You have Entered the [Stakshiak Lair]

  "What the hell is… oh, those deer things." Lee was trying to reproduce the sound of the name but he immediately forgot about it when he laid his eyes on the vista ahead. "Woah."

  Green grass stretched off into the distance, smooth except for a few gentle humps, the land descended into a massive valley of green. The grass only came up to his ankles, so he could see all the way down to the center of the bowl-like valley, where a single tree towered, before the land climbed back up and ended at another tree line in the distance. Scattered across the valley were large numbers of four legged creatures wandering around, some alone and others in small groups, with a larger group near the tree in the center.

  Lee almost thought they looked like horses at first, until he got a better look at the closest one. It had horns…

  "I thought Lairs were all underground or inside?" Lee asked, glancing up at the blue sky.

  "Not this one." Alejandro smiled at him. "Nice, isn't it?"

  "It is scenic." Lee smiled. "Are those what you hunt here?" He pointed towards the grazing stak whatevers.

  "Yep. Want to test your weapons and pull one over here? Just don't attack the group at the center and we'll be fine."

  Lee very much did want to. He pointed the wand in his hand at the nearest monster that was alone and pulled the trigger. A beam of fire lanced across the intervening space… and sailed way over the monster's head… "Oops." The creature noticed the fire and spun to face him, before lowering its head and charging right towards him.

  Lee took more careful aim and triggered the wand again. He only missed by a few feet that time. "Damn it!"

  Alejandro stepped into the charging beast's path before it could impale Lee on its long horns. There was a loud bang and Alejandro moved aside, revealing the stumbling monster. "Try again?"

  Lee blasted it with fire.

  It was horrible… the way it screamed…

  Lee quickly aimed the wand in his other hand and triggered that one. The sky above him went black and a blinding beam of light seared into the creature's body. It screamed louder and then abruptly cut off when a large sword decapitated it.

  Lee stared at the still burning and now blood gushing animal… Then he turned and threw up in the grass.

  No one said anything to him and Lee finished being sick. Alejandro silently handed him a water skin and Lee took it gratefully while realizing that he hadn't even thought to bring water along. "I'm an idiot… and that was… gross."

  He could hear the Anubi yipping and growling as they picked over the corpse but Lee kept his face turned away while he sipped the water and tried to calm his nerves.

  "Let's grab some more." Someone said quietly.

  "I can get that one." Bradley said and Lee heard a distant thump and the sound of approaching hooves.

  He turned in time to see Alejandro once again stop the charge before the dual sword wielder darted in and with a double thrust, sank his blades into the things side. It collapsed soundlessly and Lee could see the Mana burst out from it even as more Mana condensed at its center. A moment later he could see the Core forming.

  Lee watched the Core formation entranced, bloody horror show momentarily forgotten as Mana condensed, as it did, the Core drifted down inside the body. It stopped at the ground and with a last burst of Mana, the process stopped, apparently finished.

  Bradley threw another rock, or ball of dirt, it didn't seem to really hurt the monsters, only get their attention. Another one died and Lee watched the Core form once again. This time he also paid attention to the Mana that burst away when it died. It went down… "Does the Lair absorb the Mana?"

  "Don't feel too bad." Mar said quietly from right next to him and Lee jumped. He'd been too focused on the monster's Mana and hadn't noticed her approach. "It takes some getting used to."

  "Thanks…" Lee said. "I don't know how you do this all the time."

  "You get used to it." Mar said and then moved off as another monster died and the group continued deeper into the Lair.

  Lee was disappointed in himself. Obviously he knew what people did everyday when they went outside to fight and gather Cores, but he'd never really thought about it in depth, or even at all. It wasn't anything like his imagination… "I'll have to get used to it…" Lee frowned and stopped walking. "What was that?"

  He pulled the Runes from the fire wand, already not interested in testing that one further, and froze in place as his Mana jumped up and with it, the range of his [Mana Mind].

  "Alejandro!" Most of the group looked at Lee when he yelled. "What about the monsters in the tunnels underneath us?" Lee was really hoping that it was just a surprise that the others were waiting to spring on him, something that would make him jump and they could all have a laugh… The look on Alejandro's face as the man's eyes widened and darted to the ground, made Lee start to worry. As if on cue, all the monsters that had been deep underground and unmoving, all suddenly surged into motion. Straight up.

  "Incoming below!" Bradley yelled. "How did he miss them…"

  Lee jumped into the air, all the training sessions with Martin paying off as he launched up and away from the monster speeding towards him. He dumped the extra Mana that hadn't already drained into creating a new disc.

  At the same time that he jumped, the rest of the group slid sideways away from him as Bradley did something to the earth under their feet. It got the rest of them clear of the charge but left Lee alone as the ground below his airborne form exploded into a cloud of dirt, claws, and teeth.

  Lee had a moment to see Bradley staring up at him in horror, then his jump slowed, stopped, and he started to descend. Lee activated the Runes in his shoes and tried to jump off of the air like Mar had earlier. He tried to jump towards the others but his feet were not lined up properly as he kicked off and Lee knew he wouldn't make it as he tumbled towards the ground. "I guess my adventure…" Mar appeared next to him, her hands latched onto his arms. They spun in the air and then her feet planted against his chest and she kicked out.

  Lee fell towards the group and Mar fell down towards the horde of monsters. "Mar!" She flipped over in the air and Lee saw Mana burst from her feet as she activated her own shoes. And Lee watched the Runes fade as the charge ran out. "No!"

  "Mar!" Voices screamed as someone caught Lee and put him on his feet. Grunts, yells, snarls, and the clang of metal, echoed around him but Lee was focused on Mar. She was still within his range and he saw her somehow twist in the air and land blades first on the back of one of the quadruped creatures. Lee saw the Mana burst out and a Core start forming in the creature. "She killed it!" Before she jumped from its back, and landed on another one closer to Lee and the rest of the group.

  This time she landed feet first and the thing abruptly twisted, throwing her off and onto the ground. Mar tucked into a roll but as soon as she touched the ground, every one of the monsters nearby turned to her and charged. Mar only rolled once before getting her feet under her and bounding into the air again. The monsters immediately turned back towards the rest of the group. "They can't see her! As long as she doesn't touch the ground…"

  "Mar!" Saira screamed again.

  "She's okay!" Lee yelled, watching as she landed on another monster. She had learned from the previous mistake and landed blades first again. This one didn't die instantly but she managed to stay atop it as it squirmed and died.

  Lee's hands were clenched tight around the disc in his hands, desperately trying to think of a way to help the girl. Bradley's Mana surged past him and a wall of earth rose up in front of the charging monsters. They went through the wall like it wasn't there.

  "I can't block them with earth!" Bradley yelled.

  Mar was forced to jump away when another of the creatures tried to crawl over the corpse she was perched on.

  "Stay in formation!" Alejandro yelled. "They are not very strong!"

  "Where is Mar!" Saira yelled.

  "She is still out there!" Lee yelled back. "They can't see her!" He watched Mar kill another one closer to the group and almost immediately she had to jump away. The closer she came to them the more frenzied the horde became. "That way!" Lee pointed towards her.

  Swords flashed all around him as the group fought in a circle with him, Bradley and Saira in the middle. The monsters died easily enough, many with only one blow, but more filled the gaps a heartbeat later. Lee's ten meter range was full of the monsters and he was worried that if he looked farther, he would only find more of them. Alejandro said that they came here often… how had they never noticed these things?

  "Let's move towards the exit!" Alejandro called. He bashed a monster and then decapitated it, before pushing it aside and trying to step forward. Another monster took its place and Alejandro killed that one too, but couldn't push it out of the way before another crawled over it and leapt at him.

  "There are too many of them!" Someone else yelled. "Just hold the…"

  "Below us!" Lee yelled as more of the creatures came surging up through the ground.

  "I see it!" Bradley dumped Mana into the ground and the monsters slowed just before bursting through the surface.

  Lee stared in shock at the ugly head that popped up in front of him. He swung the disc in his hands, smacking the thing in the face and utterly failed to slow it down. Then Trak was there and he drove his Runed knife into the things head.

  "My Lord! You should flee this place!" He was holding out the glowing potion towards Lee while he pulled his knife from the dead monster's head with his over hand.

  "Don't you dare!" Lee snarled. "Bradley! Make me a floor!"

  Bradley didn't respond but his Mana poured back into the ground and the now dead monsters that were half sticking out of the ground, slid the rest of the way up and sat on top of a hardening circle of earth. Before more of the monsters could dig up through it, Lee knelt down and placed his hands on the ground. He drained two of his wands and a RuneScape burst across the earth. It flashed once and settled into a steady glow just before another wave of monsters slammed into it from underneath.

  "It worked!" Lee yelled. "Bradley can you do walls?"

  "Low Mana!" Bradley yelled.

  "This is fine!" Alejandro said. "We can hold for now."

  And they did. Lee watched everyone's Mana as they fought around him. People panted for breath and grunted with exertion but kept killing the endless horde.

  Saira conserved her Mana, growing some patches of the grass in the loose dirt above the slab but mostly she was anxiously staring out at the horde and looking for Mar.

  Monsters kept trying to come through underneath them but the 'floor' prevented them from doing so. Unfortunately their attempts had another effect.

  "Bradley!" Lee called. "The…"

  "I see it!" Bradley called back. "Everyone brace! I'm moving the ground again!"

  The floor shifted and slid under their feet as Bradley moved them away from the increasingly hollow underground space that they had started to sink into.

  "Where is Mar!" Saira sounded frantic. Lee was still watching her jumping around, avoiding the ground as she killed one after another of the monsters.

  "She is still…" Something new entered into his perception. It arrived before he could even call a warning. A monster at least three times bigger than the rest charged straight for them.

  Alejandro saw it coming and Mana surged through him and into his shield as he met the charge. And stopped it cold.

  The floor shook underneath them and tilted slightly as the monster crashed into Alejandro's immovable shield. Alejandro swung his blade down at its head and the sword parted the thing's skull before it could recover from the charge. It didn't cleave completely through, instead stopping halfway, but it was enough to end the monster's life and set its Core to forming.

  Lee noticed something else in that moment as the monster thrashed and spasmed in its death throes. It sent Lee into closely examining everyone's Runed gear. Alejandro's sword dimmed when he struck the monster. Or rather the Runes on the blade dimmed. "They are using up power!" Everyone's gear was still powered up, mostly. Then another of the giant monsters charged into Lee's perception.

  "I can't stop that one yet!" Alejandro yelled.

  "Hold on!" Bradley bottomed out his Mana again and the ground they stood on slid aside, mostly out of the monster's path.

  The man with the huge two-handed sword met the monster as it passed. His blade biting deep and carving a bloody trench through its side as it went by. The creature screamed as blood and viscera poured out and splashed over the man as well as everyone near him.

  Lee ignored the gore as he watched the Runes in the large blade dim noticeably after the blow. "It didn't do that before… Are these monsters too strong?" He waited as the dying monster rolled over and smashed a few of its smaller allies. He saw Mar take advantage of the first huge corpse to finally leap back into the group, her invisibility removed on the way down. Lee could see blood all over her and the girl's mother grasped onto her desperately as she landed.

  "I'm fine Mom!" Mar gave her a quick hug before pulling away and joining the line defending their small patch of Runed earth.

  Lee watched the Runes dim as more monsters died around him. Finally, he had to act. "Alejandro! I need to recharge your sword!"

  He waited until Alejandro killed one and before the next could take its place. Alejandro swung his sword hand back and Lee touched it, draining another wand and channeling the Mana into the sword. The Runes flared back to full brightness and Lee repeated the process with each of the fighters.

  More of the big ones appeared and Alejandro stopped one while the others fought against another. Bradley moved the ground to avoid the third and they killed the giants one by one. Each blow or block against the larger monsters draining the Runes in their gear. The smaller ones took some energy as well but it was negligible in comparison.

  But they kept coming. Lee kept draining his wands until they ran out. Then he started on the batteries. Bradley kept sliding the platform towards the entrance but it felt like the monsters were actively trying to block the path and keep them from escaping. Everyone around him was breathing hard as they fought, except Alejandro, with his shield that boosted his Stamina with each block. But that did mean that the shield needed to be recharged even more.

  Bradley and Saira both sat on the ground and focused on regaining Mana in between healing the accumulating injuries and moving the earth to dodge the giants or the holes being dug underneath. Saira had managed to get some more plants growing in and on top of the slab of earth that they were riding. But her healing was limited and people were drinking health potions for the bigger injuries. She did keep sending trickles of power to each of them and Lee guessed that it was more stamina boosting than healing.

  Lee could see the Mana in the air, now thicker than inside [Three], with all of the dying monsters dumping Mana into the environment. "Can I use it?" He knew basically how people absorbed or regenerated Mana, it flowed in through Channels in almost the same way it flowed out from the Core inside each of them. "I am 'intrinsically linked' to it…" Lee pulled on the Mana around him and it responded.

  "Oh that's… weird." For the first time since he got [Mana Mind], Lee could see different colored Mana inside himself. Instead of only the blue-white of his normal neutral Mana, now there was a rainbow of color. Mostly there was a brown-green of Earth Mana that usually dominated Bradley's Mana and was the primary Mana coming from the monsters around them. But there was also lots of other colors coming from the people fighting around him, bits of their Mana getting left behind whenever they used a Skill or ability.

  All of it was now pouring through his channels and into his Core.

  You have forcefully absorbed Non-Neutral Mana. Negative reactions may occur.

  "The hell does that mean?" Lee didn't let the message stop him though, and dumped the new Mana back into the disc that he still hadn't used. He hoped that the Earth Mana would help or at least not hurt what he had in mind. The RuneScape formed and he slid it over to Bradley. "Sit on that!"

  Bradley touched it and seemed to understand as he immediately put a bare foot on the disc.

  Lee watched the Earth Mana getting drawn in by the RuneScape and then rushing into Bradley through his feet. He wanted to make one for everybody but he was only confident on Bradley's because of the way Bradley could regenerate Mana from the Earth, that combined with the already dense Earth Mana around them...

  "Can you get us out of here?" Lee yelled over the noise.

  "I'm trying!" Bradley said. "Something is fighting me!"

  Lee pulled in more of the ambient Mana as Bradley moved them towards the exit again. He saw it. Mana surged ahead of them and the ground flowed like water beneath them to drag the whole platform off to the side and back towards the center. "Shit."

  "Can you put up walls?"

  Bradley was still moving the platform as the ground kept trying to erode beneath them. "More weight and I might not be able to move it!"

  "And we get dragged under…" Lee understood. "What can I do to monsters underground?" Lightning was no good, crushing would likely not work… Could he put Runes on a much larger area? Large enough to not get buried? Not on the loose ground, no. There was one thing he could try easily enough.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Lee pulled more Mana to himself and ignored the pins and needles in his extremities. A disc appeared and Runes flashed over it, before Lee tossed it out and into one of the holes that they had just moved off of. Then he did it again, and again, over and over. The pins and needles got worse and Lee could see that the other varieties of Mana were starting to accumulate in his Mana Channels, little specks of color making them look rather pretty. It didn't feel pretty though.

  The screaming of the monsters however, when that started to pick up, it was beautiful. Granted it was horrible, but these things were asking for it and Lee was not feeling very bad about their suffering by now.

  Ominous red glows could be seen now wherever he had dropped the discs.

  "What did you…" Bradley started.

  "Liquid hot Magma!" Lee shouted gleefully. His shout was drowned out by a roaring screech of pain and a massive monster surged out of the ground between them and the exit. "Oh shit."

  The monster, that looked like a cross between an armadillo and a naked mole rat, with none of the cuteness of either, towered maybe twenty feet into the air. It charged them while Lee thought he could see a few burnt patches on its hide.

  Lee quickly jumped to recharge the gear and gave up on the ambient Mana when his legs could barely hold him up with the tingling numbness in them. His Mana dropped under half and stayed there when he drained the batteries to pour the Mana into recharging every weapon and armor he could reach in time. "Watch your Runes!"

  The boss, it had to be a boss at that size, reached them and Alejandro met the behemoth with his shield. He blocked its teeth and claws while Bradley kept the platform sliding away to avoid it trampling over them.

  Lee could only watch the fight now. His Mana was regenerating even slower and he suspected that it was because of the other Mana he'd absorbed. Mar appeared with her long knives already sunk into the boss's eye, then kicked off its face and vanished before it could do more than scream. Alejandro took advantage of the monster's distraction and took off most of one clawed foot.

  Lee felt heat behind them and then they were sliding over the glowing red earth. The enraged boss didn't realize the danger until it had charged into it. Before it could retreat, the others attacked. The burning ground had driven away the smaller enemies and now everyone could focus on the boss who had chased them a bit too far.

  Bradley circled them around the boss, keeping it from backing up while blades carved bloody lines and pieces out of it. It was gruesome and slow as the weapon Runes steadily lost power from cutting through the beast's thick armor.

  Alejandro's shield failed and crumpled in the jaws of the monster. It started dragging him back, off the platform and Bradley had to stop the retreat. Then one of the Anubi was there. It literally dove into the monster's eye, a small Runed knife held out before it. The Anubi vanished inside and the monster thrashed while Alejandro yelled in pain and fought to avoid being dragged into the now cooling but still red hot ground. Glowing light surrounded him as he activated a Skill and his feet stopped sliding.

  Lair Defeated.

  You have not eliminated all Lair Residents. A new Queen will rise and repopulate if not eliminated.

  It was over. The remaining monsters all retreated underground, where the ground wasn't melting at least, and a small form crawled out of the boss's ruined eye. It raised a bloody knife high and howled. The other two howled along with it and Lee laughed while the others cheered tiredly.

  They had lost a few swords whose Runes depleted and the blades had snapped against the larger beasts. Bradley had handed off his staff, still covered in Runes, and one of the fighters wielded it to bash in heads. It was diminished but not completely and Bradley took it back as he moved their patch of ground towards the exit. Everyone clambered off of the now alarmingly warm patch of bloody Runed earth when they reached the trees.

  Alejandro stopped them before they left the Lair. "Let's take rest before we go out there. After this mess who knows what we'll find."

  "What ever happened to this Lair?" One of the other fighters asked. "Where did that shit come from?"

  "I think they were the real Lair," Bradley said, "I should have detected them!" He stood barefoot in the grass with eyes closed and leaning on his staff. The Runes were pulsing and Lee suspected that he was recharging the Mana reservoir inside it. "I'm sorry... I think the boss was blocking me from sensing them."

  "Not your fault," Alejandro said tiredly.

  The gore drenched Anubi stepped in front of Lee and held out a glowing Core the size of its whole hand.

  [Skill Shard(D Rank)](Rare)

  [Dirty Movement(Initiate)](Rare)

  Expending Mana will make Movement on and through dirt faster and require less effort. Higher Levels will increase the Effect and decrease the Mana cost.

  Requires:

  Earth Affinity (N/A) [Adaptable]

  Race(Stakshiak) (N/A) [Adaptable]

  "I think you're right. Look," Lee said quietly and tossed the Core to Bradley.

  "Cool… oh shit," Bradley muttered.

  Lee nodded. "D Rank… Either the monsters are pulling farther ahead or the world is about to rank up again."

  Bradley passed the Core around the group and they all had similar reactions to it.

  Trak barked at the other Anubi and they immediately dropped to all fours and sprinted back deeper into the Lair. "What are…" Alejandro said.

  "We will harvest the spoils, my Lord." Trak addressed Lee then bowed to Alejandro. "By your leave."

  "Is it safe?" Alejandro asked. "We know there are still some in there…"

  "Do not worry." Trak said. "My offspring have done this in much more dangerous places. I will assist to hasten the process." He too dropped to all fours and ran after the other two.

  Lee started to pull up his Status and realized that he had some Notifications that he had missed.

  Class [Runic] Level Up.

  Skill [Rune Creation] Level Up. Upgrade Available.

  Skill [Rune Compression] Level Up. Upgrade Available.

  Skill [Create Rune Disc] Level Up.

  "They might steal some of the Cores." Someone said softly.

  "Hah." Alejandro chuckled. "Let them. How many potions did we drink? Now imagine if we had better ones, and ones for Stamina and Mana?"

  The first man grunted and Lee went ahead with his upgrades.

  [Rune Creation] Journeyman Effects:

  You may now Create Runes from a distance even with no Suitable Medium to Channel through. Mana Costs increase dramatically as Medium Quality Declines.

  "Could be useful… More so with the Mana Well on hand."

  [Rune Compression] Apprentice Effects:

  May Compress Additional Mana Into your Runes to Increase Duration of Rune when External Forces cause Power Loss.

  Lee liked that one but it reminded him of something. His Runes shouldn't be fading… They were supposed to be 'Stabilized by his Soul' or some such. Was it because the monsters were too strong? Another problem was how the weapons were breaking once the Runes failed. Lee glanced around at the weapons he could see and tried to remember which had broken. Alejandro's sword was still the one he'd taken from the 'elves' that first night. It was unbroken, though Lee could see some dings in the edge where it rested across the man's knees.

  Alejandro saw that he had Lee's attention and handed him a burrito. It was only a little bit smashed and Lee didn't care as he practically inhaled it while looking at the other weapons. All of the ones that had broken had been May's creations… Lee frowned. Was she just bad at smithing or was it the materials?

  Lee would talk to her, later. "Status."

  Status

  Name: Lee Cascade

  Race: [Mana Driven Source-Touched Human](E Rank)

  Titles:

  [First Time?]

  Traits:

  [Adaptable] [Source-Touched] [Magic OverReach VI] [This Is The Way] [Minor Lord]

  Class: [Runic(Journeyman VIII)](Legendary)

  Class Skills:

  [Rune Compression(Apprentice I)](Rare)

  [Rune Creation(Journeyman I)](Rare)

  [RuneScape Creation(Journeyman III)](Rare)

  [Rune Storage(Initiate IX)](Epic)

  Attributes:

  Strength: 57

  Vitality: 61

  Dexterity 60

  Perception 57

  Intelligence 80

  Willpower 65

  Twin-Soul 210

  Non Class Skills:

  [Soul Awareness(Apprentice V)](Rare)

  [Create Rune Disc(Apprentice III)](Rare)

  [Source Regeneration](Passive)

  [Venom Resistance I](Passive)

  [Liquid Mana Blast(Initiate I)](UnCommon)

  [Mana Mind(Apprentice VII)](Passive)(Epic)

  Buffs:

  Debuffs:

  [Mana Corruption]

  [Hungry]

  [Fatigued]

  [Soul Wound(Patched)(Shielded)]

  His Rune Storage Skill still wouldn't rank up, though to be fair he only used it when enchanting a lot of gear all at once. He'd have to think of more ways to use it.

  It did take him a minute of looking at his Status before he noticed what was bugging him. "No [Three] buff…" As for the Mana Corruption, he had a pretty good idea about what that was just from the tingling throughout his body. He focused on it and got the description.

  [Mana Corruption]

  You have absorbed Mana Aspects that you do not have an Affinity with and that you can not Effectively Use or Expel. Mana Usage will reduce Corruption over time.

  Maximum Mana Capacity Reduced. - 20%

  Maximum Mana Channel Capacity Reduced. -20%

  "Figured it was not good. But it was still worth it." Lee looked at the people around him. All of them still alive! That was worth some pins and needles, and a Debuff.

  "So who gets this?" Bradley held up the Core that was once again in his hands.

  "I figured you would… if you wanted it." Lee glanced around. No one objected. "Think it will be useful?"

  "I don't know… but I think it could be useful for anyone."

  "You're the one most likely to be 'on or in' dirt." Alejandro said.

  "Just checking." Bradley said and the Core dissolved.

  Debuff Removed. [Hungry]

  Lee ate the last bite of his burrito, it wasn't a breakfast burrito, but it was still good. The others finished eating and Alejandro woke up the one man who was sleeping in the grass.

  The Anubi came back, giant packs towering over their small forms.

  Lee's Mana had topped out at 51% and it let him see himself and maybe six inches past his skin with [Mana Mind]. The fact that he could see his whole body but only inches out into the air around his head was odd, but he assumed it was something about the body and mind being parts of the same whole.

  It also let him examine the Corruption in his Mana. Lee could see the colors scattered around his Channels and Core, mostly it was the brown of Earth Mana, but the entire rainbow was represented in smaller amounts.

  Lee was much more cautious on the way back, more aware of the dangers after having drained all of his defensive gear in the Lair. Not that he was sure whether any of it had been truly viable… He likely would need to wear full plate armor, covered in Runes and… no. He should just stay in his damn Fortress and leave these ridiculous adventures for the crazier people. After of course, making those crazy people some badass gear.

  One thing he'd learned from this was that the gear needed to be much better. The experience of his Runes losing power and the subsequent attempts to pull Mana from the environment had given him some ideas. Runes that could pull in Mana themselves, Alejandro's shield, but instead of stamina it could convert some of the impact to powering the Runes. Weapons that could steal life and heal the wielder. Armor that could grant Mana regen…

  Unfortunately most of his ideas would require Lee to figure out how to use Aspected or Affinity Mana, but he had a bunch of that inside him now so maybe he could figure something out. After that, they needed better equipment… He'd talk to May about that.

  A few monsters attacked them on the way home but nothing that could stand against them for more than a second, even with fewer weapons. Soon enough they walked back through the walls.

  Buff Gained. [Sentient Lair]

  Lee looked up at [Three] fondly. "I missed…" He saw Wilson walking across the street near the next building in the complex. "Let's just get this over with." Lee showed Alejandro the key and nodded towards Wilson. "We need answers."

  Alejandro nodded and he, Saira, Mar, and Bradley all stayed with him as he went to confront their Leader. Trak sent the two other Anubi with the bulging packs into the garage but stayed with Lee himself. Lee did stop and place a hand against the wall of [Three]. "I'm back, Three." He didn't know if he imagined the feeling of welcome and relief, but it felt like the building was glad to see him. Or maybe he was just projecting. A few quick RuneScapes into some of the discs in his robe and Lee had [Mana Mind] again. At least enough for the next little while.

  Wilson saw them coming and his eyes widened when he noticed the key in Lee's hand. He said something to his two guards and then waved at Lee to follow as he went over to the small building that had been the leasing office once upon a time.

  Lee exchanged a glance with Alejandro. "Did Wilson expect this?" Alejandro only shrugged slightly in response to his look.

  "Lee, Alejandro." Wilson waited for them at the door, holding it open. "Please come inside, I…" He looked around nervously. "I need to tell you… something."

  Mar had slipped past him while he talked and Lee didn't see any lurking ambushers inside. Not that he expected Wilson to go that far…

  Wilson led them into his office alone and spoke up before Lee could ask about the key. "I need to apologize." Lee stayed quiet, not sure where this was going.

  "I lied about the Outpost being part of my Class. As I'm sure you can deduce from that key."

  "Why?" Saira cut in.

  "I was scared." Wilson slumped into his chair. "My Class was [Manager] and I was afraid that I would be abandoned and kicked out when people found out how useless it was." He looked nervously at Lee. "Especially when I got a notification that I was being replaced only seconds after I created the Outpost…"

  Lee remembered that, when he'd rejected the option to become the 'Commander'.

  "I want to make things right!" Wilson stood up and started pacing. "My Class evolved today. Now I am a [Fort Manager] and it will let me Assign people to positions of Management within the Fort. It will also let others have access to the Fort Management Interface…" He stopped pacing and looked at all of them.

  "Before I start, it does have a long cool down if someone quits."

  They all exchanged glances. Who wanted to be in charge?

  "Also… If you insist… I could resign as [Fort Commander]." He didn't meet anyone's eyes and sat back down when he said that. "That would make you Commander, Lee."

  Lee still didn't want to be in charge… "What does the job entail?"

  "I actually haven't been doing everything I could…" Wilson said. "A lot of it is issuing orders and assigning Jobs to people. It didn't feel right to start doing that without talking to people first. A bit too dictator-like."

  "Did you put us into more danger just to…" Saira started and Wilson held up his hands.

  "No!" He sighed. "I did assign people into the [Guard] roles, but only when they volunteered. It gives them some extra Buffs inside the Fort. Defense was very high on my priorities!"

  "If you'll let me and with some help, I'll prove that I deserve this job."

  Lee looked at the others in the room. He didn't know what to do here and already wanted to be back inside [Three] and working on his Runes.

  "Alejandro." Wilson spoke up again into the silence. "You have high enough contributions to be promoted straight to [General] now and everyone that knows you speaks highly of you. If you want it, I can promote you. But I can't demote you or replace you once I do, not unless someone else exceeds your contributions."

  Alejandro appeared to be considering that as Wilson glanced at Lee. "As for you, no one has come close to reaching your contribution. I don't know how or even what you created in that building… but this system values it highly."

  "I'll take it." Alejandro said, pulling Wilson's attention back.

  Alejandro Morales has been Promoted to [General]

  "Done." Wilson smiled, seeming pleased. "And let me add this…"

  Nothing else happened but Alejandro's eyes unfocused as he read something only he could see. "Assistant Fort Manager?" Alejandro asked.

  "It will allow you to access many of my Class abilities." Wilson said. "I haven't fully explored all the options yet but…"

  "It says I can give people Quests!" Alejandro said suddenly.

  "Yes… but I haven't figured out what or even how the rewards will work." Wilson added.

  "It looks like… taxes." Alejandro frowned. "That won't go over well."

  "Better coming from you rather than me." Wilson smiled a bit evilly. "I expect."

  Alejandro groaned. "Was this your plan all along?"

  Wilson laughed and Lee thought he seemed much more relaxed now. Probably because it didn't look like he was getting fired like he'd feared. But if Alejandro could figure out ways to make this Fort and its people stronger… then maybe taxes wouldn't be too bad?

  "We'll figure it out… General." Wilson said.

  "Lee. Give me an Order." Alejandro said suddenly. The word order had a strange inflection.

  "Um… I order you to act like a chicken." Lee said.

  "No, no, you have to…" Alejandro started.

  "General. Act like a chicken." Wilson said loudly. "That's an Order!"

  Alejandro grunted and his body twitched. He didn't move but his face started twitching as well.

  "Cancel that Order." Wilson said almost immediately after and Alejandro slumped suddenly as if he'd just put down a heavy load.

  "I don't like that!" He glared at Wilson. "You haven't been doing that to anyone have you?"

  "No!" Wilson held up his hands defensively. "Well… I used it once but the guy freaked out and I haven't done it again!"

  "Emergency Use Only." Alejandro said sternly and Wilson quickly nodded his agreement.

  Alejandro watched the man for a long moment before he nodded and looked at the others. "We will figure this out, but later. First I need to see my wife."

  "I wouldn't try using orders on her Alejandro." Lee joked.

  Alejandro chuckled and Wilson flinched violently and went deathly pale. "You... You shouldn't..."

  "Hah!" Alejandro exclaimed. "I am not an idiot." He smiled at Lee. "But I bet she will enjoy your humorous idea."

  "Just wait til I'm asleep." Lee said. "So I don't have to see it coming."

  Alejandro laughed. "We'll talk, Wilson."

  "Of course." Wilson stood up. "I will be available when you are ready." He stood there and smiled weakly as they all filed out.

  Mar came out behind them, still invisible. "So where's my promotion?"

  Alejandro looked towards the sound of her voice. "Would you like to be a…"

  "Nevermind!" Mar interrupted. "I'm going to sleep."

  Lee saw her foot tapping at the ground and Bradley mumbled something about sleeping too and followed behind the invisible girl. "Heh. Sneaky romance is always better."

  A pulse of Mana flashed from Saira and Lee saw her frown slightly towards the departing duo before she sighed and smiled at Lee and Alejandro. "I will be in the garden if you need me."

  "Thank you, Saira." Alejandro started to throw an arm around her but stopped himself and held out his hand instead. "You saved our lives today. Once again." He smiled and Lee started for [Three] and his own bed. "Cya." Maybe a nap wouldn't hurt before he got back to work.

  Alejandro fell in beside him a few moments later. "So how was your first Lair run? Did you enjoy it?"

  Lee muttered some disparaging remarks under his breath and then sighed. "You win, Alejandro. I'll stay here from now on."

  Alejandro patted him on the shoulder. "Nonsense! You did a fantastic job! Without you, we…"

  "I will fix that problem with the Runes." Lee cut him off. "I just have to…" He stopped. Why was Mar following him… "That is not Mar!"

  Lee resumed his walking, doing his best to move casually despite the two invisible things that were coming up slowly behind him and Alejandro. Both were at least ten feet tall and Lee didn't think they knew he'd detected them because it would only take one of the monsters a single lunge to reach him or Alejandro. He knew they were invisible because when he looked at Alejandro there was nothing to see where his [Mana Mind] was picking up the monster. They also had a shell very similar to Mar's, the reason why he'd originally thought of her.

  Alejandro must have noticed something because his eyes were roaming wildly while his head stayed locked on Lee.

  Lee was approaching one of the doors into the building and didn't think he would be able to open the door and get inside before one of the reaching limbs grabbed him. He stopped, just for an instant, before touching [Three]. "I don't want full Mana for this…" He met Alejandro's gaze and flicked his own eyes in the direction of the monster behind the other man, that definitely had way too many arms and or legs. "This is going to suck." At the same moment he lifted his arm to point at the other monster that was reaching towards him and activated [Liquid Mana Blast].

  You have Discovered a Hidden Invasion! Contributions Earned. Drive out or Defeat the Invaders to Receive your Rewards.

  Mana blasted out of his hand in a wave of pain and revealed an Eldritch Abomination looking thing. The force of the blast pushed the Monster away from him by a few feet.

  Debuff Gained. [Mana Burned]

  It also pushed Lee in the opposite direction and he made the terrible mistake of reaching out with his other hand to catch himself… and touched [Three].

  Debuff…

  Mana Raged into him, and ripped right back out the other side. The blast that was pushing back the monster, turned into an eye-searing beam of death. Lee didn't notice the pain from his ears or the sudden silence afterwards. Not over the pain that was melting his body down into pure Energy.

  The Blue-White Beam of pure Mana split the monster in half as it swept up. It split the three story wall behind the monster in half and ascended into the sky, reaching for the stars.

  Debuff…

  Debuff…

  Debuff Gained. [Mana Burned V]

  Lee couldn't think, couldn't scream, couldn't do anything. He barely noticed when a split second later, [Three] cut his Mana Supply.

  Lee came back to himself just enough to wish he would black out, or die. He didn't.

  He was aware of nothing but pain until his ears suddenly popped and he could hear unintelligible voices all around him. He was surprised that he couldn't hear himself screaming until he realized that he couldn't breathe, his body wouldn't obey him enough to draw in a breath.

  He couldn't see. Everything was too bright… No, his eyes were still closed.

  Something foul trickled between his clenched teeth and Lee couldn't even struggle. Then something grabbed onto him and dragged him down into blessed darkness and silence.