"Okay, so that gets the armour out of the way," Atlas said. "What about weapons? How do you feel we did in the fight today, Alexander?"
Alexander nodded. "Well, we sure coulda used better weapons. Them regular skeletons, they’re goin’ down just as fast as we can count 'em, but them armored bastards... Man, they was tough, took a bunch of hits to bring down. Our level 2 gear was holdin’ up—swords, weapons—everything held up, but they weren’t hittin’ like we were before."
Atlas agreed. "Yeah, let's upgrade that too."
Amber chimed in, "We definitely can’t afford to upgrade all of you guys to level 3 if you're also doing armor."
"We’ll have to do it in stages then," Atlas decided. "Why don’t we have five of us do it first?"
Alexander asked, "Oh, which five?"
Atlas thought for a second. "I’ll need better swords for level 3, that’s one. You’re the captain of the army, so that’s two. Isabella, that’s a given, three. Wangbo has been solid with his staff, so four. And I know Stu will lose his shit if he doesn’t get better maces. So, let’s go with those five." He looked at John and Barbara. "I hope that’s all right."
John shrugged. "That’s fine. My broadsword’s still doing great. My achievement gives me extra damage when I’m using single-handed weapons, so that makes up for it."
Barbara smiled. "I’m glad you realize how important we are in the MASH unit now, but you’re right. I don’t really need better weapons—I’m spending most of my time healing on the battlefield. I can wait a little bit."
‘Poor Wilfredo and Hank, they’d be left with level 2 weapons,‘ thought Atlas.
Atlas turned to the rest of the council. "Alright, we’re in a solid place with the military, but we need to do something about the drop in tourism. Ideas?"
Isabella leaned forward, thinking. "We need something more to draw tourists. The vending machines are good, but people are starting to turn to other places like the Celestial Empire for basic goods."
Barbara, ever-practical, chimed in. "Why don’t we finally launch Bone Appetit? Isabella’s restaurant would draw people in. Good food could make Fort Bone a must-visit."
Atlas nodded, clearly interested. "That’s a great idea. Bone Appetit’s reputation is solid. If we give people a reason to come and stay longer, they’ll spend more mana coins here."
Alexander, leaning back, looked unimpressed. "Restaurants, huh? That’s all well and good, but we should be hunting skeletons, not settin' up tables and menus."
Barbara shot him a sharp look. "Not everything’s about hunting, Alexander. Bone Appetit could bring in steady income we can’t afford to ignore."
He shrugged. "Well, shoot, Barb. Ain’t much point in countin’ coins if we’re all six feet under. But hey, y’all open up the place. Just save me a seat."
Amber grinned. “And yes, we definitely need more monster slaying! People love it!”
Atlas chuckled before turning serious. "Good point. We need more manpower if we’re going to expand. Let’s ramp up recruitment. As for Bone Appetit, let’s hold off for now. We launch it after we capture the next dungeon. A big win will put us back on the map, and the grand opening of Isabella’s restaurant will keep people coming back."
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
John nodded thoughtfully. "A dungeon conquest followed by Bone Appetit’s grand opening? People will be lining up to teleport here."
Atlas grinned. "Exactly. We win, we feast, and Fort Bone becomes the talk of the wasteland again."
The room buzzed with energy as Fort Bone prepared for its next big move.
‘‘‘
“We need more people.”
That was the general consensus of the group. And it was true. While some settlements were scrambling to just fit in the unwilling people portaled in from Earth, Fort Bone had a lot of need. From crafters to soldiers, recruiting needed to be done.
The leadership put together plans to have this happen. It took them a while to draw those plans up.
After a break, John let out a breath, folding his arms. “You think America United’s gonna go for this? They’re a hard bunch to sway, especially with Jed running the show.”
Atlas leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “Jed Lawson’s ambitious. He won’t say no to something that’ll give him more influence. If Amber plays it right, we might have them as allies sooner than we think.”
Isabella tapped her fingers on the table, her mind already on logistics. “I’ll need to up security if we’re going to have an influx of newcomers. We can’t afford to look weak or disorganized. Let’s rotate patrols, get more eyes on the walls.”
Atlas said, "I agree Isabella. You're gonna need more of our troops up on those walls and rotating. That would be a good use for our injured soldiers. They can't really go out and help us hunt and fight the skeleton horde, but they can help patrol the outer walls and escort the recruiting team. Light injuries aren't life-threatening, but I'd say they're at 70% fighting efficiency. Still, should be good enough for our backup team."
“Yeehaw!” Alexander slapped the table. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about! Can’t have nobody thinking they can stroll in without a proper greeting. Fort Bone hospitality—show ‘em the steel before the handshake.”
Barbara smirked slightly. “Maybe we could tone it down just a notch, Alexander. I’d rather have them come to us willingly than out of fear.”
Alexander shrugged. “Long as they come, don’t much matter how.”
Atlas chuckled, “It matters, Alexander. We’re building something bigger than just soldiers. We’re building a future.”
The room went quiet for a moment, the gravity of Atlas' words sinking in. Fort Bone wasn’t just a fort anymore; it was becoming a symbol. A place for people to find strength, safety, and something worth fighting for.
Portilla, who had been quietly standing in the room as Atlas’s bodyguard finally spoke, her voice low and rough. "We need welcome team. People see only see walls and weapons. They need to see real home."
Atlas thought, ‘I can't believe how smart Portilla is now that she's no longer a baby troll. I remember it was only just yesterday she was a cute little baby in her genocidal warlord outfit. Wait a second, I guess it was pretty much only yesterday, or only a few weeks ago,‘ Atlas chuckled in his head.
The mini faeries fluttered around her head, chiming in with their usual enthusiasm. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Welcome! Welcome!"
John raised an eyebrow at Portilla. “That’s a good idea. We’ll need someone who can handle that... friendly but firm. Mave, maybe?”
Isabella nodded. “Mave’s good with people. She can be warm, and she doesn’t take any nonsense.”
Atlas stood, hands on the table. “Alright. We’re set, then. Amber’s got the recruitment handled. Isabella, make sure security’s ready. John, coordinate with Mave on the welcoming front.”
Everyone nodded, feeling the push toward something bigger.
As they filed out of the room, the council’s energy shifted from one of discussion to action. Fort Bone was on the verge of expanding, and every move from here on out would determine its future.
***
Amber walked out of the war room, determination in her every step. The Fort Bone Council had set the wheels in motion, and now it was her job to ensure they didn’t lose momentum. She glanced at the list she scribbled hastily—key figures in different settlements, the resources they’d need for each stop, and most importantly, who from Fort Bone could handle those towns best.
She felt the weight of it all. ‘This is important. Maybe not as important as fighting a skeletons horde. But still important.‘
Amber was already gathering people, her voice carrying over the busy courtyard as she laid out the plans. Mave stood nearby, arms crossed, already looking over the list of names.
“You ready for this?” Amber asked, glancing at her friend.
Mave cracked a smile. “I’ve been ready. Let’s bring ‘em in.”
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over Fort Bone, the fort buzzed with preparations. The wasteland was a dangerous place, but for the first time in a long time, it felt like they were on the offensive. And soon, the wasteland would know exactly what Fort Bone was capable of.