The reaction in the room was immediate. One of the new faces, a middle-aged man in good condition, wearing an Adidas tracksuit, immediately responded.

"Those things captured people?" He asked, concern evident.

"They've got an encampment about an hour off the highway. Saw a pen with people in it." Frank replied immediately. "I want to get them out of there. Ran back here to see who'd be willing to come and help me rescue them." Frank glanced around the room, making eye contact with everyone.

Tracksuit guy stood and deliberated for a few seconds. "Anyone willing to follow Frank here? If there's people trapped it could be someone you know. Regardless, I need two volunteers to go find Laura and Jim. Tell them to head to the police station. "

He turned back to Frank. "I'm Greg. Frank right? Recognized you from the stick. We can get to know each other later but if we want to get there during daylight hours I need to prepare to leave now. I'll show you where the police station is. You can rest there while I arrange everything. You've obviously winded yourself. "

Greg then headed out, Frank stepping aside to let him take the lead. Margarite and her brothers followed, as well as Sasha and Brook. Everyone except Bill, and Anna and the other new face followed. Even Maria, after a brief conversation with the new guy, left her father Hugo behind on the couch.

They walked out, down the stairs, and outside, taking a left and following the main street further away from the highway. It was only a block before the police station appeared, a squat brick building with barbed wire fencing blocking off its parking lot. The sound of many footsteps must've alerted him, as Jim opened the front door to greet them.

"What's going on?" He asked, looking towards Greg.

"Frank found some people captured by those goblin things. We are going to rescue them." Greg turned towards Allan. "Can you go find Laura? She said she'd be checking the school and the surrounding streets for people."

Allen left immediately. "Frank, you can rest here so you are fresher when we leave. Everyone else, dress appropriately for a walk through the woods." Greg continued giving instructions. "Maria, can you go to your dad's store with someone else and grab a spear for everybody? He has enough in stock for everyone, right? I know some of us got swords from that creepy place, but no one knows how to use them." He looked at Frank's staff. "You able to use that in a fight?"

"Yea, better than a spear at any rate," Frank replied.

"Alright, if there's anything you need let me know and I'll grab it while I get myself kitted." He looked over Frank's outfit frowning at his. "Is that a piece of armour or something?"

"The 'system' called it a gambeson," Frank answered simply. "The 'system' also said it improves my constitution and vitality at the expense of my agility." He chose this as a convenient moment to reveal more information. "When I think about it and focus on it, the system gives me a description of it. Same with my boots. Doesn't work on the staff or the backpack which the system also gave me."

"System? Is that what you've decided to call those messages?" Greg asked.

"Yea. seems as good a word as any." Frank replied. "But as far as things I need, a good pair of cargo pants. I wear a men's large, 32 inseam."

"Alright, I'll see if I can find anything," Greg replied, before leaving Frank to rest and directing everyone else around. Frank for his part, sat down and rested.

Within a minute everyone was moving rapidly in pairs, except Allan, who as it turned out was very, very fast. He broke into a run, rounding a corner and disappearing from view. Pretty soon everyone else was gone, except for Jim. He had spoken briefly with Greg and then returned into the station. After a while, he once more walked out, this time with a couple of pieces of equipment that seemed out of place in a small town detachment. A half dozen tear gas grenades, two gas masks, a riot shield. Someone had wanted toys and got them. In addition, more normal equipment. Pepper spray, billy clubs, an airhorn, two Kevlar vests. The change in the way his shirt fit indicated he wore a third.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Jim sat down beside Frank after moving those things outside. He didn't say anything. Frank matched his silence. About half an hour went by, and Maria returned with the other Frank, both carrying fishing spears. They placed them down beside Jim's pile of stuff, and then after looking around awkwardly, sat down by Jim and Frank.

Margarite's brother gruffly greeted them both, before looking away and sitting silently. Jim struck up a conversation with Maria.

"I'm surprised you left Hugo back there." He told her.

"Laurie found Dr. Singh. He's back there watching him. Better to have him there than me. If dad needs medical help what exactly can I do?" She said hopelessly.

"They found Dr. Singh? That's good news. Guess your father is in good hands then." Jim said, lapsing back into silence.

An uneasy atmosphere prevailed over the four of them. Though Frank was the only person from out of town, the other three clearly were mere acquaintances, if that. Fortunately, it did not last long, Greg, Margarite, and Glenn all returned, followed soon after by Allan running back, and then trailing him, a woman, presumably this Laura or Laurie Frank had been told of but had not yet met.

When all had assembled in front of the station, Greg started divvying out supplies. He had returned with first aid kits and backpacks, which he distributed to everyone. Then, the fishing spears were handed over, arming everyone but Greg, who favoured a metal baseball bat, Jim, who stuck with a nightstick, and Frank himself, who already possessed a quarterstaff. The two Kevlar vests were granted to Allan and Greg. Margarite had acquired food and, which was also distributed amongst the packs. Laura took the airhorn. The gas masks went to Greg and Jim. The tear gas grenades went to everyone else.

Suitably armed, Greg started explaining the plan. "Apologies for not waiting for you input Laura, but I want to be moving five minutes from now." He said to the recently arrived woman, confirming her identity. She waved off his apology.

"According to Frank, there are people captured by those creatures the system referred to as goblins. The system is what Frank has taken to calling the messages, and for the time being, I will do the same for convenience. Given the extraordinary circumstances I fail to see any benefit Frank would receive from deceiving us, and furthermore, I find it obvious that these people are in danger and we are their best hope of help. Only Bill, who is injured, Anna, Hugo, who is injured, and Dr. Singh, who will watch over them, will  stay behind." He paused and cleared his throat.

"Frank will lead the way. Me and Jim will follow behind him. Sasha and Brook will watch our backs. I know most of you have no experience with combat or violence other than that abomination we've all gone through, but do not worry. Myself, Jim, and Frank do and will take the lead if those creatures attack us. Sasha, as you all know, is a former Olympic pentathlete, and will keep our rear safe."

"In the packs, you all have are medical supplies, food, and water. They are not intended to be for us, except for a portion of the water. Our purpose is to make our way to where our fellows are being held and extract them. No more or less. To do so we may need to fight. The plan once there will be simple. If we can rescue them without violence we will. Otherwise, using the tear gas as cover, me and Jim will make our way to the targets and lead them out. The rest of you will assist and keep any creatures off us, and then we will retreat to the highway, where we will pause to provide medical assistance, water, and food, but only if necessary and possible."

It was eminently clear just how much experience Greg had leading others. He must've been military at some point, probably made his way to Sergeant and saw action in a leadership position. Frank had a lot of experience with military and ex-military. Perhaps unsurprisingly, being trained in combat and forced to pass fitness standards made them more likely to make it through the tutorial, and so they were disproportionately represented amongst survivors.

Even amongst them though, there was a clarity and quickness of thought Greg possessed that impressed Frank. The fact that there was a strong and seemingly competent natural leader here was of great relief. He had in a short hour devised and organized and actionable, reasonable plan to mount a rescue operation. Relief did not mean relaxation though. The relief Frank felt was towards future concerns, not towards now. What they were going to do was still quite dangerous.

It would serve several purposes though. Frank needed to see who could hold it together in a fight. He wanted to rescue those people. And the field dungeon that the goblin encampment was needed to go. Frank stood up, adjusting his pack, and holding his quarterstaff in one hand, addressed everyone else. "If you are all ready, I'll lead the way."