Surviving the Simulation: The Grand Crusade

Xander and Jo descended the stairs of the inn, their steps in sync and their spirits high. The morning sun filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow over the wooden interior. Xander's eyes sparkled with determination as he adjusted the survivalist belt, the clinking of the smith's hammer hanging off it hinting at his plans for the day.

At the bottom of the stairs, a tray of pre-made breakfast foods awaited early risers. Jo grabbed a couple of pastries, handing one to Xander. "Here, grab something to go. We've got a busy day ahead."

Xander took the pastry with a grateful nod, taking a bite and savoring the flaky crust. "Thanks, Jo. This will hit the spot."

Jo picked up fruit for herself. "I'll see about recruiting more members for our team. We need a dedicated healer and a tank. Your healing spells are great, but we need someone who can focus solely on keeping us alive. And a strong tank would give us the edge in battle. That would free you up to be more of a utility player. You said that worked out well for the group back in the Dusk Tunnel Mine Complex."

"Agreed. We've been lucky so far, but we need a more solid formation if we're going to take on bigger challenges." Xander said.

Jo smiled, squeezing his arm gently before they parted ways at the door. "Good luck, babe. I'll meet you back here later with some new allies, hopefully."

"You too," Xander replied, watching as Jo stepped into the bustling street, her confident stride making it clear she was on a mission.

With a last glance, Xander turned and made his way to the blacksmith's shop, the now familiar clang of hammer on anvil growing louder as he approached. He pushed open the heavy door, greeted by the warm, smoky air and the sight of Lily, already hard at work.

"Morning, Xander!" Lily called out. "I saw the spear you were working on. It's a great-looking piece. I've got a couple of notes if you'd like to hear my feedback?"

"I'm eager to hear it," Xander said, as he moved to his workstation, the half-finished spear lying on the table. "Let's get to it."

The pair talked as Xander set to work, his hands making slight adjustments based on Lily's guidance. The rhythmic sound of hammer striking metal filled the shop as he shaped the spearhead, refining its edge and balance. He could feel the energy flowing through him, almost causing him to lose his focus when a forced Simulation status update appeared.

Divine Forge Master activated! You have achieved the focus of a Divine Forge Master. Relevant properties of your Crusader class will infuse your current creation. Continue to level up Divine Forge Master for greater control and potency of that infusion.

By midday, the spear was nearly complete with Lily's help. Xander inspected his work, a sense of accomplishment swelling within him. The spearhead gleamed, its sharp edges promising swift strikes and precise thrusts. He attached it to the shaft, ensuring a secure fit, and gave it a few experimental swings.

"Now that is one gorgeous weapon," Lily said.

"Thanks, Lily. I couldn't have done it without your help and materials. I really appreciate it," Xander replied, a satisfied smile on his face. "It feels right."

Celestial Edge Spear
Quality: Epic
Enchantments: Undead Slayer, Unbreakable, Blessed Strike
Description: Divine and silver infuse this spear with power. Undead will suffer extra damage from strikes of this spear. It is unbreakable, no matter how many other spears the wielder has broken in the past. When the user would have been able to break a previous spear, this one will shatter only to reappear moments later whole again. Blessed strike will deal radiant damage equal to the regular damage upon a critical hit. Warning! Only Clerics, Paladins, and Crusaders (hidden) of the Light affinity can use this spear.

Xander was pretty sure the Simulation was taking a direct shot at him with the unbreakable property. Still, Xander was willing to take a bit of sass from the Simulation over these stats. Unbreakable alone was worth it. Big Divine energy, indeed.

Lily nodded, clapping Xander on the shoulder as he shared the description of the weapon with her. "Damn, I'm not going to lie. I'm jealous."

Lily leaned against the workbench, eyeing the spear with something between awe and envy. "Would you mind if I sent some Clerics or Paladins your way? Ones looking for commission work. I've got a few who'd pay top coin for something even half as good as that."

Xander looked up from inspecting the balance of the shaft. "If they're willing to wait and don't mind me being picky, sure. But I'm not cutting you out. You're getting a cut on every job that comes through."

"You don't have to," she started.

"I do," he said, cutting her off. "You're running the shop, managing supply, handling the customer end. I just swing a hammer and the Simulation lets me cheat."

She frowned at that. "You think what you did today was just hammer-swinging?"

"No, not really. But I'm not interested in becoming the next high and mighty forge god. I make a few things. You keep the shop running. Simple split."

Lily stared at him for a beat too long, then laughed once, short and incredulous. "You're serious."

"I'm not going to be a full-time smith. Don't want the headache. But if I can make gear that keeps people alive, and not have to handle the business end, then yeah, I'm serious."

"Alright, here's my counter. I'll handle materials for clients who don't bring their own. You take the labor cut. I might lose a little on low-end gear, but I'll make it back once word gets out what you're really building."

"Deal. But we revisit it after six commissions. I want numbers before either of us gets locked in too deep."

Her expression shifted. Less business, more personal. "You get what this means for me, right? I'm already the top smith in Starlight, but once trade picks up and when other settlements barter in bulk, gear like yours is going to be the difference between being the best here and being the first name people ask for everywhere. And you're just... offering that?"

"You helped me. I don't forget that. Just don't let it turn into a circus."

"It won't." She looked back at the spear. "Thanks, Xander. Really."

He gave a small nod, already returning to the spear. "Let's see if it actually survives field testing before we take orders. Now that bit of business is concluded, I want to take this supposedly unbreakable spear out for a spin."

Lily smiled and nodded. "That I can help with. Follow me."

She led him through the shop, past rows of finely crafted weapons and tools, and out a back door. Behind the shop was a spacious yard bordered by a twenty-foot-high wooden fence. In one corner stood several training dummies, battered and worn by countless practice sessions. Nearby, a sparring ring lay empty, the sand within it undisturbed.

"Here we are," Lily said. "Feel free to test the spear on these. And if you want a more dynamic challenge, I'm sure we could find someone for you to face off against in the sparring ring."

Xander walked over to the nearest dummy, gripping the spear firmly in his hands. He took a deep breath, feeling the weight and balance of the weapon. Then, with a swift, fluid motion, he thrust the spear forward, the blade striking the dummy with a satisfying thud.

"Looks like it handles well," Lily said, stepping in to inspect the splintered dummy. "Solid strike, deep penetration. Anything with organs would be coughing them up right about now."

Xander nodded, rolling the shaft in his palm, feeling the balance shift through the motion. "Yeah. This one's different. Feels right in a way the others didn't."

He paused. "The first spear I had wasn't even supposed to be a weapon. My dad gave it to me as a joke, something he picked up at a flea market. Cheap steel, wrapped grip, the kind of thing meant for display, not survival."

He stepped back, adjusted his stance, and lined up another strike.

"I kept it because he gave it to me. No clue it would save my life when things fell apart. Now here I am, swinging something the Simulation practically hand-carved to kill the undead. Divine Forge Master, radiant crits, enchantments that make little sense. Feels like I've gone from duct tape and crossed fingers to... this."

He drove the spear forward again, embedding it deep into the next dummy with a satisfying thunk.

"Let me run a few more tests," he said, pulling it loose, watching splinters fall away from the wound. "I want to see if I can trigger the special. Though I'm not sure how to land a crit on something without a pulse."

Lily gave a short laugh. "If anyone can find a way to piss off a scarecrow enough to score a headshot, it's you."

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

After a dozen clean strikes, Xander adjusted his stance, angled the spear, and drove it straight into the training dummy's head with one smooth motion. The hit landed clean, and for a second, nothing happened. Then the air cracked with a burst of yellow-white light as radiant energy surged from the weapon's core. The dummy detonated. Wood, hay, and canvas tore apart in a chaotic blast, spraying fragments across the yard. A chunk of straw slapped the fence with enough force to bounce.

Lily ducked slightly as debris rained down around them, a mix of shock and admiration lighting her face. "Well, that answers a couple of questions. Apparently, you can get a critical hit on something that doesn't breathe. And now we know what Blessed Strike looks like."

She plucked a length of hay from her shoulder and glanced around the yard. "Everyone good?" A few startled affirmatives came from the back, muffled by distance and splinters.

Xander didn't answer right away. He stepped closer to what was left of the dummy, inspecting the damage. Most of the torso was gone. The head had ceased to exist. "I didn't think it'd trigger on a dummy," he said finally. "But the form on that one felt right. Clean mechanics, full commitment, straight to the head. Maybe the Simulation flagged it as a vital hit, even if the target was stuffed with straw instead of organs."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "So it's judging your technique now?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," Xander said. "Feels like it's always watching, always waiting to drop a little reward or punishment based on how clever or stupid you're being."

She laughed again. "I was going to suggest some light sparring, but I think that's off the table now."

"No," Xander said, still watching the last bits of hay settle on the dirt. "I don't think it would be a good idea."

"You know," Lily said, "there is a dungeon nearby that we could hit."

On the surface, it sounded reasonable enough. A quick dungeon run, local, low threat, tied to materials. But something about the way Lily had pitched it made Xander pause. Her voice had that too-smooth tone people use when they were skirting around the full truth. Not lying exactly, but stacking the deck.

He narrowed his eyes. "What's the catch?"

"Catch? Why would there be a catch?" Lily bent down and plucked a piece of straw from the edge of the fence, way too focused on its existence for it to be genuine curiosity.

After a few seconds, she sighed and let the straw drop. "Alright, look," she said. "There's a church east of town with a graveyard beside it. There's a dungeon entrance under the building. A team brought back fragments of metal from inside. Small stuff, barely usable, but enough to get my attention. From what I've seen, it used to be sanctified. Now it's twisted, tainted with undead essence."

She rubbed the back of her neck and finally met his eyes. "If I can get my hands on a larger sample, maybe I can figure out how to purify it, or reverse-engineer the sanctification. Armor, weapons, accessories. Stuff that could resist or even nullify undead corruption. You see what that would mean in a world like this?"

Xander nodded slowly. He saw it alright. Gear like that would sell before it cooled on the rack. But something still didn't sit right.

"And you have to go personally?" he asked. "You can't just send us and wait for a delivery?"

She hesitated, just a fraction too long. Then came the deflection. "JT won't allow me to go alone, and all the usual teams are busy."

He caught the tension in her jaw, the way her hand flexed like she was bracing for another question. She wasn't telling him everything. But whatever she was holding back, it wasn't malicious. More like... private.

He let it hang in the air a moment longer before nodding. "You owe me the full story later."

Lily didn't smile. Not quite. But something in her shoulders eased. "Deal."

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" Xander muttered, shaking his head. "Alright, Jo was out looking for people to join our team, which would have meant a test run before the expedition heads out for that other thing."

He sighed, feeling certain that this decision would come back to bite him. But if it was just a quick dungeon run, how bad could it be?

Dammit, he mentally cursed himself, feeling like he'd just jinxed the whole thing.

"You win," Xander said. "Grab anything you think you're going to need, and let's go."

"Awesome!" Lily said, practically bouncing as she raced off.

Xander stood outside the blacksmith's shop, watching the bustling crowd while he waited for Lily. Suddenly, he felt a cold, unsettling gaze fixed on him from across the street. He scanned the area and his eyes met those of someone he knew all too well and had hoped to avoid. Charlie Osborn.

Charlie was a man Xander, Zoey, and Alex had teamed up with to clear one of the original buildings of Starlight during their early days helping JT establish the safe zone. Charlie quickly dashed any hope of his having changed when he gave Xander a one-finger salute and walked off. The same arrogant ass, Xander thought.

What struck Xander, however, was that Charlie was walking at all. The last time he had seen Charlie, the man had lost a foot to a spike trap before even getting inside the building. Xander made a mental note to find out more later. Was it a magic item or some type of healing spell? However, for now, he couldn't afford to waste brainpower on Charlie. That someone had replaced a limb was a significant development.

Just then, Lily burst out of the shop door, a spark of excitement in her eyes. "I'm ready!"

"We need to find Jo," Xander said, his eyes scanning the busy street. He had lost sight of where Charlie had gone, but that could wait. "She was out looking for new team members."

Lily nodded, determination mingling with the excitement in her gaze. They walked side by side, weaving through the bustling street. They navigated what Xander was thinking of as market row as they looked for Jo.

After several minutes of searching, they checked the inn. They pushed open the door and the familiar smells and noise from inside greeted them. Townfolk and adventurers alike were gathering. It looked to Xander as if some had never left, as he saw several of the same faces sitting at the bar from earlier in the morning.

"There she is." Lily pointed to a corner table. It was the same table where they had dinner last night, and it was quickly becoming their designated spot.

Jo sat there, her now familiar animated talking style in full effect with the two men she was currently in conversation with. She looked up as Xander and Lily approached, a smile spreading across her face.

"Found you," Xander said with a grin. "How's the recruiting going?"

Jo glanced at the two men beside her and then back to Xander. "Pretty well, actually. These guys might be just what we need."

The two men, brothers likely in their early twenties, looked up as Xander and Lily settled in. One, a burly fighter with a confident smile, and the other, a cleric with a serene demeanor, greeted them with nods.

Xander took the seat next to Jo while Lily pulled up a chair from another table. Looking over at the two men, Xander figured they were probably in their early twenties and related. They both shared several facial features, including a slightly hawkish nose. One showing signs of having been broken multiple times.

"Xander, meet the brothers. This is Kane," Jo pointed to the fighter, "and this is Ford," she gestured to the cleric. "They're looking to join an adventuring team."

Kane grinned. "Jo says you have a team that's looking for a tank and a healer. We'd heard via the grapevine you have been to some interesting places. We'd love to tag along."

Ford added, "And I can assure you, we're more than capable of handling ourselves."

Xander exchanged a glance with Lily, who gave a small nod of approval. "Well, we could certainly use the extra hands. Welcome aboard," Xander said, extending his hand to Kane and then Ford.

"You can't go wrong with these two, Xander. If I'd know you were looking for some people, I would have sent you to the orange brothers right away!" Lily said in her trademark enthusiastic manner.

"Orange brothers?" Jo asked.

"Ugh, come on Lil' did you have to rat us out like that?" Ford whined, "Fine, let's get this over with. When we turned twenty-one, we got so drunk on screwdrivers that we ended up throwing up. As you can imagine, it was orange. There, end of story."

"End of story? End of story! You left out the best part and the reason you got that nickname. You threw up on each other. You guys were covered in orange," Lily explained as she laughed so hard she fell out of her chair.

The conversation continued on its own, leaving Xander a free moment to analyze the brothers.

[Analyze} Kane | Level: 5 | Class: Fighter | Status: Uninjured
[Analyze] Ford | Level: 5 | Class: Lightbringer Cleric | Status Uninjured

It was a little lower level than Xander had hoped for, but that wasn't a surprise either. Xander and the rest of his team had been fighting constantly for weeks. It was only to be expected that they'd be some of the higher-level people in Starlight at the moment. Xander was sure that some diehards out there were higher, but those people would also be less risk-averse. Being less risk-averse would most likely result in a very short future.

"I think we've got a splendid opportunity for a test drive. Nice little get-to-know-you session," Xander said, picking up the conversation. "How long would it take you guys to get your stuff together for a happy little jaunt to a nearby dungeon?"

"We're staying down the road a piece. Figure about ten minutes or so. What you thinking?" Kane asked, suddenly forgetting the joke at their expense and becoming laser-focused on business.

"Lily here needs an escort to a dungeon east of town. After looking at the Data Forge, it has an attached graveyard and appears to be an undead dungeon. Looks to be right in our level range, maybe a little under it," Xander explained.

"My brother and I are in, but Lily, I thought JT said you couldn't go," Ford said, looking a little confused at Lily.

"I'm an adult, and I can do what I want. So drop it, ok!" Lily snapped back.

"Jeez, ok, Lil' we get it. Don't need to take my head off."

"We're missing one of our party, so why don't you guys grab your gear and head back here? Once everyone is ready, we'll take off together," Xander said as the two brothers were already halfway out of their seats. They seemed almost as excited to get to the dungeon as Lily was.

Once the two had left the building, Xander turned to Lily and asked, " You think those two are a good fit?"

"Oh yeah, I like to give them a hard time, but they're both good guys. They'll fight and bicker with each other, but as soon as the stuff hits the fan, they're all business," Lily replied.

"I've got high hopes for them from my conversation with them. From a personality standpoint, I think they'll be a good fit for the team. Hopefully, their skills match and are up to snuff," Jo added.

Changing topics, Xander turned to Jo with a wide grin, his eyes gleaming excitedly. "Check this out," he said, proudly unveiling his new spear. Jo leaned in closer, admiring the intricate designs etched into the shaft.

"Impressive," Jo remarked, running a hand along the length. "Where'd you get it?"

"Hilarious. This is the one I made myself!"

"I figured. I'm just teasing. It is beautiful. Is that part of the reason we're hitting this dungeon? You want to get some practice in with it?"

"That and someone begged me to take her to the dungeon," Xander said, jerking his thumb toward Lily.

They continued their conversation when the door to the inn creaked open, and Zoey stepped inside, her presence immediately filling the room with energy. She wore travel clothes, a determined look on her face.

"Hey, Zoey!" Xander called out, waving her over. "You interested in a quick dungeon run? There's one nearby, and Jo found a tank and healer interested in joining us. Figured we'd give them a test drive in the dungeon."

Zoey nodded, a smirk playing on her lips. "Fresh blood, huh? Let's hope they can keep up."

Before the banter could continue, Ford and Kane reappeared, their packs slung over their shoulders, ready for whatever lay ahead. Xander could tell they were excited and a little nervous. That's good, he thought. I hope they don't make any reckless decisions that could endanger us all.

"Rally point in front of the inn, five minutes," Xander called to the group before running back up to his room to grab his gear.

Ten minutes later, the group gathered in front of the inn, the stillness of anticipation broken only by the rustling of their gear and the occasional chirp of birds. Xander adjusted his spear while the others made last checks on their weapons and supplies. The innkeeper waved them off with a wish of good luck as they set out toward their destination.