Logan was surprised in no little measure to wake up in one of the houses he had built the other day at the settlement by the pond. Next to him was a conclave of people with worried expressions, most closest Dr. Rosenberg, wiping the blue juice of a Numa Fruit from his lips.

“Welcome back,” Freya said, scooting closer and grabbing Logan’s hand.

“W-what happened?” Logan croaked.

Snoff came closer. His porcelain skin shone almost too brightly in the dim hut. For once he wasn’t exuberantly bursting with energy, but instead wore a solemn, respectful expression.

“I followed you and watch you battle,” the Faelf said. “I have never seen the Great Thief come this close… When you passed out, it flew higher and it cast a few drops of Black Rain, as if to kill you personally. Those serpents with giant maws spawned, but I used illusions to conceal us.”

Logan tried to get up, but Dr. Rosenberg put a hand gently on his chest. “Now is not the time to exert yourself.”

Logan swatted the hand. Then he looked at Dr. Rosenberg, as if just realizing he was there.

“Wait. If you’re here… Where is my father?”

Everyone shuffled uncomfortably. Freya cast a careful glance at Logan and squeezed his hand. Snoff nodded to himself and explained.

“The giant lizard returned to the camp. It seemed it was there for your father.”

Logan frowned. “That makes no sense.”

“‘Twas so nonetheless,” Snoff said. “The monster went back to the camp and killed everyone it saw. Except Malcom Specter.”

“It was horrible,” Someone from the crowd half-whispered. Logan looked up. It was Janice.

Everyone turned to look at her. She seemed to only realize she had blurted something out. She swallowed and continued.

“I was hiding under the rubble and broken wood. But there was a hole. I saw the monster rampage back and forth, it was clearly looking for something. Mr. Specter had used one of the Dorven tools to dig himself in the ground. But the monster found him. Then something strange happened.”

Janice fell silent and blinked dumbly, gathering herself.

“Yeah?” Kat said impatiently. Balmer nudged her softly with an elbow. She retorted and made the young ex-agent oof.

Janice gathered in a wavering breath and continued. “The monster picked up Mr. Specter. But instead of eating him or killing him, it started to turn into a black sludge. The sludge enveloped him. Mr Specter struggled and screamed, but the sludge went into his mouth and eyes… everywhere. He— He started to transform and…”

Logan shot up and took Janice’s shoulders in his hands. “What? Transform? Into what? Where is my father?”

“He— he—” Janice’s lips drew up has she tried to hold in a cry.

Simmons came from behind Logan and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. Logan let go of Janice.

“He grew… and turned black and blue. He floated in the air for a while, looking nothing like human with the claws and horns… I—I don’t know what happened. He floated in the air for a while, and it looked like he knew what had happened. He just nodded to himself and looked around. The black sludge swirled around him, but he like… absorbed it all, and grew even bigger. When there was no more sludge left. That… big thing came.”

“Levemoth?” Logan asked.

Janice nodded. “Yeah the one that always causes trouble. It came and floated down. It was… I thought I was going to die from the pressure. It was driving me crazy. I just wanted to shout and cry and claw my eyes out. But I couldn’t move under the rubble.”

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“Janice,” Logan said firmly. “What happened with my father.”

“He flew away,” Janice said. Logan just blinked dumbly. Janice continued. “It was like Levemoth came to pick him up. It got close and Malcolm looked around and then went with it. I guess when he got close enough, they teleported away. I didn’t see.”

“What the hell…” Logan tumbled down on the wooden floor, just staring at the boards at his feet.

Freya turned to Snoff. “What happened to him.”

‘“Tis not like I know everything, Freya,” Snoff said. “We have not seen the Great Thief act like this before.”

“It spoke to me,” Logan said. “It said it had awakened.”

The humans in the hut muttered to each other. Only Snoff gasped and his bright eyes went wide. “Surely not! It cannot be… But what else would explain this. Why did it steal the Greedy One..? I must let my king know.”

The Greedy One…?

Snoff was almost out the door, but Logan called. “Wait Snoff.”

The Faelf stopped and turned. “I will return, friend!”

And then he was gone.

*

That left Logan alone with all of the people around him looking at him, as if he was some sort of an answer and solution automaton.

[I believe they are looking at you for leadership.]

Great… I feel like I’m definitely the best man for the job right now.

But Logan was the only man for the job. Leadership wasn’t something you got a sick day from. Especially in a situation like this. They were still stranded in a jungle on an alien world. These people needed leadership. And for hell or high water, they had chosen Logan, so Logan got up.

“Alright,” he said, finding his voice. “We’ll deal with my asshole father later. I take that Dr. Rosenberg you are on healing duty on anyone that needs it.”

The wizened doctor nodded.

“From now on you work together with William. William, you here?”

“He’s outside,” Freya said and came to stand next to Logan. Logan grabbed her waist. She was his rock, his guiding star. He would lead, to keep Frey safe.

“Dr Rosenberg, call out William. He’s an [Alchemist].”

Dr. Rosenberg scoffed.

“Yeah, yeah,” Logan said. “Sucks to be you. He should be able to make magic potions and salves. So you’ll make a tremendous power couple. I’ll talk to you guys later on your collaboration.”

Dr. Rosenberg clearly wasn’t happy with the arrangement, but he gave Logan a curt nod and left the house.

“Scilla,” Logan said.

“Yessir,” she said immediately.

“Don’t call me, sir…”

“No can do, sir.”

Logan snorted. “Fine. You gather a group of stalwart individuals of your choosing. Eight should be enough, warrior types at least half of them. Make sure one of them is from the old camp. You guys get back there and look out for any survivors. They might be unconscious or under rubble. Also bring anything valuable back. So have pouches made. Janice will help you with that. And tell the idiots not to bring back any of that Dorven crap.”

Scilla nodded and gave a thumbs up. “Got it. Come Brian, you’re with me.”

Then Logan turned to Simmons.

“We are going to need more housing, and the fence isn’t finished,” Logan said. “You should go widen the perimeter and get us more lumber.”

Simmons grinned.

Well that’s the first I’ve ever seen that.

“Yessir.”

There was a bit more mock than in Scilla’s acknowledgement, but it was an acknowledgement. Logan smirked.

“The rest of you go back to your routines. We need food foremost. Decide for yourself if you want to fish or gather. After we’re good on food and water, get back to leveling your classes. If you don’t know what you should do, come talk to me later.”

Most of the house was emptied. Next Logan turned to his father’s ex-agents.

“You agents.”

There were three large agents looking at Logan with unreadable expressions. Logan looked each of them in the eyes and nodded.

“Yeah, I know. I’ve been an asshole,” Logan said. “And I still am. I am going to need your help to keep this show running. I’m still young and pretty dumb and inexperienced. But I am going to keep this show running, and I am going to do my best.”

The agents shuffled. They weren’t hostile like they had been before. But they were uncertain. One of them, the large one that had been with them way back exploring the beetle-ruins was downright doubtful. He might try a coup later. Well, Logan would smash his head in if he tried something stupid. He was done playing games.

“Is that clear?”

After a reluctant chorus of ‘yes’, Logan relaxed.

“That’s good. You, big guy. What’s your name?”

“Jefferson.”

Why don’t they use first names..?

“Good. You’re in charge of the agents from now on. You guys are our guards, soldiers and hunters. If you aren’t soldiering or guarding, you’re hunting or resting. Rotate all these duties. Guard duty, soldier reserve, hunting group, rest group. We good?”

Without thinking, Jefferson made an appreciative sound.“Huh..”

He immediately regretted it and grunted and marched out, the other two agents in tow. Logan did his best to suppress his smirk this time.

Balmer looked at the agents and almost went with them, But Kat grabbed his shirt and pulled him to stay.

“What about us, sir?” Kat said and gave him a mock salute.

Logan’s smile widened as he looked at the two of them. He hadn’t that much time with them, but he realized that these two weren’t just subordinates. They were friends. Even that damned Balmer.

“Oh, I have some very interesting plans for you two,” Logan said and grinned ominously. “See this Armor? We’re going to get more of this stuff. And then we’re going to kick Levemoth’s ass.”

THE END OF VOLUME 1