Getting up at the crack of dawn was easy in the wasteland. There was no luxury that made you want to sleep in. It was either wake up and get adventuring or lay there and suffer through mutant insect attacks.
“Fuck,” said Peter as another mutant mosquito bit him on the ass. “I don't know how these fuckers are getting through my armor.”
Tamara said, “Well, maybe you should drink less.”
“What do you mean?” said Peter.
“Well, look at that mosquito. I swear it's wobbling after it bit you.”
“Fuck you,” said Peter as he slapped the drunken mosquito out of the air.
Tamara thought to herself as they walked, ‘It’s definitely safer traveling with the soldiers. These skeletons haven’t been much of a challenge.‘ Her eyes scanned the forest as they passed through, her mind drifting. ‘But there’s no slimes here. I wonder where those other two guys are, hunting down slimes.’
The bounties for slimes had gone up thanks to Isabella’s restaurant. Since she was buying them for her dishes, slimes were now worth more than skeleton remnants, which were dropping in price due to the overabundance of bones. ‘Even with the five coins I’m getting as a bounty, this is a waste of my time. Next time, I’ll just give them the general area and be done unless they’re paying more,‘ she thought, irritated.
But as they approached a clearing, her irritation quickly vanished, replaced with excitement. The scene before her stopped her in her tracks. Bones were scattered everywhere—remnants of what must have been a brutal fight. ‘Jackpot.‘
There were weapons strewn about, armor still mostly intact, and heaps of mana coins sparkling in the sunlight. Tamara’s mind raced as she imagined the battle that had unfolded here, bandits torn apart by skeletons and then the ghouls eating the corpses, leaving behind a treasure trove of loot.
“Couldn’t have happened to nicer fuckers,” Tamara said with a smirk.
Peter, standing beside her, gave a short laugh. “Amen to that.”
Alex, always cautious, surveyed the area, his eyes narrowing as he checked for signs of a trap. “Hold up,” he muttered, scanning the treeline. “Remember that last time we saw something like this? Loot like this can be a distraction. It’s been used before.”
The soldiers tensed, gripping their weapons a little tighter, but after a few moments, Alex gave a nod. “Looks clear.”
One of the soldiers stepped forward, his eyes wide at the sight. “These the guys who attacked you?” he asked.
Tamara nodded, pointing to the patch on one of the bodies, a symbol of the Faith Settlement. “Yep, that’s him—Nadir’s crew.”
The soldier let out a low whistle. “Well, I think we can safely report this as a good job. These bandits are wiped out.”
The recruits, who had been dreading the thought of attacking a heavily armed bandit camp, erupted into cheers. The tension that had been building among them since they left Fort Bone melted away in an instant. For the recruits, the sight of the loot and the realization that the bandits were already dead was a huge relief.
Tamara grinned, watching them. ‘They have no idea how lucky they are.‘
Tamara's thoughts drifted as she surveyed the battlefield, her curiosity taking over. ‘What were Nadir’s last thoughts?‘ she wondered, eyes lingering on his lifeless body. His faith had been unshakable, even in a world that had yanked them all into a wasteland apocalypse. ‘What kind of person holds onto faith in a world like this?‘
In a place where demon dogs roamed, where humanity had shed its pretence of civility, she could almost hear the chains breaking—the last ties to the civilised side of mankind snapping.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
As they collected the loot—armor, weapons, and enough mana coins to make anyone’s day—they began their trek back to the Fort Bone.
‘‘‘
The trek back to Fort Bone was relatively quiet, boots crunching over the rough terrain. Tamara walked alongside Alex and Peter, while the recruits, now relaxed after the fight, began to loosen up and chat amongst themselves.
"Man, I can't believe we actually made it through that," one of the recruits laughed, his voice still a little shaky. "I was ready to wet myself back there."
"You did," another teased, nudging him with an elbow.
“Shut up! That was just sweat, okay?”
“Yeah, right,” the first one grinned. "Maybe next time try not to sweat yourself in your pants."
Tamara smirked, overhearing the banter. Alex shook his head, grinning too, as he adjusted his pack. “You know,” he said, “when we were new adventurers, we didn’t get this kinda loot. We were lucky to scrounge up enough for a single mana coin.”
Peter chuckled. “Yeah, and now look at us. We hit the jackpot today. Not bad for a little afternoon work.”
Tamara nodded, still thinking about the loot they’d collected. They had shared a good portion with the army, but even with that, they were walking back with enough coins to do some serious upgrading. ‘Level two gear is definitely in the cards,‘ she thought. ‘And if we’ve got anything left over, I could use a good meal... and a lot of drinks.‘
“So, what’s the plan when we get back?” Peter asked, breaking the silence.
Tamara looked at him. “First thing, we’re looking up Marnie and Derek. See if they’ve got any good jobs lined up.”
“Hopefully something with a bigger payday,” Alex added, cracking his knuckles. “With the amount we just made, I want to upgrade everything to level two. No more cheap gear.”
“And after that?” Peter grinned, already knowing the answer.
Tamara gave him a playful look. “A good meal... and plenty of drinks.”
The recruits nearby perked up at the mention of drinks, some of them clearly eavesdropping. “You mean we’re going to the tavern?” one of them asked, wide-eyed.
“Depends on your leaders,” Alex grinned. “If you can handle it, maybe.”
The recruit gulped, clearly excited but nervous. “I can handle it. I think.”
‘‘‘
The soldiers and Tamara’s adventurer group strode proudly through the gates of Fort Bone after the long trek, feeling a mix of exhaustion and victory. First things first, Tamara said, “Drink’s.”
Peter grinned. “And that’s why you’re the boss, T.”
Alex, who was usually more reserved, broke into a smile. “Alright, let’s go.”
The three of them made their way straight to the Wasted Tavern. Without waiting for a waitress, they slammed down coins on the bar, grabbing their beers and pounding them back. It always tasted better after life-threatening fights and long treks. “If there’s one thing the Wasteland was good for,” Tamara mused as she took another swig, “it’s pumping you full of adrenaline, then letting you release it with a cold beer.”
She took a moment to appreciate the brew. ‘Hmm, this one’s got a fruity note. Wonder what Alexander and Hank threw into the vats this week?‘ The Wastes Tavern always had something new on tap, depending on what ingredients the brewers had scrounged up. Some batches were good, and others...not so much. Tamara grimaced at the memory of one particularly foul beer that tasted like sweaty feet and fear. ‘If fear had a taste, it would taste like that beer,‘ she thought, shaking off the memory.
Her eyes wandered over to the bulletin board, where a note caught her attention. “Looks like Marnie and Derek left us a message. Says they’ll be back in a couple of hours,” Tamara said, reading it over.
“Timing’s perfect,” Peter said, already finishing off his drink.
They took their time finishing their beers and a quick meal before heading over to the crafting and vending areas to hit their long-awaited upgrades to level 2. The anticipation was building as they approached the machines, bags weighed down with loot and monster corpses to sell off.
As Peter looked over some new gear on display, he pointed excitedly. “Hey, check this out!” He motioned to some shiny new level 1 gear that had been upgraded with extra layers of bone.
Tamara nodded. “Oh yeah, that’s the new soldier gear they were talking about. It’s like level 1.5—an upgrade from standard issue, but not quite level 2 yet.”
“And pretty cheap,” Peter added, eyeing the price. “If we didn’t have enough coins for level 2, I’d say we should grab some.”
“Good thing we’re rolling in mana coins right now,” Tamara said with a grin. “Otherwise, I’d consider it.”
Alex picked up a piece of the gear, turning it over in his hands before giving it a critical look. “Solid work,” he said, giving a thumbs up.
Randy and Atlas had put in hours talking to the blacksmiths about upgrading this stuff. There had been a few fights between Randy’s vision of fantasy style and the blacksmiths. Fortunately Randy had been in the field plenty by then, and had gotten a keen understanding of the impracticality of fantasy armor. Most of his quibbles were about adding “flair” in the form of engraving or embellishments.
***
Their hard-earned loot went far, and soon they were proudly walking out, fully equipped in their new level 2 gear. Previously they only had a mismatch of level one and two gear. It felt like a serious step up as they admired the enhanced protection and sturdier design. Tamara couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. ‘Drinks, good food, and new gear. Not bad for a day's work.‘