A pair of shoes sat on the trunk. He examined them. They looked like they were woven out of bark or rope.
“I’ve never seen shoes like this,” Devin said.
“They’re bast shoes,” Milo said.
Devin picked them up.
Ten-Step Shoes – (Feet, Fundamental Forces [75/150], Silver, Very Rare)
These light but comfortable shoes are designed for the rugged adventurer. Though they are as strong as tough leather, they’re considered footwear, not armor. These shoes provide the wearer with a +2 bonus to Speed and a +2 bonus to Agility. In combat, they also provide a +1 bonus to Endurance.
These shoes allow the wearer to cast the spell ‘Grounded Charge’ (Fundamental Forces.) This item’s Fundamental Forces mana pool is 75/150.
“Yessss,” Devin said. He slipped the shoes on his bare feet and took a few steps. They were as comfortable as advertised.
Achievement Unlocked! Very Rare – You’ve equipped your first ‘Very Rare’ Item.
Reward: 3 Matter shards.
Achievement Unlocked! Silver Solver – You’ve equipped your first Silver-level magical item.
Reward: 2 Fundamental Forces shards.
Devin wanted to try out the shoes, but they wouldn’t work without an enemy to test on. He did have a new blinking tab that was marked ‘Equipment.’ The first page was the typical character sheet figure of a person covered in large boxes where equipment went. There was a head slot, a neck slot, and single slots for shoulders, back, chest, waist, legs, hands and feet. Ears, fingers, and toes had two slots each, and there were two more slots that could hold either ankle or wrist bracelets. It all added up to 17 slots. Only Devin’s ‘feet’ slot was occupied.
The pages were interactive, with detailed descriptions of all his weapons and where they were located. It showed his dagger, sword and hammer as ‘unequipped.’
So far, he’d seen nothing like hotkeys that would allow him to equip items or take potions magically. It seemed this world required manual donning, doffing and quaffing, and that was fine with Devin.
He checked his map. The area around the farm was still covered in the shaded circle where the compass mark had been placed. Whatever the compass Boost had sent him here to do, he still hadn’t done it. He searched the area around the barn and farmhouse again, but he didn't find anything.
Casey and Lee were still unconscious. He decided it was time to wake Casey up. He shook her, gently at first, then harder. She slept on.
“What’s going on?” Devin said. He tried to keep the anxiety out of his voice, but he knew he had failed.
“I don’t know,” Milo said. “She should have woken up on her own by now.” He lay his head on her neck. “Her breathing is steady, and her pulse is fine.”
“Except that she won’t wake up,” Devin said. “Maybe she’s dying of thirst. Let’s give her one of those vials of unguent.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” Milo said.
“Why the hell not?”
“There’s too much we don’t know,” Milo said. “There may be side effects to unguent withdrawal that I’m not aware of. It’s possible that in a weakened and unconscious state, the unguent will kill her. It’s even possible that the first unguent she took caused this.”
“Well, that’s not helpful at all,” Devin said. “Do you have any actual ideas, or are you just going to shoot down all of mine?”
“I’m not here to give you ideas,” Milo said. “Just advice.”
“You’re splitting hairs. It’s the same thing!”
“No, it’s not. I’m here to give you the best advice permitted to me. The decisions are yours. You’re the party leader.”
Devin glared at him. “Admit it. You’d rather me screw up so you can lecture me on what I should have done.”
Milo met his glare and Devin almost took a step back. The look in the dog’s eyes wasn’t the usual friendly twinkle. Those were the eyes of a tiger stalking through the brush towards you.
“I volunteered to help you, Devin,” Milo said. “I did it because what we’re doing is important. There’s a lot more at stake than your pride. If you don’t stop blaming everything on me and start leading …”
“How the hell am I supposed to lead when I don’t know what’s going on?” Devin said.
“That is, as they say, part of the deal,” Milo said.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“What deal? I didn’t sign up for any of this!”
“Yes, you did,” Milo said. “You signed up the instant you decided to fight that tree rather than running away or letting it kill you.”
Devin felt his anger fade. He sighed.
“Sorry,” he said. “I’m frustrated. I shouldn’t take it out on you.”
“I don’t blame you,” Milo said. “You’re just a human, after all. The only thing your species has historically excelled at is being companions to cats. Because of that, I’m prepared to make allowances for your deficiencies.”
“Jeez,” Devin said. “I waved the damned white flag. You don’t have to keep kicking a man when he’s down.”
The twinkle returned to Milo’s eyes. “That’s the best time to kick. It lets you aim for the face. Learn that if you want to learn anything at all.”
Devin laughed.
“I’m never going to get the better of you, am I?” he said.
“Eventually you will,” Milo said. “I’m not omniscient. I merely work in probabilities. You’re familiar with the phrase about a broken clock being right twice a day?”
Devin shook his head. “This is like that 1980s video game ‘Hacker.’ The one that didn’t come with any instructions. You started it up and had to figure out the rules yourself.” He frowned. “I’m missing something, aren’t I? I’ve got all the pieces; I just haven’t put them together yet.”
Milo sniffed.
Aside from the tree, there wasn’t anything about this farm that made it different from the other farms in the area.
“Why was there a corrupt tree here, anyway?” he said. “What corrupted it?”
Milo was busy cleaning his coat ... again. It looked so odd when he was in dog form.
Devin opened his character sheet and flipped to one of the new ‘add-on’ tabs, the one named ‘Combat Log.’ He scrolled all the way back to the fight with the corrupted tree and read its description again. As soon as he read it, he groaned.
“’These creations are often used as guardians,'” he said, quoting the description. “Of course. It was guarding something, wasn’t it? But what?”
His eyes settled on the ruins of the outbuilding. If whatever the tree had been guarding was in there, it might have been destroyed. He walked over to the ruin anyway.
The ground near the outbuilding was soft, and a set of footprints led towards the barn. He took off a shoe and placed his foot into one of the footprints. They were his.
“I don’t remember going anywhere near here,” he said. “It must have been before I woke up in the barn. Why don’t I remember?”
“There are often gaps in the memory following initial enhancement,” Milo said.
“Huh,” Devin said. He groaned as he studied the collapsed building. “I’m going to have to move all that rubble, aren’t I?”
It took most of the afternoon for Devin to clear the area around the outbuilding. He'd made good progress when the pile of rubble rumbled and shifted. He scrambled back as the whole thing collapsed. Dust fountained up like smoke. Once the air cleared, he went back to investigate. The debris was gone and in its place was a three-by-six-meter square pit with rough, rocky walls.
In the center of the space was a light grey crystal cylinder. It was a meter tall and about the width of a telephone pole.
An update window popped up.
You completed the objective marked by Kwaku’s Compass. The Compass has been removed from your Automap.
Achievement Unlocked! Node power (1) – You’ve found your first crystal node. It sounds special, but it really isn’t. You’re still just a noob.
Reward: Boost ‘Copper Crystal Affinity’ – Allows the user to integrate up to 2 Copper crystal nodes into a crystal network. Touch a node to begin integration.
This Boost creates an area of influence encompassing a 100m radius around all integrated nodes. Ask your Guide for further details on areas of influence.
You now control a Copper-level Astral Hall. Access your Hall through one of your crystal nodes.
This Boost allows the use of Copper Keystones.
This is an Uncommon Boost.
Devin hopped down into the pit. The walls around him glowed softly as he approached the pillar. He hesitated, then reached out and touched it.
You are attempting to integrate the Winsley Farm node (Copper) into your network.
You currently have 0 nodes in your network. You may integrate 2 more Copper nodes.
Would you like to integrate the Winsley Farm node into your crystal network?
Yes? Devin thought.
You added the Winsley Farm node to your crystal network!
This node adds a +1 bonus to all Primary and Secondary Attributes for combat party members.
Your total network bonus is +1 to all Primary and Secondary Attributes for combat party members.
Your current network contains 1/2 Copper nodes.
Your current network and affinity allow you to enhance a maximum of 2 Copper level people. You haven’t enhanced anyone.
Achievement Unlocked! Winsley Farm Node – This farm has been in the Winsley family ever since old Barlowe Winsley came back from the War for Liberation forty generations ago and hung up his pike. Well, until you came along. Nice going.
Reward: Boost ‘Crystal Mapping’ – Maps of your areas of influence and everything within them will be shown as complete on your Automap. An area’s map will be updated when you visit the node.
Grats! This is a Rare Boost!
Reward: Copper Enhancement Keystone.
Reward: Increase of +2 to the lowest primary Attribute and +1 to the lowest Secondary Attribute. The whole party has earned this reward!
This is an Uncommon Boost.
(Casey is an apex Copper level enhanced. Attributes can be increased beyond apex Copper via Achievement rewards, but these rewards will be lost after one year if the next enhancement level is not reached in that time.)
Devin leaned against the crystal pillar as information burned itself into his brain. “Damn, that was a lot,” he said.
He could sense the presence of Casey several dozen meters away near the farmhouse, and Milo at the edge of the pit above him. He could sense every tree, every bird, and even the insects. Trying to keep up with them all was like trying to count the stars in the sky, but if he focused on one animal or area, he knew its exact location.
Structures and objects were harder to pinpoint. He felt the ruined barn, but it was fuzzy. However, the axe he’d fought the tree with was clear to him. Did it have something to do with familiarity?
There was one more item that shone brightly - a small Copper sphere next to the crystal. Devin picked it up.
Copper Enhancement Keystone - Possession of this item allows the owner of a crystal network to enhance an unenhanced individual. The individual must agree to the enhancement. Chance of successful enhancement is dependent upon the compatibility of the individual in question. Did you get all that, or should I use the word ‘enhance’ a few more times?
Devin slipped the keystone into one of his pouches. He jumped up, caught the edge of the pit, and pulled himself out. Milo lay on his back a few meters away, his legs above him. He rolled to his feet when he saw Devin emerge.
“Don’t get up on my account,” Devin said.
Milo sniffed. “We can talk safely now. If you have any questions, this is the time to ask.”
Devin raised an eyebrow. “We can?”
“Yes. You’re four meters away from a crystal node that you own. There’s not a force on this world that can eavesdrop on you here.”
“Wait, seriously?” Devin said.
“Seriously. It took about ten times as long as it should have, but you’ve accomplished something quite significant.”
Devin felt a glow of pride over Milo’s praise. It was qualified praise, but that’s how Milo did things.