Life in the North: An Apocalyptic LitRPG

Richard waves to me, heading off to see if he can pick up another young lady and I sigh, watching him go. I guess we all have our ways of coping and he doesn’t seem to be hurting anyone. Just a little secret I picked up from reading lips, but it seems he got himself chemically neutered in the Shop.

I watch him go for a moment before walking down to the water, lowering my bulk to the ground. One benefit of my high constitution and reconstructed genes – my sleep requirements have lowered drastically so unlike the others, I rarely sleep more than 4 hours a night. I can even make do on three without any major side effects which leaves me a lot of time. Alone, I raise my hand and pull out my latest light reading material – “A catalog of the types and peculiarities of System recognised classes by J.A. Ikyak”.

Chapter 17

As we hike up the mountain early in the morning, the trucks left behind on the road, I can’t help but listen to the conversations that my companions conduct as they catch up to me. Ali and Richard are talking about dungeons, delving into details that only the two of them could be interested in. Mikito and Rachel have paired up as well, the older woman taking the younger girl under her wing. It’s good for Mikito, having someone she can look out for – it gives her another purpose that doesn’t involve large-scale monster murder. She’s not healed, not by a long shot, but the reckless abandon seems to have muted a bit since Rachel has become part of the team.

Thankfully, the map the scout drew was pretty accurate so finding the cave should be little trouble. I have to watch myself to ensure I don’t outpace my friends, none of them having a Personal Assault Vehicle like me. Every once in a while, I bound ahead through the woods before stopping to wait for them to catch up, just enjoying the view while I wait. I don’t worry about potential threats, Richard’s pets are ranging out on all sides terrorising the local wildlife. The only one that says with him is Elsa since she wouldn’t be able to keep up otherwise.

Glacier capped mountains spread out around us, the snaking trail of the highway the only sign of civilization for miles. Summer in the Yukon has come and vibrant greenery assaults the eyes in the never-ending sunlight. In the distance, I spot the new lords of the sky – mutated storks, eagles and ravens are easy to recognise but scattered amongst them are more dangerous, exotic creatures that prey on them. Manticores, gryphons, a pair of snakelike creatures and in the far distance, what might be a drake.

“15 minutes,” I answer Rachel’s question to which she rolls her eyes.

“You said that twice before,” she rolls her eyes.

“15 minutes,” I just reply and flash her an unseen grin, turning around and bounding up the mountain. Away from my companions, I continue to enjoy the scenery. So easy to forget how beautiful a land we live in with the constant threat of monsters and sudden, brutal death. I pop open my helmet to inhale the fresh pine scent and can’t help but grin. Clear skies, beautiful scenery and mayhem in the future. What more could I ask for?

Thirty minutes later, the group finally makes it to the cave, Rachel having enough air in her lungs to curse me out further. I’ve been sensing the shift in mana flows for a while, a subtle shift in the way the world now works. No surprise that Rachel noticed it well before me. The cave opening itself is innocuous, carved out of the limestone by glacier water and still wet. Shining a light attached to my arm via Sabre into the opening gives us little additional information, just a gaping maw of darkness that sends shivers through my body.

“You should put a few more points in Constitution,” points out Mikito while looking pointedly at the pair. “Also, stop smoking.”

“Yes mum,” Rachel answers before pulling out a cigarette.

“Ali, scout it out?” I point to the cave entrance, looking at the foreboding darkness with a grimace.

“You do know I can’t see in the dark right?” Ali points out, waving his hand in. “I’m not picking anyone up though, so they’re definitely hiding.”

Can’t use the Quantum State Manipulator. It pulls me into a different plane, one that runs parallel to the world and doesn’t let me interact with this world till I drop-off. That’s great for running away or sneaking into areas, but when the cave is pitch black normally, it means that I’d be walking around in the dark. Night vision and Infrared on the helmet doesn’t really help either, none of those cross the dimensional planes properly unlike normal light. No, I don’t get why it’s that way. Ali tried explaining it once, but the moment he started pulling out charts and equations I decided I didn’t really need to know.

“Fine. Once Richard and Rachel get their breath back, we’re going in all together. Usual formation, Ali in front, me, Mikito, Rachel then Richard. Richard – keep Elsa with you. We’ve got no clue about the size of the cave, so it’s your call on the Huskies. Might be better to keep them all out here.”

Richard nods at my words, pursing his lips in thought. The increased size of the Huskies is very advantageous in combat, but it does mean they find maneuvering in tight confines more difficult. Going into the cave with a single pony sized puppy is going to be tough enough, three might be a bit much. I watch him silently debate his options before setting Bella and Max to guard and bringing Shadow along. Fair enough, I can deal with that.

I draw a deep breath once they are all ready, nodding to Ali and we step in. As we head in, the idle chit-chat falls away and we all focus on moving as silently as possible. We’re veterans of the apocalypse now, used to exploring our new world and killing the things that object, even if we do dumb things like check out monster lairs without backup. Unfortunately, calculated risk is the name of the game.

Ali floats ahead of us, glowing, as light from his body filling the cave as he taps into his Affinity. Behind him, I use secondary lights built into Sabre to provide additional illumination. At the back, both Rachel and Richard fish out chemical light sticks, tossing them along our path as we walk while Shadow ranges behind, marking his new territory with depressing regularity. A pony-sized dog comes with a pony-sized bladder.

One chamber to the next, Ali guides us without a word. Tension ratchets up as no attacks come and I find myself wanting something to come out to kill us. Another thing I never expected to be thinking.

When the attack comes, it comes from the side. The first blow smashes into Mikito, snapping her arm like a twig and throwing her into a nearby wall. I spin, sword flashing in the direction of Mikito’s attacker. However, my sword passes right through the body of her assailant and I stumble slightly at the lack of impact. In that time, the creature reforms and punches me in the chest, armor deforming under pressure and my body is thrown back.

In the couple of seconds that the creature reforms properly, I catch a glimpse of it. Five feet tall, humanoid with two arms and legs, the creature is covered in purple fur so dark, it might as well be black in this dim light. Even fully reformed, shadows wreathe creature and make it hard to see.

I hit the ground and roll, my sword falling to the ground before me. Mouth opening wide showing a double row of fangs, the creature lunges forward to me. I’m already recalling the blade and get it up in time for the creature to impale itself on my blade, sword guard holding the creature just far enough away for it not to bite my face off.

As I begin to twist my blade, it dissipates into shadow again, disappearing entirely. I snarl, spinning around searching for it. In the corner, Mikito has staggered upright, naginata held in her uninjured hand while Richard waves his shotgun around, searching for a target as he covers our backs. Rachel is moving deeper into the cave, whispering a spell under her breath.

Ali zooms back from where he was, eyes wide as he shouts, “I can’t track it!”

No shit. I figured out that much. I begin to move to my companions, chest aching from the single blow the creature landed, once again thankful for Sabre and the additional armor. Bloody hell, that thing was strong. As I near Mikito, I notice that her eyes aren’t actually focusing properly, her entire body held up from sheer force of will and training.

I’m perfectly positioned to see the creature reappear behind her, a clawed hand arcing to separate her head from her body. I’m too far and too slow to do anything about it, only able to watch as Mikito’s end comes in a graceful arc.

Shadow appears from the darkness, black coat and dull red bone armor blended into darkness as it rips into the creature, throwing its aim off just a little. The claw catches Mikito across the back of her neck, gouging out chunks of flesh in a spray of blood and dropping her to the ground. Even as Shadow worries the creatures leg, it begins to dissipate into the shadows again. A bad move as it screams as the husky’s shadow rips into its incorporeal form with glee. Our attacker shimmers for a brief moment, then its corpse re-emerges into the light before us.

Shadow Aspected Crilik Shifter (Level 36)

HP: 0/370

I barely glance at the body as I finally reach Mikito, casting my only healing spell immediately. Her voice reaching a crescendo, a flash of green originating from Rachel reaches out and illuminates the cave and, the three other of the creatures which have been attracted to the noise on the opposite side of her.

Nature’s Blessing Received

Effect: Increases regeneration rate by 23%

I stare at Mikito’s still body, a hand already pulling a bandage from inventory and slapping it across the open wound. The bandage spreads on impact, the pseudo-science mixture of human stem cells, mana infused plant webbing and high tech nanites working to stem the bleeding and fix the tear and failing. The flowing blood lessons but it doesn’t stop. As I recall the three figures coming for us, the decision is easy, “Out!”

Richard nods, firing his modified, high-tech shotgun at where one of the creatures is. Light flashes as the shell arcs through the air, thankfully the firing itself is mostly quiet but the shell does no damage. Richard growls in annoyance, ratcheting a different shell as Elsa, laid down by his feet trundles forward and opens her mouth. Fire erupts in a small, focused stream which she plays across the entrance, drawing ragged screams from our assailants and filling the cave with heat and the smell of burnt guano and fur.

Ali spins around in the center of the room, eyes narrowing and his lips thin as the glow surrounding him increases and increases again. Motes of light begin to break away from his body, floating through the room and lighting it up further, an intense look of concentration on the little Spirits olive face. In the light, the Crilik Shifters lose the cover of their shadows and are forced to materialise where Richard is able to shoot them. Dim fires from Elsa’s original attack glow, the turtle breathing deeply as it recovers.

Spell cast, Rachel begins another, gesturing with her hands to pull earth from the ground to create temporary walls. All of this happens in moments, moments that I take to scoop up Mikito and bolt for the exit. A part of my mind idly notes that even gravely injured as she is, she has not lost grip of her naginata. Running, I notice my heal spell has come off cooldown and I cast it again, praying that it’s enough.

I have to trust my friends to get out without my help even as the howls of more monsters joining the fight erupt behind me. I’m the only one who can save Mikito and I can’t heal her and fight at the same time. Not when a single one of those monsters did this to us. I send a silent prayer that Richard and Rachel make it out just before I burst into the light.

Come on, come on, come on. I chant the words in my mind, a hand on Mikito’s body as I heal her whenever I can do so. Such a useless spell, it barely edges her health up each time I use it and she’s still losing blood, her health plummeting each second but I think, I hope that I’m slowing down the bleeding. It’s all I have right now though and when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. I’m hammering away as hard as I can while waiting for the rest of my companions to make it out.

A subjective hour later, I finally spot Rachel as she exits, clutching Elsa in her arms. A few moments later, Richard and then Shadow come into view, Richard moving backwards and sweeping his shotgun in front of him in practised arcs. Nothing comes out of the shadows after him and he makes it all the way out into the sunshine. Only one person left…

“Where’s Ali?” I ask the two as they reform around me, Rachel flicking her hands outwards to complete a spell. This time, vegetation bursts from the ground and encircles the entrance and I know the spell - Grasping Vines. I relax slightly when they appear, knowing that anything coming out now is going to be grabbed and held by the vines. At least until the mana that Rachel imbued in the vines give out in a few hours.

“He disappeared a couple of minutes after you left John,” Richard looks at me, concern etching his face. “One second he was all lit-up and backing the creatures off and then next, he just compressed and disappeared.”

I blink, dumbfounded. No. There’s no way Ali could die. He wasn’t real, he was a Spirit. He couldn’t be dead…

“John?” Rachel pushes me and I look up at her, realising she’s been calling my name for a bit. “Have you checked your Companion tab? Maybe he was just banished.”

“Banished?” I blink at her dumbly and then nod slightly, grasping at the straw. Right, Companion tab. “Ummm…”

“You don’t know how to access it?” Richard sounds dumbfounded, looking away from the cave again.

“Ali normally handles that,” I reply sheepishly.

“Just think about opening the Companion tab. Same with the Status Screen,” Richard explains, looking down at Mikito. “After you heal her?”

I nod dumbly, bending down to cast another heal on Mikito. The wound around her throat looks a lot better, no longer leaking blood around the bandage and her arm is no longer broken. She’s probably out of the critical zone for now.

Following Richard’s directions, I pull out the Companion tab and breathe a sigh of relief as it indicates that my Spirit Companion is Banished currently. My eyes pop out a little bit at the cost of bringing him back though.

“He’s fine. I don’t have the mana to recall him, but he’s fine,” I report to the two and some tension eases from their postures. I look back to the cave and frown, “Those things going to come out?”

“Not likely. They died real easy while they were lit up, but there’s a bunch of them in there. I don’t think they do well in the light,” Rachel answers as she fumbles out a cigarette, only the shaking of her fingers showing how close things must have been.

“Right, well, let’s get out of here anyway. Richard, we’ll need the dogs to check for danger since Ali isn’t here. Rachel, you good with playing rear guard?” I gesture down to Mikito to indicate my role in all this and after getting confirming nods, we hurry out of there. No reason to push our luck by hanging out.

“Crilik Shifters you say?” Gadsby replies, tapping metallic fingers on the table and frowning. I nod in confirmation and he grimaces, looking over at our unconscious party member. “They did that to her eh?”

I nod again in confirmation and the faces arrayed before me draw tight in concern. The members of the council were all powerful with the exception of Elder Badger, the front-line team for the entirety of Carcross. Unfortunately, due to the concentration of strength in the Council, the rest of the combatants in Carcross were actually at a lower average level than what we saw among the dedicated hunters in Whitehorse.

“Don’t worry, we’ll finish the job,” I tell them and they look up, surprise etched on their face. Once again, they look at Mikito and I just smile back at them confidently.

“If you are sure John,” Andrea Badger says and I nod firmly.

“We’ll need a few days to prepare, maybe more if what we need to buy is too expensive. If you don’t mind, we’ll stay overnight and let Mikito rest before we go back to Whitehorse.”

Receiving their assent, I push back from the table as Richard meets my eyes, indicating he wants to talk. We head out, Rachel trailing along behind. Out of earshot, they wait for my explanation.

“It’s okay. I have a plan,” I grin at them and at their doubtful expressions, continue. “Give me a couple of days and I’ll explain. Trust me, will you?”

Rachel’s eyes narrow and Richard just snorts before letting the topic go.

“Jason,” I nod to the man as I sit, legs propped up on a table as I read through my books. Jason frowns, glancing at the book briefly before taking a seat next to me. Mikito in the corner continues to sleep, Richard and Rachel having gone out to mingle with the others for the moment. My turn to keep an eye on sleeping beauty.

“John, about the cave,” Jason starts and I sigh, waving the window away. I’m almost ready to pull Ali back but I’m tempted to let him stew there for a little longer. It’s been nice and quiet without him.

“Not going to happen kid,” I point a finger at him and continue. “Your mum would kill me.”

Jason sighs and moves a hand to push non-existent glasses up his face before faltering, “She won’t let me do anything without her around. If it wasn’t for me, they wouldn’t understand half this shit.”

I nod in agreement at his words, letting the kid rant for a moment. He has a point, his knowledge of games and game mechanics certainly saved their asses early on.

Slumping in his chair, Jason looks me over again before asking. “I’ve been meaning to ask – what kind of build are you going for?”

“Huh?” I stare at the boy, waggling my finger for him to elaborate. Like talking to Ali.

“Build – you know, what are you trying to achieve? At first, I thought it was an Assassin-Rogue kind of thing, especially after our walk in the forest. But Rachel tells me you do a lot of fighting up front and actually get kicked around a lot and you’ve got that healing spell, so I’m thinking Paladin-Tank now. On the other hand, she says you’ve been studying magic too,” Jason says.

“Ah…” I tilt my head, looking him over once more, noting the still scrawny arms, the lack of a chest and the way he pulls himself in slightly. I recall the pitiful health score his Status bar had. Jason looks confused when I rub my forehead, “Let me guess. You’re min-maxing your character right, putting all your points into Intelligence for a bigger mana pool, some points into Willpower to control spells more finely and some Perception to help cast them?”

Jason nods at that, puffing up proudly and I reach out and smack him on the top of his head very, very lightly. He staggers from the blow and I make a note to reduce strength even further the next time I feel the urge to do that, nostrils flaring as I cut him off by asking, “How much health did I take off you?”

“What?”

“Health, how much?”

“Ummm… 5 points?” Jason continues to rub his head, frowning.

“I was trying really hard not to hurt you and that’s how much I did. And that’s a significant portion for you,” I point over to Mikito, continuing “The creature that attacked us? The Shifter did more damage in one hit than you have life. You’d be so much red paste if you were in the cave with us.”

Jason nods at the words, face set in stubborn refusal to get my point so far.

“What happens when you die in your games?” When silence greets my question, I prod him again with the same question.

“You restart,” Jason finally relents and answers me.

“Yeah, no restart here. You can’t min-max your stats in real life, Jason, not if you want to survive. There’s no second chance here. If you want my guess why your mum isn’t letting you out, it’s because she knows you haven’t gotten that into your head yet. Put your points into Constitution, build up some Strength and Agility. Hell, buy it from the Shop if you have to, but right now, you’re a stiff breeze away from dying.”

“What about you then? You throw yourself into crazy, stupid situations all the time,” Jason retorts.

“Yeah, I do. We do,” I correct myself after a moment. “Crazy and stupid is the kind of world we live in these days. You think I want to be out there? I just don’t have a choice. If I stop, if I slow down, people die. If we don’t keep pushing back the monsters, they keep building up and then we’ll have a monster horde.

I draw a deep breath, pushing against the anger that rushes in. Damn kid. “Anyway, I didn’t say don’t do it, just don’t treat it like a game. This world needs people like you, Jason, more than ever.”

“So, go around white knighting because that’s the right thing to do?” Jason shoots back, a teenagers cynicism in his voice.

“No. Just the correct thing,” I say.

My reply just confuses the kid, which it should. How do you explain that’s there’s a difference between right and correct – that we make so many distinctions between good and bad, right and wrong but fail to see that some things just are. When the world just is, the choice stops being about right or wrong but about deciding to do the correct thing or not in a situation. It’s a hard concept to grasp, and it’s not as I was ever good at it myself. I still struggle daily with the fact that I’m not hiding away at home but I’ve tried that and it never ends well.

Still, confusing him is enough to make Jason stop pushing back for a moment and I can see him slowly processing everything else we’ve spoken about. I can’t help but wonder if I’ve done any good here though. Jason acted like this was a game because it was easier than the reality of our situation – a coping mechanism that helped him and his mum and Carcross survive. Taking it away might do more harm than good. I watch him sit in silence for a while and I push my doubts away, holding to the only truth that I know. What is, is.

Our quiet contemplation is disturbed by groaning from the corner as Mikito finally wakes. I am on my feet in a second and crossing over with a glass of water as I help her up. When her eyes finally open, she looks around panickily for her weapon before relaxing at seeing it propped next to her. She reaches for the weapon first, putting it next to her before taking the proffered water.

“Welcome back Mikito,” I say. Behind, Jason takes it as his cue to leave.

Mikito drinks the water in silence, head buried under the falls of her hair. After the spiders, she just cut it short to get it out of the way but there’s still enough to hide her. She stays in that position, head bent and slowly my ears pick up the sound of snuffling and I realise she’s crying.

“Mikito?” I ask, moving to reach out to her and stopping, recalling she does not touch.

“So close,” she sobs again and pulls her knees up to her body, naginata cradled between her body as the sobs grow in intensity. I say nothing, just lending my support as she works through it. When she is ready, she sits up though she refuses to look at me. “Thank you.”

“No need,” I reply and then, deciding there is nothing to lose I ask, “Do you want to talk about it?”

She shakes her head and I sigh, leaning back on my heels to watch the tiny woman.

“I should be dead. Ken, he died for me. I asked to come. Here. We wanted a baby, a good luck baby. Good fortune. When System came, I got class. He gave up his for this.” I look to the hand that clutches the naginata in a death grip and stay silent, letting her continue, “Ken knew my sofu, grandfather, trained me. Said I had to survive.

“I couldn’t save him.”

The last words are stark, a condemnation. I exhale, her raw grief a reminder of my own, “None of us can.”

She looks up at me then, just a brief glance and then she looks down once more. “Failures. All of us.”

I nod and we fall into silence for a time, caught up in our own dark thoughts. After a time, Mikito speaks softly, “Not easy. Hurts all the time. But, I do better.”

I acknowledge her words with a smile and then stand, offering her a hand up which she hesitantly takes. “Come on, let’s get some food into you. All that healing must have left you famished.”

Mikito tilts her head at the last word and I quickly explain it as we leave to hunt down some food. And dessert. Seems today was the day of hard talks.

Hours later, when I’m alone I stand on one unguarded corner of the wall.

Do You Wish to Resummon Your Spirit Companion

Cost: 500 Mana

(Y/N)

I select the Yes mentally and I feel my mana rush out of me in a wave, sending shivers through my body as the mana collects to my left. It spins in a circle, glowing brighter and brighter before Ali returns, tapping his foot.

“You couldn’t have waited another hour? I was just about done with America’s Top Model Season 5!” Ali grumbles, shaking his head.

“Fine, one second.” I mentally select the Companion tab again, noting the option to banish him. It stays open for a brief second before it closes as Ali waves his hand up and down frantically.

“No, no, no. It’s fine, it’s fine. Tara Banks will always be there,” Ali comments quickly and spins around me, eyes unfocusing for a moment. “You guys all made it eh?”

“Yeah, we did,” I add. “Thanks. I take it your little spell was too much for you eh?”

Ali grimaces and nods. “So, what are we going to do about the cave? Time to call it a day?”

“No. We’ll be going back. I have a plan,” I reply and watch as Ali dramatically shivers as I say those words. Yeah, yeah, laugh it up asshole. I missed you too.

“Come on, we’ve got a lot talk about,” I gesture him over while the rest of my companions’ sleep. Truth be told, I have less of a plan and more of a concept and I’ll need a lot more information to make this work. That starts with Ali.

Chapter 18

The next morning, the team is up by seven. I guess sleep wasn’t easy either, no matter how comfortable the bed is. I’d spent the night walking the perimeter before crashing, listening to the guards talk and chatting with Ali about what I intended to do. I didn’t pick up much useful in terms of gossip, just low-level dissatisfaction with the ban on alcohol and the fast depleting stocks of cigarettes. If I was inclined to play trader or smuggler, carrying both on my regular runs would make me a decent profit. Instead, I just make note to look into the cost of a pack of cigarettes in the store. You never know when good bribe material might come in handy.

“Elder,” I tilt my head to the old woman as she comes up to see us off. As late as I went to bed, she had been up later, catching up with paperwork and the toll is showing. Enhanced constitution or not, the woman needs rest. Unfortunately, it’s not my place to say, “Need anything?”

She shakes her head, a tired smile crossing her face. “No, just seeing you off. You children be careful alright? It’d be lonely without you.”

I smile politely, knowing what she means. The Circle is too busy grinding, venturing into more and more dangerous zones on the days they aren’t helping out in Whitehorse. The Brotherhood has swung by Carcross once and promptly never returned. From what I hear, Ms. Badger took them to task for their lack of community spirit, which has resulted in them not returning. Guess teenagers given a sense of power and freedom aren’t particularly fond of being told off like children. Then again, they joined the Whitehorse Council and are finally helping out with leveling the population, so maybe some good came of it. Either case, we’re the only high-powered group that regularly makes trips in. Jim and his people swing by when they can, but they rarely have time with the food situation being what it is.

Leaving Carcross this time takes longer than normal. First, we have to pry the kids - and the not-so-suffering teenagers tasked with watching them - off the backs of the puppies which always takes a while. Then we have to deal with the verbal fight that breaks out among the passengers who now want to move to Whitehorse over who gets to go first. Initially, when the supply runs started, we had a few decide they’d prefer living in the big city. Then, we had a small flow of people going the other way, when word got out that Carcross was an actual safe zone in its entirety. Now, word of the raid bosses has spread and people are running again, looking for safety in numbers.

Once all that is settled, we are finally ready to roll out, though more than one passenger complains about being stuffed amongst the puppies. Mikito just glares at them till they shut up as she’s relegated to riding behind me today. Finally organised, we roll out.

Being overburdened with hanger-ons' means we have to move slower which means more chance encounters in the wilderness. Twice, we have to stop to deal with monsters that get too close for comfort. The first time, we have to keep Richard and company back since our opponents throw acid from their bodies. This time, Mikito even looks at me for acknowledgement before running into the middle of the pack while I work my rifle from a ditch in the side of the road. Mikito quite literally dances through the acid splashes, blade held together as she blurs at a dead sprint that’d make Usain Bolt look like a toddler. Once again, I can’t help but wish for access to my Class Skills. The good news is that the creatures are squishy and when Mikito gets in-between them, the fight is all but over. She’s moving too fast for me to take a shot without risk of hitting her, so I just sit back and leave her to it.

Our second run in is with a Troll and this time round, we’re told to back off as Richard stalks out with the puppies in tow. What happens next is what I assume bear baiting looked like, with the occasional addition of a shotgun blast to the face. The fight is brutal with the puppies ripping chunks off the troll faster than it can heal. Richard just smiles grimly as the puppies’ work. I guess we all have some unresolved issues.

Our passengers mostly cower and hide though a few of the braver souls keep watch with their guns. I listen to one throw up and another sniff at the brutality, muttering about us being savages. That one makes me want to walk over and bitch-slap the stupid blonde but I shove the anger down again.

As we close in on Whitehorse, Ali floats back to me and waggles his fingers in his sign for ‘slow-down’. I do so, wondering what he picked up.

“So, John. You like Roxley right?” I nod, “And Xev’s pretty cool too even if it’s a bit creepy right?” I nod again. It because Xev’s reproduction method really, really doesn’t come even close to the human dynamics.

“Ali….” I begin out loud so Mikito can listen in to both sides of this conversation.

“Right, so there’s a group of non-human sentients at the gate in Whitehorse. They’re here on invitation, so don’t shoot them,” Ali finishes and watches me for my reaction. I slow down even more, knowing Richard will follow suit once he catches up. Shit, non-human guests?

“They’re here to settle under the invitation that Roxley set-up in the System,” Ali explains and grimaces. “I’m guessing it’s not going over well with your people since there’s quite a crowd of humans waiting for them.”

“Shit,” I frown and pull to a stop, well out of sight of the gate. I’m trying to work out my feelings about this, mostly, it’s variations of ‘oh shit’.

When the others catch up, I have Ali quickly explain the situation.

“What is he doing inviting people into our city?” Richard throws his hands up and, around us, the dogs bristle in reaction to his emotions.

“Pretty sure he thinks it’s his city,” I point out and shrug under Richard’s glare. Just telling the truth there.

“Fuck. And you’re okay with this,” Richard stares at me and at his question, both Rachel and Mikito turn their gazes on me. Mikito has gotten off the bike and is facing away from us watching the treeline but at those words turns back to us.

“I sort-of figured we’d have alien guests sooner or later, though I’ll admit, this is a bit earlier than I expected,” Ever since Ali explained the reason for our world, it made sense that we’d get visitors. I just didn’t really expect them till after the integration was complete, but I guess some people are more willing to jump than others.

Richard growls and points to Mikito, asking next; “And you?”

She considers, eyes tightening and then looking at her polearm before down again. At last, she looks at me and then back to Richard before she speaks, “I promised better. Lead, I follow.”

“If you’re going to ask me next, I don’t care. Not as if anyone ever asks when they settle here anyway,” Rachel speaks up, arms crossed over body.

Richard opens his mouth and then shuts it, looking at Rachel then the rest of us. Max moves over to Richard and he begins to stroke the dog on the head, the action visibly calming him down. “I’m not happy about this,” he states.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure most people aren’t. Not as if we have a choice though,” I point out and he nods at that. “So, overall we’re good with this. Question is, what do we want to do? We can head around, maybe skip around…”

“At this rate, it looks like someone might get shot,” Ali says.

“What happens then?” I say.

“Then bad things happen. They are significantly higher level than the guards and if they get pushed…” Ali adds.

“Fuck…” I shake my head and look at the others. “Do we step in?”

Mikito doesn’t answer, already having turned away to watch the treeline. Rachel just nods, and Richard grimaces a lot before giving a curt nod. Yeah, he’s not happy. I roll my neck, trying to get the tension out that has suddenly appeared.

“Let’s do this,” I grumble and start the bike. I blink and Mikito’s on the bike next to me, straddling again and I shake my head. Damn but that woman can move. “Ali, you have anything useful to add?”

“Always. So, first thing – they’re called Yerick. Or that’s the closest you’ll get anyway. They were integrated into the System 2,000 years ago and their planet is nearly on the opposite side of the Council’s lands. Unfortunately, they weren’t very advanced when they were integrated like you humans, so they’ve mostly been relegated to being the lowest class of workers – Adventurers,” Ali begins talking, looking ahead to where we are and information only he can see. “Looks like they’re going to be a mix though, crafters and Adventurers with some kids.”

I nod, taking the curves down the hill as we begin to approach the city proper. I tap my helmet, letting it retract and feeling the wind on my hair. Damn but I need a haircut.

“One last thing, you guys are probably just going to call them minotaurs,” Ali says.

Considering he drops that note a second before I finally catch sight of the scene, I make a mental note to kick his ass. A bit of warning would help – seeing a crowd of thirty or so bull-headed, horned creatures with the ripped, humanoid bodies carrying rifles and swords is enough to give me a shiver. The Yerick are facing the twelve-foot reinforced concrete wall, standing in a group right in front of the gates and watching the guards who are posted there warily. The wall itself is really just an extra high vantage point, the mana shield behind it is the real source of defense. Physical defenses like walls really only work against the most basic of creatures, what with most monsters able to punch their way through concrete without effort.

On closer inspection, I note that Roxley’s guards are between the minotaurs and the wall and are facing in to the human guards. Behind the wall, I can hear the unruly crowd that Ali mentioned though so far, no one has started a chant.

The minotaurs are extremely well trained, the moment I come around the corner one of their lookouts at the back barks a warning and suddenly we’ve got guns being raised and swords drawn. Even as I hit the brakes, Mikito is hopping off and running to the side of me with naginata held next to her. Behind the wall I can see humans beginning to aim their guns. All it’s going to take is a spark and everyone’s going to start shooting.

Shit!

“STOP!” The shouted command washes over all of us and for a brief moment, my body locks up. I shove against the mental command, forcing past it and feel it give way beneath my will.

Mental Influence Resisted

All around me, I see people frozen in mid-motion. I know that voice though and I get off the bike, leaving my weapon alone. As I move, I note that I’m not the only one able to resist the command.

Capstan Ulrick (Level 7 Yerick Flame Warrior, First Fist)

HP: 2100/2100

My eyes bulge out slightly when I spot his health. Christ-on-a-pogo stick. Capstan towers over even his people by a good foot, putting his total height including horns at just under ten feet. He’s holding a rifle in one hand that by human terms would be a crew mounted weapon with three barrels on it in gleaming black and on his back is an axe. He’s wearing a simple jumpsuit like us but I do note the variable shield pack on his hip. The Yerick’s eyes glow red and nostrils are flaring as it looks between me and the walls, wondering what is about to happen.

I wonder if his Level is a bug or something? In fact, why is only a quarter of the Status Bars on the minotaurs showing? I look over to Ali and realise he’s frozen too by the command and I can’t help but wonder if I can buy Roxley’s skill.

As if summoned, Roxley jumps over the wall and lands on the opposite side, startling Capstan. The minotaur is well trained though, he doesn’t just start shooting as Roxley doesn’t do anything more dangerous than smooth his robes down. Capstan and I both spend a moment to stare at the pretty, pretty elf with his marble skin, pointy ears, black hair and golden robes before we both begin to speak.

“Harglexasss Roxley,” or at least that’s what I hear.

“Roxley!” I stride forwards, keeping my hands well away from the pistol strapped to my thigh.

Roxley raises his hands up, forestalling our words as he turns to speak to everyone, black eyes glowing with an inner light. “The first person to shoot dies by my hand. The person who shoots after that condemns the group he is with to death as well.”

Like a weight that’s suddenly lifted off, I feel the pressure in my mind release. More than one individual staggers, the kids among the minotaurs bawling their eyes out though worried parents don’t move to comfort them beyond a single free hand. I spot at least one guard leaning over the wall and throwing up as control is released. I can’t tell what my team is doing behind me, I just hope they keep to what we agreed on.

Roxley beckons Capstan to him and as I begin to approach, he holds a finger up to me admonishing my actions. Fine. I’ll let them talk. Lipreading doesn’t help either since they aren’t talking English or any human language. It doesn’t take them long before the two break away, Capstan walking to the Yericks and speaking to his group while Roxley turns to us, voice like iron; “These are my guests, they will be treated as such. Harm caused to them will be as though harm is caused to me and punished in the same way.”

Oh boy. I’ve picked up a few things from Roxley and guest rights are pretty big in the Galactic Core. It’s one of the only ways any civilized conversation can be had between such a disparate group as the Council members and so it’s vigorously enforced. It’s what got us into trouble in the first place - the envoy expected some minimum level of guest rights and instead, it got shot, captured and then dissected. Alive.

At Roxley’s command, the gates open and his own guards move to flank and escort the Yerick in. I turn to Roxley to speak with him and he shakes his head again, mouthing ‘tonight’ before leaving to join the group. As the initial after-effects of his command leeches away, his more regular presence exerts himself. Even the guards who should be watching for danger are throwing quick glances at the elf and the humans are mostly just staring at the pretty, pretty elf. It’s no wonder he doesn’t make a lot of public appearances.

Fine. Tonight. Not my fault my traitorous,gluttonousstomach wonders what will be served for dinner.

By the time we get in, reporting in to the Council about the Dungeon would be problematic at the very least. I can just guess that they’ll want to drag us into an ‘emergency session’ which involved talking for hours in circles, so instead I get Richard and Ali to go to calm them down. Ali because the little bugger actually has relevant information and Richard because he can actually charm the pants off anybody if he has the mind to. I can see him give me his ‘we’re going to talk later look’ but he follows my lead for now. Hopefully, Richard can keep the Council from doing anything really stupid.

Mikito and Rachel get sent off to do the same thing with the hunters that gathered at the gate attempting to bar it, with orders to ensure they didn’t cause trouble. Last I saw, Mikito was organising the hunters into a spontaneous hunting party. Crude, but effective.

Me? I go shopping right after I drop Sabre off at Xev’s.

The Biology of the Crilik Shifter (100 Credits)

I make the purchase and information floods into me. I’m looking for some specific details in this and it’s a simple matter to locate and confirm. Great, next…

Carcross Wet Caves (#12356) Layout (25,000 Credits)

Jesus that’s expensive. I wonder if it’s because it’s a known monster lair. I frown at the screen and the Fox sidles up to me, offering me a toothy grin. “Perhaps I can be of assistance sir?”

Oh, I know the assistance he wants. Every single Credit that I have and without Ali here, I’m a bit leery of dealing with it. Still, no harm asking, “I need to work out the layout of this location but it costs too much to buy it.”

“Ah, but we do have a significant number of mapping accessories,” the Fox grins and waves his hand. “Now, you’re not looking for something passive that will add to your map currently, correct? So, we must look for active options. Does the sir have a preference for biological, spiritual or artificial methods?”

“Don’t care really, show me the best.”

“Budget?”

I grunt, picking through my mind what I had left. I’d need at least 10,000 credits for the rest of the equipment I have in mind, which doesn’t leave me with much. Then again, I might be able to get a loan from the group, so… “Let’s go with a maximum of 12,000 Credits,”

“Tight,” the Fox looks displeased for a moment before it raises its hand and starts waving.

Wil-o-wisp Spirit (Modified)

This nature spirit has been modified to accept basic commands and is able to update a map with locations it has visited.

Cost: 12,000 Credits

Hunii Dragonfly Drone (Scouting Type IV)

This dragonfly drone comes equipped with multiple visual and audio recording options and can update 3D landscaping maps.

Operating time: 2 Hours

Cost: 5,000 Credits

“Why the big difference in cost?” I enquire, staring at the two.

“The wil-o-wisps are a contracted companion, much like Ali and have the additional benefit of being extremely difficult to damage. The drones are more versatile but much more fragile,” the Fox answers promptly.

“The wisps, are they sentient?” I can just imagine having 2 Ali’s chattering at me all through the day.

“Mildly. Along the lines of a rat pet you humans have,” the Fox continues. “Though I would not recommend keeping this one summoned constantly. Unlike Ali, it will drain your mana continuously.”

“There more options?”

“Of course, sir,” the Fox doesn’t even frown when I ask, pulling up other information. Twenty minutes later, I have to admit, he’s probably picked the best options. Biological entities generally have to come back to report on what they see, not having an option to inform me directly and adding a direct connection is way too expensive and brings its own host of issues. When it comes to Spirits, anything smarter than the wil-o-wisp ends up being too expensive and unable to map. The drones have the better array of options, but most just become variations of one another with minor changes in operating hours, structure and locomotion methods. The only other option is to upgrade Sabre herself, adding a more powerful sonar and radar mapping option, but that would use a precious hardpoint.

I make note of the two options and start digging into the shop for the tools that I’ll need. Since Foxy is so useful, I let him know the outlines of the plan and we get to work, putting together my shopping cart. I’ll need Ali to take a look at this later once he’s free, but best to get as much done as possible.

When I get out of the Shop, it’s mid-afternoon and there just so happens to be a group of human guards waiting outside. Considering the minotaurs are currently housed in the same building, I’m not buying the coincidence.

“Amelia,” I can’t help the disapproval in my voice as I stare at her and her friends. Most are guards like her, though I’m surprised that’s it mostly women, especially considering the gender inequality we see among the guards and hunters in general. From the corner of my eye, I watch a pair of cats slink out behind me, sending shivers down my spine. Whitehorse isn’t much of a cat town, and I’m glad. Mana warped cats are just frightening – something about the way they look at me reminds me that they are just a little way off from going completely feral.

Amelia smiles at me when she first spots me and then looks confused at my tone of voice. It takes a moment for her to clue in before she waves her hand, “No, no. Nothing like that. We’re here to help. Keep an eye on things, you know.”

“Ah,” I nod slightly, still puzzled by the mix. Whatever, not my business. “Good I guess. Roxley’s serious about the entire guest thing.”

Amelia’s lips twist as she continues, “Yes. We understand what it’s like to be judged for being different.”

I nod slightly, glad that some people have sense. I won’t kill them if they don’t kill us. “Manbun running class still?”

“Adley,” Amelia replies, her voice stressing the name, her tone disapproving, “is running class today, yes.”

“Thanks!” I wave goodbye to her. Might as well get some training in since I’ve got a few hours before dinner.

“Breathe in and extend your arms to the heavens, open yourself to the world. Be one with it. Accept the Universe into your soul,” Adley chants as he walks around the class, guiding hands tapping and adjusting us. “Relax, let your hands fall to the earth and fall back on your heels. Stretch into downward dog. Hold and breathe. Feel the way the world moves with you.”

Today’s class is yoga. Adley has a lot of methods for gaining ability in mana manipulation - most of it cribbed from bad translations of Asian philosophy – but considering it works for him and those he teaches, I really can’t complain. Much.

Mana manipulation or more specifically, progressing the skill is all about learning to visualize that force that surrounds us and changes everything. Understanding that force is kind of like threading an elephant through a needle, not possible without significant adjustments in our worldview though. Manbun’s method is no better or worse than Rachel’s of envisioning her ancestral spirits – the elephant still isn’t in one piece. In some ways, it’s very similar to how Ali trains me to access my Elemental Affinity of electromagnetic force, though as he is quick to point out, one is artificial, the other, natural.

So, here I am, doing warrior pose in the middle of the day trying to connect with Mana by moving. I have to admit, this particular class might not be for me, though that just might be as much due to certain lycra clad distractions. Don’t judge – I’ve got a much higher Constitution, streamlined genes and haven’t been laid in months.

After class, most of the other students cluster around Manbun, talking to him about how great class was and how they felt closer to being connected. I take the moment to wipe the yoga mat down when a hand falls on my arm. I don’t really think about it, just grabbing and turning, putting the arm into lock even as I stand. The soft gasp by the brunette whose arm I had grabbed is not without a little pain, so I let go.

“Sorry. Habit,” I reply and at her smile, return it. Light brown hair in a ponytail, liquid brown eyes under long, curving eyelashes and a cute button nose look back up at me. I notice she doesn’t step back even though I’ve let her go, and can’t help but admire the tight stomach in the yoga top and pants ensemble she wears. She’s so close to me I can smell her, a somewhat heady combination even mingled with her sweat.

“Not at all,” she replies and her voice is like sweet taffy. “Did you enjoy class?”

“Truthfully, this didn’t work for me. Though it is looking up,” I say.

“John isn’t it?” she says.

“Yeah…” I look above her head and realise Ali isn’t around, updating her Status bar for me. Damn it.

Misreading my hesitation, or at least the cause of it, she replies. “Karen.”

“Well, it’s nice meeting you Karen,” I reply, neither one of us moving. She’s so close, I can feel the heat rising off her body. Or maybe it’s me that’s getting hot.

“Well, John, my friends and I have to go wash up in the river. Perhaps I’ll see you soon. I’m staying at Selkirk for now,” she smiles slightly at me and turns, walking away but not before letting a hand trail along my chest as she does so.

“Yeah…” I blink, watching her move off to join her friends and do a surreptitious check to make sure I’m not drooling when I finish rolling up my mat.

Chapter 19

It’s late by the time I get home though I take a moment to admire the house in the evening sun. We’ve managed to divert a little of our funds to the house, adding a new eight-foot-tall wall with lookout towers on either end that elevate it to a good twelve-feet. While physical walls aren’t the most useful things these days, even I could leap them at a standstill, it was better than nothing.

The separate garage has been purchased and turned into a workshop for automotive maintenance. Richard’s taken an interest in that, working with Chris on the trucks. Unfortunately, we still have to buy mana engines and mana batteries from the Shop, but when Chris isn’t working on our trucks, he’s upgrading vehicles for others which gives us a separate and small income stream.

Power for all this is now provided by a residential mana engine and battery combo that lights up the house and the spotlights we have situated along the walls. Reinforced security doors and windows are now installed throughout the house too, giving us a little extra security if we are ever attacked and even the walls are upgraded to Galactic standards.

As I walk in, I can hear the voices of more of our constant guests. Since we have one of the only places with power in town, we’ve also become the go-to hangout location for many kids, especially since Lana looted a 72” TV for the living room. I pause at the doorway, just listening to the happy, contented voices as they chat as an episode of Firefly plays in the background. I close my eyes for a time, leaning against the doorjamb and let the noise and smell of home wash over me. I can’t make their world better, can’t make it what it was before, but at least, for a little bit, I can give them a place that is safe.

When I open my eyes, Lana is leaning on the staircase opposite the door, watching me with a small smile on her face. I feel my face go blank, caught for a moment but that just makes her smile wider, still not saying a word. I return her violet gaze before breaking eye contact, letting my eyes roam over the redhead’s form. Images of Karen flash into mind as I compare her to Lana, finding no fault in either. Lana’s dressed casual as usual, just a simple grey top and jeans which she pulls off with aplomb.

“Done?” she flashes me a mischievous look and I realise I’m looking a lot more than I should.

“Yeah…” I shake my head and she snorts, coming the rest of the way down.

“Dinner will be done in a bit but you need a shower,” Lana saunters past me to the kitchen, and I swear, she puts a little extra wiggle into her hips as she does. As she leaves, she calls out behind her. “No chocolate for the kids!”

I grin, waiting for a moment for her to exit before I walk into the living room. The kids, on seeing me crowd around and I wink at the teenagers as I pull out a handful of mini-Toblerones from my inventory and drop them into waiting hands. Good deed of the day done, I take the stairs to my place, heading around the corner to my suite. Unlike the rest of the house, nothing has changed much down here. I’ve barely been back to make any changes really – which sadly includes my sheets. I really need to change those sheets.

Once again making a promise to myself to get laundry done, I get into the shower, turning it all the way to freezing as images of Lana / Karen on those sheets cross my mind again.

Once I’m done, I head to the kitchen and realise the rest of the party has finally made their way out of their respective engagements. I plop down in a seat but shake my head as Lana begins to stand up, “Got a dinner with Roxley later.”

Lana just nods, sitting back down before pointing to Richard, “Carcross?”

“Right, so the City Council is perfectly happy for us to deal with the issue at Carcross. No arguments there at all, though…”

“I’ve got a plan, I think,” I flash him another reassuring smile and Richard rolls his eyes. “Though, we need to be smarter. I know we’ve all got the first aid bandages already, but if things go bad again, we might need something more immediate. So, two things. We hit up Sally’s and get some of her best potions for emergency use for everybody. In addition, we should just get the rest of you guys healing spells. Rachel – maybe a more powerful one for you?”

Rachel nods, eyebrows furrowing in thought. Her buff was powerful and it tapped into her specialisation, but it wasn’t instantaneous or anything close to it. Richard scratches at his beard, still unused to having it and adds, “I’d like to look into some spells for myself too. Perhaps something that benefits everyone.”

“Okay, well, no real rush. I’ve got an idea about how we’re going to deal with the dungeon anyway,” I continue before gesturing back to Richard. “What’s the feeling about the Yerick?”

“The minotaurs?” Richard replies

“Don’t,” I shake my head and as he begins to bristle, I point to the hovering Ali. “He told me Orcs were waiting for me and then I got shot at by beam rifles and grenades. Nearly cost me my life. These aren’t Greek legends or mindless beasts. The Yerick are a sentient race – aliens if you will. Better to name properly and think about them right.”

Rachel looks startled by my words and Richard nods slightly, eyebrows crinkling as he digests that piece of information. Lana just smiles and Mikito… Mikito just keeps eating, every movement precise and contained as always.

“As I was saying, the Yerick aren’t a welcome addition. But the Council won’t take any official action and are spreading the word to keep out of their way, but this entire thing is rubbing them the wrong way. Especially this declaration of the mino – the Yerick – being guests,” Richard continues.

“Three days. That’s how long it lasts,” I point out and then look over to Ali for further clarification.

“Like I told the Council, the Yerick have three days to come to an agreement with Roxley. At the end of the time, they either leave or they become residents like you guys,” Ali clarifies and I nod, filing that information away.

“Three days or not, people aren’t happy with a whole community of aliens just appearing,” Richard stresses.

“Happy or not, I don’t think they are leaving if they are bringing children,” Lana says and at Rachel’s look smiles. “Everyone is talking about it. I understand the kids are actually quite cute.”

Mikito nods firmly at that and even Richard has to shrug his shoulders. Okay, maybe sending cute Yerick kids out as ambassadors might work. Maybe something for later, I shudder to think what they’d do if one of their kids got hurt. Or ours. “Rachel?”

The young lady just shrugs, looking at me and I have to repeat my question.

“What? Mikito and I rode the guys we had till they were falling over from exhaustion, then we got them up and ran them more into whatever monsters we could find. They won’t be up for doing anything tonight, but…” she shrugs her shoulders again. “They didn’t like Roxley and they especially didn’t like that thing he did or the fact that the ‘cattle’ are coming to take their land.”

“How bad is it?” I push her, watching her and Mikito’s reactions.

“Bad. Stupid is as stupid does you know. I even heard one say Canada was for real Canadians,” she almost snarls at that one, continuing. “Made sure Mikito was in range to hear that. He ended up eating dirt. A lot.”

I nod and rub at my temples, thinking. Richard interrupts me before I can put together anything useful.

“You sure we are on the right side of this John? It doesn’t sit right with me, letting them just come in. We’ve fought and bled to keep the monsters out and now, we’re what, asking them to be our neighbors?” Richard says.

“What would you suggest?” I turn to the man, making sure there is no challenge in my tone.

“Well…,” Richard opens his mouth and then shuts it. He’s smart enough to work through the options if he thinks about it. We can’t make Roxley rescind his offer, we can’t fight them and even if we did, so what? The next bunch is just around the corner. As his brows furrow further, Lana reaches over and squeezes his hand and Richard huffs out. “I hate this. It feels like we’re just giving up, giving up Earth and Whitehorse and just saying, it’s over.”

Mikito looks up, finishing chewing before she adds, “We aren’t giving up. But we already failed. World has changed.”

“It might not be all bad,” I point out and Richard raises an eyebrow. “We know things are going to get worst. Their leader was a Level 7 Advanced Class if I’m not mistaken,” Ali nods and I continue “so they’re going to be one heck of a helping hand. Paw. Whatever.”

That pronouncement just leaves the group in stunned silence for a time. A Level 7 Advanced Class puts him at around level 57 - except it doesn’t work in a linear fashion that way. Each level is harder and harder to get and Advanced Class levels are even harder. I let them stew on it a bit before I turn to Lana.

“I know, John. I’ll do what I can, talk to the people I know but…” Lana shrugs and I nod my head again. Don’t expect miracles. Got it. Richard who seemed to have rolled with the punches of this world has gotten his pants in a twist over the Yerick. How much work is it going to be with the rest of the population?

Skill Acquired

Manipulation (Level 1)

Everyone wants their own way. You’re just better at getting it than some others.

I flick a look over to Ali when the screen pops up and he shrugs his shoulders. I rub my head, hating this. I’d worked so hard to stay out of this, to keep things casual and friendly in the group, a modicum of respect between all of us. I didn’t want to be a leader, not really, but the world never asks what we want, it just is. I hated the pressure, the fact that I was the one who always had to be thinking, considering, planning. I just wanted to go back to my room, to hide in it but instead I’ve got to fight, kill, loot.

I sigh and push away from the table, standing up. “I got to go. We’ll need to get the spells and gear from the Shop tomorrow. Xev will have Sabre fixed by tomorrow morning and has promised to drop it off here when it’s done. Theoretically, we could try again tomorrow. Though I’m not sure leaving is the best idea.”

There are nods from all around. We could leave Whitehorse and the shit storm that’s coming and go kill things, but it might blow up in our face by the time we get back. On the other hand, leaving the monster lair alone isn’t a great option either.

“Off to see your boyfriend then?” Lana suddenly asks me, her voice too light and relaxed.

“Roxley isn’t my boyfriend Lana,” I reply immediately, frowning at the rather weird direction this conversation has taken.

“Uh huh. Late night dinners, long talks and ‘private training sessions’ all sound like dates to me,” she teases and I roll my eyes. Richard’s lips twitch slightly and Rachel looks between the two of us, rolling her eyes.

Oh, I think I see. Still, a little devil in me pop’s up and before I can think better of it, I reply, “Why, jealous?”

“Mmm…” she puts a finger to her lips before she continues, her voice suddenly turning serious. “Maybe?”

I pause, brain coming to a stuttering stop as she says that, lost in the implications. We’ve been flirting for a month now, kind of dancing around the entire issue and this is the first time anything has ever been said out loud. My brain restarts when peals of bright, bubbly laughter rise up from her chest. I shake my head, feeling somewhat put-off as she continues, “Oh god, your face…”

Damn it. I fell for it, hook line and sinker. I can’t help but acknowledge she’s won this round. As I turn away again, she crosses the distance to place a hand on my arm to stop me. Her hands are soft and warm and this close, I can smell the soap she wears and just the hint of her beneath it. “John, I’m sorry. You deserve your happiness, we all do.”

“I’m not dating Roxley!” I say again.

“And that’s a good thing. You’d make a horrible boyfriend right now,” Lana points out, that soft smile back on her lips.

“Worst husband,” Mikito adds from her corner of the dining table, not even pausing as she cuts up her steak.

Lana nods in confirmation to Mikito’s addition, eyes crinkling in amusement. “Definitely that too. So, go play with your boy for now, we’ll be here.”

I growl, glaring at the two women. Richard just keeps his head buried, slicing a piece off his steak with great care, though at least Rachel has the grace to look as confused as I am. What the hell makes me a bad boyfriend? I stomp off with my rifle and it’s only my increased Perception that lets me hear Richard - that traitor – finally speak before everyone breaks out into laughter. “His face!”

Dinner at Roxley’s is always a formal affair. A small, ball-like creature serves us our dishes and rolls away with speed, cooking with gusto and experience. The dishes are amazing - each time I eat here, the dishes are new and exciting, an artistic masterpiece that comes with its own history lesson. Most important is the dessert, this time from the Orion region of space – a sweet bread-like recipe that we dip in a red sauce.

Talk at the table is always limited to general topics, Earth or Galactic Council history, the state of the world, even how the System works. We never speak of the personal or about business itself – topics such as those considered crass at a Dark Elf’s dinner table. Or more correctly, a Truinnar’s dinner table. Fascinating group, from what Roxley has told me. Unbridled ambition combined with ruthless morality and a dedication to the deal.

When dinner is done, I push away from the table and follow Roxley as we retire to his study. It’s where we go to rest and digest and where the ‘work’ of these meetings get done. Once we leave the dining hall, Ali pops back into existence next to me, coming back from having his own conversation with Roxley’s companion.

“The Yerick,” Roxley begins, glass of blue liquid held in his hand. I have a cup of coffee in mine. “Will be staying. There are still some minor matters to be settled, but the First Fist Ulrick and I have come to an agreement on all substantial matters.”

I grunt, leaning forwards and wait for him to elaborate on that if he will. I doubt it though.

“The Yerick will be purchasing a series of buildings in the East along Fourth Street. They will be opening a number of shops when they do so, including another Armourer and a Weaponsmith along with some sundry goods production,” Roxley says. “Mostly though, they will be doing what the Yerick do best – Adventuring.

“How much trouble will your Council give me?”

“One. Not my Council. I’m just one member and really, we’re there as a single vote,” I repeat for the hundredth time. “Two, officially none. Three, stupid people are stupid.”

Richard nods slowly, tilting his head to the side. “You expect some will act against the Yerick?”

“Didn’t some try with Xev?”

“Yes. I decided not to look into it at that time.”

“Best to do that again,” I reply and wave downwards to where the Yerick are. “If you can keep them here till guest rights are removed, the Yerick probably can deal with the problem makers themselves.”

“And you want me to stay out of it,” Roxley raises an eyebrow and I open my hands.

“Getting you involved just complicates matters. When you side with the Yerick, they’ll resent you which means the Council gets more flack for working with you. If you stay out of it, it’s just a bunch of idiots being idiots. That, the Council can handle,” I reply and don’t add the ‘I hope’ I tack on to the sentence in my head.

“Very well,” Roxley nods and I relax slightly. Working with Roxley is somewhat easier than the Council since his motives are relatively clear, at least in the short-term. Grow Whitehorse and make it a powerful base to work from. Everything else from flows that single objective.

“Now, you had something to report?” Roxley just continues to smile, looking at me over the rim of his glass and I feel a wash of emotion once again staring at him. Damn but he’s hot.

I deal with the new visitors first, listing their names and numbers and watch the Quest completion notifications pop-up. Fewer than I expected actually, significantly fewer.

“Ali?”

“About two-thirds of those you brought back came from Whitehorse initially. Looks like the Quest isn’t updating for those,” Ali replies in my mind.

That dealt with, I explain the reason for their return – the monster lair. I keep the description of the events brief and to the point, flicking a map over at Roxley’s request.

“And you went in,” Roxley states.

“Yes,” I nod and Roxley rubs his head, looking at Ali.

“Your companion did not advise against it?”

“No,” I shake my head and he nods again.

“You play a dangerous game spirit,” he locks eyes with Ali, voice cold. “The rules may be loose, but they are not that loose.”

Ali smirks and just floats in the air and I watch the by-play for a moment before I just ask, “Explanation. One of you two.”

“I will leave the spirit to it,” Roxley waves his hand, dismissing the topic. Past experience has shown that he won’t budge on that, so I just make a note to follow up with Ali. Realising I have no more business to discuss, Roxley smiles and waves to a door.

I narrow my eyes, knowing that’s the wrong door. You have to admit, the man is persistent and direct.

“No, not tonight,” I stand, shaking my head and head to the foyer exit. Roxley’s eyebrow rises and I jerk a thumb at Ali. “I got a conversation to finish.”

Roxley nods slightly, for a moment a look of fleeting sadness crosses his face and I just want to kiss it away. I push it aside with a thought and keep walking. I told Lana the truth – Roxley and I aren’t like that. As much as I want to, as much fun as it could be, I can’t trust anything to do with him. Not the feelings I have, not his motivations, not even my own.

“So, Ali, talk,” we’re by the river, the sun finally dipping below the horizon. Still enough sunlight to see by so I’m not surprised that there are a few Farmers still working in the park-farm on my way over. I watch the water lap at the riverbanks and wait.

“How come they cancelled Baywatch but kept Law & Order? I mean, it’s the same thing – the same stories told over and over again but one has women in swimsuits and the other, well, lawyers,” Ali says. I don’t answer directly, instead pulling up the Companion menu and hovering a finger over the ‘Dismiss’ button.

“Alright, alright. Goblins-arse, I really wish you hadn’t found that,” Ali mutters and then shrugs. “Roxley’s just concerned that I’m pushing you too hard.”

I look to the Spirit for a moment, putting things together in my mind before speaking, “The lair. You weren’t supposed to let us go at all right.”

“Yup. Monster lairs are dangerous. Monsters often fight harder than they would because that’s their home you know. Generally, you really shouldn’t be entering dungeons or lairs of your level, especially without your class skills,” Ali says.

“So, stay away from Level 14 creatures?” I ask incredulously.

“28. Or close to it at least – the maths gets fuzzy with your perk,” Ali waggles his hand in the air, making shadow puppets in the water as he floats. “Sabre makes a difference and your pals do too.”

“And you didn’t say anything,” I point out, watching the spirit contemplatively. I should feel something – anger, betrayal, annoyance, but all I have is a comforting numbness. Too soon maybe to react, or just another pile of shit to watch out for.

“I don’t like wasting my breath,” Ali replies and floats over to me. “You annoyed a Salamander when you were Level 4. Fought a Boss more than double your level – your real level. You’re practising the Honor Guards techniques by yourself, without instruction. And those are just the highlights of the stupid reel.”

“So, what? Let me do stupid things anyway? Let me drag my friends to their death because I don’t know when I’m out-classed?” Oh. I’m not numb -I’m just so angry I’ve come out the other side.

“I’ve tried, you’ve refused. You fight when you should run, run when you should fight. You’re unpredictable because you don’t even know what you want. One day, you’re hiding from the world, the next you’re on Sabre riding out to meet monsters. You get your ass kicked, you get back up and fight. People ask you to lead, you run away. You say you want to hide but every chance, you’re out there fighting,” Ali states quickly, rapid fire.

“I…”

“No, let me finish. Our first conversation, you asked me to find a way for you to survive, to get out of the Park. Right after that, you also asked me for something that would let you stand up to anything, to kick its ass in the future. You didn’t ask me for a transportation method out, you didn’t ask for a spaceship, you didn’t even ask for Credits. You asked for the power to kick ass,” Ali points a finger at me. “You keep going spinning around and around and you expect me to know what the hell you want? Fuck that.”

Shit.

I pause and just look at my actions for once, everything that I’ve done, all the small choices I’ve made. “Shit…”

“Exactly. Get your damn head out of your ass and tell me what you want to do and I’ll help. That’s my job. Till then, I’ll provide you the best advice I can, but don’t fucking ask me to read your mind.”

I nod jerkily, staring away from him at the river. Fuck. He’s right, of course he’s right. I just, I can’t… I shudder, hands clasping before me. I can’t deal with this, I can’t. But I can’t go on like this either. “Ali, I’m sorry.”

Ali jerks his head at that, spinning around and then sighs, floating back to me. “I’ve been jerking you around too. I’ve been pushing you, to get tougher, to get harder. You need it, needed it. The System, it’s not kind, not to people in Dungeon worlds. It gets worse before it gets better.”

“I know,” my answer is a whisper, shivering. I know. Damn it, but I know. I saw the things in Kluane, I know how out-leveled we are. I still remember the bones. I just can’t… “Help me, please.”

“Of course,” his lips twist slightly, Ali floating back down to eye-level. “That’s what I’m here for.”

I jerkily nod, shivering in the cold as I stare in the river. My mind shifts and skitters, trying to find purchase as my emotions roil beneath me. “Ali, please, no more half-truths, no more hiding shit or playing mysterious guru. I need you to be straight with me, even if you don’t think it’s worth it.”

“Fine. On that note – reconsider your stance on Roxley,” Ali says.

“What?” I frown and then my eyes narrow. “You just want to watch.”

“Yes, but also, he’s a Truinnar noble – out of favor perhaps, but still a noble. His favor could open doors for us in the future,” Ali states matter-of-factedly.

“Sleep with him to get my way?” I can’t help but frown at that.

Ali shrugs again, “What do you think he’ll be doing to you? Anyway, you’re so backed up, I swear, I can see it coming out of your ears.”

“I do not need advice on my love life from you,” I state, quite seriously and the rage under my voice clamps Ali mouth shut. Good. I turn back to the water, keeping my hands clasped as I work to get my emotions back under control.

An hour later, I find myself knocking on a door. When she comes out, I can tell she’s been sleeping but her smile breaks out when she sees me.

“Hi! I didn’t expect to see you so soon,” she whispers, voice low as we try to avoid waking up anyone else.

“Care to go for a walk?” I murmur, gesturing away and she pauses for a moment before nodding, ducking back in to grab her coat.

Ali was right. It has been too long. Karen steps out, sneaking around the bodies that make up the school, clutching her thin robe to a tight body and somehow having brushed her brown hair in the few seconds since I’ve seen her. I smile slightly, enjoying the sight and the lack of complications here as I take her hand and lead her to the water.

Chapter 20

“Morning!” I greet everyone at the breakfast table. What I get is chilly silence from Lana, an uncomfortable look from Richard and Rachel’s snort. Richard’s latest conquest takes one look at the situation, gives him a quick kiss and heads out, swaying a bountiful ass on the way out.

“Ohayō Baka,” is Mikito’s reply as she turns to me, placing her bowl of rice down.

“You know, I know what that means,” I point out, frowning at her. She just turns back to her breakfast and I look at the group.

“What?” Shit, were the Yerick that much of an issue? I thought we had talked it out yesterday.

Lana stands up, dumping her plate in the sink and walks out, never once saying a word to me. I open my mouth then shut it, before looking to the others. “Richard…?”

“Nope. Not a chance,” Richard holds his hands up and looks to Rachel. “You good to hit the Shop?”

She nods at that, standing up and they repeat the plate dumping action. As she walks past me, Rachel whispers under her breath “Jerk”.

I’m just left standing there, dumb-founded. What the hell? “Mikito?”

“Baka,” she just replies and concentrates on her food while I puzzle it out. Fine, this sounded personal. The only thing that I did that could have been personal was Karen – but really? Lana pretty much told me to go get laid, so what the hell? I don’t get women. I really, really, don’t.

As I finish working it out, I realise Mikito’s gone and left the kitchen, leaving me with the dishes. Now that’s just mean.

My team having dispersed to do their own thing, I find myself with nothing to do. At least, nothing that I want to do but someone has to. I’m not exactly sure when I became the diplomat for the god damn human race in Whitehorse, but well, here I am. Waiting to see Capstan to have a chat with him while Ali, back in his invisible mode at my request, does handstands.

The door opens and Capstan walks in and I realise what the higher ceilings and wider doorframe of Roxley’s base are for. When you deal with a wide variety of beings, you make certain concessions to architecture. I wonder how long it’ll take us to figure that one out. Up close, Capstan is even bigger and more imposing, his movements having that feral grace that you see in large cats. He carries no obvious weapons though he continues to wear his simple dark brown bodysuit with armor plates. It’s expensive armor – lighter, stronger and easier to replace than the ones we bought.

He studies me at the same time, eyes flicking over my form and up above me before he speaks, voice rumbling like a series of rocks ground together, “Greetings of the morning to you Redeemer of the Dead John Lee.”

“Ali, does he have a system companion too?” I think to Ali, putting on a closed lip smile to the minotaur. No baring teeth – that might be bad.

“It’s First Fist Ulrick, and probably not. Adventuring families often purchase the Class Skill Observe from the Shop for their children when they can,” Ali answers.

“Good Morning First Fist Ulrick,” I parrot and then blink, realizing what just happened “You speak English?”

“Yes,” Capstan continues and then stops, patiently waiting.

“So…” I look at him and then brace myself, deciding to just say what I came here to say, “Look, you probably guessed, but there are people who aren’t thrilled with your presence. Especially in such large numbers.”

“Yes,” Capstan says again.

“I believe Roxley’s asked you to keep your people indoors till you aren’t his guests anymore, but I wanted to add, it might be an idea for your people to move together in pairs. Well, not you obviously,” I add, “but, those who aren’t able to defend themselves.”

“You are threatening us?” Capstan rumbles and I hold my hand up. Capstan growls and I pause, freezing in space as I realise that might not go over well. Right, cultural differences.

“No, not me. Warning, not threatening. It’s…” I frown, then continue “look, idiots are idiots. I don’t, the City Council doesn’t, have control over everyone. Not the way we work, so some of those idiots, well, they might do something stupid. I’d like it if that stupid thing didn’t end up with anybody dead.”

“You are asking that we not kill our attackers,” Capstan rumbles again and standing next to him, I realise I can smell the musky tang that I’ve come to associate with livestock.

“Well, put that way, probably?” I say, “It’ll make your life more difficult and probably mine.”

“You are a leader here,” Capstan says.

“Yes. And no. I have an Adventuring Party and we’re one of the highest leveled, so I’ve got some influence but I’m not in the chain of command,” I state bluntly. No reason to lie here and if he knows the truth, hopefully, he won’t expect miracles.

Capstan copies my nod, the motion jerky and unnatural on the creature.

“System bought language skills often come with body language knowledge too,” Ali says helpfully next to me. “Also, if you didn’t guess, he’s amused.”

“Amused? How the hell is he amused?” I squint at the large Yerick and still can’t see how Ali is getting amused from the giant brown, fur covered boulder in front of me.

“Check his tail. Also, he’s tapped his hand on his leg thrice,” Ali replies as the same time Capstan says, “We will not kill humans if we can Redeemer.”

“Thanks. Do you mind me asking, what your plans are?” I say.

“If the stars will it, we will settle and build. A Dungeon World is a lucrative world and if Lord Roxley allows us to do so, we will Adventure and earn the blessings of the System,” Capstan answers again, his hand splaying at the start of what he said.

“Ah…” I frown, thinking and then shrug. If we’ve got to have them here, then we might as well have them on our side. “Once you’re settled, talk to me? Might be able to give you a few directions about what’s out there.”

“That will be done Redeemer,” Capstan does his jerky head nod thing again and Ali to my side snorts.

“Well, I guess that is it. I’m sure you and Roxley still have more to discuss,” I automatically offer my hand and then wince, already beginning to withdraw. However, Capstan does not react to it with aggression this time and so I let it hang out there where he stares at it before reaching out to clasp it, engulfing my entire hand and half of my arm in his. Then he squeezes.

Son-of-a-bitch! He crushes down on my hand and I reflexively squeeze back, both of us locked in a sudden contest of strength. Of course, he’s got the advantage considering I’m squeezing only a tiny portion of his body, but he’d win anyway. I can feel bones creak and muscles begin to mush and anger flares in me, my lips curling in a full snarl. Capstan just returns my gaze, no trace of anger or bloodlust in there. Just as I begin to get ready to curse him out and stab him, he lets go and steps back.

“May we see the dawn again together Redeemer,” Capstan rumbles and I glare at him.

“Ali, tell me that Alpha-male bullshit is part of their culture,” I think furiously at my companion. I came here to keep things peaceful, not start the fight myself.

“You should be happy, he thought you were tough enough to test to see who has a bigger dick. Which, by the way, he does,” Ali pauses and continues. “Literally. Yerick are famed for it actually. The occasional Yerick that gets into the business does really well for himself.”

I’ve already tuned Ali out after the first few words for the most part, a skill I’ve learnt a while ago, “Goodbye Capstan.”

I then walk out, chanting the minor heal spell in my mind as I leave. Mana infuses my bones, knitting things together and smoothing out crushed muscles, “Ali, why the hell did he feel the need to test me?”

“Uh, you told him you were one of the leaders. Also, if you’ve forgotten, you’ve got two titles, an Advanced class and more levels than him. At least from what he could read,” Ali shrugs. “Not his fault you cheat.”

Put that way, it makes sense but… “This is going to happen a lot isn’t it?”

“Yup. Get stronger faster boy-o,” Ali notes grimly and I sigh.

Fuck. As if I needed another reason to run around getting shot at.

It’s been ages since I’ve done this, gone hunting by myself. As much as I like the team, there’s a liberating feeling being out here alone without having to worry about where people are and how they are doing. No need to worry about their inability to run away or sneak up on enemies, just me and the shadows.

I’m over an hour and a half from Whitehorse, deep in the forests and up a mountain after taking a pair of backtrails that came off the highway. I doubt a single other human has been down this way since the System turned on, the roads so badly damaged and washed out that I’d switched to armor mode to traverse it.

Such a strange thing, sneaking around with Sabre in armor mode. It should be a lot harder than it is, sliding from shadow to shadow without disturbing a leaf and yet, more than once, I manage to locate my prey and kill it with a single shot or strike without it ever noticing me. If I had to guess, it’s the damn System adjusting reality, pulling shadows closer, making the steps I place softer and lighter.

The forest around me is quiet and strange, the typical Yukon alpine forest of spruce, willow and fir trees having mutated, some growing spikes, others gaining a new sheen to their bark. I accidentally brush against a tree that was once a paper birch and set the contact point on fire. The fire dies away after a moment, leaving the tree unharmed and me with a thundering heart. In addition to the mutated trees, additional fast-growing vines drape the area between trees. The vines are dotted with bright red flowers, some already fruiting with a fleshy, reddish-yellow oval fruit. I’ve taken a few of the flowers and fruit, figuring that at the least Sally might know what they are. Thus far, she’s been less than enthused with the various flora and fauna available in the Yukon natively. Of course, there’s always hope that the mutated variety might be of greater use.

It’s the silence that gets me, the lack of birds or other animals a sign that something nasty is out there. It has been like this for the last half-hour but whatever it is, I hadn’t come across signs of it until now. And what a sign it is.

“Earth elemental,” Ali confirms and I eye the ground before me. The earth isn’t just torn up, it looks churned – as if the ground itself pulled itself apart and then was dropped by a very large, angry toddler. Shattered and uprooted trees give a clear indication of the elemental’s path and for a moment, I almost think of going back. Almost.

It’s an hour of fast-moving to catch up to the elemental, only slowing down once I’m close. I gently pull myself up the top of the hill, sticking my head above it to see the creature continuing its journey. Finding it would have been a little faster if it didn’t randomly just move around, though now that I look at it, I wonder if it was so random.

Thirty feet long and twenty feet wide at a guess, the elemental moves on six legs along the ground with a head that is reminiscent of a toddler made sculpture of a lizard. As it moves, the earth churns up around in a reverse waterfall before falling away behind it, the gold its sifting for sticking to its body. My jaw drops as I stare at the creature, already, half its body is plated in gold from the bottom up.

“System’s balls – that’s not an Earth Elemental, that’s a Metal Elemental!” Ali says next to me as he stares at it. Even as he spots the creature, the status bar fills in.

Metal Elemental (Level 43)

HP: 2470/2470

As if the creature can hear Ali, it cranes its neck around and then slowly lumbers around. My eyes widen and then I look at the spirit who suddenly looks sheepish.

“Shit boy-o, forgot they can see me. Best get killing,” Ali points and starts floating upwards and out of range of the creature.

I don’t have to be asked twice, cursing the little Spirit as I bring my rifle to bear. I depress the trigger and am rewarded by the flash of the beam striking it, flakes of gold burning off. I continue firing, grinning slightly even as the creature begins to pick up steam. 300 hundred meters when a creature is 30 feet long isn’t that far at all, but I’m not worried.

“Oh, John, the QSM won’t work either. Elementals are like spirits, we exist in multiple dimensions at the same time,” Ali calls out from above and I curse him again as I throw myself to the side, attempting to roll away from it. The elemental clips me as I unsuccessfully get out of the way, sending me spinning through a series of trees before I come to a standstill. Vertigo takes me for a moment and I can feel the bruises coming already but nothing major seems broken.

I look up, the creature slowing down from its charge and beginning to turn which lets me open fire. Slow on the turns eh? I grin and start running in a circle, opening fire as I go and dodging around trees when I can and on a few occasions, just going through them. I’m careful not to do that too often though – some of these trees have mutated enough that I probably would bounce right off. Stupid damn System. There’s no reason why, if I can bench press a tank that I can’t jump through a tree – even if the tree itself can hold, its roots should tear out from the earth. Then again, under the influence of mana and the System, straight Newtonian physics has long ago taken a bow and exited stage left. Some things just don’t make sense.

Running and shooting is easy, and I chip away at the creature’s health for long minutes even as it pulls more metal towards it, regenerating the damage. I’m winning the damage game until my rifle does a distressing beep and I realise I’m out of charges. I move to reload and realise I’ve already done it once. Oh shit…

I keep jogging as I slap the rifle back into its resting slot above my shoulder and try to decide what to do next, eyeing the monstrosity’s health. Only half down and that’s with me using both mana batteries. I could possibly outrun the creature, though a glance at Sabre’s battery indicates I’m taxing it too. Fighting the creature without Sabre would be suicide, so I can hope to run and risk getting caught when I am out of power or I can fight it now. Really, who am I kidding?

A savage grin tearing my face apart, I rush it. Right then, quadruped with a big, wide body. The play here is simple – get close, get on top and stab at it from above till it dies. I rush the elemental, going straight for its face and as it goes for a bite, I jump and use its head to vault myself upwards onto its back. At the apex of my jump, I call forth my sword and lead the attack with it, slamming into the earth and metal body of the creature. I feel the sword bite in deep and then the body shudders, the sword snapping in my grip. That was a first in a while – as I leveled, so had my weapon and its durability and sharpness had increased considerably.

I grin, crouched with a leg splayed out behind me and a hand on its body as I call forth my sword again. Just as I am about to plunge the blade, a spike made of gold forms from the body, impaling my back thigh. It’s only a last-minute jerk of my body that stops another spike from impaling my torso and I scream into my helmet as I swing at the spike that impales me, shattering it.

Another second as I roll away, spikes jutting out from the creature’s body as it continues its unconventional attack. I kick off with my good foot, sending me spinning blindly into the trees and coming to a rest a good forty feet away, a thick gouge in the earth marking my landing site.

Pushing past the pain, I grab the golden spike and pull it out of my leg and slap against my helmet. A moment later, a potion appears in my hand from my inventory and I’m chugging it down before casting a quick healing. Already, the wound in my leg is closing up and I’m able to stand to face the charging creature. As it lunges to me again, I jump directly at it and to the left, twisting myself around so that I slide on my back on the ground. I lash out with my sword as I do so, chipping at the gold of the creature’s body and managing to carve a chunk of gold off.

On my feet, I back off as quickly as I can even as the elemental spins to me as I begin casting Lightning Strike, struggling not to sneeze from the dust that the creature has kicked up. The mana pulls from my body as the chant runs through my mind, a hand held up forth before me. The casting takes too long and I trigger another jump backwards as I dodge around a spike. As I land, the spell nears completion and Ali flies down next to me, putting his hand on mine and connecting us further, willing a touch of his own Elemental Affinity into the bolt of lightning as it exits my body.

Power rushes out of me, super-charged by Ali, and the cackling electricity slams into the creature, shocking it still. The elemental writhes as the charge runs through it, conducted directly into its core and super-heating the metal. Gold heats up and begins to melt, dropping from the body onto the ground as the elemental loses control over the metal. I focus, pouring everything that I have into the spell, my mana dropping like a waterfall. With Ali directly connected to me and lending his aid, I can feel the electrons ripping free in the air. The elemental is locked in pain, unable to move to attack me as its health drops at a precarious rate just like my mana. This is going to be close.

Eleven seconds and then I drop, mana drained entirely from my body. My head feels like it’s been filled with wool and I can’t focus properly, eyesight fading in and out. I find myself slumping down and forcing breaths through my body, wondering why there’s a little part of me screaming and shouting that I should be doing something more important. I shut it away and I fall backwards, looking up at the clear blue sky.

I’m not sure how long I’m out but when I wake up, Ali is hovering over me playing cards. I groan, slowly shifting up to look around. Where the elemental was, a slag heap of gold and earth stands. Crap – I fainted in the middle of a fight.

“How long was I out?” I try to stand up, my head spinning and I find myself sitting down again when I regain control.

“About 20 minutes. Drink your mana potion, it’ll help,” Ali continues to play his cards, the game nothing that I recognise. A spread of seven piles with cards laid out in a fan-shape, Ali occasionally moving one card from one pile to another or dealing a new card from the deck in his hand.

I don’t argue, following his directions. My hand hesitates between the cheaper or more expensive one and my inner miser makes me pull the cheap potion and down it. The relief is immediate, the wooziness dropping to a manageable level. Right, first thing first – loot. I’m sure Ali will tell me if there’s any danger, not that I’m in any condition to deal with more trouble. I don’t even look at the loot I get, grabbing and dumping it into my inventory as I struggle not to throw up.

“Ali, map this for me will you. We’ll want to get the body later,” I eye the fused golden body of the elemental and a part of me does a little dance at the sheer amount of gold there is. Then again, is gold worth anything anymore?

Glumly, I consider the fact that gold might just be worthless before I push the thoughts aside. Something for later. I look to Ali who sees that I’m mostly done and he waggles his fingers again.

Lightning Strike Enhanced!

You have combined Lightning Strike with your Spirit Companion’s Elemental Affinity to empower the spell. Description updated.

Lightning Strike

Effect: Call forth the power of the gods, casting lightning. Lightning strike may affect additional targets depending on proximity, charge and other conductive materials on-hand. Does 100 points of electrical damage.

Lightning Strike may be continuously channeled to increase damage for 10 additional damage per second.

Cost: 75 Mana.

Continuous cast cost: 5 Mana / second

Lightning Strike may be enhanced by using the Elemental Affinity of Electromagnetic Force. Damage increased by20% per level of affinity

Mana Withdrawal

You are suffering from severe mana withdrawal.

Effect: -80% recovery rates. -80% to all stats. Inability to cast spells till withdrawal effects are over.

Duration: Withdrawal effects will reduce by 1% for every 1% of mana regained

Metal Elemental (Level 43) Slain

+7000 XP

Seriously, no level up? I look at the experience marker and grimace. Trying to level an Advanced Class sucked. I push the thought away again, worrying about something I can’t change isn’t particularly useful.

“Why was the elemental so much harder to kill? I mean, we kicked the ass of the troll with ease and the elemental isn’t that much higher,” I ask.

“Mikito had worn it down a bunch – even if it was regenerating, getting your ass kicked around takes a toll. Also, this was a bad match. Beam energy weapons don’t work as well, and well, your biggest hitter only really worked because I was around,” Ali shrugs and continues. “Metal elementals are tough against physical attackers and you don’t have access to your class skills to bypass its armor. Frankly, if you didn’t have Sabre on, you’d be dead. Then again, that’s not new either.”

I nod and groan, a throbbing pain in my leg making itself known as I come down from my adrenaline high. It’ll heal soon enough, but till then, I’m just going to have to suffer. Can’t even cast anything with the mana withdrawal going-on. Definitely time to call it a day.

“Mr. Lee,” I am flagged down as I drive into Whitehorse, head still pounding a little. I groan, seeing that it’s Fred and Minion but pull over. Playing diplomat sucks, but if making sure we don’t start a war in our own city is the result, I can suck it up like a big boy. I can’t help the little bit of anger, of resentment that creeps into my voice though.

“Fred, M…” I pause and then look at his name, “Eric.”

Eric – Minion’s – eyes narrow but he does not say anything. Fred smiles, waiting for me to clamber off my bike before he speaks. “I hear you have spoken with Lord Roxley and the minotaurs?”

“Yerick. I’ve spoken with the Yerick and Roxley, yes,” I answer.

“Tell me, what did you learn?” Fred smiles ingratiatingly, leaning forward to come into my space just a little.

I shiver, feeling the need to wash as he smiles at me, “Not much. The Yerick are Adventurers mostly, some craftsmen. They’ll be joining us at Roxley’s invitation and will be buying buildings from the Shop. That should get us closer to the safe zone mark, help us stabilise the city more”

I watch Fred as I speak, hoping the news about the buildings will make him happy. I know there’s a lot of pressure to get us to that 80% mark, but the cost of doing so is staggering – especially when you consider our needs for the future. We’re only at 40% but even that is helping to stabilise the number of spawnings already. “The rest, well, I figure someone like you or Miranda would be more appropriate to discuss with them. I’m sure the Yerick would be happy to talk with you about how they fit into our little community.”

I’m laying it on a little thick, but I can see Fred grab at the sentence and run with it. “Yes, we’ll need to talk about the contributions they can provide and maybe they could join the business association.”

“Of course,” I nod blandly, already mentally checking out. To my side, Minion’s eyes narrow and his fists clench as Fred blathers on more to himself about how to integrate this new community in our city.

“Evening then, gentlemen.” I smile and get on my bike, heading to see Xev. Thank god it was only armor plating this time, should be a pretty quick fix. I wave hi to her, drop the bike off and take the offer to be dropped off via tandem bike. All I want is my bed and peace and quiet. Just for a few hours. I really need to make sure never to drain myself like that again.

Chapter 21

Breakfast the next day is more civil, everyone seeming to have settled down. Lana doesn’t serve me like she normally does, but no one is giving me the cold shoulder either. However, conversation is stilted, long pauses breaking up conversational gambits. Most, since Mikito continues to quietly eat her rice without participating as usual.

As we finish, I tap the table to get everyone’s attention. When they look at me, I say, “Today’s day 3 of the guest rights. The Yerick have said they’ll keep indoors ‘till tomorrow, so that leaves us a day of peace. I think we should try the cave today.”

Richard and the others look at each other before he sits forward, staring at me. “What’s this brilliant plan?”

I grin, waving Ali over and together, we outline what we know and what we plan. When we are done, the group sits there in silence, Richard scratching as his beard and frowning, Lana with a slight quirky smile on her lips, Mikito calm and collected and Rachel smirking.

“Man, that’s kind of broken isn’t it?” Rachel replies, shaking her head as she spins an unlit cigarette around her finger.

I flash her a grin, shrugging, “If it works, sure. We’ll need help though.”

Rachel wrinkles her nose and then nods, “I know just the people.”

The group slowly nods and we quickly assign the last of the tasks we need to do. As I head towards the door, Lana grabs my arm and says. “Sorry about yesterday.”

“What was it about?” I prod her, wanting confirmation about what I’ve guessed. I’m dense but not stupid.

“Nothing important. Not right now. You just make sure to bring them back okay,” her eyes flicking over to her younger brother betraying which one she really means. I know, she likes us all but it’s her brother. I don’t blame her.

“I’ll be the last one out,” I promise her and she lets go of me. Alright then, time to go kill something. At the thought, I can feel the slow thrum of anticipation run through me. Yes, definitely time to kill some monsters.

I squat outside the cave, a couple of hours ahead of the rest of the crew. They are headed into Carcross first before joining me. Me, I’ve got to get the initial part of the plan going – scouting out the cave. Ali pointed out to me that while the Wil-o-wisp might be interesting, it wasn’t exactly subtle in its presence and the Shadow-aspected Crilik shifters could kill it. Instead, we compromised by purchasing a bigger mana battery for the drone and a second one just in case. Expensive, but it’s not as if I have a better choice.

Ali’s watching the doorway, actually paying attention since he can’t automatically scan for monsters while I watch the drone map the caves. I keep it high and near the ceilings, running in infrared vision and letting out low-level radar pings, enough to create 3D maps of the area it travels through. Hooked into Sabre, the cave renders in exquisite detail in my helmet visor. Best of all, the Crilik shifters don’t have a clue.

The cave system isn’t that big, not really. Just over half-a-kilometer long with about five main caverns. The Crilik move about too much for me to get an accurate count, but at a rough guess, I’m looking at just above 40 of the shifters include a nasty looking Alpha that is nearly double the size of the next largest shifter. The Alpha prowls the last few caves, and after a time I notice that there are some shifters that are smaller than the others, half-again the size in some cases. Right, monster lair.

When the team arrives, they come with extra help. Both Jason and Mike have been added to the team, though they’ve been sworn to secrecy about Sabre for now. At this point, I’m seriously wondering why I bother with it but it’s habit by now. Rachel moves to the cave entrance the moment we arrive, hands raised as she begins to pull stone from the earth to form walls and a ceiling around the entrance. Richard walks forwards, the Huskies ranging out beside him even as Elsa is dropped down next to him. Above, Orel watches from a perch right above me. Richard lets loose with a series of flares, lighting up the front cave fully and then settles in to keep an eye for the Shifters.

Mikito and Jason get to work, felling trees with blade and magic in quick order before slicing them into pieces that are less cumbersome for Gadsby to carry. Gadsby, grinning carries logs about double his size on his shoulders with ease, bouncing into the cave and stacking them up just like you would if you were making a campfire.

By this time, I’ve brought the drone back to the second cave and are watching the shifters. They prowl the edges of the light, waiting for us to move in but don’t take further action. No surprise there, the compendium indicated they weren’t the smartest creatures in the world, mostly ambush hunters. Since we aren’t moving deep into their territory, they are willing to wait and watch our strange actions.

Superhuman strength and speed means that the preparations are completed really quickly and I gesture for Mikito and Richard to come to me. They take the sensor data I have and while the others wait, we spread out over the mountainside. This is the tricky part – we want to block off enough airways to reduce airflow, but not too much or else we’ll just kill the fire completely. Ali and I figure about half should do it, or at least we hope so. Not as if either of us are arsonists or firefighters. The insta-cement pouches we pull from inventory work fast and set within moments of application, filling our respective holes within moments of application.

By the time we’re back, the entrance has a nice overhang and is enclosed with stone with only a single wide opening left. Richard and Elsa start the ball rolling, moving deeper to get in range before Elsa begins to breathe, flames licking at the wet logs till Elsa has to stop. We pull them back and Jason takes over, sending wind in a steady roar to fan the flames and more importantly, create the smoke we need. I wish I knew what was going on inside the cave, but I’ve already recalled the drone to keep it from getting damaged. However, the howls that start emanating from inside let us know that the Crilik aren’t happy.

There’s little more to do, Gadsby, Mikito and I are the front-line at the cave entrance while the flames roar, wet tinder super-heated by the turtle creating quite a bit of smoke and blocking lines of sight. We catch sight of something moving behind the flames, snarling at the fire before it disappears behind smoke and shadows and then there’s silence.

Now we just wait, as smoke continues to build in the cave system, forcing the creatures to choose to die from asphyxiation or run through the flames to meet us out here. Of course, half-a-kilometer of caves would take a while to fill with smoke fully, so Gadsby has the enjoyable task of hauling the extra wood we chopped and adding it as necessary.

“You know, this just feels wrong,” mutters Gadsby during one particular long stretch of waiting and Jason nods in agreement.

Jason falls silent for a moment, letting the wind from his spell die down as he watches to see how the fire is going. Spotting an area that has not lit, he calls forth a spear of flame and throws it, the spear erupting and setting the logs on fire. Jason turns to me then, hand absently pawing a pair of glasses that are no longer there, “Not a game right.”

“No, not at all,” I reply and narrow my eyes, trying to spot the monsters. No game, just our fucked-up lives. This could take a while, but we’ve got the time, the wood and the discipline to wait.

The first sign of trouble comes after a few hours, a trio of Crilik panicking and rushing us. The first takes a shot to the head from my rifle and drops, the second slips and thrashes in the flames and the third is met by Mikito and her blade and loses its head. An hour later, we get a series of notifications that more Crilik have perished.

Then nothing, as time drags on. Gadsby heads away to grab more wood when the fire begins to die down and that’s when the remaining Crilik charge us. Stripped of their main advantage in combat by the fires, strength and stamina sapped by the carbon dioxide poisoning they’ve been going through, the fight is a massacre. It doesn’t stop them from charging though.

I launch a Lighting Strike in, joined by a more powerful and impressive attack of the same form by Jason and the bolts dance between the bodies, jumping from creature to creature and forcing more than one to fall into the fire. Rachel flicks her hands, stone spears launching from the ground to impale other monsters that make it through the first magical barrage. Behind us, Richard works his shotgun as they close to his range, targeting those in the lead. They lose more than half their numbers in this way and then are forced to funnel to where Mikito and I wait, blades drawn to end this. Gadsby rushes back to join us and Mikito meets the Boss herself, polearm dancing in strikes that keep the creature off-balance and on the defense. I occasionally slip aside, letting a Crilik out so that the Huskies can grab it and savage the creature while I fight the others. Next to me, Gadsby smashes his opponents into paste with armored metal fist and truncheon.

As I said, it’s a massacre. Already damaged from the run through the fire and carbon dioxide poisoning and stripped of their greatest weapon, they are no match for us. When the fight is over, we’re left panting but victorious over the bodies. We grin at each, and then as a group, we begin to go over the notices we’ve been given.

Quest Complete!

You have cleared the Carcross Cave of Crilik Shifters!

10,000 XP Awarded. Reputation increase in the village of Carcross.

Level Up! * 2

You have reached Level 16 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 18 Free Attribute Points to distribute.

Class Skills Locked

I scream with joy, breaking out into an impromptu dance. Fucking finally! I can’t help but grin, ignoring the shocked looks everyone else is giving me. I needed just one more damn level and I get 2! Allocating a few additional points to my Charisma stat and I’m good to go.

“Problem John?” Gadsby asks, not looking directly at me and scanning the surroundings.

“No, I just got my class skills,” I grin widely.

“No need to scream like a little girl you know, we all got levels,” Jason replies, grumbling as he rubs the ear nearest to me.

“No, you don’t understand. I just got my class skills unlocked. Finally,” I can’t help but bounce a bit on my feet, no longer feeling the need to hide that particular lack.

“What?” Richard turns around and stares at me and I realise most everyone else is as well. “How the fuck have you been keeping up with us without your skills? I just thought you were dumping them all into physical stats like your Constitution.” Mikito nods firmly at that and Jason just stares at me, mouth open.

“Nope, just haven’t had access to them yet,” I chuckle evilly, rubbing my hands together in thought. Oooh, the things I could do.

“Broken. You’re a fucking broken character,” mutters Jason.

“Don’t give the boy-o too big a head. He’d be dead a dozen times over without the Mech. Or me,” Ali points out, smirking at me and I nod in acknowledgement. Fair enough, being able to spot, hide and run away from creatures that truly out-classed me was a huge advantage.

“Are we all going to get locked out of our class skills if we get an Advanced one?” Rachel chimes in to the conversation around the cigarette in her lips, staring at me.

Ali tackles this one immediately, “Nope, sugarplums here is special. Don’t worry about it.”

Rachel nods and Mikito points back into the cave with her naginata. “Work. Dance later.”

The others nod, shooting me curious glances but she is right. Time to get to work. They begin looting the corpses on the outside while Rachel and Jason work to cool the cave down sufficiently for me to head in. Even in Sabre, I’m not exactly looking forward to the walk.

Chapter 22

After we’ve sorted things out, I’m seated at the back of the truck, working on my Status Screen.

Points allocated to Charisma

Class skills unlocked

8 Class Skills Available to be Distributed. Would you like to do so?

Would I? I feel a thrill shoot me and I can’t help but grin widely. Gadsby is riding Sabre with permission as I get busy poking at the details, calling up information on the Class Skills. It’s not as if I don’t have a rough idea about them, not from the information I’ve already purchased, and the hours of video footage in my mind. However, when I pull up the class skills box, there’s another tab right next to it – basic skills.

“Ali, what are these basic skills? They unlock at the same time?” I page over to them immediately and grimace, flicking through the pages at a rush since the sheer volume is staggering. Power Blow, Sprint, First Aid, Mana Dart, Poison, Elemental Imbue. When I pull up the information though, I’m less than impressed

Power Blow

Effect: Physical attack deals 20% more base damage

Cost: 25 Mana

Sprint

Effect: User is able to move at a run 5% faster

Cost: 10 Mana/second

Elemental Imbue

Effect: Imbue your weapon with an elemental effect of choice. Choice must be made upon purchase and may not be changed. +10 Elemental Damage

Cost: 30 Mana / Second

“Not really, you could have bought them before,” Ali turns to me, hands on his hips as he points. “I blocked them so you couldn’t see it, because, well, they are shit. It’s what they catch you with and keeps you power-downed. Just a little bit of a boost, but never good enough to really challenge the patient, the smart or the knowledgeable.”

I twitch at his words, hands wanting to reach out and strangle the little Spirit. Instead, I pull a chocolate bar from inventory and eat it, focusing on the now. He’s not wrong – but this magic rabbit trick thing he’s doing is getting old. I force myself to breathe, thoughts thrumming with anger, “We just talked about you keeping secrets from me.”

Ali pauses, looking me up and down and then his face twitches. It does something I’ve never seen it do before, and for a moment, I can’t figure it out. When I do, I realise it’s the closest thing to remorse I’ve seen on his face. Then he speaks, “Yeah, you’re right.”

“Say again?” I prod him.

“You’re right I said. I’m sorry, we agreed to tell the truth. I’d just been keeping this one for so long, I forgot,” Ali replies and I grunt, anger still simmering but under control. I’m not happy, but at least he apologised and done is done.

I tab back to my class skills and finish up the chocolate, focusing on reading now. I’m not sure I’ll be making all my choices immediately, but knowing what I have to work with is important.

The Honor Guard class skills are broken into three separate tracks, with skills above each track a pre-requisite to more powerful skills beneath. Each track aided the Guard in their regular duties as bodyguards, champions and of course, shock troops for the army.

Erethran Honor Guard Skills

Mana Imbue

Two are One

Thousand Steps

Blade Strike

The Body’s Resolve

Greater Detection

Altered Space

A Thousand Blades

Shield Transfererence

Soul Shield

Blink Step

Army of One

Sanctum

Body Swap

Portal

The first track focused on the Honor Guard’s soulbound weapons, enhancing the potential and damage of each weapon. As I understood it, the options varied in this track slightly depending on the weapon soulbound. Mana Imbue added mana damage to the weapon which bypassed all resistances, Blade Strike extended the range of my weapon, Thousand Blades created extra copies of my soulbound weapon for use and Army of One combined all the above into a massive attack.

The second track allowed the Guard to be effective bodyguards. Two are One shared the damage a target received with the Guard while the Body’s Resolve increased regeneration rates, letting the Guard take more damage. Soul Shield allowed the guard to manifest a shield while Sanctum created a location that stopped all attacks for a short period of time.

The third track involved their ability to move and hit. Thousand steps was a movement buff, Altered Space gave them enhanced inventory storage abilities while blink step was a short-range, line-of-sight teleportation ability. Perhaps the most interesting powerful was Portal – which allowed the Guard to link two locations. Get a single Guard with Portal in your backlines and he could drop an army on you. Or a nuke.

Shield Transference enhanced Soul Shield, allowing users to absorb a portion of any attack to the Shield to enhance their own soulbound weapons. Greater detection allowed the Guard an awareness ability much like Ali’s while Body Swap let the guard to swap places with pre-determined targets, no matter the distance.

Unfortunately, as I prod the skills I realise that some of these skills are still locked. Looks like at least for now, the first 2 levels are the only one’s unlocked, at least till level 30. It’s only at Level 45 that I’d unlock the last tier, but even with that, I’ve got a ton of things to play with. I could just pick up a single level in everything and enhance a single other skill but that might be a touch too simplistic. After all, I’m not entirely sure I need Greater Detection since I have Ali already for one. And ranged attacks with the sword seem interesting, but I’ve got guns for those.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. As I stare at the information, I idly pull out another chocolate bar and chew on it, ignoring the conversations around me. I’ll definitely need to talk to Ali about this at some point.

When we get back to Carcross, I put away the information. The guards at the gate nod to us, waving us through and we find Mrs. O’Keefe on gate duty by sheer coincidence. Another guard has hurried into the meeting hall and the Elder makes her way out slowly. Gadsby gives her the thumbs up and she relaxes and then straightens as if a great load is taken off her.

I hop down, smiling slightly as Jason does his best blasé teenager impression for his mum, while bouncing on his toes slightly. His need to play it cool is obviously warring with his need to tell the story of what we did. Richard just smiles at Mrs. O’Keefe who gives him a quick smile of gratitude back before she turns to her son, guiding him away.

There’s still time to get back if we wish, but at Elder Badger’s and Gadsby’s insistence, we decide to call it a day. Outside of the guards on the wall, the night fast turns into a celebration, food and drink coming out in large quantities. An unlucky moose becomes the centre of the meal, its twenty foot body the feature of the evening.

The night comes on us fast, and I spot even Mikito relaxing slightly through the night, sitting and chatting with a few other melee weapon users. They seem to be comparing weapons and techniques, animatedly discussing moves from their body gestures. Rachel has disappeared into one of the motel’s rooms, dragging along Jason and I idly wonder if it’s romance or knowledge or a little of both that is being shared. As for Richard, well, as usual, he’s the star of the show with people clustered around him, listening to him talk. From the looks the pair of women who sit at his feet have given him, I’m pretty sure he won’t be sleeping alone tonight.

Me? I ghost around the edges, doing my best to blend in to the crowd. I watch them laugh and smile and I wonder why. We destroyed a lair, killed a few monsters but we’re a fucking Dungeon world. It’s just one of a thousand, ten thousand that are going to crop up and we can’t stamp them all out. Then again, just because I don’t feel the party doesn’t mean they shouldn’t enjoy it. So, I stay hidden, blending in. I do so well that I even get a minor notification.

Skill Acquired

Camouflage (Level 1)

It takes skill to disappear in a crowd.

After a while, I realise I can’t even give a damn to put up a face for them all anymore. I head out, leaving Sabre and my team mates behind, sneaking out past the guards while dumping points into my class skills. There are a few things I definitely want, the rest can wait. A single point first, into a few areas.

Class Skills Acquired

Mana Imbue (Level 1)

Soulbound weapon now permanently imbued with mana to deal more damage on each hit. +10 Base Damage (Mana). Will ignore armor and resistances. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.

Class Skills Acquired

Blade Strike (Level 1)

By projecting additional mana and stamina into a strike, the Erethran Honor Guard’s Soulbound weapon may project a strike up to 10 feet away.

Cost: 40 Stamina + 40 Mana

Class Skills Acquired

Thousand Steps (Level 1)

Movement speed for the Honor Guard and allies are increased by 5% while skill is active. This ability is stackable with other movement related skills.

Cost: 20 Stamina + 20 Mana per minute

Class Skills Acquired

Altered Space (Level 1)

The Honor Guard now has access to an extra-dimensional storage location of 10 cubic feet. Items stored must be touched to be willed in and may not include living creatures or items currently affected by aura’s that are not the Honor Guard’s. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.

I’ll stick close to the town and keep quiet, but there’s no better way to test my new class skills than on a live opponent.

“Ali, the Thousand Steps skill. Doesn’t seem that great to me,” I converse with the invisible Spirit who is working hard on looking out for threats. The night is the time for stealth predators and even though his higher level means he can pick out more of them, we’re still under-leveled for this region. At least in terms of actual levels which unfortunately dictate Ali’s abilities.

“It’s stackable and effects your vehicles boy-o. Think about what a platoon, each with a single use of that is like. Additional points widens ‘the range too and increases the speed bonus. There are movement specialists in the Guard whose main job is to help get the Guard where they need to be,” Ali replies and I nod slowly. So, not as useful for me but I wonder how the interaction is going to be like with Mikito’s own speed skills. She’s frightening enough as it stands.

My first victim of the night is a slow-moving, dark shelled creature that resembles a turtle if the turtle had spikes in its shell and two heads. I ghost up next to it and cut down fast, beheading the first head with a snick. The second retreats and the spikes flash out, forcing me to dodge. When I step back in to attack, I’m surprised that the blows it catches even on its shell seem to do damage, leaving deep gouges in the armor. Fighting the creature is strange, I have to watch out for its second head as it comes in and out but at the same time, any of its spikes can thrust out at any moment. After the first few passes, I begin to target the spikes themselves as they rotate out, chopping them off with the blade before I finally boot the creature hard enough to make it flip over and let me kill it. Unfortunately, without its spikes to push it up again, its stuck and its ending comes fast. The moment it dies, I loot it and then stick the entire corpse in my Altered Space.

That done, I take a moment to actually take a look at my sword again. Now this was more like it.

Tier II Sword (Soulbound Personal Weapon of an Erethran Honor Guard)

Base Damage: 63

Durability: N/A (Personal Weapon)

Special Abilities: +10 Mana Damage, Blade Strike

Hunting down the next creature takes a while as it seems even the monsters around here have begun to grow wary of the town. My next target actually finds me, swooping down from the trees and nearly tearing my eyes out. If I hadn’t been wearing my helmet, it would have. Its first strike failing to get a proper hold of my head, the owl takes wing and I get my chance to test out Blade Strike.

The quick draw and focused explosive strike leaves me tired as mana rushes through the blade, filling it and extending the slash in a diagonal across the sky. It mostly misses the Owl, only a small section of the strike clipping a wing but it’s enough to send the Owl flipping through the air to land awkwardly on the ground. I stride forward, triggering my ability again and again as I get the timing of the activation down. It doesn’t take long to reduce the poor creature to mangled pieces of meat which is good because I can feel the strain the Strike takes on me. Definitely not a skill to be used too often. Exhaling, I stretch and loot the body, leaving the mangled remains behind this time. Not much eating there for sure.

Satisfied, I head back to Carcross. As little sleep as I need, I do need some. Sneaking back in isn’t much harder than leaving, neither the ditch or the wall a huge obstacle. They definitely need more defenses. Once inside, I flick my hand up, calling access to my Status screen as I dump a few points into Perception and Luck, leaving 5 more for use later when I need a boost. That done, I finally call up my Status screen.

Status Screen

Name

John Lee

Class

Erethran Honor Guard

Race

Human (Male)

Level

16

Titles

Monster’s Bane, Redeemer of the Dead

Health

790

Stamina

790

Mana

630

Status

Normal

Attributes

Strength

52

Agility

74

Constitution

79

Perception

30

Intelligence

63

Willpower

63

Charisma

16

Luck

15

Skills

Stealth

6

Wilderness Survival

4

Unarmed Combat

6

Knife Proficiency

5

Athletics

5

Observe

5

Cooking

1

Sense Danger

5

Jury-rigging

2

Explosives

1

Blade Mastery

7

PAV Combatics

5

Energy Rifles

5

Meditation

5

Mana Manipulation

2

Energy Pistols

3

Dissembling

3

Erethran Blade Mastery

1

Lip Reading

2

Manipulation

1

Camouflage

1

Class Skills

Mana Blade

1

Blade Strike

1

Thousand Steps

1

Altered Space

1

Spells

Improved Minor Healing (I)

Improved Mana Dart (I)

Enhanced Lightning Strike

Perks

Spirit Companion

Level 16

Prodigy (Subterfuge)

N/A

Chapter 23

The next morning, I’m seated on Sabre and waiting for everyone to get up. I’m still riding the high of getting my Class skills back and I just can’t wait to go out again, to test myself. It feels like I’ve finally been let loose, and if I had my say I’d be out hunting monsters to really test myself. Instead, I’ve got to wait for the team and of course, the usual traffic that needs us to bring them along. I can’t help but feel a little resentful – it’s not even as though we’re getting any experience from this.

I force myself to calm down again, going back over my status sheet and my remaining Class Skill points. The increase in damage from Mana Imbue was amazing, though the reduction in regeneration rates from it and Altered Space could be worrisome if I ever started using magic more. Before I selected it, I could regenerate my entire pool in 10 minutes, which considering most fights took less than a minute to finish was quite pointless to worry about. On the other hand, in a longer battle, I’m sure that kind of regeneration rate could be important, though that’s why the Guard didn’t rely on magic entirely either. The System might make high-tech weaponry somewhat less useful than you’d think, but it still was a powerful equalizer.

On the other hand, while neither of the first couple of levels were that interesting to me, the Soul Shield class skill was certainly tempting. Being able to project a shield was a powerful ability in any fight. That meant I’d have to put the points in for the preceding skills at some point. Of course, I could just hold off on spending the points till I reached the requisite levels, though that might take a while. Better probably to use it now and get the benefits immediately. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

When the convoy is ready to roll out, I finally pull myself away from my thoughts, having only paid the barest of attention to what is going on around me. The road, however, isn’t the place to be thinking deep thoughts. Around towns, the levels range between 10 – 20 these days, at least for the first few kilometers. It’s only a few kilometers out that the range starts heading up, hitting as much as fifty before dropping again. Unfortunately, this world isn’t a game and while monsters have their preferred hunting grounds, there is nothing stopping them from moving to a new location and we’ve run into higher level monsters in weird locations before. As a group, we could take anything below level 60 if it’s alone but we’ve got hanger-ons.

All that said and done, it’s still no surprise then that the journey into Whitehorse is pretty quiet. I make sure to collect the bodies of the monsters we do encounter into my Altered Space, winking at the party as I do so. I do have to leave the weird half-reptile, half-bird creature on the ground though since it’s just too big to fit. Somehow, it makes sense that the first sign of trouble comes at the gates. A pair of Roxley’s guards are waiting and I’ve been around them enough to know what happy looks like on a Truinnar and they aren’t.

“Adventurer Lee. Lord Roxley wishes a word with you. Immediately,” the first guard speaks even before I come to a stop as the gate rolls aside. My eyes narrow but I follow, waving the others off as they start to enter as well. This should be interesting.

“Adventurer Lee,” Roxley speaks as soon as I arrive. My eyes sweep to the right, clocking Capstan and another Yerick and then I turn back to Roxley, my heart speeding up slightly but not for good reasons. Something’s up, and I definitely don’t like it.

“Lord Roxley, First Fist Capstan;” I greet the two that I know and look towards the third but get no reply. Okay…

“We have a few questions for you Adventurer. A few days ago, we spoke about the Yerick’s plans. I understand you spoke with the First Fist soon after to confirm this information,” Roxley says, his voice cool and authoritative.

“Sort of, I spoke with you certainly. And then I spoke with the First Fist about potential problems,” I answer, eyes narrowing and Ali floating next to me is silent.

“Tell me, why did you do so,” Roxley continues in that same tone and I look over to Capstan, noting he hasn’t moved at all.

“I was trying to make sure nothing bad happened. I’m getting a feeling something did.”

“Really, and you spoke with no one about their plans for buying property in the city?” Roxley says.

“I might have told my team,” I reply and then pause, remembering something. “And Fred. And Minion… ummm… Eric.”

“Did you plan for that information to be used against the Yerick?” says Roxley speaks and I note the other Yerick is watching me really closely.

“No, and I’m done now. I’ve answered that question a dozen different ways and now I’d like to know what the hell is going on,” I reply, glaring at them.

In answer, the other Yerick turns and speaks to Capstan.

“He’s saying you’re telling the truth,” Ali says to me in my mind and I shoot him a look. “New ability, I’ve got access to the common languages and dialects in the System now.”

I nod and keep my face bland, watching the three as they exchange looks before Capstan gives Roxley a small nod. Once he does, Roxley says, "The buildings, all the buildings the Yerick purchased were burnt down early this morning. As you were the only one we spoke to about their plans, we are forced to presume the leak came from you. And the results, whether intentional or not, are from your actions.”

I blink and then look at them, a hand coming up. “Look, I didn’t…”

“It does not matter what you intended Adventurer Lee. Your actions are what are judged here, and your actions brought about great lost to the Yerick. And myself. That you did not intend the results is perhaps just as bad,” Roxley shakes his head and waves his hand, dismissing me.

I stare at him and then at Capstan who has not said a word to me this entire time. I can feel the rage building in me, at being so casually dismissed, for the way they are acting. I can feel the anger at being treated like this for just trying to help, but I keep control because they are right. I fucked up. I thought I knew what I was doing but I didn’t.

Stupid, stupid, stupid John. Never really good at anything important.

I walk out of the building, not even bothering to go to the Shop. I swing Sabre to Fourth Street and it takes barely five minutes to get to the burnt-out husks of the buildings that take up the entire street the Yerick purchased. I look at the burnt ashes still smoldering slightly and I wonder how they managed to keep it contained, managed to stop it from spreading throughout the city.

“Nice, isn’t it?” a voice comes from behind me and I turn around, seeing Minion lounging against a lamp post.

“What?” I reply.

“Looks like someone decided the minotaurs shouldn’t get what we humans built for free,” replies Minion, smirking.

I find myself snarling, crossing the distance in a blink. I don’t think he was expecting me to move so fast, but then again, he hasn’t ever seen one of us let loose either. I want to grab him, but I stop myself, getting right in his face while I snarl, “You! You did this didn’t you!”

“Me, what would I do?” Minion smirks, not backing down. “I wouldn’t dare do anything like this. I’m just a minion.”

I growl at him but force the anger back, hands trembling slightly with contained rage. I make myself step away, and Minion’s smirk grows wider.

“You look so unhappy. Did your elf-lover tell you off? Did your pet monsters not like you anymore?” he taunts, waving his hand out to the fires. “Perhaps they are beginning to understand that the real humans don’t want them here.”

“John,” Ali begins but I tune the asshole out.

“Shut up Minion. Now,” my eyes narrow and my fists clench as I work to keep my anger contained.

“I guess it’s no surprise human women like Luthien turn you down, what with you being a - urk!” One second I’m a step away from him, my hands by my side and the next I have him by the throat and he’s smashed against the wall of the building behind him, crushed against it. A small part of me holds back, just enough so that he doesn’t die immediately, “Shut Up. All I want to know is who did this.”

“Fuck you monster lover,” Minion grates out beneath my hand and I start closing my grip, choking him out. I watch his face turn purple, rage tinting my vision while I smile. I watch as he claws at my armored hand, kicks at me feebly and I smile. I watch as his struggles weaken as he begins to die and I smile.

The blow that catches my outstretched arm catches me by surprise. I stagger back, hand opening by reflex to release and then Mikito is in front of me, naginata between us. She is crouched low, watching me like she watches the monsters.

“John!” Richard shouts, and I realise he’s been shouting at me for minutes now. He’s panting, the Huskies spread out before him in a defensive formation, all of them baring their fangs at me. Behind, Rachel has her hands raised, ready to cast a spell.

“What?” I grate out, anger still threatening to spill out as I massage my arm.

“You were killing him!” Richard says, his voice shaky.

I look at the slumped over, vomiting Minion and the anger flares again. I take a half-step unconsciously towards the body and Mikito shifts to block me, leveling the naginata at me.

“John, you need to calm down. You can’t do this,” Richard says, his voice low and soothing, trying to calm me down.

Mental Influence Resisted

Son-of-a-bitch is trying to charm me, to calm me. Fuck that. I almost take a step to him, I actually do, before I can stop myself. The Huskies are all growling at me and Rachel looks pale and so scared she’s about to throw up. I can feel the anger in me, a hair’s breadth from being unleashed and I look between them all, all my friends staring at me as if I’m the monster. I snarl, grabbing hold of what is left of my self-control and go to Sabre in silence. I need to kill something, and there’s nothing in town that I can kill. Or should kill at least.

2am in the morning and even now, I can see the glimmers of light on the horizon. Faint now, though I know in a few weeks more it will be as bright as day even at this time. The guards do not stop me as I drive into town, though they watch me with care. I understand their hesitation, it’s why I am making the trip now.

Three days now, I’ve done this, coming in late at night to sell my earnings to the Shop and then visit the nocturnal Xev. There, it provides me with the quick fixes that I need for Sabre and takes a look at the remains that I bring, helping to make arrangements for the pieces that it does not want.

Three days while I live in the fort by myself, hunting and killing, letting the anger cool. I’m tense, waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I know it’s better for me not to be in town. Not to be around directly, at least for a bit. A lot of things have changed but trying to kill a man for calling you names isn’t exactly civilized behavior. I was just so angry at him, at Roxley and Capstan, at the idiots who set the fire.

I draw a deep breath and exhale, forcing myself to focus. Xev’s first - no reason to go to the Shop, my inventory is now large enough to store a few days worth of loot. Unfortunately, my Altered Space storage isn’t that large and thus the nightly visits.

The doors to Xev’s parking lot are open and I swing in, the doors swinging shut behind me. I step out, looking around me as Ali floats beside me, staring intensely at a screen only he can see. If I had to guess, it’s probably more reality TV. I don’t understand his addiction, but it keeps him occupied which is all that I need.

“Xev,” I greet the mechanic, turning to where it lurks in the shadows above me. An angry chitter lets me know it dislikes being found out, again. I then turn to the other visitors, raising an eyebrow slightly, my voice cooling a touch. “Amelia. Lieutenant Vir.”

“John,” the ex-Constable smiles at me, running a hand through her short-cut blonde hair in absent thought. Amelia has filled out further, wide in the shoulders and stocky. She moves with a lithe grace that belies her bulk and with her new bulk are new levels. “I see you know Lieutenant Vir.”

“By sight,” I acknowledge, having spotted the Lieutenant in Roxley’s presence a number of times.

“I’d like to talk to you about the Yerick and the buildings,” Amelia continues to smile at me, though she has crossed to stand closer to me. Only a small hand-span away from reaching out to touch me in fact. Instincts honed in combat tell me hers and Vir’s positioning to my left are not by accident. They’re treating me like a potential threat. “Lord Roxley has requested I aid in the investigation due to my previous career.”

I nod slightly, flicking a glance at Vir and then back to her, keeping my voice level. A little resentment flickers, burns away at my control but I keep it tamped down. “Ask away, I have nothing to hide. If Xev doesn’t mind.”

Xev scurries down and prods me to get off Sabre, rolling the mecha into its shop while I turn to the two. What follows is a pleasant interrogation, one filled with all kinds of cordiality but it’s an interrogation nonetheless. She is good though, honing in on any hesitation or dissembling on my part to clarify things, pulling out details about my meetings with Roxley, Capstan, Fred and Minion and my conversations with my party with consummate ease. She even asks about my last confrontation with Minion. She takes notes constantly on a little paper notepad, Vir standing behind her and silently observing our interactions.

“Well, that should be it. Thank you, John. I hesitate to ask, but you will be around will you not?” Andrea says and I shrug.

“For now. The hunting is good and Xev’s the only mechanic who can fix Sabre for a few hundred miles,” I reply.

“And you’re staying at…?” she continues, jotting my affirmation.

“The fort. Carcross crossing,” I answer and she smiles again, closing the notebook with a snap.

“Problems with the party?” she tilts her head, quirking her lips and inviting me to spill.

“The interview isn’t over boy-o,” Ali sends to me even as he continues to stare at his screen, acting as if he’s ignoring us entirely and probably not fooling anyone.

“I’m enjoying the peace. It’s been interesting hunting alone again,” I reply, smiling back at her though the smile is strained. All politeness, no warmth. I’ve not talked to my party, not discussed what happened. I think they need time and I surely do. Time to resolve how I felt, or didn’t feel, about nearly killing Minion. That was perhaps the worst part – that I still couldn’t bring myself to regret what I did. What difference was there in killing a human or monster? I’ve killed sentient creatures before, I’ve killed non-sentient creatures, they are all just grist for the mill of blood and experience. Yet, I should feel bad about it, shouldn’t I? Bad about killing someone for just calling me names. Which really is what it amounts to right now - I don’t have real proof that he was the perpetrator. At least I know I feel somewhat ashamed at almost attacking the party.

Amelia is staring at me as I think before jerking her head to Vir and the two turn to leave together. “Well, we’ll find you if we have any more questions.”

“Of course,” I reply and watch her go. A good woman, trying to do an impossible job. I’m glad Roxley pulled her in, it’ll make finding the parties responsible a little easier. Though I guess they could just ask the System – everything is for sale in the Shop after all. Maybe they even have and all this is just a show, a way of appeasing the humans that a proper investigation is being done.

Either way, that’s not my problem. Not anymore. I watch them leave and when they are gone, only then do I turn to the last set of shadows and call out, “You can come out now.”

Sally chuckles, walking out from where she has been hiding. “Damn, how’d you find me?”

“I have my ways,” I smirk. Truthfully, it was Ali. As he grows in strength, even lower level Stealth methods are falling to his scans. “What’s this about?”

“Xev tells me you’ve been bringing it the bodies of your kills. I thought I might come and look for myself. It knows a bit about alchemy, but really,” she shrugs and I nod, walking to the waiting platform. I pull the bodies out, depositing them on the platform in quick order and arranging them for the Alchemist. Sally pulls a knife from her inventory, prodding and pulling at the new bodies and dissecting them with quick, precise motions. She pulls and sets aside various organs and body parts as she goes, muttering to herself as she works.

“How are things? With the humans?” I ask curiously, normally our interactions are brief and to the point at her store.

She pulls her head out from the gullet of a particularly big, scaled kill to call out, “Tense. Very tense. Someone tried to firebomb Xev’s place this morning, but the shop’s upgraded so they failed. No one’s bothered me but I’m next to the Centre so it’d take someone really dumb to try something. Now, if you don’t mind…”

I leave her to it and find a seat, propping my feet up and waiting, pulling a chocolate bar from my inventory while I wait. An hour later, she emerges covered in blood and guts and flicks a hand to send me an itemised list of what she wants to buy and for how much. I eye it for a second and then send Ali to dicker with her. As if I’d know the price of a pair of Lizard balls. As I watch them, my eyes drift shut and I let them. I’ll just rest my eyes for a moment.

When I open them again, Sabre is right beside me, nice and shiny and the gate doors are open, trucks driving in to pick up the meat. Jim is there, nodding to me as I slowly stand up and stretch.

“Jim,” I greet him and he grunts, looking me up and down before he walks over, only the slight pause at the beginning betraying his hesitation.

“John,” he offers his hand and I take it.

“How are you doing?” I ask him, looking the man over. He’s raised a few levels since we last spoke and he looks fitter, though his shoulders are curved in more and he looks even more tired than before.

“Good,” he replies and I raise an eyebrow. He looks me over and shrugs, “I’m good. Haven’t lost anyone in three days now.”

I nod slowly, “Yeah, the monsters are stabilising a bit though the changes continue.”

He grunts, spitting to the side as I mention that, “Changes. Lots of those. Can’t recognise some of the trails anymore, can’t even recognise some of the land. About two kilometers from here, we found a new lake.”

When he mentions that I can hear the sadness in his voice. I look at him then and he smiles at me wryly, shaking his head. No use complaining, I guess, but I can see how the land changing can be hard for the First Nations. How do you deal with the land you grew up on, that your ancestors grew up on, changing under your very feet, transforming into something you can’t recognize. How do you deal with the fact that there’s nothing you can do about it? Then again, perhaps I’m being too patronising – it’s not as if the dams, the National Parks or the lack of land claims haven’t done the same.

Truthfully, I have no answer to his concerns. In the end, we just stand and watch the rest of his team load up the last of the bodies to be sent for processing. He looks at me once more, opens his mouth to say something then closes it before walking away. I guess neither one of us has anything useful to say to one another.

“John,” Richard is seated on the porch of the fort as I pull up, petting Shadow as the other puppies’ gambol around the yard.

“Richard,” I look around, not seeing any of the others.

“I’m alone,” he spots my actions and waves me over to a seat. I groan as I put the kickstand down, getting off the mecha. Stupid brain – still thinking I should hurt when my health is all fixed up already.

“What’s this about?” I enquire as I walk over, slinging the rifle I took from Sabre over my shoulder.

“Minion. The council, well, they wanted me to talk to you,” Richard shifts uncomfortably and I nod slightly. No surprise – nearly killing someone was bound to have some ramifications. “This isn’t, well, this is what they agreed on. In the majority.”

I almost want to ask how he voted but I push it aside. That kind of answer could end a friendship and we’re on shaky ground as it is, “Go on. Promise not to kill the messenger.”

Richard glares at me, obviously not finding the joke funny. “They aren’t going to press charges,” I snort at that though Richard continues without stopping, “but you’re no longer welcome as a member of the council. They also, well, they’d also like you to leave but…”

“But they don’t have the right or ability to enforce it. And Roxley probably doesn’t give a damn,” I finish for him. Sure, we had a jail, but considering most of those held there weren’t particularly dangerous before the System change, the ones who survived the initial massacre had been returned to the populace. We didn’t have the resources to staff it and frankly, I’m not going to jail peacefully if they tried that shit.

“The matter hasn’t been brought to Roxley’s attention, at least as far as we know. He hasn’t said anything to us at least,” Richard replies and I nod. As I said, he probably doesn’t give a damn.

“And you guys?”

“The group, we’re divided. We know why you did it, but John…” Richard looks up from stroking Shadow, speaking firmly. “You scared us. That anger, that rage, we’ve seen it before out there. We thought you had it under control but you tried to kill a man. And I could swear you were about to kill us.”

I smile grimly and I then tell him the truth, “I almost did.”

Richard’s hand that has been stroking Shadow stops for a moment at my revelation before he continues to pet her. I can’t help but notice that the other pets have all focused on me, surrounding me without a sound. “So, you don’t trust me anymore.”

“We don’t, we trust you. We just, don’t trust your… anger.” Richard struggles and I laugh, shaking my head and wave him away. “We…”

“Forget it man, I get it. Don’t worry about it,” I cut him off, pointing to his truck and dismissing him with a flick of my hand. “Better this way anyway.”

“John…” Richard opens his mouth and I wave him away again, suddenly tired. Fuck this and fuck emotions.

“You guys take care alright?” I get up and walk into the fort, shutting the door behind me and walking to the bathroom. I need food then some sleep. Then it’ll be time to kill things again. It’s for the best really. This way, I need only focus on one thing – getting stronger.

Chapter 24

I step out of my shower, reveling in the feeling of being clean for the first time in a few days. I stretch, shifting my weight forward before walking into my room to look for something to wear. That’s when I remember that nothing I own fits me now.

“John?” Lana comes around the corner, red hair leading the way as she leans around the doorway and smiles when she sees it’s actually me. As always, it’s like someone turned on the sun, colors brightening when she comes in and smiles.

“Lana,” I nod to her and reach out to my inventory, pulling it open to grab the clothing I bought from the Shop. I really have to remember to buy some casual clothing soon – under-armour while comfortable isn’t exactly relaxing.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” she looks me over again before she turns away. “I’ll be upstairs.”

I sigh, really not wanting to have that conversation. It’s why I chose to come mid-day to the house when I figured the group would be out doing their thing. Still, now that I’m here, I won’t run. I get dressed then come upstairs to find Lana nursing a cup of coffee and another waiting for me.

“Thanks,” I say as I sip on it.

“How are you doing John? We’ve been worried about you,” Lana states, peering at me as if she could read my mind if she tried hard enough.

“I’m fine,” I answer her automatically.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I am,” I begin to get irritated, wondering why she’s pushing the matter.

“John, it’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to be upset you know.”

“I’m fine,” I say again, stressing the words.

“So, Richard tells me you’re staying at the crossing?” Lana asks, looking me over again with those blue eyes.

“Yeah, I am,” I say. “Pass the word on to Richard, will you? Let the Council know, I’m not accepting visitors anymore. Not without an appointment and payment.”

She frowns, puzzling through my meaning before she gets it. No more free experience taking the fort away from me and then giving it back, “Why?”

“It’s my home now. I don’t want strangers tramping through it unannounced,” I explain.

“You intend to say there then?”

“Yes. It’s a lot closer to level appropriate hunting grounds,” I sip my coffee, looking at her over the rim.

“You know, you’re not the first,” Lana states, swirling the cup before her.

“Mmmm?”

“You’re a classic case. Full of anger and resentment with the world, unable to process what has happened so you’ve just turned it into anger and more anger. Now, when it starts getting too much, you pull away from everyone who cares about you,” she shakes her head, red hair swishing around her face and smiles sadly. “You’re not the first, even if you have been more constructive than most others.”

I swallow the last of the coffee, the heat burning its way down my throat as I stand up. “I’m fine Lana. Drop it.”

“No. No, you’re not. You tried to kill a man because you were angry and now, rather than deal with your loss of control, you’re running,” Lana moves to touch me and I shrink away, dropping the cup on the table. Lana stops moving immediately, staring at me.

“I didn’t intend to kill him. If I wanted him dead, he would be.” I spit out, my voice trembling. “I just wanted, I wanted…” him to stop. To shut up. To go away. I wanted it to burn in the thousand hells for all it did. I just wanted it to stop. I can feel the fragile set of controls I’ve managed to put in place begin to creak, begin to give way.

“You don’t even know do you?” Lana whispers softly, pity in her eyes now.

I walk out then. I don’t have an answer for her, I don’t think I have an answer for myself and if I stay here any longer, I think I might just hurt her to make her stop looking at me like that.

“John…”Ali starts and I hold a finger up to the Spirit.

“Not a word, not a word or else I’ll dump your ass back in the Spirit world and leave it there,” I snarl, getting on Sabre and heading out. I need to kill something. I barely slowdown at the guard post, gunning through as I head South.

“Find me something to kill. A lot of somethings,” I grate out, eyes burning as I push the bike.

“Right, ummm…” Ali floats beside me, flicking his hand around and then suddenly a small map shows up in front of me, just translucent enough for me to see through. I see the blinking dot that is me and a whole series of others.

Blood. Violence. Death.

It’s so simple when I’m fighting, when I’m in the midst of kicking ass. I feel the mutated wolf bite into my shoulder, teeth tearing into the flesh beneath and I grab hold of it with my other hand, ripping it free. The wolf snarls and I throw it into a tree, calling forth my blade and channeling mana to send a wave of force outwards. The blow cuts it into half and I glance at the small puncture holes in my shirt, watch as the wounds begin to close.

“More,” I whisper, walking further in. Behind me, Sabre sits unused. “More Ali. Find me something tougher. Something harder.”

“No John. Put Sabre on and we’ll talk, but this is stupid,” Ali floats in front of me, arms crossed. “This isn’t even training anymore, this is suicide.”

“I ordered you to do it,” I snarl, raising my hand.

“No.”

I flick my hand outwards, calling forth the Companion screen and then dismiss the still defiant spirit. Fine then. I’ll find them myself. I drop points into Two are One, The Body’s Resolve and finally Greater Detection, ignoring the notifications about the skills. I watch as a small minimap flares into life in the top right, small coloured dots indicating monsters. I concentrate and the grey, green and blue ones disappear, leaving it blank. Frustrated, I focus and the blue ones reappear and then I start jogging as clouds gather overhead and the first signs of rain start appearing.

Fine. If there aren’t any greater threats around, I’ll just kill my way to one.

Blood

I slide my sword in the lizard’s neck, ripping outwards and blood flies. I feel another bite into my leg, but the feeling is remote, the pain a shadow of what it should be. I kill it with a flick of my hand, sword appearing and disappearing, a head torn off.

Pain.

The stone bear lands a paw on my shoulder, throwing me into the air and gouging out a chunk of flesh. The creature is chipped and shattered, stone flesh carved from its limbs and chest smashed in by pommel strikes. I roll and come up on my feet, free hand rising as mana darts smash into the body, tearing chunks of stone from its chest. The bear staggers, the last dart finding its heart and it falls, dead. I watch it crumble, just another wet boulder in the rain.

Death

The horn pierces my stomach, the creature lifting and throwing me with the same motion. I finish my attack as it does so, sliding my blade into the back of its skull as I land, driving all the breath from my body. I struggle to pull forth a stamina potion, to cast a healing spell but that cold, empty place that I’ve existed in finally crumbles.

Blood. Pain. Death.

Blood rushes from my open wounds mixing with the rain, countless hours of running from one battle to another, pushing pain aside and laying death around me. Blood runs and pain overwhelms me and death comes but at least the anger is gone, the emotions gone. Just a nice, floating emptiness with old voices from the past.

“Is that it? Is that all you can say? How can you be so cold?” Luthien, the last night before I leave when I tell her to get out, when I tell her we’re over.

Cold. Yes, that’s me. My body is shivering, cold from the blood loss as I stare up into the sky, watching the lights shift. There’s nothing more for me to do, nothing I can do.

“We’re all failures,” Mikito now.

Yes, but I failed a long time ago. I’ve never been good enough, smart enough, tough enough. Always the loser, always the outsider.

“81%! So stupid! How are you going to be a doctor with such marks! Get me the cane. Maybe you’ll learn this time.”another voice, my father’s this time.

I learnt. I learn that it’s never enough, nothing is ever enough. You just keep going, just keep trying, just keep running and you don’t look back, not ever.

“You tried to kill a man because you were angryand now, rather than deal with your loss of control, you’re running,”Lana. Beautiful Lana who told me I’m not good enough for her. She’s right though, I never was good enough for anybody.

It doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter at all. The pain has receded and I can’t feel my body much anymore, can’t feel the rain hitting my face. I’ve run as far as I can, done all I can. I feel my eyes drift close and I smile. Maybe I can rest now.

Chapter 25

I wake up and pain comes with it, pain from my numerous wounds. I gasp, drawing a deep shuddering breath as pain eats at me, enveloping my mind. I can’t think, not really and so I pull a potion out, drinking it down and feeling it take effect, mana coursing through my body and stitching wounds close, replacing lost blood. I should be dead, I was bleeding out and I should be dead.

Memories of blood-soaked hours, of killing and killing and killing in an attempt to run away from my memories, my feelings, my failures come back to me. Sadness catches me, grips me and I curl up, wondering why I can’t even do this properly.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I feel tears leaking out and I rub at them, refusing to cry. I don’t cry. I never cry. You don’t ever let them see you cry, not ever. Like everything else in my life, I fail. I sit there, amidst a clearing filled with the dead and I cry. For my father that I’ll never meet and tell off again to his face, for the millions that have died, for a world destroyed. For myself and all the times I’ve never been good enough.

The sun begins to set by the time I wake up again, the dead congealing and rotting around me. My wounds are closed and I’m healed - in body if not mind. I roll a bit and a soft gasp makes me look up and I realise that I’m not alone.

“John,” Lana bends down, offering me her hand and I blink, staring at her.

“How are you here? Why?”

“Ali contacted me before you dismissed him, before you got out of range. Told me you were out of control. I couldn’t find anyone else so…” she waves her around and I see she’s brought her pets with her, all of them.

I look around and shiver, realizing how far I’ve come. Hours of running and fighting has taken me far away from Whitehorse into zones that I have no right to be in nor should she. “You shouldn’t have come.”

“You shouldn’t have run,” Lana points out and I feel that coil of anger rise up again. I try to fight it but I don’t have to. It gutters and dies, my body, my soul too tired right now.

“This, I...” I try to find the words and fail.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. Not right now,” she waves to her animals and they come up to her. “We should leave anyway, it’s getting late.”

I nod slowly and then turn to survey the small clearing I’m in. I walk along the bodies of the monsters I’ve killed, spotting the monstrous horned Alpha that I fought and loot it before dropping the body into storage.

My hand hovers for a moment before I sigh, waving and recalling the little monster. Ali reappears, foot tapping and arms crossed in front of me, glaring. Before he can speak, I raise a finger, “Not a word Ali. You’ve done stupid shit too.”

“…”

“Right, we should head back. Plot me the best way back will you,” I instruct Ali and then flick a glance to my side.

“Can do. We picking up the Loot on the way?” I give a nod, no reason to waste it after all. “Though you might want to head this way,” a blue arrow appears “first. There’s a stream there, might help to wash your face. Baby.”

Strangely enough, it’s comforting the teasing. No anger, though I do send him a warning glare that reminds him not to push it. I change directions, following his arrow as Lana falls in behind us and exchange greetings with Ali, her pets staying close by. I sigh, pulling up my notifications while we move. With Ali back, I know I don’t have to wade through the idiotic mess so I pull up the good ones.

Class Skill Acquired

Two are One (Level 1)

Effect: Transfer 10% of all damage from Target to Self

Cost: 5 Mana per second

Class Skill Acquired

The Body’s Resolve (Level 1)

Effect: Increase natural health regeneration by 10%. On-going health status effects reduced by 20%. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.

“Well, that explains that…” Luck. Pure luck that I had to choose Body’s Resolve to acquire Greater Detection. It was the only reason that I can think of that I had survived the giant hole in my stomach, the bleeding stopping before I died out while my body regenerated the damage. Pure frigging luck.

Finding the stream, I wash my face and arms, cleaning off the blood that I can get at before finally giving up. I’m going to have to replace the entire damn skinsuit armor, it’s so torn up I might as well be naked. When I stand I notice Lana isn’t watching the woods but me and I give her a tired grin. She smiles again before looking aside.

Cleaned up, I get back on track and head for the nearest body while flicking through my other notifications.

Class Skill Acquired

Greater Detection (Level 1)

Effect: User may now detect System creatures up to 1 kilometre away. General information about strength level is provided on detection. Stealth skills, Class skills and ambient mana density will influence the effectiveness of this skill. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.

“Ali, did I just reduce my total mana regeneration by 20 points?” I grimace, doing the maths quickly. Mana regeneration is based off my Willpower, so I’d just reduced my entire regeneration rate by a third. Put another way, it’d take nearly half again as long to fill my mana tank, nearly fifteen minutes. In a fight, that’s forever. I guess I know where some of my saved points are going when I get my next level up.

“Impressive,” Lana murmurs as we come to the next body and I nod slowly. How the hell did I get that body up there? And that body is in two parts – it looks like I tore the poor thing into two with my bare hands. Well, marvelling at the death and chaos isn’t getting me anywhere. I get back to looting, jumping up first and then going for the torn apart bodies.

Class Skill Learnt – Frenzy

Due to repeated actions, you have learnt a class skill outside of your class.

Effect: When activated, pain is reduced by 80%, damage increased by 30%, stamina regeneration rate increased by 20%. Mana regeneration rate decreased by 10%

Frenzy will not deactivate until all enemies have been slain. User may not retreat while Frenzy is active.

“Okay, now that’s just trolling me,” I mutter staring at the next blurb as I walk through the forest towards my next kill site. Still, a skill is a skill and at least this one didn’t have an on-going cost. One last notification then.

Level Up!

You have reached Level 17 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 8 Free Attribute Points and 1 Class Skill Point to distribute.

Right, dumping 5 into Willpower immediately then. I guess going on a rampage was good for one thing. I smile grimly to myself, coming up to the next corpse. Ah shit.

“I’m out of space,” I point out as I stare at the corpse of the bear.

“Let me take a look,” Ali disappears for a second and then suddenly bodies start getting dumped out from my Altered Space through a floating doorway, the grunting Spirit appearing behind the last dumped body. “Right, those are crap. Grab the bear.”

“That’s so weird,” mutters Lana as she watches the bodies just appear out of thin air.

Having the Spirit pays for itself once more since I still don’t have a clear grasp of what everything is worth. Too damn much to learn and not enough time. As I think about it, I can feel the tightening in my chest, the sudden pressure as I think of all the things I need, I want to do.

I stop, closing my eyes and force myself to breathe. Just a few seconds, just a few moments to still my mind. One step at a time. That’s all I can do. That’s all I’ve ever been able to do. Don’t worry about the future or the past, just focus on the present.

I feel a hand close on mine, gripping it tight and squeezing and I open my eyes to meet Lana’s. She smiles at me and I nod slowly, forcing a breath out. Right then. One step at a time and the first step is to get the rest of these bodies and back to Sabre. At a nod from Lana, I start jogging.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

I exhale, seated in the middle of the fort, meditating. It’s noon already, the sun shining down on me as I sit in my bedroom. I slept like the dead when I got back, and I’m dirty, smelly and bloody but for a moment, I feel more like myself. Lana tried to get me to go back to the house but I refused. There’s a talk there that needs to be finished, but I need this time alone.

In the calm that meditating gives me, I slowly prod at my feelings, slowly test them out. Rage of course, always that. So much anger – at my father, at the bullies from childhood, at Luthien, the System, the monsters, myself, the list goes on and on. It’s cooler now, but it’s still there, just this churning sea of anger that colours all my emotions. Not repressed or compartmentalized like I thought, more like dammed with all the boxes of my other emotions floating in it. Except the dam is broken and leaking.

Next emotion - grief. For a mother that I never knew, a sister that I loved, a world that was. It’s a gut punch that refuses to stop hurting, to go away, always gnawing at my control. Resentment, at Ali for using me, at the Council for never saying thank you, at the citizens for just lying back and letting the world roll over them. Pressure, to do something, to save people, to prove that I’m not a failure to myself or to my father. Fear of a System that wants to kill me, that I’m not doing enough, that the next fight is my last. Frustration that I didn’t choose right, that there’s not enough time, not enough money. So many emotions, so few of them good.

I sit there and open the boxes that I’ve shoved away, finding time to let myself feel, let myself watch and note before letting them get boxed away again, a little lessened perhaps. It’s a waste of a day, sitting here and feeling them, thinking about them, but I don’t have a choice. I guess that’s resentment again, for the wasted time doing this, for taking a moment to take care of myself. Anger for thinking that I’m not worth it…

I draw a deep breath, exhale and repeat, forcing myself to find that dispassionate peace again as I get derailed. Not the first time it has happened, probably not the last time it’ll happen. I’ve put this off too long, pushing myself because there wasn’t anyone else, but that’s not true either is it. Pushing myself because that’s what I do.

Not right now though, no more judging, no more worrying – just do what needs to be done. I’ll deal with the world later. Right now, this is about me and finally, finally coming to terms. What is, is. And that includes me.

###

The End

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If you enjoyed this book, please check out my other LitRPG series (available on Amazon, Smashwords, iBooks and more!) -

- A Healer’s Gift (Book 1 of the Tales of Brad)

About the Author

Tao Wong is an avid fantasy and scifi reader who spends his time working and writing in the North of Canada. He’s spent way too many years doing martial arts of many forms and having broken himself too often, now spends his time writing about fantasy worlds.

For updates on books, please visit my website: http://www.mylifemytao.comhttp://www.mylifemytao.com(http://www.mylifemytao.com)

Redeemer of the Dead

Tao Wong

System Apocalypse #2

Redeemer of the Dead

A LitRPG Apocalypse

Book 2 of The System Apocalypse

By

Tao Wong

License Notes

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Redeemer of the Dead

Copyright © 2017 Tao Wong. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2017 Sarah Anderson Cover Designer

ISBN: 9781775058700

Chapter 1

“This is a bad idea.” Ali, my two-foot-tall Spirit Companion floats next to me, staring at the cave entrance cut into the river canyon’s side.

I crouch, glacial water flowing past my armored legs, summer sun highlighting the emerald greens and clear blues of the river. “Of course. What exactly in the last four months has been a good idea? Taunting a Salamander? Hunting a Drake? Clearing a monster lair? Ever since the damn System came into place, it’s all been one bad idea after the next. It’s just a question of how bad we want to make it.”

I check the readings from Sabre, my Personal Assault Vehicle (PAV). Normal humans would just call it powered armor, or maybe a mecha. After all, a half-hour ago it was a bike. I got it nearly at the start when the System, the over-arching mechanism put into place by the Galactic Council, came into being. According to them, since “Mana” had finally reached significant levels on Earth, the System could now be put in place. Along with the System and Mana saturation came the destruction of all our electronics and the mutation of Earth’s ecosystem and spawning of monsters from lore. Cue the Apocalypse as civilization fell.

In the end, what Ali and I are arguing about is the blue floating System window dominating my vision.

Dungeon Located!

Warning! The current dungeon has not been categorized at this time due to System limitations. All XP rewards are doubled. Successful completion of the dungeon by a System-registered individual will generate increased rewards.

“You said it. These kinds of rewards can be quite good.” I stare into the darkness and heft my armored right arm, where I recently integrated a projectile weapon. While I love my beam rifle, good old solid projectile weaponry has certain advantages, including the option of using multiple ammo types to suit the situation.

“Still a bad idea, boy-o. Could be a bunch of really high-level monsters in there,” Ali says as he spins around in agitation.

“Yeah, yeah. Then we run. We still have a full charge on the QSM.”

The Quantum State Manipulator, or QSM, is one of the first toys I acquired when the System kicked into play four months ago, bringing an apocalypse to Earth and shutting down all our higher-end electronics. When activated, the QSM phases me into another dimension, which makes it incredibly useful for running away. It has drawbacks, including a long recharge time and a short use period, as well as allowing high energy states—read explosions—to pass through, but it’s saved my life more times than I care to count.

“Fine, fine. Light her up,” Ali mutters and I grin, pointing the barrel down the cave entrance.

I cycle the ammunition in the barrel then open fire, embedding three glowing light sources into the cave walls. I learned my lesson about going into a dark cave a month ago. Even if Sabre and my helmet give me enhanced low-light vision, it’s still a better idea to light things up.

The cave entrance shows me nothing new, but better to be cautious. I launch one of my drones to check things out, sending it to the ceiling to scan for potential threats, before I send it deeper and lock it in place a couple dozen meters ahead of me. Once that’s done, I walk in while shrinking the feed enough that I can watch it and my surroundings at the same time. I keep an eye on the mini-map that my Spirit and my Skill Greater Detection updates even as I do my best to stay hidden. I’m a pretty good sneak, if I do say so myself, though announcing myself with a bunch of lights probably takes away from the surprise factor. Can’t win it all.

The first cave I find has nothing more dangerous than some mutated fungus. Fungi. Whatever. It shoots out spores that are probably poisonous, but I’m in a fully sealed armored suit with an independent oxygen supply so John 1, Dungeon 0. Sweat runs down my back as I walk farther in—cold sweat that even the environmental controls in Sabre can’t fix. Fear courses through me, but along with it comes excitement.

Yeah, I’m screwed up in the head. I was before this started, and now I’m probably even more twisted. I actually like this—risking my life, dancing along the knife’s edge of danger. It wakes me up, thrills me in a way that nothing else ever has, and I’ll admit I take risks no one else would. That moment when everything tilts, when I could live or die, is when I finally feel truly alive. No more walls, no more compartmentalized and contained emotions, just moments of perfect control amidst the chaos.

Crazy. Told you.

“Picking up two. Nope. Three,” Ali mutters.

A moment later, I feel them myself. Damn, even now he’s better than I am. Then again, if the Spirit wasn’t, I’d feel as though I wasn’t getting my money’s worth. Not that I pay him—not exactly, at least. He’s a Perk I gained for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the System pays for his upkeep. If it didn’t, I’d have slowed my Mana regeneration down even further and I’ve got enough Skills that do that already.

I send a slew of new commands to the drone, launching it toward a higher point in the ceiling to check out the new threats while I lay down more light orbs. I wonder what I’ll find this time?

The answer is ugly, ugly monsters. Quadrupedal creatures with faces like a mutated rat’s, spiked bodies, and whip-like tails that drip with acid. The creatures are dark green with blotches of black across their bodies, providing them an effective camouflage in the darkness of the cave.

Kongorad (Level 28)

HP: 480/480

Status Effects: None

I watch them for a few minutes in my feed, the creatures not noticing the drone. They don’t do much beyond strolling around in curious circles in the cave ahead of me, occasionally bumping into each other and play fighting. After I’ve watched them long enough, I sneak in and launch a single light orb into the cave.

As they startle, twisting to stare at the orb, I take the opportunity to put a few rounds into them. I’ve staggered the rounds in the loading chamber, so I shoot high explosive, armor piercing, and normal in order. I then put a single round into each of my opponents. The high explosive projectile blows up the spine of the targeted Kongorad, the armor piercing drills all the way through, and my normal round smashes into but doesn’t pierce the monster I targeted. Armor piercing it is.

Even as I make the adjustments to my ammo lineup, the surviving Kongorads are returning fire with their barbed spines. I duck behind a nearby outcropping, but the launched spines move so fast and cover such a wide area, I get caught by a few. They drill through the nearby walls, the outcropping, and my armor with ease, carrying their Mana-imbued barbed poison into my body. I grunt at the notification that lets me know I’ve been poisoned. There is no pain though, just a comforting numbness that slowly spreads.

A light chime lets me know the gun is ready, and I twist around the corner of the outcropping to open fire, concentrating on slamming three bullets into one monster. Each bullet smashes through its body, splattering blood around it before I duck back behind the measly cover provided by the rock. Thankfully, after drilling through all the rock, the spines can’t completely penetrate my armor.

“Can’t touch this,” Ali chants and literally dances as he floats in front of the Kongorad attempting to kill him. He might be visible, but he’s not corporeal, which means he’s a very good distraction.

Grinning in my helmet, I charge the distracted Kongorad and slice down with the sword I conjure into my hand. My personal weapon might not look like much, but with my Advanced Class skills, I cut through the monster’s head with ease, killing it.

Level 28 monsters are a cakewalk for me. While my own Level might be a measly 23, because I have an Advanced Class, my “true” level is about double that. About, since as Ali points out, the math gets fuzzy. Jumping directly to an Advanced Class without a Basic Class has given me a bunch of side benefits, including a higher resistance to most effects—like poison.

Monsters dead, I scan for any further surprises before slowly sinking down. My body shudders slightly as it fights off the poison, heat washing over the numbness. I lick my lips, tasting the salt from my sweat while I wait for the effects to go away. It doesn’t take long at all, then I’m standing, walking over to the bodies, and putting the System-generated loot into my inventory before dropping the bodies into my Altered Space. The Altered Space Skill creates a dimensional pocket I can store objects in, a nifty little Class Skill that lets me store more loot and corpses than most parties can as a whole.

Right, that wasn’t so bad. If that’s all I’m facing, this should be simple.

“Ali, this cave seems huge,” I mutter, kicking the latest victim off my blade. I’ve been down here for a good hour, walking through caves and killing Kongorads, and there is no way this canyon holds such an extensive cave system. It makes no physical sense. If I’m going to be walking around here for much longer, I better get started recharging my beam rifle, since I’ve switched to using it as my primary ranged weapon.

“Dungeon,” Ali answers.

“That isn’t an answer.”

“Yes, it is. The System designated this a dungeon, so it altered the physical space. It’s now bigger on the inside.” Ali pauses, awaiting a reaction. When he gets none, he mutters, “Goddamn muggle.”

“I think I liked it better when you were watching reality TV,” I grumble while walking the cave.

Normally my Skill gives me more of a heads-up about potential problems, but the increased Mana density in this dungeon is screwing with my Skill, reducing my ability to scan for threats to a bare ten meters. Ali’s got it better, but it still means we have to move carefully.

The bat drops from the ceiling and I sense it just a moment before it hits. I twist, spinning around and conjuring my sword as I cut the Noxious Bat in two. Not its real name, but after my first encounter and a quick briefing, I had to turn off my oxygen tank. They’re extremely good at hiding, but they smell like the seven heavens—so much so that even through the environmental filtering, my best method of locating them is my sense of smell. Of course, considering how powerful the environmental filtering is supposed to be, the fact that I can even smell them makes no sense. Then again, it doesn’t have to make sense if the System decides to break the rules. Again.

I loot the Noxious Bat’s corpse but don’t stick the body in my Altered Space, not wanting to contaminate my other goods. Then again, I’m not entirely sure the Bat would contaminate things. I have a theory that the System breaks many of the rules of physics because it’s trying to balance technology, magic, and skills. So if it gives a monster an environmental advantage, it wants that to mean something. Thus, the System breaks other rules to make it work. On the other hand, I can punch through walls without breaking the ground while doing so, so I’ll take the occasional weirdness. Not that I have a choice. The System is the System.

After another half hour of walking, I finally come to the end of the first floor. And I say floor since I find a straight chute going down, leading to what I can only assume is another level. Arse.

“How many floors do Dungeons have?” I frown. I’m confident, but if I’m looking at a dozen…

“How long’s the Ether Serpent’s tail?”

I point the gun down, firing another light orb, then call back my first drone so it can recharge while I send my second down. Hopefully it’s only these two floors—I only have two drones and their batteries take forever to recharge.

Down, down, down we go. Wherever we go, that’s where we kill. That doesn’t work, does it? Fine, you put together a rhyme while fighting off spine monsters in packs. Here, I’ll wait. Actually, no, I won’t, because I’m fighting Kongorads.

Ducking low, I grab a Kongorad and pick it up, power armor assisting the lift, and I use the creature to block the spines from its friends. I poke my rifle barrel around the twitching body, using the camera mounted on the barrel to target and fire. As I hear a distressed beep, I send the rifle back into my inventory and throw my improvised shield, following it to the last of the still-living monsters, which I stab in the head.

Monsters dead, I squat as my head swims, my body shuddering as it fights off the poison and gives me back full control of my body. Casting a Minor Heal helps a little, so I do it again.

The second level is taking forever. The Kongorads move in larger packs down here and they have a friend, a tripedal creature that skitters along the ground and releases beams of light that I have to dodge. Luckily, they aren’t that common, but between dealing with increasing amounts of poison and greater swarms, I’ve been having to take longer and longer breaks between each encounter.

“John, you sure you can do this?” Ali asks again.

I nod firmly, slowly standing and rotating my shoulders and knees as I check how far I’ve recovered. I check my projectile ammunition next, noting I’m down to less than two dozen armor piercing bullets. I queue up high explosives next, but I never bought that many of them—I’m a bit of a cheapskate and high explosive rounds are expensive. I kind of regret cheaping out now. Just another thing to lay at my father’s door.

Tackling these monsters head-on isn’t going to work. I need to think of a new idea or pull back. I frown as another shudder crosses through me. I can’t snipe the monsters—I don’t have the line of sights. The monsters work in packs, so trying to drag them out to kill one by one doesn’t seem to work. So…

“This is degrading!” Ali grouses.

I chuckle, looking over the cavern I’ve altered. If I can’t kill them one by one, I’ll pull them into a kill zone and force them to fight me in smaller numbers. I’ve torn down some stalagmites and stalactites and piled them up to create a bottleneck by using some of the insta-cement grenades I carry these days. On the improvised wall, I’ve got a small perch that has a little extra padding to slow down spines, enough that I can shoot at the monsters in relative safety. I’ve also added light orbs as far as I can see to give me as much visibility as possible. After that, well, it’s all up to Ali to play bait.

“Yeah, yeah, suck it up, buttercup.” I grin, leaning back and checking the map again.

“Asshole.” Ali heads toward the nearest group on the map, fully visible and glowing ever so slightly.

The kill zone works almost too well—pulling monsters to a fixed position and firing on them as they near me ensures I take out one or two before the swarm arrives. After that, most initially try a long-range duel. When that fails, they charge the opening I’ve left. It’s so tight that the monsters have to scramble and push to get through it, giving me more than enough time to whittle them down. The monsters are so blindly aggressive and stupid, they keep coming because they’ve got just that little chance to end me.

After each group, Ali gives me a few minutes to rest and loot before we start the process again. Each break takes longer as he searches farther and farther afield, drawing the monsters to me. The T’kichik are the most difficult, since they actually understand a bit about cover and sniping at long-range. Unfortunately for them, I can use magic and I’m more than happy to spam my Improved Mana Dart (II) at them till they fall over and die.

I almost feel bad for the Kongorad Alpha when Ali finally locates it. It comes rushing forward, flanked by its guards, and I greet them with a pair of plasma grenades, one after the other. The explosions rip apart most of my improvised walls, but between the grenades and my Lightning Strike spell, the guards are so much crispy meat. Facing the Alpha, who’s just a bigger version of the Kongorads, after that is simple. Outside of the numbness in my body that slows me down and makes me feel as though I’m running through water, killing it isn’t difficult at all. I just have to keep ducking, cutting, and shooting the monster till it falls over. When I’m done, I finally get what I’m looking for.

Congratulations! Dungeon Cleared

+5,000 XP

First Clear Bonus

Having cleared the dungeon for the first time, you have been rewarded an additional +5,000XP +1,000 Credits. Bonus for being the first explorer +5,000 XP +5,000 Credits.

Ingles Canyon Dungeon classified as Level 20+ and above

Damn. That was a good haul. That’s a huge experience increase, especially at my level. Between the two bonuses, I’m nearly halfway to a new level. I loot the last body and drop it into my Altered Space.

Pursing my lips, I consider the room around me. I always knew we’d be facing more and more dungeons—after all, we are designated a “Dungeon World” by the Galactic Council and System. Having finally run one, I’m thinking these will be a real problem. Running something that’s half my “real” level has me nearly out of ammo, tired, and just a little nauseated. Overall, I think it’s time to call it a day and head home. Home is good.

Chapter 2

Home is a two-story log house set at the turn-off on the Klondike Highway that leads to either Carcross or Teslin. A former restaurant and grocery store, the Cutoff has clear fields of fire up to fifty meters around its gravel parking lot and System cleared trees. In the past few weeks, I’ve paid to add reinforced System walls, windows, and doors to the building to increase its security, along with a simple Command Center that provides me with a System-enabled sentient tracking system and System-compatible utilities. The once-abandoned building is quite livable, if lonely.

I had a house in Whitehorse proper. Okay, in Riverdale, but that’s a fifteen-minute walk to downtown for a slow walker. I still have it really, though I’ve not really been back for a bit. Being out here, a good thirty minutes away by bike, has been peaceful. When the System came, it destroyed anything with electronics or delicate mechanisms. Since then, mechanics in Whitehorse have been fixing up cars and trucks to make sure they’re System-enabled, but it’s still rare to see a vehicle on the road. Certainly no one is taking joy rides anymore.

I might return to Whitehorse proper one day, but for now, my ex-party is staying at my house, taking care of the upkeep and ensuring monsters don’t move in. Whitehorse still hasn’t reached the threshold required to become a safe zone, which would stabilize the Mana flow around the city and stop monster evolution and spawning within the city limits. Last I heard, about thirty percent of the buildings in the city still need to be purchased. I can’t even imagine the time it’d take to get a place like New York completely stabilized.

As I pull up on Sabre, I find myself groaning and stretching slightly. I can’t help but think about the hot shower waiting for me inside the building. It’s why I don’t even see the giant armored hand that hauls me into the air before it’s too late to stop it. Reflexes honed through hours of battle kick in immediately and I’m jabbing forward, calling forth my sword. Before I can hit anything, my hand is locked to my side in an iron grip. I don’t stand a chance of breaking out of it so I don’t even try, curling my body up around the arm holding me and kicking at the body with everything I’ve got. The impact is enough to rip me away from the arm, my body rolling and coming up by reflex even as my brain finally catches up to wonder what the hell is happening.

“Stop!”

I freeze as my brain points out the many, many guns pointed at me. I’m surrounded by armored attackers slowly shimmering into reality, cloaking deactivating. All of them are large, tusked, and fully armored in black-and-green futuristic combat armor.

Hakarta Lieutenant (Level 31 Burning Scar)

HP: 4890/4890

Status Effects: None

“Gremlin’s balls! It’s a full Elite platoon, John. This isn’t even the right lineup!” Ali almost screams as he pulls up the information, displaying data above each of my attackers.

Lieutenant, a pair of sergeants, four privates, and a major. The lowest levels come from the privates, and they’re Level 17 Advanced Classes.

I’ve never heard Ali sound panicked before, not even when I was taunting and kiting a Salamander across kilometers of forested terrain. His fear opens up a cold pit of dread in my stomach, one that I forcibly compartmentalize. I’m so out-leveled it’s not funny. The Cutoff is a System-designated fort, which means it has certain importance in terms of location and placement. When I first drove past it months ago, I was shot at by these guys—the Hakarta. Space mercenaries, most closely resembling our version of an Orc but with sci-fi armor, tactics, and laser weapons. Not to say they aren’t armed with a series of nasty-looking melee weapons either.

“Are you the owner of this fort?” the major asks, making me turn slightly to look at him.

I keep an eye on my original attacker, noticing how he’s leaning forward, hands opening and closing. Trouble is going to come from there. The major’s voice is low, a growl more than a phrase, but it’s tinged with an upper-class British accent that reminds me of my popular Victorian TV shows. The idiosyncrasies of learning a language from the System can be particularly amusing, I’ve realized. I’d laugh, but I don’t think they’d get the joke.

“Yes,” I reply, my hands twitching slightly as one of the Hakarta picks up the sword I dropped when I was blocked.

As a private grabs my pistol, I tense up slightly then force myself to relax as the rifle barrels shift, following even that slightest of motions. Arse. They don’t bother touching Sabre, probably realizing it won’t work for them without significant hacking. They do take my energy rifle from its holster on her though.