《The Connected System》


 Prologue

    The first of the beings appeared in the room. What was barely a room. A platform floating in the endless void of the stars. Millions of stars were visible. To the sides, over and under since the platform was translucent. The first being walked across the invisible surface, not concerned. It could sense the floor, walls and even ceiling. All which only existed to keep out the void.


    Not that the being couldn¡¯t survive in the void.


    But for even beings as Advanced as he was, there were still restrictions and communicating within the void was next to impossible, even telepathically.


    Even for beings as Advanced as he was, there were still limitations. They were mostly all powerful. The most powerful beings inside the entire Connected Realms. He could feel the Spirit from all his followers flowing into him. Constantly. It never ended.


    The space formed by the invisible walls made of pure energy wasn¡¯t large. Just big enough for its purpose. It was empty.


    He had been looking out into the void, something he did often. The stars were endless. All having worlds that could be added to the Connected System. Maybe not all with life, but even gas planets had a use for the Connection. All those resources just waiting for him, and the others like him, to harvest and control.


    And reap the Spirit from.


    Being one of the few Divine Beings in the Connected System had its perks.


    He turned from the view, studying the empty middle of the room. There would be more like him here soon. There was no reason to not meet in comfort. With a wave of his hand, solid constructs of energy in the form of chairs and a large table appeared. To anyone not a Divine Being or close to it in Advancement, they would have seen nothing. To one with his senses, it was as clear as day.


    He walked over to a chair to the side of the head. The head was not for him. He was one of the strongest, with the most followers, but there were still a couple stronger.


    As there were always limitations no matter how strong one got, there was always going to be someone or something stronger. That was life in the Connection. Always grow and always Advance.


    Mentally, he reviewed how he appeared. Large, almost burly. Heavily muscled. Long blond hair in braids. Thick beard. Scars from many battles covered his body. He was satisfied.


    At his Advanced level, he could appear however he wanted. Really didn¡¯t even need to be a he, or she, but identity was still a powerful thing. A sense of self was a requirement for someone with his power. He, and the others, had moved on from being just a person and were now more concept.


    But there was still identity in being a concept.


    To his followers, his concept was most often male. That was what he had been when he had joined the Connection, Millennium ago, and that was what he remained.


    Most of the time.


    Now he was male again. A barbarian was what he would be called with his current look.


    ¡°I see you are preparing for the new world,¡± a voice said.


    The first being turned to see a second. This one was shifting between a male and female form. The same person, just a different gender. Tall and thin, black hair, pale skin, bright green eyes. The first had known the second was there, for the last few minutes. Maybe the second had been there for longer. With this one, even one such as the first would have a hard time detecting him, or her, if the second didn¡¯t want them to.


    ¡°It is good to get used to the new form,¡± the first said. ¡°Makes it easier to maintain at all times.¡±


    ¡°It could still be years before you need to make an appearance,¡± the second said, still shifting.


    If it unsettled the first, he didn¡¯t show it.


    The second had always been more fluid with its identity. And appearance. Almost every aspect of its identity. The first had never known the second¡¯s birth name or where it had come from. He only knew its Concept.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The Trickster.


    The Concept of mischief, luck and chance.


    ¡°That is an interesting look for you,¡± the second being said, sitting down, choosing a chair in the middle of the table on the side opposite the first.


    ¡°It matches the most popular appearance of the aspect I have chosen for this new Realm.¡±


    ¡°Does it have a name?¡±


    ¡°Thor.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes,¡± The Trickster said. ¡°The God Of Thunder. That fits your Concept nicely.¡±


    The first being, Thor, the Concept of the Storm, nodded. His was a difficult Concept but a powerful one. There were few Divine Beings stronger than Storm. The Trickster was not, at least not physically, but no one challenged the Trickster if they could help it. Not as strong, the Trickster was still dangerous.


    ¡°And you are Loki in this Realm?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± The Trickster replied with a bow of its head, which was female at that moment, turning to male as the head lifted.


    ¡°Can you settle on one form?¡±


    ¡°I can and maybe I will,¡± the Trickster said with a shrug of shoulders that shifted a few inches up and down as the body shifted. ¡°We can thank this new Realm¡¯s media for this,¡± it said, waving to indicate its form. ¡°They can¡¯t quite settle on what Loki really is. Unlike you.¡± It pointed at The Storm and his Thor body.


    ¡®Yes, Thor does seem to be popular and have similarities across all representations.¡±


    ¡°And will play well with the survivors,¡± The Trickster continued. ¡°A powerful hero.¡±


    The Storm nodded.


    He looked around the small room, eyes glowing, an obvious indication of a use of his power. He did not need to use such a sign, not now. Scanning came naturally to one such as it. He did it as a favor to The Trickster. There were rules in how the Divine Beings interacted with each other. Ways to prevent offense and keeping the fighting between them to a minimum.


    When Divine Beings fought, worlds were destroyed.


    Showing signs of power use, not keeping it secret, was one of those ways.


    Satisfied, the sign of power faded from The Storm¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Our deal stands?¡±


    The Trickster nodded.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this,¡± the Trickster asked.


    The Storm nodded.


    The Trickster was about to say more, but stopped. He raised a hand, warning the Storm. More beings appeared around them. All in their chosen forms for the upcoming Connection. A variety of humans. Red hair, blonde, male, female. Tall or short. Most looking well felt, a couple heavier.


    None felt powerful, their auras suppressed. It was another rule of interaction between the Divine Beings. The Rules were important for when two met, let alone this many. Such a gathering was rare.


    It had happened many times over the millennia, but when centuries or even thousands of years were in between each such meeting, it was still rare. Most often it was right before a new world joined the Connected System.


    Which was the reason for this gathering.


    Each of the others took their seats, nodding to The Storm, avoiding looking at The Trickster. Which just made them smile. The last to take a seat, at the head of the table, appeared to be an older man. Just as large, if not larger, then The Storm, but with a fuller beard and longer hair. Both were white. He had only one eye, the other covered by a rune etched leather patch.


    That single eye looked out over the others. All Divine Beings, all Advanced like he was. He was just stronger.


    By a wide margin.


    His Concept was Knowing.


    The eye lingered on The Trickster, the only one to stare directly back. It ended up on The Storm, staying there. He didn¡¯t look up, didn¡¯t squirm though he wanted to. It was like The Knowing knew.


    Of course he did. That was what he did. What he was.


    The eye left The Storm, staring ahead.


    If he still needed to breathe, The Storm would have let out a breath in relief. The Knowing, who would be using the name of Odin, didn¡¯t say anything. Why? There was no rule against cooperating. It usually didn¡¯t happen. They all wanted the same resources and Spirit. Instead of fighting each other for them, they used proxies. Why destroy those resources and lose the Spirit? But what The Storm and Trickster were trying to do, it was not usual.


    The Knowing should have said something.


    But he didn¡¯t.


    What game was he playing?


    There had to be a reason.


    One that he would not figure out. Not yet. Maybe not ever.


    ¡°It is almost time,¡± Odin said, his voice booming, already getting into the role.


    The Storm listened with less than half his consciousness. The rest was already focused on the upcoming Connection and how to quickly accumulate resources and Spirit.


    And how to enact the plan.

 Chapter One

    ¡°It launched,¡± Kelly said.


    ¡°What?,¡± Loch mumbled.


    He was and wasn¡¯t paying attention to the road. Driving, tired, after spending the weekend up in the White Mountains camping with the wife and two teen daughters. He was the driver, so he was paying attention.


    But he¡¯d driven this stretch of Route 4 so many times, he knew every turn and every bump. Not every bump. This was New Hampshire, frost heaves in the roads were a regular thing. No road was safe.


    So the bumps changed.


    But Loch still knew the road.


    He was somewhat zoned out, trying not to hear the arguing daughters in the backseat.


    ¡°The rocket,¡± Kelly answered, not looking up from her phone.


    The ride home had been the first time she¡¯d gotten a chance to look at it. The weekend had been tech free. It was something they did a couple times a year. Go camping up north and turn off the electronics. Loch would have left the devices at home, but they did need at least one around for emergencies.


    As soon as the SUV had been packed up, and they¡¯d gotten somewhere with service, the girls had immediately gotten their phones out. Kelly had waited a little longer. It was a three hour drive home, Loch couldn¡¯t really blame them.


    They all liked their devices, but they weren¡¯t as bad as a lot of the families they knew. Some of the girls friends lived on their phones


    Rocket, Loch thought, but remembered. It had been all over the news before they¡¯d set out. One of the private companies, that had gotten into space aviation, was going to launch the first manned rocket to Mars. They¡¯d gotten a couple of rockets up there, but this was new. Very high tech. Very exciting. It was history in the making, or so the media was saying. The race to the stars was back on.


    It was exciting, Loch was as into it as everyone else. The talk was everywhere. No one could escape. Unless you did what Loch Brady and his family had done, and go deep into the mountains where there was no signal. Even on the field, when the girls were playing, and Loch was talking with the other fathers. It was all they could talk about.


    Like many, Loch had wanted to be an astronaut when he grew up, along with a dozen other possible jobs. He¡¯d read about exploring alien worlds. Fantasy was Loch¡¯s choice, but he still read and watched the occasional Sci-Fi. There was something about sending people to Mars.


    It was a new era.


    ¡°No issues,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°None.¡±


    Loch was about to ask something else when he was interrupted by teen angst.


    ¡°Mom! Tell Piper to turn it down,¡± Harper grumbled.


    Fifteen, just gotten her learner¡¯s permit, Loch had been thinking about letting her drive the last couple miles home, Harper was the splitting image of her mom. Not just looks, but personality too, according to Loch¡¯s father-in-law.


    Piper, the thirteen year old, had turned up the music on her phone. Loch didn¡¯t even know what band. There had been a time when he¡¯d known every band his girls listened to. At that time, the playlist had been controlled from his phone. As they got older, and got their own phones, he¡¯d lost touch with what they listened to. He missed the days when he¡¯d sneak in one of his songs onto their playlist.


    Loch looked into the rearview, seeing his daughters. Piper was looking out the window, with the music too loud, pointedly ignoring her older sister. Harper was glaring at her.


    ¡°Pipes,¡± Loch said, using the middle tone of voice.


    The one that said ¡®there¡¯s no trouble yet, but keep it up and there will be¡¯.


    Piper dramatically sighed, but did turn the volume down.


    Kelly looked back at the girls for a couple more seconds, just to make sure Piper would keep the volume down and Harper didn¡¯t raise the volume on her phone. With a last look at both girls, she turned back to her phone.


    ¡°The Turners are having a cook-out next weekend,¡± she said. ¡°They invited us over.¡±


    Inwardly Loch groaned. He wasn¡¯t a huge fan of the Turners. At least the husband, Ed. Suzanne was okay. She was pretty good friends with Kelly.


    ¡°Awesome, haven¡¯t seen Ed in awhile.¡±


    Kelly glanced at him. Loch tried to keep a straight face. He knew she had detected the sarcasm. Kelly knew how he felt about Ed Turner. It wasn¡¯t that he disliked Ed, it was just that Ed was rather boring. He was one of the town¡¯s Selectmen, with aspirations to move onto the state and eventually national political stage. All Ed ever talked about was politics, always asking what Loch thought about every issue. All Loch wanted was to drink a beer and hang out.


    Loch looked into the rear view to see if Harper had heard. She hadn¡¯t. The Turner¡¯s had a son, Mike. He was the same age as Harper and she did not like him at all. Loch would have to remember to warn her so she could either take a shift at work or find other plans.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The rocket was forgotten, as was the question Loch had been going to ask.


    He thought about putting some music on. The road was empty, strangely empty for a Sunday afternoon in the spring. Where were all the tourists? He didn¡¯t because that would have been a sure way to get the girls going. It was quiet now.


    Peaceful.


    He wasn¡¯t looking forward to going back to work in the morning. And it was an office day. No working from home. The girls didn¡¯t want to go back to school, they had both tried to talk him and Kelly into staying another night. Everyone takes Monday off. Loch had wanted to, but he had a deadline next week. He had to go to work.


    They¡¯d pull a four day weekend later, before the summer and the heat really hit. There were still plenty of weekends. The spring had been unusually warm.


    And windy.


    Very windy.


    Trees lined the two lane road. There were still sections of Route 4 where no houses or businesses were visible. Part of why Loch loved where they lived. Basically midway between Concord and Portsmouth, close to Dover. Everything was close by, but it still felt like they were out in the middle of nowhere sometimes. Lakes and woods. And mountains within driving distance.


    What else was needed?


    Still it was weird that there weren¡¯t more cars.


    The corner ahead was sharp, the road disappearing out of view. Loch slowed down a little, just lifting his foot off the gas, no need to apply any braking. The SUV easily turned the corner, the road revealing itself.


    Lots of trees. No traffic.


    Just one car coming at them.


    No.


    One car stopped on the side of the road.


    Loch slowed down as they approached, checking his mirror to make sure no one was coming up on his tail quickly.


    The car had its hood up, a man standing there looking into the depths at the engine. At least there wasn¡¯t smoke.


    Loch slowed down, moving over into the thin shoulder of the road. The passenger side tires ran over dirt and rocks.


    The man, maybe six feet tall, wide with a gut, looked over at them as Loch hit the button to lower the window. He was bald, very round face. Maybe someone that had once been solid but had lost some of that over the years as more and more beers were drank. The eyes were piercing though, not friendly but not glaring. Loch had run across people on the side of the road that were actually annoyed when someone stopped to ask if they needed help. This guy was neither.


    ¡°You good?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Yeah, got Triple A on the way,¡± the man drawled. His accent was hard to place. Loch wasn¡¯t sure if he was slurring his words or not. ¡°Damn thing just broke down.¡±


    ¡°Okay, as long as you¡¯re good.¡±


    The man just waved, telling Loch that he could go.


    Loch obliged. He¡¯d done his duty as a good citizen.


    He put the SUV back into gear, giving it some gas to get it back on the road.


    The car didn¡¯t move.


    Loch looked down at the shifter. It was in drive. He gave it more gas. Nothing. He even checked the emergency brake. Just to make sure.


    The guy looked up, hearing the SUV engine strain and the vehicle not moving.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on,¡± Kelly asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Loch answered, playing with the shifter.


    He put it back into drive, hitting the gas. The SUV didn¡¯t move.


    It just shut off.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    The window was still down. Loch saw the other guy standing up, taking a couple steps forward.


    ¡°Looks like you need some help now,¡± he said, chuckling.


    Loch wanted to say something, but again he was interrupted.


    The world started to shake.


    ***


    The whole car shook. Not just a little, but a lot. The other man fell to the ground, cursing.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Piper shouted.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay honey,¡± Loch said, but wasn¡¯t sure.


    The car kept shaking. He heard a loud crack. In front of them an old tree fell, slamming into the road, branches and splinters exploding into the air. They fell to the quaking ground.


    ¡°Just an earthquake,¡± Loch said, trying to sound calm.


    Another crack, deeper in the woods, signaled another tree falling down.


    A deep rumbling came from beneath them. The car didn¡¯t just shake, it shifted.


    ¡°What the hell?,¡± Loch said again.


    Kelly screamed.


    Loch watched as the road in front of them split.


    The crack grew wider and wider, pieces of asphalt and dirt falling into the new chasm. A jagged and twisting line grew down the road, heading toward the car.


    ¡°Loch,¡± Kelly said, calm but with an edge of panic.


    ¡°Dad,¡± both Harper and Piper said, a lot of panic.


    Loch didn¡¯t respond. He just watched the widening and growing crack in the road come toward his family. He felt helpless. There was nothing he could do. He turned the key, trying to get the car to start up. He slammed on the gas.


    He wished and prayed, something he hadn¡¯t done in a very long time.


    He also cursed. Loudly.


    The crack was wide enough to swallow a car. He looked to the other guy, who was backing up as fast as he could. The crack would come between the two vehicles. The road wasn¡¯t wide enough. They¡¯d be swallowed up.


    Loch reached a hand out, taking Kellys. He watched the crack, seeing nothing but blackness in the chasm.


    A bright light filled his vision, his head pounding.

 Chapter Two

    WELCOME TO THE CONNECTION


    The words filled Loch¡¯s vision. His head hurt. His entire body hurt. He couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    YOUR WORLD HAS REACHED THE THRESHOLD. IT HAS NOW BEEN JOINED TO THE CONNECTED SYSTEM AS A HUNTING AND RESOURCE REALM. THIS MEANS MANY CHANGES TO YOUR WORLD. THE GREATEST OF WHICH IS THAT TECHNOLOGY NO LONGER WORKS. SPIRIT IS THE LIFE OF YOUR WORLD.


    AND NOW YOU.


    AS A PART OF THE CONNECTION, YOUR BODY HAS BEEN CHANGED TO HARNESS AND UTILIZE THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD AROUND YOU. WITH SPIRIT YOU CAN DO AMAZING THINGS. AS YOU PROGRESS AND GAIN IN SPIRIT, YOU WILL BECOME STRONGER.


    The words faded.


    As did the pain.


    The world came back into focus. First the dashboard. Loch¡¯s head was against the steering wheel, he could feel the rubber. Lifting his head he looked out the window. Everything was the same, but not.


    He couldn¡¯t tell what was different. He just knew something was.


    Besides the large crack in the road.


    Shaking his head, struggling to unfasten his seat belt, Loch opened his door.


    He went to step out, felt nothing beneath his feet, somehow managing to fall back into the SUV and not out the door into the void. Cautiously, Loch looked down.


    The crack had come right under the car. The front tire was only six inches or so from the edge. Somehow they¡¯d not fallen into the abyss.


    And it was an abyss.


    Loch couldn¡¯t see the bottom. It was dark. A night with no stars kind of dark.


    He forced his heart to calm down. It was beating a mile a minute.


    At least the SUV was on solid ground.


    For now.


    He looked across the wide crack.


    The other vehicle, and the guy, were gone.


    It didn¡¯t look like they¡¯d fallen into the chasm. It didn¡¯t veer more in that direction. It had run pretty straight between the two cars. Loch could even see the impressions in the dirt where the car had been.


    Both the man and car were just gone.


    ¡°Kelly?,¡± he said, sliding fully back into his car. ¡°Harper? Piper? Are you all okay?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Harper said, sounding groggy.


    ¡°Ow,¡± Piper added.


    Kelly didn¡¯t answer.


    The seat was empty. Her door was open.


    But Kelly wasn¡¯t there. Loch slid over more, trying to see into the woods, looking in front of the car and trying to look around everything in the back. He couldn¡¯t see Kelly.


    ¡°Stay there,¡± he ordered the girls.


    Loch cursed, sliding into the passenger seat, legs still in the drivers. He worked his way around, getting his legs out the door. It was awkward, but he managed.


    With little discomfort.


    Which was a surprise.


    Loch kept in shape. Decent for his mid-40s age. Not as good as he could have been, but there was no sign of a gut.


    Yet.


    And he could hike a mountain.


    But that maneuver to get out of the driver¡¯s side, across the center console, onto the passenger seat and out the door? That should have been harder to do.


    YOUR BODY HAS BEEN CHANGED


    Is that what the words had said?


    The strange floating words.


    Words that shouldn¡¯t have existed.


    Feet hit the ground, Loch fully out of the car. He looked everywhere, scanning the ground for signs of Kelly¡¯s passage.


    Or Kelly herself.


    Maybe she¡¯d fallen out of the car.


    Fully seatbelted, which he had to struggle to get out of, she would have somehow fallen out of the car. Not likely.


    He could hope.


    There were no visible footsteps, not that he was any kind of tracker. But if she had walked off, there would be a sign. Right? There had to be a sign.


    Nothing.


    His wife had disappeared.


    Just like that guy.


    What was going on?


    ¡°Dad,¡± Harper said.


    The girls. He had to take care of the girls. Focus on them.


    Were they hurt? They sounded okay, but was that just shock?


    Loch opened the passenger side rear door, Harper¡¯s side. He could see his oldest. Blond hair, blue eyes. Tall. The athlete in the family. Good at any sport she tried.


    And she tried them all.


    She looked at him, confused, eyes a little blank.


    ¡°I was hurting,¡± she said. ¡°But I think I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Loch looked her over. He didn¡¯t see any blood on her exposed arms and legs. Nothing soaking through her tank top or shorts. Aside from the confused look, she did seem fine.


    He leaned into the car, looking past Harper to Piper.


    His youngest looked more shell shocked, but otherwise fine. Shorter blond hair, green eyes, not as thin as her sister. Piper was the more creative one. The helper, always wanting to make or do something. No visible blood or wounds on her either.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening,¡± she asked.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Loch had no answers.


    He stood up, hands on the top of the car, looking up and down the road again. They were in the same spot. He recognized most of the trees. More had fallen, making a mess. The crack would stop them from moving forward, but he thought he could drive the car backwards around the corner. There was some room between the edge of the woods and the crack, no big rocks to get in the way. He could make it work.


    Keep the girls out of the car. Just in case.


    Find Kelly first.


    Find Kelly.


    He shook his head, trying to focus. His thoughts were everywhere. Loch prided himself on being calm under pressure. He was kind of calm now. A little. Some. At least looking like he was calm.


    He really wasn¡¯t.


    It was too much.


    ¡°What were those words,¡± Piper asked.


    Loch looked back into the car, surprised. She had seen them too?


    ¡°That was weird,¡± Harper said, rubbing at her temples.


    Harper as well?


    What was going on?


    The words had said something about joining the Connection. Whatever the hell that was. Connected Realms? Spirit?


    It was too much.


    He had to find Kelly.


    ¡°Where¡¯s mom,¡± Harper asked, realizing her mother was missing.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s gone,¡± Piper said.


    Loch could hear the panic in her voice. He wanted to grab her and just hold her close, let her know she was safe. He couldn¡¯t do that right now. He had to find Kelly.


    And figure out what the hell was happening.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Piper said.


    Harper leaned out of the car, looking up at Loch. He shook his head. She nodded.


    ¡°Hey Pipes,¡± Harper said, leaning over to her sister. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Dad¡¯s got it under control.¡±


    Loch wished that was true.


    ¡°Stay here,¡± he said, walking around to the rear of the SUV.


    There was nothing there. No tracks.


    Thankfully nobody.


    Should he go into the woods a bit, see if she had wandered there?


    He didn¡¯t want to think about her wandering in the other direction, toward the crack. Loch looked across the road, where the other car and guy had been. What had happened to them? The car and guy had disappeared. It didn¡¯t look like the car had fallen into the chasm.


    Had Kelly gone off with them? Maybe to get help?


    Why wouldn¡¯t she have tried to wake him and the girls up? Wandering off with a stranger wasn¡¯t something Kelly would do.


    And how would she have gotten across the chasm? It was as wide as the road.


    THE SPIRIT IN THE WORLD WILL GROW AND DEVELOP NEW RESOURCES, ADAPT EXISTING CREATURES, CREATE NEW CREATURES AND BRING BACK LEGENDARY CREATURES. AS A NEW HUNTING/RESOURCE REALM IN THE CONNECTION, EARTH IS NOW OPEN TO PORTALS TO THE OTHER WORLDS IN THE CONNECTED SYSTEM. THE OTHER BEINGS OF THE CONNECTION WILL VISIT, LOOKING TO CONQUER NEW TERRITORY FOR THEIR CLANS IN ORDER TO CLAIM THE UNTAPPED RESOURCES THAT EARTH WILL HAVE TO OFFER.


    AS ONE OF THE SURVIVORS OF EARTH¡¯S ADAPTION TO BECOME ONE OF THE CONNECTED, YOU WILL HAVE TO FIGHT TO SURVIVE IN THIS NEW WORLD.


    Loch didn¡¯t like that last line. He read it again. The words were light blue, hovering in the air in front of him. He reached out, trying to touch them, but couldn¡¯t. Were they just in his vision?


    What did it mean by survivors? He moved to the side of the SUV, stumbling as the floating words messed up his balance.


    ¡°Survivors,¡± Piper asked. ¡°What? MOM!!,¡± she screamed, her young mind jumping to a conclusion.


    Loch wanted to run to her side of the car, hold her, but it was too close to the edge of the chasm. Instead he moved to Harper¡¯s side, crouching down at her open door. He tried to stay calm.


    The words in his vision were frustrating. He could see Harper and Piper through them, the images semi-translucent. It was odd.


    And it was horrible.


    He wanted the words gone.


    They vanished.


    He blinked. They stayed gone.


    He had thought it and the words vanished.


    Loch focused on Piper.


    ¡°Pipes,¡± he said, trying to infuse his words with calm, trying to get her to become calm. He could see the death grip Piper had on her sister¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here. Harper is here. We¡¯ll find mom.¡±


    She took a deep breath, on the verge of tears. Slowly Piper nodded, letting the breath out. Loch knew she was on the edge of panic, but he¡¯d take what he could get.


    He was proud of both girls for not freaking out. That was something he wanted to do. Freak the hell out.


    But he couldn¡¯t.


    Not yet.


    THE RESOURCES OF EARTH ARE THERE TO BE CLAIMED. BUT YOU ALL, HUMANS AND VISITORS, WILL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THEM. EACH FIGHT WILL CLAIM SOME OF THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD. USE THAT SPIRIT TO GROW STRONGER. THE MORE POWERFUL YOU BECOME, THE MORE RESOURCES YOU CAN CLAIM.


    GROWTH IS THE WAY OF THE CONNECTION. TO GROW STRONGER IS TO SURVIVE.


    THE CYCLE WILL CONTINUE.


    DURING THE ADAPTION, YOUR BODY WAS SCANNED BY THE CONNECTION AND ALSO ADAPTED. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN STATS BASED ON THE SCAN. ALL NEWLY CONNECTED HUMANS WILL START OFF AT LEVEL ONE WITH A RACE RANK OF F. CLASSES CAN BE SELECTED UPON REACHING LEVEL FIVE. RACES WILL BE UPGRADED THROUGH ACTIONS AND EXPERIENCE.


    WELCOME TO THE CONNECTION.


    The new words faded. Loch took a deep breath. Nothing in the words sounded good. It sounded like the plot to a bad video game. Even the reference to Classes and Levels sounded like something out of a game.


    He looked up at the sun. It had been late afternoon. Looking down at his watch, normally connected to his phone, he cursed.


    It wasn¡¯t working.


    ¡°Harper, check your phone.¡±


    She cursed. He didn¡¯t scold her for it.


    ¡°Not working.¡±


    ¡°Mine isn¡¯t either,¡± Piper said.


    He pulled out his phone. It was completely off.


    ¡°I had plenty of battery,¡± Harper said.


    The phone wasn¡¯t turning on.


    Whatever had taken out the phones, he¡¯d heard that EMP pulses could do that, would have done the same to the car. It was dead. The key was still in the ignition, with the doors open, and there was no beeping. Dead. Drained of power.


    Useless.


    Loch sighed. They weren¡¯t far from civilization. There would be homes not more than a mile or two down the road. Some stores not much further. And backing up, going the way they had come, there would be more homes and stores. Gas stations and the like. It would be further to go backwards.


    But that would mean leaving the area.


    Possibly leaving Kelly.


    Loch didn¡¯t know what to do.


    The sound of fighting came from behind them, the way they had come, around the bend in the road. Not normal fighting. There was the shout of men, grunts of pain. But it sounded different. Stranger. Some of the grunts were loud and deep. Also the sound of metal on metal, or metal striking wood.


    No gunfire.


    He heard words. Distant, but not in english. Or any language he recognized.


    ¡°Pipes, do not open your door,¡± Loch said in his third voice. The one that said ¡®listen and do it without arguing¡¯. It wasn¡¯t a voice he used often. The girls knew what it meant. This was serious. She looked out her window, eyes wide with fear when she saw how close the chasm was. Piper scooted closer to her sister¡¯s side. For once, Harper didn¡¯t complain about her space being invaded. ¡°Stay here.¡±


    Loch stood up, gently closing Harper¡¯s door. He moved to the back of the SUV, popping the hatch. With one eye on the sounds of fighting, Loch quickly searched through all the camping gear. Tents, sleeping bags, coolers, lanterns, grill. He found his axe.


    Sometimes Loch thought about getting a gun for when they camped in the woods. Something he never got around to getting. Now he wished he had.


    The axe wasn¡¯t a weapon, it was a tool.


    It was a nice axe, for what it¡¯s intended purpose.


    About a foot and half long. Axe head on one side, hammer on the other. Made of a black metal, with the handle covered in molded orange plastic.


    Holding it in one hand, Loch closed the hatch. He took a couple steps away from the car, watching the fight emerge around the corner.

 Chapter Three

    One figure was being chased by another.


    Except the second was huge.


    Loch couldn¡¯t make out many details at this distance. If the first figure was average height, that put the second at least twelve feet tall.


    A giant.


    A freaking giant.


    Loch almost dropped his axe. He was glad all the gear in the back kept the girls from getting a good look. They didn¡¯t need to see this. He didn¡¯t need to see this. He didn¡¯t want to see this.


    The ground started to shake as the two came closer.


    Loch wanted to run but he couldn¡¯t. Getting the girls out of the car would take time. They wouldn¡¯t get too far before whatever was happening was right on top of them. Loch tightened his grip on the axe.


    No way was this going to hurt his girls.


    They came closer.


    The first figure was staggering, one hand clutching at his side. And it was male. Loch could see that now. Tall and thin, dressed in what looked like animal hides. But fancier. Chest, arms, legs. Like armor.


    Leather armor.


    Something straight out of a game.


    Long blond hair, tinged with green. Pale skin. Pointed ears.


    A giant chasing an elf.


    Loch shook his head.


    He had to be going crazy.


    Maybe they¡¯d gotten into an accident and he¡¯d hit his head?


    That would explain it.


    Both the elf and giant were straight out of the fantasy games and books.


    In one hand the elf held a slender sword, the blade glowing a dull blue.


    The giant held a tree.


    It was a club, but it was a tree.


    The giant was also dressed in animal hides, not as fancy as the elves. It had skin the color of tree bark, wild hair and beard. Mad eyes that focused on the elf.


    It was also wounded.


    Dark red blood streamed down its side, leaving a wide trail that swallowed up the bleeding elf¡¯s much thinner one.


    Even though the elf was half the size, the giant wasn¡¯t catching up. It was actually slowing down.


    The elf caught sight of Loch, eyes widening in surprise. He didn¡¯t slow or veer direction, heading straight for Loch.


    He set his feet, holding the axe out to the side.


    The giant roared. There were more wounds on the monster. A slash across its face, part of it looking like it¡¯d been in a fire. Three or four arrows stuck out of its shoulders, one in the monster¡¯s neck, a line of blood flowing down its body to stain the rough leather armor it wore. More cuts covered the things legs, more blood flowing down.


    Aside from the one wound on his side, the elf didn¡¯t appear hurt.


    He rushed at Loch, raising his sword.


    Why was the elf attacking?


    Acting on instinct, Loch moved to the side. He swung his axe as he did.


    He felt the head struck the elf in the back, cutting through leather armor. Warmth covered Loch¡¯s hand. He wasn¡¯t looking at the elf, but he knew it was blood. The body fell to the ground, the sword clattering as it fell from the elf¡¯s hand.


    How had he reacted so fast? Loch kept in shape. He was in an adult soccer league, played flag football. A good player, with quick reflexes and reactions from years of playing, but not like he¡¯d just done. Where had that come from? Part of this Adaption he¡¯d supposedly undergone?


    Loch wanted to look down at the elf, to see what he had done. What he had been forced to do. He hadn¡¯t wanted to attack the elf. He was defending himself.


    He didn¡¯t get a chance.


    The giant was there.


    Coming to a stop, the monster lifted its huge club. It had once been a mighty tree, the knots of old branches still there. The end had been roughly carved into a handle. Parts of the club were stained red.


    The giant looked at the elf then at Loch. It rumbled something.


    Words.


    Deep and guttural.


    Loch had no idea what the giant said.


    The monster roared, swinging the club.


    Loch ducked, feeling the air pressure as the tree barely missed him.


    He had no idea what he was doing. None of the training he¡¯d gotten in his brief military career had prepared him for this. Maybe all those video games. In those he¡¯d fought giants. In those, he knew what to do.


    Which is what he did.


    In games, the best tactic against a giant, if couldn¡¯t just keep shooting it with arrows or fireballs to the head, was to take out the legs. Loch lunged forward, somehow not falling flat on his face. He kept his balance, rushing past the giant¡¯s legs.


    Which were as thick as trees.


    Loch swung at the leg like it was a tree.


    His axe cut into the giant¡¯s achilles tendon.


    It looked like a human, just a bigger one, Loch assumed it was built like one.


    He could feel the impact in his hand as the sharp weapon cut the thick tendon.


    The giant roared in pain.


    Loch kept running.


    He swung again, the axe head cutting into the skin of the giant just behind the knee. Loch was glad it didn¡¯t have metal armor protecting its legs. The hide was thick, but somehow he got through it.


    The giant swayed to the side, then started leaning backwards. Loch rushed away from it. The giant¡¯s arms waved wildly, the club dropping to the ground. It struck, raising a cloud of dust. Loch barely got out of the way.


    Falling backward the giant crashed into the ground. Everything shook. A small tree along the edge of the woods fell. Loose grass and pavement along the edge of the chasm shook loose. The car shook.


    Harper screamed.


    Loch turned to see the elf had gotten up. Blood poured from the wound on his back, the wound Loch had made. The elf no longer held his sword, leaning against the car, leaving red stains as he slowly crept his way toward the now open door.


    Harper was leaning out, watching the elf come toward her. She was trying to pull the door closed, Piper reaching out to help. The elf had one hand on the door, keeping the girls from pulling it shut.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Tall and thin, the elf didn¡¯t look strong, but apparently was.


    The elf was going after his girls.


    Axe throwing had been popular. Loch, Kelly and a couple of their friends had gone a couple of times on date nights. He¡¯d discovered he was actually very good at throwing axes.


    Loch didn¡¯t stop to think.


    He just threw.


    The unknown elf was threatening his girls.


    Loch threw the axe.


    The elf grunted, the weapon slamming into his back. The axe head cut through the leathers, the impact pushing the elf forward. He fell to the ground. The girls slammed the door shut.


    Loch stood there, breathing heavily.


    What had he done?


    The elf was still moving, trying to drag himself away from the car. The axe was still lodged in his back.


    Loch took a couple steps toward the elf. The giant thrashed, growling. Turning, Loch saw the great beast trying to push itself up. Blood continued to flow from its many wounds, including the two new ones on its legs. The more immediate threat.


    Loch wondered where that thought came from. Why would he think that?


    He¡¯d done a tour of duty out of high school, before college. Nothing extreme. He hadn¡¯t been a Special Ops soldier, just a regular old grunt. He¡¯d gotten some tactical training, but threat assessment? And it had been so long ago. He¡¯d been in some fighting, nothing major. It had also been decades since he¡¯d used any of his Army training.


    Why now?


    The giant stood, taking a stumbling step toward Loch.


    He looked around for a weapon. The axe was too far away.


    But the elf¡¯s sword wasn¡¯t.


    Loch grabbed it, feeling the weight of the weapon, surprised at how light it was. He¡¯d never used a sword before but somehow he knew how to hold it. At least he thought he did. It looked right, felt right. The dull blue glow was gone, leaving the blade a shining metal.


    The giant took a step, stumbling. It took another, stepping down on the left leg that Loch had severed the tendon of.


    The leg didn¡¯t take the weight.


    It buckled, the giant falling to the side. It threw a hand to the ground to help hold itself up, misjudging where it was. The hand didn¡¯t hit ground. There was no ground to hit. It hit nothing, being over the chasm. The giant overbalanced, tipping to the side, growling in pain as the wounded leg twisted.


    The giant hung over the chasm, trying to keep itself from falling.


    Loch, not sure what he was doing, rushed forward. He swung the elf¡¯s sword, cutting into the giant¡¯s side. The monster instinctively twisted its body away, putting more weight over the chasm.


    With a roar, the giant fell into the chasm.


    Loch could hear the roar for a long time until it ended in a dull thud.


    Still holding the sword, Loch stepped away from the edge.


    He looked down at the weapon, seeing blood dripping from the blade.


    Lights drifted up from the chasm. Blue and green glowing dots trailing streamers of foggy light. They moved swiftly, heading straight for him. He took a couple involuntary steps backwards, moving too fast to avoid, watching the lights as they slammed into his chest.


    A warm sensation spread through his body. It faded quickly. He felt his entire body change. Not in a physical sense, nothing outwardly changed, but more inward. He just felt different.


    Loch gasped, worried about what had happened.


    YOU HAVE SLAIN LEVEL 21 HILLGROWL CLAN BERSERKER


    YOU HAVE GAINED 10,250 SPIRIT


    YOU ARE NOW LEVEL FOUR


    YOU HAVE FOUR ATTRIBUTE POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE


    DEPENDENT MEMBERS OF YOUR CLAN FAMILY HAVE RECEIVED A SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF YOUR SPIRIT GAINS.


    YOU HAVE EARNED YOUR FIRST ACHIEVEMENT: GIANTS BANE RANK (1)


    GIANTSBANE: YOU HAVE KILLED YOUR FIRST GIANT. CONTINUE KILLING CREATURES OF THE SAME RACE TO INCREASE YOUR BANE RANK FOR ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND REWARDS.


    RANK 1 REWARD: +2 TO STRENGTH, +5% DAMAGE INCREASE TO GIANTS


    YOU HAVE EARNED AN ACHIEVEMENT: HIGHER LEVEL RANK (4)


    HIGHER LEVEL: YOU HAVE KILLED AN ENEMY TWENTY LEVELS OR MORE ABOVE YOUR CURRENT LEVEL.


    REWARD: +2 TO ENDURANCE, +5% TO DEFENSE


    YOU HAVE EARNED AN ACHIEVEMENT: FIRST ACHIEVEMENT EARNER


    FIRST ACHIEVEMENT BEARER: YOU ARE THE FIRST ON THE NEWLY CONNECTED WORLD TO EARN AN ACHIEVEMENT.


    REWARD: +2 TO INTELLIGENCE, +5% TO ATTACK, +5% TO DEFENSE, +5% TO SPIRIT RESERVES


    Loch stumbled as the words appeared in his vision.


    He recognized what had happened. It was like a game. He¡¯d just killed a mob and gained experience. But it was called Spirit?


    The first words had used Spirit. He tried to remember exactly what the words had said. It sounded like Spirit was similar to magical energy. Mana in most games. It hadn¡¯t sounded like it meant experience points too. Or instead.


    And he¡¯d gained enough to get to Level Four?


    What exactly did that mean?


    He hadn¡¯t really killed the giant. He¡¯d gotten in a couple of lucky strikes. The giant had killed itself by falling into the chasm. Apparently that didn¡¯t matter to this Connection.


    Whatever the hell that was.


    Loch got credit for the kill.


    Or maybe he¡¯d only gotten partial credit?


    The words, the so-called Connection, listed the giant as Level 21. That was a huge difference if he was only Level 1. There should have been more experience points if he¡¯d gotten full credit. The giant had been wounded by the Elf, and it had died by falling. He¡¯d wounded it, which led to it falling.


    But he hadn¡¯t killed it.


    What did it mean by dependent members of his clan? Did it mean the girls? They¡¯d gotten experience gains from his kills?


    And what were achievements? The wording was fairly easy to understand. Loch didn¡¯t know what all the values were or affected, but had a basic idea. It was more gaming terms. He just didn¡¯t know what it meant for him.


    Remembering the Elf, Loch turned back to the crawling man. His axe still stuck out of the Elf¡¯s back. Holding the Elf¡¯s own sword, Loch walked over to it. Panting, eyes full of pain, the Elf¡¯s head tilted toward Loch. He spoke, words that Loch had never heard.


    It was a musical language.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Loch said, crouching down next to the Elf, the sword laid across his knees.


    The tip still dripped blood.


    The Elf muttered something in his language. Loch thought it sounded like a curse.


    ¡°Why did you attack me,¡± he asked the elf, not expecting an answer.


    One arm moved toward the other, Loch shifting back a couple steps. He didn¡¯t think the elf was capable of hurting him, but he didn¡¯t want to take any chances. The elf¡¯s arm clutched at the other, touching a bracelet that Loch just noticed. Thin, it looked to be made out of some kind of metal. It was plain, no jewels or adornment, just covered in intricate linework. A lot of it. Symbols, Loch thought they were probably runes, surrounded by a continuous pattern or even one continuous carved line in swirls and designs.


    The bracelet flared briefly.


    The hand fell away.


    Loch looked down at the bracelet, startled when the elf started speaking.


    In english.


    ¡°You were in my way,¡± the elf said, forcing the words out.


    Loch stared at him, confused, shocked the elf had spoken english.


    ¡°Killed by one such as you,¡± the elf continued, every word painful.


    Blood bubbled at his mouth, laying on his stomach, head turned to the side, the elf struggled to spit out the blood.


    ¡°I bring dishonor to my clan.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    There was a pause before the elf responded, as if he was listening to a translation. More blood was spit out before talking.


    ¡°Misheal of the ¡­. Bark Clan of ¡­..,¡± the elf said, falling into a fit of coughing.


    Loch had only caught parts of it. No closer to knowing what was going on.


    ¡°Why was the giant chasing you?¡±


    ¡°Foolish¡­,¡± Misheal tried to laugh. It turned into a body wracking cough. ¡°Yours is a new Connection¡­. Resources¡­. Fight over¡­¡±


    It seemed every other word was broken by coughing. Loch only caught part of the answer. It seemed Misheal and the giant had both appeared at the same time, knowing they were being somehow transported to the newly connected Earth. They fought and Loch saw the results.


    Was this happening all over the world?


    There were so many questions.


    And no answers.


    The elf started trying to crawl away again.


    Loch watched him, wondering what he should do.


    He stopped looking at the elf.


    A mistake.


    He felt searing pain in his shoulder. The force flew him back, knocking him off balance. Landing hard, Loch bit back a scream. He didn¡¯t need to. Both girls were screaming in the car.


    Smoke rose from his shoulder.


    His vision flashed red.


    The shoulder was on fire, not physically, but felt like it was. Pain spread down his arm, across his chest.


    A blue white bolt streaked toward him.


    Loch rolled to the side, the bolt striking the dirt where he¡¯d been. Bits of dirt and small rocks exploded into the air, pelting Loch. He pushed himself up, facing the elf.


    Misheal had somehow managed to get into somewhat of a sitting position. Enough to point an arm at Loch. His palm was held flat, facing Loch, blue-white swirls of energy surrounding it.


    ¡°What the hell,¡± Loch yelled, diving to the side as another bolt of energy flew through the air.


    The elf was firing lightning at him.

 Interlude Seven

    The creature stood up, looking around. It didn¡¯t know where it was. Or why it was.


    Night, the moon high and full, shining down, letting him see where he was.


    Stone tablets stood out of the grassy and leaf covered ground around it. Some were thin, only inches thick, not as wide as they were tall. Not very tall. Faded words were carved into the faces of the nearly two dozen stones. There were some bigger ones, those once fanciful but long since eroded, just having size to mark their differences.


    Large stones were piled in a wall surrounding the collection of stone tablets. A metal gate, black and rusty, hung in a gap in the wall.


    Wrought iron.


    That was the material.


    It knew that now as memories started to form and return.


    Trees, mostly pines and oaks stood around the graveyard on three sides. That was where it was. A graveyard.


    The fourth side was open to a large field. Tall grass waved in the fierce winds that blew across it. To the left, it could see marshlands, hills ahead of it and the ruins of a building. A large red structure, smaller white to the side. Trees grew through it, vines crawling up the walls, the roofs partly collapsed.


    It looked like it had been ruined for years, but the creature knew it had only been days.


    It knew that just like it knew how the building had been ruined.


    And how it had been killed the first time.


    The Connection.


    The Connection had come to Earth and changed it forever.


    Changed him forever.


    He knew his name.


    Or what had been his name.


    It didn¡¯t matter now.


    That name was gone, as was the person it belonged to.


    He was reborn.


    He remembered the Connection appeared. A great light and then nothing. Blackness. Endless, solitary. He had screamed with no sound. Just the void.


    He had no idea how long he drifted in that void, fearing he would go mad, had gone mad already. He had to have gone mad. There was no other explanation for the light and now the void.


    Had he died?


    That would have made sense.


    But why was he just floating in the void? There had to be more to the afterlife than this endless expanse of nothing.


    It was just him.


    No sounds. No heat. No light. Not even any cold. Just the endless darkness of the void, stretching out to the horizon. There was no true horizon, no point of reference for up or down, or distance.


    He screamed again.


    And again.


    Mouth open in wordless fury.


    Or at least it felt like his mouth was open.


    Did he have a body? He didn¡¯t know.


    He remembered having a body. But did he still?


    He screamed some more.


    Sometime later, who knew how long, it could have been minutes, days, years or even decades, a voice sounded in the void. Was it in his head? It didn¡¯t matter. It was a voice.


    Which meant there was someone, or something else.


    He didn¡¯t care.


    It just meant he wasn¡¯t alone.


    ¡°You are one of the unlucky many,¡± the voice said, female. It was a quiet voice. Almost a whisper. There was a seductive quality to it, an allure that made him want to listen.


    It also made him feel cold, like someone walked over his grave. He had never understood that saying, not until that moment.


    ¡°So many of you humans did not survive becoming Connected. You are useless to the Connection. But not useless to me.¡±


    That made him feel something. Pride?


    Any emotion was good. He didn¡¯t want to feel the lack of emotions in the void. The lack of anything in the void.


    ¡°I have brought you here, between life and death, because I have a need of you,¡± the voice said. ¡°Or someone like you.¡±


    That last part scared him. It meant he was replaceable. Whatever the voice wanted of him, if he rejected it or failed, the voice would find another.


    And then what of him?


    Would he be trapped in this void forever? Alone forever?


    He couldn¡¯t stand that thought.


    He would do anything to leave the void.


    He tried to speak but couldn¡¯t. No words came.


    The voice heard him anyway.


    ¡°Anything? Are you sure?¡±


    His mind screamed ¡®yes¡¯ over and over.


    ¡°So be it.¡±


    The pain started.


    And he screamed, the sound loud in the void.


    The memory of the pain faded.


    The memory of the void did not.


    He thought he recognized where he was but his mind was still foggy. His body felt weak.


    His body?


    He had a body again.


    But it wasn¡¯t the same.


    He was taller and thinner. His skin was pulled tight against his bones, fingers looking like claws. His skin was gray, the color of smoke. He was naked, able to see his ribs through his skin, pulled gaunt.


    He screamed again.


    This wasn¡¯t him.


    ¡°Do not fear,¡± the voice said.


    His head snapped to the sides, trying to find the source. He turned, stumbling as his long and thin legs were not supporting him. What had happened? Why was he so weak?


    But he wasn¡¯t.


    Below the surface, he could feel power.


    A lot of power.


    Strong, terrifying.


    Just hints of what he could do with that power.


    But he couldn¡¯t get at it.


    Not yet.


    ¡°Soon,¡± the voice said in his mind, the same seductive female. The same coldness that sent a chill down his spine.


    ¡°You will have power such as you have never known or heard of,¡± the voice said. ¡°But not yet. It took a lot of power to bring you back here and to recreate your body.¡±


    Recreate his body? What had happened to his old?


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.Had he really died?


    ¡°Your old body was useless to me. This new will be much better.¡±


    What else was different?


    His vision. The world looked different.


    He reached up, feeling his head.


    There was no flesh. He felt bone, hollow sockets where eyes had been. He saw a pool of water on the ground, dropping down in front of it, crawling over to look into the clear surface.


    A gray skull stared up at him, wavy in the water, light coming from around the skull letting him see. Flames surrounded the skull, flickering in orange and red, two brighter spots where eyes should have been.


    He screamed, the sound coming out as a low moan that echoed across the grass.


    Who had done this to him?


    ¡°I am the Concept of Death but you will call me Hel.¡±


    ***


    He was hungry.


    Very hungry


    More than he should have been.


    When was the last time he had eaten?


    A couple days before the Connection came, and those strange words in his mind. He didn¡¯t know what any of it had meant. Still didn¡¯t.


    Life had been rough the last couple years. Money had been tight. He¡¯d lived in his tent in Concord for a week or two, maybe three, before moving on. Concord had slowed down for him, not as many handouts. A couple of really bad days with nearly nothing. Time to move on to somewhere new. Dover or Rochester. That had been where he¡¯d been going, on his most prized possession.


    The bike was old but in great shape. Solid. Held up well through all the wear and tear. Easy to maintain balance with his packs attached.


    Without it, he wouldn¡¯t be able to move around.


    The ride along Route 4 hadn¡¯t been bad. Lots of cars speeding by, but so far no near misses. He¡¯d come across some cars that purposefully drove close to him, thinking they were funny. He¡¯d taken a couple falls that way.


    It hadn¡¯t been that hot, a nice late summer day.


    Not as many cars as he thought there would be.


    He was enjoying the ride.


    Then the earthquakes came.


    He couldn¡¯t maintain his balance, the bike bouncing into the air as the ground cracked, the pavement heaving. Trees fell around him. In the air, he fell away from the bike, landing hard. He heard the scrape and crunch as the bike struck even harder, the fork bent and twisting. It was broken beyond repair.


    He cursed, as the ground shook, trying to stand but couldn¡¯t.


    His leg was broken. Maybe his wrist or arm.


    Pain flared through his body. He yelled, not caring who heard.


    The ground still shook, a deep cracking sounding in the distance.


    The vibrations hurt his leg.


    Then the words came.


    And the pain.


    He couldn¡¯t even read the words, the pain was so intense.


    He felt a weird energy flooding into his body. It got stronger but the pain in his leg and arm grew far worse. He passed out.


    And woke sometime later.


    It was night.


    Where were all the cars? How could anyone drive by and not help him?


    It was dark too. He¡¯d just passed Northwood Lake, there should have been lights in the homes. Had the earthquakes knocked out the power?


    What about the words in his vision? He couldn¡¯t remember what most of it had said. He¡¯d been flying through the air, crashing to the ground. One word did stick out.


    Connection.


    What did that mean?


    Being homeless, he knew how good people could be and how bad. He still couldn¡¯t believe that no one had stopped to help him. Where were the rescue vehicles? He heard no sirens.


    He heard nothing at all.


    He should have heard something.


    He tried to stand, screamed in pain, landing on his bad wrist. More screaming.


    Tears fell down his face.


    His stomach rumbled, his throat dry.


    He needed food and water.


    Dragging himself across the ground, he forced himself to approach his broken bike. That caused him to cry even more. His whole body shook with pain and anguish. The bike was destroyed. Forks twisted, tires burst.


    He wasn¡¯t riding that to somewhere safe, or anywhere ever again. Not that he could ride with his broken leg and wrist.


    The packs were ripped open, something had gotten into them while he¡¯d been unconscious. The granola bars, his back up food supply that he forced himself not to eat, was gone. He had nothing to eat.


    Or drink.


    His water bottles were gone, the thin plastic broken in the fall, water dripping out everywhere. He could see the darker stain of the ground where the water had soaked in.


    He wanted to yell, but didn¡¯t.


    What was the point? No one was coming to help him.


    There were some houses nearby, not that far. Maybe a couple hundred feet.


    Which might as well have been miles in his condition.


    It was odd. Overall he felt good, except for his wrist and leg. He was still hungry, but not as bad or as weak as he should have been. His body was stronger.


    He felt strong.


    He started dragging himself to the nearest dark house.


    That had been days ago.


    There had been no house. He had been sure it had been there but now it was gone, just a grassy clearing. There were no other houses anywhere that he could see. Something that looked like a house a couple hundred yards away, barely visible in the rising sun. It had taken hours to get a hundred yards.


    Even stronger, the pain proved to be too much.


    He¡¯d passed out again.


    The sound of growling woke him.


    A dog, or fox, maybe a coyote, stared at him from twenty or thirty feet away. He rolled over, grabbed a rock and threw it. The rock didn¡¯t make it, bouncing along the road. The animal ran into the woods, but not too deep.


    It had been huge. Bigger than any wolf he had known about.


    It scared him.


    It took hours to drag himself under some bushes.


    He stayed there for days. No food, no water. The coyote staying in the edge of the woods. Visible, growling, but not approaching. Just always there.


    He passed in and out of unconsciousness. Hours at a time.


    He woke to a low growling, seeing the coyote ten feet away. It sat there, staring at him. He saw how thin it was, almost skeletal, but still had a visible strength. Its eyes hungered.


    He could see and feel that hunger.


    He hungered.


    ¡°Go away,¡± he croaked, the woods soft, creaking, barely spoken. ¡°Leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°Why would I do that,¡± a voice said.


    Did it come from the coyote? The head tilted, looking at him like he was the strange one.


    ¡°I have a use for you,¡± the voice said again.


    It sounded old, tired, creaking, but strong. Like the coyote, a strength hidden inside.


    ¡°I hunger too. Always hungry. Always feeding. There is never enough food. You are hungry. Do you want to feed?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he croaked out, not sure why he was responding.


    ¡°I can help you feed.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    He knew he was talking to the coyote but the words were in his head. He closed his eyes, feeling the hunger pains, the pains in his leg and wrist.


    ¡°You were broken when the Connection came. It Adapted your body but could not heal what was already broken. That is not fair.¡±


    No, it was not. He agreed, not sure why. He just wanted the hunger to end.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°The others of my kind,¡± the voice said, filled with contempt. ¡°Have taken names from your world¡¯s mythology but there is none that fit what I am.¡±


    ¡°What is that,¡± he asked, but he knew.


    ¡°I am what you are and will be. I am called what I am all the time. I am The Hunger.¡±


    A spasm of pain wracked his body. His wrist and leg were twisted, no longer straight, bone grinding against bone. Every movement was pain. And his hunger, and the thirst, it was unbearable. Never had he been this hungry.


    He just wanted it to end.


    ¡°I will do anything,¡± he begged, tears streaming down his face, forcing the words out through the pain. ¡°Just make it stop.¡±


    The pain increased, as did the hunger. He screamed, the sound torn from his soul. He felt his legs and arms growing longer, thinner than they already were. Everything hurt, everything changed. His screams continued.


    ¡°It won¡¯t stop,¡± The Hunger said, laughing. ¡°It will never stop. The pain and the hunger will drive you on. You will be my Wendigo, unleashed on this newly Connected World.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-One

    The branches caught on Loch¡¯s armor as he pushed his way through.


    He knew they were in the huge bush in the middle of the cemetery but was sure this entrance and rough path hadn¡¯t existed before they¡¯d claimed the Core. It didn¡¯t make logical sense with the cave-like entrance into the bush from before. But the Core did play around with space, so who knew.


    Loch was beyond caring.


    The tunnel hadn¡¯t been long, sloping up steeply, ending in a cave that led to an overgrown path.


    It had felt good to be out of the Dungeon, the subDungeon really as they were still in the Dungeon. But it just felt safer now. Loch wondered if any of the monsters they had left behind were still roaming around, or had they all just disappeared when the Dungeon had been claimed?


    They hadn¡¯t fully cleared it, but as far as the Connection seemed concerned they had. Or at least they had satisfied the requirements of the quests. Still remained to be seen if they had done enough to allow them to leave.


    He stepped out of the bush, into the cemetery, the dark red sky and general gloom returning. Only took a couple seconds for them to get their bearings, none wanted to stay longer in the Dungeon then they had to. Turning right, they started up the hill quickly, angling toward the center of the cemetery and where the entrance arch was. They had cleared this part of the cemetery grounds already, only the far corner had anything left.


    The arch was the way they had left it except for the pile of bones and zombie corpses. Those were gone, along with whatever Resources they had left behind. Loch had hoped the Resources from all the fights before they had gotten the Dimensional Bag would have still been there. No such luck.


    Their packs and gear were still there, untouched.


    Loch felt some of the tension leave. He¡¯d been worried about their supplies, especially the food, ever since they¡¯d left it behind. He hadn¡¯t wanted to, but it made no sense to bring all that stuff into the grounds and the subDungeons. But with wargs, skeletons and everything else wandering around, there had been no guarantee it would have been safe.


    Cerie had said the immediate area around the entrance was a safe zone and Loch had believed her, but it had still been in the back of his mind the whole time. The girls rushed over, picking up their gear, eager to leave.


    Loch lagged behind, seeing shadows moving in the far corner, barely hearing growls and moans. The monsters they hadn¡¯t killed were still there. Untouched, still doing what they were essentially programmed to do by the Dungeoncore. Loch had no doubt he and the girls could handle them.


    Just some ghouls, wargs and maybe a couple skeletons and zombies. Loch couldn¡¯t remember exactly what they had left behind. But it hadn¡¯t been that many. A dozen, maybe two at the most.


    When they had first been trapped in the Challenge Dungeon, that many monsters would have been a nightmare to deal with.


    Now? Loch wasn¡¯t worried.


    They, all three, had grown so strong in their time in the Dungeon. It hadn¡¯t been a good experience, Loch still hated that the girls had been dragged into it, but he couldn¡¯t deny the results. If what Cerie had said was true for a newly Connected World, the three Brady¡¯s were among, if not the, most powerful humans left on Earth. There were some of the Invaders from other Realms that would be stronger, even with the restrictions put in place by the Connection, but Loch felt they were now in a better position to survive in this new world than they were before entering the Dungeon.


    He had to be happy with that result.


    There was always going to be something stronger, but the girls had shown they could adapt and even conquer. They would survive.


    He thought about going to kill the monsters. They wouldn¡¯t get enough Spirit to Level. That group of monsters wouldn¡¯t be a challenge anymore. And it wouldn¡¯t take long. They might even get some Resources.


    Not that they could use what they had gathered already.


    It wouldn¡¯t take long.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t a lot of Spirit, it was still Spirit and would help their Advancement. Every bit helped.


    Loch looked at the girls. They had the backpacks on, straps adjusted for their new armor and robes. Both looked eager, ready to go.


    He sighed.


    They were right.


    It was time to leave the Dungeon.


    And if it turned out they couldn¡¯t yet, the monsters would be there waiting.


    Loch grabbed his pack, throwing the straps over his shoulders. He had to adjust them. The leather armor wasn¡¯t that thick but it did make a difference. He shifted the weight of the pack, satisfied. It was going to be a couple miles of hiking, probably another night in someone else¡¯s abandoned home, before they made it to their house.


    They needed to get home.


    No more side quests or detours. It was time to go straight home.


    He walked up to the barrier, reaching behind him.


    ¡°Take my hand and hold onto each other,¡± he said, not wanting to take chances.


    The hand he felt was smaller. Piper held his tight. He gave it a squeeze.


    ¡°Here we go,¡± Loch said, raising his free hand.


    Holding it, palm up, he slowly moved it toward the arch and the barrier. He could see the energy field, the world beyond looking normal, exactly like it had when they¡¯d entered the Dungeon an unknown number of days ago. He stopped before the field, taking a deep and hopeful breath.


    Please let us out of here, he thought, not sure who he was asking.


    Loch pushed his hand forward.


    It passed the barrier.


    He smiled, taking a step forward.


    ***


    Even the air was different outside the Dungeon. It was late afternoon, the sun high, birds flying through the sky. Bright and blue sky. He didn¡¯t mind the giant birds either, just happy to see something different from the red sky of the Dungeon, or the cramped caverns.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    He walked forward, giving the girls room to get out of the Dungeon.


    ¡°I missed blue sky,¡± Harper said, taking a deep breath of the air.


    The world just felt different. There had been a pressure in the Dungeon, not just from the fighting and the quests, but just from being inside the strange pocket dimension that was the Dungeon. Loch hadn¡¯t realized it, being surrounded by the Dungeon, not until stepping out into the world.


    It too felt different, had since the Connection, but nothing like the Dungeon.


    Loch could sense the Spirit in the air, the constant energy floating around them. That was the difference. Outside the Spirit was more diffuse. Inside the Dungeon, which had been made of Spirit, it was everywhere. A presence from the weight of it all.


    A loud screech filled the sky, Loch looking up to see a giant shadow pass overhead. Far overhead. The wingspan was monstrous, shaped like a bat. The body was long and thin, an even longer tail, and long neck.


    ¡°Is that a dragon,¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cerie answered.


    She didn¡¯t sound happy about it.


    ¡°Dragons exist¡­,¡± Loch started to say, stopping, turning to look up the road toward where the grocery store was.


    Where they had seen the Hobs.


    Where the sound of fighting was coming from.


    Two men were surrounded by a dozen Hobs.


    They were at the entrance to the grocery store, a hundred yards or so up the road from the Dungeon entrance. Too far to see who the men were, just that they were in trouble. The Hobs were toying with the two, keeping some distance, jabbing with their weapons.


    It wouldn¡¯t be long before the two men were overwhelmed.


    ¡°Harper,¡± he yelled, running toward the fight, throwing Onyx, not stopping to think that he had just ordered his daughter into a fight.


    He felt the surge of Spirit as she activated Shadow Skip.


    The Hobs heard him, a couple rushing to intercept Loch.


    Onyx slammed into one, axe head slicing into the monster¡¯s head, bolts of lighting spreading over the Hob¡¯s body. It fell to the ground. The other kept running, growling out a warcry, seeing Loch unarmed.


    They met in the middle, the Hob swinging its rough club. Loch Activated Bulwark, catching the club on the energy shield. He held his hand behind him, Onyx appearing full sized. The Hob squeaked, seeing the axe in Loch¡¯s hand. He swung the weapon forward, angling the Hob¡¯s club up and away. The axe head bit deep into the creature¡¯s side.


    It fell to the ground, clutching at the wound, club falling.


    Loch kept running, knowing Piper was behind and could finish off the monster.


    Another Hob ran toward him, a spear raised, little more than a sharpened branch. It passed through the shadow of a tree. Harper appeared behind it, growing out of the shadow. A bright spark erupted from the Hob¡¯s chest, the blade of a tonfa stabbing out. Harper disappeared as Loch rushed past.


    He didn¡¯t recognize either of the men. One was about his age, the other younger. They looked alike, father and son. No weapons. The father used a metal baseball bat, swinging it wildly. The son had a golf club in hand. Over his back was a golf bag, the end of another baseball bat visible, a hockey stick and more golf clubs. Neither were wearing armor, though the son did have on what looked like protective pads. A catcher¡¯s knee and shin guards, chest protector. The father had blood running down his arm.


    They fought back to back, doing their best to keep the Hobs at bay.


    Harper appeared from the shadows, stabbing one Hob in the back, spinning, ducking and slicing a tonfa across another¡¯s legs. The first fell, the second turning to attack Harper who was already dancing away. It gave an opening to the son. He swung his golf club at the back of the Hob¡¯s head, connecting with a solid hit. The thing fell forward, Harper appeared to finish it off.


    Loch parried a wild attack from a Hob, activating Bulwark¡¯s new Ability. Translucent green spikes grew out from the shield, piercing the Hob in a couple of spots. It fell back, screaming in pain, right into a solid swing from the father. Loch swung, nearly cutting another Hob in half.


    A blast of silver energy slammed into another Hob, knocking it off its feet. The pure Spirit flowed around the monster. It didn¡¯t get up.


    Loch swung Onyx, not needing to activate an Ability, killing another Hob.


    Within seconds, it was over.


    Multi-colored sparks drifted up from the dead monsters, swirling around Loch and the others, drifting into their bodies. Loch barely felt his Spirit Advance.


    There had been no quality in those kills.


    The Hobs were underleveled compared to the girls and him.


    ¡°Who are you,¡± the father asked, breathing heavy.


    He was probably a couple years older than Loch. More gray in his light brown hair, a little heavier, inch shorter.


    ¡°Harper?,¡± the son asked.


    ¡°Pete?¡±


    The son was staring in shock at Harper. She had blood splatters, not hers, across the front of her gray armor chest. Rips and tears through her clothes, hair up in a ponytail, blood dripping from the tonfas in her hands. Everybit the warrior princess.


    Pete was staring at Harper, couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.


    Loch cleared his throat.


    ¡°Oh.. uhm..,¡± Pete said embarrassed.


    Harper was smiling.


    He was a handsome enough kid, Loch thought. Enough resemblance to his father, but something else in his features, taken from his mother. Loch thought he recognized the teen. Probably seen him at one of the games. Harper knew him, so they had to go to the same school. Had to be from one of the other towns. If he¡¯d been in Northwood, Loch would have known him. It was a small town and everyone with kids of the same age interacted in some way throughout the years.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the father said, holding out his hand.


    Loch made sure to shrink Onyx down, hanging the weapon from his belt, and dismissing Bulwark, before grasping the offered hand.


    ¡°You saved our lives. I¡¯m Peter Millman. That¡¯s my son, also Pete.¡±


    The teen waved at Loch, forcing himself to look away from Harper, who was still smiling.


    ¡°Loch Brady,¡± he said. ¡°My daughters Harper and Piper. I¡¯m just glad we were¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t get to finish. Peter Millman lifted his bat, holding it over his shoulder, ready to swing. His eyes were fixed on a point over Loch¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Look out,¡± he shouted, taking a step back, frightened. ¡°Behind you.¡±


    Loch turned, hand on his axe¡¯s shaft. He saw nothing behind him. There was nothing coming up the street, nothing in the sky.


    He was about to ask what Peter had seen when he noticed Cerie hovering in the sky, a couple feet over his head, watching Peter with bemused interest.


    The fairy. Peter saw the fairy and of course had no idea what Cerie was.


    Loch chuckled. He¡¯d gotten so used to Cerie being around, he hadn¡¯t realized what a shock she must be to someone else.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said, turning back to the Millmans, both of them having stepped back with their makeshift weapons raised. ¡°That¡¯s just Cerie.¡±


    ¡°What is she,¡± Peter asked, relaxing somewhat, but not fully.


    ¡°She¡¯s our fairy,¡± Piper said happily.


    ¡°She¡¯s a what?¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Two (2.One)

    ¡°Dad,¡± Harper shouted.


    Loch turned away from the father and son, ignoring the swirling multi-colored sparks of light that drifted up as the bodies of the Hobs disappeared. Harper was pointing down the entrance drive to the grocery store parking lot.


    Their brief fight had drawn attention.


    ¡°There are too many of them,¡± Peter Millman yelled out, fear in his voice.


    A large group of Hobs were charging their way. The humanoid creatures, only standing about four foot tall, were yelling war cries. Gray skinned, the things were bulky, heavily muscled, with long arms and short legs. They wore mismatched leather armor or just simple kilts, carrying rusty swords and clubs. Round heads with large pointed ears, large yellow eyes and pig snouts, two tusks growing up. They were closer, running across the cracked and pitted pavement.


    There were no cars in the parking lot, the first time that Loch could remember seeing it completely empty during the day. The lot itself looked like Route 4, the pavement torn up, large chunks pushed into the air. It was rough, causing the Hobs to have to run around the chunks or climb over.


    Harper was rushing forward, her bladed tonfas held to the side. Her body turned a light gray, starting to fade, it warped and melted, disappearing into the shadows along the ground.


    ¡°Did she just disappear,¡± Davis Millman asked.


    Loch didn¡¯t bother answering, Activating Bulwark, the green energy shield appearing in front of his left arm.


    He cursed, he hadn¡¯t wanted Harper to rush ahead. There were too many Hobs. It was hard to count the group as they kept running around and in front of each other, but there had to be at least twelve, probably more. And there could be more deeper into the lot. This wasn¡¯t like the Dungeon where the mobs movements were somewhat restrained and they could dictate how many they fought at once.


    There was nothing he could do about it now.


    The first Hob was ten feet away, the distance closing fast as Loch ran at it. He Activated Windstep, one of his Challenge Armor¡¯s Abilities. He hadn¡¯t gotten to use it yet, this felt like a good opportunity.


    The world blurred as Loch shifted. He didn¡¯t know how else to describe it. One second he was running at the Hob, the next he was directly in front of it. The Hob¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, seeing the large human with the even larger axe descending.


    For Loch it was just a step.


    He¡¯d never used the Ability before but it had imparted the knowledge onto his mind and body. He knew what to expect.


    Which is how he was ready with Onyx.


    The axe swung down, cutting into the shoulder of the Hob, slicing into its chest.


    Loch¡¯s momentum was not stopped, he kept running, using Bulwark to knock the dying Hob out of his way. Onyx was ripped out of the monster, light red blood spraying into the air.


    He got the translucent shield up in time to block a swinging club, shifting his feet and avoiding a descending sword. He got Onyx up, blocking another attack, kicking out and slamming the Hob in the chest. It slid back, Onyx following up the kick, biting deep into the Hob.


    A bright flash of silver slammed into the first Hob, knocking it aside. A second blast knocked it down. A third kept it down.


    Loch kept running, huge swings of Onyx knocking aside weapons, cutting into Hobs.


    Harper appeared behind the creatures, bursting from their shadows. Her tonfas, the blades crackling with lightning cut into the neck of one Hob, burst through the chest of another. She pulled them out, ducking and dancing out of the way of wild swings from other Hobs. Two more fell as she danced around their swings.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.It looked like the Hobs were moving in slow motion, feet of space between them instead of inches. Harper was graceful, her movements perfect. Blades and clubs coming close but never touching.


    Her blades did. Each swing of a tonfa scored a hit on the enemy. They didn¡¯t do massive damage. It was death by a thousand cuts.


    Loch was just brute force.


    He overpowered the smaller Hobs. They were strong creatures, but not a match for Loch.


    More blasts from Piper¡¯s wand took out two more, the flashes of silver bright in the late afternoon sun.


    Loch came to a stop, no more Hobs in his way. He looked toward the grocery store as Bulwark caught an attack. There were no more monsters. At least not that he could see. The club slammed against the shield.


    And again.


    And again.


    Loch planted his feet, adjusting the angle of the shield. He could barely feel the pounding, the attacks were that low damage compared to what he¡¯d faced in the Challenge Dungeon. He was also Level Sixteen now. What would the Hob be? Four? Five?


    Shifting his body, he sliced Onyx horizontally just below the edge of the shield. The Hob didn¡¯t see the weapon until it was too late.


    Kicking the dead Hob out of the way, shaking Onyx to get the blood off, Loch looked around for the next target.


    There wasn¡¯t any.


    Already small sparks of blue, green and red swirled around Loch and his daughters as the Hob¡¯s inner Spirit left their bodies, streaking into Loch and the girls. He could feel a very small amount of Experience gained. He briefly looked at the notifications, cursing in annoyance.


    He¡¯d been doing a lot more cursing since the Connected System had come to Earth.


    YOU HAVE KILLED DARKMOUND HOB WARRIOR


    100 SPIRIT GAINED


    Maybe they were less than Level Four.


    HORDE BONUS GAINED


    100 SPIRIT


    Loch laughed. The Connection considered twelve to be enough to gain the Horde Bonus? He¡¯d have to keep that in mind. The only time in the Dungeon that they¡¯d gotten the Bonus had been at the beginning with the first Skeleton and Zombie waves, and again with the Giant Spiders.


    He thought they should have still gotten more Spirit from this amount of enemies, regardless of the Level difference. But it had been a quick fight.


    The Connection wanted Quality, not quantity.


    There was nothing Quality about the slaughter.


    ¡°What just happened?,¡± Peter asked.


    ¡°Loot the bodies,¡± Loch told the girls, as he walked back to the father and son. They looked at the battle in awe. It had only been minutes since their life and death struggle against six Hobs. ¡°Keep the swords and clubs, anything else useful. The leather armor is probably worthless but if there¡¯s anything worth saving, grab it.¡±


    ¡°Okay Dad,¡± Piper said, walking past him.


    Davis Millman was staring past Loch, eyes wide in wonder. And something else. Awe, amazement. Loch looked over his shoulder, trying to see what had Davis¡¯ attention.


    Harper was moving from body to body, nudging them with her boots, grabbing the weapons but not touching the bodies.


    Loch turned back to the Millmans, giving Davis a brief glare. He caught it, quickly looking elsewhere.


    ¡°We should probably find some shelter,¡± Loch said, looking up at the sun. ¡°It¡¯s getting late and there probably will be more Hobs. We all need rest.¡±


    Neither the girls or Loch had taken any damage, but using his Abilities that quickly had drained his Spirit Reserves some. He¡¯d recover quickly, but the rest was really for the Millman¡¯s sake. And Loch wanted information.


    They¡¯d been in the Dungeon for two or three days. What had been happening in the world in that time?


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Peter managed to get out, still looking at Loch and the girls with awe. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Three (2.Two)

    Loch looked out the window.


    He could see the Hobs running through what had been the parking lot of the local grocery store. The small creatures scurried back and forth. From his angle inside a house across the street, Loch couldn¡¯t see them entering the building. He could see when they exited though.


    Not carrying anything though.


    Which was a good thing.


    He was afraid that by the time they raided the grocery store, the Hobs would have picked it clean. The things probably didn¡¯t know what they were looking at, he thought.


    The bodies of the ones they had killed on Route 4 were still there, a couple of large crows pecking away at them. Their Spirit had faded into the glowing multi-colored sparks, entering the bodies of Loch, his girls and the Millmans. There was no difference in the appearance of the bodies. Still the odd shade of gray, dried light pink blood pooled on the ground. No way to tell that they¡¯d lost the Spirit that made them part of the Connection.


    The Hobs in the parking lot, just cracked and pitted asphalt completely empty of cars, didn¡¯t come near the entrance. A couple had approached an hour or so ago. They¡¯d poked at the bodies with their clubs and swords, growled between themselves, and quickly returned to the rest. They didn¡¯t appear to care about their dead tribemates.


    The large scavengers would be coming soon, the Hobs most likely wanting to avoid them.


    Shifting a bit, Loch tried to look down the road to the east. He couldn¡¯t see it, not from this house, but knew where the Hobs leaving the store were running to.


    When the Connected System had come to Earth, it changed things.


    Everything.


    Even the land itself had been changed. In an instant. At least that¡¯s what it felt like. The bright light, the shaking of the ground. It happened so quickly.


    Buildings were gone. An entire street further to the east no more. Loch and his girls had known a family that lived down that street. Their house was probably gone with the street. Replaced with forest. At the intersection, barely visible from his window, had been a bank and another store. Both those were gone. The store replaced with the Hobs destination.


    Their hill.


    A large dirt mound.


    Loch had no desire to run into that place. He could picture cramped tunnels, lots of turns and lots of Hobs.


    Turning away from the window, Loch let the curtain drop. He didn¡¯t know who had lived in the house before the Connection arrived, but they weren¡¯t there now. No evidence that they¡¯d been in the house when the Connection happened. Which Loch was thankful for. He¡¯d been afraid to enter the house and have there be rotting food. The owners were probably some of those that had disappeared, unable to be Adapted to the Connection. Or just disappeared, like Loch¡¯s wife.


    He pushed that thought down. No time to dwell on it. She was alive somewhere. No way would Kelly have been one of the ones that couldn¡¯t Adapt.


    They¡¯d broken into the house just over an hour ago, wanting to find shelter for the night. The second house Loch had broken into since the Connection had come. He felt a little guilty about it, but they needed the shelter. In an apocalypse, he doubted the owners would mind.


    ¡°What¡¯s it looking like out there,¡± Peter Millman asked.


    ¡°About the same,¡± Loch answered, sitting down in an easy chair.


    Probably the home¡¯s owner¡¯s favorite chair. It had the place of importance with the best view of the television mounted on the wall, the stairs to the second floor to the left, wide open entrance to the kitchen and dining room on the right, a sectional couch serving as the barrier between the spaces.


    Peter and his son, Davis, sat on the sectional. Behind them, at the dining table, were Loch¡¯s two daughters. Harper and Piper.


    There were pictures of the house¡¯s family on the wall. No one that he recognized. Not that he spent much time studying the pictures. Loch really didn¡¯t want to know who had lived in the house. It was better that way.


    The Millmans were the first people he and his girls had seen since the day of the Connection. They¡¯d been a couple miles out of town on Route 4 when it had happened.


    There had been plenty of monsters but no people until an hour ago.


    After the Challenge Dungeon, Loch just wanted to rest but they¡¯d discovered the Millmans surrounded by Hobs. No way was Loch going to leave the Millmans to be killed by the Hobs. He and the girls had gone to assist, making short work of the monsters.


    The Dungeon had been a nightmare gauntlet but they had come out of it much stronger.


    Much stronger than the Hobs.


    And the Millmans.


    They had been fighting with aluminum baseball bats and golf clubs.


    No armor.


    Loch and his girls had swords and axes. Loch had magical armor.


    And all three had Abilities granted by their Classes.


    Not only had the Connection brought changes to the world, the Adaptations to the people that had survived had granted them Classes. Just like a video game.


    When they reached Level Five.


    The Millmans were only Level Three and Two.


    Loch was Level seventeen, Harper was nine and Piper seven. Harper and Piper shouldn¡¯t have even been able to get Classes. They were underage. Yet, they had gotten them, thanks to the family¡¯s trait.


    Unfettered.


    The Millmans had been surprised to learn about Classes. They had been surprised to learn about all the rest as well. Most people didn¡¯t have access to a Bonded Spirit that was the Connections version of Google.


    Cerie floated around the room, glowing green, examining everything. Davis Millman watched her, amazed. At least he wasn¡¯t looking at Cerie like he had been looking at Harper earlier.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Dungeons are real,¡± Peter muttered. ¡°Those things,¡± he gestured toward the window and the Hobs across the street. ¡°Are bad enough. But Dungeons? Divine Beings? Invaders.¡±


    He shook his head.


    Loch didn¡¯t respond. What was there to say? The Chelsey Cemetary Dungeon had beaten the disbelief out of him and the girls. They had experience now. A lot of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe,¡± Peter said, shaking his head.


    He held up his arm, turning it and looking at it from all angles. Not that long ago, it had been bleeding, a large gash down its length. Now the scar was barely visible. He shook his head again, amazed.


    ¡°We need to get back to the others,¡± he said. ¡°They need to know everything you know.¡±


    ¡°The others?¡±


    After the rescue of the Millmans, Loch had been bombarded with questions. The presence of Cerie had prompted them. It had started in the entrance drive to the grocery store as the dead bodies of the Hobs turned to the sparks of Spirit, swirling around the group and entering their bodies granted them Experience. Loch and the girls had looted what they could from the Hobs. It wasn¡¯t much. A couple rusty swords and clubs. The armor wasn¡¯t worth saving, the hides being really low quality. No coins, potions or anything else.


    Loch hadn¡¯t seen more Hobs in the parking lot, but he knew they¡¯d come eventually. The blood would probably attract scavengers. And the Millmans were near a state of shock. They needed to rest and absorb what they¡¯d just seen.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    He¡¯d quickly looked around, seeing the houses across the street, noting what buildings had disappeared. A large field was now where the gas station had been, a large depression in the ground marked the location of the former pumps.


    There really hadn¡¯t been many choices.


    He¡¯d told the Millmans to hold the questions and led the group across Route 4, something that would never have been possible before the Connection. The road had always been busy, especially in that area where three major routes intersected and the town¡¯s major businesses were located. Not that there was much. The grocery store, a couple gas stations, the library, bank and a discount general store. Now the road was empty.


    Not even any abandoned cars. They were just gone.


    Getting into the house had been easy.


    A short break once inside, after making sure the house was truly empty, and the questions had started.


    Loch and the girls had done their best to answer, leaving most of it to Cerie.


    The questions had finally died down. Loch knew it was out of exhaustion, not lack of curiosity. The Millmans still had plenty to ask.


    But now it was Loch¡¯s turn to ask.


    ¡°Yeah, a bunch of us are holed up at the churches next to the town hall. There¡¯s talk of going to the school. It¡¯s bigger. More space. But Ed thinks people will naturally come to the town hall. I guess he¡¯s not wrong. We did. The others did too. I like the idea of the school though.¡±


    ¡°Ed?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Ed Turner. You know him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±


    The Turners were family friends. Really just the wife, Susan, was. She and Kelly, Loch¡¯s missing wife, had been good friends. Loch had tolerated Ed and Harper had hated the Turner¡¯s son, Mike.


    ¡°When the Connection happened,¡± Peter continued, pausing at the strangeness of the word. ¡°We didn¡¯t know what to do. Lucy, my wife, was out of town. No way to reach her. I tried.¡± He paused, a dark look passing across his face. Loch knew that look well.


    He knew what Peter Millman was going through. The same thing he was. Loch had no idea what had happened to Kelly. Before the Connection, she¡¯d been in the car next to him. After the Connection, she was just gone. No trace.


    He had told the Millmans about Kelly¡¯s disappearance.


    It gave the two men a shared bond.


    Peter took a deep breath, before he started talking again. Loch could see the man pushing the thought of his wife down deep, just the same as Loch himself did.


    ¡°I knew we had to do something, figure out what was happening. Without cell service, no internet, I thought that others might be gathering. Seemed a natural thing to do. And the Town Hall seemed a good place to do it.¡±


    ¡°How many survi¡­of you are there?¡±


    Loch had almost said survivors. He wasn¡¯t ready to accept that word yet. It was true. They were survivors of the Connection. The vast majority of humanity had been wiped out, unable to Adapt. Of those that had, a good number had to have died since the Connection. It was a wild and violent world. Not everyone would have survived.


    Loch and the girls had barely survived.


    Luck had been on their side from the start.


    ¡°Maybe fifty when we left,¡± Peter answered.


    Fifty out of nearly five thousand residents of Northwood.


    There had to be more people in the town but it was a scattered town, no downtown or main street. It covered a lot of square miles. Add in the uncentralized nature of the surrounding towns as well. There were homes miles away from town hall, places down dirt roads.


    How many more survivors were there?


    Had to be more.


    ¡°Been fighting too,¡± Davis said. ¡°Monsters have been attacking. Usually one or two a night. Every day more and more people were showing up.¡±


    ¡°We were part of a couple teams sent out to scout,¡± Peter said, taking over from his son. ¡°Find supplies and other survivors. Hard to believe it took us two days to get from Town Hall to here. Used to only take five minutes by car.¡±


    He chuckled.


    Something about the timeline didn¡¯t add up for Loch.


    Two days to cover a couple miles. That part made sense. It was the rest.


    Davis had said the monsters attacked the camp every night. The way he said it, it came across as they¡¯d faced the attacks a couple times themselves. Not just one night, probably more than two. A day at their home before heading to town hall. Three days, maybe five or six, at the survivor¡¯s camp.


    That was too much time.


    Loch tried to remember how much time they¡¯d spent in the Dungeon. They¡¯d rested three times, so three days? Plus the two they had traveled since the Connection.


    Only five days.


    But the Millman¡¯s story made it seem longer?


    ¡°How many days has it been since the Connection,¡± Loch asked, not wanting to know the answer.


    Behind the Millmans, both his daughters looked over, now very interested in the conversation. Even Cerie had stopped her examination of the various things that made up a person¡¯s home. Pictures, knickknacks, books, flowers, all the random stuff that decorated a house and made it a home.


    ¡°Just over a week,¡± Peter said, looking at Loch strangely. ¡°Nine days I think.¡±


    Loch shook his head.


    That was impossible.


    He looked to Cerie, glared at her.


    Only a couple inches tall, she had long hair, pointed ears, wings like a butterfly and glowed green. The brightness changed depending on her mood. She looked at the Millmans, just as confused as they were.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be,¡± she said, her voice high. ¡°Time in Dungeons seems longer but the time outside should pass slower. For every day in a dungeon, only half a day should pass.¡± She looked at Loch, seeing his angry glare. Her small face looked apologetic. ¡°We were only in the Dungeon for three days. It should have only been a day and a half, two at the most.¡±


    She flew over to the television, sitting down on top of the flat screen, legs pulled up tight, somehow balancing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened,¡± she said. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that way.¡±


    Loch cursed, followed by a sigh. He knew that it wasn¡¯t her fault. She had only told them what she knew. In the short time she¡¯d been bonded to Piper, Loch had discovered that the fairy wasn¡¯t all-knowing. There were gaps in her knowledge.


    Important gaps.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Harper called out, the word more of a question.


    ¡°I guess it really doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Loch said. ¡°Just another way the Connection messes with us.¡±


    The two Millmans exchanged looks.


    ¡°We were going to head down 202 a ways,¡± Peter said, after no one had talked for a while. ¡°Hit the grocery store on the way back. But now¡­,¡± he trailed off, looking toward the window, the curtain blocking the view from outside. ¡°With the monsters there and their home not that far away, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    He looked to Loch.


    Loch was uncomfortable with that, but he understood it. He and the girls had Classes, had higher levels. They¡¯d slaughtered the Hobs in seconds, where the two Millmans would probably have been killed. Loch and the girls were strong.


    Was the world already turning into a place where the strongest survived and ruled?


    With Loch¡¯s limited understanding of the Connected System, the Connection as it was commonly called, he realized that was exactly what it wanted. The strong to strive, grow, advance and survive.


    The weak did nothing for it. They didn¡¯t gain Spirit, which the System used as food or currency, or something. Loch didn¡¯t even know what the System needed the Spirit that it leeched from the world and the Connected for. It just needed, or wanted, it.


    Loch didn¡¯t want to be a leader. He didn¡¯t want to have to make decisions for others. He had his own girls to worry about.


    But as he looked at Peter Millman, Loch realized that what he wanted didn¡¯t matter anymore. The girls would come first, but he was one of the strong now. All three of them were. This was a world where the strongest would rule.


    But not all strong were equal. There were some that would want to protect the others. But there were just as many, if not more, that would use their strength to lord over the others. To exploit them and use them to grow even stronger.


    Loch knew he wasn¡¯t going to be one of those but he was strong and that had some responsibility that came with it.


    What was the famous saying?


    With great power comes great responsibility?


    Loch had never thought of himself as a hero. He¡¯d had a brief stint in the Army. Back in the day, when he¡¯d turned eighteen, he¡¯d enlisted to get the GI Bill. He knew war would be hell, but wouldn¡¯t the benefits he¡¯d received outweigh the costs?


    They barely did.


    His time in service had taught Loch about duty and commitment. He¡¯d been one of those that believed in the duty of a soldier to protect those that couldn¡¯t protect themselves. It was a naive thought, but he¡¯d carried that ideal with him throughout his life.


    He cursed silently.


    It looked like Loch wasn¡¯t going to have a choice.


    ¡°Get some sleep tonight,¡± he said. ¡°I think tomorrow we raid the grocery store and bring back what we get to the churches and the people.¡±


    Peter Millman looked relieved the decision had been taken from him.


    He looked overwhelmed by everything he had learned, was learning, about being part of the Connection.


    Loch wondered what was different between him and Peter. Why had he gotten so lucky.


    Not that he really thought of it as lucky.


    Cursed?


    That felt better.

 Chapter Fifty-Four (2.Three)

    ¡°Hi.¡±


    Harper looked up, seeing Davis pulling one of the dining table seats back. She smiled at him, pushing the notebooks aside. She¡¯d found a backpack hanging off a hook by the door. Unicorns and glitter. A young girls. Harper tried not to think about that. There were notebooks and pencils in the pack, nothing else. Piper had taken some to sketch in, wanting to save her newly magical pencils for summons. She¡¯d moved to the couch, curled up near their father, sketching away.


    ¡°What are you doing,¡± Davis asked, taking a seat, pointing at the notebooks.


    ¡°Just writing about what¡¯s happened,¡± she said, shrugging, as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    She¡¯d never been one to keep a diary or journal. She just needed something to pass the time. There was a lot of it now without internet or TV. Writing down everything they went through, that seemed a productive use of her freetime.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± he said, reaching for one of the notebooks she hadn¡¯t touched yet. ¡°Can I?¡±


    She nodded.


    He flipped it open, pencil in hand.


    ¡°You guys have been through a lot,¡± Davis said.


    ¡°Yeah. It hasn¡¯t been fun,¡± Harper admitted.


    She wondered if this was the most words they¡¯d ever spoken to each other in the last year or more, since entering the high school. They knew each other, or at least knew of each other. It had been awhile since middle school when the grades were smaller and everyone knew and interacted with everyone else. Coe-Brown wasn¡¯t a large school and while they were both from Northwood, not one of the other towns that sent students to the school, they just ran in different circles.


    ¡°I bet. This whole thing seems like a game and with your high levels, that¡¯s a lot of fighting.¡± He wrote some words on the first page, thinking and erasing a couple before adding more. ¡°And a Dungeon? That¡¯s just insane.¡±


    ¡°It was insane,¡± Harper said, holding in a shudder.


    She¡¯d been scared the entire time in the Challenge Dungeon and thought she¡¯d done a good job of hiding it. But she¡¯d been absolutely terrified. Her father had yelled at her, not really yelled but more scolded firmly, about needing to be more cautious and not take chances. He thought she had been enjoying the fighting and the danger.


    Harper hadn¡¯t.


    But that was the only way she knew to cope with that kind of fear.


    It was the same when competing. She would be terrified and the only way to overcome that fear was to turn the competition into something fun. Think of it as less a competition and just hanging out. With the Dungeon and the fighting, it had become less life and death and more about going through the actions and motions.


    It was a floor routine. Just go on auto-pilot and perform the moves.


    ¡°Have you seen anyone else from school?,¡± she asked.


    It was a question she¡¯d been dreading the answer too. Her father, Piper and her, they hadn¡¯t seen anyone since the day of the Connection. Just monsters. No word on any other survivors. Now they had seen two and one of them was a classmate.


    That gave her some hope.


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a couple of us at the camp. A couple seniors and juniors, a freshman. But out of our grade? Just you, me and Mike Turner.¡±


    Harper winced. Davis caught it.


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why I¡¯m very glad to have run into you.¡±


    She smiled, glancing at Davis, who was glancing at her. They both looked away.


    Why did it have to be Mike Turner?


    He liked her. A lot. She hated him.


    Their families had known each other for years. Her mom and Mike¡¯s mom were real good friends. Did a lot together, which meant the families had done a lot together through the years. When they had been kids, it had been fine. But as they got older, Mike just got creepier and creepier. He had a huge crush on Harper, and didn¡¯t try to hide it.


    But it wasn¡¯t just her that he creeped out.


    Other girls too.


    And he was a jerk. Arrogant, without really anything to back it up.


    She was glad that Davis was around. If it had just been Mike, that would have been horrible. Davis was at least a nice guy. He¡¯d dated a friend of a friend of Harper¡¯s last year. She¡¯d forgotten why they¡¯d broken up, but from all the gossip, Davis Millman was a good guy.


    A real and true good guy.


    Not one of those that pretended to be a good guy to hide their creep factor.


    ¡°What¡¯s your Class?¡±


    ¡°Shadow Dancer,¡± Harper said, writing a couple more words in the notebook.


    ¡°That jumping in and out of shadows thing was really cool.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s called Shadow Skip and yeah, it is pretty cool.¡±


    ¡°How does it feel?¡±


    Harper looked at him, confused.


    ¡°When you Shadow Skip,¡± he paused when he said the name of the Ability. Harper figured he wasn¡¯t a gamer and hadn¡¯t had to talk about such things before. ¡°What does it feel like? It looked like you just faded away, melting into the shadow and then when you popped out behind those monsters¡­¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Harper wasn¡¯t sure if he was genuinely curious or flirting.


    She hoped it was both.


    ¡°It¡¯s really weird,¡± she answered, looking away as she tried to figure out the right words. Her pencil tapped at the notebook. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m being stretched out, but it doesn¡¯t hurt. My body is cold, but a comfortable cold,¡± Harper said and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe.¡±


    ¡°I bet. It kind of freaked me out seeing it.¡±


    ¡°Freaked me out the first time I did it too, but in a good way. I knew what was going to happen, it really wasn¡¯t that bad.¡±


    ¡°How did you know how to do it?¡±


    ¡°Just did,¡± she pointed to Cerie, the fairy once again examining everything in the house. ¡°Cerie says the Connection basically downloads instructions to our brains and bodies.¡±


    ¡°No training? That seems kind of weird.¡±


    ¡°In the middle of a Dungeon, not having to train probably saved our lives.¡±


    Davis looked down at the table.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s true.¡±


    They fell silent, both writing away. Harper had enjoyed writing when she was younger. There had been a couple stories she¡¯d written, but that had fallen aside when she¡¯d really started competing in dance, gymnastics and softball. There just hadn¡¯t been time.


    And what she was doing now, it wasn¡¯t fun writing. She wasn¡¯t creating, just documenting. And in shorthand. Nothing flowery. Lots of bullet points with brief descriptions. She opened up her Status a lot, writing down what she saw in her vision.


    ¡°Harps,¡± her father said.


    He was standing near the large window again, the curtain moved aside so he could look across the street. ¡°You and Pipes need to get some rest. We¡¯re going to raid the store in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she replied, gathering up the notebooks.


    She picked up the unicorn backpack, stuffing the notebooks and pencils in. In the morning, she¡¯d have Piper put it in the magical bag of holding. Davis cracked a smile at the glittery bag. Harper slung it over her shoulder, not embarrassed.


    ¡°Davis,¡± his father said.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    She was surprised that neither one of them protested. Before the Connection, protesting going to bed had been a daily occurrence. It was just something teenagers did. Now, she knew her father was right. They would be fighting in the morning and being well rested was vital. The only times she had agreed that getting a full night¡¯s rest was important was the night before meets. The night before a raid was like that.


    Harper hated how natural this new world and its realities were becoming.


    ¡°There¡¯s three bedrooms upstairs,¡± her father said. ¡°Peter and Davis can have the big one. You girls can have the other two. I¡¯ll take the couch and stay on watch for a bit.¡±


    Harper looked around for Piper. She had to have gone upstairs already. Probably scored the best of the two rooms too.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get up a little earlier,¡± her father continued. ¡°Loot this place for anything worthwhile before heading to the store.¡±


    They had done a quick search after breaking in, taking some of the food and drinks for dinner. The stuff in the fridge had already been starting to smell.


    Harper didn¡¯t like that she hadn¡¯t thought breaking in was a big deal.


    How quickly what was considered right changed.


    She expected Peter or Davis to say something about stealing from the house. Neither did. But then, they had been sent out from the camp to do exactly what they were going to do in the morning. Loot the surrounding houses for anything useful.


    Their goal tomorrow was to empty the grocery store of as much as they could.


    And they wouldn¡¯t be paying.


    No rules in an apocalypse.


    That was one thing movies got right.


    ***


    Harper woke in the morning, rolling over and looking around. She didn¡¯t recognize where she was, taking a minute to realize she was in a strange kid¡¯s bedroom. A boy judging by the posters of games and sports stars.


    She sat up, pushing aside the blanket. She¡¯d slept on top of the comforter, with a blanket she¡¯d found downstairs. Harper just didn¡¯t like the idea of sleeping in someone else¡¯s bed.


    It was better than sleeping on the ground


    Standing up, she ran through some stretches, looking around the room for anything that could be useful. Her father had raided the house last night, taking cans of food and bottles of water from the kitchen, tool from the basement. There was no garage, the cars in the driveway not there. Maybe the house¡¯s owners had been at work, she thought, pulling together her stuff.


    Harper could hear movement downstairs. Her father already up, if he had slept at all. He was pushing himself too much. She knew it, he knew it. Maybe she¡¯d have a talk with him. If he burnt out, he¡¯d be no use for them.


    Reaching for the door, she stopped, catching her reflection in the mirror behind the door.


    She almost screamed.


    It had been days since she¡¯d had a shower or bath.


    And she looked it.


    Face and arms dirty, scratched. Her clothes were torn and stained red with blood and who knew what else. Monster guts probably.


    But her hair was the worst.


    Matted, clumped.


    She dug in her bag, looking for her brush. She had brought it with her. She¡¯d been brushing her hair every morning since the Connection. Hadn¡¯t she? Time lost meaning in the Dungeon, but she had tried.


    It wasn¡¯t in the bag.


    She had lost it at some point.


    Harper couldn¡¯t believe she was looking like this.


    Not one to really be concerned with appearances, but this was too much.


    And she¡¯d been talking with Davis last night.


    Looking like this.


    She probably smelled. All that sweating, blood and guts.


    Harper yanked open the door, almost jumping across the hall and into the open door across from hers. The room Piper had slept in belonged to a girl. Young girl. Lots of stuffed animals. And a hair brush.


    Smiling, Harper sat down on the bed, working the brush through her mess of hair.


    It hurt, but she bit back the curse, forcing the brush to do its job.


    What seemed an hour later, she walked downstairs.


    Everyone else was at the table, except her father who was at the bottom of the stairs.


    ¡°I was just about to come up and get you,¡± he said.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°What took so long?,¡± Loch asked, pausing. He looked at her hair and the quick job she had done to clean herself up. ¡°The hair?¡±


    Harper walked past him, not replying.


    She did hear his loud sigh.

 The Connected System: Warbreakers Rise Coming March 5th

    Book 1 of the Connected System hits Amazon on March 5th with the Kindle and KU editions. Audible lands on March 26th with narration by the amazing J.S. Arquin.


    Because of that, I''ll be taking down most of the Book 1 Chapters from Royal Road and Patreon. I''ll also be making some changes to the Patreon tiers soon,


    Thank you all for supporting The Connected System.  I''m about 1/3 of the way through Book 4, Warbreaker''s Ruse.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    What does the future hold after that? It''ll be a bit of wait and see. Hopefully the book does amazing and I can keep writing the story of Loch and his family. That should mean that the second arc (books 5 to 7, or 8) would continue seamlessly on RR and Patreon. There might end up being a bit of a gap well I get enough chapters ahead but the plan would be to have Book 5 done when Book 3 is published.

 Chapter 109 (2.59)

    ¡°How¡¯s it going,¡± Loch asked Kristin.


    She sat at a small desk to the side of the main doors into the school, at the base of the steps leading to the office. They¡¯d taken it from one of the upstairs classrooms. All the furniture was being stacked outside to form makeshift walls, but they¡¯d kept a couple of the desks. Which were now scattered around the large entrance lobby. Workstations. Only Kristin¡¯s was full.


    A short blond woman, mid-thirties, with long blond hair. She¡¯d been an Administrative Assistant before the Connection. Once Julia¡¯s census had found her, she¡¯d been recruited to help complete it and then promoted to her new position.


    Loch wasn¡¯t sure it was a promotion.


    She was still an Admin Assistant, but was now one to Ed Turner and himself.


    There were notebooks and random papers covering her desk, along with a couple of pencils. A binder sat at the edge, the thickest they could find, filled with lined paper that had been three-hole punched. That was the census, a listing of every person currently staying at the school, along with their relevant skills and lots of other information.


    Having her was an idea of Ed¡¯s, recognizing the need of someone to organize everything having to do with their growing community. She had a record of the food and how it was to be distributed. Kristin also knew who was staying in which of the many classrooms. They had tried to keep it so a family got a classroom to themselves, but there were too many people.


    Among the many projects that had been started, a team of workers were installing partitions to make the large classrooms into smaller rooms, to give people more privacy.


    Another of Kristin¡¯s roles was to keep track of all those projects. Luckily she had a couple people helping her. They were who the other desks were for.


    Loch didn¡¯t know where they were and didn¡¯t care, assuming they were doing their jobs. All of them, three men and women along with Kristin, had pledged themselves to Clan Brady.


    ¡°Good Lord Lochlan,¡± Kristin said.


    Loch grimaced. He¡¯d tried to get her, and others, to stop with the Lord but it was hopeless. Cerie called him that and they had started to adopt it. Especially once they¡¯d joined the Clan. He was the leader of the Clan and until he gave himself an official title, they would use Lord.


    He hated it.


    ¡°Jeff and a group of hunters left this morning. Heading to the woods to the north to look for game. Thomas and a couple others with gardening and farming backgrounds are checking the soil conditions of the ball fields across the street.¡±


    Loch knew they wouldn¡¯t be able to grow crops before winter. The food situation wasn¡¯t dire yet, but it would be soon and that was before they started stocking for the winter. An unforeseen benefit, although it should have been thought of, about moving to the schools as finding its supply of food.


    He knew the high school, along with the now disappeared middle school, had been part of a program that brought fresh food to the schools almost daily. There hadn¡¯t been a large stock of that and what they found had already turned bad. As had the frozen food, dairy and other things kept in the refrigerator. That had been a disappointment but finding a lot of canned food and dry goods had not been a disappointment.


    Ed had quickly had some of Darren¡¯s guards confiscate it all. Some of the people had been eyeing it hungrily. Loch assumed a small amount had already been pilfered. A granola bar or two, nothing that would be noticeable. He knew he should probably have someone search the survivors to find the food but he just couldn¡¯t.


    They were all hungry and would get hungrier still.


    One of Kristin¡¯s team was cataloging the food they¡¯d found.


    More people had been sent out to scavenge the nearby houses and buildings. They were to get all the canned and dried goods, camping supplies, non-power tools, clothes, blankets and anything else that would be useful.


    Or could be turned into weapons.


    Outside there was a steady stream of wagons and wheelbarrows back and forth from the school to the closest houses. With the now permanent move to the school, the scavengers could make multiple trips.


    An emphasis had been put on winter gear too. Jackets, hats, gloves, snowshoes or cross country skis. Winter was coming and they had to be prepared.


    Darren¡¯s guards, the few there were, kept a watchful eye over all of it, except the hunters in the woods. The scavenging was kept to the nearby houses for now. Further out would need to be cleared of monsters or guards accompanying the scavengers. There just weren¡¯t enough people that seemed to have the relevant skills or ability to Advance along that path. They needed more guards.


    The test Loch had done with the swords was repeated. Anyone that seemed to have an aptitude, or feeling that they could, with a weapon was added to the guard roster. Darren had spent most of the last days in his new office, going over the list of guards, which ones had Levels, working out the watch rotation and figuring out how to start a training program.


    He sat up ranks, asking Loch¡¯s input. Which Loch had refused to give. Darren knew the people he¡¯d worked with better than Loch. He could assign the ranks as he saw fit. If he needed Loch to give some authority, he would, but that was it.


    It was that way with everyone. Loch didn¡¯t want to micromanage, didn¡¯t want to manage at all. He had no problem being the high Level Clanlord that was the muscle when needed. He¡¯d leave the day to day stuff to everyone else.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Loch said, figuring he¡¯d done enough leadering for the day, and it was just mid-morning. ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    He walked out the doors, stopping at the top of the stairs. Two guards, with swords in makeshift scabbards, stood on either side. They gave a couple of rough salutes. Loch returned it, wondering if they should come up with something of their own. It just felt odd using the American salute and not be in the service.


    Was there even a military anymore? Had the government in Washington survived? There was no phones or internet, if someone had managed to keep the government intact, it would be a very long time before any news reached New Hampshire.


    Loch walked down the steps, heading down the ruined asphalt drive. Some people had already started clearing it up, removing the largest chunks to add to the makeshift wall along the roads. It probably wasn¡¯t necessary at this stage of the Clan¡¯s growth, but it gave people something to do.


    And right now, that was important.


    Kristin, Thomas and Jeff were going through the census, finding people that could be potential Crafters, Farmers, Laborers. The one thing Loch had pushed on was making sure everyone in the growing Clan was kept busy.


    He walked past the building covering the dungeon entrance, two guards out front. They didn¡¯t salute and neither did Loch. He didn¡¯t call them out on it either. There was a chance they didn¡¯t even know who he was. It wasn¡¯t like anyone went around proclaiming him as the Clanlord.


    He really needed a better title.


    There had been a two story building, the parking lot surrounding it on the sides and back. Loch had forgotten what it had been used for. White, like all the wooden buildings on the small campus. It had disappeared, the materials taken and used as fuel for the Worldcore. Grass had been left in its place.


    Now wood was being stacked and piled on the grass. Nothing that was useful for building. Scraps that could be burned. Winter was coming and they had to figure out a way to provide heat. Late the previous night, Loch had met a man that he hoped had the solution.


    Eric Boyer had been a mechanical engineer. The Connection may have made everything he¡¯d designed obsolete, but it hadn¡¯t stolen his knowledge. He hoped he¡¯d be able to convert the school¡¯s boiler into something that could burn wood. All the duct work still existed, capable of sending heat throughout the building. They just needed a way to generate that heat.


    There were still a couple months before the temperature started dropping, but it was going to come fast. They had to be ready.


    Food was the biggest issue.


    Loch walked around the piles of wood, heading for the church at the edge of campus. He could see someone up in the belltower. They¡¯d just gotten it open and he wanted to see what the view was like.


    Screams came from behind the school.


    Loch turned, Activating Windstep, glad to see others already running in that direction. He¡¯d beat them. It took two Windsteps to make it behind the building where he paused, trying to figure out where to go next.


    There were some trees behind the school, but most of it was an open grassy field with a gentle slope down to the shore of Harvey Lake. Canoes and kayaks, most scavenged from houses along the shore of the lake, were scattered around the trees. The screams were coming from the shore.


    A small group of people were backing up, scrambling to get up the slope and away from the water. Behind them, bursting onto the grassy shore was a turtle. The largest Loch had ever seen. It was massive, the size of an elephant, maybe even bigger.


    There had been a snapping turtle living in the lake. An old one, about two or three feet in length. Loch had seen it on a rock before, he¡¯d never heard of anyone encountering it when swimming or boating in the lake.


    This had to be that turtle, changed by the Connection.


    Adapted.


    It was now a Connected Beast.


    Loch used Windstep, covering the last couple dozen feet. He appeared between the people and the monstrous turtle, Onyx in hand and Bulwark appearing on his left arm. He Activated Offensive Stance, not bothering with Aura Of Attack. The people around him, men and women, were all below Level 5.


    The turtle stopped, its head shifting to look at him. Water dripped off the shell, splashing onto the ground. Loch used Evaluate.


    Unfey, Ancient Chelydra Draconis


    A dragon turtle.


    No Level but Loch could feel the strength in the creature. It dwarfed his. Nothing he¡¯d come across yet had the power this turtle possessed. Maybe theGaria that had flown over Northwood Lake, but not even the Lich or demon had come close.


    Loch knew he¡¯d have no chance against this thing. Maybe with some of the guards and other Classers. Piper was around, she¡¯d be a help, if she got there in time. He wished Harper and Brian were there. They were needed.


    He shifted his feet, watching the turtle.


    Why did it have a name? Did that make it a unique monster? Something else to ask Cerie.


    That question was moved to the top of the list. It seemed pretty important.


    The turtle didn¡¯t move. It stopped, fully out of the water, only a dozen feet between it and Loch. He knew turtles were pretty slow on land, but didn¡¯t trust that this one would be. Even if it moved slowly, it was big enough to cross the distance quickly.


    The shell looked tough, like armor plating. Even the exposed skin of its head, neck and legs was thick and scaly. Being a named monster, Loch knew it would have some special Abilities too.


    Still it didn¡¯t attack.


    ¡°What happened,¡± he asked the people behind him, not taking his eyes from the turtle.


    ¡°We were fishing at the shore, just about to launch a couple boats, when we saw a strange wave coming toward shore,¡± one of the women said. She sounded about ten feet behind Loch, off to the side.


    He could feel the Presence of the people. Their Spirit Auras distinct, not that strong. It was how he knew none were Level 5. The turtle¡¯s head twisted to look past Loch at the speaker.


    ¡°We started moving away when that thing¡¯s head rose above the water, then its shell.¡±


    The turtle angled its head, the giant eyes looking indignant. It didn¡¯t like being called a thing.


    ¡°All of you get back,¡± Loch called out. He wanted them out of the range of any Abilities the turtle had Unfey had. The turtle had a name, he should use it.


    Its attention returned to Loch. The monster still didn¡¯t move.


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    What was it waiting for? It had to be able to tell that Loch was much lower leveled then it was.


    Loch shifted his feet, ready to attack.


    Moments passed, the turtle just looking at Loch.


    He reached out with his growing senses. He could feel the turtle, Unfey¡¯s, Presence. The strength of the Beast pushed down on him, but not in a threatening way. It was just there, a reminder of Unfey¡¯s strength.


    A warning to not do anything rash.


    How long had this turtle lived before the Connection? They could live for hundreds of years. In culture and stories they were depicted as being wise.


    Loch was beginning to think there was some truth to that.


    Unfey could have attacked. Probably had the strength to lay waste to most of the school if it wanted. So why wasn¡¯t it?


    Loch relaxed a little, just enough to appear unthreatening. He could react quickly, shifting his grip to be able to swing Onyx to create a Thunderclap.


    The turtle didn¡¯t move. Loch felt the Presence lessen.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to fight do you,¡± Loch asked.


    Unfey didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°We just want to fish the lake,¡± Loch said. ¡°Would that be okay?¡±


    Unfey stared at him, the eyes larger than his head. The turtle blinked. It turned rapidly, moving much faster than Loch would have thought possible. The body moved into the water, swimming off shore, sinking as it went. Unfey was soon lost to sight, not even a ripple along the surface.


    Loch watched the waters for a couple minutes, wondering what had just happened. Had he just made a deal with the turtle?


    He turned, seeing a bunch of confused and amazed faces watching him. Behind, Piper had been running but was now walking. Behind her were Darren and some of his guards, now also walking. Everyone was looking past Loch at the lake.


    He wondered how they¡¯d get anyone to fish the lake now.


    ***


    ¡°It is rare,¡± Cerie said, as she flew alongside them.


    Loch and Piper were walking back around the school. Darren was walking the shore with his guards. Even though it felt safe enough, it seemed Unfey would let them fish, both Loch and Darren thought it better to post some guards. Just two, or three, Classed people to patrol the shore. If Unfey lived in the waters of the small lake, what else could live there?


    ¡°For a Connected Beast to be given a name, it had to have been powerful before the Connection. Being Adapted just makes it stronger.¡±


    ¡°Would it have Abilities?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Loch nodded, glad he hadn¡¯t engaged the turtle.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how thrilled he was with Unfey living in what was essentially the Clan¡¯s backyard, but as long as the turtle let them fish, it should be okay. They¡¯d just have to make sure to not overfish or do too much in the lake. It was Unfey¡¯s territory, not theirs.


    Would the turtle protect the lake? That could give some security to Loch and his people. But he couldn¡¯t trust it. They¡¯d have to keep a guard.


    ¡°It is rare for a Connected Beast to have a name this early in a new Connection,¡± Cerie continued. ¡°Typically it takes time for the Beast to grow in power until it earns the name. It could be decades as it Advances and grows in its power.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it had to be powerful before the Connection?,¡± Piper asked.


    ¡°Yes Lady Piper, but there are myriad ways it could be powerful without having true power. The Beast could be ancient, an elder of the species, as I suspect the dragon turtle to be. It could be the apex predator of its species, dominating all the prey in its territory. It could even be a prey animal that somehow manages to stay alive. In all cases, the Connected Beast is special among its kind.¡±


    They walked around the corner of the school, heading up the small hill to the main entrance. The excitement of Unfey¡¯s appearance had somewhat died down. People had returned to work, there was still so much to do.


    With the nearby houses being stripped of everything worthwhile, even some of the furniture and beds would be moved over to the school, they would need to expand to homes further away. Concentrating on the east, away from the gaunts. That would mean sending Classed people with the unclassed, limiting the number of guards around the school itself.


    How would those groups look?


    One Classed with three or four others, that would hopefully get Classes of their own soon? Eventually they¡¯d get to the point where they¡¯d be scavenging in houses days away and the whole group would need to be Classed.


    They had to prevent what happened to the first group that had gone west.


    Luckily, monsters didn¡¯t seem to appear on the roads themselves.


    To the west, Loch could see a group of people approaching. They were a good distance away but he immediately recognized Harper. Brian was there, along with Jenny and Davis. The guy carrying the bow had to be Bobby. Loch had seen him for about five minutes before the group had set out.


    He¡¯d felt the urge to make the man stay back. He knew Davis, Brian and Jenny. Had fought beside all three. He didn¡¯t know Bobby. How could he trust his daughter with a man he didn¡¯t know? Ed vouched for him, but how much did Ed really know someone he¡¯d been forced to exist with for just over a week?


    Had it really only been that long? A couple of weeks since the Connection? To Loch, it now felt like it¡¯d been months or years.


    In the end Loch had let Bobby go with Harper. His Abilities were needed and Brian was with them. The big man wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to Harper.


    Loch still regretted sending Harper. Without him there, she was in a lot of danger. But it needed to be done. That was the thing he was having the hardest time adjusting to. Harper was fifteen but people were treating her as an adult, and a powerful one at that.


    Being High Level had that effect.


    She appeared to be unarmed, waving a hand to catch his attention. He waved back.


    With her group were four other people. Harper walked in front, a good dozen feet or so. Brian was on one side of the four, Jenny the other with Davis and Bobby behind. Who had thought of that formation? Had to have been Brian.


    Of the four, one was in front of the others. Big, not as big as Brian. Bearded with a large two handed axe. The obvious leader or spokesperson for the group.


    As Loch got closer, turning to walk along Route 4 to meet Harper instead of meeting at the doors, he was able to get more details of the four newcomers. Three were obviously melee fighters. The fourth, the smallest of the men, was a caster of some kind. He just didn¡¯t have the same bearing. Too far away to feel a Presence, the men didn¡¯t appear to be that high of a Level. Lower than Harper most likely. The other three walked like fighters. He was more timid, eyes darting around everywhere. He saw Loch, the darting eyes fixing on him.


    The leader saw Loch too. He made a comment to Brian, who was to his right. Brian didn¡¯t say much, a single word or two. The man picked up his pace, stopping when he was alongside Harper. She shot him an annoyed glance but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Loch watched, trying to hide a smirk, as the man stood straighter, seeming to puff himself out. He wanted to appear larger than he was, more intimidating. Loch wondered if anyone had mentioned what his Level was. There was no way the man would intimidate Loch.


    But he understood why the man was doing it.


    It was part male posturing, trying to assert dominance, and part survival. This new world was one of survival of the fittest. The man wanted to appear strong. Maybe they had told him what Loch¡¯s Level was and the man wanted to impress the alpha male of the area.


    Loch hated that term, but in this instance, it probably fit. Alpha had such a bad connotation though. Apex? Did it matter? He was the highest Level and the acknowledged Clanlord of the area. That was enough.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Harper said, as the two came to a stop. The others stopped further back.


    Loch couldn¡¯t see it but could sense movement from the school Darren must have seen the group coming through the windows and come out to see for himself.


    ¡°Hi honey,¡± Loch said. He had the urge to hug her but stopped. It wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°How was the mission?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it later. We didn¡¯t fully complete the quest chain.¡±


    That surprised Loch. Not that it was unfinished but that the quest he had given, using the authority of the Clanhold, had become a chain. That was odd and a quick glance at Cerie showed the fairy was shocked. It was apparently not something that occurred often, if at all. Loch wondered how he had managed to pull it off. The quest had been pretty basic.


    Not anymore.


    ¡°We came across these guys fighting some gaunts and I thought it best to escort them back.¡±


    ¡°You did good Harps,¡± Loch said.


    He supposed he should have been more formal with strangers around, but this was his daughter and he¡¯d never be that formal. Loch had never been one to care about proper etiquette and he wasn¡¯t going to start now. He shifted his focus to the bearded man.


    ¡°Roger Lewis,¡± she said, waving at the man.


    ¡°Pleased to meet you,¡± he said, extending a hand.


    Loch wondered if he really was or was he just pretending? Loch could already tell what kind of man Roger Lewis was. He was a man born for this world, someone who thought power made them right and in charge. There wasn¡¯t necessarily anything wrong with that, depending on how the person behaved and treated others, but Loch had a feeling Roger was a bully.


    And one that had met someone stronger.


    Roger would have to be watched.


    Loch shook the man''s hand, feeling Roger try to squeeze hard. Loch squeezed back, just a portion of his strength. He saw Roger grimace. Loch released his hand.


    ¡°Where are you and the others coming from?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°We all met up at the Epsom Circle,¡± Roger explained. ¡°I came down from Chichester, the others up from Pembroke or thereabouts. Figured there was strength in numbers.¡± His gaze clouded over, a haunted look in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s rough out there,¡± he said, the sign of weakness only lasting a couple seconds. ¡°Started heading east. We lost a couple along the way.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for the loss,¡± Loch said, and meant it.


    Not people he knew but they were still people. Some of the few that had survived the Connection. And part of him, the part he was hating, lamented the loss of strength and power those people would have represented. More strength to defend and grow the Clan.


    Loch forced that thinking back into its dark hole. He knew that there was no getting around that people were now a resource to be used to benefit the greater whole, but he never wanted to get to the point where it no longer bothered him.


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan,¡± he asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t really know,¡± Roger answered. ¡°Finding people had been about it and¡­,¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°You¡¯re all welcome here,¡± Loch said. ¡°There¡¯s not much and you¡¯ll be assigned work.¡±


    Roger¡¯s eyes darkened.


    ¡°We all work,¡± Loch said. ¡°Some as guards, others as scavengers and others as builders.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan,¡± Roger asked.


    ¡°Grow this place and provide a safe shelter for everyone,¡± Loch answered. He thought about going in depth about the Clan system but decided that could be for later.


    He studied the other three. The other two melee fighters seemed decent enough. One was an older man, the other blond, tall and skinny. They stood relaxed, not nervous about the people around them or the growing crowd that had stopped to watch. The old man looked like he was glad to be somewhere with a lot of people. Security in numbers. The blond man didn¡¯t seem to care one way or the other.


    The last man, the smallest, was nervous. He was anxious, now purposefully trying not to look at Loch. There was something off about him, Loch couldn¡¯t figure out what. Being nervous wasn¡¯t the problem, that was understandable.


    ¡°We have a lot of plans,¡± Loch continued, returning his attention to Roger. ¡°We could use more people as guards and scavengers. Lots of mouths to feed, cloth and train.¡±


    ¡°Train?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Everyone will get the chance to earn enough Experience to get a Class. Everyone will contribute to the community for the good of everyone else.¡±


    ¡°That sounds kind of communist,¡± Roger said.


    More proof of Loch¡¯s earlier judgment of the man.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Loch acknowledged. ¡°But at this point, it¡¯s what we have.¡±


    Roger stared at him for a minute before finally nodding.


    ¡°Sounds good to us,¡± he said. Roger turned to point at the others. ¡°Jim Caldwell. Randy Sager. Teddy Kincaid.¡±


    ¡°Theodore,¡± the small man said.


    Roger¡¯s eyes flashed in annoyance.


    ¡°Pleased to meet you all. I¡¯m Lochlan Brady,¡± he pointed at the main entrance of the school. ¡°Just inside the doors is a woman named Kristin. She¡¯ll take your names, Class and Abilities if you have one and also any relevant skills that you had before the Connection that can help the community.¡±


    Roger¡¯s eyes flashed annoyance again. Theodore seemed to look extra nervous.


    ¡°Everyone contributes,¡± Loch said, stressing his words. ¡°You might have to share a room at first,¡± Loch continued. ¡°We¡¯re putting up partitions to make the classrooms and other spaces into multiple rooms. Taking out desks and such.¡±


    ¡°How long have you been at it,¡± Roger asked.


    ¡°A couple of days,¡± Loch answered.


    ¡°How many people?¡±


    ¡°Over a hundred.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be tight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s what we got for now. The plan is to stay here for the winter and then start spreading out once people are stronger and we get the local area safer.¡±


    ¡°Sound plan,¡± Roger said. ¡°Is it dangerous around here?¡±


    ¡°Not right off the road. Have some mutated coyotes in the woods,¡± Loch answered, not saying anything about the giant dragon turtle in the lake out back. Let them find that out for themselves. ¡°There¡¯s been some other things. Plenty to hunt and we have a Dungeon.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Dungeon,¡± the blond man, Randy, said, speaking for the first time. Loch noticed Theodore paying more attention.


    ¡°Not a jail,¡± Loch chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s like Dungeons in games. Go in, fight monsters, get treasure. If you¡¯d like a chance to run it, there¡¯s a sign up sheet at the desk.¡±


    ¡°Controlling access?,¡± Roger accused, his tone accusing.


    ¡°Not at all. By its nature the Dungeon has limited access. Each time it¡¯s cleared, there¡¯s time needed for it to¡­¡± Loch paused, searching for the right word. He shrugged. ¡°It needs to recharge before anyone else can go in. The list is just so everyone can have a fair shot.¡±


    Roger nodded, but didn¡¯t look satisfied. Loch figured he might have to tell the guards stationed outside the dungeon to keep an eye out for Roger trying to sneak in.


    Or tell them to let him and see if the man could survive. Inwardly, Loch sighed. No. He¡¯d make the guards keep Roger out. The man was going to be annoying but he was above Level 5 and his strength would be needed.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± a voice said loudly from near the entrance.


    ¡°Lord?,¡± Roger muttered quietly.


    Loch looked up toward the entrance, seeing one of the guards pointing toward the fields. Loch shifted his attention, seeing a small group walking out of the woods. They were huddled together, running from something. The people in the fields, only about a dozen, were pointing and shouting.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± Loch cursed. ¡°You all can go inside and talk to Kristen. She¡¯ll fill you in on everything you need to know.¡±


    He took off running, ignoring the questions from the newcomers. As he Activated Windstep, Loch could hear others following. He didn¡¯t need to look back knowing it was Harper, Piper, Brian, Jenny and Davis.

 Chapter 110 (2.60)

    Loch put distance between himself and those following. He could feel his Spirit reserves going down with the repeated use of Windstep. It was a great movement Ability in combat, covering a good distance in seconds, but it wasn¡¯t as efficient over longer distances. It was still better than running, but multiple jumps were taxing on his body and Spirit.


    And it seemed to use more with each successive Step.


    The fields were across the road, a torn up parking lot and down a short hill. The land sloped up beyond what had been a large soccer field, leading to baseball diamonds and more soccer fields. They hadn¡¯t gone to the upper fields yet.


    Loch landed at the top of the slope, pausing to adjust his direction. He could see the group running across the field, joined now by the someday-farmers. It looked to be the hunters that had gone out looking for food.


    They were being chased by a large pack of what looked to be giant cats. About a dozen. Bobcats in basic shape, just much larger. Not quite horse size, but close. Too far to use Evaluate, Loch Activated Windstep again.


    He appeared at the bottom of the hill. Another step took him onto the field. A third brought him right into the middle of the fleeing group. He could see two men supporting another one, blood staining the man¡¯s clothes. One of the hunters pulled up short, almost running into Loch. He held up an arm, slowing the man, looking past at the monsters that were rapidly closing the distance. Now close enough to Evaluate. They gave off an aura of being weaker, maybe around Harper¡¯s Level.


    FOREST LYNXIA


    ¡°Keep going,¡± he yelled at the men, focusing on the one he¡¯d stopped. ¡°The healers should be in the gym. Have Darren send some guards.¡±


    ¡°Yessir,¡± the man said, running off and not looking back.


    Loch Activated Bulwark, the green shield appearing on his left arm. He waited for the Bobcats to get closer. One in the front looked to be a little larger. The Alpha. When they got close enough, Loch held Onyx horizontally to the side. He swept the axe in a wide arc in front of him, Activating Thunderclap.


    A pressure wave swept out from the axe, slamming into the charging cats. They were all knocked off their feet, sent tumbling or pushed back. A couple were slow to get up, others jumping immediately to their feet. Loch knew they¡¯d all been injured.


    Only the larger one hadn¡¯t been knocked off its feet. It had been pushed back a couple of feet, large paws digging into the ground, but it had stayed up. It glared at Loch, growling low.


    He Activated Offensive Stance and Aura Of Attack.


    Harper appeared out of the shadows around the cats, tonfas stabbing into the side of one as she used its body to vault over it, slashing at another.


    ¡°I got the Alpha,¡± he shouted, seeing a silver streak in the shape of a spear slam into another of the cats.


    Loch knew he could take out most of the cats pretty easily, but the others were arriving. The Lynxia weren¡¯t a threat for Harper and the others. They could be a bit of a challenge, but it was Experience the group could use. He might have even left the Alpha to them, staying back just in case they needed help, but he figured he was there and Evaluate told him the monster would give him some Experience.


    FOREST LYNXIA ALPHA


    Windstep brought him right in front of the monster, its head level with his. He twisted to the side, dodging a large paw with long claws. Onyx glowed with the power of Cleave, the axe sweeping down. The Alpha leapt to the side, Onyx barely connecting. It cut into the hide drawing blood. The strike wouldn¡¯t have done much damage except for the Ability¡¯s additional damage. The Alpha staggered under the blow, hissing.


    Loch took a quick glance around, making sure everyone else was okay. They were all engaging the bobcats, one or two each. Arrows stuck out of the hides of a couple cats, signs that the Archer Bobby had joined the fight. Bolts of silver energy blasted into a cat, followed by an ink black one attacking. The Lynxia¡¯s claws slashed at the black cat, ripping through the inky substance.


    A blond man was there as well. It took Loch a couple seconds to realize who the unfamiliar man was. Randy Sager. Was that his name? One of the newcomers. The man was a fighter, but used his bare hands. He was punching at a bobcat, ducking and dodging, using his forearms to block attacks.


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Why had he joined the fight?


    It was a good way to earn some points with the community.


    The concern is was it genuine or had Roger put him up to it?


    A question for after the fight, Loch thought as he used his energy shield to block a swipe by the Alpha. The beast was strong, pushing against Loch. He took a step back, swinging Onyx, scoring a glancing hit. The cat jumped back, taking the pressure off his shield arm.


    Loch swung again, pushing the large cat further back. It was the size of a horse, weighed like one and had the strength of one.


    It hissed at Loch, batting at him. He caught the paw on his shield, swinging Onyx in a short swipe, catching the Alpha¡¯s leg. It growled in pain, snatching the leg back, drops of blood flying through the air. Loch didn¡¯t give it the space, charging ahead, swinging.


    The cat tried to swipe at Onyx to bat it away, Loch pulled the weapon down, the paw sailing just over. He couldn¡¯t get a good swing in with the axe head, instead rotating the weapon and Activating Bash. He didn¡¯t use the hammer head often, but this close in, he didn¡¯t need to swing it as hard or long. A short jab worked. The glowing head slammed into the Alpha¡¯s chest.


    Bone cracked, breaking.


    The cat faltered, stunned.


    Loch slammed into it, coming in low and lifting. He wasn¡¯t sure if his new Strength would be enough to lift the giant cat.


    It was.


    Barely.


    He wrapped his arms around the thick chest of the cat, feeling the paws trying to reach at him. The cat tried to bite at him. It fought being lifted. Loch pushed, feeling the weight pressing down on him. His feet started to slip but he kept pushing.


    The belly was exposed, perfect opportunity for a critical strike, but Loch couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Luckily, he hadn¡¯t planned on it.


    Harper appeared in the deep shadows under the Alpha. Both tonfas stabbed up, cutting deep into the cat¡¯s soft underbelly. She pulled her arms apart, slicing through bone, muscle and flesh. Lightning crackled around the wounds, the smell of burnt fur drifting into the air. Blood and things Loch didn¡¯t want to think about fell onto the ground. Harper disappeared.


    Loch shifted his feet, pushing the dying cat off to the side.


    It fell, paws kicking futilely at the air as its blood and parts leaked out.


    Picking Onyx back up, Loch moved around the body, the eyes of the cat watching him. They were filled with rage and tiredness. The Alpha knew it was dying. With one swing, Loch ended its life.


    YOU HAVE SLAIN FOREST LYNXIA ALPHA


    He dismissed the notification, along with the others. The multi-colored sparks of Spirit drifted up from the dead Alpha, joining the swirling mass of Spirit from the other Lynxia. Strands of Spirit flew into his body, the largest from the Alpha. Because of his Thunderclap, Loch had damaged most of the pack. He received Spirit from all that he had damaged.


    As he felt his Core fill, Loch wondered if his attack had cost the others Spirit.


    ¡°Someone run back and get Jeff,¡± he said, looking at the pile of cat corpses. It didn¡¯t look like a single one had escaped. ¡°He can skin them for the hides.¡±


    ¡°On it,¡± Bobby yelled from a hundred feet or so away.


    Loch wondered how he had heard. Loch hadn¡¯t shouted. Ed Turner had said that Bobby had some kind of far sight Ability, maybe that related to hearing?


    He hoped one of the hunters would return with Jeff. Loch wanted to know where they had run across the Lynxia pack. There had to be more of them in the woods.


    Other monsters as well.


    He noticed Randy standing apart from the others, looking down at his hands. They were covered in blood stained wraps. Loch walked over to him.


    ¡°Randy, right?¡±


    The man nodded.


    Loch held out his hand. Randy held his up to show the drying blood.


    ¡°Being covered in blood is pretty normal lately,¡± Loch chuckled.


    ¡°Seems that way,¡± Randy said, shaking Loch¡¯s hand.


    He had a fairly local New England accent. Maybe from Vermont or Western Massachusetts?


    ¡°Thanks for the help.¡±


    Randy looked around at the others, then down at the cat at his feet. The monster was a mess. Loch wasn¡¯t sure Jeff would be able to salvage the hide, it was that badly beaten. It had been pulped, not looking like a single bone was still intact. The face was barely recognizable, the long teeth broken and some knocked out.


    ¡°Not like you guys needed it. I barely managed to take on one and everyone else dealt with multiple.¡±


    ¡°But you helped,¡± Loch said. ¡°Just rushed in and helped. You didn¡¯t know any of us, just got here.¡±


    ¡°You took us in,¡± Randy said. ¡°Felt like I had to. I guess I¡¯m part of the community now, need to do my part.¡±


    Loch liked him. Randy seemed pretty straight forward. A good guy.


    Not like Roger.


    Or that Theodore.


    There was just something off about that one.


    Loch was about to ask Randy about the people he¡¯d traveled with when a new notification flashed into his vision. Judging by the blank and unfocused stares of the others, they were seeing it too.


    GREETINGS ADAPTED AND CONNECTED OF EARTH. WITH YOUR PLANET¡¯S CONNECTION THREE WEEKS AGO, YOU WERE ADAPTED TO THRIVE AND SURVIVE ON YOUR NEW WORLD. WITH CLANS BEING FORMED, OVER ONE THOUSAND PEOPLE REACHING LEVEL TEN AND OVER THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND REACHING LEVEL FIVE, EARTH¡¯S RANKING BOARD HAS BEEN INITIATED FOR BOTH INDIVIDUAL CONNECTED AND CLANS.


    Loch read the words again before they faded.


    Ranking board?


    ¡°What the hell,¡± he growled.

 Chapter 111 (3.1)

    ¡°What the hell is a Ranking Board?,¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Harper,¡± Loch scolded.


    She didn¡¯t apologize and he didn¡¯t say anything else. Loch was just as confused and surprised as she was. They all were. Eyes were unfocused as each of the people in the field looked at their notifications. Everyone seemed to forget the dozen or so Lynxia corpses.


    ¡°Cerie,¡± Loch said, a command, not a question.


    ¡°I was not expecting the Ranking Board to be initiated this early into Earth¡¯s Connection,¡± the fairy said from where she was sitting on Piper¡¯s shoulder.


    Loch focused on the small green glowing fairy. She shook her head, not meeting his eyes.


    ¡°I would have mentioned it if I had known it was coming.¡± Her eyes glowed a brighter green as she accessed her data. ¡°Typically the Board does not become active until One Thousand Connected reach Level Twenty-Five. As far as we know, there are no Level Twenty-Five on Earth.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one way to find out,¡± Harper suggested. ¡°How do we access the Board?¡±


    ¡°The same way you do your Status.¡±


    Loch thought the words Ranking Board. A new Notification appeared in his vision. Larger than normal, filled with columns and not paragraphs. The same fonts and general design. There were two columns. Connected and Clans. He looked at the Connected first, not really surprised to see his name at the top. There weren¡¯t many that he recognized. Both girls were in the list, not near the top. It showed the top 100 Connected on Earth. He looked quickly but didn¡¯t see Kelly¡¯s name.


    It would have been nice to see her name. A way to truly confirm that she was alive. He hadn¡¯t given up hope, and wouldn¡¯t, that they¡¯d see her again. She was alive.


    But having confirmation would have been great.


    No Levels were shown. No other information beyond just a name.


    LOCHLAN BRADY


    2


    3


    4


    5


    6


    7


    8


    9


    10


    The top ten. Loch had no idea how close they were to him. What was the Level gap between fifth and sixth? Fifth and a hundredth?


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it show Levels,¡± Davis Millman asked.


    ¡°That is odd,¡± Cerie replied, knowing the question had been directed at her. ¡°Typically it does.¡±


    Loch sighed. That was happening too often. There were just too many things that were outside Cerie¡¯s knowledge. Loch understood that each planet¡¯s Connection was going to be different but Cerie had the history of dozens, maybe hundreds, of Connections stored in her database. Not a true fairy, though she looked like one, Cerie was basically an AI database.


    She shouldn¡¯t have been as surprised as she was being.


    ¡°That¡¯s all Earth names,¡± Jenny said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be some of these invaders on the list?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cerie answered. ¡°It would serve no purpose to have the invaders in the Ranking Board as most of them would be Level ten and above, some of the higher Leveled would be Twenty or even at the planet¡¯s cap of twenty-five.¡±


    Loch hated that Earth was designated a Resource Planet. As soon as it had been Connected, portals were opened to other planets in the Connected System, or Connected Worlds. There were just too many uses of the word. It was driving Loch crazy. Those portals allowed alien Connected, beings like the humans of Earth who had their bodies Adapted to work in the Connection, to enter the planet. The difference was that the earthlings started at Level 0 while the aliens could be at any Level.


    Except for Earth¡¯s Level cap which kept the highest Leveled invader at twenty-five. Loch wasn¡¯t sure if that meant only beings that were Twenty-Five and below could enter or that the Connection would force them back down to Twenty-Five.


    How would that be, he wondered, if he was forcibly deleveled? Would he notice the loss or would the Connection just make him like he had been at the lower level? Would the cap keep him from Leveling past Twenty-Five? His Leveling had slowed recently, mostly due to partying with lower levels in the Dungeons. Not that his progress had slowed to a complete crawl, but it was noticeably harder. Others wouldn¡¯t catch up, but he wasn¡¯t Advancing as fast as he had gotten used to. It felt slow. He shook his head, dismissing that thought.


    It didn¡¯t matter. He¡¯d get there when he got there and find out.


    Loch knew he had to focus on the matter at hand.


    ¡°What is the point of the Ranking Board,¡± he asked.


    ¡°What does the Connection want from the Connected?¡±


    ¡°To strive and advance,¡± Loch muttered, reciting the words from memory. He¡¯d seen them in enough Notifications.


    The Connected System wanted its Connected to Advance through the Levels, gaining and using Spirit, what basically amounted to magic. The Connection fed off the Spirit used.


    ¡°The Ranking Board is a means to push the Connected.¡±


    ¡°By pitting us against each other?,¡± Jenny asked.


    ¡°In a way. Not necessarily direct confrontation, but by seeing who is higher, the Connection tries to drive competition. It wants the Connected to strive to be at the top of the rankings.¡±


    ¡°But how can we do that if we don¡¯t know what Levels anyone is?,¡± Davis asked.


    ¡°I believe it is tied to the Evaluate Skill.¡± Cerie floated off Piper¡¯s shoulder, her wings fluttering as she flew around in a lazy circle as she thought. All eyes were following her. ¡°When the Ranking Board normally activates, most Connected have higher rank Evaluate so they would then be able to see the Levels in the ranking.¡±


    Of all the people in the new Northwoods Territory of Clan Brady, Loch had the highest Evaluate Skill. Others could just see the name of whatever they focused the Skill on. Loch could just see the name, but he also got a feeling of the overall strength of the item or monster. At least in how it compared to him. It didn¡¯t make the Skill that useful when used in a group setting. Everyone else in the area was much lower Leveled than he was. Their overall power levels were different.


    Anything that felt equal to his Level would be almost too tough for anyone else in the area, even Harper and Piper, who were the next highest Levels.


    Cerie¡¯s explanation made sense.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The Connection always wanted its Connected to push themselves.


    Forcing them to gain rank in a Skill would just be another way to make the Connected push themselves to Advance.


    Loch hated the Connection.


    Looking at the list, he focused on the names, trying to use his Evaluate Skill.


    Nothing happened.


    He mentally shrugged, not really caring.


    He was in the top spot, but didn¡¯t care. There was nothing to prove to others in the world. Loch didn¡¯t care about being the strongest. He just cared about protecting his daughters and protecting the people in the growing Clan Brady. He still didn¡¯t like the idea that he was in charge of the people.


    Especially because he was the strongest.


    Earth, most of it at least, had seemed to grow beyond the strongest being the ones in charge. Might didn¡¯t make right.


    But now apparently it did.


    To an extent.


    While Loch didn¡¯t care about the individual ranking, he was curious about the Clan ranking. That list was much shorter, only twenty names. Most likely a Clan had to be a certain size in order for it to qualify.


    Surprisingly, Clan Brady was in the middle of the pack. The highest ranking was a Clan Yoshi. The second highest Connected in the ranking was named Yoshi. Loch assumed it meant that Oroku Yoshi was pretty close to his own Level.


    He dismissed the Notification.


    Others, probably this Clan Yoshi, would be interested in the Ranking Board.


    Loch was not.


    He was afraid he¡¯d probably need to care at some point.


    Just not right now.


    Loch looked at the combat Notifications he¡¯d received, seeing that he had gained a Level. He¡¯d felt his Core filling, enough Spirit experience to get a little ways to the next Level, making a mental note to assign the points he¡¯d received. He dismissed the Notifications, turning to look back towards the school up on the hill not that far away. A small group of people were rushing toward them. He recognized Darren Holmberg, who was in charge of the guards. With him were six of those guards and one of the hunters that the Lynxia pack had chased out of the woods.


    ¡°Harper, can you Shadowskip over and have them send someone to get Jeff Johnson,¡± Loch asked. ¡°He could use these hides and will probably be better at skinning them than any of us. And if not, he could use the Experience.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Harper said, without any of the reluctance a fifteen year old girl would normally show a request from her father.


    ¡°Also whoever is in charge of gathering and preparing meat. Should be able to get a bunch of meat off these things.¡±


    ¡°Cat steaks,¡± Davis said sarcastically. ¡°Yum.¡±


    Harper¡¯s body melted into a nearby shadow. Loch tried hard not to think that it was cast by the dead body of a monster. He turned to watch the approaching group. The angle of the sun put their shadows behind them. When Harper appeared, it startled them.


    Loch¡¯s sharp eyes, which were only getting sharper as his Perception stat rose, noticed that only Darren didn¡¯t react. He slowly turned, talking with Harper. One of the guards detached from the group, running back toward the school.


    Harper melted back into the shadows.


    ¡°Done,¡± she said a second later from behind Loch.


    ***


    ¡°Glad all the hunters got back safely,¡± Darren said.


    They had returned to the school, leaving the guard contingent to watch the treeline. Their patrol routes had just gotten increased. It was going to have to happen at some point as the former ball fields would be turned into farmland.


    Loch sat in what was becoming his chair. There were two desks still in the open area behind the counter, the two offices given over to Darren and Ed Turner, who was really running the Clan and the school with Loch as the figurehead. Loch had been given one of the desks, the other set aside for Kristin, Ed¡¯s assistant. He didn¡¯t really want a desk, but they had all insisted.


    Even as a figurehead, there would be a lot of stuff on Loch¡¯s plate.


    Darren was currently sitting at Kristin¡¯s desk.


    Loch was leaning back in his chair, watching the double doors that led into the school¡¯s small office. There was a counter that he could barely see over from his position, the glass and wood doors open. Stairs led from the higher floor of the office to the lobby of the building, the entrance off of it. He could just see the top of a guard¡¯s head.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Loch muttered, angry at himself.


    ¡°Not your fault,¡± Darren said.


    ¡°We should have anticipated that there¡¯d be monsters in the woods. It¡¯s a lot of woods and with the Connection changing things¡­,¡± Loch trailed off, sighing.


    Darren nodded. The woods had no name, not every forest did. In Northwoods, there was a lot of undeveloped land. A lot of forest. Between Route 4 and Bow Lake Road to the north, which ran at an angle away from 4, it was really nothing but forest. The homes were only on the two roads, nothing coming off in between which left hundreds of acres of forest. More now with the Earth¡¯s size increasing due to the Spirit from the Connection.


    There were a lot of trails through the woods. The snowmobiles had used them during the winter. Miles and miles.


    Prime hunting grounds for deer. There were bears and coyotes. From his back deck, which faced those woods, Loch could hear the coyotes at night.


    He¡¯d just never thought that there would be more in the woods. His trail cam had caught a bobcat a couple of times but that was far different from a pack of them.


    His fault.


    With everything he¡¯d seen since the Connection, it was something he should have thought of.


    ¡°Now we know,¡± Darren said.


    A young man, mid to late twenties, he¡¯d had a lot of responsibility thrust onto his shoulders. Not by Loch, but by Ed Turner, who had somewhat known Darren before the Connection, neighbors, and had known about Darren¡¯s prior military service. That had been enough for Ed to appoint Darren in charge of the guards that had been formed at the town¡¯s survivor¡¯s former camp a half mile or so down the road.


    It had been between two one story churches, a lot of open ground and not walls. Not very defensible. Loch still felt some guilt that he¡¯d basically thrown his power around to get the hundred of so survivors to regroup at the school.


    That wasn¡¯t the kind of person he wanted to be.


    It was the kind of person the Connection seemed to want him to be.


    The school was better, everyone agreed.


    But it still bothered Loch.


    ¡°Here they come,¡± Darren said, sitting up straighter.


    Loch did the same, not wanting to but knowing he needed to project a presence. As leader of Clan Brady, he was the power in charge, and had an image to maintain.


    Kristin was leading three men into the office. They walked up the steps and through the doors, stopping in front of the counter. She glanced at Darren sitting at her desk, eyes briefly showing annoyance and a look that told him that he better not mess anything up.


    With a nod to Loch, she went back down the stairs. Probably to the smaller desk she had set up in the lobby. It made it easier for everyone to find her. She, along with a couple of others, were still running a census on the survivors, new and old.


    Since establishing Northwood¡¯s high school as a Clanhold, more and more survivors of the first weeks of the Connection were arriving. The school was not quite at max capacity, but it was getting there. Kristin was in charge of organizing the people, determining what Connection granted Skills and Abilities they had, along with any prior knowledge.


    Two of the men looked nervous. The one that didn¡¯t, Jeff, was part of the recently formed Council that was meant to be the guiding hand of the growing community and Clan Brady. Loch still hated that name, wishing he could change it, but he was the Clanlord. Another name he wanted to change, and that was one he could. Just had to find something he liked better first.


    It hadn¡¯t taken long for most of the people to start seeing Loch as some kind of a King.


    They were all American, lived in New Hampshire. Monarchy¡¯s weren¡¯t supposed to be a thing any of them supported. And well the Clan wasn¡¯t a monarchy, Loch sure felt like he was viewed as a King.


    It was just surprising how quickly that had happened.


    ¡°You wanted to see us, Lord Lochlan,¡± Jeff asked.


    He knew Loch hated that title, but this was technically an official meeting. Loch sighed.


    ¡°Yeah, come on over to this side,¡± he stood, along with Darren, as the three walked around the counter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t remember your names,¡± he said to the other two men.


    ¡°Nick Franks,¡± the first said.


    Tall and lanky. He had blond hair and beard, both close cropped. Looked to be around his early thirties, maybe late twenties.


    ¡°John Hill,¡± the second followed.


    Shorter, a little rounder, bald with bright blue eyes. He was older, probably late forties.


    ¡°Nick, you were in charge of the hunting party right,¡± Loch asked.


    The man looked a little afraid, like he was going to get punished.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Darren said.


    Nick nodded, relieved.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What happened,¡± Loch prompted.

 Chapter 112 (3.2)

    ¡°We followed the trail off the fields,¡± Nick started.


    Loch hadn¡¯t been the one to organize the hunting party. It had first been formed by Ed at the old location, when the town¡¯s survivors had first started gathering. Loch had been trapped in a Challenge Dungeon with his daughters, the reason why they were so much higher Leveled than the others. From what Ed had said, Nick was an experienced hunter. Not just locally, but he¡¯d gone on trips to Montana, Canada and other places. Deer, birds, bison, bear. He¡¯d hunted it all. The others that Nick had recruited were all local hunters.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t take us long to find a deer trail,¡± Nick continued. ¡°Being the first time in that part of the woods after the Connection, I didn¡¯t think it a good idea to split up.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°We were also mostly scouting it out. Getting a feel for the land. Looking for the game trails, likely dens, good places for blinds. If we happened to come across any deer or lone animals, we¡¯d take them out,¡± Nick paused, sighing. ¡°It went well for a couple of hours, most of the day, then we stumbled on the Lynxia den.¡±


    He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms, looking down at the floor.


    ¡°I should have seen the signs.¡±


    ¡°Hindsight,¡± Loch said gently. ¡°It¡¯s a new world, pretty easy to miss a lot, especially when dealing with magical creatures.¡±


    Nick nodded, but didn¡¯t look like he accepted it. The guilt was still evident in his downcast look.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess. The den is in a hollow about two miles down the trail, off it a ways. A cave in the base of the hollow, large. What alerted us to it being there was a feeling of..,¡± he paused, shrugging, not sure how to describe it. ¡°There was just a feeling of power.¡±


    Loch wondered if it could be a dungeon.


    ¡°Only a couple of us went to investigate. Me and Jerry. Left the others on the trail. We got to the top of the hollow, saw the Lynxia Alpha and what I thought were a couple of females. Then we heard a growl off to the side. Turned and saw two of the pack. We ran after that, the Lynxia chasing.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you could find the den again,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Yeah, shouldn¡¯t be too hard,¡± Nick said. ¡°My Class gave me a kind of mapping Ability.¡±


    Loch sat up, very interested. Nick held out a hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that useful to anyone but me. Great for hunting though. I know the direction, can gauge distances pretty accurately and can remember locations. It¡¯s all mental though, I can¡¯t share it with anyone.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that comes with higher ranks,¡± Darren suggested.


    Nick shrugged.


    ¡°Probably be awhile before I find out.¡±


    Loch leaned back again, fingers tapping on the desk.


    ¡°It¡¯s still a very useful Ability.¡±


    ¡°If we had maps of the area, I might be able to point out the locations,¡± Nick said. ¡°But those don¡¯t exist.¡±


    Loch smiled.


    ¡°My house was off Bow Lake,¡± he started. ¡°My backyard was those woods. I spent a lot of time out there on the trails with my daughters. We mapped out parts of it. Those still might exist if my home still exists.¡±


    ¡°How accurate would they be with the world expanding,¡± Darren asked.


    Both Nick and John looked at Darren, shocked and confused. But not Jeff, he already knew. Loch winced. That wasn¡¯t information that had been shared with everyone in the Clan and survivors camp. Loch quickly explained how the Spirit from the Connection was making the world grow bigger as the Worldcore grew and developed.


    From how freaked the two men looked, Loch didn¡¯t think his explanation was helping.


    Darren had a point. The maps would probably be pretty inaccurate, not just for the change in distance but also for how much of the world had been forcibly changed. Houses had been completely removed, the material fed to the Worldcore to generate Spirit. The landscape was different. Loch had only seen houses missing, as he really hadn¡¯t been off the main road since the Connection. A straight line west to east through the state from Concord to Portsmouth, he¡¯d followed it from where they¡¯d left the car, and Kelly had disappeared, to Northwood and a little beyond.


    In three weeks, he probably hadn¡¯t been more than a hundred feet off the road.


    There was no telling how much had been changed in the depths of the woods.


    The maps wouldn¡¯t be accurate but they¡¯d be a good place to start.


    From the very beginning, his goal had been to return to his house. It was close now, only a mile or two from where he sat. Original distance, probably more now. There had always been something coming up that kept him and the girls from going home. He¡¯d given up the thought since becoming the Clanlord. There was too much to do for him to leave for a couple days on personal business.


    But now he had an excuse.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    A flimsy one, but still an excuse.


    ¡°You did good,¡± Loch said to Nick.


    The tall man nodded, still looking like he blamed himself. No one had died, but they very easily could have. Loch thought the man had done well to get the full hunting party back to the school ahead of the Lynxia pack.


    He turned his attention to Jeff and John, the larger man standing up straighter.


    ¡°What were you guys able to get from the pack?¡±


    ¡°Got a good amount of leather,¡± Jeff started. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®WILD LYNXIA HIDE¡¯ but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll have any special Abilities yet.¡±


    ¡°We were able to gather a large amount of meat,¡± John said. Before the Connection he¡¯d been a butcher at the local grocery store and those skills had translated to a set of specific Cooking and Gathering Abilities. Like Jeff, he was going to be a Profession Classer. Not a fighter but a crafter. ¡°Rough guess is enough to last a group this size about two weeks. Three if we do small portions. A lot of it is stuff that people wouldn¡¯t normally eat. Livers, stomachs, that kind of thing. But I wasn¡¯t planning on telling ¡®em, just cooking it up.¡±


    Not as good as Loch had been hoping.


    There were a lot of mouths to feed in the school, and it seemed more were appearing every day. There had to be other communities of survivors nearby. Cerie had mentioned that establishing a Clanhold gave the Clan control of a larger territory, governed by the Connection. Would that mean it became a kind of rallying point for unclanned?


    Loch didn¡¯t know. There was so much he didn¡¯t know.


    His mental list of things to review and ask Cerie was growing. Nothing seemed to be crossed off as her answers tended to lead to more questions. The list just kept growing.


    And it seemed that their Adapted bodies, what the Connection had done to them to give them access to Spirit and Abilities, made them eat a lot more. Loch didn¡¯t seem to get as hungry throughout the day like he used to, but when he ate, his meals were just bigger. In a way it made sense. Before, their bodies had burned calories when active. Now they were much more active. The Adapted bodies were probably more efficient at using the calories, but would still need more.


    They were already rationing the food. There just wasn¡¯t enough of it, especially fruits and vegetables. He, the girls and the Millmans, a father and son they had met outside the Challenge Dungeon, had raided the local grocery store and managed to come back with a lot of grocery carts and bags filled with food, along with Piper¡¯s dimensional storage bag.


    But what had looked like a lot had turned out to be not nearly enough.


    The grocery store was too far away and now in the hands of the Hobs, a Clan of monsters that had their home nearby. Loch was planning on another raid, there was still some food they could gather, but the more time that passed was more time for the Hobs to take everything. There probably wouldn¡¯t be anything left.


    Teams of scavengers were hitting all the remaining houses along Route 4, starting to go down the side streets, ranging not more than a day¡¯s journey, staying the night in the abandoned houses. Loch didn¡¯t want them going all that far yet, not until the groups had Leveled to Five and gotten their Classes.


    Most would end up with Common Classes, but even those would increase their survivability and allow them to range further and safer. Just not west, where the mysterious Gaunts had established a base.


    Yet another thing to deal with in the future.


    There was just too much.


    With the amount of food needed, there wouldn¡¯t be enough in the homes to make a difference. Every little bit helped though. Barely.


    Loch had instructed the scavenging teams to also bring back any winter gear. Coats, snow shoes, hat, gloves, boots, cross country skis.


    There was just so much stuff they needed. Blankets, clothing, tools. Each house was raided two or three times until the teams had gotten everything of value. The school¡¯s storage rooms had been ransacked, everything not useful thrown outside, to make space for all the useful stuff.


    Cleaning supplies had once been useful. Not as much anymore.


    Or at least they didn¡¯t have priority.


    Loch felt dirty floors were preferable over starving or freezing.


    Winter was only a couple months away.


    ¡°Two weeks is a good haul,¡± Loch said, trying to sound enthusiastic. No one was buying it. ¡°Will the hunters be ready to go back out tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nick said, not sounding thrilled about it.


    Loch didn¡¯t blame him. He turned his attention to Darren.


    ¡°Spread the word that people are to stay out of the woods.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have some of the guards patrol the borders,¡± he said, leaning forward. ¡°We¡¯re going to need more guards.¡± He tapped his fingers on the table. ¡°Wonder if there¡¯s a way we could send them into the woods to find trouble. Get them Leveled and Classed.¡±


    Loch¡¯s first instinct was to immediately say no. It was a crazy idea. Deliberately putting people in the way of danger, putting their lives at risk, just so they could Level and benefit the Clan more. Loch hated the idea.


    But wasn¡¯t that what he had done when he took a group into the Dungeon that was next to the school? Wasn¡¯t that the idea behind putting up a Dungeon delving rotation? To get people into the Dungeon and get them Leveled.


    Why was it any different than sending people into the woods with the intent of finding monsters?


    It was a good plan.


    They needed the guards to get stronger with higher Levels and Classes. There were dangers, like the Gaunts, out there and the people needed protecting. He knew that a Clan of Elves and giants were somewhere in the area. Those would be threats in the near future.


    Clan Brady had to Advance and quickly.


    In the Challenge Dungeon he had been forced to let his daughters fight. They¡¯d both gained Classes and Levels, now the two highest Leveled and powerful people in the Clan besides himself. He¡¯d willingly brought them on a scouting mission and into the Dungeon. Both were dangerous and potentially life threatening.


    He hadn¡¯t liked it, but he¡¯d done it.


    The best way they, and he, could protect them was for them to Level.


    It would be wrong to not give that chance to the rest of the Clan.


    Loch sighed.


    ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t send them too far in though.¡±

 Chapter 113 (3.3)

    The three men left, leaving Loch and Darren.


    ¡°Who do we have for scouts,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s Davis Millman and Harper,¡± Darren answered. ¡°They¡¯re probably the two best, at least the highest Leveled. Two, maybe three more, that I¡¯d call a scout. All three are classed. Barely.¡±


    ¡°We need to get eyes on the Gaunts,¡± Loch said, clearly not happy about it. ¡°Can we organize something to give the scouts a support team?¡±


    ¡°Not really. We just don¡¯t have the manpower right now.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not enough front line fighters,¡± Kristin said, walking back into the office. She had her notebook under her arm, the thing never far from her side. Flipping through the pages, she ran her finger down until she found what she was looking for. She looked at Darren, who quickly got up and away from her desk. ¡°We have around one hundred and twenty people right now. It¡¯s hard to get an exact count as more keep coming in and luckily most of those coming in have some combat experience, but still don¡¯t have the numbers to send out protection teams. Not if we want to keep the guard rotations.¡±


    ¡°And will probably need to add more guards,¡± Darren said. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of area here, especially if we want to expand.¡±


    ¡°Maybe this was a mistake,¡± Loch muttered, elbows on the table as he leaned his head down into his hands.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Coming here,¡± he said. ¡°To the school.¡±


    ¡°Naw,¡± Darren said.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Kristin replied.


    Loch looked up at them, wondering if they just said that because he was the Clanlord, but from their expressions, they really did believe it, especially as Darren started to explain.


    ¡°The churches were never going to be a viable option long term. There were just so many issues and we were already outgrowing them. I hadn¡¯t thought about coming here to the school as I had been thinking that we¡¯d need to find something else but I never really had the authority to say anything to Mr. Turner.¡±


    Loch nodded. Another example of his higher Level being the push. Or his more forceful personality? Either way, Loch had gotten what he wanted. He just wasn¡¯t sure it was the right move.


    ¡°But think of it as a medieval town,¡± Darren continued. ¡°The school is the castle. The most defensible place. We¡¯ll grow around it, and retreat to the fortress when danger comes. The churches never were going to offer that.¡±


    ¡°Darren is right. The school is a solid structure. It¡¯s basically a castle. It gives us a solid place to defend from. It was the right choice.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Loch said.


    They were right and it was the same reasons he had wanted to come to the school. Every time he¡¯d driven past it, which had been almost every day since they had moved to Northwood, he¡¯d thought the large brick building had looked like a castle on a small hill. There was a lot of area around it, with the fields and anything they started building for housing and crafting. But Darren was right, if they approached it like an old medieval town, it would be defensible. Build a wall around the school and another around the first town, a third around any future growth.


    Long term, if they got enough fighters Leveled, they could keep the monsters in the surrounding woods down and not a threat.


    He had already generated a Quest, could he do more? The school was the Clanhold, which gave Loch a lot of Abilities and options, things he hadn¡¯t even started to look into, but could he issue kill quests? Gathering quests?


    The crafters weren¡¯t necessarily going to be fighters, they might not be able to go out and gather their own materials. The old MMOs he¡¯d played, gathering quests were very common. Adventurers and the heroes of the stories, would be tasked with getting those materials especially ones from dangerous areas.


    It would make sense in this new Connected World. Earth was a Resource Planet, which meant there were going to be a lot of Resources out there to find. And monsters.


    They had the Dungeon, and probably more nearby including a possibility at the Lynxia den, but by the rules of the Dungeon and it needing to regenerate the Spirit used to create the monsters and the Dungeon itself, there was a time limit to how often a group could enter. That slowed down the overall Leveling speed of the community.


    The Clan.


    He had to start thinking of it as a Clan.


    Clan Brady.


    His Clan.


    That was going to take a lot of mental adjustment to get used to.


    But if he could start issuing quests to kill monsters and gather materials, earning experience, it would go a long way to getting more people Leveled.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°So how do we deal with all of this,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Deal with what,¡± Ed Turner asked, stepping into the office area.


    All heads turned to watch the shorter man walk around the counter. Ed had been a town Selectman with dreams of becoming a State Senator and then a National Senator. He had been the first one to think of using the Town Hall as a natural gathering place. The building itself had been one of the ones removed by the Connection, which had prompted him to start organizing the survivors at the churches down the road. He¡¯d been doing a good job.


    Loch still felt bad about taking over. It hadn¡¯t been his intention, it had just happened.


    ¡°We were just talking about how to keep an eye on the Gaunts, keep enough patrols out and get everyone Leveled,¡± Kristin said.


    Ed¡¯s face turned into a slight pout, looking hurt, that quickly disappeared. Loch caught it, feeling guilty. It was the type of conversation Ed should have been around for. Ed might not have been in overall charge anymore but he was in charge of the day to day running of the new Clan Brady and the Clanhold.


    It had been a conversation Ed needed to be around for, more so than Loch who wanted to step away from all the decisions.


    Loch felt like apologizing but that would have probably made it worse.


    Ed wasn¡¯t a bad guy, a little too political for Loch¡¯s taste. His wife, Susan, and Loch¡¯s wife, Kelly, had been very good friends. The two families had spent a lot of time together. Something Harper hadn¡¯t liked, as Ed¡¯s son Mike was kind of creepy. Loch had never really looked forward to those joint family gatherings. He just didn¡¯t have anything in common with Ed.


    At least they hadn¡¯t.


    Now they were starting to.


    But it had been set up with Ed in charge, Loch the power.


    Which is the way Loch wanted it.


    He just had to remember that and not do meetings like he just had without Ed around. He¡¯d apologize later, when it was just the two of them.


    ¡°Even with the newcomers, we don¡¯t have enough,¡± Ed said, more a statement and not question.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Kristin said.


    ¡°We have a couple scouts we can send to keep an eye on the gaunts, but not enough to send a support team with them.¡±


    Ed¡¯s desk was in his own office, he didn¡¯t have a space out in the open area, so he joined Darren in leaning against the counter. Loch wondered if they could get smaller desks, maybe add one more or at least get enough space for some seating. The open area hadn¡¯t been meant for meetings, but it appeared it would end up that way.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming we¡¯re adding the fields to the guard rotation, considering what happened earlier today,¡± Ed asked, getting nods in return. To his credit, Ed didn¡¯t make a comment about how he should have been there for the meeting. ¡°So that takes manpower away from the support teams?¡±


    ¡°Why do we even need support teams?,¡± Kristin asked.


    ¡°Protection for the scouts,¡± Darren replied. ¡°Back in the Army, the forward observers would be out in front, maybe with an additional person, but not that far away would be a squad. There¡¯d be a communications person, someone with medical training, but really their purpose was to protect the observer getting to the target zone and back, and to provide covering fire if the observer was seen and had to exfil quickly.¡±


    Kristin nodded. She hadn¡¯t been military but understood the concept.


    ¡°And we¡¯d want the scouts to be in shifts,¡± Ed asked.


    Darren nodded.


    ¡°We could make a smaller support team, just enough that there is one awake at all hours. If the idea is to just provide some muscle if the scout runs back with a bunch of monsters chasing them.¡±


    ¡°That might work,¡± Loch said. Like Darren, he¡¯d spent some time in the Army, and had the basics of tactical thinking. There were probably others in the Clan that had more, they just hadn¡¯t found them yet. ¡°Three scouts on shifts, and four or five in a group for support?¡±


    ¡°We could probably manage that,¡± Darren said, still not convinced. ¡°I don¡¯t like sending Level Five¡¯s out there without a higher level with them.¡±


    ¡°Send Brian or Davis,¡± Ed suggested. ¡°Some of the newcomers are around those Levels but¡­¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know them,¡± Darren said.


    ¡°Does that matter,¡± Loch asked. ¡°We¡¯re not keeping secrets or hiding anything, just looking for muscle to scout out the threat.¡±


    ¡°Potential threat,¡± Ed corrected.


    ¡°No, the gaunts will be a threat,¡± Loch said. ¡°Which is why we need a scout to watch them. The gaunts are a threat to everyone here, which means everyone should help out.¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Darren said, shrugging. ¡°We¡¯d already talked about building a wall. That¡¯s something we need to get started on. There¡¯s enough people to provide manual labor for that project.¡±


    ¡°And it will keep them busy,¡± Ed said. They all knew how important it was to keep the survivors motivated and working. Everyone had to keep busy.


    ¡°We need to get more food,¡± Kristin said, looking through her notebook again. ¡°Even with what was brought back this morning.¡±


    ¡°Nick said the hunters will get back out there in the next day or so,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had maps of the area?,¡± Darren asked. ¡°Those would come in handy, not just for the hunters. We might want to look into setting up outposts in the forest.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, back at my house. Shouldn¡¯t take more than a day or two to go and get them.¡±


    And there was his excuse. Loch was glad he hadn¡¯t come up with it. It felt selfish to want to go to his house, when everyone else was leaving theirs. There would be an added benefit, he realized. If he was gone for a couple of days, that would give time for Ed to step fully into the leadership role over the Clan and Clanhold. If Loch wasn¡¯t there, they¡¯d have to go to Ed.


    Perfect, Loch thought. Finally, he was going to get to go home.

 Chapter 169 (3.59)

    She could feel an energy surging through her. It was warm, making her body tingle.


    Piper opened her eyes, looking up at the worried face of Cerie. The small fairy looked huge, she was hovering so close. The green glow was bright, hurting Piper¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°So bright¡­,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± the fairy replied, her natural glow dimming.


    Cerie flew back as Piper pushed herself up. She had to fight her body shaking. Everything was still blurry, her head pounding. Her hand brushed against a rolled up sweatshirt that had been serving as a pillow.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°You collapsed,¡± Cerie said. ¡°You pushed your Core too far with the summons.¡±


    Piper tried to stand but stumbled. She caught herself on the parapet. Looking around she could see the Archers spread out on the two sides, firing arrows down off the roof. Kim ran from one side to the other, stopping only long enough to launch a fireball before starting to head back to the other. She stopped, noticing Piper was up.


    ¡°Piper,¡± Kim said, walking over. ¡°Are you okay? You had us worried.¡±


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    Kim hesitated before speaking, exchanging a quick glance with Cerie.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan is where he needs to be,¡± Cerie said.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s outside the wall,¡± Kim said, pointing over her shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s a¡­¡± she paused again.


    ¡°The leader of the gaunts has arrived,¡± Cerie said.


    Piper took a step away from the parapet. She wobbled a bit but got steadier as she took another step.Cerie hovered over her shoulder. Kim stepped back, giving Piper space, but kept her arms out ready to catch the teen. The world stopped spinning, gaining in detail as she took more steps.


    The sounds of fighting filled the night around her. Metal on metal, snapping and breaking of wood. At least she hoped it was wood she was hearing and not bone. There was screaming. Some of the people of Clan Brady were getting hurt. She couldn¡¯t hear any sounds of the gaunts being killed. As much as she hated thinking it, Piper hoped there were more gaunts dying than humans.


    She wanted to reach up and cover her ears, block out the sounds. It was horrible. She wanted to scream. Not in pain but anger. This shouldn¡¯t have been happening.


    Why was it happening?


    They hadn¡¯t done anything to the gaunts to provoke this. The gaunts had killed people, had attacked them. Hadn¡¯t there been enough killing already? So many had died when the Connection appeared, so many more had died in the weeks after. Why did so many more have to die now?


    She reached the far parapet, leaning against it, too tired to stand. At least she wasn¡¯t dizzy anymore. It was easy to find her father by the lights around him. His glowing axe wasn¡¯t that bright, almost lost in the shadows of the other lights. A strange fire floated in front of her dad, hovering a little higher than he was. It moved around as he moved.


    Piper focused on the strange flame. It was small, tapering to a flickering point. There was something inside the flames. She saw a large body underneath, dressed in black armor carrying a huge axe. Watching the way the body moved, Piper realized what was in the flames.


    A skull.


    The monster, the leader of the gaunts, had a flaming skull.


    But it wasn¡¯t just the flaming skull that surprised her. It was the thing that provided most of the light in the area, bathing it all in a green tint. It wasn¡¯t as bright as the day, but it was close. The banner stood tall behind her father, the flag waving in the fierce wind.


    Piper knew it was the banner emitting the Spirit she could feel. Her Adapted body¡¯s new instincts told her that she¡¯d drained her Core dangerously low. That was what had made her pass out. But it was the wave of power that came from the Banner that had woken her up and was now refreshing her tired body.


    It had only been a minute at most, but she felt so much stronger, like she had hours of sleep and rest. Glancing at her Status, she saw that it was going up faster than before. She wasn¡¯t in combat, so it was the normal regeneration. Just faster. She couldn¡¯t tell how much faster, just knew that it was.


    She felt stronger. Piper had the urge to run downstairs and charge into the gaunts. Her weapons would hit, with critical blows happening more often. She would hit faster, easily able to avoid the attacks from the slower gaunts.


    The banner was some kind of mass buff.


    She looked up at the icon that appeared in her vision.


    BREAKER¡¯S BANNER


    WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A WARBREAKER¡¯S BANNER, YOUR STATS, ATTACK AND DEFENSE ARE INCREASED. YOUR NATURAL REGENERATION RATE HAS BEEN INCREASED. DURATION: AS LONG AS THE BREAKER¡¯S BANNER IS ACTIVE.


    When had her dad gotten that ability?


    And how long would it last?


    She couldn¡¯t see Harper. Wouldn¡¯t her sister be out there with their dad.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Harper?¡±


    Cerie didn¡¯t answer. Piper looked back for Kim but the older woman had run back to the parapet, launching a fireball down into a crowd. Piper moved closer to the corner where she could still see her father and the fighting in the schoolyard. There were so many people moving around. The night was bright but not enough to make out details from this high. She wondered how the Archers knew who to target. They probably had some Ability.


    There were a lot of people. She knew most of them were gaunts.


    She couldn¡¯t see Harper.


    ¡°We do not know,¡± Cerie replied.


    Piper¡¯s hands grasped the concrete top of the parapet. She could feel the sharp edge cutting into her palm. Harper had to be alright. She was probably down there in the fighting, dancing around the gaunts and killing lots of them.


    Examining her Core, Piper could feel the Advancement she¡¯d gotten. But she hadn¡¯t really fought anything. She¡¯d fired her wand a lot, but doubted any of the blasts had actually killed a gaunt. Before summoning her inkdragon and wall, she didn¡¯t remember any of the multi-colored sparks of Spirit flowing from the dead gaunts and into her. Had her inkdragon killed some? It probably had. She must have still gotten the experience even when unconscious.


    What could she do to help?


    Would she collapse again when the Banner disappeared?


    She didn¡¯t know but knew she had to do something. Piper drew her wand, looking from the schoolyard to her dad¡¯s battle. Where could she help more? She watched the way her dad and the flaming headed monster fought. They moved around, twisting and turning, ducking and stepping back. It was hard to follow. There was no way she could fire a blast from the wand without risking hitting her dad.


    The fights in the schoolyard were chaotic. A lot of movement, hard to tell friend from foe. But there were far more foes. Piper knew if she shot at the edges of the fighting, the chances were good she¡¯d hit a gaunt. A shadowed form moved from gaunt to gaunt, sticking to the rear of the monsters. Piper could barely see it as it moved, disappearing into the shadows and reappearing to stab a sword into a gaunt. Everywhere the shadow went, gaunts died.


    Piper thought it was Harper but the figure moved differently. It was still graceful, more dance than fight, but it was stiffer than her sister. It had to be the elf captive that her Dad had ended up releasing. Elora Seedspear had sworn an oath to obey her dad. Piper wasn¡¯t sure she trusted the elf woman, but as long as she kept killing gaunts, Piper was happy to have her on their team.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    She was tempted to summon another inkcreature. She just didn¡¯t have the amount of Spirit needed. Not yet. Maybe in a couple of minutes she could try again.


    ¡°Do not think about summoning an inkcreature,¡± Cerie said, as if she read Piper¡¯s mind. ¡°Your Core is still too weak.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The thought wouldn¡¯t leave. Piper knew she could be more help with an inkcreature but she¡¯d wait a little bit. Let her Core regen for a couple more minutes.


    Lifting her wand, she took aim at the edges of the crowd.


    Movement in the east caught her eye. The only light was from the moon and stars but it was enough to show a dozen forms running down the road, quickly approaching the school.


    More gaunts? They didn¡¯t move like the monsters.


    Was it the elves? Something else?


    ¡°Oh no,¡± she said, pointing.


    Cerie and Kim looked that way, even the archers.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± one of the archers said.


    ***


    Harper used the falling and dying gaunt as a springboard, launching herself into the air. She did a somersault, landing ten feet away with tonfas to the side. With one smooth motion, she slid the weapons across her body, feeling the slight resistance as the sharp blades cut through a Gray Gaunt Warrior¡¯s neck. She kicked out, knocking the dying gaunt to the ground.


    She ignored the sparks as they flew around her, drifting into her body. Notifications had flashed across her vision, she¡¯d ignored those, mentally making them disappear. A flashing icon now hovered in the upper edge of her vision.


    It was annoying but she was still able to ignore it, forgetting it was there.


    Her concentration was focused on the monsters. There were still so many of them. She had to move carefully to avoid stepping or tripping on the bodies. Not just gaunts. There were a couple of humans mixed in. She was glad to see that the dead gaunts far outnumbered the dead humans.


    The boost of Spirit from the magical banner was fading. The glow was dimmer, it wouldn¡¯t last much longer. While she had the buff, she had to make it count.


    Harper kept moving, dealing death as fast as she could. Her movements were getting sloppier with the increase in speed. Where it had been one out of every three gaunts was one killed, now it was down to one out of every five. Those others were still wounded, but they weren¡¯t dying.


    They needed to die.


    Just wounding wasn¡¯t enough. She had to completely remove them from the battle.


    If the defenders had been following her, killing the wounded, that would be different but they were all involved in their own fights. Her father¡¯s Banner was helping, giving them the strength to fight back the previously surging gaunts. The numbers were still against them.


    Her movements slowed back down to normal, the glow cast by the Banner gone. Dodging a wild swing, she looked around, happy with what she was seeing. The defenders were pushing forward, driving the gaunts away from the wall. More bodies were falling.


    Some pockets of defenders were doing better than others. More gaunts were pushing against the defenders at the stairs, trying to break through to enter the school. Harper joined others rushing the backs of the gaunts, trying to break up the surge.


    She was tired. They all were. More gaunts fell, the yard littered with the dead and dying. The Drones still moved mechanically, stiffly, following basic moves and responses. It made it easy for Harper, as she could dance and slide out of the way, attacking before the Drones could react. For the Clan Brady defenders, it helped make up for their lack of experience versus the greater numbers.


    She wished her father¡¯s Ability had lasted longer. It had been a big help, giving them the boost they needed. Her tonfa slammed into the back of a gaunt. She used the blade to twist the monster away from the rest. It fell off the blade, stumbling, her second tonfa slicing through the back of its neck. Harper kicked it to the ground, turning back to attack another one.


    Except the Drone had already turned to attack her. It hadn¡¯t stayed facing forward, rushing the stairs, instead drawn by her attack. She knew she¡¯d messed up. So tired, she hadn¡¯t paid as much attention as she should have been counting on the Drone¡¯s single mindedness. Its sword swung down. She barely got a tonfa up in time, the force making her knees buckle. Her arm bent, not the way it was meant to. The stronger gaunt had the leverage against her.


    Harper sank lower, trying to push back against the weight.


    The weight lifted. A sword pierced through the gaunt¡¯s chest. Harper scrambled away as the gaunt fell off the weapon, landing on the ground. Elora Seedspear stood over it, bloody sword raised.


    ¡°Are you alright Lady Harper,¡± she asked, calmly.


    ¡°Yeah. Thank you,¡± Harper replied, joining the elf woman in attacking the gaunts.


    The back line of those attacking the steps had turned, facing off against the defenders.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Elora replied. ¡°You are my Lord¡¯s daughter. Your welfare is as important as his.¡± She twisted to the side, her feet not moving, a gaunt¡¯s sword slicing down through where she¡¯d been. With another twist, Elora brought her sword up, slicing into the gaunt. Harper watched the elf fight, seeing a similar style to her own. It was a dance, just with different moves. Harper¡¯s combat style was constant movement, not staying still. Elora barely moved her feet, her body still a blur of movement as she dodged and attacked. There was something more efficient in how Elora fought.


    ¡°Someday you may hold my oath,¡± Elora continued.


    Harper wondered exactly what that meant. Humans were now Adapted, part of the Connection, they could potentially live hundreds of years beyond the normal lifespan. Were Elves as long-lived as the stories, so being Adapted just increased their lifespan that much more?


    Thoughts for another time as Harper blocked yet another sword. One tonfa pushed the attacking blade up and out, creating an opening she took advantage of. The second tonfa stabbed out straight, right through the gut of the gaunt. Harper pulled it up, cutting through the body. She pulled the blade out of the now much larger wound, stepping to the side as the dying body fell.


    Briefly she wondered how much she had changed that the action hadn¡¯t bothered her. She¡¯d disemboweled the gaunt without a care, without pause. It had been the most efficient way to kill the monster and she had done it. She hadn¡¯t liked doing it, but hadn¡¯t felt bad about doing it. The gaunt was the enemy. It was attacking her friends and family. It had to be stopped.


    She just hoped she never ended up enjoying killing.


    ¡°To the east,¡± someone shouted, Harper surprised she heard it over the sounds of fighting.


    She stepped back, joined by Elora. Other defenders took their place.


    Figures ran down the road, still too far to make out details.


    ¡°What now,¡± she muttered.


    Harper and Elora jogged down to the road, joined by a couple of the other defenders,standing between the dungeon¡¯s building and the school, watching the group approaching. They took up positions in a line facing east. Harper set her feet, blades held ready. She relaxed slightly as she saw the newcomers weren¡¯t gaunts. They were people.


    Armed people.


    No one from Clan Brady. All their people were at the school. She couldn¡¯t imagine any humans allied with the gaunts. How would the gaunts have connected with them? Why would either ally with the other? The people had to be raiders, looking to take advantage of the chaos and steal some supplies.


    Vultures. Harper wouldn¡¯t let them.


    ¡°Lady Harper,¡± one of the defenders called out, catching her attention.


    She didn¡¯t know the man¡¯s name. He was older than her, probably close to thirty. It felt odd having someone like that showing deference to her, calling her Lady. He was turning to look toward the far corner of the school, toward the lake. A mass of gaunts appeared around the corner, charging for them.


    She cursed.


    Had the south defense failed?


    ¡°Stop them,¡± Harper called out, rushing for the new gaunts.


    There was enough to reinforce the ones attacking the stairs. Enough to force a break in the defense. They had to be stopped. If the oncoming people were raiders, they¡¯d get their chance to steal some supplies, not that there was much out in the yard. But it was more important to hold the defense at the stairs.


    Harper leapt into the air, coming down in front of a charging gaunt. She led with her tonfas, the blades slamming into the monster, her weight bending it backwards. She pulled the blades out, hopping off it as the monster fell. Landing on the ground, she parried a sword, stabbing at a different gaunt with her other blade.


    Others joined her, attacking the gaunts, trying to keep them from joining the others. The mass pressed in on her, pushing Harper back. There were a lot of them.


    The pressure lifted. Harper got a moment to step back, watching the gaunts be attacked from two sides. The other group of humans were attacking the gaunts from the side, the monsters caught between the two forces. It was a ragtag group, looking even worse than the Clan Brady defenders. They had similar makeshift armor, just less of it. Mixed group of men and women, looking twenties and older. They had no true weapons that she could see. No swords. Just golf clubs, baseball bats, wood axes, machetes and branches cut into spears. They looked tired, worn out, but attacked with as much force as they could. Harper saw the flashes of Abilities, showing that a couple of them were Classed. One of the men stepped back, moving toward her.


    ¡°Who are you,¡± she shouted out.


    ¡°I¡¯m Drew,¡± he said, giving a wave before twisting as a gaunt rushed at him.


    He held his ground, body twisting. It was similar to how Elora had fought. Drew kept avoiding the attacks, not launching one of his own. Harper could feel energy gathering around him. He finally punched out, fist connecting with the side of the gaunt¡¯s chest. Flesh and bone exploded, a hole burst in the monster¡¯s side. It fell to the side, right into a kick from the man.


    He stepped back, giving the monster on the ground a final kick before returning his attention to Harper. He looked to be mid to high twenties. Average height and size.


    ¡°You look like you could use a hand.¡±

 Chapter 170 (3.60)

    The Breaker¡¯s Banner faded away. It hadn¡¯t lasted as long as Loch had wished. He just hoped it had made a difference. It had helped him. His speed and strength had increased. He¡¯d managed to get more attacks past the Dullahan¡¯s defenses.


    It still wasn¡¯t enough.


    The Dullahan was wounded but still a strong foe.


    It swung its axe, Loch ducking beneath the swing, kicking out. He struck the Dullahan in the side of the knee, falling to the ground with the shock. Hitting a gaunt was like hitting stone. Hitting the Dullahan was much worse. Somehow the monster was more solid. It did stumble back a step, just not as much as Loch who rolled across the ground out of the way.


    He bumped up against a jagged piece of asphalt. His back hurt from the impact, the stone digging into him with the point. He pushed up, careful not to trip on the broken ground.


    The Dullahan faced him, hollow skull eyes glaring. The flames around the head grew a little brighter as the Dullahan lifted its good arm, still holding the axe. It held it horizontally, the axehead starting to glow a dull orange, the edges flickering in time with the crackling flames around the skull.


    Sparks of light started drifting up from the dead gaunts around them. Bodies lay everywhere, some in the holes formed with the pavement lifted, others laying across the broken pavement, still some in the cracks and others just on the ground. It was only in around a ten foot radius, the sparks dancing in the air.


    They weren¡¯t the multi-colored lights of Spirit but a single color. A dull gray. They danced faster, in tighter spirals that twisted and turned as they flowed toward the Dullahan. The gray sparks entered the monster¡¯s body. Loch cursed as the wounded arm started jerking, spasming as bones knitted and reformed.


    Small wounds across the Dullahan¡¯s body sealed up. Broken bones mended with cracks. The Dullahan¡¯s body jerked as the gray sparks spread throughout. The bodies of the gaunts, already thin, pulled tight across the bones, started to turn saggy, flaps forming in the skin, as the bones seemed to disintegrate. The skin lay across the ground, the wind pushing at them.


    The Dullahan stood straighter, the glow around the axe fading as the flames around the skull grew brighter. It took a couple steps toward Loch, who staggered. He felt weak, exhausted.


    He didn¡¯t know how much he had left in him. The Dullahan was stronger and now it had almost fully healed. It had taken everything Loch had to get it as wounded as he had, now he had to start over. He didn¡¯t think he could do it.


    But knew he had to.


    Loch stood as straight as he could, feeling pain flare from ribs he hadn¡¯t known he¡¯d fractured. His muscles protested, straining with each movement. He held his hand out, summoning Onyx from where the axe had fallen. His Health was about half full, his Stamina far less and his Spirit Reserves tapped out. The Dullahan knew he was in bad shape.


    ¡°There is no shame in death,¡± the monster said, its dry hollow voice echoing, loud over the sounds of the fighting from the schoolyard. ¡°There is no escape. Death comes for all. For some it comes sooner.¡±


    ¡°Why are you doing this,¡± Loch asked, moving to the side, trying to find flatter ground.


    ¡°Because Death comes for all.¡±


    The way the Dullahan emphasized death, Loch knew it meant the Divine Being, the Concept of Death. Anything that embodied Death had to be the strongest Being in the Connected Worlds. But why would Death be involved in a Resource World? As the Dullahan said, everything eventually dies. Death would claim it all. Death became a Patron for everyone eventually, even if they didn¡¯t acknowledge it.


    Why were the gaunts attacking? It seemed the Divine Being was taking a guiding hand, unlike Loch¡¯s own Patron. What had happened to Earth was bad enough. They didn¡¯t need the added games of the Divine Beings.


    How was Earth, and the humans that still lived, supposed to thrive and grow with monsters and invaders?


    What was the point of it all?


    It swung the large axe, Loch barely getting Onyx up in time to block. He couldn¡¯t concentrate enough to Activate any abilities as the Dullahan kept hammering with its axe. Loch felt a knee start to shake, going numb as it could no longer support his weight. He dropped, holding Onyx with two hands, shaft holding back the cutting edge of the Dullahan¡¯s own axe. The sharp edge slid closer and closer as Loch struggled to hold it back.


    He let go of his axe with one hand, falling to the side away from the downward swing of the Dullahans. He could feel it cutting through the air, only inches from his leg. It cut deep into the pavement, cracking it and breaking it up more. Loch rolled to the side, grunting in pain as the Dullahan kicked him, stone-like boot slamming into his side.


    He groaned, trying to push up as another kick landed. It sent Loch rolling, bouncing over the broken ground. Something snapped. He was in such pain that he didn¡¯t know where the new pain came from.


    Coming to a stop, Loch rolled against an angled piece of asphalt. He used it to stand up, staggering, finding it was his leg that had broken. He turned, looking around for Onyx, having dropped the axe. Loch glared at the Dullahan. It stared back, skull expressionless, flames crackling.


    Holding out his arm, Loch summoned Onyx. The axe felt heavy in his tired arm, muscles protesting as he lifted it, ready to throw or swing.


    ¡°Can you feel death coming closer?,¡± the Dullahan asked, taking a couple steps forward. ¡°It comes for you now.¡±


    The Dullahan rushed Loch, swinging its large axe down. Loch tried to raise Onyx but couldn¡¯t, managing to hold the axehead away, but the weight slammed Loch down into the ground. He rose off the ground, feeling ribs breaking, as the Dullahan kicked him.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.Landing hard, Loch rolled over onto his back, looking up at the Dullahan. He knew it was his imagination, but he could have sworn the skull was smiling. Checking his status, he saw his Health tick below 10%, joining his Stamina and Spirit Reserves. He could barely move. Every part of his body hurt, in the most intense pain he¡¯d ever felt.


    He had failed. The people that had put their faith in him would die. He¡¯d never find Kelly.


    His girls would die.


    Loch growled. No. That would not happen.


    He felt through his Core, trying to will more Spirit to regenerate. There had to be something he could do. He felt it, an Ability he¡¯d barely ever used, the first time in this battle. One that could only be used in specific situations. It needed no Spirit to Activate.


    It gave Loch hope. He had one more shot at defeating the Dullahan.


    Loch Activated Go Beyond.


    He felt Spirit flooding his Core, coming from the ambient energy around him. It didn¡¯t come close to filling the Core, giving him only 10% of his maximum. And it would only last a couple dozen seconds or so before he¡¯d lose the boost. Loch had to use it wisely.


    He Activated Defiant Rage.


    Loch could feel the anger pushing to the surface. He was mad at everything. The Connection. The Divine Beings. The gaunts. Mad at himself for not doing a better job. Mad at the people for picking him as leader. Anger that had been held tight in the back of his mind, never allowed out.


    It escaped now. It gave him strength and energy, flooding his body with Spirit. His Core flared. His Health and Stamina jumped. His Spirit rose.


    Just enough.


    He felt the energy spread through his body, into Onyx and into his armor. The Challenger¡¯s Armor, soulbound to him, started to change. The leather changed to thin metal plates. Dented, aged and worn looking. But strong. He could feel the increased strength and durability, the powers granted by the armor growing. Every piece shifted, changing, as his energy moved through the leather and now metal. Not all pieces became metal, just where there had been strips and plates before. They grew, changing.


    He didn¡¯t know why or how and at the moment didn¡¯t care.


    It all took just a couple seconds. The change started and happened.


    In his head, Loch could feel the timer counting down.


    He roared, jumping up and rushing the Dullahan, catching it by surprise.


    Onyx flared, the head glowing brightly. Loch Activated Precision Strike, seeing only a couple of yellow spots appearing over the Dullahan¡¯s body. There were very few weak spots.


    The monster was so close, Loch slammed into it with his shoulder, pushing it back. He swung Onyx, aiming for the shoulder joint. With Cleave Activated, lighting flaring around the impact, Loch pushed through stone-like muscle and bone, cutting deep. He pulled the axe up, still roaring in rage at the world. Loch kicked, feeling bones fracture in his foot, pushing the Dullahan further back.


    He swung again, at the other shoulder. The Dullahan dropped its axe, the weapon hitting the ground, the noise lost in Loch¡¯s rage. Red filled his vision, only the spots of yellow standing out. Loch just kept swinging, driving the Dullahan back. He aimed for the yellow spots, the weak spots. He missed most of the time.


    The clock in his head continued to tick down.


    The yellow spots faded, Precision Strike¡¯s timer up. He knew where they had been. Loch kept swinging. Again he struck the shoulder joint, the Dullahan¡¯s left arm falling off. The monster didn¡¯t say a word, didn¡¯t utter a sound. The flames flared brighter. Loch ignored them, swinging.


    He wasn¡¯t attacking wildly, his mind still sharp as the rage roared through his body. His increased strength slammed Onyx down against the Dullahan, each strike planned and mostly accurate. It was hard to always hit a moving target as the Dullhan tried to defend itself. Loch didn¡¯t let up, knowing he had to overwhelm the monster, not give it a chance to respond.


    The Dullahan tripped on a piece of pavement, falling to the ground. It hit hard, cracking the pavement, making a dent. Loch kept swinging, alternating the cutting edge of Onyx with the hammer head. An arm came up to block, a hand fell away.


    He kept swinging, Onyx slamming down onto the Dullahan¡¯s chest. Bones cracked, gashes appeared. Loch didn¡¯t let up.


    He could feel himself tiring, the bonus energy of Defiant Rage being used up. The countdown was getting lower, closer to when he¡¯d lose the bonus energy and even more. The time when he¡¯d collapse and everything would be over.


    ¡°No,¡± Loch roared, slamming Onyx down.


    He would not let that happen.


    ¡°No,¡± he growled.


    The Dullahan tried to get up but with no arm and no hand, it could not. Onyx chopped down, the head glowing with the energy of Cleave and Smash as Loch turned the weapon over and over. Loch kept swinging, each swing slightly weaker than the last. He was nearing the end. It was going to be over and the Dullahan was still alive.


    ¡°No.¡±


    He swung Onyx, the last of his Spirit going into Smash once again. He didn¡¯t even realize that somehow he was using both Abilities far more than he should have. They had a two minute cooldown but he was using it every thirty seconds or so. He couldn¡¯t tell, the world still red with rage, his mind focused on just attacking with everything he had.


    His arms felt heavy, full of lead. His legs shook.


    Onyx fell, time seeming to slow for Loch. The timer on Defiant Rage ticked down, closer to zero. Onyx cut through the air, the head glowing with Smash, Loch¡¯s Core drained of all its spirit. He watched the axehead falling, the hollow eyes of the Dullahan¡¯s skull watching the falling hammer head.


    It connected with the Dullahan¡¯s skull, bone cracking. A bright flash of energy exploded out, flames erupting mixing with the crackling lightning of Onyx. Loch was blasted back, landing on the pavement and sliding, coming to a stop against an upraised portion.


    The timer for Defiant Rage hit zero. Loch felt all the energy leave his body. All his Spirit was already gone, but now his Stamina followed. He had nothing to give, the weakness going beyond what it should have. Blackness closed in on Loch¡¯s vision.


    Had he killed the Dullahan?


    Notifications filled his vision but he couldn¡¯t read them. Everything went blurry, the blackness rapidly creeping in.


    Everything went dark.

 Chapter 171 (3.61)

    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Loch heard the voice. He knew the voice. He remembered that voice when it was littler. Loch remembered how the voice had changed as the speaker had grown up from little girl to young woman. Images of her filled his mind as he fought against the darkness holding him down.


    Her birth. First steps. The first time he¡¯d heard the voice. First time riding a bike. Hitting a baseball. Her first dance. The first time she¡¯d cried over a boy.


    Her first kill.


    Loch opened his eyes, the world slowly coming into focus. It was still night, the moon still bright with a clear sky full of stars. He could see them, but not all, a shape blocking his vision.


    ¡°Dad!,¡± the voice cried out, the wetness of tears falling against his face.


    Harper¡¯s voice.


    ***


    Loch felt the healing energy spread through his body. The smaller aches and pains, the lesser cuts and bruises, started to heal. Warmth flowed through his body, the wounded areas growing a little warmer. He looked away, not wanting to see his flesh knitting itself together.


    ¡°This is the best I can do for now,¡± Julia said. ¡°Susan will have to do the full healing. I¡¯m pretty tapped out on Spirit and she¡¯s probably not much better. There¡¯s a lot of wounded.¡±


    As she stepped back, taking her hands from his shoulders, Loch stood up. The world started to spin. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath that hurt. The ribs weren¡¯t as bad as before. Breathing was no longer extremely painful, it was just painful. Opening his eyes, he willed the world to stop spinning. It did.


    He looked around, seeing he was still on the parking lot side of the wall. The Dullahan¡¯s body lay to the side. Lots of bodies lay everywhere. There were people moving around, not Clan Brady defenders, but the civilians and non-combatants. He watched as a man and woman lifted a gaunt¡¯s body, struggling to carry it to somewhere. He didn¡¯t follow them, choosing to focus on the people in front of him.


    Harper was there, only a couple feet away, tonfas in the sheaths on her back. She looked tired. Dried blood covered her body, but he couldn¡¯t tell if any of it was hers. She smiled at him, relief in her eyes. Behind her was Brian, looming large. Jenny was off to the side, not looking at him, but eyes on the road to the west. Darren was a couple steps to the side, on the edge, not wanting to intrude. Another man stood next to Darren. About the same age, someone Loch didn¡¯t recognize.


    Loch didn¡¯t see Piper.


    ¡°Where is..,¡± he started to say, taking a step forward, looking around wildly.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Harper said, arms out, waiting for a hug.


    Loch took her by the arms and pulled her in close. He held her tight.


    ¡°Pipes is unconscious,¡± Harper said. ¡°She¡¯s good.¡±


    Loch looked to Julia for confirmation. The Battlemender nodded.


    ¡°She overtaxed herself,¡± Julia replied to Loch¡¯s unspoken question. ¡°She¡¯s just sleeping. Cerie is with her.¡±


    Loch glanced up at the roof, looking for the telltale green glow of the fairy. He couldn¡¯t see it. They¡¯d probably moved Piper to the room they shared. Which was where he should probably go, but he had questions. He looked at Darren.


    ¡°Fled,¡± the man answered. ¡°After you killed the big one,¡± he gestured to the corpse of the Dullahan. ¡°The survivors just took off. They headed west back the way they came.¡±


    That was surprising. Loch had thought the gaunts would have stayed fighting, especially the Drones. Without a Captain or the Dullahan to control them, the Drones must have become completely mindless. What would have prompted them to retreat?


    The only answer was something else controlling them. But what? The Concept of Death? Another Dullahan?


    Loch didn¡¯t like either question, or what their answers would be. He¡¯d hoped the Clan could rest after the battle, but it looked like they¡¯d have to go searching for answers. Tomorrow, or the next day. Not immediately. They all needed rest.


    ¡°How bad,¡± he asked, not wanting to know but needing to.


    Darren shook his head.


    ¡°Not as bad as it could have been but¡­,¡± he sighed. ¡°We don¡¯t have a full counting yet but at least twenty dead, maybe twice that wounded.¡±


    Twenty. Maybe more.


    It was too many. But Darren was right, it could have been worse. There had been hundreds of gaunts. That only twenty of the defenders had died? Many generals would have thought those acceptable losses.


    Loch didn¡¯t.


    But it could have been worse.


    Much worse.


    He walked over to the Dullahan, glaring down at the headless corpse. The fires had gone out, the neck hollow with a bit of white spine now visible. The tip of bone had been sheared off. He looked around for the skull, remembering that he had crushed it with Onyx. Crouching down, Loch ran his hand along the ground where the skull should have been. He thought he felt dust.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Harper said as Loch stood up. She gestured to the unknown man, motioning him forward. ¡°This is Drew. He and his people showed up after the gaunts had breached the south wall. They helped us, probably saved a lot of lives.¡±


    The man stepped forward. Loch held out his hand, taking Drews.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Gotta be honest, we weren¡¯t sure if we should get involved,¡± Drew said, releasing Loch¡¯s hand. ¡°Our camp up in Strafford had been attacked and we headed south. Weren¡¯t sure if we wanted to go to Barrington or here. Got to the 202 intersection and¡­,¡± he paused, just shrugging. ¡°Something just kind of pulled us this way.¡±


    ¡°Pulled?¡±


    ¡°An urge to come to Northwood instead of Barrington.¡±


    ¡°How many,¡± Loch asked, curious about what the man was saying.


    Something had urged them to come to Northwood? Was it the Holdstone? That made some sense. Wouldn¡¯t there have been one in Barrington though? That town was much bigger, there had to be more survivors there, more gathering. So why were they sent to Northwood and Clan Brady?


    ¡°There¡¯s about thirty of us total,¡± Drew continued. ¡°A dozen or so fighters and the rest non-combatants. A couple kids. We had a larger camp until the giants¡­¡±


    ¡°Giants,¡± Loch interrupted. ¡°Where in Strafford?¡±


    ¡°At the school. The intersection of 202A and 126.¡±


    Loch cursed. That meant the giants were closer than he had thought. Had hoped really. That wasn¡¯t good. Giants, gaunts, hobs and the elves. There were a lot of forces arrayed against Clan Brady.


    It was like the Connection didn¡¯t want them to survive.


    Or it wanted to temper them through adversity.


    Either way, it was not something Loch liked.


    ¡°Thank you for your help,¡± he said. ¡°We can¡¯t offer much but can give you and yours shelter.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d appreciate it. We¡¯ve been on the road for days.¡±


    ¡°You need rest,¡± Julia said, stepping in front of Loch, hands on hips.


    He was about to protest but agreed with her. He was tired and still hurt. Susan Turner could heal him but Loch knew there would be higher priorities. She¡¯d hold off on the others to help him, the leader of the Clan, but that wasn¡¯t right. He would wait.


    And there was the annoying flashing icon in the upper corner of his vision. The notifications he¡¯d received.


    GO BEYOND HAS REACHED RANK TWO.


    GO BEYOND RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY): WHEN HEALTH, SPIRIT AND STAMINA GOES BELOW 10% THE CONNECTED CAN GET A BONUS OF 20% OF THEIR TOTAL IN THEIR STATS. THERE IS NO COST FOR ACTIVATION OF THIS ABILITY. IT LASTS FOR 15 SECONDS, +5 SECONDS PER FIVE CLASS LEVELS. CANNOT BE USED AGAIN FOR 7 DAYS.


    Loch was surprised as he read over the notification. He¡¯d barely used the Ability and it had reached Rank Two and it seemed he had used the Rank Two aspects of it. Before it had just been below 10% in a single stat. That remained but now it was a huge boost if below 10% in all stats. He tried to think but couldn¡¯t remember being able to use any Abilities higher ranked aspects until he¡¯d hit that rank, not before. It was something he¡¯d have to ask Cerie about but he wondered if Unfettered had somehow influenced the Ability in his moment of need?


    Hadn¡¯t it had a days long cooldown as well for Rank One? He¡¯d used it earlier so shouldn¡¯t have been able to use it for days. Had getting to Level Twenty-Five somehow reset the cooldown?


    The new aspects of Go Beyond were huge. The cooldown was longer but the Ability would be Active for longer. As much as Loch liked the changes, he hoped he¡¯d never have to use it.


    He dismissed that one, looking at the next, which was a long series of changes. Like the jump in experience gained by the Go Beyond Ability, his armor had also made a large leap. He hadn¡¯t expected it to change so much and it wasn¡¯t just in appearance.


    YOUR CHALLENGER¡¯S ARMOR HAS REACHED LEVEL FIVE.


    CHALLENGER¡¯S MAIL CHEST.


    ARMOR LEVEL FIVE.


    DEFENSE +8%, +2% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS, +5% RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE TYPES, +2% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS, +5% RESISTANCE TO ELEMENTAL DAMAGE, +2% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS.


    CHALLENGER¡¯S MAIL BOOTS.


    ARMOR LEVEL FIVE.


    DEFENSE +4%, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS, +3% RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE TYPES, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS, +3% RESISTANCE TO ELEMENTAL DAMAGE, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS.


    CHALLENGER¡¯S MAIL BRACERS.


    ARMOR LEVEL FIVE.


    ATTACK +4%, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS, +3% TO ALL DAMAGE TYPES, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS, +3% ELEMENTAL DAMAGE, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS


    CHALLENGER¡¯S MAIL GLOVES.


    ARMOR LEVEL FIVE.


    ATTACK +3%, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS, +3% TO ALL DAMAGE TYPES, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS, +3% ELEMENTAL DAMAGE, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS


    CHALLENGER¡¯S MAIL LEGGINGS.


    ARMOR LEVEL FIVE.


    DEFENSE +8%, +2% PER EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS; +8% ELEMENTAL DAMAGE, +2% PER EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS. +3% RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE TYPES, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS, +3% RESISTANCE TO ELEMENTAL DAMAGE, +1% EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS


    ELEMENTAL SURGE:


    SURGE HAS TWO MODES. DEFENSIVE CREATES A BUBBLE OF PROTECTIVE ELEMENTAL ENERGY OF THE TYPE MOST ABLE TO RESIST INCOMING ATTACK. COST: 200 SPIRIT TO ACTIVATE, 25 SPIRIT PER FIVE SECONDS TO MAINTAIN. MORE SPIRIT CAN BE USED AT ACTIVATION TO CREATE A STRONGER SURGE SHIELD. OFFENSIVE CREATES A BUBBLE OF DAMAGING ELEMENTAL ENERGY OF THE TYPE LEAST ABLE TO BE RESISTED. COST: 200 SPIRIT TO ACTIVATE.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    WINDSTEP:


    CAUSES WEARER TO SHIFT IN ANY DIRECTION UP TO FIFTEEN FEET INSTANTLY. MUST HAVE CLEAR PATH OF TRAVEL. +3 FEET PER EVERY FIVE ARMOR LEVELS. COST: 100 SPIRIT. FREQUENCY: ONE MINUTE.


    The changes weren¡¯t huge, just a couple percentage points for each piece. As he read the notification he started to get confused. The amount that each armor piece¡¯s percentages had gone up didn¡¯t align with what he read. Where it said +2% every five armor levels, or similar, Loch was seeing an increase of an extra 1% across each piece and all their bonuses. The math wasn¡¯t adding up.


    Was the armor supposed to remain leather? When he had somehow converted it to mail armor, did that grant the extra percentages? 1% wasn¡¯t much, but when it added up he¡¯d gain a pretty substantial increase in all the bonuses. His Defense alone had gone up 20%.


    How had that happened? Did the Connection think his fight with the Dullahan had been that high of a quality? Even with the change in the armor and Go Beyond, there was a good chance Loch still would have died, so the kill wouldn¡¯t have been considered a quality kill by the Connection yet. So why had he gotten the boost in armor? Another question for Cerie.


    YOU HAVE EARNED THE BREAKER OF WAR ACHIEVEMENT.


    YOU HAVE UNLOCKED THE TRUE STRENGTH OF THE WARBREAKER CLASS. USING IT BOTH FOR THE DEFENSE OF YOUR HOME AND PEOPLE AND AS AN OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT. YOU HAVE EARNED +3% TO ATTACK AND +3% TO DEFENSE. YOUR AURA ABILITIES GAIN A BONUS OF +5%. BREAKER¡¯S BANNER EARNS +2% TO ALL BUFFS AND DEBUFFS.


    Loch had to reread the achievement. It was too much. The gains made in the single achievement crushed any of the prior ones he¡¯d received. This one was overpowered and it even strengthened his newest Ability.


    YOU HAVE EARNED THE WAR LEADER RANK 1 ACHIEVEMENT.


    YOU HAVE LED YOUR PEOPLE TO VICTORY IN THEIR FIRST BATTLE. YOU HAVE EARNED +1% TO INTELLIGENCE AND +1% TO WISDOM.


    He didn¡¯t feel like he¡¯d earned that one. Darren had been the actual leader of the battle, with Loch just being the muscle. He¡¯d have to check with Darren to see if he¡¯d gotten a similar Achievement.


    YOU HAVE EARNED THE CLAN¡¯S STRENGTH ACHIEVEMENT.


    YOU HAVE SHOWN YOUR CLAN THAT YOU WILL DEFEND THEM WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT EVEN AGAINST STRONGER FOES. YOU HAVE EARNED +1 STRENGTH AND +1 INTELLIGENCE.


    YOU HAVE EARNED THE DEFIANT CLANCHIEF ACHIEVEMENT.


    YOU WERE BROUGHT TO NEAR DEATH BUT WOULD NOT ALLOW YOUR CLAN TO BE DESTROYED OR YOUR PEOPLE KILLED, FIGHTING BACK AND GRABBING VICTORY. YOU HAVE EARNED +1 TO STRENGTH AND +1 TO ENDURANCE.


    Loch shook his head. The Achievements were crazy. Why was he getting so many? Cerie had said that Clan Leaders were the most powerful in the Clan and that most were figureheads, not ruling the Clan in its day to day business but using their power to intimidate threats or fighting off attackers. Loch had wondered how a Clan Leader could get so much more powerful than the rest of the Clan. He was now seeing how. He doubted the defenders had gotten so many Achievements. Thanks to all of them, he was going to be very overpowered for his Level. And he had already had more attributes for his Level, now it was just crazy.


    Not that he was going to complain. All that extra power just meant he¡¯d be better at protecting his girls.


    He held his hand out to Harper. Even with all the people around, she quickly rushed to embrace him, holding him tight as his arm wrapped around her. He leaned down, kissing the top of her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay,¡± she said.


    ¡°Ditto,¡± he replied.


    She groaned, rolling her eyes. Loch chuckled.


    He looked over the battle. There were a lot of bodies. Darren had walked over to the Dullahan, looking at the armor.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably some decent armor,¡± he said, glancing at Loch.


    ¡°Take it, we¡¯ll examine the stats and see who it¡¯s best for.¡±


    Darren looked around, calling to a couple of the people working their way through the dead bodies. There was a collection of armor scraps and swords being assembled by the gap in the wall. Two people came over to the guard captain, grimacing as they saw what he was pointing at. Loch just shook his head. Let Darren pass it on, he¡¯d earned that right. He looked pretty dirty, covered in blood, exhausted. He hadn¡¯t just been standing on the roof overseeing the entire battle. Darren had gotten into the fighting.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got some people patrolling the woods,¡± Darren said. ¡°Not that many, sadly. Most of the defenders are exhausted, wounded or both.¡±


    Loch nodded. He didn¡¯t think there would be any more attacks but it was better to be safe. Darren moved on as Loch and Harper started walking. Brian and Jenny started to follow, along with the new guy Drew. Brian and Jenny both looked in rough shape. Brian especially. Maybe he could use the Dullahan¡¯s axe.


    ¡°You guys good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jenny said, looking around.


    Brian just grunted.


    Loch clapped the big man on the shoulder. Brian winced, quickly covering it up. Was Loch really that much stronger now?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go find Piper,¡± He said to Harper.


    ¡°What happened to your armor,¡± she asked, rapping on the chestplate.


    ¡°Does it look good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but why¡¯s it look like it¡¯s ancient? Shouldn¡¯t it be all bright and shiny and new?¡±


    ¡°No idea.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me sir.. Mister Brady..¡±


    Loch turned to see Drew walking behind them.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to call you. Some of the folks were calling you Lord,¡± he said the last part with confusion.


    ¡°Loch is fine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks. Well I have about thirty people back at those churches. With all this,¡± he waved his hands at the bodies. ¡°I can understand if you don¡¯t want to take us on¡­,¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Loch said, releasing Piper and walking back to Drew. ¡°That should have been the first thing. Of course your people can join us. We don¡¯t have much..¡±


    ¡°You have shelter and defenses,¡± Drew said, walking just behind Loch as they passed through the gap in the wall. ¡°Even back in Strafford, we were living in tents.¡±


    Loch looked around. It was even worse in the schoolyard. There were so many bodies. Most gaunts but he saw one or two of his people that hadn¡¯t been moved yet. It was crowded with people moving around in the night, carrying bodies and equipment. There were a lot of lights by the triage tents, people moving in and out of the school carrying supplies, helping the more lightly wounded back into the school and their beds. There weren¡¯t enough healers and some people would stay wounded until their Adapted natural regeneration healed them.


    He hated that they were suffering but the Clan had won.


    They had been outnumbered and still they had won.


    It had come at a cost. But they had still won.


    ¡°We need to find Kristin or Ed,¡± Loch said, leading Harper and Drew up toward the school. ¡°They¡¯ll be able to get your people settled. We may not have rooms for them but they won¡¯t be sleeping outside.¡±


    Not that anyone would with all the bodies. And the smell. The scent of blood, and other bodily fluids, filled the air, carried by the ever present wind. It was horrible and wouldn¡¯t be going away anytime soon. Loch didn¡¯t want to know how badly the blood would stain the ground. It would be a constant reminder of the battle for a long time.


    ¡°I do have one question,¡± Drew said.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Where did you get that armor and how can I get a set?¡±


    Loch¡¯s Ending Status


    NAME: Lochlan Brady


    RACE: Human Rank E


    CLASS: Warbreaker


    Patron: Thor, The Storm


    LEVEL: 25


    STRENGTH: 48


    Base: 44


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0%


    ENDURANCE: 47


    Base: 43


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0%


    DEXTERITY: 35


    Base: 32


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0%


    WILLPOWER: 47


    Base: 43


    Achievements: 11%


    Equipment: 0%


    INTELLIGENCE: 46


    Base: 42


    Achievements: 11%


    Equipment: 0%


    PERCEPTION: 33


    Base: 30


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0%


    UNASSIGNED POINTS: 0


    HEALTH:  470


    Base: 470


    Achievements: 0%


    Equipment: 0%


    STAMINA: 470


    Base: 470


    Achievements: 0%


    Equipment: 0%


    SPIRIT RESERVES: 4,789


    Base: 4,650


    Achievements: +3%


    Equipment: 0%


    ATTACK: 25%


    Base: 0


    Achievements: +18%


    Equipment: +7%


    DEFENSE: 38%


    Base: 0


    Achievements: +18%


    Equipment: +20%


    ACHIEVEMENTS:


    A GROWING CLAN RANK I


    BANE OF RAPTORS RANK I


    BEAR¡¯S BANE RANK I


    BREAKER OF WAR RANK I


    CHIPMUNK KILLER RANK I


    CLAN¡¯S STRENGTH


    DEFIANT CLANCHIEF


    DEMON DESTROYER RANK I


    DUNGEONEER RANK I


    ELITE KILLER RANK I


    FIGHT FOR THE RESOURCES RANK I


    FIRST ACHIEVEMENT EARNER


    FIRST CHALLENGER


    FIRST CLASSER


    FIRST DUNGEONEER


    FIRST TO FIVE


    FIRST TO TEN


    FIRST TO TWENTY-FIVE


    GAUNTS BANE RANK 2


    GIANTS BANE RANK 1


    HIGHER LEVEL RANK 1


    HIGHER LEVEL RANK 2


    HIGHER LEVEL RANK 4


    HOB KILLER RANK I


    LEVEL MILESTONE RANK 1


    LEVEL MILESTONE RANK 2


    LEVEL MILESTONE RANK 3


    ONE STRIKE


    PATRON¡¯S FIRST


    RAT SLAYER RANK 1


    REPEATED IGNORE RANK 1


    STRIKING HIGHER


    THE FIRST BANE


    TROGLODYTE KILLER RANK I


    UNPREPARED DUNGEONEER


    WAR LEADER RANK I


    SKILLS & ABILITIES:


    EVALUATE RANK TWO (ACTIVE SKILL)


    DEFIANT RAGE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    HEAT RESISTANCE RANK ONE (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    MENTAL RESISTANCE RANK ONE (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    POISON RESISTANCE RANK ONE (PASSIVE SKILL)


    BOONS:


    THUNDERCLAP RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    CLASS:


    AURA OF ATTACK RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    BREAKER¡¯S BANNER RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    LIGHTNING BULWARK RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE WEAPONRY (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    PRECISION STRIKE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    STANCE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    RACIAL:


    ADAPTABLE (PASSIVE SKILL)


    DISEASE RESISTANCE (PASSIVE SKILL)


    GO BEYOND RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    TRAITS:


    UNFETTERED


    EQUIPMENT:


    ONYX: LEVEL 10 SOUL WEAPON


    CLEAVE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    LIGHTNING STRIKE RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    SHIELD BASH RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    SMASH RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    WIDE CLEAVE RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    CHALLENGER¡¯S MAIL ARMOR SET 5 OF 5


    CHALLENGER¡¯S BOOTS


    CHALLENGER¡¯S BRACERS


    CHALLENGER¡¯S CHEST


    CHALLENGER¡¯S GLOVES


    CHALLENGER¡¯S LEGGINGS


    ELEMENTAL SURGE


    WINDSTEP


    CLAN BRADY


    CLAN RANK: CLANCHIEF


    CLANHOLD: NORTHWOOD

 Chapter 172 (4.1)

    Loch Activated Thunderclap, swinging Onyx in front of him. The wave of force slammed into the Gray Gaunt Drones. A couple were thrown back, others just fell to the ground. There were more behind them. He rushed ahead, Onyx cutting into a gaunt on the backswing. Loch kicked, pushing another aside.


    A sword flashed out, cutting into the chest of the gaunt. A hand grabbed it, yanking it away, pulling it off the sword. Jenny Brannock pushed the dying gaunt away, blocking an attack by another. Loch pushed on, driving deeper into the ranks of the gaunts. He lost track of Jenny, but knew she would be alright.


    She¡¯d gained in Levels after the fight at the Clanhold and she wasn¡¯t alone.


    Brian was on Loch¡¯s other side, his giant club smashing through the Drones. Others spread out behind them, including Drew Meyers, the newcomer. Harper and Davis were out there, moving along the edge of the gaunts with Elora Seedspear. Archers were spread throughout the field, picking away at the frings.


    Loch was at the head of the spear, pushing through the last gaunts, heading for the glowing blue portal ahead. He could see it, pulsing, flickering, barely visible through the mass of drones. And there were a lot of them.


    Not just the survivors of the Dullahan¡¯s attack on the Clanhold, but the others that had come in through the still active portal. It had been four days since the attack on the Clanhold. Three days of rest and recovery. The Clan¡¯s few healers had been tapped out, not able to fully heal everyone with minor wounds. Those had to heal on their own. It had taken that long to clear up the battlefield and to bury the Clan¡¯s dead. Over two dozen, not just warriors but a couple of civilians.


    Each death weighed on Loch. Each death made his swings stronger. He knew he was pushing harder than he should. Part of it was revenge. These gaunts had attacked his people for no reason. They could have lived peacefully. He knew that was a lie, something he tried to convince himself of. But in this new Connected World, there was no living peacefully. Still the gaunts had attacked them, tried to kill his people. The survivors, the burgeoning Clan Brady.


    They had managed to kill some. People that had looked at Loch for guidance and protection. People he had failed.


    Onyx sliced into a Drone¡¯s shoulder, the sword dropping from its limp hand as the arm and shoulder fell away. The sharp blade of the axe continued, without evening needing to use an Ability, just fueled by Loch¡¯s rage. It struck ribs, cracking and broken them, shearing through the gaunt¡¯s spine. Loch yanked on the axe, feeling it stuck against bone. He released the weapon, immediately summoning it back.


    The large axe disappeared from the gaunt¡¯s body as it landed on the ground with a thud, tripping up another. It reappeared in Loch¡¯s hand, smaller now. He pulled his arm back and snapped it forward, releasing the axe. It spun end over end, soaring over the heads of the Drones. Onyx slammed into the head of a Gray Gaunt Captain.


    The only one Loch could see on the battlefield. Onyx split the Captain¡¯s head, lodging in the skull, the force of the throw pushing the gaunt backwards.


    Activating Bulwark, Loch blocked the swing of a drone. He pushed up with the shield, driving the gaunt backwards. His strength was that much greater now that he¡¯d hit Level 25. He shifted his leg, moving it behind the gaunt, feeling the pressure of the stone hard leg as he pulled toward him. The gaunt tripped, falling down hard. Loch continued, Onyx appearing in his hand.


    He wasn¡¯t happy. Not just with what had happened at the Clanhold but with this attack. It was needed but he wished it wasn¡¯t. Clan Brady were the clear aggressor. They were attacking the gaunt¡¯s home, just like the gaunts had attacked theirs. Loch knew, it had been argued over and over, that the Clan didn¡¯t have a choice.


    The gaunts were weakened but because of the portal they would keep coming. Maybe they¡¯d just amass in the field and never do anything without the guiding hand of the Dullahan. But could Clan Brady count on that? Could they really let an army keep assembling only a day from their Clanhold?


    Stolen story; please report.


    And would the portal ever stop? Would it keep churning out drone after drone?


    The Dullahan¡¯s motivation was unknown but it seemed the gaunt¡¯s were rivals for the limited resources in the Northwood Territory but that didn¡¯t mean they were safe. The portal was in Johnson¡¯s Field, only a couple hundred feet off Route 4 where any travelers coming to the Clanhold would pass by. Not to mention the two walls the gaunts had controlled until Loch and the others had shown up.


    It hadn¡¯t taken much argument to convince Loch the strike was needed. They couldn¡¯t have an unknown hostile force so close to the Clanhold and in control of part of Route 4.


    Loch just felt pushed. This was the path the Connected System wanted of him. It was the path Cerie, the bonded spirit trapped in Piper¡¯s Codex Band, had described as the one all the powerful Connected Clans on other planets followed. The path of power. The path where the strongest make the rules.


    It wasn¡¯t the path Loch wanted.


    But if he had to follow it to keep his people safe, he would.


    Multi-colored sparks of Spirit drifted through the air, flowing into his body and those of the others. He felt his Core filling bit by bit, each spark adding to his experience. It barely filled what he envisioned as a bar. There was so much more to go.


    He¡¯d hit Level 25, the first on Earth to do so, most of the others had gotten a Level or two in the fighting. The Connected System preferred quality over quantity but it seemed to have made an exception for the large battle they¡¯d just fought. Loch could understand why it was considered normal for Clans to wage war on Clans, engaging in almost endless battles. It was the best way for so many to get experience at once.


    It was not something Loch wanted for his Clan.


    He pulled back on Onyx, stomping on the gaunt to hold the body down as he wrenched the axe out of the creature¡¯s chest. It was more forceful than needed, the gaunt was already dead, making a large mess of bone, blood and guts flying but Loch didn¡¯t care. He was angry and needed to vent that rage somewhere.


    The gaunts were a good target.


    Except there were no more.


    He looked around, seeing his people the only ones standing. Two dozen of Clan Brady¡¯s fighters. Not all, some had to stay behind at the school. Even with Drew Meyer¡¯s people augmenting them, the Clan was low on fighters. Julia Montgomery, the newly Level 10 Battlemender, was making her way through the fighters. Loch could feel the use of Spirit, see the light blue glow of her healing spells, as they were cast. It didn¡¯t look like anyone was killed or seriously wounded.


    The plan of attack had been about speed and power. Surround the gaunts in the field, charge in and slaughter. Don¡¯t give the Warrior or whoever else had been in charge a moment to plan. Don¡¯t even give them time to react.


    It had worked.


    They had been fighting drones and without the Dullahan or higher leveled gaunt to fully control them. The drones weren¡¯t adaptable, they couldn¡¯t change tactics or adjust their plans. Not without a controller. They just reacted. If there had been more Warriors or another Dullahan, Loch wouldn¡¯t have made the plan.


    ¡°How are we looking,¡± he called out.


    ¡°Good,¡± Jenny said.


    ¡°Start gathering whatever we can use. Swords, armor, whatever,¡± Loch ordered, walking over the last body between him and the cemetery.


    ¡°What about the bodies,¡± someone asked.


    He wasn¡¯t sure who. Aside from the people in his normal party, the Clan¡¯s leaders and other important people Loch was losing track of who was who. He didn¡¯t know everyone and he hated it. They all mattered, but he just didn¡¯t have time or the ability to remember everyone in the growing Clan. He knew Drew, who had arrived at the end of the battle with a dozen fighters and after that around thirty new people to the Clan. That kind of bothered Loch. There were people in the Clan that had been there longer than Loch had been. Some right from the start when Ed Turner had first organized them at the two churches down the road from the Clanhold, even before Loch had become the Clanchief. He didn¡¯t know all of them but he knew someone that had only just joined the Clan officially three days ago.


    And that was because Drew was Level 13, making him the fourth highest Level in the Clan. Drew had also brought fighters with him. All of them Classed and above Level 6. That made them incredibly useful to the growing Clan. It made Drew very important.


    Which is why Loch knew him and remembered him.


    And he hated it.


    It shouldn¡¯t have been based on power and usefulness but the Connected System made it that way. Everything in the Connection was based on power.


    ¡°Pile them up somewhere and burn them,¡± he said.

 Chapter 173 (4.2)

    The portal was just as Harper had described. The cemetery was old and not that big. Surrounded by a stone wall, the grass of the cemetery level with the top of the wall, a couple of trees to one side. About two dozen gravestones, most having been destroyed or knocked over by the gaunts. The portal itself floated in the middle, hovering off the ground.


    It pulsed and flared, small now but growing as they watched.


    No gaunt had appeared since the end of the fighting. Loch hadn¡¯t been able to watch the portal, he didn¡¯t know how long it had been since the last one had been portaled in. He walked over to it, being careful to keep some distance. Cerie couldn¡¯t confirm if it was one way or not and he wasn¡¯t going to take the risk.


    The fairy floated just over his shoulder, her natural green glow muted, mixing with the blue of the portal. Piper was below, just past the wall, watching. Harper and Davis were on the other side. Others spread out around the cemetery and the field, keeping an eye on the strip of woods surrounding it. There could be more gaunts or scavengers attracted by the noise and the smell of blood in the air.


    Elora hopped up onto the cemetary grounds, effortlessly lifting herself in one smooth motion. The elf¡¯s grace was amazing. Every movement seemed to be planned, efficient and smooth. Loch could tell Harper was jealous. They both moved like dancers and gymnasts. For Harper it came from years of training. For Elora it was just natural.


    The former Silver Bark Clan scout was from another world, one that had been Connected for centuries. She had grown up under the Connected System. Everything that was new to Loch and the people of Earth was just the way life was for her. Her Clan was everything that Loch was hoping Clan Brady would not turn into. It had been driven by power, the weaker ones just pawns and resources to be used by the stronger. They were fodder, sent to fight the endless wars, to claim territory and resources for the higher ranked members of the Clan. That was typical for most of the Clans in the Connection, but the Silver Bark took it to extremes.


    Elora had come from a small Clan family, very lowly ranked in the overall larger Clan. Coming to Earth through the portal and being a scout had been her way to advance her family. Her actions could have advanced them, and her, but only if she did what the higher ranked members demanded and did it in a way satisfactory to them. She had to risk her life at their whims or her family would suffer.


    She¡¯d finally had enough, breaking her vow to the Silver Bark and joining Clan Brady. To prove herself trustworthy she had made another oath, becoming a sworn Bannerman to the Brady Clanchief. To Loch.


    He still wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about it. Even more unsure with both Brian and Jenny asked to become Bannermen too. Luckily, they¡¯d been so busy that he was able to push the conversation off. It wouldn¡¯t last. He¡¯d have to really think about what it all meant sooner rather than later.


    Loch hated how power and strength was everything in the Connection. Even basic survival depended on it. Either the person having their own power or being under the control and protection of someone that did.


    He pointed at the portal as it flared a bit, seeming to grow larger.


    ¡°Thoughts,¡± he directed at the two non-humans, the only ones there that would know anything about portals.


    ¡°I do not know how portals work,¡± Elora said. ¡°I used them extensively but was not trained in their creation. That was something that only the Elders and Portalseers knew.¡±


    She tried to hide it but Loch saw the small wince cross her features. Even though she had dissolved her oath to the Silver Bark, the Connection still had restrictions in place that prevented her from revealing Clan secrets. It was a method that prevented Clanmembers from jumping from Clan to Clan and bargaining knowledge for power. The Connection wanted the people to earn their power. There were ways around it, Cerie had said, but Elora did not know or was not capable of it. When she mentioned something the System didn¡¯t want her to, she felt pain.


    Loch knew that the small amount she¡¯d just revealed, it must have been really painful.


    ¡°Portalseers,¡± he asked.


    ¡°The Class name for those with Portal Abilities,¡± Cerie replied. ¡°It¡¯s a Profession Class and not a Combat one. Rare as well.¡±


    ¡°As the fairy said,¡± Elora continued.


    ¡°How does it work?,¡± Loch asked, looking around the field. ¡°I don¡¯t think the gaunts had crafters.¡±


    ¡°Most likely a stone,¡± Cerie said, floating a little closer.


    Loch had hated that about Cerie. The fairy was a Bonded Spirit, locked into the Codex Band by the Silver Bark and her only purpose had been as a source of information. She was their version of the old Alexa and Google. She¡¯d been filled with all the information on Earth that the Silver Bark had been able to accumulate in the decades and centuries prior to Earth being Connected. She wasn¡¯t really alive, just a being of pure energy. He¡¯d found that part of her programming limited how she gave out information. She had to be asked direct questions to receive direct answers and wouldn¡¯t always supply every last bit on her own.


    When alive she had also grown up in the Connection. She was used to the Silver Bark, also used to the Connection, and was having a hard time when dealing with Loch and Piper who were new to the Connections. She forgot that things that were common knowledge to her was completely new to them.


    It had angered him at first. She seemed to be deliberately withholding information, but that wasn¡¯t true. She couldn¡¯t help it, a combination of programming and dealing with total newbs. Loch was trying to stop being frustrated with it.


    ¡°Stone?,¡± he prompted.


    ¡°When a portal is first opened, a hole is ripped between the worlds. It is small, barely big enough for one person to slip through. And it takes a lot of power for just that hope,¡± Cerie said, motioning to the small portal floating before them. ¡°A single Connected passes through with a Portal Stone. They place that Stone and it allows for more power to pass from the first planet to the new, allowing for a larger portal to be created. That is when the Portalseer and their guards enter the new world. The Portalseer then creates the much larger portal that allows more and more to keep passing through.¡±


    ¡°With restrictions,¡± Elora said. ¡°The Silver Bark¡¯s portal on this world only allows a limited number a day.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Power,¡± she replied with a shrug. ¡°It takes a lot to maintain a portal across planets.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s a stone somewhere that powers this thing and it goes to some other planet?¡±


    ¡°I do not think it goes to a planet,¡± Cerie said, flying a little closer. She still kept a couple feet away, drifting back as the portal flared. ¡°The gaunts are not a native Connected species. You said that the Dullahan mentioned Death?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a couple of times. The way the thing spoke, it wasn¡¯t meaning death as in dying but as in a greater concept,¡± Loch cursed, shaking his head. ¡°A Divine Being?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The other side could be a realm controlled by the Concept Of Death. It would not have needed to send someone through since it would have access on its own. That would also explain why the portal is so small and only sends one gaunt at a time. Even for Death, that is still a lot of power to be using.¡±


    Loch cursed again, silently. Another Divine Being. From what Cerie said, they shouldn¡¯t have been involving themselves on Earth this early, but they clearly were. Loch had already been approached by the Concept of The Storm, calling himself Thor, and accepted Thor as his Patron. Divine Beings granted their followers special boons or powers, in return they received a small amount of the follower¡¯s earned Spirit making the Divine Being even stronger. They were all Connected, like Loch and the other humans, that had Advanced to the highest Levels and become more than they had ever been before. They become Concepts. They were the strongest beings in the entire universe except for the Connection itself.


    And they liked to meddle in the affairs of Connected. Just not newly Connected. They wanted the potential followers to grow strong first. But this time, on Earth, it was different.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    What was the Concept of Death doing? The gaunts were a form of undead, the Dullahan had definitely been an undead. Why had Death created both? To attack Loch and his people? If it could have pierced the barrier between worlds and created a portal to allow its creatures through, why pick Northwood?


    ¡°Could this be connected to somewhere else on Earth?¡±


    That would make some sense. A larger base in a more central location with portals sent elsewhere to spread its influence.


    ¡°No,¡± Elora said. ¡°It is linked to somewhere off planet. If it was to another on Earth, it would be larger and you could see through it.¡±


    ¡°Can whatever¡¯s on the other side not see or hear us,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Cerie answered.


    That made Loch feel a little better.


    ¡°This portal is like any first created from planet to planet,¡± Elora continued. ¡°It is one way.¡±


    ¡°Then why are we keeping our distance,¡± Davis Millman asked.


    ¡°In case something comes through,¡± Elora answered, her tone like an annoyed teacher answering stupid questions.


    Davis glared at her, the elf ignoring him.


    Loch was about to ask something else but stopped. What had Elora just said?


    ¡°Wait,¡± he said, turning to look at her. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean your portal here was one way?¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± she replied, starting with the same tone she had used on Davis but quickly losing it. She was his sworn Bannerman afterall. One did not speak disrespectfully to their lord.


    ¡°Your people are trapped here?¡±


    ¡°For now. Every expedition to a newly Connected world is one-way until that expedition earns enough power and resources to open a portal on this end. Even then, it takes a lot to continue to power an interplanetary portal.¡±


    ¡°The Silver Bark here can¡¯t communicate with your home planet?¡±


    ¡°We can, limited as it is, but that is only because a Portalseer is part of the expedition and can use an Ability to communicate through linked portal stones.¡±


    Loch shook his head at how complicated the whole thing was. But it fit with the Connection. It wanted its Connected to strive to Advance, to push themselves to keep growing stronger. Nothing was handed to them. Even established Clans had to fight to expand.


    And it fit with what he was learning about those Clans. They were willing to send dozens, maybe hundreds, of their people on a potential one-way trip with no chance of return. It was a risk for those going, but the possibility of rewards was huge. If they survived. That was why Elora had joined the expedition. It was her only chance to seize some momentum and power for herself and family. Anything she did would earn prestige for her and her family.


    Except it hadn¡¯t happened because of the Silver Bark she¡¯d been saddled with. As leader, their actions reflected on her and they¡¯d tried to sabotage her. She¡¯d already hated her life in the Silver Bark and that had just pushed her over the edge. Elora had seen a chance at a new way of life with Clan Brady and she had seized it.


    ¡°How do we shut this down?¡±


    That was the whole reason for coming to the fields and fighting the last gaunts. They had to shut the portal down or more gaunts would keep coming. One every couple of hours. That would be a nightmare to deal with, stationing people in the field permanently to do nothing but kill freshly portaled gaunts.


    Shut the portal down and the threat would end.


    For now.


    ¡°Find the stone and cancel it,¡± Cerie answered, her eyes scanning the cemetary grounds. ¡°It should be under the portal.¡±


    Davis stepped forward, handing his spear to Harper. Glancing at the portal, holding his body away from it, he bent down and started digging at the ground. The dirt was loose, making it easy to move.


    ¡°I can feel something,¡± he said. ¡°Not just physical by inside with my Core.¡±


    He dug a little more. Light started to appear, a soft blue glow shining through the dirt as he moved it. Davis leaned back as the light grew stronger. He¡¯d cleared away the dirt about six inches deep and a foot in diameter. Hard segmented crystal edges were revealed, covered in intricate linework. The blue glow was brighter pulsing in time with the portal above it.


    ¡°Is it safe to touch?,¡± Lock asked, crouching down and looking at the stone.


    It didn¡¯t appear to be much bigger than what Davis had uncovered, a fine layer of dirt still covering most of it.


    ¡°No,¡± Cerie replied. ¡°You will not be able to use it, but anyone can touch it.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t use it, how will I shut this thing off?¡±


    Loch waved a hand at the portal hovering in the air. He looked at it, level with the lower part. The edges were slightly brighter, flickering with a crackling energy border. Inside the border was a smooth light blue surface. It didn¡¯t ripple or move with the pulsing, held tight by the border. Loch couldn¡¯t see through the barrier.


    What was on the other side? A world like Earth? Something else? It was a realm that belonged to the Concept of Death. Was it a giant graveyard? A perpetual night shrouded land of endless fog?


    The stone and portal flared. Loch could feel the energy in his Core, the Spirit being drawn from the air around them. It flowed into the stone, which did something that changed the energy that came out. Loch wasn¡¯t sure how, but he knew the portal was close to summoning another gaunt.


    Loch reached down, touching the surface of the stone. It was warm. He could feel the energy coursing through the object. Little sparks as it danced, touching each of the many runes carved into the surface. Each time the spark of energy passed where his finger touched, Loch could feel a slight burning as the Spirit in the stone spoke to the Spirit in his core.


    Moving his hand to slide his fingers around the stone on one side, he grabbed the other side with his other hand. He started to pull, surprised at how light the stone was. It looked like it should be heavy but there was barely any physical weight to it. He could feel a presence in the stone, a spiritual weight to it.


    He stepped away from the portal, holding the stone in front of him. It was about the size of a basketball, multi-faceted. Runes covered the entire surface, he could feel the indentations under his fingers. It still pulsed in time with the portal.


    ¡°How do I shut it off?,¡± he asked again.


    ¡°I do not know,¡± Elora answered.


    ¡°Send a pulse of your Spirit into it,¡± Cerie instructed, her eyes glowing green, indicating she was accessing her internal data. ¡°You want to stop the flow of Spirit going into the stone.¡±


    Loch looked down at the stone. He could feel the Spirit as it danced around the stone. It didn¡¯t move from rune to rune in a straight line, instead zig zagging through the crystalline structure. Pulling Spirit from his Core, Loch sent it down his arm and into the portal stone. He felt the stone¡¯s Spirit react. It started sparking and crackling as he pushed his Spirit through the flow, searching for where the ambient Spirit of the world entered the stone. He found it, buried deep inside the stone. There was no path in like there was out. The energy just entered the stone in its center, a denser area where there was more Spirit gathered.


    He pushed his Spirit harder, meeting resistance. The stone didn¡¯t want to stop taking on Spirit. It had a task it was created for and would not stop doing that task. Loch pushed harder. He could feel that he was stronger but it didn¡¯t matter. The portal stone would not shut off.


    He was doing something wrong.


    Pushing hard wasn¡¯t working. He was trying to brute force it shut, using his strength. But hadn¡¯t Elora and Cerie said the stone was created by a Crafting Class? Those Classes were strong, just not necessarily in physical strength like Loch¡¯s Class and other Combat Classes. Their strength was in the intricacies of creation. They couldn¡¯t brute force a solution, instead having to sometimes be slower, methodical and precise.


    What he¡¯d been doing wrong was approaching this like he would combat.


    Taking a deep breath, Loch slightly pulled back his push against the stone. He kept up the pressure, but didn¡¯t try to treat his Spirit like a blunt object. He weaved it around the gathered Spirit of the stone, lightly prodding at the mass of energy.


    A minute passed, two and more. Loch didn¡¯t know how long he kept at the stone. He didn¡¯t let his concentration slip, couldn¡¯t let it slip. If he was attacked, he¡¯d have to start the process all over again and somehow knew it would be harder. It felt like events he¡¯d had in games before, getting to an objective and needing uninterrupted time engaged with the objective before it could be claimed, activated or turned off.


    Another example of video and other games being training for the Connection.


    Finally Loch felt something shift inside the stone. One by one, the energy stream retreated from the runes, returning to the ball of Spirit in the center. Then that winked out, all the collected SPirit dispersing back into the world. The stone¡¯s glow disappeared.


    Loch looked up at the portal, watching it shrink. The brighter border started contracting, shrinking in on itself. The flat inner surface disappeared, just the border visibly. It started spinning, shrinking as it did until there was just a single bright point left.


    It flared and disappeared, leaving nothing behind.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?,¡± Davis asked. ¡°That seems pretty easy.¡±

 Chapter 174 (4.3)

    ¡°Typically a portal is heavily guarded,¡± Cerie explained. ¡°It is rare to get the time uninterrupted to do what you did.¡±


    ¡°I was part of a small raid on a town once,¡± Elora started, all eyes turning toward the elf. She looked off into the woods, not paying attention to the people around her. ¡°I was Level Five, maybe Six. It was held by a neighboring Clan and they had a portal that led deeper into their lands. The Silver Bark wanted it. We attacked with overwhelming numbers.¡± She paused, eyes lost in thought. A shudder went through her, Loch wondering what she was remembering and how bad it really was. She turned to look at him, eyes still slightly haunted. ¡°The majority of their defenders surrounded the portal, leaving the villagers to be slaughtered. They tried to give their Portalseer the time he needed to shut down the portal. We didn¡¯t allow it and ended up taking the portal over.¡±


    She fell silent.


    ¡°What happened after that?,¡± Drew asked.


    Loch hadn¡¯t seen the younger man walking over. He was in his late twenties and one of the strongest fighters, new to the Clan. Loch was glad he and his people had arrived when they had, helping stop the gaunt attack. The circumstances of why were not good. Drew had come from a camp of survivors in Strafford. They¡¯d been slaughtered by the giants in the area, Drew leading a small group away and to Northwood.


    He¡¯d had the choice to take the group to Northwood or Barrington, something making him choose Northwood. Loch suspected it was the Holdstone and the establishment of the Clan Territory. He wondered what that meant for Barrington. It was a much bigger town, it should have had more survivors in the area but was there a Clan in the town? And if not, what did that mean? Monsters or invaders in the area that had killed anyone surviving?


    More questions.


    They just didn¡¯t know enough about what was happening in the surrounding towns. The Earth getting larger wasn¡¯t helping. They were being cut off. He thought it was most likely intentional by the Connected System.


    ¡°We started sending raiders through the portal into the other Clan¡¯s lands,¡± Elora said, shrugging, the haunted look leaving her expression. ¡°I was not part of those raids so did not see what happened but soon after the Silver Bark annexed all those lands.¡±


    Loch looked down at the stone in his hand while everyone else looked at the elf. The way she spoke of raiding other Clans and taking over their lands, as if it was an everyday occurrence bothered them. It bothered Loch too, but he wasn¡¯t as surprised as the others. He knew what life in the Connection was. It was a normal day to raid other Clans and fight for expansion. To grow and Advance through the use of power.


    It was what Loch didn¡¯t want to happen on Earth.


    How many portals were open on Earth? The Silver Bark were one and they were nearby. Did the giants, the Hillgrowl Clan, have their own? What about elsewhere across the planet? There had to be more. Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Was fighting back against the invaders a hopeless task?


    The Connected System wasn¡¯t ruthless, it didn¡¯t give all advantage to the established Clans. It wanted the invaders to struggle just as much as the people of Earth. It wanted Adapted like Loch to grow and develop and challenge the established Clans. It wanted those Clan battles. The Connection didn¡¯t want the Silver Bark to come to Earth and just dominate. That didn¡¯t help anyone grow or Advance. Which is what the Connection fed off of. All that Spirit gained through Advancement and Leveling, that was the fuel for the Connection¡¯s own growth.


    ¡°Can we use this for ourselves,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°If the Clan has a Portalseer,¡± Cerie answered. ¡°It is worth holding onto for that day.¡±


    ¡°Pipes.¡±


    Piper stood up from where she¡¯d been leaning against the stonewall, sketchbook in hand. She closed it, Loch not sure if it was her normal one or the special one for her Inksummoner Class. Holding it under one arm, she hopped up onto the top of the stone wall. Loch was momentarily surprised at how easy she had made that look.


    No struggle, barely having to push. It was just a hop. Not that high, 3 or 4 feet, it was still something that Piper would have had to climb up before the Connection. She wasn¡¯t the gymnast like her sister, Harper, was. But to see her just hop up so easy, it was another look at just how much she had changed.


    How much the Connection had changed her.


    ¡°Need the bag?,¡± she asked, shifting the satchel hanging from her shoulder.


    It was a plain looking leather bag. Worn, signs that it was old but well made. Nothing special to look at but it was probably the most valuable thing the new Clan Brady owned. A spatial bag, able to hold a lot of stuff within an extra dimensional space. Loch wasn¡¯t sure how it worked, not even Cerie or Elora knew exactly how the bags were made, he just knew what it did.


    And that it was soulbound to Piper.


    Which meant she had to be around for it to be fully utilized. Harper and himself, being blood relations, were able to take things out in a limited capacity. Others could put things in if Piper held the bag. But that was it. For all other uses, Piper had to hold the bag.


    That forced her to be involved in things Loch really didn¡¯t want her to be. She was only thirteen. She shouldn¡¯t be in the middle of battles. But she was.


    Loch was proud of her, holding her own in those fights, but it was still something that shouldn¡¯t have kept happening.


    Still holding the pad under her arm, she managed to hold the top of the bag open. It was wide enough to barely fit the stone. Holding the stone near the opening, Loch turned away so he wouldn¡¯t need to see the spatial distortion as the magic of the bag warped and shrunk the stone to make it small enough to fit. He felt the pop of Spirit that was the stone disappearing into the bag¡¯s storage space.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± Loch said to the others around him. ¡°We have a lot to do.¡±


    ***


    They didn¡¯t get far.


    Instead of heading due west out of the fields, Loch led the others up the hill toward the ruins of the brewery. They had left more of their people up there. Those had taken the western wall from the gaunts manning it, setting up a defensive position. Loch wanted to see what was left of the wall before deciding if it was going to stay or not.


    As they passed by the brewery, coming around the back corner of the building, Loch could hear a commotion. Clan Brady guardsmen stood at the wall, which was just a pile of logs laid down by the gaunts. They were looking west, a couple with drawn bows. Shouting could be heard.


    Loch cursed, picking up the pace. The small group around him following. Only a handful had stayed down at the cemetery, others patrolling the field or coming up to the road. They were all looking toward the west, wondering what to do.


    Waving his hand in a circling motion, Loch gave them the ¡®wait¡¯ signal, glad they had worked the system out before the battle at the Clanhold.


    ¡°This is America,¡± someone shouted from beyond the wall. ¡°You can¡¯t stop us.¡±


    ¡°These lands belong to Clan Brady,¡± one of the guards shouted back. ¡°And it¡¯s not safe to pass yet. We just ended a threat,¡± he continued, waving down toward the field.


    Loch couldn¡¯t see who was on the other side. The guards looked relieved when they saw him approaching. The wall itself wasn¡¯t anything fancy, just five large trees stacked on top of each other, the bottom ones aligned to give the defenders a place to stand so they were higher than the wall. That was where the guards were and where Loch hopped up. He steadied himself with a hand against the rough bark, standing chest height above the top log.


    On the other side was a large group of people, maybe two dozen total. One of the largest Loch had seen. Most that were coming into the Clanhold had been in smaller groups of five or ten. Drew¡¯s had been the largest up until the one Loch was now looking at.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    One man stood in front of the others. He was tall, broad shouldered, had a thick and long beard and hair that had been matted into dreads. No weapons were held in hand but he had a large two handed sword strapped to his back and was wearing a metal breastplate. It was dented and worn, but looked sturdy. On his arms and legs he wore sports pads for protection.


    The rest of the group were men and women, a couple of kids. They looked tired and worn out, a couple with swords and spears. Real weapons, not broken branches or shovels. The oldest looked to be fifty, the rest in their mid-twenties to thirties. The kids were mostly tweens, a couple looking fourteen or fifteen and one that was five at the most. The leader, the guy in front, looked to be about forty. He also looked to be pretty belligerent.


    Another Rodger, Loch thought, just what he needed.


    As soon as he appeared, the man¡¯s eyes were focused on Loch. So was everyone in the group.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem,¡± Loch asked the guard.


    ¡°We told these guys they had to wait until the area was secure but that one thought were just trying to..,¡± he paused, glaring at the other man. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he was thinking. He just didn¡¯t like us telling him to wait.¡±


    ¡°You ain¡¯t got no right to tell us where we can or can¡¯t go,¡± the man growled, pointing up at Loch.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Loch said. ¡°Up until fifteen minutes ago this area was overrun with humanoid monsters called Gaunts. They were hostile and there were probably a couple dozen that we just killed off.¡±


    ¡°Who are you,¡± the man called up?


    ¡°Lochlan Brady.¡±


    As soon as the words were out, Loch knew he¡¯d probably made a mistake. The man¡¯s posture stiffened, he took an aggressive step forward, hands clenching. A couple of the others in the group, standing on the edges in the rear of the group, obvious fighters and protectors starting tensing. Loch could feel the tension rising in his people around him.


    He held out his hands, waving them down, telling his people to relax. It didn¡¯t translate or carry over to the newcomers.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the one that thinks you own this land? Some wanna be dictator gonna tax the shit out of us who have nothing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Loch said, fighting back a sigh. ¡°Look, you don¡¯t believe us, come on over and take a look at the bodies yourself.¡±


    ¡°Sure, put ourselves behind your wall,¡± the man growled.


    ¡°Not our wall,¡± one of Loch¡¯s people shouted. ¡°The gaunt¡¯s built it.¡±


    He was mostly ignored. The leader of the ragtag group didn¡¯t care to hear anything. He raised a hand, ready to shout something when one of the older members stepped forward. He laid a hand on the other¡¯s shoulder, leaning in close to whisper. With his Adapted hearing, Loch could still hear it.


    ¡°Josh, let it go,¡± the older man said. ¡°Look at them, if they wanted, they¡¯d slaughter us.¡±


    The leader, apparently named Josh, glared at Loch and his people but Loch could see the wheels turning, see the man acknowledging what the older had said. His eyes moved from Loch, seeing the armor and glowing axe in hand, to the guards with swords and the archers. None of them had arrows aimed at the people, but they were held against bows, nocked in the string and ready to draw and fire. Loch wasn¡¯t sure what else Josh sensed or could see, but his posture shifted. He was still defensive but no longer as aggressive.


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry,¡± the older man said, releasing the other¡¯s shoulder and stepping to the side. Loch wasn¡¯t sure if it was just to keep talking or make sure there was space between the two in case Loch¡¯s people attacked. ¡°It¡¯s been a rough couple of weeks. We didn¡¯t mean to offend.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± Loch said, wanting to get this moving. He had things to do and it looked like these people needed food and shelter. There were fighters that looked like they had some experience. Loch didn¡¯t try to use Evaluate, not needing to see how many were Classed. Not yet anyways. ¡°It¡¯s been rough all around. Where are you coming from?¡±


    ¡°We were part of a camp in Pittsfield,¡± the man said. ¡°A bunch of us had a falling out with those in charge, which is why we¡¯re a bit testy. Headed this way when we left.¡±


    ¡°Why this way?¡±


    ¡°Just felt drawn this direction,¡± the older man said with a shrug. ¡°We came down 107 by the old Jeep store. Sad that it¡¯s gone, they used to have some great ones there.¡± He shook his head, sighing.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t sent anyone further than the stores down there,¡± Loch said, pointing at the hardware store just visible down the hill.


    ¡°Assume you¡¯re the folks that cleaned it out?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just about a week ago.¡±


    ¡°Name¡¯s Jeremy Heeler,¡± the older man said. ¡°The irritable guy is Josh Hauser.¡±


    Josh grunted, still glaring at Loch. Jeremy sighed again.


    ¡°There were monsters you say?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, humanoid creatures. A kind of undead.¡±


    ¡°Zombies,¡± Josh grumbled, spitting on the ground.


    ¡°Not quite, we have some of those at a cemetery near our Clanhold,¡± Loch explained. ¡°Come on over and take a look.¡±


    Josh looked to Jeremy who nodded. Loch had thought Josh to be in charge but it looked like Jeremy really was. Josh was the muscle, put up front to be intimidating, with Jeremy in the back watching it all. Not a bad system, Loch thought.


    Josh turned around, motioning to two other men. Each had real swords with mismatched pads and protection. All three headed for the end of the wall where Brian had been standing with a couple of others. He looked up at Loch, who nodded. Brian stepped aside, arms crossed with the large club visible.


    The three men didn¡¯t appear intimidated, Josh glaring at Brian to size up the much larger man. Josh wasn¡¯t small by any means, bodily larger than Loch, but compared to Brian he was small. Everytime he Leveled up, Brian seemed to get just a little bit larger. Loch hopped off the wall, meeting Josh and the other two, who appeared nervous now staring at all the armed people waiting beyond the wall.


    ¡°Got a lot of folks,¡± Josh said. He didn¡¯t show it, but Loch could see the nervousness in his eyes and the way he clenched his fist. He wanted the large two-handed sword in his hands.


    ¡°Not all,¡± Loch said. ¡°Have more back at the Clanhold.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Second time you¡¯ve mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what the Connection calls the place we¡¯ve established,¡± Loch said. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the camp in Pittsfield a Clanhold?¡±


    ¡°Nope. No Clan,¡± Josh said.


    Loch couldn¡¯t place his accent. It had a bit of a southern twang to it but muted as if the man had been living in the northeast for years. He looked to be late 20s. The beard was long and scraggly. It¡¯d been long to begin with and only gotten longer.


    ¡°Max was the guy in charge. Bit of an asshole.¡±


    ¡°A bit,¡± one of the other guys said with a chuckle.


    Both the other and Josh laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, ¡®kay. He was a major asshole. Reason why we left. Just didn¡¯t like what he was doing.¡±


    ¡°And what was that,¡± Loch asked, leading the trio down the hill.


    Only a couple steps away from the wall and the pile of bodies was visible, as was the growing pile of swords, other weapons and pieces of armor. Loch saw Josh¡¯s eyes widen at that pile before sliding over to the bodies.


    ¡°They¡¯re gray,¡± he said.


    ¡°The official name given by the Connection is Gray Gaunt,¡± Loch explained. ¡°Most of them are Drones, a kind of hive mind controlled by a stronger version. Those were brought here by a portal that we just shut down.¡±


    Josh looked sharply at Loch, then back at the bodies. Anyone would have thought Loch to be crazy talking about portals, but in a post Connection world, anything was possible. It was apparent that Josh hadn¡¯t dealt with portals but had seen enough to believe Loch.


    ¡°Others were created by a stronger creature called a Dullahan. And yes, it had a flaming skull for a head,¡± Loch said, chuckling. None of the trio did. ¡°Those were somehow reanimated from bodies found in the cemetery and elsewhere.¡±


    Loch was glad he didn¡¯t need to further explain what elsewhere meant. The world was dangerous and just walking down the road was no longer safe.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of them,¡± Josh said as they stopped about twenty feet away.


    ¡°That many would have slaughtered us,¡± one of the two men said.


    ¡°Yep, they would have,¡± Josh replied with a sigh. ¡°You say you got a place?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Loch answered. ¡°We¡¯d be glad to have you.¡±


    He held in a sigh. More mouths to feed with the limited Resources they had. But there were some experienced fighters with them. He¡¯d have to learn more about the situation in Pittsfield. Even with the increased size of the planet, that was pretty close.

 Chapter 232 (4.61)

    Loch appeared behind the Crone, Onyx swinging, the edge crackling with energy. The Crone sensed the attack, twisting and managing to summon a glowing green translucent shield. Onyx slammed into the surface, cracks spider webbing across the shield, crackling bolts of energy snapping. The smile was gone, replaced by a grimace of frustration.


    A blob of silver energy slammed into the Crone¡¯s back, staggering her forward. Loch swung again, blocked by another shield, forcing the Crone to focus on him.


    ¡°Coward,¡± Hoskia shouted.


    Loch couldn¡¯t see him, but could feel the elf rushing his way.


    Swinging Onyx against the Crone¡¯s shields, Loch resisted the urge to escape. Not yet. He saw the bright white light of a spear coming for the Crone¡¯s back. The old elf woman could feel it. She started to turn but another swing by Onyx forced her to focus back on Loch. She never saw the spear.


    Loch Activated Windstep just as the tip burst through the Crone¡¯s chest.


    He appeared next to Loric. The surprised Ghostweaver managed to get his staff up in time to stop the swing of Onyx. An easy swing, not with Loch¡¯s full strength, just meant to distract the elf. The end of the staff started to glow, Loric¡¯s fine features edged in anger. He turned, some sense warning him. But not in time.


    Randy¡¯s fist slammed into Loric¡¯s face, staggering the elf.


    ¡°Fight me coward!,¡± Hoskia yelled.


    Loch Activated Windstep.


    He appeared behind one of the Silver Bark Midwardens. The elf was pressing one of the twins hard. Loch swung Onyx, slicing deep into the Midwarden¡¯s side. The elf fell forward, right into the twin¡¯s spear.


    ¡°Thanks boss,¡± the twin said, Loch wasn¡¯t sure which one it was.


    Loch nodded and used Windstep again.


    He pushed the Ability as much as he could, using it as often as he could, pushing the cooldown, the range and everything else about it. Loch moved around the battlefield, assisting his people. He didn¡¯t kill anyone, but each appearance and single attack was pivotal. They were distractions, letting his people get the advantage or even the killing blow. As Loch stepped from fight to fight, the stalemate ended, Clan Brady coming out on top.


    Hoskia Silver Bark stopped giving chase. He stood in the middle, surrounded by smaller battles all around. Anger flared in the elven leader. His eyes tracked Loch even with the speed of Windstep. He turned, following Loch as he went from fight to fight.


    Finally, Loch came to a stop. He stood twenty feet from Hoskia, Onyx hanging by his side. Loch was breathing heavy as he faced Hoskia, who looked to have healed from his wounds and not winded at all.


    ¡°That was foolish Lochlan Brady,¡± Hoskia said, pointing one of his swords at Loch. ¡°You already could not defeat me and that waste of time used up more of your Spirit reserves. There was no point to it.¡±


    ¡°Sure there was,¡± Loch said, standing a little straighter. He smiled.


    Hoskia twisted, sensing the attack as two inkblack cats jumped toward him. He slashed with both swords, cutting through the inksummons. Drops of black liquid fell to the ground as the cats dissipated. Hoskia ducked at a shining spear just missed his shoulder. It struck in the ground before disappearing. A sword swung, blocked an arrow, knocking it to the side. He turned back to glare at Loch, eyes filled with hate.


    ¡°Coward. You are afraid to face me by yourself,¡± he accused.


    Loch shrugged.


    ¡°No, but why should I?¡±


    ¡°Your honor demands it,¡± Hoskia growled, twisting to avoid another arrow. ¡°To rely on others is to show weakness.¡±


    ¡°No, your honor demands it,¡± Loch said, taking a step forward. ¡°Not mine. I am strong and powerful but it¡¯s not to use that power for myself.¡± He took another step forward as Hoskia defended against spear thrusts, arrows, blasts of silver energy and more inksummons. ¡°I thought the power was to be used to protect my people but it¡¯s not. It¡¯s to be used to support them. I can be the difference maker but I am not alone. I am the leader but I am also a soldier and soldiers are never alone. I am the Warbreaker.¡±


    Loch shouted the last like a warcry, throwing Onyx. The axe spun end over end, crackling with energy. It slammed into Hoskia¡¯s shoulder, cutting through armor, drawing blood. The weapon disappeared, back in Loch¡¯s hand as he crossed the last couple of feet. Growing to full size, Loch swung the weapon with Cleave Activated.


    Hoskia held a sword up, trying to block the downward swing. Onyx met the metal of the sword, energy flaring, bolts crackling. Somehow the sword held, even against the strength of Loch and Cleave. The sword held, but Hoskia¡¯s arm did not. The snap of bone was heard over the sounds of battle. Hoskia dropped the sword, Loch stomping on the blade to prevent the elf from trying to pick it up.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The elf rolled back, grunting in pain as his broken arm slammed into the ground. He stood up, a little unsteady, holding his single blade toward Loch. Walking backwards, Hoskia stopped, turning around to see the giant form of Jarl standing a few feet away. The giant horse reared up, kicking at the air.


    Hoskia turned the other direction but stopped as the glowing tip of a spear barred his way. Kelly stood there, Piper just behind. Loch¡¯s youngest held her wand in hand, pointed at Hoskia. Just behind her sat a large inkcat.


    Turning the last direction, Hoskia saw Elora and Randy. The elves'' eyes got a little wild as he realized what the other¡¯s presence meant. The Crone and Loric Greenspire were dead.


    ¡°You are a coward,¡± he said, moving to stand in the middle, pointing his last sword at Loch. His left arm hung useless. ¡°Is this how you show your strength?¡± He moved the tip of the sword, pointing at the others surrounding him. ¡°Do you need others to fight your battles?¡±


    Loch didn¡¯t say anything, just took a step closer.


    Hoskia faced Loch, but his eyes shifted from Kelly and Piper to Elora and Randy. He knew Jarl was behind him, but didn¡¯t turn. Loch could tell the horse¡¯s presence bothered the elf. He was no longer calm, but twitchy, like he could feel Jarl¡¯s breath against his back.


    ¡°You will anger the Connection,¡± Hoskia growled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Loch replied, taking another step forward.


    The ground shook as Jarl¡¯s hooves slammed down. Only Hoskia stumbled. The inkcat opened its mouth in a silent roar, padding closer, moving slowly around Hoskia in a circle. The elf stabbed out with the sword, missing the cat. He turned to glare at Elora.


    ¡°Betrayer! Oathbreaker,¡± he growled. ¡°You turned your back on your people and your ancestors.¡±


    ¡°There was a better way,¡± Elora replied, not even bothering to raise her weapon. ¡°And I took it.¡±


    Hoskia looked like he wanted to lunge at her. Elora didn¡¯t even flinch.


    ¡°This is not how things are done,¡± Hoskia yelled. ¡°In the Connected System, the strength of the individual is all that matters.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Loch said, taking another step forward. He Activated Precision Strike, seeing more yellow dots appearing over Hoskia¡¯s body. ¡°We don¡¯t care. The Connection may create the rules, it may give us our Abilities and control almost everything.¡± Lock sent Spirit flowing into Onyx, the axehead crackling with energy. ¡°But it does not rule us.¡±


    Loch Activated Cleave, swinging Onyx down. Hoskia raised his sword, blocking the axe. Kicking out, Loch caught the elf in the knee. A glancing blow that made Hoskia stumble. Onyx came down again, the sword barely catching it in time. Loch pushed, his strength driving Onyx down, closer to Hoskia¡¯s face. Fear filled the elf¡¯s eyes. They flashed briefly. He Activated an Ability.


    Loch felt a wave of force slam into him, pushing him back. He didn¡¯t stumble, able to keep his balance. It hurt, just from the pressure wave, but no additional damage. A repulsion Ability. It had to have a high Spirit cost, or long cooldown, as Hoskia didn¡¯t look happy about using it.


    Gone was any arrogance, the elf glaring at Loch with hate and a little worry. He glanced around the battlefield, the sounds of fighting had grown quieter. There were still some small fights but most had ended. Those would soon be finished as more of Clan Brady were able to assist the others. His eyes lowered in anger as he saw some of his Silver Bark had surrendered, only a handful of Clan Brady standing guard, including those horses. A single man sat on top of one, holding a strange looking device in his hand, aimed at the prisoners.


    Those Silver Bark looked on, watching Hoskia. There was no anger in their eyes at the dishonor being shown him. There was no fear. There was just resignation. Some even showed relief. None made a move to help him.


    Of course they wouldn¡¯t. That wasn¡¯t how the Silver Bark were taught.


    ¡°I will kill you,¡± Hoskia said, glaring at Loch.


    Loch swung Onyx, the sword coming up to block. Bulwark swung, spikes leading. Hoskia tried to twist to the side, but couldn¡¯t, Loch¡¯s leg catching the elfs. Loch pulled his leg, Hoskia falling to the ground. Onyx followed, the sword barely blocking as Hoskia rolled away. He jumped up ten feet away from Loch, falling again as the thrown and shrunken Onyx cut deep into his leg.


    Grimacing in pain, but not crying out, Hoskia reached for the axe, wanting to take Loch¡¯s weapon from him. It disappeared. He turned to face Loch, seeing the axe in the man¡¯s hand, growing to full size.


    ¡°There is no honor in this,¡± Hoskia said. ¡°If you kill me, it will have been with help. You did not do it alone.¡±


    Loch lowered Onyx, not stepping forward. He shook his head sadly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about honor. I care about my people and my family. Whatever it takes to keep them safe.¡±


    ¡°You are a fool.¡±


    Loch shrugged.


    Hoskia sneered, about to say something but stopped. The smile disappeared as he felt a presence behind him. Turning, Hoskia saw the large head of the inkcat. It was detailed, all parts of the head visible. Ears that twitched, long whiskers. It was all one dark black color, but the eyes were visible, glaring hungrily down at the elf. The wind pushed at the fur across its back.


    Trying to ignore the cat, Hoskia turned back to Loch.


    ¡°Face me,¡± he shouted. ¡°You have already shown yourself to be a coward. You have a chance to redeem yourself.¡±


    ¡°Redeem myself?,¡± Loch laughed. He shook his head sadly. ¡°I feel bad for you.¡±


    He turned away from the elf.


    ¡°Your wife will die. Your children will die. You will watch them be¡­¡±


    Hoskia fell silent, the shrunken down Onyx embedded in his chest.

 Chapter 233 (4.62)

    Multi-colored sparks drifted up from the body of Hoskia Silver Bark, flowing into Loch. He felt his Spirit experience increase, the mental bar pushing past the end and a good way into the next Level. Notifications filled his vision, but he ignored them for now. Smaller amounts of sparks drifted away, floating into Kelly, Piper, Elora and even Jarl. The big horse tossing his mane in victory.


    ¡°Dad!,¡± Piper yelled, running over.


    Loch grabbed her in a hug, kissing the top of her head. He looked around the battlefield, trying to find every member of Clan Brady. They were all there. Brian and one of the twins were hurt, sitting on the ground leaning against the bones of the triceratops, with Julia tending them. But everyone was alive. He let out a sigh of relief, extending an arm as Kelly came closer. He wrapped her up, kissing her.


    ¡°It worked,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Loch smiled. ¡°Somehow it did.¡±


    Elora stood over the corpse of Hoskia.


    ¡°Are you okay?,¡± Loch asked.


    She nodded, not turning from looking at the body.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kelly said, making Elora turn. ¡°It was your advice that won this fight. He reacted exactly as you said.¡±


    ¡°I did not know him,¡± Elora said, crouching down, running her fingers over the etchings in Hoskia¡¯s armor. ¡°But I knew the Silver Bark.¡± She laughed, a bitter sound. ¡°For all his talk about the individual and the individual¡¯s power and strength, he acted just like them all. Just one of many. In the end, they are all the same.¡± She stood up, turning to look at the prisoners. Most of them were staring at her, others staring at Loch. None looked at Hoskia¡¯s body. ¡°All the Silver Bark, maybe all of the elves, are the same.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Loch said, letting Kelly and Piper go. He walked over to Elora, gripping her shoulder, making her turn to look at him. ¡°You weren¡¯t. Maybe some of them won¡¯t be either.¡±


    She nodded, giving a small smile.


    ¡°That would be good.¡±


    ***


    Loch leaned against the bones. Piper sat on a pile of cloaks next to him, drawing in her sketchbook. She¡¯d used up a lot of her summons in the battle. He¡¯d been amazed at how many she¡¯d managed to summon. Kelly was leaning against another bone, a foot or two away. Her eyes were vacant as she looked at notifications.


    Brian and the twins were on watch, everyone else collecting the loot. There was a lot of it. The surviving Silver Bark, only a half dozen, had been stripped of their weapons and armor. They had been the ones to surrender. Loch recognized a few as the ones that had been hesitant when Elora had first spoken to the Silver Bark. She was with them now, talking to them, telling them what to expect and how as prisoners of Clan Brady they would be treated differently from what prisoners of the Silver Bark or other Connected races would be. Some looked hopeful, others disbelieving. She was also taking the prisoner¡¯s oaths. They were swearing to the Connected System, not to join Clan Brady or renounce the Silver Bark, but to go along peacefully as prisoners of war. Cerie was with her, making sure the oaths were true.


    He really hadn¡¯t planned on their being prisoners. They had hoped some Silver Bark could be persuaded to renounce the Clan like Elora had, or at least not to fight. These ones had surrendered, something no one had expected. Not even Elora or Cerie. But both Elora and Cerie said that the oaths they were taking now could be trusted. As prisoners of war, they would behave.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.And as they had surrendered, they couldn¡¯t go back to the Silver Bark. Clan Brady was their only choice.


    With the dead, the bodies dragged and thrown into a pile, and the living¡¯s equipment there was a lot of armor and weapons. The pile off to the side was growing. They hadn¡¯t gotten to the Crone, Loric Greenspire or Hoskia Silver Bark yet. Loch was interested in the swords Hoskia had wielded. At least one of them had been enchanted.


    They couldn¡¯t rest long. There were prisoners to deal with and the next part of the plan, but for now Loch could look through his Notifications.


    YOU HAVE GAINED ENOUGH SPIRIT TO LEVEL YOUR CLASS. WARBREAKER IS NOW LEVEL TWENTY-SEVEN. YOU HAVE GAINED +1 STRENGTH AND +1 ENDURANCE AND HAVE 6 FREE POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE.


    YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE ACHIEVEMENT: WAR LEADER RANK 2


    YOU HAVE LED YOUR OUTNUMBERED PEOPLE TO VICTORY IN BATTLE AGAINST STRONGER FOES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FOES WEAKNESSES BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY YOUR PEOPLE¡¯S STRENGTHS. YOU HAVE EARNED +3% TO INTELLIGENCE AND +3% TO WISDOM.


    YOUR SOUL WEAPON HAS REACHED LEVEL TWELVE. WEAPON SKILL LIGHTNING STRIKE HAS REACHED RANK TWO.


    LIGHTNING STRIKE RANK TWO: 25 SPIRIT ACTIVATION, +5 SPIRIT ACTIVATION EVERY 5 WEAPON LEVELS. +13% CRITICAL HIT CHANCE, +2% EVERY FIVE WEAPON LEVELS. DEALS SLASHING DAMAGE. DEALS LIGHTNING ELEMENTAL DAMAGE CAUSING +13% ADDITIONAL DAMAGE +2% EVERY FIVE WEAPON LEVELS. 30% CHANCE OF STUN LASTING 10 SECONDS, +2 SECOND PER EVERY FIVE WEAPON LEVELS. FREQUENCY: TWO MINUTES, -3 SECONDS EVERY FIVE WEAPON LEVELS.


    Assigning his new attribute points, Loch stood up. He dismissed the notifications.


    It was time to go.


    Reaching down, he took Kelly¡¯s hand, helping her to stand. It felt good to hold her hand again. Fighting alongside her had been interesting. He hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to really watch her in action, but what he had seen had been impressive. She¡¯d always impressed him in anything she did, and that had been no different.


    Still holding his hand, Kelly looked over the pond, in the direction of the Silver Bark camp.


    ¡°Think it¡¯s started?¡±


    ¡°Hopefully,¡± Loch replied, tapping Piper with his foot. She had been lost in her sketching. ¡°Pipes, time to go.¡±


    Finishing up a couple of lines, Piper put the sketchbook and pen away in her bag. Without a word, she walked over to the piles of loot and started filling the spatial bag. Loch and Kelly helped her, making short work. The last bit of gear taken from Hoskia and Loric was piled up as the Bradys filled the bag. Loch stood up, letting Kelly and Piper deal with the last bits of loot, as Brian and Elora walked over.


    ¡°They have all taken the oath,¡± the elf said.


    ¡°Are we sure they can be trusted?,¡± Brian asked, huge club resting against his shoulder.


    Loch looked to Elora, who nodded. That was good enough for him. Brian saw the nod and grunted, accepting the answer.


    ¡°They do present a bit of a problem,¡± Loch said, looking up at Brian. ¡°Someone has to take them back to the school.¡±


    Brian grunted.


    ¡°I guess that means I¡¯m taking the twins,¡± he grumbled.


    Loch smiled, glad the man hadn¡¯t argued. Elora looked like she was about to but Loch held up a hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re still coming with us. Pick a horse,¡± he added, pointing to the animals that were contentedly chewing on the grass. ¡°The rest of the Clan is heading back home. We¡¯re heading to the Silver Bark Camp.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully Harper will have done her part,¡± Elora said.


    Loch smiled, looking out over the pond at the distant camp.


    ¡°She will.¡±

 Book 4 - Lochs Ending Status

    LOCH¡¯S ENDING STATUS


    NAME: Lochlan Brady


    RACE: Human Rank E


    CLASS: Warbreaker


    Patron: Thor, The Storm


    LEVEL: 27


    STRENGTH: 50


    Base: 46


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0


    ENDURANCE: 49


    Base: 45


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0


    DEXTERITY: 40


    Base: 37


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0


    WILLPOWER: 49


    Base: 45


    Achievements: 11%


    Equipment: 0


    INTELLIGENCE: 47


    Base: 43


    Achievements: 11%


    Equipment: 0


    PERCEPTION: 37


    Base: 34


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0


    UNASSIGNED POINTS: 0


    HEALTH:  490


    Base: 490


    Achievements: 0


    Equipment: 0


    STAMINA: 490


    Base: 490


    Achievements: 0


    Equipment: 0


    SPIRIT RESERVES: 4,944


    Base: 4,800Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Achievements: +3%


    Equipment: 0


    ATTACK: 25%


    Base: 0


    Achievements: +18%


    Equipment: +7%


    DEFENSE: 38%


    Base: 0


    Achievements: +18%


    Equipment: +20%


    ACHIEVEMENTS:


    A GROWING CLAN RANK I


    BANE OF RAPTORS RANK I


    BEAR¡¯S BANE RANK I


    BREAKER OF WAR RANK I


    BUGBEAR KILLER RANK I


    CHIPMUNK KILLER RANK I


    CLAN¡¯S STRENGTH


    DEFIANT CLANCHIEF


    DEMON DESTROYER RANK I


    DUNGEONEER RANK I


    ELITE KILLER RANK 2


    FIGHT FOR THE RESOURCES RANK I


    FIRST ACHIEVEMENT EARNER


    FIRST CHALLENGER


    FIRST CLASSER


    FIRST DUNGEONEER


    FIRST TO FIVE


    FIRST TO TEN


    FIRST TO TWENTY-FIVE


    GAUNTS BANE RANK 2


    GIANTS BANE RANK 1


    HIGHER LEVEL RANK 1


    HIGHER LEVEL RANK 2


    HIGHER LEVEL RANK 4


    HOB KILLER RANK I


    HUNGERS BANE


    KATSHITUASHKU BANE RANK I


    LEVEL MILESTONE RANK 1


    LEVEL MILESTONE RANK 2


    LEVEL MILESTONE RANK 3


    ONE STRIKE


    PATRON¡¯S FIRST


    RAT SLAYER RANK 1


    RAPTORS BANE RANK I


    REPEATED IGNORE RANK 1


    STRIKING HIGHER


    THE FIRST BANE


    TROGLODYTE KILLER RANK I


    UNPREPARED DUNGEONEER


    WAR LEADER RANK 2


    SKILLS & ABILITIES:


    EVALUATE RANK TWO (ACTIVE SKILL)


    DEFIANT RAGE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    HEAT RESISTANCE RANK ONE (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    MENTAL RESISTANCE RANK ONE (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    POISON RESISTANCE RANK ONE (PASSIVE SKILL)


    BOONS:


    STORM¡¯S TOUCH RANK ONE (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    THUNDERCLAP RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    CLASS:


    AURA OF ATTACK RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    BREAKER¡¯S BANNER RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    LIGHTNING BULWARK RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE WEAPONRY (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    PRECISION STRIKE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    STANCE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    RACIAL:


    ADAPTABLE (PASSIVE SKILL)


    DISEASE RESISTANCE (PASSIVE SKILL)


    GO BEYOND RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    TRAITS:


    UNFETTERED


    EQUIPMENT:


    ONYX: LEVEL 12 SOUL WEAPON


    CLEAVE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    LIGHTNING STRIKE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    SHIELD BASH RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    SMASH RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    WIDE CLEAVE RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    CHALLENGER¡¯S MAIL ARMOR SET 5 OF 5


    CHALLENGER¡¯S BOOTS


    CHALLENGER¡¯S BRACERS


    CHALLENGER¡¯S CHEST


    CHALLENGER¡¯S GLOVES


    CHALLENGER¡¯S LEGGINGS


    ELEMENTAL SURGE


    WINDSTEP


    CLAN BRADY


    CLAN RANK: CLANCHIEF


    CLANHOLD: NORTHWOOD


    REPUTATION: SILVER BARK CLAN - ANTAGONISTIC

 Chapter 234 (5.1)

    Harper held up a hand with a closed fist. She hoped it was the right signal. She¡¯d been trying to pay attention when her father had given instructions. An idea he had of trying to make communication easier for the various Clanmembers. The worry had been that if each group had their own way of silent communications, or even codewords and shortcuts they used, it would get confusing when in a larger group.


    No one would know what was being said.


    She thought he was worrying about nothing, but she¡¯d paid attention when her father and Darren, along with some others, had hammered out some signals to use. The hand up with closed fist meant stop.


    Glancing back, she saw that everyone had stopped. She was ten or fifteen feet ahead of the rest, scouting, and had caught a sound just ahead. Making a motion with her hand, hoping it was the one for stay, she crept ahead.


    Her Stealth skill had recently gone up, now Rank Two, which had given her increased ability to move silently over any terrain. It was an odd thing to use. The skill was considered passive, which she¡¯d been told meant it was always active. It didn¡¯t require the use of any Spirit, it just happened.


    For her, it translated as seeing all the small twigs, leaves, branches and other things that could snap and make noise. It told her where a board was loose, or a piece of furniture wasn¡¯t exactly level and the weight of someone passing could rock it. She knew how to set her feet, to step with her toes and not put weight down, barely touching the surface.


    It made her wish she¡¯d had that Ability, or Skill really as there was a difference, before the Connection. What teenager wouldn¡¯t want to be able to move silently through the house and sneak out?


    She moved slowly, stepping from shadow to shadow, glad that this part of the woods was thick with trees. It was an area she wasn¡¯t familiar with. Close to Bow Lake, but past the beaches, the road had gone into Strafford and then Pittsfield. She¡¯d driven it, but had never paid attention to the houses or woods. She thought there should be more houses. It was close to the lake, there was barely any undeveloped land.


    Wasn¡¯t there some Boy Scout camp or something further up the road? What had that turned into with the Connection¡¯s appearance?


    The noise grew louder. Someone, or something, moving through the woods. They were trying to be quiet, just not as quiet as she was. A shape came out of the shadows under the trees. The sun was just past its highest point, starting to set, and with the thick canopy of trees the ground was heavily shadowed. Made it cooler, which Harper didn¡¯t like.


    It reminded her too much of the Shadow Realm. It was always cold there. The lack of colors just added to the dreariness. Everytime she was there, it made her shiver. Not that she¡¯d stop going. Her Shadowskip Ability was just too good.


    She Activated it, stepping into the Shadow Realm. Instantly the cold increased. She could feel it on the exposed parts of her skin, where the leather armor didn¡¯t cover. Harper knew her dad, and now her mom, hated the armor. It left too much exposed. To her, it was no different from a bathing suit. It actually covered more than her suits had. She didn¡¯t know if their biggest complaint was the lack of cover or the actual lack of protection.


    It looked good. She looked good. Harper was pretty sure Davis thought she looked good.


    Focusing on the task at hand, Harper moved through the Shadow Realm. She crossed the distance between her and the elven scout in a matter of seconds. She didn¡¯t have to move cautiously or quietly, she was undetectable in the Shadow Realm. And time moved differently, faster.


    There was no color but she didn¡¯t need it. The elf had to be a Silver Bark scout, there wouldn¡¯t be a reason for anyone else to be in this area, so close to their camp. He was dressed in leather armor, similar in style to what Elora and that elf they had captured wore. A short sword was sheathed at his waist, a bow and quiver on his back. He was crouched down, looking toward where the rest of her group were waiting.


    She cursed, glad her father wasn¡¯t around to hear it.


    Or her mother, who really hated when she or Piper swore.


    They¡¯d been spotted, or heard. The elf knew they were coming.


    Or maybe he thought it was an animal.


    She moved to stand behind the crouched elf, who was hidden partially by a tree. It blocked some of his view, so she stepped to the side, getting a clearer view. She couldn¡¯t see the people from Clan Brady, which meant the elf probably couldn¡¯t either.


    He¡¯d heard a noise and was waiting to see what it was.


    Harper wondered what she could do.


    She didn¡¯t want to pop out of the Shadow Realm and kill the man. Her thoughts went down the dark path to when she¡¯d done that in the clearing after fighting the Wendigo. She¡¯d popped out and slain the Silver Bark Midwarden. Killed in cold blood. Murdered.


    It wasn¡¯t like she hadn¡¯t killed before. That was the way of life in the Connected System. Kill or be killed. She liked fighting, the way she could move and use her Abilities. She just hated the killing part. Killing that elf had felt like the right thing to do at the time, but she still had nightmares.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    The talk with Elora had helped, but Harper didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever get used to that kind of killing. She hoped she didn¡¯t at least.


    Killing this scout was the right idea. It would keep her and the rest of the Clan¡¯s presence in the area a secret. If they were discovered, the entire plan was ruined. Killing the scout would also mean one less enemy that would try to kill them.


    And Harper knew the elf wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill her or any of Clan Brady.


    So why did she hesitate?


    There were plenty of good reasons to do it.


    She drew her tonfas, holding them to the sides. Step out of the Shadow Realm, drive the left one forward into the elf¡¯s chest. Slide the right one across his throat. Easy and quick. If she was fast enough, it¡¯d be silent too. In the Shadow Realm she couldn¡¯t use Evaluate, so had no idea of his Level but most likely was equal or higher than her own. That would be a decent amount of Spirit experience.


    Harper had started envisioning her experience gain as a bar like her father did. It made it easier to gauge how close to Leveling she was and she was very close to hitting Level Twenty. This elf might even put her over the top and get the Level.


    All it would take was killing this elf.


    Taking a breath, she prepared to exit the Shadow Realm.


    But stopped. She couldn¡¯t do it.


    Harper wasn¡¯t naive. She was fifteen, would be sixteen very soon, still a teenager to many but not to Clan Brady. She was as much of an adult as any of them. She¡¯d been through just as much, if not more. She¡¯d fought and killed


    She knew that the mission would probably require killing. Her father hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that, but it probably would. But that was different. Killing in combat was different.


    She had told her parents she was ready.


    But was she really?


    ***


    She looked out over the small pond, where a running track had been, looking at the single large flower. It was beautiful, if a little odd looking. Standing by itself in the middle of the water. Small seedlings could be seen growing throughout the water, not yet popping above. Amelia Elmore, the Clan member with the Gardener Class, had identified it as a XXXX.


    A Natural Resource.


    With the xxx Tree, that made two that Clan Brady possessed. Cerie had said having one was rare and considered extremely lucky. Having two was unheard of.


    Cerie was back at the school with Piper. It was just Harper and her parents.


    It was going to be one of those conversations.


    When her mother had asked her to go on a walk with them, Harper had feared what it would be about. The conversations when parents wanted to talk to a child alone, taking them away from where the sibling couldn¡¯t eavesdrop, those were never good ones. She wasn¡¯t expecting this one to be any different.


    Her father was watching the treeline, where they assumed Silver Bark scouts were watching.


    ¡°Harper,¡± her mom said, sitting down on the grass. She patted it, wanting Harper to sit. ¡°I¡¯ve told you girls that I can¡¯t stay..¡±


    ¡°I know mom,¡± Harper replied, sitting down, pulling her knees up tight, waiting for the lecture to come.


    Dad had been giving her more responsibility. He knew her strength, understood she could take care of herself. But her father had always been the one more willing to let them, her and Piper, take more risks and try things, knowing they might be hurt. Mom was the overprotective one and Harper had a feeling that overprotectiveness was going to come back.


    Which might be why her father wasn¡¯t involving himself in the conversation. Yet. Her parents had always presented a unified front, even if they didn¡¯t fully agree with eachother. This was going to be one of those times.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you fight,¡± Kelly continued, looking out at the flower. ¡°Dad says you¡¯re amazing. All that dance and gymnastics paid off.¡± She chuckled. It wasn¡¯t a happy chuckle, Harper could feel the sadness. ¡°I want to tell you to not fight, to hide in the school.¡±


    Harper started to protest but her mom held up a hand. She turned to look at Harper, smiling and looking proud. A little sad but still proud.


    ¡°In this new world you¡¯re almost an adult and even though none of us wanted this, as a family we have responsibilities that have been given to us. Because we are Bradys, we don¡¯t run from those responsibilities as much as we might want to. We don¡¯t hide from them. I have the column of survivors I have to watch out for. I need to return to them soon. Here, your father is the Clanchief, he has hundreds that he¡¯s responsible for. And someday, you¡¯ll be the chief.¡±


    Harper looked out at the flower, pulling her legs tighter. At that moment she felt like a young girl again. She understood what her mom was saying. Her parents had always told the girls to never back down from their responsibilities, especially if it was something someone else counted on them for. Promises and responsibilities, two things to never not do.


    She knew she¡¯d be the Clanchief someday, maybe not for a very long time as the Adapted lived a long time. A lifespan that could be measured in hundreds of years. But someday she would be, whether Clan Brady was small or as far reaching and expansive as a Clan like the Silver Bark. It would be her responsibility.


    That thought scared her, but she wouldn¡¯t let her parents see that.


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that no matter how much I want you to hide in the school, I know you can¡¯t.¡± Kelly chuckled again, this time with real feeling. Harper looked to see her mom¡¯s wide smile, a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°And I know my daughter. You wouldn¡¯t hide no matter how much we asked you to. So we,¡± she paused, looking up at Loch, then back to Harper. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to.¡±


    Harper turned as her father sat down on the other side. He leaned forward so he could see both Harper and Kelly.


    ¡°But there is something we will ask of you,¡± Kelly said.


    ¡°It¡¯s extremely dangerous,¡± Loch said. ¡°But there¡¯s no one else that can do it.¡±

 Chapter 235 (5.2)

    Drew walked out from behind a large tree, his eyes grim. He sheathed one of his batons with a sigh. Harper watched, feeling disappointed with herself. In the end, she couldn¡¯t do it. She couldn¡¯t assassinate the scout. That¡¯s what it would have been.


    She¡¯d wondered if the Connection was pushing her in that direction. Her Abilities got bonuses from sneak attacks, and with her Stealth and Shadowskip, it was easy to appear out of nowhere and backstab an opponent. They were the perfect Abilities for an assassin.


    That was not what Harper wanted to be.


    To kill the elf would have been going too far down that path. The first time, she¡¯d taken a step down the path, but if she had killed the scout it would have been too many steps.


    Instead she¡¯d appeared and knocked him out quickly. They had debated about taking the scout prisoner but there weren¡¯t enough Clansmembers in the group to keep some behind to guard the prisoner. Tying him up and leaving him there would have been a death sentence. Some monster would have found him and eaten him alive.


    There was no choice. Drew had stepped up to do it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving,¡± he said, nodding to Harper.


    She nodded grimly. Turning she saw the rest of the group. Drew¡¯s team, along with Davis and his team. They were joined by a couple of the guards. With Harper, it was a total of fifteen people. She was the youngest, no one blamed her for not being able to kill the scout. At least she hoped they didn¡¯t.


    Drew had been put in charge of the combined Clansmembers, but everyone knew how important Harper was to the mission. And that she was the second highest Level in the Clan. That gave her some authority. At that moment, she wanted to run back to the school and hide in their room.


    But as her mom had said. They were Bradys. They didn¡¯t hide from their responsibilities. She had a mission to perform.


    Taking a deep breath, putting thoughts of the scout behind her, Harper took her place in front of the group, looking back to make sure they were all arranged. They didn¡¯t travel in a straight line, but more of an I-formation. A couple people further to the sides, still able to keep her in relative line of sight, to watch the flanks, with two more at the rear off to the sides. Raising her hand, she gave the motion to start moving.


    She kept her eyes and ears open for more scouts. It would have been safer to scout ahead in the Shadow Realm, but she wanted to limit her time there. Just quick Skips in and out, nothing extended. Not unless she needed to.


    Her thoughts drifted back to the conversation with her parents and the elf scout she hadn¡¯t killed, but allowed to be killed. What would her parents think? She knew they wouldn¡¯t have wanted her to kill the scout, but was it her responsibility?


    She sighed, not ready to make such decisions. No fifteen year old should, but she was being pushed into that position. Harper could feel the weight of the responsibility her parents had given her. It wasn¡¯t heavy but there. A lot was riding on her doing her job. Not just the lives of the people with her, and her own life, but many more. People she didn¡¯t even know.


    People in the future.


    If the plan failed, the Silver Bark would take over. Clan Brady would be no more. Elora had painted a picture of what a future with the Silver Bark in charge would be like. Humans would be little more than slaves, fodder for the elves'' expansion. They would rule the area, fighting and expanding out over the world until the entire planet belonged to them.


    Harper had read books, seen movies, showing a dystopian future. That is what would await humanity. Maybe one of the other higher Leveled and ranked humans would be able to stop the Silver Bark, or maybe even one of the other invading Connected races, but Clan Brady wouldn¡¯t survive.


    She didn¡¯t want to think about the future, not even one where she was the Clan leader. The present was enough. Taking a deep breath she pushed all thoughts down for later. She was doing that a lot and knew it wasn¡¯t healthy. But she had to focus on the present.


    ***


    Harper lost track of the time. Maybe an hour or two and they didn¡¯t come across any more scouts. She didn¡¯t know what that meant. Were the Silver Bark lax with their security or had more than they¡¯d expected gone with the leaders to confront her father?This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    It seemed like good news for them, but Harper wasn¡¯t sure. She had a bad feeling. Maybe she was being paranoid, but she didn¡¯t trust the lack of patrols. It made her extra cautious.


    Just ahead, through the trees, she could see the blue sky. It didn¡¯t take long to break out of the cover of the trees and onto the broken and cracked road. She¡¯d come out where she had wanted to. The homes on the forest side of the road were gone, replaced by more trees. The road itself was like all the roads around. Large cracks, pushed up sections of pavement. Across from the woods, the beach hadn¡¯t really changed.


    Northwood had three town beaches. One on Northwood Lake and two on Bow Lake. Those were pretty close together, one right on Bow Lake Road and the other on a side street that wrapped around part of the lake. The one on the road wasn¡¯t big, only wide enough for about a handful of cars, a stone wall separating the parking from the beach itself. Steps led down to the sandy area and then out onto the water.


    It looked just like the many times she¡¯d come down there with family and friends. She had liked the other beach off Bennett¡¯s Bridge better, but this one had been good. Nothing about it had changed. The boat launch to the side was there. Only the island that had been visible, seemingly not that far from shore, was now much further. Two of three times the original distance.


    Seeing the beach reminded Harper of life before the Connection. Fall was approaching, they would have come to the lake for the last swims of the season a couple of weekends before. The cold water had never bothered her. She loved to swim. Especially in lakes. She¡¯d always been more freshwater over seawater. Her mom was the opposite.


    Looking both ways up the road, not seeing anything, Harper stepped out onto the broken pavement. She smiled, looking at the beach. She was tempted to go for a swim. Maybe after everything had settled down, and in the spring when it was warmer. The constant wind blew across the street, bringing with it a chill.


    It didn¡¯t seem like winter would be that far off. A short fall. Or maybe it had been Fall for a while now. She had lost track of the months since the Connection. Winter could be right around the corner for all she knew. What had her father said? Kristin and some others were trying to figure out a way to count the days and figure out what month they really were in.


    She walked across the road, stopping at the stone wall. The others came out of the woods, Drew directing some to head up and down the road a ways to keep watch. She heard footsteps approaching.


    ¡°I spent so much time at this beach,¡± Davis said, leaning against the stone wall. ¡°Crazy that it really hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what Bennetts is like,¡± Harper said.


    ¡°Remember that time Ben got into a fight with Wyatt?,¡± Davis asked, turning to sit on the wall.


    Harper did the same, watching Drew and others talking. She knew she should join them, help, but figured she¡¯d just get in the way. Drew knew what to do.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that was crazy,¡± she answered Davis, shifting to look at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you knew I was here.¡±


    He laughed, smiling at her.


    ¡°I knew you were there. I kind of always knew if you were around.¡±


    Before she could say anything else, Drew called for her.


    ¡°Duty calls,¡± she said, sighing, hopping off the wall.


    Davis did the same, following after her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like camping here,¡± Drew said, looking around. ¡°Too open. Is there anything nearby that would be better.¡±


    Harper looked at Davis, who shrugged.


    ¡°Not really,¡± she said. ¡°Just more houses along the road.¡± She looked east, where the long hill of Bow Lake started. ¡°If we head east a bit, there¡¯s a side street that follows the lake but then ends up connecting to Sherburne.¡±


    Drew didn¡¯t recognize the names. Which made sense, he¡¯d been in Strafford and even though he¡¯d been down Bow Lake, most people thought Sherburne Hill was another road.


    ¡°You know that sharp corner on Ridge?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s where Bennetts Bridge Road ends up, and from that corner to the sharp corner on Bow Lake, that is actually Sherburne and not Ridge Road.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I always just called that Ridge.¡±


    ¡°Everyone does,¡± Davis said, chuckling.


    Some of the others around them laughed too, all understanding the joke. Those that hadn¡¯t been Northwood residents ignored the three until they got back on track.


    ¡°If we set up there,¡± Harper continued. ¡°And we need to retreat we can go down Bennetts or up Bow Lake.¡±


    ¡°Good thinking,¡± Drew said. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±

 Chapter 236 (5.3)

    The Silver Bark camp looked just as Elora had described it, or mostly described it as she had been blocked by the Connection from revealing too much. Harper didn¡¯t really understand it. The same restrictions kept Cerie from revealing too much about the Silver Bark inner workings. They had both tried to explain it. Something about keeping the Connection wanting things more competitive.


    Set away from the lake, down a dirt road and in a large clearing that Harper thought she remembered as being part of a future housing development. She¡¯d heard her father and some of the other fathers talking about it at some of her games. The complaint, not shared by her father, had been about Northwood not needing more homes, developments ruining the rural nature of the town and such. Harper and her friends had just rolled their eyes over it all. Their only concern was more homes leading to more students and the schools were already close to being overfilled.


    The camp wasn¡¯t large. Tents, looking big enough for four to six, were laid out in organized rows surrounding some larger ones in the middle. That was where the leadership would be, with the largest being in the center belonging to Hoskia Silver Bark, who should just be about to face off with her father. Or maybe they¡¯d already fought.


    Harper wasn¡¯t sure of the exact timing. The plan had been arranged by days, since communication and travel were so uncertain. The potential for wandering bands of monsters made scheduling joint actions difficult.


    It didn¡¯t look like most of the Silver Bark had gone with the leaders to meet with her father. There were still a lot of bodies moving around the camp. But Evaluate told her that they were all in the Level Ten to Fifteen range. At least that was her best guess from the feeling that Evaluate gave her compared to her own Level.


    Her father, with Elora and Cerie, had thought that Hoskia would bring his highest Leveled people thinking that Clan Brady would do the same. Cerie had said that to many Clans in the Connection, any meeting between them was a chance to show off their strength in different ways. One of those being in Levels. The Silver Bark would have more higher Leveled members than Clan Brady.  A show of force could force Clan Brady to surrender.


    Harper knew her father wouldn¡¯t. They were counting on Hoskia bringing his strongest. That part of the plan had worried Harper. It was going to mean her parents, and sister, were outnumbered but both parents had assured her that they knew what they were doing. She used one of her parents favorite lines on them.


    ¡°It¡¯s my job to worry,¡± she had told them.


    Looking at the Silver Bark camp, she really was worrying.


    Harper had climbed a tree just on the outskirts, going high enough to get a clear view and look down at the camp. She could see the tents, the perimeter with patrolling guards and in the corner were the prisoners.


    The fence was made with logs placed close together, ends jammed into the ground. The size of the logs varied, the spacing between different, but all had their tops cut to a point. There looked to be spikes embedded in the tops of the logs as well. Each was about fifteen feet tall, enough for even a Connected to not be able to jump out of. The spikes would prevent climbing. There was also a net, made out of some material Harper couldn¡¯t see, that covered the top of the small enclosure.


    And it was small. The people inside were jammed, packed in tight with barely any room to move. Just looking at the people, there were children, made Harper angry. She wanted to Shadowskip into the camp and rescue the people, but knew she couldn¡¯t.


    Not yet.


    There was a plan to follow.


    She looked down into the forest below, away from the camp. The others were well hidden, she couldn¡¯t even see them with her high Perception. That was good.


    Looking back at the camp, she tried to look past it, into the woods on the front and beyond. There was no movement she could see, just the patrols. Harper felt impatient. She wanted to attack but fought against that impulse. That had always been her biggest fault, bad impulse control. She thought she was getting better but the weight of responsibility was heavy. She wanted that weight off her shoulders.


    Harper started to shift but stopped, hearing a noise from below. An elf entry walked out from the trees a couple down from her, maybe fifteen feet. He moved toward the edge of the clearing with the camp, hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword. Head moved as the elf scanned the forest, watching and listening. Harper slowed her breathing, just as Elora had shown her. Slow and measured, quiet.


    The elf moved toward the clearing but stopped, head whipping around as a branch snapped in the forest. Harper forced herself not to move, to not try and find the source of the sound. She watched the elf, not looking at him directly but a spot to the side. He took a couple steps into the trees, almost directly below her.


    She could jump down on top of him, but that would make too much noise. Shadowskip and appear in front of him, taking him down quickly. But that would make noise. Her part of the plan involved making no noise.


    Shouting came from the camp, drawing the sentry¡¯s attention. Smoke rose up from the far corner, flames visible over the tents. Other guards and even the non-combat Silver Bark started running for toward the commotion. With one last look into the forest, the sentry took off, disappearing into the tents.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The fires were her cue.


    Harper Activated Shadowskip.


    ***


    She stepped out of the Shadow Realm facing the cage. Harper held up her hands, motioning the prisoners to be silent. They saw her appear from nowhere, started to cry out, but stopped as an older man in the front quickly shushed them. He turned to Harper, walking to the log bars, shifting to a bigger gap to get a better look.


    ¡°You¡¯re human,¡± he said.


    ¡°I am. My name¡¯s Harper Brady.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a child,¡± someone said from behind.


    The man turned back, making the hand motion again.


    ¡°Margaret, quiet now,¡± he scolded, turning back to Harper. His eyes moved past her to the flames on the other side of the camp. ¡°Take it you¡¯re here to get us out?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, stepping closer.


    In the Shadow Realm, Harper had walked around the cage, examining it from every side. She¡¯s even climbed the logs, checking it from the top. The entrance was made of smaller logs running horizontally, held to vertical logs. One end was tied to the larger logs that made the bar, the other end fixed with a some kind of rope and stick locking system. Harper hadn¡¯t seen anything like it before, but it worked. She had assumed the prisoners had tried to break free, but while the locking system looked simple and weak, she figured it was anything but. The thing was built to keep Adapted locked up, it had to be tough.


    She ran her hands over the rope. It felt thick and strong, but was still just rope.


    ¡°We tried to escape,¡± the man said, coming closer. ¡°The first night Billy,¡± he pointed to a large man behind him, sitting on the ground, hands tied behind his back. ¡°He tried to break it, and the logs. Got the guards angry and they tied him up with magic ropes. We can¡¯t cut ¡®em no matter what we do. Have to feed Billy by hand, when they give us food that is.¡±


    He spoke quietly, eyes constantly looking past Harper. She knew she had to hurry. The distraction wouldn¡¯t last long. The man seemed to know that as well. He stepped away from the door, quietly moving among the prisoners. He got them up, had others help the ones that needed it, getting the whole group organized. They looked sad and worn. It was obvious the Silver Bark hadn¡¯t been feeding them. Quick Evaluate on the man showed him to be much weaker than her, probably around Level Five if that. Maybe Eight. None of the others seemed to be stronger. Even Billy, the largest. He felt the strongest of them all, and that impression was more than half her Level. The man stood up, looking dejected, like the will had been beaten out of him. He was large, maybe as tall as Brian Jefferson, not as wide. He shuffled over to the door, looking down at Harper.


    ¡°I tried breaking it,¡± he said, voice flat. ¡°But wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡±


    Harper studied the lock. It looked so simple. She knew she had a lot of what were considered Rogue Skills in the games her father had played but none of them involved opening locks. There had to be something she was missing. Taking a step back, she reached out with a tonfa.


    The tip touched the wooden post. She moved it a bit back and forth. Nothing happened. It didn¡¯t appear to be trapped.


    ¡°One of us had a knife hidden in their boot,¡± the old man said, coming back. He reached up and patted Billy on the shoulder. ¡°Couldn¡¯t cut the rope.¡±


    ¡°Might not be a high enough Level,¡± Harper said, stepping back.


    She started walking around the cage again. The idea made sense. The way the cage was constructed, it wouldn¡¯t hold her father. It wouldn¡¯t even hold Piper. With the clear difference in strength between Levels, it would be easy enough to build an enclosure that lower Leveled people couldn¡¯t break out of.


    Returning to the lock, she threaded a tonfa through the rope loop. Holding the handle tight, she pulled the blade. It didn¡¯t slice through the rope but she felt it cut a few strands. The rope was at least an inch thick and not a material she recognized. Probably came from the Silver Bark¡¯s homeworld. Harper started moving the tonfa up and down, sawing through the rope.


    She glanced over her shoulder, seeing that more flames had appeared. There was the sounds of fighting now, metal on metal, the explosions of Abilities going off. She hoped that Drew and his party were safe. He¡¯d volunteered to take his group to the other side of the camp and make a distraction for her. Returning to the rope lock, she kept sawing.


    The blade cut strand after strand. She could see it halfway through the rope. Harper increased the speed and pressure, pulling the tonfa toward her. The rope snapped. She stumbled, stopping the blade from flying forward. The wooden post fell, the door sagging open.


    She looked up into the wide and surprised eyes of the old man and Billy. Grabbing the end, she pulled it open fully.


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    Billy stepped out, eyes scanning the camp, showing more life. The old man moved through the cage, tapping people, talking to them, pushing at them to get them moving. Harper stepped back, pointing into the woods.


    ¡°Move, quickly, there¡¯s people just inside the trees,¡± she said, as the prisoners stepped out.


    They moved slowly, hesitantly, unsure if it was real or not. Harper wondered what exactly these people had been through. What had the Silver Bark done to them?


    ¡°This way,¡± she said again, more urgently.


    The people started moving. They didn¡¯t want to step into the woods until they saw Davis. He stepped out from the trees, moving closely, motioning with his hand. They picked up the pace, moving into the trees. Davis kept them moving. Harper could see Kim Hudson just beyond. She reached out and helped a prisoner that had tripped.


    Finally only the old man and Billy remained.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the old man said, Billy still watching the camp.


    Harper looked up at the big man, smacking his arm as he wasn¡¯t paying attention. She motioned to the forest. He looked from her to the camp and then the lock. With a shrug, Billy jogged to catch up with the others.


    ¡°Move,¡± Harper told the old man. ¡°We¡¯re not safe yet.¡±

 Chapter 237 (5.4)

    Harper brought up the rear, constantly looking over her shoulder. The flames were dying down, as was the sound of fighting. She hoped that meant Drew and his people had gotten away, but it also meant the Silver Bark would be returning. They¡¯d find the empty cage.


    She wanted to hide their trail but that would be impossible. There was no way to hide the passage of the prisoners. They were tired and weak, breaking branches, leaning against trees, pushing aside bushes. To Harper, it looked like a herd of elephants had run through the forest.


    They weren¡¯t quiet either. Some talked, trying to keep it low but not working. None moved with stealth. Harper couldn¡¯t blame them but she still wished they would keep quiet and move faster. She was angry at herself for thinking it. What had they been through?


    She looked back at the camp, seeing shadowed forms running closer.


    They had to get moving. They had to put distance between themselves and the camp. Cerie and Elora didn¡¯t think the Silver Bark would give chase, not without their leaders there and after the camp was attacked. They wouldn¡¯t think the prisoners worth the effort. They wouldn¡¯t come out in force, but maybe some individuals would think they could earn some merit with the leadership if they recaptured the prisoners.


    She stopped next to Davis as Billy and the old man, Harper still didn¡¯t know his name, kept going.


    ¡°You know what to do?,¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, turning to look at her. He reached out and took one of her hands. ¡°You going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be with Drew¡¯s team. We¡¯ll meet up with dad and mom.¡±


    ¡°Good job in there,¡± Davis said, nodding to the cage.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Harper said, glad it was darker so he couldn¡¯t see her blush. ¡°You need to get going.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Davis said but didn¡¯t move.


    He leaned down, an arm going around her waist. Harper let him pull her closer. Their lips met. It wasn¡¯t her first kiss but it was the best one she¡¯d had yet. He pulled away a minute later, smiling down at her. She smiled up.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Davis said, running to rejoin the others.


    ¡°Bye,¡± Harper said, still smiling, Activating Shadowskip.


    In the Shadow Realm, the distant flames looked odd. No longer shades of red and orange, they were grays and blacks, but still somehow coming across as fire. The Shadow Realm was odd. She¡¯d never imagined there could be so many shades of black and gray.


    Running through the camp, she started the second part of the plan, her next responsibility. In the Shadow Realm, Harper couldn¡¯t affect anything in the real world. She had to hop out, so she did. Appearing in front of the largest tent, not seeing or hearing anyone, Harper ran her tonfas through the fabric, running around the perimeter. She cut through the support ropes, the whole thing collapsing. If she had more time, she would have gone inside and looted the place, but she could hear the shouts of the Silver Bark returning. Some had already found the cage, shouts ringing around the camp. Back in the Shadow Realm, Harper ran to a collection of crates and barrels she had noticed from the tree. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a small round canister. Leaving the Shadow Realm, Harper tossed the canister into the pile of crates. She returned to the Shadow Realm, quickly rushing across the camp.


    She couldn¡¯t hear or feel the explosion. Looking over her shoulder, she just saw more of the gray and black flames. It should have been hot but in the Shadow Realm, everything was cold.


    Harper made her way around the camp, cutting tents, destroying what she could. She avoided the elves as much as she could, only jumping out of the Shadow Realm for a couple of seconds if there were elves nearby. They spotted her, but were left confused when she disappeared.


    She may have given the elves a signal they didn¡¯t understand. A single finger, the middle, extended. Harper hoped her father never found out she had done that.


    From one end to the other, Harper bounced around the camp. Her Ability to jump in and out of the Shadow Realm had grown. She could do it more often, for a longer duration. She still felt the cold creeping in the more time she spent, but it was taking longer before the Realm started to affect her.


    Chaos covered the camp. Without the leadership there, none of the Silver Bark took any initiative. It should have been easy to regain control, even send out patrols to find the prisoners, but none of the remaining Silver Bark wanted to step up and assume command. If they did, and failed, they would be killed. Even if they did and succeeded, they still might be killed. There was no motivation to do anything unless ordered.


    Feeling the cold of the Realm, Harper knew her time was over. She had just one more thing to accomplish. Her father had insisted she do it last. As Harper ran across the camp, crossing what should have taken minutes in seconds, she realized why he had been right. She had wanted to hit the target first, but her father had argued that it would have been the most well guarded spot in the camp. She needed the first distraction and the following chaos to take away some, if not all, of the guards or else she¡¯d fail.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    And failure could mean death.


    Harper hugged herself tight, a shiver running through her body, as she watched. There were only two guards, both wearing heavier looking armor and even helmets. Instead of a sword, each carried a spear with a wider and larger head. Halberds? Wasn¡¯t that the word her father had used?


    Behind them the portal looked strange in the Shadow Realm. It was small, similar to the Gaunt portal in Johnson¡¯s Field. Elora had said they spent the Resources to keep it active but not open. It would not open until the Silver Bark on Earth had established enough territory and controlled enough Resources to power the portal themselves.


    She had remembered the gaunt portal being blue, the edge¡¯s crackling as it pulsed. The Silver Bark portal, looking at it through the Realm, was a shiny gray. The edges still crackled but it looked more liquid.


    Harper approached slowly, feeling some resistance from the portal itself. The thing wanted to drag her out of the Shadow Realm. She fought against it, but knew she couldn¡¯t fight for long. The portal was stronger. Walking around it, she found the stone. Harper left the Shadow Realm.


    She immediately felt the crackling heat of the portal, the blue light almost blinding. The stone sat on a small pedestal, looking like it was made from granite. There were markings carved into the pedestal, which Cerie had said were used to channel the energy of the Resources into the portal. There would be no traps as the energy of the portal itself messed with them.


    Reaching out, Harper grabbed the stone. As soon as she pulled it from the pedestal, the portal winked out. There was an audible snap as the small rip in reality disappeared. The guards turned, staring at Harper, who just waved at them before Activating Shadow Skip again.


    She made one final Skip out of the camp. She appeared in the woods, just past where the fires had been started. Some of the trees were done, others with their trunks covered in ash. Grass had been burned away. She felt bad, but the distraction had worked.


    One last look into the camp, making sure she wasn¡¯t noticed, Harper ran into the forest. She darted from tree to tree, using all her Stealth to avoid making noise. It was dark and she knew she blended in with the shadows, but noise could still give her away.


    ***


    ¡°Hey,¡± Harper said, holding back a smile as Drew jumped.


    The older man, only ten or so years older, drew his batons turning and facing her, weapons raise to defend or strike. Harper leaned against a tree, trying to catch her breath, holding a hand up to give a little wave. Her other arm was wrapped around her body, fighting back against the chills that spread throughout. She held back the shivering.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± Drew said, relaxing, but not putting his weapons away. ¡°You scared the hell out of me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Harper said, standing up.


    She moved away from the tree. All she wanted to do was lay down and sleep, but couldn¡¯t. Not yet. She still felt the chills, but not as bad. There was no way she could go back into the Shadow Realm, not for a while.


    Drew was alone. She wasn¡¯t sure where the rest of his party was, hoping he wasn¡¯t the only survivor of that group. They shouldn¡¯t have encountered much in the way of resistance. Their part of the plan had just been the distraction. Start the fires, run away. She had heard fighting, it hadn¡¯t gone fully to plan. She looked past Drew.


    ¡°They¡¯re fine,¡± he said, motioning for her to follow. ¡°Mostly minor wounds but Graham had gotten a bad one. We barely managed to get him out of there. A couple Silver Bark came after us but we took them out.¡±


    Drew led her deeper into the forest, away from the spot on the road that had been their designated meeting spot. Harper kept looking over her shoulder, expecting pursuers.


    ¡°You look pretty tired,¡± Drew said.


    ¡°Pushed my use of Shadowskip,¡± Harper replied. ¡°Pretty low on Spirit.¡±


    ¡°Take it, the prisoners are free?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, up to Davis and the others to get them the rest of the way. Didn¡¯t look like any Silver Bark were chasing them either. Your girlfriend was right.¡±


    Drew looked back at her, seeing Harper¡¯s smirk, he just shook his head, not bothering to respond. Harper knew Elora wasn¡¯t really Drew¡¯s girlfriend. The elf woman probably didn¡¯t even know what the term meant. But it was obvious to all that Drew was interested. Harper thought Elora was too, but didn¡¯t know elven mannerisms enough to judge.


    The two continued through the forest, Drew in the lead. Harper could feel herself slowing. Exhaustion was setting in quickly. She didn¡¯t know what to call what she¡¯d just done, but the adrenaline caused by it was fading and all her energy with it. The cold from overusing Shadowskip lingered in her bones, making her shiver as they moved through the thick forest.


    She just wanted to sleep for days.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Drew said after what felt like hours of walking, but was really only a half hour at the most.


    Harper didn¡¯t answer, at that point it was all she could do to put one foot in front of the other.

 Chapter 238 (5.5)

    Lochlan walked through the forest. He could hear Jarl and the other horses breaking their way through the low branches, working their way around the thickly growing trees. Larry and the other horses were having an easier time than Loch¡¯s giant warhorse, the wrapped burden he was carrying not making it easier, getting tangled and caught on branches. Jarl neighed and chuffed in aggravation, a hoof slamming into a trunk. The whole tree shook, crackling bolts of energy spreading around the trunk, leaving black scorch marks.


    ¡°Easy big guy,¡± he said, looking over his shoulder.


    Jarl chuffed.


    Loch laughed, watching the rest of the group as they made their way through the forest. It was a much smaller group then the one he¡¯d left with. Brian, the twins, Albert Bergmann, Julia Montgomery and Randy Sager were escorted the Silver Bark prisoners back to the school. The prisoners had taken an oath confirmed by the Connected System, so Loch wasn¡¯t that worried. But he¡¯d left orders with Brian that at the first sign of trouble, they were to abandon the prisoners, leaving them tied up.


    He didn¡¯t like it, but he valued his people¡¯s lives more and wanted them kept safe. Loch didn¡¯t want to just kill the prisoners, or leave them for monsters, but if it meant keeping his people alive it was something he would do.


    The party now was just Loch, Kelly, Piper, Elora and a single elf. Casian Nightgrass had taken an additional oath. Elora had made all the prisoners swear to not harm any member of Clan Brady unless first harmed. They could defend themselves if attacked but that was it. She had not made them renounce their oath to the Silver Bark Clan, which had made it easier for many to swear the additional oath. Cerie had said it was standard practice in the Connection with prisoners of war to make such oaths.


    Some of the prisoners had seemed like they wanted to renounce their oath to the Silver Bark like Elora had. Casian was one such. He¡¯d been in charge of the Silver Bark equivalent of a squad, but during the fight had stayed in the rear, not seeming to want to engage any of Clan Brady. He hadn¡¯t run, but hadn¡¯t been active either.


    Loch thought him an opportunist, waiting to see which way the battle went. If it looked like Hoskia was going to defeat Loch, Casian would have joined the attack and made it look like he¡¯d been trying the whole battle. With Loch winning, Casian had held promptly dropped his sword, stepping back.


    Some of the Silver Bark had glared at him. A couple had done the same. Loch had suspected possible spies at first, but remembered how some of the Silver Bark had looked uneasy when he and Elora had confronted Hoskia. Elora had left the Silver Bark at the first chance. Why wouldn¡¯t others?


    The elf walked in front of Loch and his family, taking the lead, Elora right behind. With Jarl and Larry were the two horses that had bonded with Kelly and Piper. The others had been sent back to the school. They had wanted to come with their pack leader, Larry, but the Storm Stallion had neighed, pawing at the school and any disagreement had come to an end.


    Loch had worried about taking a small group, especially one of just his family, to the Silver Bark camp. The presence of the horses helped ease that worry. With them, it would be relatively easy to escape if needed. Loch hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that.


    He hoped to get through the upcoming confrontation without bloodshed.


    They had spent the night at the battle, downslope away from the blood and bodies, just inside the trees where there was some shelter and safety from the night scavengers. And those had come. The fire had kept most away but a couple more daring predators had tried to attack their camp at night. They¡¯d quickly been killed, their pelts added to the pile of loot in Piper¡¯s Spatial Bag. Exhausted from the battle, and the stress leading up to it, having to listen to the feasting of scavengers all night, along with the growls and cries as they fought each other for the scraps. It hadn¡¯t been a relaxing night for any of them.


    Now it was more subdued. There were still predators in the night, but with the fire and the horses walking around the camp, Loch didn¡¯t think anything would bother them. He leaned against a tree, arm around Kelly, a blanket pulled over both of them. Piper was just a few feet away, closer to the fire, drawing in her sketchbook. Cerie glowed brighter than normal, her light helping Piper draw. It was nice, peaceful. The only thing missing was Harper.


    It reminded Loch of the times he and the family had spent out back at their firepit, just relaxing and enjoying the fire, the girls roasting s¡¯mores. He and Kelly would have a couple drinks, and then a couple more once the girls went to bed. Those were good times.


    He felt the anger against the Connection rising up. Taking a deep breath, Loch forced it down. Kelly sensed the shift in his mood.


    ¡°You good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, leaning a bit and kissing the top of her head. It felt so good to have her back. ¡°Just thinking of the last time we did this.¡±


    ¡°Hung out around the fire with elves, giant horses and a fairy?,¡± Kelly teased.


    ¡°Ha. Was thinking of the last time we had a fire at the house and the girls were with us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d been a while,¡± Kelly said, with a sigh. ¡°They were always so busy and getting Harper to hang out with us was turning into a chore.¡±


    Loch smiled as Kelly leaned in closer. He looked across the fire. Casian was on the other side, hands in his lap as he stared into the flames. Elora was next to the other elf, talking quietly. Loch wondered what she was telling the other elf, who he had been told was almost twice Elora¡¯s age. Casian didn¡¯t look it, he looked barely older than Elora. The legends and stories had been right about the long life of the elves.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    He looked up at the stars and the moon. It was a rare cloudless night. It hadn¡¯t rained for a couple of days, Loch expected they were due for a storm too. The weather had gotten worse with the Connection. It wasn¡¯t just the wind being constant now, but there was more rain and when it did storm, the storms were more fierce. It made him scared for what the winter would be like.


    The warmth of the fire spread out. Loch had always loved campfires. Head leaning against the tree, Loch closed his eyes.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± the musical voice of Casian brought him from his thoughts.


    Loch had almost fallen asleep. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have. Spending a chilly night sitting against a tree wouldn¡¯t help him in the morning. Before the Connection, doing that would lead to sickness and cramped joints. He¡¯d be a mess in the morning. Now, he¡¯d just be grumpy, maybe a couple minor aches and pains. Still not something he wanted to do. Kelly stirred next to him, murmuring in her sleep. Piper was gone. Quickly looking around, he spotted Cerie¡¯s light green glow in Piper¡¯s tent. Relieved, Loch focused on Casian.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, speaking just loud enough for the keen hearing of the elves.


    He didn¡¯t want to disturb Kelly. Not yet.


    ¡°What is your plan for us?¡±


    Loch took a moment to respond, sorting out his thoughts. He knew what he wanted to happen, but a lot would depend on how the Silver Bark would respond. His eyes wandered to the wrapped bundle off to the side.


    ¡°That depends on what the Silver Bark at the camp do,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you all fairly. That¡¯s the best I can do.¡±


    ***


    ¡°MOM!,¡± Harper said, rushing forward.


    Kelly let go of Lights¡¯s reins, grabbing her oldest in her arms. She held Harper tight. Kelly hadn¡¯t shown it, had tried hard to not show it, but she¡¯d been worried nonstop about Harper. She¡¯d worked with older women, ones that had seen their children off to college and then out into the real world. They had said letting the children go, letting them become adults and stand on their own without mom and dad, that was the hardest thing they¡¯d done.


    Harper was only fifteen. Kelly had thought she had at least three or four more years before college and then another four or more before Harper went off on her own. Thanks to the Connection, those years had become months. And most of those months, Kelly hadn¡¯t been there to watch over her girls.


    Loch had done an amazing job, especially with the situation. She wasn¡¯t mad at him for letting the girls fight. There had truly been no choice. When he¡¯d first proposed the idea of Harper going off to raid the Silver Bark camp, she had been against it. That was too much for a fifteen year old, even if she was the second highest Level in the Clan. Third with Kelly herself there. But even with her strength, Harper was too young.


    Kelly had finally been convinced. She¡¯d known that someday she¡¯d have to see her girls off into the world, let them become adults. And so she had let Harper go. Her oldest, her firstborn, the one that had made her a mother, had proven herschel over and over. Harper was strong.


    Holding her now, Kelly realized just how strong her daughter was.


    ¡°How did it go?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Good,¡± Harper said, laughing as Larry trotted over and nuzzled at her hair, eating and pulling a couple of the strands, just like he had done when she was a child.


    Drew walked over, the rest of his people in the clearing. They were breaking apart the camp they had set up the last couple days while waiting for Loch. Kelly didn¡¯t know the young man that well, but what she¡¯d seen she liked. He was strong, and seemed very loyal to the people he¡¯d brought to the Clan, the ones he¡¯d protected and led when their camp had been overrun by giants.


    ¡°The prisoners should almost be back to the school,¡± she said, stepping back from Kelly. She reached up and stroked Larry¡¯s neck. ¡°Drew¡¯s team caused a great distraction and I managed to do some damage and steal the portal stone.¡±


    ¡°Great job honey,¡± Loch said, leaning down and kissing the top of Harper¡¯s head. She didn¡¯t roll her eyes like she had before the Connection. That was one thing about the Connected System that Kelly liked, it had helped Harper stop being a moody teenager. She was sure her daughter still had moments, but she liked how responsible Harper had become. She didn¡¯t like that it took her daughter risking her life every day though.


    She watched Drew¡¯s team pack up the camp. They were quick and efficient, even kicking at the fire to spread the ashes to make sure it didn¡¯t light up again. It reminded her of the people in the caravan. After long months of walking, camping somewhere different almost every night, they had gotten quite good at packing up and moving on quickly.


    Her time was growing short. She¡¯d have to return to the caravan again soon. It tore at her. She¡¯d just been reunited with her family and she was going to have to leave them again. Kelly knew she could stay, but that would mean leaving the people in the caravan under Senora¡¯s control with no one to stop the elven High Priestess. Kelly couldn¡¯t allow that. She had accepted responsibility for those people and she would protect them.


    Even if it meant leaving her family again.


    But that was still some time away. She¡¯d make the most of what she had.


    ¡°You look like crap,¡± Piper said, coming from behind the horses.


    ¡°Piper!,¡± Kelly scolded.


    ¡°She does,¡± the youngest Brady remarked with a shrug and a smile at her sister.


    Kelly looked at Harper, tilting her head and smiling.


    ¡°She does,¡± Kelly said, earning a scowl from Harper.


    Kelly laughed. Harper just shook her head. Leaning down, which she didn¡¯t have to lean far, Harper had grown, Kelly walked over to where Loch was talking with Drew.


    ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of them,¡± Drew said. ¡°We killed a couple when they came to investigate our distraction, but¡­,¡± he shrugged. ¡°We couldn¡¯t get a good count in all the chaos. She¡¯s real good at causing that,¡± he finished, nodding to Harper.


    Harper smiled proudly.


    ¡°She¡¯s always been good at causing chaos,¡± Kelly said, purposefully not looking at her daughter. ¡°You should have seen how she kept her room.¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Harper grumbled.

 Chapter 239 (5.6)

    ¡°Who is in charge of you,¡± Loch shouted out.


    He sat tall on Jarl, Breaker¡¯s Banner Activated and shining behind him, casting the morning¡¯s light with a green tint. The banner was a show of power, Loch hoped they wouldn¡¯t need its buffing capabilities. Kelly sat on Light to his left. Harper and Piper a little behind on the right, sitting on their horses. Cerie had gone back into the Codex Band, which Piper had hidden within her sleeves. Behind them were Drew and his people, spread out but not hiding. In front of them all were Elora and Casian, who looked nervous. He tried to project an air of confidence but everyone could see he was failing.


    Elora wasn¡¯t. She stood proud, hand on the hilt of her sword, staring across the fifty feet or so into the Silver Bark camp. Most of the Silver Bark stood at the edge, around the few remaining tents, evidence of fire visible across the ground. They glared back. Some with outrage, some with curiosity. Elora met all those glares, not backing down.


    ¡°Who is in charge,¡± Loch yelled.


    None of the Silver Bark moved. They knew what it meant that Loch was appearing and not Hoskia. Finally one of them stepped forward. He¡¯d been at the edge, along the front line. Loch used Evaluate.


    SILVER BARK MIDWARDEN


    The elven man¡¯s strength felt comparable to Harpers. Maybe a little weaker.


    ¡°Who are you?,¡± the elf said.


    Loch sighed. The elf wanted to play games. He was in no mood for that.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Loch said, holding up a hand. ¡°You know I am.¡±


    The elf started to say something but Loch pointed at him, Onyx appearing in his hand. He¡¯d been weaponless and then he wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Loch said again, voice commanding. ¡°If you can¡¯t negotiate for the Silver Bark then leave.¡±


    The elf glared, hand reaching for his sword.


    ¡°Enough Glarian,¡± another voice said, one a little older and calmer.


    The Silver Bark parted, allowing a robed man to walk forward. He held a staff in his right hand, but he didn¡¯t need it to walk. The elf had long gray hair that hung down far past his shoulders. His face was unwrinkled, but his eyes showed years of life, centuries of life. If Loch had seen the elf alone, he never would have thought him old, but seeing him next to the other Silver Bark, his age was apparent. It was an odd contrast, one that Loch found unnerving.


    ¡°You are Lochlan Brady,¡± the elf said, coming to stop next to Glarian. ¡°And if you are here, that means Hoskia and the rest of our Clan have fallen.¡±


    Loch dismissed Onyx, relaxing on top of Jarl. He wanted to get down, sitting on the giant horse put him above everyone else. He didn¡¯t like looking down on them, but he knew how it appeared so stayed astride. Without looking over his shoulder, Loch signaled.


    Graham, from Drew¡¯s party, walked forward with the bundle that had been tied to Jarl over his shoulder. It was long, covered in a dark colored blanket. Stopping about midway between the two groups, Graham dropped the bundle. Inwardly Loch winced. That wouldn¡¯t go over good. Glarian¡¯s hand hovered near his hilt. His eyes said he wanted to attack. The older elf reached up, putting a hand on Glarian¡¯s shoulder, holding the younger back.


    Crouching down, Graham pulled out a knife. He quickly cut along the blanket and the ties that held it wrapped. Pulling on the loose end, he stood up. The dead face of Hoskia Silver Bark was revealed. Murmurs went through the crowd of elves. Loch tensed, waiting. Most of the Silver Bark were warriors or fighters of some kind, archers and some would be casters. He did see elves in more common clothes, not carrying weapons, wands or staves. Elora had said there was a sizable number of servants in the camp, lower Leveled and lower Ranked in the Clan.


    If the Silver Bark were going to attack, it would be now, after their dead leader was revealed. No one moved except Graham, who stood up and backed away. He walked backwards, dagger still in hand, eyes on the Silver Bark. Once he passed Loch, the man visibly relaxed, but didn¡¯t sheath his dagger.


    None of the Silver Bark said anything, all eyes shifting back to Loch.


    ¡°Your portal is shut down,¡± he said, pointing into the camp where the glowing hole between worlds had been. ¡°Your people will not open a new one. They will know you have failed.¡±


    ¡°We have not failed,¡± Glarian growled. ¡°We can still kill you and complete our mission.¡±


    Loch stared at the elf. He projected his Presence, letting it wash over the camp. Glarian took a step back, his gaze faltering. Finally the elf looked away, staring at the ground, avoiding looking at Hoskia¡¯s body. The older Silver Bark took a step back from but managed to continue to stare at Loch.


    ¡°You have slain Hoskia Silver Bark,¡± the old elf said. ¡°I suspect it was one of your people that shut down the portal and stole the stone,¡± he continued, eyes flicking to Harper. Apparently she hadn¡¯t been as stealthy as she had hoped. They knew she was the one that had taken the Portal Stone. ¡°We are trapped on this planet and without leadership as I assume Loric Greenspire is dead as well.¡±


    ¡°He is,¡± Loch answered.


    ¡°I see the oathbreaker,¡± the old elf continued. ¡°But why is that one here,¡± he asked, pointing at Casian. ¡°And where are the rest of the Clan that had accompanied Elder Hoskia? Dead I imagine.¡±


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.¡°No,¡± Loch answered, seeing the old elf¡¯s eyebrows raise in surprise. He could hear murmuring from the elves in the back. They had expected all their fellow clansmen to be killed. ¡°There are about a dozen still alive and being escorted back to our Clanhold as prisoners.¡±


    ¡°To be treated harshly no doubt,¡± Glarian barked out. ¡°You have no honor.¡±


    ¡°To be treated better than you treated yours,¡± Harper shouted, stepping forward. She glared at the elf, pointing accusingly. ¡°I saw how you treated your human prisoners. They were starved and beaten, locked into a small cage and left outside.¡±


    Glarian looked offended. Loch suspected that it wasn¡¯t what Harper said but more she was the one saying it. Glarian couldn¡¯t believe someone as young as Harper would speak to him in such a way. He was proven right when the elf spoke again.


    ¡°Our prisoners are cattle,¡± he said, not noticing Loch¡¯s rising anger. ¡°They are nothing and are treated as nothing. The Silver Bark you have are Classed. Mid or higher ranking in the Clan. They are honorable Connected. In the eyes of the Connection..¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Loch growled, voice filled with power. He jumped down off Jarl, walking forward to stand before Glarian. The elf took a step back. Loch glanced at the old elf, who didn¡¯t move but Loch could see the fear in his eyes. Turning back to Glarian, he locked eyes with the elf, not letting Glarian look away. ¡°I do not care about the Connection. Those were people, not cattle. There is no honor in treating people weaker than you as lesser. Your power doesn¡¯t make you special.¡±


    He stopped talking, staring at Glarian, daring the elf to say or do anything. The Silver Bark Midwarden took another step back. Loch turned to the old elf, waiting. He didn¡¯t say anything either, eyes no longer feared but considering.


    ¡°Your people will be returned to you when your former prisoners make it to our Clanhold safely.¡±


    ¡°We cannot be held accountable for what happens to them once they leave our camp,¡± the old elf stated. ¡°There are monsters in the woods after all.¡±


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have taken them prisoner,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°So you hold the lives of our people hostage over the safe passage of yours,¡± Glarian accused, trying to go on the offensive. He glanced behind him, not seeing much support from the elves.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Loch said. ¡°They were no threat to you but you still took them prisoner for what? Slaves? Like you don¡¯t have enough of that with your own people. We know how you treat those lower ranked in your Clan.¡±


    Glarian looked like he wanted to say something but Loch continued to talk, not giving him the chance.


    ¡°As for trapping you here?,¡± Loch said, stepping to the side so he could look between Glarian and the old elf, focusing on the other Silver Bark in the camp. He raised his voice so it would carry. ¡°We took the Portal Stone but we are not the ones that trapped you here. That is your people, your Elders. They wouldn¡¯t have helped you once it became known that we had killed Hoskia and stalled your efforts at expansion. They would probably have shut off the portal themselves wouldn¡¯t they? Decide that Earth wasn¡¯t worth the cost of Resources.¡±


    No one, not even Glarian, spoke up or contradicted him. Loch continued.


    ¡°That is the truth and you know it. The elders don¡¯t care about who you are. They only care about what you can do for them?¡±


    ¡°Are you any better?,¡± the old elf asked. ¡°In the Connection, if you are not useful, you are useless. Everyone has their roles and some are beneath others.¡±


    ¡°No one is useless,¡± Loch said, turning to face the old elf. ¡°Everyone has their roles but that does not make anyone beneath any one else. The strong do not gather power to make themselves stronger, they gather power to aid those weaker, to protect others. Those that cannot fight, they grow and harvest the food, they build the homes. They do things that the fighters cannot.¡±


    ¡°That sounds naive,¡± the old elf said.


    Loch shook his head, looking at the elf with pity. He turned back to the larger group of Silver Bark.


    ¡°Your fellow Clanmembers will be returned,¡± Loch said. ¡°If they chose to return.¡±


    That sent more murmurs through the crowd. Glarian turned back, angry eyes scanning the crowd. No one paid him any attention. The old elf looked at Loch shrewdly, with a little confusion.


    ¡°I will give you all the same choice that I gave them.¡± Loch paused, making sure every elf was looking at him, including Glarian and the old one. ¡°You can renounce the Silver Bark, join Clan Brady and you will be treated fairly. You will be asked to work for the Clan as a whole, not just those above you. I am the Clanchief but I am one of many in the Clan. No one is greater than the other. Together the Clan is a whole. You will work for the betterment of the Clan and that will include the betterment of yourself.¡± He paused again, looking through the crowd. Some appeared angry, but there were some that seemed to be considering his words.


    ¡°Lies,¡± Glarian said, turning back. He didn¡¯t appear to like the wavering of some of the Silver Bark. ¡°Pretty words to lure us into a trap. You will just kill us or put us to work as slaves.¡±


    ¡°You are the one that lies Glarian Coldstalk,¡± Casian said, stepping forward. ¡°Or more accurately you believe the lies spoke by the Elders.¡± He held his hands out to the side. ¡°Maybe Lord Lochlan speaks lies as well, but I for one am tired of the Silver Bark. Can you, can anyone, say that our lives are better by being part of the Silver Bark? Are the lives of our family? We follow their rules and hope that our actions lead to a better reward for our family Clans but does it ever?¡± He paused looking at the elves beyond Glarian and the old one. ¡°Has it ever? Our slightest fault causes harm to our families. Our greatest gain does nothing.¡± He shook his head. ¡°We have failed here. There would have been no help coming from the Silver Bark. They would have closed the portal, stranding us here. No matter what, we were never going home. It is best for our families if we never go home to face the unwarranted discipline of the Silver Bark.¡±


    ¡°You, yourself, have said that we failed,¡± the old elf pointed out. ¡°How can the discipline be unwarranted?¡±


    ¡°Serio Graybranch, how is it our fault that the expedition failed?,¡± Elora asked. ¡°Whose commands did we follow? Who decided our every move?¡± She pointed at the body of Hoskia Silver Bark, forgotten on the ground. The wind had blown leaves over it, obscuring his face. She looked at the elves, moving down the line, catching the eye of everyone that would look at her. Some looked down, ashamed. ¡°The reason I renounced the Silver Bark? I was to be punished for the death of Goriat XXX, a fool who stepped into the field of the Crone Dungeon. My family would be punished. Why? For something beyond my control? I could not stand to be part of the Silver Bark anymore. And now I am not. And I am better for it.¡±


    ¡°But as you and Casian keep saying, our families will be punished for it,¡± Serio, the old elf, said. He spoke calmly, but Loch could tell from the slight changes in his body language that he was wavering. His last few statements seemed to be the elf playing devil¡¯s advocate. Wanting Elora and Casian to prove his statements wrong.


    And so she did.

 Chapter 240 (5.7)

    ¡°I thought of that,¡± Elora said, not looking at Serio, but the others, the ones that were wavering. ¡°But if I was going to be a failure in the eyes of the Silver Bark no matter what, my family¡¯s standing suffering no matter what, why not take that chance of freedom for myself? I was never going to leave this world. None of us were. It may not have been said, but we all know. We know the stories from other expeditions to newly Connected Worlds. Only the Silver Bark family members return to Tirna. Our great honor,¡± she paused, chuckling at the word. ¡°Our great honor is to be the first of the Silver Bark on that world. All our work, and what do we get? More of the same. Nothing changes. Maybe someone from a higher ranked family will earn some prestige but for most of us? More of the same.¡± She pointed at Lochlan. ¡°I wanted more for myself and this man has given it to me.¡±


    ¡°And all you had to do was swear an Oath,¡± Glarian sneered. ¡°Nothing has changed. But one thing has changed hasn¡¯t it? You have grown weaker. You have suffered the Level penalty.¡±


    Elora laughed. The sound carried over the field. The tension had been thick, the laughter only adding to it.


    ¡°Why are you here Glarian Coldstalk?,¡± she asked. ¡°Why are you here and not taken to the negotiation with Hoskia? Your family are fairly high ranked are they not? I wonder why you are here?¡± She paused, letting the words linger.


    Loch saw Glarian grew angrier, his hand drifting close to the hilt of his sword. Senior reached out, grasping the younger elf¡¯s shoulder. Glarian shook it off, breathing heavily, but he did nothing. Loch could see the elf¡¯s eyes, it took everything he had to not attack Elora. Loch wondered if part of it was because he knew Elora would easily kill him.


    ¡°Yes, I have taken a new Oath but it is not one of obedience like that to the Silver Bark. It is not just about me helping the Silver Bark grow. My new Oath is to protect the Clan and its members, not just its leaders but the entire Clan, from the lowest to the highest. My new Oath is to grow my strength for myself so that I can help the entire Clan. The new Oath allows me to do what I want, when I want, how I want as long as it does not endanger the Clan. I do not have to follow the orders of the Clanchief. I do because it is what I want.¡± She stopped, turning to smile at Glarian. ¡°And those Levels I lost? I have gained most of them back already.¡±


    ¡°And I have taken no Oath,¡± Casian said.


    There were audible gasps through the crowd, which Loch noticed had started to move closer, leaving the bounds of the camp and stepping into the clearing. They were all listening, the crowd growing.


    ¡°Yes, I have sworn to cause no harm to Clan Brady but I have not renounced my Oath to the Silver Bark,¡± Casian continued. ¡°Lord Lochlan has offered to let me spend time in his Clan, to see if what they offer is truly better than here. And I have agreed to accompany them back to their Clanhold to truly see if there is another way.¡±


    Silence spread across the clearing, all the elves focusing on Serio. The old elf had his eyes closed. Elora had said that one of the Silver Bark Clans Chroniclers would be in the expedition. The Class gave them Abilities to record events and to access past histories that they had read. She had not known for sure who it was, but had suspected the elderly Serio to serve that role.


    He opened his eyes, nodding.


    ¡°Casian speaks truly. He has not left the Silver Bark.¡±


    ¡°I offer that same choice to any of you,¡± Loch said, voice carrying to all ears. ¡°We do not need to be enemies. There is enough land for all of us. You are trapped here but you can make a life here.¡±


    ¡°Why¡±,¡± Serio asked. ¡°You have the right of strength. Why negotiate with us at all? Why not just destroy us?¡±


    ¡°Why should we? We would win but at what cost? How many of our people would needlessly die? Isn¡¯t it better to work together? To grow together?¡±


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.¡°You are fools,¡± Glarian growled out. ¡°This is not the way of the Connection!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Loch said. ¡°It is our way.¡± He summoned Onyx, the large axe appearing in his hand. Activating Bulwark, he changed the thickness and shape, making the shield larger. ¡°But know this, any threats to Clan Brady will be met with force. We will defend ourselves, our borders and our Resources. We can be peaceful neighbors, or we can be enemies. The choice is yours.¡± Loch dismissed both Onyx and the shield, spreading his empty hands. ¡°I offer the choice again. Does anyone wish to come to Clan Brady and see what the future can become?¡± Loch stepped forward, weaponless, moving to stand between Glarian and Serio, showing no fear of them or what they could do. Neither appeared like they would do anything. ¡°I will not lie. Life is not perfect in Clan Brady. We are growing and struggling just like you. Food is rationed. Shelter is tight but it is shelter.¡± He pointed at the tents. ¡°Those tents will be cold in the winter and winter is coming. The temperature will drop and the snows will come. You may have to share with others but you will have real shelter. Not canvas but wood or stone. I cannot promise what the future holds but what I will promise is a chance to better yourselves. The only thing that will hold you back is you. You will grow on your own merits and contributions.¡±


    He fell silent, turning to look at Glarian then Serio. The younger elf still looked angry, almost shaking with rage, but said and did nothing. The older looked intrigued. Silence stretched, no one saying or moving. Glarian broke it.


    ¡°No one believes your words,¡± he said, sneering. ¡°No one will¡­¡±


    ¡°We will join you,¡± a voice broke out from the crowd of elves.


    Glarian¡¯s sneer turned to shock as he turned to look at who had spoken. The ranks of elves parted, a bearded man leading others out. Loch was surprised. He thought Harper had rescued all the prisoners, but this man didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d been a prisoner. He was healthier, his clothing not as worn. It wasn¡¯t as well made as many of the elves, but it was in one piece and functional. The elves behind him were dressed the same. Some wore aprons. None looked like warriors. It was a large group, which surprised Loch. He¡¯d expected some elves to take him up on the offer, but not many. This group was at least two dozen, maybe more as others joined them as the line moved out into the clearing.


    As the bearded man got closer, Loch saw the telltale signs of elven blood. His hair was long and red parts of it braided. Not as long, his beard had not been trimmed in a long time and was as red as his hair. He was about Loch¡¯s height, but slender like the elves. A bit stockier but still slender compared to a human.


    ¡°What are you doing?,¡± Glarian demanded, moving to stop in front of the other elves.


    Loch glared at him, hand held out as if he was going to summon his axe. Glarian stopped, glaring from Loch to the others.


    The bearded man stopped about five feet away, looking at Glarian and Serio, hesitating. He looked behind him, getting some nods from the others. Turning back to Loch, he stood straighter, the hesitation gone.


    ¡°My name is Sinat Halfsolace,¡± he said, proud of the name. ¡°As you can probably tell I am a bastard. A half-elf. To the Silver Bark I am scum. Useful scum. For various reasons, so are the rest of us,¡± he shifted, waving his hand to indicate all the people behind him. ¡°We are servants to them. Nothing more and will never be anything else.¡± He turned to face Glarian. ¡°What we are doing is taking a chance for something more.¡±


    Sinat turned to look at Serio, daring the older elf to say anything. Serio just gave a slight nod of his head.


    ¡°You are allowing this?,¡± Glarian asked, glaring at Serio.


    ¡°There is nothing we can do,¡± Serio answered, stepping back to allow Sinat and the others following him to walk past Loch.


    They started gathering behind the horses, the group joining Loch growing. Even some of the Silver Bark warriors joined. Glarian¡¯s anger rose. The last former Silver Bark walked past Glarian. He looked from the group to the much smaller number by the tents, then back to Sinat and the others.


    ¡°They cannot go,¡± he declared, pointing at Sinat. ¡°Those are the cooks and cleaners. Who will do those duties?¡±


    Loch smiled at the young elf, who was probably dozens of years older than Loch himself. He leaned closer, the elf backing up a step.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have to do it.¡±

 Chapter 241 (5.8)

    Loch stepped away from Glarian, turning to Serio.


    ¡°I assume you can speak for the Silver Bark now?¡±


    Serio nodded.


    ¡°I suppose I can as there are no other from the Silver Bark family on this expedition. Misheal and Hoskia were the only ones and both are now dead.¡± Serio paused, the hint of a smile on his face. ¡°And you had a hand in the death of both didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°The day of the Connection¡¯s arrival, just minutes after my family was Adapted, we saw an elf being chased by a giant. The elf was wounded and collapsed near us. The giant attacked and I was able to kill it,¡± Loch answered, deciding to be mostly honest. He could embellish the story a bit to make himself look stronger. ¡°I was going to help Misheal but he attacked. I had no choice but to kill him.¡±


    Glarian looked like he was about to say something but a stern glance from Serio stopped him.


    ¡°You can return to the camp now,¡± Serio said.


    The younger elf started to protest.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    With a final sharp glare at Loch, Glarian turned and stalked back to the camp. The Silver Bark that remained parted, watching the sulking elf disappear into the tents. They returned their attention to Loch and Serio.


    ¡°We knew Misheal had most likely died when he never joined up with us,¡± Serio said. ¡°It is nice to have some confirmation of how he died. Not that anyone on Tirna will ever know,¡± he added, turning to look where the portal had been.


    ¡°Why was he that far east when you arrived here?,¡± Loch asked.


    Serio looked at Elora, then the rest of Loch¡¯s family. His gaze settled on Piper, not looking at her, but focusing on her hands which gripped Swift¡¯s reins.


    ¡°If you killed Misheal, then you or someone with you has his Codex Band,¡± Serio said, not looking at Loch, who didn¡¯t protest knowing that was as good as admitting. So he said nothing. Serio smiled knowingly. ¡°Undoubtedly the Bonded Spirit has told you that prior to a planet¡¯s actual Connection, there are scouts sent to explore the world.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That was Misheal¡¯s task. He was sent here weeks earlier to establish a place for the rest of us to come and explore. He had wandered far it seems and come across the giant¡¯s arrival point. What Clan were the giants from?¡±


    ¡°The Hillgrowl.¡±


    ¡°I have heard of that Clan. Not one of the largest of the giants. It is rare that giants are involved this early in a new world¡¯s Connection.¡±


    ¡°They are allied with a one of the Si-Te-Cah.¡±


    ¡°What?,¡± Serio exclaimed, shock and fear flashing across his face.


    Murmurs came from the crowd of Silver Bark, including those that had moved to join Clan Brady.


    ¡°That is dire news,¡± Serio said, shaking his head. ¡°If we had known a Si-Te-Cah was interested in this world, the Silver Bark might not have made the expedition or at least would have sent more of the Clan.¡±


    ¡°That bad?¡±


    ¡°It can be,¡± Serio answered.


    ¡°Apparently this is their home world,¡± Loch said.


    Serio just shook his head.


    ¡°I wish we could go home,¡± he said quietly. He looked to Loch. ¡°You wish to negotiate, do you not?¡±


    Loch nodded.


    ¡°This expedition has been more difficult than any I had heard of before,¡± Serio admitted. ¡°We are negotiating from a position of weakness.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you do not understand,¡± Loch said. ¡°There is no position of strength or weakness. There are just equals. We all have to live in this new world together. There¡¯s no reason one has to be greater than the other. There are more enemies out there, more dangers. Winter is coming and we both will struggle. There is no reason we need to struggle alone.¡±


    ¡°That is not the way of the Connection,¡± Serio said.


    ¡°But it can be.¡±


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ***


    ¡°How do you think it went?¡±


    Loch looked over his shoulder to Cerie. The glowing fairy sat on Piper¡¯s shoulder as his daughter walked her horse next to him.


    ¡°Well,¡± she answered. ¡°This was new territory for the Silver Bark. You could have asked for more and most likely gotten it.¡±


    ¡°I know. But I didn¡¯t want to. That would set a bad tone for the future.¡± He shifted so he could look behind him at the line of elves following his small group. Reaching up, he patted Jarl¡¯s side, as he walked alongside the giant horse. They were all walking. ¡°We¡¯ll probably have elves in the Clan, living alongside us humans. And there will be a new community of the Silver Bark. They¡¯ll be our neighbors going forward. Always best to be friendly with the neighbors. Don¡¯t want them thinking we cheated them of anything.¡±


    ¡°As Serio Graybranch said, this is not normal for those in the Connection.¡±


    ¡°He did seem pretty scared once he learned of the Si-Te-Cah,¡± Kelly said. ¡°Fear is a strong motivator.¡±


    ¡°That is true Lady Kelly,¡± Cerie agreed. ¡°I think being trapped on this world was the prime factor. He realized that the Lord Lochlan spoke the truth. Both Clan Brady and the Silver Bark will need to learn to work together. It will take some time to get used to.¡±


    Loch shrugged.


    ¡°As long as we don¡¯t have to worry about killing each other,¡± he said. ¡°Two weeks should be interesting when the Silver Bark come to the school and we hash out the territorial borders and who has what Dungeons.¡±


    ¡°That will be very interesting,¡± Cerie said. Her eyes flashed as she searched her database. ¡°Negotiating over territory and Resources has never been done before in the Silver Bark¡¯s history. They either took by force or lost by force. More often they took by force.¡± She lifted off Piper¡¯s shoulder, flying closer to Loch. ¡°I wish to be there for the negotiations.¡±


    ¡°I thought we wanted to keep Cerie secret?,¡± Piper asked.


    ¡°We did,¡± Loch answered. ¡°But Serio knows we have her so¡­¡±


    He trailed off, wondering just how the elf had known. Some kind of Ability most likely. Once he knew that Misheal had been killed by Loch, he would assume that Loch had the Codex Band, but he had focused on Piper, as if he was positive she had it.


    Something to worry about. Loch thought about adding it to one of his many mental lists, but decided not to. Today was a day of victory, not adding to the many issues the Clan had.


    Loch looked back again at the elves. Elora was walking next to the half-elf, Sinat, and Casian. The three were deep in conversation. Over a dozen. More than he had thought would join them. Adding to the dozen prisoners, most he assumed would want to head back to the Silver Bark camp. That was a lot more mouths to feed. And who knew how many survivors would have wandered into the Clanhold. It seemed like a dozen, at least, new arrivals every time Loch left the school.


    The peace treaty with the Silver Bark was one huge headache removed. It still wasn¡¯t finalized and who knew how well the elves would hold to it, but Loch felt some of the stress he was under fading away. A little bit of new stress was added with the new mouths to feed and house. He had promised the elves shelter.


    He looked up at the sky. Dark gray clouds had covered the sun, the air colder. The leaves of the trees had turned browns and oranges. Fall was on them and it looked like Winter was coming soon. They had a lot to do before the first snow fell.


    Glarian had been upset that all the elves leaving had been their servants, their manual labor and the ones that did all the cooking and cleaning for the camp. In talking with Sinat, Loch had learned that the group also included the builders and most of the other crafters.


    Part of him felt bad for taking those needed roles from the Silver Bark camp, but they would only benefit Clan Brady. And as he had told Glarian, it was the Silver Bark¡¯s own fault that the crafters were eager to leave. They felt they had no value in the Silver Bark, just cogs in the machine to be used. They Leveled but that wasn¡¯t to benefit them. It was to give the Silver Bark above them better equipment. There was no reward for their work.


    Loch hoped to fix that. He knew he was taking a risk bringing the elves to the school. They were already overcrowded and there were more laborers than jobs. The Silver Bark, the elves, he had to stop thinking of them as Silver Bark, all seemed to have Craft or Utility Classes. They would be helpful but that would still leave a lot of the humans in the Clan as just laborers. Some of the elves would be as well.


    But as Loch had said, it was up to the person to decide their lives. No one was being forced into a role. Neither the elves or humans would be. But to get the Resources available to them, they had to work for them. No one could sit around and do nothing.


    At least they got rid of the Silver Bark threat. And with the portal stone in their possession, no more Silver Bark would be coming to Earth. If they wanted to survive, the remaining elves had no choice but to ally with Clan Brady.


    In the future, who knows how the relationship could evolve, especially if more elves joined the ranks of Clan Brady. He looked back at Sinat, the half-elf. Then his gaze shifted to Drew and Elora, the two were talking, walking pretty close together. Maybe there might even be some half-elves in the future.

 Chapter 242 (5.9)

    There weren¡¯t as many rough patches as Loch had thought. The elves were settled in relatively quickly. There had been some moments that could have gone really wrong but had been smoothed over. Most of the Clan had not had dealings with the elves. They didn¡¯t see them as enemies. The elves were exotic. They were new and interesting.


    Half the prisoners decided to stay, taking the Oath to Clan Brady and joining the guard. The others went back to the Silver Bark Camp, hopefully with a good report of how they were treated. Casian, Sinat and the others all took the Clan Brady Oath. With their additions, the construction speed doubled. More barracks and bunkhouses went up. The elves were happy, they were now staying in structures with walls and roofs. It was better than the tents they¡¯d been in.


    It had only been two weeks, but so far Loch was happy with the result of bringing the elves to Clan Brady. Serio had been impressed when he and a contingent of the Silver Bark had come to the Clanhold for the negotiations. Loch had stayed out of it, letting his Council and especially Ed Turner handle them. The border was hashed out, giving Clan Brady most of the land between the Clanhold and the Silver Bark Camp, the territory line being the Bennett Bridge intersection. The Silver Bark would advance more west, curving around the lake and toward the north. That worked for Loch, it really kept the two focused in opposite directions. The elves would go north and west, Clan Brady would go more south and east and west along the Route 4 corridor.


    ¡°Now we just want to be left alone,¡± Serio had said.


    The most surprising thing that came out of the negotiations was that the remaining Silver Bark were no longer going to be calling themselves the Silver Bark. There were no family members left in the expedition forces and without the portal, there was no connection to the greater Silver Bark family. They hadn¡¯t broken their Oaths yet, and weren¡¯t sure if they would. That part had been pushed by Glarian, backed by others. Serio, who was in favor of forming a new Clan, thought those elves hoped the Silver Bark back on Tirna would open the portal again.


    They wouldn¡¯t waste the Resources, not on what the main branch of the Silver Bark would consider a lost cause. But some of the ones left on Earth were holding out hope.


    The elves left with a non-aggression pact in place. It was enforced by the Connection, giving it some actual power. Not that Loch was worried about the remnants of the Silver Bark. Those that hadn¡¯t joined Clan Brady numbered only around a hundred and their Levels were equal to the growing Clan Brady, who had several members higher Leveled. It was an uneven mix of male and females, which would help keep the growth of the elven camp down. And just surviving without any crafters would keep them from their expansionist tendencies.


    Loch walked the side yard where the barracks and bunkhouses were built. They had filled up every available inch with structures, more being built down closer to the hill leading to the fields. Wheelbarrows full of cut logs were brought over, the logs being stacked in neat rows next to each of the buildings. Loch wasn¡¯t sure how much wood they¡¯d need over the coming Winter, but the plan was to have a surplus when Spring came. Progress on the wall had stopped, all new lumber going toward the logs for heating. Any surplus furniture was being turned into kindling for burning and heating.


    The Hunters were ranging further, bringing back more game but also concentrating on hides. The Clan had gotten a couple Leatherworkers and they were busy turning hides into winter cloaks. They had a large collection of Winter coats, and any that had been ripped or damaged donated the liners and wool to the cloaks.


    Vegetables were being canned. Meat was being smoked.


    Everyone could feel the air getting colder with each passing day. The wind wasn¡¯t getting any colder, just constant, which would make the Winter even worse. Loch was not looking forward to it.


    He passed by the larger collection of shovels. Over a couple dozen. Not enough but it would have to do. Kristin was already working up a rotation for people to shovel paths to all the buildings and off the roof of the school. More board games were being collected. There had been a couple more trips to the Library to get more books to read. Those trips were for the fiction books, stuff to keep people entertained through the Winter. Loch had been surprised how many books could fit into the Spatial Bags.


    The Scavengers were going back to the houses they¡¯d already been to, grabbing books and board games. Anything for entertainment. One team had even found a large collection of a couple trading card games and sets of tabletop roleplaying manuals and dice.


    Stopping in front of two of the bunkhouses, Loch wished they had put more distance between them. The plan was to pile the snow in the middle and let it fill up to the ends. He had a bad feeling there was going to be a lot of snow and it would rapidly fill the space between the buildings, and they still had to keep a path to the woodpiles.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.There were a couple people working through the problem of snow removal. Kristin was on top of things, wanting every procedure in place before the first snows fell. She was hoping for a couple more Elementalists like Kim Hudson, or people with some kind of fire Ability. She had Lewis Bergmann and Philip Verner, the Artificer, working on ways to get rid of the snow. Philip had managed to convert the school¡¯s heating system to steam, using a wood powered boiler. It wouldn¡¯t be the warmest or most efficient, but it would work.


    He was still worried about the food situation. Water wouldn¡¯t be an issue. They could melt the snow as needed. People had ice fished on Harvey Lake, along with Northwood Lake, so they could hopefully still get fish in the winter. Bow Lake was out, as that was considered Silver Bark territory. Loch wondered if they could teach the Silver Bark to icefish. He¡¯d check with one of the elves in the Clan to see if that was something they did.


    Loch was satisfied. They were doing everything they could to prepare.


    He just hoped the Winter wouldn¡¯t be as brutal as he feared.


    ***


    ¡°What¡¯s that?,¡± Loch asked, coming up behind Piper.


    She sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria, quickly closing her sketchbook so he couldn¡¯t see what it was. She looked over her shoulder, glaring at him.


    ¡°A surprise,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ll find out when it¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he said, raising his hands. He lowered them, his expression lowering as well. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time.¡±


    Piper didn¡¯t move, turning away from him. She hunched down, crossing her arms.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Pipes..¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not there, she can¡¯t go.¡±


    Loch sighed. They¡¯d had this argument for a couple of days, ever since Kelly had been informed by her Patron that her time in Northwood was up and she had to return to her people. Freyja, who Kelly was not a big fan of, had contacted her in a dream-like state just like how Thor talked to Loch. Instead of a viking village, Freyja was in what Kelly described as a Roman temple. Loch had wondered if the dream setting was a reflection of where the Divine Being¡¯s Earthly avatar existed. Not that he¡¯d ever find out, but it was a curiosity. He wondered why Freyja had chosen a Roman setting.


    ¡°I know kiddo,¡± he said, sitting down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Piper leaned into him. ¡°It sucks. None of us want this.¡±


    ¡°We just got her back,¡± Piper said with a little bit of sniffling.


    She was trying hard not to cry. She¡¯d already done that and more would most likely come.


    ¡°Yeah, but hey,¡± Loch said, with a bit cheer he really didn¡¯t feel. ¡°At least we¡¯ll get to communicate.¡±


    He held up the notebook he¡¯d been carrying. Piper leaned back, looking at it. There was nothing remarkable about it. Just a notebook, but she was sure she¡¯d seen a similar one before.


    ¡°Is that one of Kristins?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Loch said, smiling. ¡°She gave the paired one to your mom.


    Piper wiped at her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°No, but at least it¡¯s something.¡±


    Loch stood up, holding out a hand. Reluctantly, Piper took it, standing up. Loch pulled her in for a hug, smoothing down her hair as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head.


    ¡°Come on, mom and Harper are waiting.¡±


    Taking her hand, Loch led her out of the cafeteria. It had been a long time since she¡¯d wanted to hold his hand. He squeezed. She looked up and forced a smile.


    The lobby was empty. Loch could see Kristin in the office, most likely Ed was in his. Darren would be out working the new guard recruits. About a dozen people had come in from Raymond the day before, most volunteering for the guards. Two guards stood on either side of the doors as they walked out, giving Loch quick salutes. He nodded to them, unsure of their names. They looked new.


    Piper let go of his hand, walking a little ahead. He could see some of the Clan¡¯s teenagers hanging out in the yard. Apparently Piper didn¡¯t want to be seen holding her father¡¯s hand. He held in the chuckle. One of the girls waved, Piper waving back. One of the boys watched Piper as she headed for the gate. At least until he noticed Loch staring at him. The boy quickly turned away, pretending to be busy.


    Loch sighed. He wasn¡¯t ready for that.


    The guards at the gate opened it. Relatively new, the gate was a section of chain link fence attached to the logs on one side, with a locking mechanism on the other. It wouldn¡¯t hold anything back, there was little strength to it. But just having a gate made people feel more secure.


    Outside, with the four horses, were Kelly and Harper. Piper ran through, wrapping her mother in a huge hug. She still didn¡¯t cry, proud of herself for holding it in. The gate closed behind them. Kelly looked up at Loch with a sad smile. He returned it.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got one more night,¡± Kelly said, releasing Piper. ¡°Let¡¯s make it a good one.¡±

 Chapter 243 (5.10)

    Loch kicked the dying Hob, pulling Onyx out. He swung to the right, catching another Hob in the chest. The monster was nearly ripped in half. He stepped back, looking around the small battlefield. Over two dozen Hobs lay on the ground, dead or dying.


    Piper, wand in hand, stood between Swift and Light, both pawing at the ground, making sure there were no more Hobs. Cerie stood on Swift¡¯s head, glowing bright. Larry and Jarl were patrolling the perimeter, having killed three or four Hobs each. Kelly and Harper were back to back, finishing off their foes.


    Loch shook his head, smiling at the scene. The Hobs, only around Level Ten or so, from what Evaluate had told him, hadn¡¯t been a threat to the Bradys, especially with the four horses there. The family that fights monsters together or something, he thought to himself, starting to walk around making sure all the Hobs were dead.


    YOU HAVE SLAIN MARSHMOUND HOB BASHER


    Loch dismissed the kill Notification, along with the other ones. The multi-colored sparks started swirling up from the bodies, darting around the small clearing and into each of the Bradys and the horses. Loch was surprised at that. He didn¡¯t think animals could Level, but apparently the four horses were capable of it. Was that because they were bonded now?


    The name of the Hobs Clan indicated there was a new Mound around. The teams that had gone to the Library the last time had reported the Darkmound Hobs had repopulated their mound. Giving the Clan another place to farm for Experience. Looking around, Loch couldn¡¯t see where the Marshmound would be. In the general area, both sides of Route 4 were marshy, not giving Loch any help on where to possibly look for the mound. They were halfway between the Clanhold and Johnson¡¯s Fields. When he got back to the school, he¡¯d have to send some Hunters out to explore the area. Some had been out this way, but hadn¡¯t reported any Hob activity. It was always something, he thought, picking up one of the clubs.


    ¡°Do we need to still collect the weapons?,¡± Harper asked.


    Most of the newcomers had their own weapons, things they had looted off monsters they had killed. The newcomers were from further away, traveling months now to get to the Clanhold. They had gained Levels and killed monsters on their way. Some had even passed smaller settlements, not stopping for a variety of reasons. Some settlements were unfriendly, others didn¡¯t have the capacity and for some of the Clan¡¯s new members, something just kept drawing them to Northwood.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t hurt to have extras,¡± Loch replied.


    ¡°My people could probably use some more,¡± Kelly added.


    Harper just shrugged, joining her father in collecting the weapons. Most were clubs with a couple rusty swords. Piper held the Bag open, letting them drop in the weapons.


    ¡°That¡¯s so weird,¡± Kelly said. ¡°Gives me a headache watching them warp like that.¡±


    ¡°You learn to look away,¡± Harper said, dropping another club in.


    ¡°Is there any good leather?,¡± Piper asked.


    Cerie buzzed around the battlefield, swooping down to examine the dead hobs.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied, flying back up. ¡°It wasn¡¯t good to begin with and you all sliced it to ribbons or stomped it to uselessness,¡± she finished, glancing at the horses.


    Jarl tossed his head, looking indignant. Larry stomped on the nearest hob, sending blood and guts into the air. He shook his hoof, getting the extra off.


    The Bradys all stared at the horses, turned to look at each other, and just started laughing.


    ***


    The fire snapped and popped. It wasn¡¯t large, just enough to keep the chill of the Fall night away. Loch really wanted the adirondack chairs that he and Kelly sat in by the firepit at home, usually with drinks in hand. He briefly wondered if they still existed or had been taken by the Worldcore. Kelly shifted in his arms, and Loch realized he was okay without the chairs.


    On the other side of the fire, he could see the girls. They each had long sticks, poking at the ashes. When was the last time he¡¯d heard Harper complain about not having a phone? It had been awhile.


    The night was almost perfect. He had his family back.


    But not for long. The realization of what they had to do in the morning ruined his good mood. He sighed.


    ¡°I know,¡± Kelly said, quietly, knowing what he was thinking.


    He shifted and kissed the top of her head.


    ¡°I wish I could stay,¡± she said.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.¡°Me too but those damn Divine Beings¡­.¡±


    ¡°I made the pact with Freyja because she said she¡¯d get me back to you all,¡± Kelly said, bitterness in her voice. ¡°She did but¡­¡±


    It was Kelly¡¯s turn to sigh.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d do this.¡± She shifted so she could turn to look at Loch. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this was worse than not seeing you guys. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m glad I saw you and the girls, saw the life you are building here. The people you¡¯re helping. But¡­,¡± she couldn¡¯t finish, wiping at the tears starting to form.


    ¡°But having to go back just hurts that much more,¡± Loch finished.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, snuggling in closer.


    Loch watched the shadows as the flames danced.


    ***


    It was almost midday as they stood in front of the portal. Two women were already there, the Valkyries that had come with Kelly. They looked bored, leaning on their spears. Neither bothered to stand up when Kelly had appeared.


    The portal was small, barely a visible dot.


    ¡°How is that working without the portal stone?,¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°The Divine Being is powering it,¡± Cerie replied. She flew closer, but still stayed back from the portal a couple inches, not wanting to get too close. ¡°I am not sure how she is able to do it.¡± Her eyes glowed green. ¡°This is not something I have a record of.¡±


    ¡°I wish it wasn¡¯t working,¡± Piper muttered.


    Kelly pulled her close, giving her a hug.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Kelly said.


    ¡°We do need to go back,¡± one of the Valkyries said.


    Loch wasn¡¯t sure which one she was. He¡¯d been introduced but hadn¡¯t really spent any time with them aside from the fight with Hoskia. They¡¯d spent their time exploring the area and killing things. They¡¯d even joined one of the Dungeon teams, including running the Challenge Dungeon, working to get experience and gear. It was something they were lacking in. Always traveling, they didn¡¯t get to run many Dungeons.


    ¡°Yeah, who knows the trouble Senora¡¯s caused while you¡¯ve been gone,¡± the other said.


    Kelly sighed, her face dropping at first but then steeling into determination. That was just one of many things Loch loved about her. She wouldn¡¯t shirk her responsibilities. She took a deep breath.


    ¡°You have to,¡± Loch said. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to but you have to.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°And at least we¡¯ll be able to talk this time,¡± he said, pulling the notebook out of the small pouch he wore.


    Kelly pulled her copy out, looking at it.


    ¡°Will it have the range?¡±


    ¡°Kristin said it has unlimited range,¡± Loch answered with a shrug. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± He put it away.


    Kelly put hers away. She turned to the girls, holding her arms out. Both girls ran to their mother, hugging her tightly. Both were crying, not holding back. Kelly whispered to them, kissed their heads and just held them.


    A bright flash of light caused Loch to turn. The portal had grown, large enough for a person to walk through. He couldn¡¯t see anything on the other side, just the light blue that filled the inside of the crackling darker blue border. If there had been a portal stone, Loch would have been very tempted to destroy it. He hated that portal.


    He sighed, stepping away from it.


    That wasn¡¯t fair. He couldn¡¯t leave his responsibilities in Northwood to join Kelly with her caravan. It wasn¡¯t right that he make her leave her responsibility. And it had sounded like she was needed. The only one that prevented Senora Barkfall from having complete control of all those people. Those people needed someone to go.


    Northwood couldn¡¯t handle an influx of the hundreds, and probably more by the time the caravan would get there. But he would make sure it was ready when the caravan would arrive.


    They didn¡¯t know what Freyja meant for all those people but Kelly had a plan and a destination regardless of what her Patron wanted.


    Kelly released the girls. They didn¡¯t let her go. Slowly, she took their hands away from her sides, She held them for a bit, looking at each of her girls. She smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of both of you,¡± she said, leaning down and kissing each on the top of their heads. She stood up, letting go of their hands. ¡°I need you two to look after your father. You know the kind of trouble he can get into.¡±


    Harper gave a small laugh. Piper wiped away her tears.


    Kelly turned away from them, walking over to Loch. Tears ran down her face but she stood strong. He reached out, taking her hand, pulling her close. They hugged, holding each other tight. Loch didn¡¯t want to let her go. She leaned back, head off her shoulder, looking up at him. Loch kissed her. Short but tender. The kind they¡¯d give each other in the morning when heading off to work. The ¡®see you later, love you¡¯ kind of kiss.


    They¡¯d said their goodbyes. Both knew that lingering would break their resolve.


    Kelly stepped back, looking Loch in the eyes.


    ¡°Love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you too.¡±


    She walked toward the portal, Loch turning to watch, the girls stepping up next to him. The two Valkyries walked in, one after the other, disappearing. Loch could only see the parts of their bodies on his side of the portal, the shimmering light blue barrier looking like it was cutting them clean.


    Kelly stopped in front of the portal. Her shoulders sagged and it looked like she was going to take a step back. Lifting her head high, her shoulders raised, Kelly walked through the portal and disappeared.


    Loch dropped to the ground, tears flowing down his face. Harper grabbed him on one side, Piper the other and together the three Bradys cried.

 Chapter 244 (5.11)

    Kelly walked out of the portal. Her body started to shake and she dropped to her knees, tears flowing freely. She felt hands on her shoulders, the two Valkyries. It was comforting, but didn¡¯t help. She had walked away from her children. She had walked away from her husband.


    And for what?


    ¡°Ah, you are back,¡± a harsh and cold voice said, coming closer. ¡°It is about time.¡±


    That was why she was back.


    Kelly wiped the tears away, standing up, head held high. On either side of her, XXX and XXX held their spears tightly, glaring at Senora Barkfall who walked forward, as arrogantly as ever. The elf priestess looked past Kelly at the rapidly shrinking portal.


    ¡°Now come along, we have work to do.¡±


    Senora turned, walking away. Kelly didn¡¯t move. Neither did the other two. It was a couple steps before Senora realized no one was following her. She turned back, looking imperiously over her shoulder, angry that she wasn¡¯t being obeyed.


    ¡°We do have work to do,¡± Kelly said, walking forward. ¡°But not what you want.¡±


    She kept walking, forcing Senora to take a step back to avoid getting pushed. XXX followed, just a step to the side, making Senora move even further back. XXX was two steps to the side. As she walked by, Senora stepped back and off the walk, heel of her boot catching in the soft soil. She almost stumbled but managed to catch herself. She glared at the three Valkyries.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    None did.


    ¡°You will listen.¡±


    They didn¡¯t.


    Kelly led them out of the cemetery gates, stopping to look up and down the street. People moved around in the midday sun, talking and just doing nothing. There was nothing for them to do. They had spent days there waiting on her. But even then, they had nothing to do but walk and keep walking. She looked at the Spatial Bag that Lisa carried, filled with weapons and what few supplies Loch¡¯s people could spare.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find the others and get the weapons spread around,¡± Kelly said, looking up at the sun. ¡°We got a couple hours to get some training in.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Lisa said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this column whipped into shape,¡± XXX added.


    Kelly smiled as the two walked off. She heard footsteps, boots slamming on the ground and angry breathing coming her way. She held the smile, waiting until Senora stopped in front of her, turning to glare at Kelly.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What I should have done a long time ago,¡± Kelly said, the smile fading. She returned the glare. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Freyja wants with all these people but I¡¯ve decided that she doesn¡¯t get to decide their fate.¡±


    Senora¡¯s face filled with hate. She took a step forward, hoping to use her taller size and presence against Kelly, who didn¡¯t budge. Senora only had a couple inches on Kelly but looking at the two, people would have thought Kelly the taller. Her state seemed to make Senora shrink.


    ¡°You may be stronger than me,¡± Kelly started. ¡°But you no longer are in charge of me or any of those people.¡±


    Senora took a step back, looking around, hoping for support but there was none. A couple people, including some of the Valkyries and other fighters, had stopped to watch. They all stared at Senora, the same as Kelly did.


    ¡°You can stay or you can go,¡± Kelly said. ¡°Your healing will be welcome but you are no longer in charge.¡±


    Senora looked back at Kelly, standing at her full height, trying to regain her arrogant stance. No one was buying it.


    ¡°Freyja will hear about this,¡± she said, turning to stalk away.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.¡°I hope so.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Was that smart?,¡± XXX asked.


    She had stayed behind, filling Kelly in on everything that had happened since she¡¯d been gone. There hadn¡¯t been much. The column hadn¡¯t moved. It gave the people needed time to rest. There had been some monster attacks, but nothing they couldn¡¯t handle. Together the two walked past some of the people training with the swords they¡¯d just gotten. It was awkward, most lucky they didn¡¯t hurt themselves.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care,¡± Kelly said. She sighed, letting some of the anger go. She was still mad at herself for leaving Loch and her children. ¡°But it had to be done. I¡¯m done waiting for Freyja and Senora to decide our fates. They¡¯ve been leading us around for months and for what? We just keep walking and walking.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still going to be walking,¡± XXX pointed out.


    ¡°Yes, but now we have a destination.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty damn far away.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully that problem will be solved pretty soon.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°A girl¡¯s gotta have secrets,¡± Kelly said with a smile.


    XXX laughed.


    ¡°And elf ears are pretty good,¡± she said, glancing past the training people to where Senora stood.


    The elf glared at Kelly, the stare icy and full of hate. Kelly ignored it. Senora wouldn¡¯t do anything, at least not unless Freyja willed it. Kelly didn¡¯t think she¡¯s angered Freyja.


    Yet.


    It would happen. That was the one thing Kelly couldn¡¯t plan for. What would the Divine Being do?


    ¡°Make sure to grab the Portal Stone when Senora isn¡¯t looking,¡± Kelly said, speaking in a whisper.


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    ***


    ¡°It is not easy to say goodbye to one¡¯s mate,¡± Little River Stone said, his deep voice coming from the trees to the side of the road.


    Loch, the girls and the horses paused, waiting for the Sasquatch to walk out. The large humanoid wasn¡¯t visible one second, visible the next, stepping out of the shadows beneath the trees. Little River Stone paused, looking at the horses.


    For their part, the animals didn¡¯t react.


    Loch patted Jarl¡¯s neck, ready to sooth the animal. But it wasn¡¯t needed. All four horses looked at the Sasquatch, Larry giving a soft chuff. Little River Stone laughed, the sound like rocks tumbling down the mountain.


    ¡°It seems not all of this world have forgotten the Sasquatch,¡± he said, walking forward.


    Loch shook his head, giving Jarl a slight nudge. Not that it was needed. The horses had already started walking, Little River Stone next to them. Even with the height of Jarl, Little River Stone¡¯s head came to Loch¡¯s shoulder. He didn¡¯t have to look up far to talk.


    ¡°Do you have a mate?¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°No, I am far too young, but I have seen it often in the Clan as we move and have fought.¡± He paused, looking into the forest. ¡°I saw my father say goodbye to my mother one too many times.¡±


    ¡°He returned each time, right?,¡± Piper asked.


    Loch could hear the hope and desire in her voice. She wanted Little River Stone¡¯s story to have a happy ending.


    ¡°Of course young one,¡± Little River Stone said. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Loch could tell by the way the Sasquatch looked away, the set of his shoulders, that his story didn¡¯t have a happy ending.


    They continued in silence, the curve in the road just ahead. Loch could already hear the sounds of the Clanhold. There was always activity. Coming around the corner, he saw the first signs of a busy Clan. Two guards on either side of the gate came to attention when they recognized Loch and the girls. Two men were pulling wagons down the slope toward the fields, each piled high with supplies. A couple other people moved about outside the wall, doing what Loch wasn¡¯t sure, but they looked busy enough.


    There were far less people sitting around doing nothing lately, which Loch was glad of. The depression level of the Clan had risen. There were still people unhappy with their new lot in life, but most people were starting to accept what had happened and where and what they were doing. Some that had just been laborers had started working more toward gaining a true Crafting Class or even had picked up a sword.


    A lot still didn¡¯t want to fight, but many more were accepting that fighting was part of their new world.


    Two of the new elven Clanmembers walked out of the gate, moving to join some of the humans that had already been out. The small group talked, chatting as they continued walking down the slope.


    Maybe there was hope that the new world wouldn¡¯t be a constant battle.

 Chapter 245 (5.12)

    ¡°When will it end?,¡± Ed Turner asked, leaning back in his chair at the head of the table. ¡°First the gaunts and then almost right after the elves,¡± he glanced a Sinat, the new elf representative to the Council. ¡°No offense.¡± Sinat nodded. ¡°And now the giants. What¡¯s next?¡±


    Everyone in the very cramped room knew it was a rhetorical question. Looking around at all the faces, most old and a couple new, Loch saw that they all agreed with Ed. Loch did too. It felt like the assaults on the fledging Clan were non-stop.


    Cerie had said it would be like that. It was something he was keeping from most of the others. It was the way the Connection hardened new Clans. The Connected System put them through the gauntlet, a baptism of fire, forcing them to grow stronger to survive. Not just as individual Adapted but as a Clan. The Connection wouldn¡¯t allow them to grow complacent.


    Not at the beginning.


    Not ever.


    The assaults would seem to slow down, but that would only be because the Clan grew large enough that the attacks wouldn¡¯t be noticed. The amount of Clanmembers in the surrounding area, working in what would become to be known as Starter Zones, would thin out anything capable of mounting an assault. New settlements would go through the gauntlet until they grew large enough.


    Loch did wonder what was next.


    The giants weren¡¯t assaulting the Clanhold. Not yet, but they would come. The Clan¡¯s defenses would stop normal sized humans like the gaunts, but not the giants. Drew, who was in the Council meeting, had seen the giants. The only one there besides Loch and the girls. His first camp had been destroyed by them. He¡¯d only managed to escape with a couple dozen people, making their way to Northwood and the Clanhold.


    With his and Loch¡¯s descriptions, that had been enough to worry everyone else.


    ¡°We used to hike Bluejob all the time,¡± Darren said quietly.


    There were a couple of nods from the others that had lived in the area. Bluejob had been one of Loch¡¯s favorite local hikes. Maybe in the Spring, if things settled down, he and the girls could go out to Stonehouse Pond and see what, if anything, had changed there.


    ¡°So the question is what do we do about the giants?,¡± Loch said, wanting to bring everyone back on topic.


    He¡¯d given everyone time to process what was happening about a week to the North and what it might mean to the Clan. Little River Stone had appeared back, after being gone for a long time, worse for wear. He looked like he¡¯d been in a fight, and he had.


    The Sasquatch had followed the giants and the Si-Te-Cah, wanting to find out why they had aligned and what the powerful Si-Te-Cah was searching for. He¡¯d discovered that after watching them for a couple days at Bluejob Mountain. Then he¡¯d been discovered and had to fight his way out of the giant¡¯s camp. The large Sasquatch had barely made it.


    He said he¡¯d taken the long way back to the school, wanting to make sure the giants were not following him. They most likely knew of Loch¡¯s existence, thanks to the Si-Te-Cah, but had not yet made a move on the school. Little River Stone thought it was only a matter of time. Once they found what the Si-Te-Cah wanted, they would come for the school.


    Little River Stone was not in the meeting, he was too big for the doors and the room, but had told Loch and some of the others everything he knew. Cerie had filled in more, backed up by Elora and Sinat, from the Silver Bark¡¯s encounters with the pale skinned, red haired, natives of Earth.


    Some of the Council were still having a hard time getting over the fact that Sasquatch were real, and had been one of the original races on Earth, before leaving for the greater Connected System. They were willing to accept giants existing, they were now living with elves, but had a hard time accepting that bigfoot was real.


    Loch looked around at the Clan Brady leadership. Three new Councilors had been added. Sinat was representing the elven interests within the Clan with Tim DeWolfe overseeing all construction aspects and Zachary Cross as the Clan¡¯s Quartermaster. Drew and Elora were in the meeting, standing against the back wall, as they had run out of chairs and space at the table.


    ¡°These giants,¡± Thomas Mooney said, leaning forward at the table. ¡°Just how tough are they?¡±


    Everyone looked at Loch, they¡¯d heard the story of his encounter with one.


    ¡°I got lucky and managed to cut it¡¯s achilles,¡± he said. ¡°The thing then fell down a crack in the ground. I didn¡¯t fight one.¡±


    He looked to Elora and Cerie, who sat in the middle of the table. Piper was outside the door, sketching in the hallway. The fairy¡¯s eyes started glowing.


    ¡°I have never fought one,¡± Elora said. ¡°Or encountered any.¡±


    ¡°I have some records but they are old,¡± Cerie added. ¡°The Silver Bark and the giants fought long ago, but reached a stalemate and each stayed on their own side of Tirna. Because of their size, there is a large discrepancy between Levels. A Level 10 Giant is equivalent of a Level 15 or higher in another race. Big and strong, that is what a Giant is. They are not the smartest and their Shamans are mostly Elementalists with strong earth magics. There are said to be different types of Giants, but all the Silver Bark have encountered are the ones like the Hillgrowl Clan.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    The Councilors started to digest the information. For Loch it was similar to what he¡¯d encountered and what he¡¯d expected. The Hillgrowl Giants sounded very familiar to Giants he¡¯d encountered in games.


    ¡°If I may?,¡± Sinat said, drawing all eyes.


    Loch had been surprised to learn that Sinat was Classed as a Deepwoods Ranger, the same as Elora. He hadn¡¯t been used as a scout by the Silver Bark, but as a butcher in the camp. The Silver Bark Hunters would bring him the animals and he would skin and butcher them, preparing the meat. Not the best use of his Class, but as a half-elf, that is all the Silver Bark felt he was good for. Sinat had told Loch some of his story on the walk back to the Clanhold from the Silver Bark¡¯s camp. He¡¯d been born to a human mother. She had been a spoil of war by raiding elves. Even to this day, he didn¡¯t know which Silver Bark was his father. As a bastard half-elf, he was the lowest of the low. But he¡¯d developed a natural talent as a Ranger, earning the Class when he turned Sixteen. The village he¡¯d grown up in, small and on the fringes of Silver Bark territory, had used him as a Ranger. They¡¯d benefitted from his Abilities, but still treated him as the lowest of the low. When the Silver Bark came needing fodder for their expansions, the village gave them Sinat.


    Surprisingly, Sinat had been a decent high Level from his years as the village Ranger. He¡¯d fought monsters that harassed the village, hunted meat for the village. He¡¯d done everything for the village and been tossed out as garbage at the end. When he broke his Oath to the Silver Bark, his Level penalty hadn¡¯t been as harsh as Eloras had been. Cerie had explained that the two Oaths had been different. Sinat¡¯s Oath had been as a servant and as he¡¯d been Classed before taking that Oath, the System had wanted him to free himself of the Silver Bark and start Advancing as his Class again.


    Loch was glad the half-elf was free of the Silver Bark, able to use his Class and Abilities the way he wanted to.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Loch said. ¡°Feel free to speak.¡±


    Sinat nodded his head.


    ¡°I have fought a Giant,¡± he started. ¡°It was many years ago.¡± A small smile crept onto his face. ¡°Many years ago. I am older than I look.¡± He chuckled, but continued. ¡°They are strong opponents but their size is also a weakness. Smaller and quicker opponents can take advantage of the size difference. They are not opponents to meet sword to sword.¡± He turned toward Loch. ¡°I saw your daughter fight. Her style of dance is perfectly suited to combat the Giants.¡± He pointed to Elora and himself. ¡°As Deep Rangers, Elora Seedspear and myself are good opponents.¡± He pointed to Loch. ¡°You would also be well suited to fight the giants but from what I have seen, and been told, most of the Clan is not.¡±


    Sinat had been leaning against the wall, but now leaned forward, raising his arms, moving his hands to illustrate his points.


    ¡°Fighting a giant is not about going at it with melee. You need to either dart in and out, be fast, or you need to hit it from a distance. Or,¡± he looked at Loch again. ¡°You need to have overwhelming brute force.¡±


    ¡°Most of our fighters are Strikers,¡± Alison Crawford said, looking through her notebooks with the records and relatively current stats of all of Clan Brady¡¯s adventurers. ¡°Pure swordsmen. Even the Guardsman and Watchman Classes are close-in combatants.¡±


    She looked to Darren for confirmation. The Guard Captain nodded.


    ¡°Hard to believe,¡± Alison continued, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s only been a couple of months and I¡¯m already used to talking about combat capabilities. Anyways, we have a handful of archers in both the adventuring teams and guard rotations. Not as many casters as we¡¯d like. Most of the people that would fight the giants are frontliners,¡± she finished.


    ¡°A Striker is like a Midwarden,¡± Sinat asked, looking to Elora.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That is not good for this kind of fight.¡±


    Loch leaned forward, elbows on the table.


    ¡°We have what we have, so we¡¯ll need to plan around that,¡± he said, not sounding as sure as he wanted to. He¡¯d fought plenty of giants in games and in those the size difference was rarely an issue. As much as The Connected System reminded him of those video games, it really wasn¡¯t. ¡°The main concern is the Si-Te-Cah. The giants are bad enough but with that one added to the mix¡­,¡± he trailed off, looking around the table. ¡°I know Sinat said my Class and Abilities would be good against the giants but I think I¡¯ll need to concentrate on the Si-Te-Cah. Everyone else will need to fight the giants. Drew, you¡¯ll be in charge of the adventurer groups.¡±


    ¡°Me?,¡± Drew asked, shocked. He raised his hands in protest. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll coordinate with Darren,¡± Loch continued, ignoring Drew¡¯s protests. ¡°Darren will be in charge of the guards and rest of the teams.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    ¡°Obviously we need to leave some strength back here so work out who and how many will come with us.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the lowest Level we want to bring,¡± Darren asked.


    ¡°Ten,¡± Loch replied.


    ¡°That really limits us.¡±


    ¡°I know, but make it work.¡±


    Loch stood up, signaling the meeting was at an end.


    ¡°Talk to the crafters, Patrick and Lewis. See if they can come up with anything. Kristin, send someone to the chicken farm and have Steve come back here. Let¡¯s see if his Siege Engineer Class can come up with something to help.¡±


    Loch looked around the table again, meeting eyes with everyone.


    ¡°In the meantime, everyone needs to Advance as much as they can. When we go hunt giants, we need to be as strong as possible.¡±

 Chapter 246 (5.13)

    Brian¡¯s giant club swung in an uppercut into the Forest Drake¡¯s head, snapping it backwards. The creature roared, the lower jaw jammed into the upper. It had been about to use its breath attack, the swing stopping it. The beast hopped back a couple feet, shaking its head. Brian didn¡¯t give it a chance to recover. A vicious sideswing slammed into the head, bones breaking. The head dropped to the ground, the body following, as the creature died.


    The twins, Brent and Trent, were moving around another Forest Drake. One would stab with his spear. When the Drake turned to snap, the other would move and attack. The creature was unable to attack or defend, constantly moving between the two. It was growing frustrated, making mistakes, which the twins were taking advantage of. The two moved without talking, knowing when the other was going to attack and which way the other would dodge.


    Loch watched the battle from the edge, Breaker¡¯s Banner active behind him, casting the entire cavern in a green tint. It was a large cavern, the sides covered in moss, vines hanging down from the ceiling above. Unlike most dungeon caverns he¡¯d been in, which were cool, this one was hot like a jungle. Flowers grew from the moss, pools of water dotting the grassy floor.


    The new Dungeon was called The Mossy Caves. It had been found a couple days ago by one of the hunting teams, only a day from the school just past Northwood Meadows. A cave entrance had appeared on the side of a hill, just off the road. The hunter had investigated and found the first monster in the entrance to be stronger than they were, at least Level Twelve. They¡¯d quickly left, running back to the Clanhold to report.


    With wanting everyone to get stronger before the clash with the giants, Loch had it would be worth taking some of his people through it. They were the highest Leveled, so if the Dungeon was dangerous, they would be the ones better suited to survive. And it could make good training and experience. They¡¯d gotten a couple of Objectives, the whole Dungeon seeming pretty straightforward. Kill 40 Forest Drakes. Find and defeat the Tamer.


    The story that went with the Dungeon, and Loch was still not used to Dungeons having stories or themes, was that the Tamer had found this cavern of Forest Drakes, and other creatures, creating a plan to raise an army to attack with. Attack who, Loch wasn¡¯t sure, but assumed the idea would be those outside the Dungeon. Not that those inside could get out.


    As a gamer he could appreciate the Dungeon stories. But in real life, he found them useless. The Objectives were nice for extra experience but that was all the benefit they had.


    Elora dashed forward, sliding under the attack of a Forest Drake, slashing with her blade. It speared into the creature¡¯s long neck, blood trailing as she pulled it out. Grabbing onto one of the spiked legs, she swung onto the Drake¡¯s back, stabbing down with her sword.


    Loch turned as one of the twins yelped in pain. Trent, or was it Brent, stepped back with blood leaking down his arm. The other twin increased their attacks, drawing the Drake away from their wounded brother. A blue light enveloped the wounded twin, healing the arm. With a wave toward Julia, standing a few feet away from Loch, he went back to the attack.


    A black something fought against the last of the cavern¡¯s Forest Drakes. Loch couldn¡¯t tell what it was supposed to be, or had been. Piper had been experimenting with different things in her sketchbook, trying to find different ways to use her powers. She was tired of just summoning ink versions of animals. The wall she had made in the gaunt siege had been a huge help and she wanted to do more of that. Cerie had said her Class should have some versitiliaty to it. Loch had given her the okay to experiment in the Dungeon. The latest inksummon was less detailed but seemed to have more functionality. It wrapped around the Forest Drake, covering the creature. The long neck turned snapping at the black material. It pulled away from the body, snapping back like rubber. The Drake tried breathing its noxious gas attack, but it did nothing against the inksummon.


    The Forest Drakes were long and skinny. No wings, their bodies were only a couple feet wide, but almost fifteen feet long with a tail that was almost as long. The tail kept whipping back and forth, but the Drake was unable to bring it forward to attack, which Loch thought odd. Why couldn¡¯t it attack with the tail? It didn¡¯t look like the tail was needed for balance. The six legs were short, bent almost ninety degrees off the side of the body, with long claws that dug into the grass, helping the things move. They were very fast. The head was at the end of a long neck, that could bend almost across the back of its own body. Sharp teeth, long front fangs, came from the thin snout, with two red eyes in a low head. No horns. The things were just long and sleek.


    And fast.


    Loch tensed as the Drake got tired of pulling at the ink, the neck springing the head quickly toward Piper. A blast from her wand caught it under the jaw, snapping it back. The monster growled, starting to run forward but the inksummon squeezed. The monster yelped in surprise and pain, turning back to snap at the inksummon again.


    Relaxing Loch kept an eye on the far tunnel, the exit from the cavern, making sure no reinforcements arrived. They were making good progress through the dungeon, even without Loch helping. He wanted to get some more experience, he could feel how close he was getting to Level Twenty-Seven. Killing Hoskia had pushed him most the way through Level Twenty-Six. He wanted that last bit but this Dungeon run was about getting the others more experience. And for Loch to work on Breaker¡¯s Banner.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Since stepping foot in the Dungeon, Loch had kept Aura Of Attack and Breaker¡¯s Banner constantly Active. It was draining even his eye Spirit Reserves, but it helped the others and helped him gain in strength in both. Both gaining in Rank would help his people when they attacked the giants.


    He still wanted to fight one of the Drakes.


    Piper created another Inksummon. Instead of being something almost alive, or at least capable of action, the new summon was long and skinny, and something she held. Piper had created a spear. The tip dipped as she adjusted her grip on the weapon. She said something to Cerie, the fairy hovering just over her shoulder, but was too far away for Loch to hear. The spear was about eight feet long and skinny, tapering to a point. It was really more of a sharpened stick.


    The first inksummon spread out across the Drake¡¯s body and onto the ground. Pulling at the summon, the Drake tried to move but couldn¡¯t. The inkcreature was anchoring it to the ground. Piper moved to the side, watching the head that kept snapping at the inksummon. Holding the spear, the tip raised, she charged. The inkspear stabbed into the Drake¡¯s neck, just below the head. Ink and blood erupted from the impact point. The weapon fell apart, the ink dripping to the ground where it disappeared. Piper jumped back, drawing her wand as the Drake¡¯s head twisted at the end of the neck. Blood dripped from the wound.


    Loch took a couple steps closer, summoning Onyx. He was pretty sure he could throw the weapon and decapitate the Drake before it attacked. A Windstep would get him there with Bulwark if needed. But he didn¡¯t need to do anything. Piper summoned a shield. It was large and thick looking, but she held it easily. A tower shield, a rectangle with the ends curving back a little. Piper hid behind it as the Drake¡¯s head slammed into the ink. Little drops split off, but the inkshield held. The head reared back, ready to attack again. Piper summoned another inkcreature.


    A large jet black cat appeared, immediately jumping at the Forest Drake. It tore at the monster, having a hard time at first as the Drake was so thin, but the inkcat figured it out. More an inkpanther, Loch thought, watching the thing. He had to resist the urge to jump in and help Piper out.


    She wouldn¡¯t forgive him. He knew she was experimenting, trying to develop her Abilities in new ways. Unlike most Classes, she only had one Ability. Inksummoning. All she could do was related to that. It was time she learned the extents of the Classes capabilities.


    Loch just hated that she had to put herself in danger to grow her Class.


    The solid wall she had made during the gaunt siege had given her ideas. All her summons acted like what she had drawn. They had substance, even the wall. It had acted like a wall. So why couldn¡¯t she make armor out of ink?


    It had taken Piper some time to get to the point of making an actual shield. It wasn¡¯t the same as just drawing the image and hoping it would work. Drawing a fire breathing dragon and making an ink version was easy. If she drew it breathing fire, it would do so. But how to draw something protecting from attacks?


    The wall had been easy. It was a wall. Drawing a wall created the wall, and if it was drawn to be made of stone, it would be made of stone and that inksummon would have the properties of a stone wall.


    With how busy they¡¯d all been since the gaunt siege, Piper couldn¡¯t find the time to really work out the problem. Cerie could only do so much, as Piper¡¯s Class was unheard of in the data of the Silver Bark. She had combed that data, finding everything she could on Summoners and other relevant Classes, taking that information and trying to find something that Piper could use. Summoners were rare in the Silver Bark.


    The shield she hid behind had not been her first attempt. Loch and Kelly, had drawn the line at Piper¡¯s trying it in a Dungeon or against a monster. She had sparred with lower Leveled members of the Clan first, working on the shield until she got the final version.


    And it was working.


    Loch could see Piper¡¯s huge smile behind the shield. It had worked. He smiled too, watching Piper unsummon the shield. It lost detail, the edges turning to liquid and dropping to the ground where it puddled before disappearing.


    She took a couple steps back and to the side, watching as the inkpanther fought against the snapping and whipping head of the Forest Drake. Holding out her hand, Piper created a crossbow made out of ink. It was small, sized for her.


    Taking aim, an arrow shot out, striking the Forest Drake in the shoulder. It roared, head turning toward her, giving the inkpanther an opening. It tore the Drake¡¯s throat to pieces, blood and scales falling to the ground. The head at the end of the long neck hung limp, the whole thing dropping to the ground.


    Multi-colored sparks of energy danced up from the body, twirling around and streaking into Piper as she dismissed her inksummons. Smiling, she took a step toward Loch but stumbled. She recovered quickly.


    ¡°That took a bit out of me,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t usually do that many summons in a row.¡±


    ¡°That was spectacular honey,¡± Loch said. ¡°Really proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks dad,¡± she said, smiling as she pulled open the Spatial Bag, collecting the loot.

 Chapter 247 (Chapter 5.14)

    Loch swung Onyx as he jumped off the cliff. The glowing axe head slammed into the scales of the large dragon. It roared, twisting to dislodge its new passenger. Holding onto Onyx with one hand, a spine along the dragon¡¯s ridge with the other, Loch swung down onto the creature¡¯s neck.


    He couldn¡¯t believe it. He was fighting an actual dragon. Granted it wasn¡¯t huge, but it was still a dragon. The Mossy Forest Dragon was twenty feet tall, forty feet long. No wings, the thing resembled an enlarged Forest Drake but with a shorter neck and body, both stockier, and spines running down its back to the tail. Long horns curled up from its head with a mane that looked like it was made of leaves that moved in the wind flowing through the cavern.


    The tail slammed into the wall, small pieces of rock falling to the ground, as the dragon tried to throw Loch off. He shrunk Onyx, making the axe disappear, needing both hands to hold on. The others ran around the feet and body of the dragon, attacking where and when they could. The jabs with sword and spear, bashing with a giant club, just made the beast react wildly, making Loch¡¯s job holding on harder.


    Bolts of silver energy slammed into the dragon, a large inkdrake flying around and attacking with claws and tail when it could.


    Loch had held out for the entire Dungeon, letting the others do the fighting, but when they¡¯d discovered that the boss was a dragon, he couldn¡¯t help himself. It was a dragon.


    With all the mythical creatures and races they¡¯d so far encountered, this was the first dragon. They existed. The ultimate fantasy creature. Something everyone playing fantasy games wanted to fight. He knew it was truly life and death, but Loch couldn¡¯t help it. He was enjoying himself.


    A dragon.


    If there was one, there would be more. How many? Did they all exist in Dungeons or were there some roaming free? Were there some like the dragons from the stories? Magnificent creatures of pride, power and destruction?


    Reaching up, Loch grabbed a higher spine. Setting his feet on the writhing neck, Loch started pulling himself up the creature¡¯s back. The spines were close together, giving him easy hand and foot holds. It was not a climb he could have made pre-Connection, but now it was relatively easy. The only hard part was the constant movement of the dragon¡¯s neck.


    The neck bent down, almost throwing Loch off as his feet slipped. He hung in the air, holding onto the spines, as the beast¡¯s mouth opened. A glob of something shot out, landing on the ground.


    ¡°Look out,¡± one of the twins yelled.


    ¡°Is that acid?,¡± the other replied.


    ¡°D¡¯oh, it¡¯s a green dragon idiot,¡± the first said.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it black dragons that breath acid,¡± the second yelled out.


    Loch lost the sound of their bickering as the dragon roared. The ground shook, making the dragon stumble a bit. Loch managed to get his feet under him, continuing his climb up the dragon¡¯s back. He could hear the leaves of the dragon¡¯s mane rustling in the wind which came from a tunnel in the back of the cavern.


    The boss cavern was similar to the others they¡¯d come across. Large, filled with pools of water, covered in moss and glowing lichen. The dragon¡¯s was just larger.


    It roared, the sound echoing off the stone walls. Larger pieces fell from the ceiling, splashing in the many pools of water. Loch heard some yelps as the people below dodged the falling stone.


    Grabbing onto one of the horns, Loch stood on top of the dragon¡¯s head. It had paused its thrashing, feeling the human on top, wondering what it could do to knock him off. It started moving the head to the side. Loch saw the cave wall coming closer.


    Summoning Onyx, he Activated Cleave, letting go of the horn to use a two-handed swing. The axe bit deep, cutting through scales and bone, down into muscle. The dragon spasmed, the whole body shaking as it roared in pain. The head dropped suddenly. Loch was already moving.


    He jumped off the descending head, Activating Windstep. Flashing across the distance, Loch appeared on the ground, his momentum carrying him into a puddle. It wasn¡¯t deep, the ground under weather slippery, but he managed to keep his balance and slide to a stop, the water splashing up and over him.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Loch coughed, spitting the foul tasting water out. Still dripping, he turned back to face the dragon, seeing bright flashes of different Abilities being used.


    The dragon¡¯s head was low, barely off the ground, green blood pouring from the wound. It was shaking its head, drops of blood flying everywhere. When they landed, they hissed and sizzled, melting into the ground. The others were dashing around the body, striking where they could, avoiding the acidic blood and thrashing head.


    Loch pulled his arm back, summoning Onyx. He lined up the shot and threw. The axe spun end over end, slamming the bladed head into the dragon¡¯s eye. It roared in pain, breathing a blast of acid into the cavern¡¯s roof.


    ¡°Look out,¡± Loch shouted, making everyone scatter as drops fell down, along with more stone.


    HIs people avoided most of the falling obstacles, the dragon did not. The acid splashing against its scales did nothing, but each blow from a falling rock made the body shake and the dragon groan. He threw Onyx again, aiming for a leg. The axe bit in deep, more acidic blood falling. The dragon stumbled, right into a swing from Brian. The head was rocked back, an audible snapping noise from the neck.


    The dragon¡¯s head flopped to the ground, the neck no longer able to lift it up. The thing still breathed, each breath labored as it fought to move. The twins kept stabbing it along the side, each jab with a spear drawing more blood. Elora came running up its back and along the neck. Leaping into the air, she drove her sword point down into the dragon¡¯s skull. It pierced the scales, pierced the skull, sinking deep into the monster''s brain. The dragon didn¡¯t even spasm, the last breath leaving it.


    Elora tried pulling her sword out, struggling as it had gotten stuck. As the multi-colored sparks drifted out of the body, Brian climbed onto the head. He tossed his club to the ground, grabbing Elora¡¯s sword with both hands. Setting his feet, Brian yanked the weapon out. He handed it to Elora, jumping down and picking his club up.


    The sparks flew around the room. There were a lot of them, all the different colors. Each person got a decent amount. Loch could feel the Spirit Experience filling his mental bar. It was so close to hitting Level Twenty-Seven. A couple more fights would do it, and they weren¡¯t even done with the Dungeon, there was still the real boss left. The dragon had just been a mini-boss.


    ¡°What did we get for loot?,¡± Loch asked, finally stepping out of the puddle.


    He could feel the water squishing in his boots. It was not a good feeling. Not that much water, the boots were good. But he needed new ones. The hiking boots he¡¯d been wearing since the Connection had seen better days. They¡¯d been expensive, and he was really surprised they had lasted as long as they had. An upgrade was needed.


    The scavengers had been bringing back a lot of shoes. A lot of people didn¡¯t have good shows or needed new ones. There was a whole collection. Maybe he¡¯d be able to find a new pair there. Probably wouldn¡¯t be as good as his old trusted pair.


    Brian dragged over a decent sized worn looking wooden chest. He popped it open, pulling out some jewels and coins, handing them to Piper, who promptly stashed them in the Spatial Bag. He started pulling out the good stuff. Loch could see that the twins were a little disappointed. The chest wasn¡¯t big enough to hold a spear.


    The first thing the big man pulled out was a pair of leather boots. Calf high, with fine golden stitching along the brown leather.


    ¡°Those go to Elora,¡± Loch said, after using Evaluate on the boots.


    WORLD STRIDER BOOTS


    INCREASES THE WEARER¡¯S STEALTH BY 10%. ALLOWS THE WEARER TO MOVE OVER ALMOST ANY TERRAIN WITHOUT LOSING BALANCE OR TRACTION. INCREASES MOVEMENT SPEED BY 5%.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Elora said, taking the boots from Brian.


    She moved back from the others, sitting on a rock and taking her current boots off. Picking up the new pair, Elora examined them, running her fingers over the stitching. She had told Loch that because of her rank in the Silver Bark, she hadn¡¯t been allowed to keep any loot she got from kills. It all went to those above her and what they couldn¡¯t use might be passed on to her, but most likely would be giving to some other member of the Clan that had a higher standing. She just got the cast-offs and handed down items no one wanted.


    Getting a brand new magical item was not something she was used to.


    ¡°These are yours,¡± Brian said, drawing Loch¡¯s attention back to the loot.


    He held another pair of boots. Leather, but sturdier looking, calf high, with metal plates on the front and over the foot. The metal looked like the same kind as his Challenger¡¯s Armor, looking old and worn, like they had seen numerous battles.


    BATTLE LINE BOOTS


    INCREASES THE WEARER¡¯S TRACTION AND BALANCE ON ALMOST ANY TERRAIN. ADDS +2% TO ATTACK POWER AND +2% TO DEFENSE.


    ¡°I¡¯d just been thinking I needed a new pair,¡± Loch said, smiling.

 Chapter 248 (5.15)

    ¡°Harper will be upset she missed this,¡± Piper said, looking at the three wands spread out on her lap.


    She was sitting down across the fire from Loch, robes bunched up around her knees to create a place to put the wands. One of them was her old one, the others she¡¯d picked up after they¡¯d killed the real boss of the Mossy Caves Dungeon. It¡¯d been a Caster, some kind of Druid, that had gone insane. He¡¯d looked human, dressed in brown and green robe, cloak, boots and gloves. Old, with a scraggly beard down to his waist. And dirty. The Druid Of Moss, as the Connection had called him, looked like he hadn¡¯t left the caves in months.


    Luckily he hadn¡¯t smelled.


    His goal had been to raise an army to attack the outer world, to defeat those that harmed nature. It had been a decent fight, in Loch¡¯s opinion. His group wasn¡¯t the best setup for it. More ranged damage would have been preferred. But they¡¯d managed to take The Druid Of Moss down and reap the rewards.


    Piper had gotten two wands. The twins had each gotten metal bracers, the exact same things. Which had surprised both Loch and Cerie. Brian had snagged an armored chest piece. Mostly leather with some padding, and metal along the upper chest and shoulders. Elora, along with her boots, had gotten a ring that increased her stealth. If Harper had been there, she would have gotten the boots or the ring.


    ¡°Harper will be fine,¡± Loch said, stretching out his legs toward the fire, leaning back against a tree. ¡°She¡¯s running that Dungeon with Davis.¡±


    Loch almost hadn¡¯t let her go. It was an overnight trip to one of the Dungeons that had been in old Silver Bark territory before they¡¯d rearranged the borders between the Clans. The thought of his fifteen year old daughter alone in the woods overnight with her boyfriend, even though the two hadn¡¯t made anything official, had worried Loch. But Kim Hudson had been going along as part of Davis¡¯ team and had assured Loch that she wouldn¡¯t let anything happen.


    He still worried. He¡¯d been a teen once and knew how easy it could be to sneak out at night. But he had to trust Harper, and Davis, that they knew the situation and wouldn¡¯t let teenage hormones get in the way.


    He looked around the clearing they had chosen for the night. Tents had been set up, Brian and Elora were on first watch patrolling the treeline. The twins were arguing quietly, this time. They hadn¡¯t started out that way, but Loch had quickly set them straight. Julia sat down next to Loch, leaning against her knees, hands extended to the fire.


    ¡°That Dungeon wasn¡¯t too bad,¡± she said.


    ¡°No, but the dragon and druid might be tough for a low teens group,¡± Loch said. ¡°Think I¡¯ll have Alison give it a Level 15 plus classification.¡±


    They were still working on an official classification system for the various Dungeons in Clan Brady territory. Cerie was helping combine the ranking system she knew, which was used by most of the greater Connected System, with how Clan Brady was interpreting what they got from the Dungeons. The fairy couldn¡¯t be everywhere to evaluate the Dungeons, so they had to do it their own way. Mostly it was based around the Level strength needed to defeat the monsters and clear the Dungeon.


    ¡°And more ranged,¡± Julia added.


    ¡°We need more ranged, period,¡± Loch said, sighing. ¡°Need more Casters too.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll come,¡± Julia said. ¡°They have to.¡±


    Loch leaned forward. He looked up into the sky, seeing the stars. One of the newcomers, Henry Bolton, had been an Astronomer by hobby and had started mapping the stars, trying to determine the new layout of the constellations. He¡¯d been happy when the scavengers had brought back several books on the subject from the library. Using the starmaps, he thought he¡¯d be able to measure how much the Earth had grown. He¡¯d also gotten a combat Class, strangely enough. Astromage. It was Uncommon and somehow related to the stars. Loch had been happy to get another Caster, but the man was only Level Eight.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Not even Cerie had been able to figure out how studying Astronomy had given the man a combat related Class. He should have been a Crafter of some kind. But the fairy hadn¡¯t known of any Crafting Classes related to studying the stars. In the Connected Worlds, it wasn¡¯t anything useful when people could travel from one world to another crossing over millions or even billions of lightyears in a single step. Why bother studying the stars when there were actual Divine Beings that people could commune with? Actual magical monsters?


    Loch still liked looking up at them, watching some shoot across the sky. No airplanes anymore. Any lights moving in the sky were actual shooting stars, and there were a lot more of them then before the Connection.


    He smiled, knowing that Kelly was looking up at the sky. He missed her. Having her back had been wonderful, but it hurt at the same time knowing that she would have to leave again. It was bittersweet remembering their days together. They¡¯d be reunited soon enough.


    ***


    ¡°What are those things?,¡± Brent asked quietly.


    Which surprised Loch. The twins rarely did anything quietly. Equally surprising was Trent not replying to argue with his brother. The creatures were that surprising.


    They were humanoid, tall and thin. The bodies were covered in thick layer of leaves and moss, sticks poking out randomly. Leaves formed the long hair and beards, moss covering the bodies with more leaves at the wrists, waits and calves. They moved in a shambling gait through the forest, either not seeing or ignoring Loch and his people. A half dozen of them had come out of the shadows to the side, barely making a noise, barely leaving a sign of their passage.


    MOSSY FOREST LESHY


    Evaluate had them around Level ten or so. Not a real threat for the group, but they seemed peaceful enough. Loch was curious about the race. They didn¡¯t seem like invaders so were more like the hobs, redcaps and others? Generated by The Connection from the ambient Spirit in the air?


    A thud and cracking of branches came from where the Leshy had just left. Loch held up a hand, pulling everyone back deeper into the shadows. Whatever was coming sounded large.


    He watched as a hand moved out from the trees, wrapping around one as the rest of the body followed. The fingers were long and covered in bark, the arm long, thick and rough with bark. The legs were the same, wide and thick, no toes or feet, just trunks. The whole thing resembled a humanoid tree as it walked, pushing aside branches with long arms. Leaves grew off the sides of the bark, long and thin branches. The body a wider trunk with no neck, the head part of the body. Eyes were barely visible in the rough bark. Small and black that looked everywhere as it walked, the body twisting so the eyes could see to the sides.


    OAKEN TREANT


    The thing felt strong, almost Loch¡¯s level. It moved slowly, awkwardly.


    They watched it disappear, following after the small group of Leshy.


    ¡°Dude,¡± one of the twins said. ¡°Walking trees. So cool. It¡¯s like straight out of¡­¡±


    ¡°Dude, everything we¡¯ve fought and seen has been straight out of those movies,¡± the other one said.


    The two started bickering, again, until Brian uttered a low growl. That instantly shut them up. Once the two had chosen to become Bannermen, Brian had taken on the responsibility of whipping them into shape. He¡¯d done a pretty good job so far.


    Elora appeared ahead of them. She hadn¡¯t been there and then she was. She looked both ways, not saying a word, just motioning them forward. The group moved quickly, Loch the last one. He paused, looking down the path the Leshy and Treant had gone.


    Was there more of them around?


    There were a lot more races in the woods around the school then Loch would have thought. They¡¯d encountered two mounds of Hobs and a bunch of Redcaps. They still hadn¡¯t found the village or base of the frog-like humanoid, and they¡¯d only seen the one so far. Now there were Leshy and Treants. There were all the monsters too.


    Cerie had said the wild areas would start getting populated with monsters and races. New Dungeons would appear as the world aged and grew in ambient Spirit.


    It was a lot for a relatively small area. Loch had worried about everything fighting over the same Resources and territory. Cerie had explained that was by design. The Connected System wanted it¡¯s Adapted to constantly strive to grow and part of that was defending and claiming territory and Resources from the threats that would always be around. She warned there would be more elite monsters like the Katshituashku, Unfey and the Gaviat.


    They just hadn¡¯t found them yet.

 Chapter 249 (5.16)

    Harper leaned back, lips unlocking from Davis. She smiled up at him, not sure if he could see it in the dark. He moved his hands, one from around her waist and the other from her neck, leaning against a tree. Harper shifted, leaning into his shoulder. She looked up at the moon above.


    ¡°Mr. Millman, you take me to the most interesting places,¡± she said.


    Davis laughed.


    ¡°That Dungeon was fun,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Her father had taken his group to a new Dungeon that had been found. She¡¯d convinced him to let her join Davis¡¯ team in exploring one of the former Silver Bark Claimed Dungeons. It¡¯d been in the side of a hill just past the old Bennet¡¯s Bridge beach. She¡¯d spent so much time at that beach in the summers. The Dungeon had been up the old dirt road. It¡¯s been paved through the one lane bridge and just past the beach then became dirt.


    There had been a Marsh Troll living under the bridge, which before the Connection had been solid with just a couple of small openings between Bow Lake and a small pond, but now was an actual bridge. The Troll had been relatively easy for the group, even with its regenerative Abilities.


    The dirt road had been a mess, with new cliffs up the slope formed when sections had been forced up. They¡¯d climbed to the top and found the Dungeon. An arch, with the stones made out of the same stones as the bridge, led to a cave that sloped down.


    And down and down.


    They¡¯d entered the Troll Cave Dungeon at the bottom, stepping into a large cavern. The ceiling was high, the ground filled with water only a couple feet down from the entrance. A long and wide bridge led across the space, supports every hundred feet, where the bridge widened for twenty or thirty feet. The whole thing was five hundred feet long, ending at another flat area outside another cavern entrance.


    The Objectives had been simple. Kill a lot of Trolls and free the Goatmen from the King Troll.


    Harper had laughed when the Objectives had appeared.


    They¡¯d killed their way through the Dungeon. At each support, a large Cave Troll had climbed onto the bridge. Once they¡¯d crossed into the next Dungeon, they¡¯d faced their first miniboss of the Dungeon. Harper hated calling them Bosses and Minibosses, but it was gamer terminology her father and others used, so it was something they were all using now.


    There were official names, Cerie had told them, but none of the Clan used the names. They¡¯d even gotten the elves in the Clan to start using Boss and Miniboss.


    The entire Dungeon, and it was a short one compared to others Harper had been in, was trolls and bridges. Different kinds of trolls, but still trolls. The final boss, the Troll King, had been with two Stone Trolls guarding a half dozen prisoners. They hadn¡¯t been goats but goat people. Evaluate had called them Hircun. Once the boss was dead, and the Hircun freed, they had gotten their rewards.


    Even though the theme of each room was the same, Harper had found the Dungeon fun. Each type of Troll was pretty different, making them need different tactics to take the enemies down. The regeneration added a new element. She¡¯d had yet to face an enemy that could heal itself. There¡¯d even been one type of Troll that could see into the Shadow Realm.


    Someone cleared their throat, loudly, bringing Harper back to reality. She shifted to look to the side, seeing Kim Hudson standing there, arms crossed, tapping her foot.


    ¡°Back to bed children,¡± she said, emphasizing the last word.


    Harper started to get angry. Kim wasn¡¯t that much older. Mid-twenties. But she sighed instead. It had been kind of stupid for the two of them to wander out of camp in the middle of the night. She had promised her father she wouldn¡¯t do that, knowing that her father had meant not sneaking off with Davis. And she had done just that. If Kim told her father, the chances of her going on another run with Davis again were pretty slim.


    Harper quickly got up, holding Davis¡¯ hand to help him up. Releasing his hand, she brushed off her armor, walking over to Kim. Davis trailed behind. Neither of them looked up at the slightly older woman.


    She chuckled. Harper looked up to see Kim smiling.


    ¡°I get it,¡± she said. ¡°Just don¡¯t let it happen again or I will tell your father,¡± Kim finished, smile fading.


    ¡°Right,¡± Harper said, moving quickly past.


    Davis mumbled something but she didn¡¯t hear it.


    It was a short walk back to the tent. No one was up, Kim had been on watch and tending the fire. Harper quickly got into her tent, pausing at the entrance as Davis walked by. He leaned down, smiling and blew her a kiss. Smiling, Harper crawled into her tent.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ***


    Instead of heading back over Bennett¡¯s Bridge the next morning, they had decided to cut straight through the woods to reach Bow Lake Road and the trip back to the Clanhold. Harper hoped the angle she chose would take them past where her road came off Bow Lake. It had hurt, memories flooding her, as they had walked past it on the way to the Dungeon.


    She loved her home, wanted to go back there, and grab some more of her stuff. But that wouldn¡¯t be fair to the others back at the Clanhold. Her father had told her and Piper that they couldn¡¯t take advantage of their positions in the Clan. They had to be equal to everyone else. Harper understood, but there was so much in her room that she wanted to get.


    If it was even still there. It had been weeks since they¡¯d been to the house. Who knew what kind of creatures were living there now, or if the house was even standing. A tree could have fallen, lightning or anything. If there were creatures living in the house, she knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back and would attack them. It was best to just avoid the street and any temptations.


    She wasn¡¯t worried about getting lost. From Bennett¡¯s Bridge to Bow Lake was a straight walk through the woods, which had increased in size, but it was still surrounded by the two roads. And if her angle was too steep, they¡¯d come out on Shelburne or Pender. Two roads that she¡¯d recognize on sight. They weren¡¯t going to get lost. Maybe get turned around, but again, they¡¯d end up on some streets that she knew.


    The woods were all new. She¡¯d never walked this part before. Once she¡¯d gotten old enough, and her parents let her go down to the beach herself, she¡¯d just bike along the roads, never walking through the woods. Since the roads all sloped down toward the lake, so did the woods.


    They were constantly walking up the slope.


    There were a lot of fallen trees, the winds had knocked them over, the roots pulled out as the trees tried to fall down the slope but got caught on others. It made for slow hiking, as they either had to force their way through the broken branches, over and under the trees, or go around.


    The occasional monster slowed them as well. There was nothing that any of them couldn¡¯t have handled on their own, just slowing the hike by minutes. Mutated Chipmunks, Coyotes and Foxes. A couple of Lynxia. Even some giant spiders, that Harper did not like dealing with.


    ¡°I could have killed that for you,¡± Davis said, leaning against a thick tree trunk.


    Harper glared at him, wiping spider guts off one of her tonfas. He smiled. Her glare softened and she stuck out her tongue.


    ¡°I hate spiders,¡± she said, kicking the carcass as the multi-colored sparks flowed up and out of the monsters, dancing around her until they entered her core.


    Her Evaluate had told her the thing was a couple Levels below her, which accounted for why her mental experience bar didn¡¯t budge that much. The Giant Spider hadn¡¯t been much of a challenge. She just wondered, why did there always have to be spiders?


    The Challenge Dungeon had been horrible, and she hadn¡¯t seen a spider since. It had been months and all of a sudden, a Giant one had dropped out of the trees above. It had been very silent, she¡¯d barely avoided sensing it as it leapt on her, venom dripping spike leading. The fight hadn¡¯t lasted long.


    ¡°Anyone got a Harvesting Skill,¡± she called out to the others as they gathered around.


    Spiders were horrible, but they did drop some good Resources. Chitin, mandibles, claws from the legs, a poison sac and a silk-making gland. Harper hadn¡¯t heard of anyone able to use the Resources yet, but Cerie had said they would prove valuable in the future, so the Clan had been collecting them. They had a huge, and still growing, collection of harvested Resources that the Clan¡¯s crafters could barely use.


    ¡°I can,¡± Ricky replied, drawing a long bladed knife from a sheath, walking toward the spider¡¯s body.


    Harper stepped back, walking over to stand next to Davis as Ricky got to work. The hiking had been slow because of the terrain and the monsters, but also the time to harvest the Resources. They could have left it all behind, but all of it was useful now or in the future. The meat and hides were especially useful now. Any that they could get went towards the Clan¡¯s supplies for the upcoming winter. There would never be enough meat and hides to help keep them warm.


    A sharp crack behind them caused the whole group to turn, weapons drawn. Harper and Davis moved to where they could see better, trying to make out shapes through the trees. A group of people were moving downslope, away from them. They weren¡¯t trying to hide, intentionally making their presence known.


    Branches snapped as they walked, moving further away. One of the shapes detached, walking closer. Harper gasped as the humanoid was revealed. A Hircus, like they had found in the Dungeon, stared at them. The goat man was larger than those in the Dungeon, dressed in rough hide armor with metal plates sewn in. It carried a large axe, the shaft wood and the head sharpened stone.


    Harper used Evaluate, the Hircus feeling almost as strong as she was.


    FOREST ROAM CLAN WARRIOR


    The Hircus watched them as they watched it, neither side moving. Harper didn¡¯t sense any hostility, not even curiosity. Once all the other Hircus were gone, the one watching them turned and ran after the rest, disappearing into the shadows downslope.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the thing from the Dungeon?,¡± Jim asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kim replied. ¡°I guess there¡¯s a tribe of them around.¡±


    ¡°What are they doing in the forest? Don¡¯t goats live in the mountains?¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± RIcky said, standing up from the corpse of the spider. ¡°All set.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving,¡± Harper said, looking where the Hircus had disappeared.

 Chapter 250 (5.17)

    ¡°Eeewww Dad,¡± Piper yelled, the sound loud in their small room.


    ¡°What?,¡± Loch asked, sitting up in his bed.


    He¡¯d been laying down, reading a book, some fantasy he¡¯d found in the Clan¡¯s new library. Life In Exile by Sean Oswald. It was pretty good so far.


    ¡°This message you wrote mom,¡± Piper said, holding up the paired notebook, pointing to one of the lines.


    Loch recognized it. He¡¯d wrote it last night after he¡¯d gotten done talking with Kelly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to be with you again?,¡± Piper said. ¡°Eeew, your daughters read this too.¡±


    Loch laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t wait until she¡¯s back with us again,¡± Loch replied. ¡°Nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Sure dad,¡± Harper said from the top bunk, where she¡¯d been laying down reading a book.


    Loch laughed, sitting up on the bed, the frame squeaking. He set the book down as he stood up, walking over to the window. Outside the yard was full of activity. Guards patrolled the finished sections of the wall, workers putting up posts and logs for the rest. Farmers toiled in the field. Liam and his ranch hands dealt with the horses and the cows, including the new ones they¡¯d found wandering the road with a handful of sheep. Pastures had been built, paddocks separating the animals. A barn was in the process of being constructed.


    Loch had never seen the Amish put up a barn, but he¡¯d heard about the process. It was crazy to think that construction was being replicated in Northwood, thanks to a book from the library. One of the newer and lower Leveled Adventuring teams walked out of the Dungeon building, heading for Alison¡¯s office to report their loot and gains.


    Looking past the Clanhold, he could see the trees up on the hill past the fields. The leaves had started to change color. Greens turning to browns and reds. Fall in New Hampshire had always been magical with the foliage. Everyone loved it. They didn¡¯t love all the leaf peepers coming from far away to clog up the highways and the roads in the north. But the tourism had been good for the state.


    He wondered how the people that lived up north in the White Mountains were faring. What kind of monsters now made the mountains their home? Were there Invaders? The world had always been vast, but now it was more so. So many miles between places. There had to be survivors up north. What would the top of Mount Washington be like now?


    Loch couldn¡¯t imagine going to explore. It would take months to travel to Lincoln or Franconia. There were other places to explore first. Concord or Dover, out to Portsmouth someday or down to Manchester. Too many options.


    He turned away from the window, sitting back on his bunk. Grabbing his new boots, he pulled them on, lacing them up. The jeans he was wearing still had some life in them and the shirt only had one hole. It was still fine. Standing up, he stretched.


    ¡°What are you two up to today?,¡± he asked.


    ¡°What time is it?,¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Let me check my watch,¡± Piper replied.


    Harper lifted her leg, slamming it down on the bed, making the whole thing shake. Piper laughed.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Loch muttered, walking to the door. ¡°Be good.¡±


    They were still arguing when he walked out into the hallway.


    ***


    Loch walked into the small office just off the lobby. Kristin and Ed were already there, standing to the side. Sitting at a small desk was an older man. Loch recognized him. He¡¯d talked to him once.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.¡°Ben,¡± Loch said, reaching out a hand.


    The other stood up, shaking it.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan.¡±


    ¡°Just Loch.¡±


    Ben sat down, motioning to the one other chair. Loch motioned to Kristin. She shook her head, as did Ed. With a shrug, Loch said down.


    ¡°What do you have for me?¡±


    Opening a drawer in the desk, Ben brought out a handful of the Spirit Coins that had been rewards from the Dungeons. It was a small stack, just a handful of each type. He then pulled out a ledger book, flipping open to a page with a list of names and numbers. Loch counted fifty white, 20 blue, 20 red, 15 green and 10 gray.


    ¡°These came from a Dungeon run two days ago,¡± Ben Border said, pointing at the names. ¡°The team ran the Lynxia Dungeon. I¡¯m still waiting for the group that ran the Painted Caves today.¡± He moved the coins around, sorting them into a large stack. ¡°It¡¯s been slowly growing, but having all the Dungeon groups drop off their coins in the bank has given us a good supply of coins.¡±


    He moved the ledger around so Loch could see it. Reading the lines, with names and numbers, Loch looked back up at Ben, not sure what he was looking at.


    ¡°When they deposit, we¡¯re converting it to credit that they can use in the new stores that we¡¯re setting up.¡± He flipped to another page, pointing at a different set of names and numbers. ¡°The non-Adventurers get credit for work done.¡±


    He flipped to the front of the book showing Loch a page with a bunch of different numbers and things they equaled out to. There was an ¡®hours worked¡¯ compared to ¡®dungeon difficulty¡¯ and a bunch of other things.


    ¡°It took a bit of time to work out the equivalencies but I think it¡¯s pretty fair,¡± Ben said, closing the book. ¡°In all my years of banking, this was something new.¡±


    ¡°Great job,¡± Loch said, really impressed. ¡°What are we doing with all the coins?¡±


    ¡°Holding onto them,¡± Ben replied. ¡°I had a safe built, going to need a second soon. Once we have a big enough stockpile and can guarantee that the non-Adventurers will be able to get enough for their work, we¡¯ll move away from the credit and to using coins.¡± Ben took the coins and put them back in the desk. ¡°That¡¯s still a ways off but we¡¯re getting a good amount with all the new Dungeons being run.¡±


    ¡°What are we offering in the store?,¡± Loch asked.


    Ben looked over at Kristin.


    ¡°Not much right now,¡± she replied. ¡°We don¡¯t have extra food to offer. Things like a pair of boots, jacket, hat, gloves and such are given free it¡¯s been mostly extra clothes and such. Want a different pair of boots? Trade the free ones in and buy another pair. Wear out a pair of jeans? Trade those in and buy a new pair.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not perfect and there¡¯s been some grumbling, but it¡¯ll work.¡±


    ¡°Once we get a surplus of food, or get extra stuff that isn¡¯t part of the three meal plan,¡± Ben said. ¡°We can add those items to the store. If want an extra bag of chips, need to buy it.¡±


    ¡°What about books and the games?,¡± Ed asked. ¡°Some kind of rental fee?¡±


    ¡°We are adding things to rent,¡± Kristin said. ¡°But the entertainment items are free,¡± she finished, motioning to Loch.


    ¡°Through the winter,¡± he said. ¡°After that, we can reevaluate. What about any crafted goods?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re adding as we get them,¡± Kristin said. ¡°We¡¯ve started to get some potions stockpiled but decided those are more important for the Adventuring teams, so we¡¯re not putting them in the store.¡±


    ¡°For now,¡± Ben added. ¡°Once we get enough, we can start selling the extras. The idea is to have a threshold of free and stuff that we give everyone, adventurer, crafter or just a citizen. After that, if they want extra, they will need to pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully after winter, we¡¯ll have more stuff we can add to the store,¡± Ed said. ¡°And hopefully won¡¯t be long until we can have storefronts up in the fields.¡±


    ¡°Good job,¡± Loch said, standing up. ¡°We¡¯re getting there.¡±


    He reached out, shaking Ben¡¯s hand again.


    Ed followed Loch as he left the small office. Loch liked everything he¡¯d heard. Ben and Kristin had set up a nice system for a beginning economy, one that had flexibility and growth. It was as fair as it could be considering how unfair the Connected System was to those that weren¡¯t adventurers. Loch hated how the Connection favored those that fought. He¡¯d do anything to keep Clan Brady from becoming Clan Silver Bark.

 Interlude Thirty-Five (5.Interlude One)

    Ben Border closed the door to the small office he¡¯d been given. It was nothing like the one he¡¯d had for the last ten years in his role as President of a local bank. It had been a small bank, but he¡¯d still had a nice office. Corner windows, good view of downtown Portsmouth.


    He¡¯d done pretty well for himself.


    Then the Connection had come.


    And all that had been lost.


    Something that had taken years to build, lost in seconds.


    He¡¯d lost a lot, but so had his partner Simu. A junior-executive, Simu had been traveling with Ben to an important meeting in Concord. Ben wondered how the people they were supposed to meet had fared with the Connection. He wondered how all the people that had worked in his bank and its branches were faring. He¡¯d hoped some of them would wind up in Northwood, but that was a slim hope. The branches had been much further away. They¡¯d had to have found communities of survivors closer.


    Smiling, he walked away from the office. Those first few weeks, months really, when he and Simu had gotten to the school, it had been bad. They¡¯d had no direction, nothing to do. They had joined the work crews, that was the only thing they could do and they had to in order to get food. Simu had hated that but Ben understood.


    It had made sense. Limited Resources, food and shelter meant that people had to earn it. There was just so much to do, all the help was needed. At his age, Ben had no desire to become a fighter. That just scared him. But there had been nothing that suited his talents. The depression had started setting in. All his training and experience meant nothing.


    But now it did.


    He had a purpose.


    He was starting an economy from the ground up. Using his experience and knowledge. Ben had a direction again. It was too bad that not everyone did.


    Stepping out into the lobby, Ben saw Simu talking with one of the adventurers. It was someone that Simu spent a lot of time with. Theodore was the man¡¯s name. Ben didn¡¯t like him. There was just something off about the man. Ben wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but he could feel it.


    Ben remembered the time that Theodore had come to talk with them in the cafeteria, in the days when he had no direction and could feel the depression coming on. Theodore had talked a lot about nothing, going round and round. He talked about how it wasn¡¯t fair that the adventurers got more benefits than everyone else, that people couldn¡¯t choose to do what they wanted anymore and were forced to become laborers if they couldn¡¯t do anything else. How unfair it was.


    Simu and a couple others at the table seemed to be buying it, but it made no sense to Ben. Theodore was an adventurer himself. He had a power that the others didn¡¯t. He benefited from that privilege. Ben understood their new reality. It wasn¡¯t fair, but since when had life really been fair? He¡¯d been one of the rich, and he¡¯d done what he could to help out others.


    Something like the Connected System was completely unfair. It favored the strong. Ben understood that. He accepted it. There were ways to work around that kind of system but it would take time for Clan Brady to get there. A fledgling Clan wouldn¡¯t be fair. There were things that needed to be built first. Eventually it would even out.


    After Theodore had left, Ben had tried talking with Simu but the other wouldn¡¯t listen. Ben was blind, Simu would say. Theodore was right. Lochlan Brady was wrong. Ben recognized the signs of a fanatic. It got so bad, he started distancing himself from Simu.


    Seeing his former co-worker now, Ben cut a sharper angle through the lobby. He didn¡¯t want to talk to Simu. But it was too late. Theodore had seen him and pointed it out to Simu. Ben pretended to not see them, heading for the doors. He could hear Simu picking up his pace, rushing to join him.


    Together, side by side, they walked out the doors.


    ¡°Ben, how have you been?,¡± Simu asked. ¡°It¡¯s been a bit since we talked last.¡±


    ¡°It has and I¡¯ve been busy,¡± Ben replied.


    ¡°Working for Lord Lochlan,¡± Simu said. Ben picked up on the sarcasm.


    ¡°Yes. The Clan needs an economy and Loch tasked me with starting it.¡±


    ¡°Loch,¡± Simu chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten close to our Lord haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Ben sighed.


    ¡°No closer than anyone else. You know he hates being called Lord.¡±


    Simu shrugged.


    ¡°False humility,¡± he said. ¡°Anyone with that level of power isn¡¯t one of us anymore.¡±


    ¡°Us?¡±


    Simu waved his hands at all the people outside the school. They walked down the concrete steps, Ben watching all the activity. It was a nice Fall day out. Not too cold, pleasant with the warmth of the sun. He¡¯d always loved Fall in New England.


    ¡°All of these people,¡± Simu said. ¡°The ones that he forces to be labor.¡±


    He practically spit out the last word.


    Ben sighed.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like building the wall,¡± Ben said. ¡°I didn¡¯t either, but it won¡¯t be much longer. Once we get through the winter, I¡¯ll probably have a place for you in the new banking venture.¡±


    Simu laughed. It was a harsh sound. Ben didn¡¯t like it. The noise was not something he¡¯d ever heard from Simu before the the two had worked closely together for years.


    ¡°You really are one of them now aren¡¯t you?,¡± Simu said, shaking his head. ¡°I had hoped you wouldn¡¯t be but I see I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°One of who?¡±


    ¡°Lord Lochlan¡¯s sycophants,¡± Simu said, turning and leaving.


    He walked away, disappearing into the crowds of people.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Ben watched him go, wondering what had just happened.


    ¡°He¡¯s got it all wrong,¡± a voice said, coming up behind Ben.


    He turned, surprised. He hadn¡¯t heard anyone approaching. The man was about Ben¡¯s age, maybe older. He had long shaggy hair and beard. Very unkempt. The man¡¯s eyes were haunted. He was hunched, tired looking, like he hadn¡¯t eaten in days. One hand rubbed at the side of his head. Ben thought he knew him. Jim? Was that the man¡¯s name?


    He¡¯d been one of the ones that came to the Clanhold with Theodore wasn¡¯t he? Ben thought he¡¯d seen Jim spending a lot of time with Theodore and seemed to look lost when Theodore was running Dungeons and stuff with his adventuring team. What had happened to the man?


    ¡°He¡¯s the sycophant,¡± Jim said, kind of mumbling. ¡°He¡¯s the follower and doesn¡¯t even know it. It¡¯s hard to see and escape,¡± Jim kept talking, walking right by Ben. ¡°I didn¡¯t see for a long time. I do now. But sometimes I don¡¯t. Why does my head always hurt?¡±


    Ben reached out to stop the man. Jim needed to be brought to the healers, but it was too late. The man was gone. Lost in the crowd. Ben would need to remember to tell one of the healers to keep an eye out for Jim. Right now he had to talk to Alison about what other items should be added to the Adventurer¡¯s gear lists.


    ***


    Jake watched the line of people. About a half dozen of them, moving slowly, heads hanging. They were ragged, tired, lacking in hope. Jake had seen eyes like theirs before. The eyes of people that were afraid, tired and worn out. They¡¯d had any resistance beat out of them.


    Sometimes literally.


    Three others walked with them. One in the back, two on the sides. These ones stood straight. They wore mismatched armor but at least wore armor. Each carried swords, one even had a shield and one had a spear.


    Guards with their prisoners. More slaves really. Jake had been watching the people in Concord for a couple of days now, trying to get the lay of the land. He understood the dynamic. The Connected System rewarded those with power, those that craved power. Those that strived to Advance.


    In Concord, the powerful people had taken that to extremes. They¡¯d gained their power and lorded it over others, pushing those weaker down to little more than slaves. And there were a lot of them in Concord. Not as many guards or fighters of any kind.


    From what he¡¯d seen, there were three levels of citizens in the ruins of Concord. The lowest were the slaves. He¡¯d heard them called serfs, but they were slaves. The next level were the guards, called the soldiers. The final level were the knights. Those were the ones that went out and fought the monsters in the city, delved the Dungeons. Those were the ones that got the good stuff, the most powerful.


    The ones in charge of the city and the three hundred or so people now living in the downtown area. That included all three levels of people. Jake hadn¡¯t living in Concord, he didn¡¯t know what the locals had considered downtown. There was a small hotel that the upper level of citizens had taken over, the rest spreading out in the buildings around it. What used to be restaurants, a theater and businesses. A grocery store was down the hill a short distance, along with a liquor store. Both those were now empty, pillaged of everything that had remained.


    Jake had gone into the grocery store the first night he¡¯d been in town, finding absolutely nothing except stuff that had gone rotten. The citizens had taken everything they could. He didn¡¯t blame them. Winter was coming and from what he¡¯d seen, there wasn¡¯t enough food to feed everyone. At least they¡¯d been smart enough to raid the clothing store at the other end of the shopping plaza, so there was plenty of clothing for everyone.


    A large pile of ash lay in the middle of the plaza¡¯s parking lot, the constant wind having blown most of it around, collecting against buildings. Jake had found plenty of bones piled up. He¡¯d been surprised there had been a need to burn bodies, which is what he assumed had happened. Most places he¡¯d been, there were no bodies. The Connection took them. People either Adapted or they disappeared. He assumed they disappeared, since there weren¡¯t any left behind in any houses or apartments and no sign of scavengers eating them.


    He didn¡¯t like what was happening in Concord. But what could he do? One man against all those guards and other Classed people? He knew they all had at least Common or Uncommon Classes. His was Rare, but he was still one person. Even if he was a Level Eighteen Aurastriker, there wasn¡¯t much he could do.


    Shifting his position on top of the five story building¡¯s roof, he watched the small group trudge down Main Street, heading for the buildings that were their quarters. They were at one end, what the remaining street signs had said was North Main Street. The hotel was at the beginning of South Main Street, the actual Main Street between. Other signs said the road heading east was Loudon Road, with indicators for I-93, Route 4 and Route 202. Dover was that direction, Portsmouth even further away.


    Something kept drawing his attention to the West. Something wanted him to go that direction. But he couldn¡¯t leave the people in Concord. There were too many suffering. He thought the world had gotten bigger, which was odd.


    Before he¡¯d headed to Concord, the only reason to go that direction because of that weird something drawing him to go east down Route 4, he¡¯d done a lot of walking in the Goffstown and Manchester areas. He knew the distances, but the space between where it was mostly housing and forests had grown. He was sure of it. The cities and downtowns hadn¡¯t, but the places between had. If that was the case, how long would it take him to walk all the way to Dover? If that was even where he was being drawn to. Maybe he¡¯d have to go all the way to Portsmouth.


    With a sigh, Jake entered the building¡¯s stairwell, making his way down to the first floor. He exited out the back entrance, not wanting to go out onto Main Street. The one group had passed, but there would be more.


    Slowly opening the door, he looked around, making sure there was no one. He¡¯d have to circle back up to Main Street and cross Bridge Street, crossing the long bridge, to get to Loudon Road. He wanted to stay on the ground, but the Merrimack River was in the way and he had no way to cross. Swimming wasn¡¯t an option. He traveled light with his backpack and camping gear, he couldn¡¯t afford for any of it to get wet or lost in the river that was raging far more than it ever had before.


    Best bet was to wait until nightfall, then cross.


    Jake was about to reenter the building, finding an empty apartment to hang out in until dark, maybe find some food or something not pillaged yet, when a sound stopped him. It was grunting and cursing. Followed by a scream. Drawing his swords, Jake ran toward the sounds.


    The noises led him to an alley between buildings. He could see three people. What looked like two men and a woman. The woman was on the ground, hands raised to ward off the two men. None had weapons drawn.


    Jake cursed, Activating one of his powers. A line of energy grew around the sword in his right hand, the edges crackling, little bolts snapping off. Flames spread along the sword in his left. The noise drew the attention of the men.


    ¡°Go away,¡± one said.


    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± followed the other.


    Both took a step towards Jake, eyes on his swords.


    ¡°You might want to leave,¡± he told them.


    They laughed.


    Jake sighed and charged.

 Chapter 251 (5.18)

    ¡°I thought you no longer wanted to follow the path laid out by the Dawnmother,¡± Senora Barkfall said, some of her earlier condescension back in her voice.


    Kelly sighed, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. Senora had been pretty quiet the last few days, which suited Kelly just fine. She really didn¡¯t want to reveal anything to the elf Priestess. But in this case, it wouldn¡¯t hurt and just confuse Senora even more.


    She pointed to the trees on the side of the road. There were still some green leaves but most had turned to browns and reds.


    ¡°See those trees? They were green just a week or so ago. That means Fall is coming. With Fall, it means Winter.¡±


    ¡°We have the seasons on Tirna,¡± Senora said, huffing. ¡°I know what Fall and Winter is.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Kelly said, gesturing to all the people behind them. ¡°Because you and Freyja kept us moving, we weren¡¯t able to build a shelter and gather supplies for the coming Winter. That makes me think Freyja had a plan for that. I really doubt she gathered all these people just to have us all die in the snow.¡± I hope, Kelly thought to herself. She was making a huge assumption but instinct told her she was right. ¡°So we¡¯re going there, to wherever Freyja wants us, in the hope that there will be shelter and food.¡± She turned to glare at Senora. ¡°We¡¯re doing it because you and Freyja gave us no choice.¡±


    Kelly regretted how she¡¯d dealt with Senora coming back from Northwood. Not that she had done it, taking full command of the column, but just how she¡¯d done it. She¡¯d revealed a little too much. She had just told Senora the truth, they needed what Kelly hoped Freyja had waiting for them. Kelly just wished she hadn¡¯t told Senora that they were planning on leaving Freyja¡¯s path.


    It put her in an awkward spot. Senora, and through her Freyja, now knew that Kelly didn¡¯t trust them and wanted to pull away, but they also now knew that Kelly needed them.


    She¡¯d just been so angry about leaving Loch and the girls. Seeing Senora as soon as she stepped out of the portal, hearing the elf priestess¡¯ arrogant attitude, it had set Kelly off. She¡¯d intended to put Senora in her place upon coming back, but not to the extent she had.


    Kelly sighed, turning away from the elf. No use worrying over it now. What¡¯s done was done. Kelly would just have to deal with Freyja when they go to wherever it was they were going.


    ¡°There is always a choice,¡± Senora said. ¡°Turning away from the Dawnmother is a choice and you must deal¡­¡±


    Kelly stopped walking, turning around quickly, making Senora stop abruptly and stumble. The elf looked about to say something but stopped when she saw Kelly¡¯s angry face and finger pointing right at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Kelly hissed out. ¡°You and Freyja haven¡¯t given us a choice. It was always ¡®go this way¡¯ and I¡¯ve been saving as many as I could. You didn¡¯t allow us to stop and gather supplies or build a base, always saying we had to reach Freyja. I went along with it because I was thankful to Freyja for getting me off Martha¡¯s Vineyard. But I¡¯m done just doing what you or what she says.¡±


    Kelly walked around Senora, making the elf turn. She pointed at the hundreds of people behind them. A thick mass of humanity, all with backpacks and bags. Some pushing carts, others pulling wagons. People moved along the edges, watching the buildings and the forests, weapons in hand. Most of them looked tired, haggard. Trudging along just because they had to. There was nothing else for these people. Months of just walking north, only spending a couple days in one place. It was no life. There was no chance to start a life.


    These people should have been in a community like Northwood. The same shelter every night, a farm growing food, people providing protection. Seeing what Loch had accomplished in Northwood had lit a fire under Kelly. She had never liked the column, never really stopping, but had gone along with it because she didn¡¯t see anything else.


    But there was something else. How many Holdstones had they unknowingly passed on the journey? How many places that would have been perfect to turn into a new community?


    Kelly had to admit that she was also to blame for not stopping. She hadn¡¯t wanted to. Always moving, always going North, had fed into her goals as well. She needed to get home to her family and leading the column north, always moving, had kept her on that goal.


    Watching the column, she knew that was where part of her anger came from. Guilt. This was her fault as well. She was going to fix it.


    ¡°Look at them,¡± Kelly said, turning to glare at Senora, making sure the elf priestess was looking at the people. ¡°This is no life for them. They need a community. They need a new home. Wherever we stop, it will be miles and miles from their old homes. They have no purpose besides walking. Even the fighters can¡¯t Level much because we don¡¯t stop long enough for them to fight monsters or run Dungeons. I have no idea what Freyja wants with them but when we get there, that¡¯s it,¡± Kelly said, turning away from Senora, grabbing the woman¡¯s shoulder and yanking her along to get her moving again. ¡°We get through the winter and then that¡¯s it. I don¡¯t care what Freyja wants. These people will have a permanent home and the ones that want to Advance will get a chance to. No more just walking.¡±


    Kelly kept walking, hearing Senora fall into place behind her. She had no idea how many more miles they could get in before having to find a place to rest, then they¡¯d stay there for a day of rest and hunting for food, then keep going. How long until they got to where they were going?


    It would end at some point and all those people would have their community. Kelly had made that vow and she would make sure it happened, no matter what.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ***


    Loch stood on the steps, watching the large sasquatch walk through the yard. Most people had seen Little River Stone by now, but there were some that hadn¡¯t. It was easy to tell who those were. They gawked, pointed and some even turned to run, starting to panic before they realized that none of the many guards present showed any alarm. Then they became curious, asking the ones that weren¡¯t gawking just what was happening.


    For his part, Little River Stone ignored them all. His long strides covered ground quickly, making people move out of his way by sheer presence. Rushing to keep up, T.J. Wolfe followed. The man looked tired, his clothes were covered in dried mud and even some sticks and leaves.


    Loch walked down to join them, stopping to look up at Little River Stone. It was hard to judge the Sasquatch¡¯s expression through the thick hair, but Loch thought he looked worried.


    ¡°Any changes?,¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Little River Stone said. ¡°They have not found it yet.¡±


    ¡°The road¡¯s pretty good all the way there,¡± T.J. replied. ¡°Will still be slow going but we won¡¯t have to cut through the woods. Can use the powerlines to shave off some time,¡± he continued.


    ¡°Great,¡± Loch replied. ¡°Go get some rest, we¡¯ll head out in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± T.J. replied, walking past. He patted Little River Stone on a shaggy arm. ¡°Been fun big guy.¡±


    ¡°I would not call it fun,¡± Little River Stone said, his deep voice confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s a saying,¡± Loch said, motioning the Sasquatch to follow him.


    ¡°It is an odd saying.¡±


    Loch chuckled.


    They walked around the side of the school, between the barracks buildings and the brick wall, passing to the rear. There was a line leading to the three wood-heated shower buildings. Patrick Verneer was still working on a better way to heat water without using so much precious wood, but at least they had showers. There was always a line to the showers. Each member of the Clan was allowed one shower every three days, volunteer attendants keeping track.


    There had already been some corruption, the attendants letting friends and family go more often, or accepting bribes. Ed and Darren had put a quick stop to that. There wasn¡¯t a jail in the Clanhold, sadly Loch feared they¡¯d have to make one soon, but there was still a room that was used for that purpose. If people wanted more showers, they were free to bathe in the lake. It was cold, but they could at least get clean. There just wasn¡¯t enough wood or showers to let people do it more often.


    The showers, another invention of Patricks, were pump and gravity fed, mostly using collected rainwater with some supplemental from the lake. It was an efficient system but required short showers. Loch missed long hot showers.


    ¡°Why are your people doing that?,¡± Little River Stone asked, pointing at the showers.


    ¡°That¡¯s how we get clean.¡±


    ¡°You do not just wash in the rivers and lakes?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have all that fur for insulation,¡± Loch said. ¡°We like our water hot.¡±


    ¡°Your people are strange.¡±


    ¡°That we are.¡±


    They continued past the people, heading for the beach. Loch watched the construction of the south wall. It was progressing well, almost to the water¡¯s edge. Logs twelve feet high were being placed in the ground, along with some parts of CMU blocks and even some concrete being laid in a form. They¡¯d found a book in the library with various ways to make concrete, or near-concrete like building materials. They¡¯d even started experimenting with adobe bricks. Anything to help make the construction faster.


    There was no gate in the south wall, platforms built behind it for archers and guards. The tops of the logs were being sharpened. Loch wasn¡¯t happy with how many logs it was taking to build the entire wall. They had cleared almost twenty feet from the original treeline around the feed and started taking logs from other areas. Workers were removing the stumps, which were being cut into smaller pieces to add to the wood piles to burn over the winter. They had to find a better solution.


    The two stopped at the water¡¯s edge. No one else was around. Loch looked out over the lake. Aside from a couple of fishermen, it was calm. He couldn¡¯t even see the ripples that marked Unfey¡¯s passage. It was calm, peaceful. Something that wouldn¡¯t last.


    ¡°Honest answer,¡± Loch said, looking up at Little River Stone. ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    Little River Stone hummed softly to himself, looking out over the lake. It was still deep and loud, a thrumming sound that Loch could feel the vibrations.


    ¡°I do not know,¡± the Sasquatch finally said. ¡°Giants are tough opponents but the Si-Te-Cah is an unknown quantity. I do not even know what his strength is.¡±


    Loch looked out over the water, second guessing himself. Going after the Silver Bark had been one thing, but going after the giants was a whole other level. The Silver Bark had a code of honor, their version of it, that they would follow and the rules of the Connection. Those were things that Loch had exploited to the advantage of Clan Brady. The giants had none of that.


    They were just large barbarians. Incredibly dangerous.


    He wasn¡¯t even sure that the thing, whatever it was, that the Si-Te-Cah and giants were looking for was going to help them out. He was planning on it. So many plans revolved around it, all based on Little River Stone¡¯s assumptions and feelings.


    The Sasquatch thought he could feel a Natural Resource of incredible power. What else could the Si-Te-Cah be looking for? There were other Natural Resources around, the Grand Oak was one such thing, Loch was sure there were others near the school. Why was the Si-Te-Cah looking in that specific area?


    Loch did know they couldn¡¯t let the giants and Si-Te-Cah find whatever it was.


    He sighed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll spread the word. No one goes out, no Dungeon runs. In a couple days, everyone should be back. We¡¯ll let them rest for a couple days, then we¡¯ll head out.¡±


    Little River Stone made a grunting acknowledgement.

 Chapter 252 (5.19)

    A long column snaked down the road. Loch knew they could save some time cutting straight through the woods as the roads curved and led off the track before swinging back the way they wanted to go. But with this many people, going through the thick woods and the possible monsters, didn¡¯t make sense.


    There were still monsters to deal with. Some things were too stupid to realize that over two dozen Adapted were too much to deal with, but most left the group alone. They could sense the power in the Clan Brady forces.


    Each encounter, no matter how outmatched the monsters were, caused the entire group to slow down. They didn¡¯t want to send too many ahead or spread the entire force out too much. They left gaps in the line for safety, but the tail end was only an hour behind the front end.


    Loch rotated the groups each night. The rear became the middle, the middle the front and the front became the rear. It kept their eyes fresh, changing what they were looking at and for. That included Loch and his small group and bannermen. Harper was with Elora, Sinat, T.J. and others as the scouts, an hour or two ahead of the main group. Piper stayed with Loch, riding Swift.


    ¡°Do we camp here tonight?,¡± Davis asked


    The scouts had stopped, waiting for the rest to catch up. They were at the intersection of 202 and 126, where the Strafford school had once been. Loch could see still scraps of tent and fabric caught on shards of bone. He¡¯d heard the stories from Drew and the ones that had come with him. He could imagine how bad it had looked after the giants rampaged through the camp, killing everyone they saw.


    He turned to see Drew and that group. They had moved to the far side of the torn up road, facing away from the field. He knew they¡¯d lost friends to the giants. It hadn¡¯t been hard to convince those Clanmembers to come on this foray.


    ¡°No,¡± Loch said, answering Davis. He turned to Harper and Elora, motioning them to head out. ¡°Find somewhere else that can hold all of us. We still got an hour or two and we¡¯ll make a late camp if we have to.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a church that was a mile or so down the road,¡± T.J. said. ¡°Where 126 headed into Barrington and 202 turned to head to Rochester.¡± Loch nodded, remembering the small church at the corner and the entire strange intersection with 126 splitting off. ¡°That¡¯s probably a good place.¡±


    Loch caught Harper¡¯s eye, making sure she had heard. She nodded, talking with Elora as the two ran off, turning east down the road.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving,¡± Loch called out.


    People had been sitting on the ground, stretching or getting a quick bite to eat. It didn¡¯t take long for them to get up and get ready to keep moving.


    ***


    ¡°You okay?,¡± Loch asked, coming to sit next to Drew.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± the younger man said. ¡°Was just a little rough seeing that area where¡­,¡± he trailed off, looking at the small fire they¡¯d gotten going.


    Loch wondered what to say. He¡¯d seen a lot of death since the Connection¡¯s arrival, but nothing like what Drew and the other Strafford survivors had dealt with. They¡¯d watched the giants rampage through the camp, an area they thought safe. They¡¯d watched the giants kill all their neighbors and other survivors. Drew had the guilt of having to run, saving the ones he could and leaving the rest to die.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Was there anything to say?


    Hearing soft footsteps approaching, Loch looked over his shoulder. Elora nodded to him, taking a seat on Drew¡¯s other side. Smiling, Loch stood up, knowing the man had the comforting presence he needed.


    Loch moved about the small camp. The church was gone, taken by the worldcore, leaving a wide open space in the Y formed by the two roads, with woods on the open end. Loch felt exposed, but it was large enough for all of them to set up tents and there were enough to spread the watches out through the night. They were still two, maybe three, days from Blue Job. Far enough to not worry about giant patrols, not that any had been sighted when Little River Stone and T.J. had done their scouting mission.


    He clapped people on shoulders, returned greetings, as he walked around the camp. Loch could see the watch about ten feet beyond, watching the treeline and roads, far enough that the firelight wasn¡¯t messing with their night vision. Most had finished eating their meager rations, just relaxing before bedding down in the tents and getting some sleep before their watch.


    Loch could feel the anticipation. Everyone in the small force had been through at least two Dungeon runs, had fought monsters around the school. They were all experienced, combat hardened. All were at least Level Ten. Most barely above it, but that had been Loch¡¯s minimum qualification. He¡¯d left some guards above Level Ten back at the Clanhold, but all of the adventuring teams were there along with most of the Level Ten and higher guards. Darren had wanted to come, but his place was at the school.


    He was still surprised how quickly most had volunteered. No one was being forced. Some saw it as a chance for more experience, a chance to gain Levels and possibly gear. A couple were eager to fight giants. Those were creatures that everyone knew about, had seen or read stories about. Real creatures of myth. Some were eager to face that challenge.


    Loch couldn¡¯t blame them. Even though the Connected System considered that he¡¯d killed one, Loch didn¡¯t think it counted. He¡¯d fought giants in games. Those had always been some fun fights. The reality would be something different, but he couldn¡¯t deny that the idea excited him.


    The Si-Te-Cah worried him. Not even Little River Stone knew much about that race except that they were powerful. Many Adapted races in The Connected System feared them. Loch found it hard to accept that both the Si-Te-Cah and Sasquatch were the original races on Earth. Had humans evolved from both or been a third race that just grew in prominence when the other two had left to explore the Connection?


    Finishing his tour of the camp, Loch returned to the small fire outside the tent he was sharing with his children. Harper wasn¡¯t there but Piper was, sitting close to the fire to use its light. Cerie sat on her shoulder, glowing to provide more light. Piper sketched away in her book.


    ¡°What are you drawing?,¡± Loch asked, sitting down.


    He leaned over to try to get a look. Piper moved it away.


    ¡°Not telling you yet,¡± she said, shifting so she could still see the firelight, but Loch couldn¡¯t see the sketchbook.


    Cerie flapped her wings, lifting off Piper¡¯s shoulder. She hovered in the air, turning to face Loch.


    ¡°I searched my memories again,¡± she said, folding her legs under her, floating in a sitting position. ¡°The Silver Bark have encountered numerous giant Clans over the years, as both the elves and giants inhabited Tirna, but I could not find any records of a Hillgrowl Clan specifically. I tried searching for members using that name, or many variations, but found nothing.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for trying,¡± Loch said.


    Between Cerie, Elora and Sinat, they¡¯d developed a pretty extensive feel for the tactics of giants. It mostly involved using the giant''s overwhelming size and strength. Loch had been hoping for something a little more personal about the Hillgrowl, something they might be able to exploit. Loch wanted all the advantages Clan Brady could get.

 Chapter 253 (5.20)

    Loch looked up at the fire tower, surprised it was still there. He¡¯d hiked past it so many times. Something like the tower, he would have expected the Worldcore to take it for parts. The Worldcore took most things made of metal, why had it left the tower?


    Just one of those things he¡¯d never have an answer to.


    None of the people more experienced with the Connection could provide clear answers on why it did anything it did. Every decision made by the Connected System was to force its Adapted to strive for Advancement, because that made the Connected System stronger.


    The stairs had always been closed off, not accessible to the hikers. He didn¡¯t think the tower was ever used, but someone probably visited it now and then. There¡¯d been a generator building, which was gone.


    How many times had they stopped and snacked at the base of the tower?


    The Blue Job hike was one of Loch¡¯s favorite local ones. Short, only about three miles total and that was if you did the extra out-and-back to the exposed bald faced rocks, where the giants were not searching for something. The main trail was a loop from the parking lot, with the fire tower at its midpoint. Short and fun.


    ¡°Do I go up?,¡± Harper asked, looking at the stairs.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Loch replied.


    Nodding, his oldest started up the stairs, Elora following. Loch walked past the tower, to where the trail leading to the open rocks had been. A stone cairn, rocks stacked on top of each other, had marked the start. Others had kept them on the trail. That cairn was gone, but the trail was obvious.


    The giants had gone through, leaving a broad swath of destruction. Loch thought he could see parts of the mountain down the trail, it was that open. Years ago, a freak tornado had rampaged through the area. Nothing like what the midwest got, this funnel cloud had still left a trail of destruction. A path ripped through the forests. The path of the giant¡¯s reminded Loch of that.


    But instead of broken trees left at angles, the giants had torn up the obstructions, leaving stumps and craters where roots had forcibly been removed. The passage of their large feet had smashed most of it down, leaving a relatively clear path.


    He was hesitant to walk down it. Too exposed. What if a giant came up the hill to the bald top? They¡¯d be easy to see. But then taking the entire force down the trail wasn¡¯t an option either.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Harper said from back at the firetower.


    Loch turned, seeing his daughter waving for him to join her. He jogged back.


    ¡°You need to see this.¡±


    She started back up the stairs, Loch following. He felt the familiar light movement of the steel support structure as he climbed. Vibrations from the footsteps, pressure from the wind, combining to move the structure. The first time he¡¯d ever climbed up one as a kid, he¡¯d been scared of the movements, but his father had told him that it was designed that way.


    ¡°Tall buildings move,¡± he had said. ¡°They¡¯re meant to.¡±


    Since that day, Loch hadn¡¯t been bothered by a building¡¯s movements.


    He followed Harper to the top and the open platform. He felt exposed, having a pretty good view for miles in all directions. Looking to the southwest, Loch thought he could see Coe-Brown. Shifting east a bit, he did see the partially constructed watchtower they were building on top of Saddleback Mountains. The construction had stopped as other things took priority and most likely wouldn¡¯t be done before Winter. Seeing the view from the firetower, Loch moved the priority of finishing the watchtower up the Spring list. They needed the view that tower would give them. Blue Job¡¯s tower was much lower and had a commanding view of the surrounding land. With the tower on top of Saddleback, they¡¯d be able to see into Deerfield, Nottingham and maybe all the way into Raymond and beyond.


    He turned away from the view of the Clanhold, looking the way Harper was pointing. Elora was still there, watching. Loch moved to the rail, surprised by what he saw.


    Finding the bald tops of the mountain was easy, following it down the slope to what had once been heavy forest, Loch saw the destruction caused by the giants. He could see them, over a dozen, moving through the cleared area, stepping around the stumps. Some were pulling up more trees, others ripping off branches and throwing them on a huge pile to the side. Still others carried the trees, now just trunks, off to the other side and another huge pile. In between, off to the side, were rough hide teepees. A couple dozen of them, held up by more trees.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The giants had cleared what looked to be acres of forest. Trunks ripped from the ground, some broken off leaving jagged stumps. Loch had seen pictures of hurricane aftermath. That¡¯s what he was looking at. The giants were a force of nature, destroying the forest as they searched for something.


    He tried looking for the Si-Te-Cah, thinking the pale white skin and flaming red hair would be easy to spot. But he couldn¡¯t see the relatively smaller person among the taller giants.


    ¡°There, that hill to the right,¡± Elora said, pointing to a spot off center. ¡°Move,¡± she grumbled as a couple giants crossed in front of whatever she was looking at.


    Loch waited for the giants to move, watching the spot Elora had called out. There were a couple of exposed hills, no more trees to cover them up, just dirt and rock. Some small clusters of boulders remained, but others had been moved, the push marks in the ground evident. The giants finally moved out of the way, letting Loch see the hill that had interested Elora.


    It wasn¡¯t much different from the others. A little shorter and wider, but still bald faced rock, dirt and stumps. Then he saw the crack. Thin and jagged, but an entrance of some kind.


    ¡°A Dungeon?¡±


    ***


    ¡°That does not make sense,¡± Little River Stone grumbled. ¡°I do not believe the Si-Te-Cah would go through all that trouble just for a Dungeon.¡±


    ¡°The only things able to be taken from a Dungeon are rewards,¡± Cerie said. She sat on Piper¡¯s shoulder, her glow as low as she could get it. ¡°And those are somewhat random. It¡¯s to prevent someone from targeting a specific Dungeon over and over to get the rewards. The Connected System wants the Adapted to move on from a lower ranked Dungeon to a higher ranked. If there were valuable Resources in a Dungeon, the Adapted would remain there and never strive for more.¡±


    ¡°But Dungeons do have unique Resources,¡± Piper said. ¡°Things only found in those Dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Cerie replied. ¡°A Dungeon might have a plant or monster that drops a specific kind of hide, but similar will be available at higher Ranked Dungeons. Remember, equipment has Level ranges. A sword made with materials from a Low Ranked Dungeon will only serve the Adapted for a set number of Levels before they have to upgrade. If they like the properties of that sword, they would find equivalent higher Level Resources to have a new sword made.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Piper said, returning to her sketchbook.


    She still wouldn¡¯t let Loch see what she was drawing. It had to be detailed, she¡¯d been working on the same sketch for a long time.


    ¡°Having the Hillgrowl clear all that land wouldn¡¯t have been necessary if they were looking for just a Dungeon,¡± Cerie continued. ¡°Dungeons are meant to be found.¡±


    ¡°So a Natural Resource in a cave?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Yes. Such things are rare but are known to exist,¡± Little River Stone said.


    ¡°The Si-Te-Cah will be in the cave,¡± Loch said.


    He looked around the camp. It was a cold night. No fires this close to the giant''s encampment. People huddled around their tents, extra blankets over their shoulders. None were sleeping yet. Loch could feel the tension in the air. Tomorrow would be the fight with the giants. People were amped up, ready. They needed sleep but the anticipation was making it hard. Loch felt the same way. He could feel the energy coursing through his body. It was like before a big client meeting, or a baseball game back when he¡¯d played. Ready to go, not wanting to wait. Wanting to get it over with, good or bad.


    They¡¯d fall asleep eventually.


    ¡°At least there won¡¯t be giants,¡± Drew said. ¡°From what you described, they won¡¯t be able to fit.¡± He turned to the Sasquatch. ¡°And you said that the Si-Te-Cah is the only non-giant here?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Will you be able to fit?,¡± Loch asked the big Sasquatch.


    ¡°I do not know,¡± he replied. ¡°I should as I am not that much bigger than the Si-Te-Cah.¡±


    Loch looked around the small group gathered at the base of the firetower. Piper was there so Cerie would be, otherwise she would have been sent to the tent with her sister. Davis being there had angered Harper, wondering why she couldn¡¯t, but as Davis was in charge of one of the teams, he needed to be in the final planning session. The other adventuring team leaders were there, along with Jason Hermann, who Darren had put in charge of the guards. One of the first guards Loch had recognized by sight, Jason had Advanced quickly, wanting to be given greater responsibility in the Clan.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Loch said, addressing them. ¡°That means we¡¯ll have to change things up a bit.¡±

 Interlude Thirty-Six (5.Interlude Two)

    Theodore hated camping. Always had. It was a miserable experience. And what they were doing wasn¡¯t even camping. It was worse. A lot of them, all in tents, huddled around a firetower. No fires and the nights were getting cold. He hated it and wanted to get back to the Clanhold.


    But he couldn¡¯t. They were there on a mission for Lord Lochlan. Something vital to the survival and growth of the Clan.


    Theodore didn¡¯t believe it, but he couldn¡¯t argue. That would draw too much attention to himself. Instead he had to suffer. Whenever he and his team went out, they made sure to try and stay in an abandoned house when it was a night or multiple. There had been a couple where there had been no choice but to ¡®rough it¡¯, as Roger called it. Theodore had hated those times, but at least they¡¯d been able to have a fire.


    He pulled the blanket tighter around him. Even dressed in thermal underwear and a jacket, he could feel the chill. Others didn¡¯t seem to mind. It was a Fall night, not that cold. Not with Winter coming. But for Theodore, it was cold.


    And that was all that mattered.


    He didn¡¯t want to be there. Back at the Clanhold, he could work to build his hive even more. It was already big, and would only get bigger. He could hear the Voice. It was coming closer. But now it was further away. The Voice had stopped, waiting for Theodore to return. It wouldn¡¯t do to arrive at the Clanhold without Theodore there.


    That made Theodore smile. The Voice¡¯s plans required him.


    He shifted, trying to get comfortable on the ground. He¡¯d piled a blanket under him, which wasn¡¯t helping. Just making the blanket cold, which would remain cold through the night. The tent was small and he had to share with Mike Turner. Which was even more aggravating than being wherever they were.


    Blue Job?


    Whatever that was. Theodore sighed. Maybe he could convince Mike to give up his extra blanket?


    The group gathered around Loch broke apart, the various people going their own ways. Two people, talking quietly, walked toward Theodore. Roger and Josh Hauser. Josh nodded to Theodore, who returned it briefly, before continuing to his people and their tents. Roger sat down next to Theodore, grabbing his own blanket from where he¡¯d left it.


    The cold and roughing it didn¡¯t seem to bother Roger. But he was a veteran, probably used to roughing it in warzones. Theodore never asked because he didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Lochlan¡¯s changing the plan,¡± Roger grumbled. ¡°Going off on some sidequest of his own with that big hairy beast.¡±


    Theodore looked toward Lochlan and the Sasquatch. A real live Bigfoot. When the Voice had learned there was a Sasquatch around, it had warned Theodore to be careful. The creatures were strong, magical and dangerous. Best to avoid. Theodore had done his best.


    The thing was ugly. Tall, wide, covered in thick and coarse hair. When it talked, it was a rumble. Theodore didn¡¯t understand what was so dangerous about the monster. It had size and physical strength, but hadn¡¯t displayed any magical Abilities yet. But the Voice warned him about the Sasquatch, and Theodore always listened to the Voice.


    The creature shifted, looking right at Theodore. He looked back at Roger, pretending he hadn¡¯t been staring.


    ¡°The thing is freaky,¡± Roger continued, but smartly kept his voice low. Theodore had to lean over to hear. ¡°They kept talking about something called a Ce-Toe-Crow or something.¡±


    Theodore knew what that was. The Voice had told him. Si-Te-Cah. If the Sasquatch was to be avoided, that was to be run away from.


    ¡°Lord,¡± Roger continued, sneering the word. ¡°Lochlan and the bigfoot are going after the Crow thing in some cave. Not a Dungeon, they made sure we understood that. But just a cave. It¡¯s too small for the giants to enter. Or so they saw. The only ones that have seen it are Lochlan, his daughter and that elf woman that¡¯s always around them. Saw it from the top of the tower, but no one else has been able to go up.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Theodore nodded, not really caring. The sooner they dealt with the Giants, the sooner he could be back at the Clanhold continuing to build up the hive and the sooner the Voice would arrive.


    But getting rid of the threat of the giants and this Si-Te-Cah would help his goals. Some people would die, which would weaken Lochlan¡¯s forces. And the threat of the giant would be eliminated, making the Clan¡¯s territory safer for when he took over.


    Which would be soon.


    Theodore smiled, suddenly not as cold as he¡¯d been.


    ***


    Mike Turner watched her.


    Harper had left the group around her father, a group he hadn¡¯t been invited to. He should have. He could have contributed, probably more than Davis who had been there. How had Davis gotten his own group to run? Mike was stuck under Roger¡¯s command. At least Theodore being there helped make it more bearable.


    Mike rubbed at his temples. The headache just would not go away.


    Davis walked up next to Harper, the two heading away toward the firetower. The sun was setting, it got dark quickly this time of year. Had the clocks changed? Mike wasn¡¯t sure. He wasn¡¯t sure what the day was or even what the month was. It was Fall, that¡¯s all he knew. The leaves were changing, falling.


    Back before the Connection, his father would be on him nonstop about raking the leaves. He¡¯d do it, more would fall and his father would be all over him again. Why didn¡¯t they just wait until all the leaves had fallen? It made no sense. But as soon as one touched the grass, his father wanted it gone.


    Not now. They all had greater concerns. Mike imagined the grass at their home was covered in leaves. Not that he¡¯d go back and find out. He had no desire to see the old home. That was the old life. He had a new one now.


    A better one.


    The only thing he didn¡¯t have was her.


    It wasn¡¯t fair. He didn¡¯t even get a shot. Davis slid right in. Stronger, higher Leveled. Davis had always been popular in school, of course Harper would fall for him. Mike was growing in strength. Not quite equal to Davis, he doubted he would be as long as both kept a similar Leveling trajectory. But he was strong. He could hold his own.


    He and Harper were meant to be together. Ever since they were kids. Their parents had said so, when they had been kids and spending time together. Mike had latched onto that thought. They¡¯d grown apart as they aged, but Mike had always envisioned them together.


    There still had to be a way for that to happen?


    But now Davis was in the way.


    The two disappeared down the slope, past some bushes, where Mike couldn¡¯t see them. He was tempted to follow but there were too many people on top of the hill. Someone would see him. That wouldn¡¯t do.


    How could he get Harper to notice him?


    First step was to remove Davis.


    There was a battle coming up. Maybe an accident?


    Mike smiled, turning away and heading back to the tent he was going to share with Theodore. At least Harper and Davis weren¡¯t sharing a tent. She was with Lochlan and the other sister in the largest tent on the hill. Davis was sharing with one of the members of his adventuring team.


    Theodore was where Mike had left him a couple minutes earlier but now Roger was there, talking quietly. They saw him approaching, there was no way to avoid talking with Roger. It was still too early to go to bed, besides he had a watch rotation in a couple of hours, or whenever someone told him it was his turn.


    It was so hard to keep track of time with no watches or phones.


    ¡°Mike,¡± Roger said. ¡°Ready for tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± he replied, sitting down, wrapping his arms around his knees.


    Mike really wanted a fire.


    Roger chuckled.


    ¡°Better be. This will be the toughest fight we¡¯ve had yet.¡±


    Mike wondered how Roger knew that. The older man hadn¡¯t fought a giant. They¡¯d all fought the same things. No giants or anything of that size. Mike did agree that it would be a tough fight. He¡¯d seen the destruction the giants had left. The things had to be huge and tough.


    Maybe he could kill one solo, show Harper how strong he was?


    Or maybe one would crush Davis and Mike would be there to comfort her.

 Chapter 254 (5.21)

    Loch moved through the thick woods, keeping an eye on the giant-made clearing to his left. He could see the thick legs, almost trees themselves, of the giants as they moved around. He¡¯d gone up into the fire tower before setting out, watching the giants, trying to gauge patrols or anything else they might be doing.


    No patrols, no set patterns. The giants looked kind of bored, just wandering around with nothing to do. They cleared more trees, but it just looked like busy work. What they¡¯d been looking for had been found, there was nothing else to do until the Si-Te-Cah finished doing what he was doing.


    For Loch and his people, that was ideal. It gave them an advantage. There was no watch, no giants guarding or watching the forest. They weren¡¯t under attack by wandering monsters, most of which were smart enough to stay away from the large amount of giants. There was no one for miles around, no other Clans or tribes. Loch could understand why the giants were lax. Their leadership was failing, and Loch intended to take full advantage of it.


    He looked over his shoulder, trying to see Little River Stone. The Sasquatch was impossible to find in the forest. He blended in, turning almost invisible. He hoped Little River Stone was still there.


    Turning toward the clearing, Loch moved slower, making sure each step was solid and not going to break a branch or crackle a leaf. Surprisingly for their size, the giant''s senses weren¡¯t enhanced, but he was close enough that almost anyone would hear the sound of a branch snapping.


    He stopped right at the treeline, seeing the hill about fifty feet away. The entrance was on the other side, away from his view. He hadn¡¯t been able to get a good view from the firetower, he didn¡¯t know if there were traps or anything. It wouldn¡¯t be long until he found out.


    Looking to the right of the hill, he saw a handful of giants. None were looking at the hill, or the bald face of Blue Job beyond, they were just milling around the treeline, trying to look busy. One grunted something, Loch couldn¡¯t hear it. Another shoved the first. A third broke it up, pointing toward the collection of tents. That¡¯s where Loch assumed the Hillgrowl leader was. He wanted to attack the tent, attack the leader, but that wasn¡¯t his role in this fight.


    Loch had made the plan himself, but wasn¡¯t a huge fan. He wanted to be in the thick of the action with his people, able to respond and aid them when or where needed. Able to intercept a giant attack, or reinforcements. But that wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d be doing. He had to completely trust his people to handle the giants without his presence.


    He did trust his people. He just wanted to be there. This entire fight, he wouldn¡¯t know what was happening. Loch didn¡¯t like that, but he¡¯d do what he needed, go where he needed and trust that Clan Brady would do their job.


    ***


    Harper crouched down at the edge of the bare rock, behind one of the few bushes that remained. She¡¯d been to Blue Job many times, and explored almost every inch of the exposed rock. How many times had she and Piper played behind the small wall that had been built against the rock, making a little fort? That was gone now, destroyed by the giants.


    She was getting tired of seeing so many of her childhood memories destroyed by the Connected System and those it allowed to come to Earth. She hated that so much was destroyed. By now, her house was probably gone. Some random monsters tearing holes in it to get at anything left inside, or using it as shelter.


    She knew she could find out. There were Clanmember living just up the street, farming the Turkey Spawn Field for the birds. They¡¯d probably know the status of her house, but was it that important? Did she really want to find out it was destroyed?


    No, she had decided. She¡¯d cling to the memory of how it had been the last time they¡¯d been there. Even more, she¡¯d cling to the memory of how it had been right before the Connection. When it had been home.


    She watched the giants, saw the hill her father would be going for. Harper couldn¡¯t see her father, not from this distance, but she could guess where he was. Looking over to the left, she could see Elora, further beyond were the Clan¡¯s archers and the special surprises that Lewis Bergmann and Patrick Verner had come up with. Harper didn¡¯t know exactly what they would do, but the two men had said it would be explosive.


    Looking back, she couldn¡¯t see the mass of Clan Brady¡¯s people. They were crouched down on the opposite slope, just waiting for the signal. She glanced at the sun, trying to gauge its height, glad she wasn¡¯t the one that would give the signal.


    That would be Drew, who was near Elora, looking at the sun. Harper knew her father would be in position, but would the others? How long was it going to take? Drew couldn¡¯t wait forever. From what she understood, it wasn¡¯t vital that they get in position right away.


    Harper liked having additional responsibilities, but she was glad she didn¡¯t have the one Drew had. Wait too long, and they might lose their chance to surprise the giants. Even as lazy as the large humanoids appeared, at some point they would detect the Clan Brady attackers. Call the signal too soon, and the others wouldn¡¯t be ready for their part.


    It was a delicate balance.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Harper knew that someday she¡¯d be in that position. The Clan would be hers someday in the far future, hopefully the very far future. She was just glad she didn¡¯t have to do it now. Her level of responsibility was enough. Her father trusted her on her own, to handle herself. At fifteen, she knew that was something that never would have happened Pre-Connection. She wasn¡¯t one to fool around, rarely got in trouble. She did her schoolwork, maybe not the best student but it got done, and she focused on her athletics. She practiced, she was dedicated.


    She knew a lot of kids in her school that had goofed around, fooled around, just did enough to get by. That hadn¡¯t been what she had wanted. She wanted more than to just get by.


    The same for her new life in the Connection. She wanted to Level, to be one of the strongest, and eventually be the Clanleader. There were many in the Clan just working to get by. That wasn¡¯t the life she wanted. She wanted the thrill of Advancement and the responsibility that came with being a future leader.


    But for now, she was happy the choice wasn¡¯t hers to make.


    Glancing back again, she tried to find where Piper was. She¡¯d been told to stay at the rear lines, using her summons to reinforce the Clan where she could. Harper knew Piper would mostly do that, but her youngest sister had been working on something in that sketchbook of hers. She had some plan. Harper didn¡¯t know what it was, but hoped it would still keep Pipes safe.


    ***


    Piper made a couple more lines across the drawing. The detail was coming in. She had learned where and how to apply details. If she put too much detail into the entire drawing, it would sap a lot of her strength when summoned. The inksummon would be strong, but she had learned that it didn¡¯t always need to be that strong. Not enough detail, and it would be too weak.


    There was a fine line to give the inksummon just enough for it to last a while, be strong and not use up all of her Spirit. She was slowly learning how to find that line. What made it difficult was the line was different for each type of summon. There was a lot of guessing involved.


    She was learning that if she did more detail in a specific area, like an inkcat¡¯s claws, and less elsewhere, it was easier to find that line. The whole purpose of an inkcat was to attack with its claws. The tail didn¡¯t need a lot of detail, the body just needed to look like a cat¡¯s and have the flexibility and agility. She didn¡¯t need to define much more than that. Anything else would be a waste of her Spirit.


    For the coming fight, if her idea worked, she was going to need a lot of Spirit.


    Piper moved the sketchbook away, angling it to see better. The lighting wasn¡¯t good. She was in the shadows, her back to the rock, facing the woods, able to see the firetower over the trees. Everyone around her was facing the stone, some just looking over the top, watching the giants. She had looked when they first got there, when her dad had set off on his own mission. The giants were scary. Huge. She¡¯d never liked giants in stories, even the BFG movie. She hadn¡¯t like that and never bothered reading the book, even though she loved most of Dahl¡¯s stuff. Just the idea of gigantic humans. Piper didn¡¯t know why that bothered her. Jack and the Beanstalk had been one of her least favorite childhood stories.


    She didn¡¯t need to look to know what was happening. Her role wasn¡¯t in the frontline attackers. She was support, hanging back, using her summons where needed. As such, she didn¡¯t need to see what happened right away. Piper had been told to give it a couple minutes, let the others start the attack and then look to see where she would be needed the most.


    It had bothered her that Harper got to be more in the action, but she was starting to understand more about Classes and roles. Her Ink Summoner Class was support. She wasn¡¯t meant to be in melee fighting, or in-close combat. That was what her summons were for. She understood, but still wanted to have a more active role. Not just throw her summons into the battle.


    Cerie had told her that in the future, her Class would grow to where she could be a solo combatant. More than anyone in the Clan except her dad¡¯s Class, she would be able to do Dungeons and fight on her own. Harper was strong, but she couldn¡¯t tank or have ranged damage. She was limited to in-close combat.


    Piper would be able to have a tank, melee damage and ranged damage. The only thing she was missing was healing, and there would be ways to compensate for that. She thought of one of the new wands.


    WAND OF GENTLE CARESS


    It had a strange name but the Abilities were awesome.


    THE WAND WHEN ACTIVATED WILL CAST A HEALING SPELL THAT RESTORES HEALTH AND STAMINA AT THE COST OF THE CASTER¡¯S SPIRIT. THE SPELL CAN BE DIRECTED AT ANY TARGET, INCLUDING THE CASTER. HEALS 5% OF TOTAL HEALTH OVER ONE MINUTE. HEALS 5% OF TOTAL STAMINA OVER ONE MINUTE. CAN ONLY BE USED EVERY EIGHT HOURS. HEALS +1% HEALTH FOR EVERY FIVE LEVELS OF THE CASTER. HEALS +1% STAMINA FOR EVERY FIVE LEVELS OF THE CASTER. EVERY FIVE LEVELS OF THE CASTER REDUCES THE TIME BETWEEN CASTINGS BY 10 MINUTES.


    It wasn¡¯t that strong. The wand¡¯s single spell wouldn¡¯t heal much, but it was something. It was also an indication that she could get stronger healing items as she grew in strength. The other wands helped with her other shortcomings.


    With her summons she could do a lot of things.


    If the new summons worked the way she hoped it would, she would be able to do even more. Stuff that her dad wouldn¡¯t be happy with. But she wanted to help. She wanted to do more.


    Understanding and doing were two different things.


    This would be the perfect time to test things. Her dad was going to be busy elsewhere, he wouldn¡¯t be able to see what she tried. Harper would be busy. Everyone would. No one would be watching her.


    Piper smiled, adding some more detail to the drawing.

 Chapter 255 (5.22)

    The signal was given.


    Loch was looking up the hill, seeing the flare of energy blooming. A couple of giants saw it, calling out to the others. The energy flare was bright in the center, different colors around the orange center, staring bright and going dull as it spread out. The center got bigger, a bright bolt of orange energy streaking down the rock.


    The bolt slammed into the chest of a giant, the force knocking the monster down. Smoke rose from the chest of the unmoving creature, flames spreading around the body. Others looked down at the giant, then back up the hill as a second bolt shot down, impacting the ground. Dirt and rocks shot out, showering the giants, who raised their hands to protect their faces, turning away. Flames struck the closest giants, spreading across their bodies, more fires bursting up along the ground.


    Loch hadn¡¯t been sure the new cannons would work. They¡¯d been the brainchild of Lewis Bergmann, Patrick Verner and Steve Haley, who had an Uncommon SiegeGuard Class. The three had worked out a way to use Spirit to launch propane bombs, similar to what Loch had used during the Gaunt siege.


    The flames spread as the giants tried to put them out.


    Two more blasts slammed down into the encampment. One caught a giant in the shoulder, knocking the monster down. The second hit a hill, causing more dirt, stone and propane to shower across more giants.


    Arrows followed, looking small as they struck the giants. Arms, chests, shoulders. A couple lucky shots hitting heads. One giant reared back, reaching a large hand up to try and pull an arrow from his eye. Another volley of arrows shot into the ranks of the giants, followed by a couple of spells. Fire and ice, the silver blasts from Piper¡¯s wand.


    Before the giants could recover from the surprise attack, Clan Brady¡¯s melee fighters reached the first ranks. They¡¯d started running with the first cannon shots. Swords, clubs and even axe struck the much taller giants. Loch could see Brian, Drew and Davis leading the charge. A silver spear of energy slammed into another giant, piercing the hide armor, bursting out the back. The giant staggered back, Drew jumping onto the humanoid¡¯s chest, slamming his truncheons against the giant¡¯s head. It landed hard on the ground, Drew jumping off.


    More of Clan Brady struck, multiple giants falling. Loch was happy to see that his people didn¡¯t consider the prone giants down for the count. They moved in, crowding the giant, making sure the monster was dead. Multiple people faced off against each monster.


    He itched to be out there, throwing Onyx, using Windstep to move from giant to giant, but he couldn¡¯t. Loch held himself back, watching the giants near his target. They hadn¡¯t moved yet. He cursed, telling them silently to get out of his way. He didn¡¯t want more giants to join the fight against his people, but he needed them to move.


    Finally they did, after what felt like an eternity to Loch. Every second was agony. He wanted to join his people, to lead them. It took everything he had to hold himself back, especially when he saw the black animals attacking the giants. He thought he saw Harper jumping in and out of the shadows, striking a giant then disappearing, all her blows aimed at the ankles and tendons, crippling the giants or at least slowing them down for others to deal with. The battle looked to be going well for Clan Brady, but it was early still, not all the giants involved.


    One by one, the few giants around the hill left. Not all went far, but it was enough distance for Loch. He stood up, creeping right to the edge of the treeline. Activating Windstep, he crossed the distance, stopping at the hill. He leaned against it, creeping around to the front.


    Loch kept his eyes on the giants, watching their reactions. None seemed to hear them. He looked around quickly for Little River Stone, not seeing the Sasquatch. Moving to the front, Loch studied the crack.


    The hill was mostly dirt, with some visible rock, some moss and grass. The crack was through the rock, a jagged hole. Maybe ten feet high and only three or four wide, the edges broken and jagged. He couldn¡¯t see deep inside, the floor looking like it sloped down. Reaching out with his senses, Loch could feel something. He wasn¡¯t sure what it was. It was similar to what he¡¯d felt with the Grand Oak, just a little off. There was a feeling of air and age with the Oak. Coming from the cave was a feeling of depth, darkness and pressure.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    One last look at the battle, seeing a Clan Brady fighter go down, Loch had to resist rushing out. He saw others grabbing the downed fighter, pulling them from the battle. Taking a deep breath, he turned his back on his people, stepping into the cave.


    ***


    Loch held his hand up, feeling the ceiling of the tight tunnel. It sloped down, everything rough, forcing Loch to duck and weave around sharp rocks, or bits of hardened dirt. He wondered how the taller Si-Te-Cah managed to get through. Still no sign of Little River Stone, who would have a very hard time navigating the tunnel.


    The sounds of the battle faded the deeper Loch went. It got darker, the small bit of light coming in from the opening fading and then disappearing, leaving Loch with no light. He thought about summoning Bulwark, using the glow of the shield to light his way, but that would give away that he was coming.


    The tunnel turned, still continuing down. Now Loch could hear what sounded like muttering. A light appeared, framing an opening further along. Slowing down, he crept closer, the light growing. It was steady, not flickering or pulsing. The talking got louder, becoming clearer.


    ¡°Why are you not giving me what I want?¡±


    The voice was calm, cold. Just the sound of it raised goosebumps. A shadow passed in front of the light, momentarily blocking it.


    ¡°This should be simple,¡± the voice continued.


    Loch moved to the edge of the opening, standing against the wall. He leaned out, looking into a decent sized domed room.


    It was rough, not carved but looking like someone had dug it out. The curved walls and ceiling were uneven, some even being a foot or two deeper than sections next to it. The floor wasn¡¯t as bad, but it sloped unevenly. Some areas were a step or two higher. It was a mess.


    In the middle was a large stone. Rough looking, jagged sides, like it had fallen from the ceiling. Six feet tall, maybe three wide. And it glowed. The light came from the stone, soft and white, not blinding, allowing Loch to see the details.


    The shadow kept passing in front of it, blocking the light. The Si-Te-Cah was just as Little River Stone had described. Tall and thin, wearing a robe. Loch couldn¡¯t see the red hair or pale skin in the light of the stone. The man walked around, hands behind his back. He stared at the stone, running fingers over it.


    ¡°You should be working for me,¡± he said. ¡°That is your purpose. That is why I am here.¡±


    Loch watched the humanoid circle the stone a couple more times, not talking. The stone did nothing. Little River Stone had thought the Si-Te-Cah was looking for a powerful Natural Resource and it appeared it had been found, but what was it? The Great Oak had given off a feeling of power, Cerie able to take a guess at what its purpose was. The fairy wasn¡¯t here to guess from the feeling of depth that stone gave off, depth and power, but Loch didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be able to come up with anything. If the Si-Te-Cah didn¡¯t know, chances are there was nothing in the Silver Bark histories that Cerie would be able to reference.


    SI-TE-CAH SHAMAN


    Loch¡¯s Evaluate gave a feel that the humanoid was equal to his Level. Which made sense. The Si-Te-Cah was capped by the Connection. But Loch had no idea what the being could do. Shaman gave him some ideas. A caster of some kind.


    But it had to be more than that.


    The Si-Te-Cah was eight feet tall, where the giants were twelve to fifteen or more. The Si-Te-Cah was thinner compared to the giant. Physically weaker. So the giants couldn¡¯t be scared of the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s physical power. It had to be the magical power.


    Which was not a good match-up for Loch.


    He looked down the tunnel, trying to find any sign of Little River Stone. Nothing.


    Could the large Sasquatch even make it down the tunnel?


    ¡°I know you are there.¡±


    The voice snapped Loch¡¯s attention back to the cavern. He didn¡¯t lean out, feeling the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s Presence focused in his direction.


    ¡°You are new to the Connection,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said. ¡°Or you would know that some can feel when Evaluate is used on them. I am one such. The more equal you are in Level, the easier it is to feel when the Skill is used. If I was not capped by the damnable Connected System my Level would be far above yours. The feeling of power would overwhelm you.¡±


    The voice was calm, not coming closer. Not even curious, just talking, waiting.


    ¡°I do not know your name,¡± the Si-Te-Cah continued. ¡°But I have felt your growing power and your growing Clan. Come out so we may meet face to face.¡±

 Chapter 256 (5.23)

    Loch stepped out into the cavern. He didn¡¯t move deep, staying in the opening. He didn¡¯t have Onyx or Bulwark summoned. The Si-Te-Cah was to the left of the stone, a little forward, the light behind him, making it hard to see the full figure. Loch didn¡¯t see any weapons. There was no sign of Abilities being Activated.


    ¡°I can sense your Presence. You are strong and have a Patron already? That is interesting. Most times the Divine Beings,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said that part with a sneer. ¡°Do not get involved for much longer. My people have been able to take advantage of their inattention. I had hoped this would be one of those times.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    The Si-Te-Cah made a motion that looked like a shrug.


    ¡°Just as I said.¡± He turned his back on Loch, stepping closer to the stone. ¡°We arrive on newly Connected Worlds, looking to claim as many Natural Resources as we can. Unlike many in the Connection, growing their Clans is all they care about. We are not like that.¡±


    ¡°There are more of you on Earth?¡±


    The Si-Te-Cah looked at Loch over his shoulder. Even with the light behind him, hiding many details, Loch could see the predatory smile.


    ¡°That is a good question. One you will never know.¡±


    He turned back to the stone, starting to walk around it.


    He doesn¡¯t fear me, Loch realized. Nothing about the Si-Te-Cah showed worry about anything Loch could do. If the strange humanoid cared about any fighting outside of the cave, he didn¡¯t show it. He was focused entirely on the glowing stone. Loch could feel himself getting angry. He knew there were stronger beings on Earth, but he was the strongest human. He was the same Level as the Si-Te-Cah. How dare this person ignore him. He had come here to fight and stop the giants and Si-Te-Cah. Not be ignored. How dare this creature. This invader. This was Loch¡¯s home, not those creatures.


    He raised a hand, ready to summon Onyx and throw it, but stopped. Loch took a deep breath. A pressure lifted from his mind, something he hadn¡¯t even realized was there.


    YOUR MENTAL RESISTANCE HAS GAINED RANK TWO


    ¡°Interesting,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said. ¡°Most cannot resist my mind pushing.¡±


    The 8 foot tall humanoid took a step closer.


    ¡°It is so much funner playing with my prey when they are enraged.¡±


    ¡°What is that stone?¡± Loch asked, wanting to keep the Si-Te-Cah talking.


    The more he could learn, the better. Aside from somehow pushing at Loch¡¯s mind, making him angry, he didn¡¯t know what this creature could do. The Si-Te-Cah looked over his shoulder at the stone.


    ¡°My people put that here,¡± he said. ¡°A long time ago, before we even knew what the Connection was or that it existed. Now it would be called a Natural Resource and surprisingly it even uses Spirit. Interesting that the Connection¡¯s energy existed before the Connection. Almost like it is something that exists everywhere and the Connection only steals it.¡± He turned back to look at Loch. ¡°That is all the Connection is. A thief. It steals what was already there. You Adapted are just filters for it.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the Si-Te-Cah laughed. ¡°We have never been.¡±


    He raised a hand, the robe sliding down revealing pale skin that almost glowed in the light of the stone. He moved his long, thin fingers, tracing different shapes in the air. Trails of faint light followed the fingers, little sparks that fell to the ground.


    ¡°The Connection says it Adapted you but that is not true. None of the so-called Connected Races are Adapted. Adapted for what? To harness and use Spirit? All Adapted were already made to do that. Every world that becomes part of the Connection is a world that already generated Spirit. Maybe not on a grand scale like now, but it was there and all the species and creatures on that world could harness it. In time, thousands of years, with evolution you all would have been able to harness and use Spirit on your own. All the Connection does when it Adapts you is turn you into a filter. It takes Spirit through you and feeds on it, growing stronger. The Connection just pushed your evolution to make itself, not you, stronger.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Loch didn¡¯t know how much of what the creature was saying was true. Some of it fit with what he had learned. But did it matter? Life was now under the rules of the Connected System. That was their reality. There was nothing they could do to change that. Loch and his family, his people, everyone on Earth, just had to deal with the new world.


    ¡°What is the stone?¡± Loch asked again.


    ¡°A power source,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said. ¡°There are more spread around the Earth. All meant to be connected,¡± he laughed at the use of the word. ¡°Everything is connected one way or the other.¡±


    He held up his hand, the light still dancing around it, pointing a long finger at Loch.


    ¡°But I tire of your stalling.¡±


    The light gathered around the finger, twisting along its length. It shot out, streaming toward Loch, still twisting as it cut through the air. Activating Bulwark, he got the shield up, catching the stream of light.


    Loch flew back, knocked off his feet, slamming into the wall behind him. Cracks appeared across the surface of the energy shield. He could feel the energy still crawling across the shield. It didn¡¯t feel like anything he¡¯d felt before. He¡¯d been struck by flames, lightning, water and even shadow energy. They all felt different but there was something that was the same between it all. Loch could feel the Spirit that helped form the different energy types.


    There was no Spirit in the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s attack.


    Using the tunnel wall, Loch pushed himself up, keeping a wary eye on the Si-Te-Cah. The attack hadn¡¯t just been energy but had some pressure and force to it.


    ¡°Your shield is impressive. That was one of my weaker attacks but to still absorb it fully like that is rare. The Connected System does grant some impressive Abilities.¡±


    He raised his other hand, this one glowing more orange. With a flick of his fingers, a small ball of fire shot out. Loch Activated Windstep, rushing past the attack. He knew a fireball when he saw one. He appeared in front of the Si-Te-Cah, swinging Onyx at the humanoid¡¯s head, the swing angled up. The Si-Te-Cah stepped back, quickly and effortlessly. The axe missed.


    The fireball exploded in the tunnel, bright orange flames shooting out, fire filling the entire opening. The shockwave slammed into Loch, staggering him. It didn¡¯t bother the Si-Te-Cah. Loch could feel the waves of heat. The fireball had only been a couple inches in diameter and it had done that amount of damage. Loch was glad that it had exploded in the tunnel and not outside where the damage would have been immense.


    The two attacks, effortless attacks, had been more than anything Loch had dealt with before. The Si-Te-Cah was scary. Even capped at Level Twenty-Five, the power was beyond anything else. But was the Si-Te-Cah really capped? He had said he was outside the Connection. Were Levels even something that applied to him?


    Loch kept attacking, keeping Onyx swinging, making the Si-Te-Cah stepping back. The arms had returned to clasping behind the back, red hair swaying with each movement. It was just steps, a twist of the waist, each of Loch¡¯s blows barely missing. But they did miss, not even catching the flowing robes. He Activated all of his buffs. Aura Of Attack, Breaker¡¯s Banner and even Offensive Stance. He Activated Precision Strike, wanting to see where the weak areas were.


    The Ability showed nothing. No yellow dots. Nothing like what he was used to seeing. Loch¡¯s swings stopped for a second as the shock rolled through him, but he pushed forward, not wanting to give the monster a chance to cast a spell. How could there be no weaknesses?


    Loch swung Onyx, staggering to a stop as something caught it. The Si-Te-Cah smiled, holding the axe by the shaft, below the head. Loch pushed, trying to drive the axehead down against the monster¡¯s head. The smile grew and with a flick of his wrist, the Si-Te-Cah sent Loch flying.


    Loch landed hard, rolling to a stop and jumping up, holding Bulwark in front of him, Onyx ready to throw. The Si-Te-Cah laughed, a horrible sound that echoed through the cavern.


    ¡°If you are the most powerful this world has to offer, conquering it will be child¡¯s play.¡±


    He raised both hands, one glowing white and the other red, pointing fingers at Loch. Bracing himself, Loch expanded Bulwark as large as it would go, sacrificing thickness for more protective area. He was up against the wall with nowhere to go.

 Chapter 257 (5.24)

    Harper stepped out of the Shadow Realm near the treeline at the rear of the fight. Blood dripped from both bladed tonfas as she surveyed the battle, trying to find where she was needed. It was a chaotic mess. What had started with somewhat defined lines was anything but now. Giants stood everywhere, turning and slamming clubs and axes down into the ground trying to hit the much smaller humans surrounding them. Most giants had three or four members of Clan Brady facing them, keeping them turning constantly. Some only had one or two.


    Brian swung his huge club, shattering a giant¡¯s knee. The monster fell to the ground, Brian immediately moving and swinging the club down on the giant¡¯s head. The ground shook from the impact. The annoying twins, always finishing each other¡¯s sentences, she could never tell them apart, attacked another giant. One stabbed with their spear, causing the giant to turn, giving the other an opening. They kept moving in a circle, clockwise and then counter clockwise, leaving the giant confused. Drew and Davis were and weren¡¯t working together. One would charge a giant, engaging it and then moving on. The other would follow up, attacking the distracted giant.


    Everywhere she looked, the giants seemed to be on the losing end of the fighting. The problem was that there were more giants and she didn¡¯t think the leaders, the higher Leveled ones had gotten involved yet.


    A group hung back by the tents, avoiding the periodic blasts from what were being called Spirit Cannons. Harper thought it a dull name, but it worked and fit what the weapons did. The blasts were enough to keep the next wave of giants back. But it wouldn¡¯t last long. Harper knew they would join the battle. She thought Clan Brady would be able to hold out, but it would be much harder.


    She had seen a couple Clanmembers fall, dragged out of the fight and up the hill to the waiting healers, but if the other giants attacked it would mean spreading out and more would fall. She¡¯d been moving from giant to giant, cutting tendons and making a nuisance of herself. Harper knew she could take a giant one on one. Not easily, but she could do it. Her role had been to cripple or hurt the giants, moving around the battlefield and letting the others finish the monsters. If a group of Clanmembers was getting overwhelmed, jump into the fight with a couple quick attacks, and move on.


    There had to be more she could do.


    The multi-colored sparks of experience danced around the battlefield, some entering her. It provided an odd glow to the fighting, as did the glow of Abilities and the lights from the casters on the hill, doing the same as the cannons and keeping the rest of the giants out of the fight.


    Harper Activated Shadowskip, the world losing its color, turning to shades of gray. Time slowed down, every movement of those outside the Realm dragging as if moving through water. It didn¡¯t affect Harper as she ran, crossing the distance in seconds. She moved into the giant¡¯s camp, running around the tents, searching.


    Fires had started early in the battle, but those had been extinguished, the ruined tents moving in the constant wind, some pulling at the ropes that barely held them down. There were fire pits, the fires still going, snapping and cracking in the wind. The oranges and reds looked odd, turned into shades of gray. Then there were the giants, a dozen of them, standing back among the tents, watching the battle. A couple crouched, ready to rush into the fight.


    Explosions came from in front of them, rock and debris thrown up. Oddly colored streaks of energy striking the ground or any giant that got too close. At some point the casters would run out of Spirit, the cannons run out of the propane gas projectiles.


    One of the giants stood away from the front. He barked out, pointing at various spots around the battle, the others turning and nodding. That was the leader.


    Harper could feel herself getting chill. She had spent too long in the Shadow Realm.


    Stepping out, she slashed a tonfa, cutting through the rope holding the hide tent. The wind took it, flying it right into a fire pit. The dry hide went up quickly, the wind pushing the flaming tent beyond. The giants saw it, and the next, which Harper had to throw into the fire herself. Using her tonfa¡¯s tip, she pulled it out, throwing it on the undamaged tent. Both were on fire, the flames spreading.


    She jumped back into the Shadow Realm, running around the camp, jumping out on the far side. Her tonfas slashed across the heels of a giant, cutting deep. The giant humanoid screamed in pain, falling to the ground as the tip pierced the back of his knees. He slammed hard, the ground shaking. Harper jumped up onto his back, spearing a tonfa down into muscle to hold herself up. The other slashed across the back of the giant¡¯s head. She ran up and to the side, tonfa spearing into the shoulder, the other slashing across the neck. It wasn¡¯t an angle where she could get a deep cut, but it was enough.


    Harper heard another giant coming, felt the pressure wave of the air being pushed forward. Pulling her tonfa out, she leaned back, falling into a roll down the body as a club passed where she¡¯d been. She skipped back into the Shadow Realm, jumping out behind that giant. Her tonfas cut across the giant¡¯s back, a female one. She twisted, the club coming down where Harper had been. Missing as Harper jumped to the side, the club followed, just missing again. Harper leapt up, tonfa cutting across the giant¡¯s hand. With a roar, the giant swung the club down, realizing at the last second where it was aimed. The club slammed into the first giant¡¯s head, crushing it.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    The female giant yelled something, a name or curse, Harper didn¡¯t know. The giant was angry, swinging the club wildly. Harper disappeared into the shadows. The giant looked around, trying to find her. Harper appeared right in front of the giant, jumping out of a nearby tree, tonfas leading. They pierced the chest of the female giant, who looked down in surprise. A hand reached down, trying to grab Harper, but she had already flipped away, dragging the tonfas through the giant¡¯s body, leaving wide slashes. Landing on her feet, Harper ran forward, ducking low and running between the wide spread legs. Tonfas slashed out, cutting deep as she ran, Activating Shadowskip and disappearing.


    The giants pulled together, back to back, eyes watching everywhere. They didn¡¯t see Harper reappear back by the treeline, not until they felt the small sharp pains from throwing knives. Enraged, a couple of the giants chased after Harper, forgetting where they were. A blast from a Spirit Cannon caught one in the shoulder, knocking it down. A fireball slammed into the chest of the other.


    Harper didn¡¯t stop to finish off the two, seeing a group of Clan Brady fighters in trouble.


    ***


    ¡°Stay up here Piper,¡± Kim Hudson called out.


    Piper waved a hand, acknowledging that she heard. She didn¡¯t move though. Kim was too busy firing her spells to really pay attention, allowing Piper to take another couple steps down the rocky slope. She fired another blast from her wand, the pure silver energy streaking down and striking a giant.


    She saw her remaining inksummons darting around the battlefield. Only a cat and wolf remained. The bear and lion had been destroyed early on. Which is what she had planned. Those two had managed to nearly take down a giant on their own before others had smashed them with clubs. She had sent out more of the smaller, having them assist other Clanmembers, not focusing on any one giant, but wounding and distracting multiple. A couple had been destroyed when they¡¯d leapt in front of an attack meant for a Clan Brady fighter, blocking and disrupting the attack, possibly saving the Clanmembers life.


    She knew she could send out some more larger ones, but was trying to conserve her Spirit. It was a balancing act. She had a role to play in the battle, which required inksummons, but she had an idea of something she wanted to try, which would require a lot of ink. Piper knew if it came down to it, she¡¯d unleash more bears and lions, maybe even the inkdragon that she had redrawn and added detail, making it stronger. If the Clan was in trouble, she knew what to do.


    But part of her really wanted to try out her idea. It was dangerous. She¡¯d get yelled at by a lot of people, not just her dad and Harper. But if it worked, so many more possibilities would be opened up to her. A whole new way to use her Abilities.


    She¡¯d reviewed the drawing with Mr. Verner, who her dad had said was an engineer. He¡¯d been impressed with her blueprint. That¡¯s what her dad had called the drawing he¡¯d shown her once of how a piece of equipment was built. The blueprint showed all the pieces and how they went together to make the final machine.


    Piper had made a sketch of what she wanted first but realized, with Cerie¡¯s help, that all she had was the outside. She didn¡¯t know how the inside worked and she needed that knowledge to make her sketch turn into the final idea.


    With her inkanimals, even the wall she had made, Piper didn¡¯t need to know how they worked, just what they did. Claws were easy. They scratched and did damage. A bear was strong, she could show that in her sketch even if she didn¡¯t know how the muscles worked. But a machine was different. She needed to know how it did what it did.


    So she¡¯d looked up blueprints in the books they¡¯d taken from the library, able to find some thanks to the help of the new librarian, Quinn Hanna. She even had an Uncommon Class related to being a librarian. Archivist. It sounded cool to Piper. Ms. Hanna had helped her look up blueprints, giving Piper an idea of what she had to draw. Then with the help of Mr. Verner, she¡¯d finished it.


    Now she just had to find a time to test it out.


    She shot another blast from her wand, hitting a giant in the shoulder. The creature looked up at her, shouting something in its language. It took a step toward the slope but stopped as arrows peppered its skin. They stuck out of its shoulders, neck and cheek, missing the giant¡¯s eyes. It started that direction, so she hit it with the wand again. It turned and arrows hit it, turning it again. Piper felt kind of bad for the giant, from where she was she couldn¡¯t tell if it was male or female. Feeling bad for it didn¡¯t stop her from sending a new inkcat at it.


    Not a housecat, but puma sized, the inkcat ran down the hill and jumped onto the giant. Landing on its back, the claws dug in, cutting long gashes in the monster as the inkcat slid down. Bracing its back legs against the giant, the inkcat leapt off, racing across the battle for another enemy to attack.


    Cerie had said that when she created an inksummon of a living creature, Piper had an idea of how the creature behaved but that the Spirit helped assist, giving the form function. If she drew a bear, the Connected System knew what a bear should do. Making a machine was different. Piper really didn¡¯t understand it, but if Cerie said it, it had to be true.


    She sent a couple more inkcats, housecat sized, into the battle. Sometimes she wished there was an actual way to measure how much Spirit she was using and had left. The mental image of a bar was good, but it was just an estimate. Having numbers would be better. She¡¯d always liked numbers and math.


    The mental bar felt a little over half way full. If it went too much lower, she wouldn¡¯t get to try out her new sketch. Piper really wanted to try it out.

 Interlude Thirty-Seven (5.Interlude Three)

    Theodore cursed as his mental blast struck a Giant. The large stupid creature staggered, eyes going blank for a couple seconds, until it regained control of itself. It was long enough for Roger to slam his shield into the ugly creature¡¯s knee. The sound of bone breaking was loud.


    I thought he was a Shieldbearer not a Shieldbreaker, Theodore thought, chuckling at his own joke.


    The giant fell to one knee, Mike Turner dashing in and stabbing the beast in the neck. Blood gushed out, covering Mike who retreated, choking and retching, wiping at his face to get rid of the blood. Theodore looked around, not seeing Harper Brady. Young Mike had tried to be the dashing, heroic warrior and got covered in blood for nothing.


    The oldest Brady girl had been around not that long ago. Appearing and slashing her weapons across the achilles tendons of a giant, then disappearing and leaving others to finish off the beast. Lazy of her. Roger looked around for Malcolm, the group¡¯s Healer, wanting to get his minor wounds fixed. Malcolm was further back with all the other Healers, directly out of harm¡¯s way, able to use their Abilities on everyone and not just their team. Roger hadn¡¯t liked that idea, but had been overruled. Theodore thought it smart, even though he would never let Lochlan Brady know one of his ideas was smart.


    Or had it come from that Drew boy?


    That one seemed to be getting more and more of Lochlan¡¯s time. He was one to watch out for. Theodore had wanted to get Drew into the hive, but the few times he¡¯d approached the younger man, he¡¯d been dismissed. Drew didn¡¯t want to talk. Theodore had tried sending some of those in the hive to get Drew to open up to the ideas Theodore said, but it didn¡¯t work. It was like talking with those elves that had joined the Clan. They didn¡¯t want to hear anything Theodore said.


    Why didn¡¯t they want to listen to reason? Everything Theodore said made sense and was logical. The Voice made sure of it.


    He searched the battlefield, finding the cluster of elvish groups. They fought the giants differently from Clan Brady. There was more finesse and tactics, not like they had experience at it but just that they knew a better way. Which they probably did. From what little Theodore had overheard, the elves and giants were from the same world. They had been fighting each other for centuries, if not more.


    That was one thing Theodore had yet to really accept. He wasn¡¯t going to die in the eighty to ninety year range, but could live to a couple hundred if not more. As long as some monster didn¡¯t kill him. The higher Leveled, the longer he¡¯d live. It was an amazing thought.


    How big could he grow the Hive if he was two hundred years old? If he lived to be five hundred? How many could he control at that point?


    ¡°Teddy!,¡± Mike yelled out.


    Theodore growled, shaken from his thoughts. He hated that name. He was half-tempted to let the giant attacking Mike win, killing the annoying brat, but that wouldn¡¯t look good. He needed Mike alive for a while longer.


    Activating Mind Blast, Theodore sent a sharp spike of pain into the giant¡¯s mind. The monster roared, dropping its club as it clutched at its head with both hands. The thing looked male, but Theodore didn¡¯t care. No matter how humanoid it was, the giant was still a monster. It roared, shaking its head to try and get rid of the pain.


    He didn¡¯t need to, but Theodore sent another Mind Blast, making the giant fall down to its knees. The creatures had such small brains when compared to their size. It was easy to overwhelm them with the Mind Blast. He stopped attacking, letting his Spirit recharge, as Mike and Roger stabbed and slashed at the giant, cutting it to ribbons. It would have been nice to have their Archer, Eric Hanlon, with them but like the Healers all the ranged fighters were further up the rocky slope where they could attack all over the battlefield.


    Another good idea by Lochlan Brady. Theodore hated giving that man any credit for any success.


    ***


    Drew jumped to the side, feeling the kinetic energy of the club slamming into the ground gathering in his body. He¡¯d felt strong when he fought the ogres, but it was nothing compared to fighting these giants. He was higher Leveled than back then, but these giants were much stronger too. The kinetic energy he absorbed from the near misses was crazy.


    He darted to the side, moving around the giant, making the creature spin to catch him. He slowed just a bit, letting the club hit the ground right where he¡¯d been. That last near hit had given him the last energy he needed.


    Pushing a little kinetic energy into speed, Drew darted around the giant again, jumping up as high as he could go. One truncheon slammed into the giant¡¯s kidney, the other into the monster¡¯s shoulder. There was the sharp crack of multiple bones breaking, a squishier sound of something soft being smashed. The giant roared, staggering back, blood falling from the wound on his side.


    Drew shook his truncheon, getting the blood and organs off the weapon. He¡¯d been surprised at how much penetration the blunt weapon had gotten. The giant¡¯s skin was tough, almost like leather armor, but the truncheon with the added kinetic energy behind it had burst through the skin like it was nothing. It was kind of gross, but Drew didn¡¯t stop to worry too much about it. The giant was still alive.


    It reached up the only good arm, the other hanging useless and broken, trying to grab at Drew. He dodged the fingers, cracking bone with quick hits from the truncheons. He still had some energy stored. With how weak the giant was becoming, Drew didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to get much more energy from this one. So he didn¡¯t bother.


    Moving on, he heard the giant yell out in pain as someone else came in behind and stabbed or speared it. Might have been the twins, they had been following behind Drew for a bit.


    He paused, looking around the battlefield, trying to find his next target. Elora appeared next to him, pointing her sword at a female giant charging toward them.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± she said, smiling.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.¡°Lets,¡± Drew replied.


    He ran ahead of Elora, getting the giant to focus on him. She moved to the side. The giant swung at Drew. He dodged to the side, feeling the kinetic energy from the club¡¯s miss flowing into his body. A truncheon swung out, smacking the giant in the ankle. He hadn¡¯t added any more power to it, just the normal strength of the weapon and his own. The giant barely noticed, but that was the plan. The giant forgot about Elora.


    She didn¡¯t forget about Elora for long. A sword stabbed out, cutting into the back of the giant¡¯s knee. It wasn¡¯t a solid strike, just slicing the skin but no tendons or muscle. It was enough to grab the giant¡¯s attention. Turning, the giant swung the club, Elora ducking underneath. Drew darted in, throwing a little power into the truncheon. He swung at the wounded back of knee, the magically strengthened weapon slamming into the wound. With the extra power, the knee buckled, the giant stumbling.


    She used the giant club to keep herself from falling, bracing it against the ground. Elora jumped onto the weapon, pulling herself to the giant¡¯s hand. She stabbed down with her sword, piercing the skin of the hand. The giant released the weapon, Elora flipping off and landing on her feet.


    The giant grabbed for Elora, who danced out of the way. Instead of swinging his weapon, Drew stabbed out with it, poking the end into the wounded knee. The giant howled, quickly swinging around.


    Drew wasn¡¯t fast enough, the giant¡¯s fist slamming into him. He went flying, landing hard and sliding across the ground. His whole body hurt, but nothing seemed broken. He thanked his Adapted body and Kinetic Absorption Ability. It wasn¡¯t a shield but it helped keep blows from hurting as bad since he absorbed a lot of the energy.


    Pushing himself up, he staggered a bit, shaking his head to clear the bit of cobwebs. That blow had hurt. He promised himself to not let it happen again. Cursing, he looked around for his weapons. He¡¯d dropped them when sent flying.


    Elora was dancing around the giant, but not able to land any blows. Weaponless, the giant was trying to grab the elf, blood dripping from the wounded hand. Both hands reached out, trying to catch Elora, trying to trap her.


    Giving the ground one last look, trying to see his weapons, Drew raced forward. He channeled the stored energy into his fists. Crouching down, he sprung up, jumping onto the giant¡¯s back. He grabbed the rough hide clothing the giant wore, using it to pull himself up. The giant bucked, trying to knock him off, giving Elora an opening. She slashed her sword across the giant¡¯s leg, making the giant thrash harder, almost knocking Drew off.


    One hand slipped, the other barely holding on to the hide. Drew wanted to let it go. The material felt disgusting, matted with dirt and he didn¡¯t want to know what else. It all smelled. Trying to hold his breath, he swung himself against the giant¡¯s back, grabbing the cloth with his other hand. Climbing, he grabbed the collar, pulling himself up. Legs wrapped around the giant¡¯s neck, holding on to flowing hair.


    Drew almost let go, the hair feeling horrible, but he held on tight, channeling the power into his right and free hand. He swung, slamming his fist into the side of the giant¡¯s head, aiming for the temple. It hurt, but he didn¡¯t think anything broke.


    In his hand. He heard the cracking of bone in the giant¡¯s skull. A huge hand came up to swat at him, another coming up to cover the side of her head. Drew let go, leaning over backwards and falling to the ground. He used his hands to brace his fall, flipping over and trying to land on his feet.


    He failed, stumbling and landing on his backside. Looking up, he saw the enraged giant turning toward him. Cursing, Drew scrambled back, watching as Elora jumped onto the giant¡¯s back, grabbing hair with one hand and stabbing down with the sword.


    He stopped moving, watching Elora. She made it look so easy, so effortless. The sword stabbed into the side of the giant¡¯s neck. Roaring, the giant twisted, trying to reach and grab Elora, who easily jumped off, landing in a roll and popping back up next to Drew.


    She held a hand out, helping him up.


    ¡°You need to learn how to land,¡± she said.


    ¡°Want to teach me?¡±


    Elora smiled, pointing her sword at the angry giant.


    Drew smiled.


    ***


    Pulling his arm back, Davis threw his arm forward, launching a glowing spear. It soared across the battlefield, striking a giant in the shoulder. The monster turned, swatting at the wound as the spear disappeared. The elves that had been attacking it dashed forward, stabbing the giant in multiple places, darting away as the giant swung back to them.


    Davis ran forward, seeing a giant pressing a small group of Clan Brady fighters. Holding his hand out, he summoned another of his glowing spears. With its back turn, the giant didn¡¯t see Davis rushing toward it. Holding his spear in both hands, Davis charged at the monster. He slammed the spear into the small of the giant¡¯s back, just missing the spine.


    The giant roared in pain, the roar becoming a scream as Davis Activated his Exploding Spear Ability. It sent a burst of Spirit into the tip of his spear, causing it to explode with power. Davis jumped back as the energy spear blew up, taking a large chunk of the giant¡¯s body with it. He rolled onto his front, hiding his head, as bits of guts, muscle and bone landed all around him. With a cry of pain, the giant fell to the ground, shaking it. Pushing himself up, Davis saw the Clan Brady fighters finish off the giant.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± one of the Clanmembers said.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Davis replied. ¡°There¡¯s one for you,¡± he said, pointing at a charging giant.


    The Clanmember looked at the monster and sighed, shaking his head.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he told his group, leading the charge to meet the giant.


    Davis watched them, making sure they started the fight on the right foot. Looked like they did. He had to chuckle, wondering when he had become the veteran fighter. Shaking his head, Davis scanned the battlefield, trying to find Harper. He¡¯d seen her popping in and out of the Shadow Realm a couple of times, but it had been a while since he¡¯d seen her last.


    How long had the fight been going on? He had no idea. It had felt like hours, but had probably only been minutes. Maybe thirty or so? That seemed about right.


    Hearing a giant coming closer, Davis turned, seeing one of the monsters being pushed back by Mike Turner and the older man from his team. Davis couldn¡¯t remember the man¡¯s name. It began with an R.


    Davis dashed to the side as the giant walked backwards through where he¡¯d been. He¡¯d thought about stabbing out, scoring a hit, but Mike and the other guy seemed to have it under control. Mike glanced at him as they passed. Davis thought it looked a little mean, and disappointed. He knew Mike had feelings for Harper and was jealous of their relationship. The other teen didn¡¯t hide any of it.


    But that look. Mike had been disappointed. But about what? Had he purposely tried to get Davis trampled by the giant?


    Davis shook his head. That didn¡¯t make sense. Mike was jealous, not vindictive.


    Looking around for where he could help out, Davis put it out of his mind.

 Chapter 258 (5.25)

    The Si-Te-Cah released the white energy first. It slammed into Bulwark, the energy cracking, pieces falling off as the energy ate away at the shield. Loch could feel the pressure, pushing him against the stone wall. He shifted to the side, angling the shield.


    The energy slammed into the wall, exploding shards. They struck Loch¡¯s face and arm, a couple drawing blood. Most were blocked by his shield. He slid further away, turning the shield quickly to the other side as a stream of flames shot out from the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s other hand. Bulwark handled the power of the flames easier but Loch could still feel the heat. He slid back, away from the wall, back into the cavern, the flames following as the Si-Te-Cah turned.


    ¡°Can we end this?¡± the creature asked, sounding bored. ¡°I need to find out why the stone is not working.¡±


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m inconveniencing you,¡± Loch said, deactivating Bulwark and ducking under the flames.


    He felt the heat along his back, through his armor, as he rolled away. Coming up behind the Si-Te-Cah, Loch swung Onyx. The blade cut into the robes of the creature, Loch feeling it touch skin. It felt like he was hitting bone, the impact jarring. Loch kept running, putting more distance between them, turning around and watching the Si-Te-Cah.


    He there Onyx, the axe shrinking, spinning end over end. Casually, the Si-Te-Cah reached up and caught the axe in his hand. He pulled it closer, examining it, turning it around and over, running a finger along the etchings.


    ¡°This is a Spirit Weapon is it not?¡± He tossed the axe behind his back, smiling as it reappeared in Loch¡¯s hand, growing to full size. ¡°They are unique weapons that only get stronger as you do. It will serve you well for all the millennium, becoming a legend on its own.¡± He paused, the smile turning cruel. ¡°Or it would if you weren¡¯t about to die.¡±


    Loch Activated Bulwark again. He could still feel the boosts from Breaker¡¯s Banner flowing through him. He could go a little longer before having to release the Ability.


    ¡°Not planning on dying today,¡± Loch said.


    The Si-Te-Cah laughed. He tilted his head, turning his body slightly toward the opening.


    ¡°I hear fighting from outside. Are those your people?¡± He turned fully back toward Loch. ¡°As a gift to you, for entertaining me, I will leave most of them alive. They will make good slaves.¡±


    Loch didn¡¯t move, knowing the monster was trying to make him mad.


    ¡°You were entertaining me. But not any longer.¡±


    With a casual flick of his wrist, the Si-Te-Cah sent a blast of the white energy at Loch. He dove out of the way, rolling back up and holding his shield in front of him. The Si-Te-Cah fired another blast. Loch caught it on the shield, angling it to blast into the wall. He moved closer to the strange stone. Standing behind it, the Si-Te-Cah didn¡¯t fire any more blasts.


    ¡°Now you are boring me.¡±


    ¡°So sorry,¡± Loch growled.


    ¡°Come and let us finish¡­.,¡± the Si-Te-Cah started.


    Before he could finish talking, he twisted toward the tunnel opening, firing a blast of the white energy and one of flame. The white struck a shape in the opening, highlighting the large form of a Sasquatch. Bellowing Little River Stone fell back, the flames flowing over his form.


    Loch Activated Windstep, appearing behind the Si-Te-Cah. He swung Onyx, Activating Cleave. He felt the axe bite into flesh, cutting into muscle. It ground to a stop against bone. The Si-Te-Cah didn¡¯t cry out in pain as he twisted away from the axe, turning to swing a hand at Loch. Moving back Loch Activated Elemental Surge. The force slammed into the monster, staggering him forward. Loch stepped back, swinging Onyx across in front of him, Activating Thunder Clap. The pressure wave of the swing slammed into the Si-Te-Cah, followed by a thrown Onyx, lightning crackling across the humanoid¡¯s body. Loch rushed forward, swinging Onyx down on the monster¡¯s shoulder. He felt the axe bite but not deeply.


    A kick caught Loch in the leg. He fell, rolling along the ground to get some space between them. It felt like his bone had shattered from the kick. He had thought the gaunt¡¯s bodies were like stone, they were soft compared to the Si-Te-Cah.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Standing up, he tried to keep weight off the leg. In the tunnel, Little River Stone had stopped the fires. Smoke still curled up from his fur. He staggered into the cavern. The Si-Te-Cah moved to stand in the middle, between Loch and the Sasquatch, at an angle he could see both. He smiled, standing at an angle to not stretch the wound on his back, one arm hanging at his side. He moved it a bit, but didn¡¯t seem to have full mobility.


    ¡°Where did you come from Sasquatch?¡± he asked. ¡°I did not think your kid had followed us back to our home.¡± He paused, tilting his head as he studied Little River Stone. ¡°You are a young one. This is not your home. You were born out there in the cursed Connection.¡±


    ¡°This is the home of my people,¡± Little River Stone rumbled. ¡°Of course we would return to keep your people from claiming it.¡±


    The Si-Te-Cah laughed. Little River Stone started to hum.


    Loch could feel the power gathering in the cavern, seeping up from the ground. Like the effects from his Abilities, he could feel himself getting stronger, faster. The humming echoed through the cavern, getting louder as it bounced off the walls, floor and ceiling. The Si-Te-Cah turned his head, seeming to follow the sound. His eyes tracked the echoes. Raising a hand, he snapped his fingers and the sound ceased.


    Silence filled the cavern.


    Loch felt the added power disappear. Not drained, just gone, instantly.. He looked around, realizing the green tint from Breaker¡¯s Banner was gone. He couldn¡¯t feel the connection to the Ability anymore.


    The Si-Te-Cah sneered.


    Loch tried to Activate the Ability. He could feel the strands of Spirit flowing out of his body, starting to take the shape of the Banner and then they just disappeared, fading to nothing. He tried again, feeling the Spirit leave his Core but it was unable to complete the Ability.


    ¡°The Connected System gives you all this power, but it is so easy to take it away.¡±


    The Si-Te-Cah raised his hands, one glowing white and the other red.


    ¡°True power is something you are born with. Not something you are given.¡± He turned to look at Little River Stone. ¡°You know what that means.¡±


    ¡°You are a fool,¡± Little River Stone rumbled. ¡°You and your kind have always been fools.¡±


    The Si-Te-Cah turned fully on Little River Stone. He raised the white glowing hand, pointing a long finger at the Sasquatch.


    ¡°This world is ours,¡± he said, showing emotion for the first time. Anger. ¡°It has always been ours. The Connected System, you pathetic Sasquatch, none of you can take it from us.¡±


    Loch threw Onyx, aiming for the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s back. He turned, catching the weapon, glaring at Loch.


    ¡°Your people should never have been. An evolutionary line that would have been snuffed out millenia ago before you could grow across this world like a cancer.¡±


    Turning, the Si-Te-Cah threw Onyx at Little River Stone. The axe spun end over end, a blur, moving faster with more power than Loch could throw it. Too fast for Little River Stone to react. With that much power behind it, the axehead would easily penetrate even the Sasquatch¡¯s thick hide.


    Loch reached out to his Spirit Weapon. He¡¯d never tried to recall it mid flight or even at all. It wasn¡¯t something he had to mentally do. When the axe struck, a couple seconds later it returned to Loch¡¯s hand. It was automatic. Nothing he actively thought about.


    Now he did.


    He could feel the Spirit that formed the axe, feel its connection to his Core and his being. Onyx was his weapon, not something anyone else could use. He reached out along that connection, trying to recall the axe back to his hand. Loch could feel the Spirit that made up the weapon, how it molded to the shape he had in his mind, how he changed the shape when he shrunk it to throw, or grew it. He controlled all that. It had never been an active thought, but it had been by his design and wish. He could see the weapons movements, everything slowing down.


    The axe reached Little River Stone, the large Sasquatch trying to move out of the way but would be too late. The weapon would hit Little River Stone in the side, lightning crackling along the axehead. The sharp edge cut the first few hairs, the weapon disappearing.


    Loch held Onyx, feeling a deeper connection to the weapon. It had always felt like an extension of his Spirit, now the weapon felt like an extension of himself.


    YOUR SOUL WEAPON HAS GAINED LEVEL 15.


    YOU HAVE GAINED A GREATER CONTROL OVER HOW THE WEAPON MANIFESTS. IT WILL ALWAYS BE AN AXE BUT THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF AXES AND ONYX CAN BECOME ANY OF THEM.


    The words were quickly dismissed, Loch not even reading them. He didn¡¯t have to. He knew what had changed. Onyx had always been manifested by his will, by his desires. He had been the one limiting it to just the two forms. The large and the small. But that wasn¡¯t all it could do.


    Onyx disappeared from Loch¡¯s hand.


    He held his hands out, Onyx reappearing, an axe in each hand. They were larger than the thrown weapon, smaller than the normal. The shape was the same, one crackling with lighting bolts, the other with blue flames.

 Chapter 259 (5.26)

    ¡°Your Soul Weapon has evolved,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said, his momentary anger gone. ¡°That is interesting. And at such a low Level for you, your race and the weapon. I have seen such before but only for those much Higher Leveled in all things.¡± He glanced at Little River Stone, making sure the Sasquatch wasn¡¯t moving, before turning back to Loch. ¡°I was just going to kill you but now I think I will keep you alive, barely, and study you.¡±


    Loch spun the two handaxes, trailing lights of energy following.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, shifting his stance, holding one axe up and behind, the other low and in front. ¡°I think we end this.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Loch threw the first axe, pulling his arm back and throwing the second. The Si-Te-Cah held out his hands, ready to catch. Fingers went to grasp but the axes had moved. First one and then the other veered slightly to the side, spinning past the hands. They turned, slamming into the shoulders of the Si-Te-Cah, lightning crackling along one and blue flames spreading across the other. Reaching up, the monstrous humanoid tried to grab the weapons but grasped nothing. Both reappeared in Loch¡¯s hands.


    Large fur covered hands reached around the Si-Te-Cah, grabbing him tight. He struggled, trying to wriggle or break free from Little River Stone¡¯s grip. Lifting him up, Little River Stone struggled to get the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s feet off the ground, giving him no leverage to push from. Loch Activated Windstep, appearing right in front of the Si-Te-Cah. He swung low, below the Sasquatch¡¯s arms, Activating Cleave in both axes. Quick swipes left shallow cuts across the stomach, cutting through the pure white robes. Blood leaked out, dripping on the ground, none getting on the robe. It wasn¡¯t much blood, surprising Loch. Those cuts should have ripped the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s stomach open.


    Feet kicked out, slamming into Loch and sending him flying.


    ¡°Enough,¡± the Si-Te-Cah growled, eyes glowing.


    A wave of pressure burst out, causing Little River Stone to howl in pain, releasing the Si-Te-Cah and falling back, slamming into the wall. Loch had gotten up, but was knocked back down by the pressure wave. He rolled, coming up with both axes in hand.


    The Si-Te-Cah looked down at the rips in his robes, pulling fingers away now stained with blood. He glared at Loch. Two smaller Thunderclaps slammed into him, staggering him back a couple of steps. Loch appeared in front, axes swinging, the weapons spun around with the hammer end leading.


    The hammerheads struck the Si-Te-Cah, causing him to grunt in pain. More blows followed, Loch not letting up. Lightning sparked from the end of each hammer. Crackling bolts shot up with each blow, the Si-Te-Cah backing up.


    And stopping.


    Little River Stone stood braced against the cavern wall, arms locked and extended, preventing the Si-Te-Cah from backing up. Loch kept up his attacks, not stopping, changing the area of impact with each blow. Stomach, chest, sides, shoulders. He tried for the head but the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s arms blocked the blows.


    Loch Activated Smash, the next few blows hitting with more impact. He thought he heard the cracking of bone. Loch could feel his Spirit Reserves dwindling. He was using a lot of power. But he had to, it was the only way. The Si-Te-Cah was too strong. Loch had to keep up the overwhelming force. Hammer strikes slammed into the Si-Te-Cah, who growled in pain. Through the noise of the strikes, Loch could hear a deep humming starting.


    It grew, growing louder, reverberating through the cavern. Loch could feel it, spreading energy through his body. The growling of the Si-Te-Cah grew less, growing quieter. He struggled harder, trying to reach and claw at Loch, who ducked and kept swinging. Blow after blow struck the Si-Te-Cah.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The humming filled the cavern, causing it to shake. Small pieces of rock fell, bouncing around the floor. Loch kept up the pressure, feeling strength and energy returning to his strikes. His Spirit Reserves didn¡¯t go up, but they stopped falling. He Activated Smash again, aiming for the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s arm. Hammerhead met elbow, the cracking of bone audible over the humming.


    Roaring in pain, the Si-Te-Cah let out another pulse of energy. It slammed into Loch, pushing at him, but he met it with his own energy.


    Storm¡¯s Touch aura pushed against the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s pulse. Lightning crackling where the two met. Loch Activated Bulwark, but not as an energy shield on his arm. Instead he formed it in front of him, a floating barrier, at its maximum area of coverage. The Si-Te-Cah¡¯s pulse pushed against Bulwark which was strengthened by Storm¡¯s Touch.


    Loch felt a physical impact, knocking him down. Both axes disappeared, Bulwark fading away. He landed hard, a weight pushing down. The Si-Te-Cah had rushed forward, tackling him, reaching for Loch, trying to claw at him. Loch got an arm up between him and the thin but heavy humanoid. He Activated Bulwark. The shield appeared, spikes of energy shooting up and piercing the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s body. The monster roared in pain, blood falling from the wounds.


    Loch rolled to the side, pushing the Si-Te-Cah off him. He felt the weight lift, then saw the monster lifted into the air. Little River Stone grabbed the stunned Si-Te-Cah, throwing the monster against the cavern wall. The whole place shook.


    The Sasquatch didn¡¯t let the Si-Te-Cah go, holding onto the monster¡¯s feet. He swung again, the Si-Te-Cah slammed into the wall again and again, more rocks falling from the ceiling above.


    Loch moved closer, making the two twin axes disappear. He resummoned Onyx, shaping the weapon into a large two handed halberd like weapon. The axe head had shortened, the hammerhead growing bigger. The shaft was long, a couple of feet, giving him more ability to swing the weapon harder.


    ¡°Drop him,¡± Loch told Little River Stone.


    The Sasquatch lifted the Si-Te-Cah up high, swinging the body down onto the ground. More rocks fell from the ceiling and the walls as the entire cavern shook. Stepping back, Little River Stone started humming again, the sound filling the cavern. Loch could feel it flowing through his body, energizing his Spirit.


    The Si-Te-Cah didn¡¯t move.


    Lifting the large two-handed hammer over his head, Loch swung it down. It slammed into the monster¡¯s chest. Cracking bone filled the cavern, stone exploding up as the hardened body of the Si-Te-Cah cratered the stone beneath him. Lighting crackled from the hammer head and the wound on the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s chest, smoke curling up from the burning robe.


    The monster still moved.


    Loch pulled the hammer up over his head, ready to swing it down.


    The Si-Te-Cah lifted a shaking hand, fingers extending. Loch started to swing Onyx down. The Si-Te-Cah snapped, shaking fingers. A shockwave threw Loch back, sent him tumbling across the cavern floor. Onyx disappeared. Each hit against the ground hurt, even the spots where he wore armor. Loch came to a stop against the far wall, bleeding from cuts and gashes. He pushed himself up, snaps of pain coming from his shoulders and wrists. One of his ankles barely took his weight.


    The Si-Te-Cah was standing, hunched over, one arm hanging at his side. He walked with a heavy limp, almost dragging a foot. Cuts marred the white skin, blood flowing down. The robe was ripped and torn, blackened around the middle where small tendrils still drifted up.


    Little River Stone lay on the ground nearby, unmoving. The Si-Te-Cah limped toward the Sasquatch, raising his good arm, the outstretched fingers growing orange.


    Leaning against the cavern wall, Loch summoned Onyx. Nothing happened. The axe didn¡¯t appear. He felt a sharp pain in his head, reaching up to rub at a giant bruise. Had he hit his head so hard that he couldn¡¯t summon the axe? His Spirit Reserves were low but not that low.


    The Si-Te-Cah reached Little River Stone. Leaning down, he moved the glowing hand closer to the Sasquatch¡¯s head.

 Chapter 260 (5.27)

    Loch Activated Windstep. He ran across the distance in a flash, each step of his foot on the ground sending shockwaves of pain through the twisted ankle.


    Loch slammed into the Si-Te-Cah. It felt like hitting a brick wall, the two falling to the ground. Loch screamed in pain, feeling his shoulder dislocate. He landed hard, wrist barely supporting his weight, keeping him from slamming into the stone. The Si-Te-Cah fell, rolling in a heap. Pain flared all along his body. Joints hurt, bones hurt. Loch felt nauseous, the pain so intense. Loch rolled over onto his back, pain flaring across his body. As thin as the Si-Te-Cah was, the creature had felt like solid stone.


    Black creeped in along the edges of his vision. All Loch wanted to do was collapse and fall asleep. His head pounded, his vision blurry. He knew some bones were broken, feeling a sharp pain in his lung every time he forced out a ragged breath. Loch tried to push himself up, falling back down. He groaned.


    A louder, deeper groan came from the side. Turning his head, Loch saw Little River Stone starting to sit up, a big fur covered hand to his head. A growl from the other side made Loch turn to see the Si-Te-Cah struggling to get up. The monster lifted his head, glaring at Loch. The red eyes seemed to glow with rage as the Si-Te-Cah fully stood.


    He still was hunched, tilting to a side, arm hanging useless. Taking a step, the limp had gotten worse. But the monster was standing and moving. Something Loch was not.


    He came closer.


    Loch tried to sit up, an arm down to push. He bit back the scream of pain flaring through his wrist. Getting to his knees, Loch tried to summon Onyx. The axe didn¡¯t appear. The Si-Te-Cah laughed. It was a pain filled sound. Growling, the Si-Te-Cah spit, a glob of blood landing on the cavern floor.


    ¡°It has been a long time since I have been in a battle like this,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said, forcing each word out, spitting blood on the ground again. He smiled, the white teeth stained red. ¡°Too bad it will now end.¡±


    ¡°Shut! Up!,¡± Loch growled, raising a hand, palm up, toward the Si-Te-Cah.


    He Activated Elemental Surge. The wave of energy slammed into the Si-Te-Cah, blasting the monster back. He landed hard, rolling along the ground. Sparks of energy surrounded his form.


    Loch stood up, unsteady. He took a step, feeling pain through his ankle. Another step, another flare of pain. Loch saw a bright flash of white.


    He Activated Bulwark, the shield appearing. The edges wavered, the form not as solid, not as bright. The white blast struck, Loch staggered back, growling in pain as he set his hurt angle to brace himself. The shield started cracking, the green color growing lighter, the edges wavering and the shield starting to shrink. Loch could feel the white energy, feel the heat. He bit back the growl of pain in his ankle, leg and lungs as he fought against the pressure.


    The blast stopped. Through the tint of the shield, Loch saw the Si-Te-Cah staggering as he took a step. The hand still glowed but was hanging at the monster¡¯s side. A low hum started behind Loch, not as loud, it didn¡¯t echo through the cavern, just filling the immediate area. Loch could feel a bit of energy entering his body, not as much as before, but every bit was welcome.


    He stood a little straighter, lowering his arm with the shield still active. Holding out his hand, he concentrated, focusing on his weapon. He¡¯d never really thought of where Onyx went before. He thought about it and the axe appeared. But he¡¯d never considered what happened to the energy that formed the axe. It was part of his soul. Did it need to be somewhere when he didn¡¯t summon it? Shouldn¡¯t the axe just exist at all times?


    Loch realized that it should.


    He concentrated on the weapon, pushing past the pain in his head.


    Onyx appeared in his hand. It seemed to glow brighter. He threw the axe. It didn¡¯t shrink but stayed the same size, spinning end over end, crossing the distance in an instance. It slammed into the Si-Te-Cah, knocking the monster down again, lightning crackling around the axehead stuck in the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s shoulder. It disappeared, returning to Loch¡¯s hand. The axe glowed, not disappearing, but just shifting to the two smaller weapons with larger hammerheads compared to the axe heads. Loch threw them both.


    One slammed into the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s wounded shoulder, the sound of bone shattering loud. The other was blocked, the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s glowing hand slamming into the weapon, knocking it to the side. The weapon disappeared, returning to Loch.


    A blast of white energy shot out, slamming into Loch¡¯s shoulder. He growled against the pain, feeling the heat spreading across his body. With a growl Little River Stone charged past, arms extended. He reached the Si-Te-Cah, wrapping the monster up tight. With a twist, he let the Si-Te-Cah go, launching the monster against the wall with a crash. The rock splintered, larger pieces falling from the ceiling.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    One of the smaller Onyx hammers slammed into the chest of the Si-Te-Cah. Lightning bolts flared across the monster¡¯s body. Red eyes glowing, the hand barely twitched, fingers snapping. A shockwave spread out, slamming into Loch.


    He pushed against it with Elemental Surge and Storm¡¯s Touch. Energies clashed, pushing against each other. Loch felt his Spirit Reserves dropping. The force pushed against his already hurting body. The low hum stopped. Loch couldn¡¯t see Little River Stone.


    The energy pulse stopped, Loch shifting to stand. Each breath hurt. The Si-Te-Cah used his one good hand to push himself off the wall, taking a couple of slow steps forward.


    ¡°I will destroy all your people,¡± he said, spitting more blood.


    There was the sound of a small pebble or something hitting the ground. A tooth. The SI-Te-Cah had lost a tooth.


    ¡°I will start with your family. They will die slowly and in pain.¡±


    Loch felt Go Beyond Activate, followed by Defiant Rage. Power filled his body. His Spirit Reserves growing, his Health and Stamina regenerating a small amount. Just enough.


    ¡°I told you to SHUT UP!¡±


    He Activated Windstep, bursting across the cavern, appearing in front of the Si-Te-Cah, arms outstretched and hammers held aloft. Smash Activated in both hammers. The Si-Te-Cah¡¯s arm and hand shot out, slamming into Loch¡¯s chest, breaking ribs. Loch swung both hammers in, each connecting with the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s head.


    Loch fell back, feeling the power of the hammers explode against the Si-Te-Cah. He landed hard, skidding across the cavern. Lightning and energy had exploded on the hammer¡¯s impact. Loch blinked away bright spots, the energy fading.


    The Si-Te-Cah stood, still tilted to the side. There was nothing left of his head, upper shoulders missing. The wound cauterized from the energy. The arm was raised, palm out, no energy glowing. Smoke curled up from the wound.


    The body fell.


    Loch fell, landing hard. Blackness threatened to consume him but Loch fought against it.


    ***


    ¡°Are you well Lochlan Brady?¡± Little River Stone asked from where he sat against the cavern wall.


    Loch pushed himself up, rubbing at his temples. His entire body hurt. Spirit flowed through his body, refilling his Core, and healing his body. Slowly healing. Looking over at Little River Stone, the strange stone in the center providing light, the Sasquatch looked worse for wear. His thick fur was matted, one of his arms hanging across his body. His head tilted to the side, a deep rumbling coming from him.


    ¡°No,¡± Loch replied. ¡°Everything hurts.¡±


    ¡°But the Si-Te-Cah is dead,¡± Little River Stone said, raising a shaking hand to point at the body.


    Loch twisted, wincing in pain, studying the dead humanoid, glad he didn¡¯t have to look at the pulped head.


    ¡°Why am I not getting any Spirit Experience?¡±


    ¡°The Si-Te-Cah is outside the Connection. There is no Spirit to give.¡±


    Loch grunted. One of the toughest fights he¡¯d ever had and got nothing from it. Pushing down with his arm, he tried to stand, wobbling a bit before managing to get to his knees. Panting, feeling pain shooting through his body, he looked over at the large stone.


    ¡°Is that what we need?¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Loch leveraged himself up, wobbling a bit, holding his arms out to steady himself. The world spun, Loch taking deep breaths until it settled down.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work for him,¡± Loch grumbled, pointing at the Si-Te-Cah.


    He took a step, wincing as his ankle threatened to buckle. Summon Onyx, he shaped the axe into a long two-handed halberd, placing the end against the ground. Using the weapon as a cane, he walked toward the stone.


    ¡°He is outside the Connection.¡±


    Loch turned to face the Sasquatch, looking back at the dead Si-Te-Cah.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he say his people created the stones?¡±


    ¡°They did, but the Connection has Claimed them,¡± Little River Stone said. He grunted, using the cavern wall to help him stand. He walked over to Hall with a heavy limp, the one arm still hanging useless. ¡°When this world was Connected, it was changed and natural magics such as this were Adapted much as humanity was.¡±


    Loch nodded, studying the stone. The light glowed from the center of the stone, not pulsing.


    ¡°As long as it works,¡± Loch said, turning to look at the opening leading out. ¡°But first, there are giants to kill.¡±

 Chapter 261 (5.28)

    Piper looked around the battle. It wasn¡¯t going good for Clan Brady. The giants had regrouped, surging forward. Two Shamans, some kind of caster, had joined the battle. The monsters pushed Clan Brady back, up the bald rock slope. The Clan¡¯s fighters held the line, but it was more difficult with the taller giants and the humans on the slope.


    She could see Harper, no longer hopping in and out of the shadows, but still dancing around, trying to attack the legs and ankles of the giants. More wounded Clanmembers were being pulled further up the hill where the healers had retreated. Piper looked around, wondering what she could do.


    The two Spirit Cannons were silent, empty of whatever it was they fired. The Clan¡¯s Archers kept firing arrows, keeping the giant spellcasters back. Kim Hudson and the few other casters in the Clan fired random attacks, conserving their Spirit. Their attacks were concentrated on the giant Shamans.


    Piper felt useless. Her wand¡¯s blast wasn¡¯t doing much to the giants. Her inksummons had all been destroyed. She could summon more but what was the point? What good could they do?


    ¡°Pipes.¡±


    Piper jumped, twisting her wand, ready to fire. A hand grabbed it, pushing the wand aside.


    ¡°Piper, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Harper was in front of her, appearing out of the shadows. Piper took a deep breath, glad to see her sister.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, looking around for Cerie.


    Why hadn¡¯t the fairy warned her Harper was there? Then she remembered that Cerie had gone back in the Codex Band. Her energy had been waning, she needed to reset.


    ¡°You need to get up there with the healers.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You need to get to the top of the hill,¡± Harper shouted, grabbing Piper¡¯s shoulder, trying to push her up the hill.


    Piper shook her head. She was tired, her Spirit Reserves low, but no, she couldn¡¯t leave. She was a Brady. The Clan was as much her responsibility as it was Harpers.


    ¡°You too,¡± she said.


    Harper shook her head.


    ¡°I can fight. You need to get up there.¡±


    ¡°No, I can fight.¡±


    Harper shook her head again, pointing up the hill.


    ¡°Get up there,¡± she ordered.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Piper, please,¡± Harper said, leaning forward, her head against Pipers. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Come with me,¡± Piper said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then neither can I.¡±


    Harper sighed, stepping back from her sister. Harper smiled. She looked at the giants then up the hill. Shaking her head, she cursed. Piper¡¯s eyes widened, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Fine. But promise me that if the line falls back anymore then you¡¯ll go to the healers?¡±


    Piper looked at the lines of Clan Brady fighters. They were about fifty feet away and didn¡¯t look like they were going to be retreating, but she had thought that earlier when the fighting had been in the field. It had turned suddenly, the Clan Brady fighters pushed back quickly. They¡¯d managed to reestablish the line but it wouldn¡¯t hold forever.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°I promise,¡± Piper said, not intending to keep it.


    Harper looked at her, a small smile. Piper knew Harper didn¡¯t believe her. They were both the daughters of their father and mother. They were as stubborn as their parents. With one last look at her younger sister, Harper stepped into the Shadow Realm. Piper turned back to the battle, launching a blast from her wand.


    She had to do something to help.


    She knew what she wanted to do and what she had planned, but now that it was time, Piper was scared. At that moment, she wanted her mom and dad. She wanted them to hug her, to tell her it would be okay. They¡¯d be completely against what she was planning. Even Harper would try to stop her. But she still wanted them all there.


    There was so much that could go wrong.


    Cries of alarm went up along the Clan Brady line. A giant had leaned forward, getting a good angle to swing the club. Most of the fighters had managed to get out of the way, but two had been unlucky. They were sent flying. Piper didn¡¯t know who they were, wincing as they landed. Immediately others ran to them, pulling them to safety, but now there was a gap in the line and the giant was taken advantage. It kept swinging the club, keeping the fighters at bay, taking steps further up the slope.


    If the giant managed to do that, so many of Clan Brady¡¯s fighters would be hurt.


    Or killed.


    She couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    Concentrating on her sketchbook, Piper focused on the blueprint. She pictured all the pieces, how they fit together and how they all worked. Ink flowed out of the book, spreading across her body. The first layer, then the second, building upon each as the other pieces appeared. It all formed quickly, the helmet the last piece. She could feel it tight around her head as she was lifted up off the ground.


    Her hair was caught up in the ink summon. She knew she should have put it in a bun or ponytail, but it was too late. It was uncomfortable, but she¡¯d deal with it.


    Piper wished she could see how she looked. Probably pretty bad-ass. She smiled as she thought it.


    Taking a deep breath, she started running down the hill toward the giant. People turned and looked at her, she thought she heard Harper yelling her name, but she ignored all of them. There was a giant to fight.


    ***


    Loch walked out of the tunnel, hand on the side, looking at the battlefield. It had moved pretty far away from the hill, the giants a long line stacked almost two deep, at the bottom of the long slope. Flashes of color, Abilities going off, Skills being used, spells cast, highlighted where his people were.


    He started walking that way, wincing with each step. Most of his injuries had healed, but he still hurt, not everything was fully healed yet. He could barely put weight on his ankle. Running was out of the question.


    Hobbling, he made his way to the battle, still using the glowing Onyx as a cane. None of the giants saw him. He saw the two bodies to the sides of the hill, one just in front. The three giants that Little River Stone had fought, which had delayed his entrance into the cavern. At least the Sasquatch had arrived. Loch wouldn¡¯t have been able to defeat the Si-Te-Cah without his help.


    He could make out the different Clan Brady fighters, recognizing some. He saw Brian, Drew and Davis still righting. Roger and Randy Sager were on one end. He thought he saw the spears of the twins down at the other end. Lights from the top of the slope told him where the healers were. People were being carried up the hill, some coming down to rejoin the fight. More were going up than coming down.


    How many had they lost?


    He moved closer, trying to decide where to attack. Where would he be most needed?


    A giant broke through the line, pushing forward. Loch changed his angle, heading for that one, ready to Activate Windstep, but stopped when the giant was pushed back. It staggered away from the others, something kept hitting it.


    The giant was forced back, a solid hit knocking it down. The attacker jumped on the giant¡¯s chest, repeatedly hitting it. Vaguely human, strange tubes on its shoulders fired black projectiles at other giants. It looked like some kind of mech. And it was all black.


    Not just black, but made out of ink.


    ¡°Piper!,¡± Loch yelled.

 Chapter 262 (5.29)

    Loch ran as fast as he could. He was sure the black armored mech was Piper. It had the look of her inksummons but was not anything like he¡¯d seen from her before. Was this suit of armor what she¡¯d been sketching for so long? What she¡¯d been hiding from him?


    He could understand why she had hidden it. There was no way he would have ever let her create such a thing and go into battle like she was. He felt anger and fear.


    And amazement.


    Piper in the mech armor was beating up on the giant. Her blows were breaking bones. They had knocked the giant down. And it wasn¡¯t getting up.


    Piper¡¯s armor turned, jumping off the dead or dying giant and running after another. She crouched down, jumping up and slamming into the side of a giant, knocking it aside and into another giant. The two stumbled, falling back from the line.


    Loch could see his people reforming the line, filling the gaps that had let the first giant through. More joined, facing off against the rest of the giants. Some fighters, led by Brian, Davis and Drew, were rushing two giants behind the lines. They held staves, wore bone necklaces. Casters. Loch knew that was where he should go but Piper was now fighting two giants on her own. She needed his help.


    He went to Activate Windstep but stopped, seeing another giant running up from the remains of the tents beyond. This giant was larger, wild blond hair and beard, not carrying a club but an axe that caught the light of the moon. There was a strange shine to it. The giant wore leather with metal plates, stronger looking than any others.


    HILLGROWL ELDER BERSERKER


    Evaluate put the giant¡¯s strength near Lochs, maybe just a little below. Far stronger than anyone else in Clan Brady. He looked at Piper, recognizing the two darting forms that had joined her. Harper and Elora. The three faced off against two giants. The rest of Clan Brady were spread out facing off with the giants and the two shamans. The Berserker was free, ready to wreck havoc where he could.


    Loch knew where he wanted to go but also knew where he needed to go. He Activated Windstep.


    ***


    Each step was painful. His ankle slammed down on the ground, pain threatening to make him fall. But Loch held on. He had to. The pain would not stop him.


    He crossed the distance, changing the form of Onyx from the two handed weapon to what he thought of as the normal mold. The large axe head crackled with energy, leaving a trail of light behind it as he ran across the distance.


    With a loud war cry, Loch appeared in front of the Berserker. He swung Onyx, Activating Cleave, the energy of the axe trailing behind. The axehead slammed into the giant¡¯s side, crackling lightning spreading across the giant¡¯s body.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The monster cried out in pain, stumbling to the side. But the Berserker recovered quickly. Resetting his feet, twisting and swinging the giant axe. Loch ducked, the blade that was as large as his body, passing by overhead, missing by inches. He could feel the pressure of the air, feel the strange energy radiating from the weapon.


    Rolling to the side, Loch avoided the return swing by the Berserker. He jumped up, swinging Onyx, missing as the large giant stepped back. He growled out some words in a language Loch didn¡¯t understand and didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°This is not your home,¡± Loch growled, swinging his weapon, driving the giant back. ¡°You do not belong here!¡±


    He rolled to the side, jumping up and scoring a hit on the giant¡¯s leg. The leg kicked out, Loch Activating Bulwark to absorb the impact. He was sent flying, managing to roll in the air and land on his feet.


    The Berserker didn¡¯t have to move to swing the axe, Loch jumping back to avoid the axe head that would have cut him in half. The giant took a step, swinging again. Loch had to jump back a couple of feet to avoid the axe. Every step the giant took, Loch had to move six feet or more. With the constant movement he wasn¡¯t able to get in a counter attack, just having to keep moving.


    The giant roared, spitting out words in their language. Loch gave the giant the finger. The Berserker might not have seen the gesture before, but he understood the meaning. WIth a roar, the Berserker swung the axe down in an overhand chop. Loch easily avoided, rushing toward the giant. He got within the monster¡¯s reach, swinging Onyx across the giant''s chest.


    Holding his ground, the giant tried to kick, but missed, Loch ducking under and running behind the Berserker. He turned around, swinging Onyx but missed as the giant lunged forward. Turning the giant swung his axe as he turned, pushing Loch back. He threw Onyx toward the giant¡¯s head. The Berserker¡¯s eyes widened, seeing the weapon spinning his way. He tried to swing his weapon up in time but failed, having to move his head to narrowly avoid the weapon. He grinned down at Loch, seeing him unarmed. The eyes widened again when Onyx reappeared, growing to normal size and then bigger, becoming a halberd. A weapon that swung at the giant¡¯s knees, making the giant stumble back. The large Berserker wasn¡¯t as nimble as Loch, moving backwards to avoid the weapon. Loch kept it swinging, aiming right for the giant¡¯s knees, keeping the giant off balance. With Precision Strike, he saw the expected weak points around the giant¡¯s legs but none up high, which made sense. It was difficult for him to reach the giant¡¯s shoulders or elbows, so they wouldn¡¯t be weak spots.


    He could feel his arms getting tired. Even with his Adapted strength, holding and swinging the long halberd took a lot, especially with the speed and momentum he had to keep it at. And for every step back the giant took, he had to move six feet, lunging forward and keeping the weapon level. It was time to change it up again.


    Swinging Onyx one more time, Loch shrunk the weapon before the swing was even complete, lunging forward. He got within the giant¡¯s reach, watching the Berserker quickly react. The giant couldn¡¯t bend down, not with Loch right there, so couldn¡¯t swing his weapon low enough. The grip adjusted, bringing the weapon high to chop down. Loch swung Onyx straight up.


    The giant roared in outrage and pain as the axe bit deep between his legs. Loch felt bad, wincing in sympathy like any man did when another was hurt there. The sympathy didn¡¯t last long, Loch setting his feet and pushing his weapon up higher.


    Jumping back, the giant stumbled, falling to the ground. Loch jumped up, landing on the Berserker¡¯s chest, running toward the giant¡¯s head. Eyes wide in pain and horror, the giant watched the axe descend.

 Chapter 263 (5.30)

    Loch jumped off the Berserker, watching the large cloud of multi-colored sparks drift up from the body. They surged into his body, the mental experience bar growing and pushing past the end. After not getting any Spirit Experience from the Si-Te-Cah, it felt good getting it from the giant. Getting his next Level was a bonus.


    YOU HAVE GAINED ENOUGH SPIRIT TO LEVEL YOUR CLASS. WARBREAKER IS NOW LEVEL TWENTY-EIGHT. YOU HAVE GAINED +1 STRENGTH AND +1 ENDURANCE AND HAVE 6 FREE POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE.


    He dismissed the Notification, knowing he should distribute his points now but there was a battle still going on. He¡¯d deal with it when they got back to the Clanhold.


    YOU HAVE SLAIN HILLGROWL ELDER BERSERKER


    Changing Onyx back to its halberd form, he used it as a cane. His body still hurt. It had recovered some from the fight with the Si-Te-Cah, but the fight with the Berserker had just caused more wounds. He hadn¡¯t been hit, but the strain on his muscles had been immense. Even gaining the Level hadn¡¯t fully healed him.


    He started running toward the fighting, not seeing Piper or Harper anymore. He desperately wanted to know where his daughters were, but there were still giants that needed to be fought.


    ***


    GIANTS BANE RANK 2.


    YOU HAVE KILLED MULTIPLE GIANTS. CONTINUE KILLING CREATURES OF THE SAME RACE TO INCREASE YOUR BANE RANK FOR ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND REWARDS.


    RANK 2 REWARD: +2 TO STRENGTH, +3% DAMAGE INCREASE TO GIANTS


    Loch dismissed the Notification. It¡¯d only taken another five giants to get it. He wondered how many in the Clan had gotten GIANTS BANE RANK 1. Probably not many. There had been a lot of giants, but the kills had been spread out among the Clan. The higher Leveled like Drew and Brian had probably gotten it. Harper had probably gotten Rank 2.


    He walked past the body¡¯s of the giant¡¯s nodding to the Clanmembers, bumping a couple of fists and giving high fives. He congratulated them, asked if they had Leveled. Moving through the Clan, working his way up the rocky hill, was taken longer than he wanted.


    Harper and Piper were up there and he needed to find them. A lot of the Clanmembers asked about his new axe, wondering how it had changed. He still used the halberd as a cane, his weary body craving Healing. But he¡¯d hold off, the Clan was still low on Healers and there were people that needed it more than he did.


    Most of the Clan sat on the rocky slope. They were eating and drinking, a couple just laying down and resting. They were all tired. Some were patrolling the edges of the woods, keeping an eye out for monsters. The plan was to spend the night on Blue Job back at the fire tower, there would need to be guards to keep out the scavengers that would come to feast on the giants. Brian and Drew were directing the looters, going through the bodies and grabbing what they could. They¡¯d go through the tents, hoping to find food or anything left over. The giant¡¯s weapons were too big for any of Clan Brady, except for maybe Brian, to use. But the metal weapons could still be smelted for the materials. The same with any of the leather armor, cloaks and hides that the giant¡¯s wore. A big pile had already been started.


    Little River Stone was still in the hill, examining the strange stone. Loch hoped it would do what they wanted it to do. The Sasquatch was sure it would, but Loch was trying his best to not get his hopes up. He had big plans for that energy source. A lot was riding on it.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Cresting the hill, Loch saw the makeshift triage area. The healers were moving around, going from person to person. The glow of their Abilities brightened up the night, clashing with the light of the setting sun. There were a lot of wounded. He¡¯d been told that most had been impact wounds. Either from being hit by the giants or being thrown away and landing hard on the ground. Lots of broken bones.


    He avoided looking at the bodies off to the side, laid out side by side and covered by blankets. The dead. There weren¡¯t as many as he¡¯d feared, but one death was still one too many. Loch knew he¡¯d have to go over and see who had died, soon before they moved to the fire tower, but first he had to check on his daughters.


    Loch found them going down the other side of Blue Job. They sat together, facing the woods and the trail back to the fire tower. Close together, they were talking quietly. Neither looked hurt but Piper looked tired. Hearing him coming, both looked over their shoulders. Harper smiled. Piper looked guilty. Loch wondered how to approach the issue. He wanted to yell at her, ask what she was thinking.


    But he knew what she was thinking. Piper had wanted to help. She felt like she hadn¡¯t been doing enough, not using her Class and Abilities to the fullest. Loch could admire that. But she¡¯d put herself in immense danger. She¡¯d taken a huge risk.


    Harper slid over, making room for him to sit between them. He sat down, shifting to get more comfortable on the rocky ground.


    ¡°Are either of you hurt?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Harper answered.


    ¡°No, but you look like you are,¡± Piper said, reaching up and touching a bruised spot on Loch¡¯s face.


    He smiled, stretching his legs out in front of him.


    ¡°Yeah, got beat up a little bit.¡±


    ¡°A bit,¡± Harper asked, looking him over. ¡°You need to see a healer.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re busy,¡± he said, pointing behind him and up the hill. ¡°I can wait.¡±


    ¡°Dad,¡± Piper started but he held up his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine Pipes, really.¡±


    Both girls leaned forward, looking at each other. They communicated silently. Harper rolled her eyes and Piper nodded. Loch chuckled and then sighed, shifting so he could focus on Piper.


    ¡°So, are you going to tell me what that was?¡±


    ¡°You saw?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Piper looked down at her feet, clutching her hands together. She wrung them together, a sign that she was nervous.


    ¡°I just wanted to help more,¡± she said, speaking fast. ¡°I know my Inksummons are useful but I wasn¡¯t doing anything to help.¡± She held up her wand. ¡°This doesn¡¯t do much.¡±


    ¡°How did you make it,¡± Loch asked her.


    ¡°I got some help from Mr. Verner. He helped with the blueprint and figuring out how the different pieces needed to come together to form the whole. I haven¡¯t seen him yet to tell him how good it worked out.¡±


    ¡°I might need to have a talk with him,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t. He didn¡¯t know what I was asking for or that I would use it,¡± Piper said, pleading with her eyes.


    Loch laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to. It was very impressive but also dangerous,¡± He said, giving Piper a stern look.


    ¡°I know but I wanted to help and this was a way to help.¡±


    Loch wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in tight for a hug.


    ¡°I know sweetheart. But there has to be a better way. Now that we know what else your Class can do, it opens up a lot of possibilities.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said quietly, then pulled back, smiling as she looked up at him. ¡°But it was cool right?¡±


    ¡°Very. Just don¡¯t let your mother know.¡±


    Harper laughed.


    ¡°Mom would kill both of you,¡± she said.


    ¡°Which is why we won¡¯t tell her,¡± Loch said, smiling and hugging both girls.

 Chapter 264 (5.31)

    Loch pulled the jacket tighter to ward off the chill, wishing he had found a pair of gloves that worked. They were either too thick or not thick enough. No middle ground that would keep his fingers warm and still let him grip things easily.


    That had always been a problem in late Fall, when it got cold at night but barely not cold enough to start snowing. It was coming, he could feel it in the air. He rubbed his hands together, breathing into them, seeing his breath fogging.


    Shifting, Loch watched the powerlines in front of him, hidden just inside the treeline. He couldn¡¯t see the others. They all waited. He could hear the crushing of leaves and some small grunts as the Hunters all shifted. They¡¯d been waiting for a while, the cold starting to seep into their bones.


    A screech to the east caught his attention. Loch leaned forward, watching the powerlines. They¡¯d seen evidence of some monsters running down the relatively open stretch. More screeching joined, followed by the thudding of something running, clawed feet hitting the mostly frozen ground. The monsters appeared a couple seconds later, an entire pack.


    FIRECLAW SQUIRRELS


    The creatures ran on all fours, large puffy tails extended out behind them. The size of wolves with rust colored fur and light gray underbellies, they looked just like enlarged squirrels. Most existing animals had been mutated, which made them enlarged and far more aggressive, these Squirrels had been Adapted and changed. Loch could see little crackling bits of fire across their fur.


    Loch let the entire pack, about twenty of the creatures, pass him. He turned his attention back to the east, waiting. He ignored the sounds of bows twanging, arrows slamming into monster flesh, and the Squirrels crying out in pain. Those sounds were followed by blasts of fire and growling. He was curious what kind of attacks the Fireclaw Squirrels had, but he had a job to do.


    The ground started to shake, telling Loch that his time was coming. Loud thuds hit the ground, getting louder as they came closer, picking up speed. Whatever had been chasing the Squirrels had heard the fighting, knew their prey was being attacked by something else. With a roar, it let everyone know it was coming.


    Loch stepped out of the treeline, Bulwark Activated and Onyx at what he was now calling the default state, the normal size. Being able to change the size of the weapon was going to change his fighting style, but he didn¡¯t think the upcoming fight was a good time to play around. The monster appeared around the corner, seeing Loch and letting out another roar. It didn¡¯t stop, lowering its head and charging faster.


    LIGHTNING TYRANNOSAURUS REX


    It looked just like the movies and all the pictures he¡¯d seen. Large head, long tail, short upper arms. The difference was in the blue streaks across its mottled green body. The lightning effect in the eyes set on the side of its head. The large mouth opened, big enough to bite Loch in half.


    Shifting his feet, Loch threw Onyx.


    It spun, slamming into the nose of the T-Rex. The monster stopped charging, shaking its head to dislodge the weapon. The head tilted, confused, when Onyx disappeared. Turning back to Loch, it roared, a bright light appearing in the depths of its mouth.


    A jagged bolt of lightning shot out, Loch catching it on Bulwark. The force of the bolt slid Loch back on the hard ground. He shifted, setting his feet as the bolt dissipated. Loch looked through the green tint of the shield, feeling the static electricity in the air. The T-Rex had just breathed lightning.


    Loch smiled, amazed. The T-Rex studied him as he studied it. The large dinosaur was probably confused how Loch was still standing. He doubted most things in the woods could stand up to the T-Rex¡¯s lightning breath. Loch was still surprised that it had breathed lightning. Activating Precision Strike, he studied the monster¡¯s weak points. He knew he could easily beat the monster by overwhelming force. Evaluate had measured it as a couple Levels lower than Loch, probably around Level Twenty. A tough fight for most of the Clan, but a winnable one. The problem was that Loch wanted to keep as much of the monster intact as possible. They could use the hide it would drop, as well as the meat. Even the claws would be useful.


    They were going to get a lot of fur and meat from the Squirrels, but the big T-Rex would also be a good harvest. If Loch could kill it without mangling the hide or the meat. Slow and steady.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The T-Rex charged, Loch Activated Offensive Stance.


    ***


    ¡°You killed it, you should harvest it,¡± Heath Jenkins joked, looking at the body of the T-Rex. Lightning still crackled across the corpse. ¡°That¡¯s a big one.¡±


    ¡°I would if I had the right Skills,¡± Loch said with a shrug.


    ¡°Is it too late to change Classes,¡± Heath muttered, taking out his large skinning knife and approaching the body.


    Loch laughed, stepping away. He moved back to where the Hunters were gathered. They¡¯d done a good job with the Squirrels. Only a couple had been damaged so bad that nothing could be harvested from them. It was a good haul. Lots of fur to be turned into winter cloaks and clothing, and a lot more meat to add to the stores. They were still lacking in fruits, vegetables and breads. But they were looking good on meat.


    ¡°A couple of us are thinking of heading up the power lines and seeing if there was a nest of these things or something,¡± Jerry Tomlins, the Hunter in charge of this group, said.


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Loch told him. ¡°Just keep an eye out to see if that guy had any friends,¡± he finished, pointing at the dead T-Rex.


    ¡°Yeah, we wouldn¡¯t want to run into one of him,¡± another Hunter said.


    The group broke apart, three going with Jerry and jogging past the body of the T-Rex, the rest joining the small group of Scavengers that had been with them.


    ¡°You guys will head back with the Harvesters,¡± Loch asked the remaining Hunters.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll head back to the School once they¡¯re done with the big guy,¡± one of them said.


    ¡°You still coming with us up Shelburne?,¡± David Fitz asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± Loch replied. ¡°How far had you guys gotten down the road?¡±


    ¡°Only until Knowles. We stopped and went down Knowles and Pender. Got a good haul off those streets.¡±


    ¡°Did you empty them completely?¡± Loch asked, waving to the Hunters and Harvesters, leading the Scavengers into the woods on the other side of the powerlines.


    Instead of returning to the road, the plan was to cut through the woods until they hit Shelburne Hill Road, turning east down it and hitting the houses on either side as they made their way toward Ridge Road and Range Road.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± David replied. ¡°We¡¯ve made a couple of trips. Cleaned them right out.¡±


    Loch nodded, leading the group into the woods. He kept his eyes open but didn¡¯t expect to run into anything for a while. Most animals in the area would have been spooked by the fighting and ran off to hide.


    There was a ton of stuff he needed to deal with back at the Clanhold, but had quickly taken the opportunity to join the Hunting and Scavenging teams. Ed and Kristin had everything about running the Clanhold under control. Loch knew his strength would have been a huge help in finishing the construction on the new bunkhouses and shelters, but he really just wanted to be out in the woods. He wasn¡¯t really needed, almost anyone else could have filled in for his role as protection, but it had been a while since he¡¯d been on a hunting and gathering run.


    The Foragers let him worry about any potential monsters. They kept their eyes, and Abilities, focused on finding any herbs, plants or other Resources scattered around the woods. Among the five Scavengers were two Spatial Bags. The Clan was starting to get a good amount of those, as even the Scavengers and Foragers were getting strong enough to tackle the Challenge Dungeon.


    Scavengers and Foragers were Leveling slower than the Clan members focused on combat, but they were still Leveling. They were learning to fight as the further out they ranged, the more monsters they ran across. There weren¡¯t always fighters around to deal with the monsters.


    It took them a couple hours but they finally walked out onto Sherburne Hill Road. Like all paved roads, it was a mix of cracks, pushed up sections and missing sections. Rough and unpassable. Loch looked at the nearest house, then walked down the road to look at another. He was glad both houses were there and not taken by the Worldcore. It gave him some way to get his bearings.


    ¡°You said you stopped at Knowles?¡± He asked David.


    ¡°Yeah, we had meant to hit that place that had built the fenced in horse pasture the year before all this,¡± David replied, waving his hands at the world around them. ¡°But never got a chance to come back yet.¡±


    Loch knew the house. He doubted any feed or hay would still be good, but they could at least hopefully get some tack and saddles. People had talked about the Clanhold giving off an aura for miles, guiding people to find it. The stallion, Larry, seemed to have a similar aura. More horses had been wandering in, increasing the size of the herd. Even though Jarl was the larger and more powerful horse, it was Larry that was the one in charge of the herd.


    With the herd growing quickly, along with the random cows and other animals that had wandered their way, Liam Doherty had his hands full. Luckily a couple people had started helping him out and had earned Rancher Classes. The herd had quickly outgrown the barn, which was getting a major expansion.


    ¡°We¡¯re about a mile from there right?¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°A Pre-Connection mile, yeah,¡± David agreed. ¡°Maybe a dozen houses between us and there.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get scavenging,¡± Loch said with a smile, heading across the street to the first house.

 Chapter 265 (5.32)

    Loch looked around the house. It was cold, the fuel for the heat having run not or never been turned out since the Connection had come in the summer. He was tempted to try the heat, but decided not to. It most likely wouldn¡¯t have worked, or could have just caused an explosion destroying the house with him in it.


    Ideally, he wondered if that would have killed him. He had a lot of Health, his body was pretty durable. Would a house explosion be enough to kill him?


    There was a pungent odor to the house. He glanced at where he thought the kitchen would be. Rotten food, mold. He had no desire to open the refrigerator and freezer, knowing the smell would be much worse. At this point, after all this time, there would be nothing worth saving. Even some of the packaged food would have been lost. But some would still be good.


    He¡¯d hit the kitchen last.


    Loch had broken through the door. It had been locked, a useless Ring camera by the handle. It hadn¡¯t taken much to kick the wooden door, breaking the wood around the lock, swinging it open. He could prop the door closed when he left, but why bother. No one was coming back to the house. It would just fall to rot, vines and moss creeping over it until it disappeared. It was too far away for anyone to come and take the wood and other building materials. Once Loch was done, the chances of anyone ever stepping foot in the house again were slim.


    It was sad, he thought, ignoring the pictures of the family, as he walked into the living room. This had been someone''s home, they had lived their lives here, raised kids. Had a good life. Now it was just an almost empty shell. Memories no longer even lived there. He didn¡¯t recognize the family. No idea if they still lived or not.


    Kristin had gathered a list of where everyone that came to the Clan had lived. There had been some on Sherburne Hill but Loch didn¡¯t recognize the faces as people he¡¯d seen around the Clanhold and David had checked the list, finding the people in the Clan that had lived on the road, going over with them if there were any personal items they wanted the scavengers to bring back if they could.


    Over and over people had been told that personal items were low priority. Things that would benefit the Clan as a whole, benefit the Clan¡¯s survivability were the important things. But they never listened. They always screamed and yelled when nothing of theirs was brought back.


    Loch understood. It had been hard to not fill Piper¡¯s Spatial Bag with their personal items, their important family heirlooms and mementoes, when they¡¯d visited their house. Not everyone got the chance to return home.


    He pulled a blanket off the back of the couch. It looked like it was still in good condition. Into the bag it went. He¡¯d borrowed Piper¡¯s Spatial Bag when he¡¯d left. It was Soulbound to her, which meant only she could empty it, but as he was her father and a blood relation, he could still fill it. A couple pillows went into the bag. He thought about the couch cushions but decided they weren¡¯t useful enough. Books from a shelf, a couple of board games. Another blanket. From the hall closet, Loch grabbed about a half dozen winter coats and other jackets of various sizes. The pile of shoes, sneakers and boots were added. He grabbed a broom and threw it into the bag, along with a tool box on the floor of the closet, not bothering to go through it.


    A larger family room had more blankets and an old wood burning stove with a pile of wood. All the wood went into the bag. It wasn¡¯t much, only about a dozen logs. More books and board games. Upstairs were three bedrooms. Without even looking at the clothes, he took it all. From the closets, the dressers. In the bathroom, he grabbed the medical supplies. Loch even took the mattresses, working to maneuver them so a corner was at the Spatial Bag¡¯s opening. He looked away when they were twisted and warped, shrinking to fit into the Bag.


    Underneath the master he found a couple of the fireproof lockboxes. Loch was tempted to open them, but those were the family''s important documents. The things that recorded who they were, what they had done. There could be jewelry in the boxes but he didn¡¯t think it worth disturbing the family history. He did take the wife¡¯s jewelry box.


    None of the kid¡¯s toys went into the bag. Two boys. One obviously still in middle school, the other looking older, but not quite high school. Lots of building blocks and graphic novels. He grabbed all their clothes and blankets. From the linen closet were all the extra sheets, blankets, pillows and towels.


    Loch walked up the into the attic, glad it was daylight. Two windows on either end let in enough light to see. Trunks, chairs and desks filled the space. Totes were piled high. One tote had a bunch of books. He took the entire thing. Another was filled with photo albums. That was set aside.


    He¡¯d been in the house for about an hour. It wook almost another to go through all the totes and trunks, grabbing the things of value to the Clan. From there it was down into the basement, where there was barely any light from the small windows. He found skis, boots and poles. All went into the bag. Loch wished they were cross country skis instead of downhill, but one of the Clan workers might be able to modify them or use for parts. The snowshoes were a good find. He grabbed some of the sports gear. It wouldn¡¯t be useful for the winter, but maybe in the spring they could find some time to play sports again. He found hiking gear and backpacks, all of which he took. Coolers were grabbed and stuffed in the bag. The extra fridge and freezer were ignored. As was the garage. Too dark to see anything.


    Loch walked through the entire house again, making sure he hadn¡¯t left anything behind, before he entered the kitchen. The smell was stronger, definitely coming from the fridge and freezer. There was a puddle of water on the floor under the appliance, black mold starting to form. He did his best to ignore it, moving to what he took to be the pantry cabinet.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Opening it, Loch smiled. This family had liked their canned veggies. There were stacks of all kinds. A couple dozen. It wouldn¡¯t last long with the amount of mouths to feed at the Clanhold, but Loch was still happy to see it. Crackers, granola bars, ramen. Even the fruit gummies. The bread had gone moldy and he left the bags of chips. Anything opened, he left it alone. Loch worked his way through all the cabinets, ignoring dishes, pots and pans, and concentrating on food. His final stop was the downstairs bathroom, taking the rolls of toilet paper and paper towels.


    Walking out of the house, Loch met the rest of the team coming out of the house across the street and one further down. He looked up at the sky, seeing the sun starting to set.


    ¡°Hopefully one of the next set won¡¯t smell,¡± one of the Scavengers said, a couple of full backpacks hanging off his shoulders.


    Loch walked over to him, motioning toward the Spatial Bag. Taking one of the backpacks off his shoulder, the man held it over the Bag. He looked away, no one wanted to see the nausea inducing twisting and warping of the backpack as it entered the Spatial Bag. He followed up with the second.


    ¡°There¡¯s a pile of stuff waiting for one of the Spatial Bags,¡± he said, then realized who he was talking to. ¡°I mean.. Uhm¡­ sir¡­. Uhm.. Lord¡­ uh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Loch said smiling.


    ***


    It took two more days to clean out the houses between where they¡¯d started and where David and his team had stopped. Loch stood at the intersection, looking down Knowles street. How many years had they trick or treated on Knowles and Pender? It was a great loop. Lots of houses, lots of people. The girls always ran into friends. Always the parents and friends for Loch and Kelly to hang out with.


    Even a couple houses with treats for the adults.


    The Scavengers had hit most of the houses on Pender and started on Knowles. There might even be a team down there now. Loch wasn¡¯t sure of the schedule.


    He turned and walked toward the house and barn. The owners had built some fencing off to the side, creating space for horses. He wondered where the horses were now. Were they some that had joined Larry¡¯s herd or had they wandered off into the woods and possibly died? Maybe they were still out there and would make their way back someday. Loch hoped for that option.


    The door had already been broken open. He admired the craftsmanship. The barn, and the fencing, had always looked good when he¡¯d driven by. The owners had put some care and work into it. Inside the barn had a couple of stalls. Some old hay, now moldy, sat in the far corner, pieces strewn around the barn. Small scavengers had gotten into it, making a mess.


    The others had already stacked the saddles and other tack they¡¯d found. Some harnesses and reins, blankets and a bunch of horseshoes. Loch put it all in his Spatial Bag. He walked around the barn, even climbing up into the loft, looking for anything else of use. There wasn¡¯t much. He grabbed a pitchfork, some rakes, riding helmets and a bunch of rope he found.


    Leaving the barn, he walked into the house. Most of the blankets and pillows hadn¡¯t been touched yet, neither had the mattresses. They¡¯d decided to stay in that house for the night, finishing it up in the morning.


    There were piles of stuff set aside, more being added to them. Loch sat down near one, grabbing books and board games, utensils and food, stuffing them into the Spatial Bag. His was almost full. He¡¯d emptied one of the others into his, giving more room for the Scavengers to grab more stuff. He wasn¡¯t planning on rummaging through any more houses. He¡¯d been gone from the Clanhold, and the girls, long enough.


    Everyone knew they were essentially stealing but since the likelihood of the original owners still being alive was slim, something no one wanted to think about, they had decided on scavenging. They weren¡¯t raiding, they were taking for survival. Raiding was about taking because they could. This was all for survival of the Clan. Loch wasn¡¯t sure who had started calling it rummaging, but he liked that term a lot better.


    Loch moved on to another pile.


    ***


    ¡°There¡¯s only two or three houses between here and the Bow Lake intersection,¡± David said as the group sat in the living room eating their dinner of jerky. ¡°They¡¯ve been cleared out already, so we¡¯ll head down Knowles until we¡¯re full up and can¡¯t carry anymore.¡±


    ¡°That wagon we found in the barn will help us carry a lot more,¡± Mikey, the youngest of the Scavenging team said, full of enthusiasm.


    The rest groaned.


    Loch laughed.


    He knew they would gladly take the wagon. They all knew that what they did was important, not just for themselves but everyone at the Clanhold. The more they could get, the more everyone would be better off. They would complain the whole way when pulling the large wagon, and it was a big one, but they¡¯d still do it.


    ¡°Are you coming with us, Lord Lochlan? Mikey asked.


    Loch gave the kid a mock glare. Not really a kid, Mikey was twenty, but his enthusiasm about everything made him seem a little younger. No matter how many times over the last few days Loch had told him to not call him Lord, Mikey still did it. Loch had given up. With the way Mikey was smirking, Loch wondered if the kid did it on purpose.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to head straight for the Clanhold, probably stop off at Bow Lake Fields to see how the start of construction is going.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to have a house,¡± Jerry, another Scavenger said.


    ¡°So you and Betty can get some privacy,¡± David said, causing everyone to laugh.


    Jerry didn¡¯t look embarrassed.


    ¡°Jealous?¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± David admitted, earning more laughs.


    Loch smiled, watching the interplay between the group. It was good seeing people relax and laugh. He even joined in.

 Chapter 266 (5.33)

    Loch stood at the entrance to Bow Lake Fields. He could hear the sounds of people taking down trees, sawing and hammering. A lot of the tall grass had been hacked down. Stacks driven into the ground with thin lines used to measure distances. The grove of trees in the middle of the field remained, planned to not be touched.


    It would become a park someday.


    Standing at the entrance he could envision what it would look like.


    A road heading straight through where the gate had been, ending in a wide square in front of the grove. There might be a statue or fountain in the square. Various ideas were put forward but nothing had been decided on yet. The road would continue around the grove. The shops would be along the road from the entrance to the grove. Houses would be set in organized grids from there to the end of the field on all three sides. The idea was to have the houses back to back, with yards between them, facing other homes across the roads.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how many houses there would end up being. It would be a mix of smaller for single people, a little larger for couples, a medium size for a smaller family and a couple bigger for the larger families. No mansions or anything like that.


    There was going to be a school, a town hall and community building. Barracks for guards would still be at the Clanhold, but there would be a small one at the new town. A wall would go around it, guard posts set evenly along the length.


    He¡¯d seen the plans, had helped in drafting them up. They still didn¡¯t have a name yet. It was going to be an ambitious project and Loch couldn¡¯t wait for them to get started on it.


    In the Spring.


    He walked out into the field, heading for the group of people standing near the grove.


    ¡°TIMBER,¡± a clear voice yelled out.


    It was followed by a crash. Loch looked to the left, which he thought was north. A group of lumberjacks were clearing the treeline, pushing it past where the wall would be. The ground was frozen, even their Adapted bodies would have a hard time digging it down enough to set up the palisade wall. That would come in the spring. For now they were just clearing the trees, making more open space between the future wall and the surrounding forest. The fallen trees were being cleared of branches, stacked on the grassy field. The branches and smaller trees would be brought back to the Clanhold and turned into wood for the coming winter.


    The plan was to cut the forest back about twenty feet on the three sides of the field. The north might be less, as there was a small stream running along that side, the ground sloping down to it. He thought the plan was to clear all the trees to the edge of the slope, leaving the rest on the other side. It was a lot of work to get done, but it was work that could be done before the snow fell. They¡¯d have a good stockpile of logs come spring.


    He made his way down to the group of people. A couple of them walked off, heading towards the sounds of trees falling. The others met Loch part way.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± Tim DeWolfe said, holding out his hand.


    ¡°Just Loch,¡± he replied, sighing, taking the offered hand.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting to see you out here,¡± Tim said, leading Loch north toward where the work was happening.


    ¡°I was out with some scavengers and thought I¡¯d stop by on the way back to the school.¡±


    ¡°Not much to see yet.¡±


    Loch looked down the field, seeing some people set up with surveying equipment. Tim looked that way.


    ¡°I managed to get one of the scavenger teams to stop at that Surveying firm on Route 4 up the road from the town dump,¡± he explained. ¡°Getting real equipment is going to help us really lay everything out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Loch said.


    When the idea of creating the town had come up, everyone had assumed they¡¯d be laying it out by hand, using ropes and sticks. But having actual equipment would be a huge timesaver.


    ¡°Turns out one of the guys in the Clan was a Civil Engineer and had some surveying experience,¡± Tim continued, walking Loch down the slight slope to the northern edge. ¡°That list Kristin keeps is a godsend,¡± he said. ¡°Really helped me find the right people for this project.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear,¡± Loch said, watching the lumberjacks work.


    They had a variety of saws, none powered. He saw a couple of the old fashioned ones that took two people. Those teams worked on some of the larger trees with the smaller saws being used on the thinner. It was a pretty efficient operation.


    It looked chaotic at first, but Loch saw there was an organization to it, with a couple of supervisors directing. A tree would fall, and another team would go to work cutting off the branches, with a third team taking the branches out of the way and stacking in a large pile. Another team was cutting those branches up into smaller ones to use in the wood stoves. Still another team would take the stripped trees and drag them up the hill, working to get them onto the piles. The thinner ones were brought to another group that used axes and other saws to cut those trees into logs. The last team were using wagons and wheelbarrows, bringing the logs down the road to the school.


    Loch was amazed at how quick it was all going. With the right tools and their Adapted bodies, the workers were fast and efficient.


    Tom led him over to what was going to be the northwest corner of the wall. There was a stake stuck into the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s the corner and the surveyors are setting the other corner,¡± Tim explained. ¡°Once we have that set, we¡¯ll start laying out the first of the homes.¡± He spread his hands as he talked, pointing at spots in the grass where the various things would go. Loch kept up with him, picturing how it would look. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a road run between the wall and the first homes. Double wide with some grass space at the wall for the stairs and watchtowers. The first homes will face the wall. Those will be back to back with the next, sharing some yard space between. Then a road, then another set of back to back homes. That¡¯ll repeat up to the center of the town where the small park and shops will be.¡±


    ¡°Going to be a lot of work,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tim said with a smile. ¡°Probably the largest project I¡¯ve ever been a Manager on and I did some big ones back before the Connection. You sticking around?¡±


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°No, I just wanted to stop by. Going to check out the Corner Tower on the way back.¡±


    ¡°Mind if I tag along?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Tim whistled loudly, the sound spreading across the clearing. Most eyes turned toward the two.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the Tower,¡± Tim shouted, making sure he had the attention of the supervisors. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± One yelled back.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when I get back,¡± Tim yelled. He started walking away with Loch. ¡°If I told them how long I¡¯d be, they¡¯d slack off until I got back,¡± he muttered.


    Loch laughed.


    ***


    ¡°We¡¯re almost down,¡± Steve Haley said, directing Loch¡¯s attention to the tower.


    It stood at the corner of Bow Lake Road and Route 4, with clear views up both roads, which is why it was called the Corner Tower. Four stories tall, the fifth open on the sides with roof above, half walls along the sides. The rest was covered in planks, or would be when it was done. Each side had four windows, stacked on top of each other. They were small, made for archers to shoot out of, and give a decent view in all directions. A single door led into the structure. Access to the roof was by stairs and ladders, each floor open with a dumbwaiter system to get equipment and supplies up to each floor.


    The lowest floor, where the angled walls of the tower were wider, had barracks for the guards on duty. A kitchen area was on the second level with a lounge area. The third story was for the weapons emplacements.


    Steve, with his Class of SiegeGuard, had devised a couple of surprises for the top two levels. For the fourth level he¡¯d created the walls to be on hinges, opening up to expose the weapons but only on the Route 4 and Bow Lake sides. The ballista were small but powerful, designed from plans he¡¯d found in books and modified by the knowledge from his Class. The fourth level had smaller hinged openings where Casters could fire their Abilities from.


    The interior was all done, as was the roof. Most of the planks had been attached to the sides with only the back and part of a side to finish up. Carpenters were up on some rickety looking scaffolding made from trees and planks. The whole thing shook as people moved. Loch was going to point it out, but they¡¯d been using the scaffolding for multiple projects and no one had fallen yet.


    Probably jinx it to mention something now, he thought.


    The tower wasn¡¯t built right in the corner of the roads, but pulled back more to the center of the roads, which is what gave it the clear views.


    ¡°We probably won¡¯t get started on the wall or the smaller end towers before snow falls,¡± Steve said, walking around the tower with Loch and Tim.


    ¡°Yeah, not worth starting them and stopping,¡± Tim agreed. ¡°The snow and weather could probably damage them and we¡¯d have to replace the work.¡±


    The plan was to build smaller two or three story towers at the sides of the roads, connecting them to the larger with walls and gates. It wouldn¡¯t stop an army from getting past, but would help control wagon travel.


    There was just too much land around the Clanhold to do full walls around it all, especially with the fields. It had taken days to come up with a plan, lots of back and forth with a ton of opinions thrown out, but they had all agreed on a final plan. A wall would be on the west, running from the lake up to the corner of the school, then from the other corner of the school down the fields and to where the land sloped up again.


    More towers would be built on top of the slope, spaced along the north side of the school, between the woods and the fields. Those would continue down the east side in front of the fields. Only two or three stories, they would be more open platforms for guards and archers. A low wall, only a couple feet high, would be built between them with gates. Those walls and towers would eventually connect with the Corner Tower. Another tall wall would go from the Corner Tower back down to the water¡¯s edge.


    It was a lot of work and would take a long time, which everyone on the Council was good with. That meant more work to keep Carpenters and Laborers busy through the Spring and Summer. With the amount of work the town would take, pretty much everyone in the Clan would be busy building.


    And that didn¡¯t take into account all the other structures under construction.


    ¡°How goes the Ranch,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Pretty much down,¡± Steve said. ¡°The chicken coop is finished.¡±


    When they¡¯d found the chickens near the old town dump, the decision had been made to build a coop there. No one wanted to try and wrangle a couple dozen chickens and move them all to the school. The flock had been growing under the watch of a couple new Rancher Classes. The buildings that had been at the dump had been taken by the Worldcore, except for an old trailer that had been used as an office. It wasn¡¯t big enough to work for the Ranchers, so construction had begun on a Ranch House and Coop for the chickens. Since the Grand Oak was there, a guard tower and barracks was also under construction near the road.


    ¡°The tower up on Saddleback was finished a week ago and last I heard that team is almost down the small barracks there,¡± Steve added.


    Loch pulled up his mental list of construction projects, adding notes to the status of each they¡¯d talked about. The last nails had been pounded in at the small wall and towers west by the old brewery. The teams had been using one of the local homes for a barracks, which meant they didn¡¯t need another building. The Spawn Field by Loch¡¯s own house, where there were a lot of turkeys, those Ranchers were also using one of the local houses.


    ¡°What about the barracks and tower at the mine?¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Almost done,¡± Tim answered. ¡°We¡¯ve started in on a trail that comes straight this way instead of going to Bow Lake Road and then down. It¡¯ll probably angle to come out nearer the smelting building.


    Loch nodded, mentally pulling up the list of trails to build. The smelting building was just up Bow Lake at the fire pond. Having the trail from the mine go straight there would cut the trip down a couple of hours. It would end up crossing one that would come from the fields and head toward the town up at the Bow Lake Fields. The plan would be to turn all those trails into true dirt roads that wagons could go down.


    More projects for the spring.


    Loch was looking forward to seeing what it would all look like when done.


    ¡°So Tim,¡± he started.


    ¡°Uh oh¡­,¡± Steve said with a laugh.


    Tim looked at Loch like a deer caught in headlights. He wanted to run but knew he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°When the surveyors get done up at Bow Lake Field¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tim said warily.


    ¡°Why not send them down to Johnson''s field and see how much land we got there,¡± Loch suggested.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do two large building projects at once,¡± Tim said.


    ¡°This will be for when Bow Lake is done.¡±


    ¡°Bow Lake will fit what we have now,¡± Tim said, still looking like he wanted to run.


    ¡°What we have now,¡± Loch said with a smile.

 Chapter 267 (5.34)

    ¡°What the hell is that,¡± Kelly asked, staring down the hill into the small valley.


    Standing next to her, Senora smiled. A couple of the other Valkyries, standing at the top of the hill, wore similar expressions to Kellys.


    ¡°That is the work of the Dawnmother,¡± Senora said, pride and reverence in her voice, replacing the usual haughtiness.


    They were still in a city in Massachusetts, or maybe they had finally crossed over the border into New Hampshire. Kelly wasn¡¯t sure. It had been a long time since she¡¯d seen a townline or directional sign. Loch had mentioned that when they¡¯d been together. It seemed an odd thing for the Worldcore to take. Such a small amount of metal, but she supposed it would add up over time.


    The valley wasn¡¯t natural, not a feature of the landscape or something the city builders had planned on. It was a large crater, the sides sloping down. Not natural, it looked like someone had taken a large shovel and dug into the ground. A half mile long and quarter mile wide, the sides jagged and rough.


    The bottom wasn¡¯t much better. Uneven ground, lots of rocks, some that had fallen down the sides of the slopes. It made for a hellish landscape.


    And there were dozens of people moving about. Some were setting up tents. There were large firepits scattered around the base. Other people were bringing loads of logs, carried by hand as the ground was too uneven to use wheelbarrows or wagons. Still others were skinning animals at the far end, throwing the meat into what Kelly thought was a smoking hut. A small group was going through what looked like piles of vegetables.


    Just past the people working on the vegetables and animals, Kelly saw a portal. It was open, leading to somewhere that looked warm. She thought she saw Greek or Roman architecture, not sure if it was on Earth or somewhere else. Only a small handful of people were moving through the shimmering circle of energy. They wore strange clothing. Light and airy, in bright colors. Not all the people in the valley, Kelly didn¡¯t know what else to call it, wore the same. Most wore clothing like the people in the caravan behind her. Worn jeans, t-shirts, jackets. Earth clothing.


    The people in the bright colors were Elves, the rest were humans. Even though the slope wasn¡¯t that high, she couldn¡¯t tell if the humans were slaves or volunteers. Maybe people rescued like her people?


    ¡°What am I looking at?¡± She asked Senora.


    ¡°This is to be your home for the winter,¡± Senora said. ¡°Thanks to the charity of the Dawnmother?¡±


    ¡°Charity,¡± Tiffany scoffed. ¡°Are you kidding me? We¡¯re supposed to stay there for the winter? She¡¯s got to be joking.¡±


    ¡°Do not speak that way of the Dawnmother,¡± Senora barked, turning on Tiffany, her eyes glowing as she started to summon her Spirit for an Ability.


    Tiffany turned, face impassive, holding her spear at the ready. Kelly stepped between them, glaring at Senora. Her spear wasn¡¯t held at the ready, it was up, the tip pointing at Senora.


    ¡°Stand down,¡± Kelly said, her tone giving no room for argument.


    Senora shifted her gaze to Kelly, locking eyes. The two stared at each other for a moment. Kelly lifted the spear an inch, taking a step forward. Senora took a step back, lowering her hands. The glow faded from her eyes.


    Kelly pointed down into the valley.


    ¡°This is where you¡¯ve been leading us this whole time?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Senora said. ¡°This is just where the Dawnmother wants you to spend the winter. Then come the Spring, we will continue to the final destination.¡±


    ¡°And where is that,¡± Kelly asked, not taking her eyes off Senora.


    The elf priestess looked uncomfortable under Kelly¡¯s intense glare. She swallowed nervously, looking down at the valley and then the portal, before looking back at Kelly with far less confidence.


    ¡°Through the portal,¡± Senora said. ¡°But the Dawnmother must gather more power before she can bring so many through.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s her plan for us?¡± Kelly asked. ¡°Why bring us all this way just to enter that portal?¡±


    ¡°As you know, it takes a large amount of energy to power a portal and the more Connected that go through one, even more energy is required.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Kelly nodded. She¡¯d been told all that when Senora had used Freyja¡¯s power to open the portal that sent Kelly to Northwood. The portal she¡¯d used on this end, along with the one in Northwood, had both been created by the Divine Being Concept Of Death. That had established a connection between them. Kelly thought of the portal stone she had in her Spatial Bag. She shifted to look at the large portal at the bottom of the valley.


    She had seen a few people walking out of it, and now a larger amount going through it. All the people going through the portal wore the clothing of the Elves. None of the humans. Some of the elves stayed behind. The portal flashed and then disappeared. The group watching reacted, all turning to Senora in confusion.


    ¡°They just brought supplies didn¡¯t they?¡± Kelly asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And all that is supposed to last us all winter?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kelly could barely control her anger. She felt like such a fool. For months, she¡¯d allowed Senora to guide them north, listening to the elf and her promises that Freyja had a plan and destination. That Freyja would take care of them. Promises that the couple hundred people that Kelly was responsible for would be taking care of. And then to see the valley.


    It looked barely large enough to contain them all. Tents were no shelter against winter and snow. It barely looked like enough food.


    ¡°With the coming of Spring, when the Dawnmother¡¯s Concept is at its strongest, she will have the power to bring you all to her.¡±


    ¡°And where is that?¡± Kelly asked, looking down into the valley.


    The people there had taken notice of her group, talking among themselves and pointing. A small group, three people, walked away from the others, heading up the slope.


    ¡°Your people called it Rome.¡±


    Kelly shook her head. With the way the Earth had grown, a mile became six or more. Thousands became tens of thousands. And Rome wasn¡¯t now just thousands of miles away, it was across the Atlantic Ocean, which had no doubt had grown in size as well. It might as well be another planet. If Kelly went through that portal, she would never see her family again.


    She had been a fool, but no longer. Not since coming back from Northwood.


    There was a plan and she would see it through.


    ¡°You can stay here,¡± Kelly said, pointing at Senora¡¯s feet. ¡°We have no more need of you.¡±


    Before Senora could say a word, Kelly started walking to meet the group coming up the slope.


    ***


    ¡°Greetings,¡± the elf in the lead said, bowing his head to Kelly. His eyes drifted past her to Senora up on the hill.


    Kelly had heard Senora move to follow her, but had also heard Tiffany and two other Valkyries get in the way. She had kept walking, acting like she was ignoring it all. Senora Barkfall was no longer worth her time.


    ¡°Will the Priestess be joining us?¡± the elf asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Kelly replied, inwardly smiling at the confused and shocked expression on the elf.


    ¡°Well¡­ uhm¡­,¡± he started.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Kelly asked.


    ¡°I am Yorin Greenstone,¡± he said, looking from her to Senora up the hill, still confused. ¡°I am the Dawnmother¡¯s Priest in this,¡± he said, with a little more confidence, hand extending behind him. ¡°Winterhome.¡±


    ¡°Winterhome?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± He said, bowing his head.


    ¡°This is not our winterhome,¡± Kelly said, looking past the elf at the two humans that had followed him. An older man and younger woman. ¡°And you two are?¡±


    ¡°Jacob Turner.¡±


    He had silver hair and beard, standing about six feet tall. Jacob looked strong, but Kelly had a feeling he¡¯d been really old when the Connection had come and Adapted him. He wore decent clothes. Jeans and a flannel with a vest.


    ¡°Holly Brackett.¡±


    She looked to be about Kelly¡¯s age, with brown hair and blue eyes. A couple inches over five feet, she wore clothing similar to Jacob.


    ¡°Are you two in charge of this winterhome?¡± Kelly asked.


    ¡°No, Lord Greenstone is,¡± Jacob answered.


    Kelly could tell, reading between the lines, that Jacob did not like the elf. From Holly¡¯s expression, neither did she. If Yorin Greenstone was anything like Senora Barkfall, she couldn¡¯ blame them.


    ¡°Well now you¡¯re in charge,¡± she said, pointing to Jacob.


    Yorin started to say something, eyes wide in outrage. Kelly glared at him.


    ¡°That one used us,¡± she said, pointing up at Senora. ¡°So I¡¯m not a big fan of you Priests and Priestesses of Freyja right now.¡±


    ¡°She is your Patron,¡± Yorin said, outraged.


    Kelly ignored the elf. She walked by him, coming to stop in front of Jacob and Holly.


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to work for the winter,¡± Kelly told them, pointing at the valley. ¡°We need to do better.¡±


    Jacob impressed Kelly, he didn¡¯t protest or try to argue. He just nodded.


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡±

 Chapter 268 (5.35)

    Loch looked around the cold landscape. Not much had changed since his last visit. The village was the same size, the same layout, the same amount of large vikings wandering around. All ignoring him. They stood easily seven feet tall, all of them the bulk of wrestlers. Big men, carrying axes and swords, dressed in furs. They ignored him, so Loch ignored them.


    He made his way through the village, heading for the longhouse in the middle. Why did he always appear on the outskirts? Wouldn¡¯t it be just as easy to appear in the longhouse itself? The cold didn¡¯t really bother him, even though he appeared in his armor with no furs or cloak, he didn¡¯t feel the bite of the wind. This was a dream after all. At least he thought it was. He¡¯d never been able to figure it out and it was something even Cerie and Elora didn¡¯t know. Sinat either. None of the elves now in Clan Brady had a Patron. Cerie had heard of it, but her records never talked about how the Divine Being communicated with their chosen.


    Loch had only talked to his Patron after he¡¯d fallen asleep, which made him think it was a dream. But with the Connected System, Spirit and everything it meant, there was a good chance he was being transported somewhere else. Maybe another planet. Maybe it was astral traveling. As long as he returned back to the Clanhold, Loch wasn¡¯t too concerned.


    When the Connection had first appeared, it all bothered him. But there were bigger concerns than the why of everything. He had people, hundreds that he was responsible for. He had much bigger concerns. Survival and thriving were the most important.


    Reaching the longhouse, Loch climbed the steps, ignoring the two guards. Their shoulders were covered in snow, icicles hanging from their beards. He would have thought them statues if he didn¡¯t see them breathe. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were the same two that were always there. Ignoring them, Loch pushed the doors open.


    He walked into the now familiar hall. A fire roared in the pits on the sides of the long table, which was empty as always. Thor sat in the chair at the far end. He watched as Loch walked down the table. Loch took a seat on Thor¡¯s right, ignoring the full glass of ale or mead in front of him.


    ¡°Greetings Lochlan Brady,¡± Thor said, leaning forward. ¡°How are you this fine night?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°You are much like your wife,¡± Thor said with a laugh. ¡°Both out of patience.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about Kelly?¡± Loch said, leaning forward, anger rising.


    Thor raised his hands, leaning back as he laughed.


    ¡°She is vexing Freyja to no end,¡± Thor said, taking a drink from his mug that never seemed to empty. ¡°It is quite entertaining. Kelly Brady has proven as stubborn as you are,¡± he continued. ¡°It seems Freyja underestimated her.¡± Thor leaned forward, setting his mug down. ¡°I did try to warn Freyja but..,¡± he shrugged. Leaning back again, Thor tilted his head, looking down at Loch in the lower seat. ¡°It has gotten worse since her visit with you. I wonder what you two planned.¡±


    Loch leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. How much did Thor know? Probably not much. He wasn¡¯t going to say anything. Instead, Loch just waited. Thor had called him for a reason.


    ¡°Kelly is in no danger,¡± Thor said. ¡°I am looking forward to seeing what you do and how it messes up Freyja¡¯s plans.¡± Thor stood up, walking around his chair and heading for the rack of weapons hanging on the wall. He ran his hand over the tip of a spear, turning back to Loch. ¡°I hope it destroys Freyja¡¯s plans. That will serve her for trying to interrupt my plans.¡±


    Loch shook his head. Politics. Even at the level of power the Divine Beings had, they still played at politics. Cosmic level politics but still politics. Things never changed.


    ¡°And what are your plans?¡± Loch asked.


    Thor smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never really told me what you get out of this deal,¡± Loch added. ¡°Why me and why so early?¡±


    ¡°Early?¡± Thor asked, looking confused but Loch didn¡¯t buy it.


    Thor knew exactly what he was talking about. Loch didn¡¯t feel like playing the game so he just crossed his arms and looked at the Divine Being. Finally Thor chuckled, shaking his head.


    ¡°Your trait,¡± Thor said, returning to his throne.


    ¡°Unfettered,¡± Loch said, nodding. ¡°I figured.¡±


    ¡°It puts you somewhat outside the Connection. You can do things that others cannot. You have seen the benefits of that?¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Loch shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told multiple times that things are happening that normally don¡¯t. At least not this early in a new world¡¯s Connection.¡±


    ¡°That is all true. And it affects your Abilities.¡±


    Loch thought about how he¡¯d recently been able to change Onyx. There had been some other examples, but that was the biggest and what he got the most benefit from. Cerie, and now even Elora and Sinat, were amazed at what happened around Loch. Things that the fairy had no records of, or the others had never encountered or heard of. Cerie thought it came from his Trait.


    Something that he shouldn¡¯t have yet.


    Thor had sought him out and Loch hadn¡¯t really done anything to distinguish himself. Not yet. So why had Thor sought him out specifically? The trait, but how did Thor know about it?


    ¡°Are you responsible for the Trait?¡±


    Thor laughed, slapping the arms of his chair. One finger tapped the side of his head as he smiled at Loch. For some reason Thor didn¡¯t want to say anything out loud, but Loch understood the meaning. Thor was somehow responsible for the Trait¡¯s existence.


    ¡°What are your plans?¡± he asked again.


    Thor¡¯s smile dropped as he eyed Loch. His fingers tapped on the arm of the throne as he thought.


    ¡°Nothing that will hurt you or yours,¡± the Concept of the Storm said, leaning forward, as serious as Loch had ever seen him. Not that they had spent much time together. ¡°You are an investment.¡±


    Loch gave him the confused look. Thor pointed a large finger at him.


    ¡°What you have accomplished so far is amazing. It is even more than what I managed when my world was first Connected. But for all that you have done, it is what you will do that I am concerned with.¡±


    ¡°And what will I do?¡±


    Thor leaned back, laughing once more.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. That is what makes this so interesting.¡±


    Loch shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Thor leaned forward again, picking up his mug. He took a long drink, wiping foam from his beard.


    ¡°Earth will just be another planet in a universe of hundreds such,¡± Thor said. ¡°How many Divine Beings are there?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. Not many.¡±


    Thor chuckled, taking another drink.


    ¡°No, not many at all. Our ranks number in the dozens. Out of hundreds of Connected planets, out of the billions or trillions of Connected and Adapted across the universe, only a handful ever become Divine Beings.¡± He pointed at Loch. ¡°You have that potential.¡±


    ¡°All this for potential?,¡± Loch asked incredulously.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Thor answered but wagged a finger at Loch. ¡°There is great power in potential. You will do great things Lochlan Brady and I will end up benefiting from those great things.¡±


    ¡°And what if I die before realizing that potential?¡±


    Thor shrugged.


    ¡°I will just try again. But I don¡¯t think I will have to.¡±


    ***


    Loch opened his eyes, seeing the now familiar ceiling of the classroom that was his and the girls room. Moonlight leaked in around the curtain over the window. He could hear the light breathing of both girls, one of them moving and turning around.


    He tried to process what Thor had said. There was more hidden there, beyond just the spoken words. Loch wasn¡¯t sure what he believed, how much of the Divine Being¡¯s words were true and what was in jest. He knew Thor got some benefit from the Patron relationship, but it had to be more to make Thor have an interest in him now.


    Did Thor really have a hand in creating the Trait? If so, how? And why him specifically? Why did he get the Trait and not someone else?


    Loch wasn¡¯t sure he liked the idea of Thor gaining from his own Advancement and Accomplishments. He knew the Trait had helped, but it wasn¡¯t the only thing that made him who he was and what he did. It wasn¡¯t the only thing that was going to drive his future.


    Let Thor benefit, as long as the Divine Being didn¡¯t interfere with Loch¡¯s people and what he would need to do, Thor could benefit all he wanted.


    He rolled over, pulling the blanket tighter.


    He didn¡¯t have the time to worry about the machinations of Divine Beings. He, Kelly and his people had their own plans to worry about.

 Chapter 269 (5.36)

    ¡°You solved what problem?¡± Loch asked, looking at a very happy Davis.


    ¡°The mason jars,¡± he said.


    ¡°I thought you found some at the grocery and hardware stores?¡±


    ¡°We did,¡± Davis said, motioning for Loch to follow him. ¡°Just not enough.¡±


    ¡°So how did the problem get solved?¡±


    Davis led him around the corner of the school toward where the crafters had set up their outside work areas. There had been a forge made and a couple areas for leathercrafting. The tanning aspect was being done in a far corner of the school, where the smell wouldn¡¯t bother anyone. Loch saw a large collection of the Clan¡¯s crafters working. None looked up, which he liked. They were all too busy.


    Except one. Standing next to the forge, a tall and skinny man with long hair tied up and a long beard with the end held together with a hair band, stood in front of a work table. Spread across it were glass jars of various sizes. As soon as he saw Loch, the man waved his hands over the glass.


    ¡°Behold,¡± Davis said. ¡°Lord Lochlan, meet Lloyd Harriman, the Clan¡¯s new Classed Glassblower.¡±


    Loch held out his hand, Lloyd taking it. His smile widened.


    ¡°Glassmith,¡± he said, his accent midwestern. ¡°The Class I mean.¡±


    Loch couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. There was a wide variety of Classes in the Connection, but he hadn¡¯t expected one dedicated to Glassblowing.


    ¡°When we started running out of mason jars, I went to Kristin to see if we had anyone that could maybe make them,¡± Davis explained, smiling broadly, proud of himself. ¡°Turns out Lloyd here had listed it as one of his pre-Connection skills.¡±


    ¡°Bit of a hobby,¡± Lloyd said. ¡°Wasn¡¯t ever very good, but it was interesting and I took a couple lessons. Made some pieces at one of those make-your-own-craft places. When Davis and Miss Kristin approached me, I said I¡¯d try. Worked on it and took a bit to get going. The gear here wasn¡¯t what I had used but then they gave me a book and that helped a lot. Book was on how they used to blow glass back in the old days. Took more time and¡­¡± he spread his arms out, showing the glass on the table. ¡°A couple days ago I got the Class. Seems there¡¯s more to it than just blowing glass.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Loch asked, now really interested.


    ¡°The Class is a Smith class,¡± Lloyd said. ¡°Besides the usual stuff like glasses, plates and jars, I can make swords and shields.¡±


    He laughed as Loch looked skeptical.


    ¡°I mean I haven¡¯t tested them myself but the Captain said they worked pretty good,¡± Lloyd said, laughing.


    Loch looked at Davis.


    ¡°For that, you¡¯ll need to talk to Darren. I was just showing you the jars.¡±


    ¡°Good job,¡± Loch told Lloyd, shaking the man¡¯s hand again. ¡°If the swords and shields work, start making as many as you can.¡±


    Leaving the Glassmith, Loch and Davis headed back to the front of the school.


    ¡°Glass swords,¡± Loch said, shaking his head. ¡°Crazy.¡±


    ¡°I kind of want one,¡± Davis said. ¡°Must look pretty cool.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go find out.¡±


    ***


    Loch whistled, watching the glass sword slam against a metal one. The metal had belonged to the Silver Bark, now being used by a Clan Brady Striker. He faced off against another Striker Class, the other using the glass sword. There were sparks from the metal, a glint of light off the glass. Surprisingly the glass sword didn¡¯t break. The weapon was hard to see as the glass was see-through. Loch could just barely make out the edges of the weapon. It was plain looking, just a blade and hilt, but being almost invisible gave it an advantage over normal weapons.


    ¡°That was my reaction too,¡± Darren said. ¡°When Lloyd brought it over, it took some convincing to get someone to volunteer to try the damn thing out. No one trusted it, but now¡­¡± he waved his hand at where the sparring match was happening.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    The two guards weren¡¯t truly sparring, they were just swinging the blades against each other. Sparring just enough to show Loch the durability of the glass swords.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Darren said with a smile. ¡°Barry, do it!¡±


    The two fighters stepped back. The one with the glass sword waved at Darren. He Activated an Ability, Loch could see the Spirit moving through Barry¡¯s core. It flowed down his arm and into his sword. Loch had seen Striker¡¯s use one of the Abilities on their weapons. It didn¡¯t really do anything to the weapon itself, just using the Striker¡¯s Spirit to make their attacks faster and the weapon sharper.


    But that wasn¡¯t what Loch was seeing.


    The Spirit seemed to flow into the glass. The weapon lit up from within, glowing brightly. It wasn¡¯t just one spot, but spread through the blade. The two Strikers took their stances, raised their swords in salute, and at the call of one, they lunged together.


    The Striker with the glass sword was faster, the sword almost singing as it swung through the air. The blades clashed, the metal sparking and the glass sword erupting in a bright flash. Barry pushed forward, driving the other Striker back.


    ¡°They¡¯re both the same Level,¡± Darren said. ¡°Both Strikers at Level 8.¡±


    Loch watched the way the two fought. The other Striker had Activated the same Ability, his metal sword showing the Spirit but as a glowing and crackling skin around the weapon. Loch could see the difference. The Ability added to the metal sword, but was still restricted by being applied to the weapon. The Ability used with the glass sword was almost part of the weapon. It had enchanted the weapon.


    ¡°It¡¯s stronger and faster,¡± Loch said, amazed.


    ¡°Yep. Not quite twice as strong, but there is a noticeable difference.¡±


    Darren whistled. The two stopped, stepping away from each other. They let their Abilities fade away.


    ¡°Barry,¡± Darren yelled, waving at the man to come over.


    The two jogged up to where Loch waited with Davis and Darren. They were up the slope at the front yard of the school, the two Strikers had been sparring at the relatively flat part of the old Route 4 in front of the school. They¡¯d drawn the attention of people moving about the yard, but now that the spar was over, the watchers dispersed. The other Striker hung back, Loch recognized him but couldn¡¯t remember the man''s name. He was a relatively new arrival at the Clan. Someone that had come with the Level and Class. Barry held the sword out for Loch to take.


    He was surprised at how light the weapon was. Maybe half the weight of a similar size sword, but still had enough weight that it wouldn¡¯t affect the fighter¡¯s balance. Loch swung it a bit, moving it through some of the forms he knew. The axe was his primary weapon but he had the Offensive/Defensive Weaponry Skill. A Passive Ability, it gave him some innate knowledge of how to use the weapon. Loch shifted his feet, lunging and parrying with the weapon.


    He stopped, holding the weapon up, examining it. The glass was clear, barely any imperfections, but then he noticed some small cracks along the length. Pulling it closer, he studied the cracking. Loch glanced at Darren, who nodded.


    Holding the sword out, Loch Activated Precision Strike. He didn¡¯t target anyone or anything, wanting to just send Spirit through the weapon. He felt the difference as the Spirit infused the weapon. Swinging it, Loch went through some forms again. He released the Ability, examining the sword.


    There were more minor cracks on it.


    ¡°Using an Ability saps the durability?¡± Loch asked.


    Darren nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the big drawback. The more Spirit channeled through it, the quicker the durability breaks. Even normal use will sap the durability quicker and unlike a forged weapon, it can¡¯t be repaired.¡±


    Loch handed the sword back to Barry.


    ¡°So increased power for a shorter lifespan?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Darren replied. ¡°We¡¯re still testing, trying to get some benchmarks. But overall, if we equip some of the guards with these things¡­¡±, he trailed off, waiting for Loch.


    ¡°I like that idea, especially if we limit their use. If we have another siege, issue the glass swords to everyone for the increased power, but use metal swords the rest of the time. Or have a couple in each patrol have the glass swords.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. Lloyd is pretty quick at making them too.¡±


    ¡°How are the shields?¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Not as good but since we¡¯re limited on those, outfitting people with the glass shields will help our defense.¡±


    ¡°Poor Lloyd is going to be busy,¡± Davis chuckled.

 Chapter 270 (5.37)

    The dice rolled across the table. They tumbled over and over, coming to a stop with a six, five, three, three and two visible.


    ¡°I still need a large straight and three of a kind,¡± Piper muttered, looking at her Yahtzee card.


    She didn¡¯t know what two dice to take. There was a good chance she might get three of a kind again. She hadn¡¯t used her wild and still had three rolls left. And maybe she could get three of a kind with a four, five or six. That would give her a better overall score. And she needed more points, glancing at the column that showed Nicole, Teddy and Jake¡¯s scores.


    The four teens sat at one of the cafeteria tables, crouched around the dice. Each had a single juice box that they were nursing. There weren¡¯t any others rationed out for the night. Piper knew she could go and ask for more, and would be given more, but she didn¡¯t want to abuse her position. Teddy kept trying to get her to use her rank, which annoyed her. She liked Teddy Smith, but not all that much.


    If this had been Pre-Connection, she would be friendly with him, maybe talk with him now and then, but probably wouldn¡¯t have been friends with him. But it was Post-Connection, and the options in her age range were pretty limited.


    Jake Gannon, who was older by a year, but would have been in her grade still, was a different story. Piper liked him. Blond hair, which had grown long and a little unkempt, which was okay, she thought. Somehow he¡¯d managed to keep his Patriots baseball hat and always wore it. The thing was looking a little dirty, but he refused to give it up.


    ¡°Come on Piper,¡± Nicole said. ¡°Addie is going to be playing tonight.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve seen her show like twenty times,¡± Teddy complained. ¡°It¡¯s going to be the same songs that we¡¯ve heard fifty times.¡±


    Piper didn¡¯t bother pointing out his math error. Teddy was just complaining and exaggerating. He was good at that.


    She made her decision. Taking the three, Piper rolled the dice. It tumbled across the table, coming to a stop. Two. Piper cursed under her breath. One more roll.


    ¡°You got this Piper,¡± Jake said.


    Piper smiled, glad she was looking down at the table so he couldn¡¯t see her blush. She moved a stray strand of hair out of the way and took the dice. Holding it in her hand, she gave it a shake before rolling onto the table.


    ¡°YES!,¡± Piper said, seeing a four appear.


    ¡°Good job,¡± Jake said.


    ¡°My roll,¡± Teddy said, taking the five dice.


    Piper marked her full house on the score sheet, looking up to see Addie Taylor walking in with her guitar case. Teddy was right, they¡¯d seen her play a lot. For a long time she had been the only musician in the Clan, but there were now two. The instruments were limited, the three having to share guitars, but at least there was a bit more variety. They were all even working on making new and original songs. Some solo and some together. Addie had even started giving guitar and music lessons to those that wanted it.


    Piper had thought about signing up but she was too busy with everything else she had to do. Maybe some other time.


    ¡°Alright, four sixes,¡± Teddy said, fist pumping the air.


    He took the score sheet and pencil, marking down his score. Jake picked up the dice.


    ¡°We still have some time while she sets up,¡± Piper said.


    They weren¡¯t concerned about the noise but the lighting. When the musicians played, the lanterns that lined the wall and the candles on the table were extinguished. Not all, but enough to make it hard to see the dice and the scoresheet. The cafeteria had some windows high up in the wall, there was plenty of light during the day, but at night they had to use a lot of lanterns and candles.


    That was another thing that Piper had heard Mr. Turner and Ms. Conway talking about needing. There never seemed to be enough of anything. They always needed more. There were even people busy making candles. Piper didn¡¯t know where they got the wax from, but they apparently had some. Someone had mentioned they were using animal guts or fat. Piper glanced at the candle near them, just picturing the Lynxia or Mutated Chipmunk that might have helped make it. She held in a shudder.


    ¡°Can we move down toward the kitchen?¡± Jake asked. ¡°They usually keep more candles lit down there.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Naw, we can stay here,¡± Teddy said. ¡°No one is going to blow out this candle as long as Piper is here.¡±


    ¡°Teddy,¡± Nicole snapped.


    ¡°What?,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Nicole glanced at Piper, but she waved the comment off.


    It was true, and Piper hated it. Nicole knew how much she hated it. Nicole was a great friend. She didn¡¯t try to abuse Piper¡¯s friendship or rank. Early on Teddy had tried to convince Piper to get them extra snacks, but it had failed. For the most part he had given up, but now and then he tried to use her rank to his advantage.


    With so few options for friends, Piper tried to ignore it. She tried not to let it bother her, but it did.


    She felt a bit of energy through the Codex Band. Cerie had recharged, or woken up as Piper liked to think of it. She hated thinking of Cerie as just a hologram. The fairy had been real once, and Piper wanted to treat her as real.


    With a thought, Piper summoned the fairy. Cerie appeared in the middle of the table, glowing green, wings fluttering as she hovered a couple inches off the surface. She pivoted, looking at the four teenagers and then down at the dice.


    ¡°What game are we playing?¡± she asked.


    ***


    Piper was happy. It turned out that playing games by candlelight and Cerie light was easy. The green tint took some getting used to, but in the end they had plenty of light. With Addie¡¯s music in the background, they finished up Yahtzee and got a couple hands of UNO in before calling it a night.


    Or at least Nicole and Teddy called it a night. They had left, not together. Teddy had gone first, complaining about hearing the same songs for the 80th time. Piper had wondered if he¡¯d streamed music at all. Nicole had left soon after. She¡¯d looked at Piper and Jake, then back at Piper with a big smile and left pretty quickly.


    Now Piper and Jake sat next to each other, watching Addie. She normally did the more slower and folksy stuff, since all she had was an acoustic guitar, but had been trying some more upbeat stuff with a faster tempo. There were a couple people up dancing.


    Jake had been sitting across from her during the games, but had moved to sit next to her when the others had left. He was sitting pretty close too. Piper had looked around for Harper, not wanting her older sister to come and tease her. But Harper hadn¡¯t made an appearance in the cafeteria yet. Probably sneaking off somewhere with Davis. She was more afraid her dad would show up and catch Jake sitting close to her.


    Jake was almost touching her, they were that close.


    Her dad would probably embarrass her if he appeared. He tried to show up to the gatherings at night, even though it always drew attention and got people walking over to talk with him. But he hadn¡¯t appeared yet. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t that night. Piper was hoping for that.


    The longer she was alone with Jake, the better.


    ¡°Want to dance?¡± Jake asked suddenly, standing up.


    Piper smiled up at him, quickly getting off the bench. She didn¡¯t even need to think of an answer. Of course she did.


    With a huge smile, she followed Jake to where the others were dancing.


    ***


    Harper looked up at the moon. It shone bright across the lake, the reflection large and wavering as the wind pushed at the water. A clear night, the stars filled the sky without a cloud in sight. Holding Davis¡¯ hand, Harper smiled. They sat on the grass near the shore, enjoying the silence and solitude.


    That was hard to get in the crowded clanhold.


    Harper was not looking forward to the winter, when the temperature dropped and people couldn¡¯t really work or go outside. With the wind and the increased storms, the older folk were saying they were expecting a very brutal winter. Harper was not looking forward to it.


    The air was cold already and the wind made it chillier. She shivered.


    Davis released her hand, reaching behind him and grabbing the fur blanket they¡¯d brought. He wrapped it around her shoulders, shifting in closer. She leaned against him. His arm went around her.


    They sat like that for a while, Harper just enjoying the night


    This was the first time they¡¯d been able to get along in a couple of days. There was just so much to do and with both of them being among the high Levels of the Clan, they had a lot of responsibilities. With Davis now leading an Adventurer team, he had Dungeon rotations and needing to hunt in the woods. Harper was in on Dungeon rotations with the annoying twins, Trent and Brent, Brian Jefferson and some others. They were all concentrating on their Advancements. And when not running Dungeons, they were helping the Clan get ready for the winter.


    Part of her wanted the winter to get there, just so they could end all the preparations they¡¯d been going through. It was endless. She understood the need and really didn¡¯t want the winter to come. If it was as brutal as everyone feared, it could mean trouble for the Clan. But she was not looking forward to how cramped it was going to be in the school. So many people in tight confines.


    They¡¯d never get any alone time. She had to make the time they had last.


    Shifting, Harper turned to look at Davis. He turned to her, smiled, and leaned down as she lifted up, their lips meeting.

 Chapter 271 (5.38)

    Kelly ran through the woods, branches grabbing at the jacket she wore. She ducked her head, avoiding a larger branch hanging down. The monster had no such issues. It was large, but still small enough to avoid most of the branches. Thin and agile enough to dodge the grasping branches reaching out. The fur was thick, protecting it further.


    Her jean jacket helped her, but it hung loose, the branches wanting to pull it off her. Kelly cursed, wishing she had buttoned it up. It had been decades since she last wore one. This one was oversized too, made for a larger man, but it had plenty of room for her to wear her armor under it. And it had been fine until she¡¯d chased the creature into the woods.


    DEEP WOODS FOSSA


    The creature looked like a cat, long and lithe body, long tail. But it was the size of a wolf, or bigger. It was furrier than most cats she had seen. It reminded Kelly of a cougar, or puma. She could never remember what the official name was or what the differences were between the species. She just knew the Fossa looked like those, but thinner and longer with much shaggier fur.


    Fur that they could use to make winter cloaks.


    It was thin, but there was still a lot of meat to be had. The monster had to weigh a couple hundred pounds due to its size. She didn¡¯t know how much meat they could get from it, but every bit helped.


    The monster leapt over a fallen log, which caused Kelly to slow down. She couldn¡¯t get over it as easily and climbing over the thing would give the Fossa that much more of a lead on her. Cursing, Kelly pulled her arm back and let her spear go.


    It glowed as it flew, sailing across the distance, faster than the Fossa. The tip caught it in the haunch, making Kelly curse again. There was probably a lot of meat in that area of the Fossa¡¯s body.


    The hit knocked the creature to the ground. It struggled to get up, but the rear legs wouldn¡¯t work. The Fossa started trying to drag itself away.


    Kelly crawled over the fallen tree, cursing the whole time. She slowly stalked toward the Fossa, drawing her long bladed dagger. The monster growled as Kelly approached, swiping at her with a paw, claws extended.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, moving around the Fossa, looking for the best place to make the last strike. ¡°But I need your meat and your fur.¡±


    Leaning down, Kelly slashed with the dagger, cutting across the monster¡¯s neck. Blood splashed across the ground, the Fossa spasming as it gave its last breath.


    Kelly cursed Senora and Freyja. For months the priestess had insisted that Freyja had a place for them to winter and live. A place where they would be safe and sheltered. It had been a lie. Maybe not a full lie, but an omission, which was the same as far as Kelly was concerned. The small valley was not safe or shelter. There would barely be enough food. People would die over the winter, a lot of them.


    Which Kelly now realized was the plan.


    A horrible plan that she had fallen for.


    Gather hundreds of people together, lead them away with the promise of safety, then let a bunch of them die and the others suffer, then offer them a haven. No one would refuse that. They¡¯d take the portal to Rome, or wherever Freyja wanted them, all thankful to be saved. They¡¯d do whatever Freyja wanted.


    She so badly wanted to take her anger out on Senora but couldn¡¯t. Not yet. The Priestess had suddenly become useful. To an extent, and a dangerous one. The elves in the small valley would not deal with Kelly, they would only engage with Senora. So now the Priestess was the go-between from Kelly to the elves. It was not working out well and the elves were very much not listening. They had their orders from Freyja, their precious Dawnmother, and they were going to follow those orders. No matter how much Kelly threatened.


    She had only threatened but it was coming to the point where she might have to do more. She would not let her people, the people that followed and trusted her, suffer. She would see them all through the winter and then to safety.


    Kelly looked up at the approach of the hunters. They walked over, bows in hand, a man and woman. Kelly thought they were a couple, just wasn¡¯t sure if they had become one through the march or had started out.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Good catch,¡± Lauren said.


    ¡°We managed to get the other three,¡± Scott added, pointing behind them.


    Kelly had come out into the nearby woods with a team of six hunters. The other four were probably dealing with the other three Fossas. Each of those were smaller than the one Kelly had hunted. She wondered if this one was the mother and the others the offspring, but stopped that thought quickly. No need to go down that path.


    ¡°Can you deal with this one?¡± Kelly asked, standing up from the beast.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lauren said, moving closer.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Kelly walked away, heading through the forest. She moved quickly. There was no time to waste. She had so much to do and very little time for it all. Since arriving at the valley, Kelly had been going non-stop. She had a couple hundred workers, which helped, but she was afraid it wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    She set some to getting the nearby buildings ready. No way would she allow them all to stay in tents at the bottom of a valley. She knew it was possible to safely camp in the winter and snow, there had been thousands that did it during war, but it was not something she wanted anyone to be doing in this new world. The workers were blocking windows, cleaning out rooms. Getting the spaces ready for people to live in for the next few months.


    Luckily, the closest buildings had been apartments. Four stories, there wasn¡¯t enough room for everyone to have an apartment. They¡¯d be doubling and tripling up, but there was no help for it.


    Others were tasked with cutting down trees and chopping them into logs. The buildings had a central heating system from the basements. They had been oil furnaces, but Kelly was hoping someone would be able to come up with a way to use wood. No one wanted to light fires inside the apartments. That was too dangerous.


    Still more were ranging out into the buildings around them. They were grabbing every blanket, pillow, sleeping bag, comforter, winter coats and thermal wear they could find. They were to grab clothes for the winter, hats and gloves. And food. Any preserved food they could get their hands on. The teams went out with backpacks and duffels, filling them and coming back. Over and over. Every day, almost every hour except for night.


    Night was when the monsters came out. Kelly, the other Valkyries and guards were busy every night fighting monsters. The elves had said that if they just entered the valley, they¡¯d be protected. Kelly didn¡¯t believe them. Besides, each beast they killed was more meat, fur and hides.


    The team of hunters she¡¯d been out with were just one of a few. They had the most important task, finding meat. And any fresh vegetables and fruits they could find.


    Even with everyone out doing what they could, Kelly didn¡¯t think it was going to be enough. They were lucky that they were in a city that apparently hadn¡¯t been raided yet. There were plenty of apartments, offices and shops within a mile or two radius. She knew how hard it had been for Loch and his people to find supplies out in the middle of Northwood. A city just had so much more to offer, in greater quantities and closer together.


    Stepping out of the woods, Kelly looked at the city. The woods ran along the east side of the city, Kelly wasn¡¯t even sure which city it was. Acres of forest. She could hear the people chopping down trees, others struggling to carry the logs in wheelbarrows and wagons the half mile or so to their chosen buildings. The pine boughs were being carried back as well. Anything that could burn and give heat or be used for insulation.


    Walking over to the lumberjacks, Kelly made her spear disappear. She¡¯d been excited when she¡¯d gained a Soul Weapon. It was so much stronger than what she¡¯d been using.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said, waving as she joined the group at the wood piles.


    She got some hellos and waves, even a couple of ¡®milady¡¯s. She hated those and now understood why Loch got so aggravated by the title. Kelly just nodded, not wanting to make a big deal. There were no extra wheelbarrows, so Kelly stacked some logs up in her arms. Shifting the stack, she started walking back toward their new camp.


    ***


    Kelly dropped her load onto the large pile. She brushed the small splinters and pieces of bark off the jean jacket, stretching out her cramped arms. They had almost locked up after carrying the logs for a half mile. The logs hadn¡¯t been that heavy, not with her Adapted body, but it had still been awkward and holding her arms under the load for just about an hour had been tiring.


    Stepping back she looked around the small area they were going to call home for the next few months. It was coming together quickly.


    Not quick enough.


    She wished they had thought to do this a month ago. The caravan had passed by places that would have been better suited. Hotels and larger office buildings. But she had foolishly listened to Senora and the idea of the plan Freyja had. She just hoped that the plan she and Loch made would work out.


    Shaking her head, Kelly looked around, wondering where she could help next.

 Chapter 272 (5.39)

    Loch threw Onyx, the weapon glowing as it spun. It slammed into the giant bear¡¯s shoulder, stopping the monster''s charge. Rearing up on its hind legs, the bear swatted at the two spear wielders rushing in. Trent, or was it Brent, dodged to the side, creating an opening for the other twin. Onyx reappeared in Loch¡¯s hand, but he didn¡¯t rush to the fight, watching the two twins deftly working on the bear.


    DARK FOREST URSA


    Evaluate had it a couple Levels above the twins. They were growing in strength fast and Loch wanted to see how they¡¯d handle it. To the side, he saw Randy Sager stepping forward, hands glowing. Loch held a hand out.


    ¡°Let them handle it.¡±


    Randy stepped back. He¡¯d just recently taken his oath as a Bannerman, joining Brian, Elora and the twins. Elora was ahead of the group, hunting for the Dungeon they suspected was in the area. Brian stood behind Loch, his huge new weapon on his shoulder. He¡¯d claimed the giant axe from the Hillgrowl Berserker, as he was the only one that could use the weapon. It was too good to smelt down. Somehow the weapon had shrunk down to a more manageable size, relatively anyways as it was still huge. The axe head was wider than Brian, the whole thing as tall as he was. It looked like a weapon Loch would have expected to see in an anime.


    Growling Rock Splitter


    Level Twelve Weapon


    +3% Attack Power


    +3% Slashing Damage


    Requires Base Strength Of 60


    -Rock Split Rank One: 40 Spirit Activation. +30% critical hit chance. Deals +10% Slashing damage. Deals +10% Earth Elemental Damage. +40% Armor Penetration Chance. Frequency: Two Minutes.


    Loch wondered how Brian hadn¡¯t accidentally cut himself, the axehead was so big. The large man had to be careful when walking through the school. When he¡¯d first gotten it, Brian had caught the axe head on a couple of door frames. It wasn¡¯t comically large but menacingly large.


    Brian didn¡¯t look like he was in any rush to join the fight. The axe rested on his shoulder, one hand on the haft, the other in his jacket pocket. The temperature had dropped the last couple of days, prompting them to all start wearing more winter gear. It was hard to hold onto weapons with winter gloves, the Clan¡¯s new leatherworkers and tailors were trying to come up with some kind of furred line glove that would make it easier. For now, they went without. Loch flexed his fingers, getting some more warmth in them, stuffing them into the pockets of his jacket.


    He watched his breath fogging in the air.


    Snow would be coming soon.


    He watched the twins finish off the bear. The large creature reared up, roaring one last time, before it collapsed to the ground. Trent and Brent gave each other high fives, walking back to Loch and the others, huge smiles on their young faces.


    ¡°Good job,¡± Loch told them, holding out his fist.


    The twins looked at each other, then laughed and each returned Loch¡¯s fist pump.


    ¡°That¡¯s a waste,¡± Randy said, pointing at the large body.


    ¡°Huh?¡± One of the twins asked.


    ¡°None of us have Harvesting Skills. Lot of fur and meat on that critter.¡±


    ¡°I thought of that,¡± Loch said, stepping forward, patting the satchel at his side. ¡°Probably need your help with this,¡± he said to Brian.


    The big man grunted, walking forward. He held his axe out to one of the twins, releasing it into the younger man¡¯s grasp. The twin stumbled back, almost dropping the axe, barely holding onto it as he tried to get his balance back. As he walked over, Loch saw a smile on Brian¡¯s face. Walking around to the side of the bear, Brian reached around the large body. Grunting, he lifted the massive animal, shifting it around.


    Loch grabbed a paw, holding open the top of the Spatial Bag. He put one of the large claws into the bag, turning away as the giant bear started to warp and shift, twisting as it was shrunken down to fit into the bag.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°That was crazy,¡± Trent or Brent said.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick,¡± the other twin said.


    ***


    Loch looked at the fallen trees. A pine and an oak had collapsed, crashing into each other. Broken branches lay to the sides, creating a hollow underneath. There was a gap in the coverage, off center from where the two ancient trees held each other up. Concentrating, Loch could see the slight shimmer around that gap.


    A Dungeon entrance.


    ¡°I did not go inside,¡± Elora said. ¡°But got close enough to discover it is a Rank Two Dungeon.¡±


    Loch nodded. Not worth it for him to go inside, but could be good for the others. They had just the right number, he would have been one too many. No healer, but this group should still be okay.


    ¡°You all have fun,¡± he said, stepping back and motioning toward the trees.


    ¡°Alright,¡± one of the twins said, walking forward. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    ¡°Team Brady,¡± the other said, high fiving his brother.


    The other three all turned to Loch, glaring at him. Smiling, he shrugged. At least the twins weren¡¯t fighting. For now. They couldn¡¯t go more than an hour without arguing with each other. Everyone liked the twins but the two could be a bit much.


    With a sigh, Elora followed the twins into the gap. They had already disappeared into the Dungeon. Elora stepped through, part of her body visible, the rest hidden in the black portal. She disappeared fully, Brian and Randy following.


    Loch looked around. The trees were deep in the woods off Harmony Road, close to the Blakes Mill intersection. It was an area no one in the Clan had gotten to yet, the houses not raided. He could see a couple through a gap in the trees.


    Might as well, he thought, knowing he¡¯d have a couple hours.


    Using his feet, Loch cleared an area about ten feet out from the Dungeon entrance. Gathering some rocks, he made the shape of an arrow pointing toward the homes. Satisfied, Loch started walking toward the home.


    As he got closer, he heard noises. A strange skittering and chattering. It was some kind of language, a couple of voices talking. Loch slowed, summoning Onyx in its small throwing axe form. He crept forward, watching his feet, the voices getting louder. He stopped as the trees thinned out, eyes widening in surprise.


    Small creatures moved around the house. They looked like tiny bears but walked on two feet. He instantly thought of the creatures from Star Wars. The ones that looked cute but were incredibly deadly and vicious warriors.


    MOONGLOW URSINE


    His Evaluate told him that they were fairly weak compared to him. Maybe around Level Ten. But there were a lot of them. He could see at least a dozen, maybe more. Covered in fur, about two and a half feet tall, their coloring was widely varied. Browns, some grays, patches and stripes. Some were dressed in rough hide armor, others without anything. There were spears made out of branches and clubs.


    Loch wondered if the Moonglow referred to their Clan or some Ability they had. They moved around the house, talking in their strange language, pointing at different features. A couple pulled at the shrubs in the front yard. One stood on the shoulders of another, trying to look into one of the first floor windows. Another was at the front door, poking at it, playing with the knob.


    Loch wanted to laugh. The small furry creatures looked fairly comical as they explored the house. He held it in, not wanting to alert the creatures he was there. Loch wasn¡¯t sure if they were friendly or not. He hoped they were. Piper would be extremely upset if she ended up having to kill any of the cute little walking teddy bears.


    A screech came from the far side of the house, near the garage. The Ursine jumped to attention, moving around the corner to face the far woods. A trio of Mutated Chipmunks ran out of the woods, a half dozen Ursine chasing them with spears. The Ursine hooted and growled war cries, the Chipmunks screeching in fear. The others spread out in a long line, the Chipmunks being herded to them.


    The Chipmunks tried to turn, other Ursine moving to the flanks to keep the Mutated monsters contained. The Chipmunks tried to fight back but it was over in an instance. Loch watched the slaughter in silence, not believing what he was seeing. It was quick and brutal. The Ursine didn¡¯t waste time or energy, making quick work of the Chipmunks. They didn¡¯t seem to care about the meat or hides, poking dozens of holes with their sharp spears.


    With the Chipmunks dead, the Ursine went back to examining the house, now with six more. They poked the siding, smacked the windows with their spears.


    Loch wondered what he should do. He had wanted to raid the house, and the one across the street, but wouldn¡¯t with the Ursine there. Even if he went back to the Dungeon, he¡¯d have to be quiet and keep an eye out for the little monsters. When his people left the Dungeon, they¡¯d be making noise and would attract the Ursine¡¯s attention. He had no doubt his people could handle the eighteen little monsters, but why bother if they didn¡¯t have to.


    He shifted, a branch snapping under his foot.


    Eighteen furred heads whipped in his direction.


    Loch cursed, the solution made for him.

 Chapter 210 (4.39)

    The wind slammed into the glass, making it rattle. Loch glanced at the windows, seeing the trees swaying in the wind. It had only gotten stronger in the last couple days since he¡¯d been back at the school. He returned his focus to the Council meeting.


    ¡°The new leatherworker can¡¯t use the raptor pelts yet,¡± Jeff Johnson said from his seat on the right side of the table.


    They¡¯d taken one of the smaller first floor classrooms to use as a meeting room. Loch didn¡¯t know where they¡¯d found the large table and chairs, which were all mismatched, but at least everyone got one.


    Loch was at one head of the table with Ed Turner at the other. Kristin, technically not a Councilor, was in a chair in the corner recording notes. Along the left were Susan Turner, Thomas Mooney and Darren Holmberg next to Loch. With Jeff on the other side was Kyle Smith and the recently added Lucy Graham and Alison Crawford.


    ¡°We¡¯ve managed to get some leather from the deers that Kyle¡¯s people bring in,¡± Jeff continued. ¡°So Nate is able to Level. Not fast, but is progressing. He¡¯s at Level Six now.¡± He paused, glancing around the table. ¡°Nate Andrews. That¡¯s his name.¡±


    He fell silent, looking down at the papers he had in front of him. Jeff wasn¡¯t comfortable as a Councilor. He felt that he didn¡¯t belong as his Class didn¡¯t make him a pure Crafter but more of a jack of all trades. Tinkerer was an Uncommon Class, compared to most crafter Classes that were just Common. It gave him the Ability to make a lot of things from a lot of materials. He couldn¡¯t make full suits of armor or weapons and some of his stuff wasn¡¯t as good as a pure Crafting Class would make it, but he could do a bit of everything.


    That was why Ed had suggested that he remained. He was a good voice for all the Crafters, who had formed their own little guild to funnel their concerns to Jeff. As someone that did it all, Jeff wasn¡¯t biased toward any particular craft.


    ¡°We should be bringing in more pelts,¡± Kyle Smith said. ¡°All the Hunters now have some kind of Skinning Skill or Ability.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still getting a good supply of Lynxia hides from the Dungeon,¡± Alison said.


    The newest Councilor, her role was coordinating the Adventurers and other Dungeon Delvers, making sure there was a good rotation and everyone that wanted a slot was getting one. Her job was to make sure that no Dungeon, including the Resource Dungeon, were constantly being delved when they were available.


    She had replaced Susan Turner on the Council. Loch had been happy with that. He¡¯d never liked having both Susan and Ed on the Council. Susan had been more than happy to be replaced. She wanted to spend more time in the infirmary with the Clan¡¯s other healers. They were getting more healers, but there were also more people coming back wounded.


    ¡°Nate should have his first full set of leather armor done soon,¡± Jeff said.


    Everyone smiled or nodded, happy at the news. It would take a long time to get everyone in the Clan outfitted in armor, getting rid of the makeshift stuff they used now. Jeff was trying to get more people trained in Leatherworking, but it was hard if they hadn¡¯t had some kind of related foundation to start with.


    ¡°We¡¯ve had a couple of the laborers..,¡± Jeff winced at the word. No one liked using it but no one had been able to come up with a better one to describe the people that didn¡¯t have Combat or Crafting Classes. They were the ones currently performing the manual labor required. ¡°Luckily they hadn¡¯t gotten any Class yet and we¡¯re hoping they can learn Leatherworking.¡±


    He glanced at Kristin who nodded as she continued to write in her notebook. It was a nod that meant she would talk with Jeff later to get their names. As no one else had stepped up yet, Kristin, along with all her other duties, was coordinating and scheduling the labor force.


    Loch hoped she was making a note to find someone to delegate the scheduling duties too. Kristin was overworked as it was. She didn¡¯t seem to mind as her Class Abilities helped out. Or she was just very good at multitasking and one of those weird people that enjoyed being overworked.


    ¡°Not as good news on the blacksmithing front,¡± Jeff continued, flipping some pages of his notes. ¡°Joe Foster is still the only smith we have and he can¡¯t really Level as he doesn¡¯t have enough ingots or a way to smelt them. No forge either.¡±


    ¡°Can we even make a forge,¡± Darren Holmberg asked.


    ¡°One of the books that was recovered from the library details how to make one,¡± Jeff said. ¡°We¡¯re just having a hard time getting the parts or a suitable place to put it and the smelter.¡±


    ¡°If we had more time before Winter, I¡¯d make that a priority but we don¡¯t,¡± Ed said, tapping his fingers on the table. ¡°Armor would be good but there¡¯s just so much we need to do to prepare for the cold months. We can¡¯t divert the resources right now.¡±


    Jeff nodded. It was the same answer that he always got. None of the Crafters could really Advance as there was a shortage of materials, time and production spaces. For most of them, they were doing what amounted to busy work. It was related to their Craft Profession, so they did get some experience, but not much to really gain Levels. The hope was they¡¯d progress quickly once they got the materials and proper equipment.


    Loch knew they also needed more Miners. They didn¡¯t have enough Miners to clear out the Resource Dungeon, so it took a longer time for the Dungeoncore to regenerate the mining nodes. There also weren¡¯t enough extra guards to help protect the Miners from the Dungeon¡¯s Duergar Monsters. It would have been easy enough to take a couple of the Laborers and turn them into Miners, but like the forge and smelter, Miners were a low priority. They needed people to help build the bunkhouses and other buildings needed to get through the upcoming Winter.


    There just weren''t enough people that wanted to fight.


    They were making people do something, that was who comprised most of the laborer force, but the line was drawn at forcing people to fight. In defense of the Clanhold, they¡¯d be forced, but to make them go out and fight monsters in the woods or run Dungeons? Loch, and the others, didn¡¯t feel right making someone do that. The problem was that harvesting the Resources required going out and fighting the monsters. The restrictive nature of the Connection¡¯s Class system didn¡¯t help either.


    It looked people into roles based on their Class. Someone with a Watchman Class could delve a Dungeon but their Abilities were not suited for it, making it more dangerous for them and the others in their party.


    A Hunter or Forager could fight, but they were limited in their offensive Abilities and rarely had any major Defensive ones. There were some hybrid Classes like T.J. Wolf¡¯s Strider Class, that was meant for multiple roles, but those were few and had their own cons.


    There just weren''t enough people that wanted to risk their lives on a daily basis.


    Loch could understand. If his and the girls'' lives in the Connection had started differently, he could easily see himself being one of those. He thought about Peter and Davis Millman. Davis wanted to go out and protect the Clan. Peter had started down that path but nearly dying to the Sunrise Phoenix had changed his outlook. He was now firmly in the stay at the Clan side of things, putting him at odds with his son.


    There were still times that Loch wanted to make the girls stay back, not get into the fighting. He knew that would be impossible now. Both of them were too strong and they wanted to do their parts to help protect the Clan. Loch was proud of them for that, but he still worried.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    But then even before the Connection, he¡¯d worried.


    He was a parent, he¡¯d always worry.


    ***


    ¡°Out of the twenty new people the last few days, five of them have opted to become Guards,¡± Darren said, his turn to speak. ¡°That brings us back to the number we had before the gaunts.¡±


    Silence fell at the mention of the gaunt¡¯s attack on the Clan. That had set them back a lot. Not just in numbers, but in time and food. The gaunts had destroyed some of the crops that had been harvested, some of the growing crops, supplies and all the preparation that the Clan had to do had set them back in development time.


    The loss of the people was the hardest. They¡¯d lost more civilians, the non-combatants, then they had the combatant Clanmembers but it was the loss of the combatants that hurt the Clan¡¯s future development more. Loch hated it, but it was true. They needed combatants. Not just for Resource gathering but to thin out the monsters in the wilds and to provide protection from future threats.


    Like the Silver Bark.


    And the Hillgrowl Giants were still out there with their Si-Te-Cah ally.


    ¡°Three of the newcomers want to be Adventurers,¡± Darren continued as he looked at Alison. ¡°I believe Kristin has sent you their names and Classes?¡±


    ¡°She has,¡± Alison answered, looking at her notes. ¡°The problem is that they¡¯re a Bladesman and two Spearsmen.¡±


    Loch knew who they were. Stephanie and the twins, Brent and Trent. He saw some confused looks around the table.


    ¡°We can¡¯t party them together,¡± he said. ¡°Not a good mix of Classes.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Alison replied. ¡°They already have Classes, so they can work with the Guards and Hunters until a spot opens up in an existing Party¡­,¡± she paused, eyes wide as she realized what she had said and what it would mean. The only reason a spot in an existing group would be available is if someone had died. ¡°Uhm.. sorry.. I¡­uhm.. Yes¡­well.. I¡¯m hopeful that others will want to, or we get some newcomers that want to. Those three should really be in separate groups with their Classes but¡­¡±


    She trailed off with a sigh.


    Loch knew the twins would want to stay together. A decent party could be formed around the two, but it worked against them that they had the same Class.


    ¡°As they are your Bannerman,¡± Alison started.


    ¡°No,¡± Loch interrupted. ¡°They need to be assigned to an appropriate Leveled group. Same as Brian. Even Harper and Piper,¡± Loch said, seeing the surprised looks from most around the table. ¡°I can¡¯t run Dungeons with any of them,¡± he explained. ¡°I¡¯m too high Leveled. It messes up the Dungeon scaling.¡±


    He remembered the Painted Cave Dungeons just outside the school building. His Level had ended up being a huge risk with the group he¡¯d entered it with. They¡¯d faced a much more powerful demon at the end.


    If his people were going to Advance, they needed to do it with the right party, the right spread of Levels.


    ¡°Even Harper and Piper,¡± Alison asked. She saw Loch¡¯s look, quicker looking down at the papers in front of her, pretending to make some notes. ¡°We can shift some Healers around but should be able to get everyone full parties and add to the schedule.¡±


    ¡°There might be a couple potential crafters out of the other new arrivals but most¡­,¡± Darren trailed off.


    The rest would be laborers. And they already had enough of those. They were short the numbers needed for the most vital requirements of the Clan but had too many people that didn¡¯t want to be a combatant Class and lacked the pre-Connection skills and requisites to become Crafters. With the way the Clan was now, there was only one other option. And everyone needed to do something to contribute to the Clan as a whole in order to have food and lodging.


    ¡°Some are being pretty vocal about the choices,¡± Darren continued.


    Which was nothing new. If told that your only choice was to either fight, craft or labor, many people wouldn¡¯t be happy. In the future there would be more options but at the moment, they had to concentrate on getting through the winter.


    The Skilled Workers, those with Crafting Classes, were working long hours. Even the ones that weren¡¯t actually able to make anything yet, they were spending those hours practicing and trying to develop their Class to make it useful. But if a Lumberjack could only prepare two trees a day, which Loch was told was incredibly fast compared to Pre-Connection, there were a half dozen laborers ready for that tree so they could haul it to the wall or wait to move planks. And thanks to their Adapted bodies, it really only took two to four to move a tree. It didn¡¯t take that long to place it where it needed on the wall either. All that meant there were people standing around with nothing to do.


    They had the laborers working in shifts to make sure that everyone did some work throughout the day but those shifts weren¡¯t eight hours long. They did less work and got the same benefits as the crafters and the guards, who also had long shifts, did.


    It was not a good system but it was all they had.


    The Connections strict Class restrictions also meant the people working as laborers got Abilities and Classes reflecting that work. It was taking people that might have talents somewhere else, that the Clan could use in the future, and forced them down a set path that in the long run wouldn¡¯t be as beneficial. But not having them work, meant there were a lot of people that sat around and did nothing. It had been leading to depression. That problem hadn¡¯t been fixed, but the work was helping.


    People were feeling somewhat useful.


    The council just had to make sure they kept that way.


    ¡°How are the quests doing?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Alison answered, as the quest board fell under her purview. ¡°They are really helping people Level. We have a list of some new ones we¡¯d like added and some tweaks to existing.¡±


    She looked through her pile of papers, finding the one she wanted and slid it over to Loch. He picked it up, looking down the short list, smiling at the last one. It was something he¡¯d wanted implemented a while ago and it was just starting to be rolled out. Kristin had even been able to expand on his original idea.


    The wind slammed hard into the window, making everyone turn to look.


    ¡°It¡¯s been getting worse,¡± Ed remarked. ¡°We¡¯ve had some tarps and things blown away.¡±


    ¡°I watched one fly out over the lake,¡± Thomas said, chuckling. ¡°That giant turtle didn¡¯t like it. Tore the tarp to pieces.¡±


    That earned some laughs. Unfay, the giant dragon turtle, didn¡¯t make many appearances and for the most part left the fishermen alone. There were stories of something grabbing the lines and dragging boats across the lake but it never seemed to be malicious.


    More wind slammed against the window.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Darren muttered.


    The door to the meeting room burst open, a panting guard in the doorway.


    ¡°Tornados,¡± he yelled.


    ***


    Loch ran outside, immediately hit by strong gusts of wind. It slammed against the building almost constantly, the wooden walls shaking. People were scrambling to grab supplies before they were blown away. Guards were rushing toward three tornados that sped around the schoolyard.


    New Hampshire was not known for tornados but there had been a couple of microbursts over the last ten years or so. After one, Loch had seen the destruction it had caused. The small tornado had moved in a straight line through the woods, destroying the trees and leaving a wide path as it went. He¡¯d seen the damage larger tornados had caused in the midwest.


    There was something off about the tornados he was watching. They moved erratically, back and forth, speeding in one direction and then moving backwards slower before darting in another. One crashed into the wall, making the logs shake. The posts holding the horizontal logs flexed, bending under the force of the tornado slamming into them.


    They held, not breaking.


    The tornado moved back a couple dozen feet, stopped and shot forward into the wall again.


    Loch realized what they were.


    And one of them was heading down the hill toward the fields.


    ¡°Elementals,¡± he yelled out, Onyx appearing in his hand.


    He Activated Windstep.

 Chapter 211 (4.40)

    Loch stepped across the schoolyard. He passed two of the Elementals, focused on the one heading down the slope toward the fields. They could not let the Elemental destroy any of the food. Arrows and energy blasts shot past, lighting up the late afternoon in a riot of colors.


    The elemental didn¡¯t even flinch or stop as arrows shot through it. The creature was fifteen feet tall, thinner at the base, made up of dark cloud-like substance. It twisted up in a spiral, the cloud stuff knotted, the edges shredding, as it widened up at the top to almost ten feet wide. There were no arms, no head, just the spiraling column of air.


    Coming to a stop, Loch threw Onyx. The axe spun end over end, the head glowing and crackling with energy. It struck the elemental. Sparks or lightning spread out as the axe physically based through the elemental. The creature stopped moving down the hill, instead moving back up. It never turned or shifted, as far as Loch could tell.


    The hole made by Onyx swiftly closed.


    RAGING ZEPHYR ELEMENTAL


    It felt close to Loch¡¯s own Level, maybe a little lower. He was glad it wasn¡¯t stronger. If the other two were of similar strength, the rest of the Clan¡¯s defenders should easily be able to overwhelm them. Hopefully before the wall was damaged.


    The windstorm was still ongoing. Strong winds slammed into Loch, who was amazed that arrows somehow still flew true. The wind barely moved them. Leaves and other small debris sailed across the yard. In the fields, he could see the wheat and the newly grown corn stalks bending, almost breaking.


    And somehow the Elemental was unaffected. Its own winds picked up some of the debris, causing it to twist and turn within its body, moving against the wind of the storm.


    Another Windstep brought Loch in front of the elemental. The winds around the creature pushed at him, sliding him back a step. He tried to Activate Offensive Stance but couldn¡¯t. The strength of the roiling winds that formed the creature kept his feet sliding, not more than an inch but enough to prevent the Ability from Activating.


    He swung Onyx, the blade cutting through the winds. It didn¡¯t appear to do any damage. A gust of power slammed into Loch, winds tearing at his body. He Windstepped back, away from the slashing winds. He could feel dozens of small nicks and cuts across the few exposed parts of his body, wishing he¡¯d had a chance to put on his Challenger¡¯s armor instead of just the now ripped and torn jeans and t-shirt he was wearing. Loch was glad the shirt wasn¡¯t one of his favorites, just a basic tee that he¡¯d taken from the house. He wasn¡¯t happy that both the shirt and pants were ruined. He only had so many pairs left. The wind had cut slashes into both, leaving lines cut into his skin, the bleeding wounds now healing.


    Luckily he¡¯d managed to turn his face away.


    The Zephyr Elemental floated toward Loch. He could feel the winds of the creature pushing against him, trying to move him. He wasn¡¯t close enough for the cutting effect, just the force. The wind wasn¡¯t anything his Adaptable Skill or other Resistances could counter. He threw Onyx, the axe passing through the Elemental, disappearing on the other side before returning to Loch¡¯s hand. The hole closed up, becoming a different swirling pattern.


    Loch watched it, trying to understand what he was seeing. The creature¡¯s main body swirled in one direction, a spiral from bottom to top, but where Onyx had passed through was a smaller swirl that rotated opposite of the rest. It hadn¡¯t healed itself so much as patched the hole.


    The Elemental only had so much of the material that made up its body.


    Onyx smashed through it again, leading with the hammer head, making a larger hole. It closed up but took a little longer. Seconds longer.


    The wind pushed at Loch, moving him back an inch or so. He could feel the sharp edges of the wind as it passed. Holding Bulwark in front of him, he saw the wind slicing scratches across the translucent energy surface. He released Bulwark¡¯s Lightning Field, pushing against the Air Elemental. Bolts of energy crackled across the roiling winds. The creature seemed to shake, taking damage as the lightning snapped and cracked within the windy body.


    Loch was surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected Lightning Bulwark to do much damage. It was an Air Elemental and lightning was related to the air element. It didn¡¯t make sense for the Zephyr to be damaged by its own element.


    He¡¯d only used the field because physical attacks didn¡¯t seem to be working and his magical and ranged attack options were limited. But with lightning seeming to damage the Elemental, Loch pressed the advantage.


    He Activated Elemental Surge, feeling the Spirit flow from his Core and into his armor, releasing as a bubble of energy around him. He fed more Spirit into the bubble, pushing it further out. The bubble met the Elemental¡¯s wind. Loch could see the air movements become chaotic as they struck the bubble. It wasn¡¯t making the currents visible, just reflecting in the way the surface of the energy bubble moved. The wind was no longer in one direction, instead moving back and forth, even up and down. The body of the Elemental shook.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.Loch could feel pressure being pushed against the bubble. He fed more Spirit, feeling the Elemental feeding more of itself against the bubble. The Elemental¡¯s form puffed up, the edges of the roiling swirls fraying. More pressure pushed against Loch, sliding him back.


    He raised Bulwark as the Elemental exploded.


    Hurricane force winds slammed into Loch, knocking him back. He lost his footing, caught in a gust that sent him rolling. He could feel the winds swirling, pushing and cutting as he rolled. He slammed into the log wall, coming to a stop. Holding a hand against the walls, Loch pushed himself up, turning to face the Elemental.


    It was much smaller. The edges of the swirling wind that made the body ragged, small spots of the cloud-like substance floating off into the air with each revolution around the body. Loch could see a glowing spot in the middle of the creature. The Elemental Core.


    More wind whipped around the Elemental. Loch could feel the sharp edges of the wind. He caught the winds on Bulwark, sparks of energy erupting as the currents cut into the shield.


    He threw Onyx, leading with the hammer. It blasted through the winds, which increased as the Elemental tried to shield itself from the attack. The spinning hammer ignored the winds, barely blown off course.


    It struck the center of the elemental, bolts of lightning crackling as it penetrated the cloud-like body. Onyx was off the mark, grazing the Elemental Core. The weapon burst out the back of the Elemental, disappearing and returning to Loch¡¯s hand.


    The body shook, the Core pulsing. It grew dim then flared again, gathering power from the storm. Cracks appeared across the surface, what looked to be a small shard broken off.


    He threw Onyx again. The hammer head struck the Core. More shards fell off, larger cracks appearing. The Elemental gathered the wind around itself, forming a tight protective barrier around itself. It shrunk some more, taking some of the mass to provide more protection.


    Onyx slammed into the wind barrier, knocked off course by the gusts. It returned to Loch¡¯s hand. The wind was stronger, the gusts powerful. It spun so fast around the body of the Elemental that it was like armor. Onyx couldn¡¯t blast though anymore. The flying weapon struck the barrier, sending sparks and bolts of lightning crackling across the Elementals body. Somehow the lightning was still hurting it. The body spasmed with each bolt.


    Loch could still hear the sounds of fighting around him. The other two Elementals were not destroyed yet, or maybe the wind storm had produced more.


    The Elemental surged forward, rushing Loch. Activating Offensive Stance, he swung the full sized Onyx in front of him. He Activated Thunderclap, the swing of Onyx created a wave of force that swept out, slamming into the Elemental. The Ability, the Patron Boon from The Storm, did elemental damage. It was air damage, but also apparently ignored any resistance to that same damage. The Raging Zephyr Elemental had natural resistance to air damage but the Ability ignored that.


    Loch was surprised to see the shockwave push through the wind barrier, the waves of force breaking apart the gusts of wind. He had just wanted to get the extra damage modifiers from the Ability, having the Zephyr Elemental damaged by air was a bonus. Sharp gusts of wind shot off in all directions, pieces of cloud stuff floating into the air. The Elemental¡¯s body shuddered as it floated backwards.


    Loch didn¡¯t give it time to recover. He rushed forward, swinging the hammer end of Onyx. Activating Smash, he slammed it into the cloud-like body. More pieces broke off, fading away as they drifted up or carried off by the fierce winds.


    He could feel them biting into his skin as the Elemental tried to take control of the gusts swirling around its body. Loch didn¡¯t let it. He slammed Onyx down again, aiming for the Core. Cloud stuff burst apart with each swing. The wind slamming against him.


    Loch forced himself to hold steady, not to be moved. He swung and swung. The hits against the cloud-like body felt odd. There was little resistance but the substance reacted like it was solid. He broke pieces away, the hammer head slamming into the spongy material.


    And then it hit solid matter.


    Loch saw the Core exposed, large cracks throughout with pieces missing. Activating Smash, he swung Onyx again. The Core shattered, bursting into hundreds of little pieces.


    The sharp winds stopped, followed by the gusts no longer pushing against him. Only the background constant wind remained. Not as strong as during the storm.


    Multi-colored sparks drifted across the air, flowing toward Loch and into his body as more started to meld together into a larger glowing globe that fell to the ground. The sparks disappeared, revealing a softball sized light blue glowing Elemental Core.


    Loch turned around, still hearing fighting. He watched as dozens of Clanmembers fought the last two Elementals. There were wounded men, being dragged away to the healers. Brian and other higher Leveled held their weapons but stayed back, letting the lower Leveled Guards take on the monsters. Loch pulled Onyx back, ready to let it fly, but stopped, lowering the weapon. The Guards were winning.


    It wasn¡¯t happening fast, but they were whittling down the much stronger Elementals. While some were being wounded, it didn¡¯t look like anything the Clan Healers couldn¡¯t handle. The Guards needed the experience. Not just in Spirit but in combat, learning to deal with stronger monsters. Loch relaxed a bit, ready to step in if needed.


    A couple minutes later, one of the Elementals was destroyed, a spear stabbing into the Core. Those guards, exhausted, cheered on their Clanmates as they worked to finish off the last Elemental. It fell soon after.


    Multi-colored sparks flew around the gathered Guards, entering their bodies, a couple even yelling out that they had Leveled. The guards all cheered for each other, clapping backs, giving high fives and fist bumps. Holding the Core from his Elemental, Loch stepped into the group of guards, congratulating them.

 Chapter 212 (4.41)

    ¡°Can someone change Classes?,¡± Loch asked Cerie as he and his daughters walked across the school yard, heading east.


    The fairy, flying a couple feet ahead of the Brady family, turned to glance at him sharply. Loch was looking off to the side. Following his gaze, Cerie saw Loch watching people pulling up large chunks of pavement, others carrying pavement to the mounds that were being formed under the supervision of the landscape architect, who had received a Class just yesterday. Land Engineer. It was a combination of Crafting and some combat capability, geared to creating fortifications. Loch wasn¡¯t looking at him, but the laborers. Cerie understood his question.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, slowing down to fly closer so she could talk quieter. ¡°It is very difficult and the Adapted will lose a lot of their gained power. Mostly just that associated with the original Class but it could be more.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?,¡± Piper asked.


    ¡°When the Adapted chooses to change their Class, they are reset to Level One,¡± Cerie answered. ¡°And they lose anything they have gained associated with their Class. Not just their Abilities and Skills but also their Levels, Stats and Achievements.¡±


    ¡°That sounds horrible,¡± Harper said, Loch happy that her mood had improved in the last couple of days.


    He hoped this little trip would help. There was nothing pressing, nothing demanding his attention. Most of his personal group were running Dungeons with people closer to their Levels. Brian, Julia and a couple others were heading east along Route Four to run the Challenge Dungeon. Another team of around Level Seven to Nine, including Lucy Graham the scavenger team leader, were also going to run the Challenge Dungeon. The hope was to get more Spatial Bags. When Davis and Drew¡¯s groups had run the Dungeon, they¡¯d each gotten a bag but they were soulbound. The scavengers needed the bags, which meant they needed to run the Dungeon.


    Group, team, party. So many words to mean the same thing. They needed to come up with a consistent term. It was starting to get confusing. Loch smiled as he added it to his ongoing lists. It was such a minor item compared to what he usually added to the mental list.


    And the lists were starting to get shorter. Things were starting to get removed.


    There was nothing for Loch to do, so he had decided to take the day for him and the girls and it was starting out with a picnic. As much of a picnic as they could manage with the food and drinks available to the Clan currently. Loch was really just looking forward to a peaceful day with his girls.


    It was something they hadn¡¯t had in weeks.


    He¡¯d first thought of going to Northwood Meadows but there were monsters in the woods and along the trails. That didn¡¯t seem very relaxing and peaceful.


    They¡¯d settled on the one small island in Harvey Lake. It was connected to the mainland by a thin strip of land, making it not truly an island. Of decent size and the land bridge being behind the school, the island had been used for many outdoor lessons and activities. There had even been some camping on it occasionally.


    Because it was so close to the school, Loch could quickly get back with a couple of Windsteps. Not that he wanted to. Ed and the others had the Clan mostly under control, but Loch was feeling a little superstitious that morning. It was too calm and he was afraid something would happen. He hoped nothing would.


    ¡°Why would anyone change a Class then?,¡± Piper asked.


    ¡°Because they don¡¯t want to do that forever,¡± Loch answered, motioning to the Laborers. ¡°Someday, I hope people can be in a position to choose what they want to do with their lives.¡±


    ¡°It is not truly that bad,¡± Cerie added. ¡°When starting over the Adapted is back to Level One but they still retain any Achievements they earned that were not directly related to their Class and Level. Things like Kill or Bane titles would stay, as the Adapted did earn those through their actions. They would lose the Level Milestone Achievement but would be able to gain it back.¡±


    ¡°So they start with an advantage?,¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Yes, in terms of overall stats compared to other low Levels and Classless. They also have experience depending on their previous Class that can apply as well as just life experience.¡±


    ¡°There doesn¡¯t sound like any drawbacks,¡± Harper said.


    ¡°There are some. They have a harder time Leveling. Because they have increased Stats, when doing Dungeons and facing monsters the Connection calculates them as a higher Level and so their gained Spirit Experience is lower. Unlike your Father who can face higher Level opponents with ease¡­¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say with ease,¡± Loch interrupted, earning a glare from the fairy.


    ¡°These Second Classed Adapted, as they are known, have a hard time doing Dungeons with like-Leveled parties. They are stronger but only in specific places. Overall they are not a match for higher Leveled threats that would give them better experience gains. There is also the cultural and societal impacts. Going from a high Level to a lower can affect their overall status within their Clans.¡±


    ¡°That could be a big negative,¡± Harper muttered.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    They fell silent as they walked down to the shoreline east of the school, where the trail across the landbridge reached the mainland. With the increased size of Harvey Lake, the island had also gotten bigger, the land bridge longer. But as it was close to the school, the hunters had already combed the island. There was nothing there.


    Which made it perfect for a picnic.


    The land bridge was behind the white church, near the corner of the cemetery. As they got closer, they could see people fighting, facing off against Skeletons and Zombies. Loch recognized Steph and the twins. The trio, with one of the Clan¡¯s newest Healers behind them, fought the boss monster of the Spawn Field.


    It was a zombie giant, standing ten feet tall. The thing was fast, long arms whipping down. Steph ducked under one, a twin circling to the side and stabbing with his spear. A real spear, not some make-shift weapon. The tip penetrated the moldy hide of the zombie, digging in deep. The twin twisted, pulling the weapon out and taking a large chunk of zombie flesh with it.


    Loch and the girls kept walking, glancing at the fighting. There was no need for them to jump in and help. The Clan Brady members in the cemetery had it under control.


    With the sounds of fighting behind them, Loch led his girls onto the land bridge.


    ***


    The bridge was overgrown. Plants grew out of the water on both sides of the narrow strip of land. It was only three or four feet wide, the growth making it seem even thinner. Roots grew across the top, with some fallen leaves. The waters of the lake had washed out parts of the bridge, leaving gaps a couple feet wide.


    Nothing that stopped the Bradys, who could easily jump the gaps.


    It was clear that no one had crossed the bridge in weeks. Loch didn¡¯t even see any animal tracks along the trail. They saw some frogs hopping in the weeds, some normal sized turtles and jumping fish just off shore. A couple of birds flew through the trees.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He stopped onto the island, following the trail up a small slope. The island¡¯s sides sloped up from the water, only about ten to fifteen feet, fairly steep and covered in bushes or loose pine needles. The island was thick with trees, a trail running along the perimeter with a couple of small clearings. One was at the far end, close to the water, where some of the bushes had once been cleared to allow for canoes and kayaks to land. That clearing had a small fire pit and it was where Loch led the girls.


    They walked along the north side of the island, the trail near the top of the slope. It wasn¡¯t as overgrown as the bridge, but still showed no sign of anyone or anything¡¯s passage. Looking north, Loch could just see the large brick building that was the school through the trees. People at the shore were visible, pushing boats out onto the lake to do some fishing. Harvey Lake wasn¡¯t large and it would be easy to completely drain it of fish. They could use the food, but the fishermen were thinking long term and wanting to make sure the Lake stayed stocked.


    There were plans to send some of the fishermen west to Northwood Lake. With guards at the wall along Route 4, and barracking in some of the nearby houses, it should be safe enough for the fishermen and the wall was close enough to the lake. The problem was how to get the few boats the Clan had to the other lake.


    Most of the larger motor boats had been taken by the Worldcore, just like the cars had been. The scavengers hadn¡¯t hit those houses along the lake yet. They assumed there would still be some kayaks and canoes, just like how they had found some along the shore of Harvey Lake and in some of the other houses in town.


    Ed Turner was thinking that they¡¯d send the scavengers first, to try and find some boats, and then send the fishermen. That way, they¡¯d know if they had to take any of the boats from the school. No one was looking forward to the overnight trip from the school to Northwood Lake lugging boats over the broken roads.


    It was a good plan. Loch wasn¡¯t sure how well the fishing would be on Northwood Lake, especially with the Gaviat and its cry. The guards at the wall, when they came back from their rotation, had said the giant bird could be heard at least every other night, the cry echoing over the water. They had gotten used to it, no longer feeling the depressing effects, but it took a long time.


    But if they could start bringing in a lot of fish, it would go a long way to supplementing their meat stores. The turkeys in the spawn field by their old house were supplying a lot of meat now and because it was a spawn point, they didn¡¯t have to worry about running out. The problem was that only one turkey out of every twenty or so killed dropped a full bird¡¯s worth of meat. A full bird of those sizes could feed a lot of people for a meal. The chickens by the old dump wouldn¡¯t start producing meat or eggs for a while, most likely not until the Spring. The Ranchers were working on increasing the chicken population. It would take a large amount of chickens to supply the Clan in meat and eggs and still have enough population to keep the supply coming.


    The Hunters were still bringing in deer. With the additional sources of meat, it would help keep the Clan going. Loch really wanted to find some cows and start raising those. He, and others, were afraid that the Clan would grow too fast for their food production means and that they would be in danger of killing off all the meat supplying animals in the area. The further they went out, the longer it took to get the meat back and the more likely the Hunters would run into others, either another human settlement or invaders.


    The Clan¡¯s Butchers had started smoking the meat to make it last longer. The cooks were still rationing, keeping an eye on what they were giving out in the communal kitchens. Loch hoped that by this time next year, the communal kitchen wouldn¡¯t need to feed the entire Clan. He knew that it would be a long time until everyone in the Clan had their own homes again, their own means of gathering or buying food, but he wanted to be making progress toward that soon.


    He wanted fresh fruit. Loch had never realized how much fruit he ate, or how good a juicy strawberry was, until he had none. When they had raided the Grandford¡¯s, all the fruit had already rotted. There had been some canned stuff, even though he had never liked it, he¡¯d eaten it. Luckily scurvy was not something they had to worry about with their Adapted bodies.


    Most diseases were a thing of the past. A rare benefit of the Connection.


    So far the Scavengers hadn¡¯t found any fruit seeds, but everyone was hoping.


    The walk along the perimeter of the island was peaceful. They didn¡¯t really talk, just enjoying being with each other and nothing pressing pushing at them. It had been awhile since they had been able to just enjoy time as a family and not as Adventurers and Adapted.


    Loch could see the clearing at the end of the island, the blue waters of Harvey Lake visible through the trees. He cursed as they got closer.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Piper teased, being in the back. ¡°Don¡¯t swear..,¡± she trailed off, seeing what had made him curse.


    The firepit, a small area of blackened ash surrounded by small rocks, was in the middle of the leaf and pine needle covered clearing. Logs had been laid around the pit, giving people places to sit. A gap in the trees along the edge led to a small beach and a couple rocks just above the waterline, a place to walk out on and sit, enjoying the small lake.


    But to the side was something new. It hadn¡¯t been there weeks ago when the first Clanmembers had come out to explore the island. They would have mentioned it.


    A mound of dirt, about ten feet high rose above the island, extending out into the lake with the top sloping down, disappearing in the water. Moss grew along the curved sides, along with pine needles and small plants. The front had a slight slope, a dark hole in the middle.


    ¡°What is that?,¡± Harper asked, walking closer.


    Loch stopped in front of the dark entrance. The floor sloped down sharply, the exposed sides and curved top covered in vines and roots. It looked like there were puddles gathered, a thin stream flowing down into the depths.


    ¡°It is a Dungeon,¡± Cerie said, flying closer. She stopped just outside, not flying the extra couple inches into the entrance.


    ¡°What¡¯s it doing here?,¡± Loch asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t here before.¡±


    ¡°Dungeons can form almost anywhere and at anytime,¡± Cerie said. ¡°But typically it is when there is a lot of Spirit released or a momentous battle or occurrence.¡±


    Loch thought about the Crone Dungeon that had formed after they¡¯d defeated the Silver Bark Night Crone. That Dungeon was high Level and so far none of the Clan Brady Adventurers had delved it. But that explanation didn¡¯t make sense here. There was no huge release of Spirit on this island and nothing had happened. No one had stepped foot on the island in weeks.


    Loch looked around at the ground, moving closer to the shore. He didn¡¯t see any tracks, but that really didn¡¯t mean anything. It had rained, but the ground was dry and hard. Not a good environment for tracks. He wondered if the Dragon Turtle had been on the island? Had Unfey done something that could have prompted the creation of the Dungeon?


    And it didn¡¯t necessarily have to be right there on the island. Maybe just off shore, or along the southern edge that they hadn¡¯t walked. Maybe in the middle?


    None of the sentries at the school had reported seeing lights, energy flashes or hearing anything on the island. But it would still be possible that Unfey had fought something.


    The hows and whys really didn¡¯t matter. The Dungeon existed, which meant it needed to be dealt with or there would be a breach and monsters would swarm out. That couldn¡¯t happen, not this close to the school.


    ¡°It is a Rank Two Dungeon,¡± Cerie said, glowing brighter as she examined the entrance.


    ¡°Not a shifting one like the Painted Caves?¡±


    ¡°No. It is like the Lynxia Dungeon, set in Rank.¡±


    ¡°The threats wouldn¡¯t be adjusted if I went in,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    He walked closer to the entrance, feeling humid air coming up the tunnel. Loch could feel the barrier, the Dungeon¡¯s entrance, about five feet into the tunnel. It was low, especially with the slope. He¡¯d have to crouch. Brian Jefferson would have a hard time entering the tunnel at all.


    ¡°Anyway to tell how close to surging it is?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately no,¡± Cerie answered.


    ¡°Crap,¡± Loch muttered. He sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the School. We can let Alison know about it and she¡¯ll assign a team¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we run it,¡± Harper asked. ¡°We¡¯ve got our stuff.¡±


    They had come for a picnic, leaving the school with no armor or weapons. But all their gear was in Piper¡¯s Spatial Bag. Close to the school, venturing out onto an island that supposedly had no threats, Loch wouldn¡¯t allow them to go without their weapons and armor readily available if needed. And he always had access to Onyx.


    ¡°Rank Two is low Leveled for us,¡± Loch answered. ¡°We¡¯d barely get any Spirit or usable loot. It would be a waste of time where others could get more benefits.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but we can also safely map it out and tell them what to expect. Making it easier and safer for them,¡± Harper said, smiling.


    Loch sighed. She had a point.


    ¡°Okay, fine,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Get your gear on.¡±


    He hoped the Dungeon run wouldn¡¯t take long. Maybe they¡¯d still be able to get their picnic in.

 Interlude Thirty-One (4.Interlude Ten)

    He looked up at the tower. It stood on metal supports standing at least twenty or thirty feet in the air. Metal stairs led up to a wooden building. Completely enclosed with a four sided sloping roof, the walls were all glass, giving whoever would be inside a good view of the surrounding land.


    Little River Stone had thought to climb the tower to see that view. It would have been difficult, the stairs and heights of the landings not made for one of his size. He was also concerned with the weight. The tower and building didn¡¯t look that fragile but he was on the larger side compared to humans. It wasn¡¯t worth the risk.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what the tower was for. There were signs but he couldn¡¯t read them. He did recognize symbols for fire. Was it some kind of tower meant for fire watching? That would make some sense. In a world without Spirit granted Abilities and Skills, needing a high perch to watch the hundreds of thousands of acres of forest would be vital. Little River Stone had seen a forest fire rage unchecked once on a world far distant from Earth. The flames had not left much behind. It had been pure devastation.


    Those had been Spirit assisted flames, much worse than natural. But in a world like Pre-Connection Earth, natural flames would be just as bad.


    Other signs had indicated this low mountain as being called Blue Job. He didn¡¯t understand the significance of that name. He had followed the sense of magic for miles and days ever since leaving Lochlan Brady, the Unfettered. For a time he had thought his first responsibility was to report back to his people that he had found the Unfettered. But the existence of the Si-Te-Cah changed things. He managed to pass along a message and then set out to hunt down the Si-Te-Cah.


    Which is how he found himself below the tower.


    The Si-Te-Cah had been easy to follow. He had picked up the trail at the remains of an old survivor camp. One of Lochlan Brady¡¯s new clan members had come from that camp, had watched the Hillgrowl Giants destroy it, slaughtering dozens. That man had not seen the Si-Te-Cah but if the giants had been there, the Si-Te-Cah would have as well.


    Neither had stayed at the camp for long.


    Giants left an easy trail to follow. Broken trails, pavement and houses were markers of their passing. Little River Stone had thought they would head to the southwest, toward the Clanhold. But they had not, instead moving more northeast.


    Being over a couple weeks, if not more, behind giants he was concerned that he would be too late. Whatever they were planning would have happened or whatever they were looking for would be found. The possibility existed that their goal was far to the north, taking them and him a good distance away from Clan Brady.


    For Clan Brady as it was now, that would be a good thing. But it would not be a good thing for the future survival of the Clan or of Earth itself.


    Little River Stone was surprised the giants had left the tower alone. Their trail of destruction had gone by not more than ten feet away from the metal supports. Anywhere else along their almost straight path through the forests, not following the roads, a house or building that close had been destroyed for no reason beyond it was there.


    The giants didn¡¯t follow the humans trail from the road to the Blue Job tower, neither had Little River Stone. He was not worried at being seen. The giants were so far ahead and had left no rear guard. But even if they had, they would not have seen him.


    He was a Sasquatch. The woods were his home. Not even the Si-Te-Cah would sense or see Little River Stone if he was within the woods. That was the native power of his people, something they had even before becoming Adapted and part of the Connection. He moved through the woods, almost gliding, slipping between the trees with barely any sign of his passing.


    After years of wandering the worlds of the Connection, Little River Stone had learned how to see where a planet¡¯s Worldcore had increased the size of the world. It was subtle, a slight change in the Spirit, but Little River Stone could sense it. Following the giant¡¯s trail he saw many such spots, some incredibly wide. Dozens of feet of new world added by the Worldcore.


    More trees and grass, an increase in nature and not the steel and glass of the human¡¯s old world. It was a world that the Sasquatch favored. A better environment for them to live. But they hated the way it was created.


    The Worldcore took from the planet. It¡¯s people and things, turning those into Spirit that then was used to create new earth. Both the planet and the ground. New trees, bushes, grass and creatures. But it wasn¡¯t brand new. The Worldcore took what existed and duplicated it. The trees it created were real but copies of others. Over and over it did this, not creating from scratch but copying. Even the trees and structures that it increased in size. It was not new, but just the same tree scaled up.


    Little River Stone thought the Worldcore a cheat. It didn¡¯t create, it just borrowed. Dungeons were created by the Dungeoncores, given access to a piece of land to create the entrance portal and whatever mass the Dungeoncore used to surround the entrance. A cave, castle, door, anything.


    The walk from the tower to the end of the trail had once been much shorter. Not even a mile. Now it was three or more. Little River Stone did not mind. He could lose himself in the walk. The sounds of nature around him. Animals moving through the branches and undergrowth. The wind through the trees. It was music to him.


    Music that changed as new sounds were added. Grunts and cursing. Deep voices. The falling of trees. Sounds Little River Stone did not like.


    He could see the sun and blue skies ahead where the trees stopped, a gentle slope of exposed stone visible. The rise was enough to block his view beyond the treeline, making him pause to consider his next steps.


    He could walk up the stone, but possibly be exposed at the top as there were no trees. Or he could work his way around and stay in the trees. From where he was, Little River Stone couldn¡¯t see how long the rocky hill was. It could take him a long time to work his way around and then he might miss what he was looking for.


    Little River Stone didn¡¯t think of himself as impatient, even though his Elders might have thought otherwise, but at that moment he wanted to satisfy his curiosity quickly. He wanted to return to Clan Brady, there was much to learn and observe there. He had been tracking the giants and Si-Te-Cah long enough. That had not even been his task.


    The sounds were still far away, brought on the wind. It should be safe enough to stand atop the hill for a quick look. He could disappear back into the trees quick enough. Little River Stone chuckled to himself. When had he become this impatient? The humans must be rubbing off on him.


    Was that the correct saying? He wasn¡¯t sure.


    Hunching down as low as he could, Little River Stone walked out of the trees and onto the stone. Small bits of rock slid under his feet but his balance was secure. There was not much that could knock a Sasquatch off balance especially when their feet were touching something connected solidly to the earth itself.


    His head crested the rock. All he could see was more rock. Off to the sides and in front, sloping down only to rise again. A broad expanse of uneven bare faced rock. A higher ridge rose up in front, blocking his view.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Sighing, Little River Stone climbed onto the first ridge, walking down into the gulley and back up the next slope. The sounds were getting louder. They seemed to come from lower down. Slowly he made his way up the next slope, rising just enough to look over the top.


    More expanse of stone spread out, sloping down with some cracks and ridges, but mostly flat. Forest spread out beyond, still sloping down. He could see mountains in the distance surrounding a large tree filled valley with some clear spots that he assumed were ponds and lakes. The bottom of the slope, beyond the rock and the trees along the hillside, was the source of the noises.


    Giants were knocking down trees and digging trenches in a wide area. They had already cleared a lot of land, pulling up stumps and rocks. The ground wasn¡¯t flat, they had yet to fill in the holes where the stumps and rocks had been removed, but Little River Stone could see where some of the smaller giants were starting to fill those in with smaller rocks and dirt taken from somewhere he couldn¡¯t see. Some of the logs that had been removed were laid together to form yurts, animal hides stitched to make larger pieces draped over the frames.


    It was a lot of animal hides, a huge pile of them off to the side with a couple of female giants stripping a large pile of dead animals. They threw the bloody carcasses to the side where another giant was cutting the meat from the bones.


    There was a lot of activity. Little River Stone quickly counting out almost three dozen giants. Not the full Hillgrowl Clan but it had to be all that they could conceivably send through the portal, even with the help of the Si-Te-Cah.


    The Hillgrowl were setting up a camp. They were there to stay.


    But why? Why this area?


    It wasn¡¯t defensible. There were better places along the route they had taken to get here. What made the valley beyond Blue Job so special? There had to be a reason the Si-Te-Cah brought the giants there.


    Little River Stone walked back to the trees, wondering what he should do.


    ***


    ¡°You¡¯re a beaut aren¡¯t ya,¡± Liam said.


    The horse neighed, raising a leg and stomping the hoof on the cracked pavement. Little bolts of lightning shot off as the horse tossed its mane.


    SHADOW STORM STALLION


    Liam¡¯s Evaluate told him the horse was strong, much stronger than he was. He¡¯d learned to trust what the Skill told him. Even without the Skill, just looking at the horse in front of him told Liam all he needed to know.


    It was not an animal to mess with.


    The stallion was as big as a Clydesdale but still resembled a quarter horse. Brown, a single white forelock and a long black mane. Beyond the size, nothing else looked different about the horse. Except the eyes. Looking at the jet black orbs, Liam could see bolts of lightning flickering in their depths.


    Liam looked past the stallion at the other half dozen horses behind it. There was a mix of breeds, two of them were mares, and one was even bigger than the Storm Stallion. That one was jet black, with thick tufts of hair at its feet and a long wild looking mane. Liam was surprised that one wasn¡¯t the leader of the small herd. It had the size, but instead it hung in the back. Kind of like a bodyguard. Looking at the Storm Stallion, Liam could feel the power coming off it. So maybe it wasn¡¯t that surprising.


    Looking over his shoulder, he checked on his charges. A dozen people, two wagons pulled by two horses, a half dozen horses beyond those and two cows. It had been hard to keep the group together and alive the entire trek up Route 43 from Deerfield. Especially as they had started pretty far down the road, almost at the fairgrounds. Liam had almost headed toward the fairgrounds and maybe beyond toward Candia and eventually Manchester. But he always hated the city, Manchvegas as it was jokingly called. Instead he¡¯d led the group north, intending to hit Route 4 and swing west toward Concord. They¡¯d finally made it, ready to continue on, but finding themselves blocked by the Storm Stallion and the other horses.


    The people behind him looked nervous, clutching at the spears and swords they¡¯d taken from monsters they¡¯d killed. Monsters. Liam still found that the craziest thing. Not for the last time, he wished to go back to being a simple hand at one of the local horse barns. There were quite a few in the area, but he¡¯d found one he¡¯d liked. A lot different from the ones he¡¯d worked at in Texas and Montana, but at his age and after so many years, Liam found different to be better.


    The Connection was too different.


    The others looked at him, waiting for his command. Somehow he¡¯d found himself in charge. He didn¡¯t like it. Liam felt better dealing with animals than humans. He¡¯d been dealing with horses for decades, sometimes also with cows, sheeps and pigs. There had always been dogs around. He loved dogs. Barn cats. His fair share of wolves, coyotes and bears when they¡¯d menanced the herd animals. That was probably why he¡¯d found himself with the Wrangler Class. It helped him herd and tame animals. Something he enjoyed doing.


    Leading people was not something he enjoyed doing.


    The plan had been simple. Head to Concord. Now there was a hitch in the plan.


    The Storm Stallion and his small herd blocked the road. They were spread out across it, making it pretty obvious that they didn¡¯t want Liam passing. It was pretty odd behavior for a horse.


    ¡°What do you think Tobias,¡± he asked, reaching a hand out to pat the neck of the quarter horse next to him.


    Tobias wasn¡¯t his horse. He had belonged to the farm¡¯s owner, who had died in the days after the Connection¡¯s arrival. Liam couldn¡¯t just leave the horse, or the other animals, behind so he had brought Tobias. Now he figured Tobias was his horse.


    Neighing, hoofing at the ground, Tobias lowered his head. The horse was almost bowing.


    Surprised, Liam looked from Tobias to the Storm Stallion. The reaction was very surprising. Tobias, when Liam used Evaluate on the horse, felt pretty strong. Not as strong as the Stallion, but up there. And Tobias had always been full of pride and will. Not a horse that ever backed down to anyone or anything. But he was now showing a lot of respect to the Stallion.


    ¡°Huh, ain¡¯t that interesting,¡± Liam said, turning back to face the Stallion. ¡°Ol¡¯ Tobias seems to respect you. I guess I will too, but you are in our way.¡±


    The Stallion snorted, shaking his head. He stomped on the ground, tossing his head. It almost looked like he was pointing with his nose. Pointing east down Route 4 toward Northwood and beyond.


    Liam looked north where the road continued. They could head that way for a bit and then turn around once the Stallion and his herd moved on. Or just take the very long way around through Pittsfield.


    The Stallion chuffed. The big black horse trotted over to stand in the middle of the north road, blocking that route. Hearing more trotting, Liam looked south and saw two of the Storm Stallions¡¯s herd had now blocked the southern route. It left them just one way to go.


    ¡°Why do you want us going that way,¡± Liam asked, not getting an answer.


    He looked back at his people. No one said or did anything. Before he could say anything Tobias started moving. The horse turned to the east, the others in their small group, including the cows, started to move that way as well.


    Liam watched, shocked. He turned back to the Storm Stallion, the horse now staring at him. Liam didn¡¯t feel like the horse meant them any harm. If it had, the animal would have attacked already and Liam doubted they could have withstood that attack. Looking east he could feel something tugging at him. It was calling.


    He shook his head, sighing.


    ¡°Guess we¡¯re going east.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re letting a horse tell us where to go?,¡± Clyde asked from his position to the side of the wagons.


    He had to move quickly out of the way as the wagon filled with tack, blankets, food and other supplies almost hit him with the two horses towing it cutting a sharp angle.


    Liam shrugged.


    ¡°East is as good as west,¡± he said, following Tobias.


    Without saying anything, the other humans in the group, including Clyde, started moving as well. East was as good as west. Liam didn¡¯t look back when he heard the Storm Stallion starting to follow them.


    He trusted his instincts and the Skills he¡¯d gotten from his Wrangler Class. He didn¡¯t think the Storm Stallion meant them harm. It had a reason for wanting them to go east. Liam had to admit he was curious.

 Chapter 213 (4.42)

    ¡°You need what?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Mason jars,¡± Drew replied. ¡°That new woman, the one in charge of the food storage, Rebecca, she says they¡¯re running out of jars and need more. I figured we can head down to the Grandfords and see if there¡¯s any left. And grab any glass that we can get a hold of.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been avoiding grabbing glassware,¡± Stuart, one of the scavengers, said. ¡°Pretty much impossible to transport back without getting most of it broken. And if there¡¯s stuff inside, that can make a damn mess,¡± he continued, wincing as he noticed Piper. ¡°Excuse me.. I meant dang mess¡­ uhm.. Anyways¡­ Now that there¡¯s a Spatial Bag, we figure we can throw the glass stuff in there and not worry about it breaking.¡±


    Loch looked over the group. It was Drew¡¯s team plus two scavengers.


    ¡°You might trigger the Resource Event,¡± Loch cautioned.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re prepared,¡± Drew replied. ¡°Would be good to know if the event is still active even with the Hob Mound cleared.¡±


    ¡°Brian and his team should be out of the Challenge Dungeon by the time you get there,¡± Loch said. ¡°They will probably have another Spatial Bag.¡±


    Drew nodded.


    With a last wave, he led the group west down the road. Loch and the girls, with Cerie following, walked the last few steps to the new office attached to the Painted Caves Dungeon entrance. They had met Drew¡¯s group just down the hill by the entrance to the Dungeon. Loch knocked and opened the door when he heard a quiet voice.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± Alison Crawford said, rising from her desk.


    Loch motioned for her to sit back down as he walked into the small office, the girls didn¡¯t follow. They headed up to the school to drop off their gear and get quick showers. The Dungeon had been easy but messy.


    This was the first time Loch had been in Alison¡¯s office. She was the Councilor in charge of the Adventurers and the Dungeons. At first, they had thought to keep her in the school, but when the entrance building had been rebuilt after the Gaunt¡¯s attack, and extra space left over, it made sense to give her an office close to the Dungeon.


    The space was small. She had a duplicate map of the one hanging in the school¡¯s office, with the Dungeon locations marked off. Next to it was a white board that had been found with a grid schedule laid out. She had various labels covering the board and team names. Alison had been given a desk, an old and large thing that took up most of the space. She barely had enough room to walk around the monstrous and heavy looking thing. Two folding chairs were in front of it, a somewhat comfortable looking chair behind it for her use.


    ¡°Found a new Dungeon,¡± Loch said, taking a seat on one of the folding chairs. He had to shift to get comfortable with his armor on.


    Alison grimaced, looking him over. Bits of mud dripped from the armor, moss and seaweed clinging to other parts.


    ¡°On the island?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s called the Blighted Grotto,¡± Loch said as Alison dug through the drawers of the desk, pulling out a notebook and pencil.


    ¡°Hopefully we figure out a way to make paper and pencils,¡± she said, flipping to a blank page. ¡°Going to be hard to come by soon.¡± She looked at Loch, waiting for him to continue.


    ¡°Cerie says it¡¯s Rank Two, so good for around Level Ten. It¡¯s not a flexible one like the Painted Caves but fixed like the Lynxia Dungeon. The Grotto is small but filled with monsters called Sahuagin. They¡¯re fishmen about five feet high,¡± Loch said, continuing to tell Alison about the new Dungeon.


    She wrote down everything he said, asking questions to clarify points. Alison had run the Painted Caves Dungeon once and was scheduled to hit the Lynxia Dungeon soon as she gained a couple more Levels. When not on duty in the office, Alison was running the nearby Spawn Field to work on those Levels. Loch hadn¡¯t asked, but had been told she had an Uncommon Class called Dungeoneer. She¡¯d just hit Level Five and gained not that long ago, after being appointed to the Dungeon Scheduler position.


    More proof that actions influenced the Class, which made Loch feel even worse for the Laborers that weren¡¯t going to get much choice.


    ¡°How tough are the monsters?,¡± she asked.


    ¡°Hard to tell. We made pretty short work of them, including the bosses, as we were pretty overpowered for it,¡± Loch replied. He smiled. ¡°It was actually kind of fun,¡± he admitted. ¡°The monsters weren¡¯t a real threat to us. Without the danger, we just coasted through.¡±


    ¡°What were the rewards from the bosses?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t get anything,¡± Loch shrugged. ¡°Negative of being so overpowered for the Dungeon.¡±


    Alison leaned back, tapping her pencil on the table.


    ¡°So if the cycle is normal, we can send a more appropriate Level team through in three days,¡± she flipped through the notebook, glancing up at the chart on the wall. ¡°I think Stephanie¡¯s group managed to get a healer. Only Level Six, but maybe they can get her closer to Level Ten in those three days¡­,¡± she mused.


    Loch stood up, moving the chair closer to the desk.


    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± he said, moving for the door.


    Alison glanced down at muddy footprints and mess he had left. Loch smiled sheepishly, opening the door and stepping out quickly.


    ¡°Looks like you have  it under control,¡± he said, shutting the door before Alison could say anything.


    ***


    ¡°We¡¯ve managed to adapt the canning process for larger glass jars,¡± Zachary Cross said, leading Loch through the kitchen to the storeroom.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    He was dressed in what he called his civilian clothes. One of the few remaining pairs of jeans and a basic black t-shirt. His armor, not yet fully cleaned, was back in the room he shared with the girls. He¡¯d managed to get a shower and change of clean clothes, before he¡¯d gone looking for the Clan¡¯s new Quartermaster. Zachary was an older man, hair mostly silver with a few black strands left. His black eyes were still sharp, noticing everything. Prior to the Connection, he¡¯d been the manager of one of the large distribution warehouses. Kristin had been thrilled to find him, along with the two that had come with him. Steve Haley was a SiegeGuard, a Class that gave him Construction and defensive Abilities. He was currently overseeing the construction of the barracks and associated buildings at the old town dump for the ranchers that would deal with the chickens there. After that, he would be building the watchtower on top of Saddleback Mountain. His girlfriend, Amelia Elmore, was a Gardener and working with Thomas and the other farmers to grow herbs and other beneficial flowers.


    ¡°Having elemental Abilities has been a godsend,¡± he continued, opening the door and leading Loch into the room. ¡°But we¡¯re limited by the amount of glassware we have.¡±


    The room beyond the kitchen was good sized. It had been where the school had stored their food and was being used for that purpose again. Racks and shelving had been brought in to replace what had been taken by the Worldcore. There was a lot of food stored. Jerky, juice boxes, water bottles, bags of chips and boxes of granola. Cans were stacked as high as they could go, filling every space. One shelf was full of glass jars holding canned vegetables. There weren¡¯t many of them.


    Looking around the room, Loch was surprised at the amount of food.


    ¡°The fresh vegetables and what little fruit we¡¯ve managed to get are stored in the refrigerator,¡± Zachary said, motioning to the side and the wall.


    Remembering the layout of the kitchen, Loch knew the large walk-in refrigerator would be there and next to it the walk-in freezer. Patrick Verner had been working on ways to get both up and running again, along with the school¡¯s central heating system, and he had finally managed it with the help of Kim Hudson¡¯s elemental abilities. He managed to rework the system using his Artificer Abilities so it ran off heated and frozen stones that Kim, and now another caster with similar elemental powers, could recharge.


    It wasn¡¯t the best as the food didn¡¯t last as long as it had in pre-Connection fridges and freezers, but it was better than what they¡¯d been working with. Patrick hadn¡¯t managed to get the school¡¯s heating system running yet, but felt he was close.


    ¡°I know it looks like a lot but¡­,¡± Zachary started.


    ¡°It¡¯s still not enough,¡± Loch finished.


    ¡°Not even close,¡± Zachary said, leading Loch out of the storage room. ¡°A school this size probably got weekly shipments of supplies which would fill up that room, the fridge and the freezer. It would only last the week. I didn¡¯t know the schools numbers but we probably match or exceed that and we need that food to last longer and¡­¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t last through the winter.¡±


    ¡°No, not without something changing,¡± Zachary replied as they made their way through the kitchen. The small staff was already busy preparing the lunch meal. ¡°We can¡¯t resupply fast enough. Even when the scavengers bring in a bunch of stuff, it¡¯s not enough to last more than a day or two. As fast as we restock the supply it gets used. The crops are growing pretty fast. We¡¯re getting more harvests but still lack efficient means of turning the wheat into bread and not enough jars to can all the vegetables. Not that there¡¯s much because we eat most of it right away but I¡¯m trying to set aside half of each crop to can.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing a great job,¡± Loch said and from what Kristin had told him, Zachary was doing an amazing job of keeping track of everything.


    There was a lot for one man to cover. Food, material for crafting, building supplies. With Ed and Kristin¡¯s approval, Zachary had recruited a small team to help him catalog and keep track of it all. They¡¯d been given one of the small classrooms on the first floor to use as their offices.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Zachary said, standing a little straighter, pride in his voice.


    Loch sighed. It was like that whenever he gave a compliment. People seemed to think it high praise. Not like receiving praise from a boss but receiving praise from a King. He hated it. It still bothered him whenever someone acted like that. He hoped it always bothered him.


    ¡°And we¡¯re getting more mouths to feed and the food input isn¡¯t increasing,¡± Zachary continued.


    ¡°Did anyone ask Stephanie or her people about the stores in Pittsfield?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Yes and from what she said, they were picked clean.¡±


    There was a small grocery store in Pittsfield along with a Rite Aid and Family Dollar. A lot of food and medicine. It was disappointing to hear they were picked clean, but after all this time someone would have stripped them bare, or monsters would have.


    After all this time.


    Loch almost laughed. It had only been a couple of months since the Connection. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn¡¯t that long a time at all. But with all the changes, it felt like years.


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out,¡± Loch said. ¡°Maybe some prepper has a hidden bunker filled with dried rations and MREs.¡±


    Zachary laughed, saying goodbye and heading to his office.


    Loch had meant it as a joke, but he really wondered if it was true. There were no more stores in Northwood. With Drew heading back to Grandfords to get whatever slim pickings remained, Davis and his team had headed back to the hardware store to grab everything left behind. Aside from those two places, there was nothing else in Northwood. The gas stations, the whole two in town, had been claimed by the Worldcore. All the food and other things inside had been taken. Most of the houses were now cleaned out, with Scavengers making second and third trips.


    The teams were expanding their radius, going further out, but that also meant longer trips back and not being able to bring as much back. But a single house, even one that had a family of four, wouldn¡¯t have enough food left behind to feed the entire Clan more than a day.


    Even with rationing, people were hungry.


    And winter was coming.


    They had the turkeys now, that was helping. The chickens wouldn¡¯t be producing for a while, probably not until after the winter.


    He thought about the Silver Bark. They had raided other worlds before. They knew the food situation. They had to be prepared for it. What supplies did they have? Special seeds that grew faster and more plentiful? Rations that didn¡¯t take up a lot of space in storage? They knew that food would be hard to come by on the new world which meant they¡¯d bring their own. Or at least a lot of food and then supplement it with what they could find on the newly Connected World.


    What could they gain if they raided the raiders?


    Loch did laugh at that thought. It would be suicidal.


    But as he walked outside the school, moving to the next person he wanted to check in on, the idea would not leave his mind.

 Chapter 214 (4.43)

    Loch stood at the top of the concrete stairs, two guards standing on either side of the double doors. They had stood at attention when Loch walked outside. He looked from one to the other, recognizing them.


    ¡°Do we really need to do this every time?,¡± he asked.


    ¡°Sorry sir,¡± the one on the left said.


    ¡°Eddie,¡± Loch chided.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Eddie Smith, the guard on the left, said, relaxing a little. ¡°Habit.¡±


    Loch sighed. All the guards in the Clan stood at attention when Loch walked by. He found it annoying, but could understand it. For some, it was pretty deeply ingrained from the time they had spent in the various service branches. Loch remembered that instinct to immediately snap to attention when a superior walked into the room.


    ¡®You¡¯re the boss so¡­,¡± the guard on the right, Dan Chase, said with a shrug.


    ¡°I get it,¡± Loch said, looking out over the yard. ¡°Just don¡¯t have to like it.


    Both guards laughed. Loch had been trying to learn more names of the people in the Clan. It was hard with so many new people appearing, it seemed at least every other day a new group was arriving. Sometimes it was just two or three, other times almost a dozen. They were starting to come from as far away as Lee and Chicester. Loch wasn¡¯t sure why the folks in Lee didn¡¯t go to Dover, or the Chicester people head to Concord. They weren¡¯t sure either.


    Just something drew them toward Northwood.


    Cerie had said it was the Holdstone, sending out pulses across the ambient Spirit of the world, attracting the Clanless. It would only do so for a relatively short amount of time, for a year or less after the Clan was established. And it only happened on newly Connected worlds. It was a way for the newly Adapted to gather forces quicker. The Connection was hard and dangerous, but it needed its Adapted to survive and to thrive. It knew not everyone would become an elite adventurer, constantly striving to push their own boundaries and consequently sending Spirit to the Connected System. Those elites needed lower Leveled people for a variety of purposes. Not everyone would be able to Level. There needed to be functionaries, crafters, workers. All the people needed to keep a society functioning. They needed protection and that was found in joining together under the banner of an elite.


    Which in this case was Loch.


    There had to be Clans or at least camps of survivors in the cities. But if people were being drawn to Northwood, did that mean Loch was the strongest in the wider area?


    The school yard was busy like always. Aside from the Dungeon¡¯s building, there was nothing in the yard between the school and the wall. The ground sloped down, the pavement all removed. Workers were evening the rough ground out, filling in holes and other gaps. Through the gaps in the wall, Loch could see the crops in the lower fields. More crops were being tilled on the upper athletic feeds, including the one furthest back where they had found the pond with the strange flowers.


    He could barely see the construction of the watchtowers that would help protect that field from roving monsters. He wasn¡¯t sure who would man those towers, as they were still far short of all the guards they needed. It would be awhile before there were enough people, but at least the towers would be there. Maybe eventually even a wall.


    Tim DeWolfe, the Clan¡¯s new Construction Supervisor, had worked with Penny Potter, the former Landscape Architect, to come up with a way of walling off the fields and supplying water to each level. It was still in the planning stages, from what Loch had been told, but it sounded impressive.


    Something that Pre-Connection would have cost millions of dollars and probably taken at least a year to build, probably another year to get through the entire design process, but would now take weeks and only cost in materials and labor. The benefits of Adapted bodies, Skills and Abilities.


    Penny had come up with a plan for the schoolyard, what was now being called the courtyard. She was going to terrace the slope, fill it all with grass except for some walking paths using salvaged pavers. She said it would be a good place for the Clan to gather and be addressed from the leadership standing at the steps.


    The slopes would be reworked, with the walks increasing toward the planned larger and gated entrance in the wall to the west and through the earthen berm, and future wall, to the east. All the dirt being removed and reworked was being piled to form the berms. That wall was going good but would need a lot more dirt to really be a defense.


    Loch walked down the concrete steps, turning right and walking around the corner of the building, passing between it and the Dungeon. Turning the corner he saw the large amount of work that was being done in the side parking lot. The barracks and bunkhouses weren¡¯t fancy, functional and the minimum to make them that way. They would serve their purpose.


    Two were done, a bunkhouse and barracks and Loch made his way toward the bunkhouse. It was long and wide with gable ends and a steeply sloping roof made of metal sheets. The building was logs, but had been insulated on the interior. Multiple windows lined the long side, most taken from nearby homes that had been knocked down for materials. They were different sizes and shapes, but thanks to the Abilities of the Carpenters, they fit in the walls with no leakage.


    The buildings were off the ground, raised up on thick wood piles, leaving a couple feet open underneath. Wooden steps led up to a covered porch that spanned the whole front. The door was in the middle of the wall with windows on either side. Walking up the stairs, Loch opened the door and went inside.


    A front quarter of the building was open with a long hallway leading off from the middle of the back wall all the way to the endwall, where Loch could see another door. In one corner of the room was the beginnings of a stone hearth. In the other were some reused cabinets. They didn¡¯t match and were in rough shape from demolition and reinstallation. A roughly cut countertop was laid over them, more hanging from the wall above. One top of one was a low basin with a pump handle next to it.


    There was no plumbing yet, but it was planned for the near future. Most likely after the winter. Lengths of copper piping were being stored in the basement of the school. Loch could remember when thieves would break into abandoned homes or those under construction just to steal copper piping. Unlike the rest of the bunkhouse that looked to be of decent construction, the cabinets and countertop looked like what they were, reused.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.The decision had been made to get the structure built. With so many cabinets and such taken from the surrounding buildings, the Clan had a surplus. It made no sense to waste new material on constructing them when they could just reuse what they had. In the future, they could redo it, but the hope was that the bunkhouses wouldn¡¯t be needed for that long.


    There was no furniture in what was meant to be a common area. Couches, chairs, dining tables and other furniture would be brought from nearby houses soon enough. It would be mismatched but at least it would exist.


    Moving down the hallway, there were three doors on either side, evenly spaced. He opened the closest one revealing a small empty room. The beds either weren¡¯t moved in yet or the frames hadn¡¯t been built. Each room was meant to house a single family and would be fit with beds to match that families needs. Single beds or bunks. One window let light into the room.


    There were no personal touches yet. Not that many of the families in the Clan had managed to bring anything beyond a few pictures. The wooden walls were bare and would probably remain so. Nails would be pounded into the wood to provide hooks to hang jackets and such from. Chests and wardrobes, which were rare, would be brought in to store anything the family had. There were plenty of dining room hutches, and those would be used as storage. If they could fit. Hutches tended to be large and there wasn¡¯t that much space in the rooms.


    Each room was meant to house a family for sleeping and not much else. The common room would be for cooking, once they reached that point, and hanging out. Even then, that room would be tight. With being able to move more families out of the school building, freeing up those rooms, the plan was to start more social functions in the classrooms. Game nights, reading groups. Someone had suggested Dungeons & Dragons but that had quickly been shot down. They were now living a real setting. There was no need to pretend. The scavengers had been finding, and grabbing, trading card game decks that they¡¯d found. There was a small collection growing.


    They were going to need as much social entertainment as they could find with the long winter months coming quickly. Food was going to be scarce, making everyone even hungrier than they were now. And with expected fierce weather, the worry was everyone in the Clan being trapped inside the school for days with little to do.


    Loch closed the door behind him, heading back to the common room. There was no need to look at the other rooms. They were all the same, all the same size so there wouldn¡¯t be any arguing over preferential treatment or jealousy over someone getting a bigger space. Except Loch knew there would be as not all families were the same size.


    This bunkhouse was meant for families of three to four. The family of four would get a bunk bed with the family of three just a single bed. It would take up the same footprint in the room, but the family of three would appear to have more space just because there would be one less kid.


    The other bunkhouse, not yet completed, was meant for families of five to six. Not that they had many families of that size yet, but the Council had felt it best to plan ahead. Currently, they only needed the two bunkhouses for families, but there were at least two more planned for future newcomers to the Clan. Probably more would be built as it gave people something to work on.


    Exiting the bunkhouse, Loch moved down to the first of the barracks buildings. These were set further from the school, near the church with the watchtower. The dirt berm was laid off the corner of the building, heading across the road. It wasn¡¯t that high yet, but there was a team working on it. They had left a gap in the wall for a future gate.


    The barracks wasn¡¯t designed much differently from the bunkhouse. It was longer, and a little wider, but had the gable ends and the porch on the front. The completed one was built tight up against the old school building. The half-completed one was ten feet to the side.


    Walking inside, Loch saw a large common area. It was bigger than the one in the bunkhouse. Longer with two fireplaces, one in the front left corner and the other in the back right corner. There was more space for tables and chairs. The kitchen was larger with more cabinets. He could imagine some couches and chairs near the fireplaces with tables in the rest of the space. A long hallway led down the middle, a door at the far end. Each side of the hall only had two doors, one at the front and the other at the back of the hall.


    Opening a door, Hall looked into a long and open room. There were two windows down the length. It was wide enough for beds down both the exterior and interior walls, with space for chests or cabinets between. He couldn¡¯t remember how many people had been planned to stay in the room. A quick estimate Loch thought the room could sleep twenty, forty if they had bunk beds. Which was proving hard to find. There weren¡¯t that many of them in the surrounding houses. They were on the planned list of projects for the carpenters and woodworkers, but far down the list as there weren¡¯t the number of guards, yet, that would require them.


    The other room across the hall was the same.


    Walking down the hall, Loch opened the door at the end, stepping into the school building. The door had been the main entrance off the parking lot, opening into a waiting area or lobby. He¡¯d never been in the building when it was part of the school so hadn¡¯t known what it was used for. There was a staircase that went to the second floor. The rest of the first floor had been offices and a little kitchen area. That was now gone, the office walls removed to open the space up. The windows facing east, what would become outside the wall, had been mostly boarded up. They had been larger windows, now with a smaller visible glass space. Upstairs was the same, the office walls removed to make a single larger space. The plan was for more bunks when needed. That was the future, currently the building was serving as storage for large items. There were mattresses stacked up across the floor and leaning against the walls. A couch and a set of matching chairs were against the far wall. Folding chairs were stuffed everywhere there was space.


    With the scavengers expanding their efforts further from the school, workers were dragging the larger pieces of furniture out of the nearby houses. Some had already been completely demolished for building materials. It was hard work, even with Adapted bodies, getting couches, mattresses and tables back. Loch didn¡¯t envy the people tasked with that job.


    He didn¡¯t bother going upstairs, instead exiting the way he entered.


    Stepping outside, Loch looked around, impressed by the progress he saw. It wasn¡¯t where the Clan needed to be, but it was getting there. Ed Turner, with Kristin and the others, were doing an amazing job. They had the Clan heading in the right direction.


    Loch was about to turn to the right, head through the gap in the berm and check out the cemetery spawn field when a group of people walking across the yard caught his attention.


    Theodore was leading about a half dozen people. Loch recognized Mike Turner but wasn¡¯t sure about the others. They had to be newer arrivals. Whoever they were, they seemed to be listening to everything Theodore said. The younger man was leading them down towards the water.


    Loch wondered why. There was nothing down there. He was tempted to follow. Something about Theodore just felt off, but he didn¡¯t. He had no reasons to distrust the man. From his actions, he was doing everything he could to help protect the Clan.


    There was no reason to follow, Loch thought, as he headed toward the spawn field.

 Chapter 215 (4.44)

    ¡°Come on,¡± Piper said, racing down the stairs.


    ¡°Wait up,¡± Nicole yelled, already starting to fall behind.


    Piper looked over her shoulder, seeing Nicole a full flight of stairs away. With a sigh, she slowed down. Sometimes it was hard to remember how much stronger in every way she was compared to her friend. They were both thirteen but Piper was Level Fifteen with a Rare Class. Nicole wasn¡¯t old enough for a Class yet. Her Attributes weren¡¯t Advanced.


    But Piper also wasn¡¯t old enough to receive a Class, neither was Harper, but they¡¯d both done it. Cerie didn¡¯t know why the two had managed it. She thought it had something to do with their families Trait, Unfettered. Something else that they shouldn¡¯t have but did. The fairy had no problems keeping up, she hovered a couple feet over Piper¡¯s head, glowing green with wings buzzing so fast they were almost invisible.


    Slowing to a walk, Piper let Nicole catch up.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said.


    Nicole just laughed. Piper smiled, glad to have a friend again.


    Not that it had been that long. Only a couple months, but it felt so much longer. So much had changed in so short a time. But having someone to hang out with was great. Piper loved being able to just be a teenager again, even if it was for brief moments when she wasn¡¯t off fighting with her father and sister.


    She hated fighting but knew how important it was. That monster, the Wendigo, had been horrifying. And the elves? They had scared her. They looked mostly human and had wanted to kill her and the others. She hadn¡¯t liked fighting them but what choice was there?


    They walked into the lobby and stopped, looking around. People glanced at them, some bowing heads and saying ¡°my ladies¡± to Piper. She tried to ignore it but each one made Nicole chuckle. Maybe it was better out in the wilds fighting monsters. At least they didn¡¯t embarrass her constantly.


    Every little girl dreamed of being a Princess but now that she was something like one, Piper wanted a different dream now. She wanted two really. First was to see mom again. The second was for the world to return to normal.


    ¡°What do you want to do?,¡± Nicole asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    There really wasn¡¯t much to do. There were a couple musicians now in the Clan and one was performing that night, but that was still hours off. It wouldn¡¯t be until after dinner. Addie, the first musician to show up in the Clan, had gotten a Bard Class and could make illusions and such with her music. It was pretty cool to watch the first couple times, but as there weren¡¯t that many performers in the Clan, Piper had seen all of their acts multiple times.


    Even though she¡¯d seen Addie perform a couple of times already, they¡¯d still go and see it tonight. What else were they going to do? Sit around in dark rooms and read?


    That was later, what could they do right now?


    Pre-Connection, Piper had remembered getting bored. Even though she had a ton of stuff; books, art supplies, tablets, streaming TV and the internet; it was still possible to get bored. But now that all that stuff was gone? Piper realized she hadn¡¯t really been bored back then. There was nothing to do.


    They could do some more training but that wasn¡¯t anything Piper could work on with Nicole. Cerie had said that what the teenagers did before unlocking their ability to Level at age sixteen could heavily influence what their Class choices were. In some parts of the Connection, Clans would decide for the teenagers and from an early age up until Sixteen, they would be training in the direction the Clan wanted them to take so by the time they unlocked the ability to Level, they already knew what their Class choices most likely would be.


    Piper had heard her Dad talking about the workers, the people that didn¡¯t have Pre-Connection Skills that translated to their Post-Connection world, or the ones that didn¡¯t want to delve Dungeons and fight monsters. They were being used for their physical labor. Dad hated it, Piper hadn¡¯t been quite sure why, but he said that it would mean their Class choices would be limited and based on being workers. So they would always remain workers.


    Elora, who Piper still found a little weird to be around, had simply said that ¡°such was the way of the Connection.¡± She went on to explain that it was that way in the Silver Bark. If people did not choose to strive and Advance, to grow stronger either in fighting or crafting, then they were good for nothing else but labor. The Connection still had a use for them, creating Classes like Porter or Digger. They could still Level but they would always be the lowest rung of society.


    Piper understood that part and then realized why it bothered her Dad so much. It bothered her too. Which is why she had decided not to train with Nicole. She didn¡¯t want to push her friend in a direction that she ultimately didn¡¯t want to go.


    Not only that, but Piper was so much stronger. She was stronger than a lot of the adult men in the Clan. It was so weird.


    A door off to the side of the lobby opened, Kristin walking out. She was followed by a group of people. Piper counted eight as she and Nicole moved back to give the group more space. The room was where Kristin worked with any newcomers, getting their information and names. This group had three men, two of them carrying real swords and the other an actual mace. That meant they had seen fighting. Maybe even had Classes. There were two women, one of them also had a sword and the other nothing. That last one was looking at the three kids, talking quietly to them. One of the kids looked to be eight, another ten and the last either or close to Pipers age. A boy, the other two girls.


    Pretty typical for a thirteen year old boy. Black hair, somehow still had a Boston Red Sox baseball hat. He held a bat over his shoulder. The end of it was stained darker. Piper wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d been the one to use it or someone had just given it to him. Probably the man with the mace had given it to the boy when he¡¯d gotten the weapon. It was a scary looking thing. Long handle with a big metal ball on the end, a spike off the top, rounded knobs around the rest of the ball.


    The boy turned and looked at her. He smiled, waving. Piper waved back.


    Kristin led the group away, the boy giving Piper one last look.


    ¡°Ooohhhh,¡± Nicole said, actually giggling. ¡°I think he likes you.¡±


    Piper rolled her eyes. She didn¡¯t have time for boys. It would be nice to have someone else the same age around. She liked Nicole, but it was hard to find things to do with the limited amount in the school. She knew everything about her friend. They had all that time to talk. It would be nice to have someone new to talk with.


    And he was kind of cute.


    ***


    Harper enjoyed the music.


    She¡¯d been a pop fan, sometimes going into more of the newer country, barely the 90s metal that her father would sometimes make her listen to on car trips, but what Addie was playing sounded good. Harper wasn¡¯t sure what genre it fell into. The college aged woman played some recognizable songs. Jewel, Sheryl Crow and stuff like that. Some Taylor Swift and even some stuff by male singers. She threw in some more bluesy and folk songs, and even some original work. It was hard to keep the setlist varied when she was one of the few musical acts and ended up playing every three nights or so.


    Harper had caught enough of the shows that she was starting to know Addie¡¯s original works by heart. The slightly older woman, she was only eighteen or nineteen compared to Harper¡¯s own fifteen, was really talented. Her father had told Harper that Addie used to have a Youtube channel and had slowly been gaining followers. Harper figured if the Connection hadn¡¯t happened, it would have only been a matter of time before Addie had hit viral fame.


    Now she was stuck singing in a highschool cafeteria after the apocalypse.


    The room was pretty full. Not as full as it had been the first few nights Addie, and the others, had started singing and performing. Everyone in the Clan, who had been off duty, had come out to see and listen. It was something different. A throwback to Pre-Connection. People had missed music and socializing. But the newness had started to wear off and fewer people would come.


    They¡¯d still come, just not as often. Harper could tell the newcomers because they would be there every night and then would eventually stop showing up all the time.


    She saw a couple dozen people she recognized from seeing around the Clanhold. Far fewer that she actually knew the names of. Most of the people recognized her, which is why she was hiding in the corner where it was darkest, trying to avoid being noticed. She didn¡¯t want to distract from Addie¡¯s show.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.At first she had liked the attention. Technically she was a Princess now, even if her father didn¡¯t call himself a King. He was one, which made her a Princess. What girl didn¡¯t want to be a Princess? And all the bowing and ¡®milady¡¯ was great at first. But it ended up getting old. She was surprised at how quickly it had gotten old.


    Had real nobles felt that way? Probably not.


    But she had. Maybe it was her father rubbing off? He hated that kind of attention and everytime someone called him Lord, it was all he could do to not say something. He¡¯d given up trying to get people to stop. She had too.


    Piper was off to the side with a group of kids her age. A girl and a boy. Harper thought the boy was a newcomer. They were talking quietly, occasionally stopping to listen to the music. Piper had it lucky. She was young enough that the people her age didn¡¯t care about her father¡¯s position and the ones older didn¡¯t think using a thirteen year old to get to her father was a smart idea.


    Most thought the same about Harper, leaving her alone. But there were a couple that thought Harper being a little older, it was only two years but to them it was far more, and her power Level, her place in the Clan, meant she was a doorway to her father. And the few people her age? They knew what being the daughter of the Clanchief meant and treated her differently. That¡¯s not what Harper wanted.


    There were people dancing to the music. Harper wanted to be with them. To just let herself go and move to the words and sounds, to dance. She loved dancing. But if she got up into that small crowd, she wouldn¡¯t be part of it. People would defer to her, give her space, take steps away from her.


    She had thought about leaving. Grabbing her weapons and armor and going to find something to kill. She got no experience from the spawn field just outside the berm, but she bet Darren Holmberg would let her take a patrol. There were always random monsters found when on patrol. Maybe nothing that would give her experience, but something to kill.


    The image of her tonfas piercing the back of the elf flashed through her mind. She closed her eyes, pushing the picture down. Elora was right, but Harper couldn¡¯t get the idea that she¡¯d killed someone out of her head. Monsters, even undead, during the heat of battle, those weren¡¯t okay but understandable. It was in defense of herself and others. But she had stabbed the elf in the back. She had made the first move. Elora, and her father, called it defensive. Harper could understand what they meant, but was having a hard time coming to grips with it.


    ¡°Hi Harper.¡±


    She knew that voice. Harper took a breath, slowly releasing it, before opening her eyes.


    ¡°Mike,¡± she said, forcing a smile.


    She¡¯d never liked Mike Turner. He¡¯d always been strange. Arrogant, too forceful, always thought he was right. She liked his mom. She was great. Ed, his dad, was okay. Harper knew that her father had tolerated Ed Pre-Connection and now heavily relied on him. Mike had always liked Harper and not just as friends. Even when she¡¯d been thirteen or so it had been obvious.


    Harper had tried hard to not give Mike the wrong signals. She thought she had succeeded but he had never given up. He¡¯d never really come and asked her out, she would have said no, but it was comments, gestures, the lingering stares. Part of her had wished he would have asked, so she could say no and get it over with. But part of her had doubted he would have given up.


    Post-Connection, things had changed. Not for the better. Mike was still Mike, couldn¡¯t or wouldn¡¯t take the hint, but something had changed with him. He was creepier.


    Harper didn¡¯t like that group he was hanging out with, his new team. The older guy, Roger, was a blowhard. He was easy to ignore. Theodore was strange and even creepier than Mike, but in a different way. She had thought it when first meeting Theodore and Roger, saving them from the Gaunts. He hadn¡¯t improved, just gotten creepier.


    Mike¡¯s creepiness was different. Theodore¡¯s was just a strange kind of creep. It was like he was staring at her all the time, staring at everyone in the Clan, sizing them up. He had serial killer vibes. Theodore reminded her of the serial killers she had seen in documentaries and stuff on Youtube. Mike gave off stalker vibes.


    She was stronger than him, much stronger, and really had nothing to worry about but that didn¡¯t seem to bother Mike.


    ¡°How have you been?,¡± he asked, talking a little loud and leaning in too close to be heard over the music.


    Harper fought the urge to step back. She had to be polite to Mike. His dad was important to her father. But Harper knew her father would tell her to do what made her comfortable. If she wanted to shout at Mike to go away, her father would back her up. She just didn¡¯t want to cause extra stress for him. She could deal with Mike Turner.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get to see you as much,¡± he continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty busy.¡±


    ¡°So am I,¡± he said. ¡°My group has been getting pretty strong. We might be the second strongest in the Clan.¡±


    Harper knew that wasn¡¯t true. Officially the top two teams were Davis¡¯ and Drew¡¯s groups. Mike¡¯s was third. Fourth if the unofficial top team was counted, which was her father¡¯s, of which she was a part. Harper knew that Mike was ranking his team second after her father¡¯s but it wasn¡¯t worth saying anything.


    ¡°We¡¯re thinking of trying the Crone Dungeon soon,¡± he added, trying to sound impressive.


    Harper gave him a sharp glare. That was incredibly dumb of them.


    ¡°What Levels are you?,¡± she asked. She didn¡¯t want to care, didn¡¯t want to give Mike a reason to continue talking, but she did feel bad if she didn¡¯t warn him. ¡°No one has run that Dungeon since it was created but we know it¡¯s a tough one.


    ¡°I¡¯m Level Twelve,¡± Mike said proudly.


    Harper was impressed. He was Leveling pretty quickly and almost had caught up to Davis and Drew. But what else did his party have to do but Level? It wasn¡¯t like her father tasked them with any important assignments like he did Davis and Drew.


    That must have really bothered Mike. Davis, who Harper knew Mike considered a rival for her affections, no matter how misguided Mike was, and Drew who was a newcomer. Both were ranked higher than he was. Not that there was an official ranking in the Clan. Aside from the Councilors, and the Bradys, everyone was supposed to be equal. Unofficially, it was human nature to classify and rank people. Harper had done it with her friends in high school, even all the way back to middle school. She knew that all the Clanmembers ranked all the others by what they did, who they associated with, how often the Council needed them. There were dozens of criteria. No official list, but there was an unofficial one.


    And Mike wasn¡¯t on the important people list. It had to bother him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s high enough,¡± Harper said, still wanting to keep Mike from doing something stupid.


    She could tell he was starting to get angry. Mike hated being told what to do, at his ideas even being hinted at as bad.


    ¡°I think we can handle it,¡± Mike said.


    Harper tried to think of another way to warn him but couldn¡¯t think of anything Mike would listen to. At the end of the day, it was his dumb decision. The Clan would miss the strength that Mike and his party represented, but if they were dumb enough to get themselves in over their heads, that was on them. She¡¯d still tell her father and let him figure out a way to keep them from getting themselves killed, but she didn¡¯t want to try and argue with Mike anymore.


    She shrugged, seeing the action making Mike madder. He probably took it to be dismissive, like she didn¡¯t believe he was strong enough. Which was true, she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I think Davis and Drew¡¯s groups are scheduled to try it out in the next week or so,¡± Harper said, remembering what her father had told her after the last Council meeting. ¡°Talk with Alison and she¡¯ll put you on the list.¡±


    Mike¡¯s eyes filled with anger that quickly disappeared. He smiled. Harper wanted to cringe back. There was just something extra creepy about that smile.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll see if she can slip us in first,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re ready now, even if they¡¯re not.¡±


    He said the last with a sneer. Harper sighed. There was no convincing him. He really did think his team was stronger. They were strong, and had gotten some decent equipment from their Dungeon runs. Drew and Davis were still better. Harper actually felt herself lagging. Her father, sister and her were busy, almost non-stop fighting it seemed, but they weren¡¯t running Dungeons. They were fighting stronger creatures, but not in ways that the experience added up quickly. Her father was still light years ahead of everyone else, but the gap between her and everyone else was closing.


    She needed to start running Dungeons again. They were the fastest and most efficient way to Level. She didn¡¯t like that her lead was diminishing.


    Mike seemed to sense that she was done with the conversation about the Dungeon. He looked at the small crowd of people, the women and some men that were dancing. He turned back to Harper, smiling.


    ¡°Want to..,¡± he started to say.


    Harper knew what he was going to ask, but not sure how to respond. Luckily she was saved.


    ¡°Hey Harper,¡± Davis said, walking over from the entrance. ¡°Mike,¡± he added, with a friendly smile.


    The smile was but the eyes weren¡¯t. They shifted from Mike to Harper, asking a question. She gave a small shake of her head. Nothing was wrong, yet.


    ¡°Davis,¡± she said, stepping away from the wall and Mike.


    She reached Davis, arms spreading to give him a hug. His arms wrapped around her. They held the hug for probably longer than necessary, not that either wanted to release it, but for the appearance it gave Mike Turner.


    He grunted, walking past them.


    ¡°See you later,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°Good timing,¡± Harper whispered, releasing the hug but grabbing Davis¡¯ hand.

 Interlude Thirty-Two (4.Interlude Eleven)

    Mike Turner felt a headache coming on.


    He was getting them frequently. It kept getting worse. He¡¯d mentioned that to Malcolm, his party¡¯s Healer, but there was no reason for them that could be found. Malcolm was useless, Mike had decided. He was barely adequate at his job, only having the Common Healer Class. Mike¡¯s own mother had a better one. An Uncommon one.


    But Malcolm was the only Healer available. It wasn¡¯t like they could replace the guy. Only Julia Montgomery was a higher Level Healer Class and she wasn¡¯t going to join Mike¡¯s party. She was on Lochlan Brady¡¯s personal group. Who would quit that one?


    Even if Mike and his team would someday surpass Loch¡¯s team.


    It would take too long to get someone else power leveled and that would just mean Mike, Roger and Theodore would have to slow down. Another party would catch up. That couldn¡¯t happen.


    They had to increase their pace. They had to catch up to the other two parties. They had to get stronger.


    That nagging voice in the back of his head kept saying it, over and over.


    Not that it was a voice, that¡¯s just the only way Mike could describe it. Not a feeling, something a little more. It seemed to get stronger when he got a headache.


    He left the gym. It was getting too loud and too crowded. He didn¡¯t like the music anyways. He¡¯d only gone in because Harper had been there and she¡¯d been alone. Which was rare lately. On the rare times she was actually in the school, If Davis wasn¡¯t around, it was her sister. Mike didn¡¯t have many opportunities to talk to her.


    She hadn¡¯t seemed too impressed with how fast his team was Leveling. They were the fastest Leveling adventurers in the entire Clan, not that there were many adventuring groups. But even counting the guard groups that ran the Dungeons, no one was progressing as fast as Mike¡¯s team.


    Roger¡¯s team really. He was the one in charge. And Mike was okay with letting him think that. Someday they¡¯d all realize that it was really Mike in charge.


    Drew and that annoying Davis, their groups got the best missions. But that¡¯s what happened when they kissed Loch¡¯s ass. Harper¡¯s dad had always hated Mike, he knew it. Probably didn¡¯t think he was a good match for Harper. Lochlan was wrong.


    Mike was perfect for her. Really, she was perfect for Mike.


    Maybe a little too independent, but that would change once Mike got stronger.


    And eliminated Davis.


    ¡°Micheal,¡± Theodore said, stepping out of the shadows in the corner of the lobby.


    Mike wasn¡¯t surprised. He hadn¡¯t seen the man, but somehow he¡¯d known Theodore was there. Just like how he knew where a couple other people in the Clan were at the moment. Roger, that Simu guy, some other ones that he didn¡¯t care to learn the names of. He didn¡¯t know their exact locations, just a feeling of how far away they were.


    It was something new but he didn¡¯t mind. It was kind of comforting to know there were others near that he could talk to, that would understand his frustrations.


    It wasn¡¯t like he could talk with his mom or dad. They were far too busy and too far up Lochlan¡¯s ass. Especially his dad. Mike was starting to grow disgusted by his father. Ed was Loch¡¯s lackey. Left behind at the school to take care of all the mundane administrative stuff that Lochlan didn¡¯t want to deal with. His father was a glorified secretary.


    Theodore said that would change someday. He¡¯d learn to like his father again. Mike had scoffed at that. Even if he grew as strong as Lochlan, his father would still remain the lackey. Theodore said that he might even someday learn to like Lochlan. Mike found that one hard to believe.


    But Theodore said a lot of weird things sometimes.


    At first Mike had thought them really weird. Then they become less weird. Lately, everything Theodore said made a lot of sense.


    ¡°Not going inside?,¡± Mike asked as Theodore started walking next to him.


    Not sure of what he wanted to do, Mike headed for the doors outside. The lobby wasn¡¯t crowded, but there were a lot of people hanging around, chatting in small groups or going from one place to another. Besides the music playing in the gym, there were a couple of board games being played and a card tournament. Someone had even found a set of cornhole boards and bags, a signup sheet in the lobby for that tournament to start.


    Mike had played cornhole a couple of times, but never understood the appeal of throwing bags onto a sloped board and trying to get it into the hole. But he never understood the appeal of sports at all. He paid attention to what he needed to, knew the important players, championships and all that. It was a trick he¡¯d learned from his father, also not someone into sports. Talking about sports was an easy way to start a conversation, to get someone invested into talking. Weather was boring, and it was hard with TV shows as there had been far too many of them Pre-Connection with all the streaming services. Too great a chance to mention a show that the other person had never heard of.


    But sports, that was a good one to connect with. Especially being in New England, with all the success the four major teams had over the years. Mike had even overheard people in the Clan talking about the teams still, even with stadiums and ballparks most likely destroyed and the players probably dead. They didn¡¯t matter anymore, yet people still talked about them.


    Sports was just one of many things Mike was glad was gone.


    ¡°Too loud in there,¡± Theodore said. ¡°Can¡¯t hear myself think.¡±


    Mike grunted, agreeing. Harper had been the only reason he¡¯d gone inside.


    The two pushed open the double doors, stepping outside. The doors were a lot heavier now, compared to when Mike had actually gone to school in the building Pre-Connection. Relatively heavier, but to Mike¡¯s Adapted body, they were light. Thick metal plates had been attached to the door frames, using one of the Elementalist¡¯s fire spells to weld them together.


    The Gaunts had gotten too close to the once-all glass doors. Someone had finally decided the doors needed more protection. It had taken them long enough, Mike thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice night,¡± Theodore said.


    Mike grunted in agreement, not that he really cared. It was cloudless for once, giving fully and unobstructed views of the stars. Mike didn¡¯t know a thing about the constellations, hadn¡¯t ever cared, but he knew enough that the sky was different. Others had talked about it, so he¡¯d acted like he had seen the differences as well. Another trick learned from his father.


    If he didn¡¯t know something, he¡¯d let the other person direct him to the answer with a series of pointed and leading questions. Another useful trick. Not as useful anymore, Mike lamented.


    The constant wind blew across the schoolyard, pushing at his shirt. Aside from the wind, it was cool. Colder than last week, and would continue to get colder. Winter was coming.


    ¡°Come,¡± Theodore said as they walked down the steps. ¡°There¡¯s some people I want you to meet.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°New friends of mine. They arrived a couple days ago.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Mike said, following Theodore around the school.


    He shook his head. Theodore was acting like it was his idea to head outside. Hadn¡¯t Mike been the one to lead them there? He couldn¡¯t remember but was pretty sure it had been his idea.


    Not that it mattered.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The people that Theodore considered friends were people that Mike wanted to be friends with.


    ***


    Hoskia Silver Bark glared out over the waters. Bow Lake. That''s what the slaves they had captured called it. An odd name but then everything these humans named their land, cities and themselves was odd. The lake had a charm, he had to admit.


    There had once been homes along the shore, covering most of the lake¡¯s perimeter. Now, thanks to the Worldcore, those homes were gone, replaced by trees or stretches of grass. It made the lake look like how it had once hundreds of human years ago, or so he assumed. Before anyone had started building on it.


    Much like the lakes and other waters of Tirna had once been, before the Clan¡¯s had come and claimed it all. He thought of the lake near his home, Oshgomaliko, the waters of eternal stars. That was the closest the human¡¯s language would translate the name and it wasn¡¯t near accurate enough. It didn¡¯t capture the beauty of the near black waters, where the Holio fish would glow beneath the surface. The human¡¯s language was lacking in almost every way.


    The shores of Oshgormaliko were filled with structures, not a single tree remaining. Compounds of the higher ranking Clan members. Silver Bark of those ranks didn¡¯t just have single buildings, they had multiple. It took a lot to house all the staff, servants and lesser Clan members they required. And those compounds along the shores of the lake were just one of many they owned. Some had not even been visited in decades.


    Hoskia had his eye on one such compound. It was one of the smaller ones, unused for nearly a hundred years. The cost to buy was staggering but after this mission, he thought he might have the coin, rank and prestige to manage to buy it. It would be his second compound, his first within one of the larger cities. The compound on Oshgomaliko wasn¡¯t large and wouldn¡¯t give much prestige in ownership, it wouldn¡¯t even be a stepping stone on his path to more. For Hoskia, it was the sentimental value.


    Seeing the lake as a child, learning who had homes along its shores and what it meant to have a home there, it had become a dream for Hoskia. A guiding light on his path of Advancement. A goal. And one that was within sight.


    Or had been.


    Turning away from Bow Lake, and the thoughts of Oshgomaliko, Hoskia looked out over the camp. Organized, just the way it should be. Tents were becoming buildings as the Clan Carpenters and Lumberjacks cut back the forest around them. Walls had gone up but so far they had not needed them. The attacks came regularly but the monsters were not strong enough to threaten the Clan.


    Not yet.


    Soon enough, the monsters would start their own Advancements, gaining Levels and becoming stronger. Lowly Level Five monsters would become Level Ten or higher. They would gain stronger Skills or even new ones. Some would Adapt and gain an affinity to an element. Days would become years, would become decades and the creatures would evolve.


    He had seen it happen. This was not the first newly Connected World that Hoskia had been to.


    The only problem Hoskia had with the camp was the size. It was not growing and would not grow. He only had the forces he had. No reinforcements.


    Which was good and bad.


    Good in that no other Elders, high ranking Clan Members, or those of Higher Levels would appear to complicate his plans, or even take over and push him aside. Bad in that what he had to work with was all he had.


    Not forever but just for the beach head of the invasion of Earth. This force was meant to secure enough land and Resources to allow for growth, to start harvesting enough to power a larger Portal that would bring in more Silver Bark and allow their expansion across


    If he could not secure those Resources, and allow more Silver Bark on Earth, he would have failed in his mission. Hoskia would not be the one to pay for his failure for he would be trapped on Earth. Or dead. No, his family would pay the price. They would feel the dishonor. His name would be tarnished, but he would not care. His branch family would be ruined.


    Just as they would be elevated for his success.


    Even though they carried the Silver Bark name, it did not matter in the face of failure.


    The Patron Divine Being of the Silver Bark did not like weakness or failure. They called him Goraloryiot, the Great War. To the wider Connected System, he was the Concept of Conflict. The Silver Bark lived for conflict but were smart enough to not keep it within themselves. There was plenty of fighting within the Clan but it was more political than martial, which was still conflict. Conflict fueled their aggressive expansionist goals.


    It was through Conflict that the greatest Advancements were made.


    Through Conflict on Earth, Hoskia had hoped to rise in the rankings of the Silver Bark.


    It was a hope he saw fading as he looked at the assembled Elves before him. A small group of scouts, dressed in green and brown tinted leather armor. They stood before a small pile of equipment. Swords and bows, all of obviously Silver Bark crafting.


    ¡°This is all that is left?,¡± Hoskia said.


    ¡°Yes Milord,¡± the lead scout, Yoriat Cloudsilver, said. He kept his eyes downcast.


    Yoriat had not failed but he was reporting a failure.


    ¡°What happened to the bodies?¡±


    ¡°Burned,¡± Yoriat answered, feeling safe enough to look up.


    At that moment, Hoskia hated how the Silver Bark tended to deal with failure. That and the political maneuvering that was a part of every Silver Bark Clan member, no matter the rank. It was costing him unnecessary lives. Lives he would probably need in the days and months ahead. There were no more coming. He could not afford to lose any for stupid reasons.


    Not if he wanted to avoid a failure of his own.


    ¡°And the Wendigo?¡±


    ¡°Also burned. We saw no evidence of any surviving Wendigo.¡±


    Hoskia looked at Loric. The old Ghostweaver eyes glazed over as he used one of his Abilities.


    ¡°It appears they are correct. I cannot detect any trace of the Wendigo.¡±


    Hoskia nodded, motioning at Yoriat and the scouts to disperse. They did, but not before grabbing the pile of equipment. It would not do to leave it laying around. The Silver Bark may have been backstabbers and opportunists but they were also neat and orderly.


    Turning to look back over the waters, Hoskia wondered what to do. He had just lost a warband to the human Clan. A new Clan that was under equipped and underLeveled. It did not look good that a Silver Bark warband lost to the humans. The warband could have been slain by the Wendigo, with the humans dealing with any survivors, but that was unlikely.


    It reflected poorly on Hoskia. First Elora Seedspear had betrayed the Silver Bark, joining the fledgling human Clan. They had lost one of the few Crones given to them for this mission, somehow turning into a Dungeon. Which was unheard of. They had lost some scouts and warriors against monsters and within the Dungeons they had found. That was normal, but it still reflected poorly on him as the raid leader.


    Now a warband. Twelve trained and experienced warriors.


    The humans in this region should not have been capable of achieving that this early in their Connection. It was a reason that the Silver Bark targeted the area for their raid. They had millennia of experience at invading newly Connected worlds. The Clan leaders knew the most efficient ways to go about taking over a planet.


    The first step was to start in an area less populated. The Connection¡¯s arrival and the first chaotic days after would cull even more of the population. It would take the scattered remnants a long time to start gaining Levels and reforming civilization. That would allow the Silver Bark to quickly gain a foothold, expanding through territory and claiming more and more with little to no opposition before they engaged any real threats and usually by that time, the Silver Bark were too entrenched, had too many Resources, for the defenders to push them back. It was just a matter of time, even if the defenders gained Levels and formed Clans, before the Silver Bark claimed everything.


    That¡¯s how it was supposed to work here.


    Their scouts had found the state of New Hampshire to be perfect as a starting point. It would have abundant Resources and little to no resistance, allowing a small incursion of Silver Bark to lay Claim to the required territory and start bringing in more forces, allowing for a rapid expansion. The research had indicated that they would encounter resistance only when reaching a city called Boston, which in Pre-Connection time had been a good distance away. That would have only expanded with the Connection.


    It should have been perfect but right from the start nothing had gone right and it was only getting worse. There would be hundreds of pockets of invaders across the planet, most with the same tactics as the Silver Bark. Those other Connected races would now have an advantage over the Silver Bark. Hoskia would be blamed, his family would suffer.


    But the situation was salvageable.


    Their numbers were limited while the human Clan could only grow. They could not fight a war of attrition. The situation called for bold action.


    Hoskia could retake the initiative and defeat the human Clan, taking all their claimed territory. It would just take bold action. This was no time to sit back and follow the usual plans. Hoskia had to reach out and claim victory.


    That was what the Connection wanted after all. It didn¡¯t want it¡¯s Connected to sit around and let things come to them. It wanted the Connected to seek out challenges to grow and Advance.


    Hoskia would do just that.

 Chapter 216 (4.45)

    Loch felt the bite of the cold wind as it slammed against him, carrying sleet and ice. He pulled the thick wool cloak tighter, the hood over his head. It had only taken a couple seconds for him to realize he was in a dream. He¡¯d lain down to sleep and wound up at a familiar location.


    The viking village spread out around him, cloak wrapped people hunched against the biting wind of the storm, as they moved from building to building. The alleys between the longhouses were pretty empty, most of the inhabitants wanting to stay inside where it was warm.


    The village had grown since the last time Loch had been there. Which was weird if this was just a place in his dreams. It couldn¡¯t be real since he only visited when asleep. But why would it grow if it wasn¡¯t a real place?


    The usual towering guards were not on either side of the doors leading to the chieftain¡¯s longhouse. There was no need. Loch could feel the power in the storm. It was fury, but a controlled fury. The winds were fierce, with shards of ice and heavy sleet, but there was no damage to the village that Loch could see.


    Walking up the steps, Loch pushed the doors open. A wave of heat pushed against him. The heat and cold fought at the open doors, Loch warm and chilled at the same time. Walking into the hall, he shut the doors. The room was the same, even if the village had changed.


    No guards, the long table empty except for the seat at the head. Thor sat there, watching Loch. The Divine Being leaned forward, waiting.


    Loch removed the thick cloak. It was some kind of animal fur. Wolf maybe. He didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t care. He let it fall to the ground, walking slowly up the long table.


    ¡°Why am I here?,¡± he asked, stopping a couple seats away from the head.


    Thor leaned back, tapping his fingers against the wooden arm of his chair. In his other hand he held a wooden goblet. A large axe leaned against the seat.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I talk to my follower?,¡± Thor asked.


    ¡°Aside from some Abilities, I¡¯m not sure what I get out of this deal,¡± Loch said. ¡°Or what you get.¡±


    Thor laughed. He took a long drink from the goblet. Leaning forward, he set it on the table.


    ¡°What I get is far in the future,¡± Thor admitted. ¡°And might not ever come to pass. You could say that this is an investment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re investing in me?,¡± Loch said, surprised. ¡°Or in this Unfettered trait.¡±


    Thor nodded.


    ¡°And that is what you get out of this deal,¡± Thor continued. ¡°That trait is not supposed to exist but thanks to¡­,¡± he paused, looking up at the sky and then at the shadowed corners of the longhouse. ¡°Let us just say that it¡¯s not supposed to exist and that I know it exists.¡±


    ¡°And are taking advantage of it?¡±


    ¡°Not now but someday.¡± Thor took another drink. ¡°Something troubles you. We can get to why I summoned you soon, but first, what is bothering you?¡±


    Loch looked at Thor, confused. He thought the Divine Being was mocking him, but Thor looked genuinely concerned. His eyes were focused on Loch, his expression curious. Not what Loch was used to in the few times he had interacted with Thor.


    When he¡¯d fallen asleep and found himself appearing at Thor¡¯s village, Loch had gotten angry. He knew that these visits didn¡¯t affect his sleep, but that hadn¡¯t helped the anger at his rest being interrupted. And for what? A chat with a being so far beyond him, that motives and thoughts were unknowable? Each visit made Loch feel like a pawn. He hated that feeling.


    But his anger quickly fell away. What was the point? Thor was one of the oldest Adapted in The Connected System. One of the most powerful. He had to have seen everything there was to see in the Connection.


    Loch sighed.


    ¡°We don¡¯t seem to be making any progress,¡± he said. ¡°More people are joining the Clan, but we¡¯re not bringing in enough Resources. The crafters aren¡¯t developing fast enough because of that lack. There¡¯s not enough work for everyone. Winter is coming and I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll manage to get through. Then there¡¯s the threats hanging over us.¡±


    Loch shook his head, leaning back in his chair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    Thor shifted in his seat, looking toward the double doors that led out of the longhouse. He was silent, sifting his thoughts.


    ¡°There are thousands of people like you having those same thoughts, and not just on Earth, but across the Connection,¡± Thor said. ¡°My Clan, the one of my birth, faced the same trials as you. We weren¡¯t on a Resource World, which just makes things harder for fledgling Clans, but we had a steep mountain to climb to reach the top. But we did. It took hard work, pain and suffering but in the end we scaled that peak.¡± Thor stood up, grabbing the large axe. He moved to the side where there was room. Loch studied the differences between Thor¡¯s axe and Onyx. Even though Thor was a Divine Being, incredibly powerful, the axe looked old and worn. The head was made out of some dull metal, pitted and cracked. The wooden handle was wrapped in strips of leather, the end at the bottom of the shaft was loose. It did not look like the weapon of a god. Thor took a couple swings with the weapon, before turning back to Loch, axe against his shoulder. ¡°Even at my Level, there is still something to strive for. The Connection does not let anyone rest. There will always be more problems, more threats to face. Even for Clans like the Silver Bark. There is always something or someone stronger.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°What does a Clan like the Silver Bark need to struggle against?¡±


    ¡°Other Clans,¡± Thor pointed out. ¡°Why do you think they expand and conquer new worlds? They need those Resources for their own conflicts and for their people to Advance.¡±


    ¡°So it never ends?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Thor said, shaking his head, looking almost regretful. ¡°It never does.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s comforting,¡± Loch muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s not meant to be,¡± Thor said, voice harsh. ¡°It is just reality in the Connection.¡±


    He took a couple more swings with the axe, a wind appearing from nowhere. It swirled around the longhouse, picking up strength and speed as Thor swung the axe. The doors at the far end rattled in their hinges.


    Replacing the axe over his shoulder, Thor walked to the side of the long house where a table full of steaming meats, breads, cheeses and fruits was. Loch was positive the table hadn¡¯t been there before. There were full roasted birds, a couple of roasts and even bacon. Thor tore a drumstick off a bird, taking a large bite before using it as a pointer.


    ¡°The Connection wants us to strive to Advance, to push ourselves harder and harder. To never stop,¡± Thor said, pointing the drumstick at Loch. It was large, the bird bigger than the turkeys near Loch¡¯s house. ¡°We have no choice because it will never stop throwing threats at you.¡±


    He sat down again, taking another bite of the drumstick. Loch looked at the table, not surprised to see the piece of bird had been replaced already.


    ¡°Why I wanted to talk to you does relate to your concerns,¡± Thor said. ¡°Your Clan is doing well. There are a few in the Connection that have done better but only a very few. Most do much worse. You are to be commended.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing much,¡± Loch admitted.


    He¡¯d felt that there was more he could be doing. Much more. There was progress but it was slow. He wanted to be hands off but part of him wondered if he got involved more in the day to day operations, that the Clan would be in a better position. A bigger part wondered if he got move involved, the Clan would be worse. That had been why he¡¯d picked the middle ground. Involved but not, letting others handle the bulk. Others that were better suited.


    ¡°You are doing what you need to be doing,¡± Thor said, again pointing with the drumstick. ¡°Do you think any of us Divine Beings or even Oberon, the Overjarl of the Silver Bark Clan, deals with the actual running of our empires? Of course not. We have our Advancement to worry about and the threats that only we can take on.¡±


    ¡°There are threats to you?¡±


    ¡°Of course. The other Divine Beings and I might be on somewhat equal footing in terms of power, but we still play political games. That is one form of Advancement. But beyond that, there are Beasts equal or greater than our Level.¡±


    Thor leaned back, eyes alight as he thought back to countless battles. In the few interactions, Loch had never seen Thor as animated as he was at that moment. Those battles were what the concept of the Storm lived for. A huge smile broke out on the Divine Beings face. He closed his eyes, picturing it.


    Shaking his head, Thor came back to reality. The smile faded, but the light in his eyes remained.


    ¡°Someday you¡¯ll see,¡± Thor said, taking a drink. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what the Warbreaker does against a Nether Obsidian Dragon. That will be a fight worth watching.¡±


    ¡°What is a Nether Obsidian Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Nothing you need worry about for a long time,¡± Thor said, leaning back in his chair, the axe once again leaning against it. Loch hadn¡¯t seen Thor put it down. Last he¡¯d seen it, the axe had been over the Divine Beings shoulder, now it was against the chair. ¡°Right now you have to worry about the Si-Te-Cah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about the Silver Bark,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Thor replied, as serious as Loch had seen the Divine Being. ¡°There are rules about how much we can interfere with our followers, your trait lets me bend the rules a bit but only a bit. It¡¯s not against the rules to tell you this because like your Sasquatch friend, the Si-Te-Cah are outside the Connection. And they are a threat to the entire Connection.¡±


    ¡°But the Silver Bark are a current threat to my people,¡± Loch protested, growing angry. This wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d been told of the Si-Te-Cah threat but it was distant. They didn¡¯t even know where the giants and the Si-Te-Cah Shaman were. ¡°They are strong and I need to protect my people but they outnumber us, outpower us.¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± Thor said, axe appearing in his hand. He pointed it at Loch. There was power in the ancient looking weapon. Loch could feel it. ¡°You are not strong enough to face the Si-Te-Cah but you are strong enough to deal with the Silver Bark.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°In the Connection, it is the most powerful that is the strongest. But there are many ways to display power.¡±


    Loch shifted in his seat, turning to fully face the Divine Being. He wasn¡¯t sure what Thor was getting at. The idea was there, but just out of reach. Loch started to speak.


    The world went black.

 Chapter 217 (4.46)

    Loch sat up in bed, breathing heavily. He got control of the breathing, looking around the small room he shared with the girls. Moonlight leaked in through the curtain, somewhat illuminating the room. He could see the bunk bed, both girls still sleeping. Turning to the window, he moved the curtain, looking out at the stars.


    It was a relatively clear night.


    He could hear the wind blowing through the trees, across the schoolyard.


    There was a blinking in the corner of his vision. Sighing, Loch opened the Notification.


    NEW SKILL LEARNED


    STORM¡¯S TOUCH RANK ONE (PASSIVE ABILITY): THE FURY OF THE STORM RESIDES IN YOUR BODY. THAT FURY CAN PROVIDE A VARIETY OF EFFECTS AND ALL YOUR PHYSICAL ATTACKS NEGATE ANY AIR ELEMENTAL RESISTANCES. YOUR PUNCHES ARE STRENGTHENED WITH WIND, DOING +5% AIR ELEMENTAL DAMAGE, +2% DAMAGE EVERY FIVE LEVELS. CAST LIGHTNING, STRIKING A TARGET WITHIN TWO FEET OF YOU, DOING +5% AIR ELEMENTAL DAMAGE, +2% AIR ELEMENTAL DAMAGE EVERY FIVE LEVELS. CREATE A STATIC FIELD AROUND YOUR BODY. ANYONE PHYSICALLY ATTACKING YOU WILL RECEIVE +5% AIR ELEMENTAL DAMAGE, +2% AIR ELEMENTAL DAMAGE EVERY FIVE LEVELS.


    Loch read it over a couple of times, surprised at the new Ability. Hadn¡¯t Thor said something about not being able to interfere but somehow had granted Loch a new Boon? He wasn¡¯t going to complain. The Ability sounded pretty good, adding to his offense and defense. There was no Spirit cost or even cooldown. Loch didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to use the Ability constantly but it was Passive, which meant it was technically always on. It appeared to be triggered by attacks, either ones he made or were made against him.


    Sitting up in bed, being careful to not make the metal frame and springs squeak, he rubbed at his face trying to get the sleep out. The dream was already starting to fade. Loch wondered if it really was a dream. Could it be some kind of astral projection? With someone as powerful as the Divine Being, anything was possible.


    He thought about all that Thor had said. It didn¡¯t reassure Loch that Thor thought the Clan was doing good. They could be doing better and there was still so much to do before winter. They needed Crafters, they needed Resources and they really needed more food.


    The mine was producing, the ores arriving as fast as the wheelbarrows and wagons could be hauled down the trails and road. They were getting a surplus of ore because there was no way to use it yet. Construction had begun on a smelter, which they had gotten plans from the books taken from the Library, but that required materials of its own and their few Carpenters were already overworked.


    Standing up, pulling a pair of jeans and t-shirt on, Loch carefully made his way to the door. He looked at both his daughters. They both looked like Kelly. Piper rolled over, pulling her blanket tighter around her. Harper shifted, eyes opening. Seeing her father, she started to speak but Loch held a finger to his lips. Half-asleep, Harper closed her eyes, mumbling something and fell back to sleep.


    Smiling, Loch opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Carefully closing it, he made his way down the dark corridor. The hall was always dark, even during the day. The doors to the classrooms were closed most of the time, with curtains or sheets hung over the glass to give the people inside some privacy. That prevented light from coming through the classrooms into the hallway, the only source were two windows at the ends, which did nothing for the middle.


    They had thought about torches, but that would have required opening the windows to vent out the smoke, and the constant smell of smoke and burning wood. Eventually they¡¯d have to use torches, or come up with another method, but no one was ready for that step yet. Not that they needed them. With their Adapted bodies, they could see better in the dark and the corridor never got that dark.


    Loch moved quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone sleeping. The corridor was empty. The only people that would normally have been moving about were the guards when a shift changed. Loch wasn¡¯t sure how late in the night it was. Sometime past midnight but still a couple hours from dawn as the sky from his window had still been black with no hint of the rising sun.


    The lobby at the bottom of the stairs was empty, as was the office. He was somewhat surprised to not find Kristin already working. He¡¯d found her there at all hours. She might be working, but there were now so many offices and meeting rooms for the various people assigned in leadership and development roles that she could be in any of them.


    Peeking his head into the gymnasium, he saw the remnants of the musical performance last night. He¡¯d avoided it, not wanting to make a scene, but had heard from Harper and Piper that Addison had played another great show. He¡¯d watched her once, and she had been good, but he¡¯d known his presence had made her nervous. Loch was glad that the social aspect of the Clan was starting to develop. It was as important as the martial and crafting parts.


    It felt strange not seeing anyone in the lobby or gym. During the day the school was full of people. Not like when it had been a school and the halls had been crowded with students going from class to class, but there were still enough people that there were always a couple people around. Even with people working, there were shifts and people with nothing to do.


    Not only was the school empty, it felt quiet. Another odd feeling as there was always a level of background noise.


    Loch opened the doors, stepping out onto the concrete landing. The two guards snapped to attention, looking embarrassed. They had been leaning against the wall, still alert but showing signs of boredom. And their Clanchief had just caught them.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Loch said. ¡°Pretend I¡¯m not here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to do,¡± one of them said.


    Loch didn¡¯t know his name. He knew that Darren Holmberg changed the shifts so the night guards weren¡¯t always the night guards, but there were new recruits coming in all the time that Loch didn¡¯t know all of them anymore. Still not enough for what they needed.


    Stuart Ketch, Guardsman


    Alfred Danbury, Guardsman


    Both men¡¯s strength felt somewhere in the Level Five to Eight range. Loch¡¯s Evaluate still hadn¡¯t hit Rank Three, where he hoped to narrow the feel of the Levels down. He didn¡¯t use it as much as he could and wasn¡¯t sure if using it on Clanmembers helped it rank up or not. Cerie wasn¡¯t sure as that information hadn¡¯t been included in her data. He had been hoping that it would give more information on Clanmembers but it didn¡¯t. For that he had to dig through his Clan menus and it wasn¡¯t worth it to confirm the two guards actual Levels.


    Loch had planned to just sit on the steps for a while but seeing how nervous he made the two men, he kept walking, turning around the side of the building and heading toward the lake. He could see guards on the wall and felt the eyes of the guards on the roof. There would be Archers up there with various nightsight Abilities. No one disturbed him.


    Moonlight reflected off the waters as Loch sat down. A couple logs had been brought down for people to use as seats. It was quiet, peaceful. He could hear frogs croaking, the far off cry of a loon.


    Loch thought about the last things Thor had said.


    ¡°But there are many ways to display power.¡±


    That was a strange statement coming from a Divine Being, someone who was literally one of the most powerful beings in the Connection. Thor¡¯s power came from strength.


    But he was right.


    In the Pre-Connected world, physical power hadn¡¯t really been a thing. Militaries across the world had physical power but they were not the driven forces, not the things that gave control. In the Pre-Connected world power came from politics, finances, influence. A celebrity was powerful. Politicians and businesspeople. They weren¡¯t the physically strongest, most often not even close. But they controlled everything.


    That had to be what Thor had been hinting at. But how? In the Connected System, it was physical power that controlled. What other ways were there to display power besides being stronger?


    Ripples spread out across the surface of the water. They came closer, increasing in size as something broke the surface. A huge flat head poked out of the water, moonlight reflecting in two large eyes. The head stopped about ten feet from the shore, staying mostly submerged. Behind the head, Loch could see a hard shell, water flowing down the sides.


    ¡°Hello Unfey,¡± he said quietly


    The eyes continued to stare, unblinking.


    Did turtles blink?


    The Dragon Turtle gave off an aura of power, of strength. Loch could feel it, even though he didn¡¯t sense any harmful intent. Unfey wasn¡¯t there to hurt him. The Dragon Turtle hadn¡¯t hurt anyone in the Clan. As far as Loch knew, the only things it had attacked had been the Gaunts.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The aura was strong. Loch¡¯s Evaluate had put the Dragon Turtle at a higher Level. Loch hadn¡¯t seen the Dragon Turtle fight the Gaunts, but he had heard the stories from the Clanmembers that had. Those stories might have been a little exaggerated, but maybe not. They told of a very powerful monster. Steam-like breath attack, charging and stomping Gaunts. But they also told of the aura, which drove most of the gaunts away. The unthinking herd-like monsters had moved to the north way, relieving some of the pressure on the southern wall.


    They had still broken through but it had taken longer. Unfey had killed a fair number of Gaunts but had also driven more away with just its presence.


    It really wouldn¡¯t have taken that many Gaunts to overwhelm the Dragon Turtle. They would have lost a lot of soldiers, but eventually they would have overcome Unfey. The Dragon Turtle¡¯s presence has prevented that. It had scared away the Gaunts before they could defeat it.


    That was a kind of power.


    Loch looked away from Unfey, staring up at the moon. The Dragon Turtle shifted, no longer looking at Loch. He thought Unfey was also looking at the moon, but wasn¡¯t sure. Together they stared up at the night sky, lost in the silence.


    ***


    ¡°Dad,¡± Piper¡¯s voice broke Loch from his thoughts.


    He looked over his shoulder, feeling a tightness in his neck, shoulders and back from sitting on a log for a couple of hours. The sun had risen an hour or so ago. It had been a beautiful sunrise, allowing Loch to catch a full view of Unfey¡¯s large head. The Dragon Turtle had looked at Loch for a couple of seconds before its head disappeared beneath the water. Ripples had spread out, deeper into the lake as Unfey had swam away.


    Loch had been lost in thought, plans and ideas swirling in his mind. There had to be a way to solve the Silver Bark problem. Thor¡¯s words had to be the key. Loch kept coming back to Unfey.


    ¡°Come quick,¡± Piper shouted, waving from the corner of the school.


    Standing up, stretching, Loch waved back. What had her so excited this early.


    ¡°Hurry up,¡± she shouted, Cerie hovering just over her shoulder.


    There was no panic or fear in Piper¡¯s shouting, just pure excitement. Loch picked up his pace.


    ¡°Larry¡¯s back,¡± she said, practically hopping, as Loch joined her.


    Together they jogged around the side of the school, heading for the front where a large crowd gathered at the wall and the opening. People were up on the catwalk, leaving very little space.


    ¡°And he brought friends,¡± Piper said, running ahead of Loch.


    He wondered what she meant, heading for the gate in the wall. He could see Brian and Drew standing on the wall, near the gate. Brian looked back, sensing Loch¡¯s approach. Now that he was a Bannerman, Brian always had a general idea where Loch was. If he concentrated, Loch could sense a general direction for each of the new Bannerman. He wasn¡¯t sure he liked that aspect of the bond.


    Loch waved at the large man, who just nodded, turning his attention back to the other side. Looking around for Harper, Loch couldn¡¯t see her. He assumed she was already out of the gate. Taking his hand, Piper pulled him along, wanting him to go faster.


    He gave in, jogging after his youngest. They passed through the gate, stepping into the cleared killing field outside. The jagged chunks of asphalt, holes and cracks remained. Defensive measures to control access and speed of anyone attacking, while defenders had open ground to fire arrows and spells into.


    Standing on the other side of the field, on the old road, was a collection of horses, a wagon and what looked like two cows. Along with over a dozen people. Loch couldn¡¯t count the horses as they milled together but he recognized Larry at the front of the group, with a huge black stallion next to him. Harper was already at the horse, leaning in close and rubbing his nose. Davis was talking with a man at the head of two horses that were pulling the wagon. The rest of the newcomers were off to the side, a couple with swords and spears, the rest huddled together nervously.


    The large black horse looked at Loch. Even fifty feet away, Loch could feel the power in that stare. It wasn¡¯t hostile. There was a sense of recognition.


    WAR STORM STALLION


    Evaluate felt like the huge horse was Level Twenty or so. Larry felt the same, maybe a little weaker. Which was odd as Larry was clearly in charge of the herd. Even from where he was, Loch could see that. The black horse was larger than Larry, who had grown from his Adaption. Where Larry was now the size of a Clydesdale, the black horse had started out that size of bigger before being Adapted.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± Davis said, turning and stepping to the side so Loch could see the other man, who raised an eyebrow at the Lord title.


    Loch sighed, once again hating it.


    ¡°This is Liam Doherty,¡± Davis continued.


    ¡°Morning,¡± Liam said, reaching up to tip the brim of the cowboy hat he wore.


    ¡°He came up from Deerfield with about a dozen people, some horses and cows,¡± Davis added, excitedly pointing at the two cows.


    Loch was excited too. Cows meant milk and beef. As it was only two cows, that meant there wouldn¡¯t be much milk and no beef, but it was still something they hadn¡¯t had.


    ¡°We were planning on heading to Concord,¡± Liam said, taking a step forward and holding out a hand that Loch took. ¡°But then met that fella at the 107 intersection,¡± he continued, pointing at Larry. ¡°Horse wouldn¡¯t let us go anywhere but this direction. I had a feeling about coming in, so wasn¡¯t that hard to follow the horse¡¯s suggestion.¡±


    Loch was surprised at how easily Liam seemed to be handling the situation. Cerie had told him that the Clanhold gave off an aura that unclanned could feel, letting them know a Clanhold was near. To survivors it felt like a call to safety. But if not for Larry, it seemed Liam would have ignored that call.


    Releasing Liam¡¯s hand, Loch reached out and patted Larry on the nose.


    ¡°Seems you and the young lady know this fellow?,¡± Liam asked.


    ¡°His name is Larry,¡± Harper answered. ¡°He used to be stabled across from our house.¡±


    ¡°When I met him, he had six of the horses with him, including that big one,¡± Liam said, pointing at the black horse.


    Somehow knowing he was being talked about, the giant horse lifted a hoof, slamming into the ground, which caused the earth to shake. Not enough to knock anyone over, but enough that they all felt it. A couple of Liam¡¯s people gasped, grabbing each other for comfort.


    ¡°I know horses, been a cowboy for most of my life,¡± Liam continued. ¡°And my new Wrangler Class gives me some more sense of what¡¯s been done to the animals since the¡­,¡± he waved his hand, indicating everything around them.


    ¡°The Connection,¡± Loch supplied.


    Liam tilted his head, mouthing the word, digesting it.


    ¡°The Connection,¡± he said again, audible this time. ¡°Odd name for the end of the world,¡± he shrugged. ¡°But since I got this Class, I can sense the power level of an animal. Those two,¡± he pointed at Larry and the black horse. ¡°They¡¯re damn powerful. Sorry about the language,¡± he ended, nodding at Harper.


    ¡°No problem,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°Dads said worse.¡±


    Loch ignored that.


    ¡°I take it you and the others are looking for a place to shelter?,¡± he said, returning his attention to Liam.


    ¡°That we are. Been on the road for awhile. With this crew, the horses and cows, weren¡¯t able to stop and rest in many houses along the way. Didn¡¯t feel right staying in someone else¡¯s home either but we did it.¡±


    ¡°Space is crowded but we have it,¡± Loch said. ¡°Food too but it¡¯s rationed.¡±


    ¡°Hope you like chipmunk,¡± Davis said, chuckling.


    Loch glared at him. The teen just shrugged. Liam looked confused.


    ¡°Nowadays, meat is meat. We aren¡¯t going to be too picky,¡± Liam said. ¡°But you have to kill a lot of them to get anything.¡±


    ¡°Not the Mutated ones,¡± Davis said. ¡°Those things are the size of dogs and really, it¡¯s not that bad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. We do have some food,¡± Liam said, pointing at the wagon. ¡°But mostly stuff for the animals. The young fellow,¡± he pointed at Davis, ¡°was pretty excited to see the cows. Take it you don¡¯t have any?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Loch said, looking at the animals. They appeared to be in good shape. ¡°We just managed to find some chickens but it¡¯ll be awhile before get eggs and fresh meat. There¡¯s a lot of us here and we gotta grow the flock.¡±


    Liam glanced back at the two cows.


    ¡°These won¡¯t help much¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a start,¡± Loch said.


    Loch looked back at the jagged and cracked ground. There was no way to get the wagon and animals over it. When they¡¯d decided to leave it that way, the intent had been to prevent charging armies. They hadn¡¯t thought about wagons or horses needing to enter the schoolyard.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to go the long way,¡± Loch said, pointing toward the fields.


    ¡°Got some crops growing,¡± Liam said, motioning to his people.


    He grabbed the reins of the two horses, getting them to turn.


    ¡°Barely enough,¡± Loch admitted. ¡°I won¡¯t lie. We have shelter and food but it¡¯s not the best and not a lot.¡±


    ¡°Better than what we¡¯ve had,¡± Liam said with a sad chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re rebuilding at least, that¡¯s something. Gotta start somewhere.¡±


    Loch laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s slow but we¡¯re progressing. The one requirement we have is that everyone has to work in some capacity.¡±


    ¡°This group isn¡¯t shy when it comes to work,¡± Liam said. ¡°We all worked on the same farm and got some skills that I think will be useful. Ol¡¯ Clyde there is a blacksmith.¡±


    Loch stopped walking, making everyone else stop. He turned to look at the man that Liam had pointed out. A large man, heavily muscled with thick black hair and beard, carrying a sledge hammer over his shoulder. Both hammer heads were dried red. He looked at Loch nervously.


    Loch was smiling.

 Chapter 218 (4.47)

    ¡°These two¡­,¡± Liam said, shaking his head, waving at Larry and the giant black horse. ¡°I don¡¯t know about them. By rights that black brute should be the leader of the herd but he defers to Larry. And it¡¯s not just the size, but the strength¡­.¡±


    He trailed off, whistling.


    Loch nodded, agreeing. The two horses gave off incredibly strong auras. Larry was a little weaker than the black horse, which should have let the black horse lead but instead he let Larry lead, serving as a kind of bodyguard or second-in-command. In many ways, it reminded Loch of the way Brian Jefferson followed him. Not that Brian was as strong as Loch.


    From what Liam had said, in the couple of days his group had followed Larry and the small herd, it wasn¡¯t just normal herd life. Because of the cows and the wagon, the going had been incredibly slow for the group, taking longer than it would have if they had just walked. But there had been valuable gear in the wagon. It had given time for Larry and the herd to show off just how much things had changed for them in this new world.


    A couple of times monsters had come out of the woods on either side of the road. Larry had behaved like a general, controlling the actions of the other horses, directing where to attack and how to defend. Liam, who had been around horses his entire life, had never seen anything like it. Some of the horses surrounded the wagon and people, forming a defensive line, while Larry and the big black tore into the monsters.


    And when Liam had said tore, he had meant it. Loch hadn¡¯t seen what the new Adapted Larry could do, but Liam had said it was amazing. And scary. The big black was even more terrifying.


    Loch was interested in learning more about the big black.


    He stood with Liam in one of the small grass areas that had not been given over to crops, looking at the small herd of horses. Twelve of them. Larry was in the back with Harper. Piper, Cerie following alongside, was stroking the side of one of the smaller horses. A brown and white mare. That one hadn¡¯t looked like she¡¯d grown when being Adapted, but when Loch had used Evaluate on her, she felt almost as strong as Larry.


    SWIFT STORM MARE


    Out of the herd, those were the three most powerful. There were a couple others that seemed to have changed but the rest were still horses, feeling the same as they would have Pre-Connection.


    He found it interesting that the three were all variations of Storm, whatever that meant. Cerie had said that the area had a lightning affinity and it would affect some of the creatures. It seemed to have affected the horses when they Adapted.


    Loch could hear the sound of building as a barn was quickly being erected. Progress on the barracks had been stopped the day after Liam and his group had arrived. The barn was needed to shelter the cows and horses. It took priority.


    The first night having the cows tied up in the fields, Mutated Coyotes had attacked from the woods. That was a regular occurrence, but these had run straight for the cows, not probing the edges of the schoolyard or going after the crops. They hadn¡¯t gotten close to the cows before the Guards had put them down. The guards had barely beat Larry and the big black to the monsters. Both horses had rushed to protect the cows. They hadn¡¯t gone far since. The herd surrounded the cows, with Larry and the other two Storm horses patrolling the edges.


    In the few days they¡¯d been there, Loch had seen the evidence that the three were different. They were smarter, faster, stronger.


    And more dangerous.


    Especially the giant black, the War Storm Stallion.


    It stared at Loch as he stared at it. Both sized each other up. The horse lowered its head, almost nodding at Loch. He smiled, understanding the gesture as acceptance. He walked forward, the War Storm Stallion also moving. They stopped a couple feet from each other. Loch reached out, running his hand up and down the horse¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Where did Larry find you?,¡± Loch asked, knowing he wouldn¡¯t get an answer.


    The horse chuffed, stamping a fur clad hoof. The ground shook slightly.


    ¡°That was probably an answer but I don¡¯t speak horse.¡±


    The horse chuffed again. Loch laughed. A loud whoop caught his attention. Turning, he saw Harper riding Larry. It had been years since he¡¯d seen her ride a horse and it didn¡¯t look like she¡¯d forgotten. Even if there was no saddle.


    Larry didn¡¯t seem to mind. He pranced around the field, head held high. Harper held on with just her legs, hands raised as she yelled excitedly.


    A second yell of excitement came from Piper. Somehow she¡¯d gotten onto the mare¡¯s back. She wasn¡¯t as steady as Harper, but managed to keep herself from falling off. The mare moved slower than Larry, a little more uncertain.


    Loch felt a nudge on his shoulders, strong enough to make him stumble. The War Storm Stallion looked at him, raising its head.


    ¡°You want me to ride you?¡±


    The horse moved its head up and down.


    Loch looked at his girls and then back to the horse. It dwarfed him in size and presence. The War Storm Stallion was a beast. He¡¯d taken some riding lessons when the girls did, but had never got as into it. Kelly had been the rider. She¡¯d grown up with horses, riding for decades, and gotten the girls lessons when younger. The idea had been for the whole family to go on one of those riding vacations.


    It had never happened. Life just got in the way.


    The girls had the largest smiles on their faces. Loch hadn¡¯t seen them that happy in a very long time. Smiles of unbridled joy, a release of cares.


    The War Storm Stallion nudged Loch again.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a very long time,¡± Loch said, walking around the side of the horse.


    He ran his hand along the animal¡¯s sleek fur. He could feel the muscles of the horse, feel the power from its core. Something about it resonated with Loch. He could feel a static charge coming from the horse.


    No saddle meant no stirrups or horn to use to help pull himself up. He¡¯d never ridden a horse without one. Watching the girls, how natural they looked without saddles, he didn¡¯t think they¡¯d ever ridden without one either but it didn¡¯t seem to matter. How had they mounted the horses? Harper could have just jumped or Shadowskipped. But Piper? The mare wasn¡¯t that big, compared to Larry and the black, but still too tall for Piper to pull herself up. There was no one around that could have given her a hand. Had she jumped?


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.Placing his hand on the War Stallion¡¯s back, Loch used it to hold himself steady, to provide guidance. Taking a deep breath, He pushed up with his legs. Rising high enough, he used his hand to swing himself over the horse, landing with both legs straddling the body.


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe that worked,¡± Liam said.


    Loch looked down, far down, at the other man. Liam was about Loch¡¯s height, but he looked short from on top of the giant black horse. The horse stomped its hooves, eager to get going. Shrugging, Loch grabbed some mane, being careful to not pull it.


    Not liking having reins, Loch wasn¡¯t sure about giving the horse control. He could see the girls enjoying their rides, both coming closer now that they¡¯d seen him on the black. They appeared safe enough. The family had known Larry for years. The girls had never ridden him, but they¡¯d spent time with him almost everyday they¡¯d lived in Northwood. He was unsure about the mare, but she seemed to be following Larry¡¯s lead. Piper looked happy enough.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Harper said, huge smile on her face. ¡°This is awesome.¡±


    ¡°Can we go for a ride?,¡± Piper asked, also smiling.


    Cerie, sitting on her shoulder, didn¡¯t look as thrilled.


    Loch looked down at the black, whose head had turned. His large eye focused on Loch, who felt the connection being formed. He felt he could trust the horse. It wouldn¡¯t intentionally cause him harm, and would fight to protect his family and people. Loch smiled, patting the horse¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ***


    Loch smiled, feeling the wind against his face as he leaned close to the big black¡¯s neck. He held on to the mane, legs tight, but didn¡¯t feel like he was in any danger of falling off. The horse raced down the broken street, easily jumping the jagged and pushed up sections, leaping the cracks and avoiding the small dents. It never lost its footing. Loch had been nervous at first, without the reins or a saddle and with the speed of the horse, but it didn¡¯t take long to gain confidence and trust in the animal.


    The mare Piper rode was the fastest, easily outpacing Larry and the black. They had pulled ahead but before Loch could yell anything, not even sure Piper would hear him as she was lost in the ride and the wind, Larry neighed. That sound carried, the mare easily hearing it. She slowed, allowing the others to catch up. The big black was the slowest, but Loch had a feeling it could also run the longest. There was such strength in the animal.


    They headed east out of the schoolyard and it hadn¡¯t taken long to get to the entrance to the Meadows. Loch was amazed at just how fast the Adapted horses were. They¡¯d always been faster than walking, but what he was experiencing was beyond that. The three horses seemed to communicate, knowing where each was going to be to avoid running into each other as they jumped, swerved and avoided all the obstructions in the ruined roads to try and find the best routes.


    Harper and Larry were in the lead as they reached the entrance to the Meadows. She pointed at the road, looking over her shoulder at Loch. He nodded. That was all she needed, spurring Larry on. The horse shot off, turning off Route 4 and into the Meadows parking lot.


    There had been no reports of the Phoenix returning since Loch and others had killed them weeks ago. The parking lot had been mostly empty any time a scavenging team would wander by. They¡¯d seen deer, chipmunks and other animals. Both Mutated and not. But nothing that was that aggressive. The hunters had gone through the Meadows a couple of times. They¡¯d found tracks and game animals, but nothing that dangerous.


    The metal gate that had prevented cars from going down the wide main trail, what had used to be a dirt road, had disappeared. Been taken by the Worldcore. It had been replaced by fallen trees. Lots of them, the entrance looking like it was blocked.


    Loch wasn¡¯t sure how they¡¯d get through, wanting to signal to the girls to move into the parking lot and take a side trail, but the horses didn¡¯t want to stop. He could hear Harper¡¯s loud woops of joy as Larry jumped the first tree, the two ducking under another just before leaping over two. In the air, Larry¡¯s rear hooves touched down on a wide trunk, pushing off to propel them over more.


    The mare took her first jump, barely touching down between two fallen trunks before leaping again. She landed, twisting to the side and running along the trunk before leaping into the air again. Where Larry jumped his way through, the mare danced.


    Loch had an idea how the big black stallion would handle the obstacles. The smaller and thinner branches and trunks were shattered under the horse¡¯s hooves as he jumped and landed, pushing through branches before leaping over larger trunks. Loch leaned in closer, as splinters exploded in the air around them. None seemed to hurt the brute.


    Clearing the fallen trees, the three horses picked up their speed. Unlike the road, filled with broken pavement, the hard packed dirt road was in decent shape. Loch had walked the Meadows dozens of times, ridden mountain bikes a couple of times, but never horses. There had always been horses in the meadows, trailered in for rides on the roads and trails. He¡¯d never imagined he¡¯d be riding a horse through the familiar trails.


    Mostly familiar. He could see areas where the distance had increased when the world had grown. But for the most part, it was what he¡¯d recognized. He caught a glimpse of the old car that had been in the woods for decades, unknown how it¡¯d gotten there.


    They turned right, riding down the hill, the lake coming into view on the left. Loch could barely make out the area where they¡¯d been not that long ago, before heading to Demon Pond. The lake was so much larger now. They went uphill, turning left instead of following the road further up where it would end up looping back around. One more left and the horses starting to slow as they approached the water¡¯s edge.


    The three Bradys dismounted, letting the horses walk to the water. All three heads bent down, lapping at the water. Loch looked around, somewhat surprised that the picnic table which had always been there had disappeared. He didn¡¯t think any of the scavengers had come down this far to grab it. The table had been big and heavy. They could have used the wood, but there wasn¡¯t enough for the effort it would have taken. The Worldcore must have taken it.


    Piper reached into the Spatial Bag, taking out a couple bottles of water and some jerky.


    ¡°Not what we would normally bring to a picnic,¡± she said, handing them out.


    ¡°This is perfect,¡± Loch said, both girls smiling.


    They all knew it wasn¡¯t. Kelly was missing and the food wasn¡¯t anything special. But all three realized how good the moment really was. With all the fighting, danger and stress, just having the time to relax made it worth it.


    ¡°What are you guys going to name them?,¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Name who?,¡± Piper replied.


    ¡°The horses,¡± Harper laughed. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious they¡¯re yours.¡±


    Loch hadn¡¯t really thought about it, but Harper was right. He¡¯d felt a connection with the big black, and Piper had been drawn to the Mare. There had already been a connection with Larry, but that had carried over to the other two. He looked at Piper, watching her study the horse. Through the years, Loch had always loved the names Piper had come up with for her stuffed animals and dolls. There had been a doll that had started out as Chocolate, the name changing to Castle Unicorn for a while. There had been three or four stuffed unicorns named Uni.


    ¡°Swift,¡± Piper said.


    Loch chuckled. A typical Piper name.


    He looked at the black. What could he name such an animal? When had been the last time he¡¯d named anything? Decades.


    The name had to be strong, powerful. Nothing corny. Not fancy as the horse seemed wild, barely tamed. Loch knew he didn¡¯t control the horse, the horse did what it wanted. It wasn¡¯t a leader, deferring to Larry, even though it could have been. The horse was a protector, using its strength to defend the rest of the herd and even those not of the herd, like the cows.


    In many ways, it was like Loch himself.


    ¡°Jarl,¡± he said.


    The big black lifted its head, looking at Loch. It chuffed, nodding, going back to drinking. Loch took that to mean he liked the name.

 Chapter 219 (4.48)

    ¡°If Northwood to Concord was about twenty minutes by car,¡± Loch said, looking at a map spread across the meeting table. ¡°And we estimate the world has grown at least five times its prior size¡­,¡± he trailed off, running a finger down Route 4 to the west, a straight shot from Northwood to Concord.


    ¡°As I said, it¡¯s not going to be consistent,¡± Cerie said from where she sat on the edge of the map. She stood up, walking over to where Loch¡¯s fingers ran along the streets. ¡°In the more wooded areas like Northwood, two to three times growth will be common. But in the more urban areas, congested with houses, it will be far less if none at all.¡±


    She walked over to Concord, which by the way the streets were laid out on the map was obviously a city. Loch had detailed the towns and urban growth between Northwood and the New Hampshire capital. He knew the stretch of road very well, having driven it almost daily for decades. He knew the more built-up areas and the more wooded. When the map had first been brought out, he¡¯d gone over that with Cerie.


    ¡°About fifteen miles,¡± Loch said. ¡°It takes us over a day to travel what used to be five miles or so,¡± he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that¡¯s even possible but it is¡­¡±


    ¡°Not just the distance,¡± Kyle said, the leader of the Clan¡¯s hunters invited to the meeting. Out of the entire Clan, Loch included, it was Kyle that probably did the most traveling in the surrounding area and felt the increased distance the most. ¡°The conditions of the road and the woods have changed. It¡¯s harder to walk. Not physically but..,¡± he trailed off and just shrugged, not having the words.


    But Loch knew what he meant. The roads were in horrible condition. It made traveling them slowly, even with their Adapted bodies. Add in having to keep watch on the surrounding words, and the occasional fight with monsters. It just took longer to get anywhere. Even in the woods, which didn¡¯t have the ruined roads, but had more monsters and other dangers. They just couldn¡¯t walk many miles in a day.


    They had always estimated that it would take weeks, maybe even a month, to walk to Concord now. Maybe even longer because who knew what was between Northwood and New Hampshire¡¯s capital. Loch remembered the chasm that had opened up almost beneath their car the day the Connection appeared. No one had gone as far as that chasm yet, and no one had come from any of the towns beyond it. They didn¡¯t know how long the crack in the earth was.


    There could be another one somewhere west on Route 4. Concord may not even exist anymore. Monsters could have a nest on the road. Invaders could have a camp. Anything could be there.


    Loch had always known that eventually they¡¯d have to make the trip and establish contact with other communities. Either bring them into Clan Brady or ally if there were already other Clans. It had always been something in the future, the length of travel so daunting.


    As was the lack of being able to communicate.


    But now? It might not be as bad. The trip would still take a lot of time but instead of weeks, it might only be a week. Lots of unknowns.


    ¡°The horses can cover two or three times the miles we can,¡± Liam said. ¡°At least the Storm Stallions and Mares.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand it. Larry didn¡¯t father Jarl, Swift or any of the others that he found, but somehow they all Adapted the same way. Becoming a Storm Horse made them stronger and faster, along with their other Abilities.¡±


    Loch still hadn¡¯t seen the horses fight, but Liam had described the Abilities he had seen. They all had some form of lightning attacks, along with stun attacks caused by stomping on the ground. Swift was faster, able to move in bursts. Larry and Jarl probably had more, but no one had seen them unleashed yet.


    ¡°So if fifteen miles is now fifty or so,¡± Loch prompted.


    ¡°Without moving in bursts, depending on conditions,¡± Liam started to answer, tapping a finger against his chin as he thought. ¡°Say they can do ten miles a day,¡± he finally said.


    Loch smiled. That had been the answer he had been looking for.


    ¡°That¡¯s only the Storm Horses,¡± Liam said. ¡°The others, like my ol¡¯ Tobias, can¡¯t keep up that pace on those roads.¡±


    ¡°And we only have a half dozen,¡± Loch said.


    He sighed, standing up straighter. Even with his Adapted body, leaning over the table peering at the map, had strained his back. He didn¡¯t feel it like he would have Pre-Connection and maybe it was a phantom pain, something he expected to still feel so he did. Either way, Loch stretched.


    ¡°Still not something we¡¯re going to attempt anytime soon,¡± he said as Kyle folded up the map. ¡°But it¡¯s moved up the list. Once we have the communication issue solved¡­¡±


    ***


    Loch walked out of the room. He could hear Kyle and Liam talking quietly. Out in the hallway, Loch saw Ed Turner leaving the other meeting room. They¡¯d started doing some renovation work in the school, now that they¡¯d managed to move some people out, allowing them to change the existing structure to serve their new needs. Ed had been in a planning meeting, working out how to enlarge and reorganize the school and outbuildings.


    ¡°How¡¯d it go?,¡± Loch asked as Ed started to walk by, not paying attention.


    ¡°Huh? Oh.. Loch,¡± Ed said, coming to a stop, looking embarrassed. ¡°Sorry, was lost in thought.¡±


    ¡°Meeting was that good?¡±


    ¡°Yes but uhm¡­ no, I was thinking of Mike,¡± Ed admitted. ¡°He¡¯s been acting strange lately.¡±


    ¡°How so?,¡± Loch asked, motioning for Ed to lead as they walked the short distance to the offices.


    ¡°He¡¯s more aloof. Barely spends any time with Susan and I. Always hanging out with that caster from his adventuring party. Theodore I think his name is.¡±


    Loch opened the door to the offices, letting Ed walk in first. Following, he let the door close. Theodore. The man¡¯s name was coming up a lot lately. Some of the newcomers had been talking about him, even some of the older Clanmembers. Mostly those that were laborers. Loch had always had an odd feeling about the man. Still couldn¡¯t tell why.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy doing what he¡¯s doing,¡± Loch said, having a hard time believing he was defending Michael Turner.


    ¡°Your girls seem to be handling it just fine.¡±


    Loch had no answer for that.


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Ed said, stopping at the doorway into his office. ¡°The meeting went good but we¡¯re running out of space again.¡±


    Kristin was sitting at her desk, turning her chair to look at Ed. Loch leaned against the counter. The day-to-day running of the Clan and the Clanhold was Ed¡¯s department. Now that there were wider concerns with the Silver Bark, finding more Resource mines, eventually getting to Concord, and more Dungeons, Loch could focus on that stuff and let Ed run the Clanhold.


    ¡°We just moved the last family into the completed bunkhouse and already filled up the space they vacated,¡± Ed sighed. ¡°We can¡¯t build them fast enough. The schoolyard has space for one more bunkhouse and maybe we can squeeze in one half the size.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.¡°Is that with moving anything else planned for that area,¡± Kristin asked, notebook already open with pen ready to write.


    ¡°Thankfully, no.¡±


    Ed moved out of the doorway, taking one of the spare chairs near Kristin and Lochs desks. He leaned back, hands joined behind his head.


    ¡°The crafting stations are going in behind the school, between it and the lake. There¡¯s not enough area there, and it slopes too much, to build more bunkhouses. But between the school and the outbuilding where they¡¯re building the wall? All the space is used up.¡± Ed sighed, shaking his head. ¡°We made a mistake with the placement of the first buildings. We built them too far back.¡±


    ¡°The plan was to keep the space between them and the dungeon open for future wagon travel,¡± Kristin said, tapping a pencil against her notebook.


    ¡°We should have just made the call to have them drive by on the other side of the Dungeon,¡± Ed said. ¡°We could have used that space.¡±


    ¡°No use regretting it now,¡± Loch said. ¡°What are the solutions?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re coming up with some plans for two or three story bunkhouses,¡± Ed replied. ¡°But the solution is to start building past the walls.¡±


    Loch shook his head, not liking that idea. It would happen eventually, but it still felt too soon. There were still too many monsters roaming the woods around the school. Mutated Chipmunks, Coyotes and Ticks were common, coming out of the trees a couple times a day. That didn¡¯t even account for threats like the gaunts. The Silver Bark were out there. Giants, hobs, frogmen and so much more.


    The walls weren¡¯t much protection, but they were protection. Anything built outside them wouldn¡¯t have anything defensive at all. Those people would be vulnerable. They could move the walls, but most of it was already built. Secondary walls?


    That was how villages in medieval times were built. There was the castle with a wall, then the village with more walls around that. As the village grew, the wall would move outward and expand. It went back to the same problems they¡¯d been having.


    Manpower and resources.


    ¡°The good news,¡± Ed said, smiling, ¡°is that we¡¯re starting to have a surplus of labor. With the recent newcomers, we¡¯ve gotten about a dozen more workers and over a dozen fighters. Barely any of those fighters want to be adventurers, but they are willing to be guards. Darren is already working on increasing the patrol ranges. We need to have guards go all the way down to the fire pond and the new smithy, so the plan would be to build new bunkhouses along that route.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been long enough since the Connection, that anyone still traveling the roads now will have a lot of fighting experience,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°We could run into the opposite problem of what we have now,¡± Kristin said. ¡°Too many guards and not enough workers.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully it levels out,¡± Loch said. ¡°At some point we¡¯ll need more civilians than guards or adventurers.¡±


    ¡°If it follows trends like it did Pre-Connection,¡± Kristin pointed out. ¡°But this is a new world so¡­,¡± she shrugged.


    Loch nodded. Cerie had told them that eventually the monsters nearby would thin out, no longer coming near the growing community. That would allow them to expand past the school grounds with homes and more fields. Having grown up in already established towns and cities, places that had been around for hundreds of years, Elora had only stories about when the Silver Bark and other Clans had first established those towns. They had grown just as Clan Brady¡¯s was. A small Clanhold that expanded. Sometimes the Clanhold would even move to a better location.


    Loch feared they might end up having to do that.


    Modern society hadn¡¯t been built like the old, especially in rural areas like Northwood. There was no town center, with blocks of buildings built around it. Northwood was spread out. Homes on multiple acres, space between them. Aligned down both sides of streets. No square blocks, or homes close together around a central point. There wasn¡¯t enough land nearby to start building townhouses or small homes clustered around a central point. For that, they¡¯d have to go pretty far from the school.


    There were the recfields or Bow Lake Field, which were closer just up Bow Lake Road. There was plenty of space to expand there. There had once been entire villages in the space that Bow Lake Field had. And there would already be a decent amount of traffic down Bow Lake Road. The Smithy was being built next to the fire pond and the trail to the mine was just up the road, almost across from the entrance to Bow Lake Field.


    He¡¯d heard people talking about moving back into the still standing homes, the ones along Route 4 and the closer side streets like Bow Lake and Harmony. Loch had thought about moving back to their house but dismissed the idea. Not just because of the memories of Kelly. The Ranking Board showed she was still alive, but didn¡¯t tell them where.


    The house was just too far away. And there was the spawn field.


    Spreading out was a mistake. If people started occupying the homes along Route 4, there would be no way to protect them all. And it would take too much time to get back and forth.


    Loch liked the idea of expanding into Bow Lake Field. They could build a wall around the acreage and start building small homes. If they planned it right, they could fit a lot of homes along with park places, taverns and some larger buildings, maybe even shops for the crafters. Move the living areas to Bow Lake Field and really turn the school building into a new version of a castle.


    And Bow Lake Field wasn¡¯t that far from the school. If attacked, a force of guards could get there relatively quickly.


    ¡°Do we have a scalable map with Bow Lake Field?,¡± he asked.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Kristin answered, pulling up one of her communication notebooks. She started writing in it, sending a message to one of her many assistants. ¡°I¡¯ll see if we can track one down. Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where we expand to,¡± Loch answered. ¡°Get the planners and start seeing what they can do with the space. Tell them to make it a real village.¡±


    ¡°Not just homes?,¡± Ed asked.


    ¡°No. Everything. Park, fountains, shops, tavern.¡±


    Kristin made a couple more notes. Ed looked thoughtful, fingers tapping on the arm of his chair.


    ¡°What¡¯s the status of the construction projects?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°The buildings at the mine are behind schedule,¡± Ed admitted. ¡°Because of the available resources, we can only devote workers and guards there for a couple days before needing to bring them back and send out the next shift. So there¡¯s days of downtime. The barn and bunkhouse at the dump for the chickens is almost done.¡± Ed stopped, glancing at Kristin.


    She set aside the communication notebook, pulling out another one. Loch was amazed at how her Skills allowed her to keep track of everything in the many notebooks she had. She¡¯d shown him the notes once. Secretaries once used shorthand to take notes, allowing them to write quicker and then translate it later. Kristin¡¯s writing was along those lines. It wasn¡¯t code, but more like shorthand. Short word and letter combinations that would trigger her memory and translate into the full sentences. But it was only stuff she could understand. It was gibberish to anyone else.


    ¡°The smithy is almost done,¡± she said. ¡°Having Clyde Baxter join the Clan was huge. He¡¯s helped get the final pieces needed constructed. We should be able to start smithing in a couple of days.¡± She paused, holding up a hand to stall the excitement. ¡°But it won¡¯t be weapons and armor. Not yet. Clyde says he doesn¡¯t have recipes for any of that. We¡¯re looking through the books taken from the library to see if there¡¯s anything that can help. Cerie says it¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±


    ¡°Everything is a matter of time,¡± Loch grumbled.


    ¡°What else is on your agenda?,¡± Ed asked, standing up.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Loch answered.


    He shot up, looking around. First out the window, then through the glass doors into the lobby. Ed followed his gaze, looking at Kristin when he didn¡¯t see anything. She shrugged, both looking confused at Loch. She started to speak but he held up a finger.


    A minute turned to two before Loch seemed to relax.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s safe now,¡± he said.


    The door into the office burst open, a guard breathing heavy, eyes wide as he tried to speak.


    ¡°They found another one,¡± he finally managed to get out.


    Loch sighed.

 Chapter 220 (4.49)

    The group turned onto Harvey Lake Road.


    It had taken about an hour to get everyone assembled, another couple to hike to the road. A small group, Loch and his normal party along with one of the scavengers that had come back to the school with the news. Out of the five man team, three had rushed back, with the stuff they¡¯d managed to get so far, leaving the other two at the discovery.


    The first few houses had already been scavenged of everything. They had been hit two or three times. First for the priority items, second for things like clothing, books, games and anything that had been missed the first time. Now it was the larger items. Mattresses, easy to move shelving units, furniture. There were bunkhouses and classrooms to fill.


    Working their way deeper, the scavengers were taking longer since the bigger items were harder to get back to the school. There had been two teams working the area, since Harvey Lake Road had a lot of side streets that connected with a longer one that had all the waterfront homes. It was a small area, but there were a lot of houses. The other team had gone to the far end, working their way back towards Route 4. It was that team that had found the Dungeon.


    Another Resource Dungeon.


    It was another hour of walking before the pavement gave way to dirt. All the sideroads had been dirt. The pavement ended at the top of a hill, the road curving, turning from Harvey Lake Road to another one that Loch could never remember the name of. They reached the next intersection, a short street heading south.


    Jack, the scavenger leading them, stopped. He looked around nervously.


    ¡°Shane should be here,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°What?,¡± Loch asked, coming to stand next to the man.


    Harper walked a little head, looking around at the ground. Elora shifted further down the road they had been on. Glancing back, Loch saw Brian drifting to take the rear. Piper and Julia stayed where they were. Jenny should have been moving in front of the two, but she was no longer there. No one was there to guard Julia and Piper. His group was down a member.


    Loch knew they¡¯d have to replace Jenny but he just didn¡¯t want to.


    He focused on the intersection. The ground was torn up, with so many jagged cracks they had to step over them, some a good six inches wide. Where paved roads had chunks pushed up, the hard packed dirt roads were cracked. They had encountered sinkholes on some dirt roads. He tried to look for tracks, but couldn¡¯t see anything.


    ¡°When George and I ran back to grab you, Shane was going to wait here to keep an eye out with Lucas and Mac at the Dungeon.¡±


    ¡°How far to the Dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Just around that corner,¡± Jack said, pointing up the sideroad.


    ¡°Harper, Elora, see anything?,¡± Loch asked, keeping his voice low.


    ¡°Nothing here,¡± the elf answered.


    ¡°I think these might be drag marks,¡± Harper answered, pointing to the side.


    Loch joined her. Two lines were lightly carved into the road, little berms of dirt on either side as something had been dragged and pushed it up. There were gaps, the lines not continuous, and not straight. The lines looked like drag marks.


    They led off the road, onto grass, disappearing. There had once been a house on the corner, now gone, a large clump of bushes in its place. Loch stepped off the road, Onyx in hand, approaching the bushes. He thought some of the grass looked broken and pushed down. More dragging?


    The bushes were about five feet high, thick growth that formed a wall. Fifteen feet long, six feet deep. Loch saw nothing as he walked around them. There didn¡¯t even seem to be any more drag marks that he could see. The woods started about twenty feet. Thick growth of trees. He moved closer, spotting something and hoping he was wrong.


    He wasn¡¯t.


    A body lay about ten feet into the trees, partially concealed. If he hadn¡¯t been actively trying to look for something or had a lower Perception stat, he would have missed it. Leaves had been piled over it, the constant wind pushing some away to reveal a leg and booted foot.


    Loch cursed.


    He didn¡¯t approach closer, fearing the body would be trapped. They couldn¡¯t deal with it at the moment either. He hated thinking like that. An animal could come along and destroy the body before they could return to take it back for burial. But he couldn¡¯t do anything.


    Still cursing, he ran back to the others. His group could tell from his expression what he¡¯d found. Even Harper and Piper, his youngest reaching a hand up to cover her mouth. Harper shifting into a defensive stance.


    ¡°What?,¡± Jack asked, looking confused. ¡°What did you find?¡±


    ¡°Take us to the Dungeon,¡± Loch said. ¡°Now.¡±


    ***


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Piper cried out, Julia reaching over and pulling the young girl in close, turning her away. Loch wanted to go to his daughter, to grab Harper as well, but couldn¡¯t. He needed to look at what was in front of them. He couldn¡¯t look away.


    The new Dungeon wasn¡¯t in a cave or a hill, it was formed where two trees had fallen against each other, branches hanging down, leaving one small area bare. It was shadowed, the backside of the canopy fallen to prevent any light from shining though. The entrance would have been easy to miss.


    What wasn¡¯t easy to miss were the two bodies outside.


    Tree trunks had been jammed into the ground, another running across and tied with vines. Hanging from the trunk were two bodies, vines wrapped around their necks. They swung in the strong breeze, wounds covering their bodies, the blood long dried up. Nothing had been taken from them. The pieces of armor, protective pads and even the swords remained.


    The killers saying that the gear was worthless.


    ¡°Julia,¡± Loch said, somehow keeping his voice calm. ¡°Take the girls back out of sight.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± she said. ¡°Piper, come on.¡±


    Her voice was gentle, calming. He couldn¡¯t see, but heard the shuffling of feet as Julia led Piper away. The quiet sobs cut into his heart. He gripped Onyx tighter, holding back the rage.


    The two men, Lucas and Mac, had been dead for a while. If Loch had to guess, he figured they¡¯d been killed as soon as Jack and the other two had left the Dungeon to run and get Loch.


    ¡°Harper,¡± Julia said. ¡°Come on, please.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Harper said, voice hard.


    Loch turned, seeing Harper standing about ten feet back, rigid, face filled with rage and hate. He¡¯d never seen such a look on her beautiful face, no matter how mad she¡¯d been. This was something new. She had her tonfas drawn, eyes fixed on the bodies.


    ¡°Harper..¡± he started.


    She just shook her head.


    He wanted to argue. To make her move. She didn¡¯t need to see the bodies. But it was too late. He could understand her rage, where it came from. He felt it too.


    Turning back, Loch approached the bodies. He could hear Jack puking in the bushes to the side.


    ¡°Brian, Elora, Harper, watch the woods,¡± he growled, wanting to shout and rage but keeping it in check. ¡°We¡¯re probably being watched.¡±


    Loch stopped, in front of the bodies, looking up at the structure of the tree trunks. He did his best to ignore that they were bodies, that they had been his Clanmembers, people that had chosen to follow him because they thought he¡¯d keep them safe. He wanted to laugh. Look how safe he¡¯d kept them. He wanted to destroy, but it wasn¡¯t the time and place.


    He pushed those thoughts down deep, focusing on what he could do now.


    Pushing against the posts, he realized they were deep. There was no movement. He¡¯d hoped that maybe he could pull them out, lowering the bodies to the ground. That wasn¡¯t going to happen, at least not easily. The vines were tightly woven, holding the crossbeam to the posts. There was really only one option to get the bodies down.


    Julia and Piper were further away, not quite around the bend, but far enough away that Julia could keep Piper from looking at the bodies, but not so far that help couldn¡¯t get to them if needed. Or they couldn¡¯t get to Loch if needed. Jack was no help. He had sat on the ground, knees tight to his chest, eyes closed. Brian was near Julia, standing in the middle of the world, turning from left to right, watching the woods. Elora and Harper had moved to the sides of the fallen trees, watching everywhere.


    ¡°Harper,¡± he said, hating that he was having her turn and look at the bodies. ¡°I need you to cut the vines when I tell you to, using your throwing knives.¡±


    Her eyes went from him to the vines, trying to avoid looking at the bodies. She sheathed her tonfas, drawing a small knife. She looked down at the blade, how tiny it was, then back at the vines. She nodded.


    Loch took a step toward the first body, hating that he didn¡¯t know if it was Lucas or Mac. Grabbing it, stopping the swinging, he called out.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    He felt the weight drop, the body almost sliding through his arms. Cursing, he grabbed harder, holding the body from falling to the ground. It was still awkward, the height such that he could only grab around the legs, the upper body wanting to lean over and pull them to the ground. Struggling, Loch managed to set the body down carefully.


    The poor man had been cut repeatedly. A couple were wounds from battle, but most were made after he had fallen. Loch just hoped he hadn¡¯t still been alive. This was clearly a message.


    Moving over to the second party, with Harper¡¯s help, he quickly got the other man down. Both bodies now lay on the ground, crisscrossed with wounds, the blood now dried and caked. Their eyes stared off into nothing. Crouching down, Loch slid fingers carefully over the eyes, closing both.


    He forced the rage back down. This had been unnecessary. Needlessly cruel. There was no evidence of who had killed the men but Loch knew. It had been the Silver Bark. The message was also clear. They were claiming the newly discovered Dungeon as theirs.


    It wasn¡¯t even a day¡¯s walk away from Loch¡¯s Clanhold. That added more to the message. It said that the Silver Bark were not afraid of Clan Brady. That anything Clan Brady had could and would be theirs. They had even crossed through most of his territory to get to this Dungeon. Coming through between the wall to the west and the Clanhold itself. Only an hour or two walk from the Clanhold. All of it was the message. It was meant to scare, to intimidate.


    Loch didn¡¯t feel scared. He felt angry.


    He stood up, moving over to the Dungeon entrance. He could feel the energy of the portal.


    ¡°Anyone have a blanket to cover them up with?,¡± he asked, not turning around, holding a hand close to the portal. He knew he wasn¡¯t an expert, but after sensing how all the other Dungeons they¡¯d come across felt, Loch was confident in this one. It was higher Level than the Painted Caves and Lynxia, but not as bad as the new Crone Dungeon. Level Ten to Fifteen felt like a good range. It felt more like a Resource Dungeon. But there was only one way to find out. ¡°Everyone stay outside, guard the entrance. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Loch stepped through the portal.

 Chapter 221 (4.50)

    Loch stood in a tunnel formed from tightly woven tree branches. They came down from above, forming the uneven walls. There were spots of green leaves visible through some of the gaps, some areas open that let light in. Onyx in hand, he moved cautiously down the hall.


    He knew this was a Resource Dungeon, there had been no notification like other Dungeons. No objectives to perform to clear it. That there had been no sample of what the Resource was, not outside at least, was a surprise.


    The tunnel wasn¡¯t long, ending in a large room with multiple other tunnels off it. All of it was formed by tree branches creating the walls and arched roof. Nothing was even about it, the shape strange, some parts of the roof lower. Light leaked through gaps in the branches. Vines snaked across the grassy uneven ground.


    A strange plant grew in the middle of the space. Walking toward it, Loch could see smaller plants growing along the walls with a couple of spots where thicker branches grew out from the wall. They all felt like nodes. He reached out to the large plant. It stood about six feet tall but was very skinny, only leaves at the bottom, the rest a thin green stem with little yellow buds all over for the top two feet. It vaguely looked like the strange plants that had grown in their backyard during the summer, dying by fall and then regrowing in a new location. He¡¯d never figured out what it was. The smaller ones were a wide variety of colors. Greens and purple leaves. Red, yellow and blue flowers. He was tempted to pick them but didn¡¯t have the right harvesting Skill and didn¡¯t want to risk ruining them, or setting off some kind of trap. Cerie had said that some Resource nodes, if not harvested right, could harm the person trying to claim them. He stepped away from the plant, looking around the room again. It was like a cavern, just made of vines.


    It was some kind of plant Resource Dungeon. He didn¡¯t see any monsters and didn¡¯t feel like exploring deeper. He wanted to. Killing monsters in a Dungeon would let him release some of his anger. It would be somewhat productive, but would take time he didn¡¯t have. Loch had just wanted to get an idea of what the Dungeon was and how valuable it would be.


    Most likely the Silver Bark had entered as well. Since Loch had been able to, that meant the Silver Bark hadn¡¯t cleared it, most likely doing the same thing he had. The elves were a worse threat than the gaunts had been. Those had just been mindless attackers. The Silver Bark were far more dangerous. They had grown up in the Connection. They had experience. The Levels might be capped, but as the Night Crone had shown, that didn¡¯t mean they were less dangerous.


    They didn¡¯t have the numbers compared to Clan Brady, but that didn¡¯t matter when each member of the Silver Bark¡¯s invasion force was higher Leveled or had years, maybe decades, more experience. There had to be a way to fight the Silver Bark. Facing off with them directly wouldn¡¯t work. Clan Brady would be slaughtered.


    But something had to be done. The Silver Bark could not be allowed to run through Clan Brady lands unchecked. That would just lead to the Silver Bark killing off all the survivors, wiping out the fledgling Clan and seizing all the land.


    The only thing that would save Clan Brady was if the Silver Bark feared them. Right now, it was obvious the elves did not.


    Loch had to change that.


    But how?


    Power was everything in the Connection and compared to the Silver Bark, his Clan had none. They had to change. They had to gain that power.


    If he couldn¡¯t defeat the Silver Bark, he had to convince them to move on and leave Clan Brady alone.


    Taking a last look around, Loch returned to the portal.


    He stepped out to a bunch of angry faces. Harper and Piper stood too close when he stepped out, not backing away. Both of his daughters glared at him.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.¡°Dad,¡± Harper growled, the harshest tone he¡¯d ever heard from her.


    Piper had tears in her eyes. He hadn¡¯t been gone that long but to the girls it had been long enough. Looking around he saw the others facing the forest but stealing annoyed glances at him.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, holding up his hands. ¡°I just wanted a look inside.¡±


    Cerie floated over, hovering in front of his face.


    ¡°It could have been a Challenge Dungeon,¡± she said. ¡°And you would have been trapped inside.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t,¡± Loch said. ¡°It didn¡¯t feel like it. Had the same feel as the mine. It was a Resource Dungeon.¡±


    The girls stepped back, but didn¡¯t soften their glares. Loch reached over, putting an arm around Piper and drawing her in close. She resisted at first, but relented. He looked at Harper, who just shook her head, walking off. Loch cursed. He hadn¡¯t meant to scare the girls, and that was what he had done. They weren¡¯t angry, they were scared, afraid he had gotten trapped alone in a Dungeon.


    It had been stupid to just walk in. He hadn¡¯t even verified his sense of the Dungeon with Cerie. Being angry at the Silver Bark was no excuse. And he had left his people out there without him. The Silver Bark could have come back. They might have been able to hold out, or even defeat them, but what if a stronger Clanmember had come? Loch had acted rashly. He¡¯d been stupid.


    He sighed.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said again. ¡°That was dumb of me.¡±


    No one argued or even bothered to reply. Piper did squeeze him tighter.


    He stopped at the bodies. They had been covered in a blanket. Releasing Piper, he walked further from the portal, stopping in the middle of the road. Turning Loch searched the forest on either side, looking as deep as he could.


    ¡°Elora,¡± he called out, louder than he needed to be. She didn¡¯t turn but shifted so he knew she had heard. ¡°Are they out there?¡±


    ¡°Yes Lord Lochlan,¡± she replied, just as loud, pointing to her right.


    ¡°I think there¡¯s one over there,¡± Harper said, pointing in the opposite direction.


    Loch looked to where Elora had pointed. He couldn¡¯t see anything. Neither could he in Harper¡¯s direction. But it didn¡¯t matter. If the two said they saw or sensed observers, that was good enough.


    ¡°What is the name of the Silver Bark leader?,¡± he asked.


    ¡°Hoskia,¡± Elora replied, making sure the unseen watchers could hear the lack of a title.


    Loch summoned Onyx, expanding it to its largest size. He Activated Bulwark, the green energy shield appearing on his left arm. Activating Breaker¡¯s Banner, the green energy flag appeared just behind him. He could feel the buffs through his body.


    ¡°I am Lochlan Brady, Chief of the Brady Clan. This Dungeon is in my territory. Your people have violated my lands and killed my people. That is not acceptable. Tell Hoskia that we are not afraid. We will defend our lands from any invaders and he is an invader.¡± Loch fell silent, letting his words flow through the woods, finding the ears he knew were listening. The watchers didn¡¯t stir. ¡°The Silver Bark can leave and we will let them. But if you remain, it will tell us that you accept your place as invaders and will be dealt with as such.¡±


    Loch released his Abilities, the banner fading. He felt the extra power leave.


    He turned to face one of the watching elves, the one Harper had pointed at. Loch wasn¡¯t sure if he was facing the exact spot. It didn¡¯t matter, as long as he was close. Onyx pointed in that direction, the axehead crackling with energy.


    Pulling his arm back, the axe shrinking, he shot his arm forward, releasing Onyx. It spun end over end, streaking across the space, slamming into a large oak. Crackling bolts of lightning danced across the surface of the tree. Two feet away, behind another oak, an elf appeared.


    Dressed in leathers, sword at his waist and bow across his back, long green hair flowing in the wind, the elf looked at the axe as it disappeared, leaving burn marks across the bark. He turned and looked back at Loch.


    The axe was back in Loch¡¯s hand, back to full size, and pointing right at the elf.


    ¡°I suggest you leave,¡± Loch said.

 Chapter 222 (4.51)

    ¡°Was that wise,¡± Ed Turner asked.


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Loch admitted. ¡°But it needed to be done.¡±


    ¡°Why?,¡± Ed asked, fingers tapping repeatedly on the table, looking nervous as he glanced around at the others, looking for support but not really finding any.


    Some of the Councilors, and others that had been invited to the meeting, didn¡¯t look fully confident, where some looked ready to fight the Silver Bark then and there. What Ed didn¡¯t see was anyone willing to argue with Loch. He realized it wasn¡¯t because they were afraid of Loch, but that even if they weren¡¯t completely sure of the idea, they trusted in Loch.


    ¡°Do we really want to provoke a force that is stronger than we are?¡±


    ¡°It was the only choice in that situation,¡± Elora said.


    She was not normally invited to Council meetings, but as the expert on her former Clan, her knowledge was vital.


    ¡°The Connected System values strength above all else and many of the Connected Clans share the same value. The Silver Bark is one of those. They did not have to kill your scavengers. There are other Resource Dungeons. By showing their interest in one so close to your Clanhold and by killing your..,¡± she paused, tilting her head in thought for a second before continuing. Loch noticed something changed in her. The guarded stance she always held around other people seemed to melt away. She had continued to hold herself apart from the others, even though she was fully a member of the Clan. Loch wondered why that seemed to lift. ¡°By killing our people and leaving them the way they did, it is the Silver Bark sending a message. They are asserting their strength and dominance. By responding as he did, Loch is asserting our strength and dominance. He told the Silver Bark that we are not afraid of them. If he had not responded, or we had just left, it would have shown Hoskia Silver Bark that we were afraid.¡±


    ¡°I get that,¡± Ed said. ¡°I really do, but you¡¯ve said the Silver Bark are stronger than us.¡±


    ¡°In the short term,¡± Elora replied. ¡°Clan Brady will only grow stronger while the Silver Bark will not grow. That is why Hoskia is trying to intimidate us. He cannot devote his full force to dealing with us.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?,¡± Thomas Mooney asked. ¡°Don¡¯t they have a portal?¡±


    ¡°One that is too costly to use right now,¡± Elora answered.  ¡°Hoskia was given enough forces to establish a camp in the area and claim Resources so they could start saving those Resources to fuel the portal at a future date. The Connected System wants conflict between the natives of a new world and the invading Connected, but it knows that newly Connected are weaker and need time to grow and gain experience to provide the invaders a good challenge. It does the Connection no good for an invading force to just wipe out the natives. So it gives the native forces some small advantage by controlling the number of the invaders. The Silver Bark believe that if a raid leader cannot claim and hold enough territory and Resources to power a portal, that raid leader is not worthy and a waste of Resources. Hoskia must use what he has.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t come after the Clanhold,¡± Darren reasoned.


    ¡°No,¡± Elora answered. She had been leaning against the wall behind where Loch sat. She stood up, moving closer, eyes moving from person to person, making sure they were all paying attention. ¡°Chances are good that if Hoskia Silver Bark led his entire force against the Clanhold, we would lose.¡± She paused, making sure everyone there understood. ¡°But he would not because though he might win, he would lose in the long term.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d lose a lot of his people,¡± Loch said. ¡°He could potentially lose enough that it would jeopardize his ability to claim new territory and Dungeons or even to survive if we killed enough.¡±


    ¡°Correct. And the more he loses, the more standing he loses in the Clan and to his remaining people. If he loses enough, one of his subordinates will eliminate him and return to Tirna.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯d come back with more?¡±


    Elora didn¡¯t answer Ed right away, tilting her head in thought. After a minute she looked at Ed, shaking her head.


    ¡°Possibly but unlikely. The cost to send more would be high and the Silver Bark Clan Elders might think Earth not worth the expenditure in Connected and Resources,¡± she pushed off from the wall, moving over to the table, squeezing in between Darren and Jeff Johnson. Leaning forward, Elora pointed at the map. It was an old one of the town, not adjusted for the increased size, but still useful. They had marked the Silver Bark camp on the shores of Bow Lake in red. She pointed at it. ¡°The Connected System wants conflict but even it cannot tell when a group of survivors will form a Clan or how strong that Clan will grow. It typically will send the Connected Invaders out somewhere further from the groups of survivors, in the hopes that both will adapt and grow and thrive, becoming stronger.¡±


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.¡°And setting both up for a longer war,¡± Loch muttered.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Elora said, standing up.  She moved back to the wall, taking up the same position.


    Cerie, who had been sitting on the table, Piper just outside in the hallway with her sketchpad, floated up into the air. She flew over the map, looking down at the areas that had been marked off. Dungeons, both Resource and combat, the Silver Bark camp, where the gaunt¡¯s portal had been and various other marks. Her eyes flashed green.


    ¡°Elora is right. This is unusual. In all the other newly Connected worlds the Silver Bark have raided, there have not been any like this. They have time to establish themselves, find their own Resources and then start expanding out into the world.¡± She started a slow turn, making sure that everyone was looking at her. ¡°Hoskia will not want to fight battles of attrition. He will also not retreat. If he does, that is as good as dying. If he retreats in shame, his immediate family will suffer. If he dies in battle, his family¡¯s status will not change. If he gains territory, his family will prosper. For Hoskia himself, the only thing he can do is fight and gain territory.¡±


    ¡°A cornered enemy,¡± Darren said. ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous one.¡±


    ¡°A fight with the Silver Bark is inevitable,¡± Loch said. ¡°We could work to gain our strength. Gain in Levels and numbers, until the Silver Bark are not a threat as their numbers will not grow, but I do not think we can reach that point. Hoskia won¡¯t risk a direct fight, he could win but still lose. He wants to intimidate us. Maybe make us leave the area. He will continue to pick away at the edges, killing us when the opportunity arises. We would have to live always watching our backs.¡±


    ¡°The Silver Bark are adapt at those tactics,¡± Elora said. ¡°You are constantly under watch. Even now there will be Clanmembers watching you.¡±


    ¡°What should we do?,¡± Ed asked.


    ¡°The same thing they will do,¡± Loch said. ¡°First we protect our people. No scavenger or resource team is to go out without an escort of either guards or adventurers, preferably adventurers. We also send out teams to harass the Silver Bark, whittle down their numbers.¡± Loch leaned forward, looking at the people gathered around him. ¡°We cannot let them just hit us when they want. This is not their home. It is ours and we will not let them have it.¡±


    ***


    ¡°We¡¯re not babysitters,¡± Roger growled.


    He had a couple inches on Loch and was trying to use them, getting as close as he dared and glaring down. Roger had grown strong in the last few weeks, he and his team Leveling quickly. They were catching up to Piper. Loch wasn¡¯t happy about that, as much as he didn¡¯t want Piper fighting, there was a big benefit to her being one of the strongest in the Clan. It benefited the Clan as a whole to have Roger and his team grow stronger. Loch just didn¡¯t like that it was Roger and his team.


    He didn¡¯t fully trust them. Aside from Roger¡¯s attitude, they hadn¡¯t given any indication they couldn¡¯t be trusted but it was just a gut feeling. The healer and archer, Malcolm and Eric, didn¡¯t set off any alarm bells but the other three did.


    Roger was still a lot of Levels from catching up to Loch, but the man knew he was growing more popular in the Clan, gaining respect. It was his strength doing that, not his personality. Not many people like Roger Lewis, Loch included.


    ¡°It¡¯s not babysitting,¡± Loch said, staying calm, not intimidated by the older man. ¡°They need protection and you will provide that.¡±


    His tone left no room for argument. Roger looked like he wanted to but was stopped.


    ¡°Of course we¡¯ll help protect our fellow Clanmembers,¡± Theodore said, from where he stood just behind Roger and to the side.


    He stood there, hands clasped behind his back, wearing robes he¡¯d gotten as a reward from the Challenge Dungeon. His team had just returned when Loch had informed them of the changes for the Adventuring teams. The robes were purple and black, or maybe just two shades of purple and one of them really deep. It was hard to tell, the robe looking like it was in shadows all the time. There was a hood, currently pulled back. Runes and other symbols were stitched into the sleeves and hem, along the edge of the hood. More runes run up the sleeves and across the shoulders, joining a line down the front. Loch had no idea what Abilities it granted or augmented, but it felt powerful.


    ¡°It will just slow down our Leveling,¡± Theodore continued.


    Surprisingly Mike Turner was silent, standing on Roger¡¯s other side, with the last two members off to the side, looking nervous and like they wanted to be anywhere but there. Loch didn¡¯t fail to notice how they kept themselves separate. From all he¡¯d heard, the five worked well together, but it was obvious they weren¡¯t all friends.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Loch said. ¡°But it¡¯s necessary.¡±


    He stared at Roger until the man took a step back. He visibly calmed down, one hand reaching up to rub at his temple.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be put into a rotation, just not Dungeons. A shift as guards for the scavengers or harvesters,¡± Loch continued, using the new name. Drew¡¯s team had just escorted the herbalists into the new Dungeon, clearing and fully claiming it for the Clan. With miners and now herbalists, the harvesting group was formed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be guarding and then off duty?,¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Loch said, focusing on Roger. ¡°You¡¯ll like this part. You¡¯ll guard our people, have some time off but the rest of the time you¡¯ll be out there hunting Silver Bark.¡±


    Roger smiled.


    ¡°Now that sounds fun,¡± he said.

 Chapter 223 (4.52)

    Loch ducked, the sword slicing by inches above his head. He twisted, kicking out, catching the elf in the knee, the cracking of bone barely heard over the sound of the fighting around them. He ignored the other sounds, focusing on his opponent.


    The elf was good, the strongest he¡¯d come across yet. His Evaluate gave a feeling of just below Loch¡¯s own Level. Probably Twenty-Three or Twenty-Four. That would have put the Elf in the Level Thirty to Forty range on any non-restricted Connected World. Being that Earth was newly Connected, all the invaders were capped at Level Twenty-Five, adjusted below that for their starting Level. According to Cerie, it wasn¡¯t a direct adjustment but more fluid with other things besides starting Level factoring into it. Only the Connected System knew the exact formula it used. Loch didn¡¯t care. He just knew all the Invaders would be below Level Twenty-Five.


    But as they had discussed, that didn¡¯t adjust their experience or Achievements.


    Loch was facing that now. This elf was below his Level but the years of combat experience was showing. He¡¯d gotten lucky with the knee kick, it had been one of the few openings the elf had given him. Sword against axe and Loch¡¯s Bulwark shield. The elf just had the one weapon, not even a bow or dagger. No shield but didn¡¯t seem to need it.


    Backing away, the elf shifted his stance, taking weight off the bad knee. He didn¡¯t appear to be in pain and it didn¡¯t seem to affect his overall fighting. He slid back another step, holding his sword out to keep Loch at bay. Taking a couple swings with Onyx, the metal of the axe struck the metal of the sword, which darted back, stabbing over the axe before Loch could bring it back around. It was meant as an attack, Loch not even in range of the point, but more to show Loch that the elf wasn¡¯t any slower. The move did make Loch step back, putting more space between the two.


    The elf put some weight on the bad leg, wincing a bit, then smiling as the pain apparently wasn¡¯t that bad. He put more weight on it. Loch threw Onyx, hoping to catch the elf off guard. Twisting to the side, not even moving his feet, the elf avoided the hasty throw, smiling as he saw Loch weaponless. He rushed at Loch, only to pull up short as Onyx swung down, the axe enlarging as it moved. The sword came up, blocking the axe, the elf grunting as more weight and force was put on the damaged knee. It started to buckle.


    Loch shifted Bulwark, shrinking the size of the shield and sending spikes stabbing out. The elf twisted, awkwardly holding the sword to stop the swing of Onyx, twisting the ankle of his wounded leg, barely avoiding the spikes. Even off balance, the elf managed to slide his sword forward, forcing Loch to let up some of the pressure he was exerting with the axe. Not wanting to give up ground, knowing he had to end the fight, Loch Activated Elemental Surge.


    A bubble of elemental energy formed around Loch, pushing against the elf. Lighting crackled, forming the edge of the bubble, snapping into the elf. His body went rigid, eyes wide as bolts of lightning danced across his body. He dropped the sword, Loch quickly taking advantage. Onyx swung, cutting through the elf¡¯s neck. The head dropped to the ground as the bubble of energy dispersed, the body following.


    YOU HAVE KILLED SILVER BARK SWORD DANCER


    Multi-colored sparks drifted up, circling in the air before launching into Loch¡¯s body. He ignored the rush of Spirit, the one kill giving him a decent boost to his mental experience bar. Scanning the small clearing, he saw the other fights were ending. The only bodies on the ground belonging to Silver Bark elves.


    Loch didn¡¯t relax,eyes going to the woods, trying to see if there was anything or anyone hiding in the shadows of the trees. Elora and Harper were already crossing the clearing, Harper disappearing into the shadows, moving to scout out the area and make sure it really was clear.


    Turning, Loch looked at the reason for the fight. A small mound of grass with some boulders sticking out was the only feature in the clearing. Stone steps led down into an opening in the mound, ringed with square stones. It looked more like a crypt, then a Dungeon but it was a Resource Dungeon. They weren¡¯t sure what kind yet.


    ¡°You sure we can go in?,¡± Loch asked Cerie, the fairy buzzing near the entrance where Piper had been crouched for most of the fight, her inksummons darting around the legs of the elves to provide distractions.


    ¡°Yes, it is off cycle. The Silver Bark have not run this Dungeon in a while. It might have even reached overloaded state if it wasn¡¯t a Resource Dungeon.¡±


    Loch nodded, understanding. Dungeons were built off spirit, the Dungeoncore taking the Spirit of the world and creating the Dungeon and the Monsters. It kept doing that constantly, the monsters in the Dungeon spawning over and over. The Dungeon had to be cleared, all the Spirit used up by killing the monsters and earning that Spirit as experience. The Dungeoncore would be left with nothing and have to start over again. When a Dungeon wasn¡¯t cleared, it could approach high levels of monsters and eventually burst through the portal.


    That didn¡¯t happen with Resource Dungeons. They had a set number of Resources they would spawn during any cycle. It never changed unless the Dungeon someone Leveled up. A rare event. But those Resources still took time to regenerate. When a Resource Dungeon was cleared, no one could enter again until the Resources were fully regenerated. It didn¡¯t matter how long it had been since the last time the Silver Bark had cleared it. There was a chance they never had.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°Drew, get your team in there,¡± Loch said, stepping out of the way.


    The stairs down weren¡¯t that wide, meaning the group of Clan Brady members had to walk single file. One by one, the seven people disappeared through the portal. When they had planned this operation, one of the biggest sticking points had been how many to send into the portal.


    Scouts had found the Resource Dungeon, claimed by the Silver Bark. It had been guarded by a dozen elven guards. Over a day¡¯s travel from the school, and a day from where they knew the Silver Bark camp to be. Almost directly between the two. The elves had been mostly swordsmen, or some variation of. There had been two with axes and one with a hammer. Two had worn robes, casters or healers. Those were the first the Clan Brady ambushers had killed.


    Loch didn¡¯t feel great about ambushing the Silver Bark. There was just something off about being the aggressors, but Loch reminded himself that this was their home. The Silver Bark did not belong. For Loch¡¯s people to survive, the Silver Bark threat had to be eliminated.


    And the Resource Dungeon was the perfect first target.


    Loch¡¯s group, along with Drew¡¯s and two Harvesters, to deal with the dozen Silver Bark. Elora had thought that the guards wouldn¡¯t be that high Level or elites of the invading force. She had been right. The group had been around Level Ten, which still put them equal or higher than most of Clan Brady, but aside from the one Loch had faced, there had been no truly elite warriors. They were what the majority of the Silver Bark forces were. Common and Uncommon Classes, not much if any powerful magical equipment, the basics in training. Just like in Clan Brady, the majority of the people in the Silver Bark didn¡¯t aspire to be Adventurers or carve out a role as a powerful member of the Clan. They just wanted to live their lives, and to survive.


    Loch felt bad about killing them, but there had been no choice.


    They were what most of Clan Brady was. The guards that patrolled the school and were providing protection to the Harvesters and Scavengers.


    Loch moved over to one of the bodies. He bent down, grabbing it by the shoulders. It still surprised him how strong he had gotten. Lifting a full grown human used to be hard, requiring two people to manage it easily. Now Loch could do it on his own. Brian walked by, the large man carrying two of the bodies, one over each shoulder. Loch shook his head, dragging the body off behind the mound.


    ***


    Loch looked at the pile of gear they¡¯d looted from the Silver Bark. The swords and shields weren¡¯t anything special but would help replace some of the makeshift weapons they were still using back at the school. The leather armor wouldn¡¯t fit most humans, the elves were too tall and slender, but it could possibly be used as material for the Clan Crafters working to become Leatherworkers. There was a small amount of rations and other various camping supplies.


    He was disappointed in the lack of coins and gems. Elora hadn¡¯t been. Most of the Silver Bark guards wouldn¡¯t have been running Dungeons. Their only chance at any loot would have been the random monster attacks on the camp or any they came across on patrols. Whatever they found would be given to the Silver Bark Clan¡¯s Quartermaster, awarding them contribution points they could use to purchase food, equipment upgrades or other rewards. Only the strong got to keep things they had found as loot with those same strong able to use their Contribution Points to purchase things found by others.


    Cerie had said that such systems were common on Connected Worlds. Loch hated it, just reminding him of how the Connected System was geared toward those with the strength to take what they wanted. Not that the old Earth systems had been any better. Capitalism and Socialism had been flawed but it was really the people that had made them that way. In their pure and ideal forms, each could work but people ruined them. He hoped they could do better this second time around.


    ¡°Load it up, Pipes,¡± he said, moving away from the pile.


    His daughters replaced him at the pile. Piper held her Spatial Bag open, Harper loading the loot in. Loch wanted to help, but it was his turn on watch. It had been a couple of hours since Drew had led the team into the Resource Dungeon and they weren¡¯t sure how long it would take to clear the entire thing. There was no way of knowing how big the Dungeon would be.


    They¡¯d brought enough supplies for a couple of days, just to be safe, but had no intention of scavenging any houses. What they found in the Dungeon, or out, would have to fit in Piper and Drew¡¯s Spatial Bags.


    Julia sat in the middle of the clearing, near the Dungeon, waiting. Her job was simple, just to be there in case the team needed healing when they exited. Everyone else, they spent time on guard duty, standing about ten feet in from the edge of the forest, in a semi-circle around the mound, watching for Silver Bark or monsters.


    Loch wished he had brought more than just his team and Drews. Another full team or even a half dozen guards would have helped secure the clearing, making him feel safer. But it had been decided to be a lean operation. They¡¯d found the Dungeon, saw the Silver Bark guards, and took the opportunity. That and there just wasn¡¯t enough people to spare.


    Not that he thought the Silver Bark would come. From all appearances, the elves hadn¡¯t really cared about the Resource Dungeon. And their camp was over a day away. It would take time and hopefully Loch and the others would be gone by then.


    He had no intention of holding onto the Dungeon. It was a message, the same as the one the Silver Bark had left. Just more polite. They had killed but were not butchers. There would be no hanging bodies. Loch had made sure they¡¯d laid the bodies out with care, not just piling them on top of each other. They had showed the vanquished foe as much dignity as they could.


    Not that it would matter. The Silver Bark Elders wouldn¡¯t care.


    He had once hoped to make peace with the elves. See if there was a way for both to coexist. With the world enlarged by the Connection, there was no reason why they shouldn¡¯t be able to but for greed. It always came down to greed. After what the Silver Bark had done to his people, hanging them, there was no chance for peace.


    Loch hated that it was coming to war, but he wouldn¡¯t let his people lose.

 Chapter 224 (4.53)

    The fire crackled and snapped, wisps of smoke drifting up into the night sky.


    Loch wasn¡¯t worried about the fire being seen by the Silver Bark camp. Their own people would have needed to light one. Not having one would probably have been more suspicious.


    He stared out into the forest, his senses spreading. There was nothing hiding, not even any nocturnal animals. Not that he could sense. His group was keeping them away. It made for an eerily silent night. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw a couple people laying down in sleeping bags, with blankets to help keep out the chill. There had been no tents. He didn¡¯t want to take the time to set it up, or more importantly take them down. As soon as Drew and the others were out of the Dungeon, they were leaving. Middle of the night or not.


    Piper and Harper were laying next to each other, close to the fire. Harper¡¯s arm was out, hand toward Piper, who had a finger wrapped around one of Harpers. Loch smiled. The girls had always been close. They had their fights, what siblings didn¡¯t, but it never lasted long and they were back together soon. It wasn¡¯t just the closeness in age, but a bond they¡¯d always had. It had only gotten stronger since the Connection.


    And the disappearance of Kelly.


    Loch pulled up the Ranking Board, searching until he found her name. He smiled. They still didn¡¯t know where she was, but she was alive. He hated the competitive nature of the Connection, what the Connected System wanted them to do with the Ranking Board, but at least they could use it to check on Kelly, as she was most likely doing with them since all of them were in the top hundred of the world. Loch chuckled, wondering what all those others on the Ranking Board would think if they found out that two spots were claimed by fifteen and thirteen year olds.


    Julia and Brian were sleeping, leaving the watch for Loch and Elora. He looked around the clearing, not able to see the elf. He knew she was there, able to feel her presence thanks to the Bannerman bond, but not able to physically see her. She didn¡¯t have Harper¡¯s shadow powers, just her own skill. He wondered what she was thinking. Elora was still closed off, not sharing much. It was hard, being the only elf in a crowd of humans. Her knowledge was invaluable. Together with what Cerie told them, Loch felt that he knew the Silver Bark. He knew what to expect.


    At least he hoped so.


    He was no tactician. People were relying on him to come up with a great plan. He had one, but it wasn¡¯t a great one. It was risky, a good chance of failure.


    Sighing, Loch moved around the clearing, eyes searching the shadows between the trees. He stayed on the front side of the clearing, where the entrance was, Elora taking the back. From one end of the perimeter to the other. The fire burned behind him, casting odd shadows. Loch was able to ignore those, having grown used to what the flickering fire did to the night.


    They¡¯d fought Mutated Coyotes and Chipmunks on the way to the Dungeon. Even a small band of Redcaps. Loch had thought they¡¯d found signs of the strange frogmen creatures but wasn¡¯t sure. There were new ponds and brooks. So much had changed with the world¡¯s growth. Loch wanted to explore it all. Hopefully after the Silver Bark were dealt with.


    And the winter.


    Turning around, starting another circuit, Loch felt a pulse of Spirit come from the Dungeon.He rushed to the entrance, staying back to make sure the entrance was clear.


    Drew climbed out, ducking to avoid hitting his head on the stone mantle. He was followed by the rest of his team and the two harvesters. It was hard to tell in the firelight, but Loch thought he saw a couple new pieces of equipment. The two harvesters looked happy.


    ¡°That place is incredible,¡± Dan Fields said, a pickaxe over his shoulder.


    The Clan¡¯s first official miner, he¡¯d received an Uncommon Prospector Class. Dan had spent a lot of time in the mine near the Clanhold working to get the Class. It had paid off. He¡¯d volunteered to work the mine, wanting to do something to help out the Clan and not having prior skills that translated to anything else. All the time had paid off, earning him the Uncommon Class. He¡¯d been Leveling rapidly, in the mine every chance he got.


    At Level Eight, Loch had been hesitant about taking him this deep into the woods and hostile territory, especially as a non-combatant. But they needed Dan, along with Cheryl Greene. She was one of the Clan¡¯s Herbalists. Also Level Eight.


    She wasn¡¯t as happy as Dan.


    They hadn¡¯t known what kind of Dungeon it would be. Either a Mine or a Garden, possibly a forest, so they had brought a Miner and Herbalist, hoping at least one of them would be able to harvest the Dungeon. The two had taken bets on who would be the lucky one. It appeared Dan had won.


    ¡°It¡¯s better than the Clan¡¯s mine,¡± Dan continued, holding out his hand.


    In it was a lump of ore, about the size of a closed fist. In the firelight Loch could see specks of something catching the light, but there wasn¡¯t enough to see what Dan was holding. The man realized that, pulling his arm away and looking embarrassed.


    ¡°Uhm.. uh¡­ it¡¯s a piece of an ore called verite,¡± Dan explained. ¡°Not something I¡¯ve ever seen before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a System ore,¡± Elora said. ¡°Fairly rare and excellent for making lightning resistant armor or weapons that can conduct lightning.¡±


    ¡°How does that work,¡± Drew asked, shifting to stand closer to Elora. She didn¡¯t move, glancing at him and hiding a smile. ¡°How does something resistant to lightning make a good conductor?¡±


    ¡°Maybe the fairy could answer that as I do not know,¡± Elora said, shrugging.


    Cerie had gone back into the Codex Band, wanting to recharge her energy as it had been days since she had last been in the Band. Loch made a mental note to ask her, adding it to one of his many lists.


    ¡°How much was there?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Not that much verite,¡± Dan answered. ¡°Two nodes worth. The rest was a mix of iron, bronze and copper. But there was a lot of it.¡±


    ¡°The monsters were armadillo-like things called Pangodillo,¡± Drew answered. ¡°Had long claws for digging. They were pretty vicious and moved in packs. They weren¡¯t too tough if we were careful. The boss was a mean son of a..,¡± he stopped, glancing at the fire where Harper and Piper were waking up. ¡°It was a larger Pangodillo. The armor was thicker, the claws sharper and it was faster. Got some decent loot off it though.¡±


    Loch walked closer to the entrance. He could feel the pulse of Spirit coming from the Dungeon was weaker. It felt like the Dungeon wouldn¡¯t be active again for a couple of days. Good, Loch thought, as it would render it useless for the Silver Bark and let them know his Clan had claimed and looted it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the school,¡± he said, looking around the campsite to see that the others had already started packing up, Julia working to put out the fire. Loch smiled.


    ***


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.¡°We couldn¡¯t secure the Dungeon,¡± Roger grated out, standing in the council room. He looked uncomfortable with all the Clan¡¯s important and powerful people all staring at him.


    Except Loch, he was looking at the map of the area.


    Another red X had been marked, the location Roger and his team had just returned from.


    ¡°There were four Silver Bark guards when we arrived,¡± he continued, fists closed tightly. Loch looked up, seeing the older man looking more embarrassed than angry. Loch could understand why. Roger was always bragging about how strong his team was, how quickly they were progressing. And they were the only team to fail so far. ¡°We engaged them, had one left, when the dungeon delving team emerged. They were a little worse for wear but managed to get the drop on us from behind.¡±


    Roger hung his head, shaking it slowly, unclenching his fists.


    ¡°Is everyone all right?,¡± Ed Turner asked.


    Loch already knew the answer. He¡¯d gotten a quick briefing as soon as Roger¡¯s team had returned, the meeting taking place an hour or two after when everyone could be gathered.


    ¡°We managed to get away,¡± he said, looking up. ¡°And managed to kill one of the dungeon team. Four elves dead,¡± he growled, stealing a glare at Elora who stood in her customary spot behind Loch.


    ¡°Good job,¡± Loch said. ¡°Claiming and clearing Dungeons is a bonus, but more importantly is eliminating Silver Bark Clanmembers.¡±


    Loch hated how casual he made killing people sound. But that¡¯s what they were doing. That was his plan and his directives.


    ¡°Get some rest,¡± he said.


    Roger grumbled something quietly, looking around the room, glancing at a couple of people before opening the door and walking out. He closed it a little more forcefully than he had to. The man probably figured he deserved to be in the meeting.


    ¡°The total is now twenty-seven Silver Bark dead,¡± Kristin said, her tone lacking the usual life it had, not happy to be adding up the dead, even if it was enemies.


    Only the people that had been soldiers didn¡¯t seem as affected. They had shifted their mindset from civilian to soldier. The Silver Bark were enemies. Clan Brady was at war with the Silver Bark. That made it easier for them to deal with.


    For people that had been civilians their whole lives, going to war was harder to grasp.


    ¡°With the ones killed at the Wendigo battle, that brings the total to thirty-nine.¡±


    ¡°They would have lost some from fighting monsters and Dungeon runs,¡± Elora said. ¡°I knew of three scouts killed and another five from monsters.¡±


    ¡°How many did they begin with¡±,¡± Darren asked.


    ¡°One hundred and seventy-five,¡± Elora replied. ¡°A mix of melee and casting with a shaman and two Crones.¡±


    Loch didn¡¯t have to look around the room to know how worried the numbers made the people there. They¡¯d all heard the total before, and each time the reaction was the same. Clan Brady outnumbered the Silver Bark but the majority of the Clan were essentially civilians. Workers and crafters. The guards and adventurers made up a little less than half of Clan Brady¡¯s numbers where that¡¯s all that the Silver Bark were. There might have been some workers to keep the camp organized and build their structures, but not as many as Clan Brady had. Elora had estimated only two dozen.


    The Silver Bark¡¯s fighting force far outnumbered Clan Bradys.


    Even these guerilla tactics weren¡¯t making a dent and came with great risk. Roger¡¯s entire team could have very easily been killed by the Silver Bark and that would have eliminated one of Clan Brady¡¯s strongest assets.


    Loch hated thinking in those terms but it was how he had to now.


    It was almost a week and while they hadn¡¯t lost any of their own, they hadn¡¯t killed that many Silver Bark. They¡¯d been lucky so far but he knew it wouldn¡¯t last forever. Soon enough, one of theirs would make a mistake and they¡¯d lose lives. The number of survivors coming to the Clan had dwindled. Either they had gone in different directions, fallen to monsters or even the Silver Bark. That limited how fast Clan Brady could replace their fallen. The Silver Bark couldn¡¯t replace theirs but their greater experience would win out in the end if the numbers got that close. It was a war of attrition for both sides and whichever killed the most the fastest would win.


    Clan Brady hadn¡¯t taken any real risks yet. Everything was a risk in the Connected System, but they were being as careful as they could, choosing targets they thought they had good chances of defeating and surviving.


    For their part, the Silver Bark weren¡¯t going far out of their territory. They weren¡¯t crossing deep into Clan Brady territory, staying away from the known Dungeons Loch¡¯s Clan controlled. For now, they were holding onto what they controlled, which forced Clan Brady deeper into their territory and away from the school


    Hoskia Silver Bark wasn¡¯t stupid, that was obvious. Elora had said that while he wasn¡¯t a renowned tactician, Hoskia was still a main branch Silver Bark and would have received all the training that came with that position. As the leader of the raiding force, he would have been given more training on the strategies he¡¯d need to conquer territory in the newly Connected world. Holding back his forces, making Clan Brady come to him, wasn¡¯t the boldest move and would only work for so long with the aggressive Clan Silver Bark.


    At some point, Hoskia would strike at Clan Brady. It would be swift, overpowering and deadly.


    The original plan had been to bleed the Silver Bark, whittle away at them. Hoping that Hoskia would send more of his people out and Clan Brady could eliminate them group by group. That wasn¡¯t working.


    They¡¯d have to do more of what they¡¯d been doing, but not go too deep into Silver Bark territory. Maybe they could reach a kind of stalemate and just leave each other alone? If he could get the Silver Bark to turn their attention more west and north around that side of Bow Lake and Clan Brady could have the south and more toward the east.


    Why couldn¡¯t that work?


    He knew why. The Silver Bark wouldn¡¯t settle for just that and the Connection wouldn¡¯t want it. The Connected System wanted them to fight.


    Looking over the map, there were a couple of Dungeons not that deep into Silver Bark territory but were close to the lake, putting them further away from the school. They were the only ones that Clan Brady hadn¡¯t attacked yet. He was sure there were more Dungeons out there, some would be unclaimed by either Clan, but it would take time to find them.


    But did he risk sending teams to the two they knew about?


    He heard noises from outside in the hallway, everyone turning to look at the door. Elora was there quickly, putting herself between the door and the people, hand on her sword. It burst open, a panting guard standing there, looking for Loch. Beyond was Piper, who had been hanging out in the hallway so Cerie could be in the meeting. She held her sketchbook, looking at the guard concerned.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± the guard said, a newcomer, Loch not recognizing him. ¡°The Lady Harper, she needs you outside at the gate.¡±


    The guard didn¡¯t look concerned or worried, almost excited. Loch didn¡¯t bother declaring the meeting over, he headed straight for the door. Harper knew he was in a meeting, she wouldn¡¯t have summoned him if it wasn¡¯t important.


    Walking quickly into the hall, passing the guard, Piper rushing alongside, Loch didn¡¯t see anyone in the halls or lobby panicking. Most went about their day, as if nothing was wrong. If there was an attack, there were standing orders for the civilians. Where they were to go, what they were to do.


    Reaching the doors, he saw the two guards just outside, standing on either side. They were looking down into the yard, toward the gate, but weren¡¯t standing defensively. They were alert, watching, but not preparing for an attack.


    Loch stepped out, seeing Harper almost jogging up the hill toward the school. She was holding hands with someone, pulling them along. Two women behind walked slower. They wore mismatched armor, some Dungeon pieces, and each carried a spear. They were smiling. Focusing on who Harper was dragging, Loch felt his knees go weak.


    She wore armor like the other two, but more Dungeon than anything else. She carried a short spear, the wood smooth with a sharp metal point that was covered in runes. As if sensing she was being looked at, she lifted her head. Blond hair and a face that he could never forget.


    Loch rushed down the stairs, somehow not falling as he felt like he had no control. He felt tears streaming down his face. The woman let go of Harper¡¯s hand, racing past. She was crying too.


    ¡°MOMMY!!,¡± Piper yelled.


    Kelly.


    It was Kelly.

 Interlude Thirty-Three (4.Interlude Twelve)

    The stretch of road didn¡¯t look any different from the miles and miles they had already gone, but Kelly felt that something was different. Something new. She hadn¡¯t felt anything like it before.


    It always amazed her how fast nature had reclaimed the world. They were seeing less and less people, more and more monsters roaming the ruined buildings. Vines and moss grew everywhere, climbing up the sides of the buildings. Broken windows, missing doors. Some had even collapsed, missing half their walls. Some were gone, replaced by trees or ponds. For the most part, one ruined city was the same as another ruined city.


    She was a couple miles ahead of the large, and slow, column of refugees. It had swelled to over three hundred and fifty. Far more than they could reasonably handle, but somehow they were making it work. Food and water were rationed, and they didn¡¯t have enough guards, but they managed to keep everyone alive and moving. They didn¡¯t get far each day, the progress extremely slow.


    It was slow but felt so much worse to Kelly. She knew that the goal was approaching and each slow mile grated on her. She was so close, but it just felt like it was getting further and further away.


    Senora enjoyed finding every chance she could to remind Kelly that her own decisions were putting the goal further away, risking the chances of it still being there.


    But now she knew that it was there. She could feel it.


    The road ahead disappeared, going down a hill. Kelly stopped at the top, the other in the scouting party lining up on either side. A couple of the Valkyries, Archers and two of their members that had Uncommon Classes called Scouts. It was more than they usually had scouting but Senora had warned them the Natural Resource was ahead and if it wasn¡¯t already claimed or contested, it would be soon enough. They needed to secure it first or take control. If it was being fought over, they needed enough forces to be able to protect themselves until the rest of the column arrived.


    Kelly had argued about that last part, she was still angry about the conversation with Senora.


    ***


    ¡°We must claim the Natural Resource no matter what the cost,¡± Senora said, in her normal calm and haughty tone of voice.


    It was just the two of them in a room that Senora had claimed for her own. A large room in another hotel, one big enough for eight or more to sleep in. Even those most loyal to Senora were starting to get angry over the sleeping arrangements. If she noticed, Senora didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°Not at the cost of their lives,¡± Kelly shouted, voice raising, sure those in the neighboring rooms could hear.


    ¡°They are the Dawnmother¡¯s army,¡± Senora replied. ¡°That is their purpose.¡±


    Kelly wanted to jump across the room and slam her spear into the elf. She knew there was no way she could hurt Senora. Not just because of the Level difference, but also the defensive wards Senora had on at all times. Kelly had seen what they could do, the one time Senora was attacked. Most times, the elf, the strongest member out of the entire group, never getting involved in any fighting.


    It was getting harder and harder to hold herself back.


    Her hand tightened on her spear. If it had been a rake or any other thing they used as makeshift spears, she would have snapped it.


    ¡°They are not an army,¡± Kelly growled through clenched teeth. ¡°They aren¡¯t fighters.¡±


    ¡°But most have weapons,¡± Senora calmly pointed out.


    Which was true. With the Dungeons and monsters like the Hobs, they had recovered a lot of swords, daggers, axes and clubs. Almost everyone in the column had a weapon, except kids, even if they weren¡¯t great or even good at using them. Having weapons did not a fighter make.


    ¡°That they can¡¯t use. If they try to fight, they¡¯ll die.¡±


    Senora was smart enough to not answer the way Kelly knew she wanted.


    ¡°That is why they are here.¡±


    That was what the elf didn¡¯t say. Kelly could see it in Senora¡¯s eyes and the smug grin.


    ¡°Then make sure they do not,¡± is what Senora said instead. ¡°That is why you are here.¡±


    ***


    Kelly could see the Natural Resource. The road continued into the distance, almost a straight line. Buildings lined the left side. Some in decent shape still, but most ruined. On the right was a graveyard. It wasn¡¯t deep, more long, running alongside the road for a good distance. Square stones formed a wall between the grass and monuments and the sidewalk and road.


    She thought she might have driven by that graveyard in the past.


    The monuments ranged in size. Simple small stones, larger statues and a few scattered mausoleums. Cast-iron fencing was mounted on top of the wall, a large gate about a mile away, leading into the cemetery with paved paths spreading throughout the graves. One of the paths led right to the Natural Resource. She was too far away to make out details, barely able to see it through a couple of trees, but she felt it.


    She wasn¡¯t too far away to not see the humanoids spread out through the cemetery. They wore armor and carried weapons. Most seemed to move in repeating patterns, back and forth, not changing anything. Even their steps were in time. There were a couple more independent ones, moving through the other ranks but never venturing far from the Natural Resource.


    From up on the hill, with the relative openness of the cemetery, Kelly was able to get a good count. Only twenty of the humanoids. They weren¡¯t human. She couldn¡¯t see much in the way of details, but enough to know they weren¡¯t human.


    Turning away from the cemetery she studied the buildings. She didn¡¯t see evidence of more of the humanoids staying in the buildings, and there was a thick line of trees on the other side of the cemetery, along with the wall being higher. Hard for any reinforcements to get through without having to go around. If there were more, they¡¯d be in the buildings.


    If there weren¡¯t more. The buildings would be a good place for the column to hold up while she and the Valkyries dealt with the humanoids. But would it be good to have the column this close to the Natural Resource? Senora had said it would attract more attention.


    Kelly still didn¡¯t know what the purpose of it was. Senora had hinted that claiming it would help her get to see Loch and the girls sooner. She wasn¡¯t sure if she believed the elf priestess.


    It wouldn¡¯t be smart to keep the column so close to the Resource. They had passed a couple of office buildings not that far back. A couple of miles. Still close, but defensible and hopefully far enough away.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ***


    ¡°It was only twenty,¡± Kelly said, glaring at Senora.


    The two, along with a couple others, had taken over a small meeting room in the office building they had claimed. Two miles down the road. More glass in the first floor than Kelly would have liked but overall big enough to house all the column. There were people still filing in, moving up the stairs to the upper levels and trying to find a space to rest and sleep. By now, they had it down to a science. There were people assigned to groups, moving them around quicker.


    But it still took time.


    ¡°There will be more,¡± Senora replied, calmly from where she sat at the head of the table.


    At the opposite end, standing, Kelly slammed her hands down on the table.


    ¡°We are not sending them up there,¡± she growled. Taking a deep breath, she continued. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±


    It was the same argument they¡¯d been having for what felt like weeks.


    Senora stared at Kelly, face calm but her eyes were anything but. There was rage and hatred in the blue eyes. Kelly stared back, not flinching as she felt a pressure coming from Senora. In the elf¡¯s eyes, Kelly saw power. Was that Freyja¡¯s influence or Senora¡¯s own power that was held back by the Connected System? Whatever it was, Kelly was not afraid.


    The tension grew. The others in the room shifted in their seats, moving their feet if they were standing. A couple moved to stand closer to Kelly, hands on their weapons, eyes on Senora. Two of the Valkyries, Lisa and Tiffany, two of first ones along with Kelly, moved to take up positions behind Senora, eyes locked on the elf.


    Senora shifted her gaze, moving over the two behind Kelly, turning her head slightly to look at Lisa over her left shoulder. She smirked, returning her gaze to Kelly. There was still anger but it was cold, hard.


    ¡°We cannot spare many of you to fight the ¡®only twenty¡¯,¡± Senora said, sarcasm dripping from the last words. ¡°You will be shorthanded, which increases the danger. If you and those with you fall, there will be less to protect the rest of your people.¡±


    ¡°Our people,¡± Kelly corrected. ¡°Aren¡¯t they your people as well, all followers of Freyja?¡±


    Senora gave a slight nod, the smirk still there.


    ¡°Trying to guilt us into always following you is getting old,¡± Kelly said.


    ¡°You should follow my advice,¡± Senora said calmly, hands clasped on the table. ¡°I have decades more experience than you.¡±


    ¡°You have your own agenda. I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s what Freyja, your Dawnmother, wants, as you¡¯re the only one that supposedly communicates with her.¡±


    Senora started to speak but Kelly held up a hand. Anger flashed in Senora¡¯s eyes, across her face. Her hands clasped tighter, knuckles white, but only for a second. It was gone quickly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Freyja plans for all of us,¡± Kelly said, standing up. ¡°And right now, I don¡¯t care. If her plan is to hurt these people, there will be trouble, but we¡¯ll deal with that in the future. She¡¯s helping a lot of people and I¡¯ll give her the benefit of the doubt, but I will be taking a squad up to that Natural Resource and the rest will be staying here with the column.¡±


    ¡°Is that a command,¡± Senora asked, not standing.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ***


    Kelly pulled her spear out of the Gray Gaunt¡¯s chest, the body falling to the ground.


    YOU HAVE SLAIN GRAY GAUNT WARMASTER


    The multi-colored sparks of Spirit flowed out of the body, swirling around in a cloud before darting toward her. She ignored them, ignored the feeling of her experience bar filling a little more, as she looked around the cemetery.


    There were bodies everywhere. Laying across the stones, on the grass, hacked to pieces with arms or legs missing. Thankfully none of the bodies belonged to her people. Just the humanoids, creatures called Gray Gaunts. Most had been mindless Drones, relatively easy to kill. The non-Drones had been harder, but they¡¯d managed it.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Senora¡¯s voice called out from closer to the road, followed by a mocking clap.


    Kelly ignored the elf. She¡¯d known Senora had been there the whole time, just watching, not helping. They ultimately didn¡¯t need the help, but it would have been nice to have. It would have made a difficult fight easier.


    ¡°These things belonged to Death,¡± Senora said, stepping around the bodies. She stared down at them in disgust.


    ¡°They¡¯re zombies?,¡± Lucy asked, crouching down next to one of the bodies, starting to search it.


    Kelly and the rest had long gotten over worrying about looting bodies. It had been disrespectful at first, but became a necessity. Disgust gave way to need. Kelly didn¡¯t expect to find much on the bodies but what scraps of armor and weapons they could get would help out a lot.


    ¡°Not zombies,¡± Senora corrected. ¡°Something new created by the Concept of Death.¡± She looked around at the cemetery. ¡°Although I am surprised that there are no zombies or skeletons. A cemetery of this size would normally have become a Spawn Field.¡±


    Kelly knew what those were, they had encountered enough of them as they traveled. An area where the concentration of ambient Spirit was high, creating an area that spawned monsters in a way similar to a Dungeon.They had fought hundreds of skeletons and zombies in cemetery spawn fields as they made their way north. There were a lot of private or smaller cemeteries all across New England.


    The Gaunts had been different from zombies. They had been tall and thin, skin pulled tight over bones that were as hard as stone. The first couple had been harder to fight, just like it was when learning how to handle any new creature they encountered. The last were fairly easy once Kelly and the others knew how to take them down.


    Ignoring the elf, Kelly took her first good look at the Natural Resource. There were trees growing randomly through the cemetery. She was sure some of them had been placed purposefully when the cemetery was new but some had just grown where seeds had fallen. The Resource was one of those. She didn¡¯t know if it was an old tree with stunted growth or a new one that hadn¡¯t reached its full height yet. It was short, only six or seven feet high, which is why it had been so hard to see. Roots extended across the ground, a couple growing up nearby gravestones. The leaves had fallen, the branches bare, looking twisted and warped. The whole thing was a foggy gray color, not matching the rest of the trees.


    It didn¡¯t glow, make noise or anything that would indicate the power it held. But Kelly could feel it.


    ¡°What is it?,¡± she asked.


    ¡°Power,¡± Senora Barkfall answered, stepping up next to Kelly. ¡°A Natural Resource is really nothing but concentrated Spirit energy given form. Sometimes it has a particular affinity or specialization, but sometimes it is just pure power. What your people would have called a battery.¡±


    Kelly looked to Senora and back to the Natural Resource. This is what Senora had been pushing them toward for weeks. The elf had promised it would help Kelly get back to Loch and her girls.


    ¡°Why do we need it?¡±


    ¡°Power,¡± Senora said, laughing, as if Kelly had said something stupid. Kelly¡¯s hand tightened on her spear as the elf continued talking. ¡°All visitors to Earth use portals to get here. That is how we travel from Connected World to Connected World. Those portals use a lot of power. Natural Resources are a good way to provide that power. The Dawnmother knew there was a portal and Resource in our path but she did not know that it was claimed by the Concept of Death.¡± Senora pointed to the dead bodies, the gaunts. ¡°Those were sent from a world that Death has Claimed.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Kelly said, shaking her head, not really understanding and not caring anymore. ¡°What does that have to do with us?¡±


    ¡°Us? Nothing,¡± Senora said, turning to face Kelly. The smirk was back. ¡°But you? Everything.¡±

 Chapter 225 (4.54)

    ¡°I missed you,¡± Kelly said into Loch¡¯s shoulder.


    He squeezed her tighter, feeling the arms of their children around them both. Tears flowed down his cheeks, not caring who saw. He knew a crowd was gathering around them but didn¡¯t care. Somehow Kelly was back and he had no intention of letting her go again.


    He didn¡¯t know how long they stood like that, the four of them just holding each other. Who was holding who changed. Kelly grabbed Harper, then Piper, back to Loch and then the girls again. But Loch never let go of his wife. She may not have been fully wrapped up by him, but one hand was always touching her, an arm around her. He needed to feel her, to know she was still there, to know she was real.


    Finally they released each other, stepping back to look at one another. Loch smiled, reaching up and wiping a tear off Kelly¡¯s beautiful face. He¡¯d always thought she was beautiful but at that moment, it was more. She had changed, just like he had. She¡¯d gained muscle, maybe some height. There was a weight to her, a strength she had always possessed but was fully manifested now.


    She reached up, running a finger down his beard. It had grown longer than he used to keep it. His hair was longer, barely combed. Hers wasn¡¯t much better. She¡¯d usually kept it shoulder length, but now it was a couple inches past, held up in a loose ponytail.


    ¡°Hey stranger,¡± Loch said, earning a chuckle from Kelly.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Harper said, holding Kelly¡¯s hand.


    Piper was still sniffling.


    Kelly ran a finger down Harper¡¯s face, smiling.


    ¡°Look at you,¡± she said, turning to run a hand down Piper¡¯s hair. ¡°Look at you both. You¡¯re so much bigger. My beautiful, amazing girls¡­¡± She turned back to Harper, looking her oldest daughter up and down. ¡°Harper Elizabeth Brady, what is that you¡¯re wearing?,¡± she asked, stepping back and glaring at Harper¡¯s armor. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to it.¡±


    ¡°Like you¡¯re one to talk,¡± Harper responded, pointing at Kelly¡¯s own armor.


    Where Harper¡¯s was all leather, Kelly¡¯s had some metal plates in strategic locations but neither had much coverage, leaving their stomachs and sides exposed. Kelly had always been stricter about what the girls wore and it had led to many arguments between her and Harper. It was such a familiar site that Loch started laughing.  He couldn¡¯t help it.


    Harper and Kelly both turned to glare at him, but stopped, looking at each other and smiling. They started laughing too. Piper, not quite sure why it was funny, just hugged them all tighter.


    Kelly stepped back, holding both girls hands.


    ¡°Harper, you¡¯re melee? And Piper, you¡¯re wearing robes. So some kind of caster? But how is that possible? Neither of you are old enough yet.¡±


    She looked questioningly at Loch.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot to catch up on.¡±


    ***


    ¡°You could stay here,¡± Loch said, pacing around the room.


    He¡¯d taken his family, just the four of them and Cerie, to the meeting room, closing and locking the door. There was stuff he knew that would need to be discussed with the Council, but for now it was family time.


    They¡¯d been in there for hours, Loch calling for food and drinks to be brought to them. Loch had told Kelly what he and the girls had been through, both jumping in with comments, talking excitedly. Kelly had been a little briefer as her journey hadn¡¯t been as eventful. Leading a column of three hundred through Massachusetts had been exciting, but each day was more of the same. It was when Kelly had gotten to the part about the Natural Resource that Loch had stood up, starting pacing. Both girls had started to cry.


    Kelly couldn¡¯t stay and wouldn¡¯t be there that long. She had to go back.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to go back to that column,¡± Loch said, knowing what the answer was going to be.


    ¡°I have to,¡± Kelly said, squeezing both girls'' hands. She had taken a hold of them during the stories. ¡°I promised.¡±


    Loch wanted to protest but couldn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t go back on her promise to protect those people anymore than he could his promise to protect Clan Brady. He wouldn¡¯t abandon them, as much as he wanted to go be with Kelly. He knew she felt the same.


    ¡°Could we portal them here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s three hundred people. Even if the portal had that kind of power¡­¡±


    ¡°We can barely feed and house our people,¡± Loch finished, sitting back down. ¡°And if it had the power, we couldn¡¯t bring Clan Brady there either.¡±


    Kelly and her guards were doing a good job of protecting the column but the whole group was forced to find a new place to sleep each night, ration food even more than the Clan was. The column was spread out and in constant danger. Life at the school was perfect, wasn¡¯t completely safe, they didn¡¯t always have full bellies. But it was better than anything the column faced. Loch couldn¡¯t take Clan Brady to join the survivor column.


    He sat down in the chair across from Kelly. He couldn¡¯t sit next to her as the girls were there so they could hold her hand and Loch would not take that away from them. Kelly gave him a sad but warm smile. If their time was limited, they would make the most of it.


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful for the Ranking Board,¡± Kelly said. ¡°I could keep track of you all through it.¡± She turned to look at Harper and then Piper, smiling at both of them. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you both. It¡¯s amazing what you¡¯ve been able to accomplish.¡± The pride in her eyes was replaced with sadness. ¡°I just wish you didn¡¯t have to fight¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want them to,¡± Loch said, smiling at his daughters. ¡°But there was no choice¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Kelly said, letting go of both girls'' hands, reaching across the table to take his. She ran her fingers over the familiar shape, feeling the new callouses. Different but the same. He held her hands with the familiar strength. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. I blame the Connected System.¡± She sighed, shaking her head sadly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen so many young people forced to fight and die. I¡¯m just surprised that they were able to get Classes at their ages, especially Piper.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Cerie was surprised too,¡± Piper said. ¡°She thinks it has to do with the Unfettered trait.¡±


    Kelly leaned forward to look past Piper at the small fairy. Cerie sat cross legged at the end of the table, keeping her natural shine low. She hadn¡¯t spoken much during the Brady family¡¯s catching up, only responding when directly spoken to.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kelly said, nodding to the small fairy. ¡°For all your help and being there for Piper.¡±


    Cerie stood up, smoothing out her leather-looking skirt. With as serious a face as Loch had seen on her, Cerie bowed low.


    ¡°No thanks are necessary Lady Kelly. My role is to serve the Lady Piper and through her the family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more than that,¡± Kelly said. ¡°You are her friend and I thank you for that. Now stop with the Lady stuff. I¡¯m not Lady.¡±


    ¡°You are the wife of Lord Lochlan, the Clanchief of Clan Brady. That makes you a Lady as he is a Lord.¡±


    Kelly laughed. Loch had missed that sound. He felt it in his heart and soul, thankful to hear it again.


    ¡°I guess that it does,¡± Kelly said with a sigh. ¡°Just sounds so weird.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Loch chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m still not used to it. Hope I never get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kelly agreed. ¡°What is up with the trait anyways? I have it and discreet inquiries to others, and found out no one else has a trait so I kept it to myself.¡±


    ¡°We have to,¡± Loch said, turning to look at Cerie.


    ¡°Traits are not something low Leveled Adapted get access to. They come much later after the Adapted has developed some habits and signature styles to their fighting. It is still very rare. That the Brady family had a trait from the beginning should not have been possible. It is probably the reason that both of you attracted attention from some of the most powerful Divine Beings in the Connection.¡±


    ¡°The Trait is why we were separated,¡± Kelly asked, anger entering her voice.


    ¡°Most likely.¡±


    ¡°Seems I need to have a talk with Freyja,¡± Kelly growled.


    ***


    ¡°KELLY!¡±


    Loch stepped out of the way quickly, seeing Susan Turner rushing toward not him but Kelly, who was directly behind. He smiled as the two women practically collided, hugging tightly. Kelly hadn¡¯t even made it out of the doorway, the girls beyond rolling their eyes. Elora stood across the hall, watching the interaction with a little confusion.


    Leaving his wife with her friend, Loch moved down the hall where Ed Turner was waiting. The hall was more crowded than usual, a lot of people watching Kelly and Susan¡¯s reunion. Everyone in the Clan knew of Loch¡¯s missing wife, news of her appearance was spreading through the Clan and everyone was curious what she looked like. Loch wondered how many were wondering how he¡¯d landed a catch like her. Most days, he wondered the same thing.


    ¡°Ed,¡± Loch said, huge smile on his face.


    ¡°Loch, I¡¯m so happy that Kelly is back.¡±


    ¡°For now,¡± Loch said, glancing at the two Valkyries standing in the lobby.


    They leaned against the wall, their spears next to them, both looking nonchalant and calm, but their eyes were anything but. They constantly moved around the lobby, the hall and everywhere else they could see, focusing on possible threats, gauging and Evaluating everyone that passed. They occasionally passed whispered comments. As he walked down the hall, Ed at his side, Loch felt both of them staring at him, with both stares moving past and focused on Elora, who trailed behind. They were surprised, but didn¡¯t appear to be alarmed. Which made sense, Kelly had said there was an elf traveling with them. Both of the other Valkyrie were dressed similar to Kelly, even with spears. The armor was a little different, sourced from different Dungeons, and each had a mix of different pieces, but the style was similar. Kelly had said that Valkyrie was a Class as well as a group title. In myth, Valkyrie were the handmaiden¡¯s of Odin, helping ferry the warrior dead to Valhalla. Freyja, the Divine Being and Kelly¡¯s Patron, had taken the term to mean the protectors of those she chose. Kelly had misgivings about Freyja from the beginning but had taken the offer as it was the only way off Martha¡¯s Vineyard, what had become a Proving Ground. Cerie had been surprised that a Resource World like Earth had even developed Proving Grounds. Those were usually meant for non-Resource worlds, providing a way for the Adapted on those worlds to hone their Skills and Abilities as Dungeons were more rare.


    Loch was just glad that Kelly had found a way off the island, but now as they learned more, he realized it had all been a set up. It was pretty obvious that Freyja had taken Kelly away from them and put her on that island, forcing Kelly to choose Freyja as a Patron. Loch started to question how much of what had happened to him and the girls had been Thor¡¯s doing, setting him up on a path where he had no choice but to accept The Storm as a Patron.


    It seemed the two Divine Beings were using the Brady family as pawns. But why?


    ¡°What do you mean, for now?,¡± Ed asked, pulling Loch back from his thoughts.


    The shorter man held the door to the office open. Loch nodded his thanks, stepping in and glad it was empty. Darren and Kristin were busy elsewhere, which suited Loch. He knew both would have questions and he didn¡¯t want to answer any more at that time. Ed took a seat at Kristins desk as Loch took his. The door closed with Elora standing just outside. She was slightly turned to face the newcomers, Kelly¡¯s friends.


    ¡°She¡¯s not staying long,¡± Loch said, sighing. He took a drink from the bottle that sat on the desk, glancing down at some notes that Kristin had left. He ignored them, they could wait.


    ¡°What? But¡­ ,¡± Ed said, shocked.


    ¡°Part of the deal she made to get here,¡± Loch explained. ¡°It¡¯s only temporary and she has responsibilities back where she came from.¡±


    He gave Ed a brief synopsis of what Kelly had been doing from the moment she¡¯d been taken, glossing over some of the stuff about the Divine Beings and Unfettered Trait. When done, Ed leaned back in the chair, shaking his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Loch, after all you¡¯ve both been through to see each other and have it taken away¡­¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    The two fell silent, Loch turning to look out the window. He had a good view of the broken up parking lot where not that long ago an army of Gaunts had laid siege to the school. He could see Route 4 heading west for a little bit before turning the corner. A group of scavengers were returning. They moved slow, all obviously wounded, one with an arm in a sling. Two of them pulled a wagon, with a person tied up in the back. The person was struggling, the last scavenger poking at the prisoner to quiet them down. Something about the person was off. Taller and slimmer, holding themselves differently.


    Loch lined forward, pushing aside the blinds for a better look. Just before the wagon turned, moving away from the broken parking lot and down the path the Clan had created that led to the gate, almost out of sight from Loch, he realized why the prisoner in the back of the wagon looked odd.


    It was an elf.

 Chapter 226 (4.55)

    ¡°Scotty thought he heard a noise just outside the house we were in,¡± David Fitz, the one in charge of the scavenging team said to Loch, looking a little nervous to be speaking directly to his clanchief. ¡°We¡¯d gotten your warning about the elves and thought it might be some of them trying to ambush us. Jane looked out the back door but didn¡¯t see anything, so she snuck around to the side. The rest of us went out the front, hoping to get a chance to run for it. Turned out we surprised this guy and his friend,¡± David pointed at the elf who was now standing, held by two of the Clan¡¯s guardsmen. The elf was glaring daggers at David. ¡°Had a pretty rough fight and we managed to kill the other with Jane coming up behind this guy and knocking him out long enough for us to hogtie him. Figured you might want one to talk to.¡±


    Loch looked over at the elf. Dressed in leathers, the scavengers had taken all the obvious weapons. Hands were tied behind the elves back, his legs tied with a bit of rope with just enough extra for the elf to walk awkwardly. One of the scavengers knew how to tie someone up, Loch wondered how but quickly dismissed that thought. He really didn¡¯t want to know. The elf¡¯s long hair was held in a ponytail. It was an odd colored brown, not a shade Loch was used to seeing. Brown mixed with gray and a bit of green. Blue eyes glared at Loch. The elf was silent, not bothering to fight his captors anymore.


    ¡°You did great,¡± Loch said, clapping David on the shoulder. ¡°All of you,¡± he continued, making sure to make eye contact with each of the team members. None of them had gotten out of the fight with the two elves without an injury. Luckily none were severe. ¡°Get some healing, food and rest.¡± He turned to one of the other guards that had joined the small, but growing, crowd at the gate. ¡°Tell Susan they get priority for healing and tell the kitchen to give them extra helpings.¡±


    ¡°Yessir,¡± the guard said, saluting.


    ¡°Thank you Lord,¡± David said.


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    The four man team walked up the hill, following the guard. Loch thought to ask them about anything they had managed to grab before running into the elves, but held off. They were tired, hurt and bringing back the elf was better than anything else they would have found.


    SILVER BARK SCOUT


    Evaluate measured the elf around Level Ten. According to Elora, a Scout was a Common Class for the Silver Bark, Uncommon for Loch¡¯s Clan. Level Ten Scout put this elf low on the hierarchy. He was sacrificial.


    And foolhardy.


    Loch walked closer to the elf, who was a couple inches taller. Using the height, the elf glared down at Loch, trying to be intimidating. It didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°You were hoping for a couple of easy kills, right?,¡± Loch said, knowing the elf would understand him thanks to the Connection. ¡°Go back to Hoskia Silver Bark and hope that killing some of us increases your standing in the Clan?¡±


    The elf tried not to respond, but Loch could see it in his eyes.


    ¡°But you got yourself captured,¡± Loch continued. ¡°No going back to the Silver Bark for you. You failed. The Silver Bark will kill you,¡± Loch smiled at the elf. ¡°But we won¡¯t.¡±


    Loch stepped back, motioning for the guards to take the elf away.


    The two holding him pretty much pulled the stumbling elf with them, feet trying to find purchase but being dragged most of the time. Two other guards followed. Others were already inside the school, preparing the storage closet for their new guest. Elora was there, waiting to interrogate the prisoner.


    They walked past Kelly and the other two Valkyries, the three studying the Silver Bark. They had an elf in their column, none knew what Clan she was from. The last name, Barkfall, had not been one that Elora or Cerie knew. That didn¡¯t mean Senora Barkfall hadn¡¯t been a member of the Silver Bark Clan, just that the Barkfall name wasn¡¯t high up in the Clan rankings.


    Loch stopped next to Kelly, taking her hand.


    ¡°What do you plan to do with him?,¡± she asked.


    ¡°Hopefully we can get some updated info from him,¡± Loch answered as the four of them started walking back toward the school. ¡°But chances are he won¡¯t talk. He¡¯ll be more scared of the Silver Bark than us and even if he did renounce the Silver Bark Clan, the Connection prevents them from revealing everything. Elora can¡¯t tell us about some of the inner workings of the Clan.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Kelly said.


    ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s why Senora doesn¡¯t talk about her former Clan much,¡± Lisa, one of the Valkyries said.


    ¡°Naw, Senora¡¯s just a bitch,¡± the other one said.


    All three laughed.


    ¡°If he does renounce the Silver Bark, will you accept him into the Clan like you did Elora?,¡± Kelly asked, looking up at her husband.


    Loch looked up the yard at the elf as the guards escorted him into the school. It was a good question. They had almost made it to the doors before he answered.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, wanted it to have conviction but knew Kelly would hear the lack of it in his tone. ¡°Elora had just been a scout. She hadn¡¯t intentionally harmed any humans. This elf was about to harm my people. Even if he renounces the Silver Bark, he won¡¯t have a place in Clan Brady.¡±


    Loch tried to make it sound solid with conviction but knew Kelly, at least, would hear the lack of it in his tone. He could say it now, but when it came time, what would he do? A Clanless elf, alone, would not make it long on Earth. It might be kinder to just kill the elf. Part of him hoped the prisoner wouldn¡¯t renounce the Silver Bark. That would make things so much easier.


    They couldn¡¯t return the prisoner to the Silver Bark. That would be as good as killing him. As far as Loch knew, there were no human prisoners, so an exchange wouldn¡¯t be possible. Not like this prisoner was worth anything to the Silver Bark.


    Loch hoped the prisoner would give them some new information, it would make whatever he decided worth it.


    Kelly squeezed his hand, giving him a smile. That simple gesture let him know that she would support whatever he chose.


    They hadn¡¯t discussed anything beyond the generals of what they had all been facing since the separation, but reading between the lines of Kelly¡¯s story Loch knew she had to make some hard decisions along the way. Just like he had. It came with being a leader in this new Connected World. The world was harder and the leaders had harder decisions to make. There was no way around it.


    Loch could see a bit of that hardness in Kelly¡¯s eyes. They were haunted, just in the depths, much like his must look. She had quickly accepted his decision to let the girls fight. No arguments or questioning. She understood it had to be done. He could tell she hadn¡¯t liked it, anymore than he had, but she hadn¡¯t been there, hadn¡¯t been in the situation, and trusted in him to make the right decisions.


    ***


    ¡°They have prisoners,¡± Elora said later that day.


    After she had interrogated the elf prisoner, Loch hadn¡¯t asked what she had said or done, they had convened in the meeting room. It was crowded with the full Council, Kelly, and the invited Roger, Davis and Drew. As the leaders of the three strongest parties outside of Loch¡¯s own, they needed to be involved in the discussions.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Taskil Dewleaf..,¡± she started, only to be interrupted by a snicker.


    All heads turned to Roger, who was leaning against the back wall. He stood up a little straighter when he realized everyone was staring at him. Loch glared, causing Roger to shift a little in embarrassment. He looked down, not saying anything, as Elora¡¯s elven eyes stared at him. She didn¡¯t glare with anger but with disdain.


    ¡°Taskil Dewleaf,¡± she started again, staring right at Roger and daring him to do anything. The older man wisely didn¡¯t. ¡°Said they arrived about a week ago. He didn¡¯t know where they came from or how they were captured. As a low ranking member of the Clan when not out on assignment, he was confined to the edges of the Silver Bark camp. He did say that several of the prisoners looked wounded. There were more women and children than men.¡±


    That was the news Loch had been fearing. It might help explain why the Silver Bark had been seemingly pulling back. Once Clan Brady had started being more on the offensive, not reacting but actively hunting the Silver Bark resources, it made sense if they had prisoners. Hoskia Silver Bark would want Loch to overextend his forces with minimal losses to the elves and then reveal the prisoners, forcing Loch to fall back and keep falling back. Hoskia wanted to make Loch think they were winning before pulling the surprise.


    ¡°How many?,¡± Ed asked.


    ¡°Taskil counted ten, but wasn¡¯t sure if there were more or if the Silver Bark had captured any others in the days he was away from camp.¡±


    ¡°What about the rest of their forces?,¡± Darren Holmberg asked.


    ¡°He was able to confirm what we had guessed,¡± Elora replied, looking a little uneasy.


    As Elora had renounced her place in the Silver Bark Clan, the Connected System had prevented her from being able to reveal too many of their secrets. The Connection¡¯s way of keeping things competitive. She hadn¡¯t been able to give specific numbers, just general estimates. As a prisoner of war, Taskil Dewleaf, had similar restraints but not as tight or explicit as Eloras. He could reveal more.


    It had bothered Elora, that she could not be more helpful to her new Clan. Loch had assured her that they didn¡¯t want her for her knowledge of her enemies, they wanted her in the Clan for everything else she brought and for herself. That had affected Elora deeply. Being wanted for who she was, it was something new to her. Something she had never experienced in the Silver Bark Clan, where worth was determined by what a person could do for the Clan itself.


    She knew that others in the Clan, even though they didn¡¯t say it outloud, were angry that she was unable to provide more.They felt that by taking her in, she owed them everything she knew. Loch didn¡¯t feel that way and hoped he¡¯d convinced Elora that she didn¡¯t need to worry about it.


    Looking at how uneasy she appeared, which was rare to see any emotion on the elven woman, he realized that it bothered her a lot. Having the prisoner, who could reveal more direct intelligence on the Silver Bark camp, was bringing those emotions to the forefront.


    ¡°Do we know where in the camp the prisoner¡¯s are?,¡± Drew asked.


    ¡°Taskil was able to reveal that.¡±


    ¡°Could it be a trap?,¡± Darren asked. ¡°We just have this elf¡¯s word for the prisoners. Would the Silver Bark have let him be captured just to create this myth about them prisoners?¡±


    ¡°Why would they do that,¡± Roger asked, his normal gruff voice back after his bit of embarrassment. ¡°So what if they have prisoners¡­,¡± he started but stopped, once again receiving glares from almost everyone in the room.


    ¡°Because they know we¡¯d have to rescue them,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°No,¡± Elora said, drawing all the eyes back. She was staring at Roger, but not in disdain, but more understanding. ¡°He is partly right.¡±


    She looked around at everyone in the room, finishing with Loch. She made sure everyone was paying attention.


    ¡°The Silver Bark are not like you,¡± she said. ¡°Most of you,¡± she corrected, stealing a glance at Roger. ¡°You automatically think about rescuing the prisoners. The Silver Bark would never do that. They would never risk more of their forces to rescue those captured. They would view the imprisonment as punishment for allowing themselves to be captured.¡± She paused, once more looking around the room to make sure she still had their attention. ¡°But what they would do is use the prisoners as bargaining pieces.¡±


    She let that sink in before continuing.


    ¡°It is possible that the Silver Bark hoped Taskil would be captured to reveal the existence of prisoners,¡± she said.


    ¡°I thought you just said that the Silver Bark wouldn¡¯t risk their people to rescue prisoners. We¡¯re supposed to think they¡¯d willingly sacrifice their people to just tell us there are human prisoners?,¡± Ed asked, leaning back in his chair, fingers tapping on the armrest.


    ¡°Taskil is a low ranked scout,¡± Elora replied with a shrug. ¡°To the Silver Bark, he isn¡¯t worth much. Losing him to pass along a message is worth it for them.¡±


    Ed shook his head, sighing.


    ¡°So hard to understand that kind of thinking,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Not worth trying to exchange him for some of their prisoners?,¡± Darren asked, not sounding hopeful.


    ¡°None,¡± Elora answered. ¡°Taskil would refuse because he knows that as soon as he returns to the Silver Bark camp, his life will be forfeit.¡±


    ¡°Damn, your elves are harsh,¡± Roger said.


    Elora¡¯s head snapped up, eyes full of anger as she glared at the man. He tried to step back but couldn¡¯t, the wall stopping him. His eyes looked a little wild, unsure of what was about to happen.


    ¡°They are not my elves,¡± Elora said, slowly, each word coming out in a glacial calm that was scary. ¡°That is just one of the many reasons why I gladly gave up most of my power to leave the Clan.¡± The anger left her eyes, a teasing smile appearing. ¡°You and I are about the same Level now, but if we had encountered each other before I renounced the Silver Bark, I was much higher Level and would have easily killed you.¡±


    Roger looked around at the others, everyone obviously ignoring him. He took a step from the wall, anger rising due to embarrassment.


    ¡°Now see here missy,¡± he growled, pointing a finger at him. ¡°If you think you can take me, you¡¯re welcome to try.¡±


    ¡°There would be no try,¡± Elora said, looking back down at the map. ¡°Taskil did give us the location of two more Dungeons on the north and western side of the camp¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Roger growled. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me.¡±


    He took another step forward. Elora didn¡¯t react. Loch did though. He stood up, staring at Roger.


    ¡°Settle down,¡± he said, voice calm.


    Roger glared at Loch, looking like he wasn¡¯t going to listen. He winced, reaching up to rub at his head, like he had a headache. Eyes slightly unfocused, he looked around again, settling on Loch. Roger took a step back.


    ¡°Yeah, sorry, it¡¯s just¡­,¡± he trailed off, leaning against the wall.


    Loch waited a moment before sitting back down.


    ¡°Mark those Dungeons for the future,¡± he said, looking down at the map after stealing another glance at Roger, making sure the older man wasn¡¯t going to move. ¡°They don¡¯t do us any good now, we¡¯d have to cross too much Silver Bark territory.¡±


    He leaned back, wondering what their next move should be.


    ¡°How will the Silver Bark treat the prisoners?,¡± Alison Crawford asked. She never spoke much in Council meetings, unless it was directly related to the Clan¡¯s Dungeons and Adventurers.


    ¡°Not well,¡± Elora answered. ¡°They will not kill them or cause them to be harmed enough to risk life. They are too valuable as bargaining pieces. At least for now. That will not last though. At some point what it costs the Silver Bark to feed and house them will outstrip the possible return.¡± She sighed, looking around the table once more, ignoring Roger. ¡°Remember, to the Silver Bark Elders, everything is a transaction. If it is not favorable to the Silver Bark, they will not do it. Right now, the prisoners have value. They will not always.¡±


    Loch looked down at the map. The new Dungeon locations were marked off along with all the others they had found, the ones they¡¯d taken from the Silver Bark and the ones they hadn¡¯t touched yet. He knew they couldn¡¯t continue their plan of taking away Resources but it would get riskier. The Silver Bark were biding their time before striking back. The existence of the prisoners changed everything.


    Loch knew they could just wait for Hoskia to reveal their existence. Knowing they existed, Loch¡¯s people could prepare for the revelation, have plans in place to deal with it. But when would that be? How badly would the prisoner¡¯s condition be by that time?


    He knew he couldn¡¯t let them suffer. The plans had to change.


    He just wasn¡¯t sure how.


    ¡°Come up with some ideas on how to free the prisoners,¡± Loch said, looking around the room. He could tell by the way everyone looked, none would have any ideas. He couldn¡¯t blame them. It was a situation none of them had ever been in before.

 Chapter 227 (4.56)

    ¡°He¡¯s beautiful,¡± Kelly said, running her hand up Jarl¡¯s nose.


    The tall horse had bent forward, letting her reach from nose to top. If horses could smile, Loch was sure Jarl would be. The horse was not friendly with anyone but Loch and his girls, he wasn¡¯t surprised when Jarl had immediately let Kelly pet him.


    Loch could feel the presence of the other horses as they approached them. The girls were with them, smiling. Kelly stepped away from Jarl, first seeing Swift. She glanced at Piper, who was beaming, before walking over to the smaller horse, who immediately nuzzled her head into Kelly¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said. ¡°I can feel your connection with Piper. That¡¯s odd.¡±


    The last horse poked her with his nose, making Kelly laugh. She turned away from Swift, not even looking as she reached out to pet the horse¡¯s nose. It¡¯s one she had stroked hundreds of times over the years. She knew how tall the horse was.


    ¡°Hi Larry,¡± Kelly said, leaning in and hugging the horse. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you.¡±


    Larry stepped back, lifting his head. He gave a soft chuff, twisting to point with his nose behind him. Swift echoed the noise, moving back out of the way. Jarl kicked at the ground. The Brady¡¯s all looked confused, except for Kelly who looked past the horses. A fourth had come up, but hung back. It now stepped forward, as Kelly did.


    Together they meet, staring at each other. Kelly reached a tentative hand out, stroking the side of the horse¡¯s face. Loch had remembered this one. A mare, white with a couple of small brown spots, she had been one of the ones that Liam said had come with Larry. He¡¯d used Evaluate on the mare and had been surprised at the name. He and Kelly had briefly talked about their Abilities. He knew her Valkyrie Abilities were light energy based. Knowing that, he wasn¡¯t surprised about the Mare anymore.


    LIGHT STORM MARE


    Kelly made the same connection, using her own Evaluate Skill.


    ¡°War, Shadow, Swift and Light,¡± she laughed. ¡°Like they were made for us.¡±


    They probably were, Loch thought. Wondering if it was the Connection, his Patron or the Unfettered Trait. Maybe a combination of all three or none of them.


    ¡°This is very odd,¡± Cerie said, from where she floated over Piper¡¯s shoulder. Her eyes glowed green as she accessed her knowledge. ¡°Bonded animals are common but not like what has happened with your family and these horses, who are not related.¡±


    Loch looked out into the field where the other horses were grazing. A fence had been hastily erected. It really served no purpose. The horses didn¡¯t wander off and it didn¡¯t keep out predators. They hadn¡¯t lost a single horse though, even though there had been multiple attacks by Mutated Coyotes and other creatures each night when the horses had first arrived. The guards never got a chance to fight off the monsters. Larry and Jarl did most of the fighting with some of the others joining in.


    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t even here,¡± Kelly said, turning around to look at the rest of them. ¡°How is it possible to have a horse that fits so well with me?¡±


    ¡°I do not know,¡± Cerie replied.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± Elora interrupted, walking down to join them. She had stayed behind with Drew after the meeting had ended. As one of his Bannerman, she had insisted on joining him as he walked the school grounds with his family, but he had made her stay behind. ¡°You asked us to come up with ideas on how to free the prisoners. I have one.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Do you trust her?,¡± Kelly asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s my sworn Bannerman,¡± Loch said. He¡¯d had to explain to Kelly what exactly that had meant. As well as Elora Seedspear¡¯s oaths to the Clan.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    Loch shifted on the bed. The room he shared with the girls contained just him and Kelly. It was cramped, the bed not truly meant for two, but they were making it work. It felt good having her close to him again. The frame squeaked as he moved. It had been doing a lot of that earlier.


    The first time it had made a noise, they had stopped, worried someone would hear. Then it didn¡¯t matter. They were just happy to be together.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Loch answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good enough.¡±


    Kelly sat up, taking the blanket with her. She shifted to sitting cross legged on the bed, Loch doing the same. Kelly looked at the bunk bed the girls used, the totes with the few belongings they had and the pictures Loch had saved.


    ¡°Think the house is still there,¡± she asked.


    ¡°Probably,¡± Loch replied. ¡°I think the scavengers are due to hit the street in a week or two. Is there anything you want them to get? Some of the old jewelry?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing that is worth having now. It¡¯s just stuff.¡±


    Kelly started to laugh, it turned into a cry that she forcibly stopped. Loch brushed a stray hair out of her face, turning to look at her.


    ¡°Kel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she said, wiping away a tear. She sighed. ¡°I want it all. That¡¯s our life. It¡¯s where we raised the girls. The jewelry all has meaning. Some of it¡¯s my great-grandmothers. Even the silverware has meaning. But it is just stuff. None of it matters now. You have enchanters right? That can take rings and stuff and make them better?¡±


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.¡°Not yet, but we¡¯re getting close.¡±


    ¡°Let them use the rings and necklaces. Even if they¡¯re destroyed, it¡¯ll give them practice.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    Kelly shifted and leaned against Loch, smiling as his arms wrapped around her. She had missed that.


    ¡°It¡¯s just stuff,¡± she said, snuggling in tighter.


    They were silent for a bit, enjoying the feel of each other.


    ¡°I do trust her,¡± Loch said finally.


    He was thankful to Kelly for giving him the time to think it through. It was something she was good at, knowing when to press and when to give it a break knowing he¡¯d work his way through it. And he had.


    ¡°Cerie said that the oath is unbreakable.¡±


    ¡°She broke the one she made to the Silver Bark didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that was to the Clan and had consequences. The Bannerman oath is something else, but beyond that I do trust her. Call it a gut instinct.¡±


    ¡°Which you¡¯ve always been good with,¡± Kelly said.


    ¡°I guess,¡± Loch said, thinking of something that had been bothering him for a while.


    A feeling he¡¯d had, but mostly ignored.


    ¡°Loch? Are you okay?¡±


    The thought fled. Loch shook his head, wondering what he¡¯d been trying to think about. Nothing important if he couldn¡¯t remember.


    ¡°Yeah. Elora had plenty of opportunities to hurt me, the girls or the Clan, but she didn¡¯t. When confronted with that chance, she killed her own Clanmate. She¡¯s fought beside us. Killed beside us. She¡¯s starting to find a home here.¡±


    Kelly sat up, turning to look at Loch. She studied him, running a hand over his face and beard. It had grown out more than he¡¯d ever let it in the years they¡¯d been together, but she had to admit that she liked it. He looked the part of the viking warchief.


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Loch leaned in and kissed her.


    ***


    ¡°See that ripple out there,¡± Piper said, pointing onto the surface of Harvey Lake. ¡°That¡¯s Unfey.¡±


    ¡°Is he friendly?,¡± Kelly asked, walking along the shore with her youngest.


    They held hands, something Piper had not done with either of her parents in awhile. She was getting too old. But at that moment, neither mom or daughter cared.


    Harper was on the shore, sitting on the grass, with her father.


    ¡°How long is she staying,¡± Harper asked quietly, not wanting her voice to carry to her younger sister.


    ¡°Not long enough,¡± Loch said, sighing. ¡°Only a couple of days. Long enough to do what we need to.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Rescue the prisoners and hopefully end the Silver Bark threat.¡±


    ¡°Is Elora¡¯s plan going to work?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Loch answered truthfully. He looked at his oldest, proud of who she was becoming. ¡°But we have to try. Harps,¡± he said, making her turn to look at him. He took a deep breath, not wanting to say it but knowing he had to. They all had their parts to play. The plan had been outlined, there were still details to go over, but the major parts were set. Harper¡¯s was one of the most important. ¡°You¡¯re not coming with us,¡± he said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    She sat up straighter, starting to get angry. Loch knew the signs. He raised a hand, stopping her.


    ¡°Hold on. You¡¯re not coming with us,¡± he said, pointing to himself and then Kelly and Piper. ¡°But you are going. Just with the other teams.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±


    Loch thought back to when he¡¯d made her run from the gaunts with the spatial bag full of supplies. Sending her off on her own had been a hard choice. But at least that one she had been running away from danger. Now he was going to ask her to go off on her own without the family, just when they had been reunited, and to run headlong into danger. Her job was the most important.


    If Loch and his team could pull off their part, Harper¡¯s job wouldn¡¯t be as dangerous, but no matter what, Loch was going to send his daughter into the lion¡¯s den.


    ***


    Loch stopped about twenty feet from the edge of the treeline. The small pond with the strange flowers was behind him, the brick of the school building back beyond the fields. He stood in his full armor, Onyx out and at full size. Kelly stood to his side, her spear in hand. Harper and Piper were just behind, dressed in their full armor and gear. Harper had her tonfas sheathed.


    Behind the Bradys stood Elora and the rest of Loch¡¯s Bannermen. Brian was in the middle, giant club over his shoulder, flanked by the twins. Elora was in front of Brian, looking small compared to the large man, who just seemed to get bigger with each Level.


    ¡°Elora,¡± Loch said, keeping his voice low as he scanned the trees. ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°To your right, the large oak near the three birch.¡±


    Loch turned slightly, finding the spot she had called out. He could see anything. Reaching out with his Spirit, trying to sense a Presence, he felt something. An elf.


    They knew the Silver Bark had the school under near constant watch and were counting on that.


    Loch pointed with Onyx, knowing he¡¯d done this same thing before at the Dungeon off Harvey Lake Road. The survivors he had let run back would have told the Silver Bark elders what Loch had said and done, how he had done it. This was no surprise.


    But it still looked dramatic.


    ¡°I have a message for Hoskia Silver Bark,¡± Loch started, his voice just loud enough for the unseen watcher to hear his words clearly. He and Elora had discussed the wording, even the tone of what he was going to say. No disrespect, full of confidence. ¡°I call on him for parlay. A chance to discuss the future and cooperation between our Clans. Meet in four days where the Wendigos were defeated. Come with just an honor guard.¡±


    Loch lowered Onyx. He turned, the others all turning as well. The bannermen parted, letting the Brady family walk past, before they too turned and followed. None looked back.

 Chapter 228 (4.57)

    The words had been carefully chosen.


    Loch had to appear confident, the tone daring and full of strength. But that was not how Hoskia Silverbark was meant to take them. Loch was approaching him for negotiations, that would tell Hoskia that Clan Brady was not coming from a position of strength.


    The strong did not negotiate with the weak.


    There was no mention of the prisoners. That told Hoskia that Clan Brady did not know of their existence. The Silver Bark leader could still use them to his advantage.


    Asking for an honor guard would restrict the number of people that could be brought to the meeting. It was meant to keep the number of people brought by both sides even. Though, as Elora had pointed out, there was a lot of leeway in what each side thought of as an honor guard.


    As the party asking for the parlay, Clan Brady would be the most restricted. If they brought a lot of guards, it would just show more of their weakness. As the requested party, the Silver Bark would naturally not know how many Clan Brady would bring, working off an assumption and would bring more to be safe.


    Elora had explained about the rules with parlay, verified by Cerie, which was that there were really no rules beyond those governed by honor. There was a lot of trust in the situation, as the Connection did not enforce anything and it was down to the two Clans. With the amount of power Clans held, and even the individuals at higher Levels, honor was important. Word would spread in the wider Connection and that could hurt the Clan in future negotiations or even individual clan members when out on their own.


    Because of that, the Silver Bark rarely initiated parlay or even negotiated. Most times, they refused. But in this situation, both Elora and Cerie were positive the Silver Bark would respond. Maybe not to parlay, but they would respond.


    Loch set out two days after sending the message. It didn¡¯t take that long for the group to get ready, but they had planned on the time needed for the messenger to get back to the Silver Bark camp and then the Silver Bark to start the journey to the meeting site. There was no time for the elves to make plans. They would need to leave almost as soon as their watcher gave them the message.


    It was a quiet group that started through the forest. Elora took the lead, with Brian taking the rear like usual. The twins, who Loch had not wanted to bring along but had relented, were surprisingly quiet. There was none of their usual back and forth banter. The two had surprised Loch. As soon as they had become Bannermen, they had devoted themselves to Leveling. Both had reached Level 12 in only a few weeks. The speed was crazy compared to everyone else in the Clan, Loch included. With nothing else to do, the two had Leveled. They hit every Dungeon they could with different parties, hitting every Spawn Field when the Dungeons were on timers.


    They were still far behind the group, but could now hold their own.


    The rest of the group was made up of Julia Montgomery, Bobby McKay and the Brighams, Harold and Sarah. Those two had been an almost last minute addition. Their group had yet to find a replacement for their dead member, Josh Hauser seeming to be reluctant to. They had stopped running Dungeons, doing bare minimum to Level. Unable to break up the team, for the same reason it was hard to find a single DPS member to fill the void, they had asked to come along with Loch. He was glad to have the extra strength, even if he wasn¡¯t sure he fully trusted them. He trusted them more than Josh Hauser. That man had been spending too much time with Roger Lewis and his group.


    Loch shook his head, a stray thought appearing and disappearing. It seemed to be happening a lot. Something Kelly had said about gut instinct when it came to people. There was something important about that, but Loch couldn¡¯t place what.


    An arrow flew through the air, followed by the yip of a Mutated Chipmunk. The monster thumped to the ground, not getting up.


    ¡°Skin it?,¡± Bobby asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Loch said. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep moving. Maybe the corpse will keep the Mutated Coyotes off us.¡±


    They were able to move quickly, following the same path Loch and his people had taken to get from the clearing to the school. But they didn¡¯t want to move too fast. The timing had to be perfect.


    So much had to be perfect.


    ***


    The first night was spent in a cave. It wasn¡¯t big enough for the entire party, but they could crowd around the entrance, lighting a fire just outside. The small stone pit Loch and his people had made the first time through was still there. No evidence of being used.


    They didn¡¯t try to hide the smoke, wanting the watching Silver Bark to know they were there. Elora hadn¡¯t seen any on the walk, but knew they were there. She could sense the watchers. Loch took her word for it. He wanted to be seen. Let the scouts return to Hoskia Silver Bark with Loch¡¯s exact numbers.


    The mood was somber around the fire. Everyone there knew the risks, had volunteered for it. The twins had tried some of their normal banter, it hadn¡¯t gotten anywhere and they had given up. Loch thought about lightening the mood, but why bother? It fit the impression they wanted the Silver Bark to have.


    ¡°There is one thirty feet into the treeline to your right,¡± Elora whispered.


    She sat near the fire, closer than anyone else, just to Loch¡¯s left. To anyone looking, she was staring down into the fire, not looking into the woods. Loch didn¡¯t turn to look. In the night, with the elf¡¯s natural stealth, Loch wouldn¡¯t have seen the watcher. Even if it had been daylight.


    ¡°You thought there were two earlier?,¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes. One would have run off to return to the Silver Bark camp.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Loch said, leaning forward closer to the fire.


    The flames danced before him, shadows playing across the ground. Loch loved campfires. Nothing beat having one in his own backyard, sitting in the adirondack chairs, beer in one hand, holding Kelly¡¯s hand with the other, watching the flames and the bats flying overhead. Bat ballet, Kelly had called it, as they flew from one tree to another, eating the flying insects. It had been peaceful.


    Some of the clan had built a large pit back behind the school on one of the few flat spots leading down to the shore. Large stones, too round or oblong to be used in constructing walls, had been used to form the pit. They¡¯d had a couple of fires already. No beer as no one in the Clan could make it yet, but it was sure to come soon


    Loch had avoided the fires, not wanting to make it awkward with his presence. Being the Clanchief was a negative when it came to social interactions. The only ones not awed by his presence were those closest to him, the girls and the people that made up his adventuring group. Everyone else, they treated him like royalty. Even most of the councilors. Loch wanted to go hang out by the fire with the clan, but if he did, it would become an event.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.There would be no peace.


    Not only would people act awkwardly, not relaxing, but they would ask him questions. Some might even air their issues. Loch wasn¡¯t against that, and felt that the people did need to be able to vent, but around a fire meant to relax was not the place.


    So he stayed away.


    Fires like the one in front of him, they were nice but he couldn¡¯t relax. Not with what was coming up.


    He stared into the flames, imagining the day when he could just hang out by the fire again.


    ***


    The clearing was empty. That they could see at least. Loch doubted that it truly was. Most of the grass that had been torn up and ruined by the fighting had regrown. Moss grew over the bones of the triceratops, which had been picked clean by scavengers. The bones dominated the clearing. He avoided looking at the area where they had burned the bodies of everything else killed in the clearing.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Brent said. ¡°That thing is pretty¡­¡±


    ¡°Freaking cool,¡± Trent finished for him.


    ¡°Freaking freaky,¡± Brent said, glaring at his brother.


    ¡°Did you seriously just say ¡®freaking freaky¡¯,?¡± Trent asked.


    ¡°Yeah, what of it?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Brian barked before Trent could reply.


    Both twins fell silent, standing a little straighter and at attention. They still exchanged glares but also focused on the land around them. Since both had chosen to become Bannerman, someday if they proved worthy, Brian had grudgingly taken it upon himself to become their mentor. Elora wasn¡¯t going to do it and Brian didn¡¯t want the ¡®two fools¡¯, as he called them, to get hurt in their excitement. He felt someone had to train them to be proper soldiers. It was an odd mixing as Brian barely talked and the twins were rarely quiet.


    Loch chuckled, kind of glad now that they twins had come. They¡¯d been dour like everyone else at first, but he¡¯d known it was only a matter of time before their true nature came out.


    They made their way toward the bones. Loch glanced back at the Brighams. The married couple were moving slower, looking around the clearing. Sarah pointed at a spot to the side, Harold nodding. Loch wondered if that was where their partymate, Stephen Cross, had died. He noticed the twins avoided looking at specific areas, probably where some of the people they¡¯d been journeying with had died. Loch avoided the spot where Jenny Brannock had fallen.


    He hadn¡¯t wanted to choose the clearing. Too many humans had fallen there, some at the hands of elves. But there was nowhere else. Not with as much open space as this clearing had, as well as lines of sight. He had no doubt that there would be elves hidden in the woods, but the distance from treeline to the center of the clearing was great and there was nowhere to hide. They would see reinforcements coming and have time to decide on a plan. The other benefit was the location. The road was close, giving Loch and his people a decent escape route. Others had come down it before, they knew how damaged it was. Loch felt confident they could run down the road and make it to the wall, where they would have the defensive position. With the large pond in the elves direct route, it would mean they would have to go around it. It wouldn¡¯t cost them much time, but it would take them longer.


    The other reason was psychological.


    Clan Brady had won against Clan Silver Bark in the largest skirmish between the humans and elves yet. Clan Brady had even been weakened from fighting the Triceratops, Bugbears, Raptors and Wendigo. But they¡¯d still won against the more experienced elves. It sent a message that Clan Brady wasn¡¯t afraid of the Silver Bark.


    Which went against the message Loch had hoped to send when he requested the parlay. Elora was sure that Hoskia Silver Bark would not see it as contradictory but more reinforcement that Clan Brady was truly scared of the Silver Bark. He would see it as a last gasp attempt by Loch to show strength.


    That was what Loch was hoping.


    He followed Elora to the bones. Dozens of little bite marks marred the remains of the triceratops, the bones starting to fade, the parts that weren¡¯t covered by moss. It was surprising how quickly nature had claimed the bones.


    The benefit of being the first to the clearing meant that Clan Brady got to pick the ground. The land sloped down toward the pond, few trees along the shore facing the clearing, but thick forest everywhere else. Standing with his back to the bones, Loch liked what he saw. The elves would have to come uphill. They¡¯d have the pond blocking some paths of retreat. No matter what, Clan Brady was going to be at a disadvantage, Loch would take any advantages he could get.


    He turned around, watching as Brian got the clan members lined up. Both Archers climbed up the bones, getting some additional height. Brent and Trent were set up on the sides where their spears could help protect the flanks. Julia moved to within the bones, using the shell for protection. Brian and Harold stood to either side of Loch, a couple steps behind.


    ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± Elora said quietly.


    Loch turned, looking down the slope. A couple of people walked out of the forest, almost appearing out of nowhere. The two elves carried bows and wore short swords. They stopped just outside the trees, looking up at Loch and his people. The two watched for a couple of minutes before one of them re-entered the forest. The other walked further away.


    More appeared, stepping from the shadows under the trees. It was somewhat unnerving how there was nothing and then suddenly there was. Loch was glad he wouldn¡¯t be facing the elves in the shadows of the trees. Four total spread out, bows held in hand, an arrow in the other. Looking past, Loch could now see shapes in the trees. The first were scouts with similar Abilities to Elora. Six figures stepped out, moving to stand in front of the scouts. They spread out, forming a line. Warriors like the ones Loch had faced before. Ten Silver Bark. His people were already outnumbered. He¡¯d hoped the numbers would be more even.


    Six more warriors followed, those staying closer to the treeline, three to a side with a gap between. Loch silently cursed, not letting his people see his worry.


    Three more elves stepped out of the trees. All three different from each other and the rest. On the left was a Crone. Similar to the one Loch had fought, but just a little different. Bent a little more, green robe instead of black. She held a staff, using it to support her body. On the right was a man in a robe. Tall and straight, a brown robe, carrying a staff with the top carved in different animal heads. Loch guessed him to be the Ghostweaver, Loric Greenspire. Elora had described the Rare Class as a kind of Shaman, using totems to power his Abilities.


    The last, the one in the middle, was Hoskia Silver Bark. The tallest Elf that Loch had seen, he had long silver hair that hung straight down his back, two braids in the front. He wore armor like the warriors, his just more elaborate and engraved. Most likely enchanted as well. Two swords were belted at his waist, his hands resting on the hilts. Loch couldn¡¯t see his face, but could feel the disdain and hate in the expression sent his way.


    Loch let the whole group walk forward, closer and closer. He kept his hands to the side, itching to summon Onyx and Bulwark, to Windstep down the slope and start the fight. He held back. It wasn¡¯t the time. The gaze shifted to Loch¡¯s side, focusing on Elora.


    She took a step back, seeming to shrink under its weight. Her expression firmed, her back growing straight and she took the same step forward, even taking another forward. She stared down the slope at Hoskia, standing proud.


    ¡°That¡¯s far enough,¡± Loch said when the Silver Bark were thirty feet away, just shy of where the gradual slope turned a little steeper.


    Hoskia looked like he wasn¡¯t going to, but gave the order, stopping the group of Elves. He looked Loch up and down, smirking the whole time.


    ¡°So you are Lochlan Brady,¡± he said, scorn dripping from the words.

 Chapter 229 (4.58)

    ¡°You called for this parlay,¡± Hoskia continued, voice dripping with sarcasm at the word. ¡°But first we must deal with that traitor,¡± he growled, staring at Elora.


    Loric stepped forward, pointing with his staff. Loch stiffened, along with everyone around him. Nothing happened, the staff just a means for Loric to make a grand gesture.


    ¡°Elora Seedspear,¡± he said, his voice not as polished or smooth as Hoskias. ¡°You are accused of murdering one of your own Clan. You are accused of forsaking your Clan vows. How do you answer?¡±


    Loch didn¡¯t turn to look at Elora, keeping his eyes on Hoskia. The elf acted like he was ignoring Loch, but he wasn¡¯t. Loch could tell that Hoskia was watching his every move.


    ¡°I do not answer,¡± Elora said.


    Loch saw eyebrows raise in surprise from some of the elves. Others looked more shocked. There were a couple of gasps quickly silenced by glares from others, the ones Loch judged to be the officers. He hoped Bobby and Sarah had marked them.


    ¡°I do not answer because I am no longer Silver Bark. I broke my Oath to the Clan because the Clan broke it¡¯s Oath to me,¡± Elora said, voice loud and clear. She didn¡¯t look at the Silver Bark leadership but at the other Elves arrayed around them. ¡°In the Oath, we pledge to honor the Silver Bark, to obey our Elders, to Strive for our own Advancement and to always work for the betterment of the Clan. But does the Silver Bark do anything for us? No. Only if our families are higher Ranked or we have some value. The Elders don¡¯t do anything for us. They pit us against each other, having us work against each other to try and make our way up a ladder that truly doesn¡¯t exist.¡± She pointed at Hoskia. Loch smiled, seeing the smirk fade from the Silver Bark leader¡¯s face. ¡°Long before I forsook my Oath, he and others like him, the Silver Bark, they forsook their Oath to me and to all of you.¡±


    Her pointing finger drifted along the line of elves. There were a couple that appeared uneasy, most appeared to not care. He and Elora had talked of that, they had known what Hoskia would most likely do. There had been hope that some of the elves might turn on Hoskia, might join Clan Brady, but it was a slim hope. It appeared no one was going to quit.


    Which made sense. Hoskia would have known Elora would be there, and with a public accusation, it was pretty obvious what she would say. Hoskia would have only brought the most loyal of the elves with him.


    A dry cackling laugh spread throughout the clearing. All eyes turned to the Crone. Both hands gripped the top of her staff, the hood hiding her face except for her mouth which was open in the laugh, revealing sharpened teeth stained red.


    The sound stopped, everyone expecting the Crone to say something. She didn¡¯t. The silence lingered until Loric spoke again.


    ¡°By your words, you plead guilty to the call of oathbreaker,¡± he said, no emotion as he recited the words. He shifted his attention to Loch, staff lowering. ¡°Before any parlay can start, the oathbreaker must be given over to us so we may mete out her punishment.¡±


    Hoskia and Loric looked to Loch. He could see the warrior elves tensing, ready to attack. There was a faint smile on Hoskia¡¯s face as he waited for Loch to speak. Loch let the silence go a little longer.


    ¡°No,¡± he said.


    Hoskia¡¯s smile grew bigger, looking predatory. That was the answer he had hoped for. Loch wanted to smile, but held back. It was time to throw a little curveball.


    ¡°As she is a sworn Bannerman of the Clan Brady Clanchief, and a loyal member of Clan Brady itself, she is not subject to any retribution from the Silver Bark.¡±


    From their reactions, Loch knew that none of the Silver Bark had expected Elora to be a member of Clan Brady. She had explained that anyone wanting to switch Clans typically had to work their way up, prove their loyalty and dedication before giving a chance to join. It could take years. Some the Clans would lead on, never intended to grant membership, just using the essentially free labor. And to make her a Bannerman was unheard of. As a full member of Clan Brady, the Silver Bark could not come after her for breaking her Oath to them.


    It was a bit weird, and Loch didn¡¯t fully understand the logic behind it, but Elora had assured him that it was a rule set by the Connection. It wanted Clanmembers to have the option to move, as it hoped they would go to a better situation that would allow them to Advance more and strive to reach for more, not be held back.


    If Elora had been a vagabond and Loch didn¡¯t allow the Silver Bark to take her, the elves would have been entitled to retribution. That would mean any attacks they made on Loch¡¯s people would not be as aggressors but the aggrieved party. It was what Hoskia had been hoping for. With Loch¡¯s refusal, he could have thrown honor away and done what was needed to secure justice for the Silver Bark. But with Elora already being part of Clan Brady, Hoskia could not do anything to her.


    The look of shock turned to one of rage. Looking at the elves arrayed around Hoskia, the ones that had shown a little doubt started to show some more. They understood what it meant for Elora to be accepted into Clan Brady so quickly. It showed that Loch and his people trusted her and more importantly it showed that they valued her.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.That was why Elora had left the Silver Bark, she hadn¡¯t felt valued. She felt used. A tool for the Elders to tear up and spit out when done with her. Clan Brady was not that. She had meaning now and she showed it in the way she stood defiantly staring at Hoskia. She wasn¡¯t glaring, she wasn¡¯t daring him, she just stood there proudly.


    Silence fell across the elves as they all waited for Hoskia to respond. Loric didn¡¯t shift his position or turn his head, but his eyes slid in Hoskia¡¯s direction. The Crone just stared at Loch, smiling in the depths of her hood.


    DARK FOREST CRONE


    She felt strong, right at the Level Twenty-Five Cap.


    SILVER BARK GHOSTWEAVER.


    Loric felt just as strong.


    SILVER BARK HIGHWARDEN


    Hoskia was at the Level cap but Loch got the feeling that the Connected System was straining to keep Hoskia¡¯s Abilities locked at that cap. He just felt stronger. The Silver Bark Elder had to have a lot of Achievements boosting his Stats. Loch had hoped that would be his advantage when it came to a fight, and he had no doubt they would be fighting at some point. It appeared he wouldn¡¯t have any advantage as Hoskia had decades of experience behind his Abilities and Skills. The Connection could cap the damage and resistances but it couldn¡¯t do anything for the learned experience. All those decades of learning the ins and outs of the Abilities were still there.


    Loch tried not to worry. He stood resolute, a wall against the Silver Bark aggression.


    The Crone¡¯s demonic grin widened. Loric used one hand to smooth his robes, shaking his head. Hoskia let an expression of boredom cross his face, but it never entered his ice blue eyes. Those were filled with hate and barely contained rage.


    ¡°The fate of this¡­speck,¡± he said, lips curling up in disgust, ¡°is of no matter. We came to parlay at your request. As it was your request, it is customary that you start the discussions.¡±


    Loch nodded, starting to speak but Hoskia held up a gauntleted hand.


    ¡°But we will not be doing that,¡± Hoskia said. ¡°That is for when the two forces are equal. We are not equal.¡± He looked over Loch¡¯s people, gaze full of disdain. ¡°This rabble is barely worth our attention. I will admit you have been a bit of a thorn but one that we would pluck eventually. I applaud you for bringing this meeting together. You have realized that you will lose this battle. You are nothing compared to the strength of the Silver Bark. This is the most honorable thing you could do. Surrender and allow your betters to control your lives. I will even let you slink off with your tail between your legs. Isn¡¯t that the saying of your people? I quite like that one,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°I will even let your family go with you. Safe as long as you leave what will be Silver Bark lands and never return.¡± The smile faded as he looked at the people around Loch, focusing on them. ¡°Where are your daughters? Our scouts report that they are never far from your side.¡±


    ¡°They are right where they need to be,¡± Loch said, smiling, taking a step forward. ¡°We are not here to surrender. We are here to accept your surrender.¡±


    The Crone cackled, the sound unnerving.


    ¡°This one is brazen. I like him,¡± she said, voice dry and cracking.


    Hoskia started to laugh. Full of disdain. He settled, shaking his head bemused.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke,¡± Loch said. ¡°This is not your world. You are not welcome here. You will leave this world and if you cannot, you will take a Connected enforced oath of non-aggression.¡±


    Loch took another step forward. He hoped he had judged Hoskia Silver Bark correctly.


    The elf''s eyes widened in surprise. For the first time he lost the arrogant look, replaced with a serious expression.


    ¡°You are a fool boy,¡± Hoskia growled. ¡°This is foolishness. You are outnumbered.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Loch said, his smile becoming predatory, focusing his Presence through his gaze onto the Silver Bark elf. ¡°I planned on that.¡±


    Hoskia took an involuntary step back. His eyes widened in shock and then realization.


    ¡°The Camp,¡± Hoskia said. ¡°The prisoners.¡±


    Loch smiled, summoning Onyx. Hoskia¡¯s eyes went to the glowing axe.


    ¡°You requested this parlay, you can not be the aggressor,¡± Hoskia said, voice not as calm or crisp as before. He wasn¡¯t panicking, but Loch felt the elf was close. ¡°You are bound by the rules of parlay. This act of aggression,¡± he said, waving at the summoned axe. ¡°Will get you nothing. We can just leave, returning to our base and stop whatever plan you have there.¡± Hoskia¡¯s slightly worried face turned to arrogance once more as he took a defiant step forward. ¡°Or maybe we will just head straight to your pitiful clanhold and kill every man, woman and child. There is nothing you can do about it.¡±


    ¡°But there is,¡± Loch said, Activating Bulwark. None of his people moved, but all the Silver Bark tensed, eyes darting to Hoskia, waiting for orders. That was the difference, Loch realized, between the Silver Bark and his people. The Silver Bark wouldn¡¯t do anything unless ordered. They had no initiative because it was forced out of them. But his people, they would do what was planned, without any command. He didn¡¯t have to order them because he trusted his people to know what to do and when. ¡°You act like I care about honor within the Connection.¡± He took another step forward. ¡°I don¡¯t. This is my world, my people, and you do not belong here.¡±


    ¡°If you attack us, under the flag of parlay, your honor in the Connection¡­.,¡± Hoskia started.


    He never got to finish.


    Loch Activated Windstep, flashing across the short divide between him and the Silver Bark Elder. He appeared in front of Hoskia, Onyx already swinging down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡±

 Chapter 230 (4.59)

    Hoskia twisted to the side, barely getting a blade up in time to stop Onyx, blocking the swing from cutting him in half. Lightning crackled across the axehead, reflected in Hoskia¡¯s surprised eyes. Loch wasn¡¯t sure if it was the suddenness of the attack or the strength that surprised the elf more.


    ¡°You are a fool,¡± Hoskia growled out through gritted teeth as Loch kept the pressure on.


    He didn¡¯t pull Onyx up to swing, just kept pushing the axe down toward Hoskia. He felt that he was a little stronger than the lean elf. Not enough to really drive the axe down but with the awkward angle he¡¯d place Hoskia at, the elf couldn¡¯t push up.


    Or grab his second blade.


    ¡°No,¡± Loch said, straining. ¡°Just tired of the Connection and you!¡±


    The sounds of fighting erupted all around them. An elf fell, an arrow dead center of his forehead. To the right, Loric was waving his hands, energy gathering around them. He stopped, the energy fading, stepping back as Elora darted in with the tip of her blade. The Crone hadn¡¯t moved, just looking from fighting to fighting, cackling the whole time. She didn¡¯t make a move to help or hinder either side.


    Loch knew it was just a matter of time. He pushed Spirit into Onyx, making the axe crackle more. Hoskia twisted his face away, protecting his eyes from the sparks.


    ¡°You are outnumbered,¡± Hoskia barked. ¡°You can¡¯t hope to defeat us.¡±


    ¡°This is our world. You do not belong.¡±


    Loch kicked out, hoping to break Hoskia¡¯s knee. The elf was too experienced, too quick. He moved slightly, making Loch miss. Off balance, the pressure from Onyx let up, and Hoskia was able to step back away from Loch. He wasn¡¯t able to counterattack, giving the two some space between them.


    Hoskia spit at Loch¡¯s feet, slowly drawing his second sword. Both blades were long, the type curling back slightly, the edges sharp, catching the sun on the edge. Runes were etched onto the sides, running up the length of the blades. The hilts were gold, or some similar material. Smooth and unadorned. Not what Loch had expected from Hoskia. The weapons were simple, not overly ornamented. They were the weapons of a warrior.


    Taking another step back, Hoskia twirled the blades quickly, the edges blurring and flashing. He snapped his hands to the side quickly, the metal making an odd ringing noise. Moving to the side, Hoskia made Loch shift to match.


    They could see the battle around them. Loch¡¯s people had done as planned, pulling up around the bones, giving them something at their back to keep the elves from flanking. Bobby and Sarah were exchanging long range shots with the Silver Bark archers, surprisingly doing well. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the melee. With Loch and Elora engaged and away from the bones, it allowed the elves to push against the few human fighters. They were doing well to hold their own but it would not last. There were enough elven warriors that not all had to be facing the humans, a handful surrounding Loch and Elora, waiting to see if they would be needed.


    Elora kept up her swift attacks against Loric, not giving the Ghostweaver a chance to cast a spell. She couldn¡¯t land any hints, the enchantments and protections keeping even her Ability added attacks from landing. Loric had a couple of Levels on her, making it harder. She was good, but her Class and Abilities weren¡¯t designed for direct melee. Like Harper, Elora¡¯s strengths were in swift attacks, darting in and back out. She wasn¡¯t meant to engage a foe directly and continuously. Against a higher Leveled Warrior Class, she would have been outmatched, but against a pure caster like Loric, she was able to hold her own.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    For now.


    Even Loch¡¯s fight with Hoskia was for now. If it dragged out too long, the elf¡¯s experience would win out in the end. They were evenly matched with Levels and from the brief exchange, Loch had a feeling their Achievement based Stats would even out. Hoskia was faster, more agile, Loch had seen that already but Loch was physically stronger. He could outlast the elf, but Hoskia would most likely be faster enough to land a couple of devastating hits before his Stamina ran out.


    Time was not in Clan Brady¡¯s favor.


    And the Crone hadn¡¯t even entered the fight.


    Hoskia smiled as he twirled his blades.


    ¡°You had your chance,¡± he said, holding one of the blades straight out, the tip pointed at Loch. ¡°But you failed. Now you will die.¡±


    Hoskia rushed forward, a blur across the short distance. Loch Activated Elemental Surge. Waves of force slammed into Hoskia, staggering the rushing elf. It didn¡¯t knock him over, evidence of some kind of Ability being used, but it slowed him enough that his swinging attacks were easy for Loch to dodge. Loch had wanted to use Thunderclap, which was more powerful, but without being able to swing, Elemental Surge was the best he could do. And it was an Ability he didn¡¯t use that often. He¡¯d hoped it meant the Silver Bark scouts hadn¡¯t seen him use it, making it something Hoskia wouldn¡¯t know about.


    He swung Onyx as he stepped to the side, axe cutting into the rushing Hoskia¡¯s stomach. Blood flew into the air as the Silver Bark Elder twisted to avoid most of the attack, tripping with the loss of momentum and off balance from his attacks missing. Hoskia rolled across the ground, twisting and going up facing Loch, both swords held in guard positions across his body, ready for Loch¡¯s follow-up attack.


    There was none.


    The Crone had finally attacked.


    Loch had felt the Spiritual energy building behind him, using Windstep to put some distance as a crackling bolt of green energy slammed into the ground where he¡¯d been. The Crone cackled. Loch threw Onyx, the axe spinning, turning into an arc of crackling energy as it flew at the Crone. It slammed into a shimmering green barrier, small cracks forming along the surface. The Crone¡¯s laughing died, her sharp toothed smile turning serious.


    ¡°You have strength,¡± she said. ¡°Was that the blessing of a Divine Being I sensed behind that energy?¡±


    ¡°What?,¡± Hoskia shouted, causing Loch to turn.


    The elf was only five feet behind, looking to get into position to backstab Loch. Shifting, Loch moved so he could watch both Hoskia and the Crone. He could no longer see Elora or Loric. Hoskia had stopped, standing out of his crouch, face shocked.


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°You were warned this new Connection was different,¡± the Crone said, dry voice directed at Hoskia. ¡°But as always Hoskia Silver Bark, you did not listen.¡±


    ¡°Bah witch,¡± Hoskia spat, pointing at Loch. ¡°Just kill him so we can Claim this infernal world.¡±


    ¡°Is he proving too much for you little Lord Silver Bark?,¡± the Crone asked, but she still raised her hands, energy gathering around the long bony fingers as she faced Loch.


    He couldn¡¯t move with Hoskia on one side and the Crone on the other. A noise came over the sounds of all the fighting, causing everyone to pause and look toward the road. It was like a wave of thunder. Not one continuous wave, but dozens of smaller ones joining together in a greater noise that pushed down the clearing.


    The ground shook unevenly. A rumbling building underneath the soil, taller plants shaking. The rumbling grew louder, the dozens of smaller booms a cacophony of sounds. Not in time with each other, different cadences, some louder than others. It was a maelstrom of noise, making everyone stop fighting.


    Bobby and Sarah lowered their bows, needing the extra hand to support themselves as the triceratops bones rattled and shook, moss falling off in large clumps.


    ¡°What is that?,¡± Hoskia shouted over the growing noise.


    ¡°Reinforcements,¡± Loch answered, smiling.

 Interlude Thirty-Four (4.Interlude Thirteen)

    Theodore rubbed at his temples. The headache was constant and it was getting worse.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    It was one of the guards, standing on top of the wall. Theodore had climbed up to stand next to him, looking out at Route 4 heading west. He had no real reason to, had just felt the urge. It wasn¡¯t like Theodore was assigned watches, none of his team were.


    Roger was angry, which might have been a reason Theodore was on the wall. A way to avoid the older man. Lochlan had assigned Roger¡¯s team, which was really Theodore¡¯s team, to stay behind at the school.


    For protection.


    They weren¡¯t part of what Lochlan had planned. What his ¡°elite¡± groups were engaged in. It made some sense to keep at least one of the adventuring teams behind. They comprised the strongest and highest Leveled Adapted in the Clan. Couldn¡¯t go taking all of them on the mission. What if the Silver Bark did some sneakiness of their own?


    No one thought they would. The Elves, from what the Clan¡¯s own elf said, were too arrogant for that. They had their code of honor, which wasn¡¯t really honorable at all, that they would follow. No one expected an attack on the school.


    By the elves, but there were lots of other things in the woods surrounding the Clanhold. So Theodore understood why they¡¯d been left behind. It was Roger¡¯s fault after all. The man had angered Lochlan, so the rest of them got punished.


    Theodore wondered if Roger was outliving his usefulness.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Theodore replied to the guard, trying hard to not snap at the man.


    That wouldn¡¯t create a good impression. And Theodore still needed to create a good impression.


    He rubbed at his temples some more, looking down the road. He didn¡¯t see anything. Shrugging, Theodore climbed down from the wall, making his way back up to the school. The yard was busy, as it always was. There were construction projects, scavengers coming and going, guards shifting rotations and even just people that had nothing to do roaming around. Theodore had never been a people person, but even he missed some of the available activities they no longer had.


    No stores to go shopping at. No restaurants. No movies. There was a library, but it was a two day journey with some monsters and most of the books were slowly making their way to the school. It wasn¡¯t really safe to go hiking, not for most people.


    The Clan had started up music programs. They even had a comedy night, which Theodore had found to be truly awful. The people had laughed but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was out of pity or if they¡¯d just forgotten what good comedy was.


    Theodore didn¡¯t like Lochlan Brady, Edward Turner or even Kristin Conway, the three people that were in charge of the Clan, but he had to give them credit. They were working hard to try to alleviate the boredom and depression that was running rampant in the Clan.


    He had to give them credit for trying but hoped they didn¡¯t succeed.


    That depression made recruitment for his hive easier.


    It was still a slow build up. The hive was growing but not fast. Which was according to plan. Theodore¡¯s plan, not the voices. The voice had no plan, just suggestions. They didn¡¯t want to attract too much attention. Recruiting the wrong person could be disastrous if that person changed their mind and went and told the authorities. That could ruin everything before Theodore and the voice were ready.


    Not that Theodore thought anyone in the hive could change their minds, not once they were in deep.


    And their time was coming.


    A sudden spike of pain made Theodore wince. It settled, the headache a dull throb that never left, never changed. Sleeping was difficult. Thinking was starting to be but luckily the voice was there to help when the pain was too much.


    He knew he had to be careful. If he showed too much pain in front of one of the Healers they would insist on fixing it. That wouldn¡¯t do. They might find out too much.


    Theodore looked to the west. He couldn¡¯t see through the log wall and what he sensed was still miles away but it was getting closer. Every day it got closer. Every day the headache got worse. But the voice was coming.


    Soon the voice would be there.


    ¡°Hey, look out,¡± a rough voice said.


    Theodore shook his head, coming back to focus. A man walked by, having to alter his path to walk around Theodore. It was one of the relative newcomers. Pittsfield. Theodore thought that¡¯s where the man was from. He¡¯d come in with a group of a dozen or so. Most of them were laborers now, but the man led an Adventuring Party. They¡¯d just lost a person hadn¡¯t they?


    The man, Josh Hauser, didn¡¯t like Lochlan and didn¡¯t try to hide his feelings.


    Theodore watched him go, wondering if Hauser would be a good fit for the Hive.


    ***


    ¡°It¡¯s not here,¡± Gorn growled, slamming his club against a tree.


    The cracking and splintering sound echoed through the valley, joined by the crashing of the thirty foot tall tree as it fell into the others around it. A thinner birch snapped, falling against an oak, the impact knocking loose branches to the ground. Leaves rustled, the shockwave moving through the forest. Birds flew into the air, crying out in agitation.


    None of the other giants around bothered to look.


    Trees falling was a common sound.


    ¡°He says it¡¯s here,¡± Yuri replied, clapping his fellow Hillgrowl on the shoulder. ¡°So we keep searching.¡±


    Gorn started to say something but Yuri squeezed his shoulder, calming the other giant. With a growl, reaching out and pushing a thin tree, which was pulled out by the roots, falling to the ground, Gorn stalked away.


    Yuri watched him, worried. Gorn wasn¡¯t the first to be frustrated. Giants were notoriously short tempered. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they started infighting. Arguing among giants was usually solved by fighting. The one that died lost the argument. It had taken all of Yuri¡¯s patience and strength, and the fear of the Hillgrowl Chieftain, to hold all these giants in line. They weren¡¯t used to working together for anything beyond a raid. Putting them to work? That was unheard of.


    But somehow they were.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    For now. Yuri didn¡¯t think it would last much longer.


    ¡°Make an example of him,¡± a voice said.


    Yuri turned, fighting to keep his expression neutral. He wanted to roar, to seize the speaker and break them in half. But that was folly. The spark was half Yuri¡¯s size and skinny. There was nothing to them. Pale white skin, long red hair. That was it. Nothing of substance. Not when compared to a giant. But Yuri knew better.


    The speaker would be the one to rip Yuri in half, most likely without raising a finger to touch the giant.


    ¡°No,¡± Yuri said.


    ¡°Kill him and no others will complain,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said.


    Yuri didn¡¯t know his name. He had never given it and it had never been given. He was just the Si-Te-Cah. The giants of the Hillgrowl did not venture far out into the wider Connected System. They weren¡¯t as smart as the elves, or as curious as the gnomes. They wanted to raid and pillage as much as the orcs, but for the giants going too far out into other worlds felt unnatural. They rarely were part of a newly Connected World¡¯s first invaders. They came after, reaping the benefits of what the other Adapted races had created. But even they had heard of the Si-Te-Cah.


    Yuri had not been there when the Si-Te-Cah had negotiated with the Hillgrowl Clanchief. He hadn¡¯t been the first chosen to lead the raiding party. That giant, Discord, had not lived long past his first arguing. And it had not been the Clanchief that had killed Scord. The Si-Te-Cah had done that. When told he was in charge, Yuri did not argue.


    He wanted to but Yuri liked living and as much as the other giants in the Hillgrowl angered, frustrated and annoyed him, Yuri liked his people. He wanted them to live.


    ¡°No one will complain once we find what you want,¡± Yuri said.


    ¡°It is here,¡± the other said, walking past Yuri and looking out into the forest. ¡°Near.¡±


    ¡°Can you do no better?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Yuri grumbled, but did it quietly.


    ¡°Do not worry,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said, not turning around. ¡°When we find it, this world will be ours.¡±


    Yuri nodded, eager for that. The Hillgrowl, and Giants, were as much a part of the Connected System as any other Adapted race but they had never gotten the respect that any other races got. The Orcs got more. Giants were stupid compared to others, big lumbering brutes. Yuri knew this. He was one of the smarter giants. The biggest thing holding the giants back was their numbers. There just weren¡¯t as many giants as there were of the smaller races.


    In terms of pure power, the giants were the strongest. But even the strongest oak would fall to a hundred axes. Numbers could bring down the highest mountain.


    Or pure power could and that was something the Si-Te-Cah had.


    Yuri would do what he needed for the Hillgrowl to accomplish their goals. That goal was power. The power to be on equal footing with elves like the Silver Bark. The power to take their rightful place as the strongest in the Connection.


    The Si-Te-Cah walked into the woods, smiling at the devastation Gorn had caused. Yuri watched the smaller man go, wanting nothing more but to crush him. Someday soon it would happen. Once this power was found and the Hillgrowl would seize it.


    The Si-Te-Cah was powerful, but even the tallest oak would fall to a hundred axes.


    ***


    The Trickster¡¯s form shifted. They didn¡¯t notice. They had long ago forgotten what their original form had been. Male? Female? Something else? The Trickster had forgotten what planet they had come from. There had been many candidates and sometimes they thought about tracking it down, seeing what had become of the world. They never did.


    What was the point?


    They had moved on. That world held nothing for them.


    Every new world, they had a new form. The other Divine Beings tried to stay true to themselves, finding a way to keep common elements from form to form. Not the Trickster. That was not in their nature or their Concept.


    It was hard to trick anyone if they had an idea what to expect.


    They watched the conflict on Earth, the newest Connected World, and the one they were the most invested in. It had taken years to get to this point and it would be years, hundreds possibly, before the gambit was proven successful.


    Or a failure.


    But the Trickster could be patient, which was a surprise to many. The other Divine Beings thought the Trickster to be impatient, to not plan and be a being of pure chaos. That wasn¡¯t true. It wasn¡¯t false either.


    Smiling, the Trickster assumed the form they were using on Earth. The plan would take decades to come to fruition, but as it was in the early stages, it still needed prodding to make sure the correct path was followed.


    Loki snapped their fingers, disappearing and reappearing in Thor¡¯s longhouse.


    ***


    Senora looked at the portal, now nothing more than a glowing globe held off the ground. It was small, only a foot or so in diameter, but she could feel the power coming off it. She shook her head, wondering why the Dawnmother had allowed Kelly Brady to use the portal.


    It had taken a lot of power. Power that Senora had been gathering for a long time. She¡¯d used a crystal that had stored the power, letting Kelly think the Spirit came from just the portal. Senora didn¡¯t bother to correct her. The woman would have been angry to learn where it truly came from.


    She would find out eventually, but that was a problem for the future.


    Senora was tempted to shut the portal down, leaving Kelly and the other two Valkyries trapped wherever they had gone. Kelly was with her husband and children. She would be happy. Senora was surprised that Kelly had promised to return. All the woman had wanted was to see her family and now she was, but she was willing to leave them to return to the column.


    And for what? Leading three hundred weak refugees miles and miles, taking days and months to get to some goal that she had no idea where it was? To protect those people?


    Senora didn¡¯t understand the reasoning. She was only with the refugees because the Dawnmother told her she had to be there. The Dawnmother needed them and needed most of them alive. So Senora would get them where they needed to be and with most of them alive.


    She hated it. They were weak. It would be so easy to kill them.


    She wouldn¡¯t because while they were weak, there were a lot of them. Quantity had its own quality. She had heard that enough times growing up in Clan Duskmoon.


    It would be so easy to close the portal.


    Connecting it to the other portal created by the Concept Of Death had been easy. Child¡¯s play for someone of her experience, and with the help of a Divine Being. She had sensed other portals, connecting Earth to Death¡¯s realm, where these new forms of undead were originating. They had been interesting creatures.


    Easily dealt with, by her, not so much the few competent fighters in the refugees.


    Senora let out a sigh of frustration. Sometimes the ways of the Dawnmother could be confusing and aggravating. She knew she had to be patient, but it was hard, especially with how annoying Kelly Brady was. Why couldn¡¯t the woman just shut up and do as she was told?


    Why did she care so much about these weaklings?


    Senora turned away from the portal, her frustration rising. Now she had to deal with the one called Carla, who Kelly had left in charge of the refugees. In charge, everyone knew that Senora was in charge, but she had to pretend to let others help make decisions. They had no respect for her experience and power. If this had been anywhere but a newly Connected world, Senora would show them what power was and force them to show her the respect she deserved.


    Instead she would listen to Carla complain about the lack of food and water.


    So weak. They were all so weak.


    Senora couldn¡¯t wait until they got to their destination. Then things would change.

 Chapter 231 (4.60)

    A half-dozen horses came into view, visible at the top of the slope. They thundered down, sparks shooting off the ground as hooves struck grass. Spread out, arranged in a rough triangle with a riderless brown one in the lead. Behind it were two with riders, followed by three more, the one on the left with a rider, on the right without and a giant all black horse in the rear in the middle. Bolts of energy sparked off the black horse, the ground shaking with each hoof slamming into it. Smaller black shapes, the color of ink, ran alongside the horses. Cats, dogs, and bears. The beasts kept pace, the smaller cats streaking ahead.


    The first rider held a glowing spear. She leaned forward, holding the spear out to the side. The next rider was smaller, dressed in robes, a green glow over her shoulder. The last rider was a small man, wearing glasses and a vest covered in pouches. In one hand he held a small canister, the other loosely holding the reins.


    ¡°Where?,¡± Hoskia said, dumbfounded.


    He looked at his people scattered around, the elves not fighting were turning to face the oncoming horses. The Crone turned as well, completely ignoring Loch, which was fine with him. She wasn¡¯t going to be his problem much longer.


    ¡°You were followed. Where did these riders come from?¡±


    Loch didn¡¯t answer the elf. Let the question bother him, anger him. It would fester, gnawing at his mind, distracting him. The answer was obvious if Hoskia calmed down enough to think it through. His scouts had to have seen the horses at the school. Probably had seen Loch and the girls go off riding. They had to have noticed how fast the animals were. It wouldn¡¯t take much to realize the horses had set out from the school after Loch and his people. They took a different way, going the longer route over the roads, but with their speed, they had arrived just when needed.


    ¡°Who is that?,¡± Hoskia growled. ¡°That''s one of your daughters. Where is the other? She¡¯s at the camp isn¡¯t she? This was all a trick,¡± Hoskia said, focusing back on Loch. ¡°You never meant to parlay. It was a ruse, to draw us here.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The thundering hooves drew closer. Hoskia¡¯s wide, anger filled eyes, looked past Loch. The lead horse disappeared in a puff of gray, the ink black cats and dogs jumping onto the Silver Bark warriors. The bears opened their mouths in soundless roars, rearing up. Three of the horses swung around. Randy Sager jumped off his mount, a flying leap onto a warrior, knocking the elf down. Randy got up, pummeling the downed Silver Bark. Lewis Bergmann stayed on his mount, throwing the canister he¡¯d been holding.


    Loch recognized it as the same propane ones he¡¯d used in the gaunt attack. There was no wick, Lewis throwing it at the Silver Bark archers. It arced overhead, falling down, sending the archers scrambling. Lewis¡¯ eyes glowed a bit and the canister exploded. There were screams of pain, the bright explosion stopping most of the combat.


    Bobby and Sarah started firing again. The Clan Brady warriors, pushed up against the bones, felt the pressure relieved, they were able to start fighting back.


    Three horses came charging right at Loch, Hoskia and the Crone. Kelly lay low against her mare¡¯s back, shining spear extended. The Crone started waving her hands, energy gathering. Piper riding Swift, raised her wand, pointing it at the Crone. The old Elf shifted her hands, one palm out to Kelly and the other palm out to Piper, preparing to shield against attacks. She never saw the inkdog running up behind her.


    It pounced, jumping on the Crone¡¯s back. She screamed, stepping forward, clawing at the ink black summon behind her. She cackled words of power, the inkdog disappearing. It was too late.


    Kelly jumped off the horse, landing in front of the Crone, stabbing out with her spear. The Crone dodged, moving quickly for how ancient and decrepit she looked. No matter how fast she was, she couldn¡¯t avoid the pure silver ball of energy that struck her from Piper¡¯s wand. Loch¡¯s youngest circled the Crone, staying on Swift, stealing glances at the rest of the battle to see how her army of summons were doing.


    Jarl came to a stop next to Loch, who reached up, stroking the giant horse¡¯s side. He could feel the crackling energy moving through the great black. Stomping a horse, small bolts of lightning exploding on impact, Jarl neighed. The black war horse stared down at Hoskia, who took a step back.


    ¡°I see that you need help to face me,¡± the elf sneered, trying to act like he wasn¡¯t nervous or scared.


    Loch could see the fear in his eyes. Hoskia was not looking forward to facing Loch and Jarl. Loch figured that Hoskia had planned on single combat with him at some point, and the elf assumed that he would be stronger and would win. But facing Jarl? The horse alone would be a tough opponent. But the horse and Jarl together?


    Patting Jarl on the nose, Loch pointed down the slope where Larry could be seen fighting against three of the Silver Bark Warriors. There were more surrounding the horse, waiting for their chance. Larry didn¡¯t look like needed the help with the three, but when the others got involved it might be too much.


    ¡°Think Larry could use some help?,¡± Loch said, looking up at the big black horse.


    Jarl lifted his head up and down, shaking his mane. With one more stomp, he raced past Loch and Hoskia, neighing as he charged down the hill. Silver Bark turned to meet him, one of them getting knocked aside, sent flying where he landed hard on the ground.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s just you and me,¡± Loch said, Activating Bulwark.


    ***


    Hoskia charged up the hill, yelling something that the Connection didn¡¯t translate. Loch didn¡¯t know if it was a battle cry, a curse or just Hoskia yelling something random. It didn¡¯t matter, he didn¡¯t let it distract him. The elf''s two blades moved constantly as he ran, energy moving up and down the blades. A blur of motion, the edges glowing.


    Loch didn¡¯t bother trying to track the blades. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to. It wasn¡¯t just natural speed but aided by an Ability. He held Bulwark in front of him, thinning the shield and making it larger, extending the spikes crackling with lightning. Ever since hitting Level Twenty-Five and then Twenty-Six, Loch could generate the shield for a longer period. Using the spikes would drain it, but Loch didn¡¯t think this fight would last long.


    Not that he was overly confident, Loch was just sure that either he or Hoskia would end it quickly. Fighting still raged on around them, Loch unable to focus on anything but Hoskia. He wanted to see how Kelly and Piper were doing with the Crone. He could hear the blasts of energy being used, explosions in the ground, but he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the rapidly approaching Hoskia.


    Lifting Bulwark, shifting slightly to the right, Loch caught one blade on the energy shield. A glaring clash of color erupted as the green of the shield sparked against the strange teal color of Hoskia¡¯s sword. The other sword sparked against Onyx, the axe head catching it and twisting it away.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Hoskia glared at Loch, shifting his feet to relieve the pressure against his sword. He stepped back, pulling both blades with them. Both immediately attacked. One stabbing straight, the other sweeping low. Loch had to twist to avoid both, unable to counterattack.


    The elf was fast.


    Loch didn¡¯t think he was stronger, not from the blow¡¯s he¡¯d blocked already.


    Stepping back, Loch swung Onyx, using the shield to parry one of the swords. Hoskia twisted his arm awkwardly, holding the sword point down, the edge catching the haft of Onyx. The crackling edge of the head was only inches from Hoskia¡¯s face.


    Hoskia¡¯s glare turned to a sneer, the teal glow on his swords changing to a brighter blue. The air around the two got colder, but it didn¡¯t seem to affect the elf. Loch could feel it seeping into his bones, making his actions flowers. He breathed out a fog of cold air, feeling it in his lungs with each breath. Frost spread across the surface of Bulwark, the energy of the shield sputtering, the translucent look filling with static. The edges started to fade. Frost started to appear across Loch¡¯s armor.


    He Activated Elemental Surge, the wave of energy slamming into Hoskia. The elf was moved a couple steps backwards, not off balance or knocked down, just a couple steps. Some Ability or Skill gave Hoskia resistance. But it gave Loch enough space.


    He swung Onyx before him, Hoskia taking another step away from the axe, which was what Loch wanted. Activating Thunderclap as Onyx swung, the wave of pressure slicing out and slamming into Hoskia. The elf wasn¡¯t prepared for that attack, falling to the ground, a gash cut into his armor. Getting up in a roll, the elf glared at Loch.


    ¡°You have some impressive Abilities,¡± the elf said. ¡°But I have been going easy on you so far.¡±


    Loch smiled. He dismissed Bulwark, taking Onyx in both hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± he said. ¡°So have I.¡±


    Loch Activated Breaker¡¯s Banner.


    It appeared just over his shoulder. The long pole stuck into the ground, the banner with the Clan¡¯s seal hanging from the top. It was all green, bathing everything in its lights, the edges crackling with the Spiritual energy. The banner waved in the breeze. He¡¯d already had Aura Of Attack Activated, not bothering with Offensive Stance as he knew he¡¯d be moving too much and couldn¡¯t have the drain on his Spirit. He hadn¡¯t wanted to use the Banner either, but Hoskia¡¯s frost attack was too damaging. He needed the boost from Breaker¡¯s Banner.


    Loch just wouldn¡¯t let Hoskia know how badly he had needed it.


    Hoskia charged, frost still coming from his weapons. They left trails of ice in their wake as he spun them, slashing and stabbing at Loch, who hopped back, blocking with Onyx, deflecting strikes. He Activated Precision Strike, looking for a weak spot. Barely any spots of yellow appeared over Hoskia. Just the elbows and knees. Loch was pretty sure the Ability didn¡¯t just read armor weak points, but somehow analyzed the opponent, showing gaps in coverage of their defenses and offense. With Hoskia, there was barely anything to attack.


    Loch Deactivated the Ability, staying on the defensive. Hoskia¡¯s attacks kept coming, one after the other, each blade a blur of movement. The elf didn¡¯t come close enough for Loch¡¯s passive Boon, Storm¡¯s Touch, to make a difference. Small bolts of lightning crackled when the weapons met. The rare times Hoskia got within inches of Loch physically, small bolts would shoot out, the elf ignoring them.


    The two kept exchanging blows, barely moving back or forth, but rotating around, giving different views of the battle. The fighting looked to be pretty even. The Silver Bark still had the numbers, but with the reinforcements it balanced out. Loch was worried. The Silver Bark were higher Leveled and more Experienced. Jenny had been killed the last time they faced the elves in such numbers. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to die.


    Which is why he needed to defeat Hoskia quickly.


    The elf was showing his experience. Loch had surprised him a couple of times with different Abilities, but was unable to even land those Abilities now. He tried Elemental Surge again, Hoskia crossing his swords and somehow absorbing the wave of energy in the blades, which glowed brighter. The elf attacked, faster and stronger, bashing at the resummoned Bulwark and Onyx. The increased attacks were short, indicating the absorbed energy was used up quickly. It was something Loch noted. An Ability, but tied to the weapons or something Hoskia had on his own, Loch didn¡¯t know.


    Neither Elora or Cerie had been able to give much information on Hoskia¡¯s Class or Abilities. As Elora had been a low ranked member of the Clan, she didn¡¯t have access to any information beyond his name and Class, but at her rank she didn¡¯t know exactly what a Highwarden could do. Elora had warned that the common name Warden in the Highwarden and Midwarden Classes did not mean there was shared Abilities or Skilled. For the Silver Bark, Warden just meant it was a melee-centric Class. Mid and High were the Uncommon and Rare versions of the Warden Class. Elora thought that a Midwarden was most likely similar to Clan Brady¡¯s Striker Class. Aside from Loch, there were no Rare melee Classes in the Clan yet. They had nothing to compare to Highwarden.


    Whatever advantage Loch had managed to get early in the fight was now lost. Hoskia was just too experienced.


    Loch kicked out, the elf sidestepping and not letting up the relentless attacks with both his weapons. Feeding Spirit into Bulwark, Loch caused spikes to shoot out from the shield. That forced Hoskia back, giving Loch some space to breathe. Not much, but every bit helped.


    He knew he couldn¡¯t keep going as he had. He was stronger, but not faster. His Abilities hit harder and thanks to his Boon, the damage was increased. But Hoskia had the experience. He had the speed to avoid most attacks. Loch had landed some, so had Hoskia, the little wounds adding up on both. In this battle, Loch was the one most likely to make a mistake, one that Hoskia would take advantage of. Glancing quickly around the battlefield, he saw Kelly and Piper were still engaged with the Crone. Both were off their horses, the animals rushing around the fight, trying to help. Elora, joined by Randy, were dealing with Loric, keeping the Ghostweaver occupied. The elf had summoned what looked to be ghosts. Jarl and Larry were dealing with the Silver Bark warriors, while the rest of Clan Brady were mostly in one on one fights, barely holding their own.


    Loch remembered something that Elora had said about the Silver Bark, one of the things that had pushed her to leave that Clan and join Clan Brady. Individual strength was everything. As she had been in charge of watching Clan Brady, the loss of the Silver Bark under her had counted against her, even if it hadn¡¯t been her fault. Her honor, her standing, took a hit. Too many and it could lead to her family being punished for her actions. For Hoskia it was even worse. He was evaluated for the actions of the elves under him. Their failures were his failures. His strength was supposed to be more than theirs.


    If they could do something, he could do it and do it better.


    For Hoskia Silver Bark, since Loch had engaged him in single combat, the elf had to defeat Loch and do it by himself. With no help from any other elf. Or he would appear weak and reap for a challenge to his leadership. Or his failure would weaken him in the eyes of the other Silver Bark.


    For Loch, he didn¡¯t care if he defeated anyone or anything solo or with help. He just cared about winning and keeping his people safe. That was an advantage. It was time to use it.


    Loch Activated Windstep.

 Chapter 232 (4.61)

    Loch appeared behind the Crone, Onyx swinging, the edge crackling with energy. The Crone sensed the attack, twisting and managing to summon a glowing green translucent shield. Onyx slammed into the surface, cracks spider webbing across the shield, crackling bolts of energy snapping. The smile was gone, replaced by a grimace of frustration.


    A blob of silver energy slammed into the Crone¡¯s back, staggering her forward. Loch swung again, blocked by another shield, forcing the Crone to focus on him.


    ¡°Coward,¡± Hoskia shouted.


    Loch couldn¡¯t see him, but could feel the elf rushing his way.


    Swinging Onyx against the Crone¡¯s shields, Loch resisted the urge to escape. Not yet. He saw the bright white light of a spear coming for the Crone¡¯s back. The old elf woman could feel it. She started to turn but another swing by Onyx forced her to focus back on Loch. She never saw the spear.


    Loch Activated Windstep just as the tip burst through the Crone¡¯s chest.


    He appeared next to Loric. The surprised Ghostweaver managed to get his staff up in time to stop the swing of Onyx. An easy swing, not with Loch¡¯s full strength, just meant to distract the elf. The end of the staff started to glow, Loric¡¯s fine features edged in anger. He turned, some sense warning him. But not in time.


    Randy¡¯s fist slammed into Loric¡¯s face, staggering the elf.


    ¡°Fight me coward!,¡± Hoskia yelled.


    Loch Activated Windstep.


    He appeared behind one of the Silver Bark Midwardens. The elf was pressing one of the twins hard. Loch swung Onyx, slicing deep into the Midwarden¡¯s side. The elf fell forward, right into the twin¡¯s spear.


    ¡°Thanks boss,¡± the twin said, Loch wasn¡¯t sure which one it was.


    Loch nodded and used Windstep again.


    He pushed the Ability as much as he could, using it as often as he could, pushing the cooldown, the range and everything else about it. Loch moved around the battlefield, assisting his people. He didn¡¯t kill anyone, but each appearance and single attack was pivotal. They were distractions, letting his people get the advantage or even the killing blow. As Loch stepped from fight to fight, the stalemate ended, Clan Brady coming out on top.


    Hoskia Silver Bark stopped giving chase. He stood in the middle, surrounded by smaller battles all around. Anger flared in the elven leader. His eyes tracked Loch even with the speed of Windstep. He turned, following Loch as he went from fight to fight.


    Finally, Loch came to a stop. He stood twenty feet from Hoskia, Onyx hanging by his side. Loch was breathing heavy as he faced Hoskia, who looked to have healed from his wounds and not winded at all.


    ¡°That was foolish Lochlan Brady,¡± Hoskia said, pointing one of his swords at Loch. ¡°You already could not defeat me and that waste of time used up more of your Spirit reserves. There was no point to it.¡±


    ¡°Sure there was,¡± Loch said, standing a little straighter. He smiled.


    Hoskia twisted, sensing the attack as two inkblack cats jumped toward him. He slashed with both swords, cutting through the inksummons. Drops of black liquid fell to the ground as the cats dissipated. Hoskia ducked at a shining spear just missed his shoulder. It struck in the ground before disappearing. A sword swung, blocked an arrow, knocking it to the side. He turned back to glare at Loch, eyes filled with hate.


    ¡°Coward. You are afraid to face me by yourself,¡± he accused.


    Loch shrugged.


    ¡°No, but why should I?¡±


    ¡°Your honor demands it,¡± Hoskia growled, twisting to avoid another arrow. ¡°To rely on others is to show weakness.¡±


    ¡°No, your honor demands it,¡± Loch said, taking a step forward. ¡°Not mine. I am strong and powerful but it¡¯s not to use that power for myself.¡± He took another step forward as Hoskia defended against spear thrusts, arrows, blasts of silver energy and more inksummons. ¡°I thought the power was to be used to protect my people but it¡¯s not. It¡¯s to be used to support them. I can be the difference maker but I am not alone. I am the leader but I am also a soldier and soldiers are never alone. I am the Warbreaker.¡±


    Loch shouted the last like a warcry, throwing Onyx. The axe spun end over end, crackling with energy. It slammed into Hoskia¡¯s shoulder, cutting through armor, drawing blood. The weapon disappeared, back in Loch¡¯s hand as he crossed the last couple of feet. Growing to full size, Loch swung the weapon with Cleave Activated.


    Hoskia held a sword up, trying to block the downward swing. Onyx met the metal of the sword, energy flaring, bolts crackling. Somehow the sword held, even against the strength of Loch and Cleave. The sword held, but Hoskia¡¯s arm did not. The snap of bone was heard over the sounds of battle. Hoskia dropped the sword, Loch stomping on the blade to prevent the elf from trying to pick it up.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The elf rolled back, grunting in pain as his broken arm slammed into the ground. He stood up, a little unsteady, holding his single blade toward Loch. Walking backwards, Hoskia stopped, turning around to see the giant form of Jarl standing a few feet away. The giant horse reared up, kicking at the air.


    Hoskia turned the other direction but stopped as the glowing tip of a spear barred his way. Kelly stood there, Piper just behind. Loch¡¯s youngest held her wand in hand, pointed at Hoskia. Just behind her sat a large inkcat.


    Turning the last direction, Hoskia saw Elora and Randy. The elves'' eyes got a little wild as he realized what the other¡¯s presence meant. The Crone and Loric Greenspire were dead.


    ¡°You are a coward,¡± he said, moving to stand in the middle, pointing his last sword at Loch. His left arm hung useless. ¡°Is this how you show your strength?¡± He moved the tip of the sword, pointing at the others surrounding him. ¡°Do you need others to fight your battles?¡±


    Loch didn¡¯t say anything, just took a step closer.


    Hoskia faced Loch, but his eyes shifted from Kelly and Piper to Elora and Randy. He knew Jarl was behind him, but didn¡¯t turn. Loch could tell the horse¡¯s presence bothered the elf. He was no longer calm, but twitchy, like he could feel Jarl¡¯s breath against his back.


    ¡°You will anger the Connection,¡± Hoskia growled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Loch replied, taking another step forward.


    The ground shook as Jarl¡¯s hooves slammed down. Only Hoskia stumbled. The inkcat opened its mouth in a silent roar, padding closer, moving slowly around Hoskia in a circle. The elf stabbed out with the sword, missing the cat. He turned to glare at Elora.


    ¡°Betrayer! Oathbreaker,¡± he growled. ¡°You turned your back on your people and your ancestors.¡±


    ¡°There was a better way,¡± Elora replied, not even bothering to raise her weapon. ¡°And I took it.¡±


    Hoskia looked like he wanted to lunge at her. Elora didn¡¯t even flinch.


    ¡°This is not how things are done,¡± Hoskia yelled. ¡°In the Connected System, the strength of the individual is all that matters.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Loch said, taking another step forward. He Activated Precision Strike, seeing more yellow dots appearing over Hoskia¡¯s body. ¡°We don¡¯t care. The Connection may create the rules, it may give us our Abilities and control almost everything.¡± Lock sent Spirit flowing into Onyx, the axehead crackling with energy. ¡°But it does not rule us.¡±


    Loch Activated Cleave, swinging Onyx down. Hoskia raised his sword, blocking the axe. Kicking out, Loch caught the elf in the knee. A glancing blow that made Hoskia stumble. Onyx came down again, the sword barely catching it in time. Loch pushed, his strength driving Onyx down, closer to Hoskia¡¯s face. Fear filled the elf¡¯s eyes. They flashed briefly. He Activated an Ability.


    Loch felt a wave of force slam into him, pushing him back. He didn¡¯t stumble, able to keep his balance. It hurt, just from the pressure wave, but no additional damage. A repulsion Ability. It had to have a high Spirit cost, or long cooldown, as Hoskia didn¡¯t look happy about using it.


    Gone was any arrogance, the elf glaring at Loch with hate and a little worry. He glanced around the battlefield, the sounds of fighting had grown quieter. There were still some small fights but most had ended. Those would soon be finished as more of Clan Brady were able to assist the others. His eyes lowered in anger as he saw some of his Silver Bark had surrendered, only a handful of Clan Brady standing guard, including those horses. A single man sat on top of one, holding a strange looking device in his hand, aimed at the prisoners.


    Those Silver Bark looked on, watching Hoskia. There was no anger in their eyes at the dishonor being shown him. There was no fear. There was just resignation. Some even showed relief. None made a move to help him.


    Of course they wouldn¡¯t. That wasn¡¯t how the Silver Bark were taught.


    ¡°I will kill you,¡± Hoskia said, glaring at Loch.


    Loch swung Onyx, the sword coming up to block. Bulwark swung, spikes leading. Hoskia tried to twist to the side, but couldn¡¯t, Loch¡¯s leg catching the elfs. Loch pulled his leg, Hoskia falling to the ground. Onyx followed, the sword barely blocking as Hoskia rolled away. He jumped up ten feet away from Loch, falling again as the thrown and shrunken Onyx cut deep into his leg.


    Grimacing in pain, but not crying out, Hoskia reached for the axe, wanting to take Loch¡¯s weapon from him. It disappeared. He turned to face Loch, seeing the axe in the man¡¯s hand, growing to full size.


    ¡°There is no honor in this,¡± Hoskia said. ¡°If you kill me, it will have been with help. You did not do it alone.¡±


    Loch lowered Onyx, not stepping forward. He shook his head sadly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about honor. I care about my people and my family. Whatever it takes to keep them safe.¡±


    ¡°You are a fool.¡±


    Loch shrugged.


    Hoskia sneered, about to say something but stopped. The smile disappeared as he felt a presence behind him. Turning, Hoskia saw the large head of the inkcat. It was detailed, all parts of the head visible. Ears that twitched, long whiskers. It was all one dark black color, but the eyes were visible, glaring hungrily down at the elf. The wind pushed at the fur across its back.


    Trying to ignore the cat, Hoskia turned back to Loch.


    ¡°Face me,¡± he shouted. ¡°You have already shown yourself to be a coward. You have a chance to redeem yourself.¡±


    ¡°Redeem myself?,¡± Loch laughed. He shook his head sadly. ¡°I feel bad for you.¡±


    He turned away from the elf.


    ¡°Your wife will die. Your children will die. You will watch them be¡­¡±


    Hoskia fell silent, the shrunken down Onyx embedded in his chest.

 Chapter 233 (4.62)

    Multi-colored sparks drifted up from the body of Hoskia Silver Bark, flowing into Loch. He felt his Spirit experience increase, the mental bar pushing past the end and a good way into the next Level. Notifications filled his vision, but he ignored them for now. Smaller amounts of sparks drifted away, floating into Kelly, Piper, Elora and even Jarl. The big horse tossing his mane in victory.


    ¡°Dad!,¡± Piper yelled, running over.


    Loch grabbed her in a hug, kissing the top of her head. He looked around the battlefield, trying to find every member of Clan Brady. They were all there. Brian and one of the twins were hurt, sitting on the ground leaning against the bones of the triceratops, with Julia tending them. But everyone was alive. He let out a sigh of relief, extending an arm as Kelly came closer. He wrapped her up, kissing her.


    ¡°It worked,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Loch smiled. ¡°Somehow it did.¡±


    Elora stood over the corpse of Hoskia.


    ¡°Are you okay?,¡± Loch asked.


    She nodded, not turning from looking at the body.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kelly said, making Elora turn. ¡°It was your advice that won this fight. He reacted exactly as you said.¡±


    ¡°I did not know him,¡± Elora said, crouching down, running her fingers over the etchings in Hoskia¡¯s armor. ¡°But I knew the Silver Bark.¡± She laughed, a bitter sound. ¡°For all his talk about the individual and the individual¡¯s power and strength, he acted just like them all. Just one of many. In the end, they are all the same.¡± She stood up, turning to look at the prisoners. Most of them were staring at her, others staring at Loch. None looked at Hoskia¡¯s body. ¡°All the Silver Bark, maybe all of the elves, are the same.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Loch said, letting Kelly and Piper go. He walked over to Elora, gripping her shoulder, making her turn to look at him. ¡°You weren¡¯t. Maybe some of them won¡¯t be either.¡±


    She nodded, giving a small smile.


    ¡°That would be good.¡±


    ***


    Loch leaned against the bones. Piper sat on a pile of cloaks next to him, drawing in her sketchbook. She¡¯d used up a lot of her summons in the battle. He¡¯d been amazed at how many she¡¯d managed to summon. Kelly was leaning against another bone, a foot or two away. Her eyes were vacant as she looked at notifications.


    Brian and the twins were on watch, everyone else collecting the loot. There was a lot of it. The surviving Silver Bark, only a half dozen, had been stripped of their weapons and armor. They had been the ones to surrender. Loch recognized a few as the ones that had been hesitant when Elora had first spoken to the Silver Bark. She was with them now, talking to them, telling them what to expect and how as prisoners of Clan Brady they would be treated differently from what prisoners of the Silver Bark or other Connected races would be. Some looked hopeful, others disbelieving. She was also taking the prisoner¡¯s oaths. They were swearing to the Connected System, not to join Clan Brady or renounce the Silver Bark, but to go along peacefully as prisoners of war. Cerie was with her, making sure the oaths were true.


    He really hadn¡¯t planned on their being prisoners. They had hoped some Silver Bark could be persuaded to renounce the Clan like Elora had, or at least not to fight. These ones had surrendered, something no one had expected. Not even Elora or Cerie. But both Elora and Cerie said that the oaths they were taking now could be trusted. As prisoners of war, they would behave.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.And as they had surrendered, they couldn¡¯t go back to the Silver Bark. Clan Brady was their only choice.


    With the dead, the bodies dragged and thrown into a pile, and the living¡¯s equipment there was a lot of armor and weapons. The pile off to the side was growing. They hadn¡¯t gotten to the Crone, Loric Greenspire or Hoskia Silver Bark yet. Loch was interested in the swords Hoskia had wielded. At least one of them had been enchanted.


    They couldn¡¯t rest long. There were prisoners to deal with and the next part of the plan, but for now Loch could look through his Notifications.


    YOU HAVE GAINED ENOUGH SPIRIT TO LEVEL YOUR CLASS. WARBREAKER IS NOW LEVEL TWENTY-SEVEN. YOU HAVE GAINED +1 STRENGTH AND +1 ENDURANCE AND HAVE 6 FREE POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE.


    YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE ACHIEVEMENT: WAR LEADER RANK 2


    YOU HAVE LED YOUR OUTNUMBERED PEOPLE TO VICTORY IN BATTLE AGAINST STRONGER FOES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FOES WEAKNESSES BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY YOUR PEOPLE¡¯S STRENGTHS. YOU HAVE EARNED +3% TO INTELLIGENCE AND +3% TO WISDOM.


    YOUR SOUL WEAPON HAS REACHED LEVEL TWELVE. WEAPON SKILL LIGHTNING STRIKE HAS REACHED RANK TWO.


    LIGHTNING STRIKE RANK TWO: 25 SPIRIT ACTIVATION, +5 SPIRIT ACTIVATION EVERY 5 WEAPON LEVELS. +13% CRITICAL HIT CHANCE, +2% EVERY FIVE WEAPON LEVELS. DEALS SLASHING DAMAGE. DEALS LIGHTNING ELEMENTAL DAMAGE CAUSING +13% ADDITIONAL DAMAGE +2% EVERY FIVE WEAPON LEVELS. 30% CHANCE OF STUN LASTING 10 SECONDS, +2 SECOND PER EVERY FIVE WEAPON LEVELS. FREQUENCY: TWO MINUTES, -3 SECONDS EVERY FIVE WEAPON LEVELS.


    Assigning his new attribute points, Loch stood up. He dismissed the notifications.


    It was time to go.


    Reaching down, he took Kelly¡¯s hand, helping her to stand. It felt good to hold her hand again. Fighting alongside her had been interesting. He hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to really watch her in action, but what he had seen had been impressive. She¡¯d always impressed him in anything she did, and that had been no different.


    Still holding his hand, Kelly looked over the pond, in the direction of the Silver Bark camp.


    ¡°Think it¡¯s started?¡±


    ¡°Hopefully,¡± Loch replied, tapping Piper with his foot. She had been lost in her sketching. ¡°Pipes, time to go.¡±


    Finishing up a couple of lines, Piper put the sketchbook and pen away in her bag. Without a word, she walked over to the piles of loot and started filling the spatial bag. Loch and Kelly helped her, making short work. The last bit of gear taken from Hoskia and Loric was piled up as the Bradys filled the bag. Loch stood up, letting Kelly and Piper deal with the last bits of loot, as Brian and Elora walked over.


    ¡°They have all taken the oath,¡± the elf said.


    ¡°Are we sure they can be trusted?,¡± Brian asked, huge club resting against his shoulder.


    Loch looked to Elora, who nodded. That was good enough for him. Brian saw the nod and grunted, accepting the answer.


    ¡°They do present a bit of a problem,¡± Loch said, looking up at Brian. ¡°Someone has to take them back to the school.¡±


    Brian grunted.


    ¡°I guess that means I¡¯m taking the twins,¡± he grumbled.


    Loch smiled, glad the man hadn¡¯t argued. Elora looked like she was about to but Loch held up a hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re still coming with us. Pick a horse,¡± he added, pointing to the animals that were contentedly chewing on the grass. ¡°The rest of the Clan is heading back home. We¡¯re heading to the Silver Bark Camp.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully Harper will have done her part,¡± Elora said.


    Loch smiled, looking out over the pond at the distant camp.


    ¡°She will.¡±

 Book 4 - Lochs Ending Status

    LOCH¡¯S ENDING STATUS


    NAME: Lochlan Brady


    RACE: Human Rank E


    CLASS: Warbreaker


    Patron: Thor, The Storm


    LEVEL: 27


    STRENGTH: 50


    Base: 46


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0


    ENDURANCE: 49


    Base: 45


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0


    DEXTERITY: 40


    Base: 37


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0


    WILLPOWER: 49


    Base: 45


    Achievements: 11%


    Equipment: 0


    INTELLIGENCE: 47


    Base: 43


    Achievements: 11%


    Equipment: 0


    PERCEPTION: 37


    Base: 34


    Achievements: 10%


    Equipment: 0


    UNASSIGNED POINTS: 0


    HEALTH:  490


    Base: 490


    Achievements: 0


    Equipment: 0


    STAMINA: 490


    Base: 490


    Achievements: 0


    Equipment: 0


    SPIRIT RESERVES: 4,944


    Base: 4,800This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Achievements: +3%


    Equipment: 0


    ATTACK: 25%


    Base: 0


    Achievements: +18%


    Equipment: +7%


    DEFENSE: 38%


    Base: 0


    Achievements: +18%


    Equipment: +20%


    ACHIEVEMENTS:


    A GROWING CLAN RANK I


    BANE OF RAPTORS RANK I


    BEAR¡¯S BANE RANK I


    BREAKER OF WAR RANK I


    BUGBEAR KILLER RANK I


    CHIPMUNK KILLER RANK I


    CLAN¡¯S STRENGTH


    DEFIANT CLANCHIEF


    DEMON DESTROYER RANK I


    DUNGEONEER RANK I


    ELITE KILLER RANK 2


    FIGHT FOR THE RESOURCES RANK I


    FIRST ACHIEVEMENT EARNER


    FIRST CHALLENGER


    FIRST CLASSER


    FIRST DUNGEONEER


    FIRST TO FIVE


    FIRST TO TEN


    FIRST TO TWENTY-FIVE


    GAUNTS BANE RANK 2


    GIANTS BANE RANK 1


    HIGHER LEVEL RANK 1


    HIGHER LEVEL RANK 2


    HIGHER LEVEL RANK 4


    HOB KILLER RANK I


    HUNGERS BANE


    KATSHITUASHKU BANE RANK I


    LEVEL MILESTONE RANK 1


    LEVEL MILESTONE RANK 2


    LEVEL MILESTONE RANK 3


    ONE STRIKE


    PATRON¡¯S FIRST


    RAT SLAYER RANK 1


    RAPTORS BANE RANK I


    REPEATED IGNORE RANK 1


    STRIKING HIGHER


    THE FIRST BANE


    TROGLODYTE KILLER RANK I


    UNPREPARED DUNGEONEER


    WAR LEADER RANK 2


    SKILLS & ABILITIES:


    EVALUATE RANK TWO (ACTIVE SKILL)


    DEFIANT RAGE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    HEAT RESISTANCE RANK ONE (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    MENTAL RESISTANCE RANK ONE (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    POISON RESISTANCE RANK ONE (PASSIVE SKILL)


    BOONS:


    STORM¡¯S TOUCH RANK ONE (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    THUNDERCLAP RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    CLASS:


    AURA OF ATTACK RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    BREAKER¡¯S BANNER RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    LIGHTNING BULWARK RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE WEAPONRY (PASSIVE ABILITY)


    PRECISION STRIKE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    STANCE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    RACIAL:


    ADAPTABLE (PASSIVE SKILL)


    DISEASE RESISTANCE (PASSIVE SKILL)


    GO BEYOND RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    TRAITS:


    UNFETTERED


    EQUIPMENT:


    ONYX: LEVEL 12 SOUL WEAPON


    CLEAVE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    LIGHTNING STRIKE RANK TWO (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    SHIELD BASH RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    SMASH RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    WIDE CLEAVE RANK ONE (ACTIVE ABILITY)


    CHALLENGER¡¯S MAIL ARMOR SET 5 OF 5


    CHALLENGER¡¯S BOOTS


    CHALLENGER¡¯S BRACERS


    CHALLENGER¡¯S CHEST


    CHALLENGER¡¯S GLOVES


    CHALLENGER¡¯S LEGGINGS


    ELEMENTAL SURGE


    WINDSTEP


    CLAN BRADY


    CLAN RANK: CLANCHIEF


    CLANHOLD: NORTHWOOD


    REPUTATION: SILVER BARK CLAN - ANTAGONISTIC

 Chapter 234 (5.1)

    Harper held up a hand with a closed fist. She hoped it was the right signal. She¡¯d been trying to pay attention when her father had given instructions. An idea he had of trying to make communication easier for the various Clanmembers. The worry had been that if each group had their own way of silent communications, or even codewords and shortcuts they used, it would get confusing when in a larger group.


    No one would know what was being said.


    She thought he was worrying about nothing, but she¡¯d paid attention when her father and Darren, along with some others, had hammered out some signals to use. The hand up with closed fist meant stop.


    Glancing back, she saw that everyone had stopped. She was ten or fifteen feet ahead of the rest, scouting, and had caught a sound just ahead. Making a motion with her hand, hoping it was the one for stay, she crept ahead.


    Her Stealth skill had recently gone up, now Rank Two, which had given her increased ability to move silently over any terrain. It was an odd thing to use. The skill was considered passive, which she¡¯d been told meant it was always active. It didn¡¯t require the use of any Spirit, it just happened.


    For her, it translated as seeing all the small twigs, leaves, branches and other things that could snap and make noise. It told her where a board was loose, or a piece of furniture wasn¡¯t exactly level and the weight of someone passing could rock it. She knew how to set her feet, to step with her toes and not put weight down, barely touching the surface.


    It made her wish she¡¯d had that Ability, or Skill really as there was a difference, before the Connection. What teenager wouldn¡¯t want to be able to move silently through the house and sneak out?


    She moved slowly, stepping from shadow to shadow, glad that this part of the woods was thick with trees. It was an area she wasn¡¯t familiar with. Close to Bow Lake, but past the beaches, the road had gone into Strafford and then Pittsfield. She¡¯d driven it, but had never paid attention to the houses or woods. She thought there should be more houses. It was close to the lake, there was barely any undeveloped land.


    Wasn¡¯t there some Boy Scout camp or something further up the road? What had that turned into with the Connection¡¯s appearance?


    The noise grew louder. Someone, or something, moving through the woods. They were trying to be quiet, just not as quiet as she was. A shape came out of the shadows under the trees. The sun was just past its highest point, starting to set, and with the thick canopy of trees the ground was heavily shadowed. Made it cooler, which Harper didn¡¯t like.


    It reminded her too much of the Shadow Realm. It was always cold there. The lack of colors just added to the dreariness. Everytime she was there, it made her shiver. Not that she¡¯d stop going. Her Shadowskip Ability was just too good.


    She Activated it, stepping into the Shadow Realm. Instantly the cold increased. She could feel it on the exposed parts of her skin, where the leather armor didn¡¯t cover. Harper knew her dad, and now her mom, hated the armor. It left too much exposed. To her, it was no different from a bathing suit. It actually covered more than her suits had. She didn¡¯t know if their biggest complaint was the lack of cover or the actual lack of protection.


    It looked good. She looked good. Harper was pretty sure Davis thought she looked good.


    Focusing on the task at hand, Harper moved through the Shadow Realm. She crossed the distance between her and the elven scout in a matter of seconds. She didn¡¯t have to move cautiously or quietly, she was undetectable in the Shadow Realm. And time moved differently, faster.


    There was no color but she didn¡¯t need it. The elf had to be a Silver Bark scout, there wouldn¡¯t be a reason for anyone else to be in this area, so close to their camp. He was dressed in leather armor, similar in style to what Elora and that elf they had captured wore. A short sword was sheathed at his waist, a bow and quiver on his back. He was crouched down, looking toward where the rest of her group were waiting.


    She cursed, glad her father wasn¡¯t around to hear it.


    Or her mother, who really hated when she or Piper swore.


    They¡¯d been spotted, or heard. The elf knew they were coming.


    Or maybe he thought it was an animal.


    She moved to stand behind the crouched elf, who was hidden partially by a tree. It blocked some of his view, so she stepped to the side, getting a clearer view. She couldn¡¯t see the people from Clan Brady, which meant the elf probably couldn¡¯t either.


    He¡¯d heard a noise and was waiting to see what it was.


    Harper wondered what she could do.


    She didn¡¯t want to pop out of the Shadow Realm and kill the man. Her thoughts went down the dark path to when she¡¯d done that in the clearing after fighting the Wendigo. She¡¯d popped out and slain the Silver Bark Midwarden. Killed in cold blood. Murdered.


    It wasn¡¯t like she hadn¡¯t killed before. That was the way of life in the Connected System. Kill or be killed. She liked fighting, the way she could move and use her Abilities. She just hated the killing part. Killing that elf had felt like the right thing to do at the time, but she still had nightmares.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The talk with Elora had helped, but Harper didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever get used to that kind of killing. She hoped she didn¡¯t at least.


    Killing this scout was the right idea. It would keep her and the rest of the Clan¡¯s presence in the area a secret. If they were discovered, the entire plan was ruined. Killing the scout would also mean one less enemy that would try to kill them.


    And Harper knew the elf wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill her or any of Clan Brady.


    So why did she hesitate?


    There were plenty of good reasons to do it.


    She drew her tonfas, holding them to the sides. Step out of the Shadow Realm, drive the left one forward into the elf¡¯s chest. Slide the right one across his throat. Easy and quick. If she was fast enough, it¡¯d be silent too. In the Shadow Realm she couldn¡¯t use Evaluate, so had no idea of his Level but most likely was equal or higher than her own. That would be a decent amount of Spirit experience.


    Harper had started envisioning her experience gain as a bar like her father did. It made it easier to gauge how close to Leveling she was and she was very close to hitting Level Twenty. This elf might even put her over the top and get the Level.


    All it would take was killing this elf.


    Taking a breath, she prepared to exit the Shadow Realm.


    But stopped. She couldn¡¯t do it.


    Harper wasn¡¯t naive. She was fifteen, would be sixteen very soon, still a teenager to many but not to Clan Brady. She was as much of an adult as any of them. She¡¯d been through just as much, if not more. She¡¯d fought and killed


    She knew that the mission would probably require killing. Her father hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that, but it probably would. But that was different. Killing in combat was different.


    She had told her parents she was ready.


    But was she really?


    ***


    She looked out over the small pond, where a running track had been, looking at the single large flower. It was beautiful, if a little odd looking. Standing by itself in the middle of the water. Small seedlings could be seen growing throughout the water, not yet popping above. Amelia Elmore, the Clan member with the Gardener Class, had identified it as a XXXX.


    A Natural Resource.


    With the xxx Tree, that made two that Clan Brady possessed. Cerie had said having one was rare and considered extremely lucky. Having two was unheard of.


    Cerie was back at the school with Piper. It was just Harper and her parents.


    It was going to be one of those conversations.


    When her mother had asked her to go on a walk with them, Harper had feared what it would be about. The conversations when parents wanted to talk to a child alone, taking them away from where the sibling couldn¡¯t eavesdrop, those were never good ones. She wasn¡¯t expecting this one to be any different.


    Her father was watching the treeline, where they assumed Silver Bark scouts were watching.


    ¡°Harper,¡± her mom said, sitting down on the grass. She patted it, wanting Harper to sit. ¡°I¡¯ve told you girls that I can¡¯t stay..¡±


    ¡°I know mom,¡± Harper replied, sitting down, pulling her knees up tight, waiting for the lecture to come.


    Dad had been giving her more responsibility. He knew her strength, understood she could take care of herself. But her father had always been the one more willing to let them, her and Piper, take more risks and try things, knowing they might be hurt. Mom was the overprotective one and Harper had a feeling that overprotectiveness was going to come back.


    Which might be why her father wasn¡¯t involving himself in the conversation. Yet. Her parents had always presented a unified front, even if they didn¡¯t fully agree with eachother. This was going to be one of those times.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you fight,¡± Kelly continued, looking out at the flower. ¡°Dad says you¡¯re amazing. All that dance and gymnastics paid off.¡± She chuckled. It wasn¡¯t a happy chuckle, Harper could feel the sadness. ¡°I want to tell you to not fight, to hide in the school.¡±


    Harper started to protest but her mom held up a hand. She turned to look at Harper, smiling and looking proud. A little sad but still proud.


    ¡°In this new world you¡¯re almost an adult and even though none of us wanted this, as a family we have responsibilities that have been given to us. Because we are Bradys, we don¡¯t run from those responsibilities as much as we might want to. We don¡¯t hide from them. I have the column of survivors I have to watch out for. I need to return to them soon. Here, your father is the Clanchief, he has hundreds that he¡¯s responsible for. And someday, you¡¯ll be the chief.¡±


    Harper looked out at the flower, pulling her legs tighter. At that moment she felt like a young girl again. She understood what her mom was saying. Her parents had always told the girls to never back down from their responsibilities, especially if it was something someone else counted on them for. Promises and responsibilities, two things to never not do.


    She knew she¡¯d be the Clanchief someday, maybe not for a very long time as the Adapted lived a long time. A lifespan that could be measured in hundreds of years. But someday she would be, whether Clan Brady was small or as far reaching and expansive as a Clan like the Silver Bark. It would be her responsibility.


    That thought scared her, but she wouldn¡¯t let her parents see that.


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that no matter how much I want you to hide in the school, I know you can¡¯t.¡± Kelly chuckled again, this time with real feeling. Harper looked to see her mom¡¯s wide smile, a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°And I know my daughter. You wouldn¡¯t hide no matter how much we asked you to. So we,¡± she paused, looking up at Loch, then back to Harper. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to.¡±


    Harper turned as her father sat down on the other side. He leaned forward so he could see both Harper and Kelly.


    ¡°But there is something we will ask of you,¡± Kelly said.


    ¡°It¡¯s extremely dangerous,¡± Loch said. ¡°But there¡¯s no one else that can do it.¡±

 Chapter 235 (5.2)

    Drew walked out from behind a large tree, his eyes grim. He sheathed one of his batons with a sigh. Harper watched, feeling disappointed with herself. In the end, she couldn¡¯t do it. She couldn¡¯t assassinate the scout. That¡¯s what it would have been.


    She¡¯d wondered if the Connection was pushing her in that direction. Her Abilities got bonuses from sneak attacks, and with her Stealth and Shadowskip, it was easy to appear out of nowhere and backstab an opponent. They were the perfect Abilities for an assassin.


    That was not what Harper wanted to be.


    To kill the elf would have been going too far down that path. The first time, she¡¯d taken a step down the path, but if she had killed the scout it would have been too many steps.


    Instead she¡¯d appeared and knocked him out quickly. They had debated about taking the scout prisoner but there weren¡¯t enough Clansmembers in the group to keep some behind to guard the prisoner. Tying him up and leaving him there would have been a death sentence. Some monster would have found him and eaten him alive.


    There was no choice. Drew had stepped up to do it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving,¡± he said, nodding to Harper.


    She nodded grimly. Turning she saw the rest of the group. Drew¡¯s team, along with Davis and his team. They were joined by a couple of the guards. With Harper, it was a total of fifteen people. She was the youngest, no one blamed her for not being able to kill the scout. At least she hoped they didn¡¯t.


    Drew had been put in charge of the combined Clansmembers, but everyone knew how important Harper was to the mission. And that she was the second highest Level in the Clan. That gave her some authority. At that moment, she wanted to run back to the school and hide in their room.


    But as her mom had said. They were Bradys. They didn¡¯t hide from their responsibilities. She had a mission to perform.


    Taking a deep breath, putting thoughts of the scout behind her, Harper took her place in front of the group, looking back to make sure they were all arranged. They didn¡¯t travel in a straight line, but more of an I-formation. A couple people further to the sides, still able to keep her in relative line of sight, to watch the flanks, with two more at the rear off to the sides. Raising her hand, she gave the motion to start moving.


    She kept her eyes and ears open for more scouts. It would have been safer to scout ahead in the Shadow Realm, but she wanted to limit her time there. Just quick Skips in and out, nothing extended. Not unless she needed to.


    Her thoughts drifted back to the conversation with her parents and the elf scout she hadn¡¯t killed, but allowed to be killed. What would her parents think? She knew they wouldn¡¯t have wanted her to kill the scout, but was it her responsibility?


    She sighed, not ready to make such decisions. No fifteen year old should, but she was being pushed into that position. Harper could feel the weight of the responsibility her parents had given her. It wasn¡¯t heavy but there. A lot was riding on her doing her job. Not just the lives of the people with her, and her own life, but many more. People she didn¡¯t even know.


    People in the future.


    If the plan failed, the Silver Bark would take over. Clan Brady would be no more. Elora had painted a picture of what a future with the Silver Bark in charge would be like. Humans would be little more than slaves, fodder for the elves'' expansion. They would rule the area, fighting and expanding out over the world until the entire planet belonged to them.


    Harper had read books, seen movies, showing a dystopian future. That is what would await humanity. Maybe one of the other higher Leveled and ranked humans would be able to stop the Silver Bark, or maybe even one of the other invading Connected races, but Clan Brady wouldn¡¯t survive.


    She didn¡¯t want to think about the future, not even one where she was the Clan leader. The present was enough. Taking a deep breath she pushed all thoughts down for later. She was doing that a lot and knew it wasn¡¯t healthy. But she had to focus on the present.


    ***


    Harper lost track of the time. Maybe an hour or two and they didn¡¯t come across any more scouts. She didn¡¯t know what that meant. Were the Silver Bark lax with their security or had more than they¡¯d expected gone with the leaders to confront her father?If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    It seemed like good news for them, but Harper wasn¡¯t sure. She had a bad feeling. Maybe she was being paranoid, but she didn¡¯t trust the lack of patrols. It made her extra cautious.


    Just ahead, through the trees, she could see the blue sky. It didn¡¯t take long to break out of the cover of the trees and onto the broken and cracked road. She¡¯d come out where she had wanted to. The homes on the forest side of the road were gone, replaced by more trees. The road itself was like all the roads around. Large cracks, pushed up sections of pavement. Across from the woods, the beach hadn¡¯t really changed.


    Northwood had three town beaches. One on Northwood Lake and two on Bow Lake. Those were pretty close together, one right on Bow Lake Road and the other on a side street that wrapped around part of the lake. The one on the road wasn¡¯t big, only wide enough for about a handful of cars, a stone wall separating the parking from the beach itself. Steps led down to the sandy area and then out onto the water.


    It looked just like the many times she¡¯d come down there with family and friends. She had liked the other beach off Bennett¡¯s Bridge better, but this one had been good. Nothing about it had changed. The boat launch to the side was there. Only the island that had been visible, seemingly not that far from shore, was now much further. Two of three times the original distance.


    Seeing the beach reminded Harper of life before the Connection. Fall was approaching, they would have come to the lake for the last swims of the season a couple of weekends before. The cold water had never bothered her. She loved to swim. Especially in lakes. She¡¯d always been more freshwater over seawater. Her mom was the opposite.


    Looking both ways up the road, not seeing anything, Harper stepped out onto the broken pavement. She smiled, looking at the beach. She was tempted to go for a swim. Maybe after everything had settled down, and in the spring when it was warmer. The constant wind blew across the street, bringing with it a chill.


    It didn¡¯t seem like winter would be that far off. A short fall. Or maybe it had been Fall for a while now. She had lost track of the months since the Connection. Winter could be right around the corner for all she knew. What had her father said? Kristin and some others were trying to figure out a way to count the days and figure out what month they really were in.


    She walked across the road, stopping at the stone wall. The others came out of the woods, Drew directing some to head up and down the road a ways to keep watch. She heard footsteps approaching.


    ¡°I spent so much time at this beach,¡± Davis said, leaning against the stone wall. ¡°Crazy that it really hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what Bennetts is like,¡± Harper said.


    ¡°Remember that time Ben got into a fight with Wyatt?,¡± Davis asked, turning to sit on the wall.


    Harper did the same, watching Drew and others talking. She knew she should join them, help, but figured she¡¯d just get in the way. Drew knew what to do.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that was crazy,¡± she answered Davis, shifting to look at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you knew I was here.¡±


    He laughed, smiling at her.


    ¡°I knew you were there. I kind of always knew if you were around.¡±


    Before she could say anything else, Drew called for her.


    ¡°Duty calls,¡± she said, sighing, hopping off the wall.


    Davis did the same, following after her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like camping here,¡± Drew said, looking around. ¡°Too open. Is there anything nearby that would be better.¡±


    Harper looked at Davis, who shrugged.


    ¡°Not really,¡± she said. ¡°Just more houses along the road.¡± She looked east, where the long hill of Bow Lake started. ¡°If we head east a bit, there¡¯s a side street that follows the lake but then ends up connecting to Sherburne.¡±


    Drew didn¡¯t recognize the names. Which made sense, he¡¯d been in Strafford and even though he¡¯d been down Bow Lake, most people thought Sherburne Hill was another road.


    ¡°You know that sharp corner on Ridge?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s where Bennetts Bridge Road ends up, and from that corner to the sharp corner on Bow Lake, that is actually Sherburne and not Ridge Road.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I always just called that Ridge.¡±


    ¡°Everyone does,¡± Davis said, chuckling.


    Some of the others around them laughed too, all understanding the joke. Those that hadn¡¯t been Northwood residents ignored the three until they got back on track.


    ¡°If we set up there,¡± Harper continued. ¡°And we need to retreat we can go down Bennetts or up Bow Lake.¡±


    ¡°Good thinking,¡± Drew said. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±

 Chapter 236 (5.3)

    The Silver Bark camp looked just as Elora had described it, or mostly described it as she had been blocked by the Connection from revealing too much. Harper didn¡¯t really understand it. The same restrictions kept Cerie from revealing too much about the Silver Bark inner workings. They had both tried to explain it. Something about keeping the Connection wanting things more competitive.


    Set away from the lake, down a dirt road and in a large clearing that Harper thought she remembered as being part of a future housing development. She¡¯d heard her father and some of the other fathers talking about it at some of her games. The complaint, not shared by her father, had been about Northwood not needing more homes, developments ruining the rural nature of the town and such. Harper and her friends had just rolled their eyes over it all. Their only concern was more homes leading to more students and the schools were already close to being overfilled.


    The camp wasn¡¯t large. Tents, looking big enough for four to six, were laid out in organized rows surrounding some larger ones in the middle. That was where the leadership would be, with the largest being in the center belonging to Hoskia Silver Bark, who should just be about to face off with her father. Or maybe they¡¯d already fought.


    Harper wasn¡¯t sure of the exact timing. The plan had been arranged by days, since communication and travel were so uncertain. The potential for wandering bands of monsters made scheduling joint actions difficult.


    It didn¡¯t look like most of the Silver Bark had gone with the leaders to meet with her father. There were still a lot of bodies moving around the camp. But Evaluate told her that they were all in the Level Ten to Fifteen range. At least that was her best guess from the feeling that Evaluate gave her compared to her own Level.


    Her father, with Elora and Cerie, had thought that Hoskia would bring his highest Leveled people thinking that Clan Brady would do the same. Cerie had said that to many Clans in the Connection, any meeting between them was a chance to show off their strength in different ways. One of those being in Levels. The Silver Bark would have more higher Leveled members than Clan Brady.  A show of force could force Clan Brady to surrender.


    Harper knew her father wouldn¡¯t. They were counting on Hoskia bringing his strongest. That part of the plan had worried Harper. It was going to mean her parents, and sister, were outnumbered but both parents had assured her that they knew what they were doing. She used one of her parents favorite lines on them.


    ¡°It¡¯s my job to worry,¡± she had told them.


    Looking at the Silver Bark camp, she really was worrying.


    Harper had climbed a tree just on the outskirts, going high enough to get a clear view and look down at the camp. She could see the tents, the perimeter with patrolling guards and in the corner were the prisoners.


    The fence was made with logs placed close together, ends jammed into the ground. The size of the logs varied, the spacing between different, but all had their tops cut to a point. There looked to be spikes embedded in the tops of the logs as well. Each was about fifteen feet tall, enough for even a Connected to not be able to jump out of. The spikes would prevent climbing. There was also a net, made out of some material Harper couldn¡¯t see, that covered the top of the small enclosure.


    And it was small. The people inside were jammed, packed in tight with barely any room to move. Just looking at the people, there were children, made Harper angry. She wanted to Shadowskip into the camp and rescue the people, but knew she couldn¡¯t.


    Not yet.


    There was a plan to follow.


    She looked down into the forest below, away from the camp. The others were well hidden, she couldn¡¯t even see them with her high Perception. That was good.


    Looking back at the camp, she tried to look past it, into the woods on the front and beyond. There was no movement she could see, just the patrols. Harper felt impatient. She wanted to attack but fought against that impulse. That had always been her biggest fault, bad impulse control. She thought she was getting better but the weight of responsibility was heavy. She wanted that weight off her shoulders.


    Harper started to shift but stopped, hearing a noise from below. An elf entry walked out from the trees a couple down from her, maybe fifteen feet. He moved toward the edge of the clearing with the camp, hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword. Head moved as the elf scanned the forest, watching and listening. Harper slowed her breathing, just as Elora had shown her. Slow and measured, quiet.


    The elf moved toward the clearing but stopped, head whipping around as a branch snapped in the forest. Harper forced herself not to move, to not try and find the source of the sound. She watched the elf, not looking at him directly but a spot to the side. He took a couple steps into the trees, almost directly below her.


    She could jump down on top of him, but that would make too much noise. Shadowskip and appear in front of him, taking him down quickly. But that would make noise. Her part of the plan involved making no noise.


    Shouting came from the camp, drawing the sentry¡¯s attention. Smoke rose up from the far corner, flames visible over the tents. Other guards and even the non-combat Silver Bark started running for toward the commotion. With one last look into the forest, the sentry took off, disappearing into the tents.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The fires were her cue.


    Harper Activated Shadowskip.


    ***


    She stepped out of the Shadow Realm facing the cage. Harper held up her hands, motioning the prisoners to be silent. They saw her appear from nowhere, started to cry out, but stopped as an older man in the front quickly shushed them. He turned to Harper, walking to the log bars, shifting to a bigger gap to get a better look.


    ¡°You¡¯re human,¡± he said.


    ¡°I am. My name¡¯s Harper Brady.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a child,¡± someone said from behind.


    The man turned back, making the hand motion again.


    ¡°Margaret, quiet now,¡± he scolded, turning back to Harper. His eyes moved past her to the flames on the other side of the camp. ¡°Take it you¡¯re here to get us out?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, stepping closer.


    In the Shadow Realm, Harper had walked around the cage, examining it from every side. She¡¯s even climbed the logs, checking it from the top. The entrance was made of smaller logs running horizontally, held to vertical logs. One end was tied to the larger logs that made the bar, the other end fixed with a some kind of rope and stick locking system. Harper hadn¡¯t seen anything like it before, but it worked. She had assumed the prisoners had tried to break free, but while the locking system looked simple and weak, she figured it was anything but. The thing was built to keep Adapted locked up, it had to be tough.


    She ran her hands over the rope. It felt thick and strong, but was still just rope.


    ¡°We tried to escape,¡± the man said, coming closer. ¡°The first night Billy,¡± he pointed to a large man behind him, sitting on the ground, hands tied behind his back. ¡°He tried to break it, and the logs. Got the guards angry and they tied him up with magic ropes. We can¡¯t cut ¡®em no matter what we do. Have to feed Billy by hand, when they give us food that is.¡±


    He spoke quietly, eyes constantly looking past Harper. She knew she had to hurry. The distraction wouldn¡¯t last long. The man seemed to know that as well. He stepped away from the door, quietly moving among the prisoners. He got them up, had others help the ones that needed it, getting the whole group organized. They looked sad and worn. It was obvious the Silver Bark hadn¡¯t been feeding them. Quick Evaluate on the man showed him to be much weaker than her, probably around Level Five if that. Maybe Eight. None of the others seemed to be stronger. Even Billy, the largest. He felt the strongest of them all, and that impression was more than half her Level. The man stood up, looking dejected, like the will had been beaten out of him. He was large, maybe as tall as Brian Jefferson, not as wide. He shuffled over to the door, looking down at Harper.


    ¡°I tried breaking it,¡± he said, voice flat. ¡°But wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡±


    Harper studied the lock. It looked so simple. She knew she had a lot of what were considered Rogue Skills in the games her father had played but none of them involved opening locks. There had to be something she was missing. Taking a step back, she reached out with a tonfa.


    The tip touched the wooden post. She moved it a bit back and forth. Nothing happened. It didn¡¯t appear to be trapped.


    ¡°One of us had a knife hidden in their boot,¡± the old man said, coming back. He reached up and patted Billy on the shoulder. ¡°Couldn¡¯t cut the rope.¡±


    ¡°Might not be a high enough Level,¡± Harper said, stepping back.


    She started walking around the cage again. The idea made sense. The way the cage was constructed, it wouldn¡¯t hold her father. It wouldn¡¯t even hold Piper. With the clear difference in strength between Levels, it would be easy enough to build an enclosure that lower Leveled people couldn¡¯t break out of.


    Returning to the lock, she threaded a tonfa through the rope loop. Holding the handle tight, she pulled the blade. It didn¡¯t slice through the rope but she felt it cut a few strands. The rope was at least an inch thick and not a material she recognized. Probably came from the Silver Bark¡¯s homeworld. Harper started moving the tonfa up and down, sawing through the rope.


    She glanced over her shoulder, seeing that more flames had appeared. There was the sounds of fighting now, metal on metal, the explosions of Abilities going off. She hoped that Drew and his party were safe. He¡¯d volunteered to take his group to the other side of the camp and make a distraction for her. Returning to the rope lock, she kept sawing.


    The blade cut strand after strand. She could see it halfway through the rope. Harper increased the speed and pressure, pulling the tonfa toward her. The rope snapped. She stumbled, stopping the blade from flying forward. The wooden post fell, the door sagging open.


    She looked up into the wide and surprised eyes of the old man and Billy. Grabbing the end, she pulled it open fully.


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    Billy stepped out, eyes scanning the camp, showing more life. The old man moved through the cage, tapping people, talking to them, pushing at them to get them moving. Harper stepped back, pointing into the woods.


    ¡°Move, quickly, there¡¯s people just inside the trees,¡± she said, as the prisoners stepped out.


    They moved slowly, hesitantly, unsure if it was real or not. Harper wondered what exactly these people had been through. What had the Silver Bark done to them?


    ¡°This way,¡± she said again, more urgently.


    The people started moving. They didn¡¯t want to step into the woods until they saw Davis. He stepped out from the trees, moving closely, motioning with his hand. They picked up the pace, moving into the trees. Davis kept them moving. Harper could see Kim Hudson just beyond. She reached out and helped a prisoner that had tripped.


    Finally only the old man and Billy remained.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the old man said, Billy still watching the camp.


    Harper looked up at the big man, smacking his arm as he wasn¡¯t paying attention. She motioned to the forest. He looked from her to the camp and then the lock. With a shrug, Billy jogged to catch up with the others.


    ¡°Move,¡± Harper told the old man. ¡°We¡¯re not safe yet.¡±

 Chapter 237 (5.4)

    Harper brought up the rear, constantly looking over her shoulder. The flames were dying down, as was the sound of fighting. She hoped that meant Drew and his people had gotten away, but it also meant the Silver Bark would be returning. They¡¯d find the empty cage.


    She wanted to hide their trail but that would be impossible. There was no way to hide the passage of the prisoners. They were tired and weak, breaking branches, leaning against trees, pushing aside bushes. To Harper, it looked like a herd of elephants had run through the forest.


    They weren¡¯t quiet either. Some talked, trying to keep it low but not working. None moved with stealth. Harper couldn¡¯t blame them but she still wished they would keep quiet and move faster. She was angry at herself for thinking it. What had they been through?


    She looked back at the camp, seeing shadowed forms running closer.


    They had to get moving. They had to put distance between themselves and the camp. Cerie and Elora didn¡¯t think the Silver Bark would give chase, not without their leaders there and after the camp was attacked. They wouldn¡¯t think the prisoners worth the effort. They wouldn¡¯t come out in force, but maybe some individuals would think they could earn some merit with the leadership if they recaptured the prisoners.


    She stopped next to Davis as Billy and the old man, Harper still didn¡¯t know his name, kept going.


    ¡°You know what to do?,¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, turning to look at her. He reached out and took one of her hands. ¡°You going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be with Drew¡¯s team. We¡¯ll meet up with dad and mom.¡±


    ¡°Good job in there,¡± Davis said, nodding to the cage.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Harper said, glad it was darker so he couldn¡¯t see her blush. ¡°You need to get going.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Davis said but didn¡¯t move.


    He leaned down, an arm going around her waist. Harper let him pull her closer. Their lips met. It wasn¡¯t her first kiss but it was the best one she¡¯d had yet. He pulled away a minute later, smiling down at her. She smiled up.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Davis said, running to rejoin the others.


    ¡°Bye,¡± Harper said, still smiling, Activating Shadowskip.


    In the Shadow Realm, the distant flames looked odd. No longer shades of red and orange, they were grays and blacks, but still somehow coming across as fire. The Shadow Realm was odd. She¡¯d never imagined there could be so many shades of black and gray.


    Running through the camp, she started the second part of the plan, her next responsibility. In the Shadow Realm, Harper couldn¡¯t affect anything in the real world. She had to hop out, so she did. Appearing in front of the largest tent, not seeing or hearing anyone, Harper ran her tonfas through the fabric, running around the perimeter. She cut through the support ropes, the whole thing collapsing. If she had more time, she would have gone inside and looted the place, but she could hear the shouts of the Silver Bark returning. Some had already found the cage, shouts ringing around the camp. Back in the Shadow Realm, Harper ran to a collection of crates and barrels she had noticed from the tree. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a small round canister. Leaving the Shadow Realm, Harper tossed the canister into the pile of crates. She returned to the Shadow Realm, quickly rushing across the camp.


    She couldn¡¯t hear or feel the explosion. Looking over her shoulder, she just saw more of the gray and black flames. It should have been hot but in the Shadow Realm, everything was cold.


    Harper made her way around the camp, cutting tents, destroying what she could. She avoided the elves as much as she could, only jumping out of the Shadow Realm for a couple of seconds if there were elves nearby. They spotted her, but were left confused when she disappeared.


    She may have given the elves a signal they didn¡¯t understand. A single finger, the middle, extended. Harper hoped her father never found out she had done that.


    From one end to the other, Harper bounced around the camp. Her Ability to jump in and out of the Shadow Realm had grown. She could do it more often, for a longer duration. She still felt the cold creeping in the more time she spent, but it was taking longer before the Realm started to affect her.


    Chaos covered the camp. Without the leadership there, none of the Silver Bark took any initiative. It should have been easy to regain control, even send out patrols to find the prisoners, but none of the remaining Silver Bark wanted to step up and assume command. If they did, and failed, they would be killed. Even if they did and succeeded, they still might be killed. There was no motivation to do anything unless ordered.


    Feeling the cold of the Realm, Harper knew her time was over. She had just one more thing to accomplish. Her father had insisted she do it last. As Harper ran across the camp, crossing what should have taken minutes in seconds, she realized why he had been right. She had wanted to hit the target first, but her father had argued that it would have been the most well guarded spot in the camp. She needed the first distraction and the following chaos to take away some, if not all, of the guards or else she¡¯d fail.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    And failure could mean death.


    Harper hugged herself tight, a shiver running through her body, as she watched. There were only two guards, both wearing heavier looking armor and even helmets. Instead of a sword, each carried a spear with a wider and larger head. Halberds? Wasn¡¯t that the word her father had used?


    Behind them the portal looked strange in the Shadow Realm. It was small, similar to the Gaunt portal in Johnson¡¯s Field. Elora had said they spent the Resources to keep it active but not open. It would not open until the Silver Bark on Earth had established enough territory and controlled enough Resources to power the portal themselves.


    She had remembered the gaunt portal being blue, the edge¡¯s crackling as it pulsed. The Silver Bark portal, looking at it through the Realm, was a shiny gray. The edges still crackled but it looked more liquid.


    Harper approached slowly, feeling some resistance from the portal itself. The thing wanted to drag her out of the Shadow Realm. She fought against it, but knew she couldn¡¯t fight for long. The portal was stronger. Walking around it, she found the stone. Harper left the Shadow Realm.


    She immediately felt the crackling heat of the portal, the blue light almost blinding. The stone sat on a small pedestal, looking like it was made from granite. There were markings carved into the pedestal, which Cerie had said were used to channel the energy of the Resources into the portal. There would be no traps as the energy of the portal itself messed with them.


    Reaching out, Harper grabbed the stone. As soon as she pulled it from the pedestal, the portal winked out. There was an audible snap as the small rip in reality disappeared. The guards turned, staring at Harper, who just waved at them before Activating Shadow Skip again.


    She made one final Skip out of the camp. She appeared in the woods, just past where the fires had been started. Some of the trees were done, others with their trunks covered in ash. Grass had been burned away. She felt bad, but the distraction had worked.


    One last look into the camp, making sure she wasn¡¯t noticed, Harper ran into the forest. She darted from tree to tree, using all her Stealth to avoid making noise. It was dark and she knew she blended in with the shadows, but noise could still give her away.


    ***


    ¡°Hey,¡± Harper said, holding back a smile as Drew jumped.


    The older man, only ten or so years older, drew his batons turning and facing her, weapons raise to defend or strike. Harper leaned against a tree, trying to catch her breath, holding a hand up to give a little wave. Her other arm was wrapped around her body, fighting back against the chills that spread throughout. She held back the shivering.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± Drew said, relaxing, but not putting his weapons away. ¡°You scared the hell out of me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Harper said, standing up.


    She moved away from the tree. All she wanted to do was lay down and sleep, but couldn¡¯t. Not yet. She still felt the chills, but not as bad. There was no way she could go back into the Shadow Realm, not for a while.


    Drew was alone. She wasn¡¯t sure where the rest of his party was, hoping he wasn¡¯t the only survivor of that group. They shouldn¡¯t have encountered much in the way of resistance. Their part of the plan had just been the distraction. Start the fires, run away. She had heard fighting, it hadn¡¯t gone fully to plan. She looked past Drew.


    ¡°They¡¯re fine,¡± he said, motioning for her to follow. ¡°Mostly minor wounds but Graham had gotten a bad one. We barely managed to get him out of there. A couple Silver Bark came after us but we took them out.¡±


    Drew led her deeper into the forest, away from the spot on the road that had been their designated meeting spot. Harper kept looking over her shoulder, expecting pursuers.


    ¡°You look pretty tired,¡± Drew said.


    ¡°Pushed my use of Shadowskip,¡± Harper replied. ¡°Pretty low on Spirit.¡±


    ¡°Take it, the prisoners are free?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, up to Davis and the others to get them the rest of the way. Didn¡¯t look like any Silver Bark were chasing them either. Your girlfriend was right.¡±


    Drew looked back at her, seeing Harper¡¯s smirk, he just shook his head, not bothering to respond. Harper knew Elora wasn¡¯t really Drew¡¯s girlfriend. The elf woman probably didn¡¯t even know what the term meant. But it was obvious to all that Drew was interested. Harper thought Elora was too, but didn¡¯t know elven mannerisms enough to judge.


    The two continued through the forest, Drew in the lead. Harper could feel herself slowing. Exhaustion was setting in quickly. She didn¡¯t know what to call what she¡¯d just done, but the adrenaline caused by it was fading and all her energy with it. The cold from overusing Shadowskip lingered in her bones, making her shiver as they moved through the thick forest.


    She just wanted to sleep for days.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Drew said after what felt like hours of walking, but was really only a half hour at the most.


    Harper didn¡¯t answer, at that point it was all she could do to put one foot in front of the other.

 Chapter 238 (5.5)

    Lochlan walked through the forest. He could hear Jarl and the other horses breaking their way through the low branches, working their way around the thickly growing trees. Larry and the other horses were having an easier time than Loch¡¯s giant warhorse, the wrapped burden he was carrying not making it easier, getting tangled and caught on branches. Jarl neighed and chuffed in aggravation, a hoof slamming into a trunk. The whole tree shook, crackling bolts of energy spreading around the trunk, leaving black scorch marks.


    ¡°Easy big guy,¡± he said, looking over his shoulder.


    Jarl chuffed.


    Loch laughed, watching the rest of the group as they made their way through the forest. It was a much smaller group then the one he¡¯d left with. Brian, the twins, Albert Bergmann, Julia Montgomery and Randy Sager were escorted the Silver Bark prisoners back to the school. The prisoners had taken an oath confirmed by the Connected System, so Loch wasn¡¯t that worried. But he¡¯d left orders with Brian that at the first sign of trouble, they were to abandon the prisoners, leaving them tied up.


    He didn¡¯t like it, but he valued his people¡¯s lives more and wanted them kept safe. Loch didn¡¯t want to just kill the prisoners, or leave them for monsters, but if it meant keeping his people alive it was something he would do.


    The party now was just Loch, Kelly, Piper, Elora and a single elf. Casian Nightgrass had taken an additional oath. Elora had made all the prisoners swear to not harm any member of Clan Brady unless first harmed. They could defend themselves if attacked but that was it. She had not made them renounce their oath to the Silver Bark Clan, which had made it easier for many to swear the additional oath. Cerie had said it was standard practice in the Connection with prisoners of war to make such oaths.


    Some of the prisoners had seemed like they wanted to renounce their oath to the Silver Bark like Elora had. Casian was one such. He¡¯d been in charge of the Silver Bark equivalent of a squad, but during the fight had stayed in the rear, not seeming to want to engage any of Clan Brady. He hadn¡¯t run, but hadn¡¯t been active either.


    Loch thought him an opportunist, waiting to see which way the battle went. If it looked like Hoskia was going to defeat Loch, Casian would have joined the attack and made it look like he¡¯d been trying the whole battle. With Loch winning, Casian had held promptly dropped his sword, stepping back.


    Some of the Silver Bark had glared at him. A couple had done the same. Loch had suspected possible spies at first, but remembered how some of the Silver Bark had looked uneasy when he and Elora had confronted Hoskia. Elora had left the Silver Bark at the first chance. Why wouldn¡¯t others?


    The elf walked in front of Loch and his family, taking the lead, Elora right behind. With Jarl and Larry were the two horses that had bonded with Kelly and Piper. The others had been sent back to the school. They had wanted to come with their pack leader, Larry, but the Storm Stallion had neighed, pawing at the school and any disagreement had come to an end.


    Loch had worried about taking a small group, especially one of just his family, to the Silver Bark camp. The presence of the horses helped ease that worry. With them, it would be relatively easy to escape if needed. Loch hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that.


    He hoped to get through the upcoming confrontation without bloodshed.


    They had spent the night at the battle, downslope away from the blood and bodies, just inside the trees where there was some shelter and safety from the night scavengers. And those had come. The fire had kept most away but a couple more daring predators had tried to attack their camp at night. They¡¯d quickly been killed, their pelts added to the pile of loot in Piper¡¯s Spatial Bag. Exhausted from the battle, and the stress leading up to it, having to listen to the feasting of scavengers all night, along with the growls and cries as they fought each other for the scraps. It hadn¡¯t been a relaxing night for any of them.


    Now it was more subdued. There were still predators in the night, but with the fire and the horses walking around the camp, Loch didn¡¯t think anything would bother them. He leaned against a tree, arm around Kelly, a blanket pulled over both of them. Piper was just a few feet away, closer to the fire, drawing in her sketchbook. Cerie glowed brighter than normal, her light helping Piper draw. It was nice, peaceful. The only thing missing was Harper.


    It reminded Loch of the times he and the family had spent out back at their firepit, just relaxing and enjoying the fire, the girls roasting s¡¯mores. He and Kelly would have a couple drinks, and then a couple more once the girls went to bed. Those were good times.


    He felt the anger against the Connection rising up. Taking a deep breath, Loch forced it down. Kelly sensed the shift in his mood.


    ¡°You good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, leaning a bit and kissing the top of her head. It felt so good to have her back. ¡°Just thinking of the last time we did this.¡±


    ¡°Hung out around the fire with elves, giant horses and a fairy?,¡± Kelly teased.


    ¡°Ha. Was thinking of the last time we had a fire at the house and the girls were with us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d been a while,¡± Kelly said, with a sigh. ¡°They were always so busy and getting Harper to hang out with us was turning into a chore.¡±


    Loch smiled as Kelly leaned in closer. He looked across the fire. Casian was on the other side, hands in his lap as he stared into the flames. Elora was next to the other elf, talking quietly. Loch wondered what she was telling the other elf, who he had been told was almost twice Elora¡¯s age. Casian didn¡¯t look it, he looked barely older than Elora. The legends and stories had been right about the long life of the elves.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    He looked up at the stars and the moon. It was a rare cloudless night. It hadn¡¯t rained for a couple of days, Loch expected they were due for a storm too. The weather had gotten worse with the Connection. It wasn¡¯t just the wind being constant now, but there was more rain and when it did storm, the storms were more fierce. It made him scared for what the winter would be like.


    The warmth of the fire spread out. Loch had always loved campfires. Head leaning against the tree, Loch closed his eyes.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± the musical voice of Casian brought him from his thoughts.


    Loch had almost fallen asleep. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have. Spending a chilly night sitting against a tree wouldn¡¯t help him in the morning. Before the Connection, doing that would lead to sickness and cramped joints. He¡¯d be a mess in the morning. Now, he¡¯d just be grumpy, maybe a couple minor aches and pains. Still not something he wanted to do. Kelly stirred next to him, murmuring in her sleep. Piper was gone. Quickly looking around, he spotted Cerie¡¯s light green glow in Piper¡¯s tent. Relieved, Loch focused on Casian.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, speaking just loud enough for the keen hearing of the elves.


    He didn¡¯t want to disturb Kelly. Not yet.


    ¡°What is your plan for us?¡±


    Loch took a moment to respond, sorting out his thoughts. He knew what he wanted to happen, but a lot would depend on how the Silver Bark would respond. His eyes wandered to the wrapped bundle off to the side.


    ¡°That depends on what the Silver Bark at the camp do,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you all fairly. That¡¯s the best I can do.¡±


    ***


    ¡°MOM!,¡± Harper said, rushing forward.


    Kelly let go of Lights¡¯s reins, grabbing her oldest in her arms. She held Harper tight. Kelly hadn¡¯t shown it, had tried hard to not show it, but she¡¯d been worried nonstop about Harper. She¡¯d worked with older women, ones that had seen their children off to college and then out into the real world. They had said letting the children go, letting them become adults and stand on their own without mom and dad, that was the hardest thing they¡¯d done.


    Harper was only fifteen. Kelly had thought she had at least three or four more years before college and then another four or more before Harper went off on her own. Thanks to the Connection, those years had become months. And most of those months, Kelly hadn¡¯t been there to watch over her girls.


    Loch had done an amazing job, especially with the situation. She wasn¡¯t mad at him for letting the girls fight. There had truly been no choice. When he¡¯d first proposed the idea of Harper going off to raid the Silver Bark camp, she had been against it. That was too much for a fifteen year old, even if she was the second highest Level in the Clan. Third with Kelly herself there. But even with her strength, Harper was too young.


    Kelly had finally been convinced. She¡¯d known that someday she¡¯d have to see her girls off into the world, let them become adults. And so she had let Harper go. Her oldest, her firstborn, the one that had made her a mother, had proven herschel over and over. Harper was strong.


    Holding her now, Kelly realized just how strong her daughter was.


    ¡°How did it go?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Good,¡± Harper said, laughing as Larry trotted over and nuzzled at her hair, eating and pulling a couple of the strands, just like he had done when she was a child.


    Drew walked over, the rest of his people in the clearing. They were breaking apart the camp they had set up the last couple days while waiting for Loch. Kelly didn¡¯t know the young man that well, but what she¡¯d seen she liked. He was strong, and seemed very loyal to the people he¡¯d brought to the Clan, the ones he¡¯d protected and led when their camp had been overrun by giants.


    ¡°The prisoners should almost be back to the school,¡± she said, stepping back from Kelly. She reached up and stroked Larry¡¯s neck. ¡°Drew¡¯s team caused a great distraction and I managed to do some damage and steal the portal stone.¡±


    ¡°Great job honey,¡± Loch said, leaning down and kissing the top of Harper¡¯s head. She didn¡¯t roll her eyes like she had before the Connection. That was one thing about the Connected System that Kelly liked, it had helped Harper stop being a moody teenager. She was sure her daughter still had moments, but she liked how responsible Harper had become. She didn¡¯t like that it took her daughter risking her life every day though.


    She watched Drew¡¯s team pack up the camp. They were quick and efficient, even kicking at the fire to spread the ashes to make sure it didn¡¯t light up again. It reminded her of the people in the caravan. After long months of walking, camping somewhere different almost every night, they had gotten quite good at packing up and moving on quickly.


    Her time was growing short. She¡¯d have to return to the caravan again soon. It tore at her. She¡¯d just been reunited with her family and she was going to have to leave them again. Kelly knew she could stay, but that would mean leaving the people in the caravan under Senora¡¯s control with no one to stop the elven High Priestess. Kelly couldn¡¯t allow that. She had accepted responsibility for those people and she would protect them.


    Even if it meant leaving her family again.


    But that was still some time away. She¡¯d make the most of what she had.


    ¡°You look like crap,¡± Piper said, coming from behind the horses.


    ¡°Piper!,¡± Kelly scolded.


    ¡°She does,¡± the youngest Brady remarked with a shrug and a smile at her sister.


    Kelly looked at Harper, tilting her head and smiling.


    ¡°She does,¡± Kelly said, earning a scowl from Harper.


    Kelly laughed. Harper just shook her head. Leaning down, which she didn¡¯t have to lean far, Harper had grown, Kelly walked over to where Loch was talking with Drew.


    ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of them,¡± Drew said. ¡°We killed a couple when they came to investigate our distraction, but¡­,¡± he shrugged. ¡°We couldn¡¯t get a good count in all the chaos. She¡¯s real good at causing that,¡± he finished, nodding to Harper.


    Harper smiled proudly.


    ¡°She¡¯s always been good at causing chaos,¡± Kelly said, purposefully not looking at her daughter. ¡°You should have seen how she kept her room.¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Harper grumbled.

 Chapter 239 (5.6)

    ¡°Who is in charge of you,¡± Loch shouted out.


    He sat tall on Jarl, Breaker¡¯s Banner Activated and shining behind him, casting the morning¡¯s light with a green tint. The banner was a show of power, Loch hoped they wouldn¡¯t need its buffing capabilities. Kelly sat on Light to his left. Harper and Piper a little behind on the right, sitting on their horses. Cerie had gone back into the Codex Band, which Piper had hidden within her sleeves. Behind them were Drew and his people, spread out but not hiding. In front of them all were Elora and Casian, who looked nervous. He tried to project an air of confidence but everyone could see he was failing.


    Elora wasn¡¯t. She stood proud, hand on the hilt of her sword, staring across the fifty feet or so into the Silver Bark camp. Most of the Silver Bark stood at the edge, around the few remaining tents, evidence of fire visible across the ground. They glared back. Some with outrage, some with curiosity. Elora met all those glares, not backing down.


    ¡°Who is in charge,¡± Loch yelled.


    None of the Silver Bark moved. They knew what it meant that Loch was appearing and not Hoskia. Finally one of them stepped forward. He¡¯d been at the edge, along the front line. Loch used Evaluate.


    SILVER BARK MIDWARDEN


    The elven man¡¯s strength felt comparable to Harpers. Maybe a little weaker.


    ¡°Who are you?,¡± the elf said.


    Loch sighed. The elf wanted to play games. He was in no mood for that.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Loch said, holding up a hand. ¡°You know I am.¡±


    The elf started to say something but Loch pointed at him, Onyx appearing in his hand. He¡¯d been weaponless and then he wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Loch said again, voice commanding. ¡°If you can¡¯t negotiate for the Silver Bark then leave.¡±


    The elf glared, hand reaching for his sword.


    ¡°Enough Glarian,¡± another voice said, one a little older and calmer.


    The Silver Bark parted, allowing a robed man to walk forward. He held a staff in his right hand, but he didn¡¯t need it to walk. The elf had long gray hair that hung down far past his shoulders. His face was unwrinkled, but his eyes showed years of life, centuries of life. If Loch had seen the elf alone, he never would have thought him old, but seeing him next to the other Silver Bark, his age was apparent. It was an odd contrast, one that Loch found unnerving.


    ¡°You are Lochlan Brady,¡± the elf said, coming to stop next to Glarian. ¡°And if you are here, that means Hoskia and the rest of our Clan have fallen.¡±


    Loch dismissed Onyx, relaxing on top of Jarl. He wanted to get down, sitting on the giant horse put him above everyone else. He didn¡¯t like looking down on them, but he knew how it appeared so stayed astride. Without looking over his shoulder, Loch signaled.


    Graham, from Drew¡¯s party, walked forward with the bundle that had been tied to Jarl over his shoulder. It was long, covered in a dark colored blanket. Stopping about midway between the two groups, Graham dropped the bundle. Inwardly Loch winced. That wouldn¡¯t go over good. Glarian¡¯s hand hovered near his hilt. His eyes said he wanted to attack. The older elf reached up, putting a hand on Glarian¡¯s shoulder, holding the younger back.


    Crouching down, Graham pulled out a knife. He quickly cut along the blanket and the ties that held it wrapped. Pulling on the loose end, he stood up. The dead face of Hoskia Silver Bark was revealed. Murmurs went through the crowd of elves. Loch tensed, waiting. Most of the Silver Bark were warriors or fighters of some kind, archers and some would be casters. He did see elves in more common clothes, not carrying weapons, wands or staves. Elora had said there was a sizable number of servants in the camp, lower Leveled and lower Ranked in the Clan.


    If the Silver Bark were going to attack, it would be now, after their dead leader was revealed. No one moved except Graham, who stood up and backed away. He walked backwards, dagger still in hand, eyes on the Silver Bark. Once he passed Loch, the man visibly relaxed, but didn¡¯t sheath his dagger.


    None of the Silver Bark said anything, all eyes shifting back to Loch.


    ¡°Your portal is shut down,¡± he said, pointing into the camp where the glowing hole between worlds had been. ¡°Your people will not open a new one. They will know you have failed.¡±


    ¡°We have not failed,¡± Glarian growled. ¡°We can still kill you and complete our mission.¡±


    Loch stared at the elf. He projected his Presence, letting it wash over the camp. Glarian took a step back, his gaze faltering. Finally the elf looked away, staring at the ground, avoiding looking at Hoskia¡¯s body. The older Silver Bark took a step back from but managed to continue to stare at Loch.


    ¡°You have slain Hoskia Silver Bark,¡± the old elf said. ¡°I suspect it was one of your people that shut down the portal and stole the stone,¡± he continued, eyes flicking to Harper. Apparently she hadn¡¯t been as stealthy as she had hoped. They knew she was the one that had taken the Portal Stone. ¡°We are trapped on this planet and without leadership as I assume Loric Greenspire is dead as well.¡±


    ¡°He is,¡± Loch answered.


    ¡°I see the oathbreaker,¡± the old elf continued. ¡°But why is that one here,¡± he asked, pointing at Casian. ¡°And where are the rest of the Clan that had accompanied Elder Hoskia? Dead I imagine.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.¡°No,¡± Loch answered, seeing the old elf¡¯s eyebrows raise in surprise. He could hear murmuring from the elves in the back. They had expected all their fellow clansmen to be killed. ¡°There are about a dozen still alive and being escorted back to our Clanhold as prisoners.¡±


    ¡°To be treated harshly no doubt,¡± Glarian barked out. ¡°You have no honor.¡±


    ¡°To be treated better than you treated yours,¡± Harper shouted, stepping forward. She glared at the elf, pointing accusingly. ¡°I saw how you treated your human prisoners. They were starved and beaten, locked into a small cage and left outside.¡±


    Glarian looked offended. Loch suspected that it wasn¡¯t what Harper said but more she was the one saying it. Glarian couldn¡¯t believe someone as young as Harper would speak to him in such a way. He was proven right when the elf spoke again.


    ¡°Our prisoners are cattle,¡± he said, not noticing Loch¡¯s rising anger. ¡°They are nothing and are treated as nothing. The Silver Bark you have are Classed. Mid or higher ranking in the Clan. They are honorable Connected. In the eyes of the Connection..¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Loch growled, voice filled with power. He jumped down off Jarl, walking forward to stand before Glarian. The elf took a step back. Loch glanced at the old elf, who didn¡¯t move but Loch could see the fear in his eyes. Turning back to Glarian, he locked eyes with the elf, not letting Glarian look away. ¡°I do not care about the Connection. Those were people, not cattle. There is no honor in treating people weaker than you as lesser. Your power doesn¡¯t make you special.¡±


    He stopped talking, staring at Glarian, daring the elf to say or do anything. The Silver Bark Midwarden took another step back. Loch turned to the old elf, waiting. He didn¡¯t say anything either, eyes no longer feared but considering.


    ¡°Your people will be returned to you when your former prisoners make it to our Clanhold safely.¡±


    ¡°We cannot be held accountable for what happens to them once they leave our camp,¡± the old elf stated. ¡°There are monsters in the woods after all.¡±


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have taken them prisoner,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°So you hold the lives of our people hostage over the safe passage of yours,¡± Glarian accused, trying to go on the offensive. He glanced behind him, not seeing much support from the elves.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Loch said. ¡°They were no threat to you but you still took them prisoner for what? Slaves? Like you don¡¯t have enough of that with your own people. We know how you treat those lower ranked in your Clan.¡±


    Glarian looked like he wanted to say something but Loch continued to talk, not giving him the chance.


    ¡°As for trapping you here?,¡± Loch said, stepping to the side so he could look between Glarian and the old elf, focusing on the other Silver Bark in the camp. He raised his voice so it would carry. ¡°We took the Portal Stone but we are not the ones that trapped you here. That is your people, your Elders. They wouldn¡¯t have helped you once it became known that we had killed Hoskia and stalled your efforts at expansion. They would probably have shut off the portal themselves wouldn¡¯t they? Decide that Earth wasn¡¯t worth the cost of Resources.¡±


    No one, not even Glarian, spoke up or contradicted him. Loch continued.


    ¡°That is the truth and you know it. The elders don¡¯t care about who you are. They only care about what you can do for them?¡±


    ¡°Are you any better?,¡± the old elf asked. ¡°In the Connection, if you are not useful, you are useless. Everyone has their roles and some are beneath others.¡±


    ¡°No one is useless,¡± Loch said, turning to face the old elf. ¡°Everyone has their roles but that does not make anyone beneath any one else. The strong do not gather power to make themselves stronger, they gather power to aid those weaker, to protect others. Those that cannot fight, they grow and harvest the food, they build the homes. They do things that the fighters cannot.¡±


    ¡°That sounds naive,¡± the old elf said.


    Loch shook his head, looking at the elf with pity. He turned back to the larger group of Silver Bark.


    ¡°Your fellow Clanmembers will be returned,¡± Loch said. ¡°If they chose to return.¡±


    That sent more murmurs through the crowd. Glarian turned back, angry eyes scanning the crowd. No one paid him any attention. The old elf looked at Loch shrewdly, with a little confusion.


    ¡°I will give you all the same choice that I gave them.¡± Loch paused, making sure every elf was looking at him, including Glarian and the old one. ¡°You can renounce the Silver Bark, join Clan Brady and you will be treated fairly. You will be asked to work for the Clan as a whole, not just those above you. I am the Clanchief but I am one of many in the Clan. No one is greater than the other. Together the Clan is a whole. You will work for the betterment of the Clan and that will include the betterment of yourself.¡± He paused again, looking through the crowd. Some appeared angry, but there were some that seemed to be considering his words.


    ¡°Lies,¡± Glarian said, turning back. He didn¡¯t appear to like the wavering of some of the Silver Bark. ¡°Pretty words to lure us into a trap. You will just kill us or put us to work as slaves.¡±


    ¡°You are the one that lies Glarian Coldstalk,¡± Casian said, stepping forward. ¡°Or more accurately you believe the lies spoke by the Elders.¡± He held his hands out to the side. ¡°Maybe Lord Lochlan speaks lies as well, but I for one am tired of the Silver Bark. Can you, can anyone, say that our lives are better by being part of the Silver Bark? Are the lives of our family? We follow their rules and hope that our actions lead to a better reward for our family Clans but does it ever?¡± He paused looking at the elves beyond Glarian and the old one. ¡°Has it ever? Our slightest fault causes harm to our families. Our greatest gain does nothing.¡± He shook his head. ¡°We have failed here. There would have been no help coming from the Silver Bark. They would have closed the portal, stranding us here. No matter what, we were never going home. It is best for our families if we never go home to face the unwarranted discipline of the Silver Bark.¡±


    ¡°You, yourself, have said that we failed,¡± the old elf pointed out. ¡°How can the discipline be unwarranted?¡±


    ¡°Serio Graybranch, how is it our fault that the expedition failed?,¡± Elora asked. ¡°Whose commands did we follow? Who decided our every move?¡± She pointed at the body of Hoskia Silver Bark, forgotten on the ground. The wind had blown leaves over it, obscuring his face. She looked at the elves, moving down the line, catching the eye of everyone that would look at her. Some looked down, ashamed. ¡°The reason I renounced the Silver Bark? I was to be punished for the death of Goriat XXX, a fool who stepped into the field of the Crone Dungeon. My family would be punished. Why? For something beyond my control? I could not stand to be part of the Silver Bark anymore. And now I am not. And I am better for it.¡±


    ¡°But as you and Casian keep saying, our families will be punished for it,¡± Serio, the old elf, said. He spoke calmly, but Loch could tell from the slight changes in his body language that he was wavering. His last few statements seemed to be the elf playing devil¡¯s advocate. Wanting Elora and Casian to prove his statements wrong.


    And so she did.

 Chapter 240 (5.7)

    ¡°I thought of that,¡± Elora said, not looking at Serio, but the others, the ones that were wavering. ¡°But if I was going to be a failure in the eyes of the Silver Bark no matter what, my family¡¯s standing suffering no matter what, why not take that chance of freedom for myself? I was never going to leave this world. None of us were. It may not have been said, but we all know. We know the stories from other expeditions to newly Connected Worlds. Only the Silver Bark family members return to Tirna. Our great honor,¡± she paused, chuckling at the word. ¡°Our great honor is to be the first of the Silver Bark on that world. All our work, and what do we get? More of the same. Nothing changes. Maybe someone from a higher ranked family will earn some prestige but for most of us? More of the same.¡± She pointed at Lochlan. ¡°I wanted more for myself and this man has given it to me.¡±


    ¡°And all you had to do was swear an Oath,¡± Glarian sneered. ¡°Nothing has changed. But one thing has changed hasn¡¯t it? You have grown weaker. You have suffered the Level penalty.¡±


    Elora laughed. The sound carried over the field. The tension had been thick, the laughter only adding to it.


    ¡°Why are you here Glarian Coldstalk?,¡± she asked. ¡°Why are you here and not taken to the negotiation with Hoskia? Your family are fairly high ranked are they not? I wonder why you are here?¡± She paused, letting the words linger.


    Loch saw Glarian grew angrier, his hand drifting close to the hilt of his sword. Senior reached out, grasping the younger elf¡¯s shoulder. Glarian shook it off, breathing heavily, but he did nothing. Loch could see the elf¡¯s eyes, it took everything he had to not attack Elora. Loch wondered if part of it was because he knew Elora would easily kill him.


    ¡°Yes, I have taken a new Oath but it is not one of obedience like that to the Silver Bark. It is not just about me helping the Silver Bark grow. My new Oath is to protect the Clan and its members, not just its leaders but the entire Clan, from the lowest to the highest. My new Oath is to grow my strength for myself so that I can help the entire Clan. The new Oath allows me to do what I want, when I want, how I want as long as it does not endanger the Clan. I do not have to follow the orders of the Clanchief. I do because it is what I want.¡± She stopped, turning to smile at Glarian. ¡°And those Levels I lost? I have gained most of them back already.¡±


    ¡°And I have taken no Oath,¡± Casian said.


    There were audible gasps through the crowd, which Loch noticed had started to move closer, leaving the bounds of the camp and stepping into the clearing. They were all listening, the crowd growing.


    ¡°Yes, I have sworn to cause no harm to Clan Brady but I have not renounced my Oath to the Silver Bark,¡± Casian continued. ¡°Lord Lochlan has offered to let me spend time in his Clan, to see if what they offer is truly better than here. And I have agreed to accompany them back to their Clanhold to truly see if there is another way.¡±


    Silence spread across the clearing, all the elves focusing on Serio. The old elf had his eyes closed. Elora had said that one of the Silver Bark Clans Chroniclers would be in the expedition. The Class gave them Abilities to record events and to access past histories that they had read. She had not known for sure who it was, but had suspected the elderly Serio to serve that role.


    He opened his eyes, nodding.


    ¡°Casian speaks truly. He has not left the Silver Bark.¡±


    ¡°I offer that same choice to any of you,¡± Loch said, voice carrying to all ears. ¡°We do not need to be enemies. There is enough land for all of us. You are trapped here but you can make a life here.¡±


    ¡°Why¡±,¡± Serio asked. ¡°You have the right of strength. Why negotiate with us at all? Why not just destroy us?¡±


    ¡°Why should we? We would win but at what cost? How many of our people would needlessly die? Isn¡¯t it better to work together? To grow together?¡±


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.¡°You are fools,¡± Glarian growled out. ¡°This is not the way of the Connection!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Loch said. ¡°It is our way.¡± He summoned Onyx, the large axe appearing in his hand. Activating Bulwark, he changed the thickness and shape, making the shield larger. ¡°But know this, any threats to Clan Brady will be met with force. We will defend ourselves, our borders and our Resources. We can be peaceful neighbors, or we can be enemies. The choice is yours.¡± Loch dismissed both Onyx and the shield, spreading his empty hands. ¡°I offer the choice again. Does anyone wish to come to Clan Brady and see what the future can become?¡± Loch stepped forward, weaponless, moving to stand between Glarian and Serio, showing no fear of them or what they could do. Neither appeared like they would do anything. ¡°I will not lie. Life is not perfect in Clan Brady. We are growing and struggling just like you. Food is rationed. Shelter is tight but it is shelter.¡± He pointed at the tents. ¡°Those tents will be cold in the winter and winter is coming. The temperature will drop and the snows will come. You may have to share with others but you will have real shelter. Not canvas but wood or stone. I cannot promise what the future holds but what I will promise is a chance to better yourselves. The only thing that will hold you back is you. You will grow on your own merits and contributions.¡±


    He fell silent, turning to look at Glarian then Serio. The younger elf still looked angry, almost shaking with rage, but said and did nothing. The older looked intrigued. Silence stretched, no one saying or moving. Glarian broke it.


    ¡°No one believes your words,¡± he said, sneering. ¡°No one will¡­¡±


    ¡°We will join you,¡± a voice broke out from the crowd of elves.


    Glarian¡¯s sneer turned to shock as he turned to look at who had spoken. The ranks of elves parted, a bearded man leading others out. Loch was surprised. He thought Harper had rescued all the prisoners, but this man didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d been a prisoner. He was healthier, his clothing not as worn. It wasn¡¯t as well made as many of the elves, but it was in one piece and functional. The elves behind him were dressed the same. Some wore aprons. None looked like warriors. It was a large group, which surprised Loch. He¡¯d expected some elves to take him up on the offer, but not many. This group was at least two dozen, maybe more as others joined them as the line moved out into the clearing.


    As the bearded man got closer, Loch saw the telltale signs of elven blood. His hair was long and red parts of it braided. Not as long, his beard had not been trimmed in a long time and was as red as his hair. He was about Loch¡¯s height, but slender like the elves. A bit stockier but still slender compared to a human.


    ¡°What are you doing?,¡± Glarian demanded, moving to stop in front of the other elves.


    Loch glared at him, hand held out as if he was going to summon his axe. Glarian stopped, glaring from Loch to the others.


    The bearded man stopped about five feet away, looking at Glarian and Serio, hesitating. He looked behind him, getting some nods from the others. Turning back to Loch, he stood straighter, the hesitation gone.


    ¡°My name is Sinat Halfsolace,¡± he said, proud of the name. ¡°As you can probably tell I am a bastard. A half-elf. To the Silver Bark I am scum. Useful scum. For various reasons, so are the rest of us,¡± he shifted, waving his hand to indicate all the people behind him. ¡°We are servants to them. Nothing more and will never be anything else.¡± He turned to face Glarian. ¡°What we are doing is taking a chance for something more.¡±


    Sinat turned to look at Serio, daring the older elf to say anything. Serio just gave a slight nod of his head.


    ¡°You are allowing this?,¡± Glarian asked, glaring at Serio.


    ¡°There is nothing we can do,¡± Serio answered, stepping back to allow Sinat and the others following him to walk past Loch.


    They started gathering behind the horses, the group joining Loch growing. Even some of the Silver Bark warriors joined. Glarian¡¯s anger rose. The last former Silver Bark walked past Glarian. He looked from the group to the much smaller number by the tents, then back to Sinat and the others.


    ¡°They cannot go,¡± he declared, pointing at Sinat. ¡°Those are the cooks and cleaners. Who will do those duties?¡±


    Loch smiled at the young elf, who was probably dozens of years older than Loch himself. He leaned closer, the elf backing up a step.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have to do it.¡±

 Chapter 241 (5.8)

    Loch stepped away from Glarian, turning to Serio.


    ¡°I assume you can speak for the Silver Bark now?¡±


    Serio nodded.


    ¡°I suppose I can as there are no other from the Silver Bark family on this expedition. Misheal and Hoskia were the only ones and both are now dead.¡± Serio paused, the hint of a smile on his face. ¡°And you had a hand in the death of both didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°The day of the Connection¡¯s arrival, just minutes after my family was Adapted, we saw an elf being chased by a giant. The elf was wounded and collapsed near us. The giant attacked and I was able to kill it,¡± Loch answered, deciding to be mostly honest. He could embellish the story a bit to make himself look stronger. ¡°I was going to help Misheal but he attacked. I had no choice but to kill him.¡±


    Glarian looked like he was about to say something but a stern glance from Serio stopped him.


    ¡°You can return to the camp now,¡± Serio said.


    The younger elf started to protest.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    With a final sharp glare at Loch, Glarian turned and stalked back to the camp. The Silver Bark that remained parted, watching the sulking elf disappear into the tents. They returned their attention to Loch and Serio.


    ¡°We knew Misheal had most likely died when he never joined up with us,¡± Serio said. ¡°It is nice to have some confirmation of how he died. Not that anyone on Tirna will ever know,¡± he added, turning to look where the portal had been.


    ¡°Why was he that far east when you arrived here?,¡± Loch asked.


    Serio looked at Elora, then the rest of Loch¡¯s family. His gaze settled on Piper, not looking at her, but focusing on her hands which gripped Swift¡¯s reins.


    ¡°If you killed Misheal, then you or someone with you has his Codex Band,¡± Serio said, not looking at Loch, who didn¡¯t protest knowing that was as good as admitting. So he said nothing. Serio smiled knowingly. ¡°Undoubtedly the Bonded Spirit has told you that prior to a planet¡¯s actual Connection, there are scouts sent to explore the world.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That was Misheal¡¯s task. He was sent here weeks earlier to establish a place for the rest of us to come and explore. He had wandered far it seems and come across the giant¡¯s arrival point. What Clan were the giants from?¡±


    ¡°The Hillgrowl.¡±


    ¡°I have heard of that Clan. Not one of the largest of the giants. It is rare that giants are involved this early in a new world¡¯s Connection.¡±


    ¡°They are allied with a one of the Si-Te-Cah.¡±


    ¡°What?,¡± Serio exclaimed, shock and fear flashing across his face.


    Murmurs came from the crowd of Silver Bark, including those that had moved to join Clan Brady.


    ¡°That is dire news,¡± Serio said, shaking his head. ¡°If we had known a Si-Te-Cah was interested in this world, the Silver Bark might not have made the expedition or at least would have sent more of the Clan.¡±


    ¡°That bad?¡±


    ¡°It can be,¡± Serio answered.


    ¡°Apparently this is their home world,¡± Loch said.


    Serio just shook his head.


    ¡°I wish we could go home,¡± he said quietly. He looked to Loch. ¡°You wish to negotiate, do you not?¡±


    Loch nodded.


    ¡°This expedition has been more difficult than any I had heard of before,¡± Serio admitted. ¡°We are negotiating from a position of weakness.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you do not understand,¡± Loch said. ¡°There is no position of strength or weakness. There are just equals. We all have to live in this new world together. There¡¯s no reason one has to be greater than the other. There are more enemies out there, more dangers. Winter is coming and we both will struggle. There is no reason we need to struggle alone.¡±


    ¡°That is not the way of the Connection,¡± Serio said.


    ¡°But it can be.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ***


    ¡°How do you think it went?¡±


    Loch looked over his shoulder to Cerie. The glowing fairy sat on Piper¡¯s shoulder as his daughter walked her horse next to him.


    ¡°Well,¡± she answered. ¡°This was new territory for the Silver Bark. You could have asked for more and most likely gotten it.¡±


    ¡°I know. But I didn¡¯t want to. That would set a bad tone for the future.¡± He shifted so he could look behind him at the line of elves following his small group. Reaching up, he patted Jarl¡¯s side, as he walked alongside the giant horse. They were all walking. ¡°We¡¯ll probably have elves in the Clan, living alongside us humans. And there will be a new community of the Silver Bark. They¡¯ll be our neighbors going forward. Always best to be friendly with the neighbors. Don¡¯t want them thinking we cheated them of anything.¡±


    ¡°As Serio Graybranch said, this is not normal for those in the Connection.¡±


    ¡°He did seem pretty scared once he learned of the Si-Te-Cah,¡± Kelly said. ¡°Fear is a strong motivator.¡±


    ¡°That is true Lady Kelly,¡± Cerie agreed. ¡°I think being trapped on this world was the prime factor. He realized that the Lord Lochlan spoke the truth. Both Clan Brady and the Silver Bark will need to learn to work together. It will take some time to get used to.¡±


    Loch shrugged.


    ¡°As long as we don¡¯t have to worry about killing each other,¡± he said. ¡°Two weeks should be interesting when the Silver Bark come to the school and we hash out the territorial borders and who has what Dungeons.¡±


    ¡°That will be very interesting,¡± Cerie said. Her eyes flashed as she searched her database. ¡°Negotiating over territory and Resources has never been done before in the Silver Bark¡¯s history. They either took by force or lost by force. More often they took by force.¡± She lifted off Piper¡¯s shoulder, flying closer to Loch. ¡°I wish to be there for the negotiations.¡±


    ¡°I thought we wanted to keep Cerie secret?,¡± Piper asked.


    ¡°We did,¡± Loch answered. ¡°But Serio knows we have her so¡­¡±


    He trailed off, wondering just how the elf had known. Some kind of Ability most likely. Once he knew that Misheal had been killed by Loch, he would assume that Loch had the Codex Band, but he had focused on Piper, as if he was positive she had it.


    Something to worry about. Loch thought about adding it to one of his many mental lists, but decided not to. Today was a day of victory, not adding to the many issues the Clan had.


    Loch looked back again at the elves. Elora was walking next to the half-elf, Sinat, and Casian. The three were deep in conversation. Over a dozen. More than he had thought would join them. Adding to the dozen prisoners, most he assumed would want to head back to the Silver Bark camp. That was a lot more mouths to feed. And who knew how many survivors would have wandered into the Clanhold. It seemed like a dozen, at least, new arrivals every time Loch left the school.


    The peace treaty with the Silver Bark was one huge headache removed. It still wasn¡¯t finalized and who knew how well the elves would hold to it, but Loch felt some of the stress he was under fading away. A little bit of new stress was added with the new mouths to feed and house. He had promised the elves shelter.


    He looked up at the sky. Dark gray clouds had covered the sun, the air colder. The leaves of the trees had turned browns and oranges. Fall was on them and it looked like Winter was coming soon. They had a lot to do before the first snow fell.


    Glarian had been upset that all the elves leaving had been their servants, their manual labor and the ones that did all the cooking and cleaning for the camp. In talking with Sinat, Loch had learned that the group also included the builders and most of the other crafters.


    Part of him felt bad for taking those needed roles from the Silver Bark camp, but they would only benefit Clan Brady. And as he had told Glarian, it was the Silver Bark¡¯s own fault that the crafters were eager to leave. They felt they had no value in the Silver Bark, just cogs in the machine to be used. They Leveled but that wasn¡¯t to benefit them. It was to give the Silver Bark above them better equipment. There was no reward for their work.


    Loch hoped to fix that. He knew he was taking a risk bringing the elves to the school. They were already overcrowded and there were more laborers than jobs. The Silver Bark, the elves, he had to stop thinking of them as Silver Bark, all seemed to have Craft or Utility Classes. They would be helpful but that would still leave a lot of the humans in the Clan as just laborers. Some of the elves would be as well.


    But as Loch had said, it was up to the person to decide their lives. No one was being forced into a role. Neither the elves or humans would be. But to get the Resources available to them, they had to work for them. No one could sit around and do nothing.


    At least they got rid of the Silver Bark threat. And with the portal stone in their possession, no more Silver Bark would be coming to Earth. If they wanted to survive, the remaining elves had no choice but to ally with Clan Brady.


    In the future, who knows how the relationship could evolve, especially if more elves joined the ranks of Clan Brady. He looked back at Sinat, the half-elf. Then his gaze shifted to Drew and Elora, the two were talking, walking pretty close together. Maybe there might even be some half-elves in the future.

 Chapter 242 (5.9)

    There weren¡¯t as many rough patches as Loch had thought. The elves were settled in relatively quickly. There had been some moments that could have gone really wrong but had been smoothed over. Most of the Clan had not had dealings with the elves. They didn¡¯t see them as enemies. The elves were exotic. They were new and interesting.


    Half the prisoners decided to stay, taking the Oath to Clan Brady and joining the guard. The others went back to the Silver Bark Camp, hopefully with a good report of how they were treated. Casian, Sinat and the others all took the Clan Brady Oath. With their additions, the construction speed doubled. More barracks and bunkhouses went up. The elves were happy, they were now staying in structures with walls and roofs. It was better than the tents they¡¯d been in.


    It had only been two weeks, but so far Loch was happy with the result of bringing the elves to Clan Brady. Serio had been impressed when he and a contingent of the Silver Bark had come to the Clanhold for the negotiations. Loch had stayed out of it, letting his Council and especially Ed Turner handle them. The border was hashed out, giving Clan Brady most of the land between the Clanhold and the Silver Bark Camp, the territory line being the Bennett Bridge intersection. The Silver Bark would advance more west, curving around the lake and toward the north. That worked for Loch, it really kept the two focused in opposite directions. The elves would go north and west, Clan Brady would go more south and east and west along the Route 4 corridor.


    ¡°Now we just want to be left alone,¡± Serio had said.


    The most surprising thing that came out of the negotiations was that the remaining Silver Bark were no longer going to be calling themselves the Silver Bark. There were no family members left in the expedition forces and without the portal, there was no connection to the greater Silver Bark family. They hadn¡¯t broken their Oaths yet, and weren¡¯t sure if they would. That part had been pushed by Glarian, backed by others. Serio, who was in favor of forming a new Clan, thought those elves hoped the Silver Bark back on Tirna would open the portal again.


    They wouldn¡¯t waste the Resources, not on what the main branch of the Silver Bark would consider a lost cause. But some of the ones left on Earth were holding out hope.


    The elves left with a non-aggression pact in place. It was enforced by the Connection, giving it some actual power. Not that Loch was worried about the remnants of the Silver Bark. Those that hadn¡¯t joined Clan Brady numbered only around a hundred and their Levels were equal to the growing Clan Brady, who had several members higher Leveled. It was an uneven mix of male and females, which would help keep the growth of the elven camp down. And just surviving without any crafters would keep them from their expansionist tendencies.


    Loch walked the side yard where the barracks and bunkhouses were built. They had filled up every available inch with structures, more being built down closer to the hill leading to the fields. Wheelbarrows full of cut logs were brought over, the logs being stacked in neat rows next to each of the buildings. Loch wasn¡¯t sure how much wood they¡¯d need over the coming Winter, but the plan was to have a surplus when Spring came. Progress on the wall had stopped, all new lumber going toward the logs for heating. Any surplus furniture was being turned into kindling for burning and heating.


    The Hunters were ranging further, bringing back more game but also concentrating on hides. The Clan had gotten a couple Leatherworkers and they were busy turning hides into winter cloaks. They had a large collection of Winter coats, and any that had been ripped or damaged donated the liners and wool to the cloaks.


    Vegetables were being canned. Meat was being smoked.


    Everyone could feel the air getting colder with each passing day. The wind wasn¡¯t getting any colder, just constant, which would make the Winter even worse. Loch was not looking forward to it.


    He passed by the larger collection of shovels. Over a couple dozen. Not enough but it would have to do. Kristin was already working up a rotation for people to shovel paths to all the buildings and off the roof of the school. More board games were being collected. There had been a couple more trips to the Library to get more books to read. Those trips were for the fiction books, stuff to keep people entertained through the Winter. Loch had been surprised how many books could fit into the Spatial Bags.


    The Scavengers were going back to the houses they¡¯d already been to, grabbing books and board games. Anything for entertainment. One team had even found a large collection of a couple trading card games and sets of tabletop roleplaying manuals and dice.


    Stopping in front of two of the bunkhouses, Loch wished they had put more distance between them. The plan was to pile the snow in the middle and let it fill up to the ends. He had a bad feeling there was going to be a lot of snow and it would rapidly fill the space between the buildings, and they still had to keep a path to the woodpiles.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.There were a couple people working through the problem of snow removal. Kristin was on top of things, wanting every procedure in place before the first snows fell. She was hoping for a couple more Elementalists like Kim Hudson, or people with some kind of fire Ability. She had Lewis Bergmann and Philip Verner, the Artificer, working on ways to get rid of the snow. Philip had managed to convert the school¡¯s heating system to steam, using a wood powered boiler. It wouldn¡¯t be the warmest or most efficient, but it would work.


    He was still worried about the food situation. Water wouldn¡¯t be an issue. They could melt the snow as needed. People had ice fished on Harvey Lake, along with Northwood Lake, so they could hopefully still get fish in the winter. Bow Lake was out, as that was considered Silver Bark territory. Loch wondered if they could teach the Silver Bark to icefish. He¡¯d check with one of the elves in the Clan to see if that was something they did.


    Loch was satisfied. They were doing everything they could to prepare.


    He just hoped the Winter wouldn¡¯t be as brutal as he feared.


    ***


    ¡°What¡¯s that?,¡± Loch asked, coming up behind Piper.


    She sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria, quickly closing her sketchbook so he couldn¡¯t see what it was. She looked over her shoulder, glaring at him.


    ¡°A surprise,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ll find out when it¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he said, raising his hands. He lowered them, his expression lowering as well. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time.¡±


    Piper didn¡¯t move, turning away from him. She hunched down, crossing her arms.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Pipes..¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not there, she can¡¯t go.¡±


    Loch sighed. They¡¯d had this argument for a couple of days, ever since Kelly had been informed by her Patron that her time in Northwood was up and she had to return to her people. Freyja, who Kelly was not a big fan of, had contacted her in a dream-like state just like how Thor talked to Loch. Instead of a viking village, Freyja was in what Kelly described as a Roman temple. Loch had wondered if the dream setting was a reflection of where the Divine Being¡¯s Earthly avatar existed. Not that he¡¯d ever find out, but it was a curiosity. He wondered why Freyja had chosen a Roman setting.


    ¡°I know kiddo,¡± he said, sitting down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Piper leaned into him. ¡°It sucks. None of us want this.¡±


    ¡°We just got her back,¡± Piper said with a little bit of sniffling.


    She was trying hard not to cry. She¡¯d already done that and more would most likely come.


    ¡°Yeah, but hey,¡± Loch said, with a bit cheer he really didn¡¯t feel. ¡°At least we¡¯ll get to communicate.¡±


    He held up the notebook he¡¯d been carrying. Piper leaned back, looking at it. There was nothing remarkable about it. Just a notebook, but she was sure she¡¯d seen a similar one before.


    ¡°Is that one of Kristins?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Loch said, smiling. ¡°She gave the paired one to your mom.


    Piper wiped at her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°No, but at least it¡¯s something.¡±


    Loch stood up, holding out a hand. Reluctantly, Piper took it, standing up. Loch pulled her in for a hug, smoothing down her hair as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head.


    ¡°Come on, mom and Harper are waiting.¡±


    Taking her hand, Loch led her out of the cafeteria. It had been a long time since she¡¯d wanted to hold his hand. He squeezed. She looked up and forced a smile.


    The lobby was empty. Loch could see Kristin in the office, most likely Ed was in his. Darren would be out working the new guard recruits. About a dozen people had come in from Raymond the day before, most volunteering for the guards. Two guards stood on either side of the doors as they walked out, giving Loch quick salutes. He nodded to them, unsure of their names. They looked new.


    Piper let go of his hand, walking a little ahead. He could see some of the Clan¡¯s teenagers hanging out in the yard. Apparently Piper didn¡¯t want to be seen holding her father¡¯s hand. He held in the chuckle. One of the girls waved, Piper waving back. One of the boys watched Piper as she headed for the gate. At least until he noticed Loch staring at him. The boy quickly turned away, pretending to be busy.


    Loch sighed. He wasn¡¯t ready for that.


    The guards at the gate opened it. Relatively new, the gate was a section of chain link fence attached to the logs on one side, with a locking mechanism on the other. It wouldn¡¯t hold anything back, there was little strength to it. But just having a gate made people feel more secure.


    Outside, with the four horses, were Kelly and Harper. Piper ran through, wrapping her mother in a huge hug. She still didn¡¯t cry, proud of herself for holding it in. The gate closed behind them. Kelly looked up at Loch with a sad smile. He returned it.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got one more night,¡± Kelly said, releasing Piper. ¡°Let¡¯s make it a good one.¡±

 Chapter 243 (5.10)

    Loch kicked the dying Hob, pulling Onyx out. He swung to the right, catching another Hob in the chest. The monster was nearly ripped in half. He stepped back, looking around the small battlefield. Over two dozen Hobs lay on the ground, dead or dying.


    Piper, wand in hand, stood between Swift and Light, both pawing at the ground, making sure there were no more Hobs. Cerie stood on Swift¡¯s head, glowing bright. Larry and Jarl were patrolling the perimeter, having killed three or four Hobs each. Kelly and Harper were back to back, finishing off their foes.


    Loch shook his head, smiling at the scene. The Hobs, only around Level Ten or so, from what Evaluate had told him, hadn¡¯t been a threat to the Bradys, especially with the four horses there. The family that fights monsters together or something, he thought to himself, starting to walk around making sure all the Hobs were dead.


    YOU HAVE SLAIN MARSHMOUND HOB BASHER


    Loch dismissed the kill Notification, along with the other ones. The multi-colored sparks started swirling up from the bodies, darting around the small clearing and into each of the Bradys and the horses. Loch was surprised at that. He didn¡¯t think animals could Level, but apparently the four horses were capable of it. Was that because they were bonded now?


    The name of the Hobs Clan indicated there was a new Mound around. The teams that had gone to the Library the last time had reported the Darkmound Hobs had repopulated their mound. Giving the Clan another place to farm for Experience. Looking around, Loch couldn¡¯t see where the Marshmound would be. In the general area, both sides of Route 4 were marshy, not giving Loch any help on where to possibly look for the mound. They were halfway between the Clanhold and Johnson¡¯s Fields. When he got back to the school, he¡¯d have to send some Hunters out to explore the area. Some had been out this way, but hadn¡¯t reported any Hob activity. It was always something, he thought, picking up one of the clubs.


    ¡°Do we need to still collect the weapons?,¡± Harper asked.


    Most of the newcomers had their own weapons, things they had looted off monsters they had killed. The newcomers were from further away, traveling months now to get to the Clanhold. They had gained Levels and killed monsters on their way. Some had even passed smaller settlements, not stopping for a variety of reasons. Some settlements were unfriendly, others didn¡¯t have the capacity and for some of the Clan¡¯s new members, something just kept drawing them to Northwood.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t hurt to have extras,¡± Loch replied.


    ¡°My people could probably use some more,¡± Kelly added.


    Harper just shrugged, joining her father in collecting the weapons. Most were clubs with a couple rusty swords. Piper held the Bag open, letting them drop in the weapons.


    ¡°That¡¯s so weird,¡± Kelly said. ¡°Gives me a headache watching them warp like that.¡±


    ¡°You learn to look away,¡± Harper said, dropping another club in.


    ¡°Is there any good leather?,¡± Piper asked.


    Cerie buzzed around the battlefield, swooping down to examine the dead hobs.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied, flying back up. ¡°It wasn¡¯t good to begin with and you all sliced it to ribbons or stomped it to uselessness,¡± she finished, glancing at the horses.


    Jarl tossed his head, looking indignant. Larry stomped on the nearest hob, sending blood and guts into the air. He shook his hoof, getting the extra off.


    The Bradys all stared at the horses, turned to look at each other, and just started laughing.


    ***


    The fire snapped and popped. It wasn¡¯t large, just enough to keep the chill of the Fall night away. Loch really wanted the adirondack chairs that he and Kelly sat in by the firepit at home, usually with drinks in hand. He briefly wondered if they still existed or had been taken by the Worldcore. Kelly shifted in his arms, and Loch realized he was okay without the chairs.


    On the other side of the fire, he could see the girls. They each had long sticks, poking at the ashes. When was the last time he¡¯d heard Harper complain about not having a phone? It had been awhile.


    The night was almost perfect. He had his family back.


    But not for long. The realization of what they had to do in the morning ruined his good mood. He sighed.


    ¡°I know,¡± Kelly said, quietly, knowing what he was thinking.


    He shifted and kissed the top of her head.


    ¡°I wish I could stay,¡± she said.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.¡°Me too but those damn Divine Beings¡­.¡±


    ¡°I made the pact with Freyja because she said she¡¯d get me back to you all,¡± Kelly said, bitterness in her voice. ¡°She did but¡­¡±


    It was Kelly¡¯s turn to sigh.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d do this.¡± She shifted so she could turn to look at Loch. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this was worse than not seeing you guys. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m glad I saw you and the girls, saw the life you are building here. The people you¡¯re helping. But¡­,¡± she couldn¡¯t finish, wiping at the tears starting to form.


    ¡°But having to go back just hurts that much more,¡± Loch finished.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, snuggling in closer.


    Loch watched the shadows as the flames danced.


    ***


    It was almost midday as they stood in front of the portal. Two women were already there, the Valkyries that had come with Kelly. They looked bored, leaning on their spears. Neither bothered to stand up when Kelly had appeared.


    The portal was small, barely a visible dot.


    ¡°How is that working without the portal stone?,¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°The Divine Being is powering it,¡± Cerie replied. She flew closer, but still stayed back from the portal a couple inches, not wanting to get too close. ¡°I am not sure how she is able to do it.¡± Her eyes glowed green. ¡°This is not something I have a record of.¡±


    ¡°I wish it wasn¡¯t working,¡± Piper muttered.


    Kelly pulled her close, giving her a hug.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Kelly said.


    ¡°We do need to go back,¡± one of the Valkyries said.


    Loch wasn¡¯t sure which one she was. He¡¯d been introduced but hadn¡¯t really spent any time with them aside from the fight with Hoskia. They¡¯d spent their time exploring the area and killing things. They¡¯d even joined one of the Dungeon teams, including running the Challenge Dungeon, working to get experience and gear. It was something they were lacking in. Always traveling, they didn¡¯t get to run many Dungeons.


    ¡°Yeah, who knows the trouble Senora¡¯s caused while you¡¯ve been gone,¡± the other said.


    Kelly sighed, her face dropping at first but then steeling into determination. That was just one of many things Loch loved about her. She wouldn¡¯t shirk her responsibilities. She took a deep breath.


    ¡°You have to,¡± Loch said. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to but you have to.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°And at least we¡¯ll be able to talk this time,¡± he said, pulling the notebook out of the small pouch he wore.


    Kelly pulled her copy out, looking at it.


    ¡°Will it have the range?¡±


    ¡°Kristin said it has unlimited range,¡± Loch answered with a shrug. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± He put it away.


    Kelly put hers away. She turned to the girls, holding her arms out. Both girls ran to their mother, hugging her tightly. Both were crying, not holding back. Kelly whispered to them, kissed their heads and just held them.


    A bright flash of light caused Loch to turn. The portal had grown, large enough for a person to walk through. He couldn¡¯t see anything on the other side, just the light blue that filled the inside of the crackling darker blue border. If there had been a portal stone, Loch would have been very tempted to destroy it. He hated that portal.


    He sighed, stepping away from it.


    That wasn¡¯t fair. He couldn¡¯t leave his responsibilities in Northwood to join Kelly with her caravan. It wasn¡¯t right that he make her leave her responsibility. And it had sounded like she was needed. The only one that prevented Senora Barkfall from having complete control of all those people. Those people needed someone to go.


    Northwood couldn¡¯t handle an influx of the hundreds, and probably more by the time the caravan would get there. But he would make sure it was ready when the caravan would arrive.


    They didn¡¯t know what Freyja meant for all those people but Kelly had a plan and a destination regardless of what her Patron wanted.


    Kelly released the girls. They didn¡¯t let her go. Slowly, she took their hands away from her sides, She held them for a bit, looking at each of her girls. She smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of both of you,¡± she said, leaning down and kissing each on the top of their heads. She stood up, letting go of their hands. ¡°I need you two to look after your father. You know the kind of trouble he can get into.¡±


    Harper gave a small laugh. Piper wiped away her tears.


    Kelly turned away from them, walking over to Loch. Tears ran down her face but she stood strong. He reached out, taking her hand, pulling her close. They hugged, holding each other tight. Loch didn¡¯t want to let her go. She leaned back, head off her shoulder, looking up at him. Loch kissed her. Short but tender. The kind they¡¯d give each other in the morning when heading off to work. The ¡®see you later, love you¡¯ kind of kiss.


    They¡¯d said their goodbyes. Both knew that lingering would break their resolve.


    Kelly stepped back, looking Loch in the eyes.


    ¡°Love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you too.¡±


    She walked toward the portal, Loch turning to watch, the girls stepping up next to him. The two Valkyries walked in, one after the other, disappearing. Loch could only see the parts of their bodies on his side of the portal, the shimmering light blue barrier looking like it was cutting them clean.


    Kelly stopped in front of the portal. Her shoulders sagged and it looked like she was going to take a step back. Lifting her head high, her shoulders raised, Kelly walked through the portal and disappeared.


    Loch dropped to the ground, tears flowing down his face. Harper grabbed him on one side, Piper the other and together the three Bradys cried.

 Chapter 244 (5.11)

    Kelly walked out of the portal. Her body started to shake and she dropped to her knees, tears flowing freely. She felt hands on her shoulders, the two Valkyries. It was comforting, but didn¡¯t help. She had walked away from her children. She had walked away from her husband.


    And for what?


    ¡°Ah, you are back,¡± a harsh and cold voice said, coming closer. ¡°It is about time.¡±


    That was why she was back.


    Kelly wiped the tears away, standing up, head held high. On either side of her, XXX and XXX held their spears tightly, glaring at Senora Barkfall who walked forward, as arrogantly as ever. The elf priestess looked past Kelly at the rapidly shrinking portal.


    ¡°Now come along, we have work to do.¡±


    Senora turned, walking away. Kelly didn¡¯t move. Neither did the other two. It was a couple steps before Senora realized no one was following her. She turned back, looking imperiously over her shoulder, angry that she wasn¡¯t being obeyed.


    ¡°We do have work to do,¡± Kelly said, walking forward. ¡°But not what you want.¡±


    She kept walking, forcing Senora to take a step back to avoid getting pushed. XXX followed, just a step to the side, making Senora move even further back. XXX was two steps to the side. As she walked by, Senora stepped back and off the walk, heel of her boot catching in the soft soil. She almost stumbled but managed to catch herself. She glared at the three Valkyries.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    None did.


    ¡°You will listen.¡±


    They didn¡¯t.


    Kelly led them out of the cemetery gates, stopping to look up and down the street. People moved around in the midday sun, talking and just doing nothing. There was nothing for them to do. They had spent days there waiting on her. But even then, they had nothing to do but walk and keep walking. She looked at the Spatial Bag that Lisa carried, filled with weapons and what few supplies Loch¡¯s people could spare.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find the others and get the weapons spread around,¡± Kelly said, looking up at the sun. ¡°We got a couple hours to get some training in.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Lisa said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this column whipped into shape,¡± XXX added.


    Kelly smiled as the two walked off. She heard footsteps, boots slamming on the ground and angry breathing coming her way. She held the smile, waiting until Senora stopped in front of her, turning to glare at Kelly.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What I should have done a long time ago,¡± Kelly said, the smile fading. She returned the glare. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Freyja wants with all these people but I¡¯ve decided that she doesn¡¯t get to decide their fate.¡±


    Senora¡¯s face filled with hate. She took a step forward, hoping to use her taller size and presence against Kelly, who didn¡¯t budge. Senora only had a couple inches on Kelly but looking at the two, people would have thought Kelly the taller. Her state seemed to make Senora shrink.


    ¡°You may be stronger than me,¡± Kelly started. ¡°But you no longer are in charge of me or any of those people.¡±


    Senora took a step back, looking around, hoping for support but there was none. A couple people, including some of the Valkyries and other fighters, had stopped to watch. They all stared at Senora, the same as Kelly did.


    ¡°You can stay or you can go,¡± Kelly said. ¡°Your healing will be welcome but you are no longer in charge.¡±


    Senora looked back at Kelly, standing at her full height, trying to regain her arrogant stance. No one was buying it.


    ¡°Freyja will hear about this,¡± she said, turning to stalk away.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.¡°I hope so.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Was that smart?,¡± XXX asked.


    She had stayed behind, filling Kelly in on everything that had happened since she¡¯d been gone. There hadn¡¯t been much. The column hadn¡¯t moved. It gave the people needed time to rest. There had been some monster attacks, but nothing they couldn¡¯t handle. Together the two walked past some of the people training with the swords they¡¯d just gotten. It was awkward, most lucky they didn¡¯t hurt themselves.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care,¡± Kelly said. She sighed, letting some of the anger go. She was still mad at herself for leaving Loch and her children. ¡°But it had to be done. I¡¯m done waiting for Freyja and Senora to decide our fates. They¡¯ve been leading us around for months and for what? We just keep walking and walking.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still going to be walking,¡± XXX pointed out.


    ¡°Yes, but now we have a destination.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty damn far away.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully that problem will be solved pretty soon.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°A girl¡¯s gotta have secrets,¡± Kelly said with a smile.


    XXX laughed.


    ¡°And elf ears are pretty good,¡± she said, glancing past the training people to where Senora stood.


    The elf glared at Kelly, the stare icy and full of hate. Kelly ignored it. Senora wouldn¡¯t do anything, at least not unless Freyja willed it. Kelly didn¡¯t think she¡¯s angered Freyja.


    Yet.


    It would happen. That was the one thing Kelly couldn¡¯t plan for. What would the Divine Being do?


    ¡°Make sure to grab the Portal Stone when Senora isn¡¯t looking,¡± Kelly said, speaking in a whisper.


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    ***


    ¡°It is not easy to say goodbye to one¡¯s mate,¡± Little River Stone said, his deep voice coming from the trees to the side of the road.


    Loch, the girls and the horses paused, waiting for the Sasquatch to walk out. The large humanoid wasn¡¯t visible one second, visible the next, stepping out of the shadows beneath the trees. Little River Stone paused, looking at the horses.


    For their part, the animals didn¡¯t react.


    Loch patted Jarl¡¯s neck, ready to sooth the animal. But it wasn¡¯t needed. All four horses looked at the Sasquatch, Larry giving a soft chuff. Little River Stone laughed, the sound like rocks tumbling down the mountain.


    ¡°It seems not all of this world have forgotten the Sasquatch,¡± he said, walking forward.


    Loch shook his head, giving Jarl a slight nudge. Not that it was needed. The horses had already started walking, Little River Stone next to them. Even with the height of Jarl, Little River Stone¡¯s head came to Loch¡¯s shoulder. He didn¡¯t have to look up far to talk.


    ¡°Do you have a mate?¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°No, I am far too young, but I have seen it often in the Clan as we move and have fought.¡± He paused, looking into the forest. ¡°I saw my father say goodbye to my mother one too many times.¡±


    ¡°He returned each time, right?,¡± Piper asked.


    Loch could hear the hope and desire in her voice. She wanted Little River Stone¡¯s story to have a happy ending.


    ¡°Of course young one,¡± Little River Stone said. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Loch could tell by the way the Sasquatch looked away, the set of his shoulders, that his story didn¡¯t have a happy ending.


    They continued in silence, the curve in the road just ahead. Loch could already hear the sounds of the Clanhold. There was always activity. Coming around the corner, he saw the first signs of a busy Clan. Two guards on either side of the gate came to attention when they recognized Loch and the girls. Two men were pulling wagons down the slope toward the fields, each piled high with supplies. A couple other people moved about outside the wall, doing what Loch wasn¡¯t sure, but they looked busy enough.


    There were far less people sitting around doing nothing lately, which Loch was glad of. The depression level of the Clan had risen. There were still people unhappy with their new lot in life, but most people were starting to accept what had happened and where and what they were doing. Some that had just been laborers had started working more toward gaining a true Crafting Class or even had picked up a sword.


    A lot still didn¡¯t want to fight, but many more were accepting that fighting was part of their new world.


    Two of the new elven Clanmembers walked out of the gate, moving to join some of the humans that had already been out. The small group talked, chatting as they continued walking down the slope.


    Maybe there was hope that the new world wouldn¡¯t be a constant battle.

 Chapter 245 (5.12)

    ¡°When will it end?,¡± Ed Turner asked, leaning back in his chair at the head of the table. ¡°First the gaunts and then almost right after the elves,¡± he glanced a Sinat, the new elf representative to the Council. ¡°No offense.¡± Sinat nodded. ¡°And now the giants. What¡¯s next?¡±


    Everyone in the very cramped room knew it was a rhetorical question. Looking around at all the faces, most old and a couple new, Loch saw that they all agreed with Ed. Loch did too. It felt like the assaults on the fledging Clan were non-stop.


    Cerie had said it would be like that. It was something he was keeping from most of the others. It was the way the Connection hardened new Clans. The Connected System put them through the gauntlet, a baptism of fire, forcing them to grow stronger to survive. Not just as individual Adapted but as a Clan. The Connection wouldn¡¯t allow them to grow complacent.


    Not at the beginning.


    Not ever.


    The assaults would seem to slow down, but that would only be because the Clan grew large enough that the attacks wouldn¡¯t be noticed. The amount of Clanmembers in the surrounding area, working in what would become to be known as Starter Zones, would thin out anything capable of mounting an assault. New settlements would go through the gauntlet until they grew large enough.


    Loch did wonder what was next.


    The giants weren¡¯t assaulting the Clanhold. Not yet, but they would come. The Clan¡¯s defenses would stop normal sized humans like the gaunts, but not the giants. Drew, who was in the Council meeting, had seen the giants. The only one there besides Loch and the girls. His first camp had been destroyed by them. He¡¯d only managed to escape with a couple dozen people, making their way to Northwood and the Clanhold.


    With his and Loch¡¯s descriptions, that had been enough to worry everyone else.


    ¡°We used to hike Bluejob all the time,¡± Darren said quietly.


    There were a couple of nods from the others that had lived in the area. Bluejob had been one of Loch¡¯s favorite local hikes. Maybe in the Spring, if things settled down, he and the girls could go out to Stonehouse Pond and see what, if anything, had changed there.


    ¡°So the question is what do we do about the giants?,¡± Loch said, wanting to bring everyone back on topic.


    He¡¯d given everyone time to process what was happening about a week to the North and what it might mean to the Clan. Little River Stone had appeared back, after being gone for a long time, worse for wear. He looked like he¡¯d been in a fight, and he had.


    The Sasquatch had followed the giants and the Si-Te-Cah, wanting to find out why they had aligned and what the powerful Si-Te-Cah was searching for. He¡¯d discovered that after watching them for a couple days at Bluejob Mountain. Then he¡¯d been discovered and had to fight his way out of the giant¡¯s camp. The large Sasquatch had barely made it.


    He said he¡¯d taken the long way back to the school, wanting to make sure the giants were not following him. They most likely knew of Loch¡¯s existence, thanks to the Si-Te-Cah, but had not yet made a move on the school. Little River Stone thought it was only a matter of time. Once they found what the Si-Te-Cah wanted, they would come for the school.


    Little River Stone was not in the meeting, he was too big for the doors and the room, but had told Loch and some of the others everything he knew. Cerie had filled in more, backed up by Elora and Sinat, from the Silver Bark¡¯s encounters with the pale skinned, red haired, natives of Earth.


    Some of the Council were still having a hard time getting over the fact that Sasquatch were real, and had been one of the original races on Earth, before leaving for the greater Connected System. They were willing to accept giants existing, they were now living with elves, but had a hard time accepting that bigfoot was real.


    Loch looked around at the Clan Brady leadership. Three new Councilors had been added. Sinat was representing the elven interests within the Clan with Tim DeWolfe overseeing all construction aspects and Zachary Cross as the Clan¡¯s Quartermaster. Drew and Elora were in the meeting, standing against the back wall, as they had run out of chairs and space at the table.


    ¡°These giants,¡± Thomas Mooney said, leaning forward at the table. ¡°Just how tough are they?¡±


    Everyone looked at Loch, they¡¯d heard the story of his encounter with one.


    ¡°I got lucky and managed to cut it¡¯s achilles,¡± he said. ¡°The thing then fell down a crack in the ground. I didn¡¯t fight one.¡±


    He looked to Elora and Cerie, who sat in the middle of the table. Piper was outside the door, sketching in the hallway. The fairy¡¯s eyes started glowing.


    ¡°I have never fought one,¡± Elora said. ¡°Or encountered any.¡±


    ¡°I have some records but they are old,¡± Cerie added. ¡°The Silver Bark and the giants fought long ago, but reached a stalemate and each stayed on their own side of Tirna. Because of their size, there is a large discrepancy between Levels. A Level 10 Giant is equivalent of a Level 15 or higher in another race. Big and strong, that is what a Giant is. They are not the smartest and their Shamans are mostly Elementalists with strong earth magics. There are said to be different types of Giants, but all the Silver Bark have encountered are the ones like the Hillgrowl Clan.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    The Councilors started to digest the information. For Loch it was similar to what he¡¯d encountered and what he¡¯d expected. The Hillgrowl Giants sounded very familiar to Giants he¡¯d encountered in games.


    ¡°If I may?,¡± Sinat said, drawing all eyes.


    Loch had been surprised to learn that Sinat was Classed as a Deepwoods Ranger, the same as Elora. He hadn¡¯t been used as a scout by the Silver Bark, but as a butcher in the camp. The Silver Bark Hunters would bring him the animals and he would skin and butcher them, preparing the meat. Not the best use of his Class, but as a half-elf, that is all the Silver Bark felt he was good for. Sinat had told Loch some of his story on the walk back to the Clanhold from the Silver Bark¡¯s camp. He¡¯d been born to a human mother. She had been a spoil of war by raiding elves. Even to this day, he didn¡¯t know which Silver Bark was his father. As a bastard half-elf, he was the lowest of the low. But he¡¯d developed a natural talent as a Ranger, earning the Class when he turned Sixteen. The village he¡¯d grown up in, small and on the fringes of Silver Bark territory, had used him as a Ranger. They¡¯d benefitted from his Abilities, but still treated him as the lowest of the low. When the Silver Bark came needing fodder for their expansions, the village gave them Sinat.


    Surprisingly, Sinat had been a decent high Level from his years as the village Ranger. He¡¯d fought monsters that harassed the village, hunted meat for the village. He¡¯d done everything for the village and been tossed out as garbage at the end. When he broke his Oath to the Silver Bark, his Level penalty hadn¡¯t been as harsh as Eloras had been. Cerie had explained that the two Oaths had been different. Sinat¡¯s Oath had been as a servant and as he¡¯d been Classed before taking that Oath, the System had wanted him to free himself of the Silver Bark and start Advancing as his Class again.


    Loch was glad the half-elf was free of the Silver Bark, able to use his Class and Abilities the way he wanted to.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Loch said. ¡°Feel free to speak.¡±


    Sinat nodded his head.


    ¡°I have fought a Giant,¡± he started. ¡°It was many years ago.¡± A small smile crept onto his face. ¡°Many years ago. I am older than I look.¡± He chuckled, but continued. ¡°They are strong opponents but their size is also a weakness. Smaller and quicker opponents can take advantage of the size difference. They are not opponents to meet sword to sword.¡± He turned toward Loch. ¡°I saw your daughter fight. Her style of dance is perfectly suited to combat the Giants.¡± He pointed to Elora and himself. ¡°As Deep Rangers, Elora Seedspear and myself are good opponents.¡± He pointed to Loch. ¡°You would also be well suited to fight the giants but from what I have seen, and been told, most of the Clan is not.¡±


    Sinat had been leaning against the wall, but now leaned forward, raising his arms, moving his hands to illustrate his points.


    ¡°Fighting a giant is not about going at it with melee. You need to either dart in and out, be fast, or you need to hit it from a distance. Or,¡± he looked at Loch again. ¡°You need to have overwhelming brute force.¡±


    ¡°Most of our fighters are Strikers,¡± Alison Crawford said, looking through her notebooks with the records and relatively current stats of all of Clan Brady¡¯s adventurers. ¡°Pure swordsmen. Even the Guardsman and Watchman Classes are close-in combatants.¡±


    She looked to Darren for confirmation. The Guard Captain nodded.


    ¡°Hard to believe,¡± Alison continued, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s only been a couple of months and I¡¯m already used to talking about combat capabilities. Anyways, we have a handful of archers in both the adventuring teams and guard rotations. Not as many casters as we¡¯d like. Most of the people that would fight the giants are frontliners,¡± she finished.


    ¡°A Striker is like a Midwarden,¡± Sinat asked, looking to Elora.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That is not good for this kind of fight.¡±


    Loch leaned forward, elbows on the table.


    ¡°We have what we have, so we¡¯ll need to plan around that,¡± he said, not sounding as sure as he wanted to. He¡¯d fought plenty of giants in games and in those the size difference was rarely an issue. As much as The Connected System reminded him of those video games, it really wasn¡¯t. ¡°The main concern is the Si-Te-Cah. The giants are bad enough but with that one added to the mix¡­,¡± he trailed off, looking around the table. ¡°I know Sinat said my Class and Abilities would be good against the giants but I think I¡¯ll need to concentrate on the Si-Te-Cah. Everyone else will need to fight the giants. Drew, you¡¯ll be in charge of the adventurer groups.¡±


    ¡°Me?,¡± Drew asked, shocked. He raised his hands in protest. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll coordinate with Darren,¡± Loch continued, ignoring Drew¡¯s protests. ¡°Darren will be in charge of the guards and rest of the teams.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    ¡°Obviously we need to leave some strength back here so work out who and how many will come with us.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the lowest Level we want to bring,¡± Darren asked.


    ¡°Ten,¡± Loch replied.


    ¡°That really limits us.¡±


    ¡°I know, but make it work.¡±


    Loch stood up, signaling the meeting was at an end.


    ¡°Talk to the crafters, Patrick and Lewis. See if they can come up with anything. Kristin, send someone to the chicken farm and have Steve come back here. Let¡¯s see if his Siege Engineer Class can come up with something to help.¡±


    Loch looked around the table again, meeting eyes with everyone.


    ¡°In the meantime, everyone needs to Advance as much as they can. When we go hunt giants, we need to be as strong as possible.¡±

 Chapter 246 (5.13)

    Brian¡¯s giant club swung in an uppercut into the Forest Drake¡¯s head, snapping it backwards. The creature roared, the lower jaw jammed into the upper. It had been about to use its breath attack, the swing stopping it. The beast hopped back a couple feet, shaking its head. Brian didn¡¯t give it a chance to recover. A vicious sideswing slammed into the head, bones breaking. The head dropped to the ground, the body following, as the creature died.


    The twins, Brent and Trent, were moving around another Forest Drake. One would stab with his spear. When the Drake turned to snap, the other would move and attack. The creature was unable to attack or defend, constantly moving between the two. It was growing frustrated, making mistakes, which the twins were taking advantage of. The two moved without talking, knowing when the other was going to attack and which way the other would dodge.


    Loch watched the battle from the edge, Breaker¡¯s Banner active behind him, casting the entire cavern in a green tint. It was a large cavern, the sides covered in moss, vines hanging down from the ceiling above. Unlike most dungeon caverns he¡¯d been in, which were cool, this one was hot like a jungle. Flowers grew from the moss, pools of water dotting the grassy floor.


    The new Dungeon was called The Mossy Caves. It had been found a couple days ago by one of the hunting teams, only a day from the school just past Northwood Meadows. A cave entrance had appeared on the side of a hill, just off the road. The hunter had investigated and found the first monster in the entrance to be stronger than they were, at least Level Twelve. They¡¯d quickly left, running back to the Clanhold to report.


    With wanting everyone to get stronger before the clash with the giants, Loch had it would be worth taking some of his people through it. They were the highest Leveled, so if the Dungeon was dangerous, they would be the ones better suited to survive. And it could make good training and experience. They¡¯d gotten a couple of Objectives, the whole Dungeon seeming pretty straightforward. Kill 40 Forest Drakes. Find and defeat the Tamer.


    The story that went with the Dungeon, and Loch was still not used to Dungeons having stories or themes, was that the Tamer had found this cavern of Forest Drakes, and other creatures, creating a plan to raise an army to attack with. Attack who, Loch wasn¡¯t sure, but assumed the idea would be those outside the Dungeon. Not that those inside could get out.


    As a gamer he could appreciate the Dungeon stories. But in real life, he found them useless. The Objectives were nice for extra experience but that was all the benefit they had.


    Elora dashed forward, sliding under the attack of a Forest Drake, slashing with her blade. It speared into the creature¡¯s long neck, blood trailing as she pulled it out. Grabbing onto one of the spiked legs, she swung onto the Drake¡¯s back, stabbing down with her sword.


    Loch turned as one of the twins yelped in pain. Trent, or was it Brent, stepped back with blood leaking down his arm. The other twin increased their attacks, drawing the Drake away from their wounded brother. A blue light enveloped the wounded twin, healing the arm. With a wave toward Julia, standing a few feet away from Loch, he went back to the attack.


    A black something fought against the last of the cavern¡¯s Forest Drakes. Loch couldn¡¯t tell what it was supposed to be, or had been. Piper had been experimenting with different things in her sketchbook, trying to find different ways to use her powers. She was tired of just summoning ink versions of animals. The wall she had made in the gaunt siege had been a huge help and she wanted to do more of that. Cerie had said her Class should have some versitiliaty to it. Loch had given her the okay to experiment in the Dungeon. The latest inksummon was less detailed but seemed to have more functionality. It wrapped around the Forest Drake, covering the creature. The long neck turned snapping at the black material. It pulled away from the body, snapping back like rubber. The Drake tried breathing its noxious gas attack, but it did nothing against the inksummon.


    The Forest Drakes were long and skinny. No wings, their bodies were only a couple feet wide, but almost fifteen feet long with a tail that was almost as long. The tail kept whipping back and forth, but the Drake was unable to bring it forward to attack, which Loch thought odd. Why couldn¡¯t it attack with the tail? It didn¡¯t look like the tail was needed for balance. The six legs were short, bent almost ninety degrees off the side of the body, with long claws that dug into the grass, helping the things move. They were very fast. The head was at the end of a long neck, that could bend almost across the back of its own body. Sharp teeth, long front fangs, came from the thin snout, with two red eyes in a low head. No horns. The things were just long and sleek.


    And fast.


    Loch tensed as the Drake got tired of pulling at the ink, the neck springing the head quickly toward Piper. A blast from her wand caught it under the jaw, snapping it back. The monster growled, starting to run forward but the inksummon squeezed. The monster yelped in surprise and pain, turning back to snap at the inksummon again.


    Relaxing Loch kept an eye on the far tunnel, the exit from the cavern, making sure no reinforcements arrived. They were making good progress through the dungeon, even without Loch helping. He wanted to get some more experience, he could feel how close he was getting to Level Twenty-Seven. Killing Hoskia had pushed him most the way through Level Twenty-Six. He wanted that last bit but this Dungeon run was about getting the others more experience. And for Loch to work on Breaker¡¯s Banner.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Since stepping foot in the Dungeon, Loch had kept Aura Of Attack and Breaker¡¯s Banner constantly Active. It was draining even his eye Spirit Reserves, but it helped the others and helped him gain in strength in both. Both gaining in Rank would help his people when they attacked the giants.


    He still wanted to fight one of the Drakes.


    Piper created another Inksummon. Instead of being something almost alive, or at least capable of action, the new summon was long and skinny, and something she held. Piper had created a spear. The tip dipped as she adjusted her grip on the weapon. She said something to Cerie, the fairy hovering just over her shoulder, but was too far away for Loch to hear. The spear was about eight feet long and skinny, tapering to a point. It was really more of a sharpened stick.


    The first inksummon spread out across the Drake¡¯s body and onto the ground. Pulling at the summon, the Drake tried to move but couldn¡¯t. The inkcreature was anchoring it to the ground. Piper moved to the side, watching the head that kept snapping at the inksummon. Holding the spear, the tip raised, she charged. The inkspear stabbed into the Drake¡¯s neck, just below the head. Ink and blood erupted from the impact point. The weapon fell apart, the ink dripping to the ground where it disappeared. Piper jumped back, drawing her wand as the Drake¡¯s head twisted at the end of the neck. Blood dripped from the wound.


    Loch took a couple steps closer, summoning Onyx. He was pretty sure he could throw the weapon and decapitate the Drake before it attacked. A Windstep would get him there with Bulwark if needed. But he didn¡¯t need to do anything. Piper summoned a shield. It was large and thick looking, but she held it easily. A tower shield, a rectangle with the ends curving back a little. Piper hid behind it as the Drake¡¯s head slammed into the ink. Little drops split off, but the inkshield held. The head reared back, ready to attack again. Piper summoned another inkcreature.


    A large jet black cat appeared, immediately jumping at the Forest Drake. It tore at the monster, having a hard time at first as the Drake was so thin, but the inkcat figured it out. More an inkpanther, Loch thought, watching the thing. He had to resist the urge to jump in and help Piper out.


    She wouldn¡¯t forgive him. He knew she was experimenting, trying to develop her Abilities in new ways. Unlike most Classes, she only had one Ability. Inksummoning. All she could do was related to that. It was time she learned the extents of the Classes capabilities.


    Loch just hated that she had to put herself in danger to grow her Class.


    The solid wall she had made during the gaunt siege had given her ideas. All her summons acted like what she had drawn. They had substance, even the wall. It had acted like a wall. So why couldn¡¯t she make armor out of ink?


    It had taken Piper some time to get to the point of making an actual shield. It wasn¡¯t the same as just drawing the image and hoping it would work. Drawing a fire breathing dragon and making an ink version was easy. If she drew it breathing fire, it would do so. But how to draw something protecting from attacks?


    The wall had been easy. It was a wall. Drawing a wall created the wall, and if it was drawn to be made of stone, it would be made of stone and that inksummon would have the properties of a stone wall.


    With how busy they¡¯d all been since the gaunt siege, Piper couldn¡¯t find the time to really work out the problem. Cerie could only do so much, as Piper¡¯s Class was unheard of in the data of the Silver Bark. She had combed that data, finding everything she could on Summoners and other relevant Classes, taking that information and trying to find something that Piper could use. Summoners were rare in the Silver Bark.


    The shield she hid behind had not been her first attempt. Loch and Kelly, had drawn the line at Piper¡¯s trying it in a Dungeon or against a monster. She had sparred with lower Leveled members of the Clan first, working on the shield until she got the final version.


    And it was working.


    Loch could see Piper¡¯s huge smile behind the shield. It had worked. He smiled too, watching Piper unsummon the shield. It lost detail, the edges turning to liquid and dropping to the ground where it puddled before disappearing.


    She took a couple steps back and to the side, watching as the inkpanther fought against the snapping and whipping head of the Forest Drake. Holding out her hand, Piper created a crossbow made out of ink. It was small, sized for her.


    Taking aim, an arrow shot out, striking the Forest Drake in the shoulder. It roared, head turning toward her, giving the inkpanther an opening. It tore the Drake¡¯s throat to pieces, blood and scales falling to the ground. The head at the end of the long neck hung limp, the whole thing dropping to the ground.


    Multi-colored sparks of energy danced up from the body, twirling around and streaking into Piper as she dismissed her inksummons. Smiling, she took a step toward Loch but stumbled. She recovered quickly.


    ¡°That took a bit out of me,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t usually do that many summons in a row.¡±


    ¡°That was spectacular honey,¡± Loch said. ¡°Really proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks dad,¡± she said, smiling as she pulled open the Spatial Bag, collecting the loot.

 Chapter 247 (Chapter 5.14)

    Loch swung Onyx as he jumped off the cliff. The glowing axe head slammed into the scales of the large dragon. It roared, twisting to dislodge its new passenger. Holding onto Onyx with one hand, a spine along the dragon¡¯s ridge with the other, Loch swung down onto the creature¡¯s neck.


    He couldn¡¯t believe it. He was fighting an actual dragon. Granted it wasn¡¯t huge, but it was still a dragon. The Mossy Forest Dragon was twenty feet tall, forty feet long. No wings, the thing resembled an enlarged Forest Drake but with a shorter neck and body, both stockier, and spines running down its back to the tail. Long horns curled up from its head with a mane that looked like it was made of leaves that moved in the wind flowing through the cavern.


    The tail slammed into the wall, small pieces of rock falling to the ground, as the dragon tried to throw Loch off. He shrunk Onyx, making the axe disappear, needing both hands to hold on. The others ran around the feet and body of the dragon, attacking where and when they could. The jabs with sword and spear, bashing with a giant club, just made the beast react wildly, making Loch¡¯s job holding on harder.


    Bolts of silver energy slammed into the dragon, a large inkdrake flying around and attacking with claws and tail when it could.


    Loch had held out for the entire Dungeon, letting the others do the fighting, but when they¡¯d discovered that the boss was a dragon, he couldn¡¯t help himself. It was a dragon.


    With all the mythical creatures and races they¡¯d so far encountered, this was the first dragon. They existed. The ultimate fantasy creature. Something everyone playing fantasy games wanted to fight. He knew it was truly life and death, but Loch couldn¡¯t help it. He was enjoying himself.


    A dragon.


    If there was one, there would be more. How many? Did they all exist in Dungeons or were there some roaming free? Were there some like the dragons from the stories? Magnificent creatures of pride, power and destruction?


    Reaching up, Loch grabbed a higher spine. Setting his feet on the writhing neck, Loch started pulling himself up the creature¡¯s back. The spines were close together, giving him easy hand and foot holds. It was not a climb he could have made pre-Connection, but now it was relatively easy. The only hard part was the constant movement of the dragon¡¯s neck.


    The neck bent down, almost throwing Loch off as his feet slipped. He hung in the air, holding onto the spines, as the beast¡¯s mouth opened. A glob of something shot out, landing on the ground.


    ¡°Look out,¡± one of the twins yelled.


    ¡°Is that acid?,¡± the other replied.


    ¡°D¡¯oh, it¡¯s a green dragon idiot,¡± the first said.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it black dragons that breath acid,¡± the second yelled out.


    Loch lost the sound of their bickering as the dragon roared. The ground shook, making the dragon stumble a bit. Loch managed to get his feet under him, continuing his climb up the dragon¡¯s back. He could hear the leaves of the dragon¡¯s mane rustling in the wind which came from a tunnel in the back of the cavern.


    The boss cavern was similar to the others they¡¯d come across. Large, filled with pools of water, covered in moss and glowing lichen. The dragon¡¯s was just larger.


    It roared, the sound echoing off the stone walls. Larger pieces fell from the ceiling, splashing in the many pools of water. Loch heard some yelps as the people below dodged the falling stone.


    Grabbing onto one of the horns, Loch stood on top of the dragon¡¯s head. It had paused its thrashing, feeling the human on top, wondering what it could do to knock him off. It started moving the head to the side. Loch saw the cave wall coming closer.


    Summoning Onyx, he Activated Cleave, letting go of the horn to use a two-handed swing. The axe bit deep, cutting through scales and bone, down into muscle. The dragon spasmed, the whole body shaking as it roared in pain. The head dropped suddenly. Loch was already moving.


    He jumped off the descending head, Activating Windstep. Flashing across the distance, Loch appeared on the ground, his momentum carrying him into a puddle. It wasn¡¯t deep, the ground under weather slippery, but he managed to keep his balance and slide to a stop, the water splashing up and over him.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Loch coughed, spitting the foul tasting water out. Still dripping, he turned back to face the dragon, seeing bright flashes of different Abilities being used.


    The dragon¡¯s head was low, barely off the ground, green blood pouring from the wound. It was shaking its head, drops of blood flying everywhere. When they landed, they hissed and sizzled, melting into the ground. The others were dashing around the body, striking where they could, avoiding the acidic blood and thrashing head.


    Loch pulled his arm back, summoning Onyx. He lined up the shot and threw. The axe spun end over end, slamming the bladed head into the dragon¡¯s eye. It roared in pain, breathing a blast of acid into the cavern¡¯s roof.


    ¡°Look out,¡± Loch shouted, making everyone scatter as drops fell down, along with more stone.


    HIs people avoided most of the falling obstacles, the dragon did not. The acid splashing against its scales did nothing, but each blow from a falling rock made the body shake and the dragon groan. He threw Onyx again, aiming for a leg. The axe bit in deep, more acidic blood falling. The dragon stumbled, right into a swing from Brian. The head was rocked back, an audible snapping noise from the neck.


    The dragon¡¯s head flopped to the ground, the neck no longer able to lift it up. The thing still breathed, each breath labored as it fought to move. The twins kept stabbing it along the side, each jab with a spear drawing more blood. Elora came running up its back and along the neck. Leaping into the air, she drove her sword point down into the dragon¡¯s skull. It pierced the scales, pierced the skull, sinking deep into the monster''s brain. The dragon didn¡¯t even spasm, the last breath leaving it.


    Elora tried pulling her sword out, struggling as it had gotten stuck. As the multi-colored sparks drifted out of the body, Brian climbed onto the head. He tossed his club to the ground, grabbing Elora¡¯s sword with both hands. Setting his feet, Brian yanked the weapon out. He handed it to Elora, jumping down and picking his club up.


    The sparks flew around the room. There were a lot of them, all the different colors. Each person got a decent amount. Loch could feel the Spirit Experience filling his mental bar. It was so close to hitting Level Twenty-Seven. A couple more fights would do it, and they weren¡¯t even done with the Dungeon, there was still the real boss left. The dragon had just been a mini-boss.


    ¡°What did we get for loot?,¡± Loch asked, finally stepping out of the puddle.


    He could feel the water squishing in his boots. It was not a good feeling. Not that much water, the boots were good. But he needed new ones. The hiking boots he¡¯d been wearing since the Connection had seen better days. They¡¯d been expensive, and he was really surprised they had lasted as long as they had. An upgrade was needed.


    The scavengers had been bringing back a lot of shoes. A lot of people didn¡¯t have good shows or needed new ones. There was a whole collection. Maybe he¡¯d be able to find a new pair there. Probably wouldn¡¯t be as good as his old trusted pair.


    Brian dragged over a decent sized worn looking wooden chest. He popped it open, pulling out some jewels and coins, handing them to Piper, who promptly stashed them in the Spatial Bag. He started pulling out the good stuff. Loch could see that the twins were a little disappointed. The chest wasn¡¯t big enough to hold a spear.


    The first thing the big man pulled out was a pair of leather boots. Calf high, with fine golden stitching along the brown leather.


    ¡°Those go to Elora,¡± Loch said, after using Evaluate on the boots.


    WORLD STRIDER BOOTS


    INCREASES THE WEARER¡¯S STEALTH BY 10%. ALLOWS THE WEARER TO MOVE OVER ALMOST ANY TERRAIN WITHOUT LOSING BALANCE OR TRACTION. INCREASES MOVEMENT SPEED BY 5%.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Elora said, taking the boots from Brian.


    She moved back from the others, sitting on a rock and taking her current boots off. Picking up the new pair, Elora examined them, running her fingers over the stitching. She had told Loch that because of her rank in the Silver Bark, she hadn¡¯t been allowed to keep any loot she got from kills. It all went to those above her and what they couldn¡¯t use might be passed on to her, but most likely would be giving to some other member of the Clan that had a higher standing. She just got the cast-offs and handed down items no one wanted.


    Getting a brand new magical item was not something she was used to.


    ¡°These are yours,¡± Brian said, drawing Loch¡¯s attention back to the loot.


    He held another pair of boots. Leather, but sturdier looking, calf high, with metal plates on the front and over the foot. The metal looked like the same kind as his Challenger¡¯s Armor, looking old and worn, like they had seen numerous battles.


    BATTLE LINE BOOTS


    INCREASES THE WEARER¡¯S TRACTION AND BALANCE ON ALMOST ANY TERRAIN. ADDS +2% TO ATTACK POWER AND +2% TO DEFENSE.


    ¡°I¡¯d just been thinking I needed a new pair,¡± Loch said, smiling.

 Chapter 248 (5.15)

    ¡°Harper will be upset she missed this,¡± Piper said, looking at the three wands spread out on her lap.


    She was sitting down across the fire from Loch, robes bunched up around her knees to create a place to put the wands. One of them was her old one, the others she¡¯d picked up after they¡¯d killed the real boss of the Mossy Caves Dungeon. It¡¯d been a Caster, some kind of Druid, that had gone insane. He¡¯d looked human, dressed in brown and green robe, cloak, boots and gloves. Old, with a scraggly beard down to his waist. And dirty. The Druid Of Moss, as the Connection had called him, looked like he hadn¡¯t left the caves in months.


    Luckily he hadn¡¯t smelled.


    His goal had been to raise an army to attack the outer world, to defeat those that harmed nature. It had been a decent fight, in Loch¡¯s opinion. His group wasn¡¯t the best setup for it. More ranged damage would have been preferred. But they¡¯d managed to take The Druid Of Moss down and reap the rewards.


    Piper had gotten two wands. The twins had each gotten metal bracers, the exact same things. Which had surprised both Loch and Cerie. Brian had snagged an armored chest piece. Mostly leather with some padding, and metal along the upper chest and shoulders. Elora, along with her boots, had gotten a ring that increased her stealth. If Harper had been there, she would have gotten the boots or the ring.


    ¡°Harper will be fine,¡± Loch said, stretching out his legs toward the fire, leaning back against a tree. ¡°She¡¯s running that Dungeon with Davis.¡±


    Loch almost hadn¡¯t let her go. It was an overnight trip to one of the Dungeons that had been in old Silver Bark territory before they¡¯d rearranged the borders between the Clans. The thought of his fifteen year old daughter alone in the woods overnight with her boyfriend, even though the two hadn¡¯t made anything official, had worried Loch. But Kim Hudson had been going along as part of Davis¡¯ team and had assured Loch that she wouldn¡¯t let anything happen.


    He still worried. He¡¯d been a teen once and knew how easy it could be to sneak out at night. But he had to trust Harper, and Davis, that they knew the situation and wouldn¡¯t let teenage hormones get in the way.


    He looked around the clearing they had chosen for the night. Tents had been set up, Brian and Elora were on first watch patrolling the treeline. The twins were arguing quietly, this time. They hadn¡¯t started out that way, but Loch had quickly set them straight. Julia sat down next to Loch, leaning against her knees, hands extended to the fire.


    ¡°That Dungeon wasn¡¯t too bad,¡± she said.


    ¡°No, but the dragon and druid might be tough for a low teens group,¡± Loch said. ¡°Think I¡¯ll have Alison give it a Level 15 plus classification.¡±


    They were still working on an official classification system for the various Dungeons in Clan Brady territory. Cerie was helping combine the ranking system she knew, which was used by most of the greater Connected System, with how Clan Brady was interpreting what they got from the Dungeons. The fairy couldn¡¯t be everywhere to evaluate the Dungeons, so they had to do it their own way. Mostly it was based around the Level strength needed to defeat the monsters and clear the Dungeon.


    ¡°And more ranged,¡± Julia added.


    ¡°We need more ranged, period,¡± Loch said, sighing. ¡°Need more Casters too.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll come,¡± Julia said. ¡°They have to.¡±


    Loch leaned forward. He looked up into the sky, seeing the stars. One of the newcomers, Henry Bolton, had been an Astronomer by hobby and had started mapping the stars, trying to determine the new layout of the constellations. He¡¯d been happy when the scavengers had brought back several books on the subject from the library. Using the starmaps, he thought he¡¯d be able to measure how much the Earth had grown. He¡¯d also gotten a combat Class, strangely enough. Astromage. It was Uncommon and somehow related to the stars. Loch had been happy to get another Caster, but the man was only Level Eight.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Not even Cerie had been able to figure out how studying Astronomy had given the man a combat related Class. He should have been a Crafter of some kind. But the fairy hadn¡¯t known of any Crafting Classes related to studying the stars. In the Connected Worlds, it wasn¡¯t anything useful when people could travel from one world to another crossing over millions or even billions of lightyears in a single step. Why bother studying the stars when there were actual Divine Beings that people could commune with? Actual magical monsters?


    Loch still liked looking up at them, watching some shoot across the sky. No airplanes anymore. Any lights moving in the sky were actual shooting stars, and there were a lot more of them then before the Connection.


    He smiled, knowing that Kelly was looking up at the sky. He missed her. Having her back had been wonderful, but it hurt at the same time knowing that she would have to leave again. It was bittersweet remembering their days together. They¡¯d be reunited soon enough.


    ***


    ¡°What are those things?,¡± Brent asked quietly.


    Which surprised Loch. The twins rarely did anything quietly. Equally surprising was Trent not replying to argue with his brother. The creatures were that surprising.


    They were humanoid, tall and thin. The bodies were covered in thick layer of leaves and moss, sticks poking out randomly. Leaves formed the long hair and beards, moss covering the bodies with more leaves at the wrists, waits and calves. They moved in a shambling gait through the forest, either not seeing or ignoring Loch and his people. A half dozen of them had come out of the shadows to the side, barely making a noise, barely leaving a sign of their passage.


    MOSSY FOREST LESHY


    Evaluate had them around Level ten or so. Not a real threat for the group, but they seemed peaceful enough. Loch was curious about the race. They didn¡¯t seem like invaders so were more like the hobs, redcaps and others? Generated by The Connection from the ambient Spirit in the air?


    A thud and cracking of branches came from where the Leshy had just left. Loch held up a hand, pulling everyone back deeper into the shadows. Whatever was coming sounded large.


    He watched as a hand moved out from the trees, wrapping around one as the rest of the body followed. The fingers were long and covered in bark, the arm long, thick and rough with bark. The legs were the same, wide and thick, no toes or feet, just trunks. The whole thing resembled a humanoid tree as it walked, pushing aside branches with long arms. Leaves grew off the sides of the bark, long and thin branches. The body a wider trunk with no neck, the head part of the body. Eyes were barely visible in the rough bark. Small and black that looked everywhere as it walked, the body twisting so the eyes could see to the sides.


    OAKEN TREANT


    The thing felt strong, almost Loch¡¯s level. It moved slowly, awkwardly.


    They watched it disappear, following after the small group of Leshy.


    ¡°Dude,¡± one of the twins said. ¡°Walking trees. So cool. It¡¯s like straight out of¡­¡±


    ¡°Dude, everything we¡¯ve fought and seen has been straight out of those movies,¡± the other one said.


    The two started bickering, again, until Brian uttered a low growl. That instantly shut them up. Once the two had chosen to become Bannermen, Brian had taken on the responsibility of whipping them into shape. He¡¯d done a pretty good job so far.


    Elora appeared ahead of them. She hadn¡¯t been there and then she was. She looked both ways, not saying a word, just motioning them forward. The group moved quickly, Loch the last one. He paused, looking down the path the Leshy and Treant had gone.


    Was there more of them around?


    There were a lot more races in the woods around the school then Loch would have thought. They¡¯d encountered two mounds of Hobs and a bunch of Redcaps. They still hadn¡¯t found the village or base of the frog-like humanoid, and they¡¯d only seen the one so far. Now there were Leshy and Treants. There were all the monsters too.


    Cerie had said the wild areas would start getting populated with monsters and races. New Dungeons would appear as the world aged and grew in ambient Spirit.


    It was a lot for a relatively small area. Loch had worried about everything fighting over the same Resources and territory. Cerie had explained that was by design. The Connected System wanted it¡¯s Adapted to constantly strive to grow and part of that was defending and claiming territory and Resources from the threats that would always be around. She warned there would be more elite monsters like the Katshituashku, Unfey and the Gaviat.


    They just hadn¡¯t found them yet.

 Chapter 249 (5.16)

    Harper leaned back, lips unlocking from Davis. She smiled up at him, not sure if he could see it in the dark. He moved his hands, one from around her waist and the other from her neck, leaning against a tree. Harper shifted, leaning into his shoulder. She looked up at the moon above.


    ¡°Mr. Millman, you take me to the most interesting places,¡± she said.


    Davis laughed.


    ¡°That Dungeon was fun,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Her father had taken his group to a new Dungeon that had been found. She¡¯d convinced him to let her join Davis¡¯ team in exploring one of the former Silver Bark Claimed Dungeons. It¡¯d been in the side of a hill just past the old Bennet¡¯s Bridge beach. She¡¯d spent so much time at that beach in the summers. The Dungeon had been up the old dirt road. It¡¯s been paved through the one lane bridge and just past the beach then became dirt.


    There had been a Marsh Troll living under the bridge, which before the Connection had been solid with just a couple of small openings between Bow Lake and a small pond, but now was an actual bridge. The Troll had been relatively easy for the group, even with its regenerative Abilities.


    The dirt road had been a mess, with new cliffs up the slope formed when sections had been forced up. They¡¯d climbed to the top and found the Dungeon. An arch, with the stones made out of the same stones as the bridge, led to a cave that sloped down.


    And down and down.


    They¡¯d entered the Troll Cave Dungeon at the bottom, stepping into a large cavern. The ceiling was high, the ground filled with water only a couple feet down from the entrance. A long and wide bridge led across the space, supports every hundred feet, where the bridge widened for twenty or thirty feet. The whole thing was five hundred feet long, ending at another flat area outside another cavern entrance.


    The Objectives had been simple. Kill a lot of Trolls and free the Goatmen from the King Troll.


    Harper had laughed when the Objectives had appeared.


    They¡¯d killed their way through the Dungeon. At each support, a large Cave Troll had climbed onto the bridge. Once they¡¯d crossed into the next Dungeon, they¡¯d faced their first miniboss of the Dungeon. Harper hated calling them Bosses and Minibosses, but it was gamer terminology her father and others used, so it was something they were all using now.


    There were official names, Cerie had told them, but none of the Clan used the names. They¡¯d even gotten the elves in the Clan to start using Boss and Miniboss.


    The entire Dungeon, and it was a short one compared to others Harper had been in, was trolls and bridges. Different kinds of trolls, but still trolls. The final boss, the Troll King, had been with two Stone Trolls guarding a half dozen prisoners. They hadn¡¯t been goats but goat people. Evaluate had called them Hircun. Once the boss was dead, and the Hircun freed, they had gotten their rewards.


    Even though the theme of each room was the same, Harper had found the Dungeon fun. Each type of Troll was pretty different, making them need different tactics to take the enemies down. The regeneration added a new element. She¡¯d had yet to face an enemy that could heal itself. There¡¯d even been one type of Troll that could see into the Shadow Realm.


    Someone cleared their throat, loudly, bringing Harper back to reality. She shifted to look to the side, seeing Kim Hudson standing there, arms crossed, tapping her foot.


    ¡°Back to bed children,¡± she said, emphasizing the last word.


    Harper started to get angry. Kim wasn¡¯t that much older. Mid-twenties. But she sighed instead. It had been kind of stupid for the two of them to wander out of camp in the middle of the night. She had promised her father she wouldn¡¯t do that, knowing that her father had meant not sneaking off with Davis. And she had done just that. If Kim told her father, the chances of her going on another run with Davis again were pretty slim.


    Harper quickly got up, holding Davis¡¯ hand to help him up. Releasing his hand, she brushed off her armor, walking over to Kim. Davis trailed behind. Neither of them looked up at the slightly older woman.


    She chuckled. Harper looked up to see Kim smiling.


    ¡°I get it,¡± she said. ¡°Just don¡¯t let it happen again or I will tell your father,¡± Kim finished, smile fading.


    ¡°Right,¡± Harper said, moving quickly past.


    Davis mumbled something but she didn¡¯t hear it.


    It was a short walk back to the tent. No one was up, Kim had been on watch and tending the fire. Harper quickly got into her tent, pausing at the entrance as Davis walked by. He leaned down, smiling and blew her a kiss. Smiling, Harper crawled into her tent.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ***


    Instead of heading back over Bennett¡¯s Bridge the next morning, they had decided to cut straight through the woods to reach Bow Lake Road and the trip back to the Clanhold. Harper hoped the angle she chose would take them past where her road came off Bow Lake. It had hurt, memories flooding her, as they had walked past it on the way to the Dungeon.


    She loved her home, wanted to go back there, and grab some more of her stuff. But that wouldn¡¯t be fair to the others back at the Clanhold. Her father had told her and Piper that they couldn¡¯t take advantage of their positions in the Clan. They had to be equal to everyone else. Harper understood, but there was so much in her room that she wanted to get.


    If it was even still there. It had been weeks since they¡¯d been to the house. Who knew what kind of creatures were living there now, or if the house was even standing. A tree could have fallen, lightning or anything. If there were creatures living in the house, she knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back and would attack them. It was best to just avoid the street and any temptations.


    She wasn¡¯t worried about getting lost. From Bennett¡¯s Bridge to Bow Lake was a straight walk through the woods, which had increased in size, but it was still surrounded by the two roads. And if her angle was too steep, they¡¯d come out on Shelburne or Pender. Two roads that she¡¯d recognize on sight. They weren¡¯t going to get lost. Maybe get turned around, but again, they¡¯d end up on some streets that she knew.


    The woods were all new. She¡¯d never walked this part before. Once she¡¯d gotten old enough, and her parents let her go down to the beach herself, she¡¯d just bike along the roads, never walking through the woods. Since the roads all sloped down toward the lake, so did the woods.


    They were constantly walking up the slope.


    There were a lot of fallen trees, the winds had knocked them over, the roots pulled out as the trees tried to fall down the slope but got caught on others. It made for slow hiking, as they either had to force their way through the broken branches, over and under the trees, or go around.


    The occasional monster slowed them as well. There was nothing that any of them couldn¡¯t have handled on their own, just slowing the hike by minutes. Mutated Chipmunks, Coyotes and Foxes. A couple of Lynxia. Even some giant spiders, that Harper did not like dealing with.


    ¡°I could have killed that for you,¡± Davis said, leaning against a thick tree trunk.


    Harper glared at him, wiping spider guts off one of her tonfas. He smiled. Her glare softened and she stuck out her tongue.


    ¡°I hate spiders,¡± she said, kicking the carcass as the multi-colored sparks flowed up and out of the monsters, dancing around her until they entered her core.


    Her Evaluate had told her the thing was a couple Levels below her, which accounted for why her mental experience bar didn¡¯t budge that much. The Giant Spider hadn¡¯t been much of a challenge. She just wondered, why did there always have to be spiders?


    The Challenge Dungeon had been horrible, and she hadn¡¯t seen a spider since. It had been months and all of a sudden, a Giant one had dropped out of the trees above. It had been very silent, she¡¯d barely avoided sensing it as it leapt on her, venom dripping spike leading. The fight hadn¡¯t lasted long.


    ¡°Anyone got a Harvesting Skill,¡± she called out to the others as they gathered around.


    Spiders were horrible, but they did drop some good Resources. Chitin, mandibles, claws from the legs, a poison sac and a silk-making gland. Harper hadn¡¯t heard of anyone able to use the Resources yet, but Cerie had said they would prove valuable in the future, so the Clan had been collecting them. They had a huge, and still growing, collection of harvested Resources that the Clan¡¯s crafters could barely use.


    ¡°I can,¡± Ricky replied, drawing a long bladed knife from a sheath, walking toward the spider¡¯s body.


    Harper stepped back, walking over to stand next to Davis as Ricky got to work. The hiking had been slow because of the terrain and the monsters, but also the time to harvest the Resources. They could have left it all behind, but all of it was useful now or in the future. The meat and hides were especially useful now. Any that they could get went towards the Clan¡¯s supplies for the upcoming winter. There would never be enough meat and hides to help keep them warm.


    A sharp crack behind them caused the whole group to turn, weapons drawn. Harper and Davis moved to where they could see better, trying to make out shapes through the trees. A group of people were moving downslope, away from them. They weren¡¯t trying to hide, intentionally making their presence known.


    Branches snapped as they walked, moving further away. One of the shapes detached, walking closer. Harper gasped as the humanoid was revealed. A Hircus, like they had found in the Dungeon, stared at them. The goat man was larger than those in the Dungeon, dressed in rough hide armor with metal plates sewn in. It carried a large axe, the shaft wood and the head sharpened stone.


    Harper used Evaluate, the Hircus feeling almost as strong as she was.


    FOREST ROAM CLAN WARRIOR


    The Hircus watched them as they watched it, neither side moving. Harper didn¡¯t sense any hostility, not even curiosity. Once all the other Hircus were gone, the one watching them turned and ran after the rest, disappearing into the shadows downslope.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the thing from the Dungeon?,¡± Jim asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kim replied. ¡°I guess there¡¯s a tribe of them around.¡±


    ¡°What are they doing in the forest? Don¡¯t goats live in the mountains?¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± RIcky said, standing up from the corpse of the spider. ¡°All set.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving,¡± Harper said, looking where the Hircus had disappeared.

 Chapter 250 (5.17)

    ¡°Eeewww Dad,¡± Piper yelled, the sound loud in their small room.


    ¡°What?,¡± Loch asked, sitting up in his bed.


    He¡¯d been laying down, reading a book, some fantasy he¡¯d found in the Clan¡¯s new library. Life In Exile by Sean Oswald. It was pretty good so far.


    ¡°This message you wrote mom,¡± Piper said, holding up the paired notebook, pointing to one of the lines.


    Loch recognized it. He¡¯d wrote it last night after he¡¯d gotten done talking with Kelly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to be with you again?,¡± Piper said. ¡°Eeew, your daughters read this too.¡±


    Loch laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t wait until she¡¯s back with us again,¡± Loch replied. ¡°Nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Sure dad,¡± Harper said from the top bunk, where she¡¯d been laying down reading a book.


    Loch laughed, sitting up on the bed, the frame squeaking. He set the book down as he stood up, walking over to the window. Outside the yard was full of activity. Guards patrolled the finished sections of the wall, workers putting up posts and logs for the rest. Farmers toiled in the field. Liam and his ranch hands dealt with the horses and the cows, including the new ones they¡¯d found wandering the road with a handful of sheep. Pastures had been built, paddocks separating the animals. A barn was in the process of being constructed.


    Loch had never seen the Amish put up a barn, but he¡¯d heard about the process. It was crazy to think that construction was being replicated in Northwood, thanks to a book from the library. One of the newer and lower Leveled Adventuring teams walked out of the Dungeon building, heading for Alison¡¯s office to report their loot and gains.


    Looking past the Clanhold, he could see the trees up on the hill past the fields. The leaves had started to change color. Greens turning to browns and reds. Fall in New Hampshire had always been magical with the foliage. Everyone loved it. They didn¡¯t love all the leaf peepers coming from far away to clog up the highways and the roads in the north. But the tourism had been good for the state.


    He wondered how the people that lived up north in the White Mountains were faring. What kind of monsters now made the mountains their home? Were there Invaders? The world had always been vast, but now it was more so. So many miles between places. There had to be survivors up north. What would the top of Mount Washington be like now?


    Loch couldn¡¯t imagine going to explore. It would take months to travel to Lincoln or Franconia. There were other places to explore first. Concord or Dover, out to Portsmouth someday or down to Manchester. Too many options.


    He turned away from the window, sitting back on his bunk. Grabbing his new boots, he pulled them on, lacing them up. The jeans he was wearing still had some life in them and the shirt only had one hole. It was still fine. Standing up, he stretched.


    ¡°What are you two up to today?,¡± he asked.


    ¡°What time is it?,¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Let me check my watch,¡± Piper replied.


    Harper lifted her leg, slamming it down on the bed, making the whole thing shake. Piper laughed.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Loch muttered, walking to the door. ¡°Be good.¡±


    They were still arguing when he walked out into the hallway.


    ***


    Loch walked into the small office just off the lobby. Kristin and Ed were already there, standing to the side. Sitting at a small desk was an older man. Loch recognized him. He¡¯d talked to him once.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.¡°Ben,¡± Loch said, reaching out a hand.


    The other stood up, shaking it.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan.¡±


    ¡°Just Loch.¡±


    Ben sat down, motioning to the one other chair. Loch motioned to Kristin. She shook her head, as did Ed. With a shrug, Loch said down.


    ¡°What do you have for me?¡±


    Opening a drawer in the desk, Ben brought out a handful of the Spirit Coins that had been rewards from the Dungeons. It was a small stack, just a handful of each type. He then pulled out a ledger book, flipping open to a page with a list of names and numbers. Loch counted fifty white, 20 blue, 20 red, 15 green and 10 gray.


    ¡°These came from a Dungeon run two days ago,¡± Ben Border said, pointing at the names. ¡°The team ran the Lynxia Dungeon. I¡¯m still waiting for the group that ran the Painted Caves today.¡± He moved the coins around, sorting them into a large stack. ¡°It¡¯s been slowly growing, but having all the Dungeon groups drop off their coins in the bank has given us a good supply of coins.¡±


    He moved the ledger around so Loch could see it. Reading the lines, with names and numbers, Loch looked back up at Ben, not sure what he was looking at.


    ¡°When they deposit, we¡¯re converting it to credit that they can use in the new stores that we¡¯re setting up.¡± He flipped to another page, pointing at a different set of names and numbers. ¡°The non-Adventurers get credit for work done.¡±


    He flipped to the front of the book showing Loch a page with a bunch of different numbers and things they equaled out to. There was an ¡®hours worked¡¯ compared to ¡®dungeon difficulty¡¯ and a bunch of other things.


    ¡°It took a bit of time to work out the equivalencies but I think it¡¯s pretty fair,¡± Ben said, closing the book. ¡°In all my years of banking, this was something new.¡±


    ¡°Great job,¡± Loch said, really impressed. ¡°What are we doing with all the coins?¡±


    ¡°Holding onto them,¡± Ben replied. ¡°I had a safe built, going to need a second soon. Once we have a big enough stockpile and can guarantee that the non-Adventurers will be able to get enough for their work, we¡¯ll move away from the credit and to using coins.¡± Ben took the coins and put them back in the desk. ¡°That¡¯s still a ways off but we¡¯re getting a good amount with all the new Dungeons being run.¡±


    ¡°What are we offering in the store?,¡± Loch asked.


    Ben looked over at Kristin.


    ¡°Not much right now,¡± she replied. ¡°We don¡¯t have extra food to offer. Things like a pair of boots, jacket, hat, gloves and such are given free it¡¯s been mostly extra clothes and such. Want a different pair of boots? Trade the free ones in and buy another pair. Wear out a pair of jeans? Trade those in and buy a new pair.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not perfect and there¡¯s been some grumbling, but it¡¯ll work.¡±


    ¡°Once we get a surplus of food, or get extra stuff that isn¡¯t part of the three meal plan,¡± Ben said. ¡°We can add those items to the store. If want an extra bag of chips, need to buy it.¡±


    ¡°What about books and the games?,¡± Ed asked. ¡°Some kind of rental fee?¡±


    ¡°We are adding things to rent,¡± Kristin said. ¡°But the entertainment items are free,¡± she finished, motioning to Loch.


    ¡°Through the winter,¡± he said. ¡°After that, we can reevaluate. What about any crafted goods?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re adding as we get them,¡± Kristin said. ¡°We¡¯ve started to get some potions stockpiled but decided those are more important for the Adventuring teams, so we¡¯re not putting them in the store.¡±


    ¡°For now,¡± Ben added. ¡°Once we get enough, we can start selling the extras. The idea is to have a threshold of free and stuff that we give everyone, adventurer, crafter or just a citizen. After that, if they want extra, they will need to pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully after winter, we¡¯ll have more stuff we can add to the store,¡± Ed said. ¡°And hopefully won¡¯t be long until we can have storefronts up in the fields.¡±


    ¡°Good job,¡± Loch said, standing up. ¡°We¡¯re getting there.¡±


    He reached out, shaking Ben¡¯s hand again.


    Ed followed Loch as he left the small office. Loch liked everything he¡¯d heard. Ben and Kristin had set up a nice system for a beginning economy, one that had flexibility and growth. It was as fair as it could be considering how unfair the Connected System was to those that weren¡¯t adventurers. Loch hated how the Connection favored those that fought. He¡¯d do anything to keep Clan Brady from becoming Clan Silver Bark.

 Interlude Thirty-Five (5.Interlude One)

    Ben Border closed the door to the small office he¡¯d been given. It was nothing like the one he¡¯d had for the last ten years in his role as President of a local bank. It had been a small bank, but he¡¯d still had a nice office. Corner windows, good view of downtown Portsmouth.


    He¡¯d done pretty well for himself.


    Then the Connection had come.


    And all that had been lost.


    Something that had taken years to build, lost in seconds.


    He¡¯d lost a lot, but so had his partner Simu. A junior-executive, Simu had been traveling with Ben to an important meeting in Concord. Ben wondered how the people they were supposed to meet had fared with the Connection. He wondered how all the people that had worked in his bank and its branches were faring. He¡¯d hoped some of them would wind up in Northwood, but that was a slim hope. The branches had been much further away. They¡¯d had to have found communities of survivors closer.


    Smiling, he walked away from the office. Those first few weeks, months really, when he and Simu had gotten to the school, it had been bad. They¡¯d had no direction, nothing to do. They had joined the work crews, that was the only thing they could do and they had to in order to get food. Simu had hated that but Ben understood.


    It had made sense. Limited Resources, food and shelter meant that people had to earn it. There was just so much to do, all the help was needed. At his age, Ben had no desire to become a fighter. That just scared him. But there had been nothing that suited his talents. The depression had started setting in. All his training and experience meant nothing.


    But now it did.


    He had a purpose.


    He was starting an economy from the ground up. Using his experience and knowledge. Ben had a direction again. It was too bad that not everyone did.


    Stepping out into the lobby, Ben saw Simu talking with one of the adventurers. It was someone that Simu spent a lot of time with. Theodore was the man¡¯s name. Ben didn¡¯t like him. There was just something off about the man. Ben wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but he could feel it.


    Ben remembered the time that Theodore had come to talk with them in the cafeteria, in the days when he had no direction and could feel the depression coming on. Theodore had talked a lot about nothing, going round and round. He talked about how it wasn¡¯t fair that the adventurers got more benefits than everyone else, that people couldn¡¯t choose to do what they wanted anymore and were forced to become laborers if they couldn¡¯t do anything else. How unfair it was.


    Simu and a couple others at the table seemed to be buying it, but it made no sense to Ben. Theodore was an adventurer himself. He had a power that the others didn¡¯t. He benefited from that privilege. Ben understood their new reality. It wasn¡¯t fair, but since when had life really been fair? He¡¯d been one of the rich, and he¡¯d done what he could to help out others.


    Something like the Connected System was completely unfair. It favored the strong. Ben understood that. He accepted it. There were ways to work around that kind of system but it would take time for Clan Brady to get there. A fledgling Clan wouldn¡¯t be fair. There were things that needed to be built first. Eventually it would even out.


    After Theodore had left, Ben had tried talking with Simu but the other wouldn¡¯t listen. Ben was blind, Simu would say. Theodore was right. Lochlan Brady was wrong. Ben recognized the signs of a fanatic. It got so bad, he started distancing himself from Simu.


    Seeing his former co-worker now, Ben cut a sharper angle through the lobby. He didn¡¯t want to talk to Simu. But it was too late. Theodore had seen him and pointed it out to Simu. Ben pretended to not see them, heading for the doors. He could hear Simu picking up his pace, rushing to join him.


    Together, side by side, they walked out the doors.


    ¡°Ben, how have you been?,¡± Simu asked. ¡°It¡¯s been a bit since we talked last.¡±


    ¡°It has and I¡¯ve been busy,¡± Ben replied.


    ¡°Working for Lord Lochlan,¡± Simu said. Ben picked up on the sarcasm.


    ¡°Yes. The Clan needs an economy and Loch tasked me with starting it.¡±


    ¡°Loch,¡± Simu chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten close to our Lord haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Ben sighed.


    ¡°No closer than anyone else. You know he hates being called Lord.¡±


    Simu shrugged.


    ¡°False humility,¡± he said. ¡°Anyone with that level of power isn¡¯t one of us anymore.¡±


    ¡°Us?¡±


    Simu waved his hands at all the people outside the school. They walked down the concrete steps, Ben watching all the activity. It was a nice Fall day out. Not too cold, pleasant with the warmth of the sun. He¡¯d always loved Fall in New England.


    ¡°All of these people,¡± Simu said. ¡°The ones that he forces to be labor.¡±


    He practically spit out the last word.


    Ben sighed.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like building the wall,¡± Ben said. ¡°I didn¡¯t either, but it won¡¯t be much longer. Once we get through the winter, I¡¯ll probably have a place for you in the new banking venture.¡±


    Simu laughed. It was a harsh sound. Ben didn¡¯t like it. The noise was not something he¡¯d ever heard from Simu before the the two had worked closely together for years.


    ¡°You really are one of them now aren¡¯t you?,¡± Simu said, shaking his head. ¡°I had hoped you wouldn¡¯t be but I see I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°One of who?¡±


    ¡°Lord Lochlan¡¯s sycophants,¡± Simu said, turning and leaving.


    He walked away, disappearing into the crowds of people.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Ben watched him go, wondering what had just happened.


    ¡°He¡¯s got it all wrong,¡± a voice said, coming up behind Ben.


    He turned, surprised. He hadn¡¯t heard anyone approaching. The man was about Ben¡¯s age, maybe older. He had long shaggy hair and beard. Very unkempt. The man¡¯s eyes were haunted. He was hunched, tired looking, like he hadn¡¯t eaten in days. One hand rubbed at the side of his head. Ben thought he knew him. Jim? Was that the man¡¯s name?


    He¡¯d been one of the ones that came to the Clanhold with Theodore wasn¡¯t he? Ben thought he¡¯d seen Jim spending a lot of time with Theodore and seemed to look lost when Theodore was running Dungeons and stuff with his adventuring team. What had happened to the man?


    ¡°He¡¯s the sycophant,¡± Jim said, kind of mumbling. ¡°He¡¯s the follower and doesn¡¯t even know it. It¡¯s hard to see and escape,¡± Jim kept talking, walking right by Ben. ¡°I didn¡¯t see for a long time. I do now. But sometimes I don¡¯t. Why does my head always hurt?¡±


    Ben reached out to stop the man. Jim needed to be brought to the healers, but it was too late. The man was gone. Lost in the crowd. Ben would need to remember to tell one of the healers to keep an eye out for Jim. Right now he had to talk to Alison about what other items should be added to the Adventurer¡¯s gear lists.


    ***


    Jake watched the line of people. About a half dozen of them, moving slowly, heads hanging. They were ragged, tired, lacking in hope. Jake had seen eyes like theirs before. The eyes of people that were afraid, tired and worn out. They¡¯d had any resistance beat out of them.


    Sometimes literally.


    Three others walked with them. One in the back, two on the sides. These ones stood straight. They wore mismatched armor but at least wore armor. Each carried swords, one even had a shield and one had a spear.


    Guards with their prisoners. More slaves really. Jake had been watching the people in Concord for a couple of days now, trying to get the lay of the land. He understood the dynamic. The Connected System rewarded those with power, those that craved power. Those that strived to Advance.


    In Concord, the powerful people had taken that to extremes. They¡¯d gained their power and lorded it over others, pushing those weaker down to little more than slaves. And there were a lot of them in Concord. Not as many guards or fighters of any kind.


    From what he¡¯d seen, there were three levels of citizens in the ruins of Concord. The lowest were the slaves. He¡¯d heard them called serfs, but they were slaves. The next level were the guards, called the soldiers. The final level were the knights. Those were the ones that went out and fought the monsters in the city, delved the Dungeons. Those were the ones that got the good stuff, the most powerful.


    The ones in charge of the city and the three hundred or so people now living in the downtown area. That included all three levels of people. Jake hadn¡¯t living in Concord, he didn¡¯t know what the locals had considered downtown. There was a small hotel that the upper level of citizens had taken over, the rest spreading out in the buildings around it. What used to be restaurants, a theater and businesses. A grocery store was down the hill a short distance, along with a liquor store. Both those were now empty, pillaged of everything that had remained.


    Jake had gone into the grocery store the first night he¡¯d been in town, finding absolutely nothing except stuff that had gone rotten. The citizens had taken everything they could. He didn¡¯t blame them. Winter was coming and from what he¡¯d seen, there wasn¡¯t enough food to feed everyone. At least they¡¯d been smart enough to raid the clothing store at the other end of the shopping plaza, so there was plenty of clothing for everyone.


    A large pile of ash lay in the middle of the plaza¡¯s parking lot, the constant wind having blown most of it around, collecting against buildings. Jake had found plenty of bones piled up. He¡¯d been surprised there had been a need to burn bodies, which is what he assumed had happened. Most places he¡¯d been, there were no bodies. The Connection took them. People either Adapted or they disappeared. He assumed they disappeared, since there weren¡¯t any left behind in any houses or apartments and no sign of scavengers eating them.


    He didn¡¯t like what was happening in Concord. But what could he do? One man against all those guards and other Classed people? He knew they all had at least Common or Uncommon Classes. His was Rare, but he was still one person. Even if he was a Level Eighteen Aurastriker, there wasn¡¯t much he could do.


    Shifting his position on top of the five story building¡¯s roof, he watched the small group trudge down Main Street, heading for the buildings that were their quarters. They were at one end, what the remaining street signs had said was North Main Street. The hotel was at the beginning of South Main Street, the actual Main Street between. Other signs said the road heading east was Loudon Road, with indicators for I-93, Route 4 and Route 202. Dover was that direction, Portsmouth even further away.


    Something kept drawing his attention to the West. Something wanted him to go that direction. But he couldn¡¯t leave the people in Concord. There were too many suffering. He thought the world had gotten bigger, which was odd.


    Before he¡¯d headed to Concord, the only reason to go that direction because of that weird something drawing him to go east down Route 4, he¡¯d done a lot of walking in the Goffstown and Manchester areas. He knew the distances, but the space between where it was mostly housing and forests had grown. He was sure of it. The cities and downtowns hadn¡¯t, but the places between had. If that was the case, how long would it take him to walk all the way to Dover? If that was even where he was being drawn to. Maybe he¡¯d have to go all the way to Portsmouth.


    With a sigh, Jake entered the building¡¯s stairwell, making his way down to the first floor. He exited out the back entrance, not wanting to go out onto Main Street. The one group had passed, but there would be more.


    Slowly opening the door, he looked around, making sure there was no one. He¡¯d have to circle back up to Main Street and cross Bridge Street, crossing the long bridge, to get to Loudon Road. He wanted to stay on the ground, but the Merrimack River was in the way and he had no way to cross. Swimming wasn¡¯t an option. He traveled light with his backpack and camping gear, he couldn¡¯t afford for any of it to get wet or lost in the river that was raging far more than it ever had before.


    Best bet was to wait until nightfall, then cross.


    Jake was about to reenter the building, finding an empty apartment to hang out in until dark, maybe find some food or something not pillaged yet, when a sound stopped him. It was grunting and cursing. Followed by a scream. Drawing his swords, Jake ran toward the sounds.


    The noises led him to an alley between buildings. He could see three people. What looked like two men and a woman. The woman was on the ground, hands raised to ward off the two men. None had weapons drawn.


    Jake cursed, Activating one of his powers. A line of energy grew around the sword in his right hand, the edges crackling, little bolts snapping off. Flames spread along the sword in his left. The noise drew the attention of the men.


    ¡°Go away,¡± one said.


    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± followed the other.


    Both took a step towards Jake, eyes on his swords.


    ¡°You might want to leave,¡± he told them.


    They laughed.


    Jake sighed and charged.

 Chapter 251 (5.18)

    ¡°I thought you no longer wanted to follow the path laid out by the Dawnmother,¡± Senora Barkfall said, some of her earlier condescension back in her voice.


    Kelly sighed, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. Senora had been pretty quiet the last few days, which suited Kelly just fine. She really didn¡¯t want to reveal anything to the elf Priestess. But in this case, it wouldn¡¯t hurt and just confuse Senora even more.


    She pointed to the trees on the side of the road. There were still some green leaves but most had turned to browns and reds.


    ¡°See those trees? They were green just a week or so ago. That means Fall is coming. With Fall, it means Winter.¡±


    ¡°We have the seasons on Tirna,¡± Senora said, huffing. ¡°I know what Fall and Winter is.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Kelly said, gesturing to all the people behind them. ¡°Because you and Freyja kept us moving, we weren¡¯t able to build a shelter and gather supplies for the coming Winter. That makes me think Freyja had a plan for that. I really doubt she gathered all these people just to have us all die in the snow.¡± I hope, Kelly thought to herself. She was making a huge assumption but instinct told her she was right. ¡°So we¡¯re going there, to wherever Freyja wants us, in the hope that there will be shelter and food.¡± She turned to glare at Senora. ¡°We¡¯re doing it because you and Freyja gave us no choice.¡±


    Kelly regretted how she¡¯d dealt with Senora coming back from Northwood. Not that she had done it, taking full command of the column, but just how she¡¯d done it. She¡¯d revealed a little too much. She had just told Senora the truth, they needed what Kelly hoped Freyja had waiting for them. Kelly just wished she hadn¡¯t told Senora that they were planning on leaving Freyja¡¯s path.


    It put her in an awkward spot. Senora, and through her Freyja, now knew that Kelly didn¡¯t trust them and wanted to pull away, but they also now knew that Kelly needed them.


    She¡¯d just been so angry about leaving Loch and the girls. Seeing Senora as soon as she stepped out of the portal, hearing the elf priestess¡¯ arrogant attitude, it had set Kelly off. She¡¯d intended to put Senora in her place upon coming back, but not to the extent she had.


    Kelly sighed, turning away from the elf. No use worrying over it now. What¡¯s done was done. Kelly would just have to deal with Freyja when they go to wherever it was they were going.


    ¡°There is always a choice,¡± Senora said. ¡°Turning away from the Dawnmother is a choice and you must deal¡­¡±


    Kelly stopped walking, turning around quickly, making Senora stop abruptly and stumble. The elf looked about to say something but stopped when she saw Kelly¡¯s angry face and finger pointing right at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Kelly hissed out. ¡°You and Freyja haven¡¯t given us a choice. It was always ¡®go this way¡¯ and I¡¯ve been saving as many as I could. You didn¡¯t allow us to stop and gather supplies or build a base, always saying we had to reach Freyja. I went along with it because I was thankful to Freyja for getting me off Martha¡¯s Vineyard. But I¡¯m done just doing what you or what she says.¡±


    Kelly walked around Senora, making the elf turn. She pointed at the hundreds of people behind them. A thick mass of humanity, all with backpacks and bags. Some pushing carts, others pulling wagons. People moved along the edges, watching the buildings and the forests, weapons in hand. Most of them looked tired, haggard. Trudging along just because they had to. There was nothing else for these people. Months of just walking north, only spending a couple days in one place. It was no life. There was no chance to start a life.


    These people should have been in a community like Northwood. The same shelter every night, a farm growing food, people providing protection. Seeing what Loch had accomplished in Northwood had lit a fire under Kelly. She had never liked the column, never really stopping, but had gone along with it because she didn¡¯t see anything else.


    But there was something else. How many Holdstones had they unknowingly passed on the journey? How many places that would have been perfect to turn into a new community?


    Kelly had to admit that she was also to blame for not stopping. She hadn¡¯t wanted to. Always moving, always going North, had fed into her goals as well. She needed to get home to her family and leading the column north, always moving, had kept her on that goal.


    Watching the column, she knew that was where part of her anger came from. Guilt. This was her fault as well. She was going to fix it.


    ¡°Look at them,¡± Kelly said, turning to glare at Senora, making sure the elf priestess was looking at the people. ¡°This is no life for them. They need a community. They need a new home. Wherever we stop, it will be miles and miles from their old homes. They have no purpose besides walking. Even the fighters can¡¯t Level much because we don¡¯t stop long enough for them to fight monsters or run Dungeons. I have no idea what Freyja wants with them but when we get there, that¡¯s it,¡± Kelly said, turning away from Senora, grabbing the woman¡¯s shoulder and yanking her along to get her moving again. ¡°We get through the winter and then that¡¯s it. I don¡¯t care what Freyja wants. These people will have a permanent home and the ones that want to Advance will get a chance to. No more just walking.¡±


    Kelly kept walking, hearing Senora fall into place behind her. She had no idea how many more miles they could get in before having to find a place to rest, then they¡¯d stay there for a day of rest and hunting for food, then keep going. How long until they got to where they were going?


    It would end at some point and all those people would have their community. Kelly had made that vow and she would make sure it happened, no matter what.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ***


    Loch stood on the steps, watching the large sasquatch walk through the yard. Most people had seen Little River Stone by now, but there were some that hadn¡¯t. It was easy to tell who those were. They gawked, pointed and some even turned to run, starting to panic before they realized that none of the many guards present showed any alarm. Then they became curious, asking the ones that weren¡¯t gawking just what was happening.


    For his part, Little River Stone ignored them all. His long strides covered ground quickly, making people move out of his way by sheer presence. Rushing to keep up, T.J. Wolfe followed. The man looked tired, his clothes were covered in dried mud and even some sticks and leaves.


    Loch walked down to join them, stopping to look up at Little River Stone. It was hard to judge the Sasquatch¡¯s expression through the thick hair, but Loch thought he looked worried.


    ¡°Any changes?,¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Little River Stone said. ¡°They have not found it yet.¡±


    ¡°The road¡¯s pretty good all the way there,¡± T.J. replied. ¡°Will still be slow going but we won¡¯t have to cut through the woods. Can use the powerlines to shave off some time,¡± he continued.


    ¡°Great,¡± Loch replied. ¡°Go get some rest, we¡¯ll head out in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± T.J. replied, walking past. He patted Little River Stone on a shaggy arm. ¡°Been fun big guy.¡±


    ¡°I would not call it fun,¡± Little River Stone said, his deep voice confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s a saying,¡± Loch said, motioning the Sasquatch to follow him.


    ¡°It is an odd saying.¡±


    Loch chuckled.


    They walked around the side of the school, between the barracks buildings and the brick wall, passing to the rear. There was a line leading to the three wood-heated shower buildings. Patrick Verneer was still working on a better way to heat water without using so much precious wood, but at least they had showers. There was always a line to the showers. Each member of the Clan was allowed one shower every three days, volunteer attendants keeping track.


    There had already been some corruption, the attendants letting friends and family go more often, or accepting bribes. Ed and Darren had put a quick stop to that. There wasn¡¯t a jail in the Clanhold, sadly Loch feared they¡¯d have to make one soon, but there was still a room that was used for that purpose. If people wanted more showers, they were free to bathe in the lake. It was cold, but they could at least get clean. There just wasn¡¯t enough wood or showers to let people do it more often.


    The showers, another invention of Patricks, were pump and gravity fed, mostly using collected rainwater with some supplemental from the lake. It was an efficient system but required short showers. Loch missed long hot showers.


    ¡°Why are your people doing that?,¡± Little River Stone asked, pointing at the showers.


    ¡°That¡¯s how we get clean.¡±


    ¡°You do not just wash in the rivers and lakes?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have all that fur for insulation,¡± Loch said. ¡°We like our water hot.¡±


    ¡°Your people are strange.¡±


    ¡°That we are.¡±


    They continued past the people, heading for the beach. Loch watched the construction of the south wall. It was progressing well, almost to the water¡¯s edge. Logs twelve feet high were being placed in the ground, along with some parts of CMU blocks and even some concrete being laid in a form. They¡¯d found a book in the library with various ways to make concrete, or near-concrete like building materials. They¡¯d even started experimenting with adobe bricks. Anything to help make the construction faster.


    There was no gate in the south wall, platforms built behind it for archers and guards. The tops of the logs were being sharpened. Loch wasn¡¯t happy with how many logs it was taking to build the entire wall. They had cleared almost twenty feet from the original treeline around the feed and started taking logs from other areas. Workers were removing the stumps, which were being cut into smaller pieces to add to the wood piles to burn over the winter. They had to find a better solution.


    The two stopped at the water¡¯s edge. No one else was around. Loch looked out over the lake. Aside from a couple of fishermen, it was calm. He couldn¡¯t even see the ripples that marked Unfey¡¯s passage. It was calm, peaceful. Something that wouldn¡¯t last.


    ¡°Honest answer,¡± Loch said, looking up at Little River Stone. ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    Little River Stone hummed softly to himself, looking out over the lake. It was still deep and loud, a thrumming sound that Loch could feel the vibrations.


    ¡°I do not know,¡± the Sasquatch finally said. ¡°Giants are tough opponents but the Si-Te-Cah is an unknown quantity. I do not even know what his strength is.¡±


    Loch looked out over the water, second guessing himself. Going after the Silver Bark had been one thing, but going after the giants was a whole other level. The Silver Bark had a code of honor, their version of it, that they would follow and the rules of the Connection. Those were things that Loch had exploited to the advantage of Clan Brady. The giants had none of that.


    They were just large barbarians. Incredibly dangerous.


    He wasn¡¯t even sure that the thing, whatever it was, that the Si-Te-Cah and giants were looking for was going to help them out. He was planning on it. So many plans revolved around it, all based on Little River Stone¡¯s assumptions and feelings.


    The Sasquatch thought he could feel a Natural Resource of incredible power. What else could the Si-Te-Cah be looking for? There were other Natural Resources around, the Grand Oak was one such thing, Loch was sure there were others near the school. Why was the Si-Te-Cah looking in that specific area?


    Loch did know they couldn¡¯t let the giants and Si-Te-Cah find whatever it was.


    He sighed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll spread the word. No one goes out, no Dungeon runs. In a couple days, everyone should be back. We¡¯ll let them rest for a couple days, then we¡¯ll head out.¡±


    Little River Stone made a grunting acknowledgement.

 Chapter 252 (5.19)

    A long column snaked down the road. Loch knew they could save some time cutting straight through the woods as the roads curved and led off the track before swinging back the way they wanted to go. But with this many people, going through the thick woods and the possible monsters, didn¡¯t make sense.


    There were still monsters to deal with. Some things were too stupid to realize that over two dozen Adapted were too much to deal with, but most left the group alone. They could sense the power in the Clan Brady forces.


    Each encounter, no matter how outmatched the monsters were, caused the entire group to slow down. They didn¡¯t want to send too many ahead or spread the entire force out too much. They left gaps in the line for safety, but the tail end was only an hour behind the front end.


    Loch rotated the groups each night. The rear became the middle, the middle the front and the front became the rear. It kept their eyes fresh, changing what they were looking at and for. That included Loch and his small group and bannermen. Harper was with Elora, Sinat, T.J. and others as the scouts, an hour or two ahead of the main group. Piper stayed with Loch, riding Swift.


    ¡°Do we camp here tonight?,¡± Davis asked


    The scouts had stopped, waiting for the rest to catch up. They were at the intersection of 202 and 126, where the Strafford school had once been. Loch could see still scraps of tent and fabric caught on shards of bone. He¡¯d heard the stories from Drew and the ones that had come with him. He could imagine how bad it had looked after the giants rampaged through the camp, killing everyone they saw.


    He turned to see Drew and that group. They had moved to the far side of the torn up road, facing away from the field. He knew they¡¯d lost friends to the giants. It hadn¡¯t been hard to convince those Clanmembers to come on this foray.


    ¡°No,¡± Loch said, answering Davis. He turned to Harper and Elora, motioning them to head out. ¡°Find somewhere else that can hold all of us. We still got an hour or two and we¡¯ll make a late camp if we have to.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a church that was a mile or so down the road,¡± T.J. said. ¡°Where 126 headed into Barrington and 202 turned to head to Rochester.¡± Loch nodded, remembering the small church at the corner and the entire strange intersection with 126 splitting off. ¡°That¡¯s probably a good place.¡±


    Loch caught Harper¡¯s eye, making sure she had heard. She nodded, talking with Elora as the two ran off, turning east down the road.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving,¡± Loch called out.


    People had been sitting on the ground, stretching or getting a quick bite to eat. It didn¡¯t take long for them to get up and get ready to keep moving.


    ***


    ¡°You okay?,¡± Loch asked, coming to sit next to Drew.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± the younger man said. ¡°Was just a little rough seeing that area where¡­,¡± he trailed off, looking at the small fire they¡¯d gotten going.


    Loch wondered what to say. He¡¯d seen a lot of death since the Connection¡¯s arrival, but nothing like what Drew and the other Strafford survivors had dealt with. They¡¯d watched the giants rampage through the camp, an area they thought safe. They¡¯d watched the giants kill all their neighbors and other survivors. Drew had the guilt of having to run, saving the ones he could and leaving the rest to die.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Was there anything to say?


    Hearing soft footsteps approaching, Loch looked over his shoulder. Elora nodded to him, taking a seat on Drew¡¯s other side. Smiling, Loch stood up, knowing the man had the comforting presence he needed.


    Loch moved about the small camp. The church was gone, taken by the worldcore, leaving a wide open space in the Y formed by the two roads, with woods on the open end. Loch felt exposed, but it was large enough for all of them to set up tents and there were enough to spread the watches out through the night. They were still two, maybe three, days from Blue Job. Far enough to not worry about giant patrols, not that any had been sighted when Little River Stone and T.J. had done their scouting mission.


    He clapped people on shoulders, returned greetings, as he walked around the camp. Loch could see the watch about ten feet beyond, watching the treeline and roads, far enough that the firelight wasn¡¯t messing with their night vision. Most had finished eating their meager rations, just relaxing before bedding down in the tents and getting some sleep before their watch.


    Loch could feel the anticipation. Everyone in the small force had been through at least two Dungeon runs, had fought monsters around the school. They were all experienced, combat hardened. All were at least Level Ten. Most barely above it, but that had been Loch¡¯s minimum qualification. He¡¯d left some guards above Level Ten back at the Clanhold, but all of the adventuring teams were there along with most of the Level Ten and higher guards. Darren had wanted to come, but his place was at the school.


    He was still surprised how quickly most had volunteered. No one was being forced. Some saw it as a chance for more experience, a chance to gain Levels and possibly gear. A couple were eager to fight giants. Those were creatures that everyone knew about, had seen or read stories about. Real creatures of myth. Some were eager to face that challenge.


    Loch couldn¡¯t blame them. Even though the Connected System considered that he¡¯d killed one, Loch didn¡¯t think it counted. He¡¯d fought giants in games. Those had always been some fun fights. The reality would be something different, but he couldn¡¯t deny that the idea excited him.


    The Si-Te-Cah worried him. Not even Little River Stone knew much about that race except that they were powerful. Many Adapted races in The Connected System feared them. Loch found it hard to accept that both the Si-Te-Cah and Sasquatch were the original races on Earth. Had humans evolved from both or been a third race that just grew in prominence when the other two had left to explore the Connection?


    Finishing his tour of the camp, Loch returned to the small fire outside the tent he was sharing with his children. Harper wasn¡¯t there but Piper was, sitting close to the fire to use its light. Cerie sat on her shoulder, glowing to provide more light. Piper sketched away in her book.


    ¡°What are you drawing?,¡± Loch asked, sitting down.


    He leaned over to try to get a look. Piper moved it away.


    ¡°Not telling you yet,¡± she said, shifting so she could still see the firelight, but Loch couldn¡¯t see the sketchbook.


    Cerie flapped her wings, lifting off Piper¡¯s shoulder. She hovered in the air, turning to face Loch.


    ¡°I searched my memories again,¡± she said, folding her legs under her, floating in a sitting position. ¡°The Silver Bark have encountered numerous giant Clans over the years, as both the elves and giants inhabited Tirna, but I could not find any records of a Hillgrowl Clan specifically. I tried searching for members using that name, or many variations, but found nothing.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for trying,¡± Loch said.


    Between Cerie, Elora and Sinat, they¡¯d developed a pretty extensive feel for the tactics of giants. It mostly involved using the giant''s overwhelming size and strength. Loch had been hoping for something a little more personal about the Hillgrowl, something they might be able to exploit. Loch wanted all the advantages Clan Brady could get.

 Chapter 253 (5.20)

    Loch looked up at the fire tower, surprised it was still there. He¡¯d hiked past it so many times. Something like the tower, he would have expected the Worldcore to take it for parts. The Worldcore took most things made of metal, why had it left the tower?


    Just one of those things he¡¯d never have an answer to.


    None of the people more experienced with the Connection could provide clear answers on why it did anything it did. Every decision made by the Connected System was to force its Adapted to strive for Advancement, because that made the Connected System stronger.


    The stairs had always been closed off, not accessible to the hikers. He didn¡¯t think the tower was ever used, but someone probably visited it now and then. There¡¯d been a generator building, which was gone.


    How many times had they stopped and snacked at the base of the tower?


    The Blue Job hike was one of Loch¡¯s favorite local ones. Short, only about three miles total and that was if you did the extra out-and-back to the exposed bald faced rocks, where the giants were not searching for something. The main trail was a loop from the parking lot, with the fire tower at its midpoint. Short and fun.


    ¡°Do I go up?,¡± Harper asked, looking at the stairs.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Loch replied.


    Nodding, his oldest started up the stairs, Elora following. Loch walked past the tower, to where the trail leading to the open rocks had been. A stone cairn, rocks stacked on top of each other, had marked the start. Others had kept them on the trail. That cairn was gone, but the trail was obvious.


    The giants had gone through, leaving a broad swath of destruction. Loch thought he could see parts of the mountain down the trail, it was that open. Years ago, a freak tornado had rampaged through the area. Nothing like what the midwest got, this funnel cloud had still left a trail of destruction. A path ripped through the forests. The path of the giant¡¯s reminded Loch of that.


    But instead of broken trees left at angles, the giants had torn up the obstructions, leaving stumps and craters where roots had forcibly been removed. The passage of their large feet had smashed most of it down, leaving a relatively clear path.


    He was hesitant to walk down it. Too exposed. What if a giant came up the hill to the bald top? They¡¯d be easy to see. But then taking the entire force down the trail wasn¡¯t an option either.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Harper said from back at the firetower.


    Loch turned, seeing his daughter waving for him to join her. He jogged back.


    ¡°You need to see this.¡±


    She started back up the stairs, Loch following. He felt the familiar light movement of the steel support structure as he climbed. Vibrations from the footsteps, pressure from the wind, combining to move the structure. The first time he¡¯d ever climbed up one as a kid, he¡¯d been scared of the movements, but his father had told him that it was designed that way.


    ¡°Tall buildings move,¡± he had said. ¡°They¡¯re meant to.¡±


    Since that day, Loch hadn¡¯t been bothered by a building¡¯s movements.


    He followed Harper to the top and the open platform. He felt exposed, having a pretty good view for miles in all directions. Looking to the southwest, Loch thought he could see Coe-Brown. Shifting east a bit, he did see the partially constructed watchtower they were building on top of Saddleback Mountains. The construction had stopped as other things took priority and most likely wouldn¡¯t be done before Winter. Seeing the view from the firetower, Loch moved the priority of finishing the watchtower up the Spring list. They needed the view that tower would give them. Blue Job¡¯s tower was much lower and had a commanding view of the surrounding land. With the tower on top of Saddleback, they¡¯d be able to see into Deerfield, Nottingham and maybe all the way into Raymond and beyond.


    He turned away from the view of the Clanhold, looking the way Harper was pointing. Elora was still there, watching. Loch moved to the rail, surprised by what he saw.


    Finding the bald tops of the mountain was easy, following it down the slope to what had once been heavy forest, Loch saw the destruction caused by the giants. He could see them, over a dozen, moving through the cleared area, stepping around the stumps. Some were pulling up more trees, others ripping off branches and throwing them on a huge pile to the side. Still others carried the trees, now just trunks, off to the other side and another huge pile. In between, off to the side, were rough hide teepees. A couple dozen of them, held up by more trees.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The giants had cleared what looked to be acres of forest. Trunks ripped from the ground, some broken off leaving jagged stumps. Loch had seen pictures of hurricane aftermath. That¡¯s what he was looking at. The giants were a force of nature, destroying the forest as they searched for something.


    He tried looking for the Si-Te-Cah, thinking the pale white skin and flaming red hair would be easy to spot. But he couldn¡¯t see the relatively smaller person among the taller giants.


    ¡°There, that hill to the right,¡± Elora said, pointing to a spot off center. ¡°Move,¡± she grumbled as a couple giants crossed in front of whatever she was looking at.


    Loch waited for the giants to move, watching the spot Elora had called out. There were a couple of exposed hills, no more trees to cover them up, just dirt and rock. Some small clusters of boulders remained, but others had been moved, the push marks in the ground evident. The giants finally moved out of the way, letting Loch see the hill that had interested Elora.


    It wasn¡¯t much different from the others. A little shorter and wider, but still bald faced rock, dirt and stumps. Then he saw the crack. Thin and jagged, but an entrance of some kind.


    ¡°A Dungeon?¡±


    ***


    ¡°That does not make sense,¡± Little River Stone grumbled. ¡°I do not believe the Si-Te-Cah would go through all that trouble just for a Dungeon.¡±


    ¡°The only things able to be taken from a Dungeon are rewards,¡± Cerie said. She sat on Piper¡¯s shoulder, her glow as low as she could get it. ¡°And those are somewhat random. It¡¯s to prevent someone from targeting a specific Dungeon over and over to get the rewards. The Connected System wants the Adapted to move on from a lower ranked Dungeon to a higher ranked. If there were valuable Resources in a Dungeon, the Adapted would remain there and never strive for more.¡±


    ¡°But Dungeons do have unique Resources,¡± Piper said. ¡°Things only found in those Dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Cerie replied. ¡°A Dungeon might have a plant or monster that drops a specific kind of hide, but similar will be available at higher Ranked Dungeons. Remember, equipment has Level ranges. A sword made with materials from a Low Ranked Dungeon will only serve the Adapted for a set number of Levels before they have to upgrade. If they like the properties of that sword, they would find equivalent higher Level Resources to have a new sword made.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Piper said, returning to her sketchbook.


    She still wouldn¡¯t let Loch see what she was drawing. It had to be detailed, she¡¯d been working on the same sketch for a long time.


    ¡°Having the Hillgrowl clear all that land wouldn¡¯t have been necessary if they were looking for just a Dungeon,¡± Cerie continued. ¡°Dungeons are meant to be found.¡±


    ¡°So a Natural Resource in a cave?,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Yes. Such things are rare but are known to exist,¡± Little River Stone said.


    ¡°The Si-Te-Cah will be in the cave,¡± Loch said.


    He looked around the camp. It was a cold night. No fires this close to the giant''s encampment. People huddled around their tents, extra blankets over their shoulders. None were sleeping yet. Loch could feel the tension in the air. Tomorrow would be the fight with the giants. People were amped up, ready. They needed sleep but the anticipation was making it hard. Loch felt the same way. He could feel the energy coursing through his body. It was like before a big client meeting, or a baseball game back when he¡¯d played. Ready to go, not wanting to wait. Wanting to get it over with, good or bad.


    They¡¯d fall asleep eventually.


    ¡°At least there won¡¯t be giants,¡± Drew said. ¡°From what you described, they won¡¯t be able to fit.¡± He turned to the Sasquatch. ¡°And you said that the Si-Te-Cah is the only non-giant here?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Will you be able to fit?,¡± Loch asked the big Sasquatch.


    ¡°I do not know,¡± he replied. ¡°I should as I am not that much bigger than the Si-Te-Cah.¡±


    Loch looked around the small group gathered at the base of the firetower. Piper was there so Cerie would be, otherwise she would have been sent to the tent with her sister. Davis being there had angered Harper, wondering why she couldn¡¯t, but as Davis was in charge of one of the teams, he needed to be in the final planning session. The other adventuring team leaders were there, along with Jason Hermann, who Darren had put in charge of the guards. One of the first guards Loch had recognized by sight, Jason had Advanced quickly, wanting to be given greater responsibility in the Clan.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Loch said, addressing them. ¡°That means we¡¯ll have to change things up a bit.¡±

 Interlude Thirty-Six (5.Interlude Two)

    Theodore hated camping. Always had. It was a miserable experience. And what they were doing wasn¡¯t even camping. It was worse. A lot of them, all in tents, huddled around a firetower. No fires and the nights were getting cold. He hated it and wanted to get back to the Clanhold.


    But he couldn¡¯t. They were there on a mission for Lord Lochlan. Something vital to the survival and growth of the Clan.


    Theodore didn¡¯t believe it, but he couldn¡¯t argue. That would draw too much attention to himself. Instead he had to suffer. Whenever he and his team went out, they made sure to try and stay in an abandoned house when it was a night or multiple. There had been a couple where there had been no choice but to ¡®rough it¡¯, as Roger called it. Theodore had hated those times, but at least they¡¯d been able to have a fire.


    He pulled the blanket tighter around him. Even dressed in thermal underwear and a jacket, he could feel the chill. Others didn¡¯t seem to mind. It was a Fall night, not that cold. Not with Winter coming. But for Theodore, it was cold.


    And that was all that mattered.


    He didn¡¯t want to be there. Back at the Clanhold, he could work to build his hive even more. It was already big, and would only get bigger. He could hear the Voice. It was coming closer. But now it was further away. The Voice had stopped, waiting for Theodore to return. It wouldn¡¯t do to arrive at the Clanhold without Theodore there.


    That made Theodore smile. The Voice¡¯s plans required him.


    He shifted, trying to get comfortable on the ground. He¡¯d piled a blanket under him, which wasn¡¯t helping. Just making the blanket cold, which would remain cold through the night. The tent was small and he had to share with Mike Turner. Which was even more aggravating than being wherever they were.


    Blue Job?


    Whatever that was. Theodore sighed. Maybe he could convince Mike to give up his extra blanket?


    The group gathered around Loch broke apart, the various people going their own ways. Two people, talking quietly, walked toward Theodore. Roger and Josh Hauser. Josh nodded to Theodore, who returned it briefly, before continuing to his people and their tents. Roger sat down next to Theodore, grabbing his own blanket from where he¡¯d left it.


    The cold and roughing it didn¡¯t seem to bother Roger. But he was a veteran, probably used to roughing it in warzones. Theodore never asked because he didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Lochlan¡¯s changing the plan,¡± Roger grumbled. ¡°Going off on some sidequest of his own with that big hairy beast.¡±


    Theodore looked toward Lochlan and the Sasquatch. A real live Bigfoot. When the Voice had learned there was a Sasquatch around, it had warned Theodore to be careful. The creatures were strong, magical and dangerous. Best to avoid. Theodore had done his best.


    The thing was ugly. Tall, wide, covered in thick and coarse hair. When it talked, it was a rumble. Theodore didn¡¯t understand what was so dangerous about the monster. It had size and physical strength, but hadn¡¯t displayed any magical Abilities yet. But the Voice warned him about the Sasquatch, and Theodore always listened to the Voice.


    The creature shifted, looking right at Theodore. He looked back at Roger, pretending he hadn¡¯t been staring.


    ¡°The thing is freaky,¡± Roger continued, but smartly kept his voice low. Theodore had to lean over to hear. ¡°They kept talking about something called a Ce-Toe-Crow or something.¡±


    Theodore knew what that was. The Voice had told him. Si-Te-Cah. If the Sasquatch was to be avoided, that was to be run away from.


    ¡°Lord,¡± Roger continued, sneering the word. ¡°Lochlan and the bigfoot are going after the Crow thing in some cave. Not a Dungeon, they made sure we understood that. But just a cave. It¡¯s too small for the giants to enter. Or so they saw. The only ones that have seen it are Lochlan, his daughter and that elf woman that¡¯s always around them. Saw it from the top of the tower, but no one else has been able to go up.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Theodore nodded, not really caring. The sooner they dealt with the Giants, the sooner he could be back at the Clanhold continuing to build up the hive and the sooner the Voice would arrive.


    But getting rid of the threat of the giants and this Si-Te-Cah would help his goals. Some people would die, which would weaken Lochlan¡¯s forces. And the threat of the giant would be eliminated, making the Clan¡¯s territory safer for when he took over.


    Which would be soon.


    Theodore smiled, suddenly not as cold as he¡¯d been.


    ***


    Mike Turner watched her.


    Harper had left the group around her father, a group he hadn¡¯t been invited to. He should have. He could have contributed, probably more than Davis who had been there. How had Davis gotten his own group to run? Mike was stuck under Roger¡¯s command. At least Theodore being there helped make it more bearable.


    Mike rubbed at his temples. The headache just would not go away.


    Davis walked up next to Harper, the two heading away toward the firetower. The sun was setting, it got dark quickly this time of year. Had the clocks changed? Mike wasn¡¯t sure. He wasn¡¯t sure what the day was or even what the month was. It was Fall, that¡¯s all he knew. The leaves were changing, falling.


    Back before the Connection, his father would be on him nonstop about raking the leaves. He¡¯d do it, more would fall and his father would be all over him again. Why didn¡¯t they just wait until all the leaves had fallen? It made no sense. But as soon as one touched the grass, his father wanted it gone.


    Not now. They all had greater concerns. Mike imagined the grass at their home was covered in leaves. Not that he¡¯d go back and find out. He had no desire to see the old home. That was the old life. He had a new one now.


    A better one.


    The only thing he didn¡¯t have was her.


    It wasn¡¯t fair. He didn¡¯t even get a shot. Davis slid right in. Stronger, higher Leveled. Davis had always been popular in school, of course Harper would fall for him. Mike was growing in strength. Not quite equal to Davis, he doubted he would be as long as both kept a similar Leveling trajectory. But he was strong. He could hold his own.


    He and Harper were meant to be together. Ever since they were kids. Their parents had said so, when they had been kids and spending time together. Mike had latched onto that thought. They¡¯d grown apart as they aged, but Mike had always envisioned them together.


    There still had to be a way for that to happen?


    But now Davis was in the way.


    The two disappeared down the slope, past some bushes, where Mike couldn¡¯t see them. He was tempted to follow but there were too many people on top of the hill. Someone would see him. That wouldn¡¯t do.


    How could he get Harper to notice him?


    First step was to remove Davis.


    There was a battle coming up. Maybe an accident?


    Mike smiled, turning away and heading back to the tent he was going to share with Theodore. At least Harper and Davis weren¡¯t sharing a tent. She was with Lochlan and the other sister in the largest tent on the hill. Davis was sharing with one of the members of his adventuring team.


    Theodore was where Mike had left him a couple minutes earlier but now Roger was there, talking quietly. They saw him approaching, there was no way to avoid talking with Roger. It was still too early to go to bed, besides he had a watch rotation in a couple of hours, or whenever someone told him it was his turn.


    It was so hard to keep track of time with no watches or phones.


    ¡°Mike,¡± Roger said. ¡°Ready for tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± he replied, sitting down, wrapping his arms around his knees.


    Mike really wanted a fire.


    Roger chuckled.


    ¡°Better be. This will be the toughest fight we¡¯ve had yet.¡±


    Mike wondered how Roger knew that. The older man hadn¡¯t fought a giant. They¡¯d all fought the same things. No giants or anything of that size. Mike did agree that it would be a tough fight. He¡¯d seen the destruction the giants had left. The things had to be huge and tough.


    Maybe he could kill one solo, show Harper how strong he was?


    Or maybe one would crush Davis and Mike would be there to comfort her.

 Chapter 254 (5.21)

    Loch moved through the thick woods, keeping an eye on the giant-made clearing to his left. He could see the thick legs, almost trees themselves, of the giants as they moved around. He¡¯d gone up into the fire tower before setting out, watching the giants, trying to gauge patrols or anything else they might be doing.


    No patrols, no set patterns. The giants looked kind of bored, just wandering around with nothing to do. They cleared more trees, but it just looked like busy work. What they¡¯d been looking for had been found, there was nothing else to do until the Si-Te-Cah finished doing what he was doing.


    For Loch and his people, that was ideal. It gave them an advantage. There was no watch, no giants guarding or watching the forest. They weren¡¯t under attack by wandering monsters, most of which were smart enough to stay away from the large amount of giants. There was no one for miles around, no other Clans or tribes. Loch could understand why the giants were lax. Their leadership was failing, and Loch intended to take full advantage of it.


    He looked over his shoulder, trying to see Little River Stone. The Sasquatch was impossible to find in the forest. He blended in, turning almost invisible. He hoped Little River Stone was still there.


    Turning toward the clearing, Loch moved slower, making sure each step was solid and not going to break a branch or crackle a leaf. Surprisingly for their size, the giant''s senses weren¡¯t enhanced, but he was close enough that almost anyone would hear the sound of a branch snapping.


    He stopped right at the treeline, seeing the hill about fifty feet away. The entrance was on the other side, away from his view. He hadn¡¯t been able to get a good view from the firetower, he didn¡¯t know if there were traps or anything. It wouldn¡¯t be long until he found out.


    Looking to the right of the hill, he saw a handful of giants. None were looking at the hill, or the bald face of Blue Job beyond, they were just milling around the treeline, trying to look busy. One grunted something, Loch couldn¡¯t hear it. Another shoved the first. A third broke it up, pointing toward the collection of tents. That¡¯s where Loch assumed the Hillgrowl leader was. He wanted to attack the tent, attack the leader, but that wasn¡¯t his role in this fight.


    Loch had made the plan himself, but wasn¡¯t a huge fan. He wanted to be in the thick of the action with his people, able to respond and aid them when or where needed. Able to intercept a giant attack, or reinforcements. But that wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d be doing. He had to completely trust his people to handle the giants without his presence.


    He did trust his people. He just wanted to be there. This entire fight, he wouldn¡¯t know what was happening. Loch didn¡¯t like that, but he¡¯d do what he needed, go where he needed and trust that Clan Brady would do their job.


    ***


    Harper crouched down at the edge of the bare rock, behind one of the few bushes that remained. She¡¯d been to Blue Job many times, and explored almost every inch of the exposed rock. How many times had she and Piper played behind the small wall that had been built against the rock, making a little fort? That was gone now, destroyed by the giants.


    She was getting tired of seeing so many of her childhood memories destroyed by the Connected System and those it allowed to come to Earth. She hated that so much was destroyed. By now, her house was probably gone. Some random monsters tearing holes in it to get at anything left inside, or using it as shelter.


    She knew she could find out. There were Clanmember living just up the street, farming the Turkey Spawn Field for the birds. They¡¯d probably know the status of her house, but was it that important? Did she really want to find out it was destroyed?


    No, she had decided. She¡¯d cling to the memory of how it had been the last time they¡¯d been there. Even more, she¡¯d cling to the memory of how it had been right before the Connection. When it had been home.


    She watched the giants, saw the hill her father would be going for. Harper couldn¡¯t see her father, not from this distance, but she could guess where he was. Looking over to the left, she could see Elora, further beyond were the Clan¡¯s archers and the special surprises that Lewis Bergmann and Patrick Verner had come up with. Harper didn¡¯t know exactly what they would do, but the two men had said it would be explosive.


    Looking back, she couldn¡¯t see the mass of Clan Brady¡¯s people. They were crouched down on the opposite slope, just waiting for the signal. She glanced at the sun, trying to gauge its height, glad she wasn¡¯t the one that would give the signal.


    That would be Drew, who was near Elora, looking at the sun. Harper knew her father would be in position, but would the others? How long was it going to take? Drew couldn¡¯t wait forever. From what she understood, it wasn¡¯t vital that they get in position right away.


    Harper liked having additional responsibilities, but she was glad she didn¡¯t have the one Drew had. Wait too long, and they might lose their chance to surprise the giants. Even as lazy as the large humanoids appeared, at some point they would detect the Clan Brady attackers. Call the signal too soon, and the others wouldn¡¯t be ready for their part.


    It was a delicate balance.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Harper knew that someday she¡¯d be in that position. The Clan would be hers someday in the far future, hopefully the very far future. She was just glad she didn¡¯t have to do it now. Her level of responsibility was enough. Her father trusted her on her own, to handle herself. At fifteen, she knew that was something that never would have happened Pre-Connection. She wasn¡¯t one to fool around, rarely got in trouble. She did her schoolwork, maybe not the best student but it got done, and she focused on her athletics. She practiced, she was dedicated.


    She knew a lot of kids in her school that had goofed around, fooled around, just did enough to get by. That hadn¡¯t been what she had wanted. She wanted more than to just get by.


    The same for her new life in the Connection. She wanted to Level, to be one of the strongest, and eventually be the Clanleader. There were many in the Clan just working to get by. That wasn¡¯t the life she wanted. She wanted the thrill of Advancement and the responsibility that came with being a future leader.


    But for now, she was happy the choice wasn¡¯t hers to make.


    Glancing back again, she tried to find where Piper was. She¡¯d been told to stay at the rear lines, using her summons to reinforce the Clan where she could. Harper knew Piper would mostly do that, but her youngest sister had been working on something in that sketchbook of hers. She had some plan. Harper didn¡¯t know what it was, but hoped it would still keep Pipes safe.


    ***


    Piper made a couple more lines across the drawing. The detail was coming in. She had learned where and how to apply details. If she put too much detail into the entire drawing, it would sap a lot of her strength when summoned. The inksummon would be strong, but she had learned that it didn¡¯t always need to be that strong. Not enough detail, and it would be too weak.


    There was a fine line to give the inksummon just enough for it to last a while, be strong and not use up all of her Spirit. She was slowly learning how to find that line. What made it difficult was the line was different for each type of summon. There was a lot of guessing involved.


    She was learning that if she did more detail in a specific area, like an inkcat¡¯s claws, and less elsewhere, it was easier to find that line. The whole purpose of an inkcat was to attack with its claws. The tail didn¡¯t need a lot of detail, the body just needed to look like a cat¡¯s and have the flexibility and agility. She didn¡¯t need to define much more than that. Anything else would be a waste of her Spirit.


    For the coming fight, if her idea worked, she was going to need a lot of Spirit.


    Piper moved the sketchbook away, angling it to see better. The lighting wasn¡¯t good. She was in the shadows, her back to the rock, facing the woods, able to see the firetower over the trees. Everyone around her was facing the stone, some just looking over the top, watching the giants. She had looked when they first got there, when her dad had set off on his own mission. The giants were scary. Huge. She¡¯d never liked giants in stories, even the BFG movie. She hadn¡¯t like that and never bothered reading the book, even though she loved most of Dahl¡¯s stuff. Just the idea of gigantic humans. Piper didn¡¯t know why that bothered her. Jack and the Beanstalk had been one of her least favorite childhood stories.


    She didn¡¯t need to look to know what was happening. Her role wasn¡¯t in the frontline attackers. She was support, hanging back, using her summons where needed. As such, she didn¡¯t need to see what happened right away. Piper had been told to give it a couple minutes, let the others start the attack and then look to see where she would be needed the most.


    It had bothered her that Harper got to be more in the action, but she was starting to understand more about Classes and roles. Her Ink Summoner Class was support. She wasn¡¯t meant to be in melee fighting, or in-close combat. That was what her summons were for. She understood, but still wanted to have a more active role. Not just throw her summons into the battle.


    Cerie had told her that in the future, her Class would grow to where she could be a solo combatant. More than anyone in the Clan except her dad¡¯s Class, she would be able to do Dungeons and fight on her own. Harper was strong, but she couldn¡¯t tank or have ranged damage. She was limited to in-close combat.


    Piper would be able to have a tank, melee damage and ranged damage. The only thing she was missing was healing, and there would be ways to compensate for that. She thought of one of the new wands.


    WAND OF GENTLE CARESS


    It had a strange name but the Abilities were awesome.


    THE WAND WHEN ACTIVATED WILL CAST A HEALING SPELL THAT RESTORES HEALTH AND STAMINA AT THE COST OF THE CASTER¡¯S SPIRIT. THE SPELL CAN BE DIRECTED AT ANY TARGET, INCLUDING THE CASTER. HEALS 5% OF TOTAL HEALTH OVER ONE MINUTE. HEALS 5% OF TOTAL STAMINA OVER ONE MINUTE. CAN ONLY BE USED EVERY EIGHT HOURS. HEALS +1% HEALTH FOR EVERY FIVE LEVELS OF THE CASTER. HEALS +1% STAMINA FOR EVERY FIVE LEVELS OF THE CASTER. EVERY FIVE LEVELS OF THE CASTER REDUCES THE TIME BETWEEN CASTINGS BY 10 MINUTES.


    It wasn¡¯t that strong. The wand¡¯s single spell wouldn¡¯t heal much, but it was something. It was also an indication that she could get stronger healing items as she grew in strength. The other wands helped with her other shortcomings.


    With her summons she could do a lot of things.


    If the new summons worked the way she hoped it would, she would be able to do even more. Stuff that her dad wouldn¡¯t be happy with. But she wanted to help. She wanted to do more.


    Understanding and doing were two different things.


    This would be the perfect time to test things. Her dad was going to be busy elsewhere, he wouldn¡¯t be able to see what she tried. Harper would be busy. Everyone would. No one would be watching her.


    Piper smiled, adding some more detail to the drawing.

 Chapter 256 (5.23)

    Loch stepped out into the cavern. He didn¡¯t move deep, staying in the opening. He didn¡¯t have Onyx or Bulwark summoned. The Si-Te-Cah was to the left of the stone, a little forward, the light behind him, making it hard to see the full figure. Loch didn¡¯t see any weapons. There was no sign of Abilities being Activated.


    ¡°I can sense your Presence. You are strong and have a Patron already? That is interesting. Most times the Divine Beings,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said that part with a sneer. ¡°Do not get involved for much longer. My people have been able to take advantage of their inattention. I had hoped this would be one of those times.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    The Si-Te-Cah made a motion that looked like a shrug.


    ¡°Just as I said.¡± He turned his back on Loch, stepping closer to the stone. ¡°We arrive on newly Connected Worlds, looking to claim as many Natural Resources as we can. Unlike many in the Connection, growing their Clans is all they care about. We are not like that.¡±


    ¡°There are more of you on Earth?¡±


    The Si-Te-Cah looked at Loch over his shoulder. Even with the light behind him, hiding many details, Loch could see the predatory smile.


    ¡°That is a good question. One you will never know.¡±


    He turned back to the stone, starting to walk around it.


    He doesn¡¯t fear me, Loch realized. Nothing about the Si-Te-Cah showed worry about anything Loch could do. If the strange humanoid cared about any fighting outside of the cave, he didn¡¯t show it. He was focused entirely on the glowing stone. Loch could feel himself getting angry. He knew there were stronger beings on Earth, but he was the strongest human. He was the same Level as the Si-Te-Cah. How dare this person ignore him. He had come here to fight and stop the giants and Si-Te-Cah. Not be ignored. How dare this creature. This invader. This was Loch¡¯s home, not those creatures.


    He raised a hand, ready to summon Onyx and throw it, but stopped. Loch took a deep breath. A pressure lifted from his mind, something he hadn¡¯t even realized was there.


    YOUR MENTAL RESISTANCE HAS GAINED RANK TWO


    ¡°Interesting,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said. ¡°Most cannot resist my mind pushing.¡±


    The 8 foot tall humanoid took a step closer.


    ¡°It is so much funner playing with my prey when they are enraged.¡±


    ¡°What is that stone?¡± Loch asked, wanting to keep the Si-Te-Cah talking.


    The more he could learn, the better. Aside from somehow pushing at Loch¡¯s mind, making him angry, he didn¡¯t know what this creature could do. The Si-Te-Cah looked over his shoulder at the stone.


    ¡°My people put that here,¡± he said. ¡°A long time ago, before we even knew what the Connection was or that it existed. Now it would be called a Natural Resource and surprisingly it even uses Spirit. Interesting that the Connection¡¯s energy existed before the Connection. Almost like it is something that exists everywhere and the Connection only steals it.¡± He turned back to look at Loch. ¡°That is all the Connection is. A thief. It steals what was already there. You Adapted are just filters for it.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the Si-Te-Cah laughed. ¡°We have never been.¡±


    He raised a hand, the robe sliding down revealing pale skin that almost glowed in the light of the stone. He moved his long, thin fingers, tracing different shapes in the air. Trails of faint light followed the fingers, little sparks that fell to the ground.


    ¡°The Connection says it Adapted you but that is not true. None of the so-called Connected Races are Adapted. Adapted for what? To harness and use Spirit? All Adapted were already made to do that. Every world that becomes part of the Connection is a world that already generated Spirit. Maybe not on a grand scale like now, but it was there and all the species and creatures on that world could harness it. In time, thousands of years, with evolution you all would have been able to harness and use Spirit on your own. All the Connection does when it Adapts you is turn you into a filter. It takes Spirit through you and feeds on it, growing stronger. The Connection just pushed your evolution to make itself, not you, stronger.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Loch didn¡¯t know how much of what the creature was saying was true. Some of it fit with what he had learned. But did it matter? Life was now under the rules of the Connected System. That was their reality. There was nothing they could do to change that. Loch and his family, his people, everyone on Earth, just had to deal with the new world.


    ¡°What is the stone?¡± Loch asked again.


    ¡°A power source,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said. ¡°There are more spread around the Earth. All meant to be connected,¡± he laughed at the use of the word. ¡°Everything is connected one way or the other.¡±


    He held up his hand, the light still dancing around it, pointing a long finger at Loch.


    ¡°But I tire of your stalling.¡±


    The light gathered around the finger, twisting along its length. It shot out, streaming toward Loch, still twisting as it cut through the air. Activating Bulwark, he got the shield up, catching the stream of light.


    Loch flew back, knocked off his feet, slamming into the wall behind him. Cracks appeared across the surface of the energy shield. He could feel the energy still crawling across the shield. It didn¡¯t feel like anything he¡¯d felt before. He¡¯d been struck by flames, lightning, water and even shadow energy. They all felt different but there was something that was the same between it all. Loch could feel the Spirit that helped form the different energy types.


    There was no Spirit in the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s attack.


    Using the tunnel wall, Loch pushed himself up, keeping a wary eye on the Si-Te-Cah. The attack hadn¡¯t just been energy but had some pressure and force to it.


    ¡°Your shield is impressive. That was one of my weaker attacks but to still absorb it fully like that is rare. The Connected System does grant some impressive Abilities.¡±


    He raised his other hand, this one glowing more orange. With a flick of his fingers, a small ball of fire shot out. Loch Activated Windstep, rushing past the attack. He knew a fireball when he saw one. He appeared in front of the Si-Te-Cah, swinging Onyx at the humanoid¡¯s head, the swing angled up. The Si-Te-Cah stepped back, quickly and effortlessly. The axe missed.


    The fireball exploded in the tunnel, bright orange flames shooting out, fire filling the entire opening. The shockwave slammed into Loch, staggering him. It didn¡¯t bother the Si-Te-Cah. Loch could feel the waves of heat. The fireball had only been a couple inches in diameter and it had done that amount of damage. Loch was glad that it had exploded in the tunnel and not outside where the damage would have been immense.


    The two attacks, effortless attacks, had been more than anything Loch had dealt with before. The Si-Te-Cah was scary. Even capped at Level Twenty-Five, the power was beyond anything else. But was the Si-Te-Cah really capped? He had said he was outside the Connection. Were Levels even something that applied to him?


    Loch kept attacking, keeping Onyx swinging, making the Si-Te-Cah stepping back. The arms had returned to clasping behind the back, red hair swaying with each movement. It was just steps, a twist of the waist, each of Loch¡¯s blows barely missing. But they did miss, not even catching the flowing robes. He Activated all of his buffs. Aura Of Attack, Breaker¡¯s Banner and even Offensive Stance. He Activated Precision Strike, wanting to see where the weak areas were.


    The Ability showed nothing. No yellow dots. Nothing like what he was used to seeing. Loch¡¯s swings stopped for a second as the shock rolled through him, but he pushed forward, not wanting to give the monster a chance to cast a spell. How could there be no weaknesses?


    Loch swung Onyx, staggering to a stop as something caught it. The Si-Te-Cah smiled, holding the axe by the shaft, below the head. Loch pushed, trying to drive the axehead down against the monster¡¯s head. The smile grew and with a flick of his wrist, the Si-Te-Cah sent Loch flying.


    Loch landed hard, rolling to a stop and jumping up, holding Bulwark in front of him, Onyx ready to throw. The Si-Te-Cah laughed, a horrible sound that echoed through the cavern.


    ¡°If you are the most powerful this world has to offer, conquering it will be child¡¯s play.¡±


    He raised both hands, one glowing white and the other red, pointing fingers at Loch. Bracing himself, Loch expanded Bulwark as large as it would go, sacrificing thickness for more protective area. He was up against the wall with nowhere to go.

 Chapter 257 (5.24)

    Harper stepped out of the Shadow Realm near the treeline at the rear of the fight. Blood dripped from both bladed tonfas as she surveyed the battle, trying to find where she was needed. It was a chaotic mess. What had started with somewhat defined lines was anything but now. Giants stood everywhere, turning and slamming clubs and axes down into the ground trying to hit the much smaller humans surrounding them. Most giants had three or four members of Clan Brady facing them, keeping them turning constantly. Some only had one or two.


    Brian swung his huge club, shattering a giant¡¯s knee. The monster fell to the ground, Brian immediately moving and swinging the club down on the giant¡¯s head. The ground shook from the impact. The annoying twins, always finishing each other¡¯s sentences, she could never tell them apart, attacked another giant. One stabbed with their spear, causing the giant to turn, giving the other an opening. They kept moving in a circle, clockwise and then counter clockwise, leaving the giant confused. Drew and Davis were and weren¡¯t working together. One would charge a giant, engaging it and then moving on. The other would follow up, attacking the distracted giant.


    Everywhere she looked, the giants seemed to be on the losing end of the fighting. The problem was that there were more giants and she didn¡¯t think the leaders, the higher Leveled ones had gotten involved yet.


    A group hung back by the tents, avoiding the periodic blasts from what were being called Spirit Cannons. Harper thought it a dull name, but it worked and fit what the weapons did. The blasts were enough to keep the next wave of giants back. But it wouldn¡¯t last long. Harper knew they would join the battle. She thought Clan Brady would be able to hold out, but it would be much harder.


    She had seen a couple Clanmembers fall, dragged out of the fight and up the hill to the waiting healers, but if the other giants attacked it would mean spreading out and more would fall. She¡¯d been moving from giant to giant, cutting tendons and making a nuisance of herself. Harper knew she could take a giant one on one. Not easily, but she could do it. Her role had been to cripple or hurt the giants, moving around the battlefield and letting the others finish the monsters. If a group of Clanmembers was getting overwhelmed, jump into the fight with a couple quick attacks, and move on.


    There had to be more she could do.


    The multi-colored sparks of experience danced around the battlefield, some entering her. It provided an odd glow to the fighting, as did the glow of Abilities and the lights from the casters on the hill, doing the same as the cannons and keeping the rest of the giants out of the fight.


    Harper Activated Shadowskip, the world losing its color, turning to shades of gray. Time slowed down, every movement of those outside the Realm dragging as if moving through water. It didn¡¯t affect Harper as she ran, crossing the distance in seconds. She moved into the giant¡¯s camp, running around the tents, searching.


    Fires had started early in the battle, but those had been extinguished, the ruined tents moving in the constant wind, some pulling at the ropes that barely held them down. There were fire pits, the fires still going, snapping and cracking in the wind. The oranges and reds looked odd, turned into shades of gray. Then there were the giants, a dozen of them, standing back among the tents, watching the battle. A couple crouched, ready to rush into the fight.


    Explosions came from in front of them, rock and debris thrown up. Oddly colored streaks of energy striking the ground or any giant that got too close. At some point the casters would run out of Spirit, the cannons run out of the propane gas projectiles.


    One of the giants stood away from the front. He barked out, pointing at various spots around the battle, the others turning and nodding. That was the leader.


    Harper could feel herself getting chill. She had spent too long in the Shadow Realm.


    Stepping out, she slashed a tonfa, cutting through the rope holding the hide tent. The wind took it, flying it right into a fire pit. The dry hide went up quickly, the wind pushing the flaming tent beyond. The giants saw it, and the next, which Harper had to throw into the fire herself. Using her tonfa¡¯s tip, she pulled it out, throwing it on the undamaged tent. Both were on fire, the flames spreading.


    She jumped back into the Shadow Realm, running around the camp, jumping out on the far side. Her tonfas slashed across the heels of a giant, cutting deep. The giant humanoid screamed in pain, falling to the ground as the tip pierced the back of his knees. He slammed hard, the ground shaking. Harper jumped up onto his back, spearing a tonfa down into muscle to hold herself up. The other slashed across the back of the giant¡¯s head. She ran up and to the side, tonfa spearing into the shoulder, the other slashing across the neck. It wasn¡¯t an angle where she could get a deep cut, but it was enough.


    Harper heard another giant coming, felt the pressure wave of the air being pushed forward. Pulling her tonfa out, she leaned back, falling into a roll down the body as a club passed where she¡¯d been. She skipped back into the Shadow Realm, jumping out behind that giant. Her tonfas cut across the giant¡¯s back, a female one. She twisted, the club coming down where Harper had been. Missing as Harper jumped to the side, the club followed, just missing again. Harper leapt up, tonfa cutting across the giant¡¯s hand. With a roar, the giant swung the club down, realizing at the last second where it was aimed. The club slammed into the first giant¡¯s head, crushing it.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    The female giant yelled something, a name or curse, Harper didn¡¯t know. The giant was angry, swinging the club wildly. Harper disappeared into the shadows. The giant looked around, trying to find her. Harper appeared right in front of the giant, jumping out of a nearby tree, tonfas leading. They pierced the chest of the female giant, who looked down in surprise. A hand reached down, trying to grab Harper, but she had already flipped away, dragging the tonfas through the giant¡¯s body, leaving wide slashes. Landing on her feet, Harper ran forward, ducking low and running between the wide spread legs. Tonfas slashed out, cutting deep as she ran, Activating Shadowskip and disappearing.


    The giants pulled together, back to back, eyes watching everywhere. They didn¡¯t see Harper reappear back by the treeline, not until they felt the small sharp pains from throwing knives. Enraged, a couple of the giants chased after Harper, forgetting where they were. A blast from a Spirit Cannon caught one in the shoulder, knocking it down. A fireball slammed into the chest of the other.


    Harper didn¡¯t stop to finish off the two, seeing a group of Clan Brady fighters in trouble.


    ***


    ¡°Stay up here Piper,¡± Kim Hudson called out.


    Piper waved a hand, acknowledging that she heard. She didn¡¯t move though. Kim was too busy firing her spells to really pay attention, allowing Piper to take another couple steps down the rocky slope. She fired another blast from her wand, the pure silver energy streaking down and striking a giant.


    She saw her remaining inksummons darting around the battlefield. Only a cat and wolf remained. The bear and lion had been destroyed early on. Which is what she had planned. Those two had managed to nearly take down a giant on their own before others had smashed them with clubs. She had sent out more of the smaller, having them assist other Clanmembers, not focusing on any one giant, but wounding and distracting multiple. A couple had been destroyed when they¡¯d leapt in front of an attack meant for a Clan Brady fighter, blocking and disrupting the attack, possibly saving the Clanmembers life.


    She knew she could send out some more larger ones, but was trying to conserve her Spirit. It was a balancing act. She had a role to play in the battle, which required inksummons, but she had an idea of something she wanted to try, which would require a lot of ink. Piper knew if it came down to it, she¡¯d unleash more bears and lions, maybe even the inkdragon that she had redrawn and added detail, making it stronger. If the Clan was in trouble, she knew what to do.


    But part of her really wanted to try out her idea. It was dangerous. She¡¯d get yelled at by a lot of people, not just her dad and Harper. But if it worked, so many more possibilities would be opened up to her. A whole new way to use her Abilities.


    She¡¯d reviewed the drawing with Mr. Verner, who her dad had said was an engineer. He¡¯d been impressed with her blueprint. That¡¯s what her dad had called the drawing he¡¯d shown her once of how a piece of equipment was built. The blueprint showed all the pieces and how they went together to make the final machine.


    Piper had made a sketch of what she wanted first but realized, with Cerie¡¯s help, that all she had was the outside. She didn¡¯t know how the inside worked and she needed that knowledge to make her sketch turn into the final idea.


    With her inkanimals, even the wall she had made, Piper didn¡¯t need to know how they worked, just what they did. Claws were easy. They scratched and did damage. A bear was strong, she could show that in her sketch even if she didn¡¯t know how the muscles worked. But a machine was different. She needed to know how it did what it did.


    So she¡¯d looked up blueprints in the books they¡¯d taken from the library, able to find some thanks to the help of the new librarian, Quinn Hanna. She even had an Uncommon Class related to being a librarian. Archivist. It sounded cool to Piper. Ms. Hanna had helped her look up blueprints, giving Piper an idea of what she had to draw. Then with the help of Mr. Verner, she¡¯d finished it.


    Now she just had to find a time to test it out.


    She shot another blast from her wand, hitting a giant in the shoulder. The creature looked up at her, shouting something in its language. It took a step toward the slope but stopped as arrows peppered its skin. They stuck out of its shoulders, neck and cheek, missing the giant¡¯s eyes. It started that direction, so she hit it with the wand again. It turned and arrows hit it, turning it again. Piper felt kind of bad for the giant, from where she was she couldn¡¯t tell if it was male or female. Feeling bad for it didn¡¯t stop her from sending a new inkcat at it.


    Not a housecat, but puma sized, the inkcat ran down the hill and jumped onto the giant. Landing on its back, the claws dug in, cutting long gashes in the monster as the inkcat slid down. Bracing its back legs against the giant, the inkcat leapt off, racing across the battle for another enemy to attack.


    Cerie had said that when she created an inksummon of a living creature, Piper had an idea of how the creature behaved but that the Spirit helped assist, giving the form function. If she drew a bear, the Connected System knew what a bear should do. Making a machine was different. Piper really didn¡¯t understand it, but if Cerie said it, it had to be true.


    She sent a couple more inkcats, housecat sized, into the battle. Sometimes she wished there was an actual way to measure how much Spirit she was using and had left. The mental image of a bar was good, but it was just an estimate. Having numbers would be better. She¡¯d always liked numbers and math.


    The mental bar felt a little over half way full. If it went too much lower, she wouldn¡¯t get to try out her new sketch. Piper really wanted to try it out.

 Interlude Thirty-Seven (5.Interlude Three)

    Theodore cursed as his mental blast struck a Giant. The large stupid creature staggered, eyes going blank for a couple seconds, until it regained control of itself. It was long enough for Roger to slam his shield into the ugly creature¡¯s knee. The sound of bone breaking was loud.


    I thought he was a Shieldbearer not a Shieldbreaker, Theodore thought, chuckling at his own joke.


    The giant fell to one knee, Mike Turner dashing in and stabbing the beast in the neck. Blood gushed out, covering Mike who retreated, choking and retching, wiping at his face to get rid of the blood. Theodore looked around, not seeing Harper Brady. Young Mike had tried to be the dashing, heroic warrior and got covered in blood for nothing.


    The oldest Brady girl had been around not that long ago. Appearing and slashing her weapons across the achilles tendons of a giant, then disappearing and leaving others to finish off the beast. Lazy of her. Roger looked around for Malcolm, the group¡¯s Healer, wanting to get his minor wounds fixed. Malcolm was further back with all the other Healers, directly out of harm¡¯s way, able to use their Abilities on everyone and not just their team. Roger hadn¡¯t liked that idea, but had been overruled. Theodore thought it smart, even though he would never let Lochlan Brady know one of his ideas was smart.


    Or had it come from that Drew boy?


    That one seemed to be getting more and more of Lochlan¡¯s time. He was one to watch out for. Theodore had wanted to get Drew into the hive, but the few times he¡¯d approached the younger man, he¡¯d been dismissed. Drew didn¡¯t want to talk. Theodore had tried sending some of those in the hive to get Drew to open up to the ideas Theodore said, but it didn¡¯t work. It was like talking with those elves that had joined the Clan. They didn¡¯t want to hear anything Theodore said.


    Why didn¡¯t they want to listen to reason? Everything Theodore said made sense and was logical. The Voice made sure of it.


    He searched the battlefield, finding the cluster of elvish groups. They fought the giants differently from Clan Brady. There was more finesse and tactics, not like they had experience at it but just that they knew a better way. Which they probably did. From what little Theodore had overheard, the elves and giants were from the same world. They had been fighting each other for centuries, if not more.


    That was one thing Theodore had yet to really accept. He wasn¡¯t going to die in the eighty to ninety year range, but could live to a couple hundred if not more. As long as some monster didn¡¯t kill him. The higher Leveled, the longer he¡¯d live. It was an amazing thought.


    How big could he grow the Hive if he was two hundred years old? If he lived to be five hundred? How many could he control at that point?


    ¡°Teddy!,¡± Mike yelled out.


    Theodore growled, shaken from his thoughts. He hated that name. He was half-tempted to let the giant attacking Mike win, killing the annoying brat, but that wouldn¡¯t look good. He needed Mike alive for a while longer.


    Activating Mind Blast, Theodore sent a sharp spike of pain into the giant¡¯s mind. The monster roared, dropping its club as it clutched at its head with both hands. The thing looked male, but Theodore didn¡¯t care. No matter how humanoid it was, the giant was still a monster. It roared, shaking its head to try and get rid of the pain.


    He didn¡¯t need to, but Theodore sent another Mind Blast, making the giant fall down to its knees. The creatures had such small brains when compared to their size. It was easy to overwhelm them with the Mind Blast. He stopped attacking, letting his Spirit recharge, as Mike and Roger stabbed and slashed at the giant, cutting it to ribbons. It would have been nice to have their Archer, Eric Hanlon, with them but like the Healers all the ranged fighters were further up the rocky slope where they could attack all over the battlefield.


    Another good idea by Lochlan Brady. Theodore hated giving that man any credit for any success.


    ***


    Drew jumped to the side, feeling the kinetic energy of the club slamming into the ground gathering in his body. He¡¯d felt strong when he fought the ogres, but it was nothing compared to fighting these giants. He was higher Leveled than back then, but these giants were much stronger too. The kinetic energy he absorbed from the near misses was crazy.


    He darted to the side, moving around the giant, making the creature spin to catch him. He slowed just a bit, letting the club hit the ground right where he¡¯d been. That last near hit had given him the last energy he needed.


    Pushing a little kinetic energy into speed, Drew darted around the giant again, jumping up as high as he could go. One truncheon slammed into the giant¡¯s kidney, the other into the monster¡¯s shoulder. There was the sharp crack of multiple bones breaking, a squishier sound of something soft being smashed. The giant roared, staggering back, blood falling from the wound on his side.


    Drew shook his truncheon, getting the blood and organs off the weapon. He¡¯d been surprised at how much penetration the blunt weapon had gotten. The giant¡¯s skin was tough, almost like leather armor, but the truncheon with the added kinetic energy behind it had burst through the skin like it was nothing. It was kind of gross, but Drew didn¡¯t stop to worry too much about it. The giant was still alive.


    It reached up the only good arm, the other hanging useless and broken, trying to grab at Drew. He dodged the fingers, cracking bone with quick hits from the truncheons. He still had some energy stored. With how weak the giant was becoming, Drew didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to get much more energy from this one. So he didn¡¯t bother.


    Moving on, he heard the giant yell out in pain as someone else came in behind and stabbed or speared it. Might have been the twins, they had been following behind Drew for a bit.


    He paused, looking around the battlefield, trying to find his next target. Elora appeared next to him, pointing her sword at a female giant charging toward them.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± she said, smiling.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.¡°Lets,¡± Drew replied.


    He ran ahead of Elora, getting the giant to focus on him. She moved to the side. The giant swung at Drew. He dodged to the side, feeling the kinetic energy from the club¡¯s miss flowing into his body. A truncheon swung out, smacking the giant in the ankle. He hadn¡¯t added any more power to it, just the normal strength of the weapon and his own. The giant barely noticed, but that was the plan. The giant forgot about Elora.


    She didn¡¯t forget about Elora for long. A sword stabbed out, cutting into the back of the giant¡¯s knee. It wasn¡¯t a solid strike, just slicing the skin but no tendons or muscle. It was enough to grab the giant¡¯s attention. Turning, the giant swung the club, Elora ducking underneath. Drew darted in, throwing a little power into the truncheon. He swung at the wounded back of knee, the magically strengthened weapon slamming into the wound. With the extra power, the knee buckled, the giant stumbling.


    She used the giant club to keep herself from falling, bracing it against the ground. Elora jumped onto the weapon, pulling herself to the giant¡¯s hand. She stabbed down with her sword, piercing the skin of the hand. The giant released the weapon, Elora flipping off and landing on her feet.


    The giant grabbed for Elora, who danced out of the way. Instead of swinging his weapon, Drew stabbed out with it, poking the end into the wounded knee. The giant howled, quickly swinging around.


    Drew wasn¡¯t fast enough, the giant¡¯s fist slamming into him. He went flying, landing hard and sliding across the ground. His whole body hurt, but nothing seemed broken. He thanked his Adapted body and Kinetic Absorption Ability. It wasn¡¯t a shield but it helped keep blows from hurting as bad since he absorbed a lot of the energy.


    Pushing himself up, he staggered a bit, shaking his head to clear the bit of cobwebs. That blow had hurt. He promised himself to not let it happen again. Cursing, he looked around for his weapons. He¡¯d dropped them when sent flying.


    Elora was dancing around the giant, but not able to land any blows. Weaponless, the giant was trying to grab the elf, blood dripping from the wounded hand. Both hands reached out, trying to catch Elora, trying to trap her.


    Giving the ground one last look, trying to see his weapons, Drew raced forward. He channeled the stored energy into his fists. Crouching down, he sprung up, jumping onto the giant¡¯s back. He grabbed the rough hide clothing the giant wore, using it to pull himself up. The giant bucked, trying to knock him off, giving Elora an opening. She slashed her sword across the giant¡¯s leg, making the giant thrash harder, almost knocking Drew off.


    One hand slipped, the other barely holding on to the hide. Drew wanted to let it go. The material felt disgusting, matted with dirt and he didn¡¯t want to know what else. It all smelled. Trying to hold his breath, he swung himself against the giant¡¯s back, grabbing the cloth with his other hand. Climbing, he grabbed the collar, pulling himself up. Legs wrapped around the giant¡¯s neck, holding on to flowing hair.


    Drew almost let go, the hair feeling horrible, but he held on tight, channeling the power into his right and free hand. He swung, slamming his fist into the side of the giant¡¯s head, aiming for the temple. It hurt, but he didn¡¯t think anything broke.


    In his hand. He heard the cracking of bone in the giant¡¯s skull. A huge hand came up to swat at him, another coming up to cover the side of her head. Drew let go, leaning over backwards and falling to the ground. He used his hands to brace his fall, flipping over and trying to land on his feet.


    He failed, stumbling and landing on his backside. Looking up, he saw the enraged giant turning toward him. Cursing, Drew scrambled back, watching as Elora jumped onto the giant¡¯s back, grabbing hair with one hand and stabbing down with the sword.


    He stopped moving, watching Elora. She made it look so easy, so effortless. The sword stabbed into the side of the giant¡¯s neck. Roaring, the giant twisted, trying to reach and grab Elora, who easily jumped off, landing in a roll and popping back up next to Drew.


    She held a hand out, helping him up.


    ¡°You need to learn how to land,¡± she said.


    ¡°Want to teach me?¡±


    Elora smiled, pointing her sword at the angry giant.


    Drew smiled.


    ***


    Pulling his arm back, Davis threw his arm forward, launching a glowing spear. It soared across the battlefield, striking a giant in the shoulder. The monster turned, swatting at the wound as the spear disappeared. The elves that had been attacking it dashed forward, stabbing the giant in multiple places, darting away as the giant swung back to them.


    Davis ran forward, seeing a giant pressing a small group of Clan Brady fighters. Holding his hand out, he summoned another of his glowing spears. With its back turn, the giant didn¡¯t see Davis rushing toward it. Holding his spear in both hands, Davis charged at the monster. He slammed the spear into the small of the giant¡¯s back, just missing the spine.


    The giant roared in pain, the roar becoming a scream as Davis Activated his Exploding Spear Ability. It sent a burst of Spirit into the tip of his spear, causing it to explode with power. Davis jumped back as the energy spear blew up, taking a large chunk of the giant¡¯s body with it. He rolled onto his front, hiding his head, as bits of guts, muscle and bone landed all around him. With a cry of pain, the giant fell to the ground, shaking it. Pushing himself up, Davis saw the Clan Brady fighters finish off the giant.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± one of the Clanmembers said.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Davis replied. ¡°There¡¯s one for you,¡± he said, pointing at a charging giant.


    The Clanmember looked at the monster and sighed, shaking his head.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he told his group, leading the charge to meet the giant.


    Davis watched them, making sure they started the fight on the right foot. Looked like they did. He had to chuckle, wondering when he had become the veteran fighter. Shaking his head, Davis scanned the battlefield, trying to find Harper. He¡¯d seen her popping in and out of the Shadow Realm a couple of times, but it had been a while since he¡¯d seen her last.


    How long had the fight been going on? He had no idea. It had felt like hours, but had probably only been minutes. Maybe thirty or so? That seemed about right.


    Hearing a giant coming closer, Davis turned, seeing one of the monsters being pushed back by Mike Turner and the older man from his team. Davis couldn¡¯t remember the man¡¯s name. It began with an R.


    Davis dashed to the side as the giant walked backwards through where he¡¯d been. He¡¯d thought about stabbing out, scoring a hit, but Mike and the other guy seemed to have it under control. Mike glanced at him as they passed. Davis thought it looked a little mean, and disappointed. He knew Mike had feelings for Harper and was jealous of their relationship. The other teen didn¡¯t hide any of it.


    But that look. Mike had been disappointed. But about what? Had he purposely tried to get Davis trampled by the giant?


    Davis shook his head. That didn¡¯t make sense. Mike was jealous, not vindictive.


    Looking around for where he could help out, Davis put it out of his mind.

 Chapter 259 (5.26)

    ¡°Your Soul Weapon has evolved,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said, his momentary anger gone. ¡°That is interesting. And at such a low Level for you, your race and the weapon. I have seen such before but only for those much Higher Leveled in all things.¡± He glanced at Little River Stone, making sure the Sasquatch wasn¡¯t moving, before turning back to Loch. ¡°I was just going to kill you but now I think I will keep you alive, barely, and study you.¡±


    Loch spun the two handaxes, trailing lights of energy following.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, shifting his stance, holding one axe up and behind, the other low and in front. ¡°I think we end this.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Loch threw the first axe, pulling his arm back and throwing the second. The Si-Te-Cah held out his hands, ready to catch. Fingers went to grasp but the axes had moved. First one and then the other veered slightly to the side, spinning past the hands. They turned, slamming into the shoulders of the Si-Te-Cah, lightning crackling along one and blue flames spreading across the other. Reaching up, the monstrous humanoid tried to grab the weapons but grasped nothing. Both reappeared in Loch¡¯s hands.


    Large fur covered hands reached around the Si-Te-Cah, grabbing him tight. He struggled, trying to wriggle or break free from Little River Stone¡¯s grip. Lifting him up, Little River Stone struggled to get the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s feet off the ground, giving him no leverage to push from. Loch Activated Windstep, appearing right in front of the Si-Te-Cah. He swung low, below the Sasquatch¡¯s arms, Activating Cleave in both axes. Quick swipes left shallow cuts across the stomach, cutting through the pure white robes. Blood leaked out, dripping on the ground, none getting on the robe. It wasn¡¯t much blood, surprising Loch. Those cuts should have ripped the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s stomach open.


    Feet kicked out, slamming into Loch and sending him flying.


    ¡°Enough,¡± the Si-Te-Cah growled, eyes glowing.


    A wave of pressure burst out, causing Little River Stone to howl in pain, releasing the Si-Te-Cah and falling back, slamming into the wall. Loch had gotten up, but was knocked back down by the pressure wave. He rolled, coming up with both axes in hand.


    The Si-Te-Cah looked down at the rips in his robes, pulling fingers away now stained with blood. He glared at Loch. Two smaller Thunderclaps slammed into him, staggering him back a couple of steps. Loch appeared in front, axes swinging, the weapons spun around with the hammer end leading.


    The hammerheads struck the Si-Te-Cah, causing him to grunt in pain. More blows followed, Loch not letting up. Lightning sparked from the end of each hammer. Crackling bolts shot up with each blow, the Si-Te-Cah backing up.


    And stopping.


    Little River Stone stood braced against the cavern wall, arms locked and extended, preventing the Si-Te-Cah from backing up. Loch kept up his attacks, not stopping, changing the area of impact with each blow. Stomach, chest, sides, shoulders. He tried for the head but the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s arms blocked the blows.


    Loch Activated Smash, the next few blows hitting with more impact. He thought he heard the cracking of bone. Loch could feel his Spirit Reserves dwindling. He was using a lot of power. But he had to, it was the only way. The Si-Te-Cah was too strong. Loch had to keep up the overwhelming force. Hammer strikes slammed into the Si-Te-Cah, who growled in pain. Through the noise of the strikes, Loch could hear a deep humming starting.


    It grew, growing louder, reverberating through the cavern. Loch could feel it, spreading energy through his body. The growling of the Si-Te-Cah grew less, growing quieter. He struggled harder, trying to reach and claw at Loch, who ducked and kept swinging. Blow after blow struck the Si-Te-Cah.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The humming filled the cavern, causing it to shake. Small pieces of rock fell, bouncing around the floor. Loch kept up the pressure, feeling strength and energy returning to his strikes. His Spirit Reserves didn¡¯t go up, but they stopped falling. He Activated Smash again, aiming for the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s arm. Hammerhead met elbow, the cracking of bone audible over the humming.


    Roaring in pain, the Si-Te-Cah let out another pulse of energy. It slammed into Loch, pushing at him, but he met it with his own energy.


    Storm¡¯s Touch aura pushed against the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s pulse. Lightning crackling where the two met. Loch Activated Bulwark, but not as an energy shield on his arm. Instead he formed it in front of him, a floating barrier, at its maximum area of coverage. The Si-Te-Cah¡¯s pulse pushed against Bulwark which was strengthened by Storm¡¯s Touch.


    Loch felt a physical impact, knocking him down. Both axes disappeared, Bulwark fading away. He landed hard, a weight pushing down. The Si-Te-Cah had rushed forward, tackling him, reaching for Loch, trying to claw at him. Loch got an arm up between him and the thin but heavy humanoid. He Activated Bulwark. The shield appeared, spikes of energy shooting up and piercing the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s body. The monster roared in pain, blood falling from the wounds.


    Loch rolled to the side, pushing the Si-Te-Cah off him. He felt the weight lift, then saw the monster lifted into the air. Little River Stone grabbed the stunned Si-Te-Cah, throwing the monster against the cavern wall. The whole place shook.


    The Sasquatch didn¡¯t let the Si-Te-Cah go, holding onto the monster¡¯s feet. He swung again, the Si-Te-Cah slammed into the wall again and again, more rocks falling from the ceiling above.


    Loch moved closer, making the two twin axes disappear. He resummoned Onyx, shaping the weapon into a large two handed halberd like weapon. The axe head had shortened, the hammerhead growing bigger. The shaft was long, a couple of feet, giving him more ability to swing the weapon harder.


    ¡°Drop him,¡± Loch told Little River Stone.


    The Sasquatch lifted the Si-Te-Cah up high, swinging the body down onto the ground. More rocks fell from the ceiling and the walls as the entire cavern shook. Stepping back, Little River Stone started humming again, the sound filling the cavern. Loch could feel it flowing through his body, energizing his Spirit.


    The Si-Te-Cah didn¡¯t move.


    Lifting the large two-handed hammer over his head, Loch swung it down. It slammed into the monster¡¯s chest. Cracking bone filled the cavern, stone exploding up as the hardened body of the Si-Te-Cah cratered the stone beneath him. Lighting crackled from the hammer head and the wound on the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s chest, smoke curling up from the burning robe.


    The monster still moved.


    Loch pulled the hammer up over his head, ready to swing it down.


    The Si-Te-Cah lifted a shaking hand, fingers extending. Loch started to swing Onyx down. The Si-Te-Cah snapped, shaking fingers. A shockwave threw Loch back, sent him tumbling across the cavern floor. Onyx disappeared. Each hit against the ground hurt, even the spots where he wore armor. Loch came to a stop against the far wall, bleeding from cuts and gashes. He pushed himself up, snaps of pain coming from his shoulders and wrists. One of his ankles barely took his weight.


    The Si-Te-Cah was standing, hunched over, one arm hanging at his side. He walked with a heavy limp, almost dragging a foot. Cuts marred the white skin, blood flowing down. The robe was ripped and torn, blackened around the middle where small tendrils still drifted up.


    Little River Stone lay on the ground nearby, unmoving. The Si-Te-Cah limped toward the Sasquatch, raising his good arm, the outstretched fingers growing orange.


    Leaning against the cavern wall, Loch summoned Onyx. Nothing happened. The axe didn¡¯t appear. He felt a sharp pain in his head, reaching up to rub at a giant bruise. Had he hit his head so hard that he couldn¡¯t summon the axe? His Spirit Reserves were low but not that low.


    The Si-Te-Cah reached Little River Stone. Leaning down, he moved the glowing hand closer to the Sasquatch¡¯s head.

 Chapter 260 (5.27)

    Loch Activated Windstep. He ran across the distance in a flash, each step of his foot on the ground sending shockwaves of pain through the twisted ankle.


    Loch slammed into the Si-Te-Cah. It felt like hitting a brick wall, the two falling to the ground. Loch screamed in pain, feeling his shoulder dislocate. He landed hard, wrist barely supporting his weight, keeping him from slamming into the stone. The Si-Te-Cah fell, rolling in a heap. Pain flared all along his body. Joints hurt, bones hurt. Loch felt nauseous, the pain so intense. Loch rolled over onto his back, pain flaring across his body. As thin as the Si-Te-Cah was, the creature had felt like solid stone.


    Black creeped in along the edges of his vision. All Loch wanted to do was collapse and fall asleep. His head pounded, his vision blurry. He knew some bones were broken, feeling a sharp pain in his lung every time he forced out a ragged breath. Loch tried to push himself up, falling back down. He groaned.


    A louder, deeper groan came from the side. Turning his head, Loch saw Little River Stone starting to sit up, a big fur covered hand to his head. A growl from the other side made Loch turn to see the Si-Te-Cah struggling to get up. The monster lifted his head, glaring at Loch. The red eyes seemed to glow with rage as the Si-Te-Cah fully stood.


    He still was hunched, tilting to a side, arm hanging useless. Taking a step, the limp had gotten worse. But the monster was standing and moving. Something Loch was not.


    He came closer.


    Loch tried to sit up, an arm down to push. He bit back the scream of pain flaring through his wrist. Getting to his knees, Loch tried to summon Onyx. The axe didn¡¯t appear. The Si-Te-Cah laughed. It was a pain filled sound. Growling, the Si-Te-Cah spit, a glob of blood landing on the cavern floor.


    ¡°It has been a long time since I have been in a battle like this,¡± the Si-Te-Cah said, forcing each word out, spitting blood on the ground again. He smiled, the white teeth stained red. ¡°Too bad it will now end.¡±


    ¡°Shut! Up!,¡± Loch growled, raising a hand, palm up, toward the Si-Te-Cah.


    He Activated Elemental Surge. The wave of energy slammed into the Si-Te-Cah, blasting the monster back. He landed hard, rolling along the ground. Sparks of energy surrounded his form.


    Loch stood up, unsteady. He took a step, feeling pain through his ankle. Another step, another flare of pain. Loch saw a bright flash of white.


    He Activated Bulwark, the shield appearing. The edges wavered, the form not as solid, not as bright. The white blast struck, Loch staggered back, growling in pain as he set his hurt angle to brace himself. The shield started cracking, the green color growing lighter, the edges wavering and the shield starting to shrink. Loch could feel the white energy, feel the heat. He bit back the growl of pain in his ankle, leg and lungs as he fought against the pressure.


    The blast stopped. Through the tint of the shield, Loch saw the Si-Te-Cah staggering as he took a step. The hand still glowed but was hanging at the monster¡¯s side. A low hum started behind Loch, not as loud, it didn¡¯t echo through the cavern, just filling the immediate area. Loch could feel a bit of energy entering his body, not as much as before, but every bit was welcome.


    He stood a little straighter, lowering his arm with the shield still active. Holding out his hand, he concentrated, focusing on his weapon. He¡¯d never really thought of where Onyx went before. He thought about it and the axe appeared. But he¡¯d never considered what happened to the energy that formed the axe. It was part of his soul. Did it need to be somewhere when he didn¡¯t summon it? Shouldn¡¯t the axe just exist at all times?


    Loch realized that it should.


    He concentrated on the weapon, pushing past the pain in his head.


    Onyx appeared in his hand. It seemed to glow brighter. He threw the axe. It didn¡¯t shrink but stayed the same size, spinning end over end, crossing the distance in an instance. It slammed into the Si-Te-Cah, knocking the monster down again, lightning crackling around the axehead stuck in the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s shoulder. It disappeared, returning to Loch¡¯s hand. The axe glowed, not disappearing, but just shifting to the two smaller weapons with larger hammerheads compared to the axe heads. Loch threw them both.


    One slammed into the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s wounded shoulder, the sound of bone shattering loud. The other was blocked, the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s glowing hand slamming into the weapon, knocking it to the side. The weapon disappeared, returning to Loch.


    A blast of white energy shot out, slamming into Loch¡¯s shoulder. He growled against the pain, feeling the heat spreading across his body. With a growl Little River Stone charged past, arms extended. He reached the Si-Te-Cah, wrapping the monster up tight. With a twist, he let the Si-Te-Cah go, launching the monster against the wall with a crash. The rock splintered, larger pieces falling from the ceiling.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    One of the smaller Onyx hammers slammed into the chest of the Si-Te-Cah. Lightning bolts flared across the monster¡¯s body. Red eyes glowing, the hand barely twitched, fingers snapping. A shockwave spread out, slamming into Loch.


    He pushed against it with Elemental Surge and Storm¡¯s Touch. Energies clashed, pushing against each other. Loch felt his Spirit Reserves dropping. The force pushed against his already hurting body. The low hum stopped. Loch couldn¡¯t see Little River Stone.


    The energy pulse stopped, Loch shifting to stand. Each breath hurt. The Si-Te-Cah used his one good hand to push himself off the wall, taking a couple of slow steps forward.


    ¡°I will destroy all your people,¡± he said, spitting more blood.


    There was the sound of a small pebble or something hitting the ground. A tooth. The SI-Te-Cah had lost a tooth.


    ¡°I will start with your family. They will die slowly and in pain.¡±


    Loch felt Go Beyond Activate, followed by Defiant Rage. Power filled his body. His Spirit Reserves growing, his Health and Stamina regenerating a small amount. Just enough.


    ¡°I told you to SHUT UP!¡±


    He Activated Windstep, bursting across the cavern, appearing in front of the Si-Te-Cah, arms outstretched and hammers held aloft. Smash Activated in both hammers. The Si-Te-Cah¡¯s arm and hand shot out, slamming into Loch¡¯s chest, breaking ribs. Loch swung both hammers in, each connecting with the Si-Te-Cah¡¯s head.


    Loch fell back, feeling the power of the hammers explode against the Si-Te-Cah. He landed hard, skidding across the cavern. Lightning and energy had exploded on the hammer¡¯s impact. Loch blinked away bright spots, the energy fading.


    The Si-Te-Cah stood, still tilted to the side. There was nothing left of his head, upper shoulders missing. The wound cauterized from the energy. The arm was raised, palm out, no energy glowing. Smoke curled up from the wound.


    The body fell.


    Loch fell, landing hard. Blackness threatened to consume him but Loch fought against it.


    ***


    ¡°Are you well Lochlan Brady?¡± Little River Stone asked from where he sat against the cavern wall.


    Loch pushed himself up, rubbing at his temples. His entire body hurt. Spirit flowed through his body, refilling his Core, and healing his body. Slowly healing. Looking over at Little River Stone, the strange stone in the center providing light, the Sasquatch looked worse for wear. His thick fur was matted, one of his arms hanging across his body. His head tilted to the side, a deep rumbling coming from him.


    ¡°No,¡± Loch replied. ¡°Everything hurts.¡±


    ¡°But the Si-Te-Cah is dead,¡± Little River Stone said, raising a shaking hand to point at the body.


    Loch twisted, wincing in pain, studying the dead humanoid, glad he didn¡¯t have to look at the pulped head.


    ¡°Why am I not getting any Spirit Experience?¡±


    ¡°The Si-Te-Cah is outside the Connection. There is no Spirit to give.¡±


    Loch grunted. One of the toughest fights he¡¯d ever had and got nothing from it. Pushing down with his arm, he tried to stand, wobbling a bit before managing to get to his knees. Panting, feeling pain shooting through his body, he looked over at the large stone.


    ¡°Is that what we need?¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Loch leveraged himself up, wobbling a bit, holding his arms out to steady himself. The world spun, Loch taking deep breaths until it settled down.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work for him,¡± Loch grumbled, pointing at the Si-Te-Cah.


    He took a step, wincing as his ankle threatened to buckle. Summon Onyx, he shaped the axe into a long two-handed halberd, placing the end against the ground. Using the weapon as a cane, he walked toward the stone.


    ¡°He is outside the Connection.¡±


    Loch turned to face the Sasquatch, looking back at the dead Si-Te-Cah.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he say his people created the stones?¡±


    ¡°They did, but the Connection has Claimed them,¡± Little River Stone said. He grunted, using the cavern wall to help him stand. He walked over to Hall with a heavy limp, the one arm still hanging useless. ¡°When this world was Connected, it was changed and natural magics such as this were Adapted much as humanity was.¡±


    Loch nodded, studying the stone. The light glowed from the center of the stone, not pulsing.


    ¡°As long as it works,¡± Loch said, turning to look at the opening leading out. ¡°But first, there are giants to kill.¡±

 Chapter 261 (5.28)

    Piper looked around the battle. It wasn¡¯t going good for Clan Brady. The giants had regrouped, surging forward. Two Shamans, some kind of caster, had joined the battle. The monsters pushed Clan Brady back, up the bald rock slope. The Clan¡¯s fighters held the line, but it was more difficult with the taller giants and the humans on the slope.


    She could see Harper, no longer hopping in and out of the shadows, but still dancing around, trying to attack the legs and ankles of the giants. More wounded Clanmembers were being pulled further up the hill where the healers had retreated. Piper looked around, wondering what she could do.


    The two Spirit Cannons were silent, empty of whatever it was they fired. The Clan¡¯s Archers kept firing arrows, keeping the giant spellcasters back. Kim Hudson and the few other casters in the Clan fired random attacks, conserving their Spirit. Their attacks were concentrated on the giant Shamans.


    Piper felt useless. Her wand¡¯s blast wasn¡¯t doing much to the giants. Her inksummons had all been destroyed. She could summon more but what was the point? What good could they do?


    ¡°Pipes.¡±


    Piper jumped, twisting her wand, ready to fire. A hand grabbed it, pushing the wand aside.


    ¡°Piper, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Harper was in front of her, appearing out of the shadows. Piper took a deep breath, glad to see her sister.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, looking around for Cerie.


    Why hadn¡¯t the fairy warned her Harper was there? Then she remembered that Cerie had gone back in the Codex Band. Her energy had been waning, she needed to reset.


    ¡°You need to get up there with the healers.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You need to get to the top of the hill,¡± Harper shouted, grabbing Piper¡¯s shoulder, trying to push her up the hill.


    Piper shook her head. She was tired, her Spirit Reserves low, but no, she couldn¡¯t leave. She was a Brady. The Clan was as much her responsibility as it was Harpers.


    ¡°You too,¡± she said.


    Harper shook her head.


    ¡°I can fight. You need to get up there.¡±


    ¡°No, I can fight.¡±


    Harper shook her head again, pointing up the hill.


    ¡°Get up there,¡± she ordered.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Piper, please,¡± Harper said, leaning forward, her head against Pipers. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Come with me,¡± Piper said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then neither can I.¡±


    Harper sighed, stepping back from her sister. Harper smiled. She looked at the giants then up the hill. Shaking her head, she cursed. Piper¡¯s eyes widened, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Fine. But promise me that if the line falls back anymore then you¡¯ll go to the healers?¡±


    Piper looked at the lines of Clan Brady fighters. They were about fifty feet away and didn¡¯t look like they were going to be retreating, but she had thought that earlier when the fighting had been in the field. It had turned suddenly, the Clan Brady fighters pushed back quickly. They¡¯d managed to reestablish the line but it wouldn¡¯t hold forever.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°I promise,¡± Piper said, not intending to keep it.


    Harper looked at her, a small smile. Piper knew Harper didn¡¯t believe her. They were both the daughters of their father and mother. They were as stubborn as their parents. With one last look at her younger sister, Harper stepped into the Shadow Realm. Piper turned back to the battle, launching a blast from her wand.


    She had to do something to help.


    She knew what she wanted to do and what she had planned, but now that it was time, Piper was scared. At that moment, she wanted her mom and dad. She wanted them to hug her, to tell her it would be okay. They¡¯d be completely against what she was planning. Even Harper would try to stop her. But she still wanted them all there.


    There was so much that could go wrong.


    Cries of alarm went up along the Clan Brady line. A giant had leaned forward, getting a good angle to swing the club. Most of the fighters had managed to get out of the way, but two had been unlucky. They were sent flying. Piper didn¡¯t know who they were, wincing as they landed. Immediately others ran to them, pulling them to safety, but now there was a gap in the line and the giant was taken advantage. It kept swinging the club, keeping the fighters at bay, taking steps further up the slope.


    If the giant managed to do that, so many of Clan Brady¡¯s fighters would be hurt.


    Or killed.


    She couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    Concentrating on her sketchbook, Piper focused on the blueprint. She pictured all the pieces, how they fit together and how they all worked. Ink flowed out of the book, spreading across her body. The first layer, then the second, building upon each as the other pieces appeared. It all formed quickly, the helmet the last piece. She could feel it tight around her head as she was lifted up off the ground.


    Her hair was caught up in the ink summon. She knew she should have put it in a bun or ponytail, but it was too late. It was uncomfortable, but she¡¯d deal with it.


    Piper wished she could see how she looked. Probably pretty bad-ass. She smiled as she thought it.


    Taking a deep breath, she started running down the hill toward the giant. People turned and looked at her, she thought she heard Harper yelling her name, but she ignored all of them. There was a giant to fight.


    ***


    Loch walked out of the tunnel, hand on the side, looking at the battlefield. It had moved pretty far away from the hill, the giants a long line stacked almost two deep, at the bottom of the long slope. Flashes of color, Abilities going off, Skills being used, spells cast, highlighted where his people were.


    He started walking that way, wincing with each step. Most of his injuries had healed, but he still hurt, not everything was fully healed yet. He could barely put weight on his ankle. Running was out of the question.


    Hobbling, he made his way to the battle, still using the glowing Onyx as a cane. None of the giants saw him. He saw the two bodies to the sides of the hill, one just in front. The three giants that Little River Stone had fought, which had delayed his entrance into the cavern. At least the Sasquatch had arrived. Loch wouldn¡¯t have been able to defeat the Si-Te-Cah without his help.


    He could make out the different Clan Brady fighters, recognizing some. He saw Brian, Drew and Davis still righting. Roger and Randy Sager were on one end. He thought he saw the spears of the twins down at the other end. Lights from the top of the slope told him where the healers were. People were being carried up the hill, some coming down to rejoin the fight. More were going up than coming down.


    How many had they lost?


    He moved closer, trying to decide where to attack. Where would he be most needed?


    A giant broke through the line, pushing forward. Loch changed his angle, heading for that one, ready to Activate Windstep, but stopped when the giant was pushed back. It staggered away from the others, something kept hitting it.


    The giant was forced back, a solid hit knocking it down. The attacker jumped on the giant¡¯s chest, repeatedly hitting it. Vaguely human, strange tubes on its shoulders fired black projectiles at other giants. It looked like some kind of mech. And it was all black.


    Not just black, but made out of ink.


    ¡°Piper!,¡± Loch yelled.

 Chapter 262 (5.29)

    Loch ran as fast as he could. He was sure the black armored mech was Piper. It had the look of her inksummons but was not anything like he¡¯d seen from her before. Was this suit of armor what she¡¯d been sketching for so long? What she¡¯d been hiding from him?


    He could understand why she had hidden it. There was no way he would have ever let her create such a thing and go into battle like she was. He felt anger and fear.


    And amazement.


    Piper in the mech armor was beating up on the giant. Her blows were breaking bones. They had knocked the giant down. And it wasn¡¯t getting up.


    Piper¡¯s armor turned, jumping off the dead or dying giant and running after another. She crouched down, jumping up and slamming into the side of a giant, knocking it aside and into another giant. The two stumbled, falling back from the line.


    Loch could see his people reforming the line, filling the gaps that had let the first giant through. More joined, facing off against the rest of the giants. Some fighters, led by Brian, Davis and Drew, were rushing two giants behind the lines. They held staves, wore bone necklaces. Casters. Loch knew that was where he should go but Piper was now fighting two giants on her own. She needed his help.


    He went to Activate Windstep but stopped, seeing another giant running up from the remains of the tents beyond. This giant was larger, wild blond hair and beard, not carrying a club but an axe that caught the light of the moon. There was a strange shine to it. The giant wore leather with metal plates, stronger looking than any others.


    HILLGROWL ELDER BERSERKER


    Evaluate put the giant¡¯s strength near Lochs, maybe just a little below. Far stronger than anyone else in Clan Brady. He looked at Piper, recognizing the two darting forms that had joined her. Harper and Elora. The three faced off against two giants. The rest of Clan Brady were spread out facing off with the giants and the two shamans. The Berserker was free, ready to wreck havoc where he could.


    Loch knew where he wanted to go but also knew where he needed to go. He Activated Windstep.


    ***


    Each step was painful. His ankle slammed down on the ground, pain threatening to make him fall. But Loch held on. He had to. The pain would not stop him.


    He crossed the distance, changing the form of Onyx from the two handed weapon to what he thought of as the normal mold. The large axe head crackled with energy, leaving a trail of light behind it as he ran across the distance.


    With a loud war cry, Loch appeared in front of the Berserker. He swung Onyx, Activating Cleave, the energy of the axe trailing behind. The axehead slammed into the giant¡¯s side, crackling lightning spreading across the giant¡¯s body.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The monster cried out in pain, stumbling to the side. But the Berserker recovered quickly. Resetting his feet, twisting and swinging the giant axe. Loch ducked, the blade that was as large as his body, passing by overhead, missing by inches. He could feel the pressure of the air, feel the strange energy radiating from the weapon.


    Rolling to the side, Loch avoided the return swing by the Berserker. He jumped up, swinging Onyx, missing as the large giant stepped back. He growled out some words in a language Loch didn¡¯t understand and didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°This is not your home,¡± Loch growled, swinging his weapon, driving the giant back. ¡°You do not belong here!¡±


    He rolled to the side, jumping up and scoring a hit on the giant¡¯s leg. The leg kicked out, Loch Activating Bulwark to absorb the impact. He was sent flying, managing to roll in the air and land on his feet.


    The Berserker didn¡¯t have to move to swing the axe, Loch jumping back to avoid the axe head that would have cut him in half. The giant took a step, swinging again. Loch had to jump back a couple of feet to avoid the axe. Every step the giant took, Loch had to move six feet or more. With the constant movement he wasn¡¯t able to get in a counter attack, just having to keep moving.


    The giant roared, spitting out words in their language. Loch gave the giant the finger. The Berserker might not have seen the gesture before, but he understood the meaning. WIth a roar, the Berserker swung the axe down in an overhand chop. Loch easily avoided, rushing toward the giant. He got within the monster¡¯s reach, swinging Onyx across the giant''s chest.


    Holding his ground, the giant tried to kick, but missed, Loch ducking under and running behind the Berserker. He turned around, swinging Onyx but missed as the giant lunged forward. Turning the giant swung his axe as he turned, pushing Loch back. He threw Onyx toward the giant¡¯s head. The Berserker¡¯s eyes widened, seeing the weapon spinning his way. He tried to swing his weapon up in time but failed, having to move his head to narrowly avoid the weapon. He grinned down at Loch, seeing him unarmed. The eyes widened again when Onyx reappeared, growing to normal size and then bigger, becoming a halberd. A weapon that swung at the giant¡¯s knees, making the giant stumble back. The large Berserker wasn¡¯t as nimble as Loch, moving backwards to avoid the weapon. Loch kept it swinging, aiming right for the giant¡¯s knees, keeping the giant off balance. With Precision Strike, he saw the expected weak points around the giant¡¯s legs but none up high, which made sense. It was difficult for him to reach the giant¡¯s shoulders or elbows, so they wouldn¡¯t be weak spots.


    He could feel his arms getting tired. Even with his Adapted strength, holding and swinging the long halberd took a lot, especially with the speed and momentum he had to keep it at. And for every step back the giant took, he had to move six feet, lunging forward and keeping the weapon level. It was time to change it up again.


    Swinging Onyx one more time, Loch shrunk the weapon before the swing was even complete, lunging forward. He got within the giant¡¯s reach, watching the Berserker quickly react. The giant couldn¡¯t bend down, not with Loch right there, so couldn¡¯t swing his weapon low enough. The grip adjusted, bringing the weapon high to chop down. Loch swung Onyx straight up.


    The giant roared in outrage and pain as the axe bit deep between his legs. Loch felt bad, wincing in sympathy like any man did when another was hurt there. The sympathy didn¡¯t last long, Loch setting his feet and pushing his weapon up higher.


    Jumping back, the giant stumbled, falling to the ground. Loch jumped up, landing on the Berserker¡¯s chest, running toward the giant¡¯s head. Eyes wide in pain and horror, the giant watched the axe descend.

 Chapter 264 (5.31)

    Loch pulled the jacket tighter to ward off the chill, wishing he had found a pair of gloves that worked. They were either too thick or not thick enough. No middle ground that would keep his fingers warm and still let him grip things easily.


    That had always been a problem in late Fall, when it got cold at night but barely not cold enough to start snowing. It was coming, he could feel it in the air. He rubbed his hands together, breathing into them, seeing his breath fogging.


    Shifting, Loch watched the powerlines in front of him, hidden just inside the treeline. He couldn¡¯t see the others. They all waited. He could hear the crushing of leaves and some small grunts as the Hunters all shifted. They¡¯d been waiting for a while, the cold starting to seep into their bones.


    A screech to the east caught his attention. Loch leaned forward, watching the powerlines. They¡¯d seen evidence of some monsters running down the relatively open stretch. More screeching joined, followed by the thudding of something running, clawed feet hitting the mostly frozen ground. The monsters appeared a couple seconds later, an entire pack.


    FIRECLAW SQUIRRELS


    The creatures ran on all fours, large puffy tails extended out behind them. The size of wolves with rust colored fur and light gray underbellies, they looked just like enlarged squirrels. Most existing animals had been mutated, which made them enlarged and far more aggressive, these Squirrels had been Adapted and changed. Loch could see little crackling bits of fire across their fur.


    Loch let the entire pack, about twenty of the creatures, pass him. He turned his attention back to the east, waiting. He ignored the sounds of bows twanging, arrows slamming into monster flesh, and the Squirrels crying out in pain. Those sounds were followed by blasts of fire and growling. He was curious what kind of attacks the Fireclaw Squirrels had, but he had a job to do.


    The ground started to shake, telling Loch that his time was coming. Loud thuds hit the ground, getting louder as they came closer, picking up speed. Whatever had been chasing the Squirrels had heard the fighting, knew their prey was being attacked by something else. With a roar, it let everyone know it was coming.


    Loch stepped out of the treeline, Bulwark Activated and Onyx at what he was now calling the default state, the normal size. Being able to change the size of the weapon was going to change his fighting style, but he didn¡¯t think the upcoming fight was a good time to play around. The monster appeared around the corner, seeing Loch and letting out another roar. It didn¡¯t stop, lowering its head and charging faster.


    LIGHTNING TYRANNOSAURUS REX


    It looked just like the movies and all the pictures he¡¯d seen. Large head, long tail, short upper arms. The difference was in the blue streaks across its mottled green body. The lightning effect in the eyes set on the side of its head. The large mouth opened, big enough to bite Loch in half.


    Shifting his feet, Loch threw Onyx.


    It spun, slamming into the nose of the T-Rex. The monster stopped charging, shaking its head to dislodge the weapon. The head tilted, confused, when Onyx disappeared. Turning back to Loch, it roared, a bright light appearing in the depths of its mouth.


    A jagged bolt of lightning shot out, Loch catching it on Bulwark. The force of the bolt slid Loch back on the hard ground. He shifted, setting his feet as the bolt dissipated. Loch looked through the green tint of the shield, feeling the static electricity in the air. The T-Rex had just breathed lightning.


    Loch smiled, amazed. The T-Rex studied him as he studied it. The large dinosaur was probably confused how Loch was still standing. He doubted most things in the woods could stand up to the T-Rex¡¯s lightning breath. Loch was still surprised that it had breathed lightning. Activating Precision Strike, he studied the monster¡¯s weak points. He knew he could easily beat the monster by overwhelming force. Evaluate had measured it as a couple Levels lower than Loch, probably around Level Twenty. A tough fight for most of the Clan, but a winnable one. The problem was that Loch wanted to keep as much of the monster intact as possible. They could use the hide it would drop, as well as the meat. Even the claws would be useful.


    They were going to get a lot of fur and meat from the Squirrels, but the big T-Rex would also be a good harvest. If Loch could kill it without mangling the hide or the meat. Slow and steady.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The T-Rex charged, Loch Activated Offensive Stance.


    ***


    ¡°You killed it, you should harvest it,¡± Heath Jenkins joked, looking at the body of the T-Rex. Lightning still crackled across the corpse. ¡°That¡¯s a big one.¡±


    ¡°I would if I had the right Skills,¡± Loch said with a shrug.


    ¡°Is it too late to change Classes,¡± Heath muttered, taking out his large skinning knife and approaching the body.


    Loch laughed, stepping away. He moved back to where the Hunters were gathered. They¡¯d done a good job with the Squirrels. Only a couple had been damaged so bad that nothing could be harvested from them. It was a good haul. Lots of fur to be turned into winter cloaks and clothing, and a lot more meat to add to the stores. They were still lacking in fruits, vegetables and breads. But they were looking good on meat.


    ¡°A couple of us are thinking of heading up the power lines and seeing if there was a nest of these things or something,¡± Jerry Tomlins, the Hunter in charge of this group, said.


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Loch told him. ¡°Just keep an eye out to see if that guy had any friends,¡± he finished, pointing at the dead T-Rex.


    ¡°Yeah, we wouldn¡¯t want to run into one of him,¡± another Hunter said.


    The group broke apart, three going with Jerry and jogging past the body of the T-Rex, the rest joining the small group of Scavengers that had been with them.


    ¡°You guys will head back with the Harvesters,¡± Loch asked the remaining Hunters.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll head back to the School once they¡¯re done with the big guy,¡± one of them said.


    ¡°You still coming with us up Shelburne?,¡± David Fitz asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± Loch replied. ¡°How far had you guys gotten down the road?¡±


    ¡°Only until Knowles. We stopped and went down Knowles and Pender. Got a good haul off those streets.¡±


    ¡°Did you empty them completely?¡± Loch asked, waving to the Hunters and Harvesters, leading the Scavengers into the woods on the other side of the powerlines.


    Instead of returning to the road, the plan was to cut through the woods until they hit Shelburne Hill Road, turning east down it and hitting the houses on either side as they made their way toward Ridge Road and Range Road.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± David replied. ¡°We¡¯ve made a couple of trips. Cleaned them right out.¡±


    Loch nodded, leading the group into the woods. He kept his eyes open but didn¡¯t expect to run into anything for a while. Most animals in the area would have been spooked by the fighting and ran off to hide.


    There was a ton of stuff he needed to deal with back at the Clanhold, but had quickly taken the opportunity to join the Hunting and Scavenging teams. Ed and Kristin had everything about running the Clanhold under control. Loch knew his strength would have been a huge help in finishing the construction on the new bunkhouses and shelters, but he really just wanted to be out in the woods. He wasn¡¯t really needed, almost anyone else could have filled in for his role as protection, but it had been a while since he¡¯d been on a hunting and gathering run.


    The Foragers let him worry about any potential monsters. They kept their eyes, and Abilities, focused on finding any herbs, plants or other Resources scattered around the woods. Among the five Scavengers were two Spatial Bags. The Clan was starting to get a good amount of those, as even the Scavengers and Foragers were getting strong enough to tackle the Challenge Dungeon.


    Scavengers and Foragers were Leveling slower than the Clan members focused on combat, but they were still Leveling. They were learning to fight as the further out they ranged, the more monsters they ran across. There weren¡¯t always fighters around to deal with the monsters.


    It took them a couple hours but they finally walked out onto Sherburne Hill Road. Like all paved roads, it was a mix of cracks, pushed up sections and missing sections. Rough and unpassable. Loch looked at the nearest house, then walked down the road to look at another. He was glad both houses were there and not taken by the Worldcore. It gave him some way to get his bearings.


    ¡°You said you stopped at Knowles?¡± He asked David.


    ¡°Yeah, we had meant to hit that place that had built the fenced in horse pasture the year before all this,¡± David replied, waving his hands at the world around them. ¡°But never got a chance to come back yet.¡±


    Loch knew the house. He doubted any feed or hay would still be good, but they could at least hopefully get some tack and saddles. People had talked about the Clanhold giving off an aura for miles, guiding people to find it. The stallion, Larry, seemed to have a similar aura. More horses had been wandering in, increasing the size of the herd. Even though Jarl was the larger and more powerful horse, it was Larry that was the one in charge of the herd.


    With the herd growing quickly, along with the random cows and other animals that had wandered their way, Liam Doherty had his hands full. Luckily a couple people had started helping him out and had earned Rancher Classes. The herd had quickly outgrown the barn, which was getting a major expansion.


    ¡°We¡¯re about a mile from there right?¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°A Pre-Connection mile, yeah,¡± David agreed. ¡°Maybe a dozen houses between us and there.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get scavenging,¡± Loch said with a smile, heading across the street to the first house.

 Chapter 265 (5.32)

    Loch looked around the house. It was cold, the fuel for the heat having run not or never been turned out since the Connection had come in the summer. He was tempted to try the heat, but decided not to. It most likely wouldn¡¯t have worked, or could have just caused an explosion destroying the house with him in it.


    Ideally, he wondered if that would have killed him. He had a lot of Health, his body was pretty durable. Would a house explosion be enough to kill him?


    There was a pungent odor to the house. He glanced at where he thought the kitchen would be. Rotten food, mold. He had no desire to open the refrigerator and freezer, knowing the smell would be much worse. At this point, after all this time, there would be nothing worth saving. Even some of the packaged food would have been lost. But some would still be good.


    He¡¯d hit the kitchen last.


    Loch had broken through the door. It had been locked, a useless Ring camera by the handle. It hadn¡¯t taken much to kick the wooden door, breaking the wood around the lock, swinging it open. He could prop the door closed when he left, but why bother. No one was coming back to the house. It would just fall to rot, vines and moss creeping over it until it disappeared. It was too far away for anyone to come and take the wood and other building materials. Once Loch was done, the chances of anyone ever stepping foot in the house again were slim.


    It was sad, he thought, ignoring the pictures of the family, as he walked into the living room. This had been someone''s home, they had lived their lives here, raised kids. Had a good life. Now it was just an almost empty shell. Memories no longer even lived there. He didn¡¯t recognize the family. No idea if they still lived or not.


    Kristin had gathered a list of where everyone that came to the Clan had lived. There had been some on Sherburne Hill but Loch didn¡¯t recognize the faces as people he¡¯d seen around the Clanhold and David had checked the list, finding the people in the Clan that had lived on the road, going over with them if there were any personal items they wanted the scavengers to bring back if they could.


    Over and over people had been told that personal items were low priority. Things that would benefit the Clan as a whole, benefit the Clan¡¯s survivability were the important things. But they never listened. They always screamed and yelled when nothing of theirs was brought back.


    Loch understood. It had been hard to not fill Piper¡¯s Spatial Bag with their personal items, their important family heirlooms and mementoes, when they¡¯d visited their house. Not everyone got the chance to return home.


    He pulled a blanket off the back of the couch. It looked like it was still in good condition. Into the bag it went. He¡¯d borrowed Piper¡¯s Spatial Bag when he¡¯d left. It was Soulbound to her, which meant only she could empty it, but as he was her father and a blood relation, he could still fill it. A couple pillows went into the bag. He thought about the couch cushions but decided they weren¡¯t useful enough. Books from a shelf, a couple of board games. Another blanket. From the hall closet, Loch grabbed about a half dozen winter coats and other jackets of various sizes. The pile of shoes, sneakers and boots were added. He grabbed a broom and threw it into the bag, along with a tool box on the floor of the closet, not bothering to go through it.


    A larger family room had more blankets and an old wood burning stove with a pile of wood. All the wood went into the bag. It wasn¡¯t much, only about a dozen logs. More books and board games. Upstairs were three bedrooms. Without even looking at the clothes, he took it all. From the closets, the dressers. In the bathroom, he grabbed the medical supplies. Loch even took the mattresses, working to maneuver them so a corner was at the Spatial Bag¡¯s opening. He looked away when they were twisted and warped, shrinking to fit into the Bag.


    Underneath the master he found a couple of the fireproof lockboxes. Loch was tempted to open them, but those were the family''s important documents. The things that recorded who they were, what they had done. There could be jewelry in the boxes but he didn¡¯t think it worth disturbing the family history. He did take the wife¡¯s jewelry box.


    None of the kid¡¯s toys went into the bag. Two boys. One obviously still in middle school, the other looking older, but not quite high school. Lots of building blocks and graphic novels. He grabbed all their clothes and blankets. From the linen closet were all the extra sheets, blankets, pillows and towels.


    Loch walked up the into the attic, glad it was daylight. Two windows on either end let in enough light to see. Trunks, chairs and desks filled the space. Totes were piled high. One tote had a bunch of books. He took the entire thing. Another was filled with photo albums. That was set aside.


    He¡¯d been in the house for about an hour. It wook almost another to go through all the totes and trunks, grabbing the things of value to the Clan. From there it was down into the basement, where there was barely any light from the small windows. He found skis, boots and poles. All went into the bag. Loch wished they were cross country skis instead of downhill, but one of the Clan workers might be able to modify them or use for parts. The snowshoes were a good find. He grabbed some of the sports gear. It wouldn¡¯t be useful for the winter, but maybe in the spring they could find some time to play sports again. He found hiking gear and backpacks, all of which he took. Coolers were grabbed and stuffed in the bag. The extra fridge and freezer were ignored. As was the garage. Too dark to see anything.


    Loch walked through the entire house again, making sure he hadn¡¯t left anything behind, before he entered the kitchen. The smell was stronger, definitely coming from the fridge and freezer. There was a puddle of water on the floor under the appliance, black mold starting to form. He did his best to ignore it, moving to what he took to be the pantry cabinet.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Opening it, Loch smiled. This family had liked their canned veggies. There were stacks of all kinds. A couple dozen. It wouldn¡¯t last long with the amount of mouths to feed at the Clanhold, but Loch was still happy to see it. Crackers, granola bars, ramen. Even the fruit gummies. The bread had gone moldy and he left the bags of chips. Anything opened, he left it alone. Loch worked his way through all the cabinets, ignoring dishes, pots and pans, and concentrating on food. His final stop was the downstairs bathroom, taking the rolls of toilet paper and paper towels.


    Walking out of the house, Loch met the rest of the team coming out of the house across the street and one further down. He looked up at the sky, seeing the sun starting to set.


    ¡°Hopefully one of the next set won¡¯t smell,¡± one of the Scavengers said, a couple of full backpacks hanging off his shoulders.


    Loch walked over to him, motioning toward the Spatial Bag. Taking one of the backpacks off his shoulder, the man held it over the Bag. He looked away, no one wanted to see the nausea inducing twisting and warping of the backpack as it entered the Spatial Bag. He followed up with the second.


    ¡°There¡¯s a pile of stuff waiting for one of the Spatial Bags,¡± he said, then realized who he was talking to. ¡°I mean.. Uhm¡­ sir¡­. Uhm.. Lord¡­ uh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Loch said smiling.


    ***


    It took two more days to clean out the houses between where they¡¯d started and where David and his team had stopped. Loch stood at the intersection, looking down Knowles street. How many years had they trick or treated on Knowles and Pender? It was a great loop. Lots of houses, lots of people. The girls always ran into friends. Always the parents and friends for Loch and Kelly to hang out with.


    Even a couple houses with treats for the adults.


    The Scavengers had hit most of the houses on Pender and started on Knowles. There might even be a team down there now. Loch wasn¡¯t sure of the schedule.


    He turned and walked toward the house and barn. The owners had built some fencing off to the side, creating space for horses. He wondered where the horses were now. Were they some that had joined Larry¡¯s herd or had they wandered off into the woods and possibly died? Maybe they were still out there and would make their way back someday. Loch hoped for that option.


    The door had already been broken open. He admired the craftsmanship. The barn, and the fencing, had always looked good when he¡¯d driven by. The owners had put some care and work into it. Inside the barn had a couple of stalls. Some old hay, now moldy, sat in the far corner, pieces strewn around the barn. Small scavengers had gotten into it, making a mess.


    The others had already stacked the saddles and other tack they¡¯d found. Some harnesses and reins, blankets and a bunch of horseshoes. Loch put it all in his Spatial Bag. He walked around the barn, even climbing up into the loft, looking for anything else of use. There wasn¡¯t much. He grabbed a pitchfork, some rakes, riding helmets and a bunch of rope he found.


    Leaving the barn, he walked into the house. Most of the blankets and pillows hadn¡¯t been touched yet, neither had the mattresses. They¡¯d decided to stay in that house for the night, finishing it up in the morning.


    There were piles of stuff set aside, more being added to them. Loch sat down near one, grabbing books and board games, utensils and food, stuffing them into the Spatial Bag. His was almost full. He¡¯d emptied one of the others into his, giving more room for the Scavengers to grab more stuff. He wasn¡¯t planning on rummaging through any more houses. He¡¯d been gone from the Clanhold, and the girls, long enough.


    Everyone knew they were essentially stealing but since the likelihood of the original owners still being alive was slim, something no one wanted to think about, they had decided on scavenging. They weren¡¯t raiding, they were taking for survival. Raiding was about taking because they could. This was all for survival of the Clan. Loch wasn¡¯t sure who had started calling it rummaging, but he liked that term a lot better.


    Loch moved on to another pile.


    ***


    ¡°There¡¯s only two or three houses between here and the Bow Lake intersection,¡± David said as the group sat in the living room eating their dinner of jerky. ¡°They¡¯ve been cleared out already, so we¡¯ll head down Knowles until we¡¯re full up and can¡¯t carry anymore.¡±


    ¡°That wagon we found in the barn will help us carry a lot more,¡± Mikey, the youngest of the Scavenging team said, full of enthusiasm.


    The rest groaned.


    Loch laughed.


    He knew they would gladly take the wagon. They all knew that what they did was important, not just for themselves but everyone at the Clanhold. The more they could get, the more everyone would be better off. They would complain the whole way when pulling the large wagon, and it was a big one, but they¡¯d still do it.


    ¡°Are you coming with us, Lord Lochlan? Mikey asked.


    Loch gave the kid a mock glare. Not really a kid, Mikey was twenty, but his enthusiasm about everything made him seem a little younger. No matter how many times over the last few days Loch had told him to not call him Lord, Mikey still did it. Loch had given up. With the way Mikey was smirking, Loch wondered if the kid did it on purpose.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to head straight for the Clanhold, probably stop off at Bow Lake Fields to see how the start of construction is going.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to have a house,¡± Jerry, another Scavenger said.


    ¡°So you and Betty can get some privacy,¡± David said, causing everyone to laugh.


    Jerry didn¡¯t look embarrassed.


    ¡°Jealous?¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± David admitted, earning more laughs.


    Loch smiled, watching the interplay between the group. It was good seeing people relax and laugh. He even joined in.

 Chapter 266 (3.33)

    Loch stood at the entrance to Bow Lake Fields. He could hear the sounds of people taking down trees, sawing and hammering. A lot of the tall grass had been hacked down. Stacks driven into the ground with thin lines used to measure distances. The grove of trees in the middle of the field remained, planned to not be touched.


    It would become a park someday.


    Standing at the entrance he could envision what it would look like.


    A road heading straight through where the gate had been, ending in a wide square in front of the grove. There might be a statue or fountain in the square. Various ideas were put forward but nothing had been decided on yet. The road would continue around the grove. The shops would be along the road from the entrance to the grove. Houses would be set in organized grids from there to the end of the field on all three sides. The idea was to have the houses back to back, with yards between them, facing other homes across the roads.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how many houses there would end up being. It would be a mix of smaller for single people, a little larger for couples, a medium size for a smaller family and a couple bigger for the larger families. No mansions or anything like that.


    There was going to be a school, a town hall and community building. Barracks for guards would still be at the Clanhold, but there would be a small one at the new town. A wall would go around it, guard posts set evenly along the length.


    He¡¯d seen the plans, had helped in drafting them up. They still didn¡¯t have a name yet. It was going to be an ambitious project and Loch couldn¡¯t wait for them to get started on it.


    In the Spring.


    He walked out into the field, heading for the group of people standing near the grove.


    ¡°TIMBER,¡± a clear voice yelled out.


    It was followed by a crash. Loch looked to the left, which he thought was north. A group of lumberjacks were clearing the treeline, pushing it past where the wall would be. The ground was frozen, even their Adapted bodies would have a hard time digging it down enough to set up the palisade wall. That would come in the spring. For now they were just clearing the trees, making more open space between the future wall and the surrounding forest. The fallen trees were being cleared of branches, stacked on the grassy field. The branches and smaller trees would be brought back to the Clanhold and turned into wood for the coming winter.


    The plan was to cut the forest back about twenty feet on the three sides of the field. The north might be less, as there was a small stream running along that side, the ground sloping down to it. He thought the plan was to clear all the trees to the edge of the slope, leaving the rest on the other side. It was a lot of work to get done, but it was work that could be done before the snow fell. They¡¯d have a good stockpile of logs come spring.


    He made his way down to the group of people. A couple of them walked off, heading towards the sounds of trees falling. The others met Loch part way.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± Tim DeWolfe said, holding out his hand.


    ¡°Just Loch,¡± he replied, sighing, taking the offered hand.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting to see you out here,¡± Tim said, leading Loch north toward where the work was happening.


    ¡°I was out with some scavengers and thought I¡¯d stop by on the way back to the school.¡±


    ¡°Not much to see yet.¡±


    Loch looked down the field, seeing some people set up with surveying equipment. Tim looked that way.


    ¡°I managed to get one of the scavenger teams to stop at that Surveying firm on Route 4 up the road from the town dump,¡± he explained. ¡°Getting real equipment is going to help us really lay everything out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Loch said.


    When the idea of creating the town had come up, everyone had assumed they¡¯d be laying it out by hand, using ropes and sticks. But having actual equipment would be a huge timesaver.


    ¡°Turns out one of the guys in the Clan was a Civil Engineer and had some surveying experience,¡± Tim continued, walking Loch down the slight slope to the northern edge. ¡°That list Kristin keeps is a godsend,¡± he said. ¡°Really helped me find the right people for this project.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear,¡± Loch said, watching the lumberjacks work.


    They had a variety of saws, none powered. He saw a couple of the old fashioned ones that took two people. Those teams worked on some of the larger trees with the smaller saws being used on the thinner. It was a pretty efficient operation.


    It looked chaotic at first, but Loch saw there was an organization to it, with a couple of supervisors directing. A tree would fall, and another team would go to work cutting off the branches, with a third team taking the branches out of the way and stacking in a large pile. Another team was cutting those branches up into smaller ones to use in the wood stoves. Still another team would take the stripped trees and drag them up the hill, working to get them onto the piles. The thinner ones were brought to another group that used axes and other saws to cut those trees into logs. The last team were using wagons and wheelbarrows, bringing the logs down the road to the school.


    Loch was amazed at how quick it was all going. With the right tools and their Adapted bodies, the workers were fast and efficient.


    Tom led him over to what was going to be the northwest corner of the wall. There was a stake stuck into the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s the corner and the surveyors are setting the other corner,¡± Tim explained. ¡°Once we have that set, we¡¯ll start laying out the first of the homes.¡± He spread his hands as he talked, pointing at spots in the grass where the various things would go. Loch kept up with him, picturing how it would look. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a road run between the wall and the first homes. Double wide with some grass space at the wall for the stairs and watchtowers. The first homes will face the wall. Those will be back to back with the next, sharing some yard space between. Then a road, then another set of back to back homes. That¡¯ll repeat up to the center of the town where the small park and shops will be.¡±


    ¡°Going to be a lot of work,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tim said with a smile. ¡°Probably the largest project I¡¯ve ever been a Manager on and I did some big ones back before the Connection. You sticking around?¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°No, I just wanted to stop by. Going to check out the Corner Tower on the way back.¡±


    ¡°Mind if I tag along?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Tim whistled loudly, the sound spreading across the clearing. Most eyes turned toward the two.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the Tower,¡± Tim shouted, making sure he had the attention of the supervisors. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± One yelled back.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when I get back,¡± Tim yelled. He started walking away with Loch. ¡°If I told them how long I¡¯d be, they¡¯d slack off until I got back,¡± he muttered.


    Loch laughed.


    ***


    ¡°We¡¯re almost down,¡± Steve Haley said, directing Loch¡¯s attention to the tower.


    It stood at the corner of Bow Lake Road and Route 4, with clear views up both roads, which is why it was called the Corner Tower. Four stories tall, the fifth open on the sides with roof above, half walls along the sides. The rest was covered in planks, or would be when it was done. Each side had four windows, stacked on top of each other. They were small, made for archers to shoot out of, and give a decent view in all directions. A single door led into the structure. Access to the roof was by stairs and ladders, each floor open with a dumbwaiter system to get equipment and supplies up to each floor.


    The lowest floor, where the angled walls of the tower were wider, had barracks for the guards on duty. A kitchen area was on the second level with a lounge area. The third story was for the weapons emplacements.


    Steve, with his Class of SiegeGuard, had devised a couple of surprises for the top two levels. For the fourth level he¡¯d created the walls to be on hinges, opening up to expose the weapons but only on the Route 4 and Bow Lake sides. The ballista were small but powerful, designed from plans he¡¯d found in books and modified by the knowledge from his Class. The fourth level had smaller hinged openings where Casters could fire their Abilities from.


    The interior was all done, as was the roof. Most of the planks had been attached to the sides with only the back and part of a side to finish up. Carpenters were up on some rickety looking scaffolding made from trees and planks. The whole thing shook as people moved. Loch was going to point it out, but they¡¯d been using the scaffolding for multiple projects and no one had fallen yet.


    Probably jinx it to mention something now, he thought.


    The tower wasn¡¯t built right in the corner of the roads, but pulled back more to the center of the roads, which is what gave it the clear views.


    ¡°We probably won¡¯t get started on the wall or the smaller end towers before snow falls,¡± Steve said, walking around the tower with Loch and Tim.


    ¡°Yeah, not worth starting them and stopping,¡± Tim agreed. ¡°The snow and weather could probably damage them and we¡¯d have to replace the work.¡±


    The plan was to build smaller two or three story towers at the sides of the roads, connecting them to the larger with walls and gates. It wouldn¡¯t stop an army from getting past, but would help control wagon travel.


    There was just too much land around the Clanhold to do full walls around it all, especially with the fields. It had taken days to come up with a plan, lots of back and forth with a ton of opinions thrown out, but they had all agreed on a final plan. A wall would be on the west, running from the lake up to the corner of the school, then from the other corner of the school down the fields and to where the land sloped up again.


    More towers would be built on top of the slope, spaced along the north side of the school, between the woods and the fields. Those would continue down the east side in front of the fields. Only two or three stories, they would be more open platforms for guards and archers. A low wall, only a couple feet high, would be built between them with gates. Those walls and towers would eventually connect with the Corner Tower. Another tall wall would go from the Corner Tower back down to the water¡¯s edge.


    It was a lot of work and would take a long time, which everyone on the Council was good with. That meant more work to keep Carpenters and Laborers busy through the Spring and Summer. With the amount of work the town would take, pretty much everyone in the Clan would be busy building.


    And that didn¡¯t take into account all the other structures under construction.


    ¡°How goes the Ranch,¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Pretty much down,¡± Steve said. ¡°The chicken coop is finished.¡±


    When they¡¯d found the chickens near the old town dump, the decision had been made to build a coop there. No one wanted to try and wrangle a couple dozen chickens and move them all to the school. The flock had been growing under the watch of a couple new Rancher Classes. The buildings that had been at the dump had been taken by the Worldcore, except for an old trailer that had been used as an office. It wasn¡¯t big enough to work for the Ranchers, so construction had begun on a Ranch House and Coop for the chickens. Since the Grand Oak was there, a guard tower and barracks was also under construction near the road.


    ¡°The tower up on Saddleback was finished a week ago and last I heard that team is almost down the small barracks there,¡± Steve added.


    Loch pulled up his mental list of construction projects, adding notes to the status of each they¡¯d talked about. The last nails had been pounded in at the small wall and towers west by the old brewery. The teams had been using one of the local homes for a barracks, which meant they didn¡¯t need another building. The Spawn Field by Loch¡¯s own house, where there were a lot of turkeys, those Ranchers were also using one of the local houses.


    ¡°What about the barracks and tower at the mine?¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Almost done,¡± Tim answered. ¡°We¡¯ve started in on a trail that comes straight this way instead of going to Bow Lake Road and then down. It¡¯ll probably angle to come out nearer the smelting building.


    Loch nodded, mentally pulling up the list of trails to build. The smelting building was just up Bow Lake at the fire pond. Having the trail from the mine go straight there would cut the trip down a couple of hours. It would end up crossing one that would come from the fields and head toward the town up at the Bow Lake Fields. The plan would be to turn all those trails into true dirt roads that wagons could go down.


    More projects for the spring.


    Loch was looking forward to seeing what it would all look like when done.


    ¡°So Tim,¡± he started.


    ¡°Uh oh¡­,¡± Steve said with a laugh.


    Tim looked at Loch like a deer caught in headlights. He wanted to run but knew he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°When the surveyors get done up at Bow Lake Field¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tim said warily.


    ¡°Why not send them down to Johnson''s field and see how much land we got there,¡± Loch suggested.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do two large building projects at once,¡± Tim said.


    ¡°This will be for when Bow Lake is done.¡±


    ¡°Bow Lake will fit what we have now,¡± Tim said, still looking like he wanted to run.


    ¡°What we have now,¡± Loch said with a smile.

 Chapter 267 (3.34)

    ¡°What the hell is that,¡± Kelly asked, staring down the hill into the small valley.


    Standing next to her, Senora smiled. A couple of the other Valkyries, standing at the top of the hill, wore similar expressions to Kellys.


    ¡°That is the work of the Dawnmother,¡± Senora said, pride and reverence in her voice, replacing the usual haughtiness.


    They were still in a city in Massachusetts, or maybe they had finally crossed over the border into New Hampshire. Kelly wasn¡¯t sure. It had been a long time since she¡¯d seen a townline or directional sign. Loch had mentioned that when they¡¯d been together. It seemed an odd thing for the Worldcore to take. Such a small amount of metal, but she supposed it would add up over time.


    The valley wasn¡¯t natural, not a feature of the landscape or something the city builders had planned on. It was a large crater, the sides sloping down. Not natural, it looked like someone had taken a large shovel and dug into the ground. A half mile long and quarter mile wide, the sides jagged and rough.


    The bottom wasn¡¯t much better. Uneven ground, lots of rocks, some that had fallen down the sides of the slopes. It made for a hellish landscape.


    And there were dozens of people moving about. Some were setting up tents. There were large firepits scattered around the base. Other people were bringing loads of logs, carried by hand as the ground was too uneven to use wheelbarrows or wagons. Still others were skinning animals at the far end, throwing the meat into what Kelly thought was a smoking hut. A small group was going through what looked like piles of vegetables.


    Just past the people working on the vegetables and animals, Kelly saw a portal. It was open, leading to somewhere that looked warm. She thought she saw Greek or Roman architecture, not sure if it was on Earth or somewhere else. Only a small handful of people were moving through the shimmering circle of energy. They wore strange clothing. Light and airy, in bright colors. Not all the people in the valley, Kelly didn¡¯t know what else to call it, wore the same. Most wore clothing like the people in the caravan behind her. Worn jeans, t-shirts, jackets. Earth clothing.


    The people in the bright colors were Elves, the rest were humans. Even though the slope wasn¡¯t that high, she couldn¡¯t tell if the humans were slaves or volunteers. Maybe people rescued like her people?


    ¡°What am I looking at?¡± She asked Senora.


    ¡°This is to be your home for the winter,¡± Senora said. ¡°Thanks to the charity of the Dawnmother?¡±


    ¡°Charity,¡± Tiffany scoffed. ¡°Are you kidding me? We¡¯re supposed to stay there for the winter? She¡¯s got to be joking.¡±


    ¡°Do not speak that way of the Dawnmother,¡± Senora barked, turning on Tiffany, her eyes glowing as she started to summon her Spirit for an Ability.


    Tiffany turned, face impassive, holding her spear at the ready. Kelly stepped between them, glaring at Senora. Her spear wasn¡¯t held at the ready, it was up, the tip pointing at Senora.


    ¡°Stand down,¡± Kelly said, her tone giving no room for argument.


    Senora shifted her gaze to Kelly, locking eyes. The two stared at each other for a moment. Kelly lifted the spear an inch, taking a step forward. Senora took a step back, lowering her hands. The glow faded from her eyes.


    Kelly pointed down into the valley.


    ¡°This is where you¡¯ve been leading us this whole time?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Senora said. ¡°This is just where the Dawnmother wants you to spend the winter. Then come the Spring, we will continue to the final destination.¡±


    ¡°And where is that,¡± Kelly asked, not taking her eyes off Senora.


    The elf priestess looked uncomfortable under Kelly¡¯s intense glare. She swallowed nervously, looking down at the valley and then the portal, before looking back at Kelly with far less confidence.


    ¡°Through the portal,¡± Senora said. ¡°But the Dawnmother must gather more power before she can bring so many through.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s her plan for us?¡± Kelly asked. ¡°Why bring us all this way just to enter that portal?¡±


    ¡°As you know, it takes a large amount of energy to power a portal and the more Connected that go through one, even more energy is required.¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Kelly nodded. She¡¯d been told all that when Senora had used Freyja¡¯s power to open the portal that sent Kelly to Northwood. The portal she¡¯d used on this end, along with the one in Northwood, had both been created by the Divine Being Concept Of Death. That had established a connection between them. Kelly thought of the portal stone she had in her Spatial Bag. She shifted to look at the large portal at the bottom of the valley.


    She had seen a few people walking out of it, and now a larger amount going through it. All the people going through the portal wore the clothing of the Elves. None of the humans. Some of the elves stayed behind. The portal flashed and then disappeared. The group watching reacted, all turning to Senora in confusion.


    ¡°They just brought supplies didn¡¯t they?¡± Kelly asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And all that is supposed to last us all winter?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kelly could barely control her anger. She felt like such a fool. For months, she¡¯d allowed Senora to guide them north, listening to the elf and her promises that Freyja had a plan and destination. That Freyja would take care of them. Promises that the couple hundred people that Kelly was responsible for would be taking care of. And then to see the valley.


    It looked barely large enough to contain them all. Tents were no shelter against winter and snow. It barely looked like enough food.


    ¡°With the coming of Spring, when the Dawnmother¡¯s Concept is at its strongest, she will have the power to bring you all to her.¡±


    ¡°And where is that?¡± Kelly asked, looking down into the valley.


    The people there had taken notice of her group, talking among themselves and pointing. A small group, three people, walked away from the others, heading up the slope.


    ¡°Your people called it Rome.¡±


    Kelly shook her head. With the way the Earth had grown, a mile became six or more. Thousands became tens of thousands. And Rome wasn¡¯t now just thousands of miles away, it was across the Atlantic Ocean, which had no doubt had grown in size as well. It might as well be another planet. If Kelly went through that portal, she would never see her family again.


    She had been a fool, but no longer. Not since coming back from Northwood.


    There was a plan and she would see it through.


    ¡°You can stay here,¡± Kelly said, pointing at Senora¡¯s feet. ¡°We have no more need of you.¡±


    Before Senora could say a word, Kelly started walking to meet the group coming up the slope.


    ***


    ¡°Greetings,¡± the elf in the lead said, bowing his head to Kelly. His eyes drifted past her to Senora up on the hill.


    Kelly had heard Senora move to follow her, but had also heard Tiffany and two other Valkyries get in the way. She had kept walking, acting like she was ignoring it all. Senora Barkfall was no longer worth her time.


    ¡°Will the Priestess be joining us?¡± the elf asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Kelly replied, inwardly smiling at the confused and shocked expression on the elf.


    ¡°Well¡­ uhm¡­,¡± he started.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Kelly asked.


    ¡°I am Yorin Greenstone,¡± he said, looking from her to Senora up the hill, still confused. ¡°I am the Dawnmother¡¯s Priest in this,¡± he said, with a little more confidence, hand extending behind him. ¡°Winterhome.¡±


    ¡°Winterhome?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± He said, bowing his head.


    ¡°This is not our winterhome,¡± Kelly said, looking past the elf at the two humans that had followed him. An older man and younger woman. ¡°And you two are?¡±


    ¡°Jacob Turner.¡±


    He had silver hair and beard, standing about six feet tall. Jacob looked strong, but Kelly had a feeling he¡¯d been really old when the Connection had come and Adapted him. He wore decent clothes. Jeans and a flannel with a vest.


    ¡°Holly Brackett.¡±


    She looked to be about Kelly¡¯s age, with brown hair and blue eyes. A couple inches over five feet, she wore clothing similar to Jacob.


    ¡°Are you two in charge of this winterhome?¡± Kelly asked.


    ¡°No, Lord Greenstone is,¡± Jacob answered.


    Kelly could tell, reading between the lines, that Jacob did not like the elf. From Holly¡¯s expression, neither did she. If Yorin Greenstone was anything like Senora Barkfall, she couldn¡¯ blame them.


    ¡°Well now you¡¯re in charge,¡± she said, pointing to Jacob.


    Yorin started to say something, eyes wide in outrage. Kelly glared at him.


    ¡°That one used us,¡± she said, pointing up at Senora. ¡°So I¡¯m not a big fan of you Priests and Priestesses of Freyja right now.¡±


    ¡°She is your Patron,¡± Yorin said, outraged.


    Kelly ignored the elf. She walked by him, coming to stop in front of Jacob and Holly.


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to work for the winter,¡± Kelly told them, pointing at the valley. ¡°We need to do better.¡±


    Jacob impressed Kelly, he didn¡¯t protest or try to argue. He just nodded.


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡±

 Chapter 268 (5.35)

    Loch looked around the cold landscape. Not much had changed since his last visit. The village was the same size, the same layout, the same amount of large vikings wandering around. All ignoring him. They stood easily seven feet tall, all of them the bulk of wrestlers. Big men, carrying axes and swords, dressed in furs. They ignored him, so Loch ignored them.


    He made his way through the village, heading for the longhouse in the middle. Why did he always appear on the outskirts? Wouldn¡¯t it be just as easy to appear in the longhouse itself? The cold didn¡¯t really bother him, even though he appeared in his armor with no furs or cloak, he didn¡¯t feel the bite of the wind. This was a dream after all. At least he thought it was. He¡¯d never been able to figure it out and it was something even Cerie and Elora didn¡¯t know. Sinat either. None of the elves now in Clan Brady had a Patron. Cerie had heard of it, but her records never talked about how the Divine Being communicated with their chosen.


    Loch had only talked to his Patron after he¡¯d fallen asleep, which made him think it was a dream. But with the Connected System, Spirit and everything it meant, there was a good chance he was being transported somewhere else. Maybe another planet. Maybe it was astral traveling. As long as he returned back to the Clanhold, Loch wasn¡¯t too concerned.


    When the Connection had first appeared, it all bothered him. But there were bigger concerns than the why of everything. He had people, hundreds that he was responsible for. He had much bigger concerns. Survival and thriving were the most important.


    Reaching the longhouse, Loch climbed the steps, ignoring the two guards. Their shoulders were covered in snow, icicles hanging from their beards. He would have thought them statues if he didn¡¯t see them breathe. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were the same two that were always there. Ignoring them, Loch pushed the doors open.


    He walked into the now familiar hall. A fire roared in the pits on the sides of the long table, which was empty as always. Thor sat in the chair at the far end. He watched as Loch walked down the table. Loch took a seat on Thor¡¯s right, ignoring the full glass of ale or mead in front of him.


    ¡°Greetings Lochlan Brady,¡± Thor said, leaning forward. ¡°How are you this fine night?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°You are much like your wife,¡± Thor said with a laugh. ¡°Both out of patience.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about Kelly?¡± Loch said, leaning forward, anger rising.


    Thor raised his hands, leaning back as he laughed.


    ¡°She is vexing Freyja to no end,¡± Thor said, taking a drink from his mug that never seemed to empty. ¡°It is quite entertaining. Kelly Brady has proven as stubborn as you are,¡± he continued. ¡°It seems Freyja underestimated her.¡± Thor leaned forward, setting his mug down. ¡°I did try to warn Freyja but..,¡± he shrugged. Leaning back again, Thor tilted his head, looking down at Loch in the lower seat. ¡°It has gotten worse since her visit with you. I wonder what you two planned.¡±


    Loch leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. How much did Thor know? Probably not much. He wasn¡¯t going to say anything. Instead, Loch just waited. Thor had called him for a reason.


    ¡°Kelly is in no danger,¡± Thor said. ¡°I am looking forward to seeing what you do and how it messes up Freyja¡¯s plans.¡± Thor stood up, walking around his chair and heading for the rack of weapons hanging on the wall. He ran his hand over the tip of a spear, turning back to Loch. ¡°I hope it destroys Freyja¡¯s plans. That will serve her for trying to interrupt my plans.¡±


    Loch shook his head. Politics. Even at the level of power the Divine Beings had, they still played at politics. Cosmic level politics but still politics. Things never changed.


    ¡°And what are your plans?¡± Loch asked.


    Thor smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never really told me what you get out of this deal,¡± Loch added. ¡°Why me and why so early?¡±


    ¡°Early?¡± Thor asked, looking confused but Loch didn¡¯t buy it.


    Thor knew exactly what he was talking about. Loch didn¡¯t feel like playing the game so he just crossed his arms and looked at the Divine Being. Finally Thor chuckled, shaking his head.


    ¡°Your trait,¡± Thor said, returning to his throne.


    ¡°Unfettered,¡± Loch said, nodding. ¡°I figured.¡±


    ¡°It puts you somewhat outside the Connection. You can do things that others cannot. You have seen the benefits of that?¡±


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Loch shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told multiple times that things are happening that normally don¡¯t. At least not this early in a new world¡¯s Connection.¡±


    ¡°That is all true. And it affects your Abilities.¡±


    Loch thought about how he¡¯d recently been able to change Onyx. There had been some other examples, but that was the biggest and what he got the most benefit from. Cerie, and now even Elora and Sinat, were amazed at what happened around Loch. Things that the fairy had no records of, or the others had never encountered or heard of. Cerie thought it came from his Trait.


    Something that he shouldn¡¯t have yet.


    Thor had sought him out and Loch hadn¡¯t really done anything to distinguish himself. Not yet. So why had Thor sought him out specifically? The trait, but how did Thor know about it?


    ¡°Are you responsible for the Trait?¡±


    Thor laughed, slapping the arms of his chair. One finger tapped the side of his head as he smiled at Loch. For some reason Thor didn¡¯t want to say anything out loud, but Loch understood the meaning. Thor was somehow responsible for the Trait¡¯s existence.


    ¡°What are your plans?¡± he asked again.


    Thor¡¯s smile dropped as he eyed Loch. His fingers tapped on the arm of the throne as he thought.


    ¡°Nothing that will hurt you or yours,¡± the Concept of the Storm said, leaning forward, as serious as Loch had ever seen him. Not that they had spent much time together. ¡°You are an investment.¡±


    Loch gave him the confused look. Thor pointed a large finger at him.


    ¡°What you have accomplished so far is amazing. It is even more than what I managed when my world was first Connected. But for all that you have done, it is what you will do that I am concerned with.¡±


    ¡°And what will I do?¡±


    Thor leaned back, laughing once more.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. That is what makes this so interesting.¡±


    Loch shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Thor leaned forward again, picking up his mug. He took a long drink, wiping foam from his beard.


    ¡°Earth will just be another planet in a universe of hundreds such,¡± Thor said. ¡°How many Divine Beings are there?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. Not many.¡±


    Thor chuckled, taking another drink.


    ¡°No, not many at all. Our ranks number in the dozens. Out of hundreds of Connected planets, out of the billions or trillions of Connected and Adapted across the universe, only a handful ever become Divine Beings.¡± He pointed at Loch. ¡°You have that potential.¡±


    ¡°All this for potential?,¡± Loch asked incredulously.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Thor answered but wagged a finger at Loch. ¡°There is great power in potential. You will do great things Lochlan Brady and I will end up benefiting from those great things.¡±


    ¡°And what if I die before realizing that potential?¡±


    Thor shrugged.


    ¡°I will just try again. But I don¡¯t think I will have to.¡±


    ***


    Loch opened his eyes, seeing the now familiar ceiling of the classroom that was his and the girls room. Moonlight leaked in around the curtain over the window. He could hear the light breathing of both girls, one of them moving and turning around.


    He tried to process what Thor had said. There was more hidden there, beyond just the spoken words. Loch wasn¡¯t sure what he believed, how much of the Divine Being¡¯s words were true and what was in jest. He knew Thor got some benefit from the Patron relationship, but it had to be more to make Thor have an interest in him now.


    Did Thor really have a hand in creating the Trait? If so, how? And why him specifically? Why did he get the Trait and not someone else?


    Loch wasn¡¯t sure he liked the idea of Thor gaining from his own Advancement and Accomplishments. He knew the Trait had helped, but it wasn¡¯t the only thing that made him who he was and what he did. It wasn¡¯t the only thing that was going to drive his future.


    Let Thor benefit, as long as the Divine Being didn¡¯t interfere with Loch¡¯s people and what he would need to do, Thor could benefit all he wanted.


    He rolled over, pulling the blanket tighter.


    He didn¡¯t have the time to worry about the machinations of Divine Beings. He, Kelly and his people had their own plans to worry about.

 Chapter 269 (5.36)

    ¡°You solved what problem?¡± Loch asked, looking at a very happy Davis.


    ¡°The mason jars,¡± he said.


    ¡°I thought you found some at the grocery and hardware stores?¡±


    ¡°We did,¡± Davis said, motioning for Loch to follow him. ¡°Just not enough.¡±


    ¡°So how did the problem get solved?¡±


    Davis led him around the corner of the school toward where the crafters had set up their outside work areas. There had been a forge made and a couple areas for leathercrafting. The tanning aspect was being done in a far corner of the school, where the smell wouldn¡¯t bother anyone. Loch saw a large collection of the Clan¡¯s crafters working. None looked up, which he liked. They were all too busy.


    Except one. Standing next to the forge, a tall and skinny man with long hair tied up and a long beard with the end held together with a hair band, stood in front of a work table. Spread across it were glass jars of various sizes. As soon as he saw Loch, the man waved his hands over the glass.


    ¡°Behold,¡± Davis said. ¡°Lord Lochlan, meet Lloyd Harriman, the Clan¡¯s new Classed Glassblower.¡±


    Loch held out his hand, Lloyd taking it. His smile widened.


    ¡°Glassmith,¡± he said, his accent midwestern. ¡°The Class I mean.¡±


    Loch couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. There was a wide variety of Classes in the Connection, but he hadn¡¯t expected one dedicated to Glassblowing.


    ¡°When we started running out of mason jars, I went to Kristin to see if we had anyone that could maybe make them,¡± Davis explained, smiling broadly, proud of himself. ¡°Turns out Lloyd here had listed it as one of his pre-Connection skills.¡±


    ¡°Bit of a hobby,¡± Lloyd said. ¡°Wasn¡¯t ever very good, but it was interesting and I took a couple lessons. Made some pieces at one of those make-your-own-craft places. When Davis and Miss Kristin approached me, I said I¡¯d try. Worked on it and took a bit to get going. The gear here wasn¡¯t what I had used but then they gave me a book and that helped a lot. Book was on how they used to blow glass back in the old days. Took more time and¡­¡± he spread his arms out, showing the glass on the table. ¡°A couple days ago I got the Class. Seems there¡¯s more to it than just blowing glass.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Loch asked, now really interested.


    ¡°The Class is a Smith class,¡± Lloyd said. ¡°Besides the usual stuff like glasses, plates and jars, I can make swords and shields.¡±


    He laughed as Loch looked skeptical.


    ¡°I mean I haven¡¯t tested them myself but the Captain said they worked pretty good,¡± Lloyd said, laughing.


    Loch looked at Davis.


    ¡°For that, you¡¯ll need to talk to Darren. I was just showing you the jars.¡±


    ¡°Good job,¡± Loch told Lloyd, shaking the man¡¯s hand again. ¡°If the swords and shields work, start making as many as you can.¡±


    Leaving the Glassmith, Loch and Davis headed back to the front of the school.


    ¡°Glass swords,¡± Loch said, shaking his head. ¡°Crazy.¡±


    ¡°I kind of want one,¡± Davis said. ¡°Must look pretty cool.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go find out.¡±


    ***


    Loch whistled, watching the glass sword slam against a metal one. The metal had belonged to the Silver Bark, now being used by a Clan Brady Striker. He faced off against another Striker Class, the other using the glass sword. There were sparks from the metal, a glint of light off the glass. Surprisingly the glass sword didn¡¯t break. The weapon was hard to see as the glass was see-through. Loch could just barely make out the edges of the weapon. It was plain looking, just a blade and hilt, but being almost invisible gave it an advantage over normal weapons.


    ¡°That was my reaction too,¡± Darren said. ¡°When Lloyd brought it over, it took some convincing to get someone to volunteer to try the damn thing out. No one trusted it, but now¡­¡± he waved his hand at where the sparring match was happening.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    The two guards weren¡¯t truly sparring, they were just swinging the blades against each other. Sparring just enough to show Loch the durability of the glass swords.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Darren said with a smile. ¡°Barry, do it!¡±


    The two fighters stepped back. The one with the glass sword waved at Darren. He Activated an Ability, Loch could see the Spirit moving through Barry¡¯s core. It flowed down his arm and into his sword. Loch had seen Striker¡¯s use one of the Abilities on their weapons. It didn¡¯t really do anything to the weapon itself, just using the Striker¡¯s Spirit to make their attacks faster and the weapon sharper.


    But that wasn¡¯t what Loch was seeing.


    The Spirit seemed to flow into the glass. The weapon lit up from within, glowing brightly. It wasn¡¯t just one spot, but spread through the blade. The two Strikers took their stances, raised their swords in salute, and at the call of one, they lunged together.


    The Striker with the glass sword was faster, the sword almost singing as it swung through the air. The blades clashed, the metal sparking and the glass sword erupting in a bright flash. Barry pushed forward, driving the other Striker back.


    ¡°They¡¯re both the same Level,¡± Darren said. ¡°Both Strikers at Level 8.¡±


    Loch watched the way the two fought. The other Striker had Activated the same Ability, his metal sword showing the Spirit but as a glowing and crackling skin around the weapon. Loch could see the difference. The Ability added to the metal sword, but was still restricted by being applied to the weapon. The Ability used with the glass sword was almost part of the weapon. It had enchanted the weapon.


    ¡°It¡¯s stronger and faster,¡± Loch said, amazed.


    ¡°Yep. Not quite twice as strong, but there is a noticeable difference.¡±


    Darren whistled. The two stopped, stepping away from each other. They let their Abilities fade away.


    ¡°Barry,¡± Darren yelled, waving at the man to come over.


    The two jogged up to where Loch waited with Davis and Darren. They were up the slope at the front yard of the school, the two Strikers had been sparring at the relatively flat part of the old Route 4 in front of the school. They¡¯d drawn the attention of people moving about the yard, but now that the spar was over, the watchers dispersed. The other Striker hung back, Loch recognized him but couldn¡¯t remember the man''s name. He was a relatively new arrival at the Clan. Someone that had come with the Level and Class. Barry held the sword out for Loch to take.


    He was surprised at how light the weapon was. Maybe half the weight of a similar size sword, but still had enough weight that it wouldn¡¯t affect the fighter¡¯s balance. Loch swung it a bit, moving it through some of the forms he knew. The axe was his primary weapon but he had the Offensive/Defensive Weaponry Skill. A Passive Ability, it gave him some innate knowledge of how to use the weapon. Loch shifted his feet, lunging and parrying with the weapon.


    He stopped, holding the weapon up, examining it. The glass was clear, barely any imperfections, but then he noticed some small cracks along the length. Pulling it closer, he studied the cracking. Loch glanced at Darren, who nodded.


    Holding the sword out, Loch Activated Precision Strike. He didn¡¯t target anyone or anything, wanting to just send Spirit through the weapon. He felt the difference as the Spirit infused the weapon. Swinging it, Loch went through some forms again. He released the Ability, examining the sword.


    There were more minor cracks on it.


    ¡°Using an Ability saps the durability?¡± Loch asked.


    Darren nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the big drawback. The more Spirit channeled through it, the quicker the durability breaks. Even normal use will sap the durability quicker and unlike a forged weapon, it can¡¯t be repaired.¡±


    Loch handed the sword back to Barry.


    ¡°So increased power for a shorter lifespan?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Darren replied. ¡°We¡¯re still testing, trying to get some benchmarks. But overall, if we equip some of the guards with these things¡­¡±, he trailed off, waiting for Loch.


    ¡°I like that idea, especially if we limit their use. If we have another siege, issue the glass swords to everyone for the increased power, but use metal swords the rest of the time. Or have a couple in each patrol have the glass swords.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. Lloyd is pretty quick at making them too.¡±


    ¡°How are the shields?¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Not as good but since we¡¯re limited on those, outfitting people with the glass shields will help our defense.¡±


    ¡°Poor Lloyd is going to be busy,¡± Davis chuckled.

 Chapter 270 (5.37)

    The dice rolled across the table. They tumbled over and over, coming to a stop with a six, five, three, three and two visible.


    ¡°I still need a large straight and three of a kind,¡± Piper muttered, looking at her Yahtzee card.


    She didn¡¯t know what two dice to take. There was a good chance she might get three of a kind again. She hadn¡¯t used her wild and still had three rolls left. And maybe she could get three of a kind with a four, five or six. That would give her a better overall score. And she needed more points, glancing at the column that showed Nicole, Teddy and Jake¡¯s scores.


    The four teens sat at one of the cafeteria tables, crouched around the dice. Each had a single juice box that they were nursing. There weren¡¯t any others rationed out for the night. Piper knew she could go and ask for more, and would be given more, but she didn¡¯t want to abuse her position. Teddy kept trying to get her to use her rank, which annoyed her. She liked Teddy Smith, but not all that much.


    If this had been Pre-Connection, she would be friendly with him, maybe talk with him now and then, but probably wouldn¡¯t have been friends with him. But it was Post-Connection, and the options in her age range were pretty limited.


    Jake Gannon, who was older by a year, but would have been in her grade still, was a different story. Piper liked him. Blond hair, which had grown long and a little unkempt, which was okay, she thought. Somehow he¡¯d managed to keep his Patriots baseball hat and always wore it. The thing was looking a little dirty, but he refused to give it up.


    ¡°Come on Piper,¡± Nicole said. ¡°Addie is going to be playing tonight.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve seen her show like twenty times,¡± Teddy complained. ¡°It¡¯s going to be the same songs that we¡¯ve heard fifty times.¡±


    Piper didn¡¯t bother pointing out his math error. Teddy was just complaining and exaggerating. He was good at that.


    She made her decision. Taking the three, Piper rolled the dice. It tumbled across the table, coming to a stop. Two. Piper cursed under her breath. One more roll.


    ¡°You got this Piper,¡± Jake said.


    Piper smiled, glad she was looking down at the table so he couldn¡¯t see her blush. She moved a stray strand of hair out of the way and took the dice. Holding it in her hand, she gave it a shake before rolling onto the table.


    ¡°YES!,¡± Piper said, seeing a four appear.


    ¡°Good job,¡± Jake said.


    ¡°My roll,¡± Teddy said, taking the five dice.


    Piper marked her full house on the score sheet, looking up to see Addie Taylor walking in with her guitar case. Teddy was right, they¡¯d seen her play a lot. For a long time she had been the only musician in the Clan, but there were now two. The instruments were limited, the three having to share guitars, but at least there was a bit more variety. They were all even working on making new and original songs. Some solo and some together. Addie had even started giving guitar and music lessons to those that wanted it.


    Piper had thought about signing up but she was too busy with everything else she had to do. Maybe some other time.


    ¡°Alright, four sixes,¡± Teddy said, fist pumping the air.


    He took the score sheet and pencil, marking down his score. Jake picked up the dice.


    ¡°We still have some time while she sets up,¡± Piper said.


    They weren¡¯t concerned about the noise but the lighting. When the musicians played, the lanterns that lined the wall and the candles on the table were extinguished. Not all, but enough to make it hard to see the dice and the scoresheet. The cafeteria had some windows high up in the wall, there was plenty of light during the day, but at night they had to use a lot of lanterns and candles.


    That was another thing that Piper had heard Mr. Turner and Ms. Conway talking about needing. There never seemed to be enough of anything. They always needed more. There were even people busy making candles. Piper didn¡¯t know where they got the wax from, but they apparently had some. Someone had mentioned they were using animal guts or fat. Piper glanced at the candle near them, just picturing the Lynxia or Mutated Chipmunk that might have helped make it. She held in a shudder.


    ¡°Can we move down toward the kitchen?¡± Jake asked. ¡°They usually keep more candles lit down there.¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Naw, we can stay here,¡± Teddy said. ¡°No one is going to blow out this candle as long as Piper is here.¡±


    ¡°Teddy,¡± Nicole snapped.


    ¡°What?,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Nicole glanced at Piper, but she waved the comment off.


    It was true, and Piper hated it. Nicole knew how much she hated it. Nicole was a great friend. She didn¡¯t try to abuse Piper¡¯s friendship or rank. Early on Teddy had tried to convince Piper to get them extra snacks, but it had failed. For the most part he had given up, but now and then he tried to use her rank to his advantage.


    With so few options for friends, Piper tried to ignore it. She tried not to let it bother her, but it did.


    She felt a bit of energy through the Codex Band. Cerie had recharged, or woken up as Piper liked to think of it. She hated thinking of Cerie as just a hologram. The fairy had been real once, and Piper wanted to treat her as real.


    With a thought, Piper summoned the fairy. Cerie appeared in the middle of the table, glowing green, wings fluttering as she hovered a couple inches off the surface. She pivoted, looking at the four teenagers and then down at the dice.


    ¡°What game are we playing?¡± she asked.


    ***


    Piper was happy. It turned out that playing games by candlelight and Cerie light was easy. The green tint took some getting used to, but in the end they had plenty of light. With Addie¡¯s music in the background, they finished up Yahtzee and got a couple hands of UNO in before calling it a night.


    Or at least Nicole and Teddy called it a night. They had left, not together. Teddy had gone first, complaining about hearing the same songs for the 80th time. Piper had wondered if he¡¯d streamed music at all. Nicole had left soon after. She¡¯d looked at Piper and Jake, then back at Piper with a big smile and left pretty quickly.


    Now Piper and Jake sat next to each other, watching Addie. She normally did the more slower and folksy stuff, since all she had was an acoustic guitar, but had been trying some more upbeat stuff with a faster tempo. There were a couple people up dancing.


    Jake had been sitting across from her during the games, but had moved to sit next to her when the others had left. He was sitting pretty close too. Piper had looked around for Harper, not wanting her older sister to come and tease her. But Harper hadn¡¯t made an appearance in the cafeteria yet. Probably sneaking off somewhere with Davis. She was more afraid her dad would show up and catch Jake sitting close to her.


    Jake was almost touching her, they were that close.


    Her dad would probably embarrass her if he appeared. He tried to show up to the gatherings at night, even though it always drew attention and got people walking over to talk with him. But he hadn¡¯t appeared yet. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t that night. Piper was hoping for that.


    The longer she was alone with Jake, the better.


    ¡°Want to dance?¡± Jake asked suddenly, standing up.


    Piper smiled up at him, quickly getting off the bench. She didn¡¯t even need to think of an answer. Of course she did.


    With a huge smile, she followed Jake to where the others were dancing.


    ***


    Harper looked up at the moon. It shone bright across the lake, the reflection large and wavering as the wind pushed at the water. A clear night, the stars filled the sky without a cloud in sight. Holding Davis¡¯ hand, Harper smiled. They sat on the grass near the shore, enjoying the silence and solitude.


    That was hard to get in the crowded clanhold.


    Harper was not looking forward to the winter, when the temperature dropped and people couldn¡¯t really work or go outside. With the wind and the increased storms, the older folk were saying they were expecting a very brutal winter. Harper was not looking forward to it.


    The air was cold already and the wind made it chillier. She shivered.


    Davis released her hand, reaching behind him and grabbing the fur blanket they¡¯d brought. He wrapped it around her shoulders, shifting in closer. She leaned against him. His arm went around her.


    They sat like that for a while, Harper just enjoying the night


    This was the first time they¡¯d been able to get along in a couple of days. There was just so much to do and with both of them being among the high Levels of the Clan, they had a lot of responsibilities. With Davis now leading an Adventurer team, he had Dungeon rotations and needing to hunt in the woods. Harper was in on Dungeon rotations with the annoying twins, Trent and Brent, Brian Jefferson and some others. They were all concentrating on their Advancements. And when not running Dungeons, they were helping the Clan get ready for the winter.


    Part of her wanted the winter to get there, just so they could end all the preparations they¡¯d been going through. It was endless. She understood the need and really didn¡¯t want the winter to come. If it was as brutal as everyone feared, it could mean trouble for the Clan. But she was not looking forward to how cramped it was going to be in the school. So many people in tight confines.


    They¡¯d never get any alone time. She had to make the time they had last.


    Shifting, Harper turned to look at Davis. He turned to her, smiled, and leaned down as she lifted up, their lips meeting.

 Chapter 271 (5.38)

    Kelly ran through the woods, branches grabbing at the jacket she wore. She ducked her head, avoiding a larger branch hanging down. The monster had no such issues. It was large, but still small enough to avoid most of the branches. Thin and agile enough to dodge the grasping branches reaching out. The fur was thick, protecting it further.


    Her jean jacket helped her, but it hung loose, the branches wanting to pull it off her. Kelly cursed, wishing she had buttoned it up. It had been decades since she last wore one. This one was oversized too, made for a larger man, but it had plenty of room for her to wear her armor under it. And it had been fine until she¡¯d chased the creature into the woods.


    DEEP WOODS FOSSA


    The creature looked like a cat, long and lithe body, long tail. But it was the size of a wolf, or bigger. It was furrier than most cats she had seen. It reminded Kelly of a cougar, or puma. She could never remember what the official name was or what the differences were between the species. She just knew the Fossa looked like those, but thinner and longer with much shaggier fur.


    Fur that they could use to make winter cloaks.


    It was thin, but there was still a lot of meat to be had. The monster had to weigh a couple hundred pounds due to its size. She didn¡¯t know how much meat they could get from it, but every bit helped.


    The monster leapt over a fallen log, which caused Kelly to slow down. She couldn¡¯t get over it as easily and climbing over the thing would give the Fossa that much more of a lead on her. Cursing, Kelly pulled her arm back and let her spear go.


    It glowed as it flew, sailing across the distance, faster than the Fossa. The tip caught it in the haunch, making Kelly curse again. There was probably a lot of meat in that area of the Fossa¡¯s body.


    The hit knocked the creature to the ground. It struggled to get up, but the rear legs wouldn¡¯t work. The Fossa started trying to drag itself away.


    Kelly crawled over the fallen tree, cursing the whole time. She slowly stalked toward the Fossa, drawing her long bladed dagger. The monster growled as Kelly approached, swiping at her with a paw, claws extended.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, moving around the Fossa, looking for the best place to make the last strike. ¡°But I need your meat and your fur.¡±


    Leaning down, Kelly slashed with the dagger, cutting across the monster¡¯s neck. Blood splashed across the ground, the Fossa spasming as it gave its last breath.


    Kelly cursed Senora and Freyja. For months the priestess had insisted that Freyja had a place for them to winter and live. A place where they would be safe and sheltered. It had been a lie. Maybe not a full lie, but an omission, which was the same as far as Kelly was concerned. The small valley was not safe or shelter. There would barely be enough food. People would die over the winter, a lot of them.


    Which Kelly now realized was the plan.


    A horrible plan that she had fallen for.


    Gather hundreds of people together, lead them away with the promise of safety, then let a bunch of them die and the others suffer, then offer them a haven. No one would refuse that. They¡¯d take the portal to Rome, or wherever Freyja wanted them, all thankful to be saved. They¡¯d do whatever Freyja wanted.


    She so badly wanted to take her anger out on Senora but couldn¡¯t. Not yet. The Priestess had suddenly become useful. To an extent, and a dangerous one. The elves in the small valley would not deal with Kelly, they would only engage with Senora. So now the Priestess was the go-between from Kelly to the elves. It was not working out well and the elves were very much not listening. They had their orders from Freyja, their precious Dawnmother, and they were going to follow those orders. No matter how much Kelly threatened.


    She had only threatened but it was coming to the point where she might have to do more. She would not let her people, the people that followed and trusted her, suffer. She would see them all through the winter and then to safety.


    Kelly looked up at the approach of the hunters. They walked over, bows in hand, a man and woman. Kelly thought they were a couple, just wasn¡¯t sure if they had become one through the march or had started out.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Good catch,¡± Lauren said.


    ¡°We managed to get the other three,¡± Scott added, pointing behind them.


    Kelly had come out into the nearby woods with a team of six hunters. The other four were probably dealing with the other three Fossas. Each of those were smaller than the one Kelly had hunted. She wondered if this one was the mother and the others the offspring, but stopped that thought quickly. No need to go down that path.


    ¡°Can you deal with this one?¡± Kelly asked, standing up from the beast.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lauren said, moving closer.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Kelly walked away, heading through the forest. She moved quickly. There was no time to waste. She had so much to do and very little time for it all. Since arriving at the valley, Kelly had been going non-stop. She had a couple hundred workers, which helped, but she was afraid it wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    She set some to getting the nearby buildings ready. No way would she allow them all to stay in tents at the bottom of a valley. She knew it was possible to safely camp in the winter and snow, there had been thousands that did it during war, but it was not something she wanted anyone to be doing in this new world. The workers were blocking windows, cleaning out rooms. Getting the spaces ready for people to live in for the next few months.


    Luckily, the closest buildings had been apartments. Four stories, there wasn¡¯t enough room for everyone to have an apartment. They¡¯d be doubling and tripling up, but there was no help for it.


    Others were tasked with cutting down trees and chopping them into logs. The buildings had a central heating system from the basements. They had been oil furnaces, but Kelly was hoping someone would be able to come up with a way to use wood. No one wanted to light fires inside the apartments. That was too dangerous.


    Still more were ranging out into the buildings around them. They were grabbing every blanket, pillow, sleeping bag, comforter, winter coats and thermal wear they could find. They were to grab clothes for the winter, hats and gloves. And food. Any preserved food they could get their hands on. The teams went out with backpacks and duffels, filling them and coming back. Over and over. Every day, almost every hour except for night.


    Night was when the monsters came out. Kelly, the other Valkyries and guards were busy every night fighting monsters. The elves had said that if they just entered the valley, they¡¯d be protected. Kelly didn¡¯t believe them. Besides, each beast they killed was more meat, fur and hides.


    The team of hunters she¡¯d been out with were just one of a few. They had the most important task, finding meat. And any fresh vegetables and fruits they could find.


    Even with everyone out doing what they could, Kelly didn¡¯t think it was going to be enough. They were lucky that they were in a city that apparently hadn¡¯t been raided yet. There were plenty of apartments, offices and shops within a mile or two radius. She knew how hard it had been for Loch and his people to find supplies out in the middle of Northwood. A city just had so much more to offer, in greater quantities and closer together.


    Stepping out of the woods, Kelly looked at the city. The woods ran along the east side of the city, Kelly wasn¡¯t even sure which city it was. Acres of forest. She could hear the people chopping down trees, others struggling to carry the logs in wheelbarrows and wagons the half mile or so to their chosen buildings. The pine boughs were being carried back as well. Anything that could burn and give heat or be used for insulation.


    Walking over to the lumberjacks, Kelly made her spear disappear. She¡¯d been excited when she¡¯d gained a Soul Weapon. It was so much stronger than what she¡¯d been using.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said, waving as she joined the group at the wood piles.


    She got some hellos and waves, even a couple of ¡®milady¡¯s. She hated those and now understood why Loch got so aggravated by the title. Kelly just nodded, not wanting to make a big deal. There were no extra wheelbarrows, so Kelly stacked some logs up in her arms. Shifting the stack, she started walking back toward their new camp.


    ***


    Kelly dropped her load onto the large pile. She brushed the small splinters and pieces of bark off the jean jacket, stretching out her cramped arms. They had almost locked up after carrying the logs for a half mile. The logs hadn¡¯t been that heavy, not with her Adapted body, but it had still been awkward and holding her arms under the load for just about an hour had been tiring.


    Stepping back she looked around the small area they were going to call home for the next few months. It was coming together quickly.


    Not quick enough.


    She wished they had thought to do this a month ago. The caravan had passed by places that would have been better suited. Hotels and larger office buildings. But she had foolishly listened to Senora and the idea of the plan Freyja had. She just hoped that the plan she and Loch made would work out.


    Shaking her head, Kelly looked around, wondering where she could help next.

 Chapter 273 (5.40)

    Loch stood up, Activating Bulwark. He stepped out of the trees, facing the little bearmen. Shifting his feet he Activated Offensive Stance, growing Onyx to its default size.


    ¡°You can run,¡± he said to the Ursine.


    The monsters started uttering low growls. Loch sighed. No running. The Ursines spread out in a semicircle, from the treeline out, surrounding Loch. They didn¡¯t venture into the trees. Yet.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    The Ursine directly in front raised its spear. It growled loud, the others responding. They raised their spears high, banging clubs against the ground. Loch sighed. He really didn¡¯t want to fight them but looked like he had no choice.


    He swung Onyx wide in front of him, Activating Thunderclap. The shockwave of energy swept out, crossing the short distance to the Ursine. It slammed into the little monsters. A couple were sent flying, tumbling across the yard. Loch heard bones shattering at the impact, blood and fur ripping out of the Ursine. One fell, not getting up. Groans filled the yard as some tried to recover.


    Loch turned to the left, Activating Windstep and Widecleave as he appeared in front of more of the Ursine. The axe swept through the monsters, dropping three at once. Loch kicked out, catching another as it tried to jab the spear at him. He caught another spear on Bulwark, angling the shield and breaking the spear.


    He knew more were charging behind him. Loch turned, Activating Elemental Surge. Ursine fell, rolling on the ground. Loch stopped a couple more spears, swinging Onyx and cutting some of the weapons in half. The Ursine stepped back, the survivors staying in a semi-circle but putting distance between them and Loch.


    Loch swished Onyx through the air, drops of blood flying off.


    ¡°I told you we didn¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    The Ursine looked at the first one Loch had killed, the one that had issued the challenge. The apparent leader had been taken out by the Thunderclap, Loch not even needing to do much. Six of the eighteen were dead, another handful wounded with broken bones. One of the Ursine growled, motioning to the others. With a chorus of hoots and growls, the surviving Ursine ran off, heading into the woods at the far side of the house.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Loch said, sighing.


    He really hadn¡¯t wanted to kill anymore, sad that he¡¯d had to kill some.


    Walking around the battle, Loch studied the Ursine. There wasn¡¯t anything worth looting as the little monster¡¯s weapons were all wood, and most were broken. Loch had no desire to skin the Ursine for their fur. He doubted anyone would. Briefly he thought about gathering the bodies and stacking them off to the side, but didn¡¯t bother. Scavengers would come later that day and deal with the bodies.


    He walked past the front of the house, stopping in front of the garage. Loch could see where the Ursine had run through the woods, or maybe that was where the Mutated Chipmunks had been chased from. The branches were broken and snapped, a wide trail leading deeper into the woods. It didn¡¯t look like the Ursine had stayed just inside the treeline, waiting to attack. They were gone.


    Heading back to the house, Loch walked up the front steps. Concrete with a thin metal railing. It looked like the style from his childhood. He hadn¡¯t seen a railing like that in years. Studying the door, Loch pushed at it, trying the handle. Locked.


    Grimacing, Loch slammed his shoulder into the door, just at the jamb side. The door burst open, Loch managing to keep his balance. He stepped into the foyer of the house. The stairwell upstairs was directly in front, a hallway leading to the kitchen. To the left was a dining room and to the right the living room. Loch turned to the dining room, figuring it would have less stuff he was interested in.


    ***


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°What did you get up to?¡± Randy asked, looking down at the bodies of the Ursine.


    ¡°Wow Boss,¡± Trent started.


    ¡°You wasted these guys,¡± Brent finished.


    Loch sighed, sitting on the steps to the house. He had watched his Bannermen walk out of the woods. They looked a little worse for wear. Not having a healer meant they hadn¡¯t been able to recover from many wounds, having to carry them through the entire Dungeon. Now that they were out of the Dungeon, out of combat, their natural healing started working.


    ¡°They look like those things from Star Wars,¡± Brian said, pushing at one of the bodies with his giant axe.


    ¡°You¡¯ve watched Star Wars?¡± Trent asked, his brother looking at the large man in surprise.


    Brian glared at them.


    They shrugged and started walking around the house, heading for the garage.


    ¡°Anything good?¡± Loch asked, standing up from the steps.


    ¡°It was full of a variety of bears with different Abilities,¡± Randy said, pointing at a fur lined hide vest he was now wearing. ¡°The boss was called Ursa Major and was gigantic. A giant of a bear. Overall the Dungeon wasn¡¯t that bad, but having a Healer would have helped a lot,¡± Randy finished, shrugging.


    ¡°Good job.¡±


    ¡°Anything good in the house?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was pretty decent.¡±


    ¡°Got some good stuff in the garage,¡± one of the twins yelled out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see what they found,¡± Loch said, leading the way to the garage.


    ***


    The group spent the night in the second house. By the time they had scavenged the entire garage, it was getting late. They ate dinner off the provisions they found in the two houses, spreading out through the house and claiming rooms and couches.


    Loch sat in a recliner, feet up, leaning back. The twins and Randy were playing a game with cards at the dining table, using a lantern for light. Brian was spread out on the couch, laying on his back, looking up at the ceiling. Elora was upstairs, looking through the various rooms.


    ¡°Kind of wish we could bring this chair back with us,¡± Loch said, hands behind his head. ¡°It¡¯s pretty comfortable.¡±


    Brian grunted. His large axe leaned against the back of the couch.


    ¡°Uno,¡± Randy yelled out.


    The twins groaned.


    Loch heard some noises outside, turning his head, listening. Lots of growling and snarling, feet running across the driveway. The noises headed across the street. There was more growling and snapping, followed by some yelps.


    ¡°Fighting over the Ursine,¡± Loch said.


    Another noise came from closer. A sniffing near the windows, moving closer to the middle of the house. Loch sat up, slowly and quietly lowering the footrest of the recliner. Brian¡¯s eyes opened, head turning toward the door.


    The noise came louder near the door. They had broken it open a 2x4 to hold it shut for the night. No crack, Loch couldn¡¯t see out, but was glad there was no light inside. The card game had ended, all attention at the door.


    Whatever was outside sounded large. It pushed against the door, the 2x4 straining to hold it shut. The creature outside pushed a little harder, the sniffing noise louder. Brian sat up, the couch squeaking. The big man grimaced.


    The sniffing paused. The thing outside pushing against the door more. Elora appeared coming down the stairs, pausing with her bow facing the door. The sniffing started up again.


    More howling came from the far side of the road. The thing against the door moved, moving off the steps. It growled, starting a strange howl and chuffing noise. Loch relaxed as they all heard sounds of the creature running across the road.


    More growling and snapping followed by far more yelping and snarling. It went on for a couple of minutes and then ended abruptly. Silence filled the night.


    ¡°I think one of us will stay up tonight,¡± he whispered.


    Brian whispered a grunt.


    Loch stood up, walking over to the picture window. They had pulled the curtains closed when they¡¯d entered. Loch pushed aside part in the middle, looking across the front yard, road and into the front yard on the other side. He couldn¡¯t see anything moving.


    And then he saw it.


    A large shadow moved past the house, caught by the moonlight. It wasn¡¯t a bear or a wolf. The form was long but the height of a horse. Loch wasn¡¯t sure what the creature was. He was sure it was the thing that had been sniffing around the door.


    He watched as the shadowed shape disappeared behind the other house.


    Loch knew he wouldn¡¯t be getting much sleep that night.

 Chapter 274 (5.41)

    ¡°Dammit,¡± Loch said, almost throwing the notebook across the small room.


    He sighed, taking a deep breath. He¡¯d just read Kelly¡¯s last message through their shared notebook. She had run into trouble with the plans of Freyja, forcing her to scramble to come up with a way for her people to all survive the winter. It had sounded like Freyja was trying to get some of the people killed, making the survivors thankful for her saving them come the spring, or later in the winter whenever she got the power to open the portal.


    He really wanted to go to Kelly and bring all her people to Northwood but that wouldn¡¯t help any of them. Clan Brady barely had enough supplies to get themselves through the first winter under the Connected System. They had expected something like this but not to the extent.


    Kelly and her people were going to have a hard winter. He felt horrible. There had to be something he could do.


    Leaning back against the wall, Loch worked to calm down. Getting upset wasn¡¯t going to help anyone, especially Kelly. He hated this, not being able to help her.


    The door opened, Piper walking in, looking worried.


    ¡°Dad, I heard you yell.¡± she said, coming over to sit next to him on his bed.


    ¡°Sorry honey, just got some bad news.¡±


    Piper looked at the notebook sitting next to him, recognizing it.


    ¡°Is mom okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah honey, just not in the situation we had been hoping for.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Your mom is tougher than me.¡±


    Piper leaned against him, Loch putting his arm around her shoulder.


    ¡°What are you doing up here anyways?¡± he asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a concert downstairs?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but all my friends were busy tonight,¡± she said. ¡°And I hadn¡¯t seen you in a while so I came up to see if you wanted to play a game or something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Loch said, sitting up.


    He looked around the room. They had some board games and cards in the room, duplicates of the board games downstairs. When the order had been given to the scavengers to collect all the board games they could get, they had ended up with dozens of copies of the same games. At least the same popular ones. There were probably a hundred games kept in one of the storerooms and Loch had taken a couple upstairs to play privately with the girls.


    ¡°What do you want to play?¡± he asked, moving a stack of milk crates closer to the bed.


    Pulling the piece of plywood that he kept up against the wall, he put it on top of the milk crates, moving everything around so the plywood was flat and not shaky. The plywood wasn¡¯t that big, only a two foot by two foot section, but it served its purpose as a table for the few times the three Bradys were able to find the time to eat privately. It also worked great for board and card games.


    ¡°Want to learn a new game?¡± Piper asked.


    ¡°Sure, what game?¡±


    Loch grabbed the deck of cards, tossing them to Piper. She caught the deck, pulling the cards out and started shuffling.


    ¡°It¡¯s called Trash,¡± she said. ¡°Jake taught me the other day.¡±


    ¡°Jake huh?¡± Loch asked, smiling at his youngest daughter.


    ¡°Dad,¡± she sighed.


    Loch chuckled.


    Piper told him how to play. It seemed like a simple but fun game that could go quick or take a very long time. They played a couple of hands. Piper won most of them.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± Piper asked him after an hour or so.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡±


    She was silent for a minute, dealing out the cards for another round.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Is mom really going to be okay?¡± she asked, not looking up.


    Loch thought about it, wondering how to answer. Honesty? A little lie? A big lie? He sighed, deciding Piper deserved the truth.


    ¡°For now,¡± he replied. She looked up sharply. He smiled, trying to put her at ease. ¡°The winter is going to be harsh for her and that caravan of people she¡¯s got. The priestess of Freyja tried to screw her over,¡± he said, smiling at her trying to get her to feel better. ¡°Your mom is working hard to take care of it all,¡± he added. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Piper said, but Loch didn¡¯t believe her.


    They started their next round of the Trash card game.


    ***


    Loch walked down the concrete stairs, nodding to the two guards standing at attention. The night was cold, the wind blowing fiercely across the open front yard. He pulled the cloak tighter around his jacket, watching his breath fogging in the night air. Torches were set in posts pushed into the ground, lighting up the various paths around the yard. Other torches were in scones that had been attached to the bricks of the school and other buildings.


    They created weird pools of bright light that faded as it spread out from the torches, making odd shadows around the yard of the school. He could see some people moving around as he walked out into the yard. There were guards along the walls with their own torches. He could see the bunkhouses and barracks in the side yard, a couple of them having candles visible through the windows and torches in sconces on the outside of the buildings.


    He watched one of the candles get blown out, making the room dark.


    Loch walked down toward the wall. He headed for the ladder up to the walkway along the wall. The ladder bent a bit, shaking as he climbed up. Loch hated ladders. He had no problem with heights, able to stand at the edge of a sloping roof without a care. But ladders? He hated the way they shook under him, having to put his safety into how the ladder was set at the top and the uneven ground at the bottom. He¡¯d had one slip on him once as a teen. It hadn¡¯t fallen to the ground, luckily, but had left him pretty scared.


    He knew he had nothing to worry about. With his Adapted body, falling from the height of the wall would barely hurt him. But he still hated ladders.


    Reaching the top, he looked out over the cleared area beyond the wall. It was empty and silent. The guards said they could sometimes see Mutated Coyotes, Chipmunks and other creatures appearing at the edges but Loch couldn¡¯t see anything. He heard approaching footsteps, turning to see one of the guards.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± the guard said, giving a half-hearted salute.


    ¡°Just Loch,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°How are things tonight Derek?¡±


    The guard startled, surprised that Loch had remembered his name. From what Loch had been told, Derek Crowley had done very well in the fight with the Gaunts and then the Giants. He had been asked if he wanted to join an Adventuring team, but he had declined, liking his role as a Guardsman.


    ¡°Pretty quiet,¡± the guard replied. ¡°Thought we saw some Coyotes out in the woods an hour or so ago, but they never stepped out of the trees.¡±


    ¡°Full pack?¡±


    Derek shrugged.


    ¡°I only saw three but Eric said he saw six. It¡¯s hard to tell at night as they move in and out of the trees. As long as they don¡¯t step out or come near the fields, we leave ¡®em alone.¡±


    A burst of wind blew across the yard, past the two on the wall. It was cold, leaving Loch a bit chilled. The temperature seemed to have lowered in the passing of the wind.


    Saying goodbye to Derek, Loch continued down the wall. He passed a couple more guards, stopping to make smalltalk for a bit before continuing. It took almost an hour or so for Loch to go down the wall and around the fields, coming to the pastures. There were more guards near the pastures, watching the woods to the side. They had large fires going in a couple of pits.


    A couple cows came to the fence as Loch walked over. They mooed softly as he petted the large noses. The cold didn¡¯t seem to bother the animals. Their fur was thicker than he was used to seeing. During the winter, horses'' fur had grown thicker, it seemed the cows were doing the same. Loch moved on to the horses, Larry and Jarl coming to the fence. He petted them both, reaching into his pocket and bringing out some carrots he had snuck from the kitchen.


    ¡°Sorry no mints,¡± he told Larry.


    The horse chuffed.


    The girls had always grabbed mints from the bowls at restaurants to give to Larry when they walked home from school. The horse had loved them.


    ¡°Someday we¡¯ll have some to give you,¡± Loch told the horse.


    He ran his hand down the horse¡¯s nose, feeling something wet hitting his hand. He lifted it, bringing it close to his face, thinking it was rain but stopped as more fell. Thick and wet, the flakes landed on his hand and his face as he looked up into the sky.


    It was starting to snow.

 Chapter 275 (5.42)

    Loch walked into the school lobby, heading for the storage closet just off the entrance. He opened the doors, seeing the pile of coats, hats and gloves. There were shovels but most of those were still kept downstairs.


    A couple people walked out of the cafeteria, a man and woman. She had her arm through his, leaning against him. They both stopped, startled, seeing Loch stepping out of the closet with an arm full of coats.


    ¡°Lord Lochlan,¡± the man said. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s starting to snow,¡± Loch told the man, not bothering to correct him on the title. ¡°Help me get these coats, gloves and hats out to the guards.¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­,¡± he said, glancing at the woman.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied, disengaging from the man. She reached into the closet, grabbing some coats.


    With the two, the man a little reluctant, the three moved back outside. Loch stopped, looking at the snow already accumulating on the ground. About an eighth of an inch in a matter of minutes. This first snow was going to be a major storm. The woman handed the two door guards each a coat, hat and pair of gloves.


    ¡°Head over to the wall,¡± Loch told the other two. ¡°I¡¯ll take the guards around the pastures and the fields.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± she said.


    The man grunted.


    Loch felt bad, figuring he had ruined what the man had hoped would be a pleasant night.


    He moved through the fields, handing out the winter clothes to each guard he found. They had tested all the clothing already, making sure the guards could still fight while wearing the jackets and gloves. The one negative was how quickly the clothing could get ruined. They didn¡¯t have much, and losing one was going to be costly. The harvesters and scavengers had gathered a lot of clothing, more than there were people in the Clan. They had even started grabbing any material they found that could be used to repair the jackets. The tailors had started working on furred line leather and hide clothing, along with insulated wool.


    By the time he¡¯d handed out his first load of coats, there was a quarter inch of snow on the ground. Grabbing more from the closet he saw more people appearing in the lobby. Stepping back, Loch asked a couple to hand out the rest of the coats. There were still a few in the fields and more along the wall and shore out back. Some of the people coming into the lobby had their own coats and gear. They¡¯d heard of the snow fall and wanted to go out and see it for themselves.


    Handing off the last of the coats from the closet, Loch followed the crowd out into the front yard. He stood on the top of the steps, looking up at the sky. It was a pure white-out. All he could see was the falling snow, blocking the night sky. The flakes were thick and heavy. It was going to be a wet snowfall.


    Moving down a couple steps, Loch held out his hands, feeling the snow touching his skin. It felt different from snow Pre-Connection. He lived in New Hampshire, Loch knew snow. It was just part of living in the northeast. But this snow was different. He let some collect in the palm of his hand.


    Concentrating on the snow, Loch thought he could sense a large amount of Spirit within the snow. That made sense. There was ambient Spirit in the air, why wouldn¡¯t it be in the snow? He hadn¡¯t felt Spirit in the rain, but that made sense as the rain fell too quickly, not having time to collect the ambient Spirit from the air. Snow was frozen rain, the air so cold that it slowed the fall of the rain and turned it into snow. Since it was the air freezing the rain, the air was transferring Spirit into the snow.


    They had feared that the winter was going to be brutal and Loch feared how bad it would be.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ***


    Loch moved through the yard, laughing at the people frolicing. It had been a while since he¡¯d seen the Clan members having fun like they were. Piper and her teenage friends were actually building snowmen. It had been a couple years since the last time she had wanted to make one.


    A couple of adults had snow forts under construction. There was a large pile of snowballs already stacking up.


    Loch smiled as he walked around, picking up some snow and smoothing it into a ball. He saw Darren Holmberg near the gate in the wall, talking with some of the guards. He had a shovel in hand, motioning with it as he talked. Loch held the snowball, pulling his arm back and let it fly. The snowball crossed the distance, slamming into Darren¡¯s shoulder. Snow exploded, covering his head. He cursed, turning sharply and looking for who had thrown the snowball. Loch kept walking away.


    He made his way around the back of the building. The school¡¯s back was pretty empty. He could see some candles burning in the barracks and bunkhouses. Loch was surprised to see a small group gathered around the forge. All the people that used it were there, pushing the snow out of the work area. There was a roof but the sides were all open, the snow blowing in and covering the tables and the forge itself. There was a lot of cursing from the men.


    Clyde Baxter was the blacksmith, a large man that had arrived with Liam Doherty and the horses. He¡¯d been a farrier but had been able to get the Blacksmith Class. The large man was glaring at the forge, poking at the coals to try to get them lit again. Lloyd, the new Glassmith was there as well, the only one that didn¡¯t seem to be cursing. He was leaning out from under the roof, watching the snow fall and gather in his long hair and beard. Jeff Johnson, the Crafting Councilor and Clan¡¯s Tinker was standing at the edge with Patrick Verner.


    Jeff saw him approaching, motioning Loch to join them.


    ¡°We made a big mistake,¡± Jeff said, waving at the open area. ¡°With all the preparation, we never thought about the snow blowing into the forge.¡±


    Loch looked around, cursing silently. It was a big oversight. The forge was a large area, the roof held up by evenly spaced posts. The roof itself had gable ends with steep sides, designed so no snow would gather on the shingles. But the walls were all open. The wind blew the falling snow into the forge.


    ¡°We can get some carpenters putting up walls in the morning,¡± Loch said.


    ¡°Not the best idea,¡± Clyde muttered. ¡°Too flammable.¡±


    ¡°Will that be a problem with the weather?,¡± Jeff asked.


    Clyde shrugged.


    ¡°Not sure but should be wet and cold enough to keep it from catching fire that quickly,¡± Clyde said. ¡°I think it¡¯ll work for this winter.¡±


    Loch sighed, glad that was easily solved.


    Hearing a strange scraping, he looked behind him, past the forge, seeing a couple of clan members pushing shovels with a pile of snow in front of them. They stopped when the pile got too much, throwing it to the side of the paths they were making. One was in front, the other following behind to widen the path, a third behind those two to pick up the bits they left behind.


    ¡°You guys good for now?¡± Loch asked, looking over his shoulder at the gathering of crafters.


    There were some grunts. Loch shrugged and walked away, continuing through the snow down to the lake. He looked at the footprints his feet were leaving in the fresh snow. There was already an inch and more kept falling.


    Reaching the shore, he looked out across the dark lake, watching the snow land on the water and starting to gather. The fishermen had said the lake seemed to have plenty of fish and some even looked forward to ice fishing. Loch wondered what Unfay would do during the winter.


    Ripples spread across the water, coming closer to the shore. Loch shifted, watching it. The Dragon Turtle was typically friendly but who knew how he would react with the first snow. The ripples came closer, the large turtle head poking out of the dark water. Loch could just make out the massive head, but the yellow eyes shined bright.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± Loch said. ¡°Do you hibernate during the winter? Hope you won¡¯t mind us fishing through the ice.¡±


    The Dragon Turtle just stared.


    ¡°Okay, guess you won¡¯t mind.¡±


    Loch used his foot to clear an area of snow, sitting down in front of the turtle. The two just watched each other for a while.

 Chapter 276 (5.43)

    Loch pushed the shovel, moving the snow past the stairs that led up into one of the bunkhouses. He stopped pushing, lifting the shovel and pushing it into the pile he had made halfway up, getting a good amount on the shovel. Lifting, he tossed the snow as deep as he could into the space between two buildings. Putting the shovel back down, Loch pushed more snow, but heading into the space between the buildings.


    This alley had been kept clear, not stacked with firewood, making it easier for him. He stopped halfway down, heading back to the other end and pushing more snow down into the middle. It took a couple of minutes to get the area in front of both buildings clear, all the snow piled up in the middle.


    The storm had lasted a couple hours, leaving four or five inches of heavy powder in the morning. The temperature had dropped considerably. The wind hadn¡¯t let up, blowing snow across the school, piling it up in places they didn¡¯t want.


    Loch had gotten up early, joining a small army of clan members. The plan was to clear out all the snow from the paths and around the side and rear of the school. They¡¯d leave some in the grassy open yard in the front of the school, but everywhere else would be removed. The piles left behind would be removed over the next couple of days using wheelbarrows and wagons.


    Moving over to the next alley, seeing that the space was stacked full of snow covered logs, Loch held the shovel vertical, dragging snow away. He gathered some in front of the building, pushing it back over the cleared area and down into the middle. The whole morning was filled with the scrapping of shovels, grunts of people working. There was talking and some cursing. He heard voices just on the other side of the mound of snow he¡¯d made.


    ¡°Why the hell are we stuck doing this?¡± someone grumbled.


    Loch recognized the voice as Roger Lewis, not surprised that the man was complaining. It seemed like that was all the man did.


    ¡°Quiet, Loch is over there somewhere,¡± someone else answered. Loch didn¡¯t recognize that voice.


    ¡°Oh isn¡¯t that nice of the almighty Lord to slum it with the rest of us,¡± Roger muttered, but did lower his voice.


    Loch wouldn¡¯t have heard him if the man hadn¡¯t been so close. He thought about walking over there, seeing what Roger would do, but decided not to. It wasn¡¯t worth it. Roger always complained.


    With a sigh, Loch started pushing snow again.


    ***


    Loch walked into the cafeteria. He¡¯d left his jacket, gloves and hat back in the lobby on the drying lines that had been set up. There were dozens of other winter gear already there. The cafeteria was full of people, most of those that had been out shoveling. At least the first shift. The second shift was heading out to continue.


    People saw Loch entering, calling out greetings. He waved, talking with some as he headed for the kitchen. It took some time to make his way past all the crowded tables. There were so many people, that some were standing, eating their breakfast and drinking their hot tea.


    Coffee and cocoa were in short supply and would be for most of the winter. There just hadn¡¯t been many supplies found. They¡¯d managed to find a couple hundred packets of hot chocolate, which would be rationed throughout the winter. They were very close to running out of coffee. The tea wouldn¡¯t be far behind.


    That was at the top of their list of problems, and it had only been the first snow.


    They had scavenged everything they could for coffee and tea, anything that would help make hot beverages and caffeine. Loch really wanted hot drinks. Even as an adult, nothing beat a mug of hot chocolate after he¡¯d spent an hour or so snow blowing and shoveling.


    He¡¯d just spent a couple hours shoveling. Pre-Connection, his body would have been killing him from lifting all that heavy snow. He was tired, but his Adapted body handled the work a lot easier. His Stamina had taken a hit, but it was already regenerating.


    Loch hadn¡¯t been surprised to see that the Connected System considered shoveling as ¡®in combat¡¯ for the regeneration of the energy. The laborers had complained about their Stamina not regenerating as they were working building the wall or moving the fallen trees, the more they labored the more it was drained. Crafters suffered the same. The more they worked, the faster their Stamina drained. Shoveling was just more of the same.


    Which is why they worked in shifts. It also gave almost the whole clan something to do.


    Finally reaching the kitchen, Loch joined the end of the line.


    ¡°Oh Lord Lochlan,¡± the man at the end said, surprised to see him.


    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Loch said. ¡°At least I think it¡¯s afternoon. The sky¡¯s kind of gray right now, hard to see the sun.¡±


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The man chuckled. He was older, probably seventy or so when the Connected had hit. Long white hair and beard, piercing blue eyes. He wore a pair of jeans and button-up shirt.


    ¡°You were out shoveling?¡± he asked with surprise.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Loch said, shrugging.


    ¡°Ah, well.. Uh¡­ I have third shift,¡± the man said. ¡°Kind of hoping it¡¯ll all be done by then,¡± he said with a small chuckle.


    Loch smiled. It wouldn¡¯t be, but he didn¡¯t say that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Loch said, extending his hand. ¡°But I don¡¯t know your name.¡±


    The older man laughed.


    ¡°Not a surprise. You¡¯re a pretty busy guy and there¡¯s a couple hundred of us around here. Jerry Daniels,¡± he said, holding out his hand.


    Loch shook it.


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°You as well Lord Lochlan,¡± Jerry said, winking. He raised his hands before Loch could protest. ¡°Sorry, I heard you don¡¯t like that name.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Loch answered, smiling.


    ¡°Hope that didn¡¯t offend you,¡± Jerry said, smiling. ¡°My wife, god rest her soul, always said that I didn¡¯t know when to shut up.¡±


    ¡°Your wife,¡± Loch asked, smile fading. ¡°Did she¡­¡±


    ¡°She passed three years before the Connection,¡± Jerry replied, still smiling but Loch saw some sadness in his eyes. ¡°Cancer sucks.¡±


    ¡°Yes it does.¡±


    They fell silent as the line moved forward, the two entering the kitchen itself. Not much had changed inside. People pushed trays down the counter made by the stainless steel pipes. Food filled the trays in the counter with the workers behind it. The clan members still got a small amount of food, all of it rationed.


    The workers saw Loch, eyes widening. One of them turned to go back and grab more food to give him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he called out. ¡°I¡¯ll take the same amount as everyone else.¡±


    The worker returned to her position, nodding, looking embarrassed. Loch sighed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t like special treatment?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°You need to get over that son,¡± Jerry said, holding his tray up to receive his portion of the food. ¡°You do so much for the people, let them do something for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not right,¡± Loch said, holding his tray up.


    The worker¡¯s put two slices of buttered bread, a juice pouch, a small amount of carrots, some fruit and a couple slices of what looked like pork. Loch glanced at Jerry¡¯s tray seeing one slice of pork compared to Loch¡¯s two. He was about to say something but saw the workers were intently ignoring him. Loch sighed, following Jerry out of the kitchen.


    He still followed the older man to a couple of open spots at a table. They sat down. Jerry pointed to the slices of meat.


    ¡°People are thankful for you,¡± Jerry said, seriously. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be in this position if not for you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Loch said, just as seriously, some depression in his voice. ¡°We barely have supplies for the winter.¡± He pointed to the food. ¡°We¡¯re barely giving people enough food. There¡¯s barely enough protection from the monsters out there,¡± he continued, waving a hand toward the doors.


    Jerry laughed, shaking his head.


    ¡°All that barely that you just talked about? How many people out there don¡¯t have that? Or have it worse? Yeah, it¡¯s not as safe as it was before all this crap, but this place is still safe. People have a roof over their head. They have heat for the cold and clothing. There¡¯s work. Some people risk their lives daily, but that is their choice. The rest of us, we have what we need and we can all tell that it¡¯ll get better.¡± He leaned forward, pointing his fork at Loch. ¡°Whatever you may think, the rest of us think something else. Sure there are some that grumble and complain, there¡¯s always going to be pains in the arse like that. The majority though? We know what we have here and are thankful for it.¡± He leaned back, smiling. ¡°And you need to let us show how thankful we are.¡±


    Loch shook his head. He understood what Jerry was saying, but understanding and accepting were two different things.


    ¡°Just let it happen,¡± Jerry said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to let it get too bad. Nothing wrong with an extra slice of meat.¡±


    Loch laughed.


    ¡°What did you do Pre-Connection?¡±


    Jerry looked embarrassed and sighed.


    ¡°I was a psychiatrist,¡± he admitted. ¡°Not a good one but it paid the bills.¡±


    ¡°Naw, I think you were a very good one.¡±


    I doubt that,¡± Loch said.


    Jerry smiled. Loch looked around at the crowded cafeteria, thinking of the overheard conversation between Roger and whoever he¡¯d been talking to. Before they¡¯d figured out how to get everyone working, there had been a lot of depressed members of the clan. With everyone mostly stuck inside the clanhold for the next few months, not really working, there was going to be more depression and frustration.


    ¡°Sadly, I think we¡¯re going to be needing you before the winter is done.¡±


    Jerry looked around at the people, some who were looking down dejectedly at their food. Some were smiling, still happy after playing in the snow. Others just stared off at nothing.


    ¡°Yeah, I think you¡¯re right,¡± Jerry said quietly.

 Chapter 277 (5.44)

    Loch followed the line of tracks through the snow with his eyes. The prints were large and oddly shaped, almost round with a couple nubs on the front. Loch wasn¡¯t sure what made a print like that. It kind of reminded him of an elephant¡¯s feet, but that made no sense.


    Ahead, Kyle raised a hand in a closed fist. He then moved his fingers to the left. Loch looked over his shoulder, seeing the other hunters move slowly in that direction. They moved as quietly as they could, each step careful onto the crusty top of the snow. The feet broke through the snow into the powder, only going down six inches or so. It was a long process, moving so slowly, but they barely made a sound.


    Kyle had said that one of the Hunter¡¯s Abilities was in moving silently through almost any condition. It had taken them a bit of time to get used to walking in the snow. Kyle had all the Hunters out every day practicing in the week since the first snowfall. They got about a half inch of snow every two days or so. Not enough to make things difficult, but enough to keep them removing snow from the clanhold constantly.


    The Adventurers kept up their Dungeon rotations. There were enough in the Clan¡¯s territories that each team could move from one to the other almost constantly, just resting between when they needed it. Loch needed to run some Dungeons but was no longer in rotation with any of his people. His bannermen were running in their own teams, along with Harper and Piper. If he did runs with anyone, his higher Level would hurt their experience gains. He didn¡¯t necessarily want to run any Dungeons solo, but had a feeling that he would be soon. He needed to keep Advancing.


    Knowing he couldn¡¯t move as quietly through the snow as the others, Loch let them get ahead. He moved forward, going slow and letting the Hunters do their job. He wasn¡¯t sure what they were tracking but it had to be big judging by the footprints and spacing.


    Loch was glad that there were still monsters roaming the woods even in the winter. That would mean a somewhat steady supply of fresh meat and hides. Meat had never been their biggest worry, it had been fruits and vegetables. There would always be water and meat could be gotten from the forest and the dungeons but they needed more than just meat and water to survive.


    Shouting came from ahead, Kyle¡¯s voice loud, directing the others. He heard the snapping of branches and some strange trumpeting noise. Loch ran forward, crunching through the snow. Loch passed some trees, the land sloping down.


    ¡°Lead it this way,¡± Kyle yelled out.


    Loch passed another tree, seeing an arrow sticking out of it, blood along the ground. The large footsteps grew closer together, more of the snow being trampled. Broken branches littered the ground, some of them thick. As he ran past, Loch made a mental note to return and collect the bigger ones. They could be used for firewood.


    The noises got louder.


    ¡°Look out,¡± one of the Hunters yelled.


    ¡°Shoot it,¡± another shouted.


    ¡°Look out,¡± Kyle yelled.


    There was a loud splinter, cracking, as a tree was knocked down. It crashed through other branches, snapping and breaking more as it landed with a thud. More crashing and shouting and then a single loud trumpeting noise. Silence fell.


    Loch came to a stop, looking into a clearing. A tree had fallen on the other side, branches covering the snow. More broken branches and snow pushed aside, revealing the brown ground below. The Hunters stood around the clearing all looking at the thing in the middle.


    ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± Loch asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kyle answered. ¡°Not as big as the movies showed it.¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± one of the others. ¡°Barely bigger than a bear.¡±


    Laying in the middle of the clearing, arrows sticking out of it in a dozen places, was a Mastodon. It looked just like the pictures and movies Loch had seen. An elephant covered in thick shaggy fur, long tucks and nose. Except the Hunters were right, the thing was just a little bigger than a bear.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Was it a child?


    ¡°Is this what you¡¯ve been looking for?¡± Loch asked, walking down the slope.


    He reached out, feeling the heavy fur of the Mastodon. Multi-colored sparks drifting up from the large beast, flowing into each of the Hunters. One of them walked forward, drawing a skinning knife from a sheath at his waist.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kyle answered, walking over to stand next to Loch.


    Once the snow had fallen, all the teams heading out from the clanhold had reported that they¡¯d seen new tracks and even new monsters. The size of the Mastodon tracks had worried the Hunters. They¡¯d seen a lot of them in the woods around the school. Kyle had asked if some guards or adventurers could go out on one of the hunting trips to help with the new monsters. Loch had nothing to do for the next couple of days, and honestly had gotten tired of shoveling snow, so he¡¯d volunteered to go out with the Hunters.


    ¡°This one wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± Kyle said. ¡°But if we run into a bigger one¡­¡±


    Loch nodded, understanding.


    ¡°This might be the big one,¡± he said, pointing around at the trees. ¡°If it was found in the woods, doubt there¡¯s a bigger one. It wouldn¡¯t be able to walk through the forest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. There¡¯s no plains near where this guy could have wandered in from.¡±


    ¡°You have it under control?¡± Loch asked, turning away as the Hunter started cutting into the Mastodon hide.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re good,¡± Kyle said, watching the work, the other Hunters watching the woods. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ***


    Loch didn¡¯t head straight to the school. It was late afternoon, he had a couple more hours to explore the woods. He hadn¡¯t been out with no tasks since the first snows. Others had gotten to go to the Dungeons, but he¡¯d been stuck dealing with non-stop issues. There was always something.


    He let Ed and Kristin deal with most of the stuff, but there were things only he could handle. Loch spent most of his time outside, helping shovel snow or repairing things that had been damaged in the heavy snow. Parts of the pasture fence had broken, the animals not leaving. He had to spend time at the chicken coops, helping clear the area of snow and help repair some of the structures. He¡¯d gone out to the wall by the old brewery, making sure the people there had it under control.


    But now, Loch had nothing pressing calling for his attention. He¡¯d planned on being out all day and into the next. Now he had a couple hours to waste. Opening his mental map, Loch plotted a course. He was a couple miles from the school to the northwest. If he swung to the east, he could take the long way back to the school, coming out on Bow Lake Road.


    The area had been relatively heavily traveled, but Loch didn¡¯t mind. He wasn¡¯t out to explore new areas, just looking to enjoy a hike through the woods. He¡¯d always enjoyed winter hiking in the trails behind their house. Snowshoes and cross country skis, or just breaking through the snow. Working his way through the snow pre-Connection had been tiring, a good workout, but now it wasn¡¯t that bad. He still wished he¡¯d brought some snowshoes with him.


    Snow covered the pines, mixing the white and green. The woods were silent, but he saw the tracks of dozens of small animals, seeing a white rabbit quickly hopping away, hiding under a bough heavy with snow. Loch ignored it. The rabbit hadn¡¯t been that big, it wouldn¡¯t have given much meat. The mastodon was going to give the Clan a lot of meat and the leatherworkers would be overjoyed to work with the thick furred hide. There was no way that was the only mastodon in the woods. Loch wondered what else the winter would bring.


    He saw a couple more tracks he didn¡¯t recognize, crouching down to study the shape. It was long, with three toes that had long claws. Some kind of raptor Loch thought. But the shapes next to it caught Loch¡¯s attention. They were more humanoid, barely breaking through the snow. Where his steps broke through the crust and sank four or so into the snow, the other tracks broke the crust but didn¡¯t sneak much further into the powder beneath.


    Standing up, Loch traced the trail. It looked like they had come from the east, following the raptor¡¯s tracks to the north. He wondered which way to go. There was no question about not following the tracks. Raptors were common in the woods, but he didn¡¯t know what had made the others. He hadn¡¯t heard anyone report tracks like those.


    East where they had come from or north where they were going?


    North, seeing where they were going.


    It could be a raptor nest or even another Dungeon.


    Loch glanced up at the sun. It would be night soon. He reached into the pouch at his waist, wishing he could get his own Spatial Bag, pulling out one of Kristin¡¯s notebooks. With a pencil, he wrote Kristin a quick note. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be coming back to the clanhold before it got dark.

 Chapter 278 (5.45)

    Loch stopped, crouching behind a tree. He could hear fighting ahead. The sounds of raptors screeching and growling, along with weird chattering. It was something speaking a language Loch didn¡¯t understand, the noise like ice scraping across a surface.


    Leaning around the tree, Loch could see a large rocky hill, a cave entrance barely visible behind a larger piece of rock that had fallen off the hill. Raptors were spread out in front, screeching and clawing at a group of small creatures attacking them.


    The other creatures stood about four feet tall. They were dressed in white leathers and furs, bald with whitish-blue skin. They held clubs made of wood or what looked like ice. Loch used Evaluate on one of the closest.


    FROSTEDGE CLAN NIDAN


    Loch didn¡¯t know what a Nidan was. They looked like dwarves, which no one in the Clan had encountered yet. Cerie had said that there were dwarves in the Connected Races, and some had most likely come to Earth like how the Silver Bark Elves had.


    There were six of the Nidan, the body of one laying on the ground at the feet of a raptor. They faced off against four of the raptors, two dead dinosaurs at the entrance to the cave.


    Loch watched the fighting. He was tempted to follow the tracks back to see where these Nidan had come from, but held off, wanting to see how the fight ended. His Evaluate had told him the Nidan was multiple Levels below him. He¡¯d already fought the raptors, so wasn¡¯t worried about them. But as the fight went on, neither side seeming to gain an advantage yet, Loch realized the raptors were a new breed he hadn¡¯t encountered yet.


    ICECLAW VELOCIRAPTOR


    He was used to seeing the lightning based raptors. These ice ones were a new breed. He wondered what benefits the Clan could get from the hides. As the fight went on, Loch realized he might not get a chance to find out. The Nidan were winning the fight.


    Soon it was over, the raptors all dead, three of the Nidan still alive.


    The strange creatures ignored the dead raptors. They didn¡¯t skin the creatures. The raptors didn¡¯t turn into the multi-colored sparks of Spirit Experience, telling Loch that the Nidan weren¡¯t a true Connected species. They were like the Dark Mound Hobs down by the library.


    Loch shifted, the snow crunching under his feet.


    All three Nidan heads turned quickly, the creatures raising their clubs. One of them grated something out in the language. It sounded as cold as the creatures looked. They walked forward, shouting at the woods. Loch didn¡¯t think he had been spotted, but he had been heard. Not in any danger, Loch stepped out from behind the tree.


    ¡°Hello,¡± he said.


    The Nidan jumped back, holding their weapons ready to attack. The three were all male, completely bald. The hides and fur only covered their chests and legs, leaving their arms exposed. The creatures were heavily muscled, their features kind of sharp like they¡¯d been chiseled from ice.


    ¡°Where did you come from?¡±


    The lead Nidan took a single step forward, growling in their language. Loch had no idea what they were saying and they seemed to have no understanding of his language. The three raised their clubs, breath frosting in the air. They took a step toward Loch, expressions filled with anger and aggression.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to do this,¡± Loch said, holding out his hands, looking unarmed.


    With a warcry, the Nidan charged. Loch sighed, summoning Onyx.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ***


    Loch stepped around the three dead Nidan. The fight hadn¡¯t taken long and hadn¡¯t gained him much. The three had been too low Level to give him much in the way of experience. He got a tiny bit because there had been three of them. They didn¡¯t even have anything worth looting.


    He had pulled the hides off them but they were too small and too thin to provide much warmth for his people. But maybe the leatherworkers and tailors could get some use from them.


    The raptors were much more interesting. He wished there had been a skinner with him, but he did his best. The cold weather didn¡¯t help him. Loch had to take his gloves off to work the knife, pausing often to warm up his hands.


    By the time he was done, it was dark.


    Pulling out one of the few flashlights they had, Loch approached the cave. Nothing had come out, so he assumed it was empty. He didn¡¯t feel any energy indicating a Dungeon. It appeared to be just a cave.


    He walked in, angling to squeeze through the thin opening. The light drifted around the cave as he examined it. The floor was empty, just a few bones from the raptors meals, but nothing recent. There was nothing hiding in the corners, the cave only about ten feet deep and high.


    Walking back out, Loch grabbed some branches off the ground, breaking some branches off some trees. He brought the large armful back into the cave, setting them down, using his foot to clear a spot. Breaking some of the branches up, he pulled some flint and tinder out of his bag.


    It took a bit to get the cold and wet wood going, but he soon had a small fire. Loch held his hands out to it, feeling the heat moving through the fingers and warming them up. He leaned against the rock wall, stretching his legs out. The fire grew, spreading over all the branches he¡¯d laid in a triangle shape. Water and snow dripped from some, sizzling in the flames.


    Loch pulled his dinner out. Just some jerky and water. Not the best, but it was filling. He shifted to a position where he could look out the cave entrance. There wasn¡¯t much out there, a couple small animals moving through the trees. He tried to avoid looking at the bodies of the Nidan and the bones, still with meat on them, of the raptors.


    Pulling the blankets out of his bag, Loch spread one out on the ground, moving some rocks and bones out of the way. He shifted and laid down, pulling the other blanket over him. It was going to be a cold night, but he had enough wood to keep the fire going all night. Trying to get comfortable, Loch settled in for a long night.


    ***


    He didn¡¯t know what time it was as the noises woke him. Growling and snapping, ripping and tearing. Sitting up, he threw a couple more branches on the fire. They caught quickly, spreading light into the cave and out in front. Loch saw Mutated Coyotes tearing into the Nidan bodies, pulling at the bones of the raptors.


    One of the heads lifted up, staring at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Loch said, releasing his Presence, letting it spread out and crash into the Coyotes.


    They whimpered, snapping at each other, as the three retreated into the woods, disappearing. Loch sighed, putting another branch onto the fire. He knew the scavengers would be back. He should have dragged the bodies further away from the cave, but the Nidan had been surprisingly heavy.


    And cold to the touch, even dead.


    But by the time he¡¯d finished skinning and harvesting the meat from the raptors, he was tired and didn¡¯t want to deal with the bodies. Regretting it now, because he¡¯d be dealing with scavengers all night, Loch laid back down to try to get some sleep.


    ***


    Loch followed the trail from where he¡¯d picked it up, heading east deeper into the woods. He was glad there hadn¡¯t been any snow during the night, the tracks still looked pretty fresh. Pulling up his mental map, Loch tried to judge the distance from where he was to where the forest ended at Bow Lake Road. He was getting close. Where had these Nidan come from?


    The raptors weren¡¯t a surprise. They roamed the area but there hadn¡¯t been any evidence of creatures like Nidan before.


    An hour later Loch stepped out onto the road. He looked both ways, not seeing anything, the Nidan¡¯s trail continuing to the other side. He was down the road from Bow Lake Fields. With the snow, no one was heading up that way. Walking across the street, he entered the woods on the other side, still following the trail. He could see the raptor tracks, the Nidan had chased them for a while.


    Loch followed the trail for another couple of hours when he heard some noises. More of the icy growling of the Nidan. Moving over to the side, using the trees as cover, Loch approached closer. Leaning out from behind the tree, remembering how sharp the creature¡¯s hearing was, Loch¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

 Chapter 279 (5.46)

    Loch saw about a dozen Nidan. They were all dressed the same, all apparently male, but he couldn¡¯t be sure. There were clubs made from wood and some made from ice. They walked around a small hill with a cave leading inside. The hill was covered in snow and large chunks of jagged ice. From where he was, Loch could sense the energy of a Dungeon coming from the cave.


    The Nidan Cave was similar to the Hob Mound down by the library. It was a Dungeon that also spawned roving monsters. Loch still wasn¡¯t sure why there was so much difference between races, dungeons and everything else in the Connection. Why were some races like the humans, elves and giants? And others were like the gaunts, Hobs and now Nidan? Why were some Dungeons just the Dungeon? Others a Challenge Dungeon and still others having roving monsters outside?


    What was the criteria?


    Even Cerie hadn¡¯t known. It either was not something the elves of the Silver Bark cared to learn or something they had never learned. There had to be a reason. Loch added it to the mental list of questions for the Connection, if he ever got a chance to meet someone that could answer them.


    And that would be in the brief time before he attacked. Loch hadn¡¯t forgotten his promise to make the Connected System pay for what it had done to Earth.


    He watched the Nidan for a bit, the six moving around the hill or climbing up it. They looked like they were on watch. Loch wondered if these six had been there yesterday when the others had chased after the raptors or were they respawns to replace the others? He wanted to get an idea of what rank the Dungeon was. The only way to do that would be to deal with the Nidan. Which wasn¡¯t a problem. They weren¡¯t that strong.


    Loch stood up, shrinking Onyx down to throwing axe size. He stepped out from behind the tree, letting the weapon fly. It spun end over end, streaking across the distance, slamming into a Nidan on top of the hill. The monster was blasted back, falling down. Loch could hear it crashing through the snow as it tumbled down the hill.


    He Activated Windstep, appearing in front of another Nidan, Onyx back in hand. The axe grew to its default size, the weapon swinging down and cutting into another Nidan. Loch kicked the dead creature away, swinging and blocking the club attack from another Nidan. He stepped back, moving behind that Nidan, pushing the creature to block the charge from another. The two got tangled, Onyx finishing both off.


    The last two charged at him. Loch sighed, shaking his head. He threw Onyx at one, the axe cutting through the creature¡¯s head. The other ran faster, thinking Loch was unarmed. With no weapon in hand, Loch sidestepped the charge, Onyx appearing as Loch swung it down to end the last Nidan¡¯s life.


    Stepping away from the bodies, Loch moved to the Dungeon entrance as a small amount of the multi-colored sparks swirled up, dancing towards him. Reaching out, he held his hand a couple inches from the portal. He couldn¡¯t quite feel the strength of the Dungeon, not like Cerie could, but he¡¯d been around enough of them by now to be able to compare. This Dungeon felt like it would be good for Level Fifteen or so.


    It was close to the clanhold, a little too close for Loch¡¯s comfort. He wondered if there was such a thing as seasonal Dungeons. Something else to ask Cerie when he got back to the school.


    Backing away from the Dungeon, Loch left the bodies where they were. Let the scavengers have them. He was curious if there would be six more Nidan outside when a party came by the Dungeon later.


    ***


    ¡°It¡¯s about right there,¡± Loch said, moving around to try to get his mental map overlaid on top of the one hanging on the wall.


    He got it to line up enough, the scale off a little. Marking the location with a thumbtack, he dismissed his mental map, looking at the large map of Northwood and the surrounding area. There were a lot of tacks representing Dungeons, a red line in the northwest by Bow Lake marking the boundary of the Silver Bark lands.


    Stepping back from the map, he moved around to the front of the desk, taking a seat. The room was small, built in the end of the building that covered the entrance to the school¡¯s Dungeon, The Painted Caves. It was big enough for the desk, two chairs and the map on the wall. Alison sat behind the desk, making notes in one of Kristin¡¯s notebooks.


    ¡°NIdans, huh?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Basically dwarfs made of ice,¡± Loch replied with a shrug. ¡°Probably Level Fifteen range, but we can have Cerie go out later and measure it.¡±


    Alison waved her hand.


    ¡°Probably not necessary,¡± she said, opening up another notebook. ¡°Looks like Davis¡¯ team will be available to run it tomorrow. They¡¯re high enough that it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. He can evaluate its strength.¡± She leaned back, turning her chair to look at the map. ¡°Having that close by is great. Means they won¡¯t have to trudge too far when the snow gets deeper.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯ll also leave a trail that comes right back here,¡± Loch said. ¡°Those Nidan ranged pretty far for being Dungeon-Made creatures. They could probably reach here.¡±


    ¡°I can tell Darren to increase the guards along the fence in that area,¡± Alison said, making another note. ¡°We¡¯ve already done that on the side nearest the Lynxia Dungeon. Seen a couple of those creatures get pretty close to the wall.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s four Dungeons right on top of us,¡± Loch said, sighing. ¡°Painted Caves, Lynxia, the Blighted Grotto and now the Nidan Dungeon. All with apparently varying Ranks, except for the Painted that is variable.¡±


    Loch hadn¡¯t run the Painted Caves in a while. He was thinking about doing it solo, seeing what kind of threats the Dungeon would generate for his Level.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°That¡¯s great for training our people and really great with Winter now,¡± Alison commented. ¡°They won¡¯t have to go far and can still keep regular Dungeon runs.¡±


    ¡°How goes the training for the guards and everyone else in the Painted Caves?¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± she said, pulling out a third notebook and opening it. ¡°We¡¯ve got a regular rotation and been sending Level Ones and Twos in the Caves with a Level Five or Six escort,¡± she continued. ¡°It took a bit of experimentation, but we found that Five and Six are low enough still to not really sap much experience from the Level Ones and Twos. The downside is that we¡¯re keeping the Dungeon pretty active so don¡¯t have many free slots for anyone else to slide into. Once they hit Level Seven or so, we send them to Lynxia.¡±


    ¡°Have you been able to test out the Caves variance?¡±


    ¡°Yeah and it is entirely based on the highest Level in the party. We¡¯d send the Level Sevens and up, and even let Davis, Drew, Rogers and Josh¡¯s parties into the Caves but don¡¯t want to use up the time for them when we can use it for training.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Loch said, voice a little disappointed.


    Alison ran a finger down the columns in the book, looking up at him and smiling.


    ¡°There just happens to be a spot open two days from now.¡±


    Loch chuckled.


    ***


    Walking out of the office, Loch started walking through the yard, heading for the entrance to the school. He wanted to check in with the girls. He¡¯d been talking to them all the time since he¡¯d left, using the magic notebooks, but it wasn¡¯t the same. Loch wanted to hug them, needed to hold them.


    As he crossed the ground, walking along one of the shoveled paths, he saw a commotion at the gate. Guards were moving toward the gate, looking out over the killing field. Others stayed where they were, watching west. Others were all turning at the sounds. Loch quickly crossed the ground.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, reaching the guards standing just inside the gate.


    ¡°A couple people working their way through the snow,¡± the guard replied. ¡°Look to be in bad shape.¡±


    Loch stepped back, crouching down and leaping up to the catwalk. The wood shook under his impact, the guards all looking his way, recognizing him and quickly returning to their duty. Stepping up to the wall, Loch looked out over the field.


    Two people staggered through the snow. The clan had shoveled the snow out from the gate around twenty feet diameter or so, leaving some of the piles with gaps between them. No one had shoveled toward the road. The two people, man and woman, held each other. They looked battered and bruised. Tired.


    ¡°Get a couple healers,¡± Loch shouted down to the guards.


    He grabbed onto the top of the wall, using it to vault himself over the top. He landed in the clear area, one of his feet slipping on ice, but catching his balance. He took off running through the snow. The snow had been trampled, but it was still deep.


    Reaching the two, Loch saw they were mid-twenties or so. The man had dirty blond hair that was long and matted, as was his beard. He was holding the woman up more than she was helping him. She had light red hair and brown eyes, looking tired. They were covered in bandages and dried blood. The man wore battered leather armor, while the girl was in sweats and a winter jacket. He had two swords at his hip, the woman using a staff as a cane to help her walk.


    They looked up at Loch as he approached, coming to a stop. The woman forced herself to stand, the man reaching down to the hilt of his swords.


    Loch held up his hands, showing he was unarmed.


    ¡°You two look like you need some healing,¡± he said.


    The man shifted his feet, looking past Loch at the guards standing on top of the wall.


    ¡°That¡¯s Coe-Brown?¡± The man asked.


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re using it as shelter,¡± Loch said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to come join us. We have warmth and food. It¡¯s not much, but¡­,¡± he stopped, pointing at the woods behind the man.


    ¡°That wall back there,¡± he said, nodding down the road. ¡°Are those your people?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m surprised that they didn¡¯t bring you to their barracks and give you food,¡± Loch said. ¡°I¡¯ll need to talk to them about that.¡±


    ¡°We avoided them,¡± the woman said. ¡°We weren¡¯t sure we could trust them.¡±


    ¡°We uh¡­ we had some bad luck with groups of people,¡± the man said, still not relaxing.


    Loch nodded.


    ¡°Understandable. I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s some a-holes out there. A bunch of people here came from a camp like that. I¡¯m Loch Brady,¡± he said.


    Both sets of eyes widened. The woman looked at the man. They both turned back to Loch.


    ¡°The number one ranker?¡±


    Loch shrugged, a little embarrassed. It had been a long time since he¡¯d bothered looking at the Ranking Board, more worried about immediate survival than whatever the point of the Board was for.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me,¡± he said.


    The man looked past Loch at the school again, nodding.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been chasing a feeling,¡± the man said. ¡°A feeling that there was something out this way. It¡¯s been weeks¡­ I¡¯ve lost track of time,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s the holdstone,¡± Loch said, stepping back and motioning the two to continue. He looked at the gate that was opening, both Susan Turner and Julia Montgomery waiting to come running out. ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly what it does, but it seems to lead survivors here.¡±


    ¡°Is it safe?,¡± the woman asked, shaking a little.


    ¡°As safe as anywhere in this new world,¡± Loch said. ¡°Welcome to Northwood and Clan Brady.¡±