Gamer of Mana

by Manifested Earth

One day while walking to the mailbox, Sean Rent was snatched by a singing pelican and brought to the world of Fa'Diel. Now tasked with restoring the Tree of Mana, how will Sean survive in a land beset by demons, dragons, and monsters of all shapes and sizes. Kiss that new 100k job and comfy lifestyle goodbye. Gamer Fic.

9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Mana or any other game series.

Chapter 9: Sound

Rat Capital—Reverence

Day 4: Jinn Day: 7:23 PM

The large cityscape sat within a foggy marshland. A stone rampart surrounded the capital with only two entries available to travelers: one via the front gates and the other by waterway. Dozens of lanterns marked the second route, guiding lost boats and their passengers into the capital's welcoming arms.

A clear dichotomy stood out even from a distance between the upper and lower classes. Shanty towns surrounded towering castle complexes which served as a symbol of the Rat Clan's pursuit of fortune and precious knowledge, oft times through unscrupulous means.

An underground tunnel system existed beneath the city of Reverence where once upon a time unsavory deals could be conducted more privately, away from the prying eyes of the authoritarians and other dangerous parties. Now, entry was barred under penalty of death, the manner in which it was carried out enough reason for even the most foolhardy to obey the law.

Enough light spilled into the tunnels during the daytime to lend a helping hand to wayward souls lost in the labyrinthine system, but it was a different beast at night.

A thunderclap boomed overhead, motivating sunlight stragglers to wrap up their business.

Notably, it was the black rats who were the most bothered by the change in weather, the sprinkling raindrops against the stony streets accompanying the pitter-patter of their bare feet. In contrast, the browns luxuriated in the torrential downpour, their eyes closed in content from the cool caress. The greys remained passive, unperturbed by the state of things, whereas the whites were rarely spotted.

Beneath the surface, the rising water churned angrily and roared its discontent like a primordial Lovecraftian horror, in sync with each thunder crack. The cosmic harbinger's wails reverberated off the passageway walls, adding a fresh level of terror that would scare off all but the bravest of souls.

Horatio fell in with this lot, knowing that to get ahead, one had to take risks.

He used his sensitive whiskers to find his way through the howling gloom. Chains and shackles rattled chillingly, a grim reminder of the past and a lesson to mind one's behavior while in the city. A musty scent pervaded these haunted halls, carrying the subtle stench of death and decay. The clammy atmosphere was unpleasant and the wet stones underfoot were slimy to the touch, similar to stepping in a pile of puke.

Horatio, dressed in a resplendent green vest, ignored this, far too focused on more serious matters.

The black rat sniffed the air and caught the faint aroma of cinnamon and lavender. He quickened his pace to elude his pursuer, yet his heart was calm. Horatio smiled and shook his head at what a fool this one was, finding pleasure in the scent of a woman despite being hunted. He might've laughed had his life not been at stake.

The rainstorm grew louder as he neared his exit. There was an underwater entrance he found in his exploration of the tunnels some time ago, a third entry into the capital that no one else know existed. It was a shared belief that all other entrances, aside from the main two, were sealed off after a particular past incident.

Horatio stopped and gazed down into the swirling abyss, the whispering maelstrom staring right back into his very being. He took a breath in preparation for the plunge and titled his head to the side to avoid a small digger whizzing past his face. Horatio turned around and eyed his would-be killer as she revealed her face to him, the lantern in her hand lit with a crackle.

"Ah, mon chère, such a pleasure it is to see you again." The suave black rat purred. He looked her over from head to toe, his deep, ruby red eyes welcoming her arrival. He smiled and stood upright, maintaining the posture of a true gentleman. "Beautiful as always, I see."

His pursuer was a brown rat, robed in red and black flowing garments tapered with a hooded cowl that allowed her head fur to flow from the back in a ponytail. She carried a double-edge swallow blade that could be split into two. A small red jewel was tied to the end of her tail. She set the lantern down and stepped forth.

"The Night Mother sends her regards," the shorter rat replied, ignoring Horatio's attempts at being charming. She maintained a neutral visage, but her sapphire blue eyes promised death.

"How is the fair lady? This one hopes she isn't too upset by his actions." He retorted, semi-mockingly. He stared directly into her eyes as she did his, knowing full well he would receive no response. A silence settled between them whilst the lantern's flames flickered, casting their shadows ominously onto the walls.

Zosha leapt at him with a one-handed handspring, the sharpened blade of her swallow aimed directly for his heart. Horatio kept his hands clasped behind his back and maintained his cool composure, exuding an air of confidence that not even the blind could miss.

Water rose from the gaps in the stone beneath her, but she cast an [Aero] at the liquid tendrils from her left palm to escape their reach. This action propelled her upwards into an aerial front flip. A whirlwind, Zosha's epithet, then formed around her as she descended towards him. The squally sphere would have no trouble getting rid of him, the razor sharp winds spinning so fast that they actually produced the sound of a buzz saw.

[Hydro Shock]

Zosha faltered as Horatio's spell produced a debilitating throb in her skull, reducing the speed of the sphere just enough for him to break through. She clenched her teeth and her vision blurred for only a moment. Horatio maintained a calm smile and raised his hand to take advantage of the opening.

An [Aqua Beam], a jet of high-pressure water, shot from his pointer finger and punched her in the stomach. Tiny bubbles rose from the point of impact as she was sent flying from the sphere. The brown rat did a back flip and landed in a crouch, shaking her head and glaring daggers at Horatio once her vision stabilized.

He just continued smiling at her, irritating the assassin further. Horatio found that staying calm often angered others more than if he lost his composure and became infuriated right back.

"Stai bene, my dear? This one regrets the pain he caused, but his life is simply too precious to throw away, even for a beauty such as yourself." Horatio winked at her.

Zosha stood up and split her swallow into two daggers which were more like swords given her stature. Her clothes were drenched with liquid malice. "When did you have time to practice?"

Horatio was a social rat, no surprise given his species, who loved to hob-nob with the elites and the famed. The crème de la crème. Rather than skulk in darkened streets, Horatio made a point to make himself visible enough to create a false front so as not to draw attention to his other activities.

It was no wonder she was surprised with how often he was seen about.

"Perhaps we can discuss it some other day over a nice bottle of wine," Horatio responded. Streams of water floated forwards from the whirlpool and joined with the aqua from the floor, coalescing into a shimmering wall between them.

The smile slipped from his face when Zosha threw another dagger at him. He could sense the livid magic coursing through its sickly yellow engravings and promptly sent the water wall at her to prevent any harm to his person. The dagger exploded, blasting the wall apart and producing a force strong enough to shake the room, causing bits of stone to rain down from the ceiling.

Zosha slashed her dual blades, sending an X-shaped blade of air at him. The attack just missed the suave rat as he disappeared into the spinning pool and continued on into a tunnel wall, destroying it. Horatio made use of his tendrils to pull himself away from harm right before the dagger exploded.

Zosha stepped forward and stared down into the storm drain. Rather than pursue, the brown rat chose to return to the surface and inform the Night Mother of her failure.

"One way or another, I'll find you."

With Horatio

The black rat emerged from the surface of the water and hid in a group of reeds. He pushed them aside just enough to look out from his hiding place to check if the coast was clear. Dragonflies fluttered around him, enjoying a bountiful feast of pesky mosquitoes, and crickets chirped their nightly songs.

"Quite feisty, that one," Horatio commented, uninjured from the blast. He felt his vest to make sure the item was still secured and relief filled his person when he found it. Horatio let out a silent breath as he had been legitimately worried it had been lost in the vortex. "Schierke would have this one's hide if he turned up empty-handed."

He glanced briefly in the capital's direction, knowing he could never return lest he wanted a fool's death. Oddly enough, Horatio felt not a hint of regret and even snickered soundlessly at secret knowledge that he alone was privy to, though not for too much longer. He formed another air bubble around his head and submerged once more, propelling himself onwards with a jet of water from each hand.

It wouldn't be until early the next morning that he arrived in the next town over. Normally, his kind, black rats, would be incapable of such a feat as his people were not used to swimming nor conditioned to water at all. Learning of this racial trait from a young age, Horatio made it a point to become well-versed in all things aquatic to give himself an edge over his peers.

And it certainly helped him avoid monsters on the way to Two River City, his destination and meeting place with yet another lovely lady. Even more so at night, when the more dangerous and vicious monsters came out. Thankfully, his [Sonar] ability helped Horatio spot them before he got too close.

Two River was divided into three districts: Humans to the south, Kobolds (Dog-Type) to the north, and the Winged Horde sandwiched in the middle. A stone wall surrounded the entirety of the human district aside from the eastern and northern entrances. A long, wooden bridge standing at the latter entrance permitted travel over the first river to the Winged Horde district.

The Human District was a multi-leveled fusion of Chinese and Japanese culture with a splash of European thrown into the mix. Common fashion choices amongst the town's women were cheongsams while many of the men and boys elected to wear tang suits. Still others donned vests, blouses, and jeans, typical of Western clothing trends.

All of the streets were paved with grey stones of varying shades, cut in a rectangular pattern with steps leading between each level.

Aside from the inn, the rest of the first level was reserved for residences. Travelling higher to the second tier, one could find various shops dedicated to the sale and purchase of items, weapons, and runes. The third and final level was home to a single, large building which served as their government office.

All of the buildings' roofs were tiled with dark green kawara, traditional Japanese clay tiles, with the roofing style being known as kawara-yane. The seat of government was complemented by a hidden roof with four brown pillars to support it, two on either side of the main doors.

Horatio climbed out of the river and drew the water from his person back into the stream. He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a golden watch. The timekeeper was enchanted to resist water, shown by the rune on its back.

"Good. This one is still on time."

The black rat entered the town proper and he could already feel the air of hostility. The guards stationed at the east gate gazed upon him in suspicion upon his passing and the townspeople either regarded him with apprehension or poorly hidden scowls. Any children in the vicinity were ushered away, their mothers treating Horatio like he was afflicted with the plague.

"Isn't it bad enough that we have to deal with those winged freaks without vermin around?" One person muttered derisively.

"Shh! He'll return to the sewers soon enough." Another ignorantly replied. He glanced at Horatio warily, but the black rat kept his head forward as if he hadn't heard anything.

"C'est la vie." Horatio thought, disappointed and yet understanding of the ugliness of people.

The Rat Clan was the largest of Fa'Diel's races, often fighting for the top spot with the Rabbit Clan. Advancements within its ranks regularly dyed the hands red of much of its populace, finding themselves thriving in amoral undertakings such as murder, slavery, and The Underground, a primary supplier of the meat trade. This subsequently led to all rats being painted with the brush of the monster, the villain, and the thief.

Horatio would gladly admit to the last one, but there was a personal code he followed whenever he conducted business that condemned such abhorrent acts.

The rat carried on to the inn and was immediately pounced on by a white wolf-dog who wore a blue band around his left, front leg. The well-groomed dog started licking the rat's face, clearly excited to see him. Horatio put his hands out and did his best to push the friendly canine away.

"Ack! Get off! This one already took a dip in the river. He doesn't need a bath!"

"Shiro," Schierke addressed calmly, causing the aptly named dog to stop, his ears standing at attention. "Let Horatio up, please."

"Woof!"

Shiro stepped off the rat and Horatio stood up and wiped the drool from his face.

"Ciao, Schierke. Glimpsing such a wondrous sight brings warmth to this one's heart." Horatio placed his right hand over his heart, smiling at the female with eyes full of fondness.

"Were there any complications?" Schierke asked in Rat Speak from the corner table whence she sat, forgoing any pleasantries and cutting to the heart of the matter.

Rat Speak was a language spoken by Chobin Hoods, Rats, and similar species, consisting of words uttered at frequencies that most other races were incapable of understanding, let alone hearing. To those with weaker ears, the language sounded like a series of chirps and squeaks.

Horatio sighed, knowing it was time to face the music. "This one regrets to inform you that there was a, shall we say, small obstacle." He remained standing, too fixed in place to join her at the table.

"What happened?" Schierke asked in a non-accusatory tone.

"While acquiring the requested item, this one was unaware of just from whom he was stealing," Horatio replied nervously. "It was discovered that the shipment was purchased by none other than the Night Mother herself."

Schierke simply stared at him with a blank expression. In his eyes, that magnified the power of her gaze a thousand times over.

She left her seat and stopped in front of him, never once breaking eye contact. Horatio smiled awkwardly as the silence dragged on and went to open his mouth when Schierke reached up and grabbed him by the ear. The black rat hunched over and squeaked in pain.

"Careful, my dear, this one's ears are sensitive."

"Did you obtain any of the alloy?"

"Yes! Yes! It's underneath my vest," Horatio replied hurriedly. He reached for the pouch, but Schierke pushed his hand away.

"Hold onto it for now," she practically ordered, still not letting go. "We're going to have a long talk after this is all over." Schierke's tone was even the whole time, but there was no denying Horatio was in trouble.

She pulled him by the ear out of the inn with Shiro loyally treading after her. The Chobin Hood climbed onto Shiro's back and Horatio took his place behind her, quietly holding onto the female as the wolfdog took off for the Chobin Hood Village.

Now, these was only one piece left to go.

In Norwich

Day 5: Dryad Day

Bells clanged across town, resonating feelings of danger and fear to all within its range. The townspeople promptly ceased their clockwork activities and bustled on home, some choosing instead to seek shelter in the nearest establishments. Spilled groceries and discarded goods decorated the streets, dropped in the rush to safety.

Select individuals walked at a more sedate pace. They were so accustomed to life in Fa'Diel that learning of a monster attack was like hearing it would rain. Their faces were relaxed, certain of the fact that everything would be okay. One even had the gall to pick up a lone apple, polish it against his chest, and take a nice big, juicy bite.

This only served to piss off Inspector Boyd even more.

The mouse man barked orders left and right with steam coming out of his ears to get everyone inside. His officers rushed about in a mad scramble to fulfill them, hurrying the lazy loiterers along.

"Get moving! On the double!"

Every major town and settlement spread throughout Fa'Diel secured a method of keeping a lookout for monsters from within the towns themselves. This could be accomplished through more physical means, the use of a telescope enchanted with the [Scan] spell being one such method. Or, one could lean more towards the magical side and incorporate elemental properties.

There existed a spell that those proficient in Earth-elemental magic were capable of utilizing. It worked similar to a seismograph and detected tremors in the ground.

Norwich itself owned an alarm system. Scattered across town, bell stations were set up akin to blue-light phones found on college campuses that were used to contact campus police. Each was clearly marked with signs and made visible for fast reactions. All one needed to do was touch a single rune to activate any of them. The domino effect then occurred, resulting in all 20 bells being rung simultaneously.

Watchmen stationed at the clock tower spotted the flock prior to their arrival above the fields. Their immediate response was to sound the alarm and contact the Inspector, who sent a rookie to fetch Biggs while the rest of Boyd's men were told to grab Wedge if they saw him.

The entire force hadn't been deployed in the event anyone sought protection at the station, not to mention the developing situation with the poisoned Chobin Hoods that Spencer and the healer, Khris, were carefully monitoring.

"Major Biggs! The town is coming under attack! We need your help!" The junior officer called, banging on his superior's front door. He hustled over without delay and huffed in exertion from each blow, already sweaty because of the distance.

Biggs, who finally managed to fall asleep, grunted irritably and pulled his pillow over his head to block out the noise to no avail. He was way too tired to deal with this crap.

The racket swelled till Biggs' patience wore out. He clenched his teeth and angrily threw his covers aside, revealing his muscular build and choice of attire. Biggs' uniform was replaced by a sleeveless white shirt and a pair of black shorts. The Major rose from his bed with tightly squeezed fists and stomped up to his front door, ready to pummel this annoyance.

The rookie's gloved hand paused in the air once the door swung open and he saw his superior's current lack of dress. He awkwardly coughed into his fist and formally addressed the major, fighting hard to maintain eye contact in spite of Biggs' narrowed brown eyes. Biggs' strong jaw line and brown crew cut hair enhanced his masculinity.

"Sir, we need your help. The town is coming under attack."

Biggs glanced towards the sky and didn't spot anything. "Well where are they at, officer?"

"At the fields, sir." The rookie gulped audibly, losing the battle and casting his gaze downwards. The road suddenly became a lot more interesting.

"Then why the heck are you botherin' me for? Jack's got it covered." Biggs replied grumpily. "Now fuck off, will ya? I've been awake for over the past 24 hours and I'm tryin' to sleep here."

"But sir…" the rookie's voice trailed off as he took a trip to the land of Nod. Biggs grabbed a capsule right before opening the door and threw it in the junior officer's face when he realized he wasn't going to vamoose. The capsule popped open and covered his face in a cloud of blue powder, lulling him into a deep sleep.

The officer didn't have time to splutter as his body pitched forward. Biggs caught him one-handed to keep his face from meeting the ground and pulled the rookie inside and shut the door. Leaving the slumbering pest face down on his living room floor, Biggs returned to his bedroom and hit the sack.

The Major knew he would catch some flak for this later, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

At Wyld Arms, Duelle didn't miss the cacophonous din over Wylda's hammer strikes and looked towards the entrance with a thoughtful expression, wondering if he should offer any assistance. After about five seconds of careful contemplation, the onion warrior shrugged, deciding he wouldn't be much help without [Gungnir].

He turned back to one of the displays and grabbed a buckler. Duelle waddled over to a mirror setup nearby and admired his appearance with a pleased smile.

"I'm sure the others have it handled." And that was all he had to say on the matter.

Not everyone chose to ignore the alarm, however, and the ringing resonated with a particular battle-hardened individual.

In The Wandering Specter, Leona was busying herself cleaning glasses when the pub suffered a light tremor, causing the patrons to seize up in alarm. Cutlery clattered discordantly around the room, joining in the chorus of hurried steps and rattling glass. Leona frowned as people scurried past the tavern and almost missed Shadow's departure.

Unperturbed by the emergency, the ninja and his faithful hound left to sort out the problem, leaving behind an empty plate of sirloin steak and white rice and the necessary payment. His consumption of the meal had been too fast for anyone to see, permitting no one to see the face behind the mask.

"Be careful out there Shadow," Leona said, unsurprised to receive no response. She knew he could take care of himself, but still felt worried. After all, she knew a broken man when she saw one.

Once the entrance shut, Leona reached underneath the counter and activated a rune. The door locked, emitting a loud click, and a transparent barrier wrapped around the pub, safeguarding the establishment against any and all harm. The patrons inside kept a close eye on the doors, their meals forgotten. Hands rested on pommels and sheaths in case things took a turn for the worse.

Those few who were unarmed stayed glued to their seats and glanced about worriedly, subconsciously hoping their more battle-minded fellows could protect them. Meanwhile, the warriors present remained impassive, knowing nothing would be accomplished by succumbing to fear. All they could do was wait out the storm.

Sean POV

He quickly checked his menu to make sure that Exp. Share was on while he still had the chance.

Party System (Part 2): Experience Share

A game mechanic of the Party System sub-ability, Exp. Share allows all affected party members to gain experience from each kill. The amount of experience gained will scale to the person's current level and it doesn't matter whether the kill was done by the gamer or another individual. What does matter is the party member(s) level in relation to the user.

Exp. Share only works if the party member(s) is within 10 levels of the user. Vice versa, the gamer will gain no experience if a party member not within 10 levels of himself kills an enemy.

"That's pretty much what I expected."

Sean stood rigid, his muscles taut yet breathing calm thanks to [Gamer's Mind]. He remained relatively composed despite the enemies' numbers, something unshared by the greener guards he just saved. They fidgeted in place with sweat rolling down their brows.

Their hands anxiously gripped their weapons till the whites of their knuckles showed, a sharp contrast to the larger majority who exhibited great fortitude in the face of the incoming storm. The more seasoned sentries simply stood on standby with their bows ready and faces a near perfect mask of impassiveness. Only the slight twitch of the hand or hitch in the breath revealed their inner turmoil.

"Thanks for the assist. Nodded off a moment there," a man's voice drawled calmly in a faint surfer dude accent, a hangover from an earlier day. "Things are getting pretty hairy. I'd take off if I was you."

The leader and veteran fighter was the one to address Sean, his countenance far removed from those of his men. His mellow smile strangely befitted his appearance while his hands busied themselves performing quick maintenance on a repeating crossbow, also known as a Zhuge crossbow or a Chu-ko-nu. A claymore found its home on his back and additional arrow cartridges were hooked to his belt.

His grizzled black hair was drawn back and formed into a short ponytail with loose bangs covering his forehead. Lightly worn leather armor sheltered his muscled form, scratches and bites along the material painting a history of battle. The most prominent was a bite mark on the left shoulder, massive and shark-like. None of this compared to the horizontal scar across the bridge of his nose. It only complemented the man's rugged looks.

His deceivingly loose stance welcomed anyone brave enough to face him. No trembling took residence in his person nor excitement nor anger. The experienced warrior's unflappable nature was a thing of admiration and many of those present wondered if they would reach that point themselves one day.

Name: "Sweet Hickory" Jack

Race: ?

Title: ?

Age: ?

Level: ?

Description: The Captain of Norwich's Advance Guard in charge of protecting the town's perimeter and fields. He likes candy.

"I appreciate the concern, but I'm not leaving. Not with the town in danger." Sean stated resolutely. Like with Domina, the consequences would be too heavy if anything bad happened to Norwich. "Besides, there's no point in running now anyways and…are you smoking a sugar cane?" Sean stared in bafflement.

"It helps take the edge off."

Clenched between his teeth, Jack puffed on a cut piece of sugar cane that had the hard outer layer removed. Sean initially mistook it for a cigar, but soon noticed the off-color and the fresh, earthy fragrance visibly clouding around Jack's head. His stormy grey eyes nearly faded into the pink smoke.

Sean snorted at the ridiculousness of it, but didn't comment. Plenty of eccentric folk inhabited Fa'Diel and aside from cases like Gilbert, it was a perfectly acceptable part of everyday life.

Jack's vision veered past him and landed on Soiree.

Her eyes were narrowed in concentration, sight locked on something that couldn't yet be seen. Something that didn't bode well for them. A chill ran up her spine as she recalled an incident from years ago where a Moogle settlement was attacked by an ill omen. No full description was ever given of the beast, but it was brought down by cannon fire after it managed to destroy two air ships.

The one detail that stuck out to her was a feeling of wrongness about it. Like a festering wound. Something that should never have come into being and whose very existence was a crime against nature itself.

A look of remembrance dawned on Jack's face and he snapped his fingers. Reaching into one of the pouches on his belt, Jack threw an item to Sean.

"Here, Catch!"

Sean shot up his right hand and immediately dropped the object, what was formerly a tiny white seed. A blinding green flash erupted from the pip when it touched his hand, sending a familiar jolt of energy up his arm and granting him the gift of pins and needles once more. Sean's lids slammed shut and he grimaced at the hated sensation, shaking out the affected appendage to get proper feeling back.

He looked down to the cause of his discomfort once he felt it was safe and his eyes widened minutely, slowly growing accustomed to the strangeness of this new world.

[Rare][Summoning Sphere] Mandragora

Using this item gives the user access to the Mandragora summon. It's one of the more unusual summons, being a plant and sound-elemental hybrid.

Observe Lvl 15 → Lvl 16

For finding a rare item, you have gained +2 LUK.

LUK: 5 → 7

Sean reached down and picked it up, hearing drums beating faintly from the leaf green orb.

"Huh. I didn't think I'd get another one of these so soon."

"Pretty rad. Not sure if I've ever seen that before."

Sean looked to Jack who still wore the same easygoing expression, not in the least affected by the seed's transformation.

"Thanks for the new summon." Sean said honestly, though he did place his hand at his side to show he wouldn't give the sphere up. "But why'd you give me this?"

"Is that what I did?" Jack replied as more of a statement than a question. He scratched the stubble on his cheek, skin tanned from exposure to the sun. "You must not be as magically attuned as your friend over there." Jack gestured to Soiree. "Not a surprise really. Moogles are one of the more gifted races when it comes to that mana stuff. It's a trait they all share from birth."

Jack grabbed more seeds from his belt and scattered them around. They swiftly sank into the earth, an action that visibly eased some of the guards judging by the loosening of their postures.

Sean raised an eyebrow in intrigue as Soiree gripped her war hammer tightly and suffused it with a pink radiance. The magnificent aura spread from the head of her weapon to the rest of her body in seconds, the moogle's face determined and showing not even a hint of strain. Making use of 'observe,' Sean learned of yet another game mechanic that would certainly prove fruitful in the future.

[Rare][Soul Weapon] Mediator [2H War Hammer] Lvl 5 Durability: 1000/1000

A Soul Weapon forged by ?, this war hammer was gifted to Soiree upon her departure from the Moogle capital. It is half of a set, the twin hammer going to her sister to represent their bond as siblings no matter the distance between them.

Attack: +100 (Mana Enhanced: +300) Total: +400

Decreases Technique Cost by 25%

Decreases Spell Cost by 25%

Special Effect: Attack Strength of both Mediator and Arbiter and all of their wielders' stats double when fighting together.

Soul Weapons

Soul Weapons are fittingly named since they represent not only a link to the wielder's soul, but are also soul bound. This means that no one else aside from the original user can wield them. Soul Weapons are different from regular ones in that they can grow alongside their wielder either through use in battle or through special blacksmithing techniques. These weapons don't rely on normal tempering methods to improve themselves.

Soiree (Mana Enhanced):

HP: (Base: 2500/2500) 7500/7500

TP: (Base: 6500/6500) 19500/19500

MP: (Base: 1575/1875) 5325/5625

STR: 120 → 360

VIT: 100 → 300

DEX: 140 → 420

INT: 75 → 225

WIS: 50 → 150

SPI: 50 → 150

LUK: 15 → 45

Sean hummed and nodded his head. "That's interesting." The implications of Soiree's ability were staggering and would require careful reflection later. His battle with Du'Inke left him pondering if there was a similar method of increasing one's stats involving Tech Points.

Sean then cast [Protect] on Soiree which formed a translucent white barrier around the moogle that vanished shortly after. She gave him a smile and thankful nod, her red pom-pom bobbing happily. Sean tried to cast it on himself, but an alarming sound caught him off guard, disrupting the spell.

Protect Lvl 7 → Lvl 8

A growl rumbled within Gengen's chest and he bared his teeth in a snarl, his ears pulled back and his tail down. He gripped the hilt of his sword so tightly that his claws threatened to tear his red gloves to shreds. Forest green eyes drilled wrathfully into a bare spot of soil, the nearby produce swaying in a light breeze as if shaking in terror at Gengen's new demeanor.

This change in attitude drew the attention of the guards, a few inwardly mocking the kobold and rolling their eyes at his presumed naivety whereas others spared a wary glance. Jack heard the sound and carried on dutifully with his task, exhibiting no reaction. Whatever happened came as no surprise to any of them, like no other outcome was expected.

Sean, admittedly, hadn't known the kobold for long, but was still taken aback by this uncharacteristic behavior and looked at Soiree with a bewildered expression.

"What the heck got into him?"

"It's those flowers, kupo!" Soiree answered. She flew over to Gengen and he glared at her when she got too close. Sean watched cautiously, ready to jump into action in case things turned south. He honestly thought the kobold would bite her, but didn't voice his concerns since Soiree displayed no hesitation in approaching him. She cast [Scent] to rid the party of the hidden odor and replaced it with the salubrious scent of a tropical paradise.

Pineapple, lime, and mango danced together in a fruity medley while Soiree started scratching Gengen behind the ears. The kobold's growling slowly subsided and he closed his mouth, tail wagging in delight as she combed her hands gently through his fur. He leaned into her touch, seeking more attention while his leg started to twitch, threatening to kick like a dog.

Soiree giggled at him and Sean smiled, his face filled with mirth.

When she moved her soft, pink hands away, Gengen blinked in stupefaction and shook his head, wiping away the content expression.

"What happen? Last thing Gengen remembers is funny smell." He asked with a puzzled look.

"I'm curious myself because I don't see any flowers anywhere." Sean said.

"They're still in the ground, kupo!" Soiree responded. "They're called 'Lurking Venus.'"

"Hey, guy!" Jack called, standing once more next to his men. "I'd activate the seed now or whatever that ball is. Don't want to be caught with your pants down."

"I'd follow his advice, kupo! Something isn't right in there." Soiree pointed at the flock who were just about close enough to attack, worry coloring her tone.

"Gengen doesn't smell anything over fruits."

"Better to err on the side of caution." Sean replied, keeping his cool. "The other monsters must be shielding something awful." He gripped the orb, causing it to activate.

The globe opened slowly like a music box and released the mixed essence of jasmine and lily. Pleasing aroma instilling a false sense of security, tremors beset the sphere and Sean wrestled to keep it in his grip, his flexed muscles pouring all their strength into it. Curses escaped through his clenched teeth while he struggled and stubbornly refused to let go. He may have insulted its mother.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the shaking abruptly stopped and the sphere ejected five large white seeds.

Floating gently down, the seeds buried themselves in the dirt and sprouted, two green leaves growing from either side of the stalks. A wave of nostalgia swept over Sean and he plucked all five with a hearty effort, all the while thinking of a certain series which started on the GameCube.

The onion people regarded Sean with open curiosity, tilting their bulbous heads in child-like wonder.

Short green legs with flat feet grew from their "knees," no toes on them. Their faces were just a black oval area with two featureless, circular white eyes on the inside. Green clothing covered their faces just underneath their eyes down to the upper chest and all of their arms. Red strings traveled down the middle of the material, crossing over each other to form three X's.

Aside from the aforementioned areas, their bodies were entirely white.

The sphere in his hand closed and shot into the air without warning, easily prying itself from his fingers. It burst above Sean like a balloon and rained down multicolored confetti on him, accompanied by a celebratory ditty.

New Summon Gained! Pact Formed!

Mandragora [Plant/Sound] Cost: 100 MP Cooldown: 30 Minutes (Upon Defeat)

Link: Lvl 1 Next Level: 0/50 AP

Standing: 0/1000

HP: 3,750/3,750 (750 HP Each)

TP: 0/0

MP: 3,750/3,750 (750 MP Each)

STR: 10

VIT: 30

DEX: 70

INT: 30

WIS: 20

SPI: 20

LUK: 2

Overdrive: [Echo Chamber]—Echo Chamber is an ability where an invisible soundproof field is created around the enemy. A cacophonous collection of soundwaves then bombard the enemy, pummeling them with physical force and growing stronger with each reverberation as they bounce around the field. DMG Formula: (SPI + (SPI * 300%))

Summon Effect: +50 Plant Affinity (Passive)

Summon Effect: +50 Sound Affinity (Passive)

Summon Effect: Grants the user +1 WIS every time the summon or user levels up

Description: Sometimes called "Onion Children," Mandragora are a sentient species of plant who use an advanced form of non-verbal communication to 'speak' to one another and love to play pranks and cause mischief. Known for their deadly screams, these diminutive seedkin boast a rich culture, creating their own homes and clothing.

"Glad it wasn't as bad as the first two," Sean commented idly, picking paper from his hair.

He heard clapping and turned to see Jack's applause. None of his men clapped, looking decidedly unenthused about the sentient plants who came up to mid-thigh of Sean's height, making them just a little shorter than Duelle. Sean supposed living in a world of fantasy zapped their fascination, probably having seen Jack summon plants a million times.

"That was a neat little show," Jack commented in a good-humored way. "Should help with morale." He looked down at Mandragora in intrigue. "Those little guys usually don't look that way either. Nor get that big."

The captain pulled out another seed and fed it some magic. The flat, green seed popped, transforming into a whitish, root-like creature within a cloudy veil. The mandrake wriggled helplessly in Jack's softened grip like a newborn getting fussy at mealtime. Jack held it around the middle as it babbled intermittently from its eyeless face, the man using his magical signature to keep the plant calm.

Seeing the creature conjured up thoughts of the Uncanny Valley, a source of disturbance and distress for some. It was the reason why many horror video games and films used mannequins to scare people.

"Uh, captain," one guard spoke up patiently to pull Jack back on track. His neutral tone and expression conveyed a subtle annoyance. "Shouldn't we be focused on that?" He pointed towards the aerial horde.

Jack followed his finger. "Oh, yeah," he replied tranquilly, not embarrassed about zoning out.

"Men," Jack addressed calmly, his subordinates instantly standing at attention and ready to take orders despite his recent gaffe. His grey eyes swept placidly over them. "Form up and be ready to fire on my command. Those of you not yet accustomed to the bow move up front."

Despite the man's chill expression, there was a presence about him that compelled the defenders to mobilize. The fresher faces followed orders and positioned themselves at the front of the pack to avoid friendly fire, everyone nocking their arrows.

"Just a quick head's up," Sean said, catching everyone's attention. "If you can, take out those one-eyed creatures immediately. They have a special ability that can—"

"Cause people to become [Confused] or nod off," Jack finished. "No worries. This isn't my first rodeo."

Jack raised his crossbow while looking Sean straight in the eye and fired it one-handed, something Sean didn't know was possible. The bolt punched into the eye of one of the monsters with a wet squelch, meeting no resistance. It was dead before it could blink and the corpse plummeted towards the fields.

Sean frowned as the body honed in on a blue ribbon-worthy pumpkin. He could already hear the townspeople whining at them for destroying their fields. Not to mention the loss in reputation.

His worries were for naught.

The earth shook and like a jack-in-the-box, an enormous green stalk sprang out of the ground with a massive Venus fly trap at the top. Corrosive enzymes lied in special glands in its maw, ready to gather the plant rich nutrients. The mouth hung slightly ajar and its steel-trap-shaped leaves, behind which rested razor-sharp teeth, were primed for a meal.

The carnivorous plant sensed food approaching and it snapped up and gulped down the corpse without issue. Sean stood transfixed and watched the lump travel down the stem, growing smaller and smaller as the acid broke it down. He huffed awkwardly and was glad he wasn't going up against that thing, easily large enough to swallow him whole and standing more than 30 feet tall.

The others shared the same sense of trepidation. Having spent time around Jack, the feeling was lessened. However, there was just no getting use to some things. Soiree watched calmly from where she flapped with a straight face. She's encountered far worse and scarier creatures in the past.

Gengen put up a brave front and held his unnamed sword aloft, the blade glinting proudly. A true warrior never showed they were scared on a battlefield and this kobold wouldn't let some plant steer him from his path. With his newly acquired weapon, one purchased at fair cost from a red fox, Gengen swore he would see himself and his allies safely through this ordeal.

A sudden thought occurred to Sean and he smirked at the non sequitur.

"I wonder if he's ever read 'Jack and the Beanstalk.'"

The flapping of wings drew him back to reality and he saw that the flock were now around 30 yards away. The monsters were visibly incensed, the loud buzz of insectoids reminiscent of a kicked beehive. And the Lurking Venus plants drove them further into a blind rage.

Lurking Venus –Plant—

Level: ?

STR: ?

WK: ?

Description: A giant version of the Venus flytrap, this plant lies in wait for its prey. Rather than release a pleasing aroma or use sweet-smelling nectar, the Lurking Venus emits a foul odor that's scentless to most species, inducing the [Berserk] status effect in any monster or susceptible race within the vicinity. This will drive the affected party to destroy the source at any and all costs. Those with a strong enough will can resist the odor though a more powerful, liquid version does exist.

"Remora! Break off and return to me!" Sean called, equipping [Frozen Fury] while giving commands. His inner child brimmed with happiness and his chest swelled with nostalgia at the chance to be like a Pokémon trainer. "Bomb! Fly into—" He started only to notice they had already gone on ahead, their battle lust too great to be contained.

Both sides met head-on, the cackling fire grinning maliciously and producing heat strong enough to reach refraction, causing the air to visibly wave. Wildfire consumed the first foe and left behind a cloud of light particles as it spread to the next.

The smell of cooked meat intensified, wafting far enough to reach the town from the impromptu barbeque. Like the Vikings of old, the blitzing berserkers flew towards the Bombs with reckless abandon, not in the least concerned about their own welfare. Tender flesh grew dark and curled, cracking and popping like firewood while chitin hissed like a boiled lobster.

Where once the size of beach balls, the Bombs ballooned to that of Zorbs, fueled by the sweltering rage swirling about in abundance. It was basically an all-you-can-eat buffet to them and they continued to grow while hardly taking any damage. Still, teeth gnashed and mouths screeched, clawing and biting and stabbing at the living explosives in futility.

[Town Defender] Title Activated!

Sean:

HP: (Base: 1250/1250) 1975/1975

TP: (Base: 3325/3325) 5635/5635

MP: (Base: 1000/1000) 1500/1500

STR: 61 + (33%) + (25%) + (25%) = 111.6

VIT: 50 + (33%) + (25%) = 79

DEX: 72 + (33%) + (25%) = 113.8

INT: 40 + (20%) + (5%) + (25%) = 60

WIS: 40 + (20%) + (5%) + (25%) = 60

SPI: 56 + (20%) + (25%) + (5%) + (25%) = 98

LUK: 7 + (25%) = 8.75

[Might of the Kobolds Lvl 1] Synchro Effect Activated!

Gengen:

HP: (Base: 1075/1075) 1290/1290

TP: (Base: 3000/3000) 3600/3600

MP: (Base: 175/175) 210/210

STR: 60 + (20%) = 72

VIT: 43 + (20%) = 51.6

DEX: 60 + (20%) = 72

INT: 7 + (20%) = 8.4

WIS: 8 + (20%) = 9.6

SPI: 7 + (20%) = 8.4

LUK: 5 + (20%) = 6

"Just do whatever you want, I guess," Sean said bitterly, upset that Bomb didn't wait for his command. He understood that not every summon would listen to him with complete obedience and wasn't too surprised that Bomb did what it did, but that shit wasn't going to fly and Sean would have to nip it in the bud soon.

Those with weaker constitutions blanched at the vision of horror, growing green at the gills while bile rose in their throats. They covered their mouths to keep their collective breakfasts down, ready to turn their heads away at the overwhelming affront to their gazes.

"Don't," Jack said with some bite, cutting down any idea of carrying through. "This is just a part of the job." He blew out a large cloud of smoke, the sugary scent alleviating their distress. "What you signed up for as guards."

Outnumbered by their seasoned compatriots, the rookies were made to watch, to adapt them to the colder realities of this world.

"Remora," Sean called irritably, seeing a Lurking Venus swallow another enemy, thus stealing his experience. "Work together and focus [Thunder] on any monster you see falling. Avoid hitting any plants."

The towering devourers only appeared when an enemy got within a certain range and they sunk back down into the earth just as swiftly. Ten flytraps made themselves known, staying out to consume the lot if more than one monster pinged on their radar. Sean felt more disconcerted upon noting the plants were fire-retardant, taking no damage from Bombs' flames.

Both they and the fire summons devoured the monsters in what quickly became the world's most macabre game of Pac-Man. The fly traps gobbled up more, taking full advantage of their size while Remora managed to kill a few with potshots. Mandragora huddled around Sean's legs and concentrated on the same spot where Jack was looking.

Gengen and Soiree were reduced to bystanders, the moogle quietly lowering her weapon yet remaining ready to act at a moment's notice. The kobold itched to lend a hand and felt vexed since his blade couldn't reach the enemy no matter how boundless his energy was.

Jack remained impassive as a couple Lurking Venus ripped a floating eye in two while playing tug of war. His eyes were on the prize. Sean flinched in disgust, but didn't avert his gaze. Seeing something in real-life was far different from his time surfing the net.

Enemy Slain! Floating Eye Lvl 14 (x12)! Nebiros Lvl 15 (x10)!

+60644 EXP

Level Up!

Sean Rent: Lvl 15 → Lvl 16

+5 Stat Points and +2 Perk Points

Gengen: Lvl 12 → Lvl 14

Remora: Lvl 5 → Lvl 6

Bomb: Lvl 2 → Lvl 5

Mandragora: Lvl 1 → Lvl 4

SPI: 56 → 58

STR: 61 → 65

WIS: 40 → 44

"Let 'em fly!" Jack called, his subordinates releasing their arrows into the flight. The captain didn't fire any himself, intending to wait for the right moment, but he did start aiming his crossbow.

Steel tips put out eyes and perforated wings, tearing them to shreds. Insects turned into pin cushions and the Bombs expanded even more, making consumption an effortless chore. Any contacting arrows launched simply bounced off the Venus' stalks and were ignored, like an ant against a giant.

Sean briskly cast his eyes over them and found most of the bevy fell in the 40 to 60 STR range with around the same in DEX. This brought them near Gengen's stats with the highest level amongst them being Level 10.

Observe Lvl 16 → Lvl 18

Lvl 18: The user can now see what items can be stolen or dropped from a monster or enemy.

"Me confused," Gengen said, tilting his head. "How come there no boom?"

Through his gaming experience, Sean was aware of Bombs' elemental nature and knew that ordinary physical attacks wouldn't do much to them. The same thing applied to other typical video game monsters such as slimes. This was the reason why he meant to send them into the flock without fear.

For taking advantage of a strength, you have gained +2 INT and +2 WIS.

INT: 40 → 42

WIS: 44 → 46

"That's a good question," Sean replied, remembering how in the Final Fantasy series, three hits would cause them to detonate. "My guess is that—"

"There you are." Jack fired.

BOOM!

A loud, agonized squawk resounded across the fields, immediately followed by a deafening explosion of sound that travelled in every direction. The raging resonance vaporized monsters instantly with no survivors, both Bombs and the fly traps meeting the same end. Pumpkins exploded like fireworks and tomatoes turned into ketchup as the very air and earth quaked violently.

Jack raised the mandrake in his hand with a stoic expression, showing no fear in the face of this power.

The infantile root released a grating wail which weakened the wave of force enough to protect Jack and his men, their hearing and health intact. Although a few sentries were thrown to the ground, grunting in mild discomfort when their backs made impact.

Meanwhile, Mandragora stood protectively in front of their leader and stridently screamed to stop the attack, the plants' ability doing no harm to the party. The two forces met much more destructively than with the mandrake, creating an ear-piercing clap that kicked up clods of dirt. Mandragora was clearly being overpowered as they dug their little feet into the earth, struggling with all their might. The volume increased and looming noise inched perilously closer with each passing second.

Gengen hunched over and whined pitifully with his ears flattened, the sound becoming too much for his sensitive hearing. He covered them desperately to block out the attack and neither Sean nor Soiree were doing much better, both grimacing in pain. Nothing in the moogle's arsenal would help in this situation and Sean nearly paused reality to reload a previous save when something unexpected happened.

Remora formed a sphere of crystal clear blue water around Mandragora and the party that refracted the sound, attenuating it as it split harmlessly in separate directions. None of the plants were screaming anymore with the danger passed and Sean blinked in surprise, turning to Remora in astonishment.

"Why didn't you do that before?" He tried not to sound angry. Remora simply floated in place, unblinking, and Sean exhaled, not sure what he was expecting since the fish weren't capable of giving a response.

"The important thing is that we're all okay, kupo!" Soiree stated positively as she cast [Soothe] on Gengen to relieve his pain. The kobold stood upright and rubbed his ears.

"Thank you, my lady," Gengen said pleasantly, bowing his head in gratitude. "I'm not sure what me do without you."

Soiree smiled warmly at the kobold. "It's no trouble at all, kupo!"

"Yeah, I guess your ri—Oh, shit! What about the town?!" Sean's eyes widened in panic, struck by images of carnage and destruction. His intense gaze tried to punch a hole in the sphere and when that failed, Sean took a deep breath and stuck his head in the water, not enough to break through to the other side, but enough to give him a good vantage point.

Breath Control Lvl 9 → Lvl 10

Sean felt relief when he saw everything was okay.

"Well, minus the fields which are torn to shit."

The earth had been torn asunder, uprooting all the farmers' hard work and practically all the produce was destroyed, leaving only some potatoes and corn left to salvage. Even the tool shed Sean repaired was blown to smithereens, farming equipment thrown about haphazardly. He wondered if [Repair] was strong enough to rebuild the structure, but couldn't concentrate too much on it, over the fact the town was untouched.

Not a single building lie knocked down and no damage was dealt, every business and home just as intact as when Sean first arrived. Shattered glass remained absent from the streets and not even a speck of paint was chipped off the properties. Sean squinted his eyes in puzzlement, searching for the cause of this without any luck.

He could almost hear "why couldn't you save our fields" as he pulled his head out, not caring that his shirtless torso was wet. Sean smirked about how pissed off some of them will be, picturing pitchforks and torches till he shook the stray thought off. He didn't find the devastation funny, but he felt his reaction appropriate considering they just survived a near-death experience.

Sean quickly wiped the smirk off his face to avoid upsetting his party members and turned his attention to more important things, such as his new notification.

Sonic Boom [Blue Magic][Sound] (Active) Lvl 1 [0%] Cost: 100 MP

Learned from Stratoavis, this spell shoots a blast of pure sound from the user's hand which produces a loud explosion upon impact similar to the sonic boom of a jet. Mastery of this spell can increase sound affinity. It can potentially deafen the target.

Deals sound-based damage according to this formula: Total = (SPI + Sound Affinity)

DMG = Total + (Total * 10%)

Current Level: +10% Sound Damage

Effect: Has 1% chance to inflict [Confused] status effect

Effect: Has 1% chance to inflict [Bleed] status effect

Effect: Has 1% chance to inflict [Sap] status effect

"That's cool, but how the fuck is the town still standing?"

"Is everything okay out there, kupo!"

"Everything's fine." Sean gave her a thumbs up. "…except the fields which are going to need a lot of work," he finished after a short pause, dropping his hand.

Moments prior, Shadow appeared at the edge of town with Interceptor in tow. The silent soldier for hire surveyed the unfolding massacre with a keen eye, unruffled by the far familiar sight. Interceptor sat on his haunches while his master watched Jack closely. Shadow's investment in Norwich's safety only went so far the amount he was paid, the taciturn man caring little for the lives held within.

Jack then fired his Chu-ko-nu, the air whistling from the bolt's force. Through the fire and flames it carried on, unimpeded by snapping jaws and buzzing wings till it sank into the heart of the aerial force. The resultant sonic boom shook the earth furiously as it approached the town with neither man nor hound trembling under its might.

Shadow placed his arms forward with his palms facing the attack and let it splash harmlessly off them, his stance rock solid and his eyes showing no emotion. Only a hushed whistle remained, swiftly drowned out by unseeable shade.

The arrow Jack fired struck the flying monstrosity in the eye, blood and ocular fluid draining like a faucet from its hideous face.

A soulless white eye exuded more malevolence than imagined possible, the remaining optical organ being little more than a milky marble. Fangs bared savagely from its beakless face with a long, red tongue poking out in an ominous manner. The visible white veins on the inside of its black wings glowed brighter with surging energy, small patches of blue intermixed with the lighter plumage.

Staring down at those who dared to stand against it, [Stratoavis] puffed up its white-feathered breast and pulled back its wings for another sonic boom.

Serious when the situation called for it, numerous green, leafy vines sprang upwards, undamaged from the earlier attack. Jack didn't just stand around and he removed the claymore off his back as the vines wrapped around the bird's limbs and long, red neck. Being dragged downwards, the monstrosity struggled with all its might, throwing its head to and fro while wildly snapping its teeth, shrieking violently. The white flowers situated along the vine carried out their work and released the smell of fresh rain, slowly inducing [Sleep] into their captive.

Stratoavis pointed its mouth downwards as Remora removed the water shield from around the party. Rumbling mana built up in its throat that gave off the sound of thunder. The vines around its neck tightened at Jack's silent command, choking the beast slowly, but doing little to stop it. He stood with his sword drawn in a two-handed grip, ready to bat the strike away while his men looked on nervously, everyone unequipping their bows as they realized they were now rendered useless.

Next thing anyone knew, the beast's severed head struck the ground with a loud thud, its mouth agape and wrath so great that the glare never left it.

Shadow used an ability of his to return the Fuma Shuriken to his hand, the five-pointed throwing star completely free of any blood. The ninja vanished it off to somewhere, but Shadow retained his position at the edge of town. A recent trend of monsters coming back from the dead enhanced his wisdom.

"That was something." Sean rubbed the top of a mandragora's head, much to the seedkin's delight.

"Me didn't get a chance to help," Gengen complained from having the wind taken out of his sails.

"There will always be more battles," Soiree said. "As terrible as that is."

Gengen nodded. "Aye, my lady. This world is indeed fraught with danger."

"At least the fight's ov—" Sean fell silent, hit by something incomprehensible, heavy like the weight of a truck. Darkness stole his vision and his body froze, no longer able to move. Gengen caught him under the arms when Sean lost his balance. His face pressed into the kobold's right shoulder.

Error Detected!

[̴̛̞̟̮̥̰͈͚̝̯̮̞̰̐̊̌͌G̷͍̀͗̆̎͆̑̉͗͘ã̷̧̢̤̱͕̳̪͚̺͈̫̓͂ͅm̴̗̝̍̀̑̎͂̉͂̎͗͊̚͠ę̵͖̮̩̫̙͙̻̳̻̪̭̠̒̇͂̊̋̓͑̇͒̇͒͝ȑ̴̗͈̪̽̌̉̓̆̅͛̕͝͝͝ͅ'̵̤̯̦͍̟̍̀͜s̷̡͚̰̤̥̼̰̎̈́͑͒̅̆ ̴̛̹͔̈́͑̆̊͌̎͆͌̀̋̕̕͝M̸̼̀̑̓͆͆́̉̚͘ḭ̷̛̫̪͍͓̼͍̤͉̭͛ņ̸̩͉̠̠̱̂͐̇͗̔̂̌̃̃͘ḑ̸̛͚̺̺̣͔̙͍̭̝͚̦̒͂̂̆̌̓̆́ ̴̺̩̭͓͐̓̔̄͐̄̂͗͛̀́̋̿̐̇a̴͚̳̥͌̋̇̅̑̃͒̔̆̈́̉́͜f̵̨͚͇̩̥̤͋͛́͗̍͗̽̈̒͋̚͠f̴͈͉͎̖́̑̏̓̓̏̽̽͂̽̽̈̀͘͝e̴̡͉̱̩̜͔͙̾̿̈́͝ḉ̵̮̟̜̠̤̱͑t̴̮͐̄̃̅̂͊̾͛͐͋̎͜͠͠͝e̴̖͕̟͎̰̺̊̈́̈d̴̝̥̳̦͓̯͕̩̩̬̼̯̀̐̈́̇̍͑̊̃͑͆ ̷̳̰͍͙͚̳͕͔̹̜͐̃͂b̷̧̪̥͕͎͇̻̟͎̭͚͓̙̦̏͛̀́̋̈̂̋̆̌̉́̈́̄̔y̶̺̜̯̿͂̎͆̽͆͌̇̑̊͋͗̽͜ͅ ̸̢̰̳̪̯̝̮̤̎ͅ?̴̤̉̀̀̊̊̀̚̕̕̚͠!̷̢̢̟̠͚̥̰͍̭̬͓̮̦̀̌́̋̅̈́̿̽͘͠/̷͊̓́̍͜͠*̵̮͈̽̇̊̉̇̈́̿̄̆̂!̶͖̔̎̅̏̕͠͝]̴̜̯̱̻̦̮̼̃̈̅̇̕

[̷̢̡̗̮͙̰̙̬͎̇̾̇̔G̶̨̢̥̭̬̭̺͇̳͈̮͂͐̏̒͗͐͋̀̀̑̔̏̄͝a̵̩̗͙̯̻̱͉̳͉͎̟̓̔͆͐͂̂͌̆͐̇̈́̓̄̕m̶̹̦͈̥̫̣̗̩͙͚̠̝̼͆̇́͗̾e̴͖͓̱̤̰̯̥͆ŗ̵͇̭̭̻̟̤̰͉̗̖͊͘'̸̧͔̗̦͉͙̻̰̖̤̅̏ͅͅş̴̡͎̯̅͂̐̌̃́̾́͋̚͘͝ ̵̨̠̤̯͍͍̙̮̻̥̾̇̊̽͋̀͒̎̏̂̐B̶̢̨͔͙̞̱͇͉͇̤͙͌̅̿̆̐̽ő̷̢̧̻̯̮̳͇̗̳͗̎̄d̷̰̱͍̓̈́̀̎y̸̢̮̠̩̺̻͚͈̦̤̱̻̖͋̄̂ ̶̡̩̭͇̼̤̪̣̲͓̊̃̂́́̿̈́̏̾̀̕͠a̷̛̛͈͓̻̗͎͎̪̽̀̎̇̔͘͝͝f̵̧͇̘̙̟̖̫̰̹̰̱̲̖͖̱̿̄̑͊ḟ̶̢̛͙̱̅̍̍̆͊̂̈́̈́̇̽͋͘ę̴̧̖̣̠̳̗̹͎͕̦͎͚̘̾̾̓͘c̴̡̨̧͖͙̫̪̗̗͍͓̳̫̻̓͆͂̏̿̆̔͑̓̈́̌͗̚͜͝t̶̢̡͙͚̬͙̩̬͇̯̹́̽̑̐̿̿̽͜͠é̶̢͇̥̘̗d̷̡̞̗͉͖̤̺̋̌̏̓̔̀̆̃͊̾ ̶̬̙̔͋̍̍̕̚͝b̵̧̢̛͙͚̦̲̱͚̌̅̌̍̒̀̕̚͝͝ỷ̵̥͂̽͋̉̐̓̑̈́́̚͠ ̴̧̱͖̩͔̙̱̖͚̯͔̦͋?̵̛̼̭̤͎̥͇̤͒̐̅͂͋̚͝͝!̵̥̣̮͕̼͇̗͑͒̿̒̊͑̃͌̓͠ͅͅ/̸̨̢̜̫̰̯̺̬̰̥̔̊̎̈́̊͐͛̈́͘͜͝*̵̧̮̥͎͈̯̖̿͗͛̄̄͆̄̉̈́!̸̫̞͖͔̪̜̬̝̼̹̐̓͂͆͌̋̈́̂̇̔́̚͝]̷̧̨̘̖̖̮̺͕̫̼̾̈́̓̍͐͋̓͋͝ͅ

P̸͕̹̥̄͐̏̍́̂͠a̵̛̼̪̝̭̗̞̩͈̥͎̮̞̗̅̆̓̀̅̍̋͒̈̍̓͘̕͝ͅr̷̦̲̘̗̘̐̓̿̌ţ̷̡̡̜̙̠̹̩̤̫̼̜̹̳̈̅ͅȳ̷͙̫̟̗͍͖͉̬̟̓̋̽̈́̈́̍̂̊͘̕ ̷̢̧̺̻̥̼͓̣̤̟̼̳͓͇̑̎͐̌͑̊̽̈́͒̈́̌͘͠D̸͓̼̻̿̊̋͒̄̈́͠ͅi̵̧̛̛̙͚̳͓͍̻̫͇̅̈́͗̈́͛̽͐̈̕ͅs̷̫͔̗̔͐̓͌̅ḇ̷̧̧̨̙̩̥̫̻̀̈́̄̚ͅà̴̡̫̱̲̹̞̙̺̚n̶̢̟̭̺̦̹̲̪̯̻̰̮̔̿̄͜ḓ̴̝̻̘̀ē̴̡̗̘̼̯̅d̸̡͈̗͙̘̜͔̬̼̾͂̀͐͌̑̒̊!̵͎̯͖̭̯͍͉͔̰͌̄̎̎̑̃͐̌̅͘̚͜

Ŕ̷̩͔͇̲͊̇̈̈́̑̀̾͐̔e̶͔͕̬͚̼̒̆́̂͋̉͆̾̾̿̋̇̀̒͝p̸͖̞͗ằ̶̡̨̢̛͚̘̠͉̪̟͖̜̱̱̙́̊̄̐̀̔̓́͆͘ỉ̷̡͚͓͓̲͈͉͙̗̅̔͗̔̀̔̀̿̿̆͐̀͒̕ͅͅŕ̴̡̛̖̭̽͑͊̈́̂͗͝i̶̢̛͕̱̣̮̾̿̍͛̊̃̉́̈̉n̵̨̢̬̼͑̅̈́̕ͅg̷̛̭̗͈̼͔͕̤̳̘̝͙̏̓̈̎̇͛̌͜͝͝ͅ ̷̞̝͓̒̏͊̇́̔͋̒̿͘S̶̻̣̲̘͇̖̤̰͂͛͑̿̎̏̀̋̑͆̌͋͘ͅy̸̝͔̝͙̩̦̦̱̭̓̔͒̉͒͌̓̑͒ͅͅs̴̱̱̲̝͕̫͒͛̌̎͆̇͂͌͆́̕͜͝͝ͅt̵͖̫̼̕ͅḛ̵͕̪̲͚̤̥̬̯̭͍̺͕̃̌̍̎̑̓̐̿́̚͜͝͝m̶̖͓̂!̸̢̣̱͕̬͚̠͔͍͇̒̋͂

Time to Completion: 12 hours

Gengen grimaced as his nose burned at a new stench. One even worse than rotting garbage teeming with maggots. He almost missed it over the putrid stench of cigarette smoke drifting from afar.

"Sean! Sean!" Soiree called worriedly, flying up to his face. The moogle opened Sean's eyelid and gasped when she saw his sclera had turned blood red. "Lower him to the ground, please, Gengen."

"What wrong with him?" Gengen sniffed Sean's neck, picking up the faint aroma of freshly cut grass and something he couldn't place. Something otherworldly. "And why he smell so bad?"

Soiree's sense of smell was nowhere near as strong as his, so she didn't know what he was talking about. However, that didn't mean she missed the new tide of wickedness now befouling the land. The kobold laid Sean down gently on his back, his nose confused by all the swirling scents.

The moogle shook her head. "I don't know." She cursed herself mentally, deeply regretting the fact she gave up on learning [Esuna] and the other healing spells. Being able to cast these spells took years of intensive study and medical knowledge that Soiree found too difficult and time-consuming to dedicate herself to. Plus, her interests lie in engineering, very typical of her race.

A short distance away, Stratoavis' body started to move once more. The decapitated head blinked and slithered its tongue out to taste the air, subconsciously relishing the rush of power gifted to it and the second chance to slaughter people. An unearthly purple aura covered the head and body, levitating both pieces closer to rejoin them whilst all the plants Jack sowed into the earth died.

The vines snapped and changed from a verdant green to a dead brown. The flowers wilted, causing their white petals to fall off. Even the last of the produce was done for. Jack's smile slipped away into a flat expression, unamused at his plants' passing. Having a deep connection to nature, Jack felt a kinship to flora that most others didn't.

The Captain narrowed his eyes at the monster imperceptibly, sensing the strange feeling from earlier more easily now.

He darted forward and swung his sword downwards, fully intending to split the head in two. Jack's claymore made contact with an invisible barrier that produced an electric crackle. Slowly but surely, his blade carved an opening and cut the other eye, reducing it to jelly. The head shrieked, mustering up energy for a [Self-Destruct], but Jack was undeterred as his blade slid the rest of the way and the halves hit the earth, rapidly deteriorating into nothing.

Sensing the head's destruction, the body warped into an ethereal form, turning completely black and becoming a silhouette of its former self. Many present stared in open horror, unable to fathom how such a thing could exist.

A volley of arrows was suddenly fired from the edge of the fields where a forest had grown. Clouds of smoke covered the entire area, obscuring everyone and being too dense for their vision to pierce. The guards coughed harshly and their eyes stung from the fumes, becoming irritated and moist.

A solitary arrow struck the avian in its breast, swiftly decaying the living corpse till it was gone, leaving no shred of its existence behind.

Heavy footfalls like a cavalry stampede approached Sean's position, thundering loudly with bright yellow wings flapping in the wind. The last thing either Soiree or Gengen remembered was powder exploding in their faces before everything went dark.

Shadow moved farther into the fields and withdrew a kusarigama. He swung the kusari-fundo, the kusari being the metal chain, around over the guards' heads in a circular motion with the fundo end, the heavy iron weight. The rapid spinning of the rattling chain cleared away the smoke, revealing that all of them were okay.

Except for Sean and his party, who were nowhere to be found.

Wedge POV

Earlier…

The Police Lieutenant and Emily arrived at Kathy's Chocobo Ranch following a path leading out of the northeastern edge of town shortly after leaving the tavern.

A cozy cottage sat amidst a lush field of grass, juxtaposed against a clear blue sky like a traditional landscape painting. Trees covered in vibrant foliage dotted the back of the property. A well sat behind the house, to the left of a four-story silo which in turn stood to the left of a metal barn where the Chocobos were housed.

Every structure on Kathy's property was painted a rustic white, including the well, and the image of a Chocobo was painted above the doors to the stables.

A female gnoll with yellow fur, flecked with brown spots, stood guard over the majestic birds, keeping a close eye on them from the rail fence. White fur covered her front around her chest and stomach along with her muzzle while wild black hair spilled down her back to her tail.

Her nose picked up their combined scent, that of metal and sweat from a hard day's work, and spared them a glance with her chocolate brown eyes. Not seeing them as a threat, she returned to her watch, the gnoll's imposing figure a clear deterrent to any would-be troublemakers. Her bardiche complemented her appearance and served as yet another warning for anyone stupid enough to try anything.

A short distance away, a light brown furred kobold was carrying bags of bird seed out from the barn to the corral. He sported a red sweater with a blue horizontal strip running across the chest, little white, cartoonish bones sewn into it. A pair of light khaki overalls accompanied his ensemble, having only one strap in the form of a belt buckle going over his right shoulder.

Blue padding with extra pockets overlay his pant legs, kept on with three additional belt buckles. A pair of brown work boots finished his attire.

Muto waved at them with a friendly smile, his bright orange eyes contrasting the ugly diagonal scar between them. It traveled from the base of his muzzle to above his right eye, disappearing underneath his blue, white-striped, winter wool cap.

Wedge and Emily waved back happily, the officer less so to maintain the proper behavior befitting his position.

They watched the kobold go about his job, pouring seed into feeding trays while being followed around by chicks of various colors like a mother duck. They tweeted joyfully and playfully pecked at his wagging tail. Muto chuckled at the silly little birds and kept moving his tail out of the way. The parents kept a cautious eye out, on high alert from the Chocobo Eater's attacks, but they stayed where they were since they were accustomed to Muto's presence, finding him of good character.

Up ahead, there was a slight commotion and Wedge moved to assist whereas Emily went to the barn, no doubt where Juan was hiding.

"Woah, girl! Settle down," a feminine voice said from behind the house. The Lieutenant walked back there to find a young cowgirl wrestling with the reins of a spooked Chocobo. "What's gotten into you?"

The young woman wore a white, button-down, long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. A brown vest sat over this, complemented by the Stetson on her head. She sported blue denim shorts over which she had on a belt with a harness of sorts. Most peculiar, the section of material covering her legs alternated between white and various shades of brown going all the way down to her light brown boots. Spurs were on the back of them.

"Do you require any assistance, miss?" Wedge asked politely.

The blonde-haired teenager glanced at him briefly with her light green eyes before returning to the issue at hand, mild annoyance coloring her face while her arms fought desperately to get the pink avian to calm down.

"I don't know what you're doing here, stranger," Kathy said, regarding Wedge with suspicion. Sure, she had seen him in town, but the two never conversed before now. "But if you think you can get her under control, then you're welcome to try."

Wedge calmly approached the bird, knowing full well how powerful their legs were after witnessing Biggs get kicked into a lake in one particular instance. He slowly removed his black gloves to avoid distressing the bird further. Wedge placed his hands gently upon the avian's neck and combed his fingers through its plumage, scratching lightly in certain spots. His hands slowly traveled up to the Chocobo's cheeks before going back down and repeating the process.

The avian calmed down in a slow, but sure manner and leaned into Wedge's hands, warbling contentedly at him with its blue eyes closed.

Kathy let go of the reins and rubbed her forehead with her arm. "Woo wee! Thanks for the assist, stranger." She smiled at the sight of them. "How'd you know how to calm her down?"

Wedge looked at her while his hands stayed at work. "The Police often use Chocobos to assist in various matters, Ms. Kathy, I presume."

Kathy snorted. "There isn't any need for formalities. You can just call me Kathy. It's much simpler that way."

"My apologies. Well then, Kathy. I happened to pick up a few things along the way during my training as an officer." The Police sometimes used other mounts, but Chocobos served as their main mode of transportation due to their reliability. And, with how often they encountered monsters and criminals out in the field, not to mention the birds' normally skittish natures, Wedge felt it wise to learn how to better take care of them, especially when it came to calming them down while on the job.

It wouldn't do well to find yourself in the wilderness without a fast set of legs.

"I didn't think you lot cared too much about those sorts of things." She grabbed the bird's reins once more now that her arms got a chance to rest and she gestured for Wedge to follow her back to the barn. "Figured you all just see 'em as dumb animals."

Wedge nodded. "It is true that some of my fellow officers see them that way." Biggs wasn't the only one who held that point of view. "But I feel it appropriate to treat them with proper respect."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Kathy replied, happy to see other people saw these creatures for what they were. "Now, I'm sure you didn't come all the way out here just to chat."

"You'd be right, Kathy. Has a blonde haired man come by here recently?"

"Juan's skiving off work again, huh?" She shook her head at Juan's laziness, a tad bemused how anyone can be that way. Kathy herself woke up around 5 AM every morning to take care of the ranch and got a full day's work. "He's up ahead in the barn. Said something about meeting up with Barts, but he's probably just napping again."

Emily POV

Upon entering the barn, Emily was quick to notice Juan sleeping on his side on the floor, right hand on his hip and his head propped up with his left.

Juan was a young man with brown eyes and blonde hair combed upwards at the front. He wore a green vest and shorts with red stripes on them, light clothing underneath, and brown wraps around his arms and legs. He also wore a traditional styled geta (a tight-fitting sandal) on his feet and white socks. Some type of herb/grass was sticking out of his mouth.

"Juan! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you," Emily said.

Juan opened his tired eyes, his body maintaining the same position. "What's all the fuss about? I was just out here training, that's all."

Emily stomped her foot. "Don't give me that. You were supposed to help me work on my legs today." She reached down and plucked the sleep-inducing herb from his mouth. "And you need to stop taking this. It can't be good for your health."

"Barts is going to meet me here," Juan replied, chill as the breeze. "Thought I'd catch forty winks while I waited."

"The tomato farmer? Likely story," Emily said, thinking it another excuse to shirk his job. "You need to come back to the dojo. What if new students show up while we're away?"

"As my assistant instructor, I'm sure you can handle it." Juan closed his eyes to go back to sleep. "You're pretty capable."

Just as she was about to reply, there was a knock on one of the stables.

"Now isn't a bad time, is it?" Barts asked, hoping he wasn't interrupting anything important.

Barts was a 23-year-old man with green eyes and a black bandana covering the top of his head. Clean, auburn hair framed the sides of his face. Barts wore a brown, leather Bomber jacket with a white, furry collar. The jacket was unbuttoned except for the top one. Under this, Barts sported a teal vest with a yellow vertical accent down the middle of the front, over a black, long sleeve shirt. A pair of light green pants covered his legs, complemented by black work shoes.

Juan stood up and placed another piece of Quat in his mouth, ignoring Emily's disappointed expression. "You're right on time. Now we can get moving so I can go back to sleep."

"What's up, Barts?" Emily asked. "Are you really meeting with Juan or are you here to help Kathy?"

"There's something wrong with the soil," Barts replied with a frown. "My latest batch of tomatoes warned me of a rotting influence close by that could ruin our entire harvest if something isn't done about it."

"And with everyone else being busy, it couldn't be helped that I was stuck with this." Juan said.

"Your tomatoes?" Emily raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"It's not as farfetched as you think," Juan commented. "Those who dedicate themselves to plant-based magic can talk to them with enough practice. The other seven elements probably have something similar."

"They're pretty chatty, but they shouldn't be so ripe with concern about their looks. Heh heh!" Barts stated humorously with a smile.

"Do you know what direction the disturbance is in?" Juan asked, absentmindedly chewing on his herb. Barts nodded. "Let's get going then."

"Wait!" Emily said, standing in their way. "You're not leaving me behind again. I'm going with you."

"Settle down, all right? I won't try to stop you."

"Wedge came along with me, too," Emily informed. "He wanted to talk to you about Town Guard business."

Juan sighed. "What a drag," he muttered. "All right, having him tag along should take some of the weight off."

"Did someone call my name?" Wedge asked as he and Kathy entered the barn. The cowgirl, or rather bird girl, put the avian in its pen and left everyone else to their business. She did greet Barts with the tip of her hat in passing, receiving a nod and smile in return. The farmer has delivered corn, carrots, and other vegetables to the ranch in the past, so they were well acquainted.

"Emily said you needed to talk to me?"

Wedge nodded. "Indeed. I wanted to know if you've learned anything new concerning the tremors and quakes affecting Norwich's outskirts."

"We're actually heading out right now." Juan gestured to Barts. "He thinks he knows where the source of the problem is."

"Tag along with us, Wedge." Emily said, pumped up and ready to go. "It'll be a good chance to get in some more exercise."

"Very well. If it's to help the town, then I will gladly assist you."

"Great," Juan spoke unenthusiastically and turned to Barts. "Lead the way."

"All right. Follow me," Bart replied and they left the ranch.

Wedge POV

Just before the decapitation…

The Lieutenant yawned with his fist raised to his mouth.

"Didn't get a good night's sleep?" Emily asked in mild concern. Continuously staying up late and not getting enough hours of sleep was never a good idea, having a negative effect on the body and her daily training regimen.

"I know how you feel," Juan empathized. "Get a bit tired myself without two naps every morning and afternoon."

"If you stopped chewing those leaves, then you'd be able to train more," Emily responded, upset that Juan was squandering his potential.

"It's all part of my workout." Juan chewed on his leaf for emphasis.

Emily shook her head and turned back to Wedge. "What kept you up? Anything interesting?"

"My fellow officers and I were assigned to protect Domina and I'm pleased to report that we were able to stop a Chobin Hood attack." Wedge found no problem in telling them, having memorized the rules of the police codebook front and back.

Emily perked up, a spark of interest in her eyes. "Did everything turn out okay? Have any good fights?"

Wedge shook his head. "None whatsoever. Sean managed to catch the tribesmen by surprise with a water spell so there was no need for me to take action."

"Sean? Who's that?" Emily asked.

"A stranger with who I recently made acquaintance. His help was instrumental in saving the town."

"Is he pretty strong?"

Wedge shrugged. "I'm not aware of the extent of his strength, but he and myself, along with three others, slew a Du'Inke in Mekiv Caverns not too long ago…which reminds me." The Lieutenant paused and pulled out the slip of paper that Sean handed him last time they talked.

"Excuse me, Juan, but have you heard of any of these terms?" He asked, catching the lazy martial artist's attention. Wedge held the piece of paper out to Juan, who took it and read the short list. "Sean made it sound like they were vitally important."

"No, I don't recall any of these." Juan handed the sheet back. Wedge showed the list to Emily earlier and received the same answer.

"That's unfortunate, but thank you all the same."

Juan exhaled. "I keep telling you there's no need to be so formal all the time."

"Sorry, I…Barts? Have you found something?"

The farmer came to a stop, the green light shining from his eyes fading as a dizzy spell overtook him. Barts remained silent since their departure from the ranch, focusing solely on the task at hand. His ability to communicate with plants extended to grass and they spoke to him of a rot slowly spreading within the earth, the talkative turf pointing him in the right direction.

Barts shook his head. "Sorry about that. The grass was saying the root of the problem should be just ahead." He punned.

"Think that's them?" Juan asked rhetorically, gesturing with his head.

Out in the country, there wasn't much to see other than plains of grass, groupings of trees, and the odd pond. Dead ahead of them, there was a bare patch of earth. A large boulder rested at its center. The monsters' presence was too obvious.

"I believe so, yes," Wedge replied, withdrawing his sword.

"All right, let's do this!" Emily exclaimed, eager for battle.

Barts stood a safe distance back to give them room, but didn't stray too far away to where he was in danger.

"All right, then." Juan spit out the quat and shot forward with his tired expression still in place.

The Bujutsu master performed a flying kick on the boulder and broke it into pieces with minimal effort, showering the earth with tiny bits of stone and launching its occupant 10 feet away. [Defender X] picked itself back up and "glowered" balefully at the lazy man.

The golem's body was comprised entirely of light brown and forest green stone, partially eroded by water and time and caked with dirt. Both of its four-fingered hands and each of its legs had sections with symbols etched into them. The four stones on the back of its hands were arranged circularly while the parts on the legs were two plates.

Its left shoulder was a large, solid cube while the right had substantially crumbled away. The face was just two hollows carved to mimic eyes and green above to imitate angrily furrowed eyebrows. Below the eyes, there was an area made to resemble a man's abdomen, but more likely an open mouth since spikes of light brown stone were carved around it to look like teeth.

"Come here. I'll take you on." Juan beckoned the earthly ten-foot-tall automaton.

The golem accepted his challenge and lumbered towards him, swinging its fists up into the air and throwing them both down diagonally at his head. Juan easily dodged the first fist of the [Haymaker] and knocked the second to the side with a palm strike, causing the golem to stumble forward.

Juan calmly grabbed ahold of its arm and sunk his fingers into the stone strong enough to where spider web cracks formed. Lashing out with his foot, Juan kicked the golem's leg out from under it and performed a shoulder throw, slamming the golem onto its back which left an impression in the ground.

Juan then stomped his foot flat on its mouth, breaking the body into two. Defender X became motionless and Juan dusted his hands off, walking back to the group.

"That was an exemplary display of combat," Wedge complimented, putting his sword away.

"Yeah, no kidding," Emily muttered disappointedly, her hopes for a good fight dashed.

"It was no big deal."

The upper half of Defender X started to move and it slowly raised its arm, shooting it at Juan for one final attack.

[Blast Punch]

"Look out!"

Juan simply grabbed the arm when it entered his range. Turning with its propulsion, Juan redirected the arm back at Defender X. The move hit its target with a mighty crash, kicking up a cloud of dust. When it cleared, all that was left was rubble, no hope of the monster returning.

"Like I said, nothing to get worked up about," Juan stated.

"Does anyone else feel that that was perhaps too easy?" Wedge asked.

"Guys, I think we have trouble," Barts said uneasily, noticing dark energy that was invisible to the others rise from the golem's remains and shoot off elsewhere. "We may have just opened Pandora's Box."

"It's probably nothing we can't handle." Juan replied assuredly, not too concerned about the troubles the future would bring.

He didn't know how wrong he was.

Author's Notes: Here's Chapter 9. Sorry it's been over four months since I've updated, but I was busy with school until a couple months ago and other things have been going on. This chapter kind of kicked my ass a bit too. While writing the drafts, I kept finding more problems and kept getting better ideas.

Originally, I was going to have Sean and his party kill most of the flock and then have reinforcements get called in and have him wind up in a sword fight. I then realized something. Norwich has existed for years within the story. The people protecting it would have to be competent for it to still be standing instead of waiting for Sean to come along.

In case anyone brings it up, the part with the rats enjoying the rain is not racial commentary. I read somewhere that brown rats tend to like water more than black ones. And a dog's sense of smell is much greater than ours.

Anyway, thanks for sticking with this story and the next chapter probably won't be up for a while.

(Update: 7/15/20): I recently finished the stats page and it wasn't until I posted it on this site that I experienced how much of a strain on the eye it was to read through everything. I've decided to leave it off the site for now. Some "Gamer" story writers include them, but I think most leave them out.

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