Chapter 29: Book 1: Chapter 12 (Part 1 of 3)

The dawn light that streamed through the lodge windows woke me in the morning. A quick check of my watch confirmed it was a little after six a.m. The night had passed uneventfully, except for the sexy times which were very eventful, but we had no attempted breaches into the lodge or monster incursions.

I made a mental note anyway that we should be more careful in the future. We had left ourselves dangerously exposed, or had we?

“Quixbix, how much can you ‘see’ from wherever you are housed?” I questioned the ever-present imp.

<Good morning to you too, Torin> Quixbix snipped, stressing his greeting.

“Shit, sorry. Good morning, Quixbix,” I apologised, acknowledging his heavy-handed hint.

<Thank you. As for your question I can ‘see’ twenty-five metres in all directions centred on you. The range of my vision will expand by five metres with every level you gain. I should warn you, though, I don’t have omniscient detection, if a threat is using a spell, gear, or ability to conceal itself I can be affected like any other. My detection capability in those circumstances is dependent upon your stats, as we are enmeshed at the molecular level. Also, I can’t see anything you wouldn’t be able to see from your current vantage point. For example, at Constance’s house I wasn’t aware of the presence of the zombies inside the house, as the blinds were down> he explained before he continued.

<There are exceptions, of course. Like when we were at the BuyMart and I was able to link up with its security features which improved what I could detect. For the record, I don’t sleep and kept watch. From your position on the bed, I could see through the lodge windows. A few low-grade critters did come sniffing about, but as the lodge was sealed, they moved on.>

“Good to know and thanks,” I told him. “Is that common then? That the monsters will leave if they can’t find an easy way in?”

<Yes, for the kind of low-grade mobs you’ve encountered thus far. Everything is tiered, so anything graded Z through V is in the first tier. Their ‘instincts’ will deter them from trying to break in, at least until they gain enough levels to qualify as a second-tier threat. There are higher grade spawning crystals, but these were sited further away from people and they spawn creatures less frequently. However, when those mobs do start venturing into the towns a locked door won’t deter them> he answered gravely.

“Gotcha. I don’t suppose you know when that’s likely to start happening?” I queried.

<Quicker than on most integrated worlds. The information I have on Earth’s integration shows that due to your planet’s proximity to the Aperture every spawning crystal was attuned to operate at one hundred percent efficiency, which is unusual. Your planet also needed fifty percent more spawning crystals and dungeons to compensate for the higher proportion of magical energy making its way past the Framework’s shielding.>

<Unfortunately, the density of human population made siting that many crystals impossible. There also required additional dungeons, whose placement couldn’t be avoided and were prioritised over spawning crystals which added to the siting difficulties. So, instead some crystals were supercharged to compensate.>

<The effects of supercharging vary from spawning crystal to spawning crystal. Some will spawn mobs as they normally would but at twice the rate, while others will spawn double the number of mobs at the regular rate. There will even be a few that spawn more powerful versions of the mobs than they usually would.>

<And last, but not least there is the super-splurge option. These crystals disgorge a massive number of their mobs when they activate. They then spawn like a regular crystal for a few months before splurging again. Long term these are the best for the safety of the populace, short term…I think you can figure out why it’s not helpful in the short term.>

<None of the crystals close to towns were supercharged. Which is why mass slaughter has yet to commence, but that does mean it’s the crystals churning out more dangerous monsters that were. Although to avoid your world being scorched by a flight of dragons in the first few weeks, the most powerful spawning crystals aren’t charged in this manner. The supercharging is concentrated on the second and third tier crystals. To answer your question, assuming there isn’t a splurge option crystal relatively close by, I’d guess two more days before second-tier stuff begins to invade the smaller towns.>

<In a few weeks anywhere small and undefended will be overrun by these beasts or by the tier three mobs that start poking around. In two months the fourth and fifth tier creatures will be rampaging across the country and nowhere without levelled-up defenders will be safe then> he finished.

“Shit,” I cursed, shocked at his assessment. “I don’t think people are prepared for that. Too many are still Civilians or are in a state of disbelief. How did the other worlds handle this?”

<They learn how to kill stuff and then the combat classes cull regularly> he answered.

Shana stirred next to me.

“Kill what, now?” she mumbled, still half-asleep.

“Morning beautiful,” I grinned, and bent down and kissed her pretty lips.

“Hmmm, morning, handsome,” she smiled.

<Typical. You remember your manners for her, just because you like to touch her wobbly parts. Even after what I did to help out. No gratitude> Quixbix grouched.

Shana blushed at Quixbix’s grumbling. I, however, was more confused.

“What do you mean? After you did what to help out?” I queried aloud; my brow furrowed with suspicion.

Shana’s complexion went from a rosy rouge to a deep mauve as her blush deepened. I tried to glance from one to the other, but as Quixbix was incorporeal that made things difficult, so my gaze settled on my intimate companion for answers.

“It’s nothing, really,” Shana evaded, trying to downplay whatever it was.

“What is nothing?” I insisted.

Shana couldn’t meet my eyes and just as I was about to ask again, she spoke up. “Well, um, you know how Quixbix gives you class quests.”

“I’m aware, like the quest I have to capture a dungeon core to power my ship,” I remarked.

“Yes, just like that. He kind of gave me one too after we bonded,” she fudged, her voice trailing off.

“That sounds interesting, but doesn’t really explain much,” I pressed.

“Yeah, well, um, how do I put this, we kind of completed the quest last night,” she hedged.

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Quixbix chuckled gaily at this. Then I put two and two together.

“He gave you a quest to sleep with me?” I exclaimed with narrowed eyes.

Shana paused, she seemed to be searching for the right words before she sheepishly admitted. “Yes.”

To be honest I wasn’t surprised by the imp’s behaviour. This also explained Shana’s weird reaction when I suggested we share a bed in the BuyMart office. I was a bit disappointed Shana had kept it to herself, though, so decided a little mental punishment was due.

“So, that was what last night was about then. I was merely a means to an end. A way to get more experience.” I huffed, feigning being upset and jumped out of the bed.

“No, Torin, that’s not true. Please believe me I didn’t do any of that last night for the experience. Honestly, I’d forgotten all about it, until this morning,” Shana pleaded and followed me off the bed.

Her jiggly bits jiggled in the enticing way that they do and almost ruined my entire act.

“What was I worth then? I hope it was a meaningful amount, go on, tell me?” I ordered.

“A little over eighteen hundred XP,” Shana confessed reluctantly. “But only because it’s a class quest and became more valuable when I switched to Shadepath Markswoman,” she tried to explain, but only managed to give me the perfect opening.

“Oh, I see. It wasn’t worth it when you would only get a Civilian’s XP for the deed. It’s good to know you weren’t slumming it,” I continued my Oscar-worthy performance.

“No, no, no, no. That’s not why I hesitated the night before, Torin. I’m so sorry I should have told you, but I was frightened how you would react to my…proclivities. I’ve had boyfriends before who said they understood, but they didn’t, not really. They’d end up copying bad porn and treating me like shit. I know I should have trusted you; you were perfect last night, you were everything I’ve ever wanted,” Shana pleaded desperately while gripping my arm and tears formed at the edge of her eye.

I knew straight away I’d taken it too far, but honestly; I hadn’t thought my acting to be that good. Then I recalled my enhanced social stats and figured they were helping me out. I pulled her in close and hugged her tightly.

“I’m just busting your non-existent balls. The lack of which I am eternally grateful for. That would have been a difficult conversation last night otherwise,” I assured her.

Shana half-snorted, half-laughed into my chest and slapped me lightly on the arm. “You ass. You frightened me half to death just then.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I misjudged how you’d react. So, I was perfect last night, huh,” I grinned, preening a little at the praise of my bedroom prowess.

Shana blew a raspberry but didn’t deny it.

I chuckled and kissed the crown of her head.

“Let’s get cleaned up and have a bite to eat,” I suggested, “We have a dungeon to find and conquer,”

I took Shana’s hand in mine and led her into the bathroom.

An hour later we were washed, fed, and ready to hit the road.

Shana picked up the red leather harness, cuffs, and leash that we’d put to good use last night and waved them in front of me. “Can you store these, Torin? I can’t put them back in my inventory.”

“Sure, they don’t weigh much, and I have a bit of room,” I told her and took the gear from her.

Then just before I stowed them a thought occurred to me. “Shana,” I said slowly. “Do you usually walk around with bondage gear mixed in with your gym clothes?

The dark-haired beauty tanned skin blushed a bright crimson.

“No…” she hesitated. “It’s a long story and we need to get on the road, don’t we?”

“I think we have enough time for an abridged version,” I hinted, and shook the red leather accoutrements meaningfully.

“Fine,” she sighed, after pouting at me for a moment. “The short version is Victor has a son from a previous marriage, Hector, who until recently lived with his mother. Hector graduated, barely, from high school this summer and as he is a useless, lazy, creeper, he refused to get a job after graduating. So, his mother kicked him out.”

“That was just over a week ago and Victor let him move in with us. And I’ve caught him sniffing around my room twice since then. I did mention he was a creeper, yes. When Victor announced we were heading to Flint for the day and Hector was staying behind to answer the phones, I knew the nasty creep would be rifling through my things the minute the car was out of sight. I didn’t have much time, so I stuffed the personal effects I couldn’t bear the thought of him finding into my gym bag and brought it with us. Is that enough details?” she huffed.

“Well, that does open up a few other questions. Like why you were still living with Victor after your Mum passed and what else did you stuff in the gym bag?” I said leadingly.

“Which is part of the longer story, and that can wait for another day,” she retorted, and swished past me.

Shana’s grand exit was ruined slightly when she remembered the bike and had to come back into the Lodge and wheel it out.

I chuckled and followed after her.

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