"[Quick Construction]?" I asked.

The morning was a cold one, predictably. Seeing as the [System Shop] was actually due north, the Northbounders decided to make the initial camp semi-permanent in hopes to settle by the [System Shop] once the threat was clear. So said Hale.

I was already up by the time Hale swung by in the morning. John too was already sitting up, his eyes opened when Hale called for us. The meeting regarding yesternights events would be taking place. Apparently, Hale had some with [Quick Construction] that allowed them to build, well, quicker. So there was actually a small building fleshed out enough to comfortably occupy with the pertinent people.

"Yes." Hale responded, nodding understandingly at my question. "Jergen's [Power], correct. He is among a few other useful people all having chosen more practical things to spend their [Points] on in the past. They'll be some of the voices in the meeting. Pillars of our small group. Though everyone helps in some fashion."

"Sorry if it's a little too blunt." John said. "Surely, they can't all be so useful."

Hale smiled softly. A weight in his look brought out his peppered hair and weathered wrinkles. He glanced over his shoulder, not to look at us, but the small groups of people milling about in twos or threes. "Maybe. Some are useful by merit alone even without supernatural help. But putting aside my own [Powers] I couldn't call myself very useful either."

"You brought these people together didn't you?" I asked. "That must count for something."

"We found each other. Cold and lost." He said. "I had no part in it."

"Then you've kept them together." John said firmly. "It counts."

Hale chuckled, scratching his head. "I'm only in my thirties and you two are making me feel old." He grinned. "Maybe it does count."

"You definitely saved our asses earlier." I said.

Obviously, the entire clearing was filled with structures which, from the outside, looked like mounds of snow. I hesitated to call them igloos since most were lobsided and roofed with leaves, but the shape definitely fit. That fact was why I wasn't expecting the fully human-sized rectangular structure to be present.

"Woah. Within the day?" John said in awe, pausing. "One guy?"

"A few." Hale nodded. "Jergen. We had him on repair duty when back in the ruins. It's why some of the buildings aren't as wrecked."

It was rectangular and made of ice. The shape of a wooden cabin if it were made of solid snow. I was surprised to find that the roof was completely made of ice too. I thought I saw some of the white-leaved branches in there, keeping everything cold. The doorway was the only thing incomplete, being only an open entrance.

Inside, were a handful of people sitting around a table that John probably loved. It was made of snow. Wide and circular it was one that looked the part for discussion. In fact, that was what it was being used for as we found ourselves inside.

I nudged John. "Beats your furniture that's for sure."

John shot a fast reply. "[Power] assisted furniture doesn't count." He rubbed his beard. "But it's a nice table."

"Much better than yours, right?" 

"Shut up, Vak."

"Everyone! Here's the two that helped us out of that ambush yesterday. They'll be keeping us company so long as they want to." Hale's cut into the casual chatter with even more casual ease, slipping into his place among them.

Many eyes found mine under my cloak then rested on the cloak itself. I could see the curiosity land on it, and then slide off in the next instant.

Garth stood up from a pile of snow that doubled as a chair. "Have a seat, Vak, John. " He said gruffly. It was still early in the morning. "We can get started."

I spotted Timothy among some of the faces, not that I knew him that much. Kevin too.

I found my spot by Kevin who gave me a curt and polite but understandably tired acknowledgment before turning back to the table. John took the spot to my other side.

A woman spoke up. "And they're included in our meeting why, Hale?" 

"I understand that their contribution in this previous [Group Tutorial Quest] is quite high and their interests, coincidentally,  lie in the [System Shop] as well." He responded. "Their help may be useful in scouting these new threats. They are a capable pair."

Kevin spoke up tiredly beside me. "And that's not to mention the times they've already helped us, Miranda."

Another woman spoke with a reasonable tone that challenged him. "Hale, I understand we're all human here, lost and confused but even then we can't always trust one of our own. These [Powers] make us dangerous, I don't care who has them. This threatens all the Northbounders to allow strangers among us."

A man agreed. "How would you feel without your [Powers] as cushions? We have no such protections. Not yet."

"How much more exposed would you be without your [Gravity Field], hm?" Miranda shot. "These are strangers, Hale!"

Timothy scowled, seeming quick to annoy. "How much more different is it than a gun? There are ordinary citizens licensed with those weapons. Put one of those in someone's hand and I'd be curious if anyone in this room had a [Power] that could stop it. You're being needlessly untrustworthy. Not every single person will try to kill us." He said sharply. 

Miranda opened her mouth to retort.

A thicker set man cleared his throat. "Let them have their say. You're speaking over their heads as if they were children. They've lived out here just like us, with less to go by." The man gestured to John and I, gravel in his throat. "And for fuck's sake, you haven't even met them. They've so far shown they've been the type to help random strangers, is that not what we were before the Northbounders formed?"

Timothy peeked an eye open and spoke. "Jergen's right, at least hear from them." 

Miranda huffed.

Speaking in front of crowds wasn't a particular skill I honed but it did come in handy. I needed no cue to read the atmosphere of the group. The woman and some others needed to be allayed while most of the men were indifferent if cautious. Kevin, Garth, Hale, and Timothy were the most at ease, but even they seemed surprised as I spoke.

"You're understandably cautious." I adjusted myself to speak, catching everyone's gaze in a moment. I let my hood down, shaking snow from my hair. "Back home, I'd be hesitant to trust a stranger as well. However, at the risk of sounding rude, though I doubt most of you will hold me against it, the fact of the matter is that this all doesn't matter much. John and I will be out of your hair once this [System Shop] business is settled. Northbounder procedures regarding strangers should likely be discussed for the future after all of this [Group Tutorial Quest] business. Not now."

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"This is Northbounder business dear. That is why we are so concerned about it." Miranda, the older greying lady shot back. "And I personally appreciate all your help but this concerns only Northbounders. "

"This is the business of every human who received that [Against All Odds] [Quest] or, have you not realized we have been grouped together? Recall the name [Group Tutorial Quest]." John spoke from behind his beard, seeming more wizened than anyone at that moment despite being younger than a majority. "These happenings concern any human who received it. Us included."

I stared at the woman. There were mumblings of agreement and a general consensus. A few short words here and there and prevalent nodding. 

"He makes a strong point, Miranda." A woman beside her spoke. 

"Hmph." Miranda wavered, sitting down. "I suppose it makes sense. Perhaps our circumstances have marked us together. Or simple proximity."

"That [Tutorial] tag might indicate we are only being introduced to this [System] as some call it." Timothy spoke, leaning forward and taking the opportunity to cut in. He was a thinner man wearing spectacles, though that detail was lost in his fur clothing. "There might be more similar [Quests] and assuming this one is specified as a [Group Quest] we might be likely to receive individual [Quests] in the future."

I nodded along, mostly agreeing with the general assumptions of the group. There was some talk about possible [Rewards] and what might help the Northbounders as a whole. Timothy was the one who led most of these speculations but eventually halted the discussion.

"We can only observe so much." He held a hand up. "At the very least, we'll get some answers regarding this [System] if we can find that shop. I'm unsure how many have noticed but the beacon of light has disappeared today." There were some mumbled concerns around the table but he spoke over them. "Fortunately, Kevin, Garth and I have the area memorized. The place is treacherous, we weren't able to get close until we were spotted and subsequently routed."

"Did you see it?" I asked, curious. The question garnered some acute attention.

"No, as of yet we have no idea what it'll look like." Timothy responded.

Kevin, beside me, cut in. "Best we can tell it's in a cave." He said, silencing most and nodding at Timothy. "Those grey people, however, were guarding it. We think they might have a use for the [System Shop] as well."

"Grey people?" Jergen asked.

Hale answered. "Kevin, Garth, and Timothy were attacked. John and Vak were able to sound the alarm last night before it escalated and I and a few others made it in time."

Miranda scolded Jergen. "How could you not have woken up? There were shouts in the middle of the night to prepare for the worst!"

"I had just built this whole building, Miranda. I must've slept through the whole ordeal." He said defensively, glaring at her. "We'd be sitting in the cold if I hadn't."

Garth followed up. "They barely wear any clothes, looked like they were fine in the cold. And they were strong, carrying basic weapons. We were chased off by magic users too. Only thanks to these two were we able to stand our ground and keep the fighting from the camp. " He motioned to John and I. "Otherwise, we might've woken up Jergen." He grinned, jibing at the older man. Jergen crossed his arms.

"They have the cave surrounded?" John asked.

"Yes, most of the surrounding area." Timothy replied. "If we want the [System Shop] we go through them."

And that was how I found myself pressed up against the trunk of a tree, peeking around the woods like I'd been playing hide and seek.

I seriously wondered if I was being racist. I couldn't find any other way to label these humanoids other than the color of their skin. The humanoids in question were tall, obviously on some type of patrol. There were only two of them but they were tall and muscular, toned before anything.

Suddenly, an arrow planted itself in the first's eye. The second jerked, grasping at something invisible at his throat. Beside me, and nowhere near them, Garth held his arms as if he had someone in a chokehold. 

For now, I'd resign to calling them drow. They ticked off all the boxes. Only now, the two drow were corpses. And nothing like the fantastical people that used to fill my imagination. Light snow made its way down from the trees, covering the bodies.

"It's still a little way from here." Garth said to me, ignoring the two dead. "Your friend's a good shot."

"That he is." I replied. "He's had a lot of practice I imagine."

Hale, Kevin, and Timothy revealed themselves and shortly after John did too. It was Timothy that allowed us to figure out where these patrols were, however, allowing me to figure out the reason he was with them the previous night. Timothy's [Power] was exceptionally useful for reconnaissance, [Sense of Life]. The [Power] allowed him to sense anything living if he knew what he was looking for and concentrated enough.

We had picked off a handful of paired patrols this way. Since most of the ambush was from a range and my [Powers] weren't particularly reliable I was on the sidelines. John gave me a violet sword to hold as well.

"That's the last of the patrols I can sense." Timothy announced. "The rest are clustered around the cave. It doesn't look like they've noticed anyone missing yet. Our best chance at catching them unawares is right now, though either way they'll be weakened."

"I say we risk it." I said immediately. Heads turned. "The only threat are any more mages and without so many bodies to deal with, we're in a good position to taking them out immediately, if there are even any left. Anything that does come close to us Hale can incapacitate. Best we act now while they think they've got the upper hand."

Hale turned to Timothy. "Can you filter between the mages and the regular ones?"

"No." He responded. "I've tried, but they all come the same to me."

Garth gave his own thoughts. "I think we can do it, between everyone and what we've culled." He frowned though. "We are playing with fire, though. If anyone has doubts, speak up, and we might do better to reconvene."

Kevin nodded. "It rides on Hale. His [Power] gives us the best shot at taking out a large number safely. We have no idea how many are stashed in that cave."

Hale looked on the fence. "I'd need a good spot to be. If you're caught up in my [Gravity Field] then you'll all be just as useless."

John had his arms crossed and spoke next. "Shouldn't be too large a problem, we're all attacking from range. Vak might be the only one up close and in danger." 

"I'll keep clear." I replied. "But there is one other caveat before we get things moving."

"What's that?" Timothy asked.

The group's attention shifted to me. It was understandable since most of the tactical discussion was over, short as it was. When I spoke, my voice rang with an unasked question.

"They might have [Powers] too. It certainly seemed possible with the magic they were throwing around." I said. "Could it be possible they can use the [System Shop]?" 

All excluding John paused at this.

The question being, if they could use the [System Shop] as we could, that meant in some sense they were our equals. Did that mean they arrived in the same way we did? If that was the case, then we'd be killing a people put in the same position as we were. How cruel would that be?

There were conflicted expressions throughout the entire group.

"It doesn't matter whether or not that's the case. Putting aside the fact that they had attacked you three first anyway, if we were to suppose they were whisked away as we were, nothing would change. If they were human and tried to kill us, I'd be returning the favor." He said firmly. "Our first priority should be survival. And I gather that [System Shop] is right up there with water, food, and shelter."

"If it's a moral question, then right now, " Timothy sighed, composing himself. "I don't have the answer. But, if we're speaking logically, then this changes our plan of attack. They'll have time to use [Powers] if they have any." He grimaced. "It's only five of us."

"The odds are against us." I nodded, pulling my cloak over me. "That never stopped me. And something tells me we have the advantage in terms of [Powers]. Hale's [Gravity Field] is uniquely suited for a smaller skirmish and Timothy's [Sense of Life] has already paid dividends. With Garth, Kevin, and John at a distance we can do it.

"And you?" Timothy asked. "I'm still not entirely sure what you can do."

"At worst, I'll have one of John's swords on me. At best, I might be throwing a grenade in the cave for all I know." I joked, before addressing him more seriously. "My [Powers] are based on chance and nothing more. It's a dice roll so expect me at my worst." I held up John's sword by the hilt as an indication.

Hale, Kevin and Garth all looked at me curiously.

"We thought you had crystal powers." Garth said.

"You thought wrong." I replied, smirking. 

Hale rubbed his chin. "We'll do it like this then. All of you, listen closely and let me know if you have anything better in mind"

Hale began to lay out a plan with Kevin and Garth cutting in where their [Powers] might be more effective. Timothy pointed out some crucial landmarks in the area we'd watch for. John nodded at nearly everything and asked Timothy where a solid tree might be. My remarks were short, pointing out positioning and my bets as to where they'd pour out from, which were generally accepted as reasonable.

Most had a false confidence about them that I recognized but respected. If anyone was confident, I'd be more concerned then. As it were, no one save for John seemed perfectly at ease.

Then we were off and my heart was racing at the risk of it all.