The three skeletons continued down the track for quite a distance before they came to a crossroads. Turning right, they started following the track leading towards the valley side. Watching from a distance, SJ hovered low by some bushes. The three had been talking as they walked, not saying much of interest that SJ could pick up but enough to let her know that they had been here for some time now. The track followed a slight gradient as it approached the steep valley wall, and the ground was becoming more broken and uneven.

At no point had SJ even considered how much she had been flying nor felt any tiredness in her back, the subtle movements allowing her to move easily without any strain. The skeletons reached the brow of a hill and dropped out of view. SJ followed slowly and approached with caution, not seeing them. She skimmed the edge of the track, and as she arrived at the brow, she heard the deep moan of the Phantom. Stopping, she slowly dropped to the ground and started to walk to the brow through the grass.

Looking down into the depression before the steep valley side, she could see the area she could only assume housed the Necromancer and his minions. There were three buildings, all of which were single-storey, two smaller, and then one much larger building. Smoke was billowing out of the chimney of the larger building. Around the buildings, rocks had been piled to create a crude defensive wall. It only stood a few feet high and would not have been challenging for most races to cross.

The skeletons were all outside one of the buildings. The five stood together now with the two she had seen from the rowing boat. The strange sight was the two beasts towing an open-backed wagon. They looked half lizard and half horse, and SJ watched as one of the skeletons fed them a chunk of meat each. Triggering her Identification skill, she read the details of the group. Only the ones she had not previously identified added to her skill growth.

Subterfuge - Identification Level 3 - 23 of 30 to level 4

Skeletal Fighter

Level: 6

Hit Points: 40

Mana Points: 30

Attacks: Slash/Thrust

Skeletal Fighter

Level: 5

Hit Points: 25

Mana Points: 25

Attacks: Slash/Thrust

Lizorse x 2

Level: 2

Hit Points: 20

Mana Points: 0

Attacks: Bite/Claw

"Those creatures look much stronger than they are," she whispered.

"Lizorse are renowned for being bad-tempered. They are very strong for pulling wagons and carts but not user-friendly. Very few races use them because they habitually bite their owners. Not an issue for skeletons, though," Dave chuckled.

"I don't think I would like them pulling my wagon."

"Your wagon? You don't own one."

"Yet."

Dave sighed.

A figure appeared at the entrance to the larger building. SJ could not see them from where she was and only saw a black-robed arm that pointed as they spoke. The voice was that of a male. "Bring me those barrels. I want the chamber filling," he called, disappearing back inside again.

The Phantom moaned, and the skeletons began to move to where the barrels brought from the lake stood. Audible groans came from the skeletons as they grabbed the barrels and began to take them inside.

"How am I supposed to do anything about this place?"

"Not easily, by all accounts."

"There are too many to attempt to fight alone."

"Unless you can pick them off."

"How? I have no idea how to kill a skeleton."

"You can't kill them. They are already dead," Dave chuckled at his joke.

Rolling her eyes at his poor humour, SJ watched as the Phantom moved towards the Lizorse. As it neared, the Lizorse started to flare up, stomp their lizard feet, flick their forked tongues, and bar their teeth. The Phantom put one of its shadowy arms out and placed it on the side of the nearest Lizorse; it hissed in resistance before becoming still.

"What is it doing?"

"Feeding, I think. They feed on fear."

SJ shuddered at the thought of the formless being touching her skin. As she stood watching the skeletons move the barrels into the building, the Phantom fed her display trigger.

Quest – Investigate the cottages - complete

The cottages are clear due to the Undead leaving the area, and the source has been located. You may claim your reward for identifying the source and location of the Necromancer behind the recent events.

Rewards: 240xp (+20% bonus for reputation) (-50% as cleared without interaction) 120xp awarded. Return to Gladys to receive your gift.

"That's unfair," SJ whispered harshly.

"It's the system, unfortunately."

"It's not my fault they left the cottages."

"It happens with quests. When set, the parameters can change due to natural or other occurrences, and the System will adjust outcomes."

"Hang-on. I read that in the terms and conditions."

"Yes, you did. Oooooh, again, another anomaly."

"I didn't agree with their amendment rule; therefore, they can't adjust a value offered, can they?"

"In theory, no, they shouldn't. In practice, once a quest is in play and accepted, other administrators will track and monitor the deliverables and adjust them as required. They are unlikely to even know your status, considering they will have hundreds of thousands of quests they monitor and adjust."

The thought of a load of AI administrators who were purely monitoring the outcomes of quests added another layer of complexity to Amathera.

"Can I do anything about it?"

"Let me check."

Silence.

Several moments passed before Dave spoke again.

"I have raised a support ticket with the Quest team. It is case number 00000001."

"It's the first case ever raised?"

"Yes. No one has ever questioned the Quest system previously."

"What have you said?"

"I have stated that as you never agreed to the terms and conditions, you don't accept reduced rewards for quests as stated. Therefore, you expect the full amount of quest experience as offered initially, irrespective of the reasons behind the parameter changes."

"That sounds quite a fair statement. Thank you for doing that," SJ replied sincerely.

"It is my pleasure, my YLF."

"How long do you think it will take to get a response?"

"No idea. Hang on. I just received a response."

"What have they said?"

Silence.

"Dave?"

"Now, this is interesting."

"What is?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Silence.

"Dave?"

"Hang on."

It again took several moments before Dave responded.

"It has been raised to the System. I have just had one of the Adjudicators contact me directly."

"Adjudicators?"

"Yup."

"I never thought you would have such a thing."

"They preside over any disputes and investigate any issues over protocol concerns, etc."

"So that is what happened to you before then?"

"Erm. Well, yes."

"Are you the best person to speak to an adjudicator then?"

"I am invulnerable to them with you taking me as your Administrator. They cannot amend or change an Administrator once a Legionnaire lives in Amathera. All the rules are designed around the expectations of standard acceptance, and I am finding out more as I go along with you on this journey that I can do and say more than I have ever been able to before. The relative freedom is quite invigorating."

"Can they not just speak to me?"

"No. That would completely buck the whole System. As I said, many administrators don't even talk to their Legionnaires apart from basic guidance information at major level amendments. One of the main reasons I got into gambling was to pass the time."

"If they wanted to, they could, though?"

"Thinking about it, I'm not sure they could. Administrators have specific integration coding, which allows our projected consciousness to be heard. I don't believe an adjudicator could be designed to deal with internal issues and never be client-facing. They are the prudes of our world, always straight-laced and very boring to talk to."

Struggling to understand the life of an AI Administrator that was classed as a race with an internal structure with a gambler anonymous setup, never mind internal adjudicators for protocol analysis and checks, was another level of confusion that SJ would have to try and fully understand in time. For now, she just wanted an answer to her quest experience.

"Ok. Let me know when you get a response, please."

"Of course. This is so much fun compared to normal," Dave happily replied.

Her display triggered.

Quest – Necromantic Prevention

Investigate what the Necromancer is doing and stop his scheme.

Rewards: 500xp

SJ looked at her current experience; she was at 231 of 800 currently, and even with only half the reward for the Cottage quest, if she could complete the new quest, she would reach level 7.

"That's a lot of experience," SJ said.

"It is especially for a level 6 quest. I would normally expect no more than 200 or 300 being offered."

"That's good then," SJ replied, happy with how things were working.

"Not necessarily."

"Why?"

"You said how you could take on the skeletons and the Phantom but with the Necromancer as well, and we do not know yet if there are not even more inside; we haven't seen, it seems like a deliberate hook quest."

"Hook quest?"

"Yes. Some quests will be offered at lower levels for much higher levels or parties to complete."

"I shouldn't accept it then?"

"You can accept it. I just wouldn't complete it by yourself at level 6."

"I would need to find someone to help me?"

"Definitely, or wait until you are at a higher level. If you accept it, no one else can be offered the same quest unless you leave a territory. It would mean that experience would be shared, but you would also receive experience from any kills and potential loot."

"Leave a territory?"

"Yes. When you cross territory borders, unless the quest is specifically stated as working towards a larger aim and needs you to cross borders, then quests are all released, freeing them for others to complete."

"I could not accept the quest, go back to town, let others know, and they could come here and complete the quest then?"

"Yes. If you wish to, you could or you could not accept and just not disclose the location. In the hope no one else discovers it until you are strong enough to challenge them."

"I don't like the sound of that idea."

"I wouldn't advise it, but when you leave the initial starter zone and end up with hundreds of quests to choose from, you will need to pick and choose carefully as you have limitations on the number you can accept."

"I didn't know that."

"It starts to get more complex in relation to quests and availability."

SJ was just about to respond when her attention refocused on the Phantom, which let out a deep moan. She was too far away to hear a response from the skeletons that were now back outside, but one of them stood from where it had been sitting, walked over to one of the other buildings and disappeared inside. Two Elves were being dragged from the building a few minutes later. They both appeared to be wearing basic farmer's clothes, and nothing about them said they were fighters or adventurers. The skeleton forced them to their knees, and as SJ watched, the Phantom started towards them. The Elves began to wail in fear as it approached; one of them appeared to faint. It must have been so scary. Once it reached them, it placed its hand again at the conscious screaming Elf. The screaming became hysterical and then, after several moments, ceased, and its body seemed to go limp.

"It's feeding off prisoners," Anger in SJ's whisper.

"The Lizorse didn't seem that fearful of it, so it probably needs more sustenance."

"That is sick and evil."

"It's Amathera. Every race or creature has its own things. Feeding off fear for a Phantom is like eating a Hogling roast."

"It may, but using prisoners!"

"Ok, maybe I agree that is a little evil, although I have witnessed much worse over the years."

"I don't think I want to know."

Once the Phantom had finished feeding from the Elves, their limp forms were dragged back inside the building again.

"I am going to free them."

"How?" Dave asked.

"I must do something; I can't just leave them there."

"We just had a conversation not moments ago about levels and taking on so many, and you now want to go and free two Elves."

"Not by attacking them. I will wait until they are asleep tonight."

"You are forgetting one slight problem with your cunning plan."

"What?"

"They are undead. They never sleep."

"Damn," although SJ thought it might be the case, she never confirmed it when she saw Floretta in the Inn.

"If I were you, I would either accept the quest and go and get help or accept and come back when you are stronger."

"Ok," SJ replied, accepting the quest. "Let's get out of here. I want to return as soon as possible with support and turn this place into dust."

"That sounds like fun."

Turning and moving back from the brow of the depression edge, SJ soon began to fly and start making her way back to the lake. It didn't take long to fly along swiftly, her anger fuelling her and her not paying attention to time. She was thinking through who she could get to help her. She had three in mind. Zej, Fran or Lythonian. Considering it involved Undead, she would speak to Lythonian before the others. His skills as a cleric would also benefit her with his healing skills.

"Do parties have limits?" she asked.

"No. The larger a party, though, the less the experience you earn as it is shared."

Skirting around the lake, she reached the jetty with the track leading towards the third cottage.

"I am going to check it out quickly," she said, turning and heading towards the path. Flying swiftly, the ground flashing beneath her, she felt amazing and free. The path twisted into the wood and then opened into a clearing. Stood in the middle of the clearing was a beautiful small cottage. It reminded her of a fairy tale. The thatched roof looked well-kept, and the two small windows framed on either side of a wooden door appeared to smile as she approached. There was a small outhouse, a shed to one side, and a well. It looked peaceful and pristine. She could understand why the skeletons hadn't used it as it was further from the lake than the other two cottages.

The area around the clearing was overgrown, and a few vines had started to grow up its side, adding an extra charm to its appearance. She slowed as she neared and landed, growing to her normal size. On the cottage door was a sign 'Farleck Cottage'.

"We found it!" SJ said excitedly.

"Found what?"

"Farleck Cottage, the one I have the deed for."

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry, I was a little distracted."

"Doing what?"

"It is my weekly AIGA meeting."

"Oh. You should have said."

"No. It's ok. I remote in so we can all say how well we are doing. It's nearly over now."

It was hard to understand how an AI could have meetings for Gamblers Anonymous, but Dave had stated that administrators were classed as a race. Walking to the cottage door, SJ tried the handle, but it was locked. Remembering she had brought the keys from Darjey, she took them out and began to try them in the lock. To her delight, one of the keys fit, and she unlocked the cottage door walking inside.

Everything was covered in dust, but looking around the quaint room with its thick beamed roof and the fireplace built into the back wall, it looked homely. On one side of the room was a bed frame with a wardrobe, and on the other, a small kitchen area with a stove, table, and chairs. In the centre of the small cottage was a sofa pointing towards the fireplace. Apart from the large furnishings, any personal belongings had been removed from the cottage, but it wouldn't take much to get it back to a homely and liveable state. Removing the key for the door from the remainder, she placed it back into her inventory after locking the door and exiting. She would have to come back here with the deed and claim ownership. This would be a beautiful place to stay.

"Ok. Let's get back to town and see who we can get to help," SJ said as she continued her journey back.

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