After dinner, they took turns sharing what had happened during their journeys across the bog; the trials they had undergone and the gains they had made along the way.
It turned out that Veronica and Devin had run into each other on the second day and had been traveling together ever since. The pair had clearly grown closer in the process, although Nick wasn’t sure about the exact nature of their relationship just yet.
They revealed their new classes, traits, skills, abilities, and gear, brainstorming on how to fight effectively as a team once they entered the tower. Both Veronica and Devin had taken the same deal that Nick and Sophia had, enhancing their Survivor trait, and making it a permanent part of their bloodline.
Devin had gained the uncommon class Flamestriker, which synergized with his unique weapon and flashfire pulse. He had gained an affinity for fire magic in the process, which explained the changes to his eyes.
The bottom halves were still blue, but the top of each iris was a blend of yellow, orange, and red. They were powerful and striking. Devin would be drawing more eyes than ever, and his athletic body had only grown more toned over the last few weeks.
Devin’s class trait provided him with an innate resistance to fire, so that he wouldn’t sear himself with his own flashfire pulse. He’d also gained an interesting new ability called blast strike, which took a bit of stamina and mana to make the end of his weapon release an explosive burst of flame on contact.
The only other news he had to share was an upgrade to his armor. He had acquired chainmail that was modified to be extra light and durable, as well as a pair of heavy leather pants that were resistant to acid and fire.
Veronica, who insisted that her friends call her V, was somewhat less forthcoming. She revealed that her new class had enhanced her existing abilities, acid bolt, bone claws, and bleeding slash, rather than granting her new ones.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Her new trait synergized with her improved attributes, making her claws sharper and more deadly than before. She had also gained several skills that would help her when scouting or attacking from concealment.
On the gear side of things, V explained that she was carrying a concentrated potion of stamina. It didn’t refill automatically like Nick’s elixir, but a single drop would turn into a potion when placed inside a container. It was similar to the concoction that Devin had hit him with in the arena fight, minus the healing component. The main limitation, besides its finite volume, was that a person could only benefit from her potions once every twenty-four hours.
Veronica had been awarded new armor for completing the tutorial as well. An improved set of toughness-modified leathers that reduced the force of the hits she took and helped her to move silently. Her last major gain was an upgraded set of wrist-mounted crossbows, which refilled their quivers once each day, letting her use the ranged weapon in combat without having to worry about running out of bolts.
All in all, everyone had made significant progress since the last time they’d all been together. It made Nick wonder how the others they had fought alongside were doing. With any luck, they would run into more of their arena team before heading into the tower sometime within the next few days.
Since everyone only needed four hours of sleep, there wasn’t a reason to cut the party short. Instead, they made the most of it, sharing stories and singing songs. Enjoying good food and good company to fortify their spirits against the dark days ahead.
At last, late into the night, they finished their celebration and got ready for bed. Nick closed his eyes with a full belly and a full heart, ready to face the challenges tomorrow would bring with his friends at his side.
He awoke early the next morning, feeling better than he had in weeks. Some of his friends were alive and well, and far more of team Earth had survived than he’d dared hope while crossing the bog. Before they went to work preparing to enter the tower, Nick shared his encounter with Jim and Ken, revealing his concern that they would cause trouble sooner rather than later.
The others hadn’t met the men yet, but they had heard a mix of good things and bad about their group, depending on who you asked. Nick decided that it warranted further investigation before he chose how or if he wanted to intervene.
Since they didn’t know how long they had until they would be forced to enter the tower, they agreed to split up and tackle different tasks. They set up a schedule for meeting back up every few hours, then put a plan in place for what they would do in an emergency to make sure that no one got separated.