“Gah my head!” I said aloud. Sitting up I looked around … my companion are sleeping like soundly bless em.

  “HUH? Where the heck Is this” I followed up with realising I don’t recognise this place at all.

  My vision blurry, I can tell I’m in some sort of hut. I notice a figure walking towards a door. His clothing is black, and he wears a jacket like one from old Terra.

  “Hey, where are we, my guy?” I tried asking him.

  Getting out of bed was brutal, these bones, these limbs. But persistence was key and I’m still wondering, where the sodding heck we are.

  Stumbling, crashing into a wooden beam post in the middle of the room. Nice, got myself a chunk of a splinter to deal with later as I stared at the inch long piece buried in cheek.

  I managed to reach the door which was still slightly open, and the smell of the sea hit me. The waters of maliterr were much different to the saltiness of the old world. It had a slightly savoury scent to it in a sandwich shop type of way. Could do with one of those I thought.

  The man was gone, if there even was a man. Though a cloud of dust was trailing upwards which I couldn’t help but look at. A loud boom could be heard but I could not tell which direction it came from either.

  Rhua rushed outside followed by Lucy Horace and Wardi eventually all barged into each other trying to squeeze through the door frame.

  “Well-well-well, look what the …Felidhan’s dragged out of bed.”

  “Stereotyping and racism is not permitted!” Lucy shouted at me.

  “How is that either of those things ya hatcot!?, anyway stop being a floor tank and get up zing-zing-zingeroni!”

  “Wardi, can you get the map out, we’re a bit lost it seems.” He nodded at Rhua’s words and pulled out the map from his inventory.

  It flew up in the air, expanded and expanded even more.

  Eventually little pictures of us five appeared I don’t remember it having that feature before I thought to myself.

  The little drawings of us, moved from the middle of the map to the far western edges of the map, an area we had previously not explored. It was close to one of the six-star dungeons Raucous Reptiliak.

  “How did we end up all the way from Coch manor to here.” said Rhua crossing her arms and staring intently at the map.

  Horace chimed in, because he wanted to feel special himself.

  “The LAST thing to happen was the fight against Areya, then I REMEMBER A Chasm appeared and then we’re here suddenly.” He piped up, that’s the most I’ve ever heard him talk in a while, our boy is growing up…probably. I thought.

  “Gosh, we are least a three-day hike from Coch Manor, more likely four, considering how things occurred, I assume that another fight would have happened along the way.” Lucy said, confident in herself, but confused at the situation at hand.

  “I can’t help but think, that something is missing. Something is so near, yet so far away at the same time.” Wardi says placing his hands on his head, pondering about what that may be.

  Whatever that may be, now is not the time to hang around waiting for raging colonialists to try and catch up to us. I thought

  “Where should we go from here? East or south?” I asked the group

  I was interjected by the sudden universal glows of the group floating up in the air. This is now the 22nd time I’ve seen this happen.

  The winds whirled a cloud of dust around my friends, they glowed in the colours of the elements. Shifting constantly, a symphony of colours from deep blacks to brightest whites and ferocious reds to the tranquil greens.

  *ding*

  Came the sound as they floated back down to the ground.

  “Did any of you see that coming?” I asked them since there’s been no combat or anything of note to give them EXP. Why did that happen just now, I thought.

  “Wait a minute.” Lucy said. Hand waving in the air, fiddling with various boxes with information.

  I know what it looks like, I did see it for a moment after all…

  “I’m level 27!” She said with a big smile on her face.

  The others soon did the same, waving their hands in the air like they just don’t care…about how weird this looks to the one person who said, “nah I’ll pass thanks”.

  “It’s the same FOR ME, level 27!” piped Horace happy as Larry, speaking of which I wonder how Larry is doing. Rhua and Wardi had reached the same levels as well.

  “Oh, wow I’ve unlocked a new trait it sounds really cool! , get the book out.!” lucy said to me. she told me the details and I noted it down.

  *Luth Retainer – Look at you wonderfully dressed Haberdashphylacterist. You’re growing up all nice and haberdly. You have now unlocked the ability to make and store your own luth core once a day by concentrating for ten minutes -

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Restore half of your total luth reserve in case of emergency. Like, in the middle of a long-drawn-out fight…or healing last minute! cooldown twenty-four hours.*

  “Wow Luce, that’s amazing, you may never need to buy potions for your luth again.” Said Wardi.

  “No,” said Rhua in such a rapid manner it was a little terrifying causing everyone to take a moment to process it.

  “Things are changing, the people, the towns, dungeons and the world itself. Let’s not forget that we were locked out of using certain things in the dungeon especially, what good is something like that if your locked out of it.”

  Her words were harsh, but she had a point. everyone agreed though, a wide range of resources makes for a better long-lasting life.

  “Did anyone else get anything worth mentioning, I asked the group.

  Horace piped up with a cheeky smile.

  “The turrets been given AN ABILITY to upgrade to a munitions platform once a DAY.”

  “And what does that do?” I asked.

  *The Pact Breaker – Careful private, turrets are for fighting but this munitions platform is for fun. Once a day unleash a devastating salvo at an area of your preference, preferably a ding dong of an ex-partner a worthwhile target*

  Horace grinned from ear to ear. This sounds like a useful ability I thought.

  “A lot of stat upgrades for me, but I unlocked perfect dual wielding as a trait. I’m not going to use it so don’t mother mate writing it mate.” Wardi said. That’s fair enough he’s got his own one-handed style. I just made up my own notes in the book

  *lets you look cool, who doesn’t like a two-weapon fighter*

  Rhua chimed in straight after.

  “Small stat increases for me. Though Vitality; that’s gone up a lot and my health too actually; now that I’ve looked properly. I gained two abilities.” She said. Finally, I was getting bored with all these notes going in.

  *Torche - Use your shield like a torch, guide your allies,

  blind your foes, drains kaha quickly.*

  *Blessed Self. *Your honour is true, and your path is righteous.

  Use 75% of your luth to designate a spot. Produces a clone with 25% of your total stats. To fight alongside you or vulnerable allies.*

  “That actually sounds really useful.” Wardi said. His hands no longer above his head but at his side, dangling, and he was smiling again.

  “Good to see you smiling again sausage.” I joked at him giving him a cheeky elbow. He just laughed in response.

  “I’m going to get left behind at this rate…think we need to get me some gear upgrades when we hit one of the bigger towns or cities next.” The others all nodded, but they know I’m still tough as nails all things considered.

  Lucy told us she had a call come through from Larry. Waving for us to be quiet.

  She answered with “Hi. Larry”

  “Where the heck are you lot, my message has been on unread for TWO DAYS.” We looked around at each other as if to say, “That can’t be right surely?” Lucy’s quick thinking covered us.

  “There was a dangerous situation with Areya at her Manor Larry, and something happened – Chasm appeared during the battle and none of us remember what happened next.”

  “Chasm!? Are you any of you hurt? Where are you now, I’ll try to get help as soon as possible!”

  “Relax Larry, we’re fine, just a little bruised and sore from the fight. And to answer your other question, we’re at West’s Overlook three- or four-days hike at a quick pace from the Manor” Said Wardi.

  “I know the place a little. Get a move on friends, you’ve lost two days of travel time. A huge fight between Coch Manor forces and Revitaliser guild occurred, somehow nobody has died, hundreds were wounded in the fighting, however. Dr A,I is still waiting on your delivery, you can find her in Peaches Beaches.”

  Rhua responded by saying “Thanks for giving us that update Larry, we should get the hell out of here asap then.” She nodded to Lucy who ended the call out of pressure.

  “Back down south we go then, let’s keep to the outer edges and climb through Sharpers Points until get to Grindo Town, there’s a chance we can get a few upgrades there. Reassess a route when we reach it.”

  I nodded at him to say thanks for thinking of me hun.

  We took advantage of the cooler climate in these parts as much as possible so jogging and sprinting at times wasn’t an issue. For a moment this was so freeing. It felt like a grand adventure was beginning as we made our way southwards.

  A Gigantobisen spotted us as we passed through a farming field. Of course, with two of us wearing red, caused it to go into a frenzy and charge at us. Not quite a Colossi but at that size it’s certainly going to send us to stars if it hits us.

  Wardi and I Shook our heads and smiled a little, you just can’t make this stuff up. Rhua, Lucy and Horace had clearly never had the experience of accidentally wandering into a field with a territorial animal of this kind before and were screaming the place down.

  Horace threw down a speed canister for us, his last can for now he proclaimed, and we bolted towards the end of the field though it was a skin of our teeth moment, as we made it out and a barrier flew up from the fencing. A mighty boom came from the impact as the Gigantobisen connected with the art, it turned around snorting as it did so.

  Rhua tried to speak, her lungs were trying to stop her however and she took many paused trying to tell us that “I’m too much… of a city girl… for this type of thing.”

  Lucy and Horace both said “Same” in unison.

  Me and Wardi were townies at heart but we both enjoyed the odd visit to cities, and it pays to go out and about sometimes. I planned on checking out the Lakeland Districts of Cantbria the summer after my planned Edindon trip. City break one year; countryside break the next - why not!

  The plain orange coloured dirt fields soon became a thing of the past as we made our way closer to Sharp’s Point. particularly as we passed by the Dungeon in the area.

  It felt unnerving to think of one after Green-Top-Pass. A Purple Hankae, wielding two daggers. It was the Bookie – Enam. standing outside of it eagerly awaiting someone brave enough to test this challenging location.

  “One day we can come back here.” Wardi said confidently, dude just never runs out of gas I swear, king of the cardio club.

  “Not today though, thank you very much! replied Lucy starting to run out of breath.

  “I mean we could if we REALLY wanted to.” Horace joked; Lucy simply threw a frown at him in response.

  “Joke when we get to Sharp’s Point. It’s not far now” Rhua said in response.

  The looming browns of Sharp’s point began to come into view. If I was big on rock climbing this would be an ideal training place, there’s a hold of every kind.

  A kind unnamed soul had helped carve some stairs up to the top to make traversal a little bit easier. We didn’t wait; we can’t afford to. Time was not on our side right now. Steep steps drained us we made our way upwards. Beautiful views at the cost of a few dozen beads of sweat.

  My heart and everyone else’s were feeling this rush. Even Wardi, king of cardio, couldn’t defy the might of a stair workout, beginning to pant not far from the top.

  “Just a few more steps, we’re so close to the top now!” Rhua managed to huff out. The views were worth it. You could see far and wide for many kilometres.

  Looking east the peak of Green-Top-Pass, westwards the endless sea. Smoke was ever so slightly visible to the northeast.

  “Signs of the fighting or the aftermath?” I asked everyone.

  “I’d say aftermath. I don’t plan on visiting to find out though!” Wardi replied. He turned around and walked forward a little.

  “I’ll lead for this one, I got the best chance of a quick save it something happens on the path ahead.” Wardi said, beginning to take a steady jogging pace and jumping across the gaps between the rocky pillars of Sharp’s Point.