《Second Chance Restarting the Apocalypse》 Chapter: 1 Chapter: 1 Len pulled the rail carts down the track towards where Rick was working. Both of them were wearing their dungeoneeing gear, armor with a litany of tools on their belts and chests a sword on Len¡¯s hip. Rick¡¯s hammer in his hand as he tapped on the wall at the end of the rail tracks. Len coughed through the rag covering his face, the stone dust from the tunnel had caked it and the rest of his clothes long ago. The walls shuddered and dust fell from the ceiling. Len studied it for damage, thick stone ribs arching overhead. ¡°Looks like the Andarri arrived,¡± Len said. Rick grunted and kept tapping the wall, not taking the time to wipe the dust that fell on his bald head. ¡°How long till you reach the vault wall?¡± ¡°Just another length,¡± Rick hit the wall, cracks ran through the stone from his point of impact. The stone parted in an archway, the rock crunching against one another as it was fused together into arched ribs and slats that connected the archways together, holding the secret tunnel¡¯s ceiling up. The floor dropped to reveal newly compressed rails. Rick hit the piles of extra material. They dropped slightly, stacks of compressed stone bricks. Len¡¯s mana sight picked up the enchantment covering the wall at the end of the tunnel. Might not be able to make enchantments anymore but I can still learn about them, break and redirect them. Rick waved his hand, storing half the bricks in his folded space, giving Len a path to the wall. ¡°Your turn.¡± Rick went to the furthest rail cart and dumped in the bricks, moving up the train. ¡°The All-Seers vault,¡± Len touched the wall. So close. The man was a legendary figure, a guardian over his city Harmonia, a wasteland that he continued to protect. Rick and Len caught a rumor from someone that had lived in the city before the collapse. A vault that contained the wealth and everything that the All-Seer cared for. Now they were a hundred meters underneath the broken city in a secret tunnel they¡¯d built over months in anticipation of a raid the Andarri guild had set up to defeat the All-Seer finally. Len pushed hopes and worries to the side. It wasn¡¯t his first delve, not by a long shot. He¡¯d been a dungeoneer for a hundred and thirty years now. Don¡¯t get sloppy. He studied the enchantment. ¡°How¡¯s it look?¡± Rick asked as two more impacts ran through the tunnel¡¯s supports. ¡°Old, this kind of enchantment was new after the apocalypse. Its powerful and big. Alarm type, doesn¡¯t have any defensive features.¡± Len sent a thread of mana pulsing through the enchantment, charging it. The enchantment lit up, showing lines and runes through the wall and into the distance on either side. It only went down half a meter before it flattened out. ¡°Looks like we shouldn¡¯t be too far off of the floor.¡± Len pulled out a bypass from his storage. It was a doorway someone could crouch through, covered in runes and lines, part of an enchantment. The tunnel shuddered from impacts on the surface. Dust fell from the ceiling as he held himself steady, bracing against the impacts and movements rippling through the stone. Len gritted his teeth, his muscles coiled in tension. "All-Seer still got some kick in him," Rick, said from behind him. Len grunted removing the wax paper on the back of the metal frame before pressing them to the wall. He placed his hand upon the wall to steady himself. Another impact hit above their heads, a cracking noise sounding down the tunnel. Len shot a look back at Rick, the other man turning his head back from where the noise had come from with wide eyes. That sounded like stone in the tunnel breaking. Rick did not build things weak. ¡°Maybe hurry up? I built the tunnel strong but they¡¯re really going all out,¡± Rick said. Len turned back to the metal doorway and the enchanted stone beyond. Using his mage sight he picked out the runes that made up the enchantment. Where are the linking runes? He drew out his chisel from his hip, using his hand to steady himself against the rock as the ground shook around him. There you are, just need to alter the direction. Len activated his chisel, the edge glowing with a blue mana blade as he dug it into a rune, altering it. He moved with precise movements, removing some runes, altering others, a complicated maze. He removed his chisel from the stone watching as the runes within the space of the metal frame stopped glowing and the runes within the bypass lit up, becoming part of the defensive enchantment. "All right, Rick, you''re up. The defensive enchantment¡¯s bypassed." Rick pressed his hands to the small of his back, cracking his spine as they moved past one another. More impacts rang out above. Fighters are going all out up there. Rick took out his hammer from his tool belt, both of them were covered in tools, from those on their belts to those on their chests. ¡°Over a hundred and fifty years old, survived the apocalypse to live under the Arrivals, and now carrying out one of the largest heists in history, right underneath the god-emperor''s feet,¡± Len shook his head. "Well, it certainly was nice for the Andari to distract old Dennis up there," Rick said as he tapped the stone within the metal frame with his hammer, turning his head as if to listen. ¡°With this we¡¯ll never have to go explore another dungeon, realm, resource node, or hidden vault ever again.¡± "Full heated water ration, enough food to eat every day, even one of those beds with a mattress, not just a cot,¡± Len chuckled. ¡°You going to open us up a passage?¡± ¡°No patience in the youth today,¡± Rick grumbled. He had no more hair and looked to be in his mid fifties, tempering his body and cultivating had staved off the worst of aging. His clothes were dust stained and his salt and pepper beard had grown ragged. ¡°Time to make some reinforced walls and bricks,¡± Rick took out his hammer, tapping on the stone, he listened, nodded to himself and then hit inside the metal doorway. The wall collapsed into bricks. Rick reached out his hand, storing the bricks, before holding his hand out to the side and dumping them to the side of the tunnel in organized stacks. Len looked down the square tunnel framed by the metal doorway, into a room filled with racks. A dozen shudders ran through the stone as dust rained upon him. A cracking noise rang out through the tunnel behind Len. He peered through the absolute darkness as if it didn''t exist, spotting a crack running through the ceiling. "I think we better hurry up, it looks like the Andari and Dennis are making a lot of trouble up there." Len moved past Rick, his sight active as he looked for the tell-tale signs of traps. Nothing jumped out to him as he reached the other end of the tunnel. He crouched at the room¡¯s new entrance, his sight allowing him to see through the stone for a few feet and pick up any traces of man-made enchantments and other kinds of traps that dungeons and hidden vaults were so fond of using. They were between two racks, filled with enchanted gear. Emperor¡¯s vaults. He drew his vision away from them, searching the metal of the racks and the stone floors and ceiling. "No traps and no enchantments I can spot," Len said, holding onto the side of their bypass tunnel. "Not an alarm, no defensive darts, not even a pitfall trap." ¡°Thought that the walls and the door would be enough?¡± Rick asked, coming to a stop at his shoulder. ¡°Guessing so,¡± Len took another look around before he stepped forward and into the vault. Nothing happened, he moved swiftly across the floor, to the edge of the rack, and peering around it. Racks lined the room, to the right there was the vault door, to the left was double door made from wood. Several impacts could be heard but the vault didn¡¯t even shudder. A cracking noise ran through their tunnel, Len looked back to see the tunnel collapse up to the bypass tunnel as Rick jumped forward, landing ten meters ahead of where he had been. A wash of stone dust obscured him from view. Len ducked his head against the dust, screwing his mouth and nose shut. The dust stopped hitting him as he blinked away the dust. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Rick hacked up a lung and stepped out of the cloud. ¡°Well, that¡¯s going to take some working,¡± He sputtered before sneezing several times and spitting to the side. ¡°Clear a path out or check the room?¡± Len asked. ¡°Check the room, won¡¯t take me much to clear us a tunnel, we already have a path,¡± Rick said. He took out his canteen and rinsed his face, clearing his eyes and beard. It was rare for any plan to go to fruition without a few alterations. Heck, when they went to dungeons or to different realms, there was no guarantee of anything. The very environment could be completely alien and different. Sometimes it was best to go in without any plan at all, just preparation. With these thoughts, Len moved down between the racks, glancing to either side. Weapons, armor, even ingredients were stacked on the racks. Rick and Len exchanged glances before turning their attention to the large double doors leading deeper into the vault. Len moved first, his eyes scanning for any traps or other impediments to their progress. Everything was covered in a thin layer of dust, and the air carried an old, stagnant smell. He turned his gaze on the double doors. "Looks like we''ve got an alarm enchantment on the hinges.¡± "Through the wall or through the doors?" Rick asked. ¡°Wall.¡± Len said, taking out a piece of glowing chalk and marking a rectangle out. Rick stepped up to the wall, tapping it with his hammer and listening. "Ah, this is easy." He swung his hammer at the wall. The stone gave way, creating a doorway only a half meter thick into a chamber beyond. Len drew his sword and went first, his steps coming to a halt within the room. Rick moved around him, hammer at the ready. The room glowed purple. ¡°You ever seen a mana vein that¡¯s purple?¡± Len asked. ¡°I heard about denser kinds of mana, but this, dude.¡± Rick shook his head. Len studied the obelisk that rose out of the mana vein in the middle of the room, it was covered in dense runes. The hell is the enchantment? Around the obelisk and throughout the room were various enchanted devices and items: manna batteries, manna condensers, healing and stamina formations. A sarcophagus next to the obelisk hissed with released air as the front fell away, revealing a woman chained within. "No, Dennis, this is wrong. Please, Dennis, listen to me. Not again. Not again. I''m not doing it--wait, who are you?" The woman blinked rapidly, staring at Len and Rick. Rick and Len shared a look. There were few who knew the All-Seer¡¯s real name, few that were still alive from before the apocalypse. And she said it with such familiarity. Len kept his weapon at the ready, if she was allied with Dennis, they needed all the time possible. ¡°Wrong room, don¡¯t mind us,¡± Rick said with a smile as he and Len backed up towards their ¡®entrance¡¯. "You aren''t the Knights of Aurora,¡± She said. Len stumbled and tried to keep walking backwards, though his legs kept moving weirdly. He tried to look down but his head kept jumping back into position. ¡°I felt it, you have the system,¡± She said. ¡°What¡¯s going¡ªon?¡± Len asked, his body snapping back into one position again and again. Rick glanced from Len to the machines and back again with a look that asked. Destroy them? Len shook his head. They were being reset in time, would the machines as well? Her eyes darted from Rick to Len, sharp, focusing. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Not really the conversation I thought I¡¯d be having in here,¡± Len said. ¡°One hundred and fifty-three,¡± Rick said. Her eyes widened as she took in a deep breath, the whole room seemed to breathe with her, the mana vein shuddered with her. Mana rushed through the obelisk, all kinds of enchantments activating. ¡°I need you to stop my brother and I,¡± she said. ¡°What now?¡± Rick asked. ¡°You have to stop me and my brother from finding this place. Stop us from trying to use our guild. Stop him becoming the God-Emperor.¡± ¡°Miss, I think it is best if you started with some context?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Once he finds out that you¡¯re here he¡¯ll go back and kill you, make this so it never happens. This is the first iteration. Fresh, new. Unaltered.¡± She coughed. ¡°He will understand what is going on with these momentary blips of time and will act upon it. The woman winced but continued. ¡°Have you seen how he acts, like he already knows what¡¯s going to happen, like he¡¯s lived the day, the battle before and is just going through the motions?¡± Len closed up his canteen as the stone under his feet sunk back into the ground. He stored the canteen and pulled his cane out of the ground as it levelled out with the rest of the room. Len had seen the All-Seer fighting before, a terrifying sight as he destroyed all that stood in his path, moving like nature and the world shifted to his will. ¡°Yes.¡± Len said, regret deep in his stomach. How were they supposed to win against such a man? ¡°That¡¯s because he has,¡± the woman said. ¡°This obelisk manipulates time. It drags souls back through time. Allowing one to know what will happen in the future. This used to be a dungeon. We were just young hunters when we cleared it out. My brother was badly wounded and pinned to the obelisk and I wished that we could go back and change everything¡ªand we did.¡± Len frowned, looking over the obelisk. I¡¯ve never even seen some of these runes before. ¡°You¡¯re Daniela Malone?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Yes.¡± She cleared her throat and pushed on. ¡°We returned to the day before, my brother and I were back in the hunter guild about to sign up for the dungeon clearing. We went through the day and it repeated like it had before. We came to the dungeon and fought our way through, then we tested out the obelisk. It allowed us to teleport myself and my brother back a day again. We went through the day and secured the dungeon once again.¡± ¡°I thought you died nearly fifty years ago? With the fall of Harmonia,¡± Rick said. ¡°We linked our souls, he would go off on the dangerous missions. I would be here, then when he died I would know and I could roll back time, bringing his soul back as well and he could do the day again. It allowed us to become powerful quickly, our guild rose with us and we formed it here above the obelisk. We were turning the tide on the apocalypse, saving people.¡± Her head dropped, ¡°Then the different guilds started arriving and we learned the limit of the obelisk. If you¡¯re too strong then you can¡¯t go back in time, it takes the equivalent amount of power to regress you, shorter time periods are cheaper than longer. He could only go back a little, now he¡¯s too strong to go back anymore. He locked me in here to keep me safe while the city was burning above.¡± She took a few wracking breaths and opened her eyes to look at them both. ¡°I can send you two back. You¡¯re old enough that you¡¯ll exist before we reach this dungeon. You also don¡¯t have a high enough cultivation to cause issues.¡± She looked at them both. Len glanced at his stat sheet out of reflex. === Len === Level: 183 === Body: 189 Mana: 183/183 Experience: 17,217 === ¡°One hundred and thirty-six years. Use them wisely. You¡¯ll have one shot at restarting the apocalypse.¡± Daniela¡¯s voice cut through that moment, pausing it. Daniela¡¯s hair was rising around her with the charge of mana. She looked like some ethereal goddess, the obelisk drawing massive quantities of mana from the vein below. The room rumbled with the sheer power. Len tried to get away, same as Rick, but they were stuck in place. ¡°Good luck. Dennis was a good man once, please save him.¡± Daniela¡¯s smile was as fragile as her. Power flooded into the room, the obelisk¡¯s runes resonating with power that ran through its length. The room danced with light. Daniela¡¯s eyes shone, her channels and core outlined in power. The world seemed to contract, time held in a singular second. Len stumbled, the coal on his shovel missing the furnace he was filling. ¡°Watch what you¡¯re doing, shovel head!¡± a man bellowed, barely audible over the roar of flames and machinery. There were a dozen furnaces lined against one side of the stone room, caked in coal dust that was brought to the furnace¡¯s maws on tracks carts. Noise filled the place, metal on metal, hissing, yelling, the scrape of shovel on stone and coal. The heat, it filled his mouth and his nose, drying out his eyes. What in the fuck? Len looked down at the shovel he was holding. His shirt was stained, exposed skin covered in sweat and coal dust, the two mixing into a black slurry on his skin. His coveralls barely had signs of their once blue coloring. He stared at the machine he was feeding coal into with a group of three others. Their faces were black with the dust and sweat, the flames roaring in the furnace¡¯s belly as it eagerly consumed the coal they threw in. The pigworks. Not a rune or mana crystal to be seen. Before the apocalypse? He called his stat screen. === Mana Integration System === Mana saturation: Low Connection to system network: 10:000:00:00:00 === The screen shuddered. === Mana Integration System === Mana saturation: Low Connection to system network: 1:135:14:37:15 === Len thought of his stat screen. === Len === Level: 0 === Body: 8 Mana: 0 Experience: 0 === The system only started up when the Arrivals appeared. ¡°What you doing? Get working!¡± A larger man yelled from where he was shoveling coal into the furnace, his ire growing. The others flinching away from his words, focusing on their work, not wanting to get involved. ¡°I quit,¡± Len said, walking away from the coal piles and the underbelly of the furnace. He was stronger than the average person that would be at five. ¡°What you think you¡¯re doing?¡± The foreman¡¯s meaty hand clasped onto Len¡¯s shoulder. Born of a working strength and anger at his own position. Len grabbed his hand, thrust his hip into the man¡¯s side and threw him. He landed on a pile of coal, coughing and winded. Len grabbed onto the mana around him. So little? He condensed them and struck one of his five mana gates, he let out a sigh as mana started to flow into his channels. Mana fatigue hit him like a sledgehammer in the head, he staggered for the door, trying to not throw up. He pushed on, gathering up the little mana in his channels, condensing them. Len got around a corner and leaned against a wood plank wall, focusing inward as mana collected at the center of his being under his guidance. It was getting harder to push mana into his core, though the resistance was barely noticeable under his will. Like a spark to flour his core ignited, a translucent marble at the center of his being. === You have opened a mana gate +1 to mana === === You have leveled up! === Level 1 === ¡°Stat screen.¡± === Len === Level: 1 === Body: 8 Mana: 1 Experience: 0 === Len¡¯s nose wrinkled at the smell from his clothes, his impurities flushed through his pores and excreted. Enough for now. Len pushed himself forward, jogging away from the smelter and towards the main road. Len slowed and looked around, carts pulled by horses, donkeys and oxen rolled on cobblestone roads. He slowed to a stop as he reached the main road. Industry filled the streets and stained the skies with smog. Trains deposited coal and iron from the Stained Mountains, foundries refined and smelted it all to be passed to the factories that would turn them into all kinds of products. Through the coal smoke Len could see Eskon, rising up on its long lazy rise. The capital of Plynthia. Am I really a hundred and thirty years in the past? Len ran over to a muddy puddle and looked into it, seeing a wiry boy looking back at himself, stained with industry. ¡°Get out of the way you fool!¡± a man yelled. Len jumped out the way of a horse and cart carrying pig iron. If I made it, did Rick? His eyes landed on a group of buildings near the foundry, bunkhouses, general store, cafeteria, buildings that supported the workers. He ran for the ¡®call house¡¯ ¡°Eugh!¡± People backed away from the smell. Needs must. Using his weaponized stench and elbows he pushed through the line to one of the sound talismans secured to the wall with only thin wooden walls between callers. It was half a meter wide and a meter tall, made of metal, with only nine rotating numbers beneath, a receiver to listen through, a speaker to talk into and a handle to activate it. He pushed past a worker getting off of a sound talisman, rotating in Rick¡¯s number and pulled the handle down. He felt the mana activate. Someone knew about mana already. The sound talismans had come about suddenly and been accepted by everyone, even though they didn¡¯t understand how they worked. ¡°The fuck there¡¯s a line!¡± the man next up yelled. Others glaring from where they stood. Len paid them no attention, he looked at his hands as it rang. No wrinkles. His back was no longer curved. His joints didn¡¯t ache, his eyes were clear. He rubbed under his eyes, the perpetual bags were gone. ¡°Yooo, Len?¡± Rick said. ¡°Yeah?¡± Len heard something wrong in Rick¡¯s voice, guilty. ¡°Hey dude, umm, so, probably going to get arrested. Gonna need you to post my bail,¡± Rick¡¯s voice picked up as it would when someone was running. ¡°Valoria Military Academy! Fuck it feels good to be able to run!¡± Rick was laughing as Len heard yelling in the background. ¡°We¡¯ve been back in time for less than five fucking minutes!¡± Len hissed into the receiver. ¡°We¡¯re back in time!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± ¡°Kind of the poi¡ªoh shit he¡¯s fast!¡± There was the sound of air coming out of lungs and then feet on the ground. Len lowered the receiver looking at the people in the room, recovering. ¡°Fuck.¡± He rushed through the crowd out to the street. People¡¯s swearing following him. Chapter: 2 Chapter: 2 Rick stumbled, pushing against a young man in uniform in front of him. He shoved him out of the way, drawing on his mana. Grabbing for his hammer and finding a sword instead. He turned around, he was on a parade square, he¡¯d just pushed his way out of a squad of soldiers lined up. Officers. His eyes darting over their uniforms. Plynthia¡¯s flag on their shoulders and snapping from flag poles. There were a half dozen squads in formation facing a podium and shaded bleachers. A memory crawled up from the back of his mind. Mana reacted like sludge in a well as he drove it through a mana gate feeling resistance. Some kind of mana suppressor? His gate cracked open. Fuck happened to my cultivation? A larger, grizzled older man was staggered from his position of at-ease at the front of the formation by the younger man Rick pushed, hitting him. His face turned thunderous as his bushy eyebrows trying to meet his walrus-stache. Rick knew that face. He opened his mouth to yell as Rick clocked him in the face. His eyes found the back of his skull as he crumpled. ¡°Gods you were such a pissant asshole. Little bit of power and you buttered up the rich powerful fucks and turned a blind eye to anyone that didn¡¯t have direct power. Well fuck you.¡± Rick kicked him right between the legs to give the officer¡¯s his later generations something to worry about. To the hisses around him. Rick checked his position in the ranks, the academy took in people when they were sixteen and graduated at twenty. Second group in, guess I¡¯m seventeen. He looked up, standing in front of his ¡®squad¡¯, thirty noble dickheads that he would suffer with for four years. He presented them all with his middle fingers, one raw from the punching. ¡°Fuck you fuckers too.¡± He waved his middle fingers around liberally, then pointed at a guy in the back. ¡°¡¯Cept you, George, you were a good guy, hell of a fighter too. You¡¯re good shit. Jaxon, fuck you. You¡­ wow. Like I¡¯ve never seen someone with their head so far up their ass in a fight that they think they¡¯re talking out of their own mouth. You shouldn¡¯t be in charge of a goddamn sheep that knows how to take care of itself. You¡¯d fuck it up with your stupid.¡± He looked around at the parade square. The general of Valoria Military Academy was standing at the podium with several officers behind him. All pomp and stupidity. The whole fucking school was a joke. Four years of learning ¡®tactics¡¯, which in reality was an excuse for noble children to attend all kinds of parties to foster better relations later on. While the teaching officers turned a blind eye, using their position to try and get in the good graces of a noble family to retire out as one of their retainers. So they learned nothing about actual fighting, just more politics and bullshit. Rick was the unwanted ward of his uncle. The Academy was a way to get him away from the city and get some independence. He¡¯d trained his body, snuck out for training at every opportunity. Skills that had come in use when the apocalypse happened. Rick glanced around, the mana density was thin, and those were real Plynthia flags. Did I really go back in time? The squad leaders and other officers started converging on him. Rick ran a hand over his head, getting caught in hair. I have fucking hair! He laughed out loud. That mana vein, the obelisk, if they had that, they could change everything! He had one shot here, oh fuck he¡¯d use it. A weight seemed to drop from his shoulders and mind, a freedom he hadn¡¯t felt in decades, the terrifying thrill of opportunity. ¡°Lily, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re great? Maybe? I dunno. But you know I know you¡¯ve been fucking Hayden. Think it¡¯d be best we cut off that whole thing. Messy messy. Have fun you two rascally kids.¡± He gave them both middle finger guns. The hand he punched the jackass training officer with hurt. Fuck it, rule of cool. He grimaced through it. Lily paled and dropped her head. Hayden glared from a squad over. Always was a dick. ¡°Bethany.¡± He let out a whistle. ¡°You¡¯re stunning, smart as hell, able to fight like a dervish! Ah you make an old man¡¯s ticker pound! When you can, get your father to kill some chickens, ten should do! Also, go live your life, don¡¯t worry about the brothers.¡± Bethany¡¯s eyes widened as she blushed. He gave her a wink and faced the others. ¡°Any of you lot want to get stronger, get a weapon and some training, proper training. Go out to kill the beasts that have been attacking rural locations, get way more than you were planning to!¡± He pivoted on one foot and bowed to the audience. ¡°Well, that¡¯s all I have left for today.¡± He rose up, the officers closing in on him with dark expressions. His sound talisman started to ring out, through the silence. ¡°Excuse me, got to take this.¡± He took out the talisman, and started to briskly walk between the squads, picking up pace into a jog as the officers pace picked up as well. He could just hear it in their feet as they went from ¡®I¡¯m not jogging just walking fast¡¯ to ¡®fuck you for making me jog!¡¯. There was some yelling and cursing, a few ¡®ladies¡¯ admonishing him behind their fans. ¡°Yoo, Len.¡± Rick started running along the back of the squads as the officers moved around the different squads, who stayed in their positions but looking at what was unfolding. Acting like roadblocks. Hey they do have some use! Good nobles. ¡°Yeah?¡± Len¡¯s voice was equal parts questioning and apprehensive. ¡°Hey dude, umm, so, probably going to get arrested. Gonna need you to post my bail.¡± Rick picked up into a run. ¡°Valoria Military Academy! Fuck it feels good to run!¡± He drew in mana, compressing it. So fucking thin. ¡°Get back here, you shit!¡± an officer said. ¡°You¡¯re only making this harder on yourself.¡± Rick laughed. His knees didn¡¯t even hurt! ¡°We¡¯ve been back in time for less than five fucking minutes!¡± Len hissed into the receiver. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°We¡¯re back in time!¡± Rick stopped, dodging an officer trying to tackle him. The officer sailed past as Rick spun around their heels and kept running. He twirled, sprinted, and stopped, getting through five more guards and still kept going. ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± Len yelled. Rick held the sound talisman away from his ear and the volume. He threw in a pirouette and stumbled; the officer¡¯s hands grabbed at him as he ran off again. Maybe keep it simple next time. Good thing that Len wasn¡¯t there to see that. An officer ran out between the second last and last squad, with the weight and speed of a runaway train. ¡°Kind of the poi¡ªoh shit, he¡¯s fast!¡± The man¡¯s legs thundered on the ground as he wrapped Rick around the midriff and threw them both to the ground. Just as the mana within Rick¡¯s dantain compressed into a core. Rick¡¯s sound talisman went flying as they hit the ground. Impurities expelled from Rick¡¯s pores and onto the officer. He gagged at the smell. ¡°Impurities fucking stink, need like seven showers to get the smell out,¡± Rick wheezed helpfully, trying to get breath back in his body. The big man¡¯s body convulsed as he kept his bile down. ¡°Damn that felt good to do.¡± Rick let out a satisfied sigh. Len is gonna be pissed[MD2] . ¡°Its in my mouth!¡± The man spat to the side. ¡°Pretty shitty day,¡± Rick commiserated. The man¡¯s eyes promised murder. *** Len carried a messenger bag over his shoulder with all his worldly belongings, a newspaper he''d bought getting stained with coal under his armpit. He hurriedly scribbled down information in his journal, weaving through people as he turned to the side, shouldering the door to the police station open. Conversation came to a halt as he weaved around a lawyer, by his embossed briefcase, pressed clothes and focused eyes and a retainer talking off to the side. The man wore fine clothes and weaponry. Show pieces. Len dismissed it as he checked the station. It was a small one, dealing with those from the Academy. Many were whisked away before their names ever graced a piece of paper saying they spent time in such a place. Drinking, assault, all manner of charges disappeared from this location. The floors were tiled and clean. The room well cared for and kept in good condition. There were planters around the room, regularly cared for. Coal dust stained the floor as he walked through. A man that could have been on a poster about joining the military was behind the counter, with the build of someone that took care of themselves, but a friendliness Len had found rare in any veteran. His eyes jumped to his rank tabs. He¡¯d been pressed into service at the beginning of the apocalypse like everyone. This man was staring in confusion at the coal covered boy infront of him. "Corporal, I''m here for Rick." Len¡¯s commanding tone snapped the man out of his thoughts as Len went back to writing. "Rick?" The man''s eyebrow rose. The chatter that was just restarting between the lawyer and retainer stuttered. What the heck was his family name? "From Valoria Academy?" "Umm, we have someone with that name here," he said, frowning as he glanced at the duo at the entrance. "Alright." Len sighed. "How much for the idiot¡¯s bail?" "You dare slight the Isendia name!" The reatainer¡¯s voice rose. Len raised an eyebrow at the man''s outburst then turned back to the corporal. "How much is he going to cost me?" "Uhm, it will be one and a half gold." "Fucker is already costing me half of my damn savings." That was the better part of seven months his younger self had saved up, intending to send it home. He pulled out the coins and put them on the counter. "What do you think you''re doing?" The lackey growled, reaching for Len''s arm. Len kicked out the man''s leg, grabbing the back of his head and slamming him into the counter, tearing away the dagger at the man¡¯s side as he crumpled to the ground in a whimper, holding it to the man''s neck. He realized where he was then. Gods he was weak, he would have smashed him through the counter before. Thankfully the man¡¯s tempering was minimal, his face was already cut and his teeth were decorating the counter and floor. Killing someone was a sure way to get the police on his ass. Especially inside the station. "Don''t touch me." Len hissed into the man¡¯s ear, grabbing his shirt and throwing him to the side. Len turned back to the corporal, sliding the dagger into his coveralls, out of everyone''s view--he was still holding his journal in his left, the pencil under his thumb. "Rick Isendia?" "Umm." The corporal looked at the man on the floor and Len. "It would be good if you call for medical aid or have someone that can do that within the building. Then Rick if you please?" "Rick Isendia is my client," the lawyer said, though there was a quiver to his voice as he stayed well outside of Len''s range. Ever heard of a throwing knife? "How about asking him?" Len asked. "That you out there, Len?" A voice came through the corridor to the side of the room. "Yes, Rick," Len said, unable to keep his exasperation from his voice. "Good! I''m getting old again! Hurry up and pay the man!" Rick yelled. "Fucking nobles," Len said under his breath. "You''re paying me back¡ªwith interest." "Aww, don''t be like that, what''s interest between friends!" Rick tried in his most engrating tone. "Compounded," Len raised an eyebrow to the corporal. "Medical aid and my idiot friend please?" He pushed the coins across the counter. "Rick, say you want to go with me," Len yelled. "I want to go with, Len," Rick moped. "Right." The corporal pulled out a sound talisman and talked into it as he pulled out keys. "I need medical help,¡± His eyes darted to the retainer and then Len. ¡°Uhh, someone slipped and hit their head." Used to covering up the noble''s faux pas. Len looked over to the retainer who was cradling his bloodied mouth and probably a broken jaw, glaring at Len. "Who are you?" the lawyer asked as the corporal moved into the back of the station through the corridor. Len shrugged. "Was a coal shoveller this morning." That set the lawyer back a few seconds, enough time for Rick to walk out. "Well shit, you don''t look like a worried nutsack. Just one that¡¯s been dragged through a coal pit.¡± He had a ground rash on a cheek scabbing over already, he was skinny full color in his hair, and much longer than Len had ever seen it. "Fuck you too, Rick. Come on, things to do." Len headed out of the reception. "Can I borrow this?" Rick grabbed a piece of paper from the desk. "S-sure?" the corporal said. His day was not going how he''d expected it, Len bet. "Thanks!" Rick started folding the paper. "Borrowing is when you give it back," Len said. "Future problems." Rick shrugged, putting the paper and pencil into his pocket. "Mister Isendia, your uncle sent us to secure your release," the lawyer said. "Hey Domious, should get that face seen to." Rick kicked the retainer in the face. "Fucking useless dickwad. All you had was shitty stories and you didn¡¯t even defend her in the end, just ran with everyone else." Rick bent down and went through the unconscious man''s pockets, pulling out a watch and a coin purse, he undid his sword belt, pulling it free and held it out to Len. ¡°Got a dagger already,¡± Len said, writing in his book. ¡°Finders keepers then.¡± Rick pulled the sword out, inspecting it. ¡°So fucking shiny.¡± He sniffed the blade. ¡°Polish? Fucking polish!¡± He drew back his leg again, grumbled and put it back on the floor. ¡°Twat.¡± He drew it out more. ¡°Good steel at least but damn. Made to be light and shiny. Oh, lawyer guy, tell my uncle to fuck himself, the sibling killing piece of shit.¡± Rick moved after Len as they continued out of the station. Rick slid the sword away and looped the belt around his waist. He paused, his head snapping up to the lawyer. ¡°Lydia, grandmother, how are they[mc3] ?¡± ¡°Uhh?¡± ¡°Spit it out,¡± Rick growled, stepping forward. Len felt the mana in the room constrict. His cultivation might be minimal like Len¡¯s but the control honed over decades was still there. Len lowered his journal. He had heard of Rick¡¯s sister and grandmother. It had taken years, deep trust and a lot of some rot gut that could peel paint. ¡°Y-you¡¯re grandmother¡­ she¡¯s in failing health. She¡¯s cared for on the grounds but her mental stability has deteriorated. "And my sister?¡± Rick pressed. ¡°She''s denied all of the hands that have been presented to her thus far, but your uncle is moving towards an alliance with one of the higher noble families.¡± ¡°Trying to sell her off," Rick said out of the side of his mouth. "What about her lessons?" "She''s been doing well in her cultural lessons," the lawyer said. "I don''t mean her cultural lessons, I mean her fighting lessons," Rick said. "Fighting lessons?" The lawyer looked perplexed. "Still hiding it then." Rick held his chin, eyes moving back and forth. ¡°Retainer Everett, how is he?¡± ¡°He is living out his retirement caring for your grandmother. Rick¡¯s face split into a dark smile. Len kept his expression neutral, tallying up questions. "Has the yearly Isendia fighting contest begun?" Rick asked. "Yes, the finals are in five days," the lawyer said. "Was it this year or next year?" Rick ran his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh of frustration. "Okay." He turned his gaze on Len. "We got lots of work to do then." They headed out of the station. ¡°It was years before we got the screens.¡± Len said. ¡°Came with the first arrivals,¡± Rick said. ¡°So the past has changed already.¡± Chapter: 3 Chapter: 3 Eskon districts Len led Rick out of the upper district around Valoria Academy and through Eskon city. It was the kingdom¡¯s capitol located in the northwest of Plynthia¡¯s lands. To the west and north was the main continent. The mountains created a half horse-shoe, cutting off the kingdom, to the east the mountains fell away to the sea, several port towns dotting up and down the coast. To the north of the city was a largely untamed forest. To the south were the ample farming fields. Streams turned into lakes as they descended from the Stained Mountain range, passing through the untamed forests to the north, wrapped around Eskon and weaved south to the prosperous farmland of Plynthia and out to the port cities. The city itself was built along a large rise running parallel to the mountainous ranges. To the southwest was the royal district. Stretching out like bands to the north and eastward were the noble district, the Valoria Academy, the upper market district, then there was the middle class and merchant district. Then the buildings started to come down the rise. The lower trade district taking over most, mixed in with housing. It touched the bottom of the sloping rise and planes below. Here were the low-class homes, some sinking into slums. Beyond them were the industrial districts. The old one to the north facing the forests, the others curling around the east where the train lines and docks were located. The factories and industrial complexes belched flame and black smoke into the skies. Nobles country homes lay beyond the new industrial district, private reserves and forests where they hunted beasts for sport. Farms had been sold off centuries ago, the farmers pushed south or to the harsher north. The north was still largely unexplored. Coal and iron were mined up and down the Stained Mountain Range. There were better water and land routes in the south to move the goods, increasing profits. Mines in the north needed to set up their own towns, build their own routes and their winters were longer. Few people were willing to suffer through that when conditions were better in the south. Plynthia was a peaceful kingdom, few threats with a natural mountainous geography that made attack incredibly difficult and drew up great resources from the ground. While the terrain gave them safety it also made them isolated, for now. The age of steam was connecting the nation faster than ever before, industry sweeping the world. ¡°I still remember everything,¡± Len said. That made Rick pause. ¡°Me too." Rick looked over. ¡°And it seems that the apocalypse is still on its way.¡± ¡°How many times did you wish we could do things different?¡± Len asked. ¡°Change things knowing what we do? We have the chance now.¡± Len drew on the mana around him. ¡°Mana is here so the apocalypse isn¡¯t stopped, its just restarting. What if this time we stacked things in our favor?¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Rick said. ¡°We already know where a massive mana vein is that we could hollow out.¡± Len gestured at the crater. ¡°There¡¯s materials in abundance, iron, coke, steel, people, food. If we use the information we gained through the apocalypse with those resources just how far could we go?¡± === Quest: Form a city. === Rick was silent, looking at where the obelisk had been. ¡°Looks like the system agrees with you to be throwing out a quest already. ¡°Think of all the people that the God Emperor killed or those that died who could have changed the apocalypse. They¡¯re all still alive.¡± Len gave him time. ¡°Our families are alive, Len.¡± Rick looked at him. Len opened his mouth as his stomach dropped and he closed his mouth again. The obelisk was interesting, using that power, then the mana stone that would make them rich as gods. His mother and father, his siblings. It had been over a century. ¡°We could save them,¡± Rick said. There was a note of tight apprehension in his voice. === Quest: Family connection === Find the Isendia family and make sure they¡¯re safe Find Farmer Edward and his family, make sure they¡¯re safe. === Len changed directions. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± Rick asked. ¡°We head to the station, get tickets. We save our families, once we save them we can recover the obelisk and the mana stone underneath it. We¡¯ve already got screens much earlier, lets see how much we can change the future.¡± It didn¡¯t take them long to reach the central station, a great edifice of stone and steel where a dozen tracks ran through. ¡°Okay, looks like we¡¯ve got a train headed east to Goran in¡­¡± Rick checked the clock. ¡°None today, it looks like the first is early tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°From Goran we can cut south for my family¡¯s farm. Your Grandma isn¡¯t in good health as it is. I just hope we can move quickly,¡± Len said. ¡°As soon as my business with Goran is done we¡¯ll head out to meet your family,¡± Rick said, looking him dead in the eyes. Len nodded, it was as good as carved into stone now. Rick moved up to the ticket window. ¡°Two tickets to Goran?¡± Rick asked at the ticket window. ¡°Going for the competition are you, sir?¡± the ticketmaster asked, as he checked a board behind the counter. ¡°Thought it might be entertaining,¡± Rick said. ¡°It¡¯ll be forty-four coppers each.¡± the man said. ¡°There¡¯s a train exhibition going on.¡± The ticketmaster had noticed Len¡¯s interest as Len pushed coins into the tray. The ticketmaster separated out the coins with his index finger. ¡°All here.¡± He pulled two tickets out from under the counter, writing something on them and then stamping them both. ¡°Don¡¯t have any private carriages, though should be able to get a seat here. Don¡¯t let it go till you reach Goran!¡± He pushed the tickets under the gate. ¡°Thank you,¡± Rick said, pulling them out and tucking them into a pocket in his pack. ¡°Platform three heading eastbound tomorrow at six am.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Rick held a ticket out to Len. He tucked it into a pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll get some food, meet up here in an hour?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Sure.¡± Len headed in the direction the noise had come from. He and his father had talked about steam engines and trains nearly everyday. Dad would¡¯ve been so excited¡ªwould be? It was hard to wrap his head around a man being dead for so long to him was still alive now. A set of wrought iron gates were proudly open with people in the street heading within with curiosity in their eyes. Len drifted with the crowd through the gate into the train yard. He had come to the cities all those decades ago, wanting to work with the beasts of steel, steam and coal. He¡¯d carried his book on furnaces and steam powered technology for all that time. When emptying his belongings from the bunkhouse it was one of his few possessions he kept. Len rested his hand on his messenger bag, feeling the book within. He¡¯d seen the trains passing his family farm, each time wondering what it would be like to feel the wind through his hair, the wheels rolling beneath his feet. Fire at his command, the world that had been beyond now within his grasp. Train jobs had become dangerous, requiring mercenaries to fend off attacking beasts. So he¡¯d pushed his dreams to the side and headed to the factories, the closest he got to steam powered technology. That had been the way in his last life too. He¡¯d ridden on trains just twice. Each time a joy to behold. Few survived the apocalypse and other methods of transportation overtook the need for dangerous trains. He stepped through the wrought iron gates to the train yard. Sheds lay in a circle around a wheelhouse. Engines lay on the tracks between the wheelhouse and the sheds. They came in all different forms, in different colors. All had reinforced cow catchers, many were enclosed, the engines longer. Built to have larger boilers and hoppers for coal so they stop less often. Len studied them. These were up armored with steel, the sides enclosed, firing ports and extra boilers for steam guns added in. To deal with the beasts attacking them. Large steam guns were on display outside of the trains. Steam from the boilers was routed through pipes to the weapons, a pull of the trigger opening a seal to fire the projectile dropped into the chamber. Pulling down the trigger projectiles would drop into the barrel, the constant flow of air hurtling them forward. Interesting ideas that he himself and tinkered with prototypes and enchantments. Several firearms were on display as well, using cartridges of different kinds, from rifles to artillery. Such weapons would be invaluable and useful at the start of the apocalypse when creatures were still weak. Need to have the materials and shops to make them continuously. He grimaced; infrastructure suffered the most with the fall. Most cities without walls being overrun and the people running for their lives. Most firearms had been useless after a few weeks. Bows and arrows were easier to make and with the materials that came with the apocalypse, they hit harder. Len took in the sights of the engines, using his atomic-sight to peer through the weapons and the trains, learning their secrets. It was bittersweet. He finally got to see them, but he knew that all too soon they¡¯d be made largely useless. His eyes caught a train half hidden in its shed, his heart clenching. ¡°A Xinta Two point five.¡± The train was bulkier than its sleek counterparts. A workhorse of a train, built for reliability, power and mechanical advancements over looking good. There had been a limited number of the engines created, he had trekked into a forest for three days to go and see one found on its side. This was the first functional one he¡¯d ever seen. He took in her full length. Her prow rose up beyond the cow catcher, up to the top of the train, like the bow of some great ship. ¡°Parting the air as one might part the seas.¡± He repeated the words of its creator Clint Xinta. ¡°Double boiler design with a condenser and heat exchange piping.¡± He let out a soft snort, the blood rushing through his body. Most engines worked with heating the boiler up to create steam, that would rush through a cylinder to drive the pistons, which would then be ejected into a condenser, cooling the steam to water once more and returning it to the boiler to be heated once more. This system had two boilers, the first stage warmed the water slightly, the second took a much smaller amount of water to turn it into steam to drive the pistons. With the smaller volume of the second stage boiler, it could quickly heat up the water contained within into steam with less coal required. The first boiler quickly filling it with warm water to be converted into steam made sure it had the capacity it required. The first boiler also captured the cold water coming from the condenser so that it wouldn¡¯t drop the overall temperature of the second boiler suddenly, drawing it in opposite from the opening into the second boiler. Stolen story; please report. The steam passed through the piston and instead of just passing through the condenser, a second heat-capturing coil was added. ¡°Alcohol?¡± Len held his chin studying it. A series of coils rand around the condenser tube, filled with alcohol. ¡°With its low boiling point then it would draw out the heat from the steam quickly. Genius.¡± It ran through the condenser, pulling out the heat rapidly, creating a vacuum in the piston, clearing the steam built up and increasing the overall power. Then the coils brought the heated alcohol down to the first boiler, wrapping around the input feed, warming up the liquid water that came in through the condenser. ¡°Passively heating up the water once more before it drops into the boiler.¡± There was a network of pipes within, each pulling out heat from different sources, feeding it into the first boiler. Len took in her full length, his eyes peering through her outer skin to her innards, the piping, the main boiler and supplementary. She was¡­ ¡°Gorgeous.¡± His eyes itched as a smile spread on his face the world took a pause for a moment as he patted the pitted and repainted wheel of the behemoth. She had soul, she had a power that the other trains couldn¡¯t hope to meet up to. She squatted in the corner, yearning to be let free. A lion among kittens ¡°Won¡¯t be long until Xinta falls now. Bunch of steel workers thought they could go over our heads,¡± a man bragged. ¡°Didn¡¯t rightly know their place. I know that you personally visited to become their patron,¡± another man said. Len looked over to see three nobles walking past. ¡°They had the gall to try and push me out!¡± the young man in a velvet green suit, and matching top hat said, a black cane in his hand as he tapped it on the ground in frustration. ¡°They didn¡¯t know the truth of who they were dealing with! Crenda steel foundries are known throughout Plynthia and beyond!¡± another man, taller, rakish and in purple said. Len¡¯s expression became pinched. The third of their ensemble in a blue canvas suit caught Len¡¯s eye and drew his overly large self up. ¡°Best watch where you look with those eyes, boy!¡± he reprimanded, his wig shifting as he lashed out with his finger. He was barely older than Len, with all of the items of someone trying to prove their were an adult. ¡°They really do let anyone into these things, Forsyth!¡± the rakish fellow said. ¡°Get!¡± Lord Forsyth said. Do you own the world? Len thought about putting them in their place for a second. He tapped on the engine and walked towards the gates. ¡°He¡¯s a lucky gutter rat to only get a tongue lashing!¡± Purple boy declared. ¡°Right! I just got this suit and don¡¯t want to dirty it with a fight!¡± ¡°Why dirty our hands when we have guards to deal with the trash. Come! Let us go see the Emerald Engine builders, I have an appointment,¡± Forsyth declared, leading the group away. Len shook his head, there were idiots everywhere. Let alone guards, it the entire army might have a hard time dealing with Rick and him. He¡¯d learned to keep his head low, the hot heads and the strong showed off their power. Those kinds of people had no true friends and there was always someone stronger that could put you in your place. Stay quiet, stay hidden. That had been how he and Rick had survived. He backtracked to the station proper, finding Rick eating as pasty wrapped in newspaper. He gave Len one. ¡°See anything interesting.¡± ¡°A true Xinta engine, thing of beauty.¡± Len bit into his meal, eating as they walked through the station and up the bridge over to their platform. ¡°More people than I was expecting.¡± Len finished his meal. ¡°Also I was thinking that we get gear and supplies first, feel naked out here without a set of armor and a sword.¡± ¡°Mana density is shit too,¡± Rick said. ¡°Don¡¯t think that there¡¯s any alchemists with pills or elixirs to increase cultivation yet,¡± Len grimaced. ¡°We don¡¯t have the gold to buy that even if there was. If you rough up a mana gathering formation or enchantment and I get a hammer we can do it the old fashioned way?¡± Rick asked. ¡°If we¡¯re leaving tomorrow I don¡¯t have the time to make something like that. We¡¯ll just have to help one another to open them up that way we can at least out sustain others even if we don¡¯t have the firepower to beat them outright.¡± Len took out the smudged newspaper from under his arm and handed it to Rick. ¡°Unrest on the farms, reports of beasts attacking people, the mines in the north have closed down. Though even with the beasts and the attacks lumber, coal, iron and food have all increased in supply.¡± Rick took the paper and flipped it open. ¡°Beasts are getting stronger and threatening people. Mercenaries are coming in and killing them off. People are have also got professions though they can¡¯t see them and are producing more.¡± ¡°There are several new commodities entering the market, materials from areas that haven¡¯t produced them before,¡± Len said. ¡°What you hinting at?¡± ¡°Dungeons have been discovered but people aren¡¯t talking about them commonly. Mana storms haven¡¯t started, there¡¯s no talk of cultivation, random people getting stronger so far and new surprising advancements in weapons, armor and alchemy. Also there¡¯s no hunters guild.¡± ¡°No hunters guild you say?¡± Rick¡¯s face split into a grin. ¡°So no annoying ass tests, no having to sign over thirty percent of our loot in value to them when we come out of a dungeon they¡¯ve claimed? No fucking admins to deal with?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Len nodded. ¡°This day just got a lot better. Though I will say, kicking my old training officer in the nuts was satisfying, and then telling people to go fuck themselves. Oh and I nearly dodged all of the other officers too! Should have seen the look on the lady¡¯s faces in the audience.¡± Rick grinned. Len shook his head. ¡°You were back for minutes.¡± ¡°Wanted to make an impression in this go-over.¡± Rick flipped the pages of the newspaper and kept reading. Len kept his pace steady, leading them down the city¡¯s rise towards the lower districts. He took out his journal and kept copying down information. They were in the lower districts when a question rose in his mind. "What are we going to do about the obelisk?" Len asked. ¡°Lets us go back in time, repeat days, we have to get that. How many times did you wish that we could do things over again? Then there¡¯s the mana lode underneath it. That¡¯s enough to buy five Harmonias.¡± ¡°Which doesn¡¯t exist yet,¡± Len interjected. ¡°Hmm, guess that¡¯s true.¡± Rick squinted, looking up. ¡°Need a map then, guess the mountain range is still intact? From what I remember, its about two hundred and fifty kilometres northwest over the Stained mountain range.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to need to temper and cultivate fast. That¡¯s too far for us to do as we are, with horses we¡¯d have to take so many supplies to keep them fed.¡± Rick folded the paper and turned it towards Len. It was a half page advert for ¡®Olwell¡¯s, Chemical Formulations¡¯. ¡°Revitalizing tonic and a cure all panacea. Sounds like stamina and health potions.¡± ¡°Could have ingredients too,¡± Len said. ¡°We only know how to make journeyman level potions,¡± Rick said. ¡°We¡¯re level ones and potions weren¡¯t that effective until nearly a decade after the apocalypse.¡± Rick¡¯s eyebrow¡¯s climbed. ¡°The weakest potions we know could be much stronger than the strongest potions that are being made already.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°If we could find some alchemists, get them under contract and have them making potions,¡± Rick stared off into the distance. ¡°We could push potion creation ahead over a decade and get people on the right step. Heck we teach them how to temper and cultivate too?¡± Len frowned. ¡°Everything we thought of as basic knowledge would be much more advanced right now.¡± Rick held his ear, half squinting, straining to hear something. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Sorry, just heard gold falling into our pockets!¡± Rick laughed. Len rolled his eyes, he would¡¯ve swatted him if he was a younger man. Len paused, then smacked Rick¡¯s shoulder and smiled. ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡°Being a pain in my ass as usual. Now talking about gold, how much coin were you able to get off of Dominus?" "Oh, right, here''s your gold." Rick folded up the paper, putting it under his armpit before he pulled out his retainer¡¯s liberated purse, passing Len coins. "One gold and fifty silver pieces." Len nodded in thanks, putting it away into his own coin purse. Rick checked the contents of his. "I''d say five gold pieces, thirty-five silver, and a lot of copper." Rick closed up the coin purse and put it back in his pocket. "Yourself?" "With your donation, three gold, twenty-three silver, and seventeen copper," Len said. ¡°Is it okay you kicking that guy, Dominus?¡± ¡°He¡¯s always been a shit fighter, prick ran when Lydia¡¯s estate got attacked. Better with his tongue than a sword. He¡¯s one of my uncle¡¯s people,¡± Rick gripped his fists tighter. ¡°Maybe this time we can change that outcome,¡± Len said. ¡°What you writing in that book?¡± ¡°All the information I can remember. Want to get as much down as possible. I don¡¯t have my books or references so I¡¯m going from the basics to the most complex. What did you get those pieces of paper for?¡± ¡°Same pretty much. Uhh Len.¡± Rick scratched the back of his head. ¡°Y¡¯know history, how much do you remember?¡± Len lowered his journal, biting on his tongue with his molars as he frowned, giving himself a few seconds to collect his thoughts and cast them back. ¡°I came here to work in the factories at sixteen to send back money to my parents because it was safer than being out in the fields and there was more to be made here.¡± He dug deeper. ¡°The attacks increased, fights kicked off over resources. Magical artifacts were discovered, people were getting stronger from killing the mana beasts. A market for mana related items grew as people tried to find uses for things. I turned seventeen and I think I sent back four gold to my family, they never got it because their town was already gone. Then I got conscripted.¡± ¡°Three months later and you were in my squad,¡± Rick said. ¡°We bloodied ourselves on beasts and dungeons, getting stronger and sending everything to the noble families. Caught higher up¡¯s attention with how well we were doing in dungeons.¡± ¡°Got put on dungeon diving,¡± Len nodded. ¡°Till the king died.¡± ¡°Yeah then things really turned to shit. Had us going into every dungeon they could find, clearing and looting them. Never a spare minute. What was that asshole¡¯s name, something Crenda?¡± ¡°The one that would wait at the entrance with his guards, using their spears to push us into the dungeons if we didn¡¯t move fast enough, then had us strip every time we came out to make sure we didn¡¯t get any loot at all. Ivan, Ivan Crenda. He took everything, using it on himself or his people, then sold the rest off on the black market. The remainder he sent to his officers to support the civil war.¡± ¡°Till that wasn¡¯t enough and they brought the dungeon delving crews to the fighting,¡± Rick said. Len snorted, a harsh, grim thing. ¡°We were stronger than most people, killed lots of beasts, had the need and the time to learn some magic. Knew how to use some of the gear, how to make basic gear go further. Rough one-time enchantments upgraded weapons and armor. Sent us into the grinder because we got results.¡± They sunk into silence. ¡°Well, I guess that our squad mates are alive right now,¡± Rick said. ¡°Right, I guess that they are.¡± Len searched for the words and frowned. ¡°Its weird. I know they died, I can remember their deaths, when and where it happened. That hole of them being gone. Though they¡¯re alive out there right now.¡± ¡°Fucking weird,¡± Rick muttered. ¡°Yeah, still not going to forgive Crenda for that bullshit though. The apocalypse brought the civil war to an end at least.¡± ¡°The leadership came apart and the armies did the same. Mana storms tore through the world, altering it.¡± Rick said. ¡°Mountain ranges appearing, others disappearing, fertile land destroyed, barren turned into some of the best growing fields and mana materials throughout.¡± ¡°Everything had fallen apart by that point. Food was scarce, we didn¡¯t know how to use the ingredients and materials all around us. The beasts that we had left unchecked in the civil war tore through farms worsening the problem.¡± Len took in a heavy breath. ¡°We headed into the age of despair, some fifteen years where we struggled to defend against the beasts, build up supplies and fend off other groups.¡± ¡°City-states became the largest organized groups.¡± Rick squinted. ¡°From them the guilds started spreading out to kill beasts, gather materials. They established outposts, their own cities, farming dungeons. Things began to stabilize. Harmonia rose up, then Dennis stopped working with people and started lording over them. The only thing that seemed to be universal was the adventurer¡¯s guild using their contracts to bind traders, crafters, fighters and dungeoneers together into an organization.¡± Len kicked a stone on the path and snorted. ¡°That was when we were hoping to put up our weapons and learn something different. I tried to join the greenwood enchanting guild, and you worked to develop your building profession more.¡± ¡°Then that fucking snake backstabbed you and got you kicked from the guild,¡± Rick¡¯s voice carried a dangerous heat. ¡°We went back to delving dungeons, we were good at it. We made a good paycheck and then the wars started up between the different city-states. So we went into the larger realms, selling our items on the black market. Made Erriondale our base of operations, neutral from it all.¡± ¡°And then the arrivals showed up and fucked everything up again and put all of us under their boots because we were too weak to do shit and they wanted the resources of our little planet,¡± Rick shook his head. ¡°Every fucking time we started to get ahead we got fucked. Hell we just got into the God Emperor¡¯s vault and we¡¯re back here having to do this shit all over again.¡± The newspaper crumpled in his fists. ¡°This time we know what¡¯s going to happen,¡± Len said. ¡°Do you remember exactly when that all happened?¡± Rick asked. Len opened his mouth, his footsteps slowing to a stop. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Alright, yeah me either. I can be like, this happened here and this at this time, like one after another. Though I couldn¡¯t pin the dates on anything,¡± Rick said. ¡°Write down all of the events that you remember and in what order. If we know what order they¡¯re going to happen in, that should help.¡± Rick sighed. ¡°Such a damn workhorse.¡± ¡°At least now you can¡¯t complain about your advanced age,¡± Len said. ¡°I¡¯m old in my soul! My soul, Len!¡± ¡°Old in the brain, get to writing.¡± ¡°Youngsters these days,¡± Rick sighed. ¡°Where are we going anyway?¡± ¡°Lower districts, the smiths, get weapons and armor,¡± Len said. ¡°And a hammer?¡± ¡°Your weapon is a hammer, so that¡¯s implied.¡± ¡°Wonder what kind of hammers they have.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to use a sword?¡± Rick shrugged. ¡°Kind of, my Uncle banned me from learning a weapon when I was a kid, so I was pretty crap with a sword and used spears and a hammer instead. Swords just take a long time to learn. Hammers and spears are more straight forward. Also Olwell¡¯s, Chemical Formulations is up here in the upper market district.¡± Len slowed looking between them. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to get it, no way is anyone going to let me in these clothes.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get the maps too, you¡¯ll just get them all covered in coal dust.¡± ¡°Fair enough, I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t get supplies for the road, weapons and armor,¡± Len patted his pockets absently. ¡°You got your sound talisman?¡± ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Round this time the only people that have them are the nobles, most people use ones that you have to pay for and you can only use them for short periods everyday.¡± ¡°So there are some magical devices in the world,¡± Rick said. ¡°Yeah, though they¡¯re all from dungeons. I saw one up on a wall in the industrial district.¡± Len glanced down alleyways as they walked. ¡°That one should do.¡± They crossed the street, passing carriages drawn by horses. Rick folded up his paper, folding it clean paper out and putting it under his armpit. ¡°Turn some of the stone into a thin brick,¡± Len turned to face the street, screening Rick as he crouched down. People looked over at Len before continuing on his journey. Maybe I¡¯m not the best one to have on the street. ¡°Got an issue,¡± Rick said, standing up. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have my builder¡¯s profession anymore, or I was only recognized as having it when I had the system.¡± Rick moved around him and continued walking down the street. Len caught up with him. ¡°Professions were recognized by the system when is spread when the Arrivals appeared,¡± Len said. ¡°They system showed the things that were hidden from us.¡± ¡°There are a hundred and one theories on the system, we don¡¯t even know why the Arrivals passed it to us, though we know that anyone with the system would pass it to anyone else within their domain reach,¡± Len said. ¡°Right, though the problem right now is that I either have a really low level builders profession, or I don¡¯t have it at all because I should be able to tap on a brick and crack it into another brick with ease.¡± ¡°Maybe the skill required to break the brick down is too high?¡± Len asked. Rick turned his head, giving him a sarcastic ¡®really?¡¯ expression. ¡°Fair, you were a really high level builder.¡± Len held up his hands. ¡°Was a master builder,¡± Rick said with pride. ¡°To get there you needed to take the profession and work with higher grade materials and make increasingly complex buildings. Though you subverted it to use its skills to understand dungeons, then alter and change them to make our lives easier.¡± ¡°Then I had to grind out a lot of smart ideas that skirted the uses of the builder profession to increase the overall level. I have all the knowledge, but the Rick right now hasn¡¯t built a damn thing in his life. So where I could do low level things with a single touch, I¡¯m going to have to grind out from the Novice ranks again.¡± ¡°Crap.¡± Len grimaced and rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Which means how we could just make a Novice piece of gear with a single touch, we¡¯re going to need to do it all over again.¡± ¡°Bingo,¡± Rick sounded as frustrated as Len felt. ¡°That means I won¡¯t be able to make folded space devices either.¡± ¡°Backpacks,¡± Rick groaned. ¡°Backpacks,¡± Len agreed. ¡°Plan B, I¡¯ll got get food and gear supplies, stuff them into packs and then I¡¯ll head to a smithy, I¡¯ll try to keep it the closest to the train lines coming into the city. I¡¯ll see if I can get some metal there and carve it into a sound talisman and call you that way.¡± ¡°Smithy near the train lines in the lower district. Backup?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t see me there by sunset, then meet at the central train station. I¡¯ll stay in place you circle,¡± Len said. ¡°Perfect.¡± Rick clapped him on the shoulder, ¡°Well Olwell¡¯s should be off in that direction, see you in a few hours.¡± He paused, the two of them looking at one another. ¡°Fuck, we got a second shot.¡± ¡°Lets not waste it,¡± Len said. ¡°Don¡¯t get arrested again.¡± ¡°I promise nothing.¡± Rick picked up the pace, running right infront of a horse drawn carriage. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going you¡ª¡± The man coughed. ¡°Sorry my lord.¡± The man grovelled. Rick waved the man off and continued on his way. The driver snapped his reins, getting the fuck out of there. Len turned towards the lower district once more and picked up his pace. I hate carrying shit, folded space accessories were so useful. Do I want to try and become an enchanter again? Len sighed, that was a decision for later. Chapter: 4 Chapter: 4 Rick walked through the upper merchant district. The roads were made of cobblestone and the sidewalks, large split rocks. An apprentice could do this. There was some drainage, and the buildings were better at least. Built of stone, more for stability than anyone understanding load bearing walls and supporting structures. They¡¯re at lease journeyman grade. The ones around Valoria were a higher quality. He reached the square depicted in the advert. There were cafes for nobility, stores selling the latest fashions, canes, hats, shoes, jackets and pants. His eyes stopped on the store with guards infront of it. Above the shop door was a black sign with the letters cut into it and painted in gold reading; ¡®Olwell¡¯s, Chemical Formulations¡¯. Two Guards were at the door, while two others pushed people back with long clubs. ¡°We can pay in two weeks!¡± One of the people being pushed back yelled. ¡°Either you have the coin or you don¡¯t,¡± One of the guards growled. ¡°Now get out of here.¡± Rick moved around them and towards the doors. The guards on watch checked his uniform and one pushed the door open. ¡°Have a good day sir.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Rick nodded and walked inside. There were display cases showing off artful glass containers filled with liquid. A counter ran around the back third of the store, in a U shape facing the door. The back wall was covered in various bottles and concoctions, all of them relatively fresh. Only five different kinds of concoctions by the color. Rick slowed his walk, a group of nobles doing their business at the counter. "Hello, sir. How may I help you today?" A woman from the side of the wrapped counter asked. She was just a bit older than his body showed now with a winning almost innocent smile. Dangerous saleswoman! Rick turned to her and stepped up to the counter. ¡°I¡¯m Rick and you are?¡± ¡°Melody,¡± Her smile deepened. ¡°What concoctions do you have for sale?¡± ¡°We have a manner of different and revolutionary new pharmaceuticals.¡± She waved to the wall behind her. There was a red potion, a cream, a green potion and then a yellow and brown potion, each in stylized and ornate glassware. ¡°Our best sellers are our healing concoctions, stamina concoctions, even hair dying concoctions," she said with a bright smile. "Awesome. How much for your healing concoctions?" Rick said. Melody looked confused but quickly recovered. Medical ability isn¡¯t that high, infections and broken bones are survivable if you have access to a doctor or drugs. Though nothing can do what alchemical concoctions or spells will be able to do. "Have you bought health or stamina potions before?" she asked. "Yeah, I''ve had a few in my time," Rick said. "How potent are these ones?" She nodded in understanding. "Well, sir, we have two varieties of health potions and a single stamina potion. A single stamina potion can remove the need to eat for an entire day.¡± She pointed to the green potion. Save you from eating an entire day? What a waste. Stamina potions could suppress one''s appetite, yes, but most of the time it was used because the energy required by a cultivator''s body was so more than what they could get from normal food that after battle they could quickly take one, becoming alert and satiated and ready to fight again afresh, essentially replenishing the body''s energy supply. ¡°And the health potion?" he asked. "Well, with our health potion, we have two varieties, the topical application and the consumable variant.¡± She pointed at the cream and the red potion. Both are consumable if you''re wiping it on yourself or drinking it. He nodded. "The topical application is something you can apply to any wound you receive. It will immediately heal the wound. In just a matter of minutes. It also works if anyone has scars or other kinds of blemishes they wish to remove. Very popular among the ladies," she said, giving him a wink. Rick gave her a tight smile. Scars and blemishes. They¡¯d also be great if one was hit with aerolized acids, or hit with hot and cold attacks, or were bleeding the hell out. They haven¡¯t gone through the apocalypse, or the civil war, scars and blemishes are the worst some of the nobles might have suffered. He nodded for her to continue. "The consumable potion has been known to help with stronger and hidden injuries that have persisted for a long period of time,¡± she assured him. ¡°Broken bones, consistent coughing, even maladies of the mind." She leaned back, as if expecting a reaction. "Very interesting," Rick said, buying himself time to think. Topical is useful, but low-grade, probably common, I would think. The actual healing potion might be uncommon grade, so dealing with minor injuries and ailments. Possibly used the potion with some kind of other ingredients to make the cream? Dilute it. He could have made these potions. Need equipment, ingredients and time. "How much for the healing potions?" Rick asked. "For the healing potions, that will be two gold each, and for the cream, that will be one gold each," Melody said. Rick tried not to show his frustration, as he mentally went through his acquired coinage. ¡°Is it cheaper if I just get it in a basic glass bottle?¡± ¡°Its forty silver less.¡± ¡°I''ll take a healing potion and two of the ungents.¡± He started pulling out the coins and putting them on the counter. === Skill: Trading === Level: Novice (1/60) === Been a long time since I saw that. Just need to do another fifty-nine trades under a gold piece to reach Apprentice. === You have earned 10 EXP for reaching novice === That¡¯s much more useful. Could increase my body, cultivation or skills. "Right away," Melody said, hurrying to complete his order. "Would you like those wrapped up in a box or a bag?" "I''ll take a bag," Rick said, sorting through the coins. The door to the store opened with a bell, Rick glanced over, spotting three boys from Valoria Academy entering. Rick turned back to sorting out his coins. Figure out what to do with the experience later. "Well look who we have here," the boy leading the two others said as he moved up behind Rick, all confident swagger. Aiming for a fight? Rick looked them over, they were children playing soldier. Their weapons covered in gold filigree and complex carvings. Crests of houses he didn¡¯t know were on the two boy¡¯s blazers. Small houses? No idea wh¡ªCrenda. The leading boy had the Crenda family crest upon his breast. Rick studied the man¡¯s face, similarities to Ivan, brothers perhaps? And I was in need of some coin too. Ah their children¡­ I¡¯ll give them one shot to fuck off. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Melody put the unguent in the bag. Rick turned back to it. There wasn¡¯t any threat showing his back to these idiots. No mana, young and strong, minimal training. He had a lifetime of fighting under his belt and he was younger and strong. Might not have trained with weapons much, but I trained my body up just fine. ¡°Dunno who you are, don¡¯t care, doing some business here.¡± Rick put the last of his coins on the table, in three piles that equalled a gold coin each. "Don¡¯t know you lads, nor do I care to." Melody¡¯s eyes tracked to the boy¡¯s behind him, a flash of recognition running through them as she quickly moved away to get healing potions from further down the counter. Nobody wants to get in the middle of a noble spat. His heart beat faster, picking out where all three were. Its hard to not start grinning, come here little piggy banks. He sent out a pulse of mana, seeing how they were all positioned. He shifted his own positioning slightly. "Who do you think you are? Isendia? You knight''s mongrel. Don''t you know when to bow to true nobility?" The man swaggered forward, his steps more forcible. ¡°Nobility, the idea that because our ancestors did something that we¡¯re somehow better than others? Basically shitty dog or horse stock.¡± Rick shook his head. ¡°At least a good horse breed means it¡¯ll be faster and better than it was. Doesn¡¯t seem to apply to nobles though.¡± ¡°You fuckin¡ª¡± One of the boys from a smaller house stepped forward. ¡°Backwater trash doesn¡¯t even know his place. You¡¯re right about one thing, you¡¯re no better than a dog breed!¡± ¡°Wow, really? Uncouth dog? That''s the best you got? My grandmother could curse you out worse if you woke her up accidentally," Rick said. His memories turned fond. ¡°She¡¯s a fucking terror in the morning.¡± He snorted, a smile sneaking out. "Your grandmother? You mean that ailing witch? I hear she''s nearly on her death''s door." The man laughed, turning to his friends. He pushed Rick to the side with his shoulder, and swiped his hand through the coins, sending them across the counter. ¡°Fucking silvers and coppers.¡± He turned back to his two friends, their laughter cruel and eager. Stupid. Rick¡¯s grin flared to life, he swung his elbow into the smug prick¡¯s neck, he crumpled like a shitty paper bag hit by a train going full steam, grasping at his throat. Rick grabbed his head and bounced it off the counter, releasing him as one of the boys lunged at him, grabbing for his armor. Rick, grabbed the boy¡¯s arm, pulled it forward and the boy off balance as he drove his fist into the boy¡¯s throat and kicked him right between the legs. He punched him again as he went down, moving around him to the last, boxed in by the displays. He tried to pull out his blade, it wasn¡¯t coming out easy. Probably never drawn it except to admire it. Rick clocked him in the face, pushing him back, sweeping his legs and dropping him to the floor before Rick kicked him in the stomach, hard enough to push him back half a meter. Two were spluttering on the floor, the kind that hurt but wouldn¡¯t kill. Rick dropped to a crouch at the one he¡¯d kicked, taking his dagger and cutting free his sword, cracking off the gold filigree and tossing the blade away before he took the boy¡¯s coin purse. So confident he just left it out in the open. He patted down the boy, lifting a few more valuables, he moved to the second boy repeating the process as two guards rushed into the store. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± They demanded as Rick tossed the Crenda boy¡¯s sword, onto the other two. ¡°Slipped, I guess?¡± Rick grabbed the Crenda boy by his lapels to sit him against the counter, his eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯re not going to die.¡± Rick shook his head and took the kid¡¯s valuables and stood up, grabbing his purse and moving towards Melody, swiping the ungent and putting it into his pocket absently as he inspected the contents of the purses. Rick rolled his shoulders, setting his jacket. ¡°Feels good getting the blood pumping.¡± He took in a deep breath and grinned at Melody. She looked around with wild eyes. ¡°Just a little morning violence,¡± Rick winked and dropped his voice. ¡°Extra gold in it for you if you can get me three more health potions and two unguents as fast as possible, don¡¯t need the wrapping," Rick took out gold coins and put them on the counter. Her eyes darted between the uniform crests. Opened up a drawer and quickly added the potions and unguents to the bag she¡¯d made up for him. ¡°Pleasure doing business with you,¡± she said. He grinned deeper giving her another wink as he moved around the boys and towards the door. ¡°Seems that they¡¯ll need some medical help,¡± He told the guards and continued walking. They looked at the boys, at Rick and the others in the store. Rick was out the door before they said anything or put together a plan of their own. He glanced back at the three boys struggling on the floor. And that''s the best that the Valoria Academy can come up with? He shook his head. "That''s Duke. Crenda''s son," someone said. Time to get the fuck out of here. Rick quickened his pace out of the Hunter''s Bureau. Duke sounded important. Thanks for the money! Hope they don¡¯t procreate. Fighting¡ªreal fighting¡ªtook more than just knowing about tactics, or whose family knew whose family, and which lands they owned. Fighting required an understanding of violence, a dedication to action, and the removal of hesitation. That boy hadn''t even been able to get his sword out of his scabbard. How the hell do they think they''re ready for the apocalypse? The short answer was, they didn''t. Plynthia had been peaceful for so long, many had forgotten what war was, what fighting was. The most fighting they did was in duels, regulated affairs where it mattered where you could poke someone. Not in the ungentlemanly and survivally sport of throat punches and dick kicks, Rick mused. Rick stepped out of the bureau and headed for the lower market district. His feet guided him through the city, as he checked the marked signs for where he was going. As he walked he pulled up the skill. === Skill: Trading === Level: Novice (2/60) === He¡¯d just completed a single sale, enough to get him the skill. He¡¯d need to have ten transactions to increase the overall level up to apprentice, then he could get enlightenment and grind apprentice too. Or I go for a bigger trade and hit apprentice, getting all the novice grade experience remaining in one shot. The lower trade district was filled with the sounds of hard work. None of the peaceful quiet of the upper business district. Horses drew forward their carts laden with goods. Farriers worked on some¡¯s hooves. Blacksmiths toiled on various tools and parts. Tailors and clothiers greeted customers and toured them through their goods. Everything and anything was on sale here. Rick¡¯s steps slowed just seeing how much was available. Even in the later stages of the apocalypse where things got a bit more stable. Mining could lead to running into elementals, creatures from the dark and all kinds of nasty shit. Farming was done with the aide of enchantments to meet needs and not put people in the danger of farming beyond a city¡¯s protection. His pace slowed, his heart swelling as he hummed to himself. All that gold out there to be made. He navigated through the streets carefully and take wide berths from people walking the sidewalks, turning confused heads. Their attention was focused on his uniform. Officer trainees from the academy were rare this far from its grounds. If they needed anything they¡¯d send out a servant to get what they needed from these areas. Only nobles went to the school, people trying to figure out which family he was from. He continued on his journey, keeping the bag close to his body. Eleven gold of health potions and paste protected by a paper bag. He wasn¡¯t going to take the chance with a bag snatcher or pickpocket. He asked people for directions, it took him a half hour to reach his destination; a store with a globe speared on a pole above its door. He stepped through the door into a building of polished wood and fine maps. ¡°Hello, sir, can I help you?¡± A woman turned from where she was working at the sound of the door¡¯s bell. ¡°Looking for a map of the forests and Stained Mountain Range to the north. Also a map of the world if you have it.¡± There were fine globes of all kinds, maps with incredible detail. His eyes darted around, these were true treasures in the future. To dungeoneers, maps were as valuable as gold.¡°I¡¯m looking for maps with the greatest amount of accuracy, if they¡¯re waxed or waterproofed that would be for the best.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± She moved between counters covered in glass, showing various maps beneath, and opened large drawers that lined the walls of the store, revealing more maps inside. Rick followed her, studying them. ¡°Do you have compasses too? Again something for general use and hardy,¡± Rick asked as he moved between the open drawers. The level of detail was incredible, showing all of Plynthia, the rises and depressions, waterways and roads, territories of different families. Those for the Stained Mountain Range had claims marked out among the heights as well as accurate elevation lines. He quickly moved through the drawers she¡¯d opened. The terrain and world changes so much. There were familiar features in parts, but it was hard to match what would become and what was the state of the world now. He took out several maps and laid them on a nearby counter, getting doubles of everything. The lady had put out several compasses as well. Rick picked them up, checking the metal they were made from. He went with two simple ones with a cover that flipped over to protect the needles. ¡°Would you have a waterproof carrying case?¡± ¡°Just a few.¡± She opened up a closet and pulled out stiff treated hide tubes with a strap. Straps with cinches kept the lid closed and a hole at the bottom to drain water if any got in. ¡°Perfect, two of those too then. How much do I owe you?¡± He waved at everything. She flipped through the maps on the table, then looked over everything. ¡°That will be fifty-seven silver and forty coppers.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Rick put his damned alchemy bag off to the side and took out the coins. Debating if he should buy more, their value in the coming months or years would skyrocket. Still need to get other supplies first and can copy these later with a lawyer or scribe. She started counting the coins as Rick took one of each map, organized them from those that were the most detailed about the forests and mountain range, to those that went further out to the world map. That way I just reach in and the first map should be the one that is the most useful. It was a system he and Len had used for decades. He glanced at the world map. ¡°Do you have pencils as well?¡± ¡°We have normal pencils and wax pencils.¡± She said. ¡°Dozen of each?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Thirty-two copper.¡± He added more coins to the pile she hadn¡¯t gone through. She moved around the store, pulling out boxes of colored wax pencils and regular pencils, handing them to Rick. ¡°Oh, uhh could I get that as well? Don¡¯t need it as ornate.¡± He pointed to a geometry set, including a ruler, drawing compass, protractor and other tools. ¡°That will be thirty three coppers,¡± she said. Rick nodded. It was specialized and abnormal compared to most tools. He handed over more coins, checking around. Think that¡¯s everything! She brought over a set for him. Rick nodded in thanks and took one of the pencils, using the tools to start marking up the world map, showing where mountain ranges would fall, where others would rise, phenomena settled. Deserts sprouted and oasis¡¯ cropped up. Dungeons, tears as well. There were some islands here right? Guess the land there fell away. The woman that had been serving him finished her counting. ¡°That¡¯s everything, sir, do you need anything else?¡± ¡°No, that should be good. I¡¯ll be a few minutes if that¡¯s okay?¡± Rick didn¡¯t look up from his markings and drawing. Len was right, the sooner he could get this down the better. ¡°Of course, take all the time you need.¡± She cleaned up the store, closing drawers as he worked feverishly. He used different colors for different dungeons and levels of complexity. Then there were the locations that the Arrival¡¯s showed up. Cities that rose and fell, different regions that had come to be. ¡°Could I get two more world maps?¡± ¡°Certainly, that¡¯ll be nine silver.¡± He took out the coins with the hand that wasn¡¯t holding the pencil and put them on the counter. She grabbed the maps and put them down, taking the coin. That makes it three trades now. Need to have a sale of at least a gold to push up to apprentice. He split information between the maps so they wouldn¡¯t become too confusing. It took him over an hour before he was left with three different maps. That looks more like what I remember. He turned the map over and started writing on the back, adding in information that had cropped up as he¡¯d been working on the map. Finally with his brain wrung out on the page Rick put his pencils away. He tucked the maps and his newly bought items away, closing up his map tubes before slinging them over one shoulder. His sound talisman started vibrating in his pocket as he took it out. ¡°Rick?¡± Len asked on the other side. ¡°Guess you got a sound talisman?¡± ¡°Not yet, just rented time with one, I¡¯m heading to a smithy in the lower district called the Coiled Serpent, bring your money,¡± Len said. ¡°Alright be there soon.¡± Rick put his sound talisman away and turned to the map store lady. ¡°Do you happen to know where the Coiled Serpent Smithy is?¡± Chapter: 5 Chapter: 5 Len moved to the side, allowing people out of the main door leading into Tyk''s General Wares. He slipped in past them, joining the two lines that constantly moved towards the counter. Behind the counter, dozens of men and women could be seen moving among shelves, gathering the items requested by those at the counter. It seemed that anything and everything one could want was held within the large building. From fire starters to cooking pots, even nails and hammers of various kinds. Len reviewed his list in his head as those ahead of him were served. ¡°How can I help you today?¡± the man behind the counter asked. Blinking and moving back. Still need to clean the stink off of me from those impurities. "Hi, I would like to buy backpacks, two of them, largest you possibly have, similar to those used by the military?¡± Len asked. ¡°We have something that should serve.¡± The man nodded, waiting. ¡°I need two canteens and a sewing kit if possible." "Yes, we have one of those, lengths of material as well as patches and needles.¡± The man started writing on paper. ¡°Two of those please. Do you have boots?" "We have several kinds. Are you looking for working boots?" he asked, glancing at Len''s attire. "The sturdiest you have, with thick soles and leather. And I know it might be a long shot, but clothing?" ¡°I can think of boots that should work.¡± The man glanced over the counter and squinted at Len¡¯s feet. Len held up his boot for him to better see. He made a note on his paper. ¡°We have hardy clothes, coveralls, pants and shirts for the hard-working man that you can repair over time. As well as general sundries." "Great, that''ll be perfect," Len said. ¡°Do you have empty cans?¡± ¡°Yes for canning.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take four of those, do you have any food items?" "Unfortunately, no, but you could go to Raolin Traders. They have a variety of provisions that might interest you." "Where are they?" Len asked. ¡°Down the street three blocks you¡¯ll see them,¡± The man pointed with the back of his pencil. ¡°Thanks, do you have sleeping bags or blankets?¡± Len asked. ¡°Blankets is the best we have.¡± ¡°How large?¡± The man paused, reviewing something. ¡°Two meters by one.¡± ¡°Six of those then. How much will that run me?¡± "That will come to a grand total of twenty-eight silver and forty-seven coppers. Is there anything else we can help you with?¡± Len took out his coin purse, putting coins on the counter. The man behind it ripped up the list he¡¯d made, passing it to three runners behind him. They ran off down the aisles to gather the gear as Len finished putting the last coins on the table. The man counted them out, sweeping them to his side. "Thank you very much, sir. If you could wait over there." He pointed to an area off to the side where others were collecting their goods. === Skill: Trading === Level: Novice (1/60) === === You have earned 10 EXP for reaching novice === "Thank you," Len said, moving away, distracted. "Oh, um, before I forget, do you know anywhere that might have places to stay?" "Uh, the... nearest place I can think of... are you looking for standard accommodation or something to sleep, drink?" "Just somewhere that''s quiet, away from everything, but near to the market district to get back and forth." "Right. Then I would say the... Slumbering Willow." He leaned over the counter. "If you go down that street, two blocks on the left-hand side, go up another block or so, you should see it, has a willow on the signboard. It''s nothing much, but it''s clean, quiet, and out of the way. Just don''t be making a noise after the sun¡¯s down." "Thank you very much." Len shared a smile with the man, moving off to the side. The next customer moved up to the counter as Len leaned against the wall, bringing up his stats again. === Len === Level: 0 === Body: 8 Mana: 1/1 Experience: 10 === He thought on what to use his experience for. Need twenty to get level two in cultivation, ninety to get level nine in body and I only have the one skill right now. He closed his stat screen, watching the comings and goings through Tykes, General Wares. For the majority of his life, he''d been scavenging clothes, repairing them where he could. Buying new items, and seeing so many of them in one place, it seemed extravagant. A crazy luxury and half forgotten memory. ¡°Backpack order?¡± an attendant said. ¡°Right here." Len raised his hand, moving towards the counter. The man looked over to the other that had sold it to Len. He gave a subtle nod. ¡°Here you are sir.¡± He handed the backpacks over, the items he¡¯d bought inside. Len checked their contents, finding everything he¡¯d ordered within. ¡°All good, thanks.¡± He threw the familiar pack on his back. Just like the one I was issued. He adjusted the straps, they felt new. He secured the other closed, tucking it under his arm and headed out of the store. Going to have to repack everything to make it take up less space. It felt so antiquated to be wearing a pack and worrying about how it was organized to fit in more stuff. His footsteps slowed. There¡¯s not going to be enough room for the food. Need to drop this off first or repack. Len altered his path for the Slumbering Willow instead. It didn¡¯t take him long to reach it. The building was a simple enough building, four stories tall, with wooden slatted windows to allow wind in and out, and close off the street when needed. He walked up to the front entrance, passing working men leaving for the day or moving through the entrance to the gate and counter beyond. He moved up to the counter. An older lady sat behind the counter, raising an eyebrow at him. "Looking for a bed?" she asked. "Looking for a room for two? Just for the night." "General or private?" she asked. Len frowned. ¡°General, you got a bunk, you got to keep your gear to yourself, but you''ll get a lower rate with more people in the same room. Private, it''s just two beds, and you have a door you can lock," she said. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "Private, please." "Alright, one private room for a night." "Alright, one double-bunk, private room, cash up front," she said. "That''ll be a silver and half." Len took out the coins, placing them on the counter. "If you want baths, there''s a place three doors down that-a-way." She pointed out the door and to the left. The suggestion was very clear in her expression. ¡°And if you''re looking for clothes, they''ll wash them there. If you want food, there''s a whole bunch of places around here where you can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner.¡± "Thank you," Len replied. She gave him a curt nod, pulling the coins over the counter and storing them away in a box before pulling a key off a nail and handing it to him. "You''re in room Three-E. That means it''s up on the third level. And room E.¡± "Alright," Len said. "No noise after dark or before sunlight. You start partying, you start drinking, making a ruckus. I don''t mind if it''s outside, but you don''t bring that back here," she said. "I got it," Len said. She looked away, sorting out the coin further. Len moved past her, pushing the gate open and walking into the building. He moved to the side, letting people pass as they exited the building, most of them wearing workers'' clothes similar to his own. They gave him curt nods as they passed. He hurried up the stairs, getting to the third floor and quickly finding his new room. It was as bare bones as it got. Inside was a bunk bed that took up much of the room, a thin aisle ran from the door to the shuttered window that he could open, staring at the building opposite, just out of arm''s reach. Already better than most places I¡¯ve stayed. Doesn¡¯t stink and there are real sheets on the beds. He dropped the second pack on the bed hearing the rustle of straw. ¡°A mattress?¡± Len threw the pack off and pressed on the bed. ¡°A straw mat mattress holy shit.¡± He threw off his pack and jumped on the sheets, feeling the mattress under his back. ¡°Shit I could get used to this.¡± He let out a breath and looked at the bottom of the other bunk. ¡°We really are back in time.¡± His mind started to divert to what would come to pass, the weight of it falling on him. Len breathed in and rolled himself back to his feet. I¡¯m off to save my family but I can barely remember their faces. It had been so long that they had passed away for him. He shook his head clear and stood back up. He grabbed a jug on the side counter next to soap and a bowl. He opened it, smelling nothing. He used a cleanse spell on the jug. Blinking against the mana headache. ¡°Fuck that¡¯s rough.¡± The simple spell had drained him. === Skill: Spell casting === Level: Novice (1/60) === === You have earned 10 EXP for reaching Novice === === You have earned 50 EXP for reaching Apprentice === He put the jug to on the counter as information flowed through his mind, mana and its corrupting force, the power it held, the iron control one had to wield over it or be controlled. Imagining and effect and empowering it into reality with mana, feeling it, seeing it from the perspective of another person. The ways that one could bend reality itself. Len opened his eyes as the information slowed. ¡°That sucked,¡± Len grunted. ¡°Stat screen.¡± === Len === Level: 1 === Body: 8 Mana: 1/1 Experience: 70 === He mentally put fifty experience into his mana stat. === You have reached level 3 in mana === === You have reached level: 3 === === Len === Level: 3 === Body: 8 Mana: 3/3 Experience: 20 === I was an expert level spell caster. His attention was drawn to his mana. ¡°Its so little that I can only cast low level spells.¡± He¡¯d need a lot more mana to be able to cast a journeyman level spell. He carefully used a low level cleanse spell to remove the impurities that coated him. Too strong and it might trigger a skill grade increase to apprentice. He grabbed jug and drank deep, gasping as he finished up. Gonna have to see just how many skills we can increase tonight.. He glanced at the door and listened. There were no alarmed noises or people moving closer. He took time to study the door The lock was simplistic in design. Just need a knife and a bit of fiddling around with a latch for a few seconds to throw it. He looked around the room and spotted a doorstop with a rope drilled through it. Perfect. Len put it underneath the door, kicking it into place. Using the bowl, soap a bit of the water to wet a thin cloth he washed himself up. Rick the lucky bastard got to wash properly before Len found him. Len dumped out one pack, dressing in new clothes, and replacing his shoes with new boots, lacing them up tight. He looped his new utility knife into his belt, then hid the spare dagger he¡¯d taken from Dominus. He closed up the backpack and put it back on before he removed the doorstep, walking out into the corridor and then kneeling down as he closed the door, he reached inside, putting the door stop in the path of the door. If someone tried opening it they¡¯d jam it into the doorstop and find it hard to keep going. He closed the door all the way and locked it. That done he hurried downstairs, through the gate and onto the street, following the directions he got at Tyk¡¯s to the south and the outskirts of the lower market district. It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach his destination. The railroad had a stop at the Raolin trader¡¯s compound. Grain silos, warehouses and a butchers took in food from the trains out back. Carts moved out of gates, carrying food across the city. There were various stores selling smaller quantities of food. Vegetables, meats, spices. His eyes stopped on a building near the end holding preserved goods. With the spring passing and summer in full swing there was plenty of fresh food to be found. It was the quietest of all the stores and Len¡¯s target. He opened the door to shouting coming from the hallway down the side of the store leading to offices. "What do you mean you''re not taking any more trash? We''ve had a long-standing agreement between your company and ours for nigh on twenty years," a man said, chasing another out of the office corridor. "I''m telling you what I''m telling you. We can''t keep on dumping this stuff. None of my lads are even heading out to the dump anymore. I''m about near closed down," the man exiting yelled back, smacking his hat on his hip. "Them beasts and creatures, they be coming out of the forest now. Had three of my lads mauled by them going into work early one morning.¡± He turned on the man that must have been from Raolin Traders. ¡°Ever since, we''ve had to put up protections to try and keep them away.¡± He threw up his hands in frustration. ¡°At this point, we''re going to have to have guards watching over the damn dump to keep the beasts out from him. How the heck am I going to make my money then?" The man slapped his hat against his leg in anger. "They''re just a few beasts," the Raolin man said. "A few beasts?" The hat-wielding man moved a half-step towards the other fellow. "A few beasts, you say? Beasts with eyes that glow about a wolf the size of a damn horse. Some say they even got magic. The occult, I hear. I''ve been out there. I thought my lads were lying!¡± He shook his head, the anger fleeing him. ¡°But I saw it. I saw it with my own damn eyes. One of them beasts got into a fight with others and started breathing fire. Fire, I say, like one of them furnaces. Exhaling it like it was a damn chimney gone burning up." "You can''t be serious!¡± the Raolin man scoffed. ¡°Look, here''s the way it is. I ain''t taking none of your waste no more, and you can''t pay me enough to do it. Any that are willing to take it I wish them luck and mercy upon them," the other man said. He affixed his hat on his head. ¡°The forest ain''t safe no more. Damn old industrial district''s gone to shit, and people are feeling scared in their homes down in the lower district. Won''t be long till they start coming up this way and get it right from the source. I wish you all the best, but I ain''t hiring guards to watch over no damn dump. Not going to be the one apologizing to their widows when some hungry beast kills ¡®em. Good day." He turned, moving around Len and out the door. The other man let out a sigh of frustration, running his hands through his hair before heading back to the offices. He hadn''t even left before the people who were inside the store started chattering to one another. Beasts that were as big as a horse, glowing eyes, breathing fire. Definitely mana-mutated. And they were already starting to leave the forest. Beast population starting to break up territories and push into human areas? Or just hungry and there¡¯s no one willing to defend a dump? Len winced at the thought of people dumping food, even bad food, with the right enchantments he could use that to make a field grow endlessly. He silently shook his head and moved towards the counter while there was no one in front of it. "Hi, sir, how can I help you?" the lady behind the counter said, trying to quickly push past whatever had just happened. "I''m looking for provisions. Two kilos of meat, any kind that''s preserved. Then I''ll take hardtack or dried out bread, let''s say another two kilos of that. Uh, vegetables, let''s do a kilo, another kilo of lentils and beans. Do you have any tea?" "Yes, we''ve got black tea, if that works with you, sir." "Perfect, I¡¯ll grab some of that, as well as dried fruit, let''s say another two kilos. Then let''s say a small ration of salt, small ration of pepper, some sugar. And that should do. Oh, also nuts, if you''ve got them, about a kilo." "Okay, I can look into that for you.¡± She finished up her list and headed into the aisles behind the counter. Len moved to the side as another attendant moved up to the counter. Cost me a lot but if you can get food, its always worthwhile to stock up. Len debated buying more though the backpacks and their limited capacity would hold them back. She returned with two helpers depositing their collected items on the counter before they headed back into the shelves. Making a folded space device was going to quickly become a priority. ¡°Sure. This all comes to fifty six copper.¡± So cheap. If we were to buy a lot of supplies before everything becomes scarce¡­ ¡°Uhh do you have jam or honey?¡± ¡°Any flavors of jam?¡± the lady asked. They have different kinds? How rich are they? ¡°How much would they be?¡± ¡°If you buy say five I can do that for twenty coppers and then five for the honey,¡± She said. ¡°Yep!¡±¡°Okay,¡± She frowned and looked at one of her helpers who ran off. ¡°All of them?¡± Len asked. She nodded and walked back. Len took off his backpack, opening and started to fill it with the various packages on the counter. Jams in multiple flavors, fuck yaaah. He finished packing up his backpack as she returned with five jams and a big jar of honey. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Twenty-five coppers.¡± She said. He took out the coins and put them on the counter, looking around to make sure no one was going to stab him for his goodies. Right, jam and honey are normal right now. ¡°Thank you!¡± He picked up the backpack. The straps dug in. It can¡¯t weigh that much. No body tempering and I just condensed a white vapor core. A base level one player. Weak as they came. At least he had been doing some labor to have a level eight body. He headed for the Slumbering Willow, he¡¯d need another drop off before he could get to the Coiled Serpent. And I¡¯m running low on coins. Len, stopped at the counter to the slumbering willow. ¡°There a place around here that has sound talismans?¡± The woman sighed. ¡°Five doors down on this side of the street.¡± She pointed it out. ¡°Thanks.¡± Chapter: 6 Chapter: 6 Len opened the door to the Coiled Serpent smithy and stood to the side as a man walked out with a crate full of nails. He gave a grunt of thanks as Len threaded past him. The front of the Smithy was large windows that opened for people to see the walls covered in goods. A counter ran across the front, nails, horseshoes, tools, hammers, general items covered it. Banding for cart wheels Copper pipe and various other building materials were hung up. Behind the counter were more exclusive goods a set of armor on a mannequin, a few spears and swords against the wall. The working guts of the shop lay through a door behind the counter. The smell of metal and coal was thick in the air, heat blasting through the door as it was jostled by a worker passing through it. ¡°Can I help you?¡± the man at the counter asked. Dunno what hammer he wants but can start with the rest. ¡°What do you have in the way of armor and weapons?¡± Len asked. ¡°Preferably swords for weapons.¡± The man looked him over. ¡°You a guard?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think you looked like one, why you looking for weapons and armor?¡± The man crossed his arms with a frown. Not normal to be armed and armored yet. ¡°I¡¯m heading into the forest and was told to get gear to deal with beasts,¡± Len said. The man paused, looking him over, evaluating him in some way. He sighed and unlooped his arms. ¡°I sense that me telling you that that¡¯s a terrible idea isn¡¯t going to sway you much.¡± He looked into Len¡¯s eyes as he shook his head. ¡°Right, okay well our gear is pretty basic. This here is more for show,¡± He pointed to the armor on the mannequin. He reached under the counter with both hands and lifted up two thick steel plates with leather straps that would go over one¡¯s shoulder¡¯s and threads that would but the sides closed. He rested it on the table with a thump. ¡°Steel and leather, keep your vital bits inside your body. Cost you fifteen silver though.¡± Damn its worth it just for the steel alone. Everything is so cheap. ¡°You got two of those, any kind of protection for the head, arm and legs?¡± ¡°No, just this and I do have a second set.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your thickest pipe?¡± Len asked. ¡°Uhh, well,¡± The man laid the armor on the counter and pointed at the wall. ¡°Bottom right is the biggest and thickest.¡± Len followed his finger, walking over to the pipe, picking it up. Heavy, though everything is right now. ¡°About a quarter as thick as the main armor, though it is just for the limbs, don¡¯t want it too heavy to slow down a punch or a kick.¡± Len nodded to himself. ¡°Alright I¡¯ll go for some pipe, do you have any padding?¡± ¡°No,¡± The man shook his head. ¡°Anyone sell gambesons around here?¡± ¡°What are those?¡± The man frowned. ¡°Padded jackets?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t think of anyone that would have that, there¡¯s normal jackets though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Len put the pipe back against the wall before looking around. They have buckets but they¡¯re so thin they wouldn¡¯t offer any protection at all. ¡°How much piping do you want?¡± ¡°Do you have a measuring tape?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± The man moved to the register, taking out a long roll that had markings. Len took it, measuring his forearm, then his lower leg, then folded the tape together and pinched where the end of the tape folded back against itself. ¡°Double this length,¡± Len said. ¡°I¡¯m going to need a tool that allowed you to put a hole through the steel breastplate and some of the leather that you used to bind it.¡± ¡°What are you making?¡± ¡°Going to cut the pipe in half, hammer it closer into shape of my forearms and legs, makes simple bracers,¡± Len said. ¡°Now, weapons?¡± ¡°Just a moment I¡¯ll note down the pipe length.¡± The man took out a piece of paper and colored pencil, checking the measuring tape before writing something out. He pushed them to the side and started pulling out weapons. ¡°We¡¯ve got a few kinds of revolvers and a few hunting rifles, then ceremonial spears.¡± He waved to those that were propped against the wall, ¡°The swords look good but they¡¯re made to be used and we¡¯ve got batons too.¡± The batons were lengths of steel with a handle, weapons built to break bones with blunt damage. Len¡¯s eyes passed over the firearms. Usele¡ªmaybe not right now? ¡°How easy is it to get ammunition right now?¡± ¡°Pretty easy, you can get it at most general stores, we work with another business to make whatever rounds you might need,¡± The man said. That takes out the problem of supply. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°And these will kill a beast?¡± ¡°The revolvers will take out something like a fox, really you want to use a rifle to kill anything bigger like deer,¡± The man said. Len picked up a rifle, pointing in a safe direction and worked the action, checking the breech. ¡°Moves smoothly.¡± He ran his thumb over the working parts. Takes me back to my training. ¡°Hasn¡¯t been work down, no burrs. Good quality and craftsmanship.¡± Len pushed the bolt forward and locked it into place, dry firing it at the floor. It would make it easier to level up. ¡°How much?¡± He asked. ¡°Rifle will be fifty silvers.¡± ¡°Ammunition?¡± ¡°Box of fifty rounds will cost you a silver.¡± Can kill people with a rifle and they have a base body stat of at least five, so can kill an unarmored level five pretty easily. ¡°Do you have spare bullets and carrying slings?¡± Len asked. ¡°Of course, the slings are included. Do you want casings as well with the bullets?¡± ¡°No, just the bullets, say two hundred of them?¡± ¡°Okay that will be a silver then.¡± The door opened as Rick walked into the store with two map tubes over his shoulder and a paper bag he was handling carefully. ¡°So you run out of coin already?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Got us armor, torso, legs and arms, no helmets. Thinking Rifles to start and swords.¡± ¡°Rifles?¡± Rick frowned as he walked up to the counter, putting down his paper bag carefully, looking over the weapons. ¡°Ammo is cheap and they should be able to put down level tens without too many problems.¡± Rick shrugged and picked up the rifle Len had inspected. ¡°Fair enough, need to level up fast as possible. Saw a restaurant on my way here.¡± Len turned his attention back to the weapons. Swords are professionally made and cared for. Len picked up one, testing the weight and balance. Just half a meter long with the first half a one-sided blade, the second double-sided. Perfect for smaller places like a dungeon. Rick worked the action on his rifle and dry fired doing it again and moving faster. Len continued to inspect the sword, it was crude with only the top of a basket to cover the user¡¯s hand. Though the steel had been compressed and worked into a fine edge. He turned it over in his hand. The weight was good. Rick put down his rifle and held out his hand. Len passed it over. Rick¡¯s eyebrow rose as he moved the sword around in lazy arcs. ¡°How much for the sword?¡± Len asked. ¡°That will be seventeen silvers comes with a scabbard and maintenance tools, sharpening stone, oils.¡± So cheap! ¡°Go for two blades and their sheathes. The two rifles, four boxes of ammunition, armor the pipe¡ªactually could you cut the pipe in half, put holes down both sides like you did with the armor plates and thread them with leather?¡± ¡°Odd job but we could.¡± ¡°How long would it take?¡± The man glanced outside the shop, then moved to the door, pushing it out, the noise of hammer presses, hisses of steam, the smell of coal, metal and heat spreading. He looked for something, raising a hand to his mouth. ¡°Jer! You got space today for a project?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± He let the door closed. ¡°Can get it in now and should have it ready by shop opening tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°When¡¯s that?¡± Len asked. ¡°Dawn.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll work, grab it before we head for the train. Do you have hammers and chisels?¡± ¡°Yes, made of hammered steel.¡± ¡°Add in a good hardy utility knife.¡± "Okay, that will be an additional two silver, five copper.¡± ¡°Also,¡± Len pulled around his pack and pulled out empty cans. ¡°Could you fill these with scrap metal?¡± ¡°Steel, iron?¡± ¡°Just whatever slag you have, scoop them up and that¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Uhh, that¡¯ll be two coppers?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Len turned to Rick and pointed a thumb at the salesman. ¡°Pay the man.¡± Rick took off his sword. ¡°Don¡¯t need two swords, what would you offer on this?¡± ¡°Its real pretty but its more of a show piece than something useful. I¡¯ll trade it one for one with our swords?¡± ¡°Done!¡± Rick put down the sword and pulled out a coin purse, then rummaged and found another, taking pieces from both. He pulled out a third pulling more silver from it. The hell did you do now? The man counted through the silver as Len and Rick looped their sword belts and shouldered their rifles. Len donned his armor while Rick put his forearm through the straps. ¡°All here,¡± the man at the counter said. ¡°What is a skill? In trading?¡± Len stepped back as he looked at Rick. The mana in the area thickened, converting into experience. It crashed into Rick, light bloomed above. ¡°Apprentice,¡± Rick yelled, before experience tore through his body, bringing his mana into level with his body and then pushing both higher. Len jumped out of the window as twin bolts of silent lightning dropped through the ceiling and struck Rick and the attendant. Len got back up and looked in the room. Rick was picking himself up off the ground, looking slightly charred and smelling bad from the impurities pushed out of his body. He put in too much strength and stumbled, adjusting to the increased stats. The attendant grabbed onto the counter and threw himself into the ceiling and lay on the ground groaning. ¡°Watch out you just got a lot stronger, take your time getting up,¡± Rick said. ¡°See you tomorrow morning.¡± Len walked back into the building. They collected up everything and headed out of the store quickly. Already a crowd was growing and moving closer to the smithy. Someone burst through the door into the smithy itself. ¡°The hell you doing down there Ralph?¡± It was three streets later that Len turned to Rick. ¡°What were you able to get?¡± Len asked. ¡°Some health and stamina potions, then a healing cream. I got an idea while I was there and put down every Realm, Dungeon and Tear I could remember. What do you know about dungeons?¡± Rick asked. Len raised an eyebrow, Rick gave him a ¡®go on¡¯ gesture. Len humored him. ¡°Dungeons are formed from storage devices from other worlds. They can be as large as a closet or as big as village. They draw a ton of mana that creates mana fiends based on the dungeon¡¯s attributes." Len rested his hands on his hips, looking into the sky. "Realms are places where space has been folded, either intentionally or not, holding a large area inside. Sometimes they have a high concentration of mana, though usually these places have rules of some kind. Like the Codex, where you defeat enchanted traps to gain knowledge. The higher the grade of traps you can bypass, the more knowledge is opened up to you." ¡°And tears?¡± Rick waved him on. ¡°Tears are connections between our world and others.¡± "Well, see, the thing is, none of them have been found yet," Rick said, giving Len a meaningful look. Len''s face went through a myriad of emotions as he took in that little tidbit. It was well known whoever opened a dungeon realm or tear first gained the greatest rewards. If you could open a dungeon, you got first pick of everything inside. Usually, after the first couple of times a dungeon had been cleared, there was no more loot. Only the mana fiends, they dropped mana-generated materials, cores and life-mana. A prize to be sure, but ancillary to the gear of some other being. With the realms, some naturally regenerated, but others, once they were used up, they were no better than a wasteland without much use left to them. Len looked at Rick. They¡¯d heard all the stories, people loved to talk about their successful dungeon dives. A tear...Well, a tear allowed you to connect to other planets. If you could get the right tear, you''d not only gain access to another planet, but you could also access other cities, peoples, technology, and materials that weren''t yet available on Earth. It was just as easy to get a tear in the wrong place, which could serve as a spawning point for demons or hostile races and creatures. Still, even these could prove profitable and valuable. If you could hold back the tide of creatures, you could farm them for materials and gear. Dungeons, realms and tears had been crucial to humanity learning how to craft, how to survive the apocalypse. Arming them with gear and knowledge. Some called them the golden gates. ¡°Lets see that map,¡± Len said. Rick pulled them out. ¡°Added in all that I remembered.¡± They poured over the map, Len and Rick going over locations, modifying and adding in more. ¡°With their locations and knowing what to expect in each of them we can quickly level up and gather everything inside,¡± Len said. ¡°And no guild to take a fee from us. Feels like we¡¯re cheating a bit, love it.¡± Rick laughed. So damn surreal. ¡°We could modify that pipe into bracers easy. Why did you have them do it for us instead?¡± Rick asked. ¡°We could, but we have more important things. Leveling up and tempering our bodies. There¡¯s no telling what we¡¯re going to run into. If we¡¯re stronger we¡¯ll be able to deal with what may come. First lets drop off the gear.¡± Chapter: 7 Len and Rick walked back from the Coiled Serpent towards the Slumbering Willow. ¡°Why did you get the rifles?¡± Rick asked. ¡°We know how to use them, they let us shoot things at range.¡± ¡°Yeah, but coal, gunpowder, anything that can release energy is about to become unstable as fuck,¡± Rick said. ¡°While in the apocalypse coal, oil and gunpowder were only useful if they were tempered with mana, otherwise they were good to be a mana fuel source, right now we haven¡¯t reached that point so coal and gunpowder isn¡¯t going to randomly explode when it feels like it.¡± ¡°Mana man, stuff is pure chaos. Messes everything up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I got the spare bullets too, that way we can put them in the barrels, then use spells to fire them,¡± Len said. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty good idea.¡± ¡°Thanks I have them from time to time, now I want to know is why do you have different coin purses?¡± Len asked. ¡°Who¡¯d you rob?¡± ¡°I was getting the potions as we talked about. Then there were these three kids that were annoying me, they were trying to start a fight or make me look bad. Mopped the floor with them.¡± Len grit his teeth, forcing out a breath through his nose. ¡°You¡¯re a hundred and fifty-three and you¡¯re beating up teenagers?¡± ¡°They started it, I finished it! I¡¯m getting spry in my old age! Right now I¡¯m only seventeen!¡± ¡°Normal kids aren¡¯t going to have that kind of cash.¡± Len closed his eyes and groaned. ¡°They were nobles weren¡¯t they.¡± ¡°One was a Duke¡¯s son.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re proud of that? Duke¡¯s are a pain in the ass to deal with, the King doesn¡¯t mess with their stuff too much and right now he¡¯s on death¡¯s door,¡± Len hissed. ¡°Duke Crenda.¡± ¡°I take back what I said.¡± Len straightened and kept walking. ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Not Ivan, I think that it was his younger brother.¡± Len strained his brain. ¡°The one that died in a cavalry charge?¡± ¡°I dunno,¡± Rick shrugged. ¡°Food?¡± He pointed to a cart along the street. ¡°Get double portions, need fuel for tempering,¡± Len said. Rick ordered and they put away the food in silence as they returned to the Slumbering Willow. It was some of the best food Len had ever eaten. When you can sleep, sleep, when you can find water, drink it, when you find food, eat it. They threw out the newspaper wrapping at the bins at the Slumbering Willow¡¯s entrance. It was quiet. ¡°Everyone must be at work,¡± Len said. They went through the gate, the person at the counter had changed. Rick stopped at the last step to the third floor, holding his hand back, signaling Len to stop. Len tilted his head. ¡°Nearly,¡± someone said. Metal fiddled against metal. ¡°Hurry up.¡± He knew the noise of a lock being fiddled open with a blade. Amateurs. Rick peeked around the corner before quickly pulling his head back. "Two in the hallway. Looks like more are inside.¡± ¡°Our room?¡± Rick looked back at him. ¡°No the other room that people have been hauling things into all day.¡± Len wanted to say something but just let it die in his throat. "Rush them?" Rick nodded, holding up three fingers, then two, then one. Rick charged around the corner, Len right behind him. "What the...?" One of the men at the door turned towards Rick. "Fuck!" The man yelled, raising his fists. Rick was on him in an instant, landing a punch square in his face that sent him sprawling. Len moved around them, the second man stepping forward as Len, moved around him, focusing on not using too much strength as he punched the man in the ribs. He curled around his ribs with a grunt of pain. Len swept his leg, hammering his elbow into the side of the man''s head on the way down. He hit the ground in a heap. "What the fuck''s going on?" someone called from inside the room. There were three men rifling through the bags and crates within their room. "Shit!" One of them grabbed Len''s sword, still in its scabbard. Rick was the first through the door, a whirlwind of fists and kicks. Len held back, Too tight I¡¯d just get in the way. One of the would-be looters came flying out of the room, hitting the wall opposite. He groaned and started to move around. Len punched him in the head, dropping him to the ground. A second man dropped to the floor in front of Rick. ¡°Get away from me!¡± the third man yelled, he¡¯d managed to get the shutters halfway open. Rick grabbed him by the belt, turned, and threw him the length of the admittedly short room. He crashed into the wall, landing on top of the other man who''d been tossed. Len grabbed him by the shirt, delivering two quick, savage blows that left him in much the same state as his companion. "Well, that''s a bit of nightly entertainment," Rick said, looking around. The men on the ground were groaning and writhing in pain as a burly man who manned the counter ran up the stairs. "What the hell''s going on here?" he demanded, staring at the men, then at Len, and finally at the open room. "This lot tried to break into our room and take our stuff," Len explained, gesturing to the men on the floor. "Where''s your room key?" the man demanded. Len pulled out the key, holding it out. The man took it, studying the letters and numbers on its face. "Shit," he clicked his tongue, handing the key back to Len. "Sorry about this. I''ll get some of the lads to help me take this trash out back," he said. "One more for you," Rick said, dragging the fifth man out of the room and dropping him onto the pile of others. The man looked at the five well-built men, then at Len and Rick''s immature faces. ¡°Where you learn to fight like that?¡± the man asked. "Pick up a few tricks here and there," Rick said, scratching the back of his head. "Right," the man said, sounding unconvinced. Three more men ran up the stairs. "The hell''s going on?" one asked. "These five are leaving our residence today," he pointed at the five on the ground. "Seems they''re the looting type. Go call on the guards.¡± He grabbed one by the ankle and started dragging them towards the stairs. One of the men ran back downstairs, the other two moving up to help him drag the senseless men. "Watch your fucking head," the first man said, dragging the first would-be looter down the stairs. The man started cursing, bouncing off the stairs as he went. He cried out as a boot connected with him as he struggled. Len looked to Rick, who shrugged. "Might as well pack up for tomorrow," Len said. "Fair enough, they made a mess of things in here," Rick said, looking back into the room. Food and gear, which had been strictly organized, was now spread throughout. Len shook his head, following Rick into the room, closing the door behind him. He locked the door and kicked the jamb into place. ¡°Fists don¡¯t even hurt that much,¡± Rick snorted examining his knuckles. ¡°Benefits of not being as old as dust.¡± Len picked through the gear throughout the room, snatching up blankets and his sewing kit, taking them to the lower bunk. He heard the managers of the building dragging away the would-be looters through the thin door. When he was younger he¡¯d flinch from seeing the cows getting branded. At some point, with all the death and violence, he¡¯d became numb to violence. It was a tool, something that happened as easily as bartering. The only way it slowed was when you were strong enough that the threat of violence was enough to terrify others to getting the hell out of your way. ¡°Mana gates first,¡± Len said. ¡°Cause you¡¯re scared for the beating you¡¯re about to get?¡± Rick smirked. ¡°No, because the more mana gates we have open, the faster we can regenerate mana, recover and cultivate,¡± Len said. ¡°And cause you¡¯re a drunk old man wielding a hammer.¡± ¡°Seventeen buddy seventeen.¡± ¡°And Senile, give me a hand will you, you do remember to open mana gates right?¡± Len dropped down to sit infront of him on the floor. ¡°Can open mana gates the normal way, popping one open at level ten, twenty and so on up to fifty.¡± Rick put down his hammer and held his hand out to Len. ¡°Or yah take some mana, compress it till is squeals like a pig with a slapped ass and punch it right through the gate.¡± Len was compressing his mana but instead of drawing it into his core he was storing it in his channels, the pressure ramping up. He took Rick¡¯s hand pressing his thumbs to the base of his palm. ¡°Each gate increases the amount of mana you can draw in by twenty percent.¡± Len adjusted his thumbs placement. ¡°When you¡¯re level ten with a gate open you can regen two mana per minute, pop open a second gate, you get four mana per minute. Which means it will be faster for us to recover from the tempering.¡± Len stopped moving his thumbs. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Y¡¯know not many people would trust one another to help open their mana gates, usually something only done between family.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all each other¡¯s got,¡± Len said. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°Ready,¡± Rick closed his eyes. Len pushed mana into the gate in the heel of Rick¡¯s Palm as Rick pushed mana out of it. Len lost track of time, falling into a rhythm of compressing and directing mana. The gate gave way as Rick let out a grunt. Len released control over his mana and wiped his brow as he felt the mana around him shift towards Rick. It was like stepping into water, feeling it all around his limb and now there was a current drawing it to Rick. Len compressed and readied his mana. Rick opened his eyes a few minutes later and waved for Len to give him his hand. ¡°You next, we¡¯ll ladder it, should make it faster,¡± Rick said. Len gave him his hand and pointed to where the gate was. Rick adjusted his hands. ¡°Ready,¡± Len said. ¡°Lets do this.¡± Len drove his mana through his channels, and into the gate, it resisted as his mana wore away at it, it took several minutes before the gate cracked and gave way, Rick¡¯s mana intruding into his channels. Before he released control, leaving it as ambient mana. Len drew in mana. ¡°Felt like I was breathing through a straw before.¡± He opened his eyes to Rick¡¯s bare foot in his face. ¡°What the fuck dude!¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Gate three and four ain¡¯t gonna open themselves,¡± Rick wiggled his toes and dropped his foot into Len¡¯s lap. ¡°Careful now I¡¯m ticklish.¡± Len grabbed his foot. ¡°Up and to the right a bit, riiiight, yeah there.¡± They opened up the gates in the heels of their feet then the fifth gate located in their mid-back. The mana in Len¡¯s body was just begging to be compressed into his core. ¡°Now lets go see if we can¡¯t boost our levels,¡± Len stood. ¡°Where we going?¡± ¡°Lower Industrial District, no one will be around there. First we¡¯re going to need to get some bread.¡± ¡°What we need bread for?¡± ¡°Bait. *** Len crunched up stale bread he¡¯d bought on their trip down into the lower industrial district and threw it out. "Looks like people are taking the building materials from them." Rick pointed to collapsed buildings. "And either no one cares that they''re doing it, or they don''t come down here to see it," Len said. "And neither of those is a good thing," Rick added. "There isn''t even a wall between them and the forest. If a beast wave came, it would just tear right through them on the way into the city. Stupid.¡± Len said, watching pigeons fly over and gather. "Gotta remember that they have never dealt with a mana beast wave. Haven''t dealt with mana, probably, most of them," Rick said. ¡°Its so hard because its such common sense in the future.¡± Len said. ¡°And common sense ain¡¯t that common in any time period,¡± Rick chuckled. People living among the buildings, ruined or in disrepair, or in hovels that they had created themselves hurried away. "What''s with them?" Rick asked. Len followed their eyes to his hip, where his sword lay. He studied them, they were ill equipped to deal with the ravages of the apocalypse, the thought stuck. "None of them have any weapons or armor. Not used to it. It was only when the apocalypse was in full swing that people started wearing them all the time.¡± ¡°Strange,¡± Rick said. ¡°What are we doing out here?¡± ¡°Leveling up, couldn¡¯t miss them if you tried,¡± Len waved at the pigeons. ¡°If we killed ten of them when we were level one we¡¯d improve, but now we¡¯re a lot stronger,¡± Rick said. ¡°Right, we don¡¯t use kills, we use skills.¡± Len took out the utility knife, weighing it between his fingers he used a throwing technique, the knife cutting through the air and the pigeon. Len staggered with the loss of mana. A screen appeared infront of his eyes. === You have earned 10 EXP === His face paled at the others. === Skill: Thrown weapon === Level: Journeyman (1/60) === === You have earned 10 EXP for reaching Novice === === You have earned 50 EXP for reaching Apprentice === === You have earned 100 EXP for reaching Journeyman === === Skill: Bladed Weapon === Level: Expert (1/60) === === You have earned 10 EXP for reaching Novice === === You have earned 50 EXP for reaching Apprentice === === You have earned 100 EXP for reaching Journeyman === === You have earned 500 EXP for reaching Expert === Len gritted his teeth. ¡°Ah fuck.¡± clouds stirred in the skies. The world got brighter, Rick looked up and then bolted. Len looked up the clouds thick with experience. Fucking skill level up. Soundless lightning struck Len, mana smashed him into the ground, frying pigeons around him, those further away, flapping for all they were worth. Information flooded through his mind once again like it had when he¡¯d cast the cleanse spell, though dozens of times stronger. Showing him how he could have planted his foot, twisting his hips and altered his grip to give his throw greater power. He couldn¡¯t move, enlightenment waterfalling into his mind, filling his head till it cut off suddenly. Len flopped onto his back. === You have earned 15 EXP === ¡°Stat screen.¡± === Len === Level: 3 === Body: 8 Mana: 3/3 Experience: 710 === He cast a series of healing spells on himself, the consecutive level ups had torn him apart and healed him, but the lingering pain was still there. === Skill: Healing === Level: Journeyman (140) === === You have earned 10 EXP for reaching Novice === === You have earned 50 EXP for reaching Apprentice === === You have earned 100 EXP for reaching Journeyman === === Skill: Spell Casting === Level: Apprentice (80) === === You have earned 50 EXP for reaching Apprentice === ¡°Oh no.¡± It came out as a whimper as the heavens contracted, this time the clouds of experience much thicker than they had been. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to!¡± Lightning descended again. His mind was filled with information on how the body worked, various injuries and how to solve them. Experience continued to flood him as he was struck with more enlightenment, developing upon the information he had already gained form the Apprentice version. Len lay panting on the ground his body ravaged throughout and his clothes burnt and smoking in places. Reluctantly he used healing spells on himself. He cracked his eyelids opening when no lightning lit up the sky and relaxed some. === Len === Level: 3 === Body: 8 Mana: 3/3 Experience: 920 === ¡°You okay there buddy?¡± Rick yelled, peeking from behind a broken wall. ¡°No,¡± Len groaned and pushed against the ground. He threw himself back, by the sheer power withing his body, he landed on his feet. Still well under how strong I used to be¡ªcould¡¯ve made a fool of myself. ¡°The hell was that?¡± Rick asked. ¡°You fucked up those pigeons.¡± ¡°I skilled up in throwing weapons, bladed, healing and spell casting.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Rick shrugged. ¡°Its not that powerful.¡± Len pressed his lips together and pinched his fingers together. Don¡¯t punch him, he¡¯s just stupid. ¡°Rick, how long has it been since you increased your skill level?¡± ¡°Throw a rock then.¡± Rick picked up the rock and weighed it. ¡°Can you still do that curving thing?¡± Len asked. ¡°Yeah, takes some mana though, confuses the hell out of people.¡± Rick planted his feet and lifted the stone in his hands, preparing. Then he threw the rock, mana pouring through his body to complete the technique. Len ran. ¡°What?¡± Rick asked and looked upwards. ¡°Ah shiii-t¡± Whatever he was about to say ended as the lightning struck him. Len peeked over the wall, the ground around Rick was steaming. I didn¡¯t tell him about the healing skill. The clouds contracted again and Len ducked. He peered over the wall as the bolts of enlightenment faded, the clouds of experience having all poured into Rick. ¡°What you get?¡± ¡°Journeyman,¡± Rick groaned. ¡°Blunt and throwing. Then got some more skill levels in healing and spellcasting.¡± ¡°You get it now?¡± Len asked as he walked out from behind the wall and Rick pushed himself back up to his feet. ¡°All the information the system gives you when you increase a skill level getting crammed into your brain in one shot. Damn that sucked.¡± ¡°Remember how people did skill-ups when the system spread?¡± Len asked. ¡°Yeah, three ways to level up a skill, grind it out, so do hundreds of throws at the novice level, use general experience to push it up to Expert or throw it once at a higher level. The system recognizes the higher skill and rewards for it,¡± Rick said. ¡°No one had skills yet so by doing all the activities they got a huge boost to their skills and experience.¡± ¡°All our skills are at zero right now and we have access to the system,¡± Len said. ¡°Two problems, components and mana. We know the recipes to create things, and we have the expertise, but we don¡¯t have the amount of mana or the higher grade materials¡ªyet. If we can get those then we¡¯re back up at our skill levels again.¡± ¡°There¡¯s the other problem, we can do some skills once with our mana and then we¡¯re drained,¡± Rick said. ¡°We work on all the skills that don¡¯t need much in the way of materials.¡± Len turned around, scanning frantically. There you are. He ran over to his blade that had gone through the first pigeon, sliding it away he spotted the second item. Len picked up a boulder and headed back to Rick. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Hey you know masonry, split this into two smooth surfaces,¡± Len took out his knife and held it out to Rick. Rick grunted, taking the knife. Len stepped backwards, ten meters. Better be safe. He stepped back another ten meters. Rick gave him stink eye, tapped on the stone and listened, then he put the blade against the stone and hit it once. He tensed and looked around. ¡°Hah guess there¡¯s more to¡ª¡± Len ran for his safe wall again as the clouds started condensing again. ¡°Mother fuck¡ª¡± Rick was drowned out under lightning once more. Len hurried over, checking on the stone. ¡°Little charred but alright.¡± Rick groaned. ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± Len found the knife, casting a cooling spell on it and returned to pat Rick on the shoulder. ¡°There there buddy.¡± ¡°Sometimes I hate you.¡± Len chuckled and checked the smoothly split boulder. ¡°What you doing?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Making a contract, selling you this blade for one copper.¡± ¡°A contract?¡± ¡°The stone is uncommon grade so I can carve a journeyman level contract into it selling you my blade for one copper and then you make another contract on the other stone selling it back to me.¡± ¡°Change the price to one gold. That should bump the trading into apprentice level too,¡± Rick said. ¡°Good point.¡± Len cast a reinforcing spell on the blade as he carved out words, using it as if it was a pencil. The clouds started to ball together. ¡°What happened?¡± === Skill: Masonry === Level: Journeyman (1/30) === === You have earned 10 EXP for reaching Novice === === You have earned 50 EXP for reaching Apprentice === === You have earned 100 EXP for reaching Journeyman === ¡°Hah engraving is also masonry!¡± Rick yelled as he jumped behind another wall. Why the fuck are we like this? Len picked himself up from the lightning blasts, Rick walking over to claim his stone. Len righted his stone. ¡°Looks alright at least.¡± === Len === Level: 3 === Body: 8 Mana: 3/3 Experience: 1080 === ¡°Should make carving up the stone easier,¡± Rick said. Len grunted and kept carving, it was easier at the very least. Strength was everything, without it they would just be conscripted and sent into the dungeons and then the frontlines as fodder for someone else¡¯s bullshit. I¡¯ll take a few lightning strikes to never have anyone ruling my life ever again. ¡°Think this one¡¯s good,¡± Len said. ¡°Just about,¡± Rick carved out the last few parts and turned his stone to Len. They checked one another¡¯s, amending some commas. ¡°Same time then jump away?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Could you smooth out the back of the stone? I want to try something.¡± Len held out his rock. Rick took it and took out his hammer, tapping it a few times before he struck it with force, the bottom of the stone coming away and leaving it mostly smooth. ¡°Thank you,¡± Len accepted the stone back and looked at the smooth stone face, dusting it with his hand. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°There are two kind of contracts, simple ones that lay out the terms and everyone agrees to. Then there are binding contracts that use mana to hold both parties to the terms or there will be repercussions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you had those complicated clauses. Though you can¡¯t do enchantments anymore.¡± Rick said. ¡°Well I was forced to make that contract when I was expelled for the guild.¡± ¡°Fucking pricks.¡± ¡°Yes, but they don¡¯t exist right now so that contract shouldn¡¯t affect me I hope.¡± Rick¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So you could make enchantments again?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Len nodded. They fell quiet. He¡¯d worked so hard to increase his enchanting skill. Even though he hadn¡¯t been able to use it because of the contract, it didn¡¯t stop him from being able to learn it, or being able to use the information. Len picked up his knife and started carving runes and lines into the stone before he could overthink it. Quickly an enchantment started to take shape on the stone. He checked and double checked his work. ¡°Is it complete? Its not filling with mana,¡± Rick said. ¡°Just one last line,¡± Len fiddled with his knife, then dug it into the stone. He opened his eyes, there was no resistance, nothing in his body trying to fight back. His core wasn¡¯t trying to implode. He cut the last line into the stone. Mana started to fill the enchantment, preparing for what was to come. I wasn¡¯t able to do that before. ¡°How about now, you good?¡± Rick asked. ¡°The enchantment is done but I haven¡¯t activated it yet.¡± Len said, hope rising in his chest. ¡°So, we sign them, give one another the goods and we jump away right?¡± Rick asked, holding out his contract. ¡°Yeah, that sounds right,¡± Len traded him stones and checked where the utility knife was. Rick pulled out a gold coin and dropped it back into his pocket. ¡°This is gonna suck for you a lot more than it is for me,¡± Rick started signing the stone contract. Len did the same on the contract Rick had made. === Skill: Scribe === Level: Journeyman === === You have earned 10 EXP for reaching Novice === === You have earned 50 EXP for reaching Apprentice === === You have earned 100 EXP for reaching Journeyman === The enchantment under Len¡¯s contract activated, breaking the stone even as it took hold. There was no resistance, no pain. === Skill: Enchanter === Level: Journeyman === === You have earned 10 EXP for reaching Novice === === You have earned 50 EXP for reaching Apprentice === === You have earned 100 EXP for reaching Journeyman === ¡°Quick, the knife!¡± Rick yelled, pulling out the gold coin. Len traded the gold for the knife and jumped away. === Skill: Trading === Level: Apprentice === === You have earned 50 EXP for reaching Apprentice === === Len === Level: 3 === Body: 8 Mana: 3/3 Experience: 1400 === Len cast cleanse on himself, scouring his skin clean as he looked at his smoking clothes. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Fuck you Greenwood Enchanting Guild!¡± He gave both fingers to the sky casting healing spells upon himself. ¡°It worked?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Journeyman Enchanter,¡± Len grinned at his friend. Rick¡¯s trepidation turned into a smile as he half-tackled Len, laughing and hugging him. ¡°Fuck yeah!¡± He picked Len up as if he had got the winning point as Len laughed. ¡°Alright, well we should figure out what we¡¯re going to do with this general experience before we get the hell out of here, the locals have to be confused as hell as to what¡¯s going on,¡± Rick said. ¡°I don¡¯t think that its worth using it to upgrade our skill levels. Increasing our body and Mana is the most useful,¡± Len said. ¡°Yeah, that makes sense to me,¡± Rick said. ¡°Though we know how to temper and we know how to cultivate.¡± ¡°Yes, but we don¡¯t have the time to do it right now,¡± Len said. ¡°Fair,¡± Rick said. Always body over mana. Len took the general experience adding it to this body¡¯s experience pool. He dropped to a knee as his body started to evolve, his muscles rippling as his bones became denser, his blood thicker his tendons stronger. The pain passed as he breathed out of his mouth, strength flowed through him, his vision clearer than before, a steadiness settling over him. His muscles had expanded, filling out his frame and leaving him starving. I¡¯ll eat later. === Len === Level: 3 === Body: 15 Mana: 3/3 Experience: 560 === Rick was going through his own stat increase as Len took the remaining experience and shoved it into mana. His channels started to increase in size as mana latched onto him, attempting to spread through his body, to convert to change, to demonize him. Len hissed through his teeth, it felt like acid being poured through his body. It wasn¡¯t able to get a hold as it was pulled through his channels, compressed and held within his core, becoming a part of him. His core became stronger, a clear container at the center of his being. The call radiated through him, the power that was under his command now. The desire to draw upon more. Len banished such thoughts. Mana was power, but it was also corruption. Body over mana, always. ¡°Command mana, do not become controlled by it,¡± Len said as he stood back up. He was unsteady with his newfound strength. He¡¯d gone up forty percent in as many seconds. Rick let out a sigh of relief and rose from where he crouched. There was a weight to their presence now. === Len === Level: 9 === Body: 15 Mana: 9/9 Experience: 20 === He reached out to his mana creating a blueprint of an enchantment infront of himself. ¡°Well it ain¡¯t much but it¡¯s a start.¡± ¡°Well I don¡¯t know about you but I¡¯m starving and there¡¯s only a few hours to go before we have to be back up and on the train. I¡¯m no spring chicken anymore,¡± Rick said. Len gave him a look. ¡°Well I kind of am, but I¡¯m still ancient up here,¡± Rick pointed at his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry grandpa we¡¯ll get you to bed at a reasonable time,¡± Len said. Chapter: 8 Chapter: 8 Len woke early, his newly tempered body giving him better recovery. He used a water spell to fill the pitcher, throwing in tea and using a heating spell from his hand to warm the water. ¡°Fucking ass crack of dawn,¡± Rick muttered, getting out from between his blankets. Len took out some honey and added it to the tea as Rick pushed the blankets off and sat on the edge of his bed with a grunt. Len drank from the metal pitcher, letting out a sigh. He dropped to the floor, squatting to remove any noise. Len held out the tea pitcher. Rick took it with a nod of thanks, remaining in his squat as he caffeinated. ¡°There¡¯s a bath house, shall we see if we can get washed up before we head out and grab some food to?¡± Len asked. ¡°¡¯kay.¡± Rick said. Len dressed in his clothes from yesterday all their gear was packed and ready Rick passed the pitcher back and donned his old clothes as well. Len drank some more, swirling the rest. ¡°Leaves in the bottom, you can finish it up.¡± Rick took it with a grunt and a nod of thanks, pushing the windows open. Len started pulling on his gear, sword belt and armor first. Rick threw out the leaves and little remaining water from the pitcher into the street, putting the pitcher back on the counter afterwards before he turned his attention to his gear. Len got the rest of his gear on. ¡°Its going to be hard to find creatures to kill to move our level.¡± ¡°We know places where there are stronger creatures. If we need to level we can go there.¡± Rick put on his armor and weapons. Once dressed he joined Len sitting on his bed. Len moved around, feeling the weight of the pack shifting and pulling him in different directions. It barely felt like anything at all. That was the problem as you increased your tempering and cultivation. Things that had been difficult before became so easy they were negligible. Even though he couldn''t feel the weight of the backpack, it didn''t mean that it wasn''t there. Something easily forgotten in a fight, knowing everything around oneself was essential. It was all too easy to get numb as one grew in power. Using more expensive spells, overusing one''s strength instead of using metered, measured responses. Not about how much mana you put into the spell, its how useful the outcome is. ¡°Burning daylight.¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t even risen yet to burn,¡± Rick said. ¡°Be nice when you can make some folded space gear, then don¡¯t have to lug all this crap around.¡± ¡°Hardship builds character,¡± Len started for the door. ¡°I don¡¯t think I tempered your bones enough,¡± Rick reached for his hammer. ¡°Give your pack to me, odd for a noble to carry his own stuff,¡± Len said. ¡°Very well, pack horse!¡± Rick grabbed his hammer and holstered it, grabbing up his pack and holding it out with a smile. Len put his amrs through the straps. Rick helped get it under the other pack¡¯s straps to keep it in place. Len shifted the weight. ¡°Good to go?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Ready.¡± They walked down and out of the Slumbering Willow, getting some odd looks. "What''s with them?" Rick asked. Len followed their eyes to his hip, where his sword lay. He studied them, they were ill equipped to deal with the ravages of the apocalypse, the thought stuck. "None of them have any weapons or armor. Not used to it. It was only when the apocalypse was in full swing that people started wearing them all the time.¡± ¡°Strange,¡± Rick said as they reached the bathhouse. Light flared over the city. Len pushed open the window to look out. Lightning soundlessly descended from the sky and then experience flowed in its path, draining the clouds above. ¡°Someone just leveled up their skills.¡± ¡°If they have the screens that would make sense.¡± ¡°Did they get it before we came back?¡± Len frowned. ¡°Is this different from what we remember?¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°There¡¯s lots of people with different skills, if they used them like we did then they¡¯ll get hit with a ton of experience,¡± Rick said. ¡°And enlightenment.¡± ¡°Crafters are about to become some overpowered mother fuckers. Come on, bath water¡¯s gonna get cold!¡± *** The Coiled Serpent had dozens of people milling around. A bolt of light dropped through the ceiling into the back of the smithy. Everyone looked over. ¡°I¡¯m an apprentice!¡± A man croaked from the back room. Everyone erupted into cheers. Len and Rick weaved through the people who were staring absently at screens only they could see. ¡°Hi, Ralph?¡± Len asked the man behind the counter talking to three others. ¡°Ah! They¡¯re the ones that I was trading with when the light descended on me,¡± Ralph yelled. ¡°Have you got our gear?¡± ¡°Yes, yes right away! Have you seen your screen? Just need to say stat screen?¡± Ralph asked. ¡°Y-yeah we saw it last night when we were here,¡± Rick said. ¡°Everyone that¡¯s been coming to the smithy has started seeing it and all of the smiths have been working all night to make gear, increasing their skill level.¡± Ralph laughed, a tired edge to it as he looked under the counters before snatching up the pipe bent into bracers. ¡°Here you are!¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Len grabbed up the bracers, pulling them on and tightening the leather string. Ralph hurried back to his friends as Rick pulled on his as well. A bolt of enlightenment hit a nearby food vendor across the street, slamming him into the ground as he out what had been a pastry and was now exploded over his now very-awake customer. Len and Rick hurried out of the store, trying to hit as few people as possible with their gear. He rolled his shoulder, his full backpack, messenger bag, rifle, map case and remaining gear didn¡¯t bother him. Rick was wearing his jacket under his armor plate for more padding but his Valoria Academy crest had been sowed to his left shoulder strap. They walked quickly and silence. ¡°So it looks like people just started getting screens when we showed up,¡± Len said. ¡°Kind of like when the Arrivals showed up and people nearest them started getting the screens too.¡± ¡°Gets passed to others,¡± Len said. ¡°People are about to get a lot stronger,¡± Rick said. *** More than one person yelled out ¡®stats¡¯ in the street. Kids were staring off with that blank look of someone checking their screens. It became less as they continued through the city. ¡°Freak lightning across the city, rumors that it was man-made!¡± Len picked up his pace some while not using his full strength. They walked through the station and found their platform that was already filling up with people. ¡°Where¡¯s everyone going?¡± Len asked. ¡°Goran probably, the competition attracts people from all over,¡± Rick said. He found a spot against the brick building in the middle of the platform, offering bathrooms and a store selling drinks and food. They settled into wait, people avoiding them and their armor. ¡°Eastbound train approaching!¡± a conductor yelled, moving down the platform and repeating his message, pushing people back from the edge. The train whistled in the distance, its brakes squealing as it slowed down. ¡°Move in the name of Duke Crenda!¡± a man bellowed. A dozen guards swarmed onto the platform. One holding up a crest with another on the front of his jacket. The guards split up, some pushing passengers out of the way as they got onto the train, others moving down the platform, searching. Rick backed them up against the brick pillar they were standing next to, hiding them. ¡°Why would a Duke¡¯s guards be looking for you?¡± Len asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Rick peered around the corner. ¡°Remember how I ran into a bit of trouble in Olwell¡¯s?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Len nodded. ¡°You killed them?¡± He undid the chains blocking one from the small balcony at the rear of the train that would create a bridge to another train carriage if there was one. ¡°No, they were idiots, just punched them up a bit and then they were kind enough to give us some extra funds for the experience and a few extra potions.¡± Rick put the chain back in place. Len cocked an eyebrow, then let out breath, leaning his head back against the brick wall. The train gave a whistle, conductors chivvying on the last passengers. ¡°Its going to be damn tricky, but I could bend the light,¡± Len said. The guards were stalking down the platform, checking through the carriage windows and the alcoves on the platform. ¡°You sure?¡± Rick asked. ¡°A bit of fancy work, just can¡¯t hit anything,¡± Len said. Whistles blew, the train huffing as it began building up motion. Len and Rick rocked with the motion. ¡°Alright, well,¡± Rick looked out and ducked back. ¡°Might do it soon they¡¯re nearly here.¡± Len manipulated the light around them, bending it slightly around them. It was similar to the concepts one needed to master with the spatial enchantments needed for storage devices. It snapped in space, the world around them distorting slightly, footsteps approached, two guards with their hands on their swords moved past the rear of the train. They looked right at them, then around them. ¡°Anything?¡± the leading guard yelled as he jumped off of the train. ¡°Nothing!¡± the guards next to them said, turning to look up the platform. ¡°Shit.¡± The train was starting to pick up speed. The guards moving towards the bridge turned, looking at the train as it started to get faster, the engine chugging now. They walked away, gathering up and heading for the bridge. Len released his spell. === Skill: Spell casting === Level: Journeyman (1/30) === ¡°Ah shit.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Someone yelled. Rick opened the carriage door and closed it. Experience and enlightenment slammed into Len, he took the hit, dropping slowly to his knee and gripping the metal catwalk the balcony was made from. The train was departing the station. Everyone was looking at Len as he stood back up. Rick opened the door and flipped the guards the bird. It broke them from their stupor as they cursed and started running. ¡°On the train! Stop them!¡± The train was getting good speed now, faster than the guards could catch up with. They cursed and yelled, slowing their pace as they reached the end of the platform. ¡°Well, that was exciting.¡± Rick laughed and helped Len stand up. ¡°I am really looking forward to not getting surprised by those damn skill-ups.¡± ¡°You and me both, shall we get seats?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Len looked through his stats. Every level increase cost ten times the level, so level one was ten points, level ten was one hundred. Body is 40 points away, though I can increase my mana cultivation at ten and hit a new milestone. === Len === Level: 10 === Body: 15 Mana: 10/10 Experience: 20 === The mana density within his core increased, the once pure clear space within his core touched by a drop of red vapor. === You have achieved a Red Vapor Core === The seductive power nestled in the center of his being, changes spreading through his channels, widening them. He breathed through the growing pains, giddy from the power increase. Chapter: 9 Chapter: 9 The train carriages had steadily become more packed as people joined from the stations they passed on their easterly journey. They¡¯d board, make a startled noise and their neighbors would begin to talk about their stat screens, a new interest for everyone. Thankfully it took the attention away from Len and Rick. Len watched the fields and forests they passed with a deepening frown. Fields had gone fallow, not due to an inability to grow anything. Trees, bushes, and all kinds of things had taken root. Farmers had not planted nor driven rows into the dirt. The fields were only tended close to the homes, communities, and the villages and towns they stopped at. It spoke of people too scared or unwilling to plant far from the safety of their homes. He saw it in their eyes¡ªthe fear, the worries, the stories. He heard them in the carriage. A wolf here, a deer there, creatures that moved faster than a horse and were as big as one. Glowing eyes in the darkness, the world''s forces turned against man. Now the questions were linked to the arrival of the screens. ¡°Hunting is bound to be up this year,¡± one passenger said. ¡°I heard that murder has been climbing in the cities. People killing one another for levels,¡± another admonished. Len leaned back in his seat. The killing had been rampant before the screens arrived as people understood they could kill living creatures to increase their levels and abilities. There were countless atrocities people had carried out. Both he and Rick had become quiet along their journey. Rick became steadily more tense the closer they got to Goran. "Come on." Rick stood. People shifted in the aisles, moving out of their way to take their seats as Len grabbed his packs, messenger bags and crates. Rick helped him, no longer caring about what others thought. They scooted down the aisle to the end of the train. The carriage was filled with people from all walks of life¡ªfighters, farmers, and merchants. Every spare space had been taken up with some good to sell, some pack of belongings, or a person. "Excuse me," Rick said, getting to the train door and pushing it open. The noise of the train increased as Rick stepped out onto the iron walkway at the back of the carriage. Len stepped out behind him, holding the crate''s hip height against the railing. Several carriages behind them had been turned over to supply food of different varieties as well as coal, coke, and resources that a city might run on. "I thought you lived in a small town," Len said. "Well," Rick tilted his head side to side, "kind of, I guess. Usually it''s pretty small, but when the competition starts, the population explodes. Everyone comes from the surrounding towns, villages and cities to see the fights or try their luck in it." "Why do so many people go to the competition?" Len asked. "Remember how all of those sects and guilds used competitions to get people''s attention or recruit people? This is just my family''s version of that. There are very few ways to get more power or position within Plynthia. Merchants can sell goods. Nobles can grease the right palms. The common people, they can serve in the military and gain rank and accolades. Some could even become noble retainers, allowing them to retire in luxury. Others would at least get solid pay and decent conditions. For fighters, joining the Isendia family is a sure way to make a step up in life." He leaned against the railing, looking at the fields rolling past on either side. ¡°My family has a long history of taking in people from all walks of life, teaching them how to fight properly with one another, and then leading them into battle and winning. It''s one of the reasons we''re so greatly trusted by the royal family. As our people come from all over Plynthia, it is rare for us to work against one noble''s interests in favor of another. This also means that we are regularly taking on mercenary contracts that will bring coin into Plynthia, or those that will strengthen Plynthia internally. Gives us plenty of contracts to fulfill, we''re well trusted, and we''re always in need of new fighters.¡± ¡°So its all to weed out talent?¡± ¡°Yeah, it''s one of the largest activities in the surrounding areas, which will mask our arrival and allow us to move without being known of, at least too soon," Rick said. "And why do you want your family to be kept in the dark?" Len asked. "Because my uncle is a piece of shit, and the main family are doing all they can to drive my sister and me out of here, while my grandma, the old matriarch of the family, has been in declining health ever since my mother passed away." Rick turned back to Len. "I found it odd when I was a child in my last life here how convenient it was for her to get so sick and then pass away, and how after she passed away, many in the family didn''t seem too surprised. Instead, their actions became more direct, as they ushered out myself and my sister, while filling the coffers that they then distributed amongst themselves." Something angry and terrible ignited in Rick''s eyes, a tension coiling in his body. Len had seen it before, right before Rick jumped into a fight, but that had been cold and calculated. The expression of a veteran, this, this was raw, this was emotional. "Since my mother and father passed, my grandma became invalid so our uncle looked after us as regent. He married off my sister and he used my low grades in the academy to push me from the family." Rick bit into the word, encompassing so much. ¡°The leeches that sup on the gold that comes from the blood of our fighters. My aunt¡¯s uncles and cousins. I have my own thoughts of what dear uncle Tyrus has done. Though this time I¡¯ll be able to confirm it.¡± Len didn¡¯t press. ¡°All my life he¡¯s goaded me into a duel. He pushed me constantly, shoving me in every direction to get a reaction. I might be hot headed but I¡¯m not stupid. My mother and father taught me to fight, since they passed I didn¡¯t get a single lesson. Anything I did to increase my strength my cousins would find me and bully me.¡± ¡°Keep you weak,¡± Len said. ¡°And as I got older they sent me away so I couldn¡¯t threaten him. I figured he wanted to duel me so he could remove me as a threat. Might is the core of the Isendia family. A duel is seen as an honorable way to settle issues.¡± Rick gritted his teeth. ¡°He was older and bigger, he had fighting training, but looking at it now. It was just what was able to get through his thick head. To a child though.¡± ¡°Impossible to overcome,¡± Len said. Rick grunted in agreement and watched the fields go by. The fields gave way to the city outskirts shortly afterwards, larger and larger buildings, the construction quality growing steadily better. Side rails peeled off to yards filled with silos. ¡°Why are the chimneys cold?¡± Len pointed at a set of industrial looking buildings. ¡°My uncle in his infinite misguided wisdom sold that off so that we might have more money to pay off our debts." Len nodded absently, seeing the broken down and unused warehouses and other industrial locations. "What does Goran export?" Len asked as the industrial and agricultural buildings were intersped with homes, most of them further away from the train track. "Food," Rick said, pausing. "And blood. Weapons and armor are made in other places, and the guards can maintain them to a certain extent.¡± Rick shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re nearly there.¡± He pushed himself back up to standing, tapping out a tattoo on the railing. He unlatched the chain over the stairs leading off of the carriage walkway. Holding onto a handrail, he leaned over the side, using his spare hand to cover his eyes against the wind. Len spotted training yards among the buildings, with their large open spaces and people training within them. Horses were a mix of those used for work and those used for war. Patrols moved up and down the streets. The steam engine gave out a great whistle. People returned in the streets to look over while those in the carriage started to rustle themselves. The engine started to quickly lose speed. The platform was filled with people, those to board and those to receive those disembarking. Others with carts. They reached the edge of the stone platform. Rick jumped from the stairs, landing on the platform before it had even come to a full stop. Len hurried after him, Rick already moving for the station. The place was basically uninhabited, only a few conductors on the platform that yelled in their direction, their words wiped out by the noise of the train braking. Laborers waited, eyes locked on the train, carts ready behind them. As the train settled they leapt into action, pulling open doors and dragging out crates of food as fast as possible. The passenger carriage¡¯s doors were thrown open as people flooded onto the platform. Len looked back at Rick as they entered the blocky station. It was built of thick stone with an overhanging roof that covered the platform. Three massive arches led into the station itself. The inside of the station was simple. A chalkboard was on one wall with times and directions of the train, with seats in banks along the walls and between pillars that held the ceiling aloft. The doors were mirrored on the city-side of the station, wide enough for four men to march through abreast, from street to carriage. "If there''s one thing that the family maintains, it''s roads, trains, and transport," Rick said more for himself than Len as they exited the train station into the city proper. Stalls had been shuttered and businesses closed, the city seemed almost empty. A cheer spread like a wave of noise through the streets in the distance. Rick cocked his head, squinting. ¡°They¡¯re in the main arena, must be down to quarter, or semi-finals.¡± Rick picked up his pace. ¡°I hope its not the finals already.¡± They weaved through streets, the sound of people becoming louder as they reached squares filled with people eating and drinking. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Criers on balconies were reading from sheets. Crews behind them were cranking on wheeled lines heading deeper into the city or throwing sheets into bags that were attached to other lines. ¡°What¡¯s all of that?¡± Len asked, pointing to it. ¡°As the fights are going on, people there will transcribe in short hand, and then they¡¯ll send out copies throughout the city. They throw it into bags and a series of pulleys move the messages throughout the larges squares for the criers to read out to the people. They finish reading and send it off to the next square or place a crier is located,¡± Rick said. ¡°Seems pretty ingenious,¡± Len said. ¡°Allows us to spread out the people. There was a brawl that broke out one year in the main square and people were trampled and hurt. Those further away from the city center will hear about it later, but they don¡¯t have to pay as much and they¡¯re at less risk. Plus we can have more people attending. Grandma was always one for figuring out the best way to wring a copper out.¡± The streets started to get more packed up ahead. ¡°We¡¯re getting close to the main square around the grand coliseum,¡± Rick said. People were hanging out of windows, others were at stalls and restaurants, a festival mood in the air as bands played, quieting as the criers revealed the latest fights, adding their own flair. ¡°Why are we going to the grand coliseum?¡± Len asked. "That''s where my sister will be," Rick said, an opening in the crowd allowing them to walk beside one another. "That''s where my parents met and made their debut.¡± There was a soft sadness to his voice. We aren¡¯t far enough back to save them. Len raised an eyebrow. He knew Rick¡¯s parents had died in battle, and that his Uncle had taken the regency, there was bad blood there. He''d never truly gotten the full story from Rick. Just pieces and parts here and there. Of his mother marrying a fighter, the two of them becoming unstoppable on the battlefield. When Rick''s grandma had grown sick and eventually died, the family had fairly fallen apart. The ¡®main¡¯ family behind Rick¡¯s uncle grew greedy, making their coin on the lives of others. Free of the old matriarch turned on each other in their schemes. When the apocalypse came, the house Isendia was one of the first to fall. One of the strongest military families, they were split too far apart on too many battlefields and none close enough to defend their home. There was clearly no love lost between Rick and his family. Though his sister, his sister he had adored and regretted not being there for her more. Rick pointed to the Coliseum rising out of the city. "There it is," he said. It stood some twenty meters tall, arches atop one another, a large ovaloid building. A cheer reverberated throughout the structure and reaching those beyond. Criers around the building used horns to yell out what they were seeing. ¡°This way.¡± Rick diverted for a side street. He reached a door, glanced around, holding the door he punched the lock, breaking the wood around it. Rick pushed it open and waved Len inside, closing the door and pushing the lock back into place. An earth spell fused the wood back together without any visual sign he¡¯d broken the door. ¡°This way.¡± Rick led him down into a basement, it was a large space with all kinds of barrels and food stuffs. He pointed at a barrel as tall as they were. He pulled on a pin in the side and then the spigot. The barrel¡¯s front opened revealing a hidden tunnel through it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Len said, half squatting to get through the barrel and out into a stone hewn tunnel. He could hear cheers reverberating down it. ¡°Tunnel leading into the Colosseum.¡± Rick said, closing the barrel door behind him and moving past Len. ¡°There are a lot of people that attend the fights. There are other mercenary groups coming to show off their fighting ability. Nobles and so on. Plenty of conversations are had here that few people know of.¡± The bellows and yells resounded through the amphitheater above. They were in the belly of the Coliseum now. Rick led them up a set of stairs, his eyes darting around, undoubtedly looking through the stone. ¡°We have people listening to those boxes, learn what people are planning. If you go this way." Rick pointed in the direction they were heading. "You can get to the hidden spots where you can watch the fighters in the bowels of the arena and right up to the fighting grounds." Rick continued for a while before gesturing for silence. Len nodded, keeping up after him. The murmurings of conversation and the shifting and clanging of metal doors filled the air. ¡°Time to get ready,¡± a man said. Rick paused, looking through a slit that illuminated the hallway they were in. Len peered in too. The space beyond a staging area for fighters. Built of stone with painted iron hammered into it to create divisions and rooms. Water poured constantly into a bucket below, filling and draining. Incense was heavy in the room, there were wooden training dummies, beaten up from years of use. A young woman wearing a mask over her nose and mouth stood up from where she¡¯d been sitting Her hair was hidden away under a bandanna. The woman nodded silently and fell into step behind him. "Is that her? Is that her?" Rick mumbled under his breath. Rick continued down the passageway, following the woman with his eyes. Guards opened a set of gates leading to a ramp. Len followed him. ¡°Weapons.¡± The man who¡¯d collected the fighter gestured at a rack at the base of the ramp. She drew two blades, wooden weighted things. She moved them around, testing their weight and balance. She held them out to the guard, a practiced motion. He checked them and the other female guard gestured for her to open her arms. She grabbed the fabric and checked for hidden weapons and gear, finishing after the other guard with the swords. ¡°No hidden weapons,¡± she said to the leading guard. The other guard passed the fighter her weapons. ¡°Alright, you know the drill, as soon as the gate goes up its your turn. Good luck.¡± The trio left the ramp room and closed the door behind them, locking it. ¡°Has to be her.¡± Rick let out a soft snort. The woman stalked up the ramp, stopping before the gates she rolled her shoulders, limbering up as she moved from side to side, squatting and doing knee bends. Smarter than I was at her age. Not having knee pain was a blessing the youth didn¡¯t understand. I missed you, knees. Len patted his knees, swearing that he¡¯d do right by them. Rick waved Len forward, past the slits into the fighter¡¯s quarters. A voice boomed through the arena as Rick stopped at a slit nearly knee height of the arena itself. A cheer broke through the Coliseum, distorting the announcer''s voice. Clank, clank. The gates started rising quickly, pulled by chains and gears. The woman, stepped out into the sunlight, her swords out to either side. "Not a good matchup," he mused. The woman''s opponent had a spear, giving him much greater reach than her. "Also, being from before the apocalypse times, he''d have a natural higher endurance and greater upper body strength than her." "She''s fast and nimble, that one," Rick said, chuckling to himself. "Don''t count her out just yet." There was an underlying anxiety to his words though. The spear user watched the woman closely, the two of them wholly focused on one another. She wore lighter hide armor while he had breast plate, helmet and bracers for his legs and arms. They reached the middle of the arena, slowing to a standstill. The crowd grew silent, thick with anticipation. The man burst into action, kicking up the sand of the arena. He drove his spear forward, grabbing it three quarters of the way down the shaft, giving him an even longer reach. The woman ducked under the attack, slapping the spear to the side with the flat of her blade. She went to cut in under his arms across his stomach and side, he threw out the butt of his spear, making her back away else catch it in the head, he turned, drawing the length of his spear in close and jabbed at her, holding further up the spear. She smacked to the side and jabbed at his face. He hadn¡¯t got his feet under himself and ducked his head back, unbalancing, he grimaced and threw himself backwards, committing himself to the fall. He kept his spear close to his stomach, she chased after him as he dug his feet into the ground, turning his spear, Her sword hit his chest plate as he brought his spear across his body, aiming the butt at her shoulder, she ducked under it in a feat of flexibility, his eyes widened as her sword raked across his stomach as she ran past. He staggered back with a grimace but got the space he needed to reset his feet finally and get his spear levelled with her. She turned from her dash as he jabbed at her with a series of fast and quick jabs, the spear head shifted around as she had to back up, lest she get hit. ¡°One more hit,¡± Rick said from beside Len. The woman ran forward with the spear as he drew it back, the spearman¡¯s eyes focused. She threw her left sword at his head, he raised his spear to knock it away. She dropped to the ground and kicked both of her feet into his ankle, he threw out his spear so he wouldn¡¯t fall on it and braced with his hands. He landed on the ground, the dull clack of wood on steel was the bell for the cheers that erupted from the crowds around the arena. The woman removed her weapon, the spearman blowing away sand. She stood up and reached down. He pushed himself around and took her hand, rising to his feet. He said something to her with a grimace. She must¡¯ve said something back as he chuckled and shook his head before picking up his spear. ¡°Black thorn will advance onto the Semi-finals!¡± The crier for the arena yelled out, the cheers continuing. The woman glanced up at the arena. Len followed her gaze to a box, the Isendia crest carved into the balcony before it. In the center behind the main seats sat a man wearing armor. He wore it as someone familiar with it, but not used to its purpose. His skin that of one that spent his time indoors, no ruddy tan of one that spent his time outside. Not like the elder man to the side of the box. One playing at being a veteran, the other a veteran to his bones. The fop in the main seat laughed with another of his family, toasting them and drinking deeply. Paying little attention to the fight itself. He had the same sharp features of the others in the box. They had the bearing of nobles. Like the achievements of their forefathers has something to do with their own ability. The woman grabbed up her sword, shaking off the sand, she raised it, getting another cheer before she stalked off across the sand to another gate that was opening for her. "Has to be her,¡± Rick tapped Len''s shoulder and moved back down the corridor they¡¯d come through. ¡°This way." Len let out a sigh, adjusted his crates and followed. Looks like I did become the noble¡¯s pack horse. Rick led him through different corridors, pausing every so often before continuing, getting Len thoroughly confused. Finally, Rick held up his hand, indicating for them to move forward stealthily. They moved without a whisper of voice or rustle of clothing. Beyond, Len could hear the noise of the fighting. They turned a corner. ¡®Black Thorn¡¯ had removed her headscarf and lowered her mask, watching through a slit identical to the one Len and Rick had been using. Rick leaned carefully against a wall, crossing his arms and hitching his knee up to look the picture of non-chalance. "Well, look here. Got a little mouse in the walls." The woman fairly jumped at the noise, whipped around into a fighting stance and drew a hidden dagger from her belt. Her wariness turned into confusion as she rose out of her crouch, looking at Rick against the wall and Len holding the two crates in his hands. "Rick?" she asked. "My heart aches," Rick panned, clutching his chest. "For my dear sister does not even know my face." He held his face, his head as if he were some extravagant actor, pushing off of the wall She rolled her eyes, standing up straight and slipping the dagger away. "What the hells are you doing here? I thought you''d be halfway to another country by now, seeing all of the hell you raised at the academy." She tilted her chin towards the emblem on his chest. "Well, the reason''s a bit more complicated. You''re excited," Rick said, pushing himself away from the wall and opening his arms. "But how about a hug for your big brother?" She rolled her eyes, but abided, giving him a hug. Rick squeezed her tight, holding her firm. "I''ve missed you," he said in a quiet voice. Lynn could see the bewildered tilt of her head. For her, it had only been a few weeks since she''d seen her brother last. For Rick, it had been nearly a hundred and twenty-five years. "Is something wrong?" she asked. "You could say that," Rick tilted his head to the side. "Though, well, we''ve got a plan for that at least." Rick looked back at Len. "Something of one at least." ¡°Work in progress,¡± Len shrugged "And this is?" Rick''s sister asked. "Oh. This here is Lenny. Or Len. Or Leonard. Depends on what you want to call him and how you''re feeling in the day." Rick walked over and clapped Len on the shoulder. Len took in a deep breath. "Len will do just fine." He held out a hand, balancing the crates under the arm of the other. ¡°Umm.¡± Lydia shook his hand, confused, trying to piece something together. Len gave her a genuine smile. "I''ve heard quite a lot about you." "Quite a lot about me, huh?" She looked at Rick in askance. He just shrugged. She looked distracted. ¡°You get a screen update?¡± Rick asked. ¡°I¡¯m not hallucinating? I didn¡¯t think I got hit in the head that hard.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to say it a dozen times, we¡¯ll talk about it when we¡¯re with Grandma. Come on.¡± Rick led, Lydia followed him, with Len trailing after her, as Rick walked them through the belly of the Coliseum. "I see you''re still going with the two swords style.¡± "Okay then and of course I am. I''m fast and nimble. You said it, mom said it, Grandma too. Heck, even Everett said it. ¡°I remember. I was there," Rick said. ¡°Getting a compliment from the old sword, a feat in and of itself.¡± Rick¡¯s voice became distant before snapping to the current. "You have to remember you won''t always be the fastest person out there. The nimblest one. You''ve got to train till you can feel them coming from behind you, from beside you. From every blind angle you can read every attack.¡± "How am I going to do that?" Lydia said sarcastically, crossing her arms. "Grow eyes in the back of my head?" "There''s a way," Rick said. "I feel you''re getting cryptic in your old age, brother." Lydia threw her hands out in exasperation, dropping them to her hips. Rick let out a laugh. Len joined in too. "How close you are with that little sister of mine," Rick said, walking past her, and patting her on the shoulder. "So did you watch my fight?" she asked. "I did," Rick said. Lydia¡¯s grin deepened. ¡°He¡¯s the beast spearman seen in five years they say!¡± "A tricky match up for sure, though you pulled it off in style." Rick turned his head, not breaking his pace he winked. Lydia''s face spread into a big grin. ¡°Though you¡¯re going to need more than that to win against your last two opponents,¡± Rick said. ¡°You been looking into my opponents? Aww you care,¡± Lydia cooed. Rick reached a doorway, flicking open a peephole in to check beyond. Glancing to both sides, he flicked it closed, opening the door. All three filed out, Lydia closing the door behind Len. In a few turns, they exited the Coliseum, returning to the afternoon sun. "So why are you back here?" Lydia asked. "To sort out things I left unfinished," Rick said. ¡°Wait, what is the Mana Integration System? Why can I see pages in the air?¡± ¡°I said that I¡¯d tell you when we reached Grandma,¡± Rick sighed. ¡°There¡¯s numbers for my body and mana?¡± ¡°Uhh huh,¡± Rick entertained her. ¡°Says I¡¯m level zero and that I have seven in body?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone else that,¡± Rick said. ¡°Your stat screen tells you how strong you are. Body is an overall stat that combines your strength, speed and such. Mana is how much mana you can store within your body and is related to how fast you recover it. Hold your questions till we reach Grandma.¡± Chapter: 10 Len followed Rick as they wandered through Goran, delving deeper into the city. They passed other arenas and various celebrations happening throughout the streets. None of it seemed to touch Rick, who was determined in his footsteps. Lydia realized that Rick was avoiding her questions, so she turned her gaze onto Len. "So, Len, how did you come to work for my brother?" she asked. Rick chuffed out a laugh. "Well, when we first met," Len began, casting his mind back, "I think Rick was trying to get a job. He had none of the people skills necessary to do so, but he did have some of the required skills. So, I talked someone into giving him a bit of instruction, which turned into a budding friendship over the years." "Or something like that," Rick interjected. "Uh-huh." Lydia nodded, her expression indicating that she didn''t understand a single thing either of them had said. Rick left the sidewalk moving towards a two-story home separated from its neighbors by manicured bushes and a wrought-iron fence. "Here we are.¡± ¡°Young Master Rick?" A guard behind a gate questioned as Rick approached. "Hey there. How are you doing?" Rick asked. "I''m doing well, sir," the guard replied, opening the gate. "Is Everett on the property?" Rick asked. "As always. Wherever Matriarch Isendia is, he is," the guard responded, a note of respect and sadness in his voice. Rick continued walking towards the house. "Is she in the drawing room?" he asked, raising his voice. "I think so," the guard yelled back. "Thank you. Get Everett to meet me where she is," Rick instructed, he hadn¡¯t broken his stride. Len could feel he was barely holding himself back from running. Len and Lydia followed him. As he continued to study the building. "There she is." Rick''s pace quickened as he pushed open the double doors of the sprawling mansion. He moved through the lower floors, taking steps four at a time to the second floor. Must¡¯ve used mana sight to pick her out. Servants and guards were startled as he weaved a path among them, reaching an ornate pair of carved doors. He raked back his hair, braced himself fixed a smile to his face and threw them open. Inside was a small library with an old woman sitting in a chair, watching the world go by outside her window. She barely flinched as the doors were flung open. "Hello, Grandma, how are you doing?" Rick asked as he strode over to her, a swagger in his step. Slowly, she tilted her head, lifting it to stare at her grandson. Her voice was papery and thin as she tried to say something. "Don''t worry, Grandma, we''ll have you feeling better in no time," Rick reassured her, patting her hand. He looked over at Len and started taking off his packs. "Lydia, door." Rick studied his grandma. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Lydia asked, closing the door. "We''re going to open Grandma''s mana gates, give her a jolt of the old cultivation and tempering, and that should be enough to..." Rick paused, frowning. "Poison," he said with granite certainty. Len felt the room grow oppressive, Rick¡¯s anger bleeding through his domain. "Yeah, her body''s ravaged with it. Deposits throughout her bloodstream. The buildup in the organs. It''s gotten into her bones." Rick took a deep breath, holding his grandma''s hand tight. "What do you mean, poison?" Lydia asked. "Do you find it kind of convenient how Grandma got sick after Mom died? How everything started going to shit right afterwards? How the rest of the family turned their backs on us and on her?" Rick asked. "I..." Lydia trailed off, lowering her head and gritting her teeth. Frustration radiated from her. "Well, don''t worry," Rick said. "We''ll get that sorted out soon enough. It actually might be a boon to us. It''s ravaged her body so much and left her in a rather terrible state. The way you increase your body stat is by tempering the body. Her body is in a bad state so healing that damage should make her automatically stronger. Her rate of recovery should be impressive." Rick opened up his pack and pulled out a stamina and healing potion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Lydia asked. ¡°Easier to show you,¡± Rick said, holding his Grandma¡¯s hands and pressing his thumbs to the base of her palms. Len sensed the mana condensing, directed by Rick. "Here we go." Twin cracking noises, like a plate dropped on a floor, filled the room as Rick''s grandma breathed in suddenly, her back arching as she pushed against the rear of her chair. Each gate would increase the rate she could gather mana by twenty percent. Rick grabbed her head, pressing his thumb just above her brow. Another cracking noise rang out as the mana turned turbulent within the formation. Going all out. "All right, Grandma, listen to me," Rick said, holding her head so she could fixate on him. Her eyes were clearer than they had been when they entered, her body shuddering. "I''ve opened three of your mana gates. Mana is what you can feel rushing through your body right now, and it¡¯s moving according to your thoughts.¡± Rick shook her. ¡°You need to breathe. ¡°Inhale the mana, draw it through your channels and into your chest, down into your stomach, and let it settle in your dantian. That¡¯s the open space you can feel at the core of your being. Exhale and condense the mana, then repeat, okay?" She gave a faint, jerky nod as the mana started to settle down. Len watched with his mana sight eyes, seeing the mana pass through her channels and into her core, building there until it condensed into a white vapor core. A ripple of power ran through her body and the surrounding area, impurities pushing out of her pores as her channels spread throughout her body further. Rick made a grasping motion with his hand, wicking away the impurities into a condensed ball, that he set alight. "Good, good. All right, now the second part is we need to finish the tempering of your body. What I want you to do is guide the mana to where you feel pain throughout your body, everywhere that it feels wrong." Rick grabbed the stamina potion. "It all feels wrong, boy," she said, her voice weak as she closed her eyes. Lydia took in a shocked breath as Rick grinned. ¡°Drink this.¡± She took it feebly, Rick helped her as she drank the potion, her eyes widening with energy. ¡°Good.¡± Rick put the potion bottle to the side, grabbing the healing potion. ¡°This will make the tempering faster.¡± He started to help her but she took over as impurities flowed from her pores, her wasted frame added tone and her sagging skin tightened. Her hair gained color, going from white, to grey and then brown. Rick scraped away the impurities from the poison and burned them as he had done before. Her skin started to become firmer, taking on a flushed glow instead of a pallid one. Her breathing came easier as well. Instead of labored and wheezing, it was strong and deep. She filled her lungs fully, pulling in manna as she did so. This continued for several minutes before she let out a breath, opening her eyes. She put the potion bottle back on the table, without the shaking of before. "Well, Rick, it seems you learned something in the big city after all," she said with a wry grin. "Ah, a thing or two here and there." Rick grinned. His grandma let out a cackle, standing up and wrapping Rick in a hug. "Ah, it''s good to see you, boy." "And you too, Grandma," Rick said with a thick voice. ¡°Been a while since I¡¯ve used my legs,¡± she said, shaking them out and using Rick as support. "Grandma?" Lydia asked. "Come here, kiddo." Grandma opened her arm, waving Lydia forward. She ran to her grandma with tears in her eyes, latching onto both her and her brother. Well, this is awkward. Len rested his hand on the hilt of his sword as the door opened into the room. An elderly gentleman stepped through, his eyes taking in the room, analyzing everything and everyone within a second. Decent fighter. He was old as well, and it was the old fighters that one worried about. They¡¯d lasted and survived. His hair had gone white long ago, his mustache holding onto some remnant of gray coloring. The sword on his hip was simple and heavy, his armor similar. The kind that was used by a fighter, not by some parading centerpiece. His stiff expression faltered as his steps jerked to a stop, his eyebrows tried to dance across his face, his mouth opening and closing like a guppy. "I always thought you were unflappable," Rick said as the trio released one another. "Everett," Rick''s grandma said with a note of affection. "Lady Isendia," Everett said half question, half confusion, bowing to her. "Close the damn door, will ya? The draft''s getting in." She waved at the man. "Yes, ma''am." He jumped up, closing the door behind him. "Haven''t I told you a thousand times not to call me that?" she said, walking around the room, pressing her hands to her back and cracking her spine. "God, that feels good. Damn legs all half-numb. Every day, all day, sitting in that hard-ass chair." She stopped before she reached the window, her lips pressing together in thought. "All right, first things first. Rick, what the heck did you just do to me?" Everett turned his head to Rick. Lydia as well. This should be entertaining. Len crossed his arms, settling in for the show. "Well, uh..." Rick stared at the ceiling, trying to find the words to put together. "So, there''s mana in the world, and you can use that mana to do different things, like heal the body and increase cultivation.¡± "And how did you learn about this?" his grandma asked. "A lifetime of study?" Rick shrugged. His grandma looked at him, really looked at him. "Something''s different, isn''t it? You''re Rick, but you''re different. Not in the way that one might be if they went off to school and found out information, but you have a weight to you, a weight of time, something that you find in old nobles and those who have seen a thing or two." "I don''t know about that." Rick laughed off his grandma''s words, waving it away. "Just picked up a few things along the way," Rick said. His grandma raised an eyebrow, clearly not accepting it. "Then there''s you." She turned her gaze on Len. "You''re like him. You''re young, on the outside at least. But you hold yourself as someone that''s seen combat before, someone that''s seen how things can go wrong in a moment''s notice. You have a bearing about you, a weight to you. You''re also restrained, holding back. It reminds me of a dog trying to pick up an egg in their mouth, holding back all of the strength in their jaws, tightly controlling even the minute movements of their body." She lowered her gaze to her hand, opening it, and then closing it. She pressed up onto her toes, and then rocked back to her heels. "You''ve both done this." It was a statement, not a question. As she looked at the two of them, "You''ve done a lot of this. My body is stronger than it''s ever been before, even in my prime. Not just this mana stuff, but physical strength." She squinted at them both, he could see he trying to gauge the difference between them. ¡°You said she was a sharp one,¡± Len said. Rick sighed and rubbed the back of his head. She moved over to a table, grabbing the leg and picking it up in one arm. Everett had made a half-step forward as if to protect her from the weight she''d picked up while Lydia covered her mouth in surprise. "My lady?" Everret asked in a strained voice, that seemed to ask ¡®can you not do that for my health and sanity¡¯ with the added resignation of one that knew it was going to happen again no matter what he said. Yup, Definitely Rick¡¯s Grandma. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "Oh, sorry, Everett," Grandma said, lowering the table back down to the floor. "Just a little test of mine." She gave him a smile, and then looked back to Rick and Len. "Everett could you make sure that we¡¯re not disturbed. Rick I have questions for you.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± He opened the door, talking to someone outside before he closed the door and locked it. "So, Rick, are you going to introduce us?" Grandma asked, gesturing to Len. "Grandma, this is Len. Len, this is Grandma. Len... How do I explain this? Len''s been my best friend for the last a hundred and fifteen years or so?" Rick trailed off. Lydia snorted. "That sounds about right." Len nodded. He looped his thumbs into his sword belt. I guess this is happening. First person they¡¯d opened the gates of, or taught cultivation and how to temper their bodies. "One hundred and fifteen years," Grandma repeated. "Well, I guess you have some story to tell then. Len, please call me Carolyn." She moved to the bar cart and pulled the stopper off of a snifter. She smelled it, grimaced and then shrugged. ¡°Not the best but it¡¯ll work. Better than the swill that Rickson made from foodscraps out the back of a supply wagon.¡± She held up the snifter to Rick and Len. ¡°Drink?¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Rick said. ¡°Wait, you believe them?¡± Lydia asked. ¡°Yes I do,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Len?¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°So, a hundred and fifteen years?¡± she asked, giving them all healthy pours, pausing and then topping them up some more. She waved them to a set of chairs and picked up the glasses. Lydia and Everett sat. ¡°Well you don¡¯t look a hundred and fifty,¡± Lydia said. ¡°Thanks, I clean up pretty good,¡± Rick grinned as he off his pack and his armor, Len followed suit, then took a seat on the couch, accepting a drink. Rick let out a sigh of appreciation as Carolyn sat last. ¡°Far as I can guess we travelled back in time before mana and the system is widespread. Mana is spreading through the world, it is essentially a chaotic energy that you can control as you get stronger. Now you¡¯ve been around us you should be able to call up your stat screen and get notifications. Which you can see by saying ¡®stat screen¡¯.¡± ¡°Stat screen.¡± Carolyn blinked and looked around at things she could only see. ¡°Stat screen,¡± Everett said. ¡°Grandma you should have a mana of one now that I¡¯ve opened up your mana gates, channels are basically a second set of veins that mana passes through to the core at the center of your being. I opened one of Lydia¡¯s mana gates so she should have a mana score of one too, Everett should have zero unless he opened a mana gate.¡± Rick watched them to check they were following along. Nice stuff. Len drank. ¡°Everything runs off of experience, there is body, mana, skill and general experience. You temper your body and it¡¯ll increase your body experience, cultivate mana your mana experience goes up, improve your skills, your skills go up. General experience you get from activities you perform, like killing or making something or improving your overall skills. General experience you can use to ¡®top up¡¯ skills, body and mana. Though you can¡¯t improve a skill past master with general experience alone.¡± Rick said. ¡°Always build up your body first then your mana,¡± Len said. ¡°Why?¡± Lydia asked. ¡°Mana is chaos, if the body is too weak then it will start to alter it, mutate it,¡± Rick said. ¡°Your body contains mana, it gives you will over it. Mana looks to change, corrupt and empower,¡± Rick drank, his eyes hooded as memories took him elsewhere. ¡°If you have say ten body and five mana you¡¯ll be seen as a level five, if you have ten body and ten mana you¡¯ll be level ten. The screens and the system reward you for doing acts that will give order to the chaos.¡± ¡°What is experience?¡± Carolyn asked. ¡°Not really sure,¡± Rick shrugged. ¡°Some people say that it is true experience. The more you do the more you earn. A numerical value of what you¡¯ve accomplished.¡± ¡°Killing or creating can earn you it?¡± Everett asked, a weight behind his voice. ¡°Yes,¡± Rick said. ¡°So we are to expect people to start killing things in order to get stronger?¡± Everett¡¯s voice hardened. ¡°There are about a dozen skills related to killing, there are many more that are not as destructive,¡± Len said. ¡°Simply farming would earn you more experience. Every chicken you kill will earn you lets say a point of experience. Same goes for harvesting a kilogram of wheat. You harvest say two hundred kilograms of wheat from an acre-.¡± ¡°¡ªThree hundred at least,¡± Len interjected. ¡°-Three hundred even! That¡¯s three hundred general experience points and you increase your farming skill. Which means that you¡¯ll grow higher quality, higher yield wheat faster the next year,¡± Rick said. ¡°You get an imbalance where those that work on their crafting, or production skills are going to earn a lot more experience than fighters, unless they¡¯re fighting massive creatures,¡± Len said. ¡°Now it can get a little funny with the skills. If you¡¯re raising lets say common grade wheat, you¡¯ll get the general experience, though that will only raise your skill level to Journeyman. You¡¯ll need to grow Uncommon grade wheat to reach Expert. Though you could use the general experience to push yourself higher you¡¯re doing twice the work for half of the reward,¡± Rick said. ¡°So you have to do harder tasks to increase your skill¡¯s experience, is it the same with body and mana?¡± Carolyn asked. ¡°Yes, you need to temper your body more to increase its strength, or draw in more mana for longer to increase your cultivation,¡± Rick said. ¡°What happened with me?¡± Carolyn asked. ¡°Poison attacked your entire body. I healed you, effectively tempering your body, and opened your mana gates so you could passively draw in mana. Kind of gave me an idea for how to temper people passively. You¡¯ve got some more healing to do, which you can do by infusing mana into your body or by using healing spells. You can also cultivate mana as your body is highly tempered.¡± Carolyn looked like she had several more questions, pushing them to the side as she leaned forward. ¡°What happens with the family?¡± ¡°Infighting weakens everything to the point its mostly fallen apart. Most of our fighting forces are deployed to earn more money for the main family and so they can¡¯t be used to support one side or the other. Beast wave tears through Goran. Isendia is a name cursed by those who know it. Some of the forces band together and create guilds.¡± Rick said. That left them all in silence. Smooth, no bombshells at all. ¡°Anyway with the density of mana increasing, once it reaches a certain density it will precipitate the apocalypse,¡± Rick said. ¡°And what happens with this apocalypse?¡± Everett asked. Rick searched for the words. ¡°Mountains crumble and rise,¡± Len said. ¡°Storms that will change the landscape completely ravage the world. Dungeons appear, beasts get stronger and attack towns and cities. Nations will fall and city states will become the basis of power.¡± Len sipped on his glass. Carolyn looked at him then back to Rick. ¡°Not alarming at all.¡± Rick shrugged. ¡°You are sure,¡± Everett said. ¡°Yes,¡± Len said. ¡°That connecting to network. I think that¡¯s a countdown to the apocalypse.¡± Everett looked at Carolyn. ¡°I trust their words.¡± She drained the rest of her drink. ¡°Then we will need to prepare,¡± Everett said. ¡°Gather up what you have, we¡¯re going to head to Len¡¯s family and then Velkaris,¡± Rick said. Best place to find a buyer for the mana stone and get the supplies we need. ¡°Velkaris?¡± ¡°The strategist?¡± Rick asked. Len nodded. ¡°There is someone there that will know how to sell the product we have.¡± ¡°Velkaris was built as a bastion city centuries ago. It is setup next to the Myrhal river. With the locks and the rail system it was bypassed, falling in status. Criminal syndicates now rule most of the city,¡± Carolyn looked between them. ¡°In the future it is known as a city that has everything and anything for sale. Their auctions were the thing of legends. If you want to sell something, you¡¯d go there,¡± Len said. ¡°What did you two do in your future past?¡± ¡°Dungeoneers,¡± Rick said. ¡°We¡¯d go into every dangerous place we could find to pluck out the precious goods and then sell them on to survive.¡± ¡°Have you heard of Lucius Valtren?¡± Len asked. Carolyn frowned, weighing the name. ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°No one knew of the strategist before he revealed himself as the king of Velkaris,¡± Rick said. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to head to the city to find the king of fence,¡± Len said. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯ll move to the city,¡± Rick said. ¡°Goran is our home,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Hasn¡¯t been for most of my life. It will fall, Velkaris holds,¡± Rick said. ¡°Your grandfather established our home here.¡± ¡°Land is dead, people are living,¡± Rick¡¯s voice dropped and his eyes turned flat. ¡°Do not let pride blind you to realities.¡± Lydia looked between them in confusion. Carolyn turned her attention on Len. ¡°Where are your family, Len?¡± ¡°South, outside Warwick. They¡¯re farmers.¡± ¡°How do we prepare for what¡¯s to come?¡± Carolyn asked. Len weighed her with his gaze and then looked at Rick. Rick gave him a tilt of his head that said of his complete trust in her. ¡°How do we prepare for what¡¯s to come?¡± Carolyn asked. Rick looked at Len. ¡°You have fields around you, though you¡¯re importing a lot of food from other places. That tells me you have a population higher than what the surrounding land can supply. Based on what I saw in your fields, your fighting forces have been deployed away from your lands, leaving your own farms undefended.¡± Len glanced over, Carolyn didn¡¯t make to argue, waiting on him. ¡°You used to have industry but it is gone. You will need a steady supply of metals, iron, steel, copper to start. There are no mines in the surrounding areas or easily accessible. You will have to import it which will be a great expense.¡± Len leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. ¡°You¡¯ll have to build up defenses around the city, bring everyone under a single leadership. The son that¡¯s running it is useless as soon as the apocalypse starts.¡± ¡°The brains of the outfit,¡± she said. ¡°Hey!¡± Rick complained. ¡°You might know new things but you¡¯re still my Rick. Though you are too focused on a singular path, one that makes logical sense, but does not take into account the people that would be involved.¡± She intertwined her fingers and leaned forward on her armrests. ¡°If you were to control Goran completely what would you do?¡± ¡°Agriculture needs to be sorted out first, its your greatest strength here. You don¡¯t have mines for many raw materials so would need to build up a massive stock of those. Your city is wide open to attacks, you don¡¯t have any walls. Need to make this a defensive position.¡± Len grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of work.¡± Carolyn¡¯s eyes became distant, looking at her screens. ¡°Not much time at all, two growing seasons and bringing all those troops back is going to thin out our harvest and increase the size of our defenses.¡± Carolyn drank from her glass absently. ¡°Skills will help. Farmers will produce more, builders will build faster. Another benefit of the stat screens,¡± Rick said. ¡°They just do what they¡¯ve done before and it¡¯ll do better?¡± Carolyn asked. Len nodded. ¡°How does it work?¡± ¡°Read that question a kilometer away,¡± Rick said. ¡°You perform the skill multiple times and your skill level goes up till you reach a new grade, there¡¯s Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert, Master and so on. When reaching Apprentice you get a right kicking of information¡ªcalled enlightenment that teaches you your flaws and how you can make something of a higher grade. Then you grind out more of the activity and you get a higher grade.¡± ¡°Good thing is that you probably have people that have a high grade in a certain skill,¡± Len said. ¡°They just need to get a screen, use their skill with the right materials and recipe they¡¯ll be good.¡± ¡°Get the fucking shock of their life,¡± Rick muttered. Len shrugged in a ¡®you¡¯re not wrong¡¯ gesture. ¡°Still, it is a lot of work,¡± Len said. ¡°We have some forty-thousand souls in this city, that is a lot of bodies to throw at any project. If we¡¯re able to increase their strength as well¡­¡± Carolyn trailed off. Len nodded, but held his words. ¡°This sounds nice, and I hate to be this person. Though you are not in power anymore, Rick¡¯s Uncle is and its clear he wouldn¡¯t be interested in this kind of thing. Also from what Rick told me, you don¡¯t have much in the way of material wealth remaining at this time period. Also you¡¯ve lost all the skilled workers and you¡¯re far from the mines, how will you get those things?¡± ¡°I will deal with Rick¡¯s uncle, as for workers and the materials, that is an easier problem to resolve than you¡¯d think. How much of our history do you know?¡± ¡°Knight family that went from village to town to city, raising a military force of mercenaries through competition and on your travels. Then Rick¡¯s uncle took it over and things started going to shit,¡± Len said. ¡°War and fighting is a brutal thing, it maims, it orphans and it widows. Those that are left behind are usually forgotten. The wealth of the city was built on the blood and bones of our fighters, the city itself was built by the sweat and tears of those that waited for them. The city is very martial in nature, there are not an abundance of jobs in areas that are not around fighting. There are plenty that were raised, lived in or had loyalty to Goran. People that went off to be boilermakers, miners, carters, scientists. We did not have the jobs for them, but if we were to open up the opportunity? Would they not look to help the city that they saw as home?¡± Len finished off his drink and held it on the armrest. ¡°You will need a great amount of wealth to complete all of this.¡± ¡°There is more fighting happening than ever just adding to the coffers.¡± Her eyes hardened. ¡°I¡¯ll have a reckoning with the accountants and every copper that my family took will be returned. Even if their greedy hands have to come with the coin.¡± ¡°So, you offer a city that does not have walls, that¡¯s farms are failing, few skilled workers and that fell the last time you tried this, compared to a city that we know will become the commerce center of this side of the world, has the walls and fighters to get through the fighting just needs the food.¡± ¡°Why not both?¡± Carolyn asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Len asked. ¡°Cities, nobles, kingdoms will work together right now if there is a way to benefit. You say that they need food? We just need to make enough food to support ourselves and get them on our side. We can start reaching out to the groups we know there and entice them to join us,¡± Carolyn smiled. Len frowned. ¡°If they attack us, they lose their access to food and then others would attack them for turning on us. We are within Plynthia.¡± ¡°And when it falls?¡± Rick asked. ¡°We make sure that the bonds are so tight between us that no one would break the deal. Here you have the backing of your name ¡°Contracts,¡± Len said. Rick held his chin in thought. ¡°Contracts?¡± Lydia asked. ¡°Not your normal kind, these ones bind those that sign them.¡± Len said. ¡°Though Lucius will not be easy to deal with.¡± ¡°So will you consider keeping your base of operations here in Goran?¡± Carolyn asked. ¡°I would need to see a concerted effort from the leadership of Goran, a new one and soon. We do not have the time to waste,¡± Rick said. ¡°My uncle will never support this.¡± Carolyn¡¯s expression showed a flicker of sadness before it darkened. ¡°I have plans regarding that.¡± ¡°What is your plan here?¡± Len asked. ¡°I will need some time, at least till the end of the competition. I¡¯ll play my part of frail old lady while Lydia wins the fight. I need to gather more information, bring back those that are loyal. Then we¡¯ll clear out the detritus and give ourselves a fresh start.¡± She looked at Len. Rick was the one to shake his head. ¡°We rushed over here as fast as we could, tomorrow we¡¯ll leave for Warwick and Len¡¯s family.¡± Len caught Rick¡¯s eye, giving him a solemn nod of thanks. ¡°Everett can you organize a group of loyal fighters to go with them?¡± Carolyn asked. ¡°Our people under arms are being watched. There are some veterans we can call on though only about half a squad¡¯s worth are combat capable,¡± Everett grimaced. ¡°Why so few?¡± Len asked. ¡°Most were injured in some manner. They are the eyes and ears within the city and still loyal but they are unable to take up arms.¡± Everett¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Tyrus believes that he is the smartest person in Goran and the family. Thinks he is playing everyone. He¡¯s not good with a blade which is why he keeps your eldest uncle Andreas at his side. He doesn¡¯t see cripples and the wounded as a threat.¡± Len snorted and looked at Rick who grinned. ¡°As long as their head¡¯s still attached and their heart is beating we can help them recover¡ªfully.¡± Everett leaned forward on his knees. ¡°Fully?¡± ¡°People with a high level in body can heal from most non mortal wounds by themselves. They might need a lot of food but they can also regrow limbs,¡± Len said. ¡°We can speed that up with spells and potions. Though we only have a few of them and we don¡¯t yet have ingredients that we would need to make more,¡± Rick added. Carolyn and Everett looked at one another having a conversation by expression alone. ¡°That will make it much easier to put together a group that can help you. Could get more than a squad¡¯s worth to assist you. If you can heal them.¡± Everett glanced outside the window. ¡°I will have to see when a train will be heading Warwick¡¯s way tomorrow and start rounding up people to help.¡± ¡°We¡¯re also going to need some supplies for a skill-up which¡¯ll strengthen them rapidly,¡± Rick said. ¡°Give them what we can,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°I¡¯ll go as well,¡± Lydia said. ¡°If you were to go then questions would be raised and suspicion would swell. We do not need that right now. We need your Uncle focused on the competition and thinking he has things well in hand. Those who are overly confident make the largest mistakes,¡± Carolyn said. There was a hurried knock at the door. ¡°Yes?¡± Everett said. ¡°There is someone from the main family here to escort lady Carolyn to the family dinner.¡± The guard from the front gate said, sounding like he¡¯d sprinted all the way. ¡°Very well I will bring her out in a moment,¡± Everret said. ¡°Delay them if you must Oscar.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Oscar sounded like he was preparing himself as his footsteps retreated back along the path he¡¯d taken. ¡°Lydia, take Len and Rick off to the guest wing. Does anyone else know of my condition?¡± Carolyn asked. ¡°No,¡± Everett said. ¡°Good, lets keep it that way. We¡¯ll let them cart me around like some totem to ward off evil but this time I¡¯ll be listening instead of trying to fight off sleeping.¡± Carolyn stood and stretched. ¡°I hate the damn wheelchair. Get a cushion next time, will you?¡± She and walked over to the wheelchair. ¡°Everett.¡± Rick stood and waved him forward. ¡°Give me your hands.¡± Everett held out his hands. Rick pressed his thumbs to his wrists, mana contracted around Everett as he drew a breath in. ¡°Compress it and draw it into your core.¡± Rick held him and pressed his thumb to Everett¡¯s head. Len waved Lydia forward as he stood. She quickly put her hands in his. It took a bare flicker of mana to break through her gates. She started to draw in mana and compress it. ¡°Slow and steady now,¡± Len said. ¡°Breathe in compress and compile.¡± Len paused, checking what she was doing before he continued, opening the gate in her forehead. He waited for the changes to stabilize before he compressed mana and drove it into the gate in her right foot, then after a few minutes moving to the left foot. Len put a hand on her shoulder to steady her, she gave him a nod of thanks. ¡°You now know how to guide mana through your bodies. If you circulate it through your body when you¡¯re injured you¡¯ll recover faster, you can also use it to increase your overall strength,¡± Rick said. Len moved over to his gear, pulling it on, he tossed Rick his pack. ¡°Alright,¡± Everett said. ¡°Make it back before the last day of the competition,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Do our best,¡± Rick said. ¡°I want you there.¡± Carolyn held his eyes. Rick shrugged. ¡°We can roll the dice. I¡¯ll try my best but I don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll be headed into.¡± Carolyn pinched her lips together, it was not the answer she was looking for. ¡°We¡¯ll need that list of supplies as soon as possible. Lydia get them down to the guest wing.¡± Lydia bobbed her head, before jogging to the door and poking her head through to check the other side. She waved for Len and Rick to follow her. ¡°Bring in the guests!¡± Everett called from the door. Chapter: 11 Chapter: 11 Len finished penning the list on his bedroom¡¯s table, handing it to Rick. The room was opulent, a full bed, with a mattress, clean sheet and could fit two people sprawled out, a separate room with a bathtub and hearth to warm ready water. ¡°Yeah that should work,¡± Rick handed the list to Lydia. ¡°One boulder, one high grade piece of parchment, two bandages, spices, butter and eggs, five chickens or pigeons each. They should be equipped with a weapon they are familiar with, including a rifle and fifty rounds. You¡¯ll also need at least five chisels, pens with ink, pans, axes and a knife set.¡± She looked up with a perplex look. ¡°Should have rations, canteen and armor of course,¡± Rick said. Lydia folded up the paper and slipped it into a pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll pass it onto Everett.¡± She half-stepped forward toward Rick. ¡°So you¡¯re like really old then?¡± ¡°Thank you for pointing out my age,¡± Rick rolled his eyes. Lydia snorted and shook her head. Rick hugged her. ¡°I did miss you though.¡± She squeezed him back before he released her. ¡°Now go and get our materials messenger!¡± ¡°As it pleases your lordship,¡± She flipped him the middle finger and snuck out the door. ¡°Wonder where she picked that up from,¡± Len stood and stretched. ¡°Not a clue. Now we can¡¯t skill up to increase our levels quick, it¡¯d draw too much attention. So,¡± Rick¡¯s face split into a terrible grin. ¡°Temperin¡¯ time! Now there¡¯s the slow way¡­ push-ups, sit-ups, squats and using weights, or¡­¡± He picked up the hammer. Len¡¯s eye twitched, Rick¡¯s smile taking on a crazy edge. Resonating Strike. ¡°Rock paper scissors?¡± Len tried to make it not come out pitiful. Rick¡¯s smile only widened as he held out his hand. ¡°Rock paper, shoot.¡± They said together. Shit, paper. ¡°Guess you¡¯re going first,¡± Rick said. Fuck. It sounded pitiful even to Len. Rick moved closer. ¡°This¡¯ll gimme a workout.¡± He punched the vibrating force radiating through Len¡¯s shoulder, making it go numb, it ran through his entire arm, Len¡¯s body fighting back and chasing it. Rick landed hit after hit his strikes sounded like someone hitting a hollow tree. His vibrating power tore him apart from skull down to his toes. Rick¡¯s application was becoming more skillful, less in the muscles and more in the harder bones. Len tried to focus on these things, to distract himself from the sheer pain running through his body. Rick¡¯s hits struck with more force, throwing Len forward. Len held up a hand and lay on his belly. Rick hit him without a single bit of the force transmitting to the ground beneath Len. Len spit blood out to the side as Rick hit his leg, his muscles clenching protectively as his mana raced to bring it back from the edge. What would have taken months or years worth of effort they completed in just minutes. Len started to recover as fast as Rick could hit his techniques getting better at repairing the damage through their continuous tempering. Rick used more of his cultivation, reaching his full strength, each blow ringing out like hammer on iron. Len¡¯s world focused in on healing himself, though driven from him as Rick used his hammer, the bones throughout his body cracked and damage radiated out of them through the rest of his body. ¡°Breathe dammit,¡± Rick said. Len hissed out breath, pushing stone and grit away and breathed in, some of the darkness pushing away. It closed in again slowly and surely even as he forced his breath. Pain was a constant as he reinforced his body with mana and utilized journeyman healing spells. The damage piked up as his body had to use more and more mana and spells to recover, overcoming his natural regeneration and eating into his stored mana pool. Len¡¯s mana pool dropped to half his bones a flick away from breaking, his muscles torn, his veins strained, tendons stretched. Blood and impurities covered him as Rick beat him. It reached a quarter, then less. It was pain, it was triage, spells utilized out of more reaction than conscious thought. A healing spell ran through him, bringing back clarity and relief as his healing spells pulled from his mana pool, reforming him stronger than before. Len opened his mouth and let out a shuddering breath that ran through his entire being. === Skill: Spell casting === Level: Journeyman (142) === Or === Skill: Spell Casting === Level: 140 ??142 Journeyman === === Skill: Healing === Level: 140 ??142 Journeyman === === Level 1 5% to level 2 === === You have increased your Body Stat! === +4 to Body === === Len === Level: 51 === Body: 51 Mana: 51/51 === Len blinked away the screens as he slowly started to move, adjusting to his increased body stat. ¡°Increasing skill and getting enlightenment is like compressing all of ths into a few minutes, though at least its just a few minutes. How long was that?¡± Len asked. ¡°Three hours, took it slower, didn¡¯t want to go overboard. Train ride to Warwick is four hours, figure we can sleep then,¡± Rick said. Len stood up and held out his hand. ¡°Hammer?¡± Rick pulled it out and gave it to Len like meeting an executioner. He opened his mouth, closed it and then sat on the ground. ¡°Fuck.¡± Len punched Rick, controlling his strength, resonating strike running through his body. With his mana sight he could see what each resonating strike was doing. Len lost himself to the tempering. Rick had been nice enough to break down his body completely four times and help him rebuild it. What kind of friend would he be if he didn¡¯t return the favor? *** The forest was dark, damp with the fog that had filled it through the day. Adrian stalked through the wet undergrowth, squinting in the dark. Too spread out. Every other man held a flaming torch to bring light to the forest. The Hunter¡¯s Bureau had taken all day getting all they could from the local noble and then the villagers. Once the contract was made one shouldn¡¯t play with the terms again. The Hunter¡¯s didn¡¯t care, the extra coin slipping into the pockets of their leaders. Adrian rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. There was a hiss of undergrowth against something. He drew his sword and angled it down, driving it through the chest of the wolf jumping at him. The beast took his blade with it. Another came from his right side he turned, putting his right arm up in the path of the wolf¡¯s teeth, it clamped down, he could feel the bones snap in its jaws as he fell, the beast¡¯s claws raking his side, its back legs digging into his leg leaving bloody furrows as he grabbed his dagger with his left hand. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. He drove it into the beast¡¯s neck again and again. The beast clawed his face, half his sight gone. He kept stabbing its pace slowed before hit something vital and the beast dropped on him. He coughed blood in his lung, wet and heavy. Adrian startled awake, sweat pouring from him, his blanket twisted around him. The room had the damp smell of mold, sweaty men and not enough air or cleaning. His bed was one of two stacked atop one another in the bunkhouse, a pillow of straw and canvas, a field blanket to keep himself warm. His face stiffened against the heartbreak and loss. Maria¡¯s father had been the one to sit him down and tell him that the engagement was off. He¡¯d learned later that she was looking for other suitors before he¡¯d been discharged from the hospital. He pushed the blankets, his right leg missing above the knee, the infection took that in his fever dreams before he regained consciousness. His right arm, his sword arm ended just below the elbow. Adrian sat on the side of the bed, taking the cloth he¡¯d laid out the night before and dipping it into the wash basin. He gave himself a wash as others started to wake up. At least most of them were mercenaries so Adrian was left to himself. Finished with his wash, Adrian dressed and slung across himself, lifting himself with his good arm over to his crutch. He stood up on his good leg, holding the bunk above with his good arm, getting his sword arm over his crutch, pushing what remained of his arm into a brace along the crutch to hold it easier. He tightened up the laces holding it to his arm. His breathing heavy already, his stomach growling for food while his body craved more sleep. Adrian picked up his washbowl and cloth in his good hand walking with his crutch through the bunkhouse, other ex-fighters making room for him as he passed through. Some had been wounded, others were drinkers, others didn¡¯t have anything after they¡¯d left fighting behind, others just didn¡¯t have anywhere else to go. Adrian reached the bathhouse attached to the bunkhouse, pouring his bowl into the grate that would take it out of the city. He put the bowl and cloth to the side, taking a canteen from his bag. He drained it and hooked his crutch on the water pump, holding his canteen under the spout to fill it. He drained it two more times, suppressing the hunger within him for now. ¡°Bowl of water and cloth by your bed?¡± A young lad asked, picking up his bowl and cloth. ¡°Thanks Ivan,¡± Adrian passed a copper. The boy gave a big smile. ¡°Have a good day mister Adrian!¡± Adrian nodded and started on his trek to the outskirts of Goran. The brickworks was a massive compound, with raw materials coming in one side, being hand molded into shape, then passed to kilns that dried them out before they went onto firing kilns. Adrian moved around to the end of the compound, the sorting yard. He nodded to the time keeper in his hut. He put his name on the page and the time. ¡°You won¡¯t get extra pay even if you are here for longer,¡± the timekeeper said. Adrian shrugged. He was slower than others, getting in early he could do more before they arrived and by the time they left for the day he¡¯d have the same amount done as the others. Adrian moved to his row. Laborers wheeled over carts with trays of bricks atop. They brought them level to the table row and pushed the bricks off their metal tray onto the metal topped tables, before they carted the tray back to the kiln to get more. Adrian grabbed a wheeled cart and started to walk down the row, lining up the bricks, checking them for cracks or deformities. Anything that wasn¡¯t good enough he tossed into the wheeled cart, continuing down the line. People filed in as his shift started properly. He drank from his canteen and ate half the meal he¡¯d left himself from the day before. His lead over his coworkers drained away as the day continued. Laborers started behind him, clearing away the bricks he¡¯d okayed, ready to be sent off to build more homes. The day churned on into afternoon and then night. ¡°Adrian.¡± A voice pulled him from the monotony, he¡¯d noticed someone moving closer but disregarded them. Adrian threw a bad brick into his cart and peered at the other man. ¡°Everett, sir?¡± He tried to straighten for the older man, one who¡¯d taken him under his wing years before. ¡°Interested in a different line of employment?¡± Everett asked. ¡°This works good for me,¡± Adrian said. He didn¡¯t need no charity, he¡¯d work this out on his own. ¡°Needs workers.¡± ¡°Usually they have to be a bit more able.¡± Adrian chuckled. He glanced at the man¡¯s sword. ¡°I don¡¯t know you to be the type to put down the blade.¡± Everett seemed to mull over his words. ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything, but I can offer you a chance.¡± Everett looked at the brickworks. ¡°I got a job here.¡± Everett didn¡¯t argue with him. ¡°Sometimes we have to take risks.¡± Adrian grit his teeth, anger flaring before it deflated. ¡°Not like I have much more to lose.¡± He saw the flare of recognition in Everett¡¯s eyes. ¡°Lady Carolyn needs those who are loyal and capable. I picked you. You know the Rackson Coal yard?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Meet there tomorrow for dawn. At the very least you¡¯ll get to eat as much as you want and meet up with some of the lads.¡± Everett didn¡¯t give him any pity, he gave it direct. Adrian was thankful for that. ¡°Tomorrow morning sergeant.¡± He walked off through the brickworks, nodding to others among the workers. Adrian continued working on his row. Tomorrow morning. *** Len woke as a yell tore through the manor. He grabbed his armor, pulling it on and shoving his feet into his boots, stuffing the laces inside as he snatched up his sword belt, looping it on as he ran for the door, plowing through it with his shoulder. Rick crashed through his door opposite, the two sharing a nod as Rick took off at a run, more doors opening as Rick darted into the room the yelling was coming from. Len ran behind him with enough room so he could draw his weapons, stepping into the kitchen. The cooking staff were starting to get up from where they were cowered around the room. One woman was scrambling to get up off of the blackened floor while a man was next to her with burns on his body. She launched herself upwards with a push. Rick kept her to the ground, holding her there. ¡°You¡¯ve just got a lot stronger miss, you¡¯re going to have to move slowly so you don¡¯t injure yourself.¡± Skill up. ¡°What happened?¡± Rick asked, moving to the injured man. Len moved closer to her as she started to move careful ¡°I was cooking food for breakfast, then these screens started appearing, said something about cooking and then there was pain, so much pain, it just ran through me. A flash of light hit me and I started seeing all of these people cooking, seeing how I cook and when I woke up Phillip was on the floor with his arm all burnt up!¡± She turned and nearly threw herself across the room. Len held her in place. ¡°Lightning, silent as the wind fell through the ceiling. My cousin said he saw it at a bar yesterday. Thought that he¡¯d jus had too many drinks at the games,¡± One of the other cooks said. Len glanced over to the wounded man. Rick was talking to him, healing him up. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Oscar asked, wearing his breastplate, helmet and boots. ¡°System recognized the cook¡¯s level of skill with cooking friend tried to help her out and got hit with a bit of the enlightenment,¡± Len said. ¡°Best thing I can suggest is making the best breakfast you can with the best ingredients possible. You¡¯ll get hit with a skill-up.¡± ¡°How do you know this?¡± One of the cooks asked. ¡°We heard about it happening in Eskon,¡± Rick supplied. ¡°Yeah,¡± Len said. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Oscar asked. ¡°For a little bit, but its worth it,¡± Len tried to assure. ¡°Might be best to cook outside for today, though,¡± Rick said, looking up at the hole through the ceiling. Might be good to get some food on the way to the train station. Len stood up. *** Adrian was a sweaty mess. Of all the days to sleep in. He hobbled across the city, his arm chafing from the crutch harness, he didn¡¯t dare to take the time to fix it. He reached the coal yard, the man at the gate looked him over and waved him through the gate. ¡°Down that way on the left, hurry, cart just showed up.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± The man saluted. ¡°Lady Carolyn.¡± He returned back to the gate. Adrian hobbled on, a bit stunned at the salute. It¡¯s also to the Isendia, not just Lady Carolyn. Though he could understand the change. Since Lady Particia and Major George died and Tyrus took over, things hadn¡¯t been the same. A group of men were loading up into a covered coal cart, several with canes and other visible injuries. Adrian picked up his pace as the last three were getting aboard, those already up, helping them. Adrian reached them, puffing as the last man was hauled up. ¡°Well, sergeant, what you call this time?¡± ¡°Corporal Gibson?¡± he asked the stout man, an odd bump in his pant leg. ¡°Was a lance before the old leg decided to snap itself.¡± Gibson reached down, another man on the other side with scars across his face and a painted mask covering most of it, reached down as well. ¡°Well they must be scraping the bottom of the well to find you.¡± Adrian grinned as he took the help of both men, planting his good leg on the back of the cart, letting himself be levered up into the back. He dropped onto the bench seat as the two men brought up the wooden back of the cart and threw down the tarp, agitating the coal dust in the back of the cart. A man at the front thumped on the wooden backing behind the driver. Hooves clopped on the ground and the cart pulled forward. ¡°So what¡¯s this all about?¡± Adrian asked. Gibson was always one for chatter. ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know, but this lot here were all loyal to the old family, and we¡¯re various levels of fucked up,¡± Gibson said. ¡°Everett recruited us all.¡± The Lady¡¯s own knight leading it. Adrian coughed from the coal dust and leaned back against the cart. Sometime later they stopped. Two guards wearing the red edged armor of the Isendia family guard threw up the tarp, revealing Everett. ¡°Hope you enjoy travel lads, you¡¯re heading to Warwick now get out of the coal cart will you?¡± The tailgate was dropped and the guards helped them down to the ground. They were in a yard near the train station. Warwick? Isn¡¯t that some backwater town? There was another group of men off to the side helping to carry crates, loading up a train carriage. Two young men were talking to one another off to the side, using their hands to cover what they were saying as they appraised the group getting down from the cart. They had the bearing of training staff even though they looked like they were just old enough to join the Isendia mercenaries. ¡°Adrian you¡¯re second in command, Gibson you¡¯ll have your own squad, Mackie and Edwin will be the other squad leaders. You¡¯re going to be reporting to Rick Isendia and Len.¡± Everett turned to the two young men talking to one another. They stopped their conversation and walked up to the group. Rick¡¯s the name of Lady Patricia and George¡¯s kid? "Mornin'' everyone," Rick said, stepping forward receiving grumbled and hesitant replies. Each of them quietly judged and understood the others. Who the hell is this kid? The one that must¡¯ve been Rick by his familiar features pulled out a map. "Today we''re going to be solving a few problems. Lady Carolyn has commissioned us to get you back to work," Rick announced. There were some chuckles to that. His friend pulled his messenger bag around and took out pieces of paper and handed them out with pencils. ¡°Len is handing out contracts to join her service once again.¡± Adrian read the contract, it was nearly the same as what he¡¯d signed when joining the Isendia Mercenaries. I, [Name], hereby swear and affirm my allegiance to Len, son of Edward and Rick Isendia, pledging my sword and service in their cause. My Shield to the defense of their families and interests. I commit to uphold the following tenets as a faithful servant:
  1. Secrecy: I shall guard all knowledge and secrets entrusted to me by my leaders, Len and Rick, with unwavering diligence. I vow never to disclose any information that could undermine their authority or endanger their pursuits.
  2. Honesty: I shall always speak the truth to Len and Rick, withholding nothing that could affect the fulfillment of my duties. My words shall be as steadfast as my loyalty.
  3. Obedience: I shall execute all legal orders given by my lords, or their designated representatives, with promptness and precision. I understand that my role is to follow and not to question the lawfulness of commands within the bounds of my service.
In exchange for my unwavering loyalty and service, I am promised the following by Len, son of Edward, and Rick Isendia:
  1. Training: I will be provided with rigorous training to strengthen my body and sharpen my mind, preparing me for the challenges of our endeavors.
  2. Healing: Should I fall ill or sustain injury in the line of duty, I will be tended to and healed, ensuring my swift return to service.
  3. Sustenance: I will be adequately fed and watered, maintaining my health and vigor, as befits a warrior under their command.
  4. Pay: I will be paid standard rates equivalent to the Isendia Family Guard and my rank. Pay will be issued at the beginning and middle of the month when funds are available, or they will be issued at soonest convenience.
This oath I take freely and without reservation. May my service be honorable, and my conduct be worthy of the trust placed in me. If I fail to be deserving of that trust, may my voice be taken from me, my eyes become blind to the world, my skills be no longer useful to me. If I carry out treason may my life be forfeit. If Len, Rick or their representatives do not fulfill their promises I will be released from my service. Signed, To Rick and Len first, but Everret would not turn on Lady Isendia for anything. ¡°Woah!¡± Someone yelled, dancing away as their contract went up in flames. ¡°Binding on the contract is powerful so that it¡¯ll burn up the paper once you sign. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Len said. Adrian signed the paper, lines and letters appeared through the paper and burnt it up as he felt something sink into his being. One by one the others completed their contracts. ¡°Alright, good,¡± Rick ¡°We will be heading to Warwick, once there you will disembark in separate groups. Mackie will collect the crates that are being loaded up.¡± Len squatted down as Rick opened the map, markings showing where the train-line was and the surroundings. ¡°We will meet up at this location,¡± Rick pointed to a secondary position along a road. ¡°We¡¯ll decide what to do next there, based on information gathered in town.¡± ¡°Most of us ain¡¯t exactly fighting fit,¡± someone said. Rick rolled the map away and stood. ¡°Each of you will file past us, we¡¯ll open your mana gates which will allow you to start healing.¡± They shuffled up to Rick, by his position Adrian was one of the first. He held out his hands to Len, resting on his crutch. Len held his hands and pressed his thumbs into Adrian¡¯s palms. There was a feeling of pressure, then it broke like water through a mud dam. Adrian felt power flow through his body, invigorating him. ¡°Breath in and draw the mana flowing through your body to your bones.¡± Adrian did so, the mana flowed into his bones, most the mana just continued on, others drank it in. ¡°Focus on where the mana is going, circulate your mana and drive it to those places,¡± Len said, his voice raised for others to hear. Adrian did so. ¡°Make sure you get rations of food and a canteen to drink from Mackie you¡¯ll need it as you heal. Eat as much as you can, the more you eat the faster you¡¯ll heal.¡± Len took out a piece of paper from his messenger bag and clapped Adrian on his shoulder. ¡°This tells people how to heal passively with mana, its not spells, but it¡¯ll help out.¡± Adrian nodded and moved to the side. Chapter: 12 Chapter: 12 Len startled awake as Rick patted on his shoulder, hand holding onto the hilt of his sword as he looked around the train carriage. He blinked away his sleep, the train was starting to slow. In every direction were fields and the irrigation ditches running around them. Cattle ate on the roughage of the fields that couldn¡¯t grow crops. It was fall and the growing season was wrapping up. There were rows of people cutting their way through the fields. Most were cleared away, bundles of hay wrapped together to dry out for the winter season. ¡°Warwick in five minutes,¡± Rick said. Len grunted and stretched in his chair as much as possible. He noted some of the soldiers throughout the train, they¡¯d boarded in groups of two or more, spreading throughout the carriages. He turned his eyes to the outside world once more. Carts moved up and down the muddy tracks they¡¯d worn into the ground, bringing the season¡¯s bounty to Warwick. Others were laden with families and all they owned, heading back north or east. Warwick itself came into view on the left side of the train tracks. The town was little to talk about. The Lord¡¯s manor sat upon a slight rise watching over all. It still had a wall from its older origins. Smoke rose from the smithies in the city, farmers getting their orders for the next year and repairs to their gear that had become worn throughout the last season. The buildings were made with wattle and daub with lumber mixed in. There were a few dozen of them. Mostly tradesman and suppliers. The largest area of the town was the storage facilities. A half dozen silos were behind a thick stone wall with an arm that could swing overtop to pour its contents into an awaiting train car. There were a few other warehouses for other foods and goods with a door facing the tracks to speed up the loading. All of the carts laden with goods navigated through the buildings to the storage facility. Len spotted people on the platform, families holding belongings to them, a mishmash of items they¡¯d scrounged for their journey. Their faces drawn and worn. Len and Rick rose from their seats and picked up their stuffed packs, moving towards the carriage exit. The train came to a rolling stop, jerking them before it settled. The engine releasing a wash of steam and smoke. As Len pushed the door open, dropping down to the railroad¡¯s gravel bed. Other doors opened, as metal squeaked, a water hose was pushed out over the train engine. Len walked through the smoke, looking around the area. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± He stopped a family who were heading for the train. ¡°Beasts, mutated things covered in growths and able to do things that no natural thing should be able to do attacked our farms, killed out livestock. Getting out here before it takes us too!¡± The father pushed past them, chivvying his family onto the train. Len and Rick walked away from the tracks. Some of their crew were pulling off a field cart, made to be easily broken down and built back up to carry goods. ¡°We need to get moving and quickly,¡± Len said. Rick nodded. ¡°Tell Adrian and be on our way?¡± ¡°Yeah,.¡± They weaved through the people, those getting off the train and unloading their items and those that were getting off and unloading. Lots of people heading away. Len grimaced, it was harvesting time. Theymust have waited for their crops before leaving. Their were haunted looks on people¡¯s faces, parents staying close to their children. Fear hung in the air, a familiar tension wrapped up Len¡¯s guts. Felt odd without the fear. Len reached Adrian, checking no one was near to hear them. ¡°Rick and I are going to run for the dell and my family. Meet up with the carts, distribute the gear and have everyone working on using their mana to heal their bodies as you march.¡± ¡°It is three days to the farms. There are mutated beasts around,¡± Adrian started. ¡°We¡¯ll be there before afternoon and it¡¯ll take more than a few mana mutated beasts to put us down. Get the men sorted and on the move.¡± Len moved past and Rick trailed him. They grabbed up their packs they¡¯d readied before, checked their swords and armor before looping around the train and heading down the muddy road towards Len¡¯s family farm. Len started jogging, keeping his strength low. Rick kept pace with him as they slowly increased the amount of strength they used. As they came down a rise, leaving view of the town behind, Len dug his boots into the ground, angling his body along the ground and propelled himself forward. He moved like a skater on the ground, each step adding more speed as he hurtled forward, the wind pulling at his clothes. Quick step. Len¡¯s pace increased. Enhanced strength. He hurtled further forward jerkily, his boot plowed through the hard packed road as he corrected and left a footprint upon it, his body straining as his adrenaline sung in his veins. The spells sent him hurtling forward as he circulated mana, feeding their ongoing cost. They ran faster than horses and trains leaping from hills to sail across the ground. *** The door to the spectator box at the grand coliseum was opened by Isendia guards as a maid pushed Carolyn¡¯s wheeled chair inside. The room was a grand thing, three rows of chairs at the front of the box for the younger generations of the Isendia family. The space had been expanded with maids and butlers serving food and drinks. At their rear was a single chair where Carolyn¡¯s son sat in his armor, looking like some grand conquering warlord. He never had the strength and skill even in his later years. His sister had, and his cousins he¡¯d deployed constantly since she died. He¡¯d always been frustrated with his lack of fighting ability, and turned to ploys. I thought I could raise him in my path of working from the shadows. Laughter cut through the box, nephew Talbot well into his drinks as he recounted some event to his cousins. His wife Emilia nodded to the maid. ¡°I¡¯ll look after her,¡± Emilia said. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± The maid curtseyed, releasing Carolyn¡¯s wheelchair and moving out of the space. A few of the younger generation leering as she left. ¡°Semi-finals should be interesting, the whole event makes me nervous, worry for all of the people on the sands,¡± Emilia confided in Carolyn, as she wheeled her off to a quiet side where they might be able to see the fight and be seen if someone was looking for them. While also being the furthest from Talbot. ¡°Tea miss Emilia?¡± A butler said with a kind smile. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± She tilted her head as he set up a small table and laid out the tea on the table, filling the cups. Emilia looked over the arena as the man expertly slipped a powder into Carolyn¡¯s tea. And which creature¡¯s monster are you? Carolyn began coughing, using it to move her head around, and spot the others in the room. Most ignored or didn¡¯t care. Tyrus looked over with an almost frustrated look. The bored cruelty in his eyes, she¡¯d seen it when he had orchestrated a beating against another boy in his class. That cruelty hidden too deep under his veneers. It was a hot blade through her stomach. She¡¯d thought it would be someone married in, or maybe from another line of the family. She brought her coughing under control as Tyrus looked away, shaking his head minutely as he drank from his wine. Andreas her third eldest also watched from the side of the box. His hand tightening on his blade and then relaxing. He looked aged, well beyond his years, older than Tyrus by far. ¡°Here we go,¡± Emilia said, offering her the tea, taking her time to give it to her, making sure she didn¡¯t give her too much. And here this girl cares for me greater than my own children, hiding from her husband. Carolyn drank the poison, she could feel it trying to attack her body. She circulated her mana as Rick had taught her and drew it into her body, counteracting the damage. ¡°For the first match of the day we have Iron Wall Mulligan and the Black Thorn!¡± An announcer called out to the cheers of the crowd. Many in the box were betting in the corner amongst one another on the fighting. Carolyn seethed, these people were fighting for the chance to join their ranks, this was something to be venerated. They¡¯d had only little drink and simple food. Their attention given to the fighters not their comforts. Betting on the fighting. There were bets on the injuries that they would sustain or if they would die. Carolyn fought to keep a blank expression Patricia would have torn through this place and set them right. Lydia and Rick¡¯s mother had been a force of nature, hard headed, stubborn but also thoughtful and willing to hear other opinions. The gates being drawn up pulled her from her swirling thoughts. ¡°Black Thorn has done really well to get this far, she¡¯s fast, one of the fastest I¡¯ve ever seen. Though she hides her appearance. There¡¯s all kinds of rumors around her. Iron Wall Mulligan is an honorable fighter. I¡¯ve been hearing a great number of stories sung about him too. He apparently had a fight last for nearly forty minutes before a winner was picked.¡± Emilia dropped her voice. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of lewd songs about his stamina too.¡± She chuckled to herself. The two contestants stepped out into the middle of the arena. Carolyn knew that stature and stance anywhere. She glanced over at Tyrus, her son turned his attention to the fight. Mulligan came from the left as Lydia strode in from the right. There was a new weight to here movements, like a beast ready, tense before the flight. Like a mount before the charge. Though there was a grace to it, Carolyn had seen it before, in her husband, in her daughter, in the fighters of Isendia, usually after having traded something away. Mulligan drew his sword and set himself as they closed. Lydia raised her blades and settled into her stance as they prowled around one another, taking the other¡¯s measure. Mulligan took a step forward, Lydia continued to circle, making him take another step lest she come around his side. He lashed out with his sword. Lydia deflected the blow, his blow went wide. Lydia didn¡¯t let the opening go unused as she slashed at his side, he brought his shield out to defend, her blade rang his shield like a drum he let out a yell and pushed forward with his feet to meet her second blade swinging at him. Her blow hit his shield, his arm buckled as the shield hit him in the head, he shook his head and took steps back. Lydia came for him, her swords rang on his shield, each blow jarring the man¡¯s arm and making his shield sing. He thrust out with a yell. She danced around him, rushing past him in a flurry of sand, her sword hitting him in the back of the leg, he dropped to his knee. She turned around, her blade sliding around his neck and coming to rest against it like a lover¡¯s kiss. He stilled and lowered his weapons. ¡°Black Thorn wins!¡± the announcer yelled to the crowd¡¯s rising cheers. Lydia drew her weapon away and moved to the side. Mulligan got up and shook his limbs out, rising gingerly. ¡°That was exciting and I hope he¡¯s not too badly hurt. His shield was certainly making a lot of noise!¡± Emilia chortled. Tyrus was talking to one of his squires, the boy ran off, people making room for him. His squire had a higher position than Rick in the family. Andreas watched from his position at the wall, an old defeated man, his eyes sad as he followed Lydia out of the arena. Carolyn sat in the spectator box, watching her family, listening to the deals, the rumors and boasts. Her mood soured as the minutes passed. *** The grey afternoon kept the air cool, threatening rain but holding back for now. Len followed the muddy road tracks, the fields were starting to wilt, they hadn¡¯t been harvested. The out-buildings for Shepards too far from town were empty, as were the farming homesteads. The seed was in the ground but they hadn¡¯t been tended to in at least a few months. No farmer is going to just leave their farms in the middle of growing season unless its for a damn good reason. ¡°Was there a dungeon around here?¡± Rick asked. ¡°There were rumors, I heard, but there was no one here anymore and we were busy trying to survive,¡± Len said. ¡°You think that its here already?¡± ¡°Could be.¡± ¡°Farmer said there were beasts with mutations. Get that from areas with high mana,¡± Rick said. They continued in silence, racing forward. ¡°I smell blood,¡± Rick said. ¡°Burning too,¡± Len said. He picked up the pace, reaching the edge of the dell his family lived in first. A stream weaved through the hills to create a stream that ran through the largest collection of farmhouses. Three different families worked within the dell. The stream diverting between their fields and continuing to the fields beyond. Parts of the three compounds outer buildings had been torn down to create defenses. The last hints of fires smoldered on the wall as spiders the size of a cow, covered in a deep blue crystalline armor clambered over buildings, the area around them was covered in webbing that shone in the late morning sun. Two of the creatures lay dead on the walls, blue blood soaking the ground around them. There was fighting along the wall, foxes the size of wolves, with crystalline growths coming out of their bodies were met with pitchforks and rakes as they fought at the entrance of a compound having got passed the surrounding walls. There were dozens of crystal-fox bodies, with blue blood as well. Mana mutated alright. ¡°I got the spiders,¡± Rick yelled. ¡°I¡¯ll take the foxes.¡± Len sped up down the dell, thankful he hadn¡¯t brought his rifle or rounds with him, the mana was dense enough to cause chaos. He ended the spells he used to enhance his speed as he drew his sword. The rear-most fox turned as Len used his sword like a cavalryman would. His momentum carried him into the fray, hacking out with his blade to bring it in-line with the beasts. He tore through several of the foxes, the blade jarring in his grip as it went through bone and crystal. He kicked a fox leaping at him, throwing them through a fence and bringing him down to walking pace. His blade tore through another¡¯s jaw as it tried to bite him from behind. He caught another jumping through the air by its neck, the beast writhing, crystal growing from half of its face as it flared with light, blinding him. Its claws, sharpened crystal slashed at his face. Len saw it through his mana sight, throwing the beast at another fox moving to leap at him. He dug his feet into the ground the foxes prowling around to get better position. Len¡¯s blood sung in his veins as he rushed forward, casting stone spike on the ground. Two beasts he was charging for leapt at him to be caught by the spikes that erupted from the ground. He threw himself to the side, slashing through a third fox on his right flank. Len pulled on the water from the air, it was thick enough as he formed ice pellets, hard as steel that shot out as fast as darts, peppering two foxes. He kicked another that went for his legs. He turned, digging his feet into the ground, his mana will reaching out to the world like tendrils, securing him in place as a beast leapt at him, he swatted them with his will-tendril. They split the fox that was on the stone spikes he¡¯d made for as they stacked ontop of them, struggling a few seconds before going still. Len hand his hand over a fire in the grass, the motes of flame gathering around his hand, they stilled, turning blue and gem-like, a flicker of will left after images as they burned through foxes hearts. Dropping them with the smell of wet dog and burnt meat. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Len flicked a stone up with the toe of his boot and kicked it while casting detonation. The shards of stone turned into projectiles that mowed down the remaining foxes. The farmer¡¯s faces were haggard with lack of sleep and fighting. Many had wounds of one kind or another. A few were on the ground. Two were dead, the third on his way. Len jumped over to him, putting his hand on the mess of the man¡¯s neck. He grabbed onto the blood in the man¡¯s lungs, removing the clotting before he shoved it back into the man¡¯s veins before sealing them up. He pinched the skin together over the veins and willed the skin together, his mana completing his command. He left a hole in the man¡¯s neck to breathe through. ¡°Be gentle, leave the hole in his neck unobstructed.¡± Len jumped over the fence around the home, his foot leaving an imprint as he ran towards Rick¡¯s fight. Rick slammed his hammer into a spider nearly two time¡¯s taller than him. The spider shuddered and the back of its carapace opposite where Rick had struck exploded into crystalline shards. Rick dodged a ball of webbing and threw his hammer. It struck the spitter, bashing it to the side as it leaked blue blood from between its armor plates. A tether of will returned the hammer to his hands as another grabbed a second spider¡¯s legs, causing it to stumble. Rick caught his hammer on the run and swung it up int the Spider¡¯s underbelly. It rose up off of its feet, pewing out chunky blue blood before it collapsed. Len imagined his fists as strong as steel, mana flowing through his channels into them as they took on a metallic sheen. Len tossed his sword to the side, his body shaking as he punched a spider as big as a cow in the side. It rocked over to its side, all of his momentum drained into the creature as blood burst from it. He stepped on the ground, changing his trajectory, building up another resonating strike in his body. It would tear him apart if he used it too much. He kicked out the legs of a spider to punch it in the face and draw all the heat from the surroundings into his hand. The beast froze as he pulled out his fist it began cracking apart. Len stepped on it, smashing it into the ground as he leapt for another spider fighting farmers inside the compound¡¯s walls. With a yell he slammed his fist into the top of the spider, dropping it to the ground and spraying the surrounding farmers with blood. Len rose up from the dust the spider¡¯s impact had thrown up and looked around. ¡°Clear!¡± Len yelled. ¡°Good out here!¡± Rick yelled back. Screens that had been hidden in the fighting appeared. === Skill: Blunt weapon === Level: Journeyman (140) === Len grimaced as the experience and enlightenment slammed into him, the spider¡¯s armor cracking underneath him. He picked himself up cracks ran through the spider¡¯s armor. Len jumped from the spider onto the roof of the home, scanning the dell. Bodies of foxes and spiders led up to the two compounds. The ground turned to mud with the creatures blood and fighting. He tracked the faint path made by all of the creatures. Dungeon. Dropping his eyes he looked down at the farmers below, wounded were being pulled away and people were talking to one another. Rick landed on the roof beside him and handed him his blade. ¡°Dungeon then.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Len took the sword with a nod of thanks, and used cleanse on it, removing the blue blood before sheathing it. ¡°And its overflowing.¡± ¡°Not ideal,¡± Len said. ¡°Give the troops something to fight when they get here,¡± Rick said. ¡°Check on the wounded, get everyone inside, fix up defenses and enchant some if you¡¯re up for it.¡± Len opened and closed his hand, ever since he found out that he could enchant once more he¡¯d been thinking of the things he could create. All that he had imagined making. ¡°Lennard?¡± A man asked hesitantly. He hadn¡¯t heard that name in years, his fami¡ªLen looked at him, frowning as memories flowed to him. ¡°Des?¡± Len asked. ¡°Wha¡ªhow?¡± His brother looked from him to the spiders. ¡°Lennard?¡± An older man stepped up next to Des, shielding his eyes against the sun. ¡°Dad,¡± Len made to move forward. ¡°I¡¯ll check on the other compound, we¡¯ll need to convert the bodies into cores later. You check in with your family,¡± Rick said before jumping off the roof towards the other building. Len nodded numbly he held the pommel of his sword and dropped down to the ground. People were keeping away from the beasts and most were looking over to Len as his brother Jed joined his father and Des. His father smiled and hugged him. Len tensed up and patted the man on the back. Jed and Des looked at him in confusion. Jed was thinner with long hair, while Des was broad of shoulder and looked the most like their father. Both had pitchforks that had a few of the forks cut off to tun them into a make-shift spear. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Len¡¯s father Edward released him from his hug and looked him over. ¡°Thought that you might be in trouble so I hurried over.¡± ¡°The things you were able to do to those creatures, punching them with so much strength,¡± Edward frowned. ¡°You¡¯ll start getting the status screen tutorial soon, that¡¯ll make things a bit easier to understand,¡± Len said. ¡°Status scre¡ª¡± Edward blinked, studying a screen only he could see. ¡°Say status screen and it¡¯ll start up. I¡¯m going to check on the wounded.¡± Len used the distraction to move closer to those with wounds. Six lay dead, two more with venom that was eating them from within and five others with various wounds, from broken bones to deep cuts. Len whistled and grabbed onto the man shuddering on the ground, the venom tearing him up from within. He threaded his will through the man¡¯s body, grabbing onto the venom and dragging it out of his body. The green and black poison came out of the large wound that went through his chest where the spider had bit nearly through him. It wasn¡¯t going to be enough he was too weak. His chest was shattered and he had other wounds from being tossed. Len grabbed him up and jumped away, the man moaning in pain. ¡°Clear the area!¡± Len grabbed the gold coin he and Rick had been trading and ripped a button from the man¡¯s shirt. ¡°Sell me this button for a gold coin, drop it into my hand,¡± Len put the button in the man¡¯s hand. He dropped it into Len¡¯s hand. Len put the gold coin in the man¡¯s hand. His eyes swam in confusion. Len looked up at the sky as experience clouds gathered. He bounded away as they dropped onto the man. He tensed up, unable to even yell in pain as his body and mana was forcefully leveled. Enlightenment dropped from the heavens. ¡°Gonna need the coin!¡± Rick yelled from the guy he was working on. He¡¯s been bit on the shoulder, bloody holes from the spider¡¯s fangs going through his upper chest and out his back. The whole thing looked like mangled meat. Len jumped back to his guy as soon a the enlightenment bolt was gone, grabbing the coin he threw it at Rick. He snatched it with a mana tendril, talking to his guy. Len studied his patient, the poison that was in his body was still eating him up but at a much slower rate. He grabbed onto it with his tendrils, the man¡¯s body able to take the rougher treatment. He evaporated the blood out of his lungs and dragged out the remaining gunk, sealing veins before he put his hands on the man¡¯s breastbone and hips, willing them to make more blood. The patient smacked his lips together and Len stopped. Dehydrating him. He pulled out the last of the poison and healed the veins to stop the internal bleeding throughout the man¡¯s body. His insides were a mess. Higher body stat is going to help him. ¡°Grennar, Grennar!¡± A woman landed next to Len who fought not to throw her back, getting startled from being so focused. Len looked between the young man and his mother. ¡°Give him water or stew with everything ground up like you would with a baby.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡± She grabbed onto his hand before turning her attention back to her boy. He¡¯s going to need the food for his leveling up and to heal. Len looked over to Rick. He was pouring a stamina potion down the man¡¯s neck. Not good. Len stepped on the ground, whistling to let Rick he was on his way. He landed opposite him on the ground stained by the bolt of enlightenment. ¡°Cauterize the wounds,¡± Rick said. Len pulled out his utility knife, feeding it heat and mana, the blade reddened he pulled the wounds closed as much as possible and cauterized it all closed. The man jerked slightly. If Rick was cauterizing instead of healing the man¡¯s stamina reserves were too low to heal him without overdrawing and killing him with stamina depletion. Len worked quickly, grimacing at the sickly-sweet smell that came from burning human flesh. ¡°Other side,¡± Len said, moving around the man. Rick turned him on his side. ¡°You¡¯re burning him!¡± A boy yelled. Len caught his shirt with a hand. ¡°Get him the fuck out of here!¡± He growled at those that were watching. Des his brother grabbed the boy, picking him up. Len turned back to his work, fighting for the man¡¯s life. ¡°Shit.¡± Rick said. ¡°Heart stopped.¡± Len pulled his knife away from the man¡¯s back. ¡°Last wound sealed up.¡± Rick dropped the patient¡¯s back to the ground, moving his hands to the wounds in the man¡¯s chest. ¡°Raise his legs.¡± Len moved around Rick, grabbing the legs and hiked them up. He could see Rick¡¯s mana tendrils reach into the man¡¯s chest and compress the man¡¯s heart, working it for him. ¡°Come on you lazy bastard, wake up.¡± The boy was crying and thumping on Des. Len spread mana around the man¡¯s body, drawing in heat to warm him to help with the shock. Rick put his hands on the man¡¯s mouth, leaving a gap between his fingers as the man¡¯s chest wheezed up and down as Rick filled and emptied his lungs. ¡°Weak, come on, a bit more,¡± Rick said. It went on for a few minutes before Rick drew back his mana tendrils, the man¡¯s heart beating by itself. ¡°There you go, yeah.¡± Rick grinned as the man¡¯s heart kept beating. The Stamina potion was doing what it was meant to, the man¡¯s color coming back to him, his breathing came stronger. Rick chuckled and sat back as the man¡¯s body recovered. ¡°Well had me worried there for a second.¡± ¡°Bodies are really weak,¡± Len said. ¡°Weaker than we¡¯ve dealt with in a long time. Have to be careful, else what we do to try and save their lives will kill them,¡± Rick agreed. Len looked to the side. People were gathered, having come out of the house. Some were pushing the spiders off of the fence with poles. ¡°He¡¯s going to need someone to look over him, keep his legs up above his head. Clean out his wounds with boiled water and bandage them. A group of women moved forward. Another pushed past them, her face covered in tears, pulling her skirts up to run, she stumbled as Rick rose to catch her and keep her away from the patient. ¡°Save my husband! He¡¯s just there!¡± She pointed at a man off to the side. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± Rick said. ¡°No-no! You can fix him! Don¡¯t deny him! Give him one of those drinks! It will save him I know it will.¡± ¡°Come here Marigold, come on,¡± One of the women took a hold of her, another helping pull her away. ¡°Killers! Save him! Save him!¡± They wrestled her away, talking to her. ¡°There are more wounded in the houses,¡± One of the women said as she reached Len and Rick. ¡°I need four strong lads! Marvin, come see your father, be gentle now!¡± She took the legs from Len as she waved the boy that Des was holding back forward. Len stepped away. ¡°I¡¯ll take the other farmhouse,¡± Rick said. ¡°Alright,¡± Len walked towards the house, people moving out of their way. ¡°Lennard?¡± He turned to see his mother pushing the front door of their home open, she stepped out, not quite sure squinting before she picked up her pace and hugged him. ¡°Hi Mom,¡± He said. I feel so detached from all of this. ¡°What are you doing here, you¡¯re supposed to be in Eskon?¡± She looked him over as his father had, searching for wounds. ¡°I came to get you all.¡± ¡°Get us?¡± ¡°Take you to Velkaris, someplace safer before mana spreads throughout the world.¡± ¡°Mana? What are you talking about?¡± She asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡ªwell it is going to be a long story.¡± Len felt weary thinking about it. ¡°I heard there are wounded to check on?¡± He asked, trying to avoid talking about it all right now. Just getting used to the fact that his family was alive was¡­odd. ¡°We have some, in the kitchen a few of the lads tried to go and find out where the foxes were coming from. They found a crystal cave, when they ventured in it was filled with those creatures,¡± Her eyes jumped to the spiders. ¡°Two didn¡¯t make it back and three more were wounded.¡± She gripped the front of her apron in fists. ¡°I¡¯ll have a look at them, should be able to get them back on their feet. Father you should rebuild the walls and have people watching the forest where the creatures came from.¡± Len walked towards his family home, healing others would give him time to think. His mother looked like she wanted to say more but he hurried up his steps. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked her husband, Len hearing it easily. ¡°One lad appeared with a hammer and started hitting the spiders so hard they died in one hit, then Len was in the fray fighting them with his fists and feet, hit that one hard enough its hard crystal shell cracked.¡± ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡± ¡°He said its because of these screen things, say status screen honey.¡± ¡°Status screen¡ªwhat is this?¡± Len opened the door and walked into the farmhouse hit with the smell of sweaty bodies, tang of blood and smoke. He moved through the kids and women, gaining access to the kitchen where wounded were laid out on the floor and the large table. Two women were preparing food on the counters, one stoking the fire under a pot of water. Len grimaced at the thought of meals being in the same place as the wounded. His sister Laurie was patting the head of one wounded man, his face tensed in a rictus of pain before it settled. His leg was broken and he had cuts up his side. Len grabbed the leg, making him moan in agony. ¡°What are you doing Lentil?¡± Laurie demanded. Len lined up the bone pushing the man¡¯s hands away as he tried to stop him. ¡°Just putting this back in place sprout.¡± He cast a bone fusing spell, the bone knitting back together, the man tensing and then relaxing with a sigh. The nickname had come unbidden from his lips, a throwback he¡¯d half forgotten. Len used a scanning spell to see through the man¡¯s body. A corruption was spreading, he used his will to isolate the corruption and drew it out. The man groaned as black gunk flowed out of the teeth puncture marks in his leg. It smelled putrid as he cast cleanse on it, destroying it. He pinched the wound closed, using his mana to knit the muscle and skin back together. ¡°Be a little tight, but it¡¯ll go back to normal with time.¡± Len assured the man as Laurie wiped away the black blood and studied the wounds. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Magic dear sister.¡± Len moved to the next patient, putting them all back together. ¡°They¡¯re going to need food and water.¡± He said once he¡¯d finished, the wounded were all able to move around now and he¡¯d cast cleanse across all of the working surfaces and places they¡¯d been. ¡°Some tea Len,¡± A girl said, handing him a cup. Len gave her a nod of thanks and drank the tea. We had quite a few carts to move things around, I¡¯ll check on those see what condition they¡¯re in. ¡°Think that¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you talk to Amanda without blushing stuttering or trying to crawl away,¡± Laurie said as she leaned against the counter next to him. ¡°Hmm?¡± He swallowed a mouthful of tea and looked at the girl who¡¯d given him the tea. Amanda? The girl I had a crush on? She noticed his gaze, eyes furtively meeting his before she looked away, blushing and pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Len shrugged ¡°She¡¯s pretty.¡± He drank from the tea again. ¡°Who are you and what did you do to Lentil?¡± She asked. Len pushed off of the counter and put the empty cup on it. The world fell apart and I survived through it for a hundred and fifty years. Now I¡¯m going to save your lives.¡± He gave her a tight smile and walked through the house and out the back. People were working out the front, clearing away the beasts and setting up a new wall as well as ditches. Len crossed the empty courtyard to the sheds that held the carts. He started inspecting them. Going to need to make a converter to process all of those dungeon monsters. He patted the last cart he had checked his eyes travelling to the wall and the tools there. A cart converter wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. He moved to the tools rack. ¡°Be a real simple enchantment.¡± Taking chisels and a hammer he imagined the blueprint of the enchantment filling the cart and burning into the wood. Faint blue lines appeared over the cart and pressed into the wood, mana draining from him as they burned a pattern into the wood. Len dismissed the burning blueprint, , putting his tools down at the back of the cart he selected a chisel and pressed it into the wood, following the burned-in outline. === Skill: Carpentry === Level: Journeyman (140) === Len looked at the roof, dropping his tools he sprinted for the door. The experience slammed him into the ground as he cleared the threshold of the barn , enlightenment blasted through his mind. Len picked himself up out of the dirt, a healing spell removing the after effects. Getting through all these skill ups is a pain in the ass. === You have leveled up! === Level 1 0% to level 2 === *** As afternoon began darkening into night Len heard footsteps approaching the barn as he blew the wood chips away from the rune he just finished. He stood up, looking at the interior of the cart, it was covered in the lines and runes of the enchantment, looking like a geometric piece of art with runes inscribed within. Len looked up from his work as his father walked to the doorway and leaned against it. ¡°So, you want to talk about what¡¯s bothering you?¡± He asked. ¡°Just need to get these ready so you can pack up what you want and we head to Goran and then Velkaris,¡± Len said. ¡°I¡¯ve put an enchantment that will draw out the essence of the dungeon beasts and condense cores.¡± ¡°When there¡¯s something on your mind and you¡¯re not sure about how to say it or find it hard to talk about, you go off and do the jobs you know you can complete and after a bit of time you¡¯ll finally figure out how you want to say what you want to say. Give yourself time to process,¡± Edward said. Len worked his jaw. ¡°Am I that easy to see through?¡± ¡°You are to me and your mother.¡± Edward smiled. ¡°Mana is spreading through the world and screens, its how Rick and I are so strong, they¡¯re why there¡¯s a dungeon in the nearby forest and those creatures attacked the farm.¡± Edward nodded along. ¡°That¡¯s a part of it.¡± Len rested his hands on his hips and breathed in, letting it out. ¡°I¡¯ve lived this life before, in it you and the rest of the family died on this farm. This time I want to stop that from happening. Its good to see all of you, though I¡¯m having a hard time taking it in because you¡¯ve well¡ªyou¡¯ve been dead to me for over a hundred years.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Edward¡¯s eyebrow rose and then he nodded. ¡°So, you taking us to Goran and then Velkaris?¡± ¡°Is to keep you alive and protected from what¡¯s to come.¡± ¡°Have you created a list?¡± Edward asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Len admitted. ¡°Always were one for making lists to try and figure out things,¡± Edward smiled. ¡°Lay it on me.¡± ¡°Carts look good, though we¡¯re going to need beasts to pull them.¡± ¡°Creatures killed all of them that could pull them,¡± Edward grimaced. ¡°Then we¡¯ll need people strong enough to pull them instead,¡± Len said. ¡°That¡¯s impossible, they¡¯ll weigh too much and tire people out.¡± Len walked over to the nearest cart and grabbed the harness, pulling the cart with ease before releasing the harness and returning to Edward. ¡°It used to be impossible, but a lot of things just became a lot more doable.¡± Len held his chin in thought. ¡°We had to do the skill level up with the soldiers anyway, we can set it up so that everyone can do it. Make everyone stronger.¡± There was a flash of light and people started yelling. ¡°Looks like someone got a skill-up.¡± Len took two steps, taking himself out of the barn and another two got him to the back door as people were rushing out. Kids were crying and yelling. Len moved through the press of people into the kitchen where Amanda was groaning on the floor. ¡°Nothing to worry about, just need to do cooking and skill related activities outside,¡± Len yelled as he looked at the hole in the ceiling. Glad we don¡¯t have to fix that now. Rick walked in through the front door. ¡°Skill up?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Yeah I forgot to tell them.¡± Len kneeled next to Amanda. ¡°You¡¯re okay, you just got a skill in cooking I guess?¡± She nodded her head. ¡°Be careful, you¡¯re going to be a lot stronger than you were before. Come on lets get you walking around.¡± Len guided her out of the house, people talking and watching them. She put in too much strength to her steps a few times, Len kept a hand on her back, making sure that she didn¡¯t launch herself into the ceiling. ¡°I can guide her with getting used to her strength, looks like your dad wants to talk to you,¡± Rick gestured to his father who was watching from the barn. ¡°This is my friend Rick, he¡¯ll help you out.¡± ¡°O-okay, what¡¯s happening to me?¡± ¡°Just had a bit of a level up, real fast like, that¡¯s what hurt and the information that flooded your mind, that¡¯s from you increasing your skill,¡± Rick said, moving up to put a reassuring hand on her back. Len moved off towards his father, steeling himself for the hard conversation ahead. ¡°Will Amanda be okay?¡± ¡°The system recognized she had a skill and rewarded her with enlightenment and experience. Others will get it too as the system quantifies everyone¡¯s skill and level.¡± ¡°How do you get a skill?¡± ¡°Practice it, so you would have a farming skill, probably carpentry and smithing because you repair tools and carts, building because you built the barns. Just need to do complete a project with that skill and based on the grade of the item you create you¡¯ll get a correlating skill level.¡± Edward held his chin. ¡°Rick and I will create a skill-up, it¡¯s a lot of stations with tasks that correlate to a skill. You complete the task and station and you¡¯ll get experience and enlightenment as the system figures out how good you are at each skill,¡± Len said. ¡°What¡¯s experience?¡± Edward asked. ¡°Best way to describe it is¡ªit¡¯s a type of energy that will increase your body and mana stat. You get it for killing things that are as strong or stronger than you, or making things.¡± ¡°We need to do something about the spiders and foxes that come from that crystal cave,¡± Edward said. ¡°Rick and I will head over there with the soldiers that are coming to clear it out. Though the dungeon will recover with time and more of the creatures will be created.¡± ¡°Is there a way to stop it?¡± ¡°Just have to keep on dungeon delving it to keep the dungeon recovering and not making more creatures,¡± Len said. ¡°We could keep them down if we stayed here,¡± Edward said. ¡°The farm isn¡¯t safe anymore,¡± Len shook his head. ¡°If we can get strong enough to fight them then we should keep this dungeon from causing other people problems.¡± His father said. ¡°This is just one dungeon, there are thousands of them out there and most people are way too weak to deal with them. They¡¯re going to get overrun and killed beasts with magical powers are going to start appearing everywhere, you need to get behind walls.¡± ¡°Len farming is all that we know,¡± His father held out his hands to encompass everything around them. ¡°What about trains dad?¡± Edward stilled. ¡°What about them?¡± ¡°I know how you love trains, you¡¯d talk about them all the time. Take us into Warwick to see them passing through whenever you could. You taught me more about boilers and steam engines than I learned in my entire time in Eskon. Rick and I are going to need a conductor to run a train and build the tracks that it will run on.¡± ¡°What would you need a train for?¡± ¡°To recover mana stone and sell it. If we can mine it all out and sell it then we¡¯ll never have to work again. The family can do whatever they want well into the future,¡± Len said. ¡°But you¡¯re saying that we have to leave this all behind? All that we¡¯ve worked for.¡± ¡°Yes, if you want everyone to survive. You might have survived today, but you would have been digging graves this night instead of debating whether to leave your home. If I didn¡¯t tell you, you could become stronger would you be thinking of this?¡± Edward grimaced. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°These creatures are just a taste of the things to come. Behind walls with fighters defending you is the safest,¡± Len said. ¡°What about the harvest? Its ready to be pulled in now.¡± Len breathed in and looked out at his family¡¯s fields. Farmers would produce more with the skill ups if the system spread to them. Though there was less than a year before the mana apocalypse ruined everything. ¡°Harvest everything but keep it, food is going to become much more scarce,¡± Len said. ¡°We will have to give some to pay for our taxes,¡± Edward said. ¡°We¡¯ll pay for it if we can, you can¡¯t eat money.¡± ¡°Just how bad does this get?¡± Edward asked. ¡°End of civilization,¡± Len shrugged. Edward sunk into thought. ¡°Why¡ªwhy do you trust me?¡± Len asked. ¡°I know you, I know that you wouldn¡¯t joke about something like this and you are my son.¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m nearly three times your age?¡± ¡°That would put you at over a hundred and twenty?¡± ¡°More like a hundred and fifty.¡± ¡°How?¡± Edwards asked. ¡°Mana, it changes everything. I¡¯m going to check out that path to the dungeon, could you take this cart around to the front and have everyone fill it with the beasts from the dungeon, including the blood on the ground.¡± ¡°You want to bring them to town?¡± ¡°The enchantment will condense their essence into cores that have a lot of uses.¡± A group of skill-ups dropped from the sky to the area infront of the house. ¡°I guess that they finished building a new wall,¡± Len said. ¡°Dad could you organize a working area outside where people can work on their carpentry and building?¡± ¡°You want to increase people¡¯s skills?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Len watched as Rick finished talking to Amanda and ran off around the house. Cooks were using an outside cooking area, glancing over to Amanda with worried looks as they worked. ¡°The faster we can skill-up people the safer we¡¯ll all be.¡± Chapter: 13 Chapter: 13 Len checked the ground that had been flattened by the dungeon beasts on their way to the farms. ¡°They already came out once, they¡¯ll probably come out again,¡± Rick said, standing next to him. They¡¯d shed their packs, wearing just their armor and weapons. Len looked up at the sky, night was coming on soon. Flashes of light came from within the farms as people went through skill ups occasionally. ¡°I¡¯m thinking we head out in the morning tomorrow to get eyes on the dungeon and thin it out if we can,¡± Len wiped his hand on his pants and stood up. ¡°We¡¯ll get people out here with axes tomorrow, use that to level up the lumberjack and clear a path to the dungeon. If we plank the trees we can string them between carts, making one much larger cart so we can transport everyone and their goods quicker,¡± Rick said. ¡°My dad was talking about staying here. I thought he¡¯d jump at the opportunity to work with trains.¡± ¡°He knows how to be a farmer and well,¡± Rick said. ¡°Yeah, just its not safe out here, but he doesn¡¯t get that. I don¡¯t think they all do. They saw what can come out of a dungeon and they still don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re used to something, its hard to change to something new, even if that new thing is the world falling apart around you. Look at my Grandma, she just recovered from poison that my Uncle has been using on her and she¡¯s looking at how she can get back control from him and push Goran to be better.¡± Rick shrugged. ¡°Maybe she will be able to make it better, but I know that Velkaris is going to survive the apocalypse. Its hard to let go of things you care about. Think of the number of times that greed or emotions overrules a decision that should have been based on pure logic?¡± Len grimaced. ¡°We¡¯re all just human and we make mistakes.¡± ¡°You hear that there are people who don¡¯t want to do the skill up?¡± Len asked. ¡°Say that they¡¯ll do it another way, slower way,¡± Len said. ¡°They¡¯re scared, and they don¡¯t see the use of getting stronger. All of the young guys are doing it. More willing to take risks.¡± ¡°Anything that will make us stronger we¡¯ll take, this is an incredible opportunity for them that I would jump for but they don¡¯t see the use,¡± Len let out a heavy breath. He turned from the forest, at least there were some people doing the skill-ups which would make them stronger and increase the chances of their survival. Two days till Adrian and the others show up. ¡°You good?¡± Rick asked as they started on the walk back to the farm. Len thought about tossing the question away. ¡°Its weird being around my family. I know them, parts of them, but its been so long. I just feel disconnected. Like I had wished for this to happen so many times. Now its here, I don¡¯t know what to do about it. They feel like wraiths of the dead.¡± ¡°Only thing to do is to throw yourself back in there, it¡¯ll be uncomfortable for sure, but the other option is to hide away from them,¡± Rick said. It didn¡¯t take them long to reach the farms, lanterns were lit, illuminating a large fire pit that was usually used to burn up farm waste. Now it was filled with the bodies of the foxes and spiders, as well as the dirt that they had bled into. The cart Len had enchanted was next to it, several men were up on the cart, while others were below, they lifted up a spider that was bigger than the cart with ease. ¡°Lot lighter with these levels!¡± ¡°Rather go without the lightning though!¡± There were a few chuckles as the spider was placed in the bed. ¡°There we are!¡± Des said, everyone backed away or got off the cart, Des pushed the limbs of the spider into the cart. Len stepped onto the front bench. Des grabbed his shoulder and used him to step out of the cart¡¯s bed. ¡°What is all of this?¡± Des asked. ¡°Watch,¡± Len put his hand to the activation rune and sent a thread of mana into it. The enchantment drew in mana from the surroundings, glowing out from gaps under the spider. A mist formed over the body of the spider, pulled by the lines to a divot in the front bench. The mist swirled together thickening till it turned into a core, which looked like a glass marble with a black and blue mist within. The mist dissipated from around the beast, entering the core. Len picked it up, three runes appeared on the exterior of the core. ¡°What can it do?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Enhance armor with a layer of crystal, increased strength and can emit light.¡± He put it into a pocket and looked at the audience. ¡°Okay, this one¡¯s good for processing,¡± Len grabbed the spider and dropped it to the side of the cart. ¡°Processing?¡± Someone asked. ¡°Take out the useful stuff,¡± Rick said. ¡°I¡¯ll show you how to clean up a spider. One of the things that¡¯s great about condensing the mana core, all of the organs are consumed in the process so you just need to butcher up the rest.¡± ¡°Bring up another one,¡± Len said. ¡°Why are we doing this?¡± Jed asked as he picked up a fox and put it into the back of the cart. ¡°The cores are useful and worth quite a bit. It also removes a lot of the mana from the creature¡¯s body. They¡¯re concentrated mana pretty much so they¡¯ll mess up the local area if it doesn¡¯t have a high density of mana already,¡± Len said. ¡°Mess it up how?¡± Jed asked. Len activated the enchantment and a lighter colored mist started to form a core. ¡°Some plants wont be able to grow, others will grow much faster, or be drastically different from how they were before. Can have it where there¡¯s a patch of warmth or cold. If the creature is strong enough then it can change the land.¡± ¡°Is it safe to eat?¡± Jed asked. ¡°Depends on how strong your body is, the stronger your body the stronger creatures you can eat without issue. They¡¯ll also increase your mana regeneration and if you¡¯re full up on mana, then you can cultivate and increase your mana level.¡± Len picked up the core as it finished condensing. ¡°Looks like increased agility, illusion effects and increase to ice based spells.¡± He pocketed it. ¡°Alright lets keep going.¡± Light dropped from the sky and hit Rick. He groaned, rolled over and got back up again. ¡°Looks like I just got my butchering skill up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do the fox then.¡± Len grabbed it out of the cart and moved away from the cart some. ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re interested in field dressing a fox come close, not too close because I¡¯ll probably hit a skill-up.¡± Len sighed. All the harvesting skills to make the most of our dungeon dives. Len split the fox open, separating out the meat, bones and hide quickly and efficiently. === Skill: Butcher === Level: Journeyman (140) === ¡°Watch out!¡± Essence crashed into him, his body evolving and changing, leaving him on the ground as he waited a few seconds before pushing himself upright. === Len === Level: 51 === Body: 51 Mana: 51/51 === Rick was on the cart condensing another fox¡¯s core. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one,¡± Edward said. ¡°You¡¯ll get hit with a skill-up,¡± Len warned. ¡°Well you said that this was how we get stronger against these things. I don¡¯t like having to worry about oversized spiders and foxes breaking down my front door.¡± He kept his voice loud so that others could hear him. Len picked himself up. ¡°Is it really okay if we cook this?¡± Amanda asked, looking at the fox he¡¯d broken down. ¡°Yeah, though I¡¯d make sure that only adults or people that have leveled up get some. If someone¡¯s mana stat is the same as their body stat then they shouldn¡¯t either,¡± Len said. Amanda nodded. ¡°Any of the meat, or bones that won¡¯t be used, pile them up according to animal and we¡¯ll throw them into the condenser, break them down into a core.¡± ¡°I thought you could only make one?¡± ¡°You can make a weak one doing it this way, it¡¯ll be weaker than the level the creature was unless you use all of the body. But you can take several weaker cores and combine them to make them stronger.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Len cleared his throat, cores and enchantments were a passion of his, though not everyones. ¡°Once you get your cooking skill to apprentice using mana touched ingredients you can create meals that will restore people¡¯s stamina so they recover faster.¡± Amanda froze, getting lost in her own thoughts. ¡°That was what I saw?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Len asked. ¡°When I was struck by the lightning I understood, or saw how you could change the effect of the meal.¡± Her eyes focused again. ¡°Can I take this?¡± She gestured at the fox. ¡°Go for it, if you have any luck increasing how much stamina it helps one regain that would be great. I know that would really help Rick and I get the troops who are coming into fighting condition.¡± ¡°Oh, is something wrong?¡± ¡°They were injured, but Rick and I can fix that.¡± ¡°Like you did with all of the people in the kitchen?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Len smiled. She blushed and looked away. ¡°Well I¡¯ll see what I can do, thank you.¡± Len nodded and cleared his throat. ¡°No problem.¡± He moved towards the cart. A shiver ran through him, they might be the same age, but being so much older, it just felt wrong to him on a lot of levels. Though there were people that dated others that were forty even fifty years difference. Long lifespans changed the way that one looked at the numbers of it all. A problem for another day. A skill up dropped from the heavens, hitting his father with enlightenment. Len jogged over and healed him. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m ever going to get used to that. Though it does seem to hurt less.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going up less levels each time as they require more essence. Each time you level up you¡¯re growing. Just like when you work hard one day and it hurts, but then you can do more later on.¡± Len helped him to his feet. ¡°How did you make me feel better?¡± ¡°Healing spell,¡± Len said. ¡°It¡¯s a little complicated, easiest is a light spell.¡± He held out his finger and created a ball of light at the end of it. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. His father blinked away as others looked over. ¡°How do you do that?¡± ¡°Spells are you using your will and empowering it with mana. I imagined what a ball of light would look like on my finger and I empowered the idea within my mind with mana.¡± Len spread all of his fingers on his hand and balls of light appeared over them, before they swirled around his hand and up his arm before he sent them up into the air, releasing the constructs and dimming them. ¡°Based on your mana stat you have a certain amount of power that you can use to alter the world around you or create different effects. You get smart about how you use that power. You could use it all in one single powerful spells, a bunch of smaller spells, or with the aid of other things. Those cores we¡¯re condensing you pair them up with an enchantment and they¡¯ll make one another stronger and you for using it, without you having to drain your mana pool.¡± ¡°So like a steam engine where you have a certain amount of coal, if you burn it all up you can¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°And if you use better gears and valves, then you get more out of that coal. If I was to put that light inside a mirrored lantern then you could focus it and get it brighter where you focus it.¡± ¡°So you regain mana over time?¡± Edward asked. ¡°Yes, with all of your mana gates open you can recover it at a pace of a tenth of your overall mana capacity a minute. Make that faster with potions or being in areas that have more mana.¡± ¡°Like the dungeon?¡± ¡°Yes, most dungeons have a higher mana density than the surrounding area,¡± Len said. Edward sunk into thought. ¡°I¡¯m going to help load the cart,¡± Len said. Edward nodded absently. Len stood opposite Des as they lifted up a fox. ¡°Might even be a bit stronger than me little bro,¡± Des grinned. ¡°Might be?¡± Len smiled as they threw it into the back of the cart. The farm turned into a production line, cores were condensed, bodies were butchered, hides were cleaned meat was taken to the smoking and drying huts. ¡°Len can you take over? I¡¯m going to work on making more smoking huts.¡± Rick called over. ¡°Sure thing,¡± Len said and looked at Des. ¡°Three two one.¡± They worked with four others to lift the spider between them getting it onto the cart and shoving it forward. ¡°Good!¡± Someone said. Len wiped his hands off on his pants. ¡°Hey Len, how do you use this thing?¡± Des asked. ¡°Come on up,¡± Len waved him to follow, climbing onto the front bench. ¡°All those lines and runes throughout the cart, they basically instruct the mana to do something. This rune here, you put mana into it and it activates the rest of the enchantment,¡± Len tapped it. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°So you know how I told you about circulating your mana to increase the rate of recovery and up your mana cultivation if you need it?¡± Len asked. ¡°Through the channels in my body to the core at my center?¡± ¡°Right. So instead of drawing it in, take a little bit of the mana, weave it through your channels and put it into the activation rune. Reverse it.¡± Len moved to the side. Des put his hand on the rune, frowning before the lines around his hand started to light up. The enchantment lit up, as mana spread throughout it. ¡°Once you feel pressure coming back to you stop feeding it mana,¡± Len said. Des removed his hand and watched as the the beast shrivvelled up, plates of armor fell off. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Des asked. ¡°No, this one had most of its insides turned to liquid, the enchantment is consuming all of that to make the core. The crystalline armor I want to keep and the meat if its good will thicken our stores and get a good price in the cities and towns.¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking to use as much of the beast as possible.¡± ¡°Everything is worth coin or stones to the right person. Rick and I learned how to make the most out of everything we came across.¡± ¡°Mom and dad said that you want us to leave here,¡± Des said. ¡°Its not safe out here anymore.¡± Len said. Des opened his mouth but held his words. ¡°Rick¡¯s family controls a city called Goran. They have plenty of land but they haven¡¯t been protecting the farmers like out here so everyone¡¯s been leaving. If Rick¡¯s grandmother can turn around the city, they¡¯re going to have a few hundred troops protecting the area and making sure there aren¡¯t beasts walking onto the lands. They¡¯re going to need to grow as much food as possible to feed everyone and create a surplus.¡± ¡°Though you¡¯re talking about Velkaris, that¡¯s the criminal city,¡± Des said. ¡°Its not got the best reputation right now and it doesn''t have much in the way of growing yet, though there are ways to get around that with enchantments and they¡¯re along a river that¡¯s full of fish,¡± Len said. ¡°You can used enchantments to help with growing?¡± A smile rose on Len¡¯s face unbidden. ¡°Have enchantments that will change the temperature of a room, create rain, others to produce light so you can grow food in the middle of a mountain. There are dungeon creatures that you can turn into a powder that will speed up the rate of growing by months.¡± Des was looking away, trying to imagine it. ¡°Do we have any tools that would allow me to carve into metal?¡± ¡°Uhh, well we¡¯ve got metal punches, the chisels are for wood,¡± Des said. ¡°The steel was decent quality.¡± He looked down at his breast plate. ¡°Probbaly have to use a weakening spell on this and a strengthening spell on the chisel so it can cut into the metal.¡± ¡°Why would you need to cut into the metal?¡± Des asked. ¡°Core¡¯s done,¡± Len raised his voice as he climbed into the bed, picking up the crystalline plates from the bed and handing them down to people waiting at the side. Use some of the crystal as a coating on the armor, make the enchantment stronger? ¡°Next one in lads!¡± He stepped back onto the bench. ¡°Cause I¡¯m thinking of enchanting my armor, use the core and some powdered crystal and that¡¯ll really boost the effect. You got all of this?¡± Len waved to the cart and the next creature being loaded up. ¡°Yeah, just have to activate the whole thing once the creature¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯ve gone through all of the bodies, take all the waste from the spiders and throw them into the cart, then all the fox waste too,¡± Len dropped down from the cart. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Then you can do the bodies of the dead,¡± Len studied the armor, stopping as he felt something wrong. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Des asked, the others around the cart were listening in too. ¡°Everything has mana now. Humans will give a core. Everyone is a low level but human cores allow one to increase the effect of mana, add sentience or mana resistance.¡± ¡°But to the dead,¡± Des said. ¡°Their cores should go to their families to decide what to do with. They¡¯ll get a high price and they¡¯re really useful.¡± ¡°Its wrong though.¡± One of the farmers said. ¡°Either feed the ground their body or harvest a mana core from it. Only one will make you stronger.¡± ¡°Its not all about getting stronger,¡± Len¡¯s father said as he walked up. Len shook his head. ¡°It is all about getting stronger. The strong make the rules. The strong are able to defend their families from what is going to come.¡± Len grabbed a half broken plate of spider armor on his way towards the barns. The farmers talking among themselves. If they want to argue they¡¯re going to have to be stronger. *** A lantern illuminated the barn, Len¡¯s breastplate on the workbench. He¡¯d powdered up the crystal armor, filling a bucket. He drew a line on the armor with a piece of chalk, checking the white lines and runes. The funerals had finished not too long ago, the majority buried in the ground. A waste, but they would learn with time. Jed walked into the barn, catching sight of him and walking over. ¡°What you up to?¡± Jed asked. ¡°Mom or dad send you?¡± Len asked as he checked his chalk markings. ¡°No,¡± Jed said, looking over his shoulder at what he was doing. ¡°So you¡¯re looking for gossip and rumors,¡± Len picked up a chisel, casting a reinforcement spell upon it, he cast a weakening spell on the breastplate he grabbed a hammer and tapped the chisel through the enchantment design. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Jed said. ¡°You knew what was happening in the Dell and Warwick before anyone else. Started being able to predict things and know what people would do before they did. Rick and I are different, we¡¯ve got the most mystery and I bet people are asking you about us already and its stoking up your interest too.¡± ¡°I might be a bit curious,¡± Jed admitted. Len grinned and kept working. ¡°So what¡¯s the rumors around the farm?¡± ¡°All kinds of questions, most are playing with their screens, trying to figure them out. Dad organized a skill-up station for carpentry and that got other people making stations for other skills. Few people tried out spells, parents really cracked down on the kids, telling them to not do it. Though there¡¯s a lot of the fathers that are out back playing with it.¡± ¡°What about leaving here?¡± ¡°People don¡¯t like the idea, but there¡¯s nine different families here, we¡¯re all packed in together. We started gathering up as beasts started getting stronger and animals started disappearing. Losing their farms is the biggest worry.¡± ¡°Farmers are going to become one of the best jobs to have. I¡¯ll employ anyone that¡¯s willing to work the fields, pay for their housing and food for the first three months too and give them a share of the profits,¡± Len said. ¡°I heard from Des that you can make enchantments to grow crops?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t grow them by themselves, but they¡¯ll speed up the work. With a good farmer to help out we can bring in a harvest every month.¡± ¡°So you¡¯d have three harvests in three months,¡± Jed said. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a lot of jobs and if they¡¯re willing to learn they stand to make a lot.¡± Len finished on the last rune, checking his work. He flattened out the two armor plates on the workbench. ¡°Hand me the pail of crystal sand.¡± Jed passed it to him. Len shook the sand over the plates, making sure each got an even layer. He willed the sand to bond with the metal, creating an even layer. The sand beaded together as if submersed in flame, becoming liquid, the sand melded together becoming a semi-transparent coating. It hardened and congealed together. Len ran a hand over the hardened layer of crystal. Jed tapped the crystal as Len repeated the process on the back plate. ¡°The men want to go with you to see the dungeon tomorrow,¡± Jed said. Len grimaced and kept working, spreading the crystal sand out evenly. ¡°They¡¯ve gained levels and skills, they¡¯re a lot stronger.¡± ¡°Which can make them overly confident. They¡¯ve killed livestock, maybe a few predators that went on their land. Des and the group he hunts would be the best.¡± Len cast the fusing spell on the sand. ¡°I don¡¯t need people that are eager to prove they¡¯re not cowards. I need them to listen.¡± ¡°Not everyone is going to leave,¡± Jed said. Len fitted the core into the center of the enchantment. The core melted and spread through the enchantment. ¡°I care about saving you, Laurie, Des, mother and father. The resources from the dungeon would be useful, give them gear to help them out in harvesting the dungeon and send people to buy from them.¡± Len shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t win every fight.¡± The core stopped spreading through the enchantment and solidified. ¡°Rick is from the Isendia family? His grandma is Carolyn Isendia?¡± Jed asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d know about Goran?¡± ¡°Its good to know who¡¯s willing to pay more for crops because they have to support not only the people in their city, but also their troops. That¡¯s a lot of mouths.¡± Len turned and leaned against the workbench. ¡°What do you want to do Jed?¡± Jed frowned. ¡°I think I¡¯d like to head off to Eskon, or maybe one of the port cities. I find it interesting to learn the rumors. Warwick is interesting for all that you can learn with the right conversation here, a drink there. Though its all so simple.¡± ¡°You want to mix in with the nobles and merchants? The wrong word in the wrong ear will be harsh,¡± Len said. ¡°They do not take slights easy,¡± Jed smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what makes it thrilling.¡± Rick¡¯s grandma had talked about the threat that the nobles might be to their plans. ¡°I think that you and Rick¡¯s Grandma would have an interesting conversation.¡± ¡°The ploys she has used throughout the years are something I am still trying to figure out,¡± Jed said. ¡°We¡¯ll see what we can do,¡± Len grabbed up his armor and donned it. ¡°Just have to convince the others.¡± He activated the enchantment. A shimmering crystalline layer appeared over his armor. ¡°What will that do?¡± Jed asked. ¡°Creates and extra layer of armor. If it breaks then it¡¯ll detonate, spraying the thing that broke the outer layer with shards. The crystal layer underneath strengthens it and adds another layer to the armor before you reach steel,¡± Len deactivated the enchantment. ¡°Now I need to work on the agility and strength enchantments on the bracers. ¡°You might want to do that after dinner, Mom told me to come grab you before you got lost in your projects and forget to sleep. Tension spread through Len¡¯s stomach. Len let Jed guide him out of the barn, there were a couple of fires going to keep people warm against the coming fall weather in the courtyard. Kids were running around under the watch of mother¡¯s and fathers. Most of the men were missing, taking care of the beasts or out back playing with spells Len guessed. He wanted to head back into the barn to work on the bracers. Des was talking to his father, Laurie paying close attention, adding in her thoughts. His mother looked up with her sixth sense, spotting him and Jed. ¡°Found him in the barn as you thought,¡± Jed said, sitting next to Laurie with Des on the other side. Len¡¯s mother patted the seat beside her and picked up bowls, putting food on his plate. Jed served himself. Len sat down. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Looks like the armor from those spiders,¡± Des pointed at Len¡¯s breastplate. ¡°Powdered up their armor and fused it onto the armor,¡± Len said as he started to add food to his plate. ¡°You have to teach me that spell you used to heal up people,¡± Laurie said. ¡°It¡¯s a little complicated, you need to understand the body and what¡¯s going wrong with it.¡± Len grimaced. ¡°The best way to learn it is to go through body tempering. You understand the most important things to heal first and then you use that as a model to heal others.¡± ¡°Body tempering where you break down the body?¡± Laurie asked. ¡°Yeah if you have a lot of damage inflicted upon your body you can make it stronger, with experience it kind of does it automatically. Tempering you need to be healing as you go to make your body stronger.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± Laurie asked, eyes focused on him, her food forgotten. ¡°Rick and I have a method, a technique that you can use to bypass armor to strike the person underneath. It ravages through your body, wounding you so you have to use healing spells and mana to recover. Its fast and effective.¡± She held his eyes. ¡°I wish to try it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Len asked. ¡°So I can learn how to heal others. I didn¡¯t know how to look after the men in our kitchen, but you were able to bring them from the brink. Now they are with their families.¡± Determination was etched into her being. ¡°There are many avenues, spells, enchantments, tools used for operations, potions and salves. Acupuncture even. I will teach you what I know if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°I would,¡± Laurie smiled. ¡°You¡¯re heading out tomorrow to go and check on the dungeon,¡± His father asked. ¡°Yes, Rick and I want to get a better idea of what we¡¯re dealing with. See how close it is to erupting and more of the beasts coming out.¡± ¡°A few of us would like to come with you.¡± ¡°I will not guarantee anyone¡¯s safety and if people don¡¯t listen then that¡¯s not my fault,¡± Len said. ¡°That sounds rather cold Lennard,¡± His mother said. ¡°You get used to death after a time, numb to it in a way. Have to else it will tear you apart when it happens all the time.¡± That brought a silence to the table. Len continued to eat, tension spreading through his body. His mother wrapped an arm around him and held him close. There were no words of coddling, no white lies. She just hugged him. His tension melted away, feeling her care, her hurt and her inability to do more than just be there for him. He put down his cutlery and hugged her back. She squeezed him again. ¡°Love you.¡± ¡°You too.¡± ¡°Not letting you go till you say it.¡± ¡°Love you too,¡± he said quietly. She released him with a smile. ¡°Still embarrassed to say love you.¡± He rubbed at his hair and ate from his plate. ¡°If the dungeon is safe we can start harvesting the fields,¡± His father said. ¡°Best if we have some people watching the dungeon. Once the soldier¡¯s arrive we¡¯ll head into the dungeon to thin it down.¡± ¡°The soldiers, where are they from? Lord Warwick thought we were exaggerating the threat and he wanted a part of our incomes to send off a request,¡± Jed said. ¡°We don¡¯t know that,¡± Edward said. ¡°I think Jed¡¯s right,¡± Adeline, Len¡¯s mother said. ¡°His letters were quite forceful and Jed went down there a few weeks ago.¡± ¡°The soldiers are loyal to Rick¡¯s grandma, things are a bit complicated in Goran.¡± ¡°Complicated how?¡± Jed jumped on the gossip and their mother was trying to not look interested too. ¡°Rick¡¯s uncle is an arsehole.¡± ¡°Len,¡± Adeline admonished. Len gave her a look he was old enough to be her great, great great grandfather. ¡°Still not a great word,¡± She muttered. ¡°He probably got Rick¡¯s parents killed, poisoned his mother and has been using his position as the legal guardian of Rick and his sister to rule the city and their forces. Also push both of them away from the family. Carolyn, Rick¡¯s grandma wants to take back control from him and turn things around. I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s going to do it.¡± Len shrugged. ¡°Be good if she does, then we can turn Goran into a city that will survive the apocalypse. If not we got to Velkaris that we know made it through the apocalypse.¡± ¡°What is your plan?¡± Jed asked. Len studied Jed, then turned his gaze to the rest of his family, swallowing his food. "Rick and I know enough about a lot of things to build a strong power base wherever we go. What we know about crafts and contracts will allow us to teach others the basics and set them on the path to become stronger, while also loyal and faithful to whichever agreement we create. Rick and I were Dungeoneers. We know where a lot of really rare and useful resources could be found throughout the world. Between those two things, whichever city we go to, we could turn into a place that should be safe through the apocalypse. Hopefully. With our actions, everything that Rick and I know to happen will become altered." That gave them all something to think about as they quietly continued their meals. "So what happened while you were in Eskon?" his father asked. "I tried to become a boilermaker, but there were no openings. Then I tried to work on the trains. Again, not many free jobs there, and most had been imported from other places. The Xinta Works was closed down by the nobles." My father winced, shaking his head. "I was able to find a position as a shoveler in a pig works, smelting iron. In my past life, I went on to be conscripted in the army and delve dungeons. This time, we hurried to Goran and here as fast as we could to make sure that you were safe." "So you''re like really old then?" Lori asked. "Well, I guess so," Len said. "Dad said you said you were a hundred and fifty years old." "Something like that." Len tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Huh, well, guess you didn''t change too much Lentil," Lori said, returning her attention back to her meal. Len wasn''t sure how to respond to that as the rest of the family hid grins behind mouthfuls of food. Something relaxed in Len. That underlying worry he''d been carrying with him of not remembering or recognizing them. Now here with them, it just seemed to fall into place. It was still awkward, but with time, he could get used to this. He had a family again. It wasn''t just Rick and him surviving. Chapter: 14 Chapter: 14 Len woke in the middle of the night as someone approached the barn. He¡¯d laid down a spell that would wake him in such a situation. He rubbed his face, he¡¯d fallen asleep after finishing Rick¡¯s arm bracer¡¯s that lay on the workbench infront of him. A flare of mana through his body eased the aches from sleeping in a bad position. The intruder came around the last cart before the workbench, it was Marigold, the woman that had yelled at him and Rick about healing her husband. She paused her steps as she looked at him. She fumbled with her dress and drew a kitchen knife, holding it out in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m just here for that potion! I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± ¡°Potion ain¡¯t going to help your husband. He was dead before Rick and I got here.¡± ¡°I can save him!¡± She took a threatening step forward with her knife, jabbing it in Len¡¯s direction. He sighed and crossed his arms, she was still some five meters away. ¡°Those potions are mine, I¡¯m not going to give them to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll give them to me else I will hurt you.¡± ¡°You would hurt me to save another? You¡¯d get further along in what¡¯s to come compared to others. Do you have family, children?¡± He grabbed a stool with his tendrils and dragged it over next to her. Most of him was screaming out to redner her unconscious, for someone else to deal with her. It would be easier, it wouldn¡¯ be his problem anymore. Thoguhthte time with his family had soothed hs heart, had calmed him. ¡°I have family, my husband got this land from his family and I came to join him.¡± All that she might have. ¡°If I don¡¯t have him I don¡¯t have anything,¡± She said. There was fear and worry there. ¡°Grief is¡ªmessy.¡± Len leaned back against the workbench. ¡°It hits everyone differently. Its all individual as the relationship you had with that person you lost. Though the one thing it will take is time.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have time, he needs that drink!¡± She moved forward again, eyeing his pack on the workbench. ¡°It won¡¯t work on him, though it could save another¡¯s life. Would you deny another¡¯s life for his?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s not alive I won¡¯t have a say on my life. No one will want to marry the second wife of a farmer.¡± Resolve firmed up in her eyes. Len frowned. ¡°Did you get a skill increase?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re already stronger than most people and with the information Rick and I said you¡¯ll be able to be much stronger. You¡¯re already stronger than any normal man. You¡¯ve got your own kind of strength, you don¡¯t need to be attached to man.¡± She faltered. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need to lie, look you ain¡¯t getting the potion so go figure out what you want to do.¡± Len rubbed his face and yawned. ¡°I¡¯m going to get some sleep. I¡¯ll take this as you being hit with grief and confused.¡± He waved at her. ¡°If you threaten me with a blade again when I¡¯m trying to sleep I¡¯ll kill you.¡± She stumbled back as he stood. There was unsureity in her gaze now. ¡°I¡¯d suggest putting that back where you found it. My mother wouldn¡¯t be happy to know you were thinking of stabbing me with one of her knives.¡± She turned and fled the barn. Len reached out with his will, closing the doors to the barn, casting an alarm spell upon it and the other entrances into the barn. Secure he moved to the nearest cart and pulled out the metal bolts that held the cart¡¯s tailgate up. He let it drop as he went to his pack, grabbing it and carrying ti back to the cart as he pulled out sleeping blankets. Laying one underneath, using the pack as a pillow and pulling a blanket ontop. He yawned and went to sleep. Wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d been woken up by someone wielding a blade. *** "Morning, beautiful," Rick declared as he entered the barn, causing Len to nearly jump out of his skin, the alarm spell activating at the same time. "Morning, jackass," Len retorted, scooting down to hang his legs off the tailgate. Rick grinned, passing him a cup of tea. He sipped his own as he studied the pieces of armor laying on the workbench. "So, how did it all go?" Len looked upon the enchanted armor. The arm bracers were covered in a layer of spiked crystal like the claws of the foxes, threaded with black veins. The leg bracers were smooth like the armor for the torso, also with the black veins. ¡°I put strength on the arm bracers and agility on the leg bracers. Speed us up some but not a whole hell of a lot I was tempted to put the summoned armor layer on all of them, though it would be better with plate armor allowing full coverage.¡± Rick turned the bracers over, the core was spread through the enchantment and organic veins connected the core to the exterior covering. ¡°That¡¯ll be handy,¡± Rick said. ¡°They¡¯re starting to cook up breakfast there¡¯s a group that wants to come with us to the dungeon.¡± ¡°I talked to my family about it last night,¡± Len said. ¡°Would like to get them through a few more skill ups.¡± Rick put down his mug and started pulling on his armor from the workbench. Len drank another mouthful off tea, putting it down on the end of the cart before he slipped onto his feet and approached the workbench. ¡°I was talking to some of the people round here, they got several skill-ups ready for today,¡± Rick said. ¡°If the dungeon¡¯s calm enough I said that they could harvest the crops. Should give them all an easy skill up and increase what they pull in.¡± Len shrugged on his armored plates before pulling the straps on either side of his chest tight, releasing them a bit before tying them. ¡°Could be a good spot for a dungeon outpost,¡± Rick said. ¡°Day or so travel from the train station in Warwick, can use the cores and crystals to make enchantments to increase defense and stats. The meat will be useful. Don¡¯t know what kind of rewards the dungeon will give out either. If they can farm at the same time then they¡¯ll be able to sell food as well.¡± Len worked his jaw. Rick held up his hands. ¡°Though if you were to say that then your family might think about staying and put themselves at risk.¡± ¡°I just got them back and I¡¯m starting to get my head around that,¡± Len said. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were wrong. I¡¯m just saying that it might not be a bad idea to set up a dungeon outpost here. There¡¯s no guilds that will tax us for using it and we can make them stronger with gear.¡± ¡°All dungeons are valuable its just how much risk are associated with each. Do you know anything about this one?¡± Rick shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t say I do.¡± ¡°How much would we research every dungeon we went into. Take the time to learn about them slowly,¡± Len said. ¡°We¡¯re dungeoneers, they¡¯re farmers that got much stronger over a day. They¡¯re still having a hard time with their strength. They¡¯ve ripped off nearly all the doors and they¡¯re damaging the buildings and ceilings just by moving around.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how strong the dungeon is yet,¡± Rick said. ¡°The creatures are around level fifty or so, that makes it a mundane grade.¡± ¡°Its weak for now but it¡¯ll get stronger. They can get lax if its easy to kill the creatures inside. Most of them are going to be stronger than that with the skill-ups so they won¡¯t be getting stronger from killing the creatures.¡± ¡°The creatures will get stronger. Those manning the outpost can learn how they fight and if they kill enough of them they can stay a few levels ahead of the creatures, giving them some safety,¡± Rick said. ¡°You have a point.¡± ¡°You just don¡¯t want to put your family in that position,¡± Rick said. Len pulled the strings on the back of his last leg bracer tight and tied them. ¡°No I don¡¯t.¡± He stood up. ¡°Make them as ready as possible for what¡¯s going to come. You think that we¡¯re going to sit in a city throughout this all?¡± ¡°No, probably not.¡± ¡°There¡¯s all those dungeons out there to be delved, cleared out and outposts set up. How many dungeons did we hear about that we wished we¡¯d done first? We can do them,¡± Rick grinned. His excitement was infectious as Len shook his head to try and hide the grin that was forming. ¡°There we are,¡± Rick slapped him on the back. ¡°Come on lets go see our ¡®first¡¯ dungeon.¡± They walked out of the barn to find a group of nearly a dozen men holding makeshift weapons, Des and Len¡¯s father was among the crowd. ¡°Rick and I will take point, we¡¯ll scout out where the dungeon is and if possible try to see what¡¯s going on inside,¡± Len said. There was some awkward shuffling among the men. ¡°Treat everything that we say as an order. You don¡¯t put just our lives at risk but that of everyone here if you trigger a dungeon overflow.¡± Len looked among them. There were a few jutting out their chins, not pleased with the situation. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Come on.¡± Len waved them on. He turned and started walking for the forest. He looked over to Rick who gave him a look that seemed to say ¡®this should be fun¡¯. Len grimaced, slowing as they reached the wall to the compound. ¡°Anything happen?¡± He asked the boy at the wall. He nearly jumped up out of his skin as Rick gently caught the boy¡¯s pitchfork and returned it to him. ¡°There were some birds and things in the fields but nothing came out of the opening in the forest.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Len said. He walked out of the wall, moving in his armor to warm up some. They moved along the field that had been stomped down by the creatures and the fighting. Len stopped at the entrance to the forest, casting mana sight. ¡°Don¡¯t see any disturbances.¡± ¡°Lets see where it goes,¡± Rick moved down the muddy trail with a hand on his hammer. Len followed with the others following behind. Rick used more of his strength, hopping down the path as he looked around. Len studied the path as they moved deeper. The forest had been left along the ground hilly and filled with stone that would have been bad for farming. They passed a pit that had been used to quarry stone for the farm homes in the dell and beyond. Rick slowed his pace. They came to an open area, a cliff to the left side, the remaining three sides trees, other than the thirty meters around the crystalline sheathe that jutted out of the ground. ¡°Well that is just fucking obvious,¡± Rick said. ¡°Pretty recent impact,¡± Len studied the trees that had been ripped from the ground and tossed outwards. Crystal shards created a shining path that connected to the muddy trail they were on. ¡°Thankfully they haven¡¯t gone in another direction,¡± Len said. ¡°Go looking for the largest density of mana. That must¡¯ve been everyone at the farms.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t the only things in the area,¡± Len pointed to bloody marks and stirred up ground, signs of fighting. ¡°Other beasts attracted by the increased mana,¡± Rick said. They settled down among the still standing trees, watching the dungeon entrance. The rest of their group appeared on the trail. ¡°What are you doing running off like that?¡± A man with little left of hair upon his head and a sour expression on his face admonished. ¡°Keep your voice down,¡± Len hissed. ¡°Look here boy, if you think that I¡¯m going to let some kid order me around.¡± ¡°Raskin keep your voice down?¡± Len¡¯s father grabbed the man¡¯s arm. He tore it away. ¡°I¡¯m done with this stupid shit. He¡¯s a boy Edward, both of them are. Sure they were able to fight some of those creatures yesterday. Today we have the same strength as them and we¡¯re men. This is our home and our farms. Lennard would want us to run away from here. We¡¯re going to kill these beasts like we did when that bear started coming onto our land.¡± He glared at Edward and then Len in challenge. ¡°There could be five creatures down there. It could be hundreds,¡± Len said. ¡°Squatting out here in the forest ain¡¯t going to do nothing.¡± The man said. ¡°Come on.¡± He looked around the group, two other men stepped forward. ¡°Cowards.¡± They pushed past into the opening. Len and Rick let them. Len¡¯s father made to move past to stop them once more. Len put a hand on his father¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Some people have to understand the world by running head first into it.¡± Rick grunted and pulled his hammer out. Pride is a fickle teacher. Raskin looked like he wanted to say something, hearing Len but caught Edward¡¯s eye and waved to the others with him. ¡°Come on.¡± They moved towards the sheathe, their feet crunched on the crystal. They moved around to the right. ¡°Shoot that fucking thing!¡± Raskin yelled. A chittering hiss came from the ground as another man pulled a revolver. ¡°I said no firearms,¡± Len shook his head. The first shot hit something unseen as the trio backed up. The second round the revolver tore out of the man¡¯s hand flying above him before it exploded. The force slammed the man into the ground. ¡°That¡¯s why you don¡¯t use gunpowder, might not even have enough force to fire the bullet, or so much force it blows up your gun,¡± Len shook his head. A crystalline spider emerged from the ground and charged the two men recovering from their buddy¡¯s exploding pistol. One lowered his spear even as he was backing up, the spider gaining momentum he stabbed at the best, lodging the pitchfork in its mouth, losing grip on it as he turned to run, the end of the pitchfork got wedged under a fallen tree, the spider¡¯s momentum driving it through its mouth, and brain before its armor delfected it into its body. The creature went suddenly and completely still, the pichfork¡¯s shaft snapped with the weight of the dead spider, dropping to the ground. The ¡®killer¡¯ who was stumbling overe trees, pasty white tripped and grunted as experience flooded him. A second and third spider had charged out of the dungeon. Len kicked the logs infront of him and the other scouts. ¡°Have them running left to right, foul up the spider¡¯s footing,¡± Len said. Rick kicked logs into place, creating an obstacle to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. Raskin jabbed at one spider it hit the armor above its left foremost leg, scratching uselessly against its crystal armor and making him wide open. The spider darted forward, opening its maw. Len threw a rock, hitting the creature in the head, diverting its attack. It bit down on Raskin¡¯s arm instead, crunchin bone as Raskin yelled out. It shook Raskin, ripping his arm off and tossing him into the trees. He snapped through branches, hitting a tree and falling to the ground. ¡°You two go and get him, tie his arm up to stop the bleeding.¡± Len pointed to two men. ¡°Rick grab the gun guy. Anyone else have a gun toss it out into the forest.¡± Two pistols were thrown out. Len glared at them and then jumped on the logs, balancing to get a hand on the back of the man that was trying to crawl away from the dungeon after his level-up. Len slashed through a spider caught up in the logs. There were more coming up from the dungeon entrance. Len Rick killed two, throwing the gun guy over his shoulder, he jumped on another spider¡¯s back, kicking off of it, the creature, crashed into the ground, bleeding from its mouth. Len arrived with the farmers and dropped off the guy who¡¯d leveled up. ¡°Aim for the head and eyes, hold your ground.¡± Len grabbed men and lined them up against the logs, he called up stone to stop the logs from rolling back on their feet as the spiders tried to advance, slowing down with their limbs going through the openings between logs. ¡°When I say one, those who are a half step forward will jab,¡± Len showed what he wanted them to do as Rick reached them and took the man off of his back, checking him over. ¡°When I say two, those a half step back will jab forward and those up front will pull back their spears. You will not jab unless I say one or two and you will pull back on the opposite number!¡± Len walked back down the line, kicking legs and setting stances. ¡°One! Two!¡± They jabbed at the open air. ¡°From the front of your foot through your leg and up and out your shoulder. Like you¡¯re piercing a hay bale! Again, one, two! Now lets do it for real!¡± A spider came into range. ¡°One!¡± The hits went all around it. ¡°Two!¡± Someone landed a hit on its face. ¡°One! Pull out damn you! You want a litter of kids?¡± He berated them, not out of anger, though he did use that. It gave them something else to think about, something else to be annoyed with. Something they did understand. Peer pressure and berating was a great tool to motivate a fighter, or turn a famer into one in the moment. Others jabbed into the creatures face, the spider shuddered and stilled, dying. ¡°Pull out you jackasses! You really are farmers!¡± ¡°Two!¡± Another spider was stabbed. ¡°Don¡¯t all swarm one spider! Attack what¡¯s infront of you! One! If you¡¯re head on, go for its face or next to the guy that¡¯s head on go for it! Two!¡± Len grabbed onto a spear wedged into the second dying spider and pulled it out. Rick grabbed the first dead spider and tossed it to the side, it would funnel the other spiders into the wood. No more were coming out of the dungeon and Len could hear the two that went off to find Raskin crashing through the woods on their way back. ¡°One! If you don¡¯t have a face to hit, go for the limbs! Two! Stop moving around so much, plant those feet and stay in-line!¡± Len grabbed up rocks from the ground, he used the resonating technique on them and threw them with spells to increase their speeds. They went through the spider¡¯s head, they stilled, blood coming out of their orifices before collapsing. ¡°Now imagine a pocket of air forming around your pitchfork when you pull it out, Two! It firms up around the top and when you jab it into the spider, all that air shoots forward in a burst, One!¡± Len looked at Rick and then a few of the spiders. Rick nodded, getting the message and pushing the spiders back out of the way to give them more breathing room and focus on learning how to fight and work together. One¡¯s spear was dragged forward, the farmer nearly going with it before he let go, stumbling towards the logs. Rick was there, grabbing onto him with his will and dragging him back. Another over extended, getting hit with a leg that cracked his chest and threw him back. ¡°Leave him!¡± Len barked as those on either side moved to him. Rick dragged him back and fused his bones together. The man who had leveled up grabbed up his pitchfork and stepped into his position. Finally the last spider was killed. ¡°Get the body off to the side, Rick?¡± Len asked. The farmers grabbed the spider body and hauled it to the side. Len and Rick moved over their log blockade, nearly two dozen spiders met their fate there. They landed on the open ground where some of the spiders had caught a curious case of the exploding head rocks. Len and Rick moved without a sound across the ground, moving along the dirt instead of the trail of crystals. Rick glanced down the sheathe, he moved back a step and waved Len up. He leaned over the sheathe, looking down the ramp into the dungeon. It was formed of crystals, sloping into a room also made of crystal. Light came from somewhere, reflecting off of the crystals, giving it a dozen different colors. Len looked around, he couldn¡¯t see anymore from his vantage point. He pulled back from the edge, Rick had found a rock about as big as his thigh that he was resting his hand on. ¡°Remote eye?¡± Len nodded and projected his vision beyond his body. His vision split into two, a hedache started to build as he guided the second vision to move, it floated over the sides of the sheathe and then down into the dungeon. The ramp was at a slow incline, reaching a large square room, crystals were growing on the walls in their ogonal shapes, there were a multitude of different colors. Len used his mana sight, increasing the drain. Different mana densities and types. He cut the spell to extend how long he could use it. Crystal was on the floor, Len checked it over, noting the marks on it. There were three exits to the room, each was made of harsh angles. Len took the left one, plants grew out of the crystal, water pooled in an alcove, shining as light caught the particles in the water. Len used flashes of mana sight to assess the different materials. He reached a corner, going around it the hallway continued down. Another tunnel broke off. Len kept moving down, his headache growing with the range and the mana interference of the dungeon. Something caught his eye past the tunnel that went off. He found an opening in the wall looking out at a massive room with crystal growths jutting out of the walls and floor. Spiders moved between the crystals, weaving webs between them. The web shone in the light, a crystalline gossamer. Len caught sight of larger spiders than the ones they¡¯d faced at the farm. One crawled up the wall, its feet sticking into the hardened crystal as it found a node it liked and chewed on crystal, picking up more from the wall to put into its mouth. Len closed his second vision and dismissed the spell. Relief washed through him as he blinked his normal eyes. ¡°Just scan the exterior, don¡¯t go deeper,¡± Len said. ¡°The spiders have webs throughout the dungeon, if you vibrate it then, could piss them off.¡± Rick channelled mana, his hammer humming before he struck the ground. Rick closed his eyes as Len felt the vibrations move through the ground under their feet. Len watched the entrance into the dungeon, listening for the sound of fox claws on crystal or the spiders legs. ¡°Well that¡¯s quite the size,¡± Rick said. Len looked back as his friend tapped the boulder with his hammer, the stone fell away into dust, revealing a boxy tunnel system underneath, an exterior replica of the dungeon beneath their feet. ¡°I¡¯ll put down an alarm formation,¡± Len said. ¡°I¡¯ll watch,¡± Rick put down the model and looked over the sheathe. Len dug his blade into the ground, drawing in the enchantment. He cut the back of his hand, dropping some blood onto it. Once finished it drew in mana, visible only to his mana sight. ¡°Lets head back,¡± Len said. They hurried back across the ground. Len grabbed up Raskin¡¯s arm on the ground. The farmers made room for them to pass through. ¡°Second line take a rest, drink water if you have it, first keep an eye on the entrance. Ten minutes then switch,¡± Len looked at his brother. ¡°You¡¯re in charge. Dad.¡± Len waved for him to come with him. Len moved to Raskin, he sheathed his blade and cleaned the arm on his walk, he kneeled on Raskin¡¯s chest, grabbed the stub of arm and pushed the arm he¡¯d picked up against it. He fused bone first, then some of the tendons and muscle before closing up his skin. ¡°Eat and drink, you¡¯ll recover in time.¡± Len got back up as Raskin looked at him with wide eyes. Len looked at the man who¡¯d been blown up by his pistol. Rick had fused his wounds together, the man looking away, ashamed. Len stopped a bit away from them, but close enough to the rear of their two farmer lines so they¡¯d be able to hear what he was saying and they could help out one another if they needed to. ¡°Rick was able to make a model of what the outside of the dungeon looks like,¡± Len waved to the geometric construct in Rick¡¯s hands. Rick picked up a stick, pointing to the stone model. ¡°There are two tunnels that create squared off spirals around the central area which is shaped like a diamond, twenty meters across at the top, gets fifty meters wide and then comes to a point at the base of the structure nearly seventy meters deep. There are also these burrows that break off from the tunnels going down and into the walls and then coming back up further down the tunnels or into the main chamber.¡± ¡°Fox burrows?¡± Len asked. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking,¡± Rick said. ¡°The central diamond area is filled with spiders, they¡¯ve got webs all over the place,¡± Len said. ¡°The crystal in the walls is a mana imbued resource. The spiders were eating it so its consumable in some manner. There¡¯s crystals in there that give off light, plants with mana in them that can be used for alchemy and there was a pool of some liquid with a magical effect.¡± ¡°How many of them?¡± Len¡¯s father asked. ¡°A hundred or so? There were some that were larger than what we¡¯ve faced, too big to use the tunnels to get up here unless the dungeon gets stronger,¡± Len said. ¡°I put down an alarm enchantment around the entrance, it will let me know if anything else comes out. In the meantime we head back to the farms, skill-up as many people as possible.¡± Chapter: 15 Chapter: 15 Captain Adrian chewed on his dried meat silently, doing his best to ignore the insatiable itching that came from his missing leg. After using the mana healing technique that Len and Rick had taught them they¡¯d been recovering from their injuries quickly. Sped up how fast they could move as well. They¡¯d pushed hard, Rick and Len had been worried, fearing for Len¡¯s family. Each of the men had been given a second chance even with their injuries. They learned a few things from healing themselves. The more they focused their mana on healing one thing, the faster it recovered. Adrian had focused it on his leg. He¡¯d formed a child¡¯s limb which was elongating and adding muscle tone as it grew. Another thing they learned, healing was hungry work. He had everyone on double rations of food and water, eating and drinking on the march. They reached the edge of a dell as lightning bolts from odd raining clouds appeared. Adrian frowned as the clouds were consumed fully by raining. Adrian pulled out a pair of looking glasses and focused on the distance. There were farmers working in the fields. Some were in black patches. People moved over to them. More of the clouds appeared and the lightning. ¡°That¡¯s not normal,¡± Gibson said. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen clouds like that, nor silent lightning,¡± Adrian agreed. ¡°Lets pick up the pace!¡± They continued down into the dell, wearing the Isendia family¡¯s armor as they towed their carts. Rick and Len greeted them on the mud road, people were out among the fields harvesting. ¡°You made good time Adrian,¡± Rick said, Len a half step behind him. Lightning descended sporadically behind the farmhouses beyond them. The two of them acting as if nothing was abnormal. ¡°Thank you sir.¡± Adrian said, fighting down his questions. ¡°Unload any ammunition you have and have a group bury it, bullet facing down three meters deep fifty meters from the fields,¡± Rick pointed in the direction he wanted it. ¡°That will corrode the rounds,¡± Adrian kept his voice low so others wouldn¡¯t hear.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be of more harm than use. Len you think you could enchant their guns?¡± ¡°Not if we want to hit the dungeon tomorrow. I got enough things to work on,¡± Len said. ¡°Rifles are going to pretty useless then. Your group trained with shields?¡± ¡°Some have, its not normal training,¡± Adrian said. ¡°We¡¯re going to be moving through tunnels. I want front and overhead shields,¡± Rick said. ¡°Yes sir. We don¡¯t have shields though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on that,¡± Len said. ¡°We¡¯ve got skill-up stations round back of the farm,¡± Rick said. ¡°Once you¡¯ve done that then you can join in with those out in the fields and speed up the harvest. I¡¯m going to head off and help build the gear at the dungeon entrance, Len can you take them ¡®round back?¡± ¡°Sure, get those rounds sent off before we keep going, they¡¯re literally packing grenades on their hips,¡± Len said. Rick departed for the woods. ¡°Mackie!¡± Adrian called out. The man jogged over. Adrian turned his rifle around and pressed the magazine release, catching the rounds that fell out. ¡°Sarge?¡± Mackie reached him and Adrian handed him his rounds before working his action to get the round in his chamber. ¡°Take three men, secure all the ammunition, take it over there,¡± Adrian pointed where Rick had. ¡°All of it?¡± ¡°Yes and point the bullets down into the ground.¡± Adrian un snapped the holders on his belt that contained ammunition and passed it to Mackie who cupped his hands to hold it all. ¡°Okay,¡± The man nodded, confused. He headed back to the rest of the unit picking out people and collecting ammunition. Len waited for it to be all collected. ¡°Head through the field, stay away from the forest.¡± The four troops walked across the field with their ammunition boxes and shovels. ¡°Lets go make you stronger.¡± Len walked at a sedate pace to the farm, through a gate that was open and into a courtyard where all the light was coming from. He continued on lightning dropping from the heavens. Groans of pain filled the courtyard beyond, the light disappearing as curses flowed. Adrian smelled burnt food and wood as he looked around. There were a group of farmers cooking, one man jumped away from his stew, lightning crashing into him and driving him into the ground. Adrian blinked away the light as he watched two men sign a contract, one tossing a stick to the other as the other threw a gold coin. Twin blasts of lighting crashed into them, followed by two more. Adrian watched a man fell a tree and get blasted into the ground for it. Another whimpered as he saw something only he could see and lightning struck him. What the fuck is going on? ¡°Skilling up will give you a lot of extra experience. It¡¯ll speed up your natural healing a lot,¡± Len waved him to follow as he retrieved the gold coin from one man who was smoking slightly. Len patted him on the shoulder and he started to get up. ¡°Still have cooking to go Rod.¡± ¡°Yes Len.¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded almost pleading. Adrian grit his teeth and moved over to where people were writing on paper, checking it against another piece of paper with something written on it already. ¡°We¡¯ve got carpentry, lumberjack, cooking, scribe, trading, masonry, farming in the field. Then you¡¯re all going to be heading out to gully and fields to hunt. Want you to kill creatures with a bladed weapon, blunt weapon, something thrown if you can, and after all that then you¡¯re allowed to get one round each and use it to kill birds. Then I want you to clean up your kills for a butcher skill.¡± The rest of the unit walked into the confusing mayhem. ¡°Put the carts along the back fence there, then break down by squad and go talk to the teacher at each station,¡± Len raised his voice. ¡°And this will make us stronger.¡± ¡°Should heal you all within the day.¡± Len said. Adrian took a measure of the man. Another silent bolt hit another farmer. He moved over to the contract station and sat on a stump, he put down his crutch and picked up a piece of paper and pencil. He read the contract and started copying it out. ¡°Lennard,¡± A woman came out holding a blanket with a pattern sowed into it. ¡°Oh hey mom, that the first one?¡± Len grabbed an edge of the blanket and studied it. ¡°Looks good, what did you get in enchanting and sowing?¡± Adrian looked up, studying the woman to try and understand Len more. Lennard? ¡°Novice in enchanting but expert in sowing.¡± She smiled. Len¡¯s face split into a smile. ¡°You lot certainly gave me enough pants and shirts to fix,¡± Len¡¯s mother shook her head but clear pride in her smile. ¡°Would you be okay setting up a skill station sowing more of the blankets? I know they¡¯ll be really useful,¡± Len asked. ¡°Of course, with winter coming in these will be a life saver and we can spread out more of the blankets between people, people were already going cold last night. Though we don¡¯t have enough for everyone.¡± ¡°Check in with Edwin, I think his group are breaking down the supplies,¡± Len pointed to the unit¡¯s carts. ¡°Get their blankets. Also be good to see what they have in the way of supplies and what we might need.¡± ¡°Edwin you said?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°I¡¯ll have a talk with him, don¡¯t work too hard now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°And forget what I said totally once you¡¯re actually working.¡± She put the blanket around his shoulders. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Wear this at least, its cold out here and you¡¯re working on all those shields. Don¡¯t need you getting cold and distracted,¡± She pulled it around him, satisfied that it covered him. ¡°Thank you,¡± Len said. Adrian lowered his head and smiled, working on his contract. Len went over to a stack of wooden shields covered in crystal, people dropping more off, while his mother headed for the unit¡¯s carts. The contract wasn¡¯t simple and there was a lot of detail involved. Adrian had to check it several times before he finished. ¡°You done with yours?¡± A young man asked him as he checked the contract for a third time. ¡°I hope so,¡± Adrian said. ¡°You up to trade?¡± The young man held up a stick with a grin, he looked familiar. ¡°Where¡¯s the coin?¡± Adrian looked around. ¡°Len!¡± The man said. Len looked up from a shield he was carving into. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Gold coin!¡± Len nodded and took it out, throwing it out. ¡°There you are Des.¡± He was already going back to what he was carving. He was the last stage of a process to build shields. ¡°You know Len?¡± Adrian asked as they exchanged contracts. ¡°Could say that,¡± Des grit his teeth and began signing, Adrian did the same. === Skill: Scribe === Level: Journeyman === === Skill: Trading === Level: Apprentice === He couldn¡¯t see anything else as the lightning bolt appeared above him, making him flinch as he blinked, trying to see. Pain flared throughout his body, tearing through him, information flooded his mind. The world fell away as he blinked against the aftereffects, he¡¯d fallen off of his stump chair at some point. Adrian pushed himself up, it hurt, but it was the kind of hurt that promised progress. He moved slowly thankfully as he found he had a lot more strength in his limbs than before. A hand pushed his hair out of his face, he traced back the hand to his shoulder. Adrian shivered and nearly fell back on the ground. ¡°Shit, damn.¡± He looked at the hand and arm, it was still small but it was there! Adrian looked at his foot sticking out of his pant leg. ¡°Hah, hell.¡± Emotion swelled in him as he moved his toes, putting his foot into the dirt and mud, he stood up. Still lopsided, but he was very nearly there. He stood up fully as Des picked himself up. ¡°Lumberjack next?¡± ¡°Will this happen each time?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°Experience and enlightenment blowing up in your skull? Yeah, yeah that happens with each one.¡± Des said. Adrian picked up his crutch and used it more like a walking stick following Des who was waiting for him. ¡°So how do you know Len?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my brother,¡± Des said. Adrian looked from the smoking Des to Len who had finished with one shield and grabbed another. Ah there¡¯s the similarity. He and Des moved through stations carving stone into ¡®sound transmission devices that allowed them to hear one another over great distances adding masonry and enchantment to their skills. They sowed geometric patterns drawn into blankets that kept a constant temperature afterwards, cooked and went through the skill up stations. Adrian followed Des out to the forest to their last skill-up chain. A tree fell, experience compressed and enlightenment followed. ¡°You cut down a tree before?¡± A man asked, handing them both axes. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adrian said. ¡°Good, well make sure the area is clear before you start cutting and toss the axe soon as that tree starts coming down. Cut off the branches and haul it back to the barns. Make sure to return your axes.¡± ¡°Will do Regis,¡± Des said. Regis grunted and they walked into the forest. Adrian picked out a tree, checked there wasn¡¯t anyone in the path he wanted to fall it. He circulated mana, healing up his limbs. He was able to brace himself, cutting out a chunk on one side of the tree in the direction he wanted it to fall, shifting to the other he cut deeper. ¡°Timber!¡± Des yelled as his tree started making cracking noises. It came down in a rush of branches into the open area that had been cleared. His skill-up arrived. Adrian kept cutting with his one handed swing till his started making snapping noises. ¡°Timber!¡± He threw the axe to the side and crouched down, skill-up hit him as the tree crashed into the ground. He ran mana through his body, healing the remaining pain away and walked off in search of his axe. They de-limbed the trees, boys gathering up the branches in piles. Des helped haul Adrian¡¯s tree back to the barn. They planked the tree gaining a carpenter skill-up under Len¡¯s father. The extra planks and wood were used to extend carts, tripling their bed length. The wheels were spaced out down the new length and carved with enchantments that looked like the heat-regulating enchantments they¡¯d sown into the blankets they wore. They learned a spell to fuse the planks together which gave them a novice in spellcasting. The information was all new to Adrian, giving him a better understanding of mana and how to cast spells. Planks fused they added bands and handles to turn them into shields, giving them a builder skill-up. Then it went on to be covered in powdered crystal, they used their fusing spell but adhering the crystal to one another and the shield, creating a hardened layer. Those were handed off to Len who had chisels carving enchantments into the back of the shields held aloft with mana. Adrian¡¯s limbs were finally all the same size and healthy. ¡°Just need to do the farming and fighting skill increases,¡± Des sighed. ¡°There¡¯s always more to be done in the army,¡± Adrian said. Des nodded along, looking wistful, he¡¯d pried information from Adrian on the training he¡¯d gone through and his job. There was a genuine interest there, the man had a good disposition and was built strong. A little training and he¡¯d be a fine addition. Adrian looked out to the fields, they¡¯d been rapidly thinned under farmer¡¯s scythes. One farmer cut out at the crops, felling a dozen meters ahead of him. Carts followed behind, women and children talking to one another as they reached out their hands to the crops. They jumped into their hands as they threshed them into the cart¡¯s bed. Adrian frowned, they¡¯d easily adapted to using magic. He reached out his hand and drew the water in the air towards it. Nothing happened. Then just like when he had fused the wood he supplied the idea with his idea. He felt a strain, the strength of his will upon the mana as water appeared in mid-air¡ªa trick he¡¯d seen Len use to fill up his canteen as he worked. Adrian drank from the water. There was no taste to it. ¡°Clean.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Des said. Adrian dismissed the spell and kept moving. ¡°Water is one of the heaviest and constant supplies you need on the battlefield, being able to draw it from the very air. It will reshape warfare.¡± Des looked confused. ¡°Strength of arms and numbers are sure to weigh the battle in your favor, but if you don¡¯t have supplies to get to the battle in the first place you lose automatically,¡± Adrian said. ¡°Len told me that in a fight between people with mana its not about using the strongest spell, its about using the least mana intensive spell to win. Said to use the natural advantages. It was a cloudier day and he said how it would be easier to draw water from the air because there was more water in it. Like how it is easier to form a spell with heat as a component if you have a spark nearby.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very useful,¡± Adrian said. ¡°He also said the most imaginative mage is the one that wins,¡± Des said. Adrian watched the people moving through the fields, blades of air extending the scythes length, or spinning off through the fields. *** Len was sitting on one of the compound walls, looking at the fields beyond when his father found him. ¡°Have you decided?¡± Len asked, pulling his thoughts from just how to shape the wind blade cutting spell into a technique to clear the crops in the fields. ¡°It is not something easily figured out,¡± his father said. ¡°The options are rather limited,¡± Len said. His father let out a deep breath and leaned against the wall Len sat atop. ¡°I know how people change when they leave home. Few come back and those that do are never quite the same people that left. Though there¡¯s something you¡¯re not telling me, Len.¡± Len snorted and looked up into the sky weaving a spell together with the wind. The world¡¯s noises fell away, startling his father. ¡°In my last life, you all died.¡± ¡°Len?¡± ¡°I went off to the city, thought that I was doing it to chase dreams of trains and steam engines and boilers. The apex of technology. I was young, I didn¡¯t see how you and mother were pushing for me to go somewhere safer. Des and those that laid out traps were running into more beasts who were getting wilder and bolder everyday. Warwick wasn¡¯t going to send us any help. The dream you hadn¡¯t been able to chase, you pushed me to chase mine and get me safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯d do it again in a heartbeat. You love engines and all of those wonderful things. Jed is happy to do tasks and chase any girl willing to be in the vicinity of him. Des is a strong lad, he likes the forest, learning the way of traps, took up the sling and has been working on his skill with the bow. I¡¯d push him to become a hunter, a woodsman or huntsman for the nobles. You though, when you were eight do you remember the steam engine you made out of clay, a bucket and a mop?¡± ¡°Mom was less than happy that I¡¯d broken her mop and bucket to make it.¡± Len smiled. ¡°We had to berate you for breaking something that you didn¡¯t ask for permission. Though at the same time you showed your ingenuity and we used that steam engine to pump water. Then there was the water piping to the roof cistern, then the pumps to push the water from the dell into our neighbors¡¯ fields,¡± Edward chuckled. ¡°There was no keeping you on this farm.¡± ¡°Thank you, dad.¡± His father¡¯s shoulder¡¯s rubbed against the wall. ¡°It¡¯s what father¡¯s do.¡± ¡°How many little conversations people don¡¯t have because they don¡¯t think its important or they¡¯ll ask it later when they¡¯ve run out of time to do so.¡± Len shook his head. ¡°Now what¡¯s all this you¡¯re saying about in your last life?¡± His father asked. ¡°Father,¡± Len turned and looked into his eyes. ¡°What if I was to tell you that I lived beyond a hundred and fifty. That I was one of the strongest people on the planet and hailed as the grandmaster of enchantments?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°There are a lot of things that don¡¯t seem possible but they are. Spiders made from crystal or foxes melded with it?¡± Edward frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not just saying that we can go to Goran, I¡¯m saying that everyone can go to Goran, everyone in the Rolling Dell that wants to. Though anyone that stays will be at the mercy of the beasts out here.¡± ¡°Which are only going to get stronger and if what you say is true, they¡¯re going to start spawning out of that dungeon and we¡¯ll be right back in the same position.¡± He looked out at the fields. ¡°We have lived on this land for four generations.¡± ¡°Do you want us all to die on it because we¡¯ve worked it? Lord Warwick takes the profits. If we go to Goran we¡¯re going to build a network of track and trains the size and scale you¡¯ve never seen before.¡± ¡°I gave that up a long time ago for this farm,¡± Edward said. ¡°I got to chase my dream, you can too,¡± Len said. ¡°Sometimes you don¡¯t want to do something because it looks too good to be true and there¡¯s no way it can be real. Though what if it is real?¡± ¡°You¡¯re twisting words.¡± ¡°To mean the same thing. There is going to be plenty of jobs and there will be money for everyone. With my help, I can open everyone¡¯s mana gates, increase everyone¡¯s cultivation and the strength of their bodies. You will be safe, you will be strong and provided for.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to have to provide for me,¡± Edward said. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I want you to pursue your dreams, not give up on them for mine.¡± ¡°What if my dream is for you all to live?¡± Edward opened his mouth and closed it. ¡°I have lived a long life, Father, five times longer than the life you have lived. I have crossed seas, broken mountains. Challenged and fought people that you would consider a god. I had Rick with me, but you all weren¡¯t there.¡± Len raised his eyes to the fields. ¡°Being back here, it feels so foreign, I had my memories, but they¡¯d faded into feelings and snippets of images. I don¡¯t know how to interact with you all. For you its been six months, for me its been much longer. I care for you all, but I don¡¯t really know you as you are. I haven¡¯t seen you for so long. I buried you long ago in my memories, but here you are.¡± Len turned his tear filled eyes on his father. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you again.¡± His father¡¯s face morphed, his resistance falling away. He reached out and gripped Len¡¯s leg. ¡°Its been hard on you hasn¡¯t it?¡± Len let out a laughter filled with the bitterness of a life filled with survival. ¡°At times.¡± ¡°The best way to learn about people is to meet them. Come on, the fields can wait. Its time you met your family¡ªagain.¡± Len¡¯s mind created a hundred excuses, his dignity fighting him. He quashed both, why try to look proud and dignified when he got another chance. He dropped off of the wall, to be pulled into a hug. ¡°You¡¯re home now son.¡± Len dragged his father into a hug, the losses of his last life peeling back as he shed some of the armor he¡¯d created around his soul to protect himself. They released, Edward patting his back and they turned towards their home. ¡°So, trains and tracks you said?¡± ¡°A network that would let you reach every city on the continent,¡± Len said. Edward¡¯s feet stumbled for a second. Len laughed. ¡°Sure you don¡¯t want to be a part of it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ask your mother first,¡± Edward grinned. Chapter: 16 Chapter: 16 Len shifted his position, to keep himself from falling into the lull of sleep. He sat in a small grove that covered a rocky and rough gully. The land had been left untended by the farmers. He shifted the rifle on his lap, breathing in and out slowly, shifting the enchanted blanket around him. He¡¯d cut a hold through it, allowing him to wear it like a poncho. The small alarm enchantment he¡¯d put on his trap made him grip his rifle tighter as he heard the woosh of released tension and then the scrabble of the caught creature. Len reached out to the ground, dragging out the round he¡¯d stored in the dirt. It came out, cleansed of dirt as he fed it into the chamber, pushing the action forward as he stepped around the tree he¡¯d used as cover. He could feel the build up of experience in the air. A rabbit was nearly out of the trap, nearly the size of a small dog. Twisted branches creating a noose over its leg, holding it aloft. Len aimed and fired, killing the creature. Len threw the rifle to the side. === Skill: Trapping === Level: Apprentice (80) === === Skill: Marksmen === Level: Expert (200) === Experience slammed into him and information flooded his mind. He groaned and rose up from crouching. At least I figured out a way to not become a human pancake on the ground. He stood back up, reaching out with his will to latch onto the rifle and pull it to him, a cleansed spell removing the dirt and water from the exterior of the rifle without stripping the grease. Len worked the bolt action of the rifle, ejecting the spent casing, the smell of burnt powder, astringent and cloying. He stretched and slung the rifle, walking to where the rabbit hung from his trap, checking his skill ups from the day. === Skill: Cooking weapon === Level: Expert (80) === === Skill: Lumberjack === Level: Apprentice (80) === === Skill: Farming === Level: Journeyman (80) === === Skill: Sewing === Level: Journeyman (80) === === Skill: Blunt weapon === Level: Journeyman (80) === === You have leveled up! === Level 1 0% to level 2 === ¡°Hopefully that¡¯s the end of that,¡± Len muttered as he headed out of the gully and towards the farmhouses. Strength flowed through him, he stepped on the ground, darting through the forest with light steps. His mana hardening the dirt, stone and leaves he stepped upon, taking his weight and force as he left the gully behind. Half of the fields had been harvested. He slowed as he spotted several carts moving down the road he was nearing. He stopped at the side a few minutes before Jed arrived, hauling the lead cart. ¡°Len!¡± Jed called out, looking tired. ¡°Want a hand?¡± Len asked. Jed waved him over. Len grabbed onto the harness and pushed, the cart trundling behind them. ¡°These are the last carts through the dell,¡± Jed said. ¡°Do you know how the harvesting is going?¡± ¡°We thought it would be a good one, though this is the best harvest we¡¯ve had by far. The farmers have been testing out different spells to help the crops grow, make the harvesting easier. Should get good coin for it all with the prices being what they are. Its splitting people more on leaving or not. With these spells and skills they can grow more than ever before, or have more coin to resettle.¡± ¡°Up to them,¡± Len shrugged. Jed paused, hesitant. ¡°What¡¯s caught on your mind?¡± Len asked. ¡°Len, you should also know that there are some people that aren¡¯t too happy with you. Raskin and his trio have been talking, saying that you used them for bait. People don¡¯t like how you said to use the bodies of the dead to make cores either,¡± Jed said. Len shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll clear the dungeon and then we¡¯re going to Goran. What they think matters little.¡± ¡°People will come to dislike you. Len you said how you have all this information. That you¡¯re going to make Goran and Velkaris stronger. You will become a power in the future.¡± I¡¯m not that strong. ¡°And before you start arguing with me, just look at what you¡¯ve done here in a few days. You took a group of broken troops that were mostly crippled. They¡¯ve regrown limbs and healed. Now they have a dozen skills, mana and strength that¡¯s so much more than what people normally have.¡± Jed jerked his chin at the fields where scythes were reaping wheat. People walked down rows, using spell and tools to draw the land¡¯s bounty up into carts. ¡°A single person could grow and manage two, five maybe even ten times more land than they could before. That¡¯s massive.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to need a contract,¡± Len said. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°So they will not tell others who they learned from and so that those who are annoyed with us do not stab us in the back later,¡± Len said. ¡°Words and paper is cheap,¡± Jed said. ¡°They might, but with a binding enchantment one can¡¯t break the contract unless they are willing to weather the consequences. It binds with your very core.¡± ¡°That will help some, but you will need to worry about how others perceive you. Know of the threats that will come for you.¡± ¡°With the right contracts with the right people we¡¯ll be able to hide our actions behind others,¡± Len said. His alarm enchantment over the dungeon activated. Len pulled out his sound transmission device, connecting to the rest of the unit¡¯s. ¡°Dungeon breach!¡± He released the cart. ¡°Get everyone back to the farm, something¡¯s happening at the dungeon!¡± Len jumped, shooting across the ground, he didn¡¯t waste his mana on hardening the dirt, leaving craters and smashing a rock wall apart as he rushed forward. He ran a hand over his gear, checking it. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of mana in the area, it keeps getting dense and then thin. We don¡¯t have anything come up out of the dungeon though,¡± Someone reported through the sound transmission device. Crap. He raised his sound transmission device to his lips but Rick beat him. ¡°Those are all signs of the dungeon evolving. Pull back into defensive positions.¡± Len slid his sound transmission device, people watching him and the other soldier as they streamed for the dungeon. People started rushing back to the farm, hauling carts and leaving the crops they¡¯d harvested where they lay. Len landed at the opening into the forest. The path had been widened and cleared with the lumberjack skill-ups. The sky was darkening, clouds and mana drawn into the swirling maelstrom above. Fucking mana storm. He caught a shield tossed to him by one of the soldiers at the entrance, sliding his hand into it as he ran down the path, others catching their shields as they raced through the forest towards the dungeon. Len came out into the clearing. ¡°Line up off of me! Three ranks!¡± Adrian yelled, the troops moving to either side of him, getting their shields ready. Adrian and his troops stood on packed dirt with tree barricades jutting outwards over four meter deep ditches that ran around the dungeon. Trees that had been scattered were repurposed, shoved into the ditches and covered in explosive enchantments. Rick was past their prepared defenses, studying the dungeon entrance. Rain started to fall, quickly turning into a downpour that created a haze in the air. Wind lashed out, driving the rain harder and carving lines in the ground. Len jumped to the small dirt paths connecting the area around the dungeon, running across to reach Rick. ¡°How¡¯s it looking?¡± ¡°Dungeon evolution for sure,¡± Rick said. ¡°Dunno how long its going to take.¡± Len looked around, the last of the troops getting in place. Thankfully most of them had been working on the defenses. ¡°Hurry up and wait,¡± Len said. ¡°Yup,¡± Rick pushed himself to standing. They moved back across the dirt bridges to the defenses. Rick waving Adrian and the other squad leaders over. ¡°Dungeon¡¯s evolving, don¡¯t know how long it will be or what we¡¯ll be facing,¡± Rick said. ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°When there¡¯s enough mana in a dungeon it¡¯ll change it. Usually means it gets bigger, creatures that it spawns will be stronger, the materials you can get from it more valuable,¡± Rick said. ¡°Also means that the creatures that are inside the dungeon will get hit with a shitton of mana which will mutate them. Make them stronger in different ways and then they¡¯ll rampage out of the dungeon to spread out over the area,¡± Len said. ¡°Think of them like seeds. They¡¯ll spread out, kill, get stronger and start to create their own lairs which will mimic the dungeon. We¡¯re going to have to defend here, kill everything that surges out of the dungeon.¡± ¡°Can we go in?¡± Mackie asked. ¡°You¡¯d have to be damn strong to survive being in the middle of a dungeon evolution. They can only trigger when the dungeon¡¯s empty except for dungeon creatures. There¡¯s a debate on what happens, but it would basically kill us, or change us so much that we¡¯d become dungeon beasts,¡± Rick said. That spread grimaces and hidden shivers through the group. ¡°How long will it take?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°Could be a few minutes or a few hours,¡± Len said. Adrian looked around. ¡°I¡¯d propose that we hold for another ten minutes, then move to twenty-five percent readiness. Get some food and drink into everyone. We¡¯ve been healing all day and I know that most are¡ª¡± The ground shuddered and a wave of mana passed through everyone. ¡°Ready yourselves!¡± Rick yelled. ¡°Len get the farmers ready if we need them. The rest of you get onto your people, the beasts will be coming soon.¡± Len pulled out his sound transmission device, switching it to his father¡¯s signature and activated it. ¡°Prepare your defences,¡± Len said as the devices connected. ¡°Be safe,¡± His father said. Len watched as the dungeon entrance shuddered and widened. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Edwin¡¯s squad broke away from the defenses, the other squads shifting into place, creating a line ten men wide and three deep. They had their shields at their feet, large rounded things that would cover them completely once they set their feet. A few of them were practicing the stance, the squad leaders looking up and down the ranks, talking to their people. Edwin¡¯s group laid their shields down, picking up ¡®spears¡¯ that had been stuck base first in the ground, They were long lengths of wood that had been sharpened into points that were then covered in crystal powder and fused together a very rough enchantment sticking out around the spear. There were less than a dozen of the spears. They¡¯d been focused on the other defences and getting everyone as strong as possible as quickly as possible. "Half of you throw the spears, half of you work with me on making more," Len said. "You five, with me. The rest of you, with Len." Edwin and his spear throwers grabbed the completed weapons, hurrying back to the rear of the shield formation. "Everyone done this?" Len asked. There were nods of agreement amongst them. "That makes it easier. Make sure not to use all of your mana. As soon as you hit about fifty percent, we''ll switch you out with the throwers and you can use what you''ve made. The two best lumberjacks get us more shafts. Best carpenter sharpen the shafts we got into spears." Len picked up one of the molds, a tree stump that had been nearly hollowed out and carved into with a hole in the top. He pushed it together, holding it tight with his knees. Grabbing one of the buckets of powdered crystal, he shook it into the mold before placing it to the side and grabbing an already sharpened shaft. Two men ran off into the woods, the noises of limbs being snapped off following. Another one used his knife to trim and then sharpen nearby lengths of wood into sharpened shafts like the one Len held in quick flicks of his wrist. Moving among the pile on the ground. The rest picked up molds, putting in shafts and then powdered crystal. Len willed the crystal to fill the mold completely, moving the sharpened spear shaft around. Satisfied with the powdered crystal''s placement, he then called it to fuse, binding the crystal together in the shape of the mold and adhering to the spear''s sharpened point. Len pulled apart the mold, revealing the crystal-covered spearhead and the enchantment on the haft. Mana started gathering into the enchantment, empowering it as he turned it point up, slamming the base of the spear into the ground. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Closing the mold with his knees once more, he grabbed a second sharpened spear, putting a point first into the mold and picking up the bucket of powdered crystal to pour in. It was easier than doing it the other way around. They worked with determined fury, forming new spears with only a few sparse words between one another. A roar chittered out of the dungeon, hungry, angry, and powerful. It flattened any remaining plants in the area as it passed over the region like a physical force. One of the lumberjacks dropped off a bundle of shafts, the others focusing back on their work, eliminating anything that slowed them. Len worked diligently, crafting spear after spear. He found solace in the fact that the mana density in this area was thick enough to slightly increase everyone''s recovery rate. ¡°Get ready, the dungeon¡¯s stopped changing!¡± Rick''s voice fought against the persistent rain and the crackling power that surged through the heavens above. Len pulled out his latest spear and glanced over at his comrades. Each man in the shield formation had a boulder at his feet, which they were cracking into projectiles and casting attack spells upon. Len''s gaze drifted upwards to the mana storm brewing above them. A funnel of prismatic light descended from the storm, leading directly into the maw of the dungeon. The crystalline sheath surrounding the dungeon shattered, coloring the world in a chaotic array of hues. As quickly as it had appeared, the beam of mana vanished, leaving a hole that pierced through to the sky above. Light shone down upon the dungeon, illuminating the scene below. The rain ceased its descent, not evaporating, but freezing in midair. Len observed the individual raindrops suspended in time. "Brace yourselves!" he yelled. "Circulate your mana!" Rick''s roar echoed as the world seemed to draw inwards. The rain, wind, clouds and remaining mana in the skies coalesced together into a sphere of water moving in three dimensions, shuddered and jerked, forming both organic and inorganic shapes. Its surface was marred suddenly and erratically as the world seemed to be drawn into it. The wind was such force it would have torn a normal man from the ground. Len believed that he would stay upon the ground and his mana made it so as his blanket flapped in the direction of the sphere. The sphere changed into all manner of colors, textures and materials. Lightning of a dozen eye-dazzling colors ripped out of the chaos sphere. A bolt leapt up between the trees, transforming their composition into black crystal bark, with purple veins running under the bark. Another bolt dug into the ground, creating a furrowed stream of magma. Another jumped between plants, changing them. Others shot into the sky, arcing through the air, solidifying in the path they¡¯d taken before snapping off from the sphere and falling to the ground, some of stone that thudded into the ground, other of crystal or ice that shattered, another of sand that turned into a cloud as it lost shape. New plants were born while others were destroyed. The elements and chaos were given reign upon the world. The attacks increased in speed, some struck the enchanted tree spikes in the pits. The trees exploded; all the power stored within them turning into lances of force that punched through the air. The core of the mana storm contracted, then detonated outwards in a ball of that prismatic and ever-changing light. Len closed his eyes. He could see through his own eyelids as the wave of manna crashed against his body. It felt like being slapped with the sun. Angry tendrils scraped against his skin, trying to gain a foothold on his body, to change him, to alter him. Len drove his will, his cultivation, establishing what he was and the manna under his control. Then, it was gone, spreading through the forest around him. Healing spells quickly restored Len''s eyesight. Several men had been knocked over, others were in pain. The world had been transformed into a crystalline memory. From the point where the manastorm had struck the ground and spread outwards, everything was coated in crystal, frozen like a liquid caught in mid-flow. The trees were coated on one side, the crystal hanging off the other side like liquid glass. As men moved, they shattered the crystal that clung to their bodies. "Check your bodies and your companions. Drive your cultivation to purge out any foreign manna," Len barked. He drove his own cultivation, forcing out the foreign mana that had spread through his channels. The clouds had an unnatural hole poking through them, a result of the dungeon''s evolution and the aftermath of the manastorm. Len grabbed a spear shaft on the ground, picking it up and cracking the layer of crystal that covered it. The half that had lain against the ground was uncoated. He added powdered crystal to the mold and fused it all together. He prepared to stab it down into the ground, adding it to the growing number of spears he''d already created. He found that they''d been ripped from where he''d placed them, scattered across the ground. He slammed the newly made spear through the thin layer of crystal. It cracked as he embedded it firmly in the dirt, then reached for another spear to be made. "On your feet, men. You''re not going to be fighting anything down there," Rick commanded as he moved through the shield formation. "Spear throwers, make sure that you''ve got at least three spears." Edwin sent people back. As he and those behind the shield formation righted the spears they''d planted in the ground. Len¡¯s ears popped, healed by the mana circulating through his body. He stilled halfway to grabbing his next shaft, his head snapping up towards the dungeon. "Ready your stones," Rick yelled. Those in the third rank picked up the stones they¡¯d been working on. Foxes surged out of the dungeon''s maw, packed so tightly together they were a river of fur and crystal. Some had four limbs, others six, eight, or even five. Many had crystalline claws, some with entire heads embedded in crystal. Others wore armor, pieces that shifted and ground together as they ran. Spiders crawled up the other three sides of the dungeon''s opening. "Rocks," Rick yelled. Edwin''s spear throwers tore their weapons from the ground as those within the shield formation hurled their spell-casted rocks at the dungeon''s opening. Some exploded into ice, others into flame or lightning, whatever the caster''s imagination could come up with to make them as deadly as possible. Foxes died, but more continued the rush forward. All of the dungeon creatures arced for the Isendia troops. Sweet, sweet condensed mana in a human package. Come and get it. Len thought to himself as he pushed open the mold, retrieving a fresh spear. The runners Edwin had sent bounded back across the open ground with as many spears as they could safely carry supplying their comrades. The spiders now towered over the foxes that ran between their legs. Several of the fox''s crystals glowed, emitting blasts of light. The shield formation under Adrian''s command received the blasts, their enchanted shields reflecting the attack somewhat. Len cast a half glance over the foxes that had used the light blast to shed crystals from their bodies. "Consumable, but that means strong," he thought, grimacing as the shield wall took repeated hits. Those in the third rank continued to hurl stones, killing and maiming creatures. "Throw," Edwin commanded. He and his five squad-mates released their spears, powered with superhuman strength. The crystalline-tipped spears flew, catching the sunlight that fell from above. The first spear penetrated a spider''s armor, activating the enchantment. Two of its nearest legs to the spear blew away as the whole spider jolted and collapsed, steam and smoke curling from between its armor. Another spear missed a spider and hit the ground, detonating and leaving a crater behind. A fox jumped over the crater, firing a blast of light at the shield formation. Another spear hit a spider''s legs instead of its body, blowing the limb off and turning it into shrapnel that tore through a fox running underneath the beast. The last two spears thudded home in two different spiders, doing much the same as the first - blowing sections of carapace away and dropping a now-smoking spiders to the ground. The spear-throwers grabbed their next volley, hurling as fast as they could acquire a target. "I''m getting close to fifty percent," one of the spear-makers said. "When Edwin and the others run out of spears, change with them," Len instructed. The first of the foxes reached the edge of the pits, leaping forward to try and cross the distance. They disappeared from view, others doing the same. One fox was unlucky enough to land on one of the large tree spikes. It went through its chest and stomach before the enchantment activated, the blast left little but mist in its wake. The dungeon beasts continued to pour forth, there had to be a good three or four dozen of them on the battlefield. Rick tossed out a can into a pit. A large popping noise cracked through the air. The cans I got filled with metal scrap. The spiders stomped on the ground as they reached the edge of the pits. Spikes of crystal shot out of the ground ahead of the spiders, down the side of the pits and then across the bottom. Others turned, presenting their spinnerets, spitting crystalline web that attached to the walls of the pit and the crystal spikes the other spiders created. "Target the spiders making web bridges," Rick yelled. A few of the spiders bypassed the builders, climbing down into the pits. The second rank of the shield formation threw rocks into the pits, their angle becoming sharper as the foxes closed. Edwin''s spear throwers started running out of ammunition and running back to Len and the other makers. Those who had been making the spears gathered up all they''d created, replacing their comrades. Len kept making crystal spears at a furious rate, using a second bucket of powdered crystal. The front line of the shield formation began swarming, stabbing down with their swords at the dungeon creatures climbing towards them. Blasts of light carved away sections of the defenses. One shield bearer tipped forward, merely falling into the pit as his comrades in the second line grabbed onto him and pulled him backwards. "Half step back," Adrian called out, warning them of the movement about to happen. "Half step." The entire formation moved back, away from the edge. Light blasts carved past through the dirt berm, throwing up gouts of dirt, striking the soldiers'' shields. Others missed completely, flying off into the sky without hitting anything. Rick threw out two more of the shrapnel-filled cans, stopping the blasts with cracking thumps that released wisps of smoke skyward. The greater threat was the spider-builders. They were rapidly constructing their crystalline web bridges. Rocks with spells cast upon them, barely affected the web. Rick hammered the ground, compacting the dirt into a substance as hard as stone. He moved along the rear of the formation, tapping the ground every few steps. The land bridges crumbled and collapsed, pulling the wbe that had been secured to it down into the pit. More of he crystals were thrown up, acting as poles for the web to spread across. Fortunately, the foxes weren''t as intelligent. They leapt from the edge of the pit, some landing on the net, others in the pit, and a few finding their spider-allies'' crystal pillars. The spiders were indifferent, using the foxes'' bodies as additional building material. They began stepping out over the pit onto their web structures, advancing forward. A fox scrambled up the berm, biting at the first shield it found. It was quickly dispatched with a blade through its throat before it disappeared back down into the pit. A second and then a third fox appeared over the berm. Len pulled out his latest finished spear from the mold and grabbed three more, running for the rear of the shield formation. He planted three of the spears. Then, gripping the fourth, he drew back his arm, using the momentum he''d gathered. Planting his left foot, he hurled the spear forward. It hit a spider dead on with such force that it rocked backwards. Half of the spear disappeared into the creature''s body before the enchantment destroyed its insides, and it dropped onto its own web. A spike in the pits went off, tearing through a spider, its body crashing into the underside of the growing web, sticking to it as it dripped blood onto the ground. A few of the web strands broke from being in the tree-spike¡¯s path. Len turned and grabbed a second spear, only to see another spider coating the first in web, using it as a support for its own web. They were already halfway across the pits. He targeted the forward spiders, killing two. His last spear was aimed at the far pit wall. It landed in the soft dirt, blowing a crater into the pit''s lip. A collection of web strands fell into the pit. The spiders focused on reconnecting the web, using their web to grab onto what had been made pulling it tight and connecting it to their side of the pit. It wouldn''t take the newly arrived spiders long to repair the damage, but it would at least buy them some time. "Just how many fucking spiders are there?" one of the troops asked. They had stopped throwing stones, conserving their mana and strength instead. The front line was engaged in defending the top of the berm while the second line shielded them, using their spears to jab at any foxes that got too close. They created a wall of sharpened steel to greet the onslaught. "Half step back," Adrian warned. ¡°Half-step!¡± On the word ''step'', the entire formation moved backwards. The foxes could get on the edge of the berm barely, it had been eaten away by their blasts. Swords and spears stabbed out, shields bashing the bodies back into the pit. Rick slammed his hammer down onto the ground, a change running through the ground. Len moved next to him as he stood back up. The foxes cried out, but their advance had been slowed. ¡°What you do?¡± Len asked. ¡°Just stuck a bunch of spikes against the wall, they¡¯re using the bodies of the dead to create a ramp up. It won¡¯t take them long to get past,¡± Rick said. ¡°No more spiders or foxes coming out of the dungeon though,¡± Len said. He glanced back at those making spears and those throwing them. ¡°Got a dozen spears left.¡± "Lots of fucking spiders," Rick said. "Lots of fucking everything," Len replied. The forward rank of the shield formation lashed out with their shields, throwing back the foxes and bodies on the top of the berm. ¡°The web won¡¯t take long to reach us,¡± Len said. ¡°Going to put a lot of pressure on the front line,¡± Rick said. ¡°Second line prepare to switch with the first!¡± Adrian barked. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s reading your mind,¡± Len said. Spikes went off, tearing through the pit. Movement drew Len¡¯s eyes to the dungeon entrance. A gigantic spider shoved itself up and out of the dungeon. It towered over the other siders, its crystalline armor drinking in the light. ¡°That¡ªis going to be a problem,¡± Rick said. It orientated towards the pits and stomped forward, a second spider shoved its way out. ¡°That looks a lot thicker than what the other spiders have. Don¡¯t think that the spears are going to get through that,¡± Len shook his head. ¡°What about the spikes?¡± Rick asked. Len looked over at the spikes through the pits, there were a half dozen that had been placed in the pits, though in their charge towards the Isendia soldiers they¡¯ left the spikes and pits untouched. I thought this would happen. ¡°A bigger spear for a bigger spider?¡± Len asked. ¡°Don¡¯t need to be complicated to work,¡± Rick said. ¡°Oh look there¡¯s a third one. Those randy spiders, been really working on upping the population.¡± ¡°Got a face only a mother could love.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Rick asked. Len glanced at the third and latest super-spider. ¡°That¡¯s just unnatural.¡± He looked at the three heads next to one another. The spider staggered to either side before the heads sighted the soldiers. ¡°Three drivers and one body.¡± Rick said. The first spider reached the edge of the pit and slammed its leg into the ground, spikes fo overzied crystal shot out of the ground. The air around it shimmered as it drew in mana, it spat out light that spread crystal across the columns and webs, thickening them. Foxes were crawling up the pillars where they could to the webs. ¡°Spike the fuckers.¡± Len said. ¡°Adrian, hold the foxes and spiders, we¡¯ll deal with the big ones!¡± Rick said. Len took off running to the left, Rick went to the right, as was tradition. Len dropped from the pit¡¯s edge, his momentum carrying him forward. He dug his feet in the ground, reaching out with tendrisl of will he tore up the ground as he reached a spike. It was little more than a felled tree, sharpened on one end that was covered in an enchantment and lashed to other trees on an angle with rope. Len cut the ropes before he sheathed his sword. He wrapped his arms around the tree and hauled it out of the dirt it had been pushed into. It came free with a stagger. He hiked it up over his shoulder, and ran for the other side of the pit. He sensed the charge build up, throwing himself forward, the blast from the fox, passing behind him and hitting a distant pit wall. Len used all his strength, covering the pit in seconds, a leap took him out of the pit as he flipped the so it was underhand instead of on his shoulder. He got his left arm under the tree, the right holding on the cut base, sighting the last spider. Rick was charging it on an angle. Len looked at the second spider and dug his feet into the dirt, throwing it up as he skirted forward leaving craters behind. Each step let his momentum build as he got into the rhythm of the tree¡¯s movements and his own steps. Len was going full tilt when the last spider started to turn towards Rick, its movements hitched by the multiple heads. Rick hit one of the stuttering legs, the enchantment activated. The enchantment blew the leg off and threw the spider to its side. It tried to compensate, but all those heads did not make it smarter as it toppled onto its back, legs all trying to do differen things. At the moment of the spike grazing the spider¡¯s legs, the same and equal force that was exerted out the front of the spike, threw it backwards. Rick fucked off backwards faster than an arrow. Maybe the trigger is a little sensitive. Len adjust his aim. It would take a lot more than that to kill Rick. He came behind the second spider, tilting the spike higher and threw it. The spike hit the underside of the spider, with enough angle that the base of the tree slammed into the ground and all the force tore through the beast¡¯s stomach, tearing off armored pieces and pushing it upwards. Len tore free his sword and leapt, reaching out his will to grab the space behind the spider¡¯s head. He pulled on his will threads, shooting towards the spider¡¯s head as it started to move lethargically. Len braced his sword, covering the blade in mana that would rejected all other materials. The edge glowed blue as he passed the spider¡¯s head, gritting his teeth as his sword bit into the beast¡¯s neck, then gave way out the other side. Len landed on the ground, the spider twitched and then collapsed to the ground. He ran forward for the next spider, the mana blade fading away. Len felt relief as he cancelled the spell. The spider slammed its feet into the ground. Len jumped to the side, missing the crystal spikes that jumped up around it. Len¡¯s momentum carried him past the spider, he rolled on the crystal layer over the web, crashing into a small spider. Len drove his sword through an opening in their carapace and cast detonate. Blood showered him as the beast stilled and pulled him to the side. He tried to get his sword free from the dead spider. The crystal over the web was torn apart with the foxes blasts, crystal cut Len as he covered his face, releasing his sword as he stumbled backwards, blind. A blast cut through his leg, another slammed into his chest, he was thrown to the side, skirting over the web, back in the direction of the last remaining large spider. His body was cut with crystal shards, a piece had gone through his thigh but missed everything important. Len opened his stinging eyelids to the large spider¡¯s leg aiming for his head. Len reached out with his will and dragged himself to the side. Crystal pillars shot up out of the ground, stabbing up and tearing through Len¡¯s right leg as he dragged himself along the ground, the illars going through his leg, pinning him in place. Len palm striked the ground, cracking the crystal, leaving it embedded into his leg. A sixth sense breezed up his neck. The spider was gathering mana for its crystal breath attack. Ah fuck. Rick¡¯s hammer clocked the spider in the head, the other side exploding outwards, blood not mana fell from its mouth as it fell. Len pressed the hand he¡¯d palm striked the ground into the crystal and dart, cutting it on the razor sharp shards. Already torn up. He rose on his mostly¡ªgood leg and reached out his hand, creating a tether of will that wrapped around the hilt of the hammer, shooting it towards his less bloodied hand. I must look good. Len turned the hammer in his hand, looking over at Rick who pushed himself up from where he¡¯d crashed into the ground after throwing his hammer. ¡°I am a god!¡± It was faint, nearly unheard and distant. Len shook his head and looked at the pit. The Isendia soldiers were holding the berm but the web-bridge had been completed with the spiders and foxes causing casualties and pushing them backwards. Don¡¯t have the power to get back into that fight. Len used his will inside his body, cutting off the pain response from his leg to stagger over to the large spider. He grabbed onto a piece of carapace crystal, pulling it away, he slammed the hammer on the points where it connected to the spider, tearing it free. He dropped the hammer and took out his knife. He dug it into the crystal, the enchantment was crude and thick. Better to channel as much mana as possible. It was already gathering, filling the lines and runes, adhering to the rules that he had created over this part of the world. Control over crystal, direction, fuck it¡ªinwards. Mana compression no limit. The enchantment was ugly-but it was serviceable and the kind of thing that no enchanter would or should make in their workshop. Len cut in the last line and hurled the core at the middle of the pit. It activated and shot towards the biggest clump of crystal¡ªa nearby spider. The crystal layer, web and pillars short towards the spider, the reach spread out, spiders dug their feet into the ground and the web holding back. The smaller nearby foxes went flying crystal growths first. The clump of crystal and dungeon creatures piled up. Ah shit ¡°Take cover!¡± Len yelled. The web collapsed under the pile up, dropping into the pit. Mana that had been compressed, fueling the enchantment wildly overcame what the material could hold. The crystal was drawn in with irregular pulls. Distortions started to appear, the chaotic nature of mana playing up. Creatures were altered into a type of stone that dropped away from the mana core, no longer attracted by it. Several creatures blended into a spike of crystal that spun everything, ending up at the bottom of the sphere and flinging out parts that were not crystalline. The first enchantment failed, triggering the second. While he had not been able to make enchantments under his ¡®contract¡¯ once he was kicked out of the greenwood enchanters guild. He could still theory craft. There had been more than one time he¡¯d thought about different versions of enchantments. One of the largest schools of thought he thought about was the school of doom. He was the student, the teacher and the top researcher. Most enchanters were boring looking to enhance items, sword sharper, armor stronger, clothes warmer. Len liked to step past that to sword blows up, armor blows up, clothes stop you from blowing up by blowing up in the direction of the thing trying to blow you up. Mana was a ball of chaos, transforming energy jumbling up everything else. Enchantments, magic, all the ¡®uses¡¯ of magic turned it from chaos incarnate into a function. It did have ¡®rules¡¯ that¡¯s what made it denser in some areas and less in others, how it abhorred a vacuum, tried to spread out and altered the very environment to make more mana. How it liked to interfere with energetic reactions that were not mana based. How it changed the living, giving it the hunger to make more mana, to consume other things with mana. Mana liked to react. The sphere of crystal cycled through materials and states, liquids, gass, solid, iron, wood, rock, dirt, living, dead. The mana core asserted that the mana was actually hydrogen. The core and the surrounding mana converted into the equivalent energy of hydrogen. It was least dense element he knew. It was also flammable and crystal when pressed together could create static electricity. There were bare flares of light as the mana core finally cracked, newly converted hydrogen detonated. The collected crystal and all they were attached to turned into shrapnel with a single focused instance of force. The explosion deafened Len, the shockwave running through the air and the ground. Dirt and pebbles rained down on Len as he picked himself up. A column of pulverized dirt and stone thrown into the sky fell down, the wind clearing it to show the pit. Bare remains of the web dotted it, the ground beneath where he¡¯d tossed the core was a crater, the ground around it was torn up, the broken remains of dungeon creatures were discarded over the pit. Some had survived, most with wounds of some kind. The soldiers on the other side got to their feet, Adrian was moving among them, hauling them to their feet and facing them to the pit. The dungeon creatures had made a bloody ramp of bodies up the other side of the pit and clambered over it to be met with sword and shield. It was a clean-up on their side. Len turned, staggering with his messed up leg and his hammer. The three-headed spiders was still trying to get itself up, without result. Leave that for the soldiers, give them some more confidence, skill and hopefully experience. Rick had picked himself up off the ground and was moving towards him. Len judged the distance and threw the hammer towards him. It landed a few feet away. Rick raising his hand in thanks. Len kept his utility knife and moved to the large spider that had kept his sword. Chapter: 17 Chapter: 17 ¡°Just give me a¡ª¡± Len gabbed onto the sides of his armor vest, groaning as Rick tore out another crysal shard from his leg. He kept going, not giving Len time to talk till he was done. ¡°All done now, see that wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± Rick cleaned the blood from his hands and sat on his heels. ¡°You¡¯re a bastard at times you know that?¡± ¡°You¡¯d do the same for me,¡± Rick said, all to chipper. He¡¯d only had broken bones! Much easier to heal. Len closed the wounds together, he could still move the leg and his natural healing could begin. With a sigh he sat upright instead of leaning on the rock he¡¯d found. The soldiers had moved through the dead dungeon beasts, making sure everything was dead before using the web remainders to climb up to the area around the dungeon¡¯s entrance. ¡°Nice day for a stroll,¡± Len said as Adrian moved over with the first squad. ¡°Just caught you lying on the job?¡± Adrian asked, before paling as he realized what he¡¯d said. Rick snorted and Len grinned. ¡°Ah I knew there was an asshole in there somewhere, help an old man up will you?¡± Len held out his arm. Adrian moved forward with a grin and grabbed his hand pulling him to standing. Len blinked against the headache and rush. ¡°Lost a little blood there.¡± He patted Adrian on the shoulder to let him go. ¡°We left the last one for you all,¡± Rick had stood. ¡°Even though its stuck on its back it is still deadly. Out in the field you learn to use what you have. I want groups of three getting lengths of webbing together, fuse them into ropes. Anyone know how to make a lasso?¡± Rick looked around. ¡°We¡¯ll teach you that then!¡± ¡°Gibson, you changed out with Edwin¡¯s people and make another two dozen spears, if you run out of dust, collect some from the dead in the pit. There could still be creatures in the dungeon,¡± Len said. ¡°On it.¡± Gibson said. The groups fell apart to their tasks. ¡°Uhh, the two big dead spiders, can we pull it out of their backs?¡± Mackie asked, eyeing up the closest. ¡°Yes you can,¡± Len grinned. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± ¡°And if the others don¡¯t realize that, harvest the webbing from all of them and lay it out. With spiders the webbing will become less stick and flexible. Want to get that out into straight strands so it¡¯ll be rope, instead of needing to cut it all out,¡± Rick said. ¡°Yes sir,¡± Mackie smiled, turning to his group and heading for the spider. Adrian noticed what they were doing and ordered others to help them out instead of picking up strands. Gibson and his people retrieved the molds and spear lengths, people heading into the forest and in the pit. Len drank and ate, letting his body heal naturally till he reached about eighty percent of his mana capacity and then used spells to speed up the process. ¡°They¡¯re pretty good,¡± Rick said. Len grunted in agreement. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be bad to have some extra help,¡± Rick continued. ¡°Been a long time since we worked with others not having to worry about their ulterior motives,¡± Len said. ¡°Contract certainly helps,¡± Rick said. ¡°Yeah, but they¡¯re thankful for this opportunity, they get into their tasks, no matter what they are and work on them. Don¡¯t have to babysit them.¡± Len put away his canteen as Adrian walked towards them. ¡°Gibson won¡¯t take long to finish the spears and the troops are ready to learn about lasso¡¯s?¡± He said. ¡°Good stuff, Len you want this one, you remember the knot right?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Yeah yeah.¡± Len stood and they walked towards the soldiers. They all had their eyes on the spider, talking to one another. Noticing the approaching trio they grew silent and faced them. ¡°Alright, everyone pick up your lengths of webbing,¡± Len picked up one at random. ¡°Move in close and make sure everyone can see.¡± He had them tie the knots and turn the webbing into lasso¡¯s checking everyone¡¯s work afterwards. Rick stepped up once they were done. ¡°With these you¡¯re going to lasso the spider¡¯s legs in teams of three. Your job will be to restrain the creature and stop it from moving around. Gibson, in series of three throwers, take out the creatures heads till its dead. Questions?¡± Rick looked around. ¡°Okay lets get to it!¡± The squads picked up their lassos and went around either side of the spider. Len and Rick positioned themselves between it and the dungeon just incase there were any more surprises waiting. The groups had some misshaps and more than a few misses with the lasso¡¯s before they had the spider restrained. Gibson¡¯s people nailed the beast in their first throws the spider stilled to the cheers of the soldiers. ¡°Break them for lunch and water break, afterwards we¡¯ll be heading into the dungeon,¡± Rick told Adrian. ¡°Sir.¡± Adrian hurried off, yelling out his orders. ¡°Get another scan of the dungeon?¡± Rick asked. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Yeah. I should probably tell the farmers that we aren¡¯t all dead too.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Rick said. Len pulled out his sound transmission device and activated it, his father picked up immediately. ¡°We just beat the dungeon overflow, we¡¯re going to eat up something and then head into the dungeon. Nothing got past us but it¡¯d be best to keep a watch going.¡± ¡°We heard a bang, never heard nothing like it before in my life,¡± Edward said. ¡°Yeah, just got a bit creative there,¡± Len chuckled. ¡°A bit creative?¡± ¡°Yeah, it worked out. Though it was a fringe case I¡¯d say. Anyway, got to go.¡± ¡°Take care of yourself son.¡± ¡°I will dad.¡± Len put the sound transmission device away. It was odd having someone call him son. ¡°Dungeon check?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± *** ¡°Mister Krondel to see you,¡± Everett said to the room as he let another man in wearing the clothes of a butler. The doors closed behind him as he stepped into the room and bowed to Lady Carolyn Isendia in her wheelchair. He had a simpering demeanor that melted away as he straightened himself, his furtive eyes becoming focused. ¡°It has been some time Krondel,¡± She said, the man nearly leaping out of his skin as he drew a dagger from under his jacket. It just as quickly disappeared. Carolyn stood up from her chair regally. ¡°My lady!¡± His voice filled with joy and embarrassment. ¡°I was able to find a way to defeat the poison that Tryus was using upon me.¡± ¡°That wretch,¡± Krondel growled. ¡°Stop bowing. We have work to do and it must be carried out before the finals,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°What do you need from me?¡± He asked. ¡°What is the situation of the family?¡± ¡°Tyrus controls most of the families that live within the city. He does not control the military at large so he has been sending them to pursue every contract possible to fill his coffers and keep them at bay.¡± ¡°And the finances?¡± ¡°He makes sure the soldiers and their families are paid at least ot make sure they don¡¯t return home. Though he went into a deal with some nobles and took the brunt of the financial losses. He had to take out loans to cover for it and hide it. We are heavily in debts.¡± ¡°The funds I put aside for Rick and Lydia?¡± ¡°When Rick turned eighteen instead of handing over the funds he took them for himself. He is working to use the funds put aside for Lydia as a dowry, half of which he will get back from the man he sells her off to,¡± Krondel said. ¡°What of the family?¡± ¡°He has brought in those that will look over what he is doing as long as he supports them financially. The rest of the family has been pushed to the side. Most of them are on campaign.¡± ¡°How soon can we recall those that are off fighting?¡± She asked. ¡°If we wanted a small force, four days, to recall an entire regiment, it would take two weeks to a month.¡± ¡°Have them complete their contracts, then they are to return to Goran. Do we have enough farmers to operate our fields and who do we know that trades in metals?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have the farmers. Many of them that live further from the city are going to other places or moving closer. We¡¯ve got a lot of farmers coming into the city, unable to find jobs they¡¯re heading to other places that offer factory jobs.¡± Krondel said. ¡°We have contacts with several mining companies. Though our connections have become colder as we¡¯ve not ordered or worked with them in a long time.¡± ¡°Warm those connections back up. See what farmland is available to be bought up. I want lists of all the soldiers that were fired from the Isendia family guard and where they¡¯re located. Then I want you to go through the records of all those that were medically discharged, those that are loyal to the family I want at the top.¡± ¡°Yes my lady,¡± Krondel said. ¡°Everett can send out your messages to the necessary people. Then I want you to walk me through the family, what they are doing and all that you have seen transpire from Tyrus¡¯ side.¡± ¡°Yes my lady.¡± *** ¡°As you were,¡± Len said as he and Rick approached the group of troops eating. They were rotating people from watch over the dungeon entrance, a trench had been dug across the entrance and a new berm created with Rick had ¡®buildering¡¯ it into a harder material. Someone had got a fire going and used that with some spells to make hot drinks and warm meals. ¡°This is now what the dungeon looks like,¡± Rick said as he set down a carved outline half his size. Everyone leaned forward. ¡°The diamond shaped area in the middle has turned into an octagon made up of three floors. The first is burrows thrown in haphazardly that connect into one another leading down to the second floor. The second is cave-like with low light and the third is a large open area with pillars all over the place.¡± Rick pointed at the different areas down the length of the dungeon. ¡°We¡¯re going to move through the dungeon and make sure we killed every creature,¡± Len said. ¡°Move in ten minutes,¡± Rick said. They moved off to the side, Len eyeing the dungeon entrance. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be anything in there after a dungeon overflow,¡± Rick said. ¡°You never know. I was surprised that those larger spiders could get out of there, it widened enough for them to leave.¡± They waited off to the side as the rest of the soldiers readied themselves. Adrian got them organized and moving for the entrance. Everyone hosted a shield and sword while some carried the explosive crystal spears. Rick cast a spell, drawing the earth up, compacting it into a bridge into the dungeon and walked across. Len drew his sword and followed. The interior of the dungeon was made of crystal, partially formed inorganic shapes long the walls, floor and ceiling. Light came from some of the crystals, light reflecting and refracting off of the others throughout the place. They came in all colors. The soldiers moved in three ranks abreast, following Len and Rick, watching everything. They reached a room with five tunnels that went down at different angles. Rick tapped the floor, then rose, pointing to a passage. ¡°That one. Set a rear-guard,¡± Rick called back. ¡°Two wide,¡± Adrian said. The formation shifted. They went into the burrow. Len could reach up and touch the ceiling with his hand. Instead he was a half-step behind Rick. The walls and roof tried to look like they had been dug out, but had that geometric sharpness. They continued onward a hole revealed. Rick moved to the side, the hole contained unknown plants and lumps of non-crystal material. They were thick with mana. There were also bookshelves carved into the side of the hole with books and alchemical tools on it. ¡°Dealing with an alchemist¡¯s storage device with an obsession with crystals,¡± Rick said. ¡°Looks like.¡± Past the resource filled hole it wasn¡¯t long until they reached another hole. A young fox started to raise its crystal head. Rick¡¯s hammer bashed it in, before he pulled it back into his hand. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re following fox burrows, first part has the goodies, second part the nest for their little ones,¡± Len said. ¡°Weak though,¡± Rick said. They continued down and out of the burrow the flooe becoming flat instead of sloped and looking more like a cave instead of an attempt at a burrow. ¡°Bunch of crystal caves, going to take us on a loop.¡± Rick tapped on the wall, a hum coming from the crystal and spreading outward. He stayed still for a few seconds. ¡°This way.¡± He led them down the hallway, he tapped the wall, nodded to himself and swung. His hammer crashed into the wall, shattering it and blowing it outwards. It looked like wanton destruction till one saw the pillars on either side of the new entrance that supported the ceiling. He¡¯d ¡®built¡¯ himself a supported doorway. Using the system tricks. Len stepped through to see a ramp leading down, and a corridor to his left. ¡°Clear!¡± He walked onto the ramp. Rick followed and then the others. They descended to the third floor. It was the largest by far with large segmented pillars reaching from ceiling to floor. Other pillars were smaller with webs in between. ¡°Looks like there¡¯s loot bundles on the webs,¡± Len pointed out with his sword. ¡°Have to get up there and check them out. Take the tunnels around the side down to the floor and climb up?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Seems the best way, loot from the bottom up?¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan to me,¡± Rick said leading onwards. They reached the bottom floor Len studying the pools and plants that were dotted throughout. Be good to get this back to an alchemist. Not having easily consumable and usable health potions was a real pain in the ass. He wanted to have dozens. Len and Rick walked out of the tunnel onto the pool filled floor, crystal broke against the ground. They started, looking around for the source. More crystal broke on the floor. The hairs on Len¡¯s neck rose up as he tilted his head upwards. ¡°Fuck.¡± Chapter: 18 Chapter: 18 The segmented ¡®pillars¡¯ that reached up to the ceiling weren¡¯t pillars at all. The spider was half the size of the room. As it shifted, it cracked the crystal that covered its body. ¡°About face and run!¡± Rick yelled. The soldiers on the ramp/tunnel turned and hustled up the ramp, chunks of crystal raining down as the creature broke a leg free, sheets of crystal crashing through webs and the shorter pillars to impact against the ground. Len and Rick charged up behind the soldiers as they rushed up the ramp. Prismatic light flared in the room, the beam hitting where they had been and moving towards the ramp/tunnel, coating everything in a layer of crystal. The beam hitched, jumping from the path it was on. An annoyed chitter broke off the beam as a leg broke free, rising up and crashing into the ground. Sharpened lengths of crystal jutted out of the wall. Len dodged two and cut through three others. Mackie and his squad got the worst of it, their armor breaking most of the crystals that struck them, though several got injuries. Len kicked a crystal impaling a soldier, cracking it and grabbing the man as he dragged him towards the safety of the next floor. Gibson and his people threw the spears they¡¯d made from the entrance at the top of the massive spider. They went off with bangs, marring but not penetrating the armor of the beast. The other squads rushed past them and into the cave floor. ¡°Shield wall!¡± Edwin yelled. Mackie and his people readied their shields for what was ahead. ¡°Last man, pull back,¡± Len yelled to Gibson. ¡°Up to the next floor, we¡¯re the rearguard again!¡± Gibson ordered his squad. ¡°Wounded here!¡± Adrian yelled, off to the left side in an alcove, three soldiers working on others that had been hit with the crystal attack. Len took his guy there, laying him down before jogging after Rick and the sounds of fighting from the shield wall. ¡°Brace!¡± Gibson yelled. Len looked back, blinded by a crystal breath attack as it went through the opening along the side of the tunnel/ramp, coating in crystal before hitting Gibson¡¯s rearguard, they were pushed back, one lost his footing, the crystal covering his legs. The attack finished and someone pulled them to the side, cracking the crystal on their legs. ¡°Its trying it again!¡± Gibson yelled. Len reached out with his will, drawing up on the crystal floor. Mana flowed out of him as the crystal swept up, creating a half-wall, protecting them from the spider¡¯s attack. Gibson got his people organized. Len turned to take in the space they occupied. Mackie and Edwin¡¯s squads were fighting small foxes and spiders coming through the bypass Rick had made and the original tunnel leading to the third floor. Mackie and Edwin¡¯s squads were reaping their own harvest, using the terrain to their advantage, funneling the creatures into their shields and swords. We need to get the fuck out of here. Rick hit the ground, shards of crystal jutting out on the wall and ceiling to aid the defenders. Then the floor under the attacking creatures dropped away, filling with the dead. ¡°Advance up the bypass!¡± Adrian said. Mackie¡¯s squad pushed forward, stepping on the bodies that filled the pit Rick had made. He was looking wan. Have to recover his mana. Len moved with them, ready to support as needed. They had the strength to withstand the foxes and spiders, they pushed out into two lines. ¡°Gibson get your squad and the wounded up here. Edwin be ready to draw back and become our new rear guard!¡± Adrian yelled. ¡°Yes sarge!¡± Edwin yelled back. ¡°On it,¡± Gibson said. All of the wounded could move under their own power as Edwin and his people folded up the bypass, attacked by spiders and foxes. They combined with those on the other side and continued their backward retreat. The squad leaders changed people out as they moved up through the dungeon, slowly and carefully. The number of foxes and spiders slimmed down as they went. Len used healing spells as they moved, enough to keep them patched up and bleeding out. He knew what it took to keep the body moving. Finally they came out of the dungeon. ¡°Gibson you and your squad stay at the bottom of the ramp. I want two people either side at the top,¡± Rick said. ¡°We¡¯re not going to head out?¡± Adrian asked from nearby. ¡°We leave the dungeon and its going to start recovering and making more creatures. We stay inside and it messes it up. I want everyone healed up, rehydrated and then we¡¯re going to go throughout the entire dungeon killing everything in it,¡± Rick said. ¡°What about that creature in the last floor?¡± ¡°Gravity kills,¡± Len said. ¡°Huh?¡± Rick asked. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Remember the Alcarra dungeon?¡± ¡°Oh¡ªOH, yeah that could work. Though think it will get through its armor?¡± ¡°Cut some trees, turn them into spikes like we have in the pits and drop them,¡± Len said. ¡°I like it,¡± Rick said. *** Squads went back down into the dungeon to clear out the various areas. Few ran into beasts, most had been killed in their exit. Len dragged two oversized spears with him to the entrance of the dungeon the heads covered in fused crystal with a mana core at their heart. Behind him four more soldiers dragged their weapons. ¡°Off we go,¡± Edwin yelled. Edwin¡¯s squad took the lead as they tracked back down into the dungeon, the beast¡¯s bodies were tossed to the side as they descended. They followed markings on the wall to a random tunnel where Mackie and half of Gibson¡¯s squad were defending. In the middle of them were four holes that Adrian and Rick were looking through. Len and the others walked to the holes. Len dropped his spears down, the heads nearest the holes and he peered down them. The giant spider was crouched down now, just staying still. Rick gestured to all of the spear carriers. Len walked to the end of the spear, he lifted it up, pointing the spear head through the hole and pushing it through till he was at the edge of the hole, holding the spear up. Rick dropped his hand. Len and the others released their spears. Len watched as they dropped like darts. The spider shifted some before the first impacted in a spray of crystal and blood, the others going off in blue puffs. ¡°Load!¡± Rick yelled. Len jumped over to the end of the spear, putting it into the hole much faster, holding it at the ready, letting the movement drain out of it before he released it. The other spears were held aloft and then released, crashing into the ground below. Experience flowed into Len before they¡¯d all impacted. === Dungeon Cleared === ¡°Well shit I¡¯m glad for that,¡± Rick said. ¡°Shall we head back up?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°We just cleared the place, now¡¯s the time to loot it. Len you think you can call the farmers over to start clearing up the dead in the pits. We¡¯ll need some carts to haul out everything we find.¡± ¡°Can do, might need to send some people back to reassure them,¡± Len said. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll teach the rest of them how to really clean out a dungeon.¡± Rick grinned, his eyes darting over the walls as he held up his hammer at the ready. ¡°It¡¯s the best part.¡± He swung his hammed with all of his might, the walls hummed, sparks flying off of some of the crystals as the noise spread away from the point of impact. Then he raised his hand from the floor, crystal came with it in the shape of the dungeon but larger than the version he¡¯d made from stone. ¡°Alright I¡¯ve broken up the first two floors into three sections so each squad can take a section. The bottom floor is just one section. There will be hidden rooms and spaces, check the model you¡¯re given and make sure you check it all. The hidden stuff is usually the most valuable.¡± ¡°Should probably teach them how to mine it out of the walls and harvest the plants,¡± Len said. ¡°Ah, right, first timers. Gah, so much to learn!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to need some tools,¡± Len said. ¡°Come on! The loot!¡± Rick threw his hands out to the dungeon, throwing them back and forth. ¡°It¡¯s. Right. There!¡± Len cocked his eyebrow. ¡°Fiiiine.¡± Rick huffed and put his hammer away. *** It was dark as Len and Gibson¡¯s group returned to the farms. Fires had been set in the courtyards to give everyone light against the darkness. The farmers moved aside as they entered the courtyard. ¡°Len?¡± Edward greeted them. ¡°Cleared out the dungeon, looking for some carts, we¡¯ll be pulling a lot out of it but we¡¯ve only got so many hands.¡± ¡°Right, we got them put away once you rushed off.¡± Edward turned and led them towards the barns. ¡°We saw that lightning and then the hole through the clouds. Then there was that loud bang.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah got hairy there for a bit,¡± Len said. Gibson let out a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Edward caught the noise too. ¡°Something go wrong.¡± ¡°Just didn¡¯t really figure out how big the bang was going to be,¡± Len coughed. ¡°Oh,¡± Edward turned around, the corners of his mouth fighting to crawl upwards. ¡°The harvest has filled up a lot of the carts, we haven¡¯t been storing any of it as we¡¯re leaving. Most of us at least.¡± He walked into the barn. ¡°These four are unloaded, but the more carts we have the faster the harvest will be.¡± The converter cart was at the back thankfully. The dungeon had a lot of resources, but food was always going to be useful. ¡°Thanks, we¡¯ll get these back to you for the morning,¡± Len looked at Gibson and his squad, then nodded at the carts. ¡°Two to a cart, don¡¯t scuff ¡®em up!¡± Gibson led his lads into the barn. ¡°Do you have mining picks?¡± Len asked. ¡°Sure, we have some,¡± Edward led him through the barn. Len signalled for those not moving to the carts to follow him. They reached a room with handled tools. Edward moved some out of the way to get to picks hidden away. ¡°These work?¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Len reached over and grabbed two, passing them back to the duo that had followed him, pulling out all of the tools. ¡°We¡¯re going to need to store the materials somewhere,¡± Len said. ¡°Throw it in the barn, we¡¯re storing the food in the carts. Just how much is down there?¡± ¡°Not sure, but it¡¯ll all be valuable right now,¡± Len said. ¡°What does it have in there?¡± ¡°Alchemy ingredients to make more potions, like the ones we used on those wounded when we first got here. Then there¡¯s different kinds of crystals, ores. No one¡¯s raided it yet so there¡¯s still the last owner of the storage device¡¯s gear inside,¡± Len said. ¡°Someone owned the dungeon?¡± ¡°Not really, they owned a storage device that held a lot of things. The storage device broke in someway, leading it to cross the stars to smash into our world. It spread through the world, consuming a lot of mana, unfolding all of the space that was inside the storage device with the chaos of mana, assimilating nearby creatures or those within to create a dungeon,¡± Len said. ¡°Okay, so then some of the things that the person who owned the storage device are still in the dungeon?¡± Edward said. ¡°Right, so we¡¯re going to loot all of that and the resources that are part of the dungeon itself. Taking parts of the dungeon will slow down how fast it recovers,¡± Len said. ¡°And these beasts, you killed them all right?¡± ¡°For now, with time they¡¯ll reappear in the dungeon and you¡¯ll have to kill them all again. If they¡¯re given time they¡¯ll get stronger and grow in numbers till the dungeon overflows again,¡± Len said. They loaded up the carts as Des and Jed came up carrying planks of wood holding a large steaming pot. ¡°Len take this with you to feed up the lads with you. Be good to have something warm in their stomachs,¡± His mother said. ¡°Thank you.¡± Len said. Gibson pulled the bolts on a cart, troops helping his brothers to load up the stew filled pot into the back. ¡°Now don¡¯t go working too hard, we all need rest now and then.¡± His mother said, grabbing his hands, studying him for injuries. ¡°It¡¯ll take a bit to tire us out still,¡± Len smiled to reassure her. She gave him a doubting look before patting his hand. ¡°Thanks mom,¡± He hugged her. She hugged him back. ¡°We¡¯ll get a breakfast cooked up for you and your friends too, we¡¯ll need that pot back!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure we send back the pot,¡± Len said. They returned back to the dungeon. Crystals that gave off light had been pushed into the sides of the pit, illuminating the beasts within. Dirt was being piled up to create a new bridge across the pit. Len got up on the converter cart he carved in new runes and jumped off. ¡°Get this into the pit, toss in the spiders and foxes.¡± They pushed the cart into the pit, some jumping down to grab it and lower it down. Len grabbed up picks, two in each hand he put them over his shoulders. ¡°Gibson help out with the bridge then start throwing the bodies into the cart,¡± Len said. ¡°Aye.¡± Len jumped from the edge of the pit, landing near the crater he¡¯d made, he jogged before leaping out of the pit towards the dungeon. He moved past the guards there with a nod and hurried into the dungeon. He ran into Mackie¡¯s squad clearing out one of the fox burrow holes. ¡°Got your pickaxes.¡± He called out to everyone. They were quickly picked up and carried over to nodes, separating mana imbued crystals and metals from the dungeon¡¯s walls. Len studied the plants that had been carefully removed from the dungeon, roots and all. ¡°Nice work, with the roots intact we can plant them and harvest them over time.¡± He slapped his knees and stood back up. ¡°Gibson and his lot brought back carts but they¡¯re having to make a bridge to bring them across. They¡¯ve got warm stew from the farmers that you¡¯ll all get a bit of.¡± He felt the morale lift around him. ¡°Keep at it.¡± Len hurried off to the dungeon entrance and back across the pit to get more pickaxes for Edwin¡¯s people. The bodies were being tossed into the converter, the enchantment activated, consuming all of the organic bits, leaving just mana stone, crystal and cores. Gibson and his people threw boulders they¡¯d removed from the pit back in, using them and dirt together to form a new bridge. One more full day and we have to head back to Goran. Chapter: 19 Chapter: 19 Morning came quickly, the constant light of the dungeon didn¡¯t change throughout the night. Adrian got all of the leaders together to share breakfast that had come back on one of the carts that had dropped off dungeon loot at the farms. Len watched another cart come out of the dungeon, heading for the now complete bridge. The pit and the dungeon had been cleared of beasts. The mega-spider that had been on the last floor Len had to cut the armor up to feed it into the cart. Rick had been having the greatest fun thumping on the walls, coming away with ores and crystals. Once Len had gone full butcher on the mega spider he¡¯d been going through all of the loot coming out of the dungeon. Thankfully the books were in a dialect he knew and had kept several with him. ¡°How are we looking on the loot front?¡± Rick asked Len. ¡°Bunch of crystals that we¡¯ll have to figure out what they do, got some steel and pyronite.¡± ¡°Rare metal, nice.¡± ¡°Pyronite?¡± Edwin asked. They were coming out of their shells a bit after fighting together. ¡°It¡¯s a rare grade of metal. The higher grade the material the more mana it can handle,¡± Len said. ¡°The stronger you can make the enchantments,¡± Rick chuffed out a laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, as soon as he starts to find loot¡­ he gets a bit odd.¡± ¡°The shinies,¡± Rick chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re scaring the young ¡®uns,¡± Len said. ¡°Aww,¡± Rick pouted and went back to drinking his tea. The squad leaders hid their grins and drank from their tea. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of ingredients and I bet that the books we got will give us a better idea of what they are. Right now,¡± Len shrugged. ¡°I ain¡¯t no alchemist.¡± ¡°They true alchemy books?¡± Rick perked up. ¡°Why do you have so much energy this morning?¡± ¡°Loot?¡± Rick said. Len grunted in understanding. ¡°They have some books that pick out ingredients. Lots of notes on different processes. It looks like it was an alchemist who¡¯s work was focused on growing crystals.¡± ¡°Grow crystals?¡± Gibson asked. ¡°Yeah he made some that could be used as alloys for metals, changing their attributes. He also grew weapons and various tools. He created crystals that could create light, electricity and heat,¡± Len said. ¡°Those could all be useful,¡± Rick said, returning to business mode. ¡°Help build steam engines and lights that will work through the apocalypse,¡± Len agreed. ¡°Though they are consumed through the process.¡± ¡°They dungeon created?¡± ¡°Yeah, so we have a big supply as long as someone is raiding this place.¡± ¡°The dungeon will keep making them?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Rick said. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Ambient mana that it absorbs,¡± Len answered. You notice how there is more mana in the dungeon, faster at regenerating your mana?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adrian nodded along with the other leaders. ¡°That¡¯s because dungeons pull in more mana than their surroundings, they concentrate it and consume it. They build themselves up and then when they¡¯ve built as much as their current form can take they expand.¡± ¡°So when the dungeon got bigger it was because it had filled up all its space?¡± Gibson asked. ¡°Right, so it hits that limit, it evolves and draws in a massive amount of mana, that was the light show we saw. The dungeon will build resource nodes first, then the creatures, they¡¯ll be weak to start and they¡¯ll get stronger with time. The more creatures we kill, the more resources that we harvest the less mana the dungeon will hold.¡± ¡°All the loot none of the beasties getting frisky,¡± Rick said. ¡°If you can keep up a rotation on a dungeon you can keep the beast¡¯s down and stop the dungeon from leveling up and getting more dangerous.¡± ¡°Is there a way to eliminate a dungeon?¡± Adrian asked. Len sucked in a breath. ¡°There is, but you should never do it. You kill a dungeon and all the mana that is stored up in it will be released into the world. It alters the world around it in ways that you can¡¯t imagine. Chaos upon the world.¡± ¡°Most dungeons are nearly all dense mana. In advanced worlds, those that are thick with mana there are some that will harvest dungeons themselves. The magics used and the strength of those people are in a realm where they¡¯re more akin to gods,¡± Rick said. ¡°Other worlds?¡± Mackie frowned. ¡°Stick with us kid and we¡¯ll show you the universe,¡± Rick winked. Len shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t scare them off now.¡± ¡°As powerful as the gods though?¡± Edwin asked. ¡°They are the kind that could turn a mountain range into a city, or a lake, or back into a mountain,¡± Len said. ¡°Don¡¯t piss ¡®em off,¡± Rick said. Len nodded. The others looked between them. ¡°Tomorrow morning we¡¯re heading off to Goran, we need to loot as much of the dungeon as we can before then,¡± Rick said. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to leave most of this here,¡± Len said. ¡°Get my uncle¡¯s attention a bit too much,¡± Rick said. ¡°Space bags dude.¡± ¡°If we go to the prism dungeon we should be able to get the warping metal we need to make some simple versions,¡± Len said. ¡°Hit that one next then,¡± Rick said. ¡°After Velkaris. ¡°Yeah after than one,¡± Rick said. ¡°And the obelisk to get that mana stone.¡± ¡°Sure, that one too,¡± Rick agreed reluctantly. ¡°And then there are all those dungeons between us and it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re killing the mood you know.¡± ¡°I think that the Jardun plane might be open too,¡± Len needled. ¡°Now you¡¯re just being a dick.¡± Rick grumbled into his bowl. ¡°If we¡¯re setting up trains for the obelisk we could make a route through the dungeons too. Like a loop that would take you through the weaker dungeons and up to the stronger ones. That¡¯d be pretty sweet.¡± ¡°You like the sound of your own voice don¡¯t you?¡± Rick grumbled. Len and the others cracked grins. Rick sighed and shook his head. They fell silent for some time, watching the carts laden with materials from the dungeon come out and empty ones roll across the pit to the dungeon entrance. ¡°With the dungeon being looted and the fields being harvested, the number of carts we have is slowing us down,¡± Mackie said as they drank tea. ¡°We can work through the night with those dungeon crystals that emit light. In the day we can give the carts back to the farmers,¡± Edwin said. ¡°Going to slow down one thing or the other,¡± Len said. ¡°Make more carts then,¡± Rick drank from his tea, gathering the other¡¯s attention. ¡°Make some molds of wheels, axels and all the moving parts of the cart in the dirt, pour in that powdered crystal, fuse it, pull it out and you got the pieces. Then take some of those planks we split up, lay those ontop and you got a cart. Won¡¯t have suspension but it¡¯ll work.¡± Rick drank more from his tea. Len scratched his chin. The crystal could be a lot more useful in the future It had magical qualities allowing it to hold enchantments and the ability to powder it up, put it into a mold and then fuse it into a new forme while holding its strength was really impressive. Have to test it and see what kind of grade they come out as. ¡°Me and my lads worked on those spears, we got experience,¡± Edwin said. ¡°Get some of the carpenters among the farmers to help out,¡± Len said. Edwin nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll work in shifts of four hours. Edwin if your people run out of mana before that we¡¯ll change the shift times to keep making carts.¡± Adrian looked to Len and Rick who nodded. The day passed quickly with the squads getting faster at recognizing the valuable materials and harvesting them. ¡°You got mining and herbology yet?¡± Rick asked as he and Len met up at the bottom of the dungeon. Edwin¡¯s squad were using boxes they¡¯d made from spider armor and powdered crystal, submerging them in the alchemical pools to fill them and then lifting them out, using spells to clear the boxes of liquid before they were sealed with spider armor panels and put atop the cart. ¡°No,¡± Len grimaced. ¡°I can keep a watch on things here, hit some rocks and pick some plants on your way out and see your family,¡± Rick said. ¡°Alright,¡± Len said. Rick walked off towards Edwin¡¯s squad. ¡°No one¡¯s been drinking the magic water?¡± There was chorus of no-sirs. Len took off at a jog upwards, finding Adrian with Gibson¡¯s squad as they worked through the caves, the two talking. ¡°Len,¡± Adrian nodded in greeting, Gibson turning to face him, revealing the model of the dungeon they were using as their map. ¡°You look like you¡¯re stumped by something,¡± Len said. ¡°There¡¯s supposed to be an hidden compartment,¡± Gibson said. ¡°Right there,¡± Adrian pointed at a part of the wall that had been hit on. Len looked a the model, then the wall they¡¯d practically carved a hall into. He checked the model again and used his mana sight on the wall. It lit up in colors. ¡°Oh hello you sneaky wench,¡± Len moved to the wall, he ran a hand over it, finding the right place. He injected some mana. The enchantment around whatever was in the wall lit up. ¡°A protection enchantment. The more you dig the further away it goes and then the dungeon works to create crystal in that space. You could carve out the entire space around it and then you¡¯d finally be able to reach it,¡± Len¡¯s voice was distracted as he traced out the enchantment. He tapped the wall in thought. ¡°Needs some kind of key? Biological? Physical code?¡± ¡°Guess we can get the guys to start digging,¡± Adrian said. ¡°Ah no need for that, you¡¯ve got one of the best enchanter breakers,¡± Len took out his canteen and unstopped it, flicking water with his will on the enchantment. ¡°Not biological.¡± ¡°Enchanter breaker?¡± Gibson asked. ¡°Know how there are people that can get through locks into houses and places they¡¯re not supposed to be?¡± Len ran mana through the enchantment¡¯s ¡®form¡¯ and tested if there was any give to it. Something drew in mana. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Oh hello there code,¡± Len rubbed his hands while he split off parts of his will into tendrils. ¡°I broke enchantments that would keep Rick and I out of some of the most heavily guarded locations.¡± Len threaded the mana to different locations, feeling if the mana was drawn in anywhere. He located several points where mana didn¡¯t do as it should be and started interacting with them. ¡°I learned about enchantments, then I got kicked out for some bullshit. Kept the knowledge but I wasn¡¯t able to make enchantments anymore. So I used it in tandem with another skillset, dungeoneering. Need to be cautious, know how to fight, when to run and when to stay. Having other skills can really help. Took our dungeoneering to new heights.¡± The wall lit up with runes, a line appearing through the crystal. Len used a spell to weaken the crystal and toughen his fist before he punched through the wall. He peered through the opening into the room beyond. ¡°Well shit, looks like we¡¯ve got his mobile lab in here.¡± Len looked around. ¡°Guess we will be cutting around it. Oh, you got some ores you need mining, or herbs picked?¡± ¡°Skill up?¡± Gibson asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Len sighed. ¡°Down there, some of the lads are hack out steel nodes,¡± Gibson¡¯s tone commiserated. ¡°Little past that there are a few picking plants.¡± ¡°Thanks. He raised his hand as Gibson moved towards the picks against the wall, picking up one of the light crystals to see inside the mobile lab. ¡°Best that no one go in there. No idea what¡¯s brewing in there,¡± Len said. ¡°Can you close it?¡± Gibson asked. ¡°Yeah, best to remove the temptation?¡± ¡°I know a soldier or two,¡± Gibson said. ¡°I know a corporal with certain tendencies,¡± Adrian gave Gibson a look Len used a tendril and some mana to activate the enchantment, closing the lab¡¯s doors. ¡°It won¡¯t move while you¡¯re going around it,¡± Len said. ¡°Thanks!¡± Len wandered a bit more, taking a pickaxe from one of the soldiers hitting a growth of steel from the wall. Len hit the crystal around it till it came free. === Skill: Mining === Level: Apprentice (1[1/10]) === === Level 1 0% to level 2 === Experience flowed into him but the enlightenment didn¡¯t. ¡°Thanks, on to pick some shit,¡± Len handed back the pickaxe and continued down the tunnel. He crouched with some others that were using tools to work around the roots of plants that were entombed in the crystal. With his mana blade spell it was quick work to pull it out. Need to add that enchantment to my sword. === Skill: Herbology === Level: Journeyman (1[1/10]) === === Level 1 0% to level 2 === Len jogged to the edge of the dungeon and looked at the guards on duty. Beyond them the sun was starting to set, coloring the world in oranges. ¡°Enlightenment mister Len?¡± Nelik asked. ¡°Yeah, might want to make some room lads.¡± Nelik and Petro moved to the sides. Len used his strength when he stepped out, getting further as the clouds roiled together. He braced himself against the ground as enlightenment dropped onto his head, information flowing into him as the light dissipated, his headache following with healing spells. A crystal cart left the bridge over the pit, one of the soldiers pulling it. It had been fitted with a light crystal, allowing the man to see where he was going at night. Len raised his hand in greeting, the soldier waving back. Len used his strength, his casual stroll as fast as one might run, bouncing down the widening passage between the trees towards his family farm. The fields were bare, with several carts being hauled up the roads leading to the farmhouses. They¡¯d learned how to make the cart parts from the soldiers and made their own versions. Len reached his home, several carts in the courtyard filled with the year¡¯s harvest. Several new large tables were in the courtyard with fires already light and some music playing as people laughed, danced and ate. He slowed, watching it all from the side, Des and Laurie were dancing with others around the fire, Jed was talking to people while his parents sat at a table, holding one another¡¯s hands. There was smiles on their faces, but a weight to their eyes and bearing. He could feel them taking everything in, with the bittersweet knowledge this might be the last time they saw what they did. A heaviness towards the future and worry. He¡¯d always seen his parents as sure, as steadfast. They¡¯re just people too. Memories were imperfect. Life was imperfect. His mother looked over, noticing his gaze. Her smile deepened as she waved him over. He sat down next to her. She pulled him close and down, kissing the top of his head. She squeezed him as they shared in the sights and the moment. Len watched with them. When the bad times came, he¡¯d have this memory, this moment. He looked around, trying to memorize every detail, every little bit. The children that were stomping and flinging their bodies around near their parents. A few loving food, others hating it. The teenagers shy and rambunctious, adults laughing and drinking, all keeping an eye on those younger. There were flashes of sadness and grief among the people, remembering those that were no longer alive. Though there was relief. They knew what they were dealing with and they now had the strength to deal with it. Bringing in the harvest brought normality, it kindled joy. People are infinitely adaptable to the situations that they find themselves in. He¡¯d seen it throughout his past. Most hoped for the best, but adapted to the situations that they found themselves in. Those that adapted the quickest were the ones that made it through the worst. With all of their skill-ups, they might be some of the strongest people across Plynthia, perhaps even the world. There was worry, and lines of stress were evident from being under attack for weeks at a time. Parents were closer to their children, keeping them close at hand. Guards were still on the walls, their pitchforks now modified with crystal spearheads. As much as they might wish to return to the people they had been before, they had already changed in just a few short weeks. The songs slowed, changing from one to another. His father shifted, turning his head to Len "We''ve decided we''ll come with you to Goran, or Velkaris.¡± Len was brought out of watching everyone, that was the thing with moments, they ended and faded away quickly, hopefully to be remembered later. "Okay," Len nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. "We''ll sell all of the grain that we''ve harvested, as well as our share from the foxes and spiders. We''ve leased the land to one of the families that are staying behind, as well as the farmhouse itself. The families don''t want to spread out too much anymore. There''s safety in being close together,¡± His father said. ¡°And you used a magical contract?" Len asked. "Yes, we used a magical contract," Len''s mother said with a smile. "Do you know who owns the land that the dungeon sits on?" Len asked. His father frowned and looked at his mother, who shook her head. "I don''t think it''s on our land, so it must be on Lord Warwick''s land." Len grimaced. "It would be worthwhile to chat with Lord Warwick and see if you can''t get the controlling stake of that land.¡± ¡°It shouldn''t be too hard," Edward said. "He''s been trying to sell off more land these last few years, he''s got money troubles, and it''s only going to get worse with all the farmers moving away.¡± ¡°If you can get that contract," Len said, "well, get that contract and continue to harvest from the dungeon, sending in teams. You could, well¡ª¡± Len was struck with a thought. Wehy make something new if the old system worked. ¡°¡ªYou could even set it up as if you were the Adventurers Guild, letting people go into the dungeon to gain experience and loot, giving you a portion of what they''ve retrieved, under contract, of course." "Who''d be willing to do something as silly as that?" his mother asked. "You¡¯ve seen what increasing your stats and overall level can do. It also extends one''s life. The stronger one is in levels, the longer they''ll live for.¡± ¡°And then there''s how it heals injuries," Edward added. "Think of how badly wounded those fellas were when they arrived at our farm. Now they''re off fighting spiders the size of our house and hauling carts full of crystal as if it''s nothing more than a load of firewood.¡± ¡°That''s a lot of risk to take just to potentially get stronger. Someone could get hurt or killed," Adeline admonished. "Think of all the foolhardy things that our boys have done just to try and catch the attention of a girl," Edward said. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "If people are gonna do it, might as well benefit from it in some way. The dungeon under control and getting resources that you can sell on to others," Len offered. "How much are we talking for all of these resources?" Edward asked. "I can''t rightly tell you what the prices would be now. People don''t understand the value of a mana stone right now. The raw crystal is really useful, but only for those that know how to use magic. The crystal that can emit lightning, heat or light are the most useful.¡± Len said. ¡°You can use that to light houses and streets through the night, heat homes through the winter, even use them to replace coal in steam engines.¡± ¡°What would be your best guess?" Adeline asked. ¡°They crystal I would self for the price of steel, about forty gold per ton, the books are really useful but you¡¯d need to teach someone a spell to understand languages.¡± ¡°Can you just will yourself to understand and language and it works?¡± His father asks. ¡°You can but that doesn¡¯t work the best. Non-structured magic is expensive in casting and it is limited to the understanding of the person casting it. With languages, the understand languages spell is actually taking the intent that the person had behind creating something. When you use it on writing it has the effect of passing over the words, language and information faster,¡± Len said. ¡°Usually, the kind of spell casting that you can do with just your will and a bit of mana is enough to get you past most obstacles. Structured spells allow you to create controlled or pre-defined spells beyond your normal level of understanding.¡± "Okay," Edward said, his eyes remaining confused. "Like, take a flame,¡± Len said. ¡°You can create a flame based upon your understanding of heat, fire, whatever, and then you adjust it based on your feeling of heat. Now, you could also have a formula for a specific kind of flame working in a specific kind of way that you recite in your mind or hold in your mind and empower with mana, bringing it into reality. The first is non-structured magic while the second is structured magic. Structured magic also allows you to do more complex things. Think of it like enchantments where they can have a lot of information stored within, leading to a single outcome.¡± ¡°Okay, his father said, catching the edges of what he was saying. ¡°Now, enchantments can use a lot of mana, drawing upon the world for it, but all structured or non-structured spell casting is based upon the user''s own mana resources,¡± Len said ¡°So, the structured spells you can teach to someone else and it will come out with the same result every time. It can also allow you to use magic that you don''t understand or is beyond your understanding?" Edward questioned "Yeah, that''s pretty much it," Len agreed. ¡°And you can only use the power that you have within you to power it,¡± Adeline said. ¡°Right,¡± Len said. "So, the rest of the items you''ve gathered, what are they worth and what is all that we''ve collected worth so far?" Adeline dragged them back on point. "I''d guess the loot you got out of those creatures is probably about four hundred and fifty-six gold." "Damn," Edward''s eyes widened, as did Adeline''s. "That''s over half of what we''re gonna earn from just the food alone.¡± ¡°You can start to see the other reason people will go down into the dungeons. It''s really lucrative, even if you come out with just a small harvest," Len said. *** Len and Rick walked through the empty dungeon, weapons at the ready. At their speed it took them a few minutes to go through the entire place and back up to the surface. "Did you have a look into what was inside the alchemy lab?" Len asked. "No," Rick replied, "Someone took their enchanting knowledge with them, so I couldn''t figure out the damn code last night." "Sorry about that," Len chuckled. "Probably for the best. Else you''d just go in there and mess up something. Get some incurable disease or poison." Rick rolled his eyes. "The guys did good though, cleared through the entire dungeon, then looted it all in the space of two days. There was a lot built up in here." ¡°The overflow did help bring the dungeon creatures to us instead of having to face them on their own territory,¡± Len said. Len turned the corner. A spider turned its head and scuttled towards them rapidly. "I got this one. You check the time," Rick said, twirling the hammer in his hands and stepping forward casually. The creature reared up, raising its forelimbs to send crystal spikes through the ground underneath them. Len pulled out his watch, checking the time and making note of it, while Rick threw his hammer, hitting the spider in the face. Cracks ran through its shell before bursting out the other end, dying. Rick grabbed his hammer, casting cleanse before he grabbed onto the spider¡¯s carapace and started dragging it. ¡°Takes the dungeon four hours to start creating more beasts.¡± Len moved forward, grabbing the armor next to Rick and pulling it with him. "I''ll have to test out what eight hours, twelve hours, and sixteen hours would look like," Rick said. "Should mean that they can do a dungeon dive every day and come up with something at least," Len replied. Len shrugged. You never really knew what you were going to get into in a dungeon. Most of the time, you could predict what they were going to do based on past experiences. Other times, you had no idea what you were walking into. Dungeons were the embodiment of mana, which meant they were the embodiment of chaos, given power and matter. They hauled the body up to the dungeon entrance, throwing it into the reclamation cart that was off to the side. A farmer on watch went over and activated the enchantment, consuming all of the spider''s components, save for its spinneret, crystalline armor, and mana core which he started throwing into one of the last loot carts that would head for the barns. Their eyes darted around nervously. Take them some time to get used to the dungeon. "Figured out the respawn time. How are we looking?" Rick asked Adrian, who was waiting by the side of the dungeon wearing the civvies he¡¯d come to Warwick in. "All ready to move out," he confirmed. ¡°Mackie and Gibson¡¯s squads are back at the farm to help pull the carts there. Want me to send word to have them start moving the carts for Warwick?¡± ¡°Yeah, get them started,¡± Rick said. Adrian pulled out his sound transmission device and spoke into it. Adrian, Len and Rick walked across the land bridge to where Edwin¡¯s squad waited. Their armor and clothes were stored in crates, leaving them wearing the civilian clothes they¡¯d been shipped to Warwick in. Len and Rick took off their armor and stored it in crates, wearing the civvies they¡¯d bought in Eskon. Having only seen everyone in armor and uniforms for the last couple of days, it was strange to see them in coveralls, slacks, jackets, and shirts. Len pulled off his sword belt and stored it with his armor. The crate of gear was shut, the soldiers using palm strikes to hammer the nails in. "Alright, lets move out!" Rick yelled. Those pulling the carts filled with gear crates pushed against their harnesses, passing through the wide path that ran from the dungeon to the main road. Len and Rick weaved around to the front of the procession carts were being hauled up the main road. Farmers cheered and clapped as the carts passed. Crate filled carts filed into the procession of carts filled with the year¡¯s harvest and the valuables of the families that were leaving the dell. Jeb, Edward, and Dez pushed carts, while Adeline and Lori walked alongside, more than happy to let the men push instead of wasting their energy. Dozens of carts moved down the road. ¡°Lets pick the speed up!¡± Rick called out. The convoy sped up as they left the dell behind, passing the surrounding farms that they''d harvested. The houses now empty and locked up against beasts and the elements. Some twenty people were staying behind at the farms to watch over dungeons and their own fields. I hope we can send some people this way to help them. *** Len looked out of the train windows at Warwick. His father dropped down into the seat next to him, holding out a contract. "Now we own the land that the dungeon sits on," he said. Len opened it up, reading through the deed, before folding it up and handing it back to his father. "It''s possibly the most valuable piece of paper you''ve ever seen," Len said. "Lord Warwick is knee-deep in debt. He''s going to be more than willing to sell us anything that we want," Jed said. Rick leaned back, pursing his lips in thought. "If we could get a good supply of food and build that up over time..." "You can''t eat gold," Len said. "Fair enough, fair enough," Rick nodded. "Something for Grandma to figure out though.¡± ¡°We were also able to sell the carts we made," Edward said. ¡°And the rates for the harvest was the highest I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°It will continue to climb. This winter will be tough,¡± Len said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t we keep more of the harvest?¡± Laurie asked from her seat back to back with Len¡¯s. ¡°Already look suspicious as hell with everything. Warwick would be paying even more attention to us if we didn¡¯t sell him the harvest,¡± Jed said. ¡°Its also much harder to transport all of that food on short notice. You need the right kind of train cars to move it efficiently,¡± Rick said. ¡°Once we sort things out with wherever we go, you¡¯re farming knowledge is going to be really valuable,¡± Len said. ¡°Till we can get a train or the materials we need to build one,¡± Rick said. Build a train? Len¡¯s mind started turning over on ideas and hopes that had been buried deep in his mind for most of his adult life. The train¡¯s whistle blew. "A Rickson turbo speed, what an engine," Edward said. Len smiled as the doors to the train closed for the last time. Whistles from the station staff calling out as the train began to move forward. His father talking of all the facts behind and around the train to Jed as they began their trip to Goran. With the obelisk they¡¯d never have to worry about dying, and they¡¯d have the wealth to buy a city state¡ªor make one. Chapter: 20 Chapter: 20 Carolyn circulated the mana through her body, relieving the aches that came from sitting for several hours in nearly the same position. ¡°Have a good day, Lady Carolyn,¡± Cousin Emilia said. She was an older woman and she was kind, too kind for Carolyn¡¯s nephew. That nasty man who¡¯d taken out his rages and idiotic losses upon his wife and children till she was able to send them away to schools and academies. ¡°Thank you for taking care of the Lady.¡± Everett bowed his head solemnly. ¡°Just doing what I can.¡± She smiled and bowed her head back before making her exit. The door closed behind her and her footsteps carried her away and down the stairs. Carolyn drew in more mana, she¡¯d felt herself at the limit all day, teasingly close, but Rick had warned her to not make any breakthroughs with anyone but allies around for a dozen meters. She felt her core take the next step, progressing to a white solid core which started to slowly fill as she pushed in all the mana she¡¯d stored in her channels. Her channels expanded, a new strength rushing through her body as she stood, feeling younger than she had in decades. Carolyn¡¯s eyes were solemn as she looked at the door. ¡°Something the matter, my lady?¡± Everett asked. ¡°No, just that we will have to recall the rest of the family once the change happens,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± ¡°Emilia has looked after me all this time, the only one from the main family that does. Her husband gets into his drinks and schemes while she makes sure I move, that I have water and poisoned tea.¡± Carolyn waved off Everett. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know while she makes the food a pulp so I might eat it. Without any compensation. Her care shall not be forgotten.¡± Carolyn gripped her fist, how she wanted to have a sword in it, to cut through the filth her family had become. She stood up from her chair and stretched. ¡°I¡¯m worried, Lady Carolyn.¡± ¡°What of?¡± ¡°This new power, these new techniques. They will change everything in the coming days.¡± There was a strength to his voice, a depth and strength that had been missing these years. He had packed on weight, filling out his armor more, looking like the bear that had stood beside her husband. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°There is no going back, people have been increasing their levels and their skills since Len and Rick arrived,¡± Carolyn said, moving to the replenished drinking cart. ¡°What do you make of Rick?¡± Carolyn asked making herself a drink, while watching Everett. ¡°There¡¯s a weight and presence to him of someone much older. He uses jokes and laughter to cover up for it and much more. He hasn¡¯t changed in that manner. He is not the boy that left here for Valoria. There¡¯s a weight of command of age to him. Though also distance,¡± Everett said. ¡°Do you think he has the qualities to be a leader?¡± ¡°He can be a leader of fighters, like Len. Though for a long time? No he would not be suitable. Interests would carry him away,¡± Everett said. ¡°I do not think that the wanderlust has left him.¡± Carolyn drank. I will have to bind him to Goran firmly. ¡°Krondel has sent over the books.¡± ¡°Very well, let us see what has been going on,¡± She took a deep gulp of her drink. Everett moved over to a column holding a planter in the corner. He moved it to the side, pulled away a plank and pulled out several books. He put everything back and walked over to her desk, putting down the books. ¡°Light reading.¡± She sighed and walked to the desk hiding to the side of the room. ¡°Seems like we¡¯re going to have to learn and quickly.¡± Carolyn sat down at her desk and flipped open the pages of the books. There was just two days until the finals. *** Len and Rick stepped off of the train into Goran, the festive spirit was in full swing with the streets filled with people. The soldiers moved in smaller groups, paying no attention to one another, they¡¯d meet up later. Some were gathering up their crated gear. The farmers and their families stayed together, heading for the inns that the soldiers had recommended at the edge of town. ¡°Len you sure that you¡¯ll be okay?¡± His father asked. ¡°As well as they can be, this should be all finished on the day of the finals we were promised.¡± His father pressed his lips together, displeased, but understanding as he brought Len into a hug. ¡°Send for us when this is all over.¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t and three days have passed?¡± Len asked. ¡°Head to Velkaris with the other farmers,¡± His father confirmed as they broke off the hug. ¡°We know some of what the future will bring and I¡¯m just planning how to work within that,¡± Len said. Edward let out s sigh. ¡°Fathers are supposed to look out for their sons.¡± ¡°And sons are always supposed to know better than their fathers¡ªor at least think they do,¡± Len winked. Edward tousled his hair as his mother wrapped him up in a hug. ¡°You come back to us again now you hear.¡± ¡°I did it once,¡± Len said softly. She gave him a smile, pulling him in tight before releasing him. ¡°Now go help Rick.¡± She patted him on the back and pushed him towards his friend. Rick nodded and started moving out of the station and towards the crowds. Len looked back at his family standing on the station platform. They smiled and raised their hands in goodbye. He waved back before turning around and hurrying after Rick. ¡°Screens for all! people¡¯s skills and information listed out for everyone to see! Questions raised about the Connection to system network!¡± A newspaper boy cried out as people lined up for a copy. They passed through areas tradesman worked, people were dedicated to their crafts. ¡°Apprentice!¡± Someone yelled out of a shop as they passed. ¡°What did you get?¡± ¡°How?¡± Others in the shop called out and rushed over. Looks like everyone¡¯s testing out and learning the screens. Chapter: 21 Chapter: 21 Adrian rapped on the warehouse doors. The sounds of movement within stilled. Footsteps approached the door a knife sliding free of a sheathe. I¡¯d never notice this before with my low level. Gibson opened the door with three of his lads hanging back trying to look non threatening. "Ah, good to see you, Sarge," he said. He pushed the door open all the way, allowing him entry and checking past him. "Most of the others have already arrived. We''re just sorting out gear.¡± He ducked back into the warehouse, sheathing his blade and closing the door. ¡°Everett got here not long ago. He''s having a chat with Mackie. Edwin and his lads are still on their way in." "Good to know," Adrian said. "This way," Gibson said, aiding him past the other men. ¡°Keep watch you two.¡± He said to the two that were his backup. ¡°Yes Lance Corporal,¡± They took up positions at the door, still wearing the civvies. The rest of their unit was deeper in the warehouse, hidden by shelves that had been turned into beds and living spaces. They wore blackened armor and clothing, having shed their civvies. Some held fire in their hands, using it to blacken their blades and remove their shine. Adrian nodded to them, Gibson guiding him to the back of the warehouse Mackie was outfitted in the blackened armor, nodding to Adrian. Everett gave off a strong presence, drawing in mana from a large area around him, a sure sign of his higher overall level. ¡°Adrian, good to see you man,¡± Everett broke into a smile and walked over to him, clapping him on the shoulders and studying him. ¡°Good to see you too sir, I¡¯m guessing you have a new job for us,¡± He tilted his head to the marked map that was nailed on the wall.¡± ¡°They fixed you up good,¡± Everett grabbed his shoulders again. ¡°Feel decades younger, but its seeing you and your men that stuns me.¡± He turned to the map. ¡°Yes, more work for your people. Mackie was just telling me about these sound transmission devices you have?¡± ¡°Just have to set which device you want to connect to, power it with a bit of mana to activate it and you can talk to them as if they¡¯re standing right next to you. Take out all the lag of sending messages.¡± Adrian confirmed. ¡°That is going to be a huge boon for our strike,¡± Everett said. ¡°Since you have been gone people all across Goran have been increasing their skills, gaining levels and becoming much stronger. Its become a point of pride between people of how skilled they are. This boon has spread to Tyrus and his people which will make them much harder to deal with.¡± "We''ll have certain advantages over them. Rick and Len taught us how to fight with magic. Most of them are going to be using unstructured and unguided magic, running on impulse and creativity,¡± Adrian said. ¡°Which is going to make them dangerous as hell," Gibson interjected. Adrian tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Yes, it''ll make them dangerous and it''ll make them unpredictable, though it also means they''re going to use their mana much faster than someone who''s at least got a base understanding of how it works. Do you know how many skill ups or what level the people around Tyrus are?" Adrian asked. Everett drew in a long breath. "We have an idea of some of the people around Tyrus, and Tyrus himself, though our biggest problem is going to be Andreas. He''s been training and fighting throughout this entire period to increase his level and skills. The boy was already able to best me with the sword some four years ago, and I was able to get an expert in bladed weapons. So master then?" Adrian asked. "If that''s the one after expert level," Everett shrugged. "I''d think so." Adrian heard the door to the warehouse open again and Edwin¡¯s voice, followed by him and others walking towards the back of the warehouse. ¡°Now we¡¯re all here, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Adrian asked. Everett made to speak, listened and turned as Edwin came around the corner. ¡°These new senses and abilities are going to take some time to get used to.¡± He walked over to the map. ¡°We¡¯ve been raising forces in Goran among those that are still loyal. They have been broken into squads and each have their own tasks to complete. None of them know about one another so if something goes wrong they can¡¯t blow the operation. You four have the most information. Though you also have the most vital targets,¡± He pointed to the markings on the map. ¡°While the finals are underway you¡¯re going to have separate missions and follow ups depending on the situation. *** "Where are we heading to?" Len asked as Rick guided them along unfamiliar roads. "There''s an inn I know of. My grandma is close with the owner. She told me to stay there when I returned." "So much sneaking about," Len said. "Well, when you''re trying to hide from the city''s very ruler, it pays to be a bit paranoid," Rick said. "Here it is." He waved at the two-story inn. On the left side, there was an archway that led to a stable. On the right side was a large door, opened and surrounded by tables where people were drinking and eating. The noise of merriment carried from inside the tavern. Rick led Len through the doors into the tavern. People were drinking and eating, telling stories about the fighting or other events. Rick walked up to the front table where a man stood. "Looking for a table, a room, or stabling?" the man asked. "Looking for a room, do any have a silver bell upon them?¡± The man took in Rick and Len. ¡°Only at midnight.¡± ¡°Ah the curse of the dawn,¡± Rick said. ¡°We''ve got a room with two beds.¡± The man handed Rick a key. ¡°Second floor number fifteen.¡± "The finals are tomorrow, right?" Rick asked as he took the key. "Yeah, tomorrow morning. Take the stairs over there and follow it all the way to the back." "Thanks," Rick said, following the man''s directions, weaving through the people filling the tavern. Some musicians were attempting to overcome their noise with their own talents. Thankfully, the noise dissipated somewhat as they made their way up to the second floor and into the room they would be staying in. "So, real beds," Rick said, upon seeing the room. One took off his backpack, putting it to the side and starting to unpack his gear. There was a slotted window in the room. There was an alleyway outside and the framed could be pushed, actually opening. He pulled out several alchemy books and lay down on the bed, keeping his boots off of the sheets. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Rick was sorting out his gear as well when a letter was pushed underneath the doorway. Len sat down his books and drew his utility knife. Rick stalked over to the door, he pulled out his own knife. He opened the door, glancing left and right before picking up the letter and closing the door behind him, checking it was locked. He opened the letter, a folded piece of paper, and read the words within. "Looks like my grandma knows we''re back in the city. She wants to see me for something." Rick handed the letter over to Len, who read the words within. "It seems she wants you to carry out a mission for her, or at least some task," Len said. Rick shrugged. Len summoned a flame in his hand holding the letter, destroying it. "Well, good luck. I''ll be here, reading." He opened up his book once more, doing just as he''d said. "Oh, can you pass me a paper and pencil? I¡¯ll try and figure out a spell structure that will let the caster understand other languages. Tenebrook will need that if he¡¯s going to understand these books." ¡°What, don¡¯t want to copy it all out?¡± Rick asked, pulling out stationery from his ruck. ¡°Fuck to the no.¡± Rick dropped off the paper and pencils. ¡°Enjoy your grandma¡¯s jobs.¡± Rick flipped him the bird and headed out of the room. *** ¡°You wanted to see me, Grandma?¡± Rick asked as he closed the door to her sitting room. He¡¯d moved across the city, waited till no one was watching the wall, hopped over and walked through the back gardens. Carolyn closed a book on her desk, turning fully around. ¡°Yes,¡± She waved to the couches. Rick took a seat as she lowered herself opposite. Already the signs of tempering and cultivation showed, there was a strength to her movements. She was a completely different woman from the one he¡¯d seen upon his arrival. ¡°Here are your tickets,¡± she said and handed them over. ¡°It is your sister¡¯s last fight, shouldn¡¯t she see her brother in the seats?¡± Rick grimaced and took them. Carolyn smiled at him. ¡°You think the men that went with you to Warwick are ready?¡± ¡°We healed up those that you sent to us and trained up those that were in good health. There¡¯s no going back on the contract¡¯s they signed, they¡¯re loyal.¡± ¡°You sound very sure.¡± ¡°Those contracts bind with the magic in your body. If you turn back on them then they will enact out what was in the contract. If they betray us then they¡¯ll die,¡± Rick said. ¡°You say it so simply.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make promises that you can¡¯t keep.¡± Rick shrugged. ¡°It will still take me time to reconcile you with the Rick that I know,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°I hope we have more time this apocalypse.¡± ¡°Go to the Rusted Spigot tavern and order the Siren¡¯s Call drink. A man will contact you there.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Someone with information on Eskon and what¡¯s happening beyond our borders,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Won¡¯t matter all that long. The royal family will run into their own issues shortly,¡± Rick said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The king is about to fall into poor health. He has been working to keep leashes on the people with the nobles. Though he¡¯s let their leashes become too light. They¡¯re looking to expand more. It won¡¯t be long until the younger generation start fighting one another behind closed doors and then out in the open to bring about the collapse of the kingdom.¡± ¡°It sounds rote to you. This is powerful information,¡± Carolyn said. Rick waved it off. ¡°It was information decades ago. The Hunter¡¯s Bureau were manipulating all the sides. Looking to increase their hold over the nation. The King didn¡¯t do anything that would help us. While they¡¯re all distracted by that we can build up Goran. Stay out of their sights, on the periphery as we gain true strength.¡± Carolyn blinked and watched him. ¡°You¡¯re talking about the fall of Plynthia.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rick frowned. ¡°Do you think that it¡¯s the only nation that falls? I¡¯ve already said that the largest group that survives are cities, not nations.¡± Carolyn sat upright. ¡°We swore to defend this nation.¡± ¡°You did, I didn¡¯t. I will fight to defend my family, this nation is going to tear itself apart. The nobles will do all the work before we have to ever step in. So, Rusted Spigot, Sirens Call, spy shit, when?¡± Carolyn took sometime before she responded. ¡°Tonight. Tell him the weather is fair though the winds look stormy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry I might have changed the king¡¯s fate already. Depends on what Bethany does.¡± He turned about and headed out the door. *** The Rusted Spigot was a lively tavern. There was a bar on the right side as one walked in, at the back there was a band in full swing. There were seats along the left wall and taking up the space between it and the bar. Revellers had spread outside of the bar, sitting at tables. Money was exchanged at the bar quickly. Rick weaved through the people. One stumbled into him. He smacked the hands away, clipped the woman over the back of the head and continued on his way. He wasn¡¯t losing his coin that easily. She looked around, half stunned as he raised a hand to the bartender. ¡°You got the Siren¡¯s Call?¡± ¡°Oh! Been a good long time since someone¡¯s asked for that, seems you¡¯ve got quite the constitution! That¡¯ll be five coppers!¡± That¡¯s quite a bit for a drink. Rick pulled out the coin and put it on the bar. The bartender swept it away and pulled down a murky glass and started to fill it with different liquors. The color turned to a turquoise blue, a full pint of it. ¡°Here you are!¡± The bartender chuckled and slapped it on the bar. Rick took the glass, raised it up to catch the light. Looks like a terrible morning and a great night. Rick lowered it and took a big gulp. It was pure alcohol. His body started to heal before it hit his stomach. ¡°Smooth,¡± He grinned to the bartender. The man laughed and slapped the table. ¡°Grab a seat once you¡¯re done with that, you won¡¯t be able to stand!¡± A random man¡¯s arm wrapped around Rick¡¯s shoulders. He about near stabbed him through the ribs out of reaction. ¡°You¡¯d be a man¡¯s savior if you could get me a drink. Dying of a thirst. The water here is corrupted so it is only the weak beer here that keeps me healthy.¡± Rick moved out of the man¡¯s sideways embrace looking him over. A handsome man of middle age, hardened looks, with a brilliant smile a cloak around his shoulders and an instrument case on his back. His face sweaty as he tried to hide the shivers of drink depravation. ¡°Water is just fine around these parts,¡± the bartender growled and slapped a towel on the counter. The drunk cowed back like a hit dog and turned his smile back on Len. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sit well with my constitution. ¡°Who are you?¡± Rick asked. ¡°A scourge to bars and married husbands,¡± the bartender said darkly. ¡°I am but a humble traveling artiste,¡± the man, put one leg forward and wrapped one arm around his breast, the other reaching for the ceiling. Somehow missing all of the other patrons ¡°Gerald Luthwhaite at your distinguished service.¡± He rose back up, unsteady on his feet as he paled. That smile still affixed to his face. Shameless, bold and with his own vices. His movements were graceful with the ¡®hitches¡¯ thrown in. Almost natural. As was his complexion. ¡°One beer for mister Gerald here,¡± Rick said to the bartender. ¡°One beer coming up!¡± the bartender said quickly, eager for the sale. Rick focused on Gerald. ¡°Though questions and time will be the payment.¡± The bartender was quickly back with a beer. Rick paid the two coppers and moved off to a vacated table against one of the walls. Gerald took three long gulps nearly draining his beer as he patted his face with the back of his cuff. ¡°The Sirens Call, only seen that drink a few times.¡± ¡°You have information? Grandma is interested,¡± Rick said. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen any of the older ladies recently.¡± Gerald chuckled. ¡°Oh what was it she wanted me to say?¡± Rick rattled his brain around. ¡°The weather is fair though the winds look stormy.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Gerald drank, his eyes darting around the place, he wasn¡¯t nearly as drunk as he affected. Rick drank from the Siren¡¯s Call, his body was too strong to get drunk off of something like this anymore. I could be building up a smithy to make Ironclads, or beating¡ªtempering Len, or hell, sleeping. Instead I gotta do this whole spy clandestine shit. ¡°Well you¡¯re in luck I know a few places to visit!¡± Gerald finished his beer slapping it down before clapping Rick on the shoulder. Woah this guy is chummy. Grandma wouldn¡¯t be pissed if I punched him lightly. Right? Seeing as that might throw him through the wall they were sitting next to, Rick was the bigger man and kept drinking instead. ¡°Follow my lead,¡± Gerald whispered and stood up. ¡°Come on then!¡± Rick downed the rest of the drink. Be a waste to leave it here. Gerald¡¯s eye twitched some as Rick rose up and followed after him. They wandered the streets before moving down an alley. ¡°So you¡¯re Carolyn¡¯s Grandson.¡± Gerald¡¯s voice sunk into deeper tones, assessing Rick. ¡°Yeah. You got the information.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot and it has been a long time since I was contacted,¡± Gerald said. Rick shrugged. ¡°This way, I have it but there¡¯s a lot of it now.¡± Gerald led him through the city to a building away from the bustle. He checked something at the door before entering. Rick could see the weapons hiding about the room as well as the pieces of wood that were set up to alert Gerald if anyone came inside. Gerald reached under the bed and pulled out several books. ¡°Nobles are very interested in the rise of the Isendia family and the mercenaries throughout the nation. Tyrus has taken out three lines of credit with different banks and they¡¯re starting to pile up. He has the bankers come into the city quietly. The Hunter¡¯s Bureau has entrenched themselves with nobility and have been hosting parties where they bid to kill beasts.¡± ¡°Mana beasts?¡± Rick raised an eyebrow. ¡°They call them legendary beasts, whoever kills them becomes stronger and younger on the spot. The nobles love it. They¡¯re purchasing all kinds of goods from them.¡± Rick flipped open a book, there were entries listing shipments, others about nobles interactions with one another. Hopefully this will keep Grandma happy. ¡°Thanks. Grandma might have more for you in the future.¡± Rick pointed at a nearby towel. ¡°Can I borrow that?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Gerald grabbed it and tossed it over. ¡°There are a lot of worrying ripples through the kingdom.¡± ¡°Glad that is someone else¡¯s problem.¡± Rick dumped the books into the towel, tied it up and slung it over his shoulder. ¡°Be seeing you, Gerald.¡± He walked out of the room and into the street, he pressed on the ground, leaving two footprints firming the wind beneath his feet as he jumped across the sky, heading for the Blue Manor once again. A damn messenger. Rick hummed to himself as he sped across the sky. Chapter: 22 Chapter: 22 "Feels just so wrong being out of armor." "Freeing, though, ain''t it?" Rick said. "I guess in a way, but it also makes me feel vulnerable. Only idiots walk around without armor and at least a blade on them," Len said. He took off his scabbard from his belt, tapping his thumb against the blade. He set it down and looked around his room. Lydia had headed off in the morning for the arena. Len held out his arms, normal clothes, reinforced boots and his working blade on his belt. ¡°Passable,¡± Rick said and turned, his clothes worn and patched from their travels. ¡°You think Lydia is going to win?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my sister after all,¡± Rick said. Len chuckled as they headed out. *** Len and Rick found their seats around the midway point of the arena, facing the spectator box it held. The Isendia spectator box was on the other side. "What the hell is she playing at?" Rick muttered as they navigated through the crowd to get to their seats. They watched and waited, feeling eyes upon them. Rick glanced upward, noticing someone speaking into the ear of another man. In Tyrus''s ear, Rick''s uncle''s eyes were locked on not Len, but Rick beside him. "Ah, shit," Len thought to himself. He could see the man''s recognition flash through his eyes, the way his jaw clenched and a vein started to throb on his forehead. He turned his head, ripping his eyes away from Rick, and barked something to the messenger. They snapped upright, firing off a salute before hurrying away. "So, welcome one and all to the finals of the Isendia Annual Tournament!" the announcer barked out. People shifted forward, drawing their attention to the arena. Len checked both edges of the aisle they were seated in. Getting out was going to be difficult, if not impossible. Rick raised his eyes, watching the arena. "Your uncle knows," Len whispered. Rick''s eyes snapped to his, then over to the spectator box. He clenched his teeth so hard Len could swear that they creaked. "Whatever. Not even he can stop me from watching Lydia." "On the right, we have Quillen!" The crowd erupted into cheers as the gate opened, revealing a man wearing an all-too-familiar set of armor. The thick-set man walked out with a smirk on his face, his helmet underneath his arm. The cheers dulled as gossip and rumors spread in its space. "That emblem... what''s that emblem?" one spectator asked. Rick knew it only too well. The Hunter''s Guild. "Here, you should look over to Rick. I never knew who won the last fight," Rick said, his eyes affixed upon the challenger. "The challenger? Why would they be here?" Len asked. "The Isendia family is one of the largest mercenary groups in all of Plentia. What better way to show off your strength than to beat them at their own damn tournament?" Rick shook his head. So Quillian smacked his chest and saluted one of the spectator boxes. In a flurry of movement, men and women within stood up, removing their cloaks and revealing their own emblazoned jackets with the crest of the Hunter''s Guild upon their breast. Movement stirred within the Isendia spectator box and among all of the other boxes held by noble families and various training facilities. Len focused his eyes upon Quillen. There was something familiar about him, just on the edges of memory. "He''s got mana," Rick hissed through his teeth. ¡°So does Lydia, he only feels like level four or five, Lydia reached level seven right?¡± Len said. ¡°Yes, but with her being stronger, they¡¯re going to pay attention to something like that,¡± Rick said. "And on the other side, we have Isendia''s own Blackthorn," the announcer continued, pushing onwards. The other gate opened to cheers as Lydia stepped out. The cheers only doubled as she was revealed. She didn''t hide her face or hair anymore, standing proud and defiantly in the face of Quillen. The other man frowned, then started chuckling, pulling on his helmet. Len could read his lips from this distance. ¡®Looks like I''ll finally get a taste of Isendia blood. Wonder if it''s as weak as all of the others.¡¯ Quillen pulled his halberd out of the soft sand, shaking it free and clean, before leveling it in Lydia''s direction. Len glanced up to the Isendia spectator box. People were talking throughout, behind hands, while Tyrus''s eyes held a murderous rage, directed towards his niece upon the arena sands. Lydia turned to face the box, raising her sword parallel to the ground and touching it to her forehead. A swordsman''s salute. "For the Isendia family," she yelled. The cheers doubled throughout the arena. Lydia twirled her sword and turned to face Quillen. "Let the Isendia annual competitions final begin," the announcer said as a gong rang out. Both fighters shot forward, throwing up sand underneath their feet. "Hunter''s bureau fighter with a halberd," Rick snapped his fingers. "Isn''t that Velas?" Len''s eyes widened as the memory snapped into place. Velas was one of the Hunter Guild''s finest trackers. He was the one sent after Hunters who had abandoned their posts or turned their back on the bureau. Many called him the blood dog, since he didn''t care which way his sword went as long as it earned him coin. Even after the Hunter''s Bureau fell, he turned into one of the greatest bounty hunters. It was said when the blood hound was on your trail, there was no escaping it. That was until he tried chasing down the scarred sovereign. His halberd shot out, stabbing and slicing as Lydia deflected his attacks with her blades. His confident grin faded, his teeth no longer visible through his helmet as he fought with increasing intensity. Rick grunted, his eyes not moving from the fight. The crowd''s voices rose as Lydia slashed at Velas''s throat. He jumped to the side, dragging his halberd across to try and bisect her. Lydia hit the ground, flipping over the halberd, using it as a fulcrum, and sent a kick at his head. Velas pushed off the ground, jumping backwards, turning his head to the side to avoid the sand that came with her foot. Lydia touched down on the ground, digging in her toes and leaping forward. He danced with his halberd as she closed in with her swords, driving him back further and further as he tried to turn so as not to push himself up against the wall. His halberd darted forward, aiming for her throat, pulling her sword with it. Lydia let go of her sword, dropping to the ground and jumping forward to attack his knees. He spun himself to the side, landing on his foot, slashing out with his halberd at her follow-up attack, gaining himself space to plant the other foot. He used his halberd as a spear, jabbing as she used her single sword to deflect the worst attacks and bounce and twist her body to try and avoid the slashes. "One point, Quillian," the announcer yelled as Lydia missed her timing, a hit striking her as she staggered backwards. "If that hadn''t been enchanted or her body tempered, that would have probably broken her ribs. Gonna bruise anyway,¡± Rick said. Quillien, or rather Velas, must have thought the same thing as Lydia twisted with the hit instead of recoiling and launched her counter-attack. Getting a slash on his leg, he whipped his halberd around, raising the sand around him. She jumped out of the way lest she be battered to the side. He came at her with his jabs as she lost space and room to move in. Her hand shot forward, grabbing the shaft of the halberd, dragging herself forward. She snapped out a kick at his head. Velas'' helmet rang out as sand was blown up around him from the power of the kick. He released his halberd, dropping his shoulder to roll, rising himself up to his knee and hand, shaking his head to try and clear it, only to find his own halberd underneath his neck. His teeth were gritted in a snarl as cheers erupted throughout the arena. Len''s heart settled in his chest. "Blackthorn, no, Lydia Isendia is the champion of this year''s annual competition," the announcer yelled, barely able to get his voice over the cheers of the crowd. Lydia drew away the halberd from Velas'' neck, stabbing the butt into the sand as she raised her sword into the air in triumph. The crowd ate it up. Movement in the spectator box grabbed Len''s attention as Tyrus shoved himself to his feet and stormed out of the box. The other members of the family quickly rose to follow him. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. A messenger arrived next to the announcers. Guards stepped out onto the arena grounds, indicating for Lydia to go with them. Rick and Len had stood with the rest of the crowd as she won the fight. Rick gave her a small nod as she walked off towards them. The guards closed around her, escorting her through the gate. Velas threw his gloves down as he reached his own gate, casting a glare in Lydia''s direction. "Looks like we have our own problems," Len said, looking down either side of the aisle. Guards of the main family stood on either side, waiting for them. Rick rolled back his shoulders and threaded his way down the aisle. Len followed him. "Your father demands your presence at the main hall," one of the guards said, his hand resting on a baton at his waist. His body language spoke of one who wished to use their power but held back. There were five other guards with him, all with that cold look of displeasure. "Lead on," Rick said. The guards led them away from the stand, people chattering to one another about what they had seen. "Please try something, cousin," the guard''s commander said. "We know plenty of ways to make it hurt without anyone seeing anything." Rick didn''t even slow his steps. His hand moved subtly. As he flexed his fingers, Len started circulating mana through his body. Rick only started moving his hands that way if he was about to build something or fight. *** Rick suppressed the rage threatening to bubble out of his chest as they marched through the city. People moved out of the way of the guards, glancing over with interest. To Rick, it felt more like they were being paraded through the streets like criminals or curiosities. The guards took every large road possible on their way to the main hall. The hall was a moniker for the original keep the Isendia family had come to own. Stout four-meter walls enclosed the simple flat keep with four raised towers. The building had been modernized in recent years, adding in paintings and decorations where there had been simple hard stone before. "Lipstick on a pig," Rick muttered under his breath. "Got something to say there?" his cousin growled, pulling his baton halfway out of his scabbard. Rick looked at the boy, then turned his gaze away. It wasn''t him he was angry with, though he had had to kill people for less in order to retain his reputation. Strength was everything in the apocalypse. Guards opened the doors into the main hall. Four large pillars held up the roof. The hearth in the back had been cleaned up and painted, a dais placed in front of it. Tyrus sat upon it, his advisors on lower platforms to either side. Grandma was off in the back corner, looking as feeble as ever. Members of the family were along either side with their hangers-on. Those of the main family wore fine clothes, silks, and jewelry, while those of the other families pandered to them or hid in the shadows as much as possible. "It is my victory, Uncle. I won. Upholding the Isendian name against the Hunter''s Bureau and all," Lydia said. "Silence!" Tyrus bellowed, smashing his fist into the armrest of his chair. "You dared to defy me. You are no fighter. You''re no soldier. You''re a brat that has no understanding of her position in this family, of loyalty. Your parents would be ashamed." Lydia threw her head to the side as if she had been slapped. Rick''s rage and anger had transformed over the years, going from a murderous, hot, burning desire in his chest to something colder, more refined, as sharp and as honed as the blades he made. "Ah and you would know that would you? Were you the last to speak to them before they died?" Rick''s voice boomed through the hall, all conversations coming to a halt. "You dare, boy," Tyrus growled, shuddering in his seat. "You have done nothing for this family but take, take, and take. You''re an ungrateful cur that couldn''t learn the way of the sword, couldn''t learn the way of nobility. You are nothing but an eyesore to me. I banish you from these lands." Rick slipped his hands into his pockets, the anger dissipating from him. This man didn''t deserve his anger. He was just a little man with some power in his small little world. How many little men had be met like this? How many had he killed? And they had at least amounted to something, unlike this weak man with his family, eating him up from the inside, oblivious to the poison all around him. A laugh bubbled out of his throat. "Ah, now it''s just official," he said, causing confused frowns to appear on the faces around him. "You abandoned Lydia and me long ago, uncle. Probably killed our parents, poisoned grandma. Trying to make it official now is all. Just can''t stand the sight of us, can you? Do we remind you of the sister you murdered too much? Who did you get to kill them? I see no way you could kill them.¡± Rick gestured at the sad man in front of him. Rick glanced over to his grandmother, and there was something in her eyes. He shrugged. They''d find another place to build a city, another group that was willing to help. They might get some of the crafters and fighters to go with them. But it wasn''t that much of a loss. "Come on, Lydia," he called out, turning for the door. "I banish you, Rickholm Jorvenus Isendia. I strip you of your name and your titles. I strip you of your blood and your rights," Tyrus said. "Fitting that someone corrupting the Isendia family does it, don''t you think?" Rick chuckled as he continued walking. ¡°Come on, Lydia. We¡¯ll find another place to start afresh. Some where the blood isn¡¯t tainted.¡± "I did not banish you, Lydia. For you, we have a use. The merchant Petrov has agreed to your hand in marriage, so at least some good will come of you," Tyrus said. Rick paused his steps, raising his head to look at Len. He wasn''t cold. He wasn''t hot. He was numb. For he''d played this dance so many times before, the understanding that this wouldn¡¯t end until there was another death added to his tally. Rick''s footsteps scraped to a stop. "What was it that you always said, uncle? If you want to challenge me, scrounge up your honor and duel me? You started saying that when I was ten. ¡°I Rick, challenge you Tyrus Isendia to a duel. Will any officiate?¡± Rick¡¯s eyes scraped through those in the room. He frowned as his uncle Andreas¡¯s steps rang on the stone. His eyes were hollow as he looked between Tyrus and Rick. His eyes stopped on Rick checking him over. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°What are you doing, Andreas?¡± Tyrus hissed. Andreas was the strongest blade master other than Rick¡¯s father, he¡¯d been kept next to Tyrus ever since Rick¡¯s parent¡¯s died. ¡°Yes,¡± Rick said. He¡¯d cut his way through Andreas if he needed to. Andreas took off his glove, surprising Rick. If he is officiating, he can¡¯t participate. ¡°I Andreas officiate this fight.¡± Tyrus grabbed the hilt of his sword. He wore full armor while Rick had a dagger, tunic and pants. ¡°When my glove hits the ground, you may begin.¡± There was a tired monotony to Andreas¡¯s voice. He released it to the ground. Tyrus started to draw his sword before it touched. Rick felt the stone shudder, then shatter and break under his foot as the world moved in slow motion. Two steps. That''s how many it took Rick to reach his uncle. He stopped right in front of him, pushing the sword back into its scabbard with his forefinger. Tyrus had only been able to draw it out a few centimeters. He rested his finger on the base of the sword''s hilt. Tyrus tried to pull it out, jerking against Rick''s sole finger. His eyes widened, his face turning into a frown, confused as to what was happening. "You won''t be needing that," Rick said, and pushed. The scabbard and sword ripped off of Tyrus''s belt, making him stagger to the side. The scabbard peeled apart as it and the sword were driven halfway into the flagstone covered ground. "What?" Tyrus said, looking from the sword in the ground to Rick. "Might makes right, doesn''t it, you fucking bastard?" Rick punched Tyrus in his breastplate, shattering his armor and hurtling him through the throne he''d sat on. The impact cracked the wall behind him, driving the breath from his lungs as he dropped to the ground. Silence reigned in the main hall. Rick''s eyes snapped to his grandma, the muscles in his jaw working. This had all been part of her manipulation, he was sure of it. His eyes landed on Andreas, blinking as if he had just woken up. "Announce it," Rick''s voice came out in a growl. Rick started walking towards Andreas. Tyrus pushed his way out of the chair remains, scrabbling onto the dias. ¡°Rick is¡ª" ¡°Guards, he''s going to kill me!¡± Tyrus yelled as he got breath back in his lungs. The guards started moving towards Rick as doors around the main hall opened. Other guards shot out, those that Rick and Len had been training. The guards that had been closing in on Rick were kicked or punched to the side. "It seems that this family has fallen too far," Grandma''s voice rang through the hall, silencing all voices and stopping all movement. "Rick¡­ Rickholm Jervainus Isendia wins. He is no longer banished, he is elevated to the position of Patriarch, to Lord and Knight Isendia." Knew it was a play. All eyes were fixed on her as she stalked over to the front dais. Everett moved up behind her. She looked down at Tyrus, wheezing with his broken ribs and armor. "You are no Isendia." She tore her gaze away, leveling it to those around the room. "You have used this family''s name for ill gains, to push down others for your personal wealth. There shall be an accounting." Someone screamed out. Rick looked over as a butler next to a lady stabbed her through the back. Other servants and members around the hall finished off members of the family. Rick glanced over at his grandmother. Several people dropped to their knees with bloody hands. "His life is yours." She looked at Rick and gestured at Tyrus. "Wait! What do you mean? Mother! What¡­? I did nothing wrong," Tyrus said. "This is your problem... I''m not here to clean up anyone else''s mess," Rick said. Carolyn extended her hand towards Everett, he passed her his dagger. "I had hoped for better, Tyrus," she confessed, her voice heavy with disappointment. "I knew you were a cruel man, like us, but I had hoped that with time, with seeing how things worked, you''d change. I wasn''t there for you when you needed it, but there can''t be any mercy for what you''ve done." "Mother, I''ll be good," Tyrus pleaded. "I''ll do whatever you want. I know all of the contacts you need to restart the Iscendia mercenaries. We''ve made so much gold. All of the noble families know of us. We''ve risen higher than ever before. Even the king and queen know our names in casual conversation." His words tumbled out in a desperate rush, like a man on his hands and knees begging his mother. "Your own greed blinded you to the needs of others," she accused. Tyrus pulled a dagger from his armor and lunged. "Die, you bitch!¡± Carolyn smacked his hand away and pulled him in. She looped her hand underneath his shoulders and drove her own blade up through his ribs and into his heart. It was a final, deathly embrace. She held him still by the back of his neck as his dagger clattered on the dias, a wheeze escaping his lips. "No more, Tyrus," she whispered. Her words echoed through the hall as she drew the blade back out. He staggered and then dropped to the ground. Carolyn Isendia''s dress was stained with blood as she held her dagger to the side, dripping her son''s lifeblood upon the flagstones. Her eyes scanned the family members around her. Half a dozen bodies were already cooling upon the stone. She stilled. Must be the first kill she¡¯s had since the system came into effect. It would collate all of the kills she¡¯d done in the past, maybe past experiences with bladed weapons to push up that skill. Successive waves of power tore through the room as she leveled up repeatedly. Everett stepped up, unobtrusively holding the back of her dress so she wouldn¡¯t fall. She raised her head, her power condensing and returning to her. Rick turned and walked towards the doors of the great hall. ¡°Lets get out of here. Lydia? Len?¡± He could feel the frustration of his grandma building, he¡¯d heard of her plots and plans before. She was known as a viper to those that were against her. He would not allow himself to be drawn into these games. ¡°You can keep the title, Carolyn. I¡¯m just Rick.¡± He pushed the doors open at the end of the hall into the day. ¡°Lets go get a beer, we¡¯ve got your win to celebrate.¡± Rick grinned at Lydia. She was looking pale from all that happened. Probably the first time she¡¯s seen death up that close. Len and he were veterans of it now. They¡¯d guide her through it. "Is Tenebrook still here?" Rick asked. "Of course he is. Why would he ever leave?" Lydia frowned. "He might not practice physical treatments, but his apothecary remedies are some of the best in the city. Main family is pissed off that he doesn¡¯t come into their service." ¡°You think that this Tenebrook could make us potions?¡± Len asked. ¡°If anyone could its him.¡± Rick said. ¡°Can you give me your notes on alchemy?¡± ¡°Sure, if we can get an alchemist started now, that¡¯s going to speed up the rate we build up cultivators and give us a huge advantage.¡± Len brought his messenger bag around, pulling out pages. ¡°There aren¡¯t many naturally mana enhanced ingredients out there yet. We¡¯ll need to make a growing house. Keep any seeds that come with the ingredients, or keep three of them back so I can get them growing.¡± ¡°Can do, farmer Len, sir,¡± Rick said flippantly. Chapter: 23 Chapter: 23 "I''m here to see chemist Tenebrook," Rick¡¯s voice echoed, dodging a nurse who was rushing into the back of the large medical building. "With all of the competition, Mister Tenebrook is extremely busy," the woman at the front desk stressed. "I understand," Rick assured her. She gave him a look that seemed to doubt he did. "Tell him that Rick is here and he might have a way for him to help more patients. And give him this." Rick passed her three vials. One was a stamina potion, another a healing potion, and the third a mana recovery potion. She took them with a confused expression before glancing between Rick and his sister. Lydia was wearing a covering to hide her hair and simple clothes, making her look no different than anyone else in Goran. She''d even wiped some dirt and soot on her face to take away her cleaner-looking appearance. The woman hesitated for a minute before sighing, drawing the three vials into her hand closer. "Wait here a moment," she said, leaving the desk and hurrying back into the medical building. "Help, please!" someone yelled, pushing the door into the building open. One man was holding another up, a bloody gash on his forehead streaming down. Attendants rushed forward, asking a series of rapid-fire questions before getting the man into a chair. "Competition week," Lydia said. Rick grunted in agreement. It was always around this time that the hotheaded fools got into the worst of the worst. The building took in the worst patients, those with simple ailments waiting in the reception. Rick yawned as time stretched on. The door into the medical building burst open with Tenebrook holding the three vials. He looked wild, wearing a butcher''s apron and clean but rumpled clothing, showing that he had been working longer than he had been sleeping. His brown hair was scattered upon his head with a hooked nose and owlish eyes. His eyes latched onto Rick as he stalked forward. "Where did you get these?" he demanded, holding up the three potions. "Mister Tenebrook, this might be a better question for your office," Rick suggested. The man seemed to come back to himself, looking around the waiting area. He turned and stalked away, pushing open the door back into the medical building''s depths. "Come along then," he yelled back, moving at a brisk pace. Rick followed him, with Lydia trailing behind. They met the lady at the front desk halfway, trying to catch up to Tenebrook, who''d left her well behind in his rush. Seeing them all, she opened her mouth, then closed it and straightened her dress, continuing on back to the front reception. Tenebrook moved past a series of warning signs, telling anyone that was willing to read not to enter and the dangers that lay beyond. He threw open a door, dashing off inside to the sounds of steam whistling out of some instrument. Rick stepped inside, looking at an alchemist''s dream. There was glass of all shapes and forms, diluting, tincturing, condensing, mixing, and completing all kinds of alchemical processes happening in seemingly chaos. Tenebrook moved around the lab, adjusting flames, opening and closing valves, reading temperature gauges and more. "Where did you get these potions from?" Tenebrook yelled, holding up the potions still in his hand as he moved amongst his contraptions. "I found those ones," Rick said, "but I can teach you how to make them as well." The man snapped his head back around, fixing Rick with a look that tried to pierce through him and the world beyond. "You''re Rick Isendia, aren''t you?" he asked. "Yep," Rick shrugged. Tenebrook frowned. Rick had come to Tenebrook several times. "You keep coming to me because you don''t want your family knowing all of the scrapes and fights you''ve gotten into. You don''t want anyone to know all of the fights you''ve been in or the injuries you gained through them," Tenebrook said. "Same as your sister." His eyes snapped to Lydia next to him. "Rick let it slip once or twice that if I needed any medical help it would be best to come see you," Lydia said. Tenebrook snorted. "Wish the rest of your family understood that. Or understood the value of medical science and advancing the realm of pharmacology and alchemical interactions. Which is also why I am hesitant to listen to what you have to say about these potions." He wiggled the vials back and forth, crossing the room towards them. "These three potions are stronger than anything I''ve had the pleasure of testing, making or seeing. I don''t think I''ve heard of anything with these effects." He looked at them, at the vials, as if to try and peer through their secrets. "What you''re holding there is a healing potion, a stamina potion and a mana recovery potion," Rick pointed to them individually. Tenebrook paused. "I tasted the stamina potion and it felt like I¡¯d had a full night''s rest. The healing potion..." Tenebrook paused again, "I kept looking, really looking at the vials. I didn''t realize that my eyes were as bad as they were until I took it. And then everything came back in stunning clarity." Rick looked around, spotting a pad of paper and a pen off to the side. "Do you mind if I..." he gestured at it. Tenebrook gestured to it in permission. Rick quickly wrote down an alchemical formula, tearing off the piece of paper and handing it over to Tenebrook. "What are these ingredients?" Tenebrook asked. Rick took off the pack he''d carried from Grandma''s house and opened the top, taking out ingredients. "I''ve never heard these names before in my life." Tenebrook was wholly focused on the formula. Len coughed, drawing his attention over. Tenebrook blinked up from the formula, looking at Rick, and then down into the bag. He picked up several and held them up to the windows, squinting at the items inside. "Each of them are labeled," Rick said, continuing to lay them out on an unused section of tabletop. Tenebrook inspected them as they were drawn out, comparing them against the formula in his other hand from time to time. "And these ingredients will have the effect of that healing potion?" Tenebrook asked. "That and more. As you know, if you use different materials and different methods, you will have different outcomes. So while we know that you can create the healing potion following the formula and the ingredients, you might be able to create other potions and concoctions." Rick looked over to Tenebrook, who had gone very still, his eyes unfocused in the direction of the ingredients. A smile crept upon Rick''s face, seeing the gears turning, the ideas firing in the other man''s head. Rick picked up the pen again, writing down where to find him as well as tomorrow''s date, time, and a question. ¡°Once you''ve tested out the formula and been able to create the minor healing potions, you can find me at Grandma Lydia''s Manor. Come and meet me tomorrow if you''ve had any success or have questions, and I''d be happy to chat more." The words seemed to snap Tenebrook out of his stupor. "Yes, yes, very well. Thank you. Tomorrow, Grandma Lydia''s," he said, moving towards the ingredients. Rick knew he was just repeating it without taking it in. The note would help. "Tomorrow it is," Rick walked towards the door, indicating for Lydia to follow. He quickly left Tenebrook, who was already opening the different ingredients, taking them deeper into the lab to begin his tests. Lydia had an expression of one with many questions and no way to ask them all. They left the medical building behind, with Rick glancing about the place. "All right, now next stop is the industrial district. Need to see how that''s looking nowadays," Rick said. "Which direction is it in again?" "This way," Lydia said, leading him. Her face was still closed in thought. It took her another ten minutes before she found the words she''d been looking for. "Rick, since you''ve come back, you healed Grandma, used magic, tempered my body, apparently learned how to be a really good fighter and pushed my bladed skill from Apprentice to Journeyman. Now you''ve got potions and Len¡¯s meeting with a whole bunch of crippled veterans saying that they could fight again. What is going on?" she asked. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "There''s a dozen ways to answer that question, many of which aren''t helpful, a few that are terrifying, but I know you appreciate the truth," Rick paused, considering his words. "The timer that¡¯s going down? On that day mana storms will reshape the world, beasts and creatures spread throughout the world, other races will arrive to take our resources. Essentially the apocalypse starts and we have very little time to prepare." She let out a heavy breath. ¡°Well shit, was hoping it was just some kind of prank. Figures it would take the end of civilization as we know it for you to learn how to use a sword properly.¡± ¡°Damn that was a good burn.¡± ¡°Tell me where I lied?¡± ¡°And now it just hurts!¡± Rick grabbed his chest in pain. Lydia laughed, bringing back some lightness to the world. *** Len stepped out of his room wearing his armor and a pack. Most of his gear he¡¯d be leaving behind. Lydia nodded to him as she stepped up to her brother¡¯s room and rapped her knuckles on the door. ¡°What is it?¡± Rick yelled through the door. ¡°Tenebrook is here, looks like he¡¯s not slept in a week.¡± That was the alchemist in training? ¡°One sec!¡± Rick yelled. A few minutes later he opened the door, wearing his own gear and pack. He nodded in greeting to Len and looked at Lydia. ¡°Shall we?¡± She led them through the house to one of the reception rooms. Tenebrook nearly jumped out of his skin from where he had been pacing. The man was as described, wide eyed and almost crazed. That of one with too much focus and work and not enough self preservation. ¡°Rick!¡± He ran over to the room. ¡°The ingredients you gave me! They¡¯re like nothing I have ever seen. First I used them for the formulations that you gave me. Then I began running tests on them. Finding out their characteristics and how they interact with one another. I realized that the Eurin Root processing was actually less effective than another method I have for purification so I tried that out and then the balance of the formulation was skewed so I tried it in different combinations. Then I realized that it should be used for other concoctions so I began mixing it in with tho¡ª¡± Rick grabbed the man by the shoulders, pushing him away and holding him up so his feet weren¡¯t touching the ground. ¡°Breathe, mister Tenebrook, just breathe.¡± ¡°But this is so revolutionary! This could change the entire way that pharmaceuticals are created! The advancements to science!¡± ¡°This is just the start,¡± Len said. ¡°Were you able to get any alchemy levels?¡± Tenebrook¡¯s eyes snapped to him. ¡°Journeyman grade, it felt like a connection being made in my mind.¡± Rick lowered the man back to the ground. ¡°There will be all kinds of new ingredients, all different kinds of formulations, beyond Journeyman is Expert, then master and grandmaster,¡± Len said. ¡°I am up to date on all the latest information, this is beyond what I have ever seen.¡± Len spotted paper on a table and a pen. ¡°If you want to learn more, first we¡¯ll need to enter into a contract.¡± He quickly outlined the parameters, before flipping it over and writing out the enchantment. Tenebrook looked it over. ¡°I will become a member of your alchemical research and development arm?¡± He raised his head. ¡°Your task will be to get a greater understanding of different ingredients. Figure out how to combine them into various effects. Try to decrease the cost of ingredients and increase the effectiveness of your products. We will supply you with a place and supplies to do so,¡± Len said. Tenebrook read the contract three more times before he took out a pencil from his pocket and signed on the paper. It burned apart as the enchantment sunk into his skin. ¡°That was different. What now?¡± ¡°Memorize everything on this piece of paper, once you hold it in your mind, power it with mana and you¡¯ll be able to read any books you¡¯re given, no matter the language.¡± Len gave him a piece of paper with a spell-form upon it. ¡°Oh,¡± Tenebrook took the piece of paper, focusing on it. ¡°Quite elegant.¡± ¡°We should be getting in shipments of equipment, plants and more books on alchemy in the coming weeks,¡± Rick said. Len pulled out the alchemy books. ¡°These should get you started.¡± ¡°Here you are,¡± Tenebrook handed him the piece of paper back and picked up the book opening it and reading it. And we¡¯ve lost him. ¡°Uhh, it worked okay?¡± ¡°Yes, similar to molecular chemistry,¡± Tenebrook said in a tone that told he wasn¡¯t focused on the conversation. ¡°Alright then I guess we should talk to your Grandma about the farmers?¡± Len asked. ¡°Yeah, let''s get this over with," Rick said. They moved through the Blue Manor, which had transformed overnight. Men and women, mostly those in uniform, marched in and out of the building with purpose. The guards at the door knocked as Len, Rick and Lydia approached, ushering those who were waiting for Lady Carolyn to wait their turn. The door opened as Gibson marched out, nodding to Len and Rick before he hurried out of the manor. They entered the room with Lydia trailing behind. Rick''s grandma had moved the room around, bringing a desk forward, which she was now sitting behind. Light poured in through the windows, the curtains removed completely. A whole place had been cleaned out and all signs of tired and aged furniture removed. "Going somewhere?" She asked, taking in their expressions and gear. "We''re heading off to Velkaris on the next train," Rick said. She couldn''t hide her lips pursing nor the squint at the corner of her eyes. "Goran will be the best place for you to begin.¡± "A good plan always needs a backup," Rick said, "though that''s not the idea we wished to talk to you about. There''s several farming families that came with us from Warwick, all of them trained with magic, skilled up and ready to work. We assured them that they would have a place to work on and be compensated for it handsomely." "That might be well and good, but we have an issue of funding and it''s already turning to winter," Carolyn said. "Even if it is winter, these farmers will be able to grow crops throughout the season, possibly through the depths of winter itself," Len said. "I find that hard to believe," Carolyn said. "And many people find it hard to believe that you''re up and walking around instead of an invalid. Things change and we have to adapt and overcome,¡± Rick said. ¡°I will see what I can do, I''ll have the people that deal with agricultural land get them some plots to work on,¡± Carolyn sighed. ¡°They''re also going to need security," Len said. "Something to keep the beasts at bay while they take care of the crops. One of Adrian''s squads will do," Rick said. "With all the training that you gave them, the skills skill up and the leveling, they''re the best trained unit that we currently have," Carolyn said. "And you want to have them guarding fields?¡± ¡°You were going to use positioning, optics, and subterfuge to make me the leader of Goran. Or was that all just theater?" Rick asked. ¡°If you want us to support Goran, you¡¯re going to have to listen to us.¡± His grandmother grimaced, emotions passing too fast to be read across her face before she let out a sigh. "All right, I''ll have a squad of Adrian''s fighters guard the fields. Out there protecting the farmers," she said, reluctantly. ¡°Food, not steam engines, not iron, not coal, not wood, is going to be the most expensive resource shortly. You can''t eat any of those things. Food is the only thing that will sustain a population and nations will barter with you for it,¡± Len said. That got her interest. ¡°The faster we can be reliant on our own food the less we¡¯ll have to pay others,¡± Rick added. Carolyn started nodding. ¡°It would also be good to set up a trade deal with the dungeon at Warwick. We brought a selection of crystals with us that give off light, heat and lightning. You¡¯ll be able to get more from the dungeon periodically. They¡¯ll be more expensive that coal, oil and other power sources that you have right now to start. Though they will last much longer than those consumable power sources and give off more energy,¡± Len said. ¡°And they don¡¯t react real odd with mana and start exploding. Be good to sell off all the stuff you can burn for power that wasn¡¯t made before mana arrived,¡± Rick said. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Carolyn askd. ¡°Wood will have grown with mana going through it so while it burn a little stronger it won¡¯t have the potential to explode. Coal and oil doesn¡¯t have mana in it because it was formed so long ago. When mana interacts with it, it¡¯ll create all kinds of reactions,¡± Len said. ¡°So these crystals will replace our need for oil and coal,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re a quick and easy way to do it,¡± Len said. ¡°I want to go with you when you go to Velkaris,¡± Lydia said, drawing all of their attention to her. ¡°Velkaris is about gathering information, getting a deal with Lucius and seeing if it will be a better place to setup,¡± Rick said. ¡°I well, I don¡¯t know how useful it will be for you. We¡¯re going to be travelling and negotiating. You¡¯d probably learn more fighting and training against Everett or with Adrian and his people.¡± ¡°The dungeon?¡± Len asked. Rick turned thoughtful. ¡°Dungeon?¡± Lydia asked. ¡°The dungeon we were talking about with the crystals a co-op of farmers control near Len¡¯s family farm. It respawns beasts, foxes and spiders. They¡¯re a decent level and the dungeon creates rewards. You clear out the dungeon and fight the beasts, increasing your level and will let you get used to your strength and then you can harvest everything that comes out of the mine. Minus twenty percent the value of the goods which goes to the co-op,¡± Rick said. ¡°While you¡¯re there you could coordinate shipping back what we have stored there. The heat, light and electricity crystals,¡± Len said. ¡°Can ask the farmers there if they want to try growing throughout the winter and we¡¯ll buy what they can grow,¡± Rick said. Lydia looked from Rick to Len and then her grandma. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Rick frowned. ¡°Well I was told that I have to be a lady all the time, that I should be learning all about etiquette, which forks to use, dancing and stuff?¡± Lydia said. ¡°Well that shit is about to be useless. The system and mana doesn¡¯t care who you are. You put in the work and you¡¯ll get stronger. We have the edge of knowing how the system works so we need to use that to the fullest,¡± Rick said. ¡°I can go fighting?¡± Lydia asked. ¡°Yeah?¡± Rick said. Carolyn nodded too. ¡°Aww fuck yeah, screw the negotiating crap then! I can head off to this dungeon right away,¡± She said. ¡°You¡¯ll need to take soldiers with you, its not the kind of dungeon you can solo. Everett can figure it out with Adrian. Adrian and the farmers know what will be need. Make a plan with all of them before you go. This will be a test,¡± Rick said. ¡°A test?¡± ¡°To see if you can run an expedition. There are lots of places that we need to go and things that have to be recovered. Some will require Len and myself. Others will need other teams,¡± Rick said. ¡°Okay,¡± Lydia was locked in on him. ¡°Depending on how you do, you could be running some of those expeditions,¡± Rick said. Alright,¡± Lydia nodded, a look of determination had come over her face. Rick turned back to Carolyn. ¡°Do what you must,¡± She said. ¡°Thank you Grandma,¡± Rick said. ¡°When will you be back?¡± ¡°Not sure, sometime! We¡¯re going to need that steel, or iron at the very least and a train engine!¡± Rick pointed at the ceiling as he turned around and started for the doors. ¡°A train is not easy to get and we¡¯re still deep in debt!¡± Carolyn raised her voice as they headed out. ¡°There weren¡¯t any bankers when the apocalypse happened.¡± Len winked at Carolyn. ¡°You-wait, what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remember them existing for a bit of time. You know they had other things to worry about and I don¡¯t think that they really could figure out all of the people that owed them money or how much.¡± Len followed Rick. ¡°And well who would want to piss off the city that¡¯s ready for the apocalypse, safe harbor, food and a fighting force.¡± Rick walked out, Lydia in a daze. Len closed the doors to see Carolyn thinking. Looks like Lydia, and Rick when he¡¯s trying to figure out something really hard. Len smirked at the family similarities. ¡°I¡¯ll go get that expedition,¡± Lydia said. ¡°Talk to Adrian and his people they were with us in there,¡± Rick said. ¡°Thanks,¡± Lydia walked off down a corridor, deep in thought. ¡°We didn¡¯t talk about any kind of expeditions,¡± Len said as they walked down the stairs. ¡°Got a good idea and ran with it. We can¡¯t really do everything. We set up expeditions to go to places that aren¡¯t as risky, or to go to dungeons after we¡¯ve checked them out to keep clearing them out and harvesting what¡¯s inside.¡± Rick clapped his hands together and rubbed them against one another. ¡°Now lets go make the biggest mana stone deal in history!¡± ¡°Future too,¡± Len said. ¡°Uhh¡ªhmm yeah guess so, sounds weird though,¡± Rick said. Chapter: 24 Chapter: 24 Len jumped off of the train, keeping his strength down. Rick followed. They¡¯d shed their bracers but continued wearing their armored vests. Cause fuck fashion, being sword proof was style points. Len shifted around his backpack, looking around. The train had gone back through Warwick, ending at Nedlin. The city sat on either side of the Myrned River, just above where the river forked, two of those tributaries big enough for the lock boats, with one leading towards the port city Heras, and the other stream heading down towards the port city Markaz. It had grown in size due to its position along the waterways and its proximity to the breadbasket of Plynthia. Goods flowed in and out of Plynthia along the waterways. Docks lined both sides of the river, with great tall bridges that would allow ships with sails to pass from the Capital to the ports. Farmers with carts filled with their belongings moved towards the cargo carriages to begin loading. Len wandered over to a few of them who were waiting for the laborers to clear out the carriages. ¡°Heard a rumor that Goran is looking to hire farmers and skilled workers.¡± A few caught his eyes, interested. He nodded to them and walked away. Probably spread through the train before they reach Warwick. Train cars loaded with grain were being secured to the last carriage while the engine was disconnected and continued to the train yard while another engine switched tracks and puffed into position at what had been the rear of the train, workers hooked it in, preparing it for the return journey through Warwick, Goran and Eskon Len and Rick gathered stares with their gear, but they were lost in the wash of people. Len shook his head as they started over one of the massive bridges spanning the Myrned River. "When the waters start filling up with all kinds of beasts, it''s going to be hard for them to try and defend the city. Not a damn wall in sight and the whole thing''s split by a river." "Different kind of time, different kind of threat," Rick said. Len grunted in agreement. At the apex of the bridge, Len could see both sides of the river and the mainly wood homes that stretched along the banks. Boats sailed up and down the river, laden with goods. Some were fishing. The streets were busy with carts full of the harvest. A bolt of enlightenment dropped from the sky, hitting some poor bastard down in the city. No one so much as commented on it anymore. The screens have spread to here as well. Len and Rick continued their trek through the city, taking the opportunity to grab food. People moved through the city using their new strength letting Len and Rick blend in as they sped up their pace, quickly reaching the edge of the city. Roads from the city broke off like chaotic roots in every direction, heading for the farming communities outside the city. "Which one are we supposed to take?" Len asked. Rick held his finger in a ¡®gimme a sec¡¯ as he chomped down on his latest mouthful of food, bouncing his head as he chewed, pulling out his compass. He waved it around orientating it and then turning till he was facing west and slightly south, he looked over his compass into the distance before putting it away and walking that way. ¡°Thataway!¡± Rick increased his pace and ate more of the wrap they¡¯d bought. They used their full strength once they were away from the city, the region was covered in fields, dotted with forests only where the ground was hard to work with. There were farming hamlets where several farming families had built communities together. The further they went or the closer they were to forests and wild lands. Standalone farms were abandoned and left empty. They slowed as they past carts hauling the year¡¯s harvest to Nedlin. The farmers waved, happy at first, worried and cautious the further they went. Going from just one driver to teams of farmers carrying tools that could be used as weapons¡ªwatching the fields around them. ¡°What¡¯s a screen?¡± Len and Rick kept moving, not breaking their stride. ¡°We¡¯re not that far from Nedlin and everyone has one,¡± Rick said. ¡°These communities might only go into the cities once a year. They probably haven¡¯t interacted with anyone that¡¯s got a screen. We should pass as many of them as we can to spread it out,¡± Len said. ¡°Agreed,¡± Rick said. ¡°Give them an edge at least and then they can spread it to their families when they return.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t Velkaris get a trainline?¡± Len asked, tearing away a layer of dirt as he shot forwards. ¡°The Gosmund family ran the city from when it was needed in the unification wars. They didn¡¯t care for the politics that happened in Eskon. They didn¡¯t send representatives to the council. Thought that it was the right thing to do. Other nobles that were pissed at the accolades they had or didn¡¯t want them to grow more worked to cut them off,¡± Rick said. ¡°Fucking politics.¡± Len shook his head. ¡°Where there are people there is drama, just part of the experience.¡± Rick pulled out his compass, jumping off of a boulder, up a hill as he checked the surroundings, he planted his foot in the ground as he landed. ¡°Just off a few degrees.¡± Len followed him on the slightly altered direction. ¡°You go far enough and a degree or two is enough to put you in a different country,¡± Rick said. ¡°Or in the damn sea.¡± ¡°Salt water,¡± Rick grimaced. ¡°All scratching and floaty and shit.¡± Len sighed and shook his head, that was just so Rick. *** Velkaris was partially built, partially carved out of a rock formation along the bank of the Myrhal river where it bowed out. Lock ships moved along the banks of the river, some pulled by beasts others operating on their steam engines. Sailing boats were out in the deeper waters, fishing nets out over the side. There was a weight to the city as it sat in the landscape, a silent and slumbering sentinel. Its walls blackened with moss and time as it watched over the landscape and water. ¡°Looks newer in a way,¡± Len said, looking up the switchbacks that led to the city¡¯s gate. He held out a hand, stopping Rick. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not the ¡®step¡¯s yet.¡± Len said. ¡°Urggh this old world has no style,¡± Rick muttered as they took the long way, walking up the switchbacks, passing carts going up and down. ¡°Bet there¡¯s a dozen tunnels that are faster.¡± Len grunted in agreement as they walked up to the city. They passed through the city¡¯s large gates, old wood stained with age, water and rust. The city was clean albeit dour, people watching one another with distrust as they moved through the streets. Vendors stood infront of their carts, watching those that came close. Len and Rick walked through the city. Feels like home in a way. ¡°Bought and sold more stuff here than anywhere else,¡± Rick said. ¡°And celebrated it. Look that¡¯s what will be the Gold Catcher,¡± Len pointed at an old decrepit building. ¡°Good times,¡± Rick chuckled. They walked to the market district, the strategiest might rule the whole city, but he did so from his seat of power in the heart of commerce. ¡°I don¡¯t see the grand auction house,¡± Len said. ¡°Nah, mostly fish and food on sale here.¡± Rick said. Len looked around and dug his hand into his coin purse, walking over to a beggar on a corner. ¡°We¡¯re looking for the leader of the stone crooks,¡± Len dropped some coins into the man¡¯s hands. ¡°I don¡¯t want nothing to do with that mad man!¡± The beggar threw back the coins. Rick took out several silvers and held them up to the man. He snatched them away as he looked around. The beggar¡¯s voice becoming brusque and business-like. ¡°Head down this street three blocks. Then you¡¯ll see warehouses on the left side. You¡¯ll want to go to the warehouse marked, Lowell¡¯s imports.¡± ¡°Lowell¡¯s imports, thank you,¡± Rick nodded to the man and the duo walked onwards. The beggar cleaned up his spot and departed into an alleyway. They quickly found the warehouse, it was one of the largest with carts moving through it continuously. ¡°Business is good,¡± Rick said. They moved up to the guard on duty. Rick cast a charm spell. ¡°Where¡¯s the boss?¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s downstairs resting,¡± The guard smiled and waved them inside, dropping the tough-guy act. ¡°Thank you, have a great day,¡± Rick said. ¡°You too!¡± Len cast divert eyes the spell made them less interesting to people, causing them to look away. It was only people look away from them. There were people coming and going constantly. A section of the warehouse dipped down to a series of sewer entrances that crossed the city and probably exited it in a few locations. Mining carts were being loaded and unloaded, secondary routes to those above ground. Len and Rick found a set of stairs leading underground, quiet moans and someone yelling in the distance coming up. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use charm on the beggar?¡± Len asked. ¡°He had some levels on him, no simple beggar. It would¡¯ve probably worked on him, but it could¡¯ve slid off and we don¡¯t need the beggars knowing that we¡¯re not normal.¡± Len grunted, the beggars in Velkaris were the eyes and ears of the various criminal organizations that operated within the city. ¡°Guard seemed friendly enough.¡± ¡°The strategist never worked like the other criminal leaders. That was how he was able to control the city. He¡¯d used legal and illegal together seamlessly. His people were always a step above the other toughs.¡± Screams and yells rang out in the distance. Rick slowed his steps and frowned. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too good,¡± Len said. ¡°Nope.¡± Rick kept walking. There was rusty red lines on the walls and floors. ¡°Blood,¡± Len said. Rick sniffed the air. ¡°You sure he isn¡¯t some kind of psychopath?¡± Len asked. ¡°Not human blood.¡± Rick picked up his pace. A guard at the end of the tunnel they were in perked up. ¡°What you doing down here?¡± The man stepped forward, radiating threat. ¡°What you say?¡± Rick held up his hand to his ear, moving closer quickly. ¡°What do you want?¡± A guard stopped them at the entrance to another hallway where the screaming and yelling was coming from. ¡°To talk to your boss,¡± Len said. ¡°Someone was being uncooperative so the boss is taking a personal interest into it,¡± The guard grinned, taking sadistic pleasure in his words. ¡°Through there right,¡± Rick pointed down the hallway. ¡°Stop, please, I have a fa¡ª¡± The words devolved into screams. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t!¡± The guard warned. Rick bounded down the hallway and slammed through the door. Len was a halfstep behind him. The man ¡®screaming¡¯ and ¡®pleading¡¯ nearly jumped off of his chair, spilling tea over himself next to the steak he was cooking on a bunch of coals. ¡°Whatthefuckareyoudoingbackhere?¡± He wafted out his tea soaked shirt and stepped forward. ¡°Wow you really sound like your dying out there, nice acting,¡± Rick walked across the room. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± The screamer yelled. ¡°There you are,¡± Rick pulled on a hidden handle. ¡°Just here to see your boss.¡± A door opened in the wall revealing a library and a acholarly looking man blinking rapidly, drawn out from the book he was reading. ¡°What?¡± Lucius Valtern, the Strategist asked, raising a shotgun. ¡°Lucius Valtren, its good to meet you, this here is Len, I¡¯m Rick, we want to make you a very rich man,¡± Rick grinned. The bloodthirsty leader of the Stone Crooks put down the book he was reading. The guard from the end of the hall ran through the broken remains of the door. ¡°Did you tell him that I was torturing someone back here?¡± Lucius whined slightly. ¡°I did, alluded to it and all of that, got the grin down!¡± The thug from outside was pouting. ¡°Was top notch acting,¡± Rick gave him both thumbs up. ¡°Mister Valtren, we¡¯re here to talk about business, and we¡¯d very much prefer to keep you alive for that. If you could not fire that shotgun, gunpowder is doing some rather weird things right now,¡± Len said. ¡°Who are you and how do you know my name?¡± Valtren asked as he lowered his shotgun. ¡°I¡¯m Rick Isendia and that¡¯s Len, been a dream of mine to meet you.¡± ¡°Isendia, like the mercenaries?¡± ¡°One and the same,¡± Rick said. ¡°Rick¡ªyour grandma tried to make you the leader of the city but you turned her down. Now she is taking back her role. Why would you be here looking to talk to me?¡± ¡°Because we got a business opportunity for you,¡± Rick grinned. A smile crept onto Len¡¯s face. Lucius looked between them, his expression pensive. ¡°What kind of opportunity?¡± ¡°A never before seen product that will literally power the future,¡± Rick leaned on a table. ¡°What do you know about mana?¡± Lucius raised an eyebrow before his eyes narrowed. ¡°There are many people that have supposedly known about this mana.¡± ¡°It spread here after some people from Eskon, Goran or those that had contact with them came here,¡± Len said. ¡°That¡¯s well known information at this point,¡± Lucius said. ¡°There are spells,¡± Len made a flame in his hands. ¡°There are skills that are hitting everyone with fucking lightning.¡± Rick grunted in agreement, so did the guard and the dude who¡¯d been screaming. ¡°Have you heard of potions?¡± ¡°Drinks that are able to have immediate and incredible results,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Right. These are the first wave of magical goods. There will be a flood of magical materials and all the products that they can create,¡± Len said. ¡°And we¡¯ve got access to these materials,¡± Rick said. ¡°And you want someone to sell them for you. Though why you searched me out is beyond me.¡± ¡°Well we¡¯ve got a good nose for these kinds of things,¡± Rick said. ¡°And we need someone that doesn¡¯t care as much about the rules, but agrees in contracts,¡± Len admitted. ¡°Lets head to my office,¡± Lucius said. *** Lucius¡¯ office took up a corner of building that looked over the merchant district. Len watched the men and women he employed. They looked like office workers, using typewriters and noting down information on paper that flowed through the building continuously. Lucius put down the pages that Len had copied out of the alchemical books in the dungeon. ¡°And you have a continuous supply of these ingredients?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rick said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but the two of you look rather young.¡± Lucius said. ¡°Looks deceive,¡± Rick chuckled. ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Len turned from the window. ¡°Your family has connections into Eskon, why not sell there? We all know that nobles are willing to skirt some rules to increase their standings or the amount in their coffers,¡± Lucius said. ¡°They also have better routes to connect to others.¡± ¡°You effectively control Velkaris, or you could with the right backing. Velkaris is a fortress city, the kind that could withstand a lot. The land out here isn¡¯t the best suited for growing crops, though you have plenty of water and get a lot of food from the Myrhal. We don¡¯t want to trade with you, we want part of Velkaris,¡± Len said. ¡°Part of the city?¡± Lucius frowned. ¡°The Isendia family runs one of the largest mercenary groups in Plynthia and you¡¯re looking for a city with good defenses. Are you expecting war?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re looking to safeguard things. Give you goods that others desire and can¡¯t get easily. You get us permission through the right people and we can create connections to the main train lines,¡± Rick said. ¡°Make people look at Velkaris instead of Goran,¡± Lucius said. Rick nodded. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s easy enough, lots of people need to move goods that they don¡¯t want to be connected to. Though train lines, why?¡± ¡°To make it easier for you to sell goods and for us to get them to you,¡± Rick said. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of goods then,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Managing supply and demand is going to be essential to not flood the market and keep high earning potential. I will have to start rumors and interest among merchants. If there are goods that they can make a profit on they¡¯ll come.¡± They sat back and watched as Lucius started tapped on his desk in thought. ¡°Traders love nothing more than beating one another, finding the deal that the others missed. We will need an auction.¡± Len and Rick looked at one another, smiles spreading across their faces. ¡°You thought of a name for it?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Well simple is best but we need to elevate it some. The Grand Auction house works well.¡± ¡°I think I got goosebumps,¡± Rick said. Len shook his head. Lucius overlooked what they were doing, or maybe he never came out of his thinking fuge. He pursed his lips, selling what you have is interesting, but if you have found goods that are abnormal, others will too. If we do the auction we should allow others to participate in it as well we make a percentage off of selling the items and keeping the sellers anonymous. They can sell anything and everything.¡± ¡°We could also buy out materials if they would be useful for us?¡± Len asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Lucius said, but you could tell he was only half listening. If we were able to get the auction house going we could start holding just the highest value items within it. Then we distribute thebuying of other goods around it. Those trains would make it much easier for people to get to and from the city. We would have land and lock travel.¡± ¡°Might be a good idea to buy out the market square so that you have the auction house and then you own the others around it and get them to pay you a fee.¡± ¡°Oh I already control most of it.¡± Lucius waved them off. ¡°Now for this contract, what do you want?¡± ¡°We can connect you to the main train line, get you magical goods to sell, supply you with food and aid in arms if you so require,¡± Len said. ¡°I can give you a preferential rate on items that are auctioned. You¡¯ll earn revenue from the trains that are coming here. We have enough coming in to feed the city. It has increased in price but not majorly so.¡± Lucius steepled his hands together. ¡°I would like you to come to me first if you have any more new goods.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°That¡¯s quite the ask and get ahead of a lot of people,¡± Rick said. ¡°I will need a flow of high-quality goods to keep the auction house going and start ups Velkaris as being the place to buy and sell mana items. If you can do that and find more of them then it would be mutually beneficial. More people would come here looking for your products.¡± He looked at them with confidence. ¡°This will be an investment into you and Velkaris. If you want to be our sole seller, why don¡¯t we become partners in this venture?¡± Len asked. ¡°A stipulation to the contract is that the information we share shouldn¡¯t be passed onto others.¡± ¡°A partnership seems quite a bit. I have the connections, the position, you just have some goods. I can reach out to others and it might be harder but I can find them,¡± Lucius said. ¡°For that we would want more than just a better rate with the auction house. We want a stake. Sixty percent, trains are not cheap.¡± Lucius laughed and leaned backwards. ¡°There is no way I would go for sixty percent.¡± ¡°Then we can reach out to the traders that we do know. Goran and the Isendia Mercenaries use a lot of materials. It will be annoying to break things up. Though as you said we have those connections with other nobles, plenty with deep pockets. Also we¡¯ll be buying up all the supplies we can and that will be much cheaper along the train routes,¡± Len said. ¡°Now that¡¯s just being mean,¡± Rick said. ¡°Fifty percent,¡± Len said. ¡°Twenty,¡± Lucius growled. ¡°You will rule over Velkaris and the routes through Plynthia. Forty-five.¡± ¡°Thirty, I already own the city and I have more routes through the country than you¡¯d understand.¡± ¡°I think that I already understand it all, forty tickle your interest? We¡¯ll be using our gold to mostly buy raw materials, iron, steel, wood and food. We¡¯ll need massive amounts, that¡¯s a lever that we could give to you to use against the nobles.¡± Lucius paused in thought. Nobles usually sold resources to one another, the bigger towns and cities turning the resources into goods that spread throughout the country. Those resources were the lifeblood of the country. Nobles were always looking for the best rates to make the most from what they could sell. ¡°Goran¡¯s population isn¡¯t small, then there are all those fighting units and well we¡¯re going to need steel to make tracks, trains and carts,¡± Len said. ¡°I thought that Goran was broke. Your uncle was not a man that thought of the future,¡± Lucius looked at Rick. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that my grandma is in charge instead isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Harvest numbers are down this year as well. Beast attacks like the ones happening across all farmlands. You need funds Thirty five and I get the rights to trade on your behalf for resources.¡± ¡°If you buy some that is more expensive because you¡¯re trying to get into the pocket of a noble then that will need to be s discussion beforehand,¡± Len said. ¡°That will take time, a deal might need to be sealed immediately,¡± Lucius said. Len pulled out a sound transmission device and put it on his desk. ¡°This will allow you to call us, as if we were right here anywhere in Plynthia.¡± Lucius looked at the device, picking it up and turning it over. ¡°Its made from stone.¡± ¡°Yeah we¡¯ll make some stronger ones that you can call anyone across the entire world,¡± Rick said. Lucius looked at the duo. ¡°Can you get more of these?¡± ¡°Yeah they¡¯re plenty easy to make, molds?¡± Rick asked Len. ¡°Thirty five percent and you get us the best deal on resources,¡± Len asked. Lucius looked at the pages, materials and then the sound transmission device in his hands. ¡°We have a deal.¡± ¡°How many do you need?¡± Len pointed at the sound transmission device. ¡°We could probably make a few hundred a day.¡± Lucius¡¯ face went white. ¡°Are you the only one that can make them?¡± ¡°We taught some others, though they were following a set pattern. Was a while before they appeared anywhere?¡± Len looked at Rick as he opened up his messenger bag. ¡°Yeah I think that we¡¯re good for a long while still,¡± Rick said. Len took out a contract, the binding enchantment already on the back and some sections filled out. He wrote in the sections that hadn¡¯t been completed. ¡°Is there a way to stop people from copying it?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Yeah, most enchanters employ tactics to make sure that others can¡¯t copy their designs. We can add those in for sure,¡± Len said as he jotted out the contract. ¡°We¡¯ve got someone working on turning those plants into proper concoctions. Once they¡¯ve figured out how to do it we¡¯ll industrialize the process, stock it up and then the remainder we can sell off through you,¡± Rick said. Len finished up the contract, read it and then handed it over to Lucius. He read it over. ¡°This works for me.¡± He signed the contract and passed it to Len. He signed it and handed it to Rick. ¡°Well I never, signing a contract with the Strategist himself,¡± Rick chuckled as he signed it. The binding enchantment burned up the paper. A weight settling in Len¡¯s core as he felt the contract settle into his very soul. ¡°What is that?¡± Lucius rubbed where his core was. ¡°That is going to be your new best friend. A contract that all parties have to agree to fully and it can¡¯t be broken until its completed, one of the boons of mana,¡± Rick said. His smile was just a bit too wide and a bit too eager. ¡°Real serial killer vibes right now,¡± Len said, producing a pamphlet and threw it onto the desk. ¡°Now we¡¯ve got that all sorted out. This can be your greatest advertisement and resource.¡± Lucius opened the booklet. ¡°A guide to screens?¡± ¡°It tells people what the body and mana stat are, how making things will gain you experience. Methods to increase your body stat beyond experience through tempering and up your mana stat with cultivation and how too much can make you go a little fucky,¡± Len said. ¡°Technical term,¡± Rick said. ¡°Jackass.¡± Turned his attention back on Lucius. ¡°This will show that you understand what¡¯s going on in the world right now and have more information than others.¡± Lucius was partially listening while he drank in the information contained within the few short pages. ¡°Is this all real?¡± Lucius asked as he got to the end. ¡°Yeah, this will give people a base to work from,¡± Len said. Lucius held the pamphlet between his fingers, tapping it on the desk, watching them thoughtfully. ¡°How do you know all of this?¡± ¡°Trade secret,¡± Rick winked, tapping the side of his nose. ¡°You want to get that map out?¡± Len asked. ¡°Right,¡± Rick stood up and went to where his pack and map case were up against the wall. ¡°What can you tell me of the situation within Plynthia right now?¡± Len asked. "The situation within Plynthia. Is there anything specific you''d like to know?¡± ¡°The things behind the scenes, what''s happening with the nobles, movements with troops, how food shortages are starting to affect people, the beast attacks, everything.¡± Len said. ¡°None of the covering up fluff.¡± ¡°You are more than meets the eye, aren''t you, Len?" Lucius asked. "We both are," Rick said, falling back into his seat while holding his map case. He sat it across his lap, waiting on Lucius. "The situation is complicated," Lucius said. "The king''s poor health has mobilized his two sons to gather support within the nobles, splitting them largely in two. His daughter is nowhere to be found, and the nobles are starting to get antsy. Under the guise of building support against the regular beast incursions, they¡¯re gathering fighting forces.¡± He looked for a reaction from the two. ¡°The Isendia Mercenaries have been contracted out to kill beasts all across the nation. They can recognize the signs of camps being built and fighters trained,¡± Rick said. ¡°Does the Isendia family have a side in this fight?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°No, there are bigger things to worry about,¡± Rick said. ¡°Bigger things than all out civil war?¡± Lucius stopped playing with the pamphlet. ¡°Much bigger, and we need to be ready for it,¡± Len said. ¡°You were saying?¡± Len saw Lucius filing away and thinking on what he said even as he spoke. "Debt is at an all-time high among the nobles, and the banks are more than happy to supply it. The merchants are selling weapons. While, the nobles on both sides are hoping for a quick and easy victory.¡± A bloody three year war. Len leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. ¡°The food shortages have largely been dismissed, as the nobles can still buy and sell without the population starving,¡± Lucius finished. Len looked over to Rick. "How much food would you be able to buy?" Len asked. "Right now, as much as you want. The prices are getting higher and higher as there is a shortage, and the nobles are trying to get more so that they can sell arms.¡± Lucius said. Rick, tapped his map case with a finger. "We''re going to be outfitting our mercenaries with new gear anyway. What if we were to take the old stuff and barter it for as much food and raw materials as possible?" Lucius raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. ¡°You would have to deal with the nobles or their intermediaries, but many would go for the trade and you could get favorable rates.¡± ¡°Velkaris is known to be a criminal city, it would be normal for weapons to be sold out of here." Len said. "It''s going to take time to outfit everyone with new gear though.¡± "Not as long as it might have," Rick replied. Better make those smithies open air to skill them up. Len held his chin, thinking on the scale they were imagining. They¡¯d need more workers, more smiths, more smelters. Open all of those warehouses in Goran, bring life back into their crafting district. Possibly a few here in Valcaris. We need people, and for people, we need food, and for food, we need farmers. Len paused his racing thoughts, looking at Lucius. He took it as a the signal to continue. ¡°Two powder mills exploded over the last week, which now I might think has something to do with this mana you talked about.¡± ¡°Things are tense and becoming tenser with the people stuck in the middle of the nobles. How are you for food?¡± Len asked. "Here in Velkaris, we are out from under the eyes of the nobles and others. We''ve been able to amass quite the stockpile of food and have been doing so for years.¡± Lucius paused weighing whether to continue talking. ¡°Eight years ago, we went through a near famine, which removed the power of the last member of the Gosmund family. They''d sold off the stockpiles of food we had for a little bit more profit so that they could continue partying in Eskon.¡± There was a cold neutrality to his words. ¡°People were starving and he ordered the guards to stop people from fishing the waters. He had been away for a long time and their families were the ones trying to fish the waters. Since then, the operation of Velkaris has altered slightly,¡± Lucius said. "You took over running the city.¡± Rick said. ¡°We keep the last Gosmund in gold and he¡¯s none the wiser as he continues to drink and forget about his family home,¡± Lucius said. "You spend enough time around nobles as long as there''s gold coming in, parties to attend, and stupidity to enjoy. They don''t care how it comes about," Rick said. "Unless their pride is hurt," Len added. "What of the situation with the beasts and the people?" "The situation there is much more dire. Farms are collapsing at a rapid rate. Reports on the beast¡¯s abilities and strength have reached the point that nobles and the general population have stopped believing it could possibly be true,¡± Lucius looked at the two of them. ¡°I sense that you believe these reports.¡± ¡°We do,¡± Rick said. Tension bled out of Lucius as he looked tired. ¡°I have sent my own trusted people to verify the information. Few of them returned. Those that did, the stories they told.¡± Lucius raised his eyes to Len and Rick. ¡°I started reaching out to the towns and villages at our borders. A costly exercise. Though villages and towns have been slaughtered by beasts. ¡°People are focused on the problems with the nobles and don¡¯t believe the reports so they¡¯ve been missed,¡± Rick said. ¡°Right,¡± Lucius said. ¡°What of the common people?¡± Len asked. ¡°I believe a lot of farmers are starting to hide their own supply away from others'' eyes so that they might continue through the winter. The people living within the towns and cities are much more vulnerable. They don''t create their own food and are reliant upon the farmers and the trade of the nobles and merchants to get their sustenance. The only industries that are truly thriving right now are those of metal and coal. Smiths around the country are creating weapons continuously,¡± Lucius said. "Okay, so we''re going to sell the weapons for food and metal. With that we can start building trains and rails and support a larger population base. What we''re going to need first are farmers.¡± Len studied the floor, his mind working. ¡°If they haven¡¯t skilled up already we skill them up and based on their skill level we give them different plots of land or plants to grow. The more skilled get the alchemy plants, the less skilled making as much food as possible to support the population.¡± ¡°We should reach out to the smiths and workers that are in the outlying villages and towns. They need a location to work from. They¡¯re probably holding on hoping things will get better. If we give them a new option, a safer one with employment they could be very interested,¡± Rick said. ¡°They can help build the weapons, armor, rails and trains we need. Bring up people to be enchanters too,¡± Len said. ¡°Connecting Velkaris to the rest of Plynthia makes it an asset and also puts it at risk when civil war breaks out.¡± ¡°Whoever controls Velkaris controls the routes throughout Plynthia,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯re going to need to get that last son of Gosmund under contract and our control. Put measures in place to make sure that there¡¯s no legal fuckery to install someone else as the ruler of the city,¡± Len said. ¡°If we want to get those goods to Velkaris we¡¯re going to need a train line, Goran is too far from the lock system. We¡¯d have to train to Eskon and then use the locks down to Velkaris. "I was hoping that a train line out in the open would be the easiest way," Len mused, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling. "There is no guarantee that a civil war will break out," Lucious interjected. "What''s the saying? Plan for the worst, hope for the best," Rick chimed in. It would be so much easier if they could just make tunnels, Len frowned, the thought consuming his attention. ¡°What if we didn''t make it out in the open? What if, like Valkaris and its tunnels, we made tunnels of our own?¡± He turned to Rick. "You want me to build a track that goes underground from Goran to Valkaris?" Rick''s eyebrows shot up in a ¡®Really?¡¯ expression. "Why not?" Len countered. "That way people won''t know that Goran and Valkaris are in an alliance. They won''t look at Valkaris as a threat or tactical position. The nobles aren''t going to be telling everyone that they''re buying weapons and armor from Valkaris. And the intermediaries will want to keep it quiet. We use their desire to keep it hidden to our favor.¡± ¡°Would a train even work underground?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°We won¡¯t be using a normal train. We¡¯ll be using one that¡¯s powered with mana, not just coal,¡± Len said. ¡°If you are able to get me the goods I can work through the contacts I have to sell everything and get the resources you need to Goran and here to Velkaris. But it will take but one person with loose lips," Lucius said. Len pulled out a contract from his messenger bag and holding it aloft with a smile. Lucius¡¯ face melted into a smile. "My new best friend indeed.¡± ¡°With the sound transmission device we will be able to communicate and coordinate throughout Plynthia, creating a network of transporters and traders that can look totally independent from one another,¡± Rick said. ¡°We keep up the appearance of Velkaris being a seedy city willing to dabble in mana related items. Sell to the traders and intermediaries of the nobles. Offer them some kind of exclusive ¡®edge¡¯. While also using the network of people using the sound transmission devices to buy and sell across the kingdom and gather information.¡± Lucius blinked, his eyes moving. ¡°Starting to see just what we could create?¡± Len asked with a smile. ¡°There are still many parts to be figured out. It would make us a hidden power. We wouldn¡¯t be able to sell the sound transmission devices to anyone that¡¯s not under contract with us, they will be the backbone of the whole thing.¡± He held up the pamphlet. ¡°This is a potential powder keg. If we share it to direct people towards us it will make us a target. To the nobles we don¡¯t have much weight behind us. They can come up with any excuse to force us to bend.¡± ¡°We need to get that information out there,¡± Len said. ¡°If we don¡¯t then more people are going to die.¡± Lucius studied them for several long seconds. ¡°Do you care if you¡¯re credited as the ones giving the information?¡± ¡°No,¡± Len didn¡¯t hesitate and Rick shook his head. ¡°That makes me relieved and feel better about the agreement we¡¯ve just made,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We can duplicate this and spread it throughout the nation and beyond. It will add fuel to the civil war that is developing, both sides, thinking they have the advantage over the other with this new power.¡± ¡°Right now the fastest way to get stronger is to increase your skills. There are more skills for civilians than fighters. The strongest are going to be the people that have had to learn how to do a lot to keep going. There are few skills that a noble will inherently learn,¡± Len said. ¡°Knowing what fork to use isn¡¯t really a skill, or know the latest fashion and gossip,¡± Rick threw in. Lucius looked at the pamphlet. ¡°A powder keg. If you say is true, which I don¡¯t doubt. Then there is going to be a big change in power. If levels become the new basis of power, not who your father was and the history of your family. If things are pushed too far then it might not be a civil war between the nobles.¡± ¡°You think that the people would rise up against the nobility?¡± Len asked. ¡°The nobles are selling off their food. They are being attacked by beasts that they can¡¯t do anything about. They or their children are going to be conscripting if war comes. Now if the nobles are the weaker group in this problem.¡± Lucius let them draw their own thoughts. ¡°Then they¡¯re going to run into one hell of a problem.¡± Rick said. ¡°The new world we¡¯re heading into what matters is how strong you are. If you aren¡¯t strong then someone else is going to beat you down and do what they want.¡± ¡°We still need to put out that information, if we don¡¯t then more people are going to die. It could stop the civil war too. If the people can push back and not get forced into the fighting,¡± Len looked at the others. ¡°If Velcharis and Goran support the people and aren¡¯t looking to enter into the fighting and create safe harbor,¡± Rick said. ¡°That could mean thousands of people heading to our cities,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Think big right?¡± Len smiled. Lucius gave him a flat look and sighed, holding up the pamphlet. ¡°There is another way that we might use this. This information is valuable, you¡¯re going to be giving it away for free. That builds trust and recognition. We can¡¯t use that right now, though we can add in a signature, a brand that we can use later.¡± ¡°A brand that people trust in.¡± Len held his chin¡ªthinking. Humanity had fallen, divided and keeping all their secrets to themselves. We have a lot of information though. ¡°What if we were to create skill books on all the basic skills?¡± Len asked. ¡°Teach anyone who wants to learn the basics on any skill. That would give a lot of people options beyond what they start with,¡± Rick said. ¡°Sell them for cheap, add in the brand, then when we reveal ourselves we reveal schools that teach those skills,¡± Len said. Lucius¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Oh, that is devious. Then they would trust our schools already and they would come from across the world to learn from the schools, advance their skills and we would benefit from it.¡± ¡°We can use some of the crystal in the paper and the books and add in a minor enchantment that if they put mana into the pages that they¡¯ll light up with the brand sigil,¡± Len said. ¡°We control the crystal and few people are going to understand enchanting till we teach them. That creates a signature that no one else can copy.¡± ¡°What¡¯s an institution you can think of that everyone trusts that¡¯s spread across the world?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Religions?¡± Len said. ¡°Banks?¡± Lucius said. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± Len¡¯s face dropped as his eyes opened, his skin flushing. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s guild? I haven¡¯t heard of that before,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You¡ªwell.¡± Len suddenly felt too warm. ¡°Not just for fighters, but for everyone,¡± Rick said. ¡°That¡¯s--¡± Len trailed off. The adventurer¡¯s guild was a pillar of the very world itself. There was one located in every decent sized town. They would buy and sell most materials and they ran one of the largest transportation networks. They were massive. ¡°You want to form the Adventurer¡¯s guild?¡± Len yelled out. ¡°Someone has to,¡± Rick grinned. ¡°That would take a lot,¡± Len said. ¡°We start with these books and the information. We get outposts in the different towns. If we¡¯re going to be buying all that food and selling food, then moving onto buying and selling mana related gear, having a location might be a good idea,¡± Rick said. Len could see the steps it would take. But building the adventurer¡¯s guild? ¡°I¡¯m sorry what is an adventurer¡¯s guild?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°An Adventurer¡¯s guild is a mix of things. Primarily it is a place where people can issue missions or requests. So we would have boards,¡± Rick grew excited. ¡°Where you put up ¡®hey I want you to get this thing from this dangerous place, or hey I want someone to make me this potion I have these ingredients. Or hey I want a sword with these specifics.¡± Len raised an eyebrow¡ªthat was new. ¡°We¡¯re teaching all of these people all these skills we make a place where people can request their expertise. Also people can sell materials and gear to the adventurer¡¯s guild. Those materials we can use with our crafters to make things as needed, or ship them across the world to places that need them.¡± ¡°Fighters go out and get materials, bring them back to the guild, sell them to the guild, those working for it can then use those materials to make gear and sell them back to people in the guild or those outside of the guild,¡± Len said. ¡°Guild members pay a fee to be in the guild and sign a contract which gets them a discount on gear, food and rooming. In return they have to complete missions, can be requested to go on missions, defend the guild as they can, or the defense of the places they¡¯re in if they get attacked,¡± Rick said. ¡°Why would a town be attacked?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Villages are already missing, there will be stronger beasts in greater numbers in the future,¡± Len said. ¡°Why is it called an adventurer¡¯s guild then if it is taking requests from everyone?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Request Guild doesn¡¯t sound as cool?¡± Rick said lamely. He didn¡¯t think of another name. ¡°It would create a constant flow of materials to us. We have few crafters right now,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We can use the sound transmission devices to send the requests to Goran or Velkaris and the crafters here. See if they want to make it. Then we use the network of traders and transport through Plynthia to reach the location that had the request,¡± Len said. ¡°To start we don¡¯t tell them that we¡¯re making it. Just say that we have to get it from another location.¡± ¡°A grand idea to work towards,¡± Lucius said. ¡°If we have the trains, we could connect the different adventurer guild locations? A transportation network across the world,¡± Rick said. ¡°It will take us some time to build the underground track between Goran and Velkaris and a specialized train,¡± Len said. ¡°And we really should look into where we want it to go.¡± Rick tapped the map case against his leg and stood up, pulling the top off the case and drawing out a map. Len stood with him as Lucious rose from his chair. Eskon was to the north west, Goran north and slightly east of Velkaris, while Warwick was closer and further out east. To the far east was the shores of Plynthia that curled around the south to the south west where the stained mountains started curving around what was Plynthia. The Myrhal River was one of several rivesr that originiated in the north west, passing around Eskon before they carved through Plynthia aiming south east generally. ¡°What are these?¡± Lucius pointed to markings. ¡°Those are dungeons,¡± Rick said. ¡°Nearest to you is the Starlight gate to the north and the Moonlit sancturary to the north west.¡± ¡°Starlight¡ªthat could be very useful,¡± Len said. ¡°Definitely worth connecting to. Will probably get a city built up around it too,¡± Rick said. ¡°Just from the sheer amount of trade through it,¡± Len nodded. ¡°What I was thinking was that Warwick is actually in the midst of a couple of dungeons, we¡¯ve got the forgotten library, Crystal, and the whispering grove.¡± ¡°What do you mean by dungeons?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Places where we can get resources from,¡± Len said. ¡°If we run the trains to the line between Warwick and Heras on the coast. We jump it onto the tracks somewhere there. Also make that a collection point for the materials from the other dungeons,¡± Rick said. ¡°We should have Lydia and Adrian check out the dungeons there and secure Prism,¡± Len said. ¡°Put that expedition idea to use,¡± Rick nodded. ¡°To get to Warwick you¡¯d need to cross the Myrned River,¡± Lucius pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ll need to grade down from Velkaris to go under it.¡± Rick held his chin, clicking his tongue. ¡°The grade would be really steep back up from there to Warwick.¡± He traced a curving line from Velkaris, over the Myrned and then up alongside the tracks that ran between Goran and Warwick. ¡°Can just split into the middle. Have trains going from Goran to Velkaris and picking up gear when it departs the main track for the underground version. Just organize carts and other transport to the dungeons around Warwick,¡± Rick said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to cut fresh track into the Goran-Eskon line, then send it north, through the Shifting Sands Dungeon, under the Stained mountain range trainline and through the mountains themselves. Then we can arc up and to Harmonia,¡± Len traced his finger over the map. ¡°Test out the underground train idea under the shifting sands and the stained mountain range,¡± Rick said.¡°We¡¯re going to need a ton of track and a lot of skilled builders.¡± ¡°Going to need the trains too,¡± Len said. "Do you know what happened to the Xinta Ironworks Lucius?" "Xinta," Lucious frowned, searching his memory, "Ah, the steam engine and train makers?" "That''s right," Len confirmed. "They refused to be bought out by the nobles or give them a percentage of their earnings. The nobles were angry so they bought foreign trains that weren¡¯t as capable but were also cheaper. The nobles drove out the Xinta trains and then the cheaper train makers that had been trying to cut them off increased their prices for all engines.¡± ¡°Force their competitor out of the market,¡± Len shook his head. ¡°Do you know what happened to their workers and their staff?" "I haven''t looked into it in a while. I believe that the Xinta family itself, the father and daughter, still live in Eskon. Do you want me to look into it further?" "If you could, that would be appreciated," Len said. ¡°We''re going to need someone that can think outside of the box to combine enchantments and magical means of manufacturing and powering a steam engine.¡± ¡°What do you think about the proposed routes, do you forsee any issues?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Lots of farms between Goran and Warwick. It might be a good idea to quietly purchase up that land. That way you don¡¯t have people not under contract watching the train lines,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Farmers, they get all bored and start watching the trains,¡± Rick sighed and shook his head. Len smacked his arm. ¡°You were saying?¡± ¡°I would put a depot there to store and switch out goods That way you can have one location between all of the cities, hidden, moving goods and supporting the others. If we need to go to ground then we can use it to hold all the excess,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It would be nice to have a way for goods to be stopped at the Myrned River, though you can use the route through Warwick and down to Nedlin where it perches at the Myrned break.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re doing a gradual decline and incline could we put in a station next to the river?¡± Len asked. ¡°We¡¯re down there anyway, we can knock a bit more out on either side. Going to be deep there though. Have to go along the river and see just where we have the shallowest section and the right ground to build.¡± Rick tapped on the map and tilted his head to the side. ¡°It¡¯ll take us some time to figure out the best passage across the river.¡± He shook his head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was thinking that we could run elevators from the tracks up, though we need to find where we¡¯re crossing under the river before we run the tracks else we¡¯re just doubling up on the work. We¡¯re going to need spells and gear to test the soil and ground composition, then the depth of the river.¡± ¡°There are records for the depth of the river and there is surveying information on the kind of soil, would that help?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Who would have that information?¡± Len asked. ¡°The Myrned and the Myrhal are vital passages through Plynthia. Before there were trains there was just the waterways. The royals and the nobles checked all up and down the rivers to see what they could build where. It won¡¯t be hard to get the information.¡± ¡°That would save us a lot of time. Do you have the same information on the Myrhal river?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Once we¡¯ve got the links to Harmonia and between out cities sorted then we¡¯re going to drop another line between Velkaris and the Prism dungeon,¡± Rick tracked a line through the river, and down to the south west where the dungeon was marked. ¡°What is there?¡± ¡°Materials that we can use to create folded spaces,¡± Len said. ¡°What are folded spaces?¡± ¡°Think of a cart full of goods, folded up and hidden within a ring and you can take it out or put it in at any time. Removes the need for packs and you can maximize what you¡¯re transporting,¡± Rick said. Lucius looked skeptical. Understandable, the dungeon is a pain to navigate and the materials are temperamental as hell. "One of the things we''re not going to have to worry about if we do an underground train is the topography of the land. Clearing out trees or going through hills and smoothing out terrain is going to be a lot easier," Len said. Lucius looked at the map. ¡°Velkaris will become the center of Plynthia once more.¡± He looked at Len and Rick. ¡°Now its up to you to make it happen.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need those reports. How soon do you think you can start selling the mana goods?" Rick asked. "It would depend on when you can get it to me, really,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Lydia is going to the Crystal Dungeon. Once she¡¯s done there, get here and the expedition to bring twenty percent of what she¡¯s collected to Velkaris,¡± Rick said. ¡°We should have all the meat, cores, mana stones, and the complete plants we pulled out. The base crystal isn¡¯t that useful for people. We should use that. We can use it to make Journeyman enchanted gear with molds. The crystals that give off light and heat, they¡¯ll sell well,¡± Len said. ¡°Can the crystal be cut like gems?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Len said. Lucius nodded. ¡°We have a few people that specialize in gems within the city. We are a criminal city, there are plenty that are looking to offload valuables and you have to alter them slightly. If we can cut them up and make them look good. Well I can see rings made of light crystal will make quite the statement. Thin inlays of heating crystal will allow many ladies to wear dresses well into winter and keep nobles warm on their hunts.¡± ¡°Then the rough cut stuff the people will use to keep themselves warm and light their homes at night,¡± Rick said. ¡°Take lanterns and put in a light crystal,¡± Lucius nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to reach out to some of my contacts. Now back to the process of getting the materials to my city. If this Lydia¡ªyour sister if I¡¯m remembering correctly¡ªcan get the materials to the Myrned say here,¡± He tapped a location on the map. Rick took out a pencil and marked it. ¡°Then I can have some of my lads there with boats to haul the supplies across the river and then cart them to the city without anyone the wiser.¡± ¡°Once they¡¯ve got all the level gains they can from the crystal dungeon we should set them on the other dungeons too. Set up a rotation. Got a lot of people from logistics with the mercenaries. In Goran they¡¯re not going to have as much running around. Put them to work shipping the goods from the dungeons around Warwick to the pick up location until we can get the trainline through?¡± Len asked. ¡°They¡¯ll be under contract and know how to deal with issues that might arise,¡± Rick nodded. Len took out his sound transmission device, he carved into it, changing the numbers and handed it to Lucius. ¡°This will keep you in contact with those that are heading to the river. I¡¯ll see what we can do about getting a bunch of the devices made and added into the shipment so you can start spreading them throughout your network.¡± Lucius accepted the device and put it on his side of the desk. "I''ll get reports and maps for the areas we¡¯ve talked about sent over to Goran. I''ll send a message to my people in Eskon to find out more about the Xinta family and their old workers and organize for the Xinta¡¯s to meet with you in Goran.¡± Len looked between the other men, "I think we have something of a plan now." His smile stretched into a grin. Rick chuckled and reached out his hand to Lucius, "Good doing business with you." Lucius took his hand and shook it, "And you too." Lend traded handshakes with him as well. It was the biggest deal he¡¯d ever done in this life or his last and with the strategist himself. There were so many working parts. Not to mention building hundreds of kilometers of train track through mountains, under rivers, and all hidden from everyone else. There was all the people that would be involved in one way or another, dungeoneers, crafters, logis, traders and merchants. "Exciting, ain''t it?" Rick chuckled. Len¡¯s smile stretched into a grin as a chuckle escape his lips. ¡°Next we¡¯ll be transporting to nations beyond our borders and drawing in people to trade with just us.¡± Lucius pursed his lips and nodded in the way of ¡®yeah why not¡¯. ¡°Thinking big aren¡¯t you,¡± Rick laughed. I thought it was crazy, but¡ªis it? Chapter: 25 Chapter: 25 With their deal and plan set Len used Rick¡¯s sound transmission device to start getting the other parts moving while Rick guided them back towards Nedlin. Their talks had taken them into the night, so they ran through the darkness. Len threw up his hand, turning his head to the sounds of yelling. He looked over to Rick. He drew his hammer and they were off in the direction of the yelling. The ground disappeared under their feet as they reached a small farmstead. A torch of flame wafted at the doorway into the home. A bear growled and charged the home. Wood cracked and gave way, a scream and yelling coming from inside the home. Rick wound up and threw his humming hammer. It crashed into the bear it jolted and collapsed. Another growl came from the barn, another bear crashing through a fence as it ran towards the house, leaving a half eaten cow behind. Len diverted towards the bear, they charged one another, the bear reared up to swipe down on Len. Len jumped, sailing over the bear¡¯s reach, he stabbed his sword through the bear¡¯s neck and into its vitals. He activated the mana blade enchantment he¡¯d carved into the weapon. He pulled the sword through the back of the bear, riding it down to the ground. It threw up dust as he flicked his sword casting clean upon it. His blade glowing blue in the night. Too low level to give experience. ¡°Len!¡± Rick yelled from the house. He was moving in the next second, Rick tossed the bear¡¯s corpse that was in the entry of the home away. The doorway showed the bear¡¯s abuse, thick furrows carved into it by its claws. The door was hanging by half a hinge and a young man was sputtering on the floor. Rick rolled the young man on his side. ¡°There¡¯s another, the father,¡± Rick said as his feet hit the wood of the wrap-around deck. Len stepped over the man Rick was working on and into the house. A woman was holding three children close, a fourth holding a shovel and shaking. ¡°Where is he?¡± Len asked. The woman looked at him, her eyes wide. ¡°Your husband.¡± Len barked, trying to break through the film of shock. ¡°In the bedroom,¡± She pointed a finger back. ¡°Take them to another room,¡± Len said, moving towards the room she¡¯d pointed out. ¡°They don¡¯t need to see this.¡± ¡°Clive, come, help me with your brothers and sisters,¡± The woman said to the boy holding the shovel. His eyes were as big as saucers. ¡°Clive!¡± Her voice broke him out as he looked around the world as if seeing it for the first time. Len pushed open the door to the smell of sickness and infection. A husk of a man lay in the bed, halfway out, holding onto the headboard as he fought to pull himself up. ¡°The bears are dead,¡± Len said. The man¡¯s eyes swum as he looked at him. ¡°My family, they.¡± ¡°They¡¯re okay,¡± Len threw his sword onto the bed and ripped open the man¡¯s shirt. He held onto the material. Damn he¡¯s weak. The man¡¯s head rolled. Len grabbed his collar and moved to the side as the man spewed on the floor. Len stuck his finger into a bowl of water next to the bed with a cloth in it, casting cleanse then a cooling spell. He took out the cloth wiping the man¡¯s head and then his mouth. He threw the towel back into the water and got the man sideways on the bed in the recovery position. Len took out his utility knife and cut through the cloth bandages on the man¡¯s side, releasing a sickly sweet and rancid smell. The man¡¯s side was collapse unnaturally and there were three gouges in his side that were filled with pus, the skin inflamed and looking waxy. Len spotted a bottle of alcohol on the table and flicked the cork off with his thumb, putting his finger into the mouth of the bottle he flipped it up, coating his finger as he cast cleanse before he wiped the pungent alcohol under his nose. It made him cough with the strength and overpowered everything else before he clamped onto the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This is going to suck.¡± He poured the alcohol over the man¡¯s side, he bucked and writhed, moaning. ¡°Got some kick in you still now!¡± Len put the bottle down half empty and grabbed his knife, clearing away the bandages. The man let out shuddering breaths, wheezing. Dry not wet. Lungs aren¡¯t punctured. The man was a faint memory of what he had been the wound and infection stealing his strength and mass. Fuse his bones together first? Though that would make the breathing better and take away a lot of the pain it wasn¡¯t actively killing him. The infection was doing that. If he gets too weak from me sapping his stamina to fix his bones, dead. Skill-up probably dead from the stress. ¡°Not making it easy on me.¡± Len opened the man¡¯s mana gate in his palm as he drew in a hitching breath. That¡¯s not good. His lungs weren¡¯t opening all the way. ¡°Rick, when you got a moment!¡± ¡°Alright, just finishing up here.¡± The man had to have at least a single level by the way he was drawing in mana he¡¯d formed a core. Len¡¯s attention returned to the wounds. If I could cut it out. Len grimaced, he¡¯d have to cut out a lot. It would reduce the amount of crap entering his body. Though his ribs were collapsed, that actually gave him room to work with because the ribs weren¡¯t creating structure. ¡°You are a lucky bastard,¡± Len pulled out a stamina potion. Hope Tenebrook has been having good results. ¡°Drink this.¡± He held it to the man¡¯s lips slowly letting the potion out. The man¡¯s actions were weak and gained some strength, Len giving it to him faster till the whole thing was gone. He slipped the potion bottle away. ¡°Well being awake for the rest of this is going to suck a bit.¡± Len cast a numbing spell over the area and moved the man¡¯s arm to the side. He rubbed his utility knife, putting his free arm in such a way it would block the man from moving his arms and seeing what Len was doing. Len got his knee on the other side of the man so he couldn¡¯t roll over. He studied the infected cuts, tracing out the muscle through the man¡¯s side as he might do when cleaning a kill. His butcher skill came to the fore as he cut into the man¡¯s side, quick and precise movements to remove only what he needed to. The man twitched Len¡¯s bracing holding what he was working in place. Rick pushed open the door. ¡°Lovely.¡± Len grunted as he finished his bloody work, pulling away the strip he¡¯d cot from the man, throwing it onto the bandages on the floor. He cleaned his knife and hands agains, sliding his blade away. He used both of his hands to pinch the open wounds together and fuse the skin together. The man¡¯s breathing was weak and labored, hitching as his lungs couldn¡¯t expand all the way now. A suction force came in the direction of Rick, the mess Len and the man had made gathering up into his hand as he pushed open a window, letting in fresh air. The bundled mess hung in the air away from his hand as he put it out of the window, hurling it away before it burst into flame, burning into cinders in seconds, ash falling in the moonlight. Len released the man. ¡°Gave him a stamina potion, should help out. He¡¯s got a nasty infection running through him and his ribs are a mess.¡± Len shook his head they couldn¡¯t stop here for too long. ¡°Also his lungs aren¡¯t drawing in air fully, think one¡¯s collapsed.¡± ¡°Crap,¡± Rick moved to the man and put an ear to his side. Then he moved him and listened to another area. ¡°Yup, lungs collapsed.¡± Rick paused then pulled out his last stamina potion and gave it to the man. ¡°We¡¯re going to need to cut into the cavity around the lung, let the air pressure equalize and then put him back together. Before that we need to fuse all of the bits of his ribs together so that when his lung is working it doesn¡¯t get punctured. ¡°Alright,¡± Len pulled out his knife cleaned it and held it out to Rick. Rick stored his now empty potion bottle and took the knife. Len put his hand against the man¡¯s side and then starting aligning the ribs together and fusing them with spells. The man groaned as Rick cast a spell on him. ¡°Numbing.¡± Len kept working getting the bones together and then pushing the shards together into a pocket. He had to heal the man as the fused skin got tight with the ribs pushing out. ¡°Cut here, there¡¯s a bunch of bone bits,¡± Len tapped between the ribs. Rick cut into the man¡¯s side, drawing out the bloody bone shards, then he made a small cut through. Air came out of the cut. Rick made and O with his forefinger and thumb, holding it next to the skin, air moved around his hand and the man¡¯s chest rose and fell evenly, some of the tension in his body falling away. Rick waited a bit before closing up the wound. ¡°That should work now.¡± He cleansed everything and handed Len back his knife. ¡°Those bears out there have mana in them, clean them up and give them some chunks of meat to build up their strength?¡± ¡°Best we can do,¡± Len walked past him into the main room of the house, the boy that had been holding the shovel, had his weapon in his hand, watching through the door. His mother talking to the young man who¡¯d been struck by the bear at the door. He had a scar from shoulder to hip. The skin pinched together. He drank water as his mother kept checking him over. She looked up as they approached. ¡°My husband?¡± There was a note of fear in her voice. ¡°Resting and better than he was,¡± Len said. ¡°The beasts are getting worse around here and they¡¯re going to get stronger with time. Head to Velkaris or Goran, they should have jobs for people.¡± Len moved for the door. ¡°We¡¯ll clean up some of the meat so you can cook and eat it. Feed it to your boy and husband. They¡¯re going to need plenty of food to heal. Once they¡¯ve got some strength back and able to move under their own power they should harvest some of your crops, work on anything that requires skills. That will make them stronger.¡± He walked out the door, Rick trailing. The beasts were creatures they were familiar with and their butcher skill meant that a few cuts broke down the beast¡¯s bodies. ¡°Love the screen cheats,¡± Rick said. ¡°World recognizes our skill, uses a bit of magic to make what we know and picture a reality,¡± Len stood up with a grunt. ¡°There¡¯s a drying hut over there,¡± The boy with the shovel pointed to a mud hut. ¡°I¡¯ll put this one in there,¡± Len said. ¡°I¡¯ll take half of this into the house. You got a cellar lad?¡± Rick asked. Len folded up the hide holding all the good meat and walked to the drying hut. He opened the door to the smell of dried meat. Make this a little faster. Len used a water spell to draw the water from the interior of the meat as he cut them into smaller strips and laid them over the wood drying racks stabbed into the drying hut¡¯s walls. He worked quickly, filling several drying shelves with meat before he stepped back out into the night¡¯s air. The boy with the shovel was putting it to use, digging a hole. Smoke rose from the chimney. Len walked back to the house. Rick was frying shaved meat on a pan and then handing it to the kids who were around him. Rick was using a spell to warm the iron oven, burning only a little wood. They all looked over to Len¡¯s entrance, then snapped back to Rick and his treats. ¡°I know that expression, I cleared out the bacteria that would eat muscle,¡± Rick said, checking another pot full of water and oats. He threw in dried fruits and nuts covered it again and then continued to treat the kids. Rick tapped the meat, cutting it into several different sizes. The boy that had been nearly torn apart by the bear was sitting at the main table. A healthy portion of meat, milk and water infront of him that he was working his way through. The mother stepped out of the room her husband was in. She closed the door, leaning against the frame, weary relief etched into her features. Len looked away as if he hadn¡¯t seen it. She pushed herself off of door, Len glanced over and nodded to her. ¡°Thank you both,¡± She said as she walked into the kitchen area. ¡°Heard someone in help,¡± Len shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Rick said. ¡°There¡¯s meat down in the cellar, more is out in the drying hut. I¡¯ve cooked up some and there¡¯s oats and bits for food. The meat is good to just cook up.¡± Rick flipped the meat he was working on. His cooking skill will make it nutritious and its how he¡¯s able to cook everything so quickly. ¡°I¡¯d suggest that if you cook something that you do it outside,¡± Rick moved the pan to the side, the meat done. ¡°And do something that you don¡¯t mind if you ruin.¡± The woman frowned. ¡°These are odd times and we¡¯ve seen things in our travels,¡± Len said. She tilted her head. ¡°That I bet you have, who are you?¡± She asked. ¡°Just two passing travellers,¡± Rick said, picking up his rucksack. ¡°Thank you again and once my husband is able to move we¡¯re going to Goran. We know how to farm. Velkaris isn¡¯t a good place to raise children and the stories from there.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Things might be changing,¡± Len said as he walked out of the door, Rick right behind him. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! They looked at one another as the mother, her children gathering at the door her eldest hobbling over to the door. Len and Rick ran off into the darkness, the sun starting to rise. *** The sun rose as they reached the edge of Nedlin, their speed that of the locals. They bought food and walked through the streets, over the bridge and towards the train station. Rick got the tickets as Len sat on a bench eating his brunch. ¡°When we make the train lines, remind me to make them dual track so we can have people go both directions,¡± Rick grumbled. ¡°The train will be here at midday right?¡± Len asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not too long,¡± Len shrugged. The Isendia mercenaries had just landed at the docks and were heading their way. "They''re coming up this way!" someone yelled, panting as they reached a group of friends. Len raised an eyebrow and looked at Rick. "Grandma sent out word for all the companies to return. I wonder who it is." Len tilted his head, hearing a rhythmic noise in the background. "Sounds like they really are coming this way." They weaved through the streets towards the docks. Finding a flat roof away from prying eyes, they jumped up on it, watching the street below. Soldiers wearing the Isendia uniform marched up in formation. Behind them, horses drew carts filled with supplies and mall cannons on display. Rick pulled back behind a chimney on the roof, grimacing. Len raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at?" Rick grumbled. "Someone who''s uncomfortable about something they just saw." Len went for the jugular. "It''s one of my aunts, I think. Well, not really a blood-related aunt, but she always made me call her aunt. Her name''s Irene. She''s a battle maniac. She was a good fighter with a blade, and she''d take every opportunity she had to beat me up in the training ground and say it was some kind of training." "Yeah, that doesn''t sound too much like fun," Len agreed. "So let''s try and stay the heck away from her if we can,¡± Rick said. Len and Rick waited until all of the mercenaries were loaded up onto the train before they crossed the platform to the train, getting in one of the carriages furthest from the mercenaries. Len looked up at the sky. ¡°Feels like a storm is brewing again.¡± *** The train stopped in Warwick. Len peeked his head outside the carriage doors, stepping down onto the platform. Several mercenaries jumped off the train as well. Len noticed a couple of farmers from the Dell standing on the platform. They waved to the mercenaries, had a quick chat with them, and pointed at two cargo trains on parallel tracks. The mercenaries and the farmers finished their quick conversation. Yurik, one of the farmers noticed Len and waved at him. The group wandered over as the mercenaries went off towards the engine of the train. "Didn''t know you''d be here for the pickup,¡± Yurik, greeted Len. "I didn''t know that I''d be back here this quick," Len replied, tilting his chin towards the mercenaries. "How''s working with them going?" "We got a message yesterday from those sound transmission devices. Someone over in Goran saying to ship all of the stuff that we could to fill two train carriages that were being set aside for us up here. Hauled up as many carts as we could yesterday and today and just got to it,¡± Yurik shrugged. ¡°Thankfully we don¡¯t need that much sleep no more. Sent most back to the dell.¡± ¡°What kind of stuff you got in there?" Len glanced at the cargo carriage. "Well, we got tons of crystal, really. Most of the meat we''ve been keeping and using ourselves. Gives a good jolt in the morning and increases the mana regeneration.¡± ¡°You been training up your bodies too?¡± Len asked. ¡°Not too much.¡± ¡°You should be able to eat the meat a lower grade well enough, but the same or higher it might give you more mana than what you¡¯re using and start pushing up your mana stat,¡± Len said. ¡°Hard to find something that¡¯s hard to do nowadays,¡± Porov, one of the other farmers said. Len grimaced. ¡°Yeah that¡¯s true, if you go slowly and increase the amount of mana in your body a single level, your body will work to compensate for it. A level or two is okay, you go more than three levels and you¡¯ll start to lose reasoning,¡± Len looked at them all. They nodded seriously. ¡°So we got the crystal from the foxes, spiders and dungeons, get those plants in there and the alchemy lab?¡± ¡°Yeah, lab takes up half of the carriage by itself, its all locked up like when you left it. We also brought up all them books. Remember you saying how much you wish you could take them with you,¡± Yurik said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Len said. Yurik shrugged. ¡°We listen from time to time. We made a ledger and took out some of the light and heat crystals, warm the homes and let us work through the night now we only need a few hours of rest a day.¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± Len nodded. ¡°Though there¡¯s still a lot left over so we threw those in. You can take all the damned lightning crystals Had to keep those packed up in different kinds of boxes and far away from one another. They''re mighty annoying to deal with once they start clicking together. Give you a right little zap," Yurik grimaced. "Still, nothing like the zap you get from a skill up enlightenment. That''s for damn sure.¡± Len grinned as the others chuckled, he turned as the train started up, moving the whole, pushing all of the carriages backwards to where the two cargo carriages were. A couple of workers walked down the platform with purpose with the mercenaries. ¡°Have you decided what you want to do with your share?¡± Len asked. ¡°We got a lot in that twenty percent share, even with the heat and light crystals we haven¡¯t made much of a dent,¡± Yurik crossed his arms and frowned. ¡°You were saying how we could farm through the winter, got to say we¡¯re mighty interested in that, more than the gold. Earned enough from selling the harvest. If we can get a second growing season that¡¯s going to be more valuable.¡± "That certainly makes sense to me," Len said. "Betting on something you know really well instead of going into something you don''t understand at all," Yurik said. "Well, I was thinking of a couple of things," Len began, frowning as he pulled his thoughts together. "I was going to modify some of those heat crystals, maybe make an enchantment so they could warm the ground or a larger area instead of just spreading it everywhere. Though honestly if you put them up on holders then they could warm the air and ground around them.¡± He looked around, all of the farmers were focused on him. ¡°Then the crystal from the dungeon, the general stuff, if we can make it thin enough and with the information from the alchemy books transparent, we could make crystal houses that would allow sunlight in, keeping the inside warm throughout the winter, and you could grow inside it. Like a house made of glass.¡± The farmers moved around, making nods of agreement and noises of approval. The train crew were removing bolts and waiting until the last cars of the train and the new cars were mated together before yelling at the engine, which stopped moving. "What about the defenses around farms if we''ve got to worry about these mana creatures coming up now?" Porov asked. "Well, you could probably use the lightning crystals with a fence formation and that would zap anything that goes through the two points. At the very least, it would let you know if something''s trying to get onto your property. And it''ll scare off the smaller or weaker beasts. The benefit of using the crystals is that you can just replenish them out of the dungeon itself instead of having to purchase them for much higher prices.¡± ¡°Always better when you can use your own supply,¡± Yurik said. ¡°There are also some other enchantments I could work up for you, the kind that pulls water out of the air, allowing you to water the crops even if there''s a drought. Though you could use spells to do that too. Same with growing enchantments that you''d have to keep supplied with mana, which will work on your mana control overall, but they''ll speed up the rate that crops grow and increase the overall harvest." ¡°If we can do it with spells, whats the benefit to doing it with enchantments?¡± Yurik asked. ¡°Spells you have to keep casting regularly. So you¡¯d have to walk through a field casting enhancing spells on the ground and plants. You have an enchantment, you fill it up with mana and it does the work for you and burns through the mana you supply it. Also it can get some mana from the world instead of you. You might be okay walking a half acre, but walking ten acres a day, that¡¯s going to take a lot of people,¡± Len said. ¡°Good point,¡± Yurik said. ¡°Now the house made from transparent crystal is the most beneficial thing for you, though its probably the hardest too,¡± Len said. ¡°Why?¡± Porov asked. ¡°Got to make it clear so that it allows in the sunlight.¡± Len frowned. ¡°That¡¯s a thinking face,¡± Yurik said. Len frowned as he turned his face in the direction of the sun, feeling its heat. "Or we could modify the light crystals," he suggested, holding his chin in thought. "There''s different kinds of light that is useful for different things. If you can modify the light crystals in such a way it gives off the same light as if it was the sun, it wouldn''t matter how clear the crystal is. All that matters is just having a building up around it." "But we can build a barn pretty quick, especially now," Yurik said. "Yeah, that would work enough," Len nodded. "And if you needed stuff like wall panels or roofs or that kind of thing, what you could do is just create molds and form sheets of crystal just like you formed the parts for the carts." "We could start on that when we get back," Porov said. The crews quickly secured the train carriages to the rest of the train and headed back to the engine. Yurik nodded. "All right, if you work on all of them enchantment bits with the crystals, we''ll work on building a barn that we could work in and it''ll stay warm throughout the winter." ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much it¡¯ll all cost,¡± Len said. ¡°We¡¯ll get back and chat with the others in the dell and see what they say think we¡¯d be okay selling a lot of what we got from our twenty percent to get those things,¡± Yurik said. "All right, well, it looks like we''re headed off. How much is left at the farm still?" Len asked. "Well, now I know how much goes into a train carriage. I think there''s probably another six carriages worth in there?¡± Yurik looked around to the nods of the others. ¡°Has anyone gone and delved the dungeon since we did it last?" Len asked. "No, not yet," Yurik looped his thumbs into his belt. "Everyone''s still a bit nervous about the whole thing, though we did get word as well that a group, an expedition, is heading our way." "Yeah, Rick''s sister''s probably going to be leading that group of people that haven''t gone and done a dungeon yet, but got the skills to tackle it. Gonna have them clear out the dungeon if you''re good with that.¡± ¡°Be fine with us. Might be that we ask if we can tag along just to get the lay of the land down there," Yurik said. "That''s fair enough," Len said. "Best to ask them and see what they say. I don''t see there being a problem. It''s your dungeon after all." "That''s fair there," Yurik nodded. "They''re also going to be heading off to a couple of other areas around, so there should be a good number of fighters in the area in case you need them to handle the dungeon," Len said. ¡°We¡¯re going to get some people down this way to handle moving the goods soon. If you have anything that you want to sell from the dungeon or from the farms they¡¯ll be able to coordinate with you and get you a good price on it.¡± ¡°That¡¯d be nice,¡± Yurik said. ¡°Lord Warwick would start to get mighty confused when we¡¯re bringing a harvest in spring. ¡°With the growing enchantments you¡¯ll be able to bring it in earlier than that,¡± Len said. A whistle came from the train as the conductors along the platform started calling out to people and closing doors. "All right, well, got to go lads, look after yourselves," he held up his hand in goodbye and turned for the train. "You too, Len. Give those in Goran our hellos,¡± Yurik raised his voice. "Will do." Len jumped up the stairs back up into the train, the engine huffing as it started to gain momentum. There was a sudden jolt and a bang in the direction of the engine before it returned back to normal. Len frowned, turning and finding a pensive Rick. "Some of the coal must have got a little bit mana excited," Rick said as Len sat back down in his seat. "Looks like we''re hauling materials from the crystal dungeon back to Goran," Len said. "Well, that''ll make the building of those sound transmission devices a little bit easier," Rick said. "Gonna have to see if we can get some warehousing room." Len nodded, settling back for as the train picked up speed, leaving more Warwick behind once more. If I was able to get a couple of cores and materials from the Whispering Grove, that would allow me to make much stronger earth enchantments. Chapter: 26 Chapter: 26 The train slowed down as it came into Goran. There were a few bangs and splutters from the train engine throughout the journey. ¡°Won¡¯t be long till one of the trains blows a boiler from the fuel going haywire,¡± Rick said as he stood. ¡°Might be an idea to try and get a clunker engine and get it working on mana, Xinta makes fine engines but with the pace of everything we¡¯ll need a train to make the route up north soon,¡± Len pulled on his gear, preparing to exit the train. Len''s ears pricked up at the sound of someone yelling in a tone that suggested orders. They reached the platform where the mercenaries on the train were marshalling themselves off the train and into formation. Train carriage doors were yanked open as soldiers began unloading crates of gear and horses. The crew from the engine hopped down and went towards the cargo carriages, pulling the bolts free and checking paperwork. Soldiers worked in teams, pushing the now free cargo carriages off of the main track and over to the ware houses on the other side of the tracks. Len and Rick stepped off of the train, keeping to the peripheral, moving behind those that were watching the display. Units formed up, their boots echoing on the stone as they marched through the central station. People cheered at their return. On the other side of the station, family members waited. They threw out flowers, called out the names of their loved ones, or tried to peer past the soldiers, searching for their own. The soldiers marched on, heading through the city towards their barracks. Len and Rick moved away from the crowds that had gathered and hurried on their way towards the Blue Manor. *** Carolyn waited in the chair of her office, watching Adrian, the man who led the first Isendia company. He was a stout man with a black handlebar moustache that had gained grey through the years. His eyes were a hard ghostly white, that were flickering over the contract on her desk between them. He finished reading, marshalling his thoughts. "Miss Carolyn, I have to state my disagreement. Rick is just a boy," Adrian raised his head. "A boy that, while he might have been sent to the academy to get him out of Tyrus''s way, you''ve heard what he did there." "I know very well what he did there," Carolyn said. He waited for more. "He disrespected the entire academy, all of its staff, and then fled to Goran. I have heard the stories from the nobility,¡± Adrian said. ¡°Where he healed me and helped me retake power from Tyrus, who was going to run this family into the ground and use the mercenaries as his personal bank." The company commander grimaced, but he didn''t refute her words. "So I think it''s best to say that while Rick has had his problems, he''s certainly on our side, no matter what. I appreciate you telling me your reservations about him. There are too many that would agree while internally disagreeing. I need people who I can trust and those who I have the word of. And that is why I need your signature upon this contract." She leaned forward and tapped the piece of paper between them on her desk. "It also says that you want me to agree with this Len character commanding me. I have no idea who he is, other than his father is possibly a farmer and that he knows Rick. This makes no sense at all. Why would you give them so much power?" "I can''t tell you anything more than what I have already said. It is up to you if you decide to continue on as company commander or if you choose retirement,¡± Carolyn said simply. ¡°Do you wish for me to retire as company commander? I''ve been doing this job for nearly thirty years and loyal to you throughout." Carolyn stood from her desk. "I don''t wish for you to leave, but I know that I can''t have troops and a company commander who disagree with or will not sign a contract that I believe in serving with my mercenaries. The decision is yours. Even if you do not agree now, in the future you might. But I can''t give you any more information unless you sign that contract." She spotted Everett standing nearby. Adrian drew out a pen from the stand next to the contract and signed his name. The contract burned up as he lifted his pen. ¡°What?¡± Adrian stumbled backwards. He grabbed at his stomach and grimaced. Carolyn raised an eyebrow. A contract blow back? Her mind cast back to what Len had told her about contract blowback. It was why there were so many terms in the contracts he drafted for her with the company commanders. Terms that would ensure their loyalty. If they had betrayed her trust, they would have to reveal their actions. If they attempted to do so in the future, the contract would activate, alerting her and preventing them from breaking the contract, lest they be hit with the blowback. He told me that the contracts link to one''s core and their very mana. If there is a blowback, they will clutch their stomach, where their core is located, and be in pain at the very least. Depending on the severity and the terms of the contract, they could lose access to their mana or even be killed. Carolyn pushed forward a pile of blank paper. "Adrian, it seems that you have been a bad commander. I think it''s time that you came clean with whatever is weighing upon your mind and what you know." Adrian''s face was covered in sweat, trembling in pain. He leapt on the paper like a man at sea might jump for a raft. His pen dug into the paper as he started writing down information. "What did you do, Adrian?" Carolyn asked as she walked around the desk. Everett''s sword was in his hand, just a half step behind Adrian. His movements had been silent and wraith-like. "I knew of Tyrus''s plan to kill your son-in-law and daughter. I did not help them. Instead, I used the information to blackmail Tyrus, later to get the position of company commander and pick out where I wanted to go.¡± Adrian wheezed. ¡°He turned a blind eye to the payments I received from various nobles, securing the services of the Isendia mercenaries and using them as my own," Adrian confessed, flinching in pain. " I took bribes from the nobility to carry out missions that would not have been agreed upon under the Isendia charter. Beating or killing those that went against nobles. I sold off the supplies going to my company. Using the information that I had, I sold it to nobility as well." He flipped through pages, writing on another. "Why?" Carolyn asked, pushing through the rage and burning anger that filled her. ¡°For fifteen years, I toiled in the Isendia mercenaries without anyone realizing how astute I was as a commander. How I deserved the position that others were getting. So instead of trying to beat them with fighting or tactics on the battlefield, I used a different tactic. A tactic that they would never think of. The death of your daughter and son-in-law gave me the opening I needed to get what I deserve." "I was suspicious as to why you got the position you did shortly after the death of my daughter and son-in-law. You''d always been a middling kind of man. Happy to sit back on his laurels, thinking of himself as some grand general. While in fact, you were a small man with a small mind and a petty hatred for others that were better than you. List it all out, Adrian. Let''s find out what secrets you''re hiding and the ones you''ve sold of mine," she demanded. She glanced at Everett standing behind him. Adrian would not be leaving this room alive today. Though she still needed to go through all of the other company commanders. She stepped past the two men and towards the windows overlooking the back of the Blue Manor. Yet again, one of Len and Rick''s creations had smoothed the way for her. These contracts would change everything, making her mercenaries completely airtight from information leaking out. Though where there is a will, there is a way. One step at a time. *** ¡°Oscar, good to see you,¡± Rick said as they walked through the gate into the Blue Manor. ¡°Mister Len, Young master Rick.¡± The man bowed his head. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten stronger. Everett being a hardass?¡± Rick ribbed the man. ¡°He has been developing out our new talents with the increases in skill,¡± Oscar said. That¡¯s a yes. Len grinned, reading through the soldier speak. ¡°Well good luck,¡± Rick patted the man¡¯s shoulder in consolidation. Oscar grinned but didn¡¯t saying anything else as they walked up the crushed stone road to the house. The gate opened again as they were halfway up the road. People nodded to Rick and Len. He looked back, spotting a carriage being drawn up the drive. It came to a stop as they reached the top of the stairs. The carriage didn¡¯t come to a stop as the door opened, revealing the woman he¡¯d seen in Nedlin. Shit. ¡°Rick!¡± Her voice carried through the air, one that demanded attention and commanded others. Rick¡¯s shoulders bunched, his hand falling to his hammer as he stopped walking. He clenched his jaw, containing his fury. Len¡¯s stomach tightened as he readied a spell in his mind, his hand straying closer to his sword. ¡°What are you doing with a hammer on your belt?¡± The woman demanded, the crushed stone of the paths grinding under her feet before she stalked up the stairs. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Len looked at Irene, she was built stocky, face weathered. ¡°Felt like it,¡± Rick¡¯s voice strained with the words. She seemed to weigh his words and find everything lacking. Behind her three men and a woman trailed. ¡°I will talk to you once I¡¯ve met with your grandma,¡± She promised and kept walking into the blue manor. Rick waited for them to head up to his grandma¡¯s office before he stepped into the building and walked towards their rooms. ¡°We¡¯ll get cleaned up and go see my grandma,¡± Rick said. ¡°What of the Irene situation.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll avoid it if we can, deal with it if we can¡¯t.¡± *** Len looked up from his notes as there was a knock at his door. He¡¯d bathed and then started roughing up the enchantments that he¡¯d need to make. Len stood, and opened the door. ¡°Ready?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Len stuffed the pages into his messenger bag and shifted his armor around, the only time he took off his armor or weapon was when he was bathing and he always had his weapon nearby. Someone whistled as they walked through the house. Len looked around, noting the man¡¯s uniform. Rick took in a breath and stopped where he was. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? Trying to slink off?¡± Irene demanded, rounding a corner. ¡°Lets get this over with.¡± Len could feel the mana around Rick tighten under his control, constricted. Irene looked around, sensing something though she¡¯d probably had mana for a few days. Rick¡¯s used it for decades. ¡°Everett!¡± Rick yelled as he turned on his foot towards the rear of the manor. The man walked out of a room. ¡°Rick?¡± ¡°Need someone to watch over a spar,¡± Rick said lazily. Everett frowned, seeing past them. ¡°Commander Irene I did not realize that you made it back to the city.¡± ¡°Just got in and met with the lady. She had a number of interesting things to talk about,¡± Irene sounded somewhat distracted. ¡°How was your time at Morkaz?¡± ¡°All kinds of odd creatures have come out of the delta.¡± Irene said. ¡°Though what the lady said might draw some light to it.¡± Rick pushed through a door, Len followed. It wasn¡¯t a long walk to the training square, enclosed on four sides by bushy trees. A rack of wooden weapons lay off to the side. Irene walked over to it and picked up a sturdy stick. ¡°A teaching stick Commander?¡± Everett asked. ¡°It seems that Rick has failed to remember his lessons about the sword, carrying around a hammer.¡± She turned and faced him. Len moved off to the side with Everett. ¡°Are you sure¡ª¡± ¡°You called for this spar, shall we begin?¡± Rick asked from the right side of the square, Irene on the left. ¡°Where is your sword, this is a spar?¡± She asked. ¡°I don¡¯t use the sword much, the hammer suits me better,¡± Rick said. ¡°The sword is the weapon your mother and father used, the weapon of nobility and of knights!¡± She snarled. Rick put one hand on his left hip and patted the head of his hammer with his right. ¡°Feels juust right.¡± ¡°I see that attitude of yours has only got worse,¡± She stepped forward, her very body seemed to be shaking in rage. ¡°So the spar is on?¡± Rick looked at Everett. ¡°Yes,¡± Everett said hesitantly. Rick¡¯s smile made Len feel a numbness come over him, his peripheral vision spreading out to the others in the sparring area. Rick strode across the training area. ¡°You look like you¡¯re on a stroll! Did you not remember any of my training?¡± Irene waved her sword-stick with indignation. ¡°Oh I remember all of it,¡± The smile fell from Rick¡¯s face as his lazy steps relaxed into a predatory walk. He stepped into her range, she whipped her stick at him. Rick grabbed her wrist, casually punched her in the gut that drove the air out of her lungs and made her sputter. He casually grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up as he brought her ear level with his mouth, whispering into her ear. Len could still hear him as he put a hand on Everett¡¯s shoulder as he made to move forward. He tried to pull away but Len kept his hand there and shook his head in the negative, promising injury if he tried to intervene. ¡°I am no longer a defenseless child for you and my uncle to beat mercilessly. Know your place commander. You will follow orders, you will defend Goran you will defend this family and these people. I will make you weather the storm ahead of us. Not because I care for you, but because I can use your talents.¡± Rick turned her head so he could see into his eyes. She recoiled at what she saw there. ¡°You have given your oath, your contract. I own your soul now.¡± He placed her down, gently, like one might put down a fragile piece of art. She stumbled backwards as Rick turned and headed out of the training square. Len released Everett¡¯s shoulder and followed after him. *** They stepped into Rick¡¯s Grandma¡¯s office. Len picked up on the scent of blood. Rick glanced back at him, recognizing it too. ¡°Based on your sound transmissions you have been quite busy indeed,¡± Carolyn said, sitting back in her chair. ¡°Just started to get things into motion.¡± Rick said. ¡°Quite. I have a group of logisticians from the mercenaries being pulled out to coordinate the transport of materials from the Crystal dungeon as you¡¯ve been calling it and the other dungeons in the area once your sister clears them. Can we trust this Lucius?¡± ¡°We have a contract with him in place,¡± Rick said. ¡°He is a criminal.¡± ¡°He has used all the options available to get the position he has,¡± Rick said. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised with how similar you are. Now Len, you¡¯re the one with the plans.¡± And now I¡¯m the decoy. ¡°Thanks¡ªthough you are right. There is a lot that we have to do.¡± ¡°Lydia is heading off on the afternoon train to Warwick,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Gotcha, also what is Adrian and his squad doing?¡± Rick asked. ¡°The First company commander has been relieved of his position.¡± There was a cutting undertone to her words. Is that were the bloody smell comes from? ¡°They are currently working through the company, clearing through its ranks. Once they¡¯re finished they¡¯re going to bring in people coming out of retirement and want to serve again and train up the whole unit. Everett is going to take command,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°I thought he gave up on command taking care of you and the family instead?¡± Rick asked. ¡°It was pointed out to me multiple times that we need a better defense here in Goran to make sure that our fields and people are protected. I can¡¯t think of anyone I trust more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair and what of the other companies?¡± ¡°Third company has been on tour for a long time. They¡¯re going to get a month and a half rest, then get them trained up, refill their ranks and then I¡¯ll send them off on a expedition. I expect I will do the same with the other companies too. We need to level them up and quickly with the civil war brewing.¡± Len crossed his arms, looking at Carolyn. ¡°You make it sound like you have intentions with the civil war.¡± "The king was the one who knighted Rick¡¯s grandfather and gave us Goran. We owe him a debt.¡± ¡°And which son are you going to repay that debt to? What do they choose, which one is the rightful heir?¡± Len asked. ¡°Neither of them, in my fucking opinion," Rick grumbled. "The civil war will lead to two years of strife where everyone''s fighting one another.¡± Len pressed on. ¡°Some people are trying to loot dungeons as much as possible to sell that on to parties outside of the nation for a profit. Meanwhile, everyone''s getting killed by stronger and stronger attacks instead of getting ready for what we really need to get ready for.¡± "So we make sure that it doesn''t happen," Carolyn said. "I already told the princess what she needs to do to cure her father. What she does now is up to her. We," Rick gestured to all of them, "don''t have to do a damn thing but stay the hell out of it." "It''s a civil war. There''s no way we can just stay out of it," Carolyn said. "We have time until he dies," Len said. "We use that to build up our infrastructure and turn Goran into a bastion.¡± "But you two know what''s going to happen," Carolyn said. "You can change this." ¡°We just going to go knock on the king¡¯s door, heal him and tell him ¡®hey your sons are assholes?¡± Rick smirked. Carolyn gave him a pointed look. ¡°Rick might be poor in how he¡¯s saying it but he has a point. Also the nobles have already started falling into groups,¡± Len said. ¡°From what Lucius said, the divides are already there now. They have put in a lot of resources to building up their fighting forces. Are they just going to step them down?¡± Carolyn crossed her arms, sinking into thought. ¡°No, they¡¯ve been raising the largest fighting forces possible. It will turn to a fight of pride if nothing else.¡± "We can change some things," Rick said. "It''s not on us to change everything. And honestly, this civil war is a blip compared to all the stuff that''s about to happen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not reassuring,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°We focus on the things that we can control,¡± Len said. ¡°What if the king recovers?¡± Carolyn asked. Rick looked at Len. ¡°I guess we deal with it then?¡± ¡°If he recovers then he¡¯s going to need to deal with the mess that¡¯s happening throughout the country,¡± Len said. ¡°Wait, do you have an agreement with him?¡± Carolyn grimaced. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That doesn''t sound good,¡± Rick said. ¡°What¡¯s the nature of the agreement,¡± Len said. ¡°My husband was given land and a high position based on what he had accomplished in the name of the king bringing peace to Plynthia and keeping out the Solis league. That is the public information,¡± Carolyn took in a deep breath. ¡°The Isendia Mercenaries are made up of people from across the nation so that they would be largely neutral. A large trained force with experience that would be ready if Plynthia needed to defend against attackers once more.¡± ¡°This would be an internal fight so we could argue about us remaining neutral, protecting the people behind our defenses,¡± Rick said. ¡°The agreement is that if the king or his rightful heir asks for it we will support them,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°That¡¯s something we¡¯ll have to cross when we get to it,¡± Len said. ¡°Goran was torn apart early on so it wasn¡¯t able to contribute much to the civil war. Us being around still is already a change,¡± Rick said. ¡°Were you able to get access to the newspaper¡¯s printers?¡± Len asked. ¡°Yes they print at night to have the news ready in the morning. You can print throughout the day without issue. They are okay with signing contracts to not tell anyone what they¡¯re printing,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Good, that will change things. Crafters and those that work with their hands will climb levels quickly. The common people just want peace and if they¡¯re as strong or stronger than the fighters under the nobles it will make it harder for a civil war to happen,¡± Len said. ¡°Spreading it is going to be hard.¡± ¡°I think you answered the first part with the second. Get people to put the pamphlets in with the newspapers. We have papers printed in Eskon passing by us every day to the other cities, get someone to sneak on and put in the pamphlets,¡± Rick said. ¡°Heck we get someone in the news paper print shops in Eskon adding in the pamphlets to spread them as far as possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to add in our ¡®signature¡¯ too,¡± Len said. ¡°Is there a place I can work?¡± ¡°You can use the warehouses where the materials from the Crystal Dungeon are being stored. There''s enough room there for everything," Carolyn said. "But we have a problem in the shape of funding.¡± "Go on," Len said. "I need gold. Right now, we''re not generating any money. The debt collectors are asking us for basically everything they can get their hands on, thinking that I''m some idiotic old lady who can''t read a damn ledger. It''s been a rude awakening for them, but they''re still writing us to pay off the debts or at least get in on the interest.¡± Carolyn shook her head. ¡°I''ve talked them down a lot, but we need to generate money, and soon. I know you said how they''ll lend us more, and I can get access to a lot more, but the problem is the payments we have to make monthly. Until such an event happens where the banks really do have bigger problems than collecting debt, which I am quite doubtful of, we have to continue paying the interest. I can do that, but that doesn''t leave us anything to pay the farmers and workers you want to employ.¡± ¡°Its going to be a while before we can generate money,¡± Len said. "Promissory notes," Rick shrugged. "Write up a contract saying that we will pay them back what they are due, and in the meantime, we will make sure they are properly housed, fed, watered, and have their needs seen to by providing them a credit that they can use within the city.¡± ¡°Tracking that credit would become a nightmare,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°There was that system that they used in Velkaris,¡± Len said. ¡°The payment tokens,¡± Rick said. ¡°Right,¡± Len said. ¡°They were enchanted pieces of metal that one could load up with funds at a cashier or retrieve the funds from, also at a cashier. Velkaris had a problem with pickpockets, robbers, and thieves.¡± ¡°Well, what do you expect in a city of criminals, right?" Rick interjected. Len shrugged. "Yeah, so they had to create this slip to prevent people from stealing each other''s wealth. It started to be used in other cities as well. You enter the city with a token load it up with gold or other valuables. Then, you could set your token to transfer a certain amount of funds. Tap it to another person''s token, inject your mana, and voila, your count would decrease and the other person''s count would increase. "It would be easy to implement it here," Rick said, "because you control the pay of the soldiers coming through the city. If the soldiers are using the system to get their pay, then all of the other sellers are going to switch over to that system. You''ll need to have it instituted in places like stores that sell food and the quartermasters.¡± "If it''s easier and simpler to use the token, they''ll use the token instead,¡± Len said. ¡°While we can prevent them from using the tokens to get gold for a little while, we will need to ensure that we have enough gold on hand to meet their demands and needs soon. Otherwise, if we''re not keeping that cash ready, then they''re going to have a big problem with trusting us, and if they''re putting gold in, they want to get the damn stuff out. "We have to make it fair for everyone," Rick said including ourselves. ¡°Which is what led to everyone trying to get into Velkaris''s own vaults,¡± Len said. ¡°What a vault that would have been to crack,¡± Rick grinned and elbowed Len. Len¡¯s face spread in a grin. ¡°Yeah that would have been a fun challenge.¡± "Okay, okay." Carolyn''s eyes were distracted, filmed over, and caught on some idea. Len looked to Rick, who shrugged. "She''s always liked numbers." Guess I know where he got his love of gold from. ¡°It would make it so people would purchase more within Goran, keeping the value here,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°If we were able to link it up to Velkaris and have them use it in their trades as well. It might be best if we had others think they were the ones that came up with it. Start in Velkaris, we adopt it and then others can later on. Pay for the troops will go out in a week and then in three weeks.¡± Carolyn looked up at Len. ¡°How long would it take for you to create a thousand of these tokens?¡± ¡°The enchantment is a little tricky but not too bad. I can use molds to make them and powdered crystal. Once the first is done its just on the amount of people that we have to make it because we can make as many molds as we need.¡± Thankfully we have a lot of that crystal from the dungeon. ¡°We¡¯d give them for free to soldiers and businesses that sign up. In a few months we¡¯ll start selling them to cover the cost of production,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Well sounds like I need to get to work,¡± Len said. ¡°Where¡¯s Tenebrook?¡± Rick asked. ¡°The man has been locked up in his lab since you left.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check in on him then,¡± Rick said. Chapter 27 Len glanced around the old workshop he''d been given. The front was a small store front. The majority and rear of the room was turned over to workstations. He undid the latches on the windows, pushing them and back door open to let in light and air. A cleanse spell removed the dust and dirt from a workbench. Light crystals illuminated his workspace consisting of papers, pencils and steel plate. He took out his utility knife and placed it on the table and sat down. He picked up one of the light crystals, casting an unstructured spell upon it, imagining it as the sun itself, radiating life-giving light. Warmth spread across his skin as the hue of the crystal changed. Len studied the effects for a few minutes before cancelling the spell and setting the crystal down. He pulled out a piece of paper and began sketching an enchantment. It would need it to be reflective, absorbing the power of the light crystal and returning it in a different way, or filtering the light coming through the crystal to produce a different effect. Len looked up from his initial drawings. "It would be a lot easier if I just used a lantern. Then I could carve the enchantment into the glass of the lantern. Or I could use some kind of reflective contraption to place it inside to shine out." Len put the light stone away and stood startling a woman who was cleaning the floor. His hand dropped to his blade before he stopped himself. "Oh, sorry, Mister Len. I didn''t want to disturb you. I was just trying to get this sorted out. My name''s Gretchen. Miss Carolyn, that''s Lady Carolyn, said it would be good for me to come here. Well, she didn''t say that. My foreman said that he had orders or a request, I''m not quite sure, to have someone, an assistant or secretary, who knew mechanical things to come here." The woman ran a hand through her hair, holding the broom as if it were a shield in front of herself, and uneasy and worried smile on her face. She kept on glancing at the light crystal in curiosity. "Gretchen?" Len asked. "Yes, sir. Lord. Um, Mister Len?" "Len will do just fine, and no lord, mister, or otherwise," Len smiled, trying to be as disarming as possible. "Very well, sir. I mean, Len," she coughed, blushing. "So, why did Carolyn send you here? To be an assistant or a helper, you said?" "I was told to sign one of those contract thingies that I can''t say anything to anyone or that, and I would help you, and if you need anything, I can go get it, or if you want to talk to anyone, I can go get them. Basically, I was just told to help you out in any way possible." She said the last part in a single rush. "Okay.¡± Well, this is convenient. Len thought to himself. "I actually am in need of something." "What do you need?" Gretchen snapped upright. "I need a lantern. A reflective lantern, or a lantern with panes of glass in it." "Oh, okay. Yeah, I could go get that." Gretchen nodded. "Okay, I''ll get you some coins then," Len reached into his pockets. "Oh, no, I was given a stipend, actually, for all of your research needs. So, if you need anything, I can just draw from that or bill it to the Isendia family. Do you know if they¡¯re really going to be doing something down here in the industrial part of town everyone¡¯s asking.¡± ¡°I thought you can¡¯t tell anyone,¡± Len asked. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Gretchen picked at the broom. But you¡¯re still curious. ¡°Lets say that we will be quite busy miss Gretchen.¡± "Is there anything else that you need?" Gretchen asked. "I''ll need some clay, sheets of steel. Say, no more than five centimeters thick, and all different kinds of sizes. Whatever you can find, really,¡± Len said. ¡°Also I¡¯ll need crystal powder, say four buckets worth.¡± "All right, mister¡ªsorry! Len. I''ll get right on that." She turned for the front of the workshop, carrying her broom with her, pausing at the door, debating with herself before she placed the broom next to the door and hurried away. "Well, I''ve got an assistant," Len muttered to himself and headed back to his workspace. Len''s steps slowed as he reached the bench he¡¯d put items on. Growing lights are an interesting complex problem, but heating was going to be the biggest issue. He crossed his arms, holding his chin, and looked at the list he''d created of the different things he needed to create. Without heat, the plants would die frostbite was due in just a few months. With just heat they would be able to extend the growing season. That would be the biggest boon. After that it was increasing the speed of growing the plants. The farmer skill would increase the speed, quality and the overall harvest. Utilizing enchantments he could increase the nutrients in the soil making it so crop rotation was not required. Increase the strength of the crop¡¯s body then the mana it holds goes up. He could use the formation to grow crops and the plants that could be used in alchemy. The faster they could get a new rotation of plants into the ground the better. They needed to be reliant on their own food and the city was going to get a population boom shortly. Sound transmission devices and transfer tokens were complicated enchantments but he knew them well. Need to break them into molds so that we can quickly reproduce them. Len grimaced, all of them would need to be copied and mass produced. Heating the plants would be partially easy. Just stick them on rods and they¡¯d heat the area. Len frowned, moving over to his messenger bag to draw out a heating crystal. He rolled it around in his hand. It was hot, though it would only heat a small area. How can we increase your output or range. Len held the crystal up between two fingers and his thumb feeding it mana like he might when charging up an enchantment. It heated up, no cracks or issues appeared as he increased the amount of mana to the crystal. It started to get too hot to hold, so he crouched down and put it on the dirt, pushing more mana into it. The crystal reached a point where it stopped increasing the heat that it put out though continued to take in more mana. Excitement gripped him as he continued to charge the crystal. It took a few minutes before he couldn''t put any more manna into the crystal. "You marvellous little crystal,¡± Len chuckled. If they could enchant the rods to draw in mana and recharge the crystal it could maintain its heat and affect a larger area. Could just be wood poles with something at the top to hold the crystal and withstand the heat. If I could make a second enchantment and they were throughout the fields. Len paused. The first enchantment drew in mana and charged the crystals. They¡¯d need a good amount of mana to keep maintained, but if he got some uncommon wood, then that should be relatively easy to supply. The excess¡ªwell there was going to be all these poles out there stretched out through the fields. If he could, he could turn that into a formation. A series of interlinked enchantments greater than the sum of its parts. Create a directional, they condense mana, push it into the city itself. That would increase mana regeneration rates and make it faster for the enchantments within the city to recharge. That was a lot of mana running through and while the stuff was chaos always trying to screw up things. It was also a powerful resources when used right. If we could store that in the city somehow, Arcanum did it. Though instead of just making it denser we should store it and have special training areas where its stronger for people looking to cultivate. If they were storing that much mana¡­ a city wide barrier became a possibility, mana cannons and weaponry. The trains coming through could recharge off of them¡ªif they did that could they use the train tracks themselves? They would be made from steel or comparable materials to withstand the train. That was uncommon, two enchantments. One to draw back to Goran? Or share power between cities? The trains could passively charge from the interlinked tracks. Len shook his head it was a good idea to keep in mind, but scope creep. Len pulled out a piece of paper drawing out a diagram of the contraption and information. ¡°Okay so heating crystal, wooden rod of uncommon material.¡± He reached out with his will, creating a ghostly rod of mana. The rod peeled into a flat surface as an enchantment bloomed in a hundred lines across it. ¡°The enchantment would be mana gathering, then a second that would be directional to that mana?¡± He studied the enchantment infront of him. Lines and runes disappearing, the enchantment altering before him. ¡°Could make it directional compression? That way it compresses and pushes it towards the city. The rods that are closer to the city create a pattern around the city. Compression regions, each gathering mana from the area before and the area around it and condensing it further.¡± It would be like one¡¯s mana channels, the further it got to one¡¯s dantain the more compressed the mana was. With a thought the enchantment altered and tweaked, he formed the rectangle into a rod once more turned it and peeled it off again. He took out a few lines and runes that wouldn¡¯t be missed. He¡¯d add those into the rod itself, hidden so that others couldn¡¯t copy his work. They would also be part of the start up sequence. Whenever the rod was moved the enchantments would power down. Once it was placed again then someone that knew the start up sequence would have to thread their mana through in a certain way to activate it. ¡°That will work nicely.¡± The mana blueprint of the enchantment form compressed down becoming clearer and more refined. He brought it over the page he¡¯d been writing on and pressed it to the page, infusing the form with heat. The sharp lines and runes were singed into the paper, the blueprint dissipating, leaving behind a black copy. Len took out another page, pressed it to the first, copying it and putting it in his messenger bag. He rubbed his hands together. ¡°Okay, what¡¯s the next biggest problem with growing food?¡± He kept rubbing his hands together, his brow pinched together. Water? His hands stopped moving as his eyebrow cocked upwards. There were no major bodies of water that came close to Goran other than some ponds. Otherwise, all of the water came from wells dug deep into the ground. If he made an enchantment of the water condensing spell that he and Rick used to fill canteens that would keep the crops watered, and they could be used throughout the city to provide people with a clean source of drinking water. Troops could have it on their canteens, they¡¯d passively fill over time. It would be a small change per soldier, though it would mean they¡¯d have to carry a lot less water. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. With big enchanted condensing enchantments they wouldn¡¯t need to be shipping water with every unit or purifying it on the go. Cleanse enchantments would be great too for medical use. Len noted it down but put it to the side. An enchantment form appeared in mid-air. Len didn¡¯t need to alter it much, the mana usage was really efficient doing something so simple so it could run off of ambient mana for a long time. Then he removed several key parts and added in a start-up and stopping sequence. "Mr. Len, I got all that stuff you needed," Gretchen called from the front of the workshop. ¡°Okay,¡± Len pressed the enchantment form to a piece of paper, creating a singed version. He copied it and stored away a second version as Gretchen navigated into the workspace. ¡°Wow its warm back here!¡± Len glanced at the heating crystal on the ground. Two Isendia troops were with her. ¡°Wilkins, Jameson, good to see you¡¯re staying out of trouble,¡± Len grinned at them. Wilkins blushed as Jameson grinned back, enjoying his friends embarrassment. I can guess who put the other up to helping out the girl. Gretchen looked around the space, a bucket in each hand filled with clay. ¡°Just put them there,¡± Len said. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jameson and Wilkins dropped off their loads with hers, Wilkins pulling out metal plates he¡¯d been keeping pressed between his arm and side and Jameson put down the lanterns. ¡°I do need a couple of extra things. I need a wooden pole. Actually, you know what? Do you know those torches? The ones where they have like the metal brazier around them? Or something like that?" Len asked. "We got a bunch of them in storage. I think we can get them from the quartermaster if you want," Jameson said. ¡°You got any that you could put into the ground and it would be over head height?¡± ¡°Yeah, use them to light up camp,¡± Jameson said. "Perfect. I''ll need, let''s start with ten of those. I¡¯m looking for some that are made from uncommon wood,¡± Len said. ¡°Check the mana density of the material to know the grade,¡± Wilkins said. ¡°That¡¯s right. If you could grab those and bring them back here, drop them off with Miss Gretchen.¡± ¡°Can do!¡± Wilkins said. ¡°Alright well I have to get back to it,¡± Len started building an enchantment form in mid-air. They quickly headed out of the workspace. Thankfully, the next enchantment was also something he was well versed with. After the apocalypse, everyone ran low on food. It became the most prized item to have and hard to get. It was only those that could fight beasts that could get food reliably, clearing areas so that scavengers could harvest the food that they needed. Enchanters and crafters of all kinds worked together to create ways to grow more food, such as the growing houses. He paused and made a smaller enchantment, parts from the first flitting to the second enchantment. A formation would be much better using one central enchantment, and then four smaller markers that would help with increasing the effectiveness of the enchantment and defining the targeted area. That way, the farmers could quickly and easily mark out an area or field and have a single enchantment covering a large area. Doing so was going to take a lot of mana. The enchantments altered on the marker blueprint. I¡¯ll draw in mana through the overall formation, feed it into the main enchantment to fill the marked area. It was similar to the idea with the heating rods. By covering a larger area, it should allow the enchantment to gather more mana and reduce the number of enchantments and markers they¡¯d need to make. The enchantment resolved in his eyes, with hidden components, start up sequences and fail safes to stop if someone moved the markers or enchantment. Len copied it to paper and instead of having it dissipate he spun out three copies of the marker and pressed it all to sheets of steel drawing up the steel to the lines of mana. He power of the spell layered over the enchantment form. It dug into the steel, forming the parts of the enchantment on the surface. Len dismissed it all, sweat on his face as he withdrew his utility knife, activating the mana balde he cut the markers out of the steel plate. Using a thread of mana with a spell to compress steel he threaded it into the steel plate, forming the hidden lines and runes. He repeated the process with the other pieces and set them down to the side. The enchantment started gathering mana as soon as it was completed. Len bundled up the markers and enchantment, placing it to the side. It would fill with mana until the lines within were full. "Okay, sound transmission devices," Len said to himself. He grabbed one of the buckets filled with clay, and his sound transmission device. He pressed the enchantment covered front face against the smooth clay at the top of the bucket, creating a clean impression when he removed it. He pressed his hand to another bucket, thinking of the turning numbers that were located on the device, as well as the pin that held them in place. He commanded the clay to make space for them. Twelve of the rotating numbers appeared in the top of the clay with a hole next to them for the small pin. Len pictured the second half of the formation within the sound transmission device that the back plate of the device and willed the clay in the bucket into its shape. He looked over the components. ¡°Lets test it.¡± Grabbing a bucket of powdered crystal he poured it into the molds then willed the crystal to fuse together. He took the front of the sound transmission device, using his blade he cut away the extra filling where the dial was supposed to be, replacing it with the pin and numbers from the second bucket. A little fusing spell and the pin was part of the sound transmission device. He ran his thumb over them, feeling them click through each position. He put in the numbers for the sound transmission device he¡¯d borrowed from Rick. He took out the back plate from the second bucket, matched it to the front of the device and fused it together except for the enchantment. A thread of mana through the device and he added in the remaining runes and lines. He ran his mana through the device in its special activation sequence. The other device activated, both glowed with mana. He''d added a destructive rune to the device. If someone didn''t put in the right combination of mana, then the whole device would turn to crystal dust once more. ¡°Well it works.¡± Len poured crystal powder into the molds, fusing it again and putting them off to the side. ¡°Never actually made one of these devices before," he mused, pulling out a fresh piece of paper and pencil. He tapped the back of the pencil against his lip, eyes focused on the blank page. The device had rotating numbers, similar enough to the sound transmission device. Could just copy down the process there. The more complex part was the dedicated sequence that the token''s owner had to utilize to activate it, either withdrawing or depositing funds. It functioned somewhat like a contract, requiring mutual agreement. Tokens had evolved to the point where one couldn''t force another to pay with their token unless they agreed to the transaction. They hadn¡¯t needed a sequence, but one couldn¡¯t complete the transaction unless they agreed to it. What if it''s not a contract with the person?What if it''s a contract with the token? Agreeing that the token would hold funds for you, that you could withdraw and deposit, and that you wouldn''t try to alter or cheat the token and the amounts represented on it. It was like making an agreement with someone that they would hold your money and they were only able to take and give money if you agreed with it. Though it was with a piece of metal instead of a person. That would mean any transaction couldn''t be tampered with, and you''re agreeing with the token to transfer the funds to the other party. The token would essentially record the actions of that contract. Then, you wouldn''t need a secure sequence. The token would only work with you, or for you, or by associates that you empower because that''s all under contract. It was like making a contract with a contract. Len formed an enchantment blueprint in midair. This one was slightly different, not utilizing just runes and lines but also words, a contract laid out at its heart. He split it into two parts that would layer over one another, copying it to paper then duplicated it several times before pressing them all down on steel plate he had to the side. He cut them out with his utility knife, taking two of the sides once he was done and pressing them together, fusing them on the spaces between the lines and runes, creating a thin sandwich of metal. Using clay, he formed a mold for a pin and number dials. He filled the mold with the...powdered crystal, fusing it together to create his necessary parts. Utilizing a few spells and his utility knife, he quickly cut out little spaces for the numbers and the rods to go through on either side of the token. He created a blueprint from mana of just words and arrows. One said balance and the other transfer. Len pressed it to the token, compressing the lines into it. He put down the first token then repeated the process to make four in total. "Gretchen, could you come back here?" Len asked. "Right away, Mr. Len." She hurried back into the workspace as he held out one of the completed tokens to her. "I just need to test something. I''m going to give you five coppers." He placed them on the table. "If you take those and then give them back to me, say you''d like to cashier them with me as a representative of Goran. While holding this token in your hands.¡± "Okay." Gretchen took the token, picked up the coins, then passed him the coins. "I''d like to cashier these five coppers with you as a representative of Goran.¡± He accepted the coins. Her confused expression turned to shock as she looked down at the token in her hands, grabbing her stomach where her dantain would be focused. The numbers at the bottom of the token rotated upwards. Len¡¯s didn¡¯t change as he was acting as cashier. "Okay, perfect. Now I want you to say that you want to withdraw five coppers from me and then we''re going to touch tokens together," Len said. ¡°I want to withdraw the five coppers.¡± She tapped her token against his and nothing happened. "Okay, use the negative on the transfer then put the number to five.¡± Len instructed. She did so. "Okay, and say the words that you said again and we¡¯ll tap tokens.¡± ¡°I want to withdraw the five coppers.¡± She tapped her token against his. Her numbers dwindled down on her token as they rose on Len''s token and he felt the contract come into place with him utilizing the token. He felt discomfort before he handed over the five coppers and the discomfort fell away. "You need conscious thought to agree to what the token is doing in order to agree to it. Just by utilizing the token and cashiering money at the gates or using it to buy something or sell something, the token would activate and become bound to the person. Perfect. Okay, thank you, Gretchen." He slipped the token away into a pocket. "Do you want this back?" She held out the tokens and coins. ¡°No, you might as well keep it. We''ll be using those a lot in the future.¡± Len turned back to his papers and noted down what he¡¯d figured out. I should look at the lightning fences next, keep creatures out of the fields. He realized that Gretchen hadn¡¯t left as he finished writing and looked back at her. ¡°What are you drawing?¡± Gretchen asked, distracted, she didn¡¯t sound frantic for the first time, curious and interested. ¡°These are enchantments, they take the mana from the world around us, and exert control over it, creating a reliable output,¡± Len smiled. ¡°Ah, sorry for distracting you Len!¡± She bunched up her hands in her skirts and bowed her head. ¡°Curiosity is a powerful tool, don¡¯t ever be sorry for being curious,¡± Len smiled. ¡°Now, what other questions do you have? I¡¯m not letting you go until you ask at least one that you¡¯re storing up in there.¡± ¡°Well, uhh how does it work?¡± She asked. Len paused, gathering his thoughts and pulling back. He¡¯d been working so deep in the enchantments. It¡¯ll be good to learn how to teach people from the starting point. Len took out a fresh piece of paper and put it between them and started outlining an enchantment. ¡°There are three parts to an enchantment, power, which is done in the lines of an enchantment.¡± He finished the simple geometric pattern and starting writing out squiggles. "Then there is the effect written in runic that commands mana. That''s the heart of the enchantment, as in, what will the enchantment do?¡± He circled the ¡®effect¡¯ and turned to her. ¡°For example, an enchantment might take air and turn that into water by condensing the water that''s held in the air. That''s an effect. But it must also have a direction.¡± He held up a finger. Before jotting down more ¡®runes¡¯ creating a square around them. ¡°So, you could have it in a specific area that it draws in air and converts it into water, or you could make it all of the area around it, or you could link it to another smaller enchantment called a marker. That would allow you to create a larger area of effect and a stronger enchantment overall.¡± Len looked at her. ¡°So, power, direction, and effect," Gretchen said. ¡°When all of those components are balanced out correctly, it activates and the enchantment works how you desire it to,¡± Rick said. "Okay," Gretchen nodded. "As enchantments get more advanced, you need to use stronger materials. They can hold more mana, allowing you to create more complicated directions, to increase the overall effect, to increase the amount of power supplied, or make it more power efficient. It can also lead to having more enchantments than just one on a single material, which can mean you need to balance out those enchantments or combine those enchantments, which is the best." "I''ve never heard of anything like this enchanting," Gretchen frowned. "It''s something new, like the screens everyone''s been seeing," Len said. "Oh, okay then. Well," she hesitated for a second, "Thank you for your time, Mr. Len." She bobbed her head and hurried away. He felt sad at the way she¡¯d cut herself off. I feel that she wanted to ask more. He hoped that she would get the courage to try and ask more questions and pursue enchanting if she so desired. She seemed very sweet. Len cast the unstructured spell to turn the light from the crystal into a growing light once again. He probed the unstructured spell, trying to understand its effects and the best way to reverse them. He jotted down notes on his paper. "There is a different kind of light coming from the structured spell compared to non-structured." He cancelled the spell and moved to the steel plate on his bench. He added in lines to contain, control, and focus mana in a path he desired. Then he cut a section of the steel plate out itself, pushing it out the other side. He put the plate down, placing the light crystal atop it. He took out another steel plate, putting it to the side. Then he started carving into the piece that he cut out from the steel plate. This was the actual enchantment containing the runes that would command the mana to act in a certain way and function differently. He put down the piece he had carved up, using it as a template to cut more pieces from the remaining steel plate. Then he added runes to them as well, creating three different versions, each altering the light that would be emitted by the crystal. He dropped the first into the cutout on the carved steel plate. The light coming off of the crystal changed, but it wasn''t the same as what it had been when he cast his spell. Len poked the testing piece out and replaced it. That feels more like it. He poked out the tester and put in the third enchantment, the third effect tester. He pressed his lips together and shook his head. The second one was better. He poked out the tester, putting the first and the third to the side as he studied the second. He carved out another two testers based on it. Three tests later, he picked the light crystal off of the enchantment prototype. "All right, that''ll just need some focusing and tweaking to make it work for our lantern.¡± He put the growing light prototype to the side and stacked the lanterns near it. He heard the door open at the front of the workshop. "Miss Gretchen," Wilkins said, That''ll be my rods. He looked at the items he¡¯d already created. Right now I¡¯m the only enchanter, so I¡¯m the bottle neck to making more stuff. Len picked up a couple of the steel sheets, copying the enchantment from the growing formation. It might be some time before Wilkins was able to get past Miss Gretchen. Chapter 28 Rick walked into the clinic that Tenebrook worked in. The number of patients was greatly reduced, but the woman at the reception looked haggard even though he could feel she¡¯d leveled up several times. ¡°Uhh¡ªoh, hello,¡± she blinked smiling at him. ¡°Tenebrook in?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Her smile dipped. ¡°He¡¯s very busy though.¡± ¡°If you want to tell him that Rick is here and he has more books and ingredients?¡± ¡°Mister Isendia!¡± She nearly jumped out of her seat, patting down her skirt and clutching her hands together, bobbing out a bow and then attempting a curtsey. ¡°Thank you miss,¡± Rick gave her a calming smile. ¡°He said that you were allowed to go and see him no matter what, I can get him,¡± She said. ¡°If its okay I can go to him, I¡¯m interested to learn what he¡¯s been doing.¡± ¡°Right, uhh well, this way.¡± She came around her desk and led him through the swinging doors into the clinic. There were a few people in beds, looking like they were recovering from drinking incidents. Rick noted their appearance. Probably some of the guys coming back home for the first time. They were due to blow off some steam. Been a long time for most of them. They¡¯d left with loved ones and families back here and been gone for months, some years. Things might have shifted and changed while they were gone. See if we can¡¯t set up some dances give them something fun to look forward to. People needed outlets and if done in the right way they could help instead of hurt. The deeper they ventured into the clinic, the more disorganized it appeared. In various rooms, he observed shelves and desks cluttered with an assortment of items, each progressively messier than the last. In one room, several individuals clad in lab coats were sprawled asleep on the floor, in chairs, and even on a desk, some having fallen asleep in the middle of writing notes. Meanwhile, two others worked diligently on chemistry sets, maneuvering around their slumbering colleagues as if they were part of the furniture. "I''m sorry for all of the mess," the receptionist apologized, wringing her hands. "Seems like things have gotten a little hectic around here," Rick commented. Whoump a flame erupted from a beaker held by a chemist. The flame nearly licked the ceiling as the chemist simply extended it further from himself until it extinguished. He then brought it closer, shaking it to inspect the remaining contents. "Interesting, high flammable properties," he mused, placing the beaker down and moving to the opposite side of the room where his notepad lay. Judging by the receptionist''s non-reaction, this was not an unusual occurrence. The fact that the man''s notepad was on the other side of the room seemed to suggest that they¡¯d become used to it. Rick allowed the woman to guide him deeper into the labyrinth that was Tenebrook¡¯s clinic. It took all kinds of eccentricities to uncover the secrets of alchemy. ¡°Tenebrook has brought in all of the chemists from the clinic. Most of them have been working around the clock to learn this new school of chemistry,¡± The woman explained. ¡°Have there been any incidents?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Yes, but they created potions that would heal people and another that would allow them to work without the need of sleep or food.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Rick nodded. The woman reached Tenebrook¡¯s room, the door was tilted. She knocked on the door. ¡°I¡¯m not to be interrupted!¡± A voice yelled from the other side. Rick pushed open the door, it nearly fell out of the doorway, drunkenly scraping against the floor as it revealed the chaos beyond. The lab was a maze of glass beakers, bubbling concoctions, and glowing crystals. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and strange fumes, faint trails of smoke twisting toward the ceiling. The shutters in the window frames were all broken in some way. Burn and acid pitting marks could be seen everywhere. In front of Tenebrook, an experiment was reaching a critical point¡ªvials filled with volatile liquids shimmered, their contents swirling ominously as the alchemist added a pinch of powder. ¡°I said¡ªoh RICK!¡± Tenebrook¡¯s thunderous expression, flipped into a wide smile as he released his pinch of powder. As the powder touched the bubbling mixture, a deep, resonant hiss echoed through the room, and the entire lab seemed to hold its breath. Tenebrook¡¯s eyes widening as he threw the concoction at the fume hood he was near. The liquid in the flask churned violently, turning a deep, unnatural shade of crimson. For a split second, the concoction sat still¡ªsuspended, frozen in an eerie calm. Rick dove to the side, grabbing the receptionist. Then came the explosion. A deafening boom shook the lab. A brilliant flash of purple and blue light stole Rick¡¯s vision. Rick picked himself up off the floor and ran into the room. There was no trace of Tenebrook. The tables had been ripped from the floor and overturned, glass and metal twisted beyond recognition, the once-organized shelves now reduced to rubble. The door had given up the fight, learning on a broken table. The fume hood at the heart of the explosion, was now a blackened crater, still glowing faintly with residual energy, while tendrils of unnatural smoke coiled into the air, shimmering with the last remnants of unstable magic. Broken shelves shifted on the opposite side of the room. Rick pulled the shelves off of Tenebrook. The man coughed and spluttered. A thin barrier fell away from him as he waved off Rick. He still hit the man with a healing spell. ¡°Oh, that feels better, head was swimming there for a minute.¡± Tenebrook reached out a hand. Rick took it, helping him to his feet. The air smelled like lightning, burning Rick¡¯s nose. ¡°Was just testing out some of the new ingredients that came in! Quite excitable!¡± He patted his clothes, getting out the glass that filled them. He grimaced as he looked around he room. ¡°Going to need more space and a dedicated testing lab.¡± The receptionist shakily looked into the room, glass cracking under her shoes. ¡°Thank you miss, I think it would be best if you take the rest of the day off,¡± Rick said. ¡°Uhh, umm, yes, thank you.¡± She nodded. ¡°Thank you mister Isendia.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± She blushed slightly and carefully manouvered her way out of the lab¡¯s wreckage. ¡°I have much to do,¡± Tenebrook said. ¡°I know, come on,¡± Rick patted him on the shoulder and guided him towards the lab door. ¡°My work is here!¡± Tenebrook dug his heels into the remains of his lab, crossing his arms as Rick pushed him like a plow. ¡°We brough ingredients and books on alchemy as well as a lab from an alchemist. Barely cracked it so their concoctions could still be ongoing.¡± ¡°Another alchemist?¡± Tenebrook picked up his feet and marched for the door, Rick nearly falling over. ¡°Where to mister Rick? Oh I should bring the staff, they¡¯ll be interested and if there are books to be read it would be best to read them over then have a discussion upon them.¡± Tenebrook nodded to himself ¡°ALCHEMISTS!¡± And there goes the rest of the glass in the building. People hurried out into the corridor, some stumbling, waking from sleep, others wide-eyed from not having rested. Many were drinking green stamina potions, becoming alert once more. ¡°Assemble all of your notes and information! We will be heading out at once!¡± They rushed back into their rooms. ¡°All of them are under contract?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Rick noticed he wasn¡¯t moving. ¡°Do you need to grab anything?¡± ¡°I have all my notes,¡± Tenebrook tapped his breast pocket. ¡°So what have you been up to since I¡¯ve been gone?¡± Rick asked. Maybe I can help him. ¡°Having actual samples we were able to test out our theories and grasp the basic principles of these new ingredients systematically. Its fascinating, the principles of chemistry apply, though the final concoction is as much about the physical properties but the flow of mana. I took something from that molecule you showed me--¡± Molecule? The spell form? ¡°You see the potion will work if the properties are aligned as well as the geometry. If the geometry is wrong then the whole thing will become unstable with varied results. Combined in the right way with the right molecule being formed the overall effects of the concoction can be greater than the sum of its parts.¡± Tenebrook frowned. ¡°It is thankful that we have gotten stronger with our skills. The ingredients when combined can be highly unstable. I sent everyone out to a skill-up that the soldiers were hosting, your grandma approved it. Safety is key.¡± Rick couldn¡¯t help but remember him dropping a pinch of whatever into a beaker. He glanced past Tenebrook to the remains of his lab. ¡°Right, safety.¡± * * * Rick walked through the city with the alchemists, their appearances drawing stares. They crossed over to the industrial side of the city across the tracks. He spotted Mackie, some of his squad members and other mercenaries standing at a gate leading into the warehouses where the dungeon¡¯s materials were kept. Mackie and the others snapped to attention, hitting their chests in salute. Rick returned the salute, walking up to Mackie. ¡°Got you on guard duty?¡± ¡°Had to have someone they could trust watching over all this stuff,¡± Mackie tilted his head back at the compound. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°How¡¯re things with the companies?¡± Rick dropped his voice. ¡°Been away for a long time. Got issues, having some time off and getting them trained back up is going to be necessary.¡± Rick grunted. ¡°So what brings you down this side of the tracks?¡± Mackie looked past him at the alchemists. ¡°Know where they put all the alchemy stuff and the lab?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Yeah warehouse three,¡± Mackie pointed to it. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for, these are our alchemists and I¡¯m hoping we can get them making potions,¡± Rick said. ¡°A drink that can keep you awake for days and another to heal your injuries.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± Mackie grinned and moved to the side. ¡°Open the gate!¡± The others on guard duty pushed open the gate. Rick waving his alchemists to follow, nodding to a few of the troops he knew. He pushed open warehouse three. The lab was in the back left of the building, the rear wall was covered in shelves with crates of alchemy ingredients nearby. The front right of the building had shelves up against the walls too and crates filled with books. The front left had worn desks and chairs. The alchemists spread out as they entered the warehouse, taking it all in. ¡°First we will learn as much as we can from the books as possible. I want us to categorize them all then share our learnings. From there we will study the laboratory and the ingredients effects!¡± Tenebrook looked at the alchemists with him. ¡°I¡¯ll get the translating spell form so your associates can read the books,¡± ¡°No worries, they all learned it already,¡± Tenebrook waved him off, walking over to a book, he picked it up and started reading. ¡°Crystalline formation and coloration permutations.¡± He flicked open the book, reading the first page. ¡°That¡¯s a really complicated spell form,¡± Rick said. ¡°It was elegant, interesting roots. We think in molecular geometry so it wasn¡¯t that hard to figure out.¡± ¡°You understand it?¡± Rick asked. ¡°I don¡¯t understand it. Though I can memorize the form and then cast it.¡± Tenebrook frowned. ¡°Might be interesting to think of other spells in the form of molecular geometry, test out what they do? Though that form was not based on the molecular bonds. I wouldn¡¯t know what combination it would be.¡± ¡°Well I¡¯ll leave this with you.¡± Rick said hurriedly, passing him the spell form. ¡°Let me know if you need anything. And don¡¯t start casting random structured spells. They can cause blowback and harm you.¡± Tenebrook nodded, wandering away towards a desk. The only noises were flipping of pages and pencils on paper. Going to need someone to make sure they eat, drink, sleep and keep the place orderly. Rick headed out of the warehouse and looked around for the tallest building. He jumped up nearly three stories to the top of a brick wall of the warehouse, holding his arms out for balance. Don¡¯t eat shit Mackie and his guys are watching. Rick jumped up to the apex of the brick wall, landing in a crouch. All smooth like. He sat on the top of the warehouse, looking over Goran. To the north of the train tracks lay Goran City proper. The entire city was laid out in a grid network, established when the five military bases were erected. Four of these bases surrounded the Isendia family home, a smaller walled compound within the city. North of the family compound was the largest military base. What had once been the city''s edge, where the bases were located, now only contained two-thirds of the city. The city had expanded beyond the bases into the surrounding areas, leading to the construction of shoddier buildings and creating a sort of slum. The areas between the military bases were connected by main roads, well-worn cobbled streets. The spaces not occupied by these roads were filled with homes and businesses for the people of Goran. These were the loved ones of those serving as mercenaries or had been working in the industries that supported the city. Horse-drawn carts clattered along the roads, laborers and factory workers crowding the sidewalks, their clothes stained with the grime of the factories or fields. The air was thick with coal smoke and oil, the smells of industry. Rick looked at the warehouse and industrial district he was in. It had come later, a secondary thought. Laying south of the train tracks warehouses, the few remaining factories and a few workshops toiled away. He stood to get a better view. The warehouses were soot-streaked from their proximity to the train and the coal that was hauled up into the city to feed it. The buildings, once symbols of progress, were weathered and tired, their brick walls covered in grime and windows fogged with soot. He could see the clean lines that the city had carved into the ground and how progress had advanced faster than the city could keep up with, or stopped caring about. ¡°Not the best, but not the worst,¡± Rick said. ¡°Got to work from what¡¯s important outwards.¡± Trains could be the new lifeblood letting us move rapidly across the world. Food will always be important. Though they¡¯d just need big buildings, some dirt, and a bunch of mana channelled into the whole thing to grow food. ¡°We have a set of tracks that go west and south east we¡¯re going to have to go north with the obelisk. Velkaris is to the south.¡± Rick frowned. ¡°Could just built the north-south station under-ground.¡± Rick¡¯s words faltered. He¡¯d said that they would connect to the tracks between Goran and Warwick. Though he¡¯d have to go under or over the track that already ran through Goran to have a north-south line. If we¡¯re making an underground station and line through Goran anyway, we could run that all the way to Velkaris. Rick mentally drew up the map of Plynthia and the dungeons. Connecting the two cities, the track would run near the starlight gate. Rick pulled up his sound transmission device, calling Lucius. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°hey Lucius, Rick here, I was thinking about just connecting Velkaris directly to Goran. Gonna modify the city a bit here anyway and if I do an underground station then I don¡¯t see why we need to run the risk of running the train on the line from Warwick to Goran.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with it,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Also while I have you I¡¯d warn you about heading to Eskon personally or doing in the direction of the city Crenda.¡± ¡°Ah, good to know,¡± Rick said. ¡°Talk later, bye.¡± ¡°Bye.¡± Rick put the sound transmission device away and squatted on the roof, looking at the layout of the city. Alright, now lets fix you up and plan if we were to increase the population by a hundred lets say. The train line was destined to be the new heart of the city. He took out a travel table and started drawing out a new plan. Surrounding it would be the warehouses and the industrial district, as well as the crafters. People wouldn''t mind working near a train line, but they certainly wouldn''t want to live near it. Given the train line''s importance and its large opening, it was necessary to place two of the military bases on either side of the above-ground track running east to west. This way, they could monitor incoming trains and any other creatures. He could turn the tracks outside of the city into bridges that could be raised or lowered in case of beast attacks or unwanted visitors. The city itself would be a large rectangle, with the north and south walls each having a large base guarding the gates, two more large bases on the east and west train lines. They¡¯d be connected by a truly massive wall. Four stories high of extruded stone and ten meters wide to allow for outer rooms where one could fight oncoming enemy and an inner area where supplies and people could move to keep those fighting supplied without being under threat. He drew up a cross section of the wall, the floors, slits, doors off center from one another. Reinforced third and fourth story balconies on the interior wall to hurl payloads over without being exposed to fire. Smaller bases would be situated in each corner of the wall, stretching between the bases and encapsulating the new city. The old bases would be converted into squares where people could buy and sell goods or cultivate crops for their families. The grid layout would be maintained to facilitate the movement of people. The cobbled stone would be replaced with stone slabs, and new roads would be laid through the southern section beyond the storage district. Going to need stone extruders to start. Can make do with fusers to clean up the cobbled roads. The city''s current footprint would be quadrupled to accommodate the population. Even if there weren''t enough people to fill the space with houses, the remaining area could be used for protected farmland to grow food within the city walls. Best to have some food production inside the city no matter what. Rick ringed it around the tracks and along the walls. It would give more space between the industrial activites and peoples homes and if fighting broke out they could clear the fields around the walls to create a larger mustering area. There were wells under the current bases and throughout the city, supplied by the aquifer that ran through the area. Cleansing enchantments and water condensing enchantments to keep good flow of water. If they could make enough, they could add water collecting enchantments on the roofs of buildings would direct water into reservoirs, similar to the wells. Gravity would then feed the water through pipes to wash away detritus. He added sewage lines across the city. Waste collection points would be located near the gates. Another enchantment would convert the remaining waste into fertilizer for the fields within and beyond. Going to need a mana barrier at sometime too. He checked his design and looked over the city again. As a second thought he added designated inns as well as bathhouses. Inns to get the revenue from visiting merchants and count as overflow if the famers had to be pulled inside the walls. And everyone appreciates a warm shower or bath. Help with hygiene too. Rick stored away everything and dropped from the roof before walking to where Mackie was watching the gates with his people, talking to some of them. Rick raised his head to Jameson who was off to the side. ¡°You know where Len¡¯s at?¡± Jameson grinned. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s down that way. When you see Wilkins can you tell him to stop flirting?¡± Rick snorted. ¡°Alright.¡± He walked down the group of workshops, the place had seen better days. Going to need to bring all those people back. They could set it up, but they were hoping for the best and it was to be seen what would happen. Best preparations. Rick opened the door, finding Wilkins heading for the door. ¡°Rick,¡± Wilkins nodded. ¡°Jameson was looking for you,¡± Rick looked past him to the young woman at the counter. ¡°Thanks,¡± Wilkins coughed and hurried out the door. Young lad, glad he was able to get back his arm. ¡°Miss,¡± Rick nodded to the woman. "Young Master Rick," she squeaked. Rick gave her a smile walking past her into the rear of the store. "Len!" Rick yelled. The man jumped up from where he was working. "Damn it. Scared the crap out of me!¡± "Well, it''s better to scare the crap out of you when I''m further than arm''s reach, than being right next to you and scaring the crap out of you." Rick grinned as he looked around Len''s workspace. ¡°Playing with your wood I see?¡± Len gave him a flat glare, a partial enchantment growing through the tall torch from where he held it. ¡°What you looking for?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Rick siad. ¡°What do you want?¡± Len changed his tact, putting the rod to the side, joining another he¡¯d completed. ¡°Well I was thinking how a couple of tools would make things a lot easier with building. Though I¡¯d be needing enchantments on them. Remembered you can make whatever your mind comes to and so well, I need some enchanted gear,¡± Rick leaned on a workbench. ¡°What you need?¡± Len sighed, crossing his arms and leaning against the opposite bench. ¡°Stone extruder and fusers, Excavators, that should get things started.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to need a carpenter or a smith to make the frame for the excavator. Stone extruders¨Cyou need big pieces of stone?¡± Len asked. ¡°Yup, bigger the better,¡± Rick agreed. ¡°That kind of works with something I¡¯ve been thinking about,¡± Len said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°So these heating crystal holders,¡± He pointed a thumb at the rods he¡¯d finished. ¡°They draw in mana through the fields and direct it into the city, increasing the density of mana with time.¡± ¡°You working to create Arcanus? They turned the entire region into a formation that drew mana in, focusing it all into their city.¡± ¡°And the mana was so dense that unborn children were corrupted by the powerful mana and the people started to turn into demons. The enchantments were broken in the city in a rebellion and by then nearly half of the population were demons. The release of the mana created its own mana storm and the entire region became a shit show.¡± Len said. ¡°Not pretty at all,¡± Rick said. ¡°Hasn¡¯t happened yet.¡± ¡°Be nice if we could stop that, though it is far away.¡± ¡°Before you think too hard Rick, what I¡¯m thinking instead is storing that mana throughout the city. Whatever stone you extrude, we add a mana battery to it. A series of lines that capture the mana and store it.¡± ¡°That would help out with building a barrier,¡± Rick said. ¡°Can use it in training rooms to help people to cultivate a higher mana level. Also powering up weapons on whatever wall you¡¯re deciding to build.¡± ¡°Who said I was designing a wall?¡± Rick said indignantly. ¡°Only idiots don¡¯t have a wall, and you¡¯re not that stupid,¡± Len said. ¡°Also I was thinking of linking it to the train tracks, share mana between us and Velkaris, draw in mana through the areas they run through, keep the train charged up.¡± ¡°Oh, that would be pretty cool.¡± Len looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Now an extruder like the one we¡¯re talking about is going to take a lot of mana. I¡¯ll put a mana draw enchantment on it as well as the extruder. I think that I can make it so you attach it to a frame and it¡¯ll pull stone up according to that.¡± ¡°So I put it to a plank of wood, point it down and it will bring up stone in the size of the plank of wood?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Yeah and you put it on a shield and point it at stone it¡¯ll extruded that stone out in the shape of a shield,¡± Len said. ¡°That¡¯s all kinds of useful,¡± Rick held his chin, nodding. ¡°The bigger the frame the more mana its going to need,¡± Len said. ¡°Though it also means if you carve into the form, it looks pretty, but it also adds in the lines needed for the battery.¡± ¡°With the amount of stone that¡¯ll be a lot of mana,¡± Rick said. ¡°I¡¯ve got to talk my plans over with my Grandma anyway so I¡¯ll ask her for some people.¡± ¡°Ask for me too, I¡¯ve got a lot of the things we need figured out,¡± Len gestured at the table of metal plates, rods, and crystal creations as well as clay forms. ¡°Oh and you can give her these.¡± Len picked up a token and a sound transmission device, handing them to Rick. ¡°Activation sequence is the same as our old ones. The token, you just need to use it, it¡¯s the contract itself and so it¡¯ll work just for you.¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± Rick shook his head ¡®I don¡¯t know whatthe hell you mean, but I don¡¯t want to ask¡¯ ¡°What kind of workers do you need?¡± Rick asked as he put them into a pocket. ¡°Blacksmiths any grade, general laborers with at least ten mana stat,¡± Len said. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Rick said. Len stood up and started gathering up the things he¡¯d made. ¡°Where you going?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Check on my family, see what they think of what I¡¯ve made and they¡¯re under contract already. I can start getting them working on producing more of these items. Might be a few among them that want to do something other than farm.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Rick turned and headed out of the workspace. ¡°Catch you later!¡± He waited as he got to the door at the front. ¡°Oh and I decided to put the train statin under the city!¡± ¡°What!?¡± Rick nodded to Gretchen as she looked around, confused and hurried out the door before Len could catch him. Chapter 29 Len knocked on the door to his family''s temporary home, looking out to the southeast where Goran lay. It was one of the closer farming settlements that had been abandoned by the previous owners and returned to the Isendia family. "I got it," Jed called from inside, opening the door. "Len!¡± ¡°Hey, Jed. Is everyone around?" "Dad''s out with some neighbors, helping them fix up a cart and prospecting the farms. Laurie is down in the city looking at some of the clinics. Des is helping Mom make dinner." Len glanced at the sky, there was still a good chunk of the day left. Des walked into the front room, wiping his hands clean on his pants. "Hey, Len. What are you doing?" ¡°Looking to get away from house chores?¡± ¡°No!¡± He nodded his head yes and clasped his hands as if begging. Len laughed. ¡°Well good thing I need you. Len picked up empty steel plates he brought with him. "Mom, can I steal them for a bit?" ¡°Okay! Though I still want one of those warming plates you were talking about when you get back.¡± she yelled from the kitchen. I have enough steel plates. ¡°Okay!¡± Jed and Des both grinned. "Here, you can help me with these." Len gave Jed the growing formation as Des walked out and closed the door. ¡°Get those,¡± Des grabbed the heating crystal holders leaning against the wall. The building was sturdy and made from wood, a cluster of five similar houses at a cross roads leading to farms and Goran. "Dad tell you which one''s the best field yet?" Len asked. "That one out over there," Des used his chin to point. "Jed, you know it too?" Len asked as he started walking in that direction. "Yeah, I was with him when he was walking around it. You hear anything from the city?" "Well, depends on what you mean by ''what I''ve heard in the city''," Len asked. "Anything interesting or useful?" Jed asked dryly. "Well, I know that we''re hiring a whole bunch of workers to make stuff if anyone''s interested around here and I know that the whole city is probably going to get redesigned if Rick has anything to do with it. I also know that with these enchantments we''re about to have a harvest in the middle of winter." Des and Jed looked at the items in their hands and then at one another skeptically. "Don''t trust your dear brother?" Len said. "Trust you just fine, but it seems a little... I don''t know, crazy, even with everything," Des said. Jed shrugged. "Might as well wait and see, I guess.¡± ¡°This the one?" Len asked as he stopped near the edge of the field. "Yeah, this is it. It goes down to those three trees over there, then across to where there''s a bunch of rocks piled up, then back down to this kind of dirt track we''re standing on," Des said. "All right, Jed, put down the big plate on that corner there," Len jabbed out with his elbow, holding steel plates himself. "Then take the smaller ones and put them at each corner of the field. With the carved side pointing out. Jed looked over the span of the field, putting down the main enchantment. "Yay, running." He took off at a jog towards the three trees that Des had pointed out. "And what are we doing with these?" Des held up the heating crystal holders. "We''re gonna put those throughout the field. They should have a range of about twenty meters. So put one twenty meters from the sides of the field and the corner, then put two more towards the trees and create rows of them along the road.¡± ¡°Like a twenty meter grid with the holders where the lines cross.¡± ¡°Right!¡± Len said. ¡°Okay,¡± Des walked into the field that was covered in half rotted plants that had been left. They harvested and didn¡¯t care about clean up. Len eyed the ditch that went along the side of the farm. "Do you know which way the water flows through here?" Len asked. "Starts up over on where the field meets the road down there," Des gestured with his sticks, "then splits this way and down to the boulder pile." "All right, well I''ll start up there then." Len hurried up to where Des had pointed out, stopping next to the ditch that ran along the sides of the farm. Using his utility knife and mana blade enchantment he quickly carved a water condensing enchantment into one of the steel plates, adding in a few hidden parts and passing mana through the enchantment to activate it. Water started to flow from the center of the enchantment. He put it in the ditch, pointing down to the ground, letting water flow through it. Len copied the enchantment onto another steel plate and faced it down the ditch that ended at the boulders. He used the activation sequence and water started to flow through. Len seated it in the mud standing and wiping his hands clean as Jed reached him with the last growing marker. "So it''s like that spell that you use to pull water out of the air?" Jed said. "Yeah, this will keep all the fields well watered throughout the year." Len stood up and they started walking back towards where Des was, having finished putting his sticks into the field. Len spotted a group of farmers, headed by his father, moving towards them from the other side. "I guess they finished their prospecting," Len said. "So what is happening in the city otherwise?" Jed asked. "You know, you can go into the city and check it out for yourself," Len said. "Well, I don''t have much in the way of coin now, do I? Also, most people are worried with all the troops coming back. That while it''s nice to have everyone back, there could be issues. Lots of people haven''t been home in a long time," Jed said. "We''re gonna have plenty for them to do. A whole bunch of working projects throughout the city. Something to keep their minds off of it. But yeah, there''s probably going to be some upset,¡± Len shrugged. ¡°I''m hearing all kinds of rumors coming out of Eskon though," Jed said. "I thought you hadn''t been into Goran?¡± ¡°You hear things in passing," Jed shrugged. "Hear things in passing, right. And nothing that you hear in passing ever misses you, does it?" Len asked. Jed just smiled. "Okay, so what are you hearing out of Eskon then?" Len asked. "Hearing that there''s a bunch of nobles who are starting to get all angry with one another. People saying that the king''s not getting any better. That these screens and all this mana is creating a lot of tension between people," Jed said. Len nodded. We don¡¯t have to worry about just the apocalypse, the civil war and noble¡¯s plots will create plenty of issues. Len opened up his messenger bag and pulled out a warm wooden box. Des raised his hand in greeting. Len pulled out a heating crystal. ¡°Put the crystal in the holder, then grab here,¡± he did as he said. ¡°You want to thread mana down to the right, then around and back to this point.¡± The area warmed up as the enchantment worked. ¡°Okay,¡± Des said. Len gave them crystals and they worked to the edge of the field where Edward and the other farmers were waiting. ¡°What you got going on here?¡± He father asked as he reached them. ¡°Just a few tricks,¡± He winked and kneeled down, activating the growing enchantment formation. The remaining plants through the field started to wither. ¡°This here adds nutrients to the soil and speeds up crops. Those heating crystals will keep the ground and the area around them warm. Then we got water coming down through the ditch up there,¡± Len pointed to each thing. "These are the enchantments I was talking about to speed up growing. Now, it''s no crystal growing house, but this should be good enough for a few months and let you grow another harvest without worry. These are just the first ones. Basically, what I was able to make in a short period of time. Oh, with enough time and workers, we can spread this to all of the fields." "And you''re saying that this should be good to grow in?" His dad asked. "Yeah, I was hoping that we could start planting today and see how it does. Based on that, I can tweak things and we go from there." He turned to the other farmers, putting his hands on his hips. "Well, lads, it looks like we got some work to be doing. No more prospecting for us, at least for today." There were a few half-hearted, good-natured grumbles " Jorkin can you see about the the irrigation system to make sure that the water actually goes into the fields?¡± ¡°I got it,¡± Jorkin looked to four others and they headed off up the ditch. "Me and my lads can break up the soil with the plows, Yasam, you and the other lads up to grab the good seed and get it in the ground?¡± ¡°Sure we won¡¯t be wasting it?¡± Yasam asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know till we try it,¡± Edward said. ¡°Alright, lets give it a shot then,¡± Yasam said. Edward turned back to his boys. "Come on, you three, let''s put that strength of yours to use.¡± They went back to the hamlet of farmhouses, pulling out plows and carrying them over to the field. Len worked with his father, pushing against the plow, cutting through the soil easily. A loamy scent filled the air as he walked in the path of the plow. "It''s giving off a fair amount of heat there," his dad said, as they moved between the heating crystals. "It''s supposed to heat up the air a little bit and also direct it into the ground to make sure that the roots don''t die off," Len said. "Smart idea.¡± ¡°I wanted to get lightning fences set up that would deter animals from coming onto the farmland. But I think that''s going to be a later project," Len added. ¡°How did things go in Velkaris?¡± His dad asked. ¡°Good, we got an agreement in place that should be good for us.¡± Len said. ¡°Though something else is weighing on your mind?¡± ¡°Goran and Velkaris both have a bunch to go through before they¡¯re ready for what¡¯s to come. Got to weather the storms they¡¯re facing right now,¡± Len said. ¡°And your worried they won¡¯t?¡± ¡°Lets say there¡¯s a reason that I¡¯m hoping to get this grain in the fields and grown as fast as possible.¡± ¡°That bad?¡± ¡°It ain¡¯t pretty though there¡¯s plenty of problems elsewhere. We¡¯ve got a lot of projects to keep people employed and working. It feels like we¡¯re on a tight line. We stray too far on either side and we fall off.¡± ¡°Then just have to stay the course and try your best,¡± His dad shrugged. ¡°There are days when things are tough and when they¡¯re easy. On both of them you¡¯re carrying on.¡± They kept plowing a group behind them was sowing the fields that they had plowed. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Jorkin¡¯s team was off near the ditch where it was filling with water, using shovels and hoes to clean up the irrigation channels. Work proceeded quickly with all the teams knowing their parts to play and their skills. It wasn¡¯t long until they were done with the patch around the heating crystals and back where the growing enchantment was placed. "This is rich soil, this is." Edward picked up the dirt, rubbing it between his hands and smelling it before dropping it back to the ground, rubbing his hand on his pants. "Will you look at that?" Jorkin pointed to where they had started. The group moved over to what he was pointing at. "Shoots already?" Yasam asked. Edward ran his hand over the small green shoot poking up through the ground. Len looked down the path the plow had gone on, seeing tiny growths sticking out of the dirt already. "It used to be that this enchantment would allow you to have a full growing season in a month." "A month?" Jorkin asked. All the farmers were looking at him now. Len shrugged, "We''ll have to wait and see." ¡°I think we can see that its working though,¡± Yasam said. ¡°Well, how bout you all feel about making some money?¡± Len asked. ¡°I need to find people to help me make all these things and I know that you¡¯ll get paid per item completed.¡± "Per item, you say?" Edward looked at the different items throughout the fields. "How long did it take you to build something like this?" he asked. "Well, I think I did all of this over the space of a couple of hours. Also, now I''ve got down how to make them all. I just need a couple of carpenters to make the heat crystal holders. Then anyone that knows how to carve into metal, we can make the other enchantments. Heck, I can teach you most of it. There''s just an outline you need to follow and that''s it." "Hell, if they''re offering easy money like that," Jorkin said. "And getting paid to make stuff that we''re going to use?" "Kind of a no-brainer, ain''t it?" Edward said. ¡°The faster we can make all of this stuff, the faster you all can get to farming." There were a few chuckles among the farmers. "My little Ellie, she''s been saying that you''re accepting anyone that wants to work," Jorkin asked. "As long as they''ve got a good head on their shoulders, we don''t care who you are, man or woman. Anyone can take that plow there and drive it through the field if they''ve got a high enough body stat,¡± Len said. Jorkin and the other farmers nodded in agreement. ¡°Mind if they come along?¡± Yasam asked. ¡°The more the merrier,¡± Len said. "It''s good to know that you haven''t lost your common sense being out here in the city,¡± Jorkin said. * * * "Come in," Rick''s grandma said as Rick knocked on the door. He pushed it open, checking the inside. There was no one but his grandmother and himself. She looked up from her desk and the paperwork covering it. The increasing levels had reduced the wear of age upon her. There was a tiredness to her movements. Ever since she had regained her faculties, she had been working non-stop to help the family recover, as well as Insendia itself. "I''ve got you a new plan for this city," Rick said, pulling off his map case as he walked towards her, pushing the door closed. "A new plan for the city? I didn''t think we needed one," she said. "Remember how we were talking about how Goran needs a defense against creatures and people?" Rick popped the top of the map case open and withdrew the map he''d drawn. "Well, I took a look at the city and thought about how to develop in that vein." His grandma stood, getting a better view of the map as he laid it on the table. "We''ll expand the city to accommodate the increasing population," Rick began, outlining her plan. "We''ll add military bases around the perimeter, defenses along the tracks. We''ll need water and sewage systems. Initially, we''ll dig wells for water, then lay in the sewage,¡± Rick pointed to the different points. ¡°This is going to be a massive undertaking," Carolyn said. "It won''t be that much, really," Rick interjected. "I''ve got Len working on extruders, fusers, and excavators." "And those are?" his grandmother asked, her eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Extruders will extrude out a certain material. In this case, it will be stone. So, I could make the form of a house, put it down, then attach an extruder to it. It will slowly draw up stone from the bedrock in the shape of a house.¡± Rick said. ¡°Fusers allow you to combine certain materials. So, if I was to extrude two pieces of stone, or carve them, let''s say, then I could use a fuser to seamlessly combine them together, retaining all the strength of a single piece instead of two individual pieces. An excavator will allow you to, well, excavate. Think of it as a super-powered shovel. You point it at what you want to suck up, it sucks it up and throws it out of the back. It would be better if we had storage devices or folded spaces, because we could just throw it into that, then change out the storage device and go dump it somewhere. But," Rick shrugged. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll have to hook them up to carts or something.¡± "You''re talking about essentially rebuilding the city," his grandmother observed. "Kind of," Rick admitted. "Though, as it is right now, Goran can defend against some attacks, but as soon as beasts start gathering in greater numbers, and people get desperate, we''re going to need some walls." "I thought that cannons and rifles defeated walls," his grandmother countered. "While rifles and cannons are about to become obsolete, you can enchant walls to be stronger than steel, much stronger if you want to. Plus, you can create mana barriers which are as strong as the mana supplied to it. So, it would take..." Rick looked at the ceiling, shaking his head. "I don''t know, a metric ton of cannon fire." His grandmother gave him a flat stare. She shook her head. "Why are we going to let cannons and rifles become obsolete? You and Len seem very capable of coming up with interesting solutions," she said. Rick crossed his arms, one eye narrowing in thought. "The resource cost is really high. You can make alchemical solutions that would act like gunpowder. That''s for sure. Or you can make an enchanted barrel that would shoot a projectile. Those are fine, the longer the barrel the higher the speed and force.¡± ¡°So you can make firearms.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Rick grimaced. ¡°Okay so say a person is at fifty meters, gun shoots like a thousand meters per second. Reaction speed of people goes up with body. At level twenty five you¡¯re reacting at forty milliseconds I heard. That means you can react to a bullet being fired. Lightning say moves like hundreds of thousands of the kilometers, and it¡¯ll fuck you up.¡± Rick held up his hand to forestall his grandma. ¡°Those weapons still have a use against weak creatures. Don¡¯t have to use up mana. Though you can also just make a casting rod, enchant it with lightning or another ranged attack, point it at the damn thing and activate it and buh-bye creature. And problem a bit of the landscape.¡± ¡°So using casting rods as firearms?¡± ¡°Yeah you can, good use, there was one guy that used dozens of them, deadly bastard, just focused on making mana barriers with his own reserves. Was a dervish in a fight. Called him the iron cowboy.¡± ¡°Surely getting hit with rifle fire would be more powerful?¡± His Grandma asked. ¡°The effect of mana is calculated against the output of tons of dynamite. There¡¯s a reason for that,¡± Rick said. "Is there a way to make those quickly?" his grandma asked. ¡°Make what?¡± ¡°These casting rods.¡± "Same as what we''re doing with the sound transmission devices and the tokens." Rick reached into his pocket to grab the ones Len had given him, putting them on the desk. "We can use molds, put in either iron or steel, cast it into a shape, or we can use crystal, the enchantment already built into it." His grandma picked up the sound transmissions device, turning the numbers. ¡°There¡¯s an activation sequence, you press your finger to the right side, inject mana to the left and then up to the top left of the device. That will allow you to call someone else,¡± Rick said. ¡°And the token?¡± ¡°Just need to use it once and it¡¯ll be locked to you. Len said something about it being the contract,¡± Rick shook his head and shrugged before she could ask anything. "I also wanted to ask you, what kind of resources are inside Goran''s territory?" "Goran''s biggest export is our mercenaries. Our second most is food. Third is probably our tailoring and clothing because we have to make everything for the troops, and the families of those left behind want something to do. We have clay and stone deposits. The forests hold timber and medicinal ingredients." "Have you sent out anyone to go look at those medicinal ingredients?" Rick asked. ¡°We have people going out there to collect them?¡± ¡°They might have been altered by mana to become more effective or different,¡± Rick said. ¡°Tenebrook and his people are working on potions right now. The more materials they have to work with the better.¡± ¡°How is progress with that?¡± Carolyn sat back down, gesturing at the seats opposite her desk. ¡°Much faster than I thought.¡± Rick frowned, taking a seat himself. ¡°They are reading through the books that we brought back and then breaking down the attributes of all the plants and working with molecular chemistry? Yeah,¡± He saw the equally confused expression on his grandma¡¯s face. ¡°I was confused as hell, but he¡¯s breaking it down to the smallest parts and then building up the knowledge from there.¡± ¡°How long till he¡¯s making potions that we can sell?¡± Carolyn asked. ¡°I think that he could make potions right now. Though if he was able to understand the ingredients and information. The return could be much greater. Information on chemistry was able to push many alchemists further,¡± Rick said. ¡°What is your aim with him and his people?¡± ¡°We get them to figure out a process to make potions that can run by itself or with minimal people and ingredients. We mass produce potions of every kind. While that¡¯s going on Tenebrook and his people research different concoctions or formulations,¡± Rick said. His grandma tapper her fingers on the desk in thought. ¡°There have been reports of beasts in the forests. I¡¯ll get Everett to organize groups to check the forests, harvesting ingredients and timber.¡± ¡°There are spells that we can use to dry out the wood and season it,¡± Rick said. ¡°That will make things easier. If you have this stone extruder do you need stone from the quarry?¡± ¡°The extruder will work slowly and require a lot of mana to work to pull up stone from the bedrock. We can use it for the strongest foundations. We can use fusers to clump the stone together as we want. Then use the extruder on it to move the stone in the ways we need.¡± ¡°The extruder makes stone?¡± ¡°No, it just pulls it out in a certain direction. So you want to have a big clump of it to extrude out into the shapes you want. Think of it like making something with clay, you can move and form it as you want, but you need clay there for you to manipulate,¡± Rick said. ¡°Okay, I get it now.¡± ¡°So stone from the quarry is going to be really useful and allow us to build much quicker. The clay will be really useful too for making the forms that Len needs. Oh he also needs people, anyone with carpentry or smithing skills or a level ten with the mana stat.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll start getting the troops working on these projects. It¡¯ll start building up their sense of cohesion and getting them to work together,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°Save us money and give us a labor force. It''ll train up their skills as well," Rick said. ¡°Think that the city is a bit tense, it has been a while since they all returned. Was thinking that having dances and ways for them to blow off steam could be good.¡± ¡°Everett and I have been having long talks on it. I¡¯m hoping that they¡¯re in a better state than first company was. The tasks will increase their skills which makes them stronger too.¡± "I can also use them to help me build up all of the houses. If I can create a couple of forms, all they have to do is just copy the process again and again and we can quickly make a lot more houses,¡± Rick wheedled. ¡°What''s the first stage?" Carolyn waved at the new design. "Walls," Rick said. "The faster we can get up walls, the safer I''m going to start to feel here. Then we always have something to pull back to or at least defend.¡± ¡°Those are considerable fortifications,¡± Carolyn commented as she studied the blueprint he¡¯d thrown together. "Better to have bigger and stronger walls than not," Rick said. "We should be having the other companies return to us over the next two weeks," His grandma said, "We have enough gold to pay for another six weeks. After that point, we will be out of funds and the banks can make a request to the Royal Council and the Royal Family for our lands to be sold off to cover the debt.¡± She sucked in a breath. ¡°They¡¯ll let the other families know about this. They¡¯ll work together to carve up our land and pay the minimum price¡ªkeeping us in debt probably. The bank will have the rights to sell it off so we won¡¯t be able to do anything about it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Because they can, because they want more land to look good to other nobles? Maybe they actually want the resources on the land?¡± His grandma shrugged. ¡°There were few nobles that were pleased about our rise, the land we gained.¡± ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re telling me all of this?¡± Rick asked. ¡°I want you to know what I¡¯m betting on you. What I¡¯m trusting you with. What will happen if we aren¡¯t able to make the gold we need to pay our debts in six weeks.¡± Rick¡¯s expression became solemn as he nodded. ¡°We have two options ahead of us.¡± Carolyn continued. ¡°One, we raise taxes and try to recoup more. Two, we generate more funds to cover your uncle''s expenses. I''ve already sold off most of the junk he bought, hoping we can get at least something back from it. I''ve also received a few interesting inquiries." His grandmother opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out several open letters, handing them to Rick. He read through them. ¡°They¡¯re looking for the bodies of mana beasts, and the rewards that come from dungeons. Why would they be coming to you for this? No one should know about the crystal dungeon.¡± ¡°We are one of the largest fighting forces in Plynthia and there are other dungeons right?¡± Caorlyn asked. ¡°Other people have been in the dungeons and they¡¯ve figured out something about them. Now I think about it. When we were sent into the dungeons they had a pretty good understanding of what was going to happen.¡± With the system in place they¡¯re probably stronger and were able to get through the dungeons without being killed. ¡°We can send this information over to Lucius so he has a base of people to start selling stuff to. We could say that our people brought back some stuff and sell it off to the families. Get some cash coming in.¡± ¡°That was what I was thinking,¡± His grandma smiled. "Also, this arrived for you." She handed him a couple of large parcels sealed with wax. Rick took the packets, opening them and peering inside. "Ah, this is the information that Lucius said he could get me." He took out the folded maps and spread them on the table, his grandmother frowning at them. "These are points across the Myrned River. They''re looking for soil composition and ground stability. Also, the depth of the river to see if we can cut that train tunnel underneath it all. They''ve also given me information on the ground between Velkaris and Goran, and from Goran to the stained mountain range directly north.¡± ¡°It''s always useful to have maps of the surrounding area. When you''re done with them, make sure to pass them over to the command team so that they can add them to their own versions," Carolyn instructed. Rick nodded. "Can do. Also, it might be good to give us an idea of who has stone, iron or other resources that we need in the local area." His grandmother nodded. "How is sourcing that from your contacts going?" Rick asked. "We should have the first shipment coming in two days. I''ve only been able to order a couple tons of iron. I''m hoping that you and Len can turn that into steel. I know you mentioned it before.¡± ¡°We can make a furnace to do that,¡± Rick said. ¡°That helps, though we¡¯re going to need to pay them upfront to get more,¡± Carolyn said. It has been a long time since they''ve had contact with us so we need to rebuild trust.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Rick nodded. ¡°How about the skilled workers?¡± ¡°It has been a bit of a mixed bag. There are a lot of people who are looking for work, though information about how the skilled trades and crafting community within Goran were driven out is still very fresh in their minds. We''re going to have to prove that we are interested in skilled workers once more.¡± ¡°Len, Lucius, and I were talking about starting a possible school that would utilize the system and screens to advance people¡¯s skills much faster using the information that we know from the future,¡± Rick said. ¡°Allowing us to raise skilled workers from the population we already have," His grandmother sighed. "Then we¡¯re going to have to heal people faster and we can use this to teach women skills other than cooking, cleaning and raising children. Problem is that they need to still care for their kids.¡± ¡°Maybe one solves the other?¡± Rick asked. Carolyn cocked her head to the side in question. ¡°So lots of cities started up skill schools. Places where you¡¯d have kids learn skills. Then the guilds would scout out these talents. The ones that did the best they¡¯d hire away. Many places the school was run by the guilds to foster new talents. The kids are already learning numbers and letters. Why don¡¯t we add in skill courses. They can learn what they want, they get stronger and then they can pick out of that what skills they want to develop further. On the other side we also offer it to adults so they pick out a skill and learn it.¡± Rick¡¯s eyes were unfocused, his mind moving instead. ¡°We supply them with materials and teachers, then they create simple and gradually more advanced things with their skills. Increases their skill level, gives us goods that we turn around and sell.¡± ¡°So a carpenter makes a table and chairs, we take that and sell that to people. Generate an income from them learning,¡± ¡°Or an enchanter makes a water condensing enchantment, a smith makes rails, a mason carves up stone, a builder works on the walls or the city,¡± Rick said. ¡°I like the way you¡¯re thinking,¡± Carolyn said. ¡°And to start we need materials or tasks for them to complete and people that have a higher grade of the skill and a willingness to teach others,¡± Rick said. ¡°Okay, I can get some people working on that,¡± Carolyn said. Chapter 30 The warehouse Len had requisitioned still smelled musty and old. Though his father and few others had checking the structure, walls and roof, declaring it safe. Then Len put them to work setting up workstations and work flows¡ªusing his knowledge of factories. They created assembly lines with raw materials coming in at on end, processed to a set standard and then handed between people adding their own work to the item before it reached the other side¡ªcomplete. Len moved among those that were skilled with carving, teaching them the enchantments to be carved into wood and metal. Those with other skills worked on preparing materials, filling molds, creating crystal pieces, and transporting goods along the various lines to speed up production. Molds were filled, crystal fused, finished pieces drawn out, cleaned up and assembled. Wooden staves were smoothed out, braziers attached and enchantments added. Metal plates were cut out according to set sizes, enchanted and if needed-linked. As the hours went on the production speed went up as people got used to their tasks. Letting Len turn his attention back to the other projects, namely the ones that Rick had given to him. His father assured him that the lightning fence, while nice, was not totally necessary. Adrian and his people, as well as those from the first company, were now patrolling the farms and beyond. At this time, the farmers were probably some of the strongest people in the world, not to mention in Goran. A whistle caught Len''s attention, pulling him away from the finished design of a fuser enchantment. Jed walked towards him with Adrian in tow. Len picked up the diagram he''d made and handed it over to Gretchen. "See if you can get a carpenter to carve this up for me, please," he said. "Right away, Len." She peeled herself away from what she was reading and took the paper before heading off towards the woodworking stations. She¡¯d fit right in with the farmers and there were several of the younger women that had struck up conversations with her, interested to talk to someone from the city. Gretchen had fallen in with them easily and some of her nervousness had faded away. Len glanced at her desk and the notes he¡¯d given her on enchantments. "Afternoon, Len," Adrian smiled, reaching out a hand. Len grabbed it, shaking it. "Good to see you, Adrian. I hear that you''re working hard with First Company." They released hands, Jed staying close. "I''ve got my work cut out for me, that''s for sure," Adrian said, putting his hands on his hips as he looked around the warehouse. "Though I actually came to ask you a bit about that and a bit about this." Len raised his eyebrow in question. "First company needs shaking up. Good training, structure and trust. They¡¯re well behind in fighting skills. They¡¯ve had it rough and had to figure out how to hunt and trade in order to eat and keep going.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Len said. ¡°There¡¯s the resourceful ones that came out on the other side and those that got corrupted by the whole thing,¡± Adrian shook his head. ¡°It¡¯ll take time to work on them, but they¡¯ll come out better for it. Though I came to you because none of the troops have gone through a skill-up like we did at your family¡¯s farm.¡± Adrian looked at the lines of stations they¡¯d created. ¡°I heard that you''re working on making all kinds of things, and I can see that you''ve got carpentry, smithing, building, and spellcasting going on here. And I was wondering if it''d be okay to bring some of the squads over so that they could skill up and help with production?" "The more helpers, the better," Len said. "We''ve got quite a bit that needs to be done. Most of the workers here will need to head back out to tend to their farms. Growing food and feeding people is going to start to be more important than making enchantments." ¡°We¡¯ll keep some that are more interested in this kind of work,¡± Jed said. "What you going to do when they leave?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°Got Rick asking his Grandma to hire me on some people.¡± Len shrugged. ¡®I don¡¯t know how that¡¯s going to turn out, so having a group of soldier rotating through to keep up production would be welcome.¡± ¡°Would it be okay to bring them around, say, tomorrow morning?" "Works with me. Jed, do you want to give him the tour and show him around the workstations so he knows what you''ll be dealing with?" He looked between the two of them. Adrian nodded. "That''d be a good idea, thank you. Also, I did have one other question." "Shoot," Len said. "The sound transmission devices, is there a way for those messages to be intercepted?" Len tilted his head from side to side. "Yes, it''s possible. It''s... a pain, but you could have that happen if someone else was to have a sound transmission device lined up with just the right symbols and it was listening to other sound transmission devices. It''s a very complicated device to create, though, so I doubt that anyone''s going to be building them right now, though there are ways around it." "Okay. The reason I ask," Adrian began, "is because the system we''re considering for the sound transmission devices for all the soldiers is pretty simplistic. First company would have number one for first company. Then, you would have, say, first platoon, so that would also be one. First squad, would be another one. Then you have one to ten for the members within that squad.¡± "The quickest and easiest way to change that is to alter the numbers before it. Make company, platoon, squad and member the last five numbers, then the first four numbers you change to whatever code or sequence you have for the day. Then it''ll be much harder for someone to break that," Len concluded. "Okay," Adrian nodded slowly, digesting the information before he came back to the present. "Well, I won''t take up any more of your time.¡± ¡°Did Rick talk to you about all of the projects he has?" Len asked. "Word came from on high that we are going to be working on a series of jobs clearing out the forest and taking down lumber, going to the quarries to source stone and clay, as well as building defenses throughout the city. I think the troops are interested by it right now because it''s something to do, but I also think we''re going to have to rotate groups on and off expeditions depending on how they perform. I wanted to get them working on this stuff as well as it¡¯ll increase their overall strength rapidly and I saw how enchantments could make other things much easier.¡± "Talking about expeditions, I thought that you were supposed to be heading out with Lydia yourself?¡± "That was the plan until we saw the state of First Company when it came in. They wanted some old hands at it, and so they sent Gibson and his squad, as well as a few of the Isendia family guards, off with her,¡± Adrian said. ¡°Gotcha, well I¡¯ll leave you to Jed to get the full tour.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Adrian turned to Jed. ¡°Guess we should start at the beginning,¡± Jed pointed at where there raw materials were coming in. Len stretched running a quick eye over the stations, everything looked to be moving smoothly. Crates of enchanted devices were being stacked up at the end. Len walked over to them, threads of mana spread out from him, adding in the final touches to everything. ¡°Len,¡± His father¡¯s voice broke him away from the last crate of heating crystal holders. ¡°Hey dad, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Got ten of them growing formations ready. Couple of the lads are going to head back to the farms and start getting a few of the fields started. You want us to work on those extruder enchantments you came up with?¡± ¡°Yeah that would be good. Once we¡¯ve got a hundred of the water condensing formations then we can get another group working on the Fuser Enchantments¡ª¡± Len chewed on the inside of his mouth. "What''s bothering you?" his father asked. "It''s just... there''s this tool, I guess, called an extractor. It basically sucks up whatever''s in front of you and throws it out the back. The problem is that it''s best paired with a folded space storage device. Because then you can suck up as much as you want, it goes into the storage device. Then you just have to take the storage device to some location and empty it, right?" "Okay," Edward said, "and you don''t have any of these storage devices?" "Right," Len said, "that''s the problem. Without the storage devices, we can''t gather up all that material, move it around, and dump it easily." "So, what are you thinking?" Edward asked. "I''m thinking that we have the excavator break up stuff and spit it out then we¡¯re going to need people with shovels to fill up carts. Though I want a better solution.¡± "What about a device like a water tower arm?" Len''s brows pinched together, trying to piece out what his father was talking about. "You know, when steam engines come into town and they have that big water tower, and that big pipe swings out over top and fills up with water?" His dad said. "Yeah, okay. Okay." Len''s mind opened up. "So, if you were to create a tube that''s stuck to the back of this excavator, then that would go over, say, a cart. And then you could have one person excavating, and then another person guiding that boom arm over carts, allowing you to fill a cart or containers or rail carts even. You could do a lot more without pausing, right?" his dad said. "I''d have to make some kind of brace, like a backpack with a side sling to hold the excavator, then just a big tube off the back of it. Into... well, I could have the carts just follow along, maybe angle the tube it off to the other side,¡± Len started using his hands to explain the positioning of it all. ¡°So the excavator''s on the right side, and then the tube goes around your back and angles off to the left side to make it balance a little bit more. Then the cart can come up on your left side and get filled by what the excavator¡¯s throwing out. Could just use pipe for that," Len trailed off. "If I''m using pipe to guide the stuff that''s excavated, why don''t I use a pipe for the excavator itself? All I need is a hollow item. Then the enchantment wrapped around it. Okay, that could work very nicely. Thank you, Dad," Len said. "Glad to help, I''ll get the others working on those different enchantments now." Edward walked off to the workstations, and Len hurried back to his desk. "Gretchen," he asked as he reached his and Gretchen¡¯s desk. Her head jumped up from the information she was reading. ¡°Len?¡± "I got another request for you. Could you see about sourcing pipe? I want to know the largest gauge pipe that we have in as much supply as possible. I''d like it to also have elbow joints if possible. Then if you can get the frames for a backpack?" Len asked. "Okay, I¡¯ll see what I can get," Gretchen said, making a note of his request on a pad of paper, before tearing it off. "Thank you, I''ll leave that in your hands," Len said. He turned back to his paper and started drawing out the enchantment. "Can just resize it to the size of the pipe," Len thought to himself. He created a mana blueprint, altering and tweaking as needed. The excavation tool was composed of two enchantments. One was a vibration enchantment that would agitate and break up what it was aimed at. The other was an air-based enchantment that created a suction force that would draw it through the opening of the excavator and expel it out the back. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The two enchantments had to be used on an uncommon material at least, and it had to be a sturdy material, as rocks, dirt, and all kinds of other materials might pass through it. The enchantment was best placed on the exterior of the excavator, as the interior is usually scraped up by the passage of materials, which could gouge the enchantment. It would also be powered by the user''s mana to create an on-off ability. That way, it couldn''t operate by itself or accidentally. It took him several tries to balance out the enchantments so that they would work together instead of interfering with one another. He checked it over several times before unfolding it from the form it would take on the pipe, searing it into a fresh page. "All right, dinner time," Des said from behind him. Len nodded, he¡¯d noticed him through his mana domain, the region that he drew mana from a few minutes ago. He turned back to Des looking grumpy. ¡°Thought I¡¯d jump through the ceiling?¡± ¡°A brother can dream,¡± Des said. Len looked around, the warehouse was empty. ¡°What happened?¡± "You were in the zone, so I didn''t want to interrupt. Seemed like you were close to figuring something out. Everyone gathered up the gear they made today and headed out to put it into the fields, and have dinner. Mom won''t be pleased if you miss out so I stayed back to make sure you stopped. Len spotted the pipe for the excavator and its boom arm. He itched to get a chisel and start engraving the enchantment. He took a deep breath, pulling out a second piece of paper and copying over the plans onto it before storing both of them away into his messenger bag and slinging it over his shoulder. Des turned and walked towards the warehouse''s exit, Len following right behind. There''d be work to be done tomorrow. They''d made a damn good head start today. They left the warehouse district behind, moving along the tracks out of Goran and picked up speed as they got to the open land. ¡°Focus on pushing along the ground instead of against it straight up,¡± Len coached his brother on how to use his newfound strength. They dashed across the ground towards the farming houses. His mana sight showed the changes that had happened. Growing formations were set up around fields, the heating crystal formations had been planted and activated. Plows were working through the fields, seeds going down into the furrows they created. The section they¡¯d planted before heading off to the warehouse were now a foot tall and reaching higher. Smoke rose from the houses and light crystals illuminated the interiors. Len and Des waved to people as they arrived at their family¡¯s new home. They pushed open the door, the house warm as their mother was moving throughout the house. ¡°Jed and your father is out helping in the fields and Laurie should be back soon, if you could lay out the table that would be great!¡± ¡°Sure mom,¡± Des said. Len took off his messenger bag and put it to the side and followed him. They laid out the table, the front door opening as Jed and Edward¡¯s voices filtered through. ¡°Smells good!¡± Edward said. ¡°Get yourselves cleaned up and grab a bowl!¡± Adeline said. They came into the dining room, laying out the hot food from the oven. Laurie came through the door as the last plates and bowls were coming out of the kitchen. ¡°Hey everyone!¡± She put a bag to the side and quickly took a seat next to Len as they all sat down at the table, passing around Adeline¡¯s labors. ¡°Mom this looks great, thank you,¡± Len said. ¡°Just a little here and there. I know how you¡¯re all more hungry since we started leveling up,¡± She smiled. "I heard that you were off in the town today. What were you doing?" Len asked as he took a bowl of beans from Laurie. "I was looking into information around nursing and healing. Goran has a lot of clinics and people working with wounds. I heard that a large number of chemists have started working directly under the family in those warehouses down near the tracks that you were all working at," Laurie pried. ¡°Mhmm,¡± Len replied, causing Laurie to roll her eyes at him. "So what did you learn?" ¡°There¡¯s classes on treating wounds that you can go to. I was able to drop in on a class where some people from the dell were talking about the use of spells and potions in healing people. They taught us the cleanse spell." She scooped food onto her plate rapidly. "Yeah, that one''s invaluable, especially if you''re dealing with any kinds of wounds," Len said. Laurie cocked her head to the side, studying him. "Have you dealt with wounds before? I know that you were healing people when you came to the farm, though I didn''t get time to ask you about it." "I know a fair bit about healing the body with magical and non-magical means," Len said, passing the beans on and reaching out to grab a piece of meat and drop it onto his plate. "If you know how to use spells to heal someone, why would you need to know the rest of it?" Laurie asked. "Sometimes, magic can be too much for the body. There''s a fine balance. Say you want more blood, your patient is going to take in more water and the building blocks of blood. If they don''t have those building blocks, liquids or otherwise, and you''re overusing mana their body runs out of resources. They¡¯ll fall into shock.¡± Laurie nodded along, listening to him while only paying half attention to the food on the table. ¡°When I''m dealing with injuries, I''m looking to make sure someone''s survivable to get later care or if they can get back into the fight as quickly as possible. We call it triage." "Oh, we talked about that,¡± Laurie perked up. ¡°It''s about looking at the people who need immediate help, those people who need say like an hour and others with a couple of hours and those who could be needing days before it becomes serious," Laurie said excitedly. "Right," Len said, "it''s just the same thing in a different situation." Len speared a piece of meat, finishing up his plate. "Healing with magic is a balance of the body''s resources and the resource of mana?" Laurie checked. ¡°Correct, so its good to learn the manual ways to heal someone and not rely on mana all the time. Also mana will regenerate, but if you¡¯re dealing with a lot of patients or a complicated case you could run out of mana fairly quickly. Its best to use it only when completely necessary,¡± Len dug into his meal. "Okay, so then these potions and the use of bandages and other materials make sense because you can use those instead of the body''s resources to help them along." Len swallowed down his mouthful. "Yeah, the more that you can do for your patient without drawing upon their reserves, the better, because you never know if something goes wrong and you have to use their reserves right away. The only time that it''s good to really dip deep into their reserves is if you know there''s no threats around and that they''re safe.¡± ¡°Actually for you, it''s okay to take them down to that baseline working at a clinic. With healing, the other flip side of that is cooking and potions. The better the food, like this meal, the faster you¡¯ll regenerate mana and stamina¡ªbuild up the body¡¯s resources. Potions are great for covering a lot of things. On a battlefield a potion can be more valuable than a spell.¡± ¡°So you have all those chemists making potions that we can use?¡± Len made a show of eating his next bite. Laurie growled in her throat, and ate while glaring at him. ¡°Another thing to consider when utilizing spells is that they can alter what you have in front of you. It can be quite taxing to do so, but it''s less mana-intensive to combine things together that are made of the same material. Consider rocks, for example, or skin,¡± Len said when he was done with his display ¡°Changing water into blood would be incredibly difficult, but if you were to stimulate the bone marrow within a person''s body to produce more blood, the effect would be much more significant.¡± The rest of his family were listening in. ¡°The goal when casting spells is not to completely transform the environment, but rather to subtly shift it. That''s why, if there''s heat in the air, you can combine it to create flames or some kind of thermal spell. If you have stone, you can mold it into different shapes and utilize it, but you can''t create more stone. Mana is energy, it is not a physical creation. Mana stone is a type of material that has been suffused with and holds mana.¡± ¡°Mana allows you to bend the rules,¡± His mother said. ¡°Right, and using it as about all the little rules and ways you can bend the world through mana into what you want,¡± Len said. Laurie sunk into thought. ¡°Have you talked to the dell co-op see if they¡¯re interested in buying some of these enchantments?¡± His father asked. ¡°Not yet, do you want to ask them if they¡¯d be interested?¡± Len asked. ¡°Can trade them enchantments to pay back for the dungeon materials.¡± Edward pointed out. ¡°They can keep farming through the winter too,¡± Jed said. ¡°How is it looking out there?¡± ¡°The crops are already starting to come in on the first plot. We set up another ten fields. We¡¯re going to need more of everything but those growing formations,¡± His father said. ¡°Might need some in a bit, could be a good idea to set up a growing rotation a few weeks apart if they¡¯re really going to grow things as fast as you said,¡± Des said. ¡°That way we can have rotations of people sowing, looking after the fields and then harvesting them.¡± They talked about the farms, the enchantments and Len shared some of his knowledge on healing with Laurie. * * * A sigh of monumental proportions broke Len from his thoughts as he walked down the corridor to his room. He paused, looking into the kitchen where Rick was nursing a beer while looking through reports. "Sup?" Len asked. "Losing my fucking mind doing paperwork. Paperwork. Fucking bullshit. I thought I''d come back to save everyone from the apocalypse and I''d get, I don''t know, adventures or something?" Rick sighed back into his chair, drinking from his tankard. "Got more of that?" Len asked. Rick swallowed it down, pointing over at a cask with his tankard. "Right over there. Tastes okay. Doesn''t really do shit. Body stat''s too high." Len shrugged, finding another tankard and starting to fill himself up. Rick sighed. "We got the quarry started up as well as the clay pits and there''s gonna be a group heading out to the forest tomorrow to start clearing lumber and finding whatever''s hiding out there," Rick said. ¡°And it''s all kinda pretty fucking boring." Len raised the tankard to his lips, taking a sip. "Passable." He took a bigger gulp, refilling his mug and tilting his head to Rick. Rick polished off the rest of his tankard and handed it over. Len filled up his tankard, returning to the kitchen table. "We have to get them up to speed if they''re gonna be able to get through this thing," Len said. "Yeah, but do we actually have to be the ones to do it?" Rick asked. "Well, who else is gonna do it?" "I don''t know. They could read a book or something," Rick said. "And all the books are in dungeons," Len said. Rick finished off his swallow midstream, getting a bunch of it on his shirt as he slammed his tankard down on the table. "That''s what I''m talking about!" He swallowed whatever was still remaining in his mouth. There¡¯s a lot going on there. Rick let out a burp. ¡°Nearly came out my nose.¡± He sniffed to clear the sinuses. "I thought you''d have some fucking, I don''t know, manners as a noble," Len said. "Eh, bullshit." Rick rubbed the back of his arm over his mouth, clearing the rest of his beer. "But as I was saying, we should go and start doing first clears." Rick looked at him with wide eyes, a wide smile, and a ''let''s get into some shit'' nod. Len barely held himself back from agreeing. That expression had got them into plenty of shit before. Supposed to get wiser with age or some shit. Len tapped his fingers on the tankard, pressing his tongue against his back molars. "All right, what are you thinking?" He drank from his beer. ¡°The forgotten library is out there, and I know that Lydia is going to get to it eventually, but it''s going to be real dangerous,¡± Rick wheedled. Shouldn¡¯t be against all of the trained people and Lydia. Rick continued. ¡°There''s going to be a lot of creatures there, and daddy wants to get his kill on." Len nearly choked on his beer. ¡°Please never say that sentence again.¡± ¡°What? People say it all the time.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t and you know it and whatever you say next to defend it will be utter bullshit of the highest order.¡± Rick shrugged as if saying ¡®be that way¡¯ as he drank his beer. ¡°They already have the spell to read the stuff. We get them some books, they learn it all, start teaching themselves and we get first clears. First Clears. Dude! We¡¯d be fucking legends!¡± ¡°And we would have first claim over all those resources and gear,¡± Len said. ¡°Right, yeah, like man! The shifting sands has weapons and armor right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Len drew it out. ¡°What you getting at?¡± Rick leaned on the table. ¡°Our gear is, this side of not shit. Now we can make new armor, super cool, awesome. Or we can pull it off of the dead creatures we fight along the way and upgrade the dungeoneering way. Also teach these guys to make better gear,¡± Rick waved at Goran in general. Len pursed his lips together. He pulled out his knife and started flipping it through his fingers absently. Rick¡¯s grin grew as he sat back confidently. Len flipped the blade between his forefinger and thumb, holding it there. ¡°Lets get some first clears.¡± His face split into a grin. Rick laughed and reached out with his tankard the two of them crashing them together. They drank deep. ¡°If we¡¯re hitting the library we should hit the whispering grove too,¡± Rick said. ¡°They have ingredients right? Stamina potion industry got set up there right?¡± Len asked. ¡°Yeah, though they got that clay too. Harder than stone when it hardens up. We can use that as an easy material to build houses from. Put it in shape, dry it out with a bit of magic and you got a wall.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Len frowned. ¡°There¡¯s that sap in the library that you can use to make a waterproof resin too.¡± ¡°That¡¯d be perfect, build walls with one, seal it in with the other,¡± Rick said. ¡°If we can get the plants out of the grove and ship them back here we can get them producing ingredients at scale. Depending on how much we create we could supplement people¡¯s need for food with stamina potions,¡± Len said. ¡°Never a bad thing to have more potions,¡± Rick said. Len held up a finger. ¡°Though first we got to get the Xinta¡¯s to agree to make us trains. We¡¯re going to need those still.¡± ¡°People are going to start saying something about you and trains,¡± Rick gave him a serious piece of advice as he drank from his tankard. ¡°Says the guy who spent fifteen years playing instruments terribly to come up with the resonating strike. The broken minstrel?¡± ¡°Hey! It was all research!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t because you wanted to be a wandering bard getting all the ladies?¡± Len squinted at him as he drank. ¡°Would¡¯ve worked too, I just needed the right instrument. Who was to know it was the hammer?¡± Rick stuck his nose up, all prim and proper. His eyes slid over to Len, the corners of his mouth twitching. They devolved into laughter. Chapter 31 Christina Xinta watched the farms on either side of the train, the hypnotic sounds and bumps of the lengths of rail passing under the wheels. She could smell the burnt coal in the air. The train let free, its speed forging a path through the wind itself. She closed her eyes, drawing her thoughts back. It hurt too much to think on the things they could no longer do. ¡°I hope they¡¯re better at running trains than this lot,¡± her father said. She opened her eyes looking at him as he nodded towards the engine, shifting his large arms around in the ill-fitting suit he wore. He had thinned out since the bank took over their ironworks. Though the raw strength hadn¡¯t diminished as he¡¯d kept his bulk. Christina barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes at her father''s antics. "You can hear the damn overpressure. They''re working it way too hard on the coal that they''re throwing in there. There''s way too much. Look, listen, you hear that?" She heard the huffing hiss that came with too much steam being generated by the engine pressing against the pistons and valves on the way out. "See? Right there," her father called out the next rotation. "Then they''ve got a leak in one of the pipes. I can hear it from here, just whistling away." Joe shook his head, rumbling to himself. ¡°People have been having problems with the coal, its become unreliable,¡± Christina said. ¡°Damn strange time that we¡¯re in.¡± He looked out of the window, squinting at something. Christina followed his eyes seeing the outline of Goran. ¡°Why are we going to a city run by mercenaries?¡± She asked again. ¡°They¡¯re the only ones with a job offer for us and they¡¯re interested in hiring our people as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± he¡¯d ben holding out since he¡¯d announced they¡¯d be heading out to the city. ¡°They¡¯re nobles though,¡± She said. The nobles had killed their ironworks, had destroyed her and her father''s dream. The whole complex now lay silent, with debts hanging over her and her father''s head. While their workers took on any job they could find to support their families. Some of the best engineers and metalworkers she knew reduced to no more than laborers and shovelers, powering the very boilers that they had created and mastered. ¡°I was given assurances,¡± Her father said. If it had been a year ago, she might have kindled some hope at this venture. Instead, she braced herself for ridicule and hatred. ¡°They paid gold just to have a meeting with us,¡± Her father said. Unable to meet her eyes. ¡°See us through this winter at the least.¡± She hated herself for the relief that came with those words, wanted to be angry about being weak, but the fire in her heart had dwindled with the Ironworks. The train started to slow as it neared the city. ¡°Quite a bit of work they¡¯re doing,¡± Her father said. She looked out of the window, her eyes widening as she frowned. ¡°I thought that they were low on funds.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the rumor going around Eskon,¡± her father said, sounding apprehensive. A massive wall was being built up in the south western corner of the city. The corner had been completed, and sections of wall in various stages of completion were being laid in. Sheets were pulled by the wind, covering the ongoing work. Carts filled with stone and those empty of it moved up and down roads along where the wall was to be laid down. The train continued to slow down as she stood. A working district enveloped one side of the city, the other side was a large station carved from stone. Her father pushed himself out of his seat as they collected their bags. The train came to a lurching stop. Christina braced herself, taking on the neutral expression she wore like armor. They are building things, but they¡¯re still nobles. "Into the viper''s pit," her father said, moving around her and to the carriage door, opening it and stepping out. She followed after him, cold neutrality filling her as she followed her father down the steps to the platform. "Mr. Xinta, it is an absolute pleasure to meet you. My son said that you''d be coming in today, and I just, I couldn''t, I couldn''t quite believe him. It''s so good to see you." A large, burly man was on the platform, shaking her father''s hand. He had the appearance of someone that worked with their hands. Behind him, stood a younger man with similar features. Must be his son. Next to his son was another young man, wearing similar armor and gear as him, but with the Isendia family crest upon his sleeve. Behind them were several guards, wearing Isendia crests. People shot them looks but moved around them, greeted by tables and staff at the entrance into the city. "I''ve been admiring your work for my entire life. When I saw the Xinta two point five, I thought it was blessed. Just an incredible piece of engineering, if I may say so," the man who greeted them said. "The system you used in it, my boy, he was telling me about a model he saw in Eskon. I just, I couldn''t believe when he said that you were coming. I''m so excited to see what you''ll be able to produce. I never thought that I''d be able to talk to you, let alone have the possibility to drive one of your engines." "Please, Edward, give the man some room," a woman said, moving closer to the duo. Two young men and a woman with features from her and who must have been her husband said. "Mr. Xinta, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name''s Adeline, and this is my husband, Edward, who was too excited to tell you his name." Edward flushed in embarrassment, but the grin on his face didn''t fade in the slightest. "It''s not a problem, Miss Adeline," Her father replied. "It''s good to meet you both, and if you''ve got an eye for a Xinta steam engine, you''ve got a good eye indeed." He winked but she heard the flatness within his words. It had been his passion for so long, and now it was all taken away from him. ¡°Mister Xinta, Miss Xinta, my name is Rick Isendia, I¡¯d like to thank you for coming this way to see us. Before we talk more, we¡¯d like to get a contract in place making sure that we can¡¯t tell one another¡¯s secrets to anyone else if that suits you?¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Her father weighed up the young man with the Isendia family crest on his armor. ¡°Sure.¡± Rick guided them through the arches of the central station to a secluded table. "Len, you got those contracts?" Rick asked. The boy standing next to him, armored and bearing a striking resemblance to Edward, rummaged through his messenger bag. He produced two contracts and a pair of pencils, placing them on the table. Christina''s father gestured towards the contracts. "Mind if I..." "Please, take a look," Rick interrupted. "Scrutinize them as much as you want. If there''s anything you''d like to change, we can do so." "You''re giving me more work now, aren''t you?" Len muttered. Rick grinned, choosing not to respond. Christina and her father began to read the contracts. One for him, one for her. "It looks like simple enough language. We don''t reveal anything to them, and they won''t reveal anything about us to anyone else," her father said, looking to Christina for agreement. Her stomach twisted at the thought of signing anything, but she pushed the feeling aside. Emotions wouldn''t help here, only cool-headed reasoning. She read the contract again, searching for any terms that could put them at a disadvantage. Finding none, she shrugged and placed it back on the table. Rick''s signature was already there, binding not only him but the people of Isendia. Her father picked up a pencil and signed his contract. He handed the pencil to Christina. She signed hers and stepped back as the contract burst into flames. "What?" She looked around the room, her eyes landing on Rick and the others. They didn''t seem surprised by the burning contract. "Magical contracts," Len explained. "It means that it''s binding, truly, not just pieces of paper that you can ignore if you so wish. This one sinks into the core of your being and ensures that both parties will adhere to the agreement." "Sorry for all the secretiveness," he added, "but the plan we have concerning you is no small matter." He gave a reassuring smile. "And what is it that you''d like to discuss?" her father asked, crossing his arms and glaring at them. "We want you to recreate your Xinta Ironworks, and we want you to make trains for us that run not on coal, but on mana,¡± Len said. Silence hung in the space between them. "Run a train on mana. You mean that stuff that I can see on my screens? How the heck are we supposed to even use that?" "Well, there''s a way to use mana to heat things up, to cool things down, and to do, well, a whole bunch of things, really. But simply, we need steam engines, and we need steam engines that are going to work no matter if the manna density goes up or goes down or changes in any way,¡± Len said. ¡°You notice how steam engines are starting to have a lot of problems now? Coal gets all messed up. Guns, if you fire them, they''ll barely be able to push a round out of the barrel, or they''ll blow the damn gun up?¡± Rick asked. Her father nodded warily. "I''ve been hearing some things about that. A couple of the factory boilers in Eskon exploded. You''re saying that that has to do with this mana?" "I''m saying that if you want to make trains while mana is around, you''re going to have to make a different kind of train. One that doesn''t rely on just burnables, one that relies on magic itself." Len took out a sheet of metal, putting it on the table he inserted a peg of metal into the side and looked guilty at his mother. ¡°I¡¯ll make another one for you mom.¡± ¡°Well?¡± Joe Xinta asked. ¡°Move closer, do you feel a temperature change?¡± Christina and her father moved closer. The temperature climbed. Joe reached out. ¡°Watch out!¡± Len yelled. Joe held his hand back. ¡°Its on the lowest setting but its still hot as hell, wave your hand over the plate.¡± Her father waved his hand over the plate, snatching it back as his eyes went wide and he studied it. ¡°What is it consuming? How warm can it go?¡± ¡°It uses mana. It can go to about three quarters the heat required to melt the steel its made from. The higher the temperature the "It''s going to require more mana to operate. What about temperature drop-off? Are there spikes or cold zones?" "No, all of the heat is the same throughout the enchanted area of effect.¡± ¡°You wouldn''t have to worry about someone putting coal in the wrong place. Heck, we could create a closed system. We wouldn''t have to keep opening and closing it to throw coal in. We could take out the warming stage completely," her father muttered to himself staring at the metal block. ¡°Would invalidate the water drum idea we were thinking of.¡± He turned to Christina. "Do you want to give them all of the ideas, Father?" Christina asked. Joe coughed into his fist and stood back up. "You can increase the heat of the pad by putting the pin into the different holes up and down the side. This is a basic version, we can change the shape as needed, the heat output. We also have enchantments that would allow you to draw the heat out of something and recirculate it into another area like you did with the two point five. Allowing you to condense the steam much faster and utilizes that energy in a secondary heating chamber," Len explained. "We''ve got a couple of designs already based on different engines. Most of them are Zinta designs," Edward said, scratching the back of his head and blushing slightly. "I found your system to be the most efficient and effective compared to the others." He coughed slightly. "And so you thought to reach out to me and see if I would want to make engines?" Joe asked. "I know that my designs can''t stack up to yours, and we need someone who knows how to do this and is wiling to jump into utilizing new ideas. All the other train engines are made abroad," Edward said. Len, pulled out another contract and laying it on the table. Christina stepped forward to read it with her father. "A contract of employment and partnership," Joe said, sounding skeptical. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can accept this.¡± ¡°We wanted to show our sincerity and interest,¡± Len said. ¡°My father and I have been working on prototypes and parts that we think will interest you over at our warehouses that we¡¯re hoping to turn into a "I don''t think the other nobles would look too kindly on this," Joe said. "They might not, but at the end of it, we don''t really care," Rick replied. "You don''t care?" Joe asked. Rick looked at Len, the two of them carrying out a silent conversation held by nod tilts, shakes, and eye gestures. "The contract stops them from telling anyone else about it. Plus, why do we have to keep it a secret?" Rick said. "Fair enough," Len said. Rick looked at them both. "Simple fact, the apocalypse is coming. Things are gonna get weird and strange, and nobles aren''t going to really matter anymore. What''ll matter is being ready for what''s to come. If you''re here in Goran, you''ll be safe, you''ll be fed, and hopefully, after the apocalypse is settled down, we¡¯ll be lay in our own tracks." The xintas looked at one another, then at Rick and Len and the other people in the room. "An apocalypse?" Joe crossed his arms. "All this mana that''s coming through the world, the stat screens and everything, it''s all linked together. Mana gets too dense and the world connects. You know that network thing you''ve been seeing? When that happens, that''s when the apocalypse occurs. Mana loses its control and it gets weird," Rick said. "Mana storms will reshape the world as we know it, changing the topography of the entire world, opening up possibilities and closing down others. There will be more locations to visit than ever, and having a clear and workable system to move throughout the lands will become invaluable," Len said. Christina could tell her father was skeptical, when he looked at her with those tired eyes and shrugged. What other option did they have? The contract was good, the terms within would protect them and make sure that they were cared for as well as their workers. The Isendia didn''t seem like the other nobles, a little bit more crass, and if anything to go by, they were industrious by the wall that was going up around their lands. She saw the pent-up excitement within Edward. She saw the interest from Len and Rick. They''d probably be able to do this without her and her father, which made it more appealing to work with those who were interested. ¡°We¡¯d be interested in looking at what you¡¯ve already built up,¡± Christina said. "Well, I hope you have a good stay in Goran. Dad, if you want to take them to the workshop, Rick and I have to head off," Len said. ¡°Already?¡± His mother asked. ¡°The train is here and we can¡¯t keep them waiting forever,¡± Len said. ¡°Be careful,¡± She hugged him. He went through the others hugging them. Edward clapped him on the back and he glanced at Rick who had picked up two packs that had been against the wall. "Don''t worry, we''ll come back with plenty of books to teach people how to use these new crafts, and maybe a few materials to help out here and there," Len said. "First clear, baby," Rick said. Everyone looked over, then looked at each other in question. "No culture,¡± Rick sighed as they walked back out to the train. ¡°Well, I¡¯d be interested to get your input into what we¡¯ve done already,¡± Edward said, leading them out of the station. Chapter 32 "These trains sure are convenient," Rick said, standing as they reached Warwick. "I can see why you and your family are so interested in them." They jumped off onto the platform as the train stopped. Len glanced around. ¡°Got people watching the carriages.¡± ¡°They¡¯re full of valuable resources, can¡¯t just leave them in carriages next to the tracks without anyone watching them,¡± Rick said. They headed northeast instead of south, as they had done before to reach the Crystal Dungeon. They quickly navigated through the town and began bounding across the open fields towards a forest where their target should be. Rick checked his map while Len climbed to the top of a tree and used his mana site to survey the surroundings. ¡°I see a higher density of mana,¡± Len said. ¡°What direction?¡± ¡°That way?¡± Len pointed. ¡°Alright, more north then,¡± Rick said. ¡°Coming down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m clear.¡± Len dropped from the tree, breaking branches before he hit the ground. He dusted off the parts of tree stuck in his gear. ¡°Smooth,¡± Rick said and started running in the direction of the higher density mana. Len shook his head and followed. They dodged through the trees, periodically climbing them to ensure they were heading in the right direction. ¡°Well looks promising,¡± Rick slowed, drawing his hammer, Len pulled out his sword. The ground was cleared of trees in the middle of the forest. They jumped over a creek running through the area and arrived at an impact crater in the middle of the clearing. A set of stairs spiraled downwards. The duo exchanged a glance before advancing on the dungeon. Rick went first with Len behind. The stairs reached a flagstone floor, opening into a foyer with reception desks infront of three doors leading deeper. Len and Rick moved together, the doorways three times their height and wide enough for three people to walk through side by side. They pushed on the doors, they creaked and groaned, opening into a massive space. They stood on a balcony that ringed the room, stairs led down two stories to the bottom which was filled with free-standing bookshelves. Stairs rose up two floors to the highest reaches. It was about fifty meters wide and a hundred long. Len could see the end of the library on the third floor between shelves¡ªabout two hundred meters away from where he stood. So many books. Water dripped from the ceiling, falling into the lower parts of the library, filling half of the first floor. Len¡¯s stomach clenched at the waste. Hidden passages among the shelves led to secondary rooms. Books, jostled from their shelves, littered the floor. Lanterns cast a smoky light throughout the space. Len was hit from behind, the force throwing him through the banister and into the bookshelves below. He crashed through one, cracking it and impacting another, causing it to groan and fall over, throwing up water. It thudded into the next shelf, which hit the next and the next before they stilled. Len reached out with his mana, drawing the heat from the lanterns towards himself. If a single page caught fire, the entire library would go up in flames. His attacker, a wooden gargoyle, jumped from the second story. Its wings unfurled as it directed its claws at Len. "Will. You. Fucking. Die?" Rick yelled with each blow that sent wood spraying over the balcony. Len held up his hand where he was drawing all of the thermal heat from the dungeon. The water around him started freezing, heat varpors rising to his hand pointed directly at the gargoyle. The creature snarled as Len released the gathered heat in a torch of plasma. It punched through the gargoyle''s face, obliterating it, its momentum making the plasma torch cut through its body. Len tore the heat from the gargoyle as he rose, his feet staggered with the tilted shelves. ¡°Why are there so many!?¡± Rick yelled a regular lumberjack by all the wood spraying everywhere. ¡°You alive down there Len?¡± ¡°Yes, you?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Rick walked to the railing. ¡°Watch out incoming fuckers!¡± Four gargoyles launched from their perches above for Len. He split the thermal energy he held in his hand into balls of fire, fueled by mana, and hurled them at the oncoming attackers. The fireballs slammed through two, dragging the flames with them as the gargoyles¡¯ corpses hissed in the water. Len¡¯s fireballs turned and crashed into the two remaining gargoyles. Screeching shudders like a chair being driven into a floor rose from the higher shelves. Dozens of gargoyles jumped from perches. ¡°First fucking clears,¡± The fireballs tore apart into motes of flames, concentrating into blue flames. They rushed to meet the gargoyles that swatted at them, black liquid shooting from their hands, dousing the flames. They weren¡¯t able to get them all as the gargoyles and motes of flame intersected with one another. Len slashed out with his sword, cutting one gargoyle apart, he danced to the side, another sweeping through where he had been his backslash taking out another gargoyle as he jumped to another shelf, a glob of that black liquid hitting the shelves as his fire motes rushed back, hitting the gargoyles in the back like a deadly rain. He moved through the library, sword reaping lives, dropping the creatures to the water below. A burst of air threw a gargoyle back a mote of light burning into the creature, leaving a hole as all of its energy was used up. He looked around the space as a door at the end of the library started to grind open, the hinges complaining as the water rushed into the untouched space. A gargoyle, three times as tall as Len, formed of aged wood pushed against the doors. A hammer hummed past Len, striking the creature in the face. Wood was chipped away as cracking noises came from the beast¡¯s body. ¡°Well shit.¡± Rick said. The creature slowly turned its head to face them. Its face was dented from the impact, it let out a roar as it cracked the doors from its hinges and waded into the room, its wings unfurling. The lanterns are out at least. Though it meant he didn¡¯t have any heat to draw from. Runes appeared over the gargoyles body, burning in different colored lights as it drew up the book from its hip with one hand. Len fired mana bolts at the creature, striking it and pushing it back into the room it had come from. It raked the door it had forced open, the door crumbled from the top, forming smaller gargoyles that leapt at Len. He filled the space ahead of himself with mana bolts, just slowing the tide of gargoyles. The water within the room started to shift as the arcane tattooed gargoyle continued chanting. Len ran forward, leaping across the bookshelves as he started to lose traction, gravity shifting as the whole library seemed to be turning on its side. He dodged books free from their shelves, those on their shelves remained. Shelves he¡¯d knocked over start to right themselves and then tip the other way as he climbed the shelves. Mana bolts lanced through the air, crashing into gargoyles, adding to Len¡¯s own castings. The room stopped, the doorway they¡¯d come through now the ¡®floor¡¯. Water crashed into bookshelves, submerging new ones. Len formed a barrier around himself and activated the mana blade in his sword aiming at the gargoyle¡¯s side. It dodged away as Len reached out with tendrils of his will like extra limbs, grabbing onto the library around him and changing his trajectory, his sword cutting through the gargoyle¡¯s hand holding the book covered in arcane runes. The book stopped glowing as Len grabbed it and the attached hand. Kicking off from the gargoyle to get distance. The gargoyle let out a roar as the dungeon started to shift back to normal. It¡¯s body convulsed, dozens of magical projectiles formed of lightning and fire shot out from its body, converging on Len. Can¡¯t let that hit the library. Len skidded to a stop, canceling his mana blade enchantment before stabbing it into the floor and threw out his mana barrier to create a concave shape aimed at the gargoyle. The book in his hand glowed with arcane symbols as his spell grew stronger, holding in place his visions becoming strained as the magical projectiles flared and dazzled against his barrier. He drew away the heat from the spells as fast as possible, fueling fireball spells at his back. Rick jumped from his place on the balcony, mana tendrils grabbing onto the world around him and hurtling him forward, into the minor gargoyles that had rushed Len and were banking to come back he wreathed his body in mana, his blows cracking the beasts. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Len reached out tendrils of mana, grabbing onto the floor, bookshelves and balcony, his sword¡¯s blunt edge cutting a line into the floor. ¡°Face me you fuckers!¡± The creature¡¯s eyes went red as they turned towards Rick, his voice empowered with a taunting spell. The arcane gargoyle staggered, spent from its barrage of spells. Len compressed the fireballs he¡¯d created and hurled them forward, they shot towards the gargoyle, spiraling in. The tattoos across its body glowed as the fireballs began melting away, like sparks from a fire. Len ran forward in the wake of the fireballs, gathering momentum and charge. Two of the fireballs hit, throwing the gargoyle back. It slashed out its wing at Len. He dodged around, stepping on a bookshelf to come side on to the creature. Len focused the charged in his blade, crackling with lightning as he empowered it with mana, turning it into arm-thick bands as he sliced into the beast. The lightning ran through the gargoyle, singeing the floor under its feet and causing parts of it to blow away. Len¡¯s feet found the actual floor as the water was starting to rush back and fill the space, sloshing against everything. The arcane gargoyle dropped to its knees before it collapsed on the ground, the water hissing as it came into contact with the creature the floor around it. The minor gargoyles collapsed where they had been flying. === You have earned EXP === ¡°Well, moody bits of wood aren¡¯t they,¡± Rick said from atop a bookshelf, his body wreathed in mana constructs. ¡°Yeah,¡± Len stood up and looked around, glancing into the room the arcane gargoyle had emerged from. Arcanus. The sign above the door read. Len stepped through spotting Rick¡¯s hammer embedded into the wood floor that was now filling with water. Rick walked in behind him, moving to the hammer and checking the surroundings. ¡°Looks like spell books.¡± Rick pulled up his hammer from the floor, shaking wood from it. ¡°Going to need a few carts to get this all somewhere safe.¡± Len said as he prowled through the book stacks. Sword at the ready, the glowing book in his hands still. There were artifacts stored in cases along the walls. ¡°Spells get stronger the further we go,¡± Len said. ¡°I knew that it was valuable but this is a treasure trove,¡± Rick said. ¡°Be a while till someone would be strong enough to defeat that gargoyle. By then the water could have damaged a lot of the books in here,¡± Len said the water was around their calves again, sloshing a bit as it settled back down. They reached the end of the room. In the center of the rear wall of the room was a mannequin with a ring and a staff next to it. ¡°Traps?¡± Rick asked. Len studied it, then touched the wall and released mana into it. ¡°Not getting directed into anything, we should be good.¡± Rick slid his hammer away and reached for the robe upon the mannequin and took it down to inspect it. Len leaned his sword against the wall within arms reach. Len picked up the ring, turning it over in his hand. He could feel the mana being drawn towards it, then focused at the center. Using a magnification spell, he was able to study the enchantment closer. There wasn''t really an effect here, other than increasing range. "Oh, it''s a ring to increase mana regeneration." He slipped it onto his finger, feeling his mana passively increase, replenishing him. Rick was casting spells on the robe. ¡°Passive defense against different spells, that¡¯s nice. Not really a fashion statement, but better than what we¡¯ve got already,¡± Rick said. He folded up the robe, taking his pack off and stuffing it inside. Len grabbed the staff, turning it over in his hands. It was made of wood and enchanted with two gems embedded into it. There was no mana regeneration, no storage of mana, though the effect wasn¡¯t completed. Len frowned and turned it around, letting his own mana flow through the staff, trying to figure out its secrets. "Good enchanter, too," he mused. "Can¡¯t figure out what the damn thing does." He used a magnification spell again, feeling a tug from the staff. He instinctually allowed the spell into the staff. One of two gems glowed with light. "Curious," Len said. He pointed the staff at the floor a safe distance away, and flowed mana into the gem, activating the enchantment. His magnification spell activated once more. He cut power to the enchantment, and the spell disappeared. He powered it up again, and he could see further in greater detail. "It stores spells.¡± ¡°Not really that useful," Rick said. "Well, it''s not useful for us, but if we were able to store spells in here, then give it to someone else who didn''t know how to cast that spell, they could use that spell themselves." "Oh," Rick said, "yeah, okay, maybe that is pretty useful. Allow us to cheat and give people much stronger spells just by holding this thing.,¡± Rick gestured to it, closing up his pack. ¡°Also, it runs off of the mana stored within the staff, so you''re not pulling from your own reserves." Len formed a spell that would remove water from a certain area, drying it out, and implanted it into the staff. The second gem glowed dimly, and he activated it, pointing it at the floor. The water where the staff was pointed evaporated, leaving a dry patch of floor. He reached towards the first spell gem and pulled on it. The gem dimmed, and he felt the space was empty again. "Okay, I can change out the spells and use them as needed." Something thudded deeper in the library. Rick drew his hammer. "I think there might be something else in here," Rick said. Len hesitated, but put the staff back in the display case. He slipped the ring onto his finger and picked his sword up from where he''d laid it against the wall. The spell book that he''d taken from the arcane gargoyle had chains on it. Using those, he looped it through his sword belt, tying it into place. He made sure that the metal lock on the front of the book was closed so it wouldn''t fly open. "You''re keeping the book?" Rick asked. "Haven''t studied it yet, but when I cast mana barrier and the other spells, they got stronger and the book glowed, so I''m guessing that it increases the effectiveness of spells. And I can always use that," Len said. Rick grunted in agreement, throwing his pack on over his shoulders. "Well, let''s go clear the rest of this place." They exited the chamber of the arcane golem. "Leaving all these books in water hurts my soul," Len said. "The faster we kill all this shit, the faster we can dry the place out," Rick said. "Also, getting everything out of here is going to be a huge pain, you know that, right?" "Yeah. Storage devices are still really frickin'' useful," Len said. Len and Rick traced the noise to its source on the second floor. It lay at the back of the bookshelves, beyond another set of large double doors made of grey, metallic-looking wood. A plaque above it read ''Smithing''. Len and Rick pressed their hands to the door, exchanged a nod, and threw it open, stepping into a secondary room. Instead of wooden bookshelves, this room was lined with shelves made of the same grey, silvered wood as the door. The center of the room was clear, save for an anvil and a metal gargoyle. The creature was hammering a metal book that lay on the anvil with its hammer-shaped hands. As it raised its eyes filled with blue flame, its body cracked, revealing molten fissures underneath. Instead of wings, it had another set of arms ending in hammers. The creature smashed through its own anvil, tipping it over and ripping up a section of the floor. The book it had been hammering skittered across the room as it lunged towards Len and Rick, who threw themselves to the side. Len kicked off the bookshelf wall towards the creature¡¯s back as it slammed into their previous position, cratering the ground and releasing a shockwave that threw him backwards again. Len reached out with his mana, grabbing hold of the world to halt his inertia and propel himself back towards the creature. Rick reached it first, his hammer aimed at the creature''s side as it rose up from its smash slowly. One of the creature''s secondary arms swung out, meeting Rick''s hammer. Cracks radiated up the creature''s limb from the point of impact, the limb coming apart. Rick swung again, this time aiming for the creature''s knee. Len landed on the creature''s back, driving his mana blade-edged sword through the beast''s neck and into its body. Rick''s hit connected with the creature''s knee, making it stumble to the side. Len leapt free of the beast, leaving his sword stuck in its neck. He flipped in midair, near the ceiling, and planted his feet and hand into the wall. His mana stretched out like roots, anchoring him there to better see the fight. The creature swung wildly at Rick making him back away, the creature¡¯s hands moving awkwardly. Rick moved around the creature looking for an opening. It cracked the ground, and shot toward¡¯s Rick, he smashed his hammer into Rick¡¯s chest, sending him flying backwards shattering a wall-shelf. Len grabbed onto the anvil that was behind the creature with his mana and drew it towards himself and through the creature. The conical end of the anvil crashed into the beast. Driving through its back and out of its chest. It looked at it, confused as it dropped to its knees, hands grabbing onto the anvil and dragging it out. It dropped the anvil and leaned backwards. Its eyes stopped burning as metal spread over its body. Len pushed off of the wall, landing next to Rick. The man dropped an empty potion vial. ¡°Its not dead,¡± He held up his hammer. Len grabbed it and ran forward. The creature turned its head, the coating of metal that had spread across it cracking. Len had to jump to reach its head even on its knees. His resonating strike blew through the creature¡¯s head, bowling it over. He grabbed onto the end of his sword with mana and dragged it out of the creature¡¯s neck. Molten metal fell from the deformed remainder of the blade as he threw the hammer to his left hand and caught the sword. Arms lashed out at him, he struck them away with his hammer, and cut through them with the flickering mana blade enchantment along his blade. The creature raised what remained of its head as Len cut through its neck, seeing the molten innards of the creature. Its body slumped as it bled molten metal upon the floor, quickly cooling. === You have earned EXP === Len used cleanse on his blade and drew out the heat, leaving him with two thirds of the sword he¡¯d had before. ¡°Well that guy had a punch on him,¡± Rick wheezed, standing up out of the bookshelf as books rained around him, a couple hitting him on the head. ¡°Fucking room is trying to kill me. Why are there books made of metal?!¡± Rick glared at the room as Len moved over to him and handed him his hammer. ¡°Thank you,¡± Rick looked at his sword. ¡°Well hopefully there¡¯s a weapon..¡± He glanced at the back wall where there was gear stored. ¡°On another level?¡± There was little hiding his excitement as his eyes were locked onto the hammer in the display case. Len let out a non-committal grunt as they walked over to the display case. There was a hammer, a shield, bracers and¡­¡±Rick is that Orsite?¡± Len asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± Rick looked away from the hammer at the piece of metal. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be damned, yeah that is Orsite. Who would think we¡¯d see a Rare grade hammer and a Epic grade piece of metal. That¡¯s a decent size to, an ingot or two¡¯s worth you think?¡± ¡°About that,¡± Len agreed, he flowed mana into the wall to check for traps. ¡°All good.¡± ¡°Wooh!¡± Rick snatched up the hammer twirling it around in his hands, ¡°Oh that weight, that¡¯s much better! Got some enchantments here.¡± He trailed off, studying them. ¡°Mind if I take the shield?¡± ¡°No worries, sword isn¡¯t looking too good,¡± Rick said. ¡°Barely holding the enchantment together,¡± Len said as he put the sword to the side, it wouldn¡¯t go back into the scabbard in the state it was. He picked up the heater shield and turned it around. Steel, but hardy. There was an enchantment on it. Drawing in and another to release? He studied the runes, using his translation spell. ¡°Lot about heat and fire, drawing it in and releasing it maybe?¡± he shrugged and tested out wearing it. ¡°You know what these enchantments do?¡± Rick asked, holding his new prized hammer. Len put the shield to the side and took the hammer. ¡°Got enchantments that should increase the quality of a crafted item, the other. Heat component, kinetic enhancement. You know what I think that it replicates that smashing attack that the gargoyle used hitting the ground and when it smashed you into the wall.¡± Len offered the weapon back. ¡°Oh, damn okay I can use that with my resonating strike¡ªyeah that¡¯s going to be nasty,¡± Rick twirled the hammer and grinned. He pulled out his old hammer and slid the new one into the holster. ¡°Wanna use my other hammer?¡± Rick asked. Len looked at the remains of his sword. ¡°Yeah that might not be a bad idea.¡± Rick handed it over and then started taking off his pack. ¡°Make sure we get that chunk of Orsite.¡± He pulled out a package of food and started eating as he grabbed the metal with his free hand and put it into his bag. ¡°How you feeling?¡± Len asked. ¡°Like I got smashed into a wall, but otherwise not too bad. Hungry as fuck though.¡± Rick shrugged. Len put the hammer next to his shield and pulled off the last piece of gear, the bracers. ¡°Not sure what these enchantments do, though there¡¯s a conversion here. Applies an effect to the wearer.¡± He took off his left bracer and put on the new one, he became more alert and the hunger that had started to grow quelled in his stomach. ¡°Increase in stamina,¡± Len took it off. ¡°Don¡¯t feel any less alert so it must passively increase your stamina regeneration.¡± He offered it to Rick. ¡°Thank you,¡± Rick said. He stopped closing his bag and took the bracer, taking of his before replacing them with the dungeon¡¯s. Chapter 33 Len and Rick cautiously made their way back into the main library area, their footsteps echoing softly against the damp stone floor. Water dripped steadily from the ceiling, creating small puddles that reflected the dim magical light emanating from Rick''s new hammer. "Let''s check out the other side," Len suggested, gesturing towards the far end of the floor. Rick nodded, gripping his new hammer tightly. They navigated around toppled bookshelves and scattered tomes. As they approached the opposite wall, Len spotted another large door hidden by shelves with a plaque above it. The wood had a different hue like that of the smithing door. The approached slowly. "Alchemy," Len said. "Tenebrook is gonna be one happy man," Rick muttered as he studied the door intently. Len moved to one side of the door, Rick grabbed his sleeve, sniffing the air. "You smell that?" Len smelled the air, picking up the damp wood and pages, a little rot, something cloying gathered in the back of his throat. He coughed, "Yeah, it''s like... rotten eggs mixed with something metallic." "I''m going to grab some food from your pack," Rick said. Len kept watch as Rick opened his pack and pulled out a ration, he secured Len''s bag closed again and then pulled out a piece of meat and threw it at the door. The meat started turning black and rotting. Rick looked at Len. "How badly does Tenebrook really need that information?" Len asked. Rick grimaced and shrugged, holding up his weapons limply. "Crap." Len studied the door again. The first one came out of the door. Len moved to a corner of the library, away from the ominous alchemy door, Rick following. He set down his weapons and took off his pack, rooting around to draw out two spare shirts from his pack. "What you thinking?" Rick asked. "I can enchant these to filter out gas," Len said. He formed a blueprint of the enchantment with mana. He held out a shirt and applied it. Threads moved into the patterns he''d created. The enchantment glowed faintly as he finished. "This won''t last more than an hour," Len warned, his brow furrowed in concentration. "The gas will eventually eat through the enchantment." Rick grunted in acknowledgment, keeping watch as Len worked. As Len finished the first shirt, a loud creaking sound echoed through the library. Their heads snapped up to see the alchemy door slowly swinging open on its own. A sickly green gas began to seep out, creeping across the floor like a living fog. "Shit," Len muttered, he tossed Rick the first shirt and pulled out the second. The gas spread rapidly, tendrils of vapor reaching out towards them. Rick tied the arms around the back of his head, the enchantment activating as Len redoubling his efforts on the second shirt. "Hurry up, Len!" Len''s fingers flew as he burned the last few runes into the fabric. It wouldn''t last as long as the first. The gas was just two bookshelves away now, its acrid smell already stinging his nostrils despite the distance. He coughed as he finished the enchantment, wrapping it around his face. The alchemy gargoyle emerged from the doorway. It stood slightly taller than Rick and Len, its stone body veined with yellow and studded with glass vials filled with bubbling, glowing liquids. Its eyes glowed an eerie green, matching the noxious gas billowing out behind it. The creature''s spindly wings unfurled, guiding the poisonous vapors through the library. Len''s mind raced, realizing they couldn''t risk using fire in this enclosed space filled with flammable books and unknown chemicals. Rick grabbed his hammer and ran towards the creature, it turned its head as Rick swung his hammer, still half a dozen meters away. A wave of wind threw back the cloud that was spreading through the library, shoving it back into the room. "The gas is coming from its body!" Len said as he grabbed his shield and broken sword. Len watched as the gargoyle''s head swiveled towards Rick, its stone jaw opening in a ear-splitting screech. The sound reverberated through the library, making Len''s teeth rattle. Rick closed the distance, swinging his hammer with all his might. The blow connected with the gargoyle''s shoulder, sending cracks spider-webbing across its stone surface. But as the hammer struck, Len noticed several of the glass vials embedded in the creature''s body crack and splinter. "Rick, watch out!" Len shouted, his voice muffled by the shirt. "The vials!" Even as he called out the warning, a purple smoke spread across the creature, frosting everything that it touched. Rick jumped up onto a bookshelf and then down a few as the purple smoke stopped spread. "Fu~uck!" Rick yelled. Yeah this is gonna be a tricky one. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. The gargoyle reached for one of the glowing vials embedded in its stone body. With surprising dexterity, it plucked the vial free and raised it to its jagged mouth. The creature tilted its head back, pouring the luminescent liquid down its throat. Its veins started to glow brighter before its eyes flared with the same yellow radiance. It opened its maw, and a stream of caustic liquid burst forth. The acidic spray arced through the air, sizzling as it made contact with nearby bookshelves and stone floors. "Oh, mother fucker!" Len peeked over his makeshift barrier, assessing the situation. The acid had eaten through several rows of books, leaving smoking holes in their wake. The air filled with the acrid smell of burning paper and stone. He glanced towards Rick, who had managed to duck behind a sturdy oak desk. His friend''s eyes met his, a mix of determination and concern evident even through the makeshift mask. The gargoyle turned its head, searching for its targets. If he didn''t worry about damage he could launch the broken sword and break its enchantments. Len abandoned his shield and sprint forward. As he ran, Len reached into his pack, fingers closing around a copy of the makeshift grenades he''d made at the Coiled Serpent. The gargoyle spotted his movement, it turned, opening its mouth, to unleash another stream of caustic liquid. Len dove to the side, rolling behind a fallen bookshelf as the acid sizzled past him. Heart pounding, he sprang back to his feet and zigzagged between the shelves. The creature''s head swiveled to track him, its stone body creaking as it turned. Thankfully not just spraying constantly and ruining everything. Len was almost within range when the gargoyle opened its mouth to spray. He tried to dodge, but this time he wasn''t quite fast enough. A splash of acid caught his left arm, eating through his sleeve and searing his skin. Len gritted his teeth against the pain, feeling the protective enchantment on his shirt-mask weakening from the acidic fumes. Len threw himself forward with mana, cutting the creature''s knee. It let out a bellow as he cast a spell on the cannister, pumping it up with mana and shoved it in the creature''s mouth. He created loops around the creature''s head and jaw, empowering them with mana to close its maw before he kicked it in the chest, sending it back into the alchemy section it had come from, throwing gas out of the room. Len leapt to the side. Suddenly, a thunderous boom shook the library. Parts of the gargoyle''s stone body flew out of the room, followed by a geyser of foam, filling the doorway and spilling into the main library area. It hissed and bubbled, expanding rapidly as it spread over everything in its path. Len scrambled backward, narrowly avoiding the advancing wall of foam. The substance seemed to have a mind of its own, changing colors as it spread ¨C shifting from vibrant purple to electric blue to neon green. As the foam settled, Len took a moment to catch his breath. He glanced down at his acid-burned arm, wincing at the angry red flesh. Focusing his mana, he began the healing process, watching as new skin slowly knit itself over the wound. === You have earned EXP === "That was... unexpected," Len muttered to himself, flexing his newly healed arm. He heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Rick moving up to him. "You alright?" Rick called out. Len nodded. "Yeah, I''m fine. Healed the acid burn. But this..." He gestured at the foam-filled room. "This is new." "Nice work with that grenade." Rick said. "Was really hoping to use the hammer more." He hefted it in his hand. "I''m just hoping that blowing up the alchemy gargoyle didn''t fuck up that section," Len said moving his arm around. The new skin was still tight but movable. "Good?" Rick asked. "Alive," Len said. Rick grunted "Looks like its going down, doesn''t look like it messed anything." Len watched as the foam slowly dissipated, revealing the entrance to the alchemy room. He and Rick approached cautiously, weapons at the ready in case any surprises remained. Rick threw out some food from the ration in his pocket. The food stuck to the foam, but it didn''t rot or burn away. Rick used the stub of his boot to poke the floor where the foam had been. "Nothing." He poked the foam and tried to pull back. "Sticky," He pulled his foot back, nearly stumbling as he planted his foot, it made a squelching noised as he lifted it and put it back down till the foam dissolved. "Once the foam goes it doesn''t leave an effect behind," Rick said. "I''m going to get my gear," Len said. "I''ll be followin'' the foam," Rick said. Len secured the gear he''d dropped and returned to a humming Rick. He looked into the alchemy section of the library. The foam was retreating through the room revealing what lay within. The remains of the gargoyle lay scattered across the floor, shattered pieces of stone and glass intermingled with puddles of various colored liquids. The creature''s head had been blown clean off, resting in a corner with its glowing eyes now dark and lifeless. Despite the chaos from their recent battle. Shelves enclosed in glass, the foam dissolving on their surface, lined the walls, filled with books. In the center of the room stood a large stone table, its surface etched with intricate runes and symbols. Miraculously, it had survived the blast mostly intact, though a few scorch marks marred its surface. Len''s gaze was drawn to a series of complex apparatus set up on one side of the room. Glass tubes twisted and coiled, connecting various beakers and flasks. A faint, pulsing glow emanated from some of the liquids within. "Tenebrook would lose his mind in here," Len muttered, carefully stepping over a pile of debris. The foam revealed several leather-bound books scattered on the floor, their pages fluttering in the settling air. He bent down to examine one, its cover embossed with golden symbols he didn''t recognize. ''The Elixirist¡¯s Codex.'' "We should probably be careful about touching anything," Len warned Rick. "No telling what kind of alchemical substances might be lying around." "Yeah, lots of danger puddles," Rick agreed. "Did you just call the puddles of concoctions ''danger puddles''?" "Well they''re dangerous and puddles!" Rick waved his hands at the room while still holding his hammer. Len grunted, a bag on a hook catching his eye. He studied it, reaching out a hand to Rick. "Gimme a piece of meat." Rick put a piece in his hand, Len rubbed it over the satchel to no reaction. Len examined the satchel more closely, his curiosity piqued. He carefully unhooked it from the wall and opened the flap. To his surprise, the interior seemed far more spacious than its exterior suggested. "Rick, come look at this," Len called out. Rick ambled over, still wary of the ''danger puddles'' scattered across the floor. Len reached into the satchel, his arm disappearing up to the elbow despite the bag''s modest size. "It''s some kind of magical storage," Len explained, handing it out to Rick. "I can see some ingredients inside. Rick hefted the bag. "Doesn''t seem to weigh anything extra even with the ingredients inside." He walked out of the room to a shelf and grabbed a book, putting it inside the satchel. "Doesn''t change size like the ingredients and add weight," Rick said. "Must store ingredients only," Len said. "Try a potion." Rick took off one from his bandolier and put it into the satchel. "Those work too." Len nodded, already considering the possibilities. "We''ll come back after we''ve cleared the place collect up everything. Should make it a bit easier." The library was vast, for being just a dungeon. "Does it work for food?" Len asked. Rick dropped the paper ration bag into the satchel. "Yeah it does." "Well I think we just found a way to keep our ingredients and food preserved. Just need to figure out how much it can store now," Len said. he glanced around the room. "Shall we check the next floor up?" "Sounds good," Rick took out the book he''d put into the satchel, putting it back on the shelf before he looped the satchel over his shoulder. Chapter 34 Len and Rick made their way back up to the third level of the library, the one they''d entered from. The wood creaked under their weight, the sound echoing through the empty corridors. The air grew warmer, less damp than the lower levels. They moved methodically through the rows of shelves. Rick was a few steps ahead, peering into a dimly lit alcove when he stopped suddenly. "Len, check this out." Len joined Rick at a door made of polished brass and gears. Above it, a plaque read ''Engineering''. "Fine craftsmanship," Rick said. He moved up to the door. Several locking bars intersected through the door, keeping it sealed. "Think we can get it open?" Len asked, studying the complex mechanisms that adorned the door''s surface. "Should be able to," Rick said. "Let''s see if it''s just stuck or if there''s a trick to it." Len readied himself as Rick pushed on the door. "Yup locked." Rick leaned in closer, examining the gears and levers. He reached out to turn one of the gears experimentally. It moved with surprising ease but didn''t seem to do much else. Len watched with interest. "Combination?" "Maybe," Rick agreed, his fingers tracing the patterns etched into the metal. "Give me a second to figure this out." The gears clicked and whirred softly as Rick adjusted them, trying to decipher their purpose. After a few moments of trial and error, he found a small lever hidden among the cogs. "This might be it," he said, pulling it gently. The door responded with a low hum, gears turning and shifting into place as if coming alive after years of dormancy. Slowly but surely, it began to open. Rick gave a low whistle. "Impressive work." Shelves lined the walls, filled with books and blueprints. Piles of parts lay around the room, but it was the center of the room that caught his attention. A gargoyle, stood hunched over a workbench. Its body was a complex network of gears and pistons, moving in perfect synchronization. As the door creaked open, the creature''s head swiveled towards them, glowing eyes fixed on the intruders. Len''s hand instinctively moved to his weapon, but he hesitated. The gargoyle made no aggressive moves. Instead, it tilted its head, studying them with what seemed like curiosity. "Rick," Len whispered, not taking his eyes off the mechanical beast, "you seeing this?" The gargoyle''s attention returned to its work, metal fingers deftly manipulating tiny gears and springs on the bench. Len took a cautious step forward, fascinated by the intricate movements. "It''s... working on something," Len observed, his voice barely above a whisper. He glanced around the room, taking in the various half-finished contraptions and tools scattered about. Len''s mind raced with possibilities. If they could understand even a fraction of the knowledge contained in this room, it could revolutionize their efforts back in Goran. Len leapt forward with his sword in his hand, the mana blade enchantment flickering to life. The piles of parts scattered around the room began to shift and clatter. Small clockwork gargoyles emerge from the heaps, their gears whirring to life. The engineering gargoyle''s body hummed as the gears sped up and it dodged Len''s attack. Its hands danced over the contraption it was creating, dodging Len''s attacks. He reached out to the floor, trying to trip the creature up, but it was too fast. Len raised his shield to block a clockwork gargoyle, bashing it back. Another clockwork creature latched onto Len''s leg, its metal claws digging into his flesh. He grunted in pain, trying to shake it off while fending off two more that were lunging for his face. "Rick!" Len called out, struggling to keep the swarm at bay. "A little help here!" He could hear Rick battling his own group of mechanical assailants, the sound of metal striking metal echoing through the room. Len managed to pry the gargoyle off his leg and toss it across the room, but three more took its place. The engineering gargoyle continued its work the weapon taking shape. It appeared to be some kind of intricate crossbow, with multiple barrels and a complex firing mechanism. The sight only increased his determination to reach it before it was completed. Len created force spells, detonating them in the face of the clockwork gargoyles, spraying their parts across the room and giving him the opening to attack the engineering gargoyle once more. It sped up again, dodging his attacks. Rick slammed his hammer into the ground, cracks radiated through it as the gargoyles swarming him were launched backwards, many broken. Len''s heart raced as he watched the engineering gargoyle''s hands blur over the contraption. Despite his best efforts to reach it, the creature''s speed and the swarm of smaller gargoyles kept him at bay. He could see the weapon taking shape, becoming more defined with each passing second. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Rick!" Len shouted, desperation creeping into his voice. "We need to stop it before¡ª" His warning came too late. The engineering gargoyle lifted the completed crossbow, its multiple barrels glinting in the dim light. Time seemed to slow as the creature took aim at Rick. The crossbow fired twice in rapid succession, the sound echoing off the library walls. Rick raised his hammer and was thrown backwards. Len''s eyes darted to Rick, searching for signs of injury. Before he could assess the damage, the gargoyle swiveled, its glowing eyes locking onto Len. He barely had time to raise his shield before the crossbow fired again, two more bolts whistling through the air towards him. Len braced for impact, his muscles tensing. He felt the first bolt strike his shield with tremendous force, the impact reverberating through his arm. The second bolt grazed his shoulder, tearing through fabric and flesh. Pain bloomed where it had struck, but Len pushed it aside, focusing on the immediate threat. The engineering gargoyle was already moving again, its gears whirring as it prepared for another volley. Len gritted his teeth, knowing he had to act fast to prevent further attacks. "Rick!" He yelled as ran forward. A grunt came from behind him. Len slapped gargoyles from the air, not holding back his mana anymore, crushing them. Len lunged forward, his sword aimed at the engineering gargoyle''s chest. The creature''s gears whirred frantically as it tried to dodge, but Len had anticipated its movement. His blade found its mark, sinking deep into the gargoyle''s metallic body with a screech of metal on metal. For a moment, Len felt triumphant. Then he saw the gargoyle''s arm twitch, raising the crossbow once more. Len interposed his shield, between himself and the weapon. The bolt struck with tremendous force, the impact reverberating through Len''s entire body. He stumbled backward, his arm numb from the shock. He forced mana into it to regain feeling. The engineering gargoyle twitched and jerked, impaled on Len''s sword but still functioning. Its gears ground against each other, producing an awful screeching noise. Len gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on the sword hilt. He could feel the creature''s internal mechanisms fighting against the blade, trying to dislodge it. Len''s shoulder throbbed where the earlier bolt had grazed him, and his shield arm felt like lead. But he couldn''t let up now. He pushed forward, driving the sword deeper into the gargoyle''s body. Sparks flew as the blade severed vital components within the creature. He dragged the blade through the gargoyle''s body. His enchantment failing before he could drag it all the way out and free. The gargoyle fell backwards, reaching out to piles of parts nearby and started to trying to put itself back together. Len drew on the floor, creating a spike behind the creature''s head and stomped on its face, driving the stone spike through its head and out of its forehead. The gears slowed to a stop, then twitched as experience flowed into Len as he drew his hammer and turned to the remaining clockwork gargoyles. He smashed them into the ground as they charged him on his path to Rick who was climbing to his feet, one arrow through his leg. "Stay down man," Len said as he reached him. Len knelt beside Rick, his eyes fixed on the bolt protruding from his friend''s leg. Without hesitation or warning, he gripped the shaft firmly and pushed it through the other side of Rick''s thigh. "Gahh-fucking-" Len pulled it all the way out, covering his hand in blood. "-dammit!" "Sorry," Len muttered, though he didn''t really mean it. Sometimes it was better to get these things over with quickly. He placed his hands on either side of the wound, channeling healing mana into Rick''s leg. The flesh began to knit together, closing around the hole left by the bolt. As he worked, Len couldn''t help but shake his head. "You know, you really need to stop getting hit all the time. It''s becoming a habit." Rick grimaced, both from the pain and Len''s chiding. "Gargoyles got it out for me." Len finished healing the wound. "Fixed it up all thew way, how you feeling stamina wise?" "Tired but good to go, some time with the bracers and I should be good." Len stood up, offering his hand to his friend. "Come on, let''s get you on your feet." Rick grasped Len''s hand, grunting as he was pulled upright. He tested his weight on the newly healed leg, wincing slightly but finding it able to support him. "How''s it feel?" Len asked, still supporting some of Rick''s weight. "Like my leg got rearranged a bit, odd, be good with some time." Len nodded, scanning the room for any remaining threats. The engineering gargoyle lay motionless where he''d left it, its gears silent. The smaller clockwork creatures were scattered in pieces across the floor. His eyes were drawn to the crossbow that had caused them so much trouble. He approached it and squatted down. "Let''s see what we''ve got here," he muttered, picking up the weapon. The crossbow was a marvel of engineering, its multiple barrels gleaming in the dim light. Len turned it over in his hands, admiring the intricate mechanisms and gears that allowed for its rapid-fire capability. "You want it?" Rick asked. "You''re the better shot." "You sure?" "Yeah, but gimme the shield then," Rick said. Len handed over the shield, Rick tested it out as Len picked up a round cylindrical magazine that held bolts and put it into a leg cargo pocket. He took two others before standing. Rick had finished checking the shield and picked up a pair of boots from within the parts. "Reinforced, but I don''t know the enchantment," Rick said, looking at the soles of the boots. "Let''s have a look," Len said. Rick tossed him a boot. Len knelt down, placing the boot on the floor. He pressed down on it, feeling the way it felt much larger than it was, distributing the pressure. It took a bit of extra force than he was expecting to pull it away from the floor. "Looks like it grips the ground better and distributes your weight." To further test his theory, Len walked over to one of the bookshelves. He placed his foot on the vertical surface, expecting it to slide off. Instead, the boot gripped the wood as if it were level ground. Len released it, the mana in the boot going down slowly. "Keep it supplied with mana and you can literally walk up the wall," Len said. "Want them?" Rick asked. "Think they could be better for you, keep your footing if you take a big hit on your shield," Len said. "That''s a good point." Len threw Rick the boot he was holding. Rick caught it and quickly changed his boots. "The parts in here are to a good standard, but not going to help us right now," Len said, looking around the room. He moved to the engineering gargoyle, grabbing onto his sword''s hilt. He tugged onto it but it didn''t come free, caught in the gears and working parts of the creature. "Well looks like I won''t be using that anymore." Len moved back to the entrance to the room. "Next floor?" Rick said as he got back on his feet. "Next floor," Len said. "Good thing we told Lydia and her people to head over this way with their carts," Rick said. "Will give the people in Goran a lot to work with," Len said. "Right, they won''t even need us!" Rick grinned. Chapter 35 Len took off his sword belt, removing the scabbard for his now useless sword. He looped it to create a holster for his hammer before wrapping it around his waist. He picked up the crossbow, tested it and made sure it was loaded. "You done now?" Rick asked. hammer on his shoulder and shield held in his off hand. "Yeah yeah, lets go clear the rest of the library," Len said. Rick led them away from the engineering section and towards the stairs, taking the lead with his heater shield raised. Len checked his crossbow once more. No damn safety, don''t need to shoot him in the ass. They emerged onto the next floor. The level was different from the others they''d explored. Bookshelves still lined the walls, but they were fewer in number. What caught Len''s attention, however, were the books themselves. "Rick," he whispered, gesturing to the nearest shelf. "Look at these." The tomes here weren''t bound in simple leather or cloth. Instead, Len saw books with covers that shimmered like polished metal, others that seemed to be carved from stone. "Uncommon?" Rick asked. "Yeah looks like it," Len said. "Well looks like we know how some of them survived through this," Rick said. Len followed closely behind Rick as they moved through the floor, his crossbow at the ready. The shelves of uncommon books flanked them on either side, their unusual covers glinting in the dim light. Len''s eyes darted from side to side, watching for any signs of movement or danger. As they approached a wooden door, Len noticed something different about it. Unlike the others they''d encountered, this one had faint markings etched into its surface. ''Enchantment'' hung from a plaque. He tapped Rick''s shoulder, signaling him to stop. "Hold up," Len whispered. "This door''s got some kind of enchantment on it." Rick nodded, keeping his shield raised as Len stepped closer to examine the door. The markings were barely visible, but Len could sense the latent magic within them. Curious, he placed his hand on the wall next to the door and channeled a small amount of mana into it. The effect was immediate. The faint etchings on the door''s surface blazed to life, glowing with an ethereal blue light. Intricate patterns and symbols spread across the wood, revealing a complex enchantment that Len had never seen before. "Well, that''s interesting," Len murmured, studying the newly revealed magical script. He traced the patterns with his eyes, trying to decipher their meaning. The enchantment seemed to be some sort of protective ward, but its exact purpose remained unclear. Len studied the glowing enchantment on the door, his brow furrowed in concentration. As he traced the patterns with his eyes, he began to understand its purpose. "It''s a trap," he muttered to Rick. "Anyone who tries to force these doors open is in for a nasty surprise." Rick grunted in acknowledgment, keeping his shield raised and his eyes on their surroundings. Len stepped back from the door, his gaze sweeping across the adjacent wall. He spotted a section where the enchantment''s lines didn''t extend. "Over here," he said, moving to the side of the door. "We can bypass it completely." Len ran his fingers along the smooth stone, feeling for any hidden enchantments. Satisfied that the area was clear, he began to mark out a rough rectangle on the wall. "What are you doing?" Rick asked, glancing over his shoulder. "Making our own entrance," Len replied, focusing on his work. He traced the outline again, this time activating the mana blade enchantment on the utility knife, leaving behind deep and precise lines. He pulled Rick back, putting the rectangle infront of his left shoulder. "I''ll punch it through and we go," Len said. "Gotcha," Rick rolled his shoulders¡ªready. Len placed his palm flat against the center of the rectangle. He closed his eyes, concentrating on gathering mana into his hand. The energy built up, making his skin tingle. With a sharp exhalation, Len released the pent-up mana. It surged through his palm and into the stone in the shape of the section he''d cut out. There was a moment of resistance, then a loud crack as the section of wall suddenly disintegrated. Len crafted air barriers over his eyes as the dust from the destroyed wall exploded outward. Rick charged forward, his hammer at the ready. Len followed Rick through the dust that filled the opening, his crossbow at the ready. "Gargoyle!" Rick yelled. Len stepped on books into the room, they''d gone through a bookshelf, one of many built into the walls. Others lay in rows, seamlessly fused with the floor, all were made from the same reflective black stone. The room was dimly lit, with an eerie glow emanating from enchanted runes carved into the walls between shelves of enchanted books. Rick swung out his hammer to meet a wave of the black material rushing towards them. His enchantment activated, shattering the stone and hurling it back across the room towards their enemy. This one was made entirely of metal, its joints large spheres, covered in enchantments that glowed faintly in the dim light. Len''s eyes were drawn to the gargoyle''s hands. Each finger ended in a different tool, resembling those used for carving enchantments into various materials. The creature''s left arm was adorned with glowing red enchantments, while its right arm bore blue ones. Its chest was emblazoned with golden runes, and both legs were covered in brown markings. Rick charged forward as the creature raised it''s red enchantment covered arm. Len moved to the side to get a clear line-of-sight. The gargoyle raised its red runed arm unleashing a beam of fire . The temperature in the room shot up, and Len felt sweat immediately bead on his forehead. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Rick reacted quickly, interposing his shield between them and the fiery blast. The magical flames licked around the edges of the shield, but Rick held firm. Len could see the metal of the shield starting to heat up, turning a dull red at the edges. The gargoyle''s head snapped to Len as it jumped towards the shelves in the middle of the room, the creature''s blue arm lit up. A barrage of ice darts shot out. Len fired, hitting the creature and making it crash into a bookshelf as it tried to escape. The bolts slammed into a mana barrier he threw up. Rick advanced towards the bookshelves, his shield smoking, while the ground around him had melted under the wrath of the creature''s flames. "I''ll push it out, you hit its joints and slow it," Rick said. "Gotcha," Len said. The creature moved between shelves, he heard the satisfying clang of the bolt hitting its target. However, his satisfaction was short-lived as he saw the bolt simply skitter across the gargoyle''s armored surface, leaving barely a scratch. Should''ve got the spellcasting staff. Len crouched behind a bookshelf, his crossbow loaded and ready. He could hear the metallic scraping of the gargoyle as it moved through the stacks. Rick''s heavy footsteps echoed from the other side of the room, coordinating their efforts to corner the creature. A flash of metal caught Len''s eye. He pivoted, aimed, and fired in one fluid motion. The bolt struck true, embedding itself in the joint of the gargoyle''s leg. The creature stumbled, its movements becoming more labored. "Got it in the leg!" Len called out to Rick. He quickly reloaded, scanning for his next opportunity. The gargoyle emerged from behind a shelf, its red arm glowing ominously. Len ducked as a jet of flame scorched the air above him. Rick appeared beside the gargoyle, his hammer swinging out. The creature slammed its foot on the ground, sending out a wave of stone. Rick''s shield flared with angry red light, breaking the wave as Rick''s hammer connected throwing the gargoyle through two bookshelves. It raised its blue hand at Rick. Len fired another bolt, hitting the creature''s elbow throwing off its aim as it shot up a shelf and into the ceiling. Len dropped his crossbow and ran for the gargoyle as it struggled to get up. Rick ran from the other direction. It got to its feet, its chest glowing. Len threw himself to the side, skidding over the ground, his feet pushing off of a shelf as lightning passed underneath him. Rick''s hammer hit the gargoyle in the side, sending it flying under Len, its chest blasting out lightning in a spiral before it hit the door to the enchanting section. Triggering the enchantment they had so carefully circumvented. A blinding flash filled the room, accompanied by a deafening boom. Len landed, the shockwave throwing him back a bit as hearing disappeared. The shelves next to him had been smashed flat, the gargoyle''s body turned into a projectile. The gargoyle was part of a head, a core sticking out of metal, a bif of an arm and two legs. Experience flowed, Len breathing out. === You have earned 5 EXP === "Well, hope the books could take that," Rick said. "Lets have a look around and see what else we can find in here," Len said. Rick grabbed up the gargoyle body, pulling out its core. He tucked the core away into a pocket, before grabbing the creature up by one hand and throwing it to the side. Len moved through the shelves, looking for any loot other than the books. Near where the gargoyle had first attacked, he spotted a workbench with tools scattered across its surface. "Over here," he called to Rick. "Help me with this will you?" He pointed to the part of the shelf that had collapsed over the workbench. They moved it to the side and Len inspected what was underneath. He opened a leather roll. "Specialized carving tools." They were cut to different angles, perfect for etching precise enchantments into various materials. "Pyronite, Rare grade. That''ll allow you to keep carving for some time." In a drawer beneath the workbench, he discovered a small box containing what appeared to be chalk. When he picked up a piece, it left faint golden traces in the air. "Marking chalk," Len explained to Rick. He drew out a rough house in the air. "Be useful giving workers a guide to build along." "Or give people a way to see an enchantment broken down without having to create a blueprint from mana," Rick said. "Would''ve saved me a lot of headaches back when I was learning," Len said. Len spotted something half-buried under some books - a small rectangular plate made of silvery metal. He brushed off the debris and held it up. "Transfer plate. You can copy enchantments from one item to another using this as a medium. This could be huge!" He examined the metal and enchantment. "Steel, Uncommon grade, can copy Common enchantments. We could set this up as its own factory creating enchantments." "Its pretty slow though?" Rick asked. "Yeah you need to give it time to charge, though you can speed that up with having a charging enchantment, add in some mechanical systems and you could be creating a couple of enchantments an hour. If we were able to copy the enchantment and apply it to that Orsite we found we could copy over Rare Enchantments." Light reflecting off of something drew his eye. A metal stand held what looked like a magnifying glass, but its lens shifted colors as Len approached. He picked it up, feeling two distinct enchantments resonating within it. "This one''s interesting," Len said, holding it up to examine a nearby book. "Shows the mana flows in objects and highlights existing enchantments. Could use it to avoid mistakes when working on complex pieces." "Good haul," Rick said. "Should speed up teaching people and production." "Yeah," Len held the transfer plate, leery to let it go. He added it to the other items he''d stacked up on the workbench. "None of its of immediate use right now. I''d like to head down to the first floor and get that spell casting staff." Len and Rick made their way back down to the bottom floor, sloshing through the water back to the staff. Len loaded up one gem with a mana bolt spell and put it between his back and his pack, making it easy to draw free if needed. "Lets go see what the last floor has for us," He said to Rick. They went back up through the library, past the engineering room with its scattered mechanical parts, through the alchemy section still reeking of chemicals, and beyond the enchanting room with its blown-out entrance. They continued upwards to the highest floor. Like the enchanting floor it had fewer books though they were all of a higher quality. The shelves had been lined up in a way to make a path to a single doorway. Len studied the doorway, his eyes following the motes of light that curved across its obsidian surface like stars wheeling through a night sky. The plaque above read ''Astral'' in flowing script that seemed to shimmer just like the door itself. He reached out with his mana sense, trying to get a read on the magic woven into the structure. The energy patterns were unlike anything he''d encountered before - they didn''t flow in the usual ordered channels of standard enchantments, but rather seemed to twist and spiral in impossible geometries. "Space magic," Len said. "The door makes more sense now," Rick said. "Cover me." "Got you," Rick raised his hammer and shield, watching the area. Len put down the crossbow and pulled out his staff. He closed his eyes as he brought up the spell he wished to cast in his mind''s eye. It formed in three dimensions instead of the normal two required for spells. He stripped away parts reducing the area of effect, tamping down on the overall mana cost. He cast temporal stasis upon the staff, his mana charging downwards before he had to cut it, panting from the exertion. Something clicked ahead, the stars shifted, coming into a line that cracked the night sky, parting it to reveal a set of night-sky stairs leading upwards.. "You good?" Rick asked without looking back. "Just took a lot out of me," Len breathed in, dragging in mana. He slid his pack off. "Take my pack too," Rick said. Len held onto it and Rick pulled on the quick straps, releasing it from him. Len dropped it next to his pack. "Stay near me, I cast temporal stasis on the staff, if there''s any space fuckery it should stop it." "How big is the range?" "About three meters," Len said. "About to get so comfy with one another''s personal spaces," Rick said. "Something like that," Len looked at the door ahead and the stairs. "Lets got see what the Astral section has for us." Chapter 36 Len followed Rick through the doorway, gripping the staff tightly in his left hand. Rick''s old hammer felt familiar in his right - he''d spent enough time being hit by it during training. The stairs stretched upward, each step seemingly carved from the same star-flecked obsidian as the door. As they emerged into the room above, Len''s breath caught. Books lined circular shelves that stretched toward a domed ceiling painted in stark white, crisscrossed with black lines connecting countless points - like a star chart in negative. Movement caught his eye. A gargoyle perched on a rolling ladder, its form different from the others they''d encountered. Instead of wood or metal, it seemed to be made of the same material as the night-sky door below. It turned toward them, obsidian wings flexing. Then it flickered. One moment it was on the ladder, the next it appeared five meters closer, then another five, each jump bringing it nearer in a stuttering rush that set Len''s teeth on edge. The thing moved like broken time, like a skipping record of reality. "Oh, this is going to be fun," Rick said, bouncing slightly on his toes as he raised his shield. Len felt his own grin spreading. After all the administrative work in Goran, after playing nice with nobles and merchants, this was what they did best. Just him and Rick against something terrifying and powerful, with whatever treasures it guarded waiting to be claimed. The gargoyle flickered again, now close enough that Len could see the stars wheeling across its surface. He adjusted his grip on the staff, temporal magic humming through it. "Ready?" he asked. "Born ready," Rick replied, shield up and hammer cocked back. The gargoyle''s head snapped toward them with impossible speed, and reality bent. The gargoyle''s eyes flared, light bending around it in a way that made Len''s head spin. Beams shot out from its eyes, slicing through the air like scythes. One of the beams grazed Len''s shoulder, leaving a line of searing pain and smoking fabric. "Stay on your toes!" Rick yelled, deflecting another beam with his shield. The force pushed him back a step, but he recovered quickly, eyes locked on their enemy. Len channeled mana through it. He needed to trap this creature, to hold it still long enough for Rick to land a decisive blow. The gargoyle flickered again, now just inches from him. Its hand came down in a sweeping arc, and the space where its claws passed seemed to tear open, revealing a void of nothingness that sucked at Len''s very essence. He dodged, barely avoiding the slash of broken reality. The air around the gargoyle shimmered with distortion, making it hard to focus on any one part of it. Len thrust the staff forward, activating the temporal stasis. "Stay still," he growled, mana flaring at the tip of the staff. The Gargoyle hopped backwards stumbling. It expected to teleport. Rick''s hammer slammer into the creature''s side, cracks radiated through its body, the hit throwing it back several meters. It landed on the ground, Len activated the first spell stored within the staff. He shot out a mana bolt at the creature, it gripped the floor, its wings flapping as it threw itself forward, flickering ontop of a bookshelf. Len focused on the gargoyle, its dark form shimmering as it flickered from bookshelf to bookshelf. The creature launched itself at Rick again, claws extended, aiming for his exposed flank. ¡°Watch out!¡± Len shouted, raising his staff. He has to materialize to get the hit. Len fired into open space. The mana bolt hit the gargoyle as it reappeared, throwing it back. Rick pivoted, using the momentum to swing his hammer down with ferocity. The clang of metal against obsidian echoed through the chamber with a crunch. It flickered behind Rick, aiming for Len. Len readied resonating strike in his hammer, the angle awkward. Lightning struck the creature, the branches leaving after-images in Len''s eyes. "Gotcha," Rick said. Len continued to see the world through his mana sight. The creature flickered away, repositioned and came at them a different direction. The two worked in tandem now, moving like a well-rehearsed dance. As the creature charged again, Len channeled more mana into a defensive barrier. The gargoyle slammed into it with enough force to send ripples through the air around them. Rick brought his hammer down and it flickered away, then jumped forward, raking Rick with its claws. It flapped its wings throwing itself back out of range, then flickered away. "Left!" Len yelled activating the temporal stasis. Rick used his shield, the creature''s claws raking it. Len struck it with his hammer, light leaked from the creature''s wounds and mouth as it flickered away just a few meters. Rick hit the ground with his hammer, the shockwave threw the beasts into a bookshelf, it staggered up and ran at them again. After several exchanges of blows, the creature''s movements started to slow. Its teleportation distances shrank, flickering closer and closer each time until its reality rending claws extended only a few centimeters. Len and Rick''s clothes were torn on their upper bodies, even with diminished abilities the creature had razor sharp claws. ¡°Keep your eyes sharp! We can¡¯t let up now!¡± Rick said. They covered one another''s blind spots, using spells to not over-extend themselves and go for the kill. The creature flickered forward, aiming for Len''s throat as he activated temporal stasis. Len threw out his staff to activate the lightning spell. The gargoyle grabbed the staff and pushed it higher, the spell went off hitting the ceiling as the creature turned and pulled on the staff. It sunk its claws into Len''s wrist and the staff came free. Reality tore around its claws as it ripped its hand free. It flickered away, dropping the staff, letting it hit the floor and roll away. Its eyes flickered to Rick and it jumped. Len just knew what it was going to do. His hand was barely attached as he threw himself at Rick''s back. The creatures appeared, snarling it drove its left hand forward, reality warped along its talons. It stabbed through his side and up into his body. Len wrapped up the creature with his one good hand and cast temporal stasis, he turned the creature out of place as an enraged Rick swung his hammer, the air howling as mana gathered with it. The creature looked into Len''s face as he grinned, blood falling from his mouth. Rick''s hammer hit the creature''s head, the half of its head on the other side of the impact blowing out With a soft hiss like falling sand the gargoyle collapsed into dust, with its core falling out of the growing pile, to tinkle on the floor. Len stumbled backwards, healing spells firing off. Rick caught him by his vest straps and lowered him to the ground, and scanned the area. === You have earned EXP === Using experience would take a heavy toll on his body. One that he didn''t think he could survive in his current state. Len''s will spread throughout his body, creating solid will constructs in the walls of his heart and the arteries to continue pumping oxygenated blood, if he fell unconscious he would be of no help in putting himself back together. The constructs solidified as he contracted his own heart. He enhanced his bone marrow turning on all the systems within his body that would create more blood and assisted the flow to and from his brain. Rick cast and alarm spell. "We''re clear," Rick assessed, dropping his hammer. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Rick pulled out Len''s potions and started pouring them on his wounds. "Stamina?" "Yeah, got in deep, talons need to come out," Len said. Rick put his hand at Len''s side, pulling out the talons with a quick work of will, at the same time he pulled out the stopper of a stamina potion with his teeth and doused the wound with the potion. It would get into the bloodstream faster and energize the tissues around the wound. Len held onto these facts, fell back on the training, the healing they''d done in the past. "Wrist," Len said. A working of will clamped down on his forearm, cutting off the blood loss. Len healed the damage to the main arteries and heart where the talons had cut through, removing the will constructs that had been acting in their stead. Len started coughing. "You got that?" Rick asked. Len didn''t respond, instead using his will to push the blood out of his lungs and create a constructed diaphragm that kept his lungs working. Rick pushed that blood back into his veins, the oxygenated blood waking up Len''s brain.Len kept a constant water spell going, stopping his blood from clotting within his body. "Focus on vitals," Rick said. "On it," Len said. "Legs?" Rick took his shield, a spell softened the ground before he slammed it in and grabbed Len''s legs, putting them up on the shield. Rick went back to work, fusing the veins together along Len''s side to stop blood loss. Len gritted through the pain of having his side put back together. "Diaphragm is good," Rick said. Len reduced the amount that his construct was working to inflate and deflate his lungs. Rick fused what he could, quick and effective work, each done to extend the amount of time it would take for Len to die. "Stamina," Len said. Rick tore out a precious potion and poured it into Len''s side without hesitation. Len felt alert again as Rick finished off fusing the last major parts together. He poured water over the wounds to clean Len''s side and fused the skin together. Len ran mana through his body, passively healing the remaining trauma. His breathing hitched. Rick checked him over. "Internal wounds still, your arm''s fucked too." "Ever thought about working on your bedside manner?" "Ever thought about learning how to dodge?" Rick asked. Len grunted, too tired to argue¡ªmuch. Rick took his arm and started piecing his bones together and fusing them. He used his will to hold it in place to take less strain on Len''s body. He pieced muscle and tendons together. He checked on Len''s side again. "Bones aren''t great, been focused on muscle," Len said. "Alright, I want to unclamp your wrist and get you all connected back together, less time for the hand to get fucky," Rick said. Len took an accounting of his body. "Works, been in worse shape." Rick grunted and released his will clamped on Len''s wrist. Len added some of his own will to his body''s circulatory system. He grimaced in pain, his hand a ball of pain as it came back to life. Then it turned to the worst case of pins and needles. He focused on healing the tissues with the blood and making sure there was no clotting. It was slow work as he split attention there and keeping the healing going in his side. Rick worked on his shoulder too, a pretty simple job reconnected the parts that had been severed. Rick pinched his fingertips sometime later. "Good reaction and its not like holding a block of ice." "Got water?" Len asked. "Sure thing." Rick got his canteen out as Len pulled his legs down off of the shield. He rolled onto his side and used his elbow to try and sit up. Rick grabbed the back of his armor, pulled him up to sitting and turned him around, leaning against the shield. He held out the canteen to Len who took it with a nod of thanks and drank three mouthfuls and paused. "That was a nasty one," Rick said. "Yeah," Len nodded. Without the temporal spell or their coordination¡ªLen shook his head clearing it. "How you doing?" Rick asked. "Gimme ten I''ll be okay," Len said. "Alright," Rick patted him on the shoulder and stood up, a cleanse spell pulled the blood from his stained clothes he moved to the pile of supplies he''d used on Len cleaning them up and getting his hammer before he walked over to the staff, grabbing that and then returning. Len drank from the canteen slowly in the mean time. Rick put the staff down next to Len as he stoppered Rick''s canteen and traded it back to Rick. He grabbed the staff and used it to push himself up to standing, Rick put out a hand to steady him. Len patted it as his blood rush stabilized. "Lets check the area. Then we can head down to the first floor and start getting those books out of the damn water." Rick nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. Rick picked up the creatures core and stuffed it into his pocket. Len frowned as he spotted an irregularity in a wall panel. He''d been staring at it for a while, but now he really focused on it. "Something over there," he pointed at it. They moved over to it Rick examining the panel before he reached into a shelf next to it, feeling around before something clicked. The panel opened revealing items within. "Pair of boots and some charts." Rick grabbed the boots and handed them to Len. "Wanna figure out what these do?" "Space stuff," Len said, the enchantment was on the interior of the boots that were made from a supple leather. He grimaced at the enchantment. "Space magic is complicated as hell." "Mhmm," Rick wasn''t paying attention, opening a map. "Star map, though these aren''t our constellations, must be of a different world''s sky." "We knew that dungeons, and the rest come from other worlds," Len said, studying the enchantment within the boot. It had a positional input and a mana input. He glanced over to dust pile on the ground. Teleportation of some kind? "This place feels more like a realm than a dungeon," Rick said, picking up the other chart. "Isn''t a space fused with our world''s reality, so dungeon." "Massive freaking dungeon though to have all of this inside it." Rick opened the second chart. Len leaned forward seeing the positional information of star systems and the mana pathways that connected them. Len traced the lines connecting the star systems with his finger. "This is incredible. Look at these coordinates - they''re using a three-point system to map out the mana flows between worlds." He studied the intricate web of connections, mind racing with possibilities. "These show paths of least resistance. Follow these and you''d need maybe a tenth of the power. You could use this to create portals, using the natural mana streams to power the transport. It''d be far more efficient than brute-forcing a connection." "So we could create a network of portals throughout the stars?" Rick said. "Well yeah, if we knew how to make portals." "Got enough reading material here," Rick gestured to the room at large. Len looked around. "Yeah there''s a lot here. A bookshelf caught his attention, a glimmer of mana running through it in an enchantment. "Something there too." "You going to put those boots on?" Rick asked. "I think that they have a teleportation ability, not sure how far though," Len said. "Better than the ones you have on now they look like," Rick said. "Give me a minute." Len changed out his boots as Rick rolled up the charts, putting them on a nearby shelf. Len got back up with his new boots on, then aimed for halfway through the room and activated the boots. He jumped five meters instead of the twenty or so he was aiming for. He tried it again, then sideways where he wasn''t looking and back to Rick, the boots not working after the fifth try. Len checked the enchantment out of mana. "You figure it out?" Rick asked. "Based on the rate it fills up can use these once a day and you get five jumps of five meters," Len said. "That''ll be useful in a pinch," Rick said. "Yeah, shall we check out the weird bookshelf?" "You know me, always in to check out new hiding spots," Rick said. They walked to the shelf and studied it. "I can see what you mean," Rick muttered. "I sense the enchantment but its folded in on itself like a storage device," Len said. Rick tapped the shelf and listened. "There you are." Rick pulled a shelf forward and then reached behind it and flipped something. A ''hole'' appeared in the bookshelf. Len pulled out what was inside. Len lifted out a telescope as big as him on a stand. "Made from a special Pyronite alloy," Rick observed. "Brass where it wasn''t needed and those crystal lenses must have been a bastard to craft, tolerances are on the really damn high side. You got any idea about the enchantments?" Rings of precisely etched runes spiraled along its length. "Magnification on the lenses, mana detection," Len said. Rick looked through the eye piece and used the dials to move it. "Increase the mana and it zooms right in." He pulled his eye away and studied the knobs. "Oh! See these numbers here?" "Yeah?" "This is how they made that mana pathway chart! Smart bastards, you''d have to keep it in one place though because it is orientating off of your position," Rick held his chin in thought. "What you talking about?" "That pathway chart, at the center is the world where whoever owned this storage device lived. Using that as zero, zero, zero and using this telescope they were able to figure out the other system''s coordinates. This is even more useful than the chart because we can use it to chart our own pathways." "We could figure out the planet that the arrivals set out from," Len said. "Could go and pay them a visit before they get here," Rick grinned. "Their foot soldiers were level fifty with their leaders in the three hundreds," Len''s doubt crept into his words. "What''s to say that we can''t catch up to them and become stronger faster?" Rick''s grin deepened. To Len they had always been people and forces that were beyond them, their power on another level their resources endless. With Goran, with Velkaris, with the dungeons and the support of everyone? How many tricks did they know to increase one''s cultivation, how many items in how many dungeons did they know of that could improve their overall power. The forgotten library was just the second they''d visited. "Come on, lets finish looting this place and then we''ll get those books on the bottom floor out of water," Len said. They returned back to the entrance of the Astral section after having searched the rest of the place. "Was hoping we could find at least one storage device here," Len said. "Not normal for dungeons to have a storage device inside them, the storage dilemma," Rick said. "Yeah for every storage device you put into another, they lose fifty percent capacity," Len said. "Plus side you should be able to figure it out with all these books. Or we hire on an enchanter that''s got a mind for this sort of stuff," Rick said as they descended the stairs back into the library. "What do you want to do about the water?" Len asked. "Thinking you patch up the holes and then use magic to drain out the water and dry up the books." They entered the library, Rick peering up at the ceiling. "Yeah I could do that." "I''ll head down to the bottom floor and clear out the water, then we can give this place a thorough going over and see if there''s anything we missed," Len said. "Though first, lets use up those experience points. === Body: === Chapter 37 Len sat on a chair on the bottom floor of the library, cultivating to recover his mana. He held the staff in one hand and the other hand rested on the tome he''d got from the Arcane gargoyle. Rick''s boots splashed through ankle-deep water. "Ceiling''s fixed. No more leaks." "Good. Been at this for hours." Len opened his eyes. "Using the tome helped me hold the water control spell longer, but it''s still draining." Rick kicked at the water. "How''re you moving it?" "I get my mana back then I draw the water up the stairs and out of the dungeon, pulling on it till my mana falls off. The tome has been making my casts stronger and the staff helps me," Len said. "You''ve been able to get it down about ten centimeters," Rick said. "Just not moving fast enough," Len said. "Be easier if we could just make it all evaporate," Rick said. "Then it would condense and soak all the other¡ª" Len frowned, sinking into thought. "If we evaporated it and then used wind to push it out of the dungeon. That should be easier. Just need heat to do it and that would be the high mana cost." Len looked upwards. "One sec Rick." Len jumped up on a bookshelf, then to a railing and upwards till he reached the floor the enchanting section was on. He waded through the remains of their fight and reached the gargoyle they''d killed. Arm doesn''t look too bad. Using his knife he separated the arm from the rest of the gargoyle and took it over to the examining glass, he held it underneath examining the enchantment. "Focused beam here, if I turned down the output and increased the range." Len grabbed the roll of tools they''d found. The beam enchantment was complex, but he could trace the lines of power that focused the energy into a tight stream. His fingers worked with the delicate tools, redirecting the flow patterns to spread the heat over a wider area. Halfway through the modification, he paused. Steam rising from the water would soak into the books, potentially causing more damage than the standing water. "Dammit," He put down his tools and rested his hands on the workbench. His eyes moved to the other arm. "It shot out ice bolts¡ªwas that temperature or water based?" He pulled out his knife and moved to the gargoyle. "I would say sorry but you were kind of a dick." He returned to the workbench and studied the arm under the glass, breaking down the parts of the enchantment. It was much like an engine, different parts working together to create a singular outcome. "I don''t see any temperature based sections." He checked it again. He not a temperature-based enchantment as he''d first worried, but one that manipulated water directly. First drawing it to the arm, then removing the energy from the water, turning it into ice which was then stored up to become a pushing force. He grabbed his chin and studied the arm as Rick walked in through the door. "You look like you figured out something." "Arm draws in water, takes out energy and then hurls it in the direction its pointed. If I can have it draw in water then can put it at the entrance to the dungeon and it''ll draw water up to it like a condensing spell and then once it passes beyond the hand it''ll collapse, just need to create a path for it to drain away." He took out the marking chalk and drew out the current enchantment and layered changes upon it. He used the back of the chalk to erase and modify. "Sounds like I should get to digging," Rick said. "See if your sister knows when she''ll get here too," Len said. "Will do." Time faded away from Len''s perception as he hacked together a modification for the enchantment. He looked around the glowing diagram. "Yeah that should work." Len picked up the tools and started altering the enchantment, checking the slowly diminishing drawing hanging in the air. He carefully disconnected several key nodes in the enchantment matrix using a fine-tipped etching tool. The metal responded to his touches, the embedded magic shifting under his modifications. He added in new connections and commands. Len made the final adjustments to the gargoyle''s arm, triple-checking the modified enchantment matrix. The metal felt warm under his fingers as he traced the altered patterns. Each connection had to be perfect - one wrong line and the water could spray everywhere or worse, explode from pressure buildup. He carried the arm out of the dungeon entrance where Rick had been busy with earthwork. A fresh-dug channel stretched from the dungeon''s mouth to the nearby creek, the dirt piled high on either side to prevent overflow. Rick had driven wooden stakes into the sides and woven branches between them to shore up the walls. Len placed the modified arm onto a cracked stone slab Rick had positioned at the channel''s start. The break in the stone formed a perfect groove to direct the water flow. He oriented the arm''s palm toward the dungeon entrance, checking that the angle would catch the rising water vapor. "Ready?" Len called out to Rick. Rick hurried past him into the dungeon, boots splashing through the remaining water. "Do it!" Len pressed his hand to the metal arm and pushed mana into it. The enchantment activated with a soft hum. At first nothing happened, then a fine mist began streaming out of the dungeon entrance. The vapor collected around the arm, condensing into liquid water that trickled down the stone''s channel. The flow increased steadily as more water vapor was drawn up from below. Soon a steady stream ran down the improvised aqueduct toward the creek. The modification was working exactly as he''d planned. Len watched with satisfaction as the water continued flowing smoothly through the channel. Rick''s hand landed heavily on his shoulder. "Nice work. Though we could speed this up if we freeze blocks and toss them out." Len nodded. "Yeah, that''d work. Did you manage to reach Lydia?" "Got through on the talisman. She''s bringing a couple dozen carts our way." Rick leaned against the dungeon entrance. "Lucius has some of his traders in the area too. They''ll take the books straight to the trains and back to Goran." "Good. Last thing we need is these getting damaged in transit." Len stepped back into the dungeon, Rick followed him, he slowed as he entered the library proper and looked at the floors of books. "You know I don''t think that''s going to be enough carts." "I know that look, you''re planning something," Rick said. "Thinking that if we don''t have enough carts we could make one out of ice slabs. Cover it in dirt so that it doesn''t get the books wet. Maybe take some stone or metal and stick it into the cart to keep it cold?" "You aiming to make a cart out of every material we know?" Rick sighed. "Easy enough to make it from rock," Len said. Rick gave him a flat stare. "If we don''t have enough carts the first time then we''ll leave it up to Lydia and her lot to get more of them and sort things out. Else we''re going to get wrapped up into every small problem. Cultivating and tempering are more important." He walked over the railing and dropped to the bottom floor. Len followed him. They froze water into blocks and ran into their first problem. "Stairs aren''t wide enough," Rick observed. "What if I chuck it up to you and you carry it outside, then by the time you get back I should have another chunk ready for you?" If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "Works," They put Rick''s plan to the test and quickly started depleting the dungeon''s water. The physical labor of moving the blocks would be tough, but between the two of them they could clear the water much faster this way. His mana reserves felt steady enough to keep going for a while. "How many carts exactly?" Len asked as he formed another block. "Twenty-four. Should be enough for what we''ve found so far." Rick grabbed the fresh block. *** Len reached the broken railing he''d gone through when entering the dungeon. "Ready!" he braced himself for the next ice block. "That should be good enough, water is below the lowest books. I''ve been using your staff and book to dry out the books!" Rick yelled back up. Len dropped down to the bottom floor, the water not covering his boot''s sole anymore. Rick drew water from the books and threw it up into the air, feeding the modified arm. Len set to stacking the salvageable books from the bottom floor into neat piles. His fingers traced the spines, checking for water damage. Many had a musty smell, a cleanse spell removed rot. They worked together, eating as they did so. Time passed quickly till they''d cleared up all the books that had been underwater. "Time to increase that mana and body," Rick said, handing Len back his staff and the tome. Len wrapped the tome to his belt with its chains and accepted the staff with a nod of thanks. "Top floor has the densest mana, be faster there." They gathered up their gear and the loot, dropping off the loot at the main floor and continuing up to the astral section. The celestial room at the top still held traces of their battle with the obsidian gargoyle. Starlight filtered through the enchanted ceiling, casting everything in a pale glow. They took off their gear including armor and put it off to the side. "Rock paper scissors?" Rick held out his fist. Len nodded. They shook their fists three times. Len threw paper. Rick threw rock. "Your turn first then," Len said, taking Rick''s old hammer from his belt. The weapon felt heavy in his hands, charged with resonating strike.. Rick stood with his feet planted shoulder-width apart, hands clasped behind his back. "Ready." Len swung the hammer into Rick''s shoulder. Pain shot through Rick''s body, but he didn''t flinch. Again and again, Len struck carefully chosen points - joints, muscle groups, bone. Each hit precise, measured to cause maximum benefit without permanent damage. The starlight above caught the sweat beading on Rick''s forehead as he endured the tempering. His jaw clenched tight, muscles straining against the impacts. But he didn''t move, didn''t make a sound. Len followed the patterns they''d developed over countless sessions. Rick staggered and crumpled to his knee. "Good?" Len asked. "Yeah, just give me a second," Rick lay down on the floor. "That''ll be easier." Len looked at him. Rick closed his eyes and nodded once. Len started up again falling back into rhythm as he monitored Rick''s body, increasing the strength and frequency of his hits until Rick''s recovery was barely working. Len held back his hits, using healing spells. "It works, but fuck if it don''t suck," Rick said. Len reached down, Rick grabbed his hand, letting himself get hauled to his feet. Len lay back on the cold stone floor, the starlight filtering through the enchanted ceiling above him. He took a deep breath, and nodded to Rick. The first hit slammed into his shoulder. Pain exploded through his body, but Len kept his face neutral. Years of experience had taught him how to ride through the agony. His healing ability kicked in immediately, repairing the damage while leaving behind stronger tissue. Rick''s hammer struck his other shoulder. Then his chest. Each impact sent shockwaves of pain radiating through him. Sweat broke out across his forehead as his body worked overtime to heal the precise, calculated damage. The steady rhythm of strikes continued. Thud. Pain. Heal. Thud. Pain. Heal. Len focused on his breathing, using it to help channel the mana flowing through his system. His muscles screamed in protest, but he could feel them growing denser, stronger with each hit. His healing started to lag behind the impacts. The pain began to stack up, transforming from sharp spikes into a deep, throbbing ache. Still, he didn''t move. Didn''t make a sound. The starlight above blurred, the only focus on healing his body. Rick adjusted his aim, targeting different muscle groups. Each new location brought fresh waves of agony. Len''s mana reserves dipped as his body struggled to keep up with the healing demands. The hammer came down again. Black spots danced in Len''s vision. His healing barely responded now, overwhelmed by the accumulated damage. Healing spells flooded his body, Rick healing him. Once he could breathe again without his ribs creaking he started to relax, screens greeting him. === Body: === "Another round?" Rick asked. "Two rounds of tempering and a round of cultivation?" Len asked. "Works with me," Rick reached down and Len grabbed his hand, standing up. *** Len sat cross-legged on the stone floor, closing his eyes to focus on the dense mana surrounding him in the astral room. He pulled the mana through his channels, each movement precise and controlled. The energy burned like acid in his veins as he compressed it further, forcing it through narrowing channels toward his core. His jaw clenched against the pain. The mana resisted, fighting to spread out through his body. One slip in concentration would let it escape, tearing through him like molten metal. He''d learned that lesson the hard way too many times before. Compressed mana filled his core, the === Enter in core color === Sweat dripped down his temples as he maintained his iron grip on the flow. The mana wanted to burst free, to follow its natural tendency toward chaos. His hands trembled against his knees, but he didn''t dare break his meditation. The power had to keep flowing, had to keep condensing. No matter how much it hurt. He was nearly there! The pressure in Len''s core reached a critical point. His channels burned white-hot as the mana compressed beyond what he thought possible. Then, with a sudden rush, the energy crystallized. His core compressed the energy within just a bit more and he felt relief through his body, his channels becoming thicker and stronger, his capacity just a bit higher. Len released a shaky breath, carefully relaxing his control over the mana flow. The burning sensation gradually faded, replaced by a familiar throb. He opened his eyes, checking his status screen to confirm the level increase. === Mana: === His gaze lingered on the corruption resistance numbers. The margin between his body''s tolerance and the ambient mana pollution had grown dangerously thin. One miscalculation could leave him writhing as corrupted energy ate through his channels. "Ready?" Rick asked, hefting his hammer. Len nodded, rising to his feet. The tempering would hurt, but it was necessary to strengthen his body''s resistance. He braced himself as Rick took position. The first strike landed against his shoulder. Pain exploded through the joint, but Len kept his stance firm. His healing skill activated automatically, knitting the damaged tissue back stronger than before. *** Rick''s hammer fell in a steady rhythm. Each impact sent waves of agony through Len''s body, followed by the warm rush of accelerated healing. His Body''s experience growing with each cycle of damage and repair. They''d been at this for hours. The tempering sessions flew by - just hit harder, heal faster, repeat. But the cultivation... that took forever now. Each level required more compressed mana, more precise control, more time spent fighting against the corrupting energy. Rick paused mid-swing. "Company." There was a dullness to his voice that came with pushing at one''s limits of the body and mind. Len continued to heal, relief running through him as he used his mana sight to look through his eyelids. Rick turned to face the stairs, lowering himself, ready to charge. Len repaired what he''d need to fight. Bones, ligaments and muscle. Rick stood up from his stance as Lydia crested the top of the stairs, leading Gibson and a squad from the expedition unit. "Should we give you two a minute?" Lydia smirked, her eyes moving around the room. Len shifted, the floor that had broken around him falling off as he stood up, healing the damage to his body. Lydia crossed her arms. "If you two wanted privacy for whatever this is, you could have found somewhere less conspicuous." Rick lowered his hammer. "Just some training." "Training that destroys stone floors?" Gibson asked, studying the impact craters. "Tempering," Len explained, rolling his shoulder. The healing had already finished, leaving the muscles stronger than before. "Fastest way to build physical resistance. Take damage, heal, repeat." Lydia''s eyes tracked across the floor again, noting the depth of the impacts. There was an impression of where Len''s body had been. "And the healing keeps up with that level of force?" "Has to," Len said. "Otherwise we''d both be paste by now." Lydia shook her head, a mix of disbelief and amusement crossing her face. "You''re both insane. Beating each other to pieces for ''training'' - who does that?" "Strength is the only thing that you can hold to that allows you to control your own fate," Rick said. "How was the crystal dungeon? Get anything good?" "Good fight, though the spiders were smaller than what you described." Lydia rolled her shoulders. "Still, decent experience. We wrapped up when your message came through." "After the first clear the creatures will revert to their normal levels. You''d have to leave the dungeon alone for a long time before it builds up to an overflow state like it did." Len got enough mana back that he used cleanse to draw the blood and sweat out of his clothes. "Also most of the stuff you take from the dungeon doesn''t regenerate. Harder enemies and first shot at the loot in the dungeon, first clear is the best clear," Rick said. "Where''s the rest of your unit?" Gibson stepped forward, his boots crunching on the stone debris. "The three other squads are working through the remaining floors now." "Won''t find much." Rick moved over to his gear. "We cleared everything out already. Though getting all the loot hauled out - that''ll take some doing." Len flexed his newly healed muscles, the lingering warmth of regeneration still coursing through them. The tempering and cultivation session had been productive, even if it looked barbaric to outsiders. He understood Lydia''s reaction - most people would consider deliberately taking that kind of damage to be madness. But conventional training methods wouldn''t cut it anymore. The dungeons they wanted to explore would push their limits. === Body === "We''ll go through the loot we found," Rick said.