Not much was said as we drove back. Each of us were in silent repose. I kept running the entire experience around, and around. Trying to figure out what type of monster could absorb bodies. Slimes, eww… no. There wasn’t any reside, something that big would leave an obvious slime trail. Hmm what else?

A fire mage could have burnt the bodies up, and destroyed the cars. But wouldn't that have burnt the blood spots also? I guess something could have eaten the bodies. But what eats bodies, equipment, and leaves circular blood spots? We didn't have enough information yet. The only way to get more would be to go back. But without a full group I had the feeling, we would have joined those blood spots.

We returned to our parking spot, morosely we exited the truck. We shuffled back to our safe zone. Once we entered I felt a strange pulling towards the shrine. In an instant I felt like a total, and complete dumbass. I had a goddess to ask these types of questions to. Why did I keep forgetting to talk to her? I hurried over to the shrine. I placed my hand upon her idol, she spoke to me.

“Where the hell have you been? Why didn’t you visit my shrine when you hit level ten? Why are you ignoring me? Why are you just standing there looking wierd?… Answer me!!” I took a couple of calming breaths replying. “OK for starters I didn’t respond cause you kept up rapid fire questions. I wasn’t able to respond without being rude. Number two we just visited town, and it was gruesome. Number three I didn’t visit your shrine when I hit level ten…because it was yesterday, and… well I didn’t know it was important.” I mentally heard the feminine growl of doom. I was very glad she was not here in front of me right now. Her glare could probably..no literally melt me.

I heard a long sigh in my head, a muffled count down from five. I had no idea how you could muffle a mental conversion but well … Goddess. I waited for her to collect herself. A few more muffled words in a language I didn’t understand, she finally spoke again. “OK I admit I didn’t expect you to level up so fast. At every tenth level you need to visit my shrine. I’m able to bestow stronger spells to you.” That caught my attention. I said “Stronger spells?” She responded “Yes here.” I felt an awareness enter my mind, new concepts.

[You have learned the utility spell, channel. With this spell you can continuously use a spell as long as you have mana. Are in range, and nothing is blocking your sight.]

[You have learned the passive skill range. Your healing spells may now be cast at a range of twenty feet. As long as you mentally target an ally, you may cast without the need to touch.]

Ok those two spells were clutch. The worst part of our most recent fights were needing to wait till combat was over to heal, or I took the chance of being next to Keith while he was tanking. Distracting him, or getting in the way. Being close as his weapons swung had been dangerous.

[You have learned the passive aura spell turn undead. By activating this spell, any undead within thirty feet will slowly start to take holy damage continuously. Increasing in damage the closer they approach. At thirty feet they will take ten damage a second. At twenty feet they will take twenty damage a second. At ten feet they will take thirty damage a second. Within five feet, they will be taking fifty damage a second. There is no limit to the number of targets that can take damage from this aura, but only undead types will feel its effects.]

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Ok I just turned into a moving beacon of fuck you to all zombies. Bring on the walking dead, I could top the kill numbers of all those actors in minutes. Then a strange thought entered my mind. That last spell felt very plot armor in the making. I turned to the shrine saying. “That last spell you gave me, was there a particular reason I got it now?” Mythra responded. “Yes because you hit level ten. At level twenty you will be strong enough to get a resurrection spell.” I didn’t think that was the total reason… undead being raised from bloody dead bodies. Would be a good explanation for the town. But I didn’t want to just flat out call a goddess a liar. In all the historical stories it never turned out well for those who pissed off the gods.

I was just about to thank her when she spoke again. “I notice you built a tanner, but noone is using it.” I shook my head for a second from the quick change of topic. “Yes Erica, and Katie wear leather. But it only took one hour of the smell in there to convince them they were not willing to be leather workers.” After a few seconds Mythra responded. “I could repackage that building, since it was a reward. You didn’t actually build it yourself. But only if you promise to build a carpenters hut. It will spawn two log cutters, and a carpenter. He can help passively to build up your town. Without the need to constantly level up your zone.” I hurriedly agreed.

I thanked Mythra for her help, and the new snazzy spells. I walked out of the shrine to see the tanner was already dismantled. I reached over to grab the box, placing the carpenters hut next to the treeline on the opposite side of where the road was.

It shimmered into place, it looked like an old western style log cabin, but without the walls. Four tree trunks at each corner, lifting up a steepled log roof about twenty feet high. The floors were hard packed dirt, but flat. With an impressive long wooden table in the middle. I didn’t see a circular saw, which disappointed me just a smidge. Visions of Dudley do right flashed in my head. How was I supposed to save the girl from the circular saw… if we didn’t have one?

I know a ridiculous thought, but it made me giggle. As I settled down three men appeared in the building. Two were standard human, a bit on the hefty size. But at a second glance it wasn’t fat. It was muscle, back country style girth. The kind you get from doing heavy real world work. Not from a gym.

The third man maybe human. It was hard to tell he looked almost half giant. He was massive, he looked like he could bench press a Buick. He was swarthy with a very long dark beard, it reached just past mid chest. His weatherd sunk back eyes were hard to see, but they blazed with a bright blue.

He looked me over up, and down. Sniffed, and said. “A ton eyo va ter veon da ye.” My mind immediately went to the Swedish chef. He had the same accent, and unintelligible words. It took everything i had not to say ‘mmhh bork, bork, bork.’ So i had to settle with saying. “Ahh I don’t speak your language, sorry. Umm could you maybe just start building what we need to make this area a proper town?” He shrugged saying “Eh towny es a bik bork tirk, be du erk erk.” Nodding very urgently.

I had absolutely no idea what he said, I just smiled. Thinking to myself. This is going to be a long, long day.