They had returned to the outpost and Jazmel was simply happy to return, in truth he had hoped to continue travelling with Sadé, but he understood the need to return and after that battle with the three headed hydra. The party needed respite and that wasn’t going to happen while they continued to delve into the labyrinth. But he was fine with that, the outpost was growing relatively well and every now and then he would have to touch base and recover.
They all had stepped through and were at the low path which led up and ascended to the front gate of the outpost when the system chimed.
DING!
YOUR OUTPOST HAS BEEN DISCOVERED BY ENEMIES!
DEFEND AND REPEL THE THREAT!
REWARDS WILL VARY!
THE ATTACK WILL HAPPEN IN 50 HOURS!!
…
The system notice pinged off and Jazmel sighed and then took of sprinting for the outpost and the others followed closely behind.
“Patton when you get inside, send missives to anyone who isn’t back!” Patton agreed and continued jogging.
“Katie and Sadé, make sure the newbies are all inside the walls!” Katie grinned and taking her chain she swung it into a tree and then vaulted up into its branches.
“Hey! Don’t leave me behind!” Sadé shouted as she chased after her, Kazumi had left her ring and was running nimbly beside her as they broke off to run towards the walls of the outpost.
“Gil let Melle, and the other dwarves know, they need to prepare themselves too!” Gil was lagging behind, but he was going to do his task.
“Bannerman do a sweep around the walls; we might have some newbies out hunting. Get everyone back inside!” Bannerman broke off into running on all fours like a great wolf he leapt off a ridge and disappeared into the undergrowth.
Jazmel made it through the gates and running past the sparring square he made for the chamber hall. Just as AI appeared in front of him!
“Thank the gods your back! We are going to be attacked!”
“I know AI, do we have defences?” he asked, and AI shrieked but shook its head.
“No! but that doesn’t mean we cannot build them.” it told him, and he nodded, he was going to have to spend Mana essence building some defences.
He made it to the chamber hall just as Mary entered from the stairwell.
“What is this that I hear we are going to be attacked?” she asked, and he is nodding, she wasn’t part of the faction and so she couldn’t see the quests that would’ve popped up for everyone.
“Yes we have just over two days to prepare ourselves.” He answered and after a moment she nodded, stood straighter and asked.
“What do you need from me?”
“We are going to have to defend our walls, can you beat the new recruits into form and have them ready to stand on the walls?” he asked and with a grin he grew worried about she responded.
“I will beat them into some sort of shape.” She left at that, and he nodded.
“AI I want to send a notice to everyone who currently calls this outpost home. Make them all retainers if I can.” He explained and AI flickered in vision and the system notice popped up.
DING!
RETAINERS HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO ALL WITHIN THE VICINITY!
…
…
…
RETAINERS ARE ACCEPTING AT A RAPID RESPONSE!
PLEASE WAIT FOR CONFIRMATION!
He let the system do what it needed to do and in turn he flicked open the faction screen and began looking through his options. He found what he was looking for and with a small grim smirk he clicked it three times and the system buzzed with activity.
DING!
THREE TIER I MANA BALLISTAE HAVE BEEN FASHIONED FOR YOU!
Stolen story; please report.
…
WILL YOU PLACE THEM ON YOUR WALLS?
Y/N?
…
CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE REINFORCED THE DEFENCE OF YOUR WALLS!
…
…
YOUR OUTPOST WILL BE ATTACKED SOON!
THE SYSTEM HAS BOOSTED YOUR DEFENCE AND IN TURN YOUR SURVIVAL!
ALL MANA BALLISTAE HAVE BEEN UPGRADED TO TIER II!
…
He watched the system flash into activity and whirred as the changes were being done. He moved back to the other screen and looked at it as it completed its conclusion.
DING!
YOU NOW HAVE OVER 100 RETAINERS!
CONGRATULATIONS THE BLACK WING FACTION HAS BEEN REINFORCED
ALL RETAINERS WILL BE GIVEN:
* +10 STATS
* ONE TIER II ARMOUR PIECE
* TIER II ENDURING HERB will permanently boost the endurance of the consumer.
The system buzzed and before him the enduring herb appeared, it hovered in the air and when he went to touch it, it landed in his hand. It looked like a fig, in the shape of an apple. He bit into it and in a few bites he finished it and Paldane nipped at him, and he fed him the core and seeds.
DING!
TIER II ENDURING HERB CONSUMED!
+3 END
…
His first stats points after hitting 100. He smiled at the newfound presence, and he felt his body cling to the power of his stats.
Again before him, something else appeared and realised it was the armour piece, they were arm guards. They looked simply and made of leather, but good quality and as they were only tier II he wasn’t expecting a rare item so soon from the outpost.
DING!
TIER II VAMBRACES OF GRACE, the wearer will gain +4 in dexterity
That was a boon for him, dexterity was his balance and how well he could adapt to footing and overall movement, gaining an extra boost was a big win for him. he slipped them on and without surprise, he realised they fit him perfectly, they were snug and weren’t uncomfortable at all.
Now for the extra stat points. He thought and opening his stats he thought about his options.
If he put two points in everything except for agility, he would garner a significant boost. especially as there was a battle in two days. Wherever there was battle, there was always a chance to gain more stats as well as rewards. He knew that and he was banking on that. So instead he put three stat points in strength, vitality, and intelligence. Keeping the remaining stat point for later.
Taking off his bomber jacket, he took the time to pull the breastplate of the lower drake on and not to his initial surprise it was a sure fit too.
TIER III BREASTPLATE OF THE LOWER DRAKE, with scales as strong as a dragons, it will protect its wearer.
He nodded, pulling his jacket back on, he stepped down from the dais and headed outside to see what was happening. Small groups of new retainers were running around on orders and errands from Mary. She was instructing them all and they were doing their best to follow her commands with motivation and ambition. This was their home as much as the retainers and they were going to do their best to protect it. in his heart, Jazmel was worried. He hadn’t lost anyone in the labyrinth, but he knew that, that could not last forever. The labyrinth was too brutal and way too unforgiving, only strength survived and too few of them had true strength.
“You seem worried.” Mary said, as she stood beside him watching the retainers as they stood in groups sparring together with swords, shields, and spears. Made by the dwarven forge beneath the outpost.
“People are going to die.” He confessed and she nodded.
“People die every day in the labyrinth.” She countered and he agreed.
“But they are dying for the faction.” He said and she shrugged.
“In fact, they are not dying for the faction. They are dying for what they believe in.” she said, and he looked at her, he admired Mary greatly. She had helped him when he had just started out and he didn’t know if he had ever thanked her.
“I see your eyes have awakened then.” She said and he smiled with a small nod.
“Thank you for all your help when I joined the labyrinth to find Jazmel. I couldn’t have done it without you.” He said and she nodded still not looking at him.
“I believed you would find him, just like I believe in you now and that we will survive this attack.” she admitted, and he smiled, before responding.
“We?” he asked and then she looked at him and with a grin a notice popped up.
DING!
RANKER TIER II MARY OF THE MUNINN GUILD IS ASKING TO JOIN YOUR FACTION!
WILL YOU ACCEPT HER?
Y/N?
“Are you sure?” he asked, and she stared at him, unfaltering.
“Of course I am sure.” She said and he accepted.
DING!
…
CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE GAINED A NEW RETAINER!
…
EXP BOOST!
…
LEVEL UP FOR YOU!
…
LEVEL UP FOR THE OUTPOST!
YOU NOW HAVE A TIER II FACTION OUTPOST!
YOU HAVE 10+ RETAINERS WHO ARE RANKER TIER!
…
NEW POSITIONS IN THE FACTION ARE AVAILABLE!
He smiled at that and skimming the screen he saw the new titles that were available. Lead Alchemist, he could build an alchemy lab and then potions could be made for those in the faction. He would have to find someone of that duty. There were others but he couldn’t understand their function without greater study, studying that he didn’t have time for. But he did see one that he liked, and he clicked on it and then dragged it over to Mary’s name the system acknowledged it and pinged out a notice for him and all the retainers.
DING!
MARY HAS BEEN GIVEN THE TITLE OF WAR COMMANDER!
…
WHEN IN BATTLE SHE CAN NOW COMMAND LOWER MEMBERS OF THE FACTION!
…
BUFFS CAN BE ADMINISTERED!
The system rang out and he watched as she skimmed her own status screen, he couldn’t see what she was seeing but obviously the system was sharing with her, her title, and its abilities.
“So war commander then?” she nodded and flicked through her screen.
“Currently I have tier I abilities, but if that goes up. I can gain more buffs.” She nodded and then stepped forward to admonish one of the retainers who was not sparring well.
Jazmel left her to it and climbing the wall, he made his way to where the first Mana ballistae that had been erected on the northern corner of the wall. It was huge, it looked like a giant crossbow and though it held no bolt in its trap, he could tell it would fire Mana bolts. The inscriptions ran up and down the entirety of its machination and he wondered who could actually create something of the sort.