Author: Rohan M. Vider
Date: 2020-12-28 05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Fantasy; Young Adult; Magic; dragons; Fiction; Post Apocalyptic; Action; Adventure; Science Fiction; Dystopia
Description: A magic apocalypse. Refugees from Earth. A new world. Elves, orcs, and dragons! Portals from Overworld have appeared on Earth, and beings intent on conscripting humanity into the mysterious Trials have invaded. Earth is doomed. Humanity has been exiled. Can Jamie save mankind? Jamie Sinclair, a young man with unique gifts, must find a way for his family and friends to survive Earth's destruction and build a new home in Overworld. The Trials is not a game. Will Jamie survive its challenges? Join Jamie as he struggles through the brutal Trials while wrestling with his new magics and Overworld's
Publisher: Myelad Publishing

Overworld

The Dragon Mage Saga,

Book 1

Overworld

The Dragon Mage Saga,

Book 1

Rohan M. Vider

Copyright

Overworld (The Dragon Mage Saga, Book 1), a self-published book by Rohan M. Vider.

Copyright © 2020 Rohan M. Vider.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact rohan.vider@gmail.com.

First Edition

Revision 1.0

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

Acknowledgements

Thanks to my long-suffering wife and two children. This book, as usual, is dedicated to you.

Also, thanks to my editor, Josiah Davis at JD Book Services, for his sterling work, professionalism, and the meticulous care of his editing.

And finally, thanks to all my readers, who have made these stories possible.

Books by Rohan M. Vider

The Dragon Mage Saga

Overworld, Book 1

The Gods’ Game (A LitRPG series)

Crota, the Gods’ Game Volume I

The Labyrinth, the Gods’ Game Volume II

Sovereign Rising, the Gods’ Game Volume III

Sovereign, the Gods’ Game, Volume IV

Tales from the Gods’ Game (A LitRPG collection of short stories & novels)

Dungeon Dive (Tales from the Gods’ Game, Book 1)

And coming in March 2021:

Sovereign’s Choice, the Gods’ Game, Volume V

Overworld

The Dragon Mage Saga, Book 1

A magic apocalypse. Refugees from Earth. A new world. Elves, orcs, and dragons!

Portals from Overworld have appeared on Earth, and beings intent on conscripting humanity into the mysterious Trials have invaded.

Earth is doomed. Humanity has been exiled. Can Jamie save mankind?

Jamie Sinclair, a young man with unique gifts, must find a way for his family and friends to survive Earth’s destruction and build a new home in Overworld.

The Trials is not a game. Will Jamie survive its challenges?

Join Jamie as he struggles through the brutal Trials while wrestling with his new magics and Overworld’s game-like dynamics.

A fantasy post-apocalyptic survival story of one man’s journey to save humanity.

Author’s Note

Dear Readers,

Thank you for reading the Dragon Mage Saga.

A cautionary word to those of you unfamiliar with the genre, this is a story based in a game-like world. It contains elements common to CRPG and MMO computer games, but knowledge of such games is not necessary to enjoy the story.

This is a self-published work, and even though care has been given to the review and editing of this book, some errors may have slipped through. For these, I apologise.

I encourage you to drop me a message on anything related to the Overworld or otherwise. Please also let others know what you think about the book by leaving a review on www.amazon.com and www.goodreads.com.

Most importantly, I hope you enjoy the book!

Best Regards,

Rohan M. Vider

Rohan.vider@gmail.com

Contents

Overworld

Copyright

Acknowledgements

Books by Rohan M. Vider

Overworld

Author’s Note

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Jamie’s Player Profile

Afterword

General Definitions

Trial System Definitions

List of Locations

List of Notable Characters

Chapter 1

01 May

Life is not fair. And neither are the Trials. —Anonymous player.

“Jamie, come quickly. You have to see this!”

Mum’s cry of alarm was muffled by the large headphones I had on, but even so, the sense of her distress filtered through my clanmates’ panicked voices over the team chat.

Our battle against the world boss was not going well. And now it’ll go even worse, I thought as I surged out of my chair. But there was no helping it, Mum needed me.

“Guys,” I said, breaking in through the team’s frantic chatter. “My mum’s in trouble. I gotta go.” I ripped off my headset. “What is it, Ma?” I shouted. Hurrying out of the room, I dashed into the lounge as fast as my gimp leg would allow.

“The news!” said my diminutive mother the moment I appeared in the cramped room.

The… news? I stifled a groan. Had I just abandoned my clan’s epic fight for the latest media craze? The guys are not going to let me live this one down. “It’s just the news, Ma,” I said soothingly. “Bad stuff happens all the—”

“Shush, Jamie and listen!” Mum said, clutching blindly at my arm. Her eyes never left the television screen.

She hasn’t heard a word I said, I thought.

“Look!” she exclaimed and pointed with a trembling finger at our battered telly.

I sighed. I wasn’t going to get back into the fight, at least not until I calmed her down. And besides, it was probably too late already. A man down, the clan must have wiped by now. I followed her arm—and blinked.

“…it’s the breaking news of the hour,” the news presenter was saying. “Ninety-foot-tall structures of unknown origin have appeared all over the world. Experts believe…”

The presenter’s words faded away as my attention was grabbed by the images on display. The newsfeed was filled with a close-up shot of one of the objects in question, in what appeared to be New York’s Central Park. Expanding from the ground up, seemingly as if it had stood there for all eternity, was a most absurd and unnatural structure.

The artefact—what else to call it?—was formed of a silver metal with a faint tinge of red. Given the perspective of the background, I could tell the object was immense. But for all that, its design was disturbingly simple. Made of four metal pieces arranged in a rectangular shape, the artefact could have been mistaken for a window frame or doorway—if not for its size and strange composition. What is that metal? Some sort of steel?

I scratched my head in confusion. Was this a prank? Why would anyone create the object, much less place it in the middle of a city? I patted Mum’s hand comfortingly and slipped out of her white-knuckled grip. Hobbling closer to the television, I leaned forward for a better look.

My initial assumption had been wrong.

The artefact was not as simple as it had appeared at first glance. The inside of the structure wasn’t empty. Instead, it was filled with a near-translucent shimmering curtain of red. The crimson-touched metal borders were not as plain as I had originally assumed either. Inscribed on their surface, barely visible in the less-than-ideal resolution of the broadcast, were flowing patterns that seemed to be writing of some sort.

The text did not appear to be of earthly origin.

Frowning, I leaned back.

“What is it?” asked Mum. Her voice was worried and she stayed well back from the television.

“I don’t know, Ma,” I murmured. It has to be fake news, I decided. I pulled out my phone and searched the web for corroboration while I listened to the broadcast with half an ear.

“…what do you make of it, Timothy?”

“I don’t know, Janice. This has to be a hoax, but with more than fifty confirmed sightings across the globe, it is a pretty elaborate one, not to mention expensive.”

“A hoax, Timothy? I can’t see that. I mean, the sheer scale of the resources required to pull off something like this… It defies belief. And what would be the point?”

“What else could it be, Janice?”

“You don’t think there is anything to what our commenters are saying? For the folks at home who may have missed our earlier interviews, some experts believe the objects are not of earthly origin, but the work of extra-terrestrials.”

“Aliens! Be serious, Janice,” Timothy said with an amused chuckle. He waved his arms vaguely above his head. “Even if there were aliens out there, surely they would have smarter ways of initiating first contact than what is for all intents and purposes, big metal windows?” He shook his head in disbelief. “The very notion is absurd.”

I tuned out Janice’s reply.

There was not much point in paying further attention to the newsfeed. It was clear the presenters were as clueless as I was. But as farfetched as it sounded, the existence of the structures seemed indisputable.

Multiple sources on the web confirmed the sighting of at least fifty-three of the artefacts. And while speculation was rife amongst internet pundits, bloggers, and forum-goers about the origins of the artefacts, no one was questioning the authenticity of the sightings. The existence of the structures, it seemed, was accepted fact—even on the internet.

There were multiple theories about the objects already. Some believed the artefacts to be the work of aliens, and others that they were clever illusions created by the government. Some suggested that the inscriptions were an ancient form of Egyptian hieroglyphics, others that the structures signalled the return of Atlantis. And those were the saner hypotheses.

“Jamie, what is this all about?” Mum asked, her voice uncertain. “How can any of this be happening?”

I looked up from my phone to her stricken face. “I don’t know, Ma,” I repeated.

Walking back to her, I took her careworn hands, calloused and wrinkled from decades of back-breaking work, into my own, which were still smooth and unmarred by age. “Whatever those strange artefacts are, no one seems to understand their purpose. Yet.” I squeezed her hands reassuringly. “The government will figure it out soon.”

“What do we do?” she asked, still anxious.

I kept my own face impassive, careful not to betray my concern both for her and the situation of the world outside. Mum’s mental state was precariously balanced most days, and with today’s shocking news, she seemed even worse off than usual.

Life had taken a toll on her. Despite having almost no education to speak of, no family, a deadbeat husband, and one hungry kid to feed, clothe, and educate, she had succeeded in providing me with the opportunities she had missed.

She had worked two jobs—and sometimes three—in an effort to fund my education. Now, at the age of twenty-four and a working professional, it was my turn to take care of her.

Though, I couldn’t help but worry I was failing.

Day by day, despite all the doctors and medication, Mum’s condition steadily deteriorated. A form of dementia, the doctors called it. Give the meds time to work, they said. She will recover, they said.

But it had been nearly a year now since Mum had stopped working—nearly a year of endless medication. And her condition only seemed to worsen. I squeezed her hands. I could not afford to lose her.

“Come sit, Mum,” I said. “Let’s watch the news together. I’m sure that this will all turn out to be just a big mistake. A hoax,” I said, quoting the presenter.

But I did not believe it myself.

✽✽✽

Three days went by, and no one appeared any closer to solving the mystery of the artefacts. Every day more of the objects appeared, until by the end of the third day it seemed that every town and city in the world had one.

The artefacts, though, were not identical.

While they all shared the same basic characteristics—rectangular design, identical dimensions, and borders inscribed with alien runes—observers had noted that there were nearly as many structures with a shimmering field of green as those with a curtain of red. Artefacts of other colours were also witnessed. A small, but significant percentage, of the objects had translucent fields of orange, blue, and black.

Even our own town, small and unnoteworthy of attention as it was, received one of the structures. Looking out my bedroom window, I had a clear view of the artefact, a mammoth structure some two hundred yards away. It had appeared yesterday, suddenly and without anyone noticing, in the car park of the town’s only shopping mall.

Like other officials all over the world, our mayor had little idea what to make of the artefact, or for that matter, what to do about it. Eventually, he had settled on cordoning off the area and ignoring its glaring presence.

But that had not stopped the curious and bold from exploring. Even now, many of the town’s residents wandered around the structure and touched its strangely textured surface that scientists had confirmed as being of unearthly origin.

Some of the more adventurous souls had even hopped through its shimmering curtain. Despite reports from across the globe that the translucent field had no noticeable effect on human or animal anatomy it was still a foolish risk to take, in my opinion.

As for myself, I itched to go out and take a closer look at the strange artefact, but Mum’s anxiety had worsened over the last few days, and I could scarce leave her sight.

Thankfully my boss was a kind and understanding soul. I had been forced to call in sick from work and had spent every day since the announcement in front of the couch with Mum, soothing her worry with my presence.

It was no surprise then, that I was slumped on the couch and gazing listlessly at the television when the expert commenters’ endless—and fruitless—speculation was interrupted by what would prove to be a most momentous event.

“I’m sorry, Doctor Theisen,” said the anchor Janice, cutting off one of the commenters, “but we have to interrupt the show with a live broadcast from New York City, where a most extraordinary event is taking place.” The newsfeed jumped to a reporter shifting excitedly from foot to foot. “Rebecca,” continued Janice, “can you tell us what is going on there?”

Rebecca bobbed her head. “Yes, Janice. If the appearance of the structures was not astonishing enough, events have turned even more bizarre. Across the world, faces have been spotted in the artefacts. Even in the one in our very own New York!”

“I’m sorry, Rebecca, did I hear you right?” asked the anchor in a confused voice. “Did you say faces?”

“I did, Janice,” said Rebecca, speaking rapidly. “To be clear though, it is a two-dimensional image of a face and not an actual one. Our experts now believe the artefacts to be some sort of visual projection device. But the most amazing aspect about all this is that the face bears no human resemblance. By all appearance it is of alien origin!”

“I’m not sure I understood you—”

“Sorry to interrupt, Janice,” said Rebecca. “We have just been told that the alien has begun speaking through the London artefact and in English too! Yes, you heard right, the alien has started communicating in a language we can—”

The reporter broke off and held up a hand while she listened intently to her earpiece for a moment. “Apologies to you and our listeners, Janice. We have more information coming through. My producer tells me the alien is now also speaking from the structures in Washington and Berlin. We anticipate it will speak from the New York artefact soon as well. Stand by while we take you to a live feed of that right now!”

What the—? I jerked upright on the couch.

“This can’t be true, can it?” Mum asked, her nails sinking into my arm. “It all has to be some sort of sick joke.”

I patted her absently, but didn’t take my eyes off the television. Mum was right. All of this sounded too preposterous to be believed. Surely, the reporter was mistaken. Nonetheless it was riveting to watch.

A second later, the newsfeed jumped to an aerial shot of the New York artefact from one of the overlooking buildings. I leaned forward. Within the hazy red curtain of the structure, I beheld a face—an inhuman yet distinctly humanoid face.

My jaw dropped open in astonishment as I studied the alien.

The alien’s facial features were instantly recognizable to me, courtesy of a lifetime spent reading science fiction novels and playing RPGs. With flaring nostrils, two upwards protruding tusks from its lower jaw, and deep-set sunken eyes, the face in the object was a spitting image of an… orc.

An orc? Really?

The aliens who had caused strange artefacts to appear all over Earth were orcs? I shook my head in disbelief.

Seeing my reaction, Mum asked, “What is it?”

Before I could answer her though, the orc began speaking, his voice a low rumble that hinted at leashed power. “People of Earth, I am Warlord Duskar Silverbane, chieftain of the Fangtooth tribe and supreme ruler of the Orcish Federation.” He paused dramatically. “And now Earth. By the laws of Overworld and the Trials that govern it, I claim your planet and you, the humans that infest it, as mine.”

Duskar smiled. It was not a pleasant sight, and seemed to be filled with a promise of suffering to come. “You doubt my words. I can smell your rebellious thoughts even from here. But you will learn. Serve or die, those are the only choices before you. Yours is not the first world I have laid claim to, nor will it be the last.”

He chuckled, the sound reverberating ominously from the artefact. “By the dictates of the Trials, there are a few facts I am obliged to convey. Listen closely. I will not repeat myself.

“Your world is being subsumed into Overworld. In two weeks the process will be complete. Thereafter, your planet shall cease to exist. It will be gone from the universe, its energy, matter”—Duskar bared his filed teeth in another ugly smile—“and all its plentiful creatures, will be absorbed into Overworld as grist to fuel the Trials.

“If you don’t wish to be consumed along with your world, you will enter the gates before then.” Duskar’s clawed hand appeared and gestured lazily at the borders of the artefact rimming his image. “The gates will open tomorrow, and they will stay open for exactly two weeks. My men will await your arrival and take your oaths. Only those who pledge loyalty to me will be allowed into Overworld. Those who resist will be put to the sword. And in case you think deceit will save you, the Trials take pledges made in its name very seriously.” He sneered. “You will not enjoy the consequences of severing such oaths, believe me. Goodnight, humans.”

Duskar’s face vanished, and the newsfeed cut back to the anchor, whose mouth worked soundlessly, not knowing quite what to say. “Well there you have it—”

I switched off the television and swung round to face Mum. “What do we do, Jamie?” she asked, her face pale.

“I don’t know, Ma,” I said staring out the window at the distant gate. “I just don’t know.”

Chapter 2

03 May

We shall rule Overworld. If not today, then tomorrow. This, I promise you. —Duskar Silverbane.

As it turned out, Duskar was not the only alien the world got to see that night. Following closely on the heels of his speech another—more palatable one—was given from the gates of shimmering green.

“People of Earth, most of you have no doubt already heard the words of the tyrant, Duskar,” said the woman on the screen.

Mum and I were glued to the television again. Like Duskar before her, the woman’s skin was tinged green. Yet her other features couldn’t have been more different. Her ears peaked to a point, her face was thin and sharp, and her eyes were wide and round.

Unsurprisingly, given the woman’s looks, she identified herself as an elf. As the elven queen: Ionia, ‘leader of the free elven people of Overworld,’ to be exact.

“While Duskar spoke true,” Ionia said, her lips thinned and green eyes sparkling with fury, “the wretch has not given you all the truth. Your world is being forcibly consumed at the behest of Duskar. The tyrant has initiated the process without your consent. A most heinous crime, but regrettably one that cannot be reversed.”

The elven queen bowed her head and her flowing green locks shielded her gaze, but not before revealing eyes heavy with sorrow.

I frowned. The gesture seemed deliberate, and a tad too artful to be natural. Just how practiced was Ionia’s speech?

A moment later, the elven queen lifted her head and continued, “It is the practice of the Elven Protectorate to only voluntarily subsume new worlds. However, now that Duskar has begun the process, it cannot be stopped. The best I can offer you is the opportunity to join our cause and escape a lifetime of slavery under the orcs.

“Many of you must be wondering about Overworld. I will tell you what I can.” Ionia paused, seemingly to gather her thoughts. “Overworld is an ever-shifting land created by the long-vanished Elders in a dimension removed from your own. Just as you are being assimilated now, many millennia ago the orcish and elven people were also brought to this world.

“Even after centuries, we can only guess at the Trials’ ultimate purpose, but one thing is certain: the Trials have fashioned Overworld into a test, one whose objective is to evolve its inhabitants into stronger images of themselves. Why, however, remains a mystery.

“Know that if you enter the Trials, you will be journeying into a world of conflict, a world where you will be constantly challenged. Overworld is a harsh land. Survival there will be difficult if not impossible on your own. Know, too, that if you choose to accept our aid, my people and I will be there to help you every step of the way.” Ionia’s lips widened into a benevolent smile, entreating us with both her beauty and words.

Again, there seemed to be something off about the elven queen’s mannerisms. She is trying too hard, I thought. My suspicions hardened.

More and more, I was certain Ionia’s speech was staged to appeal to a trapped and confused populous. To my cynical eye, at least. So, was Ionia truly as altruistic as she appeared, or did the elves have less noble motives for coming to humanity’s aid?

I knew what my money was on.

“As new entrants into Overworld, your species will not be entirely without protection,” the elven queen continued. “The Trials has granted humanity its own territory. This land, the newly created Human Dominion, will be seeded with wildlife and monsters from all over Overworld and its multitude of subsumed worlds. The Human Dominion will be shielded for exactly one Overworld year, during which time it will be protected from invasion.”

Ionia raised a cautionary finger. “But do not think this means you are safe. The monsters and non-sentient creatures in humanity’s territory are dangerous enough. You will likely find your fledging outposts and camps overrun time and again. And that is not all. Duskar, as the initiator of your world’s assimilation, is considered mankind’s Patron.”

The elven queen all but spat out the last words. She took a calming breath before continuing. “The Trials permit Duskar alone to send troops into the wilds of your Dominion, both to protect and police humanity. Do not despair though. The elves have won the honour of serving as one of humanity’s Sponsors. While this does not grant us the same rights as Duskar, the Trials allow us to create cities within your Dominion to shelter humanity from both its Patron and the dangers of Overworld.”

Ionia directed her gaze into the cameras, seeming to stare into my—and every other watching human’s—eyes. “I implore you to enter Overworld through one of the elven gates. If you do, you will find yourself within one of our sponsored cities. I promise no pledges of loyalty will be demanded from you. My people will do everything to help you. We will provide you with shelter, in return for a fair exchange of goods and resources. Goodbye, and fare thee well, humans.”

✽✽✽

The elven queen’s speech caused as much consternation as Duskar’s had. Every major media and news outlet spent countless hours playing over her words and dissecting the meaning beneath.

But more than the words themselves, experts mulled over the minor miracle that throughout the world, everyone who heard the orcish and elven leaders, understood them—even those who spoke no English.

It turned out that the initial reports had been wrong: the overworlders’ speech was not English. Nor was it Russian, or Chinese, or any other known human language, yet amazingly each person who had heard the overworlders understood their every word. It was a marvel that had human scientists flummoxed, and had the craziest claiming it to be magic.

The internet, too, was rife with speculation. A new and ‘fresh’ article, blogpost, and forum post appeared every minute, each fixated with the orcish and elven leaders’ speech and mannerisms.

But, there was a third speech, too. One that went largely unnoticed by the media, and that unbeknownst to me was already causing a stir among a very select group of individuals.

My phone rang insistently. I glanced down.

It was Eric. He had called three times already. Engrossed in the broadcast of the elven queen’s speech and its aftermath, I had somehow missed my phone’s ringing.

“Hi, Eric,” I said. “You watching this? First orcs, now elves. What is the world coming to?”

Eric chuckled. “You haven’t seen anything yet, man.”

About to launch into my own analysis of Ionia’s speech, I paused. “What do you mean?”

“Have you listened to the gnomes yet?”

“Gnomes? You pulling my leg?” But I already knew he wasn’t. If there were elves and orcs, why not gnomes?

“Nah, man, I’m not,” Eric said. “The gnomish leader was the one who gave the third speech. I take it you haven’t heard it yet then?”

“No,” I replied. “The news channel didn’t seem to have any footage of that speech for some reason. I’d been meaning to find a recording on the web, but got side-tracked watching the ‘experts’ dissect the other speeches.”

“Well, you gotta watch it,” Eric said.

“Which gates are the gnomes?” I asked. The colours of the artefacts, we had learned, marked the controlling species. Duskar’s speech had been broadcast from the red gates, and Ionia’s from every green structure.

“The blue ones,” Eric replied.

“Ah,” I breathed. The blue artefacts were the least populous and explained why footage of the gnomish leader’s speech was scarce. It was likely that none of the news channels had been in position to catch the speech.

It did leave me wondering about the orange and black gates though. No speeches had been given from them yet. Which species control those gates?

I shrugged, dismissing the errant thought. We would find out soon enough, I suspected. “So what did the gnomes talk about?” I asked Eric. “Something different?”

My friend chuckled again. “You could say that,” he said before being consumed by a bout of laughter that left me scowling. I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at it.

Eric was my best friend, but sometimes I wanted to strangle him. “Come on Eric, don’t leave me hanging. What did you hear?”

Eric’s laughter faded to sputters. “The gnomes,” he finally gasped, “claim to be the first Overworld species to have discovered Earth. They claim that for the last few centuries, they have been preparing humanity for voluntary assimilation. They claim to have injected their own stories into human histories—can you believe that? The gnomish leader seemed quite upset with the orcs. He went to great lengths to accuse them of stealing the gnomes’ Patron rights before Earth’s assimilation could be completed.”

“Alright,” I said somewhat perplexed. “That’s mildly interesting, I admit, but still not worthy of much attention, especially considering everything else that has happened.”

“Oh, I haven’t gotten to the best part yet. Do you want to guess how else the gnomes have been readying humanity for Overworld? In the last few years, at least?”

“No, Eric, I don’t want to guess,” I growled. “Just spit it out.”

“You’re no fun, man,” Eric lamented.

“Eric—”

Knowing me too well, my friend headed off my impending explosion before it began. “Alright, alright, I’ll tell you. The gnomes haven’t just altered our myths and legends, they have also influenced our gaming culture—or so they claim.”

“What?” I asked, momentary anger forgotten.

Eric chuckled as he sensed my confusion. “You heard me right, buddy. According to the gnomes, they have guided the direction of video game development on Earth to provide humanity with a basic understanding of the Trials’ principles before we entered Overworld. And that still isn’t the best part.”

“Oh?” I asked, struggling to hold on to my patience. Eric had a flair for the dramatic that could be annoying at times. I knew he was purposely dragging out the mystery for as long as he could. I hurried over to my laptop and began typing in search words.

“You betcha!” he exclaimed. “They’ve uploaded what they’re calling the Trials Infopedia onto the web. I swear you are going to fall off your chair when you see—”

I put the phone down as the search results appeared. Maybe that’ll teach him, I thought with a chuckle of my own.

I didn’t hold out much hope, though. Eric was probably even now laughing at my reaction. The oddest things amused him. Banishing my friend from my thoughts, I turned my attention to the webpage containing the gnomes’ purported data on the Trials.

Scrolling through the information, one thought kept occurring to me over and over again. “It’s a game,” I whispered breathlessly. “Overworld is a goddamn game.”

Chapter 3

03 May

There is something troubling about the humans. We must keep a close watch on them. —Ionia Amyla.

I stayed up late that night.

Mum had long since gone to bed, but I remained at my computer, pouring over the Trials Infopedia.

I still had no idea what to make of Overworld, Duskar, Ionia, or the gnomes’ information. It all still felt like a hoax to me—I mean, who could believe the world was going to end in two weeks?—and the gnomes’ ‘data’ only deepened my belief that it was an elaborate lie.

But whether fake or not, the information contained in the Trials Infopedia was as fascinating as it was dense. The amount of data contained in the wiki’s webpages was more than enough to fill a dozen encyclopaedias twice over. It would take me months, I realised, to sift through the mountain of information. I started by skimming through the thoughtfully provided synopses.

According to the wiki, Overworld was a land controlled by a Game: the so-called Trials. Or at least, that’s how I interpreted what I read.

Overworld was supposedly filled with dungeons, monsters, resources, and regions called Dominions. Each Dominion was the territory of a specific species, and it expanded or contracted as that race’s players gained or lost ground, or factions within the territory revolted or joined other Dominions.

The Trials, it seemed, had no purpose other than advancing its players, both on an individual and species level.

But for all that the Trials was seemingly a game, it contained no game constructs, nor artificial intelligence. Every player was a thinking being, and every monster and beast a living, breathing creature, even in the dungeons.

The most intriguing aspect of Overworld though, was its levelling system. It was completely open-ended, with no classes, item restrictions, level caps, or even limits to the number of traits a player could obtain. And in that way, it differed strikingly from Earth games.

The game mechanics—or Trials as the overworlders referred to it—made no attempt at balance. It focused purely on measuring a player’s achievements and rewarding them accordingly with knowledge and physical enhancements.

And that was the extent of the Trials ‘interference.’

There were no system-generated quests or items. Everything was controlled by players and their struggle for survival, whether as individuals, nations, or factions. It was a player-driven world, and in an environment that sounded as intriguing as it did brutal and unbalanced.

I realised then there was nothing fair about Overworld.

Even the manner of humanity’s entrance in the Trials reeked of unfairness, and assuming that all of this was not some bizarre fabrication, then neither I, nor Mum, nor even humanity in its entirety, could expect any mercy.

Perhaps, Overworld is not a game, after all, I mused, rethinking my initial assessment.

Maybe the word ‘Trials’ was less a misnomer than I had thought it was, and more reflective of what Overworld actually was. And maybe, Ionia had spoken true.

Perhaps Overworld really is meant to be a training ground. But to what end?

“What will it take to survive in such a world?” I murmured, glancing again at the screen I had been staring at for the last hour.

Depicted on the webpage in a single, succinct diagram was the Trials measurement system. There were four key aspects to it: Potentials, Attributes, Disciplines, and Techniques.

Disciplines were skills—knowledge that could be directly acquired from the system. There were hundreds of Disciplines, and seemingly no restrictions on which ones a player could learn, but there were three limiting factors.

One, a player was granted only five Tokens every level he advanced. These could be used to advance a player’s Discipline in whatever manner desired, but the limit of five Tokens seemed a hard restriction that could only be lifted by rare Traits.

Two, the effectiveness of a player’s Techniques—or abilities—was determined by both his Disciplines and the related Attributes.

Attributes enhanced a player’s physical and mental characteristics through the use of Marks, and a player only received two of them every level.

Three, and most importantly, Attributes were not freewheeling characteristics; instead, they themselves were limited by a player’s core nature: his Potentials.

All Potentials were locked from birth, determined by the die of fate. There was no way to change them. If you had no Potential for Magic, you could not cast spells. It was that simple. Your Potentials were what they were.

It seemed a needlessly cruel and arbitrary system for a game to have.

Yet despite its resemblance to one, I grew more sure that Overworld was not a game. It was a living, breathing world, and if by some madness I was forced to venture into its depths, then I would have to hold fast to that understanding, or face the consequences.

But I can’t enter Overworld.

The realisation came swift and sharp. Mum would not survive there, and she was my first responsibility. I looked down at my hobbled foot. I wouldn’t survive there either.

My crippling was courtesy of a drunken driver who’d failed to keep his car on the road. The bones in my left ankle and foot had been crushed in the accident and had never recovered properly.

Despite running herself ragged, Mum had not been able to afford anything more than the most rudimentary of surgeries to mend the damage. Now years later, the bones had fused together, leaving me hobbled for life.

In many ways, the accident had been harder on Mum than me. I knew she had never forgiven herself for not being able to provide me with the care I needed. And if I had to guess where her slow decline of mental health had begun, it would have to be there.

I swallowed back the memories. My handicap did not bother me anymore. I had been living with my hobbled foot for so long, I could barely remember a time when I could run or even jump as freely as I once had.

But crippled, how would I ever survive on Overworld?

Duskar’s ultimatum had to be nonsense. Didn’t it? Regardless of everything that happened, the notion that the world would end in two weeks was still preposterous.

It has to be.

No, as exciting as Eric and my other gaming friends likely found the prospect of Overworld, it simply wasn’t for me. Stifling yet another yawn, I got up and headed to bed.

✽✽✽

I woke up the next morning with a pounding headache and bloodshot eyes. I glanced at the clock. It was seven AM. I had only managed four hours of sleep.

With a groan, I flopped back onto my bed. Why did I go to sleep so late? I groused. Determinedly, I closed my eyes, and tried to let sleep claim me again, but it was not to be.

The honking of a car horn, the calls of a bird, the streaming sunlight, and the sounds of Mum clattering in the kitchen all served to defeat my attempts.

Accepting the inevitable, I sat up with a groan and limped to the bathroom. I leaned over the sink and stared at my haggard face. It was a face with far too many age lines for a man just twenty-four years old. Too many responsibilities, too many bills to pay, and not enough hours in the day.

At least until a few days ago.

Now it seemed I had more time on my hands than I cared for. “What do we do today, Jamie?” I asked my reflection. My hazel eyes stared back at me, no more enlightened than I was. I rubbed at my chin. My dark-brown stubble was beginning to look ragged. I needed to shave soon. But it could wait.

Tomorrow, I decided. Or the day after. It was not like I was going anywhere.

After finishing my morning rituals, I tottered back to my room and surveyed its contents. My gaze drifted from my computer to the columns of books stacked from floor to ceiling.

No games today, I decided.

None of the hundreds installed on my machine sparked my interest, not after reading the Trials Infopedia last night. Tilting my head to the right, I studied the pile of novels again. Perhaps, I would read today. It had been a while since I’d lost myself in a good book.

“Jamie!” Mum called from the lounge. “Is that you? Are you finally awake? Come see what’s on the news!”

I groaned quietly. I was damnably tired of hearing about the artefacts. What now? I wondered. But I didn’t let any of my ill-humour colour my voice as I called back, “Coming, Ma. Be there in a minute.”

Grabbing a well-worn copy of a favourite book of mine, I made my way into the living room. “What is it, Mum?” I asked, seating myself beside her on the couch. I glanced at her as I did. Her colour was better today—her face was not as pale and her eyes actually sparkled with interest.

Contrary to my expectations, yesterday’s news seemed to have raised her spirits. Perhaps, I can even return to work tomorrow, I thought with cautious optimism.

“It’s the New York gate. Something is coming through!”

“What?” I asked, my jaw dropping open. I swung around to face the television. It was true. Reporters on the scene were gesticulating wildly as they filmed a small column of orcs making their way through the gate. The orcs carried a cloth banner bearing the insignia of a single fang. Duskar’s men, I guessed.

Federal agents and military personnel rushed to surround them, guns drawn and pointed at the self-declared enemies of humanity.

I for one was simply amazed that the artefact really was a gate. If the orcs were here—on Earth—they had to have come from somewhere, and where else could that be but Overworld.

So it really exists.

And if the aliens were not lying about Overworld’s existence, it was possible the gnomes’ description of the Trials system was correct too. I pushed down my trepidation, and the excitement I sensed worming through.

It is not for me, I reminded myself. Or Mum.

Wrenching my thoughts away from Overworld, I studied the orcs through the dozens of government personnel around them.

The overworlders were green-skinned giants. They were half-again as tall as the average human and had hands as large as most men’s heads. Each was covered in a mountain of steel and carried an arsenal of weapons: swords, axes, hammers, and the like.

Their attire did not surprise me. I already knew from my reading into the Infopedia that Overworld was a technologically backward world—and one supposedly with magic too. The wiki’s claim of magic hadn’t shocked me either, not considering everything else that had occurred. How else to explain the gates appearance?

Given the orcs’ stature, it was easy to understand why they seemed one of Overworld’s dominant species. They must make fearsome warriors—on Overworld.

But they would stand no chance on Earth. The armour each behemoth wore wouldn’t protect them against the fury of modern weaponry.

I leaned forward in anticipation of the upcoming confrontation. The orcs were about to be taught a lesson, one they wouldn’t likely soon forget.

An army colonel was yelling at the orcs to drop their weapons. The green-skinned giants ignored him. Forming into twin lines, they marched forward.

I noticed they were making directly for the largest concentration of defenders. The colonel shouted more orders and his soldiers pulled back.

The orcs kept advancing. The human officer yelled at them to stop again, but once more the overworlders ignored him and with flagrant disregard for the weapons pointed their way, ploughed through the defenders’ barricades.

The colonel had had enough. Giving up on his attempts at reason, he ordered his men to fire.

Chaos ensued, and the broadcast devolved into blurred scenes of half-caught movement, smoke-filled fury, screaming civilians, and unintelligible commentary from the reporter.

I clenched my hands and waited for order to be restored. Finally, after ten more seconds, the camera’s field of view cleared.

My eyes widened in disbelief.

The orcs were standing unharmed beneath a transparent ruby dome. The force field—because that what it surely had to be—seemed to originate from the raised wooden staff of the lead orc.

That orc, while steel-clad like his fellows, bore only one weapon: a wooden staff. His armour, too, was different. Where his fellows’ breastplates were plain, his was adorned with strange runes similar to those inscribed on the gate.

A mage?

The warriors behind the mage stared in angry confusion at the soldiers, who after observing how little effect their rifles had, backed further away.

It was evident the overworlders had never seen human weapons before, but it was equally clear, they were unimpressed. The largest orc raised his massive two-handed axe and bellowed in fury, causing the remaining civilians to flee.

The warrior stepped forward, probably with the intent of charging the soldiers, but the mage placed a hand on the axeman’s arm, and he fell back into position.

The colonel, however, was not done yet. Speaking rapidly into his radio, he called in the waiting armoured tanks. Their turrets lifted and rotated into position, but before the final order to fire could be given, the orcs vanished.

The colonel and the reporters scratched their heads in confusion.

I did likewise. Where’d they go?

✽✽✽

It did not take long for the world to find out.

Contrary to the media’s military commenters who were vocal in their opinion that the orcs had fled—scared off by humanity’s might—the orcs had not retreated. Instead, they had teleported themselves to an apartment a few blocks from the gate, where for some inexplicable reason they abducted its sole occupant.

News crews rushed to the scene, but they were too late. The orcs were gone long before the cameras arrived, leaving the unhappy reporters with nothing to film but the destruction the orcs left in their wake.

And there was a lot of it.

The green-skinned invaders had made no attempt to disguise their presence. Bodies of innocent bystanders cleaved in half, broken walls, and busted doors all bore testament to the orcs’ proclivity for violence.

I gripped Mum’s hand tightly. Staring at the orcs’ gruesome handiwork finally drove home the reality of the last few days.

Earth had been invaded by hostile aliens.

And it seemed we were helpless to stop them. I glanced at Mum. How was I going to protect her? Only now did I realise that I might need to physically shield her from the violence the invaders brought. But how? Guns were of no use. The military had already proved that. I stared down at my arms.

Once, I had prided myself on my athletic ability. But since the accident, I had shied away from all physical activities, turning my mind to purely academic pursuits.

And now, I thought bitterly, I am in no condition to protect myself, much less Mum.

What do I do?

Chapter 4

05 May: 12 days to Earth’s destruction

My colleagues believe the humans are dangerous. I disagree. Certainly, they are a violent and bloodthirsty species, but they also possess a capacity for greatness and ingenuity that I find remarkable. In time, the humans may prove to be our salvation. —Arustolyx, gnomish archaeologist.

The next day, the second since Duskar’s ultimatum, the other gates also opened, and humanity was treated to its first sight of elves, gnomes, fiends, and svartalfar. While humanity’s encounters with the elves and gnomes were peaceful, first contact with the fiends and svartalfar—dark elves—was decidedly not.

In fact, both encounters made the New York incident with the orcs appear tame by comparison. The fiends, who were diminutive, scaled, and hoofed humanoids with a long central horn sloping backwards from their heads, emerged from the orange-tinged gates in a fury of flame and fire, and immediately set upon everyone near the Paris gate, civilian and military personnel alike.

In short order, the hapless French armed forces that guarded the gate were slaughtered and the city of Paris set aflame before the fiends, like the orcs before them, disappeared.

The svartalfar were more… refined in their butchery. The dark elves had skin the deepest shade of blue, colourless eyes, and shocking white hair, and wherever they emerged from their black gates, they wrought destruction on a staggering scale.

It took only three svartalfar mages, wielding magical whips of freezing light and calling down the fury of an ice storm—in the middle of summer, no less—to turn the entire city of Tokyo into a frozen waste devoid of life.

I watched the televised mass murders in a state of stunned shock. What possessed the overworlders to slaughter humanity so indiscriminately? Was it not enough that our world was going to be consumed by theirs? Why did they have to so wantonly kill us as well?

“How can any of this be real, Jamie?” asked Mum, in anguish.

“I don’t know, Ma,” I replied. It was a response I was drearily tired of, and it was past time that I worked to rectify my ignorance. “But we have to stop assuming that the happenings around the world won’t affect us. We have to get ready,” I finished grimly.

Mum’s face scrunched up in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

I took her hands in mine and stared into her eyes. “We have to prepare, Ma. We have to begin behaving as if everything that orc Duskar said was true. We have to assume we will be forced to enter this Overworld, and plan for how we will survive there.”

Mum’s hands trembled as her anxiety peaked. “Jamie, I can’t. I don’t—”

“I know, Ma,” I said gently, “but we have to try. The world has changed and the end may be near. We can’t go on as usual. Will you help me? Please.”

“Alright, Jamie,” she said, taking in a tremulous breath. “Where do we start?”

“Research,” I said without hesitation. “Do you remember the gnomes’ broadcast?” After Eric’s call, Mum and I had watched a recording of the gnomish leader’s speech.

Mum tilted her head in thought. “The race of short, chubby people?”

“Yes, that’s them,” I said. “Eric has found a wiki on the internet that they have put together—or said they put together. Our first task will be to learn everything we can from it.”

“How will that help us?”

“The more we learn of Overworld, the better prepared we will be to face its dangers.” I waved my hand over my body. “Even with our handicaps,” I said wryly, “the information will benefit us. Knowledge is power.”

“Oh, Jamie,” said Mum, her eyes filling with distress, just like they did every time I made reference to my crippled state.

I silently cursed myself for my careless slip and momentary self-pity. I needed to keep Mum focused, and she wouldn’t be that if she was dwelling on things that could no longer be changed. I rose to my feet and pulled her up with me.

“Come on, Ma,” I said, leading her to my computer. Sitting her down in my chair, I opened the Trials Infopedia. “This is the wiki page I told you about. Start reading, don’t rush, and ask me about anything you don’t understand.”

“Where do I begin?” asked Mum, staring at the bewildering array of menus and submenus.

“Just the overviews for now,” I said firmly. “We’ll tackle the rest later.”

“Alright,” she said. Seeming determined, Mum pulled on her glasses. She glanced at me. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to figure out a way to get us to a gnomish gate,” I said.

After making sure she was all set, I left her to her research and went into the kitchen. Pulling out my phone, I dialled Eric. He answered immediately.

“Jamie,” he began without preamble, “you’ve seen the news?”

“Yep,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “I think it’s time we took this seriously.”

“I couldn’t agree more, my man. Emma is going crazy over here.” Emma was Eric’s girlfriend and the two lived together in my friend’s tiny apartment.

“What? You mean she isn’t taking the coming apocalypse well?” I asked, chuckling. Only with Eric could I be this glib. We had been friends since forever, and he understood me better than anyone else. He knew as well as I did that sometimes only humour could ward off the horrible things life threw at you.

“No, she is not,” he replied with a laugh of his own. “How is your mum doing?”

“She’s… managing,” I replied.

“That’s good,” Eric said. Over the phone, I heard his sigh of relief. Eric had helped me through the worst of Mum’s episodes. He knew how bad it could get. “So, what are you thinking?” he asked.

“We have to assume that we will have no choice but to abandon Earth. Our best bet will be to enter Overworld through a gnomish gate,” I said.

“My thoughts exactly,” he agreed.

“I haven’t been keeping track of the gate locations. We’ll have to find the nearest one—”

“Way ahead of you there, bud. I’ve already checked. There is a gnome gate in the city next to mine, less than five miles away.” He paused, then added reluctantly, “There aren’t any near you though.”

“Damn.” Eric and I no longer lived in the same town. Where I had stayed behind in our hometown, Eric had travelled to one of the big cities in search of a job. “How far away is the closest one from me?” I asked anxiously.

Eric was slow to answer, which only heightened my concern. “The gnome gates are few and far between,” he explained. “They seem to be a much smaller Dominion than both the orcs and elves. The last time I checked there were only four hundred and twenty-seven confirmed sightings of gnome gates worldwide.”

“Quit stalling, Eric. Just tell me.”

Eric blew out a troubled breath. “The nearest gnomish gate to you is the one near me.”

I swallowed. That was a few hundred miles away. Getting to the gate was not going to be simple, but I would manage it. Somehow. “We’ll get there,” I promised.

“I know you will,” said Eric confidently. “I’ll wait for you.”

“Damn right you will!” I exclaimed. Then added more soberly, “But in all seriousness, only wait as long as you can. Go if you have to.”

“I won’t leave you, Jamie,” he said with quiet conviction.

I choked down emotion. Eric’s steadfast loyalty still caught me by surprise at times. “We have to contact the others,” I said, changing the topic.

‘The others’ were the rest of our gaming clan and our closest friends. Most of us had been playing together for years. Considering the nature of the Trials, I thought gamers would best understand the new world and its mechanics.

“You’re right, the more of us that band together, the better our odds of survival,” said Eric. “Leave it to me. I’ll contact the gang. You figure out how to get to the gate.”

“Alright. I’ll call you tomorrow after I’ve checked what’s what. After that, we can confirm our timelines.”

“Wait, Jamie, before you go... did you see the latest gnomish broadcast?”

“No, I haven’t. Why?”

“You gotta watch it. Their representative explained what the orcs, fiends, and svartalfars are up to.”

“What do you mean?” I asked curiously.

“Well, it appears that the destruction the fiends and svartalfar wreaked in Paris and Tokyo was not as senseless as it first seemed. The two races were securing the gate for their retrieval parties.”

“Retrieval parties?” I asked, confused now. “What are they retrieving?”

“Not what—who. The orcs, fiends, and svartalfar are hunting down potential magic users and forcibly abducting them. Even the gnomes and elves are aggressively recruiting, although in a more peaceful manner than their counterparts. Both the elvish and gnomish representatives have publicly offered generous rewards for any human with Magic Potential that will join their cause.”

“Why?” I asked, scratching at my beard. I had to shave, I reminded myself.

“How much of the Infopedia did you read?”

“Not much,” I admitted. “So far, I’ve only managed to get through the overviews.”

“Then you know a person’s Potential is fixed, right?”

“Sure, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“It has everything to do with it. You see, it seems magic is scarce in Overworld—rarer than a fish on dry land. All the Dominions are willing to go to war just for the chance of getting their hands on more mages. The overworlders are using this opportunity to increase their contingent of magic users by compelling humans with Magic Potential into their service.”

“How are they finding their subjects?”

“I don’t know,” said Eric. “The elves and gnomes weren’t clear on that part.”

“Alright,” I said, chewing my lips in thought. I understood as well as Eric what the implications were. If anyone of our friends had Potential for magic, it would improve our odds of survival in Overworld, but it would also paint a target on our backs.

Is there any way we can determine who has Magic Potential beforehand? I wondered, eyes narrowed in consideration. It was evident that I would need to spend far more time wading through the Trials Infopedia. If answers could be found anywhere, it was likely there.

Returning to the present, I said, “Thanks, Eric. I’ll make sure to watch the broadcast. Take care, my friend.”

“Bye, Jamie.”

Chapter 5

05 May: 12 days to Earth’s destruction

Sir. There have been 10,214 confirmed Overworld gate sightings worldwide. Of the gates identified, the orcs control approximately forty percent, the elves roughly thirty percent, and the gnomes less than five percent.

While the gnomes seem the least threatening of the alien species, judging by gate numbers, they also appear to be weaker than the elves. Our analysts are of the opinion that they will make for poor allies.

It is my department’s recommendation that an alliance be sought with the elves instead. —Classified intelligence report.

Firing up my laptop and setting a jug of coffee to boil, I set up shop in the kitchen and got to work. It did not take me long to find what I was looking for in the Infopedia.

The wiki was admirably well-indexed and sorted. However, the answer was disappointing. It seemed that all players in Overworld had a Technique called analyse that revealed another’s Potential to them. This, of course, was no help to me or any other human still on Earth. We would have to enter Overworld and undergo the Trials Initiation before we obtained the same Technique, and by then, presumably, we would already know our own Potentials.

Closing down the wiki page, I turned my efforts to my next most important task: figuring out how to get to a gnomish gate safely. This proved a more arduous endeavour than I expected.

The world, it seemed, had devolved into chaos.

After the attacks by the orcs, fiends, and svartalfar, Earth’s nations had declared war. All over the world, militaries had launched strikes against the Overworld gates. They had thrown everything they could at the artefacts, from small artillery fire to air strikes, and even a nuke in the case of one Chinese gate. All to no avail. The gates were impervious to humanity’s weaponry.

The militaries’ failures did not go unnoticed by Earth’s civilian populous.

When people realised their governments had no effective means of protecting them, mass hysteria and panic ensued. Airplanes were grounded, shopping malls were closed, highways were blocked off, shops were looted, and millions began to stampede away from the orcish, fiend, and svartalfar gates to the benign-by-comparison elvish and gnomish ones.

Given the state of anarchy reigning in the world at large, I concluded that travelling cross country was out of the question. Passage by air was impossible, and according to news reports traffic on the highways had come to a grinding halt. For me and Mum to hike a few hundred miles was also not an option.

I was left with no other choice but to search for an alternative gate to use.

Thankfully, digital communications had been left untouched by the chaos overturning the world, and I was able to pull up the location of all the overworlder gates in the vicinity.

I groaned in despair as I studied the information that came up. Mum and I had no luck, it seemed. Other than the orc gate in our town itself, there were no other gates within a day’s walking distance.

The next nearest gate—an elven one fortunately—was twenty miles away. At the rate Mum and I could walk that would take us at least two days, if not more. But there was no help for it. If we wanted to survive, we would make the journey.

Heaving a sigh, I walked over to the window and looked out. Everything was still relatively peaceful outside. Our rural town, isolated by distance, remained largely untouched by the anarchy afflicting the world. But I knew it wouldn’t last. In a few hours, or days, the panic running rampant everywhere else would come here too.

And before it did, I had to get ready.

I hadn’t left the house in the last few days, and it was finally time I did. I walked over to my room and popped my head in. Mum was deeply engrossed in the Trials Infopedia. “Ma, I’m going to go the mall.”

She turned to face me. “What? Why? We don’t need anything.”

I briefly contemplated lying, but I realised the sooner she knew the truth the better. “The closest Overworld gate we can use is twenty miles away. We’re going to have to walk to get there. I have to go out and get the supplies we need.”

Before there is nothing left to buy, I thought, but left the words unsaid. Some truths were better left unspoken.

“Alright,” she said, though she seemed uncertain. “If you think it’s necessary.”

“I do,” I said. “Don’t worry, I won’t be long.”

✽✽✽

The town was quiet and subdued as I walked into it.

Remarkably, other than the local militia, no one else appeared disturbed by the happenings in the rest of the world. The militia captain, an aging veteran who had seen more than his fair share of warfare in his day, had set up a round-the-clock watch on the gate.

Captain Hicks didn’t have the men to cordon the gate off completely—not that I thought the mayor would have allowed it—but he did make sure the area was kept under guard.

The good captain had even managed to haul a battered armoured tank out of whatever junkheap it had been consigned to and return it to some semblance of service. Gods, I thought as I limped passed the ancient relic on the way to the mall, where did Captain Hicks get that thing? And does it even work?

Despite the militia’s vigilance though, everyone else in town seemed to believe what had happened elsewhere in the world could not happen here. I shook my head at their blind faith, and quietly went about my own business.

Even though the orc gate was within the mall parking lot itself and I itched to explore it, I stayed well away. Now was not the time to take foolish risks or tempt fate. If an orc party unexpectedly exited the gate, I had no doubt they would execute anyone they found standing nearby.

Entering the mall, I bought everything I could think of, and quite possibly far more than Mum and I needed: camping gear, batteries, guns, and enough food for two weeks. We wouldn’t set off for the gate immediately—there was still lots of research I needed to do—and in the interim, I didn’t want us to run out of supplies.

I hoped I wouldn’t need to use the guns. The last thing Earth needed was more humans killing humans, but human nature being what it was, I did not doubt there would be those seeking to prey on the weak and unprepared. I was determined that would not be me and Mum.

When I returned home that night, I called Eric again. “Hi, mate,” I said. “I got bad news.”

“I know,” Eric replied. “I’ve been following the media reports. The world’s gone to shit. There is no way you gonna make your way cross-country to get here.” He fell silent for a moment. “What are you going to do?”

“There is an elvish gate twenty miles from here,” I said. “Mum and I will make for it.”

“That’s great,” said Eric, his voice beaming with happiness. “Better the elves than the fiends or orcs, or God forbid the svartalfar.”

“Yes,” I agreed.

“Did you manage to get rations and supplies? The shops here are gutted. Emma and I barely found enough food to get us through the week.”

“People in town are still in denial. I’ve managed to stock up. The store will deliver everything tomorrow. What news from the rest of the crew?”

“Not good, man,” replied Eric, the unhappiness in his voice clear. “Half of them can’t make it. They’re either too far away from a gate, or they have their own families to take care of.”

“Oh,” I said, sharing his disappointment. “And the other half?”

“I couldn’t reach most of them. The two that I did reach, Doug and Michael, will both join us with whatever friends and family they can rustle together.”

“That’s great,” I said, pleased Eric and Emma wouldn’t be alone. Not like Mum and me. After a moment’s silence, I asked, “When do you plan on leaving for the gate?”

“Not for a few days at least. I want to learn as much as I can from the wiki before we set out. Too bad the gates won’t let us transport anything but ourselves through, otherwise I would carry a stack of notes with me.”

“Yeah,” I said. According to the wiki, new players couldn’t take anything with them on their journey into the Trials. We would lose even the clothes on our back when we entered Overworld. I couldn’t help wondering though, how the overworlders were making the same trip with all their gear. It bore looking into.

“What about you?” asked Eric, interrupting my musing.

“Me? I’ve been thinking along the same lines as you. We’ll give it about a week and learn everything we can from the wiki before we set out. Who knows, maybe the world will return to some semblance of order before then.” Though I doubted it.

“I hope so too,” replied Eric before falling silent again. We both felt that in one sense this was goodbye. We might never see each other again. Our paths seemed to be diverging, and who knew how far apart we would find ourselves in Overworld once we entered our respective gates. “We need to find a way to communicate with each other, once we get there,” I said at last.

“Definitely,” said Eric. “I’ll make that a priority in my search of the wiki.”

“Me too,” I said. “Alright, then… good night, Eric. Take care of yourself.”

“You too, man,” he replied. “And Jamie… If I never see you again, just know—”

“I know, Eric,” I replied gently, hearing his choked-off sobs on the other end. “Thanks for everything. I will never forget everything you’ve done for me.”

“Me neither, my friend. Stay safe.”

“Bye, Eric.”

“Bye, Jamie.”

Chapter 6

06 May: 11 days to Earth’s destruction

Sir. All attempts to establish contact with the svartalfar have failed. They slaughter our envoys on sight. We have been forced to conclude negotiations, with the overworlder race impossible, and recommend discontinuing this line of investigation. —Military report.

The next few days went by in a blur.

To my great relief, all the goods I ordered were delivered the next day, in full and without any surprises. After making sure I understood how all the equipment worked, and packing and storing away both Mum and my backpacks so we could leave at a moment’s notice, I dove into the Trials Infopedia and only ventured up for air when I needed to eat or attend to other needs.

I spent days learning about Overworld and its history. It seemed there were far more sentient races on Overworld than the five who had created gates to Earth. The others were races whose Dominions were too far from wherever the Human Dominion had been founded, or who had played no part in assimilating Earth.

There was one bit of Overworld lore that caught my attention in particular. It was a reference to the Elders, the beings supposedly responsible for the creation of Overworld and the Trials themselves.

The gnomes called them dragons.

And from everything I could gather from the Trials Infopedia, the Overworld dragons bore a striking resemblance to the dragons of human folklore. Earth’s earliest dragon tales, I knew, dated back thousands of years.

It seemed impossible that the gnomes had been tinkering with human myths for that long. Were the Overworld dragons and Earth dragons one and the same? And if so, how could that be?

Answers to the mystery would not be easy to find on Overworld either, it seemed. According to the wiki, the Elders were long gone, vanished millennia ago. It was still an intriguing bit of lore, and one that quickened my interest in Overworld and its history.

Mum, to my great delight and secret relief, seemed as captivated by Overworld as I was. She dove into the Trials Infopedia with great relish. Every day, she seemed a trifle more confident, a touch steadier, and by the middle of the week, she appeared to have left her anxieties behind her.

My own studies of the Trials Infopedia advanced steadily, if slowly. By the end of the first day, I already knew that there was no way I would manage to internalise even half its information, not in the time available. Because of that, I was forced to prioritise.

Regardless, as the week advanced, my confidence grew. Assuming Mum and I managed a decent start, we could survive Overworld. I was sure of it.

But even as she and I stayed cooped up at home, things in the world outside went from bad to worse. Abductions by the evil overworlder civilisations, as I had come to think of the orcs, fiends, and svartalfar, continued unabated. Every day, there was a new story of another human taken prisoner, another home destroyed, or another military defeat.

And a few days into the week, news from our own scientists painted an even bleaker picture. In what seemed a coordinated release, researchers from around the world unveiled a flurry of papers whose data, to the dismay of many, supported Duskar’s predictions: the world was coming to an end.

Earth’s seismic and volcanic activity had spiked. It was so severe that geologists predicted, less than ten days from now, the world could expect to experience natural disasters on an unprecedented scale. Human scientists were unable to pinpoint the cause of the instability, but all agreed that some unknown force was manipulating the Earth’s core.

The news, understandably, sent shockwaves across the world, and hastened humanity’s exodus through the many overworlder gates scattered across the planet. Some did not even bother distinguishing between the overworlder races, and entered whichever gate was nearest.

The news, while disturbing, was not catastrophic.

It did not affect my timeline. Mum and I could still enter Overworld with time to spare. We planned on setting off for the elvish gate in two days, which by my calculations still left us four whole days to make the trip before Duskar’s ordained end of the world occurred. Four days, I felt, gave us a comfortable margin of security.

But a day before we were due to leave, as Mum and I were wrapping up our preparations, disaster struck.

✽✽✽

I was in my room, staring fixedly at my screen, and trying to ignore the glare of the morning sun peeking through my curtains, when Mum’s shout broke through my thoughts. “Jamie!”

“What is it, Ma?” I called, deep in the study of a particularly obtuse paragraph on the workings of dungeons in Overworld, and hesitant to leave my chair.

“It’s the gate, its opening!” she exclaimed.

“Oh?” I asked in a disinterested tone. “Again? How many orcs came through this time?” I added, thinking she was watching the news again.

There was a moment of shocked silence as Mum processed my response. “No, Jamie, not the one on the telly! The one in town!” she exclaimed.

What?! I bolted upright in my chair. I raced—well, quickly limped—to the lounge. Since its appearance, the portal in our town had never opened from the Overworld side, and everyone in the town had begun to think it never would. A few braver souls had entered its depths and not reappeared, evidence enough that the gate worked.

But no orcs had visited Earth through our town gate. Proof, the town gossips said proudly, that our town was too small for even the outworlders to bother with.

I stepped up to Mum’s stiff form at the window and peered outside. Most of the town was still asleep. But the few people out and about were running away from the gate. Captain Hicks’ troops were in turmoil too. Dashing for cover, they were unshouldering and readying their weapons. I swallowed nervously. All this activity seemed proof enough, but I searched on.

Then I saw them.

Beyond the frenetic militia, I spotted the orcs’ distinctive, green-skinned forms. My stomach clenched.

Why are they here?

But I already knew the answer. They were here to abduct someone. Whoever the unlucky individual was, there was little hope of resistance. In the countless abductions reported by the news over the last few days, there had been not a single mention of a failed attempt.

“Ma, keep watch. I’m going to grab the backpacks,” I yelled over the sounds of erupting gunfire as the militia engaged the orcs. “We leave now!” I turned towards the closet where I had stored our backpacks.

The town was no longer safe. I wished Captain Hicks and his men the best of luck, but they were doomed already and I wasn’t about to let me and Mum share their fate. We should have left when we had the chance. Damn it. I cursed the impulse that had caused me to delay.

“Jamie!” Mum’s bone-chilling cry of fear, like nothing I had ever heard before, made me swing around.

“Wha—?” The words died in my throat and my face drained of colour. Looming large outside our house were two of the green-skinned monsters.

The orcs were here.

“Quick, Ma,” I shouted. “Run—”

It was too late.

The door and the surrounding wall shattered, and two nine-foot-tall giants barged within. The first, an armoured brute with one chipped tusk who was wielding a hammer nearly as tall as I was, locked eyes onto my mum as he advanced.

I limped back into the lounge. Fumbling for the gun in my backpack, I forced myself in front of her. “Leave my—”

My useless words were cut short as a massive fist seized me and picked me up effortlessly. My legs dangled in the air as the orc raised me higher for inspection. The behemoth shoved his face in mine.

He is going to eat me! my mind screamed.

But the orc only took one long sniff before grunting dismissively and tossing me out the window. Frame and wooden bars shattered—no obstacle to my violent momentum.

I rolled to a stop on the front lawn in a heap of broken glass. Except for being dazed and battered, and sporting a host of stinging cuts, I was otherwise whole.

Thoughts frayed, I pushed myself upright on trembling limbs and saw that I lay at the feet of three more orcs. All of them observed my struggles in contemptuous silence. Based on the staff one of them bore, I knew him to be a magic user.

Mum shrieked.

No!

Orcs forgotten, I whipped my head around in time to see her small form sail through the same window that I had. My heart nearly stopped at the sight. But at the twitching of her crumpled form, I began to breathe again. She was alive.

I scooted over to make sure she was alright. Like me, though she was covered in cuts and bruises, she was whole.

Wood squealed again as the two armoured giants made another hole in our abused house on their way out. I threw myself protectively over my mum as the pair lumbered passed, but they ignored me and instead made for the line of waiting orcs.

My heart thudded in painful relief. But it was short-lived. Our straits were dire. This isn’t good, Jamie, not good at all. How are you going to save Mum? I had no answer.

“These two were the only humans inside, Shaman,” reported one of our captors, his voice barely more than a growl.

The shaman stroked his chin with one clawed hand—carefully manicured I noted inanely—and studied Mum for a silent second before flicking his gaze away from her to me.

His eyes narrowed. Pinned by his stare, I huddled down small while my mind worked frantically. A moment later, rocking back, the orc’s eyes widened in shock. “Impossible!” he exclaimed.

The other four orcs tensed and set cautious hands to weapons. “What is it, Shaman?” asked the brute to the shaman’s left. He was larger than his fellow warriors and his armour more elaborately decorated.

“His Magic Potential, Pack Leader. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before!”

“Hrnn,” grunted the pack leader in disinterest and relaxed from his alert posture.

“You don’t understand,” replied the shaman, outraged by his indifference. “The warlord himself will reward us for this!”

Not even that seemed to spark the pack leader’s interest. “What about the other one?” he asked, pointing with his axe at Mum. “Do you need her?”

The shaman flicked his hand dismissively. “No. Kill her.”

“What? No! Don’t!” I screamed, shielding Mum with my body. “I’ll do anything you want. Just don’t hurt her!”

The pack leader ignored my words and advanced steadily forward. “Please, please—” I begged.

Rough hands grabbed me from behind and flung me away. I tumbled to a stop, face first in the grass.

“Careful with him, you fool! His hide is more valuable than yours!” the shaman shouted, berating the offending warrior.

“Jamie?” Mum’s bewildered cry was no more than a whisper, barely audible.

“Ma! I’m coming!” I yelled as I scrambled to my feet and spun around.

I was too late. An eternity too late.

The pack leader’s axe slashed into Mum. And out again. “No!” I shrieked, staggering forward. It can’t be. It isn’t real. Mum can’t be… But the sound of axe’s wet squelch as it struck unresisting flesh refuted my denial.

I dropped to my knees in time to her body’s own soft thud, and heard over and over again in my mind the sound of axe on flesh.

“What have I done?” I moaned. Arms wrapped around myself, I rocked mindlessly back and forth. Oh, Mum, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Why had we not left days ago? Why had I kept us here?

My head throbbed. Agony exploded behind my eyes. This can’t be real, I thought. I fled the pain. Fled myself, and watched—a spectator only—as the pack leader bent down over Mum.

Numb with disbelief, I was untroubled by the act. I kept my gaze fixed on Mum’s feet and her floral-patterned dress. It had been her favourite.

A single rivulet of crimson trickled down Mum.

I frowned, but did not let myself follow the disturbing line of red back to its source. I lacked the courage.

More streaks joined the first.

I blinked, still not understanding. But despite my denial, reality intruded. The rivers of red transformed into a tide and seeped into Mum’s once-pristine dress, marring it with ugly splotches.

It was blood. Her blood. I swallowed, unable to hold myself apart any longer. I looked up.

The pack leader was wiping his axe clean on Mum’s clothes.

Horror lashed at me, and my own vision turned red. In a haze of fury, I surged to my feet. Uncaring of the orcish warrior standing guard over me, I threw myself forward.

The orc reached for me, but I twisted away. Rage fuelled me as I charged the pack leader, intent on wreaking vengeance for the one person whose life mattered more than my own.

Another orc stepped in my way. I dodged, but failed to evade his grasp completely as his hands clutched at my shirt. With a mighty heave, I ripped free. Snarling, I resumed my charge, then staggered to halt as I caught sight of Mum’s corpse—headless.

Why hadn’t I noticed that before? I thought inanely.

Twisting my head, I searched frantically for the rest of her. Two feet away I spotted Mum’s severed head. I slumped to my knees, the life draining from me as I was transfixed by the frozen horror in her expression.

For as long as I live, I will never forget that: my last sight of my mum. Her eyes, opened unnaturally wide, stared sightlessly; her nostrils were flared wide in fear; and her mouth gaped open in a wordless scream of terror.

Oh, Ma.

Caving under the weight of my grief, I sagged listlessly and bent my head to the ground.

Mum was dead. She couldn’t be. But she was.

A heavy foot thudded down. On top of Mum’s head. The pack leader.

“Get up, you snivelling worm,” he snarled. Winding his foot back, and in an act as foul as it was sickening, the orc booted her away.

I lifted bloodless eyes to stare at the orc. Had he not desecrated Mum enough? Why heap further perversion on her?

This monster cannot be suffered to live, whispered the voice of cold hatred.

My rage reignited and all reason fled. Bounding to my feet, more animal than human, I leapt onto the shocked warrior, and clawed at his face.

Kill him. I will kill him, I vowed, seething with hate.

Blows thudded into me. I ignored them, feeling none of the pain. I raked my nails along the orc’s face and carved deep furrows into his skin.

“Gently, you fools!” the shaman screamed. “Don’t kill him!”

More blows landed, likewise unheeded. I had a singular purpose: to kill the green-skinned monster before me. Wrapping my legs firmly around the pack leader’s neck, I tightened my grip before digging my fingers deeper into his face.

The blows stopped. Yes! I exulted. He is mine now. I pushed harder, trying to gouge the orc’s eyes out even as his own tusks ate into me.

The shaman entered the fray, and something—not a blow—struck me from behind. My vision blurred. No! I wailed. I can’t die. Not yet. I must kill him.

But my will alone was insufficient to hold the darkness at bay, and consciousness fled.

Chapter 7

12 May: 5 days to Earth’s destruction

Gentlemen, we must face reality: humanity has been subjugated. We cannot do anything to save Earth’s millions, but we can still save ourselves. We must negotiate with the overworlders. —Unknown politician.

Awareness returned slowly.

With it came voices, reaching my ears as if muffled by great distance.

“We can’t take him through the portal like this. His wounds are too severe. He will never survive.”

“Who cares! Blasted human. How dare he attack me.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t have enraged him then,” growled the first voice. “What were you thinking?”

The second grunted. The pack leader, I thought as memory returned. He is still alive. I despaired. Mum was dead, and not only had I failed to save her, I had failed to punish her killer too. I choked back spiralling grief and bitterness.

Keeping my eyes closed, I followed the conversation of the two listlessly.

“What do we do now?” asked the pack leader.

“Send one of your men back to fetch healing ointments, or better yet, one of the healers.”

“Healing ointments?” asked the pack leader sceptically. “Is he really worth all that?”

“Listen to me, you fool! He is worth more than all our collective hides. If the warlord hears that we let him slip through our fingers, we will suffer for it.”

“As you wish,” said the pack leader, his voice tight with anger. I almost smiled. Anything that made that killer unhappy made me happy.

The voices of the pair faded as the two walked away, and with nothing else to hold me to consciousness, I too retreated into the comforting embrace of sleep.

Mum is dead, I thought forlornly as darkness claimed me again.

✽✽✽

When next I woke, it was to the smell of pungent herbs. I wrinkled my nose in distaste at the odour. Too late, I remembered that I was in enemy hands and could be under observation.

“Good, you’re awake. Open your eyes,” said the shaman.

I debated ignoring him. The orcs have already done the worst that they can to me, I thought in painful realization. What else is left for me in this life? Why not let it all go?

“I know you are awake. Open your eyes. Now. Or I will get Yarl to start killing more of your kind. He will take great pleasure in it.”

“Yarl,” I whispered, tasting the feel of the orc’s name on my tongue. So that is his name. I swallowed back grief. The pack leader’s name reminded me that I had failed, that Mum’s killer was still alive.

Beyond that, I still had a purpose. To kill Yarl. To kill them all.

There is time yet. The orcs seemed to consider me of some value, and while my first opportunity at revenge had been squandered, vengeance was still within my grasp.

I let my rage cool. Haste was my enemy. My first failure had taught me that. I would not avenge Mum with hot, impulsive action. Cold calculation. That is what I needed.

I must be like stone.

I would grieve later, I told myself. Now, I needed to harden myself. Drawing in my anguish and loathing, I locked it all away in the dark recesses of my mind and left it to fester. With time it would harden into a ball of fury that, when the right opportunity presented itself, I would unleash.

Feeling my emotions drain away and equilibrium return, I opened my eyes and glared balefully at the shaman looming over me. “What do you want?” I spat.

The orc only smiled in the face of my anger. “You are feeling better I see. Good. We have wasted enough time in this benighted world of yours. Sit up.”

I sat, groaning with the effort as I did. My back and arms felt as if they had been beaten to a pulp, and my face… I lifted my hands to probe the spot where I remembered the skin being ripped open by Yarl’s tusks.

The shaman slapped away my hands before I could make contact. “Don’t do that,” he ordered. “You will disturb the salve. And the wounds still need to heal a bit.”

Why was I of such value to them? Then I remembered the conversation I’d overheard and what orc bands like this one were tasked with. I must have Magic Potential.

Good. I could use that.

A furious hissing sound pierced the air. I looked up in time to see a burning projectile crash into the shimmering barrier of red above us. The world outside disappeared as the dome’s surface was momentarily consumed by a conflagration of sound and blinding-white light.

Involuntarily, I flinched. Yet neither the heat nor the flames from the explosion managed to pierce the shaman’s magical shield.

“Your countrymen,” grunted the shaman, unperturbed by the incoming fire. “They have been throwing flaming rocks at us for the past hour. The fools don’t seem to learn. They will never get through my shield,” he said with a hint of pride.

Artillery fire. Captain Hicks, it seemed, had managed to get the decrepit and obsolete tank operational. Was he trying to root out the invaders? And if all that had happened, for how long had I been out?

I took in my surroundings. The orcs hadn’t moved me. We were still outside my home. Former home, I thought bitterly. Whatever happened from here on out, I wouldn’t be going back to it.

Another mortar shell cracked against the shaman’s shield. This time, I didn’t let myself be distracted by the impact and kept my eyes fixed on the orc.

As hard as he tried to hide his reaction, the shaman’s small start of surprise and swift upwards glance betrayed his concern.

Ah, I thought. The orcs were not invincible after all. God bless our bloodthirsty militia captain. Maybe he and his band of crazy old men could do what the rest of the country’s military had failed to do and kill a few of the loathsome creatures.

My gaze dropped to a crate lying next to me. The wooden box did not belong to me and Mum, and I had never seen it on our lawn before. Where had it come from? As I peered inside, my eyes widened.

The shaman noticed both the direction of my gaze and my reaction. “Some of your people’s strange firebombs. Yarl collected a few. The stupid fool wouldn’t listen to me when I told him they wouldn’t survive the transition through the gate. Do you know what they are?”

I shook my head, feigning ignorance as a glimmer of an idea took shape. To distract the shaman away from the object of my interest, I instead said, “What do you want?”

The longer I kept the shaman talking here the better. His shield, after all, could not last forever. Surely, sooner or later, it would sustain too much damage to remain in place?

But whether he was concerned or not by the falling mortar shells, the orc shaman appeared in no hurry. Taking his time, he reached into his pouch and pulled out a medallion. “Hold this in your hand.”

Suspiciously, I eyed the object he held. It was a gold disk inscribed with more of the overworlders’ strange runes on both sides. “What is it?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Take it and hold it your hand,” repeated the shaman, ignoring my question. “If you do not,”—he gestured behind him—“I will get Yarl’s soldiers to hold you down while I force you to comply. I do not need your consent.”

My gaze slid beyond the shaman. Four orc warriors waited there, Yarl standing at their fore. With his arms folded, the pack leader glared menacingly at me from under hooded eyes. But the effect was spoiled by the red ribbons of blood decorating the warrior’s green face.

I smiled, and even went so far as to chuckle on seeing the pack leader’s scarred visage. Yarl’s scowl deepened and he seemed poised to leap at me. Not wanting to give the orc a chance to take out his frustration on me, I grabbed the medallion from the shaman’s hands.

The object was cool to the touch and fit neatly in my palm. I looked down and studied it more closely. Thousands of tiny runes had been inscribed across its entire surface. But despite the decorative alien script, the medallion looked little different from an oversized coin. My brows drew down in consternation.

What is this thing? And why does he want me to hold it?

“Close your fist around it,” said the shaman.

I glanced up at him. The orc’s gaze was fixed on the medallion. His face hardened as he noticed my hesitation. “Now,” he growled.

I didn’t have many choices here, I knew. My gaze flicked to the wooden crate. Not yet. With a small shrug I complied with the shaman’s order.

I froze as my fist closed around the medallion. Heat was flaring out from the object and into my body. “What the hell—”

I broke off as my vision blurred and a wave of nausea passed over me. I swayed, but before I could fall the dizziness passed and my vision cleared.

I blinked. Then blinked again.

Words floated in the air.

… loading Trials Key successful. Basic interface installed. Analysing host entity…

My mouth dropped open, leaving me to gape foolishly at the text superimposed on my sight. It was as if a window had unfurled in my mind and the words spilled out.

Before I could make sense of the words, the Key in my hand grew hotter and further tendrils of energy drove into my body.

Analysis complete: host complies with all requirements. Entity identified as: Jameson Sinclair. Planet of origin: Earth. Species: human. Age: 24 years. Designation: Candidate, suitable for entry into the Trials.

Core ready for installation.

What is this? I wondered. The Trials? Had I already been made into a player? Distracted by the Key’s strange effect, I was slow in reacting when the shaman raised his hand. Seemingly in response to the orc’s gesture, the runes on the Key lifted off and seeped into my skin.

I blinked in bewilderment. The runes were inside me. I could feel them. In a slow march, they made their way through my palm, up my hand, and into my head.

I swayed again. My head felt fuzzy. More runes gathered in my mind, increasing my sense of disorientation, and I shuddered.

What’s happening to me?

Runes poured into my head, until it seemed as if my awareness was bursting with them. They formed into patterns—patterns whose forms I felt on the edge of understanding.

I strained to focus. The runes began to make sense. Almost… I grasped their meaning. Then, the last rune entered my mind.

And my consciousness exploded.

Trials Key activated by shaman Kagan Firespawn. Commencing Trials core installation…

Core embedded…

Player basic data updated…

Species Traits unlocked…

Language: Overworld standard loaded…

Temple access granted…

Status updated…

Verifying configuration…

Core installation done: Induction completed.

I doubled over and gasped for breath. My heart thudded and my pulse felt like it was stuttering. I felt different.

Energised.

Depleted.

My awareness expanded. I was not alone in my mind anymore. Something else was in me.

I sensed a connection… to something other, something that brushed the edges of my mind, a great nebulous… machine?

It is the Trials, I realised.

That was what I sensed—the Trials and its roots in my mind. I shivered. The Trials had been just an abstract concept when I read of it in the wiki. Now, feeling its interface reside in my mind and its tendrils coursing through my body, I realised how other it was.

What is it? A being… an entity… a machine?

I wasn’t sure. Whatever the Trials was, it was so foreign I could scarcely comprehend it.

And now I am connected to it forevermore.

More words appeared in my vision. Straightening from my bent-over posture, I raised a tentative hand to my head as I read the message.

Introductory message: Jameson (Jamie) Sinclair, welcome to the Trials. Venture into Overworld to attain your true potential. Henceforth all your actions will be measured and weighed, and you will be rewarded or penalised accordingly.

Accumulate experience and accomplish deeds of greatness, and you shall be rewarded with gifts of knowledge. Fail to do so, and you will find the Trials unforgiving.

Checking status…

Induction: completed.

Initiation: outstanding.

Enter a gate to complete your player configuration and become a full player. Current designation: Inductee, a player of level zero and rank zero. Experience, Attributes, and Disciplines locked.

Evaluating Potentials…

Your Might is: mediocre, your Craft is: gifted, your Resilience is: exceptional, and your Magic is: extraordinary.

I lowered my hand and pushed it experimentally through the translucent text hovering before me.

“What is it?” I asked, needing confirmation—even if it was from an orc—that I wasn’t going mad and that what I was seeing was real.

“That is your welcome to the Trials,” said the shaman with a grunt. After a sidelong glance at the orcs behind him, he lowered his voice. “Now, accept the oath.”

“What?” I asked in confusion, not knowing what he meant. But a moment later, it became horridly clear as another message opened.

Contract initiated: Shaman Kagan Firespawn has offered to take you under his wing as his: slave. Accepting the contract shall bind you in perpetuity to the shaman’s service. In return, the shaman offers you: a master’s protection.

As a slave, your free will shall be leashed. If you disobey your master, attempt to abdicate your oath, or earn his wrath, you shall be punished by debilitating negative Traits.

Do you accept Kagan Firespawn’s contract of service?

“No!” I refuted, snarling in fury. The text disappeared and I turned a frosty glare upon the shaman.

“Don’t be a fool, human!” Kagan said, casting another nervous glance behind him.

What is he worried about? I wondered.

“I will be a better master than you could ever hope to find in the Orcish Federation. Now accept the oath!”

The message window appeared anew, asking me again to pledge my soul to the foul creature. “No,” I said, louder this time and shaking my head in refusal. Never. Never would I pledge myself to one of these monsters.

Yarl stepped forward. “Shaman, is everything alright? What is taking so long?” His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the golden disk in my hand, now free of runes. “What are you doing, Kagan?” he asked softly, his voice heavy with menace.

Kagan snatched the blank Trials Key from my hand before hurriedly stepping back. “Nothing,” he said. “Let’s get going.”

But the shaman’s denials only served to confirm Yarl’s suspicions. “Halt, Shaman!” he ordered. Striding forward, he shoved his face into Kagan’s face. “I am not the fool you think me, Kagan. You’ve bonded the human to your personal service, haven’t you?”

Caught up in their feud, the two forgot about me. I glanced at the box lying less than a foot away from me. Setting aside the strangeness of the Trials and the changes it had wrought in me, I focused fully on the present. Here was my chance, I thought as I inched my hand towards the crate.

“What? No!” replied Kagan. Realising his earlier error, the shaman did not back down from Yarl’s challenge. Leaning in towards the pack leader, Kagan breathed heavily into his face. “Don’t seek to question me, Yarl. Don’t forget your place.”

My hand reached the edge of the crate. Carefully, without turning my gaze away from either of the two arguing orcs, I searched out one of the grenades within.

“It is you who have forgotten your place, Kagan. You have no right to take on slaves. Nor is it your place to keep my men here waiting for hours while you enacted your own foolish gambit. Were your earlier words even true? Was the human actually too unfit to travel the gate? Or just too far gone to make his pledge to you?”

Kagan’s face drained of colour but he said nothing.

My hand found one of the explosives and withdrew it. None of the orcs were paying me the least bit of attention. Under the misconception that the shaman had already bound me to his service, they appeared confident of my inability to harm them.

Indeed, the orc warriors seemed deaf to anything but the drama playing out between their leaders. Even the artillery fire still raining down from the sky did not draw more than a passing glance.

The pack leader took the shaman’s silence as confirmation of guilt. “You took a foolish risk, Shaman, and for what? To further your power by binding the human directly to yourself. I will make sure the warlord’s commanders hear of this when we get back!”

I cradled the grenade gently in my hands as I ran over my plan. Pull the firing pin. Toss it back in the crate. Then run. Honestly, the running bit was optional.

It was unlikely that I would escape the resulting explosion, and I didn’t really care. My purpose, my only purpose, was to kill Mum’s killers. And if I had to die doing it, then so be it. Turning back to the orcs, I waited for my moment.

“You don’t know what you are talking about, Yarl,” snarled the shaman, but even I could hear the lie in his words.

Yarl laughed. “We shall see, Kagan. We shall see.”

It was time. Smiling a bloodthirsty grin, I pulled the pin and tossed the grenade. It was a perfect throw and the explosive landed squarely within the box.

I took off running.

Well, it was more of an unsteady lurch than a run, really. But the orcs were slow in responding. The first to react had only begun to turn my way when I reached the fire shield’s boundary.

Staggering through, I took another three steps before diving to the ground for cover. Behind me, I heard shouted orders as the orcs began to give chase.

But they were too late.

With an earthshattering roar, the grenade detonated. A rippling series of concussive blasts followed close on its heels as the other explosives detonated as well.

In my mind, another kind of explosion erupted as a flood of Trials messages scrolled across my dazed sight.

Kagan Firespawn, a level 201 Veteran player, has died.

Yarl Sharptooth, a level 130 Seasoned player, has died.

An unknown orc, a level 104 Seasoned player, has died.

An unknown orc, a level 108 Seasoned player, has died.

An unknown orc, a level 105 Seasoned player, has died.

You have gained: 0 experience, and advanced: 0 levels.

Anomalous results detected. Analysing events for irregularities...

Players identified...

Non-combatants counted…

Location established...

Fatalities confirmed…

Battle results verified. Anomalies found: 1, Jameson Sinclair has not achieved full player designation. Recalculating player achievements…

You have killed your first player while an Inductee. For this achievement, you have been awarded: an epic Trait.

You have killed your first Seasoned player while an Inductee. For this achievement, you have been awarded: a legendary Trait.

You have killed your first Veteran player while an Inductee. For this achievement, you have been awarded: a mythic Trait.

You are the only player to have slain five Seasoned players while an Inductee. For this achievement, you have been awarded: a unique Trait. Your rewards can be claimed during your Induction.

Your reprisals against the representatives of the Orcish Federation, and the swift revenge that you enacted, has earned you the Feat: Orcsbane, rank 3, Mortal Foe.

Feats scale with time and according to your further actions. At rank 3, Orcsbane provides you with the orc hunter, burning brightly, revulsion, and repurpose Techniques.

Orc hunter: You are aware of any orc that gets within nine feet of yourself.

Burning brightly: Reveals your presence to any orc that approaches within nine feet.

Revulsion: You cannot use any goods crafted by orcs.

Repurpose: You may temporarily subvert orcish structures to your own ends.

Chapter 8

12 May: 5 days to Earth’s destruction

The humans’ technology is strange and admittedly powerful. Yet it will benefit them little on Overworld. Given their technology’s nature, the Trials will not allow it to function. And without the aid of their Earth-forged weapons, the humans are weak and ripe for conquest. We should prepare for immediate invasion once the Arkon Shield falls. —Lilith Smoke, fiendish spymaster.

Ignoring the Trials’ messages, I rolled over and stared up at the sky, surprised I was still alive.

It was done.

I had avenged Mum’s death, and was done with Overworld, the Trials, and the blasted invaders. Nothing else mattered anymore. My purpose was complete and now I could rest.

Gazing up into the endless blue emptiness of the sky, I found myself wondering at the colour of Overworld’s sky. I dismissed the errant thought in irritation. I would never see it, I was certain. Around me, lay a heavy silence. Even the shelling had stopped.

I turned my head to stare at the spot where Mum had died. The area was scorched. Both the orcs’ and Mum’s remains had been incinerated by the incredible heat of multiple explosions.

Goodbye, Mum. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I hope you find peace, wherever you are.

As I looked upon the burned ground and floating ash, I noticed with only mild surprise that the charred earth was neatly contained within a uniform circle. The boundary of the shaman’s fire shield, I guessed.

I likely owed my survival as much to Kagan’s shield as to my own half-hearted attempts at escape. It had contained the explosion’s fury just as completely as it had repelled the mortar fire.

I frowned. But why, then, had I been able to move through the field? I shrugged away the mystery. It didn’t matter. Someone else could figure it out, I thought, returning to my contemplation of the sky.

My phone rang.

I ignored it, but it kept ringing. Groaning in annoyance, I pulled it out of my pocket and stared at the caller ID. It was Eric. I considered cutting the call. My purpose was done. I had my revenge. There was no reason for me to keep going.

But it was Eric and he deserved better from me. I answered the call. “Eric,” I greeted.

“Jamie. Thank God! Are you alright! What am I saying? Of course, you are not! I’m sorry—”

“Eric,” I said slowly, interrupting his rapid-fire flow of words. “Why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be in Overworld already?”

“You’re right, I should be, but we ran into some unexpected delays. But none of that is important now. I saw what happened to your mum. Jamie, I am so sorry. I can’t imagine what you must be feeling right now.”

“What do you mean you saw?” I asked, my thoughts still sluggish. Is Eric here? I wondered, looking around.

Eric fell momentarily silent. “Jamie, are you injured?” he asked, his voice heavy with concern. “You don’t sound alright.”

I laughed hollowly. “No, Eric. I am not alright. My Ma is dead.”

“I know, man. I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

I shoved back the upswell of grief that threatened at the sympathy in Eric’s voice. “Where are you?” I asked, changing the topic.

“In my apartment, watching you on the news.”

“On the news?” I repeated, bewildered.

“That’s right. The whole world saw you kill those five orcs. Right now, the internet is exploding in celebration. You’ve just shown everyone that those bastards are not invincible. I’m proud of you, man.”

I bit back another grim laugh. Eric didn’t deserve my mockery. “It doesn’t matter,” I said. “Earth is doomed. Humanity too, probably. But save yourself, Eric. Go to Overworld, and build a new life for yourself and Emma.”

“We plan to. We were just above to leave.” He paused. “What about you?”

I shook my head, even though Eric couldn’t see it. “My fight is done. Mum is gone and I’ve avenged her death. There is no reason for me to go on.”

The phone filled with the sound of heavy breathing as Eric felt silent. But only for a second. A moment later, the call erupted with hissing as Emma and Eric whispered furiously in the background. Then Eric returned. “Jamie are you still there?”

I almost smiled. Where else would I be? “I’m here, bud.”

“Don’t give up, my friend. Please.”

“I don’t know how to go on, Eric.”

“I know.” He paused, and even without being able to see him I knew my friend well enough to know that he was biting his lips as he pondered his next words. “But there are more orcs, you know.”

I lifted the phone and stared at it for second, before returning it to my ear. “What do you mean?” I asked slowly.

“Those five orcs you killed, they aren’t the ones really responsible for your mum’s death, Jamie,” Eric said softly. “That’s Duskar and the entire Orcish Federation. If you want justice for your mum you will kill them all.”

I fell silent as I chewed on Eric’s words. They were crazy—ludicrous, even. To declare war on the entire Orcish Federation? A nation that even the other overworlders seemed to fear? I chuckled hoarsely. Only Eric would suggest something so outrageous. Or have faith in me accomplishing such a feat.

But he had a point.

Had I really avenged Mum? Yarl and Kagan had only been the instruments of her death. The ones really responsible were Duskar and his warlords. The seeds of doubt planted by Eric flowered into raging discontent.

I had not done enough.

Dissatisfaction lay heavy in the pit of my stomach. My friend was right. There were more orcs to kill. And while that remained true, I could not simply lie down and die.

I heaved myself upright. “Eric, my friend, you are a real son of a bitch, you know that?”

Eric chuckled. “Someone’s got to beat you straight,” he said, trying to hide the palpable relief in his voice. “What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going to enter the gate,” I said as I stumbled to my feet. “Thanks, Eric.”

“My pleasure, Jamie.”

“And Eric?”

“Yeah, Jamie?”

“Make sure to get your ass there too, alright.”

“Will do, bud. Will do.”

✽✽✽

I limped forward, the silence around me complete. It was still morning, I noted absently.

None of the townsfolk who had fled at the orcs’ appearance had returned. Off to my left, in the far distance, I made out a few watching figures. The militia, I thought, waving absently. None waved back.

I shrugged and continued onwards. As I walked, thoughts of Mum intruded. I shoved them aside. I couldn’t think of her. Not now. It hurt too much.

To keep my mind occupied, and distract myself from the grief that sat heavy on my heart, I focused on the Trials and its recent flood of messages.

Being able to receive messages from the Trials directly through my mind was astonishing enough. But what those messages had to say was almost too spectacular to believe. I perused them as I walked. It seems I had been generously rewarded for my defeat of the orcs.

Rewards like that can’t be normal, I thought. Was it because I was still an Inductee that I had received so many? Or because I had slain enemies so far above my own level? Whatever the case, I doubted my victory here was a feat I would soon duplicate.

On Overworld I would not have the advantage of human technology. There, I would have to rely only on medieval arms and the strength of my own limbs.

And magic, I reminded myself. Do not forget magic.

I opened the first set of messages again. The Trials had judged my Magic Potential as extraordinary, and even through the overwhelming fog of my grief, I felt a spurt of curiosity.

Just catching wind of my Magic Potential had made Kagan take foolish risks. Just how unusual was my Magic Potential? I wondered. And more importantly, how would it serve me, in my crusade?

Because that was what I was embarking on: a crusade. One to purge Overworld of Duskar’s kind. It was a cause I would not give up on, not until they were all dead. Or I was.

I cackled. Not entire sanely, I admit. Baby steps, Jamie. Baby steps.

Looking around, I saw I was nearly at the gate. A very red gate. I took a second to study it. I was sure there were more orcs waiting for me on the other side.

Not me particularly, but any human fool enough to place themselves in enemy hands. I wasn’t going to do that. I had learned my lesson.

Revenge was best served cold.

I would take my war to the orcs when I was ready, and not before. As long as I had any say in the matter, anyhow.

No, it was not suicidal intent that spurred me to approach the orc gate, but rather the Orcsbane Feat—and in particular, one of its Techniques. I called up its description again.

Repurpose: You may temporarily subvert orcish structures to your own ends.

Could I divert the orc gate as the repurpose Technique suggested? I shrugged. Only one way to find out.

Stopping in front of the gate, I considered the artefact’s immensity up close for the first time. The gate arched high overhead, many times my own height. The structure’s rim sparkled with alien inscriptions, and its depths swirled with the reddish shimmer of what I now knew to be a magical field.

Here goes nothing, I thought and placed one hand tentatively against the gate’s metal surface. The metal vibrated faintly and was warm to the touch, but not uncomfortably so.

Now what? I wondered after holding my hand against the gate for an interminable stretch of time where nothing happened.

I knew from countless televised broadcasts that to enter Overworld I simply had to step within the shimmering magical curtain, but I was not willing to do that yet, not without confirmation that I could actually repurpose the structure.

How do I subvert the gate? I wondered, scratching my head with my other hand. Almost as if triggered by the thought, I felt tendrils of energy reach out from me to the artefact as a new message from the Trials opened within my mind.

This is gate forty-six between Overworld and the human planet, Earth. The current owner is the: Orcish Federation, and the allowed destinations are: any orcish settlement in the newly formed Human Dominion.

You have activated repurpose. Do you wish to take temporary control of this gate? Doing so will allow you to change the portal’s destination to any neutral location in the Human Dominion.

Ah, it’s that simple, is it? Alright, then, here goes nothing, I thought, willing my confirmation to the Trials.

A second later, I screamed.

My mind felt as if it was being torn apart as an unimaginable force battered me. I gasped and my knees collapsed under me. I would have fallen entirely if not for my right hand which remained fastened to the gate as if it had been glued there.

What is going on? I had a second to wonder before lances of agony scorched my mind, destroying further thought. The pain reached a crescendo, and my mind was torn open, brutally so, while a conduit was forged between it and the gate.

How I knew this to be true, I could not honestly say, but somehow I understood it to be the case. An image of the gate, pulsing scarlet as if bathed in blood, sprang to life in my mind’s eye.

I knew what I had to do next.

Thrusting coils of my will forward, I sent my consciousness racing across the conduit to the gate and blew away the shimmering red weaves of magic wrapped around it. Slowly at first, then faster, the crimson haze around the gate disappeared. Soon, I would have control of the gate.

Then I felt the presence of another.

The gate’s creator, I realised instinctively. The conduit which I had forged to the structure had temporarily bridged our minds. His thoughts, which I could somehow sense, roiled first with surprise before transforming into rage and fury.

The gate’s owner rushed to stop me, to hold onto control of his creation, but he was too late. The last of the red weaves around the gate dissipated and possession transferred to me.

“Who are you?” thundered the orc, his voice reverberating through my mind. He was another shaman, and one who seemed far beyond Kagan in power. I shuddered. This was not one who was I ready to face.

A second later he answered his own question, somehow divining the answer from my own thoughts. “A human? How?!”

I fled. I could not afford to reveal myself to one like him, not yet. Retracing my steps across the conduit, I sent my consciousness scurrying back to the safety of my body.

“STOP!” bellowed the shaman.

The strength of his mental command was terrifying and nearly petrified me with fear. But I didn’t let myself succumb. I kept fleeing.

The shaman followed, pursuing me across the link bridging our minds. “Don’t think you can escape, human,” he whispered in a menacing undertone. “I know you now. I will find you. If not today, then another day.”

Reaching the safety of my self, I thrust my consciousness back into its shell and frantically willed my mind closed. The echoes of the shaman’s wrathful voice faded as I sealed shut the gates of my mind and dropped back into the ‘real’ world.

I sagged down, hands braced on the floor, head down and heaving in deep, lungsful of air. I had escaped. But how much of myself had the shaman seen? How much had I inadvertently revealed? Had he divined as much of me as I of him?

He was high shaman Orgtul. Orgtul Silverbane.

I rolled his name around my mouth. A second name to add to my list of targets. I straightened and staggered back to my feet.

Stepping back from the gate, I studied it anew. Repurposing it had not been so easy after all. I chuckled with grim humour as I laid a hand again to the artefact’s rim.

You have successfully repurposed gate forty-six. You will retain control of the gate for: thirty minutes, after which ownership will revert back to the Orcish Federation.

The shimmering veil of red was gone, replaced by a soothing grey one. The slap of feet on concrete pulled my attention to my left. Turning, I saw some of the militia soldiers running towards me, hands waving frantically to attract my attention.

But I didn’t let myself get distracted by them. My purpose was to kill orcs. And the orcs were in Overworld. It was there I had to go. I glanced back at the soldiers. Let them follow if they wanted.

Stepping forward, I entered the artefact.

You have entered gate forty-six. Beginning transfer to Overworld…

…

…

… transfer interrupted.

Your Initiation is incomplete. Entry into Overworld is not permitted. Redirecting Inductee to Wyrm Island. Transfer resumed and will be completed in 5 seconds.

4…

3…

2…

1…

Chapter 9

12 May: 5 days to Earth’s destruction

The humans show an uncanny aptitude for magic. Enslaving them will serve us well. —Orgtul Silverbane.

I left one world and entered another between one step and the next. The transition was seamless and without the slightest misstep in my footing.

I looked around.

Earth’s bright blue sky and concrete buildings had disappeared. Replacing it was a wide-open beach of fine white sand under a storm-wracked grey sky. Green waves of water rolled in from the ocean and, in a spray of foam, crashed onto the rocks scattered along the shore. Mum would have loved it here, I couldn’t help thinking.

As startling a contrast as the beach made from my hometown, there was nothing alien in the landscape. The beach I stood on could have been any one of a number of locations on Earth. I looked to my left and right, along the shore. Both directions appeared empty of life. I was alone, it seemed.

I swung around to see what lay behind me, then jerked back in alarm.

Standing patiently less than three feet from me and so very still that I would have assumed her a statue, if not for her lively and curious gaze, was an… entity.

“Welcome, human, to Wyrm Island,” said the strange creature, seeing that I had finally noticed her. “I am Aurora, your designated guide for your Induction into Overworld.”

“Uh, hello,” I greeted automatically while I surreptitiously studied the fascinating figure.

Aurora was uniformly purple from her bare toes, to the tips of the long hair that fell to her waist. On her back was a pair of feathered wings, as still and unmoving as the rest of her. Whatever—or whoever—Aurora was, she was clearly not from Earth. But at least, she appeared humanoid. “What are you?” I couldn’t help asking.

“I am forbidden from answering an Inductee’s questions,” Aurora responded primly.

The petite purple figure—half my own height—flapped her wings and rose gently aloft until she reached eye level with me. “Now follow me,” she ordered. Turning about, she zipped along the ground towards the island’s interior.

I rubbed my chin, perplexed by her behaviour. “Wait!” I called, but Aurora didn’t stop. She moved so fast I knew I would soon lose sight of her over the sand dune she was headed towards. “Damn it all,” I swore, and hurried after her at the fastest hobble I could manage.

As predicted, I soon lost sight of the purple woman, but with no other choice, I kept limping in the direction I had last seen her. Reaching the top of the hill over which Aurora had disappeared, I saw her waiting at the bottom, foot tapping impatiently.

Next to her was another gate, nearly identical to the one I had entered on Earth, except that this one was the same startling shade of purple as my guide. In the far distance, I could see where the dunes ended and the ocean began again. The island was far smaller than I had thought.

“Well hurry up,” called Aurora, interrupting my inspection of the surroundings. “Don’t just stand there—we are on a time limit, you know.”

“Huh? Where are we? What is this place?” I asked as I slipped down the loose sand of the beach dune to her side.

“In twenty-seven minutes, the gate which you entered will revert back to orcish control,” Aurora said, steadfastly ignoring all my questions. “If you have not completed your Initiation before then, you will be forced out to a destination of its owner’s choosing.”

I gulped. I definitely did not want that. But my guide’s response left me puzzled, since it implied I was still in the gate. Frowning, I looked around. Was this not Overworld?

Before I could frame more questions, Aurora continued, “Our first order of business is to determine if you will retain your current form on entering Overworld or if you will choose an entirely new one, one created from a clean slate with none of your existing blemishes.” The purple woman glanced down at my hobbled foot, making the meaning of her words clear.

My eyes widened in stunned shock. I could be free of my crippled foot? Never in my wildest dreams had I ever contemplated being whole again. The wiki pages I had studied had mentioned starting the Trials with a clean slate, but I had not delved much into what that meant.

Joy, sharp and bittersweet rushed through me. I’d never expected Overworld to free me of the handicap that had plagued me all my adult life. Yet it was a tainted joy. Why could Mum not be here to witness this moment?

I bottled away my conflicting emotions. Sort through them later, Jamie. Stay focused in the now and the choices you must make here. I heaved a deep breath to settle myself and opened my mouth to answer.

Aurora’s waggled a purple finger in front of my face before I did so. “I advise you to review the information in the Trials windows before you answer, and to carefully study the consequences of both choices.”

At my guide’s words, two translucent windows—shaded purple—unfurled and floated gently on unseen currents before my eyes. As Aurora suggested, I studied each intently.

You have the choice between the forms: Clean Slate and Made-in-Earth. In either form, your Potentials will remain the same.

In the Clean Slate form, your body will be refashioned to remove both negative and positive effects, including those of aging. Your Attributes, Traits, Feats, and Disciplines will be reset. In their stead, you will be provided with the same basic starting combination as other new players. This includes: twelve Attributes Marks, ten Discipline Tokens, one common Trait, and one uncommon Trait.

In the Made-in-Earth form, you will carry over your expertise, strengths, and weaknesses developed during your time in Earth. These include: the lore Discipline, the scribe Discipline, the Crippled Trait, the Quick Learner Trait, the Orcsbane Feat, and your four newly acquired Traits.

My heart sank as I saw the Trials information. Starting with a Clean Slate was not an option. If I chose it, I would lose the achievements I had earned from slaying the five orcs.

Seeing the dawning realisation on my face, Aurora confirmed my suspicion. “If you choose to enter Overworld with a Clean Slate, you will lose your existing Traits and Feats. Twenty-six minutes remaining.”

I didn’t hesitate. It was no choice at all, really. “I will enter Overworld as I am,” I replied.

“Very well,” Aurora said. “Your decision has been recorded.” Waving her hand, my guide banished the two windows before me. “Next, you must select the Traits you earned through your recent actions.

“There are six categories of Traits, and they range from rank one to six. Rank-one Traits, also referred to as common Traits, are the least powerful and most easily attained. Likewise, mythic or rank-six Traits are the rarest and nearly impossible to attain.

“To begin with, choose your epic Trait from the options available to humans.”

Another translucent window opened. For a second, I stared at the listed Traits in bemusement, struck by the strangeness of what I was doing, but I brushed aside my doubts. Events had already proved beyond doubt that despite how strange Overworld and the Trials seemed, they were all too real.

Breathing in deeply, I settled my mind and scanned through the list. There were hundreds of Traits to choose from, and not nearly enough time to go through them all. I knew I couldn’t afford to dally. If I did, I would lose control of the gate. I repressed a shiver. It was not something I wanted to risk.

Skimming through the list, I scanned only the titles and did not bother reading the detailed descriptions of each Trait. There simply wasn’t time for that, and I had already determined my strategy. My first priority would be to find a Trait that helped me disguise my Potentials.

Kagan had perceived my Potentials too easily. His reaction had also suggested my Magic Potential was rare. How rare I couldn’t be certain, but, if I walked around Overworld with my Potential open to analyse, I would likely be too tempting a prize for most to ignore.

It took longer than I hoped, but finally I spotted two Traits that seemed to fit my criteria.

Trait: Mimicked Core. Rank: 4, epic. This Trait grants a player the mimic Technique. It obfuscates a player’s Potentials. The deception will be immune to all forms of detection.

Trait: Master of Disguise. Rank: 4, epic. This Trait grants a player the chameleon Technique. It allows a player to hide both their Potentials and identity. Foes of sufficiently high level will be able to sense the deception, but will not be able to penetrate the player’s disguise.

I deliberated between the two. Mimicked Core provided the more comprehensive protection. Master of Disguise, on the other hand, allowed me to hide more of myself. From what I understood from the trait description, it would allow me to hide even my name from other players.

“Twenty minutes remaining,” said Aurora.

Damn it, I thought, this is taking too long. “I choose Mimicked Core,” I replied, sticking with my original intent and not allowing the added benefits of the Master of Disguise Trait to sway me. Better to have an undetectable disguise.

“So noted. Next, choose your legendary Trait from the list of those available to humans.”

Another window opened up before me. I rapidly ran my eyes through the list. Less than halfway down, I stopped. Two Traits had caught my eye. Given their nature, I felt further study of the list unnecessary.

Trait: Twice as Skilled. Rank: 5, legendary. This Trait doubles the Discipline Tokens a player is awarded every level. The effect of this Trait is not retroactive.

Trait: Twice as Talented. Rank: 5, legendary. This Trait doubles the Attribute Marks a player is awarded every level. The effect of this Trait is not retroactive.

Considering that I was still level zero, I would derive maximum benefit from either Trait. But which one to choose? Disciplines or Attributes, I mused. Having more of either would significantly improve my power.

My study of the Trials Infopedia back on Earth had led me to the conclusion that Disciplines were more important than Attributes, despite the fact that each Attribute affected multiple Disciplines. With more Disciplines, I would have access to additional Techniques, and they could make all the difference between survival and defeat.

“I choose Twice as Skilled,” I said.

“Your choice has been recorded. Next, choose your mythic Trait from the ones available to humans.”

This time the list of Traits was not nearly so extensive, I noted with relief. It was only half as long as the one with legendary Traits. As I scanned through the Traits, in the back of my mind Aurora’s choice of phrasing played over in my mind again.

It was the third time she had worded her instruction as: ‘available to humans.’ Did that mean other races would have a different selection of Traits to choose from? I wondered in idle speculation.

The list of mythic Traits seemed as varied as the legendary and epic ones, with each Trait suited to a particular style of play. So what would my own be? I wondered.

Given my Potentials, there was little doubt I would invest heavily in the magic Disciplines and Attributes, which would leave me weak and less dextrous compared to other players. The proverbial glass cannon. Did I shore up my weaknesses or double down on my strengths?

Shore up my weaknesses, I decided. My Magic Potential, if Kagan’s reaction was anything to go by, did not appear to need further boosts. On the other hand, with my crippled foot and lacklustre Might Potential, I would easy pickings if I was caught without access to magic. I needed to either choose a Trait that gave me an escape option, or one that increased my survivability.

I scanned the list again, shortlisting two Traits once more.

Trait: Ghost. Rank: 6, mythic. This Trait grants a player the ghostwalker Technique, which allows them to dissociate from their body and wander as an invisible spirit for: thirty seconds. While in spirit form, the player cannot interact with the world, and they may pass through solid objects.

The Technique’s casting time is: fast. Due to the damage inflicted by the ability on a player’s spirit, it may only be used: once a day.

Trait: Spirit’s Invincibility. Rank: 6, mythic. This Trait grants a player the invincible Technique, which allows them to manifest their spirit as a shield against all forms of damage for: thirty seconds.

The Technique’s casting time is: very fast, but may only be used: once a day.

I chewed on the inside of my lip as I read the Traits’ descriptions. They seemed amazing, and I wished I could have both. Ghostwalker was definitely the better escape option, since it would allow me to cleanly escape difficult situations, and even to enter barred and locked areas.

But invincible would grant me immunity, and it could be used both defensively and offensively. It also appeared to be the faster-acting Technique. In the end it was this last bit that helped me decide. In an emergency, what would matter most would be speed of execution. “I choose Spirit’s Invincibility,” I said, quietening my doubts.

“Noted. Lastly, choose your unique Trait. Unique Traits are unranked, and rarely awarded, and then only in very special circumstances. Every unique Trait is just that: unique, and only a single player may ever possess any particular one.”

Aurora fell silent, momentary doubt clouding her face. “Until now, no player has ever been granted a choice when it comes to the unique Trait they acquire. In the past, the system has always determined the appropriate reward.”

She fixed me with hard-eyed stare. “For your accomplishment of defeating five Seasoned players while still an Inductee, the Trials, in its wisdom, has seen fit to grant you the honour of making your own choice of a unique Trait. Choose carefully, human. You have fifteen minutes left.”

The little purple woman looked like there was much more she wanted to add, but biting her lip, she managed to hold the words in. As it were, her explanation was the most expansive one she had provided thus far. If I had not already been aware of the importance of my choice, her words would have alerted me.

This, I knew, was my true reward. And it was not a choice I could fail to get wrong.

Chapter 10

12 May: 5 days to Earth’s destruction

We cannot ignore the facts. The Elders were here: on this planet, Earth. We must know why. —Arustolyx, gnomish archaeologist.

I blew out a calming breath as the open purple windows disappeared and were replaced by a single golden one.

Thousands of Traits scrolled through the window.

I gulped. How was I expected to go through all that in fifteen minutes? I turned to Aurora in incipient panic. “Is there any way to sort the list?”

My ‘guide’ ignored me and stared steadfastly ahead. Growling softly to myself, I got to work rapidly scanning the titles.

There were so many Traits, and all of them had longwinded names such as: ‘raider of the hidden-most depths of the world,’ ‘holder of the sacred iron-tooth totem,’ ‘hoarder of all things shiny and small,’ ‘first conqueror of the underside catacombs,’ ‘valiant champion for the free rights of murkers,’ and so on.

Many of the titles were so arcane I could not even guess at what bonuses the Trait granted. I mean, what possible benefits could, ‘twirling rainbow under a midnight sky’ grant? Yet I dared not stop to read any of the descriptions. There were just too many to go through.

“Ten minutes remaining,” said Aurora.

I looked away from the list to scowl at her indifferent face. With difficulty, I bit back a retort. It would only waste time I did not have. I turned back to the golden window and forced myself to skim faster through the seemingly endless and nonsensical jargon.

My eyes began to burn, aching from the strain of keeping them focused for so long. Hundreds of names scrolled past my gaze. Most of them barely pinged on my conscious thoughts at all.

I couldn’t even recall words that rushed through my sight scant seconds ago. I was scanning the list that rapidly and in a manner that was, perhaps, wholly inefficient.

But trusting to my instincts, I let my gaze rove through the list and waited for my unconscious mind to spark at the right combination of words. What those would be, I had no idea, but surely something in the thousands of names would jolt my interest.

“Five minutes,” said Aurora.

I pressed onwards, even as inwardly I began to despair. Perhaps, I was going about this all wrong, I worried suddenly. Perhaps the smarter choice would have to forgo the list entirely, and pick Traits at random to inspect in detail. But it was too late for that now. I was nearly out of time.

“Three minutes remaining.”

The text in the gold window swam out of focus as the prolonged strain began to wear on my eyes. Unshed tears collected at their corners. Uncaringly, I let the glistening tears stream down my face and kept going.

It is no use, I thought dejectedly. I had failed. I had chosen the wrong tack.

But just as I began to reconcile myself to being forced to select at random, my eyes stopped moving—frozen by the sight of two short words.

I rubbed an impatient hand across my waterlogged eyes, and leaning forward, peered fervently at the Trait’s title. I had not been mistaken. I had read the words correctly.

‘Dragon’s Gift,’ the title of the Trait read.

A short, succinct title, so unlike the elaborate, longwinded names of the other unique Traits. I stared at it, transfixed.

“Two minutes,” I heard Aurora remark from beyond.

Not taking my eyes off the Trait, I willed the golden window to expand and show the Trait’s full description.

Trait: Dragon’s Gift. Rank: unique. Grants the player access to the dragon magic Discipline.

I leaned back and closed my eyes. This was the one. This was the Trait I needed. Never mind that the Trait’s description was uninspiring and gave almost no hint of benefits it would provide, I knew with bone-deep certainty that this was the Trait I had to choose.

Overworld’s Elders were dragons, I recalled, remembering the passage I had read seemingly ages ago on the Trials’ creators. And this Trait gave me access to their magic.

“One minute,” said Aurora.

I turned to face the purple woman, who despite her stated impartiality was beginning to look distressed. I smiled reassuringly at her. “I choose Dragon’s Gift,” I said.

Aurora’s eyes widened, and for a moment she appeared at a loss for words. But then she remembered the dire passage of time.

“So recorded,” she said finally, the words coming out half-strangled. She glanced inwards. “You have forty-five seconds left! Quickly, through the portal! You will have to choose from one of the neutral locations as your destination before the transition can be completed. Remember, you only have a few seconds before you lose control of the gate! Now go!”

I went.

Limping as fast as my crippled foot would allow, I hurried to the purple gate. Behind me, just before I entered the gate, I heard Aurora shout, “We will see each other again, Jameson Sinclair. When you have levelled up, enter one of the dragon temples on Overworld and you will find me there. Goodbye, and good luck!”

I lifted a hand in acknowledgement and stepped into the gate.

You have exited Wyrm Island. Initiation: completed. Current designation: Initiate. Resuming transfer to Overworld…

…

…

… transfer interrupted.

You have not selected a destination. Redirecting player to waystation 23,424. Location: Human Dominion void. Select a neutral location to resume your transfer. Gate forty-six will revert to orcish control in: thirty-five seconds.

I stepped out into a world of grey emptiness.

Whipping my head back and forth, I looked around. There was nothing to see in any direction. I was surrounded by billowing mists on all sides.

What now? I wondered frantically.

Before my worry could transform into full-blown panic, a translucent map began to slowly crystallise in the space before me. “Come on, hurry up,” I whispered, wondering how much time I had left.

After a full five seconds the map’s manifestation completed. My eyes raced across the magical construct. It was a map of the Human Dominion in Overworld. With no point of reference, I had no idea how large an area it covered, but humanity’s new territory appeared sizeable. On the Dominion’s eastern border was a region marked boldly in red and labelled: ‘the Orcish Federation.’

So, humanity had been placed next to its Patron, the orcs. My gaze flicked to humanity’s other borders, but the other territories lying adjacent to the Human Dominion were greyed out—as was the greater part of the Orcish Federation, I realised. Only the orcs’ territories bordering humanity were shown on the map.

There was no time to scrutinise the map in further detail. I had to select a destination—and fast. I scanned the many pulsing grey icons scattered throughout the Human Dominion. I assumed that they were the allowed neutral locations I could transition to. All of them were unhelpfully labelled, ‘unclaimed,’ or ‘unnamed.’

Damn it, I thought, where are the gnomish cities? Or even the elvish ones? It was my plan to enter one of the gnomes’ cities, and if I couldn’t do that, to choose a location as close as possible.

Yet with none of the gnomish cities appearing on the map, there was no way I could be certain of doing that now. It would take Eric and myself even longer to join up than I had hoped.

I was out of time.

Left with no other choice, I turned my attention to a grey icon, located on the far west of the Human Domain and as about as far as you could get from the Orcish Federation. I knew I would need time before I was ready to face the orcs again, and the distance between my selected location and the orcs’ territory might just give me that.

Gathering my thoughts together, I willed myself to my chosen location, a nondescript settlement on the banks of a river.

The map disappeared, and the billowing mist around me spun more furiously until they had transformed into a raging tornado with me at its centre. I closed my eyes and ducked my head against the winds whipping at me.

A second later, I felt myself being pulled downwards, spiralling out of the depths of nowhere, and hopefully into Overworld.

You have selected location seventy-eight as your destination. Exiting waystation 23,424. Resuming transfer to Overworld. Transfer will be completed in 5 seconds.

4…

3…

2…

1…

Chapter 11

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

5 days to Earth’s destruction

No matter what your Potentials, without Traits and Feats, you’ll never amount to anything more than an average player. Accumulate as many of them as you can, as quick as you can. —Anonymous Veteran.

Straight out of the gate, I stumbled and yelped in shock. I sprawled forward, and my nose buried itself into the green grass underfoot.

Ooof, that hurts.

This last transition through the gate had not been seamless as the ones before it. Lifting my head from the ground and spitting out the loose dirt and bits of grass clinging to my lips, I heaved myself upright into a sitting position. Around me I heard cries of alarm and shouts of dismay—human voices—but with my vision obscured by ominously flashing alerts, I still couldn’t make out much of my surroundings.

I read the messages swiftly.

Transfer completed. Jameson (Jamie) Sinclair, welcome to Overworld. You have entered location seventy-eight, presently unclaimed and unnamed. Participate in the Trials and become all you can be. Remember, true strength is grounded in experience.

You are now a: level 1 Neophyte. Health pool unlocked. Stamina pool unlocked. New Techniques downloaded: analyse, mimic, magesight, and invincible. You have acquired: Tokens and Marks. Visit a dragon temple to use them.

You have been blessed with: newcomer. This buff rapidly accelerates the learning rate of your Neophyte Disciplines and Attributes during your first day on Overworld.

Flash alert: To all players entering the Human Dominion,

As a new region, the Human Dominion will remain protected by an Arkon Shield for one Overworld year, 400 days. Days remaining: 391.

Until the Arkon Shield falls, all races except humans and orcs are confined to the sponsored cities. Orcs, as the Patron of humanity, are permitted to patrol the Human Dominion, but are forbidden from exploiting the territory’s resources.

Report any infractions at a dragon temple. Punishment will be swift and merciless.

I was finally in Overworld and the clock had already started ticking on humanity. I have much to do, I thought as I acknowledged the Trials’ warning and waved it away.

More raised shouts caught my attention. Something was happening and I needed to figure out what.

“Tara, come look! We’ve got another one!” a voice cried out from behind.

I looked over my shoulder. There was no gate behind me. Its ninety-foot-high structure was entirely absent. Wherever the portal had deposited me, the trip was one way.

There is no going back now.

A blonde-haired young man was looming above me and dancing impatiently from foot to foot. He was fresh-faced and without even a hint of facial hair. Still a teen. The youth was dressed in tattered leather clothes that seemed to be little more than rags. In his hands, he clenched a long stabbing spear.

A blur of motion on my right distracted me from further study of the teenager. Swinging my head back around, I saw dozens of figures—all human and most dressed in a manner similar to the youth—charging in a ragged line towards an incoming flood of creatures.

My mouth dropped open at the sight. The humans were fighting frogs, upright and bipedal frogs, armoured and bearing arms of their own.

“What the—?” I exclaimed, unconsciously scooting away, even though the battling parties were a few hundred feet off.

Where the hell am I?

Swivelling my head left and right, I took in my surroundings. It did not look like a settlement of any kind. Other than a large, purple, block-shaped monstrosity to my right, there were no other buildings in sight.

I was in a wide-open field of grass and upturned soil. To the east—assuming the sun rose in the east in Overworld—was a treeline in the far distance. Closer by, was what appeared to be a tented camp. I did not spend much time looking in that direction however. My attention was riveted by what was going on in the opposite direction.

A few hundred yards to the west, the grassy plain I sat on angled steeply downwards hiding whatever lay beyond. The toad-men—what else to call them?—were emerging from there.

They bounded up the slope and threw themselves against the ragged line of humans in front of the purple building. Surging back and forth, and hollering war cries of one kind or another, the men tried to hold them at bay. Everyone except me and the youth appeared to be on the move, attacking or defending.

This is a battlefield.

What was I doing here? Had something gone wrong with the transfer?

A grim chuckle pulled my attention back to the teenager at my side. “Not what you were expecting, eh? Don’t worry, your reaction is no different from the hundreds of other newbs on arrival. Tara will explain everything when she gets here. She is today’s designated induction officer. He smiled sardonically. “A fine mood it has put her in too.”

I blinked, not knowing what to say. “What are those creatures?” I asked instead.

“Murluks,” said the youth, his amusement fading. He spat to the side. “Savage little buggers.”

The slap of running feet approaching closer halted further conversation. A young woman—just as fresh-faced as the teen—jogged up to his side.

Her hair was midnight-black, and her eyes, a startling green. She was dressed identically to the youth, but was armed with a short spear and shield instead. “Hansen, what do we have here?” the woman asked, the tone of command unmistakable in her voice.

The absurdity of one so young possessing such authority jumpstarted my brain. Of course. These are players. Ones who had apparently started with a Clean Slate.

Both Hansen and the woman were likely much older than they appeared. The woman was scowling down at me. Whatever she saw, it did not please her.

“Fresh meat,” answered Hansen with a grin I didn’t trust. Gesturing towards me, he said, “Tara, meet the new fish.” He turned to me. “New fish, meet Tara.” He hefted his spear. “Now that the introductions are out of the way, he is all yours, Tara. I’m off to join my unit. Bye.” Finishing in a rush, he dashed away.

Tara’s head whipped up towards his retreating figure. “Hansen! Wait, you bastard!” Hansen didn’t wait; if anything, he ran harder, and straight towards the battling lines.

Tara turned back towards me and ground her teeth in frustration. “Damn you, Hansen. I don’t have the time for this,” she muttered. Only then did she address me. Making no apology for her behaviour, she asked bluntly, “What’s your name, boy?”

Bristling at her tone, I replied evenly, “I’m Jamie.”

The green-eyed woman frowned down at me. “Well what are you doing just sitting there. Get up, we have to move!”

I considered ignoring the order. I wasn’t happy with my treatment. But the shrieks of pain and roars of rage that continued unabated, reminded me that a very real life-and-death struggle was going on nearby, and now was not the time for foolish games.

Sighing, I pushed myself to my feet, tottering only slightly as I did.

Tara’s brows drew down together as she noticed my difficulty. “What’s wrong with your foot?”

Before I could respond, she seemed to divine the answer for herself. Her gaze jerked upwards to my own. Whatever she saw in my face confirmed her supposition. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You didn’t choose a Clean Slate, did you?”

I winced at her tone but only nodded mutely in response.

For a second, Tara seemed to be shocked speechless but recovered quickly. “Damn young idiots,” she muttered under her breath. “You all think this is some sort of game.” She glared at me. “Jamie, listen closely. I don’t know whatever foolish notion made you enter this place like that”—she gestured towards my foot with her spear—“but you are stuck that way now. If you want to survive beyond today, you will do exactly as I say. Understood?”

“I do.” And I did. As much as I wanted to defiantly throw Tara’s words back at her, common sense made me hold my tongue and swallow my pride.

I was only minutes into my new life and I had no idea what was going on. If I was going to survive, I needed Tara and these people.

And she knew it.

Tara studied my face carefully for a long second. Satisfied with what she saw there, she nodded curtly. “Good. Follow me.”

I limped to her side. Tara winced on seeing how much my foot hampered my movement. She shook her head again but didn’t say anything. The moment I reached her, she began walking away, her pace noticeably slower than when she’d first approached.

For that she had my gratitude. Regardless of what she thought of me, the grim woman did not seem like she was going to abandon me.

Ignoring the ongoing shouts and cries of the battle, Tara pointed towards the pile of junk that appeared to be our destination. It was heaped in front of the purple building. “Our first order of business is to get you a weapon and some armour. Not that we have much in the way of either,” she said, gesturing dismissively at her own leather rags. “After that, we join the defending line. Got it?”

I nodded mutely again.

“You can ask any questions you have as we go.”

“What’s that?” I asked, pointing with my chin to the marble building of purple that appeared incongruous in the otherwise rustic setting of grass and trees.

Tara followed the direction of my gaze. “That’s the dragon temple. It is what makes location seventy-eight a potential settlement. If we lose the temple, we can’t level up or establish a base here.” She pointed to the loosely strung line of men between the murluks and temple. “That’s why we defend it at all costs.”

Ah, I have transitioned to the right location after all.

I considered the rest of what Tara had said. From my research in the wiki, I knew the importance of the dragon temples.

Levelling was how players advanced and got stronger in the Trials. After gaining a level, players were rewarded with Tokens and Marks, which could only be spent at a building like the one ahead. Without access to a temple, players in Overworld simply couldn’t get more powerful.

Well, that wasn’t completely true.

The wiki made it clear that players could still develop themselves outside of a temple. However, naturally acquiring the same knowledge and enhancements that were instantly gifted by the temple could take months to years—at least for anything beyond the Neophyte rank.

What the advancement process in the temples entailed, I still wasn’t sure. But the temples themselves were crucial. If this one was lost, the players in the region would have no way of benefiting from their earned Marks and Tokens. Unless of course they survived the journey to the next closest temple.

“What are the requirements for your settlement?” I asked.

Settlements were not an arbitrary designation in Overworld. Unlike on Earth, where the term was loosely applied, in the Trials a location had to meet a host of requirements before it could qualify as a ‘settlement.’ Meeting the Trials’ criteria resulted in a host of benefits for its residents, and I was curious to know what these people still needed to establish theirs.

“Securing the area, for one,” Tara said, shooting me a puzzled glance.

Probably because my question is not the typical newbie one, I thought wryly.

“But it is a bit more complex than that,” she continued. “We can discuss it later, assuming we survive today’s attack.”

We reached the pile of discarded weapons and leather pieces. “Do you have any martial skills?” asked Tara.

I shook my head.

Tara’s face tightened, but she refrained from commenting. “Then grab whichever leather wraps look like they might fit, and throw them on. I’ll find you a spear. It’s the easiest weapon to use.”

I glanced down at myself before moving to do as Tara ordered. I had transitioned into Overworld wearing only brown cotton pants, a shirt, and a pair of soft leather shoes that didn’t feel like they would survive long. I glanced at Tara’s feet. Her own shoes looked nearly in tatters. I sighed. It seemed good gear was in short supply here.

I bent down and rifled through the rags. They smelled awful and looked suspiciously like the same equipment the frog creatures were wearing.

Though I was no expert tailor myself, I could tell from the items’ appearance that their workmanship was crude. The leather armour seemed to be little more than half-cured hides that had been haphazardly stitched together.

Returning with a second spear in hand, Tara saw my disdain. “They may not look like much, but the leather is sound enough to stop a murluk’s thrust from skewering you through.” She paused. “Assuming, of course, they strike the right place. Just try not to get hit through any of the gaping holes.”

Alrighty, then.

“Now stop wasting time,” she said, throwing the spear at my feet. “Get dressed and arm yourself.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, selecting the vest, leggings, and helm most likely to fit.

All three pieces of equipment hung loosely off my frame, but they fit. Mostly. When I was ready, Tara began moving again. “Let’s go.”

I trailed in her wake. We were not making directly for the battling lines, I saw, but instead headed towards its southern end. To take my mind off what was to come, I asked, “Why are we using murluk gear?”

The black-haired woman grunted. “Noticed that, did you?”

I shrugged; it had seemed obvious.

“We don’t have the right tools for our leatherworkers to fashion any of our own equipment yet,” answered Tara. “We’ve been forced to scavenge from the enemy.” Her voice grew contemplative. “In a way, we’re lucky the murluks found us. Otherwise we would be even worse equipped than we are now.”

I glanced from Tara to the pile of junk we’d just left. It was a few feet high. “How long have you been fending off murluk attacks?”

“Since day one,” she replied grimly. “The first two days were the worst. We lost so many.” She gave me a hard stare. “Remember, fish, this is no game.”

I nodded sharply. I knew that already and didn’t need Tara’s reminder. Mum’s death had taught me more than I wanted to learn of Overworld’s savagery.

The noise from the battle rose steadily as we drew closer. Tilting my head to the side, I listened carefully. Most of the noise was coming from beyond the murluks and men battling in front of the dragon temple, and seemingly from whatever the sloping ground hid from view.

I frowned. Looking at the path Tara took, I realised that we were not heading to join the temple’s defenders as I had initially assumed, but were instead walking in a wide arc around them altogether.

Where are we going? I wondered. I opened my mouth to ask, but before I could voice my question, Tara spoke.

“This is a long spear,” she said. “You will stand in the second line of the wall and use your spear to thrust past me at the enemy. Always hold the spear with two hands, like this,” she said, demonstrating. “When you want to strike, thrust straight ahead and lean forward into the blow with your entire weight. Once you’ve landed a hit, make sure to retract your weapon immediately by pulling it straight back. Don’t just leave it there or you will lose your spear.

“Thrust and pull. Nothing else. Keep your feet planted, and rinse and repeat. No fancy twirls, no slashes, no dodges, and no heroic charges at the enemy. Most importantly, make sure you keep hold of your spear. Don’t ever throw it. Got it?”

“Got it,” I said, clenching my spear. My pulse quickened and my heart thumped loudly as Tara’s instructions painted a vivid picture of the reality I was about to step into.

“And whatever you do, stay one step behind me. Don’t move out of position for even a second,” Tara ordered. “If I advance, you advance. When I retreat, you do too.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied.

“Alright, then. Buckle up, boyo, it’s time to do battle.”

Chapter 12

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

It is no secret that the Trials permanently accelerates a player’s learning rate of Neophyte Disciplines and Attributes beyond what is ‘natural.’ Yet, with the newcomer buff, the Trials does even more for players on their first day. While the buff is in force, a player can rapidly advance his Disciplines and Attributes to Trainee rank in a mere matter of hours. Don’t squander it. —Trials Infopedia.

Just as I thought, we bypassed the line of clashing murluks and humans and reached the western end of the grassy plain. Beyond it, was a wide-flowing river that snaked off into the horizon both to the north and south.

“That’s where we go,” Tara said, pointing to the river below.

I looked where she gestured. We had stopped on the edge of the river’s upper bank. Below us, the ground angled sharply downwards to the river’s lower bank, which was a stretch of gently-sloping shore nearly thirty yards wide. Waves constantly slapped back and forth across it, turning the lower bank muddy and treacherous.

Running north to south, all along the upper bank, was a line of rubble piled next to a shallow ditch. Excavations? I wondered, but only in passing. My attention was mostly focused on the near-deafening clash of weapons and the raging mass of men and murluks on the river’s shore.

On the very edge of the river, wading through the frothing black waters, hundreds of men bellowed in anger as they pushed back against the flood of murluks emerging from the river’s watery depths. The creatures, still wet and dripping, flung themselves with reckless abandon at the human defenders.

My mouth dropped open in shock. This is the true battle, I realised as I looked down at the chaotic scene. By comparison, the fight near the temple was only a small skirmish. I swallowed sudden nerves. And Tara means to take me down there.

While I watched, thousands of murluks, slurping noisily and with bare feet slapping in the mud, beat against the thinly stretched defensive line of men. The human wall bowed and shifted, but did not break. Rallying to the bellows of their captains, the fighters surged forward and pushed the murluks back.

The men did not pursue their foes into deeper water though. Instead, they snapped their line back into shape and reformed the wall along the river’s edge. There, they waited for the murluks’ next charge.

Which was already building.

Though hundreds of murluks had been cut down by the defenders’ manoeuvre, more of the frog-like creatures were surfacing from the river to take the place of their fallen. So many, I thought, staring in horror at the revitalised horde. How are the soldiers holding them back?

If what the black-haired woman had said was true, then humanity had been battling the murluks since day one. How have Tara’s people held them at bay for nine days? My gaze slid to the woman by my side.

While I was staring agog at the spectacle, Tara had apparently been assessing the battle. “The line appears weak on the right. They may not survive another charge.”

The motion of two dozen men at the foot of the upper bank caught my attention. They had not been involved in the previous clash of murluk and men. Seemingly rested and fresh, the men were moving to take up position in the human wall.

Tara gestured at the fighters. “John’s unit,” she said by way of explanation. “Going to reinforce the right flank, if I am not mistaken. And just in time too.” She nodded in approval. “Smart soldier. Come on, let’s go join them.”

Tara leapt down the upper bank, heedless of the danger posed by the steeply sloping ground. Despite the desperate clash of weapons, it had not escaped my notice that Tara appeared fully at ease. The woman betrayed not the slightest hint of nerves at joining the battle.

The same could not be said of me.

I eyed Tara’s sure-footed dance down the slope and bit back a spurt of envy. Her pace was not anything I could match, even if I wanted to. Tentatively, I tested the soundness of the bank with my good leg. The hard-packed earth did not shift under my foot.

I can manage this, I told myself. Stepping onto the slope, I followed in Tara’s footsteps.

As I struggled down the upper bank, I kept a tight rein on my thoughts. What Tara and I were venturing into was nothing like my previous—and only—combat experience.

I had been forced into the fight with the orcs. In that encounter, I had reacted instinctively and had little time to think.

This was not going to be the same.

This time I was walking willingly into conflict—even though I knew I was abysmally unprepared. My heart pounded and my mouth felt dry. Why am I doing this? I wondered suddenly.

I wasn’t ready for this. I knew it. Tara knew it. So why was she leading me into battle? Because they need every man they can get, I answered myself. Their—our?—cause was dire.

As much as the thought of the fight scared me, I couldn’t shirk away from it. Doing so would destroy what little trust I had earned from Tara. And for all the woman’s brusque manner, she had treated me fairly, far better than I had any right to expect. If I ran now, I would be branded a coward or worse.

Despite my fear, I had to shoulder my responsibility and play my part. Wiping my sweaty palms dry, I limped resolutely in Tara’s shadow.

At the bottom of the upper bank, Tara glanced back. Seeing that I followed in her wake, she nodded. “Good man.” Despite myself, I straightened, standing taller under her gaze.

“Tara!” a voice called out, full of laughter and good cheer that had no place on the blood-soaked river shore. “Have you come to join us? I thought you’d have left this misbegotten place already!”

Turning my head, I saw that the speaker was a tall red-haired man at the fore of the men jogging to reinforce the lines. Despite the grimness of the battlefield, he looked as calm and relaxed as Tara.

“Not on your life, John!” Tara yelled back with friendly wave.

John chuckled and peered beyond Tara at me. “Who have you got there?”

“New fish. I’ll look after him.”

John’s face scrunched up in momentary uncertainty, his mask of joviality briefly slipping when his gaze dropped to my crippled foot. “You sure?” He shook his head. “Of course, you’re sure. You’re Tara. You’re always sure!” He guffawed again, laughing at his own joke.

“Damn right, John,” replied Tara.

My gaze was drawn to John’s unit, some of whom clenched their weapons with the same white-knuckled grip that I did. I realised then that the pair’s friendly banter was deliberate and only for the benefit of John’s men. I glanced at Tara. Unlike John, she betrayed no sign of hidden tension. Does she truly feel no fear?

Further conversation broke off as John and his men raced the remaining distance to the line, slipping into the many gaps in its formation.

Gaps left by their fallen comrades.

I swallowed and averted my gaze from the dead soldiers lying abandoned where they had fallen in the churned-up muck. With the murluks readying for another charge, I knew Tara’s people did not have time to see to the fallen, yet somehow the dead’s vacant eyes seemed full of reproach while I limped passed them through the mud. Lifting my gaze, I saw that beyond the human wall the murluks had pooled together into new groups. Are they about to charge? I wondered.

Tara stopped three feet away from the defenders and clamped a hand on my shoulder. “Remember everything I told you and you will be fine,” she said.

Not trusting myself to say anything, I nodded mutely and followed her into the line. The men on either side made way for us. Tara, a step in front of me, was on my left. On my right was a freckled youth with ginger hair. He nodded at me. “I’m Michael.”

“Jamie,” I said, having to lick my lips to moisten them before replying.

Michael glanced beyond me to Tara. “First battle?” he asked sympathetically.

“Yep,” I replied.

“Don’t worry, Tara will take care of you. She’s one our best fighters. One word of advice, though. Tara has probably forgotten to even mention this, but don’t neglect your Techniques.” Michael leaned in close. “That women seems to have a supernatural knack for battle. I swear she doesn’t even make use of any of her Trials-gained abilities. Not so for us lesser mortals. I wouldn’t have survived as long as I have without them.”

Michael’s warning was timely. In the chaos of my arrival and the rush to get here, I had forgotten about my Techniques. I smiled gratefully at Michael. “Thanks,” I said.

“No problem, friend,” he replied before turning his attention back to the murluks.

I shot a glance at the creatures myself. They had not begun their advance. I had time yet, so I willed open the Trials core in my mind and recalled the messages stored within. As it had on Earth, a translucent window edged in gold unfurled in my mind and words spilled out.

I inspected the Trials alerts.

Disappointingly, none of my Disciplines and Attributes had changed from what Aurora had shown me on Wyrm Island.

It seemed I would have to wait until I levelled up and visited the dragon temple before I could acquire further magical skills. But in the meantime, I would have to make do with the few useable Techniques I did have.

As I reviewed them, I realised with a start that I knew how to use the abilities already. The knowledge was instinctive and deeply ingrained. Not pausing to marvel at the minor miracle, I prepared myself to cast mimic.

Fool that I was, I hadn’t thought to use it yet. But in a camp of humans in the throes of battle, the chance that anyone had bothered to analyse me already was negligible.

I opened my magesight. Reaching for the magic at the centre of my being, I tapped into its core and looked upon the world through the lens of magic. It was the first time I had performed such a feat, yet it felt as natural as breathing.

Turning my gaze onto myself, I studied the flowing lines of my spirit and found that I understood its design. Taken all together, the threads of intricately interwoven spirit that formed my being mapped out the core of who I was—and my Potentials.

I knew already that players did not see this intricate weave of spirit when they applied analyse. Most did not have the magesight needed, and those who did weren’t likely to have the necessary knowledge to understand the complicated twists and swirls of spirit.

For most players, it was the Trials itself that interpreted a target’s spirit weave and reported back the results. But now, courtesy of the Mimicked Core Trait, I had the knowledge, not only to understand the threads of myself, but to alter them. Only superficially, of course, but enough so to confound any player’s analyse.

Reaching out with my mind, I plucked the first filament of spirit and shifted it to where it needed to be. I worked swiftly from there, and in only a few seconds my task was completed and my Magic Potential disguised.

It did not take long for the Trials to confirm the changes.

Mimic activated. Your true Magic Potential: extraordinary has been masked and will be seen by others as: meagre.

I nodded in satisfaction at the results. I couldn’t conceal my magical Potential entirely. If I did that, I would have a hard time explaining how I was able to cast any spells at all. With my Potential revealed as meagre, even though I would still be noteworthy for having the ability, the true strength of my magic would be hidden.

Or so I hoped.

Out of curiosity, I turned my magesight towards the nearest murluk. Its being was a chaotic whirl of spirit, but disappointingly I could not fathom their hidden meaning.

I closed my magesight. It seemed each being’s spirit weave was unique and would require its own store of knowledge or careful study to decode. In time, perhaps I could gain the skill to do so, but for now, just like any other player, I would have to rely on analyse to understand my foes.

Drawing on my will, I reached out and cast analyse on the murluk, and in response, received a report from the Trials.

The target is a level 12 river murluk. It has no Magic, meagre Might, is gifted with Resilience, and has low Craft.

Knowledge of the murluk filled me as I willed away the message. In an eyeblink, I understood more of the murluk than I knew of most creatures from Earth. My mouth dropped open in astonishment.

Then the sense of the information the Trials provided penetrated and my mouth worked again. For a different reason entirely.

Fear.

The murluk’s level was far beyond my own. The creature likely needed only one hit to kill me!

What am I doing here again?

“Relax, champion,” Tara said, sensing my agitation. “Just remember to drive your spear forward and pull it back. Don’t worry about anything else.”

“But those creatures are more than ten levels higher than me!” I protested.

“You are a… trifle less prepared than my regular recruits,” admitted Tara. “Most of them usually manage to get in some basic training and visit the temple before needing to face the murluks.” She held my gaze. “But you can get through this.”

I stared at her in disbelief. A little less prepared? Who is she kidding—

My thoughts ground to a halt as, with loud, slurping cries and darting tongues, the first of the murluks hopped forward in attack.

The battle was about to begin.

✽✽✽

My mind blanked and my eyes unfocused, mesmerised by the approach of the mud-spattered, blue-skinned toads, their large black alien eyes, and their darting pink tongues.

Tara jerked her arm backwards and swatted me—hard. The world snapped back into focus. “Get it together, fish,” she ordered.

I shook my head to clear it and wrapped both my hands around my spear. Tara was crouched low behind her shield and held the spear in her right arm at ready.

I hadn’t realised it earlier, but Tara was barely over five feet in height. At six feet tall, I literally loomed over the diminutive fighter, which would make my job of stabbing from behind her in the second row much simpler.

I breathed easier. I can do this, I thought. Setting my stance as best I could, I waited.

The murluk line crashed against the human wall in a fury of sound and a flurry of thrusted spears. Ignoring my chattering teeth, I kept my eyes fixed on Tara and waited for her to move first.

A murluk emerged out of the horde, appearing with a suddenness that nearly caused me to fall back in surprise. Only Tara’s stillness kept me in position.

The warrior thrust his spear towards my companion. With enviable calm, Tara flung her shield upwards and parried away the murluk’s strike. Then, in a blur of movement, she slashed out with her own weapon and ripped open the murluk’s torso.

Tara’s success fuelled my courage.

Despite the dread thickening my limbs, I forced myself into motion. Stepping forward, I jabbed downwards at the much shorter murluk. Aiming for the murluk’s throat, I missed, and grazed his face instead.

“Good job! Now pull back!” shouted Tara. I withdrew my spear. Tara stepped into the gap and punched through the murluk with a second thrust. The creature fell lifelessly to the floor.

Another took his place.

The second murluk was more cautious than the first. He feinted, then thrust his spear in a half-hearted fashion towards Tara’s legs.

Instead of dodging backwards as the murluk probably expected, Tara leapt forward, and slammed her shield down onto the spear, trapping it beneath the wooden plank.

After a second’s hesitation, I stepped forward and jabbed my spear forward again. Tara, following through on her first attack, struck out as well.

The green-eyed fighter’s blow tore through the murluk’s unprotected armpit, while my own merely scratched his arm.

The murluk hung on to life somehow—alive, but mortally injured. Tara did not relent. Stepping forward, she bashed in the murluk’s face with her shield and jabbed at his torso with her spear.

With a final gasp, the murluk fell dead.

In the sudden respite, I remembered to breathe again, and took in a deep lungful of air. In a matter of seconds, Tara and I had killed two murluks. Well, Tara had done all the work, yet I had helped. More importantly, though, I’d survived the exchange.

Then something extraordinary happened.

My head buzzed, and knowledge that I knew was not mine seeped into my consciousness. I corrected my grip on the spear, and instinctively shifted my hands to where they needed to be.

That’s better, I thought, feeling the weapon balance easier in my hand. After that, the accompanying Trials’ message was no surprise.

Your combat experience has advanced your skill with spears to: level 1.

With adrenaline surging, and my blood singing, I felt revitalised and itched to advance. Elsewhere, the line was bowing backwards, others not doing so well.

Tara sensed the danger. “Back!” she barked, retreating herself. Obediently, I followed and stepped into line with her.

Noticing our retreat and probably hoping to catch us off guard, a murluk hopped forward and stabbed at Tara. She was equal to the challenge. Casually—almost lazily—the fighter parried away the blow. Even more impressively, Tara did not strike out again, but instead stepped back into the security of our lines.

There, she waited.

The murluk, smarter than his fellows, realised that his quarry was far too wily. He faded back into the horde and broke off in search of easier prey. Another, less cautious murluk, took his place.

Tara went through the same smooth, precise motions of parry and counterattack. Falling in line with her easy rhythm, I followed her blows with my own, and together we skewered our foe with our twin strikes.

As the third murluk fell, a flurry of Trials messages scrolled through my vision and left me gaping.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 2 Neophyte.

Your skill with spears has advanced to: level 2.

Your strength has increased to: level 2.

The last message was the most surprising. Following on its heels, one of the almost-forgotten runes from my Induction rose out of my subconscious—where it had been patiently waiting all this time—and delved into my body.

I clenched my jaw as the magic worked into my muscles. Raising my hand, I stared at it in wonder. Once again, I was flummoxed by the Trials’ magic.

My body looked the same, but I could feel the difference. I was stronger. I glanced down at my hobbled foot. Could the Trials heal it too? And if it can do that, what else can it do? My mind exploded with the possibilities.

Movement from the corner of my eye drew my attention and broke the spell. A murluk was advancing. Dismissing the Trials’ notices, I hefted my spear and got back to work.

Chapter 13

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

Magesight is a Technique granted by the Trials to all players with Magic Potential. It is the foundation of both magic and sorcery, and without it, any would-be mage is blind. Truly, without the gift of magesight, magic itself is not be possible. —Cale Ames, elven spellweaver.

I don’t know how long Tara and I spent killing.

The bodies around the warrior kept piling up, and protected by her prowess, I was untouchable.

But eventually the battle took its toll. My arms began to burn and the spear grew heavy in my hands. Despite my exhaustion, however, I kept going, following Tara’s lead religiously. Step forward, then back. Lunge and withdraw.

Until there were no more foes to kill.

I staggered, suddenly dizzy in the moment of stillness, and would have fallen if not for Tara’s steadying hand on my arm. “Whoa there, fish. Don’t you fall now. Not when you’ve been doing so well.”

I wiped away the dripping sweat from my brow. “What happened?” I gasped, leaning onto my spear for support.

“We’ve beaten this wave. The murluks are falling back to regroup.”

“It’s over? We’ve won?” I asked as I bent forward and panted for air.

Tara laughed. “No, fish. Not by a longshot. There are more waves to come.” She tapped my shoulder, forcing me to look up. “You did well, Jamie,” she said softly. “Far better than I expected. But sit down and rest, before you collapse. We have a few minutes at least before the next assault.”

I sagged to the ground in gratitude, not caring about the mud that spattered my face and arms.

“Michael!” Tara called over her shoulder.

The ginger-haired warrior appeared next to her, looking no worse himself from the day’s efforts. “Tara?” he asked.

“You have some jerky? Our budding warrior here looks like he is about to die of exhaustion. Give him some.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Michael said. Pulling something from inside his armour, Michael handed it to me. “Eat,” he said, “it will make you feel better.”

Obediently, I ate.

Tara and Michael were right. After a few mouthfuls of the jerky, I felt somewhat restored and began to look around with renewed interest. The river shore was strewn with dead murluks. With a pleased grin, I noticed that the pile in front of us was quite sizeable.

Up and down the line, soldiers were kicking the corpses back into the river. I watched the bodies float away in the bloodied waters.

My gaze swung to the right and the grin slipped off my face. The rest of the line had not fared as well as we had.

More gaps—many more gaps—had appeared. I swallowed. I had been fortunate. Unlike most, I had a guardian angel. Without Tara, I never would have survived as I long as I did. There was no doubt in my mind of that.

“How have you endured this long if every fight is this hard?” I asked.

Tara turned away from her inspection of the murluk lines to stare at me.

I pointed to the dozens of fallen soldiers. “If you’ve been taking that many causalities every wave, how have any of you managed to survive for more than a week?” Running the cold, hard numbers through my head, by even the most conservative calculations, the human forces here should have died out long ago.

Tara pursed her lips. “You think too much, fish.” But as I continued to stare at her, not letting the matter go, she sighed. “To be honest, we would all be dead already if not for new recruits like you replenishing our numbers every day.”

“So we’re what… cannon fodder?” I asked, studying the dead with new eyes, aghast at the implications. Were they all ‘fresh meat’ like me?

“No!” said Tara fiercely. “Not that, never that. On their first day here, all new players are paired with one of our old hands, just like you were with me. It’s our job to keep the new fishes alive and teach them all we can in the day.”

She sighed, then added reluctantly, “But there aren’t enough experienced fighters and too many new players. Tomorrow, you will be left to sink or swim on your own merit. If you survive your second day, the next, and the next after that, eventually you’ll graduate to an old hand yourself, and will pass on your experience to others. Do you understand?”

“Is that why you pushed me into battle so quickly?”

Tara grimaced. “Partly,” she said. “There are no exceptions to the pairing rules.” She glanced down at my crippled foot. “Regardless of the circumstances. There are just too many new players to baby anyone. No one will mentor you tomorrow. You need to make the most of your first day.”

I chewed on her words. As strange as it seemed, Tara had driven me into battle out of pity. I glanced down at my hobbled foot. What she had left unsaid was that my limp would make surviving here without help difficult—if not impossible. “You said partly. What’s the rest of the reason?”

“The other half of the answer is the newcomer blessing,” Tara said. “It accelerates your learning far beyond the norm. And battle, we have learned the hard way, is the fastest way to improve a player. When you combine the two—combat and blessing—the growth a soldier can see in their first day is phenomenal.” She shrugged. “So we push new arrivals into battle—those that are willing, anyway. It’s counterintuitive I know, but it works.”

I nodded slowly. It was a brutal system. But looking around at the mud-and-gore-spattered battlefield, I could understand the need. “Then I only have your protection for the rest of the day?”

“Correct,” said Tara grimly. “Today, you must bend all your efforts into getting as strong as you can. How many levels did you gain in that wave?”

Tara’s words reminded me of the many unread notices waiting on my attention. After the first few messages at the start of the battle, I had been automatically dismissing further alerts. With the chaos of the battle, I hadn’t had time to spare for them or the occasional spurt of new knowledge and changes affected to my body by the Trials.

Reaching into the Trials core lying dormant in my mind, I recalled the messages and scrutinised each.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 4 Neophyte.

Your skill with spears has advanced to: level 5.

Your strength and constitution have increased to: level 3.

Your vigour has increased to: level 2.

My stats, while nowhere near impressive, were much better. Now at least, I felt less outmatched by the murluks. “Three levels,” I replied. “I’m level four now.”

“Not bad,” Tara said. “Just remember, newcomer only applies to Neophyte Disciplines and Attributes—those below level ten. Once you attain the Trainee rank, your progress will slow down dramatically. Do your best to reach level ten today in as many Disciplines and Attributes as you can.”

“Got it.” I rose to my feet with newfound determination. Knowing what tomorrow would bring, I realised that I would have to start relying less on Tara’s protection and fend more for myself.

The slap of hopping feet pulled my attention back to the river. The murluks were charging again.

“Right, let’s get back in line,” Tara ordered.

I took my place a step behind her again just as our first opponent appeared. Tara parried, then thrusted. Following her attack, I jabbed out. The murluk fell dead and the next took its place.

Tara stepped forward. I advanced with her, but this time I did not wait for her to initiate. Lunging past my mentor, I used my longer reach to bury my spear into the murluk’s midriff before he could launch his own attack.

The creature staggered backwards, rocked temporarily off-balance. Tara exploited the opening I created. Dancing forward, she skewered the hapless murluk.

After the murluk fell, Tara glanced back at me and smiled in approval. “Think you can do that again?”

I nodded, elated by our success. That time, I had played more than a token role in the battle. That time, I had helped Tara cut down our foe quicker.

“Alright, then let’s do it again,” Tara said.

Advancing, she searched for our next victim. A murluk rushed past and attempted to flank one of our companions on the line. I reached out and jabbed my spear at its legs, tripping it up.

Before the luckless creature could heave itself back to its feet, Tara slammed her own spear through its back and killed it instantly. Pulling out her weapon with a spurt of blood, she turned a wry look upon me. “Let’s not get too creative just yet, fish. Keep it simple.”

I accepted her rebuke with good grace, and we moved on to hunt down more murluks.

We made a good team. Each time, I initiated combat and fouled the murluks’ attacks with my longer reach. After I did, Tara stepped in and finished our prey with a single, lethal strike. The murluks, for all the superiority of their numbers, were defenceless in the face of our coordinated attacks.

My crippled foot, despite my concerns, did not hamper me as much as I had feared. Tara had been right. The long spear was an easy weapon, and the simple attacks I was employing did not require complex footwork, nor was speed a factor in the thick mud of the lower bank.

Indeed, as my awareness of the battle expanded, I realised that teamwork and discipline was what differentiated the two forces. Glancing along our defensive line, I saw that where the murluks fought individually—many times getting in each other’s way—the human fighters moved together as a cohesive force. This, more than anything else, drove our success.

But eventually the weight of the murluks’ numbers began to tell and forty yards to our left the defensive line started to cave.

“Tara! I need your help! To me, quickly!” shouted John. “We need to reinforce the centre or the battle is lost.”

Tara’s head whipped around to stare in the direction John pointed. The green-eyed fighter ground her teeth in frustration. “Damn it,” she muttered. She swung back to me, throwing a quick assessing glance at my leg before resting her gaze on my face. “Sorry, Jamie, I have to go. Will you be—”

“Go,” I said, cutting her off with a lopsided smile. “I’ll be fine.”

I hoped.

Tara threw me a sharp nod, then took off sprinting south along the back of the line towards the hotspot. “Stay alive, fish. I’ll be back,” she called just before disappearing out of earshot.

I turned my attention back to the battle. None of the murluks were advancing towards me just yet. In fact, Tara and I had done so well at killing the creatures that a spot of emptiness had opened up in front of us. I licked suddenly dry lips. With Tara gone, I was sure that would not last.

Sooner or later, one of the creatures would spot me alone and vulnerable. “Why did you let her go, Jamie?” I muttered to myself, feeling a spurt of anxiety. “That was foolish. How are you going to survive now?”

A few feet to my right, Michael fought with his unit, and on my left, more human fighters battled together. Even though I was bracketed by my fellows on both ends, I felt alone.

I did not know how to fight with either group of men. Untrained and crippled as I was, I doubted they would welcome me within their formations.

None of them were Tara.

It took a special skill, I realised, to do what Tara had done. To train an unskilled raw recruit, and at the same time integrate his unfocused attacks with your own. My appreciation for my mentor’s efforts grew.

But now I was without her, and I would have to fend for myself.

I took a cautious step back and waited. I knew my own limits. On my own I did not stand much chance against a murluk. So, I would fight defensively, and only when forced to.

Until Tara returned.

It did not take long for one of the murluks to spot me and mark me as easy prey. Loping forward, the murluk shoved his spear—almost lazily—towards me.

I swayed out of the way and thrust back, clipping the creature on the shoulder.

The murluk hopped away and slurped angrily before advancing again, this time with renewed vigour.

I tightened my grip on my weapon and waited.

The creature jabbed at my torso. I tried to dodge, but with my crippled foot, I was too slow. The murluk’s spear skidded off my armour and scored a line of fire along my side. I gasped but ignored the pain. The spear had failed to penetrate my leather vest, though it still knocked the wind out of me.

I staggered backwards and managed to retain my feet, but the murluk did not let up. He followed through with another attack and thrust upwards at my face. I swayed and barely avoided being skewered.

He stabbed again, aiming for heart. I angled my spear upwards and parried away the blow, my teeth clenched with the effort. Although half my size, the murluk was much stronger than me, and it took every ounce of my strength to push aside his blade.

I realised I had to change tactics. The murluk was the better fighter, and the longer our exchange went on, the more likely I was to die. I had to take to a risk and abandoned defence.

Stepping forward, I jabbed my elbow down into the shorter murluk’s face. He staggered back—mostly from shock, I think. Before the creature could recover, I shoved my spear between his legs and twisted, tripping him up.

With a surprised slurp, the murluk fell back.

I didn’t let up. Closing the distance to my downed foe, I straddled his body and pinned him to the ground under my weight.

I felt the murluk writhe beneath me. He was too strong. I would not be able to hold him down for long. In near panic, I raised my spear up high and thrust down. The murluk shrieked and tried to batter me away. I fended off his blows and jabbed into him again.

Blood spurted and clouded my vision. Ignoring the red haze, I brought my spear down once more. The murluk’s motions slowed.

I didn’t stop.

I thrust downwards again, blindly burying my weapon into his torso. Then I did it again. And again. Gore and guts drenched my hands, face, and neck. I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. I had to make sure he was dead. It was him or me. I couldn’t die here. If I did, who would avenge Mum? Crimson tears flowed down my cheeks. Oh Ma.

Ruthlessly, I shoved aside my grief and let fury consume me in its stead. The murluk was not just my enemy, he was an agent of the Trials. Another one responsible for my mum’s death. He had to die. With a tortured cry, I stabbed my spear down again.

The murluk had stopped moving. Was he dead? I couldn’t be certain. But I couldn’t let up. I had to—

Burning agony rippled across my back. Like a splash of cold, clarity returned and the cruel mix of rage, grief, and hysteria was banished. Shocked back to my senses, I stared down at my hands in horror.

What was I doing?

A second blow followed in the wake of the first. I arched my back in surprise and pain. A murluk was attacking me from behind. The creature’s spear had torn through my armour and now my own blood drenched me as well.

Abandoning my weapon—still stuck in my dead foe—I rolled away and by happenstance more than skill dodged my attacker’s next strike.

I wiped away the muck obscuring my vision and looked up to see the murluk’s looming advance. My breath quickened. I was in trouble. There was no way I could get to my feet in time to escape his attack. Choosing an unconventional tactic once more, I rolled—this time towards the murluk.

Caught off guard, the creature was slow in reacting. He thrust downwards but missed. I bowled him over and began to push myself upright. Even so, hampered by my crippled foot, I wasn’t quick enough, and the murluk beat me in the race to get up. Damn it, I thought as I stared at the creature bearing down on me again.

It was time to cast invincible.

Opening my magesight, I began to manifest my spirit.

A spear blossomed out of the murluk’s torso. Startled, I dropped my spellcasting.

A smiling Michael appeared from behind the slumped-over corpse. “Looked like you needed a hand.”

“Thanks,” I gasped. Clambering back to my feet, I picked up the dead murluk’s fallen spear.

Michael clasped a hand to my shoulder. “Come on, let’s get back in line. Things are about to get much worse.”

I looked to where Michael’s gaze rested. The murluks on the northern end of the line had pulled back and were regathering not thirty yards ahead of us. Their numbers were being reinforced by more of their fellows that emerged from the river.

I glanced down the line. The murluks had not pulled back everywhere. The southern flank was being pressed hard and matters in the centre still looked bleak. All was swirling chaos there.

Even with the help of Tara and John’s men, it didn’t seem a certainty they would hold. I swallowed. We would get no help from there, not yet.

We would have to fend off the next attack on our own.

Chapter 14

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

Overworld is too dangerous for the humans to survive on their own. Let them come to us with caps in hand. Or perish through their own folly. —Unknown royal advisor.

I limped after Michael and re-joined the line.

While we waited for the next attack, I rolled up my leather vest and inspected the jagged wound in my lower back. The spear hadn’t penetrated deep and the bleeding had slowed. I breathed easier. It seemed I would live.

Yet the wound still throbbed each time I moved. In the first few moments after the attack, fear and adrenaline had masked the pain, but now… now I wondered if I could still fight. I glanced at the gathering murluks and felt my expression harden. There was no choice.

It was fight or run. And I would not flee.

I turned my focus inwards and checked my player progress in the Trials core. During the last murluk wave my body had gone through further enhancements, and I had gained more knowledge. Calling up the Trials alerts, I reviewed the changes.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 6 Neophyte.

Your agility has increased to: level 3.

Your strength has increased to: level 4.

Your skill using light armour has advanced to: level 1.

Your skill with spears has advanced to: level 7.

I was stronger, faster, tougher, and had become more adept with my weapon. At any other time, I would have been astounded by the changes to myself. But now? Now I despaired I still hadn’t learned enough to survive the next wave.

I leaned on my spear and bowed my head. When will this battle end? I wondered. All I had done since coming to Overworld was fight or wait to fight. Earth seemed a long way away now. Is every day on this world going to be like this?

“Get ready,” shouted Michael.

I looked up. The murluks had begun their advance.

Grimacing at the pain my movement caused, I brought up my spear and held it ready while watching the oncoming horde.

There were so many. And this time, neither I nor the rest of the men on this part of the line had Tara to protect us. “Can we hold them?” I asked Michael.

“Forget the bigger picture, fish,” replied Michael. “Just keep your position in the wall.” But the slight tremble in his hands betrayed his own nerves.

He doesn’t think we’re going to survive.

I looked along the lines of men on the right flank, at their dispirited gazes, weary stances, and drooping weapons. How many of them will die in the next few minutes? I wondered. Too many.

I glanced at the murluks and contemplated a crazy idea. If I am going to die here, what do I have to lose? I bit my lip. Nothing.

Shrugging, I charged.

Well, it was more of a fast hop, really, a not-so-funny parody of the murluks’ own gaits, but it was the fastest speed I could manage. The system thought so too.

Your agility has increased to: level 4.

I chuckled darkly at the Trials’ message.

“Jamie, get back here! What do you think you are doing, you stupid fish?” Michael growled from behind me.

I ignored him. My eyes were fixed on the fast-approaching murluks. I fancied I could see the creatures’ eyes widen, amazed by the sight of the lone human charging them.

I grinned. Almost knee deep in the river now, I stopped. I had advanced far enough away from our lines. Planting my feet in the muddy river-bottom, I crouched low and held my spear at the ready. Waiting.

I only have to keep my feet, I reminded myself.

The murluks drew closer. Tens of spears were hefted in the air and held ready to skewer the foolish human in their path. Watching the creatures through narrowed eyes, I waited until the last second.

Now, I thought and cast invincible.

Opening my magesight, I called on my spirit. Energy erupted out of my inner being and wove through my body, both inside and out. In a split second, my physical form was overlaid with a second one of impermeable spirit that was invisible to normal sight, but glowed radiant silver in my magesight.

Invincible activated. You are immune to all damage for: 30 seconds.

Spears hurtled towards me. I itched to raise my own weapon in defence, but bit back the instinct and let the wall of spears land unhindered.

It was much harder to do than I thought.

I squeezed my eyes shut at the moment of impact. The ping of sharpened metal tips as they clanged off my spirit form’s hardened shell was music to my ears. I smiled. It worked! I had believed it would, but that was vastly different from knowing.

My eyes flew open.

Murluks were converging on me from all sides. I dug my feet deeper into the mud underfoot and waited for the momentum of their charge to expend itself. I knew the greatest danger—in the next thirty seconds at least—was to be knocked down and trampled by the press of bodies above. But the frog creatures weighed little and their charge had little momentum behind it.

I held my ground more easily than I’d expected. Once the weight pressing against me eased, I raised my head. Now let’s see how much damage I can do, I thought as I hit back at the murluks.

My spear slid smoothly into the throat of my nearest foe. I leaned into the blow, ignoring the press of bodies and repeated jabs that bounced harmlessly off me. With a wet gurgle, the murluk died. Wrenching back my weapon, I thrust it out and sought bared flesh again.

The murluks swirled around me. Converging on their trapped quarry, they struck at me from all sides, not understanding why their attacks were failing.

My ploy was proving more successful than I hoped.

I had expected at least some of the murluks to be distracted away from the human lines by my presence in their midst. What I had not anticipated was for all of them to abort their attack and fall on me instead.

The human captains commanding the northern section, though, were alive to the opportunity I had created. Seeing that I held the attention of the nearby murluks, I heard a voice shout, “To me! Charge! Strike them down from behind!”

I hoped Michael and the rest of his fellows on the flank heeded the call, because if they didn’t, I would be dead soon. But I had no control over what they did. I had to focus on my own actions, and do what I could to make sure I survived.

Narrowing my focus, I concentrated on inflicting as much hurt upon the murluks as I could. Thrust and pull. Rinse and repeat. Over and over again, I jabbed down on the much shorter creatures with no care for defence at all.

My foolish gambit was not without its own share of benefits. While, I fought, a constant stream of Trials messages scrolled through my vision.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 8 Neophyte.

Your constitution and strength have increased to: level 5.

Your vigour has increased to: level 4.

Your skill using light armour has advanced to: level 6.

Your skill with spears has advanced to: level 8.

I grinned wryly. It seemed facing hundred-to-one odds—and surviving—was a good way to gain experience on Overworld. If I walk away from this alive, at least I will be stronger for the experience.

I picked up my head at a formless roar. It was the human fighters crashing into the murluks converged around me.

Finally, I thought. Invincible wasn’t going to last much longer. Even so, I was not sure that the right flank’s charge was going to be enough to save me.

But it was always a gamble to begin with. I returned my attention to my bloody work and focused on reaping as grim a harvest as I could. My arms moving mechanically up and down, I slaughtered indiscriminately.

As the spearmen’s attacks began to bear fruit, the pressure pushing against me eased. The human fighters had formed a half circle around the murluks and were dealing death, quickly and efficiently. I began to hope I might yet survive.

Then my aura of invincibility faded.

The blows raining down from all sides no longer bounced off. I jerked fitfully as sharpened blades bit into me and fresh waves of pain assaulted me. In a handful of seconds, my health plummeted. I lived, but that wouldn’t hold true for much longer.

Hunkering down and weaving my spear defensively, I forwent attacking altogether.

More murluk blows landed on me, though they were more sporadic now. The weight pressing against the creatures from their rear was too great for them to ignore anymore, and they swung around to face their attackers.

I began to dodge, parry, and weave in earnest, desperately trying to stay alive long enough for help to get through. But in the end, it wasn’t my own actions that saved me, or even the human fighters straining to reach me.

It was the murluks themselves.

The battle had reached its tipping point and the creatures had had enough. Throwing down their weapons, they turned and fled. Reaching deeper water, the murluks dove beneath the waves and took refuge in its depths.

I gasped in relief and fell to my knees. I’ll be damned, I thought, I actually survived. Swaying, I gave way to exhaustion and the encroaching darkness, then fell face first into the mud.

✽✽✽

Consciousness returned slowly.

Where am I? Waves slapped against my side. Still on the river shore, then. Water splashed on my face. I groaned.

“You hear that?” someone asked.

I didn’t recognise the voice. More water was thrown on my face. I sputtered feebly and tried to escape whoever tormented me, but couldn’t move. I was too weak.

“Is he alive?” the voice asked again.

“Of course he is alive, you idiot. Do you think dead men cough?”

My eyes were closed. Dear God, I’m tired. My body ached everywhere, and blood soaked my clothes and armour—much of it my own. Leave me alone, I wanted to scream at my tormentors, but couldn’t get the words out. Let me sleep.

I was certain I bled from a dozen cuts or more. I had no idea how I had kept fighting with those injuries, but now pain—and worse—shackled my body. I was dying, I suspected. I was too exhausted to care though. I just wanted to escape it all. I’m sorry, Mum. I tried.

“Who knows what he is! You saw what he did? Can men do that?” continued the first voice.

“Shut up, Sten. He’s just a kid. A human kid. Any fool can see that.”

“But you saw—”

“Enough!” growled the second voice, the whip of authority unmistakable in his voice. “One more word out of you and you’ll be on latrine duty for the rest of the week.”

I blew out an irritated breath. Why couldn’t these fools just leave me be?

“You hear that?” Sten muttered. “He’s making strange noises again. We shouldn’t be so close.”

The other ignored him. “Who is this fellow, Michael?” he asked in a low whisper. I sensed he was kneeling beside me. “You seemed to know him.”

“I don’t know, Sarge,” replied Michael. He was bent over me too. “Just some kid I met before the battle. Crippled. I felt sorry for him.”

Before the sergeant could reply, a disturbance drew the attention of the two men.

“What’s going on here, Lloyd?” demanded a voice I recognized as Tara’s. I felt the shadows of the two men fall over me as they rose to their feet and turned to face the stern fighter.

“It’s your fish, Tara,” Michael answered in the sergeant’s stead.

“My fish?” Tara asked. She dropped down by my side. “What happened?” she growled.

I winced. Even with me knocking on death’s door, I could sense she was displeased.

“I don’t know,” Lloyd answered. “You saw the disturbance on our flank? When the murluks aborted their charge?”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m here. Whose fool idea was that? And which unit did we sacrifice to make it happen? I hope for your sake that wasn’t your idea, Lloyd. Because if it was, the old lady will have your head.”

Lloyd shook his head. “It was your boy here.”

“What?”

“He charged out of our lines and lured the murluks to him.” Lloyd paused, as if unable to believe his next words. “Then he held their attention for what must have been close on a minute. And he lived to tell the tale.”

“Impossible!” snapped Tara.

“What the cap’n says is true, Tara. We all saw it,” Michael said.

Tara fell silent for a moment. “Are you telling me,” she said, her voice scathing, “that this untrained boy, who can no more run than I can fly, and who less than an hour ago didn’t know one end of a spear from another, held the murluks at bay, all on his own? For a minute?” She laughed. “What do you two take me for?”

“It’s true, Tara,” Michael repeated stubbornly.

I sighed. I was still both alive and awake. It didn’t seem like I was going to go peacefully to my rest anytime soon. It was past time I entered the conversation.

Before Tara’s bites off their heads.

The pair had likely saved my life, after all, and they didn’t deserve a chewing out from Tara for that. Forcing my eyes open, I blinked them rapidly until Tara and the two men swam into focus.

“It’s true, Tara,” I croaked.

Tara’s hawk-eyed stare swung my way. “Jamie, you’re awake!” She frowned a moment later, realising what I had said. “What do you mean it’s true?”

I waved her closer until she leaned down over me, her face right up to mine. “I have a Technique,” I whispered so that only she could hear. “Invincible. It makes me impervious to damage. It’s why I didn’t start with a Clean Slate. Don’t tell anyone.”

Tara stared at me, her face expressionless. “Why didn’t you use it earlier?” she whispered back.

“Couldn’t,” I replied. “It can only be used once per day, and it only lasts thirty seconds.”

“Alright,” she said, leaning back. “We’ll talk more of it later. Rest now, our medic is on the way.” She squeezed my arm. “Oh, and thank you. You quite possibly saved us all today.” Patting my arm one more time, Tara stood up. “Sergeant Lloyd, have some food brought to him. Michael, go see what’s keeping the medic.”

Both men ran off to do her bidding. I tried to speak again, but Tara shushed me. Relieved that I was finally being allowed to rest, I tried to let myself fade back into darkness. But now that I had opened my eyes, sleep eluded me.

After a frustrated minute, I gave up on the idea of rest altogether. Straining with the effort, I raised my head and took stock of my surroundings. I saw that I had been dragged a few yards away from the lapping water but was still on the river’s lower banks. I craned my head in both directions, but didn’t catch sight of any murluks. It seemed the battle was over.

Thank God, I thought, letting my head fall back. To keep myself distracted from the pain spiking through my body, I turned my focus inwards to the Trials core. Another pile of messages had gathered. I scanned through them.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 9 Neophyte.

Your vigour and agility have increased to: level 5.

Your strength has increased to: level 6.

Your constitution has increased to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

Your skills with spears and light armour have advanced to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

Alert: Trainee-ranked Attributes and Disciplines do not benefit from the newcomer buff or the accelerated learning rates applied at the Neophyte rank.

The learning rate of your Attribute: constitution, and your Disciplines: spears, and light armour, have decreased.

Not bad for an hour’s work, I thought. Already, I felt more capable of facing Overworld’s challenges. I still have no magic though. If I am going to—

I flinched as my side throbbed again from an errant twitch. Dismissing the Trials messages, I turned my attention to my injuries and cast analyse upon myself.

Your health pool is at: 24% of maximum.

I chuckled. I was not nearly as far gone as I had thought. While my health was low, and my wounds numerous, my condition appeared stable.

It seemed I was going to live.

Sergeant Lloyd returned. “Here, kid, eat this,” he said, dropping down next to me. “It will restore your stamina. Until Nic bandages you up, I’m afraid this is the best we can do for you.”

Lloyd looked as fresh-faced as Tara and Michael, but if his words were anything to go by, he was no eighteen-year-old boy. I will have to stop judging people’s ages by their faces. For all I knew, Lloyd was in his sixties.

But I said none of that. “Thanks,” I rasped. I took the offered stick of dried meat and began to chew. Immediately, I felt the food’s restorative effects as my stamina began inching upwards.

A little later, Michael returned with another man. Unlike the others, the man was not dressed in armour, and carried only a large leather bag strapped across his back. “What do we have here, Tara?” asked the stranger.

“New recruit that needs bandaging. Doesn’t seem like he has suffered any serious injuries. Just exhaustion.”

The stranger bent over me. “Hi there. I’m Nicholas, and what passes for a medic on this world. Can I take a look at your wounds?”

“Sure, Doc,” I replied. “I’m Jamie.”

“I can’t claim to be a doctor, at least not anymore,” replied Nicholas absently as he began to inspect me. “I wish my old skills were still as useful, but without Earth’s technology they aren’t of much value on this world. It seems that, just like everyone else, I am going to have to learn the Overworld way of doing things.”

I nodded, understanding what he meant.

Nicholas finished his inspection, then sat back. “Your condition isn’t too bad. Your weakness is mostly from blood loss and exhaustion, which we can treat easily enough. Your wounds themselves aren’t severe. The slash across your back is the worst, but even that is only superficial.” Rifling through his bag, he pulled out some homemade bandages and a greenish paste.

“How long do you need, Nic?” Tara asked.

“Twenty minutes, tops,” promised Nicholas. “I’ll have him up and walking after that. Then he is all yours.”

Chapter 15

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

The runes of the Elders are just one of the many mysteries of the Trials we hope to uncover. Although we know beyond doubt that the runes are how players are enhanced, not even our best minds have been able to duplicate their effect. —Taura Biaxal, svartalfar mystic.

Your health pool has increased to: 63%.

It took Nicholas only fifteen minutes to stitch and bandage all my wounds. The medic applied a liberal dose of the green paste to each of my cuts before he closed them up. The paste, Nicholas claimed, would speed up my healing and prevent infection.

I nodded my thanks to the healer, who hurried off as soon as he was done. No doubt other patients needed his attention.

“How are you feeling?” asked Tara. Everyone else had left, some to haul off the dead bodies, some to stand guard, and others to tend to chores that I could only guess at. I still knew nothing of this place, except that it seemed to be run with something akin to military discipline.

And Tara, whoever she is, seems to be near the top of the command structure. While the others had run off, my mentor had remained, waiting for me with folded arms and a tapping foot.

“Much better,” I replied, holding out my arm to her. With Tara’s help, I staggered to my feet. The medic had done good work. I was pain-free and no longer bled. Yet my wounds tingled with a not-altogether-pleasant numbness, and my limbs felt lethargic. I frowned. Was it the paste’s doing?

“It’ll pass,” Tara said when she saw my befuddled look. “Once the salve has done its work, your head will clear and your limbs will be back to normal.”

I glanced at her. “What’s in the paste?”

“I’m not sure,” Tara replied. “And I am not entirely certain Nic knows either. It was something he and the other healers learned to make early on.” She shrugged. “Whatever it is, it works. In an hour, you’ll find that your wounds have closed and no longer trouble you. But until then, you will be weak. Can you walk?”

I looked down at myself. My clothes were an unholy mess and dried blood caked my limbs, hair, and face. I must look awful, I thought. But I felt no twinge of pain as I took a tentative step. “I can,” I answered.

“Good,” Tara said. “Here, lean on my arm. We have to go see the old lady now. She will want to know more about this Technique of yours.”

“The old lady?”

“She’s the one in charge here,” Tara replied as we made our way back up the riverbank. She shot me a glance. “You will do well to tell her everything.”

That was not happening. At least, not until I knew more of what was going on here, and how far I could trust this ‘old lady.’ Tara, though, had earned the right to know more.

“I have not told you everything, Tara,” I said.

She threw me a wry look. “Somehow, I didn’t think you had. Ready to tell me now?”

I nodded. “I have magic,” I admitted.

Tara froze mid-step. “What?!” she exploded, dropping my arm and swinging around to face me.

Abruptly robbed of her support, I swayed and was momentarily at a loss to reply. A nearby pair of soldiers, hauling murluk corpses, stopped to turn and stare at us, but at a glare from Tara they hurried away.

She waited for them to go. “If you have magic,” she said, biting off each word, “why did you not use it?”

“Because I don’t have any magic,” I said carelessly.

Tara’s brows lowered ominously.

“Spells. I mean I don’t have any spells,” I amended hastily. “I have Magic Potential, but not the skill to use it yet.”

Tara stared at me for a moment before narrowing her eyes and scrutinising me anew. A strange tingling suffused my body. She was using analyse on me, I realised.

Wondering why I had not done so earlier, I cast analyse on her in turn.

The target is Tara Madison, a level 32 human player. She has no Magic, has exceptional Might, is gifted with Resilience, and has meagre Craft.

Her level was not as high as I’d expected, given the ease with which I had seen her dispatch the murluks.

“Meagre magical Potential,” Tara murmured. “Not as much as could be hoped for, but a darn sight better than anyone else around here.” Tara pinned me with her gaze again. “Why did you not tell me earlier, before the battle?”

I considered the smaller woman for a moment. How much truth did I owe her? “Because I wasn’t sure if I could trust you,” I said finally.

Tara scowled, clearly not considering my answer adequate. “You could have been killed, you idiot!” she exclaimed. “Don’t you realise what a precious resource you are? As a potential mage, you are far too valuable to risk in battle. You should have told me!”

“Don’t mistake me for one of your recruits, Tara,” I said softly. “I followed you in battle because I was willing to do my part. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I am not under your command.” I paused to make sure my words had sunk in. “I am my own player,” I continued. “With goals of my own. Don’t forget that.”

Tara met my gaze without blinking, her back stiff with anger. After a drawn-out moment, she expelled a heavy breath. “You’re right,” she said, shoulders sagging. “I apologise. My words were uncalled for. It’s just that… survival in this world has been harder than any of us expected. We are barely clinging on as it is.”

She sighed. “We can’t go on as we have for much longer. Something has to change, or everything we built here will be destroyed.” She glanced up at me again. “I’m sorry I overreacted. I saw only the cost to our people if you died.”

I didn’t say anything for a long while, mostly because I wasn’t sure what to say. I sympathised with their plight. I did. But earlier… I had nearly died with my stupid heroics. And if I had, who would avenge Mum? There must be thousands of humans in this settlement by now, all fighting for its survival. Yet, who was looking out for Mum?

Only me.

That moment on the shore, when I was at death’s door, had reminded me of my priorities. Vengeance came first. I couldn’t let myself forget that again. Ever.

But I also knew I needed Tara and her people.

I could not survive Overworld on my own. Not yet. There was much I still had to learn of the Trials, humanity’s place in this world, and my magic. For the foreseeable future my place was here… in location seventy-eight.

I will stay—for now. And while I did, I would do everything I could to help.

“Tara,” I said quietly. “I am grateful for what you did for me today. I know I wouldn’t have survived without you. For as long as I remain in the settlement, you can count on my help. I can promise at least that much.”

Tara scrutinised my face, perhaps because my pledge was not as unconditional as she wished it. But she did not pursue the matter further. “Thank you, Jamie,” she said simply. She bent her arm under mine and we resumed our journey.

Still thinking about magic and what it would mean, I added, “Don’t place too much hope in me, Tara. We don’t know enough of Overworld’s magic yet. It—and I—might not be the solution to all your problems.”

“You’re right,” Tara said. She glanced at me. “I won’t betray your trust, Jamie. I will keep your invincible Technique a secret if you wish, but I urge you to tell the old lady. You can trust her.”

I chewed on Tara’s words. I had used the Technique in front of dozens of soldiers. People were bound to wonder and speculate, and eventually figure it out. It didn’t make sense to keep it a secret. “Alright. I’ll tell her.”

Tara smiled. “Thank you, Jamie.”

We reached the top of the upper bank and Tara let go of my arm. I hadn’t had much chance to study the area earlier, so I took a long look around.

Directly in front of me was the dragon temple, and behind it a huddle of tents, enough perhaps to house a few hundred people. Farther east, beyond the tented camp, was a forest. To the left and right was open grassland, although in the far north I spotted the hazy outline of what could be hills.

I glanced up at the sky. It was just as blue as Earth’s, with a large yellow sun that seemed to shine brighter than Sol.

“Where are we going?” I asked Tara.

“There,” she replied, gesturing to the mass of tents in front of us. “The old lady will be in the command tent.”

I nodded as if that made sense to me. “What do you call this place?” I looked at her curiously. “You can’t just be calling it location seventy-eight.”

Tara shrugged. “We haven’t formally named the settlement yet. Mostly we refer to it as the Outpost.”

As we resumed walking, I looked around inquisitively. Less than a few yards from the edge of the upper bank, I spotted the shallow ditch we had crossed earlier.

Inspecting it carefully, I realised it was the foundation of a wall. The trench had been dug along the length of the upper bank, and fallen poles had been placed at regular intervals within it.

Noticing the direction of my gaze, Tara answered my unspoken query. “We’ve been trying to fortify the Outpost for days, but every time we make significant progress with its construction, the murluks destroy our work. It’s why we have taken to meeting the creatures at the river’s edge and not on the upper bank. If we can only hold them at bay there for a few days, then we might just give our crafters the time they need to complete the wall.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask about the creatures,” I said as we resumed walking. “Why do they attack?”

Tara chuckled. “Your guess is as good as mine. They’ve assaulted us since day one and seem determined to kill us off. We haven’t been able to learn as much about the murluks as we’d like. What we do know is that they are territorial and consider this stretch of river—including both shores—theirs.”

“Have your people tried reasoning with them? The murluks are intelligent, right? They must be if they bear arms and wear armour.”

“You would think so, wouldn’t you?” Tara said with a grimace. “But as far as we can tell the creatures only possess a rudimentary intelligence—an animal cunning of sorts. No one has been able to detect any speech patterns in the noises they make, nor have we found a means of communicating with them. All attempts at negotiations have failed—disastrously.”

“Huh,” I grunted. I had not come across mention of the murluks in my study of the Trials Infopedia, so I was no better informed than Tara about the creatures. “Have you encountered others besides the murluks?”

“Far too many for my liking,” she replied grimly. “All hostile, too. I’m not sure if it’s just this area, or the whole Dominion, but you can’t go a day in any direction without being set upon by a monster wanting to kill or eat you.”

“So your people haven’t explored much?”

Tara shook her head. “What with the constant murluk attacks and other dangers, the old lady has decided to keep our forces close at hand, at least until we complete our fortifications. The only ones that leave the camp are the foragers and hunters, and with game so plentiful, even they never have to go beyond a few miles.”

So, anything can be out there, I thought.

I had more questions to ask about the old lady, the Outpost’s organisational structure, and Tara’s own place in it, but just then we reached the camp. As we passed the first tent, I sensed a charged heaviness to the air. What—?

Before I could delve further into the sudden strangeness, energy suffused me. Between one moment and the next, I went from feeling drained to being buoyed with new vigour. I walked with a new spring in my step and my pace quickened.

What in the world?

I was unsurprised when a Trials alert followed in the wake of the startling changes.

You have been blessed by an unknown player’s aura: commander’s own. While you remain within its field of effect, your might and resilience Attributes are increased.

You have been blessed by an unknown player’s aura: inspiring. While you remain within its field of effect, your health and stamina regeneration rates are increased.

“Buffs,” I murmured to myself.

Tara smiled knowingly at me. “That’s the old lady’s doing,” she said. “Nice, aren’t they?”

I nodded absently as I studied the area. We stood at the edge of the tented camp. The encampment was larger than it had appeared from a distance and likely sheltered thousands. The tents themselves were roughshod and primitive. Seemingly constructed from boiled leather hides, they had been poorly cut and sewn together.

The heaviness I’d sensed in the air was still prevalent. Some instinct made me open my magesight. As it unfurled, my vision exploded with rippling lines of energy. I bit back a startled yelp. Magesight revealed the entire camp to be covered by luminous filaments that criss-crossed in a dizzying maze.

The threads interconnected every human walking the camp. Looking down upon myself, I saw that the energy field had fused with my own being too, and in slow drips, fed and revitalised me with energy.

It is a mesh of spirit, I realised then. No, not one, but two meshes, I corrected myself. Following the twin weaves of spirit back their source, I saw that they rippled outwards from a tent which was twice as large as the surrounding ones and located nearly in the exact centre of the camp. That must be where the old lady is.

I opened my mouth to question Tara further, but before I could do so, she yanked on my arm. “Come on, quit dawdling.”

Wordlessly, I let her steer me towards the command tent, my mind still entranced by the delicate mesh overlying the camp. Is this what magic looks like? I wondered. Following hard on that thought came another: if Tara’s old lady already has magic, why do they need me?

We came to a stop in front of the large tent. Given Tara’s impatience to get us here, I expected her to barge inside. But instead, she shifted from foot to foot while she studied the closed tent flap. I eyed her askance. She was stalling, I realised.

Why is she suddenly worried?

“Before we go in there, remember to be polite,” Tara said finally. She refused to meet my gaze as she spoke. “The old lady can be a trifle… intimidating at times.” Not waiting for my response, she ducked inside.

I stared at the open tent flap, alarmed more by Tara’s display of nerves than by her ominous-sounding warning. What am I walking into? But whatever it was, it couldn’t be worse than facing orcs or battling murluks.

With a shrug, I bent down and followed on Tara’s heels.

Chapter 16

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

Sorcery is magic of the spirit and is fuelled by spirit itself. Even those with no Potential for magic may harness it. —Trials Infopedia.

The inside of the tent was brightly lit with torches. In its centre was a log table. I frowned at its crude construction. The table had been made from hacked-off logs, bound together with sinew and gut. Can the Outpost’s crafters do no better?

There were three people clustered around the table, one of whom I instantly knew had to be the old lady.

Unlike the other two, the old lady was, well, old.

Her hair was iron grey, her posture erect, and her face wrinkled and seamed with age. The woman’s eyes were closed and her hands were clasped behind her back as she listened to her two younger colleagues, both of whom were as fresh-faced as everyone else in the camp.

Tara cleared her throat.

The old lady’s eyelids snapped open. Piercing blue eyes flicked from Tara to me—frank, direct, and coolly assessing.

“Tara,” she greeted. Her voice was warm and welcoming, and at odds with her strict military bearing. “I didn’t expect you back so soon, and with a guest, no less.” Only the barest hint of a pause betrayed her surprise at my presence.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. But this couldn’t wait. You’ve heard about what happened?”

“Marcus has just finished filling me in.” She shook her head. “You should have summoned me earlier, Tara,” she chided.

Tara bowed her head, accepting the gentle rebuke without dissent. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but the battle turned so swiftly there hadn’t been any time.”

The old lady nodded. “Marcus said almost the same thing.” She pursed her lips. “It seems I can no longer afford to stay away from these skirmishes. The murluks are getting bolder.”

She set the matter aside with a shrug. “But I hear events turned out alright in the end. Did you discover how our northern flank managed to push back the attack?”

“I did, ma’am.” Tara pivoted, angling her body to point towards me. “This is Jamie Sinclair. A new player and the one responsible. He shows promise.”

The Outpost leader quirked one eyebrow in surprise. “A new player,” she mused. “And crippled to boot.” Her words were flat and unemotional, a simple statement of fact that carried no hint of derision. Remarkably too, they were devoid of the pity that most people unconsciously voiced when speaking the word ‘cripple.’

I had been watching the old lady carefully ever since I entered the tent and hadn’t seen her cast a single glance downwards at my foot. Yet somehow, she had divined my disability, even when I stood motionless. The Outpost’s leader was astute and observant. Dangerously so. I will have to be careful around her.

The tent was silent, and I realised that the others were waiting for me to speak. “Good day, ma’am,” I said. “As Tara mentioned, I am Jamie Sinclair and still very new to Overworld. I entered this morning.”

“Interesting,” said the old lady. “Only a few hours in this world, yet somehow you have not only garnered Captain Tara’s respect”—I shot Tara a surprised glance. So she was a captain?—“no small feat in of itself, but you also managed to repel a murluk attack. And you are already level nine. Impressive, Mister Sinclair. Very impressive.”

I started. How did she know my level? I had not sensed her analyse me as I had with Tara before. Had she analysed me? I wasn’t sure. I was almost afraid to try the Technique on her.

“Just Jamie, ma’am,” I replied, attempting a disarming grin. “I’m too young to be anyone’s mister.”

The old lady smiled as if in appreciation of my effort. “Well, Jamie, I am Commander Jolin Silbright, but most just call me ‘the old lady,’ for obvious reasons.” She gestured to the blonde man next to her. “This is Captain Marcus, and this”—she pointed to the black-haired giant next to him—“is Captain Petrov.”

Marcus was a slim, dapper-looking individual who looked less a captain than an office clerk, while Petrov was a solidly built man whose height easily topped seven feet. Both men nodded curtly in greeting, their gazes curious.

The commander braced her arms on the table and leaned forward intently. “Now tell me, young man, how did you stop the murluks?” she asked, her voice stripped of its previous affability.

I met her gaze. “I have a Technique called invincible. It makes me immune to damage for thirty seconds.”

“Ah,” said the commander. Other than that single word, Jolin displayed no other reaction to my revelation. “How often can you use the Technique?”

“Only once a day.”

She nodded, eying me shrewdly. “I assume that it was the Trait that made you enter Overworld without a Clean Slate?”

“It is,” I replied. I had been prepared for the question and managed to keep my face blank, so as not to reveal the half-truth behind my words.

“I see,” said Jolin, leaning back. “A useful Trait, but ultimately not one of much tactical significance.”

I didn’t dispute the commander’s assessment, even though I disagreed. Let her draw her own conclusions.

“Well if that is all, I wish you good luck, young man,” said Jolin. “We need every able man and woman to fight for humanity’s cause. I trust you will join us in our efforts. Tara will fill you in on the details.” The dismissal in the commander’s words was clear.

“There is more, ma’am,” said Tara.

The commander turned in her direction, one brow arched upwards in query.

“He has magic.” Both captains stiffened in response to Tara’s words, but again the commander betrayed not the least hint of surprise.

“Well, then,” Jolin said. “Petrov, fetch Tara and Jamie some stools. It seems we are in for a much longer conversation.”

✽✽✽

Petrov left the tent silently.

I cast surreptitious glances at the others. Tara had folded her arms and fell into something akin to parade rest. She seemed content to wait for her fellow captain’s return. The commander and Marcus, ignoring me, bent their heads over the table and studied what appeared to be a hand-drawn map of the vicinity.

I pursed my lips as I studied the commander. I still wasn’t sure what to make of her—other than she appeared both formidable and unflappable. Is she a mage? I wondered.

Deciding not to forgo the opportunity to learn more of the people I had fallen in with, I cast analyse upon Marcus and the commander.

The target is Marcus Smithson, a level 28 human player. He has no Magic, meagre Might, and is gifted with both Resilience and Craft.

The target is Jolin Silbright, a level 49 human player. She has no Magic, mediocre Might, exceptional Resilience, and is gifted with Craft.

Marcus appeared oblivious to my probing. But despite my care, the old lady sensed what I was doing. The sharp look she threw my way made that clear.

I ducked my head, shying away from her gaze while I tried to make sense of the Trials’ feedback. Jolin had no magic. But that makes no sense, I thought with a troubled frown. How had she cast the two auras, then?

Her level was disconcerting too. She was a much higher level than both Marcus and Tara. How had she achieved that? And her age… why had she chosen to enter Overworld in her old body? Could she also have Traits from her old life that she wanted to retain? Did that explain her auras too?

Perhaps it is like my own trait-given Techniques, I thought. I knew that both invincible and mimic did not draw from my magic—the mana residing within me—but were instead powered by pure spirit.

Was that the answer? In my magesight Jolin’s auras had seemed like a mesh of spirit. Are the buffs surrounding the commander an extension of her spirit itself? I wondered.

I was debating using my magesight to study Jolin again when Petrov returned. The big man carried a log stool under either arm.

The five of us took our seats around the table, and without preamble the commander resumed the conversation—or was it an interrogation? “Now, then, tell me about your magic,” said Jolin. “What can you do?”

I studied her impassive face. She seemed to have no doubt that I would answer. I shrugged. “I don’t have any magic—yet. Only Potential. I haven’t visited the dragon temple. I joined the battle as soon as I arrived.”

“You entered the fight as a level one virgin?” asked Marcus, his voice heavy with disbelief. “Without even basic training?”

“There was no time, Marcus,” replied Tara with a shrug. “He arrived during the attack. I was sure I could protect him.”

Marcus snorted. “That was foolish.”

“It was my call, Marcus,” Tara replied coolly. I noticed she did not tell him she had been unaware of my Magic Potential until after the battle.

Ignoring her subordinates, the commander kept her gaze fixed on me. “And just how did you come to arrive here, Jamie?”

“Ma’am?”

“Location seventy-eight is only reachable through the elven gate at New Springs, and then only to those who refuse the elves’ ‘generous’ offer of pseudo-citizenship. But you are not from New Springs, are you, Jamie?”

I struggled to keep my face scrubbed clean of expression. How had she figured out I wasn’t from her town? Her intuition was scary, and I realised I would be hard pressed to keep my secrets from her.

“I’m not,” I replied, choosing to be honest instead of attempting a deception that would likely fail.

Petrov, Marcus, and even Tara frowned at my response. The commander, however, only nodded. “Will you tell us where you are from and how you got here?”

The direction of the old lady’s questioning was worrying, and I had to stop myself from biting my lip. What did she know? Or guess? “Not just yet,” I replied with a shake of my head.

A knowing glint appeared in the commander’s eyes and I realised she had anticipated my response.

“Well then, Jamie, what do you want?” Jolin asked.

“Ma’am?” I asked, frowning in confusion.

“You are clearly an intelligent young man, Jamie. One who is mistrustful—probably with good cause—and determined to keep his own counsel. But you also have something we desperately need: magic. I suspect you are not the type to be swayed by moving speeches, nor do you appear inclined to join our cause.”

Now how did she figure that out already? I wondered. I felt like I was ten steps behind the commander. Where is she going with this?

Leaning forward on the table, Jolin steepled her fingers. “I don’t have time to beat around the bush, Jamie. So, I’ll ask you again: what do you want in exchange for your aid?”

I stared at the commander and somehow managed to keep my jaw from dropping open in shock. Nothing about this conversation was going the way I had foreseen. I had expected the old lady’s reaction to be similar to Tara’s, and for her to try and browbeat me into joining them. What I had not anticipated was a forthright and blunt attempt to buy my services.

And I was insulted.

I would never stoop so low to demand payment from those so desperately in need. “I don’t want anything,” I replied with an angry scowl. “I will help as I can. Freely and without payment, and for as long as I am here. But,” I said, meeting the commander’s gaze squarely, “I will not join your organisation.” I glanced at her captains. “Nor will I put myself under the command of your… officers.”

A small smile played at the corners of the commander’s mouth. “Thank you, Jamie,” she murmured. “Your terms are acceptable and most generous, too. You will not be forced to join us.” She sat back and spread her hands on the table, palms out. “But I do have a condition of my own as well.”

I jerked my head for her to go on, still furious but willing to hear her out.

“You are valuable—” Seeing my annoyed look, she held out a hand to still my protest. “Hear me out, please. As a mage, you are important, and not just to our budding colony here, but to humanity as a whole. Your worth cannot be overestimated. While you remain with us, you must be protected. Do you agree?”

I mulled her words over. It was not an unreasonable request. “I agree,” I said.

“Excellent,” she said with a genial smile. She gestured to the giant, who loomed large over the table. “Petrov here will serve as your bodyguard.”

I glanced at the big man. He had remained tight-lipped throughout the meeting. Even now he did no more than grunt in acknowledgment of the commander’s orders. And while I had no cause to dislike the man, I didn’t know him. “I prefer Tara,” I said, surprising even myself with my words.

The commander’s eyes narrowed imperceptibly as her gaze darted between Tara and me. “Of course,” she said with a negligent wave. “As you will. Tara will serve as your protector.”

Chapter 17

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

Mana is a living, breathing thing. Anger it at your peril. —Cale Ames, elven spellweaver.

We were ushered out surprisingly quickly after that. Well, I was. The commander kept Tara back a little longer. Routine orders, Jolin had explained.

While I waited for Tara, I reflected on my meeting with the old lady. I had expected to be interrogated further on my magic and abilities, and to be provided with unsolicited ‘advice.’ But while the commander’s keen interest in my magic was undisguised, she hadn’t shown the slightest inclination towards directing my magical development.

Jolin had pronounced herself confident in my ability to make such decisions on my own and, with an airy wave of her hand, had summarily dismissed me, citing other more pressing matters that awaited her attention.

I had left the tent in a bit of a daze.

I was in no doubt that Jolin Silbright, whatever else she may be, was a formidable leader—and not an enemy I wanted. She’d seemed to know things she shouldn’t and had kept knocking me off balance with the unexpected tack she’d taken.

It was only standing outside the tent, lost in reflection over the encounter, that I found myself wondering if I hadn’t been manipulated after all. Jolin had read me so well during the entire conversation. Why then, at the end, had she chosen an approach so likely to infuriate me?

In hindsight, it seemed like it had been a calculated move on her part. Had the commander manoeuvred me into volunteering my help for free?

My brows lowered in consternation. What made Jolin’s tactics even more impressive, was that even suspecting what she had done, I couldn’t find it within myself to feel outraged.

Because I wanted to help.

The longer I thought about it, the more certain I grew that the old lady had read me like an open book. She had tailored her approach in the meeting to match my disposition.

How did she do it?

I shivered involuntarily. Tara had been right. The commander was intimidating.

“Jamie?” Tara asked as she ducked out of the tent.

“Hmm?” I said, turning around to look at her. She was watching me curiously. “Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

Tara chuckled. “The commander does tend to have that effect on people. Come on, let’s get you organised,” she said, striding away.

I cast her a sidelong glance as I caught up to her. The black-haired captain’s demeanour seemed unchanged from before our audience. I breathed a sigh of relief. I had been half-afraid she would have been offended by what was in effect a demotion. Yet being assigned as my bodyguard didn’t seem to bother her.

I turned my attention to our heading and noticed that Tara was cutting west through the camp. “Where are we going?” I asked.

“Well, I figured you’d want to acquire some magic. Our first destination is the dragon temple.” She glanced at me. “Unless you would rather we find you a place to camp before that?”

“No, you’re right. To the temple first.” I fell silent as I studied the tented city around us. It couldn’t have been later than noon, but there were only a few people wandering about. And everyone who was seemed to be hurrying on one chore or the other. “Where is everyone?”

“Most of the fighters are in the practice yard, either training themselves or instructing new recruits. The civilians—I suppose that’s what you’d call them, although I am not sure the term fits anyone in this world—will be out gathering or practicing their crafting.” She grimaced. “To the extent that they can, anyhow.”

Hearing Tara’s comment, I was once again struck by the primitiveness of the camp. “I’ve been meaning to ask. Why is everything so…” I gestured at the shoddy tents, poorly fashioned benches, and our own basic equipment.

“Crude?” Tara supplied helpfully.

I nodded. I had refrained from saying it myself, not wanting to offend Tara or insult her people’s efforts.

Tara yanked out her short stabbing spear. My own spear lay abandoned back on the lower bank. It had just been too unwieldly to lug around, and I figured I would be provided with another if we had to fight again.

Tara held up the spear for my inspection. “You see that?” she asked, pointing to the polished and sharpened metal on its tip.

I bobbed my head, uncertain where she was going with this.

“This spearhead, and the others like it, are our only source of metal. We have no knives, tools, swords, or metal of any other kind. And without metal-forged tools, it’s damned hard to craft anything. Even chopping down the trees in the forest is a bloody chore.”

“Ah,” I said, taken aback. I hadn’t fully thought through the consequences of Earth refugees not being able to bring anything—not even the clothes on their back—to the new world.

When I had entered a neutral location, I hadn’t been certain what to expect, but I had assumed—naively it seemed—that the Trials would ensure all players would have access to the bare essentials. This didn’t appear to be the case.

I looked around with new eyes. Other than the dragon temple itself, the Trials had provided nothing in the way of aid for the humans arriving at location seventy-eight. There wasn’t even a gate to travel to another location.

The primitiveness of the Outpost made sense now. The commander and her people started with nothing, I realised. Given that, what they had managed to achieve was impressive. Astounding, really.

“I suppose players in the sponsored cities have it easier,” I said wistfully.

Tara snorted. “Sure, but only if you’re willing to sell your humanity for the privilege.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, surprised by the derision in her tone.

Tara eyed me. “You haven’t met any of the ‘Sponsors,’ have you?”

“No,” I admitted. “Just the orcs,” At my slip, an image of Mum—headless and with dead eyes—flashed through my mind. Ruthlessly, I squashed the memory and the accompanying upswelling of grief.

Tara’s lips parted in surprise at my words. She tilted her head and studied me in silence, as if seeing me with new eyes. “When did you—”

She broke off abruptly. Then sighed. “I’m sorry, Jamie. I shouldn’t pry. The old lady told me to let you keep your secrets.”

So that’s why she kept you behind. What other instructions did she give you, I wonder?

When I didn’t say anything, Tara continued with her explanation, “The ‘Patrons’ are the worst, but the Sponsors are little better. The elves sent a delegation into New Springs after their gate activated there. Their representatives were full of honeyed words and promises, of how they would help humanity, of how we could be allies, and of how, together, we could change Overworld. But there was just one small catch.

“In exchange for the shelter and aid they provided, the elves wanted any human that entered their sponsored cities to pledge a year’s service in return. The pledge grants the Elven Protectorate the rights to all dungeons, mines, and other resources discovered by their human citizens.”

“Really?” I asked, shocked. “I never heard of anything like that on the news.”

“You wouldn’t have. The way I heard tell, the elves negotiated an agreement with our government to keep their pledges’ terms secret from Earth’s populous.” She kicked a loose rock angrily. “Damn politicians probably sold us down the river to pave their own way into Overworld.”

I shook my head, not in denial of Tara’s words, but more in disbelief. Surely not even Earth’s leaders were corrupt enough to sell away our rights in the new world? “What about the gnomes?” I asked, thinking about Eric and Emma. “Have they demanded the same… concessions?”

“I don’t know,” Tara admitted, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if they had similar agreements in place.”

The conversation lapsed for a while after that, both of us lost in our own thoughts. Eventually I asked, “So everyone here rejected the elves’ offer?”

Tara nodded. “Technically, yes, but not all for the same reasons. Some choose location seventy-eight because they couldn’t stomach the offer, others wanted to escape the authorities, and yet others came for a fresh start. Some though,” she snarled, “chose it because they wanted a ‘hard start.’ Damn gamers.”

I winced. Tara clearly had a poor opinion of gamers. Diplomatically, I chose not to tell her about my own gaming background and changed the topic.

“Then, you are not all from one organisation? At the battle by the river, everyone worked so well together. It was almost as if you had been fighting as a unit for years. I thought perhaps you were all military or ex-military.”

Tara’s brows jerked up in surprise. “I suppose the commander and her talk of captains gave you that idea?”

I nodded.

“Well, you’re wrong. We all came here as individuals. Forging ourselves into something resembling a military force—that came later.” Tara’s eyes grew distant with memory. “The first day here was chaos. People, running and screaming in all directions.”

She chuckled grimly. “And dying too. By the dozens and on the very steps of the dragon temple itself. Monsters were drawn from far and wide, attracted by the promise of easy prey. I was one of the first to arrive. On the first day the gates opened, in fact. And just like the thousands of others that came through that day, I was scared and disoriented.”

Tara’s voice grew soft. “We all would have died if not for the old lady. When she came through, things changed. She transformed a motley bunch of individuals—without food, weapons, or armour—into a fledging fighting force that was not only able to survive, but thrive.”

Tara spread her arms wide. “Everything you see here is the work of the commander. She created our organisation, as you call it. Drew up a hierarchy, appointed her officers—some with military training, many without. Formed procedures, routines, and checklists. Defined our priorities and, most importantly, gave us both purpose and hope.” Tara looked me squarely in the eye, her face serious. “We owe her everything. Without her, you would have found nothing but a barren wasteland when you came through the gate.”

I nodded noncommittally, acknowledging but not necessarily agreeing with Tara’s underlying message: that I too should be grateful to the commander, and do everything she asked. They are a paramilitary organisation, even if they hadn’t started out that way.

It was clear to me from Tara’s words that the old lady ruled here. And as noble as her agenda seemed, it was not mine. I had my own mission, and I knew without a doubt, that if I joined the commander’s outfit, her goals would supplant my own.

“Who is the commander?” I asked. “What’s her story?”

Tara grinned, breaking the solemnity of the moment. “That’s something everyone asks sooner or later. The short answer is, no one knows. Most of us believe that she was in the military at some point in her career. But what her rank or training was, she hasn’t seen fit to share with any of us.”

“And her age?”

“You mean why didn’t she enter Overworld in a new body?”

I nodded.

“The same reason you didn’t: to retain her Traits from her life on Earth. The auras you felt earlier are the least of the benefits she can provide to the troops. Wait until you see her in battle. Her active boosts are a sight to behold.”

“Buffs,” I said, absently correcting Tara while my mind picked at the puzzle that was the commander. It was one thing to enter Overworld with your earthly body when you were young and hale—or relatively so—but to do it when you were as old as Jolin Silbright? That was either foolishness or a remarkable bit of self-sacrifice.

And somehow, I didn’t think the commander was foolish.

“What?” asked Tara.

“Uhm, the benefits and bonuses that the commander’s Techniques grant, they’re called buffs.”

“Oh. Sure.”

I turned to my companion and tilted my head curiously. “And what about you, Tara? How old are you?”

“You really want to know?” Tara asked, her eyes twinkling.

I nodded. I knew she was older than me, and given the assurance with which she carried herself most times, I guessed she was probably in her fifties.

“Twenty-two.”

“Twenty-two?” I said, nearly choking over the words. I gaped at her in astonishment. “You can’t possibly be—”

The rest of what I was about to say was lost as I tripped over my own feet and landed face first in the dust next to the steps of the dragon temple.

We had arrived at our destination.

Chapter 18

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

We know even less of sorcery than we do of magic. It is a potent tool, some would say, even more so than magic, but its uses are limited by how deeply its spells draw from the spirit. —Taura Biaxal, svartalfar mystic.

I picked myself up slowly, then pretended to dust myself off to hide my embarrassment. Tara was not buying it though. Throwing back her head, she roared with laughter.

“Alright,” I said, red-faced. “You’ve had your fun now.”

“I’m sorry, Jamie, but your expression… it was priceless,” Tara said, mirth fading at last.

I didn’t dare ask her if she had been joking about her age or not. She couldn’t be younger than me, could she? But I was sure if I broached the matter again, I would have her rolling on the floor with laughter.

Apparently taking pity on me, Tara returned to the matter at hand. She pointed to the top of the carved purple steps. “The entrance to the temple is up this stairway.”

I followed the direction of her arm. The temple was a Greek-style marble building painted in swirling shades of purple. It dominated the landscape, and was likely visible from miles away. “It must draw a lot of attention,” I said.

Tara nodded. “The commander thinks that is by design. To keep players on their toes, so to speak. It certainly seems to attract enough of the local wildlife.”

I began limping up the stairway’s gentle rise. After a few steps, I noticed that Tara was not following. “You’re not coming?” I asked, looking back at her over my shoulder.

Tara shook her head. “Even if we both enter the temple at the same time, we will find ourselves in different locations. The temple doors are a portal of sorts. I’ll wait here. Take your time.” She paused, then added, “You know that you shouldn’t invest in anything still at the Neophyte rank, right?”

“Yeah, I do,” I replied. Conventional wisdom held that Neophyte-ranked Disciplines and Attributes shouldn’t be increased with Tokens and Marks. Up until they reached level ten, the learning rate of Disciplines and Attributes was many times faster than the norm. So much so that a player—unaided by the temples—could advance themselves to the Trainee rank in a matter of days. And with my newcomer buff still in effect, my Neophyte learning rate was accelerated even further.

Unfortunately, without even a basic grasp of magic, there was no way I could train it on my own. I would be forced to invest at least some Tokens in my magic.

“See you soon,” I said in farewell to Tara. Climbing up the remaining stairs, I pushed open the doors and entered the temple.

✽✽✽

A Trials message unfurled the moment I crossed the temple’s threshold.

You have exited location seventy-eight.

I was back on Wyrm Island. This time I was at its centre, only a few feet away from the gate I had left through the last time. Standing next to me was Aurora.

“Welcome back, human,” said the purple woman. “I see you managed to stay out of orcish hands.” She looked me up and down. “And level nine already. Well done. I suppose you are here to use your Tokens and Marks?”

“What are you?” I asked, ignoring her question.

Aurora did not deign to reply. She crossed her arms and glared at me.

Her response was not unexpected, but I had thought it worth a try. There was one more thing I could attempt. I drew on my will and cast analyse on the purple woman.

Analysis failed. Your skill is insufficient.

Aaargh, I thought with a grimace.

“That was rude!” Aurora snapped. “Next time mind your manners or you will regret it.”

I scratched my head, curious as to how the purple woman could punish me, but I was not willing to test her wrath. I bowed. “I apologise, Aurora. You are correct, I am here to acquire new knowledge.”

“Hmpf,” Aurora said, not appearing the least bit mollified. She waved her arm and a translucent purple window opened in front of me. “These are the Disciplines you may choose from. You have ninety Tokens available.”

A familiar list of Disciplines appeared before me. This was an area of the Trials I had spent most of my time in the wiki researching. Regardless, I combed through it to make sure there were no untoward surprises.

The Disciplines on offer were identical to the ones described in the Trials Infopedia. With the exception of the dragon magic Discipline, of course. That had most definitely not been mentioned in the wiki.

I had already decided on my levelling strategy before entering the temple, but there were a few things I wanted to confirm first. “Can I please see the Traits and Disciplines I earned from my life on Earth? From before my Induction.”

Wordlessly, Aurora waved her hand and a new window unfurled.

The knowledge you have carried over from Earth into the Trials include: the lore and scribe Disciplines, and the Quick Learner and Crippled Traits. Your skill as a scribe is at: level 6. Your skill in lore is at: level 8.

Trait: Quick Learner. Rank: 2, uncommon.

After a lifetime spent studying, you are able to grasp new concepts and assimilate knowledge rapidly. This Trait increases the rate at which your Disciplines advance through natural learning.

Trait: Crippled. Rank: 2, uncommon.

Your left foot is hobbled as a result of an unfortunate accident during your youth. This Trait impairs your movement, halving the benefits you receive from the agility Attribute.

I swallowed painfully as I read the effect of my crippling. It is what I thought. With my handicap, I would never amount to much as a warrior. Magic was my only hope of excelling in the Trials.

Banishing further doubts, I turned back to Aurora and made my first choice. “Aurora, please increase my skill in the life magic and dragon magic Disciplines to nine.”

“So noted. Your new knowledge will be instilled in your mind once you exit Wyrm Island. You have seventy-two Tokens remaining.”

I had thought long on how, at even my low level, I could assist the Outpost with magic. I suspected that as a Neophyte mage the damage I could inflict with my spells would be negligible when compared to an army of spearmen. Sadly, until I levelled up much further, even as a mage, my offensive potential would be limited—or so I believed.

It was behind the lines that I thought I would be of most benefit. After seeing the primitive healing methods Nicholas had used, I believed that there was a good chance that I could help save more lives at the Outpost with healing magic—or life magic as the Trials named it.

Dragon magic was a wild card. I hadn’t the least idea what it was capable of, but given its uniqueness, there was no way I could ignore the Discipline. I had to learn everything I could of it.

Unfortunately, unlike knowledge acquired through ‘natural’ learning, the Trials’ gifts were limited by a player’s level. Until I levelled up more, I would not be able to further advance my skill in dragon and life magic with Tokens.

Briefly, I toyed with the notion of maximising my skill in one or more of the other magical Disciplines as well, but I decided to stick with my original plan. “Aurora, please increase my skill in the fire, earth, water, air, and death magic Disciplines to one.”

“Noted. You have sixty-seven Tokens remaining.”

There were other non-combat Disciplines I wanted to learn, but it didn’t make sense to acquire any of them now. First, I would try training them naturally, and only after reaching the Trainee rank would I return to the dragon temple for further understanding. For now, I was satisfied with my choices. “I am done with my Discipline selections. Thank you, Aurora.”

“Very wise,” the purple woman replied. “Do you wish to use any of your Marks at this time?”

“No, thank you,” I replied. Constitution was the only Attribute I would consider raising right now, but Attribute, like Discipline purchases, were limited by a player’s level and at the moment, my constitution exceeded my level.

“Very good, then we are finished here,” said Aurora, seemingly pleased to be done with me again. “Enter the gate and the changes to your body and mind will be made.”

I turned away and headed towards the gate, but not before an irreverent wave at the purple woman that had her scowling anew. I smiled at her expression. But my humour faded quickly as I considered what came next.

I still had no spells.

The dragon temples only gifted players with foundational understanding of a particular Discipline. It did not grant them knowledge of the Discipline’s many and varied specialised abilities: Techniques. Understanding how to channel life magic did not mean I knew how to cast a healing spell. I would have to learn that separately.

From the wiki, I knew the usual way for players to acquire Techniques—including spells—was through lorebooks and trainers. And while knowledge of the rarer Techniques were closely guarded secrets in the Dominions, the more commonplace Techniques were available for purchase—at least in the cities. Location seventy-eight, of course, had no wizard trainers to tutor me.

That meant I would have to create my own spells.

Daunting as the prospect sounded, spell creation was not difficult for common, low-ranked spells—or so the wiki claimed. The higher a player’s magic skill, the better their chances were of discovering a spellform from the related Discipline. It was to improve my chances of formulating dragon and life magic spells that I had maximised my skill in both Disciplines.

Another factor in my favour was the information I had gathered from the Trials Infopedia. My research meant that I already knew of—even if only in the most non-technical sense—the most popular low-ranked spells from the standard magic Disciplines. It should be no great hardship to ‘rediscover’ them. Or so I hoped.

But when it came to dragon magic, I was on my own. I had no store of knowledge to fall back on. Nor did I have the least idea if I was capable of creating dragon magic spells. Or even if any of spells would be useful, especially at my low rank. Discovering dragon magic spells, I suspected, would require diligent practice and experimentation.

I sighed as I reached the gate. I still had a lot of work before me. With a final wave to Aurora, I stepped through the portal.

You have exited Wyrm Island. Modification request detected. Initiating update procedure.

Changes analysed…

Alterations verified…

Updates approved...

Downloading new knowledge…

…

…

Download complete. Transfer to Overworld resumed.

✽✽✽

I stepped back out of the temple with new knowledge swimming in my head and Trials notices obscuring my vision. I ignored the messages, preoccupied by something else entirely.

I was different.

No, that wasn’t right. I was the same. But some previously disconnected part of me was no longer absent. Connections had snapped into place between me and my mana. I could feel it. Flicking open my magesight, I studied myself anew.

A small smile stole across my face as I observed the deep wellspring of potential at the centre of my being. It was my magic. The means by which I could exert my will upon the world—and change it. It was both power and promise mixed in one.

And it was the means by which I would exact my vengeance.

My smile broadened into a grin. At last, I breathed. At last I have what I need. I returned to my study of the magic at my core. Slow-moving channels of mana extended outwards from it and into my body. They had not been there before my visit to the temple. Or if they had, I hadn’t the understanding to identify them.

Now though, knowledge of magic—the essence of it, and the weft and weave of its crafting—was mine to use. I closed my magesight. Beginning the trip back down the temple steps, I finally turned my attention to the Trials alerts hovering for attention.

You have entered location seventy-eight.

Your skill in dragon and life magic has advanced to: level 9. Mana pool unlocked.

Your skill in air, death, earth, fire, and water magic has advanced to: level 1.

You are the first player to have learned: dragon magic. For this achievement, you have been awarded: dragon lore.

Lore note: Dragon magic is a universal skill. Unlike other magic Disciplines, which are governed by a single Attribute, dragon magic is affected by all Potentials. Spells from the Discipline may draw from any combination of Attributes and Potentials.

A quiet groan escaped me as I read, then reread the lore note. Damn it, I thought. Why did dragon magic have to require every Potential? It destroyed all my carefully laid plans for Attribute enhancement. And what did this unexpected twist mean for the Discipline itself?

If the power of my dragon magic spellcasting relied on my poor Might and Resilience Potentials, then arguably—despite its uniqueness—my dragon magic would be weaker than other, purely magic Disciplines. I bit my lip. Had I made a mistake in choosing the Trait?

“What’s happened?” asked Tara, sounding worried. “Did something go wrong?”

I glanced up. I had reached the bottom of the stairway where Tara danced impatiently from foot to foot. I couldn’t tell her about my dragon magic, of course. It was too dangerous a secret to share.

“I just realised I don’t have any spells,” I lied with a straight face.

“Oh, that,” said Tara, understanding dawning. “Don’t worry about it. We had similar problems with our own martial Techniques. Spend some time experimenting with your magic and you’ll be sure to discover one or two spells at least. It won’t take long, I promise.”

“Ah… alright, then,” I replied while trying to keep my face from burning with shame. I didn’t like lying to her. But I had no choice.

We set off walking again. “What magic Disciplines did you learn?” Tara asked.

“Life magic and… fire magic.”

Tara’s eyes shone. “Excellent!” she exclaimed. “The medics will be overjoyed when they hear that. Let’s get you settled down somewhere quiet to practice. The sooner you figure out a healing spell, the better.”

We were making a beeline towards the tented camp, I saw. I glanced up. The sun was still high in the sky. “Will the murluks attack again today?”

Tara shook her head. “For whatever reason, the creatures only attack in the hours just after dawn. We’ve not had a single assault in the afternoons.” She tugged at my sleeve. “Move it, Jamie,” she said, almost affectionately, as she hurried me along.

She seems in a good mood, I thought. My own excitement had been spoiled by the revelation about my dragon magic though. I couldn’t just ignore the Trials information either. If I wanted my dragon spells to be viable, then I needed to alter my planned approach and advance my physical Attributes, too.

I sighed. “No, Tara. Magic training can wait.” I didn’t require much to practice magic, just a quiet spot and time. I could just as well attempt my spellcrafting at night. Right now, while the sun was still up, there was other training I needed. Especially with my newcomer buff still active. “Let’s go to the training grounds. Its time you took me through my paces.”

Chapter 19

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

Magic is a manifestation of the caster’s will through the use of mana, but very few possess mana. Only those with Magic Potential are so gifted. —Trials Infopedia.

Tara laughed.

“Don’t worry, Jamie,” she said. “No one is going to make you hold a position in the wall anymore. You’re too important. Forget about weapon training.” She pulled at me again, not changing course.

I slipped out of her grasp. “I’m serious, Tara,” I insisted.

Tara’s steps slowed and the amusement faded from her face as she faced me. “Why?” she demanded.

“I’m just a Neophyte,” I replied. “My spells are still weak. I can’t wholly depend on them just yet. I need to be able to defend myself when I am without magic.” That was all true, but not the real reason for my request. I needed to raise as many of my physical Attributes as possible to the Trainee rank. Any martial skills I gained in the process would be a bonus.

Tara snorted. “You aren’t destined to be a grunt, Jamie. And there will always be others around—like me—to see you don’t come to harm.” I opened my mouth to reply, but Tara held up her hand, stilling my objections. “Now, I know every boy dreams of being a mighty warrior, but that’s not you, Jamie. You’re meant to be a mage. Our mage. Now enough time wasting. Let’s get you to work.” She turned around and began heading towards the tents again.

I stared at Tara’s receding back. She was completely ignoring my agreement with the commander, and acting less like a bodyguard and more like my chaperone.

I should have gone with, Petrov, I thought irritably.

My own face tightened. Tara might think she knew what was best for me, but she was wrong. “No!” I yelled, not budging from where I stood.

Tara jerked to a halt and swung around to face me. “This is not a bloody game, fish,” she growled. “Quit this foolishness. We need your magic. Desperately. You must spend every waking moment training it!”

“No.”

“You goddamn idiot,” Tara replied as she stomped back to me. “Don’t you get it?” she said, shoving her face inches from mine. “You’re crippled. Even with all the training in the world, you aren’t going to be able to hold off the monsters of this world. Not with a spear. Or any other weapon.”

I swallowed and felt my own face redden. But I refused to back down. I folded my arms and held her gaze. “Be that as it may, Tara,” I said slowly, “I insist. Take me to the training grounds.” I paused. “Or I will find someone else to do it.”

For a drawn-out moment, Tara said nothing. Then her expression blanked and she threw up her hands. “Have it your way, fish,” she ground out. “Follow me.” Brushing past me, she strode south, fury radiating off her in waves.

Silently, I followed on her heels.

I had no doubt I was going to regret forcing Tara into training me, but even if I wanted to, I knew I couldn’t ignore my physical conditioning. I would just have to bear the consequences of her anger.

✽✽✽

We reached the practice yard, with Tara muttering under her breath and me moving at a fast limp to keep up. Hidden by a fold in the land, the training grounds was to the south of the temple and the tented camp. As we drew up to it, I saw hundreds of young men and women sparring, running laps, marching to order, and a few even firing arrows at distant targets.

East of the practice yard was a separate demarcated area, lit with dozens of campfires. I had seen the smoke earlier but hadn’t had a chance to question Tara about it yet. Fewer people were gathered around the campfires than on the training grounds, but they seemed just as industrious. “Are those the crafters?” I asked.

Tara scowled, though still answered. “Yes. With none of our fortifications erected yet, the safest place for them to work is near the training grounds.”

I nodded. “Where do we go, then?” I asked staring at the busy field.

Tara glanced at me, her eyes still hard. “How is the wound on your back?” she asked abruptly.

My brows flew up. I had clean forgotten about the injury, and couldn’t recall the last time I had experienced a twinge from it. Tentatively, I twisted my torso. No pull of pain accompanied the movement. The time I had spent in the presence of the old lady must have sped up their recovery. “Fully healed,” I replied in surprise.

“Good. Follow me,” she said as she strode into the chaos of the training grounds. Ignoring the friendly calls of her fellows, Tara made straight for the fighting circles in the middle.

Curious looks and loud whispers followed me as I limped in Tara’s wake. I could not help but overhear many of the soldiers’ remarks. It seemed that I had garnered a bit of fame in the Outpost already. My crippled foot made me immediately recognizable, and speculation was rife on how I had survived my brash charge on the murluks earlier today.

But nowhere did I hear even the slightest mention of magic. To my relief it seemed that the commander had not shared that bit of news with her people yet. As it was, the attention I attracted was already enough to make me uncomfortable.

Tara entered an empty sparring ring, marked by no more than two concentric circles cut in the dirt. She stopped at the far end of the ring and turned about to face me. A curious crowd of soldiers formed around the edges. Ignoring the many watching eyes, she asked, “Alright, fish, where do you want to begin?”

Tara’s face was studiedly neutral, but it had not escaped my notice that since our little spat outside the temple I had been demoted from ‘Jamie’ to ‘fish.’ She’s still angry, then. “What do you advise?” I asked carefully.

Her eyes narrowed. “Now you want my advice,” she muttered in a low undertone too soft for the gathering spectators to hear. Raising her voice, she asked, “What are your lowest might and resilience Attributes?”

I gazed inwards and queried the Trials core. “Perception, followed by willpower.”

“Perception, anticipation, and intuition are all one and the same,” Tara said, sounding like she was giving a lecture. “To train perception, you must anticipate your opponent’s moves. The better you do this, the faster you will train the Attribute. Do you understand?”

I nodded.

“Willpower is a measure of your ability to withstand pain, to persevere and to push onwards despite the odds or how much you hurt. To advance it, you must experience the same conditions. Understood?”

I nodded again.

“Good. We will train both.”

I winced. Now why does that sound ominous?

Tara walked over to the side of the sparring circle and pulled out a spear. “Since you are already familiar with a spear, we will continue your training with it. What is your spear Discipline at?”

“It’s at the Trainee rank.”

Tara’s eyebrows went up. “It is? That was quick. It will be a waste of newcomer to attempt training it further then.” She dropped the spear and studied the pile of weapons again.

After a moment, she picked up a flat plank with a crude leather grip bolted on the inside—a shield—and a heavy log, narrowed on one end to hold more easily—a club. “These will do,” she pronounced and walked over with both items.

“This will not be pleasant, Jamie,” Tara whispered as she helped me strap on the shield.

Her voice was even and devoid of her earlier anger. That made it all the more chilling. I shivered involuntarily.

“I will not go easy on you,” Tara continued. “My advice: forget the spectators, keep going as long as you can, and remember why you are doing this—whatever that fool notion may be.”

I gulped. Suddenly, martial training was not looking like such a good idea. Too late to back out now. “Alright,” I muttered.

She squeezed my hand once in tender, motherly comfort—which only served to heighten my anxiety—before walking away. Removing her own weapons, Tara picked out a club and shield for herself.

Tara retuned to the circle and set her stance. Facing me, she imparted the last of her instructions: “This will not be like any sparring you may have done back on Earth. The Trials and its system make training infinitely easier on Overworld. Try to copy my stance and match my blows. Don’t worry if it doesn’t feel right just yet. As we spar, the system will gift you with skill, and your stances and strikes will come more naturally. Ready?”

My mouth dry, I nodded. Despite her much smaller build, the casual assurance with which Tara twirled her club was intimidating. Why am I doing this again?

“Then let’s begin.”

✽✽✽

On the tail end of her words, Tara dashed forward, her form a blur. I was too shocked to move, let alone block or dodge.

Her shield drove upwards and bashed the club out of my unresisting hands. At the same moment, her club drove into my shield—deliberately, I suspected—and sent me flying backwards. With a heavy thud, I crashed into the dirt.

The crowd broke out in laughter.

Stretched out on my back, I stared up at the blue sky. How had Tara moved so fast? I barely had time to register her first motion before she completed her last. Sighing, I picked myself up and swatted away the clinging dirt. Tara, her face expressionless, kicked my club towards me. “Again,” she said.

I grabbed my weapon and limped back into position. Crouching low, I watched her warily. Tara burst forward. I knew she was too quick for me to stop, but I tried anyway, raising my shield to fend off her blow.

It did me little good.

Once more I flew backwards. This time, however, I landed face first. But as I lay there with my nose and mouth pressed into the loamy soil, I realised my efforts had not been wholly useless. Something within me felt different. Ignoring the taunts of the spectators, I examined the sensation.

Your skill with shields has advanced to: level 1.

The Trials message cued my thoughts in the right direction. My understanding of how to employ a shield had improved. I grasped—just a little better—how to fend off blows, when not to meet a hit head on, how to angle a shield to deflect an attack, and when to avoid blocking altogether. Marvellous, I thought as I examined the new store of knowledge in my mind.

“Again,” said Tara, interrupting my musings.

Spitting out loose pieces of grass, I heaved myself upright. Tara did not give me time to recover. She came in hard and fast. I struck out, yet hit nothing but air as Tara slipped under the blow. She countered, her club thudding into my midriff.

I staggered backwards as my breath was expelled from me in a rush. Tara followed. Her club snaked out again and bruised my other side. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I retreated with my body held sideways and shield raised defensively.

I wanted to rub at my smarting sides, but stopped myself, not willing to show any weakness in front of the crowd of onlookers. As hard as Tara had hit, I sensed she’d actually held back, her blows containing only a fraction of her full strength. I winced at the thought of truly facing her in combat. It’s going to be a long afternoon.

Tara advanced again. Her face devoid of all expression, the warrior struck. I blocked—more by accident than design. She struck again, and then again, raining down blows at an ever-increasing pace.

I stopped one hit in ten. If that.

Pain broke out across my body. I gasped at each fresh wave, helpless to do otherwise. Resolutely, I slid backwards and attempted to intercept her attacks.

But Tara’s onslaught was unrelenting.

Her strikes were too fast, and her blows too numerous for me to fend off. I fell back again, trying to open the space between us.

I was too slow.

Tara closed like an avenging angel. Pride be damned, I cursed. Desperate to avoid further pain, I hopped backwards at the fastest pace I could manage and tried to keep as much weight off my hobbled foot as I could. My movements lacked grace altogether, and no doubt provided rich entertainment for the watching crowd. What a sight I must look.

Right on cue, laughter erupted as Tara chased me around the ring. My face flamed. Damn idiots. Amuses them to see a cripple get beat up, does it?

I lowered my shield and roaring in fury, stopped retreating. Forgoing defence altogether, I met Tara head on and struck back with wild abandon.

It did me no good.

Nor did Tara let me off lightly. She punished me for my rashness—meticulously and systematically. Weaving deftly between my clumsy wafts, she landed blow after blow with scary precision.

But even through the aches, stings, and throbs that beset my body, I realised Tara was still pulling her blows. Not that it felt that way. Each new hit brought a fresh blossom of pain, and each time her club flew at me I winced, expecting bones to be crushed and flesh to be mangled.

Eventually, Tara’s shield bashed me in the face and put an end to my ill-advised attack. I staggered backwards and crumpled to a heap on the floor.

“Again,” called out Tara.

I rolled onto my back and gasped for breath. Dear lord, what have I gotten myself into?

“Stop, Tara!” called a voice out from the crowd. I creaked my head in the direction it had come from. It was Michael. “Can’t you see he has had enough?”

The crowd had grown silent, I realised. Probably stunned by my stupidity, I thought blackly.

“Stay out of this, Michael,” Tara replied.

I heaved myself back onto my feet. Still dazed from Tara’s last blow, I swayed. Remember why you are doing this, Tara had said earlier. She didn’t know the true horror that drove me though. I wondered if she would have given me the same advice if she did.

Alright, Tara, I’ll take your advice.

I reached into myself and unsealed the deep dark pit into which I had buried gruesome memories.

Mum’s cold, lifeless eyes, and bloodied corpse flashed before my eyes. My body shook as grief lashed at me. I refuted it. Sorrow is no use to me.

I shoved aside anguish and let rage replace it. My limbs trembled. Not with fear, but with adrenaline-fuelled strength. Pain would not stop me. Weakness would not hold me back. Tara could not stand against me.

I will have my revenge.

Clenching my fists, I tightened my grip on my shield and club. Then with a bloodcurdling roar, I charged.

✽✽✽

It was not much of a charge.

And it didn’t take Tara too long to set me back down on my rump—none too gently either.

I refused to give up, though.

Time and again, I got up and set upon Tara. In my near-frenzy, I lost all concept of time—or restraint. I threw myself at Tara mindlessly. Just as a beast would. I beat at her with every ounce of my strength and anger.

Tara, I’m sure, must have glimpsed something of the darkness that simmered in me, the black roiling hate that I did my utmost to unleash upon her.

I was lucky that the green-eyed captain was the fighter she was. In my berserker state, I could have hurt her and not realised it. If she given me the slightest chance.

But not once did Tara falter.

Despite everything I threw at her, I failed to land a single blow. Bobbing and weaving, Tara evaded my attacks while her own club wrote lines of black and blue on my body.

It was cathartic.

With every rage-fuelled attack I launched, the heaviness within me receded. With every agonising blow I suffered, the darkness tainting me lessened, even if only a smidgen. And towards the end, I fancied I saw both understanding and pity in Tara’s eyes as she let me spend my fury upon her.

✽✽✽

It was hours later when I finally collapsed.

Lying flat on my back, I stared up at the red-tinged twilight sky. My body was worn out and refused to move further.

Tara’s face appeared above mine. “Had enough?” she asked, her voice solemn.

I heaved a sigh and nodded mutely.

She sat down cross-legged next to me. “You feeling any better?” she asked.

“Yes,” I replied, and to my surprise realised it was true. Mostly. I turned my head to look at her. “Sorry,” I added.

Knowing what I meant, Tara only nodded. “Want to tell me about it?”

I swallowed. Was I ready to talk about Mum? Triggered by the thought, memories rushed to the fore and threatened to drown me in grief anew. I squeezed my eyes shut. No, not yet. “I can’t right now,” I said. “Maybe in a few days.” Or weeks. Or months.

“Alright,” replied Tara with calm acceptance. “You need to get some rest. Let’s get you back to camp,” she said, heaving me to my feet.

With Tara’s help, I staggered upright. My body was too shaky to stand on its own though, and I had to lean on her for support. Looking about, I saw the training grounds was empty. “Where’s everyone?” I asked, confused.

Tara rolled her eyes. “Training ended long ago, and even the most sadistic got bored watching you being beaten to a pulp. Everyone’s gone to supper. We better hurry ourselves. It’s not too safe out here after dark.”

Still a bit perplexed by the passage of time, since I hadn’t thought we’d been at it that long, I missed Tara’s next words. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I asked, how did you do?” she repeated.

I looked at her blankly.

“Your Disciplines and Attributes, you idiot. How much have they improved?”

“Oh,” I said, and called up the waiting Trials messages.

Your agility, perception, vigour, strength, and willpower have increased to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

Your skills with clubs and shields have advanced to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

My eyes widened in amazement. I had reached Trainee rank in all my might and resilience Attributes.

“I think I’m done with martial training,” I said, smiling a toothy and bloody grin.

Chapter 20

391 days until the Arkon Shield falls

It seemed we had missed the call for supper and the cooks had already dampened the fires in the crafting yard. Which was a relief. I wasn’t quite ready yet to face those who had witnessed my berserker rage on the training grounds.

Tara helped me back to the tent I had been assigned, one close to her own and the commanders. Leaving me outside the entrance, she went off in search of a hot meal for both of us.

I sank to the ground, too tired to even make my way into my new abode. I’ll just rest here until she gets back, I thought, closing my eyes in weariness.

It had been an eventful day. I had gained nine levels, and despite my body’s bruised and battered state, I felt altogether healthier, stronger, and quicker. The last time my body had felt so capable was… before the accident.

Since then, I had let myself waste away. There hadn’t seemed to be much point in retaining my former physical form. It had been so much easier to ignore my body and devote my attention to pursuits of the mind. Gaming, primarily. I had become rather good at it, too. Infernally good, according to some of my friends. I smiled at the memory.

And yet… It took only a day in Overworld to restore my flagging body to its former state. If I had come this far in one day, to what heights could I push my body in the coming weeks and months?

Opening my eyes, I stared down at my stretched-out legs. They looked no different from a day ago. But I could feel their newly contained power. My gaze drifted to my hobbled foot, turned at a slightly unnatural angle. I was still crippled though. I won’t be running marathons anytime soon, but at least I can hop faster now, I thought with a chuckle.

Despite everything that had happened, I was grateful to the Trials for the changes it had wrought in my body. Perhaps Overworld isn’t all bad, I admitted. And being disabled doesn’t mean being helpless. That was a truth I hadn’t been able to acknowledge on Earth. Now though, in this unforgiving world, I would have to push my body beyond what it had been capable of even when whole.

“Here you go,” Tara said, coming up from behind and interrupting my musings.

I turned around and I saw she held two steaming bowls.

“I can’t promise it will be the best meal you’ve ever eaten,” Tara said as she handed me one of the bowls. “But at least it’s filling.” She sat down next to me. “Just don’t ask me what’s inside.”

I took the bowl eagerly, too hungry to care about its contents. “Thanks,” I said.

We both fell silent as we dug in. Tara was right. The food’s taste left much to be desired. But that didn’t stop me from gulping it down as fast as I could.

When I was done, I sat back with a contented sigh. I was stuffed. “Ah,” I said. “I needed that.”

Tara grunted in acknowledgement as she swallowed the last of her own food. “You have to be careful about missing meals on Overworld. Hunger here can affect your body in weird ways.”

I nodded, realising how fortunate I had been to have met Tara during my first moments in this world. She was proving to be an invaluable mentor and… friend. “Thanks for everything today, Tara. I doubt I’d have survived without you.”

“Damn right you wouldn’t have, fish,” she replied with a grin.

Her animosity from earlier seemed to have vanished, for which I was more than grateful.

Tara’s grin faded when she set down her bowl. “About earlier…” She hesitated before continuing. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called you a cripple. It was uncalled for.”

“No,” I replied. “I needed to hear it. I can’t ignore my impairments or what it means. Especially on Overworld.” I paused. “I hope you’ll forgive my pushing you to train me.”

Tara shook her head. “You were right to do so, and I was wrong for trying to deny you.” She smiled. “Besides, you did better than I expected. Perhaps with more training, you will even be able to hold your own as a fighter one day.”

I groaned. “No way am I going to put myself through that again.”

Tara’s smile broadened, but she didn’t say anything. And neither did I. More words felt unnecessary as we sat in companionable silence.

Eventually, Tara got to her feet. “I’ll see you in the morning.” She hesitated. “Will you be alright tonight?”

I nodded, knowing it was my episode during sparring that prompted her to ask. “I’ll be fine,” I replied, standing as well. I flinched at the fresh pain my movements inspired. Tara had done no lasting harm during our training session, yet I knew I would feel the bruises for at least the next few days.

Tara winced sympathetically. “You’ll feel better in the morning.”

“I hope so,” I muttered.

Tara laughed as she walked away. ““Goodnight, Jamie.”

“Night, Tara,” I replied, waving goodbye.

✽✽✽

Alone once more, I ducked into my tent. The inside was dark, and I had to wait for my eyes to adjust before I could inspect my new residence.

When the gloom lessened, I saw the tent was mostly bare. On one side was a hide pallet stuffed with straw and on the other, a wooden pail filled with drinking water. I eyed the bed wistfully. Despite its primitiveness, it looked invitingly soft. Though, as much as I craved sleep, I couldn’t retire for the night just yet.

I still had magic to practice.

My newcomer buff was still active, and while it remained in force, I needed to train my magic Attributes. Yet weariness hung heavy upon me, and I could barely muster any enthusiasm for the task.

Maybe, I can use life magic to ease some of my aches. But even the promise of pain-relief failed to stir my interest. I sighed. It was time for more drastic measures.

Limping over to the pail, I dunked my head in. I gasped as I came back up for air. The water was unpleasantly cold and had served my purpose perfectly. The clinging tendrils of sleep were banished—temporarily at least.

Shaking my head dry, I sat down cross-legged on the hard-packed earth, and far away from the tempting pallet, just in case. Alright, where to begin?

All magic was unique to its wielder. Each had a different footprint. My first step, I knew, was to discover my own magical signature, and to attune myself to the mana swirling within me. I couldn’t explain how I understood this. But I knew it as well as I knew how to hold a shield or thrust a spear. All gifts of the Trials.

I closed my eyes and looked within myself with magesight. Mana—the stuff of magic—flowed lazily through my body and settled in a still, deep pool at my centre.

Gathering a small amount, I willed it upwards into my mind and studied its composition. I dribbled the mana within my mouth and tasted its velvety sweetness. I coalesced some in my hands and felt its oily texture. Snorting more of it, I identified its lavender scent. I pulled it through my ears and listened to its joyous gurgle. Finally, I let the mana pool out of me, and observed its swirls of cobalt blue.

Only then, when I felt certain I understood my magic, did I begin manipulating it.

Drawing its swirling essence into shape, I willed the mana to do my bidding, visualising in my mind what I sought from it. Heal, I ordered, internally vocalising the command to give further form to my will.

Obediently, streams of my mana darted eagerly out of my centre, then stuttered, seeming to pool in confusion before dissipating into the ground.

You have failed to create a spell. Mana lost.

I hadn’t really expected to succeed on my first attempt, yet I couldn’t stop an involuntary sigh of disappointment. I considered the remnants of the failed spell that still glowed in my magesight.

Given no further direction than my order to heal, my mana had chosen a shape and form of its own volition. I knew from the wiki that using magic was not akin to employing a tool.

Magic was a living thing, and mana sometimes followed, not the will of its wielder, but its own. If the wiki was to be trusted, magic could be said to have a mind of its own, albeit of the crude and primitive kind. Studying the form and shape of the spellcasting hovering in my magesight, I could well believe it.

In an attempt to fulfil my will, my magic had formed into a complex lattice, far beyond anything I had envisioned with my simple order to heal. While the spellform appeared off-kilter, it was nearly correct. Or so my Trials-gifted understanding of life magic led me to believe.

Narrowing my focus, I traced each weft and weave of the spell, trying to identify its points of weakness. Some filaments of mana seemed more out of place than others, and in my mind’s eye, I adjusted the structure.

I had little idea whether the changes I made would better or worsen the design, but given my lack of more definitive information, spellcrafting by trial and error was the only approach available to me.

When I was satisfied with my changes, I drew on my mana again and willed the altered spellform into being.

The spell fizzled.

But even in my failure, I had learned something. After scrutinising the spell construct, I saw where I had gone wrong. Gathering my will, I began anew.

And failed again.

Ten attempts later, I finally succeeded as mana darted out of my body and coated my hands in a subdued blue-white glow.

You have spellcrafted a: touch-based healing spell, from the Discipline of: life magic. The name assigned to this spell is: lay hands. Its casting time is: fast and its rank is: common.

Your channelling and spellpower have increased to: level 2. Spell rating unlocked.

I did it! My face broke out in a wide grin. I can’t believe I actually did it!

Holding up my glowing hands, I stared at them, transfixed. Even witnessing the evidence of my magic, I could hardly believe it. I am a mage now, I marvelled. Only a fledgling one, but a mage nevertheless.

When I had my fill of self-indulgence, I touched my mana-infused hands to my left shoulder. Spelled tendrils of energy seeped into my body. Repairing torn muscles and restoring bruised skin, they left a soothing balm in their wake.

The pain in my battered shoulder vanished.

Tentatively, I flexed my arm. No twinges accompanied the motion. I grinned in delight. Incredible, I thought. I recast lay hands multiple times—its spellform was indelibly etched in my mind now—until all my bruises faded and the last of my aches was banished.

When I was done, the mana pool at my core had drained to half. But I didn’t care. Finally, I was free of pain. And the repeated spellcasting had other benefits too. My magic Attributes had increased.

Your channelling and spellpower have increased to: level 3.

So far so good, I thought, dismissing the Trials alert. Now for the hard part.

It was time to attempt a dragon spell creation.

Scratching my head, I pondered how to go about the task. My life magic spellcrafting had been… if not easy, at least not a complete shot in the dark. I had already known the lay hands spell existed, and the basic mechanism of its operation. But I had no starting point for dragon magic spellcrafting.

What did I know about dragon magic? Almost nothing. While the Trials had gifted me with some knowledge of the Discipline, the information was sketchier than I would have liked. I only had a vague concept of what dragon magic truly was, and little idea of what it could accomplish.

Alright, so what I know of dragon magic so far is not worth writing home about, and it’s not going to help me in my spellcrafting But what do I know of dragons? What are they synonymous with?

Fire. Flying. Scales. Claws. Size. Strength.

I pursed my lips in thought, considering the concepts I had come up with. Of the six, fire was the one I was most familiar with and likely the easiest to try manifesting with a spell. Closing my eyes, I began.

Drawing out my mana, I pictured fire as I imagined a dragon would breathe it: a churning vortex of flame, a raging inferno, a destructive jet of heat and light. I willed the fire into being, visualising it flaring out of my own mouth. Burn, I commanded.

My mana surged up and out of me in response to my will, and with frenzied purpose, began to form a spell construct. But, a moment later, with the spellform only half-realised, the magical structure collapsed and the mana seeped back into my body.

You have failed to create a spell. Mana lost.

Aargh, I thought in black disappointment as I stared at the stark emptiness in my magesight. This time, I didn’t even have a basic spellform to tweak and experiment on.

No help for it, but to try again. Varying the projection in my mind, I willed fire into being once more.

✽✽✽

Twenty failed attempts later, I was close to giving up.

No matter how much I altered the images in my mind, my mana refused to form the crudest of spellforms. Either my magic had no understanding of the concept of a dragon’s fire, or I what I visualised was complete at odds with how it should be done.

Either way, I began to think the task was impossible. And now my mana pool was nearly drained. Halting my efforts, I took a moment to rest and reflect on my labours.

Something felt off.

In every failed attempt, mana had raced to do my bidding. But always the magic had collapsed in on itself, dissolving partway into forming a spell construct. Though it had not seemed as if the mana was confused about its purpose. On the contrary, my magic had appeared eager to fulfil its given task. But for whatever reason it had been unable to.

Almost as if some essential ingredient is absent.

I bowed my head and rested it in my hands while I thought. What am I missing? I went over what I knew of dragon magic. It wasn’t much. A handful of facts on the form and texture of fire, the all-encompassing nature of dragon magic, and the uniqueness of the beings that had invented it.

Yet, as I picked through my meagre store of dragon knowledge, the memory of the earlier lore note I had received from the Trials kept intruding.

Ceding to my intuition, I recalled the message.

Lore note: Dragon magic is a universal skill. Unlike other magic Disciplines, which are governed by a single Attribute, dragon magic is affected by all Potentials. Spells from the Discipline may draw from any combination of Attributes and Potentials.

“A universal skill,” I murmured, chewing my lip in thought. I had wondered at the wording but hadn’t known what to make of it. I still didn’t. But taking in the entire Discipline description, I began to have an inkling...

Do dragon spells require more than mana? If the Discipline drew from all Potentials, it stood to reason that it might. Could that be the difference? I wondered as an idea took shape.

It’s worth a try at least.

Breathing in deeply, I began anew. I visualised a dragon’s fire in as much detail as I could, but did not immediately will it into being. Holding the shape of fire in my mind, I fed mana into the image until it was full to bursting.

Still, I didn’t release the spell.

Instead I sought further fuel for the magic. Following some half-understood instinct, I drew on my being and pushed threads of spirit into the spell.

Spirit refused to heed my call.

It was not that the weaves of spirit did not answer to my will. They did. Fine filaments separated from the greater weave of my being and flowed into my mind as directed. Yet they baulked at entering the spellform.

Goddamn. I had been sure spirit was the missing ingredient. I released its weaves to fall back into my being, but kept the shape of fire fixed and infused with mana in my mind.

I drummed the fingers of one hand against my leg. If not spirit, then what?

In frustration, and for want of any better ideas, I poured all else of myself into the spell that I could think of. Flesh, bone, blood—

Pain rippled through me.

The mana in me was burning. In shock, I nearly dropped the spellform. Ignoring the hurt suffusing my body, I studied the spell construct I held in my mind in fascination. Where before the mana threading its form had been a cool cobalt, now they had shone a luminous gold.

I realised the flows of mana had been ignited. By my own blood. The missing ingredient was blood!

The pain vanished. Still transfixed by the beauty of the spellform in my mind, I barely noticed. Sure now of what I had to do, I fed more of my blood into the spell.

Mana and blood mixed and transformed the spellform into a raging maelstrom that fought to escape my grasp. Belatedly I realised the spell might be one beyond my skill to cast. What will happen if I lose control? I wondered with sudden unease.

Setting aside doubt, I struggled to retain my grasp on the volatile spellform. Sweat beaded down my brow as my will was stretched to its limit. Despite the fire’s raging, I held firm and maintained control.

Finally it subsided, leashed to my will. I heaved a sigh of relief. Now to see whether all this effort has been for naught. Gently, I coaxed the fiery torrent out through my hands.

A flood of Trials notices shouted for attention. I ignored them, my attention captured by something else entirely.

My hands had burst into flame.

Startled by their brightness, I jerked my head away and nearly toppled backwards. Goddamn, I am on fire! I scrambled to my feet and rushed out of the tent in blind panic.

I wasn’t thinking. Fear had overruled my senses. The only thought that was in my mind was that I was burning and needed to get help.

The pail, you idiot! Use the water from the pail!

Two steps out of the tent, I froze—conflicted between searching for help and dashing back into the tent. Then another thought intruded.

There’s no pain.

Befuddled, I stared down at my hands. The flames still licked eagerly at them. But my skin was undamaged. I took a cautious sniff. There was no smell of charring. I turned my hands over and studied them anew. The flames were doing me no harm. I am immune to my own fire, I realised.

Only then did what I had done sink in. I had cast a dragon spell! I laughed in delight. It was partly in relief at my continued survival—my experiment had been more dangerous than I had expected—and partly in happiness at my success.

My voice echoed shockingly loud in the silent camp. Taken aback, I spun about to see if anyone was observing.

I was alone. Glancing upwards, I saw the stars shining brightly, and the moon—foreign and unfamiliar—was high in the sky. Time had flown by far quicker than I had imagined and night had fallen fully.

My blood was still singing with fire too, I realised. Burning away. I glanced down at my hands again with my magesight. The spell was still active, and every second more of my mana and life flowed into the spellform to fuel its flames.

My glee faded. The spell was still draining my magic and life. Quenching the fire with a flick of my will, I opened the Trials alerts to try and make sense of what was going on.

You have spellcrafted a: touch-based spell, from the Discipline of: dragon magic. The name assigned to this spell is: flare. Flare is a persistent spell and while active drains all three of the caster’s energy pools: mana, stamina, and health. Its casting time is: very fast and its rank is: common.

You are the first player to have spellcrafted the dragon spell: flare. For this achievement, you have been awarded: dragon lore and two Marks.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 10, Trainee. You have reached: player rank 2. Player levelling rate decreased.

Lore note: Dragon magic is unique amongst the magic Disciplines. Where spells from the other magic schools are imbued only with mana, dragon spells are infused also by the caster’s own lifeblood. Lifeblood contains within itself a portion of both the player’s stamina and life.

This significantly increases the cost and danger of dragon magic, but also makes spells from the Discipline three times more powerful than their counterparts.

Flare is the simplest of dragon magic spells. It is a bright, uncontrolled burst of flame that burns with intense heat of dragonfire. All dragons are born knowing the spell, giving even the smallest of hatchlings the means to defend themselves. Yet the spell should be used cautiously. Many a hatchling has gone to their death after draining away their own lifeblood through the use of flare.

I read and re-read the Trials alerts, the lore note in particular. While I was pleased to have reached player rank two, the other messages perturbed me. So dragon magic was both powerful and dangerous. I will have to be careful how I use it.

With more thoughtful steps, I ducked back into my tent. I still had some mana remaining. Before I bedded down for the night, I intended on expending it all and reaping what benefits I still could from newcomer. Yet even as I began channelling life magic again, I couldn’t help dwelling further on the troubling implications of the Trials’ messages.

Chapter 21

390 days until the Arkon Shield falls

4 days to Earth’s destruction

Many believe dragonfire to be myth and not fact. Yet the snippets of lore and text the Elders left behind are rife with mention of it. Dragonfire is as real as the Elders. —Arustolyx, gnomish archaeologist.

Despite my exhaustion, sleep did not come easily, and when it did, it brought troubled dreams and nightmares that had me tossing and turning. After waking up screaming for the third time to horrifying images of headless corpses and rivers awash with blood, I gave up on sleep altogether.

Rubbing my red-rimmed, swollen eyes, I ducked out my tent and into the brisk, night air. The sky had begun to lighten and dawn was not far off. The rest of the camp still appeared asleep though. Good, it will give me a moment to think.

I looked about for something to drink. But other than the pail of water inside my tent, there was nothing else available. What I wouldn’t do for a cup of coffee.

Slaking my thirst with half the pail’s contents, I dunked my head in the rest. Then I sat down cross-legged outside my tent and considered my plans for the new day.

My training last night had finished off well. I had my raised my magic Attributes and my skill in both the life and dragon magic Disciplines. I even managed not to set the tent on fire, I thought wryly.

Control over the dragon spell, flare, had proved difficult at first. Dragonfire craved to blaze free and wild—guzzling my mana, stamina, and health in the process. In hindsight, I realised I had been fortunate my spellpower was low when I’d begun practicing. Otherwise I would have surely set everything within my immediate vicinity ablaze—or been consumed from within myself.

Yet the spell could be controlled.

By throttling the mana and lifeblood I infused in flare’s spellform, I had succeeded in reducing the resulting flames and its energy drain. It made for an interesting dynamic, one which might be tricky to control in battle. But by the end of my training, I had improved my control to the extent I felt comfortable employing the spell in actual combat.

Opening the Trials core in my mind, I reviewed my other gains from last night.

Your skill in dragon and life magic has advanced to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

Your channelling and spellpower have increased to: level 5.

I have made good progress, I thought with a pleased smile. But despite my improvements, I was concerned about what flare boded for my future growth.

If all other dragon spells consumed life, stamina, and mana, I would have to split my Attribute advancements between Resilience, Might, and Magic Potentials, where originally I had intended on using the Marks I earned solely on magic Attributes.

In particular, I would have to invest in both vigour and constitution. The first influenced the size of my stamina pool, and the second determined my health pool. And I simply did not have enough Marks for such widespread investment.

Of course, I could just avoid dragon magic altogether, use it sparingly or not make an attempt to maximise the benefits I derived from the Discipline.

But that would be a mistake.

I could not ignore the lore note. If dragon spells were three times stronger than the spells from other magic Disciplines, it would give me the edge I needed when facing enemies both stronger and more numerous.

“I need more Marks,” I muttered, stating the obvious. But how to get them? The Trials had awarded me two Marks for discovering the flare spell, and if it did that for every other dragon spell I discovered it might add up to a tidy sum… but how many new spells could I create?

Not nearly enough for the Attributes I want—no, need.

If I was going to have my revenge on the orcs, I had to push the limits of what I could gain from the Trials, and even then, I had few illusions that destroying the Orcish Federation would be easy.

If only I had earned two mythic Traits instead of one from slaying my mum’s killers, then I could have—

Wait a minute.

I stilled as a half-remembered thought surfaced. There had been a piece of text in the wiki that had made mention of acquiring Traits. It had struck me as odd at the time. Because unlike everything else in the wiki—which was meticulously laid out and unambiguous—that particular passage had been hidden in an unrelated section of text.

I hadn’t paid the passage much attention, thinking it a mistake. But now, recalling what Tara had said about the Sponsors and the pledges they required of humans, I wondered.

The text in question had spoken of dungeons.

Dungeons were an important resource in Overworld. Seeded with large numbers of hostile creatures, they were considered a quick and reliable means of gaining experience and levelling.

This was likely because the Trials seemed to replace slain creatures over time. How was anybody’s guess, but there was no doubting that players entering a dungeon could expect to find it populated with a wealth of enemies.

All of that meant a settlement that claimed a dungeon had an assured means of advancing its players. None of this was a secret though, and while it made dungeons nearly as vital as mines, it did not make them extraordinary.

Yet the strange passage in the wiki had alluded to dungeons yielding even more. It had suggested that after a dungeon was cleared for the first time, the responsible players would be gifted with Traits.

I hadn’t placed much stock in the information. The potential for such a mechanic to create imbalanced players was too obvious and I could see no reason why the Trials would reward players like that.

But… the Trials was not fair. Indeed, it seemed to eschew fairness altogether. I could not forget that.

If dungeons cleared for the first time granted Traits, then their value was incalculable: I, better than anyone, understood that. It would also explain why the elves had demanded the pledges that they had from humanity.

From what Tara had said, human citizens in the elven cities were prevented from even entering a dungeon. And why would any Sponsor bother with forbidding that? Dungeons respawned, after all. Unless. I pursed my lips in thought.

Unless dungeons do grant Traits.

I nodded to myself. The further I thought on it, the more convinced I was that I was right. I could see it now.

When the Arkon Shield dropped, a swarm of high-level teams from the other Dominions would invade, seeking to be the first to claim the new dungeons. I scowled. And the orcs—our Patrons—had a head start on the others.

I expected that the orcs, as the only ones with a free run of the Human Dominion during the isolation period, would use the year to locate and secure every dungeon they found. They’d do that both to prevent any upstart human from robbing them of their prize and, of course, to save the rewards for their own players.

Before this point, I hadn’t understood why the other races would go to all the trouble of becoming Patrons and Sponsors. But if it gave them a leg up on their rivals in the race to get to new Traits? Then yes, it would make sense—a frightening amount of sense.

But the Trials, I realised, hadn’t left humanity completely bereft either. The Arkon Shield gave us some breathing room. And the dungeons gave us a chance. If human players claimed the dungeons’ first-clearance Traits, we could at least tilt the odds a bit more in humanity’s favour, if not level the playing field altogether.

We only had a year, though.

I knew then what my focus had to be in the coming months: I need to find and clear as many dungeons as possible.

But I was getting ahead of myself.

Dungeon hunting was a task for tomorrow. I chuckled. I was being overly optimistic. More likely it will be weeks before I can set off in search of a dungeon, I thought with a wry smile. Dungeons were notoriously challenging, and I was by no means ready—yet.

Before I could attempt one, I needed to get stronger. A large part of that I could achieve by helping to secure location seventy-eight. Not to mention, once the settlement was established, it would provide me with a safe base of operations, including food, supplies, and equipment.

And my magic, I knew, could be the key to securing the Outpost. I chewed my lip worriedly. This brought me back to the problem of my Attributes. In the near future, there was little I could do to gain more Marks. Until I increased my Attributes and expanded my reserves of energy, I would have to be sparing in the use of my spells.

I eyed the messages in my Trials core again. My resilience and might Attributes couldn’t be enhanced further without increasing my player level. But my magic Attributes still had a way to go.

I had yet to figure out a way to advance elemental resistance, and I couldn’t train spellpower without using mana, which I refused to do at the moment. With a full day ahead of me, my mana was too precious to burn away in training.

It was one of the harsh realities of Overworld that, short of sleep and natural resting, there was no way to regenerate mana. At least, none that the wiki had hinted at.

There was no such thing as a mana regeneration Discipline. And food helped even less than it did with stamina. It was a mage’s biggest weakness. It also gave warriors a viable strategy for defeating spellcasters.

So, if I can’t train spellpower, what about channelling?

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. Perhaps it could be trained without actual spellcasting. My newcomer buff hadn’t expired yet. I glanced up at the sky. I had perhaps an hour to dawn. Time enough to get in some more training, I thought.

Closing my eyes, I began to mediate, channelling mana up from the deep pool at my centre and into my mind before letting it fall back again, then repeating the entire process. One endless loop. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down…

✽✽✽

My snore broke off and my eyes snapped open as Tara shook me again.

For a second, I didn’t know where I was. I blinked, and the camp snapped into focus. The sun was shining down, and people were up and about. I had fallen asleep.

“Hey, you there, fish?” Tara asked, snapping her fingers in front of my face.

I turned towards her.

“You slept here all night?” she asked.

I yawned. “No, I came out maybe an hour before dawn,” I mumbled absently while I considered the two Trials messages hovering before me for attention.

Your channelling has increased to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

Your newcomer buff has expired.

I sighed in relief. I had managed to advance my channelling after all.

“Something the matter?” Tara asked.

“No,” I replied, deciding not to elaborate. “Where to now?”

“Breakfast first,” she replied. “Then we head to the river. Here, arm yourself with these,” she said, handing me a club and shield.

I looked at her questioningly.

“You will be better able to protect yourself with a club and shield than a long spear. And right now, it’s more important for you to stay alive than to kill murluks.”

My lips turned down, but I knew Tara was right. While I hadn’t fared too badly on the spear wall yesterday, there had been some hair-raising moments. “Will the murluks attack today?” I asked while I equipped the weapons.

Tara shrugged. “They have every day so far. I expect today will be no different.” Then, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she asked, “Did you manage to learn any spells?”

I smiled. “You’ll see.”

✽✽✽

Tara hurried me through the crafting yard for breakfast. The area was packed with hundreds of spearmen, all in a similar rush. In passing, someone shoved a bowl of porridge—at least that was what I thought it was—into my hands.

I looked for a place to sit.

“No time,” Tara said, seeing me stop. She had gotten her own bowl from somewhere and was gulping down its contents as she walked. “We eat on the move,” she said around another mouthful.

I looked at her askance, but nodded agreeably. Limping in her shadow, I scooped up the thin gruel while studying the yard with interest.

Smaller campfires for cooking and larger fire pits with skins and chunks of meat smoking over them dotted the space. But the area was too crowded with fighters for me to spot any of the crafters themselves.

We cleared the crowds and reached the edge of the crafting yard. Tara carelessly dropped her empty bowl onto the ground. “Leave yours too,” she ordered. “One of the cooks will collect them later.”

She is in a hurry, I thought. Slurping down the last of my breakfast, I discarded my own bowl and followed her west towards the river.

“How’s your body?” Tara asked as we made our way through the empty training grounds. “Still sore?”

“It’s much better,” I replied with a small grin.

“Told you you’d feel better in the morning,” Tara said. “But don’t forget to stretch before the battle.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As we neared the edge of the upper riverbank, I spotted dozens of men and women working within the ditch we had crossed yesterday. “What are they doing?” I asked in surprise.

“The foundations for the fortifications were completed yesterday,” replied Tara. “This morning, the crafters are beginning to erect the wall itself.”

Her face creased with worry. “We are running out of time, Jamie. The constant battles are taking their toll, and the number of new recruits from Earth has fallen off sharply.” Her voice turned grim. “We aren’t replenishing our ranks fast enough. If we don’t finish the construction soon…” She shook her head in denial. “From now on, the crafters will work while we fight.”

I stared aghast at the unarmoured crafters in the trenches. “But if we get overrun on the river, they’ll be defenceless!” I exclaimed.

“They will have to bear the risk,” Tara said. Her eyes were hard and unflinching when she met my own. “It is up to us to make sure it doesn’t come to that, Jamie.”

I nodded slowly, studying the crafters as we drew closer. None of them glanced our way. Intent on their labours, the workers were oblivious to all else around them. I swallowed. If the murluks breached the spearmen’s line, the crafters would not survive long.

Reaching the trench, we made our way across one of the many logs that bridged the dug-out ditch. All along the upper bank, spearmen were hurrying to the river over similarly placed logs.

I glanced over the bank’s edge and saw that over a hundred fighters had already gathered on the shores of the lower bank. The Outpost’s spearmen, armed and ready, sat in a line formation two rows deep as they waited for the murluks to make an appearance.

Behind the double line, which grew as more troops streamed down the riverbank, was a neatly formed square, and at its centre was an easily recognizable white-haired figure.

My eyebrows rose. “What is she doing here?” I asked.

Tara glanced in the direction I looked. “The old lady will command today’s battle. We lost too many yesterday and we can’t afford for our defences to falter, especially today. Not with the craftsmen exposed.” Her gaze darted to mine. “Besides,” she added, amusement colouring her voice, “I think the old lady is curious—as we all are—to see your magic in action.”

I rubbed my chin and fought off a grimace. I didn’t know myself what to expect from my magic and I hoped the commander wasn’t going to place too much stock in it. Something else was puzzling me. “Why wasn’t the commander here yesterday?”

Tara sighed. “Holding the murluks at the river is important, but the dragon temple itself is more crucial. The temple isn’t indestructible. On our second day here, it was almost destroyed.

“That day, while the entire population of the Outpost was embroiled in a pitched battle with the murluks, a pack of ogres trampled through our camp and attacked the temple from the east. We were fortunate that a new arrival through the gate noticed and warned us of what was transpiring. We managed to save the temple before it crumbled away entirely.”

I frowned. “I didn’t see any damage yesterday. It looked new.”

Tara shrugged. “Whatever magic created the dragon temples also seems to repair them too. As long as a temple hasn’t been completely destroyed, it will restore itself—or so I am told. As it was, our temple was unusable for nearly a full day while it reconstructed itself. Since then, the old lady usually holds herself in reserve in the camp or at the temple itself.”

I turned over Tara’s words in my mind as I slipped down the upper bank. Matters in the settlement were more desperate than I’d imagined. And it will only get worse. Once the gate to Earth closed, the Outpost would get no further reinforcements. What would become of the settlement then?

I shook my head. The commander and her people were racing against the clock just as much as I was. Tara was right. If they didn’t secure the Outpost soon, location seventy-eight was doomed.

Are the other neutral locations struggling this much? I wondered. If so, what did it mean for humanity? Given the difficulties faced by the Outpost, I began to seriously question whether humanity would be able to establish an independent colony anywhere in the Dominion—a Dominion that was supposedly our own.

What will become of us then?

Would humanity, as a free, independent people vanish? Would we only continue to exist as subjects—slaves or citizens—of our Patrons and Sponsors? It was an unsettling thought, and it served to redouble my determination in helping Tara’s people establish their settlement.

Before I move on, as inevitably, I must.

Arriving on the lower bank’s muddy stretches, Tara strode directly towards the commander and the rear-guard. “Alright, gentlemen,” the old lady was saying as we walked up from behind, “you have your orders. Let’s be about it. And remember we need every man. Make sure no one takes foolish risks today.”

Petrov spotted our approach. With a jab of his chin in our direction, he alerted the commander to our presence. Jolin turned around. “Tara,” she greeted. “I trust you know your orders already?” The old lady’s gaze darted to me. “Keep our mage alive.”

Startled exclamations rose from the men close enough to overhear, and soon a furious ripple of whispers rolled through the ranks. I stifled a groan. The commander, it seemed, was no longer keeping my status a secret.

“Yes, ma’am,” replied Tara with a snapped-off salute.

The old lady rested her gaze on me. She had to be conscious of the keen interest her words had sparked, yet her face betrayed no awareness. “Good morning, Jamie,” Jolin said affably. “I heard you had quite an afternoon yesterday.”

I shrugged, trying to match her nonchalance. I knew what the old lady was doing, and I didn’t appreciate it. The commander was using me to give her troops hope. Which was all well and good for them and her, but less so for me.

I could feel the pressure of the soldiers’ gazes. They are not my responsibility, I told myself firmly. It is not up to me to save them all. “Just training,” I answered, struggling to appear unaffected by the dozens of eyes trained upon me. It was not easy.

Jolin raised one eyebrow, though she didn’t comment further on the subject. “We have another difficult battle today. Will you be able to offer us any assistance?” she asked, with seeming indifference.

I wanted to answer no, yet under the crushing weight of the soldiers’ expectations, I felt myself saying something else entirely.

“I can.”

I knew immediately it was a foolish thing to say. My magic was untried and untested. My plan had been to try a few minor experiments during the battle. Nothing flashy. Nothing risky. Nothing that would attract too much attention to myself

Only that is no longer the case, is it? I thought with unhappy amusement. You and your big mouth. Now these men are going to expect you to save them. What possessed you, Jamie? Why didn’t you deny the commander?

But I knew why. Tara’s words flashed into my mind again: ‘They will have to bear the risk.’ The image of the defenceless crafters in the trenches accompanied it, as did the hungry hope in the soldiers looking on.

I sighed and elaborated further. “I have a spell that should hurt the murluks badly.”

A momentary look of surprise flitted across the commander’s face—so quick I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t been watching for it. She scrutinised me carefully, and her own face grew grave as if she’d somehow divined the direction of my thoughts. “What do you need?”

“Only someone to guard my back. Tara can do that well enough.”

“Nothing else?” asked the commander, one eyebrow raised in polite disbelief.

I hesitated. “Space, maybe,” I said.

“Space?”

I nodded. “I am not sure how well I can control the magic.”

The commander frowned. “You will not injure my men.” It was not a request.

I bowed my head, receiving her message loud and clear.

“Where do you want to take up position?” she asked.

I looked over the rows of spearmen sitting in the mud. The battle line stretched a few hundred yards in both directions already. “On the north flank,” I answered, choosing it for no other reason than that I had been there yesterday.

A shout rang out from the south, drawing our attention. The river’s water had begun to froth and bubble. As I watched, a bulbous head broke the surface.

The murluks had arrived.

“Well,” said the commander, “you’d best be on your way, Jamie. It looks like the battle is about to begin.”

I nodded sharply. Swinging about, I shuffled towards the right end of the spear line with my crippled foot dragging behind me.

“Jamie?” called the commander. I stopped and turned around to face her. “Good luck.”

“You too, ma’am,” I said, before hurrying off again.

Chapter 22

390 days until the Arkon Shield falls

The morning stillness was shattered as, all along the line, sergeants and captains shouted out orders and spearmen rose to their feet.

The water’s frothing intensified and more murluks surfaced. A lot more. Soon it seemed as if the entire river was coated by a carpet of living blue. The horde made no move to advance though, seemingly content to wait until their numbers built.

“Bloody hell,” Tara swore, eyeing the enemy.

I looked at her in concern. “What’s wrong?”

“There are a damn sight more today than yesterday,” Tara said. Her eyes never left the amassing enemy as she kept pace beside me. “Or any other day,” she added after a moment’s reflection.

I swallowed and quickened my pace. It did not bode well for the Outpost. Or me. Will we survive today’s confrontation?

Despite our renewed urgency though, Tara and I were still out of position—racing along the back of the human line—when the murluks swept forward in a tide of angry slurps and bobbing spears.

“Hurry, Jamie!” Tara urged.

I tried to, but I was already going as fast as I could. For the umpteenth time I cursed my crippled foot and the circumstances that had led to it.

We were still dozens of yards from the northern end of the line when the tide of blue crashed into the spearmen braced to meet them. Unconsciously, both Tara and I had skidded to a halt to watch the moment of impact.

The murluks outnumbered the thin wall of humans many times over, and it seemed impossible that soldiers would be able to weather the flood. Heart in my throat, I watched the horde break against the spearmen.

Orders were called out, and as one, shields were braced and spears lowered. Then, with a tremendous roar that contained as much fear as it did fury, weapons were thrust out.

The line bowed, but did not buckle. Men fell, but did not falter. No one ran. No one broke. Unflinchingly, the spearmen faced their enemy and held. Relief whipped through me as, unbelievably, the murluks were stopped.

But not without cost.

In places, the spear wall looked to be in near tatters. Already, reinforcements were racing to plug the gaping holes that threatened. Tara unclipped her shield and drew out her spear as she made to join the line.

I flung out a hand and clutched her arm. “No, Tara,” I said. “Let’s stick to the plan. Help me and you will better help them.” I hope.

Tara looked torn. Her desire to race to her companions’ aid was naked on her face, but equally visible was her hope.

Hope that my magic could do the impossible.

I made sure my own face was impassive and let no hint of doubt cloud my expression. How did I end up in this situation? I wondered. I was gambling far too much—everything, really—on the slim chance that my yet-untried magic could work miracles. I knew it wasn’t smart, but I was already committed. I couldn’t let Tara or the Outpost’s people down.

Whatever Tara saw in my face, it convinced her. She wrapped her own arm around mine and yanked. “Come on, then,” she said. “Let’s go get it done.”

I let her pull me along. No matter how graceless the manoeuvre, or how embarrassing it was to be dragged by the small captain, I did not attempt to hinder her efforts. Right then, haste was more important than my dignity.

We reached the northern edge of the spear wall. At my request, we moved beyond, until the closest of the battling humans and murluks were more than two dozen yards south of us. “This is far enough, I think,” I said.

Tara dropped my arm and readied her weapons again. “Alright, Jamie, what now?” she asked. Her eyes skipped left to the lines of struggling men. I could see she was eager to join them.

I left my own shield and club in place across my back. If things went as planned, I would not need them. “We need to go beyond the line—”

I broke off as a slew of Trials alerts flooded my vision.

“Ignore that,” ordered the black-haired captain. Her impatience was growing. “It is just the old lady casting her auras. Now finish what you were about to say.”

With difficulty, I pulled my eyes away from the Trials messages and dismissed them. Jolin had an impressive number of buffs at her disposal. It gave me new confidence. Boosted by the commander, the spearmen’s own strength would be doubled, if not tripled.

The battle isn’t lost yet.

I turned back to Tara. “We need to advance beyond our lines, right up to the water’s edge, and then close on the murluks from the north—”

“What?” asked Tara in both disbelief and outrage. “Are you mad? You want us to flank the murluks? Just you and me, all on our lonesome? What are you thinking, Jamie!”

“Tara, listen—”

She paid me no attention. Her ire growing with every word, Tara spoke over me. “The moment we are spotted, the creatures will swarm all over us. We will be overwhelmed in no time! Not even your invincible will save you. And don’t be hoping for rescue from the fighters. The commander will not let the spearmen break formation.” Tara glared at me as she paused for breath.

“Trust me, Tara,” I said, speaking more urgently now. If I didn’t convince her soon, I was going to lose her. “I don’t intend for us to be overwhelmed. Once I cast my spell, I’m pretty sure the murluks won’t stay to face us.”

“Pretty sure?” asked Tara, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Unfortunate choice of words,” I replied hastily. She still didn’t look convinced. “I will do this alone if I have to,” I added.

Tara’s brows drew down as she scowled at me, doubt warring with duty. The commander had ordered her to guard me. Finally reaching a decision, Tara grabbed my arm abruptly and hauled me forward towards the river.

“Don’t disappoint me, Jamie,” Tara growled. “If this madcap plan of yours gets more of our people slain, I will kill you myself.”

I stayed silent, but inwardly I agreed with the fierce green-eyed woman. If my plan failed, I would let her.

As we hurried to the river’s edge, I cast an anxious gaze south. The human line had not crumpled yet. Despite the preposterous weight of numbers bearing down against them, they still stood firm.

There is still time to enact my plan. I ran my eyes over the nearest murluks. Fully engaged in their battle against the spearmen, none of the creatures had spotted us yet.

That would change soon.

We made it to the water’s edge without mishap. I kept going and waded a few steps into the river before swinging to face southwards. Standing knee deep in the sloshing waves, I took a moment to prepare myself.

The northern edge of the murluk horde was less than thirty yards away, and the creatures were throwing themselves with reckless abandon directly against the spearmen. Curiously, the murluks made no attempt to encircle or flank their foes. They surely had the numbers to do it. Not only that, but with the river to conceal their movements, they could easily pull off the manoeuvre.

But such cunning seemed beyond the murluks. Brute force appeared the only tactic the creatures understood.

They are primitive, I told myself, hoping to reassure my jangling nerves. My entire plan—such as it was—hinged on the murluks’ seeming primitiveness. I was hoping, perhaps foolishly, that the creatures shared the same instinctive fear of fire that all beasts did.

I paused, struck by a sudden and worrying thought. Surely the commander must have tried using fire against the murluks already?

Idiot! Why didn’t you consider that earlier?

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask Tara, when I glimpsed her expression. Her patience was wearing thin. I suspected she would drag me away if I gave her further reason to doubt the soundness of my plan.

Nothing for it, then.

“Right, let’s advance,” I said before Tara could hurry me along again. Following my own command, I shuffled forward through the thick river mud. “Whatever happens, Tara, stay behind me.”

“Got it,” she replied curtly.

I shaped the spellform of flare in my mind as we advanced. Keeping a careful eye on the murluks, I held the spell at the ready, but uninfused.

Ten yards away from the battling lines, the first of the murluks finally noticed us. Slurping excitedly, eight of the creatures veered away from the spearmen and headed our way.

“Jamie,” Tara called out in warning.

“I see them,” I said. Drawing on my lifeblood and mana, I charged the construct in my mind. I winced at the split-second of pain the spell caused as it roared to life inside me and set my blood alight.

The dragonfire immediately set itself against my will and attempted to spew forth in an uncontrolled burst. With effort, I kept the raging torrent within me at bay and continued my advance, drawing closer to the murluks still.

Confident, bunched together, and betraying not the slightest hint of suspicion, the creatures charged, racing each other to be the first to get to us.

“Jamie! Do—”

I blocked out Tara’s shouting. Narrowing my eyes, I peered intently at my oncoming foes. When the closest was little more than two yards away, I flung up both my arms, palms facing outwards, and unleashed my dragonfire.

Impatient to escape my clutches, twin jets of flame roared out of my hands and exploded into cones of heat and burning light that attempted to incinerate everything in a six-foot radius.

The murluks were caught squarely in between. The scorching flames licked eagerly at their unprotected skin, and in an instant the creatures’ slurps transformed into shrieks. Betrayed by their own momentum, even the murluks in the rear fell into the dragonfire’s hungry embrace, despite their frantic efforts to turn and flee.

Unbidden, a Trials message popped open in my vision.

Spontaneous analyse triggered by attack. You have uncovered a murluk Trait: Vulnerability to Fire. Your skill in anatomy has advanced to: level 1.

“Now isn’t the time,” I growled. Dismissing the alert, I returned my attention to the burning murluks. All eight writhed in agony. Some rolled in the mud, trying to put out the flames, while others attempted to crawl feebly away. They were no threat. Not anymore.

But they aren’t dead either.

Hardening my heart against the murluks’ whimpers, I kept my dragonfire centred on them. It took five seconds. Five long seconds, during which I wished I could close my ears just as easily. Five endless seconds before the last of their cries was silenced entirely.

When it was done, nothing remained of the murluks but smoking trails of ash.

Lowering my hands, I stared in horror at the destruction I had unleashed. I had thought I’d known what to expect. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Flare had burned hotter and brighter than any normal fire. Lingering until it had consumed everything in its path, the dragonfire had left nothing behind, not even bones.

“Jamie?” asked Tara.

I could hear the uncertainty in her voice—in Tara, whom I had seen betray very little anxiety before this. I broke off my contemplation of the smouldering piles of ash. Reaching out to her, I began, “Tara—”

She stepped back, eyes widening in alarm.

I dropped my hands quickly, thinking it was the gesture she was fearful of. “Don’t be scared, Tara. I won’t hurt you!”

She scowled. “I am not afraid, you fool. It’s your eyes!”

“My eyes?” I asked, confused.

“They’re gold,” Tara said, regaining her composure. “And glowing.”

“Oh,” I said, not sure what else to say. Focusing my magesight inwards, I realised my blood was still singing with dragonfire. Even though I had cut off its outward flames, the flare spellform was still active within me.

After cutting off the flows of mana and my lifeblood, I soothed the fire within me. “Better?” I asked.

“They’re back to normal now,” Tara said. Leaning forward, she gazed searchingly into my eyes. “What was that spell?

“A rare fire magic spell,” I replied. My voice was smooth with no betraying hitch as I lied—I had been prepared for the question. “I was fortunate to discover it.”

Tara grunted. Her eyes flicked beyond me. Turning around, I followed her gaze. The rest of the battle continued unabated, but my skirmish with the eight murluks had not gone unnoticed.

The scorching flames had attracted the attention of dozens more of the creatures. Breaking away from their attack on the spear wall, the murluks gathered in an unruly crowd a few yards away from Tara and me.

Yet they did not approach any closer.

Hopping about in agitation, the murluks seemed torn between attacking—and fleeing. I had been right. The murluks were afraid of fire.

“Advance down the river, eh?” said Tara, looking from me to the murluks. “How long can you keep those flames going?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Not long enough to cover the length of the spear wall, certainly. But I am hoping that won’t be necessary. I expect the murluks to flee when they realise what they’re up against.”

Tara glanced down at piles of ash and smiled. “I dare say you are right, fish.”

✽✽✽

A few moments later, Tara and I were advancing south again.

With much slurping and hissing at each other, the gathered murluks backed away.

That’s it. Run. You don’t want to face me, I thought, hoping the threat of dragonfire alone would be enough to carry the day.

But it was not to be.

More of the creatures slipped away from their attack on the lines to join the mass of bobbing shapes facing Tara and me. As the numbers of murluks barring our way south grew, their retreat also slowed.

They find safety in numbers, I realised. It fuels their courage. I licked my lips. There were at least fifty murluks in the bunch facing off against us. Will my dragonfire be enough to stop them? I wondered.

“They’re going to charge soon,” I called to Tara over my shoulder. “Ready?”

“Ready,” she affirmed, her voice grim.

I raised my arms and prepared to flare.

At the gesture, the murluks rushed forward, splashing through the churned-up water in a mad dash. I didn’t wait for them to close. Spreading my arms wide, I unleashed dragonfire. White-hot flames spewed forth, and this time I made no attempt to control it.

I let the fire rage free and watched with a steely gaze as the flames fanned outwards in a semicircle three yards around me—the limit of my spellpower’s reach.

At the last instant, courage abandoned the murluks. Or sense prevailed. The ones at the fore tried to halt their reckless dash. But it was too late. The tide could not be stemmed and, inexorably, the creatures fell into the clasp of the waiting flames.

Fire rippled through the murluks, eating hungrily through skin, blood, and bone. And in shockingly little time, their charge crumpled, transformed in an instant into swirling ash and charred remains.

Sudden dizziness assailed me. I staggered, then fell to my knees. My pulse beat erratically and stars danced before my eyes.

I had attempted too much, I realised. The spell had consumed a huge chunk of my mana, and an even larger portion of my health. My life dangled on a slender thread. Fighting nausea, I deactivated flare.

What happened to being careful? I chided myself.

“Jamie! Jamie, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” I gasped. “I just need a moment to gather my breath. The murluks?”

“Gone,” Tara pronounced with savage satisfaction. She paused. “That was some spell.”

I laughed weakly. “Yeah, it was.” Remaining with hands on knees, I cast lay hands. Mana slipped into my hands and suffused them with a gentle blue radiance. The spell’s light lasted only an instant before its energy was siphoned away by my body. I sighed, breathing easier as new life flowed through me.

“What was that?” asked Tara. Her sharp-eyed gaze had not missed the tell-tale glow that had surrounded my hands.

“A healing spell, lay hands,” I replied. “I injured myself when I fell,” I lied. To distract her from further questioning, I raised one arm. “Help me up, please.”

With Tara’s help, I staggered to my feet and surveyed the river shore. The battle’s fury had not diminished. The murluks still attacked in a frenzy, although their numbers on the northern side had substantially dwindled. It seemed that more than a few of the nearby murluks had fled once they’d witnessed their companions’ fate.

“Things have eased on the right,” Tara said, echoing my thoughts. “That section of the line will hold.”

I nodded. Farther south, however, matters were still in doubt. Turning my gaze inwards, I studied my reserves of stamina, health, and mana. My mana pool was still more than half full, and my health had been fully restored.

My stamina was another matter entirely.

Given the disparity between my Might and Magic Potentials, my reserve of stamina was much smaller than my mana. And after my flagrant use of dragonfire, my stamina had been drained to less than a quarter.

I still had enough for a few more uses of flare, but I wouldn’t be able to pull off another uncontrolled burst. “Let’s keep advancing,” I said.

“You sure?” asked Tara. She scrutinised my face. “Can you keep going?”

“I can,” I said. I must. “But I won’t be able to pull off the stunt I just did again,” I admitted. “My mana is running low.”

Once more, I was forced to lie. I couldn’t tell Tara it was actually my stamina that was low. That would invite too many questions. I said, “I should be able to keep casting long enough to scare off the murluks, though.”

“Alright,” said Tara. “Let’s do it.”

✽✽✽

We resumed our plod through the mud. None of the remaining murluks turned to face us. Instead, steadfastly ignoring Tara and me, the creatures threw themselves with abandon against the spearmen. But as we closed to within flare range, the murluks finally reacted to our presence.

As one, they turned and fled.

Peeling away from the right flank, the creatures dove for the safety of the water. I heaved a relieved sigh. It appeared that the murluks had learned their lesson.

Ragged cheers and yells rose from the spear wall. Turning that way, I saw that some of the spearmen had raised aloft their weapons and were saluting us. I raised my own arm in tentative acknowledgement.

“Let’s keep going, Jamie,” Tara said. “There is still more work to be done.”

Following the direction of Tara’s gaze, I saw she was right. Not all the murluks had abandoned their assault. While the immediate area around us was free of enemies, farther south the murluks still pressed the attack.

“Right,” I said, stepping forward again.

Behind me, Tara beckoned a spearman from the lines. In response to her summons, a large red-haired man jogged towards us. It was the lieutenant, John.

The big man clamped a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Good job, fish,” he said.

“Thanks,” I said, drawing to a stop.

“Keep going, Jamie,” Tara said. “I just need a few words with John here. I’ll catch up.”

With a shrug, I did as she asked, surveying the spear wall as I went. Thousands of murluks were still on the field, the closest about a hundred yards away. All along the centre and left, the creatures pressed hard against the human lines. The commander, I saw, had been forced to fully commit her reserves. She and her guards had also joined the line.

The battle was by no means won yet.

I shifted my attention to the right. Here and there, gaps dotted the line, but by and large, the northern flank remained whole and unengaged.

Why haven’t they been redeployed to strengthen the centre? I wondered. My gaze slid to the whispering pair behind me. Was Tara giving John new orders?

Just then, the murluks attacking the centre noticed our approach. “Tara,” I called out in warning.

She glanced up and, after a last hurried exchange with John, rushed to my side. “Ready, Jamie?” she asked.

I looked at the two dozen murluks closing rapidly on us. “I am,” I said. “These I can handle, but if more of them attack—”

“Don’t worry,” Tara assured me. “I have a plan. Help is on its way.”

I glanced at her quizzically, but had no time to question her as the murluks surged into range. Raising my hands, I sent dragonfire into the nearest murluk. I made no effort to kill the creatures though, and instead turned off the flames after two seconds.

It was enough.

At the appearance of the scorching fire, the murluks broke off their attack and dashed for the river, many of them still aflame as they submerged themselves.

Though, even the water failed to douse the flames.

I shifted uneasily as I watched the murluks thrash in the river. Will the flames burn out eventually? I wondered. Or will the creatures be eaten alive by it?

I shuddered, a sick feeling in my stomach. It was not the sort of death I would wish upon anyone.

Leaving the dying murluks to their fate, I tore my gaze away from the sight and continued my advance. After another few dozen yards, and a second burst of flare, I sent even more of the creatures fleeing.

By this time, the commander and her captains, realising what I was about, adapted their tactics and the rhythm of the battle changed.

The spearmen, given fresh orders and renewed hope, waited in anticipation of my approach. When I neared, they used the chaos I caused to inflict as much damage as they could on the fleeing murluks. Some even went so far as to launch their spears at the retreating creatures. Behind me the north flank curled round, and followed in my wake, ready to provide support.

The tide of the battle had finally turned, and it seemed only a matter of time before the murluks were routed completely. But just as our advance reached the line’s centre, my stamina ran out.

“Tara,” I gasped, hands on knees, “I’m out of mana.” Her reply when it came back a moment later caught me by surprise.

“One moment, Jamie.”

I frowned. Now what did she mean by that? Turning around, I saw her signal to one of the men behind us. In response, the soldier lifted the makeshift flag he carried and waved it wildly. My frown deepened. What was going on?

A moment later, my magesight was nearly blinded as a rippling mass of spirit erupted outwards from the rear of the human lines and spilled over the surrounding spearmen, including myself.

You have been blessed by rejuvenation. Your health, stamina, and mana have been fully restored.

Shocked, I unbent from my hunched-over posture. My body thrummed with new energy. I felt revitalised. My aches had vanished and I brimmed with renewed vigour.

And it was not just me. All along the river shore, the human soldiers bounced on their feet as their own tiredness was banished.

Amazing, I thought. Blinking my eyes to clear my magesight of the blinding afterglow, I traced the spirit weaves back to their source—and was unsurprised to find they originated from the old lady.

I swung around to stare at Tara.

“Now what do you think of that buff?” she asked, eyes twinkling.

“How is that not magic?” I murmured.

She tilted her head to the side. “Marcus calls it sorcery. Magic of the spirit, or some such.” She scratched her head. “But he also said it isn’t true magic, whatever that means.” Tara shrugged. “Regardless, the commander’s rejuvenation spell has saved us more times than I care to admit.”

I nodded slowly. There was no doubt the spell was incredible. It certainly explained why the commander had chosen to enter Overworld in her old skin.

“Sorcery,” I mused, thinking on my own trait-given Techniques. I recalled coming across mention of the subject in the wiki. Sorcery was not considered magic or a Discipline. Consequentially, I hadn’t taken the time to study up on it.

Now I wish I had.

Putting together what I had seen in my magesight and what Tara had just told me, I realised my own Techniques, invincible and mimic, were also sorcery.

It was clear that sorcery was powerful. Perhaps even more so than dragon magic. Could I learn the rejuvenation spell? I wondered. Or other sorcery Techniques?

I shook my head. It was a matter that demanded further consideration, but now was not the time. I turned back to face the murluks. I had another task to see to.

Casting flare once more, I set to work.

✽✽✽

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 12, Trainee.

Your spellpower has increased to: level 7.

Heaving a deep breath, I dismissed the Trials alerts. The battle was finally over. With both myself and the spearmen rejuvenated by the commander, it had not taken us long to rout the murluks.

I glanced up at the sky. The sun had barely moved position since Tara and I had arrived on the river shore. It’s barely been an hour, I thought, yet it had felt much longer. Like days, really. And while my reserves of stamina and mana were healthy, I still felt bone-weary.

How many did I kill today?

I brushed away the errant thought. It did not bear looking upon too closely. The murluks are our foes, I told myself. Their deaths were necessary.

A hand clamped down on my back. “Nice work, Jamie,” Tara said. “Magic is an even more potent weapon than I suspected. With a dozen more like you, we could likely vanquish the murluks once and for all.”

I offered her a quick—if somewhat forced—smile before changing the topic. “Do you know where the healers’ tents are? I am sure the medics can use my help.”

“Admirable, but not necessary,” Tara said, shaking her head. “Nic and the others will manage. Besides, there aren’t likely to be very many injured right now. The commander’s ability would have restored all but the dead. Come,” she said, tugging at me, “we should go report. The old lady is sure to want to see you.”

I didn’t fully agree with Tara’s reasoning, but I allowed myself to be led away. Swinging sharply left, Tara headed back towards the lines of spearmen, who were still standing in formation in case the murluks returned. The men were jubilant and chanting the commander’s name.

From what I gathered, today’s victory was one of the quickest in the Outpost’s short history. As we waded through the spearmen’s ranks, I jerked my head as I heard my own name called.

I was surprised. It seemed that my own role in the battle hadn’t gone unnoticed by the men. But it wasn’t for accolades that I had done what I had, and despite whatever role I played in today’s victory, the true architect behind the Outpost’s survival was undoubtedly the commander. It was her plans, her leadership, and her inspiration that had allowed humanity to establish a toehold in this Overworld location. My own part was small by comparison.

The commander was still with the reserves, overseeing the battle’s aftermath. At our approach, she held out her hands in welcome. “Jamie,” she said, her hands trembling slightly, “that was well done. Thank you.”

Taken aback at the sight of Jolin, I was left momentarily speechless. The commander today was a far cry from the one I had met yesterday. Weariness clung to her frame, and it looked like only Petrov, on whom she leaned heavily, was keeping her upright. In my magesight—which I had kept open—her spirit hung in tatters. Her battle castings had claimed a heavy toll, and today there was no disguising Jolin’s age. She looks ancient.

But despite the commander’s appearance, her eyes shone with fierce determination, and her expression was filled with gratitude. She genuinely cares for her people, I thought. She sacrifices so much for them.

I inclined my head. “Just doing my part, ma’am,” I replied.

She studied my bowed head for a moment. “It is more than that,” she said gently. “My men may accord today’s victory to me, but I know better. What you’ve done here, I will not forget. It’s given us the respite we so desperately need. And now,” she breathed, “we get on with the business of building the settlement.”

I looked up at her. “You don’t think the murluks will attack again, then?”

She waved her hand dismissively. “They might, but after today the course of any future contest is certain.” She paused. “Assuming you are staying, of course. You are not leaving us yet, I hope?”

“Not until the settlement is founded,” I confirmed, “and the walls built.”

She studied my face for a second longer. Satisfied with what she saw there, she said solemnly, “Thank you, Jamie. I—”

The commander broke off as Captain Marcus waved for her attention. “I am sorry, Jamie, other matters demand my attention,” Jolin said. “We will pick this up later. I have called a conference for this afternoon to decide the settlement’s future. You must join us.” She glanced behind me. “Tara, make sure he is there.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Tara replied.

And with that, we were dismissed.

Chapter 23

390 days until the Arkon Shield falls

After the battle, Tara and I were left with little to do. My conversation with the old lady had been so brief, I hadn’t had a chance to question her about her sorcery or dungeons, or even about her intentions regarding the settlement.

What now? I wondered, chewing at my lip. “Let’s go find the medics,” I said eventually.

Tara rolled her eyes, but she didn’t object. She led me through the ranks of soldiers, many of whom called out in greeting or nodded respectfully as I passed by. I chuckled, amused by how quickly their attitude towards me had changed.

“What’s so funny?” Tara asked.

“Just yesterday,” I said, gesturing with my chin at the men, “they were laughing at the crippled boy being beaten by the big bad captain, yet today they applaud.”

Tara stopped and swung about to face me. None of the shared amusement I’d expected to see on her face was present. “You do them a disservice, Jamie,” she said, her tone serious. “They jeered at you yesterday, true. But it was not for your crippled foot they mocked you. It was themselves they ridiculed, or rather the memory of themselves that had experienced the same drubbing you got at my hands.”

Tara held my gaze, making sure I understood what she was saying. “You may not have noticed it, but by yesterday evening you had already earned their respect. None of them expected a new fish to last that long.” She threw me a hard look. “Much less a crippled one.”

I lowered my eyes, accepting Tara’s rebuke. Her words shamed me. “I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “Sometimes I am too cynical.”

Tara laughed. “And perhaps a touch unforgiving.”

“That too,” I said, smiling with her.

We fell into a companionable silence for the rest of the way along the river shore. Scaling the upper bank, I saw that three large tents had been pitched next to the training grounds. As we approached closer, a surprised Nicholas turned to greet us. “Tara, Jamie, what are you two doing here? Not injured, I hope?”

“Nothing of the sort, Nic,” Tara said. She pointed in my direction. “You’ve seen what he can do?”

“Indeed,” said Nicholas, nodding at me. “And thank you, by the way. Your efforts have made my job much easier today.”

“He can heal too,” said Tara. “That’s why we are here.”

Nicholas’ gazed locked onto mine. “Magical healing?” he asked eagerly.

I nodded. “I have a life magic spell called lay hands. Do you need me to do anything?”

Nicholas opened his mouth. Paused. Then closed it again. He sighed. “On most other days the healing tents would be swarming with those in need of care, and I would have given anything for a mage’s aid. But not today. The commander’s casting has seen to the injured already.”

Nicholas’ expression turned wistful, seeming to regret the missed opportunity to witness healing magic at work. Over the medic’s shoulder I caught Tara’s I-told-you-so look. Ignoring her, I addressed Nicholas. “The commander’s spell healed all the soldiers’ injuries?”

The medic nodded.

Even with Nicholas’ confirmation, I still found it hard to believe. To restore all your allies to full health in a single spellcast… it was an extraordinary bit of sorcery. I frowned as another thought occurred to me. “She doesn’t use it every day though, does she? Why?”

The medic’s eyes flicked briefly to Tara before answering. “I wish that she could,” he said. “But from what I understand it will be days before she can use rejuvenation again.”

I nodded in understanding. From my own experience, I already knew invincible used nearly the entirety of my spirit to cast. Its long recharge time was, in fact, the time needed for my spirit to replenish itself before being used again as a shield. And from what Nicholas said, it seemed that rejuvenation had an even longer recast time. So sorcery—as powerful as it is—is not without its own limitations.

“It was generous of you to offer your aid though,” Nicholas said, interrupting my musings. “I hope I can I call on you when the need arises?”

“Of course, Doc,” I replied absently.

“Thank you, Jamie,” he said. “Now I must go. Duty calls.” Nicholas clasped my arm in farewell and rushed off.

“Well, where to now?” Tara asked me once we were alone again.

I was wondering the same thing. I rubbed my face in thought. “The temple,” I answered at last. “Then how about we go hunting? It’s about time I saw more of what lies beyond the settlement.”

✽✽✽

Tara, much to my surprise, readily agreed.

I had expected her to be fiercely opposed to the notion of leaving the Outpost, so I had all my arguments well in hand. Her easy capitulation left me slightly perplexed.

“Right, we’re here,” Tara said as we stopped at the entrance of the temple. “You go in and do what you have to while I see to our preparations.”

“Preparations?” I asked, confused.

Tara waved aside my question. “Don’t worry about it. If I am not back by the time you’re done, wait here. Don’t you go wandering without me, understand?”

I nodded agreeably and Tara hurried away. What is she up to? I wondered as I watched her dash off. Shrugging away the mystery—Tara would do what she wanted—I swung around and limped up the steps to the temple.

✽✽✽

You have entered Wyrm Island.

“What? You’re back?” asked Aurora. “Already?”

I turned around to face the purple woman. She hovered in the air, with her face only inches from my own and her wings fluttering. She scowled at me.

I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could Aurora spoke again. “Don’t you know I have better things to do than pander to your needs?”

I didn’t know that, actually. But I wasn’t going to tell her that. What does Aurora do between my temple visits? I wondered suddenly. For that matter, did the purple woman even exist outside the temple? Was she more than just a construct of the Trials? Her words and manner certainly suggested it.

Stepping back, I bowed, my face a mask of contrition. “Apologies, Aurora,” I murmured. “I will endeavour to bother you as little as possible in future.”

My manner did little to mollify the purple woman. “What do you want?” she asked brusquely.

Straightening from my bow, I said, “I’m here to acquire knowledge and enhance my Attributes.”

“I know that,” she retorted. “Which ones?”

I decided not to try my guide’s patience further and got straight to the point. “Please advance my dragon magic, life magic, constitution, vigour, and channelling to twelve.”

I had only gained three levels since my last visit, and while I appeared to be accumulating a tidy sum of Marks and Tokens, I was not prepared to expand my repertoire of Disciplines just yet. Changes made in the temple were irreversible, and I could not afford to choose wrong.

With that in mind, I had decided only to improve my Attributes and Disciplines that had reached Trainee rank and were essential for spellcasting.

“Done,” said Aurora with a wave of her arm. “You have ninety-three Tokens and twenty Marks remaining. What else?”

“That’s it,” I replied.

Aurora’s wings slowed to a stop and she dropped to the ground. “‘That’s it,’” she repeated. Her glare intensified. “You mean to tell me,” she said, sounding out the words carefully, “you bothered my rest for only these paltry changes?”

I winced. Time to beat a retreat. “Let me not keep you further, then,” I said, swinging around hastily. “Bye, Aurora,” I called over my shoulder as I limped back to the gate.

The answering silence was deafening.

✽✽✽

You have exited Wyrm Island. Your constitution, vigour, and channelling have increased to: level 12.

Your skill in dragon and life magic has advanced to: level 12.

I stepped out of the temple with a bemused grin. Aurora had been as irascible as ever. Who—and what—is the purple woman? I wondered again. Was it just me she disliked, or everyone? And what did other players think of her?

I scratched my head in thought. I had not seen any mention of Aurora—or temple guides, for that matter—in the wiki. Which, come to think of it, was strange, especially considering how distinctive the purple woman was. I would have to remember to ask Tara what she thought of her own guide.

Looking around, I saw the area around the temple was empty. Tara was still not back. I sat down on the steps to ponder my development while I waited.

Despite effecting minimal changes to myself in the temple, I had advanced considerably as a player ever since I’d entered Overworld. Physically I had matured—I was stronger, quicker, and less vulnerable during combat. Magically, I was no slouch either. Notwithstanding my Neophyte-ranked spellpower, my spell damage was still impressive, if the battle against the murluks was anything to go by.

Yet I had still a long way to go.

Physical confrontation—particularly up close—still remained my biggest weakness. Considering my poor manoeuvrability and low health, if I wanted to survive long in this world, I had to stay out of melee range.

I needed a means of ranged attack. Tonight, I thought. Tonight, I will try to create a ranged spell.

Leaving aside the matter of my combat development, I turned my thoughts to the other aspects of my player growth.

The Trials had something called a player profile for players to keep track of their advancement and measure their progress. Before now, I had not felt the need to use it, but as the repertoire of my Disciplines and Traits expanded, I knew it would soon become invaluable.

Now, how do I open the player profile?

I smiled. Summoned by the thought alone, a window unfurled from the Trials core in my head.

You are a player of rank: Trainee, and level: 12.

6% of Magic Potential actualised.

21% of Might Potential actualised.

8% of Resilience Potential actualised.

1% of Craft Potential actualised.

I tilted my head to the side as I considered the way the Trials had summarised my development thus far. It seemed a strange way to measure a player’s progress, yet it was in keeping with the Trials peculiar emphasis on fulfilling one’s Potential. And, I realised, there was a wealth of information hidden beneath those few short lines of text.

Up until this point, I had had no hard measure of how far I could advance my Attributes, but now, considering the percentages the Trials had assigned to my progress, I could determine my Potentials accurately and just as importantly: how long it would take to fulfil them.

Performing some rough calculations in my head, I estimated that I needed to advance over two hundred levels before I maximised my crucial Attributes of spellpower, channelling, vigour, and constitution. That was assuming a gain of two Attribute Marks per level, and did not even consider the investments necessary for defensive Attributes such as elemental resistance and willpower. While they were not a priority, I knew I could not ignore them entirely either.

That’s far too long, I thought, feeling a familiar frustration well up in me. I had to get stronger faster, or I would not be ready when it came time to face the orcs again. I have to find a dungeon, I told myself. And I have to do that soon. But I also have to help establish the Outpost as a settlement. I sighed. So much to do.

About to banish the player profile floating in my vision, my attention was caught by the Trials data on my Craft Potential. While my Potential for Craft was nowhere near that of Magic, it was not insignificant either. Frowning, I considered the crafting Disciplines.

Thus far, I had steadfastly ignored that aspect of the Trials, concentrating instead on the magic and might Disciplines. But at some point I was going to have to devote time towards developing my crafting. I sighed again. Another item to add to the ‘to do’ pile.

There will be time to consider crafting further in the coming days, I thought. Right now, my focus has to remain on my combat prowess. Even if—

The sound of voices interrupted my thoughts. Looking up, I saw Tara had returned.

And she wasn’t alone.

Walking alongside the green-eyed fighter were four others, two men and two women. Michael and John, I recognised from the battles at the river. The women, though, were strangers. I inspected Tara’s companions carefully.

Both women, redheads, wore their hair tied up and carried large bows across their backs, while the men dragged sleds behind them that were empty save for their long spears.

“Jamie,” Tara said, “this is Laura and Cassandra, both hunters. And Michael and Lieutenant John you’ve met already. They will be joining us.”

I raised an eyebrow at Tara, but chose not to question her decision. I had expected our hunting trip to be less… organised, more a walkabout through the surrounding wilderness than a concerted effort to hunt down game. But Tara, it seemed, had other plans.

I limped down the temple steps and exchanged greetings with the four. “What are the sleds for?” I asked.

“To bring back whatever game we find,” replied Tara. “We can ill-afford to waste anything. While food may be plentiful right now, that may change at any time.”

“Alright, then where do we start?” I asked.

Michael, John, and Tara looked to the two hunters for guidance. The women exchanged glances. Studying them more closely, I saw they bore a striking resemblance to each other. Both had the same elfin features, hazel eyes, and freckled skin. They’re sisters.

“There is a herd of elk-like creatures that roam the plains to the south,” said Laura with pursed lips. “And in the forest to the east, there is plentiful small game: rabbits, buck, wild pigs, and the like. But there are also more predators.”

John made a face. “Gah! Not elk meat again. I’ve had my fill of that for days now.” He paused. “But buck sounds delicious.”

“And bacon even better,” Michael chimed in. He rubbed his hands together. “Let’s go east.”

Disregarding the pair’s comments, I asked, “What’s to the north?” I didn’t inquire about what lay to the west, assuming the region across the river belonged to the murluks. I doubted anyone wanted to go that way.

“We don’t venture there much,” said Laura, her eyes darkening. “There is a nest of giant spiders in the hills just north of the Outpost. They’ve killed dozens of our hunters, so the commander has declared the area off-limits.”

“We should head south,” said Tara. Michael groaned. Ignoring him, Tara went on, “The six of us together should be able to bring down an elk and fend off any fire lizards we run across.”

Fire lizards? I wondered. I was tempted to ask about them, but I was more interested in the northern hills. “What level are the spiders? And why haven’t you rooted them out?”

The sisters exchanged looks before shooting glances towards Tara. The fighter sighed, and waved for the pair to answer me.

“The spiders are around level thirty, at least those we’ve seen,” said the second sister, Cassandra. “Physically, they’re not strong, but they have a paralysing bite, and they also tend to attack from hiding.” The redhead shuddered. “I was part of one of the first scouting missions to the hills. In those early days we were less wise about the dangers of Overworld.”

Cassandra paused, seeming to gather her thoughts. “We were less than an hour into the hills when we were ambushed by one of the creatures. Right up until the spider sprang out at us, we remained unaware of its presence. When it did attack, we were caught flatfooted. I barely got away, and then only because the creature chose my partner for its target. He didn’t make it.” Cassandra fell silent, lost in dark memories.

“As for why we haven’t rooted them out,” Laura continued, “the spiders’ nest is in a warren beneath the hills. In an enclosed and lightless space like that, the creatures have the upper hand. Any team we sent down there would be butchered. The spiders have never ventured out of the hills and the captains don’t believe them to be an immediate threat to the Outpost.” She shrugged. “In the end the captains decided that it was more trouble than it was worth to clear out the spiders.”

I disagreed. I glanced at Tara. She would have been one of the captains in question.

The area had to be made safe, if only so the scouts could patrol the region. While the spiders remained, the colony’s northern border was unsecured. And I was certain the commander knew it too. But she probably has too much on her plate right now to deal with them.

“Let’s head north,” I said.

Tara’s lips thinned. “The area is off-limits,” she said. “The commander herself pronounced it so.”

“I’m not under the old lady’s command, remember?” Tara glowered at me, but said nothing. “I’ll go alone if I have to,” I added, pressing her further.

Tara growled. “Jamie, if you think I am going to let you—”

“I’ll go,” said John.

“Me too,” seconded Michael.

Tara turned her scowl upon the two men, but before she could berate them, John raised his hands. “I’m not questioning the commander’s orders, Tara. She had good reason for barring anyone venturing into the hills.” He paused and gestured to me. “But that was before the arrival of our mage here.”

Tara folded her arms and stared at the lieutenant, unmoved by his words.

John held out his hands, imploring Tara. “Think, Captain. You saw what Jamie did against the murluks. His fire magic can even the odds against the spiders, and perhaps even swing them in our favour. We should not ignore the opportunity.”

I eyed John. I had not heard the big man address Tara by her title before. Clearly, he had done so this time deliberately. I glanced at her. While she still looked unhappy, Tara seemed to be wavering. John, it seemed, had chosen the correct tack.

“We’ve never managed to scout out the hills fully,” Cassandra said, weighing in. “With the spiders gone, who knows, we might find the resources we so desperately need. Maybe even some ore.”

Tara opened her mouth then closed it. She sighed before eyeing each of us in turn. “You all want to do this?” The other four nodded. “We might very well die out there. Are you all prepared for that?”

The others shifted their feet, but no one looked away. “We face death every day on the river shore,” said John quietly.

“That’s different, John, and you know it,” Tara scoffed. “The menace we’d face in the hills is tenfold more dangerous.”

Tenfold? I swallowed. Tara thought it was that risky? It doesn’t matter how ill-advised this venture is, I thought stubbornly. We have to do it. Time was of the essence, both for the Outpost and myself. We could not afford to play it safe.

“Nowhere is free of danger on this world, Tara,” I said. “Not yet. If we want to carve out a haven for humanity, we are going to have to take risks. Repeatedly.”

Tara stared at me. I knew she disagreed, and if we were alone, I suspected my words would have earned me an earful. But with the other four already on my side and watching, Tara relented. “Alright,” she said finally. “We’ll do this. But if things become too dangerous, we retreat. No debates. No arguments. Agreed?”

We all nodded.

Chapter 24

390 days until the Arkon Shield falls

It was a two-hour hike to the foothills north of the Outpost. The sisters believed the intervening region to be safe—relatively safe, anyway. It didn’t stop the pair from jogging off to scout ahead though.

After the sisters disappeared over the horizon, Tara turned to the rest of us. “Alright, let’s get moving. We have to hurry if we’re going to make it back in time for the old lady’s conference.” I nodded, and the four of us set off north.

We crossed through the settlement’s northern outskirts without encountering anyone. Most of the Outpost’s activity seemed to be concentrated either in the west, near the river shore, or to the east in the camp.

I paused as we reached the Outpost’s northern boundary. Little more than an open trench marked it. It seemed that work had not even begun on the wall on this side of the settlement, which made sense. Fortifying the western perimeter against the murluks attacks had to be the commander’s priority.

We crossed over into the countryside beyond with little ceremony. The flat, open plains were unexpectedly pleasant. Travelling in a single file—at Tara’s insistence—we waded through the knee-high grass.

The plains’ entire expanse was spotted with blooming flowers as far as the eye could see. And other than the many small birds winging through the air, it had no wildlife to speak of. It is beautiful, I marvelled. Mum would have been happy here, I couldn’t help thinking. I shooed away the thought. Beauty could be dangerous too, I reminded myself. Who knew what lay beneath?

On guard against being lulled into a false sense of complacency, I spent the few first minutes scanning the horizon, but as time went by and no threat presented itself, I relaxed. Deciding to trust the two sisters to forewarn us of danger, I turned my attention inwards. It was time to give further consideration to my magic.

The Trials Infopedia had been insistent that all the magic Disciplines could be self-taught without the aid of any spellbooks or trainers, albeit with great difficulty. Given the situation with the murluks, I had not risked trying to do so with dragon and life magic.

But if I could train the other magic Disciplines on my own—to the Trainee rank at least—it would save me a great many Tokens.

Reaching within myself, I drew mana into my mind and shaped it into a rudimentary construct of fire, or what I thought was the spellform of fire. With my fire magic Discipline only at level one, my understanding of it was crude—at best.

I started with fire magic, for obvious reasons. It was my hope that its similarity to dragon magic would make training the Discipline much easier. I willed the spellform in my mind into being, but it refused to materialise.

It’s not quite right, I thought. Let’s try this.

Time sped by as I toyed, twisted, and turned the mana construct, letting instinct and intuition guide me.

At one point, I sensed Tara speaking to me. For a split-second, I tore my attention away from the intriguing puzzle in my mind and let awareness of my surroundings seep back. But seeing as we were neither in danger or at the foothills yet, I waved off her question and returned to my study of the magic within me.

When the pieces in my mind finally began to slip into place, and my rudimentary understanding of fire expanded, the concepts I had been grappling with suddenly seemed so simple and self-explanatory that I was left wondering why they had taken me so long to grasp.

Your skill in fire magic has advanced to: level 2.

I smiled, pleased by my achievement. Now to do it again.

I had started to dive back into the depths of my mind, when I felt Tara shaking me with what seemed like unnecessary violence. “Jamie, goddamn wake up!”

Shocked out of my trance, I surfaced back into the present and looked around. A series of hills began a few yards in front of me. Marching off into the distance in ever-increasing heights, the hill’s rounded tops eventually expanded into the sheer rockfaces and jagged peaks of the mountain that edged the horizon.

“Oh,” I said in surprise. “We’re here.”

Tara smacked the back of my head. Hard. “We’ve been here for the last twenty minutes, you idiot! We had all but given up on you waking and were about to head back to the Outpost. Are you alright?”

I blinked. “Twenty minutes? Really?” I peered into her eyes. They were strained with worry. “Sorry, I was training,” I said as contritely as I could manage. Reaching up, I rubbed the back of my head. It hurt.

“Training?” Tara asked with narrowed eyes.

“My magic,” I said, though I didn’t elaborate further. “But I am ready to continue.” I looked behind me. The others were sitting down, resting while they waited for me and Tara to finish. “We can go on now.”

“You sure you’re alright to continue?”

“I’m fine,” I said, waving off Tara’s concern. Stepping forward, I led the way into the hills.

✽✽✽

Tara did not let me stay in the lead, of course. But my gesture served its purpose, and a few minutes later the six of us were deep into the hills.

In stark constant to the green and vibrant plains, the hills were mostly dusty shale and rock. The sparse vegetation was uniformly brown and seemed to cling desperately to the unwelcoming soil.

We moved cautiously through the rolling hills. Made wary by Cassandra’s tale, all six of us were on guard. When a roar shook the air, I jumped.

The others froze. “Mountain lion,” murmured Laura.

“Will it attack?” I asked.

“Likely not,” she responded. “It’s no match for the six of us.”

“How far to the spiders’ warren?” asked Tara.

Cassandra pointed north. “The entrance is maybe thirty minutes that way. But I can’t be sure. We were never able to get close enough to pinpoint its location.” She paused. “We should ready ourselves for an ambush.”

“Alright, everyone, weapons in hand and eyes sharp,” Tara ordered. “From here on, we move in strict formation. No one break ranks.” Her eyes settled on me as she added, “For any reason.”

I nodded. The others drew their weapons. Michael and John wielded their long spears, Tara had her stabbing spear and shield, and the two hunters gripped their longbows. I strapped on my shield, but left my club holstered and kept my right hand free for casting.

We resumed our advance into the hills with Tara out front, the hunters and myself protected in the centre, and John and Michael bringing up the rear. With the possibility of an ambush high, the hills loomed even more ominously to my mind. Behind every boulder and in every shadowed slope, I imagined enemies. I rubbed sweaty palms dry. Where would the attack come from?

Despite my anxiety, the next thirty minutes passed without incident. If Cassandra is right, we must almost be at the warren’s entrance, I thought, beginning to believe we would reach it without mishap.

A slight shift in the sand to my right caught my eye. What was that? I wondered. But I didn’t look, hesitant to take my eyes off the hills leaning down balefully.

We were in a particularly narrow pass between the hills. Despite the sun overhead, the overlooking slopes cast long shadows across the ground. It was an ideal spot for an ambush and I, like the others, anxiously scanned the surroundings, studying every nook and cranny for hidden enemies.

But the ground underfoot was safe. Wasn’t it?

The sand twitched again and, no longer able to ignore the movement, I darted a quick look at the ground. My eyes widened as realisation struck. “Watch out—”

My cry came too late.

From either side of us, two blurred shapes burst out of the ground and leapt onto the party in a shower of dirt. It’s the spiders, I despaired. Despite our care, we had still been caught off guard.

Michael managed only a half-strangled cry before he disappeared beneath the giant spider attacking from the left. John on the right was quicker, and managed to raise his spear in time for the leaping monster to skewer itself on the sharpened stick.

I swung left, rushing to Michael’s aid. The spider was stabbing down with its razor-sharp limbs on the downed spearman. Before the spider—the size of a large dog—could turn my way, I slapped my hand onto one prickly leg and unleashed flare.

The raging inferno boiled out of me and directly into the creature. The spider shrieked, and its brown skin turned an angry red at the point of contact. To my immense relief, none of the flames spread out of the creature to endanger Michael lying helpless on the ground.

Behind me, I sensed the three women converge on the second spider. Pinned by John, it made for an easier target. But before I could get a sense of how the others were faring, my foe dug out its other limbs from Michael and struck at me instead.

I tried to dodge the incoming attacks, but since I was hampered by my need to keep my right hand firmly clasped onto the spider, I was unable to duck out of the way.

The forest of limbs descended upon me, each sharper than any murluk spear. I clenched my jaw to cut off the shriek that threatened to erupt as the attacks bit through my armour and into my torso.

Aaargh, that hurts, I swore. I rode the pain and refused to let go of the leg I held trapped. I bashed once at the spider with my shield, then ducked my head behind its meagre shelter as the spider struck again in retaliation.

I rode the second wave of attacks better. Using my shield, I managed to fend off at least half the spider’s limbs while I continued to pour ravenous dragonfire directly into its body.

Already I could tell my dragonfire was not as effective against the spider as it had been with the murluks. A murluk would have been ash by now. The spider, though, was still very much alive.

But I was already committed, and I dared not loosen my grip on the monster. Doing that would expose Michael to my flames, and I still couldn’t control it well enough to be certain it wouldn’t burn him, not when he lay so close.

The spider battered me with its limbs for a third time, and even though I foiled half its attacks, those that got through shredded my armour with laughable ease. Grim-faced, I ignored the rivulets of red spreading across my torso and held on.

As I had hoped, eventually the white-hot fury of my dragonfire proved too much for my foe to endure and it turned to flee. No you don’t, I thought. I wasn’t going to let it go that easily. I tightened my grip around its leg and hung on.

The spider yanked hard at its leg, desperate to free itself. I smiled a bloody grin and wrapped my left arm around it as well. The creature had already lost. It just didn’t know it yet.

The spider grew more frantic, and in its panic it even managed to drag me a few feet across the ground. But with both my hands wrapped around its leg, escape was impossible.

It only took a few more seconds.

Then, inevitably, the spider collapsed in on itself and its life drained away. A Trials message floated into view.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 13 Trainee.

I rolled onto my back and cackled, the sound more than a little disturbing. For a moment, it was all I could do to lie still while my chest heaved and I gasped for breath.

I was a mess. Again. My health hung dangerously low and my armour had been cut to ribbons. Not to mention I seemed to be bathed in blood, much of it my own.

At a cut-off cry from nearby, I lifted my head. The others were still battling the second spider. The creature remained pinned on the end of John’s spear. While it struggled to escape, Tara danced around its waving limbs and struck at will.

Firing arrows at point-blank range, Laura and Cassandra were doing their own fair share of damage, while John manoeuvred his long spear to make sure the spider couldn’t escape.

They seemed to have matters well in hand, I thought. Summoning my mana once again, I cast lay hands on myself. Under the spell’s touch, my wounds closed over. I rose to my feet, still a bit unsteady from the blood loss but otherwise hale. I limped over to Michael.

The spearman lay unmoving, and for a moment I feared the worst. But his chest moved up and down. He was alive. I heaved a sigh of relief and inspected his body carefully.

Despite his comatose state, Michael had sustained very little damage. Unlike me, I thought, chuckling. I had come far too close to dying.

On his neck, Michael bore twin puncture wounds. He’s been paralysed, I realised. Setting my hands to his torso, I healed Michael of his few injuries. Lay hands failed to remove the paralysing effect of the spider’s bite though.

I scratched my head worriedly. Would Michael be alright? Had the spider’s toxins done more than paralyse him?

“Jamie, are you alright?” asked Tara, running up to me.

I turned around to face her. “Yeah.” I gestured down at my blood-streaked body and tattered armour. “It looks much worse than it is.” Or it did so now anyway.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have left you to tackle that spider on your own. But I saw you take hold of it… and after how you handled the murluks… I thought—I thought…”

“It’s alright, Tara,” I said, stopping her flow of words. “You made the right call. I got the better of the damned thing—eventually.” Beyond Tara, I spied the carcass of the second dead spider and John limping over to join us. “Need healing, John?”

The big man smiled. “Please.”

I set my hands on the lieutenant and healed him. His injuries weren’t bad either. It seemed I had borne the brunt of the damage in the battle. You’re not a damn tank, Jamie, I berated myself.

I realised that, if in future I wasn’t more careful, I would kill myself with flare.

Now, wouldn’t that be funny.

✽✽✽

Much to everyone’s relief, Michael recovered from the spider’s bite a little later, though his face was as pale as a sheet. It turned out, he had seen and heard everything. The paralysis had locked his limbs in place, but left his mind unaffected.

I spent the time lying on my back, recuperating while the other four inspected the two corpses. The spider I had burned hadn’t turned to ash as the murluks had. The murluks’ own vulnerability to fire had probably been responsible for that, magnifying the damage they sustained manyfold.

John and Tara had turned over one of the corpses on its back. The spider seemed to weigh very little. Laura and Cassandra were inspecting the corpse, running their hands over its limbs and scrutinising its skin with their eyes less than a few inches away. The pair even went so far as to sniff the darn creature.

I scratched my head in bemusement. What are they up to? Curious, I rose to my feet and joined them. “What are you doing, Cassandra?”

The redhead flicked her eyes away for an instant from the spider to glance at me. “Call me Cass,” she said. “We’re inspecting it with anatomy.”

Anatomy was a combat Discipline that advanced analyse, increasing the degree of information it provided, including a creature’s strength and weaknesses. It provided other benefits too and could supposedly reveal an enemy’s vulnerable areas in real-time during combat. How, I was not quite sure. “Doesn’t the spider have to be alive for you to use the skill?”

“No,” she said, sitting back on her haunches. “In fact, it is much easier to apply it this way. My skill in the Discipline is still too low for success to be certain on living enemies.”

“You find out anything?” asked Tara.

“It has a paralysing bite,” said Laura. She forced open the spider’s mouth and gestured to the two mandibles protruding out. “But we already knew that. The bite itself does minimal damage, and the paralysis will wear off after about a minute. But the effect can be reapplied with repeated bites. It’s how the spiders consume their prey, I imagine.”

Beside me, I felt Michael shudder. I sympathised. Being eaten alive would not be a good way to go.

Laura rubbed her hands across the creature’s patterned torso. “The spider’s skin is tough and resistant to piercing, but its bones are light. Crushing weapons will be the most effective against them.”

I pulled out my sheathed club. “Like this?” At Laura’s nod, I handed over the weapon to Tara. She would make better use of it than I could.

Tara nodded at me gratefully. “Anything useful we can harvest from the creatures?” she asked the two hunters.

“There is still some silk in this one’s spinnerets,” Cassandra answered. “And the skin will be useful too.”

“Good, then let’s load the bodies onto the sled,” Tara ordered.

Michael and John saw to it. Joining them, I used analyse on the dead spiders.

The target is a level 30 brown spider scout. It has no Magic, meagre Resilience, is gifted with Might, and has low Craft.

The spider’s meagre Resilience explained its low health pool and why I had been able to kill it, even though it was far beyond my own level.

Staring thoughtfully at the corpse, I began inspecting it just like I had seen the two sisters do.

You have uncovered a brown spider Technique: paralysing bite. Your skill in anatomy has advanced to: level 2.

It worked, I thought happily. I would have to make sure to similarly inspect any other slain foes in future.

“Jamie! Stop playing with the bodies,” Tara shouted irritably. “Let’s get moving, and everyone make sure you watch the damn ground. Let’s not fall for the same trick twice.”

Chapter 25

390 days until the Arkon Shield falls

Cassandra had been spot-on about the location of the warren’s entrance. After travelling only a few dozen yards farther, we drew to a halt at the base of another hill.

A large hole had been dug out in the ground, and judging by the cobwebs stretched across its width, it was unmistakably the entrance to the spiders’ warren. Eight feet tall and about three feet wide, it was large enough for us to walk through upright—and suspiciously unguarded.

“You really want to go in there?” Tara asked.

“I do,” I said firmly. “The spiders are physically weak. And we know how to kill them now,” I said, gesturing to the club she held in hand.

Tara eyed me doubtfully, though she didn’t contradict my words. Laura rejoined us just then, bearing an armful of the small branches she had left to scavenge. We would need light inside. With a quick burst of flare, I lit each of the torches.

Then without further discussion, we descended in a single file into the warren. It was dank, dark, and mouldy inside and large stretches of cobwebs draped the sides of the gently sloping tunnels, further cementing my conviction we were in the right place.

But surprisingly, even after we had advanced a few yards into the warren, no spiders burst out of its depths to defend their home. I had expected us to be assaulted the moment we entered. Yet in the first twenty yards, we encountered no opposition.

What’s going on? I wondered. Something about this doesn’t feel right.

Presently, the entrance tunnel that so far had continued unerringly straight into the earth’s depths with neither twists, turns, nor side tunnels opened out into a large cavern, ten yards in diameter.

As we spread out across it, I spotted three other exits leading deeper into the warren. If we are going to be ambushed, it will be here, I thought. “Be careful—”

I broke off as a flood of Trials messages filled my vision.

You have discovered: a lair. Your skill in lore has advanced to: level 9. Name: Brown Spider Warren. Age: Infancy, less than thirty days old. Designation: Unclaimed. To claim this lair, defeat all its guardians.

Warning: You have entered the Brown Spider Warren with a party of six. The maximum allowed party size for this lair is five. Reduce your party. Time remaining before the warren is destroyed: 2 minutes.

“A lair,” I breathed in awe.

The others were also studying the messages that appeared before them, their expressions confused. “What is a lair?” muttered Tara.

“A lair,” I explained absently while re-reading the Trials messages with avid interest, “is similar to a dungeon, but differs in two notable ways. First off, they usually only contain a single type of creature, and secondly they can be claimed, whereas a dungeon cannot be.”

Silence greeted my words.

I closed the Trials message and turned to face the others. They were staring at me. “How do you know all that?” asked Tara finally.

“I read the Trials Infopedia.”

“Infopedia?” asked John.

I glanced across the five. “None of you are gamers, are you?” Their blank looks were answer enough. It was also clear they didn’t even know of the wiki’s existence. But now was not the time to explain. We didn’t have much time to get organised.

“I’ll tell you about it later. The important thing is that one of us needs to leave.”

But Tara was shaking her head. “No,” she said. “This is more than we bargained for. We all need to leave. We will reassess matters after we’ve reported to the commander.” She swung away, heading towards the entrance.

“Wait, Tara,” I ordered.

She turned around, surprised by the tone of my voice.

“I don’t think you understand what this discovery means,” I said. “A lair can be an incredible resource for the Outpost. If we claim it, the creatures spawned here will belong to the settlement.”

Tara stepped back towards me. “You mean they will be… domesticated?” she asked slowly.

“Something like that,” I replied. “It will take some work to mature the lair to full ally status, but to begin with the spiders from this warren will be neutral to the settlement. And,” I continued, seeing that she was beginning to be swayed, “the longer this lair is left unclaimed the stronger it will grow. At the moment, it’s still young. Now is our best chance of claiming it.”

Tara chewed her lip while she considered my words. It didn’t take her long to decide. “Cass,” she ordered, “you head back to the Outpost. Report directly to the old lady. Tell her what we found and what Jamie has surmised.” She glanced at me. “And make sure Captain Marcus is present when you do.”

I looked questioningly at her.

Tara’s lips curled down. “Like you, Marcus is a gamer,” she said. “He will make sure the commander understands the import of your words.”

So Tara knows I am a gamer, I thought. Yet strangely enough whatever dislike she felt towards gamers didn’t seem to extend to me. But it was not a topic to broach at that moment. Nodding agreeably, I swung back to study our surroundings.

We could not stay in the cavern long. It was too open, and we would be quickly overrun if the spiders assaulted us here. But which of the three exits do we take?

As Cass hurried out of the warren, another Trials message dropped open in my sight.

You party has been reduced to five. Lair run will begin in: 30 seconds.

I frowned as I read the message.

The countdown timer sounded ominous. While my knowledge had seemed to impress the others earlier, what I had told them was nearly the sum total of what I knew of lairs.

Yet the little I did know, pointed to the Trials itself exerting some form of control over a lair’s creatures. Why else had the spiders not attacked us when we entered the warren?

How the Trials achieved its dominance over a lair’s inhabitants, I had no idea, but its latest message also supported the notion. I couldn’t be certain what the Trials meant by a ‘lair run,’ or by the countdown timer, but if I had to guess… I would say we were about to be attacked.

“Tara,” I called. “When that timer runs out, I expect the spiders will swarm in through those three tunnels coming from deeper in the warren.”

“What numbers can we expect?” she asked, seeming to believe my expertise greater than it was.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But the lair is still in its infancy. We likely won’t face too many.”

Tara, thankfully, did not question the vagueness of my response. “Let’s back up into the tunnel we entered from,” she ordered. “Michael, John, plant the torches somewhere in the cavern. We’re going to need the light. Laura, you’re in the rear. Shoot over our heads when they come. John, you’re with me in the front—”

“No, Tara,” I said. “I have to be up front to use flare.”

She hesitated only for a beat. “Alright. John and Michael, you two behind us. Just like in the spear wall, stab over us into the spiders. Try to pin them in place with your spears.”

A chorus of “yes, ma’am” followed Tara’s orders, and we fell quickly into formation, retreating to where the entrance-tunnel fed into the cavern.

Tara and I took up position a few feet inside the tunnel mouth. The narrow opening would hopefully reduce the spiders we faced at any one time to a manageable number. Fastening my shield onto my left arm, I braced myself against Tara, who stood on my right and watched the cavern’s other openings.

My prediction proved correct.

As soon as the timer for the lair run hit zero, a stream of brown swarmed into the cavern from deeper in the warren. The spiders’ shapes were a blur and I couldn’t make out their numbers. Not waiting for Tara’s orders, I infused my mana with lifeblood and cast flare into the onrushing forms as they reached the mouth of our tunnel.

Dragonfire exploded outwards and drenched nearly the entirety of the tunnel.

The spiders were caught unprepared.

Limbs and torsos caught aflame, and eyeballs burst in the sizzling heat. Shrieking in fright, the creatures wheeled about and climbed all over one another in their haste to escape. And as quickly as the tide of brown had surged forward, it rolled back.

Eager to put an end to the spiders’ menace, I stepped forward, palms facing outwards and flames pouring out.

A hand gripped me, holding me back. “Wait,” said Tara. “Don’t be foolish. We will be overrun if we advance into the cavern. Let them come to us.”

She was right. I stepped back into formation and let the flames of my dragonfire die down. Turning my attention back to our foes, I observed the spiders. They had retreated to the far end of the cavern. Dancing along the cavern’s rim, they chittered angrily amongst themselves.

“I make out ten,” Tara said.

“Me too,” said John.

I nodded, agreeing with their assessment. There were more spiders than I’d expected. This could get messy, I thought. Perhaps Tara was right. Perhaps we should have retreated. It was too late for that now though. I was sure the lair creatures would not let us go.

The spiders all sported burns of some sort, but none looked incapacitated. I grimaced. My opening attack had failed to reduce the threat in any meaningful way, and while the creatures appeared afraid to attack again, they also seemed unwilling to let our intrusion go unanswered.

“Laura,” Tara called over her shoulder, “see if you can hit one. Let’s try and provoke the blighters into attacking again.”

“I’ll try,” said Laura doubtfully. “But the way they’re weaving about…”

“Give it your best shot,” Tara said. “Jamie, keep yourself ready.”

I nodded curtly and reformed the construct of dragonfire in my mind.

An arrow sped over my head and crashed into the cavern’s far wall, failing to hit any of its targets. But despite the miss, Laura’s attack spurred the spiders into motion again.

Just not in the way we expected.

Instead of charging towards us in one formless mass, the spiders split into four vectors of brown. Two raced along the left wall, two along the right, two sped straight across the cavern, and the other four… the other four leapt onto the cavern roof and surged towards us upside down.

My eyes widened and I gulped, realising only now why the dimensions of the warren were so odd. Because of course, the spiders didn’t just travel on the ground, the creatures were equally comfortable traversing the walls and roof of their warren.

But despite the unconventional approach of our foes, I reacted quickly. “I’ll handle the ones on the roof!” I shouted. “Keep the others at bay!” Casting flare, I turned my hand upwards.

Dragonfire leapt eagerly from my hands. Strained almost to the limit of my reach, the flames licked the tunnel roof. The incoming spiders attempted to dodge, but their own numbers hampered their efforts.

In a confusing zigzag of motion that failed to steer them clear of the flames path, all four spiders on the roof fell prey to my dragonfire. Well before they reached me or Tara, the creatures lost their perch and fell in a burning mess.

My hands tracked their motion, hoping to catch not just the original four with dragonfire, but the other six that had in the meantime converged on the party.

The spiders proved more cunning than I anticipated. As their burning fellows fell to the ground, the six scattered and scaled the tunnel walls on either side.

I screamed in silent frustration.

I could not target the spiders on the right tunnel wall with flare, not without endangering Tara. Given no other choice, I directed my flames to those on the left wall and the four still writhing on the ground. The rest of the party would have to deal with the three spiders clinging to the right wall.

Dragonfire roared out and scorched rock and spider alike. The three racing along the left wall tried to evade the inferno, but there was nowhere for them to hide, and the only way to run was back. And already, it appeared too late for that.

Trapped squarely within the flames, the spiders caught alight. Near instantly, the sensitive hairs that allowed the creatures to cling to walls, burned to nothingness. The three skittered desperately for purchase, but their fall was inevitable. In a tangled heap, they joined their four burning fellows.

I extended both my arms and focused my dragonfire on the seven curled-up spiders. Some tried to rise and advance once more, but the ongoing damage they sustained was too heavy. With the fate of my foes certain, I glanced to my right to see how the others fared.

They were holding the three spiders at bay—barely.

The creatures seemed wary of the spearmen’s weapons. Dancing along the walls, the spiders feinted forward in attack, but a jab of John’s spear was enough to send them scuttling back.

The reach of Michael and John’s spears served to keep the spiders off the roof and walls, but it did not stop them from rushing Tara. As I watched—helpless to intervene—one of the spiders leapt at the black-haired fighter while the other two menaced her from the ground.

Tara was alive to the danger though. Striking out with her shield, she bashed away the creature with her shield.

Before the dazed spider could recover, Michael surged forward and pinned it with his spear, affording Tara the opportunity to lay into the beast with her club. But with both Michael and Tara momentarily occupied, the other two spiders saw their chance to strike.

With a running leap, both creatures launched themselves through the air. At me.

In horror, I watched the spiders flying towards me. I could not turn my dragonfire upon them—not without releasing the other seven from the flames or hurting Tara.

Tara’s head whipped up, seeming to sense the spiders’ motion. Her club flashed out. She was a fraction too slow though, and the spiders passed by her unharmed.

John, standing tall, thrust downwards with his long spear over me. Relief surged through me as the big man skewered one of the creatures.

But that left the other.

At the last moment, just as the remaining spider crashed into me, I cut off flare and attempted to fend away my attacker with my right arm.

It was not enough.

The nimble creature skittered over my arm too fast to follow, and before I could do aught else, the dog-sized spider wrapped its legs around my shoulders and bit down.

I froze.

In an instant, icy numbness suffused my body and I couldn’t move. My left hand was still extended and locked in position. My eyes stayed staring wide-open, fixed on the scene of the seven charred spiders, still alive, but moving too feebly to be much of a threat anymore. My right hand was unresponsive too.

I am helpless, I despaired.

I swayed as the monster wrapped itself around my neck and dug its claws into me. Sharp pinpricks of pain assailed me. This is bad, I thought inanely. Despite the paralysis, I could still feel everything.

A roar split the air. John, I thought. Next, a shadow flicked across my vision. A thrust spear? Finally, Tara’s club came hurtling down onto the spider—and me. Pain blossomed across my right shoulder, and it felt as my bones there had been crushed.

I didn’t begrudge Tara the injury though. As long as she gets the damned spider off me, I don’t care. The weight on my back lifted. The spider leaping off. Fully unbalanced by the motion, I toppled backwards.

Cool hands on my back slowed my fall. Laura’s. Gratitude swelled up in me.

My companions had rescued me.

✽✽✽

I was a helpless spectator to the rest of the battle, but that didn’t concern me much as the others made short work of the remaining spiders.

By the time my paralysis wore off, all ten spiders were dead and I had gained another level.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 14 Trainee.

I gasped and breathed in deeply as I regained control of my body. “That was not pleasant,” I muttered.

My companions looked up from their labours. Michael and John were piling the corpses together while Tara and Laura kept watch.

“You alright?” Michael asked, walking back to lend me a helping hand up.

“Yeah, thanks,” I said, as I cast lay hands onto myself. Once again, I was the only one who had taken any meaningful damage. This is becoming tiresome, Jamie.

I limped to Tara and Laura’s side. Tara swept her gaze over me, making sure I was alright. “We go on?” she asked, her face betraying no hint of her own feelings on the matter.

I was surprised. Not by the question itself, but that Tara seemed to be leaving the decision to me. I hesitated for a moment before answering, “Yes, this lair is young. Those spiders we killed must be the bulk of the lair’s creatures. There can’t be many more left.”

There couldn’t be, could there?

Tara nodded, her face still expressionless. “Which way, then?” she asked, pointing out the three exits.

I gazed at the tunnels in question. The two on either end were smaller than the one in the middle. “We check all three,” I answered, “but let’s leave the large one for last.”

We set off in a single file down the left tunnel. In short order, the tunnel shrank even further, forcing us to duck our heads and walk bent over.

It left us vulnerable, but it at least meant the spiders could only come at us one at a time. Unless more of the damn creatures are buried underfoot, I thought sourly. To guard against the possibility of that, Tara took the lead and jabbed her spear in the ground as we went.

In the end, no attack came, and the seemingly unfinished side tunnel came to an abrupt end twenty yards in. Relieved not to be forced to fight in such close quarters, we backed out and explored the right tunnel.

It too was empty, and stopped short in a wall of bare soil just a few yards in. More than anything else, the two unfinished tunnels were evidence of how young the lair was. Ten spiders in a warren only days old, I thought, chewing on my lip. What will a fully matured lair look like? And what will it take to claim such a lair?

We returned to the cavern and prepared ourselves. It was in all of our minds that whatever still occupied the warren, likely awaited us in the main tunnel.

✽✽✽

We were five minutes into the main tunnel before we encountered our first branch. A smaller passage opened out on the left.

“Wait up,” said Tara as she drew to a halt across the opening. She tilted her head to the side. “You hear that?”

Quietening my breathing, I listened. A low-pitched hum emanated from the tunnel.

“What is that?” John whispered.

Frowning, I strained my ears. The noise was familiar. It almost sounded like… chittering.

“More spiders,” Laura said, echoing my own thoughts. The others dropped their hands to their weapons, and I readied flare. For a drawn-out moment, we waited.

But when after nearly a minute the expected attack did not materialise, I let the spellform I held in readiness dissipate. The chittering continued unabated.

“We have to go in,” I said.

Tara glanced to me.

“If whatever is in there hasn’t attacked yet, it isn’t likely to, and we can’t wait here all day.”

“Alright, but just you and me,” Tara said. She turned to the others. “You three stay here. If anything comes up the tunnel, shout. And if whatever is in this side passage is too much for us to handle, we will come straight back. Be ready.”

The others nodded and we set off.

The side passage carried on straight for less than five yards before bending sharply to the right. Hearing Tara’s sharp intake of breath as she rounded the corner, I hurried forward to join her but was stopped short—just as she had been—by the sight that greeted me.

The tunnel had opened up into another small chamber that was filled with dozens of hanging cocoons. Below them were scores of little spiders, feeding hungrily on whatever lay within.

It’s a nursery, I realised.

Standing in the centre of chamber, with its forelegs raised in warning, was a single adult spider. It was guarding the young—which explained why it hadn’t attacked yet.

Tara glanced at me, the question on her mind clear in her expression.

To be sure of what we were facing—and what had to be done—I picked out one of the small and helpless looking spiders and cast analyse upon it.

The target is a level 2 brown spiderling. It has no Magic, meagre Resilience, is gifted with Might, and has low Craft.

“We have to burn them out,” I said grimly.

Tara opened her mouth to protest, but I forestalled her. “If we don’t, we can’t claim the lair, and,” I added, pointing to the spiderlings, “they may not look like much now, but in a few days or weeks’ time they will be fully grown. What happens after that? With hundreds of the brown spiders running around, the foothills will be closed to the Outpost for a long time to come.”

Tara closed her mouth and nodded reluctantly. “How do we do it?”

“Get behind me,” I said. After Tara moved into position, I hefted the torch I still carried and flung it into the room.

The flaming stick fell amongst the webbed cocoons and set them alight. And though the fire spread neither fast enough nor hot enough to burn the room’s occupants, the spiders didn’t know that. In a flood of brown, they fled the only way they could—directly towards us and my waiting dragonfire.

It was over in seconds.

The spiderlings crisped into near nothingness almost instantly. Only the nursery’s guard—the sole adult spider— threatened to put up any sort of fight, but even it failed to reach me through the scorching flames.

When the deed was done, more than two hundred small carcasses littered the ground, and I gained another level.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 15 Trainee.

In disgust, I dismissed the Trials message. The spiders may have proven themselves hostile, yet the killing I had done in this room still left a foul taste in my mouth.

Without a backward glance, I swung around and left. Wordlessly, Tara followed on my heels.

The others seemed to sense our mood when we rejoined them and silently fell into position. As we made our way deeper into the lair, I hoped that whatever else we encountered in the warren was nothing like what we had found in the nursery.

Chapter 26

390 days until the Arkon Shield falls

I got my wish, but not in the way I had hoped.

Ten minutes after leaving the nursery, the five of us were stretched out flat on a ledge and staring down on what was without a doubt our last obstacle to claiming the warren.

The central tunnel had continued its arrowlike path for another hundred yards before abruptly ending onto a ledge overlooking an enormous cavern. Its gaping emptiness of space dwarfed the other stone chambers we had traversed. Flat on our stomachs, it had taken us a few minutes to carefully work our way to the ledge’s edge.

Our abundance of caution was not unwarranted.

There was a single occupant in the cavern. A creature from our worst nightmares—a mammoth spider.

I cast analyse on the monster again, in the futile hope of somehow having misinterpreted its information the first time.

The target is a level 50 brown spider queen. It has meagre Magic, mediocre Resilience, exceptional Might, and low Craft.

The queen appeared asleep and seemed unaware of us looking down on her from above. She was as large as a house—if not bigger. Each of her hairy brown limbs was twice as large as me, and her flat torso would have made a good-sized chamber, one that all five of us could have occupied comfortably.

She looked impossible to defeat.

We must find a way. Somehow. The warren couldn’t be secured without the queen’s death and it was crucial we claimed it—for more than just the Outpost’s sake.

Everything I had told Tara earlier was true: if the warren was left unclaimed it would get stronger, and the number of brown spiders in the region would multiply.

Yet that hadn’t been the whole truth.

Claiming the lair, I was sure would also yield other benefits. A lair was not a dungeon, but I was betting—or hoping—that the Trials would reward us with Traits for being the first to clear the warren.

I couldn’t walk away, no matter how difficult the task appeared. This is what you wanted, I told myself. This is what you need to get stronger. I had to take the risk. We had to face the queen in battle. But how do we kill her?

No matter how desperately I wished to slay the creature, it would do me no good if I could not come up with a viable plan. My thoughts raced.

Tara tapped me on the shoulder. Silently, she motioned me and the others back.

I grimaced, not wanting to go, but we couldn’t talk here, and an idea had already started to take shape in my mind. It was a madcap plan to be sure, yet with the others’ help, I was certain it could be made workable.

Tara led us back up the main tunnel, all the way to the nursery before stopping. “Alright, people, what the hell was that?”

Although she addressed the question to the party at large, it was to me she looked. “That,” I said slowly, “was the lair boss.”

Her forehead furrowed. “Boss?”

“The last obstacle to us claiming the warren,” I said, trying to explain the queen’s nature in the best possible light. I paused, then added reluctantly, “The queen is also likely to be more difficult to overcome than the rest of the lair put together.”

Tara snorted. “As if I couldn’t tell that already,” she said. She shook her head. “Alright, pack it in, people. It’s time to get moving. We’ve come as far as we can.” She began walking up the tunnel. “Let’s go report what we’ve found to the old lady.”

The others followed on her heels. I didn’t move. “Tara, wait,” I called.

She turned around and seemed to read my intentions from my expression. “I don’t care what you say,” she said, her lips thinning. “There is no way we are fighting that thing.”

I was silent for a long moment. “I think there’s a way to kill her.”

Laura laughed, assuming I was joking. But her amusement faded when no one else joined in. “He is kidding, isn’t he?” she asked Michael in a low voice.

Michael chuckled. “Somehow, I don’t think so. He is batshit crazy, that one.” I winced at the spearman’s description of me, but didn’t take my eyes off Tara.

The green-eyed captain likewise ignored the two. “No,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.

“Hear me out first,” I pleaded.

“Did you not see it has magic?”

“I did. But I’m sure we can handle it.”

Her foot began tapping. “Whatever hairbrained scheme you have up your sleeve, Jamie, I don’t want to hear it. I will not let whatever madness drives you endanger all our lives. We—”

“I don’t need help,” I said abruptly, cutting off her tirade.

Tara’s mouth closed with a snap.

“I will tackle the queen on my own.” It would make things more difficult—nearly impossible, if I was being honest with myself—but Tara appeared adamant in her refusal and I would not walk away.

John chuckled. “And how are you going to do that, lad? That beastie there will swallow you in three bites or less.”

I turned to face the lieutenant. “You’re forgetting how I held back the murluks the first day, John. Thirty seconds,” I said, glancing at Tara. “For thirty seconds, I can ignore everything the queen will throw at me. That is time enough to kill her.”

A hush fell over my companions, and when it was broken, it was by John, not Tara. “You seriously think you can do this?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, letting no hint of doubt colour my voice. “I’m not suicidal,” I added a moment later.

John guffawed. “Oh, but you are, my lad, you are. No man in his right mind will attempt what you are contemplating. But,” he said, shaking his head, “if you really want to do this, alright.”

Tara switched her glare from me to John. The big man folded his arms and did not back down.

“The boy has proven himself thrice over, Tara,” he said quietly. “If he thinks he can do this, I believe him.”

Tara’s mouth worked without saying anything, and she looked like she wanted to dispute the lieutenant’s words but remarkably, she gave way before his stead gaze. “Alright,” she said, swinging round on me again, “but I want to hear your plan before we begin.”

✽✽✽

I spent the next two hours recovering and eating. Even though my mana pool had been about half-full, I didn’t fancy taking any unnecessary chances.

“I am not suicidal,” I muttered. Despite the seeming impossibility of the task, I truly did believe the spider queen could be slain. Yet… I worried about her magic. Not that I could tell Tara that.

The only other magic user I had seen in action was the orc shaman back on Earth, and if the queen’s magic was anything like his, then I was surely doomed.

No, don’t think like that, I admonished myself. I couldn’t afford to let pessimism affect my thinking. If the battle looked unwinnable, I would retreat. Large as she was, there was no way the queen could pursue us once we escaped her cavern.

As long as I make the decision to retreat early enough, I will be fine, I assured myself. Gazing inwards, I checked my reserves of energy. My stamina was fully restored and my mana about three-quarters full. Right, time to do this. I stood up.

“I’m ready,” I said.

The others looked up from where they waited. Walking over, they clasped my hand in encouragement. “Good luck, fish,” Michael said as he handed over his spear.

I nodded my thanks to the spearman, then turned to Tara who looked like she had something to say.

“Are you sure about this, Jamie?” the green-eyed captain asked, her face solemn.

“I have to do this,” I said. “For the Outpost.” And Mum.

She weighed my words. Then seemingly satisfied, swung around without a word and led the others a few paces off.

I watched Tara for a moment before turning around to face the ledge. This was it. Stretching out flat on the tunnel floor, and with the spear in my right hand, I crawled the last few yards to the ledge.

The plan called for the others to hang back for a minute before following. They had strict orders not to interfere until then. I could only hope they’d listen.

As a I reached the ledge’s edge, a Trials message floated into view.

Your skill in sneaking has advanced to: level 1.

How nice, another Discipline, I thought, smiling wryly. Moving with deliberate care, I peered down into the cavern. The queen remained in the same position we had last seen her.

I exhaled in relief. Good. There was no need to change the plan. Rising silently to my feet, I took a few controlled breaths to clear my mind. I was ready. I hefted the long spear and held it over my head in a two-handed grip.

Then I leapt.

I plummeted straight down. Widening my eyes to stop them closing shut from the air rushing by, I kept my eyes fixed on my target.

Mid-fall, I activated invincible.

Near instantly, weaves erupted outwards and a second skin of spirit shrouded my body. I waited a heartbeat longer. Then, almost at the end of my ten-foot-long plunge, I drove the spear downwards.

As planned, its point made contact first.

Given impetus by both gravity and my strength, the long spear plunged deep into the spider queen’s thorax. With an audible crack, the spear tip broke through the monster’s protective exoskeleton and kept going—until more than half its length was lodged in the gargantuan creature.

A second later, I landed.

Crashing into the spider queen’s ridged exoskeleton, I bounced off, and if not for my white-knuckled grip on the spear’s shaft I would have been flung off altogether. But I had been prepared for the violence of the impact and hung on. Barely.

An angry scream tore through the chamber.

Wincing—invincible did nothing to stop the sound from penetrating—I fought the impulse to slap my hands to my ears.

The wisdom of that decision showed itself a moment later as the behemoth under me erupted into life. Kicking her legs into motion, the spider queen spun about in a mad blur as she searched for her attacker.

My body was flung aloft.

Again, if not for the spear keeping me anchored, I would have been tossed aside by the agitated queen’s twirling. With grim determination, I tightened my grip and prepared to ride out the storm. But after a few seconds, when the monster did not stop her crazed motion, I began to worry.

“Goddamn,” I growled between gritted teeth, “when is she going to stop?”

With shocking abruptness, the spider queen stilled.

As soft as my voice had been, she had heard me. Realising I had only a short window to affect the next stage of my plan, I yanked out the long spear.

It came free easily—until the spearpoint caught on the broken edges of the queen’s exoskeleton. Growling in frustration, I tugged at the weapon again. Any moment now, I expected the queen to burst into motion.

Fortune was finally with me, and on my second pull, the spear broke free. I gasped in relief—then without hesitation I plunged my right hand into the queen. Ignoring the slimy feel of the creature’s innards, I shoved my arm as far as it would go, right up to my shoulder.

The monster beneath me trembled.

She was about to spin into motion again. Pressing my body flat against the queen’s, I wrapped my left arm around one of the many deep ridges lining her thorax.

Then, holding my spreadeagled position, I cast flare.

Predictably, that set the queen off again. Her shriek shook the cavern. A moment later, the beast burst into motion. This time, she dashed headfirst into the nearest cavern wall.

She’s figured out where I am.

In a shower of loose rock and earth-shaking tremors, we impacted with the cavern wall. I winced as my left arm lost purchase and I was flung about. But my right hand stayed firmly in place and dragonfire continued to pour from it and into the queen.

Anxiously, I checked my health—and nearly crowed in exultation as I noticed it remained full.

I was right!

Invincible really did protect me from everything, including the health drain of my own flare. How, I wasn’t sure—after all, I myself was the source of the damage—but I had placed my trust in the Technique.

Still, it had been something of a gamble, and up until this point, I hadn’t been certain it would actually work as I hoped. I have a real chance of succeeding now, I thought.

The queen reoriented herself. Using the momentary respite, I refastened my left hand around her body. Then she set off again, charging towards the opposite wall.

She is trying to dislodge me.

Once more, we slammed with bone-crushing impact into hard rock. Again, I held on.

Despite the dizzying changes of direction and nausea-inducing deacceleration, I was pleased by the tactics the monster had chosen. The queen may not have realised it, but with her repeated attempts at bulldozing, she was harming only herself.

I was protected by invincible. She not. And ever so slowly—more through her own efforts than mine—the queen’s health drained away.

The behemoth spun about and charged once more. I braced myself for impact with the far wall again. But two steps into her headlong rush, the spider queen surprised me. She shot out threads from the spinnerets in her abdomen and anchored them to the cavern roof. Retracting the cord of glittering silk, she hoisted herself aloft.

On the way up, I caught a glimpse of the party staring up from the ledge, awe and fear on their faces. They shouldn’t be there, I thought. Not yet. Why aren’t they following the plan?

Further thoughts of the party fled as the queen began her mad dance once more. Running upside down along the roof’s surface, the spider spun about in a circle. Once. Twice. The queen’s attempts left me dizzy and shaken, but tenaciously I clung on.

She isn’t going to get rid of me like this.

Almost as if in response to my thought, the fine hairs coating the queen’s body retracted.

I frowned. What’s she up to now?

The spider queen stilled. Then dropped.

Clever, I thought, realising what she was attempting. It wouldn’t work of course. But then, the beast didn’t know that.

We plunged to the cavern floor and landed in another bone-jarring collision. Darkness followed as the queen’s body crashed down on me. If not for invincible, the impact surely would have been fatal.

Instead, I was alive and still pouring dragonfire into the crazed creature trying to kill me. I flicked my eyes inwards and queried my Trials core. I still had more than ten seconds left on invincible. And the spider queen had to be close to death by now.

This was a much easier fight than I expected. I smiled in satisfaction. Soon it will be over.

A moment went by, then another, and still the queen did not move.

Sickening dread coiled in the pit of my stomach as an unwelcome thought intruded. Is she trying to suffocate me? What happens if I am still stuck under her when invincible runs out?

The queen moved and relief gushed through me. The fall probably dazed her. Surging upwards, the behemoth regained her feet. In preparation of her next wild manoeuvre, no doubt.

I didn’t care though. Whatever the queen did now would not change the course of the battle. I had survived the worst the beast could throw at me. This fight is won, I thought.

A moment later, the monster proved how wrong I was.

The queen did not fly into motion as I’d expected. Instead, she remained locked in stillness while motes of dancing green rose from within her. Starting at her feet, they rippled upwards to suffuse her entire being.

I gulped. The queen had called upon her magic.

It did not take me long to figure out the intent of her spellcasting either. As I watched, the many cuts and abrasions covering the monster’s body began to close over.

Damn it, she is healing herself.

In my magesight, what had started as a slow dribble turned into a raging torrent as more emerald motes spun out of the beast and rushed to the source of her injuries. The queen’s spell had to be some sort of rapid regeneration. Would it heal her fully?

If it did, the battle was lost.

I queried my Trials core again. I had only a few seconds left on invincible. Was it time to cut my losses and flee? I glanced up. The ledge and safety were too far away. With my crippled foot slowing me down, I wouldn’t make it.

Alright, Jamie, you’re going to have to see this through.

The queen broke her stillness and moved again. To my immense relief, the motion also signalled the end of her spell, and the dancing motes vanished.

But instead of spinning into motion as I’d anticipated, the monster’s limbs began to tremble and heave, and large clods of dirt started to fly upwards. She was digging, I realised.

Why is she digging?

Stuck in the middle of the spider’s back, I was blind to her purpose, but I didn’t dare leave my position to check.

Whatever she is doing, I can’t let her finish.

My gaze darted to where my hands were fastened to her. Dragonfire continued to pour out unbated from both my palms.

The beast’s healing spell had not completely reversed all the damage I had inflicted, especially not where my flames burned the hottest. I could only imagine the damage my right hand—still plunged in the queen’s innards—was doing, but the damage from my left hand was clear to see.

Where it met the queen’s skin, the hardened carapace had become brittle and cracked from prolonged contact with dragonfire. It looks weak enough to smash through.

I didn’t hesitate. Closing my hand into a fist, I smashed down. More easily than I’d expected, my arm plunged through.

The queen shuddered. She had felt that. But she didn’t stop digging. With both my hands plunged into the queen, I hoped that flare would inflict even greater damage.

The beast couldn’t sustain much more of this. Surely, she couldn’t. But I failed to convince myself, and my niggling worry grew.

What is she doing?

The protective spirit shroud around me flickered and died as invincible expired. I had been expecting it, but still… the vulnerability of my position suddenly seemed more real.

My own health began to drain. It’s you or her now.

The moments ticked by, and the queen’s furious scramble at the dirt did not abate. More worryingly, the creature didn’t appear any closer to expiring.

I looked up, and with a start saw that the queen—and I—had already sunk below the surface of the cavern’s floor.

Just how fast could the queen shovel dirt? And what was the meaning of all this digging? Was she trying to escape?

Dirt fell onto my head. I spat out the gritty grains of sand. The queen’s hole was deep enough now that much of the upturned soil fell back in. Ducking my head against the falling shower of brown, I kept pouring flames into her.

As quickly as she’d begun, the queen stopped her frantic motion. At the sudden silence, I picked up my head. The queen was spinning out silk strands in all directions—dozens of them—to the edges of the hole she had dug, and across.

My brows furrowed. She is cocooning herself. Why, though?

A second later, the entire expanse of space above was covered by glistening silver cloth that sagged gently down from the edges. Then the queen began to pulse.

Now what?

Blue throbs of light emanated from her core and rippled out in a wave. What the—? The light reached the boundary of the creature’s skin and flowed along it. I glanced downwards as the blue glow passed under my body.

I recoiled in fear. Was this another attempt to get rid of me? But my panic abated just as quickly. In the wake of the spell, I was unaffected.

Yet the queen’s skin changed. Hardened.

Whatever spell the queen was using, it was transforming her. Before my eyes, dull brown carapace was turning into cold grey stone.

A stone that looked disturbingly impervious to fire.

I glanced down at my hands embedded in the queen. Were her insides turning to stone too? And would the spell make her immune to flare?

The urge to flee grew. The spider queen’s cunning was greater than I expected. I’ve lost, I realised. Maybe I can still escape.

But before I could withdraw my hands, the last thing I expected happened.

With a last, forlorn sigh, the queen’s body crumpled inwards. For a second, I could only stare uncomprehendingly.

She’s dead.

I couldn’t believe it. But that could be the only explanation. Whatever spell the queen had been attempting, she had begun its casting too late. On the brink of disaster, I had won.

Pulling out my hands from the corpse, I rose shakily to my feet. Beneath me, the behemoth’s lifeless form remained still and unmoving. It finally sank in.

I had done it. I had really done it. I had won.

I opened my mouth to roar out my triumph to the party, but staggered and nearly fell as an avalanche of Trials alerts crashed through my vision.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 18 Trainee.

Your spellpower has increased to: level 8.

You are the first human player to have slain a creature champion on your own. Creature champions are monsters that have evolved to assume command of their brethren. For managing this task without the aid of your companions, you have earned the Feat: Lone Slayer, rank 1.

At rank 1, Lone Slayer provides you with the slayer’s boon, and tenacious Techniques.

Slayer’s boon: When fighting a creature champion on your own, you are blessed with an aura that increases your damage by: 2%.

Tenacious: When fighting a creature champion on your own, you are blessed with an aura that reduces the damage you take by: 2%.

Your party has vanquished the lair’s occupants. Find the lair core, and claim ownership of the warren. Your party is the first to have vanquished this lair. For this achievement, you have been awarded the Trait: Spider’s Blood.

Trait: Spider’s Blood. Rank: 1, common. This Trait increases your resistance to all toxins by: 10%.

Your party is only the seventh human party to clear a lair. This achievement has earned you the Feat: Lair Hunter, rank 1.

At rank 1, Lair Hunter provides you with the lair sense Technique. Lair sense: You become aware of any lair within 10 yards of your location.

Stupefied, I sat back down on the queen in shock. Well, you wanted rewards, Jamie. Now you have it.

“Three levels, two Feats and a Trait,” I murmured. It was much more than I’d expected, yet I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed. I had not been given what I had hope for: a Trait that granted more Attributes.

You can always try finding another dungeon or lair.

I doubled over, overcome by mirth. Not even I was that crazy. My laughter faded as I gave the matter serious thought. Well… perhaps I am.

Lying backwards, I stared upwards while I considered the possibilities.

“Jamie! Jamie! Where are you?” shouted Tara.

“Down here with the queen,” I called.

Casting lay hands, I healed myself before wearily standing again. I couldn’t see the others. From the sounds of their voices I could tell they had climbed down the ledge and were in the cavern, but the sagging mass of silk overhead blocked my view. Tentatively, I poked at the cocoon, which at its lowest point hung less than a foot above my head.

“How do we get through this stuff, Jamie?” John shouted from the edge of the hole. “My spear can’t pierce it.”

“Give me a second,” I said. Stepping gingerly across the queen’s corpse, I made my way to the hole’s rim. “Stand back, I’m going to try burning my way through.”

Casting flare again, I set my hands to the silk. The coils of silver gave way immediately. Tara and John’s worried faces peered through the ragged hole I had created.

“You alright, Jamie?” Tara asked.

“I’ll live,” I said with a chuckle, grasping the arm John shoved at me. The big man pulled me out with little effort. “Thanks, John,” I said, dusting away clinging bits of web.

“I can’t believe you did it, you bugger,” he remarked.

I gave him a lopsided grin. “Me neither.”

Tara gazed down the hole again. “What was the queen doing, there at the end?” she asked. “We saw blue light streaming outwards.”

“I’m honestly not sure,” I replied. “It seemed as if she was trying to encase herself in some sort of protective shell.”

“Well it doesn’t matter now, whatever it was,” said John, clapping me on the shoulder. “The lair is ours!”

“Not yet,” I said, shaking my head. “We still have to find the lair core.”

“This must be it,” said Laura from behind.

I turned around to see the hunter and Michael walking up to join us. Laura was holding an egg-shaped object with a luminous blue sheen.

“The moment I touched it, I got a message from the Trials,” she said. “It asked if I wanted to claim the lair.” She smiled. “But it didn’t seem right for me to. That honour belongs to you.” She held out the lair core to me.

I glanced at John and Tara. “Go on, take it,” Tara said.

I nodded and took the glowing egg from Laura.

You have acquired: A Brown Spider Warren lair core. If unclaimed, the warren and core will be destroyed in: 1 hour. Do you wish to claim the lair and become its settlement liaison?

Warning: You are not a resident of any settlement. Lairs can only be owned by a settlement. To retain this lair after claiming it, you must become a settlement resident within: 4 days.

I studied the Trials’ message quizzically. “Did you receive the warning too?” I asked Laura.

She nodded.

I pursed my lips as I considered the implications. I hadn’t known it was necessary to be a resident of a settlement to claim a lair, but that only made the need to establish the Outpost more urgent. And then there was the part about being a ‘settlement liaison.’ I turned the core over in my hands, hesitating.

“What’s wrong?” asked Tara.

I shoved the core into her hands. “You do it.”

She looked at me blankly. “Why?”

I shook my head, not wanting to explain. What I didn’t say was that I hadn’t made up my mind about becoming a resident of the Outpost. I knew from the Infopedia that residency—like citizenship—was no simple matter.

Becoming a resident bound a player directly to a settlement and its leadership, and I didn’t know Jolin well enough to be comfortable placing myself under her thumb.

Breaking any binding or oath of service in the Trials always came at a cost. Joining and leaving settlements were not something one did arbitrarily. There were consequences.

What the exact consequences would be for the Outpost, I didn’t know. Each settlement was different. But it didn’t seem wise to take the risk just yet.

Better not to be bound in the first place…

As I continued to hold the core out insistently, Tara took it. “Alright,” she said. Closing her eyes, she interacted with the core.

I watched with keen interest. A few seconds later the core disappeared from Tara’s hands and she opened her eyes. “What happened?” I asked.

“It’s done,” Tara replied. “The core has returned to its place in the lair.” She looked at me. “And in four days, if we still haven’t formed the Outpost into a settlement, or if the core is found and claimed by another, we will lose ownership of the lair.”

John looked thoughtful. “The commander will have to post a guard here.”

I nodded, then glanced at Tara. She was still gazing inwards. “Something wrong, Tara?”

“I got a new Trait,” she said, surprise colouring her voice.

I bit back a spurt of envy. “Oh?” I asked.

“Spider Captain,” replied Tara, her eyes unseeing as she read the Trait description. “The Trait changes the attitude of all brown spiders towards me—whether of this lair or not—to neutral.”

“Wow,” said Michael. “That’s useful.”

I nodded. It certainly was. And Tara deserved it. I looked down on the queen’s corpse and the wealth of silk spun across the hole.

“Now,” I murmured, “how do we take all this back with us?”

Chapter 27

390 days until the Arkon Shield falls

4 days until the Warren is destroyed

There was no way to remove the queen’s body from the lair without cutting it up, and none of the bladed weapons we had were suitable for the task.

After burning free the silk cloth covering the hole, I ended up climbing back down and using flare to burn off the queen’s body into smaller parts. The spell the queen had attempted in her dying moments had dissipated with her death, and while my task was back-breaking, it was not inordinately difficult.

It was gruesome and bloody work, but necessary. The Outpost desperately needed resources. The queen’s hardened carapace hide alone was worth the effort, and that wasn’t even counting the silk and other toxins we harvested from her corpse. By the end, I and Michael—my assistant—were drenched in ichor and gore.

It had taken hours, but finally we were done. I looked down ruefully at my blood-soaked clothes and armour. I would never wear any of it again, I knew. Our grisly work, however, was not without benefits.

You have uncovered a brown spider queen’s Technique: paralysing bite. Your skill in anatomy has advanced to: level 3.

You have uncovered a brown spider queen’s Technique: transformation chrysalis. Your skill in anatomy has advanced to: level 4.

You have the discovered a: champion core. The special properties of this item are: unknown. Your lore skill is insufficient.

Transformation chrysalis? I thought, eyeing the Trials message speculatively. So that was what the queen was trying to do. But transform into what? I suspected it was a good thing that we never got to find out.

I looked down at the object in my hands. The champion core was no larger than my fist, and after being scrubbed clean it resembled a large diamond. It looked quite unlike the lair’s own core. I turned over the crystallised object in my hands. I had not seen any mention of champion cores in the wiki and hadn’t even known they existed.

I pursed my lips in thought. While I didn’t know what purpose the cores served, I could guess. The Trials had to have a means of controlling both lairs and their ‘bosses.’ Looking down at the core I held, I thought I had figured out how it was done.

I shivered as another unpleasant thought occurred.

Was the Trials core in my head similar too? Could I also be controlled by the Trials? I didn’t think so. I could see no reason the Trials would want to control players, not after going through all the trouble of giving them such freedom of choice. But I can’t be certain, I thought, disturbed anew.

Raised voices—lots of them—caught my attention. I stilled, listening intently. Tara, John, and Laura were in tunnels above, transferring our spoils to the sleds outside. It seemed like the three had company. Friendly company, by the sounds of it.

“This way,” I heard Tara say. “They’re back here.”

“I still can’t believe you managed to clear the lair,” replied whoever accompanied her. “They are supposed to be—” The voice broke off and fell into a stunned silence.

“Good God, what is that?” asked another.

Looking up, I saw a blonde head had appeared over the hole. It was Captain Marcus. I smiled. The commander had finally sent help.

✽✽✽

Marcus had two dozen players with him and, thankfully, many more sleds. There was no way we could have transported everything we’d harvested from the warren back to the Outpost without them.

We managed to get all the sleds loaded and moving before nightfall. Four men—miserable about drawing the short straw—were left behind to guard the lair.

I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. They would be the first players from the Outpost to spend a night outside the camp, and the four were clearly afraid. But both Marcus and Tara were certain the men would be safe within the lair. I wasn’t so sure, but I couldn’t argue with the need to guard the area.

After scraping off the worst of the filth and grime covering my armour, I took a last long look at the queen’s cavern. It turned out that the queen had not been lying idle all the time she was in the cavern. She had been laying eggs.

In small, neatly dug shafts beneath the original spot the queen had been occupying, Laura and the others found thousands of glistening, pale-yellow orbs.

Many were still unbroken. Marcus and I had both agreed it was best to leave them undisturbed, in the hope that once the Outpost’s claim to the warren was cemented, the new-born spiders would be friendly, or better yet—allies.

✽✽✽

The journey back to the Outpost felt much longer than the one to reach the lair.

Marcus just would not stop talking.

It turned out that the blonde captain was one of the enthusiastic gamers who had entered Overworld early on. Even though he had known of the existence of the Trials Infopedia, Marcus hadn’t taken the time to study it. Choosing instead to be a pioneer, he had placed his trust in his ability as a ‘pro gamer’—his term, not mine—to figure things out as he went along.

To his credit, Marcus had since come to regret that decision, and after arriving on Overworld he’d searched out and interrogated all those in the Outpost who had read the Infopedia.

In this case, me.

Marcus seemed to believe he had struck gold in finding me. It seemed no one else in the Outpost had studied the wiki to the extent I had. Over the course of our two-hour trip back to camp, the slim captain did his best to wring out every useful piece of information from me that he could.

While I was happy to share what I knew, Marcus’ questions were tiresome. Finally, as we crossed the open trenches of the Outpost, I pleaded exhaustion and fled.

I saw that the others were splitting up. Each was likely heading to their own tent or chores. My gaze caught and rested on Laura. I had not forgotten about my wider plans, and I realised the hunters were the ones most suited to aid me.

I called out to the red-haired woman before she disappeared. “Laura, can you hold up a sec.” She paused in her steps and swung around to face me. I limped to her side. “I meant to ask you earlier, but didn’t get a chance: how much of the surrounding area have you and the other hunters scouted?”

Laura looked surprised by the question, but answered all the same. “To the east and south, we have explored everything within a day’s journey. To the north, our scouting ended at the foothills. And no one has been foolish enough to attempt crossing the river to the west yet.” She gave me a quizzical look. “Why?”

“The proximity of the warren to the Outpost has made me wonder about the positioning of the gate exit locations. Perhaps they aren’t random after all. Perhaps each is carefully chosen by the Trials and the area around appropriately seeded. If we found one resource nearby, there may be others close by too.”

Laura nodded, following my reasoning. “What are you looking for?”

“An obelisk structure,” I answered promptly. “Made of obsidian, about twenty feet tall, and covered in glowing runes. It should be impossible to miss.”

“From your description, it certainly sounds that way,” Laura agreed. “What is it?”

“The entrance to a dungeon,” I said. Most dungeons in Overworld were supposedly clearly marked and easy to find—deliberately so. There were hidden ones as well, disguised in the far reaches of the Dominions, but I couldn’t expect to find any of those, not yet.

“Hmm,” said Laura. “I won’t pretend to know what that is, and I haven’t come across anything like you’ve described myself, but…” She looked away, frowning in thought. “I do remember one of the other scouts mentioning an artefact like that.” Laura turned back to me. “Let me ask around.”

“Thanks,” I said. “And please, let me know the moment you find out anything. It’s important.”

She nodded agreeably before walking off.

Tara caught up to me. Watching Laura’s disappearing figure, she asked, “What was that about?”

I shrugged. “A hunch. There may be other resources nearby that we can exploit. I’ve asked Laura to find out what she can.”

Tara stared at me. “Our experience in the young warren was bad enough. Please tell me you’re not hoping to find another lair?”

I remained silent. A dungeon, I imagined, would be an even harder challenger than the Brown Spider Warren. But I didn’t think now was the time to tell Tara that.

Tara’s expression twisted, seeming to take my silence to mean she had guessed right. But she let the matter lie, doing no more than shaking her head at my folly before turning to other concerns. “Anyhow, I came to tell you the commander’s conference starts in an hour.” She wrinkled her nose. “You should take the time to clean up before then. I’ll have someone bring fresh clothes to your tent.”

I looked at her in surprise. The skies had darkened and night had fully fallen. “Oh?” I said. “I thought we would have missed it. Wasn’t it supposed to have happened in the afternoon?”

“The old lady postponed proceedings when Cass brought news of our find to her.” She fixed me with a mock glare. “You’ve already delayed the meeting once. Try not to be late the second time too.”

✽✽✽

Before heading to my tent, I stopped by the temple.

The day’s venture had been wildly profitable. Aside from the spoils, Traits, and Feats I had earned, I had also advanced six player levels—far more than I had expected.

I knew my quick return would not please my temple guide, but there was no helping that. I maintained my earlier conservative approach and spent my Marks and Tokens only where essential. It kept my time in the temple to a minimum, but sadly this didn’t lessen Aurora’s ire as much as I hoped.

As I limped out of the temple, I read and dismissed the Trials message confirming my changes.

Your constitution, vigour, and channelling have increased to: level 18.

Your skill in dragon and life magic has advanced to: level 18.

Marks remaining: 14. Tokens remaining: 141.

I frowned. Keeping three different Attributes maxed was fast draining my surplus of Marks.

I had to find another source of Marks soon, and not just to keep my health, mana, and constitution increasing, but also to invest in my other much-ignored Attributes.

A problem for another day, Jamie, I told myself as I entered the camp.

After I reached my tent, I bathed quickly. Tara, bless her, had managed to get a tub hauled to my tent. It was a cold bath, but still a far greater luxury than I expected. After changing into my new clothes, I hurried to the commander’s tent.

I was still late.

Outside, I found Tara. The black-haired captain didn’t look pleased. Her foot was tapping impatiently. “Finally!” she said. “I was just about to send someone looking for you. Come on in. They’re waiting.”

She ducked inside and I followed her without protest.

The tent was crowded. Besides Jolin, Petrov, and Marcus, there were four others present: two men and two women. The strangers did not wear armour, which I took to mean they were non-combatants—crafters.

The commander’s gaze flicked our way. “Good, we’re all here now. Tara, Jamie, have a seat please. I will spare us all the introductions. We have much to go through tonight.” Her eyes rested on me briefly. “Doubly so after Jamie’s latest adventure.”

In the midst of taking my seat, I paused. Jolin’s glance had been indecipherable. Yet there had seemed to be a hint of something—concern perhaps?—to her scrutiny. I shot my own look at Tara, wondering what she had included in her report to the old lady. Probably everything.

“Before we dive into the details,” the commander continued, “Petrov, please present your report on the state of our defences.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Petrov, his voice a dull rumble. “Our forces stand at one thousand, two hundred and sixty-five. Two hundred and thirty-two are experienced fighters above level twenty, about six hundred are new fish below level ten, and the remainder fall somewhere in between.”

I winced at the numbers. About half the commander’s fighting force were raw recruits. For those ratios to hold true, the Outpost’s daily losses had to be high.

“How many new arrivals did we get today?” asked one of the male crafters.

Petrov consulted his notes. “Eighty-two that survived.”

A blond woman gasped. “Why so few? That’s a sharp drop in numbers. Were our losses from this morning’s river battle that bad?”

Petrov shook his head. “The reverse, actually,” he said, darting a look in my direction. “Thanks to our mage, the murluks barely scratched us today.”

“Why the drop, then?” asked a brown-haired man, his tone tinged with worry. “And what do we do about it? Without a steady supply of recruits from Earth, we’re doomed. We all know that.”

The other crafters jerked their heads in agreement.

Petrov opened his mouth to reply, but the commander waved him to silence. “The numbers of new players entering from Earth has been dropping steadily,” she said, fielding the question herself. “We have known it for some time now.” Her expression turned grim. “I expect the numbers to drop even further over the next few days. There is nothing we can do to control who enters the gate and when. We must assume the worst.” She held each of her subordinate’s eyes in turn. “I expect all of you to plan accordingly.”

Silence fell in the wake of Jolin’s pronouncement. The commander let it draw out for a moment before continuing, “Thank, you, Petrov. Marcus, proceed with your report please.”

The slim and neatly attired captain stood up. “Our complement of hunters and scouts stand at sixty-five.” His lips thinned. “We lost four more in the forest today. As near as the recovery teams could tell, both pairs of scouts were killed by a four-footed predator. This is the third loss we have suffered in the forest in as many days. The same creatures seem to be responsible in all the cases.” He paused. “But we can’t be certain. No one has caught sight of the beast yet.”

No one living, he meant. I shivered. To my mind, the forest sounded a lot worse than the foothills. I was doubly glad my own party had headed north today.

Marcus’ eyes roved across the assembled men and women. “Once more, please urge your people to volunteer for scout duty. I know many are afraid to venture beyond the safety of the camp, but we need more scouts.”

Marcus was openly pleading with his fellows now, the desperation in his voice undisguised. The others shifted uncomfortably and looked away. “Please,” he went on, “we can’t secure the region otherwise.”

Jolin laid a hand on Marcus and the captain breathed in deeply to calm himself. “On a more promising note,” he continued, “the foothills to the north have been cleared.” He nodded in the direction of Tara and me. “I’m sure Tara will have more to add on that later.” He sat back down.

“Thank you, Marcus,” the commander said. “The scouting situation is grave. Please heed Marcus’ call, people.” She turned to the first of the crafters. “Soren, your report, please.”

The brown-haired man stood. He was sturdily built and had large, calloused hands. “Work on the palisade is progressing steadily,” Soren began without preamble. He nodded to the three captains. “With the soldiers stopping the murluks from destroying our earthworks, construction on the west-facing wall has advanced smoothly. I expect the first phase of the riverside palisade to be completed tomorrow.”

A sigh of relief ran through the tent.

“Phase one?” I whispered, leaning in close towards Tara.

“Erecting the wooden fence itself,” Tara whispered back. “On their own, the walls should be enough to keep out the murluks, but the commander doesn’t want to stop there. She wants the walls to be more than a deterrent. She wants our men to be able to patrol atop them, and she also wants guard towers, fortified gates, murder holes, and the like. But for all that to happen, the walls need to be reinforced. That’s the second phase: adding brickwork.”

I nodded thoughtfully. The old lady was thinking ahead. If she managed to realise her vision, I imagined the Outpost would be become a formidable settlement indeed. Finally realising Soren was still speaking, I turned my attention back to him.

“… but progress on other sections of the wall is not going as well. While the trenchwork has been completed all around, we don’t have enough timber to ring in the entire settlement.”

Soren sat down. Not waiting for the commander’s go-ahead, the other male crafter immediately leapt to his feet. “I sympathise with Soren’s concerns, I really do,” he said. “But you all know the conditions under which we are working. Until my people get better tools—saws, axes, shovels, and so on—logging cannot proceed any faster. My men are working as fast as they can, but we need better equipment!” He sat down in a huff and crossed his arms defensively across his chest.

“Thank you, Albert,” the commander said. Her voice was even and neither rose to the crafter’s challenge, nor backed away from it. “We understand the limitations your men are working under. The soldiers are likewise incapacitated. Your people are to be commended for their efforts thus far.”

Albert grunted in acknowledgement, and Jolin turned to one of the women. “Melissa, what is the progress from our smiths?”

The woman sighed. “Slow,” she admitted. “We are still struggling to get the forge going. And until we do, we can’t create any of the tools we need.”

Marcus lifted his head, a grimace on his face. “So still no luck melting the murluk spearheads?” he asked.

Melissa shook her head. “None. We’ve tried everything we can think of. But my people haven’t given up. We’re still trying.”

Jolin’s lips tightened. It was the most concern I had seen her display in the meeting so far. “See that your people keep at it, Melissa,” she said softly. “We need those tools.”

Melissa ducked her head. “Yes, ma’am.”

Jolin turned to the last woman. “Beth, we’ll skip your report for today. I know things are progressing well on the food front, at least.”

Beth bobbed her head in agreement and the old lady turned her attention back to the room at large, letting her eyes rest on each of her subordinates in turn. “So, now you all know our sad tale of woes,” Jolin said. “I know it’s tough, people. I know there are challenges, some seeming impossible.” Her eyes hardened. “But no more excuses. We are running out of time. If we don’t want what we’ve built here to slip through our fingers, we must come up with solutions. Get creative, people.”

Albert shot to his feet, his mouth opening to protest.

“Sit down, Albert,” Jolin said. Her tone was mild, but there was no mistaking the steel behind it.

Albert sat, face reddening.

“Now,” continued the commander, “I believe we have one additional deadline. Tara, will you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Tara said, rising up. “Through Jamie’s efforts, we’ve managed to clear out the warren of brown spiders in the foothills. The Trials have classified the warren as a lair, which both Jamie and Marcus tell me is a good thing. Once we’ve bound the lair to the Outpost, the spiders birthed in it will be tamed and ours to command.”

A low murmur of surprise rippled through the room.

“There is a catch however,” Tara said. “If we are to retain ownership of the lair, we must establish the Outpost as a settlement within four days.”

“Impossible!” Albert exploded, but at glance from the commander he subsided and shrank back in his seat.

“The lair is an invaluable resource,” said the commander. “And it has fallen into our lap thanks to the good work of Jamie, Tara, and their team. We dare not lose it. We will make that timeline.”

This time, no one protested the impossibility of the task. “What do we need to establish the settlement, Marcus?” Jolin asked.

Marcus raised his left hand and began ticking off points on his fingers. “One: a population greater than one thousand. As of today, with combatants and non-combatants, all told we are sitting at just under two thousand. We meet that requirement comfortably.”

“Good,” replied the old lady. “Next.”

“Two: a guard complement of a hundred at the Trainee rank. Another requirement that we easily fulfil. Three: food stores sufficient for one week. Also, check. Fourth and most problematically: controlling access into and out of the settlement.”

“Which means finishing the palisade,” said the commander.

“Which means finishing the wall,” agreed Marcus.

Jolin closed her eyes in thought. A moment later, she opened them. “Logging trees is now our top priority,” she announced. “Albert, Melissa, drop everything else. I want you two to go away tonight and come up with a plan.”

Albert opened his mouth, but Jolin held up her hand. “I am not finished. Albert, you may conscript whoever you need from the other crafters. Beth’s people, especially, can be spared right now. Melissa’s too.”

“I still want to keep a few people working on the forge,” Melissa said, speaking up quickly.

“You may,” said Jolin. “But no more than a handful.” The commander turned back to the logger. “Will that suffice, Albert?”

Albert’s eyes narrowed. “What about the soldiers?” he asked. “Can I draw from their numbers too?”

Jolin shook her head. “No, you cannot. The murluks remain a threat. Until the wall is up, the spearmen are our main defence. I will not weaken our forces on the river.”

She made no mention of me, I noticed.

Albert scowled and muttered under his breath, but didn’t argue.

Jolin seemed satisfied with his response. “Very well, that’s settled. Albert, Melissa, tomorrow I expect to hear your plan. Understood?”

The pair looked visibly unhappy, but knew better than to protest. Reluctantly, they nodded their agreement.

“Good, then you are all dismissed. Jamie, stay awhile please.”

✽✽✽

It seemed that my audience with the old lady was to be a private one. Jolin waited for all the others, including Tara, to leave before turning to me.

“You keep surprising me, Jamie,” she said, shaking her head. “Tara told me of your fight against the queen. I must say, I am impressed and… disturbed. Once again, you’ve accomplished another seeming impossibility. Thank you.”

I shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise. “Just doing what needs doing, ma’am.”

She smiled. “Oh, but I think it’s more than that,” Jolin said. Withdrawing something from her pocket, she held it out to me. “Do you know what purpose this serves?”

I looked at the object in her hand. It was the champion core from the spider queen. “No. I do have a few guesses though. Nothing I am ready to say for certain just yet. But whatever the core’s purpose, I am sure it is both valuable and important.”

“Marcus said the same,” mused the old lady. She set the core on the table. After walking to the tent opening, she stared out into the night. “I doubt I’ll ever understand how this world works, Jamie. How things like that spider queen can even exist, or what that stone is, or even how humanity landed up here.” She shook her head. “It’s all beyond me.” The commander swung around and held my gaze. “But it is not beyond you.”

“You do yourself a disservice, ma’am. I may understand aspects of this world better from my… uh, gaming experiences. But you have done alright—more than alright, to be honest. All these people would be lost without you. They need you.”

The commander smiled. “Thank you for that, Jamie. And you are right, they do need me. For now. But only for now. Their future will be in the hands of people like you, Jamie. People like Marcus. People who understand this world better.”

“That is not a burden I wish to bear, ma’am,” I said softly.

Sadness shone through the commander’s eyes. “It is not a matter of choice, Jamie. You will learn that one day.”

I knew where this conversation was leading now, and I knew what Jolin wanted. I stayed stubbornly silent. What she wanted of me wasn’t in me to give. I had my own mission. Someone else would have to look after the Outpost.

“You know what I am going to ask of you, don’t you, Jamie?”

The old lady was scarily perceptive. “I can’t stay, ma’am.”

Her eyes narrowed. “That is not true, Jamie,” she said, her voice thick with disappointment. “You can. But you won’t.” Sighing, she turned away. “Go. You’re dismissed. And take the core with you. It’s yours by rights.”

I shuffled uncomfortably, shocked by her abrupt dismissal and unaccountably ashamed. She asks too much, I thought, struggling to hold to my anger, but my heart wasn’t in it.

Saying nothing, I grabbed the core and made my escape.

Chapter 28

390 days until the Arkon Shield falls

I ducked into my tent, emotions in turmoil. For a long time, I sat alone in the darkness, staring at nothing.

I had been elated by our successes today. I’d felt that I had accomplished something good, both for my own cause and the people here. And while the conference had underscored how desperate the Outpost’s situation was, it had not taken away from what Tara, I, and the others had achieved.

The commander though… her words had spoiled all that. In her eyes, I was obstinate. Willful. Wayward. But I wasn’t—was I?

I knew what Jolin wanted. She’d have me bind myself to the Outpost and sacrifice myself—as she had—for the people here. But I couldn’t. I had my own cause. An important cause. I couldn’t take up her own.

“Who does she think she is?” I growled. Why can’t she be satisfied with what I am willing to give? I had promised to stay until the settlement was established. It was still a promise I intended to keep. But after that?

I would leave. I had to.

How dare she try to shame me into staying. I had made clear from the very beginning that I wouldn’t join the Outpost. Her people were not my responsibility. Leaving did not equate to abandoning them. They had never been mine to begin with. Their fate was not my burden to bear. It was unfair of Jolin to ask that of me.

But was it?

What is the right choice here? I wondered. To stay and try to build the Outpost into something more, into a second home for humanity? Or to venture out and seek my vengeance?

Is vengeance ever the right choice?

I shuddered, feeling my purpose waver. In spite of myself, I was swayed by the commander and her demands. It was a seductive proposition. To join the Outpost and put down roots. To grow the settlement with Jolin, Tara…

No. I trembled. I couldn’t let myself forget why I was here. “Vengeance,” I whispered. “I live only for vengeance. I must punish Mum’s killers.”

Yet even to my own ears, my conviction sounded weak. Bowing my head, I rocked back and forth. In desperation, I let memories of my last moments on Earth resurface. Mum’s death, perfectly preserved in the deepest recesses of my psyche, replayed through my mind.

Tears rolled down my face as I relived the moment. Oh, Mum, I miss you. Then grief burned away and horror dug its fingers into me once more. Hate caressed me. Rage consumed me. And finally, my thirst was rekindled. Thirst for orc blood.

I remembered now. I remembered who I was. Why I was.

I sealed away the horrific memories again, burying them deep within my psyche once more. They had served their purpose. Clarity of thought had returned.

I knew what I needed to do.

I could do good in the Outpost. I could get strong here and do right by the commander and her people. Especially now, when they were beset on all sides. But after that? Once the settlement was established, they would not need me.

And I wouldn’t need them.

Staying indefinitely would only hold me back. The right course would be to leave. I was certain of it.

I pursued vengeance. I knew that. But it wasn’t only revenge I craved. My hatred was not senseless. It was with purpose. A purpose that I hoped—no, knew—advanced humanity’s own cause. The orcs were mankind’s enemy. They had to be opposed. Or soon, what little remained of humanity would be under their thumb.

Taking the battle to the orcs might not be the right thing for the Outpost—not now, anyway—but it was the right thing to do. I had to believe that. This one settlement, however strong, could not stand alone against the tide of orcs that would descend upon it one day.

My fight was to kill orcs. Not to defend the settlement.

My purpose wasn’t to protect. But to avenge. For Mum. For all of us.

✽✽✽

I fell asleep after that.

Despite my determination to get in more training, my eyes wouldn’t stay open. I was too weary, and both my mind and body protested further exertions.

“Jamie! Are you still in there?”

My eyes flew open at the sound of Tara’s voice. I groaned and sat upright. What time was it? Light streamed in through the tent. Morning, by the looks of it.

“Jamie?”

“I’m here,” I rasped. I licked my dry lips. “Coming,” I called, louder this time. Labouring upright, I limped out of the tent and shielded my eyes from the bright morning sun.

“You don’t look so good,” said Tara, hands on hips, “but come on. We’re late already.”

“Late?” I asked, still befuddled by sleep. “What for?”

“The murluk attack.”

My mind snapped into focus. “Right, let’s go.”

We were both silent as we made our way out of the camp. The doubts I had wrestled with last night still lay in my thoughts, and I felt little desire to engage in conversation. Tara also seemed preoccupied, her mind elsewhere.

As we neared the river, I nearly stopped short. Along the top of the upper bank, large tree-trunk beams had been planted within the earthworks. Soren had been right last night, I mused. They had made good progress.

The palisade was still incomplete though, and gaps still dotted its length. If we didn’t hold the murluks at the river shore today, all the work would go to waste.

We slipped through the half-built palisade and, standing on the edge of the upper bank, surveyed the scene below. The lines of spearmen were neatly arrayed along the shore, with the commander at their back. Catching sight of her, bitterness swelled in me.

I swallowed it back. Now was not the time.

“Strange,” murmured Tara. She squinted up at the sun. “They’re late.” Not waiting for my response, she leapt down the bank, but stopped when she saw I hadn’t moved. “Hurry, Jamie,” she called, turning around.

I didn’t look at her. I was recalling last night’s conference: Petrov’s report, Soren’s troubles, and Melissa’s failures. There was so much that had to be done to secure the settlement. Three more days, I mused. It was not nearly enough time.

My eyes moved from the incomplete wall to the lines of spearmen. Over a thousand-odd soldiers—the bulk of the Outpost’s manpower—were tied down here, defending the river. The murluks were a distraction, I realised. All these men could be better used elsewhere.

I didn’t agree with everything Jolin had said last night, but she was right about one thing: the time for half-measures had passed. Coming to a decision, I stepped forward.

“Tara,” I called as I slid down the bank. “Have the commander pull the spearmen back. All the way to the top of the upper bank.” Reaching Tara’s side, I outlined the rest of my plan.

“That’s a damned fool idea,” she said, throwing up her hands in disgust. “But I’m tired of telling you no. Let’s go pitch your idea to the old lady. She can be the one to deny you this time.”

“You’re going to have to explain it to her.”

“What?” she asked. “Why?”

“The murluks might appear at any moment. I have to get to the shoreline,” I said. While that was true, it wasn’t the real reason I sent her in my stead. I didn’t feel up to facing the commander again just yet.

I limped past a staring Tara. “Go, Tara,” I snapped.

She went.

✽✽✽

Ten minutes later, I was sitting cross-legged in the mud and gently lapping waves of the river. I was the only human along the entire expanse of the lower banks.

I had feared at first that the commander would deny my request, or that the murluks would attack before the spearmen could reposition. Neither of those things turned out to be true.

Jolin had shifted her men with such speed I wondered if she had known what I was going to do all along. But that was impossible. The idea hadn’t even occurred to me until a few minutes ago.

Now, alone on the shore, I wondered if we had gone to all this trouble for naught. The murluks had still not shown up.

Are they even going to attack today?

My plan was simple. I was bait. It had worked the first day when I had saved the right flank, and I hoped it would work again today on a much larger scale. This time, I had dragonfire to call upon, and I wouldn’t need the spearmen to rescue me.

Or so I hoped.

It was a reckless plan, I knew. But no more foolish than attacking the spider queen, I thought with a wry smile. And the commander had agreed to it. So, it had to have some merit.

A splash pulled my attention back to the river. The first murluk had surfaced, and many more followed behind him. I got to my feet.

The murluks paused when they caught sight of me alone on the shore, but they didn’t hop forward eagerly as I’d expected. They appeared tentative… almost afraid. Gathering together in a crowd within the safety of deep water, they slurped hesitantly at one another.

I frowned. Did the murluks remember yesterday’s battle? Had it made them wary? It was certainly possible. After all, they were smart enough to build primitive weapons and armour.

What do we really know of the creatures? I wondered. Why did they only attack in the morning? For that matter, why did they attack at all? And where did they come from?

I shook my head. All good questions, but meaningless right now. I couldn’t let the battle be drawn out. One way or the other, I had to bring it to an end quickly. Wading a few steps into the river, I raised my hands and prepared to flare.

Even though they were well out of my reach, the murluks shrank back fearfully. Ah, I thought, halting my spellcasting. So they did remember. Many of the creatures dove back into the river, and for a second I dared to hope it meant an end to the day’s hostilities.

But not all the murluks fled.

For every two that retreated, one surged forward. Perhaps, they were emboldened by the fact that I was unaccompanied. My pulse quickened. There were maybe a thousand murluks—if not more—converging on me.

My legs trembled and my palms grew sweaty. Even expecting such numbers, I was hard-pressed not to give in to terror and flee. The numbers don’t matter, I told myself. You’re ready.

And I was.

Holding my nerve, I backstepped out of the river until I was on firm ground again. The first wave of murluks closed to within a few yards. I dropped my hands and let them approach unmolested.

It was hard.

The temptation to flare, to burn away my attackers, was nearly too great to ignore, but I held to my plan.

Now that the murluks had made up their minds to attack, I didn’t want to scare them off too early. First, I had to draw them in—as many as possible. The murluks reached me. Before their spears touched me, I cast invincible.

Then I threw a punch.

Though it was weak and poorly directed, the blow still landed, even as invincible turned away the murluk’s replying spear jab.

Your skill in unarmed combat has advanced to: level 1.

I grinned at the Trials message and felt my tension drain away. With fresh confidence, I threw another punch and ignored the forest of murluk spears thrust my way.

Alone and with my magic absent, I was a tempting target. More murluks poured towards me—jabbing, thrusting, and pulling. Under the weight of their numbers, I toppled over. But even though I was soon buried under a horde of blue, I was not worried.

It was part of my plan, after all.

Instead, I kept my eye fixed on my Trials core. When the timer on invincible hit fifteen seconds, I acted.

Through my hands, which I had been careful to keep facing outwards, I cast flare. The murluks recoiled, but were packed too tightly to dodge the reaching flames.

They burned. In ones and twos, then in dozens.

As the weight pressing down on me eased, I spread my arms, and even more died.

Too late for most to react, the murluks realised they had been baited. Those that could, fled, and abruptly the tide of creatures flowing from the river reversed course.

I rose to my feet and followed. Shoes squelching through mud, bone, and half-burned remains, I limped after the murluks. A quick glance left and right revealed that none of the creatures had attempted advancing beyond me to the ranks of spearmen on the upper bank.

But even though the murluk attack had been broken, I did not let up with flare. The more creatures I slaughtered, the better the chance that today’s disaster would be burned into their psyche. Hopefully it will forestall further attacks in the future.

I pursued the creatures right to the river’s edge, casting flare all the while to the very limit of my reach. Murluks, slid, fell, and shrieked in agony as they desperately tried to escape.

I did not relent.

Mercilessly, I burned every creature in reach, dealing death and leaving ash flying in my wake. A minute later my task was done.

All the murluks had fled. The river had grown quiet again and a hush had fallen. I swung around and saw the lines of spearmen watching in stunned silence from above.

I began limping my way back to them.

The commander raised her hand, and a moment later the air shook as the spearmen cheered my victory with a resounding roar.

Chapter 29

389 days until the Arkon Shield falls

3 days to Earth’s destruction

3 days until the Warren is destroyed

Tara met me on the lower riverbank. “Good job, Jamie,” she said quietly.

I nodded, not breaking stride. I was trying hard not to think of what I had done. Once again, the Trials had rewarded me for my efforts, and I had gained another level from the death I had dealt on the river’s shores.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 19 Trainee.

“The old lady wants to see you,” Tara said.

Involuntarily, I glanced at the upper slope of the riverbank. Jolin and her guard were nowhere in sight, and the spearmen were dispersing, some heading to the training yard while others, jogging in formation, headed east. I hoped that meant the commander had sent them to aid the loggers.

“Later,” I said, waving away Tara’s words. I knew it hadn’t really been a request, but I didn’t care. “That crafter from yesterday’s conference,” I said. “I want to go see her.”

“Who? Melissa?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Tara said nothing for so long I thought she would refuse. “Alright,” she replied eventually.

We made the journey up the riverbank in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. Today’s battle had finished even quicker than yesterday’s, and I could scarce believe that it was less than an hour since Tara and I had descended to the river.

As we neared our destination, Tara finally spoke up. “Why do you want to see Melissa?”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t think Tara would understand. This excursion to the crafting yard was partly an excuse to hide from the commander and her soldiers’ adulation. The tribute the spearmen had paid me at the end of the battle had caught me by surprise. Their praise had seemed heartfelt, and it had felt good to hear it. But it had also made me feel guilty.

Today, the spearmen had lost none of their companions. My magic had spared them. But when I left, they would start dying again. I knew I couldn’t save them all, even if I stayed. It didn’t stop me from feeling responsible though.

And I couldn’t help but wonder if that was what Jolin intended. Had she ordered her troops to salute me, knowing it would make me feel this way?

Escaping the commander’s manipulations was not the only reason I wanted to see the crafters, though. There was something else I had in mind.

The crafting yard was mostly deserted today. The few present were already hard at work when we stepped into their yard.

Tara led me to the centre of the camp. There, I spotted Melissa and two other men near what appeared to be a misshapen clay oven.

No, not an oven, I realised, remembering Melissa’s words from the conference. A furnace.

One of the men, wearing oversized hide gloves, used two wooden poles to pull a clay pot out of the furnace and set it on the table beside it.

The three huddled over the contents and inspected it intently. “Damn it,” growled Melissa. “We’ve failed again.”

“Maybe we need more coal,” said one of them men.

“It ain’t the coal,” said the other, spitting to the side in disgust. “It’s the blasted furnace. It’s not good enough.”

The first man scratched his head. “What else is there left to try?” His companions didn’t answer, and the three fell silent as they pondered their options

I examined the furnace as we drew closer. It was a simple conical construction formed from clay and mud. A chimney belching black smoke stuck out of the top. Unlike everything else in the Outpost, the furnace seemed—at least to my inexperienced eye—to be well-fashioned, if primitive.

Melissa looked up and caught sight of us. “Tara,” she said, surprise clear in her voice. “What are you doing here?” Her face fell. “Is there trouble at the river?”

“No,” Tara replied. “Nothing like that.” She jerked one thumb towards me. “He wanted to see you.”

Melissa’s gaze swung to me, her face uncertain. “Jamie, isn’t it? The mage?” The two men’s eyes jerked upwards at Melissa’s words and they studied me, openly curious.

“That’s right,” I said. “I heard what you said in the conference yesterday and I thought maybe I could help.”

Melissa looked taken aback. “With making the tools?”

Before I could answer, the second of the two men barked out, “What? You’re a blacksmith too?”

“Hush, Anton,” said Melissa, casting a chiding glance at the man.

When she turned back to me, I nodded. “Yes actually, with making tools.” I glanced at Anton. “I’m not a blacksmith, but I think I may be able to help.”

Melissa’s eyebrows rose. “Explain,” she said.

“If I understood you correctly yesterday, you’re having trouble reforging the murluk spear tips, right?”

Melissa nodded. “Yes, whatever metal they’re made from is beyond our furnace’s ability to melt.”

“I can help with that—I think.”

“How?” she asked.

“Magical fire,” I replied.

Anton snorted. “Look here, lad. No open flame is going to melt these here spear tips. My furnace is hot enough to melt steel, and if that ain’t done the job, your fire ain’t gonna do squat either.”

“Maybe,” I said with a shrug. “But it can’t hurt to try.”

Melissa glanced at Tara, who had been silently observing. Tara caught the look and nodded.

“Very well, Jamie,” said Melissa. “It’s worth a shot.”

“You can’t be serious!” protested Anton.

“Quiet, Anton,” snapped Melissa. “Let the boy try. He’s right. At this point, we’ve nothing to lose.”

Anton muttered imprecations under his breath, but didn’t object further. Folding his arms, the blacksmith watched as I joined them at the table and peered into the clay bowl.

Inside there were two murluk spearheads, blackened and soot stained, but otherwise appearing none the worse from their time in the furnace.

“Will you set the bowl down on the floor, please?” I asked the first man, who I assumed to be Anton’s assistant. Without comment, he picked up his poles and used them to place the bowl on the ground.

Falling to my knees, I bent over the bowl while the others—even the scowling Anton—leaned close to watch. I glanced up at them. “Everyone may want to take a step back. This might not go as planned.”

They fell back hurriedly.

Alright, I thought, staring into the bowl, here goes nothing. I reached within myself and charged the spellform of flare with mana and lifeblood. Then, doing my best to focus the inferno raging within me, I attempted casting flare only through the single finger I pointed at the bowl.

I failed.

Flames burst from my entire hand and enveloped the bowl, its contents, and the ground underfoot. “Damn it,” I muttered.

I’d thought my control of flare was better than that. But done was done. I let the flames rage for a few seconds before cutting off the flow of mana and lifeblood and peering at the results of my handiwork.

Urgh.

The grass and soil were scorched black. The clay bowl had disintegrated. And the spearheads’ precious metal—the whole point of this bloody exercise—had vanished into the ground.

“Sorry,” I said, glancing over my shoulder at the others. “I hoped to do better.”

“Ha! I knew it!” said Anton. He strode forward triumphantly. “I told you you wouldn’t—” He stopped in stunned silence as he caught sight of the shattered bowl and traces of metal soaking the ground. “Bloody hell!” he exclaimed.

Melissa’s eyes grew wide as she too noticed the spearheads were gone. “You’ve done it!” she breathed.

“Well not exactly,” I pointed out, “I may have melted the spearheads, but the metal has been lost.”

“Unimportant,” she pronounced. “We can come up with a means to better trap the metal.”

“Perhaps we can try using rocks,” said the other man, whose name I still didn’t know. His voice fairly quivered with eagerness.

“Or a thicker vessel,” grunted Anton. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Much thicker.” His scowl had vanished entirely, I noticed.

“So, we can make this work?” I asked Melissa, bemused by their reactions.

“Definitely, young man,” she said. “Definitely.”

✽✽✽

It was not as easy as the three crafters made it out to be.

Into pot after pot, I cast flare. One and all, they crumbled, shattered, or cracked. Eventually, the blacksmiths stopped filling the vessels with spearheads, and we focused purely on creating a suitable container.

It took longer than expected, but finally we achieved a workable solution: a monstrous slab of clay and rock that was able to withstand the five-second burn necessary to melt the spearheads.

“Well done, laddie!” shouted Anton, thumping me heavily on the back as he inspected the metallic liquid floating in the shallow indentation at the slab’s centre. “We’ve finally done it!”

Anton, it turned out, had been an amateur blacksmith back on Earth. Being unable to apply his skills on Overworld had upset him greatly. But now that I had proven my usefulness, it seemed I was destined to become his new best friend.

“Thanks,” I said, giving the man a wan smile. “Give me a second to rest before we continue.”

I sat and wolfed down the food the crafters had brought for me. Tara had long since disappeared, grown bored by our repeated failures. Since she’d determined I was safe enough in the crafting yard, she had gone to see to her own much-neglected duties.

Anton’s assistant—I had learned his name was Jeremy—was inspecting the slab of clay and rock. His brows were furrowed as he traced his fingers along its surface.

He looks concerned, I thought. “What is it, Jeremy?” I asked between mouthfuls.

He glanced from me to Anton. “There are hairline cracks in the clay. I don’t think the slab will last more than three or four further attempts.”

Anton bustled over and together the two men scrutinised its surface. Eventually, the blacksmith straightened. “You’re right, Jeremy. I’ll ask Melissa to get the others started on a second one.”

It had taken the crafters a long time to make the slab. My gaze stole to the heap of discarded spearheads on my left. The pile was still growing as junior crafters bought in bags more of the stuff from wherever they had been stored. Accumulated from ten-odd days of fighting, the spearheads made for a tidy pile.

I tried to calculate how long it would take to melt them all. If the crafters had to remake a new slab after every five attempts… then the answer was simple: too long.

I couldn’t afford to spend days melting spearheads. I closed my eyes, mustering together my will. I knew what needed to be done. The smiths had done their best with creating the slab, and the solution was not a bigger, better one.

Its time I refined my control. If I could more narrowly focus flare, I could spare the mould its scorching flames.

In battle I had not needed to finely regulate the flow of my dragonfire. Time and again, I had simply unleashed its flames unchecked, trying to do as much damage as possible.

It was possible to focus the flames. I knew that. I had done so already—albeit on a small scale—by varying the span of flames released through my hands.

But the degree of control necessary to concentrate my dragonfire into a finger-wide jet of flame seemed beyond me. All morning, I had been trying to do that without success.

Now though, faced with the possibility of days spent melting spearheads, I was determined to succeed. With a heartfelt sigh, I rose to my feet. This crafting business was in many ways more exhausting than fighting.

Seeing me back on my feet, Anton asked, “Feeling better, lad?”

I nodded. “What’s next?”

“Now that we’ve proven the concept,” said Anton rubbing his hands in glee, “we can begin the real work and start forging some equipment. The others have prepared the moulds we need already. If you are ready, we can begin.”

I wiped my mouth free of crumbs. “Alright, let’s get to work.”

Anton and his fellows had thought long and hard about what needed to be created and in what order. There was minimal fuss as they cut a channel in the slab for the melted metal to flow into the chosen mould.

The piece they had chosen to create first was not at all what I’d expected.

You have created a basic blacksmith’s hammer. The special properties of this item are: unknown. Your lore skill is insufficient.

Your skill in blacksmithing has advanced to: level 1.

Your artistry and industriousness have increased to: level 2.

For all the simplicity of the hammer, it had the crafters who had gathered around to witness its creation cheering as loudly as the spearmen after our victory at the river.

Anton grabbed my hand and pumped it vigorously. “Thank you, my boy,” he said with tears in his eyes. “Thank you.”

I smiled and patted his shoulder awkwardly.

From there, things proceeded apace as we crafted tongs, shears, knives—plenty of knives—axes, needles, and hammers.

With every crafting, I applied my will and did my utmost to suppress the dragonfire spewing out of me. And even though I could discern no difference from my efforts, I persisted. The morning wore on, and we created item after item.

When we broke for lunch, I collapsed in a heap, both physically and mentally exhausted. All my reserves of energy were in the red, but I had been steadfastly ignoring them, focusing instead on the task at hand.

While I munched mechanically through my bowl of food, I watched Anton and Jeremy circle the latest slab. Both men were scratching their head. “What is it?” I called.

Anton glanced back. “It’s nothing,” he said. “Just strange, that’s all.” He fell silent.

“What’s strange?” I prompted.

Anton pointed to the clay block. “This here slab has lasted six meltings so far and it is still going strong.” He barked a laugh. “Jeremy and I are trying to figure out what we did right in its making.”

I paused between mouthfuls. “Did you say it has lasted longer?” I hadn’t noticed. Over the morning’s work, my world had narrowed to the simple task of creating dragonfire. I had been become so fully immersed in refining and observing my spellcasting through my magesight that I had blocked out awareness of everything else. I had even lost sight of the items we had created.

Jeremy was nodding. “Yep. In fact, the last few moulds have all lasted longer than the original ones.” He shrugged. “But we don’t know why.”

I mulled over his words. Could it be me? I wondered. Was my control of flare improving?

✽✽✽

Shortly after lunch, any doubts I harboured that my efforts at control were failing, vanished. Mid-crafting, I paused as a wall of floating text covered my vision.

You have spellcrafted a: touch-based spell, from the Discipline of: dragon magic. The name assigned to this spell is: restrained flare. Restrained flare is a persistent spell that produces less dragonfire than flare, but at a lower energy cost. Its casting time is: fast and its rank is: common.

You are the first player to have spellcrafted the dragon spell: restrained flare. For this achievement, you have been awarded: dragon lore and two Marks.

Lore note: Restrained flare is a common dragon magic spell. It produces a jet of flame whose intensity and span can controlled by the caster.

The spell demands precision and it is one that any hatchling wishing to tame the dragonfire within themselves must learn. With the spell, the wise hatchling recognises that dragonfire is not only destructive, but also has an incredible potential to create.

I smiled foolishly at the Trials alert. I had done it. Studying the spellform of restrained flare with my magesight, I realised it was not so much a new spell as an evolution of an existing spell, brought about the continuous application of will and my attempts to leash the raging fire within me.

That led me to wonder: could I evolve flare further? And if so, what additional benefits would it yield? I would have to think further on the matter.

“You alright, lad?” asked Anton, seeing my frozen expression. “Something’s happened?

“Something has,” I admitted. “But nothing bad.” I turned to the blacksmith’s assistant. “Jeremy, will you bring one of those clay pots we started with originally? I want to try something.”

“You sure?” he asked, eyeing me doubtfully.

I nodded.

Anton frowned. “What are you up to now?”

“You’ll see,” I said, smiling.

Jeremy placed a clay bowl with two spearheads on the slab. I bent over the vessel and pointed one finger at its contents. Then, constructing the spellform of restrained flare in my mind, I released a fine jet of flame directly at spearheads.

“Wow,” said Jeremy as he beheld the bar of white gold that leapt from my hand into the bowl. “What is that?”

Anton caught on quicker than his assistant. “You’ve learnt a new spell, haven’t you, lad?”

I nodded, not looking away from the bowl. My smile widened as the spearheads melted without damaging the clay bowl. “Now,” I said to the two men, “our work can proceed much faster.”

✽✽✽

By day’s end, all the spearheads had been melted, and every crafter in the Outpost had been provided with the tools of their trade.

The spearheads had not produced nearly enough metal to forge weapons for the fighters, but neither I nor the crafters even questioned the need to prioritise tools over weapons. The tools were crucial to the settlement’s survival, and at this stage better weapons were not.

All in all, it had been an exhausting—but satisfying—day of work. And while the day’s efforts had done little to advance my combat prowess, it had yielded other benefits.

Your skill in blacksmithing and lore has advanced to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

Your spellpower, artistry, and industriousness have increased to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

It was surprising that even without newcomer, my blacksmithing Discipline and craft Attributes had advanced so rapidly, but they had only been at the Neophyte rank, and we had forged hundreds of items today.

“Lad,” said Anton, walking up to me just as the sun was beginning to set. “You’ve done great work here today, and I can’t begin to thank you enough.”

“No thanks necessary, I am just glad I was able to help.”

“That’s mighty generous of ye, boy. But we all thought you deserved something for your efforts,” the blacksmith said. He held out an object.

Solemnly, I took the proffered item.

You have acquired a basic metal dagger. The special properties of this weapon are: unknown. Your lore skill is insufficient.

It was a simple knife, one of the last we had created. It had been affixed with a comfortable wooden handle and placed in an unadorned leather sheath.

“Thank you, Anton,” I said with a small bow.

“You’re welcome. And don’t be a stranger. You need anything, you come see me. Take care, Jamie,” Anton said in farewell before walking away.

✽✽✽

I made my way back to my tent, feet stumbling and head drooping. The crafting had claimed its toll and I was as weary as I had ever been. I chuckled. Exhaustion seemed to be my constant state of being these days.

I splashed water across my face and ate the supper left waiting for me by some kind soul.

Then I got to work again.

Sitting down cross-legged on my pallet, I began channelling mana. Given the business of the last two days, I hadn’t had time to create a ranged spell. I couldn’t put it off any longer.

I called up the construct for flare and studied the spell within my mind. How do I modify it to create a ranged variant? I wondered. My success with restrained flare had given me a few ideas for evolving flare in other ways, and despite my tiredness, I was eager to try them.

I prodded at the spell construct in my mind, modifying the design and shape until I was satisfied with its new form. Then, pointing my hand towards the unoffending pail, I infused the spellform and released the casting.

You have failed to create a spell.

I sighed and began anew.

✽✽✽

Hours later, I gave up.

No matter how many variants of the flare I had tried, no matter how much or how little lifeblood I infused, no matter the will I exerted in propelling dragonfire further than a few yards, I failed to create a projectile spell.

I had tweaked and re-tweaked the spell construct. I had refined and perfected its spellform until I felt the spell vibrate in faultless harmony with itself. My projectile spell design was flawless. I was sure of it.

Yet some vital ingredient was missing.

I drummed my fingers restlessly. Perhaps my skill is too low. Or perhaps I am just too tired to see the flaws in my design. Whatever the case, I realised further experimentation that night would not yield different results.

I would sleep on it. And maybe in the morning, I would figure out what I was missing. Then, unable to keep my eyes open any longer, I collapsed onto my pallet.

Chapter 30

388 days until the Arkon Shield falls

2 days to Earth’s destruction

2 days until the Warren is destroyed

“Jamie? Jamie, wake up, I have to talk to you.”

I groaned and rolled over, but Tara didn’t let me go back to sleep. She tugged at my shoulder again.

I blinked open my eyes and stared blearily at the dark shape leaning over me. I knew it was Tara, yet I couldn’t make out any of her features. My gaze slid to the open tent flap. No light streamed through. What was Tara doing here so early?

“Eh?” I croaked. It was the best I could manage given my groggy state.

Tara sat back on her heels and handed me a cup of water.

Sitting up, I gulped it down gratefully, then squinted at her. “What time is it?”

“An hour before dawn,” replied Tara. “I wanted to tell you I am sorry,” she added after a hesitant pause.

I blinked. “Tara, you’re going to have to be a bit more specific than that. My brain is still waking up,” I said with a smile.

My quip failed to raise an answering smile.

“I knew something was driving you, Jamie,” Tara continued, her face grave. “But I hadn’t realised how dark a tragedy you had suffered, or how raw the wound must still be. I’m sorry for some of the things I said to you… they must have hurt.”

My smile faded. “Tara,” I said carefully, “what are you talking about?”

She met my eyes, her own filled with pity. “Some of the new recruits that came through yesterday brought news of a ‘crazed cripple’ who had managed to kill an orc hunting party.” Her voice grew heavy. “Apparently the whole world watched as he took revenge upon them for… for killing his mother. When I heard the story, I knew it had to have been you.” She smiled sadly. “After all, you are the only crazed cripple I know.”

My face froze as Tara’s words hammered into me. From the depths of my mind, the spectre of Mum’s death rose up again. My mouth opened, then closed soundlessly. Images flashed before my eyes in torturous detail. It felt real, too real. I gasped. Clutching at my arms, I bent forward and tried to escape the scenes playing out in my head.

Tara waited patiently. She watched me. Her expression seemed more open than I had seen before. Her hands reached out and hovered halfway, a wordless offer to share the burden of my grief.

I rocked back. I couldn’t deal with her pity, not now. “And you had to wake me before dawn to tell me this?” I asked, lashing out even though I knew she didn’t deserve it.

Tara’s face closed. Her eyes bored into mine. Inwardly, I shrank back. Already I regretted my words. I almost blurted out an apology, but doing that would mean talking of Mum and bringing up memories best forgotten. I was not ready for that yet. I stayed silent.

“No,” Tara replied, her voice cold as she withdrew her hands. “I came this early because I have been reassigned. The loggers were attacked in the woods yesterday. The commander wants their protection detail increased and she has put me in charge. My company is about to move out. I thought it best to speak to you before I left.” She rose to her feet. “But you are right, I should not have bothered you with this so early. Good day, Jamie.” Tara spun on her heel to leave.

“Wait, Tara,” I called out, stopping her before she left. She halted, but did not turn around.

“Who else knows?”

“The commander does,” she said, her back stiff and unyielding. “Possibly the other captains, too. I am not sure.”

My head fell. Everyone.

Tara waited a heartbeat for me to go on, but caught up in my own misery, I barely noticed.

Then she left and I was alone.

✽✽✽

I tried to go back to bed after that, but unsurprisingly sleep proved elusive. My emotions were a jumbled mess, circling in on themselves. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t rid my mind of thoughts of Mum and… Tara.

“Enough, Jamie,” I growled. Stomping out of my tent, I sank down on the ground. It was still dark and most of the camp appeared asleep. On the eastern side of the camp though, I noticed movement. It had to be Tara and the loggers. They were getting an early start.

I jerked my head around. I didn’t want to think of Tara. For want of something to occupy my thoughts, I turned my mind to my spellcasting.

I called up the spellform of the dragonfire projectile spell I had conceived last night and inspected its design again. I could no more find fault with it today than I could last night. But then again, my mind wasn’t particularly clear this morning either.

In disgust, I banished the spellform and began training my magic. Picking the air magic Discipline at random, I drew mana into my mind and shaped a rudimentary construct of air.

I followed the training philosophy I had applied during the journey into the foothills and fell into a light trance while I experimented with the form and shape of air.

An hour later, as the first rays of the rising sun touched my face, I opened my eyes. The training had done me some good and my racing thoughts had quietened—somewhat.

I inhaled deeply and checked the Trials alert awaiting my attention.

Your skill in air magic has advanced to: level 4.

Not bad, I thought and dismissed the message. Rising to my feet, I limped westwards to the river.

To my surprise, the spearmen were not gathered on the lower riverbanks. Studying the skyline, I realised why.

The wooden palisade had been completed—or at least its western section had—and the spearmen were gathered inside its boundary.

After I reached the wall I pushed through the ranks of waiting spearmen. Morale was high amongst the soldiers. They chatted and laughed in a more relaxed manner than I had observed them before. Yesterday’s success, or the wall’s completion, had served to raise their spirits.

Spotting Lieutenant John and Captain Petrov, I strode over to join them. The pair were standing before the only open section in the riverside wall. Given the size of the open area, I assumed a gate would be installed there soon.

“John,” I greeted as I drew closer. “Any sign of the murluks yet?”

“No,” replied the big man. He scratched his head in confusion. “They’re late again.”

I nodded. It was a good sign. “The spearmen will meet them here?”

“That’s the plan,” agreed John. He gestured to the break in the wall in front of us. “We were hoping to funnel the creatures through this space. Assuming the buggers can’t breach the palisade itself, we should be able to hold them at bay here easily enough.” His gaze slid towards me. “Unless you were planning on doing your whole solo act down at the shore again?”

“I actually was,” I admitted. “But it doesn’t look like I will be needed here today, even if murluks do show up.”

“The men will feel better with your presence here anyway,” John assured me.

I stared out of the open gate. The river remained quiescent. No splashes marred its surface. Will the murluks show up today? I wondered.

Frowning, I sat down to train my air magic further while I waited.

✽✽✽

Your skill in air magic has advanced to: level 6.

The murluks did not come, and after an hour I gave up waiting for them.

“Alright, John, looks like they are a no show. I’m going to see if I can make myself useful elsewhere. Will you send someone to fetch me if I am needed?”

“Sure thing, Jamie,” the big man replied.

Where to now? I wondered as I headed back to the tented camp. The murluks’ non-appearance was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it freed up the soldiers to help out elsewhere, but on the other, it robbed the Outpost of its only source of metal.

What if the murluks don’t return? I wondered. What then? The settlement needed to find a source of ore, I realised. And the mountains beyond the northern foothills were the most likely place to find it.

I stopped a passing crafter, and after getting him to direct me to Marcus, hurried to find the blonde captain. Marcus, I recalled, was in charge of the scouts.

Outside the scout captain’s tents, I found two familiar faces.

“Jamie!” exclaimed Laura. “What are you doing here?”

“Hi, Laura, Cass. I came to see to Marcus. Is he in there?”

“Yes, we’re just waiting to see him ourselves,” replied Cass.

“Ah alright. How are you two doing?”

The pair exchanged glances. “Well we haven’t had any adventures as exciting as our trip through the warren, if that is what you’re asking,” replied Cass with a laugh.

“It was an altogether boring day yesterday,” agreed Laura. “Which was fine by me.” She eyed me thoughtfully. “We heard you created quite the stir.”

I shrugged. By my own measure, I hadn’t done much, only what was necessary.

As if sensing my discomfort, Laura moved the conversation onwards. “Oh, I found out more about those obelisks you were looking for.”

“The dungeons?” I asked, my eyes lighting up. “Tell me,” I demanded.

“What’s this about dungeons?” asked Marcus, appearing at the entrance of his tent.

“Morning, Marcus,” I said, turning to the captain. He was studying the three of us with interest. “I asked Laura to find out if any of the scouts have come across obelisks,” I explained. “The Trials uses them to mark the entrance to dungeons.”

Marcus’ eyes gleamed. “Ah,” he said. I could tell the thought of dungeons excited him too. But a moment later he frowned. “You should have come to me,” he said reproachfully. “I receive all the scout reports, you know.”

I spread my hand in apology and turned back to Laura. “Did you find one?”

“Well, not me,” she said. “Another of the scouts did. She spotted the obelisk in a forest clearing nearly a day’s journey east of the Outpost. You can’t miss it.”

“I remember that report now,” said Marcus, stroking his chin. “Gemma found the object about four days ago. A twenty-foot-high structure. No one knew what it was, or why it was standing in an empty forest clearing.” He frowned. “Gemma said it was covered with red inscriptions.”

“Red?” I asked, deflating. “You sure the writing was red?”

“Yep,” replied Laura. “I spoke to Gemma yesterday myself. The whole structure was covered in scarlet runes, pulsing so ominously that the poor girl was afraid to approach too closely.”

“Why the long face?” asked Marcus, observing my reaction.

I sighed. “Because red runes mean the dungeon is only suitable for Veteran players, players above level two hundred. For us to enter the dungeon now would be suicide.” Seeing the amused looks the two women directed my way, I scowled. “Even for me,” I muttered.

“Pity,” said Marcus, sounding wistful. “It would have been nice to go on a dungeon dive.” He shook his head regretfully. “But enough daydreaming. What did you want to see me about?”

I glanced at the two sisters. They had gotten to his tent first.

“We’ll wait,” said Cass amiably. “You go ahead.”

Nodding to them in thanks, I followed Marcus into his tent.

“We need to find ore,” I said without preamble.

Halfway through the motion of taking a seat, Marcus paused. “I agree,” he said. “Do you have a lead on where we can find some?”

“No, but searching the mountains to the north is our best chance.”

Marcus shook his head. “Not that I don’t agree with you, but the mountains are too far. We can’t send our scouts more than a day’s journey away. The wilds are too dangerous for them to camp overnight. I won’t ask that of them, not until they—and we—are stronger.”

I frowned. Marcus had a point. “What about the spider warren?”

“What about it?”

“It’s a few hours north of here, and you already have men stationed there, right? If you base your scouts at the warren, could they manage to get to the mountains and back in a day?”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Marcus murmured. He pursed his lips as he gave the matter some thought. “It could work,” he pronounced eventually. “Thanks, Jamie. I’ll speak to the commander today. I’m sure she will agree.”

“Excellent,” I said. “Well, that’s all I wanted to see you about.” I swung around to leave.

“Jamie?” Marcus said, causing me to pause. I turned around.

The scout captain shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry to hear about your mum. It was cruel what those bastards did to her. I just wanted to say… I understand.”

A mask of neutrality dropped over my face. Nodding curtly, I ducked out of the tent.

✽✽✽

Since I was in need of solitude, I headed back to my tent.

I decided I would spend the rest of the afternoon training my magic. That way I would escape any further unwanted sympathisers.

I didn’t want to talk about Mum, or even think about events from my last day on Earth, but with the story floating around the camp, I knew sooner or later, everyone was going to want to offer their sympathies.

Why can’t they realise I don’t want to talk about it?

Head bowed and avoiding eye contact with passersby, I hurried to my tent. I had almost reached the sanctuary it offered when the clatter of spears and the thump of marching feet attracted my attention.

I jerked my head up in alarm. A company of soldiers was jogging past me, heading east through the camp. Their faces were grim and they appeared in a hurry. Something is wrong, I thought. Scanning the faces of the spearmen, I recognised one.

“Michael!” I called, waving to attract his attention. “What’s going on?”

“It’s the loggers,” he yelled back, though he didn’t slow down or drop out of formation. “A message just came in: they’re under heavy attack and taken casualties. We’ve been ordered to reinforce their guard company.”

“What sort of attack?” I shouted as the column passed me by and the distance between us opened up.

Michael shrugged apologetically. He was too far away to continue the conversation, but I took his gesture to mean he didn’t know.

My gaze tracked the disappearing soldiers for a moment as I considered what to do. The spearmen were travelling too fast for me to keep up with them. I glanced towards the commander’s tent. I could always go ask the old lady what was going on.

Or I could ignore it all and take refuge in my tent.

But damn it, the Outpost needed those tree trunks. And Tara was in the forest with the loggers. She could be in trouble.

Growling in frustration, I spun away from my tent and set off after the spearmen.

Chapter 31

388 days until the Arkon Shield falls

Of course, I stood no chance of catching the soldiers.

I could only follow in their wake and hope that when I got to wherever they were going, disaster hadn’t overtaken either the spearmen or the loggers. Reaching the Outpost’s eastern trench line, I found it unguarded and crossed over without fuss.

I knew I should have informed the commander of my plans and asked for an escort—or at the very least notified someone of where I was heading. But then again, I didn’t feel like explaining myself or risk further talk of Mum.

Moving at the fastest pace my crippled foot allowed, I followed in the spearmen’s footsteps. Their tracks were easy to read. They cut east through the grass plains on a direct path to the smudge on the horizon that was the forest.

Ten minutes out of the camp, I belatedly thought to take stock of my equipment. I had no provisions, and except for the knife sheathed at my belt, I was unarmed. Fool that I was, I had not thought to retrieve my club and shield before setting off. But it was too late to turn back now. After an hour’s lonely trek, which was thankfully uneventful, I reached the edge of the forest.

I paused to consider its wooded depths before venturing within. Oak, redwood, ash, and pine trees arched high overhead, casting long shadows across the leaf-scattered forest floor. At ground level, the foliage was sparse, with only the odd bush to hamper passage.

I couldn’t help but wonder at the familiarity of the vegetation. Had the trees existed in Overworld before the gates to Earth had opened? Or had they somehow been transplanted here during the creation of the Human Dominion? I shook my head. There was still much of Overworld that remained a mystery to me.

I bent down and inspected the ground. Deep score marks had been dug in the soft soil beneath. It was likely from the logs Soren and his men had dragged back to the settlement. The trail led farther east into the forest.

At least finding the loggers will be easy.

But studying the looming giants, I suddenly wondered how safe the woods were. Within the trees, my visibility would be much reduced, and since I was alone I would be easy prey. I chuckled. You should have thought of that earlier, Jamie.

Shrugging off my doubts, I advanced into the forest. The trail continued eastwards for only another hundred yards before turning south. Keeping my ears strained and my head swivelling from side to side, I followed the tracks.

Around me, the forest was eerily silent. Not even bird calls disturbed the silence. Is the forest always this quiet? I wondered. Or was it a sign of a lurking predator?

I tightened my grip on my blade. Even though my knife skills were non-existent, I felt safer while holding the weapon. I kept my magic prepared too, and was ready to unleash flare on a moment’s notice. The forest had me on edge.

Ten minutes later, I passed the first hacked-off tree. Then another. But still the forest remained silent around me, with neither the sound of chopping nor the cries of battle disturbing the air.

I frowned. Where is everyone?

I hurried my pace. I had to be nearing the logging camp. Any moment now—

I fell face-first to the ground as a heavy weight descended onto my back. I had a moment to feel a hot, slavering breath before pain whitened my world.

Iron jaws clamped down on my neck, and a second later fangs ripped out a chunk of my flesh. I tried to roll over, but my attacker had me pinned down.

The pain was brutal. I screamed soundlessly, loamy earth filling my mouth and muffling my cry.

I struggled to think. To breathe. To act.

My arms were trapped beneath me, which made both flare and my knife useless. Frantically, I tried to free one of my hands. It was no use. They were wedged tight.

My attacker bit down again.

I arched my head up in pain, the tendons of my neck straining. Aargh, that hurts. Tears streamed down my face. Death loomed closer. I was going to die here unless I did something.

I don’t need my hands to flare.

On the brink of calling on invincible, the thought floated into my mind like an epiphany. Of course. Changing tack abruptly, I cast flare.

White-hot dragonfire, thirsting for blood, roared out of my back and through the open wound of my mauled neck.

My attacker’s growl transformed into a surprised yelp, and a second later the crushing weight on my back disappeared.

I stopped casting flare and rolled over, frantic to see again and find my foe. The motion caused new agony to scorch my back. I gritted my teeth against the pain. My armour was the cause, I realised. The leather had melted, and now its burnt sinews bit through my skin.

My throbbing neck was little better. Though the flames had cauterised the wound, my neck felt fragile and vulnerable. But I didn’t have time to tend to myself just yet.

I had to find my attacker.

Remaining in my prone position, I let my eyes rove over the surroundings and jump from tree to tree.

Nothing.

No branches rustled. No leaves stirred. No blurred motion caught my attention. Where had my foe gone? And how had it disappeared so—

Between one blink and the next, I was under attack again.

Weight pressed down on me and a dark shape blotted out the sun. I had a split second to recognize slitted eyes, a snarling muzzle, and fangs—lots of fangs—before the beast’s gaping maw snapped downwards.

But this time I was ready.

Before my foe clamped its jaws around my head, I cast flare into its belly.

The creature—wolf?—whined. My dragonfire-wreathed hands flew up to grasp the beast and hold it prisoner while I poured flames into its torso.

But in an eyeblink my foe disappeared.

This time I had been looking at the beast when it had happened. The creature had not leapt off. One moment it had been there and the next it was gone.

Some form of teleportation?

My head swivelled back and forth as I tried to keep watch on all approaches at once. Images of my attacker flicked through my mind. It was definitely lupine. And my fire had hurt it. How bad, I couldn’t tell yet, but flare had left scorch marks along its sides. I smelt singed fur, so I had to have—

My headlong thoughts paused.

There had been no burns on the beast’s muzzle. Which there should have been—if it was the same creature that had initially attacked me.

So I have at least two attackers.

Even worse, I realised, that if the beasts really could teleport, then scanning the surroundings would make no difference. I would not see the next attack before it arrived. A tremor of fear rippled through me.

Abruptly, I dropped the spellform of flare and, summoning life magic, cast lay hands. I knew it was a risk, but so was leaving my wounds unattended.

Soothing waves of healing rippled through my back and neck. But I had no time to enjoy the relief from pain. Two four-footed figures—almost as if summoned by the spell’s luminous blue glow—blinked into existence two yards away on either side of me.

I had no idea why the beasts had chosen not to materialise on top of me again, but I was grateful. It gave me the time I needed to prepare. Dropping the weaves of lay hands, I readied flare’s spellform.

The beasts leapt. I flared.

Twin howls of agony tore through the forest as dragonfire met hounds. Mid-leap, the pair disappeared, vanishing from the flames’ depth. My heart pounded. Despite my success in fending off the attack, I knew I was in trouble.

Neither of the two beasts had borne any burns. Either they could heal themselves… or I had four attackers.

I’m being stalked by a pack of teleporters, I thought.

I swallowed my fear. If I was going to survive the encounter, I had to change the dynamic. Sitting up, I searched for somewhere I could hold the pack at bay, but in every direction the terrain was the same: an endless march of trees.

I drew my knife. I knew it was silly —why did I need the knife when I had flare?—but I kept it in hand anyway. Scooting backwards, I braced my back against the nearest trunk and held myself ready.

The beasts kept me waiting.

I scanned the area. There was no sign of the pack, but I didn’t doubt they were nearby. To relieve the tension coiling tighter and tighter within me, I opened my magesight. Perhaps where my physical sight failed, my magical one would succeed.

My magesight was stubbornly empty. Disappointed, I made to close it, but paused when a shadow flickered past my view.

Slowly, I rotated my head. I hadn’t been mistaken. My foes were visible in my magesight. As pools of darkness, the creatures circled menacingly around me. They lurked behind the trees and just out of physical sight.

Clever beasts.

The pack’s constant motion kept me from determining their number, but just knowing where my foes lurked helped immensely, and I felt some of my fear subside.

Given the space to think, I considered the circumstances that had brought me here. Where were the loggers? Where were Tara, Michael, and the rest of the spearmen?

They couldn’t be far away, could they?

I wondered if I should abandon my position and go in search of the Outpost company. But on the move, I suspected I would be more vulnerable. And perhaps that was what the beasts waited for: for me to expose myself.

“Help!” I shouted. “Is anyone there?” If I was stuck waiting here, I decided there was no harm in trying to attract attention to my position. Maybe someone would hear me. My voice echoed startlingly loud through the forest silence, but there was no answering cry.

A hound blinked before me, perhaps spurred by my cry and hoping to take advantage of my distraction. But I had been expecting the move.

I cast flare, and it blinked away.

“Damn it,” I snarled as the creature escaped my flames unscathed.

Another materialised to my left. I flared, and missed again as it blinked away.

A third repeated the manoeuvre on the right. Predictably, I failed to hit it.

I ground my teeth in frustration. “Goddamn dogs,” I swore. The pack was testing me. The pit of my stomach dropped as another, more unpleasant thought, occurred.

Or they are draining my mana? Just how cunning are these beasts?

A fourth blinked in. I waited. The hound tilted its head quizzically at me, its wintery grey eyes boring into me. Then it blinked away.

A second later, a shape hurtled down from the tree above. I flung up my right arm and cast flare.

With a yelp, the hound blinked out just before its weight could touch down on me. This time I recognised the beast. The scorch marks on its muzzle marked it as my first attacker.

So there appear to only be the four, I thought, hope rising at the possibility. I was not as overmatched as I feared.

The pack went back to circling. But not for long.

A beast blinked into being on my right and barrelled towards me. I cast flare, but this time the creature only ducked its head and, with a low growl, kept coming.

Another beast materialised on the left. With my other hand, I cast flare directly into it. It, too, was undaunted. The pack was changing its tactics again.

Just as the first two clamped their jaws onto my flaring hands, the third beast dropped down from the trees and the fourth appeared at my feet.

They were trying to overwhelm me, and this time flare was not scaring them off. The fourth hound dove for my throat.

Reacting faster than thought, I activated invincible.

The hound bounced off. A bloodthirsty grin spread across my face. The tables had turned. I flared harder, pouring flames out of my hands.

Now I’ve got you, doggies. All four beasts were trapped in the blazing inferno. Flames boiled off me and licked at the pack clinging to me. Fur was singed, skin melted, and paws charred.

Then the hound on my left blinked away. It was followed a moment later by the one my chest. Dread curled within me.

They were retreating again.

I couldn’t let them all escape. I had to kill at least a couple of them while invincible lasted.

I flung myself sideways and grappled the hound chewing on my right arm. Wrapping my arms around it, I held on for dear life.

The beast at my feet disappeared.

But the one I clung onto, whether because of the pain from the dragonfire spewing into it, or because I had wrapped myself around its torso, stayed put. Pouring all my fear and rage into the beast, I flared until it collapsed into a smoking heap.

Then I lurched to my feet and ran.

✽✽✽

I didn’t get far.

My crippled foot, not to mention the pack’s ability to teleport, made escape impossible. I wasn’t trying to outrun them though—not exactly. I was hoping instead to find the loggers’ trail. I had lost sight of it during the initial attack. If I found it, I could cautiously withdraw their way.

But whether the direction I searched in was the wrong one, or I simply failed to see the path, the clock on invincible ran down without me finding the loggers’ tracks.

With my chest heaving and hands on my knees, I drew to a halt to consider my options. Fleeing without the protection of invincible was risky. The hounds could strike at any time.

On the heels of that thought, three pools of darkness slipped into my magesight.

They were back.

Can the beasts sense my spells? I wondered. The timing of their return was just too coincidental otherwise. Damn, if these dogs aren’t smarter than the murluks.

Continuing the search for the loggers’ trail was no longer an option. Forced to admit defeat, I planted my back against another tree. At least, I had bettered my odds of survival. But even with one of their number dead already, the pack showed no sign of abandoning their hunt.

With a weary sigh, I settled myself to keep watch and prepare for the next attack.

Chapter 32

388 days until the Arkon Shield falls

It didn’t take the pack long to resume their assault.

They were more wary, but no less persistent. The three hounds, scorched and scarred from dragonfire, blinked in, tested me with feinting attacks, and then jumped out again.

They did this often enough that I lost count of the number of assaults I fended off. Each time, the pack would inch closer and closer, until I was forced to flare. Then they would flee. And more often than not, the beasts managed to dodge the flames.

Every so often they returned to circling me before trying to bait me again. There was no pattern to the pack’s assaults. They attacked at random intervals and kept me on edge.

The pack’s strategy was obvious: they were attempting to wear me down. But even though I knew what the beasts played at, I was helpless to stop them.

Inevitably, I knew I would lose. I tried casting flare as little as possible to conserve my stamina and mana, but I had no illusions that the pack would triumph eventually.

During one of their many feinting attacks, I took the opportunity to analyse the creatures.

The target is a level 32 phase hound. It has meagre Magic, is gifted with Might, is gifted with Resilience, and has no Craft.

The results told me little I didn’t already know, nor it did give me any clue how to overcome them. My best hope, I decided, was to hold out until the Outpost company found me.

Even though I had lost the loggers’ trail, I knew I couldn’t have strayed too far from their path. Staying put, I kept calling out once every five minutes. Someone had to hear me eventually.

But as the day waned, and morning turned to afternoon, and afternoon to twilight, I began to lose hope that I would be rescued. The phase hounds were tireless, and I feared they would take our stand-off into the night. Once darkness concealed their attacks, the end would come quickly.

I stared up at the light of the setting sun filtering through the trees. My time was almost up. I’ve waited long enough, I decided. No rescue is coming. If I was going to survive past the night, it would be up to me to change my fate.

For the umpteenth time, I took stock of my resources. I needed a way to bring my magic to bear, a way to hurt the creatures while they hung teasingly out of my flare’s range. But I had been wracking my brains for a way to do that the whole day and had yet to come up with a workable plan.

I glanced at the knife sheathed at my hip. It was the only weapon I had, yet it was useless. Perhaps, if I threw it… Bah! That would only lose me my knife. If only I had a spear, though—

I paused. “A spear,” I mused. My gaze flickered from my knife to two nearby saplings. I don’t have a spear, but perhaps I can make one.

Cautiously, I edged away from the tree guarding my back to the nearer of the two saplings and ran my hand along its length. It was thin enough; I judged that I could saw through its base, or maybe uproot it entirely.

With one eye on the circling pools of darkness in my magesight, I yanked at the sapling. It came free easily. Working quickly, I trimmed off its branches.

When I was done, I had a nine-foot-long pole. But while my new weapon was a goodly length, its wood was too green and wiry. It had none of the firmness I needed from a spear.

I grimaced. It’s a damn sight better than nothing, Jamie. Limping to the next sapling, I repeated my feat.

Then with my two ‘spears’ at my side, I sat with my back braced against a nearby tree while I waited for the next attack.

✽✽✽

It wasn’t long in coming.

A phase hound blinked into being five yards in front of me. The beasts had learned the limit of my flare range and were careful to always appear outside it.

I looked up from the ‘spear’ end I had been sharpening with my knife. “Well, dog, it’s about time you fellows showed up,” I murmured.

The hound pricked it ears forward at the sound of my voice, but it didn’t otherwise move from its predatory crouch.

In no hurry, I hefted one of the saplings and climbed to my feet. By this point, my encounters with the pack had developed a rhythm of their own. I knew the hound facing off against me wouldn’t attack until one of its fellows showed up.

Ignoring the beast in front of me, I watched my flanks. It was the pack’s favoured tactic. Invariably, it was the purpose of the one in front to hold my attention while one of the others, attempting to catch me off guard, rushed in from the left and right.

The tactic had yet to work, though the pack seemed committed to it. Thankfully the hounds had not tried rushing me all at once again. If they did that, I knew I wouldn’t survive. But it seemed that I had instilled enough fear in the creatures during their first failed attempt that they were too wary to repeat the tactic.

A second phase hound blinked in on my right. Watching it through narrowed eyes, I raised the sapling spear in readiness. Would it pounce forward this time, or edge nearer?

The beast padded closer and stopped three yards away, just outside flare range. I lowered the sapling in my arms. Its nine-foot length was unwieldly, but with some difficulty I managed to keep it pointed at my target.

The hound kept its gaze fixed on me, its eyes not even straying the sapling’s way.

I smiled grimly. Good. Stepping away from the tree, I lunged forward with the spear.

The hound made no attempt to dodge. Its only reaction was a surprised flick of its ears.

My spear tip struck the hound’s chest dead centre, but instead of piercing the creature, the sapling bent on impact. Aaargh, I screamed in silent frustration. The hound’s coat had not been so much as scratched by my ‘weapon.’

The beast looked down at the stick poking into its chest. Its mouth opened and its tongue lolled out.

The bloody thing is laughing at me, I thought in amazement.

Then the hound bounded forward.

Letting the spear sag, I removed my left hand from it and cast flare at the leaping beast. But I struck only air as the beast blinked out.

The second hound, who had been waiting patiently all along, rushed in. I swung flare its way and it blinked away.

The third hound appeared on my left. It didn’t attack. Lying down on all fours, it watched me insolently from well outside of flare’s range.

Snarling in frustration, I stopped casting flare. I tired of the pack’s games. I knew the one on my left was waiting for me to turn my dragonfire its way so that it could blink away. I didn’t want to give it that satisfaction.

Instead, I hefted the sapling again and charged the hound. As I thrust the sapling forward, I cast flare.

It was an act born more from thwarted anger than anything else. At best, I hoped to catch the hound by surprise and to close with the creature while it was distracted.

But as I sent dragonfire rippling from my hands and into the sapling, I felt the spellform in my mind change to something else, seemingly of its own volition. My eyes widened in shock. My magic had never behaved this way before. Caught off guard, I didn’t resist as the spellform shifted shape and expanded outwards into the sapling.

Dragonfire raced along the wood’s length, and then to the astonishment of both the hound and myself, a bar of liquid gold leapt out of the spear’s tip and struck the creature.

The hound howled as the searing beam of dragonfire plunged into its chest. I stumbled to a halt, too stunned to take advantage of the creature’s momentary confusion.

A second later the hound blinked out, though I barely noticed. An avalanche of text clouded my vision.

You have spellcrafted a: ranged spell, from the Discipline of: dragon magic. The name assigned to this spell is: fire ray. Fire ray is a single-cast spell that must be invoked with the aid of a Focus. Its casting time is: very fast and its rank is: uncommon.

You are the first player to have spellcrafted the dragon spell: fire ray. For this achievement, you have been awarded: dragon lore and four Marks.

Lore note: Fire ray is an uncommon dragon magic spell. It produces a single beam of dragonfire that is powered by the caster’s health, mana, and stamina.

Simple touch-based spells are not fully realised in the world and only exist while their spellforms remain connected to their caster’s mana pool.

Projectile spells are different, and ordinarily are too complex to be cast by novice mages. Their spellforms must be tied-off so that the spell can exist even when disconnected from the caster.

The fire ray is not a true projectile spell, but a variant of a touch-based spell that is transformed into a ranged attack with the aid of a Focus—usually a wizard’s staff.

You have cast fire ray through an unattuned Focus. A redwood tree sapling has died.

The Trials messages took my breath away. Belatedly, I realised that the spellform my flare spell had morphed into was the one I had been practicing last night. The same one that failed time and again.

“A wizard’s staff,” I muttered. That’s what I had been missing all along. But what is a Focus? I hadn’t come across the term before.

I looked at the sapling in my hand. The wood was charred, turned lifeless by the forces it had channelled. Yet, given the dragonfire that rippled through its core, the sapling remaining surprisingly whole. I ran my hand down its length. The wood had dried up. There was no give through its length at all, and the tip had hardened nicely. It will make a much better weapon now, I thought.

I turned my gaze outwards and scanned the surroundings. The hounds had retreated into the shadows once more. They weren’t gone though. Like me, they were probably contemplating what my latest display of magic boded for our contest.

Certain I remained secure—if only temporarily—I cast analyse on the weapon in my hand.

The target is a burnt redwood staff. This weapon has no special properties and is unattuned.

So the Trials considered the weapon in my hand a staff, not a spear. I wondered at the repeated reference to attunement. I knew what it meant to attune my mana. But what did it mean to attune a weapon?

Unfortunately, since I’d never suspected I’d have magic, I hadn’t delved much into the subject of the wizardly arts in the Trials Infopedia. Now, I felt caught out by my ignorance. I would have to find a way to fill the gaps in my understanding. If I survive today, of course.

I recalled that when I had cast fire ray earlier, its spellform had extended from my mind into the staff, almost as if the sapling had been part of the spell. Tentatively, I tried to channel mana through the staff, but the weaves refused to enter the wood.

I frowned, but before I could experiment further, the three hounds blinked into existence and formed a half-circle five yards around me.

I dropped into a crouch and stared at the beasts. This was a new tactic. Lowering the staff, I held it horizontally like one would a spear.

The beasts shied away from wherever the staff pointed, clearly fearful more dragonfire might erupt from it.

It gave me hope.

Calling upon the spellform of fire ray, I attempted to extend it through the staff, but once more the weaves refused my command.

Your spell has fizzled. Magic can only be channelled through living objects.

I stared at the Trials alert in frustration. It did not bode well. Warily, I bent down, dropped the burned staff, and picked up the second sapling in its stead. If I interpreted the message correctly, I would manage only a single cast through it.

But hopefully the hounds didn’t know that.

My movements triggered a response from the pack. In sync, they padded forward. Were they going to try overwhelming me again?

I couldn’t allow that to happen.

Tightening my grip on the unburned sapling, I pointed it at the hound on the far left and cast fire ray.

A line of dragonfire leapt across intervening space. The beast tried to sidestep the burning ray, but at this distance it was impossible to miss, and my beam struck the hound squarely in the muzzle.

The hound yelped and blinked out. The other two chose that moment to pounce.

Half-expecting the move, I was ready. I planted the rear end of my now-burnt staff into the ground and angled the sharpened end at the closest hound.

The beast realised the danger too late. Before it could teleport away, the hound’s own momentum drove the hardened spear tip through its torso.

Your skill with staffs has advanced to: level 1.

I dropped the staff, not caring if the hound blinked away. Since it was skewered, it was no threat. Spinning around, I prepared to fend off the third and last hound.

But I was too slow.

The beast, a half-seen blur, crashed into my side and sent me sprawling away. In a fury of tooth and claw, the hound rushed back at me. I rolled and narrowly escaped its snapping jaws.

The first hound rejoined the fray. Teleporting onto me, it pinned me down. I threw up my hands and shielded my neck and face. But that did little to protect me as the hound only shifted its attack lower.

Near simultaneously, the jaws of the two hounds clamped down onto my torso and legs. Agony rippled through me and I bit back a scream as one of the hounds buried its muzzle in my insides.

Death loomed near, and the battle’s conclusion drew close. One way or the other, I realised the contest between the hounds and me would be decided in the next few moments. The time for conserving my mana and lifeblood had passed.

In terrified fury, I cast flare.

And not just from my hands, but everywhere. Empowered by the volatile mix of my panic and terror, waves of dragonfire rolled off me. I urged the flames onwards, fanning them hotter and hotter until I burned so brightly I could barely make out the hounds. Holding nothing back, I spent my lifeblood with no care for the cost.

I either died now, or I won.

Trial alerts popped into my vision, but I banished them almost as fast as they appeared and blindly grasped the hound on my chest.

The beast writhed, desperate to escape. But I held on and didn’t let up. Either it died first or I did.

Vaguely, I sensed the other hound blink away from the superheated flames pouring off my body. I let it go. There was nothing I could do to stop it anyway.

In a few short seconds, the hound in my grasp burst into ash, and I found myself alone at the centre of a world turned white-gold.

I was dizzy and my thoughts felt sluggish. In stunned shock, I stared at the flames dancing about me. They wreathed my form from head to foot, and moved in a manner both enticing and hypnotic.

I knew I was dying. And I knew I should quench the fire. But staring at the beautiful flames, I couldn’t see to care.

Why not let it all go? I wondered. This is a good a way to die as any. Why fight on?

Unbeckoned, Mum’s dead, unseeing eyes formed in the flames and seemed to bore into my own.

I blinked. My thoughts snapped into clarity. I couldn’t let go. Not yet. My fight was not nearly done.

“Not like this,” I croaked. With a tortured gasp, I applied my will and quenched the outpouring of mana and lifeblood. The dancing flames simmered, then died, and the spectre of Mum faded.

Thank you, Ma, I whispered in farewell before blacking out.

✽✽✽

I woke up coughing blood and bile.

My skin had been scorched clean, cleansed of everything by the dragonfire. Clothes, armour, hair, all of it had burnt away.

My health was dangerously low. I barely clung to life. And everything hurt. God, does it hurt.

Reality intruded and I recalled where I was. The hounds, I thought. Where are the hounds? I had only killed one. Where were the other two?

Glancing upwards, I saw red tinged the sky. That meant I couldn’t have been out for long. The beasts could return any time. Move, Jamie. Heal yourself. Fear isn’t going to keep the wretched creatures away for long.

I moved. With torturous slowness, I pushed myself into a sitting position and braced my back against a tree. Channelling mana, I cast lay hands.

Almost immediately, I began to breathe easier. I cast the spell again, then twice more. Only when my health was fully restored did I turn my attention to the surroundings.

To my surprise, I found I wasn’t alone.

The hound that had skewered itself was still where I had last left it, and from its faintly moving chest, I realised it was still alive. I grabbed the second discarded staff and hauled myself to my feet.

As I staggered closer to the creature, it stiffened, sensing my presence. But by now I was certain the hound was helpless, so I drew right up next to it without fear.

The hound lifted its head and snarled in warning.

“Well fought, mutt,” I whispered. Raising the sharpened staff high overhead, I drove it down into the pinned beast.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 20 Trainee.

I collapsed to my knees next to the dead creature. While I regained my breath, I called up the Trials alerts from earlier in the battle.

You have spellcrafted a: caster-only spell, from the Discipline of: dragon magic. The name assigned to this spell is: living torch. Living torch is a persistent spell that produces: three times more dragonfire than flare. Its casting time is: average and its rank is: common.

You are the first player to have spellcrafted the dragon spell: living torch. For this achievement, you have been awarded: dragon lore and two Marks.

Lore note: Living torch is a spell of last resort. It produces an uncontrollable inferno that invariably is only quenched when the caster’s lifeblood is spent. Across the ages, when faced by grave peril many a dragon—even elder ones—have chosen to immolate themselves through flames of a living torch rather than perish at their foe’s hands.

“A spell of last resort,” I murmured. It had certainly been that. But despite me having crafted another spell, right then it was beyond me to feel much in the way of enthusiasm for my latest achievement. It was enough that I knew how I had managed to kill the hounds.

I dismissed the messages and inspected myself. My stamina still hovered in the red, and my mana, too, was almost drained.

What now? I wondered as I mustered the strength to regain my feet. I was lost in the forest, naked, without food or shelter, and night would fall soon.

“Mage Jamie?”

I looked over my shoulder. Standing a few feet away were a man and a woman. Hunters, by the look of the bows across their backs.

Wide-eyed, they took in the scene.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said. “Now you find me?” I chuckled, though it was a broken sound that transformed into another hacking cough.

I bent over, nearly overcome by the spate of coughing. Only my grip on the staff pinning the hound kept me from collapsing entirely. With nearly superhuman effort, I brought myself under control again.

The two looked at me in confusion. “Are you alright, Jamie?” asked the women. She shifted nervously from foot to foot.

But despite her concern, I noticed she didn’t come any closer. Well, I wouldn’t either if I found a strange man, naked, coughing blood, and kneeling over the corpse of a dead dog.

“I’m fine,” I said, suppressing the renewed bout of hysterical laughter that threatened to overcome me. “Well, not quite. Can you help me up?”

The two hurried forward and hauled me to my feet. The woman averted her gaze, and the man offered me his armour. I gratefully accepted it and dressed while the woman left to report back to their company. The other hunter, unarmed but dressed in his underclothes, kept me company. Once dressed, I slumped back down and closed my eyes, stealing what rest I could.

“Here you go, sir,” said the hunter, offering me a piece of jerky.

I laughed. “I’m no ‘sir.’ Call me Jamie, please.” I bit down on the jerky. It was heavenly.

The hunter bent over the hounds, studying the corpses. Picking up something, he held it out to me. “Is this yours?”

It was my knife. I must have mislaid it during the fight. “Thanks.”

“Jamie?”

I swung my head around towards the voice and saw Tara, accompanied by the female hunter and another man, who looked vaguely familiar.

“Yeah it’s me,” I said with a smile that I am sure looked just ghastly. “Hard to recognise without any hair, right?” I ran my hand over my smooth scalp.

“What happened?” asked Tara. She knelt down next to me, her face tight with concern while the man loomed over both of us.

“They happened,” I said, gesturing towards the hounds. “Four of them ambushed me on my way here.”

“But what are you doing here?” asked the man, frowning.

I recognised his voice from the conference. It was Albert, the head logger. “I heard about the attack and came to help.”

“Alone?” asked Tara, her brows furrowing.

I nodded. “I know, I know. I should have brought an escort. It was foolish of me not to.”

Tara’s lips thinned, but she didn’t say anything further. After rising to her feet again, she went to inspect the dead hound.

Albert was still frowning. “The attack happened in the morning,” he said. “Why come now?”

I chuckled. “I left the Outpost hours ago, following on the heels of the spearmen company sent to reinforce Tara’s guard.”

Albert’s eyes widened. “You’ve been fighting these things the whole day?”

I nodded. “It was not pleasant, let me tell you.”

Tara rejoined the conversation. “There is only one body here.”

“You won’t find the second, since it left behind only ash.” I thrust out my chin to the trees to our right. “The corpse of the third is somewhere that way. The last one got away, I’m afraid.”

Tara gestured the two hunters in the direction I pointed and they set out to investigate. “So now we know where they went,” she murmured.

I tilted my head and looked up at her curiously. “What do you mean?”

Her gaze dropped to me. “The logging camp was attacked by six of these creatures in the morning. We lost ten men and women in the assault,” she said grimly. “But we managed to kill two. The other four ran off. We’ve been waiting for their next attack ever since.”

“Which never came because you were holding them off all this time,” added Albert, his voice tinged with respect.

I chewed over their words. So there had been six of the hounds. It was a good thing Tara’s people had managed to kill two of them. I shuddered to think how I would have fared against all six.

“How did you manage to kill them?” I asked, puzzling over that curious detail. “Every time I managed to get close enough to flare into them, they teleported away.”

“They can’t teleport when restrained,” Tara said. She shrugged. “We got lucky figuring that out, but once we did the hounds didn’t stick around. They fled. To ambush you it appears.”

The two hunters returned. “We’ve found the body, Captain.”

“Good,” Tara said. “Albert, have your people send over some sleds. We’ll load up the bodies and haul them back to camp.” Leaning down, she pulled me up. “Come on, Jamie, let’s get you back to camp.”

Gratefully, I accepted her help. But once I regained my feet, Tara started to move off.

“Tara, wait,” I began, grabbing hold of her arm before she could step away. “About this morning,” I whispered so that the others wouldn’t hear. “I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.”

Tara stilled for a moment before patting my arm and gently freeing herself. “We’ll talk it about later.”

I looked at her uncertainly as she walked away. It was not perhaps the blanket forgiveness I’d hoped for, but it was more than I deserved. I could only pray I hadn’t destroyed our friendship altogether.

Tearing my gaze from Tara’s departing figure, I turned to the logger. “Albert, would you do me a favour please?”

“Of course,” he said.

“Would you have your people gather some young trees for me, please?” I pointed out the two burnt staffs. “Saplings like those, only green and alive.”

Even though he seemed perplexed by the request, the logger agreed. “Sure, Jamie.” Stepping closer, he clasped my hand. “Melissa tells me we have you to thank for our new tools?”

I nodded.

“That was good work,” Albert said. “You will do well to focus more of your talents that way. Rebuilding our civilization is what will save humanity.” He glanced at the dead hound. “Not battling creatures like that.” His lips turned down. “Leave that to the fighters.”

I freed my hand and struggled not to roll my eyes at the logger. I didn’t agree with Albert, but I wasn’t about to get into an argument on the matter. With a wave of my arm, I bade him farewell.

Then, following after Tara, I began the long trek back to the Outpost.

Chapter 33

388 days until the Arkon Shield falls

All living things possess spirit. —Trials Infopedia.

The loggers and their guard companies caught up with Tara and me soon after.

It seemed that when the scouts had caught sight of the strange burning light through the trees, the loggers had already been heading back for the Outpost.

The train of logs, hauled by men and sleds alone, moved slowly through the forest, making the trip back much longer than the one going out. I did not mind though. Weary as I was, the pace suited me just fine.

Tara and I didn’t get a chance to talk. The captain spent most of her time scanning the surroundings for threat or barking orders to the soldiers under her command. Despite Tara’s concern though, we reached the Outpost without mishap.

We rolled into the camp well after nightfall. The loggers had stayed out much longer than usual to meet their quota of felled timbers. And while the Outpost still remained short of the logs it needed for the palisade, Albert was satisfied with the progress they’d made today.

The loggers’ new saws and axes had made their tree felling much easier, and Albert was convinced that his people would meet the commander’s deadline, if only marginally.

When we got to camp, as much as I wanted to, I didn’t let myself fall straight into my pallet. My battle with the hounds had shone a glaring light on many of my deficiencies.

I couldn’t afford to let myself be caught so unprepared in the future. With a sigh, I sank down and resumed my air magic training.

An interminable time later, I reached my goal for the night.

Your skill in air magic has advanced to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

I smiled in satisfaction at the message. Right, that’s enough training.

On that thought, I rested my head on my pillow and was dead to the world soon after.

✽✽✽

I awoke late the next morning.

When I finally managed to pry open my eyes, the sun was already high in the sky. Sitting up on my pallet, I saw that a fresh set of clothes and armour had been set aside for me along with some food.

By now the murluk attack had either already happened, or they had failed to show up again, so there was little point in hurrying. I took my time with breakfast and savoured each morsel.

When I left my tent, I found the camp was mostly deserted. Everyone else was already up and about their daily chores.

What to do today, Jamie?

Despite the successes of the last few days, I still had a long list of things to accomplish. I needed to check in on the guards at the river, visit the dragon temple, train my magic further, and find Tara. Then there was the palisade. To meet the deadline, the wall had to be completed by day’s end tomorrow.

I chewed my lip, wondering where to begin.

Priority one, I decided, would be to see how the builders were faring. With that in mind, I set off for the crafting yard.

✽✽✽

The yard was buzzing with the sounds of industrious activity when I got there. Despite my newly shaven look—or because of it?—everyone seemed to recognise me. Friendly greetings and cheerful waves marked my passage through the area.

Reaching the centre of the yard, I drew to a halt. Now that I was here, I was unsure where to begin looking for the builders.

“Jamie!”

I turned at the shout. “Melissa,” I greeted as the head blacksmith approached closer. “How are you?”

“Much better now that my people are equipped with the tools of their trade. I didn’t get a chance to thank you for that the other day.”

I waved off her words. “You, Anton, and Jeremy were as much responsible for our success as me,” I said. Before she could contradict me, I went on. “I am actually looking for Albert or Soren—the head builder.”

Melissa smiled wryly at my change of topic. “You’re too late,” she said. “Both left the camp before dawn. Albert and his people are in the forest, and you will find Soren on the north side of the encampment. The builders are working on that section of the wall today.”

“Oh,” I said, disappointed. Though now that I thought of it, I realised I shouldn’t have expected to find the pair here. I had also hoped to speak to Tara that morning. But she was likely guarding the loggers again today. Perhaps I will see her tonight. “Do you know how the work on the palisade is going?”

“Now that his builders have the logs they need, Soren foresees no problems in completing it in time.”

“That’s great news,” I said, relieved. “Thanks for the feedback, Melissa. I just wanted to make sure everything was on track.”

I began to turn away, but she stopped me. “Wait, I almost forgot. Albert’s people left something for you.”

“They did?”

“Yes,” she said, a frown marring her face. “It’s a handful of green sticks. I thought it was a mistake, but Albert insisted you wanted them.” She raised an eyebrow in question.

“I did. I mean, I do,” I said with a pleased grin. “Can you show me where they are?”

Melissa led me through the yard and to a large table filled with an assortment of items. On end of the table were the green sticks in question: three young saplings just as I had requested. Thank you, Albert.

The saplings were each about two inches thick and between four and six feet in length. I cast analyse upon each in turn.

The targets are a rowan, ash, and oak tree sapling. These items have no special properties.

Melissa scratched her head. “I have no idea what you want with them, but they’re yours.”

“Thank you,” I murmured. Laying my hand on the rowan sapling, I channelled mana through it. A second later, I had cause to regret my impulsive action as a Trials notice opened before me.

A rowan tree sapling has died. Your lore skill is too low to attune this Focus.

I frowned at the message. Outwardly the rowan’s sapling appearance had not changed, but inside it I could feel the spark of life that been present was now absent.

Contrary to the Trials alert, I had not been attempting an attunement. It was idle curiosity sparked by my experience casting the fire ray spell that had caused me to channel mana through the sapling, no more. Yet, the Trials had interpreted my actions as an attempt at attunement.

It did not escape my notice either that the sapling had been referred to as a ‘Focus.’ A Focus, I had surmised by now, had to be a living object and seemed to be as much a mage’s tool as a hammer was a smith’s.

I chewed my lip thoughtfully. Could the process to attune a Focus be similar to the one I had used to attune my own mana? But why did I need lore, then? That was unexpected.

“Something wrong?” asked Melissa.

“No,” I replied. “Can I take these?”

“Of course, they’re yours.”

“Thanks,” I said. Grabbing the saplings, I began to step away, then stopped. “Oh,” I said as I withdrew the knife I had shoved into my pocket for want of a sheath. “Can you get someone to make me a new casing? Th old one was… uhm, destroyed.”

Melissa looked wryly at my hairless face. “Yes, I heard about that,” she said, taking the knife from me. “I’ll have someone bring it over to your tent when it’s done.” She eyed my armour. “Perhaps some better-fitting armour is in order too.”

“Thank you, Melissa,” I called over my shoulder.

I set aside my other plans and hurried away to experiment further with the saplings.

✽✽✽

Back in my tent, I sat down crossed-legged with the second sapling across my knees. I stilled my breathing and closed my eyes, then opened my magesight.

Lines of spirit flowed through the sapling. They were nowhere near as complex as the intricate web forming my own spirit, but they were nonetheless unmistakable.

Ever so carefully, I attempted the process of attunement, much in the same way as I had attuned my own mana.

The sapling, of course, had none of its own mana. But after thinking on the matter I had come to the conclusion that the attunement process for a Focus required me to align its spirit to my mana. That way, the Focus would survive my spellcasting and not die as the previous saplings had, when exposed to my magic.

I gathered my mana and dribbled a little into the sapling—the tiniest amount I could manage. I exhaled in relief when it caused no adverse reaction and moved on to the next step. Manipulating the mana I dropped into the wood, I coaxed the sapling to recognize my magic.

The wood’s grains shifted minutely in response to my will, but then a moment later they snapped back, in seeming rejection of my magic. In dismay, I watched as the spirit weaves riddling the sapling vanished.

An ash tree sapling has died. Your lore skill is too low to attune this Focus.

My face fell. “Damn,” I muttered in frustration. I felt as if I had been so close to success.

I considered the Trials message. Again, there was the reference to my lore being insufficient. Lore was not a Discipline I had studied much in the wiki. It wasn’t a combat Discipline and was instead a crafting one. Yet lore seemed essential for attuning a Focus.

Do all mages need lore… or only those creating their own Focus?

I sighed. If I still had access to the wiki, I could learn more of the Discipline and consider its merits in greater detail. But I had no choice now.

I ran my hand along the dead sapling. I knew I couldn’t ignore the Trials alert for a second time, and I had only one sapling left. I could get more of them from the forest, but I suspected that without increasing lore I would keep failing.

I would have to increase the Discipline through the temple, if only for the benefit of creating an attuned staff. I set aside the saplings. Before I visited the temple, I wanted to train at least one other of my magical Disciplines.

I had spent my trip back from the forest last night analysing my battle with the hounds, and two things had become immediately apparent to me.

One: I was too vulnerable at night, and two: I couldn’t always depend on flare and invincible. The day-long standoff with the hounds had taught me that if I couldn’t bring my spells to bear on my foes, I was helpless.

The solution was obvious: I needed a disabling spell, a means to hold my enemies in place while I damaged them. I knew of a basic spell that could do the job, but it was from the Discipline of earth magic.

I closed my eyes and drew up my mana. Manipulating the magic, I shaped a rudimentary representation of earth in my mind. Then while I let intuition guide me, I twisted and turned the mana as I refined my understanding.

I don’t know if was because I was getting better at magic, or a result of my past training in the other magic Disciplines, but whatever the reason, I advanced my knowledge of earth magic much faster than I’d expected. After only a few hours of practice, I reached Trainee rank.

Your skill in earth magic has advanced to: level 10 and reached: rank 2, Trainee.

Wincing at the stiffness in my limbs, I creaked to my feet and ducked out of the tent. The time had come to visit the dragon temple again.

✽✽✽

You have entered Wyrm Island.

Aurora met me in the centre of Wyrm Island, next to the gate. Just like the previous few times I had been here, she didn’t seem particularly happy to see me.

“Human,” said Aurora, her voice oozing boredom, “what can I do for you today?”

I bowed, minding my manners as I had been warned to despite her less-than-courteous demeanour. “I’d like to advance my Disciplines and enhance my Attributes,” I replied.

“You have one hundred and sixty-one Tokens and twenty-six Marks available. What Disciplines and Attributes do you wish to train?”

“Dragon magic, life magic, earth magic, air magic, and lore. Please increase them all to twenty.” After the temple made the changes, I would have four magic Disciplines to call upon, giving me some much-needed versatility.

“Done. You have one hundred and twenty-seven Tokens remaining,” Aurora said. “In which Attributes do you wish to invest your Marks?”

“Vigour, channelling, constitution, and spellpower.” Now that I had increased my spellpower to rank two, the limit of what I could expect to achieve with training, I could not easily enhance it further without Marks.

“Noted,” Aurora said. “You have ten Marks remaining. Your new knowledge and the changes to your body will be effected once you exit Wyrm Island.”

Satisfied with the improvements I had chosen, I waved goodbye to the purple woman and stepped back through the gate.

✽✽✽

You have exited Wyrm Island. Your spellpower, constitution, vigour, and channelling have increased to: level 20.

Your skills in dragon, air, earth, lore, and life magic have advanced to: level 20.

Stepping out of the dragon temple, I felt the new knowledge settle within me and my body adapt to its new Attributes. A pleased grin broke out across my face. I was getting stronger.

And now it’s time to attune my staff.

Limping down the temple steps, I began to hurry away towards my tent. That was when the scream cut through the air.

High, shrill, piercing—it was a child’s cry.

I froze. What was a child doing here? Turning around, I saw a family of three—two parents and one child—in almost the exact same spot I had appeared on entering Overworld.

Two spearmen hurried towards the trio. They had likely been posted to keep watch for new arrivals. The child, a girl who looked to be no older than ten, was bawling. Unlike the vast majority of human players, the child had entered in her own body. So had her parents. They were both middle-aged, with grey-flecked hair and faces lined with worry.

What were her parents thinking, bringing her to Overworld? I wondered.

Slowly, I made my way to the trio. The two spearmen were trying to calm the family. The parents appeared just as confused and fearful as their daughter.

“Ma’am, sir, I am Jamie,” I said, cutting through the shouting and screaming. “How can I help?”

“Who are you?” demanded the father, rounding on me.

I paused. “I am the settlement’s mage,” I replied. Knowing he would likely scoff, I cast flare.

The parents stepped back fearfully, but the girl’s screams stopped—as I had hoped they would—and her eyes lit up as she stared in fascination at the flames wreathing my hand. “Can I touch it?” she asked, reaching out.

I drew my hand back and shook my head. “No, you cannot, kiddo. It’s dangerous.”

“But I want to,” she said crossly.

Smiling, I knelt down before her and cast lay hands. Holding out my glowing blue-white hands, I said, “Here, you can touch this.”

Her hands snapped out immediately. Her father stepped forward to pull her back.

“It’s alright,” I told him. “There is no danger.”

He hesitated, but before he could intervene, his daughter decided the matter. “It tickles!” the girl said as her hand touched mine and the spell faded.

The father relaxed, and I rose to my feet. “You are in Overworld, sir,” I said, addressing the man. “In the Outpost, a location settled entirely by humans.” I hesitated, glancing down at his daughter. “Why did you come here?”

“I’m Greg,” the man said. “And we had no choice.”

“No choice?” I asked, confused.

“I don’t know when you left Earth, young man, but things back home have turned grim. Volcanoes, tornadoes, earthquakes, every natural disaster you can think of; they’re all happening, all over the world, and all at once. The only places on Earth not unstable right now are the gates and their immediate vicinity.”

Greg’s lips twisted. “People are finally taking the overworlders’ words to heart. The exodus has begun in earnest. Millions are fleeing through whichever gate is closest.” He shook his head. “I don’t know how many will make it. We were more fortunate than most. Our own home was very close to a gate, so we entered it as soon as we could.”

I frowned. “Are you from New Springs?” It was the town Tara, the commander, and the other recruits had come from.

Greg shook his head. “No. I am from London. The gates have been—what did that reporter call it?—unlocked. You can choose to exit anywhere in the Human Dominion now.”

I pursed my lips. “Why come here though? Why choose location seventy-eight?”

Greg hung his head. “Honestly, we chose at random.” He rested a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Because of Claire here, we underwent our Trials Initiation together.” He smiled bitterly. “At least this blasted world had the decency not to separate our little girl from us.”

My brows shot up. All three had been initiated? Surely the child was too young for that? “Claire is a player?” I asked.

“Not a full one,” answered the mother, her voice quivering. “Or that’s what those stone tablets we found in Wyrm Island led us to believe.” She clutched at Claire protectively. “Until she becomes an adult, my poor girl is defenceless!”

I was puzzled by the mother’s words. Stone tablets? What was she talking about? I hadn’t seen any items like that during my own visits to the island. But before I could question her, Greg spoke up.

“Now that isn’t quite true, dear,” he said. “Those tablets did say Claire can train her Disciplines through natural learning.” He paused. “Whatever that means.”

I glanced down at the little girl and applied analyse. The results were surprising.

The target is Claire Thompson, a level 1 human child-player. Due to her child status: the target’s Potentials are hidden, temple access is denied, and experience gains are locked.

I frowned, troubled by the analysis report. I turned to the two spearmen, who had been patiently observing our conversation. “Soldiers, you better take these three to the commander and make sure she hears their story.” I hesitated. “Also, tell her that given what’s happening on Earth, she can likely expect more recruits today and tomorrow—many more.”

Jolin would likely reach the same conclusions I had after she heard the trio’s story, but I wanted to be sure she didn’t miss the implications. I only hoped the Outpost could cope with the sudden influx of people that was certain to follow.

The two nodded and led the family away. Claire waved goodbye and I waved back.

Chapter 34

387 days until the Arkon Shield falls

1 day to Earth’s destruction

1 day until the Warren is destroyed

Lost deep in thought, I made my way back to my tent. Greg’s words kept playing over in my mind. The situation back on Earth, which I had forgotten about over the last few days, felt altogether too real after talking to the family.

How would Greg’s family—and others like his—survive on Overworld?

The Trials did not consider Claire a full player which meant she couldn’t enter a temple or level up. It was a cruel handicap. The poor girl could still be killed or hurt, but at the same time she was barred from the benefits players received. Benefits that helped them survive.

Children would have to be sheltered on this world, I realised. Even more so than on Earth. But how would we do that, when most human adults couldn’t even protect themselves yet?

Unbeckoned, the commander’s words whispered through my mind: ‘their future will be in the hands of people like you, Jamie.’ If I joined the Outpost, I could see to it that families like Greg’s were kept safe.

No, I thought refusing the possibility. I can’t stay.

There had to be thousands of other human children scattered all over the Human Dominion by now. All of them were in as much danger as little Claire.

I had to try and help them all.

I reached my tent and ducked inside. Sitting down cross-legged on my pallet, I pulled the last remaining sapling over my knees and considered it.

The only way I knew to help Claire and all the other Earth refugees was to get stronger. With grim determination, I got back to work.

For a time, my mind refused to focus, but eventually the troubles of Greg’s family, the Outpost, and Earth faded from conscious, and I concentrated on the task at hand.

My increased skill in the lore Discipline had furthered my understanding of the Trials and the underlying principles of Overworld. I knew now that not only was all magic different, but that most living things considered foreign magic—in its raw form—to be hostile.

Depending on the complexity of the entity, lifeforms reacted differently when faced with the threat of foreign magic. A person like Tara would instinctively shrug off an attempt to channel magic through her. But the spirit weave of a simpler organism—like the sapling I held in my hands—was not robust enough to fight off invasive magic, so instead it died.

To prevent such an instinctive response, I had to encourage the living wood to align itself with my magic. I had been on the right track earlier, but I had just gone about it wrong.

Opening my magesight, I delved into the five-foot-long oak on my knees. I studied it intently until I knew its every knot, gnarl, and grain. When I was certain I understood the sapling as fully as I could, I began to attune its nature to mine, carefully introducing my magic’s velvet swirls of cobalt blue.

Inch by inch, the living cells in the sapling tasted the droplets of my mana and reformed, sip by sip. The grains of oak kept shifting, until eventually they aligned perfectly with the channels in my own body.

I knew the exact moment it happened. Because when it did, the sapling transformed from a thing apart, into a living extension of myself, and as much a vessel of my magic and will as the rest of my body.

You have discovered: basic attunement, a Technique from the Discipline of: lore. Basic attunement is an ability that creates a bond between a Focus and a magic wielder, allowing the mage to cast spells through the attuned Focus. Its casting time is: very slow and its rank is: common.

You have created an oak wizard’s staff. This Focus has: no special properties, can only be used by: Jameson Sinclair, and has: a basic level of attunement.

I stared in amazement at the staff in my hands. The attunement had transformed it. Its previously gnarled, soft, slightly pliable texture was gone. Now it was a smooth, unvarnished length of wood that was as hard and unyielding as steel. Its colour had changed too. The oak’s natural brown had darkened to a near-uniform black.

Closing my eyes, I realised I could sense the staff’s presence as much as I could any of my limbs. Tentatively, I raised the staff off my knees and held it horizontally aloft.

Then I cast flare.

Dragonfire flowed out from my hands, and rippled down the Focus, wreathing its entire length in flames. But the dragonfire did not damage the staff.

Yes! I exulted. Now this is a proper mage’s weapon. I rose to my feet and made my way to the training grounds. It was time to improve my skill in the staff Discipline.

✽✽✽

The training grounds was crowded.

There were a lot more men and women filling the large space today than on my previous visits. Did that mean the settlement’s fighting force had grown?

I strolled through the sparring warriors until I spotted a familiar face. “John!” I called to the big man, who was shouting out instruction to two youths. Judging by their poor forms, they had to be day-zero fishes.

John turned, a welcoming smile on his face. “Jamie, how are you?” His eyes roved over my hairless features. “I heard about your escapade in the woods. Looks like it was some fight.”

“You wouldn’t believe the half of it,” I said with a laugh. “I tell you, at times I found myself wishing I was facing the spider queen instead.”

“That bad, eh?” John said sympathetically.

I nodded. “I meant to come by the river earlier. Did the murluks show up today?”

John shook his head. “Nope, no sign of them at all. I reckon you scared them off for good. Good riddance, I say.” John’s eyes drifted to the black staff in my hands. “So what are you doing here, Jamie?” He gestured to the staff. “And what is that?”

“My wizard’s staff,” I said with a grin.

“A wizard’s staff?” John asked, tugging on his beard. “What’s that?”

“You’ll see,” I promised. “Care to spar? I need to train up my staff skills.” I glanced at the youths he was training. “Or are you busy?”

John shook his head. “Don’t worry about those two. One of the other instructors will see to them.” He ushered me to a nearby sparring circle. “Alright, let’s go. But don’t cry too badly when I beat you.” He grinned broadly. “I won’t go as easy on you as Tara did.”

✽✽✽

John did beat me. Repeatedly.

But I kept at it, all through lunch and most of the afternoon. I didn’t stop, not until my staff skill reached Trainee rank. Training the staff Discipline took many more hours than my magic Disciplines, but as the sun began to set and I limped back to the camp, I was satisfied with the progress I had made.

I twirled the staff in my hand as I walked. Even though my wizard staff lacked the sharpened end and longer reach of John’s spear, the black rod had held up well against the bigger man’s weapon. The staff packed a much heftier blow, and the few times I had managed to land a hit on John, I could tell he had felt it.

John had gotten in more than his fair share of blows, of course. But despite the big man’s friendly threats, he had not beaten me nearly as severely as Tara had in that memorable sparring session. And, I reminded myself, our sparring would have gone very differently if I’d used my magic.

On the way back to my tent, I stopped by the temple and increased my skill in the staff Discipline to level twenty. Given how much a part of me the staff felt, it would be my weapon of choice from now on.

When I reached my tent, I sat outside in the cool night air. There was only one more task I had to accomplish for the day: spellcrafting the pair of spells I wanted.

The next hour passed in a blur as I experimented with air magic spellforms. There was one particular spell I had in mind. It took a bit longer to create than I’d expected, but eventually after repeatedly pouring mana in my eyes, the magic was able to do more than fizzle out.

You have spellcrafted a: caster-only spell, from the Discipline of: air magic. The name assigned to this spell is: night vision. Its casting time is: average and its rank is: common.

I blinked, staring at the sleeping camp with new eyes. The night around me had transformed. Its darkened shadows had disappeared, and in their stead, the world around me shone with the same startling clarity as when lit by a noonday sun.

I smiled. Now I could see as well in the dark as any night-time predator.

Next, I turned my attention to my earth magic. Juggling spellforms in my mind, I willed the ground beneath me to transform, and in short order, it did just that.

You have spellcrafted a: touch-based disabling spell, from the Discipline of: earth magic. The name assigned to this spell is: sinking mud. Its casting time is: fast and its rank is: common.

I stared down at my body in surprise. I was buried hip deep in mud. The spell had mutated a nine-yard long cone of ground from solid, hardpacked earth to clinging, sticky mud, with me at its centre.

It had perhaps not been the wisest choice to attempt the spell on the ground directly beneath me. I chuckled nevertheless. Not even being trapped—in mud of my own devising, no less—was enough to spoil my mood.

It has been a fruitful day all around, I thought. I had significantly expanded my repertoire of both Disciplines and spells, and now I was better equipped to face whatever challenges the Trials threw my way.

Still chuckling, I dragged myself out of the mud and into my tent. I looked forward to whatever the new day brought.

Chapter 35

386 days until the Arkon Shield falls

The day of Earth’s destruction

I woke up early the next morning, reinvigorated and refreshed. Today was the fourth day since we had claimed the spider warren, and the day the settlement had to be established to retain the lair.

We will not lose the lair, I vowed.

There was no reason to believe we wouldn’t succeed. The Outpost’s development had been progressing well since the murluk attacks had stopped, and I had advanced significantly too.

I am a proper wizard now, I thought with a smile. I almost felt ready to set out in the wider world.

Once the settlement was founded, things would change. The Outpost would not just be a location anymore. The region would be considered owned territory, belonging to whichever faction the commander joined—or created. The dragon temple itself would also advance and offer further benefits to players.

At least that was what the wiki said.

My smiled faded. But today was also the day the gates from Earth closed. Forever. What would become of our home world and the people left behind, I still wasn’t certain. I could do nothing for them.

I am doing the best I can already, I thought. I fended off further dark musings. It was too early in the day for pessimism. I rose from my pallet to face the new day.

Stepping out of my tent, I found a surprise waiting for me: a crate filled with goods. Lying on top of the piled items was my knife, housed in in a soft new leather sheath.

But that was not all.

Beneath the blade was the new armour Melissa had promised. Smiling, I lifted out the items and used analyse on the crafter’s gifts.

The target is a set of spider leather armour: a leather vest, leggings, helm, gloves, and boots. Made from the carapace of a brown spider queen, this set is resistant to piercing.

The target is a set of silk clothes: cloak, shirt, and pants. Made from the silk of a brown spider queen, this set improves the wearer’s ability to camouflage themself and is extremely durable.

“Well,” I breathed, awed by the magnanimity of Melissa’s gifts. The crafters had outdone themselves.

The armour, made from supple brown spider hides, was many times better than the crude murluk armour I presently wore. Each piece seemed to have been made with me in mind. The pieces interlocked seamlessly together and offered very few vulnerable points for an enemy to target.

The silk clothes were a wonder too. The hooded cloak, dyed brown to match the armour, fell to my ankles and blended into the surroundings as I moved. The gifts were priceless. I would have to remember to thank Melissa when next I saw her.

I equipped my new gear and strode out of my tent a new man. I left only the gloves unequipped and pocketed them instead. Glancing up, I saw the sky had just begun to lighten. Dawn was not far off. If I hurried, I could catch the loggers before they left for the day.

I planned on spending the day with Albert’s team to make sure nothing went wrong with the last shipment necessary to complete the palisade.

And I needed to speak to Tara.

I still hadn’t had a chance to mend things between us, and it was past time I did. I was making my way east through the camp when a cry from behind stopped me.

“Mage Jamie! Mage Jamie, stop!”

I turned around. A soldier I didn’t know was running up to me. “Is something wrong?” I asked.

“The commander wants to see you,” he panted as he stumbled to a halt.

I hesitated. I hadn’t spoken to the commander since I’d rejected her offer to stay. I sighed. That is another fence that needs mending.

But first I had to speak to Tara. “Tell her I will come see her later,” I replied.

“You have to come now,” the messenger said, shaking his head. “The commander was insistent.”

I frowned. Jolin could wait, but before I could say that, the messenger burst out, “Another mage has arrived!”

My mouth dropped open. “A mage?” I repeated. “A human mage?”

He nodded vigorously. “Yes, from Earth. He came through the gate not long ago, and is with the commander right now.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. The news was unexpected, and I honestly wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Alright then, lead on.”

✽✽✽

The commander’s pavilion had expanded since I had last been there. No longer a single tent, it had expanded into a series of interconnected tents. The command centre—as I decided to dub it—was a hive of activity with messengers scurrying to and fro.

I studied the scene with bemusement. When had the Outpost gotten so busy?

As we drew closer, other changes became apparent. A squad of spearmen stood guard outside the entrance, and the immediate vicinity had been cordoned off.

I frowned. When did the commander start needing protection within the camp?

The guards immediately recognised me from my gait—I had to be the only cripple in the camp—and waved us through. Good, I thought. At least, bureaucracy hasn’t set in yet.

Entering the command centre, I received my third shock of the morning. The first tent had been configured into an ante-chamber and was lined with benches, all of which—even this early in the morning—were full.

“Who are all these people?” I murmured.

The messenger glanced at me. “Recruits waiting to see the commander. They haven’t stopped arriving since yesterday. The commander and the captains have been up all night, busy with meet and greets.” He leaned in and said in a low whisper, “Some of the new fishes have quite an air about themselves, demanding—can you believe it?—to see the commander as soon as they arrived.”

So, I thought, studying the ante-chamber, the exodus has begun in earnest. I ran my gaze over those filling the benches. Nearly all were dressed in the same basic clothes I had arrived in only days ago. Some bore haughty expressions, and others scowled, but most seemed confused and afraid.

As I strode through the room, faces turned my way. Some shrank away, others narrowed their eyes in suspicion, and yet others looked on with envy at my gear. Feeling self-conscious I hurried through to the next room.

There, each seated at their own desk, were Captain Marcus and Petrov. Both men had a long queue of people lined up in front of them.

The two captains looked harried and worn-out. What the messenger said must be true, I thought. Neither appeared to have slept much, if at all. Suddenly, I felt guilty for my own rest.

Marcus looked up and saw me. “Go on in,” he said, waving me through. “She is waiting.” As I passed him, he said under his breath, “And try to hold onto your temper.”

Wondering at his last comment, I stepped into the commander’s office. Jolin was seated behind her desk, a much newer and sturdier construction than her previous one, I noted. Standing at her back was a large soldier, perhaps a bodyguard, and lounging in the chair across her was a new fish, marked so by his attire.

The seated stranger’s face bore none of the fear or confusion clouding the expressions of the recruits in the ante-chamber. Instead he looked… bored and put-out.

For a new arrival, the player—blonde, blue-eyed, and large of frame—seemed extraordinarily confident and self-assured.

This must be the new mage.

I noted with relief that the commander herself had not undergone a transformation in my absence. Her face bore the same cool, patient expression I had always seen on her, the calm in the centre of the storm.

“Ah, Jamie,” the old lady said, “there you are.” Neither her voice nor her expression betrayed that we had parted on poor terms the last time we spoke.

“Good morning, ma’am,” I replied, taking my cue from her.

“Wow! Cool digs, dude,” said the new player, eyeing out my equipment.

“Uh… thank you,” I replied.

Not acknowledging my reply, the blonde youth’s head whipped around to the commander. “I want a set of those, gran.” He paused. “But better.”

Gran?! I almost choked on the fish’s words and tone, but managed to disguise my reaction behind a cough. The bodyguard behind the commander stirred, but didn’t otherwise react.

“Of course, Lance. You shall,” replied the commander, her tone too bland.

My own expression cleared at Jolin’s reply. Clearly the old lady was humouring the new fish. Who does this Lance think he is? I thought, laughing on the inside.

I shuddered to think what Tara would make of him. Although… on second thought, it might be amusing to watch the two meet.

“Lance, I’d like you to meet, Jamie, our resident mage,” Jolin said. “Jamie, this is Lance, a mage as well.”

Lance’s gaze narrowed as he studied me. Assessing the competition? I wondered. A moment later, I felt a strange ripple pass over me. I was being analysed.

The moment the ripple passed, Lance snorted and turned back to the commander. “I’m twice the mage this cripple is, Gran. Whatever he can do, I promise you I’ll do two times better.” Turning my way, he shrugged nonchalantly. “No offense, dude.”

I stared at Lance—both appalled and fascinated. But before I could respond to his insult, I sensed the commander’s eyes on me. I glanced her way.

I don’t know if it was because I was getting better at reading her, or because she was deliberately revealing her thoughts, but I could feel Jolin’s sudden tension.

Holding the old lady’s gaze, I replied to the mage, “None taken.” At my response, the commander relaxed minutely.

“Damn shame about your foot though,” Lance continued, oblivious to our exchange. “And damn foolish to have kept your old body, man. But I suppose I can’t expect noobs like you to know any better. You should have taken the new form, dude.”

I fought the urge to sigh. The reason for Marcus’ muttered comment was abundantly clear now. Yet I was curious about the new player and his casual dismissal of my own Magic Potential.

Just how strong a mage is he? Reaching out, I cast analyse on Lance.

The target is Lance Gillian, a level 1 human player. He is gifted in Magic, is gifted with Might, has mediocre Resilience, and has meagre Craft.

He had the makings of a decent mage. At least based on his Potential, he did. His attitude, however, left much to be desired.

Lance sensed my analyse as clearly as I had his. “Impressive, ain’t it?” he said.

“Very,” I replied dryly.

Lance turned back to the commander. “With my Magic Potential, things will change around here, I promise you. Just heed my advice, lady, and we’ll get along just fine.”

Seemingly stumped for a response, the commander said, “Jamie is a gamer too.”

Lance swung back to me.

I shot the commander a wry look. Thanks, ma’am. I finally had an inkling of why I had been summoned. The new player was clearly a handful, and due to his status as a mage he needed delicate handling. The commander, though, appeared at a loss on how to go about it.

“What games did you play, dude?”

“Oh a little bit of this and that,” I replied.

“Ah, a casual player,” said Lance, nodding knowingly. “Not a real gamer, then,” he said as an aside to the commander. He turned back to me. “But don’t worry, I’ll show you the ropes. I’ve studied that damn wiki from end to end and know this game backwards now.”

“You studied the Infopedia?” I asked, my interest piqued for the first time by the mage. I didn’t bother telling him that the Trials wasn’t a game. He wouldn’t have believed me. But he would learn.

“Yep,” said Lance, poorly concealing a yawn. “It’s why I delayed my entry into Overworld so long.”

Well, well, perhaps there is something to be learned from Lance after all. “That’s great!” I said with false enthusiasm. “I look forward to learning at the feet of a master such as yourself!”

From beyond Lance, the commander shot me a glance. Alright, perhaps I had laid it on a bit thick.

“Sure, man, whatever. I’m happy to show you the ropes,” said Lance. “As long as it doesn’t hamper my own levelling of course.” He yawned again.

“Lance, you look tired,” said the commander. She gestured her bodyguard forward. “Jim, please show Lance to his tent so that he can get some rest.”

“See you soon, Lance,” I said, waving farewell as the mage stepped out.

Turning back to the commander, I saw she had bowed her head and was rubbing delicately at her temples. It was the first sign of stress or anxiety I had seen from her.

Lance must have really tried her patience, I thought.

“How old is he?” I asked, eliciting a laugh from Jolin.

“I don’t know,” she said, then snorted. “But too young by far.”

“Was I that bad?” I asked. It had been little less than five days since I had arrived on Overworld, but after meeting Lance it felt like a lifetime.

The old lady’s face turned serious. “Not by half, Jamie.”

I nodded, embarrassed by her praise. “May I?” I asked, pointing at Lance’s abandoned seat.

“Please do.”

“I noticed things are quite busy out there,” I said as I sat down.

The commander nodded. “Ever since yesterday, recruitment has picked up considerably. I expect that today alone we will get a few thousand recruits.” Her eyes turned distant. “People are panicking back home. Now that Earth is in its final hours, everyone is desperate to escape.”

She turned back to me. “Thank you, by the way, for sending that family to me yesterday. I hadn’t foreseen children. It adds a new urgency to what we do here.”

I nodded, knowing what she meant.

“What do you think of Lance?” she asked.

“You mean besides the obvious? If he really has studied the wiki, then he is an invaluable resource. I’d advise setting Marcus on him to extract as much information as possible.”

“I’ll do that. And what of his Magic Potential?”

“I am afraid Lance will find it much harder on Overworld than he expects,” I said. “He will need to be protected.” Had I needed as much protection?

I hesitated before going on. “Don’t expect the same from Lance as what I’ve been able to accomplish. It’s not arrogance,” I added quickly. “But I have some… unique advantages that I kind of doubt Lance possesses.”

The commander smiled. “Jamie, I don’t expect anyone can accomplish what you have.”

I blushed and fell silent. The animosity of our previous exchange had seemingly vanished, and while a gulf still lay between the commander’s position and my own, I sensed no bitterness in her. To my surprise, I realised that I, too, bore none towards her.

As if sensing the direction of my thoughts, the old lady sighed. “I want to apologise for my words the last time we spoke, Jamie. I was harsher on you than I should have been. Especially given what you suffered.” She met my eyes, her gaze frank and direct. “What you accomplished back on Earth was commendable. An inspiration, even, to all of us. I wanted to let you know I understand.”

I swallowed painful memories. “But you don’t agree with my path.”

She didn’t look away. “No, I do not,” she said softly. “Your place is with us. With the people of this settlement. I won’t claim I am not disappointed by your choice, but I will not stop you from carving your own path. And you will always be welcome here.”

I bowed my head, trying to hide my emotions. “Thank you for that, ma’am,” I said once I had regained my composure. I decided to move the conversation on, not wanting to dwell on the topic of my leaving any further. “What is the progress on the palisade? Will we make today’s deadline?”

“Yes, thank God,” replied the commander, accepting the change in conversation’s direction without comment. “Tara and the loggers should be back by midday with the last shipment of wood, which will give Soren and his builders enough time to finish the final sections on the east side.”

“That’s good,” I said, relieved by the confirmation. “Well in that case, I thought that today I would—”

“Commander! Commander!” shouted a messenger, barging into the chamber unannounced.

Jolin looked up calmly. “What is it, Devlin?”

“The murluks, ma’am,” replied Devlin. “They’re back.”

Chapter 36

386 days until the Arkon Shield falls

Despite her age, the commander was spryer than I was.

Before I could lift myself out of my chair, Jolin was out of her own and marching into the next chamber. The scout followed on her heels, filling her in on the details in rapid-fire fashion.

I missed most of what he reported, though the little that I heard left me with the impression that this time the murluk army was many times bigger. Hurrying in the pair’s wake, I found the old lady in the next room addressing her captains and other officers.

“Petrov, sound the alarm and marshal the men at the west gate,” the commander ordered. “Jim, gather my guard. We move to the gate as soon as they are assembled.”

Jolin swung to the waiting messengers. “Inform the crafter heads. I want any of their people near the river moved back immediately. And I also want Soren’s team on standby.”

The commander glanced at her scout captain. “Marcus, fetch the new mage, Lance. I want him under my watch during the battle. He is liable to do something foolish otherwise,” she muttered.

“Yes, ma’am,” replied Marcus. Throwing the commander quick salutes, the assembled officers dispersed to see to her orders.

Jolin turned my way. “Jamie, can I trust you to do whatever needs doing?”

It was one of the things I admired about the commander. She never attempted to control my magic, something she likely had very little understanding of. Instead, she had always trusted me to fulfil my role. Her very confidence made me more determined not to fail.

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, echoing Marcus. “I’ll see you on the wall.”

I broke away from the commander as more officers converged on her. I noticed unhappily that many of the new fishes, curious about what was going on, had stolen into the room. I hoped someone would take them in hand. I had no time to take care it of myself, especially since I needed to get to the river.

Even at my quickest limp, it took me ten minutes to cross the tented camp. The Outpost was in chaos with people running to and fro, and generally getting in each other’s way.

The Outpost’s usual order seemed to have crumbled altogether in the sudden influx of new recruits. Already uneasy about the murluks’ sudden reappearance, I wondered what this new chaos would bode for the forthcoming battle.

When I got to the western palisade, I found that it, too, had not escaped the disorder plaguing the settlement. A crowd of new fishes were wandering aimlessly along the wall, many of them getting in the way of the armoured spearmen who were trying to form ranks. “Damn it,” I growled. “Why hasn’t someone chased those idiots away yet?”

Nearly seething by the time I reached the palisade gate, I barged through the ranks of spearmen arranged in a cordon around it without returning any of their greetings.

The sliding gate, which had been under construction the last time I had seen it, was standing open. John and two other officers who I didn’t recognize, were in animated discussion before the gate.

Leaving them to it, I ran my gaze along the palisade. Only two elevated platforms—each no more than a few yards wide—had been constructed thus far. They had been placed about fifty yards on either side of gate.

So far, none of the other earthworks planned for the second phase of construction had been built. That explained why the gate was still open. With no walkways built on the inside of the palisade, archers could not fire down on the enemy from atop the walls.

Being unable to man the walls reduced their strategic value to that of a simple barrier. The palisade’s only purpose in the forthcoming battle would be to funnel the murluks to the relatively narrow opening of the gate, where it was expected they would be easily held at bay.

No one expected the murluks to try scaling the walls with siege towers or ladders, so as long as the walls held, the outcome of the battle should be assured. “As long as the walls hold,” I muttered.

Having seen enough, I joined John and the other officers. “Morning, John,” I greeted.

The big lieutenant spun around. “Jamie!” he exclaimed, his face immediately flooding with relief. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you!”

John’s response puzzled me. He seemed worried—scared, even—which made no sense.

We were only facing murluks, after all, and whatever the number, murluks were manageable. Especially with both the walls and my magic to tilt the odds in our favour.

So why is everyone panicking?

“What’s going on, John? What’s all the fuss about?”

John gestured to the open gate. “Its best if you see for yourself, Jamie,” he said, his demeanour unusually serious.

I glanced through the gate. From where I stood, I couldn’t see the river shore—the riverbanks sloped too steeply for that. With another bewildered glance at John, I limped through the gate and to the edge of the upper bank.

My mouth dropped open in shock at the spectacle below.

Thousands of murluks were gathered all along the river shore. The line stretched both to the north and south and was many rows deep, with new lines forming every minute.

But that was the least distressing part. At the forefront of the murluk army, evenly spaced along the line, were… giants.

Giant frogs.

That was my first impression of the oversized murluks. Each looked to be twelve feet tall and all of them were armed with clubs and shields. Slurping noisily, they bobbed along the line and shoved back any of the smaller murluks that shifted out of place.

What are those creatures? Reaching out with my will, I used analyse on the closest.

The target is a level 29 river murluk overseer. It has no Magic, exceptional Might, is gifted with Resilience, and has low Craft.

“Overseers,” I murmured. The description seemed apt, considering the way they appeared to be maintaining order amongst their smaller brethren. But while the overseers were overly large, given their levels, I judged the threat they posed to be manageable.

Only then did I let my eyes slide to the back of the line—and the truly monstrous creature surfacing from the river depths.

I had not looked directly upon the behemoth before this, hoping it would be no more than a figment of an overwrought mind.

Sadly, that was not the case.

Ignoring the furious churning in my guts, I swivelled to face the river monster and look upon it fully.

It was another murluk.

Or rather, what a murluk would look like if grown to the size of a tree. The behemoth, despite being immersed hip-deep in the river, towered over its smaller companions and made even the murluk overseers seem tiny by comparison.

That thing has to be at least thirty feet tall.

Wider than a boat, the behemoth stood in the water as if it owned the river. In hands, each the size of a tree trunk, the colossal murluk wielded a club bigger than I was. Its face, atop a neck corded with muscles, was contorted in fury. Raising up the massive chunk of wood it carried, the behemoth slammed it down on the river’s surface and roared.

The sound was a dull formless noise that caused the ground to shake and sent waves smashing into the shore. Even from all the way under the shadow of the gate, I felt the wind of the creature’s breath—hot, fetid, and stinking of mud and rot.

Ducking my head, I shielded my nose and mouth while I waited for the roar to die down. Bloody hell, I thought. Was that roar a challenge? To me?

I turned back to face the behemoth. Sure enough, the creature’s bulbous eyes were fixed unerringly on me.

I swallowed. Alrighty, then. With trepidation, I cast analyse on the monster.

The target is a level 57 river murluk chieftain. It has mediocre Magic, exceptional Might, exceptional Resilience, and has low Craft.

The chieftain had magic.

That, more than his size, scared me. I tightened my grip on my staff. How was I going to combat his magic while fighting off an entire army? And where had the chieftain and overseers come from?

I didn’t wonder why they had come. That much was obvious. The chieftain was here for me. I was sure of it.

John walked up beside me. “A goddamn terrible sight isn’t?”

I nodded, unable to come up with any other reply.

For a moment, we both studied the murluk horde in silence. “How long have they been gathering, John?” I asked eventually.

The big man rubbed his chin. “Ten minutes, maybe.”

I rubbed my chin as I considered John’s words. Despite the forces the murluks already had assembled, they hadn’t begun their advance. It seemed we had some time yet to prepare ourselves.

I was worried though.

Now, when it faced its gravest peril, the Outpost was the most disorganised I had ever seen it.

“Alright, John, let’s get the troops ready,” I said. “The commander will be here soon, but right now someone needs to get things under control. Send some soldiers to push back that crowd of gawkers. Have the men march the new fishes to the temple. They can wait out the battle in safety there. And get some men up on the platforms to keep watch on the murluks.”

The big man just grinned at me.

It took me a moment to realise why. I had just ordered him around like a superior officer. My face reddened. “Sorry, John, I didn’t mean—”

“Nah, it’s alright, Jamie. Your orders make sense. I’ll see to it,” he said with a smile. “I’m not opposed to following sensible commands, you know. Just don’t give me any dumb ones, and we’ll be alright,” he added with a laugh before jogging back to his men.

I watched John for a moment. He was a good man, and I was thankful he had been on guard here at the gate.

Turning back to the river, I kept watch on the enemy. Murluks were still emerging from the water. I tried to estimate their numbers, but after getting to ten thousand, I gave up. How many soldiers did the Outpost have? A thousand?

That’s ten-to-one odds—at best.

I winced. Our chances were not good. But we have the palisade, I reminded myself. And the commander. And me.

The murluks, though, had their overseers… and the chieftain. I turned my attention to the giant murluks. Their number was much easier to determine. All told, there were ten overseers.

Hearing the tread of approaching feet, I glanced backwards. It was the commander and Petrov. The old lady stopped beside me and studied the murluks in silence, her face impassive. “Do you know what magic the chieftain has?” she asked.

I shook my head. “There’s no way to tell. Not until he uses it.”

She accepted my answer without comment. “Will you be able to protect our troops from his spells?”

I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head reluctantly. “I don’t think so,” I admitted. “I don’t have any defensive magic that will work on a scale large enough. My spells are best used offensively.” I scrutinised the chieftain carefully. “But perhaps I will be able to keep him too distracted to launch any of his own spells against us.”

Jolin tilted her head in consideration. “Then the chieftain is yours to handle.”

I bowed my head, accepting the command.

The commander turned to Petrov. “Captain, triple the men in the cordon around the gate, and have the rest of the spearmen arranged in a line along the wall in case the murluks think to scale the palisade. I also want all our hunters summoned and deployed as archers. They will be firing blind over the palisade, but given the enemy numbers, they are unlikely to miss.”

“Yes, ma’am,” replied Petrov.

“One more thing, Captain,” Jolin called out as the big man was stepping away.

Petrov swung around again. Jolin continued more quietly, “Have a detail posted on retrieval duty. Their orders will be to strip our dead of weapons and armour and pass them on to the new fishes.”

The big captain studied his commander for a long moment, before inclining his head in acceptance. “Yes, ma’am,” he replied grimly.

I shivered. If the commander was contemplating using the new fishes… then the situation had to be dire. “How many men do we have?” I asked quietly.

“Less than I like,” replied Jolin. “Tara has two oversized companies under her command at the logging camp. I’ve sent a runner to call them back, but I fear they will return too late.” She paused. “We have nine hundred fighters at our disposal.”

I gulped. So the odds were even worse than I thought. “When do you want me to begin my attack?”

“Let’s wait for the murluks to advance first. The longer we draw this out, the better for us,” she replied. “Given the murluks’ penchant for attacking at dawn, I am certain they won’t fare well in the heat of full day. If the battle drags on too long, I suspect the creatures will retreat.”

That at least sounded promising. I glanced upwards. No clouds marred the sky.

“Wow! Will you look at the that!”

The commander and I both swung around. Lance was striding through the gate, a much-aggrieved Marcus in tow.

The mage stopped at the edge of the upper bank. “Talk about power levelling!” he said, rubbing his hands in glee. “I can already feel the levels rolling in!”

I rolled my eyes while from behind Lance, Marcus winced.

The commander ignored Lance’s inane comments entirely. “Lance, do you have any spells yet?” she asked.

The big blonde man frowned. “Not yet, but—”

“Then you will stay in the rear with the other new recruits. That’s an order.”

Lance’s eyes bulged. He looked about to protest, but a smiling Marcus clamped down an arm on the mage’s shoulder and pulled him away.

“Come away, little fish,” Marcus said, “Let’s go find you something to wear.”

Lance sputtered and tried to resist, but as a lowly level one player he couldn’t ever hope to match Marcus for strength.

I grinned as I watched Marcus drag the idiot off. “He’s going to be trouble sooner or later,” I said to the commander.

Jolin waved away my comment. “A problem for another day. Right now, we have a battle to win.”

✽✽✽

It was another ten minutes before the murluks advanced.

The commander and I were standing atop one of the two wooden platforms. I leaned over the palisade wall and watched the murluk line ripple forward.

I frowned as I observed their advance. The creatures were unexpectedly coordinated. While the front lines of the murluk army were still somewhat ragged—bunched in places and spread out in others—their advance today was nothing like their ill-disciplined and disjointed charges during the previous battles.

I was not the only one troubled by the murluks’ discipline. The creatures’ advance elicited a grunt from the commander. “Those overseers are a problem,” she murmured.

I knew what she meant. They were the ones enforcing order amongst their smaller kin. Even now, the overseers were wading through the ranks and beating the ordinary murluks into order with shoves and kicks. It seemed like I had underestimated the overseers’ threat.

Movement from the river attracted my attention. Turning my gaze beyond the approaching front, I saw that the chieftain had begun his own advance. The colossus splashed down into the water and swam swiftly to the shore, but when he reached the river’s edge, his movements turned glacial.

My brows flicked up in surprise. The chieftain was struggling to pull himself out of the water. Dry land seemed to affect him far more than it had the murluk overseers or the rank and file of his army. Each step the behemoth took was ponderous and fraught with effort.

Land is not his natural environment, I thought.

Meanwhile, the commander’s focus was on the closing front. The horde was nearing the bottom of the upper bank and still out of arrow range.

“Marcus, Petrov,” Jolin shouted to the two captains who were commanding from the ground, “get our best archers up on these platforms right away. Their targets—their only targets—will be the murluk overseers. Understood?”

The two saluted and hurried off to obey. The commander turned to me. “Begin your attack, Jamie.”

“I’m on it,” I said.

I drew the spellform of fire ray in my mind and extended it through my wizard’s staff. Holding the spell in readiness, I lowered my staff and pointed it at the unmistakable—and unmissable—form of the chieftain.

When I was certain I had my target dead centre in my sights, I infused the spell and hurled a focused beam of dragonfire towards the murluk leader.

The dragonfire burned a line of gold through the air and hit the chieftain squarely in the chest. Despite his size, the behemoth staggered back at the impact. Recovering his balance, he flung up his head and roared in outrage.

“Impressive,” remarked the commander, studying the faint shimmer to the air in the spell’s aftermath. “Now do it again.”

I smiled. “Yes, ma’am.” Reforming the spellform of fire ray, I sent a second lance of fire hurtling towards the chieftain. The murluk ducked his head, and raised his arm to shield himself, but it did him no good.

The dragonfire burned a hole through the behemoth’s forearm. Raising his head, the chieftain glared at me in impotent rage.

I grinned back in response. The twin strikes had nettled the creature. It would take more hits before I could bring the chieftain down, but given his torturous advance, I felt confident I could fell him before he reached the walls.

Especially if I target my attacks at one of his legs.

I lowered my staff and sent a third line of flame arcing over the battlefield. It missed the knee-joint I aimed for, but still struck the murluk leader’s leg, provoking another roar from him.

Adjusting my aim, I hurled a fourth bolt of heat and light.

It failed to hit.

What the—?

I hadn’t missed. The fire ray had scorched through the air as deadly accurate as my previous bolts, but before it reached the gigantic murluk, it had been blocked by a shimmering bubble.

Startled, I rocked back. The chieftain had cast a magic shield around himself. Studying the transparent dome of arctic-blue that hung over the behemoth, I recalled a similar shield the orc shaman Kagan had created back on Earth.

Just how strong was the chieftain’s shield? Kagan’s had held back mortar fire. This one couldn’t be that strong, could it? I bit my lip in worry.

Encased within his bubble, the chieftain raised his head to the sky and bellowed in victory. I glared at him sourly. The battle wasn’t over, whatever the murluk leader thought. It’s only just begun.

A moment later the chieftain’s cry was echoed from much closer by his overseers. Looking down, I saw that the murluk front was halfway up the upper bank and they were hopping forward with renewed vigour.

I ground my teeth in frustration. My failure appeared to have spurred the enemy on. I had to burn through the chieftain’s shield. Lowering my staff, I drew on my mana again.

The commander laid a restraining hand on my arm. “Wait, Jamie. He is still too far away to threaten us directly yet. Let’s observe how their front line does first.”

The old lady’s calm was admirable. Where my own gaze was furious, hers was cool and assessing. The murluk leader was not an immediate threat, and it would be many minutes before he reached the wall. The same could not be said for the rest of the murluk horde—which was now almost upon us.

It grated on me to leave my foe unopposed, but Jolin was right. Though I didn’t like it, I followed the commander’s lead. I released the spellform in my mind and steadfastly ignored the chieftain’s repeated peals of triumph. Their only purpose seemed to goad me. I turned my attention to approaching line.

The first wave of the murluk army, exhorted onwards by the overseers, were labouring up the bank in a near frenzy to get at the human defenders.

Two archers were perched on the second elevated platform. Taking careful aim, they fired. Their arrows whistled through the air towards their target—the nearest murluk overseer. But the murluk giant saw the incoming projectiles, ducked behind his wooden shield, and let the arrows thud harmlessly into it.

Disappointed, I turned away from the sight to observe the rest of the assault. The first murluks had reached the base of the palisade.

Once there, they began to hop.

I frowned. What were they doing?

The murluks were bobbing up and down, and on the same spot. Slowly at first, then faster and faster, the murluks bounced. With each hop, the creatures seemed to build more momentum and reach even higher.

My stomach churned as understanding rushed through me. They’re going to jump over the wall. “Commander, I think—”

“I know, Jamie,” she replied grimly. Drawing a stout club from her belt, she shouted over her shoulder, “Petrov, brace the line, the murluks are about to jump the wall! And get the archers back!”

The hopping grew frenetic as more murluks joined in. The creatures packed up tight against the palisade wall until its entire length was filled with bobbing shapes. Matters were different only at the open gate.

There, the murluks streamed inwards, taking the path of least resistance. With bellows of their own, the cordon of spearmen guarding the gate stepped forward and engaged the horde.

My gaze flicked along the palisade as I wondered what to do. I could see no way to stop the murluks from hopping over, if indeed they could manage the feat.

Do I attack the chieftain? Maybe if I pierced his shield, it would demoralise the enemy. But he was still—

“Jamie, take out the overseers, starting with the one commanding the murluks at the gate,” Jolin ordered. Her voice was firm, with no hint of doubt as to what needed to be done.

I didn’t question her. I acted. Lowering my staff in the direction of my target, I sent a fire ray rippling through the air. The overseer saw the line of dragonfire burning its way towards him and tried to fend it off with his shield.

It did him no good.

The fire ray blew through the wooden shield and into the giant murluk. The overseer lurched backwards and his eyes bulged as both his arm and shield burst into flames.

Keeping my staff centred on my target, I unleashed a second, third, and then fourth fire ray at the overseer. Each lance of destruction caused him to stagger and jerk like a marionette on a string before he dropped dead to the ground.

“Good job,” said the commander.

I opened my mouth to reply, but was startled as a head popped over the wall. Jolin didn’t miss a beat. She calmly swatted the murluk away with her club, sending it flailing into the massed horde below. Warily, I flicked my gaze to the left and right.

All along the palisade, murluks were bouncing over in oddly graceful arcs, only to meet an untimely death at the hands of the waiting spearmen.

But while the numbers of murluks breaching the wall was manageable at the moment, the defenders on the ground would be soon be overwhelmed.

“Jamie, focus!” snapped the commander. “Take down the other overseers. Start with that one next!” she said, pointing to an overseer to our right. That section of the wall was in danger of being flooded with murluks.

I nodded sharply and set to work.

My first two rays missed. The overseer had learned from his fellow’s fate that blocking would do him no good. Dancing between the smaller murluks, he managed to foil my aim twice over.

But I could learn too.

Anticipating the overseer’s next movements and taking more care with my aim, I pinned him with my third attack. Then, while he still reeled from the flames licking at his torso, I followed up with three more fire rays. They were enough to leave the overseer a charred and smoking corpse.

I didn’t wait for the commander’s next order. Searching out another overseer, I poured dragonfire into him, until he too collapsed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the pressure on our walls had eased wherever the overseers had been felled. The murluks near the dead overseers swirled about in confusion. Many abandoned the attempt to hop the wall entirely and charged towards the gate, sowing even more confusion as they cut through the ranks of their fellows.

The commander had been right, I realised. Killing the overseers was the key to winning the battle—at least until the chieftain reached us. Without their overseers, the murluks were losing their impetus.

I glanced upwards. The chieftain was still some distance off, but with patient steps was moving steadily closer. I lowered my staff at my next target.

I can do this.

Chapter 37

386 days until the Arkon Shield falls

A little later, eight of the ten overseers were dead, and I had gained another level.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 21 Trainee.

The number of murluks attempting to hop over the wall had diminished considerably, and order had been restored inside the palisade. The only place the defenders and attackers now clashed in any sizeable numbers was at the open gate.

Despite the frantic commands of the two remaining overseers, most of the smaller murluks milling outside the walls chose to make for the opening where, unable to the bring the weight of their numbers to bear, they were held at bay by the defenders.

We were winning.

But I was running out of steam, and both my stamina and mana pools were low. I couldn’t go on for much longer. Pausing for breath, I took stock of the battle. Only one significant threat remained now.

The chieftain.

I studied the murluk leader’s approach. He was labouring up the upper bank, moving even slower than he had on the lower bank. From this close, I could see that the smaller murluks moved easily in and out of his shimmering shield of blue.

So, his shield is similar to Kagan’s. It appeared permeable to slow-moving objects, but acted as a solid barrier against projectiles.

I chewed on my lower lip, pondering my options. The chieftain on his own could easily turn the tide of the battle against us. But his defeat would do the same for the murluks.

I measured the behemoth’s pace and trajectory, trying to judge how long he would take to reach the gate. We had some time yet, and I estimated that—

I frowned.

The chieftain was not making for the gate as I had assumed. Tracing his path, I realised he was heading directly for the platform where the commander and I stood.

I turned to warn the commander. Jolin was leaning over the rear end of the platform, listening to a report from one of her messengers.

“Ma’am—” I began.

She held up her hand, stopping me. The old lady didn’t turn away from the messenger. Given her demeanour, whatever he had to say was important.

I limped closer.

“… there are thousands!” the messenger gasped. “Nearly all bear serious injuries of one kind or another. Nicholas says that many are beyond his help. But that is not the worse part, ma’am.” The messenger paused for breath, chest heaving.

“Go on, Devlin,” the commander said, her lips pressed in a thin line.

Despite the chaos around us, the messenger had Jolin’s full attention. Shifting impatiently from foot to foot, I wanted to interrupt, but the commander knew the stakes of this battle as well as I did. Whatever Devlin was on about had to be important.

“A group of about a hundred are attacking our own people,” Devlin said. “They’ve wrested away weapons from some of the other new fishes and are killing indiscriminately. The gate guards died trying to stop them,” he finished miserably.

I blinked, horrified as I began to understand.

“Did you say they are killing our own?” asked the commander, her voice dangerously soft.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Captain Marcus!” Jolin shouted. “Take two companies and go put down the trouble at the dragon temple. You will show no mercy. Cut down anyone who resists your orders.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Marcus snapped a salute, then hurried off.

Petrov stared upwards. “But ma’am, we need those men here!” he protested.

“There is no help for it, Captain,” Jolin barked. “Make do!” She turned back to me. “What is it, Jamie?”

I stared at her uncomprehendingly for a moment before shifting gears. “The chieftain is making directly for us, not the gate. We need to get off the platform.”

The commander peered over the palisade.

“Did I hear the messenger right?” I asked as she studied the chieftain’s approach. “Are the refugees attacking us?”

“Yes,” she said. “Earth is in its final moments and people are coming through the gate in droves. Most are in shock or injured from the natural disasters ripping apart the planet.” Jolin sighed. “If it was only the terrified and wounded we had to deal with, matters wouldn’t be so bad. But wherever there are large groups of people, there are crazies.” She turned to study me, taking in my exhausted state. “You out of mana?”

I nodded. “You’re going to have to replenish me before I can finish off the overseers.”

She shook her head. “Forget about them, the murluk army is in too much disarray for them to restore order now.”

Jolin closed her eyes, and a moment later, I felt restorative weaves of spirit reach out from the commander to me and all the nearby soldiers.

“Thanks, ma’am,” I said.

Jolin waved away my thanks and held my gaze. “Tell me truthfully, Jamie… can you handle the chieftain?”

“I must,” I said, resolute. I wasn’t certain the chieftain could be defeated, but I was determined to make the attempt.

Jolin measured my resolve for a moment. “Good man,” she murmured. “Let’s get down.”

“I think we should—” I began.

“Wow! Now that’s what I call a restoration spell!”

I broke off on hearing the shouts of glee. The voice was unhappily familiar.

“Come to daddy, you toady bastards! I’m gonna kill a whole lotta yah!”

My head whipped towards the gate. It was Lance, of course. The mage had pushed himself to the front of the spearmen cordon around the gate and, with a club equipped in each hand, was bashing away at the murluks.

“Damn it!” I growled. “How did that idiot get there?”

“The damn fool,” the commander murmured.

As we both watched, momentarily too stunned to act, a murluk thrust a spear at Lance.

He didn’t even see it coming.

The spear skewered the mage clean through. Lance’s eyes went wide and he crumpled to the ground, limbs twitching.

“Petrov,” Jolin called down. “Send John with a squad to go rescue our mage from the cordon.” Petrov’s gaze moved in confusion from the commander to me. “Not Jamie, the other one!” she snapped. “The blonde idiot!”

For a moment, it was all I could do not to scream. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. Why did you have to do this now, Lance?

Opening my eyes, I reached a decision. “Ma’am,” I said, “I need to get to him. I saw the way that spear cut through him. The medics won’t be able to help him.”

Despite my dislike for the young idiot, I knew we couldn’t afford to let him die. The Outpost, and humanity, needed every mage it could find.

Jolin’s eyes darted between the approaching chieftain and the gate. It would be tight. If I went to Lance’s aid, I might not get back in time to stop the behemoth before he reached the wall.

Indecision froze the commander.

It was the first time I had seen her mask of certainty slip so completely. I knew she was weighing the lives of her soldiers against Lance’s. It was not a choice I envied, but I couldn’t wait.

“Ma’am,” I urged.

“Go get him,” she ordered, her expression clearing as she made her decision.

It was the right call. Lance was too important to abandon. If the mage’s reckless tendencies could be controlled, he would be an invaluable asset, and in the long run it would save many lives.

I hobbled down the platform ladder. “After I see to Lance, pull back the spearmen if you can,” I shouted to the commander, who was following me down the ladder. “Don’t engage the chieftain unless you are forced to. It will easier for me if I don’t have to worry about injuring any nearby friendlies!”

I didn’t wait for the old lady’s acknowledgement. I knew my instructions wouldn’t sit well with her, but I hoped she would listen.

As I reached the bottom of the ladder, I skipped towards the gate, dragging my hobbled foot behind me.

✽✽✽

It took me only a few seconds to reach the back of the cordon defending the gate. I pushed my way through to the front. Most of the spearmen, recognising me, gave way easily.

“John,” I shouted when I caught sight of the big man and his squad. They were a few yards to my right and hovered protectively around Lance’s form, still stretched out on the ground. “Is he alive?”

John glanced back. “Barely,” he yelled over the sounds of the battle. “But we dare not move him.”

I hurried to John’s side and ducked into the circle of men. Dropping to my knees, I examined the mage. The offending spear was still in place and the wound was oozing copious amounts of blood.

Lance was alive, but his health was draining fast. I spun mana through my hands and laid them onto Lance’s open wound. The blue glow of life magic disappeared from my hands and sank into the mage’s body, repairing damaged arteries and organs.

Some of Lance’s lost vitality returned, but not all of it. The spear, still embedded in his side, stopped him from healing all the way. I hadn’t removed the spear earlier, fearing the mage wouldn’t survive the shock of its removal.

“Pull out the spear, John,” I said to the lieutenant hovering over my shoulder.

“You sure, Jamie?”

“I am. Hurry!”

The big man yanked the spear out. Lance’s back arched but his eyes remained closed. Channelling lay hands again, I slapped my palms over the open wound.

This time the wound closed all the way, leaving pink and healthy skin behind. Lance gasped and his eyes snapped open. I grabbed the mage by the shoulder and forced him to look at me. “Lance, are you alright?” I asked.

The youth’s eyes were still a bit dazed. After a moment, they focused and met my own. “I think so. Thanks—”

“Good,” I said, cutting him off harshly. “Now shut up and listen,” I ordered. “This little stunt of yours may cost a large number of men their lives. This world is no damned game. Do you understand me?!” I glared at him, daring him to repeat one of his fool utterances.

Lance lowered his eyes, not meting my gaze. “I do now. I’m sorry.”

“It’s a start, but you have a lot to make up for,” I said, my face still carved in hard lines. I wasn’t sure I believed him. “Now, do everything John here tells you. Exactly as he tells you, when he tells you.”

I rose to my feet and turned to the big man. “I have to get back to the battle, John. The murluk chieftain is nearly at the wall. Get Lance to safety and don’t let him anywhere near the murluks again.”

“You got it, Jamie.”

I nodded in farewell and swung away. I was slipping back through the ranks of spearmen when my world was rocked anew.

A Trials message, with flashing red text, filled my vision.

Flash alert: To all human players,

Earth is no more. The planet’s core has been extinguished, its surface rendered lifeless, and its lifeforms subsumed into Overworld. All humans who have not pledged themselves to another Dominion are now citizens of the Human Dominion, which will remain protected until the Arkon Shield falls. Days remaining: 386.

Live, strive, and grow, humans! The day you will have to fight for the survival of humanity is fast approaching!

My face drained of colour.

I had known it was coming. Yet the reality struck me harder than I’d expected. Humanity had been orphaned and thrown in a bigger pond, where the sharks were numberless, and the odds of survival questionable.

Around me, I saw others had been similarly affected. Not the murluks though. The creatures were making good use of the defenders’ distraction, and injuries were mounting.

“Snap out of it, people,” I bellowed. Then, I quickly dismissed the Trials message before making my way back to the palisade.

“Jamie, wait!” Lance cried out.

Sighing, I turned around. I had no time for this. The blonde man’s face was pale and his hands were trembling. It seemed he, too, had been hard hit by Earth’s demise.

Rising to his feet, the mage licked his lips. “I want to help,” he said. “Let me help, please!”

I exchanged a quick glance with John before turning back to Lance. “Alright. You felt that spell I used on you?”

He nodded.

“It’s a life magic spell called lay hands. You should have read about it in the wiki.”

He nodded again.

“Good. Go to the dragon temple, raise your life magic, then try spellcrafting the spell if you can. John will take you to the medics after that, and you’ll be able to help with the wounded.”

John nodded his agreement and I swung around, limping away.

“Thank you, Jamie!” Lance called after me. I didn’t turn back.

Chapter 38

386 days until the Arkon Shield falls

In short order, I covered the fifty yards to the section of palisade the murluk chieftain had been making for. I was pleased to see that the commander had done as I asked and pulled back the nearby spearmen.

There was also no sign of disorder amongst the waiting defenders. Jolin must have moved swiftly to prevent the disruption experienced elsewhere from occurring here. With a nod to the commander in passing, I moved beyond the ready ranks of spearmen and into the open space left immediately in front of the wall.

I glanced up at the palisade. The chieftain’s blue-skinned head and shoulders were visible over its height. He had nearly reached the wall.

I exhaled a relieved breath. I was in time to stop the behemoth.

My original intent had been to slip through the gate and engage the murluk leader on the slopes of the upper bank itself. But after the delay in saving Lance, I knew I wouldn’t have waded fast enough through the intervening murluks outside to reach the behemoth that way.

So instead I found myself waiting inside the palisade for the chieftain to come to me.

I was still not certain how the chieftain intended to breach the wall. Would he step over and attack those within? He was certainly large enough to try. Or would he attempt to bash a hole through for his minions?

A moment later I got my answer as first one, then another clawed hand appeared on the top of the palisade, followed by the chieftain’s scowling face.

The creature roared, revealing a gaping maw of shark-like teeth.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” I muttered. We must seem puny to him. Small and defenceless. Easy prey.

He would learn.

A nimbus of blue surrounded the murluk’s hands. He’s casting. I readied myself. Whatever the chieftain was doing, it couldn’t be good, but until he entered the Outpost there was little I could do.

Lines of white frost spread outwards from the murluk’s palms and through the wooden logs of the palisade until an entire twelve-foot span of the wall was encased in a glittering block of ice.

What is he doing? I wondered, perplexed.

The behemoth reached back and pulled out his seven-foot-long club. Raising it high in a two-handed grip, he slammed it down, shattering ice and palisade both in a single blow.

I gulped. The palisade had offered far less resistance than I’d expected.

If he hits me just once with that club, I’m dead.

The murluk rank and file spilled through the opening created by their chieftain and headed straight for me and the defenders waiting beyond. Behind me, at the shouted orders of Jolin and Petrov, I heard the spearmen shift into a U-shaped formation centred around me and the breach.

As for myself, I didn’t move. Ignoring the smaller murluks slurping and hopping towards me—they were still more than a dozen yards away and no danger just yet—I kept my eyes fixed on the chieftain. What was he going to do next?

The behemoth slung his club back over his shoulder and, instead of advancing into the breach as I’d expected, swung left and stomped along the outside of the palisade.

He was heading to the next section of the wall, I realised. To repeat his feat.

I couldn’t let that happen. I moved to act.

Holding my staff horizontally before me in a two-handed grip, I advanced on the approaching murluks. The spearmen behind me followed in my wake, moving to contain the breach.

As I closed to within a few yards of the murluks, I cast flare and sent jets of flames roaring upwards and downwards all along the length of my staff, forming an impenetrable shield of flame in front of me.

The murluks parted before me like a wave. But they did not flee as they normally did when faced by my dragonfire.

Instead, they turned aside to engage the surrounding defenders. It has to be the chieftain’s presence, I thought grimly. He had to the be the one responsible for the smaller creatures’ uncharacteristic display of courage.

I have to kill him fast.

I limped through the streaming flood of murluks—one and all, they retreated at the sight of my dragonfire—and closed with the behemoth. He was grabbing onto the next section of the wall when I reached him.

Hurrying as fast as I could, I broke through the shimmering field of blue surrounding him; I let out a small sigh of relief as I did. If the field had repelled me, I was not sure what I would have done.

Since the chieftain’s entire focus was on the palisade, he still hadn’t seen me—a tiny human form less than a quarter his own height. Slinging my staff over my back, I skipped up to the behemoth and wrapped my arms and legs around his massive calf. My two hands barely met together on the other side.

You have engaged a creature champion on your own. You have been blessed with: slayer’s boon and tenacious.

Ignoring the Trials alert, I cast invincible and flare.

Dragonfire shot from my palms and into the murluk. Where my hands met naked flesh, pools of red blossomed, and the hungry flames ate into the behemoth.

The chieftain shrieked. Letting go of the wall, he arched upwards and slammed his leg into the palisade.

My teeth rattled and my breath left me in a rush as I crashed into the wall, but otherwise I rode the force of the impact none the worse for wear. The palisade cracked under the impact and debris rained down on me. Yet my grip held and I remained clinging to the colossus like a leech.

Furious, the chieftain pulled back his leg and smashed it into the wall anew. But the move only gave me time to pull myself higher up his limb. In my wake, I left a trail of reddened and smoking skin.

The behemoth was wasting time. Good. Every moment longer I clung to him, the more damage I could inflict.

Realising he was not going to get rid of me by squashing me against the wall, the chieftain reached down with a huge hand and yanked.

Despite my white-knuckled grip, I came unstuck.

The murluk raised me high above his head… then promptly hurled me towards the wall.

I tumbled through the air with the world flashing by in a series of disjointed images. A split-second later, the crazy kaleidoscope stopped as I slammed into the palisade and slid down.

Damn it. I rose to my feet and shook off my daze. If only I had managed to cling onto behemoth a little longer I was sure that, given the murluks’ vulnerability to fire, the flames would have soon taken on a life of their own and transformed the chieftain into a raging inferno.

Well, let’s try that again. I heaved myself out the rubble and limped forward with my eyes fixed on the behemoth’s closest limb.

My single-mindedness caused me to miss the chieftain’s follow-up attack entirely. My world went black as I was flattened against the hard ground.

I blinked when light returned a moment later. Thank God for invincible, I thought. I would be dead without it.

Spread out flat against the ground, I watched—almost hypnotically—as the chieftain’s spiked club, wreathed in coils of ice, rose up into the air.

The club paused on the top of its arc. Then blurred forward again.

My eyes widened and, spurred into action by the sight, I rolled, barely evading the frozen chuck of wood and ice.

I was running out of time.

Being felled by the club had cost me more time on invincible than I liked, and somehow I didn’t think the behemoth was going to let up with his current tactic. Still prone on the ground, I glanced up. Sure enough, the chieftain was winding back his club again.

Damn it. Pausing for a split-second, I flicked my gaze inwards and checked my Trials core. Less than five seconds remained on invincible.

I could not repeat my earlier approach, I realised. Even if I managed to close with the colossus again, he would only pluck me off or smash me into the wall.

I accepted the inevitable: I would have to do this the hard way. I pushed my head back and looked behind me. The shimmering blue curtain was at my back. I expelled a relieved breath. I remained inside the chieftain’s shield.

I could still make this work.

I stole another glance at the murluk leader. His club had nearly reached the top of its arc again. I clambered to my knees and yanked my staff off my back. Drawing quickly on my mana and lifeblood, I cast fire ray.

Dragonfire burned a line of gold through the air and struck the chieftain in the forehead.

Aargh. I had been aiming for his eye.

The club came crashing down. I dropped to all fours and scampered away, dodging the falling mass more easily this time.

I can crawl faster than I can run, I thought wryly.

Turning onto my back, I raised my staff again. The chieftain, suspecting what was coming, flung up one arm to shield his face.

But I wasn’t aiming for the chieftain—not with dragonfire, at least. With my spell readied, I touched my staff to the ground and cast sinking mud.

From the tip of my wizard’s staff, in a cone expanding outwards towards the behemoth, the ground underfoot rippled. A heartbeat later, the hard-packed dirt and grass around the murluk giant transformed into a bubbling, sucking mud.

I smiled as, near instantly, the behemoth sank up to his knees. Sadly, the mud was not deep enough to fully immerse the monster.

The behemoth was sluggish on land, but with his feet mired in mud I hoped to slow him down even further, enough so that he would have a hard time rotating as I circled around him. It would take only a single blow of his club to finish me, after all, and I preferred to avoid the risk entirely if I could.

The chieftain was studying his feet, momentarily forgetting me. I could see the corded muscles on the gigantic creature strain as he tried to extricate his leg. The mud sucked at the appendage though, and it only came free by degrees at a time.

I left the murluk leader to his struggles and scampered around. Making sure not to fall prey to the mud myself, I cast fire ray again.

The behemoth roared as the dragonfire burned into his broad back. He tried swinging around, but with one leg half-raised and the other stuck in the mud, it was no easy feat. His arms windmilled before he regained his balance.

Realising he could not get to me easily, the chieftain turned his attention to his legion of minions milling outside his shield. He barked at them. Ordering them to attack me, I guessed.

Warily, I switched my attention to the smaller murluks. None advanced on me, and I couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed the little blighters were more afraid of my dragonfire than their oversized chief.

The behemoth hissed, seemingly furious.

Still chuckling, I unleashed another lance of dragonfire. Then another immediately after.

Both hits landed. The chieftain shrieked and looked over his shoulder to stare at me in helpless fury.

I met his eyes one last time. You should have left us alone, I thought. Then I resumed my attacks.

Launching strike after strike, I painted the air gold with fire rays and riddled the colossus’ back with scorch marks until, overcome by the relentless onslaught, the chieftain toppled over.

You have gained in experience and are now a: level 24 Trainee.

You have killed your second creature champion. Your Lone Slayer Feat has advanced to rank 2, evolving its Techniques.

Slayer’s boon: When fighting a creature champion on your own, you are blessed with an aura that increases your damage by: 4%.

Tenacious: When fighting a creature champion on your own, you are blessed with an aura that reduces the damage you take by: 4%.

✽✽✽

The chieftain’s death was felt across the battlefield. With the glacial majesty of a crumbling iceberg, the behemoth tumbled down the bank.

A single glance at their fallen champion was enough for the murluks to decide the battle was lost. They dropped their weapons and fled for the safety of the river as fast as a receding tide.

I slumped to the ground and wiped the beading sweat off my forehead. Even in their panicked route, the fleeing murluks stayed well clear of me. I let them go—I wanted nothing more to do with the creatures.

As the last of the murluks disappeared into the river, the commander sat down beside me. “What will we do without you, Jamie?”

I smiled. It was a roundabout way of broaching the topic of me staying again. “You have Lance now.”

She snorted.

I chuckled. “I want to stay,” I said, my amusement fading, “but I don’t think I can.”

“You still haven’t told me why you have to leave,” she said.

I sighed. “I am going to take the fight to the orcs before the Arkon Shield falls,” I replied, articulating for the first time the plans I had been formulating. “But to do that I need to get stronger quicker than I can while staying here.”

The commander did not scoff at my plans, for which I was grateful. She ruminated over my words, then asked, “Why?”

“Why do I want to take the fight to the orcs?”

She waved aside the question. “That I understand. A strong offense makes for a sound defence, assuming you can inflict more than token damage, of course. No, what I want to know is, why are you doing this? Why take up this fight at all?”

“Revenge, primarily,” I answered, not shying away from my motives. “The orcs must pay for what they did to my mum. But she is not their only victim. They slaughtered thousands on Earth. And many more will fall under their yoke if they are left to reign free in the Human Dominion. I do this for them too.”

Jolin scrutinised me with her iron-grey eyes. “And you think you can accomplish what you set out to do?”

“I do,” I replied simply.

“Then I will trust you, Jameson Sinclair.”

I swallowed painfully. The commander’s faith meant a lot. We both fell silent, staring out at the tranquil river.

“The path you have chosen is a hard one, Jamie,” she said eventually. “Much harder than I expect you realise and not just because of the strength of our foes. It will demand harsh sacrifices. Sacrifices that may break your resolve quicker than any orc can.” She smiled sadly. “It will be a difficult journey, Jamie. And it will change you.”

She said this with such conviction, I wondered if the path she spoke of was not one she had walked herself.

Jolin continued, “You have potential for greatness in you, Jamie. I do not doubt it. And one day, all Overworld will realise it.” Her smile turned lopsided. “If you live long enough.”

I ducked my head, hiding my emotions.

I felt the commander’s gaze resting on me. “I hope you realise that what you attempt can’t be done alone. You will need others. You will need us.”

I lifted my head. “I know. It is why I have stayed as long as I have. The settlement must be established. That is crucial. But that is only the beginning of what we must do here. I will return—if I am welcome.”

“You will always be welcome, Jamie. On that, you have my word.”

“Thank you, Commander,” I replied, blinking glistening eyes dry.

Spying movement behind me, I looked over my shoulder. It was Soren and his builders. They were starting to repair the palisade. “Do you think we can still finish the wall in time?”

“As you said, Jamie, establishing the settlement is all-important. Earth is gone now. Those of us on Overworld are all that remains of humanity. We cannot fail. The settlement must be established. The palisade will be finished.” Jolin rose to her feet. “Come, let’s get back to work.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am,” I said, rising with her.

Chapter 39

386 days until the Arkon Shield falls

I didn’t follow Jolin immediately.

First, I stopped by the body of the murluk chieftain and studied its gory remains. Anatomically, the chieftain was identical to his smaller kin but with everything built to a larger scale. A much larger scale.

How did he get so big? I wondered. Perhaps I can find out.

Unsheathing my knife, I dissected the murluk. After a few minutes of cutting, the Trials rewarded my efforts.

You have uncovered a murluk chieftain’s Technique: water breathing. Your skill in anatomy has advanced to: level 5.

You have uncovered a murluk chieftain’s Feat: Physical Augmentation, rank 3. Your skill in anatomy has advanced to: level 6.

You have the discovered a: champion core. The special properties of this item are: unknown. Your lore skill is insufficient.

I pocketed the core and considered the Trials feedback. Hmm… Physical Augmentation.

I walked over to a corpse of a murluk overseer and repeated my examination.

You have uncovered a murluk overseer’s Feat: Physical Augmentation, rank 1. Your skill in anatomy has advanced to: level 7.

Physical Augmentation, again. The Trials seemed able to enlarge the size of creatures. I had a sudden vision of becoming a twenty-foot-tall human.

Wouldn’t that be a sight, I thought with a chuckle.

I pulled out the champion core and examined it anew. It was the second core I had acquired, and even at a lore of twenty I still wasn’t able to divine its properties. How high did my lore have to be to identify the cores?

Remembering that I still didn’t know what metal the murluks carried, I picked up one of their discarded spears and examined it anew.

You have acquired a crudely fashioned murluk spear. The spearhead of this weapon is made from aquaine and will not rust.

You are the first human to identify the metal: aquaine. For this achievement, you have been awarded: lore.

Lore: Aquaine is a rare metal alloy formed after centuries of submersion in fresh water. It is usually found only in the deepest rivers and lakes.

The metal’s properties were somewhat disappointing. Oh well, at least I’ll never have to worry about my knife rusting. I paused as another thought occurred.

Were Marcus and I wrong about the mountains holding the closest source of metal? I glanced at the river. Was there metal to be found it? And if so, how could we get to it? I pursed my lips. I must tell Marcus.

Done with my examination of the murluks, I strode up the riverbank.

✽✽✽

I studied the shattered timbers of the palisade with an unhappy expression. Nothing salvageable remained of the section that had been destroyed by ice. The logs were reduced to woodchips.

The adjacent section of the wall—the one I had been flung into repeatedly—looked to be in a much better state. While many of the logs there had been uprooted, they appeared repairable.

I walked over to where Soren and his builders were animatedly discussing how to patch the damage. The head builder looked up at my approach. “Mage Jamie, nice work putting that big bugger down.”

“Just doing my bit,” I replied.

He grunted. “What can I do for you?”

“Actually, I am here to help. Is there anything I can aid you with? The palisade must be completed today. Are we on track?”

“What is it with you people and blasted progress reports?” Soren said, directing a fierce scowl at me. “Maybe if everyone just left me and my team well enough alone, the work would get done faster!”

I sympathised with the man, but I still needed to know. Smiling politely, I waited.

Soren deflated. “I apologise, Jamie, I shouldn’t have snapped at you. None of this your fault. Everything was going so well, but now…” He trailed off, wrestling with his frustration. “But with the twelve-foot-wide section that needs replacement, and this here portion that we have to repair, in addition to the work on the east side that must still continue, well… there is no disguising that we’re behind,” he admitted.

“How can I help?”

He looked at me doubtfully. “Unless you have any masonry or carpentry skills, I don’t think—”

“I will fetch or carry if necessary,” I said, interrupting him. “Anything you need done.”

“Thank you for the offer, but we have more than ample men for that. Besides, I am sure you have important things to do—”

He broke off as one of his men leaned into him and whispered something. He looked at the man in surprise. “That’s a great idea, Dale.” Soren turned back to me, “Actually, Jamie, there is something you can help with.”

I waited for him to go on.

“What we need is to work faster, and to do that we need nails.”

“Nails,” I repeated, not following him.

“Nails,” he nodded. “What with metal being scarce, we’ve been fastening the logs together with rope.” He gestured to the riverbank, which was scattered with abandoned murluk spears. “But if you could help the smiths create some nails… securing the logs in place will be much faster.”

“Ah,” I said, understanding at last. “I’ll get right on it.”

✽✽✽

I drafted a squad of spearmen loitering nearby and set them to gathering and hauling the murluk spearheads to the crafting yard.

Then I went in search of Anton.

Unsurprisingly, I found him tinkering near his forge and repairing damaged tools on his new anvil. “Good morning, Anton,” I shouted above the sound of his hammering.

“Jamie!” he exclaimed, looking up in surprise. “How are you doing?” He frowned as he saw the two spearmen behind me with the first load of gathered spears. “And what do you need?”

“I’m here on Soren’s behalf actually. He needs nails.”

Anton understood at once. “For the palisade?”

“Yep,” I replied with a glance at the forge. “Have you had any luck getting that to work yet?”

Anton grimaced. “Not when it comes to melting the murluks’ damnable metal. I suspect I will have to line the interior with a thin sheet of metal to better retain the heat.” He eyed the spearheads the two soldiers hauled.

Sensing the direction of the smith’s thoughts, I headed him off. “We can do that later. Right now, we need to be making nails.”

“Alrighty,” said Anton with a sigh. “Let’s get to work.”

✽✽✽

We kept at it for hours.

Making nails was much harder than it sounded. Each nail had to be individually hammered and beaten into shape, and the builders needed hundreds of them.

At first we couldn’t make them fast enough, and Soren’s apprentices were kept waiting for the next batch. But eventually Anton and I fell into a rhythm and got ahead of the curve, growing our stockpile of nails faster than the builders could use them.

Just after lunch—which we both missed—Anton set down his hammer. “I think we have enough now.”

I blinked, jarred out of my almost-trance by the sudden silence. “What?” I asked loudly, extinguishing the ribbon of dragonfire extending from my finger.

The nail-forging had improved my control over my dragonfire further. For the last hour I had been able to taper its flow to the most minute of flames, focusing restrained flare’s heat with near-pinpoint accuracy and dramatically reducing my use of mana and lifeblood.

And while I had not unlocked any new spells, I felt on the cusp of a new discovery.

“We’re done, lad,” Anton repeated, gesturing to the neat stacks of unclaimed nails on his desk.

“Oh,” I said, straightening up from the melting pot. I glanced between the respectable pile of spearhead still waiting to be melted down and Anton’s smiling face. Despite our somewhat rocky beginning, the bluff man and I had worked well together. I would miss him. “Anton, let’s finish the forge lining while we still about it.”

“Nah, you’re near falling over, boy. It can be done tomorrow.”

“I’m leaving tomorrow, Anton,” I said quietly.

The smith looked taken aback. “When will you be back?”

“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “Might not be for a long while.”

Anton fell silent. “Alright, then, let’s do it,” he said eventually.

Lining the forge with sheets of metal went faster than making the nails. When we were done, and I had confirmed the upgraded forge worked to Anton’s expectations, I said my goodbyes and left the smith happily tinkering with his new toy.

Where to next? I wondered. The temple first, I decided. Then it would be on to find Soren and see how he was progressing.

As I was leaving the crafting yard, I spotted Melissa and Albert. I was surprised but pleased to see Albert back at the camp already. It meant Tara was back as well and we could finally have the talk I’d kept meaning to have with her.

I made a beeline for the pair. “Albert,” I greeted. “Back already from the woods? No problems, I hope?”

The head logger nodded in response. “All’s fine,” he assured me. “We’ve brought back enough logs to satisfy even Soren!”

I smiled. “Do you know where Tara is?”

Albert’s face fell. “She had to move out with her company again. The scouts spotted a band of ogres in the southern plains. The commander didn’t want to risk another assault on the Outpost just yet, so she sent Tara and her people to watch the monsters and, if necessary, dissuade them from moving north.”

Damn it, I thought. I had missed her again. “Oh, alright.” I turned to Melissa. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you yet for the clothes and armour your crafters made. It all fits perfectly.”

“You’re welcome, Jamie.”

“I hate to impose, but I have another favour to ask.”

“Of course, what do you need?”

“Four backpacks, food, and supplies,” I said, thinking of the people who might be convinced to go with me. “I’m leaving in the morning,” I added. “I’ll be back, but not for a while.”

Melissa nodded slowly. “Alright, Jamie, I’ll have the packs filled and delivered to your tent tonight.”

“Thank you, Melissa,” I replied, turning to go.

“Jamie,” called Albert, stopping me. “I’ve gotten more of those saplings you asked for.”

I was about to deny needing them anymore, when it occurred to me that I might still have a use for at least one. “Thanks, Albert. Will you send them over to my tent as well please?”

“Will do.”

Saying my farewells to the pair, I made my way to the dragon temple.

✽✽✽

The area around the temple was in chaos.

There were thousands of people filling the space, most sporting burns or an injury of one form or another. These are the refuges from Earth, I thought. The ones who had managed to escape the dying planet’s final moments.

With a start of guilt, I realised that in the chaos of the battle and its aftermath, I had forgotten all about them.

The refugees, who were still dressed in their basic new-fish outfit, sat on the ground and huddled together for comfort. Many of the adults’ eyes were glazed over. Others moaned in pain. All looked bereft and lost. Only the children appeared unaffected, laughing, screaming, or running about with abandon.

The Outpost’s medics—harassed and overworked—moved between the refugees and provided what comfort they could. I should have been here, I thought. These people needed help.

“Don’t feel bad,” Nicholas said, seeing my distraught expression as he approached. “There was not much difference you or anyone else could have made here.” He shook his head sadly. “Even if we healed all their physical ailments, there are other scars we can’t mend. For that they’ll need of weeks of therapy, and even then…”

“What happened?” I asked.

“Earth died,” said Nicholas simply. “These are the lucky ones who managed to squeeze through the gate before our planet was swallowed from within. It has not left them unmarked though.” He sighed. “Billions must have died back home.”

I swallowed, imagining what those final moments must have been like.

Nicholas pointed out a large tent that seemed to have been hastily erected next to the dragon temple. “Come, walk with me. I was just about to go and check on our patients in the healing tents.” He began walking towards the tent and I fell in step besides him.

“Your apprentice is in there,” he continued.

I stopped short and stared at him blankly.

“Lance, I mean. You did send him, didn’t you?” Nicholas asked.

I had, but I’d forgotten. “He hasn’t been too much trouble, I hope?”

“Not at all! He has been splendid. He has saved so many, I can’t even begin to thank him.”

I scratched my head and wondered if we were talking about the same Lance.

“It must be nice having magic,” Nicholas added wistfully.

Sometimes, Nicholas, but it is not without its burdens too, I thought. I remained silent, though, as we ducked inside the healer’s tent.

I wasn’t sure if he would understand.

✽✽✽

The inside of the tent was not as bad as I’d expected.

I had braced myself for the worst, but was relieved to see most of the patients were alive and resting on the pallets spread out on the floor.

At the tent’s far end, I spied Marcus and John. The pair were tending to an exhausted-looking Lance, who was hunched over on a camp stool.

“You must eat, Lance,” John was saying as we neared the trio. “You cannot go on without rest.”

“No time,” Lance mumbled in protest. “I have to keep going…”

I studied the mage’s visage, shocked by the changes in him. The callow youth had disappeared. Lance was covered in grime, his eyes were sunken, and new lines seamed his face. What happened to him?

“Marcus, John, is everything alright?” I asked.

Marcus looked up and nodded in greeting. “Our mage here thinks he is indestructible,” he said, gesturing at Lance, who was trying to rise despite John’s restraining hand. “He won’t rest.”

Lance looked at me, his eyes burning with a disturbing fervour. “Dude, you understand, don’t you?” he asked. “I have to help them.”

I glanced at Marcus and John. Both shook their heads. “Not right now you don’t, Lance,” I said. “Eat first. Rest. Or you will be no good to anyone.”

“But—”

“No buts. Listen to John as we agreed,” I added, keeping my voice stern.

“Alright, man, if you think it best…” Lance said feebly.

“I do,” I said. Gesturing for Marcus to follow me, I walked away from the mage.

“What happened to him?” I asked Marcus in a low voice. “That’s not the same boy I met this morning.”

Marcus looked equally bewildered. “I’m not sure,” he said. “I hadn’t even realised he and John were here until about two hours ago when I found them wandering amongst the injured.”

“It was that murdering bunch of idiots,” Nicholas said, walking up to join us from behind. I turned his way and waited for him to go on. “They were the ones responsible for young Lance’s epiphany. I’m not sure what happened at the palisade, but Lance was already shaken when he got here. Then he saw those ‘gamers’ at work.” Nicholas spat. “He was horrified.”

Marcus grimaced and I looked at him questioningly.

“A group of gamers came through earlier,” Marcus explained. “But not the friendly kind. These were from a clan of PKers.” As an aside to Nicholas, he added, “Player killers. They’re players who hunt down other players in games.”

Nicholas looked disgusted, but remained silent.

“From what I could gather, this bunch seemed to think Overworld was a game,” continued Marcus. “I don’t know what they were high on, but nothing got through to them. They went on a killing spree and mowed down everything in their path.” He fell silent for a moment. “Children too.”

My own lips curled in disgust.

Marcus’ face hardened. “Anyway, my men and I put an end to that. And them.”

“I think Lance saw himself reflected in those killers,” Nicholas said. “It changed him.”

I sighed. It seemed there was no limit to human stupidity. But people can surprise you for the better too, I thought, thinking of Lance. “Do you think he will be alright?” I asked Nicholas.

The medic pursed his lips. “Eventually. Right now, I think being useful is what he needs.”

I nodded, accepting Nicholas’ judgement. “We’ll leave him in your hands, then. Will you ask John to bring Lance to see me when they are done here? I have something to speak to him about.”

Before Nicholas could reply, a messenger slipped into the tent. “Captain Marcus, the commander wants to see you,” he said. Seeing me, the messenger’s brows lifted in surprise. “I was about to come find you next, Mage Jamie. She wants you as well.”

My brows drew down in concern. “Is something the matter?”

The messenger smiled. “No, the palisade is nearly complete. The commander wants both of you there when the final piece is put in place.”

Chapter 40

386 days until the Arkon Shield falls

The last part of the wall to be finished turned out to be on the east side.

A small crowd was already assembled before the open section of palisade. At their fore was the commander and her direct subordinates, Soren, Albert, Melissa, Petrov, and Beth. Only Tara was missing. Is she still out on the southern plains? I wondered.

When Marcus and I arrived, Soren’s workers already had the final pieces in hand and were only waiting for our arrival to close the gap in the wall.

“Jamie, Marcus, come here please,” Jolin said when she caught sight of us.

Marcus and I moved to join her.

“Gentlemen, you may proceed,” the commander said to the squad of builders.

“Jamie, great work with the nails,” said Soren, stepping up to my side as the workers began to shift the final logs into place. “They worked better than we hoped, and as you can see we’ve finished earlier than expected!”

I bobbed my head in acknowledgement, then turned to the commander. “Is Tara still out, ma’am?”

“Yes,” Jolin replied. “But don’t worry, I’ve received word the ogres turned back. She will return before nightfall.”

“That’s good,” I said, expelling a relieved breath.

The commander threw me an amused glance. “I’ve heard you have been making plans to leave tomorrow, and with a team too.”

“I was going to tell you. With the settlement established, the quicker I set out, the better. Do you mind if I ask some of your people to go with me?”

“Anyone who wishes to accompany you is welcome to do so,” Jolin said, waving aside my concern. “I’ve already given orders to that effect. In which direction were you thinking of heading?”

“East, probably. Towards the dungeon in the forest. I don’t think we are in a position to attempt the dungeon just yet, but I still want to scout it out for myself.”

“Ah,” Jolin said. “In that case you will probably be happy to hear that the scouts have come back from the foothills with an interesting report. Marcus, if you will?”

“We’ve found another dungeon,” Marcus said with a grin. “Less than a day’s journey east from the spider warren. This one is marked by an obelisk covered in green runes.”

“Well,” I breathed. “That is good news.”

The commander raised an eyebrow. “I am guessing from both your reactions that the green runes signify something good?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, my eyes gleaming. “Dungeons marked like that are the lowest ranked, and suitable for players under level one hundred.”

She frowned.

I raised my hands to forestall her objections. “We still aren’t strong enough to attempt the dungeon, but once we can get a team of players above level fifty, we stand a decent chance of beating it.”

But even as I said that to the commander, my thoughts spun while I tried to figure how to attempt the dungeon even earlier. I would have to see the dungeon for myself first, though. Until I knew what creatures inhabited it, I couldn’t be certain of the challenge we’d face inside.

The commander was still frowning. She opened her mouth to ask a question, then closed it with a sigh. “I will leave such matters to you and Marcus. Now,” she said, turning back to the wall, “it looks like the builders are just about done.”

The old lady was right.

The final log had been installed, and the carpenters were hammering at the wooden post to secure it in place.

There was no real reason to watch the palisade’s completion. The Trials made certain that I, and everyone else in the Outpost, knew the exact moment it was finished. A slew of messages poured through my vision in a veritable wall of text. My mouth dropped open in shock as I scanned through them.

Location seventy-eight has been established as a: village. You are within its borders and required to follow the rules and regulations of its new owner.

Settlement name: Location seventy-eight. Type: Village, rank 1. Leader: Jolin Silbright. Owning faction: none.

Human Dominion default policies are in effect. Location seventy-eight is allied: with humanity’s Patron, the Orcish Federation, and neutral: towards all other factions.

Dragon temple upgraded to: rank 1. New facilities available for use: global messaging system.

Location seventy-eight has claimed the lair: Brown Spider Warren. For being claimed within the first 14 days of the Human Dominion’s creation, the boundaries of location seventy-eight have expanded to include all territory between: the village and lair.

You own: a tent in location seventy-eight and have been designated a: vagrant. Apply to the village leader for full residency. Residents must comply with all settlement regulations to maintain their status. Current regulations: none.

Warning: Under the existing village charter, the villager leader Jolin Silbright has sole discretion in the approval of all residency applications.

Warning: Your status as a: vagrant will be revoked if you spend more than one consecutive night away from the village.

Warning: Changing or losing your home settlement may result in dire consequences. Choose your affiliations wisely!

As a founding member of only the fifth human settlement in Overworld, you have earned the Trait: Pioneer.

Trait: Pioneer. Rank: 1, common. Your Attributes are boosted by 5% when in the wilds or unclaimed territory.

“Wow,” I breathed after I had read the messages. The last one especially claimed my attention. I had known from the Trials’ feedback when we claimed the warren that there were other teams of humans out there, fighting the same fight we were.

But to find out we were not the first, but the fifth human village in Overworld—that was encouraging. “We are not alone,” I said softly. There were others in the Human Dominion battling for humanity’s survival.

I will find them, I vowed.

I looked at the others around me. They were all staring sightlessly, still caught up in their own Trials messages. The commander was the first of them to recover. Pulling out a flat, disc-shaped medallion from beneath her clothes, she studied it thoughtfully.

“What is that?” I asked.

She glanced at me. “It’s a settlement core—the control device for this location. We found it outside the temple on our first day here. Now, let’s see what I can do with it.” Narrowing her eyes in concentration, she focused on the medallion.

A moment later, more alerts flashed through my vision.

Location seventy-eight has been renamed to: Sierra.

A new faction has been born: The Forerunners.

Ownership of Sierra has passed to: The Forerunners.

The Forerunners have granted you: Ally status.

The Forerunners have repudiated their Patron! The Orcish Federation is barred from all territory owned by the Forerunners. This resolution will be enforced by the Trials until the Arkon Shield falls.

The messages were like a punch to the gut. “You named the village, Sierra,” I whispered. My hands were trembling. “How did you know?”

It was Mum’s name.

The commander’s face was grave as she met my eyes. “I make it a point to know all my people,” she said. “And it was the least we could do to honour your sacrifices.”

I nodded. Tears streamed down my face unheeded. “Thank you,” I managed before I choked up altogether. In no fit state for further speech, and feeling far too brittle to face the others at the moment, I fled.

✽✽✽

Getting back to my tent took much longer than I’d expected. The entire settlement—I suppose I should call it a village now—seemed to have received a similar slew of messages. Most of the inhabitants had received the Pioneer Trait as well. In fact, the only ones who didn’t get the Trait were the day-zero fishes.

All around the village, players congregated together, shouting, hollering, and cheering the village’s establishment.

It is almost as if Earth has not been destroyed today, I thought.

But that wasn’t fair. In spite of Earth’s demise, or perhaps because of it, people needed something to celebrate, something to provide them hope.

And Sierra was that hope.

I swallowed painfully. The commander’s gesture had caught me off guard and memories I still wished to keep buried had resurged. I couldn’t blame her. She had meant well. But every time I heard one of the villagers toast the village’s new name, it felt like a fresh stab in the heart.

It’s a good thing I am leaving tomorrow, I thought.

Brushing through the last of the throng celebrating in the camp, I ducked into my tent, relieved to finally have escaped the crowds.

Inside, I found Tara waiting.

Chapter 41

386 days until the Arkon Shield falls

“Jamie,” Tara greeted, her voice solemn.

“Hi, Tara,” I said, recovering from the shock of seeing her here. “I thought you were still on the plains.”

She shrugged. “Once the ogres turned south, my presence wasn’t necessary there anymore. I hurried back north with a small squad to see what help we could provide.” She smiled. “But I see you had everything under control.”

“It was close, but we managed. The village is finally established.” I fell silent for moment. Now that the moment had arrived, I wasn’t sure how to broach the subject of the recent tension between us. I took a deep breath. “Tara, I’m sorry I snapped at you the other day,” I said. “It was—”

“Stop, Jamie, I understand. I should have realised your grief was still too raw.”

My brows drew down in consternation. Not that I wasn’t happy by Tara’s response, but her forgiveness had come swifter than I had expected, especially given her noncommittal response the last time I had tried speaking to her. Had she been dwelling on our conversation from that morning as well?

“Uhm, thank you, Tara. I would hate to think I destroyed our friendship over… something like that.”

Tara nodded, her own face sober. She didn’t say anything further, and for a moment we both stood in uncomfortable silence.

Eventually Tara spoke again. “The others said you were looking for me?”

The others? What others? It didn’t matter though, because it gave me the opening to bring up the other matter I wanted to speak to her about. “I don’t know if you know… but I am leaving.”

“I know,” she said quietly.

It was more difficult than I imagined to speak the words, but I got them out. “Will you come with me?”

Tara let the silence draw out before answering. “Why, Jamie?”

“Because we work well together,” I said. I paused, ordering my thoughts. “I trust you like I do few others. I have ever since my first day on Overworld when, despite everything else going on around, you took the time to school a new fish like me. And again, when you saved me countless times during my first battle. You’re my friend and I think we make a good team,” I finished. There was more I wanted to add, but I didn’t have courage to say any of it.

“No, Jamie,” said Tara gently. “I mean, why do you want to leave?”

I blinked. The question caught me by surprise. “Because I have to,” I said.

“But why?” she prodded. “You’ve done so much already for the village. And there is so much more you can do here. Why leave?”

I fell silent. I wasn’t sure Tara would understand—not like the commander had. “Because I have to,” I repeated.

Tara stepped closer, scrutinising my face. “Is it vengeance?” she asked. Sorrow peeked through her eyes. “Is that what drives you? Are you trying to avenge your mum’s death?”

I closed my eyes against the sudden throb of grief. I didn’t want to discuss any of this. But I had started this conversation, and if Tara was going to accompany me, she had a right to know.

“Yes,” I said, opening my eyes and letting my rage shine through. “Yes, I want revenge. On the orcs that killed my mum, and on the whole entire system that led to her death.” I sucked in a breath and continued more calmly, “But it’s not only vengeance I seek. I want to save humanity. And to do that, I can’t stay here.”

“Why not?” asked Tara. “Who is to say we can’t build something here that can stand against the orcs?”

“I fought them, Tara. And I’m not ashamed to say I got lucky defeating them. Every one of the orcs I fought was a Seasoned player, all over level one hundred, and their shaman was a level-two-hundred Veteran.”

Tara was staring at me, her face expressionless.

I leaned forward intently, willing her to understand. “Those five orcs I killed? They were just one hunting party. If you watched the news back on Earth, you know the orcs had dozens of parties roaming our world. The Orcish Federation must have thousands, if not millions of Seasoned players. And they will be not be the worst of what we must face.” My eyes unfocused, remembering. “When I entered the gate, I caught a glimpse of the orc shaman who had created them.” I shivered, feeling my skin prick at the memory. “He felt altogether different… godlike, even.”

My eyes flicked back to Tara. “Do you know how long it takes the average player to reach Veteran status?”

Tara shook her head.

“Two years,” I replied softly. “Humanity doesn’t have two years, Tara. I have to get strong, fast. And I can’t do that staying here.”

Tara cocked her head to the side. “Jamie, humanity cannot stand against what you describe. To save humanity sounds impossible. Why take on such a mammoth task? To even believe you can do this… isn’t it a trifle egotistical?” She voiced the question gently, seemingly in an effort not to offend me. “Why are you trying to shoulder this burden?”

She thinks I am crazy. “Because someone has to try and… I have gifts other players do not.”

“There must be other mages,” she said.

“Not like me, Tara. None of them can do what I can.”

Tara’s brows furrowed and she failed to disguise her scepticism.

I sighed. “I will explain, all of it, if you come with me. Will you, Tara?”

She returned my sigh. “No, Jamie. I won’t.”

I stared at her, stunned. Despite everything, I had not expected her to refuse. I had anticipated resistance, obstinance, and having to work at convincing her, but I had never truly thought she would say no. “Why?” I asked, unable to disguise my shock.

She studied me in silence for so long I thought she wouldn’t answer. “You are driven, Jamie. Obsessed, even, and it makes you reckless.” She held up a hand to still my protest. “All your victories could have just as easily turned out differently. Eventually, Jamie, you will get someone killed. And I don’t want that to be me.”

“But—”

“No, Jamie, listen,” she said. “I’m not like you. I can’t take the same risks you do; I can’t throw myself into danger the same way. Perhaps it is because of what happened to you back on Earth that makes you so rash, I don’t know. What I know is, I can’t do the same.”

“But… but you are a warrior,” I said faintly. “You take risks every day.”

“Measured risks, Jamie,” she said. “Necessary risks. I do not fight when there is no need, nor do I attempt impossible tasks.”

Meaning I do. I opened my mouth, ready with another argument. Then I closed it with a snap a moment later. Everything Tara said was true. I couldn’t disagree.

In my defence, everything I had done had been with a singular purpose in mind. But that was her point. I was on a crusade. One which she didn’t believe in herself. A crusade I was willing to die for, but she not.

“I will be more careful, Tara.”

“No, Jamie, you will not.” She smiled, a sad forlorn expression. “Goodbye, Jamie.” Walking past me, Tara squeezed my hand once, then left.

For a long time, I stayed staring at nothing after she disappeared. Rethinking everything I had done and wondering if was all worth it.

✽✽✽

I slept badly that night.

I pondered everything Tara had said and what it meant. She was right: I did gamble with my life. But I did so knowingly and necessarily—or so I believed. I couldn’t deny it.

Was I a danger to others around me? Did I needlessly place my companions at risk?

Could I lead a party out into the wilderness, knowing I might put them in harm’s way?

But there isn’t any ‘might’ about it, is there?

I was leaving the Outpost to actively court danger—all in a bid to get strong enough to face the orcs.

Was it fair to drag others along with me on my crusade?

Some would follow me regardless of the risks. John, for one. Probably Marcus too. And the sisters, Laura and Cass. But then, Tara had been the person I had been most certain of. And I had been wrong about her. I sighed.

I thought back to the moment on the wall, when the commander had had to choose between Lance and her men. Could I make such a choice? If it came to it, would I choose my companions’ lives over my vendetta?

I swallowed. I wasn’t sure.

And if I was not sure, I could not do it. I would not risk John, or Marcus, or even Lance on my behalf. A difficult path, the commander had called it, one that demanded more sacrifices than I realised.

I sighed once more. She had spoken far more truth than I realised at the time. I knew what I had to do.

I have to leave town alone.

Chapter 42

385 days until the Arkon Shield falls

1 day after Earth’s destruction

The humans and the Elders are connected somehow. It is the only conclusion I can draw from the Elders presence on the human homeworld so many millennia ago. But what is the connection? —Arustolyx, gnomish archaeologist.

I rose early the next morning, well before dawn, while the rest of the settlement was still asleep. I gazed around the tent at my meagre belongings.

Other than the clothes and armour on my back, I had little else of value to take. Just the two mysterious cores in the pockets of my cloak.

I sighed. I would manage. Somehow.

Ducking out of my tent, I stopped short at what awaited me. It was a sled. Loaded with four filled packs. My heart lifted at the sight.

Bless you, Melissa.

Inspecting the sled’s contents, I saw that it contained far more than I had asked for. There was a hunting bow, two filled quivers, and a dozen knives. The knives I was sure were from Anton. I chuckled, my dour mood evaporating altogether.

How many knives does Anton think I need?

I tugged at the sled. It was heavy but manageable. Perhaps I should invest a bit more in strength, I thought. It would make hauling the sled through the wilderness easier.

I chuckled. It was a nice thought, but not a luxury I could afford just yet. Wrapping the sled’s harness around my shoulders, I set off for the dragon temple.

✽✽✽

The temple was quiet.

The hordes of refugees that had occupied the area yesterday were gone. I wonder where the commander has housed them all. Leaving the sled at the bottom of the temple, I stepped inside, and a moment later emerged out of the gate in the centre of Wyrm Island.

Immediately, I saw that something had changed. To the left of the gate on a large stone table were two thick, leather-bound books. One black, the other white.

The messaging system? I wondered. Thoughtfully, I walked over to study the table and its contents.

“Welcome back, human,” said a voice at my back.

“Aurora,” I said, nodding in greeting.

“Are you here to use the messaging system?” she asked.

“I am,” I said. “But I’m also here to increase my Discipline knowledge and Attributes.”

“Well in that case, let us attend to your advancement first,” she demanded. “All you players always take forever with those things,” she said, gesturing irritably at the table.

In the act of turning back to the table, I paused. “Of course, Aurora. Please advance the same Attributes and Disciplines as I did on my previous visits. All to level twenty-four.”

“Done. You have one hundred and thirty-seven Tokens and two Marks remaining,” Aurora said. “Now, I will leave you—”

“One moment, Aurora.”

The purple woman scowled at me. “What?”

“I require just one other Discipline advancement. Please increase my light armour to twenty-four as well.” If I was going to be out in the wilderness alone, I needed to be as self-sufficient as possible, which meant improving the effectiveness of my armour.

Aurora looked put out, but with a wave of her hand, she acceded to my wishes. “Done. Now is that all?”

I bowed smoothly to her. “It is. Thank you, Aurora.”

“Good,” replied Aurora. “Now I will leave you to your messages. Goodbye, human.” Then she vanished.

I stared at the spot the purple woman had occupied not a second ago. She always seemed eager to escape from my visits. What does she have against players?

Shrugging away the mystery, I turned back to the stone table. The white book bore the title, ‘Incoming,’ while the black book was titled, ‘Outgoing.’

Simple enough, I thought, and opened the white book.

There were twelve entries. All from Eric. They started blandly enough.

Eric Anders message 1: Jamie, I’ve arrived. By God, this world is fascinating. There is so much strangeness, and so many things to do. But enough of all that later. I’m in the gnomish city of Splatterpunk. Don’t ask about the name! Anyway, where are you?

From there, the messages grew progressively more frantic.

Eric Anders message 2: Bud, where are you?

Eric Anders message 3: Why aren’t you answering, man?

Eric Anders message 4: By God, Jamie, don’t tell me you got yourself killed? But no, the system is still letting me send these messages. So, you must be out there somewhere.

Eric Anders message 5: C’mon, Jamie, answer goddamn!

I touched Eric’s message, penned in his own hand. My friend sounded deeply worried. I’m sorry, Eric, I wish there was some way I could have let you know I was alright. Sighing, I turned my attention to Eric’s last message, penned two days ago. It was the longest and most interesting.

Eric Anders message 12: Jamie, I think I am finally beginning to realise why you’ve been silent. You are in so much trouble, I don’t know how we’re ever going to get out of it.

An orcish delegation entered the city today, with the permission of its gnomish leaders. Apparently just for the orcs to stoop to entering a gnomish city was an event in itself. Our noble Sponsors were beside themselves, both intrigued and fearful.

The orcs entered the city for one thing only: to post a bounty notice for a human named Jamie Sinclair. Yes, bud, the orcs are hunting you. The notice included a full description of you, down to the last detail. The bounty itself is huge, a fortune large enough that even the gnomes, who hate the orcs more than most, seem tempted.

Questions are being asked. Of your whereabouts, and your associates. No one seems to know of our friendship, so for the time being Emma and I are safe. But we might be forced to leave the city on short notice. Don’t be too concerned if you don’t hear from me again soon. As long as the Trials’ system allows you to send messages, know that I am still alive.

Anyway, bud, wherever you are, I hope you’re safe. I will find you someday. I promise. Oh, and if you do get this message, whatever you do, please don’t tell me where you are.

Just in case.

Those last three words scared me the most. Eric had to be really afraid if he thought to say that. I could never imagine a situation where my loyal, lifelong friend would betray me. Yet, Eric must have been afraid of being forced to do just that.

I opened the black book and penned a short missive of my own.

Message 1 to Eric Anders: Damn, Eric, I’m sorry you’ve gotten caught up in all this. It’s the last thing I want for you or Emma. Thanks for the heads up about the orcs. I’ll be doubly careful. But I am not going to avoid them.

I’m going to hunt them down.

P.S. I’ll find you first bud, I promise.

I closed the book, and squeezed my eyes shut to hold in my bubbling rage. It was not enough that the orcs had killed Mum to get me, now my friends were in danger too.

I have wasted enough time.

The time had come to bend all my efforts into getting stronger.

And then… then it would be time to go hunting.

✽✽✽

Here ends Book 1 of the Dragon Mage Saga.

Jamie’s adventures continue in Dungeons.

Coming Soon!

I hope you enjoyed this book and would be grateful if you share your thoughts. Click here to leave a review and here to follow me on amazon.

Many thanks,

Rohan!

Jamie’s Player Profile

At the end of book 1

Player: Jameson (Jamie) Sinclair.

Race: Human. Age: 24. Level: 24. Rank: Trainee.

Tokens: 123. Marks: 2.

Home settlement: None.

Potentials

Might (meagre), Craft (gifted), Resilience (mediocre), Magic (extraordinary).

Attributes

Magic: channelling (24), spellpower (24).

Might: strength (10), agility (10), perception (10), vigour (24).

Resilience: constitution (24), elemental resistance (1), willpower (10).

Craft: industriousness (10), artistry (10).

Disciplines

Magic: air magic (24), dragon magic (24), death magic (1), earth magic (24), fire magic (2), life magic (24), water magic (1).

Might: anatomy (7), clubs (10), light armour (24), shields (10), sneaking (1), spears (10), staffs (20), unarmed (1).

Crafting: blacksmithing (10), lore (24), scribe (6).

Traits

Unique: Dragon’s Gift.

Rank 1: Pioneer, Spider’s Blood.

Rank 2: Crippled, Quick Learner.

Rank 4: Mimicked Core.

Rank 5: Twice as Skilled.

Rank 6: Spirit’s Invincibility.

Feats

Orcsbane (3), Lone Slayer (2), Lair Hunter (1).

Active Techniques
magesight, night vision, sinking mud, living torch, fire ray, restrained flare, flare, lay hands, analyse, mimic, invincible, repurpose.

Passive Techniques
orc hunter, burning brightly, revulsion, lair sense, slayer’s boon, tenacious.

Faction relationships

Orcish Federation: hated.

Forerunners: ally.

Equipped items
wizard’s staff, spider leather armour, silk clothes, aquaine knife.

Afterword

Please take the time to leave a review on www.amazon.com and click here to subscribe to my mailing list for news on future books in the series. Thank you for reading Overworld.

Please feel free to drop me a message on anything related to the Dragon Mage Saga or otherwise on my forum (click here). I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

I hope you enjoyed the book!

Best Regards,

Rohan
rohan.vider@gmail.com

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General Definitions

Arkon Shield: force field around the Human Dominion.

citizen: a player pledged in service to a particular Dominion.

core: a Trials control or interface device used for controlling lairs, settlements, and champions.

dragonfire: flames imbued with the essence of a dragon, and that burn hotter and brighter than any normal fire.

Elders: dragons.

faction: any group within a Dominion sharing the same goals.

faction member: a player affiliated with a particular Dominion.

Focus: a living implement used to aid a mage with his spellcasting.

Initiation: the process whereby the Trials core embedded into new players is bonded to its host and configured to closely monitor, weigh, and assess their every action thereafter.

Inductee: rank 0 descriptor applied to a level 0 player, one who has not achieved full player status.

lifeblood: a portion of the caster’s blood containing some of his life and stamina.

natural learning rate: the speed at which players can advance their Attributes and Disciplines when unassisted by the Trials. This rate differs from player to player.

Neophyte: rank 1 descriptor applied to player levels, Disciplines and Attributes. It ranges from level 1 to 9.

Patron: a species that initiates another’s entrance in the Trials, and is awarded special rights with respect to the client species.

resident: a player who lives in a particular settlement.

Seasoned: rank 3 descriptor applied to player levels, Disciplines and Attributes. It ranges from level 100 to 199.

settlement: a secured region, home to a population of at least one thousand and a functioning dragon temple.

spell construct: the internal design of a spell.

spellcrafting: process of creating spells.

spellform: see spell construct.

spirit weave: core of an entity’s beings.

Sponsor: a species that earns the right to offer refugee to a new Overworld race. Sponsors enjoy fewer special rights with respect to the client species than Patrons.

sponsored city: a settlement in a new Dominion that can act as a refugee for a new Overworld race. A sponsored city can be owned any Sponsor or Patron.

sorcery: not a true form of magic, but the use of spirit to empower Techniques.

Trainee: rank 2 descriptor applied to player levels, Disciplines and Attributes. Ranges from level 10 to 99.

Trials Key: rare Trials artefacts that can be used to begin an entity’s activation as a player. Patrons and Sponsors use this to forcibly create sought-after players and bind them to their service.

Veteran: rank 4 descriptor applied to player levels, Disciplines and Attributes. It ranges from level 200 to 299.

Trial System Definitions

agility: is the quickness and speed of physical attacks and movements.

artistry: determines the quality of your creations.

Attributes: are a player’s physical and mental characteristics and define his fundamental capabilities. Attributes represent the realisation of Potential.

channelling: is a measure of the amount of mana you can draw upon.

constitution: is a measure of your overall health.

Craft: refers to the Craft Potential.

Discipline: is the knowledge necessary to employ Attributes and Potential in meaningful ways, called Techniques.

elemental resistance: determines your ability to resist elemental damage.

Feats: are similar to Traits but differ in that they be improved with further achievements.

health: is a quantitative measure of a player’s health or lifeforce, and is a function of the player’s level, constitution, and Resilience.

industriousness: is a measure of the amount of energy you consume when crafting.

Magic: refers to the Magic Potential.

mana: is a quantitative measure of a player’s magical energy, and is a function of the player’s level, channelling, and Magic.

manoeuvres: are physical Techniques.

Marks: used to enhance Attributes.

Might: refers to the Might Potential.

level: fine scale for measuring player growth.

perception: is your intuition and ability to anticipate.

Potentials: are a player’s core talents, his inborn gifts which he may or may not realise in his lifetime. They define the upper limit that a player’s Attributes may reach.

rank: macro scale of measuring player growth.

Resilience: refers to the Resilience Potential.

spellpower: determines the potency of your magical attacks.

spells: are magical Techniques.

stamina: it is a quantitative measure of a player’s physical energy, and is a function of the player’s level, vigour, and Resilience.

strength: determines the power of your physical attacks.

Techniques: are special abilities. They may be passive or active.

Tokens: used to acquire skill in a Discipline.

Traits: are specialised characteristics that may influence a player’s Attributes, Disciplines or Techniques independent of level restrictions.

vigour: is a measure of your stamina, physical energy.

willpower: determines your ability to resist pain, mental assaults, and mind-altering effects.

List of Locations

Brown Spider Warren: lair north of location 78.

crafting yard: crafters’ area in location 78.

Elven Protectorate: Dominion of the elves.

Human Dominion: human territory in Overworld.

Orcish Federation: Dominion of the orcs.

Overworld: world of the Trials.

Outpost: Location 78.

Splatterpunk: Gnomish city.

training grounds: fighters’ practice yard.

Wyrm Island: unknown region accessed by the dragon temples.

List of Notable Characters

Albert: head gatherer.

Anton: blacksmith.

Aurora: Jamie’s guide in the dragon temple.

Beth: head cook.

Captain Hicks: militia captain from Earth.

Cassandra: hunter, sister of Laura.

Claire: daughter of refugee.

Dale: builder.

Devlin: messenger.

Duskar Silverbane: orc warlord.

Emma: Eric’s girlfriend.

Eric Anders: Jamie’s friend.

Greg: parent.

Hansen: spearman.

Ionia Amyla: elven queen.

Jamie Sinclair: protagonist.

John: spearman, lieutenant.

Jolin Silbright: the commander.

Kagan Firespawn: orcish shaman.

Lance: mage.

Laura: hunter.

Lloyd: spearman, sergeant.

Marcus Smithson: captain in location 78.

Melissa: head crafter.

Michael: spearman.

Nicholas: medic.

Orgtul Silverbane: orc high shaman.

Petrov: captain in location 78.

Soren: head builder.

Sten: spearman.

Tara Madison: captain in location 78.

Yarl Sharptooth: orcish squad leader.