“I’m sorry, Morlekai. But as much as I would be beyond grateful for your party’s continued and much appreciated help… what you’re asking me… to betray my nation’s trust...”

“The government’s already fallen. As has every other government the world over,” Morlekai said, each word crisp and clear, and so chilly that Eric was surprised the rotund rosy-cheeked man with the old fashioned wire-rimmed glasses didn’t find the tea in his trembling hands turning to ice. “And the city above us? You don’t need me to tell you the fate of every single poor soul my sister and I were not able to rescue in time. Another fifty souls, useful productive souls, my sister risked her life to bring you this very day!”

Mayor Snibbs swallowed, Adam's apple bobbing. “And I fully acknowledge and appreciate that, Morlekai. Hundreds of us owe you our lives. No one is more aware of that than I! But you're asking me to betray an oath of office I took decades ago! You and I both know what you're after, Morlekai, because of course, I did my research." The man sighed and slid a manilla folder filled with mugshots Eric didn't need to look at too closely to know who they were of.

“And do you know what, Morlekai? None of that means a damned thing to me. As far as I'm concerned, you and your cohorts slipping free of maximum security prisons, where you were all serving serious time, is nothing but ancient history and proof of your talents. Talents that have allowed you to bring hundreds of innocents hope for a new life, a better life. Hope for salvation!" He shook his head almost sadly. "I'm no fool, Morlekai. I know you could kill me in an eyeblink. I can only hope that… no, I know that, you are better than that. Because here and now, you have the chance to be the hero, the paladin, we all secretly yearn to be."

He flashed a sad, sympathetic smile. "I know what it's like, that hunger. I won't even tell you how many times I've stared at that bullion when the entire bank was empty save for myself… a lapse of security I never should have allowed, but did. Because yes, at one point, sorely in debt, my fool of a son running up a hundred and fifty thousand dollar gambling debt!"

The mayor shook his head and sighed. “It’s a miracle that boy survived long enough for me to straighten things out. But I did straighten things out, at great personal cost to myself! And do you know what kept me from walking the path you skirt even now? Because that gold is so much more than remnants of an era when our country did just about anything it could to seize the wealth of any tribe or neighboring nation. It’s more than just a prize that almost any man would kill for!”

The man’s eyes lit up with near fanatical reverence. “More than anything else, it has the potential to serve as the bedrock of our nation's economic resuscitation! Should disaster fall, it's that gold, in my vaults and similar vaults throughout the country, that will serve as the backbone of our renaissance, when our country rises from the ashes of its own defeat! With that immutable wealth, we will have the means to draw the lines of credit and resources we will need to bootstrap our nation back from the brink of absolute disaster! And today, Morlekai, with our entire world invaded by every goddamned Tolkienesque nightmare you can think of, we need those reserves more than ever!"

Eric almost wanted to applaud the passion with which the man spoke, now gazing at the pair of rogues before him like a true righteous hero, as if willing to die for a cause far greater than himself.

Slowly, without taking his eye off Mayor Stibbs for a second, Morlekai pulled out three black chips stacking one on top of the other, right beside the fine chinaware the mayor was using for his tea.

Stibbs instantly lost his virtuous luster, crashing back down on his seat, face taking on a ghastly pallor as he gazed from the chips to Morlekai and back.

“How long?” he whispered.

“From the moment Papa Dominic put out the bounty. My boy Drake's the one who got your boy safely to California. Your ex-wife got him into rehab. He ran up almost as much debt speedballing as he had gambling." He flashed a pitying smile. "From what Drake told me, your ex and your daughter beat the crap out of him, forced his ass into rehab, and this time he was willing to walk the walk. Before you know it, he's in culinary school. Last I heard, he makes a pretty mean flambe. Who knows? Maybe he even got the Chef Profession. Because crappy as the odds are, if one family member actually survives the pods, their immediate relatives also have a decent shot surviving it, Administrator Stibbs."

Stibbs was trembling, spilling more tea than he drank. “How long, Morlekai? How long have you been preparing for this?”

Morlekai cracked his neck. “You talk about second chances? I’m all about second chances. I gave your son a second chance at life. My sister gave you the only professionals you have, including the smith and leather-worker who actually have System recognized professions. And let’s not forget the greenmages, farmers, and fishermen. To say nothing of the other three hundred souls helping you build your city from scrap.” He flashed the smile of a man playing an inside straight. “You want to be a hero and save the world? The way I see it, you’re doing just that. The orcs might have seized the surface, but bothering with these tunnels with everything else they have on their plates is probably the last thing on their to-do list. Which means you have a real shot of turning this hidden gem of a sanctuary into a thriving community that might just serve as a bastion of humanity, depending on how things play out above.

Morlekai's smile hardened. "But there's a problem with that little scenario. Right now, these orcs are caught in a stalemate with the Sylvan faction, just next door. That keeps them both relatively weak, and fully occupied. What happens, Stibbs, if the orcs somehow luck into that bank vault themselves? Can you imagine the resources they would suddenly be able to tap into? How quickly they could secure their territory and expand? Both above and below ground? Because leaving a fortune in gold in the middle of their territory is a great way to enrich our enemy.”

Eric noted the growing pallor to the mayor's features, hand now definitely rattling teacup against plate as Morlekai spoke on.

“The way I see it, us liberating the gold assures that it stays out of the hands of enemies and into the hands of humans who can use it to level up, enrich their allies, punish their enemies, and get the human race back on its feet. Because you’re not just putting the gold in our hands. You’re keeping it out of the damned orc’s hands. And don’t for a minute think that this town, your people, mayor, and the direct inheritors of the ruined city above, won’t also be getting their cut. Who knows? Enough gold in your own coffers might be exactly what you need to bring in adventurers from Freetown and elsewhere, eager to earn some honest coin and clear out the infestation above, and maybe help you rebuild the entire city.”

Morlekai tipped his hat and winked. “Who the hell knows? If you play your cards right and lead the efforts to claim the city and the surrounding territory, you might just find yourself royalty before the year is out.”

He held the man’s trembling gaze for long seconds. “Think about it, Stibbs. You’ll be the hero of your people, beloved, and rightfully so. And with title comes rank and privilege. And automatic interface upgrade. Your very blood and bones empowered as you instantly inherit a combatworthy class, a noble class, and never have to worry about dying of old age again."

“How much gold are we talking about?" The mayor's eyes widened, as if unable to believe the words leaving his own lips.

Morlekai grinned, catching Eric’s gaze. “Let’s say… if things truly work out as I hope they will… if the bullion remains untouched… fifty pounds.”

Stibbs mouth dropped. He blinked in the sudden heavy silence as his mouth opened and closed silently, before finally saying. "What we need more than anything else is food, Morlekai. Gold is all well and good, but we have a thousand hungry citizens, and the only thing stopping us from bringing in more is..."

“How much do you need?” Eric said, speaking at last, earning a surprised blink from the man focusing on him for the first time, his momentary grimace turning to a fatherly, sympathetic smile.

“I see I’m not the only one who felt the bitter bite of the transition. I do hope you’re not in any pain, lad.”

Eric smiled. “I’m fine. And please, call me Eric. Now, far more important question. How much meat were you hoping to score?”

This earned a bitter chuckle. “We could certainly use whatever you can hunt down, lad, monster meat or no. Right now, until our greenmages can grow crops en masse, and even afterwards, hunters will be our most valued...” he stopped them, gazing at Eric in disbelief, slowly shaking his head. “No, it can’t be, can it? You… you’re him, aren’t you?”

Eric felt his cheeks blaze. “Please don’t say it.”

"Aurlia Silver's son! I saw the premiere, lad. It was brilliant. You… you were absolutely brilliant! I felt chills. Chills! It was better than the movie with the tridents, or the gigantic sandworms!” Then he paled, now gazing at Eric far too intently for comfort. “Is it true, then? Everything the movie implied, an ancient empire separated from its beloved colony, the true origins of Atlantis! Of course I thought it all a silly fantasy, no offense. Your mother’s movies so often are. But this one… Eric, it spoke of the end times. Did she know? What does it...”

Eric smacked the tabletop with the palm of his hand. Stibbs blinked in surprise. “It was just a stupid movie, alright? A stupid movie I didn’t even want to be in, because there’s only so much a desperate director and stunt coach can do to cover for the fact that I can’t act for shit! So for fuck’s sake, never bring up that goddamned train-wreck of a movie again!”

But the mayor firmly shook his head. “No, you’re wrong, Eric. Believe me, I’d be the first to tell you to consider another line of work if you had truly bombed. You might have been a bit rough around the edges, and you’re no Elonia Silver, but your passion when the world was in flames, the look in your eyes… captivating! You have talent, son. You wouldn’t be Aurelia’s firstborn if you didn’t!”

His eyes bulged when Eric slammed his hand over the panicked man’s mouth, glaring into the man’s tearing eyes. “How… much… fucking… meat do you assholes need!?”

“As much as you can give!” the mayor shouted, glaring at Eric as he wheezed and coughed, cheeks flushed as he bent down and coughed. “Every scrap of food you can find!”

“Good. Will a thousand pounds pay for your secret, here and now?”

The mayor paused, his wheeze easing, anger turning to a look of solemn regret once more.

“Eric, I...”

“How about two thousand?”

Now Morlekai was gazing at him way too intently.

The mayor swallowed. “We’d need to pull everyone free to process that, and even then...”

“How about three?” Eric gazed at the stunned-looking mayor for long seconds. “Give me a fucking number, and we’ll go from there.”

This earned a bitter sigh. “Eric, if the town keeps growing at the rate it is, even if we have absolutely everyone available smoking, salting, and otherwise preserving the meat, using our tanner and green mages exclusively… we’d need ten thousand pounds to feed us for a month.”

Even Morlekai furrowed his brow at that number.

“It’s true,” the mayor said defensively. “The nutritionists and biologists I have didn’t lose their degrees just because electromagnetism has been affected by other forces and fields of reality some might call magic, or necromancy,” he said with a pointed look at Morlekai’s crows, one of which elected to give a fierce caw.

Eric gazed at the mayor for long moments. “Done,” he said. Before flashing a hard smile. “But the hides, and any choice organs that might have magical properties or any shit like that? Mine.”

The mayor gazed at Eric for long moments. "You're serious."

"As the grave," Eric replied, ignoring Morlekai's burning gaze. "Now where the hell do you want it? I'm guessing not by the lake. No reason to contaminate your water supply."

But the mayor had already popped out of his leather-backed chair, daring around the polished manager's desk, shouting down the hallway. "Amy! Get everyone with a lick of skill at skinning or preserving meat! Anyone who's lived on more than canned goods or, hell, ever served as a cook. We got meat incoming!"

A harried-looking lady with gold-rimmed glasses and white, frizzy hair wearing a pencil skirt popped around the corridor. "Mayor Stibbs?"

The mayor turned to Eric. "You best not be pulling a con, son."

"I hope you're ready to process a shit-ton of meat, Mayor Stibbs," Eric replied with a smirk, ignoring the flinch Amy the secretary sent his way before she darted around, going as fast as skirt and pumps would allow. A bemused Eric soon found himself following the waddling mayor soon after, Morlekai giving Eric a pointed look and saying. "I'll be back with some associates," as Eric was all but dragged to the far end of the strikingly vast cavern, beyond even the lake, finding himself gazing at a dozen patiently waiting people wearing pretty much everything from summer wear to business casual, all their clothes shaving seen better days, and all of them gazing at Eric with looks ranging from disgust to disinterest to genuine curiosity.

The mayor cleared his throat. “If you would be so kind, Eric?”

Eric smirked. “Sure.”

He started light, summoning one rat after another, a performance which earned any number of gasps and strangely grateful smiles. A few nods of respect as well.

“Damn impressive ES Space you got there, son. Mine only holds a hundred pounds,” said one of the men dressed in rawhide and leathers, unlike the others. “I got to… how does the term go? Level it up, and harvesting’s my Profession.”

Eric took a closer look at the man, noting the wild curly hair and beard, the way he seemed to be completely at ease, without any of the nervous worry and desperate hope he saw on so many others, many even now approaching the rat carcasses.

“But that’s not all you are, is it?” Eric said, seeing the way the man shifted his stance, his back closest to the wall with soft green eyes that had clearly seen action.

The man smiled. "Conscript combat class, Harvester profession. I'm damn lucky to get one of both." He closed his eyes, and a fine yew longbow appeared in his hand.

Eric whistled. “Nice looking bow,” he said, before flashing an almost apologetic smile. “I’m more of a crossbowman myself.”

“Don’t blame you,” the man said. “A good quality compound crossbow can serve you almost as well as a rifle, and no reason not to claim every advantage we can, hunting dinner and carving out a life for ourselves down here. Name’s Jeffrey, by the way.”

“Eric.”

“Pleasure, Eric.”

Eric grinned. “Likewise.”

The man frowned consideringly at the twenty rat carcasses ranging between 3 feet and a massive five feet in length. “Solid hall. Not exactly ten thousand pounds, but this will feed a lot of people.” He flashed a wry smile. “You want me to get harvesting them before everyone fucks up the meat, hide, and organs?”

Eric smiled, ignoring the look the mayor was sending him, clearly stuck somewhere between ire at seeing far less than ten thousand pounds worth of meat, and gratitude for what was at least a tenth of that. "You know what? I'd love to see you do your thing."

Jeff didn’t hesitate, though his easygoing smile turned to an authoritative shout. “Move back, people!”

And the looks of ire he received didn’t stop people from doing just that, or whistling in awe when, one after another, the strangely fresh but very dead carcasses turned into piles of steaming meat, perfectly cleaned hides ready for softening into comfortable leather clothes or being turned into far more durable rawhide armor, and what appeared to be a tightly stretched bladder holding all the creature’s choicest innards. Even the blood was stored by means he didn’t want to think about, the bones clean and dry as well.

Eric shook his head and whistled. “That, sir, is truly damned impressive.”

Jeffrey nodded. “It is. Just one of the perks of being human. We might be shit for any sort of elven arcanistry, dwarven crafting, or elemental magic in general, but I'm guessing that with over a million years of hunting and gathering with spears and other tools being a part of our ancestral heritage, we’re naturals when it comes to this sort of thing.”

Eric blinked. “How exactly does it work?”

The harvester gave a good-natured chuckle as he moved on to the next rat, which soon transformed into a similarly prepared pile of perfectly prepped meat and usable items. “Don’t have a damn clue. I just know that I’m sacrificing a portion of the meat… just a small portion of the viscera most people don’t want anyway, the really nasty, slimy, smelly bits... to fuel the transformation. So it taps into very little of my own energy. And every kill I prepare like this helps increase my Profession rank, separate from my adventuring class. I don’t get an additional 3 stat points every level, which would be incredibly sweet, but I do get other perks… not the least of which is mastering a skill I’m betting will be in high demand, pretty much everywhere.”

Eric smiled and nodded, happy to watch Jeffrey do his thing, continuing to ignore the scowling mayor or the hard look Morlekai was giving him when he bought with him a muscular man wearing a leather apron giving off serious blacksmith vibes, and a similarly dressed man staring intently at the rat hides now gathered in a neat pile.

Instead, he spent his time carefully studying Jeffrey, seeing if he could glean any hints about what he was doing, and how he did it. And for all that he felt the tantalizing hint of… something, an exchange of potency of some sort, as the cadaver transformed into prepped food and goods with just a portion of its potential being consumed by the magic that fed the transformation… he could gain no further insights beyond that.

It was only when Jeffrey had prepped the last kill, eyes widening as he shivered with an epiphany of some sort, that Eric asked the question. “You feeling up harvesting one more carcass, Jeffrey? Or would you rather rest and consolidate your gains?”

The man blinked, focusing on Eric. He chuckled softly. “That obvious, huh?”

Eric shrugged.

“Well hell, son, if you got any more, now’s definitely the time. With Professions, you’re best off riding your epiphanies as far as they will take you. Forging masterworks if you can...” His words cut off in breathless awe.

As did everyone else's, before the crowd's murmurs turned to a low-key roar of noise.

Even Morlekai was gazing at Eric with something close to wonder.

You have successfully removed 1 Greater Cave Lizard!

Greater Cave Lizard has been successfully harvested by third party designated: Friendly.

You have successfully stored all harvested components!

ESS Manipulation is now Rank 6!