"Jason, is that you?" a male voice calls out.

"It's me, Jason. Hey Kevin, everyone safe?"

Thank god, we are all safe. What are those creatures, my daughter keeps calling them goblins? They kill old Rex. It's a shame he was a good dog."

"It, Jason! Mom!" a young female voice yells out as a young woman runs out of the house. Rolling his eyes at Kevin's daughter Sheila, a seventeen-year-old daughter that boy crazy and have made it her mission to make me a boyfriend. I only try to avoid her when possible. Don't get me wrong. She is a pretty girl but underage and a bit too immature for my taste. I have told both Keith and his wife Darla to warn them about her advances toward him. Darla only teases me that her daughter will be eighteen in a few months and watch me turn red as she slaps me on the shoulder. Keith only worries her daughter gets stuck with one of the no-good bums in town and sees me as an extra hand on keeping them at bay. Shaking his head.

After joining the army and giving his duty tour, he wants to settle down to a quiet life. But the way the daughter's mother is acting makes him suspicious. She sees a wedding bell in the future, and sorry to tell her, I like my women older along with Darla and Alice age, not interest in a teenager.

"We think we got them all, Alice and I killed fourteen goblins at our place, and Hendrick killed all seven of them and lost one of their hands."

"Where they come from?" Keith ask.

"A portal open in Hendrick's field, only four groups came out before it closed. I think we got them all. If there is one portal, there may be others nearby. You're welcome to come back to our place. Alice has a safe room if you want to stay. Until we see what the government will do?"

"We will come with you. We have chickens, a milking goat, a billy, and Molly, my daughter's horse. We didn't get into cattle. Mr. Hendrick took our two cows, saying they were his with the Sherriff, and he said he said he would not press charges. We couldn't find our receipt. I'm guessing someone came in and stole it because the box it was in was all mess up. I Hope he loses a few hundred heads for being an ass." Keith said vehemently.

"Goats are welcome on the farms. Our barn has a rock base that is ten feet tall. We can lock Molly and the goats in, but we may have to come back and get the chickens in the morning if they are still here. Keith, you still got that buckboard you talk about selling late spring?" turning toward Keith's dark form in the darkness as light from his wife came on as she lit a Coleman lantern.

"Yeah, in the barn with the gear for the horse to get hitch too. Maybe a little dusty." pointing to the barn.

Stopping for a moment, pulling the book out with the Light spell, and open up the book as it prompts him.

'Do you wish to learn the spell? Yes/no?'

Thinking yes, the book starts to glow as everyone around him shouts. The book then closes, and as it fades away as light enters his forehead. Jason fell to his knees as an incredible pain slam into his head. Feeling an eternity before the pain fades away. He is staring at the ground as sweat drip off him. Kneeling on both sides of him are Darla and Sheila asking him something as his brain starts to pick out words and sounds.

'You have learned the spell Light.'

"I'm alright, thank you." as they pull to his feet by both of them.

"What happens? Realizing Sheila was asking.

"I learn a spell." hearing the words for the spell in his head and understands how it works. He can feel a little of the mana in the air from the Gate that opens earlier. Twisting his right finger around in a pattern and whisper "Globus Lucis," a ball of light appears to hover over his hands as bright as a hundred-watt bulb.

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The gasp of people around him brings him out of his trance as he looks at the light. Knowing the light will follow him unless he makes it stick to something for eight hours. As Darla lets go of him, he reaches down and lifts the staff.

The staff of a Shaman

Poor

Durability 8/10

Damage 2

+1 to fire spell

+10 mana

Moving the light onto the staff and looking at Patrick's family. Who wants to learn flame strike? I have a book I can give you, so another person who can fight will help.

"Me, Me, Papa, please! I want to learn magic!" holding her hand up in the air, looking at her father and mother with pleading eyes. Keith looks at his wife, Darla, and she nods as he turns to Sheila. "Okay, baby girl, you can learn it. It looks painful, so be careful. I don't want you hurt."

Sheila squeals and jumps into her father's arms and keeps saying thank you, over and over. Handing Sheila the book.

"Remember, it hurt like hell when you read it, so be careful." letting go of the book as she nodded.

Moments later, the book opens and glows as the pages flip rapidly and then close. It fades away as light enters her forehead. Sheila screams as she faints. Both parents rush to her side, comforting her. A few minutes later, Sheila woke up to her father glaring daggers at Jason. Who sleeplessly rubs his head.

"Papa! I'm alright. I learn the spell!" Holding out her right hand as she sits upon the ground. A small circle of flame appears around a wooden fence post that about ten feet away, a column of fire engulf it on fire.

"Whoa! That takes a lot out of a person," she pants as she staggers on her feet and falls on her butt as Darla grabs her before she falls back and hits her head.

Her father stares at the burning post. Then at his daughter and shakes his head as he looks down at his wife's face, as she crouches next to Sheila.

Helping Sheila to her feet. Jason hands her the staff, "This might help you it a Staff of a Shaman, give a boost to your spell and give you a plus ten to your mana. Damn forgot. Say or think Stats, and it will appear. There will be unspent points you need to move around. Decide what you want to be, and add to those stats you might put half or more points in Mental to help with the spell. Mr. and Mrs. Hendrick's put some to Physique and got younger by twenty years as he looks Sheila's parents.

Both parents eye each other, and then they unfocused their eyes, whispering stats as they stare at their stats. They became younger by ten years as they came out of it, making them look like their mid to late twenties.

Sheila came out of her trance a few minutes later and breathing deeply. "Okay, I put mine all into Mental. I know that I a glass cannon move, but I have you to keep me safe." she grins at Jason.

Turning to the couple and Keith Shrug. "Physique and Dexterity." picking up a short sword on the ground. I think I will stay with using a bow and a sword for now.

"Not sure yet. I added some to Physique. Is it okay to hold the other point until I'm sure about what I want? I have been growing plants in the small greenhouse as a trial to see if I can make money doing that before deciding on going big with it and work around the house." Darla said.

Five horses came galloping down the road at that time. On the backs of the horses are four men from Hendrick's place. Waving at them, one of them stop a few feet from them. As they stare at the post on fire and the light from the staff in the girl's hands. Most of them look greedy at her, and other looks fearful.

"Everyone safe?" One of the cowhands asked I think Hicks is his name. His eyes flash with lust as he stares at Sheila and Darla, then with envy of Sheila's staff.

"Everything fine here. We are going to hook Molly to the buckboard and go to Alice's place." Keith Said as he glares at Hicks as he put himself between them and his girls.

Darla moves Sheila behind her as she nods to her husband, "We're going to pack a few things. We will be ready when the buckboard is out front. Come, Sheila, we need to pack." Graving taking Sheila by the hand and heads inside the house.

"Jason? You need us to check on your place?" Another man spoke up, looking at the light on the staff just as Sheila was lead away.

"It's almost too dark to seeing too far. You might want to head home and guard the Hendrick house. I'm sure tomorrow we are going to be busy. You might find some of the cows missing or dead tomorrow, so you all need your rest."

"God, I hope not," the other man said, one of the new guys working for Hendrick. Frank is the other that joined a few months back, A bit shady always around Hicks. Old Hendrick can't keep help too long. Half the crew walked out on him six months ago over future paychecks. Surprisingly the two women haven't left. Both have been working for a year for them. Linda is a few years older than me and taller, A bit beefier than fat on her bones. Of the two, Linda has short light brown hair and a strong face with blue eyes that look everywhere for any danger. He has seen it before on other soldiers he work with, even sure he does the same. She may have been one for all he knows, and she is an excellent cattle handler. Cindy is smaller than me and has blond hair with green highlights, and can make a horse do better than before. She is wonderful with animals, not so with people. She seems to shrink a lot when around the men and get closer to Linda. Shame, they both are lesbians. It would have been nice to date someone with some intelligence and a little mature a few months ago. That being said, they join Hendrick as a couple. At first, he didn't want to hire them because they are pussy eaters, his words, but his wife talks him into it. Too bad Alice did not have the income to hire them. They would have made a great team working her small ranch.

Hearing the buckboard creak out of the barn with Molly pulling it, Keith had a lantern hook to the roof of the buckboard. "Okay, guys, if you can keep the road clear of monsters, we will be out of here in a bit. Watching Darla and Shelia drag two suitcases down the stairs and Jason rush over and grab one from each of them as Keith hop off the now parked buckboard. With goats hook up behind the buckboard. Jason put the luggage in the small bed in the back of the buckboard.

"Give me a minute. I need to lock the barn." Keith ran back to the barn shutting the door and padlock it. Running back into the light as I watch for problems as Hendrick's men turn and take off down the road. Linda turns toward look at him before heading back to the ranch. Linda looks thoughtful while Cindy look apprehends about going.

"You need a light? I can cast one for you should last all night." I ask Keith.

"Cast a light? You mean like that one on the stick?" Keith scratches at his beard, staring at the staff.

"Yeah, I learned magic from a book that I looted off a Shaman, remember."

"Oh, forgot about that. The goblins drop some ears and bits. I will have to keep an eye out for any Shaman. We have the lantern, and it is a short way to Alice's place, Keith said.

"Okay then, we ready to go," Jason asks as Keith nods as he flicks the reins and the buckboard moves forward. Mounting Rita, he moves past the goats and buckboard to keep an eye for trouble.