You defeated your opponents!

  Achievement Unlocked! Physics, How Does It Work? – You caught a sword between your bare hands without losing several fingers. MythBusters says that’s impossible, but what do they know?

  Reward: 3 Fundamental Forces shards.

  Achievement Unlocked! Pins-cushion – You survived two swords sticking through you at the same time. One more and you’d have a hat trick.

  Reward: 2 Life shards.

  Achievement Unlocked! Whose Line Is It? – You used your Improvise Weapon ability three times with three different weapons in a single battle. If you’re keeping count, those weapons were a halberd, a mace and the corpse of a recently killed Enforcer.

  Reward: 1 Universal Knowledge shard and 1 Elemental shard.

  Achievement Unlocked! Hit Batsman – You’ve introduced baseball to Senarci! Your pitch did more than knock the batter down. You turned his jaw into a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone.

  Reward: 1 Fundamental Forces shard.

  Achievement Unlocked! Friendship Bond – You fought alongside a stranger. In the process, you saved each other’s lives. That means stranger no longer.

  Reward: Boost ‘Party Time.’ Allows the user to form a combat party composed of up to 5 individuals. You may only have one unenhanced person in your party. Party members will gain access to the Interface Boost. Certain Skills can be shared with party members. Party members will receive some benefit from your ‘Ghost in the Machine’ Boost, allowing them to get more Achievements and better rewards.

  Party members within 20 meters of the party leader who are obscured or hidden from view will be visible as icons in his field of vision.

  Default party range is 10 km. Anyone traveling outside of party range will be removed from the party.

  Congratulations! This is a Rare Boost!

  Devin groaned and slumped onto the bloody couch, which had somehow survived the carnage. He wasn’t physically tired, but he felt hollowed out. He didn’t want to think about the people he’d killed. They’d tried to kill him first, but that didn’t make it any easier.

  The healer looked from Devin to Milo and back again. She tilted her head.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Devin said. “Milo, this is …” He realized he didn’t know her name.

  “Invite us, Devin,” Milo said.

  “To ...?”

  “To the party.”

  “What? Oh ... uh, I invite you both to my party?”

  Milo (Silver) joined your party.

  Character Sheet

  Name: Milo

  Class: Guide

  Plugged into the source of all knowledge, the Guide helps the party leader navigate his new world. Fighting isn’t his primary role, but his speed and ability to shift forms gives him plenty of options for combat.

  The party has gained Milo’s Boost ‘Translation.’ All party members can speak with each other and with anyone outside the party whose language the Guide can speak and understand. This ability applies even to party members without the capability of speech. Boost does not apply to familiars, pets or mounts. Boost does not apply to beings outside the party that are incapable of speech.

  The party has gained Milo’s Boost ‘Logical.’ All party members gain resistance to charm, confusion, seduction and misdirection magic. Reduces the effectiveness of taunts.

  The party has gained Milo’s Boost ‘Pack Tactics.’ Provides bonuses to the Guide and party members within 5 meters of him. Bonuses increase based on how many party members are within 5 meters, up to the Guide and two others

  Achievement Unlocked! Plug and Play – Milo was a Guide, now he’s a Guide who is guiding the guy he guides.

  Reward: Milo gains the Boosts ‘Add-On Automap’, ‘Add-On Combat Log’, and ‘Add-On Game Clock.’

  Milo’s Boost ‘Add-On Automap’ has added ‘Automap’ to Devin’s ‘Basic Interface.’

  Milo’s Boost ‘Add-On Combat Log’ has added ‘Combat Log’ to Devin’s ‘Basic Interface.’

  Milo’s Boost ‘Add-On Game Clock’ has added ‘Game Clock’ to Devin’s ‘Basic Interface.’

  A location of interest has been added to Devin’s Automap: Winsley Farm.

  A location of interest has been added to Devin’s Automap: Village of Pitmerden.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  A location of interest has been added to Devin’s Automap: Town of Horgoff.

  Milo has added a location of interest to Devin’s Automap: Patriarch’s Keep.

  Milo has added a location of interest to Devin’s Automap: Vanguard Keep.

  Milo has added a location of interest to Devin’s Automap: Central Farmlands.

  Casey Bailey (Copper) joined your party.

  Character Sheet

  Name: Casey Bailey

  Class: Healer

  Cleric of Rainford, the God of Healing and Alchemy.

  The party has gained Casey’s Boost ‘Vaccinated.’ The healer and all party members within 20 meters have a slightly increased chance of resisting diseases.

  The party has gained Casey’s Boost ‘Healthy.’ The healer and all party members within 20 meters receive a +1 bonus to Endurance and a small healing-over-time effect.

  “Hi, Casey,” Devin said. “I’m Devin. It’s very nice to meet you.”

  “I … I can talk!” Casey’s voice was melodious but deeper than he expected. “Thank Rainford.” She looked around. “I haven’t heard my name in a long time. I’d almost forgotten it.” She smiled at Devin. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

  “I guess we better get out of here before more soldiers come,” Devin said.

  “There aren’t any soldiers left in town,” Milo said. “Not anymore. There are a few constables, but they won’t bother us.”

  “A constable is like a policeman?” Devin said.

  “Yes,” Milo said. “They’re trusted townspeople who deal with minor problems between citizens. Most of them despise the Patriarch and his nobles as much as everyone else.”

  Casey knelt next to the first man Devin had killed and went through his pockets. She took two small gray vials and a tiny, black pouch.

  “Do you mind if I take these?” she said.

  “Of course not,” Devin said. “What are they, out of curiosity?”

  “These two are unguents I can use,” she said. “The pouch contains a small amount of black pearl dust. It’s used for strong alchemical potions. I don’t have any recipes using it, but it may come in handy.”

  Devin nodded. “Go for it.”

  Casey walked to the small closet and opened it. It was full of shelves, stacked with full and empty jars and ingredients, with casks underneath the shelves. She pulled a large backpack off the top shelf.

  “If you can give me about 20 minutes, I can get together everything I need,” Casey said.

  “Sure,” Devin said. “Let me check something.” He opened his achievement window.

  Achievement Unlocked! Form an Adventuring Party – Not every enhanced can form an adventuring party. It takes a special person. Not too special, though, so don’t get cocky.

  Reward: Boost ‘Party Chats.’ You can chat with your party members via the interface.

  Congratulations! This is Very Rare Boost!

  Achievement Unlocked! The Limits of Possibility – Do you even care what you’re doing? No, of course you don’t. You just keep taking and taking. Just so you know, I fudged the odds on this one - and you still got a Very Rare Boost. The rules say I have to give you another reward. Well, we’ll see about that.

  Reward: The best reward of all. A sense of accomplishment - even though all you did was get lucky!

  Achievement Unlocked! Enough is Enough – This isn’t an achievement so much as me telling you that your free ride has ended. Something is up with you, and until I figure out what’s going on, no more goodies for you. Like that Chad bartender at Martin’s Tavern, I’m cutting you off.

  Reward: You no longer receive Achievements for the rarity of the Boosts you gain.

  “You’ve got to be …” Devin trailed off as he remembered Milo’s warning about saying things out loud.

  A new alert floated in his vision. This one was shaped like a speech bubble. Devin opened it.

  Devin has activated Party Chat.

  Milo has joined Party Chat.

  Casey has joined Party Chat.

  Devin – Testing one … two …

  Casey – Wow. This is the best communications Boost I’ve ever seen.

  Devin – Thanks, I guess? I didn’t do anything for it. It was all the RNG gods.

  Casey – I’m not familiar with that pantheon.

  Milo – Devin, we don’t have time for this foolishness. I’m about to ask you a question outside of Party Chat. Answer it out loud and then come up with something else to say. While you’re doing that, I need to see your character sheet.

  Devin – You can’t see it?

  Milo – I told you I couldn’t. Please be quick. We don’t have all night.

  “It seems I was mistaken,” Milo said. “There was a Silver-level Enforcer here after all. My apologies.”

  Devin’s eyes narrowed. “’My apologies?’” he said. “You’re all bloody, which I assume means you’ve been fighting. You could have helped me.”

  “No, I couldn’t have,” Milo said. Another text window popped up as Milo shared an Achievement with him.

  Achievement Unlocked! Guide Powers … Activate! Your ward has proven himself both in battle and in determination.

  Reward: Your Guide trial period has ended early. You may now assist Devin Stringer in combat situations.

  “Is that why …” Devin said.

  Milo – Please don’t finish that question.

  Devin – This is so weird. Why are we having a random conversation out loud?

  Milo – It’s called ‘operational security.’ That means …

  Devin – I know what operational security is. One of my ex-girlfriends works for the Department of Defense. What does that have to do with inane chatter?

  Milo - Long periods of silence will make the Patriarch suspicious. This Boost is too powerful. If anyone finds out you have one of the most rare and useful Boosts they’ve ever heard of, they’ll kidnap you, torture you, and make you a slave. Just ask Casey.

  Casey – He’s right.

  Devin – Do you think we’re being watched?

  Milo – Perhaps. It’s best to develop good habits early. As soon as Felle finds out what happened here – and he will – he’s going to send every enhanced he has after you, and that’s even if he doesn’t realize how useful you are. Gods help us if anyone finds out about your Unique Boost. Luck Boosts are highly sought after, and I’ve never heard of one this powerful.

  Devin – What about the reward I didn’t get?

  Milo – That may take some time to figure out. I know you’ve got a million questions, but we can talk about all that later.

  Devin kept talking about nothing in particular until he figured out how to share his character sheet with Milo. After thinking for a second, he shared it with Casey, too.

  Milo – Good. Now I can give you advice based on actual data instead of guesses. Priestess Casey, if you don’t mind?

  Casey’s character sheet icon popped up in the corner of Devin’s vision. He minimized it until he had time to read over it.

  Milo - We need to get moving as soon as Casey is finished packing.

  Devin – Where are we going?

  Milo – That’s the next item on the agenda. You read the descriptions of Kwaku’s Compass and Victorious Transmutation?

  Devin – The ones that use the shards? Yeah, but I didn’t really understand them.

  Milo – Boosts that use shards are relatively common, so we can talk out loud about them. Just be vague.

  “How do I get my shards?” Devin said.

  "You need to petition a guiding power for them,” Milo said.

  Devin blinked. “What the hell is a guiding power?”

  “Higher powers that provide shards to those who ask nicely,” Milo said.

  “I’m not praying to some god,” Devin said.

  “It’s not prayer,” Milo said. “It’s a business relationship. Like logging into your bank to pay your bills.”

  “Will they smite me if I say the wrong thing?” Devin said.

  “Guiding powers can’t hurt you unless you make an agreement to worship them,” Milo said. “They’ll only speak to you in specific circumstances. More importantly, there are things you cannot accomplish without them, including reaching the next level.”

  Devin turned towards Casey. “Do you understand all of this?”

  She glanced at him. She was still arranging potions and bottles into her backpack. Devin was struck by how efficiently she moved, like she knew what every single thing was without having to stop to think about it.

  “Some of it,” she said. “Not the part about banks and business relationships, but I’m familiar with guiding powers and gods.

  “What do you think I should do?” Devin said.

  “Milo’s right,” she said. “It’s safe. Just don’t use the god whose temple this is. That would be … less safe. In fact, don’t mention his name while we’re in here.”

  “The W guy, right? That’s fine. I already don’t like him. Who’s your guiding power?”

  “I worship Rainford, god of healing and alchemy,” she said.

  “Do you think he’d mind if I asked him?”

  “I don’t think he’d mind at all,” she said. There was an amused tone to her voice.

  “OK. How do I do it?”

  A few minutes later, Devin found himself sitting on the floor cross-legged with his eyes closed, like some sort of Eastern mystic. He pushed aside the remains of his Baptist upbringing that screamed at him he was about to go to hell and closed his eyes to pray to a god he’d never heard of before today.