[New Settlement Addition: Elemental Mine complete.]

Mason blinked awake to find Rosa and Haley cuddled against him on either side. The blaring warning of the system woke them, too, and Haley yawned with a luxurious stretch. Rosa glanced at them both with a slight look of embarrassment.

"Stop that," Mason said, rolling over and holding up her chin for a passionate kiss. She resisted for a moment, but soon sunk into it. "Do you feel good?" he asked when he pulled up.

"I…do." She hugged him, then stretched too and made the cutest little squeak, which seemed to embarrass her again. He tried not to consider another round.

"Good. So do I. Now off we go. Well, off I go. You two are free to lounge around in bed if you want."

"Not me," Haley sighed, clearly wanting to play with the Mexican’s body a little but resisting. "People to see. Problems to solve."

It occurred to Mason then that if he didn't stay the night, he wouldn't get a chance to spend any time with Rebecca.

He really, really hoped Rosa didn't take the opportunity to rub this in her face, or make things awkward...but he couldn't say with certainty that she wouldn't...which meant he really needed to get ahead of that to prevent...

"I'll go collect your tree team," Haley said as she and Rosa both got up and started dressing. "Becky, of course. Phuong and Seamus. Anyone else?"

"I'm not sure if I can take four or five. And it's a fair distance away." Haley just stood there waiting for instruction, for him to decide. "No," he said. "I'll just take four, and Streak."

Haley stepped forward and gave him a quick peck on the lips, then with a wink she stepped in and gave Rosa a kiss on the cheek. The other girl looked a little shy, but not displeased.

"OK. Bye bye." Haley tossed her blonde hair and had it wrapped back in a pony tail in seconds. She straightened her clothes and puckered her lips, swiping actual lipstick with incredible precision, soon looking like nothing at all had happened. Then she blew a kiss and was out the door, Mason and Rosa both staring for a moment.

"She is...something," Rosa said, and Mason laughed. Unlike the French-Canadian, Rosa looked like she'd been banged six ways from Sunday. Her hair was a bedraggled mess. Her knees and ass cheeks were still red. She had a kind of half-alert, sort of drunk, fifty mile stare as she struggled to get her clothes on.

It was ego boosting, and sexy as hell.

"You're something, too," Mason said, pulling her into his arms. She didn't hesitate at all now that they were alone, and he gave her another good grope as they made out like teenagers. "Did you get what you wanted?"

"Umm." She shook with a little laugh, and put a hand to her face. "I think I could sleep for a week."

"Good." Mason started buttoning the top of her dress. "I might be that long going North. You'll have to be patient."

Rosa nodded, clearly fighting the urge to come in for another hug.

"Oh!" Her eyes unfocused, and from nothing a tray of small, plastic vials were in her hands. "I've got some, um, generic anti-venom. A decent vitality booster that should work like a healing potion. And this one's acid. You could, I don't know, throw it at something? Or melt a lock. OK I don't know what these 'dungeons' are like, honestly. But it's strong. Don't accidentally drink it. I labeled them all so you won't get..."

Mason couldn't stop kissing her amazing, thick lips, or apparently groping her. She very clearly didn't mind, melting again against him and nearly dropping her tray. He practically growled as he remembered the mine.

"These are amazing." He took the vials, which were thankfully quite small. "Now I suggest you go shower and change before you catch too many eyeballs. But I'll see you when I get back?"

She nodded, looking a little vulnerable. Under all that toughness and bravado, it very much suited her, and reminded him she was young and he was the only man she'd been with.

"I'll see a lot of you when I get back."

She smiled and kissed him, eyes slightly closed as she brushed his face with hers. When he opened the door for her, she sighed and wandered off like she wasn't sure exactly where she was going.

For a moment he just watched her wander away, unable to fight the smile. It had been a hell of an afternoon, exactly what he needed, and exactly what he wanted to give Rosa. But now it was time to get back to work.

* * *

"How far down does the main shaft go?" Mason yelled over the din of the inhuman workers.

"Not sure," Carl called back. "There's a kind of digital map, though, if you look over here."

Mason had arrived somewhat late to the mine. Already several of the players and many civilians were wandering around the new settlement addition, all very excited and amazed until the first six foot rock man had appeared and caused a wave of panic.

Mason had assured them they were perfectly safe and part of his patronage. Or so he hoped.

But actually he didn't see any way at all under his options to actually control the things. All he could do from his list was turn the mine on or off. Other than that, you had to physically go into the mine and interact with several digital screens.

There was a map, as Carl was now demonstrating, as well as different categories of resource you could increase or decrease in desirability.

You couldn't specifically demand a certain thing, just say that's what you preferred. The mine had a number of standard, easily recognizable substances like iron, or copper. But it also had obviously game themed, vaguely magical sounding things like 'Earth Ore' or 'Water Ore'.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Oh I need that!" yelled the smith, gesturing at the list. "And that! This place is a..." the big Polynesian laughed. "I was going to say gold mine!"

Mason grinned as the various crafters all huddled around the screen and shook each other's shoulders or high-fived. They would obviously need some kind of system to work out who got what and when, but Mason expected with round-the-clock elemental workers, they'd soon have far more than they could use with their limited workforce.

He had no regrets at all at creating the mine, expecting it would pay huge dividends both for Nassau and himself, once the civilians started figuring out their classes and materials.

Not everyone had class-oriented innate magic weapons, and they all desperately needed armor. Defensive shields and minor healing had carried them thus far, but it clearly wouldn't always.

"I'm glad you're excited," Mason called over all the noise, getting his people to stop and pay attention in a way he still found uncomfortable. "I'm going North for several days. When I get back, I want a full update on this place and what we can do with it. We'll make rules later. For now, use anything you can get your hands on."

Most of the crafters grinned and nodded, and Mason walked back out into the settlement. The walls had expanded to surround the mine, which meant it was entirely protected like everything else in Nassau. But he knew he desperately needed to create more actual defenses, and considered choosing something now before he left.

But better not to hurry. And he was leaving a large number of players behind to defend, including Carl. They'd be alright.

He used Speak with Nature and touched the earth, sending a message to Violet that he was leaving, but she should stay and defend the settlement. Then he called for Streak and his team, waiting with Haley already at the gate.

He took the supplies Haley had gathered and packed perfectly, shaking his head as he found some extra clothes for everyone in case it got cold. The bloody woman thought of everything.

Then he nodded to Phuong, winking at a very excited Becky before stopping at Seamus.

"Afternoon, boss," the Irishman grinned like they were old friends. "Thanks very much for bringin' me along. I won't let you down."

"I wouldn't thank me yet," Mason said, his expression stony. "We've got a long ways to go, and Phuong and Becky have a lot of vitality. It's likely I'm going to run you half to death."

Without looking to see how the man responded, he turned to Haley and the busy settlement, throwing his pack over his shoulders.

His woman met his eyes and smiled, and he knew there were words they could say that all meant 'please come back alive'. But he knew, too, with Haley they weren't needed.

"Come on you slow bastards," he said, breaking into a jog as he slapped Streak's side. "I want to see mountains by sunset. Let's move."

"Mountains, aye chief," Seamus called. Then in a slightly lower voice, perhaps to Rebecca. "How far exactly are the fecking mountains?"

Mason smiled as he breathed in the forest air, and ran.

* * *

Mason kept one eye on his Wayfinder map, the other on the players in his wake.

"Come on, Seamus," he called for the fifteenth time, with more than a little pleasure.

The Irishman was drenched in sweat. He stumbled along gasping, red hair plastered to his forehead, skin even paler than usual. He'd stopped making quips about an hour ago, and just tromped along in silence.

"Maybe we should take a breather," Becky said beside him, with a slightly concerned look at the fire wizard.

Mason activated Ranger's Mark and took a look at the man's organs, then sighed. "Alright. Fifteen minutes."

Seamus collapsed, Becky leaned forward with hands on knees, and Phuong sat against a tree. Streak whined and yawned in boredom.

"I know you're excited," Mason said loudly, giving the wolf a good pet and scratch. "Yes I know the other humans are slow. But at least one of them is very pretty. Another is very old."

"Flattery isn't necessary," Phuong said with his eyes closed, taking deep breaths as he crossed his legs. Then slightly more sternly. "And I'm not old."

Becky grinned and came over to pet Streak, and also push herself against Mason. He wrapped an arm around her and breathed in her scent with a sigh. He knew she was likely horny beyond reason, and he sort of regretted bringing the other men along…

But of course there was no choice. This wasn't a pleasant stroll in the woods, it was a desperately needed attack to gain a critical resource—increased mobility. Mason felt time like a growing tide, stronger and stronger as it moved its way up the beach. Soon, he feared, it would drown them all unless they were ready.

"Time's up," he said, knowing it was more like five minutes. The others groaned, except Seamus, who made something more like a shuddering sob. "Seamus, I'll just carry you. But that means I'm picking up speed. Think you two can handle it?" He looked at Phuong and Rebecca, who nodded with determined eyes.

"You could have been fooking carrying me?" The Irishman sat up and wiped some sweat off his face. "I've no pride at all, man. There's no need to test me. I'll ride you like a bull on a bridge."

Mason looked at the sweat covered, already stinking man and winced.

"Well that's officially the worst offer I've ever had." He shoved his shitty, unstrung goblin bow in his bag, and re-arranged it slightly. Then he lifted Seamus off the ground and tossed him on his shoulders.

Rebecca put her hand over her mouth to hide the ill-concealed laughter, and Mason glared.

"Careful," he said. "I'm vengeful."

She wiggled her eyebrows. "Well, I wouldn't want to get punished later."

Phuong cleared his throat. "Don't add to an old, er, middle aged man's discomfort, please. Shall we?"

Mason and Becky grinned, then took off back into the trees.

* * *

They traveled northwest at first around the huge mountain. Mason thought it best to stay far away and avoid any issues with this 'Greenblood Order'. But as he ran and considered, he realized it wasn't likely he'd have a group of powerful players at his side again anytime soon. Maybe it was worth a quick look to scout the place.

He explained to the others, who were quickly on board. His only concern was that he wouldn't so easily be able to run if he wasn’t alone.

But still, the players could move fast enough, and if the goblin chased them into the woods, Mason would soon demonstrate why that was a mistake.

They turned slightly and spent a few hours watching the mountain peak out from the canopy, looming larger and larger until the ground got steep.

"I don't want to backtrack, so we'll just explore about half then keep on going north,” he explained.

The others nodded, and it did occur to him that if he was somehow separated from them they may have no idea how to get back to Nassau. So he stopped and drew a quick map, handing it to Phuong.

"Not to worry, young man," the ex-guerilla fighter smiled as he took it. "I've found my way in worse jungles than this. But still, thank you for the map."

"You ‘ain’t leaving us and running off, are you?" Becky sort of twisted her hands nervously and Mason shook his head.

"No. But just in case. Do you think you could get back to Nassau on your own if you had to?"

"Maybe?" She glanced at Phuong a little shyly. "He tried to teach me how to climb trees and get my bearings. And to make marks and all kinds of things. I could...probably do it. Eventually."

"I'm sure you could." The older man smiled. "Miss Rebecca is too modest. She did very well when we were lost for many days."

"Well I fecking couldn't." Seamus looked at everyone like they were crazy. "Oh! But I could start a fire, and the rest of you could come find me."

For a moment Mason found himself speechless, then realized the idiot wasn't joking.

"Are you..." he put a hand on the man's shoulder until he met his eyes. "Do not. Burn any trees with magic fire. Ever. It could light half the damn forest for all we know. The forest we live in. Get it?"

"OK, OK!" Seamus held up his hands. "Just an idea, mate, no need to be so touchy."

He's useful. He's useful, Mason repeated in his mind, then shook his head and started hiking upward.

He wasn't sure what he expected to find, exactly. Probably a giant cave complex filled with goblins, likely ending in another 'dungeon' filled with even more. He hoped the wizard and rogue he'd fought in the dungeon event had been exceptional, and that the place wouldn't be filled with them.

He'd grown in power since then, but the idea of chasing teleporting goblins around still wasn't wildly exciting, especially since the last batch had killed someone. Anyway, they wouldn't go in.

They'd take a quick look, scout it out for later, then move on to the tree. And Mason would finally be able to warp across the damn forest, solving problems God knew how much faster.

And easily checking on Blake every day.