The Manaverse

Medical Tent

Slatewell Safe Zone

Jut quietly pulled Isabelle into his arms and she began to sob. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, as he expected he would in this situation, Jut felt like he wanted to cry too. What were they going to do? Hundreds, thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people have died already. More die every day. They couldn't return to their homes and monsters lurked around every corner. It was only a matter of time before they were all dead. At least, that's how it felt.

Jut knew he had to say something. Maybe she just needed an outlet for her grief. Then, something came to his mind. He patted her back and spoke as smoothly as he was able.

"We all just need to hang in there. I know things will change soon."

"Really?" Isabelle pulled back and looked at him. Her eyes were red from crying and her hair was even more out of control than it had been before. "How do you know?"

Jut smiled at her. "My quest has a countdown. Only a few days left. I am sure, once it hits zero, things will change. Hopefully for the better." Jut said, forcing his smile to remain.

He had no idea what would happen, but there had to be a reason for the countdown on his "More Survivors Quest".

"What quest is that?" Isabelle asked.

Jut knew she was trying her best to get her mind off of her doubts. So, he explained and then read the quest out loud.

"Wait... With all of the overpopulation of the Safe Zone, why would the System give you that kind of Quest?" Isabelle asked curiously.

"Would it be better to just let them all die out there?" Jut asked as kindly as he was able. He felt his defensive attitude and outrage from earlier returning. Why was everyone around him so keen on letting everyone else die?

"Well... no. I don't, but Kyle, this city was home to three and a half million people. They can't all fit in this small of a space. It's what? Ten square kilometers? We just..." Isabelle trailed off.

Jut didn't have to say the obvious. She knew that wasn't a good enough reason to abandon anyone. It was just an excuse.

A very heavy moment passed before Jut spoke again, his hands still on Isabelle's shoulders. He promptly removed them when she looked pointedly at his touch.

"What can we do about it?" Jut asked. His tone was curious, maybe even a little hopeful, not desperate or resigned.

That more than anything had Isabelle thinking. She shrugged when nothing came to her.

"A lot of us are already doing everything we can," she said finally.

"That's exactly what needs to happen. If there are millions of people crammed in here, surely at least one person, Hell, one thousand people, could do something about it, right?" Jut nearly exclaimed. "Oh, and please call me Jut now, 'Isabelle'," Jut added, emphasizing her new, chosen name.

Isabelle didn't react very much. She was wearing her thinking face again. Then she nodded.

"I will talk with Derrick tomorrow. He might be able to organize something." She said.

Jut cocked his eyebrow at her. "Derrick from the Stony Jigger, Derrick?"

Isabelle nodded again. "Yeah, that's him. Do you know him?"

It was Jut's turn to nod. "I do. Very well, actually. He is perfect for that job. He used to arrange all sorts of events and crews for his customers."

"He was a bartender? And he helped people organize events?" Isabelle looked skeptical. "I am not saying Derrick wouldn't be capable. That just sounds like a lot of work not tending a bar. Why would he do that?"

Jut gave her a lazy smile. "You have been working with him, right? You tell me."

Derrick was the most people-oriented and kind individual Jut knew. There was no way he was sitting on his hands during the end of the world. He could just see the man now, organizing rations and water for the masses, all the while helping out in as many other ways as he could.

"Fair point." Isabelle conceded. "He does way more than anyone else I've seen."

"So, let's just help him, and the people here, the best we can until things change. I have a feeling they will." Jut said.

"Who is him? And could we please get someone over here when anyone is free?" A familiar voice made Jut turn and look at the open flap. "It's not critical, though, so no rush."

Jut hopped up and crossed over to Brick. "Hey, buddy. What's going on? Does someone need help? I know a great healer." Jut shook Brick's hand and then beckoned to Isabelle.

Isabelle followed Jut over to Brick and looked around for a patient.

"The injured" Brick said and gestured to the door.

Jut instantly recognized three of the men from his dorm.

One of the men was being carried by the two other soldiers, one under each arm. He was larger than most humans Jut had seen in real life and his leg was badly bleeding.

"Jonny, here, decided getting into a fistfight with a huge bear monster was a good idea." One of the men holding the wounded soldier added. He was thin and was probably considered lanky before joining the military.

Isabelle immediately saw the group to the bunk Jut has just vacated and began her examination.

Brick thumped Jut on the shoulder good naturedly.

"Where have you been, man? I was getting worried over here."

Jut rolled his eyes. "I was just out adventuring, Mom. Jeez."

Then both men laughed for a brief moment.

"I was escorting a large group here. Took me about two days." Jut added. He left out why exactly it took that long and nobody asked.

Brick thumped Jut's shoulder again. "Very nice work. We just brought a couple in today, too."

"How is the rest of your squadron?" Jut inquired.

All four of the soldiers instantly stilled. Even Jonny, who had been clenching in pain as Isabelle examined him went silent. The mood felt like a threat of violence. Isabelle noticed this too and her hands froze.

"Let's leave it at 'we decided to hunt just the four of us' and go from there. Oh, unless you want to come too? We could use more hunters when we go out." Brick's face turned from hot rage to a friendly smile too quickly. It was clear he had to force the change, but he had succeeded

"Uh, sure," Jut added nervously.

The tension finally broke when the familiar blue glow appeared around Isabelle's hands as she applied them to Jonny's leg.

The lankier of the men approached Jut and Brick, who had been talking a few paces away from the group to not break Isabelle's concentration.

"So you're the "Kyle" Brick was talking about. You go by Jut now? I am Randy. I'm still thinking of a new name." Randy offered Jut his open hand to shake.

Jut shook the offered hand firmly and responded. "I do. Nice to meet you, Randy. If that's Jonny, who's the last guy?" Jut asked, trying to keep his tone light and friendly to stave off the last of the tension from before. He offered his hand to the fourth soldier.

"I'm Larry," Larry said and shook Jut's hand before sitting back down.

"He doesn't say very much." Brick filled in. "More of a man of action, Larry is. So? How about it? I would love for you to join us."

Jut smiled and nodded. "Sounds good. We should form a party. We start tomorrow?"

"I can keep going." A tired-sounding Jonny said.

"Nah, man. We should rest. We've been hunting all day." Brick said.

"Besides, we don't want to see you again for this injury. Just ask Jut. Even though my magic can heal you, you still need time." Isabelle said sternly.

"Yes, Ma'am," Jonny said, raising his hands in front of himself, palms out. His deep voice was a contrast to the submissive posture and tone he had.

Everyone laughed. It was genuine and pure. Even the few people awake and the man missing a leg laughed at the group. The scene had done something no one else in that tent could have all day.

It had cut through the gloom and despair that lingered, smothering everyone. For at least five minutes, there was a different kind of healing going on in the medical station.

The Next Day

The Soldier's Room

Granite City

To Jut's surprise, forming a party was actually a thing.

Once they returned to their assigned room, the group of soldiers and Jut sat around on their bunks, discussing their plan for the next morning. Then they all crashed out for the night and got up just before dawn.

Jut had a brief mental conversation with Alex while he dressed. They had seemed rather angry when he regained consciousness at the mansion but had remained mostly quiet since.

"So, we are forming an actual party then?" Jut had asked Brick as soon as they were all dressed and ready. In response to his words, a new screen opened up along with Alex's chat window.

Lore Found: Parties. Parties are a function of the System that allows up to five ascendant beings to form a group. A Party shares experience more evenly, allows for group tracking on System Maps, and has many other benefits. It is recommended that Ascendant Beings be in a Party as often as possible.

Further Lore, Lore Locked.

The System window that had opened was the generic window he always saw.

Do you wish to form a party with Brick Almight, Jonny Baxter, Randel Ashton, and Larry Canton?

Yes/No

Kyle willed his selection of yes and the window changed. It now showed all five men on a list with Jut at the top. Their faces and three colored bars were visible to him and the order after his image was alphabetical.

After another brief conversation with Alex, the same images and bars were now visible in his HUD when we wasn't focused on anything specific. He could also will them into place and away again separately from the rest of his HUD.

"I love this new world." Brick chuckled and appeared to be reading.

Jut rolled his eyes and appeared disapproving, but secretly, he too was starting to enjoy many aspects of the changes so far.

"We decided to go west, right?" Jut asked.

Along with their pets, the new Party walked west together, ready to hunt some monsters.

The Slatewell Safe Zone began to change that morning as well. A wall was being erected around the Zone, starting in the South West. Ration and Medical tents were being erected in all of the heavily populated areas and guards were being posted heavily to the North East in response to the Monster horde. All the while, non-hunters were being moved out of the casino towers and into converted shelters and tent cities. More of the buildings were being modified and more tents were being erected.

The despair, depression, and wave of anxiety that had begun to build in the overcrowded, inadequate Zone had lifted a fraction with the changes. It made the people feel like something was happening. That they were being looked after and that the staff of the casino cared for them.

Management, led by Adam Slatewell, began making public announcements over the casino's PA system, informing the people of these changes and offering encouraging words. The same announcements were written out and placed on boards throughout the Safe Zone for all of those who were still in bed or were out hunting.

A lot of citizens were becoming irritable. Restless people waited for hours to be fed. Many people complained about being thrust into community tents, the lack of privacy, and the lackluster meals.

Yet, the peace was maintained. Crime was non-existent for the time being, and more often than not, people were kind to one another. It helped that, even lackluster, there was enough food to go around for now.

The citizens of Granite City were coming together in a way they never had before, both metaphorically and physically. This increased the spread of the oppressive atmosphere but also aided in keeping the tensions from boiling over.

It felt to everyone like they were waiting. Waiting for what? No one knew or could guess. The city around them seemed to be holding its breath.

All the while, the group of monsters outside the Safe Zone, just over six city blocks away, continued to grow and expand outward. Anytime a hunter ventured within a block of the group, they were pounced on, shredded, eaten, and forgotten. Then the Monsters who had sprung forward to do the deed would return to where they were, always the same distance away from the Safe Zone.

Six city blocks.