Len led Rick out of the upper district around Valoria Academy and through Eskon city.

It was the kingdom’s capitol located in the northwest of Plynthia’s lands. To the west and north was the main continent. The mountains created a half horse-shoe, cutting off the kingdom, to the east the mountains fell away to the sea, several port towns dotting up and down the coast.

To the north of the city was a largely untamed forest. To the south were the ample farming fields.

Streams turned into lakes as they descended from the Stained Mountain range, passing through the untamed forests to the north, wrapped around Eskon and weaved south to the prosperous farmland of Plynthia and out to the port cities.

The city itself was built along a large rise running parallel to the mountainous ranges. To the south west was the royal district, stretching out like bands, moving to the north and eastward were the noble district, the Valoria Academy the upper market district, then there was the middle class and merchant district.

Then the buildings started to come down the rise. The lower market district taking over most, mixed in with housing. It touched the bottom of the sloping rise and planes below. Here were the low class homes, some sinking into slums. Beyond them were the industrial districts. The old one to the north facing the forests, the others curling around the east where the train lines and docks were located. The factories and industrial complexes belched flame and black smoke into the skies.

Noble’s country homes lay beyond the new industrial district, private reserves and forests where they hunted beasts for sport.

Farms had been sold off centuries ago, the farmers pushed south or to the harsher north. The north was still largely unexplored. Coal and iron were mined up and down the Stained Mountain Range. There were better water and land routes in the south to move the goods, increasing profits.

Mines in the north needed to set up their own towns, build their own routes and their winters were longer. Few people were willing to suffer through that when conditions were better in the south.

Plynthia was a peaceful kingdom, few threats with a natural mountainous geography that made attack incredibly difficult and drew up great resources from the ground.

While the terrain gave them safety it also made them isolated.

The age of steam was connecting the nation faster than ever before and they were eagerly supplying the materials needed to progress the world on.

Through his reading people were complaining about the increases in food costs, the Hunter’s Bureau and knight families had adverts for people to join their ranks. There were a few from the larger noble families too.

Knowing how things would go, the changes that mana brought to the world were already starting to spread.

People glanced over, but it wasn't abnormal to see someone from the Valoria Academy with a weapon on their hip. He was getting more gazes than Rick. Not many people from the industrial district made it up to the inner reaches of Capital City.

Len kept his pace steady, leading them down the city’s rise towards the lower districts.

Rick had fallen into silence and his thoughts. Len would have given him time to process what he needed to, but they didn't have that luxury. "Rick."

"Hmm? Sorry, what?" Rick asked.

"The obelisk," Len said.

“Yeah its under Harmonia. Got to clean that mess up.”

“Which doesn’t exist yet,” Len interjected.

“Hmm, guess that’s true,” Rick squinted looking up. “Need a map and I’d be able to figure it out. Though from what I remember, its about two hundred and fifty kilometres from here. Have there been mana tides or storms yet?”

“Not yet, just got thin mana so far,” Len pulled out his newspaper and handed it over to Rick.

“Going to need that map. If I remember correctly its to the north west over the Stained mountain range. Though I’m pretty sure the range I remember was altered in a mana eruption.” Rick started unfolding the newspaper Len had handed him. “Anything useful?” He snapped the pages.

“Beasts have been altered by the mana, they’re growing in numbers. Beast waves haven’t started yet. Mana storms have held off so far. No tears or dungeons have been found yet. Hunter bureau has just started up.”

“Forgot about those fuckers,” Rick shook his head.

"Hmm," Rick grunted. "So, you come up with a plan, then?"

"I have a couple ideas," Len said, opening his journal and flipping to a list.

Rick grinned. "Always a man with a list or a plan. Okay, what you got?"

"First, we're gonna need supplies," Len said. "How much coin were you able to get off of Dominus?"

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"Oh, right, here's your gold." Rick folded up the paper, putting it under his armpit before he pulled out his retainer’s liberated purse, passing Len coins. "One gold and fifty silver pieces."

Len nodded in thanks, putting it away into his own coin purse. Rick checked the contents of his. "I'd say five gold pieces, thirty-five silver, and a lot of copper." Rick closed up the coin purse and put it back in his pocket. "Yourself?"

"With your donation, three gold, twenty-three silver, and seventeen copper," Len said. “Is it okay you kicking that guy, Domious?”

“He’s always been a shit fighter, prick ran when the estate got attacked. Better with his tongue than a sword. Used his better strength to beat me bloody and get me to stop trying to learn how to fight. Creeped on my sister,” Rick gripped his fists tighter.

Len looked around, turned and passed Rick Domious’ dagger without anyone the wiser and kept walking towards the station. “That’s fair.”

“What you writing in that book?”

“All the information I can remember. What did you get those pieces of paper for?”

“Same pretty much. Uhh Len.” Rick scratched the back of his head. “Y’know history, how much do you remember?”

Len lowered his journal biting on his tongue with his molars as he frowned, giving himself a few seconds to collect his thoughts and cast them back. “Well I came here to work in the factories to send back money to my parents because it was safer than out in the fields and there was more to be made here.” He dug deeper.

“The attacks increased. Magical artifacts started to be created and sold by the businesses behind the Hunter Bureau. Fights started kicking off over resources.” What was the name of that place? “With the fighting against others there was a town that fell to a beast tide. It got stronger and then mana storms and everything fell apart. Plynthia fragmented, governments collapsed with mountains jutting out of the ground and rivers cutting through others.”

“Map’s changed a lot,” Rick said. “I’ll get two sets of maps if we can remember what everything looked like afterwards that’d be helpful.”

“Good idea,” Len nodded. “After the apocalypse arrived in full cities started becoming the largest organized groups. From them the guilds started spreading out to kill beasts, gather materials. They started establishing outposts, their own cities, farming dungeons. Things started to stabilize. Harmonia rose up, then Dennis stopped working with people and started lording over them.”

“Yeah that falls in with what I remember, but do you remember exactly when that all happened?” Rick asked.

Len opened his mouth, his footsteps slowing to a stop. “I don’t.”

“Alright, yeah me either. I can be like, this happened here and this at this time. Though I don’t know the dates on anything,” Rick said.

“Write down all of the events that you remember and in what order. If we know at least in what order they’re going to happen after one another that can help out a lot,” Len said.

“Such a damn workhorse,” Rick sighed.

“At least now you can’t complain about your advanced age,” Len said.

“I’m old in my soul! My soul Len!”

“Old in the brain, get to writing.”

“Youngsters these days,” Rick sighed. “Where are we going?”

“Cover me,” Len took a knee next to a alleyway, Rick moved, beside him holding his paper as if reading.

“You got your sound talisman?”

“Nope,” Rick said.

Len resonated with the stone wall he was next to, drawing out two smooth stone squares and flattening the stone left behind.

He breathed out, the mana drain weighing on him already. I’m going to have to increase this cultivation quick.

He had a few ideas on how to do just that. The two formless stone blocks in his hand changed, lines appearing on the top and bottom for one to speak into, simplified runes spread through the interior.

He had to take two pauses to regenerate mana before the completed the basic sound talismans.

“Should be good for short range, short messages,” Len stood, pocketing one and passing the other to Rick.

"Okay," Rick nodded. "What are we gonna need?"

"I'll take care of getting the backpacks, clothes, food and boots if you want to take care of making the armor, weapons, and canteens?”

"Refilling water canteens for water?" Rick asked. Len nodded.

“Okay so then copper preferably so it stays clean. He clicked his tongue. "I don't know about mana imbued metals, but they should have steel at least." He tapped the sword in his hip. “I can do the weapons and armor. Grab a map and compass too. Do you think anyone would have potions or anything like that?" Rick said. "I think that there were some potions before the apocalypse went around."

“Only place I think that would have it would be the Hunter’s Bureau,” Len said. “Might have mana altered materials too.” His words coming out in a rush before Rick could say anything.

"Remember what happened with the Hunter's Bureau?" Rick asked.

“Very well. They withdrew all of their mercenaries to the cities they controlled, gutting them of fighting forces and supplies they desperately needed. Then when they had established their cities they spread out, taking over the cities they had been in before,” Len said. “The cities had to welcome them back and give them all they wanted as they had no force that could compete with them.”

“And you want to help them?” Rick said.

“They’re the only place that might have mana imbued items we require. Our mission is to destroy that obelisk. Do you know how to make potions?”

“I can make some simple things and I know smithing pretty good,” Rick said.

“Right, I know enchantments, we both know fighting. Though my knowledge of alchemy, wood crafting, cooking, brewing and tailoring, its basic at the most. Might know more than the normal person but its not world shattering. You know how valuable potions can be.”

Rick grimaced, but held his words. “Fine. Though promise me that we’re going to fuck them over.”

“We’ll tear them apart and bury them so that no one remembers what the Hunter’s Bureau is,” Len said.

“You have a plan,” Rick squinted at his friend.

“An idea for now, but we have other things to do. Also you’re going to have to be the one that goes to the Hunter’s Bureau branch.”

“You’ve got the cooler head,” Rick said.

“Yes, but I’m also the industrial district rat. You’re the bold idiot out of the Valoria kingdom with the nice sword on his hip. I’d get chased out. You, you might get recruited, or at the very least they’d be amused at another noble idiot thinking himself a hunter.”

“Fuck.”

Len nodded at Rick’s agreement. “I’ll start rounding up the supplies we need and get us a place near the lower market district. How long you think we’ll need?”

“Say three days?” Rick shrugged.

“That works,” Len slowed his steps as they walked into one of the squares of the upper market district. “Good luck.”

Rick looked around, spotting the Hunter’s Bureau.

“Fuck, it even looks pretty. Arseholes.” He trudged towards the building.

“Don’t get arrested again.”

“I promise nothing.”

Len let out a sigh shook his head and continued on his way out of the square.

He watched Rick go through the doors, waiting a few seconds. Well nothing blew up yet. That’s a good sign.