by Ryan DeBruyn
“If it is as bad as I fear, these people will not be able to leave for at least a day, even with the system's help,” she continued.
The three entered the school and searched through classroom after classroom. They found unused makeshift bedrooms in most. They didn't find the cause of the smell until they reached the cafeteria. A quick headcount told him that fifty-two people lay on the floor. Each body smelled like a sewage treatment plant, had sallow, sunken skin, oily hair, cracked lips and bed sores. They looked like corpses all laid out in neat rows. Three people knelt beside some of the immobile bodies and dripped water from dirty cups into their mouths.
He couldn't bring himself to Analyze the bodies just yet. Instead, Rocky pulled out the pallet of rations and a large water tank. He moved to one of the still cognizant and mobile humans and said, “We are here to help. We have food and water.”
The person looked at him with weary eyes and then continued to drip water into the person's mouth.
Rocky didn't understand why the person was ignoring him. He tried again, pulling out his water bottle and pressing it into the hands of the dirty...man?
Finally, his touch elicited a response. The nearly desiccated individual croaked, “You aren't hallucinations?”
The other two mobile survivors glanced in his group's direction. He could have shouted for joy at this sign of life. “We are here to help you all.”
Thirty minutes later, Azoth returned with three very dizzy and pale citizens of the Grotto. Their reaction to Azoth's full speed was bad, and their stomachs couldn't handle the school and its smells. In those thirty minutes, Rocky, Sela, Zippo, and the three mobile survivors had given water and a small piece of rations to each prone body.
In some cases, the person was so weak that Rocky had to chew the food and spit it into his hand before feeding the mash to the downed body. The act wasn't pleasant, but if it saved a life, he would chew for each of the forty-nine survivors.
The three helpers from the Grotto began tending to the survivors, once their stomachs had settled.
Rocky brought the water jug over to the sinks. The group only had a thin layer of water left at the bottom of two industrial-sized kitchen sinks. He hefted the jug and poured the contents into the two containers until they were full.
“I have topped up your water, and am leaving a great deal of the rations. Three of us need to go help other groups. Wait here, and we will ensure that an escort comes to bring you to safety very soon. Right now, just focus on getting better, okay?”
Rocky, Sela, and Zippo walked back down the hallway they had entered through. The smell that had originally shaken the three combatants no longer bothered Rocky. Either his nose had gotten used to it, or finding people alive had helped.
They passed a room with a closed door on their way out. For a heartbeat, the smell of death intensified. He didn't open the door—he didn't need to. He knew what would greet him if he did.
Congratulations, you have completed a Chain Quest!
Preservation of Champion Life Quest
Chain Party Quest – Atlantean Net Generated
Save the McDougall Survivors I
● You have managed to save 52 survivors from starvation. By this act, you have unlocked the second part of the chain quest.
Rewards:
260,000 (+13,000 Knight’s Quest) Etherience to each party member.
Talk to the survivors to offer them the choice to become permanent members of your Territory.
Atlantean Statutes, Preservation of Life, Section XII
--
You have been offered a 2nd part in a Chain Quest!
Preservation of Champion Life Quest
Chain Party Quest – Atlantean Net Generated
Save the McDougall Survivors II
● Escort 50% of the survivors successfully back to your Territory. This quest difficulty has been adjusted due to distance to Territory. Approximately 100 miles (160 km)
Rewards:
Etherience
New members of your Territory.
Atlantean Statutes, Preservation of Life, Section XII
The quest Etherience, combined with the kills of the twelve golems outside, barely pushed him to level seven. It was already costing him more than two million per level, and he wasn’t excited at the prospect of how slow levels would be coming now. The only good news was that the escort quest seemed to share Etherience across anyone he doled the quest out to. When he got back, he would have to make sure everyone in the Territory got every escort quest. Perhaps it would be a good way to level everyone together.
Rocky assigned his skill points and chose to increase Knight’s Quest. The extra 13,000 Etherience was an obvious reason to do so. Putting another point in the Skill increased the gain from five to ten percent. Rocky felt his blood heat up as he directly countered his earlier thoughts on high Etherience.
The last decision to make was where to put his free stat points. He was extremely close in a few stats to what Sela had termed a ‘breakthrough’. He placed two points into Luck, keeping with his previous decisions when awarded a five-block of free points. Then he deliberated; he only needed three points in Agility to pass that breakthrough point.
Rockland Barkclay Level 7
Class: Journeyman-Dark Chimera Knight
Level 3 Strategist
Class Skills: Dark Blade, Dark Mend, Soul Blade, Dark Cloak, Shadow Clone, Knight’s Resolve, Knight’s Quest
Health Points = 410/410
Dark Ether Pool = 280/280
You have 6 stat points and 0 skill points to distribute.
Stamina – 41 (Strength of Body +9) (+4 Stat V)
Strength – 43 (Strength of Arms +18) (+4 Stat V)
Agility – 50 (+3) (+4 Stat V)
Dexterity – 44 (+4 Stat V)
Intelligence – 28 (+4 Stat V)
Wisdom – 42 (+4 Stat V)
Charisma – 44 (+4 Stat V)
Luck – 12 (+2)
Weak Skills
Non-Class Combat Skills: Ether Cleanse - 10
Common Skills: Barter – 8, Camouflage – 7, Endurance – 30 (+3 *Rank Up?*), Fall - 1, Tracker – 19 , Trance Meditation – 26 (*Rank Up?*)
Profession Skills: Actor – 5, Butcher – 24 (+2 *Rank Up?*), Cook – 2, Grooming - 3(+2), Herbalist – 19, Miner – 1, Skinner – 25 (+3 *Rank Up*), Teacher – 20 (+2), Trader – 5
Moderate Skills
Non-Class Combat Skills: Combatant – 11 (+9), Ether Channels – 4 (+1), Ether Manipulation 5 (+1) , Stealth – 15 (+2), Swordsmanship – 14 (+5)
Common Skills: Analyze – 18 (+2), Perception – 11 (+4), Sneak – 19 (+1)
Profession Skills:
He quickly ranked up the non class skills available to him, then placed three Stat points into agility. His skin tingled with the anticipation of reaching the next level of growth. Fifty points. He selected yes on the prompt as they made it back outside the school.
“Wait, Rockland,” Sela cried.
He fell to the ground, and his body twitched violently. Pain shot through his muscles as if they were burning him to ash from the inside out. He screamed as his body convulsed.
“Shoot. He has just hit a breakthrough. Zippo, go fill up this jug with water. He is going to need to be cleaned off after this.” Sela removed his equipment as best she could. At times, he thought she was holding him down; at others, it seemed like she was fighting with him.
Five minutes of hell later, Rocky was embarrassed to admit he had soiled himself. He laid there, naked and covered in his own piss and shit. He was grateful that Sela had removed his clothes, but it didn’t make up for the humiliation.
Rocky took the jug of water Zippo had brought and sheltered himself around the corner of the building. As he scrubbed his skin, black grit fell away. He scraped off heaps of the dried substance.
He reapplied his Nano-Armor and called out, “What was that black stuff all over me, Sela?”
“Your breakthroughs are going to be very similar
to this in the future. I should have told you sooner. I hadn’t realized how close you were. As you break through the limitations of your body, it is forced to change. It removed imperfections and counterproductive materials inside your body. That black stuff is that accumulated material.”
Rocky opened his mouth to yell at her, and she cut him off. “I wouldn’t get dressed just yet. From my brief glance, you broke through in Agility, correct?”
He nodded stiffly.
“Take everything back off and hit your breakthrough in Dexterity as well. Right now, you are likely to fall over when you use your speed. It is always wise to break through linked stats together.”
“I have to go through that again?”
He began to sweat.
Sela nodded.
Chapter Twelve
Rocky and his team used the same tactics on the four other towns—Key River, Britt, Pointe au Baril, and Parry Sound—and saved three hundred and two people in total.
After his breakthroughs, Rocky sensed a subtle difference in the fights. His movements were a bit faster, and he could adjust the course of his blade within centimeters. Still, they attacked with Area of Effect spells, and he wasn’t entirely sure of the new extent of his speed after the breakthrough.
Not every saved group was in as bad of shape as the first, but each one had suffered. The story from the starving groups seemed to be the same. They just didn't think they had the firepower to down one of the Bio Enhanced golems. No one wanted to risk attacking the behemoths either, in case it broke the protection of the school. When they realized they would starve, it was already too late. They only grew weaker.
Azoth touched down next to the guild building. The group slid off his back and jogged inside to gather more quests and get an update to verify the escorts were en route to the recovering survivors.
Azoth headed toward the butcher's yard in search of an effortless meal, rather than hunting for one. According to Sela, that hadn't been a fun conversation. Understandably, the massive predator enjoyed the hunt.
Military personnel swarmed around the building, rushing out of corridors to deliver messages. Some carried clothing that Rocky hadn't considered to bring on the first trip. Most of the survivors they had seen wore rags, often soiled. He’d have to pack some into his Bag of Holding before setting back out.
He approached Smith, who was conveying orders from atop the raised circular countertop. The Native American man sent three runners on their way, then hopped down as Rocky neared. He smiled wearily and followed Rocky's eyes to the retreating runners. “I wish I were out there with you. Trust me. At any rate, we have sent a group with five tanks and thirty soldiers to complete the escort quests your group relayed. The last group is just prepping to leave,” he said.
Taking out his Knowledge Tablet, he swiped the screen a few times. “Currently, the other ten volunteer groups have managed to locate the towns. Three of them are inside the school grounds, and two are dispatching golems individually. The other four parties ran into large groups of monsters that they had to retreat from for the time being. We have been able to track them using the satellite to some degree as well. I have ordered those groups who made it inside to stay the night and escort their charges back in the morning. At current, you are the only active group I have left. Please tell me you can take on more?”
Rocky looked over his shoulder to spot Sela and Zippo standing at a kiosk. “I think that's what they are searching for right now. I asked them to get Huntsville and Bancroft in this grouping, since I am hoping to cover the closer towns to our South. While there are many small towns near us, we need to start planning for longer trips. Got any ideas?”
Smith shook his head. “I will start coming up with some options while you are out. One other option to consider is to approach the exiles. They would be willing to help, I am sure. We also know they are powerful.”
Rocky’s anger flared, but he pushed it down. Frank had controlled the exiles during their attack on Rocky. He took a deep breath and let it out. His emotions were such a roiling mess that he couldn’t be sure if his reaction to the exiled group had been fair in the first place. “What about Tao and Gamma?” he asked instead.
“They are not allowed to leave the Territory, despite a clear wish to do so. I believe they are awaiting their final three members.” Smith called Sela over. Once she was close enough, Smith asked, “Are you sure there is nothing in the shop we can buy to help speed up the escort of the groups you save?”
Unbelievable. He was standing right there. Why wouldn’t Smith ask him? Why summon his Ancestral guide? He may not have known the answer, but that wasn’t the point. Tempting as it was, he wasn’t going to tear into his friend. This time.
Sela bit her lip.”Rocky, I think we should talk to Garnell and Amelia about this later today. Perhaps they can sell us something that is not completely worthless. It will be expensive, of course, and may require more Crystals.”
“You let me worry about that. I think people will be willing to chip in some of their Crystals for that cause. I will keep thinking of other options while you’re out this afternoon. Good luck.” Smith’s last words seemed to be his exit from the conversation. Rocky hadn't noticed them at first, but a large group of runners were waiting for his return to the raised counter.
Zippo jogged over. “I did my best, like Sela showed me. I think I grabbed the final two quests that match up well. We have Huntsville, Dorset, Haliburton, Bancroft, and Minden. That sound, right?”
Rocky tried to open up a mental map, recalling what he knew of the cities mentioned. “Sounds reasonable.”
They walked down the corridor and Sela puffed air out between clenched teeth.
“What is it?” asked Rocky.
“The birdbrain is ignoring me.”
They made their way to the butcher's yard and found Azoth devouring what the hunters assured them was his fifth deer corpse.
“Azoth, you’ve had enough. The Territory needs the rest of that food,” Rocky said.
Azoth didn’t even look up from his meal.
One of the hunters said, “Actually, with the border back up, the larger monsters have exited Algonquin Valley. The hunting groups are back to catching more. Unfortunately, some of our strongest groups are out right now. So, maybe...”
The group allowed Azoth to finish his meal.
When Azoth finished and went for a sixth, Sela and Rocky stepped in his path. “I think that’s enough, buddy. There will be plenty of time to gorge later.” Rocky turned to the hunters and apologized for his pet’s gluttony.
Azoth growled and his stinger rose over his head. “Azoth, no! Bad Azoth!” Rocky shouted.
Azoth’s eyes widened and he shook his head, as if trying to fight against an unseen foe. His scorpion tail sank between his legs and his head fell.
“I’m sorry, buddy. I didn’t mean it. You are a good boy. I will just remember not to come between you and your food in the future.” Rocky shuddered. Azoth’s poison was no joke, and if his pet attacked someone over food, they would die. It wasn’t like a dog who bit a hand.
They mounted back up, and Sela directed Azoth to fly south, toward the Minden area. Her chiding voice fell on Rocky’s ears alone. “The ‘bad Azoth’ might have been a bit harsh, Rocky. He’s really hurt.”
He felt his chest tighten, and his breathing grew shallow. Rocky hadn’t meant to hurt his pet. Not being able to mentally communicate was so strange. Was Azoth’s aggressive display part of that?
Note to self: ‘bad boy’ and all of its variations are off limits.
***
They had been in the air for fifteen minutes when he saw a group of aerial creatures performing diving attacks against something on the ground. Their wings and bodies glistened with a dark, leathery sheen. Azoth veered toward the fight.
As they neared the combat, Rocky’s body tightened at the sight of the bird-bats’ prey. Three familiar green-armored golems attempted to repel the attackers, while more nearby golems
defended a large column of survivors from hairless wolf-like creatures.
His first thought was to rush past the aerial assault, but they would pass by it no matter what. “Try to knock the birds from the sky, Zippo.” Rocky pulled a Plasma Grenade from his bag. “Azoth, fly above the creatures, buddy, then continue south to the survivors.”
Azoth pumped his wings, causing moments of intense pressure followed by weightlessness. Rocky had yet to get used to the jumpy flight his pet provided during intense combat, but it bothered him less than it had originally.
As they closed in on three of the airborne creatures, his heart pounded in his ears. The bird-like beasts were as big as Bathilda. He used Analyze as soon as he hit the range for the spell.
Batwing Bird
Master-Amalgamated Dive Bomber
Level 21
Health Points: 4213 / 4515
In the air, five hundred meters wasn’t a large distance. Zippo's fireball spells whooshed toward the wings of two of the creatures, Rocky depressed the pin of his grenade and heaved it, intentionally aiming at a point that would miss the animals. A second grenade, tossed by Sela, flew toward a parallel point on the opposite side of the flying birds.
Just as one of the bat-birds folded its wings to dive, Zippo's spell exploded on the creature’s back. The other fireball burned a smallish hole through the wing of another. The remaining creature banked away instinctively, directly into the path of Rocky's grenade. Two miniature suns bloomed and one disabled the creature's wing as the group flew past the pandemonium they just caused. They should protect the survivors first. The master class Knights below were fully capable of handling the cleanup.
He glanced over his shoulder and surveyed the damage. Two creatures fell to the earth, while the third poised to dive, changed course, and flapped its wings to follow the new threat.
“Christmas Carols,” Rocky swore. One of the bat-birds was now hot on Azoth’s tail.
“Azoth, think you can drop us off without that thing catching up?”