C+2

  Alastair and Galoots walked into the city via the south gate. It had taken Alastair over a dozen times to convince Galoots that she should continue onward rather than turn back. The distance wasn’t overly long and she couldn’t face her complacency by turning back.

  It was getting close to dinner time and they both realized they didn’t have money. Alastair had done no chores today and hadn’t fought at the carillon to get coins or loot, and Galoots didn’t do chores or anything at the Monastery because there was no need to. So he recommended they head to the clocktower to see about leveling.

  “You mean like combat? I haven’t done any of that yet. It’s supposed to be a gem match, right?” she said.

  “Yes, but either of us can engage while the other acts as support. If you want to observe, I can engage in the first couple of runs. We only need enough cash to get food and a bed for you tonight.”

  “Oh, I was planning on heading back before midnight. As you said, I will end up there either way, right? And the gate will be open as they are all out fighting the fires at the Farms.”

  “I think it might be better for you if you try to stay elsewhere for the night. In order to give you a little extra push so that you can survive outside of the monastery.”

  “But I don’t want to. It’s a big enough leap to be here. If what you said is correct, I need to get into the Mayor’s Manor. You should be able to do that with your Mayor’s token. So maybe you can bring me along. If they are all out searching for the Mayor’s procession, we go in then and break into the vault and I turn into a level 1 brawler. I don’t think you’ll advance for completing it again.”

  “There are…so many assumptions in that. But I’m willing to give it a go. What’s the worst that could happen to me, right? But let’s destroy some animated mice to get money for dinner.”

  “And beer!”

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  “I’ll warn you that it costs money here.”

  “Which is a huge scam, if you ask me.”

  They had arrived at the carillon, and Alastair led them into the structure and to the first landing. With his current level 1 Scribe gear, destroying the Mechanical Mice Maids, Mechanics, and Miners that inhabited the first-level landings was easy. After the second platform, Galoots took over and finished landings three to six. They had four coins and loot that would sell for another two or three coins, but not enough for them to eat and drink at any tavern.

  Alastair said, “The next should be the boss, which is twice as hard. Not difficult at this point, but still not as simple as the previous ones. Want me to lead?”

  “No, I’ve got the hang of it.”

  They stepped on the seventh landing and the walls and stairs glowed yellow to block them in. Then the wall caved in and a short mouse in a mechanized contraption walked out, dragging its drill and hammer arms a bit. It squared up to them, then pulled up both arms in a fighting stance.

  “Oh, geez. That is a bit bigger than the others. You say two hits should take it out, though?” said Galoots.

  “Yeah. You’ve got this.”

  Galoots entered the combat daze and Alastair joined in, which showed a small cartoon pictogram on her display. Galoots was still at full health, three of three, and so was Alastair. This fight wouldn’t be arduous. Alastair noticed an easy five-three swap which would both defend and hit hard, and hoped that she would go the easy route and select that. He saw his little cartoon trying to pantomime that she should do just that.

  Instead, she combined a string of four blocking runes and took a defensive turn. Both Galoots and the Miner Mouse glowed blue, and both took a defensive stance and just stared at each other for a moment.

  Galoots then selected the five-three combo that Alastair had indicated before. She glowed red and green. The Miner glowed red and moved forward fast, drill arm swinging directly at her face. Since she was weaponless, she combined her fists and swung them at the mouse cockpit. The move forced the drill arm to miss her face while she smashed into the mouse, but not before the hammer arm rotated and caught her full in the stomach. The mouse blinked hard, then seemed to faint before them. Galoots stood up, holding her stomach where she had been pummeled. The green glow absorbed into her and she stood up normally.

  The combat overlay disappeared and Galoots and Alastair stood there while the yellow glow on the walls blinked out.

  “So, that’s the mechanized mechanical mouse miner. Not too awful, huh?” he said.

  “I expected that to hurt. Surprisingly, it didn’t.”

  “Yeah. And with that, we should have enough loot for sale to buy dinner. We might even be able to buy you a weapon or armor if you like. It should stay in your inventory with the day reset.”

  “Huh. Sure. Let’s do that.”