The Connected System

The branches caught on Loch’s armor as he pushed his way through.

He knew they were in the huge bush in the middle of the cemetery but was sure this entrance and rough path hadn’t existed before they’d claimed the Core. It didn’t make logical sense with the cave-like entrance into the bush from before. But the Core did play around with space, so who knew.

Loch was beyond caring.

The tunnel hadn’t been long, sloping up steeply, ending in a cave that led to an overgrown path.

It had felt good to be out of the Dungeon, the subDungeon really as they were still in the Dungeon. But it just felt safer now. Loch wondered if any of the monsters they had left behind were still roaming around, or had they all just disappeared when the Dungeon had been claimed?

They hadn’t fully cleared it, but as far as the Connection seemed concerned they had. Or at least they had satisfied the requirements of the quests. Still remained to be seen if they had done enough to allow them to leave.

He stepped out of the bush, into the cemetery, the dark red sky and general gloom returning. Only took a couple seconds for them to get their bearings, none wanted to stay longer in the Dungeon then they had to. Turning right, they started up the hill quickly, angling toward the center of the cemetery and where the entrance arch was. They had cleared this part of the cemetery grounds already, only the far corner had anything left.

The arch was the way they had left it except for the pile of bones and zombie corpses. Those were gone, along with whatever Resources they had left behind. Loch had hoped the Resources from all the fights before they had gotten the Dimensional Bag would have still been there. No such luck.

Their packs and gear were still there, untouched.

Loch felt some of the tension leave. He’d been worried about their supplies, especially the food, ever since they’d left it behind. He hadn’t wanted to, but it made no sense to bring all that stuff into the grounds and the subDungeons. But with wargs, skeletons and everything else wandering around, there had been no guarantee it would have been safe.

Cerie had said the immediate area around the entrance was a safe zone and Loch had believed her, but it had still been in the back of his mind the whole time. The girls rushed over, picking up their gear, eager to leave.

Loch lagged behind, seeing shadows moving in the far corner, barely hearing growls and moans. The monsters they hadn’t killed were still there. Untouched, still doing what they were essentially programmed to do by the Dungeoncore. Loch had no doubt he and the girls could handle them.

Just some ghouls, wargs and maybe a couple skeletons and zombies. Loch couldn’t remember exactly what they had left behind. But it hadn’t been that many. A dozen, maybe two at the most.

When they had first been trapped in the Challenge Dungeon, that many monsters would have been a nightmare to deal with.

Now? Loch wasn’t worried.

They, all three, had grown so strong in their time in the Dungeon. It hadn’t been a good experience, Loch still hated that the girls had been dragged into it, but he couldn’t deny the results. If what Cerie had said was true for a newly Connected World, the three Brady’s were among, if not the, most powerful humans left on Earth. There were some of the Invaders from other Realms that would be stronger, even with the restrictions put in place by the Connection, but Loch felt they were now in a better position to survive in this new world than they were before entering the Dungeon.

He had to be happy with that result.

There was always going to be something stronger, but the girls had shown they could adapt and even conquer. They would survive.

He thought about going to kill the monsters. They wouldn’t get enough Spirit to Level. That group of monsters wouldn’t be a challenge anymore. And it wouldn’t take long. They might even get some Resources.

Not that they could use what they had gathered already.

It wouldn’t take long.

Even if it wasn’t a lot of Spirit, it was still Spirit and would help their Advancement. Every bit helped.

Loch looked at the girls. They had the backpacks on, straps adjusted for their new armor and robes. Both looked eager, ready to go.

He sighed.

They were right.

It was time to leave the Dungeon.

And if it turned out they couldn’t yet, the monsters would be there waiting.

Loch grabbed his pack, throwing the straps over his shoulders. He had to adjust them. The leather armor wasn’t that thick but it did make a difference. He shifted the weight of the pack, satisfied. It was going to be a couple miles of hiking, probably another night in someone else’s abandoned home, before they made it to their house.

They needed to get home.

No more side quests or detours. It was time to go straight home.

He walked up to the barrier, reaching behind him.

“Take my hand and hold onto each other,” he said, not wanting to take chances.

The hand he felt was smaller. Piper held his tight. He gave it a squeeze.

“Here we go,” Loch said, raising his free hand.

Holding it, palm up, he slowly moved it toward the arch and the barrier. He could see the energy field, the world beyond looking normal, exactly like it had when they’d entered the Dungeon an unknown number of days ago. He stopped before the field, taking a deep and hopeful breath.

Please let us out of here, he thought, not sure who he was asking.

Loch pushed his hand forward.

It passed the barrier.

He smiled, taking a step forward.

***

Even the air was different outside the Dungeon. It was late afternoon, the sun high, birds flying through the sky. Bright and blue sky. He didn’t mind the giant birds either, just happy to see something different from the red sky of the Dungeon, or the cramped caverns.

He walked forward, giving the girls room to get out of the Dungeon.

“I missed blue sky,” Harper said, taking a deep breath of the air.

The world just felt different. There had been a pressure in the Dungeon, not just from the fighting and the quests, but just from being inside the strange pocket dimension that was the Dungeon. Loch hadn’t realized it, being surrounded by the Dungeon, not until stepping out into the world.

It too felt different, had since the Connection, but nothing like the Dungeon.

Loch could sense the Spirit in the air, the constant energy floating around them. That was the difference. Outside the Spirit was more diffuse. Inside the Dungeon, which had been made of Spirit, it was everywhere. A presence from the weight of it all.

A loud screech filled the sky, Loch looking up to see a giant shadow pass overhead. Far overhead. The wingspan was monstrous, shaped like a bat. The body was long and thin, an even longer tail, and long neck.

“Is that a dragon,” Harper asked.

“Yes,” Cerie answered.

She didn’t sound happy about it.

“Dragons exist…,” Loch started to say, stopping, turning to look up the road toward where the grocery store was.

Where they had seen the Hobs.

Where the sound of fighting was coming from.

Two men were surrounded by a dozen Hobs.

They were at the entrance to the grocery store, a hundred yards or so up the road from the Dungeon entrance. Too far to see who the men were, just that they were in trouble. The Hobs were toying with the two, keeping some distance, jabbing with their weapons.

It wouldn’t be long before the two men were overwhelmed.

“Harper,” he yelled, running toward the fight, throwing Onyx, not stopping to think that he had just ordered his daughter into a fight.

He felt the surge of Spirit as she activated Shadow Skip.

The Hobs heard him, a couple rushing to intercept Loch.

Onyx slammed into one, axe head slicing into the monster’s head, bolts of lighting spreading over the Hob’s body. It fell to the ground. The other kept running, growling out a warcry, seeing Loch unarmed.

They met in the middle, the Hob swinging its rough club. Loch Activated Bulwark, catching the club on the energy shield. He held his hand behind him, Onyx appearing full sized. The Hob squeaked, seeing the axe in Loch’s hand. He swung the weapon forward, angling the Hob’s club up and away. The axe head bit deep into the creature’s side.

It fell to the ground, clutching at the wound, club falling.

Loch kept running, knowing Piper was behind and could finish off the monster.

Another Hob ran toward him, a spear raised, little more than a sharpened branch. It passed through the shadow of a tree. Harper appeared behind it, growing out of the shadow. A bright spark erupted from the Hob’s chest, the blade of a tonfa stabbing out. Harper disappeared as Loch rushed past.

He didn’t recognize either of the men. One was about his age, the other younger. They looked alike, father and son. No weapons. The father used a metal baseball bat, swinging it wildly. The son had a golf club in hand. Over his back was a golf bag, the end of another baseball bat visible, a hockey stick and more golf clubs. Neither were wearing armor, though the son did have on what looked like protective pads. A catcher’s knee and shin guards, chest protector. The father had blood running down his arm.

They fought back to back, doing their best to keep the Hobs at bay.

Harper appeared from the shadows, stabbing one Hob in the back, spinning, ducking and slicing a tonfa across another’s legs. The first fell, the second turning to attack Harper who was already dancing away. It gave an opening to the son. He swung his golf club at the back of the Hob’s head, connecting with a solid hit. The thing fell forward, Harper appeared to finish it off.

Loch parried a wild attack from a Hob, activating Bulwark’s new Ability. Translucent green spikes grew out from the shield, piercing the Hob in a couple of spots. It fell back, screaming in pain, right into a solid swing from the father. Loch swung, nearly cutting another Hob in half.

A blast of silver energy slammed into another Hob, knocking it off its feet. The pure Spirit flowed around the monster. It didn’t get up.

Loch swung Onyx, not needing to activate an Ability, killing another Hob.

Within seconds, it was over.

Multi-colored sparks drifted up from the dead monsters, swirling around Loch and the others, drifting into their bodies. Loch barely felt his Spirit Advance.

There had been no quality in those kills.

The Hobs were underleveled compared to the girls and him.

“Who are you,” the father asked, breathing heavy.

He was probably a couple years older than Loch. More gray in his light brown hair, a little heavier, inch shorter.

“Harper?,” the son asked.

“Pete?”

The son was staring in shock at Harper. She had blood splatters, not hers, across the front of her gray armor chest. Rips and tears through her clothes, hair up in a ponytail, blood dripping from the tonfas in her hands. Everybit the warrior princess.

Pete was staring at Harper, couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Loch cleared his throat.

“Oh.. uhm..,” Pete said embarrassed.

Harper was smiling.

He was a handsome enough kid, Loch thought. Enough resemblance to his father, but something else in his features, taken from his mother. Loch thought he recognized the teen. Probably seen him at one of the games. Harper knew him, so they had to go to the same school. Had to be from one of the other towns. If he’d been in Northwood, Loch would have known him. It was a small town and everyone with kids of the same age interacted in some way throughout the years.

“Thank you,” the father said, holding out his hand.

Loch made sure to shrink Onyx down, hanging the weapon from his belt, and dismissing Bulwark, before grasping the offered hand.

“You saved our lives. I’m Peter Millman. That’s my son, also Pete.”

The teen waved at Loch, forcing himself to look away from Harper, who was still smiling.

“Loch Brady,” he said. “My daughters Harper and Piper. I’m just glad we were…”

He didn’t get to finish. Peter Millman lifted his bat, holding it over his shoulder, ready to swing. His eyes were fixed on a point over Loch’s shoulder.

“Look out,” he shouted, taking a step back, frightened. “Behind you.”

Loch turned, hand on his axe’s shaft. He saw nothing behind him. There was nothing coming up the street, nothing in the sky.

He was about to ask what Peter had seen when he noticed Cerie hovering in the sky, a couple feet over his head, watching Peter with bemused interest.

The fairy. Peter saw the fairy and of course had no idea what Cerie was.

Loch chuckled. He’d gotten so used to Cerie being around, he hadn’t realized what a shock she must be to someone else.

“It’s okay,” he said, turning back to the Millmans, both of them having stepped back with their makeshift weapons raised. “That’s just Cerie.”

“What is she,” Peter asked, relaxing somewhat, but not fully.

“She’s our fairy,” Piper said happily.

“She’s a what?”