Zach looked at the blue screen for a moment unsure which choice he would make, because a very small voice inside of him told him to grow in power and to take the experience and mana. So before he let that voice gain any more power Zach pressed the Yes button with his good hand dropping his spear. As the blue screen disappeared, Zach could now see Milly, Andy, and Alexa. Each of them press blue screens of their own, as Zach waited for their decision, and as Andy pressed the button on the last open screen another blue screen appeared in front everyone.

Congratulations you have completed the City Quest: Rise to Power for Schoner’s Creek 1! Your entire party as decided to defer personal experience and mana growth. City rewards have increased, personal rewards have been decreased. Know that your battle with the Stone Dire Bear (Longtooth) Level 37 has brought your city and you rewards!

You have gained +1 to your Dexterity!

You have gained +1 to your Endurance!

You have gained +1 to your Skill: Spear!

Your experience has been given to Schoner’s Creek Core!

Due to the influx of experience Schoner’s Creek Core has researched the following plans: Bridge (Simple), Fountain (Simple), Paved Street, Quarry, Statue (Simple), Stone Gate, Stone Motif (Simple), Stone Wall, and Rose Marble has been added as a material for all existing plans replacing the generic stone requirements.

Your Mana Pool increase has been given to Schoner’s Creek Core!

All gains from mana have been used in the City Quest: Build a Palisade.

Your City has gained an Earth Node, any resident of Schoner’s Creek will now enjoy an increase in cultivating Earth Mana.

Your loot has been given to Schoner’s Creek Dungeon!

Longtooth has now become a named boss of your Dungeon, his level has been reset to your highest dungeon creature (Level 13). Continue growing your dungeon to increase his level.

All creatures and mana beasts killed by Longtooth have now become monsters in your dungeon.

Due to you dungeon having obtain the ability to summon 28.1% of all common creatures of Erirrian forest, Common Fauna (Erirrian Forest) will appear and grow in your dungeon. Continue to collect more living samples to gain the ability to grow more Fauna.

Mana Beasts added to your dungeon are as follows:

Copperbite Snakes

Earth Elementals

Gutrut Boars

Ironhoof Deer

Mosswood Wolves

Shadow Panthers

Stone Bears

Storm Foxes

Weak Earth Elementals

Resources added to your dungeon:

Calcite Uncut Gem (Common)

Iron Ore Seam (Common)

Quartz Geodes (Common)

Copper Ore Seam (Uncommon)

Ruby Uncut Gem (Scarce)

Gold Ore Seam (Rare)

Orichalcum Pocket (Mythical)

A new City Quest: Rise to Power for Schoner’s Creek 2 has appeared at your City Core.

After reading the blue screen, all Zach could say was, “F.M.L.” Dismissing the blue screen Zach looked around the quarry and saw that light seem to flash here and there, as what he assumed was loot being magically devourer by the dungeon. Looking over at Andy, Zach saw him helping up Milly to her feet as part of her kimono towards her feet was covered in black tar. Realizing that Alexa had to be in pain as well, Zach went over to her. Seeing that the tar had splashed her shield and covered her leather arm greaves Zach tried to find the buckles that would release the shield. Realizing that the buckles were covered in black sticky tar Zach pulled his starting dagger from his belt. “Thanks,” Alexa whispered as tears of pain made clean tracks on her grit covered face.

“There is no need to thank me Alexa. I should have backed you up.” Zach said trying to breathe through the pain in his collarbone as the sawing action seemed to be sending waves of agony through him. As the last little bit of the strap was cut through, the shield dropped from Alexa’s arm onto the ground and Zach could finally see that the tar had poured over her bracer melting some of her flesh. Looking at the horrible wound Zach was unsure of what to do.

“I wasn’t talking about that.” Alexa said as her face grew with concern as Zach saw her fingers wiggle slightly. “You don’t think James is going to be upset with me do you?”

When Zach looked up from her arm to see the fear in her eyes, he finally understood how close of a bond he shared with Alexa. When he spoke it came straight from his heart, “James loves you with all his being, so yes he will be upset that you are hurt and in pain. He may even say something stupid like, you shouldn’t go back out on Quests or into the Dungeon. However, the only reason he is going to say that is because of that love and concern for you. So be prepared for the lecture when you are better, but give it some thought on how you are going to answer him. After all, all men fall to a beautiful woman with all the answers.”

Alexa smiled and then half laugh/snorted. The sound came out like a frog sneezing, at which point, both Zach and Alexa started to laugh in pain over the stupid noise. Zach could see through his hazy teared vision that Andy was coming over with Milly. Taking the back of his left hand, Zach wiped away the tears and looked up at them. Milly seemed to be floating a foot above the ground next to Andy as they walked up to them. While Andy looked like he hadn’t had a thing to eat in a couple of weeks, as his normal muscular frame was hallowed out and rail thin. Andy nodded to Zach and looked down at Alexa’s hand, a moment of concern passed his face before speaking. “So what’s gotten into you two?”

Zach shook his head, “Nothing. Are the two of you ok?”

Milly looked down at the tar and spoke, “The elemental burned my legs and I will have to use the blink spell all the way back home. Andy channeled a great deal of death mana through his body and chains, so he will need probably three or four weeks to recover. Looks like James is going to have to cut off that bracer of yours Alexa. What about you Zach?”

“Got hit in the shoulder by a rock elemental, I think I broke my collar bone.” Zach said. Now that he had calmed down and that the adrenaline had started to wear off from the fight, the broken bone was starting to become a throbbing pain.

Andy started to say something when he went into a hacking cough and his face went flush with red as he tried to recover. As the fit continue Zach began to get worried about his health until it finally died down. “Milly, you and Alexa need to get back to village first. Burns can get infected and its going to take a while for James to treat the both of you. Zach and I can continue on foot after we go see if the bear had any treasure.”

Milly smiled and nodded, “Well you boys don’t take too long, and make sure Zach uses his Autoloot.” Andy laughed at Milly’s comment and waited for the blinding flash of light that made Milly and Alexa disappeared. Andy came up to Zach with a serious look and pulled off his belt, for a moment Zach was almost afraid that Andy was going to beat him with it, but when he buckled it and looped it over his head Zach realized that it was a makeshift sling. Zach moved his arm into place and as the weight came off the shoulder he was able to sigh in relief and then thanked Andy for his kindness.

“Don’t worry about it lad. When you have dived as long as I have, you pick up a bit of knowledge, and you and I received minor aliments from the fight. The girls, on the other hand, needed to get back to James as quick as they could to heal their wounds and prevent any scar tissue from forming. You and me can get back to him in a couple of days and still be able to be patched up without any problems. Now, if Grim could join the conversation and if you could Autoloot my daughter shield I would appreciate it.” Said Andy as he threaded his chain through his pants loops.

Grim appeared as Alexa’s shield disappeared, smiling and with a T-shirt with a blue cloud symbol on it with the words, ‘There is no cloud. It’s just someone else’s computer.’ “Hello Andy, how many I be of service?” Grim said.

Andy looked down at Grim and spoke, “Well, my boys, what do you think we could have done better?” Smiling he started a slow walk over to Longtooths cave.

Grim looked up at Zach, and Zach could tell that he definitely need to be the first to say something. Zach took a few moments to really think over the fight and come up with an answer. Finally as they were about to approach the cave, Zach spoke, “I guess my biggest issue was that I didn’t know what to expect or where the next elemental was going to come from. Grim saved me by getting me to roll out of the way before it crushed me. Still if I could have anticipated where my opponents were forming I could have stopped several elementals.” Andy looked over at him giving him a nod and then looked down at Grim.

“Well sir, instead of Zach using thrust on the tar elemental. He should have used the spell Spark instead.” Grim said, and as soon as he had said it, Zach realized that in the heat of the moment he had completely forgotten about the spell. In fact looking at the dark cave Zach realized that he had another spell that would be useful as well. Focusing on the spell, Light, Zach spoke the arcane words and a ball of light appeared overhead. Zach looked down at Grim to see him smiling back at him.

“Both are great points, first there are several party upgrades for Grim that can help with your battle awareness. In order to obtain them, we will need to go to a decent size dungeon and see if we can’t get those upgrades from drops or shops as the old say goes. Still, your point about having a better understanding of what’s going on in combat will help you stay calm and use your mind. To Grim’s point, when holding a weapon in your hands you tend to think it’s the only tool you can use. This is why mages either keep their hands free or have a wand, it helps them think about using their spells instead of trying to hit their target with there weapon. Spark may or may not have worked, tar is flammable and can catch, but the earth elemental may have stopped it.” Andy had started walking into the cave and stopped as talking and walking had given him a bit of a wheeze to his breathe.

“In… Either case… You both are correct. Still I think it’s important for all of us to recognize that we did do several things right. You both were able to stop one of the elementals from killing my daughter and that you kept them busy while Milly and me killed Longtooth.” Andy took several deep breathes before starting again. Zach and Andy continued another ten feet when the light shone above a great deal of bones in a depression. All of a sudden a flash occurred from the pit and a blue screen appeared.

Congratulations! Within the remains of several beasts, and perhaps a few other beings, you have found a hidden treasure cache!

You have looted a Orcish Ring of Burning Rage!

You have looted the Tiny Core of a Wood Pixie!

You have looted 10 Earthhorns!

You have looted 7 Shadow Claws!

You have looted 6 Iron Hoofs!

You have looted 2 Clumps of Wolf Moss!

Smiling Andy tapped Zach on the shoulder and pointed over towards a wall. Dismissing the screen, Zach looked over and saw a large vein of different colors and realized that this was the real prize Andy was after. Andy walked over as he wrapped his fist around his chains. Taking a moment to take a deep breathe, Andy went ahead and began hitting the rock with his chained hand smashing with such force that the walls shook. Chucks of ore began to break off and went flying through the air, but Grim was able to loot it all before it even hit the ground. After a quarter of an hour, Andy finally had to stop in a fit of coughing and a blue screen appeared.

Through hard work and back breaking labor you have mined several ores.

You have mined 20 lbs of High Grade Iron Ore!

You have mined 5 lbs of Medium Grade Iron Ore!

You have mined 3 lbs of High Grade Gold Ore!

You have mined 2 lbs of Medium Grade Orichalcum Ore!

Mine 1000 lbs of a specific ore to receive a bonus.