Raze ~ 13!

Joe used the short amount of time that he had remaining until respawn researching what was all happening out in the ‘real world’. While most of the news centers were slowly going off-air, especially since they were mainly coastal broadcasting stations, there were plenty of people streaming from their phones.

It looked like a nightmare come to life, and there didn't seem to be much anyone could do to stop what was happening. Bullets dealt some damage, but unless it was a perfect shot or really high caliber, not much happened at all to the monster getting shot at. To the monster, at least. Not many people that were standing their ground were surviving for very long. High-powered weapons were hard to get ahold of. The government was gone, so there were no bombs, tanks, or missiles hitting. That was actually for the best most likely, as the issue was so widespread that there would have been as much loss of life and property damage either way. 

The portal opened for Joe, and he stepped through and into the Pathfinder’s Hall. He walked around and found his people again, then explained what had happened. “It’s fine, it just seems to be something that’s going to be happening from now on. Listen, it’ll be easier for me of we got moving. The fewer people that know where I am at any given time would be lovely. Anyone need anything? No? Great.”

They all went to the Temple section of the Pathfinder’s Hall and teleported as far south as possible: Ardania. Joe felt sick looking around. The entire place was stuffed, and more people were arriving every second. “Quick, let’s get out of here!”

Exiting the continuously growing crowd was not easy, and there was far more pushing and shoving than Joe wanted to have to use. He stood behind Bard, using the Skald as a tank that slowly drove the crowd. At one point, Joe heard a yelp, and Alexis suddenly was sporting a nasty smile. “Some thief just learned that it's a bad idea to pick my pocket, there was a nasty pain poison in there that will also turn his hand red for a few days.”

Joe needed to stop in the shopping district to grab as many glass panes as had been completed, then they simply continued through the city on the main road until they came out the southern gates. Joe had never been this way before, or this far, and it took a little while to realize how truly massive this city was. Twenty-five million permanent residents had not made this a small space, and being a self-sustaining city meant that there were crops and places for animals to graze as well. The size and scope of the wall that surrounded the entire city made Joe's head spin.

They had already been traveling for hours by the time the southern gate came into view, and they were ready to abandon the city and get some fresh air and elbow room. They passed into the wildlands that were south of Ardania, and all of a sudden there was practically no one around them. Most of the newbies were far too scared to go out and about, and none of them had signed up to be torn apart by monsters. In fact, they were specifically running from that. Joe’s group started making good time at that point, and they were able to follow a basic dirt road that seemed to align with their destination pretty well.

“Joe!” Poppy startled the party leader out of his thoughts, and pointed at a small building that was just off the path. “Is that one of those fast-travel points that you can use?”

The Rituarchitect took a closer look, and sure enough there was a shrine next to the road. Like most of the other ones that he had seen to this point, the shrine was eroded and faded. Whatever it had once been dedicated to could be a fun debate, but Joe decided that he would rather just take it for himself and Tatum. “Thanks, Poppy! You guys want a break really quick?”

“Sounds nice to me!” Jaxon gave Joe a thumbs-up and started doing seemingly impossible stretches on the ground next to the shrine. The others sat just out of view and pulled out some food for a makeshift lunch.

Joe walked over to the shrine and put his hand on the small altar.

You have found an unguarded shrine! As you are not currently under attack, you have the option to rededicate this shrine to your deity. Would you like to do so now? Yes / No

After saying yes, the heavily eroded shrine simply collapsed inward as Joe’s mana washed outward. More and more mana fell off, and Joe struggled to keep upright as the shine sank away and was replaced by a small building; the patchwork roof turned into a stone book placed upside down, and the walls became books placed open and upright. All in all, a proper rest stop.

You have earned a reward from the continuous quest: Reclamation of the lost. After making a new shrine for Tatum, you have been blessed! You have gained: +1 strength.

“Looking good!” Alexis called over as the sun hit the white marble of the new shrine. 

“Thanks!” Joe called back distractedly. He had his eyes closed, and was listening for the nagging sensation that usually accompanied finding a waypoint. Something else was ringing in his ears though, and it stayed as constant as tinnitus. What was that? Joe focused in on it and suddenly realized that the entire shrine had a single note of music continuously coming off of it.

Skill increased: Magical Synesthesia (Novice II). Realizing the directional angle of this skill was the important first step toward mastery! Or did you just so happen to look in the direction after hearing the sound?

“I suppose it makes sense that this is a magical building.” Joe stared at the shrine and decided to look in all the standard places. He followed all the lines and checked each crevice. He only found the bind point after he almost gave up, then followed a hunch and pressed his finger into a page on the ceiling. He lost a point of health and a drop of blood; but a white ring of energy seemed to expand outward for about ten paces, and Joe knew that he had found what he was looking for. “Excellent.”

“Hey guys!” Joe called to the others. “Looks like we can make a trail of these and use them for fast travel if we can keep finding and converting them, so keep an eye out!”

“So we could sleep every night in the guild, and then just resume out trip in the morning?” Alexis perked up considerably at this happy news. “It shall be my first priority, party leader!”

Joe rolled his eyes even as Bard chuckled. Maybe being in a relationship made odd comments like that seem funny? Joe also decided not to mention the fact that if he had enough shrines, his deity would get unlocked in the future. They didn’t need to know. “At least we won't need to go into Ardania if we don't want to.”

The others pulled faces at the thought of going back there, and they decided to get on the road again. After they had been walking for another half hour, they found a large camp of people. The strangest thing was that they were this far out into the wildlands, and most of them were still level one and weaponless. Joe was concerned, but the people seemed happy enough. He went over to one of the people and asked where they were going. The man looked at him blankly, then took in his garb, weapon, and the similar state of the people with Joe.

“Oh! Hey there, I thought you had just gotten separated from us.” The man smiled cheerfully and waved at Joe as he got closer. “We’re going to our guild’s area. There are so many people coming in with non-combat classes that some guilds are starting various divisions. We are going to be a part of the farming division. Plenty of work, food, shelter, protection from monsters.”

“What do you get out of doing the work? I assume you are going to be feeding the guild?” Joe looked at the man quizzically.

“What do you mean?” The farmer seemed confused, then angry. “I just told you. Food, shelter, protection from monsters.”

“You’re willingly going off to be a serf in a feudalistic system?” Joe bluntly asked the guy. “For how long?”

“Until I can go back to my house in Iowa, dude.” The farmer started to walk away. “Leave me alone.”

Joe was flabbergasted. He had no idea how someone could so willingly and cheerfully give up. Did he even look into the guild that he had joined? Looked at options? Then he remembered that there were so many people joining right now that there was no realistic way for them to make demands of potential employers. With such a huge workforce arriving, there would always be someone else that would take any job - no questions asked. Joe was suddenly afraid for the future of this continent. Guilds would still be subject to the crown, but would likely be making their own little kingdoms all over the place.

“Let’s… let’s get out of here, guys.” Joe started walking past the giant camp full of refugees, only just now realizing that almost everyone that had come from earth suddenly fit into that horrific category. He needed to do something, something that would help them all. All of humanity. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It would be a long journey.

They had gotten about a half mile away from the camp when Alexis suddenly spoke up. “Joe, I’m seeing a… is that a pride of lions? Are we in a different biome than our area or something? Anyway, I think they are going after that camp. Should we go after them?”

“Not even a question.” Joe flicked his eyes in the direction she was indicating, only seeing long grass swaying against the wind from this distance. “Anything will tear through that group, and even if they have people that are guarding them, they can’t be everywhere. Let’s go.”

They started on an interception course for the lions, and as they closed in the grass stopped moving. Apparently, the ambush was set. “Alexis?”

“Oh, I’m all over this.” She swept her cloak to the side and a massive crossbow flipped over her shoulder and settled in front of her. Alexis pulled off the arrow that was attached and slotted in a bolt that was more barrel than arrow. She fired the bolt into the area with the cats, and a huge nova of poison expanded from the impact zone.

A guttural roar destroyed any concern that the group had been wrong. A lioness bounded out toward them, then another… and another. Nine lionesses in total were coming after the humans, followed by a brute of a Lion.

“I like my skin intact, yes I do. I like my skin intact, how about you?” Bard chanted into the air, and Joe was graced with a notification that he would take nine percent less slashing damage for thirty minutes.

“New song, Bard?” Jaxon beamed at the Skald, then went back to studying the cats running at them. “I really like it. I haven't had much luck with singing lately.”

“Still workin’ on this one.” Bard’s voice betrayed his embarrassment. Then the cats had arrived, and there was no more time for feelings like doubt or concern. There was only surviving, and making sure that your opponent didn't.