off hand, diffusing it. Drew¡¯s knife skidded across the ground.

    ¡°Damn good timing! Did you unlock Parry with that last attack?¡± Jeff asked.

    ¡°Sure did!¡± Drew said. ¡°You had me worried there after I cut you.¡±

    ¡°Jeff was a brawler before he joined our group. He gains a few buffs the lower his HP is.¡± Maggie said.

    ¡°I may have lost my cool a little but I had it under control. Just trying to push you on to your back foot so you gain the proficiency a little quicker.¡± Jeff said.

    Drew swooped down to store his knife in his ring.

    ¡±Remind me not to make you angry.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°I¡¯d watch out for opponents targeting your Mage Hand especially while you have it extended out so far. The arm becomes a big slow target.¡± Jeff said.

    Flying and using knife strikes is going to tire me out quickly. And if my mage hand gets destroyed at a bad time then I lose the knife. Best to keep it as a surprise attack.

    ¡°Can you heal him already? He¡¯s been bleeding all over the place!¡± Maggie shouted.

    - 72 -

    The next morning, the wagon train changed course to head towards a small village the Johns knew had a blacksmith.

    Drew spent the morning riding the warm breeze and asking the mercenaries which skills they had.

    He sparred with a few of them each time the Johns stopped to check their route on a couple maps of the area.

    Drew gained a point in Strength, and Agility by lunchtime.

    After all that, there were three skills that were interesting: Simple Mend, Cooking, and Detect.

    I really want ways to earn exp outside of combat. Surviving a big fight makes you level up in huge leaps, that¡¯s likely what will get me to the next rank. But the slow ready climb that comes from skills and crafting is what¡¯s going to get me through the next fight.

    ¡°My recommendation is to learn the other two skills through intense practice and take Detect.¡± The captain said.

    They were back on the march after lunch and Drew gripped the wagon¡¯s tailgate while the captain marched along behind.

    The captain gestured to the Johns driving the other carts.

    ¡°You can learn to cook simply by cooking food, and the same is true with mending clothes and armor, just need the right kits and materials to start practicing.¡±

    ¡°Take Detect. It is the harder skill to unlock on your own and guards will only teach it to other guards.¡± The Captain said.

    ¡°We are lucky to have our brother Monroe. He learned the skill from his father who was a City Guard.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ll send him around at dinner tonight and he can teach you the skill.¡±

    ¡°Hold up,¡± the John on the front cart said. ¡°Something is different about this forest.¡±

    ¡°Seems the same as last time to me.¡± Said another John. ¡°We came through here in the winter last time, the frost nicked all the leaves. Now it is early summer and the trees are in their prime.¡±

    The mercenary captain marched up with two of his battle brothers beside him.

    ¡°No no. I think you are right to be concerned, that canopy ahead seems like the work of a beast.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°If I had to guess it could be Spider Melons, or it could be-¡° John was interrupted by the captain shouting.

    ¡°To arms men!¡±

    They were immediately set upon by two long armed apes each the size of a wagon, they had long shaggy orange dreadlocks all over their bodies and thick shields of woven vines like shells on their backs.

    They dropped down onto the wagon in the front as Damien and Marcus jumped clear. The wagon shattered and the sound of a strange wailing rose up.

    The dust settled and one of the large beasts snatched up a Garnt in one hand and chomped down on its leg.

    Drew flew into the action, slashing with his Shirk out and slicing a chunk out of the ape¡¯s hand, causing it to drop the Garnt.

    Damien¡¯s shield popped up and Drew led the ape directly towards it.

    Drew passed around the shield without issue, and the ape ran into it face first, stopping cold against the immovable bubble of mana.

    ¡°What the heck are those things?¡± Drew said as he landed behind the shield.

    ¡°Damn, Timberbacks! This is not good.¡± Damien said.

    The two beasts were pounding on the mana shield with enough force that Damien was straining to seal up the cracks.

    ¡°My mana is running out quickly we need to distract them.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Trunk to me!¡± He yelled and pulled out his Stone Shape wand.

    ¡°Drew, when the Trunk gets here you will need your armor, then it¡¯s going to give you a Fire Bolt wand, these apes are weak to fire.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good to me. And then I light these big monkeys on fire.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°What? No these are apes. Never mind, that¡¯s irrelevant, you have the right idea. But be careful to not set the forest on fire.¡±

    Oh dang how often do new wizards lose control of their fire spells here?

    Damien¡¯s Trunk entered through the back of the shield and it popped open, spitting out Drew¡¯s armor.

    ¡±Thank you Trunk.¡± Drew said

    ¡°Trunk, he will need a fire bolt wand too.¡±

    Drew equipped his armor and picked up the wand as it was spat out.

    I¡¯ve got my health potions and the mana potions, my Shirk, and the lightning wand. Here we go!

    Drew flew out from behind  the shield slinging bolts of fire down on the two Timberbacks. They flew like small flaming tennis balls, and arched towards the apes. The first couple shots landed at the ape¡¯s feet and Drew corrected his aim.

    The fire started to spread immediately to the grass and low hanging trees along the road.

    The Johns had managed to pull back the other carts and the mercenaries had made a wall of shields to protect them.

    The Johns were lighting arrows with tar and launching volley after volley of fire arrows into the other ape.

    Ha! Great minds think alike.

    One of the beasts threw a broken axel at Drew and it clipped the tip of his wing as he dove out of the way.

    Seraphina attacked the spreading fire with bone cold water, and used her wind magic to buff back the breeze and starve out the fire.

    A volley of arrows hit their targets causing the apes to rear back and swipe the shafts off their shell like shields.

    The mercenaries advanced forwards ready to box the apes in against Damien¡¯s shield.

    Drew switched his wands out when he ran out of charges. His lightning chained off both Timberbacks.

    ¡°Steady men!¡± The captain shouted as they slowly closed in on the beasts.

    Drew fired off his last charge of Chain Lightning and swapped out his wand for the Shirk.

    But how do I get in close? These things must have smelled terrible even before we set them on fire. The smoke is pretty unbearable.

    Stone walls erupted on either side of the beasts creating a corridor leading the Mercenaries towards Damien¡¯s shield.

    Damien must be trying to funnel them in.

    Drew had a moment to get a broader view of the fight.

    Maybe I¡¯ve done my part of the fighting, those things are so big I won¡¯t leave a scratch with my knife. I bet I could heal that Garnt. Or does Marcus need healing? Where¡¯s he at anyways?

    Marcus turned out to be trapped in the stone corridor between the Timberbacks and the mercenary shield wall. He was plastered with his back to the wall and barely noticeable.

    Is he using a stealth skill?

    The two apes noticed him too and one charged him.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± Marcus gave up on stealth and took off running down the corridor towards the approaching mercenaries.

    The smoldering Timberback caught up to him in two bounds. But Marcus managed to draw his rapier and dagger and perform a perfect parry.

    The ape was knocked up into the air and Marcus proceeded to stab it several times before it hit the ground.

    What the heck? How can you parry something that big with such a small sword?

    The beast landed in a heap and didn¡¯t move as Marcus kept running.

    Seraphina called up frosty wind and water to form a large icicle, she slammed it down piercing into the ape¡¯s back below its neck.

    Combat results: Timberback Guardian lvl 23. Exp 1870

    Marcus came fully out of his stealth ability to run and vault over the wall of Mercenary shields.

    As the mercenaries approached the second ape lashed out with some long vine whips it had sprouted from its back. It battered the shield wall from a distance and they couldn¡¯t reach it to retaliate with their spears.

    Drew swooped in from behind and slashed with his knife, severing one of the vines.

    The other vine whipped low to the ground out of his reach.

    The Johns released another volley of arrows into the beast and Seraphina retreated back behind her wagon.

    ¡°Engage men!¡± And the mercenaries charged into range. Battering aside the remaining vine and the Timberback¡¯s long arms with their shields.

    Years of training had long ago turned the men and women into a machine of shields and spears. With the Ape boxed in by the corridor, and Damien¡¯s shield, there was nowhere for it to go and they eventually wore down the ape until it was dead.

    Combat results: Timberback Guardian lvl 27. Exp 1956

    ¡°Alright men, divide up, Jeff, Maggie, and Monroe, help clean up these beasts. The rest of us are going to salvage what we can from this wagon. If anyone needs healing holler up.¡±

    ¡°We eat Ape tonight!¡± A John cheered.

    ¡°I love Ape, oh let me count the ways.

    Ape rump in skeetle glaze,

    Ape smoked, ape poached, ape pot roast.¡±

    Another John joined in with the macabre lyric as they started looting the beasts.

    ¡°Ape smorgasbord! Ape on toast!

    On ape we dine, on ape we sup.

    If you have some ape, we will eat it all up!¡±

    ¡°What strange men.¡± Damien said. He and Drew were sorting through the debris of their cart.

    Drew had tried to heal the Garnt, but with the leg devoured there was not a way to remove the disarmed debuff. Instead he returned it to full health and resolved the bleed debuff. The wound wouldn¡¯t close until the disarmed debuff timed out. Its wounded leg sealed up with fresh pink skin and it was now a happy three legged Garnt.

    ¡°Can you cook, Damien?¡± Drew asked as they sorted through their smashed wagon.

    Drew grabbed the small book that had belonged to Alicia and flew it over to the trunk for safe keeping.

    ¡°I can, well some. I don¡¯t have the proficiency built up much. There is a certain point where you need to find more rare and elaborate recipes and ingredients to level up further.¡±

    He pulled aside some wood paneling and found his leather folio, dusting it off and storing it in his pocket.

    ¡°There are chefs in the capital that have ranked up their cooking proficiency and can craft some amazing meals. I once ate a dish so divine it boosted my luck for 24 hours.¡±

    Marcus turned over a wagon wheel and grabs one of his travel bags.

    ¡°Thank you for the heads up earlier Marcus, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to evacuate the wagon in time if you had not alerted me to the beast¡¯s presence.¡±

    Marcus looked up and smiled uncomfortably.

    ¡°No that¡¯s not true, it¡¯s just running away. Thats what I¡¯m best at.¡± Marcus said looking down.

    ¡°And Drew, sorry to not be more help before. With the Skizzards?¡±

    ¡°You saved my life.¡± Drew said. ¡°I could not hold my own against her, she was faster and stronger than me.¡±

    And far more ruthless, she had committed to killing in a way that I never will.

    ¡°Marcus, you are an excellent fighter and both Drew and I being alive right now is evidence of that.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Seriously lad, ye knocked that ape into the air so high that I thought it might grow wings and fly away! Hah ha!¡± Thrain said.

    He and Krag had walked over to inspect the smashed wagon. Krag lifted a large portion of the right side and started removing an intact wheel that they could keep as a spare.

    ¡°Your style isn¡¯t as direct or flashy as mine, but ya an elf and that¡¯s how it is.¡± Thrain said. ¡°You are alive, the people you are protecting are alive, and ye did your best. That''s a victory however ye look at it.¡±

    ¡°Damien,¡± a John said, walking up to the group. ¡°with this cart destroyed we are going to be moving you into the second wagon.¡±

    ¡°Thank you John, I¡¯ll have my trunk moved over to the new wagon.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°One, um, issue let¡¯s say. One issue is that she has insisted that your Sku- that Drew ride somewhere else.¡± John said uncomfortably. ¡°I hope you understand.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll march along with the mercenaries.¡± Drew said

    "It won''t be an issue, I believe I packed a warm cloak in my trunk." Damien said.

    "Marcus, thank you again for the use of your garnt." John said.

    "Of course John, One request?" Marcus asked. "Could I ride in the cargo wagon?"

    "You will have to ride in the second cart also." John replied. "With us carrying all the materials we can salvage from this wagon in there, there is not room for anything else.

    I don''t mind the warm sunshine anyways.

    Drew selected his next level up and walked away on his little crow legs as the glow faded.

 Part 30

    - 73 -

    It had been three uneventful days of travel in the single wagon with the frosty elf Seraphina.

    The few times I¡¯ve stopped by to chat she¡¯s spat at me. I knew that I was going to use the Gallows Bird reputation to strike fear into criminals but this seems like an excessive amount of superstition.

    Marcus made the bold and stupid move to ask her if Drew could join them and was shut inside a box of ice as clear as glass. Marcus could not be heard at all while he was within the box and after Damien broke him out all he would say as ¡®so cold¡¯ and ¡®no air holes¡¯.

    Seems like there¡¯s a bad history or two between the two elves. Seraphina has very little to say to Marcus and he won¡¯t stand up for himself.

    Drew managed to acquire the Forage skill on the second day. He had spent every pit stop and meal time break scouring the edge of the road and the tree line.

    In addition to finding a variety of colors of Skeetles and some new spotted Mishrooms, he had found a few small stones that

    Thrain said were a kind of slag copper and worth about a copper each. His most remarkable find were some light purple Skeetles. According to Thrain they were a local variety and worth 8 silver each. Which triggered his racial shiny quest.

    This is how skurr normally level up. foraging, scavenging, and eating. Not a bad way to retire but I¡¯ve got to pursue my crafting and get strong enough to protect myself.

    New Skill: [Forage] You find things a little bit easier when searching for food or valuables in the wild. Higher levels of this skill increase your intuition on where to look.

    Drew spent the third morning carving each of his enchantments he knew into his stones. After 2 hours he had barely increased the skill more than 20%.

    ¡°Damien, I¡¯ve been practicing these enchantments all morning, why aren¡¯t they earning me much experience?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Likely because it¡¯s an enchantment you know well, and the materials are not high enough quality.¡± He said looking through the bag containing the carved stones.

    ¡°You may be able to use them in combat and get some experience from them Talha¡¯s way. Try throwing them at the next beast we see.¡± Marcus said.

    Drew looked up from his seat on the bench beside John as the wagon train crested a small hill and the city of Aldermere came into view.

    He stowed his carving tools and took to the air to get a better view. He circled high over the wagons to get a good view.

    It would have been a picturesque moment if they weren¡¯t being attacked by a flock of long legged purple birds.

    Marcus screamed and slammed the window shutter down.

    The flock surrounded Drew to the point he could barely see the sky. He was battered by a suffocating cloud of beaks, legs and feathers. Without his armor he was exposed to their claws and beaks.

    These things are like 75% neck! Some kind of purple Guile variant? Better not get bit again.

    Drew sliced one across the meter long neck with his Shirk. It fell from the air with a wet honk.

    He latched onto another neck with both claws choking it while he stabbed another one repeatedly with his knife. His Bane ability triggered several times.

    ¡°Damien! I¡¯m surrounded!¡± Drew shouted.

    He was completely surrounded within the pink cloud of honking monsters.

    Are the others okay? I can¡¯t hear the rest of the battle at all with this stupid honking!

    Drew stabbed and clawed his way down, unable to see the ground as the seconds ticked away.

    I just need to injure them and move to the next. My Bane Ability can do some work. They keep cycling around me so that the ones

    I hit swap out for a fresh one!

    He finally broke free to see the wagons had stopped and the mercenaries were shouting. And cheering.

    ¡°Go get ¡®em Drew!¡± One yelled.

    ¡°Fearless warrior!¡± Maggie shouted.

    ¡°Spill their purple blood!¡± Jeff laughed.

    HP: 100%

    What? No debuffs? I guess yeah, my Bane ability triggered a few times, but I still shouldn¡¯t have full health. They were all around me¡­

    ¡°Drew! They are just Flamingos! They are harmless!¡± Damien shouted. ¡°Come back down here already!¡±

    Drew separated from the flock, diving down to land on the wagon. The flock continued to circle the storage wagon from a distance.

    ¡°I count twelve! Who had money on twelve?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me! I had 10! The next closest bet was 15.¡± Jeff said. ¡°Pay up suckers!¡±

    Drew checked his logs to see twelve nearly identical entries.

    Combat Results: Flamingo (Purple) level 10. Exp 650

    What the hell, how are there basic boring ass flamingos here? And why aren¡¯t they shooting fire, or acid, or friggin laser beams?

    He had over 9000 exp so he selected his next level up and banked the stat points.

    Just when I thought the strange creatures of this world couldn¡¯t surprise me.

    "What¡¯s going on? Aren¡¯t they monsters?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Well yes and no. They originated from a selective breeding program the hero put together a thousand years ago.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°They were bred to find Skeetles. History suggests the hero loved Skeetles and wanted to try each and every color. Records are unclear if he managed to accomplish his dream before he defeated the demon lord and was returned to his world.¡±

    Holy shit, this ancient hero guy was from earth? And I just killed a bunch of his pets?

    Everyone piled back into their wagons. One of the John¡¯s hurried to gather up the slain Flamingoes and stash them in the storage wagon for processing.

    ¡°Wait, the hero wasn¡¯t from this world?¡± Drew asked trying to sound casual.

    ¡°No according to royal records. He was summoned to this world from another through complex magics. He loved the birds of his homeland and recreated them here.¡± Damien said.

    New Quest: The Hero¡¯s Quest: Discover and sample every color of Skeetle in Lisaria. (4/???) Yes/ No

    ¡°Are you sure they aren¡¯t a threat?¡± Drew asked as he selected yes on the quest.

    ¡°Surely not. These Flamingoes are no threat at all.¡± The John at the reigns of their wagon replied. ¡°Children can defeat them with slings and stones.¡±

    ¡°The only reason they are following us at us is because we have some Skeetles stored on board as food rations. These birds can sense Skeetles for up to two kilometers.¡±

    ¡°Coincidentally that¡¯s what gives them their vibrant colors.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°True, indeed, they are not very good eating either. All bones and feathers. Otherwise we would stop to net them all.¡± John said.

    ¡°Actually some Milliners do value their feathers if they are an interesting shade¡­¡±

    ¡°Mind the road,¡± the other John on a garnt shouted from beside the cart. ¡°We will have plenty of time to hunt them while we wait for repairs in Aldermere.¡±

    From their vantage point, the city was a sprawling mess of casual planning. The only straight road seemed to be the one that went right through town. The side streets quickly devolved into front yards, back doors, and dead ends. There were a few two story buildings along the Main Street but most were flat. Hardly anyone walking the streets in the midday heat.

    ¡°How many people live here? Do they even have a blacksmith?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Oh they do, or they did more than a year ago.¡± John replied. ¡°Nice small town really, a few crafters, a few farmers a few inns and a few barmaids. Nice place really.¡±

    This guys a poet or something close to it.

    ¡°And they have to have a carpenter to have built that palisade.¡± The roving John beside them chimed in. ¡°We will either buy a new wagon here or have one made before we head on.¡±

    ¡°Damien, could you be troubled to craft any enchantments necessary. For an appropriate fee of course.¡±

    ¡°Of course John, my fees are not exorbitant. Why I am practically retired.¡± Damien said.

    They rolled past a small farm with their gate nearly 5 meters from the road. ¡°Erickson Family Farm¡± painted on a sign atop its arch.

    ¡°Nice family that one.¡± John said. ¡°The brother can dance and sing to any song he pleases and the sister can do anything she wants to please me-¡°

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Keep it civil, John. They chased you out of town last time we were here.¡±

    ¡°They chased you out of town. I chose to go with you rather than lay in her warm emb-¡°

    ¡°Keep to the road, and keep your tongue civil. With our damn luck she¡¯s with child.¡± John said before slowing his Garnt to check in with the rest of the wagon train.

    ¡°I just hope the guards don¡¯t remember my face.¡± The third John said from the next wagon back.

    Seeing the glare on Seraphina¡¯s face, Drew flew up to get a better look at the city.

    It¡¯s more of a town really. If it wasn''t for the farms they would look like a wooden fortress lost in the middle of this forest.

    The forest grew right up to the southern palisade of the town leaving only 20 meters of space. The area was cleared of stones and weeds and was a muddy mire.

    The other three sides of the land outside the city walls were farmland and pastures. Raised cart trails wove their way around fields of grain, with a few flooded fields of rice. There were small storage sheds and silos whenever they were needed.

    Small farm houses peppered the area, some with outbuildings, most without more than a stable for their garnt.

    Drew circled back to the wagon train as they approached the city gates. There was not much traffic heading in to or out of this gate and the wagon train rolled right up without slowing.

    ¡°Oh ho ho, that better not be the three Johns that we run out of here last year.¡± A tall guard said.

    He removed his studded leather helmet and handed it to the guard next to him.

    The second guard must be half dwarf, or just a short stocky human.

    ¡°Tonnson, you better go get the captain.¡± The guard said as he dropped a stout wooden pole down across the gate. ¡°And the mayor. And Allen Erickson.¡±

    A John rode up ahead on his garnt to meet the man. He dismounted a few paces away but held his ground.

    The mercenaries stood at ease between John and where the wagons rolled to a stop.

    They left enough room between them to whip u-turns and bolt out of here.

    ¡°Now Roy, we don¡¯t mean any trouble. We just need some provisions and repairs.¡± John said.

    ¡°No! You don¡¯t you use your silver tongue on me! You and your brothers are scoundrels.¡± He shouted.

    People could be heard over the palisade, they were ringing bells and calling out to each other throughout the town.

    ¡°I have not got a silver anything, that¡¯s my brother. I¡¯m the trustworthy one.¡± John said.

    ¡°I said stay quiet.¡± The guard said and hitched his sword up loosening it in its sheath.

    If a fight breaks out do I go for the guard? Would they arrest me, or would Damien do the time if they thought I was his familiar?

    Damien stepped out from the wagon to stretch his legs. Marcus hopped out the other side and went over to calm the garnt John had left standing in the road.

    A woman walked through the gate, she was wearing working clothes and long loose skirts in the traditional Ressian style.

    She had wild red hair and human features. There were traces of straw in her hair and some stains on her billowing sleeves that could be blood or soup.

    ¡°Stand down Gareth. Let them through. Can¡¯t you see they have respectable passengers?¡± She said placing a hand on the guard¡¯s sword arm.

    ¡°But Miss Erikson these are-¡°

    ¡°I know who they are Gareth. Let them in and we can charge them an arm and a leg, each, for whatever provisions they seek.¡± She said. ¡°And how many times must I ask you to call me Mara?¡±

    ¡°Sorry Miss Erickson, not while I¡¯m on duty.¡± He said. ¡°We should wait for the mayor to decide.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to bother the mayor with this. And you are always on duty Gareth.¡± She said with a dramatic pout.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t I the injured party you are avenging?¡± She continued. ¡°And if I say I don¡¯t press charges then why should we bar them and their coin purses from our city?¡±

    ¡°Thank you Mara, we only need some supplies and fresh steeds. Then we will be on our way.¡± John said with a shrug. ¡°We could leave within the day.¡°

    ¡°See, quick and easy, exactly how I remember them!¡± Mara laughed and lifted the pole herself to clear the gate. ¡°Welcome back to Aldermere.¡±

    - 74 -

    ¡°You know your way around here John.¡± Mara said. ¡°Head to the Widows Rest and we can get you your needfuls.¡±

    Mara left them to find their own way to the Inn. Drew watched her head down the main street to meet two men moving at a near run.

    One was a finely dressed older man and the other a younger man with her same shocking red hair. The wagon train pulled up to the inn and a stable boy took the garnts to be washed and rested.Damien and his trunk entered an arcane store across from the inn to barter away their supplies.

    Thrain and Krag leased a clean corner of the yard from the stable boy.

    They set up shop for the day. They paid a young girl to run around town advertising a merchant. Thrain instructed her to say: ¡°Pots pans, knives, and presents for your wives.¡±

    The mayor and a man dressed like a farmer walked briskly past where Drew was perched in front of the general store and entered the Inn.

    Oh this doesn¡¯t look good.

    Drew flew over to the window to get a peek inside at the action.

    ¡°Detect¡± He said.

    Raised voices came from the inn and the Johns were chased out into the sun where Drew could see the drama unfold.

    ¡°Which one of you was it?¡± Mara¡¯s brother shouted.

    ¡°Now Allen, if she hasn¡¯t told you then I won¡¯t be the one to.¡± John said. ¡°Let¡¯s drop this and let the lady¡¯s personal past lay forgotten. I¡¯ll buy you a drink.¡±

    Oh¡­ something isn¡¯t right. Either the brother knows? Or is the Detect skill hinting to me that he has his doubts?

    The farmer, Allen, grew redder and angrier the more John spoke.

    ¡°Enough, whichever of you vagabonds seduced my sister, come forwards now and we will have a duel! With the mayor as my witness, I challenge John to a duel of knives, first blood for the honor you stole from my family.¡±

    A notification popped up in front of each person standing nearby.

    A duel of knives between Allen Erickson, and the band ¡®Three Non Johns¡¯ is commencing. The duel is knives only, first blood loses. Do not intervene.

    ¡°What?? No no no! All three of you! Ahhh dammit Mara!¡± Allen drew a large hunting knife and ran towards the three brothers.

    Oh wow! Yeah that¡¯s the truth. Mara has been having a lot of fun.

    One of the Johns stepped forwards and grabbed the farmer¡¯s knife hand, and swung him off balance. A second tripped him up so he fell head over heels to the ground. The third pulled out a knife and sliced his arm, a small cut between the man¡¯s wrist and elbow.

    A duel of knives between Allen Erickson, and the band ¡®Three Non Johns¡¯ is complete. The band ¡®Three Non Johns¡¯ is victorious.

    ¡°Allen, pick yourself up man. Put an end to this foolishness.¡± John said. ¡°A duel? Please. Lets go grab that drink.¡±

    ¡°Allen! What did you do?¡± Mara shouted as she stormed over. ¡°Half the town got that duel notification!¡±

    The three Johns escaped back into the Inn as Mara started hitting and kicking her brother while she yelled at him.

    ¡°That was a terribly foolish duel.¡± Damien said as he exited the arcane store.

    ¡°Well, we have cleared out both of our travel bags and most of the trunk. This small shop was very eager to get new stock. He took particular interest in your enchanted stones. Apparently there have been bandits in the south raiding their deliveries. I sold him the lot as miscellaneous enchanted throwing stones. Hah ha!¡±

    ¡°Sounds like we have some coin to spend.¡± Drew said. ¡°There is a crowd forming near Thrain¡¯s cart. Let¡¯s go join them and see if we can seed the market. I¡¯d like to pick up a couple of crafting kits.¡±

    ¡°Well of course, what are friends for?¡± Damien said. ¡°Which kits do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°The quartermaster suggested I pick up a Mending Kit and a Cooking Kit.¡± Drew said. ¡°Are there any others you recommend?¡±

    ¡°Those both sound good for a traveling adventurer, you could also get a Scribes Kit, it would help with your enchanting. Mastering a few scribe skills, you could eventually start creating your own folio of enchantments.¡± Damien said.

    They walked over to stand outside the group around the merchant¡¯s cart. Drew had to keep a brisk pace on his little legs. Drew flew up over the crowd of 20 or so shrewd women and a few men before Damien was able to push his way into the crowd.

    Thrain was haggling with three customers at once. He was fully in his element. He had set up a couple tables with common goods like pots and pans, and clothes.

    ¡°How much for this pair of gloves?¡±

    ¡°My aren¡¯t these some fine rings¡­¡±

    ¡°See here darling, these crossbow bolts are more resilient¡­¡±

    ¡°Thats far too expensive.¡±

    ¡°Thats a month¡¯s earnings for me.¡±

    ¡°Krag, my good fellow. Could you show us a list of your crafting kits?¡± Damien asked, projecting his voice so a few people dropped their conversations to listen.

    Krag brought over the catalog and then went to pull the lever on the cart. The side and back folded and flipped around before inverting on itself and revealing a peg board with several kits tied onto the board with twine.

    ¡°Excellent, I¡¯ll take a Scribes Kit, a Cooking Kit, and a Mending Kit.¡± Damien said. ¡°Is there another one you would recommend for our friend Drew?¡± Krag thought for a moment and then looked up at the sky.

    He pulled down the 3 kits Damien asked for as well as a Cartographers Kit.

    ¡°Oh that¡¯s an excellent choice. I¡¯ll give you 7 Gold for the whole lot.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°10, fine quality kits.¡± Krag said.

    ¡°Well even 9 gold would be too much for me to part with. Put back the Scribes Kit and we call it 5 gold.¡±

    ¡°Six gold and sixty silver and you have ye self a deal sir.¡± Thrain said stepping up.

    ¡°A great deal sir, thank you. Might you have a pan and camping stove for a few silver as well?¡±

    ¡°Why for an upstanding customer like yerself, already making such a large purchase, I could throw both in and call it 7 gold.¡±

    Thrain said gesturing to a table to the side with pans big enough Drew could fill it with water and swim around.

    ¡°We have a deal, then. Choose any pan you like from this table here while we fetch a stove for ya.¡±

    Their big sale sparked other customers to step forwards with purchases, while the prices were hot, the quality of the goods showed through and Thrain made several sales.

    ¡°There is time before dinner, let¡¯s see what we can do with these kits.¡± Damien said as they moved behind the merchant¡¯s cart to their tent and set out the Cooking Kit.

    New Item: Stir Fried Mishroom - poor quality. 15 exp

    New Item: Stir Fried Mishroom - poor quality. 15 exp.

    New Item: Stir Fried Mishroom - poor quality. 16 exp.

    New Item: Stir Fried Mishroom - okay quality. 20 exp.

    Quest Complete: Hunger: Reward 25 exp

    Quest Complete: Hunger: Reward 25 exp

    New Skill: Cooking lvl 1. You know your way around ingredients and cooking tools. Higher levels of this skill reduce waste and increase the quality of your food.

    New Skill: Cartography lvl 1. You have a knack for geographic landmarks and drawing at scale. Higher levels of this skill improve your accuracy and the quality of your maps.

    After his cooking spree and small feast, Drew flew over the town and started on his map.

    The town is very small. Only two taverns, one of which is also an Inn. There¡¯s a blacksmith, potions shop, and a lumber mill, and a carpenters shop. The rest of the town is small homes, the mayors estate, and the guard barracks.

    It¡¯s much smaller than Rottervale. It could fit within those massive city walls 10 times.

    He sat and sketched out the map roughly, doing his best to keep things to scale. It was much easier to draw with his mage hand than it was to carve and he had quickly finished a rough map.

    New Item Crafted: Map of Aldermere. - Good Quality. 250 exp.

    ¡°This is a great map Drew. I keep forgetting you aren¡¯t just a Gallows Bird.¡± Damien said while he looked over the map. ¡°Do you remember anything else about your previous life?¡±

    ¡°Not really, but things like drawing a map to scale seem to come easily to me?¡± Drew said awkwardly. ¡°Did the Johns end up finding a wagon?¡°

    "Oh yes, there was one available for a steep price. It¡¯s being modified to carry passengers and should take a couple days.¡±

    ¡°Does the city have an enchanter?¡±

    ¡°They had an enchanter but she married a merchant passing through and now they pass through four times a year to sell goods and restore the enchantments around town.¡± Damien said. ¡°I¡¯m actually helping to update some of their wards on the western side of town. They¡¯ve been having feral goblins attacking recently.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to help carve the enchantments if that will speed things up. For the city and the wagon, might help me up to the next level.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Damien, Drew. A moment of your time?¡± A John asked as he walked up with the mercenary captain.

    ¡°As you are aware, we are purchasing a wagon. Part of the terms of the trade are that we help clear out some goblins to the west. The captain here has offered to compete the quest on our behalf, with first rights to the loot. He is requesting some assistance as it sounds like there¡¯s quite a few of them.¡± John said.

    ¡°Indeed, our initial scouting group shows a small village of feral goblins half days march.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°I¡¯m free to join.¡± Drew said.

    They will likely need healing.

    ¡°I may not be able to go.¡± Damien said. ¡°The mayor hired me to take care of the enchantments and wards around town. And I need to start on the wagon as well.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll lend you a hand with the wards around the town. Those may go quickly since I can cover more ground flying.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Drew you are an enchanter as well?¡± John asked.

    ¡°A novice one so far,¡± Drew said. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±

    ¡°Then count us both in.¡± Damien said. ¡°I was about to get started on the norther defenses, let¡¯s work in opposite directions and see who can get to the southern gate first.¡±

    ¡°We also hired their blacksmith to band the wheels. Could you check in on his progress and work some enchantments into the bands as well?¡± John asked.

    ¡°Certainly, I¡¯ll swing by after checking the wards.¡± Damien said holding up the map Drew had made. ¡°It¡¯s near the south gate so it shouldn¡¯t be hard to find.¡±

    ¡±We leave bright and early tomorrow morning, so get some sleep tonight.¡± The captain said.

    Drew and Damien sorted through the trunk for their carving tools and Damien set aside the alchemical baths Drew had purchased.

    ¡°After dinner we should have time for one of these treatments. I¡¯m interested to see how well your healing ability can contest the affects.¡± Damien said.

 Part 31

    - 75 -

    Drew copied down the enchantment from one metal disk onto another and then flew back over to the section of the palisade where the ward was wearing thin.

    New item: Monster Ward - Medallion: good quality. When powered by a mana crystal, this enchantment repels monsters rank 2 and below. Exp 225.

    There are a few variables different for these wards. It has to compensate for how much lower the ambient mana is around here. And they are geared for rank 2 monsters instead of rank 3.

    Wisdom +1

    Drew had mostly been replacing mana crystal charging arrays. The enchantments were no less complicated, yet they were slower changing due to the lower ambient mana.

    That''s what Damien was talking about with the enchantments on the wagons. They were written for lower levels of ambient mana. That¡¯s why they still function out of the mountains. Is that why we were attacked by only high rank monsters?

    He took the mana crystal out of a crusty medallion, cleaned it off with a wire brush before stashing it in his kit. He placed a newly minted medallion in its place, and replaced the mana crystal. The overlapping ward enchantment powered back on.

    Rottervale was a really dangerous place to start out but maybe I leveled up faster? It would have been hard for me as a human or elf too. Any kid like Ethan could die from a fight with a stray monster too high above their level.

    Enchantments like these wards keep people safe.

    Drew was about halfway around his half of the palisade when a rock soared by, smacking into the rough wooden wall he was perched on.

    ¡°What the-¡° Drew squawked out before more stones were flying. Two struck him in the body.

    Is someone attacking the town? Is it goblins? Crap, I should have worn my armor.

    Drew ducked down behind the wooden case of his kit. He activated his healing spell and his health started recovering steadily.

    He popped his head up to look over the palisade but there wasn¡¯t anyone on the other side.

    Nobody out there¡­ are the rocks coming from inside the town?

    ¡°Hey! Who¡¯s throwing rocks?¡± Drew shouted.

    A group of five children were scrambling in the dirt to pick up more rocks.

    They are dressed like they dig holes all day. Where are their parents?

    Three of them are stocky human boys, one is a girl, human or half elf. And the 5th one is either a dwarf, or half dwarf based on their proportions.

    They look to be about rank 1, is there an adventurers guild here? They really should invent schools to keep kids off the streets.

    Drew hopped to the side as the kids fired off another volley of rocks.

    ¡°Get him! Kirtus, your aim is always the worst!¡± One of the boys said.

    ¡°Your aim is worse!¡± The elven girl said stooping to find another rock.

    ¡°If we had snuck up on it like I said then I could have hit with my stick.¡± Another of the boys said. ¡°You can¡¯t kill monsters by throwing rocks anyways.¡±

    ¡°Hey! You punks! Quit throwing rocks! I¡¯ll throw them back!¡± Drew shouted.

    The stocky one with dwarven heritage shrieked and lumbered away. They escaped around the corner and were gone.

    ¡°Demon! It¡¯s going to eat us!¡± The third Ressian boy said.

    Boy 2 and boy 3 could be brothers, they have the same sandy hair.

    The two boys tried to turn and run but the first boy smacked them over their heads.

    ¡°Idiots! Calm down, it¡¯s a gallows bird, my uncle told me about them. It ain¡¯t no demon.¡± He said. ¡°If it were a demon then rocks wouldn¡¯t even hurt it.¡±

    Well, It would be cool to shrug off attacks someday. And my health is already back up to 100%. Maybe I am a demon to these kids? Are they even rank 1?

    ¡°You don¡¯t know the first thing about me!¡± Drew shouted. ¡°I¡¯m a Skurr, we can learn to talk just like anyone. It¡¯s not that hard.¡±

    The kids thought about that for half a minute. The remaining four of them stared at each other until one of them pulled off his leather cap to scratch his head.

    Maybe it¡¯s just me, but these kids seem kinda dumb.

    ¡°No gallows bird has talked to me before.¡± Boy 2 said.

    Drew left his kit up on the palisade and flew down to the eves of a house above the children.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know anything worth talking about.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°What are you doing here anyways?¡± Boy 1 said. He seemed older than the others and the leader of their little gang.

    ¡°The walls should have kept you out of town. Ain¡¯t no monsters allowed in town.¡± Boy 1 said.

    ¡°I was invited in. I came in on our wagon. My friends and I are stopping here on our way to Valoria.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°A wagon did arrive earlier.¡± The Elvin girl said. ¡°Ms Mara let them in.¡±

    Drew flew down and landed on a rain barrel near the children.

    Funny kids, maybe they can help me find things to mend.

    ¡°Maybe he snuck in on the wagon?¡± Kid 2 asked.

    ¡°Hey maybe you kids can hel-¡°

    Boy #3 charged Drew with his stick raised like a sword over his right shoulder.

    ¡°Get him! No monsters come over the wall and live!¡± Boy 1 shouted and threw his last rock.

    Drew leaned to the side avoiding the thrown rock.

    The boy with the stick got into range, huffing from his sprint.

    Were Sarah, Gonnathyn, and Gessica this weak when I first met them?

    Drew pulled out his knife and parried the attack with Mage Hand, knocking the stick out of the boy¡¯s hand.

    ¡°He¡¯s got a knife!¡± The elven girl shouted.

    Boy 2 scrambled forwards to pick up the dropped stick. Drew swapped out his knife for his Fire Bolt wand and set the stick on fire.

    All 4 kids stopped, frozen at the sight of magic.

    ¡°Now, stop attacking me.¡± Drew said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt any of you.¡±

    The fire spread from the stick to a nearby crate covered in an oiled tarp. Black smoke billowed up as the flames licked at the tarp.

    Oh crap.

    The kids all immediately started yelling and running away.

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    ¡°Get some water¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a demon!¡±

    ¡°Oh no oh no, what to we do?¡±

    The fire was already tickling the wall of the house.

    Well that got out of hand quickly. Maybe I don¡¯t use fire magic in town.

    Drew grabbed a nearby bucket and filled it with the water from the rain barrel. After three buckets the fire was smoldering, mostly out.

    Only slightly scorched the house. Would Mend work to remove the soot?

    One more bucket and then I¡¯m out of here.

    ¡°I swear it was a demon bird! He set the house on fire with his eyes!¡±

    ¡°He was really big. Yeah as big as a garnt!¡±

    Drew dropped the bucket and flew up to the palisade to grab his kit. He flew off around the other side of the building and kept below the roof line until he made it to the South Gate.

    ¡°There you are Drew! How were the enchantments on your side?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°Fine, nothing went wrong. I gained a point of wisdom.¡± Drew said quickly.

    A bell sounded in the distance.

    ¡°Is that smoke?¡±

    Wasn¡¯t me.

    ¡°Who knows? Kids are stupid. Did you already visit the blacksmith?¡±

    ¡°I did, he had not started on the bands yet. Since we have time before dinner, let¡¯s go back and prepare one of your alchemical baths.¡± Damien said. ¡°I¡¯m interested to see how much it will affect your attributes. It¡¯s formulated for a person after all.¡±

    - 76 -

    You have entered a caustic environment, you will experience the following debuffs while under its effect.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Debuff: HP: -.10/ sec

    Debuff: Str: -5

    Debuff: Con: -5

    Debuff: Agi: -5

    Debuff: Per: -5

    That really sucked. But I cannot complain about the results.

    After an hour Drew¡¯s HP had bottomed out, and his MP was at 10% from the constant healing. He had to refrain from using his blessings to remove the bath¡¯s debuff effects or he wouldn¡¯t have gained any of the benefits.

    But that really hurt, it was like being brined in battery acid. While on fire.

    ¡°Pass me the health potion, and I¡¯ll need the mana potion too.¡± Drew said.

    Maybe topping off my pools will relieve the itchy feeling of the bath?

    The alchemical bath solution had dropped down a notch in potency after another two hours and for the next hour the debuffs reduced his Physical stats by 3 instead of 5.

    And with my healing ability I only needed one HP potion and one Mana potion to survive.

    ¡°My Strength went up by 3, Constitution by 4, Agility by 4, Perception by 5, Willpower by 4 and my health went up by 4, and stamina by 6.¡±

    Basically 15 levels of stat points! This has got to be cheating.

    ¡°That was fascinating Drew, if I had done the same treatment it would have had half as many gains. But my base stats are already much higher.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Why doesn''t everyone do this?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Well many wealthy merchants or nobles do. And guilds will buy baths like this for their top adventurers.¡± Damien said. ¡°The main reason is the cost and rarity of the alchemical baths, and the Mana infused water is also prohibitively expensive.¡±

    Damien got up to wash the basin and looked over at the soggy bird with a passion in his eyes.

    ¡°Because of your small stature you needed less water and the bath was far more concentrated. And I believe your base stats are quite low compared to those of the adventurers that can usually afford a bath like this.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Alright time for the next one!¡± He cheered!

    ¡°Lets wait until after dinner.¡± Drew said.

    Quest Complete: Hunger: 25 exp

    Quest Complete: Hunger: 25 exp

    - Interlude -

    Seraphina came downstairs and stepped to a rowdy bar with a live performance.

    The three Johns were playing the kingdom¡¯s greatest drinking songs.

    Mara was dancing her way about the tables with her two huge jugs. She hung on a man¡¯s arm there, sat in another¡¯s lap for a moment. Delivering his ale, she then reached across to the next table and caressed a woman¡¯s face before blowing a kiss to a dark hooded figure in the corner.

    A second later she was whirling off towards the next person to deposit the other jug of ale.

    ¡°Her antics are spilling as much ale as she is drinking. Such a mess.¡± Seraphina said behind a restrained smile.

    The bar was the only place with a spare seat. The Johns were in full swing with a rowdy fast paced drinking song.

    Seraphina turned back to head upstairs to her room but Mara ran up to her, grabbing her arm.

    ¡°Come milady, join the revelry! I¡¯ll buy you a drink.¡± Mara said.

    The Johns changed songs, introducing a sad and mournful melody in the elven style. Mara pulled the elf towards the bar.

    ¡°Lady Frostwind! They have a fine local ice wine. Stay for a drink, we¡¯ve written you a song.¡± John said.

    Reluctantly she let herself be led to a seat at the bar. She ordered the ice wine.

    ¡°Now John, why don¡¯t you sing the song you wrote for me last year?¡± Mara whined.

    Seraphina clenched her fist. Her ice wine arrived and she took a sip.

    ¡°Bitter, and too warm.¡± She said as her glass frosted over.

    ¡°Shayyy, you arse beautishful.¡± A drunk man leaned into the bar placing his hand close to hers. ¡°A sh-friend of Mora¡¯s shhh, eh?¡±

    She froze his hands to the bar before he could touch her. The drunk stared blankly before falling asleep on them.

    The Johns started up their song in earnest. Each was playing a different Golanh, a hollow wooden instrument with three strings and as a trio they could achieve a variety of harmonies and rhythms.

    ¡°The sun is sleeping in the west,

    Oh I wander beneath Bella¡¯s cold gleam,

    By Mia¡¯s behest, maidens dance unseen,

    Thats where my lovers soul dreams best,

    I long for a maiden with eyes of azure hue,

    Yet in her heart, a frost, forever grew.¡±

    ¡°This happens every time.¡± She took another sip of her wine as the John¡¯s got to the chorus.

    ¡°Oh she bore a cold, cold heart,

    within her ample breast it doth dwell,

    winter''s chill, transfixed where once a warmth did swell,

    She spurns all the knights who dare to seek her embrace,

    In solitude, she lingers all alone in her icy grace.¡±

    Mara leaned against the wall near a John and gazed at him through her heavy eyelashes.

    ¡°It¡¯s a waste of a cycle to pine over a Ressian anyways, they are too near death for an elf like me.¡± She admonished herself.

    ¡°In castles old, ghosts haunt the halls,

    She walks alone, ignoring handsome calls,

    Her words sharp, her gaze as cold as steel,

    To keep away the love she fears to feel.¡±

    Mara sashayed over to Seraphina at the bar and the bartender placed a fresh ale down for her.

    ¡°Such a wonderful song!¡± Mara said.

    She toasted the elf with her ale and Seraphina sipped her wine with a nod.

    ¡°Yet tales be told of a hero bold and true,

    Braved all cold, to thaw her heart anew,

    With sword in hand and courage in my soul,

    I will break the ice, and make her heart whole.¡±

    ¡°How is the wine?¡± Mara asks. ¡°I prefer ales myself.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sweeter cold.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful!¡± Mara gushed. ¡°It¡¯s my brother¡¯s vintage.¡±

    The Johns sang the chorus again and the crowd tried to join in but ruined the harmony.

    ¡°Wow your glass is frosted over! Is that magic?¡± Mara exclaimed. ¡°Could you be a friend and chill mine too?¡±

    ¡°Oh! With his hot love, he''ll melt her frost,

    Bring to life what once she thought was lost,

    So let the bards sing of love''s enduring art,

    And how it thawed the maiden''s sad, cold heart.¡±

    They ended the ballad with a flourish of strumming on their Golanhs.

    Seraphina froze Mara¡¯s ale into a solid block of ice then got up and left the bar.

    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s frozen!¡±

    - 76.5 -

    You have entered a caustic environment, you will experience the following debuffs while under its effect.

    Debuff: HP: Capped at 10%

    Debuff: HP: -.10/ sec

    The second bath focused solely on his health pool. After four hours, and one mana potion later, his debuff finally wore off.

    Debuff removed: HP cap returned to 100%.

    Mana: +2

    HP: +19

    Con: +2

    ¡°Okay I¡¯m ready for another health potion.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Astounding, seems like your gains were not as drastic this time. Still better than a person at your rank.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°We should set aside funds to purchase another Alchemical bath for your physical stats and do a comparison. And acquire one for your Arcane stats also.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°How about you try the next one. I¡¯ve had enough baths for a while.¡± Drew chuffed as he tried to shake the liquid out of his feathers.

    These baths hurt a lot! Old fool cares more about his data than the pain then he should try some.

    ¡°Now Drew, that¡¯s hardly a good comparison.¡± He said but put away his notes.

    Drew laid flat on the ground to get some dust in between his feathers.

    Soggy feathers are the worst. And I smell like a down pillow soaked in organic swiss cough syrup.

    He rolled upside down in the dirt to get every inch of himself dry.

    What do the stats even mean? It¡¯s not like a video game, I can feel the changes to my body. The numbers explain how much I¡¯m changing. But how am I changing?

    Krag grunted where he was standing watch at the entrance of the corral. Two of the Johns stumbled over to him, holding each other upright.

    ¡°Krag, you are a sight for sore eyes.¡± John said. ¡°Please, which tent is ours? I believe I¡¯m seeing double.¡±

    ¡°Mia¡¯s Grace! It¡¯s nearly dawn, I will be going to get some shut eye before the captain needs us to march off.¡± Damien said and shuffled off to his tent.

    Drew flew over to the John¡¯s and landed on the fence post.

    ¡°You know, I can cure hangovers with my healing spell.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Would you?¡± One John said while the other groaned.

    ¡°I would be happy to if you help me practice some cooking, and teach me the Mend skill.¡±

    ¡°Oh I don¡¯t see why not.¡± John said.

    Drew got to work removing the Hungover debuff from both Johns.

    After ten minutes the first man was cured, he got up and stretched out his neck and back, causing several snaps and cracks.

    ¡°Did you just break a bone?¡± Drew asked. ¡°I¡¯ll heal it for you.¡±

    ¡°Ha, that¡¯s funny.¡± The hung over John said.

    ¡°No, I feel like a new man. I¡¯m going to fetch a few straps, pans, knives and tunics for mending.¡± The sober John said.

    ¡°Gods, I feel ten times better already.¡± The hungover John said, then choked back some bile.

    ¡°You better give it a few more minutes.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°You do have your own Mending Kit, yes?¡± John asked as he returned with a sack full of odd things that a wagon train wears out to operate.

    ¡°These all wear down over time and we usually have a merchant buy them for a discount and buy replacements. Since we hired the mercenaries they have taken on the mending, for a fee.¡± John said.

    Debuff removed: Hungover. 125 exp.

    ¡°Alright John you are cleared for work. Let¡¯s see some breakfast.¡± Drew said.

    Drew hopped over to the pile of items to mend.

    Gosh it¡¯s all such brick-a-brack. Can I really get experience mending these things?

    ¡°How does this work exactly?¡± Drew asked. ¡°I¡¯ve not actually mended anything on purpose before.¡±

    ¡°Well it is magic.¡± John said and waited for a laugh. When he didn¡¯t get one he continued on.

    ¡°Think of it like this: you could sit and do nothing and the Mending skill would do all the work. It would take all your mana to repair this belt.¡±

    He held up a belt where the hole for the latch had torn open and the belt wouldn¡¯t stay latched anymore.

    ¡°But the more you know about the object you are mending, and if you have the appropriate tools and techniques then you can basically fix it without the Mending Skill.¡±

    ¡°Get to the point John, you ramble on far too long about everything. Why just yesterday you were-¡° John¡¯s brother said before he was struck by a flying belt.

    ¡°Essentially, you use the mend kit to ease the mana cost and direct your focus of your Mending skill. And higher levels of skill make it faster, less mana intensive, and allow you to mend more complex items.¡±

    ¡°Got it, that makes sense. So I¡¯m basically healing the item, and using tools to ease things along.¡± Drew said then had an epiphany. ¡°Wait, are there surgical tools for healing?¡±

    The Johns looked at him oddly. ¡°Of course there are healers tools, but only trained clerics carry them. The Church keeps them closely regulated. They are just as dangerous in the wrong hands as they might be helpful.¡±

    ¡°Wow I will need to ask Thrain if he has any, or build my own kit.¡± Drew said.

    Looking down at the Mending Kit, he had a few tools to mend clothes, remove dents from metals, file and smooth out rough edges, and a few bottles of glue for binding things back together.

    In a pinch this Mending Kit could be a passable surgical kit. It even has needle and thread for sutures.

    The two Johns were cracking and frying eggs over a stove, they threw on some fatty flamingo belly meat and the smell shook Drew out of his brainstorming session.

    ¡°Alright let¡¯s get to mending then eating.¡± Drew said. ¡°And talk me through everything you are doing when you cook.¡±

    - 77 -

    Item Repaired: Black Belt- Good Quality. 125 exp.

    Item Repaired: Copper Spoon - Good Quality. 125 exp.

    Item Repaired: Red Dress Shirt - Fine Quality. 225 exp.

    Item Repaired: Steel Kitchen Knife - Good Quality. 125 exp.

    New Skill: [Mend]: You are proficient with simple tools and know inherently how to start repairing damaged items. Higher levels of this skill allow for faster and more efficient use of the skill and enable repairs for more complex items.

    Skill Upgrade: [Cooking] level 2.

    Wisdom +1

    ¡°John, what¡¯s it like having family out here traveling the world?¡± Drew asked.

    The two brothers were cleaning up breakfast, and storing the extra meals they had made in an enchanted metal box called a Hot Box. It was a special storage space that kept the food inside at the same temperature it went in at.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think.¡± John said. ¡°For one, there¡¯s alot of money to be made in traveling.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very dangerous out here and few people travel often. When they do, they are willing to pay gold to arrive there safely.¡± The other John said.

    ¡°But it¡¯s so dangerous, like you said, aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll lose a customer? Or a brother?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Well sure, and like everyone else we do what we can to protect eachother. These wagons are rolling safe havens. And once your friend enchants them they will be even safer.¡±

    ¡°And, in a way I¡¯ve found my brothers while traveling.¡± John grabbed his brother around the shoulders in a half hug. ¡°If we had stayed behind then I¡¯d be a baker, he¡¯d be a farmer, and John would be a butcher or something. We¡¯d be working all day, and have wives and children, and we would never see each other at all.¡± John said.

    ¡°Except for holidays. Actually that mundane life sounds nice.¡± The third John said as he stumbled into the corral. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t hate the wife and kids part, and I would do anything to get away from your ugly faces.¡±

    ¡°Hah you are out of luck there brother, you are stuck with our ugly face.¡± He laughed and placed a plate of food in front of him.

    ¡°Gah, I don¡¯t think I can eat a bite until I sleep this hangover off.¡± He pushed the plate away.

    ¡°John, meet Drew. He can cure hangovers. Drew, meet your new easiest source of experience points.¡±

    Drew landed on the queasy man¡¯s back and activated his healing abilities.

    ¡°He¡¯s a little over 5 minutes of work, the two of you were way worse off this morning.¡± Drew said.

    Drew ate breakfast while he healed the last brother. The Mercenaries broke camp shortly after and all 8 of them geared up for a day of walking.

    They must have already mended their armor and clothes. They don¡¯t look brand new, but they aren¡¯t muddy and in disrepair.

    Damien joined them for breakfast as the sun rose. Marcus could be heard snoring through the open flap of the tent.

    ¡°Thank you for the hot breakfast John.¡± Damien said. ¡°Might be the last one I have for a day or two. These ¡°easy¡± kill quests so seldom do go according to plan.¡± He took a few more bites and washed it down with some watered ale as he kept talking.

    ¡°Why one time we went to hunt down an aggressive Orc tribe that had grown exceptionally strong. We chased them into their caves to discover that it was a dungeon they had been grinding. Took us a week to root them out and clear the dungeon.¡± He said.

    Damien finished up his meal during his story as only a scholar could.

    Talking while eating might be a skill academics develop¡­

    ¡°Alright men, gather round! We are heading out.¡± The captain called. ¡°We are traveling light, no wagon and only what you can carry on your back.¡±

    I¡¯ll upgrade my Gathering Ring again once I get 8000 exp, that way I can carry more healing and mana potions. After those Alchemical baths it¡¯s going to be more useful for me to have the inventory space than another couple stat points.

    They set out through the south gate and followed the road to the south west.

    ¡°What exactly are we expecting to find Captain?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Initial reports are that Feral Goblins attacked the farm near here three days ago. Farmers defended them selves against a small raiding party, injuring several, killing two.¡±

    ¡°We sent Jeff and Monroe and they came back last night to report that the corpses of the two slain monsters are identifiable as feral goblin carcasses.¡±

    So we just go out there and butcher some goblins based on the word of some farmers? There¡¯s no trial?

    Drew flew ahead and around to either side of the group marching along the road. He was able to find some herbs and a few Skeetles, but found nothing new or remarkable.

    Damien kept pace with the mercenaries with some effort and he had on his enchanted marching boots and belt that reduced his weight.

    They didn¡¯t stop for lunch and arrived at the Millers Family farm by mid-afternoon.

    They pressed on after checking in briefly with the matriarch. No attacks had come overnight, but there were strange noises coming from the forest and their livestock were skittish today.

    The group took their battle formation and two armored mercenaries went to scout ahead.

    The captain was not in a good mood. He repeatedly checked the straps and padding of the mercenaries marching around him.

    ¡°This quick kill quest is bloating into a big thing.¡± He said.

    ¡°How so?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Feral goblins would have attacked each night once they learned there were women and livestock.¡± He said with a dark look across his brow. ¡°Something changed overnight and in my experience it¡¯s rarely that a situation changes in our favor on its own, it¡¯s never good.¡±

    They walked through the woods for about 2 hours. Silent and on edge.

    Damien and Drew quietly discussed the results of the alchemical baths and Damien had a technique he wanted Drew to try.

    ¡°It¡¯s called Circulating Mana. It a was mage training they taught us at university to raise your mana pool and spiritual stats.¡± Damien said. ¡°It¡¯s easier to show you than explain.¡±

    ¡°Alright sign me up.¡± Drew said as he glided on the sleight breeze alongside the enchanter.

    Damien would like to teach you the skill: [Circulating Mana] Do you accept? Y/N?

    ¡°Yes,¡± Drew said. ¡°Okay what¡¯s first?¡±

    New Skill: [Circulating Mana] lvl 3. While active, this skill reduces your total mana pool equal to your levels of this skill. Frequent use of this skill builds a crystallized reserve of mana within your body.

    MP: 91%

    ¡°Okay I think I get it.¡± Drew said after activating the ability and reading the prompt a couple times.

    ¡°What level did you get the skill at?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°It started at level 3.¡±

    ¡°Great, that¡¯s likely because Skurr would get access to this skill at a higher rank.¡± Damien said writing down some notes. ¡°Can you tell where the mana is crystallizing in your body?¡±

    Oh weird, yeah where is it forming? Not all over like with Mana Fortification. Is it in my chest where it¡¯s tightening up?

    ¡°It¡¯s getting warm down close to my stomach.¡± Drew said he deactivated the skill. ¡°And my mana pool has dropped to about 90%, and I think it is refilling a little faster?¡±

    ¡°Technically it should recharge slower since you would be charging your ambient pool and your crystallized pool, next time you spend mana you will notice a difference.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s pay attention when you next heal someone to see your results.¡± Damien said. ¡°In the mean time-¡±

    Three goblins dressed in rags and covered in mud came crashing through the bushes to their left.

    ¡°Form up!¡± The captain shouted but the mercenaries were already moving and set up their wall of shields to meet the goblin charge with seconds to spare.

    The fight was over in a minute. The group formed a wedge of shields expecting another charge from either side of the road. When none came, they sent pairs out to scout nearby while Damien and the captain inspected the bodies.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we have tried to capture them?¡± Drew asked. ¡°Maybe they are resorting to banditry because they are starving?¡±

    ¡°Completely unnecessary.¡± The captain said and Damien nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Jeff, front and center.¡±

    Jeff stepped up and stood at ease. ¡°Sir.¡±

    ¡°Jeff, read back your combat log for this enemy.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir, Combat results. Feral Goblin level 8, 225 exp.¡± Jeff said.

    ¡°You see Drew,¡± Damien said. ¡°Just like the mad wizard we defeated back in Rottervale. They are enemies. Monsters that may seem like people but they do not have the option to be civil. They are evil.¡±

    What if they aren¡¯t evil? They are members of our kingdom like bandits are. Right?

    ¡°The title Feral isn¡¯t it a debuff? Could I remove it with my healing spells?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Not at all, there¡¯s no way to remove it. It¡¯s part of their creature classification. Changing their classification would be like changing a goblin to an bushcat. It¡¯s a different monster.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°And when they rank up into Hobgoblins they will still keep their Feral title.¡± The captain said.

    The two men walked away to join up with the rest of the mercenaries.

    The captain and Damien are calling it something different. Borealis said that the racial trait could be removed. But that¡¯s impossible for me to do. I¡¯m not a goblin. Maybe a goblin chief, or do they have kings? Maybe they could spend the racial upgrade points and remove the feral title from their tribe.

    The mercenaries marched on leaving the road single file to follow the trail the goblins left behind. They arrived at a low point between two hills in the forest.

    ¡°This area is heavily traveled.¡± Jeff said pointing to the muddy tracks that dried up since the last rain. ¡°They come through here often we are close.¡±

    After ten more minutes of creeping through the thick forest they found a goblin camp.

    It was disorganized, with goblins climbing over rough shelters dug into the ground and covered with branches and green brush. There were two larger huts in the center of the camp and three cooking pits.

    ¡°These are not all feral goblins. My money is on those guys being goblin bandits.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°They are using the feral goblins like attack dogs.¡± Monroe said.

    You can tell just by looking at the feral goblins that they aren¡¯t even close to sentient. Standing next to the goblin bandits they are nearly beasts.

    ¡°There is always a bigger bastard out there.¡± The captain said with a grimace.

    ¡°They should be arrested.¡± Drew said.

    The captain grit his teeth. ¡°What would we do with them once we capture them? Would we add a handful of bodies to the work camps? Would we march them across the kingdom for the reward and feed them the whole way?¡±

    ¡°We could hand them over to the town. The guards must have a jail cell for them.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°They don¡¯t have any such facilities. Those people would execute them in a heart beat.¡± Jeff said.

    Three of the feral goblins were pulling a medium sized carcass off the pit and chopping it up.

    They seem to be preparing for a feast. I hope that¡¯s a garnt or some other beast.

    ¡°Well Captain, how are we going to tackle this?¡± Damien asked. ¡°It¡¯s getting towards evening and they will have the advantage in the dark.¡±

    ¡°We already sent half our group around to the east and we will approach them from this direction and that one, opening a pincer, catching them by surprise.¡±

    It took a minute for the men to get in place and both groups advanced cautiously into the camp.

    Drew flew up above the camp and could see both groups as they made their way in from the perimeter. The Eastern group killed a couple feral goblins silently and both groups were within throwing range of the main huts when they stopped at some undetectable signal.

    Are they stopping to coordinate their charge?

    A tree fell off in the woods. A rumbling started and the remaining goblin bandits dropped what they were doing to turn an run away from the noise. Drew could see over their heads as the rumbling grew louder a couple trees shattered in the forest nearby.

    ¡°Take cover!¡± The captain shouted.

    A massive red drake burst through the trees. It was easily as tall as the canopy.

    It landed on its side in the middle of the camp and rolled to get back on its feet. It was more than twice as large as the huts and its tail swung around as it stood up crushing the three cooking pits.

    Goblins started screaming and running in every direction. It only took the Drake a moment to get its bearings and it started snapping up the bite sized goblins left and right.

    ¡°Fall back men! Let¡¯s wait this out and come back tomorrow.¡± The captain said. ¡°Damn, there¡¯s always a bigger monster out there.¡±

    No way we could fight that thing. It¡¯s the biggest monster I¡¯ve seen.

    The mercenaries dropped to thr ground again as the Drake¡¯s tail swung over the camp. They were up again a second later in a quick retreat to the east. Drew took a look back at the massacre behind them.

    It¡¯s making short work of the goblins, its barely been a minute and its eaten more goblins than the mercenaries killed while sneaking in. It¡¯s not going to discriminate between feral goblins or sentient people.

    Another roar shook the camp, causing even the Drake to freeze in its tracks.

    What could make the Drake afraid? Wait, was it always favoring its right leg? It¡¯s hard to tell since it is already blood red but I think it¡¯s already injured.

    An even larger green and yellow monster stomped into the clearing. It tackled the Drake with its massive limbs of writhing green vines.

    Oh shit. Is that a Spider Melon? How could it get so big?

    ¡°Full retreat!¡± The mercenaries were bolting now, the first group returning to the eastern tree-line at a full sprint.

    The red drake was picked up and thrown across the camp, over the heads of the group of mercenaries and cutting off their retreat.

    The group changed direction and tried to put distance between them and the Drake before it got up.

    Vines whipped out across the distance between the monsters and the giant spider melon made a leap across the distance with the vines assisting. The Drake scrambled out of the way, wiping out the last standing structures in the camp.

    Damien¡¯s shield popped up around the stranded group but shattered as the Drakes tail glanced off it.

    Shit! They are like ants at a picnic down there!

 Part 32

    - 77.5 -

    The drake stood up as best it could. It was missing a front leg. The giant spider melon munched down on its prize. It shuddered, noticing the scattered goblin corpses for the first time.

    It rooted itself to the ground, sending out its vines. They crawled over the fallen corpses around the camp. The vines wrapped around everything they touched turning a 80 meter radius into a melon patch of leaves. They grew in seconds and were taller than a man. Occasionally there would be a tall vine reaching up and waving around slowly, looking for something to grab. Each bundle of vines rolled back to the giant fruit carrying a corpse.

    Damien¡¯s second shield prevented the vines from grabbing any of their people and they were surrounded by the melon patch for 30 meters on each side.

    We need to get out of here. Immediately.

    The Drake charged forwards through the vines and pounced on the larger monster. It clawed and bit, fighting for its life, but the drake could not get past the spider melon¡¯s armor like exoskeleton.

    Damien dropped his shield and the mercenaries started hacking their way out of the melon patch.

    Drew swooped down to help slash through the tall reaching vines. After slashing through three of them his Bane ability activated.

    If these vines are connected to that big melon then maybe I can whittle away its health!

    The mercenaries were doing their best to hack their way through the leaves and vines but they were going so slowly. And the grasping vines pop out unexpectedly.

    It took two mercenaries working together to hack the grasping vines away after they got wrapped up.

    We need to clear a path and get away from their fight.

    ¡°Quit moving so I can cut you!¡± Drew shouted cutting through another vine. His Bane ability hit is maxed out stack of 5.

    These vines are alive. Will they grow new monsters? Has Laurent ever fought one of these giant melons?

    The two giant monsters wrestled on the other side of the camp and the Drake managed to tear out something important. Pink fluids erupted out of the giant Spider Melon.

    A group of goblins chose that moment to rush out of a collapsed hut. They moved quickly towards the nearest edge of trees, following the path made by the group of mercenaries. Their leader was a goblin bandit.

    The sentient goblin easily stood head and shoulders above the feral goblins. His sharper eyes scanned the area with wicked intelligence. He had on so much patchwork armor that it gave him nearly as much weight as an adult Ressian. He carried a large sword that could be a cleaver in a fantasy kitchen.

    How can he wear that much armor? Pretty sure I¡¯d be crushed if I wore all that.

    The heavy goblin bandit spotted the mercenaries clearing a path and snarled.

    ¡°Attack!¡± He yelled in common and kicked and slapped the feral Goblins in his group until they charged the mercenaries.

    Damien used a different wand to shatter the ground and create difficult terrain to slow down the goblins. His spell had little effect where the vines held the ground together.

    A few feral goblins tried to rush through the vines to get to the mercenaries and they were quickly entangled and dragged away.

    The two giant monsters traded blows in the background, they stumbled through the camp tearing up the ground. The ground shook hard enough to knock goblins and men alike to the ground whenever the beasts stumbled.

    ¡°Form up!¡± The captain shouted. Two of the men readied their shields for the goblin charge and the captain continued to hack at the vines.

    Drew fired off his Chain Lightning wand into the vines but it did not seem to have any effect.

    If I switch to the fire wand this whole area could go up in flames. Maybe even the whole forest.

    ¡°Rally for battle, brothers!¡± Maggie shouted as she and the two other mercenaries started hacking their way through the vines to clear a path to meet up with their allies.

    The red drake was thrown again. It landed near the center of the camp. By the time it had picked itself up, the giant spider melon had popped several bundles into its mouth and visibly healed the gaping wounds in its exoskeleton.

    Oh not fair! Healing is my trick! I¡¯ve been keeping my bane stacked at 5 but it is not enough. Maybe I should have brought some talismans? Could I even get close enough to use them?

    The drake stood up and swayed on its feet. It was battered and bleeding. Vines grasped at its feet but it stomped and slashed at them until they were mulch.

    The goblins crashed into the shield wall. The men went to work cutting them down with sword and spear. But with their numbers, and small size, the goblins found gaps to climb under and around the shields. Damien stopped slicing vines to fire off Stone Bolts into the goblins as they slipped past.

    The drake was struggling with the vines and was losing the race to tear them off faster then they could grow.

    It¡¯s losing blood at a rapid pace. And that¡¯s feeding the vines too. Maybe I should set the thing on fire¡­ can we escape a burning forest?

    The heavy goblin bandit joined the battle, bashing aside a shield with its shoulder and then slashing a man across the chest.

    ¡°Shield wall!¡± The captain yelled and the mercenaries dropped their spears to double up their grips on their shields.

    His hits are too heavy the mercenaries are being forced to stay on the defensive.

    Drew fired his Chain Lighting wand into the group of feral goblins. It was effective in their tight group and many of them dropped to the ground convulsing. The Mercenaries had a enough breathing room to force the heavy goblin leader back.

    If the Drake loses then we will not be able to escape the giant melon¡¯s vines.

    The battle between the goblins and mercenaries was shifting, with the goblins standing back up to crowd around the mercenaries, scoring more and more hits on the men behind their shields.

    The big melon has nearly healed its exoskeleton, the goblin corpses from the skirmish are turning into healing snacks.

    ¡°Damien I am going to do something stupid. Plan A is not working again.¡°

    ¡°Wait Drew!¡± Damien said, but he was too busy casting Stone Bolts to say more.

    ¡°What¡¯s he talking about?¡± The captain shouted as he speared a goblin in the face.

    ¡°Last time he said that, he caused a massive explosion.¡± Damien said between shots. ¡°He blew up a whole enchanted tower.¡±

    The enchanter stole a look at the Skurr as it downed onto the drake.

    ¡°We need to leave or dig a deep hole.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°We are trying to leave.¡± The captain shouted.

    Drew flew directly to the red drake, it was tired from blood loss and the vines were starting to reach up its legs all the way to its back.

    ¡°Easy fella,¡± Drew said. ¡°I just got to touch you to heal you and stop the bleeding.¡±

    Hopefully it¡¯s smart enough to recognize I am an ally.

    He pressed his claws into the Drake and it flinched. It¡¯s big eye swiveled around to look at him.

    Why do I feel like a mosquito?

    He activated his healing abilities and the timers for three bleed effects hit his screen.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stop your bleeding.¡± He said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I was an EMT in my previous life.¡±

    Drew used his Mending Kit and Mage Hand to sew the severed arteries closed, and focused his healing spells on the bleed effects. With the direct help of the Mending Kit it only took two minutes to resolve the first debuff.

    Debuff removed: Bleed - Severe. Exp 1250.

    Oh yeah, sutures really drop the mana cost of healing!

    Skill upgrade: [Basic Heal] - level 4

    Well monster doctor seems like a viable way to get exp!

    Drew looked over and the mercenaries were falling back slowly. The giant spider melon had finished its available snacks and was nearly completely healed.

    Crap. I let my Bane debuff wear off.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to close up your wounds with fire so they don¡¯t start to bleed again.¡± He pulled out his firebolt wand and quickly blasted the drake twice.

    Debuff removed: Bleed - Drastic. Exp 2180.

    Debuff removed: Bleed - Drastic. Exp 2175.

    Some of the debris it was lying on caught fire. The drake jumped up and scattered smoldering wood and canvas as it growled low in its throat.

    ¡°Hey, sorry about the fire alright? But that¡¯s it, you are good to go.¡± Drew put the wand away and raised his wings defensively.

    The drake shrugged him off like a pest.

    Drew circled around the camp before heading back towards the mercenaries'' defensive line. He took a couple detours to slice through grasping vines on his way to restock his Bane debuff.

    ¡°Damien! Have you got any Talismans?¡± Drew shouted.

    The enchanter reached into his bag and tossed two mana drain talismans to Drew.

    Alright now to get close enough to the monster to throw these without getting killed. Easier said than done.

    Drew flew over the giant spider melon and dove directly down on top of it. Grasping vines reached up from the monsters back and tried to catch him as he made his frantic dive.

    Use the force Luke!

    He threw out both of his mana drain talismans at the giant melon¡¯s roots where they planted firmly and activated.

    With it rooted in place, that should slow down its regeneration as long as it doesn¡¯t trample them.

    He fired off two more charges from his Fire Bolt wand into the giant melon¡¯s back and then high tailed it back to the Mercenaries.

    The drake looked at the retreating Skurr and then at the giant melon. It growled deep in its throat and charged back into the fight.

    The fire spread along the vines to the shattered debris from the camp. Something in the rubble was highly flammable and exploded creating a widespread fire. The vines tried to retreat from the fire but they dried up then started to burn slowly.

    Drew arrived in time to see a handful of feral goblins break through and pile onto a mercenary. In a few moments he was bit on the neck by one goblin and twice in the thigh.

    The man screamed, blood foaming from his mouth. Drew swooped down and landed on a goblin with his claws and knife. Drew and the captain stabbed the goblins and threw them over the shield wall into the fray.

    In the confusion, some vines grabbed the bloody mercenary around the torso, drawn by the blood.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Drew swooped in and sliced off one of the vines but another three grew back.

    One vine tried to wrap around Drew¡¯s claw and the wounded mercenary tore the vine in half with his bare hands and pushed Drew away.

    ¡°Go. I¡¯ll hold the vines back.¡± He said. ¡°Tell my wife I-¡°The vines swept his legs out from under him and dragged him off screaming into the leaves.

    The man could be heard shouting as he fought, hidden beneath the foliage.

    ¡°Come and get some! I eat melon for breakfast!¡±

    Drew fired off two Fire Bolts in the man¡¯s general direction. The fire spread slowly through the leaves and the grasping vines waved wildly.

    Dammit! I can¡¯t even see where he¡¯s at with all these leaves and vines!

    ¡°Retreat!¡± The captain called, he was favoring his left arm and slicing goblins and vines with a sword in his right.

    The fire was spreading slowly across the battlefield, burning up the vines that did not withdraw in time.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The giant spider melon staggered and the drake got in several good strikes knocking it down.

    The spider melon desperately sent out more vines looking for corpses.

    Drew used the last charge of his Fire Bolt wand to start more vines burning and began to recharge it.

    MP: 15%

    He drank a mana potion and returned to help the mercenaries clear the path through the vines with his knife.

    Fire bolts won¡¯t work over here. It¡¯d be testing my luck. I mean look how the fire is spreading over there, it¡¯s too dangerous this close to our guys.

    Drew swapped his wand out for his knife, he swooped in to hack at the flailing vines alongside the captain. From his vantage point he could see the other group of mercenaries working their way through the leaves towards them.

    We have to mow down a path wide enough for Jeff to keep his shield up.

    The goblin leader burst past the Jeff¡¯s shield and into the back line.

    He swung his heavy sword and caught the captain¡¯s armor, the goblin whirled backwards for another strike and the backswing struck Damien in the leg sending him to the ground.

    Crap that hit looks like it broke his leg.

    Drew flew over and activated his healing abilities to see two broken bone debuffs.

    ¡°Well Damien, it¡¯s broken. We are going to have to heal it while we run.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°I got him, can you zap those goblins?¡± Jeff said as he threw Damien¡¯s arm over his shoulder.

    The giant melon was starving for mana. It called back some of the vines and severed the rest, preparing to uproot itself and fight. The red drake limped over and jumped to deal a killing blow.

    ¡°Captain! The way is clear!¡± Maggie shouted as she charged through the last few feet of shriveling vines.

    The other half of the mercenaries reached the battle and ran forwards to bolster their forces. Presenting their shield wall and driving back the remaining goblins with their spears.

    As the injured mercenaries fell back Drew unloaded the last three charges of his Chain Lightning into the goblins.

    Maggie led the new forces in a charge that overpowered the goblins before they could recover from the lightning attack. Drew got a stack of notifications but closed them.

    ¡°Fall back men! We have a clear way out!¡± The captain shouted. ¡°Full retreat!¡±

    The monstrous melon slipped aside as the drake pounced and wrapped it with vines. It covered the drake completely after a few moments. It finally squeezed and snapped the drakes neck.

    Drew was helpless to watch his temporary ally die.

    The melon drained the red drake and the shriveled vines under the retreating mercenaries came back alive, completely wrapping the retreating mercenaries up with vines to their knees, unable to move.

    ¡°Why is it still fighting?¡± Drew asked through the pain. He was being crushed by a vine and was having a hard time keeping his beak out of the dust.

    ¡°It needs our corpses to regenerate.¡± The captain said, he was trying to slide his good arm down to reach his knife.

    The giant melon dropped the corpse of the drake and took a lumbering step forwards.

    The vines tightened down on the mercenaries and Drew used the only charge he had restored on his Fire Bolt wand to set the vines on fire between them and the giant monster.

    ¡°Damien! Your shield would be great right about now!¡± The captain shouted.

    ¡°It won¡¯t work. The vines are inside the area of the spell. It won¡¯t keep the big one out if they are already in here.¡± He said. ¡°And then we would not be able to move.¡±

    ¡°Escape is not an option anyways. We cannot lead this monster back to the village.¡± The captain said. ¡°Drew! If you have a spell to blow this bastard up then use it.¡±

    Shit shit shit! What do we do?

    Drew used Mage Hand to open up a mana potion. He chugged it bringing his MP back up to full. He started charging his Fire Bolt wand again.

    If I can scare it off with some more fire then we may stand a chance.

    The giant spider melon squelched its way across the battlefield. It was still leaking pink juices from multiple wounds but they were healing slowly. The vines around the group tightened their grip and got thicker.

    Crap! I won¡¯t have time to charge the wand. At this rate it will reach us and suck us dry.

    Drew swapped his wand for his knife and tried cutting through the vines holding him down. He lopped off one and his Bane debuff stacked on. The remaining vines resisted and tightened up on him more.

    Ha! Can¡¯t tighten up on my magic hand! I¡¯ll cut my way out and then cut out Damien. He will have an enchantment that we can use. He has to!

    A man appeared on top of the giant monster. He slammed a jagged dagger down into its face and green lines spread across its face. He leaped free and dropped lit torches on the vines as he ran around the giant monster.

    Who is that?

    The torches burned extremely hot and spread oil around the area they were dropped. The vines caught on fire quickly and the giant melon belched up putrid green fluid.

    Great entrance! This guy has a bit of the superhero flair!

    The vines around everyone started to go slack and wither. Drew hopped up to start slashing the nearest mercenary free.

    It¡¯s working! Did he poison it?

    Another man erupted from a bundle of vines. He was yelling and ripping vines off of his neck.

    ¡°Scarlet! You lucky bastard!¡± The captain shouted. ¡°Men! If you can walk, get your ass back in formation!¡±

    The Mercenaries broke free of the vines and regrouped. They hacked their way over to the giant spider melon in under a minute.

    Drew slashed at any new grasping vines that wriggled their way free of the nets and his Bane debuff maxed out again.

    Skill Upgrade: [Assassins Bane IV] - Trait: 30% chance for damage dealt to corporeal targets to inflict one point of [Bane] on your target for 25 seconds. Each point of [Bane] absorbs 2% of the target''s HP each second, restoring your HP by 2.

    I have to admit that it¡¯s a very useful skill for saving lives. But I hate that the death faction guy was right. I need to be even more careful now when I fight.

    The fight had completely left the beast. It oozed and groaned on the ground.

    It¡¯s still bigger than a house, how strong of a poison could he have used?

    With his broken leg, Damien could not go place any talismans himself, instead he tossed them to Drew who flew them into position. In a few minutes the mana drain talismans completely surrounded the giant monster.

    The mercenaries started whittling away at its health with their spears until the giant melon groaned, gurgled, and finally died.

    Combat Results: Greater Giant Spider Melon: exp 4,085.

    Where did that forest ninja go? He saved our lives.

    Drew flew over to Damien to start healing his broken bones.

    ¡°I never asked, how did you get us free?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°Not even close. I was completely out of options. A guy showed up out of nowhere and stabbed it. I think he poisoned it?¡± Drew said.

    Debuff removed: broken bone. 225 exp.

    ¡°A powerful poison would do it. Who was it? One of the battle brothers?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°It was one of the Johns.¡± The captain whispered. ¡°The fourth John.¡±

    ¡°What? Seriously?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Yes, keep it down. I¡¯ve never seen him. The Johns told me that he ranges ahead of the wagon train and kills anything that might get past the wards. He is an expert in stealth and in assassination.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Damien whispered. ¡°No man could survive alone in the wild like that.¡±

    ¡°I swore they were joking but it would explain why we have had such a safe trip so far.¡± The captain said thoughtfully. ¡°They said he has a strong wind affinity. If he¡¯s been nearby this whole time. Always ranging ahead for large dangerous monsters and leading them away. Or killing them.¡±

    The other mercenaries started to treat their wounds with bandages, and two proceeded to inspect the battlefield for surviving goblins and finish them off.

    Drew flew over beside the drake and stared up at it.

    Even dead, this thing feels powerful. We wouldn¡¯t have been able to kill either of these monsters on our own. Could the super John have killed them on his own?

    The drake¡¯s shriveled form was mangled and bent, but many of its scales and teeth and claws still had a dim red glow.

    ¡°Fantastic beasts aren¡¯t they?¡± Damien asked. He reached out and tugged a red scale out of the drake¡¯s hide.

    ¡°Even in death, their scales hold metal and fire aspect mana.¡± He said. ¡°Alchemists and blacksmiths use scales like these in their high level masterpieces.¡±

    ¡°He knew I helped him. I healed him and then he could have eaten me but he didn¡¯t. He fought and died for us instead.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°She. She did let you live at least until the battle was over.¡± Damien said. ¡°If the drake had won we may still have had to fight her. Or really it would have been this mysterious fourth John finishing her off.¡±

    ¡°You really think so? How can you be so certain?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡±Well if you look closely you can see the crests across the drake¡¯s breast, clearly this is a female-¡±

    ¡°Not what I meant. How can you be sure we would have had to fight? The drake could have won and let us leave?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible you are correct. Your gesture saved the drake and she was able to return to the fight.¡± Damian said.

    Maggie eyed the massive melon monster and pulled out a knife to try harvesting parts. After straining for a minute she was able to pry off a section of its exoskeleton and reveal its gory insides. She stepped back from the noxious poisoned goop.

    ¡°And this crazy strong John, he couldn¡¯t head these two off, eh?¡± She asked trying to crank the poisoned gore from her knife.

    ¡°Always easier to let one end the other and pick up the survivor.¡± A familiar voice whispered faintly on the breeze.

    - 78 -

    The mercenaries finished harvesting the drake¡¯s scales, teeth and fangs as dusk settled in. It took three mercenaries to strip the drake¡¯s carcasses in time.

    ¡°The meat of the drake is drained and useless. The melon monster is inedible due to the poison that killed it.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°Parts of its exoskeleton are useful for armor and shields. But it¡¯s getting dark and they are hard to remove.¡± He said.

    ¡°If we really want them then we can come back tomorrow.¡± Maggie suggested. ¡°Their natural regeneration will keep them fresh.¡±

    ¡°We survived today, we need to consider the risks of coming back out here for some loot.¡± He said.

    Drew was able to heal each of the mercenaries, one after the other with several breaks. He finally leveled up his Basic Healing ability to level 5. He also leveled up his Mend skill repairing their armor and weapons.

    I keep leveling up my Assassins Bane skill and it¡¯s going to turn me into the kind of demon that everyone thinks I am. Maybe that¡¯s why the Johns hide their brother? Is he a called a demon too?

    Damien helped the mercenaries sift through the rubble to identify anything worth looting from the goblins. At one point he turned over a slat of wood. It was broken and burnt, but on the other side someone had drawn crude images of busty elven women. He quickly put the slat back face down on the ground.

    Drew stared at the poisoned remains of the giant spider melon.

    It¡¯s still oozing, how powerful is this poison?

    ¡°Maggie, how can this poison still be effecting the crab-¡° Drew hopped back as some of the hard exoskeleton shrunk back and repaired itself.

    ¡°Whoa! Hey! It¡¯s not dead!¡± Drew shouted and swung his knife defensively in front of himself.

    ¡±Oh it¡¯s dead alright.¡± Maggie said. ¡°The ambient mana levels are high enough that the self-repairing ability of the beast¡¯s shell is still in effect.

    She pulled a short axe from her bag to hack off a piece of shell the size of a dinner plate and hand it to Drew.

    The rough edges of the shell smoothed out.

    Amazing, it heals itself!

    Drew channeled some mana into it and the plate squared up and it started to form a simple hexagon.

    ¡±If you keep feeding it mana it could stay active long enough that you could have a blacksmith make a shield or armor out of it.¡± Maggie said. ¡°We don¡¯t have the right storage boxes to transfer much. It is too hard to keep fresh if it¡¯s stored in mundane bags.¡±

    ¡°Could I have a few more pieces? I can carry some more and keep feeding them mana.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Sure thing, but you will have to mend the axe. These shells are hard as hell and dull a cheap axe like this quickly.¡±

    She hacked off three more large pieces and her short axe was visibly blunted from the effort. Drew stored 6 of them in his ring.

    ¡±Damn waste really, this would make a great alloy for self repairing armor. By the time I come back with better tools most of it will be dead or gone.¡±

    The mercenaries built makeshift sleds full of loot from the drake and the goblin camp.

    The walk back was tense, with the near death experience still settling in on the group. Slowly, men started laughing and joking, the simple fact that they survived despite the absurd odds.

    Drew¡¯s thoughts wandered back to the short alliance with the drake.

    ¡°Hey, you guys meet any monsters that can talk? Or am I like the only one?¡± Drew asked the mercenaries to his left.

    ¡°Well we met those Skizzards.¡± Monroe said. ¡°Scarlet, you¡¯ve been down south have you heard of any other monsters that could talk?¡±

    Scarlet looked back from where he was marching in the formation. Maggie caught his look and stepped forwards into his spot in the formation so he could fall back and chat.

    ¡°Well yes and no.¡± Scarlet said. ¡°Twas out on the ¡®igh seas that I ¡®erd the beautiful song of t¡¯ sea women.¡± He said in a singsong voice.

    Maggie smacked him with the butt of her spear and he started speaking normally.

    ¡°Well no. But I¡¯ve heard plenty of stories of evil monsters that can get in your head with words and get you to drop your guard.¡±

    ¡°So they are all evil then?¡± Drew asked.

    No wonder people have strong reactions when I talk. If I¡¯m the only good talking monster they¡¯ve ever even heard of? Tough reputation to live with.

    ¡°Pretty much all of them eat people, so yeah.¡± Scarlet said.

    ¡°No there¡¯s the Grimwalds in the north. They talk and don¡¯t eat Ressians.¡± Jeff said. ¡°Although they do eat Dwarves, so that might not be the best example.¡±

    Drew flew off ahead to forage for things. He made a point to stay within eyesight of the group and behind the forward scouts.

    If I can learn to talk, couldn¡¯t other monsters learn to as well?

    He sliced through a cluster of mishrooms with his knife. Then swiped away the combat notifications.

    I spent points on understanding common when I created my new life. How long would it have taken me to learn without that? Or my increased intelligence?

    All 4 mishrooms fit into a single slot of his gathering ring now.

    I chose to be born smarter than any Skurr in Rottervale. They can already communicate with quests.

    Drew pecked at some stones that caught his eye and used one to smash open the other. There were veins of copper inside. He busted it into smaller pieces and dropped the 4 largest chunks into his storage ring.

    I think I remember hearing that Skurr were smart even though they can¡¯t talk. Does that mean they could learn to talk on their own in a lifetime?

    He flew back to the group of mercenaries.

    They are a close group, able to depend on one another. They have clearly defined roles and are mostly equals. I guess life or death situations do that to people.

    Drew flew past the front of the group and circled back to get a look at everyone¡¯s faces.

    The mercenaries are all smiling and talking amongst themselves, weapons at the ready, but confident they can tackle anything together. Damien seems lost in thought taking notes in the margins of his book again while he walks.

    I wouldn¡¯t have survived that fight alone. Or any of my last fights.

    If I hadn¡¯t met Damien I¡¯d still be dancing for scraps at the guild hall.

    I might have found my way to the farm with Laurent and his family.

    So far I have Damien, who else can I find along the way to join my hero¡¯s party?

    He flew up into the sky to check how far away the Miller¡¯s farm was and dropped back down to update the captain. That done, he fell back to keep pace with Damien.

    ¡°So, what is the plan once we are in Valoria?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯ve been thinking about.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°We will check in with my that friend of mine I mentioned. She is an alchemist and expert on magical plants and beasts.¡±

    ¡°Talking monsters are remarkable. I believe we can get you a meeting with a scholar. There is a test of sorts.¡±

    ¡°What kind of test?¡± Drew asked.

    I wonder how much a complex medical test could tell them about my blessings.

    ¡°You would speak with scholars. Then they would invite you to an interview with their council.¡± Damien said.

    Another interview? Those have not gone that well for me recently.

    ¡°In fact, there are accounts of high level feral goblins learning to speak common. It¡¯s often the case when a goblin king appears that they can speak common. Scholars are not sure why there is a strong correlation. It¡¯s hard to get the goblin kings to discuss theories and philosophy.¡±

    ¡°I know a few scholars. And my friend knows a couple more. We should be able to arrange for you to speak with them while we are in Valoria.¡± Damien offered. ¡°They would be able to tell you more about anomalous monsters.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Thank you. I think that would be good.¡±

    Maybe I can get tips on the racial upgrade points. Or find out more about the Hero?

    The farm came into sight and Jeff came back from scouting ahead.

    ¡°The Millers were happy for the good news. As far as they are concerned the quest is complete.¡± Jeff said. ¡°We are free to camp there in the open or in the barn if we have any wounded.¡± He said.

    ¡°Ha! A nice gesture, but with our aerial healer we are in fighting shape already!¡± Maggie said loudly, and the mercenaries cheered in agreement.

    ¡°Alright you lot, let¡¯s get set up in their yard right there and get fed and get to bed. We wake up with the sun tomorrow.¡± The captain said. ¡°Monroe, pick another brother and you two take first and second watch. I¡¯ll take third watch.¡±

    Damien set up a bedroll beside the barn. He pulled out a rope with medallions at regular lengths and laid it around himself in a continuous circle.

    He softened up his pack as a pillow and inserted a mana crystal into one of the medallions on the rope. In an instant, he had completely disappeared from sight. The only evidence he was there was the empty rectangular circle of rope.

    Neat trick, I can¡¯t see or hear him at all.

    Maggie and the captain were at a camp table going over a ledger. They had some travel rations and Drew flew over and asked if he could join them.

    ¡°Certainly Drew, have some tack. It¡¯s not fresh, and it¡¯s not palatable, but it fills your belly.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°You planning on picking up any other quests in Aldermere before we head out?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°No.¡± The captain said. ¡°This was the only one the locals couldn¡¯t handle.¡±

    ¡°We can leave the rest to the militia and any young folk the city has.¡± Maggie said.

    Not so sure about the town¡¯s young folk. Maybe I have time to show them the meditation techniques the guild teaches in Rottervale?

    ¡°Aldermere doesn¡¯t have a guild, who trains the kids to fight monsters?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°They may have a couple of the parents volunteer to do it. Show them how to use slings and the like.¡± Maggie said.

    ¡°So kinda like a school then?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Not even close. More informal, certainly a town this small couldn¡¯t afford a certified teacher.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°Who assigns the quests then? If not the guild?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Well the business owners likely can afford them. And there are area quests that pop up naturally.¡± Maggie replied thoughtfully. ¡°Never much thought about it.¡±

    ¡°What the interest for? Looking to pick up some more quests in town?¡± Maggie asked.

    Drew shook his head ¡®no¡¯ while he chewed on the tack.

    ¡°You and Damien are traveling to Valoria, what happens there?¡± She asked.

    ¡°We are meeting with an Alchemist he knows. I¡¯m trying to chase down a lead on this quest I have.¡±

    ¡°Well if you want to take on any giant monsters or blow up a tower let us know. We are more than happy to team up again.¡± Maggie said.

    ¡°Who told you about that? Wait it must have been the old coot.¡± Drew said. ¡°Are you all sticking around Valoria then?¡±

    ¡°We are going to stay with the Johns. Might take a few side quests, while we wait for them to collect some customers.¡± The captain said. ¡°Can take them a week or it can take them a month to find their next route.¡±

    ¡°Or they run out of ale money.¡± Maggie said with a chuckle. ¡°The Johns usually do a short tour of the bars performing their songs. They won¡¯t let me look at their accounting but I am betting that they drink away more money than they make with each performance.¡±

    ¡°Either way, Drew, having an ally in the air is an unusual advantage and I don¡¯t look forward to losing your support when we part ways.¡± The captain said.

    Your relationship with the mercenary group Battle Brothers increased to Great.

    ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to party up with you guys around Valoria.¡± Drew said. ¡°Let¡¯s call that plan A.¡±

    - Interlude -

    Agusta flexed her fingers and then rolled her shoulders.

    ¡°Damn all this paperwork.¡± Agusta swept everything on the desk in front of her into her folio and stood up. She flinched as her back creaked.

    ¡°Burl has hardly been any help at all.¡± She said as she flexed her back stretching to her full height for the first time in what felt like a week.

    She had been busy getting paperwork set up for the agreement with earth. She had also ended up doing all the work for the racial upgrade that Elara wanted.

    Agusta has spent a week trying to get Burl to forget about his rats race and get him on board with the new Skurr initiative.

    She walked out of her office and down the hall to the elevator. With the push of a button the doors opened and she stepped inside.

    ¡°No wonder he hasn¡¯t gotten anywhere on his own. He¡¯s slow and lazy.¡± She said and grit her teeth.

    The doors opened and she stepped out onto a much dimmer hallway. The lower level deities, the ones without the speaker¡¯s favor, were relegated to the lower floors.

    ¡°And he¡¯s given up on being productive since the request for sentient rats was put on hold for over a decade.¡±

    She stepped up to an office door and opened it without knocking.

    Burl was asleep at his desk, a mug of ale in his hand, and a small barrel on a stand behind him.

    ¡°I told you to have this done by the time I came back!¡± She shouted as she slapped the sleeping man awake.

    ¡°I was talking to the mage faction for over a week! I did paperwork for them.¡± She said.

    She emphasized her words with more slaps. Careful to not strike him hard enough to start combat.

    The man groggily covered his face with his arms in a feeble attempt to lessen her blows.

    ¡°Wait wait! I need some more time.¡± Burl said.

    ¡°And now my earthling has to learn enchanting and alchemy as part of the deal. Do you know how tedious that¡¯s going to be?¡±

    He toppled out of his chair and into the mess of papers, scrolls, and trash that decorated his office.

    ¡°You are right where I left you. Sleeping in trash. Did you move an inch?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± He asked.

    Agusta visibly calmed herself and a faint shimmer appeared across her shoulders.

    ¡°The point is I won¡¯t kill you and eat your spark.¡± Agusta said.

    Agusta set the trash in the room on fire and the Deity on the ground doused himself in water and stood up amongst the flames.

    ¡°Now from the ashes new life can grow.¡± He quoted solemnly.

    Agusta flared her flames brightly but a knock at the door caused her to turn.

    ¡°I¡¯m, excuse me. Agusta? A moment please.¡± Borealis said.

    ¡°What?¡± She shouted. ¡°What is it now? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡± She shouted.

    ¡°Oh, yes. Actually I¡¯m looking for Drew. You are his representative and he¡¯s gone missing from his starting town.¡± Borealis said and cowered at the sight of the inferno in the room. ¡°Thought you would like to know?¡±

    ¡°This seems important,¡± Burl said hesitantly. ¡°You may want to come back tomorrow. Or next century!¡±

    ¡°Quiet Burl! I didn¡¯t ask you.¡± She said.

    She turned to face Borealis and the heat in her eyes did not diminish. He flinched back again and nearly ran off down the hallway to avoid her presence. She could eat him just as easily as she could the minor deity behind her.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She said.

    ¡°Well in fact, I don¡¯t get his log updates or anything. Just the ones in the records hall and there¡¯s a three week backlog for records requests.¡±

    ¡°If you won¡¯t make more sense then stop talking.¡± She said.

    Agusta pulled up Drew¡¯s logs with a few clicks on her tablet. There were several pending notifications that she had muted while she was preoccupied with her paperwork.

    ¡°Shit. What does he think he¡¯s doing?¡± She said, she dragged her hand down her face and growled.

    ¡°I went back to Rottervale but he had been exiled from the flock. Apparently he started some sort of war with the adventurers guild?¡± He said.

    ¡°How did he get banished? When did he get captured?¡± She was nearly pulling out her hair while reading the notifications.

    Burl was creeping over to his barrel of ale when Borealis met his eyes. They shared a worried look as Agusta stomped her foot leaving a crater in the floor.

    ¡°Why is that little shit killing Elder Skizzards and Giant Spider Mellons?¡± She shouted.

    She grabbed a chair and threw it, trash and papers all burst into flame around her. The ale tipped over and burst spreading the flames further.

    Agusta swiped away the window she was in and checked Drew¡¯s status sheet.

    Name: Drew

    Level: 3

    Race: Skurr (Adult)

    Title: Hero

    Stat Points: 4

    Race Skill Point: 8

    Health: 50

    H-Regen: .16/sec

    Mana: 23

    M-Regen: .009 / sec

    Stamina: 30S-Regen: .19/sec

    Physical Attributes"

    Strength: 15

    Constitution: 22

    Agility: 13

    Perception: 13

    Arcane Attributes

    Intelligence: 18

    Willpower: 15

    Charisma : 11

    Wisdom: 18

    Blessings:

    1. [Assassins Bane III]

    2. [Healers Blessing I]

    3. [Consume Undead I]

    4. [Scholar II]

    5. [Tinker I]

    Skills:

    1. [Basic Heal] lvl 4

    2. [Peck II] lvl 2

    3. [Sense Quest] lvl 1

    4. [Flight II] lvl 1

    5. [Gliding II] lvl 7

    6. [Mana Recovery] lvl 5

    7. [Stamina Recovery] lvl 2

    8. [Light Armor I] lvl 2

    9. [Mana Channeling] lvl 2

    10. [Mage Hand] lvl 1

    11. [Speak Common] lvl 5

    12. [Enchanting] lvl 7

    13. [Carving] lvl 4

    14. [Mana Reinforcement] lvl 1

    15. [Slash (Claws) II] lvl 1

    16. [Forage] lvl 1

    17. [Cooking] lvl 2

    18. [Mend] lvl 1

    19. [Circulating Mana] lvl 3

    Items:

    [Bird Necklace] - Luck +1

    [Skurr Breastpiece] - Piercing and slashing damage - 2

    [Skurr Mantle - Fine] - Agility +2

    [Coin Purse I - Soulbound]

    [Gathering Ring I - Soulbound] - Holds 6 x 2 items.

    [Skurr Vambraces - Fine (Set of Two)] - Strength +1, Charisma +2, Piercing and slashing damage - 2

    [Skurr Circlet - Fine] - Constitution +1, Agility +1, M. Regen +1%.

    [Blacktooth Family Ring] - Blacktooth standing Friendly

    Agusta palmed her face looking at Drews stats.

    An alarm sounded in the hall and several imps came bustling in to put out the fire.

    ¡°Current location Ressallia? Is he outside of the cities in the wilds?¡± Agusta shouted.

    ¡°He had gone south. Last I could tell. Far south. I¡¯d guess as far as the capital of Ressallia.¡± Borealis said. ¡°Especially if he is flying the whole way.¡±

    ¡°That''s impossible.¡± Agusta said.

    ¡°Well technically the airspeed velocity of an unburdened Skurr is-¡°

    Agusta cut him off with a beam of fire that sliced through Burl¡¯s desk.

    ¡°I know he¡¯s got heroics on the brain but if he¡¯s gone lone wolf he will get himself killed.¡± She said.

    Around her the imps were cleaning up the charred office. She grabbed the keg of ale and tossed it to the imps as well.

    ¡°I can¡¯t go down there and find him right now. I¡¯m behind schedule already because of this racial upgrade nonsense.¡± She turned to Burl. ¡°You and I are going to have a very productive day today. Aren¡¯t we?¡±

    Burl nodded in agreement, he began to whimper.

    ¡°Wisp.¡± Agusta said as she reached into her purse.

    ¡°Borealis. Ma¡¯am.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Take this token, wisp. It gives you access to Drew¡¯s status sheet and logs in real time.¡± She said and handed him a large coin with the nature faction¡¯s symbol on it and Drew¡¯s image on the other side.

    ¡°Find him.¡± She said. The severity of her gaze would haunt Borealis for the next century.

    ¡°When you find him report back to me.¡± She said.

    The wisp went to rush away but the deity called out to him.

    ¡°Oh and wisp? Make sure he stays in a city away from danger from now on.¡± She said. ¡°You are now personally responsible for his location.¡±

    She turned back on the trembling deity at his desk.

    ¡°Now, where were we? Oh yes. You were revising your application for a sentient race. You are dropping this sentient rat idea and revising everything to include Skurr.¡±

 Part 33

    - 79 -

    True to form, the mercenaries were up before dawn and on the march.

    They thanked the farmers for the safety of their land and marched away.

    Damien dragged himself along at their fast pace. The man¡¯s age was showing after the hard days march and battle yesterday. Drew wasn¡¯t looking much better.

    Ooof, I could have used some more sleep. At least I can wash off in a trough. Poor humans have to wait for showers.

    Too tired to talk, Drew focused on his mana abilities while he flew.

    [Mana Channeling] lvl 4

    That helps me use my healing spells, charge my wands, and keep [Mage Hand] active longer.

    He pulled out one of the shell pieces from the spider melon and fed it some mana.

    Amazing what this material can do. It¡¯s too brittle for armor on its own, how would a blacksmith work with this?

    [Mana Reinforcement] lvl 2

    That enables me to embed mana into my body. Right now it¡¯s increasing my physical stats by 2%, and reduces my my mana pool by 2 points.

    [Circulating Mana] lvl 3

    This one is really cool. It helps me take mana and store it within my body. It is slow and takes time but I can build up a reserve of mana. It¡¯s currently at level three so it¡¯s raising my mana by three points and increasing my mana recharge rate by .15%.

    All three of these skills make me more likely to survive, and also help me get my healing spells up longer and more often.

    I guess that makes my build agility, caster, healer? If this were a game then I could mix/max.

    Would I even come close to the strongest John? He''s been hunting powerful monsters for a while. Those things are giant, protecting his brothers and their wagons. And I guess protecting all the nearby towns that would have been in the paths of these beasts.

    I should start the physical training that the guard recommended back in Rottervale. How could adapt it to my Skurr body? Carry a weight? Do squats? Holding my breath underwater could still work the same for a Skurr. I could pull myself out with [Mage Hand]. Or work on [Mana Channeling] by charging up wands?

    The scouts came back to report a spider melon patch and the group changed course towards the south to avoid it.

    Once we are back in town I¡¯ll focus on training, and there will be plenty more enchanting work to do. I¡¯ll be able to level up with the crafting experience.

    There were still 3 more hours of marching until they reached town. Drew spent the time gathering and unloaded his spoils on Damien when his ring was full.

    Skill Upgrade: Flying lvl 7

    Skill Upgrade: Foraging lvl 3

    Skill Upgrade: Gliding lvl 6

    Skill Upgrade: Mana Channeling lvl 5

    Perception +1

    Agility +1

    Stamina +1

    - 80 -

    The guards let them through the gate without issue. Word of their return spread through town quickly and the innkeeper was preparing a lunch of spider merlon sandwiches and a heavy soup made from grains and loads of herbs and butter.

    The Johns spread out through the group of hungry men and women to get the story of what happened. Thrain and Krag were sitting down to eat already and Krag picked up seconds for himself and another ale for Thrain while they waited for the party to tell their tale.

    ¡°There was a goblin camp less than a day away.¡± Jeff said.

    ¡°As we thought. That must have been tough to clear.¡± A John said.

    ¡°It¡¯s destroyed now.¡± Maggie said. ¡°Completely flattened.¡±

    ¡°Flattened? How?¡± The John asked. ¡°He looked at Damien as he ate his soup, and Drew as he silently considered the origins of his sandwich before picking it apart and scarfing it down.

    ¡°A massive red drake tore through the camp. And it was fighting an even larger spider melon.¡± Maggie said.

    ¡°A giant drake and a giant Spider melon?¡± The John said. ¡°How did you escape, and everyone is here?¡±

    ¡°We fought them goblins off while we retreated.¡± Jeff said giving Maggie her turn to take a few bites of food.

    ¡°It was a tough fight for sure but we were able to regroup and avoid the giant monsters while we took down the goblins and their leader.¡± Jeff was getting really animated now, standing up and making shield and sword gestures as he retold the story.

    ¡°The drake fought bravely but the spider melon won out in the end.¡± Drew said. ¡°That''s when things went from bad to worse.¡±

    Drew shuddered.

    We all nearly died.

    ¡°Until your brother showed up.¡± Drew said. All three Johns turned and rushed to him at the mention of their brother.

    ¡°John was there?¡±

    ¡°Was he harmed?¡±

    ¡°How did he look?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a long look at him.¡± Drew said. The intensity of their questions made him hop back to get some space.

    ¡°I barely saw him. He popped up out of nowhere to stab it in the face, and then he set it on fire and ran away.¡±

    ¡°Nearly burnt down the forest.¡± Maggie said. ¡°We had to bury the flames with dirt to put them out.¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Oh dear, that does sound like our brother. He''s become even more fickle and fast like the wind.¡± John said, with a dour look to his brothers.

    ¡°He may not have much time left.¡± Damien said, he crushed some of the gravel beneath his foot. ¡°How long has his affinity with wind been this strong?¡±

    ¡°It came on strong about a year ago. He started using wind to sharpen his blades, then extend their reach.¡±

    Okay that¡¯s a cool ability.

    ¡°Then he learned to run faster, even over water. And he could throw razor sharp blades of air to slice monsters apart from a distance.¡± Another John said.

    ¡°That''s around the time he stopped traveling with us. He¡¯d become impatient. Fickle. He would be late, or-¡° the John laughed sadly and put his hand on his brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Or far too early. He was losing touch with mortals like us.¡±

    ¡°What? He¡¯s immortal?¡± Drew asked. ¡°I mean he looked like some kind of super human forest assassin.¡±

    ¡°No. Immortality would be impossible.¡± Damien said.

    Thrain chimed in solemnly. ¡°It happened to me brother. He was a blacksmith and when he built an enchanted forge he developed a fire affinity. Lost his mind after that.¡± Thrain took a deep pull on his Ale and continued.

    ¡°He became a mage and started throwing fireballs around. And anything he crafted had fire built into it. Made sense for frying pans, but a coin purse that catches fire when stolen is a very bad idea.¡±

    He chuckled and the group around him waited quietly for the dwarf to speak again.

    ¡°Poor fool went mad, and quickly. He started wearing only red and going out to grind experience. His beard turned to flame and burned like a torch. And his eyes, they were the strangest part. They glowed like embers.¡± Thrain said. ¡°One day he blew up his smithy and himself with it.¡±

    ¡°At least John still looks human.¡± The third John said.

    ¡°But when you lose yourself to mana, mundane people seem so much smaller.¡± Damien said. ¡°Even your family.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it was with our brother.¡± John said. ¡°If he¡¯s around still, I may catch sight of him from up on a roof.¡±

    ¡°Go, we¡¯ve got the meal covered here.¡± The other John said and pushed his brother towards the inn.

    ¡°Well Drew, an Enchanter¡¯s work is never done.¡± Damien said as he cleaned his hands on a napkin and stood up from the meal.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to work copying down the enchantments from this wagon for the new one. And we should also check on the blacksmith. If he heeded my advice then he will have sobered up by now. He may have gotten started on the bands we need for the wheels.¡±

    Drew and Damien worked for 30 minutes. Using the mana lens to follow each enchantment as they wound their way around the wagon.

    These enchantments are different than Damien¡¯s, the sentence phrasing is different, almost a formal way of writing.

    ¡°Damien does this style of enchantment have a need for this section here?¡± Drew asked, indicated a section that seemed to shape the mana before moving it on to the next phrase.

    ¡°Well yes and no, it can help regulate the mana and takes some pressure off the rest of the enchantment. Essentially this section will wear out rapidly and need repairs. Damien replied.

    ¡°And that protects the rest of the enchantment from wear and tear.¡± Drew said. ¡°Why not shape the mana at the beginning before it can damage any of the enchantment?¡±

    ¡°How do you mean Drew?¡± Damien asked. ¡°That''s essentially what a mana crystal array does. It purifies the mana and stores it at a set shape and calms it down for the enchantment to shape it.¡±

    ¡°Well okay, I see that. Let¡¯s say that there was a phrase that could take in the shape of the mana and smooth it out, as it was positioned and shaped for the enchantment.¡± Drew scribbled the words for [Calm], [Ready], [Malleable] on their paper.

    ¡°If you could build an outer ring around the enchantment that would prep the mana then couldn¡¯t you skip using a crystal at all?¡±

    ¡°Inconceivable,¡± Damien said with a chuckle. ¡°An outer ring such as that would wear down incredibly fast, especially in different environments.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so certain. If it could be done gradually, at a low flow, and in incremental steps.¡± Drew said as he carved out an enchantment lightly on a test piece of wood.

    ¡°Let me see what you have there.¡± Damien said walking over. ¡°Mana crystals are a reliable way to create clean and exact mana for your enchantments. There is no way that¡­¡±

    He trailed off as he read Drew¡¯s rough notes and looked at the enchantment he had sketched out. He read it again twice more before he looked up excitedly.

    ¡°Drew this might work!¡± Damien shouted. ¡°If I change this sculpting phrase and this coefficient then I should be able to get this functioning.¡±

    ¡°We have to test this and see how long it lasts until it degrades.¡± Damien said. ¡°Especially as we travel through different mana density areas.¡±

    This actually reminds me of the programming I did modding games as a kid. There are too many variables to wrap my head around, maybe I should have used my calculator less in school?

    Wisdom +1

    ¡°Let¡¯s try something like this.¡± Drew wrote out the mana gathering command from the crystal charging array as a large ring. Then wrote a ring of mana shaping phrases leaving space inside for an enchantment.

    A ring like this should smooth out the mana and hold it for a moment, then that mana shouldn¡¯t tear up the enchantment as much.

    Drew¡¯s first attempt burned up after a minute.

    Looking at the enchantment through the lens the mana was forced into shape too roughly, it got backed up and then tried to crystallize.

    His second version included three shaping phrases that smoothed out the mana more gradually, that way the mana never slowed down enough to crystallize.

    They will act like capacitors, or funnels, allowing mana to pass through if it¡¯s smooth enough, and shaping it incrementally for the next funnel. Preparing the mana for the next funnel and eventually get it to the shape that a mana crystal produces. Which is the shape and power the next part of the enchantment wants.

    The second version burnt itself out in 39 seconds.

    Well that¡¯s worse. Seems like the mana gathering sections aren¡¯t correct. Or am I not correcting for the ambient mana here?

    Drew looked at the notes from the wagon and his three phrases.

    It should scale with the mana density. That part is flexible.

    What if I build it in concentric rings like the mad mage¡¯s tower then they share the load of shaping the mana to my needs.

    The third enchantment activated and didn¡¯t burn up immediately. Instead it slowly built up mana and the air began to buzz with power before Drew shut it off.

    It¡¯s not being directed to use the mana, but it¡¯s working!

    ¡°This could possibly work.¡± I can test it with the [mana crystallization] enchantment.¡± Damien said. ¡°If it¡¯s enough to grow mana crystals here then it could power anything.

    They completed the concentric rings and triple checked the work before activating it. Over the course of a minute a thumb nail sized mana crystal formed.

    ¡°Oh well at least it works.¡± Drew said. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no easy shortcut to figure it out without even trying.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Damien asked. He handed Drew the [mana lens] he had been looking through and started scribbling in his notes.

    Drew took a look and the enchantment was glowing bright blinding white.

    ¡°Wait are we gathering that much mana? Is it leaking out?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not leaking out. If my calculations are correct, there¡¯s enough mana in the enchantment to create three crystals at once without slowing down.¡± Damien said.

    Damien was drafting up a new enchantment and scribbling furiously in his notes.

    ¡°And if I modify it to have three gathering entry points then it would go twice as fast.¡± Damien said.

    It¡¯s actually trying to take in more mana than I expected. Does each capacitor have its own pulling force?

    Drew watched the mana flow through his enchantment and looked at the notes Damien had written down.

    At this rate, the mana gathering scripts are a bottleneck in the process.

    ¡°Could we build the mana gathering phrases into the shaping phrase?¡± Drew asked.

    Or do we need it at all?

    Drew wrote out a new enchantment with the three rings of shaping phrases, three mana crystal forming enchantments inside, and a fourth ring to turn the process on and off.

    He gave it a spark of mana to get it started and within the span of a minute the enchantment had produced three small thumbnail sized mana crystals.

    Looking through the [mana lens], Drew could see the mana around them swirling in and towards the enchantment from over 50 meters away.

    How does the enchantment pull in mana from so far away? It¡¯s almost like the mana wants to be used.

    Wisdom +1

    Wait seriously? Is the mana seeking a way to be used?

    ¡°This is amazing, unfortunately it¡¯s going to draw way too much attention as we travel.¡± Damien said shutting down the enchantment. ¡°I believe this would be an ideal array for a city.¡±

    Damien handed over a new schematic for the wards and Drew could see he had applied the shaping arrays instead of the standard mana gathering arrays.

    ¡°Built like this, at a smaller scale? They should run even in the lightest mana regions, and not pull mana from such a wide area.¡± He said.

    Damien really is an expert at this. He was able to fix the issues I had with the enchantments immediately, and now they are safe to use. My way would likely have drawn another giant spider melon.

    They carved the new version of the enchantments into the two remaining carts. Damien packed up all their notes into his folio and set the scrap wood from their fiddling into the campfire.

    ¡°Alright Drew, I¡¯ll need some time to consolidate my notes. This new phrasing is going to change things, if it works reliably across mana densities. Once I¡¯m done we will go visit the blacksmith and finish the last wagon.¡±

 Part 34

    - 81 -

    Drew was watching a group of mercenaries performing their training.

    I can adapt their routine to my needs and start my own exercises.

    He has spent ten minutes running around the perimeter of the corral with his armor on. He¡¯d done squats until his legs felt like newborn jelly legs again.

    He was now trying to find anything else to do first before he attempted to not drown himself in the trough.

    The mercenaries were given the next 24 hours of free time. Some went drinking, and the rest got together for some exercising. They ran around the town, did pushups, chin ups and hanging crunches from a beam in the barn, and then paired up for some sparring.

    Maggie opted out of the sparing to work on mending some armor. Drew tried to maintain his meditation while he flew through the barn and corral. He pushed himself to his limits; taking tight turns, flying through hanging loops of rope, and dodging around the mercenaries while they sparred.

    Out of breath, he landed on the table Maggie was working on and took out his [lightning bolt] wand to charge it.

    ¡°That''s the spirit Drew, no pain no gain.¡± Maggie said. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to work on your mana and stamina regeneration techniques.¡±

    A John stopped by with a big grin on his face to drop off some pastries he¡¯d baked earlier. They were Mishroom and some kind of crunchy nut.

    ¡°And don¡¯t forget to eat to maintain your stamina.¡± He said.

    Drew scarfed down the pastry and Jeff and Monroe finished their sparring match and were gearing up for a run.

    ¡°Thank you for the pastry John, can you make sure Damien gets some when he is done with his notes?¡± Drew said, picking at the last crumbs on the table. ¡°I¡¯m going to follow Jeff and Monroe on their run.¡±

    It would be good to stretch my wings, I¡¯m not sure how fast I can go now after I leveled up my flying skill.

    Drew picked up a bucket and flew along behind the two mercenaries as they ran through the streets to the east gate.

    After this gets easy, I¡¯ll fill it with water and take it up a notch.

    The two mercenaries ran without stopping and it quickly became clear that they were going to outlast the overburdened Skurr.

    Drew landed besides the east gate to catch his breath.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry guys, go on without me!¡± Drew said.

    The city guard stared at the talking skurr, he kept his comments to himself.

    ¡°Some stamina training.¡± Drew offered by way of explanation. ¡°I¡¯ll be gone in just a minute.¡±

    He sat down to meditate and recover his stamina.

    Gosh my muscles are burning. Maybe I can find a hot bath to ease things up and heal a bit¡­

    ¡°Can I heal my muscle fatigue?!¡± Drew shouted.

    The guard gave them a strange look they straightened back out to stare out the gate.

    Drew activated his healing ability and noticed that his stamina regenerated faster without the pain in his muscles.

    I don¡¯t have a debuff, but it feels like it¡¯s working. Atleast the pain is going away.

    His stamina filled up quickly and Drew flew back through town to test out his healed muscles.

    He spotted the kids from the other day the three boys are standing around the skinny elf girl and they are arguing.

    ¡°Your imaginary friend is stupid!¡± The boy with the stick sword said.

    ¡°Yeah, last week you said you¡¯d bring it to show us but you didn¡¯t. You are a liar!¡± The younger boy shouted.

    ¡°Shut up! He¡¯s real! You don¡¯t know. He just didn¡¯t want to meet you guys yet.¡± She said.

    ¡°Kirtus, this is kid stuff. Just drop the whole thing. Talking fire isn¡¯t real.¡± The largest boy said.

    ¡°He is real. Just like the demon bird we saw. Nace is my friend. He¡¯s helping me find my father.¡± Kirtus said as she stood up.

    She was holding a heavy iron pot with a lid. Its sides were blackened with burnt grease and ash from countless years in the fireplace.

    ¡°But I brought him today, he didn¡¯t want to come but I caught him in the pot.¡± She said.

    Talking fire? Is that a thing? Maybe it¡¯s a friendly fire spirit or something?

    ¡°No way! You are just lying again!¡± The younger brother shouted.

    ¡°Wait guys, there¡¯s smoke coming from the pot¡­ what if she¡¯s got it in there?¡± The older brother asked and he gripped his stick tightly.

    ¡°You will see! I¡¯m not a liar. Say hello to my little friend Nace!¡± She shouted as she swept away the lid of the iron pot.

    - 82 -

    Drew moved to the rooftop to get a better view inside the pot as the three boys stood frozen.

    Inside was a small glob of liquid fire. It puddled at the bottom of the heavy pot. Like any normal liquid would.

    It took a bite out of a small piece of split firewood then looked up at the boys.

    ¡°F-finally, more air. It was stif¡ªf-fling in the pot Kirtus. I could barely breath-he.¡± The puddle of flames said. It spoke quietly, its voice shifty and crackly like a fireplace.

    ¡°No way! It can speak?¡± The leader boy said. He had been holding his breath just like the other boys.

    ¡°Oh? Are th-hese your f-friends? I¡¯ll give th-hem a wish too if they bring me someth-hing to eat-t-t.¡± Nace said. ¡°I like dried wood, or Mish-h-hrooms. No need to cook th-hem, I can roast th-th-them my self. Hah! I made a joke.¡± It chuckled to itself.

    Kirtus was smiling broadly at her friends, and shaking excitedly.

    ¡°He grants wishes. He¡¯s going to help me find my father. But he needs food to grow strong enough to use the wish.¡± Kirtus said.

    The eldest boy moved slowly to take a step back and brought up his hand up to his face.

    ¡°Kirtus. Put the pot down.¡± The eldest boy whispered. ¡°That thing is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°What is it Dyler?¡± The older brother asked as he backed up. He grabbed his younger brother and pulled him back away from the puddle of fire.

    ¡°Nace is friendly guys. What are you doing? Now you guys can get wishes too!¡± Kirtus said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a demon.¡± Dyler said.

    It¡¯s more of a fire slime. But the kid is right that it¡¯s dangerous. As much as I wanted another monster to talk to, this one really has the potential to burn down a building.

    ¡°Now, th-that¡¯s not very nice. We could have been f-f-friends.¡± Nace said. He pulled the last of the firewood into his mouth and pointed a small flabby hand at the boys. ¡°Jus-st BURNNNN!¡±

    Liquid fire burst out all over the ground as Kirtus screamed and dropped the pot.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Oh shit!

    The ground was aflame all around the children and the little fire ball was still yelling.

    The eldest boy pushed the two brothers roughly out of the way and grabbed the stick to use as a weapon.

    ¡°Nace! Nace! Stop that. What are you doing?¡± Kirtus yelled.

    Drew swooped in and dropped the bucket in the fire monsters face. It grunted and slid out of the pot onto the ground.

    He used [Mage Hand] to pull the girl back as flames poured out of the small monster again.

    She screamed and fell backwards tumbling on the ground.

    The fire spread to a woven basket full of blankets and the angry glob of flame pulled itself along the trail of fire as it licked its lips.

    Shit! How do we stop this thing?

    The eldest boy, Dyler ran forwards and sliced through the animate blob of fire with the stick. His strike easy passed through the monster, spilling its liquid fire over the ground.

    ¡°You got it Dyler!¡± The younger boy said.

    ¡°Heh! It wasn¡¯t so tough.¡± He said.

    The puddle of liquid fire pooled itself together and turned to face the boy.

    ¡°Get back!¡± Drew shouted.

    He flew towards them but the monster spat its flames out over the boy.

    Drew grabbed the screaming kid as he dropped the stick and gripped his thigh. His leg was bathed in flames from the knee down.

    Drew activated his healing spells and turned to keep one eye on the monster as it slid from the scattered spots of flame towards the basket once again.

    Debuff: Burning: (0/1)

    Shit! No timer, does this fire not go out on its own?

    The two brothers ran off screaming and Kirtus knelt where she was, crying into her hands.

    ¡°Why? No he¡¯s a nice fire. Why Nace?¡± She sobbed.

    Drew pulled the boy over to the side of a building and used [Mage Hand] to scoop up handfuls of dirt and pile them onto the boys burning leg.

    ¡°Hey, kid! Get a grip, man. We need to smother these flames.¡±

    The boy couldn¡¯t hear him. He kept pushing at Drew, and scrambling to crawl away.

    ¡°Hey! Listen to me! I can heal you once they are out.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Sit still!¡± He shouted and slapped the kid across the face.

    ¡°I am going to put out this fire and heal you. Now grab this dirt and help me smother it.¡± Drew said.

    The kid got the message and started piling the dirt over his burning leg. He grit his teeth against the pain.

    The smoke finally caught someone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Fire!¡± The call was echoed as people started to grab tools and buckets of water.

    ¡°Kid!¡± Drew shouted to the girl crying on the ground. ¡°Get over here! Help me put out the fire.¡±

    Kirtus looked at Drew with blank watery eyes.

    I need to get some other wands built. Something to fight fire with if things blow up again.

    Two men showed up, one had a large bucket of water, and the other had a shovel and rake.

    ¡°Mia¡¯s Grace! This fire is everywhere!¡± The man with the rake said.

    The other man dumped his bucket of water in the burning basket. ¡°Get to work then!¡±

    They doused the flames and started raking dirt and mud around. The man with the rake slowly made progress smothering the flames.

    Where did that little monster get to?

    Debuff Removed: Burning. 225 exp.

    ¡°There. You aren¡¯t burning anymore. Stay still and I¡¯ll heal you up a bit more. Rest and you will get your HP back in no time.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Dyler! Kritus? What are you kids doing here? You two were around that fire the other day.¡± The guy with the rake said.

    Dyler grit his teeth and stood up. He was favoring his burnt leg.

    ¡°Pa! It was a demon!¡± He cried.

    Drew ran out of the way and flew up to sit on a barrel near the street.

    ¡°Not this nonsense again. I told you yesterday that lying about demons starting fires would get you a mandatory service quest.¡± Dylar¡¯s dad said.

    I kinda feel bad for getting these kids in trouble the other day.

    The man with a bucket came running back and doused some flames.

    ¡°Quit yapping, there¡¯s still fire to put out.¡± The man said.

    ¡°It¡¯s some kind of magical fire, it keeps coming back after I smother it.¡± Dylar¡¯s father raked out the mud and dirt onto the basket to smother the flames.

    It¡¯s got to be that monster, it¡¯s sustaining the flames. If it¡¯s a spell then I can drain it.

    ¡°Keep lying and I¡¯ll turn you in to the guards myself. They will know how to give you an appropriate punishment.¡± He said.

    The flames had been mostly ignoring the muddy spots and there was a large area of flaming spots left burning around the metal pot.

    Drew threw his three [Mana Drain] talismans among the flames and they visibly shrunk and dimmed.

    Kirtus started to cry, big gasping sobs.

    ¡°Nace is gone. He¡¯s gone. You killed him. I won¡¯t find my papa now.¡± She cried.

    The man with a bucket came running back and paused, unable to say anything to comfort the crying child.

    Maybe it was some kind of genie? Could it really grant wishes? But it set this kid on fire. So that means it¡¯s a bad guy. We can capture it and get the girl her wish. I bet she¡¯s fed it enough already and it¡¯s been holding out on her.

    ¡°Quit crying, it was a demon. It was lying to you idiot.¡± Dylan said. ¡°It can¡¯t grant wish-¡°

    The pot flipped over and new flames spewed out. Everyone except Kirtus jumped back as the glob of fire shot out.

    ¡°Burn and die!¡± The monster shrieked. It charged towards Kirtus.

    ¡°Look out!¡± Drew swooped down and used [Mage Hand] to grab the shovel off the ground and smack the glob or fire out of the air.

    The flaming glob splattered everywhere, barely missing Drew and the girl.

    ¡°Dylar get away from there!¡± The man said and threw dirt onto the scattered flames.

    It¡¯s still in range of my talismans, it should have a hard time pulling itself back together.

    Drew threw shovel after shovel of dirt onto the scattered flames and Dyler¡¯s dad raked them out.

    ¡°May not be the best time,¡± Drew said between shovelfuls of dirt. ¡°But it seems your son has been telling the truth.¡±

    ¡°Maybe so. But if he¡¯s mixed up with demons like you then he¡¯s in even more trouble.¡±

    As the wet dirt covered the area, small spots of the monster¡¯s liquid fire sizzled out.

    ¡°As long as you are against this fire demon then I have no quarrels with you.¡± Dylar¡¯s father said. ¡°You will want to be gone when the guards arrive.¡±

    ¡°Not seen a fire demon before, heard of smiths using them in enchanted smithies but this one¡¯s obviously gone bad.¡± The guy with water bucket said as he returned again with a full bucket.

    Drew kept quiet until the guy left to fetch more water.

    ¡°Do they all talk?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Most demons do, if only a little.¡± The man said as he spread the water in a wide arc over the area with the rake. ¡°But you would know your own kind right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a Demon. I¡¯m a Skurr. Some of us learn to talk. This monster was really smart. It had tricked the girl into feeding it. It claimed it could grant her a wish.¡± Drew said.

    The last of the specks of liquid flame sputtered out and Drew finally got the combat notification.

    Combat Results: Forge Sprite lvl 37. 2100 exp.

    Skill Upgrade: [Mage Hand] lvl 4

    Yep, guess that¡¯s a Forge Sprite. Wouldn¡¯t it say ¡®Demon¡¯ if it was one?

    By this time, more people had shown up, including Kirtis¡¯s mother who burst into tears when she spotted her daughter covered in mud and soot. She was dressed in a cloth apron like a baker¡¯s apprentice.

    ¡°Kays, my darling! What happened to you?¡± She wailed.

    ¡°Dylar you started another fire?¡± A man in the crowd asked.

    ¡°No! It was a demon!¡± Dylar said. He looked away from where Kirtus was hugging her mother.

    Many in the group were shocked or dubious.

    Drew tried to back away slowly but Dyler saw him.

    ¡°See! I was telling the truth about the demons! There is the Demon Skurr that set the fire before.¡± And Dyler pointed to the scortched ground everywhere. ¡°And today there was this other demon made of fire that set fire to everything.¡±

    ¡°Well? Which is it? Was there a fire demon or are there demons everywhere boy?¡± A man in the crowd shouted. And several voices from the crowd agreed with him.

    ¡°Well, I¡­¡± Dylar stammered.

    Kirtus was still crying in her mother¡¯s arms, and Dylar¡¯s father was letting his son speak for himself.

    Drew straightened up and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.

    ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± Drew said. ¡°The fire yesterday was my fault, and today there was a forge sprite.¡±

    Gasps went through the crowd.

    ¡°A talking Skurr?¡±

    ¡°A demon.¡±

    ¡°A trick bird.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no trick! I¡¯m an adventurer, came in to town two days ago with the wagon train. I have the combat log to prove we killed it.¡°

    Several villagers were growing increasingly alarmed.

    ¡°What¡¯s a Forge Sprite doing here?¡±

    ¡°Lies!¡±

    ¡°Just feeding it would cost a fortune.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous!¡±

    ¡°Adventurers are all trouble!¡±

    ¡°Demon!¡±

    If one of them claims I turned them into a newt then I¡¯ll start another fire.

    ¡°Believe what you will. But we defeated a monster made of fire today, if not for Dylar and these men¡¯s efforts the whole town could have burnt to the ground.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Quarrels between Demons have no business in our town.¡± A finely dressed man said stepping forwards. ¡°Leave at once Demon.¡±

    I thought the Johns would have gotten us kicked out, turns out it gonna be me.

    ¡°He may be a demon but he saved the town.¡± Dylar said. ¡°We can¡¯t kick him out.¡±

    ¡°Not really helping your case there kid.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a demon you idiot. I¡¯m just a smart skurr that knows some fancy enchantments.¡± Drew said.

    Demon is just a term they throw around for dangerous monsters, isn¡¯t it. It may not be a race that the demon king belonged to.

    The two mercenaries Drew had been doing laps with came running up with Damien lagging behind.

    ¡°We will be leaving soon. We are repairing our wagon, then I¡¯m sure we will go.¡± Drew said. ¡°No need to get your nickers in a twist.¡±

    The fancy dressed man scoffed and a few people in the crowd chuckled.

    ¡°Now see here, no de-¡°

    Damien stepped in to interrupt the man and got the crowds attention with his raised voice.

    ¡°Hello everyone. Sorry for the commotion. My name is Damien I¡¯m an enchanter and this Skurr is my companion. We were just repairing the enchantments around town. It seems things have gotten out of hand here.¡± Damien said turning to look at Drew. ¡°It seems there was a fire?¡±

    ¡°Enchanter in deed!¡± The finely dressed man said with a huff. ¡°You sold me a bag of enchanted stones not two days ago and I looked them up. All they do is get heavier!¡±

    Ha! This guy must own the arcane shop. Is he a wizard or a merchant?

    ¡°Indeed sir, and they were well crafted in-fact. Drew here carved them himself on our ride down from the north.¡± Damien said. ¡°His same claws that carved those stones carved wards for Rottervale not long ago, and he carved many of the wards on your walls keeping you safe now.¡±

    The man grew red in the face listening to Damien speak.

    ¡°So he is your familiar then! Then it¡¯s you who has been starting these fires, not demons. Are you planning to drive up your prices further with some excitement?¡± The merchant said.

    ¡°Damien wouldn¡¯t stoop-¡°

    ¡°It¡¯s fine Drew.¡± Damien said and cut Drew off with a gesture. ¡°Yes, my familiar got out of hand. My apologies to those that had their property damaged in the flames.¡±

    What? I mean yeah, there was some damage but it was that sprite¡¯s doing. Damien shouldn¡¯t have to pay.

    ¡°Now wait, it wasn¡¯t anything I did to-¡°

    ¡°Enough Drew. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Damien said sharply.

    Drew was shocked and clapped his beak closed.

    The hell is going on with him?

 Part 35

    - 83 -

    Damien paid a few people some silver for damages. Dylar and his dad slipped away with Kirtus and her mom to avoid anymore blame.

    What¡¯s his deal? I could have talked to those villagers.

    Everyone keeps thinking I¡¯m a demon, clearly I¡¯m not like that Forge Sprite.

    Damien and Drew passed another cross street. The crowd behind them had completely dispersed.

    The mercenaries get me. I can show people that I¡¯m not a monster. My combat logs would have convinced them I was telling the truth.

    Drew and Damien made it to the smithy unmolested. Damien had walked in silence so Drew had flown along without speaking.

    They stopped before the large sliding door to the smithy and Drew finally spoke up.

    ¡°Damien what happened back there with the villagers? I could have handle-¡°

    The large door slid open and heat poured out.

    ¡°Whoooose yapping ¡®en frund ¡®a my forge?¡±

    A man stood before them backlit by the light of his forge. Stark naked.

    And Drunk? Seriously? Is this a sauna or a smithy?

    He was apparently human, his stout proportions hinted at some dwarven heritage a couple generations back. He glistened with sweat and was armed with a hammer held in one hand and a ceramic jug in the other.

    Damien averted his eyes and shouted at the man. With his naturally wide field of vision, Drew had to turn completely around to face the street to avoid the man¡¯s nudity.

    ¡°By Bella¡¯s virtue. Please put on some clothes!¡± Damien shouted. ¡°We spoke two days ago about metal bracing and bands for a wagon.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Yoh the old ¡®toff.¡± The black smith slurred. ¡°Pain ¡®en edvance, didn¡¯ yew.¡±

    The blacksmith turned and walked to set down his hammer on his anvil.

    ¡°I did pay up front. The full sum. And I requested everything be completed today.¡± Damien said. ¡°Yet I see you somehow more intoxicated than before.¡±

    The blacksmith crossed his smithy and pulled a leather apron off the wall and tied it around his waist.

    ¡°Yer ord¡¯her is done.¡± He said as he took another swig from his jug. ¡°¡®nd I ben paid, so ¡®m drunk.¡±

    Damien stared at the smith incredulously. The blacksmith shrugged.

    He gestured with the jug to a couple open crates off to the side. Drew flew over to land of the closest crate and peek inside.

    I guess he can work tipsy.

    The crate was filled with brackets and hinges and hardware that they need to furnish the wagon. In particular, there were reinforcements for the wheels and axles with a few spares in the crate also.

    ¡°We require the use of your workspace.¡± Damien said. ¡°This one in the corner will be sufficient.¡±

    At a nod from the blacksmith, Damien used [Mage Hand] twice to summon two hands and sweep beside the tools and materials scattered across the large workbench into a nearby barrel. The drunk smith went to lay on the ground against the wall out of the way.

    Damien got to work, moving all the metal brackets and fixtures and laying them on the table. He got out a folio with schematics for [Harden Metal] and [Resist Shatter].

    ¡°We will be applying strengthening enchantments to these so they don¡¯t break down on the road.¡± Damien said. ¡°You can start with these and I¡¯ll work on the rest.¡±

    ¡±Okay,¡± Drew said and hopped over. ¡°Can we talk about that mob?¡±

    Damien looked at the blacksmith before whispering back.

    ¡°It can wait. He will hear us.¡± Damien said.

    Okay sure. Just get to work and save our problems for later I guess.

    The two enchantments were simple and worked together well.

    Drew started applying them to the metalwork.

    Makes sense that these would need to be hardened, but the reinforcements for the wheels would break down slower if they were flexible, kind of like a rubber tire. Might even help smooth out the ride.

    ¡°Damien?¡± Drew asked. ¡°Is there a way to make the wheels more flexible?¡±

    ¡°Flexible how? If they aren¡¯t stable enough, they won¡¯t hold up the wagon.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Okay not flexible, elastic. Or stretchy. Do you have an enchantment for bows? That make them flex and recover?¡± Drew asked.

    That clicked for Damien and he flipped through his folio until he got to the page for [Limber].

    ¡°This enchantment is for wood and helps it stay flexible after repeated flexing actions, and encourages it return to its ready shape.¡± Damien said. ¡°With a couple modifications we could adapt it to work with metal.¡±

    ¡°Wait, it would be better to have a hard layer over a limber layer then the sturdy wooden wheels. It would pad the wheels and distribute the impacts of the road out.¡± Drew said.

    The blacksmith spoke up from his spot on the ground. The man had rolled halfway over and had his arm propped up behind his head and legs splayed akimbo.

    ¡°¡®er pet birb ess pret¡¯ee smart fella.¡± He said.

    Damien scowled back at the man¡¯s condition.

    ¡°I¡¯ve a sp-¡° he got queasy for a moment, recovered and continued. ¡°spare wheelie or d¡¯ere, ¡®ave at it.¡±

    It took them the better part of half an hour to enchant the wagon wheel and banding then assemble the wheel. All three enchantments worked seamlessly together.

    ¡°This is fantastic.¡° Damien said to himself, careful to not be overheard by the blacksmith. ¡°The scholars in Valoira will be amazed. I could sell this to the royal guard, its application could drastically improve the mobility of the army.¡±

    He was striking the enchanted wheel with a hammer and watching the enchantment work through his [Mana Lens].

    The old enchanter had copied down the schematic and notes for its application in his folio.

    ¡°I will be able to push for a meeting with a chairman with this.¡± Damien said.

    They had spoken very little in the last hour and Drew had been keeping his own council. Drew looked over at Damien scribbling away in his notes while he flew around cleaning up the work bench and returning the materials from the barrel back to the table.

    ¡°Damien. I know I don¡¯t tell you everything, Or, well I don¡¯t remember everything. I think that we can work together and find more applications for enchantments like this one.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asked, looking up from his notes.

    I don¡¯t actually care. I don¡¯t need to be some famous inventor from another world in a crow¡¯s body. But¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s that Drew? Something else to change about the way this is built?¡± Damien asked.

    Damien raised an eyebrow towards the blacksmith, he had roused from his nap and dragged himself over to a cabinet with another bottle of booze in it.

    ¡°Sure. Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s nothing I guess.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°We will be on our way.¡± Damien looked out a nearby window to see the sky darkening. ¡°Damn, it will be time for dinner then too dark for any more work on the wagons tonight.¡±

    He stepped out of the smithy and turned to scowl at the blacksmith. ¡°I expect these parts delivered tomorrow first thing.¡±

    ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll ¡®ave one of dug, lads drop t¡¯off fore the sun.¡± The blacksmith said before turning his nude back on them and closing the door in their faces.

    Damien hurried away with his folio under his arm. He made a beeline for their cross street.

    Probably going back to his tent to rewrite his notes on his new enchantments before dinner.

    Drew flew to catch up to the man and called out.

    ¡°Hey, I could have handled that crowd. You didn¡¯t need to pay all that silver.¡± Drew said.

    Damien kept walking with his nose in his folio. He dismissed Drew with a shake of his hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s worth it to pay them off, otherwise they come back complaining again and again.¡±

    ¡°They think I¡¯m a demon. I can show them my combat log. They would have believed me, you did once you saw my name.¡±

    Damien whirled around and Drew had to pull back sharply to avoid flying into him.

    ¡°What? No! You can¡¯t. Never show anyone your stat screen.¡± He shouted.

    Damien took a breath and calmed himself.

    ¡°Certainly not, they wouldn¡¯t understand. A mob of bumpkins like those folks wouldn¡¯t see the evidence for what it is.¡±

    ¡°Well I can¡¯t just act like a dumb bird. An inkling of any amount of capability and they jump to calling me a demon.¡± Drew shouted. ¡°If I could just explain-¡°

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time Drew. They will not understand. These frontier villagers see monsters and demons everywhere. That¡¯s how they survive. Even elves are shunned here, more so than in the capital.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°I won¡¯t give up on them. They are worth fighting for, even if it¡¯s thankless and impossible, it¡¯s worth showing them a better way to accept people and learn from elves or even skurr.¡± Drew said.

    Damien tried to rebut but Drew flew off.

    One of the Johns came around the corner sheepishly with one arm draped across Seraphina¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Did you two break up?¡± She asked.

    - 84 -

    The town was starting to quiet down. It wasn¡¯t quite dusk but a few homes here and there were starting to cook their evening meals. Another family was harvesting what they needed from their small garden behind their home.

    As Drew flew where the wind took him. He saw leather workers, candlemakers, brewers, and carpenters wrapping up their work for the day and closing up their shops.

    I bet I could help any one of these professions with knowledge from earth. Even if it¡¯s just ways to speed up the process. Does the carpenter have a lathe? Or is sandpaper a thing here?

    He circled around the carpenters shop and saw the man use a wand to summon wind to gather up the sawdust and wood shavings around his shop and hurl them out into his yard.

    More likely, they use magic to shape wood and the tools are secondary. A lathe would only save them mana.

    He followed the wind until they took him to the palisade circling the town.

    Why does it bother me so much if Damien thinks I¡¯m just a curiosity? I haven¡¯t told him the truth. But I¡¯m not a pet. I¡¯m not his familiar. He¡¯s supposed to be my friend.l not my master.

    He flew past some of the wards he had repaired the other day and landed to check on them again.

    I chose this race, sure it was a discount, but that¡¯s all I could afford. And this is what I¡¯ve got to overcome if I want to be a hero. At least I¡¯m not on the menu, nobody here eats crows.

    He passed several wards, deep in thought until he came to the wards he hadn¡¯t worked on yet.

    I¡¯ve got ideas. Good ideas, great ones even. How about a carriage that flattens and paves the road as you travel?

    ¡°First thing I¡¯ll do is finish these wards. Last time I got distracted by those kids.¡° Drew said.

    I¡¯ll make them run leaner, and not tell Damien. That way, some other enchanter will find them and take the credit. That will show him.

    He started to remove a mana stone from a corroded ward, but realized he didn¡¯t have his toolkit.

    Without the tool kit he wouldn¡¯t be able to repair them, the most he could do is inspect them and come back tomorrow to fix them.

    Im not going back to grab it now. Not after I stormed off and everything. Damien will be there and say something.

    He was looking over the palisade and saw horned rabbits grazing on the grass outside of town.

    Their horns are much shorter than back in Rottervale.

    Of the next 12 medallions 4 needed attention. He made a point to remember where they were so he could return to them with his toolkit.

    Rottervale really was a tough place to start. At least Skurr were common there and I didn¡¯t stand out so much. There don¡¯t seem to be any birds here at all. Would it be better if I completed the racial upgrade?

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Or it could make things worse. The first humanoid crow would definitely look like a demon to everyone.¡± Drew sighed to himself.

    The sound of children talking reached his ears. He reflexively ducked away from flying stones. But there weren¡¯t any stones he peaked over the wall. The two straw-haired brothers and Dylar were outside the walls. They were sneaking through some grass and planning to attack some horned rabbits.

    Drew flew over to talk to them. He made a point to call out from a safe distance.

    ¡°Hey kids! Forget about attacking any monsters. You guys are super weak and it¡¯s nearly dinner time.¡± Drew said just loud enough for the kids to hear.

    The rabbit¡¯s ears twitched but it went back to digging up some grass.

    The younger brother jolted and turned with a hushed shriek when he saw Drew. ¡°What? Ahh! It¡¯s that Demon Skurr!¡± The younger brother said.

    ¡°Shut it. He¡¯s just a smart Skurr, I told you. He helped me fight off that demon today.¡± Dyler said.

    Dyler stood and turned to face Drew.

    ¡°The three of us can handle a rabbit. I¡¯ve got a knife now.¡± Dylar said proudly holding it up. He had drawn it from a loop on his belt. It was a sturdy knife about as long as his palm. It had a well worn grip and had been sharpened end oiled well over the years.

    ¡°But can you win against 3? Because from up here I can see three rabbits just right over there.¡± Drew said as he turned in a lazy circle on the breeze above the boys.

    The kids looked towards each other, none of them were as confident anymore.

    ¡°He don¡¯t even know how to use a knife anyways.¡± The older brother said. ¡°I bet you stole it didn¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°Shut up Calvin!¡± Dylar said then he turned to shut up the younger brother before he could say anything. ¡°You too Victor. My dad gave it to me after I defeated the demon today.¡±

    At least kids are bickering the same as earth kids. Well if you account for the whole demon slaying rpg stuff actually being real.

    ¡°Thank you. Ya know? Well you vouched for me. Ya know.¡± Dyler said to Drew.

    ¡°It was the right thing to do. You were telling the truth and I had the means to help you.¡± Drew said.

    He circled above the boys and Dylar kicked a small rock while he looked away.

    ¡°If you could hold off on attacking monsters for now, there¡¯s some training you could do to increase your odds of survival.¡±

    Calvin snorted and looked up at the gliding Skurr.

    ¡°Bah, what kind of training can a bird teach us? We can¡¯t fly or eat garbage.¡± Calvin said.

    ¡°Shut up Calvin!¡± Dyler said and kicked the boy in the back. ¡°This guy has fought demons and can use magic. He knows more than your dumb ass.¡±

    The younger brother looked up at Drew and then back to his brother.

    ¡°Calvin let¡¯s hear him out.¡± Victor said.

    Calvin grumbled, and dusted off his back side, but accepted.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the walls where it¡¯s safer.¡± Drew said.

    He circled into the wind. He kept one eye on the kids and the other eye on the nearest horned rabbits until they reached the palisade.

    ¡°Now, I learned this method of training from the guild in Rottervale, and I added in some things I learned from their city guards, as well as the mercenaries I¡¯ve been traveling with. Let¡¯s start with Stamina training¡­¡±

    Stamina +1

    Strength +1

    Agility +1

    Skill Upgrade: Stamina Recovery lvl 4

    Skill Upgrade: Flying lvl 9

    Skill Upgrade: Parry lvl 3

    Skill Upgrade: Basic Heal lvl 5

    Drew put the tree boys through general calisthenics, running sprints, push ups, squats, light unarmed sparring, and they found a water trough to dunk their heads in to practice holding their breath.

    Drew made a point to let them push their own limits, then encouraged them to go back to do another set of which ever exercise they struggled with the most.

    After 30 minutes the first boy lit up with a stat point gain. Then the other two got their gains shortly after.

    Drew hung from a fence board upside down by his claws and did some chin ups. He also tried a few practice swings with Calvin¡¯s stick but it was too cumbersome to swing with his claws.

    Anytime the boys were injured, Drew would heal them up and they would keep going.

    Dusk came quickly an hour and a half later and Drew and Dylar were were sparring slowly with their knives as the light faded to dusk.

    ¡°You tired yet?¡± Drew taunted as he swooped in low to strike at the boy¡¯s knife.

    ¡°Not even close bird breath.¡± Dyler teased back and sliced at the Skurr haphazardly.

    ¡°Then keep moving your feet!¡± Drew pushed in close putting the boy off balance as his knees banged into eachother. He sliced at the boy¡¯s knife leaving a generous gap for the boy to dodge away.

    Got to give Jeff credit, it¡¯s hard to push someone to their limits without hurting them.

    Dyler tripped and fell, the two brothers Calvin and Victor cheered.

    ¡°Another point for Drew! Go kiss rocks Dyler!¡± Victor shouted. The younger boy had gained a point in proficiency with Slings and had been slinging stones non-stop for the last 30 minutes trying to level it again.

    Drew stowed his knife and flew down to heal the boy.

    ¡°That¡¯s great progress for a short amount of time.¡± Drew said. ¡°And think about which non-combat skills you want to work on. It should be something you have materials for, like making arrows. You get experience for completing them and you can spend the exp on your attributes.¡±

    ¡°Or just sell them and throw stones.¡± Victor said.

    ¡°Exactly, or if you learn to use a bow you can save money by stocking up on arrows you made your self.¡± Drew said. ¡°And Calvin, I don¡¯t know how to make one, but get a shield to go with that wooden stick. Trust me you will need it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah, and keep my feet moving. You¡¯ve been saying that this whole time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious, you can fight longer if you aren¡¯t hurt. Agility and having a shield to block with are far better than planning to kill with one big slash of your sword.¡± Drew said.

    For all their bravado they are taking this seriously. It¡¯s life and death. And they realize that.

    ¡°I got to head back, I¡¯m late for dinner as it is and I want to make a couple new wands before I turn in for the night.¡± Drew said.

    And I need to talk to Damien. Making wands may be an olive branch to get him in a good mood.

    ¡°Are you going to be training tomorrow?¡± Victor asked.

    ¡°I might. I¡¯ll be working on a few wards on this side of town. If you have some bread, or other food to bring me then I could train you guys again.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Deal.¡± Dyler said and gave a thumbs up.

    Drew flew off towards the corral and left the three boys alone.

    ¡°Did we just make a deal with a Demon?¡± Calvin asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s a good demon.¡± Victor said. ¡°Do you think he likes sweat bread?¡±

    - 85 -

    Drew arrived in time for dinner. Two Johns were setting out a second plate for Krag and had started cleaning up their kitchen gear.

    Thrain and Damien were sitting off to the side at Thrain¡¯s personal folding table set. They were drinking ale from large glass flutes.

    He flew in a wide circle, gliding on the wind, aiming to come in for a landing with the cook table as his runway.

    Eagle 1 to ground control, requesting clearance to land.

    ¡°¡­standing there, nearly wielding pitchforks! And He was planning to talk them down.¡± Damien was sloshing his beer.

    He¡¯s talking about me.

    Drew pulled up to circle around again before anyone noticed him. He heard most of what they said and could guess the rest.

    ¡°He¡¯s a young bird, surely you¡¯ve made a similar mistake once or twice before.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°Thats not the issue¡­ you can¡¯t trust small town folk. They don¡¯t understand mages.¡±

    ¡°I doubt mages understand other mages very much. Some of them are like Fire and Water.¡±

    ¡°That old adage is more apt than you know. Smothering each other or blowing up in a cloud of steam.¡± Damien took another deep pull on his ale and glowered at the little that remained.

    ¡°Drew is too transparent. He¡¯s too quick to see the best in people.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°He is, but that¡¯s how you build trust. You believe the best in people and then they live up to your expectations.¡± Thrain said.

    The third John and the ice elf Seraphina strolled up to the corral. They were laughing and holding each other close.

    ¡°John, Seraphina?¡± One of the Johns stopped cleaning to call out to the couple. ¡°Have you eaten? We can set out two new plates.¡±

    ¡°Or you two could share a plate.¡± The other John jokingly set out a single plate of dinner.

    ¡°You won¡¯t ruin our evening with your jealousy, brothers.¡± John Smiled to Seraphina.

    ¡°We already ate.¡± She said. ¡°I thought we could retire early John?¡±

    Even from his vantage point far above the conversation Drew caught the look she gave him.

    ¡°Certainly, I¡¯m quite tired.¡±

    ¡°No too tired I hope?¡± Seraphina asked and caressed his chest before rushing to her tent.

    ¡°Brothers, farewell!¡± John sang. He sprinted into the tent after the ice elf.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s the steam I was talking about.¡± Thrain said with a laugh.

    The tension broke and the two Johns found somewhere else to be.

    Drew landed beside the hot plate of food. It was something like a porch with mashed potatoes, and steamed leafy vegetables like spinach.

    ¡°Welcome to dinner Drew.¡± I heard you had an exciting day.¡± Thrain said.

    Damien sat quietly with his ale as the dwarf strode over to join Drew at his table.

    Him and Damien are drinking buddies. I bet Thrain hears all about Damien¡¯s side of the story.

    Drew pecked at his food and swallowed before speaking.

    ¡°I did. I defeated a Forge Sprite. One of the kids in town had been feeding it until it got out of control and attacked her and her friends.¡±

    ¡°Oh ho! Busy day indeed. Gives you a fine appetite.¡± Thrain said. He stroked his beard thoughtfully and looked back at Damien for a moment.

    ¡°Do you have any plans for the evening? Care for a few rounds of Cabal?¡± Thrain waggled his eyebrows at Drew.

    ¡°Actually, I was hoping to enchant a few new wands. Especially something that can help me put out fires.¡± Drew said loud enough for Damien to hear.

    The old enchanter perked up at the mention of enchantments. But stubbornly turned the other way to sip his ale.

    ¡°Well I do have some wands for sale, but I imagine you will want the experience of crafting them your self. I could sell you some mana enriched lumber that would hold an enchantment well.¡± Thrain said. ¡°For a fair price of course.¡±

    Thrain nodded towards Damien¡¯s back with a questioning eyebrow.

    Drew shrugged.

    What¡¯s he trying to say to me?

    ¡°Do you know what kind of wood ye would need? Which spells are ye thinking of? I¡¯ve got plenty of sicklewood if you don¡¯t mind the grain curving dramatically.¡± Thrain said.

    I guess that should be fine. Sounds cool enough. I should get enough for several wands.

    ¡°Sounds good to me. Let¡¯s see it. Have you got enough for four or five wands? I¡¯d like to make them for multiple affects.¡±

    ¡°Stop! Stop! You can¡¯t use sicklewood for wands it would ruin the mana core¡¯s sympathy with the materials and you would have to calculate for the grain when carving the enchantments.¡± Damien came rushing over, ale forgotten.

    ¡°I mean really, a renowned Merchant like you not knowing this simple fact.¡± Damien said to Thrain causing the dwarf to laugh things off.

    ¡°Drew it seems like we could use Damien¡¯s help in this.¡± Thrain said.

    What¡¯s Thrain thinking? Does he have the same idea I do about cheering Damien up?

    ¡°Well if you aren¡¯t busy Damien, I do have some ideas on how to apply the enchantments using the new system we thought up today. I could use your help.¡±

    The old enchanter smiled and downed the last of his Ale.

    ¡°Of course you do, I¡¯m a master enchanter.¡± Damien turned to Thrain a little loose on his feet. ¡°You better have some aspected wood after all this talk of sicklewood.¡±

    They marched over to the cart and Thrain pulled a few levers causing the shelves and crates on the cart to reorganize themselves. After a few seconds the card reached its new configuration and an array of fine planks and boards were on display.

    Damien ruled out many of the softwoods, then selected only the boards that are from the heart of the tree. Where the grain is tightest.

    Damien pulled out his mana lens and looked at the remaining options closely.

    He offered the lens to Drew.

    ¡°See here? how the mana is locked into the tight grain of the wood? Much like your Mana Reinforcement ability. There is quite a selection here, what are you planning to create?¡± Damien said.

    ¡°I want to make a wand like [fire bolt], but for each element.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Ah yes, a water bolt, stone bolt, wind bolt, light bolt, dark bolt. Simple enchantments we can do with the tools I have in the tent.¡±

    He looked around at the wood available and frowned.

    ¡°Those last two will be tricky. I don¡¯t see any pieces here with those affinities.¡±

    ¡°These are all I have in stock right now. As you can imagine dark aspected dungeons are impossible to find.¡± Thrain said. ¡°Sadly, I have yet to meet an Enlightened that would part with any of their light aspected materials for a fair price.¡±

    ¡°We could create them with Alchemy once we reach Valoria. That would be a good milestone for you to aim for as you learn the Skill.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Sounds good to me. Let¡¯s get enough of each type to make two wands. I may make a mistake, or we could use them for something else.¡± Drew said.

    Damien marked 4 boards, each about a 14 inch length near one end of the board.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only got 15 gold left. How much will this all cost?¡± Drew asked Thrain.

    Thrain jumped in at that moment.

    ¡°For all this here, 15 gold would be a fair price.¡±

    Damien did some math and nodded in agreement.

    ¡°That¡¯s almost generous. Thank you. I did not expect the friends and family rate.¡± Drew said.

    Thrain laughed and waved off his words. ¡°This is my returning customers rate. Got to maintain my repeat business. Krag! Come help our customers portion off the best of these boards here.¡±

    As the Orc cut the lengths of wood with a fine toothed saw Damien shuffled quietly between his feet.

    ¡°Thrain, I have your gold back in the tent. Return in just a moment.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Grab my [Enchanters Kit] while you are there. We will need it.¡± Damien said.

    As if I could I forget?

    As the skurr flew to the tent and back he missed when Damien passed Thrain a few gold coins and pointed out a couple things on the cart.

    Drew returned a minute later with the heavy tool kit held aloft with [Mage Hand] and dropped it at Damien¡¯s feet.

    He reached out and placed 15 gold coins on the cart as payment for the wood and scooped them up.

    Damien lifted his [Enchanters Kit] easily and brought it to the table. The Johns had cleared it in a few minutes and trekked off to find a drink.

    Damien set out his folio and turned to the schematic for [Stone bolt].

    ¡°Stone Bolt would the the best wand to create first. Take a look at the schematic to get an understanding of the defining terms and action phrases. Then we can look at adapting the new efficiency phrases to the wand.¡±

    Drew copied down the enchantment onto some paper and underlined the key phrases.

    These turn the mana into earth aspected mana, then shape that into the bolt. Setting the cost against the velocity and distance, and force factors. Looks like this portion defines where the magic originates.

    ¡°Stone bolt is a great first combat enchantment. It¡¯s a stable element to work with, unlike fire, wind, and water.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°It¡¯s your favorite elemental affinity. Is that why you use it so much in combat?¡± Drew asked, he was turning the page to compare the relative size of the bolt form across the stone bolt and fire bolt enchantments.

    ¡°What? Why do you say that?¡± Damien asked. He rolled out a thick leather mat that was enchanted to regulate the mana within its borders for precise mana manipulations.

    ¡°Well it¡¯s so versatile when you use it. You make those walls, and boulders and stone bulletts. It makes sense?¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Stone Bolts, but yes. I guess I do use the element often.¡± Damien said quickly.

    Drew turned to the next page in the folio expecting to see [Wind Bolt] but instead there was a different kind of enchantment.

    What¡¯s [Channel Earth Affinity]?

    Damien looked up from the work mat he had laid out. He¡¯d just attuned it to the current ambient mana levels. He froze when he saw Drew had searched so far ahead.

    ¡°Oh! See this makes much more sense. And it would work much better with our new ambient mana phrases since it¡¯s channeling.¡± Drew said.

    Damien was silent.

    ¡°I thought you had multiple wands for the stone affinity, but with your mana channeling proficiency you can visualize what you want the [Channel Earth Affinity] enchantment to do.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Well yes, of course it does.¡± Damien said with a sigh. ¡°Great observation. You passed that little test.¡±

    Ha! I bet he didn¡¯t think I was ready for enchantments at this level. They would actually be easier to adapt to be self charging than the bolt style enchantments.

    ¡°With these Channel Affinity enchantments you save on mana costs but need to exert more focus. The enchantment won¡¯t have a predetermined form or function. You will need to maintain your intention for the spell while you are channeling it.¡± Damien said.

    Drew was already sketching out the [Channel Earth Affinity] enchantment and working backwards until he got to the part where he could supplement his mana capacity formula.

    It will likely cost extra mana, time or both to cast, but I think I can stop it from failing so often while I¡¯m distracted in combat.

    The enchantment is simple. It waits for an ignition spark of mana, then it checks for a charge from its internal mana supply, then casts the enchantment, asking for the parameters of the affect. (Form, velocity, density, origin point) The enchantment utilizes ambient mana or channeled mana to sustain the enchantment. Converts mana to Earth Aligned mana. Then it channels the spell until canceled.

    ¡°Alright let¡¯s test it out. [Stone Bullet]!¡± Drew shouted.

    A small stone pellet 1/4 the size of a stone bolt, coalesced in a second and then shot up at an incredible speed.

    Skill upgrade: [Enchantment] level 7.

    Wow! That worked almost too well.

    Damien slid over to see what Drew had created.

    Oh man, this variant of the spell would be really effective at making lots of little bullets.

    ¡°Drew how small and fast did you make that bolt? The standard size stone bolt is set at one sonne because anything smaller causes cohesion to fail and it would not reach its target.¡±

    ¡°I condensed it to 25% the size of a bolt and 4 times as fast. It may not have the stopping power of a [Stone Bolt], but it can penetrate. Hopefully steel armor.¡±

    Damien looked over the enchantment. And made some notes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s test it even smaller, at 20% the size and five times the density. You won¡¯t add on much casting time and the mana cost should only increase by 5%.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Do you think we could get away with condensing it more?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s possible but your mana cost and casting time will go up dramatically.¡± Damien said and jotted down some rough calculations.

    ¡°[Fire Bolt] works so well because all of the parameters are calculated and balanced.¡± Damien said. ¡°But it lacks versatility, you cannot channel the spell to make it larger, or shorten the casting time. It¡¯s fixed and set in stone.¡±

    Because I can channel this enchantment, I could cue up two or three bullets at once then fire them off. As long as I can anticipate the casting time it should work.

    The next test with increased casting time went exactly as planned. The stone bullet formed in 2 seconds, it was smaller and denser than a stone bolt. Drew struggled to keep the parameters for size and density and velocity in his mind as the spell resolved.

    As it neared completion the spell started to pull on his mana harder, storing up potential velocity.

    ¡°Fire in the hole!¡± Drew shouted.

    ¡°This spell is not for fire-¡°

    The stone bullet cracked through the air interrupting Damien¡¯s statement. The projectile disappeared up into the sky faster than Drew could track it. It was so loud it startled the Garnts and Thrain and Krag jumped up with their weapons drawn.

    MP: 25%

    ¡°That might have been a little too loud¡­¡± Drew said. ¡°And way too mana intensive.¡±

    ¡°This is amazing Drew. We can work with this.¡± Damien said.

    New item: Crystalized Mana Rod x 6

    New item: Mana Infused Dowel x7

    New item: [Wand of Channel Earth]

    New item: [Wand of Channel Water]

    New item: [Wand of Channel Air]

    New item: [Wand of Channel Flame]

    Mana channeling lvl 6

    Enchanting lvl 8

    Mana recovery lvl 7

    Carving lvl 6

 Part 36

    - 86 -

    Drew looked at his two broken wands, two failed attempts to get the crystalized mana rods to sympathize with the elemental aspects of the wood and the enchantments of the wands. They shattered after a few tests.

    The carving of the wands had gone smoothly. Drew was able to utilize [Mage Hand] far more effectively considering he had leveled the ability up twice since his last crafting session.

    Seems like [Mage Hand] is as dexterous at carving as my claws now. Unless I¡¯m doing some extremely precise carving.

    The first prototype of the stone wand exploded in a cloud of sand. They tried a wind wand and it similarly exploded in a gale force wind that scattered Damien¡¯s notes everywhere.

    The main issue was a conflict between the phrases for channeling mana. Having the option to simultaneously draw mana from two sources; ambient mana, and mana from the caster, caused the enchantment to overload.

    Damien was certain the issue was the complex enchantment Drew had cooked up.

    ¡°There¡¯s simply too much power in the enchantment. We cannot fit everything you are imagining into a 40 kn wooden wand.¡± Damien said after checking the math.

    They re-wrote the enchantments from scratch and the next four attempts were successful.

    The two enchanters had worked far into the night. All three moons passed through the sky at their own pace to witness the creation of 4 new wands incorporating an earthling¡¯s understanding of programming.

    Damien had channeled two casts of [Mage Hand] to set up three of the enhanced mana crystal enchantments. He used a tool to prune and shape several thin mana crystal rods.

    When they got down to assembling the wands, Damien went into full lecture mode.

    ¡°Wands are made with a rod of crystallized mana, engraved with the specific enchantment, inserting the rod inside a wand with an affinity sympathetic to the spell multiplies its effectiveness.¡± Damien had explained.

    ¡°While wood is the most common, other base materials are used and a variety of alchemical ingredients are often used to amplify the synergy.¡±

    After they had assembled the last wand and performed a few preliminary tests; Damien revealed he had made an extra purchase.

    ¡°Drew come over here for a moment.¡± Damien was surrounded by his notes. When Drew hopped over the old enchanter produced a leather cuff, like a wide bracelet. And it had three loops woven through it.

    ¡°This is a [Mage Sling].¡± Damien said. ¡°Apprentices use them to store their wands. With a little work you should be able to modify it so you can wear it.¡±

    New Item: [Mage Sling] - good quality, A spacial storage device specifically enchanted for storing wands. It can store up to 3 wands at a time.

    ¡°Thank you Damien. When did you make this?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°While I could make it, they are not uncommon to find from reputable merchants. I purchased it from our friend today once I heard you were building out your collection of wands.¡±

    He pulled up his right sleeve to show that he wore a similar one below his elbow.

    ¡°I know you have your storage ring, but these wands will not stack in the same slot like your potions do.¡± Damien said.

    Oh man I didn¡¯t even think of that!

    ¡°Think nothing more of it. It¡¯s yours and may well help you in a fight for your life. Let¡¯s get back to testing these new wands!¡± Damien clapped his hands together, excited to get started.

    The inn keeper slammed open his shutters. He leaded out with a long nightcap on.

    ¡°Would you two shut up and go to bed?!¡± He shouted.

    ¡°Sorry sir! Our apologies!¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Indeed! It¡¯s far too late for anything other than going to sleep.¡± Damien said as he started rolling his tools up in the work mat.

    The innkeeper grumbled to himself and slammed his shutters.

    ¡°Hes making more noise with those shutters as we were.¡± Drew said.

    Damien laughed.

    ¡°Quite right Drew. I¡¯ll be retiring for the night. Might transpose the notes from today into a new book and keep them all in one place.¡± He said.

    ¡°We can put these wands through their paces tomorrow when it¡¯s daylight out.¡±

    The sky to the east was just flirting with the idea of lightening up when Damien¡¯s light flicked off and he laid down to sleep.

    He is a bit of a grouch, but I guess you have to be if you survive in this world long enough.

    Drew took a quick nap in the rafters of the stables. Skurr never sleep very long.

    - 87 -

    Drew was awake again before Miia had dropped below the horizon to look at the new wands.

    He had earned enough experience crafting the wands and from defeating the Forge Sprite to level up again.

    No reason to hold myself back.

    He selected yes and spent his two points on increasing his mana pool.

    Now back to these wands!

    Drew channeled mana into the Fire Aspected wand and brought it up to 3 out of its maximum 5 charges before he took a break to refill his mana reserves.

    Theoretically these wands are perfectly versatile. Gonna need to practice.

    I have seen the parameters for the Firebolt enchantment, so I know that combination works. If I treat the other elements like firebolt then I should be able to visualize the other elements just fine.

    As he waited for his mana to refill, Drew took the time to carve a few of the ward medallions he would swap out on the palisade today.

    Seems like Damien forgot that he was mad about the whole mob issue. And now I can put out any fires I happen to start. Win-Win.

    John and Seraphina joined Drew at the table. John got to work making breakfast and Seraphina sat down at the table to make eyes at him while he cooked.

    Huh, I guess she¡¯s warmed up to me? She sat right down. No evil eye or spitting in my general direction.

    ¡°Seraphina, good morning.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Good morning Skurr.¡± She replied with a smile.

    John handed her a plate of eggs and sausages with a glazed breakfast roll with Yellow Skeetle jelly inside.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­¡± Drew asked hesitantly.

    The ice elf turned to give him a serious look.

    Oh, there¡¯s the icy look.

    When he didn¡¯t continue, she brushed aside a stray lock of her hair that had come out of its braid.

    ¡°Speak your question before my meal spoils.¡± She said.

    ¡°Well, I know we haven¡¯t spoken much. You see I got the feeling you didn¡¯t want me around. Like I was bad luck?¡± Drew flinched an expecting an angry response.

    Instead Seraphina giggled, then apologized.

    ¡°I am sorry little Skurr. I have treated you unfairly. Yes. It is bad luck for an unmarried woman to see a Gallows Bird. Especially when she has a hopeful suitor.¡± She said.

    John reached out to clasp her hand, and they shared a chaste kiss for a moment.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. Lots of people know that Miia¡¯s children follow those unlucky spinsters, widows, and those who have lost their true love.¡± John said.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Oh really? I¡¯m sorry, didn¡¯t know.¡± Drew said.

    That¡¯s terrible! I¡¯ve been affecting their luck this whole time?

    The happy couple laughed again.

    ¡°I can give you some space. I can clean this carving mess up and go over by the stables to-¡°

    ¡°No no, it¡¯s fine now.¡± Seraphina said. ¡°John and I have found each other. Bella guides our love, we are safe from Miia¡¯s foul fate.¡±

    That¡¯s a relief. Not that I¡¯m some suave ladies man. But I like to think that I can play a solid wingman if the need arose.

    MP: 95%

    Drew picked up his water wand to charge next. As he channeled his mana into it Seraphina looked up from her meal.

    ¡°Is that a new wand?¡± She asked.

    ¡°It is, Damien and I made it last night.¡± He replied.

    ¡°May I see it? It¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    Drew passed the wand across the table with [Mage Hand] and the elf inspected the wand like a connoisseur might.

    ¡°Mhmm, excellent mana density, fine grain. This is Dyre wood. Great for water aligned enchantments. It has not been fortified against low temperatures. Be careful using this with ice magic. It is a fine quality for your first wand Drew.¡± She said.

    She placed the wand delicately down on the table between them and Drew picked it up to continue charging it.

    ¡°Do you intend to sell it? I imagine you¡¯d find a willing buyer in Valoria.¡± She said.

    ¡°On no, this one is for me. I have been using the [Fire Bolt] wand and wanted something to put out any stray fires.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Oh that¡¯s responsible of you. Which enchantment does this wand hold?¡± She asked.

    MP:35%

    The wand¡¯s five charges were full and he needed to rest before charging the next wand.

    ¡°It¡¯s a different kind of wand than the fire one. It¡¯s a [Wand of Channel Water]. With practice I can use it to form a variety of spells. Actually, I could use some advice from you. Any advice on water spells?¡°

    ¡°Yes this is a good training wand for building up your elemental affinity. I¡¯m glad that you are making the switch to the water alignment. It¡¯s a foundation of my ice magic you know.¡±

    She had forgotten about her meal completely and was leaning over the table to speak with Drew.

    ¡°Yes a wand like this would effectively increase your affinity with water. You could use it to cast any number of spells aligned with water. Think of water as mutable. Able to take any form. Unlike air with is uncontainable, water can easily be shaped. Of course my ice magic utilizes air affinities as well. To make the water cold you see. Although there is more to it than that.¡± She was leaning so far across the table by this point she was almost laying down on it.

    A wand appeared in her hand, it was made of pure white wood, straight and well sanded to a smooth luster, and covered in a fine frost.

    ¡°This wand is something similar to what you have made, with the main modification being that the mana stored within mine is already aspected to water. The mana is more ready to form the beautiful crystalline structures of the spell. This cuts down on the casting time for my ice spells.¡± She said.

    I get it, her wand¡¯s enchantment must convert the mana to water mana before storing the charge, that way it can cast the spell that much faster!

    ¡°Of course, some people will say that that makes it harder for a mage to cast other types of spells. But what¡¯s the point of that when ice magic is the most powerful and most versatile magic available.¡± Seraphina laughed as she held the wand out for Drew to take.

    ¡°Darling, let¡¯s not corrupt the young bird just yet.¡± John stepped over and helped Seraphina find her seat.

    ¡°Oh John, he¡¯s already chosen to align with water. It¡¯s no harm. Why I held my first ice wand at rank 1. It¡¯s perfectly safe.¡± She said.

    I¡¯m missing something here. John looks concerned.

    ¡°I made four wands, one for each mortal element. I would have made a light and dark wand but Damien said we didn¡¯t have the right materials.¡±

    Seraphina looked like she tasted something bitter.

    ¡°Oh don¡¯t muddle up your affinities Drew. You will only make it harder to control your magic.¡± Seraphina said.

    ¡°Be careful Drew. It¡¯s better to use wands like [Fire Bolt] or [Chain Lightning]. They do the heavy lifting to shape the mana to the correct affinity for the spell.¡± John said.

    ¡°Those are fine for beginners dear, but you cannot use crutches for too long or they hold you back.¡± She said.

    I didn¡¯t mean to start an argument.

    ¡°My brothers and I cook perfectly well in this enchanted stove without knowing a lick of fire magic.¡±

    Drew spoke up again to derail the two lovers.

    ¡°Sorry. Can you explain it to me again? The wand you use converts mana to water mana and stores it, and you manipulate wind mana to form ice spells?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Oh no dear, I¡¯m an ice mage. I have pools of water and wind mana. The wand does not convert my mana. It stores the wind and water mana I give it.¡± Seraphina said proudly.

    Oh that¡¯s how a mage does it then. And an enchanter stores un-aspected mana. It¡¯s more versatile than aspected mana.

    John looked concerned. He almost spoke but dropped the issue.

    Seems like there are two camps on this topic. Which one is Damien in?

    Muddling up my affinities sounds bad, but being versatile, and having a wand for each element would be very cool.

    - 88 -

    Marcus walked into the corral carting his two saddle bags. He did not strain under their weight.

    ¡°Good morning John, Seraphina, I hope you have been well.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Marcus! I haven¡¯t seen you in a day. Where have you been?¡± John said. ¡°We nearly left without you.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we leaving this evening?¡± He said as he dropped his bags down beside their table. He sat down and waited for some breakfast. He made a point to avoid John¡¯s questioning eyes.

    ¡°You got a room at the Inn. You are freshly bathed. I can smell the floral scent on you.¡± John said as he dished up a plate for the hungry elf.

    ¡°But all the rooms were full. I had the last one available.¡± Seraphina said. ¡°Although we didn¡¯t use it last night. The walls were so thin we could hear a passionate couple throughout the afternoon¡­¡±

    Marcus reached for the plate of food but John pulled it back.

    ¡°It was you Marcus. And who else? Who were you dancing horizontally with? You sly demon!¡± John taunted.

    ¡°Not that it would be any of your business but I¡¯m not ashamed to say that Ms Mara is a friend.¡± Marcus said.

    John¡¯s mouth hung open in surprise. Seraphina gasped. Marcus easily retrieved the plate of food from from John¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Mara?? No wonder we haven¡¯t seen her around. My brothers were looking to apologize for the duel!¡± John was nearly shouting.

    Damien and the other two Johns were woken up by the rowdy conversation. The two brothers cheered from the tent at the news.

    ¡°I believe she has forgiven us.¡± One John said from behind their tent flap.

    ¡±Or she has forsaken you.¡± John said.

    ¡°Or perhaps it wasn¡¯t about us at all? Perhaps it was dear Mara thinking of herself?¡± The other John mused as he stepped from the tent.

    ¡°What¡¯s all this racket so early in the day?¡± Damien said.

    The enchanter straitened up as he stood in front of the tent. His back popped in two places and he visibly relaxed.

    ¡°Has the blacksmith delivery arrived yet?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Marcus met a lady friend,¡± Drew said. ¡°Although it may be ending between them after we leave?¡± Drew said. It ended up being a question to Marcus.

    ¡°It was always meant to be temporary. She¡¯s human after all. I¡¯m much older than her.¡± Marcus said and took another bite.

    ¡°Ha! Most certainly, a fling like that is never going to last a cycle.¡± Seraphina said.

    How is that any different than her and John?

    Damien and the Johns joined them for breakfast at the table. Breakfast was eggs on toast with fresh melon on the side.

    Damien ate with gusto and checked his notes on the new enchantments.

    The two single Johns cornered Marcus and had a hushed conversation off near in of the tents. They repeatedly made crude hand gestures. Marcus was unable to escape the conversation for several minutes.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head out to the fields and test the wands.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Field testing sounds good. Which way do you want to go?¡± Drew asked.

    Damien packed up his notes and hefted his toolkit up onto his shoulder.

    ¡°Leta head east, I haven¡¯t seen that side of the city, and I heard that there are rabbits, and spider melons out that way.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going out there to grind exp.¡± Drew said and he followed Damien to the entrance of the corral.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s right, we won¡¯t go on a killing spree. But we do want to calibrate your damage output.¡± Damien said. ¡°I could summon some stone targets for you.¡±

    ¡°Hello to the travelers in the corral!¡± A man called.

    He was pulling a cart with a waterproof canvas covering its cargo. He had a bright smile and strong arms. As he approached he spoke again.

    ¡°Are you folks expecting a delivery? Master smith said I would find you all here after the sun was up.¡± He said.

    A John raised his hand in greeting and introduced himself to the man.

    ¡°Well met sir. We did order parts for our wagon. Are you from master Fischer¡¯s Smithy? Judging by your gear you are an apprentice?¡±

    ¡°I am, William Stokes. Apprentice blacksmith, for the next half year, if all goes well.¡± William said.

    He walked the hand cart into the corral and started to unload the crates near the wagons.

    ¡°I¡¯ve passed my apprentice quests and only need to craft a masterwork item to complete my apprenticeship.¡± Will said.

    Two John¡¯s walked over to start laying out the parts and sorting their tools.

    ¡°Interesting enchanting work you have done with some of these parts.¡± William said.

    Damien wked forwards and lifted up some of the enchanted pieces.

    ¡°Why thank you, as a blacksmith you must see plenty of enchantments yourself. Do you read the script?¡±

    ¡°No unfortunately I have not tried my hand at enchantment. Just give me a schematic and I can carve it into the metal.¡± He said.

    Will stepped past Damien to look at the enchanted wheels.

    ¡°I¡¯d give a gold coin to see the schematic for these wheels.¡± He said.

    One of the Johns pulled Damien aside to ask about some of the parts and how they would be installed to the wagon. They were building up the reenforcement on the walls themselves to withstand and damage, and weather they might encounter.

    Drew flew over to the crate and looked down at Will.

    ¡°Why would they be so valuable to you?¡± Drew asked.

    The young man startled but caught himself before he stumbled.

    Bah, not a very good reaction. Good poker face.

    ¡°Ah! Yes. The talking gallows bird! I half believed my master imagined it. My apologies.¡± Will said.

    ¡°No offense taken. Most people are alarmed at first, you are handling it quite well.¡± Drew said.

    At least scream or shriek. That¡¯s the best kind of reaction.

    ¡°Yes, well. You see its the way this is built up in layers. Whoever designed this wheel knows more about the materials involved than just their shape and form.¡± Will said.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t read the scripts, how do you know what the enchantment does?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°I can see it in action. As you strike it, no matter how hard, it does not deform. The load is evenly spread through out the material layers.¡± Will said.

    ¡°The idea is very simple, that¡¯s why it¡¯s effective.¡± Drew said. ¡°I have another idea for a fender. It would smooth out the road as you pass. Making the ride faster and more comfortable.

    ¡°Fascinating. How does that work? I¡¯ve never heard of an enchantment like that.¡± Will said.

    ¡°Well, by compacting the soil in front of the wagon, even just a little bit each time a wagon passes you remove any irregularities. I haven''t¡¯ worked out the details. It¡¯s an idea I have.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°You are creating it? How is that possible?¡± will said.

    ¡°I¡¯m an enchanter, I have my Enchanting skill up to level 9.¡± Drew said.

    Damien hurried over to interrupt the conversation.

    ¡°Young William, could you lend those men a hand with the wagons? There''s two silver coins for your time. We plan to leave after lunch, and they could use your help if you are able.¡± Damien said, producing two coins from his sleeve.

    ¡°Certainly Sir. Happy to help. My master won¡¯t be awake for a few hours still.¡± He replied taking the coins.

    He hurried off to the wagons to help the Johns and Damien signed in relief.

    ¡°Alright Drew, it¡¯s time we go test your wands.¡±

    ¡°Mind if I join you?¡± Marcus asked.

    He stepped up beside them during William¡¯s entrance and had been listening silently.

    ¡°Certainly Marcus. Come along, and we will grab some lunch on the way back.¡± Damien said.

    The enchanter packed up his toolkit, and a couple books to jot down notes.

    ¡°Marcus, you wouldn¡¯t believe what we¡¯ve been up to. I saw the largest spider melon you¡¯ve ever seen!¡± Drew said.

 Part 37

    - 89 -

    ¡°Certainly not! I¡¯ve changed my mind. Thank you very much!¡± Marcus screeched.

    The elf was hugging a post near the east gate. After Drew had told the man how insanely large the spider melon had been Marcus¡¯s demeanor changed completely and the man was making a scene.

    ¡°Anything that large cannot come close to the village as long as the enchantments are running.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Hes right Marcus.¡± Drew said. ¡°And besides, it¡¯s already dead, there couldn¡¯t possibly be another one that big.¡±

    Marcus wailed and slid down the post to his knees.

    ¡°No! Now you went and said it, you are sure to meet another large one now! It¡¯s terribly bad luck to tempt the gods that way!¡± Marcus sobbed.

    ¡°Statistically speaking Drew is correct. Unless you have an ability that measures changes in the fluctuations of luck around you?¡± Damien paused excitedly.

    Marcus nodded his head in the negative.

    He asked like it really is a thing. Is luck such a rare stat?

    ¡°Then we should logically be fine.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Drew! Drew!¡± Dylar called as he ran towards the group.

    All 5 children were there. The two brothers Calvin and Victor, the elf girl Kiritus, and the dwarven child pulling up the last place position in the train of sprinting children.

    I wonder if the dwarf kid will stick around long enough I can learn their name¡­

    ¡°Ahh! What¡¯s wrong children? Is it a monster?¡± Marcus asked nervously. ¡°Damien, we should return to the wagons where it is safe.¡±

    ¡°Calm down Marcus. It¡¯s just a gaggle of children.¡± Damien said

    ¡°Wait a minute. I know these kids. Let¡¯s bring them with us and they can do some basic training. While we¡¯d test the wands.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time Drew. They are barely past their first rank.¡± Damien said.

    Dylar and the elf girl slid to a stop near the gate and stared up at the enchanter and swordsman in awe.

    ¡°He¡¯s so old!¡±

    ¡°He must be a powerful wizard!¡±

    ¡°He has ears like me¡­¡±

    Damien scowled.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly my point, this is when they benefit the most from training.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to bring them with us outside the walls.¡± Marcus said. ¡°They are not even properly equipped.¡±

    Kiritus touched the tips of her ears and stared at Marcus.

    ¡°Your ears are pointed like mine.¡± She said.

    Marcus blushed then got a thoughtful look as he counted on his fingers then shrugged.

    The rest of the gang of children arrived completely out of breath. Dylar gave a short bow and spoke up.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been training just like you said sir.¡± Trent said to Drew. ¡°Just this morning my stamina increased one point!¡±

    ¡°Mine too!¡± Victor chimed in. ¡°And I brought you a boiled egg!¡±

    He produced a brown speckled egg that had been cooked in its shell. His brother smacked him.

    ¡°I told you to bring something else! He¡¯s a bird, they lay eggs. He won¡¯t want to eat one.¡± Calvin said.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Damien asked. ¡°Where¡¯s the town instructor?¡±

    The children looked at him blankly.

    ¡°Your teacher? Your mentor? Your parents!¡± Damien said as he got more frustrated.

    The children squirmed sheepishly.

    ¡°We cannot be bothered to train you. We are not representatives in the employ of a guild.¡± He continued.

    ¡°Please sir! We won¡¯t get in the way, or make any trouble!¡± Calvin pleaded.

    ¡°I was showing these kids some of the training regimen the mercenaries use. It wouldn¡¯t be too much trouble for them to tag along.¡± Drew said.

    Marcus surprised them both by speaking up. ¡°I could put them through a few drills.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Fine, but the first time they get in the way we send them back to town.¡± Damien said and marched through the gate towards the tree line.

    How can you dislike spunky kids like this?

    ¡°He¡¯s a powerful mage right? Does he know magic?¡± Dwarf kid asked.

    ¡°Hes an enchanter. But yes. He knows powerful magic.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Alright let¡¯s go Training Montage!¡± Drew cheered and flew in a loop before racing to catch up to Damien.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Marcus and gestured for the children to chase after Damien. After the last one stepped through the gate he took of the rear guard in the formation.

    It was a beautiful sunny day in the fields outside of the village. The grass was kept low by the city guards so they could see goblins or rabbits well in advance of the palisade.

    Damien stood out in the field. He had a moment to himself before the crowd of children caught up with him. He looked at his hands, withered with their bones starting to poke through.

    ¡°Older each year.¡±

    He gripped his notebook tightly and pulled out a wand.

    It was an ancient thing, a wand that had seen decades of use. His fingers found their place in the hilt like they had a thousand times before. He stared at it and could hear the sounds of men and women and children dying. The light reflected off it¡¯s ashen surface and glinted in his eyes. He put it away with finality.

    Drew flew over and alighted gracefully on the man¡¯s shoulder. The wind from his wings ruffling the old enchanter¡¯s white hair.

    ¡°Took you long enough.¡± He said. ¡°First let¡¯s clear this area.¡±

    He pulled out his own wand and with a moment of concentration he flipped over the topsoil in a 1 meter by ten meter row.

    ¡°Thats what I want you to do. Once you clear out this area we will compact the dirt and create a training area for the children.¡± He said. ¡°So get to it.¡±

    ¡°Whoa this seems like a lot of space will we need that much room for training?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Thats how much I expect you to need to get used to the wand.¡± Damien said. ¡°When I was an apprentice it took about that much space for me to get the hang of my first wand.¡±

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll get to it then.¡± Drew said.

    Drew pulled the wand from his sling with a claw. He had modified the sling to cross his body and tie to his breastpiece like a bandoleer. The wands loaded into the sling like bullets into a revolver, disappearing one after the other.

    I need the schematic for this, I could really expand on it and use my storage abilities more efficiently.

    The earth aligned wand felt rough like sand paper in his claw and he focused on the ground in front of him.

    It¡¯s just like with fishing. The wand is hungry for my mana. There is mana in the earth, I can connect with it.

    The wand activated and the earth in front of the pair erupted in a poorly controlled explosion of sod and grit.

    ¡°Oops!¡± Not the most impressive start.

    ¡°Yes, that will happen if you don¡¯t have the image firmly in your mind.¡± Damien said. ¡°This isn¡¯t a pre-formulated spell like Stone Bolt or Till Earth. The ground is stubborn and wants to stay where it is.¡±

    Drew looked at the area that he had destroyed and the neat clean loam that Damien had created.

    ¡°Think about the layers of the earth, there¡¯s the top soil, where all the grass and roots are. And then the dark loamy soil beneath. That¡¯s where you want to reach down to.¡± Damien said.

    It¡¯s like layers on a cake. He¡¯s flipped about a half meter deep!

    Drew focused on his wand and tried to imagine the ground as one large cake ready for slicing.

    Another charge drained from the wand and a large circle of earth peeled back and flopped over like a page of a book turning.

    Wait wait! It¡¯s supposed to rotate!

    ¡°Not quite there, but you are getting the hang of things.¡±Damien said.

    He turned to watch Marcus and the children collecting stout branches from the tree line.

    ¡°What a foolish way to spend the day.¡± Damien said mostly to himself.

    Drew used the rest of his concentration to slide the flipped section back into the hole he had made and mentally patted himself on the back.

    Alright! I got one part flipped over and back in place. Just need to get the finesse part down.

    ¡°He¡¯s got the right idea. Those kids need training. More training than the guild reluctantly provides them anyways.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Their parents should be doing it. Train your kids to be crafters like them and stay behind the safety of the wards.¡± He said.

    The next section Drew lifted up flipped and landed half inside the hole he¡¯d made.

    Not so hard once you wrap your head around it.

    MP: 20%

    ¡°My mana is running low. Can we take a break?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°How about you flatten and compact the ground we have turned over then you can take a break.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°The soil isn¡¯t actually solid. Like a rock is solid. There is water and air and debris to consider.¡± He continued. ¡°One thing the Stone Bolt spell does is purify the soil and compress it into a rock. The denser and more pure the rock the better impact cohesion it has, and the more damage it will do.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense. So I just need to compact the soil on top until it¡¯s solid.¡± Drew said.

    No problem. I bet if I vibrate it the extra crap will float out and it will be that much easier to compact into a smooth surface.

    The last charge on Drew¡¯s wand drained out and he held the entire section of earth in his mind. He jiggled it and it started to roil and vibrate. It worked like a charm and sticks and roots floated to the top l, as the soil broke apart, The rocks and heavier objects sunk to the bottom.

    This would be great for farming.

    He then crushed it down like an invisible steam roller. Pressing it down and down until it squeaked and ground against itself.

    ¡°What an interesting approach. How did you know that would work?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°Oh I don¡¯t know just seemed like all the other stuff in the soil would be in the way.¡± Drew shrugged.

    ¡°Wow! Look at this! It¡¯s like the roads in town! Are you building a house out here?¡± Victor shouted.

    The boys ran around the cleared space gathering up roots and other trash the magic had turned up.

    ¡°Well done Drew! This area is perfect for some sword training.¡± Marcus said.

    Marcus strode over with an arm full of stout branches that were mostly straight.

    ¡°If you can lend us a hand with your Carving skill and we can shape these branches into swords and daggers.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Some army you will have.¡± Damien grouched.

    Damien pulled a small wooden stool out from his storage bag and had a seat. He was taking notes in his folio a second later.

    Drew joined Marcus and the children and brought his carving tools.

    They carved handles and cross guards into the stout branches. With all of them working, everyone had a practice sword and a dagger in thirty minutes.

    Drew enchanted the swords for Weight Reduction to help the children get started building up their muscles.

    I¡¯ll remove the enchantments once they build up their strength.

    Drew flew back over to where Damien was sitting.

    ¡°If you are finished wasting our time with this training camp silly mess we might get started testing the rest of the wands.¡± Damien said.

    So cranky, what¡¯s his issue with kids anyways?

    ¡°Waiting on you now.¡± Drew said as he flew past the old enchanter to the other side of the cleared training grounds.

    ¡°How about some targets to fire at?¡± Drew called.

    Damien used his wand to make a stone effigy of a goblin 5 meters away.

    ¡°Wow! Look at that goblin statue!¡± The Dwarven child shouted.¡±

    Damien scowled but kept his words to himself.

    Drew and Damien tested the casting time and raw power output of the wands. One after the other until the charges were spent.

    Damien watched through his mana lens and took notes in his book.

    Marcus showed the kids some basic stances, swings and tactics. Then he had them practice swinging their swords down in vertical chops until their arms were tired.

    ¡°Marcus Sir, we are too tired to go on like this.¡± Dyler said. ¡°Could we take a break?¡±

    ¡°Drew! Could you come heal the kids so we can start over on the next training?¡± Marcus asked with a smile.

    The kids groaned. Drew flew to each of them and removed their exhausted debuffs.

    ¡°Its worth it pushing through the training. You are going to be that much stronger.¡± Drew said. ¡°You might even raise your maximum stamina if you push yourself hard enough.¡±

    ¡°And that can save your life or your friends life some day. Alright let¡¯s see everyone get those swords up horizontally in a block.¡± Marcus said.

    I don¡¯t envy them. They will be hungry and sore before long. But thats going to keep them alive.

 Part 38

    - 90 -

    ¡°How does it look professor?¡± Drew asked as he flew back over to where Damien was reviewing his notes.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m not professing anything? Do I seem like some kind of poet?¡± Damien said clearly confused.

    ¡°Never mind. I wanted to see if you saw any significant difference in the mana cost of the other bullet spell forms?¡± Drew said. ¡°It seemed like the Fire Bullet and Water Bullet were less effective than the stone bullet performed.¡±

    ¡°Your wind bullet form was even weaker. It¡¯s likely due to your inexperience with the elemental forms.¡± Damien said.

    Damien checked his notes.

    ¡°You may be on to something. I¡¯m not familiar with elemental magic but it looks like the casting time for the bullet form of other element spells is slower in the early stages than the earth spell. Likely the conceptual shape and form phase of the spell gives you more trouble.¡±

    Damien thought for a moment then snapped his fingers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the book here with me, but I believe it¡¯s in the tent. There is a reason that Fire bolt takes longer to cast, and the same with water bolt. It takes longer to form the element into a substantial projectile.¡± He said excitedly. ¡°Stone is simply a better projectile than fire or air or water.¡±

    ¡°So it might not be that I¡¯m less experienced with water and air, for example. Just that they are resisting the bullet form parameters?¡± Drew said.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible. The simpler answer would be that you don¡¯t understand water or fire as much as you understand earth. Try casting a standard fire bolt again. And then we can look at sustaining the spell as a Fire Blast.¡± Damien said.

    Drew brought his Channel Fire wand out of the sling and checked the charges.

    Still three charges left.

    He focused on the parameters for Fire Bolt. The spell resolved slower than with the dedicated wand but it cast successfully and hurtled towards the stone target.

    ¡°Excellent. Seems like you are only losing 10% additional mana when you use the Fire Bolt wand.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Now, try to create a stream of fire originating at the tip of your wand and flooding out in a cone about 5 meters. Thats going to be the general form of Fire Blast.¡± Damien said. ¡°You should be able to channel it continuously with this wand rather than the dedicated wand which is set to sustain it for 5 seconds.¡±

    Its basically a flame thrower?

    Drew created the form in his mind and set the origin point well in front of himself to avoid the heat.

    Fire needs oxygen, fuel, and heat to burn. Magic can supply the fuel and heat will need a jump start but then sustain itself¡­ can I guide the mana and fire like liquid? That¡¯s how flamethrowers work anyways.

    The charge drained out of the wand and flame burst forwards from Drew¡¯s wand. It barely reached the stone effigy but Drew was able to sustain it until his mana dropped to 10%, then he canceled it.

    ¡°Excelent for your first try!¡± Damien said. ¡°Although you came up short of the target the spell form was very efficient and you had very little mana wasted.¡±

    ¡°Okay so the bullet form isn¡¯t the best all around. What water spells seem natural?¡± Drew asked as he swapped his Channel Water wand in.

    Two charges left on this one.

    ¡°There are a variety of water spells. You could create a fountain, a blast like the fire blast. You could flood the area, or create rain¡­¡±

    Where does the water for the spell come from? There are not any puddles or rivers. It¡¯s not very humid here but hydrogen and oxygen should be everywhere in the air. Would pulling them together and binding them be more cost effective then creating water with mana?

    The charge drained from the wand and water formed and condensed around Drew. It got misty around him and he directed the water to a focused point like the flame thrower. Projecting it forwards to bowl over the stone effigy.

    Haha! Like a burst fire hydrant!

    Damien¡¯s mouth was wide open in surprise. Drew blasted the effigy off its feet, it cracked in half when it hit the ground.

    Debuff: Mana Backlash: (1:59)-18 HP

    MP: 0%

    HP: 90%

    The spell failed and Drew was hit with a splitting headache.

    ¡°Ack! Shit!¡± Drew shouted as he crumpled to the ground.

    ¡°Drew! Are you alright?¡± Damien asked. ¡°Did your mana run dry?¡±

    Shit that mana backlash is really the worst. Hurts more than a broken bone.

    Damien brought over his stool and sat so that his shadow cast shade on Drew while he recovered.

    ¡°Your casting of Water blast was for more effective than water bullet.¡± Damien said.

    He excitedly scribbled the notes into his records.

    Drew felt well enough after a minute to start meditating to regenerate his mana.

    ¡°When you are ready let¡¯s try them all again.¡± Damien said.

    MP +1

    [Mana Regeneration] lvl 6

    After an hour, the kids were tired out and Drew¡¯s mana pool was empty twice over from recharging all the wands.

    Drew used a charge of his Channel earth wand to create a simple shelter from the sun out of the training grounds.

    Burying it halfway in the ground keeps it cool during the midday heat and also makes it a little more stable than a roof on top of some walls. It¡¯s kinda like a dugout.

    Drew focused on the training areas and built out a few raised mounds to complete the baseball diamond shape.

    Damien can put his stone dummies on these spots and we can have some target practice with some infielders.

    Marcus passed around water and some dried tack for everyone to share. Damien took out his own dried fruit and ate by himself in the corner of the dugout.

    Marcus sat down near Drew and nodded towards the solitary enchanter.

    ¡°What¡¯s bothering Damien?¡± Marcus asked.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I thought he would be over the moon after the data we collected. But he¡¯s been sour all day.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°I suspect it is the children. He seemed against training them.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. He did not help the kids in Rotterdale either. He had a reputation for not handing out beginner quests.¡± Drew said.

    The children were finishing up their snack and Dyler was roughhousing with Calvin.

    ¡°Can you go speak with him?¡± Drew asked. ¡°I¡¯ll start the kids of some light sparring.¡±

    Drew and the elf split up and Drew wrangled the children back out to the cleared patch of dirt. Marcus sat down next to Damien and they watched Drew pair up the kids by size.

    ¡°Today has been productive. Drew tells me you were able to run some good experiments in the new wands? What makes them so special?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I am fooled by your sudden interest. What has you worried about me?¡±

    They watched first match. Dyler and Calvin squared up. Marcus was quiet for a while. Dyler knocked Calvin on the head with a downward strike after 30 seconds ending the match.

    ¡°How strong is your earth affinity?¡± He finally asked.

    ¡°What gave me away?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°You are stubborn beyond your years, even for a wizened old human.¡± Marcus said. ¡°There are few reasons a storied enchanter such as you would retire to the frontier.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, my earth affinity is rank 1 level 45.¡± Damien said, and his shoulders sagged. ¡°You know I¡¯ve worried about people finding out but telling you wasn¡¯t so hard.¡±

    ¡°Do you hear the whispers?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°No! Not yet, and my waking dreams have subsided.¡± Damien said.

    He lifted a silver braided chain from under his shirt. Each link was meticulously etched with mana script.

    ¡°This holds my affinity back.¡± He said gravely.

    ¡°You have time then. But that¡¯s how those influenced by the earth mana affinity are. If you had an affinity for fire then it would be time to worry.¡± Marcus said.

    Damien took another handful of his dried fruit. It was a mix of various chopped fruit all sun dried until they were rock hard. Damien had mixed in nuts for some extra crunch.

    ¡°You have the hunger already.¡± Marcus said but Damien waved him off.

    ¡°Bah, I¡¯ve always enjoyed dried fruit and nuts since I was a boy.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Hmm. Well, seems we are nearly done with our training camp today. The children have asked to go hunting. I hear there are rabbits around here. Will you join us?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°Ha! Unlikely. And Drew will look down his beak at you for inviting him. He refuses to hunt for experience.¡± Damien said. ¡°Strange guy.¡±

    ¡°You two are a good match.¡± Marcus said with a chuckle.

    Kiritus ran up and slid to a stop, kicking up dust.

    ¡°Soldiers! Kodna saw soldiers coming!¡± She said.

    ¡°What flag are they flying?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, umm¡± Kiritus said meekly.

    Damien called out to Drew.

    ¡°Drew! Can you fly out and see who¡¯s marching our way?¡±

    ¡°On it!¡± Drew said.

    He opened up his wings and let the wind carry him up over the trees. A small dust cloud was approaching the city.

    Is it goblins? That¡¯s the direction of their destroyed camp. Could they have reinforcements?

    He pumped his wings and flew towards the group.

    It¡¯s a small group. Even if it¡¯s goblins they won¡¯t be much of a threat. Marcus and Damien and I can take them.

    A red and black flag came into view and Drew signed in relief. He circled around and dove back towards the training field. The wind whipped past his eyes causing them to water.

    ¡°It¡¯s our mercenary friends!¡± He cawed happily, pulling up from his dive to jive and weave around the children.

    ¡°They are a while off still, let¡¯s set up another practice duel. Victor and Kirtus you two are up!¡± Drew said landing on a goblin effigy.

    ¡°Bah, that¡¯s what you get when your lookout is a kid. They have always been terrible soldiers.¡± Damien grouched.

    Kiritus and Victor square off with their practice swords and daggers. The other children practice attacking stone targets.

    ¡°Did you have any children?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°No I most certainly do not have any children.¡± He replied.

    ¡°I do, nearly a hundred of them if I had to guess.¡±

    ¡°Bah! All that noise and chaos. I prefer my solitude. And a good book.¡±

    ¡°You know, in all my years, I¡¯ve met many remarkable women during my travels. Each one left an imprint on my heart, and sometimes I see the halflings we created decades later. It¡¯s¡­ bittersweet.¡±

    ¡°So you aren¡¯t the type to stick around either. Set in your own ways just like me.¡± Damien said.

    The match between the two kids ended with a yelp as Kiritus prodded Victor in the ribs with her dagger after knocking his weapons off to the side.

    The kids cheered.

    ¡°Alright, Kodna and Calvin you are up next.¡± Drew said as he healed Victor.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, it¡¯s not easy. I never stayed long enough to watch them grow, never settled down. Commitment has always felt¡­ daunting. But those fleeting moments of passion, they brought a certain kind of joy, even if only for a short time.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Love was never meant to be for me. I had my job, then I enlisted and that became my life for a long time.¡± Damien said. ¡°And now I¡¯m back to working as an enchanter, right where I started.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a certain peace in solitude, I can see that. But there¡¯s also a certain loneliness. Don¡¯t you ever wonder what it would be like to have someone to share your legacy with? To pass on your knowledge and see it grow in someone else¡¯s hands?

    ¡°Legacy. Ha! What legacy? Thousands dead in a battle somewhere? The only legacy I need is written in these folios. People die, Marcus. Books last forever.¡±

    Marcus smiled at the old enchanter.

    ¡°But people live, too. And in living, they carry pieces of us with them. Every lesson, every story, every bit of wisdom¡ªthey all continue through our children and their children. Even if I wasn¡¯t there to guide them, a part of me still lives on in them.¡±

    Damien sat and thought that over. Chewing his hard fruit and nuts.

    The bout ended and Kodna was rapped across the back by Calvin¡¯s horizontal swing. He had out maneuvered the young dwarf and stepped behind her to deliver the strike.

    Marcus stood and dusted off his pants.

    ¡°Well done! Next up it¡¯s Dyler and I. Kodna Drew will heal you up and then you can practice stepping sideways around that statue of a goblin over there.¡± Marcus said.

    Kodna and Drew were off to the far side of the training area as Marcus and Dylar started their match.

    ¡°Calvin didn¡¯t win because he was faster than you.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Yeah he did! I¡¯ve got slow dwarf legs. He¡¯s faster and got behind me.¡± Kodna said gruffly.

    ¡°There¡¯s a bigger picture.¡± Drew said. ¡°Calvin knew he could move faster than you. He knew you couldn¡¯t keep up.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said idiot.¡± Kodna growled.

    ¡°No there¡¯s a difference. He new it before your match and had a plan. So next time you fight him, now you know what he will do. You can beat him now that you know what he will do.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll still need to be faster than I am now.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sure. That¡¯s true. But keep in mind that he won because he knew more about you and had a plan.¡±

    ¡°Whole lot of good a plan will do me if I ain¡¯t faster!¡± Kodna said and threw their dagger at a tree.

    It missed and there was a yip.

    A single horned rabbit jumped out from the tall grass and growled at the young Dwarf.

    Drew did not have time to take flight. He ran a couple steps and intercepted the beasts lunge. Its short horn skipped off his armor leaving a deep gash.

    HP: 95%

    Drew pecked at the horned rabbit but it hopped back and charged Kodna.

    Kodna screamed and turned to run. Victor readied his sword and ran towards the beast.

    He¡¯s too far away!

    The Horned rabbit jumped forwards and swiped at Kodna¡¯s leg as they retreated.

    ¡°Get back!¡± Drew shouted.

    He pulled up his only wand with a charge in it, his Channel Earth Wand, and obliterated the rabbit¡¯s skull with a stone bullet.

    It crashed to the ground mid leap. Its brains were scattered across the ground behind it. What was left of its face stared at Drew. The rabbit twitched and gore flew in a small arc.

    Combat results: horned rabbit level 3 - 120 exp

    Oh shit, I destroyed it in one hit.

    ¡°By the Gods Drew! You destroyed it in one hit!¡± Marcus said.

    The kids cheered and rushed to Kodna¡¯s side to help them limp over to the dugout. Dylar pulled out his knife and skinned the rabbit.

    Drew sat there staring at the headless beast.

    ¡°Dyler. Do you know how to clean a rabbit?¡± Drew asked.

    The boy nodded eagerly and got to work with his new knife. Drew focused on his meditation to refill his mana.

    Can¡¯t do anything if my wands are out of juice.

    The mercenaries marched up then. They had recognized Damien and Marcus and changed course to see what Drew¡¯s loud spell was all about.

    ¡°We saw the attack, does anyone need a bandage?¡± Maggie asked.

    Kodna called out for one and whined at the pain in their leg.

    Maggie walked over to apply a bandage to the injured child.

    ¡°Where are you all coming from?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°We went back to harvest what we could from the giant spider melon we killed yesterday.¡± Maggie said.

    She dusted off her hands and looked around. She met eyes with Damien.

    ¡°Have you seen Drew? I¡¯ve got some shell fragments he will be interested in.¡± She said.

    ¡°We were fortunate to gather more than we are able to store.¡± Jeff chimed in.

    ¡°He¡¯s around here somewhere.¡± Damien said.

    Marcus called nervously to the children.

    ¡°Alright children. It¡¯s time to return to town. before a giant monster comes out of the woods to eat us up.¡± He said.

    ¡°We were going to see if we can kite a couple more.¡± Calvin said.

    ¡°Rabbits usually move in small groups.¡± Victor said.

    ¡°We can all corner one then we would out number it.¡± Dyler said.

    ¡°Could you stay with them and make sure they don¡¯t get out numbered?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°We really shouldn¡¯t press our luck. There¡¯s worse things than rabbits out here and I can feel their eyes on us.¡± Marcus said as he edged towards the town.

    Poor guy already pushed past his fear once today. I¡¯ll have to stay and watch them.

    ¡°I told you this would be an issue Marcus.¡± Damien said. ¡°We will all have to go back-¡°

    ¡°Alright I¡¯ll stay then.¡± Drew said.

    Someone has to protect them.

    Damien went to pack up his books and the stool he was sitting on.

    Dyler finished harvesting the key parts of the horned rabbit.

    ¡°Make sure to cut off the front paws, right above its wrists.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Why are we cutting off its paws?¡± Dyler asked.

    ¡°They are for good luck charms.¡± Drew replied.

 Part 39

    - 91 -

    ¡°I can¡¯t take these.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Why not? You have the mana to maintain them.¡± She said. ¡°And you are always making strange things.¡±

    Drew huffed and tried to fix a few of his feathers that were sticky with blood.

    MP: 45%

    ¡°I¡¯m going to chaperone these kids. They are going to hunt horned rabbits.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°The scales need to be fed mana again or they will degrade.¡± Maggie said.

    ¡°Well I spent all my gold already so I can¡¯t afford them.¡± Drew said.

    While they argued the kids packed up their practice weapons.

    ¡°Well do you want them or not? You could enchant a few things for us as payment.¡± Maggie said.

    Damn. She¡¯s right I could use them for my next armor.

    ¡°Seems fair. He will take them now and we can negotiate later on how many and which enchantments.¡± Damien said stepping in.

    He¡¯s always got to butt in!

    ¡°I haven¡¯t got room to carry them. You can take them back to the tent Damien.¡± Drew asked.

    He wants them then he can feed them mana and take them back to camp.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to tag along to make sure the kids and Marcus don¡¯t get overwhelmed by beasts out here.¡± Drew said.

    Damien scowled at Drew. He accepted the scales from Maggie.

    ¡°Alright then. Great doing business with you. I¡¯ll work on a list of enchantments we will want.¡± Maggie said oblivious to the subtle conflict going on between Drew and Damien.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we should be going after anymore rabbits.¡± Marcus said. ¡°What if we come across a giant horned rabbit? Or another king of the forest?¡±

    ¡°Please sir!¡± Kiritus asked. ¡°We would be safe with you to protect us!¡±

    The elf''s face softened and he resigned himself to help.

    ¡°Well okay. Just one encounter. Then we head back.¡± He said and marched over to the rest of their group.

    Damien left with the mercenaries without another word, taking the scales into his traveling sack. He fed one some mana while he walked.

    Drew flew ahead to scout out for any rabbits.

    He restored two charges to his earth wand while he flew.

    MP: 15%

    No sign of any beasts.

    He circled back and watched the group of children.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    They¡¯re traveling in formation, prepared to be attacked at any moment. This world is so harsh, they should be pretending to be adventurers, not actually out grinding exp.

    He swooped low and landed on Marcus¡¯s shoulder.

    The elf screamed causing the children to cry out. Kiritus dropped her sword and Calvin ran headfirst into Victor.

    ¡°Sorry everyone! Just me.¡± Drew said.

    Drew settled in on Marcus¡¯s shoulder, the elf''s leather armor made for a great place to grip while Drew focused on refilling his mana reserves.

    The group formed back up and kept patrolling the edge of the forest. Dyler and Calvin swept their wooden swords through each group of tall grass to see if any beasts turned up.

    ¡°We can take it easy for the moment, there aren¡¯t any beasts nearby.¡± Drew said quiet enough the kids couldn¡¯t overhear.

    Marcus sighed in relief.

    ¡°Did you find out what¡¯s eating Damien?¡± Drew asked.

    Marcus walked along behind the group. He fiddled with the hilt of his thin sword.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You know he served in the war. So did many children. Noble houses and families in the capital start their training even younger that the folks out here in the frontiers. And it is honorable to enlist.¡± Marcus said.

    That''s awful! Child soldiers! Was Damien one too?

    Marcus looked away towards the kids. They were creeping along cautiously.

    ¡°No wonder he hates seeing kids risking their lives to collect herbs and fiber.¡± Drew said.

    Dyler exclaimed as two rabbits charged out of the tall grass.

    Drew and Marcus charged forward.

    Calvin stepped up beside Dyler to cover his right side and the two beasts backed off for a moment to consider the situation.

    ¡°Ha! Perfect! We have them out numbered!¡± Dylar shouted.

    Victor charged in blindly. He took one swing and missed the closest beast. The other closed in on the boy but Dyler knocked the beats paw aside with his sword.

    The beasts backed up again to avoid being surrounded.

    ¡°So far so good.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°No! You can¡¯t keep tempting fate like this.¡± Marcus said.

    The two rabbits started barking and three more rabbits hopped out of the tall grass barely 5 meters away.

    ¡°Marcus can you hold off those three until the kids can take out these two?¡± Drew asked flying forwards.

    The elf paled but drew his sword and stepped between the three horned rabbits and the children.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± He stammered. ¡°Don¡¯t take too long!¡±

    ¡°Kodna! Kiritus! Get in formation. Get your weapons up!¡± Dylar shouted.

    The kids formed a crescent line that curved forwards and around the two beasts.

    Drew used a charge from his wand to fire a Stone Bolt through tne of the rabbit¡¯s hind paws.

    With it hobbled like this it should be far less dangerous.

    Dyler took the opportunity to lunge forwards with his sword and strike the injured rabbit. Victor followed up and got in a solid hit of his own before the other rabbit swiped his arm with its claws.

    Kodna swung her dagger and then her sword in a flurry of attacks but it was uncoordinated and the rabbit moved back avoiding the attack.

    Drew fired his last stone bolt and it hit the second rabbit in the leg. Too high up to break anything but his Bane effect did trigger.

    Time to switch to my knife.

    Marcus was holding his own against the three rabbits. He successfully parried blow after blow turning the rabbits aside with well timed strikes.

    ¡°If you children could hurry? I¡¯m a little out numbered here!¡± He cried.

    Kiritus jumped forwards and swung down with her wooden sword. Her attack struck the hobbled beast on the head and knocked it to the ground.

    Dyler kicked the other Rabbit interrupting it from taking a swipe at Calvin. Calvin was able to jab his dagger into the rabbit¡¯s neck while it recovered. He struck a critical spot and the beast choked and fell to the ground.

    Marcus pierced one rabbit through its heart. It died instantly. He quickly flinched back as the other two rabbits missed their attacks against him.

    These beasts can really take a beating.

    Kodna jumped on top of the downed rabbit and stabbed it repeatedly with her wooden dagger.

    Combat Results: Horned Rabbit level 5 exp 98 exp

    Kiritus and Dylar downed the other rabbit with their next strikes.

    Combat Results: Horned Rabbit level 4 exp 78 exp

    ¡°Alright! Marcus needs our help!¡± Calvin said charging over to where the elf was cowering.

    He''s holding his own actually. Although he looks and sounds like a total coward.

    Marcus parried another lunge, deflecting the rabbit to the side. It rolled to a stop and the children charged it.

    The beasts are exhausted. They are not a risk to the kids at all. That''s so effective. I need to restock my stamina drain talismans.

    Drew and the children charged the two Rabbits and the fight was over in half a minute.

    Combat Results: Horned Rabbit level 6 exp 148 exp

    Combat Results: Horned Rabbit level 5 exp 128 exp

    ¡°Hooray!¡± Kiritus shouted.

    ¡°SHHHHHH!¡± Marcus whispered loudly.

    She covered her mouth and the children all looked around for more beasts but none attacked.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough excitement for today. everyone get a knife and loot these beasts so we can head back to town.¡± Marcus said.

    Drew flew up and hovered on the wind to keep watch. The children were slowly harvesting the valuable parts from the fallen beasts.

    It¡¯s like they are at war. Child soldiers being trained, thrown in the deep-end head first.

    Marcus stood and kept watch for any beasts and five minutes later the children were heading back to town happy.

    Happy and alive. All in a days work.

 Part 40

    - 92 -

    ¡°We did it!¡± Kiritus cheered.

    The children were crouched on the ground splitting up the coins they¡¯d earned from selling the monster loot.

    They had opted to purchase carving knives for each kid and Victor picked up a short axe for chopping wood.

    They are good kids, they took my advice and started their new crafts.

    Dyler planned to carve arrows and spoons. Kiritus decided she would make bows, Calvin and Victor planned to fell lumber for their friends and make shoes with their father on the side. The dwarf child Kodna wanted to make wooden tankards but she had no idea how to start.

    The children all ran off to get started crafting, hoping to earn their first level in their crafting skills by the end of the day.

    ha! Too excited to even say goodbye, they will be fine.

    Marcus and Drew walked down the Main Street of Aldermere. The elf slowed his pace so the bird could keep up on foot.

    I¡¯m glad that the kids have a source of safe exp and income. What could I end up specializing in?

    Enchanting is stable. And I¡¯m particularly good at cartography, but I don¡¯t know how lucrative that is. Could I make my fortune mending? Or are there any wealthy healers?

    Drew looked at the elf strolling along beside him.

    ¡°Marcus. What¡¯s your craft? Do you have a side craft?¡±

    ¡°I am a chef. I make desserts. Bonbons and custard and sugary treats of all kinds.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°What really?¡±

    I need to learn how to make deserts here!

    ¡°Yes I¡¯ve got quite the following in the capital.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Well then why are you all the way out here?¡± Drew asked.

    The two adventurers passed the last couple homes before stepping onto the town¡¯s main cross street. The buildings around them turned into shops and storefronts.

    ¡°I heard rumor of a rare ingredient, the Mana Currant. But I could not find them anywhere in these last months and it is time to return home again.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Seems like a huge risk for a chef to take to find an ingredient.¡±

    ¡°It is but some things are worth risking your life for.¡± Marcus said.

    You could get killed outside of the cities.

    ¡°Who runs your business while you are gone?¡±

    ¡°My store manager, obviously. I couldn¡¯t be gone so often without someone to keep my employees in line.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°I make sure to have a backlog of desserts stored away to last a few months. As things are going now I¡¯ve got about 3 weeks to make it back before my best creations likely run out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to see your shop. I¡¯m trying to learn to cook my self and desserts sound fantastic.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to help you Drew. You have reminded me what it is like to be young and adventurous.¡±

    I guess a hero like me does do some adventurous things.

    ¡°You have done a good thing for these children Drew.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do. I can¡¯t protect them, but they can¡¯t go out there without a plan. That would get them killed.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°It reminds me of a village I stayed at for a few months. They were being invaded by feral orcs. They needed my help. They needed the army¡¯s help.¡± Marcus said with a far off look in his eyes.

    ¡°I taught them how to build a palisade, not unlike this one, and how to make bows and arrows. They survived, the orcs moved on to softer targets. They became a renowned village of archers.¡± He said.

    ¡°Have you gone back to visit them since? Let¡¯s stop by there on the way to Valoria.¡±

    ¡°Oh the place is long gone now, that was generations ago.¡± Marcus waved the idea.

    They heard raised voices coming from a shop across the street.

    ¡°If you cannot see the value of these shells then I certainly won¡¯t be giving you them. Why that¡¯s basically a charitable donation!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been made a fool of once already and that¡¯s quite enough.¡± A second voice shouted back. ¡°I can offer you store credit at 5 gold apiece, or 3 gold each. Take it or leave it.¡±

    ¡°Store credit would be worthless to me. We leave today.¡±

    Thats Damien, is this the same store he sold my enchanted stones to?

    ¡°Good riddance. We don¡¯t need your kind here in our quiet town!¡± The storekeeper shouted.

    ¡°My kind? My kind?! Speak plainly sir! What kind of man do you think I am?¡± Damien demanded.

    ¡°You are the lowest sort sir. An adventure that consorts with demons!¡± He laughed, a shrill noise that was part wheeze and part shriek.

    ¡°Enough, I will not be ridiculed and insulted by backwoods frontier trash like you sir.¡± Damien said cooly.

    He stormed out of the building with his wand in his hand. He spun around to face the store front and stopped with his wand raised. He turned to look at Marcus and Drew, his arm wavered.

    ¡°Wait wait! What were you going to cast?¡± Marcus said. ¡°Are we standing too close?¡±

    ¡°Damn it. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°You¡¯ve made the right choice.¡± Drew said.

    Thats not his usual wand.

    The enchanter held out a bag to Drew.

    ¡°These shells are yours. Take them before they cause me more trouble.¡± Damien sighed.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Drew took the bag and looked inside. There were several spider melon scales glimmering inside.

    ¡°I checked, the local arcane shop won¡¯t buy them. They can¡¯t support their mana costs either.¡° He said.

    These will be great armor if I can keep them alive.

    Damien stomped off towards the corral and their wagons. Drew and Marcus followed quickly behind him.

    The Johns and the blacksmith¡¯s apprentice did a good job. The Johns are all packed up and ready to go.

    Damien¡¯s trunk was anxiously waiting for him. The enchanter walked right up to it and tapped it with his foot. It opened its lid and he dropped in his kit and notes.

    ¡°John! Which wagon am I in?¡± He asked gruffly.

    ¡°You are in the new wagon. It is ready.¡± The nearest John said.

    The trunk handed Damien his traveling cloak and a book.

    ¡°Thank you. The sooner we put this town behind the horizon the better.¡± Damien huffed.

    The blacksmith was loading up a crate onto a wagon. And he had a long box nearly the size of a coffin. He carried it strapped to his back.

    His face is grim. Must be heavy.

    Krag was loading several kegs onto the magical cart while two home makers loitered.

    Drew flew closer and picked up the conversation. Thrain was trying to sell a few more things to offset the kegs of ale he¡¯d just bought from the two women.

    ¡°Surely there is something I can interest you in from amongst my wares?¡± He gave them his best smile and gestured to the housewares on display.

    ¡°Oh no there isn¡¯t anything we need.¡± The woman said drawing out the last two words.

    That''s weird¡­

    ¡°Detect.¡± Drew said.

    Huh, is she lying? It feels like it¡¯s near to the truth. Then there is something she wants but doesn¡¯t see? Or is it something she can¡¯t ask for?

    ¡°Perhaps then something that is a bit more exotic? I am known for my discretion.¡± Thrain said.

    That¡¯s true.

    ¡°As you can imagine we have plenty of ale. It is the other¡­ more rare partakences we lack.¡± The other woman said.

    She¡¯s really nervous.

    Thrain touched on finger lightly to his nose and winked at the two women.

    He made a show of looking around then pulled out a small black box from his coat.

    He leaned forwards and the two women stepped in closer to speak with him.

    ¡°Directly from Easeayum. Chyoshum. Of fine quality. They mix in some moonlover flowers to give it that aroma and the flowers themselves add some¡­ intimacy to the mix.¡±

    Thrain winked again at the two ladies.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s nothing I¡¯ve tried before but we might be interested.¡± She replied, blushing.

    He¡¯s telling the truth. And she¡¯s lying.

    ¡°Certainly ma¡¯am, of course not. This is a mellow vintage and ideal for recreational use.¡±

    ¡°Thats exactly what we want.¡± She replied. Her friend looked back over her shoulder towards the street.

    ¡°Thats 56 silver for a dram. Would you need to purchase a pipe or incense holder as well?¡± Thrain asked.

    ¡°Oh no we have two pipes at-¡° the friend said, but was cut off by the first woman.

    ¡°No that¡¯s all.¡± She handed Thrain 57 silver coins. ¡°For your discretion.¡±

    He nodded back and accepted the coins. The women scampered off with their black box.

    Drew flew down as Thrain passed the coins over to Krag for safekeeping.

    ¡°All packed up?¡± Drew asked as he alighted on the last barrel.

    ¡°Hello Drew! Indeed, we are nearly done. A last minute purchase for the road.¡± Thrain stood and put his elbow on top of the stout barrel.

    ¡°The Johns recommended I pick up some ice wine for the road and I won¡¯t say it¡¯s the best I have sampled out here in the frontier but for this price?!¡± He said.

    ¡°An investment then.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°It¡¯s exceptional by human standards. I couldn¡¯t sell it in Rodokk.¡± He stroked his beard. ¡°Nearly time to depart. Do you have any last minute business my friend?¡±

    ¡°No I¡¯ve got my sights set on Valoria.¡± Drew said.

    Nearby Marcus and a John were brushing down the garnts and hitching them to the wagons.

    ¡°There weren¡¯t enough garnts in town for us to replace the one we lost. We still need Cassie to pull wagons.¡± John said. ¡°Can we continue to rely on her?¡±

    ¡°Of course, she¡¯s a fine steed. Has pulled me out of danger more than once and you have been treating her well.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Alright everyone it¡¯s about time to hit the road. One Announcement. You all met William, the blacksmith that worked on our wagons. He¡¯s done an amazing job. He is joining us as far as Valoria.¡± A John said.

    ¡°He is setting out on his own after a falling out with his master.¡± Another John said.

    ¡°Good riddance, that man was a drunkard and slob. It¡¯s a miracle he could find his hammer, let alone work any metal at all.¡± Damien said gruffly. ¡°Glad to have someone capable aboard.¡±

    William waved at the gathered travelers but his smile did not ease the sadness in his eyes.

    An old woman creeped up to where William was standing with his back against the fence of the corral. She reached out to touch him but he turned and stepped aside avoiding her.

    ¡°Witch. I mean no offense, but I am in no mood for your prophecy today.¡± Will said.

    She¡¯s a witch? How do you know she is a witch?

    Thrain made a circular sign to ward off evil and Seraphina spat on the ground before climbing into her wagon and shutting the door.

    The witch seemed unfazed by their reactions and reached for the young man again.

    ¡°My apologies,¡± Will said stepping back. ¡°But I have no money for a reading today.¡±

    She cackled and gave Will a coy smile.

    Clearly she is a witch with a cackle like that. Is she going to be another ¡®Mad Scientist¡¯ like that guy in his tower?

    Damien was staying back from the witch and had his wand ready.

    Drew flew over for a closer look. He landed close enough to support Will if a fight broke out.

    ¡°Oh ho! A hero is among us!¡± She bowed deeply.

    Drew could see her eyes were cloudy and white.

    She is blind? Could I heal her?

    ¡°Protect yourself. Protect your king!¡± She screeched. Her eyes were frosted by prophesy and visions of the future.

    A John aproached with a meal. Roasted Guile with grilled Hopper and roasted sweet roots. He placed it at the witch¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Old Daughter, thank you for your warning. An offering to ease your day.¡± He said.

    She snatched up the meal and swept away down the street into an alley. Her tattered a grimy cloak flowing behind her like greasy smoke.

    ¡°She took our plate.¡± Another john said quietly. ¡°It was one of our nice plates.¡±

    ¡°If that was not a sign from Miia to leave then I don¡¯t know what is.¡± John said from his seat atop the wagon.

    Nobody disagreed, and they were packed and moving within a couple minutes.

    Drew and Damien joined the blacksmith in the first wagon, his coffin was jammed in beside him on the seat.

    ¡°William. I should say welcome aboard again now that we are on our way.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Thank you Sir.¡± William said.

    ¡°Yes! Glad to have you.¡± Drew said. ¡°Did I hear correctly that you are headed to Valoria? That¡¯s where we are going.¡±

    ¡°I am indeed. I¡¯m headed to the the Blacksmith Guild offices there. I¡¯d like to challenge their journeyman test there.¡±

    ¡°Could you not pass your master¡¯s test here?¡± Damien asked. ¡°He seemed the lax sort. Surely you could meet his standards.¡±

    William looked out the window as the town passed him by. He rested his hand on the large box crammed into the seat next to him.

    ¡°His test was impossible.¡± Will said. ¡°He was never going to pass me.¡±

    The young man looked down at his feet.

    It must be really hard to pass the apprentice exams.

    ¡°Impossible. I¡¯ve seen your work and I¡¯m certain that your master wasnt the one to complete our order.¡± Damien said.

    The young man looked up hopefully.

    ¡°He¡¯s not forged anything for 6 months. Everything that came out of that smithy was from my own hands. And all the profits went into a bottle.¡± He scowled again.

    ¡°And so, you are traveling to Valeria to report him and have him audited. And you will take the journeyman¡¯s exam, like a simple roving blacksmith?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Will said. ¡°I¡¯ve crafted the finest suit of armor I will make in my life. A full set of platemail and sword and shield.¡±

    Is that what is in the box? No wonder it seems like a coffin, it¡¯s shaped like armor.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that you have. What enchantments have you applied to it?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°None yet. My master- My former master refused to apply any. He claimed it was scrap and should be melted down and reforged!¡±

    ¡°Then he was a fool.¡± Damien said.

    He turned and placed his had on Drew¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Drew would be able to apply an enchantment for you. He¡¯s something of an apprentice enchanter and the experience would be a boon for him.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Drew said. ¡°For something so important shouldn¡¯t it be a master enchanter?¡±

    Damien smiled and waved off Drew¡¯s concerns.

    ¡°You are more than capable. And you can use the opportunity to apply your methods to more of the schematics in my collection.¡± Damien said.

    Ha! He wants me to improve more of his enchantments. It will get me exp so it¡¯s a win-win right?

    Their wagon rolled out and the other three followed behind them.

    ¡°Alright William,¡± Drew said and ruffled his feathers to look bigger.

    Damien brought out his red and black folios and handed them to Drew.

    ¡°What kind of enchantments did you have in mind?¡± Drew said.

    New Enchantment: [Self-Cleaning]

    New Enchantment: [Self-Sharpening (Tools)]

    New Enchantment: [Quick-Dry]

    New Enchantment: [Noise Dampening]

    New Enchantment: [Magical Timer]

    New Enchantment: [Refrigeration]

    New Enchantment: [Waterproof]

    New Enchantment: [Pest Repellent]

    New Enchantment: [Anti-Slip]

 Part 41

    ¡°Timber!¡± Shouted Victor as he felled a tree.

    The five children were a few yards into the tee line with an axe and their wooden weapons. They were gathering wood for their respective crafts.

    The tree landed half on the bed of branches and brush that the boys had laid out for the stout tree to land on.

    Kiritus and Kodna stood 10 meters away down the treeline on lookout duty.

    ¡°You got it halfway on this time! You are getting better!¡± Dyler cheered.

    The two boys tied a rope to the tree as Calvin used the axe the chop off the branches.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this back to town.¡± Dyler said.

    ¡°This will make some good bow wood, you think?¡± Calvin asked.

    ¡°Who knows? I¡¯m just a rookie, same as you. Kiritus will be happy to see it. Where did those girls get off to anyways?¡± Dyler asked.

    ¡°Kodna is right there,¡± said Victor pointing to the dwarf. ¡°and Kiritus should be just ahead of her.¡±

    ¡°Unless they forgot Drew¡¯s advice and have broken his buddy system rules again.¡± Dyler said.

    The three boys left the log where it was and quietly marched over to see what Kodna was looking at.

    ¡°-I say we go back and get the boys. Maybe it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Kodna said. The dwarf was peering into the thick underbrush and speaking in a loud whisper.

    ¡°What¡¯s too dangerous?¡± Dyler whispered.

    ¡°Shhhh!¡± Kodna said. ¡°Kiritus found a spider melon patch and it¡¯s nearly empty.¡±

    Kiritus came trotting back to the group and was out of breath when she stopped.

    ¡°There¡¯s a group of Spider Melons just ten meters ahead. They are fighting something red, but I can¡¯t tell what.¡±

    She pulled her bow from over her shoulder and checked the 6 arrows in her quiver.

    ¡°If they are tired from fighting then we can swoop in and take them out for easy exp.¡± Victor said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Calvin said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at least.¡± Said Dyler.

    The group crept forwards. At a signal from Kiritus they dropped down and crawled the rest of the way.

    There were three Spider melons scampering around. They were taking turns lashing a red Drake pup with their vines. The Drake was putting up a good fight but it was too outnumbered. If it didn¡¯t catch a lucky break it would tire and lose.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take them all out.¡± Dyler said.

    ¡°Kiritus, let¡¯s start with your ranged attacks.¡± Dyler said. ¡°We will leave Victor here with you and the rest of us will flank them from the left side.¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Kodna raised her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with Kiritus and run defense. You three are faster. If I go I¡¯ll slow you down.¡± She said. ¡°Kiritus and I can make a second charge after you engage.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Dyler said. ¡°Everyone got the plan?¡±

    The boys headed off around the right side of the Mellon patch and Kiritus and Kodna waited for their signal to attack.

    ¡°Can you believe the great melon was finally killed?¡± Kodna asked. ¡°My uncle saw the great melon once! It ate a garnt whole.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t stand a chance against a demon like Drew.¡± Kiritus said. ¡°We need to train like crazy to catch up.¡±

    Their plan went off without a hitch. Kiritus¡¯s first arrow pierced a melon but caught mostly rind.

    The three boys broke through the trees and charged the three spider melons.

    Her second arrow missed and Kiritus stepped out of the forest to improve her vision.

    The three beasts were focused on their fight with the Drake and did not see the boys charge through them.

    One of the melons died on the first charge.

    The remaining two turned to lash out at the boys.

    Kiritus¡¯s next arrow flew past without hitting anything.

    Kodna charged into their flank taking out the second one with a sword thrust through its body.

    The third melon turned to run but an arrow struck it center mass causing it to stumble to the ground.

    The children wailed on it haphazardly until it died.

    ¡°Alright! We won!¡± Cheered Dyler.

    ¡°I leveled up!¡± Calvin said.

    Dyler gave him a fist pump and his brother Victor grabbed him in a hug.

    ¡°Victor watch where you are swinging! You hit me in the leg there at the end.¡± Kodna said.

    The boy nodded his apology.

    ¡°That one hit was nearly 10% of my health pool.¡± She said.

    ¡°Sorry! You need to train more.¡± Victor said.

    Kiritus came trotting up keeping an eye out for more monsters while she collected her arrows.

    ¡°Anyone see my other arrows?¡± She asked.

    Dyler stooped down to pull a shaft out of a spider melon but it had broken off inside.

    ¡°They are easier to find when you hit your targets.¡± He laughed. ¡°But they still break.¡±

    ¡°Thats why I¡¯m learning to make them.¡± Kiritus said. ¡°I can use the heads and fletches to make new arrows.¡±

    Something growled and the kids readied their weapons.

    The red Drake pup limped away but fell down exhausted.

    Victor picked up his sword and walked over to the Drake.

    ¡°One more monster out here. Then we can head back.¡± He said.

    ¡°No leave it alone.¡± Kiritus said. ¡°It¡¯s hurt so badly maybe we can heal it.¡±

    Victor looked flatly at her.

    ¡°What would we do, keep it as a pet?¡± Victor asked. ¡°It¡¯s a monster. Sure it¡¯s a small one but they get big!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Kodna said as she crouched over a spider melon and used her knife to harvest the pulp.

    ¡°Calvin, what¡¯s your vote?¡± Asked Dyler as he looted the other melon.

    The young boy shrugged.

    ¡°Either it¡¯s loot or we let it go. We can¡¯t feed a drake.¡± Calvin said.

    ¡°Are we voting on every little thing now?¡± Victor said. ¡°This thing is as big as you are!¡±

    Victor stomped over to stand between the drake and the forest to prevent it from escaping. The Drake growled at him but stayed down.

    ¡°I vote we keep it.¡± Kiritus said. ¡°Dyler you haven¡¯t weighed in.¡±

    ¡°I say we keep it. Just look at Drew. Maybe we could teach it to speak and it can help us fight!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kodna said. ¡°It¡¯s wild. It will attack us once it¡¯s healed.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Said Victor. ¡°Better to kill it now then watch our backs out here while we are gathering wood.¡±

    The drake whined and turned pleading eyes at Kiritus.

    ¡°See he knows I want to help him.¡± Kiritus said.

    She pulled some of the melon rind from one of the carcasses and offered it to the drake. It greedily snatched it up and ate it down.

    The drake was as big as Calvin from its narrow head to the tip of its short tail. It was completely covered in red scales. They were raised and thicker across its back and haunches, flaring around its head and shoulders. Its scales on its underbelly were lighter in color and much softer. It used its fangs and opposable claws to chew up the melon rind.

    ¡°See! Charley can be friendly!¡± Kiritus said clapping.

    Victor groaned and threw his hands up in defeat.

    ¡°Oh it¡¯s too late now, she named it.¡± He said stomping off towards their log.

    ¡°Alright Kiritus, you named it, you feed it. We¡¯ve got to get that log back to town.¡± Dyler said. ¡°Want us to leave you some bow wood?¡±

    The elf girl laughed cheerfully and gave the boy a big smile.

    ¡°Yes please!¡± She said. ¡°Kodna, can you bring the rest of the carcasses over? Charley can¡¯t walk yet and he is hungry.¡±

    The Red Drake paused in its desperate meal to look up at the elf girl.

    She handed it another carcass and was startled by a notification only she and the drake could see.

    ¡°What¡¯s a Familiar? Wait you are a girl!¡±

 Part 42

    - 93 -

    Will looked sour after hearing the enchantments Drew had available.

    ¡°Enchantments have a logical equivalent exchange.¡± Damien said.

    He pointed to the diagram for the Anti-Slip enchantment. Drew recognized the terms for resist and slippery in mana script.

    ¡°The more specific the enchantment and the more it aligns with the natural function of the object-¡± Damien continued.

    ¡°The more powerful the enchantment and the more efficient its mana cost.¡± Drew interjected.

    Damien nodded.

    ¡°Yes precisely!¡± He said.

    ¡°You can make a pair of shoes that resist slippery surfaces. Or you could enchant that same pair of shoes to make you stronger, but the anti slip enchantment would be far more effective and less mana intensive than the strength shoes.¡±

    ¡°But that seems so arbitrary. Couldn¡¯t you enchant anything to do anything?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°An enchanter goes to study for years to understand how different enchantments interact with objects. Why waste your time enchanting those shoes to raise your strength by 1, when you could just as easily enchant them to raise your agility by 10?¡± Damien said.

    ¡°So for example, if we enchant the suit of armor with weight reduction then it wouldn¡¯t be as effective as adding resist rust?¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Precisely. And if you limit the enchantment to Ressian or Elves for example then the enchantment is more specific and you gain some effectiveness.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already forged the armor from Mirror Steel. It¡¯s more durable, it won¡¯t rust and it will have a natural mirror finish.¡±

    Drew pulled up his screen and checked the list of all the enchantments he knew.

    ¡°Durability? Self Cleaning? Reduce Weight?¡± Drew suggested.

    ¡°Those are all good but we need something truly fantastic.¡± William said. ¡°I designed this to be for a king. A king would have people to mend and clean his armor.¡±

    ¡°We will need to find more enchantments then. There is a library in Valoria where we can diacover any enchantment you can Imagine.¡± Damien said.

    Or we could modify one we already know. Or write one from scratch.

    They approached the gate and the guards glared at them as they passed through.

    Drew perched on the window and looked for the kids.

    Will they be okay on their own? It¡¯s safer here than Rottervale, but still.

    They were nowhere to be seen.

    Did I do enough? Show them enough?

    Maria waved to Marcus and blew him a kiss. Her brother glared from beside her.

    Kinda thought they¡¯d at least say goodbye.

    The wagons passed through the gate in the palisade quickly. They rolled out towards the open fields and forest beyond the safety of the village.

    ¡°Here we go! Next stop Valoria!¡± John said cheerfully.

    ¡°It¡¯s at least a week away yet brother, measure your excitement!¡± John hollered from the back wagon.

    Drew spotted a flock of flamingoes fly by but the new wards repelled them.

    Huh look at that! The closer they get the more confused they become.

    The flock turned aside as if an invisible bubble surrounded each cart.

    ¡°The enchantments are working perfectly Drew!¡± Damien said. He was leaning out the open door with his Mana Lens to his eye.

    Sure, those flamingoes aren¡¯t a threat. There¡¯s much worse out there hunting travelers.

    ¡°But will they fend off the more dangerous beasts?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°The mana levels will taper off until we get closer to the arrays in Valoria.¡± John says.

    ¡°So we won¡¯t see many large beasts for a while.¡± William said. ¡°When I came here from Callapeia we hardly saw any monsters.¡± William said.

    ¡°You must not have traveled in the summer. In the winter all the monsters would rather sleep in than go about terrorizing the kingdom.¡± John said.

    Aldermere was shrinking behind them as the wagons rolled into the forest.

    -

    John and Seraphina and Marcus rode along civilly. Seraphina and John chatted and flirted happily while Marcus kept to himself.

    William sat quietly and stared out the window. Giving Damien and Drew time to themselves.

    Damien was transcribing his notes from several books into a fresh volume. He would constantly switch from one book to another to cross reference one detail or another.

    He is writing in the margins of the new book already. This is a never ending process for him.

    Damien smiled to himself and selected another book, leafing through it to a section near the middle. He turned the book sideways and started copying out a diagram into the new journal.

    Drew spent some time reading the novel Sara left behind. He stopped once he gained a level in Speak Common.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    It¡¯s a romance novel alright. What else was I expecting?

    Frigid air exploded out of the second wagon and the mercenaries fell into formation looking for the threat.

    Marcus ran out of the wagon screaming, dodging ice bolts as he dove into the thick brush beside the road.

    Seraphina was yelling in Elvish and throwing Ice Bolts after him.

    ¡°Sera! My love, calm down.¡± John said as he jumped down from his bench on the wagon.

    Another John rushed over to calm the garnts.

    ¡°Fellon! Enough John! I cannot ride with this coward any longer. He should walk in shame.¡± She said.

    ¡°It was a positive observation!¡± Marcus whined from the bushes.

    Seraphina blasted the bushes with frigid air.

    ¡°Listen to your Al¡¯Galib.¡± Marcus cried. ¡°And respect your elders!¡±

    ¡°You are no honored elder felon! You abandoned your service and can never escape that fact!¡± She shouted.

    Marcus swapped seats with William, joining Damien and Drew in the first cart. The box of armor was too cumbersome to move so William left it in Drew¡¯s care.

    Hopefully Will¡¯s polite demeanor keeps him safe from her cold shoulder.

    -

    ¡°Those shrubs are moving.¡± William said.

    A couple large bushes slunk away into the trees as the wagons passed.

    ¡°Bushcats¡± John said. ¡°Glad the wards are working.¡±

    The group had pressed on towards a mesa in the distance. It was too early yet to set up camp.

    As they rounded a bend in the road a familiar papery sound caught Drews attention.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got company!¡± Drew said.

    Guiles burst from the trees and attacked.

    Let¡¯s see how you like my new knife!

    ¡°Stay back from the windows!¡± Marcus shrieked.

    Seraphina jumped from her wagon and fired ice bolts into the approaching monsters.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we stay inside the wagon?¡± William asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± A John said. He reached down to hand William a net on a long pole.

    ¡°Catch a few and make yourself a fine belt!¡± He laughed.

    Drew sliced through a pair of Guiles mid air.

    Ha ha! Now that¡¯s a knife!

    ¡°Don¡¯t stray too far from the wagons Drew! They are still venomous!¡± Damien said.

    The enchanter opted to stay in the wagon and a pair of mercenaries shuttered his window as they passed.

    William teamed up with Thrain and Krag and a John to chase down the flying beasts with nets. And together the group made short work of the beasts.

    I took out 14 of them and nearly earned 10000 exp! And of course the area is a safer place now too.

    Drew spent 8000 exp to level up his Gathering Ring to level 8. It now holds 78stacks of up to 8

    ¡°Did you see those two separate?¡± William laughed.

    ¡°I did!¡± John replied. ¡°And I saw both halves bite you! Go get checked out by our feathered healer before you pass out.¡±

    ¡°Bastards!¡± A elder shrouded in mouldy cloths burst from the trees yelling and waving a gnarled staff. ¡°You killed my Guiles!¡±

    The strange figure scrambled over to an injured guile on the road and scooped it up.

    ¡°Hag!¡± Marcus screamed and tucked himself behind a wagon.

    ¡°Druid!¡± The eccentric person shouted back. They came to a stop and shielded the guile with their body.

    ¡°Old woman, our apologies, but these beasts attacked us. Surely we must protect ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Man.¡± He said.

    ¡°What?¡± John asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Shirley.¡± The Druid said. ¡°I¡¯m a man.¡±

    John was speechless.

    Damien leaned out of the door of the wagon to whisper to Drew.

    ¡°He¡¯s been eating seeds of the weeds.¡± He said.

    ¡°What?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°They are a strong euphoric. You see the cloak he wears? It¡¯s woven from their fibers. And his rambling speech is a sure sign of long time use.¡± Damien said.

    The old Druid is a junkie then? He¡¯s just trying to live off the grid.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been raising these Guiles for eggs and meat. They have their fangs and poison sacks removed. They are harmless!¡± He said.

    The mercenary captain crouched down and inspected the corpse of a nearby guile.

    ¡°The Druid speaks truthfully.¡± He nodded the affirmative.

    ¡°Of course I am! You illiterate fools, it boggles my mind that you didn¡¯t read the sign I posted.¡± The old Druid stomped around in a circle.

    ¡°City folk are too well to do to read a sign? Balderdash! Too stuck up is what that is.¡± He rambled on swearing to himself as he gathered up the corpses of his guiles.

    John held out a sack full of guilds to the old Druid. He snatched it swiftly.

    ¡°What sign?¡± Another John asked. ¡°We swear we have not seen it.¡±

    ¡°Daft fool! Why it is just up there around the turn in the trail! You could not have missed it. It¡¯s as tall as you are!¡±

    John laughed but his brother clapped a hand over his mouth to shut him up.

    ¡°Apologies sir, but we came from Aldermere in the north. Is there a sign posted from that direction?¡±

    The Druid fumed silently and threw his dead guiles on the ground.

    ¡°Bella¡¯s boundless breasts! Why would you come from the North?¡± He screamed and dropped to his knees.

    ¡°Might we make it up to you? We can cook up these guiles for you. My brother is a fine cook.¡± John said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother! Just leave! I¡¯ll feed these to Betty. At least she appreciates them!¡± The Druid said.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Betty?¡± John asked.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Betty? Who are you! Which one of you am I talking to? Stop moving about I¡¯m seeing double.¡± The Druid said.

    A roar erupted from atop the nearby mesa. Marcus screamed.

    ¡°There¡¯s Betty. My beautiful Drake!¡± The Druid said. ¡°Smarter than any of you civilized folk that¡¯s for certain.¡±

    ¡°Well in that case it¡¯s time to go.¡± Thrain said. Krag grunted his approval.

    Definitely.

    -

    The group traveled well into the evening to put plenty of distance between the mesa before dark.

    ¡°I still say we are too close to the Drake.¡± The Captain said. ¡°If it¡¯s brooding then we are still within its hunting grounds.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t get past our wards.¡± Damien said. ¡°And its belly will be full tonight.¡±

    ¡°And other large beasts won¡¯t stray so close to her nest. We could have saved an hour ride and camped closer.¡± Thrain said.

    They were all sitting down to a meal the Johns prepared. Their camp tents were set up in a tight circle. The mercenaries had built a fence of tripods and sharpened sticks to form a perimeter.

    They had set out gear for Drew to mend as payment for the Drake scales. He was working on a short shovel with a loose handle as he ate.

    ¡°After those Drew, we have some armor we picked up from the feral goblin camp.¡± Maggie said.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± Drew replied. ¡°Would you be interested in an enchantment for any of them?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible, depends what you have available.¡± Maggie said.

    Thrain brought out his game of Cabal and one of the Johns sat down with him for a match. William watched them play.

    ¡°Say William?¡± Drew called as he used a small rounded hammer to tap out a dent in a ladle. ¡°Have you worked with spider melon shells?¡±

    ¡°In practice, yes.¡± He replied, but didn¡¯t take his eyes off the Cabal game.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a sack full from a Giant Spider Melon we fought recently and they are burning a hole in my mana reserves.¡±

    ¡°Are they fire aspected?¡±

    William turned to look at Drew with a glint of excitement in his eye.

    ¡°What? No, that¡¯s just an expression.¡± Drew said. ¡°I¡¯d like to make some armor out of them. Let¡¯s call it payment for your enchantments.¡±

    ¡°Happy to. Could I see them? Ive not worked with them too much.¡±

    ¡°They are in Damien¡¯s Trunk, I¡¯ll get them later.¡±

    Thrain and John shook hands their game over. Scarlet joined Thrain for a game.

    ¡°Wait until you see this win Jeff!¡± Scarlet boasted.

    ¡°Nobody can beat Thrain.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°You wound me Drew!¡± He said pretending he was shot with an arrow in the chest.

    ¡°It¡¯s a simple fact. I¡¯ve seen Thrain play against several people, people who haven¡¯t lost except to him.¡± Drew said as he finished mending a net.

    ¡°Krag! An ale for good luck!¡± Thrain said.

    Thrain chuckled to himself and set up the game for the next round.

    ¡°Care to make a wager then?¡± Scarlet said. ¡°If I win you enchant my lock pick set with durability so that they stop breaking.¡±

    Lock picks!

    ¡°Deal! And if Thrain wins then you teach me the lock picking skill.¡± Drew said.

    Drew set down the frying pan he was scouring and flew over to watch the game.

    Thrain went first and opened up two stalls in the market and hired a thug.

    Scarlet played an inn and a warehouse and put a pick pocket into play.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Thrain said as he dealt them both three more cards.

    The early game continued on until Thrain¡¯s market expanded twice and he built up a guard post and a warehouse of his own. He had three guards, 4 merchants and 6 thugs.

    Scarlet had three brothels and a small army of 10 pickpockets, working under one underboss.

    The game transitioned into the final rounds as Thrain purchased a brothel and moved his guards into position to attack Scarlet¡¯s warehouse.

    Scarlet is starting to sweat.

 Part 43

    The mercenary dealt three cards to Thrain and then three to himself. He played another warehouse and a thug.

    ¡°With your guards out of position my pickpockets can sack your market.¡± Scarlet said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll move my thugs from my warehouse to the market.¡±

    Scarlet grimaced.

    ¡°You lose two pickpockets.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°And gain a card.¡± Scarlet said.

    He hovered his hand over the deck looking at the board once more.

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s a good one.¡± Thrain said.

    He drew a guard house and played it. Then pooled the points from his brothels to play another pickpocket.

    ¡°That¡¯s my turn done.¡± Scarlet said.

    Thrain nodded and played a smithy. He pooled his points to upgrade his guards.

    ¡°These three guards strike this warehouse, and these 4 thugs take your brothel.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll move my pickpockets to defend the warehouse and-¡°

    Thrain interrupted Sarlet with a gesture.

    ¡°I¡¯m buying your pickpockets, they are 2 gold each and I¡¯ve got 30.¡± Thrain said.

    They exchanged cards and Thrain moved the tokens to track the exchange of gold

    ¡°Then I sack your warehouse and take the gold back.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°Ha! Well shit! That¡¯s well played my friend!¡± Scarlet said. ¡°Will you buy your last victory point?¡±

    ¡°I will indeed. That¡¯s game.¡± Thrain said. ¡°Well played!¡±

    The two men shook hands and Thrain held on tightly not letting him go.

    ¡°Krag! An ale for our friend for the game!¡± Thrain said.

    Krag nodded and poured a mug for the mercenary.

    New Item: [Enchanted Lock picks - Durability] exp 250.

    New skill: [Lock picking] lvl 1.

    -

    Some hero I am now. The first sign of strength and I go killing pets. It wasn¡¯t a giant melon. It was a swarm of low level beasts without fangs.

    Guile meat sizzled in a pan and Drew smashed red and purple Skeetles in a bowl.

    These get pulverized and then boiled down with the fruit juice for a syrup. The cornmeal pancakes will be up next.

    Drew used Mage Hand to flip the guile meat patties.

    Not cornmeal, hopper flour, but it¡¯s very similar. I bet they even pop like popcorn.

    He transferred the mashed Skeetles to the pot and set the cooking stove to a low temperature.

    How long has it been since I got a combat log for killing Skeetles? I mashed up at least 12 and didn¡¯t get 1 exp?

    How much longer until I level up enough that guiles don¡¯t give me any experience?

    Drew looked around their camp as one of the mercenaries patrolled past.

    They were camped in a clearing beside the road. Pinniole trees surrounded them. Their dense foliage blocking out all but the top of the mesa they¡¯d left behind yesterday. It stared flatly, looming over the forest.

    The tents were closed and warded. Most everyone was still asleep. Only Drew, a John, and the two night shift mercenaries were awake.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the patties!¡± John whispered.

    Drew quickly flipped them before they got burnt.

    ¡°Sorry my mind was elsewhere. Thank you for the practice session.¡±

    Seraphina and another John joined the table.

    ¡°Morning brother. Another cooking training today?¡±

    John set out one of their Golanh and changed one of the strings. It was a complex affair and he needed to remove covers and gears and tuning keys to get to the necessary components.

    ¡°Drew is dead set on becoming a chef. I can¡¯t imagine why, it¡¯s such a chore.¡± John said. ¡°So many ingredients and procedures and general cooking like this does not award us any exp anymore.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Besides the point, do you remember when we traveled with an actual chef? He made us prepare all sorts of ingredients ahead of time. And they couldn¡¯t be stored with enchantments or they would not torment.¡±

    ¡°It was ferment, like an ale.¡± John said. ¡°You were the only one tormented.¡±

    ¡°Rude. Yet I guess you are correct, seems you do remember somethings sometimes then.¡± He replied.

    ¡°I remember you whining like a spoiled brat about all the extra work. And I remember how fantastic the meals were.¡± John said.

    How strong does yeast get here? I bet they could make an IPA that could literally knock your socks off.

    Thrain would know more about brewing ale.

    Would be a great time for a quest to learn brewing to pop up?

    A few moments later the patties were done. Drew swiped away the notification.

    Atleast cooking still gets me exp.

    Drew moved them to the storage container to stay warm.

    Then the syrup was ready and Drew moved it to cool.

    Time for the pancakes.

    Thrain and Krag were drawn over by the smell of food and their good humored banter woke the rest of the group.

    ¡°We should be out of the forest by mid day today.¡± John said as he passed plates to Seraphina and Damien. ¡°Then we travel through a few days of open plains and we reach Valoria.¡±

    Marcus took a chair at the other table next to Thrain and Will.

    Drew finished another batch of pancakes and leveled up his cooking skill.

    The travelers cheered for him and then tucked back into their food.

    I guess my cooking is that good!

    -

    Another phrase of Mana Script burst into flame on the paper.

    Ack! That¡¯s the third one. I just can¡¯t get this phrasing correct.

    Drew had his cartographers kit out on the table. He started to continue the map he was creating of their trip but an idea for an enchantment pulled him away.

    He was trying to work out the exact phrase for William¡¯s armor so that it would be specifically attuned to a king.

    Will has the idea that the suit is only for a king. So that¡¯s got to be part of the enchantment. And I should get increased efficiency or higher output since it¡¯s so specific.

    Drew scratched out the word ¡®monarch¡¯ from his list of ideas.

    Well of course I can¡¯t just spell it out phonetically¡­ that would be too easy.

    He had tried ¡®King¡¯, ¡®true king¡¯ and ¡®Regent¡¯ already and they were all crossed out.

    Better test the enchantment just to be sure it¡¯s not the rest of the phrases.

    He plugged the conditional phrase into an Emit Light enchantment on a wooden medallion and entered ¡°Blacksmith¡± instead of King. He inserted a mana crystal and activated the enchantment.

    It detected William a few feet away. And a warm glow of light brightened up the hazy morning.

    Will paused, mouth full of his second helping of pancakes to look at the glowing light.

    ¡°It works if I use you as the king.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Wermt¡¯s thrmmt?¡± William asked with his mouth full.

    Drew shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯m working on some phrases for your enchantment.¡± Drew said.

    William swallowed and washed the lump of food down with some watered ale.

    ¡°Can I watch?¡± William asked.

    Drew nodded and the young blacksmith slid his chair over.

    What was I thinking? There isn¡¯t a king around why would they work?

    Drew carved a new enchantment into the disc.

    He wrote it as ¡°king or blacksmith¡±.

    The script held together and he leveled up Enchanting.

    The level up brought Damien over and he perused the designs William was looking at over Drew¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°What are you working on Drew? A light enchantment?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out the phrase for William¡¯s armor. Something that will make the enchantment specific for a king. But there isn¡¯t one around so the spells aren¡¯t activating.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense. The library in Valoria will have the phrase you need. So you made the script more flexible somehow?¡± Damien asked.

    ¡°Yes, I made it check for a ¡®King¡¯ or a ¡®Blacksmith¡¯ and that¡¯s working for now.¡±

    ¡°Try ¡®Nobility¡¯. It¡¯s what we use in the capital for our security wards. It looks for royal blood.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Nobility isn¡¯t good enough,¡± William said. ¡°They have to be the one true king.¡±

    ¡°Who is that?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s no such person.¡± Said Damien at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s just a legend from our pre-Ressian era.¡±

    ¡°There will be a true king someday.¡± William said. ¡°I received a prophesy.¡±

    Damien scoffed and went back to his seat to finish his meal.

    ¡°A prophesy?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Yes. A real prophesy.¡± William whispered. ¡°I have a quest to craft a full set of armor for the one true king.¡±

    If it¡¯s a quest then it must be true. Right?

    ¡°Are those the exact words? Can you show me the quest screen?¡± Drew said.

    New Quest: Craft the perfect armor, sword and shield for the one true king. Reward: unknown. Accept? Y/N

    Across the land the kingdoms roar,

    The one true king shall rule once more.

    With shining armor, sword held high,

    His reign will come, in due time.

    Seems real serious to me. I can use this phrasing in my enchantments. Yes.

    While Drew read the prompt, William was looking through Drew¡¯s cartographer kit. He had been using the paper from the kit to draft his enchantment.

    ¡°What are you drawing here?¡± William asked.

    ¡°Oh just a few things. I am learning cartography and making a map of our trip.¡± Drew said.

    He pulled out the map Drew made of Aldermere and was amazed at the accuracy.

    ¡°Amazing, is this how the city looks from above?¡± William asked.

    William grabbed the next sheet and looked at an enchantment Drew had been working on for a wagon fender that smoothed out the road.

    ¡°What does this do?¡±

    ¡°It is supposed to smooth out the roads as wagons pass. The enchantment is too loud, it would attract monsters.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an enchantment like this.¡±

    ¡°Yeah it¡¯s a new idea to smooth out roads a little bit at a time. It would work over time if every wagon had it.¡±

    ¡°No no, I mean how the enchantment is formed. It doesn¡¯t require a mana crystal, does it?¡± William asked.

    Damien rushed over, spilling his plate on the ground.

    ¡°Drew! Let¡¯s get you a notebook for your enchantments I have one in the trunk.¡± He said. ¡°Trunk! Bring us a blank note book!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine Damien, I¡¯ve got the case for my cartographers kit.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Nonsense, an enchanter needs a notebook.¡± He said quickly.

    The trunk skittered over and held up a slender blue notebook.

    ¡°You can put your experimental enchantments in here and Trunk can hold onto it for you.¡± Damien said.

    Yeah no. You just want to review my notes and write all over the margins. A notebook would be easier to carry around tho.

    Drew brought the notebook it into his gathering ring. Damien reached for it as it disappeared.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just hold onto it in my magic gathering ring. It¡¯s impossible for anyone to steal it since it¡¯s soul bound, right?¡± Drew said. ¡°And we can work together on any new enchantments once I¡¯ve gotten stuck.¡±

    Damien nodded.

    ¡°Apologies Drew, that is the most sensible idea. I keep forgetting you aren¡¯t a golden flamingo. You would not eat the pages or tear it up for nesting material.¡± Damien said with his hands at his sides.

    He looked around for a John and then turned to his trunk.

    ¡°Are we staying here all day? I¡¯m packed up.¡± He said. ¡°Trunk, climb aboard the wagon. I¡¯m certain we are leaving soon.¡±

 Part 44

    Marcus screamed. The elf cowered back on his bench with his eyes squeezed shut and his ears covered.

    ¡°No nononono, I can¡¯t hear you!¡± He said.

    ¡°Sorry if got carried away, man. You did ask me about the fight.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°You have a flair for story telling Drew.¡± Damien said with a smirk.

    I hadn¡¯t even gotten to the surprise fourth John ending!

    ¡°Whoa hold up.¡± John called back to the other wagons.

    They all came to a stop and the other John¡¯s and the Mercenary captain gathered up front to speak together.

    ¡°There¡¯s two men up ahead on the road.¡± John said.

    ¡°I can see them.¡± John replied. ¡°They seem suspicious.¡±

    The two men were standing in the road a hundred meters away. They had not seen the wagons yet. They were speaking casually with each other.

    They were of similar build and their light armor and clothing were in the same southern style.

    Drew flew forwards in his armor to join the conversation.

    ¡°What¡¯s suspicious about just standing there?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Well there¡¯s nothing around here except the last of this forest and then the Great Plains of Ressellia.¡± The Captain replied.

    ¡°Maybe they were attacked by beasts? Are they stranded?¡± Drew said. ¡°They might need help.¡±

    ¡°More likely they are bandits waiting to ambush us.¡± John said. ¡°They are dressed like bandits.¡±

    ¡°Now come on, how can you know that? Is there a uniform for bandits?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°No, yet he does have a point.¡± The captain said. ¡°I¡¯ve met many bandits, rouges, and scoundrels and they do tend to dress alike.¡±

    ¡°Alright then.¡± Drew said. ¡°Five gold pieces says they are not going to rob us and could use our help.¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡± Said two Johns at once. The third John grimaced.

    Drew flew on ahead to scout out the two men. On closer inspection, one was taller and had blond hair, and the other was slender and had red hair.

    Thick brambles on either side of the road. Good cover for an ambush.

    Drew took a wide path circling around the two men. He spotted three Garnts hitched to a tree just off the road.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Three Garnts means three riders. No wagon tho. Where is all their gear? Don¡¯t they have anything to cook with?

    He flew up and over the two men, keeping above the trees to avoid being spotted.

    He circled around again closer, looking for a third rider.

    ¡°-and with us standing out here all day too!¡± The red haired man whined.

    The blond man took a deep passionate drink from a leather water skin and tossed it to Red.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± Red said.

    ¡°Ye wer goin onenon like ah ¡®ad drank it already, so ah did.¡± Blondie said with a shrug.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Red shouted in frustration. ¡°If you weren¡¯t so big I¡¯d punch you in your quenched mouth!¡± Red said.

    He stomped over to the Garnts and tied the empty skin to a saddle.

    ¡°You done yet!¡± Red shouted into the woods. ¡°Once you are back it¡¯s Hemut¡¯s turn. He¡¯s likely for to burst after drinking a whole stone of water!¡±

    A woman strolled out of the bushes, hitching up her belt. She wore two short curved swords slung low in easy reach.

    ¡°Keep your heads on strait, both of you.¡± She said. We¡¯ve only got three more hours until we ride out.¡±

    Ride out to where? With just the three of them? Seems dangerous.

    Drew flew back around where the woman had come from but there weren¡¯t any other bandits hiding out.

    ¡°I¡¯d much rather stay here in the shade.¡± Red said. ¡°It would be a vacation if we had any water left!¡±

    Hemut took a large bite of bread and chewed on it thoughtfully before speaking.

    ¡°To blave.¡± he said and gave Red a wink.

    Red slapped the man across the face. Hemut smiled and kept chewing his bread.

    ¡°Shut up, the both of you.¡± The woman said. ¡°Bella¡¯s grace, do you guys stop arguing, ever?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Said Red.

    ¡°Ah ain¡¯t harguen.¡± Said Hemut through a mouthful of bread.

    ¡°Well, if you had been doing your jobs you would have noticed the wagons up the road.¡± She said.

    She waved to the wagons and moved to the middle of the road.

    Okay, moment of truth.

    The wagons continued forwards with three of the mercenaries in front, shields ready.

    At least there¡¯s only three of them. They seem harmless enough.

    Drew flew around again and tipped his wings to the captain.

    ¡°Caw, Caw, Caw.¡± Drew shouted.

    There, now they know there are only three of them. Should be able to avoid a fight.

    The woman strode forwards with her hands up. When the two men moved to follow her she waved them back.

    ¡°Hello to the wagons!¡± She called. ¡°We don¡¯t want trouble!¡±

    Scarlet and Maggie popped out from the brambles beside the road on her left, and Marcus and Krag stepped out from the trees on the right with Jeff guarding them.

    ¡°You may have found trouble anyways.¡± Said the captain.

    Not a bad line.

    The two men rushed forwards to support their friend. Drew launched a Stamina Talisman down behind them. It held them back long enough for the two mercenaries to bring their spears down.

    ¡°Sit still a moment my friends.¡± Scarlet said.

    That¡¯ll keep them out of the fight.

    ¡°All clear.¡± Scarlet called. Jeff echoed that the other side of the road was clear too.

    ¡°Why are you blocking the road?¡± The captain asked.

    The mercenary beside him, Monroe, activated his Truthseeker ability and watched the woman closely.

    ¡°Nothing illicit. We mean you no harm.¡± She said. ¡°My name is Vaylari, that¡¯s Pegg, and Hemut. Despite how those two look, we are ranchers. There¡¯s a herd of wild Garnt ahead and the rest of our team is driving them towards us.¡±

    ¡°True.¡± Monroe said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a large herd and we¡¯ve been following them for over a week trying to separate out a few at a time.¡± Vaylari continued.

    ¡°A little help over here?¡± Pegg called.

    Of the two men, Pegg was the worse off. He was face-down bottom-up on the ground with his stamina drained completely. Hemut was still managing to stay on his hands and knees a while longer.

    He must have a massive stamina pool.

    ¡°Could you let them up?¡± Vaylari asked.

    The captain nodded to Drew.

    Well, no real harm done.

    Drew deactivated the Talisman and swooped down to snatch it up. Scarlet kept his spear pointed at Hemut.

    Pegg was unconscious on the ground. Hemut crawled over to him and pushed him over. He fell onto his side with a thud.

    A John came forward and placed a hand on the captain¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Seems like Drew was right then. You could use our help.¡±

 Part 45

    - 96 -

    ¡°I still don¡¯t trust them.¡± Said Thrain.

    The three ranchers were riding their mounts alongside the front wagon as the group continued on.

    ¡°They passed Monroe¡¯s Truthseeker skill.¡± Said John. Drew kept his beak shut since he was in earshot of the three ranchers.

    What¡¯s so strange about warning travelers about a large herd of Garnts?

    ¡°It¡¯s just an unlikely story. Garnts don¡¯t travel in such large groups.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°I saw the pack of them myself just a day ago.¡± Pegg said.

    ¡°Herd.¡± Said Damien from his seat up front beside John on the wagon.

    ¡°Sure I heard them too, but more importantly I saw them and counted nearly a hundred!¡± Pegg said with complete confidence.

    ¡°Idiot.¡± Vaylari said. ¡°A group of Garnt aren¡¯t a pack they are a herd.¡±

    ¡°Well either way we all saw them!¡± Pegg said.

    Hemut kept his thoughts to himself.

    ¡°What is the plan then?¡± Thrain asked. Krag grunted to show his interest as well.

    ¡°There¡¯s a cliff face just west of here and we¡¯ve been driving them towards it, but if anyone wandered in the way they¡¯d get trampled and put off the herd.¡± Said Vaylari.

    Seems sensible to me.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s where we come in. We get south of the herd and help drive them north and west.¡± John said.

    ¡°With our numbers we can cover more ground and build a wider blind.¡± The other John said. ¡°And we could use a few of the beasts ourselves. Plus a few more to sell.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to negotiate that with our boss but with a hundred heads up for grabs I can¡¯t imagine us needing them all.¡± Pegg said.

    ¡°We can take and feed about ten.¡± Said John.

    ¡°Now wait a second John. Let¡¯s not be hasty.¡± Thrain said. ¡°There¡¯s business to be done here.¡±

    There was a gleam in Thrain¡¯s eye. He had a strange smile on his face.

    ¡°We bring a lot to the table, four wagons, six mercenaries and a handful of fighters, enchanters and mages among us.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°We can bring you and your business proposal to our boss.¡± Vaylari said. ¡°You have to negotiate with him.¡±

    Within 30 minutes the group left the forest behind them and entered rolling plains. Tall golden grasses spotted the open expanse interrupting the view.

    Plenty of spots for beasts to hide and ambush travelers.

    ¡°I never get tired of looking at these plains.¡± Said John. ¡°They stretch across all of Ressalia. After our brother disappeared on the wind, it was out in these fields that I saw him again for the first time.¡±

    Drew flew up to get a look at the area. He made a mental note for his map and watched a few large bushes slink out of the range of the wards on the wagons.

    More Ambush Cats? Are these things everywhere?

    He spotted a dust cloud over a kilometer wide coming up from the south.

    Yeah that¡¯s got to be the herd. There¡¯s easily a hundred there, maybe more. That many Garnts could flatten a town!

    Drew flew back down and landed beside John and Damien.

    ¡°His story checks out. I saw over a hundred beasts and the dust cloud they are kicking up just south of us.¡± Drew spoke quietly to John. ¡°Didn¡¯t hear them tho.¡±

    John laughed and turned to Vaylari.

    ¡°We spotted the herd. We can get around them if we hurry. How were you meant to contact your group?¡± He said.

    ¡°One of us was to ride back.¡± Vaylari said.

    ¡°Send the red haired one.¡± Thrain said. ¡°He talks enough for all of you already.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Hemut smiled to himself.

    ¡°Get going Pegg. Tell them that we found help and that they want to bargain.¡±

    ¡°Tell him we want first rights to any Garnts we capture ourselves. We want only ten but any beyond that we expect to be paid a service fee for.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°What¡¯s all that? I can¡¯t remember all that!¡± Pegg complained.

    Damien tore a blank page out of his notebook and scribbled the terms on it before handing it to the rancher.

    ¡°Here, written out in common Ressian. I¡¯m certain you can manage that.¡± Damien said. "You can read, correct?"

    Pegg took the page and rode off towards the west side of the herd without a word.

    ¡°Ah kent believe yeh shut himmup!¡± Said Hemut.

    -

    ¡°We better get a move on. Assuming they make any deal.¡± John said.

    Its good just to help. A herd that size is a problem.

    The group took off at top speed to get around and behind the herd.

    The ride was bumpy and John led the wagons around the patches of tall grass.

    ¡°There could be ruts hidden inside the grass.¡± John said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know they are there until you break an axle.¡±

    Drew took to the air to avoid the jostling cart.

    We are putting this new wagon through it paces for sure. The new wheels are holding up well.

    ¡°You are going to twist a leg at this pace! Perhaps we could slow down!¡± Marcus shouted over the roaring wind.

    Krag and Thrain set their own pace and pulled up the rear with the third John and the supply wagon. They parked their wagons on the road, out of the way.

    ¡°Go! Go! Go! Brothers!¡± John shouted from the supply wagon.

    ¡°Well Damien.¡± John said after they hit a particularly large dip in the road. ¡°How do you want to do this?¡±

    ¡°I have an idea.¡± Damien said. ¡°We build a funnel and then a maze to slow them down and eventually sort them.¡± Damien said. He was bracing himself against the railing of the wagon.

    ¡°How will you slow them down?¡± Drew asked flying low over their heads.

    ¡°With sand.¡± Damien replied.

    ¡°And when that doesn¡¯t work we freeze the ground.¡± Seraphina shouted from the other wagon. ¡°Garnts have hooves and hooves don¡¯t do well at all on ice.¡±

    ¡°Her plan is better.¡± John said. ¡°Stone funnel with the ground frozen over, then sort them into Channels.¡±

    ¡°How wide of a funnel can you make?¡± She asked Damien with a competitive look in her eyes.

    ¡°How much ground can you freeze?¡± Damien replied.

    ¡°With Drew¡¯s help flooding the area?¡± She said. ¡°From there to about there!¡± She pointed to over half of the rising slope of the plains.

    ¡°You all are insane.¡± Vaylari said as her Garnt galloped beside the wagons.

    That could catch all of them.

    ¡°I can get you the water.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s get to it!¡± John said.

    ¡°My trip up north wasn¡¯t nearly this exciting. Is this normal to you?¡± William asked Seraphina.

    He was gripping the seat with both hands, trying and failing to avoid being jostled into the elven woman across from him.

    ¡°Only on good days!¡± She replied and leaned out the open door to the wagon. ¡°They are almost here!¡±

    The two wagons veered off to the north-east to make way for the herd to come up alongside them. The two wagons came about and rushed parallel beside the front runners of the herd.

    ¡°Any day now old man!¡± Seraphina yelled. Her hair was unwinding in the wind and frost was starting to form around her fingertips.

    Damien looked at the wild elf and pulled his ashen wand out and channeled Shape Earth.

    Drew watched from above as a wall erupted from the ground beside the herd. It blocked a gap in the trees that would have let some of the herd veer off behind the racing wagons.

    ¡°Ready when you are Skurr!¡± Seraphina called.

    Drew pulled out his Chanel Water wand and pumped his wings to get some altitude.

    A fire hydrant bursting, geysers erupting, animated cartoon monsters flooding an arena, elaborate fountains from earth dazzling spectators.

    A charge drained out of his wand and a stream of water a meter wide erupted out of his wand.

    ¡°Hydro Pump!¡± Drew shouted.

    The herd ran forwards oblivious to the flood of water splashing beneath their hooves.

    Not much time until the whole herd reaches us! Will the wagons get clear in time?

    The wall of stone rose up out of the ground like a submarine breaking the surface of an ocean. The wall ran parallel to the herd, keeping pace with the wagons as they charged forwards.

    Damien was preparing a second spell.

    Guess I need to keep doing my part too.

    Drew¡¯s wand drained a second charge to sustain the torrent of water.

    MP: 30%

    Seraphina flung herself from her wagon landing gracefully atop Damien¡¯s wall.

    She pulled out her wand and focused on the flooded grassland.

    I hope it¡¯s something flashy with a great name. Ice Blizzard! Yamaguchi Special! Will she summon storm clouds?

    Seraphina raised her hands up over her head and a meteor storm of beach ball sized snowballs rained down, ice spread from each impact, freezing the muddy ground into a sheet of ice.

    The herd was veering away from Damien¡¯s wall as it charged forwards and west.

    Who is that?

    The end of the herd was in sight. And there behind them were ten other riders.

    The red haired man, Pegg rode along beside his boss. A slender man in a leather skullcap. He was leaning across his saddle conveying Thrain¡¯s offer to his boss.

    The boss looked up at the stone walls and nodded to Pegg. He grimaced but nodded back.

    The rest of their group rode on hollering and yelling, driving the herd forwards. Until they saw Damien¡¯s wall. Then the riders voices turned to cheers!

    Damien¡¯s second wall burst from the ground just beyond the frozen grassland. The two walls grew gradually closer, closing in a funnel on the frozen turf.

    Love it when a plan comes together!

    More of the herd crossed the ice and slowed drastically. The ice had two immediate effects: all of the Garnts started to slip and stumble, and many of them toppled over or got turned around backwards.

    ¡°Keep moving Drew! They need more rooms to slide to a stop!¡± Damien hollered.

    Drew activated a third charge of his wand and flooded the rest of the area between Damien¡¯s stone walls.

    MP: 18%

    Damien¡¯s walls came together in a gradual curve leading directly into a box canyon in the open cliff face.

    Pegg urged his Garnt to fall back. Then he veered off and left the riders to meet back up with Thrain and John. The riders chased the rest of the Garnts into the funnel. But pulled up short before they reached the ice.

    The two wagons slowed to a stop and watched the herd pass by.

    ¡°Well done!¡± Damien said to Seraphina. She nodded, looking flushed.

    ¡°Drew! What is a Hydro pup?¡± John called up.

    Yeah that¡¯s not something they have here¡­

    ¡°Oh nothing, just got caught up in the moment.¡± Drew said.

    Seraphina sat down with John on the wagon and leaned her head against his.

    ¡°I remember when I used to call out my spell names too. He¡¯s young still my darling.¡± She said.

    Thrain and Krag rolled up to the funnel, opposite the other wagons. the last John in their storage wagon followed close behind a huge grin on his face.

    ¡°Quite the show!¡± Thrain shouted. ¡°And here comes our red headed friend. Do you think we earned our pay?¡±

 Part 46

    Damien dusted off his hands after closing up the box canyon with a wall of stone. Then he collapsed into his chair.

    The two groups pitched their own camps on either side of the box canyon.

    Drew was at a camp table with William. The Johns were splitting trees into half poles and building a corral.

    ¡°See this would be the best design for a lock pick.¡± Drew said, showing William a sketch of a simple lock pick rake, and tension bar.

    ¡°Interesting, and why do they need to be so delicate?¡± William asked. ¡°They will be hard to make and I would enjoy the challenge.¡±

    ¡°So they can fit inside complex lock mechanisms.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°I believe most locks would break this pick.¡± William said.

    Scarlet walked over and dropped a bulky iron lock on the table. It was rusty and dirty and filled with thick brown grease.

    ¡°This is a fine specimen of your common lock.¡± He said. ¡°You¡¯d have an easier time opening it with a rock than a delicate pick like that.¡±

    He showed them a collection of simple iron keys he kept on a ring.

    ¡°These are blanks and once you know which kind of locks are preferential to which blanks you can jiggle and bump them until it opens.¡± He said.

    ¡±Except that would be the illegal actions of a criminal.¡± Monroe said as he stitched up a strap on his armor that was coming loose.

    So the Locks really aren¡¯t that complex. And they are filthy. I¡¯ve been over engineering these lockpicks. On the other hand, I could make some really fantastic locks ad sell them.

    Thrain came walking back over to their camp. He and John had been speaking with the leader of the ranchers, a man simply named Boss. They had come to an agreement on the reward for their participation. Krag and a John were looking over the wall into the box canyon and deciding which of the beasts they would claim.

    ¡°I¡¯d call that a success!¡± Thrain said. ¡°And I gained a level in Haggling!¡±

    ¡°Congrats!¡± Drew said as William and Scarlett cheered.

    ¡°We are entitled to 15 wild garnts and 50 gold to split between the group.¡± Thrain said he dropped a bag of coins down on the table.

    Krag pulled himself up over the wall to walk amongst the Garnts. John returned to the camp to help set up the corral. Scarlett and Thrain joined them, with Thrain standing by to supervise the labor.

    If I can¡¯t pick the locks then maybe I need to find a way to break the enchantment? Or blow them up like the Pixens did? Are explosives an Alchemical item?

    Drew reviewed his list of enchantments again but none of them seemed to fit the purpose.

    And I wouldn¡¯t be able to activate the enchantment anyways while captured. I¡¯ll sleep on it.

    Damien got up after his short rest.

    ¡°Such a shame to tea up the vista.¡± He said to himself.

    He reached into his sleeve and withdrew his wand. With a flick of his wrist his stone walls crumbled into sand and gravel.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°There, the plains are clear again.¡± He said.

    Drew flew over to speak with the enchanter.

    ¡°How long will we be out here in the open? Isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Oh it may take a while to tame the beasts, perhaps a day or two? The Johns are aware that we have a time table to keep.¡± Damien replied unconcerned.

    Their corral was coming together. The ranchers were unloading their own ready made fences from a wagon to build a separate corral.

    ¡°Should we be capturing these Garnts?¡± Drew asked Damien. ¡°Feels wrong, like they should be free to roam these grasslands.¡±

    ¡°Well yes and no. The ranchers won¡¯t keep them all. They will release the herd back to the plains.¡± Damien said.

    Drew followed Damien as he walked to join Marcus at the fence of their corral.

    ¡°But domestication is a positive thing for these beasts.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, shouldn¡¯t they get to stay with their family and be wild?¡± Drew said.

    ¡°You might think so, but they get steady food and shelter, they get shoes and regularly groomed, and they are protected from their natural predators.¡± Marcus said.

    Thrain sipped his ale and nodded in agreement.

    Still feels wrong. Although they are basically treated like draft horses on earth. Couldn¡¯t they contribute to the herd¡¯s growth and become stronger as a race? If people keep taking the best of them then the herd won¡¯t be as strong.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the herd need to be strong to avoid their predators? We are drastically weakening them.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Marcus said. ¡°Garnts survive by being fast. And we don¡¯t need the fast ones-¡°

    ¡°Although some prefer fast mounts.¡± Damien interjected.

    ¡°True, but what we are looking for is the strong sturdy slow ones.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! The herd will be faster for it.¡± Thrain said. ¡°Krag will pick out the biggest Garnts of the bunch, Same as Boss and his team. Then it¡¯s up to the young lads to tame them.¡±

    Krag climbed back over the stone wall. He held a small pot of red paint and his right hand was stained red. He signaled to Thrain that he had made his selection.

    ¡°If you would lend us a hand old friend?¡± Thrain said to Damien.

    The two joined Krag where the fence butted up against the stone wall.

    Damien used his wand to open up an archway in the wall connecting the the corral to the box canyon beyond the wall.

    The Johns sorted through the garnts pushing the ones Krag had marked with red palm prints to the front.

    The herd of beasts shied away from the men but made no aggressive moves towards them. Eventually they got the hint and slipped through the archway into the corral.

    ¡°Should we get in there and help them? What if the garnts attack?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°No need to worry lad, these garnts are nearly tame since the mana levels in this region are so low.¡± Thrain said. "The brothers know their way around the beasts too.¡±

    The Johns encouraged 15 garnts into their corral and Damien shut the archway with stone again.

    ¡°A gold coin says I can tame more of these wild beasts than you!¡± John says as he removed his shirt and threw it at his brother.

    ¡°Is that so? Let¡¯s raise the stakes. Loser does the dishes for a week for each Garnt he is behind by!¡± John replies.

    William checked his pockets and came up with 5 silver coins.

    ¡°I could use the coin, it will cost me a fair sum to challenge the journeyman¡¯s exam in Valoria.¡± He said. ¡°But I¡¯m 3 silver short of a gold.¡±

    Drew produced three silvers from his coin purse, they plinked down on top of the fence post next to William.

    ¡°I¡¯ll invest in your future Will. I bet you will win.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Thank you Drew!¡± William said and ran to join the two Johns in the corral.

    Drew turned to Marcus and asked quietly. ¡°Do you think he can win?¡±

    ¡°Sadly, I doubt it.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Can he even ride?¡± Thrain asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Garnts tamed before. How can I help? Will they ride them until they are exhausted? Or is there something more to it?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it.¡± Marcus said. ¡°My people go about it differently, the greater half is trust. The Garnt needs to trust in your judgment as leader of the herd. That you will provide food and safety and companionship, even when the times are rough.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen this many times before.¡± Thrain said. ¡°They do bridle them, saddle them, and then break them as you suggest. By riding them until the beast is exhausted.¡±

    ¡°Precisely, it¡¯s once the beasts realize you don¡¯t fatigue and then you feed them and build trust that they become tamed.¡± Marcus said.

    John cheered as his brother held on tightly to a bucking Garnt. He was holding on to the reigns, his fingers on both hands white.

    ¡°You need to keep one hand in the air brother!¡± John shouted.

    He saddled a second Garnt and gestured to a very concerned William that he was next.

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s safe?¡± William asked.

    ¡°Oh it certainly isn¡¯t. Just don¡¯t fall off.¡± John said. ¡°But with Drew here to heal you, anything short of a broken neck should be fine.¡±

    John was thrown from the saddle and he landed roughly but sat up smiling. The Garnt scampered away trying to shake off the saddle.

    The group of ranchers was laughing from their camp. They had not yet started taming their Garnts, instead choosing to watch the spectacle in front of them.

    John dusted himself off and chased down the beast to climb back on. It led him in two laps around the corral before he caught the beast¡¯s reigns and climbed back into the saddle.

    The lead Rancher started smacking heads and yelling. His men grudgingly got to work assessing the herd and setting about selecting their own beasts to tame.

    ¡°We might do better with a few deserts.¡± Marcus said aside to Drew. ¡°If they keep falling off this quickly it could take all week. I have a recipe my Cassie loves.¡±

 Part 47

    Marcus borrowed a cooking station and a portable oven from the Johns. Following Marcus¡¯s lead Drew made a batch of what people would call biscuits back on earth.

    New Item: Course Biscuit (x10): 250 exp.

    They had worked quickly and were able to have a batch ready before William was thrown through the air for the third time. His Garnt had jumped and landed poorly, twisting its leg in a hole.

    ¡°Whoa! Drew! We need some healing!¡± John called.

    William groaned on the ground, gripping his head.

    Ouch! That¡¯s not good!

    Drew flew over quickly to heal the blacksmith on the ground while the Johns tried to calm down the Garnts.

    ¡°Stay calm man, I¡¯ve got to touch you to use my healing spells.¡± Drew said.

    William groaned and his eyes rolled up.

    Guess that¡¯s getting more serious.

    Drew gripped the William¡¯s thigh and activated his healing abilities.

    Debuff: Concussion (1/1)

    The Johns held down the injured Garnt. They were trying to keep it from getting up and hurting itself more.

    He¡¯s lucky that he didn¡¯t break his neck.

    Marcus hurried over to the injured Garnt to fed it one of his desserts. It resisted at first, wailing terribly, but as the Johns held it down it calmed enough to give the biscuit a sniff.

    ¡°Go on darling, try it.¡± Marcus said.

    They can¡¯t taste good. Can they? They are just made from common grasses, mint, and hopper grass, and some milk? Maybe I should try one.

    Pegg and the leader of the ranchers hustled over with a couple splints and bandages.

    ¡°John!¡± The leader called out. His voice was warm and amicable. ¡°Seems like a bad break! Was that one of your brothers that got thrown?¡±

    ¡°Boss. Thank you.¡± John said, waiving off the man¡¯s offered splints and bandages. ¡°William should recover soon enough. He has a blacksmith¡¯s constitution.¡±

    ¡°All the better. And how about the beast? Splinting a beast is tricky work. It¡¯s a fine steed, shame to let it go lame in the wrong hands.¡± He said.

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    Debuff Removed: Concussion: 175 exp.

    William rested easy once the debuff was removed.

    You aren¡¯t supposed to sleep with a concussion but I guess it¡¯s okay since it¡¯s been removed?

    ¡°I¡¯d be willing to offer you 5 gold for it. Take it off your hands.¡± Boss said.

    Drew flew over to the injured beast. With the Garnt calm in Marcus¡¯s care, munching away on another treat, Drew was able to grip its flank and activate both his healing spells.

    Debuff: Minor Fracture: (1/1)

    ¡°Thank you for the offer, but we should be able to get it back on its feet. Well hooves, as it seems.¡± John said.

    ¡°Now, now, if I was you I wouldn¡¯t be over confident. A lame Garnt is worthless, if that debuff sets in then you may as well put the beast down.¡± Boss said.

    Debuff Removed: Minor Fracture: 250 exp.

    Skill Upgrade: [Basic Heal 5]

    The flash of light caused the Johns to cheer.

    ¡°What¡¯s that Gallows Bird doing? Did it take a bite out of the Garnt?¡± Boss asked.

    He unsheathed his short dagger and made a step towards Drew.

    ¡°Wait, the bird has a healing skill.¡± John said. ¡°He¡¯s likely just fixed the broken bone.¡±

    Damien put down his book quickly and hurried over.

    John! That¡¯s a secret! Now Damien¡¯s going to get all riled up.

    ¡°Caw.¡± Drew said and bobbed his head.

    Play it cool John!

    ¡°He¡¯s a smart bird.¡± John said, trying to recover quickly. ¡°So thank you for the offer but we are doing alright.¡±

    Damien arrived then, he was ready to interject. But Boss shouted.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing! I¡¯ve never heard of a Gallows Bird using magic. How much would you sell him for? We¡¯d save a fortune on bandages alone.¡± He was using his fingers to count out the financing.

    ¡°He¡¯s not for sale.¡± Damien said. ¡°Absolutely not.¡±

    Boss turned to the old enchanter and looked him up and down. He correctly assessed that the old man wouldn¡¯t budge on this.

    ¡°Well that I can understand. How about we rent him? We will all likely be here a day or two, if we have an injury, beast or man, would a copper each be a good rate for healing?¡± Boss asked.

    ¡°Silver!¡± Drew squawked.

    This could work out great! I wonder how much adventurer¡¯s can charge for healing? Might be able to sweeten the deal¡­

    ¡°You heard him. A silver each. Two for something complex.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Biscuits?¡± Drew said.

    ¡°And you feed him.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°You drive a hard bargain old man.¡± Boss said scratching his chin. ¡°And I can respect that. Shake on it and we have a deal.¡±

    Damien shook on it.

    Drew hopped up onto the fence and held out his claw to shake on it too.

    ¡°Ha! Smart bird indeed!¡± Boss said and shook Drew¡¯s claw. It fit easily into his large palm.

    With the deal set, Boss returned to his men and they started taming Garnt in earnest.

    It will be a good shock when I heal their first injury. What if someone shouts ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±

    Damien picked out a book and his chair from the trunk. He set up off to the side away from the corral. Two Johns carried the unconscious William over to rest next to the enchanter.

    Drew sat on a fencepost watching both groups. Jeff and Scarlett, joined the activity to speed things along.

    None of the ranchers seem like adventurers. Most of them are archers like the Johns. Vaylari could be their striker, an upfront fighter with those two short swords. Boss could be their tank. And the rest are archers? Where are the mages? The healers? Can they really survive with bandages and splints?

    A mercenary patrol returned from the box canyon. They jogged past the corrals and made a bee line for their captain.

    ¡°Status report.¡± He said.

    They saluted him and relayed their discovery.

    ¡°Discovered a small cave with a spring of drinkable water. Back of the box canyon, Captain.¡±

    That sounds like Monroe. I still can¡¯t spot who¡¯s who under their heavy armor. And most of the time they never take their helmets off or speak much anyways.I¡¯m lucky to know 4 of their names.

    ¡°Refill our water there. With a few days to sit idle we may as well run some cleaning in blankets.¡± Maggie said.

 Part 48

    The old fisherman, Calix Silverwood glided down the river in a small boat. He had been paddeling across the kingdom for two weeks.

    It¡¯s been years since we arrived at Rotterdale. But Ethan¡¯s resurection is a fine reason to go looking for trouble. That gentle boy deserves this second chance. And I¡¯ll make sure he is safe this time around.

    A small boy with a flexible basket was gathering herbs near the shore and stared at him with his mouth open like a logfish.

    Nobody will know me here.

    He sped towards the shore and beached the boat.

    ¡°There¡¯s a copper coin for you if this boat is here when I get back.¡± Calix said to the boy as he grabbed his pack.

    -

    Calix jogged up Mobhain¡¯s mainstreet. People watched him pass with mild interest. It wasn¡¯t often that they saw visitors entering the city alone. People gave him plents of space as he passed them.

    He made the trip to Mobhain in record time, paddling the whole way without stopping. He barely slept an hour a day. The brisk jog was good for stretching his legs.

    Mobhain was the closest holy city to Rotterdale and even at his extreme pace. The same trip would have taken 5 weeks by wagon.

    He had rushed there by the fastest route, not trusting the fates to get him there quickly. The 35 day time limit loomed over him like a shadow in the water.

    But I''m nearly done. The lad and I will be together again.

    He spotted the holy symbol of the church on the high steeple a few blocks away and stepped up his pace.

    It was a gaudy building, fronted by pillars of bleach white stone and vaulted arches. He cleared the 19 steps of the church three at a time and burst through the two-story tall oak doors without stopping.

    ¡°Sir, this is a holy building. Watch your pace.¡± A nun chided him from where she crouched scrubbing the marble floor.

    ¡°I seek the head priest. I¡¯m here to purchase a resurrection.¡± Calix said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you will have to-¡± She started to say before a middle aged priest came out from the back offices.

    ¡°What¡¯s the commotion, here?¡± He demanded. He stood dramatically and pushed his silver glasses up his nose.

    The priest wore the white robes of all his believers and the yellow sash of his adept rank. His blond curls cascaded down about his ears and an echo of a memory swam up within Calix¡¯s mind.

    A Bacharis. Or a close cousin. I need to be careful here.

    ¡°You cannot storm into a church like this, have you no decency?¡± He said, looking at the river mud Calix had tracked across the marble floor. ¡°And the sister here has nearly finished cleaning for the morning. An apology would be appropriate.¡±

    ¡°My apologies sister.¡± Calix said with a nod. ¡°I seek the head priest for a resurrection.¡±

    ¡°The Head Priest cannot help you.¡± The priest said. ¡°For he is not here.¡±

    Drown him.

    ¡°When will he return? I have time to wait.¡± Calix asked anxiously. The weight of his grandson¡¯s urn hanging heavily in his pack.

    ¡°It will be several weeks. He has traveled to Ostaria for the holiday and is not expected to return until mid summer.¡± The Priest replied.

    ¡°Is there any one capable of casting Resurrection? Perhaps you have specialized in it?¡± Calix asked hopefully.

    ¡°Unfortunately I have not. I do not know the prayers nor do I have enough light within me.¡± The priest said sourly. ¡°I am a healer and can help you recover lost stamina from your trip if need be.¡±

    Coming here was enough of a risk. This Bacharis has been a waste of time. I need to get to Ostaria.

    ¡°Thank you, but my stamina is fine.¡± He said. ¡°I will go find him in Ostaria then.¡±

    ¡°But it is a month away! You certainly don¡¯t have enough time left for the trip.¡± The nun exclaimed.

    ¡°Sister.¡± Calix said and silenced the nun at his feet with a sad knowing look. ¡°Good day to you, I must be on my way.¡±

    He turned and rushed out of the church, down the steps and was nearly out of sight by the time the priest and nun hurried down the steps to look after him.

    Seventeen days left.

    ¡°Can he really make it to Ostaria in time?¡± She asked the priest.

    ¡°Not with the luck of the divine.¡± He said absently. ¡°Did he seem familiar to you?¡±

    ¡°No sir.¡± She replied and looked down the street again. ¡°He¡¯s gone the wrong way, the road is east out of town. He¡¯s headed west towards the river.¡±

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    She went back inside to finish cleaning up the mess, leaving the priest on the steps to piece together the clues.

    ¡±No, he couldn¡¯t be¡­¡±

    -

    Calix paddled quietly down the river, navigating the steep falls and wide swaths of river with practiced ease. He kept his presence masked, and let his water affinity guide him.

    His control over the water made rough patches manageable, and he easily swooped around hidden boulders and logs that would capsize other boats.

    He was unmolested by beasts or monsters for eleven days.

    His oilskin boat, just large enough for two, slipped quickly through the water. His powerful arms and back pumped soundlessly as he rowed through the nights and days without stopping. He trolled for fish while he traveled and ate the fish raw to save time.

    -

    Six days left.

    Osteria was a major trading city for Ressalia. It was the launching point for trade with the only two major cities across the river in Solakim.

    He navigated his small boat through their port, around the larger flat trading barges until he found a ladder leading up to the docks.

    He hurled his backpack onto the dock, then dragged himself and his boat up after them.

    He threw his pack over one shoulder and the boat over the other and ran down the docks.

    ¡°Sir! There is a docking fee of 5 silver per meter!¡± The dockmaster yelled. He stepped into Calix¡¯s way and held up an official looking clipboard.

    ¡°I¡¯m not docking.¡± Calix replied gruffly, stepping around the man. ¡°Now step aside.¡±

    ¡°Are you or are you not on the dock?¡± The Dockmaster scoffed.

    Calix turned to look down at the man coldly, he produced five silver coins from his pouch and dropped them onto the dock without a word.

    ¡°Some people can be so rude.¡± The dock master said as he watched the large man rush away. ¡°The holidays bring out the worst in people.¡±

    -

    Ostaria¡¯s streets were crowded. Buskers performed in the streets, dancing or juggling, or playing games of chance with passers by. Inns and establishments shouted out the day¡¯s specials and night rates, merchants hawked their wares from stalls set up in every spare space. Calix had no time to take any of it in.

    ¡°Coming through!¡± Calix shouted.

    He crossed an intersection at a jog, weaving around a carriage and hand drawn cart full of spider melons. He could see the stadium rising up to the north, and the bell tower of the grand church to the south.

    The carriage swerved to avoid him and hopped the curb, jostling the passengers inside. The cart nearly toppled and one of the caged spidermelons broke out.

    ¡°Watch a¡¯where ya going!¡± The cart bearer shouted. ¡°My Melons!¡±

    The man swung a stout club and beat the spidermelon a few times, struggling to get it back into the cage.

    Two guardsmen marched up and helped him cage the beast.

    ¡°Which way did he go?¡± One of the guardsmen asked.

    -

    Calix tried to slow down as he climbed the Great Church¡¯s steps.

    Six days.

    He sped up instead, climbing the three flights of stairs and burst through the opulent front doors in record time.

    At least my boots are clean this time.

    The vestibule was empty.

    He oriented himself to the front desk and hurried over. A small bell sat patiently waiting to be rung.

    Calix pounded one fist on the desk causing the bell to jump and fall back out of sight. It made a terrible racket as it fell.

    ¡°I need a Priest!¡± He called, his voice echoed down the vaulted hall.

    ¡°Bella¡¯s Holy Light!¡± A man shouted from down a side hall. ¡°Be patient man, have some grace.¡±

    The man was shrewd with rosy cheeks. He wore the white robes of the priesthood and a teal journeyman¡¯s sash. Calix watched the priest walk quickly across the room and stoop behind the desk to pick up the fallen bell.

    ¡°I need-¡±

    The priest silenced Calix with a look as he straitened the desk for a few seconds.

    Drown him.

    ¡°Now,¡± the priest said. ¡°How may I be of service?¡±

    ¡°I am in need of a resurrection. It¡¯s for my grandson.¡± Calix said.

    ¡°Of course sir. I¡¯m sorry that you are going through an unfortunate time.¡± He said automatically.

    ¡°I require your name and the deceased¡¯s remains.¡± He said pulling up a form. ¡°And payment of course.¡±

    Calix hesitated. ¡°I can fill out the form myself. Can you fetch the Archpriest immediately? We are running low on time.¡±

    ¡°Do you have less than a day? Or can we show some decorum and follow the procedure?¡± He asked with a strained professional smile. ¡°One does not simply fetch an archpriest.¡±

    This could take all day. And any minute the wrong person will find out I¡¯m here and then it¡¯s all over with.

    ¡°I have enough time.¡± Calix grit his teeth looking at the form. ¡°It¡¯s not my first time resurrecting someone. I¡¯d like to get it done then get back home.¡±

    Calix placed a stack of 5 platinum slates down on the counter. 5000 gold was not going to break his bank but the cost was prohibitive. He placed a gold coin down beside the slates.

    ¡°And a tip for your help expediting things.¡± He said.

    The priest seemed confused for a moment. A door opened and closed somewhere behind them as his mouth hung open.

    ¡°You there!¡± Called the city guard that had just entered. ¡°You with the boat!¡±

    Two city guards flanked Calix as he turned to look at them.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been causing quite the stir in town. You need to come down to the yard with us.¡± The other guard said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, disturbing the peace!¡± The first guard chimed in.

    The two guards were large, and in heavy armor traditional of Ressalia¡¯s guardsmen. Calix put on a smile and tried to diffuse the situtation.

    Drown them both.

    ¡°There¡¯s no issue here sir, just starting some paperwork to resurrect my grandson.¡± Calix said.

    ¡°Is that correct priest?¡± The guard asked.

    ¡°Who do you think you are? That you think you can bribe me?¡± The priest snarled. ¡°Guards, take this man into custody the Archpriest will consider his fate.¡±

    I don¡¯t have time for this.

    The guards grabbed Calix by the biceps and the Priest swiped the five platinum plates and gold coin into his pocket.

    Alright then, we do this the hard way.

    Nearly Invisible wires infused mana unraveled from Calix. They floated as if carried in a current of water and drifted around the guards and the priest.

    ¡°Last chance to help me. You sure as shit can¡¯t stop me.¡± Calix said.

    ¡°Identify¡± One of the guards activated an ability. He read a screen that Calix could not see. The guard¡¯s eyes widened and he yelled to the other officer.

    ¡°Get backup it¡¯s Calix the Fisher-¡° He said before the wires looped around their necks.

    Fear spread across the priest¡¯s face and he reached up to his throat and broke the symbol hanging from his necklace.

    Drown them all.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Calix said as all three men were lifted off the ground by wires of mana stronger than steel.

    The wires wrapped the men¡¯s hands and feet and Calix hid them behind the desk. The sound of heavy footfalls filled the room as the Church¡¯s guards stormed into the room.

    Paladins. If I never saw one again it would be too soon. Did I look that foolish in the holy regalia too?

    Their pearl white and gold armor glinting in the light through the stained glass windows. They were fully decked out, some carying spears, some carying shields and maces, all of them wearing stark white capes that cost more than a month¡¯s wages. There were several higher rank Palidins, Enforcers, wearing their winged helms.

    ¡°Halt!¡± One of the enforcers shouted. ¡°You are accused of assaulting a priest. We are authorized to use lethal force to defend the church.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want trouble. I only want someone to resurrect my grandson.¡±

    Calix loosened his hold on the three men behind the desk.

    I may need all my lines to defend myself if this situation slips off the hook.

    The Priest croaked out three words that sealed the fate of everyone in the room.

    ¡°Calix the Fisherman.¡± He wheezed.

    ¡°Impossible!¡± The nearest guard said. ¡°He¡¯s that legendary heretic? He would never be fool enough to come to our stronghold!¡±

    I would to save my grandson.

    One of the Paladins in the back threw a spear and Calix had to step quickly to the side to avoid it. The rest charged forward after that.

 Part 49

    Fourteen holy warriors, fighting for what? A holy cause? To put down a heretic like me? Fourteen lives cut short to bring my grandson back.

    Calix reeled his mana wires back in.

    He stepped over the corpses at his feet to reach the hook he had embedded into the enforcer.

    The man had fought valiantly with his mace and shield. But the old Calix had always been sleeping still under the water and killing two score paladins was a fine warm up.

    No matter how calm or how far buried he was with peaceful days, killing is still the simplest way to resolve things in this world.

    Calix pulled the large hook from the man¡¯s ribcage. It was easily three hands spans across and nearly 50 lbs of mana enriched steel.

    It was a terrible day when I hooked that leviathan. This hook has always been a bad omen.

    Calix slipped the hook into the loop of his belt alongside its four friends.

    They wrecked my boat. Ethan and I can walk home.

    He dropped the tattered boat, it had served as a decent shield with his mana infusing it. Calix returned to pick up his grandson¡¯s urn from the desk.

    Ethan will live. Nothing else matters.

    Calix covered himself with a layer of mana and disappeared completely.

    Now where is the archpriest? Time is moving quickly again.

    Calix strode to the double doors at the back of the room. They led him to the sanctuary. He peeked inside but the place was empty.

    He shrugged and turned to a side door he knew led to the cloisters below.

    The door swung closed shutting out the massacre behind him with a solemn groan.

    Calix rushed down the tight spiral stairs, his shoulders touching one wall then the other as he hurried.

    He stepped into a light spell as he flew out the door. It blinded him and the stun affect ended his invisibility.

    ¡°Hold him!¡± A priest shouted.

    Calix was beyond needing his eyes to see. His mana sense flowed out across the floor. It pooled like water around the ankles of five priests.

    The priests wrapped him in golden chains of mana.

    Feels like three casts, all rank one.

    ¡°Where is the-¡° Calix tried to ask but a wave of light bolts and one crossbow bolt bounced off his mana coating his body.

    ¡°Enough!¡± He shouted.

    His mana wires unwound and looped around hands and necks and feet, pulling the priests down to the floor. They struggled to breathe in the mana infused air down there. It felt like drowning.

    ¡°Where is the Archpriest?¡± He shouted.

    ¡°Repent heretic scum!¡± A priest shouted and used his free hand to cast another light bolt.

    Calix looped a mana wire around the offending hand and cut it off.

    ¡°Now that is uncalled for.¡± A priest with a golden sash and tall hat said from the adjoining hallway.

    Finally an Archpriest.

    ¡°Archpriest. Please see reason. This all could have been avoided if they had brought me to you in the first place.¡± Calix said.

    The archpriest read a notification Calix couldn¡¯t see. He swiped it away and looked up at Calix. His demeanor shifted dramatically.

    ¡°A heretic in our cloister?¡± He said.

    The archpriest loosened the sash of his robes and slipped the left shoulder off first, then the right, revealing his beefy arms and chiseled abs. He tied is robes around his waist and took a wide stance.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you. I need you to resurrect my grandson.¡± Calix said.

    ¡°Any offspring of a heretic are cursed. I would never resurrect such spawn. Prepare to die.¡± He said.

    His punch was faster than Calix¡¯s eyes could follow, but the light mana infused punch sent a spectral echo of his fist across the room.

    The spectral fist parted the sea of mana Calix had released across the floor. Calix¡¯s mana crested into a wave and deflected the attack. Another spectral fist and a spectral foot flew across the room and Calix deflected them too.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    The archpriest had not been standing still, he had been rushing towards Calix as he cast his light mana infused spells.

    ¡°Stop attacking me. You need enough mana to resurrect my grandson.¡± Calix said.

    The archpriest closed the gap with Calix and delivered several punches. Calix threw up his arms in a cross block.

    Each punch landed a fraction of a second apart, leaving fist shaped dents behind.

    He needs mana, not fists.

    Calix¡¯s mana wires uncoiled out. The looped around the archpriest, but he stepped back in a flash of light before the wires could catch him. He opened a folio and pulled out a slip of black paper with symbols on it.

    He¡¯s calling for an executioner!

    Calix pulled out a hook and his mana infused wire looped and tied itself around the eyelet. He swung the hook out with his wire and sliced through the black paper talisman before the archpriest could activate it.

    ¡°Damn you!¡± The priest snarled and flipped the folio over to tear out another black talisman.

    Calix owed after him as the archpriest fled down one hallway and then another. He looped another hook yet the archpriest was able to deflect both hooks while retreating.

    Calix was able to slice through this second black talisman as the archpriest burst through a door into a broad courtyard filled with paladins training. He tumbled to the ground but rolled into a sprint.

    ¡°Heretic! Heretic!¡± He shouted and heads turned to look at the two men.

    There¡¯s only one enforcer, these paladins cannot hold me back.

    A tall man in the heavy black plate armor of an executioner stepped through the gate opposite Calix. His head was shaved bald, even his eyebrows had been removed. He carried a long war mace, 3 meters long and 500 lbs. His armor bore the dark signets and bindings of an executioner and the purification scrolls of the church. Those scrolls would detonate him if his demons took over.

    What¡¯s he doing here? I destroyed the talismans!

    There were 50 meters between them. The only person moving was the archpriest. He stumbled strait towards the executioner.

    ¡°Heretic! He killed everyone upstairs!¡± The Archpriest wailed.

    Is it my bad luck that one happened to be here?

    ¡°His sins will be absolved.¡± The executioner growled.

    He lifted his helm onto his head and the enchantments clicked into place. He immediately unlocked his first binding and demonic mana enveloped him.

    I don¡¯t know this one, he¡¯s new. I need to tear him down before he can ramp up his spells. What affinity does he have?

    The giant man tore up the courtyard as he broke into a sprint. Paladins scattered else they would be collateral damage.

    Either he is stronger than me, stronger than my conviction to bring Ethan back, or he isn¡¯t.

    Like most fights between high level opponents, it was settled in less than a minute.

    Calix brought all four of his hooks to bare, as well as his cleaver and fillet knife. That took him all of 2 seconds, but that was all the time he had before the juggernot of a man had closed the gap and was swinging his war mace.

    His reach is still not as far as my own. But damn he is fast.

    Calix nearly took the next swing of the mace to his face, except he was able to sink a hook through the man¡¯s arm and pull the mace off course.

    The executioners health bar and stamina bar popped into Calix¡¯s view and both were ticking down steadily from the bleed effects of the hook.

    Then Calix was inside the man¡¯s guard and cleaving through the straps between the plate armor trying to open up a gap that he could sink a hook or his fillet knife into.

    ¡°Burn.¡± The executioner wheezed as he grasped the hook in his arm. Fire burst from the vents in his armor and he directed it with his fist to melt the hook.

    What a lucky catch.

    Calix sunk two more hooks into the executioner and cleaved off the man¡¯s finger before the Paladins could join the fray.

    Calix¡¯s mana flowed out in a whirlpool, the water in the air bent to his will, cups tipped over, barrels burst adding their water to the growing storm.

    The water was only up to their ankles, but it still pulled the charging paladins off course.

    ¡°Wet mage!¡± One paladin screamed.

    ¡°Burn!!¡± The executioner roared, his fire spread from his gauntlets to envelop his mace. He charged through the waves, now as high as his knees. His plate armor steamed and sizzled as the two types of elemental mana clashed.

    Too little too late.

    The executioner reached Calix in the middle of the whirlpool. The water was only a few inches deep here.

    ¡°Die Heretic!¡± He roared.

    Wires of mana burst from the waves. Coated in tendrils of water and sporting those massive hooks.

    ¡°Leviathan.¡± Calix whispered.

    The executioner was dragged into the waves and torn limb from limb in moments. Paladins screamed as they drown around him, the water was stained red.

    Plate armor and water, they never had a chance.

    Calix pulled the water towards himself and it solidified into a red avatar of a leviathan. It walked on countless tentacles, it¡¯s one large eye staring out from its shell at the drowned paladins around the room.

    I don¡¯t know which elemental affinity of mine was more offensive to them, the water they drowned in by the boatload, or my self taught light affinity.

    ¡°Fisherman!¡± The archpriest begged. ¡°Spare me. By the light. Have you not had your fill of death?¡±

    ¡°Resurrect my boy and then you can bring your garrison back to life.¡± Calix said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave without any trouble.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please leave us be.¡± He nodded vigorously and dropped to his hands and knees. ¡°Resurrection!¡±

    A magical stone altar, white alabaster and shaped like the columns on the front of the temple rose up out of the floor.

    Calix placed the urn of his grandson¡¯s ashes onto the altar. A wire of mana wrapped around the arch priest¡¯s neck.

    ¡°No tricks priest.¡± He said.

    He summoned the altar, if he tries anything fishy I¡¯ll end him. It will be tough to complete the ritual without his mana but I might be able to.

    ¡°You have my word.¡± He said straining against the wire. ¡°I¡¯m no heretic!¡±

    They both placed their hands on the alter and poured light mana into it.

    The language of angels whispered around them, and arcane symbols lit up across the alter.

    Come back to me lad.

    A column of light enveloped the urn and increased in intensity, blindingly white, until it blinked out and Ethan was laying there.

    ¡°Ethan, wake up lad.¡± Calix said.

    The room was quiet as Ethan stretched and rubbed his eyes. He was wearing the white drapery of the angels, and he tried to sit up but the billowy fabric confused him.

    Calix scooped him up into a hug.

    ¡°You are alive. I¡¯m sorry for everything.¡± He said.

    ¡°Papi.¡± Ethan said as tears came to his eyes. ¡°Where are we?¡±

    Calix loosened the wire around the archpriest and dragged the man off into the corner.

    ¡°Where am I?¡± Ethan said looking around at the unfamiliar faces, the avatar of the leviathan winked at him.

    He took in the white washed walls covered in blood. His eyes went wide as they settled on his grandfather covered in gore.

    ¡°Papi? What are you doing? Are you hurt?¡± Ethan cried. ¡°Have you been fighting again? You promised mother you wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time for us to go home lad, I¡¯ll tell you about it once you are safe.¡± He said.

 Part 50

    - 99 -

    Krag set out a table for the evening meal. Damien and Thrain sat and miserly watched on as William got back on a garnt.

    ¡°It¡¯s a young man¡¯s game.¡± Damien said. ¡°I never cared to ride one myself.¡±

    ¡°I agree, I¡¯d much rather ride in the wagon and let them pull.¡± Thrain said. ¡°Never see me falling off of one of those things.¡±

    Thrain took a sip of an ale and sighed.

    Damien made a note in his book and cross referenced one of the dusty tombs he carried.

    ¡°Drew is making some good coin today.¡± Thrain said.

    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Damien grumbled.

    Drew was healing Pegg¡¯s arm. The man had fallen without injury but the garnt he was riding had stepped on him as it bucked away.

    ¡°Uhhh! Couldn¡¯t you block the pain?¡± He wailed.

    ¡°Man yup.¡± Hemut grunted as he held Pegg steady so Drew could set the bone.

    ¡°That''s a beast with the sourest personality I¡¯ve ever met!¡± Peg whined.

    What a big cry baby. How do I heal him faster so I can get out of here?

    Thrain watched Drew from across the camp, then leaned over discretely to speak aside to Damien.

    ¡°Their group still feels off, like they used to be bandits. At least some of them.¡± He said and took a gulp of his ale. ¡°The wagons and my cart must look pretty valuable to them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got our wards prepared to sound an alarm if anyone crosses into our camp.¡± Damien said.

    Marcus cheered as he swiped away a notification. The 15th garnt nuzzled up to him begging for more biscuits.

    ¡°Huzzah! That¡¯s the last one!¡± He cheered.

    William and the two mercenaries groaned and sat down exhausted.

    Two Johns stopped by to place four plates of food down at Thrain¡¯s table.

    ¡°Thats the last one!¡± John cheered! ¡°Well done everyone!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the final score then? And how many dishes are you doing for me?¡± The other John taunted.

    ¡°Final score is 5 for Marcus, 8 for the Johns, six for you, and 2 for you John.¡±

    John locked his brother¡¯s head in a headlock and messed up his hair.

    ¡°No wrinkly fingers for me!¡± He crowed.

    ¡°Drew won over two with healing.¡± Damien rattled off from his notes.

    ¡°And zero for William and the Mercenaries!¡± Thrain cheered, laughing.

    Debuff Removed: Fractured Bone (0/2)

    Pegg reluctantly gave Drew two silver coins and a scowl.

    Pegg joined the rest of the Ranchers and took his turn on the next garnt.

    Wow. The ranchers have 24 garnt tamed. I guess they really are professionals.

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Drew flew past as William dragged himself to the dinner table, and a John consoled him.

    It was a hard days work. Our record is really good for us simple amateurs.

    ¡°Well since I¡¯m not cleaning dishes let¡¯s make a proper meal.¡± John said and clapped his hands together firmly. ¡°We have those legumes, let¡¯s make a stew!¡±

    ¡°Now wait a minute! Just because I¡¯m doing all the cleaning that doesn¡¯t mean you can make extra dishes!¡± His brother replied.

    ¡°Of course it does!¡± The third John laughed. ¡°Now fetch that big old pot!¡±

    John climbed into the storage wagon and lifted a big dented and burnt pot out.

    The late afternoon sun began to dip low over the wild plains, casting long shadows after the cooking pot as John set about preparing the stew.

    ¡°This will be just the thing to warm bones and lift spirits after a long day¡¯s work.¡± Marcus said cheerily.

    The elf leaned close to another Garnt and fed it a biscuit. He made sure its lead was fastened to the wagon securely.

    First, a John placed the battered old pot over a wide cooking stone. He added a generous glug of golden oil. Then he chopped some roots and tubers, their rich aroma curling up with the smoke and drifting across the camp. A gentle sizzling filled the air.

    ¡°Right, how are those legumes soaking?¡± John asked. His brother had set a heavy bag of the beans soaking.

    He had then gone back to the wagon and rummaged through their stores, pulling out what looked like a couple knobby carrots and a parsnip. He chopped them up into bite sized chunks and their sweet aroma reached Drew.

    ¡°In they go!¡± He sang and tossed them into the pot to mingle and cook.

    Drew studied closely, hoping to level up his cooking.

    John looked through the legumes and picked out a few that he didn¡¯t like and tossed they away.

    ¡°A stew needs substance, and there¡¯s naught better than a few good beans to keep your strength up!¡± He sang, tipping them into the pot along with a splash of water.  As all that simmered he diced up some mishrooms and tossed them in too.

    John scooped up the prep dishes as his brother was done with them and got started washing them at their wash station.

    Seraphina leaned against her John as he helped prep ingredients for his brother.

    ¡°Darling, could you pluck some of the herbs? We will need three handfuls. Let¡¯s bring the aroma is the forest to these plains.¡± John said.

    They look like a family, well the brothers are, but Seraphina has joined them so easily. How can they just welcome someone in like that? How can people fighting for their lives fall in love?

    ¡°I know just the ones.¡± She said and opened up their herbs box and pulled out 5 kinds of dried herbs and a small knife to process them.

    Yeah we know she¡¯s not a Skizzard, and she is a beautiful elf, but they are humans. The Johns could be your average looking guys back in San Lomadas. How are they able to meet a beautiful elf? Or that Farmer back in Aldermere?

    Seraphina tossed the herbs in, the smell of the stew grew even richer.

    ¡°Hey they are assaulting us with fine cooking!¡± Pegg complained from the other camp, but nobody paid attention to his antics.

    These people are not only surviving out here, they are having a party. Is life really that easy down on the plains? Rotterdale enjoyed several luxuries because of their wall and warded fences. We are practically roughing it out here. I can''t Imagine making this trip on my own.

    ¡°Now then,¡± Said John. ¡°a stew like this deserves a bit of seasoning!¡±

    He dramatically reached into a bag and grabbed a hearty pinch of salt and pepper. He sprinkled it into the pot gradually as he stirred. With a wink at Drew, he slipped a small flask from his belt and feigned sneaking a generous pour into the pot.

    ¡°And a little extra cheer.¡± He whispered loudly.

    The stew bubbled away over the cooking stone, filling the evening air with a hearty, comforting scent. While it simmered, the travelers rested.

    Krag braided some rope and sat away from the group.

    Marcus hummed quietly to their new garnts, calming them as he brushed them. He made a point to clean off the red hand paint Krag had marked them with.

    The mercenaries came back with several full water skins and sorted them out in the storage wagons. Maggie and Drew mended some leather armor.

    Damien and Thrain sat playing Cabal while watching the wind roll over the wild grass. Their view was occasionally interrupted as a pair of heavily armored mercenaries marched past on their patrol.

    Object Repaired: Leather Bracer. Reward 38 exp.

    Drew packed up his leather working tools and let his [Mage Hand] fade away.

    Maybe I should go foraging for more fresh ingredients. This stew is smelling fantastic.

    Drew flew over to the table and picked up the herbs knife. He foraged in a wide circle around the camp. Avoiding the Rancher¡¯s camp. His mind wandered back to his objective to rank up the Skurr race.

    What sets Skurr apart from these people? Is it their level of intelligence? Or is it sentience itself that sets these people apart from Skurr? The flock was intelligent especially the leaders, and they had enough of a social structure to exile me. But there wasn¡¯t camaraderie like this.

    Drew harvested a few mishrooms, storing them in his gathering ring.

    I never really fit in with those birds, not really. I was too human.

    He chased down one more mishroom and turned to look at the wide plains. It was a dangerous world and even battle hardened adventurers needed to let loose and rest everyone once in a while.

    I won¡¯t find love in this lifetime. I certainly won¡¯t marry a bird. And what woman would love a skurr?

    Drew flew back to the camp and deposited the mushrooms into the storage crate.

    He picked up one of the treats for the garnt and pecked at it.

    It¡¯s delicious!

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

    Whoa! One biscuit cleared the quest twice? We got to make more of these.

    ¡°Drew! Don¡¯t eat them all!¡± Marcus called. ¡°I need them to settle these new additions to our herd.¡±

    ¡°Then we need to make more tomorrow.¡± Drew said. ¡°They are delicious and free sources of exp!¡±

    High quality food is the way to go.

    ¡°Just you wait until you try this stew! It¡¯s a Papi John¡¯s family recipe!¡±

    ¡°Your dad¡¯s name was John too?¡± Drew asked incredulously. ¡°How am I not surprised?¡±

    ¡°Alright everyone!" A John cheered startling the garnts. "Wash your hands, pull up a chair, or stool. Three non Johns are proud to present your dinner!¡±

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

    Quest complete: Hunger 150 exp.

 Part 51

    - 100 -

    Unbelievable! Completing the quest 8 times over from two bowels of camp stew! I can¡¯t imagine what a full meal back in Rotterdale would have netted me. There were a couple expensive looking restaurants I wasn¡¯t able to sneak into before. I bet I can talk my way in there now. And it would be worth it.

    ¡°John! This stew was divine!¡± Drew said.

    John looked confused for a second but then caught the context and accepted the complement.

    ¡°Thank you Drew, did you get your fill?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I did! Still a ways away from my next level up yet.¡±

    ¡°Halt!¡± One of the mercenaries called out. A Garnt brayed at the shouting.

    ¡°Oh don¡¯t mind us! We are here on business.¡± Pegg¡¯s nasally voice responded back.

    The patrolling mercenaries had switched out to give their brothers a turn to eat and Jeff and Scarlet were on patrol now.

    Judging by the voices that¡¯s Jeff and Pegg. Wonder what he is doing over here?

    Pegg and Hemut and Vaylari were allowed past the perimeter. Drew flew over and was happily surprised to see that Pegg was carrying a tray of biscuits.

    "As promised, food for our aerial medic." Vaylari said. "Can we put it down over here?"

    Pegg walked over to the table and set down the tray of biscuits.

    "Come and get them then." Pegg said grouchily. "You earned them."

    Don''t mind if I do.

    Hemut took a couple steps towards the tamed Garnts that Marcus was brushing but Vaylari called him back.

    "We aren''t staying Hemut, you jolly Oaf. No time to make friends. We have our own turns on the next beasts to tame." She said.

    "Hah, you may have finished already but your lot are so skittish." Pegg gloated. "That''s how you can tell the difference between us that''s professionals."

    Hemut gave him a shove and Pegg balked.

    "They are doing just fine." Marcus said.

    That''s right. Although they have gotten less skittish, I''m sure they will settle down in a day or two, right?

    There was a crack from the box canyon. The wild Garnts were getting restless.

    "What''s gotten into them?" Pegg asked.

    A couple of the Ranchers trotted over to check on the herd and jumped back startled.

    "They are throwing themselves against the stone!" the Rancher said.

    The herd in the canyon was throwing themselves against Damien¡¯s wall wildly.

    "What''s gotten into them?" The captain asked.

    "Better let them out before they hurt themselves." Marcus said.

    The wall cracked further. Damien used his wand to turn the wall into gravel. The wild Garnts scattered in every direction.

    "Hey!" Pegg exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

    ¡°Is that a storm?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s no storm, those are feral hopper grass!¡± Pegg shrieked.

    ¡°Pack up! Double time everyone!¡± John shouted.

    ¡°No! They are nearly on top of us. Forget packing we need to go!¡± Pegg screamed and bolted back towards his camp.

    ¡°There are Garnt stuck in the box canyon still!¡± Marcus said. ¡°Damien can you bring the wall down?¡±

    ¡°We can save them. We have to protect the herd!¡± Drew said.

    It¡¯s our fault they are trapped.

    ¡°There is not any time. We cannot out run the swarm ourselves, not with the wagons. We need to hide. Those monsters can strip your bones bare in a minute.¡± Damien shouted.

    ¡°We have to try out running them.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°We need to move underground. They are terrible diggers.¡± Damien said.

    "There''s a cave at the back of the canyon, we can secure the Garnts and wagons in there!¡± Drew said. ¡°The mercenaries found it earlier.¡±

    ¡°Grab what you can then and we head for the box canyon.¡± The captain said and John voiced his agreement. ¡°Damien clear us a path so the wagons can fit through.¡±

    The groups could not pack up quick enough. They were forced leave their tents and gear behind. Damien called his traveling trunk to his side and the luggage skittered about nervously.

    Pegg and Hemut and Vaylari barely make it back to their camp when a couple of their Garnts broke away from their tethers. Pegg and Hemut turned back to chase the beasts down.

    They are going to get caught out in the open.

    Hemut and Pegg barely caught their Garnts before they could run through Drew¡¯s camp.

    Pegg turned his Garnt around and stopped cold.

    ¡°They are here¡­¡± he whispered.

    The swarm of Feral Hoppergrass mowed through the trees and crashed into the grassland between the two camps.

    Damien conjured up a mana shield around their wagons. Pegg and Hemut brought their Garnts in closer, away from the gruesome sight of the monsters scrambling over the shield.

    ¡°How long would this shield hold?¡± The captain asked Damien.

    ¡°Not indefinitely.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Then we need to move.¡± The captain decided. ¡°Everyone in a wagon or grant.¡±

    ¡°We should dig down right here and then bury ourselves.¡± Damien said.

    ¡°Not going to work.¡± The captain said. ¡°We need real shelter. Who knows how long this monster swarm will be here. No the only option is a cave system, we could camp out there in complete protection.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°New plan.¡± John said. ¡°Blast open a gap in the swarm with magic. Then drop the shield, we all move, fighting as we go. Get the shield back up and catch our breath.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s madness!¡± Pegg shrieked.

    ¡°Could werk.¡± Hemut grunted.

    Thrain and Krag got their weapons ready.

    ¡°Not your worst idea.¡± Another John said.

    ¡°A lot more of these monsters are going to end up inside my shield than you anticipate but it will work.¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± William asked. He was holding his case of armor in a bear hug, ready to run.

    ¡°Armor up, wear extra coats and blankets if you have them. And we want fast weapons, fast spells. These things are numerous but have low health.¡± Maggie said.

    ¡°I can cast a blizzard that freezes them almost as fast as it cuts them up.¡± Isabella said. ¡°Just give me a few minutes to conjure it up.¡±

    A crack appeared in the mana shield. Everyone jumped.

    We are running out of time.

    ¡°Darling, can you cast your blizzard while we run?¡± Her John asked Isabella.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming down in a few seconds.¡± Damien said. ¡°There¡¯s too many little mouths attacking for me to keep repairing it!¡±

    Everyone grabbed a weapon and readied themselves.

    ¡°So are we going with the multiple shields plan then? Pegg asked as the shield came down.

    ¡°Move!¡± The captain yelled and everything happened at once.

    Drew shot off his fire bolt wand ahead of the wagons, the bolts burned their way through more than a dozen of the monsters but the gap was filled quickly by the swarm.

    Thrain and Krag swung delicate fishing spears, slicing and breaking wings off the monsters as they flew too close to the wagons.

    John rode up beside them on his Garnt and asked for a spear. His bow and arrows could not keep up with the onslaught of the swarm. Krag tossed him one.

    William held the reigns of several Garnts. The beasts bucked and kicked, nearly panicking, but William dragged them forwards.

    He did not have a weapon, just a thick blanket he held over his head and shoulders. Marcus was a sight to behold. He jumped from one Garnt¡¯s back to another, his rapier moved quicker than the eye could see. It pierced wings, and heads as the monsters got too close to the Garnts.

    The group rushed the wagons forward for a minute, killing everything that got close. At some point, Vaylari burst through the swarm and joined the fray. She had fought her way through the swarm to join their group.

    ¡°There is no end to them!¡± Pegg shouted as he swung his short sword every which way.

    ¡°Den we cannow miss.¡± Hemut cheered as he sliced through countless monsters with his larger sword.

    There''s no room for me to fly with all these monsters in the way!

    Drew landed and gripped the wagon window and channeled his Fire wand to create large fireballs in the air that enveloped and cooked the monsters.

    ¡°Alright that¡¯s far enough! Shield up!¡± The captain yelled.

    ¡°Everyone down!¡± Isabella sang.

    She cast her blizzard spell to sweep the area clear of the swarm of monsters.

    Damien summoned another shield of mana and the group quickly killed the few remaining monsters inside the shield.

    ¡°Everyone okay?¡± The captain called out.

    The mercenaries sounded off in the affirmative. Pegg fretted over Vaylari''s scratches, but she swatted his hands away.

    "We are fine." Krag grunted, he and Thrain had a few bites taken out of them but they would be fine for now.

    If nobody needs healing then I can reload my charges on my Fire Bolt wand.

    ¡°What do you think happened to the rest of the guys?¡± Pegg asked quietly.

    ¡°They would have escaped.¡± Vaylari said, but she was unsure.

    ¡°The were farther north, closer to the swarm.¡± Pegg said. Hemut chose not to voice his concerns.

    ¡°We¡¯ve made it so far.¡± Marcus said. ¡°The Garnts are holding up okay.¡±

    Marcus and William did a fine job of protecting the Garnts. William was steadfast and Marcus¡¯s rapier skills are astounding.

    ¡°How long can you hold this shield Damien?¡± The Captain said.

    The old enchanter was out of breath. He was sweating.

    ¡°Another 30 seconds or so. The swarm has gotten thicker and the shield is starting to drain more quickly.¡± He said.

    ¡°Next time we stop I¡¯ll pour you an ale old friend, keep it up!¡± Thrain laughed.

    ¡°How much farther to the cave?¡± A John asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell. We maybe moved 50 yards?¡± The Captain said.

    ¡°Another hundred yards if I had to guess.¡± Jeff said.

    ¡°That is if we do not get slowed or turned around in this swarm.¡± Scarlett said.

    ¡°Drew, could you help me with the Blizzard spell?¡± Isabella asked. ¡°It is the most effective.¡±

    Drew nodded and pulled out his Water wand.

    Fully charged.

    ¡°Alright get ready to move!¡± Damien cried as the shield started to crack and break.

    The group burst from the shield again and mowed their way through the swarm of monsters.

    Isabella cast her Blizzard spell, keeping it going as long as she could over their heads.

    Knives made of snow, or millions of tiny fractal snowflakes. I need a mist, then to pull the heat out of them and let the crystals form. Razor sharp and bitingly cold.

    The charge of his Water wand burst and dispersed into the blizzard above them. Small little whirling cyclones of ice spun through the swarm chaotically at Drew¡¯s command.

    It was difficult but Drew was able to maintain the spell for 10 seconds before the spell failed.

    Damn! I cannot focus on them all.

    ¡°Just make the mist clouds and I¡¯ll form the Ice!¡± Isabella shouted.

    Drew used another charge to summon the mist and he was able to cover a large area in front of them with a fine mist. The dewy water clung to the monsters and slowed them down. When Isabella¡¯s blizzard reached the monsters they were encased in shells of ice and flung wildly into the swarm where they exploded into ice shards like grenades.

    ¡°Beautifully done Drew!¡± Isabella sang.

    The Garnts screamed. Despite William''s best efforts, the beasts had spread out too far from each other. Marcus was having a harder time protected them all from the swarm.

    To his credit Marcus moved like a blur slicing his way through the monsters, but a few got through and started chewing on the beasts.

    John rode over with his spear and did his best to kill the Feral Hoppers before they could do too much damage.

    ¡°Another shield would be great!¡± Valeryie cried out as she sliced through the monsters around her with her daggers. The daggers were too large to be as fast as Marcus¡¯s rapier or John¡¯s spear but she was doing her part. Pegg and Hemut were holding their own as well.

    Damien cast another Mana Shield. Isabella held her blizzard spell a few seconds longer and sliced up a majority of the monsters trapped inside.

    Drew switched to his lighting wand to blast the monsters into ash and give the ranchers some breathing room. The group cleared the inside of the dome in a few more seconds and tried to catch their breath.

    ¡°No ale for me.¡± Damien said. ¡°But I could use a mana potion.¡±

    ¡°Coming right up.¡± Drew said. And flew one over to the old enchanter.

    ¡°The Garnts could use some healing Drew.¡± Marcus said while William sat on his heels trying to catch his breath. ¡°The blood has been attracting the monsters.¡±

    ¡°How much farther?¡± John asked as Drew flew over to heal the beasts.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see a thing through this swarm.¡± Isabella said as she sipped on a mana potion of her own.

    ¡°We passed the remains of Damien¡¯s stone wall that sealed the box canyon.¡± William said.

    ¡°Then we are heading in the right direction.¡± Jeff said.

    ¡°We should have passed through our corral then. I did not see any remains of our friends.¡± Pegg said. ¡°That¡¯s good right?¡±

    ¡°They would have escaped.¡± Vaylari said uncertainly.

    ¡°Yeah I doubt it. With so many tamed Garnts they would have a hard time organizing them and heading toward safely.¡± Pegg said. ¡°They are all dead.¡±

    ¡°Could they have headed for the canyon too?¡± A John asked.

    ¡°They would have had to herd the tamed Garnt¡¯s through the crazed herd.¡± Vaylari said. ¡°It would not have been their first choice.¡±

    ¡°Another sprint and a shield should get us there.¡± The captain said. ¡°How are you holding up Damien?¡±

    ¡°I suspect the thickest part of the swarm has passed us by.¡± Damien said. ¡°The shield is not draining as fast as it was.¡±

    ¡°Your friends, they are alive.¡± William said to Vaylari. ¡°I am certain we can survive this.¡±

    ¡°Last chance for that ale Damien.¡± Thrain said downing an ale of his own.

    He''s not taking this seriously.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take one.¡± Pegg called out, but the dwarf scowled at him. ¡°A rain check then.¡±

    ¡°Time is up!¡± Damien called as cracks formed in the shield again.

    I only have two more charges of my water wand.

    The swarm of monsters broke through the side of the dome next to the Garnts and suddenly, Marcus and William were severely out numbered.

    Drew switched to his Wind wand, he focused and a charged drained out of the wand.

    Blades of wind, like little drones swooping in to strike and pick off the Hoppers.

    Bursts of wind coalesced around him and they shot off one at a time to slice through the monsters. William shook the heavy blanket from his shoulders knocking the monsters off.

    John rode up amongst the tamed Garnts and struck out again and again with the flexible spear. It was enough support that Marcus was able to gain some ground and free up the beasts.

    ¡°Lets go!¡± John shouted to the two men and they rushed their beasts to to catch up with the wagons.

    ¡°Do you see the cave?¡± The Captain shouted as he bashed the feral hopper grass aside, left and right.

    ¡°Not yet Captain!¡± Scarlet shouted from the front of the group. His daggers were smaller and more agile than Vaylari¡¯s. He had forgone a shield so he could attack with both hands.

    I can scout it out!

    Drew flew forwards with two throwing knives in his claws. Spinning and slicing his way through the swarm. The monsters nipped and clawed at him. Each one doing one or two damage.

    HP: 56%

    It¡¯s got to be just a little farther!

    ¡°Damien, can you make another shield?¡± John asked.

    "Possibly. But if I am going to seal up the cave with stone I''ll need to hold some mana in reserve." He said.

    ¡°Wait, I see the cave!¡± Drew shouted.

    ¡°Follow that bird!¡± The captain ordered.

    The first wagon entered the cave, dropping down a steep incline and nearly toppling over. John turned on the bench to swat at the feral hoppers chewing on the ropes and luggage tied to the wagon.

    Thrain and Krag¡¯s wagon swerved to avoid a collision and skidded off to the side where the cave was studded with stalagmites. They broke through several smaller ones until a medium sized stalagmite stopped their slide.

    ¡°Drew lend me a hand with some more water!¡± Isabella shouted from the entrance to the cave. She and Damien were crouched there while Marcus and William pulled the last of the Garnts into the cave. Pegg and Hemut were covering Vaylari¡¯s flanks as they brought up the rear with the mercenaries.

    Drew spent another charge of his water wand and filled the area outside the cave with a dense mist for Isabella to turn into shards of ice.

    John circled the entrance to the cave on his Garnt, swatting Feral Hopper grass out of the air as his brother drove the last cart into the cave.

    ¡±Once we are through, close this gap up Damien!¡± the Captain ordered.

    Pegg and Hemut and Vaylari jumped into the cave with the last of the mercenaries falling back slowly.

    As the last of their party made it safely into the cave Damien closed off the cave like a pair of curtains closing on a stage. He dropped to his knees exhausted.

    ¡°Well done everyone!¡± The captain cheered, and the Mercenaries gave a ¡®Hoorah¡¯

    ¡°Every one alright?¡± A John asked.

    Hemut slapped Pegg on the back crushing a Monster.

    ¡°Gyot one.¡± He said.

    ¡°Could you all keep it down?¡± Damien moaned, holding his head. ¡°I¡¯ve acquired a mana headache.¡±

    ¡°Oh that¡¯s nothing a short rest won¡¯t cure.¡± Drew said.

 Part 52

    - 101 -

    The cave was pitch black.

    The mercenaries sounded off confirming they were all present.

    ¡°Alright everyone.¡± John said striking a torch.

    The torch showed a 20 meter sphere of cave floor. The ceiling of the cave was just visible in the gloom.

    ¡°Pass me a few of those Brother.¡± Another John said and lit the torches as he caught them. He passed one each to William and Krag and then brought the third to Isabella.

    ¡°Will the stone keep out the swarm?¡± Marcus asked as he tied their Garnts together near the entrance. ¡°We saved all our beasts, but if the swarm breaks through then we would not have anywhere to run.¡±

    ¡°We will secure the perimeter.¡± The captain said. ¡°Make sure there¡¯s no other ways for the monsters to get in.¡±

    The mercenaries spread out to place torches of their own and expand the bubble of light.

    I can¡¯t believe we all made it. I could barely see twenty feet in front of my beak in the thickest part of that swarm. 2100 exp in a few minutes of fighting for my life and there¡¯s still no end to that swarm.

    Drew selected the next upgrade for his gathering ring.

    Soul Bound Object Upgrade: [Gathering Ring] 8000 Yes/No?

    He received a new slot this time, which brought his ring¡¯s capacity up to seven stacks of seven items.

    ¡°Anyone need healing?¡± Drew asked as he flew to check on Damien. He touched the enchanter¡¯s calf and nothing happened.

    No notifications. So my healing ability doesn¡¯t work on a mana backlash headache.

    ¡°Vaylari and Hemut have a few scratches.¡± Pegg said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Drew replied.

    ¡°Wait! The enchanter is out cold.¡± Pegg said. ¡°How is his familiar talking?¡±

    Hemut shrugged and Vaylari sat down on a flat-ish outcropping of stone.

    ¡°I¡¯m not his familiar.¡± Drew said landing near Vaylari and grasping her hand with his claw to activate his healing abilities.

    ¡°Then what?¡± Pegg huffed. ¡°Are you some kind of Demon? Because I don¡¯t fool around with Demons.¡±

    Thrain and Krag finished taking stock of their wagon and started setting up their bed rolls.

    ¡°John! Take a look at this.¡± A John shouted from deeper in the cave. ¡°That fresh water spring is an old fountain.¡±

    John, Marcus, and Isabella were checking that things didn¡¯t come untied from their storage wagon.

    ¡°In a minute brother, quite a few things have fallen out.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Who tied these knots?¡± Isabella asked incredulously. ¡°They are terrible.¡±

    Minor Wounds: 5/5 Removed. 65 exp.

    ¡°Who cares Pegg.¡± Vaylari said flexing her healed arm. ¡°His healing spells work great. And anyways, don¡¯t you think Demons can¡¯t use healing magic?¡±

    Unconvinced, Peg stomped around in a frustrated circle.

    Hemut offered his hand to Drew and the Skurr clasped it to activate his healing spells.

    ¡°Well if he can think and talk like a demon then he¡¯s been spying on us!¡± Pegg accused. ¡°Evesdropping!¡±

    ¡°I was not spying on you. I¡¯ve got better things to do with my time you know.¡±

    ¡°Wut wyrd is Hemut think¡¯n?¡± Hemut asked Drew.

    Minor Wounds: 9/9 Removed. 95 exp.

    ¡°I can talk, not read minds.¡± Drew said.

    Hemut grunted his appreciation.

    ¡°So do you want to be healed or not?¡± Drew asked down his beak at Pegg.

    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on it, thank you very much.¡± Pegg said.

    ¡°Drew! Is Damien alright?¡± A John asked.

    ¡°Yeah he just needs to rest a bit longer.¡± Drew said

    Drew left the ranchers to talk amongst themselves and flew past the enchanter.

    If I could move him onto a blanket I would but I can¡¯t lift anything that heavy with Mage Hand.

    He flew over to join the three brothers at the fountain.

    ¡°It happens all the time to spell-casters.¡± Isabella said.

    Drew alighted on the old crumbling fountain and got a notification.

    Hero¡¯s Quest: Save Exylandria: Goblins have cornered her in her home and have over run the great cavern. Hero! You are the only one who can help me! Accept Y/N?

    ¡°Whoa whoa! Guys!¡± Drew said. ¡°There are goblins attacking someone. We have to help.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± John asked drawing his Bow. ¡°Captain! Defend the wagons. We have goblins!¡±

    The Captain hollered to his men and the Mercenaries scrambled back from the corners of the cave to post up a shield wall.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± William asked, and he dragged his suit case over to the fountain.

    ¡°Where are the goblins?¡± Marcus cried, and he scrambled behind the mercenaries shield wall.

    ¡°I recieved a quest to save someone named Exylandria. She is in danger.¡± Drew said.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°Spread out men. See if you can find tracks or evidence of goblins passing through.¡± The captain said. ¡°Drew can you share the quest screen with me?¡±

    Drew tried to send it mentally but the quest screen blinked stubbornly instead.

    Accept Y/N?

    ¡°It wont let me share the quest.¡± Drew said. ¡°Might be because I haven¡¯t accepted it yet.¡±

    ¡°Thats strange, I must not be eligible.¡± The captain said. ¡°Don¡¯t accept it just yet until we know more.¡±

    ¡°She must be somewhere deep in the caves is all.¡± John said. ¡°Skurr likely have a longer range since they are scavengers.¡±

    It¡¯s actually my Hero Trait, but I cannot tell them that.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Pegg asked. The three ranchers circled around to see the commotion on their side of the fountain. ¡°Are we going to be attacked by goblins or not?¡±

    ¡°Is yet dinner time?¡± Hemut asked.

    ¡°Forget about food right now.¡± Vaylari said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a meal once we survive this mess.¡±

    The captain and John turned to acknowledge a mercenary that was returning from deeper in the cave.

    ¡°No sign of goblins deeper in the cave.¡± The captain said when he returned to the group by the fountain. ¡°Let¡¯s build a perimeter and prep a quick meal.¡±

    -

    Drew flew off to forage around the cave and give the three ranchers space to talk.

    They already accused me of spying on them, I better to not actually do it. They need to figure out what to do next, and they may have lost everyone they know.

    Drew checked over his gathering ring and there were two empty slots available. The rest were full of health or mana potions. The last slot was nearly full of stones he had picked up here and there to throw from the air during fights. The tactic had proven to be effective for him and now that he had the space, he had started collecting them again.

    He scratched at a stone with his claw and it was easily damaged so he dropped it and moved on.

    Too soft, not going to be any precious gems or metals in there.

    But it did not distract his mind from wandering back to the strange quest.

    What¡¯s up with this quest? It¡¯s a hero¡¯s quest. So is it only for a hero? Or was it created by a hero from before?

    A sharp edge of stone peaked his interest and he hopped over to where the shape was buried in the ground. It was a stone rod little more than an inch in diameter.

    Huh, seems like it¡¯s not a natural rock formation.

    Drew used his claws to uncover the object. It was cracked in the middle but it would have been about a half meter long all together.

    This has got to be something right?

    A quest prompt did not pop up so Drew shrugged and dug at it for another minute and exposed it some more.

    ¡°Find something Drew?¡± William asked.

    ¡°Yeah maybe.¡± Drew said. ¡°Can you bring a torch and some water?¡±

    Let¡¯s clean this up and get a better look at what ever it is.

    The blacksmith brought over a cup of water and one of the torches. He hunkered down beside the bird.

    ¡°Oh it looks like a stone scroll.¡± William said. ¡°Elvish? Here, wash it off, there should be words carved into it.¡±

    He poured the water from the cup slowly over the rod and the dirt and dust washed away, revealing strange carved letters packed with decades of grit.

    ¡°Awesome!¡± Drew said. ¡°You were right let¡¯s see what it says.¡±

    ¡°Well it¡¯s broken, it will not work unless we can get it repaired.¡± William said and poured out the last of the water from his cup over the rod.

    ¡°We can try mending it. How are they made? Obviously there is lots of carving stone involved, and I have some skill there. But what else? It¡¯s possible I can fix it with my mending and carving kits.¡±

    Dang if Damien was awake he would know. Maybe Thrain has seen one of these before?

    ¡°That¡¯s about what it would take. If I recall, I saw an Elvish priest use one once to prepare for a speech. Someone had stored a speech in the stone rod and he was able to quickly watch them perform. I¡¯ve been told it¡¯s like dreaming at a rapid speed. I¡¯m certain there is some enchantment involved too.¡±

    ¡°That would be a cool trick.¡± Drew said.

    An enchantment that would create a dream? This might be some master level work. Will I get a nev level in mending? Or maybe enchanting?.

    The water had done its work and Drew was able to wiggle free the two halves of the rod from the ground.

    Drew picked the two halves up and turned them over in his claws.

    Such strange writing, but it looks familiar. If I could Mend it I could check the enchantment. What materials would I need? What tools? An adhesive perhaps?

    ¡°Lets get this back to Maggie and see what tools she has. I think I can Mend this.¡±

    -

    Drew tinkered away with a wire brush and a thin nail. He was working to get the grit out of the stone rod and prepare it for some paste that Maggie lent him. She kept it on hand to mount sharp stones to stakes or palisades. His Hero Quest hovered in the back of his mind.

    Accept Y/N?

    It¡¯s got to be a quest for me, I¡¯m the only hero around. But it feels off, like that Area Quest from back at the base of the mountains. More trouble than it is worth.

    He cleaned out a few more of the words on the stone scroll.

    The quest details have not changed this whole time, if this is a message from a smart beast then it¡¯s a safe bet that the situation is stable, or wouldn¡¯t the quest text shift?

    Accept Y/N?

    If I accept the quest I may be able to find out more about it. Then I could share the details with the captain. What if our group is in danger?

    ¡°William, Have you ever heard of anyone named Exylandria?¡± Drew asked.

    ¡°Sounds Elvish.¡± William said.

    The three ranchers were still hanging around the old fountain, and Pegg was getting restless. He passed close to William¡¯s suit crate and gave it a long look.

    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s in this crate?¡± He called out.

    William rushed over to deter him from opening it.

    What an obnoxious guy.

    With the last of the carvings on the stone rod cleared, he started applying the paste to the broken ends. Initial test fitting had revealed that a few fragments were missing but there were enough facets on each half of the break that matched up for him to be able tell how the rod lined up correctly.

    Hero¡¯s Quest: Save Exylandria: Goblins have cornered her in her home and have over run the great cavern. Hero! You are the only one who can help me!

    Drew put down the tools to let the paste set and read the quest again.

    Why not?

    He selected yes.

    Hero¡¯s Quest: Save Exylandria: Reveal the entrance to the dungeon. 0/1.

    ¡°Damien! Guys? How bad is it if there is a dungeon nearby?¡± Drew asked.

    -

    ¡°There¡¯s not a dungeon on the map anywhere.¡± John said as he and his brother stared at a map of Ressalia.

    ¡°Alright Drew. Let me get this strait.¡± The captain said. ¡°You got a quest to find a dungeon in this cave and save an elf named Exylandria from goblins?¡±

    ¡°Yes that¡¯s everything.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Alright. And the Johns are saying there is not a dungeon anywhere near here.¡± He replied.

    ¡°And I have never heard of an elvish dungeoneer named Exylandria.¡± Isabella said.

    Damien and Thrain were sitting at a camping table surrounded by torches. The Dwarf was sipping an ale and the Enchanter was having a snack and a glass of water. When

    Drew asked him about his mana headache Damien had grunted and waved him off, asking to be left alone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see!¡± Pegg cried. ¡°This is a new dungeon. If we can find the entrance then we can register it with the guild and we¡¯d get first rights to loot.¡±

    ¡°We could build a new dungeon town.¡± Vaylari said thoughtfully. ¡°No more roving.¡±

    Hemut smiled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Drew said. If this elf is trapped in there then wouldn¡¯t she get the claim?¡±

    ¡°Oh ho! You can talk but you don¡¯t know how the world works.¡± Pegg said confidently. ¡°You have to register it with the guild to get the claim.¡±

    ¡°We should rescue her and then she would split it with us.¡± William said,

    Drew set the two pieces of the stone rod together with the paste and held them together while he listened to the group debate how to proceed.

    ¡°We should explore deeper in the cave. There must be a way that this system connects to the dungeon.¡± John said.

    ¡°There could be goblins we should move in large groups.¡± His brother replied.

    The quest says ¡®reveal¡¯. Does that mean the entrance is hidden? I bet a gold piece that it¡¯s near the fountain. That¡¯s where i got the quest in the first place.

    The Johns and Isabella geared up to explore he cave. The three brothers strung their bows, strapped some stout knives to their belts, and donned some leather jerkins.

    Three of the mercenaries set out a perimeter around the wagons and the group¡¯s garnts. The other three and the captain geared up to explore deeper into the cave.

    New Item: Enchanted Stone Rod (Damaged) 575 exp.

    The paste has set. I¡¯ll work on repairing the enchantment later. Nice that I got exp for partially fixing it. Will I get bonus exp when I fix the enchantment?

    ¡°Just put the armor on and come with us.¡± Pegg groaned at William.

    ¡°It¡¯s not for me. It¡¯s for my blacksmith exam. I can¡¯t ruin it.¡± William said.

    ¡°Then you are going to sit on your butt at camp then?¡± Pegg said.

    ¡°What about saving the elven maiden and sharing the claim on the dungeon?¡± Vaylari said.

    ¡°I, I can¡¯t.¡± William said and slumped down on the fountain beside his crate of armor.

    Poor kid.

    Drew flew over to the fountain and spoke up.

    ¡°Leave him be.¡± Drew said. ¡°This armor is for a king.¡±

    ¡°Ha! What king would wear an apprentice¡¯s armor?¡± Pegg scoffed.

    ¡°We will enchant it into something a King can use!¡± Drew said confidently stepping forwards and glaring up Pegg. Drew scuffed some of the scale and dust from the fountain for emphasis.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Strange Symbols II. (1%)

    What? Another enchantment somewhere?

    ¡°Bold words for a bird!¡± Pegg said squaring up for a fight.

    ¡°Quit arguing with a bird. You look like a madman.¡± Vaylari said.

    ¡°No I don¡¯t think you get it. Look what he¡¯s done. He got us alone without any witnesses.¡± Pegg said pointing to the empty cave. The Johns and Half the Mercenaries were nowhere in sight.

    ¡°Dorf N Ork.¡± Hemut said, pointing at Krag and Thrain.

    Drew stepped back and looked down at the fountain he was crouching on. He scratched to expose more of the strange script.

    New Quest: Puzzling: Strange Symbols II. (21%)

    There are enchantments carved on here in elvish!

    ¡°His friends I¡¯m sure.¡± Pegg said and turned to point at William. ¡°This guy doesn¡¯t count too.¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± William said and stood to put himself between the rancher and Drew. ¡°You need to calm down.¡±

    ¡°No you see he¡¯s not a familiar, and he¡¯s manipulating this whole group.¡± Pegg drew his short sword and pointed it at Drew. ¡°He¡¯s a demon isn¡¯t he.¡±

 Part 53

    - 102 -

    Vaylari jumped forward and blocked Pegg¡¯s sword with her two daggers. She used their curved shape to lock his blade in place.

    ¡°You idiot. Don¡¯t fight the Skurr. He¡¯s saved our lives. Do you want to go back out there and face that swarm of feral monsters?¡± She said.

    ¡°No of course not, but-¡° Pegg said and the point of his sword dipped an inch.

    Vaylari cuts him off and turned to Hemut without releasing Pegg¡¯s blade.

    ¡°Do you want to go fight feral monsters? Or do you want to sit tight with this group of travelers?¡±

    Hemut shook his head, then got confused and nodded his head yes.

    ¡°No, of course not Vaylari.¡± Pegg said. She let his sword fall to his side.

    Drew hopped back some more and perched on top of William¡¯s suit crate.

    Why is he coming after me? I¡¯m a nice guy. I don¡¯t want to get involved in any of their drama.

    ¡°We have to face some facts here; we are trapped in a cave, and there¡¯s a damn army of goblins in here with us. And to top it all off we got separated from the crew! Worst case they could be dead or they are long gone!¡± Peg yelled back.

    Vaylari got up into his face and shouted. ¡°You did that you twat! Hemut and I followed you to save your ass back there!¡±

    Hemut nodded.

    ¡°Someone had to make a decision. I don¡¯t know if you noticed but we were in a bad spot back there. Those monsters were everywhere. Nobody could see a thing.¡±

    ¡°I was there damn it. Don¡¯t act like I was just taking a nap!¡± Vaylari said.

    ¡°Well now we are in here with this group of strangers, all of them under this demon¡¯s thumb.¡± He shouted.

    ¡°He¡¯s not a demon.¡± Thrain called over.

    ¡°He has claws, not thumbs.¡± William chimed in.

    ¡°You two aren¡¯t helping things. Let¡¯s just stay out of it.¡± Drew whispered to his friends.

    Pegg carried on yelling at Vaylari as if he hadn¡¯t heard them.

    ¡°Somebody needs to take control of this situation and if no one else is prepared to take on that responsibility, then perhaps I should.¡± Pegg said.

    ¡°He¡¯s not a demon Pegg.¡± Vaylari said.

    ¡°How can you know that? How do we know he¡¯s not a demon?¡±

    ¡°A demon wouldn¡¯t have helped us. Wouldn¡¯t have healed us.¡± Vaylari said.

    ¡°Would he not? He would! Are you really going to put your faith in a monster who you said your self was a strange little monster? You said his claws creeped you out, among other things. A monster whose idea of a fair price for healing is some silver and a biscuit?¡±

    ¡°Not a hefty price Pegg. And I¡¯m happy to pay it if it means no debuffs or poor sleep healing up.¡± She said.

    ¡°Well now we are trapped in a dark cave so you can fondle his creepy claws all you want.¡±

    Hemut scowled at Pegg.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get vulgar with me just because you are freaking out!¡± Vaylari shouted. ¡°And I told you before to keep your vivid fantasies to your self!¡±

    My claws aren¡¯t creepy. I keep them very clean.

    ¡°We followed three identical men named John into a cave! A cave.¡± He cried and pulled at his hair.

    Pegg kicked some shale on the ground and it skittered away into the darkness.

    ¡°We are in a cave. And everyone is gone. What the hell are we going to do?¡± He grumbled.

    ¡°We can buy rations from the Johns.¡± Vaylari said uncertainly.

    Pegg stomped over to the John¡¯s storage cart.

    Hey where are you going?

    ¡°Ok, then what? I mean how long are we going to be here? Hours? Weeks? What about bedding? Where are we going to sleep?¡± He shouted and gestured at the wagon

    ¡°I have some coin.¡± Vaylari said.

    ¡°Phew, that¡¯s okay then.¡± Pegg said sarcastically. ¡°Oh wait. What if they don¡¯t have anything to spare! Look how few crates of produce they have!¡±

    William stepped up into to the wagon and pounded on the tailgate.

    ¡°They have prepared meals in storage. This is a licensed transport with the guild. They are nothing if not professional.¡± William said.

    ¡°And we forage fresh produce as we travel.¡± Drew said from his perch near the fountain. ¡°And Thrain is a renowned merchant, he has bedrolls and anything else you could want to buy.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your business!¡± Thrain cheered from his seat.

    ¡°Well as long as we¡¯ve got coin then we are saved.¡± Pegg said snidely. ¡°Whole lot of foraging to do in a cave. We could boil rocks.¡±

    ¡°Sir.¡± A mercenary said firmly.¡°You are making a fool of yourself. Get away from the wagon. Calm down and shut up.¡±

    ¡°Or what? You will stab me with that spear? Going to feed me to your demon bird?¡±

    Peg grabbed a sack off the wagon and threw it on the ground.

    Before the mercenary could strike him, Hemut cuffed Pegg on the head and offered the bag to the mercenary.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Instead, Marcus took the bag and tied it in place on the wagon. He checked a chest for some provisions and started planning out their next meal.

    ¡°Is nyut Demin¡± Hemut said to Pegg.

    ¡°You too Hemut?¡± Pegg said as he rubbed his head. ¡°Why, because he was nice to us? Even if he does heal us, for a price mind you, do you really think his end goal will extend to anything more than killing you in the dark and eating your rotting corpse?¡°

    ¡°I¡¯ve never eaten a rotten corpse in my life!¡± Drew squawked.

    Hemut grunted and shrugged.

    ¡°You think that he¡¯s gonna stroll on over every time you get nicked and make everything okay is he?¡± Pegg laughed at Hemut, then turned to point a finger at Vaylari. ¡°He¡¯s got her-¡°

    ¡°I don¡¯t know Pegg!¡± Vaylari shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore than you do. What I do know is that we would be dead and devoured if we did not find their group and this cave. We¡¯re here now and we have to make the best of it.¡±

    Vaylari paused to take a breath then called out to Thrain.

    ¡°Sorry for my friend, if he hasn¡¯t offended you too much, I¡¯d buy an ale.¡±

    ¡°Certainly.¡± Thrain said and gestured to Krag who was standing by.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s great. Let¡¯s all get drunk on Dwarvish stout shall we? Great idea. Why don¡¯t we have some nibbles while we¡¯re at it?¡±

    Pegg flounced around to the other side of the cart and rifled through the crates, pulling at the ropes petulantly.

    ¡°Enough.¡± The mercenary said. ¡°Stop at once or I will be forced to stop you.¡±

    Another mercenary, came over and leveled his spear at Pegg.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think they won¡¯t rough you up.¡± Drew said. ¡°They are professionals.¡±

    ¡°A duel then!¡± Pegg shouted turning to Drew. ¡°A demon cannot refuse a duel.¡±

    New Duel: Pegg challenges Drew to a duel. The terms of the duel are to first blood or forfeit. Reward: ten silver and ten biscuits. Accept: Y/N?

    It¡¯s not worth anything to me to fight this guy. I need to learn more of the symbols and complete this puzzling quest. It¡¯s the only way to find this dungeon and then save this Exylandria woman. I don¡¯t actually have time for his drama.

    ¡°Well demon! Accept my duel. A gentleman¡¯s fight to first blood. Winner gets ten silver and ten biscuits!¡±

    That would complete two of my quests. And I could shut him up.

    No.

    ¡°I decline. I do not have to fight you. I¡¯m not a muderhobo demon.¡± Drew said smartly. ¡°Now leave me alone I¡¯m going to solve this puzzle and find a dungeon.¡±

    Pegg was surprised, his mouth fell open.

    ¡°What kind of trick is this? What is a hoebow?¡± He yelled and swung his sword at Drew in a lunge.

    Marcus cried out in surprise. William scrambled to throw himself in the way, but he was too slow.

    Krag grabbed Pegg¡¯s sword mid swing, stopping it completely.

    ¡°Krag will accept your duel.¡± He said.

    Pegg tugged on his sword but the half orc had a firm grip on the blade.

    ¡°Wat wait.¡± Pegg stammered. ¡°I have no quarrel with you brute.¡±

    Thrain laughed. ¡°You only want to pick fights with small birds? Drew is a friend of the Blacktooth clan and they are honor bound to protect their friends.¡±

    Krag nodded. He twisted the sword from Pegg¡¯s grip and dropped it to the side. His hand bled a little from where it was cut.

    ¡°Bare hands, like real men.¡± Krag grunted.

    He doesn¡¯t need to fight for me. I can fight for myself! Nobody needs to fight.

    ¡°Enough! No fighting. Nobody needs to duel anyone.¡± Drew shouted and flapped over to Krag and Pegg.

    ¡°What ever drama you have with me, just drop it. I want nothing to do with you.¡± Drew said to Pegg.

    ¡°And Krag, my friend. Thank you for standing up for me. But this man has done nothing to offend my honor. Let¡¯s forget about all of this and I¡¯ll heal that cut on your hand.¡± Drew said to Krag.

    The brute gave Pegg a long look then shrugged to Drew. He dropped his stance and offered Drew his hand to heal.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Pegg cried.

    ¡°Just sit down and think about what you did.¡± Vaylari said and smacked him on the back of his head. ¡°Idiot. These are our hosts until we get out of here, we should be on our best behavior.¡±

    Minor Wound: (0/1) exp 150

    ¡°What was his problem?¡± William asked as the three ranchers walked away.

    ¡°No idea. Some people are just that way. It¡¯s this crazy world.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Were you unsure that you would win?¡± William asked.

    ¡°No? I don¡¯t know. He has a big sword, my dagger would be little help. But I saw him fighting those Hoppers, he¡¯s kinda slow with it, and I¡¯m fast? But no. I wasn¡¯t thinking I would lose. It¡¯s just a waste of time to fight someone when we could just not and get along.¡± Drew said.

    Drew flew over to his wagon and equipped his armor, then hightailed it back to the fountain.

    Would be a good idea to keep my armor on hand.

    Drew cleaned off his armor and mended them as needed.

    [Skurr Breastpiece - Fine] - Piercing and Slashing damage reduced by 2.

    [Skurr Mantle - Fine] - Agility +2

    [Skurr Greaves - Fine (Set of Two)] - Strength +1, Charisma +2, Piercing and slashing damage - 2

    [Skurr Circlet - Fine] - Constitution +1, Agility +1, M. Regen +1%.

    While the armor dried he cleaned his feathers too.

    The people around him sat sullenly. Cant blame them for being gloomy, we are trapped in a cave in near darkness. They would put anyone on edge.

    Drew scratched away more of the crud from the strange symbols on the fountain. William joined him.

    ¡°So then you meant it?¡± William asked. He picked up a sharp rock that fit well in his hand and helped scrape the grit and moss from the fountain to expose more of the strange symbols.

    ¡°Meant what?¡± Drew asked.

    Puzzling: Strange Symbols II. (31%)

    ¡°That he had not offended your honor.¡± William said. ¡°My father was a knight and anyone who challenged him to a duel was struck down. He was very honorable and was in good standing.¡±

    ¡°Seems like a ton of work.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°True, it was. He dueled nearly every day and it eventually killed him.¡± William said looking down.

    ¡°Sorry for your loss William. He could have been a better father to you instead of dueling.¡±

    ¡°Oh he was a fine father to me. Provided for me and my mother well.¡±

    Puzzling: Strange Symbols II. (35%)

    This quest is taking forever. Is there a short cut? I know that this fountain is the key.

    Drew looked down at the strange symbols carved into the fountain. He and William had worked their way around about ten feet of the basin. The carvings were looping and continuous.

    ¡°William. Hear me out for a second.¡± Drew said.

    William slid over and sat down on his suit crate beside Drew.

    ¡°Okay try me.¡± He said.

    ¡°So this is an elvish enchantment right?¡± Drew said, and William nodded. ¡°So assuming this enchantment follows the same structure as a Ressian enchantment, and knowing that it¡¯s concealing the entrance to the dungeon, couldn¡¯t we break the enchantment?¡±

    ¡°I imagine not. All this crud from the fountain hasn¡¯t broken the enchantment. And don¡¯t enchantments explode when they fail?¡±

    ¡°Only some of them.¡± Drew said. ¡°I¡¯m going to try something. Stand back.¡±

    ¡°Did you say explode?¡± Pegg said, he marched up beside them with Vaylari close on his heals trying to hold him back.

    ¡°Well no.¡± Drew said. ¡°William thinks this enchantment might burst if broken incorrectly.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like explode to me.¡± Pegg said. ¡°What it¡¯s doing here anyways?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s concealing the dungeon entrance.¡± Drew said.

    Pegg¡¯s demeanor changed immediately.

    ¡°Alright I¡¯m in. How do we break it?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t read elvish, but looking at it, it repeats itself here.¡± Drew said.

    Drew pointed out the spot where the flowing cursive script stretched out in a long flat area.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the end then we can cut through and direct the mana into something else. Draining the enchantment.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± Pegg said and whipped out his sword. ¡°Just cut it here then.¡±

    ¡°Well wait-¡° Drew said but Pegg swung down slicing through the script. There was a flash and the five of them were blinded and knocked on their butts.

    Debuff: Blinded: (0:35)

    Hero¡¯s Quest: Save Exylandria: Reveal the entrance to the dungeon. Failed

    ¡°What happened?¡± A mercenary called out. ¡°There was a flash of light over there!¡±

    I can¡¯t see a thing!

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Vaylari asked and grabbed Pegg by the throat.

    ¡°You alright William?¡± Drew asked as the blacksmith climbed up to sit on top of his suit crate. The young man was staring at the fountain.

    ¡°We broke it alright.¡± William said.

    The fountain had shattered in several places and water was spilling out across the cave.

    Drew tried to hop up onto the fountain and get a better look but the ground fell out from underneath him.

    What the heck?

    The whole fountain and a circular areas of about 3 meters around it flipped like a coin. It turned silently, end over end and dumped them all down into darkness.

    Damien stretched and climbed up from his spot on the cave floor. He turned to look at Thrain and Krag¡¯s slack jawed faces. They were staring at a pristine fountain slowly filling up with fresh spring water. It had been on the reverse side of the trap door.

    ¡°Where is everyone? What did I miss?¡± Damien asked groggily.

 Part 54

    - 101 -

    Debuff removed: Blindness (1/1) 75 exp

    Debuff removed: Blindness (1/1) 75 exp

    Debuff removed: Blindness (1/1) 75 exp

    Debuff removed: Blindness (1/1) 75 exp

    ¡°What is happening?¡± Pegg cried.

    The platform they were dumped onto jolted and kept moving steadily onward. Down and down into the near darkness.

    ¡°You¡¯d be able to see for yourself if you let Drew remove your blindness debuff.¡± Vaylari shouted.

    ¡°There is not much to see anyways. We are alone in the dark.¡± William said. The blacksmith sat on top of his suit crate.

    It¡¯s a giant elevator. We¡¯ve been moving for a few minutes at least now. How deep underground is this dungeon?

    Drew shifted his wings to keep his balance as the platform changed direction and moved diagonally down. Pegg fell on his butt, Vaylari grabbed onto Hemut¡¯s arm and the two of them kept their feet.

    ¡°Ahh! What is happening now?¡± Pegg cried out but nobody answered him.

    The walls of the shaft they were traveling down were rough to the touch, and the platform occasionally scraped off some of the stone. Dust and gravel fell on the group as they dropped farther into the darkness.

    Drew sprinted around the perimeter, careful to stay away from the small gap around the edge.

    No sign of any enchantments. How is this platform moving?

    The platform shifted direction again, returning to moving directly down through the earth.

    ¡°What are we going to find when we get down there?¡± William asked. ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon with goblins in it? Do we know anything else?¡±

    ¡°Dungeons devour adventurers. They taunt you with treasure and resources but they are deadly pits that chew you up for your exp.¡± Pegg whispered.

    ¡°There can be mechanical traps and deep pits to fall into.¡± Vaylari said. ¡°In the south there is a water dungeon that has been known to flood its tunnels and drown adventurers.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha! I can see!¡± Pegg cried. ¡°Take that you damn fates!¡±

    Vaylari slapped him. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt fates near me idiot!¡± She growled.

    If his debuff had the same timer as mine had then we have been riding this elevator for 5 minutes.

    ¡°Drew, has the quest updated at all?¡± William asked anxiously.

    Hero¡¯s Quest: Save Exylandria: Find Exylandria.

    ¡°Nothing new yet.¡± Drew said. ¡°Should we be worried about traps in this elevator shaft?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s an elevator?¡± Pegg asked.

    ¡°This platform we are on.¡± Drew said. ¡°It¡¯s a lift, or what do you call something that moves people up and down buildings?.¡±

    ¡°But we are descending. How could it be a lift?¡± Pegg countered.

    ¡°It don¡¯t matter.¡± Vaylari said. ¡°You should always be worried about traps in a dungeon. At all times.¡±

    The platform smashed into something, sending everyone sliding against one wall of the shaft as half of the platform continued down.

    ¡°Whatch out!¡± Drew shouted.

    Whatever the platform hit, it crushed it and slammed down into the ground.

    They found themselves in a round room. There were sticks and fabric and rope and rubble and fungal mycelium scattered everywhere. Some of it was burning.

    It¡¯s all trash.

    ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± Vaylari said.

    The group stumbled away from the platform and William dragged his suit crate along with him through the smoke.

    This smoke is noxious.

    ¡°What kind of dungeon is this?¡± Pegg coughed.

    ¡°Is this normal?¡± William asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Vaylari coughed. ¡°I¡¯ve been in slums like this in the capital. This is a goblin trash heap.¡±

    The platform shifted and the group turned to face the threat. Instead the platform leveled out and disappeared up into the hole in the ceiling.

    In its wake, the group saw a smashed goblin alter, built out of sticks and trash.

    ¡°That explains the rough landing.¡° Drew said.

    The group turned to a thin path through the trash that led to a tunnel. As they neared the tunnel more and more of the trash was covered in webbing.

    ¡°What¡¯s all this webbing?¡± He asked.

    Vaylari crouched down and sliced through it with one of her large knives. The webbing was spongy, and papery.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°It¡¯s not webbing. It¡¯s mycelium. There is a fungus growing down here.¡± She said.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s collect the mishrooms and bring them back with us.¡± Drew said.

    ¡°No, not mishrooms. These are dungeon mushrooms. Not cute at all. And most varieties are carnivorous.¡± She said.

    ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± William said. He carried his armor crate along over his shoulders.

    ¡°Best to be careful.¡± Pegg said in a hushed tone. ¡°Hemut, you take the lead.¡±

    Hemut nodded and stepped forward. He shoved aside the trash on either side of the tunnel and Vaylari pushed past him to range ahead.

    ¡°Let me take the lead, there could be traps.¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯ll have the best chance of spotting them.¡±

    The group proceeded slowly down the tunnel, Vaylari in the lead. She stopped frequently to check around for traps.

    After 20 minutes the tunnel took a turn and Vaylari was the first to see what was ahead.

    ¡°Guys!¡± Vaylari whispers loudly. ¡°Come out and see this!¡±

    -

    The cavern before them was a lost world. It was massive, roughly circular, easily a thousand yards across on the shorter dimension. There was a massive open area in the center of the chasm. Like a Roman collesum. In fact, there were broad areas carved out and flattened layers wide enough for two wagons to pass eachother.

    It¡¯s a strip mine.

    Each layer had mineshafts, buttressed with massive beams, that disappeared into the stone.

    A bat flew by in the distance, dwarfed by the size of the open space.

    ¡°Is that a giant bat?¡± Pegg asked.

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be.¡± Vaylari said hesitantly.

    Hemut murmured something to himself.

    Drew watched the beast fly a while and then the distance and scale of what he was looking at shifted.

    ¡°It¡¯s got to have a ten meter wingspan¡­¡± he said.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Pegg mumbled.

    The large bat dove down amongst some giant mushrooms. When it emerged it was carrying a goblin in its claw.

    It can vary a goblins in one claw¡­ that¡¯s how big it is.

    The mushroom forest spread across the highest layer and half of the layer below that. The largest mushrooms were 20 meters tall and their caps were bright red with diamond shaped spots.

    Those caps are easily 15 meters across.

    There were three more layers of the mine going lower, each one concentrically smaller, and also wetter. The bottom level was swampy and large slimes could be seen bobbing about in the water and mud.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± William asked, his mouth hanging open.

    Hero¡¯s Quest: Save Exylandria: Find Exylandria complete. 1200 exp

    Hero¡¯s Quest: Save Exylandria: Speak with Exylandria.

    ¡°This is the dungeon we are looking for. My quest just updated.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that over there?¡± William asked pointing across the cavern to some smoke billowing up.

    ¡°It looks like a fortress.¡± Pegg said, and Hemut grunted.

    A wild battle cry rang out from the mushroom forest across the cavern. Hundreds of goblins charged out and rushed the fortress. A bell was rung from inside the fortress, its tone was flat and jarring.

    A cheer answered the bell from the fortress. Several dwarves could be seen manning the walls. They operated ballistas and began their preemptive attack, mowing down the attacking goblins with rapid fire arrows before the feral monsters could reach the defenses.

    ¡°We have to help them!¡± Drew shouted.

    ¡°What can we do?¡± Pegg said. ¡°There¡¯s just five of us!¡±

    ¡°We should do what we can.¡± William said. ¡°I¡¯m no friend to goblins.¡±

    Exylandria could be in that fortress. And those people need our help.

    ¡°How are we supposed to get there? We would have to run all the way around!¡± Pegg cried.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s what we will have to do!¡± Drew said and flew forward around the edge of the cavern. William was a step behind him with his large crate in his arms.

    ¡°Well? Are you going to stand here alone or are you going to come along and be of some use?¡± Vaylari asked.

    Something snarled behind Pegg and he turned to see three goblins a ways off, creeping up on them.

    ¡°Ahh! Alright let¡¯s go after the bird!¡± He said sprinting off. ¡°But he¡¯s not the leader!¡±

    -

    ¡°Drew! Slow down, I cannot keep up.¡± William called out.

    Drew circled back, his route took him out over the drop off to William¡¯s left. There were two goblins clinging to the steep slope. They had climbed up from the layer below.

    ¡°Heads up!¡± He shouted to William.

    Drew pulled his water wand and doused the two goblins. The wet stone surface was too slippery and the monsters slipped back down into the lower layer of the cavern.

    William stood with his crate, his blacksmith hammer ready.

    ¡°I knocked them back down. We need to keep moving.¡± Drew said.

    Vaylari and Pegg ran past them, with Hemut a second behind.

    ¡°Get a move on lad!¡± Pegg wheezed.

    ¡°Goblinz.¡± Hemut chuckled as he passed them at a steady pace.

    ¡°Go on ahead I¡¯ll cover you.¡± Drew said and circled in the air to face the goblins.

    As the goblins got closer to Drew he tried to reason with them.

    ¡±Hey, get out of here. We don¡¯t have to fight!¡± He said.

    The feral goblins snarled and charged him.

    Let¡¯s try wind this time, I could blow them over into the layer below, at least then I won¡¯t have to kill them.

    Drew switched to his wind wand and summoned up a small tornado. It swooped in and turned the goblins around, slowing their charge and knocking them into each other.

    ¡°Drew! We could use a hand up here!¡± Vaylari called. ¡°Quit playing around!¡±

    Six goblins rushed the ranchers from the layer below. They had jumped up to block their path. The monsters raised pointy sticks and slobbered and snarled as they ran towards the ranchers.

    Pegg and Hemut had their swords out, Vaylari had a dagger in each of her hands. William was crouching behind his crate with a blacksmith¡¯s hammer.

    Doesn¡¯t he have a weapon? He makes swords, you¡¯d think he would know how to use one too. We brought an NPC to a dungeon.

    Drew used another charge of his wind wand and his tornado grew, doubling in size. It kicked up rocks and grit from the ground and buffeted the goblins facing him.

    Whirlwind!

    First one, then two of the goblins were tossed off the edge. The third crawled along the ground, keeping itself low.

    The charge ran out and the tornado started to die down. The goblin rushed Drew and he pulled his Dirk with Mage Hand while giving ground flying backwards. He cut the goblin across the face and then followed up with a slice across its spear hand, the goblin dropped its spear and wailed on the ground.

    I need to meet up with the rest of the group.

    Hemut killed the goblin in front of him with a decisive swing of his large sword. Pegg was whittling down the second one, keeping his distance without backing into another monster. Vaylari was engaged with three goblins, in the thick of melee, but she was holding her own, her long curved daggers spinning and biting into goblin flesh in all directions.

    William circled his crate keeping the goblin on the other side opposite him. The goblin grew tired of the game and jumped on top of the crate smiling. William slammed his hammer into the goblins face, knocking it off the crate.

    ¡°Die monster!¡± William shouted.

    The black smith followed it down, and continued hammering it until it died.

    Drew reached the melee and considered his options.

    I can¡¯t use my wands with everyone so tightly packed in. So rocks or knives then?

    Vaylari spun and decapitated a goblin, then quickly ducked under an attack from behind without looking.

    Drew swooped down and emptied a couple rocks out of his gathering ring. They struck the goblin in the head before it could swing at Vaylari again. She was able to plant both of her knives in its back while it was stunned.

    The last goblin died when Hemut struck down the one Pegg had been whittling away at.

    ¡°I nearly had him.¡± Pegg said huffing.

    ¡°Velkom.¡± Hemut said with a grin.

    ¡°William you fight like a beast!¡± Vaylari said, she wiped off her weapons and gave the lad a thumbs up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I nearly died.¡± William said bashfully.

    ¡°You did alright kid, but you need a real weapon.¡± She said.

    ¡±Can we move on before more show up?¡± Drew urged from above them.

    These goblins are feral but they might have a chance of ranking up if they survive long enough.

    An explosion echoed around the cavern. Goblins scattered and retreated from the garrison as the dwarves threw another explosive over the wall.

    ¡°Guess they held out on their own well enough.¡± Vaylari said.

    ¡°Then maybe we could use their help.¡± Pegg said. ¡°Let¡¯s get over there behind their wall already.¡±