Seventeen silver poorer, the group established Temporary Safe Zone #3. People rapidly started sorting themselves into groups and cliques. There was a quiet room for people who didn't want to talk to anyone; they sat or stood in, if not companionable silence, at least solidarity. There was a room for the parents and younger children or “spawn” in the System's terminology, and another for the “juniors”--those aged 7 to 13. The living room where the shop pedestal was set up was crowded and full of loud conversation as people exclaimed over the alien offerings and argued about what to buy. The kitchen bustled with people volunteering to create meals out of available resources from people's inventories. There were lines for both bathrooms, especially the full bath where some people were getting their first shower in three days. The den became the command center, where the combat classers met and discussed plans.
Karl was trying to figure out who besides George to send to evaluate the mill, when there was a rise in the volume of the chaos in the other room. A few people shouted back and forth, and then Terry burst into the den, borrowed clothing once again bloody and almost completely shredded.
Karl stood up from his seat at the desk with a glad cry. “Terry!”
“Sir Karl!” Terry countered with a grin, and nimbly wove between people to grab him in a hug, which he returned.
“Young lady, I am delighted to see you and relieved that you are safe. Now, with that understood... where the devil have you been?! I've been worried sick about you!”
“I was rescuing Danny from the marsh folk!”
“Danny wasn't with the marsh folk!”
“I know that now!” Terry rolled her eyes. “I rescued the wrong kid! I mean, of course I rescued the kid I found, but how was I supposed to know it wasn't him!? Danny gets hurt, I run like a bat out of hell and go tree jumping through the marsh, and then I see six marsh folk making off with a kid in a sack, heading away from the safe zone! What was I supposed to think?”
She plopped her butt on top of the maps Karl had been trying to consult. “I've been chasing those scaly bastards for hours! They have scouts, Karl! Good ones! I mean—of course I'm better, but it takes time to sneak past a bunch of sneaks!”
“I see you did more than just sneak,” Karl said, pointing to her shredded clothing.
“Yeah, well, a girl's gotta level. What's the word for everything there is to know about an army?”
Chad piped up. “Order of battle. Three words.”
“Yeah that. I got the complete order of battle on the marsh folk army, and whittled it down some while I was at it. And I swear I only did as much as I had to in order to get closer to the kid and rescue him.”
Karl leaned back and looked at her. “You know, it's really maddening sometimes how much I want to strangle you for taking risks but have to praise you for pulling off miracles instead.”
“Ain't I a stinker?” Terry replied with a smug grin.
Huh. When did she watch the classics?
“At the moment, quite a bit, actually,” he said to wipe the smirk off her face. “Why don't you go jump the line for the shower? Much as I want to hogtie you, stuff you in luggage and sit on it, I'm going to have to send you right back out because we've got a lot of work to do yet today and you're our best scout. So get cleaned up, fresh clothes to shred, and grab a bite, then get back here.”
“I'd leave you a note with the rope coiled up neatly. I don't have any clothes. Seriously, does anyone know where superheroes shop? I don't know how they aren't naked after every fight.”
Karl thought back. Dear Lord, has it really only been five hours? But what did I do with it? Not in inventory...He grabbed his backpack off the floor and dug into it. Aha! “Here.” He handed her the rolled up bundle of gray 'pants' that he had bought and tried on. “Try these. They're System, so that should help.”
“Where did you--?”
“Don't ask. They're yours. Go—wait, not yet.” Karl grabbed her and hugged her fiercely, his chin atop her head. He let out a sigh. “Thank God you're safe.”
“Oof—I'll let you do that, you're better at it. I worried about you too, old man.”
“Okay. Now. Stop squishing my maps.” He reluctantly ended the hug.
“I'll draw you a better one.”
“Go. See you soon.”
There was a momentary silence in the room once the energetic young teenager demonstrated her agility zig-zagging through the crowd and left. Then Chad asked, “How long have you two known each other?”
Karl thought back, and snorted. “Almost three days now.” A small laugh went around the room at that.
“I thought you were related.”
Karl breathed a happy sigh. “I would have been proud to have been her grandfather.”
**
The next person to arrive at the Safe Zone was Jim. He came into the den, where people were engrossed in several different conversations and arguments. In one corner Alain was trying to talk with Tabitha about magic and not getting very far. Chad, Tam, Josh, Michael, Doug, and Jo were using beer bottles and similar objects on a tabletop, discussing warrior tactics. Karl wished he had time to listen in; it sounded as if Chad had some military experience and was giving a lesson. A different corner held Chenelle talking with Valerie, Annie and two teenage boys about the healer classes.
“Hi Karl. I mean, Sir Karl.”
“It's just Karl, Jim, you know that.”
“Yeah, but Annie said—"
” Oho.
“Annie?” Karl asked mildly, looking over at the teenager, who appeared suddenly wary. “Oh, is she the one behind it?”
“Well, uh...”
Karl sent the girl a look that said, We will talk later, young lady. Annie looked more annoyed with Jim than anything else. He had more pressing matters to attend to. “What happened out there, Jim?”
“Oh. Uh, right. Yeah, I couldn't keep up. By the time I got to the fort, I could see four kythar corpses starting to decay, and a bunch of very confused looking goblins and hobgoblins.”
“How so?”
“Well, a bunch of them were milling around outside their fort, and some were starting to head back in.”
“So Letisha at least was alive at that point, probably ensnared some of the fort defenders, but also got them to shoot four of her pursuers. Three to go. Do you know which way she headed?”
“Judging by the wandering goblins, probably she continued east on Post Road, going past the mill.”
“Well, it will be a while before we can spare anyone to go out that way. We can only hope that she finds her way back to us eventually. She has an extremely powerful class.”
“Works a lot better when she's not on her own, though, I'll bet.”
“There is that. Jim...there's one thing I meant to ask. You had a little bit of private interaction with Letisha back at the kythar camp.”
“Yeah, she saved my butt when I was looking for hers.”
“Did you tell her about Clarissa?”
“What about Clarissa?” Jim asked.
Well, that answers that. “She didn't make it, Jim.”
Jim's mouth worked, then he swallowed. “The kids?”
“They're okay. She saved them. She took out six foes by herself to kill off their pursuit, but lost her own life in the doing.” Karl sighed. “If Letisha doesn't know, she'll expect Clarissa to be around here, and she'll come back eventually if she is able. That's what I was wondering. If she knew her sister was dead, she might have just wandered off and never returned.”
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“Damn. Losing her only family like that must be hard.”
Karl nodded. “What about you?”
Jim gave a dismissive shrug. “Didn't have anybody worth missing.”
“I'm sorry.”
“Don't be; it's good in this world.”
“Well, you might find yourself with people you consider family if you continue working with us.”
Jim shrugged again. Karl set it aside.
“To get back on track: what did you see of the hobgoblins and their fort?” Karl noticed that a lot of others in the room let their conversations die down to hear the scout's report.
“Not a lot. They've got the third wall up and working on the last one.”
That didn't sound good. Karl interrogated Jim for the few details he could provide and took notes. A couple of the others asked clarifying questions as well, but Karl still wanted Terry to scout it more thoroughly before they attacked. We have to deal with that today, before they finish. But I also need a question answered once and for all...
“And yesterday, after the eight of us left Safe Zone One, did you get the chance to scout the mill?” “Yeah. It's just full of birds.” Karl stiffened. “What kind of birds?” “I dunno.” Jim shrugged. “Looked like all different kinds.”
That's not normal behavior. Some species mix. Others usually don't. Karl thought back. I was wondering why I haven't seen a single bird since the System arrived. “How many birds, Jim?”
“Too many to count. Like, the rafters were lined with them, and they were all over every surface.”
Images from a very old movie flashed through Karl's mind. I may need to scout this myself. He wondered if there was a way to do it safely. We might not be able to get rid of these. I was worried enough about minor imps getting out of houses. If we can't kill the birds, can we drive them off? Hell, I wish we could negotiate with them; I like birds. But these might be made effectively rabid by the System.
“Thank you, Jim. All right, everyone?” Karl looked around the room. “Does anyone have specific skills, especially System skills, for battle tactics? Who would like to draft a plan of attack for the hobgoblin fort?”
Most of the people looked at each other, curious to see who would volunteer. Chad and Michael exchanged a look, then Chad raised a hand. “If Michael will help me, I'll do it.” Michael nodded.
“Excellent, thank you. I need to look at picking up that Skill myself, but I don't have time yet. The list of our combat classers is on the wall; make sure to leave at least six on defense here in your planning. Let me know when you have something.” Karl stood and stretched. “I need a break for food and to stay sharp. I'll be back shortly.”
As he made his way to the kitchen, there were a number of people wanting to talk to 'Sir Karl'. Some to say thank you, some to ask for his story, some to ask for money or other things. Karl was rapidly getting exhausted from all the interaction, from putting on the 'confident, competent commander' act for so many for so long. Wrestling with combat and logistics problems felt easy in comparison.
Two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a cup of coffee later, Karl was feeling human enough to brave crossing the living room again. He'd barely started when someone shouted out, “Combat up on Walnut!”
“Make a hole!” That was Michael. The combat classers came pouring out of the den and headed for the front door. Everyone milling around in the living room did their best to get out of the way. “Alain, Christine, and me on the porch first! Three warriors follow!” The ranged fighters slipped out the front door and fanned out. Karl could see Michael equip his bow.
We need a chain of command, Karl realized. We've been lucky so far that competent people have spoken up first and loudest and others have cooperated. Now a few of the fighters were looking to Karl for direction. There were enough people that not everyone knew each other or their capabilities.
To fill the power vacuum, Karl shouted, “Do it! Tam, Chad and myself on the porch! Greg, Jim, go find out what's happening and report back! All other combat classers, pick a window and get ready to defend the Safe Zone! Doug, take command of defense!”
Remember to put people in charge of things, he told himself. Don't try to shoulder it all yourself.
He managed to get outside, and immediately saw and heard the enemy, and screams of humans. Wolves. They were up on the road, perhaps forty yards from the mailbox, and the humans were trying to retreat north towards the Safe Zone. Even as he watched, one of the humans fell. They're not going to make it.
Karl equipped his sword and raised it. “Forward!” he yelled, and charged directly towards the fight. Chad and Tam flanked him. Since wolves didn't have ranged attacks, none of them equipped their armor yet; it would only slow them down.
Once they reached the road, they could see the fight clearly. Six humans, now five, all but one forming a defensive circle, surrounded by about eight wolves and four wolf corpses. The last human, a muscular blond woman, was just outside the circle, standing toe to toe with a Big Bad Daddy Wolf, as Terry had named it. As he watched, the woman let out a high pitched scream and smacked the BBD in the nose with a baseball bat. Karl was impressed.
“SAFE ZONE!” he yelled, the only way he could think of to identify themselves as allies in as few words as possible. Karl charged towards the closest wolf, the one most directly blocking progress towards the Safe Zone, and stabbed it as it dodged. Letting it yank the weapon out of his hand, he immediately equipped another as well as his shield. Tam pursued the wolf he had stabbed and struck it down with her mace. Karl slashed at another, forcing it to dodge, opening a path. A third he bashed aside. “Move!”
Within moments, the circle had stretched like an amoeba, adding the three fighters to the ring, and then pulling back as the blond warrior dodged a swipe of a massive paw and jumped backwards to stay with them. Karl needed to get closer to that fight. He looked at the man to his right and ordered, “switch!” then stepped in front of him. The man took position on his left side.
“Who's hurt?”
“Who isn't?”
Karl tagged him with healing hands in a quick slap on the shoulder, then repeated the whole process, switching with the dark haired woman who was next on his right. Behind him he heard yelps from multiple wolves, and the circle moved a few more steps northward. He knew more of his people had joined the fight, and pressed on. The blond warrior woman was now to his right, and shouted, “Go!” to him, retreating a couple of steps. As she did, Karl reached out and gripped her shoulder for a moment, casting healing hands and guardian aura.
“Switch!” Karl shouted.
“No! Get them to safety!” The woman was then forced back another step by a swipe, and the other paw came at Karl, who blocked it with his shield. By attempting a shield bash at the same time, he managed not to get knocked back by the blow. The baseball bat then cracked loudly in an uppercut to the BBD. It seemed to make the giant wolf mad more than hurting it, but it also blocked its bite attack, and simply surviving in her position this long was damned impressive. To cap it off she gave a wordless scream of defiance at it. Karl believed she intended to keep attacking the BBD until one of them was dead.
Karl heard more wolf yelps behind him, a promising sign. The next swipe of a giant paw to come his way Karl met with a deep knife stab, paying for it by being knocked back a little.
Critical Strike. Damage X2.
“How many wolves?” he called back.
“Five left!” Chad shouted back. There was a loud thump. “Four left!”
The BBD reared up, then slammed its paws down at Karl and the blond warrior. Karl stood still and raised his shield to block, waited for the best moment, then summoned his ice chopper vertically and released it while dodging, causing the BBD to stab its right paw deeply. It howled in pain.
Critical Strike. Damage X4.
The BBD held that paw up, supporting itself on the left, and attempted to bite the warrior woman, who had successfully dodged the left paw and now smacked it on the snout again. Howling, the BBD turned to flee, sprouting arrow shafts and getting struck with two Mana Darts. The warrior woman screamed again and started chasing it, but it soon outpaced her. Karl kept up with her, and together they stood and watched it flee...and then abruptly howl and fall over.
Karl raised an eyebrow and glanced back. Michael, Christine and Alain had run up to the road and were standing there looking puzzled as well. The other four from the besieged group were standing near them, panting in various stages of exhaustion, and glowing white one by one. Karl turned and spotted the man who had fallen, dashed over, and attempted healing hands.
It failed.
“No.” Karl raged at the injustice. How far had this man travelled? To have come so close...He tried to cast it again. It failed. And again. “No. No, God damn it!” The System had apparently calculated that the man had zero health left and declared him dead. We are not a bunch of pixels for your entertainment, damn you! Health is more than a number! But the body before him remained a corpse. Karl's mind raced stubbornly.
“Monster corpses decay; human corpses don't.”
Circumstantial Prayer.
More than a number.
“ALAIN!” Karl bellowed. “GET HERE, NOW!”
Alain sprinted up. As he heard him approach, Karl shouted to him. “Lightning Bolt! Do you know a Lightning bolt spell? Any kind?”
“Well, I...”
“Cast it NOW!”
“But...”
“NOW, DAMN IT!”
Alain dropped to his knees and grabbed the shoulder of the corpse. A moment later Karl felt his muscles lock for a moment. He cast healing hands as soon as he recovered.
It failed. “Again!” This time Karl readied the spell before Alain's went off. Karl's spell failed.
“DEBBIE!” the blond woman suddenly yelled. “Your dagger!” The woman in question threw; the warrior grabbed it out of the air, ignoring the bloody slice it made in her hand. She immediately turned and slapped it into Karl's palm. “Shocking damage.”
Karl took a deep breath, and focused. He had to cast three spells simultaneously: spellblade, healing hands, and circumstantial prayer. God in Heaven, I beseech you...System, deal with THIS! Karl stabbed the man in the heart, in and out, releasing healing hands as he did.
The spell took. The man spasmed, and drew breath.
More than a number.
Karl cast again. And again, as beneath his palms, he felt the life grow stronger. “Now, Chen...”
She was there for him, as always. The man glowed golden, and then again, and then again. Then he gasped and opened his eyes.
“Barb?” he asked, looking at the warrior woman.
“Mur.” The woman sagged down and lay against the man. Karl felt as exhausted as they both looked. He turned to look at the BBD corpse, and saw Terry standing still, not far away, absently flicking the blood off of a dagger in each hand, shaking her head and watching the proceedings with a smug smile. She noticed him looking and started walking closer.
“Well, well, another miracle, Sir Karl? I ...” Terry abruptly lost her smile and stopped walking. She stared. Her voice got very quiet.
“Mom?”
Then she looked down, and the daggers fell from her hands as she screamed, “DADDY?!?”