Surviving the Simulation: The Grand Crusade

Once they were out of sight of the safe zone walls, Rex abruptly veered off-course, cutting across a side street toward a burned-out structure no one had mentioned. Without a word, the rest of the team followed.

Zoey narrowed her eyes. "Okay… this isn't the building we agreed on."

Xander glanced at Rex, who hadn't slowed his stride. "You changing the plan?"

Rex nodded grimly. "Yeah. Something's off. Can't put my finger on it, but I don't want us anywhere predictable."

He didn't say it outright, Xander thought, but the man was spooked, and Rex didn't spook easily. The growing tension inside the safe zone, the council's sudden hostility, and the convenient positioning of their teams felt like puzzle pieces sliding into place. Just not in any pattern he liked.

They slipped into the second floor of a half-collapsed building the reclaimer crews hadn't touched yet. Charred beams and scorched walls made it a terrible shelter, but a great vantage point. From here, Xander had a clear line of sight up and down the street, and more importantly, no one in the safe zone had any reason to know where they were.

A horn blew across the soon to be battlefield signaling the arrival of the gnoll war band. Oddly, a gnoll blew the horn, perfectly timed to coincide with the attack timer reaching zero.

Rally the Defenders Redux
Quest Notification! Attack on your current safe zone is imminent, repeal the invaders! Wipe out the enemy force or cause them to retreat before they can take or destroy your safe zone console. Eliminating enemy commanders will lower the invaders' willingness to continue the fight.
Difficulty: Hard
Reward: Experience, gold, and one item reward.

Accept Quest? Yes/No

There looked to be about the same number of gnolls as the last fight, but Xander thought that the group this time was a higher level based on the ones he could analyze. Plus, he could see a couple of mages and cleric classes. There had only been one mage the last time and no clerics that he could remember. The enormous shock, however, was the large dogs.

Dogs might not have been the right word, he concluded. They weren't quite wolves, but maybe hyenas? That would make sense, given that in most games, gnolls were a form of bipedal hyenas in much the same manner that rodentia were bipedal rats. He'd never seen a hyena before, so he wasn't able to judge if these were normal sized or Simulation sized ones.

The gnolls were between six and seven feet tall and the hyena seemed to come up waist high. Xander figured they'd be chest high on someone like himself, so they were probably five feet tall. Large mane of black hair ran down their head and upper back, almost like a mohawk. The rest of the body was a tan color and even at a distance, Xander could see the rippling muscles and teeth.

"This is going to suck," Xander said out loud.

"Embrace the suck!" came the harsh whisper from every member of Rex's team.

Shaking his head, Xander looked back toward the safe zone, specifically the roof. The archers stood there, ready to inflict a large amount of pain on the war band once they charged. What Xander couldn't figure out, though, was what spooked Major Rex. The horn sounding for a second time brought Xander's attention to the now charging horde. He focused on trying to identify the champions or leaders, but so far, the horde looked to be standard foot soldiers and hyenas.

A thunderous volley from the archers and arbalests tore into the gnoll vanguard, ripping their front line apart with brutal efficiency. Explosive-tipped bolts shattered bones and scattered bodies, halting the charge in a storm of fire and steel. Then, without warning, the building where Xander and Rex were supposed to be erupted, blasting wood, brick, and twisted debris across the street.

Xander froze, heart hammering as a wave of heat and dust slammed into him. For half a second, all he could hear was a high-pitched ringing. The sheer violence of the blast ripped through him like a gut punch. If Rex hadn't changed course... his legs went numb at the thought. It would've been them.

The explosion was powerful and precise. It hadn't come from the arbalest volley. Someone had caused that structure to blow and timed it to make it look like an accidental, friendly fire incident.

"This wasn't the gnolls," Rex growled, eyes scanning the wreckage. "Someone inside the zone set us up."

He took a breath, jaw clenched. "I'm just going to hold off on saying 'I told you so' until we survive this mess."

While the gnolls struggled to regroup, the archers and mage on the roof of the safe zone continued to decimate the attackers within reach. Firebolts streaked down into the yipping and pained cries of the attackers, setting them on fire. The gnolls and hyenas were soon burning and spreading the flames to their companions. The smart ones fell to the ground to roll around to smother the flames, but the more likely outcome was the flaming gnoll would panic and retreat into the formation, thus setting more of its companions on fire.

The initial round went to the defenders, but the battle was far from over. The devastating initial attack appeared to be demoralizing at first, but then slowly a red aura radiated from a pack of gnolls in the middle ranks and then flow outward. Every attacker surrounded by the aura appeared to suddenly channel their fear and outrage at the attack into one of pure rage. The result was twenty-five gnolls that had clearly gone berserk charging at the safe zone gate. The wave of berserk gnolls shrugged off normal arrows and firebolts as it crashed against the gate, shattering it to splinters and knocking it off its hinges.

With the gate down, the battle changed from one of tactics and advantages into little more than a knock down drag out knife fight in a dirt floor bar. Shouts of defiance and growls of anger filled the air as steel rang against steel. The berserk gnolls cut through the initial attackers like a hot knife through butter until several safe zone defenders with classes could rally a counter offensive. It was a bloody stalemate that neither side would be winning.

"That looks like our first champion," Zoey said, pointing toward a gnoll clad in a steel breastplate, reinforced leather leggings, and a hooded cloak. It carried a longsword and shield, riding atop the largest hyena Xander had seen yet. The beast stalked down the street on their side of the block. It was far too massive to enter any buildings, and far too dangerous to face head-on in open ground where reinforcements could easily be called.

If we're quick, maybe we can pull it into a side street, Xander thought.

He relayed the idea to the group.

[Analyze] Vrax Ironpaw | Level: 7 Elite | Status: Hostile | Class: Beast Master
[Analyze] Bloodtide | Level: 6 Rare | Status: Hostile | Class: War Hyena

They shifted to the mouth of a narrow alley, weapons ready, breath held. As the pair crossed the alley entrance, Bloodtide's feral form momentarily cast them into shadow. Zoey didn't hesitate. She loosed a frost-infused arrow that struck true, slamming into the hyena's eye. Bloodtide let out a shriek of fury, momentarily blinded and thrashing as the ambush began.

Bloodtide turned to face the alley, blood running down the side of its snout from its ruined eye, glaring toward the offending pests that had stung it. Xander and Rex, weapons in hand, moved to stand slightly behind their two tanks to either side, forming a makeshift arrowhead defensive position, with Zoey standing several steps behind the line.

Vrax, unfazed by Bloodtide's injury, let out a guttural command that rolled across the battlefield like a war drum. The remaining gnolls surged forward at his order, eyes locked on the ruined gate of the safe zone. Then, with a harsh snap of the reins, he sent Bloodtide barreling down the alley like a launched siege weapon.

Xander barely had time to brace. The massive hyena crashed into the line, a wall of fur, teeth, and muscle. Rex was thrown aside like a rag doll, and the tank to his left hit the ground hard, his shield skittering across the cracked pavement. The roar of impact echoed in Xander's chest, and for a heartbeat, everything was chaos and motion.

To his right, the fighter closest to him lashed out in a fluid arc. His blade opened a deep gash down Bloodtide's flank and caught Vrax's leg as the gnoll thundered past. The blows didn't stop the mount, but they forced it to veer left, its claws scraping across concrete as it fought for traction.

That brief swerve was all Zoey needed. She abandoned her next arrow and dove sideways out of the alley, vanishing from Xander's view just as Bloodtide skidded past where she'd been standing.

Vrax hauled on the reins, wheeling the beast around with practiced ease. The hyena snarled, wild-eyed and furious, but under control as its rider pointed it back toward the now-disrupted group.

Xander's breath caught as Vrax leapt from the saddle mid-turn, seizing the chaos. The elite gnoll charged the fighter beside him, sword flashing in a wide horizontal arc. The strike smashed into the man's shield with a sickening crack. For a moment, the two weapons locked.

The fighter reacted instantly, throwing his full weight into the shield. With a violent twist, he yanked it to the side, dragging the blade with it.

Vrax lost his grip.

The gnoll toppled from the saddle, hitting the pavement with a grunt and a jarring thud, his sword clattering across the alley as Bloodtide galloped on without its master.

Quickly casting a heal on the fighter, Xander turned to cast judgement on Vrax and then delivered a smite empowered blow to its knee before it could recover.

Zoey followed up Xander's strike with two rapid frost-empowered shots that slammed into Vrax's chest. The elite gnoll roared in outrage, then surged back to its feet. With terrifying speed, it lunged at Xander, claws raking down his arm as it seized him and hurled him across the alley.

The impact knocked the air from his lungs. He wasn't sure if it was hitting the wall or the six-foot drop that followed, but something rattled his skull hard enough to leave him blinking up at the sky. He needed a second. Just one.

Across the alley, Bloodtide, now untethered from Vrax's control, turned its head. Even dazed, Xander could see it had locked eyes on Zoey. The beast snarled low and started forward, muscles coiling as it broke into a charge.

Xander could just barely track the blur of motion as Bloodtide slammed into the line. Rex dropped under the impact, unmoving. The fighter beside him staggered to his feet, barely upright and clearly out of his depth.

Bloodtide snarled again and pivoted, teeth bared, as Zoey rolled to her feet a few yards away. Xander's vision swam, but he could see her hesitate for only a breath before raising her bow again, steady despite the chaos. She was alone, and no one was going to reach her in time.

Bloodtide crouched low, its massive form tensing as it prepared to launch down the alley straight toward Zoey.

Frost-tinged arrows pierced into the beast's remaining eye, and it reared back with an earsplitting roar. Instead of collapsing or retreating, the creature went into a violent frenzy, thrashing wildly in all directions. Wood splintered. Stone cracked. Xander couldn't tell if it was lashing out blindly or simply trying to take the world down with it.

Near the center of the chaos, Vrax turned toward the hyena's howl, pausing just long enough to roar in return. Its fur bristling with fury.

Xander didn't waste the moment. Muttering a prayer, he cast heal on himself, the familiar warmth rushing through his battered limbs. The clarity it brought was brief but vital. Vrax turned back to him with a snarl, and the fight resumed instantly. Steel clashing against steel in the narrowing alley, both fighters pressing hard, neither giving ground.

Xander was the first to slip.

He lunged in for a strike, but his foot caught on a cracked piece of pavement, and his balance faltered. In that heartbeat of vulnerability, Vrax's blade lashed out with precision and fury. Xander tried to twist away, but he was too slow. The weapon connected with his side, and he felt the unmistakable crunch. One rib, maybe two, cracked under the impact. Pain exploded in his chest, and he staggered backward, blood spilling from his mouth as he struggled to breathe.

Inaction is death, his mind screamed at him.

Vrax stood over him, growling with anticipation of the sensation of its teeth sinking into Xander's flesh. Summoning every ounce of strength he had left, Xander lunged forward with a two handed thrust of his mace, catching Vrax directly in the solar plexus. Now, with both opponents struggling to catch their breath, it was a race to see who recovered first.

Xander hadn't recovered his breath, but he was the first one to his feet and prepared to bring his mace down on the back of Vrax's head. Vrax wheezed and coughed as he was down on one knee, holding his abdomen. Lashing out with one arm, Vrax pulled Xander's leg out from under him, but not before Xander had begun his downward swing. The blow landed with less force than intended as Xander tumbled back to the ground, losing his mace in the fall. Seeing that Xander would not win the fight by brute force alone against the stronger opponent, he instead switched to a tactic of getting the enemy to defeat himself.

He kicked Vrax in the head and the large gnoll fell to the side as Xander rolled the other direction to curl up into a ball.

Confused at what its enemy was doing, Vrax was so focused on Xander that it has failed to see the blind and enraged Bloodtide coming toward the sound of their battle. Vrax was within reach of the savage beast and within moments, the once faithful companion had torn its master asunder, not realizing who it actually was. Vrax may have been able to stave off the attack with a growl or command, but the first strike by Bloodtide landed before the still out of breath Vrax could recover.

Quest Update! An enemy war boss has been eliminated! Attacking forces will suffer a 10% reduction to damage dealt! The attacking force now suffers a 10% damage reduction.

With Vrax eliminated, the blinded Bloodtide continued its rampage in the center of the alley, but the adventurers were currently out of reach, stationed at the walls on either side, or farther down the alley in Zoey's case. After taking a moment for everyone to gather their wits about them, they attacked the wounded but still dangerous animal to put it out of its misery as quickly as possible.

As the battle between Bloodtide and the party intensified, Zoey continued to unleash frost arrows, slowing the beast even further with each shot. Despite Bloodtide's formidable berserk status, the combined efforts of Xander, Major Rex, and the pair of fighter proved overwhelming.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Quest Update! An enemy commander has been eliminated! Attacking forces will suffer a 10% reduction to damage dealt! A total of 20% damage reduction has been applied to all damage dealt by the attacking force.

"Jesus, that was worse than the boss of the last wave?" Xander cursed, spit blood from his split lip, and triggered another heal on himself at the same time. His ribs had knit back together from the healing spell, but he was sure he was going to be sore for a couple of days.

"The battle still rages. There's no time for dying yet. We still have work to do," Rex said with as much bravado as he could muster, but he was breathing as hard as anyone else from the intensity of the fight.

"Yeah, let me finish healing everyone as much as I can," Xander replied. Mana was quickly becoming an issue for him as he was burning a significant amount on these tougher fights, which then left him short on having enough to heal either during the fight or after.

What's better, more damage output or more healing output, he pondered.

Even though the party had a momentary break in the action, the second invasion of the gnolls continued to rage on. The sounds of explosions, cries, and clashing steel reached people several streets away. Thankfully, Xander thought, the twenty percent reduction in damage dealt by the gnolls should even the odds a bit, maybe even turn them in the defenders' favor. Commanders were high-priority targets, but the real prize would be the leader of the war band. Its death would signal instant victory conditions, assuming this wave followed the same rules as the last one.

Having repositioned to another nearby building, Xander leaned against the interior wall as Rex scanned for another priority target for him and the rest of the team.

Reaching into his bushcraft belt, Xander fished out a fresh can of soda.

Still need to stock up on soda soon, Xander thought as he noticed there were only three cans left.

It felt odd to be sitting idle while the battle raged outside and he was trying to keep his mind occupied with whatever he could to keep anxiety from taking hold.

A boom followed immediately by a louder boom, then the cries of pure chaos echoed across several blocks of the town.

Xander saw the Simulation notification pop up, shocking him.

Quest Update! An enemy commander has been eliminated! Attacking forces will suffer a 10% reduction to damage dealt! A total of 30% damage reduction has been applied to all damage dealt by the attacking force.

"Shit!" Zoey exclaimed. "That was another building blowing up."

Rex glared. "Yeah, and it looks like another one that would have been suitable for us to hide in if we hadn't pushed out so far. Mission first, then before we go back into town, we need to have a discussion. I'm sure you're all thinking that someone is trying to eliminate us, or at the very least, weaken us."

"Cynthia seems the most likely to me," Zoey vented.

"Battle first, espionage second. Distraction gets other people killed," Rex lectured.

"Sir, I think I've got something," one fighter piped up. "Look there toward the back. See that group there holding the banner? Look about twenty feet behind that."

"What the heck is that?" Rex said as he tried to see what his teammate was pointing out.

Rolling over, Xander pulled out his binoculars to get a look at what all the concern was about. He spent a couple of moments locating the source of the commotion, but once he found the targeted gnoll, he also became concerned. It was a female gnoll, the first one Xander could remember seeing, and it looked like there were a couple of hyenas standing beside it. Not as large as Bloodtide had been, but still just slightly over four feet tall at the shoulder. Something was off about the female gnoll's appearance, but Xander couldn't quite tell what it was from the distance, just that something was wrong about it. It felt evil, with more malice than he'd felt from anything so far. This thing didn't hate people, it hated everything.

[Analyze] Nyx Darkwhisper | Level: 7 Boss | Status: Hostile | Class: Deathmage
[Analyze] Fiendish Hyena | Level: 5 | Status: Hostile | Class: Demonic Beast
[Analyze] Fiendish Hyena | Level: 4 | Status: Hostile | Class: Demonic Beast

"Yep, that's the boss. Though if it's a female gnoll and the boss, does that make it the boss bitch?" Xander said in his best dad joke voice, which was met with groans from everyone else.

"It's out in the open. We will not lure it away from the group like we did that last commander. Anyone have any ideas?" Rex asked.

"I was going to save these for the dungeon, but I may have picked up a couple of Molotov cocktails from the safe zone earlier," Xander admitted.

Rex scanned the battlefield in silence, eyes narrowed as he took in the state of the fight. From where Xander stood, it was clear the gnolls were pressing hard on the safe zone. The gate was down, and neither of the two nearby sentry towers was firing. Either the defenders were dead, or they'd already fallen back.

Xander followed Rex's gaze toward the rear of the horde. There was a noticeable gap between the war leader and the rest of the gnolls, but not enough to cut the boss off completely. Worse, they couldn't lure her anywhere because every nearby structure was caved in or already rubble.

Rex finally turned back to the group. "Okay, I have a plan," he said. "It's probably a terrible plan, but it's the best I've got. We're going to have to be fast and hit hard."

He looked to Xander. "I'm sorry to ask this, but I need you to pull her focus. You're the only one with a magic shield. Might be the only thing that buys you time when she starts slinging spells."

Xander wasn't feeling very confident about this plan. If he was being honest with himself, he was downright terrified. Still, this problem needed to be dealt with before he could head to the dungeon and hopefully find Jo. The plan itself was pretty simple. Instead of using the Molotov cocktails as offensive weapons, they would use them as battlefield control. Rex and his companions would throw the firebombs to create a breakpoint between the boss and the rest of the war party. The party was far enough up the street that the fire had hemmed them in against the buildings. It wouldn't stop them from attacking the safe zone, but it would cut them off from helping their leader or retreating up the street. They could still take the side streets and detour a couple blocks, but the plan was for the team to end the fight before any gnolls could take that route.

Hefting his borrowed shield, so he wasn't fighting with just his mace, he cast his shield spell and charged. Three things all happened in an instant. Xander triggered judgement right before smashing the mage with an overhand swing so the mage was instantly on the defensive. Fire erupted from the first two Molotov cocktails Rex's companions had tossed just as Xander began his charge. And one hyena took a frost imbued arrow directly to the heart, dropping it instantly, the fire fading from its eyes before it hit the ground.

While Zoey targeted one of the fiendish hyenas, Rex tore into the second one with his twin axes.

Fire flared from the fiend's eyes as it traded blows with Rex to control the battle. The fiend slammed its head into Rex's abdomen, sending him flying onto his back.

Rex drew in a deep breath as he centered himself before scrambling back to his feet for a counterattack.

Having won the initial opening engagement, Xander gripped his one-handed mace, the flanged head gleaming with radiant energy, expecting the inevitable counterattack.

The gnoll Deathmage, undeterred by the initial setback, responded by weaving a dark spell. Bolts of shadowy energy lashed out, aiming to cut short Xander's life. Ducking behind his borrowed shield, he braced himself for the onslaught. The first bolt sparked across his magical radiant shield, while the second bolt landed square against the physical shield he held.

As the battle unfolded, the fiendish Deathmage proved relentless, its ferocity and spell craft testing the limits of Xander's strength and radiant protection. Yet, he fought on, determined to overcome the fiendish force pitted against him.

Zoey, having joined the fray, recognized the need for a decisive move and unleashed a flurry of icy arrows. Each shot found its mark, causing the Deathmage to falter and slow.

Seizing the opportunity, Xander brought his one-handed mace down with a resounding smite infused blow, shattering the fiendish abomination's skull. Its empty and soulless eye sockets losing the fiendish fire that had burned within them moments before.

Victory, however, seemed short-lived. The taint of fiendishness still hung in the air, and dark tendrils crept from the Deathmage to reach out beyond the flame and strike the horde of gnolls still focused on the safe zone. Drained of their life force, the gnolls fell by the dozen as the revived Deathmage stood back up, its eye sockets once again burning with fiendish fire.

Undeterred, Xander pressed on, swinging his mace with determination. As the Deathmage and her fiendish hyenas fell, dark tendrils repeatedly brought them back to life, and the battle raged on.

"Guys, we just threw our last two Molotov cocktails!" one of Rex's companions hollered. "We need to figure this out pretty quick or we're going to be overwhelmed the moment these flames die down."

"Do we have to kill them several times? All at the same time? Disrupt the tendrils somehow? I have no idea! It's sure thinning the gnoll horde, but I'm almost out of mana for this fight," Xander vented as he continued to trade blows with the Deathmage.

"Okay, we're going to try everything at once. When the first combatant drops, everybody focus on the remaining ones. I'll see if sanctify can interrupt the life drain mechanic. Something's got to work."

Moments later, the first hyena fell, followed closely by the other. With the fiendish hyenas neutralized, Xander turned his full attention to the Deathmage. Feinting left, he slammed his borrowed shield directly into its snout. Bloodied, its head twisted to the right, momentarily distracting it. Xander seized the moment. He dropped his mace to pull his ten-inch camp knife from his belt and plunge it directly into the Deathmage's chest, stabbing over and over.

"I just wanted to go camping!" Xander shouted, punctuating each word with another savage thrust into the already-dead gnoll. "Screw the Simulation!"

The dark tendrils that had begun to rise from the hyenas collapsed in on themselves with a hiss as the fiendish female gnoll fell. The theory held. Kill all three quickly, and they stayed dead. Still, Xander cast sanctify, the golden ring of light pulsing outward as he struggled to pull his breathing back under control.

His hands were shaking.

Quest Update! An enemy war boss has been eliminated! Attacking forces will suffer a 20% reduction to damage dealt! A total of 50% damage reduction has been applied to all damage dealt by the attacking force.

Around him, the last of the gnolls turned and ran, the Simulation's artificial courage bleeding out of them now that their leaders were dead. Unlike the last battle, they weren't regrouping or rallying. They were fleeing. Flat-out, panicked retreat.

Xander didn't care.

He slumped against the broken half-wall of a nearby ruin, staring blankly as safe zone defenders surged in to mop up the stragglers. His body ached, his mind was raw, but it wasn't the fight that had hollowed him out.

Jo was still missing. She could be anywhere. Hurt. Dying. Captured.

He pictured her trapped in one of these cursed alleys, surrounded, screaming for help that wouldn't come. The Simulation wouldn't care. It didn't care when it yanked them into this nightmare, and it certainly wouldn't care what it put her through while he fought for his life halfway across the city.

He should've been there. She should've been here. He should've kept her safe.

Rex's hand settled on his shoulder.

"Xander? You okay?"

He blinked. His voice came out hoarse. "Sorry. It all just got to me there for a moment. I'll be fine. Just... give me a few."

He exhaled slowly, straightened up, and wiped the blood from his hands. Though they still shook.

"Rex, let's loot our own kills," he muttered, voice flat. "I'm not feeling the generosity of our hosts lately."

As if on cue, Cabbot appeared beside him, ghosting silently out of the air and pressing against Xander's side with a soft chirp. The spectral cat didn't purr or meow. Just leaned into him, warm and steady, like it knew he was seconds from coming apart.

Xander dropped to one knee and buried a hand in the phantom fur, scratching behind Cabbot's ear as his other hand gripped the edge of the ruined wall to stay upright. His vision blurred, not from injury, but from the pressure building behind his eyes. He couldn't breathe right. Couldn't think straight.

Jo could be gone.

The Simulation didn't care what it did to people. Didn't care what it took from them. And all Xander could do was try not to break. Right here, in front of Rex and Zoey and a dozen corpses.

Cabbot pressed his head into Xander's chest and began purring so softly it barely registered, but the vibration grounded him more than any spell ever could.

Cats are really too good for us, Xander thought, still trembling, but breathing again. Cabbot lingered at his side a moment longer before fading into mist. Her way of saying, You've got this.

Xander straightened, dragging a hand down his face just as the familiar blinking icon of the Simulation notification prompt sat in the corner of his vision, blinking for his attention, slicing through the haze like a blade.

Rally the Defenders Redux
Quest Completion! Congratulations, you have successfully defended against the attacking Gnoll war party.
Rewards: Experience Points, Two Hundred Gold, Sparkforged Lance.

Rally the Defenders and Counterattack
Quest Notification! Discover the origin of the attack on the safe zone. Wipe out the source of the enemy force to prevent another safe zone attack. The next attack will be in two planetary cycles.
Difficulty: Hard
Reward: Experience, gold, and two item rewards.

Quest Already Active

"I sent the rest of the team back to look for the first commander we killed, and I've already stripped this little nasty thing down. Looks like some interesting stuff, but we'll deal with that later, away from prying eyes," Rex said. He had a pensive look on his face, as if he was hesitant to bring up the next topic.

"I think it's apparent that there is something afoot within the safe zone. Missing people, complete attitude changes of some individuals, several accidents that could have easily wiped us out…"

"I don't think it's about us specifically, but someone is trying to control all the pieces on the board."

Xander waited a moment before responding, "I'm pretty sure that Alex discovered something he shouldn't have and got mixed up in this, too. I don't want to admit it, but he's dead or involved. Neither prospect is appealing."

"I have an opinion on who I think is at the center of this, but I'd like to hear your thoughts first."

"The obvious choice is Cynthia, but that's why I don't think it's her. It's too obvious," Rex responded. "My money is on Victor. He's working hard to be all super nice and playing mediator. Then there's his class. Everyone else has gotten classes based on what they've done since the reboot or life skills from before. None of those make sense for Victor being an alchemist, unless it does. Know what I mean?"

"You think Victor is slipping some kind of potion to the librarian to make her paranoid?" Xander asked. He had had a similar line of thought, but wanted to hear it from Rex directly.

"To be truthful, I don't know, but it makes sense. That being said, I don't want to go in and start pointing fingers. All we have right now is a idea that sort of fits speculative facts. It could very well be that nothing is going on here and these people are just assholes." Rex chuckled grimly.

"Getting to the dungeon is next on my priority list at the moment. Once I find Jo, then I'll be up for helping play mystery detective," Xander replied.

"Agreed. The dungeon needs to take priority," Rex agreed. "Let's meet up this evening and go over loot. I have a feeling it's going to be an interesting council meeting first, though."

As Rex turned away, already barking quiet orders to nearby defenders, Xander let the tension drain from his shoulders and went back to reviewing his Simulation notifications. After everything they'd just been through, it felt almost absurd to be getting stat updates like he'd just cleared a daily quest in an MMO.

+3 Mace Combat | Congratulations! Batter up!

+2 Knife Combat | Congratulations! You've decided to stab things now. Fun!

+2 Light Armor | Congratulations! Why change to dodging now, right!?

+2 Leadership | Congratulations! Now everyone can all look forward to being led with a 1% increase in enthusiasm and a 99% rise in unsolicited advice!

Nothing exciting, Xander thought as he looked over his skill gains, though the knife fighting skill is surprising.

No first aid gains is a clear downside to having a healing spell now, but I'll take that trade off any day, he thought as he rubbed his still sore but unbroken ribs.

Level up! Congratulations, you are now level six. Go forth and defend the realms, mighty hunter. You have one attribute point to distribute and one ability selection; do you wish to select now? You must assign your planetary cycle; otherwise, we will assign it for you.

Yes/No

Levels were coming slower, but at least there were active benefits now instead of it being an arbitrary number on a screen. Still, now that there were decisions to be made, Xander felt he should start planning long term. Health and mana were both a limiting factor in his effectiveness, but right now health seemed to be the higher priority. He'd come too close to death too many times, even with having several defensive paladin abilities, plus healing. A larger mana pool wouldn't help him if he was killed before he could use it.

Abilities presented Xander with some interesting choices ranging from the quintessential paladin abilities around confronting undead and dark aligned classes, but none of those really seemed to have much immediate benefit. There were two abilities that appeared to have promise, though. One was an ability that would cleanse negative effects during combat and the other was a variation to his Radiant Shield that made it capable of being cast on others instead of just himself. Each choice was going to have immediate benefit and the cleanse ability was something he was sure that he'd need as he faced higher level monsters with more offensive abilities, but the shield would be something that would be helpful to the party now. He selected the ability, transforming his Radiant Shield into a Radiant Aegis.

Name: Xander Kell

Class: Lightbringer Paladin
Level: Six
Health: 260/260
Mana: 120/120

Stats
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 14 (+10)
Intelligence: 6
Constitution: 6
Charisma: 5

Abilities
Taunt
Disarm
Cat's Grace
Cat's Sight
Spectral Sight
Radiant Smite
Radiant Aegis
Judgement
Light Heal
Sanctify

Skills
Spear Combat: 11
Mace Combat: 9
Knife Combat: 2
Thrown Spear: 1
First Aid: 9
Analyze: 7
Light Armor: 9
Leadership: 3