Kaden arrived in the abandoned town as the first rooster crows heralded the end of what commoners called the Time of Monsters. It didn’t worry him. He’d been hunting night spawns since long before level twenty five and outside of a surge wouldn’t find much that made him panic.

  Without doubt, there were monsters hiding in the houses and shops, but Trinity understood Kaden’s intent and curled up to rest near the well, two of her heads sleeping while one watched for threats.

  Kaden climbed up on top of a market so the dragon could enjoy the rising sun, which sank into it like a sponge. This was happiness. Beasts beside him, monsters below, a beatiful view of the surrounding mountains, and not a soul for miles. “I could live a couple centuries,” Kaden said to the dragon. “And if every day was like this, I would enjoy every day. You’ll live longer, assuming nothing else devours you.”

  The dragon turned its gaze on him with a distinctly offended look. It was much too clever to be eaten. Much too fast. Too strong.

  Arguing with a hatchling was like fist-fighting a waterfall. It would make him look ridiculous and accomplish nothing. Too soon, he heard the FarPortal sizzle and sat up. But the Adventurers spilling through the portal weren’t Kaden’s party.

  He recognized the [Healer] at the front. “Annika Kabat?”

  She scanned the town, finally finding him upward. “Sir! Ms. Scylla gave us a Quest to clear the town for staging. Is there any point, if you’re here?”

  Trinity briefly raised one head to look, then went back to sleep. Kaden understood her feelings on the matter. “It’s all yours. You sticking around for the mine?”

  “As support,” she answered. “I want to make level nineteen and I can’t do it if I die in a mine.”

  Behind her, a broad [Shield] in armor made of skulls strode forward, followed by a rogue in glittery, flashy cloak. “Scout it out, we’ll figure out our safe point and work from there.”

  “Get it done,” Annika said. “Fall back if you’re ambushed, let Chen strike as he sees fit, but let’s try to grasp what we’re up against before we wade in.”

  Not everyone had a [Shadow Blade] in the party, so Kaden gave them leeway. “If you run into anything too bad, lead it to Trinity. We’re here to back you up, not take over.”

  Your skill with Leadership has increased!

  Individuals following you gain a minor boost to efficiency.

  Ugh. Leadership was definitely not a skill he wanted to work on. Sara definitely did want to work on it, and that was just fine. Kaden lay back as the FarPortal sizzled again.

  Only a whisper gave him warning, as Trella climbed up beside him. “Sorry, there was a dispute among the initiates about loot. Did the bugs actually grant loot?”

  “I didn’t harvest any of them, and the core we smashed wasn’t functioning correctly,” Kaden said. “Speaking of which…”

  “I have it. I know you think everything I collect goes to the Sisters. It doesn’t. Particularly not a core. They’d smash it just for the title.” Trella lay back, and the dragon moved to sit between them, cleaning itself like a cat. “If you’re going to collect beasts, at least a Dragon is the right level of power. Eventually. He doesn’t look that strong right now. Or dangerous, Or even cute, the [match lizard’s] at least cute.”

  A low hiss from the solar dragon said exactly what the hatchling thought of Trella’s assessment. Kaden couldn’t claim any of the statements were wrong, so he just scratched its scales and enjoyed the warmth pouring off the dragon.

  Below them, Annika’s party came in full retreat as a hulking [Wolf Man] chased them. Ten steps from Trinity, her spear-tail perked up, ready to stab—and their [Shield] spun. “[Shield Bash!]”

  In that instant, the [Sly Foot] manifested in a shower of sparkling lights using [Backstab] while the mage to Annika’s right cast a spell that left the [Wolf Man] snarling and attacking the air.

  “He’s only deluded a moment,” the mage said.

  “[Hailstorm]” shouted their other mage. Benson, according to [Identity]. With the [Shield] to protect him, the mage unleashed cutting spears of ice, chill that slowed the monster.

  The end was inevitable, if painfully slow to Kaden, but the moment the monster fell, Anika looted it, holding up the [Wolfman Hide] for all to see, and then the [Shield] dragged the corpse near the well.

  “Hey!” Kaden called. “Necromancers pay extra for [Wolfman] hide. Or any kind of man hide.”

  Annika flinched at the mention of necromancers

  “I’ll handle it,” Benson said. “Let’s find us more monsters.”

  By the time Annika pronounced the town clear, the first Adventurers had already arrived. Sara, Eve and Ashi had not, and neither had Captain Blanco. Kaden greeted each party at the FarPortal and had them stage in clear buildings, his nerves growing with each arrival.

  Your group has grown by [53]. Leader of the Pack is more efficient. Bonus: 1.5%

  Followed by a line he’d never noticed before.

  Lower Level Bonus: 0.4%

  That implied that [Leader of the Pack] took into account the level differences.

  Battle cries had everyone on edge as a roaring, shrieking battle rose up accross the town. Trinity’s heads whipped up, and she trilled with excitement.

  “What’s got her so happy?” Trella asked. “Hang on, my Deceptions are scouting. You have got to see this!”

  She took off at a run with Kaden right behind her. The town had a blacksmith’s shop in the northeast corner, and a ruined apocathery shop Kaden definitely hadn’t burned down to kill a demon. Annika’s party engaged in a pitched battle—with a TriTerror.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Bright green, this one regenerated heads like the [Emerald Hydra] that it was related to.

  “It’s a monster,” Trella said. “TriTerrors are spawning as infestation spawn.”

  Trinity had followed them, and while she towered over her monster-spawn, the low grumble from her blind head said she deeply approved. It wasn’t as powerful as her, but that was acceptable. It wasn’t as skilled but higher level TriTerrors would one day roam the earth. And for now, it was absolutely wrecking Annika’s Party.

  [Beast Soul] told Kaden that was her favorite part.

  “[Major Mend]” Annika called, casting it over and over. “This isn’t working. On Jotor’s call, burn it down. Forget defense, we’ve got to overwhelm it!”

  She drew a short dagger from Inventory, and Benson did the same, though he didn’t close in.

  “Now!” The [Shield] shouted. He dropped his Shield and wrapped both arms around the TriTerror, then wrenched it side ways, off its feet. Unlike Trinity, this one could see perfectly well with its center head, and began to shred, poison and bash the [Shield].

  But its belly lay exposed.

  Daggers, ice lances even kicks from the [Sly Foot] rained down until the monster gushed blood, until entrails burst. Until it shuddered and died.

  Over and over, Annika cast [Minor Mend], until their [Shieid] wasn’t a ruined man missing half his scalp and most of his left arm. “I’m out of mana. Share the potions.”

  She handed out potions and checked over each of her party, while Trinity lumbered forward to nose the TriTerror corpse. Her serpent head and her bone head engaged in a conversation.

  “If she wants the corpse, she can have it,” Annika said. “We barely managed to handle that. Why?”

  “You don’t have enough damage. You have an [Illusionist] and an [Ice Mage],” Trella said. “You need to get a [Ranger], [Swordsman], [Spearman], someone who specializes in tearing through monsters.”

  Kaden had been considering Trinity’s conversation. “That was monster spawn. You really ought to loot it. You’ll regret it if you don’t.”

  Trinity turned so her blind head could face him and it roared, in essence *Don’t expect this from me any time soon.*

  Annika kneeled near the corpse and timidly probed it. “Wait. Wait, there’s something inside it. What…”

  She pulled out a greenish brass loop.

  [Regeneration Buckle]

  Gain one percent of your health every minute while wearing the Regeneration Buckle. Multiple Regeneration Buckles do not stack.

  “You are so lucky.” Trella didn’t try to hide her envy. “Go show it to the other parties!”

  The [Shield] looked it over. “One percent. What I need is better resistances to keep from losing health.”

  “Go to the guild and buy resistance training,” Kaden said. He’d been there, when Mr. Dervish insisted that he collect resistances like souvenirs. Then he recalled what Annika had said last time. “You were trying to get loot to buy resistance training.”

  He fished in Inventory. “How about a trade? At my level and with my talents, one percent recovery is valuable.”

  Kaden laid out various baubles he’d ripped off of monsters.

  “Where did you get that?” the [Shield] asked, poking the chain mail.

  “Some guy was wearing it when he tried to behead me.” Kaden went back to filtering for good stuff. “Take your pick. Shields, swords. Don’t know what that is but the [Mage] was trying to use it when I cut his arm off.”

  There was a moment when every Adventurer saw opportunity. Kaden had been there himself when looking at a nest of [Verdant Vipers], and [Giant Honeybees] and a bandit’s hideout in a canyon that was now a shipping station.

  Annika stared at the loot, arms crossed. “What if I say I want gold?”

  “Then you’re an idiot. This is worth more than you’d get in gold,” Trella said. “But go ahead, name a price.”

  [Negotiations] had already told Kaden as much, but Sara in particular loved this party and Kaden didn’t mind giving them a slightly better deal. “I’m listening.”

  “I want it all.” Annika said. “You admitted you want the buckle. I want everything here.”

  Kaden put the swords back into Inventory. “Try again.”

  She stood, shocked, as he slowly reached over and put away the iron cube the [Mage] had been staring at. “But you want—”

  “Tick, tick.” Kaden reached for the chainmail.

  “The armor. The cube-thing Benson is salivating over. And whatever that is.” Annika reached to claim a glistening, curved piece of chitin.

  Kaden blocked her hand. “That’s the stinger of a [Geo Formicidean], I’m using it to train poison resistance. It would kill you. As in literally, you will die if you touch it.”

  “Not that.” Annika studied the rest. “I want the sword, too.”

  [Negotiation] no longer screamed that this was a terrible deal for Kaden. It said it was a bad one, but [Negotiation] wasn’t known for understanding strategy. “Deal.”

  They exchanged loot, then Kaden dispatched the [Falcrow]. “You, [Shield.] Jotor? When you leave, go to Verdant Vineyards. There’s a side business there that trains poison resistance. They’re expecting you. Next time I see you, it had better be at least level three.”

  Once Annika and her party had returned to the staging area, Kaden threaded the buckle through his belt and smiled as the regen kicked in. “One percent health. That’s three hundred every minute. Plus [Vigorous].”

  Trella adjusted the buckle slightly. “You think of yourself last in almost every situation. Every skill, every advantage goes to someone else. I like the change, I just don’t understand it.”

  Trinity’s armored head rumbled so low it vibrated in his skull. She understood, but Kaden translated for Trella. “I have a Legendary war hammer. A set of spells so perfect for me it’s scary. A mythic knife, armor forged by the best crafters in Trunistan, and that’s before we get to the skills and talents I gain from beasts. I’m probably stonger than Ashi, Sara, and Eve combined.”

  “What about me?”

  Kaden couldn’t help smiling. “I would never fight you. I might willingly die if it came to that.”

  “It won’t.” She took his hand as Kaden returned to the ever-growing array of Adventurers flooding the town. The highest were level twenty four, the lowest, fifteen with a death wish. Kaden dispatched the [Falcrow] to Sara, then Eve, then Ashi.

  And moments later, a flurry of messages came in.

  “A World Boss was threatening Verona,” Eve explained. “Gigantorod came east without warning, smashing through every village and town in its way. King Istris is bringing Authority to bear but it will take time. Sara and Ashi engaged with it from the wall. Ashi was hurt badly trying to use a third tier spell and is at the temple. It’s got a horde following—I have to go.”

  “Bad news,” said the second bird in Captain Blanco’s deep voice. “I have a duty to the City, and it would be wrong to abandon it. I have faith in you. Other Adventurers will follow you because they’ve heard stories about what you’ve done. Form a Raid Party, I’ve set it so the option should be open to you now.”

  The last bird was Sara’s bright green messenger parrot. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. That said, we’ve already paid for the parties and we definitely don’t want to do that twice. Remember, they do the work. They take the risk. You give guidance. You could walk to the bottom of the mine yourself, but that would steal the chance to make all of them stronger.”

  Kaden swore under his breath, then looked around.

  It wasn’t the sensible thing to do.

  He’d make more money stabbing himself in the market for coins.

  From the first time he’d been here, the town seemed to echo with the life that had once been there. It wasn’t so much a vision from [Prophecy] or a plain and simple haunting as his own imagination. Stone could be rebuilt, wood cut and carved, and yet a town was more than builds or people, and this one had been corrupted and claimed by demons. A claim that made Kaden angry in a silent, dedicated way.

  He selected the option for Raid Party and began sending invites, then cleared his throat. “Listen up, people. Today we’re going to clear an abandoned mine. Today, we’re going to gut every monster, explore every crack, collect every bit of loot and if there are any demons? We’re sending them home in pieces.”

  He whistled. “Annika Kabat?”

  “Sir?” She asked, her voice quiet. “You’re in charge of healers. [Rogues], [Assassins], if you lurk and you stab, see Trella here. You’re our scouts and you do as she says. If you cut or bash or make it bleed, you’re with me. Mages, stick with Benson there. Gather up, we’re going to get it done.”

  One of the [Shields] cleared her throat. “What about us?”

  He nodded to Trinity. “I trust you to know your job, but line up, she’s going to boost your [Resist Poison] skills.”

  Your group has grown by [106]. Leader of the Pack is more efficient. Bonus: 1.7%

  Lower Level Bonus: 0.6%

  And Kaden began to explain the plan.