Still clasping Emily’s hand, I found Wesley and Hanna nearby. Hanna looked much worse for wear. Her leather jacket was blood splattered and she had the look of someone who had seen death and barely survived. Jayden winded his way through the groups of fighters, who now congregated around the Armadon, just grateful to be alive.
Wesley glanced around, and not seeing our knight captain, stepped toward the dead monster and placed his hand on it. He grunted as something happened. Then he stepped back and retrieved a large steel embossed shield from his inventory. The thing fairly radiated magic. I couldn’t stop myself and I inspected the item.
Shield of the Valiant
Equipable at
Level 6
Qulity
Rare
Durability
100%
Constitution
+5
Charisma
+10
Defense
Holy Ward
Holy Ward: When activated creates a protective aura that reduces incoming damage from enemies for a limited time, allowing user to shield himself and his allies from harm
I whistled appreciatively at the gear. It was the best gear I’d seen in the game yet. Others, seeing what Wesley had done, stepped forward to collect their loot. After Emily did so, she retrieved her item from her inventory.
Whisperblade Rapier
Equipable at
Level 6
Qulity
Rare
Durability
100%
Melee Attack
+4
Agility
+4
Glamour
+3
Whispering Steel: The blade of the rapier is imbued with a faint whispering enchantment. This enchantment allows the weapon to vibrate at a frequency that disrupts an opponent's concentration, providing a slight chance to cause them to fumble or miss their attacks
Another piece of equipment that was better than anything I’d yet to see. Even better than my rifle, which was also of rare quality. I stepped forward and placed my hand on the Armadon’s scales. I felt a tingle and then a blue prompt flashed in my vision. For now, I ignored it as I opened my inventory and saw a rifle scope. I retrieved it. It glowed with magic as I held it in my hands. It featured a sleek and lightweight design. Its surface was adorned with intricate engravings depicting soaring eagles. I inspected it.
Eagle's Gaze" Scope
Equipable at
Level 7
Qulity
Legendary
Durability
100%
Agility
+10
Eagle Eye
+20% to maximum Range
Critical Focus
+15% to crit. Attack
True Shot: Grants a temporary bonus to accuracy and damage. Increases ranged attack and firearms by 50% for a limited duration.
I held the magical item in my hand, almost reverently. I’d no idea there were legendary items available in the game and the bonuses on this scope were simply incredible. Wesley gave me a wry smile and quipped, “Wanna trade?”
I smiled ruefully at the difference in quality between our items while wondering why I had received a legendary item while Wesley and Emily had received rare items. “I don’t think I could hold that shield of yours, Wes.”
He slapped me on the back. “No worries, Cade. I’m sure you’ll make good use of that scope.”
A flashing blue alert in the corner of my vision was impossible to ignore. When I pulled it up, I gasped.
Combat successfully completed.
[1] Level 10 rare World Boss Behemoth, Armadon killed
196,000 world boss experience points.
Your portion of damage—1.8%, adjusted for level [6].
You are awarded with 6,350 experience points.
I was stunned at the amount of experience awarded. And immediately noticed another System alert.
Congratulations! You have leveled. You are now level [7]. You have received +1 to Constitution.
You have multiple classes that may be leveled. You may only pick one class to level.
Between sharpshooter and Hexslinger, I could add to my agility or my mana pool. Both had their advantages. I was already a level 4 sharpshooter and a level 1 hexslinger. I was mightily tempted to up my sharpshooting class and get another point in firearms. That would allow me to do more damage. With the new ability, True Shot, from the legendary scope, my base damage with my rifle could go as high as forty-two points of damage. A crit to the heart could do more than four hundred points of damage. That put my damage output near the top of any adventurers in our allied army.
On a hunch, I decided to see if any new classes had opened to me. As I scanned the list, I saw a new one. Junior Commander. I couldn’t help but chuckle. Not Commander. But Junior Commander. Still, I decided to read the information on the blue screen.
The Junior Commander class embodies an Adventurer’s rising leadership prowess, showcasing exceptional coordination and strategic abilities. You inspire and uplift allies with your commanding presence, bolstering morale and optimizing combat performance. With swift tactical analysis, you exploit enemy weaknesses and guide your team to victory through precise orders and adaptive strategies.
Equipped with a diverse skill set as you level, Junior Commanders provide vital support to their allies. Their keen awareness of the battlefield enables them to anticipate enemy movements and make informed decisions, demonstrating their strategic brilliance and tactical prowess.
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Junior Commanders may equip specialized equipment, including the Commander's Insignia and Strategist's Armor, enhancing their agility, protection, and leadership. With the authoritative Commander's Baton in hand, they lead their team with unwavering confidence, paving the way for triumph on the battlefield. The Junior Commander class represents a formidable force, shaping the future of leadership and promising growth and development in their ongoing journey.
I skimmed the description. What I really wanted to know was what abilities came with the class. After selecting a second screen I found it. Leadership Presence. It was a passive ability that boosted morale and combat effectiveness of nearby allies. That would have come in handy when I had been commanding the ranged attackers during the battle.
I kept reading. The class also came with a skill, Tactical Analysis. When used, this skill allowed the user to analyze others, revealing weaknesses and providing bonus to teammates’ primary attack stats while the skill’s effect is active.
And lastly, a level one Junior Commander received +1 to Charisma. I hadn’t paid much attention to anything other than combat stats. But now, maybe I should reconsider.
Even I could tell the skill and ability were really good. And that was just for level one. Still, I hesitated. I loved being a sharpshooter. I had been getting better at it before the System arrived and now, I was positively lethal.
I glanced over at Wesley and a huge part of me wanted to ask his opinion. But I knew him well enough now to know he’d tell me to follow my heart. Not exactly useful help, to be honest. A glance at Emily and I suspected she’d tell me something similar. I saw Jayden examining a double handed sword that practically dripped with magic.
I approached him, “Hey, Jay.”
When he looked up, he positively beamed, “Check it, Cade. This thing is badass!”
The sword was legendary with a boatload of stats to strength, agility, and constitution. “Damn, dude. That’s impressive. Say, did you level up?”
Another huge smile, “Hell yeah. I got more than four thousand experience. Five levels in Warrior, FTW!”
I wanted to feel his excitement, but my uncertainty robbed me of that. Instead, I said, “I got an option of a new class.”
Jayden slid the sword into the sheath that came with it and returned it to his inventory. “You not going to take another level of Sharpshooter?”
I shrugged. “Maybe. The new option is called Junior Commander.”
At the name, Jayden smirked, “Junior? That sounds just like the system to do that. What comes with it?”
When I told him he whistled appreciatively. “Shit, man. Those are some cool abilities. So, what’s holding you up?”
I chewed on my lip before saying, “I really like being a sharpshooter. I’m pretty good at it, if I do say so myself. But these abilities would really help with building our village and leading an adventuring party.”
Jay nodded, “Yeah. And raids too. I dunno, Cade. I really like swinging a sword. But, dude, when I wasn’t dodging Armadon tail, I saw you. You did a fucking amazing job leading the archers and what not. Do what you want, man. But you won’t go wrong if you pick up,” He stressed the next word, “Junior Commander.”
He paused, an uncharacteristically thoughtful expression crossed his face, “If it helps, man. All that leadership shit. It’s important. Wesley’s good at it, and so are you. Do what you want, but just know, I’d follow you to hell and back, man.”
Strangely, that helped me. A moment later, I selected the Junior Commander. With that selected, I called up my character sheet.
Name
Caden
Regeneration
Level
7
Health
140
1/minute
Experience
3229/6400
Mana
110
1/sec
spells
Mana Infusion
Action
140
4/sec
Age
14
Ability
Leadership Presence
Race
Human
Classes
Lvl 4 Sharpshooter
Lvl 1 Hexslinger Lvl 1 Junior Commander
Strength
8
Agility
24 (12)
Skills
Ranged Attack
Constitution
14
Firearms +4
Intellegence
8
Tactical Analysis
Wisdom
8
Charisma
9
Glamour
8
Jayden snorted, “Junior Commander. Don’t think that means I’m going to salute.”
I rolled my eyes, Jayden would always be himself.
He continued, “Check your gold. I picked up more than eight gold when I looted the Armadon.”
My System coin pouch seemed to have grown by the same amount. I couldn’t help but cast a glance around at our friends, neighbors, and allies. A lot of people would be visiting system stores. For a moment, I thought of my role as village councilor. Five percent of several hundred gold flowing through the store would go a long way to straightening out our village’s finances.
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The adrenaline had drained from us all. People approached in ones and twos to loot Armadon's corpse, but I sat with Emily. Her warmth eased the lingering tension. We watched Thompson ride up to Wesley, just close enough to overhear. When Thompson said Squire McCallister hadn't made it - that Armadon got him - I nudged Emily.
"Did you hear that?" I whispered, excited and concerned. "Poor Squire McCallister. What happens now?"
Emily's eyes widened in shock. As Wesley and Thompson moved away, I knew McCallister's death was the day's most significant news. I turned to Emily, determination on my youthful face. "Let's look into this. We might find something important."
She nodded, grabbing my hand as she stood. "You're right. Let's find out what's going on."
We wove between camps and conversations until we found the burly deputy who'd introduced us to McCallister. His somber face echoed the weighty news we sought.
I nodded, my voice a mix of hope and hesitation. "Excuse me, sir. Is it true about Squire McCallister? He's really gone?"
The deputy met my gaze, sorrow in his tone. "Yeah kid, it's true. The squire died leading the fighters those last minutes. We lost a hell of a good man."
Voice low, tinged with despair, the deputy continued. "The manor's on a countdown now. Under two hundred people and it'll dissolve, become a level three village."
I reeled, the implications crashing down. Columbia would be impacted by the manor's fate. Amidst the tragedy lay opportunity - a chance to improve our lot, even at the manor's expense.
"That's...that's terrible," I murmured, thoughts racing about the displaced villagers seeking refuge in Columbia.
With regret, I bid the deputy farewell, knowing we had much to consider and little time. We had to act fast to capitalize on events for Columbia's benefit.
Emily and I walked on, steps slow and thoughtful. The gravity of it all weighed heavy. The coming hours and days would define the future for every nearby village, including our Columbia.
As we walked, the crowd's clamor faded, leaving a precious moment of solitude amidst the chaos. I glanced at Emily, concern and determination in her eyes.
"You know, Emily," I said fervently, "if we help the refugees from Henderson find refuge in Columbia, we could surpass 200 people. We could level up, start the quest to form our own manor."
Emily's eyes widened with realization. Her tone turned pragmatic and determined. "You're right, Cade. It'll be hard for them here. We're better positioned to welcome people and provide shelter. Better than trying to prop up their manor at our expense."
Thrills ran through me at the thought of Columbia as a proud Manor, extending control over other villages. The squeeze of Emily's hand told me she agreed. We exchanged excited glances, knowing this was an opportunity we couldn't miss.
"But how do we convince them to stay in Columbia?" Emily wondered, uncertainty in her tone. "After everything, I wouldn't blame them for giving up. Getting the hell out."
I considered her words, my mind racing. "Where else could the Henderson refugees go? Lake Village or Fort Point? Maybe. But we can get ahead of them. We need to show that Columbia can provide more safety, resources, and care than anywhere else. When we expand to level four, we'll get more land and can add more farms. Those extra houses we built to temporarily house people from Lake Village and Fort Point while we were away are now ready for the Henderson refugees. We just need to encourage everyone back home in Columbia to welcome the refugees with open arms after all the hell they've endured."
Emily nodded. "You're right, Cade. Empathy goes a long way. If they see we're united under strong leadership..." Her hand squeezed mine, leaving no doubt she included me.
Approaching Wesley, determination burned within us. We had a mission beyond mere survival - to build the best community possible.
Taking a deep breath, we presented our vision for Columbia's future and the opportunity before us. Wesley listened intently, caution and hope in his eyes.
"It won't be easy," Wesley cautioned, his eyes clouded with the weight of responsibility.
Emily and I exchanged a resolute nod. We were ready for the uphill battle ahead.
As we made our way through the chaotic aftermath of the battle, I felt the earlier adrenaline seeping away, replaced by weary determination. As we walked, Emily kept close by my side.
We came upon the area where Henderson's dead had been dragged into a pile. Several dozen bodies were heaped in a disorganized mass, lacking any dignity in death. A group of weary fighters together with shell-shocked village survivors were digging a long trench nearby to bury the dead. The sight was horrifying and sobering.
Emily turned her face into my shoulder, overcome with emotion. I wrapped my arm around her, drawing courage from her steady presence despite it all. Once, these had been people with hopes, dreams, families - now lost in the senseless violence.
The ruthlessness of our world was on full display. Yet seeing Emily's compassion stirred my resolve. We would fight to build a better future, where life was valued. Columbia could be the start of that if we succeeded.
Emily and I paused to take in the devastation - homes reduced to rubble, people digging through the wreckage for belongings.
"Where will they go?" Emily murmured.
I shook my head grimly. Columbia had to be the answer, but convincing the refugees would be difficult.
When Emily asked where they would go, I turned to her and spoke gently. "That's why it's so important that we show them the value of relocating to Columbia. We need to help them see that our village can offer them safety, community, and a chance to rebuild their lives."
Emily and I spent a few minutes trying to find Jayden and Hanna, but with no luck. Giving up, we came across an inn and went inside. The tavern on the first floor was packed with resting fighters, the bartender rushed off his feet serving drinks. I imagined he was making a killing from the barrels of beer stamped with the System Store logo.
When we finally reached the bar, I asked if there were any rooms left. The bartender just laughed - of course not. But we could grab some floor space, he said. Emily took my hand and pointed out a barn adjoining the building. We threaded back through the crowd into the fading sunlight. The barn already had a few people sleeping in the hay.
As Emily and I settled into our own hastily made hay pile, you might expect a young couple to want more than a kiss while snuggled close. Perhaps some other time that would be true. But exhaustion overtook me as my head hit the hay. I fell into a fitful sleep, haunted by screams and terrors as my mind replayed the horrific battle.